Remember Those Eyes ~ IwaOi

Remember Those Eyes

Hajime steps into the nightclub and grimaces. The music pulses around him. Bright lights crisscross the room. He groans. He does not want to be here tonight. Hajime looks over and rolls his eyes. His friends have ditched him at the entrance, again. He adjusts his mask, a piece of dark blue fabric that covers from his eyes to his nose, and makes a beeline over to the bar.

A hazy memory floats into his brain. Loud music and colorful lights, not unlike the ones tonight. The sweet smell of alcohol tinges the edges of the memory. A tinkling laugh. A warm hand in his. A glimpse of those deep brown eyes, like vats of smooth, warm chocolate, waiting for something to break the surface. And then the memory vanishes, just as quickly as it arrived. Hajime shakes his head, trying not to think about that night.

A bartender asks for his order and a small glass of white wine appears in front of him. Hajime downs it, because he knows that he will not survive this night unless he's a little drunk. He scans the room, trying to spot a pair of familiar faces. He finally catches sight of them, plates piled high with desserts, and sighs. Hajime stands, drops some money on the bar counter and heads towards his friends.

Hanamaki spots him first and waves him over. "So...?" He questions Hajime, adjusting his pink mask.

Matsukawa peeks over his plate, eyes blinking behind a green mask. "We back in the club!" He attempts to shout around a mouthful of cake.

Hanamaki smiles and yells in agreement. Hajime grins back and can feel his brain get a bit fuzzy. Hanamaki hands his plate to Matsukawa and motions for Hajime to join him on the dance floor. He reluctantly joins the mob of masked dancers, with a little help from Matsukawa's slight push. Hajime taps his foot to the beat and makes small hand motions.

Hanamaki pulls on his hands and shouts "with our bodies rockin' from side to side!" into his ear.

He demonstrates by twirling and performing a complicated step pattern to the music, hips swinging. It is unfair because Hanamaki goes to tons of parties and nightclubs, while Hajime would prefer to stay home. He echos Hanamaki, "side to side," and tries to get into the rhythm. The song ends with people clapping and cheering.

"Thank god," grumbles Hajime and walks back over to Matsukawa.

"The weak is done," he teases Hajime as the music starts up again.

They both watch Hanamaki dance in the glowing lights. Hajime rubs his forehead and groans.

"I feel like a zombie," he complains, not even sure his friend can hear him over the pounding music.

Matuskawa shakes his head in sympathy.

"Come back to life... back to life!" His voice is spooky-like, lifting his hands up like he's casting a spell on Hajime, which startles a laugh out of him.
A familiar song comes on the speakers and Hanamaki bounds over to them.

"Hands up," he demands both of them, before slapping high fives all around.

Hajime spots a flash of teal out of the corner of his eye, but when he turns, there is no one there. Matsukawa shoots him a questioning look, but Hajime shakes his head and shrugs. Hanamaki grabs the hands of his two best friends, whooping, and drags them onto the dance floor.

"And suddenly we all got our–" Matsukawa tries to say, but Hajime can't hear him over the loud music.

Hanamaki waves his hands above his head to the beat.

"Hands up!"

But Hajime isn't paying attention anymore because the flash of teal has appeared and disappeared again. He stares hard into the crowd, turning around in circles to see if he can glimpse it one more time.

Without warning, the loud pop song changes into a slow romantic one. His friends seem to have disappeared into the crowd. Hajime whirls around when he feels a tap on his shoulder. Before he can comprehend the situation, the stranger in the teal mask is pressing his body against Hajime's and puts his hands on Hajime's hips, swaying slowly to the music. Hajime looks at the teal masked stranger in surprise.

"No control of my body," he says simply, as if that's any explanation as to why he's dancing with Hajime.

Who in their right mind would even dance with me? He thought to himself. Hajime narrows his eyes, peering into the stranger's brown ones under his mask.

"Ain't I seen you before? I think I remember those eyes," he says suspiciously, racking his brain for where he has seen those eyes.

The stranger in question laughs quietly and leans forward, putting his lips to Hajime's ear.

"Because, baby, tonight the DJ got us falling in love," he whispers, "again."

Hajime shivers slightly, but then freezes when the stranger calls him by the fake name he gave that night into his ear. How does he know–? Wait a minute... no way! Hajime panics a little and pulls his head back, staring up at the strang–no, not a stranger. This is King, the same man he met at that small club a couple of weeks ago.

He realizes he has stopped dancing and is still staring in shock when King waves a hand in front of his face, saying, "Dance, like it's the last night of your life."

Hajime blinks, all noise suddenly flooding back, and realizes that the air is filled with a new pop song. King had let go during the unintentional staring contest and is now dancing wildly, the multicolored lights making him glow like a rainbow. He motions for Hajime to join him and he does, reluctantly.

King leans over and shouts, "When the music drops, we both put our hands up!"

Hajime looks confused for a second before realizing that King must know this song, and nods in confirmation. True to his word, when the beat drops, everyone on the dance floor puts their hands up and starts jumping around. He smiles widely, looking at King, who smiles back and bumps him with his hip. King turns to face Hajime and gently grabs his hips.

"Put your hands on my body," he instructs Hajime, who in turn grabs King's hips.

"Swear I've seen you before," he teases, throwing Hajime's words back at him, "I think I remember those eyes."

Hajime groans in embarrassment. King laughs, poking Hajime's mask-covered nose. Hajime decides to get his own revenge.

"Because, baby, tonight the DJ got us falling in love again," he whispers seductively.

King's eyes widen, and Hajime spots a bit of pink on his cheeks. He leans in, pausing for Hajime's confirmation, and kisses him slowly. Hajime shuts his eyes and leans into the kiss. Their masks rub against each other, hands quickly migrating up into each other's hair. King tilts his head slightly, pushing his tongue against Hajime's lips. The kiss turns messy after Hajime grants King access. After a few minutes, they pull back, panting and grinning stupidly at each other.

From across the room, Hajime can hear Hanamaki cheering, and he turns pink. King laughs, takes his hand, and leads him off the dance floor. Hajime is pulled into a quiet corner while King goes to grab some drinks. He makes eye contact with Matsukawa, who wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. Hajime rolls his eyes, but he is still smiling from the kiss. He thinks about that night and wonders if he misunderstood the whole situation. He's going to have to ask King, but he hopes they'll be together for a long time. Hajime makes a note to thank Hanamaki later for dragging him to this nightclub's masquerade party. Even though identities were concealed, he still found his one and he is happy he did.