Who: Hiro and Suguru What: Coffee after practice When: Roughly around 8-9 pm Rating: PG for conversation content Status: Completed
So despite all the calls to his cell phone, Shuichi didn't show up to studio after all. That was fine with Hiro. He got some good practice in with Suguru and left the studio in a daze. It was only when he got outside the studio and reached into his pocket for his cigarettes that he realized he not only left those but his guitar back up in the studio. "Oh son of a..." He sighed and trudged back inside, hoping Suguru was still there to have watched over his guitar or something at least. You never could tell with those janitors what kinds of grabby hands they might have
It hadn't been long, maybe fifteen minutes since Hiro had left. The day had been sort of long, without really being long at all. He had been working late the past few days, staying after work to compile and arrangements, making sure everything was up to par. He'd intended to do so today, as well. However, there had been a hitch in his plans.... he'd fallen asleep on the keyboard.
Hiro stepped in, not immediately noticing the younger of the two passed out on his instrument, but finding himself pleased that his items were left where he'd remembered putting them. When he reached over for his cigarettes on the stool he'd been playing on, he finally noticed him. Aw. Now that he'd thought of it... Fujisaki really did look tired during their session... He slung his guitar case onto his back and made his way over to him, gently reaching over and shaking him. "Hey, Fujisaki. Wake up. You'll wake up with imprints on your face"
The other groaned softly, his eyes fluttering open. This certainly didn't look like his bed. Or the break room couch... it... oh. Oh. "Nakano-san!" he sat up, trying to fix his hair, his clothes... anything, really, to get over the embarrassment a little faster.
Hiro stood back, waiting for Suguru to finish fixing himself up. "Looking a little tired there. Couldn't wait to get home and in bed or something?" He gave a little smile and adjusted the strap on his shoulder. "You must be wiped."
"What, no, I'm fine, I just... lost focus..." he said softly, turning to gather up the composition he was working on.
"Ah. Is that what you call it? Most people call it napping." he smiled and watched him gather his things. "You don't have a lot of stuff on you today, do you?" he asked, looking around for any of his personal things. "Whatever you have, pick it up. We're going out for coffee."
Fujisaki blushed, hastily stuffing the pages into a briefcase. "I could leave it here, really... we'll be back tomorrow... Nobody wants our..." he paused. "It's got our music. I'd better bring it."
He smiled, watching him fuss and finally nodded. "good idea." He set his case down and unzipped the front pocket. "Put it in here. It'll be safe, I promise." He leaned it up against Suguru's keyboard and left the recording studio to find his helmet which he also somehow forgot. "Ever ridden a motorcycle?" he called back to him
"A motorcycle!?" Suguru called, hastily moving their music to the front of the case, leaving the extra things tucked under the seat of his keyboard before he hurried after him.
"Yeah. A motorcycle." He tossed his helmet back to Suguru. It'd be a bit big, but better something than nothing, right? "You don't really look like the thrill-seeing type..."
"No, not really. The subway is perfect for me..." Suguru replied, looking at the helmet with extreme hesitance. "Ah... Nakano-san... I don't know..."
"It's faster this way. Don't have far to go. I can take you home afterward if you'd like." He smiled and took his guitar, putting it over his back. "I always did kinda wonder what kind of place you lived in. I bet it's huge."
"I live with my parents," Suguru replied softly, putting the helment on and climbing on the back. "Don't go too fast."
Hiro gave a little laugh and threw his leg over. "I didn't know you were scared of something like a little motorcycle ride, Fujisaki," He teased, looking back and pushing down the visor. "Just hold on, will you?" he faced forward once again and started up the bike, giving the throttle a twist and letting the machine give its roar, mostly just to scare Suguru, before he pulled easily out of his spot. He really wasn't *that* mean anyway
"I'm not scared!" The other shouted, not sure how loud you had to talk on a motorcycle to be heard. Of course he wasn't scared. Something like that wouldn't scare him. That would be ridiculous. And Hiro really needed to slow down...
He thought he felt his younger bandmate's hold on him tighten as he moved through traffic, expertly, and respectfully moving between cars and even speeding up through intersections. Really, he loved riding, especially when he could show first-timers how much fun it could be. He kept telling himself that when the ride was over, Suguru would actually have had fun..
Of course, part of Suguru was enjoying it. The other part was having a heart attack, while simultaneously thinking how, if his parents were home, he'd be killed from coming home on a motorcycle.
And just as Hiro promised, the ride really was rather short. At least compared to his usual rides home anyway. He pulled up to the curb and threw down the kickstand, laughing and turning back to look at the guy on the back of his bike. "Well? How was that? You didn't die, did you?"
Suguru stepped off the motorcycle, pulling off the helment and handing it to Hiroshi. "It was.... interesting. I kind of liked it..." Suguru replied with an unsure smile. It also managed to shake him up a little bit.
Hiro took the helmet and tucked it under his arm and giving a satisfied little smirk over at him. He could see him shaking and just laughed before clapping him playfully on the back, leading him inside the coffee shop. "I thought you'd like it. Come on. Let's sit you down. Can't have you passing out from an adrenaline rush like that!"
