Work Text:
Which 5goist member is your soulmate?
Who is your favourite member?
Hyo
Meguru
Rensuke
Shiro
Yoichi
What is your favourite colour?
Blue
Purple
Orange
Red
Yellow
“Wait, I thought your favourite colour was blue?”
Rin closes his laptop as soon as he hears a voice behind him. He turns and finds his roommate, Mikage Reo, staring at him curiously.
“What are you doing here?” Rin asks, furrowing his brow.
Reo smiles amusedly, before replying casually, “Duh, I live here…”
“You know what I mean.” He pulls a bored face. “You’ve got class now and shouldn’t be back home for, hmm, about two hours?”
“And that would be enough time for you to finish that 5goist test without me ever finding out, right?” Reo teases, sitting next to Rin. “So, tell me, do you like them now? What’s your favourite song? And favourite member? Did you know they’re releasing a new album in like two weeks?”
He lets out a sigh and grimaces, mentally berating himself for getting caught doing a 5goist quiz.
Rin is in a tricky spot now.
You see…
5goist is the most popular boy group of the moment. They debuted four years ago and, since then, have been breaking countless records and releasing numerous hits, which means everyone knows and likes them, including his roommate.
In fact… Mikage Reo loves them.
He’s a die-hard fanboy, buying albums, T-shirts, plushies and all sorts of merch he’s into. His obsession with merch is unbelievable, something Rin mentioned when Reo moved into the flat.
The two have been living together for about four months now, ever since Rin posted an ad online looking for a new roommate after Sae graduated and moved out. Mikage Reo turned out to be a decent person and passed all Rin’s tests, so now they’re roommates.
“You’re just gonna stare at me without saying a word? You're embarrassed because I caught you doing one of their quizzes?” Reo teases, raising an eyebrow in amusement.
Well… That’s exactly the problem.
Rin doesn’t like 5goist. Not exactly. Not in the way Reo is implying.
The truth is Rin is in a relationship with a 5goist member…
Bachira Meguru.
And he was only doing that stupid quiz “Which 5goist member is your soulmate?” because his boyfriend had sent it to him, insisting he do it to see if they really were a match.
But Rin can’t tell Reo that yet…
They’ve only known each other for a short time and he’s not sure he can trust him roommate yet. Reo seems decent enough, but his secret relationship with Meguru can’t be revealed under any circumstances, so Rin won’t tell him until he’s sure of his character.
“I…” Rin tries to think of something to say, but his mind is blank.
He could easily say he likes 5goist and get on with his life, but he knows it wouldn’t be that simple. Reo is a huge fan of the group and would never stop talking about them.
Rin knows enough about their songs to hold a conversation about them, but he thinks it would be tricky to talk about the members, since he knows them personally. He isn’t sure what fans know or what’s private, and besides, he definitely wouldn’t use their stage names.
He’d rather die than call Isagi “Yoichi” or Nagi “Shiro”. Seriously.
“Ah, man!” Reo lets out a laugh. “You’re so embarrassed you can’t even come up with a reply!”
Rin makes a noise, mocking himself. After all… what else could he do?!
Reo pulls the laptop between them and opens it. “So, what’s the password? Let’s continue the quiz. Now I wanna know which 5goist member is your soulmate.”
He looks at his roommate in confusion, unable to believe how easily Reo takes control of the conversation. Perhaps that’s why they get on so well… Reo usually finds a way to steer things when he realises Rin isn’t going to say anything. He’s talkative enough to save them both from awkward situations (caused by Rin 99% of the time).
“All right,” Rin mutters, typing in his laptop password.
“Oh.” Reo looks surprised, before smiling. “Meguru’s your favourite member? That’s sweet… it makes perfect sense too.”
“You think so?” he asks with genuine curiosity.
Reo doesn’t even look in his direction, too busy scrolling through the screen to see the next questions. He hums in agreement before saying, “Yeah, like… he’s got that whole energetic, funny, outgoing vibe and… I think it makes sense that you’d like someone with such a free spirit, you know? Like opposites attract.”
“Yeah, I see…” he murmurs, biting his lip to try and hold back a smile. Meguru is such a brilliant person. It’s impossible not to be charmed by him.
“I’m guessing your favourite colour is yellow now just because of him,” Reo teases. “Which makes me think you must’ve become a fan this month, since last month you bought three blue hoodies.”
Rin snorts. Okay… he can handle this, right?! He can let Reo think he’s a new fan, so he doesn’t have to give his opinion or get into deep conversations. It’s probably his only way out right now.
