Chapter Text
Three weeks away from Christmas and according to Akashi’s father, Masaomi, he has yet to get a hold of his twin brother, Seijuurou. Didn’t quite surprise him when their father had contacted him instead of his brother. When the name of the caller appeared to be the father, Akashi knew it had to be regarding his brother.
Without a sigh, he answered the call. “Hello, father.”
“Akashi, where is your brother?” Came his father’s exasperated voice. If it weren’t because of his brother, the age of their father’s voice wouldn’t have been so apparent as of late.
Akashi briefly made eye contact with his friend sitting across from him in the cafe, who only studied his expression while speaking into the phone. “Yes, father….. Alright….. I will speak to him. Goodbye.” After the call ended, Akashi pocketed his phone and drank to finish his cup of latte that had gone lukewarm.
“I assume it is your brother that you need to attend to?” Asked his friend, Midorima. Akashi collected his bag, his expression made it obvious that it was so. “Sorry, but if I let another minute go by, my father surely won’t let me rest.” Akashi stood up and pushed his chair in. “So I will see you this Christmas?” he asked Midorima who smiled warmly. “Of course, if you don’t mind I will have a plus one.”
Akashi smiled knowingly. Midorima had always been one to keep to himself, but his affection for a certain someone from university whom Akashi had yet to meet, excites Akashi and wishes to welcome the person into their circle as well. “Wonderful.”
Masaomi Akashi has a younger twin brother, Masaomi Seijuurou. He was smarter, aloof, condescending, and sees everything as mere ants. Despite their identical looks and almost similar poise, it was easy to distinguish them: Akashi has soft ruby-red eyes, while his brother Seijuurou had a recessive gene in which one of his eyes was light-orange, almost golden like. While Akashi radiated certain tranquillity that pulled people closer to him, Seijuurou had an aura of an Emperor, nobody wanted near him. Akashi would mostly smile upon eye contact, Seijuurou would scowl at their mere sight.
Akashi was closest to his mother, while Seijuurou was closest to his father. Growing up, they both had received the same love and same discipline, but Seijuurou became the father’s favourite, the expectation was natural. Akashi could do whatever he pleases, despite his reserved demeanour, he was subtly stubborn and passionate as his mother, thus their father had learned that control over him was useless.
Nearing the room of Seijuurou, there was no sound coming from the inside. Akashi gave it a knock and there was no answer. He tried on the knob and it was locked. He sighed and knocked again harder this time. “Seijuurou, I know you’re in there. Open up.” he called out gently. No shuffles were heard but the door was opened shortly, revealing his brother’s disinterested face. “What?”
Akashi didn’t answer him immediately and only made his way in, his brother naturally stepped aside.
“Father called.” said Akashi after the door closed.
“I know.”
“He was asking for you.”
“I know.”
Akashi scanned the room. Seijuurou’s room had always been tidy, just like his room, the only difference was Akashi had more interesting trinkets and decorations while Seijuurou was more ship-shaped, only filled with things that were useful and practical. However, Akashi suspected that one of the drawers was filled with…. Things he wishes to not know.
Akashi made himself comfortable on the bed which had been primly made.
Seijuurou sat on his chair and began typing away. Akashi was able to spy that Seijuurou was in a chat window, there were some texts and some text emojis. He smiled to himself and only looked back down on the carpeted floor.
“Are you packed to go home? Father has booked our flight ticket and we are to leave the day after tomorrow.”
No answer.
More typing.
Akashi began to grow impatient.
“Are you liste—”
“Shh!”
Akashi gaped at the back of his brother. ‘ Did he just shh’ed me?’
Usually Seijuurou would tell him to be quiet directly. This behaviour was new, as a matter of fact, Seijuurou’s behaviour had been different since they had started University. Akashi had probably known why, but it was quite odd and took a little getting used to, but it was also tiresome as he had to be the one to meddle between his brother and his father.
Akashi was patient, he always has been. But it was very odd to be in such a situation, he knew something was up. Possibly it was a twin's intuition but something up in his chest was telling him that something was being done that was not supposed to.
Akashi got up and strode over, to his surprise Seijuurou was making an online transaction, saving a PDF receipt. And then another window opened with a booked flight ticket or some sort, he saved a PDF copy of it as well and sent it to one of the chat windows which he was sure was not in Seijuurou’s circle.
