Chapter Text
Asagiri Gen had not set foot in Tokyo for the past two years. As a mentalist he had managed to start a world tour, it was the opportunity of his life to succeed outside Japan as an international star.
At first some people considered his work as another magic show; but when a spectator views a magic show, they feel surprise, wonder and astonishment and when the magician snaps his fingers, the spectator knows is only an act. However, when they witness a mentalist, many of them are left wondering whether the mentalist can really read minds or not, and the spectators really believe in Gen’s woofle dust. That’s what made his act unique.
So, when he knew he would return to Japan and been able to stay for a while, Gen didn’t hesitate to organize a meeting with his closest friends. Gen always tried to keep in touch with them, they had a special chat group where they shared secrets, feelings, all kinds of gossip, but most importantly, they supported each other.
Gen finally appeared from behind the baggage check glass wall and Kohaku shouted as she spotted him. Gen couldn’t believe it, his face flipped from tire to pure happiness as he ran towards the girl to hugged her.
Ruri and Yuzuriha quickly approached the pair and hug them from behind making it in a group hug, it was a beautiful and meaningful reunion, the four of them started crying with joy. They couldn’t believe Gen was actually here, there were days when they missed him so much and try to videocall him, but it wasn’t the same as being with him and hugging him. They missed him every day since he left.
If Gen had felt tired during the flight, that hug was necessary to recharge his full battery, he was feeling love through all his veins and wuzzy from the warm hugs. For a few minutes they held each other without moving, not believing that they had finally had their long-awaited reunion. They were happy that even though Gen was already famous, he had not lost his true self and affection towards his real friends.
"We miss you so much." Yuzuriha tried to wipe away her tears with the sleeves of her pink sweater.
"I can't believe you're finally here." Kohaku yelled without releasing Gen.
"Welcome home." Ruri said.
Gen was trying to stop crying, but it was impossible. "I think I'm the one who missed you all the most, at least you could get together and see each other anytime. I was by myself and truly alone without you guys.”
“I’m glad that you're already here and we won't leave you alone, not for a second.” Kohaku warned tightening the hug a little more. She missed Gen's lavender scent infused hugs while he petted her hair as he listened to one of her tragedy love stories. She missed everything about his friend. It had been a long season without Gen.
When the group finally managed to calm down and stop the crying, Yuzuriha suggested to take a selfie. Gen stood in the middle and the girls settled down to hug, Kohaku from behind, Yuzuriha on the right and Ruri on the left, the group pose with the v sign and sticking out their tongues. Everyone upload the photo of the reunion on their Instagram with the hashtags #friendship #goals #missedhim #AsagiriGen.
The group walked side by side to the exist gate while still catching up. Gen know the girls from university and even though they all studied different careers: Kohaku was studying anthropology, Ruri philosophy and Yuzuriha fashion design; when they met, Gen was starting psychology before he got big on his dream job as a mentalist.
They get to know each other at freshman year and were inseparable ever since. The girls tried to update Gen in all the gossip, like their friend Chrome was in his final touches of his biochemistry thesis, Taiju was now Yuzuriha’s boyfriend and the huge parties that Ryusui was throwing every month; but they were going to need more than a day to help Gen catch up in what was happening in everyone’s life.
Gen know mostly of what the girls were telling him by their videocalls and group messages, but it was lovely to hear them all excited to talk to him.
They decided that, given Gen's fame, it was the best option to go to his apartment. They had managed to outwit the paparazzi at the airport, Gen's manager was responsible for informing them that the mentalist would arrive atTokyo on April 24 and not on the 23 as Gen had planned, so until the next day the airport would be full of photographers with no one to portray.
Gen’s apartment was pretty bigh, tastefully furnished with modern colours. It had a well-equipped kitchen, a cozy living room with two sofas full of purple pillows, a huge LCD TV and a big dining area with a table for eight people. It also had two bedrooms with king size beds, one for himself and the another if the girls wanted to have a sleepover some of these days.
But even though the place was spotless, because Gen had hired people to keep it clean and cared for during his absence, there was almost nothing to indicate Gen lived there. Most of his clothes were in the suitcases as well as his important personal items, he sighed, he would have to gradually turn the apartment back into a home.
“I’m so hungry.” Gen yelled while laying down on the sofa.
“We can order some pizza.” Kohaku suggested.
“Yes, I would love to eat pizza right know. I hate the plane’s food.” Gen stuck out his tongue while simulation like he was going to throw up. The girls laugh.
“I’ll make the order.” Ruri said while looking for the pizza’s place phone. “Is pepperoni okay for everyone?”
“Yes! Anything but pineapple.”
“Of course, Gen, I truly remember you hate Hawaiian pizza.”
Yuzuriha took one of Gen’s suitcases and motion to go into his bedroom. “I’ll help you unpack. “
“Aw Yuzuriha, you’re so lovely. Thank you so much.” Gen stood up, grabbed another suitcase and followed the girl, Kohaku and Ruri were right behind them.
When Gen entered his room, endless memories came to his mind. He sighed at the thought of everything that happened in that place: laughter, fights, crying, nights of lust and passion and deep meaningful conversations. But the memory that hurt the most to remember was his last night in that bedroom, even though two years had passed, the memory still ached, the memory of his last night there.