“And dolphins are my favourite animal now because of him too,” Rin says, pointing at the answer option for Reo to tick.
“Man, you’re cheating.” Reo rolls his eyes, but still ticks the answer. “If you just answer what Meguru likes, obviously he’ll be your soulmate.”
Exactly!
Bachira Meguru wasn’t innocent. He sent that quiz to Rin because he wanted the result to say he was his soulmate. Absolutely any other answer would be wrong, and Rin knows it. He’s just making sure his boyfriend gets the answer he wants to see, okay?
“You say that as if you wouldn’t cheat too just to get your favourite member,” Rin scoffs and swipes to the next answer. Walking on the beach. This time, Rin didn’t need to lie.
The beach would be the perfect place for a first date.
He smiled gently as he remembered that this was exactly how his first date with Bachira had gone all those years ago. The two had met by chance in Rin’s hometown whilst Meguru was there filming a music video, and somehow, a strong connection had formed between them.
“I don’t need to cheat on the quiz. I know it would give me Shiro anyway. We’re meant to be, we get on really well, okay?!”
Rin snorts at the irony. He’s known Nagi Seishiro for a few years through his boyfriend and can confirm that, unfortunately, that was true… They’d get on really well…
He couldn’t say that, though, so he simply replies, “You’re delusional, Reo.”
They continue the quiz, still bantering, and in the end Rin actually gets the result he wants. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and snaps a photo to show his boyfriend.
Later that night, Rin receives several excited messages from Meguru.
ੈ✩‧₊˚
“I miss you.” Bachira’s voice dropped an octave, and even through the phone, Rin knows he’s about to cry.
Rin’s heart tightens, and he seriously considers breaking into the Ego Entertainment building to kidnap the idol for the week so he can comfort him properly.
“Hey, love, what happened? You okay?” Rin asks, stepping into the flat and giving Reo an awkward wave before hurrying to his room. “Meguru, talk to me.”
He hears Bachira mumble a few words and sniffle a couple of times before saying, “I’m fine… I just miss you so much.”
Rin bites his nail, still unsure. “You sure that’s all?”
“Yeah...” Bachira lets out a long sigh. “Actually, I’m kinda tired. And stressed. And maybe a bit upset.”
“And do you wanna talk about it?”
“The new album’s coming out in less than a week and you know how things are…” He sniffs again. “The routine’s just… exhausting. There’s so much to do, tweaking and redoing…”
Bachira’s voice breaks a little, “I feel like nothing I do is good enough, and I just wanted to be there with you, Rin-chan.”
Rin flops onto the bed, staring at the ceiling and trying to think of what to say. They’ve been together long enough for Rin to know exactly how exhausting the final days before a comeback are.
“The album’s coming out on Wednesday, right?” Rin asks, though he already knows it is. “Only two more days to go, Meguru. This will pass… I promise.”
“It’s gonna be two long days...”
He sighs and murmurs, “I know. But it’ll be worth it afterwards, won’t it?”
Bachira snorts.
“Yeah… I love comeback week and being around the fans.”
“See?! Things will be fine,” he says, trying to comfort Meguru. “I promise the fans will love everything. You’re perfect, my love, I’m sure you’ll shine as always.”
A comfortable silence settles in. He knows Bachira is quietly thinking over everything he’s just said. Maybe Rin isn’t the best with words or comforting others, but he tries his best when Bachira needs him.
“But I still miss you.”
Rin finds himself smiling gently, thinking he must be pouting right now.
“I miss you too,” he confesses.
“Can you sleep at my flat tonight? I’ll be home around midnight and I’ve gotta be back at Ego Entertainment at four. I just really wanted to see you... I know you’re in the middle of exam week, and I live far from your uni, so I’ll understand if–”
“Of course, love, I’ll be there.”
“Really?!” His voice is more energised now. “Okay, see you later! I’ve gotta go now before they kill me for taking so long in the bathroom. Kisses, love you!”
He doesn’t even give Rin time to reply, hanging up. Rin snorts in amusement, feeling more excited himself now that he knows they’ll be meeting later.
Although Bachira has invited him to stay the night at his flat, Rin decides to head there now, while it's still early. He’s worried that if he arrives around the same time the idol returns, there might be paparazzi watching the building.
Of course… lots of people live in the building, but Rin still prefers to be cautious.
“Hm?! Where are you going?”
Rin blinks a few times, snapping out of his thoughts. Reo raises an eyebrow as he watches him leave the bedroom with his rucksack already on his back.
“I’m going to a friend’s house,” Rin mutters hurriedly. “Group work… for uni.”
