Push Forever: Chapter Four

 

For the first month of this boring summer break, Jikan didn't get to talk to Maruki very much. Sitting at home most of the time, he decided to go out to Maruki’s to find out why he was too busy hang out. Solar powered night lamps that lit the way straight to his door cutely surrounded the walkway to Maruki’s home. Arriving at the door, Jikan paused a moment before knocking quickly a few times. Saeko greeted the guest happily and cheerfully, she told the guest that Maruki was not home at the time.

“Thank you Kaore san, may I know where he is?” having been his only friend, Saeko told him easily that he was at the gym down the road.

With directions from Saeko, Jikan darted off down the road quickly to go see him. Once he arrived, it wasn't hard to find him amongst the silver equipment, there were only three people in the building.

“Ne, Kaore kun, is this where you have been?” Jikan asked scarcely as he walked up to the bench press as to where Maruki lay. With half of summer vacation already gone, he would have hoped that this would have been a good time for him and Maruki to bond a little, become closer friends. “Why, uh what made you want to, to start training?” Lost for words, Jikan stood watching Maruki lift a miniscule twenty kilograms. Even with that, having grown to lift more and more for longer periods of time, Maruki had grown slightly in muscle mass. The last time he saw Maruki he was a skin and bone, still with a tiny frame, muscle mass was still noticeable on him.

Maruki had not been there long, so stopping was easy. The bar was gently placed back in the holders above his head, his legs on either side of the thin bench.

“Yeah, it kills time. Why?” Huffing slightly, Maruki wiped his forehead. In appearance, Maruki had not changed at all from the end of the school year. His baby cheeks were still very apparent, his wide round eyes were still surprisingly happy, height and weight looked the same. Yet something was different about him, something that Jikan couldn't pin point.

Jikan looked down at him, google eying him almost. Those sweet, coffee eyes surrounded by glistening golden skin had Jikan frozen for a moment. Having been only a month, but with only one friend, Jikan found that it seemed much longer without seeing Maruki.

“Ah, oh, no. Just wondering.” Jikan darted his eyes away after he noticed he was staring “Well, I um, I’ll leave you be.” He looked around nervously, attempting to keep his eyes off of him. “You probably need your concentration.” Jikan backed away slowly before spinning and walking away.

Maruki looked down at his lap as Jikan spoke, he never was one for strong eye contact, it made him feel obligated to do something. Nibbling on his bottom lip for a moment, he decided to stop Jikan before he left.

“Oi, Jikan. I’m not doing anything after. Want to go get a slush drink or something?” it was rare for Maruki to be nice, but as his mother had told him, it wasn't good to push people away.

Jikan stopped in his tracks when Maruki was talking. He darted back to him, happier then ever.

“Yes! I’d love to!” Jikan shouted accidentally. Finally a date that he didn't initiate though he would never tell Maruki that he considered the time they spent together dates.

Maruki nodded and lied down again, a small smile in the corner of his full lips.it felt odd to be nice once in a while, even to those who obsessed over others. The routine of two hours of various exercises for the day was finally over. Maruki jogged back home to take a quick shower before he went out with Jikan. When he was finished and got dressed into some street worthy clothes, he was surprised that Jikan was waiting outside his door for him.

The two walked down the dusk lit, quiet street, actually talking for once. First was common small talk about the weather. Of course with Maruki it turned into a small argument about the wind, if it was actually caused by the sun or not. After a few moments of silence, Jikan looked over to Maruki, looking over his attire.

“I like your clothes, are they new?” the silence was getting awkward, and he hadn’t complimented Maruki for a while.

Maruki looked down at himself, he had forgotten what he slipped over his still wet body. A long black fitted t-shirt with a single white skull and cross bones on it and text of ‘dead or alive’ underneath it. On his hips, he wore hip fitting, baggy, black microfiber pants with two open pockets on the right leg. Along the tops of the pockets were deep bars of neon yellow. Atop his white shirt was a faux silk black shirt with fabricated metallic stars scattered around.

“Oh thanks.” Maruki looked to his friend briefly, his coffee eyes looking away once again. His black attire matching his shiny black hair made his coffee eyes pop through his thin bangs. Those sweet coffee eyes returned to Jikan, looking over his clothing. “Is that a new shirt?” Asking to be nice, with no real interest yet he made it very convincing.

Jikan slightly blushed at Maruki’s question. Though it was entirely wrong, he was still happy Maruki noticed his clothing.

