Big brown eyes watched untrustingly as the man in front of her bent down to her level, to a sitting position. She became a bit restless, shifting her legs like she was ready to pounce at him if he made one wrong move.

"Do you really hate me that much?" the boy asked her, but she didn’t answer.

The boy then took something out from his pocket and slowly offered it to her. She made a tiny sound of displeasure over the action. The boy must have mistaken the meaning of this as he tried to move closer to her, which quickly earned him a good barking off.

Okada Jun’ichi let out a sigh of frustration as he got up to his feet. "I guess that’s a yes," he remarked quietly, and let the biscuit that was in his hand drop to the floor, near the dog.

It was clear from the time they met that Nell the dog never really liked Okada. He remembered the first time he stepped inside Inohara "Inocchi" Yoshihiko’s apartment, Nell’s master. He was with the other V6 guys then, but the very moment they got in, the little black dachshund immediately jumped at Okada’s leg and started attacking him! *Only* him -- to the amusement of the other five. And from that day on, Nell didn’t show any signs of a possibility of one day getting along with him.

Shifting her eyes between Okada and the biscuit lying on the floor, Nell waited for the boy to walk away before stepping out of the security of her doggy basket to claim the item.

Walking back to the living room, Okada plopped himself on the sofa and grabbed for a magazine. Through the sliding glass door, which separates the verandah and the living room, he could hear Miyake Ken’s high-pitched voice whining away.

Looking out to his left, Okada saw the said boy playfully bugging Morita Go, Ken’s best friend, about something. Looking a bit irritated, Go then extended Ken the banana he was eating and let the younger boy have a bite. Standing in front of Go, Ken gladly took a bite, smiled, wrapped his arms around the boy and moved his face really close to the other’s. Closing his eyes, Ken then puckered up his lips like a kid waiting for a kiss -- and got one. Yes, Go, casually, nonchalantly, planted a quick kiss on Ken’s waiting lips like he had done it hundreds of times before. And he probably had.

The expression on Okada’s face didn’t change as his eyes blinked in secret amazement at the scene.

Straight as Ken was, everybody knew that the boy was "kissy-huggy" like that, especially to his best friend. And as much as it irritated Go sometimes, most of the time he would just let Ken get his way just so the younger boy would stop bugging him.

The sound of the sliding door opening made Okada look up and saw Ken enter the room. Walking over to where Okada was, he grabbed for the TV remote control and plopped himself next to the youngest member of Coming Century.

"I’m hungr~y!" Ken complained childishly. "I wonder what’s taking Inocchi so long."

Okada continued to silently study Ken, until the subject eventually noticed.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ken blinked then immediately ran a hand to his cheek. "Do I have something on my face?"

Okada’s eyes narrowed. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" the older boy asked, perplexed.

"What you just did earlier with Go?"

"Oh that," Ken grinned. "Well, I know he gets annoyed by my I-want-a-bite! habit but-- "

"No, not that," Okada cut in. "The *other* one."

Ken’s eyebrows knitted together thoughtfully then shot up. "Oh! The kiss?" he answered, almost too loudly.

Okada nodded.

"You know I kiss him all the time," replied Ken, aiming the remote at the TV in front of them as he sat back.

"Yes, but-- "

"Wait" -- Ken raised a hand to Okada’s shoulder, realizing something -- "are you bothered about it? The kissing?" he asked, suddenly concerned.

"No," Okada answered immediately. "It’s not that I’m bothered. . .more like," he paused, "Curious."

"Eh!?" was all Ken could say, confused at what the younger boy had just said. "Curious?"

"Un," Okada nodded, embarrassed.

Ken scratched his head absently. "So, do-- do you want me to kiss you too?"

"What!? No!" the younger boy cried out.

"Do you wanna kiss Go?"

"No! You don’t understand." Okada waved his hands and tried to explain. "I don’t wanna kiss Go. I don’t wanna kiss any of you two!"

"Hey! I’m a bit offended by that!" Ken shot back.

Okada gave him a lazy, scolding look. "You know what I mean."

"No, I don’t," Ken shrugged, shaking his head.

Okada sighed as he tried to figure out how to go about with his question. "How do you do that? You walk up to Go, pucker up, and get a kiss from him like it’s the most normal thing in the world for two guys like you?"

