Love Confusion: Chapter 3

[lilly0]

Title: Love Confusion Chapter 3
Pairing: Aimiya, Juntoshi, Sho/Masami
Rating: PG-13 (for now?)
Genre: romance, AU (college/work/coffeeshop), love-hexagon you could say^^
Plot: Nino, Masaki’s best friend and co-student, has a crush on Masaki’s older brother Satoshi since forever. Satoshi however, a young barista, loves Masaki’s university lecturer Matsumoto, who is a regular in his coffeeshop. But Jun has a friends with benefits thing with his former senpai Sho. Sho however, a young lawyer, has never believed in love, until he falls in love with Masami, a young pet shop owner. Masami however laid her eyes on the cute guy Masaki, who helps in her shop sometimes. And Masaki? He can’t see Nino the same anymore ever since that night two years ago…
Note: Happy birthday to my dear yukitsubute !!!!!!!!!! I hope you will like this story! (I tried to go for a different main pair this time - I have never written Aimiya for you after all!

 

Masaki tries to concentrate on what Matsumoto-sensei is talking, something about English poetry. He really needs to visit an English class, maybe he should pick one? He still needs to visit one more class this term anyways, could as well be English.

 

He carefully approaches his teacher after the class, always nervous when he has to talk to Matsumoto. He is always so stoic and serious, a bit intimidating. “Matsumoto-sensei,” he stutters. “I hope I’m not bothering you, but I would like to ask a question.”

 

“You are not bothering me at all,” Matsumoto says calmly. He even smiles a bit. “What do you want to ask?”

 

“I have a hard time understanding English poetry,” Masaki admits. “I thought it might be to my advantage to pick an additional English class?”

 

Matsumoto blinks in surprise. “Actually I find that very smart of you,” he tells him, much to Masaki’s surprise. Smart is normally not the adjective people use when describing him. Matsumoto points at Masaki’s folder, a sheet of paper with his silly comics is sticking out of it. “I thought you would rather like to take an art class?”

 

“Art?” Masaki has to try hard not to chuckle. Why would he? “I have no talent for art,” he explains. “This is just a silly doodle, just a hobby.”

 

“Really?” Matsumoto asks in surprise. “It looks like you are talented to me, but you probably know better yourself.”

 

Masaki is speechless for a moment. “You really think so?” he asks in disbelief.

 

Matsumoto chuckles in amusement. “Yes. To be honest I thought it runs in your family. Isn’t your brother also an artist?”

 

Satoshi is indeed very talented, much more than Masaki. In comparison to him he really is nothing. “Satoshi is really talented, he is a true painter,” Masaki stutters. “He even designed and painted the coffee shop himself.”

 

Matsumoto looks at him in surprise and to Masaki’s pride also admiration. Satoshi deserves to be admired. “Is that so? That’s really amazing!” He gathers his books and papers. “Listen Masaki-san, it’s just the opinion of a person who doesn’t know much about this kind of art, but I think you are talented. You have just never polished it, haven’ you? Why don’t you try to improve your comics? After all, you can also work and improve on a hobby.” He scribbles down a name on a post-it, handing it to Masaki. “Meanwhile here is a lecturer I would advise you to take an English class from. Aim for a B2-level, it seems to be right for you. He is a good teacher, and very kind and fun. The atmospheres in his classes are always good.

 

Masaki nods thankfully, suddenly thinking that Matsumoto-sensei looks a lot more scary than he actually is. “Thank you!” he says, bowing deeply before saying good-bye and leaving the class. He feels weirdly motivated all of a sudden. Sensei thinks he is actually good at drawing, maybe he should really try to improve! And he will definitely take the English class he recommended. He looks at the name on the paper. Katori Shingo. Well, why not give it a try.

 

He manages to go to the secretary and enrol for Katori-sensei’s class before he hurries to the cafeteria. “Kazu-kun!” he waves towards his friend who is already waiting for him at the entrance. “Late?”

 

“Just in time,” Nino chuckles. “Don’t worry. I’m not my cousin – I can live with waiting five minutes.”

 

Masaki grins. Nino’s stories about Sho’s schedule-craze are some of his favourites. “What do they have today?”

 

“Mushy vegetables with rice. Dry meat. Something with egg, don’t ask me what it is. Old sushi and sloppy pasta.”

 

Masaki lets the information sink in, then he nods. “Sloppy pasta for me.”

 

“Yeah, for me too.” Masaki curls his nose while looking at the pan. “With fish or tomato sauce?”

 

“How old is the fish sauce?” Nino wants to know.