Suguru nodded and blushed, following the other into the coffee shop without saying much. Despite their working together, and the lot occasionally going out for dinner and such, it was not often that the two spent time alone. But it was kind of... nice.
Hiro waved to the baristas behind the counter as he led Suguru over to an unoccupied booth and set his things aside before flopping down on one side, exhausted. Even after working this long with him, Hiro realized that he didn't really know anything about him. They were mostly just on a professional level, though he was always the one to push friendship more than Shuichi... After all, you have to get along with your bandmates, right? "What do you drink?" he asked.
"I prefer chai tea or vanilla lattes..." Suguru replied. At least he wasn't tired anymore. The motorcycle ride had temporarily taken care of that. He leaned back, taking a deep breath.
"Sounds good as anything else," he said, stretching out. "Excuse me. I'll get the drinks. you relax here." He then got up to approach the counter.
Suguru just nodded, closing his eyes for a few moments. If he could get over being so freaked out... he could get used to that. It was fun, and daring... and something his parents would surely yell at him for.
But wasn't half the fun of being a teenager doing stuff your parents would never find out about? Not that it mattered much anyway, because Suguru was legal. But then again he could sympathize with strict parents. Once the drinks were finished, he brought their cups back to the table. "You feelin' okay over there?" He asked, sitting down.
Suguru opened his eyes, laughing in a somewhat embarrassed manner. "Yes, yes, I'm fine. That was quite the ride, though. You and Shindou ride on it at lot?"
He nodded and got himself comfortable, "Yeah. I usually have an extra helmet with me for him, but i didn't think anyone would be riding with me today." He shrugged, "You should see what it really can do. You'd probably have a heart attack if you saw how I ride when I'm late for practice."
"What if you were to get into an accident?" Suguru replied, his responsible side kicking in as he picked up his cup, blowing on the hot liquid slightly.
"Well.. then I'd probably die or something. Or at least get hurt really badly." He sipped at his coffee carefully, making a face at the temperature. He never did have luck with hot drinks... "and if I got hurt on the way to practice.. well.. I know that you'd probably find me, all broken and bloodied on the road and drag me into the studio anyway."
"It would be your own fault," Suguru replied, finally taking a sip. "So after necessary medical treatment, yes, you would be returning to practice, I think."
Hiro actually laughed at that and shook his head. "It'll be fun playing with my tongue," he said with a roll of his eyes. "Do you ever not think or prepare for work?"
"Of course I do. It's just that work is a large part of my life, so it's natural to think about," Suguru replied with a shrug.
"Well I guess you do have to sleep sometime." He poked at his cup and removed the lid to let it cool off, "What do you do for fun? I can't imagine you partying... or.. really anything.."
Suguru fairly pouted, looking at the other with a flat expression. "For your information, I play video games with my spare time."
"nuh uh." He smiled over at him. "You sure that's not... beneath you or anything?"
"What? No. I mostly play RPGs. It was a fight to get my parents to let me buy one, though," He admitted.
"that's actually... kind of surprising.." he sat back and smiled over at him, nodding. "What else do you do with your free time?"
Suguru mumbled something that wasn't exactly audible, taking another sip of his coffee. He'd responded, but....
"What was that?" he asked, leaning in. "I'm sorry... I couldn't quite hear you..."
".. I study," he replied with a slight frown, knowing the other would laugh at him.
Hiro gave a sad smile over to him and nodded. "You're what.. 18? 19?" he asked, finally trying to sip at his drink without melting his mouth. "I did a lot of that too."
"Nineteen," Suguru corrected, looking to the side. "I'm done with highschool, but since I didn't have time to move forward to university with the band..."
He nodded. That had been his dilemma too. "Yeah? What did you want to go to school for? I mean.. with Seguchi as your cousin and everything... you'd think that this is.. kinda where you belong, right?"
Suguru nodded. "You're correct in assuming that this was always what I was expected to do. I don't know what I'd do otherwise... I just like to learn."
"It is fun," He said, leaning back. "I miss it sometimes. I've thought about taking online classes but... I don't know for what. I always thought I'd be going to med school so.. I never really thought about learning anything else.."
"Med school? Really?" Suguru smiled. "I know you're highly intelligent, Nakano-san, but to waste your talents..? Still.." he could see him in scrubs. It was kind of a cute thought.
"My parents are doctors. I almost got a full ride. But.. I wouldn't be happy." He lifted his cup to sip at it and look out the window. "I dunno, maybe someday. There's still plenty of time left. I'm not really worried about it right now"
Suguru nodded. "Yes, of course. You would be a good doctor," Suguru smiled. "A pediatrician, maybe?"
"Work with kids?" He gave an awkward smile "n-nah.. kids make me nervous. They're way too fragile. I don't know. I always liked immunology... or even neurology, but it's just... I dunno. there's lots of practices out there."
