Chapter Text
“You look great, stop fiddling with your necktie,” Fuji said with an amused smile, glancing towards his best friend from the corner of his eye.
They were at a five-star hotel located in the heart of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Although Fuji had spent most of his life thus far in Tokyo, he had only ever stepped into such luxurious hotels twice; the first was on an assignment when he had been working as a journalist, and now, for Yuuta’s big day.
Everything was bright and glamorous, even the elevator buttons looked freshly polished. The staff were all-smiles and polite and spoke in precise volumes that could only be heard by the clients they were speaking to. Despite the dozens of people lingering around the spacious lobby; some checking in, some checking out, others simply sitting or standing around seemingly waiting for somebody else; all that could be heard was a quiet buzz of voices weaving among the soothing notes of Debussy’s Clair de Lune playing in the background.
Fuji wasn’t exactly accustomed to such environments, or the suit he was wearing, but Saeki looked obviously uneasy in formal wear. He had been peering into every reflective surface they came across since they stepped into the hotel, checking his hair and adjusting his tie, even now as they waited for the lift to arrive.
“I haven’t worn a suit since I was 20, you know,” Saeki muttered as he finally gave up on his tie. His sister had had a traditional Japanese ceremony when she got hitched two years ago, so their whole family had dressed in traditional kimono for the occasion then. Turning towards Fuji as he straightened his blazer, he couldn’t resist the urge to lament, “Who wears white ties these days anyway, it looks so old-fashioned.”
Fuji chuckled and shrugged his shoulders lightly, “It’s the conventional getup. I’m the social outlaw here.”
Saeki let out an exasperated sigh and slid his hands into his pockets, making a mental note to buy himself a decent suit sometime soon. The only suit he owned was the one he wore to his Coming of Age ceremony. He could still fit into it, but the quality and look of it was definitely not befitting of his age now, much less to be worn to a wedding held at a five-star hotel. He had borrowed his father’s suit this time, and while the black suit itself looked smart, the traditional white tie and white pocket square didn’t sit well with his fashion tastes.
Fuji, on the other hand, had chosen a sapphire blue bow tie to go with his suit, forgoing a handkerchief in his breast pocket and opting for a silver lapel pin in a swallow design instead. His pointed black leather shoes shinier than the marble flooring under their feet. His hair, which had long since grown past his shoulders, was gathered into a ponytail that looked stylishly laid-back yet pulled together, leaving his bangs and a few chin-length pieces of hair to frame his face.
“You could’ve cut the boy some slack on his wedding day, aniki,” Saeki commented, knowing that Fuji had deliberately picked the most unconventional combination of accessories to make Yuuta twitch. He even had a long ribbon in a matching blue tied around his ponytail.
“Saa… at least I’m wearing a suit,” Fuji’s smile widened, pleased with his dressing. It had been a while since he last saw Yuuta. To say that he was excited to see his baby brother walk down the aisle would be an understatement, but even more so than that, he couldn’t wait to see Yuuta’s response to his fashion choice. He would probably let the lapel pin slide, but he’d probably roll his eyes at the bow tie, and complain about his hair, Fuji thought. Yuuta had been eyeing his hair as if it was turning into Medusa’s since he decided to let it grow out a couple of years ago.
The lift arrived with a crisp ding, and the doors slid open with a silent swoosh a few seconds later. Fuji stepped into the empty lift and turned to face the panel of buttons on the right side, Saeki stepping in behind him. Two other people boarded after them, moving into the far opposite corner of the narrow space. Fuji pushed the button for the fourth floor.
“Sorry to trouble you, seventh floor, please,” a man’s voice said from behind them. Fuji’s hand reflexively moved towards the panel, but froze midway as alarms went off in his head.
That voice…
Noticing that Fuji hadn’t responded, Saeki gave his friend a nudge, then reached over to hit the ‘7’ button.
“Thank you,” the same, deep voice said again.
Fuji’s eyes snapped open, his breath caught in his throat. Perhaps his ears had played a trick on him the first time, but he wouldn’t mistake that voice twice. Stiffly, he turned around to look at the man who had spoken.
The doors quietly closed behind Fuji and the lift started moving in a smooth motion.
* * *
Sensing a pair of eyes on him, the man lowered his gaze from the number display above the door to the man standing before the button panel.
