L'Arc en Ciel fanfiction .::. Working the Streets

Episode 15 ~Just a jealous guy...~

“Sa... I think... I think I know you.” Hyde began, getting a little nervous.
“Oh...” The girl kept looking at the unusual customer. “How can I help you, sir?”
“Hmm... Your name is Kaori-chan, right?”
“Yes, sir. How can I help you?”
“Uh... Tetsu? Is he here?”
“Oh, yes. He is. Are you a friend of his?”
“Yeah. Sorta. I wanna talk to him. Can I see him?”
“Please, make yourself comfortable. I’ll call him.”
“Sure. Thanks.” Hyde answered and leaned over the counter.
“Tet-chan!” The girl called and walked behind a dark curtain separating the shop’s reception from the back.
“Tet---chan??” Hyde asked himself and his face faulted for a second, before turning into a dark grimace of dislike.
A minute later, a known figure appeared through the curtains.
“Gee! What a cool magic act! The girl goes in and the guy comes out!” Hyde commented ironically and pretended to clap.
“Haido!”
“The very one fucker.”
“Haido! Haido!”
“Yeah, yeah... it’s me. How are you? You look cleaner, by the way. Your girlfriend forces you to take a bath now and then?”
“Haido! Yeah! No doubt about it! The same sharp-tongued, insensitive bastard! There can be no mistake!” Tetsu exclaimed.
“Eto... thanks. I guess... How have you been?”
“Been working.” Tetsu exclaimed smiling happily.
“I can see that.”
“You?”
“Been getting my ass burnt.” Hyde replied sarcastically and grinned.
“Oh... hmm... How did that go?”
“Went OK. No more bugs in my butt. I’ll show you at some other time. How’s your butt?”
Tetsu rolled his eyes. “Intact, as usual.”
“I pity you...” Hyde said and smirked.
“So... How did you find me?”
“Oh... I followed the yellow brick road...” Hyde replied and shrugged.
“Drop the stupid attitude, man. I’ve been worried about you all this time.”
“Oh, sure... I can tell. You’ve been like... visiting me all the time and even calling me and...”
“You said you didn’t want me to show up.” Tetsu interrupted.
“Well... it seems you took it literally.”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Friends are supposed to not take these things literally and give their friends a little hassle by still insisting on busting their balls.”
“I see. Well, I apologize for not busting your balls. On the other hand, it seems you haven’t been busting my balls either...”
“Well... apology accepted, and I apologize for not busting yours.” Hyde said hurriedly and nodded.
“OK. Friends?” Tetsu asked and extended his hand.
“Sure. OK.” Hyde nodded again.
“Sounds cold.”
“Well... fuck it. I’m not in the mood to be warm.” Hyde answered and shrugged.
“Are you ever?”
“Hmph... yes. Sometimes I am.”
Tetsu smiled condescending. “You look good, Hai-chan. Very good. Your friend Christina was right when she said you were getting better...”
“What?! That bastard, Kuri-chan has been speaking to you?”
“Yup. You didn’t want to see me so I had to call her to find out how you were doing.” Tetsu answered slyly and smiled.
“Motherfucker... So that’s why she said I should go and see you... the very wicked actress... How did you get her number?!”
“Haha! So, this is the first time I trick you. It seems I’m getting smarter. That day when you told me to get lost, I had already been talking to her... so I guess I annoyed her a little more by returning to her place after you slammed your stupid door to my face, and she finally jotted down her phone number... Uh... after I threw a tantrum...”
“Just... just... don’t pretend you have smartened up, man. You’d have gotten nowhere without Kuri-chan’s help.” Hyde almost spat scornfully.
“Hehehe... cool... You are getting angry. Hahaha! I know your tests were negative again, and I bet the tests you’ll take in five months will be negative too. You are a damned lucky bastard, Hai-chan.”
“Sure. Yeah. I’m so fucking lucky.” Hyde answered rather upset and crossed his arms over his chest.
“And all you are mad about is that I’ve been keeping informed about you behind your back... well, you should be happy. It means I care about you.
On the other hand, I believe you haven’t been very interested in me...”
Hyde suddenly felt guilty and looked away.
“Well... I have. But I didn’t want to intrude in your little love story with Miss Photo-shop.”
