JE, Kitayama and Hashimoto’s Excellent Adventure
Title: Kitayama and Hashimoto’s Excellent Adventure
Unit for Points: Mis Snow Man
Word Count: 100 x 14
Characters/Pairings: Kitayama, Hasshi, Ebikisu
Author’s Notes: Because there was this Jr ni Q where Mitsu said he would go back and be a tiny junior because it looked so fun when he watches jrs, and it totally broke my heart. And then Hasshi got involved, and idek. Set during the 2008 Ebikisu con (or at least, that’s where it starts).
Kitayama and Hashimoto’s Excellent Adventure
Rehearsing for their joint concert is exhilarating, but exhausting. Kitayama stops for a water break, and can’t help the way his eyes are drawn to Nisen practicing a symmetry dance, how they’re so used to each other they never bump into each other (except on purpose).
Someone sighs heavily behind him, and Kitayama finds a sweat-soaked Hashimoto watching his new groupmates with such sad envy that even Kitayama feels bad for him.
“We need a time machine,” Kitayama says, offering a water bottle; Hashimoto nods fervently, smile thin but grateful.
They’d be going in different directions, is the only thing.
*****
Kitayama remembers falling asleep in his apartment, but he wakes up in his old room. Really old, he frowns as he spots the Ultraman sheets. It’s nothing compared to the shock when he creeps into the hallway and spots 14-year-old Kitayama doing homework in the kitchen.
He’s tan and short-haired from soccer, and Kitayama realizes with a jolt of excitement that (assuming he hasn’t died and is haunting himself) he can send appropriately-aged-him off to frolic with other juniors!
He wonders if thinking frolicking with other boys is a desirable goal means it’s never too late to join after all.
*****
He stops himself mid-step as a sudden thought strikes him.
If he joins earlier, he’ll be in other units, won’t he? Watta, Nika, and Miyata won’t join for years, Tama and Senga even later. What if he’s popular before they even get there? What if he gets stuck in a unit that’s popular and messes up all the groups?
What if he ends up KAT-TUN’s K instead of Kisumai’s Ki? If there never is a Kis-My-Ft, much less a 2?
Kitayama puts his foot back down and edges back. It’s definitely not worth the risk, not even a little.
*****
He manages to sneak out without notice, glad he slept in his track suit so he doesn’t get immediately arrested. At loose ends, he decides to go into work in his younger self’s place, just to see what can be seen.
Acting confident, he strolls into the building with a group of boys roughly his age, glad track suits are apparently in. Inside he recognizes a surprising number of faces; for obvious reasons nobody recognizes him.
He’s just wondering what direction to head in when he hears a familiar, if slightly higher-pitched than usual, cackle. He’ll just look a moment.
*****
They’re so young, but exactly themselves, Tsukada and Goseki tumbling with other boys, Totsuka hanging around the edges shyly, a tiny Kawai being hollered at by a not-much-less-tiny Fujigaya.
“Not fair!” Fujigaya’s voice is shrill and obviously about to crack; fondly Kitayama thinks Taipi would murder him if he knew Kitayama had seen his hair like this. “You always get a mic!”
“Aw, I’ll share!” Kawai’s grin is infectious, and fills Kitayama with longing. Even if Fujigaya would kill him, even if it would break Kisumai, he can’t keep from wishing he could have been here himself, side-by-side with them.
*****
“Oops!” Someone bumps into Kitayama’s back, and he turns to find Hashimoto. 2008 Hashimoto, to be precise. “You too?”
Hashimoto nods, looking guilty, but Kitayama smiles reassuringly. They watch the others quietly, shoulder-to-shoulder.
“They were like me once too,” Hashimoto murmurs, sounding relieved.
“Of course.” Kitayama nudges his shoulder. “We all were.”
Just then Tsukada topples over mid-flip, and Hashimoto shouts, “Don’t give up! You can definitely do it!” before clapping hands over his mouth.
Tsukada pops back up grinning, unhurt. “Yosha~! Thanks, senpai!”
“Senpai…” Hashimoto’s eyes are sparkling, and Kitayama thinks maybe they had better get out of here.
*****
Hashimoto, as it turns out, knows where the time machine is (in the prop closet, Kitayama isn’t shocked to find out), and more stunningly, how to work it.
“Let’s go forward!” he suggests. “Let’s see our debut and stuff, yeah?”
Kitayama balks, thinking of his brush with accidentally dissolving his unit. “I’d rather not? If I know it works out, it’ll be hard to work as hard for it, right?”
“Hm.” Hashimoto chews on that, then brightens. “Just a little? We can encourage everybody, like I did Tsuka just now.”
“Now that sounds fun,” Kitayama grins, thinking of blackmail material.