“Fuji…?”
He hadn’t recognized Fuji because of the suit and the long hair, but now that his gaze was locked on to the other’s azure eyes, he didn’t have a single trace of doubt.
“Tezuka. It’s been a long time,” Fuji said softly, trying to keep his voice even. His heart was thumping so wildly in his chest his eardrums were ringing.
Saeki turned to glance at Tezuka as well, then quickly shifted his gaze back to his best friend. Fuji was clearly shaken by the unexpected encounter; he hadn’t even managed to put on his usual smile.
“It has indeed,” the ex-Seigaku captain replied with a curt nod. “How have you been?”
“...good,” Fuji muttered, his smile slipping into place. “What are you doing here?”
“Dinner. You?”
“Yuuta’s getting married,” the honey-haired man answered mechanically, his thoughts reeling as his eyes flittered back and forth between Tezuka and the Caucasian woman standing next to him.
Saeki had been silently observing her too. Tezuka had been living overseas for years, so it wasn’t that surprising to see him with a foreign woman. She didn’t seem to understand Japanese, as she had been looking at them curiously as the two ex-teammates conversed. She was tall and gorgeous. Not supermodel-gorgeous, but definitely the type who would make people steal a second glance on the streets.
She looked sophisticated and elegant dressed in a fitting boat-neck pencil dress that ended just below her knees, in a dark green colour that brought out her emerald eyes. Her feet were perfectly manicured and clad in black slingback heels. The ends of dark blonde hair that held a gentle wave in them hovered just above her shoulders, drawing attention to the slender collarbones peeking out from the top of her dress. She didn’t seem to be wearing much makeup, just enough to accentuate her features, and a touch of gloss that added a subtle hint of sexiness.
Saeki wasn’t exactly well-acquainted with Tezuka; most of what he knew about the man was from what Fuji had told him, so if he had to imagine Tezuka dating a woman, he would have imagined him dating someone like Fuji - beautiful and confident, graceful and smart, gentle yet strong. And that woman standing right next to Tezuka now seemed to fit the bill, at least where appearances were concerned. She did look a few years older than Tezuka though, but Saeki couldn’t be sure since Caucasians tended to look more mature than Asians.
“Congratulations,” Tezuka said, just as a sound went off to announce that they had arrived at the fourth floor.
“Thanks…” Fuji uttered, wanting to say more, but the words dying in his throat. There was so much he wanted to ask and wanted to say to Tezuka, he didn’t know where to begin, or if it was even all right to begin. They were nothing more than acquaintances now, whatever they used to share was just a fragment of the past. He had been the one who cut off all the strings that connected them.
The lift doors slid open, and Saeki gave his friend a pat on the shoulder as he moved to alight first.
“It was good to see you again, Fuji.”
Fuji drew in a deep breath and gathered himself, hiding his eyes behind a bright smile, “You too, Tezuka. Enjoy your evening.”
He pivoted on his heels and stepped out of the lift, his gaze fixed on the floor until the doors had closed.
* * *
“Hey… are you okay?”
“Did I hold myself all right back there?” Fuji asked softly. It was only now that he noticed the pressure in his chest. It felt like someone was tugging on his veins and arteries and his heart was about to be ripped out.
“I could see that you were struggling, but that’s because I’ve mastered the art of reading you,” Saeki answered with a smirk, attempting to lighten the mood. “Common folks like them wouldn’t have noticed a thing.”
Fuji looked up at Saeki and smiled weakly, “Tezuka is not common folk. He knows me.”
“A decade ago, maybe,” Saeki said with a shrug of his shoulders. “ Are you okay with that?”
“Hm? Yeah, I’m okay.”
“I meant, are you really okay with that? Just ‘hi, good to see you, bye’?”
Fuji stared at Saeki for a moment, the many questions he had been dying to ask Tezuka running through his mind again. “Are you saying that I should go after him? Kojirou, he has someone now--”
“You don’t know for sure,” Saeki interrupted.
“What…?”
“He wasn’t wearing a ring. I looked.”
“...not everyone wears their wedding ring. And even if that wasn’t his wife, I shouldn’t be interrupting his date.”
“Tezuka’s the type who would wear his ring if he’s married, don’t you think?”
