[Fic] Finders Keepers

[nilielh]

Title : [Fic] Finders Keepers 1
Rating : R
Genre : AU
Pairing : Ohno/Nino, Ohno/(girl!) Jun
Disclaimer : fiction, yo!
Word count : 1,997 words
Summary : He was prepared to marry her, but something had to happen just when he's decided to spend the rest of his life with her; he fell in love... not with her, but with her best friend.

 

OHNO

It came as a surprise even for him, the day he decided it was high time he settle down.

Matsumoto June, his girl friend for over two years had been vocal about it since the two of them managed to get past their first year together and after a while, he thought, why not? He’s already in his late twenties, only a couple of years older than her and with a decent paying job (at least that’s what the case was, since he could actually afford a ring that’s worth three months of his salary and could still eat a fairly decent meal after he bought it).

The proposal was unexpectedly normal (though he couldn’t really be sure whether he made the right decision of placing the ring inside her chosen dessert where she nearly chewed on it) beside her seemingly endless blushing and her irritatingly repeated trips to the ladies’ room. He felt nothing out of the ordinary, only a bit surprised to hear her answered ‘yes’ in a whisper, as if it was something to be shy about.

His family had been clueless, possibly because he never once mentioned about wanting to settle down even after bringing June home a couple of times over for dinner. He couldn’t blame them though, since most of the time, his relationships never get past the initial stages of maturity wherein he could actually tell the world that ‘she’s the one’ without literally squirming in his seat.

His mother’s reaction wasn’t surprising either; he had known his mother all his life to know exactly what she’s thinking then without her saying anything. She wasn’t against his relationship with June, that wasn’t the case and he’s sure about it; he knew she was afraid he was diving straight to it without thinking about it enough, but she kept her mouth shut until later when she was fairly sure it was just the two of them.

And when she voiced out her concerns, he couldn’t help but chuckle at the bizarreness of it all, most especially when he realized that he was actually thinking about it.

“I’m not going to ask you whether you’re sure or not,” she said then, eyeing him over the rim of her steaming cup of tea, her eyes solemn and inquiring. “ – because you’ll tell me that you are and it’ll be the end of this conversation…”

He tried hard not to blink, focusing his attention to her because he didn’t know why it suddenly felt like he’s about to hear something he knew he wouldn’t like but need to hear anyway. He smiled, scooping his own cup and sipped without a word.

“ – Satoshi, have you really thought about this before you proposed to her?” she asked, her gaze focused on him and him alone, her words sharp and direct, sending ripples of shudder up his spine at the intensity of those words. “ – I hope you’re aware that marriage isn’t something you could create and trash if you feel like it; you have to learn how to live with someone that isn’t like you, learn how to be responsible for the family you’re about to build and be someone that’s basically not who you are right now…”

He was afraid to answer, not because he didn’t know what to say but because he didn’t want to admit that she’s right. But he was his father’s son and his stubbornness he probably got from him because then, he smiled his sweetest and kissed his mother’s cheek.

“Don’t worry, Mom,” he said, pulling back instantly to hide his trembling hands. “ – I know what I’m doing and this is what I want… you’re just gonna have to trust me on this one…” he said evenly, pushing at his tea cup and managing another smile before he stood up.

She nodded her head and smiled back. “ – for your sake, I do hope that’s true…”

#

Preparations had been made, registry forms had been filled up and he still couldn’t quite wrap his head around everything, trying his best to keep up while moaning quietly about his usual ‘me’ time that he missed so much after about two weeks of letting June took control over his schedule (which she had completely taken advantage of by heartlessly forbidding him to fish during the entire wedding preparation).

He would pout quietly and murmured to himself how she turned out to be a completely different person, even going as far as comparing his fiancée to those Amazon warriors he used to watched when he was younger because for the past week, it wasn’t just once she had yelled at him for apparently standing in one corner and looking like a lost little child while she pretty much do all the work.

He couldn’t blame her though, because everywhere he turned, he could see nothing but people; hear nothing but those endless babbles about dresses, food and wedding receptions and his brain seemed to shut down all by itself whenever she would ask him what he thought about purple or fuchsia as their color motif. Then she would drag him to the bathroom and would yell at him while he silently cursed her for being the woman he didn’t knew she was and himself for being the man he he’s always been – being tremendously stupid.

He kind of wanted to yell back and tell her that if she couldn’t take it, then let’s just call this fucking wedding off!

Of course, that thought always crumble right at the tip of his tongue the minute his eyes caught his mother’s worried gaze and as much as he hated lying, he would smile through his teeth and would walk away, silently screaming.