"A neurologist? Perhaps you could help Shindou," Suguru smirked, having another sip of his coffee.
"He's beyond help," Hiro responded flatly, "Sorry. You're stuck with him as he is, Kid"
Suguru frowned. "Don't call me that. I'm not that much younger than you."
"Yeah.. I guess not. but you still look it. I guess it's hard to remember sometimes."
Suguru huffed, looking away. "Seguchi-san looked young, too, and he's much older than you."
"Looked?" He chuckled, "So he looks like an old man now?"
"He still looks young. Twenty something. It's an advantage. Noriko-san doesn't look like she's married and has a child and is thirty-one," The keyboardist pouted.
"You don't look that old. At best, I'd say maybe 17. Does that make you feel better at all?" He asked with a smile
"No! I'm nineteen!" Suguru replied, taking a deep sip of the coffee, only to burn his tongue. Damnit... he did his best not to let Hiro see what he'd done.
Hiro couldn't help himself but to laugh. It was funny getting him riled up. He was amusing, to say the least. "well it'll come in handy when you're Seguchi's age when you're still being carded at the bar." He smiled over at him. "You're in too much of a hurry to grow up."
Suguru pouted. "I'm just in a hurry to have people stop asking me if I'm in highschool yet."
Hiro winced. "Ouch. I guess I can see your problem there." He frowned and shrugged "Well I guess you kinda appeal to the younger fans or something..You'll have lots of young, cute girls wanting you for a long time."
Suguru frowned, looking to the side. "I don't care about things like that. You and Shindou are the ones with the fans."
"I'm sure you've got plenty of girls who want a piece of you. I mean, you're extremely talented, smart, certainly not ugly... Besides... it's nice to be wanted, isn't it?"
"It's somewhat unnecessary," Suguru replied with a slight sigh. "I'm not really interested."
"What, in fame? popularity? Girls?" Hiro sipped at his coffee nonchalantly as if he were asking something relatively normal.
"Yes," The other replied almost snippily, turning his attention back to his coffee.
He gave a satisfied little smile and nodded. "No need for the attitude. What would I care?"
"I'm not giving attitude," Suguru huffed softly. "I would appreciate it if you treated me as a colleague, not a child. Even if we are outside of work."
"I thought I was," Hiro frowned and pulled his hair back to let it rest against his back. "Sorry... didn't mean to upset you."
Suguru sighed, shaking his head. "I must be tired. I'm taking things too seriously. I'm sorry, I've always been very sensitive to being talked down to, I suppose I misconstrue things now," he looked aside, not wanting to admit his mistake any more than he already had. Who said Hiro really hadn't been teasing him, anyway?
"It's fine.." He smiled softly at him and shrugged, "I'm just trying to get to know you. I don't really know anything about you."
Suguru sighed. "It would probably be best if we didn't Nakano-san..." he shook his head. "I don't like to mix work with pleasure."
So Suguru was against it too. "What's wrong with being friends with the people you work with?" he asked with a frown. "I mean.. we've toured together, probably shared a cup at some point, I don't know. We've been working together for years... but it's still hard to believe this is.. really the only thing we've ever done outside of work. Doesn't that seem a little sad to you?"
"I... consider you a friend, Nakano-san," Suguru replied. "But... work comes first. I have to remember that."
"And work's over for today." He smiled and threw back the rest of his coffee. "You also have to know when to leave work at work. Otherwise it bleeds over into everything else in your life, doesn't it? and then you just get stressed out and cranky."
Suguru shook his head. "It's the only way I know how to be, Nakano-san. I've never really had friends."
"What, and you think that being rocketed into stardom isn't a good time to change that?" He shrugged. "You worry too much about being professional. Sure, you can be professional, but you can also be yourself. It is possible to do both."
"I'm just not sure I really know how to do anything else," Suguru shook his head. It was true. He'd been privately tutored at home, he had few social skills. He was professional, but having fun was foreign to him.
"Well.. having conversation is a good way to start," he said with a small smile. "which is what we were having before you decided to keep it professional.."
Suguru gave him another somewhat flat look. "I'm sorry that I'm not used to such a thing. If you can't at least be a little accomodating, I'm afraid I probably won't be able to change," Sure, he was stubborn. But... he sort of had an idolized view of the guitarist in his mind, and so the slightest things were only serving to irritate him.
"Sorry," he sat back, "I wanna help you. I think it'd be fun to hang out with you. maybe have a few beers. go to a club, something. You make me sad sometimes, Fujisaki. Especially now that I know you don't really.. have anyone to just hang out with." it was pitiful, really.
Suguru shook his head. "I would like that, too, but not if it's because you feel sorry for me. I've lead a decdent life so far, just because it's different, doesn't mean it's any better or worse than yours," he replied calmly.
"Nah. Some people might say you've lived a much better life than me.. but that's subjective and really doesn't have any meaning. How arrogant would it be of me to say that my life was better than yours?" he shook his head, "no. I just want to be friends. More than people who just work together."
