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Title<\/b>: Better Than A Book Token [Okamoto\/HSJ]
\nRating\/Warnings<\/b>: PG-13 for dorkery.
\nSummary<\/b>: Keito is worried about what to get the other members in the gift exchange to show what they mean to him. Yuto just fails at romance.
\nAN<\/b>: Thanks to my beta and to the mods for running the exchange. Merry Christmas, Lockability!<\/p>\n
Christmas time was approaching in Tokyo, the air turning cold and the stores piping mangled versions of Western carols cheerfully into the streets. Inside the Jimusho, amidst the rapidly multiplying bunches of mistletoe and unfortunately costumed juniors, Johnny\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s newest debuted group was wrapping up their practice for the day. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153And that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the schedule for the next couple weeks,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yabu finished, then without looking up from his sheaf of papers, added, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Dai-chan and Yama-chan, stop pouting.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Keito chuckled as Daiki and Yamada scowled at being caught and pulled faces at Yabu; Takaki made a face right back at them. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153So, I guess we can all go home, unless I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m forgetting something?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re forgetting the most important thing!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Ryutarou spoke up, making everybody turn towards him. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153When are we trading presents?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Presents?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Takaki laughed. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You really are a kid, aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yeah!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chinen interrupted from near Takaki\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s waist. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Presents!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Presents!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Hikaru and Yuto echoed, eyes bright. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6you.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Takaki finished, rolling his eyes. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maa, that is important, isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t it? Hmm,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yabu tapped his chin and exchanged a glance with Hikaru, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153how about we exchange presents before we film the Christmas episode of Hi! Hey! Say!? That gives everyone two weeks to find gifts.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Everyone seemed satisfied with that, and went on about their business, changing and packing up their things and going their separate ways either to catch the train home or get something to eat. <\/p>\n
Everyone except Keito, that was. Lost in thought, he didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t notice that he was the last person still in his practice clothes until Yabu clapped him on the shoulder, making him jump six inches in the air. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Y-yabu-kun?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d he gasped. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You might want to drink less coffee milk, ne,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yabu advised. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Something wrong? Everybody else is changed already.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito shook his head. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was just thinking about the present exchange.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Really?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yabu tilted his head at Keito as he pulled his coat on. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seem to have any trouble with it last year.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I gave everyone a book token,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito answered, wrinkling his nose. <\/p>\n
Yabu nodded. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s wrong with that?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s just that last year,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito tried to explain, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I barely knew any of you. And this year, now you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re my friends.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Aw, Keito-chan,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d a familiar voice cooed behind Keito. He tried to scramble away, but Hikaru caught him with a casual arm around his neck and roughed up his hair. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You really do love us!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re strangling me!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito wailed, but Hikaru\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s grip only tightened. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153After all,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Hikaru continued, ignoring him, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Christmas is a time to show how much people mean to you, right? So if we really do mean a lot to you, you should probably put a lot more effort into it than book tokens, right? Only a real idiot would get book tokens for his band members that take care of him and support him and see him naked so often during the year, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you think?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nothing wrong with book tokens,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yabu advised, peeling Hikaru away from a flailing Keito. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Stop giving Keito-kun a complex.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
But as Hikaru and Yabu strolled off together, Hikaru mouthing \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Book tokens are for weenies\u00e2\u20ac\u009d over his shoulder before Yabu punched him, Keito really couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t help but agree. Still thinking about it, he finished changing and slung his bag over his shoulder before heading out into the hallway. <\/p>\n
Farther down the hallway, Yamada was scolding Yuto loudly, and Keito nearly ducked back into the dressing room to give them some privacy, but neither of them seemed to notice him anyway. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Christmas is a very special time in a relationship,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yamada was saying. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And since this is our first Christmas as an official couple, you definitely have to get me something really special.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yuto started.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Because if you show up here with a book token, there definitely won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be any mistletoe in your future,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yamada finished, voice very serious. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Got it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Got it,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yuto answered in a small voice. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Great!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yamada leaned up on his tiptoes to kiss Yuto\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s cheek. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153See you tomorrow!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Yamada skipped happily off, Christmas tree-patterned scarf flapping behind him, and Yuto sighed heavily as Keito approached.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s wrong with book tokens?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yuto asked Keito plaintively, and Keito patted his shoulder. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know what to get him at all! Ne, Keito-kun, what should I do?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got the same problem,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito said, then explained about wanting to show the other members this year that they meant a lot to him. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Want to go shopping together? It might even be fun.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
