rasinah's fic journal (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} rasquine) wrote,@ 2008-07-18 17:48:00 |
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#6 Gakuen Heaven Fanfic - Blurred Lines
Title: Blurred Lines
Pairing(s): [hints]Kaoru+Omi, [?]Nakajima+Kaoru
Rating: PG
Summary: Kaoru wonders about friendship.
Disclaimer: Refer to Profile Page of this journal
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The clicking sounds made by deft fingers flying across the keyboards seemed to echo in the silence. Attention trained at the task at hand, eyes never straying away from the monitor, Omi Shichijou seemed oblivious to his surroundings. But Kaoru knew that he could always break that attention. Omi would respond to him, no matter what.
However, for now, Kaoru was content to just observe his friend from behind. He admired how Omi could sit for hours before the computer but his posture remained upright. Even in a uniform, Omi had a delightful back view – a long, graceful neck adhered to broad shoulders, strong and seemingly able to carry any responsibility, tapering then to what Kaoru knew as a slim, 30-inch waist.
Occasionally, Omi would stop with the typing, rolling his shoulders to ease away the strain. The fabric of his uniform would rustle with the movement, and it was strangely a sight Kaoru could not tear his gaze away from.
It was sudden, but the otherwise tranquility of the room was broken when Omi emitted a series of playful ‘tsks’. Then there was a light chuckle, but Kaoru could hear the underlying joy and anticipation in that laughter. His eyes narrowed, for he knew what it was that had Omi acting in such a way.
“Nakajima-san is really persistent. He never seems to know when to give up,” Omi spoke without turning around, the smile in his voice clear as the afternoon sky outside.
Usually, Kaoru would ask his friend to ignore the vice-president of the Student Council. But lately, he had been noticing the little things on how Omi would respond when Nakajima was caught trying to hack into or sending viruses to damage his security system. Ever since Itou Keita was transferred to the school and with the Chairman stepping up his requests for Omi to safeguard and acquire data, the Student Council had been trying to extract whatever juicy bits they could. And naturally, there was nothing more exciting for Omi than a battle of wits with the equally proficient vice-president.
“Ah, this is not good,” mused Omi then and his fingers danced to an even swifter tune.
Kaoru remained quiet, watching Omi handling whatever trouble it was Nakajima had stirred. Once in a while, Omi would laugh softly to himself, and Kaoru found himself growing annoyed.
“Omi,” he finally snapped, “I need you to make a fresh pot of tea. And I’m hungry, so could you please get some butter biscuits to go along with it?”
Without looking over his shoulders, as he was apt to do usually, Omi answered, “Yes, Kaoru. But please wait a while. I just have a few loose ends to tie here.”
Kaoru bit his bottom lip, his annoyance bubbling strongly. “Let him be!” he retorted. “Why do you always have to respond to every little thing that he does?”
“Because I don’t wish to lose out to him,” was Omi’s simple answer.
It was strange but the revelation stung him. Kaoru frowned, feeling lost for a while. But when Omi was clearly still engrossed with what he was doing, he knew he had to leave the room. His annoyance was gnawing irritably at him, and though he would love to snap at his friend, he knew it was not a wise thing to do.
Kaoru stood up then, and with as much composure as he could muster, marched out of the room.
The cafeteria was relatively empty, with only a handful of students, so finding a seat was not a problem. Kaoru decided to go for a secluded corner, preferring to keep a distance. Scanning the area, he noticed that there were only two other people but since they were clearly engrossed with each other, Kaoru saw no reason to move to another corner.
Once settled, he glanced at the other two whose backs were facing him; they were the dorm leader Shinomiya Kouji and Art Club President Iwai Takuto.
He watched as Shinomiya fussed over Iwai’s choice of lunch for the day. The quiet teen hung his head as he merely listened to Shinomiya’s lecture about eating properly. When Iwai apologized, Shinomiya heaved a heavy sigh before forking a piece of meat and inched it to the other’s lips.
“Eat!” the archery expert commanded and Iwai obediently took the meat in his mouth.
