Tides Of Friendship :: Prologue

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It was February the 14th and the night skies were covered with grey clouds. The busy street of Shibuya was decorated with lots of Valentine related ornaments. Crystal Cafe was a famous spot for young teenagers to hang-out during the night time in Shibuya. Table 23 which was located deep in the cafe were occupied by two boys sitting opposite each other. They were Chinen Yuri and Okamoto Keito, both of them were members of the famous uprising band called Hey! Say! JUMP.
"Why did you call me here Chinen?" Okamoto asked his friend who was sitting on the opposite side.

"Ermm... I..." Chinen stuttered

"Come on.. Spill it.."

"It's Valentine and I don't wanna celebrate it alone.." Chinen said with his head facing down to the floor.

"You brat..." Okamoto said as he ruffled Chinen's hair.

"No~! Not my HAIR~~!" Chinen said as he struggled to protect his hair.

Okamoto stopped and let go of Chien's hair after hearing him screaming. Feeling guilty, Okamoto walked to Chinen's side and hugged him from the side. "Sorry.. Sorry.."

Chinen turned and hugged Okamoto right after he apologized. As they were having their touchy moments, their orders arrived and Okamoto returned back to his seat. Okamoto had ordered the Chicken Bolognese with Grape Sparkling Juice while Chinen had ordered the Seafood Spagetti with White Grape Juice. They ate their dinner and after paying the bill, they walked out of the shop and cruised down the aisle of shops at Shibuya Street.

"Keito.. Remember when I first enrolled into Johnny's and you were my first friend?"

"Oh yeah~ I remember. You were so small back then. Haha~" Okamoto replied with little laughters.

"Hey~ You were small too!" Chinen said to Okamoto "Do you remember when I cried when I fell down from the stage during our practice for the KAT-TUN concert?"

"Oh! Yes I remember that incident! You were jumping so hard out of happiness and in the end, you slipped off the side of the stage."

Chinen nodded and they both laughed as they walked the night streets of Shibuya. As they were walking, Chinen suddenly crossed his arms by his chest and shivered. Okamoto who was at his side, realized it and asked whether his friend was okay. Being the stubborn and egoistic type, Chinen said he was and suddenly he sneezed.

"AAAAA~~~~ CHOOOO~~!!"

"You rascal~ Here, take my coat. It'll keep you warm. You sure you're okay?" Okamoto asked as he placed his winter coat over Chinen's shoulder.

"Of course I am.. Don't worry. Thanks for the coat though." Chinen replied as he pulled Okamoto's coat, covering himself from the cold breeze.

The both of them kept walking and when they reached a shop selling toys, the boys looked through the clear glass and saw a Panda plushie. Chinen suddenly remembered that both of them loved pandas and the memory of the day they were at Hong Kong for their First Asia Tour Concert a few months back. They had visited Ocean Park Hong Kong and they loved the Panda exhibition.

"Remember Hong Kong?" Okamoto suddenly asked.

"The Panda Exhibition?" Chinen replied.

"Haha! Yeah! Remember that one Panda that was born in 1978? She was so damn cute!!" Okamoto continued.

"Of course I do! She looked like me! Hehe~~" Chinen replied and laughed.

While they were having their little talk, Chinen suddenly felt cold and told Okamoto that he wanted to go back. Okamoto nodded in agreement and they walked towards the train station. On the way to the station, Okamoto kept babbling about the fun moments he had shared with Chinen without realizing that his friend was no longer next to him. As Okamoto was talking, he heard voices crowding up behind him.

"What's that noise?" Okamoto asked himself and turned around. To his surprise, he saw his friend lying on the pavement.

Not believing his eyes, Okamoto turned around to look for Chinen and again to his surprise, his friend was not near him. Knowing now that the person laying on the pavement not far from him was Chinen, Okamoto ran towards him. As he reached Chinen, he carried his friend by the head and lay him on his knee as he was kneeling on to the ground.

"Chinen?! Chinen?! Are you okay?! Hey! Come on!" Okamoto shook his friend's body while shouting out his name.

"Kei....... to??" Chinen's barely audible voice could be heard.

"Hey! Kid! Come on! What's wrong?!" Okamoto asked while he was trying to hold back his tears that was gathering at the tip of his eyelids.

"I'm cold..." Chinen said with a slow voice.