There were some formalities exchanged in the chat as well:
‘Here are the payments and tickets.’
‘You are expected to be ready by 8:00 a.m latest, as we need to be checked in by 9:45 a.m sharp. I expect no delays.’
‘You will be picked up by me, please give me your address.’
Akashi looked at his brother. “What are you doing?”
No answer.
The other party replied with a simple thanks and an address after that.
Seijuurou clicked on a tab and tilted his head aside for Akashi’s view. It wasn’t a website Akashi was familiar with, it looked like a profile of sorts and then he saw it— “Boyfriend for rent?”
Seijuurou smirked.
This was of course very common and nothing quite out of the ordinary in Japan. The platform was simply used to hire a date mostly for lonely people or those that just wanted company or even to bring as a plus one. Nothing shady involved, they are mostly for innocent self indulgence. Although, Akashi doubted Seijuurou had any innocent intent.
“What are you playing at? Seijuurou?”
“Well, here’s the thing. As you probably already know, I am sick of father.”
It was true. Akashi knew that. Each and everyday, Seijuurou had grown to slowly simmer his inner turmoil in regards of their father, he couldn’t blame him either. Although it had happened earlier than he expected.
As much as Akashi supports whatever Seijuurou wishes to do with his path and life, he did not agree upon doing things to spite their father. It was not something their mother had raised them to be, it was not something their mother would be proud of as well. Akashi is displeased with his father’s views and they had many disagreements, but his relationship with his father was still on the steady ground as they were still family and deeply cared for each other.
“Se-Seijuurou, but this is absurd, to spite father? This will only—” Seijuurou cut his sentences with a dry laugh. “Oh please, Akashi. Spare me the humour. This is between me and father. You have no say in this matter, you are to do whatever you wish, and so do I.”
“But this,” Akashi gestured at the screen. “This is not the way, I don’t know what you are doing exactly but whatever it is, it would not be wise,” Seijuurou scoffed in between. “This is not what mother had taught us to be.”
“Mother’s not here.”
“Mother’s wishes stay.” Akashi retorted firmly.
There was a moment of silence between them, no tension or feud. But it was something that only Akashi and Seijuurou could share between them.
“So, here’s my plan,”
Akashi groaned in annoyance, crossing his arms and resting his hip against the edge of the table. There was no way of stopping Seijuurou. It was a very dominant trait in their DNA, they were stubborn as mountains.
“I am renting a boyfriend— yes, a man, which means I will bring a man home. Which he will not be expecting. Oh, of course, I could bring a girl home but he will expect a girl— a female. I could bring a very unpleasant one, but he could do anything in his power to shape a perfect woman for me, or simply dispose of her as she would not be suited to bear an ideal heir. Besides, women are easily persuaded in the face of wealth, she might even want to pursue this further for personal gain.”
Seijuurou did not allow Akashi to breathe a sound. “So, I must be extreme in this matter to displease father. I will bring home a man, which makes me gay, I doubt he could think of a plan for me to wed a girl, as he would be shocked by the discovery. But not only will I bring a man home, I will bring a man that will render him speechless and powerless. I will bring a man so unpleasant that he will hate and he will come to hate me, despise me and then…..” Seijuurou chortled.
Akashi sighed and tried to reason. “Seijuurou…. It’s Christmas.”
Seijuurou gave a single clap. “I am going to destroy his Christmas, he wouldn’t want me back anymore.” He grinned at his brother. If it were anyone, they’d die of a cold shiver as Seijuurou was menacing to look at. But to Akashi, he just looked like a five-year-old trying to impersonate an evil villain with an unnecessary drastic cape.
Akashi only shook his head and looked at the screen. “Who is this….. ‘Disaster’ you speak of?” Seijuurou scrolled the page up where Akashi could see the profile picture on the left side, at the bottom, there were thumbnails of a few more they could click for.
The man of Seijuurou’s choice looked very pleasant actually. He looked about their age, mousy hair, shy and warm smile, it made the corner of Akashi’s mouth twitch up a bit as the boy was radiating a certain glow. The sunset shone in the background only boosting his seemingly plain brown hair and humble yet tasteful fashion.
