Title : Wandering For Love
Author :kame_kiyumi
Pairing : Akame
Rating : PG-13
Genre : Romance, friendship
Summary: When two persons meet one another at a cross-junction, will there be a turning point or everything will remain intact? Does true love come by so easily? What will true love bring upon to the two persons? Fate will decide them all. But before they can get the happiness they want, they have to cross a few obstacles…

A/N: Yay~ another chap done! I hope you guys will like it… As usual, comments/criticisms are welcomed! XD

Chapter 25:

The four were now sitting around the dining hall, chatting and having lunch together.

“Keita! It’s not my fault, you know… I really couldn’t recognize you at the first sight~” Yamapi whined. “You have become so built-up compared to those few years back when you just left.”

“Of course! You see, Pi, Kei’s muscles have become so firm now. The buttons of the shirt he’s wearing now are threatening to escape from the clutching strings…” Kazuya taunted.

“Hey~ I can’t stand being that vulnerable-looking all the time. I was way too thin during that time!” Keita protested yet did not fail to perceive that Jin was sitting down in absolute silence so he decided to drag Jin into their conversation. “Do you agree with me, Jin-kun?”

“H-huh?” Jin stared up at Keita in a blank expression. “B-but I don’t know how you had looked like way back.” Jin tried his best to blend into their conversation.

“Oh, right…” Keita realized.

“Oh god! Jin, you know, Keita looked like he had practically suffered from malnutrition during that time! He’s as thin as a bamboo stick! He was even thinner than Kame!” Yamapi exclaimed in an exaggerating manner. “You should get some photos from me or Kame-chan to have a good look at him!”

“HAHAHAHA! Malnutrition! Yes!” Kazuya laughed out, way too inelegant in Jin’s view too. But this was the time when Kazuya seemed to have set his shield down and really got to relax freely.

Keita pouted and huffed in desperation. “You know, Jin-kun, during that time, I was too thin and even though I ate a lot but I just couldn’t get any fatter, not even gaining any fats or anything at all, not to mention about muscles.” Jin nodded to Keita’s sentences and waited for more. “I was feeling desperate because I don’t want to be seen as a tiny and small-build boy forever. I mean yes, I am tall but… I don’t want to be as thin-looking as a piece of paper always. So when I went to L.A., I made up my heart and began to frequent gyms for work-outs and had all my nutrients and food intake being fixed and decided by professionals. I even began eating lots of meat and cut down my intake of rice. Hence, from there, I started to gain muscles and that makes out my current build.” Keita explained and ended with a small laugh, feeling proud.

“That’s cool.” Jin smiled and continued. “I have always wanted to build up my body build too, but… lazy~” Jin then proceeded to stretch his arms out into the air above him. “But… you’re really tall. At least the tallest among us.” He complimented.

“Thanks… I just grew about 20cm within a year.”

“20cm in a year!?” Jin exclaimed in awe.

“Yeah.” Keita chuckled. “Anyway, to me, you look just fine, Jin-kun.” Keita gave a warm smile.

“Thanks…” Jin smiled sheepishly. “So, Kei-ta, how long will you be staying back in Japan?” He hoped no one noticed his slip.

Keita didn’t even have the chance to reply when Kazuya fought for the chance to answer for him. “Kei is returning to L.A. two days from now.” And he reached over the table with his right hand to hold Keita’s left hand naturally in which Keita only returned the gesture.

“So fast!? Why?” Yamapi wailed. Yamapi doesn’t seem to notice that small action but that doesn’t mean that it didn’t escape from Jin’s eyes. A flash of hurt flashed through his eyes in the speed of lightning.

‘Holding hands…?’

Jin stared at the pair of entwined hands knowingly. There was no awkwardness between Keita and Kazuya. Everything just seemed to be so normal, so natural that it scared him.

“It isn’t really fast… because I still need to make some arrangements both at here and back in L.A. before I can finally come back and settle down for good and start on my career.” Keita paused a while to wait for response in which he received none, so he went on. “Plus, I still have to attend my graduation ceremony at there. However… it’s really a pity you guys can’t be there to witness my graduation…”

“It’s okay... we know for sure, you have achieved it~” Kazuya assured Keita, patting their entwined hands comfortingly with his other free hand. “I am very interested in your singing career than your graduation anyway, since you have always been composing lyrics. I look forward to your future songs now.” Kazuya stuck out his tongue when Keita hit him on his arm playfully.