"Come here!" Okamoto pulled Chinen closer to him and adjusted the coat he had given Chinen so that it would keep him warm, "Someone! Please! Call an ambulance!!"

"Okamoto-kun?" a female voice could be heard calling Okamoto's name from the side.

Okamoto turned to his side and he saw Takaki's girlfriend, Hideki. "Aya-chan! Where's Takaki?!"

"Yu-chan!! Yu-chan!! Come here!! Something happened to Chinen!" Hideki said as she pulled someone with her right hand.

"What?! Keito? What are you doing... CHINEN!!" Takaki who was pulled by Hideki didn't finished his sentence as he saw one of his band-mates kneeling on the ground holding his best-friend.

"Takaki.. Help.. He.. He.. Suddenly fell and I don't know what to do.." Okamoto broke in tears as he told his senior band-mate, Takaki.

"Have you called the ambulance?!" Takaki asked.

"I called them a minute ago.. They said they'll arrive in ten minutes~!" a unknown girl said from the crowd.

"Thanks~! " Takaki said as he looked at the girl "But 10 minutes is too long to wait! Come on! Let's bring him in my car! Carry him Keito!" Takaki stood and asked the people to clear their way as they headed to Takaki's blue Bugatti parked at the side of the road.

Okamoto carried Chinen who was shivering badly in his arms as fast as he could. After entering the car, Takaki drove as fast as he could to Tokyo University Hospital. While they were on their way, Okamoto could feel his shirt getting wet due to Chinen's tears who was still in his arms. Okamoto kept brushing Chinen's hair with care and love as how a brother would.

"We're here!" Takaki said as they reached the emergency entrance of the hospital, "Get him to the doctor quick! I'll park the car! Babe, go with him" Takaki said to Okamoto and his girlfriend, Hideki.

"Doctor! I need a doctor!! HELP!!" Okamoto shouted as he entered the hospital.

"Keito?! Oh my god! Chinen! What happened?!" Yabu's girlfriend, Dr. Hasegawa asked as she began examining Chinen who was still in Okamoto's arms, "Bring me a stretcher!!" Hasegawa told the nurse who was at the counter.

"Airi-chan! I don't know~" Okamoto told Hasegawa and added, "He only told me that he was cold~!"

"I hope I'm wrong, but just hope for the best. WHERE'S MY GOD DAMN STRETCHER PEOPLE?!?!" Hasegawa said to Okamoto and shouted to the nurses.

Two female nurses came rushing towards them and stopped right in-front of them. Hasegawa instructed Okamoto to lay Chinen on the stretcher and as he was doing so, he could feel that Chinen's grip on his shirt tightened. Okamoto carried Chinen back up and whispered in his ears that everything would be okay. He then placed Chinen gently on the stretcher and he was asked by Hasegawa to wait for the results in the waiting hall. Okamoto went to the waiting hall with Hideki and later on joined by Takaki who had parked his car at the back of the hospital.

~~~~ In the Operation Theater ~~~~

"Chii~ Your condition is getting worst~ I fear that the meds are not gonna help anymore." Hasegawa, said to Chinen as she was trying to stabilize him with some drugs, "I think it's time to tell them.."

"NO!" Chinen said and grabbed Hasegawa by her hand, "No one must know this. Especially Keito and Yama-chan.."

Hasegawa nodded and injected Chinen with a drug that would stabilize him for the moment. After a few minutes, Chinen was already stabilized and able to stand. He re-buttoned his shirt and realized that Hasegawa was standing infront of him.

"Chinen.. You can't do this.. It's time to tell.. You don't have long.." Hasegawa said and pleaded. This time not as a doctor but as a friend and sister.

"No~ I can't.. How long Airi? How long do I have?" Chinen asked Hasegawa.

"2 months? 6 at the most." Hasegawa replied with sadness in her eyes.

"Hey sis~ Relax~" Chinen said as he touched Hasegawa's cheeks and wipe the tears that escaped her lids, "I don't regret anything. Okay?"

"I don't know how you can put that happy face of yours. You don't seem scared or sad at all.." Hasegawa said to Chinen.

Chinen stood and hugged Hasegawa who then cried in Chinen's arms, "Hey~ Like I said.. Relax~ I'm still alive okay.."

Hasegawa pulled her head up and wiped her tears. She asked whether Chinen was really okay and he nodded with a smile. Chinen then went to the sink in the emergency room and washed his face. After washing up, he walked out of the Operation Theater and headed to the waiting hall to meet the others.

