Chapter 2: Chapter One: True Love is Worth the Wait
Ebisu, Shibuya-ku.
"Listen, kid" Haruto began, lighting up another cigarette and closing his eyes. What was with that kid and making him want to smoke? "you need to go home."
"I'm not going anywhere" Ren insisted, taking a step forward "I wish to discuss this properly."
"Don't be an idiot" Haruto growled quietly, eyes snapping open. This kid was as annoying as ever. "There's no way I will ever love you back – so, go find a boy your own age to experiment with."
"It's not experimentation" Ren said quietly, taking another step towards him until he stood right in front of him. Haruto REALLY wanted to die. Why him?
"Ren, I don't think you realize what you're doing. Quit playing games with an old man, huh?" Haruto chuckled nervously, puffing out some smoke as he spoke. Ren grimaced, taking one, small step backwards. Ah, so that was the trick? Smoking in his face. Genius.
"I'm not playing games with you, but yes – you are an old man��� Ren replied, as cool as ever. Haruto groaned.
"See? You're making jokes about my age. If you really DID love me, you wouldn't do that, right? Case solved – go home."
As Haruto attempted to close the door, Ren pushed it open with his arm. Damn, the kid was strong! Haruto stumbled backwards, grabbing onto the living room door behind him to support himself. Ren stepped inside, kicking off his shoes.
"I'm coming in" he said lowly.
"I can see that" Haruto mumbled angrily, letting out a frustrated sigh. He was honestly a little impressed, though. He never knew Ren to play pranks, and he never knew him to be so persistent about anything except his studies. Maybe it would be interesting to see how far he would take it.
Ren followed Haruto into the living room, flopping down on the couch. Haruto sat down on the opposite one, smoking away. Ren raised a brow.
"You didn't scold me" he said, a little surprised.
"Huh?"
"You usually scold me when I flop down on your couch, is all" Ren shrugged.
"That's because your sister told me to" Haruto explained.
"Oh" Ren nodded. He sat forward a little, clasping his hands together. He stared at Haruto, a focused look in his eyes.
"What now? You spot a new wrinkle? Haruto sighed.
"No, I just have to ask you a personal question."
"Oh yippee!" Haruto said sarcastically, using his ash tray to put out his cigarette "what is it you want to know?"
The kid was way too serious - so knowing him, and he had known him since he was fourteen (and he was now eighteen, almost nineteen), it was going to be extremely inappropriate.
"How often did you fuck my sister?" he asked. Again – cool as a cucumber.
Haruto almost died - and he was relieved for a second when he thought he would, but unfortunately – he lived through the mini heart attack the youth had just given him.
"Ren!" he exclaimed, shocked.
"What?"
"She's your sister, why do you want to know how many times she and I did it?!" Haruto questioned.
"Because I want to know how tainted you are" he shrugged.
"Tainted, huh?" Haruto mumbled.
"Uhuh. You know, for future reference."
"Future reference?" Haruto blinked. Ren nodded.
"Like, when we have sex."
'WHY?!' Haruto exclaimed internally, though he remained calm and composed on the outside.
"Look, Ren. You and I – we are never going to have sex" he said calmly. Ren frowned. Oh no, he was getting mad.
"Why not?" he asked him.
"Because we're both men."
Ren's frown deepened. "I'm aware."
"Of course, you are, you're a smart boy, but what I mean is – I don't swing that way, kiddo. So, while I am flattered by your interest, I don't want to have sex with you. A man. A boy, really."
Ren's frown deepened even further. Haruto was getting nervous, honestly.
"I see. So, you are not open to trying new things with those who love you?"
Haruto ignored that question. "Oh, would you like some tea, or coffee?"
"No thanks" Ren said, shaking his head. Haruto nodded, relaxing back into the couch.
"So, Ren. How are your studies going?" he questioned.
"Great" Ren nodded. He seemed to have calmed down rather quickly for once.
"Ah, I didn't really need to ask – did I? You're a smart kiddo."
"No, you didn't, but you were desperately trying to change the subject" Ren said coldly.
'Fuck' Haruto though, sighing aloud "Ren, you need to get home. If anyone finds our you're here, you're in big trouble."
"Why?" he blinked.
"Because your sister and I just divorced five months ago" he said "and she's still pretty mad at me, right?"
"She's furious."
Trust Ren to be honest.
"Ah, well, I don't blame her" Haruto nodded.
"Mm. She says you're a no good, useless prick with no morals, no sense of humor and a serious lack of self-confidence. She also said you tricked her into thinking you would have kids with her, which is partially the reason why she left you and filed for divorce, but also because you have a wandering eye and you flirt with your boss, who is apparently really old and ugly and a spinster. She said that she can have you if she wants, because the only thing you're useful for is good money and sex."
Haruto stared blankly at him. He wasn't really sure what to say to all that – especially since Ren had said it like it was no big deal at all. Ren crossed his arms over his chest.
"Oh, and she said-"
"That's enough" Haruto stopped him with a deep sigh.
"Did I upset you?" Ren asked, tilting his head.
"No, not really. It's not like you said all those things."
"No, I don't think those things are true at all" Ren said, shaking his head.