Kaoru looked away. It was strange to watch this relationship before him. They were close friends, like how Omi and he were, he supposed, but he could feel something deeper running between the two that seemed to lack in his friendship with Omi. There were rumors, of course, that Shinomiya and Iwai were more than just friends, but Kaoru did not think it could ever be possible.
How could one ever fall for someone of the same gender, let alone one’s good friend? It was absurd.
But watching the way Shinomiya cared for Iwai, Kaoru was not entirely sure now.
And what was this weird feeling in his heart?
Kaoru frowned at the empty seat before him. Omi was held back by the Chairman, and could not join him for lunch. It was unusual for him to go off on his own alone, but he was very hungry. As he quietly cut his steak into bite-sized pieces, his gaze kept straying to Shinomiya and Iwai, who were now conversing about the up-and-coming MVP Battle.
Kazuki had been very anxious about this battle, suspecting that Kuganuma might be planning something devious. Both the fate of Keita’s position in the academy and his role as the academy’s Chairman were on the line. Kazuki had once told Omi and him that Keita was a dear childhood friend. While he understood how precious a friendship is, Kaoru wondered what really drove the young Chairman to play such a high stake in this MVP Battle.
He remembered telling Kazuki that if the other was not planning to reveal the truth to Keita, it would be a brief entertainment for him to make Keita his. He was teasing Kazuki, of course. Kaoru was fond of the burgundy-haired teen; he was like a whiff of fresh air and he did not wish for Keita to get hurt.
It seemed his comment made the Chairman reconsider his stand of not ever letting Keita know. And this MVP Battle was going to show just how much Kazuki valued his childhood friend. For both of their sakes, Kaoru wished they would achieve victory, while he and Omi would do anything they could to assist.
But a nagging question at the back of Kaoru’s mind was creating a similar pang to the one earlier when he saw the way Shinomiya cared for Iwai. Why did it seem like the defining lines of friendship between Kazuki and Keita were just as blurred?
“Alone?”
The voice startled him slightly, but he would be damned if he showed his surprise. With a refined turn of the head, Kaoru faced the owner of that deep voice with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t believe it is any of your concern, Nakajima.”
Nakajima Hideaki’s smirk grew wider, a dangerous disposition that would alarm many but Kaoru was not one to falter before the snobbish vice-president. “I was merely being polite, Saionji. Surely there is no reason for you to use such a tone with me.” Without even asking for permission, the bespectacled teen slid into the empty seat before him.
Kaoru frowned deeply. “I don’t wish for your company,” he stated flatly.
Nakajima studied him over the rim of his glasses, blue eyes devoid of warmth. “I’d be careful if I were you. Unlike Omi, or even Niwa, I’m not the least bit affected by your mannerism. In fact, such behavior only makes me feel challenged.”
He recalled his annoyance a few days ago with Omi over this devil before him. Kaoru could not understand how Omi enjoyed sparring with Nakajima; he, on the other hand, felt suffocated just being in the teen’s presence and wished for the other to move away and taint his sight no more.
“You are an eyesore,” he said calmly, refusing to let the vice-president intimidate him. “I don’t particularly care if you feel challenged, because I will not entertain a ruffian like you.”
Nakajima laughed. “Really?” he sneered. “So the Queen thinks he can win his own battles without the help of his Knight? Interesting. We shall see.” Then he stood up, bowed with a mock flourish, and walked away.
Kaoru stared after the vice-president. Even though he was glad the teen had finally left, he was admittedly quite disturbed by Nakajima’s words. That devil had a known mean streak which had yet to manifest itself, thanks to Niwa. But if he was not careful, Kaoru might find himself given the rare honor of witnessing it.
But really, why was Nakajima’s purpose in trying to rile him? Was he taking his rivalry with Omi beyond data and codes now?
Baka Omi! Why did he have to bother with every thing that Nakajima did?
"Because I don’t wish to lose out to him."
But Kaoru could not help but wonder if that was Omi’s real reason.
