Ruki's Guide to Love and Fear (A JO1/Shiroiwa Ruki Fanfic)

Chapter 5

"Hey Ruki, do you want two tickets to an amusement park?" Shion said a few days later as he burst into Ruki's room.

Ruki resisted the urge to scold Shion for charging into his room unannounced. He looked up from his phone at Shion who was dangling two tickets in front of Ruki's face.

"Where did you get those?"

Shion shrugged. "Someone gave them to my parents, but my parents didn't want them, so my parents sent them to me."

"You don't want them?"

"Why would I want to go anywhere when I can just stay in and play videogames for hours on end?" Shion said, making a ridiculous face that he must have learned from Keigo. "I was going to sell them to Syoya, but I decided to ask if you wanted them first since I love you so much, and you're the best."

It was Ruki's turn to make a face. "Are you trying to bribe me or something?"

Shion did his best to look insulted, "I would NEVER do such a thing to his highness Prince Ruki."

Ruki resisted the urge to grab his pillow and floor Shion. Why are you lying?

"Spit it out already, Shion. What do you want?"

Shion smiled. "While you're gone at the amusement park, can I use all of your gamer accounts?"

Ruki sighed. He didn't really want to let Shion use his accounts at all, but he wanted the amusement park tickets. If he had the tickets, he wouldn't have to pick out an activity to do with Momoko—the decision would already be made for him.

"Fiiiiiine. But you can't use any of my coins or buy things using my bank account! I will literally check all the numbers before I leave and when I come back to make sure you didn't use anything."

"It's a deal, Ruki!" Shion said, handing Ruki the tickets and busting out an impromptu dance move that vaguely resembled the floss.

"You can leave now," Ruki said dryly.

Shion laughed. "I know you love me," he said as he left.

Ruki rolled his eyes, but he was secretly holding in a smile.

He looked at the tickets in his hand. A place to take Momoko? Check.

******

A few days later, Ruki checked his reflection in the mirror. He was going to meet Momoko at the restaurant in half an hour, but he was starting to have doubts about the whole outing.

Number one, he would be leaving the apartment without telling anyone again. He already knew that Sho was getting suspicious of him—Ruki leaving today without saying anything would be beyond suspicious.

Number two, as an idol, he probably shouldn't be going out just anywhere, especially not with a girl. Even though JO1 was not as popular as he would like them to be, all the members of JO1 were at risk of gaining the attention of relentless paparazzi and sasaeng fans when they ventured out into public. The scope of damage that those two parties could inflict ranged from ruining his idol image to physically harming him.

Number three, even armed with his excessive charm, Ruki wasn't sure he was ready to spend a few hours with Momoko. He had his fear to worry about, and he wasn't confident about his ability to talk to girls outside of the capacities of his job.

Well, I can't do anything about Sho or about my personality, but at least I can hide my identity. He thought, putting on his sunglasses, mask, and bucket hat. It's a shame I have to cover my face like this, he lamented.