Looking away from Okada, to the remote in his hands, the expression on Ken’s face suddenly became thoughtful. "Honestly," he began quietly, "it still amazes me how after all these years he still hasn’t realized that I’m in love with him. . ."

Okada’s jaw dropped in shock from what he had just heard. "You’re-- you’re in love with Go! But I-- I thought you’re-- "

Ken looked back up to him and shook his head in reply.

"You mean you’re-- "

Ken closed his eyes and nodded.

"O-kay," was all Okada could say as he tried to take in what Ken had just said and had not.

Then, from nowhere, a throw pillow landed on Okada’s confused face. He looked up and saw Ken standing, a wide grin on his face. "You’re so easy, Okada!" he laughed at the younger boy. "It was a joke! And you actually fell for it!"

"A joke? A JOKE!?" Okada growled and jumped off the sofa. "You are *so* dead, Miyake!"

Okada chased after Ken, who was jumping all over the place. Nell, who didn’t like people causing a commotion in her master’s apartment, got up from her basket and ran after Okada. Coming in from the verandah, Go, not having the slightest idea what was happening, decided to just stand in one corner and laugh at the three, his wild laughing filling the room along with Ken’s taunts, Okada’s curses and Nell’s barks.

Meanwhile, the door to the apartment burst open with Inocchi coming in with his groceries. "Honey, I’m home~!" he called out theatrically -- only to be greeted by this crazy scene. "What the f-- !?" the older man quickly dropped his purchases and grabbed for Nell when the three passed by him. "What the hell’s going on here?!" he cried out to the room.

Okada immediately stopped running, while Ken ran just a little further before stopping next to Go. Go, on the other hand, was still laughing. Inocchi then grabbed a magazine from the table, rolled it up, and smacked Go on the head with it, making the boy stop abruptly -- but not without a protest.

"I didn’t do anything!" Go exclaimed, but Inocchi ignored him.

"I leave you three for five minutes, *five minutes*!" -- the angry man gestured with an open hand to the boys who were now standing close together -- "And what happens? You make a mess of my place!"

"Actually, it wasn’t five mi-- Ow!" Ken yelped then glared at Okada who nudged him on the ribs in order to shut him up.

"We’re sorry, Inocchi," Okada apologized. "It won’t happen again."

"Damn straight!" Inocchi remarked. "Look, you even scared the shit out of poor lil’ Nell," the man added, running a hand across the said dog, who looked like she was actually encouraging her master’s scolding of the three by looking helpless.

"Yeah right," Ken muttered, only to have Okada nudge him again.

* * * * * *

"You suck!" exclaimed Go to the man sitting beside him on the floor, his eyes never leaving the TV screen.

"Chikusho!" Inocchi growled, furiously pressing the buttons of his control pad.

Afterwards, Inocchi tossed his control pad to the floor as Go gave out a loud victory howl. "Woohoo! Three straight wins! Give it up, old man!"

The "old man" quickly gave Go a slap at the back of the head, which the boy was able to dodge. "Who are you calling old man, eh?" Inocchi demanded.

"Admit it, Inohara, you suck at this game," Go told him condescendingly.

"Oh yeah, well, let’s see how you fair in *this* one." Inocchi raised a CD to Go’s face.

To which the boy sneered and replied, "Bring it on."

And with that came another round of taunts and jeers with the occasional control-pad grabbing and back-of-the-head slapping as the two played on.

Meanwhile, on the sofa nearby, Ken and Okada couldn’t help but shake their heads, amused at this scene that was nothing new to them.

"It’s easy, you know," Ken remarked after a while to Okada, who had his eyes on the TV screen.

"Eh? What’s easy?" Okada asked distractedly. "This game?"

"No, the kiss," Ken answered, instantly getting Okada’s attention. "It’s like what you said, just walk up to the person, pucker up, and, who knows," he shrugged, "if you’re lucky, you just might get a kiss."

"Oh, I see," Okada remarked curtly, wishing that Ken would drop the subject at that because the last thing the younger boy wanted to happen was for Inocchi to overhear this conversation and start teasing him about it. He cast a quick, worried glance to where Inocchi was.

Unfortunately for Okada, Ken sounded like he wasn’t finish yet. "Why were you asking me about it anyway?"

Okada struggled with his answer. "Why? Well-- I-- like I said-- I was curious-- just curious."

"Okay," Ken shrugged then quipped almost too loudly, "but if you’re going to write a paper about it, I suggest you experience it first hand."