Reo tilts his head, looking like he has a dozen questions, but he simply nods. “Okay… and what time will you be back? So I know when to order dinner.”
“Don’t worry about me.” He waves a dismissive hand. “It’s a long project so I’ll be out for a while… I might even stay over. Yeah… don’t worry.”
“Well, okay…?” His roommate gives a confused laugh, not quite believing him. “Huh… have fun then?”
ੈ✩‧₊˚
“You didn’t have to wait up for me,” Bachira murmurs, hugging his boyfriend tightly. “I know you hate staying up late.”
“I just wanted to see you.” Rin brushes a strand of hair from his face and gives him a soft kiss on the forehead. “I love you.”
They spend a while there, just holding each other in silence. It’s so comforting… Bachira feels ready for whatever the coming days may bring.
ੈ✩‧₊˚
“Hey, Rin, this came for you!”
He looks up and sees Reo entering the flat, holding a box with the Ego Entertainment logo on it. His smile is more mischievous than usual and, unfortunately, Rin knows exactly what’s about to happen.
“You’ve bought every single version of 5goist’s comeback album?!”
Rin puts his hands to his face and sighs in defeat.
No. He didn’t buy them, but his boyfriend did. Bachira does this for every comeback, actually. He buys the most exclusive albums and merchandise and sends them to Rin.
In fact, that’s the reason Reo is strictly forbidden from entering his room. There’s a shelf full of 5goist stuff he’s accumulated over the years, and it’s simply too compromising.
Items that are far too rare, autographed and collector’s… things he could only get hold of if he knew someone inside the company. Far too dangerous, far too suspicious.
“Yes.” He bites his cheek, trying to hide his frustration.
Reo lets out a laugh, placing the box on the sofa.
“Oh, man! And to think there was a time when you used to talk about me, about how I spent money on that boy group!”
Rin lets out another defeated sigh. He feels that this is only the beginning of his roommate’s teasing.
Well… it’s not as if he can tell the truth, is it?!
“There’s no need to be embarrassed. I knew this would happen eventually,” says Reo, clapping his hands lightly. “They’re really good, and you’re so intense about everything, it’s the perfect combination!”
“Ugh… just shut up.”
Reo smiles even wider, before tapping the box a few times.
“Come on, let’s open this treasure, I can’t wait to see it!”
“You sure you wanna see?” Rin pulls a face. “Won’t that ruin the experience when your albums arrive or something?”
“No way.” Reo is quick to say. “I wanna see every detail of the albums, and also your reaction. Besides, I bought lots of albums and had them sent to my parents’ house, so I’ll only get to see them at the weekend.”
Rin raises an eyebrow. “Lots of albums?”
“You can drop that judgemental look,” Reo says, trying to defend himself. “You bought a box.”
“Yeah, I did…” Rin mutters, sighing. He frowns. “Wait, did you buy loads of them just to try for a fansign or something?”
“Yeah, but mainly because I wanna get tickets for their next tour.” Reo watches him open the box and carefully take everything out. “I’ve been to a few of their concerts before, but this time I really want good seats.”
Rin hums in agreement. He knows how hard it is to get tickets, and that buying multiple albums helps. 5goist’s popularity grows with every comeback, so he figures it’ll be even harder this time.
“Now that you’re a fan too, you should come to a concert with me! I’m sure you’d get even more obsessed. They’re really good.”
They’re really good. Rin knows that. He’s seen them live countless times and their stage presence is surreal.
A funny thought crosses his mind. What would Reo say if he knew Rin had been to every 5goist concert in town?! Would he freak out? Would he be in disbelief? How would he feel? Rin is sure the reaction would be at least somewhat dramatic.
“Maybe…”
ੈ✩‧₊˚
“Hey, Rin, you chose Meguru as your favourite member because you’d date him, right?”
Rin raises an eyebrow and drops his chopsticks, with absolutely no intention of continuing to eat. Like, what the hell?! His expression must show exactly how confused he is, because Reo quickly rushes to clarify.
“You’re new to this, so you probably don’t know, but people usually pick their favourite members because they either relate to them or have a crush on them.”
“And you think I’ve got a crush on Meguru.”
“Yeah, I think so…? I mean, you look a bit embarrassed right now.”
Rin rolls his eyes and shakes his head in disbelief.
“Does that mean you’ve got a crush on that lazy guy, then?” He asks, trying to take the attention off himself.
“Who? Shiro?! You should know he’s more than just lazy, okay?”
“Whatever, stop asking me weird questions.”
Reo pouts, annoyed, but doesn’t bring it up again for the rest of dinner.