"Oh? You don't?" Haruto chuckled lightly "well, it's only partially true. I do lack self-confidence, and I have a different sense of humor to your sister, but I do have one. We just don't find the same things funny – I suppose. As for morals, I have them, but again – we wanted different things. Yes, I did promise her I would have kids with her when we were ready and I felt like I had achieved enough to bring a kid into the world, but she wouldn't accept that and kept trying to trick me, which I didn't like, so we stopped having sex because I was paranoid. As for the wandering eye, I guess I did look at other women, but only because she's a pompous, self-centered, vile, paranoid woman with no regard for anyone else's feelings but her own, as exemplified by her statement to you."
Ren was silent for a moment. Haruto thought he was going to kill him for talking about his older sister in such a way – so he chuckled nervously.
"Heh - sorry, Ren. I know she's your sister."
Suddenly, Ren started to laugh loudly, clutching onto his stomach as he did. Haruto raised both brows at him.
"I'm sorry - but that was amazing! Nobody has ever had the guts to say something like that about her, especially to a family member. Then again, they've never been married to her. You're funny –Haruto!"
Haruto shook his head, smiling widely. "Well, so long as you agree."
"Oh, you hit the nail on the head that's for sure" Ren giggled, wiping some tears from his eyes from laughing so hard.
It was one of the only times Haruto had seen Ren laugh. He found it somewhat sweet. The kid rarely smiled, never mind laughed.
A small, happy silence followed. For once, things didn't feel weird or tense.
Haruto stood "so, I suppose she doesn't have anything nice to say about me at all, then." He entered the kitchen, pouring himself and Ren some sweet lemon iced tea.
"Well, that's not entirely true" Ren shrugged. He crossed his legs as Haruto returned to the living room, handing him his iced tea before returning to the couch.
"Oh?"
"Honestly - she would kill me if I told you this but, she has been crying a lot."
���She has?" Haruto blinked. Ren nodded.
"Sometimes she cries, sometimes she gets mad. There's never really an in between when it comes to you. I guess I'd know that."
"How?" Haruto asked. Though he really wished he didn't ask by the time Ren replied as he took small, slow sips of the iced tea.
"Because I love you, too."
Haruto pursed his lips. He really wasn't sure what to say to that, especially since he wasn't exactly the type of person he could like, even if he were to be a woman.
"You like to break hearts, don't you, Haruto?" Ren asked, again between sips.
"Huh? Not at all" Haruto sighed, taking a swig out of his own glass.
"Well, you have broken two in the past four and a half years" Ren said lowly.
"Ren, come on. You have never even liked me as a person – who are you trying to fool?"
"Nobody."
Haruto stared into his eyes. They looked sad, serious and almost betrayed. Did the kid really expect him to kiss him and tell him he loved him, too? After he had just divorced his sister?!
"I hate it when people don't take me seriously" Ren sighed, looking down at the half-empty glass. "especiallyyou."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"What?"
"Especially me."
"You have never taken me seriously since day one" Ren said to him "you always call me kid, and look down on me. Now you're saying my feelings for you are a joke."
"Of course, they're a joke. You're only eighteen, you don't know what true love is. If you know what it is – then tell me right now."
"Not everyone is like you!" Ren exclaimed angrily. Haruto blinked.
"What?" he asked quietly.
"I know exactly what happened to you. Reiko told me."
"Ren -"
"Your parents divorced when you were younger because your father was unfaithful for your whole life! You even walked in on him having sex with other women a few times, and that's why you have commitment issues and can't love anyone, ever!"
"Ren that's enough!" Haruto yelled. He felt that anger bubbling up inside of him. The anger he always felt when he got drunk and remembered his childhood. Ren made him so angry, even though he knew he wasn't trying to hurt him. His eyes met Ren's for a brief second, seeing the tears welling in them. He had never yelled at him before – not once, even though he drove him crazy with his stupid behavior, because he knew that Ren hated being yelled at. He had always been so considerate of the young boys' feelings, even though he was never considerate of
Haruto's.
"I'm going home" Ren announced shakily, standing up and taking his laptop case up off the couch.
"Ren-" Haruto started, standing up, but Ren's sad eyes meeting his stopped him dead.
"It's fine, Haruto" he said, wiping at his eyes "I promise I won't bother you again."
"Ren, stop -" Haruto was cut off again by Ren exiting the room swiftly, and opening the front door. He followed him out into the hallway, watching him walk down the pathway. He felt sad for some reason, watching him leave. Ren turned around to look at him, tears still in his eyes - and before he left, he said something that left Haruto shaking in the doorway.
"You told me that I don't know what true love is just now, and you asked me what true love is. I'm not sure what answer you expect to hear. Though I know that nearly everyone in the whole world has a different response to that question. Some people have one, some people don't, some people find it, some people never do. I-I guess, it's kind of a personal thing, right? Here's my answer."
He swallowed quickly - and once it was said, he was gone.
"For me, true love is waiting for you even though you married my sister. True love is you saving me from that fight, and me falling in love with you instantly. True love is me acting like I hate you for four and a half years to keep my feelings to myself. True love is me coming here today to tell you all this, as much of a wimp as I am. True love is me willing to push my studies aside, to love you unconditionally. Because I'm ready, Haruto. I'm ready for you. True love is worth the wait."
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