"Holy shit!" Inocchi blurted out in mid-match with Go, his slit eyes a little wider than usual. "I forgot, I have a paper due tomorrow!"

Go could only watch helplessly as his opponent got up and left him, their game unfinished.

Ken blinked at the man who was now rushing to the table where a laptop lay. "You *forgot* you have a paper due tomorrow!?"

"Well, looks like this party’s over," Go declared, standing up. "Any of you know of another place to crash?"

"Anywhere’s fine," answered Ken.

"I know!" -- Go raised his index finger -- "Let’s go bowling!"

"Are you sure there’s still an alley open?" Ken asked, looking down at his watch. "It is pretty late."

"There’s one downtown, and I know the owner," Go answered proudly.

"Well," Ken nodded, "I guess that settles it. We’re off to the bowling alley."

Ken followed suite as Go made his way to the door. Okada, on the other hand, remained seated.

"Okada," Ken called out as he put on his jacket. "Aren’t you coming?"

"Um, I think I’ll pass," Okada answered.

"Killjoy," Go kidded loudly.

"Okay then, so I guess we’ll be going ahead," Ken announced.

"Ja!" Go called out, before disappearing through the open door.

Ken was about to leave as well when he remembered something. "Okada, if you’re really curious, " he began, casting a glance Inocchi’s way (who was now rushing to his bedroom) and back to Okada, "why not try it out for your self, ne?"

Shaking his head, Okada couldn’t help but smile. "Ken," he replied to the older boy, "Don’t you know that all *jokes* are half-meant?"

Ken looked a bit puzzled at first, then smiled, "Are they?" And left.

Okada was preparing to leave himself when the phone on the small table next to Nell’s nook started ringing. He was going to answer it for Inocchi but Nell started barking angrily at him as if not wanting him to come near the phone. "Fine," Okada sighed, and started looking for the dog’s master instead.

The door to Inocchi’s room was open. And just when Okada was about to enter -- *BAM!* -- Inocchi went rushing out, crashing into the boy.

Okada fell on the floor, along with three of the books that Inocchi was carrying.

"Oh shit-- Okada-- are you alright!?" Inocchi asked worriedly, wanting so much to help the boy but his hands were full, carrying still a good number of reading materials.

Okada tried to sit up from the floor. "Yeah, I’m fine," -- he shook his head a bit -- "I think."

Of course, Inocchi would not be Inocchi if he didn’t find anything funny in a situation so, as expected, it didn’t take long for the slit-eyed man to start laughing that soundless laugh of his with his mouth wide-open when he realized what had just happened. "I’m-- I’m sorry-- I-- " Inocchi struggled to speak in between silent laughs.

"Quit it, Inocchi," Okada scolded with a smile. Since he was already down on the floor, the boy thought he might as well pick up the books that fell with him in the collision. Nearby, he found a pair of glasses as well.

"Here," Okada said to the man afterwards, placing the three books on top of the pile that was in Inocchi’s hands.

"Thanks," Inocchi smiled distractedly as if still looking around for something on the floor.

"Looking for these?" asked Okada, holding up the glasses.

Inocchi smiled and nodded in reply.

And just when Okada was about to place the glasses on top of the pile as well, Ken’s words started coming back to him.

< If you’re really curious, why not try it out for your self, ne? >

The boy fought not to blush at the thought.

Taking a deep breath, Okada looked up from his hands to Inocchi’s face. The man was telling him something, but the boy couldn’t seem to make sense of the words he was hearing as he got distracted with Inocchi’s big contagious smile. Okada smiled a little smile himself.

Then, slowly shifting his eyes to Inocchi’s own, Okada couldn’t help but wonder admiringly at the unusual but endearing pair. He had always loved how Inocchi’s eyes smiled along with his lips -- until that one time, Okada remembered, when he caught a performance of theirs on TV that made him appreciate those eyes even more.

They were singing Dasenai Tegami, with Okada playing the piano for accompaniment along with an orchestra. Being the perfectionist that he was, Okada moved closer to the TV screen to watch and criticize himself as he played. Then, as it was his turn to sing, Inocchi’s face appeared on the screen. The camera closed in on the man and Okada’s eyes couldn’t help but focus along with it. From that moment on, the boy found himself staring into the screen, at Inocchi, whose pensiveness suddenly made those slit eyes look deep, soft and almost sad. Okada *couldn’t* take his eyes off of him!