“Ne... ne... ya jealous?” Tetsu said and nudged Hyde.
“Maybe...” Hyde answered shrugging.
“I haven’t asked her out yet, though.” Tetsu whispered to Hyde’s ear.
“Cool. Cuz she’ll say no. Don’t ask her out, spare yourself of the embarrassment.”
“How... how... just how... unsupportive you are!” Tetsu protested.
“I tell you the truth, man. I’m your REAL friend. I wouldn’t lie to you.”
“So... I’ll ignore your comments on the subject. What’s bringing you here? Got some film to develop?”
“No, asshole. I wanted to see you.”
“That’s neat.”
“When are you going home?”
“I should have left already but I haven’t finished cleaning. As soon as I finish, I’ll leave.”
“Good. Will it take you long?”
“Nah... fifteen minutes, maybe.”
“OK. I’m gonna wait for you, and then I suppose I’m gonna invite you home so we can kiss and make up.”
“Spare me the kissing part.”
“OK. Just make up then. I don’t mind. I don’t wanna kiss you either.” Hyde snapped rather bitterly.
“You sound... funny, Hai-chan?”
“Whatever.” Hyde answered and sat on a chair near the counter. “Go do your job. I’ll wait.”
“Hmm... OK. Are you sure you are all right?”
“Sure, man. Go ahead. I don’t want you to look bad in front of Miss Beautiful Eyes.”
“Gee... you are such a brat...” Tetsu sighed shaking his head and went back inside the rear part of the store.

“So... You finally got yourself a job, huh? I bet the preacher is proud of you.” Hyde commented sarcastically while he and Tetsu strolled happily down the busy Shinjuku streets.
“Well, yeah. He is. He says now he just has to help you out of the monster’s grasp.”
“Ne... which monster? Your preacher seems to have been watching too much anime, man.”
“Ya know... The arch-fiend, the father of all lies, Mr. Goodman, the author of evil, Beelzebub...”
“Ja... Tet-chan. So much begging at the door of the temple is augmenting your vocabulary.”
“Yeah... Don’t I speak like a scholar?”
“No. You speak like an asshole. But don’t take it badly... It’s kinda funny. You’re an entertaining kind of asshole. Keep pulling out synonyms, please.”
“You are a moron.”
“That’s not a synonym.”
“What would you know? You haven’t even finished elementary school!”
“Well... I get to speak to lots of very well-groomed, cultivated men that have indeed made my vocabulary grow, my insights in culture deepen, you see... I’m a very educated boy even if I don’t know all the kanji some other guys my age know, but I know about a good share anyway and...”
“Cut it out...” Tetsu chuckled. “Those men have taught you a lot more than they should have.”
“Ah... there are no limits when it comes to culture!” Hyde exclaimed and laughed.
“Yeah... well, I think there should be.”
“I’m the modern version of a Geisha. I’m all cultivated and sexually desirable.”
“Please...” Tetsu rolled his eyes. “You are offending the Geisha with that comparison.”
“Shut up, asshole! What do you know?” Hyde answered chuckling nervously.
“See? Geishas don’t speak like that.”
“Well, I said modern version.” Hyde shrugged.
“Hey, can you dance?”
“Sure. I can belly-dance.”
“Do you know any poems?”
“I know a few but they are all hentai.”
“I thought so.”
“I can dance like strippers too. Like a true Chippendale!”
“You are disgusting.”
“Shut up! Nobody says that to me! I’m all cute and desirable!”
“Sometimes, I think the preacher is right...”
“Hey... the preacher... Did he get you that job?”
“Hmm... Not really, but I used him for reference.”
“How come?”
“Well... you see. Kaori-chan said her dad owns a shop and he might take me for help there, so I went and introduced myself asking for a job, and the guy said he needed a good reference from a trusted adult, so... I was a bit at a loss and then it hit me.”
“Who hit you?! The motherfucker!!” Hyde exclaimed waving his fist. “That preacher hit you?! I’ll get him...”
“And he says he’s like a Geisha...” Tetsu commented shaking his head in disapproval. “Nobody hit me, asshole! I mean, then I remembered I knew someone who could give a good reference: the preacher. So I asked him and he did it.”
“Did what?”
