Because of a Cake (1/1)
Chapter 11Because of a Cake Ryosuke was standing before the huge mirror in Hey! Say! JUMP’s practice room, watching and listening to a man several years older than him; that was JUMP’s choreographer. Their choreographer was giving him advices and examples how to do his parts better in certain songs. Next week his group would hold a concert in Osaka.While he was learning, the rest of the members were busy with their own things. Glancing from the corner of his eyes, he noticed Hikaru, Keito, and Yuto were discussing something; might be about JUMP band performance since Keito brought up his acoustic guitar while Hikaru and Yuto listening and sometimes halted his playing, saying something then let Keito continued. Yuya was slouching on the sofa with Daiki, seemed engaging in games on their phones. Kota and Kei rehearsed their own parts of dances. Yuri…Where is Chii?He could not find the sight of his little friend in the room.“Now, you do it,” his instructor told him, pulling him from his wandering mind.He repeated the moves he was shown before and made some mistakes at the end where he did not pay attention because of the disappearance of Yuri. He had to do it twice more before the instructor approved it.After his turn finished, Kota and Yuya was called while he occupied the spot where Yuya sat on previously. That was when he heard the voice of the little man whose whereabouts he pondered about just some time ago.“Woah, this looks delicious!” his chirping voice echoed around the room.Daiki and Yuto approached Yuri immediately, while he stayed at the couch, thinking that Yuri might bring food from the cafeteria.He moved to where Hikaru and Keito were while the talking between Daiki, Yuto, and Yuri came into his ears.“Woah, a cake!” Yuto exclaimed, and suddenly he spun to their direction, sensing a bad feeling. His friends were surrounding the table where the members put their belongings.It was not unusual for them to rummage into the others’ things, yet now, it gave him a sudden attack of anxiety. His heart started to pick up when he noticed the paper bag Daiki held. That was the bag Mirai gave him this morning. His eyes widened more as he realized that the card was still inside the bag!He practically ran to snatch the bag from Daiki, yet luck was not on his side. Daiki had taken it out and read the card even before he could move from his spot.Anxiety turned into dreadful as he imagined what soon followed.“Eh, this is Yamada’s,” Daiki exclaimed and the two companions of him turned to his direction automatically.“EH?” Daiki eyes widened. Daiki was about to speak but he moved fast to clamp Daiki’s mouth with his hand, preventing him from talking more.“Ahaha,” he laughed awkwardly, “I borrow Dai-chan for awhile, ne!” He dragged Daiki outside, still bringing the bag and the card. His friends only gave them weird looks. The cake box was still in Yuri’s hands.“What’s this for Yamada!” Daiki protested once they were outside their practice room.He took the card and the bag from Daiki. “Have you read it?”“Read what?”“The card. Have you read it?” he asked in panic. Oh, heck, Ryosuke you make it obvious. He reprimanded himself. But he could not help it.Daiki gave him a mischievous grin, “Who is Shida Mirai?”He paled. “So… you have read it…” Somehow he lost his strength that he leaned on the wall.“Ne, who is Shida Mirai? A girl? Your girlfriend?” Daiki seemed so enthusiastic.Before he could answer, Yuto’s head poked from the entrance of their practice room, surprised him when asking, “Yama-chan, can we eat your cake? It’s so tempting. Please,” Yuto made a puppy look.He usually could not refuse when his friends, mostly Yuri and Yuto, made those look that too cute to be ignored. But this time he was keen on objecting the idea of giving them the cake, because that was his birthday cake from Mirai. He wanted to cherish it a bit longer before he ate it.“Yamada says okay!” Daiki was the one who answered, causing him taken aback.“Thank you!!!” Yuto exclaimed happily.“Wa-wait!” he said, but Yuto had disappeared into the room.He looked at Daiki hopelessly, “Dai-chan… you meanie!” He said weakly, in the verge of crying.Daiki throw an arm over his shoulder, smiling, “I’m helping you, you know. They will be suspicious if you forbid them from eating the cake because it would be so unusual of you.”He digested Daiki’s explanation and found it make sense. So he gave up from running to the room to take back the cake.“Ne, you haven’t answered my question, Yamada. Who is Shida Mirai?”“My friend.”