*****
In 2000, Hashimoto tells Totsuka that his voice is beautiful and he should sing louder so people can hear.
In 2001, Kitayama tells Miyata hard workers are better than cuteness, any day.
In 2002, Hashimoto writes ‘Get better fast!’ on Kawai’s cast, while Kitayama hugs a chest-high Yokoo and promises, “Almost there.”
In 2003, Kitayama scolds Nikaido for picking on the new kid, and says just to be friends already. He tells Senga not to worry about that brat even a little. Meanwhile, Hashimoto tells Iida it’s okay to be left behind, sometimes it turns out better in the end.
*****
It’s risky since his 2005 self is there too, but Kitayama chances it, because there’s one day he’s always wished he could do over.
Hashimoto’s timing is perfect as always, and Kitayama is in the right hallway at the exact moment a tearful Tamamori is trying to compose himself.
“Hang in there,” he says, “don’t listen to Fujigaya, you’ll get it. You’ll be just fine.” Tamamori’s eyes well back up, and Kitayama rubs his back until he can push Tamamori off in the right direction.
“Home?” Hashimoto asks.
“Ye…no wait,” Kitayama interrupts himself. “I almost forgot a really important one.”
*****
Back in 2002 Fujigaya is watching ABC practice with open jealousy and loneliness, and it’s just as ugly as it will be on adult-Fujigaya’s face six years later.
Kitayama watches a bit, before nudging Fujigaya’s shoulder with his own. “Don’t be jealous of those guys.”
Fujigaya snorts. “What do you know, shorty.”
“Better waiting for the right unit than stuck in the wrong one,” Kitayama shrugs. “Ask Koki-kun about it.” And then, because he’ll never say it otherwise, adds, “You’re too talented to fool around with them. Wait until you meet guys who can run as far as you can.”
*****
In the morning, Kitayama is safe in his own bed, but feels exhausted and sore in weird places. No more natto just before bedtime, he decides. Crazy dreams are crazy.
At practice, Hashimoto looks happier than yesterday at least. “Morning, Kitayama-kun! I had a really fun dream last night! I had a time machine, and Tottsu was shorter than me, and Tsuka-chan called me senpai! You were in it too! So don’t worry, okay?” Hashimoto beams. “Our groups are gonna be fine.”
“You didn’t skip ahead,” Kitayama eyes him, “right?”
“Aw, it was just a dream, Kitayama-kun,” Hashimoto laughs.
*****
“Nice,” Kitayama says later when he’s spotchecking Ft2’s skating spins. “Looks good.”
“Hey,” Tamamori sidles up while the others are busy, “you know, ages ago, you told me not to give up when my skating sucked. I never thanked you properly.”
“When’d he do that?” Miyata tilts his head. “I don’t remember that.”
“I do.” Tamamori bows a little, tall and grown-up and strong. “It meant a lot to me. So thank you.”
“I’m glad,” Kitayama murmurs, proud and pleased, even if he is massively confused.
“He told me not to worry about you~,” Senga tells a frowning Nika.
*****
Later, Fujigaya finds him staring into the prop closet and demands to know if he needs his head examined or what.
“No,” Kitayama shakes himself, “nevermind.” He looks at Fujigaya. “Y’know, I’m glad you didn’t quit. That you waited for our unit.”
“You’re the one who told me to.” He smirks when Kitayama stares. “Like I wouldn’t recognize your stupid face when I saw it again. Hurry up, let’s practice. I’m ready to start running already.”
At practice, Hashimoto falls on his face yet again.
“Don’t give up!” Kitayama calls. “You can definitely do it!”
Hashimoto laughs. “Yosha~! Thanks, senpai!”
*****
In the back of the concert hall, two figures lurk, unnoticed.
“Will you stop fretting over them?” Tsubasa scolds. “They’ll be fine, you know they will. You always want to hang around and meddle.”
“It’s a critical point!” Takizawa protests, but he lets Tsubasa tug him away, their matching rings glinting on their joined hands. “You worry just as much!”
“I did the first time,” Tsubasa snorts. “Let’s get home before Shintarou turns Countdown into a parlimentary coup. Where’d you park it?”
“The prop closet, like usual,” Takizawa admits sheepishly. “Don’t scold! It’s safe in there! Nobody ever bothers it!”
Tags: JE - Gen, JE100 Drabbles, Rating: G *
A.B.C.-Z, Johnny's Ent., Kis-My-Ft2, Tackey & Tsubasa | Mousapelli 2012.03.05
By ri, 2012.08.21 @ 9:21 pm
this is beautiful and really insightful. i was thinking the others would recognize him later and i’m glad they did. all of the things mitsu went back to change were so thoughtful and a hit to the feels. ♥♥♥