 

“Well, let’s better go with tomato,” Masaki decides with a grin. Close to them he sees Matsumoto-sensei walking by them with a lecturer of the music department. A certain Nishikido. Matsumoto is holding an apple and a bottle with water in his hand. Masaki grins. “Sensei didn’t find something edible either.”

 

Nino chuckles as they sit down.

 

“Oh, right,” Masaki roams through his things. “Here are my notes from today’s class.”

 

“Thank you,” Nino sighs. “It’s really unfortunate that I had a test today, out of all possible dates at the same time with our class.”

 

“Don’t worry, I told Matsumoto-sensei why you aren’t here, and he gave me some handouts for you, plus I tried my best to take readable notes.”

 

Nino looks at him in surprise after he went through everything. “This is actually pretty thorough. I didn’t expect that…”

 

Masaki pouts. “You thought I would leave you hanging?”

 

Nino blushes. “Not at all,” he hurries to say. “Just… your notes are pretty good, and normally you don’t put that much… you know…”

 

Masaki chuckles. “I know. But you were right. Matsumoto’s classes are good despite all the stuff he demands. I even asked him about an English class I could take and he helped me out. I can see why so many visit his class although he is so serious.”

 

Nino looks at him for a while like he isn’t sure how to react. “You like Matsumoto-sensei all of a sudden?”

 

Masaki shrugs. “Not much not to like about him,” he grins, still feeling happy about Matsumoto’s compliments towards him.

 

  

~~~

 

 

“A dog?” Jun stares at Sho in disbelief, making Sho smile in amusement. Jun has never been good with animals, it’s almost cute.

 

“Don’t worry,” Sho grins. “I’m not getting one, I just thought about adopting. But then…I’m working a lot, and there is Kazu I need to look after.”

 

“You are comparing your cousin to a pet?” Jun grins. He seems to be in a better mood now. When Sho met him for lunch, Jun seemed to be slightly down.

 

“Kazu is adorable,” Sho chuckles. “But if I would compare him to a puppy he would kill me.”

 

“You get along well, aren’t you?”

 

“We are.” Sho smiles. “Never expected it, you know. When I heard that he wanted to apply for college and my aunt said she wants him to go to work because she can’t afford the tuition, I just… I don’t know… I wanted to give him a chance you know?”

 

Jun smiles softly. “You are generous, Sho-san.” The voice he says it with is soft, and there is something in it Sho hasn’t heard before. He is sure it’s just his imagination though. He is certain Jun sees only a friend in him. They know each other since forever after all. Sho is sure that if Jun had feelings for him, he would have told him long ago.

 

“How was the rest of your week?” Jun asks, and the weird tone and look in his eyes is gone, and he is all normal and casual again.

 

“Great,” Sho chuckles. “I just stumbled over a crazy woman and her fluffy dog. She was cute though.”

 

“So that’s where your interest in a dog comes from,” Jun comments.

 

Sho blushes. “I don’t know what you are saying”, he pouts.

 

Jun looks at his plate with pasta. “Nothing,” he smiles at Sho, but it looks strained. “Let’s just eat.”

 

To Sho’s surprise Jun seems to be absent-minded during the rest of their lunch, he smiles and answers to Sho’s questions, but his mind seems to be far away.

 

 

~~~

 

 

“Wow,” Sho sighs. “Another person lost in their thoughts. Why are you so moody, little cousin-chan,” he pats Nino’s shoulder comfortingly and hands him a bowl with ice cream.

 

Nino turns his head. He didn’t hear how Sho came back home. “I don’t know,” he admits, frowning slightly. “It’s just weird… I was suddenly in such a weird mood…” He robs to the side a bit to let Sho sit down too. “And you?”

 

“I was perfectly fine until I met a friend and he acted weird,” Sho admits.

 

“Same,” Nino grunts. “But I don’t even know what annoys me so much.” He closes his eyes, seeing Masaki’s face in front of him and his blissful smile when he talked about Matsumoto. Jeez, it’s good. It’s good that Masaki finds motivation in this class and wants to do even more. Just why the heck does it make Nino feel so annoyed? “I don’t understand myself.” He looks at Sho. “And you?”

 

“I’m not sure, but today… you know, I have a good friend. Probably my oldest friend. From High School. Possible the only person from my past I like.” He pauses. It’s difficult to put it into words. “I told him about an encounter I had, and then it felt to me like he was judging me for it. But I don’t know why.”

 

“Jealous maybe?”

 

“Nah,” Sho shakes his head. “We have been friends in school. He was my junior, you know? And then we met each other again after college. Friends since a long time. He never said or did anything that made me wonder if he likes me or so.”

