"You're gay?!"
Josuke lunged forward and slapped a hand to Koichi's mouth. "No Koichi! I just...might have some strange attraction towards Okuyasu...erm...that's all!"
Drumming his fingertips to the table's surface, Koichi angrily mumbled to himself as Josuke lifted his hand from his mouth.
This all felt so sudden. He saw the flocks of girls that threw themselves over the moon for his stunning friend. Josuke had a shot with so many other eligible and "in his league" girls. Yet he somehow found himself careening into some bizarre attraction toward the person he'd least expected. Koichi paused for a moment and stared down Josuke suspiciously. "Why do you like him? I mean...you could do better than that."
Koichi pointed a hazy finger to the window, at Okuyasu who silently sat in a circle of grass and cloudy dandelions. He gingerly plucked a dandelion and spun it gently in his fingertips, eyeing each little tuft of the weed.
"Are you being racist?!" Josuke clambered, leaning across the table to stare down Koichi. Koichi rolled his eyes and huffed out a sigh. "I think you mean homophobic, Josuke," Koichi corrected, pausing to take a bite of his shortcake from his plate. Josuke pouted for a brief moment and stared down at his own slice of cake. "I knew that," he mumbled, poking at the bright red strawberry resting in a blanket of icing.
"Look Josuke," Koichi began. "I'm not trying to be bias. And I don't want you to think I'm homophobic."
Josuke raised an eyebrow and continued to stare at Okuyasu through the window. "I just don't understand...why I guess," Koichi huffed. Josuke plucked the strawberry from the top of the cake, and plopping it into his mouth. "I think he's unique," Josuke laughed. "But he's kind with each callus on his palms, and with each scar on his face."
Koichi pondered at Josuke's given notion, and nodded. "Yeah...I mean I don't really see it...but these are your feelings man, I'm not gonna be the one to interfere with that."
The two silently ate their slices of cake, both watching Okuyasu stare at the dandelion in awe, eventually putting it into his mouth. He spat out the dandelion, each tuft flying into the wind, off into the afternoon brilliance. Koichi winced at the strange sight and shook his head. "I just don't get it," he admitted, finishing off the last bits of his cake. "I can understand why you guys are friends, but he doesn't seem all that...uhm...attractive."
Josuke groaned and sunk his head into his hands. "I really don't know, Koichi," he whined. "I just look at him and I'm lost in his eyes, and I just wanna keep staring at him."
"He is a tad peculiar looking, so I could understand why you tend to stare at him..."
"No, not like that!" Josuke yelled. "I mean I think he's gorgeous!"
Josuke planted a hand to his mouth, nervously looking around at the cafe, and back at Okuyasu, hoping he didn't hear that sudden outburst.
Koichi stifled a sigh and placed his fork back down onto his plate. "I'm sorry I don't wanna come off as crude," Koichi assured. "I just don't see it. Maybe it's because I don't hang out with him as much as you do."
"Waddya mean?" Josuke asked. "We all always hang out at school. You've been around him a lot!"
Koichi raises an eyebrow and shakes his head. "Yes, that is true. But you hang out with him all the time."
Josuke thought to himself and nervously nibbled on his fork. "I-it's not weird right?"
"Hey man, listen," Koichi began, flagging down the waiter for their check. "I have no problem with you having feelings for him. I'm just saying that you should think on it before you go pouting your heart out."
"I don't want him to know, that's the problem!" Josuke confessed, pouting to himself.
Koichi watched Josuke stare out the window at Okuyasu once again, as the waiter took their plates and plopped the bill in front of Koichi.
Okuyasu suddenly sprang to his feet, watching two men suddenly appear out of nowhere, carrying a heavy object of some sort. Koichi saw the glint of white and black keys, and he realized it was a piano.
"Do you guys need help with that?" He heard Okuyasu call out. The men and him exchanged a short couple comments, and Okuyasu scurried over and helped lift the rectangular-shaped instrument. A couple minutes pass, and they plop it down right outside the window the two were seated next to. "Here is fine!" One of the men assured Okuyasu. "We're moving this into the new cafe right up here."