ੈ✩‧₊˚
“I’m going away for the weekend,” Rin says, hurrying towards the door.
“Hey, hey, wait a minute!”
He tightens the strap of his rucksack, a little anxious about being late, but still turns to his roommate and raises a questioning eyebrow.
“What?”
“Hold on, you’re in a bit of a rush, aren’t you?” Reo crosses his arms, trying to look serious. “Where do you think you’re going at this time of night, Itoshi Rin? And since when do you just casually say you’re going away for the weekend? Where to, exactly?”
Rin pulls a face, before muttering, “I don’t have to tell you that.”
His roommate looks offended and dramatically clutches his chest. “Of course you do! We’re friends!”
Rin’s eyes widen. The word “friends” hits him suddenly, but at the same time it seems so casual and right…
They’ve been living together for a while now, haven’t they?! When did they stop being just roommates and become real friends? Rin freezes, wondering if he’s ever made a friend so easily before.
“Are you just gonna stare at me or answer?”
Rin bites his lip, uncertain. Roommates or friends, it doesn’t really matter… it still feels too early for him to be honest about where he’s going, much less reveal his relationship with an idol. He is very cautious. He would never put Bachira Meguru in a situation that could ruin his career.
“I’m visiting my parents. I miss them...” Lying feels easy, and he ignores the uncomfortable feeling that comes with it.
Reo’s expression softens and he gives a genuine smile.
“Oh, that’s really nice! In that case, have fun, Rin.”
“Uh, thanks…”
Rin waits to see if his roommate will say something else, but the conversation ends there. He quickly hurries out of the flat, feeling a little guilty for lying to Reo.
But it’s not as if Rin can simply say he’s going over to his boyfriend’s place, who, by the way, is a super-famous idol…
Nor can he tell him he’s in a rush because he needs to drop his things off there before heading to the first concert of Meguru and his group’s tour.
No, he can’t…
ੈ✩‧₊˚
Rin bites his tongue, jealousy rising as he watches the scene on stage.
No matter how many concerts he goes to, he’ll never get used to seeing his boyfriend doing fanservice with Isagi Yoichi. Of course, he knows they’re just friends and they have to do it for the fans, but still…
It’s fucking annoying.
He hates the way they look at each other, the way they lean in to whisper things no one else can hear, the way they hold hands whilst singing about fate.
He hates the way so many people are enchanted by them.
This shouldn’t be happening.
Bachira Meguru is his boyfriend.
It’s a good thing Rin is wearing a face mask right now, because he can’t even hide his scowl. He’s jealous, okay? It’s only natural in a situation like this, even though he knows it’s all fake.
ੈ✩‧₊˚
“It’s kinda cute when you get jealous, you know?”
Rin feels his boyfriend’s finger tracing little hearts on his arm. They’re sitting side by side in Meguru’s flat, just enjoying each other’s company.
“I love feeling desired by you,” he confesses. “And I love the idea of being the only one you’d ever get jealous over.”
“Of course you do.” He snorts, amused by his boyfriend’s comment.
“I’m all yours.” Bachira says softly. “And you’re all mine, Rin-chan.”
“I know.”
“And it’ll always be like this,” he whispers, moving even closer. “I don’t care what anyone thinks. You’re the one I love.”
They kiss, sweet and familiar as always.
Rin strokes his boyfriend’s cheek, thinking about how lucky he is to be the only person who truly knows this side of Bachira Meguru.
“And I’m gonna miss you so much over the next few months,” Meguru says, pouting.
“I’m gonna miss you too,” Rin confesses.
5goist will be on tour the next few months, which means they won’t be able to see each other any time soon. Bachira’s schedule will be too hectic to even send daily messages.
“The last concert of the tour will be here in town,” the idol comments.
He knows that 5goist are going to do one more concert here. Reo managed to get some great seats for them.
“And I want you to be there for me.”
“When have I ever not shown up for you, Meguru?”
His boyfriend kisses him again, completely in love and clearly satisfied.
ੈ✩‧₊˚
Monday starts in the worst possible way.
Rin is late for university. And that’s not even the worst of it...
He just realised that when he went to his boyfriend’s flat at the weekend, he forgot to bring his materials with him… which is a disaster, because today of all days, he’s meant to hand in a written assignment in his first class.
Rin knows full well that the assignment is sitting on his desk in his bedroom, but he doesn’t have time to pop home before class.
He closes his eyes in frustration.
And so, unfortunately, there’s only one option left…
“Rin? You okay?” His roommate answers the call.
“Reo, listen, are you still at home?” he asks, feeling a little nervous.
“Hm, yeah?”