 

“Maybe he was just in a bad mood then,” Nino points out. “Just look at me. I was feeling great, then I go for lunch with my best friend, and he talks about how motivated he is for a class and how our hot teacher helped him, and I’m in a weird mood.”

 

“Maybe you are jealous,” Sho points out with a grin.

 

Nino rolls his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. We are talking about Masaki!” He shakes his head. “I just wanted to say that sometimes our emotions are weird and our mood changes, and we don’t even know why. Maybe it’s been the same for your friend?”

 

“Maybe you are right,” Sho smiles. “Good thing we have the weekend ahead of us and can finally go to that amusement park. I’ve heard they have great food there.”

 

Nino giggles. “So that’s why you want to go? And here I was wondering why you were so eager for us to go to an amusement park.”

 

Sho smacks his shoulder, but laughs too. “Just be thankful you have such a great cousin!”

 

“I do,” Nino says honestly. He means it. Sho might have his faults, but he is generous. Nino will never forget the kindness and generosity he is showing him.

 

 

~~~

 

 

“I love fairs like this,” Satoshi comments while he follows Nino and Masaki, and Nino’s cousin through the whole amusement park.

 

“Really?” Masaki looks at him in surprise. “I thought you wouldn’t like it, you know, too many people, the noise and stuff.”

 

Satoshi chuckles “Do I give such an old image?”

 

“Not at all!” Masaki defends himself. “Just-“

 

“I know,” Satoshi grins. “I’m kidding. I would never go to a normal theme park, but this here is seasonal, which makes it kinda charming. The colours, the noise… everything is different.”

 

Masaki chuckles. That’s typical his older brother. He sees something special or different in everything, even in the most random objects. “Say, Kazu-kun,” Masaki turns to his friend with a bright grin. “Want to ride something?”

 

Nino gives him the thumbs up. “Roller-coaster?”

 

“Totally!” Masaki turns to the other two with a grin. “What about you? Or are you too old?”

 

Satoshi snorts. “Too old my ass.”

 

“Yeah, mine too,” Sho grins, apparently his competitive attitude winning over him. Masaki has always liked him. He is a serious and ambitious guy, too organised sometimes, scary even, but he can be so silly and laidback.

 

They drive the rollercoaster and Masaki almost feels his eyes bulging out by the speed it goes. Next to him Nino laughs and grabs his hand. “Don’t lose your nerves, Masa-chan,” he giggles. “Hold my hand and it will be alright.”

 

Masaki blushes at that gesture, and nods happily, clasping Nino’s hand while they take the next huge turn. It’s when they get out of the rollercoaster with wobbly legs, yet totally amused that Sho blinks suddenly. He squeezes his eyes. “Is that…”

 

Masaki turns his head to follow his glance. “Oh! Masami-san!” he blinks. “And sensei!”

 

“Wait a moment,” Sho says in confusion. “You know them?”

 

“Of course,” Nino chuckles. “Matsumoto-sensei is our lecturer at college. And Masami-san…”

 

“I’m sometimes helping out in her animal shelter,” Masaki explains.

 

“I didn’t know Masami-san and Sensei know each other though,” Nino says in interest.

Masaki nods. It seems like Matsumoto-sensei and Masami are actually well-acquainted, she even clings to his arm and laughs. And Matsumoto looks so casual and… normal. Not in his serious stoic teacher mode. He is even wearing jeans.

 

Sho calls out to them.  “Hey, Jun-san!”

 

“Jun…” Satoshi blinks. “Wait, you know each other?”

 

Sho nods. “We’ve been in high school together. I’m one year his senior. We are…” he makes a pause Masaki doesn’t quite understand. “Friends.”

 

Jun and Masami approach them, smiling friendly. “Interesting,” Jun states in amusement. “So many people I know together. Just how are they related to each other?”

 

Masaki chuckles. “Well, you already know my brother, sensei. And Sho-kun is Kazu’s older cousin.”

 

“And you?” Sho asks curiously, his voice sounding a bit weird to Masaki’s ears, but he isn’t sure if he is imagining things. “Are you on a date?”

 

Actually that’s an interesting question! Next to him Masaki can feel Satoshi’s body tensing, and Nino leans forward too, looking curious. Weird… he thinks… Satoshi and Sho are acting weird.

 

Masami and Matsumoto-sensei exchange a look though, then burst into giggles. Masaki has never seen his teacher laugh like that, it comes as a surprise. He grins now.

 

Masami giggles too. “Although I think there is no more attractive and charming man than Jun-chan, no.”

 

“And although I think Masami-chan is the prettiest and sweetest amongst all, nope.” Jun blinks. “And how do you and Sho-kun know each other?”

 

Masami blushes. “The accident,” she stutters.

 

“He is the guy you knocked unconscious!?” Jun says, and his voice sounds almost a bit hoarse for a moment.

 

“I did not hit him unconscious!” she pouts.

 

“So,” Sho urges. “What exactly are you?”

 

Jun lets out a little sigh. “Siblings,” he finally says, his voice sounds almost strained. “She is my sister.”

 

Sho stares at them in a mixture out of… surprise, confusion… and shock? And Matsumoto-sensei looks hurt for a moment, a tiny one, but Masaki is sure he saw it. He feels confused all of a sudden.

 

All of it happens in the blink of a moment though and soon everyone – or rather Sho and sensei - looks like always. Masami joins Sho and Kazu at the stand with the fish while Matsumoto-sensei is following Satoshi and Masaki himself.

 

“Sensei,” Masaki starts.

 

“Please don’t call me like that in private,” his sensei says with a smile. “I finally know who you are. You are the guy who helped my sister so much. She talks about you a lot, you know? So, how about… you call me Matsumoto-kun in private. Or even Jun, if you want to.”

 

Masaki’s eyes light up. He has never expected his teacher to be such a guy, so… friendly. He looks casual and fun all of a sudden, and so young.

 

Masaki bows. “Thank you!” he exclaims.

 

 