Saeki bit down on his lip to prevent himself from taking his words too far. He wasn’t sure if he should go on. What if Tezuka was married? What if he wasn’t? He didn’t know which would hurt Fuji more. He wasn’t sure which he would rather watch, Fuji breaking down, or Fuji pining for Tezuka for the rest of his life.
But he had a hunch that deep down, Fuji was hoping that he would give him one more push.
“Come on, Syuusuke. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to catch up with an old friend. You’re not going to ruin his date just by asking if he wants to grab a drink sometime.”
Fuji peered up at his best friend, eyes wide with uncertainty.
“Go. Seventh floor. I’ll wait for you here,” Saeki said as he stretched his arm out to push the button for the lift.
* * *
Tezuka had his eyes on Fuji’s back as the lift doors closed in. There was something off about Fuji, but he couldn’t tell what. Something about Fuji had changed, not just his appearance, but that shouldn’t be surprising since he hadn’t seen or spoken to him in a long, long time.
“Was that a friend?”
Breaking out of his thoughts, Tezuka turned his head to look at his companion and nodded, answering in fluent English, “We attended the same junior high and high school.”
“He looked happy to see you,” the woman commented with a smile.
“Perhaps. He’s always smiling though, it’s hard to tell what he’s thinking.”
It was never easy to guess how the tensai’s mind worked, but he had prided himself in his understanding of the eccentric youth that was Fuji. That thought brought back many memories, and as if a long forgotten habit had been awakened, Fuji’s strange demeanour earlier on nagged at his thoughts like a mystery waiting to be unraveled, just like how it used to be.
He couldn’t put a finger on the man who was with Fuji. He looked familiar, he was almost certain they had been acquainted, but he just couldn’t remember his name. Not to mention, Fuji seemed to share a close relationship with that man. The fact that they were attending Fuji’s brother’s wedding together must mean something.
He had been under the impression that Fuji had moved on and was happy, that’s why he had allowed Fuji to walk out of his life and himself out of Fuji’s. But something was amiss. The smile that had been Fuji’s lips was not genuine, that much he knew.
The lift came to a stop at the seventh floor, the opening of the doors cutting through his thoughts. Tezuka led the way to the teppanyaki restaurant where he had made a reservation for two, but stopped just outside the restaurant.
“There’s something I needed to speak with Fuji about. Do you mind heading in first?”
“All right,” she easily answered with casual grace.
“I’m sorry, I’ll be right back,” he reassured her, then spoke to the waiter to make sure that his foreign guest would be comfortable in his absence, before heading back to the lift lobby. He was glad that the lift was still on the seventh floor, and stepped in, hitting the ‘4’ button without hesitation. He was never one to jump into things on impulse, not until he got involved with Fuji and his inexplicable whims. Apparently Fuji still had a hold on him after all these years.
Being alone in the lift made it easier to think, and Tezuka started to question his own actions. Why was he doing this? What was he going to say to Fuji? Did he even have the right to ask if Fuji was happy?
He had been the one to initiate their breakup when he decided to leave Japan, but he had tried to stay in contact as a friend, keeping the Japanese tradition of sending New Year cards every year. Fuji never replied, apart from the one time he wrote to thank him for the cards all those years, but also telling him to stop sending them because he was moving away from home.
There had been no return address on the envelope.
Maybe Fuji hasn’t forgiven his decision after all these years. Maybe he was behaving oddly because he was with that man, and that man knew about their history. Or maybe Fuji just wasn’t happy to see him at all. He suddenly recalled a conversation he had with Oishi some years ago...
“Oishi, is Fuji… doing well?”
“Mm. He’s like how he’s been.”
“Does he hate me?”
“Tezuka, why don’t you ask him personally?”
“……”
“Eiji says, even if you tore his heart out and trampled on it, he would never bring himself to hate you.”
Maybe Eiji was wrong and Fuji hated him after all.
* * *
Fuji’s hand trembled as he pushed the button to get to the seventh floor. He couldn’t remember when was the last time he felt so nervous. He looked into the reflective wall of the lift to make sure he looked all right, only realizing then how ridiculous the whole situation was.
He felt like some lovestruck schoolgirl about to make a confession. Asking a friend out for coffee shouldn’t be so nerve-wrecking, even if he had been hiding from said friend for the past 12 years.
Even if said friend was an ex-lover whom he still held strong feelings for.