They agreed to meet in Shibuya the following Sunday, and when Keito got off the train, he found Yuto already waiting for him, bundled up in a puffy white coat that made him look like a tall snowman with a very silly hat. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s wrong with my hat?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yuto frowned, reaching up to touch the purple wool and making the bell dangling off the point of it jingle. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s important to keep your head warm so you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get sick! Eighty percent of your body heat escapes from your head, you know.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I can see your romance problem is deeply rooted,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito said gravely, then tugged Yuto off down the sidewalk before he could do anything more than frown harder. <\/p>\n
They went in and out of a handful of shops, but nothing seemed right to either of them. Yuto thought the clothing was all silly and Keito thought that all of them had enough jewelry as it was. They even tooled around in the Tower Records for a little while, figuring that at least they could find something good for Daiki and Hikaru in the Rock section, but in the end Keito decided that really a Tower Records token wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t any better than a book token. <\/p>\n
Several hours later, freezing and still empty-handed, Keito and Yuto agreed that it was time for a break, and ended up thawing out in a little coffee shop. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153And a cookie!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yuto added to the end of his order. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Chocolate chip!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh, I want one too!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito said, and the waitress scribbled it down and bustled off. Keito chuckled at Yuto. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153As soon as you said that, I wanted one too.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Of course!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yuto tilted his head, as though Keito were stating a basic fact of life. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Everybody loves cookies.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Everybody does love cookies,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito agreed. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do you remember last time Yaotome-san baked some for Hikaru to bring in and Daiki took one over to where Takaki was sleeping and\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6THAT\u00e2\u20ac\u2122S IT!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Yuto jumped at Keito\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sudden outburst. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Cookies!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito grinned. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll bake everybody Christmas cookies!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153That is a good idea,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yuto said, and they both thought about it for a second as the waitress returned with their coffee and cookies. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ne, but that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s definitely not romantic enough for Yama-chan.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153At least it takes care of the other members,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito offered, blowing on his coffee before taking a sip. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Then you can concentrate on Yamada.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Mm.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yuto bit off a mouthful of cookie and chewed, still thinking. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maybe I could get him a hat.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Having deep concerns about leaving Yuto\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s romantic life in Yuto\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hands alone, Keito said that maybe they should go back to that last jewelry shop and take another look. <\/p>\n
So it was that Keito found himself in Yuto\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s kitchen, surrounded by baking supplies and wearing a pink apron with an English slogan that he sincerely hoped Nakajima-san couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t understand printed on it in silver. <\/p>\n
Yuto, whose apron had a neon green Christmas tree with a horrifying rainbow of sparkly ornaments, asked, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Tell me again why we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re in my<\/i> kitchen?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153My kitchen\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s useless. My mother\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s an ex-supermodel,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito snorted, flipping through a handful of pages that he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d printed out from the internet. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Did you think my father married her because she could cook?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153My mother says that if we touch her Cuisinart,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yuto\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s face was very serious, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153she\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll mail us to the North Pole, and the packages will be small to save on postage.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153So, I thought we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d try a bunch of different kinds of cookies,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito explained, then showed Yuto some of the notes that he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d scribbled on one of the pages.<\/p>\n
Yuto examined the pages for a moment, then nodded, grinning. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a really good idea! Keito-kun\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s really smart, ne.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153More importantly than being smart, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d better hope I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m better at baking than my mother,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito brushed off Yuto\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s compliment, blushing. <\/p>\n
He wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t, as it turned out, but in the end Nakajima-san, no doubt fearing for the safety of her Cuisinart, stuck her head in to ask how things were going. After a glance between the two flour-dusted idols and the state of the concoction inside the mixing bowl, she tied on another disturbingly sloganed apron and pitched in to help, commenting only that a hidden camera would be worth a lot of money right about then. <\/p>\n