“No, no. This shirt I got last year. Do you like it?” The taller boy looked to his friend, eyes gleaming with hope.

Maruki looked over at the boy, his attire was clean and simple. A black holding up dark washed jeans that seemed centimeters too long for him, the still intact hems covered the laces of his running sneakers. His basic navy blue t-shirt with an abstract cityscape printed across the chest seemed fresh and new. His dark blue hoody was only half zipped up, weather was too nice to bundle up.

“Yes of course, it looks soft.” He thought that he was being abnormally kind, but it was the truth. Maruki tossed his hair gently, looking forward again.

The taller boy looked down at Maruki, almost concerned about his kindness as well.

“It is. Want to feel?” Though out of his comfort zone, Jikan felt comfortable enough around his friend to as him something as such. With a light chuckle and a small promising shake of the head, Maruki almost insultingly denied. “Oh, okei then.” Jikan paused a moment, a small grin growing on his lips “Your loss then.”

A pair of narrowed, unimpressed eyes slowly, almost comically scanned over towards Jikan. That was the first time he had ever heard such a line.

“My loss?” Falling right into his trap, Maruki dropped his shoulders and pouted slightly. “Fine, I’ll feel it.” Looking straight down the street, Maruki felt the small sleeve on Jikan’s shoulder. The small boy shrugged convincingly, “Eh, it’s soft I guess.” Maruki had a small grin form in the corner of his lips.

Jikan drooped forward, pouting in a whiny manner.

“Maa chan!” As soon as he hears his own words he stiffened, petrified. “A-ano. I’m sorry. I didn't mean to.” Jikan did feel genuinely sorry, Maruki told him not to call him by any form of nickname. Since that day he did very well, this one time was only a slip of the tongue.

Maruki’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing his nickname again. Waving off the mistake this one time, he looked off to the side, sadness has struck, and his quivering voice did not hide that well.

“No that's fine. I wont be around Aiya anytime soon anyways.” Lost in a train of thought about him now, Maruki was not even aware that he spoke of him.

Jikan stopped walking, only for a couple of steps.

“Wait, who’s that?” Jikan darted next to Maruki again, hoping for an answer. Never hearing of this person, Jikan was worried that Maruki was paired with this person. “Is that your girlfriend?” Having never met a male with that name, he assumed that Aiya was a female.

Hearing his question about who Aiya was, Maruki realized that he slipped up as well. Nervously running the side of his finger under his nose, his eyes darted to Jikan’s questioning face.

“No-no one. I don't even know why I said it.” Now the only person that swam in his mind was Aiya, hopefully Jikan would drop the subject so they could enjoy their drink together.

Jikan looked at Maruki’s lost eyes, he know he was stinking deeply about something.

“So is she your girlfriend?” Jikan was getting frustrated the longer it took him to answer. There was a buzz in the back of his skull that was convincing that his and this Aiya person were an item. The flare that was growing on Jikan’s cheeks was a growing jealousy.

Maruki’s teeth clenched together angrily, he inhaled deeply through his nose slowly. He didn't want to ruin this evening by snapping at Jikan’s stupidity.
“Aiya is a boy.” Though calm and collected, Maruki had anger in his voice nonetheless, Aiya was a very touchy subject.

Though never considering himself what he assumed Jikan was, Maruki did consider himself and Aiya an item. For TV being an only experience comparison for him, that was where he learned that others who cared for someone and looked after someone usually ended up as a couple.

“Aiya is my other half.” Thinking to himself, there was no other way that he could put it. Aiya was good, Aiya was timid, Aiya was sweet. Him and Aiya were a complete person when they were together.

Jikan’s eyes widened, his mind was still focused on the dating subject.

“You and Aiya are…” not fully asking the question, assuming Maruki got what he meant as to where he was going.  “Can, can I see him?” Curiosity now lay in the boys eyes.

Maruki was getting very touchy now that Jikan started to pry into the subject. Normally this was why Maruki was very careful in not mentioning Aiya’s name. unfortunately he failed just this one time.

“Look Jikan. Aiya is a boy, he was my best friend from childhood. And if I cant see him, you cant see him. Lets just go to the shop, get a slush and stop talking about the one person that I cared about that I cant see anymore.” Maruki was entirely defeated this time, reality finally set in that he could not see his one true friend anytime soon. The only hope he had left was that Aiya would not forget about him.

Jikan stepped over the line this time, but why wasn't Maruki shunning him like he normally did? Fiddling his fingers like he normally did when he was nervous, Jikan parted his lips as if he wanted to speak. No sound came out for the no words he had in his mind to say.