“But… I will in a boy band group, so I may not have a lot of chances to include the songs I write into the albums we will release.” Keita sounded a bit disappointed. “But, I will try my best to persuade my company to let me include some of my songs in the group’s albums as time goes by… and hopefully they will agree to…”

“By the way, Keita, how did you get this precious chance to debut?” Yamapi took the chance to ask while Jin turned to try to look at Keita once again with his full attention. He’s interested to know as well, even though he saw Keita as a rival. Yes, a rival in love. But he doesn’t want to be called as a rude person, so… Nevertheless, his eyes were still fixed strongly at the pair of clasping hands displayed on the table.

“Oh… I attended a school to train and perfected my voice cord when I was studying in L.A. at the same time. One day, the teacher who was in-charge of me in the singing school gave me a form. It’s a form that encourages people to join a singing competition which gives the winner a chance to debut in L.A.. So I decided to just sign up since I have got nothing to lose.”

 “So… you won the first place, isn’t it? If not, you won’t be debuting now too…”

“Ah… actually I did not get the champion, which meant I did not get the chance to debut through that competition though.”

“Eh? What do you mean, Kei?”  Kazuya, no, the other two as well, did resemble like living question marks. “Then how do you get this debut chance?”

“Well… I did not get the champion, but I got a special award – The Super Top Best Vocalist, which was kind of a last minute award set up for me only at the ceremony itself. That is why it was a special award.” Keita stated, feeling proud of his own achievement.

“That means… because you got the best vocal out of all the participants, so even though you did not get champion, but your voice is too good to be leveled just at the first place? So they set up this special award for you?” Jin exclaimed in awe again.

“Hmm, yeah, sort of that kind of meaning…” Keita blushed.

“Which means, you are actually even better than the champion!?” Kazuya concluded excitedly, eyes beaming with thrill.

“I guessed… so?” Keita chuckled shyly and kept nodding his head a few times, flashing a big box-like smile, a gesture he always do when he sounded uncertain.

“You are fantastic! I feel so proud of you!” Kazuya almost jumped out of his seat in jubilant and pulled both his and Keita’s hands high up into the air above them. “It’s really not a waste to let you go to L.A.!” 

Keita giggled in response, muttering, “Yeah…”

“But how did you get this chance to debut then if you did not get the champion place?” Jin asked again, feeling slightly envious and jealous at the same time. He was envious because Keita has got a real excellent achievement and jealous because Kazuya was showing Keita more affection than to him.

‘How am I even going to compete? I am basically a nothing to Kazu…’ Jin contrasted quietly.

“Ahh… after that competition, Matsuyama-san, who is my manager, contacted me. He said after watching the competition, he felt that I will be able to make it big in the entertainment industry, therefore, he passed me a contract in which he asked me to give a good consideration for it.” Keita started off.

“Cool…” Jin gave a small envious response coldly.

Keita gave a small smile unbeknownst to that tone and continued. “He came to watch my practicing lessons after that day and after a week of considering the contract he listed out seriously, I decided to give it a shot. The only condition is I must graduate from my college in L.A. first before I will be returning to Japan to debut professionally. Oh by the way, to be able to debut in Japan instead of L.A., is the only condition I stated firmly myself in the contract.”

“Hmm…” Kazuya nodded in understanding. “But how come you are not debuting as a solo artiste instead then?”

“Hmm… about that, I am not sure too. But from what I heard was, they had already got the other two members together in this group before my signing of the contract. They are just waiting and searching for a vocalist for the group. And well… when Matsuyama-san saw me, he just knew that I am the needed, awaited one to be in that group.” Keita ended with a grateful smile.

“Oh… then are the other two members from Japan or L.A.?”  Yamapi inserted into the conversation.

“Ah… they are from Sapporo, Japan.”

“Oh at least they are Japanese.”

“Yeah… Of course. I was the one who insisted to debut in Japan. But I guess this is enough for me already… my wish is to get more people to hear my songs… and now it’s coming true. I should be grateful, ne?”

“Oh… so… what is the group name?”

“w-inds.”

“Oh? Cool…” 

“It is ne?” Keita chuckled. “Well, our group is not only capable of singing; we are talented in rapping and dancing as well.” He exclaimed.

“Dancing and rapping!? You can do rapping?” Yamapi asked.

“Well, rapping is not going to be my role in that group, of course. My role in the group is to be the main vocalist and dancer while the other two are responsible for rapping and dancing. It has all been set and coordinated properly.” 