“You are incredibly dense... He went to the photo-shop and spoke for me. They hired me right away. The preacher gave me some clean clothes and got me a warm bath and all, so I was all good looking in my first day of work. He also cut my hair...”
“Ah... so that bastard is responsible for that awful haircut!”
“Oh, come on... it’s a cool haircut. Don’t be so mean.”
“Well... if you say so. I say the guy’s taste in haircuts is as lame as his taste in clothes. He looks like a very cliched mod.”
“You are just jealous... and you are just feeling like an idiot because he helped me get a job... even when you had said he wouldn’t, he didn’t have the guts to or he wasn’t interested in it.”
“Well... you want an honest opinion? He only did it to get me.”
“Come on, Haido! You are not the center of the universe, you know?”
“Hehehe... Hurts to know the truth? Ha! Tet-chan you moron... the preacher doesn’t care about you, he just wants to get me.”
“You are deranged, man... The world does not revolve around you.”
“Well, it should. And you know, I’m smarter than you by far, actually. You just buy any shit they feed you, whereas I... I am cunning and bright, so I can realize of the true intentions behind people’s deeds.”
“No, you are a totally insane boy who thinks everyone there is out to get you.”
“Well... some of them are. They are out to get me... under the sheets.”
“Gee...” Tetsu rolled his eyes. “Talking about that, how is business going? Or have you already made the right decision and given up on it?”
“Well... No, I haven’t given it up, and I suppose business isn’t going as good as it used to... or as good as your business seems to be going.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Well... My boss has me on temporary recess... I still have to pay the dues, though. I’ll return to service if the tests are OK in five months.”
“Uh... well, you could take the chance and leave that kind of job, Haido...”
“Oh... and what would I do? I’m not lucky enough to get to work with my crush... Tetsu, I must give it to you, you are a smart slimeball.”
“Huh? You said I was an idiot a few minutes ago!”
“You’ll have to tell me all about her, now.” Hyde chuckled nervously again and gritted his teeth while trying to hide a look of hatred in his eyes.
“Well... there isn’t much to tell... I’m working on it...” Tetsu said and blushed.
“Working on it? How?” Hyde snorted.
“Well... she got me this job, as I told you...”
“To think she didn’t even dare to come close to you... Talk about changing one’s mind.”
“Oh... but she did one day. I was playing with some stones and making ripples... you know nobody can beat me at making huge ripples.” Tetsu began.
“That’s about to be seen. You haven’t faced MY ripples. But I’ll let you indulge in a sense of fake triumph for now. Go on...” Hyde commented melodramatically.
“And I suppose my ripples must have impressed her... I don’t know...”
“Yeah, it’s evident that you don’t know nothing about nothing.” Hyde interrupted.
“Will you stop interrupting?”
“Yeah, go on, go on...” Hyde snorted.
“So she came closer and she smiled at me. Ah... my heart almost stopped.”
“I don’t wanna hear about it.” Hyde sentenced and looked away.
“Ya jealous? I’ve got a crush and you don’t... hehehe...” Tetsu mocked Hyde and stuck his tongue out at him.
“Listen, you are a jerk. A complete and total jerk.” Hyde said in a very upset tone.
“Jealous... Jealous boy doesn’t have a girlfriend.”
“I have a crush, for your information!!” Hyde yelled in exasperation.
“Wha--? Really?! Sugoi! Tell me!”
“Finish your stupid story of ripples and smiling girls first.” Hyde snapped trying to sound uninterested.
“You don’t have any crush. You are such a bad liar... well, anyway... so she came, I’m sure impressed by my ripples, and she smiled at me...”
“You already said that...”
“... so I said hi, and she said hi.”
“Gee... you two are so articulate in language.”
“It’s a great thing that she said hi cuz she didn’t use to even come close to me, much less speak to me...”
“Whatever.”
“So... she said her name is Kaori, and I told her I’m Tetsu. And she asked me if I had a home, or parents, so I said no... I didn’t want to tell her the whole story.”
“Ah-ha...”
“And she asked me if I was cold or hungry... but I didn’t want her to feel sorry for me, so I said I was OK.”
“Dumb Tetsu.”
“And she offered me her sandwich anyway. Wasn’t that sweet of her?”
