Chapter Text
"One can even set up quite ridiculous cases. A cat is penned up in a steel chamber, along with the following device (which must be secured against direct interference by the cat): in a Geiger counter there is a tiny bit of radioactive substance, so small, that perhaps in the course of the hour one of the atoms decays, but also, with equal probability, perhaps none; if it happens, the counter tube discharges and through a relay releases a hammer which shatters a small flask of hydrocyanic acid. If one has left this entire system to itself for an hour, one would say that the cat still lives if meanwhile no atom has decayed. The psi-function of the entire system would express this by having in it the living and dead cat (pardon the expression) mixed or smeared out in equal parts."
Okuto Kinosaki isn’t stupid. He has spent months hearing about this seemingly benevolent Hikaru Gero. Don’t get him wrong, he will forever be grateful for his help; he knows he wouldn’t have been able to get out of that hospital bed and pursue his passion for photography without him.
He knows his brother. He wouldn’t sing praises of just anyone. While Okuto was in the hospital, his and Mei’s routine was always the same: he would come visit him when he had time — and he always made time — and they would talk about each other’s days with a smile on their faces, although not genuine, never genuine. Maybe in runs in the family; Okuto doesn’t want to worry Mei and he knows Mei doesn’t want to worry him, so they will keep up with the façade out of love for one another.
But ever since Gero hired Mei to be his marriage advisor, something has changed. Mei has always been proud of his work but there was something about this one job… It started off as any other, although more… humorous? He had gotten plenty of odd marriage requests over the years, it come with the job after all, but none so memorable and none with such an outcome from what he could remember. Regardless, Gero was just a client at first. Slowly, he started to notice his brother’s smile was sometimes more genuine; he would laugh more; there would be a twinkle in his eye when briefly talking about the latest date Gero fumbled or when going on and on about his "endearing" obsession with DIY candies. There was a warmth and affection about the way he talked about him that wasn’t there before when he was telling him about any of his other clients. And Okuto was happy for his brother. He seemed to be enjoying himself more than ever and he was on the mend as well, so Mei was worrying a bit less; he was glad things were looking up for him, for both of them.
He couldn’t quite place when things had changed, however. He started talking less about their endeavors if they related to one of Gero’s potential girlfriends, and when he did, he seemed distant, maybe even less prideful in his work, even though he insisted things were going just according to plan.
Okuto Kinosaki isn’t stupid. So when his brother came to him, practically begging him to help him with a surprise “marriage shoot practice”, he knew. Ah... So that's how it is... He knew better than to ask for now, though; Mei wouldn't reply honestly. He'd claim it's fine, that he's tired, maybe that his source of steady income will soon be no more. So he'll quiet. But he knows. And he thinks he knows he knows. After all, who asks for a marriage shoot when the prospect of tying the knot is months if not years away?
His brother claims the photoshoot will be good practice for both of them. So he agrees to take the pictures, of course he does. Hell, he even helps him go wedding dress shopping. He was surprised to find out that in his entire wardrobe — which has an entire room in his apartment dedicated to it — there wasn't a single wedding dress, but that's neither here nor there.
They browse dozens of shops before Mei finds the perfect one. "If we want this to amount to anything, I have to properly sell it to him. I can't half ass one of the most important practice dates he'll ever have!"
All the running around made Okuto feel like his heart might actually give up for real this time, but he thinks it all worth it when Mei steps out of the dressing room, trying to contain his smile. "This is it..." He can vaguely see him whisper to himself in the mirror.
They had never discussed what their ideal wedding day would look like, it just had never seemed important, nor appropriate maybe. He had once asked Mei if all the fake dating ever made him want to settle down. He had just laughed and said "And lose all this excitement?".
In that moment though, looking at Mei twirl around in the ivory princess gown he had picked, he forgets for a second that this was all for a pretend wedding.
He leans back on the couch, smiling, and tries to tune out the exciting conversation Mei seems to be having with the sales associate about veils.
When picture day finally comes, he tells Gero that it's a big deal to him, a way of thanking him for all he's done for him, or at least Gero takes it that way. And he wouldn't be wrong: he is grateful and it is a big deal. After all, it's not every day you get to see your bother get married — fake married. And what better, classically "Mei Kinosaki" way to meet the man that stole his brother's heart, and is also breaking it in the process, than this.