But everything changed a whole damn lot when June decided it was probably for the best if they hired someone whose job is to sort out the mess they’re currently dwelling into and handing the reins over the whole affair to a wedding organizer.

#

MATSUMOTO

It was never easy finding someone who would actually put up with her and her seemingly endless weird tendencies but meeting and eventually falling in love with a handsome, quiet man who’s qualities were the complete opposite of her ‘ideal guy’ was something she never expected at all.

Plus the fact that the silly man proposed to her when she was already thinking of ending the relationship, not because she didn’t love him enough but because she was afraid he’s the one who’s having second thoughts about them.

Even after those few times he brought her over at his house for dinner, she still didn’t know what to expect. His family’s been generally nice towards her, maybe aside from the occasional awkward quiet stares that Ohno’s mother threw her every once and a while, she could fairly say that she’s somehow welcomed, and well, liked by Ohno’s family.

She pulled the ring off her finger and stared at it like she often did when she’s alone; it’s really pretty in its simplicity, with the simple emerald cut stone set in white, thin band. It’s really pretty, but she couldn’t help but wonder whether it was completely chosen in random or if her boyfriend even thought hard before choosing this particular ring, because it’s just too –

“I’m sure you’re kind of disappointed,” someone spoke from behind her and she quickly whipped her head around to find her loud-mouthed best friend standing there, arms crossed over his chest and smiling in a way – in that annoying way that made her want to wipe it away by probably smothering it with a pillow. “Since we all know that you’re kind of expecting to receive something a bit more expensive-looking than that one,”

She made a face as she slipped the ring back onto her finger. “I’m not asking for your opinion, so kindly keep them to yourself…” she bit back, standing up and swiping her perfectly styled hair back and strode towards him with a little smirk.

He smirked back. “Well you know me, I’m just being honest…” he said with a little careless shrug, leaning in when she’s close enough to drop a gentle kiss on her cheek. “…you try it too sometimes, it’s really therapeutic.”

She swatted at him and allowed herself to grin back when he did. “Shut up,” she muttered, hooking her hand on his elbow and allowing herself to be escorted back to where the living room was. “… you should be grateful that I’ve agreed to get married, or you’re never getting any client to rob or harass,” she said sweetly.

He grinned and bumped his hips against her, laughing along with her when she giggled. “You’re evil,” he mumbled, dropping another kiss against the side of her head and pulling her along, “… but that’s just why I love you,”

“Oh god, what a sap!”

#

NINOMIYA

He’d seen that look on his best friend’s eyes before, and he knew by the time she called him up that there was something utterly important she needed his help with. He wasn’t wrong; he knew exactly the minute he saw her absently checking her ring, like she was trying to decide whether it was a good thing or not. And being the loud-mouth that he was, he called her out on it, and saw the confirmation even without her having to say it out loud.

He loved her, of course he did; she’s like a sister to him, even though they weren’t really related. They grew up together, and been best friends since they were seven. He had been her protector, her crying shoulder, the brother she never had. Nino wanted to think she had finally found that someone who would make her happy, but until he met him, he knew he could never be sure.

He took a few strands of her hair and twisted his fingers through it, smiling genuinely when she leaned her head sideways and rested her cheek against his shoulder, her lovely fingers playing with the deck of cards she found on his jean’s back pocket.

“So you’re into playing cards now, huh?” she grumbled, not bothering twisting around to see the way he’s watching her because she knew; “… do you happened to learn some awesome tricks or what?”

He chuckled, nudging her playfully by shaking the shoulder her head was occupying. “I can show it to you, but some other time… I want to meet this poor guy you’re marrying first, and maybe check if he’s good-looking enough to be worth my time,”

She sighed then and he knew there was something bothering her but he didn’t want to be the first to ask, knowing that she got all fidgety when anyone tried the snooping tactic on her; he knew her well enough not to do that, and just resigned himself to waiting until she was ready to talk about it herself.

“You’ll meet him, don’t worry,” she said, cutting the cards absently and making humming noises whenever he would try and steal a card out of the deck. “… but promise me that you’re not  going to open that big mouth of yours if only to reveal all those embarrassing things we used to do when we’re –“

He hit her upside the head, laughing and wholly amused; “Silly, do you really think I’m capable of doing that?”

She lifted her head and stuck her tongue out at him. “Honestly? Yes,”

“Wow, so mature,”

“Promise me that you won’t,” she whined, gripping at the sleeve of his shirt; “… or I’ll device a few painful plans just to make you cry,”

He faked a shiver. “Oh god, I’m so scared~”

“Kazu, please?” she asked just as softly, looking down to hide her eyes from him; he breathed and simply gathered her into his arms and dropped another kiss on top of her head.

“Alright, I promise…” he agreed in the end.