“Well... I cooked ramen for you and you never said I was being sweet...”
“I just can’t believe how jealous you are... Man, you should get yourself a girlfriend too... You are good looking and...”
“Cut it out! I told you I have a crush, and let me tell you one thing... it’s not a girl.”
“Uh... guy?”
“Yeah.”
“Guy crush?”
“Exactly.”
“You are gay!”
“You are stupid!” Hyde mocked Tetsu.
“Who is it?”
“Someone...” Hyde shrugged and taunted the contents of his backpack softly.
“Do I know him?”
“Well... hmm... yeah, you do.”
“Really?”
“Yeah...” Hyde said and looked away.
“I hope it’s not kachou or one of your clients.”
“Not kachou, not a client.”
“Hmm... Tell me who it is...” Tetsu begged.
“I can’t.”
“Does he know?”
“I’m not sure.” Hyde replied and shrugged. “If he does, he’s kinda ignoring me.”
“Wait... etoo... Have you told him?”
“I’ve tried to hint it.”
“How did he react?”
“Well... He’s stupid.” Hyde shrugged again.
“But you still like him. I mean, even if he’s stupid.”
“Uh... yeah... I like him a lot.”
“I don’t think he’s stupid. I mean, you are constantly telling everyone they are stupid!”
“You are stupid, Tetsu.”
“Are you sure it’s not just... infatuation with him? I mean... he’s a guy...”
“Go on with your story.” Hyde cut in.
“Oh... OK... so... she gave me her sandwich and I ate it...” Tetsu picked the story up again and kept staring at Hyde, who, in turn, didn’t give him a straight look. “And we talked, and I told her I was looking for a job. She said her dad had a store and she drew a map for me. She said she thought I was sweet, but her nanny didn’t let her come close to me. That... that just... made me melt... I was so happy! So of course, the next day I went to the store and then I went to see the preacher for help...”
“She says you’re sweet and you already go to the preacher to get you two married?”
“No, man... talk about stupid... To get a shower and better clothes. After I went to the shop and applied for the job... they asked for a reference, and the preacher helped me with that.” Tetsu shrugged and smiled.
“How much do they pay you?”
“About 100 a week.”
“That’s nothing. I’ll pay you 150 a week if you quit that job.”
“What are you?! Insane?!”
“No. They are taking advantage of you.”
“Shut up! What do you know about it?!”
“I know a lot. 165 a week and we have a deal.”
“Of course not.”
“Listen Tet-chan, I’ll give you 200 a week when I go back to working, but right now, I just can’t afford to...”
“I’m not quitting that job, Haido! Are you crazy or what? Did they burn your butt or your brain, man?”
“That job is not good for you. It will give you headaches, and other hideous diseases and...”
“I don’t wanna hear any more nonsense about it. You are just jealous because I get to see Kaori-chan every day, and I’m sure you don’t get to see your crush that frequently.”
“Shut up! It’s not because of that!”
“I know you don’t like her!” Tetsu protested.
“No! I don’t like her! She’s not the right one for you!”
“And how would you fucking know?”
“I just fucking know!” Hyde screamed on top of his lungs.
“Gee... this guy is just too much... I can’t believe it...” Tetsu said rolling his eyes in anger.
“Let’s talk about something else, Haido...” Tetsu said after letting out a long sigh. “Tell me about your crush...”
“I don’t wanna tell you! Why would I tell you? You don’t give a shit about me! I’m sure you only called Kuri-chan once and only to make sure there were no chances of you getting any illness from me! I’m sure you don’t give a shit about me! You said you were my friend but you lied to me! You are a liar! Nobody likes me, nobody loves me! I just know it! Do not pretend with me! I’m far smarter than you think!” Hyde screamed on top of his lungs, tears streaming down his cheeks.
“Haido!” Tetsu exclaimed rather puzzled.
“I go through so much only because I want to see you! Only because I miss you! But you don’t miss me at all! You don’t give a shit about me! You got your stupid job and your stupid crush!”
“Haido, what’s the matter with you?!”
“Your friends at the station are all a bunch of bastards, and I should have presented charges against all of them! I hate them and I hate you! And here! Take your stupid stone! I doesn’t work for whores like me!” Hyde screamed crying like an infant and ran away towards the station.