Scrolling through the biodata, the man named Furihata Kouki was indeed their age, only a month older. His hobby was no surprise, seemed to be of someone who preferred solitude and was intrigued with learning and exploring. The brief self-introduction had told him quite enough that he was a very humble person, a little awkward phrases in between but the quality of a good personality was there. The man needed money as stated for his education, didn’t look like he asked for much but desperate enough for even little payments. ‘No sex’ was in bold though. The least, this man had some sort of dignity.
Akashi raised an eye instead. “He is…. Pleasant?”
Seijuurou scoffed and scrolled to click onto the picture of the thumbnail which popped upfront. “He is boring, at best.”
To Akashi’s eyes, this Furihata Kouki was anything but boring. One picture was of him standing in front of a century-old train, in his hands was a small black radio, which probably has podcasts about the history in the museum he was in. Another was of him feeding coy fishes at a pond, which Akashi recognised the location to be one of the palaces in Osaka. The last one was of him and a pet hamster, chubby and round just indulging its cheeks with the snacks Furihata Kouki was feeding him.
He doubted this man actually spelt disaster.
“He is everything father would disagree with.” said Seijuurou.
Akashi and Seijuurou share a certain bond, neither would admit to it but despite that, Akashi still finds himself troubled in understanding the way Seijuurou sees people.
Akashi would agree that, yes, indeed father would disagree with Seijuurou dating a man. Secondly, Furihata Kouki did not even look like a man that Masaomi would even glance at. He was just so…. Ordinary. But as far as to say he was a disaster? Akashi doubted the man could even ignite such a thing. If anything he probably would look like a stray puppy in the face of their father.
Akashi didn’t want to waste his breath arguing, they have obvious polar opinions and it never ends. Their closure was to agree to disagree and get on with life. They ate together and went to their own rooms to their own businesses.
❄
The day has come and the day’s weather forecast has promised good sunny and cold weather. The skies were clear, the air was nice, even Seijuurou was humming to himself as they loaded their luggage into their grey Rolls Royce. Akashi couldn’t be much bothered anymore, he only wanted to be home and spend Christmas with his family, even if it meant Seijuurou’s attempt to destroy it. But hopefully, with God’s grace and in their mother’s spirit, it won’t turn out so bad. But a part of him was…. Guiltily curious.
Seijuurou took the wheel while Akashi buckled himself in the front passenger seat. While Seijuurou had his phone to navigate to pick up his ‘boyfriend’. Akashi got to decide the playlist for their drive.
When they reached, Akashi lowered his phone to observe the area. They were in another Tokyo district which was much busier with younger people. Their car was parked at the side in front of a condominium. Seijuurou looked here and there and took his phone to text, then someone knocked on the driver’s window.
“Ah.” Seijuurou pressed the window down. “Just in time, I was about to lose my patience.” Akashi internally rolled his eyes, they were twenty minutes early. Akashi didn’t look but he heard a soft gasp and the one outside spoke. “You-you!”
Akashi turned his head to look. Curiosity railed him to, and what he saw before him was the other’s face in shock as he stared back at his brother, who in return did not look like he was one bit bothered. Akashi could imagine the bore of his brother’s chromatic eyes.
The stranger had brown hair and big brown eyes that were a little shade different from the pictures he saw, but nevertheless, this is Furihata Kouki. ‘He’s cute.’
“Yes, it is I, and we are to leave now. Please help your suitcase— or whatever that worn looking thing is into the back and get in.” His voice said with no familiarity.
“You are the Masaomi Seijuurou.” said the other in disbelief.
“Yes, yes I am. I believe I did introduce myself prior to this.”
Furihata slapped his own forehead. “I’m so fucking stupid! Of course, it’s you! If I had known I wouldn’t have agreed to this!” Furihata said. The edge in his voice told Akashi that they had known each other before this and whatever had happened, wasn’t pleasant. But then again, nothing was ever pleasant with Seijuurou.
“Well, you did and I paid you—in full. So you are not to turn back on our deal.”
The other snorted—much to Seijuurou’s displeasure. It was rare to see Seijuurou being taken aback like that, and Akashi liked it. “Why? Because you are absolute? ” Akashi spurted behind his hand, stopping himself from laughing. His brother has always said the cheesiest things, it was ridiculous. Sometimes they shouldn’t really be intimidated by Seijuurou.