Suguru nodded. "I just don't want to be a charity case, Nakano-san. Nor do I want to interfere with you and Shindou-san." "Who says you'd interfere? I can have more than one friend." He laughed softly, "I'm strictly asking just as a friend. Not because you're sad or anything... but if I can help fix that, then, well, I'd like to give it a shot. it's what friends do, right?"
"...Yes, I suppose," Suguru offered a small, shy smile. Friends with Nakano-san? That would be... wonderful.
"Good. Now that that's settled," He reached into his pocket to pull out his cell phone and slid it over to Suguru. "Give me your phone. If you need me, give me a ring. I'm usually pretty compliant. God knows I've helped Shuichi more than I should have.."
Suguru just nodded, offering his phone over to the other as he programmed his number into Nakano's. "Thank you," he replied softly, pushing the phone back.
Hiro did the same, pushing the phone back to Surugu and exchanging his own for the cigarettes in his pocket. "it's no big deal. just life, you know?"
"Don't be so nonchalant," Suguru shook his head. "Even for friends, I hear your type is rare."
"What do you mean?" He asked, just about to light up, "I'm rare? in what sense?"
"Well, you've been an exceptionally good friend to Shindou. Always there for him when he needed someone, so I've been told. I heard you even threatened Eiri Yuki," Suguru's eyes lit up slightly.
"Ah well that's.." He gave a sheepish smile and looked away, a little embarrassed, "he and I have been friends forever. We're practically siblings. It'd be dumb not to defend him like that... And that's the kind of thing I do for my friends. I hold them dear to me and will defend them tooth and nail. I'd just ask my friends to do the same.."
"You and Shindou-san..." Suguru began, then shook his head. "Quite a dynamic duo."
Hiro chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck, "we try. But... I dunno, maybe you two will eventually learn to get along too. He's not that bad. Just.. a little loud. But he's a good person. Really."
"I know," Suguru nodded. "But I want to keep him focused. I can help there. Perhaps some day he will appreciate it, and... I'll know when to turn it off and let him be himself."
"He just needs to grow up a little more." He took a long drag off of his cigarette and blew it away from Suguru politely, "But despite what you might think, you guys compliment each other. You're almost opposites."
"You could be right," Suguru shrugged. "As colleagues, we do tend to fill in where the other is lacking."
"It's nice to have such vast differences... makes it easier for me to do my job, anyway." He shifted to sit with his legs along the booth seat and him resting against the wall, "So.. what's it like being Seguchi's cousin, anyway? Did you see him a lot growing up?"
"Yes, when he wasn't on tour, especially," Suguru answered the other. "After all, he is the one who taught me to play keyboard."
"Hard to picture a guy like him being..young.. and sweet and innocent like that. But I guess even demons look peaceful when they sleep." he chuckled, "were you a fan of Grasper? I mean.. you have to support family, I guess but did you ever actually like it?"
"Yes and no," Suguru replied with a shrug. "It was the only popular music I was allowed to listen to. Mostly, I listened to classical."
"I kinda figured you'd be classically trained," Hiro stated with a smile, "did you pick up the synth on your own? or was that inspired by a famous family member?"
"Ah, it wasn't really difficult. For my eleventh birthday, Tohma-san gave me one of his old sets," Suguru shrugged slightly.
"That was nice of him. sentimental, I guess." He laughed a bit and ashed his cigarette. "I bet your parents were pretty upset."
"Oh, they don't often get along," Suguru laughed. "Perhaps that's why I loved it when he visited."
He had a bad home life? That was... kinda sad... "He offered.. kind of a distraction?" Well at least that explained why he studied so much in his free time.. "..Are they still together?"
"Oh yes, of course. Perhaps due to Tohma-san. After all, when he came over, he was the enemy," Suguru laughed.
"Something they could unite together against." Hiro laughed softly and shook his head. "I take it he doesn't visit much anymore. You don't need him anymore?" "I... sort of miss him, actually," Suguru sighed softly. "But, my parents don't argue anymore! Father started taking Mother with him on business trips, and she stopped complaining about being left alone with me."
Wow. talk about a mood-killer. "...she used to complain about being left with you...?" He asked. Another reason to bury his nose in textbooks.
"Well, I'm sure I was quite a handful. Must have been like being a single parent," Suguru replied, everything said very nonchalantly.
"Still that's... a rather cruel thing to say..." He scratched the back of his head... never having actually dealt with something like this, he didn't quite know how to respond. "You don't get along well with them?"
"Oh, we get along fine, relatively," He shrugged. "I know how to deal with them."
"You seem to be getting along pretty okay at least.." He smiled a little awkwardly, "You're nineteen... have you thought about getting your own place? Get away from that? do what you want?"
"I've thought about it, yes," he nodded, taking a sip of his drink.
"And.. you decided not to?" He took a drag from his cigarette and looked over at him, rather interested in his reasoning. "Not quite ready to get out there on your own yet?"
"They'd prefer I didn't. It's all right, though. They're not often home. That's really why, I'm sure, they need someone to watch the house," he shrugged.