“I, I’m sorry I didn't know. I wont say it anymore.” Jealousy still lay deep in his heart, prying digging deeper in its meaty flesh, wanting to get out. Sooner or later, those tunnels of jealousy in his heart would soon break it, he knew that all too well. It didn't matter how hard he tried, he couldn't help but have feelings grow for Maruki, he was the only one that actually agreed to be friends with him, ever.

The rest of the walk to the small sit down shop was silent between the two. Upon arriving at the shop, Maruki ordered himself a watermelon slush, which contained one whole small watermelon. Jikan ordered a mango passion fruit smoothie for himself. When they received their drinks, Jikan’s looked milkier then it should have been, causing a small wrinkle on his nose to form. The two sat on the couch across from the counter,, drinking their beverages in silence. Maruki overall enjoyed his refreshing drink, having come from the gym it quenched his thirst perfectly. Though it looked milky and thick, Jikan thought that his tasted rather good it was just very misleading.

The silence was very enjoyable, though it got Maruki thinking about Aiya again, but peaceful thoughts. Unfortunately for the two friends in the quiet store, their silence was soon interrupted by a small group of peers who barged in the door. Looking up at the small crowd, a small groan of hate passed Maruki’s lips. Shiya and his friends Fumi and Kira barged in the small shop like it was a football field.

“Hey!” Shiya focused on Maruki, the one person he had been obsessed with since he moved to the city. “Look whose here guys!” Still on about the sports thing from last year, Maruki was not happy to see him. “Ma-ru-ki! What are you doing here?”

Maruki’s sweet coffee eyes rolled the focused on the table. He lazily yet almost intimidatingly held his drink between his fingertips between his parted knees.

“Hello Shi-i-ya. What do you want?” frustration and a threatening tone laced Maruki’s natural sweet, childish voice. in a single blink, his focus moved from the table, beaming up at Shiya. A cold heartless glare cut through the air like a razor towards Shiya.

Fumi and Kira stayed near the door as Shiya strut towards Maruki in his macho wannabe stride. He was taller and bulkier then Maruki, but overall not stronger. Maruki stood up as soon as Shii stepped his way. The bulkier boy stepped inches away from the shorter, black haired boy.
“Ma-ru-ki. Don't push me” His macho attitude was nothing compared to his real personality. He knew his real personality and felt no threat from him. Staring coldly in the others eyes, both Maruki and Shiya didn't move nor breathe.

Maruki held a taunting grin in the corner of his lips whatever Shiya had planned he was ready for. Jikan curled his legs in close to his chest as he curled in a ball in the corner of the couch. One he didn't want to see Maruki hurt, two he didn't want Shiya touching him at all.

“Shi-i-ya. I’m not pushing anything.” It was like a monkey showdown, proving one’s dominance by mere composure.

Staring coldly in a threatening posture for moments longer, Shiya made the first move, grabbing Maruki in a chokehold, rubbing his knuckles on his head. The pain and the messing of his hair caused Maruki to push Shiya away quickly. First he fixed his hair then he snarled at Shiya darkly.

“Got you Kaore! How’ve you been?” Still fixing his hair, Maruki only grumbled at him. Shiya went to grab him again, but Maruki jumped away before he could be trapped in a chokehold again. Shiya snapped his fingers and gave Maruki a players finger point.

Maruki’s head still hurt, but thankfully his hair was put back into place. He looked up at Shiya through his bangs, annoyed at his personality already.

“Good until you got here.” Maruki folded his arms across his chest, having Shiya gone as quickly as possible would be a miracle. Looking over at Jikan cowered in the corner of the couch, Maruki stepped over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

A simple touch, but it had a warming feeling to it, somehow giving Jikan courage. His stiff shoulders relaxed under Maruki’s warm touch quickly, the stress of seeing a possible fight diminished as well. The small hand that gripped his shoulder gently was much like a father to son touch, giving Jikan more confidence.

“What are you doing here Shiya? You have a knack for showing up places where you’re not wanted. “ Jikan stepped out of his comfort zone, he only realized it after he spoke. It was Maruki’s fault for his confidence booster.

Fumi and Kira quickly joined Shiya after that comment. They were like Shiya’s posy always following him everywhere, creating a bad boy image. Shiya puffed out his chest and placed both hands on his hips.

