MiRACLE (KnB Fanfic)

22.

"You can call me Alex. This is Tatsuya, my protege."

"It's nice to meet you, Hiroto-kun."

Is America the land of pretty people or something?

Hiroto thought that his aunt was quite a textbook definition of drop-dead gorgeous. Long, blonde hair, refined curves even against toned muscles. And this was looking at her while she lay on the hospital bed, slightly thinned from her stay.

He gulps. And her Japanese was good.

Tatsuya-- he's another one. What's with those bangs? That perfectly placed beauty mark? And his voice-- god, Hiroto didn't think a boy could have a voice that exudes so much gentleness. You could feel the calmness from five feet away.

"I'm Takahashi, we talked on the phone," the policeman steps in, knowing Hiroto wouldn't be comfortable enough to give a response. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Garcia."

"The pleasure is all mine, Mister Takahashi."

Initial greetings are calm, a little awkward, but without interruptions. The Japanese are much more formal in this regard, but Alex and Tatsuya seem to understand it quite well enough to respect it.

Hiroto sets his suitcase aside, but clutches onto his carry on nervously, looking anywhere but at the other occupants of the room.

He feels regressed, back into the days right after he came into this world-- he wants to shrink inside himself, away from social interaction. A lump forms in his throat, and somehow, he didn't think he could say a thing today.

He thumbs at the strap of his bag anxiously.

Takahashi and Alex had started off with small talk-- "Are you well?", "Of course, it's just a broken foot, nothing out of the ordinary for a former veteran basketball player!" then proceeded into talks about the rest of the day-- "Tatsuya will bring you to my house and help you get him settled," to "I will be staying for two days before I return to Japan. Protocol, it seems."

The voices seem to mute out, and Hiroto breathes out a sigh. This was exhausting-- custody was hard to settle, wasn't it? Alex seemed like a nice person, but all the paperwork Takahashi had lugged over from Japan seemed like such a pain.

"Alex," suddenly Tatsuya is beside him, hand on his shoulder, "can I take Hiroto out for a walk in the garden?"

Huh?

"Of course, but keep your hands off where you shouldn't be touching!"

"Oh you're so mean, Alex, are you implying something?"

"I am implying everything, Tatsuya."

With a series of witch-natured laughter, Hiroto found himself leaving his belongings behind and getting tugged away by the arm across the hospital hallways.

Maybe he'll die today, who knows.

"Sorry about Alex," he says as soon as they turn out of earshot. Tatsuya lets go of Hiroto's hand and faces him with a smile, "it's an inside joke."