He'll give Mei that, Hikaru Gero is very charming, albeit in a dorky way. He doesn't know if he would necessarily be his type but he can see why he fell for him. He's attentive and genuine. And he may seem to be a bit thick at times, but even he must have realized that Mei mostly wanted to do this for himself; he was practically jumping in his seat while explains the plan earlier that day. He'll let him know though, just in case. They do seem to make a cute couple, and he's never seen Mei as happy as when they were taking the wedding pictures. His brother deserves to be happy, and Gero seems to genuinely care for him, so he'll do his part, play along with Mei's requests, while also trying to push things along, of course.
He finally takes the picture, and surprisingly, it turned out better than any of them could have hoped for. Okuto's training is paying off it seems, and he couldn't be more proud of himself. He pauses for a moment before printing the picture and thinks that whenever his brother does get married — and whatever power above willing, maybe even with Gero— he gets to look just like he does in that monent. And if it isn't to be with him, he hopes that he finds someone that looks at him with as much adoration as Gero does in that momet. He presses the print button and Mei takes the picture and holds it close and turns away.
He takes a deep breath and walks towards Gero. "So, um..." It's now or never. "Please take care of Mei, okay?"
Gero tilts his head. "Um, I'm the one who's getting taken care of here, though..."
So his assumption of him being a little oblivious was correct. "About this wedding shoot... I did want to do it, of course, but this was the first time Mei asked me so desperately for something... Even saying that this was a once-in-a-lifetime favor."
Gero's eyes widen. "What do you mean-"
Like in every cheesy romcom out there, their conversation naturally has to get interrupted by something just as he's about to reply to him. Ironic isn't it, he thinks.
Gero has to rush out and Mei says he understands and pats his shoulder and tells him to take care, all with a reassuring smile on his face. And while he runs out through the door, he thinks that Mei has never looked like he's yearned for something more in his entire life than in that moment.
Okuto Kinosaki loves his brother, he really does. And he'd promised himself that he'd bid his time and let his brother come to him when he's ready. But even he has limits to how far his love can stretch and for how long. He can't look past the picture sitting comfortably in the drawer in Mei's bedside table. He swears he was just looking for an extra charger for his phone. He told him to look in there, but he had not specified which of the nightstands to look into. And sure, he was curious as to who kept the pictures, but he was planning on asking straight up. He had definitely not expected to find out like this.
"So..." He says while holding the picture between two of his fingers.
Mei barely looks up from his laptop. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that. I was supposed to give it to Gero as a reminder of how far he's come, ya know. Would do his confidence some good."
Right... He sighs. "Listen, Mei, you know you can tell me anything right? It's not like I can't keep a secret."
His brother pauses his scrolling for a brief second, quick enough so that you wouldn't notice it unless you knew him well. "Yep." He says with a pop. "How about Vampires Suck?"
Okuto sits down next to him and closes the laptop shut. The movie can wait. "I don't want us going around in circles about this until one of us finally cracks. Why don't you tell him?"
They sit like that for a few minutes, with Okuto staring intently at Mei, while he, on the other hand can't seem to look him in eye. His hand absent-mindedly reaches for his chest for a moment, before dropping it back into his other palm to start picking at his perfectly manicured cuticles.
"It's not that simple, okay? I- I was hired to do a job and I will see it through. He seems interested in all the girls and it would be a dickish move to tell him and ruin the trust he has in me and possibly in himself. I mean, he was literally raised to overanalyze everything. He's just going to think that all I've done so far is give him false advice! He still has a ways to go when it comes to love, you know that... And plus... His family..."
Okuto rolls his eyes. "Mei, I've seen how he looks at you, you can't possibly think there isn't something there."
Mei chews on his lip. He can tell he knows he's not wrong; after all, he's made a lucrative career out of correctly assuming other people's feelings. He drops his head in his hands.
"But what if I'm wrong?" He smiles softly and turns around to finally look at his younger brother. "If I don't say anything, there's still a 50% chance he feels the same way..."
Okuto doesn't smile back. "You can't seriously believe that's the best course of action."
"Maybe it isn't, but I can't make a mess of this, okay. I will help him settle down happily and have his little picket fence with a suitable wife and maybe a few kids that can one day take over the family business, or whatever." He pauses. "Just... Trust me on this, please. I need to do this. And if that means all I get to do is live wondering whether he likes me or not, then so be it."
Okuto Kinosaki loves his brother. And in that moment, seeing the fierce determination in his eyes, and the tears swelling up around their corners, he knew to drop the subject. Maybe his love can stretch a little further for a little longer.
He grabs the laptop and plugs it into the HDMI cord. "Vampires Suck, was it?"
He trusts Mei, and all he could do was hope. He's seen Gero look at his dear brother as if he were brighter than the sun; his guiding light. He just wished he would let himself bask in the love and adoration he deserved.