It felt like barely a second had passed before the lift stopped and the doors smoothly pulled away. Taking a deep breath, Fuji stepped out on to the seventh floor and looked around, immediately faced with an obstacle. There were three restaurants on this floor, and no Tezuka in sight.
He stood in the middle of the lift lobby, his hands clenched into fists as he pondered his choices. He could try his luck and search for Tezuka, restaurant by restaurant, or he could simply walk away like he had done before. He was tempted to pick the latter and shrink back into the comfort zone he had built around himself over the years, where Tezuka existed only in his memories.
However, Saeki’s voice echoed in his head, spurring him to muster the courage needed to take the step he had been refraining himself from taking all this while.
He hoped Tezuka had made a reservation, so that he could simply ask the staff to check their guest list, since he doubted any of the hotel’s high-end restaurants would entertain a non-diner’s request to search for someone who might not even be dining at their establishment. Putting on a graceful smile, Fuji walked up to the first restaurant in sight.
* * *
Tezuka looked up as a chime went off and the lift doors glided open. He was about to step out, when an elderly couple who were about to board the lift looked at him and asked if the lift was heading down. Tezuka looked up at the display and realized that he had been too caught up in his thoughts, he had failed to notice that the lift had stopped at the fifth floor. His brows furrowed slightly at his own carelessness. Politely answering the elderly couple’s question, he then stepped aside to allow them to enter, holding the button to keep the doors open for them.
It didn’t take long for the lift to descend to the fourth floor. The moment the doors slid apart, the lanky figure of the man who was with Fuji came into sight. Calmly alighting from the lift, Tezuka took a quick glance around in search of Fuji, before his gaze fell back on to the man.
“Might you be looking for Syuusuke?”
Hazel eyes widened slightly at the question. Syuusuke. So this man was on first-name basis with Fuji. He still couldn’t remember where he had met this man before.
“Yes. Would you be able to tell me where he is?”
“He went upstairs to look for you. He’ll come back soon, so you might wanna wait for him here.”
Tezuka nodded, and uttered a word of thanks.
“I’m sorry, I can’t seem to remember your name. I’m sure we’ve met before.”
“Saeki Kojirou. Rokkaku-chuu vice-captain. That’s when we met.”
Things clicked into place and unlocked Tezuka’s memories of his Seigaku days. Rokkaku. They had met at the nationals. If his memory served him right, Saeki was Fuji’s childhood friend. That would explain the first-name basis… but something in the other man’s eyes made Tezuka think that Saeki and Fuji weren’t simply just friends.
“I remember now. Please forgive my rudeness, I’m not good with names.”
“No worries,” Saeki said with a small smile, “It’s been a long time after all. I would have probably forgotten your name too, if not for Syuusuke.”
The ex-Seigaku captain fell silent for a moment, his lips pursed.
Saeki’s gaze drifted to Tezuka’s fingers again, just to make sure. He could almost visualize the indescribable tension rippling through Tezuka’s body, despite the man’s efforts to compose himself. That tension, Tezuka’s presence... Tezuka’s reactions, albeit minimal, whenever he spoke of Fuji, they all pointed to the possibility that Tezuka came looking for Fuji for the same reasons Fuji went after Tezuka.
“Tezuka-san, it’s probably out of line for me to say this, but... if that lady you were with is someone special to you, please, let Syuusuke know, even if he doesn’t ask.”
Tezuka looked at Saeki with a questioning glance, silently considering his options before asking in a controlled voice, “May I ask why?”
“Because Syuusuke…,” Saeki began, but stopped short of spilling the truth. Knowing Fuji, all hell would be let loose if he told Tezuka that Fuji had been pining for him for the longest time. Not that Fuji would ever admit to it, though.
“He just needs to know. That’s all I can say.”
Tezuka rendered Saeki with a scrutinizing gaze, trying to unravel the reason behind those words. Why would Saeki ask such a thing of him? What position was Saeki in to be concerned over what he told Fuji or not?
“Are you and Fuji…,” he asked cautiously.
A small grin fleeted past on Saeki’s lips.
“Dating? I’d love to say yes, but no, unfortunately we’re not.”