~~~

 

It’s weird, Nino thinks, he is here at this fun amusement park with Masaki and Satoshi. Satoshi, who he had a crush on since years now. Yet he doesn’t feel truly happy. He feels… weird. And he doesn’t even know why. Matsumoto-sensei has joined them but he isn’t even half as stoic as he usually is, his sister is nice and an old friend of Masaki, Sho is in a good mood and makes silly jokes, and Satoshi is nice as always. Actually even nicer than usual.

 

Everything is good, actually even more than good, yet he feels off. He doesn’t know why.

 

He watches how Matsumoto and Masaki sit in the rollercoaster together, right behind Masami and Sho, wondering why the heck it annoys him so much that Masaki didn’t ask him to drive with him.

 

“Kazu-kun?”

 

Nino turns around when he hears Satoshi behind him. The latter offers him an onigiri he just bought. “Thank you,” Nino accepts it with a smile.

 

“Listen,” Satoshi starts after a while, right after the rollercoaster set off. “I have to ask you something… Is it okay?”

 

Nino blinks. “Sure.”

 

“Did I do something to you? You know, did I say something that hurt you? It seems like you don’t like me much, and I wonder why… It’s not because of that one time when you and Masaki sneaked out and I yelled at you?”

 

Nino doesn’t remember that incident, that’s how long it is ago. But he is shocked at Satoshi’s question. Does he really believe he doesn’t like him? “But… no! I like you! What made you think I don’t?”

 

Satoshi smiles carefully at him. “I don’t know, you are sometimes so wary around me, and you sometimes don’t answer me. Nervous you know?”

 

Nino blushes. Like…what is he supposed to say now? He decides to go with half of the truth. “It’s just because… I’m kinda embarrassed.”

 

“By what?”

 

“You know two years ago?” Nino sighs deeply. “When Masaki and I celebrated our 21^st birthday. Legally adults. You know, I got drunk, and… poor you… but you were so kind.” he blushes. Like it’s so embarrassing. He can’t believe what he did and how kind Satoshi was.

 

“Yours and Masaki’s crazy party?” Satoshi blinks. “But I wasn’t there.”

 

Nino stares at him for a while. That’s a joke, isn’t it? But looking into Satoshi’s eyes he knows it isn’t. “You…what!? Maybe you forgot that you were there?”

 

“I was sick that day,” Satoshi explains. “I didn’t forget. I was about to go to your party, and then I had a horrible case of gastritis. I threw up constantly. I even went to hospital. I was really angry at myself for missing this party.”

 

“You weren’t there,” Nino stutters.

 

“I swear I wasn’t,” Satoshi says softly. “So, no need to feel embarrassed. What did you actually do?”

 

Nino swallows, his heart racing. If Satoshi wasn’t there… if it wasn’t Satoshi… he was so sure, it was him. He was convinced, hundred percent certain, no doubts. He even dreamed of it being Satoshi. But if it wasn’t Satoshi, who was it then?

 

A/N: I'm so sorry for my late update! I'm kinda struggling with my lack of motivation, but I'm trying to post regularly again!
So... Nino feels off about a lot of things in this chapter! It's basically the Nino-feels-confused and the Sho-doesn't-get-it chapter :D