By the time the day of the present exchange rolled around, Keito and Yuto were practically bouncing from trying to keep their idea a secret, and when they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d all gathered and Yabu finally asked who wanted to go first, Keito waved his hand in the air almost before he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d finished asking the question. <\/p>\n
Everyone watched with curiosity as Yuto produced a bag and Keito reached inside to pull out a series of bundles, wrapped in red and green cellophane and tied with gold and silver ribbons. They handed one bundle to each member, but said they had to wait to open them until everybody had one and then do it all at once. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Okay, go!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito said when everybody had theirs, and as they all dug into the cellophane, suddenly he was overcome with the fear that everyone would think that their idea was really silly. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Cookies!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Takaki exclaimed in glee, and the others echoed the sentiment one after the other.<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Wow, so many kinds!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chinen whistled. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Did you guys bake these?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yup!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yuto beamed, pleased with the world because he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d already warned that Yamada would get his real present later, when they were alone, and had gotten a little pre-reward. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It was Keito\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s idea.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a different kind for each member,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito explained, feeling self-conscious, but the others immediately demanded to know which kind they were. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yabu-kun is the butter cookies, cause it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the oldest recipe, and he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been around forever but we all still like him. Hikaru-kun is the peanut cookies because he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s nuts.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Keito paused while Yabu and Hikaru made faces and everybody else laughed. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Takaki-kun is the kabocha cookies, since the recipe came from Kansai, and Inoo-kun is the miso cookies because the flavors kind of quiet, but all of the sudden you realize that you really like it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Dai-chan is the sesame seed cookies,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yuto took over when Keito had to clear his throat from all the talking. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Because they came out the smallest.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153HEY,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Daiki exclaimed, but everybody else laughed. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Me!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chinen demanded, tugging on Yuto\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sleeve. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do me next!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re chocolate chip,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yuto answered willingly, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153because nobody can resist you, especially when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re all soft and squishy.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d He squished Chinen into a hug to demonstrate, ignoring Chinen\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s half-hearted protests that Yabu was squishing his cookies too. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And Yama-chan is sugar cookies, because he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s really sweet~.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153God, you two are gross<\/i>,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Ryutarou complained while Hikaru made gagging motions, but Yamada just chewed one of his cookies smugly and watched Yuto out of half-slit eyes until Yuto was blushing with embarrassment and pleasure. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re the jam cookies,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito informed Ryutarou. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Because you seem like a normal cookie on the outside, but there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a lot of weird stuff going on in the middle.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Proving Keito\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s point, Ryutarou seemed pleased with that description. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153What about you two?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yabu asked. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Which two are you?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m green tea,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yuto answered. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Because I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m kind of weird, but everybody seems to like me anyway.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153And I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m the shortbread cookies, because they come from England,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito finished. He cleared his throat and looked around at the others. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153So\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6how is it?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153You put a lot of thought into this, didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yabu asked, putting an arm around Keito\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s shoulders when Keito nodded and dropped his eyes, cheeks turning pink. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It feels like Keito-kun spent a lot of time thinking about each of us, so I feel really touched.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yuto-kun too!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Chinen added, squeezing Yuto tighter. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Thank you!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Everyone else echoed Yabu and Chinen\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sentiments, and Keito blushed even harder, but couldn’t stop from grinning as the others sampled the different kind of cookies and told each other how tasty they were. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Maa, but we really have to keep going!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Yabu clapped his hands after another minute. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s still a lot of members with presents, and we have to do the filming! Hikaru, why don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you go next?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
Hikaru looked a little flustered, and Keito wondered why until Hikaru dropped identical little cards into each member\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hands. <\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Is this\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Keito raised an eyebrow. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6a book token?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I ran out of time!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Hikaru protested, blushing furiously. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was busy!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d And Keito took more than a little satisfaction out of Inoo telling Hikaru that he wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seeing much mistletoe in Hikaru\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s future.\n<\/p>\n