* * *
Fuji didn’t have any luck at the first restaurant, but he did have better luck on his second attempt, though the staff at the podium had informed him that Tezuka had stepped out for a moment. He contemplated on waiting for Tezuka to return, but a buzz in his pocket drew his attention away from his thoughts.
He reached into his pocket to pull out his phone. Yumiko had texted him, asking for his whereabouts. He had less than 15 minutes till the wedding ceremony, and he wanted to convince (or coerce, if convincing didn’t work) Yuuta into surrendering his last hug as a bachelor to his dearest aniki.
Tezuka was important to him, but not as much as Yuuta. Fuji borrowed a pen and paper from the restaurant staff and quickly scribbled a note to Tezuka, handing it to the staff to pass it on to Tezuka when he gets back.
Catch up? I’ll be at my old place till tomorrow. - Fuji
Assuming that Tezuka wanted to catch up as well, that would leave Tezuka with less than 20-hours to either call him at his parents’ house, or show up on the doorstep. That was if Tezuka even remembered his old address and phone number. The odds weren’t exactly in his favour. He could have left his current mobile phone number, but he had been safeguarding it for years, he wasn’t about to give it up right now.
Leaving things in the hands of fate, Fuji hastened his pace to get back to the fourth floor, hoping that he could still catch Yuuta before the ceremony.
When he emerged from the lift, he was greeted with the sight of Tezuka and Saeki caught in some sort of conversation at the lift lobby. The prickly atmosphere that hung between the two men nearly made his blood freeze.
“Kojirou…?”
Saeki looked past Tezuka to see Fuji gingerly stepping towards them. Tezuka turned around at the sound of Fuji’s voice.
“Ah good, you’re back. Tezuka-san has been waiting for you.”
Fuji was quick to plaster on his usual smiling facade this time, adrenaline now flooding his system as it hit him that Tezuka had left the restaurant to come looking for him.
“Syuusuke, I’ll sign us in and wait for you by the reception desk,” Saeki said with a smile, and briefly bowed to Tezuka as he excused himself.
Fuji watched Saeki for a moment, before shifting his attention to Tezuka. It was only now that he was clear-headed enough to take a proper look at Tezuka.
Tezuka hadn’t changed much over the years. The most obvious difference was that he was now impeccably dressed in a dark grey suit that did way more justice to his tall slender figure than their gakuran uniforms did back then. He wore his hair a little bit shorter and neater now, but his signature windswept side parting was still a loyal part of his look. Signs of exhaustion were evident under his eyes, but other than that, he didn’t look much older than the 18-year-old boy that lived in Fuji’s memories.
Tezuka had always looked more mature than his actual age when he was a teen anyway. If their meeting hadn’t been so unexpected, Fuji would have been amused by how Tezuka finally looked his age.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“It’s nothing.”
Their eyes met, and everything but time seemed to come to a halt. Seconds ticked away, before the sound of the lift doors closing interrupted the moment and brought them back to the task at hand.
“I was wondering if you would like to go for a drink--”
“Would you like to catch up over a meal or a drink--”
Russet and cerulean orbs widened at their overlapping of words, and another silent pause came between them, until Fuji dismissed the awkward silence with a soft chuckle.
“Yes, I would like to. Are you available tomorrow?” he asked, feeling a little less tense now.
“I’m on duty tomorrow. How about the day after?”
“I can’t… I’m going back to Chiba tomorrow night.”
“Tonight, then?” Tezuka suggested after some thought. It wasn’t the most ideal option, but he had a feeling that he would be losing more than just a chance to catch up if he let Fuji slip away this time.
“Are you sure? The wedding dinner’s probably going to end late, and you said you have to work tomorrow?”
“I don’t have to report in till noon.”
“The banquet would most likely end around 10. Then there’s the after-party, but I think I can escape from that. I’ll meet you at one of the bars upstairs? On the 45th floor.”
Tezuka nodded, “I’ll see you later then.”
“Oh, um… I left a note for you. At the restaurant,” Fuji said as Tezuka stepped past him to press the button for the lift. “Guess you won’t be needing it now.”
Fuji tilted his head to look at Tezuka, who gave him a nod in acknowledgement. Tezuka was right beside him now, at an even closer proximity than they had been in the enclosed lift earlier on. Being physically near to Tezuka never used to bother him, but this bit of closeness was not playing well with his sanity right now.
