Chapter Text
Shion stared at the phone in his hands. Its screen was dark, and he could make out all the dirty fingerprints from years of use. His thumb grazed over the surface, blurring out the sharp lines of dirt.
Shion sighed. He glanced at the bright green flyer sitting next to him. There was a number on it Shion was desperate to dial, but he couldn’t even bring himself to turn on his phone.
Bzzz.
Shion jumped. The dark screen was now lit.
1 New Message.
Shion knew who it would be from, so he hesitated to open it. But, since he did know who it was, it was probably safer to open it rather than ignore it, whatever it said.
From Safu: Did you call about the apartment yet?
Of course Safu was pestering him about the apartment. She was like his second mom, even though his real mom pestered him more than enough. But his biological mom was away at the moment, so Safu was her temporary replacement.
To Safu: No, not yet.
His phone buzzed barely a second after he hit send.
From Safu: And why not?
Shion groaned. Although he was anxious to make the call, he knew Safu wouldn’t get off his case until he did.
To Safu: Give me a minute. I’ll do it now.
Shion stared at the screen another minute before pulling up the dialing pad. He glanced at the paper and punched in the number.
His thumb hovered over the ‘call’ button. Should he really be doing this? There were so many other options for residence – though none quite as desirable – and Shion knew finding a place to live while attending university shouldn’t be this stressful. Safu didn’t even know the full extent of Shion’s worries over this call…
And why not? Shion could hear Safu’s voice echo in his head.
He hit ‘call’ and jerked the phone up to his ear before he could stop to think it through.
Rrrriiiinnnnggggg. Rrrriiiinnnnggggg. Rrrriiiinnnnggggg.
“Who's this?”
Shion took a deep breath. If this really was the same guy, Shion couldn’t have expected a warm welcome.
“Hi, is this Nezumi? My name is Shion. I called about sharing an apartment?”
The line was silent for a moment. Was he too direct? Was it not Nezumi? Did Nezumi remember him…?
“Oh shit, did I forget to take those flyers down?”
“Er…what?”
“Where did you find out about the offer?”
“Um…there’s a café in downtown L.A.…” Nezumi had forgotten to take the flyer down…that probably meant he wasn’t looking for a roommate anymore. Had he already found someone to room with? Shion wouldn’t have been surprised; that flyer looked like it had been there awhile. It was a long shot, anyways. “I’m sorry. Did you already find someone to room with?”
Shion could hear a long, drawn out sigh from the other end of the line, crackled from the bad connection. “No, actually…what did you say your name was?”
“S-Shion – "
“And Shion, how do you suppose to pay for rent?”
Shion let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding. Maybe there was still hope – maybe Nezumi’s current roommate was really bad, and he was looking for a new one anyways. “My mother is loaning me money – "
“Do you live in L.A. already?”
“No, I’m in West Block right now – "
“Ah, I’m sorry, I’m from there too. No wonder you want to get out. Why L.A.?”
“I’m going to university and I need a place to stay – "
“Well why the hell would you want to room with me?”
Because even if you don’t remember me, I remember you. And there’s something about you that intrigues me…
“…because you’re within my price range. And you’re close enough to the university.”
“Okay, Shion, sounds like we have a deal. When would you like to move in?”
What?! He would let me move in with him that easily? That didn’t sound like the Nezumi he remembered. “What – ! I mean, I haven’t even looked at the place, and – " Shion cringed, “ – you don’t even know me – "
“Then you can come around one tomorrow. I’m not busy. You can check out the place, and I can check you out – "
Shion blushed at Nezumi’s choice of words.
“ – and we can work things out then. Sound good?”
“Um, yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow, I guess?”
“See you tomorrow. And just ignore the first floor resident. They’re a dick. Just tell them you want to head up to the second floor, and they should leave you alone. Bye.”
“Bye – "
Shion lowered his phone away from his ear when Nezumi hung up, and put it back in his pocket.
It sure sounded like the same Nezumi he had met on the bus all those years ago…the same one he hadn’t talked to since that bus ride. Shion had seen him passing through the hallways at West Block Middle School, but they had never made conversation. And Shion didn’t see him at all in high school, and could only assume Nezumi went to a different one.
But Shion hadn’t forgotten Nezumi. He was the first one – maybe even the only one – that Shion had felt a real connection with in West Block. He felt his cheeks burn when he remember how he had asked Nezumi about being life-long friends, and covered his face with his hands even though he was the only one around. He was so ignorant then – to think that he could have actually made a friend in one bus ride…it was ridiculous. West Block had hardened him enough since then for him to realize how ridiculous that notion was.
Yet every time he recalled the event, he remembered a certain attraction he had felt towards the other boy. Something about his mysterious persona that wasn’t mysterious at all, something about his charm, and something about his honesty. Something about how Nezumi had walked away before Shion could thank him for saving him. Something about how he had never talked with Nezumi since. All these things about Nezumi intrigued him, and had kept Nezumi in the back of Shion’s mind for years.
He hadn’t forgotten about Nezumi, not even now that he had graduated high school and was going off to college. So, naturally, when he saw the flyer at the coffee shop for someone named Nezumi requesting a roommate, Shion couldn’t help but indulge his curiosity. Though, admittedly, it took a lot more guts than Shion originally thought. It seemed like fate was on his side, though, since Nezumi’s apartment was only a couple of blocks away from the university Shion was attending.
He couldn’t be positive, but Shion had a feeling that no matter how crappy Nezumi’s apartment was, or how dick-like his neighbors were, he would move in with Nezumi.
Shion felt his pocket buzz. He pulled out his phone –
1 New Message
From Safu: When are you moving out?
Shion smiled, and went to get his suitcase.
To Safu: Probably tomorrow.
He had a lot of packing to do if things went the way he expected them to.