"Well if you're okay with it then I guess it's not a big deal." He looked away to blow out his smoke, "You always do what they tell you?"
"I've never had a real reason not to," he replied, shaking his head.
"How about doing something you wanted to do instead? Stay out past curfew, play hooky, you know. that sort of thing."
"Hooky? I had nowhere to play hooky from," he shook his head. "Unless you mean work, which wouldn't really bode well."
"Why? Shuichi does it all the time. You could easily cut practice, sleep in a little, go on a date. Take the opportunity to get totally blitzed." He laughed a bit and gave a shrug of his shoulder. "It's not like you'd get in trouble."
"I have no interest in going on a date or getting... blitzed," Suguru shook his head slighty.
"You like sleeping though, right? You should take a day off... you work too hard. I've always thought that." He offered over a little smile, "no work at all. no thinking about it, no dreaming about it, no coming anywhere NEAR NG."
Suguru laughed, but shook his head more. "I actually prefer work to anything else."
"Really?" That seemed a little hard to believe, but who was he to judge? He shrugged and crushed out his cigarette, righting himself in the booth. "Well.. I guess if it makes you happy..."
"It does. Think of it, I have... colleagues here. That are sort of like friends to me," Suguru shook his head. "And I get to play keyboard. What could be better?"
He laughed, "You could be having a sex life. Sex is usually better than work. And if it's not well.. there's some problems somewhere"
"Sex?" Suguru shook his head. "No, I just can't see it. I'm not interested."
Now that was something that threw Hiro off completely. "...for real? you... you're serious?"
Suguru smiled innocently. "I've never had sex, Nakano-san. So how could I be preoccupied with it?"
"... you could preoccupied with having it.. like every other guy your age." He was beginning to think that Suguru was some kind of alien. Who enjoyed work more than anything? he shook his head and lifted his hands. "I'm sorry.. that was rude. It's just.. I dunno, maybe I'm just going off of my own life.. It's a little foreign to me but.. I guess I can understand it when your whole life is focused on one thing.. there's not really room in your head for anything else.."
Suguru nodded. "Frankly, feelings like what you're talking about just confuse me. I'm unsure how to deal with it."
"So it's not like you don't think about it ever right?" well that was a little relieving. "I dunno.. I know that when I was starting to deal with it I just.. did something about it. But I've never really had a problem getting girls into bed. I was kinda popular at school so it worked in my favor.."
"You, Nakano-san?" Suguru smiled. "Of course I can see you being popular, but bringing girls home every weekend?" he laughed softly.
"Well maybe not every weekend... I did have to study, you know." He chuckled and shrugged, "just when I couldn't take it anymore. didn't happen often actually now that I think about it." He stroked his chin in thought. "Maybe it just seemed like a lot at the time."
Suguru smiled. "And Shindou-kun? Was he popular?"
"Kind of." He thought for a minute, "But he really wasn't interested in really seeing anyone." He laughed a bit and shook his head, "He claimed he liked girls but I think I always knew he was all about the cock."
"Oh really?" Suguru laughed quietly, finishing his drink. "And I'm sure he'd appreciate hearing you talk about him like that."
"He'd probably hit me, but he knows it's true." He gave a nonchalant little shrug, "my gaydar's always been pretty on."
"Oh, it is?" Suguru smirked. "All right, then, what about me?"
"Hm..." He studied him for a moment "eh. I'd say you're pretty queer. But you admitted you're a virgin so it's hard to say without something to go off of."
Suguru twitched, making a slight noise that was similar to 'irk'. "Yes... I suppose you're correct."
Hiro gave a playful grin and chuckled, "I just can't see you being felled by a chick. That's all. Maybe marrying for convenience or to get people off your back or something."
"Frighteningly accurate," Suguru frowned. "All right then, how precisely do you propose I get involved in sex? We can't afford to have another gay band member."
He laughed a bit, "why not? Girls eat that up. They might even start suggesting you and Shuichi get together. But then that might cause a rift with Yuki or something and.. oh god. I'm starting to think like them.."
He shook his head, "but I digress... I don't know how you operate so... going out and asking for numbers at bars or clubs is a good way to start. Being famous helps you tremendously."
Suguru shook his head, shaking his head. "Not really me think, Nakano-kun."
"I guess not... but again, it's the easiest place to pick up chicks... or guys.. whichever you want to play with first." He shrugged. "just... talk to people. But try not to sound creepy."
"You sound creepy right now," Suguru replied, just giving the other a hard time. "I'd prefer to do that sort of thing with someone I liked."
"Well how do you expect to meet people you like if you never leave the house?" He teased back with a little laugh
Suguru sighed, resting his head on his hand, his elbow on the table. "I don't know, Nakano-san. I'm just not that kind of person."
"You're a member of a hugely successful rock band... I don't understand how you're not getting laid. It doesn't make sense to me."
"I suppose it's been a personal choice not to have sex without meaning," Suguru replied with a slight huff.