“How’s your dancing skill?” Jin asked.

“Well… I supposed I aren’t too bad in dancing since I did started learning different kind of dancing styles during my stay in L.A. too. Basically, I can do a few different kinds of dancing styles, just that I need time to learn the steps in routine, and then perfect it. Oh but the one I specialized the most in dancing is locking style though.”

‘Great. Now not only is he such a nice guy, he’s such a talented, perfect guy. I am just like nothing when compared to him.’ Jin thought bitterly. The more he compared, the more depressing it got for him. He doesn’t want to admit and identified the knowing fact that he indeed was atthe losing side… ‘I am losing… aren't I?’

“Yeah! Keita’s dancing style is kind of superb! The three of us picked up different styles. Like Kame-chan, he will be more to dancing pretty style, while I am more into standard popular dance.” Yamapi elaborated.

“Yeah.” Kazuya turned to the stunned Jin and smiled.

“Yeah, so anyway now, I have to go back to L.A. for my graduation ceremony before I will be back in Japan, for a new embarks on my career journey.” Upon the last statement, Keita cast an understanding glance at Kazuya whose smile was equivalent to a bright shining sun.

Jin felt a pang in his heart.

‘He is really back, isn’t he? I am not dreaming… I am redundant here. Kazu doesn’t need me. He only needs Keita. But… can I bear to leave you, Kazu? That is the question.’

“I really felt overjoyed for you, Kei.” Kazuya spoke up in a mild, silky tone.

“I felt glad for myself too. I did not regret leaving for L.A. that time to pursue my dream. Now that I have obtained the chance to finally debut, I will have to work hard in my singing and dancing and become someone who cannot be replaced.” Keita declared in absolute confidence. “I can’t let Matsuyama-san down after what he has done for me, can I?”

Softness, warmness, gentleness, tenderness, they are all shown in Keita’s perfect low voice. Jin started to wonder what his voice would be like when he’s singing. But one thing Jin was very sure of now was he could never be as soft-spoken with gentleness as Keita.

‘Yes, you are certainly one who cannot be replaced…’ Jin meant it in a different definition.

Keita then continued, “Jaa… you have to take care of Vanilla-chan for me for the time being, ne?” He’s ruffling Vanilla’s ears now with his the other available hand, making the snow white puppy felt so comfortable that it’s falling asleep soon.

“Of course! I love Vanilla-chan so much~ Ran-chan likes her too!” Kazuya exclaimed vividly while shaking poor Ran-chan agitatedly in his lap. She must be feeling giddy now.

“Oh ya! Kazu, I have been meaning to tell you this since the first time I came and saw Vanilla-chan. Vanilla-chan and you actually looked alike, did you notice that?” Keita sniggered.

Yamapi laughed out aloud and pounded on the table a few times. He couldn’t stop laughing and Kazuya could only sent a death glare to him, that made him kept the volume down but his shoulders were still clearly shaking with laughter.

Kazuya retracted his hand from Keita’s clasping one and immediately retorted Keita with, “OI! Shut up! I don’t look alike like Vanilla-chan, I rather look alike with Ran-chan! Ne Ran-chan…” Ran-chan licked Kazuya’s palm affectionately, silently agreeing with her owner. Afterall, she doesn’t like to share her owner with others, especially when the other said party is Vanilla-chan.

Jin watched the whole communication between Kazuya and Keita hurtfully. His heart hurt. It’s giving off aching pain that was warning him that his heart could no longer hold this kind of pain, he should be better off, without them. He shouldn’t stay around them even any longer. He couldn't take this.

‘Seeing you with someone else can kill me in an instant without a blink of an eye. I cannot imagine myself being so calm and serene when there you are, in the open arms of others.’

We met in that place at that time… I fell in love with you… It’s a miracle that I was able to meet you in this small corner of this whole wide world…

What kind of pain was that? Was it a pain that told him he could never be compared to Keita? Or was it a pain that told him that Kazuya indeed cares more for Keita than him? It might be a pain that told him that indeed, only Keita was the one for Kazuya. It might also be an indication stating that he doesn’t feel like giving up though he wasn’t allows any second chance? Or… was it an indication that warned him, no matter how hard he tried, he would never be the one staying beside Kazuya throughout? Most importantly… would this pain immobilize him? Jin had the sentiment that it would… it’s just a matter of sooner or later.

Other than you, I don’t need anything else. No matter how sad it is, I can get over it. Even if I’m hurt and on the verge of disappearing…

~*~