“Also, sorry to have kept your date waiting. See you later, Tezuka.”
Fuji smiled and swiftly made his way towards the chapel before Tezuka could offer a response.
* * *
Saeki was where he said he’d be when Fuji entered the waiting hall, right next to the reception desk, with a champagne flute in hand, making small chat with the representatives at the desk… at which Fuji’s eyebrow twitched. He should have seen this coming, but his mind was so preoccupied with his encounter with Tezuka, it completely slipped his mind. He really wasn’t in the mood to act sociable in front of that person at this moment.
Thankfully, Saeki had noticed him and came over to him instead.
“How’d it go?”
“I’ll tell you later. I want to catch Yuuta before the ceremony starts. Do you want to come along?”
“We’d have to hurry then. They’ve already begun ushering guests into the chapel,” Saeki muttered as he downed the remaining contents of his glass and handed the empty champagne flute to a passing waiter.
Fuji nodded and smoothly meandered through the room full of strangers to get to the green room at the far end of the hall, Saeki trailing closely behind him. Yumiko had texted him the directions.
He quietly knocked on the door twice, and the door swung open almost instantaneously.
“Syusuke, what took you so long!” Yumiko softly chided as she held the door open so that the two young men could enter, her other hand arched behind to support her lower back.
Fuji smiled sheepishly at his sister and leaned forward to give her a hug, careful not to bump into her pregnant belly.
“It’s just you and Yuuta?” Fuji asked as he gently placed his hands on Yumiko’s belly in a gesture of greeting the little one inside.
“Mum and Dad are out there talking to the guests. You ought to be there too, you know.”
“But Yuuta doesn’t like me talking to his friends… right, Yuuta?” He teased, tilting his head to glance over at the groom who was by the dresser, struggling with his cufflinks.
Yuuta looked up with an exasperated sigh, “It’s a pain when they get attracted to you and I have to explain that you’re my brother, not sister,” he lamented as he gave up on his cufflinks and walked over to his siblings to get help.
“Is that why none of them have ever asked me out?” Fuji asked with a look of mock surprise on his face as he pulled Yuuta’s arm closer and took the cufflinks from him.
Yuuta couldn’t resist the urge to roll his eyes. “Aniki would you please cut your hair already? How do you tolerate being around that mane all the time, Sae-san.”
Saeki shrugged his shoulders, “I’m not taking sides, but some of our regular customers would probably disappointed if Syuusuke cut his hair. It’s kinda become part of his image, to be honest.”
“Speaking of friends, I certainly thought you’d pick someone more… pleasant, to man the reception desk.”
“Mizuki-san’s perfect for that position. We went to the same school, we work in the same company, he knows most of the people I’ve invited.”
“If you say so.” Fuji mumbled as he made quick work with Yuuta’s cuffs, then proceeded to straighten his tie.
Yuuta raised an eyebrow at his brother’s reaction. His prodigious brother always had some witty comeback, especially where Mizuki was concerned. He hadn’t expected Syuusuke to give up his case so easily. He turned his head to shoot Saeki a questioning glance, mouthing to the older man, “What’s wrong with him?!”
“All done. Now, a hug for good luck.” Fuji announced with a wide smile and opened his arms.
Yuuta stared at his brother for a moment, a look of bewilderment on his face. “I don’t need luck to get married, Aniki,” he argued, but stepped forward to receive the hug anyway. “And why the hell are you wearing a bowtie? You look like you work at some butler cafe.”
Fuji only chuckled as he tightened his arms around Yuuta and gave him a good pat on the back. Once Fuji was satisfied, Saeki stepped closer and offered Yuuta a congratulatory handshake, which Yuuta gladly took.
A moment later, the wedding concierge came to usher them into the chapel for the ceremony as all the guests have been seated. Fuji lent Yumiko a hand and carefully led the way. Yuuta waited till his siblings were a small distance away, before sidling up to Saeki.
“I know he’s always odd, but he’s being extra odd today. Tell me I’m not the only one sensing it.”
Saeki had to stifle a laugh, not wanting Fuji to catch on to their little conversation.
“We ran into Tezuka in the lift.”
“Tezuka?! That explains a lot. And…?”
“They had a short chat. I think they probably made plans, but Syuusuke has yet to tell me.”
“If he’s telling anyone, it’s you, Sae-san. He never talks to us about such stuff.”