~~~~ In the waiting hall ~~~~

"What happened?!" Yamada who had just arrived at the hospital with his girlfriend, Keisuke Mira.

"Ya~ We were going to see the fireworks. What did the brat do again?!" Keisuke who was wearing a red kimono with a bottle of coke in her hand.

"Shut up! Don't call him a brat!" Yamada scolded Keisuke.

"Enough! You guys are acting like kids!" Yabu who arrived a few moment after Yamada, scolded Yamada. He then walked to Okamoto and sat on the chair next to him, "What happened Keito?"

"I don't know. Chinen suddenly fell down when we were walking and he started saying that he was cold." Okamoto said with tears still slipping through his eyelids.

"What?!" Is he okay?!" Nakajima who arrived with his girlfriend Kobayashi Kazumi, asked with a worried tone.

"Eh?! Why is everybody here?" Chinen who just entered the waiting hall asked his friends with a shocked face.

"Idiot!" Yamada said as he walked to Chinen and whacked the boy's head, "We're worried about you!"

"Itte~~" Chinen said as he rubbed his head, "I'm fine~ Nothing to worry about~"

"Liar!" Okamoto suddenly shouted and ran to Chinen and grabbed his shirt, "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Okamoto Keito!" Hasegawa who entered the waiting hall shouted, "This is a hospital! Behave!"

"Sorry~" Okamoto said and released his grasp on Chinen's shirt.

Yabu then walked to his girlfriend, Hasegawa and asked, "Hey babe~ What's wrong with Chinen?"

"Nothing to worry~ He only had a small chill~"

"Huh?!" everyone in the room asked simultaneously.

"Meaning that he is just having a chill due to the winter winds. It's rare but it's nothing to worry about~" Hasegawa replied everyone's questions.

Okamoto wanted to ask more but he was silenced by Yabu. The elder guy knew that his girlfriend was hiding something from him. It was not his first time encountering her lies, especially since she was a doctor at a very well reknown hospital. Yabu just told everyone to trust Hasegawa and that everything was okay. After hearing the comforting words from Yabu, the other members headed out from the hospital together with Chinen.

~~~~ At Yabu's House ~~~~

4 hours had passed and Yabu was at home with Hasegawa. They had been staying together for almost a year, and they were about to get married in a month's time.

"Hey Airi-chan, I know you're hiding something." Yabu asked Hasegawa as he came out of the bathroom half-naked with a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Hiding something? Like what?" Hasegawa asked as she was drying her hair.

"We've been together for almost two years and we're about to get married in a month, I know when you're lying. Especially when it's about your 'patients'" Yabu said as he emphasized the word patients.

Hasegawa ignored Yabu's question and kept blow drying her hair. She couldn't bare the responsibility and the sadness that she would feel if she had told her boyfriend. Yabu walked closer to her and hugged her from behind with love.

"I understand if you have to keep your patient's secret, but we're talking about my best-friend, my little brother, my bandmate..." Yabu said while hugging Hasegawa with tears gathering at the tip of his eyes.

"I know what you're saying. But... I can't say anything." Hasegawa turned around and hugged Yabu, "I'm scared Kou-chan.."

Yabu tightened his hug and comforted his beloved girlfriend, "Tell me.. You don't have to keep it alone.."

"It's Chinen... He.. He.. has..." Hasegawa paused and kept crying.

Yabu caressed Hasegawa's back and comforted her compassionately. He didn't want to ask more as he knew that if he did, his beloved soon to be wife would be more sad. Seeing his beloved crying, he had completely forgotten what he wanted to ask.

~~~~ A week later (at Tokyo Dome) ~~~~

The sky was still filled with fields of grey clouds and the weather was as cold as ever. Winter would soon pass and autumn would take over but until that day arrived, the weather would be as cold as it was. The Hey! Say! JUMP members were at the famous Tokyo Dome, rehearsing for their latest concert, which was, Hey! Say! JUMP - Dome Domination!. Like always, they were practicing on how they would appear on stage and the dance movement of every song they would be performing.

"Hey Chinen! Can you get me some water?!" Yamada asked Chinen who was at the food table at the corner of the hall.

"Sure! What water?!" Chinen replied.