Just like now. *Especially* now. With Inocchi standing so close in front of him. Slit eyes were still smiling, but Okada could see the depth in them as he did that time in front of the TV.

Opening the pair of glasses in his hands, Okada started bringing them up to those eyes that had so won him over. He hung it over the man’s ears, the slightest touch of Inocchi’s hair making his fingers tingle. Almost involuntarily, he found his hands opening on either side of the man’s face. And he let them linger there. His heart beat faster.

Looking down at Okada, the expression on Inocchi’s face changed to serious as his smile gradually disappeared.

Is he mad? Is he freaking out? Or maybe confused?

Okada tried to read through the man’s reaction, but his mind was no longer working. Finding himself being drawn to Inocchi’s lips, the boy moved closer. He was powerless against those eyes. And so he closed his own. . .

But not before he felt a furious tugging at his pants leg. The boy looked down and found Nell ruining the moment.

"Oh Nell. . ." Okada sighed quietly, looking down at the dog.

When Okada looked back up, Inocchi had already walked over to the table across the room to put down his books.

"Do you really hate me that much?" Okada muttered to Nell. And Nell barked back. Okada rolled his eyes.

"Hey," Inocchi began, looking around the room, "Weren’t you suppose to go with Ken and Go?" he asked the youngest of the three.

"Nah," Okada shook his head. "I have to be up early tomorrow for a photo shoot."

"Oh, I see," Inocchi nodded.

"But if you like, I can go help you clean up first before I leave," Okada offered, motioning to the messy living room.

"Nonono! That’s alright," Inocchi answered. "Don’t worry about it. You go get your sleep."

"But your paper. . ."

"Cleaning up will help me think of what to write down," Inocchi smiled. "Now, go," the man nodded, leading Okada to the door.

At the front door, Okada thanked Inocchi for the great time they all had.

Inocchi told him it was nothing.

The boy then excused himself out, but not before saying goodbye to Nell.

Nell, on the other hand, refused to acknowledge him.

"You know what," Inocchi remarked to Okada, smiling at Nell, "I think she’s jealous of you."

"J-Jealous?" Okada stammered, feeling something warm form on his cheeks. Not wanting Inocchi to see him that way, the boy immediately said good night.

"Oh wait," Inocchi stopped him abruptly and ran to grab something from the sofa. Running back, he extended Okada his jacket. "You forgot this."

"Oh, thanks," the boy replied, avoiding Inocchi’s eyes.

Inocchi laughed to himself, making Okada look up.

"What is it?" asked Okada.

"Nothing," the man answered, stifling a laugh.

The boy didn’t buy it. "What?" he demanded.

"Well," Inocchi began, "it’s just that, a while ago, I thought you were going to go all Ken on me and kiss me," he remarked with a smile, well aware of Ken’s "kissy-huggy" behavior.

"Eh!?" Okada blurted out, the statement catching him off guard.

"Too bad," Inocchi added, now looking directly at the boy. "I would’ve wanted you to."

Okada was completely floored. "W-What!? Are you *serious*? I mean, why on earth would you want me to kiss you? That’s just crazy, right?" the boy sputtered out, nervous and defensive and confused all at the same time.

Inocchi gave out a single loud laugh. "Geez-- Relax, Okada! I was only kidding!"

Okada stopped abruptly, blinked, and straightened himself up. "Oh."

"Couldn’t you tell?" asked Inocchi, amused.

"Of course I could," Okada lied, as nonchalantly as he could, "I was just, you know-- anyway, I have to go." Making his way out, Okada wished the floor would open up and swallow him.

"Hey Jun-kun!" Inocchi called out, making the boy look back. "It was just a joke, okay?"

Another joke. And once again, Okada fell for it. Shouldn’t he be much too smart for this? But then again, when it came to Inocchi, it always seemed like Okada couldn’t even think straight, much less intelligently. The man affected him like that. And unfortunately for the boy, Inocchi seemed to constantly enjoy taking advantage of this weakness of his.

Actually, as much as he would not want to admit it, Okada didn’t really mind being playfully teased at from time to time, especially if it was by Inocchi. Just like now. Yes, he was completely embarrassed about the whole thing, but it was those jokes of Inocchi’s that made the boy glad that they were. . .well, half-meant.

Smiling at the man, Okada replied, "I know."

~Owari~

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