Title: back, again, anew (part 2)
Rating: G
Fandom: Jack Jeanne
Relationship: Kaido Dakeshin/Sugachi Kiyoharu
Wordcount: 1463
Short summary: Kiyoharu tells himself that he’ll talk to Kaido about the thing left unresolved between them the next time they see each other. He doesn’t expect that conversation to happen so soon.
March 27, Saturday. It’s the last weekend before the school year starts and Kiyoharu has been camped in the Onyx classroom since right after breakfast, with Kasai joining him after lunch. It’s the quiet before the storm, a time for Kiyoharu to organize all the notes on potential plays for the upcoming year, on potential dances, on potential castings. It’s the role of class leader that he inherited from Kaido, and while it is less typical for it to be someone as quiet as him as leader, he does have Kasai’s support…
In whatever form that takes. The relationship between Kiyoharu and Kasai is class leader and vice leader on paper, but in reality the hierarchy is less strict. Kiyoharu had expected that Kasai would be vocal about things, but he didn’t realize how annoying it could be. It isn’t entirely Kasai’s fault; no one can replace Kaido in Kiyoharu’s heart and mind. But Kasai could bring it up less often...
Like just last week, when Kasai confronted Kiyoharu after they had gone through some pair dances about Kaido. He seemed utterly flummoxed by the situation.
“Did you two seriously just leave it like that?” Kasai let out a deep sigh. “Sugachi-senpai, you have to tell him your feelings!”
Kiyoharu shook his head. “I’m not like you…”
Even if Kaido wasn’t heir to the Kaido group, Kaido is moving on to university while Kiyoharu hopes to stay in theater or dance. Even though they were partners for two years at Univeil, Kiyoharu was chosen and developed by Kaido because they had a need in Onyx. Their dancing compatibility may be high, but surely anyone else hand-picked by Kaido would have been good too, right?
Their partnership was just a temporary thing, and maybe it changed Kiyoharu’s life, and maybe Kiyoharu managed to convey that part before Kaido graduated, but Kiyoharu’s other feelings would surely be bothersome…
“You aren’t. If I feel something for someone, I let them know.” Kasai laughed. “And that applies to you two. He definitely has feelings for you, but he won’t say anything first.” He smiled warmly. “You know that probably better than anyone else.”
“Right.”
After that, Kiyoharu made a resolution, if only not to have to face Kasai’s questioning next time without an answer. He decided he would convey the rest of his feelings to Kaido the next time they saw each other. He figured he had some time to work out what he’d say, as Kaido would likely come to the first year’s performance or the summer performance. Right after a performance might be a good opportunity, since Kiyoharu would be coming off the high of performing. Kaido had heard Kiyoharu say strange things before and after performances, so if it sounded funny, Kaido could just laugh and grin. Plus there would be an easy way out for Kaido, if Kiyoharu’s feelings were a bother…
“Sugachi-senpai!”
Kiyoharu blinks, realizing that he hadn’t changed the page in a while. He had gotten lost in his thoughts…
“Is everything all…”
Kasai’s words are cut off by the sound of the door opening wide. Kiyoharu and Kasai both turn to look. Kasai’s expression melts into a grin, but Kiyoharu…
What is Kaido doing here? Isn’t he supposed to be starting university in a few days?
“Shouldn’t you be at your university dorm?” is the first thing out of Kiyoharu’s mouth. He doesn’t mean to sound so suspicious, but it doesn’t seem right. It doesn’t feel real.
“What’s with this cold reception?” Kaido walks over to them, stopping right in front of Kiyoharu. “Aren’t you glad to see me, Sugachi Kiyoharu?”
“Hmm.” Kiyoharu feels his suspicions fall away. Nothing can replicate that presence or that voice, not even Kiyoharu’s own brain.
“This is my last bit of free time before I have to go back to school.” Kaido puts a hand on Kiyoharu’s shoulder. The weight is so familiar. “Of course I had to come here.”
This has to mean something, right? Kiyoharu wonders what Kasai is seeing as a third party to this conversation. This has to be a sign that Kiyoharu’s feelings will be accepted… He can’t help but smile.
“Kaido-san…” He really, really is fond of this man.