“Okay… I need a favour from you,” Rin grimaces, hating this situation. “Can you go into my bedroom, grab my Sports Nutrition assignment from the desk, and take it to uni for me?”
“Oh, sure!” Reo says, sounding keen to help.
He hears hurried footsteps and the sound of a door over the phone. The line goes silent for another second, before Reo lets out a gasp of surprise.
“Rin!”
Reo’s voice is too expressive, and he already knows exactly what’s about to happen…
“Holy shit, Rin, you have all the 5goist albums?! Wait… you’ve liked them for years, there’s no way you could’ve gotten all this in such a short time and… oh my gosh! Is that a signed one? You also have signed photocards? Wait–” Reo coughs, before continuing dramatically, “Rin-chan, my greatest inspiration, I love you?! How did you get this, Rin?!”
Rin is starting to get a headache…
You see, that was exactly why he’d thought long and hard before calling Reo.
Firstly because he hates asking for favours, and secondly, because he knew his roommate would react like this when he saw his 5goist merchandise.
“Reo… focus, please.” He puts a hand to his head. It’s too early to put up with this. “This assignment is worth half the final mark.”
“Right, right…” Reo sighs dramatically. “But don’t think you’ve got out of having this conversation, okay? We’ll talk about it when you get home.”
ੈ✩‧₊˚
They’re sitting across from each other. Rin stares into his own mug of tea, still trying how to approach this conversation.
You see… this is the perfect chance to tell the truth and start being honest with his friend. But 5goist have just gone on tour, and if dating rumours about one of the members dating got out, it would be a disaster.
He doesn’t think Reo would say anything, but then again… he’d rather not take the risk.
“So… since when have you been a 5goist fan, like, for real?” Reo asks, breaking the silence. He leans forward on the table, affecting a casual air.
“Since Ocean, actually…” Rin admits, fiddling with his mug.
“Rin, that’s their first full album!” Reo says, looking shocked. “You’ve been into them since then?!”
“They filmed the music video for Breath in my hometown,” he explains. “I think I was around sixteen, and the girls in my class wouldn’t stop talking about it.”
“So you got curious, looked them up, and fell for them too?” Reo asks, slightly amused by his story.
“Yeah, something like that…” he mutters, shrugging, trying his hardest not to think about Meguru, so he doesn't react.
He tries to ignore the image of Meguru back then, walking into Rin’s parents’ shop to ask for information. That lost, yet still curious gaze. The way he leaned on the counter and struck up a conversation…
Rin does his best not to remember how he fell for him in that very moment.
Reo claps his hands excitedly, not noticing how carefully Rin is masking his reaction.
“Wow... now that I know that, I’m even more excited for the concert. It’s gonna be so special, Rin!”
ੈ✩‧₊˚
“I realised I was right the other day,” Reo murmurs at one point during dinner.
Rin merely raises an eyebrow, silently asking what his friend means.
“You’ve got a soft spot for Meguru,” he says, smirking. “Was he your first celebrity crush?”
“Reo.”
“Why do you always get so awkward when we talk about this? It’s normal to have a crush on celebrities.”
“Ugh… shut up.”
Reo just laughs, before leaving his friend alone for the rest of dinner. Ah, if only he knew…
ੈ✩‧₊˚
“You sure you don’t want me to add you and your friend to the guest list?” Bachira asks again. “You know the VIP section’s got the best view.”
“No need, love,” Rin confirms. They’ve had that conversation a few times since he told him that Reo had got tickets for the last 5goist tour concert. “We’ve got good seats.”
Bachira sighs, muttering, “All right then…”
“Hey, hey, why do you seem so upset about this?” Rin asks, confused.
He glances at the calendar. There are only a few days left until the last concert.
“It’s just that… I won’t know where you’ll be and I wanted to see you.”
Rin can tell he’s probably pouting right now. He snorts, then rolls his eyes.
“Isn’t the idea of you trying to find me in the crowd more romantic?” he teases, hearing his boyfriend groan even more on the other end of the line.
“Rin-chan!”
“Come on, it’s not the end of the world,” Rin murmurs, still amused. “Didn’t you say you’ve got a week off when the tour ends? You’ll be able to see me every day.”
“And I’m living just for that.” Bachira sighs dramatically.
ੈ✩‧₊˚
“People are looking.”
“I know,” Rin murmurs, absent-mindedly fiddling with the keyring in his hand. “The 5goist audience is mostly female.”
“No, like… people are staring at you,” he emphasises. “You’re wearing a cap and a face mask.”
He looks up and raises an eyebrow in confusion. “Reo, hundreds of people are like this.”