"Well.. I guess I can see that." He smiled a bit, finding Suguru's choice to be... endearing. "Especially for your first time. Should be with someone special. Makes sense to me, anyway"
Suguru nodded, blushing a little bit. "That's what I thought, anyway."
"Sometimes I think about how it would be if I'd waited like that... but I don't regret it." He chuckled a bit, "Maybe you'll find someone to give your first everything to," he said. It didn't seem likely that Suguru would have given his first kiss away either.
Finding himself blushing again, Suguru looked away. "Yes. Perhaps."
"personally I think you need to get out there and meet someone but, well, you don't seem the type to let your guard down that much. Maybe you and Seguchi aren't so different after all"
"Tohma has Mika-san," Suguru replied, pouting a little bit.
"Yeah, I guess." he shook his head. "I don't really buy their act, though. But I mean.. he was an awkward teenager once I'm sure."
"He cares about her," Suguru shook his head. "He just has more than one thing that is relative to his interests."
"really?" he asked, a little surprised. "I dunno.. I just think.. maybe that's how you'll end up in fifteen or so years. You two are pretty similar..."
Suguru glared. "I admire Tohma-san. He's very successful. But we are different people."
He.. didn't quite expect that kind of response. Frankly, Hiro thought that he idolized him... "You don't want to be like him?"
"No, I don't! I'm not just a mini-Seguchi," he huffed, turning away. Wasn't it obvious that he wanted out of that shadow?
His shoulders slumped. he was so confusing... "I don't know...you're.. maybe a little more personable than he is... certainly a better keyboardist, at least in my opinion... but I'll be honest. I don't know either one of you well enough to make the distinction."
"Then don't try!" Suguru fairly pouted.
"But wouldn't you like me to? to acknowledge the differences between you two? I mean..That is your goal, right? Wouldn't you like to know that.. at least someone can tell the difference?"
Suguru sighed. "I don't know. Stop confusing me, Nakano-kun."
"Sorry..." He nodded and sighed. "I guess I should take you home then.."
"Take me home? I could take myself home...." he shook his head.
"You want to take the subway?" He asked with a shrug. "suit yourself. It's getting late.. might be a lot of creepers on. Hope you've got something like a hat to cover your identity.."
Suguru blushed. "All right, fine. I just didn't know if I wanted to go yet."
"Oh. Really?" He laughed and made himself comfortable again. "I thought I was pissing you off or something." He thought for a minute and smiled. "..should I get some more coffee?"
"All right," Suguru nodded. Hiro was interesting. He liked it.
Hiro was actually having a good time. Despite the awkwardness they occasionally stumbled upon. But he was glad to know that it didn't linger and create rifts. He got himself up to grab them some more to drink. Fujisaki... really wasn't all that bad now that he was getting to know him. But.. Shuichi would probably have his liver if he knew he was fraternizing with someone so close to Seguchi.
Suguru leaned back, considering what had gone on so far. Nakano was... a very desirable companion in any sense of the word. He might even have something of a crush on him... but he wouldn't say anything of that sort.
Hiro usually prided himself on being able to read people pretty well just at face value, but he was having some issues with Suguru. He was... strange. But it wasn't bad for some reason. He kinda liked it. It was a challenge, which he found to actually be pretty fun. Once their drinks were done, he brought them over on a tray with a muffin for each of them. "Hungry?"
"Oh," Suguru smiled, a tiny blush across his cheeks. "Yes... I could eat..."
"I thought so. We haven't eaten at least since before practice." He smiled and set their respective drinks in front of them, "You know.. you're not like Seguchi after all. I don't think I've had my spirit or balls ground in with your heel yet. You're.. gentler than he is but... maybe it's some kind of family trait that you don't really show all your cards."
"Perhaps," Suguru shrugged. "At the same time, Nakano-kun, I have no reason to do such things to you."
"I don't either but we all have parts we don't want to let people see. I just don't know what yours are. I think you two are similar in that you... have to have things in control. In your control so things don't go awry. But you don't want people to know you're playing that game.."
"As capable as Sakano-san and K-san are, occasionally they need help," Suguru replied, pulling off a bite of muffin.
"I guess so." He smiled at him and peeled back the wrapping on the bottom of his muffin, "Someday when this is over, you should think about becoming a manager or a producer."
"Perhaps," Suguru smiled a little, eating what he'd pulled off of the muffin. "I could do that."
"just.. maybe don't go nuts with it. You'd be scary if you let your power run away with you." He chuckled "then you really would become Seguchi." Hiro grinned and took a bite of his muffin
Suguru huffed quietly. "I am capable and in control of myself, Nakano-kun. It wouldn't happen that way," still, he smiled at the other.
"I believe that. You're fairly level-headed." he laughed again and watched him pick apart his muffin.
"Well, I'm glad a fellow band member has confidence in me," Suguru half-joked.
"Well it's not like I ever didn't have confidence in you." He smiled sheepishly and finally sipped at his coffee. "Does that count at all?"
"Yes, more than you know," Suguru nodded slightly.
he raised an eyebrow. That was... an interesting answer. "Am.. I being scored or something?"
