Midnight Ramen Bar (Hokuto x Taiga)

One Shot

As usual, after Shonen Club rehearsal, all of SixTONES members go for late dinner somewhere near NHK hall. Since tomorrow is their day-off a little alcohol won't do any harm, so they decide to go to a ramen bar. Shin knew this one place which is quite secluded from people's eyes and open 24 hours. They even have a small private room upstair. Actually this private room is rarely known, Shin himself knew it from Snowman's Watanabe Shouta aka Shoutii.

After they arrived in the private room which only consists a small rectangle short table, they took off their shoes before squished their way on the cramp floor. The waiter took their order and in just a minute he is back with bottles of beer. Everyone takes their glasses and chants, "Otsukaresama deshita!"

While waiting for their ramens, Juri talks about their rehearsal and their next job. Jesse plays with his chopsticks absentmindedly while nods his head here and there. Kouchi lays his head on the wall behind him and closes his eyes, too sleepy to join the conversation. Shin also talks about the dance routine which he thinks need more practices.

Taiga fiddles with his phone, checks the message then he says with small voice, "Oh my parents will come back home late after a dinner party in hotel. Guess no one pick me home huh?". Hokuto who hasn't talk at all since they sat down, glances from behind his book at the troubled Taiga who is in front of him. "What? You still need to be picked up by your Papa?", Hokuto snickers and goes back to read.

Taiga already pissed off by Hokuto because of today's rehearsal. Hokuto was yelling at him for his mistakes, even more annoying than Shin as the dance leader. "Shut up, it's not that I'm a little kid, it's just my father said he will pick me up today," replies Taiga bitterly. Juri who sits beside Taiga hurriedly comes for the rescue with his wide smile, "Maa maa, Kyomo can go home together with me, no need to worry, I'll protect you." Taiga laughs a bit and elbows Juri's side, "That's no need you fool. You're making it worse."

Then their ramens finally come. Kouchi opens his eyes and takes his chopstick then mutters, "I need to go back immediately after I finished this ramen. I need a long long sleep on my bed." Jesse joins in, "Yeah me too. Although tomorrow is off, I've meeting with my manager about R no Housoku." Shin protests, "Ehhhh you guys no fun! I want to drinks moree!" Juri laughs, "You can drink anytime at home anyway." Shin replies back grudgingly, "Of course it's different when we drink together! We haven't talk wildly for so long!" Everyone just laugh and start eating their ramens in their own paces.

After Kouchi and Jesse finished their ramens, they put their money on the table and excuse themselves. "Goodbye guys, see you in 3 days? Let's talk again on Line," says Jesse while putting on his shoes. Kouchi holds Jesse's shoulder while putting on his shoes, tries to hold his balance in his sleepy state. Then they go out the room with Kouchi's hand still on Jesse's shoulder.

"Maa, what to talk? What to talk?," said hyper-Shin with wide smile. Hokuto and Taiga just drink with straight faces. At the end only Shin and Juri talk about many things, from job to families to friends to their latest obsessions. Hokuto is polite enough to close his book and hear their conversation. Taiga hears them too, but his body is totally facing Juri, which is weird since Taiga looks like he is avoiding Hokuto who is in front of him. Hokuto realizes it, he isn't that air-head and anyway he knew Taiga for years to recognize his tendency when pissed off. 'He is still mad at me, huh?,' said Hokuto in his head only, like always he keeps his feeling for himself.

The guilt and uneasiness makes Hokuto drinks more than usually. He can just goes home now but he knew he will regret it if he didn't make peace with Taiga before their next meeting. Hokuto realized he was too harsh when commenting about Taiga's dance today. It's not that Taiga is bad at dance, it's just Hokuto thought Taiga was distracted at the rehearsal. Hokuto yelled at Taiga when he missed the opening, stood at the wrong position, even nearly bumped into Juri. Hokuto only did it on reflex, since Shin wouldn't be able to pointed at Taiga's mistake when he was in front of them. But still, yelling words like 'brainless' and 'incompetent' will hurt and shaming any person alive. Hokuto should learn to train his mouth on top of his brain and body.