“Whadya say there Jii chan?” it was a small insult, and something Jikan had never heard before. “Saying I’m not wanted?” Shiya’s natural bigger body type made Jikan curl in a tighter ball, pulling Maruki in front of him like a shield. Maruki made a small shocked sound, his confused eyes glazing down at him questionably. First he was an item that could be owned and now he was a shield? What else could Maruki be to Jikan?

Maruki pried his arm from the vice of which was Jikan’s grasp, accidentally hitting himself in the process. That's it Maruki, great way to look cool.

“Shii calm down, leave him alone. And you, Jikan.” Maruki’s round coffee eyes narrowed down at the boy curled on the couch, “Stop taunting him, it’s not worth it.” Maruki was not used to being mediator between people. No one normally talked to him or his friends to require a mediator.

Shiya glared at Jikan, soon forgetting about him to focus on Maruki.

“So Kaore, what do you plan on doing in high school?” There was no general interest involved, he was just curious as to if he would join a sports team or not.

Maruki snarled at his question, even on summer break he was asking about that. This time he knew that Shiya would have been surprised.
“Actually I plan on going into the Soccer Club. Thought I might participate in something for once.” After pestering him for a year, Maruki finally agreed to it. Shii’s jaw was hanging to the floor, his dark, carefree eyes soon lit up brightly. This was his day, finally he got the person he wanted the most into the sport of his dreams.

Shiya grabbed Maruki’s shoulders tightly he was beyond overjoyed.
“Thank you Kaore! Thank you!” Shiya couldn't help himself, the person he hardly knew finally joined his rein. Shiya almost couldn't stand still now he was vibrating with excitement. “Are you still going to hang out with this loser still?” he motioned towards Jikan, who was finally relaxed under Maruki’s touch, there was a sly grin on Shiya’s lips.

Though he was not the perfect friend, nor was he the most talkative, Jikan was still a very good friend. The sad look in his narrower doe eyes that peered up at Maruki, begged him to say something for him.

“Shiya, just because he is not like you, doesn't make him a loser. He is actually very cool, you just need to get to know him.” He was now in defensive mode and he wasn't even sure as to why. Jikan’s doe eyes begged him, and he needed to defend his friend.

Jikan whimpered at Shiya’s comment, sure he may have said something to him sarcastically, but that was uncalled for. Jikan pulled himself to his feet using Maruki’s arm as his assistance, though he was trying to be courageous, fear welled in his eyes. It didn't help that he was cowering from Shiya behind Maruki’s shoulder slightly. A bigger boy using a smaller boy as a shield, now that was something that was rarely seen, unless you were Jikan that is.

Shiya scoffed at the cowering boy, even Maruki for defending him. He took a step back, his lips parted as if he wanted to say something. Having rarely been second guessed or even talked back to, Shiya was lost for words for a moment.
“Well when you aren’t busy Kaore, come talk to me. I want to be able to discuss the soccer team with you.”  As politely as possible, Shiya ignored Jikan for the last few moments in the shop. Though he was now going from the senior team of the junior high school to the junior team of the high school, he was still in charge of that team.

Giving the frustrated yet contained Shiya a nod before waving him off, Maruki turned and narrowed his coffee orbs at Jikan.
“Jikan do you not have any common sense? Never taunt someone bigger than you!” Though he sounded angry, he only meant well for Jikan. He may have been taller than Shiya, but Jikan was physically smaller then him.

Jikan wanted to protest against Maruki, it was his who started it in the first place. Jikan parted his lip and let out a small puff of air, Maruki’s maturity always got to him.

“I’m sorry. I felt strange and then I couldn't stop the words from coming out.” They were wise words of a tortured kid finally standing up for himself. Though it was only strength that came from Maruki’s help, Jikan was starting to feel bad that he upset him. “I’m sorry I wont do it again.” In a blink of an eye, Jikan turned back into an obedient puppy that belonged only to Maruki.

Grabbing his shoulder brotherly, Maruki sent a small smile to Jikan. He spun on his heels to grab his drink, which was most likely well thawed by now and become a big mess that was nothing but diluted liquid and pulp. Maruki hesitated in taking a sip from the cylindrical tube it was very questionable. Taking a cautious sip, Maruki quickly spat it back in though the straw.

“Ah!” pulp and water were all he could taste, it was no longer drinkable. “Just don't do it again okei?” he was quickly turning Jikan into Aiya, protecting him and watching over him like an older brother.

It was all unintentional, Maruki could never forget Aiya, but subconsciously he was replacing him. Having matured to quickly when he was younger, he knew how to deal with loss like this deep in his mind. Maruki was letting go of the only thing that completed him.