"Okay! Should we get liftin and put this sucker where it belongs?" Okuyasu eagerly asks.
"We're going out for a brief lunch break. Been lifting this baby across town all day," the other man sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck slowly. "We're gonna be out for at least 10. We'll let you know if we need help again. Thanks for the help!"
Okuyasu was left alone to simply stare in silence at the piano. It was a dark smoky brown, time chipping away faintly at the paint. The keys were slightly yellowed, giving it an antique aura.
Josuke suddenly sat up in his seat, staring in awe at the now curious Okuyasu.
Emotions circulated in Okuyasu's eyes, as he took a finger and gently touched the piano's surface. His jaw trembled, as if Okuyasu was lost in word. Koichi could see a growing pain in him, as slouched slightly to touch one of the keys. A rich note fluttered from the piano, and Okuyasu began to violently shake.
"Hey...what's up with Okuyasu?" Koichi hissed. Josuke remained silently now pressed upon against the window.
Okuyasu suddenly took two shaky hands to the keys, and pressed down, a gentle sweet chord coming out from the old piano.
Josuke's face lit up, and stars orbited in his eyes, as if he were in a trance. With strangely sad hands, Okuyasu glided his hands across the keys, a song coming into form. The song was fast paced, yet slow at heart. It was strangely melancholy, like if he were grieving, yet celebrating something. The song spiked in intensity, as Okuyasu's hands darted atop each key. Josuke looked like he was lightheaded, holding himself together in a wide eyed stare. Koichi felt shock twist up his body. "Okuyasu can play?" He breathed, watching as Okuyasu's fingers played up an arpeggio. The notes came out gentle, with gentle fingers and gentle breaths. Okuyasu looked at peace, yet torn at his own inner thoughts.
Eventually, people began to gather in a small arch, watching him play the piano with such emotion. He looked as if he had been abandoned, and was somewhere found again in the keys of this very piano.
Josuke began to gently smile, closing his eyes and pressing his forehead against the cold surface of the glass. Koichi felt he then understood. He understood Josuke's feelings.
Okuyasu was a mystery full of tragedy and yet joy. Josuke must have been drawn to that very thing, as if to seek something familiar.
"Josuke I-."
Josuke shook his head. "Let him play," he whispered, falling deeper into the music.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
The kitchen was a messy array of flour spilling on the floor, and pots and pans littering the countertop.
Josuke stared down at the goopy mess of dough that sat in a caramel colored mixing bowl. That song still played in such brilliance in Josuke's head, as he heard the front door open, and someone tear down the hall.
"Sorry Josuke, should have left earlier. Maybe I wouldn't have been so late!"
Okuyasu stood in the kitchen, hands on his knees, panting and wiping a line of sweat from his forehead. Josuke felt as if he had brought that melancholy song from the piano with him. Now he felt just as lost and at peace as he was when Okuyasu played that gentle melody.
"Hey...er...earth to Josuke. Are we gonna get to making those muffins or not?"
Josuke shook away that calming drowsiness that threatened his thoughts. "Y-yeah!" Josuke spat out, giving Okuyasu an anxious thumbs up.
Okuyasu dusted his hands off on his pants, and strode to the countertop, staring at the heap of mushy dough in the mixing bowl. "Are we supposed to add in the blueberries now?" Okuyasu asked, facing back to Josuke, pointing to a small lavender container of shiny fresh blueberries.
"I need to kneed the dough out a little more," Josuke responded, sinking his hands into the dough and throwing it about.
He heard Okuyasu rustle about in the background, catching him plop a starry night blueberry into his mouth and quietly chewing. "Save those for the muffins!" Josuke laughed, searching for a muffin tin before his friend could eat anymore blueberries.
"What are we making these for anyways?" Okuyasu muttered, handing the blueberries to Josuke in utter defeat.
"My mom's been going through a lot," Josuke began, feeling a sickly sense of mourning fall onto his shoulders. "Neither of us are still really over my grandpa's death. I thought I'd make her something like this...grandpa made them all the time when I was little..."
Josuke stared at the faint reflection of himself in the kitchen window, as he suddenly heard Okuyasu come up behind him.
