Kiss me to Springtime - 6. Chapter 6

Ryo was late.

Soubi adjusted his white jacket, righted his red v-neck shirt and dropped his duffel bag on the pavement. He tightened the belt on his fitted dark slacks. Maybe Ryo had forgotten about their date. He reached in to his front pocket for his cell phone.

Sliding his finger over the screen, he frowned. It was almost five o’clock in the evening.

“Soubi.”

Soubi glanced up and frowned when he saw Tohru Ichi. She was one of the models at the magazine shoot earlier. He escaped her an hour ago with the excuse that he was late for an appointment. Apparently, luck wasn’t on his side today.

“I thought you left already,” Tohru said.

“I’m waiting for someone.”

Soubi glanced along the street again hoping to see Ryo’s car.

“Wanna come with?” Tohru asked, reaching out to touch his ponytail.

Soubi had gone clubbing with her a few times. She was cool to hang with, but he was clean now.

“I have lots of blue candy. Want a pack?”

He watched her reach into her huge hobo bag. She got a small brown envelope and held it out to him. It would be so easy to take it and go with her. Three weeks ago, before Ryo, he’d have taken the pills without batting an eyelash. But…he was clean now. He made a promise with Ryo.

“I’m not doing that anymore, Tohru. You shouldn’t either. We’re on runway tomorrow.”

Tohru chuckled and moved closer, wrapping an arm around his waist. She hugged him and whispered into his ear.

“Since when are you clean? Everyone knows how you are, Soubi. Come on, stop teasing me.”

Her sweet perfume made him feel sick. He grabbed onto to her black peacoat and pushed her back.

“I’m not doing that anymore. Stop messing around.”

“What’s gotten into you?” Tohru glared at him. “You’re all high and mighty lately, Soubi.”

Where the hell was Ryo?

Soubi glanced at his cell phone again. Tohru adjusted her coat, the brown envelope still in her hand. She narrowed her gaze.

“Oh, I know. You’re waiting for a date. Soubi, did you meet a guy?”

Soubi frowned. He had never realized how annoying Tohru was. He had always been too high to care about what she was saying. Her dramatic make up made her face look plastic. She was too perfect.

“Go home, Tohru. Don’t you want to look pretty tomorrow?”

She burst into a loud laugh. They were standing on the busy elite streets of Ginza. Her laugh attracted stares from the pedestrians walking by them. He scowled at her.

“Don’t look at me like that. Three weeks ago, you were making out with a stranger at the Tarot. I don’t think you even knew it was Hiro Kurose. You two were mindlessly going at it in a dark corner at the club. Is he the one you’re waiting for?”

“Hiro Kurose.” Soubi shuddered. No wonder that idiot had touched him with so much familiarity. He closed his eyes and shook his head. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, we went out together that night. You were really high; I gave you the pills myself.” She shrugged a slender shoulder. “Do what you want, just don’t pretend you’re not one of us, Soubi. We’re all under a lot of stress. It’s alright if you want to blow off steam. I’ll give you the pills for free if you’re out of cash.”

“I don’t need the pills, Tohru.” A car honked and he turned to the curb to see Ryo’s car. He sighed in relief. “I have to go.”

Soubi picked up his duffel bag. Tohru grabbed his arm and stopped him.

“I know your story, Soubi. It starts happily, but you end up a basket case in the end when they leave you. Don’t think the hot guy in the car will be any different. You’ll come looking for me when it’s over. The pills won’t be free then.”

Soubi pulled his arm out of her tight grasp and rushed to Ryo’s car. He dumped his bag in the backseat and slid into the passenger side. He gave Tohru a quick glance, ignoring her wave and turned to find Ryo watching him.

“Is she a friend?” Ryo asked as he geared the car.

“No.”

Ryo pulled into traffic and Soubi sighed. His gaze straying to the side mirror and Tohru’s slender figure standing by the curb in her peacoat and heels. She looked lost. Her parting words rang through his head and he hoped that she was wrong. Soubi turned to Ryo.

“You’re late.”

“I was caught up at the printers.” Ryo smiled at him, a crooked apologetic smile that melted his irritation. “You look good enough to eat, Soubi-chan.”

Soubi glanced at Ryo’s clothing. He was in black again: t-shirt, slacks, boots and a leather jacket. The color made him look really good.

“Where are we going?” Soubi asked.

“It’s a surprise.”

Soubi turned on the radio and tuned to a good rock music station. Ryo gave him a smile as he settled back into his seat for the ride. By the time Ryo pulled into the Museum of Contemporary Art, he had relaxed enough to enjoy being out with Ryo.