“Ha---Haido! Haido, wait up!” Tetsu called and went running after him absolutely puzzled. “I can’t believe he’s so jealous just because he doesn’t have a girlfriend! Man... he’s a brat...”
Tetsu caught up with Hyde at the entrance of the train station.
“Come on!” Tetsu said shaking Hyde by the shoulders. “How can you be so stupid?!”
“I am NOT stupid!!” Hyde screamed as loud as he could.
“You are! You are getting all worked up because I have a girlfriend!”
“You don’t have a girlfriend! You said you haven’t even asked her out yet!” Hyde screeched like a madman.
“OK, OK... calm down... calm down, Hai-chan. Listen... this is what I’m gonna do... I’m gonna help you get your crush, OK? That way we’ll be---”
“Forget it, asshole! I don’t need your help! You are a moron!”
“Let me help you...”
“You can’t. Leave me alone! Let my arm go! I’ll scream!”
“You are already screaming, jerk!” Tetsu matched Hyde’s tone.
“Listen...” Tetsu said after taking a second to regain serenity. “Let’s go to your place, OK? And we’ll calm down, talk nicely... you will tell me everything about your crush and I’m gonna help you, OK, Hai-chan?”
“No!!” Hyde squealed again.
“Yes, come on...” Tetsu said and pushed Hyde through a small gap, pulled his fake railway pass and got them into the platform for a short ride on Yamanote JR towards Shibuya.
“I’m not taking the train to Shibuya with you!”
“Yes, you are.”
“I’m not letting you inside my home again!”
“Yes, you are.”
“I don’t like you anymore!”
“Yes, you do.”
“I hate you!”
“No, you don’t.”

After a short ride riddled with insults, squealing, crying, cussing and hysterical demonstrations on Hyde’s part, coupling with a vast array of yapping, bapping, shaking, pushing and attempts to dumbfound Hyde on Tetsu’s part, they arrived in Shibuya Station. By then, Hyde was miserably crying and throwing unrestrained tantrums now and then while Tetsu dragged him by an arm towards the southwest, past the Tokyo plaza.

“Open the door, Haido...” Tetsu asked for the umpteenth time.
“No! Go away! Go away now! I’m not letting you inside my hooker-home!” Hyde bawled hysterically.
“Open the door or I’ll kick it open...” Tetsu said trying to keep his temper at bay.
“You can’t do that-” Hyde stopped in mid-sentence while watching Tetsu kick the door of his apartment fiercely.
“OK... OK... I’m gonna open the door...” Hyde sobbed wiping half his face with the back of his hand. “Or Kachou will make me pay for the repairs...” he added mumbling, and taking a step forward he pushed Tetsu aside, put the key to the lock of his door, turned it and opened the entrance.
“Go on...” Hyde muttered sobbing. “...baka, baka, baka...”
“Ha! Good.” Tetsu said nodding and walked in closely followed by Hyde. “Let’s talk like the friends we are, OK? No more bawling, no more fits, no more jealousy... and if you wish, no more talking about crushes or anything that might upset your already troubled mind...”
“Take off those ugly shoes.” Hyde snapped while removing his doc martens.
“Uh... yeah...” Tetsu nodded.
“Make yourself at ease, baka.” Hyde snorted.
“Un.” Tetsu nodded again and sat on Hyde’s bed, keeping his eyes on the other boy’s back.
“So... I suppose...” Hyde started while nervously fumbling his pocket in search of his cigarettes. “I suppose I should tell you why I went to look for you.”
“Well, I assume because we are friends and you finally felt like seeing me...?” Tetsu said and shrugged. “Am I right?”
“Uh... well, yeah. Hmm...” Hyde hesitated in tension while his shaky fingers tried to light his cigarette. “And apart from that... I thought it’d be nice to talk again... like... like we used to. You know. Like we used to talk and stuff... about a month ago. I mean... before the... incident.” He concluded blowing out smoke.
“Wah... sugoi na...” Tetsu smiled. “I’d love to do that.”
“Cuz... I like you. I mean... I like you as a friend. You are my friend. And... hmm... You gave me a present. The magic stone, ne?”
“Hai, hai!” Tetsu nodded enthusiastically.
