The current & the ex

Part 20

~ Many thanks to all my lovely readers. Your interest in this fic and encouragement keeps me going. Thank you for all the comments. Enjoy the finale ☺️

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Early Christmas party. Yabu is relieved. The drama that was haunting JUMP for the past nine months has ended, for good he hopes. The happiness he gets seeing all eight other JUMP members sitting at the round table- happily eating and exchanging conversation with each other- is incomparable to any other joy in the world.

Their Nagoya Dome performance ended with a blast. Keito created havoc when Keitoru made a surprised appearance during MC. Fans went crazy. The whole dome was chanting Keito's name. It feels good to stand on the stage again with all nine members present.

But in 2 days, Keito will leave again. Although his graduation is only in a few months away, somehow Yabu feels heavy to allow Keito to leave this time.

"He'll be back before we know it," Hikaru reassures.

"I don't know. I never felt this uneasy before."

Hikaru put his right hand on Yabu's left shoulder. He knows his boyfriend too well. Since debut Yabu has been overprotective towards the young boy.

"He's not a kid anymore Kota. Our Keito has grown up. Oh well, he's even dating Kei."

"I'm still trying to instill that fact in my brain. I hope Keito isn't his rebound."

Hikaru laughs. Keito and Inoo visited their room the moment they arrived in Nagoya yesterday. Keito feels it is only right to let Yabu and Hikaru knows about them first, before disclosing it to the other members. Inoo looked really happy sitting next to the man he loves. It has been a while since Hikaru see such joy beaming from the boy.

"I don't think so. Seems to me that they both love each other so much. Haven't seen Kei smile like that in a long while, even when he was dating Dai-chan."

Yabu holds Hikaru's hand. "I just don't want anymore scandal within the group."

"Keito is a good man,"

"I know, and I really do wish their relationship last. Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm thinking too much."

"You sound like a dad on his daughter's wedding day!" Hikaru laughs.

"I can't help it! Well technically, we raised them all."

Yabu stares as Keito put more fried rice on Inoo's plate. Inoo smiles at his boyfriend, thanking him cheerfully. The boy's appetite has returned. Keito has turned the gloomy Inoo into his cheerful self again.

"Here," Takaki put a fried shrimp on Inoo's bowl, watches by Daiki who is sitting next to Takaki, smiling at him. Inoo thanks Takaki, politely picks the shrimp and eat it, honouring the kind gesture the couple showed him.

Who would have thought the three of them would be able to sit opposite each other like this. No awkwardness, no jealousy, no more competition- just three acquaintances sharing a meal in peace.

Looking back, the year has been crazy for all three of them. But thanks to it too, Inoo found his real love. Part of him knew that he was only Daiki's rebound, thus he was reluctant to allow Daiki to visit his place, left alone moving in with him. Although he was glad to call Daiki his boyfriend, he couldn't help but worrying that Daiki would return to Takaki again. And his instinct was right.

It was not easy, especially after what Takaki did to him that night. Inoo lost his confidence. He knew he could never win against the fierce man. He let Daiki go, and bottled everything up to himself. The constant fear of being attacked again, the loneliness- caused him to make some foolish decisions.