“But you’re tall and have pretty eyes,” he scoffs, amused. “People are probably trying to figure out if you’re a celebrity or just a good-looking guy.”
The comment almost makes him laugh. The idea of being famous is baffling. Rin is sure he’d hate any kind of attention like that.
“People don’t have anything better to do?”
“Oh, man! With that attitude, you’ll never date anyone.” Reo chuckles. “When did you last go on a date, Rin?”
Rin frowns, still deep in thought, realising he keeps ending up in awkward situations and conversations just because he isn’t being completely honest with his friend.
He’s been thinking about telling Reo he’s dating a 5goist member for a while now, but Rin simply has no idea how to go about it. It’s not about trust anymore… He trusts Reo. Right now, he just can’t seem to find the right moment to bring it up.
Maybe… he can just ease into it bit by bit?
“You think it’s impossible for someone with my personality to be in a relationship?” Rin tilts his head, eyebrow raised.
“Hey, what’s with that tone?!” Reo narrows his eyes. “Wait… are you seeing someone?! Who?! Rin, we live together. I would’ve noticed if you were seeing someone…”
The crowd starts cheering and clapping.
“The concert’s about to start,” Rin murmurs, looking away.
“Oh, man! You can’t just start a conversation like that and run off!”
“But you’re the one who started it,” Rin says, pulling a face.
“Ugh, I know… we’ll talk about it after the concert.”
ੈ✩‧₊˚
If Rin hadn’t been completely in love with Bachira Meguru since he was sixteen, he would fall for him all over again now.
He’s radiant on stage. It’s impossible not to be charmed by his smile, his voice, his movements, his soul.
“I love you all so much!” Meguru says cheerfully, looking out at the crowd. “I’m gonna miss this… these last few months on tour have been so much fun.”
“Ah, no, no, no.” Kunigami steps closer to his groupmate and puts an arm around his shoulder. “No sentimental speeches yet, I don’t wanna cry this early!”
“Let my boy express himself in peace, Rensuke.”
Rin rolls his eyes at Isagi Yoichi’s syrupy voice saying my boy and bites his tongue, trying to hold back his jealousy as he sees his boyfriend looking at Isagi like he’s a saviour.
“You heard the leader, loser!” Bachira sticks out his tongue and skips away from Kunigami. “I can say whatever I want! Hey, Yoochan, can I get off stage too?!”
“Wait, not like that either!” Isagi calls after him, trying to chase him across the stage.
They’re just friends and they’re only joking around, but Rin will never get used to this fanservice. Especially when he hears fans around him calling them cute, saying they’d make an adorable couple.
It makes him angry. Bachira Meguru wouldn’t make a good couple with Isagi Yoichi. Fuck that. Ugh…
“You two are exhausting,” Nagi mutters lazily, chewing on something as he watches the two of them run across the stage.
“Hey, what are you eating?!” Chigiri, the only 5goist member who had remained silent until now, finally speaks up. He reaches for whatever Nagi is holding, frowning at first, but the moment he recognises it, he breaks into a wide grin.
“Guys, look at this!”
He holds up the packet of Pocky, showing it to the members and the whole crowd.
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?!” Chigiri asks no one in particular, but the fans immediately erupt into cheers, and the reaction is all he needs. “Yeah, I think so! We should play the Pocky game!”
Nagi grumbles. “Nop? I just wanna eat in peace. Give that back to me, Hyo.”
Chigiri pulls out a Pocky stick and takes a bite.
“If you really want one, you’ve gotta play.”
“Ohhhh!” The others seem entertained now, gathering around and immediately trying to talk Shiro into it. The excitement spreads through the stadium as everyone waits to see what he’ll do.
Rin frowns in confusion.
He knows they’re not allowed to eat on stage, and he knows Chigiri hates fanservice. Of all the members, he’s the one who hates it the most (he told Rin that himself once).
That’s why none of this feels quite right…
“Are they Pocky ambassadors or something?”
Reo, who had been staring intently at the stage, finally looked away, confused.
“Hm? No, I don’t think so… But after today they definitely should be.”
They turn their gaze back to the stage as soon as they hear the noise from the fans’ noise growing louder.
Nagi pulls a face, thoroughly fed up and disgruntled, while Chigiri proudly shows off what’s left of the Pocky stick.
“Let’s make this a competition,” he says, looking at the other members. “The losing pair has to buy presents for the rest of us.”
Rin sighs, unable to believe what he’s seeing. Are they really doing this? The members agree more readily than they should, which only makes him think there must be some kind of deal or something, especially since Bachira’s smile doesn’t seem all that genuine anymore.