“Yeah. I want you to know that I appreciate your present. And... I also appreciate our friendship... and... and... and... well... and I thought it was rude of me to tell you to get lost... so... maybe you were mad...and...”
“I’m not mad, Hai-chan. I understand. It was a very straining situation. Very tough. I don’t know how I would have reacted if I had been in your place.”
“Ah... OK.” Hyde said and inhaled from his cigarette again. “Just don’t be so condescending. I’m not a kid. I’m smarter than you, and months older than you and I know a lot more than y--...”
“Go on.” Tetsu sighed interrupting Hyde’s speech. “...with what you were saying before you started flattering yourself.”
“Un. So... I thought I could invite you a cup of coffee... my idea, not that anyone suggested that... but you would probably say no, cuz you always say no when I invite you. But I was willing to insist.”
Tetsu smiled and tilted his head. Watching Hyde babble so nervously was indeed fun.
“And I thought I could also... maybe give you a present thanking you for being supportive... uh... that day... hmm... at the hospital.”
“Oh, you needn’t thank me. That’s what friends are for.” Tetsu replied smiling.
“Don’t smarten up on me. If I want to give you a present, I’ll give it to you, OK?” Hyde snapped somewhat angrily.
“Oh... well, OK.” Tetsu nodded.
“So... hmm... I was in some kind of a pinch... because you are an asshole.” Hyde commented and blew the smoke of his cigarette.
“Oh...”
“And since you don’t want me to buy anything for you with my supposedly indecent money... I thought I had to give you a present that I hadn’t bought.”
“Ah... your friendship is enough present for me, Hai-chan.” Tetsu replied smiling.
“Please... you sound like those cheesy greeting cards people give each other when they wanna get screwed.” Hyde snorted.
“Fine...” Tetsu relented. Conversation with Hyde had never been easy.
“Well...” Hyde said and sighed, then he took his backpack and his ashtray while holding the cigarette between his lips. “Here is my present.” Hyde said sitting by Tetsu.
“Thanks. I don’t smoke.”
“Idiot.”
“I think I’m in my full right to choose not to smoke.” Tetsu protested.
“The present is inside the backpack.” Hyde muttered matter-of-factly, shaking his head in annoyance and biting his lower lip in an expression of superiority.
“Oh!”
“So... open it.” Hyde said and shrugged before pushing the backpack onto Tetsu’s lap.
“Ah... Thanks!” Tetsu smiled radiantly.
“You haven’t seen it yet. Ah! And by the way; you don’t get to keep the backpack.”
“Let’s see...” Tetsu opened the bag and pulled a rag doll from it.
“There ya go...” Hyde said pleased.
“A doll?”
“You don’t like it?”
“It’s cute. A little dirty... but cute. Is it yours?”
“It’s mine... well, now it’s yours, if you want it.”
Tetsu smiled for reply.
“Ah... let’s see. I’ll file you on the details of this doll.
This doll, unlike your stone, isn’t magic.
It isn’t unusual, or magic or special in any way, as you can see. But it’s my doll. This is the only souvenir I keep from my mom. She gave it to me when I was a child... it was a birthday present.
You see, Tet-chan... I can’t remember my mom’s face all too well. After my parents died, I never got a chance to keep a picture of them... So, in time, memories of my mom mixed up with the image of this doll. This doll is the only thing in me that has remained pure... so it’s the only thing I can give you, and hope you will accept.
However... since as you can imagine this doll means a lot to me... I will only give it to you if you promise to take care of it... I mean good care of it. And... and... well... and maybe... let me see it now and then... and... maybe... if you wish... let me play with it a little... now and then... and... well, possibly hug it a little... and...”
“Hai-chan!” Tetsu shrieked and threw himself to Hyde’s arms.
“Eto...”
“Hai-chan! You don’t have to give me your doll! Oh, man... just when I think you are an insensitive bastard... you do something like this... and...” Tetsu started crying against Hyde’s chest.
“Ah... hmm... daijobu... daijobu...” Hyde nodded trying not to cry. “...there isn’t anything else I can give you...”
“You needn’t give me anything, you fool!” Tetsu said and shook Hyde mildly.
“But... but...”
