Part 3: “be open-minded!”

…There are footsteps coming up the stairs…
…Sounds of someone moving up things in the room…
…Who’s there? ...
Hitori opened his eyes slowly to find the sight of his clock on the table in front of him; it is 10 a.m. Sun shines outside but it didn’t hit the window. The sun must rise from the other side of the building since at noon; he can see sun sets through his window.
He looked at the other end of the room near the door entrance while still lying on his futon. There’s a guy putting down his rose garden painting on the floor and paste up an empty paper on the drawing board. He is setting up his drawing kits and cleaning up all of his stuff. Then, he looked behind his shoulder to Hitori.
Hitori’s eyes widen to find a real handsome guy standing in front of him. He is about 180cm tall, he had dark hair and a dark colored shady eyes. He also seems shock to see Hitori who had awaken.
“Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to wake you up.” He said with a husky voice.
Hitori still haven’ found words to say and he is still lying on his futon. He thought that this guy is really good-looking, he hasn’t yet ever found a guy as beautiful as this before that he had become so speechless and immobile.
“Nice to meet you and, good morning! You must be Hitori, ne? I’m Tanou Takahashi…” He said, smiling welcomely. “Now that I’m no longer a stranger, you can at least say a word or two…” He said sounding like trying to wake Hitori up from his statue position.
“Aa… Sorry…” Hitori said and he sat up. He didn’t say anymore than that….
“I’m sorry coming in this early. I know that it must be a day off for you so you might want to wake up a little later… it’s okay if you want to go back to sleep.”
“Oh… No… Really… It’s okay…” Hitori said. “I want to go to buy some things to cook at the market anyway…”
Tanou put a hideous smile on his lips and he went back to his drawing board. He needs to make three paintings for his assignment. There’s no time for him to entertain a school boy. He got to get busy! Behind him, Hitori is folding up his futon and place them back inside his drawer. He took off his shirt and took his towel. He then just walks straight to the bathroom.
Tanou colored up the paper in green shades before getting to paint the real picture. He hasn’t had any idea yet for his three paintings. The theme would be on ‘home’. What is it that made him feels homey? Nothing? God!!; He thought to himself. Hitori got out from the bathroom and get inside the room. That’s when Tanou get a real good look of him. He then thought; what a real cute school boy... Big brown eyes and dyed blond hair… He’s a complete ‘set’. Especially with a wet look like that…
Hitori got dressed behind him. Tanou didn’t peek a look but he knew that Hitori’s body is still not fully shaped yet and he’s skinny.
Just as he passed Tanou to go downstairs, he looked at him and say, “Jaa…” with a soft voice, Tanou noticed.
“Jaa…” Tanou replied trying to sound casual. Shit, he’s really something, he thought.
***
“Have you eaten yet, Takahashi-san?” Hitori asked Tanou soon after he reaches the room.
“Oh please… call me Tanou. I haven’t had anything yet.” Tanou said.
“Would you like something to eat? I’ll prepare breakfast…” Hitori offered him.
“Ah… thank you. I would like to taste the cooking of a winner anyway.” He said, smiling and let out a little laugh.
Hitori laughs too and smiles brightly. “In a minute…” As he went down the stairs, he thought, what’s up with me? I never cared for anyone before except for my mother. Now, I’m asking a stranger whether he had eaten or not? Weird…
Downstairs, he made sandwiches, a couple of garlic breads and mushroom soups. He places them on the tray. He then pours in two glasses of orange juice, places them on the tray too, and went back upstairs.
Tanou had just finishes his first painting. It’s a drawing of a messy room. It is what he had in mind would be of a comfortable homey bed room. He smiles his hideous smile. Just then, Hitori came back into the room holding a tray of food with his both hands.
“Sorry for interrupting, could you move my table to the middle of the room, please?” Hitori asked Tanou politely.
Tanou quickly removes all the things from Hitori’s Japanese table and move it to the middle of the room. Hitori then places the tray on the table. They both sit down at the table.
“Dozo…” Hitori said.
“Itadakimasu!” Tanou said in a happy tone as he took a bite from the sandwich. He got his eyes pop-out a little. “Wow… Real tasty…” Tanou said.
“Really?” Hitori asked happily and put on a big green on his face. He likes praises very much. He laughs a little while rubbing his head, sounding kind of proud. “Thank you…” He said.
“At first, I thought that my mom had an affair with you or something…” Tanou said, laughing…
Hitori is in shocked to learn that and let out a silly laughs at Tanou.
“She just seemed to have interest in this restaurant more than any of her other restaurants. But then, I realize you are special after all. You made just a simple sandwich but the taste is really… special.” He added. “Anyway, you don’t seem to be the kind of person who would fall for an older woman… Do you have a girlfriend?” He asked.
“Ah… No…” Hitori said, shaking his head. He thinks I’m special. Last I heard of anyone who would think or call me special was my mother…, he thought.
“Really? Wow… I thought that a guy with a cute face like you do have ‘someone’.” Tanou said again, laughing.
Hitori is surprised to learn that Tanou thinks he’s cute but he just ignored the feelings. “I never really had any… not even friends…” Hitori added.
“Why is it so?” Tanou asked, having himself another slice of sandwich.
“Huh? Um… Just… that I prefer to be alone and I haven’t found anyone that interests me, that’s all.” Hitori answered, and sips a little of his juice.
“So, it has to be someone that catch your interest, is it?” Tanou asked, putting on his hideous smile.
“I… I guess so…” Hitori said. Why is he smiling like that and why do he have to ask this kind of question?, Hitori thought to himself.
“Well, as for me, I want someone who can really fit into imagination. Someone I can draw of. He or she must be really special, or else I wouldn’t want him or her…” Tanou said imaginatively.
“He? Him?” Hitori asked looking puzzled. He thought that he might’ve misheard what Tanou said.
“Yes. Someone who’s supposed to be special for me could be a girl and could also be a guy, right?”
Hitori had a shocked of his life! How could this guy be so open over everything? He thought. He never even thinks that it’s possible for a guy to love another guy.
“If it’s a girl, I would marry her the old normal usual ways but, if it is a guy, I would take him to Canada and got married!” He laughs hard, evilly, as soon as he finishes his words…
Hitori went all numb and immobile. He is in total shock.
“Are you going to eat that?” Tanou asked Hitori innocently. “Ah… I’ll eat that. You can make them for yourself later.” He made that selfish statement and ate Hitori’s meal. “Thanks for the food!” he said happily and got up to get back to his work.
Where in the world am I living in? Hitori thought to himself as he can finally find his strength to move again. He cleans up everything on the tray and get up. Tanou is…, He thought as he reached the stairs. He looked back at Tanou for a while and went down the stairs; …interesting…, He finishes his thought.
***