“But wait… have you forgotten there are five of us?”
“I’ll play again, this time with our hero.” Chigiri decides easily, winking at Kunigami.
Rin feels his blood boil with rage at what he’s just heard. That means his boyfriend is going to play that stupid game with that annoying Isagi Yoichi. The noise from the crowd around him only makes his irritation worse.
Stupid fanservice! Ugh… he hates it.
Rin doesn’t feel insecure, not at all. He trusts his boyfriend, and he’s known Isagi Yoichi for years. He knows they’re just friends and only do this for fanservice, something they have to do.
But it’s fucking annoying to watch. To see so many people rooting for them. It makes him angry… Sometimes he wishes the whole world knew Bachira Meguru has a boyfriend, and his name is Itoshi Rin.
People should be cheering for them. Him and Meguru.
“You look like you’re about to kill someone,” Reo jokes. “Jealous your favourite idol is playing the Pocky game with someone else instead of you?”
Rin doesn’t even bother to reply. He just snorts. Reo has no idea…
ੈ✩‧₊˚
Meguru quickly proves himself to be a complete coward. He snaps the Pocky stick long before he even gets close to Yoichi, pulling a face as he does.
“Ah! No, I can’t do that,” he says dramatically. “You win, okay? I’ll buy whatever you want!”
Chigiri bursts out laughing and high-fives Kunigami and Nagi. Knowing the members, they’d set that combination on purpose, Meguru would never get close enough…
Fans might think Meguru was just nervous around Yoichi during the Pocky game or something like that, but Rin knows the truth. He knows something that the rest of the world doesn’t know, and that alone is enough to comfort him. He doesn’t need to feel insecure or jealous. Bachira Meguru is his, and his alone, no matter what anyone says.
ੈ✩‧₊˚
“That concert was so good!” Reo says again as he opens the flat door.
Rin lost count of how many times he’s said that since the concert ended, but he can’t disagree with him. The staging, the choreography, the songs… everything was simply flawless.
“That was such a good way to end the tour,” he murmurs, taking off his shoes and yawning.
“Ah, I love them so much, seriously.” Reo says as he walks into the kitchen and opens the fridge. “Did you see how packed the stadium was?”
“Yeah, they’ve grown so much over the years,” Rin says, a little proud.
That makes him think he should send Meguru a message and tell him how captivating he was today.
“Hey, wait a minute, I’ve got something to do in my room,” he says, hurrying off. “I’ll be right back to help you pick a restaurant!”
Rin hums, picking up his mobile from the bed. He doesn’t use his phone during concerts, so he doesn’t see the point in bringing it with him, but today, he regrets it…
Countless calls and messages from Bachira flood his notifications.
He feels a brief wave of anxiety, but quickly relaxes when he sees his boyfriend is fine. Bachira was just nervous about explaining the Pocky game and apologising over and over.
He’s about to type that it’s all right and that he understands, but then he sees the last message. His eyes widen.
I’ll be at your flat in 5
Rin hears a noise in the living room and freezes for a moment, panic rising in his chest.
He then rushes out of the bedroom and finds Reo standing motionless, a bottle of water spilled on the floor, while Meguru panting, probably from running all the way here.
“Meguru.” At the sound of Rin’s voice, his boyfriend looks up and lets out a relieved sigh.
“You’re still talking to me… okay, that’s good,” he says, walking towards him.
Rin frowns in confusion, seeing how shaken his boyfriend looks. He immediately grabs his waist and asks softly, “Hey, what’s wrong?! Why are you about to cry?”
“I’m sorry. Are you mad at me for what I had to do on stage? I’m sorry, seriously… Ego showed up like minutes before the concert saying we had to do that game because we’re ambassadors for that snack now. And I didn’t even have time to tell you! I was so scared you’d get mad at me and break up with me, you know? I always tell you beforehand when I have to do fanservice stuff, but this time I couldn’t even prepare you... It must’ve been sudden for you, I’m sorry. I texted you after the concert, but the messages wouldn’t go through and I thought you’d blocked me and then I–”
Rin doesn’t think twice, interrupting Meguru with a slow kiss, trying to calm his boyfriend down. When he realises it’s worked, he pulls back and gives a soft smile.
“I keep my phone switched off at home when I go to your concerts,” he explains. “I don’t need it if the only person I’d be talking to is already on stage, right?”
Bachira lets out a soft laugh, then asks, “So… are we okay?”
“Always, love.” Rin brings a hand to his cheek and gently strokes it. “I’m sorry for worrying you like that… I’ll never let go of my phone from now on.”