“Sugachi-senpai, I can handle things here. Go and enjoy a break before the new students show up.”
Kaido jumps back and the spell between him and Kiyoharu is broken. Really, Kiyoharu hadn’t realized how long they had probably been gazing at each other. This would be terribly embarrassing if Kiyoharu didn’t know that Kasai supports them…
“…Alright.” Kiyoharu stands up and nudges Kaido in the arm. The opportunity is here. It’s time to make the move.
They naturally end up sitting outside on a bench together. The weather is nice, warm with a gentle breeze, and it feels like the end of April instead of the end of March. In a sense Kaido shouldn’t be here. But Kiyoharu isn’t going to deny this time together. Rather, he wishes they could sit like this for a long time, again and again.
But he made a resolution. Just… how does he even begin? His heart has started beating wildly now that he has to actually speak.
“Kasai is really trying to help out, huh?”
Or Kaido can speak first. It takes Kiyoharu out for a brief moment before he nods. “He doesn’t want to lose to Tachibana in any way.”
He regrets saying that as soon as he finishes. That’s not what he should have said at all, but for some reason the first thing that came to mind was how Kasai always declares his rivalry to Tachibana openly. He wanted to channel that as well, but…
“Hah! And neither do you to Shirota, right?”
“I want to win for Onyx.”
“Of course.”
Kiyoharu screwed up. The conversation has veered towards Univeil business. Kiyoharu needs to think about how to turn this around. How can he convey what Kaido is to him, while connecting it to Univeil…? An idea suddenly comes to mind.
“I hope we find a great Jeanne among the 79th class.”
Kaido blinks. “That’s surprising.” He takes a moment to form the rest of his response. “Well, that would be important for succession.”
Kiyoharu clears his throat. Okay, that wasn’t the smoothest transition. Kaido is still thinking about Univeil business. But he’ll just press forward.
“Because you are my Jack Ace.”
Kiyoharu sees how surprised Kaido is by his declaration. It seems it will take Kaido some time to put the pieces together. But it’s too embarrassing and too direct for Kiyoharu to say he loves Kaido. Still, Kiyoharu finds himself feeling a little impatient when Kaido does nothing, so he closes the distance between their bodies, reaching out with his hand.
“Sugachi?” Kaido’s breath seems caught in his throat.
“Kaido-san.”
His hand is on Kaido’s thigh. His face moves closer to Kaido’s. He waits, but not for long, as Kaido finally gets it. Kaido’s right hand cups Kiyoharu’s jaw, his left hand Kiyoharu’s neck…
They kiss. It’s brief but Kiyoharu knows what it means, that Kaido does feel affection for him as well. That their feelings are mutual.
Kaido pulls away with a big smile on his face. The happiness is contagious. Kiyoharu laughs, and Kaido’s smile grows even more. Kiyoharu’s body feels lighter than ever; if Kaido’s hands weren’t still on him, Kiyoharu might have floated up…
“Kaido-san.”
“Call me Dakeshin.” Kaido smiles. “Kiyoharu.”
Kiyoharu finds himself needing a moment, to let this sudden increase in intimacy sink in. “…Dakeshin.”
It’s strange to say when Kiyoharu has only thought of Kaido as Kaido, for two years, for countless hours per day. Yet it’s also nice to say, because it’s different than Kaido of the Kaido group. It’s Dakeshin, the person Kiyoharu fell in love with over the past two years.
“Kiyoharu, I…”
A sudden cell phone jingle interrupts them, and Kiyoharu knows that their moment is over. For now this is all they can have. After all, Kaido Dakeshin is heir to the Kaido group, 99% of the time. But Kiyoharu did what he had resolved to do, and the response was favorable, so he is satisfied.
“Safe travels, Dakeshin-san.” He sees Dakeshin off with a smile.
“See ya!”
A promise to see each other again is all that can be made right now. They don’t have a label or a defined next step, even if Kasai will probably refer to them as boyfriends. But Kiyoharu wants to try, and he knows Dakeshin wants to try, and that’s more than enough to make Kiyoharu happy right now.
He suspects that Dakeshin will call him later tonight, so he’s going to make sure to finish today’s work early so he can give Dakeshin all his attention then.