He reached for the bowl of dough and gently tipped the blueberries into the messy substance.
Josuke watched in silence as Okuyasu took a spoon and stirred it with ease. "You have to be careful not to leave air bubbles in the dough,l Okuyasu suddenly added. Josuke raised an eyebrow as Okuyasu eyed each muffin tin, spooning out a reasonable amount of batter into each tin.
"Seems you know what you're doing," Josuke sighed, leaning against the counter."
"Not really, to be honest," Okuyasu began. "I know how to cook sweets and that's about it."
His voice sounded fragile and unsure of what to say next, as he scarped the remains of batter from the sides of the bowl and filling the last of the tins.
He placed the bowl down and seized the two tins and gestured a Josuke to open the now preheated oven. Josuke swung the door open, and Okuyasu popped them in, adjusting them symmetrically.
The two quietly watched as the oven slowly made the batter rise, the pastries coming to life in such a delicious way.
"Open up Josuke," Okuyasu suddenly ordered. Josuke turned to a Okuyasu, to see he had a small spoonful of leftover batter in his hand, gesturing him to taste it. Josuke felt wobbly and nervous. Okuyasu looked so lovely in the fresh evening rays.
Josuke reluctantly leaned forward, as Okuyasu spoon fed him the mix.
Blueberries and sweet vanilla crawled through his mouth as savory favors tingled his tastebuds. Yet he felt the sweetness of the batter was not from the blueberries, but the gentle smile of Okuyasu.
Those same harmonies and melancholy melodies came rushing back, as if a Josuke could see Okuyasu's finger touch the piano like they suddenly did to his cheek. Okuyasu's fingers were so warm as they touched his peach fuzz and rosy skin.
"Hey you okay? Is the batter that bad?"
Josuke released the spoon from his mouth and backed away, laughing awkwardly. "No not at all! It's excellent!"
Josuke couldn't push himself to say anything else. So many words yet so little would consent to leaving his mouth, he was all choked up as Okuyasu watched the sun play with his features.
"I heard you play today," Josuke whispered, feeling obligated to say that.
Okuyasu bit his lip and tried to laugh it off. Josuke couldn't just forget about it. "You play very well! It was elegant, but kind of lonely..."
Okuyasu's eyes sank, and his face spoke of restless memories and unopened windows he couldn't just close.
"I haven't played piano in a long time," Okuyasu finally said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"My pops said it brought back mother in a way he didn't wanna remember her by. So he didn't let me play piano anymore..."
Josuke couldn't comprehend a world in which Okuyasu couldn't play such sweet dreams in the keys of a piano. "I think he's just afraid to remember her," Josuke guessed, watching as Okuyasu held himself together, as if he were about to burst out crying.
"I wanna remember her Josuke," Okuyasu murmured. One string of a tear rolled down his cheek, before wiping it away in a frantic swipe, and turning to the muffins.
"Then keep playing," Josuke responded, wanting more than anything to reach out and hold Okuyasu like he had done before
"The muffins will be done right about now, Josuke."
Josuke drowned in his silence, as if his words were confined to the cages of his mind.
Okuyasu's song flew away and Josuke was alone yet again.
In the end, he wished the muffins would never stop cooking.
Just one more minute with Okuyasu.
That's all he needed.
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Hey germs, holy shit I wanted to publish this sooner. Things just got real complicated. Marching band has been keeping me insanely occupied so I've been out for a while.
But thank you to some of my readers how contributed some ideas for this chapter it helped A LOT!!
But seriously if you have more ideas GIVE THEM TO ME NOW EHEHEHE. Drop them in the comments I really need some XD. I'm sorry this chapter was kinda short but the next ones will be longer for sure. And HOLY SHIT this story is #1 in Josuyasu I'm gonna pee myself that's so exciting. I never expected this story to come this far and get any attention, thank you all seriously it's nice to know people like you writing and that you all are still here waiting for updates.
Also I've made a discord sever for this book specifically and if you're interested then drop it in the comments and if enough people are interested I'll give you all the server link.
Til next time!
-Jameson