Ryo parked the car and led the way into the large building.

“What are we doing here?” Soubi asked.

Ryo paid their entry fee and led him into an exhibition gallery lined with large wide paintings. Soubi paused in the middle of the large room enjoying the feel of being surrounded by creativity. He breathed in the cool air and looked at Ryo.

Ryo smiled and held out his hand. Soubi took it as he realized that Ryo wanted to share something important with him. They walked through the various exhibition galleries until they came to one with the name Ryosuke as the artist.

Ryo trailed behind him as they entered this gallery.

Soubi frowned at that before he continued into the room. He recognized Ryo’s style at once, that elegant sweep of lines and vibrant color.

The first painting was an illustration of a mother wearing a pink kimono. She held a small boy in her arms while she looked down at an older boy crouched on the floor at her feet. Her face full of love with the hint of a smile, it was a happy scene. Sakura blossoms floated around her swept up by the wind. Ryo had drawn his mother in a happier time.

Soubi moved on to the next canvas to find a fun illustration of an origami crane floating in a body of water. He walked on to the next and smiled. The painting was a caricature of Kaito seated outside the Furiroda shop smoking with a very chubby cat sleeping on his lap.

The scenes were endless; moments in Ryo’s life that had left an impression.

Soubi was awed by Ryo’s talent. He paused when he came to the final three paintings. He stared at the scene of a familiar apartment. Painted as though ravaged by an earthquake. A figure huddled under a sink in the bathroom, long dark hair sweeping the floor. Soubi froze when he saw the chain and key hanging from limp fingers on the figure’s knees. His gaze moved to the next painting.

Once again, the lonely figure sitting alone, dark hair sweeping to the floor, this time, a dark angel standing over the figure in a white background. A mask covered the dark angel’s face, but Soubi didn’t need to see the angel’s face. He knew who it was in his heart.

Ryo had saved him. Hell, Ryo was still saving him even now. His heart wringing with guilt, he moved to the last painting and a gasp escaped.

The key he wore around his neck lay broken on white sand. Ryo had painted him smiling as he watched the sunrise at a beach. Soubi remembered that day clearly.

It was a few years back, Rin had been away on a short tour and Soubi ended up hanging out with Ryo at the shop. Kaito had convinced them to take a trip to the beach and they ended up staying at a hotel for the weekend. Soubi woke up early on that Sunday morning to go see the sunrise over the ocean for the first time. Ryo must have taken a picture. The painting was named Soubi.

Soubi didn’t know why his face was suddenly wet with tears. He reached up to wipe them away before he turned to Ryo.

“What do you think?” Ryo asked.

Soubi smiled, his eyes filled with tears again. He couldn’t talk. The words were lodged in his throat.

“You hate it.” Ryo frowned, his shoulders slumping. “I’ll have the museum take them down, I’ll replace them—

“No, I love them,” Soubi managed before Ryo destroyed the moment. He actually had a painting named after him. “You’re amazing, Ryo. I’m so happy you shared your art with me.”

Ryo smiled happily. “I’m glad.”

“When did you do this? How come I didn’t get to see these before?” Soubi breathed in needed air and looked around the gallery. This was a great accomplishment. Ryo’s work was hanging in a major gallery. “I’m so proud of you, Ryo.”

Ryo came to hug him tight and kissed his jaw before pulling back.

“The three months I was away. It was hard being far from you.”

Soubi turned to stare at the painting of him at the beach. The three months he’d been spiraling out of control, Ryo had been holed up somewhere painting.

“You don’t see the way I really am, Ryo.”

“I see you, Soubi,” Ryo assured him. “You’re the one who doesn’t see what I see.”

Tohru’s comments came flooding back and Soubi sighed. He didn’t know how Ryo could find beauty in someone like him.

Ryo squeezed his hand.

“You’re in your head, come back to me. I think I need to feed you before you start thinking too much. The painting is yours.”

“It’s mine?”

“Yep, as soon as the exhibition is over,” Ryo said tugging his ponytail gently.

They left the gallery and ended up at a traditional style restaurant. They ordered yakitori: small pieces of chicken meat grilled and covered with soy sauce and rice wine. The night greatly improved after that. The chilled sake was sweet and Soubi waved Ryo’s attempts to cut him off. When it was time to go home, he got up too quickly, and the world shifted. Ryo’s arm on his waist stopped his descent to the floor.

He chuckled and leaned against Ryo. “I should have listened to you.”

Ryo led him out of the restaurant into the busy street.