“Yes, I am!”
“Well, I am absolutely not going. You can have your refund.” Furihata said and turned away. Seijuurou’s hands fisted, Akashi really tried not to show his amusement in this, not many defied his brother, if not at all.
“Come back here!” Seijuurou tried to command firmly, but it only sounded like a yelping big dog.
"So you can stab me in the eye too?” The other yelled back. Akashi gawked and looked at his brother.
“What? What is this nonsense?”
“Oh— memory loss? Let me refresh your sick mind, you tried to stab my friend’s eye—over basketball, you lunatic!”
“You did what? ”
“Be quiet.” Seijuurou hissed at his brother and turned back to the opened window. “I knew you looked familiar, you were Seirin’s captain.”
“So you do remember? Well, remember this! ” Seijuurou gasped at Furihata’s middle finger, and Akashi lost it— he laughed and slapped his lap. Seijuurou glared at his brother and rubbed his temple, groaning in frustration. “I do not have the time to deal with this.”
He shouted out from the window again. “I will forgive you and let this slip by. But you are still coming with me! My father will hate you, you're the perfect candidate! But I do not have the time for this! Do not ruin my plan!”
Another flip of a finger as Furihata walked off.
Akashi chuckled and gathered himself while Seijuurou grumbled beneath his breath.
“Alright. Let me handle this. You obviously have gotten on his bad side.” Akashi said as he unclasped his seatbelt, and gestured to Seijuurou to unlock the doors. Seijuurou wanted to protest but did so anyway and Akashi stepped out of the car.
“Hey, Furihata-kun. Please, wait.”
Furihata turned back, he saw Akashi jogging towards him and at the back, he could see Seijuurou watching deadpanned from the car. Furihata’s face only grew more irritated “ Oh , how nice. There’s two of you.”
Akashi laughed softly. Furihata stood and waited with his arms crossed over his chest. “I apologise for my brother’s behaviour.” Furihata didn’t answer and allowed him the chance to continue. “My brother is a little…. Inept socially—”
“I heard that!” Seijuurou shouted in the background.
Furihata suppressed a smile, Akashi noticed this. “Allow me to introduce myself, I am Masaomi Akashi. We have not met, but I do wish to acquaint you to this…. Journey. It may not be pleasant but I believe my brother did a full transaction, has he not? Inclusive of all accommodation which only requires your…. Company?”
Furihata sighed and looked at Akashi despondent. “Yes, more than what I needed but…. I can always find ways to get the money.”
“And that would take you how long? Assuming from the degree you are pursuing and the University you have enrolled in, it would take quite a while to repay the loan, plus even with a half scholarship, the additional fees are not even covered.”
Furihata sighed disheartened. His brown eyes cast down. Akashi continued, “I am not forcing you, nor do I honestly agree to his…. Charade, but what I can offer is a little cushion to your experience.” Akashi smiled when Furihata looked up at him. Hoping his genuine offer was sound. Akashi felt sorry for Furihata, he truly did. “For free of course. I will try my best to tame him.”
Akashi held his hand out for a shake. Furihata stared at it for a while before looking back up at Akashi for assurance. “Promise?”
“You have my every word.” Akashi reassured.
“Finally.” Seijuurou relaxed in the leathered seat when he saw Akashi and Furihata make their way towards him.
Seijuurou adjusted his phone to navigate to the airport while Akashi, a gentleman he was, assisted Furihata’s luggage into the back of the car. When the two had entered the car. Furihata at the back and Akashi rounded to the front, both setting up their seatbelts.
“Here are my rules,” said Furihata. Seijuurou’s jaw once again fell slightly ajar and Akashi swept a warning glare to his brother, who obeyed and let their guest speak.
“No sex. No scissors.”
Akashi chuckled. “That is fair enough.”
Seijuurou groaned. “First of all, who would sex with you? Secondly, scissors? That was four years ago!”
“Deal?” Furihata pressed.
Both Akashi and Furihata stared at Seijuurou, awaiting his response.
“Fine.”
Seijuurou shifted the gear and started to drive.