“I’ll let you know if anything drastic happens,” Saeki said with a nod and a reassuring pat on the younger man’s shoulder, despite the grin stretching across his lips, “You shouldn’t be worried about that right now, just focus on how not to screw up your vows.”
“Sae-san! Not you too!” Yuuta grumbled, his palms getting sweaty now that Saeki had planted that thought in his head. “One devious elder brother is enough trouble, I don’t need another one.”
“Don’t worry, you got a good luck hug from Syuusuke, you’ll do fine.”
The silver-haired man flashed a cheeky smile and waved as he left Yuuta’s side to take his seat a row behind the Fuji family.
* * *
The ceremony went without a hitch, much to Yuuta’s relief. As the guests were adjourning to the banquet hall on the 42nd floor, Saeki caught his friend by the elbow, pulling him closer so that he could speak more discreetly.
“So…?”
Fuji looked up at the taller man, a smile warming up his face. “We’ve made plans to meet after dinner.”
“What about the after-party?”
“I’ll show up for a few minutes, propose a few toasts to make everyone drink, then slip away while they’re tipsy,” Fuji said with a playful grin.
When he didn’t get a response from Saeki, he looked up again to find the other staring at him.
“Is there something on my face?”
Saeki broke out of his daze with an awkward laugh, shoving his hands into his pockets as he shifted his gaze away from Fuji’s face.
“Yeah. A beautiful smile. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you smile like that.”
The honey-haired man paused for a second, before regaining his pace and falling in step with Saeki, a smile still playing on his lips.
“Well, it’s not every day that I get to see my brother walk down the aisle.”
“Are you going to tell said brother about the plans you have for tonight?”
“...I guess I do owe him the courtesy of letting him know that I won’t be staying for the party.”
“He’ll be happy to hear it from you.”
“I’m sorry for bailing out on you too, Kojirou. But you’ll be still staying over, right?”
Saeki nodded. “Unless… you’re intending on inviting Tezuka over. In which case I hope you’ll do me the courtesy and give me a heads up. I think I’ll be scarred for life if I walked in on you and Tezuka having sex.”
“Kojirou!” Fuji exclaimed in a hushed voice, a blush creeping into his cheeks.
Saeki tilted his head to glance at Fuji, who was staring at him with an incredulous look on his delicately tinted face. He had been friends with Fuji for as long as he could remember, but this was one expression he had never seen before. He couldn’t suppress the laughter that bubbled up his throat.
“Stop laughing,” Fuji muttered, jabbing his friend in the side with his elbow. “First of all, I’m not inviting Tezuka home. Second, we’re adults now, not teenagers without enough pocket money to pay for a room elsewhere. Third, we’re just going to have a chat, that’s all.”
“You’re not going to go weak in the knees in even if he seduced you?” Saeki teased, throwing Fuji a knowing wink.
Azure eyes narrowed into slits, and the corners of Fuji’s lips rose into a smirk as he leaned closer to whisper into Saeki's ear.
“Tezuka, seducing? The sexiest thing he’s ever said was, ‘Fuji, fifty laps for planting indecent images of you in my mind’, before pushing me up against the lockers. After which we actually ran fifty laps, he was serious about it.”
Saeki’s eyes widened as it took no effort for the scene to form in his head.
“Whoh w-wait… I didn’t need to know that. Damn you, Syuusuke. Now I’ll never be able to look at Tezuka without imagining him saying that.”
Fuji chuckled gleefully. Revenge was sweet.
“Just so you know, we’ve never done it in my room, so your worries are unfounded. Today won’t be an exception.”
Saeki pulled his hands out of his pockets to cover his ears in a fluster, “Okay, okay, you win. Stop. I don’t want more fun facts about your sexy adventures with Tezuka regardless if they’re in or out of the bedroom.”
* * *
When Fuji told Yuuta that he couldn’t stay for the after party, the younger man didn’t ask for a reason. Instead, he stiffly put his arms around his brother in a hug.
“For good luck,” he reasoned, trying to fight off a blush.
Fuji’s lips parted in surprise, unable to find any words. Yuuta taking the initiative to hug him was just about as rare as a solar eclipse.
“Thanks, I could really use some good luck tonight,” Fuji softly said with a smile.
tbc...