“Hai-chan... you moron... Listen. You must keep the doll, OK? Cuz... cuz... it’s safer here with you than it will ever be with poor-beggar-me. Remember that tiny fact?. You know... someone might steal it from me, ne?”
“Ah... well, you are right.” Hyde muttered lowering his head. “...since you are a fool...” He sighed loudly and crushed the butt of his cigarette against the ashtray.
“Why don’t we share it, ne? It’d be better if we share the doll, instead of giving it to me.” Tetsu said and smiled rubbing Hyde’s back gently.
“Ah... ah... yeah... like... like... parents, right? Like we are the doll’s parents.”
“Uh-huh. Something like that.” Tetsu nodded.
“Ah... yes! Yes, that’s pretty neat!” Hyde smiled broadly. “You can come here to play with my doll anytime you want, since you’re gonna be my doll’s daddy, then.”
“OK. I’ll come here to play with you and our doll.” Tetsu smiled squeezing Hyde’s hand.
Hyde nodded happily and after a short while they hugged each other tightly.
“I’m happy.” Hyde said grinning. “I’m really happy... cuz... cuz... since I’m a hooker nobody would want to be parents with me, ne? But... you see, I don’t wanna be parents with anyone other than you, Tet-chan.”
“Ah... Just don’t get any weird ideas.” Tetsu warned chuckling.
“No. No, of course not. Ore ha... ureshii~n da na.” Hyde said smiling. “So happy, I forgive you.”
“Forgive me for what?”
“For being a jerk. I forgive you.” Hyde nodded grinning widely.
“Uh... I’m a jerk?” Tetsu stared at Hyde rather amused.
“Let’s not get started again, right? We are parents now. We should behave like adults.”
“Look who’s talking.” Tetsu commented raising an eyebrow.
“Oh... bastard. OK. I’ll ignore that cuz I’m happy.”
Tetsu chuckled and got up from the comfortable and over-sized bed.
“Ne... Hai-chan... I’m happy too. Really. I’m very happy to be with you. I’ve missed you. I’ve missed talking to you and even fighting with you.”
“Ha~? Hontou?” Hyde asked eagerly.
“Yes, it’s true. All these days, I’ve been thinking of you so much. Thinking of how you were doing, and I wanted to come here every day, but I was afraid you would beat me up.”
“Ne... I wouldn’t have beaten you up, Tet-chan.”
“Well... one can never be too cautious with you.” Tetsu replied squinting his eyes.
“I wish you would have come. Maybe you were too busy with your... ahem... new friend.”
“Oh... stop it. Let’s not start again, OK? Let’s have a good time together.”
“Wakatta.” Hyde nodded and looked up at Tetsu smiling. He was feeling amazingly contented.
“Maybe we should do something together. Let’s see...”
“Maybe.” Hyde replied gazing at Tetsu in utter joy. “Maybe we should play videogames.”
“No. You are a sore loser.”
“Shut up! That’s not true!” Hyde chuckled. At any other moment, he would have held a heated argument over that comment.
“Ah! I know!” Tetsu suddenly shouted. “Can I invite you to come somewhere with me?”
“Doko?”
“Public baths.”
“Ah, you can have a shower here. We can have a shower together if you are in that kinda mood. Free of charge... Haido’s courtesy---”
“No, thanks... Let’s go to the public baths.” Tetsu hurried to reply.
“Whatever...” Hyde shrugged and kept smiling like an idiot.
“Together. Let’s go. It’s only four bucks. Even I have that sum now.”
“Ah...” Hyde started, and let himself drop on the bed, hugging a pillow over his head. “...but public baths that cheap are usually...”
“Don’t get picky, Hai-chan...” Tetsu relented rather annoyed.
“OK! OK! Let’s go if you wish. It’s better than... dunno... ripples, for example.”
“Dollie stays here though.” Tetsu warned.
“Un. She’s too young for that.”
“She’s a rag doll, besides.” Tetsu observed.
“OK... so... I think... while we are at the baths... I think I should tell you about my crush... now that we are parents... er... together.” Hyde said beaming mischievously.
“Ah! That’s a good idea. Maybe I can do something to help.”
“Maybe.” Hyde said and chuckled eagerly.
“OK, gather your stuff and let’s go.”
“Wakatta...”

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