"Oh, yes, Nakano-kun, you didn't know?" The other replied jokingly, taking another piece of his muffin.
He laughed a bit and sat back. "I guess not. How many points do I have?"
"Hmm.. eighty-seven," he replied, taking a sip of his drink.
"Eighty-seven, huh?" He said, rather impressed. "Sounds like I'm winning"
"You don't know what the score system is," Suguru wagged his finger at him playfully.
"Cocktease," He mumbled, finally tearing off the muffin top and munching on the bottom half.
"What does one have to do with the other Nakano-kun?" he asked, then shook his head. Best not to know. "Nevermind."
"huh?" Hiro honestly only meant it as an offhanded thing. "Oh. no. Nothing like that." He gave him a weird look. "Where's your mind?"
"In the dictionary," The other replied flatly. "Then again, if I was too literal, I might've even assumed a rooster. Then I would have been very confused."
he laughed a bit and shrugged. "Eh. you're wearing too many clothes for it to be literal."
"Oh, well in that case," Suguru replied, sliding off his jacket and offering a smug, playful smirk.
Hiro's eyes widened at just the suggestion. "Woah woah I didn't mean anything by that!" what happened to the supposedly shy guy from just a little bit ago!?
"It's a jacket, don't be ridiculous," Suguru smiled, taking another sip of his coffee. "I was getting warm, anyway."
"O-oh." He coughed and looked away, a little embarrassed at his overreaction. "Well I feel like an ass"
"I'm just so unpredictable," Suguru joked, adding a wink to throw him off.
and he certainly was thrown off. he was all over the scale... though his gaydar seemed to be getting a fairly clear reading at least. "Not everyone would see that as a positive.."
"Mm, never said it was," Suguru laughed, relaxing back into his chair.
Well.. that was awkward. "Yeah.. I guess so." he laughed uneasily and tended to his coffee
"You're a little too fun to tease, Nakano-kun. You should watch out," Suguru replied. Perhaps it was a defense mechanism, but something about getting the other wondering was kind of fun.
"It's not that much fun, I'm sure. It's not like I'm doing anything particularly interesting. I'm not even blushing." and just to betray him, it seemed as though his face picked that particular moment to turn red
Suguru giggled. "Perhaps I'm exacting my revenge for all the times you and Shindou-kun have teased me, hm?"
"Well it had to happen eventually I guess." it was nice to see this side of him. "Are you finally relaxing?"
"Relaxing..?" the other echoed curiously.
"Yeah.. you're starting to joke around. You're not as. uptight as you were earlier." He smiled, "I like it"
It was Suguru's turn to blush. "Oh. Well, I suppose..."
he grinned at him and laughed softly. "I don't usually get to see you like this. it's refreshing"
"Fairly soon I won't surprised you at all,' Suguru shook his head, smiling just a bit.''
"You don't think so? I dunno. you might just still have some tricks up your sleeve. You can be a pretty sneaky person you know.."
"Oh, I can?" Suguru replied, tilting his head to a side slightly.
he nodded. "mmhm. kinda scary too. Those comparisons to Seguchi? Yeah. I meant that, too"
Suguru sighed. "Perhaps. It runs in the family."
"Just... don't overuse it," Hiro said with a lopsided little smile, "as many times as you hear evil-is-sexy or whatever... no one's gonna approach you like that."
"I certainly am not doing it to be... sexy," Suguru replied with a slight shake of his head
he laughed, "Well that's a relief I guess." Hiro smiled and poked at his muffin. "Kinda gives me chills."
Suguru sighed softly, leaning back. He was a little tired, but he woudln't say so. He was having fun.
Hiro could read it though. he was exhausted too, after all. It had been a long, long day in the studio, but it was a good one... even if his fingers still hurt, he didn't care. "I've asked a lot about you.. there anything you wanna know about me?"
"Hmm," Suguru paused a moment, really thinking about that. "I don't know.. you told me a little, too. Like being a doctor."
"Yeah.. I never actually went through with it. I wonder if my parents would forgive me if I ever did decide to go through med school."
"Well, I can see where they would be uncertain, giving that up to be a guitarist, but now that your successful, they should at least accept it," he said with a slight smile.
"It'd be nice. Maybe they have, I don't know. I haven't spoken to them since I made my decision." he gave a little shrug, "But.. this is what makes me happy so they can take their opinion and shove it."
Suguru nodded. "You haven't spoken to them at all? It must be in years..."
he nodded. "Right after we got signed, really. I did try, quit for a little bit but..I guess I just couldn't stay away." He smiled softly, "they don't talk to my brother either. they're really the types that value image and reputation. Very traditional."
"They might just be happy that you can support yourself, now," Suguru shrugged. "You should at least see them on New Years."
"It's not really worth it. I don't want to ruin a perfectly good holiday with needless drama. I'll probably just end up going to a bar or watching fireworks on tv or something." He thought for a minute and smiled a bit, "that just makes me sound really lonely, doesn't it?"