The three girls entered carefree and began to open Gen's suitcases, separating what they considered dirty clothes to put in the basket, they put the dress shirts and the gala suits on hooks and carefully placed them in the large closet. Ruri had started folding Gen's pants, Yuzuriha was collecting all the toiletries to fit them in the bathroom, and Kohaku screamed as she opened a suitcase and found it full of underwear.
"I’ll do that." Gen smiled while being a little ashamed.
"Yes, I won’t even touch them." Kohaku got up and walked to the closet. "You hardly left any clothes here; it will be very easy to arrange everything." The blonde opened the first drawer and was surprised to find a photograph.
“Gen.” Kohaku said while holding up the photograph.
“What’s that?” Ruri asked.
Yuzuriha was exiting the bathroom and got near Kohaku. “Oh my, this is so old. Better get rid of it.”
“Get rid of what?” Gen asked approaching the girls, who turned red, obviously embarrassed. Kohaku hide the photo behind her back.
“Nothing, this drawer is empty, you should put your underwear there.”
Gen sighed and stretched his hand. He wasn’t sure if he really wanted to look at what her friend had; he had a slight idea of what it was. Yuzuriha and Ruri’s cheek turned a slightly pink and avoid looking at their friend.
“Please?” Gen asked smiling softly.
Kohaku didn’t have a choice and gave her friend the photograph. “I’m sorry. I don’t want you to feel bad.”
The photograph was one of him with Senku. He instantly knew he wasn’t feeling right, it was almost silly to be bumped over a picture, a two-year-old picture. They were hugging and smiling to the camera, it was a rare photo in which Senku was smiling, they looked happy and in loved.
Gen felt wet running down his cheek as his vision got blurry. Kohaku was shaking him “Are you ok?”. He came back to his senses, but the tears weren’t stopping.
“Yes, I’m…I’m alright.” But his face looked troubled and the words hurt as he spoke them, that picture was bringing down more memories and he felt a big pang of his chest. He was surprised to felt that way, it wasn’t something new, it was his decision. Then, why still hurt?
The girls were worried and gently help Gen sit on his bed, water still strolling down his blushed cheeks. He again tried to clean the wetness of his face with no avail. “I can’t believe I’m crying.”
“Don’t worry. If you need to talk about it, we’re here.” Yuzuriha said as she was holding tightly Gen’s hand. The mentalist nodded trying to smile.
“Thank you. But I think I’m ok.” He was too sad and frustrated of how his emotions were right now. It was supposed to be a happy evening with his best friends and know he was crying because he missed his ex-boyfriend.
The doorbell rang and Ruri got up. “It’s the pizza. Maybe we can all go to the living room and clear our heads there.”
“That would be nice.” Gen said. It took him another five minutes to compose himself. His face was a little bit blushed and swollen for the crying.
The four of them sit down at the dining table, the girls were trying to distract Gen by telling him the story of how everyone got so drunk at Ryusui’s last party on his yacht.
“People were throwing up directly on the ocean, there weren’t enough restrooms on board.” Kohaku laugh.
“The smell was unbearable.” Ruri continue.
The mentalist was listening but wasn’t interested in that particular topic. He let it sink inside him for a while, was he really going to ask them? After all the crying? Yes, they weren’t talking about Senku, actually, they haven’t mention Senku in a single one of their stories. Did the blonde leaved the group or they were trying very hard to avoid the topic?
Gen was beginning to felt desperate, he had not heard from Senku since the day they broke up. The blonde blocked him from all social media and Gen did not have the courage to look him up with another account, even less to try and called him. He had made the decision to end the relationship as he though was the best for both.
It didn’t seem fair to make Senku wait him for two years in which he would be traveling around the world, the opportunity to be able to see each other would be almost a void and due to the different timetable it would have been almost impossible to maintain a distance relationship.
It wasn't fair and his last night in Tokyo, he decided to broke up. Senku didn’t take it well and almost fled the apartment. The decision was destroying Gen, his heartbreak as he was feeling a tightness on his chest, it was like razor blades moving though with every breath he take. And he cried for many days and many nights, sobbing in his dressing room before a show and having trouble waking up for the first months of his new single status.
“So, how’s Senku?” Gen finally asked.
The three girls stopped talking. They stared at their friend with eyes wide in disbelief, it was as if the room had been suddenly frozen, the laughter faded and the pizza was floating in the air, nobody chewed anymore. Gen didn’t understand their reactions, ok Senku was his ex-boyfriend, but it was somewhat common for him to actually ask about him. It wasn’t something strange, was it?
“I know he hates me. I’m ok with that.” Gen nodded, he was trying so hard to maintain a calm voice. “I only want to know if he’s ok.”
Kohaku sighed. Ruri grabbed Gen’s hand. These only make the mentalist more nervous, what was happening?
“Senku is fine.” Yuzuriha finally said. “He has a boyfriend.”
“He just started dating Tsukasa.” Kohaku continued. Ruri tugged tight the mentalist’s hand.
The tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down at Gen’s face drenching his shirt. Why did he asked?