"Anything! But I don't want any gas drinks!"

Chinen showed a good sign with his thumb raised up to Yamada. He then turned around and started reading the names that were written on the water containers on the table. "Coke, 100 Plus, Grape Sparkling Juice, hmm.. No non-gas drinks here.. Guess I have to buy it then.."

Chinen went backstage and searched for his wallet in his bag. He told the security who was standing guard at their dressing room that he was going out to get some drinks for Yamada and asked him to inform the others if they asked where he was.

~~~~ At a convenience store near Tokyo Dome ~~~~

"Rika-san,is there any strawberry milk available?” Chinen asked the elderly woman who was at the counter of the convenience store that he used to go since he first performed at Tokyo Dome.

“Ah~ Chinen-kun, it has been a while. You’ve grown to be quite handsome” Rika, the woman who was nearing her 70’s said to Chinen without replying his question.

“Thanks!” Chinen said with a smile on his face, “Erm.. About the strawberry milk?”

“Oh! For Yamada I guess? You can check at the back, I think there’s some left.” Rika said as she pointed out to the chiller, which was deep inside the store.

Chinen nodded with a smile and walked heading to the chiller. As he walked down the aisle of snacks, one particular snack caught his attention. He took the packaging and looked at it; it was the snack that he, Okamoto and Yamada used to buy during their younger days as Juniors. Chinen took some, thinking that his friends would like it as well and continued walking to the end of the store.

“Strawberry… Strawberry.. Where are you??” Chinen said as his eyes cruised down the chiller looking for the strawberry milk.

Chinen took one bottle of strawberry milk and thought whether the others would like some too. He took 7 more bottles for the others and brought them to the counter.

“Wow! Does Yamada miss my strawberry milk that much?” Rika asked as she placed the bottles into a pink plastic bag.

“Naaah~ I’m buying for everyone.” Chinen said with a smile and suddenly he felt dizzy.

“Hey~ You okay Chinen?” Rika asked Chinen and walked to him.

“Yeah, I'm fine. I slipped down the slope. Hehe~” Chinen smiled and replied.

Rika gave the plastic bag to Chinen and as he was about to pay, Rika said that it was on the house. She knew that something was wrong as there was no slope in-front of the counter. She gave the bottles of milk to Chinen for free because for some reason, she knew that Chinen was not feeling well. Rika had always treated Chinen as one of her own children. Even by seeing how Chinen smiled was enough to convince her that Chinen was faking it and he was hiding something.

Chinen said his thank you and headed out of the store heading back to the dome. During his short walk, he was imagining how short his life was going to be in the future. If he was going to keep feeling dizzy and tired, how would he perform with his bandmates. That was when Chinen thought of an idea that would change his life.

~~~~ Back at Tokyo Dome ~~~~

“I’m back~!” Chinen said as he entered the hall.

“Oi! Where have you been?! We’ve been waiting for you!” Yamada said to Chinen with a high tone.

“Er~ Sorry~ I just went…” Chinen was silenced when Yamada scolded him again.

“Ah~! What ever! Get your ass up here!”

Chinen walked up to the stage and they began practicing again. They kept dancing and practicing until the sun set. After the long day of training, Yabu suggested that they should get together for dinner. Everyone agreed except for Chinen as he said that he wanted to go home and sleep. Yamada who was still mad at Chinen for being late didn’t even take hint that Chinen was sad with how he had treated him.

“Let him be Yabu, let’s go!” Yamada said as he turned away and walked out of the hall.

Chinen tried his best to ignore what Yamada did and said his goodbye as well, he then walked out the hall and walked to the nearby train station. Yabu and the others that were still in the hall were shocked with what had happened; seeing their two friends that were close fighting with each other was a very rare scene. Okamoto told the others to go on without him and he’ll try to persuade Chinen to tag along.

“Go on first guys! We’ll catch up later!” Okamoto said and ran after Chinen.

“Keito! Wait! Damn…” Yabu couldn’t finish his sentence cause Okamoto had already ran off.

Yabu trusted Okamoto to do the right thing, so he and the others walked out of the hall trying to catch up with Yamada who had already left.

TO BE CONTINUED!

A/N :
- waaaah~! haven't wrote a fiction in a while!! :O i hope i haven't lost my touch! :(
- this is just the prologue.. :) sorry if it's long..
- please comment guys!! :D

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