Velvet Chances

The lonely dream

He slammed his hand onto the top of the table. The dream! It had come again. Why? He moaned as his head throbbed. He searched with his hand along the smooth surface of the bedside table. He found the pack of smokes. Picking it up, he pushed himself off of the mattress. His head. He sat up, holding it. He pried one eye open. The pack in his hand was empty. He growled, crumbling it up. He tossed in the vague direction of the garbage can. He needed to quit anyway. Kaoru hated smoking.

He liked the smell of pipe weed, not tobacco. He used to say. Had it really been nearly six years. Kojiro sighed. He scratched at his bare chest. He wore nothing as he sat on the edge of the bed.

The dream. The day he last saw him. Kaoru Sakurayashiki, his one time best friend. Kojiro let out another deep sigh. He reached up to pull the tie out of his messy green hair. He rubbed at the hairs on his chin. He didn't feel like shaving today. He stood.

The dream, more like a nightmare. It haunted Kojiro. Kaoru had chosen him. Adam. The charming young heir to the Shindo family fortune. He was wealthy, like Kaoru's family. He was charming, Kojiro had tried to be. He was perfect if you asked Kaoru. Kojiro was flawed. He was a useless monkey that could, or would, only work in his parents shoe shop. Never mind all the stuff Kojiro did for Kaoru. That was nothing compared to what Adam could give the free, young, socialite. Kaoru chose to go back to the world he claimed to despise, whenever he had been alone with Kojiro.

Kaoru, his first love. Kojiro brushed the mess of his hair out of his eyes. He stood walking to the joining bathroom. A shower. That was what he needed. Six years. Kojiro shook his head. The first six minutes had been hard. After that it just got worse. Kojiro turned the water on as hot as it would go.

He shifted to look in the mirror. He was handsome, at least the ladies liked his face. He had no problems getting one into his bed if, or when, he desired. His soft red brown eyes were dull. He let out another, longer, sigh. He had to shake this off. Today was a big day for him. Today he was going to be Sous Chef. Well, acting Sous Chef until Mari came back. She went out on maternity leave yesterday. It was why he was so tired today. They had a going away/ baby shower for her. He had made the cake. She had loved. Of course she spent most of the night telling him how to do her job. He chuckled as he stepped into the hot spray of water.

No more thoughts of Kaoru. He ordered his brain, letting the water wash over his face. He twisted to get his head under the water. Washing his hair, he watched the soap slide down between his pecs. He had begun working out after Kaoru left. He was rather muscular now. Another thing the ladies loved. Yes, he loved women, but his first, honestly, his only, love had been Kaoru.

Quickly he washed the rest of himself. He turned the water off, dried his sculpted body, brushed his teeth then headed back to his room. It was a bit of a mess. He would have to clean it. His eyes went to the bare side table. He blew out the breath. Right, no smokes. He needed to quit! He told himself once more. He went to the closet. Pulling out underwater, his Chef jacket and black slacks, he put everything on. He found a new hair tie, pulling his wet hair up into bun, he fastened it.

Heading out he saw his neighbor emerging from their apartment. He nodded. The kid loved skateboarding. A passion of Kojiro's ever since... well he who he is not thinking about, decided to try it.

"Hey, Joe, let me see your board!" the overexcited red-head demanded. Kojiro held it out. He watched the kid.

It took him seconds to undo the screws that held his wheels on. One was busted. Kojiro had meant to replace it. With quick, nimble fingers the kid did just that. In fact, he replaced all the wheels. Kojiro spun them as he got the board back.

"They are fatter, will help with your style of skating." The kid beamed at him.

"Reki, you are a genius." Kojiro ruffled the boy's already messy hair. "What do I owe you?" he asked.