“I’m so sorry about the whole situation, Rin-chan.” He sighs wearily. “I love you, and it frustrates me knowing I kept you in the dark about what was going on and–”
“Hey, you’ve already explained what happened to me,” Rin says. “I understand.”
Meguru sniffs once, a few tears slipping down his face, before he hugs him tightly.
“Ah, Rin-chan… You’re too good for me.”
“I love you, Meguru.”
A few knocks on the door bring Rin back to reality. He looks away from his boyfriend for the first time and sees Reo standing a few steps away, his expression caught somewhere between shock and disbelief.
He grimaces, realising that Reo has definitely heard everything.
Rin is about to say something, but the knocking at the door grows more urgent, snapping Reo out of his trance and prompting him to go and answer it. The next second, a familiar figure to Rin steps into the flat.
“I’ve got nothing against love or anything, but we need to go now, lover boy.” Nagi Seishiro says, looking at the couple before turning his gaze to Reo. “So, you’re Rin’s roommate, right? Nice to meet you. I’m Nagi.”
“Uh…” Reo looks even more incredulous, unable to form a sentence. Rin has never seen him like this, at a loss for words.
“Oh, don’t be a pain.” Bachira pouts. “I’ve literally just arrived.”
“And you said it would be quick, just to clarify something,” he argues, before looking back at Reo. “I don’t think I know your name yet? Rin has a habit of using nicknames, so I only know you as annoying roommate.”
That snaps Reo back to reality. He frowns, turning to Rin. “Seriously?! You call me that? And you talk about me with them?”
“Yeah… something like that,” Rin mutters, shrugging.
Reo is about to say something, but the flat door opens again and everyone turns to see another member of 5goist arrive. Chigiri.
“Why are you two taking so long?! Bachira Meguru, you said it would be quick!” His gaze turns sharp as he looks at Nagi. “And you failed in your simple task of dragging Meguru back.”
“But I’ve only just arrived!” Nagi raises his arms in surrender. “You didn’t even give me a full minute to fetch him.”
“I gave you three minutes.” Chigiri corrects him with a frown. “Did you walk here instead of running? We’re in a hurry, Nagi Seishiro.”
“Maybe… but does it really matter?”
Chigiri puts his hand to his forehead, as if the whole situation is giving him a headache. Rin feels a little sympathy for him and decides to step in.
“You should go before my neighbours realise there are idols in my flat from all the shouting.” Rin says, looking directly at his boyfriend. “Actually, coming here straight after a concert wasn’t a great idea... We should be more careful, Meguru.”
“I know,” Bachira mutters, looking a little embarrassed. “But I was desperate. I needed to see you, no matter what.”
Nagi claps his hands, while Chigiri sighs wearily after hearing what Meguru said to his boyfriend.
"Damn. Yoichi just texted. Ego’s found out we’re not at the stadium anymore. He and Rensuke told him we left early. We need to get to the company before they do," Chigiri says, checking his phone. “This is serious now… we need to go.”
Bachira pouts, but nods.
“Bye bye, Rin-chan.” He takes his boyfriend’s hand and presses a quick kiss to it. “I’ll ring you later, okay?”
Bachira hurries towards the door, but before leaving the flat, he waves goodbye to Reo as well. Nagi and Chigiri do the same.
As soon as the flat door closes, Reo collapses onto the floor, sitting there in complete shock.
ੈ✩‧₊˚
“So let me see if I’ve got this right,” Reo says mockingly. “I spent months thinking you were a fan of 5goist, but you were actually dating one of the members.”
Rin can’t help but smile. After all the shock and euphoria, the whole situation is starting to feel a little funny to him.
“Yeah.”
“I used to talk about them with so much passion, and you were friends with them.” He grimaces and hides his face in his hands. “I’m dying of embarrassment. I can’t believe you did that to me.”
“It’s not that bad,” he tries to reassure him, letting out a small chuckle.
“I can’t believe it. I thought you were a crazy fan just like me, you know?!” He sighs dramatically. “But no… you’re only obsessed with Bachira Meguru because you’re a super romantic boyfriend!”
“You need to get over this at some point, Reo,” he says, still somewhat amused. He’s said that about ten times in the last hour.
“Oh my gosh! You let me buy hundreds of albums just to get good tickets for the concert, and you could’ve just used your boyfriend power to get us good seats?!”
Rin realises he’s going to have a lot of fun with this.
“Yeah… you know what’s best? Meguru knows all this because I tell him everything.” He lets out a small chuckle.
Reo shudders before lamenting, “I’m gonna die.”