"It makes you sound like you don't care much about family," the other replied. "Why don't you spend it with Yuuji-san?"
"Honestly? Because I have no idea where he is. I don't really like to see him anyway. Whenever I do, it's because he wants money or he got evicted because he couldn't pay rent." He sighed and went to light up another cigarette
"So you're somehow in between your parents and your brother?" Suguru observed.
"Something like that. It's never really mattered a whole lot to me. never really got along great with my parents, always pushing us to study and score at the top of the class. They gave up on Yuuji when he was about fifteen and put all that extra energy into me. Sure I still studied, but I didn't really care. I was having fun with Shuichi, too."
"You're lucky to have him," Suguru smiled, taking another sip of his coffee.
"I am. dunno where I'd be if he didn't suffice as a good distraction from the world." he chuckled, "I'd be either in med school or in a ditch somewhere. I really do owe a lot to him. He's the one who kept pushing me to do it. him and his damn delusional mind."
"Sometimes, someone who really has hope will change everything," Suguru replied, shaking his head. "Don't tell him I said so, though."
"of course not. wouldn't want him catching on that you had a positive thought about him," he laughed, "then things might get weird"
"I can only imagine," Suguru shook his head.
he smiled at him and shook his head. "You're weird.. you two need to get over.. whatever this thing is between you and be friends or... something."
"I have no problem with him, other than how irresponsible and insane he is," Suguru replied. "He hates me because I interrupted your little lovefest."
he gave Suguru a flat stare while he drew on his cigarette. "We weren't like that. But... you're good. and he respects that, despite how stubborn he can be about his own skills..still. it's been what, three years?"
"Yes, and we get along just fine as colleagues," Suguru replied, finishing up his muffin.
"And you're.. just okay with that?" he asked with a frown
"I don't see anything working out beyong that, Nakano-san," Suguru shook his head.
"what, afraid you'd actually end up liking him?" he teased, pushing over the muffin top to Suguru and munching on the bottom half he'd torn off, "or is he not your type?"
"I just don't think he'll ever completely get over the changes that I made, but he seems to accept my help now,' Suguru shrugged.
"Because if he doesn't, he'll get his ass handed to him by your lovely cousin."
"Oh, so you're saying if it weren't for the fact my cousin was the CEO, what I've done wouldn't be worth anything?" Suguru raised his eyebrows.
"Huh? no. I didn't mean it that way. It's obvious that yeah, you may have had a foot in the door, but beyond that everything was on you. I'd almost say he's harder on you than anyone else. I'm just saying that Shuichi's the type that wouldn't care how good someone is if he's insulted and he'd bitch anyway. He doesn't want to get reamed by Seguchi, so he keeps his trap shut."
"I suppose you're correct in that," Suguru replied with a slight sigh. "I've worked my hardest to prove that I deserve to be there..."
"and you do. You're as capable as anyone, I think. hell, I never woulda guessed you two are related if you hadn't told us. I mean.. I probably would have figured it out eventually but..."
"I always felt it was better to be upfront," Suguru shook his head slightly.
"Makes it easier for me. I hate having to decode people's conversations. It's annoying," he mumbled as he ashed his cigarette.
"We should... probably get going, hm?" Suguru replied, having finished his drink, as well.
he nodded and threw back his coffee. "sounds good," he said a little sleepily as he climbed out of the booth and handed over his helmet to Suguru. "I'm not gonna wake anyone up if I drop you off, am I?"
"No, come to think of it, I don't think anyone will be home," Suguru shook his head. "Sometimes it's hard to tell, but it's usually a safe guess.."
"works for me. I don't want to be rude or get you in trouble or anything." He slung his guitar over his back and nodded toward the door.
Suguru followed, pulling his jacket back on and getting ready to go outside.
Hiro smiled over at him and went to mount his bike, waiting for Suguru to hop on and hold on before even starting it up. And now that he was at least a little used to riding, he'd be a little liberal with the speed on the way home. He was careful, of course. After all, Suguru had his helmet. He couldn't afford to get into an accident.
As the other dropped him off, Suguru thanked him softly, handing him the helmet. "I'll see you at work, Nakano-san. Thank you for the coffee."
"My pleasure." He took the helmet back and smiled over at him. "We'll have to grab a beer sometime soon. Got anything going for New Year's?"
"Not really," Suguru replied with a slight laugh. "Should we.. make plans?"
"Sure. why not?" He laughed, "Sure as hell beats passing out in an empty apartment with a bottle of vodka by myself. Might be fun. Who knows?"
"Well, it's me. Of course it will be fun," Suguru laughed, knowing how absurb the statement was.
"Good point." He laughed and pulled the helmet on "anyhow, have a good night. I'll see you at work, all right?" he said just before dropping the visor
"Bye, Nakano-san," Suguru waved, heading into his house.
He watched, making sure he could at least get in okay before he pulled away from the curb. Well that was interesting. Fun even. On the ride home, he pondered with growing curiosity how he'd act drunk. He couldn't wait.