“I’m pretty sure that doesn’t ever happen.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Soubi frowned at the response. They were headed for Ryo’s car and the cool evening air felt great. “I listen to you all the time. I love you.”

They got to the car and Ryo opened the passenger side and helped him in. Soubi sunk his fingers into Ryo’s dark hair and pulled his head down. He kissed Ryo sloppily.

“I like kissing you,” he murmured against Ryo’s parted lips.

“I like kissing you too.” Ryo gave him one last kiss then moved away, closing the passenger door.

Soubi closed his eyes and leaned his head back. Once they were on the way back to Ryo’s house, he shifted in his seat so that he could watch Ryo drive. He fell asleep and didn’t wake up until the sound of a door opening woke him. He opened his eyes, surprised to find Ryo carrying him up the stairs to his bedroom.

“Hey, you’re awake,” Ryo said. “We’ll have you in bed in no time.”

“I want to be with you.” Soubi protested when Ryo entered Soubi’s bedroom. “Please, Ryo, this is not—

“We’ll talk when you’re sober.”

Ryo deposited him carefully on the bed and helped him remove his jacket. Soubi rubbed his eyes and willed his brain to cooperate. He didn’t want to sleep alone tonight. He needed Ryo. Damn it, he shouldn’t have drunk so much. He moaned in protest when his jacket hit him on the head a few seconds later. Thinking it a joke, he grabbed it and looked at Ryo with a smile that froze on his lips.

“We had an agreement, Soubi. What are these?”

Ryo was holding up a brown envelope that looked suspiciously like the one Tohru had been giving him.

His heart slammed against his chest in panic.

“It’s not mine,” Soubi burst out, shaking his head. “I promise, Ryo.”

“I don’t know what to say to that.” Ryo scoffed. “Whose jacket did I just pull off? I could swear you were wearing it. What the hell, Soubi, you can come up with a better lie.”

“I’m not lying.”

Soubi got up from the bed, swaying a little as the sake went to his head. He pressed the palm of his hand against his forehead.

“You have to believe me. I didn’t buy those pills, that woman you saw me talking to slipped them into my pocket earlier. I swear—

“I know the routine, Soubi. You deny they’re yours. You give me an elaborate story of how they got into your stuff. I flush the pills. You go out and get more. We’ve done this before, spare me.”

Ryo shook his head in disappointment.

“You promised me, Soubi.”

“I’m clean.” Damn that Tohru. “I’m not lying to you. I’ll take any drug test you want. Ryo, please don’t look at me like that.”

“I don’t know how else to look at you.”

Ryo looked defeated, his gaze sad, full of betrayal.

“Ryo,” Soubi sobbed taking a step closer to grab on to Ryo's leather jacket. He tugged at the lapel. “I didn’t take those pills. You have to believe me.”

“I don’t have to believe anything. Tomorrow morning we’re heading back to the clinic for a drug test. If they find any trace, Soubi, I’m checking you into a rehab centre.”

His hand fell away from Ryo’s jacket. He didn’t have anything to prove that he was innocent. Ryo looked at him with cold dark eyes. He tried to breathe through the pain but it was too hard.

“What’s going on in here?” Kaito came in rubbing his stomach lazily. “Did you two get in a fight again?”

Ryo turned away from him and held up the brown envelope.

“Soubi’s using again.”

Kaito’s gaze met his and it was so easy to read the disappointment.

Even Kaito didn’t believe him, Soubi sighed.

He couldn’t live up to that person Ryo had painted in the gallery. Maybe Tohru was right.

“Soubi,” Kaito said. “Where did you get the pills?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Soubi turned away from them swallowing the pain.

Ryo left the room without another word.

“Please tell Ryo I’m sorry for disappointing him.”

“Tell me how you got the pills,” Kaito insisted.

Soubi picked up the stupid white jacket and flung it at Kaito.

“I said it didn’t matter. Now leave me alone, and go tell him I’m sorry. He’ll listen to you.”

“Soubi,” Kaito stared at him.

“Leave me alone!”

Kaito slammed the door closed on his way out.

Soubi fell to the floor the tears he’d been holding back since that stupid painting at the gallery flowing out in hard sobs. He could never be that person Ryo had painted. He’d not even gotten to kiss Ryo goodnight. Wasn’t that how a date worked for the good normal people?

A night out, a great dinner, and a kiss goodnight. He apparently wasn’t good enough for such things. Ryo was probably going to leave him in the morning. Wait, not leave, this was Ryo’s house. He was the one intruding and they were going to kick him out.

***