Rite of Passage (Kitayama, Senga)

[digitalized]

Rite of Passage
Kitayama Hiromitsu, Senga Kento

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R I T E . O F . P A S S A G E

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Eyes drifting upward to see why Senga stopped, Kitayama curses at being caught watching the other dance. Inwardly, of course - god bless it if Senga actually heard that. The guy's ears seem to be too sensitive to hear anything above the PG rating.

"It's for our new song," he explains.

Kitayama scowls at how Senga uses 'our' so easily. "I know."

"Isn't it amazing?" Senga's eyes actually dare to shine like they're in the highest thrill of his life, "Yara-kun's just so good at this, do you think someday I'd be as good as he is? Or maybe I could-"

"I'm sure you could," Kitayama snaps, glad to see Senga shut his mouth the second he opened his.

Senga looks at him curiously, "Are you alright? You don't look so well - anyway, what are you here for? Group practice was over an hour ago-"

Kitayama takes another full look at Senga, complete with casual private clothes and sweat dripping down his body. He doesn't look any different than usual, but somehow it seemed like Senga has changed, like the guy's somehow different even though he's not any smarter or any more flamboyant.

"I was watching your new dance," Kitayama finally grits out before turning around to leave, slamming the door behind him. Briefly, he wonders if Senga noticed his emphasis on the word 'your', but Senga's not someone who would ever notice that much detail.


- - - - - - - - - - -

Contrary to what Fujigaya believes, Kitayama's not jealous. Why would he be, when Senga's still as much part of Kis-My-Ft2 as ever? He's not jealous of a temporary unit, because that's all it is, except Butoukan's been going for three months and there's no sign of it disbanding. Yet.

No, Kitayama's not jealous, he's more angry than jealous. Because Senga is his teammate, and Butoukan stole him away from them. It's his right to be angry.

It's not helping at all that none of his other teammates are complaining, all of them instead showing hints of wanting to be in Butoukan and jealous that Senga's in it. Thankfully, no one's stupid enough to question Senga's place in a dance unit, everyone knowing clearly how much Senga loves dancing and how good he is.

Kitayama doesn't want to be in Butoukan. He wants Senga out of Butoukan, because the group's not much better than a thief that stole his teammate.

And there's Senga, wearing pure white in contrast to the bright blue-and-red signature outfit of Kis-My-Ft2 that Kitayama's wearing. Grouping up with his fellow dance-lovers. Talking about whatever it is that they talk about. Yara-kun's (and why the hell is he still being polite?) hands drapping over Senga.

Anger seethes out of Kitayama, but he keeps it down, dampens it with his loyalty to his own team.

Except in Johnny's, loyalty doesn't mean much. Good luck to those that got to debut with who they wanted, but there's so many others that never got to debut (and Kitayama's pretty sure that's probably how he'd turn out), and the others that were pushed to debut with whatever group Johnny-san thought would sell best. Hadn't he himself jumped at the chance to participate in Kitty?

He should be glad for Senga. Two groups mean double screentime, and Senga can fully reveal his talents in Butoukan. But Kitayama can't help but think Senga's not wearing his rightful outfit now because they're not good enough for Senga Kento.

Kitayama just wants his teammate back.


- - - - - - - - - - -

Kitayama watches silently, as he's done for several months now, while Senga practices his new dance moves, faster and much more difficult than the ones he would have been asked to do with Kis-My-Ft2. Senga had thought to ask questions at first, but soon proceeded to simply shrug and accept the fact that Kitayama regularly watches him practice.

He watches as Senga flexes his muscles, bringing his body upwards only to push it flat forward in a blink of an eye. Not for the first time, Kitayama wonders if he'd ever be able to do the same move as fluid as Senga does.

Occasionally, Senga would glance towards him, never to make conversation. If they were to talk, it would be Kitayama that speaks first - it would be Kitayama disturbing Senga's practice, because he cannot bear to watch any longer.

So there is silence, beside his heartbeat and the thumping of Senga's feet on the wooden floor.

When Senga stops to take a breath, panting hard, Kitayama wordlessly hands him a water bottle. Senga nods his thanks, still panting too hard to talk; or maybe, he just doesn't want to break the silence, though neither of them are quiet by nature.

Kitayama breaks down first, as he's always done, "It's late, don't you have to get home?"

Senga grins, like he won a prize by getting Kitayama to talk to him. They haven't gotten the chance to talk much with each other lately, but that's no reason for Senga's wild grin. Is it?

"You haven't left either," the other pointed out, still smiling.

Kitayama shrugs, "Don't really have anything to do at home. Unless you count sleeping endlessly."

"Same here." Senga looks at him, sort of sideways like he's thinking about something. Or like he's plotting, but Kitayama doesn't exactly think Senga can plot. "Are you going to join me or not?"

Kitayama lets out an undignified, "Huh?"

"You've been staring at this dance for a while now, so I was thinking maybe you wanted to learn it too?"

Kitayama realizes that Senga had good reason to come to this conclusion. And come to think about it, maybe he does want to learn the dance, if only to prove he can. He doesn't need to, probably won't ever because this sort of dance is more Yara-kun's set of moves than normal ones, but what could it hurt?

"This is Butoukan's dance," Kitayama retorts, more trying to convince himself than Senga.

"So?" Senga throws back the empty water bottle, then points at the empty place next to him. "I love learning new dance moves, and it might come in handy if we want to choreograph our next song ourselves."

Kitayama distinctively knows that this time, the 'we' definitely means the Kis-My crew. And it's nice thinking about how they might get a new song, meaning Johnny-san would still be putting some effort into them and would not be disbanding them yet. It's a comforting thought.

"Here, like this," Senga begins, Kitayama quickly following. He's seen the dance numerous times already, enough to know briefly what goes first and what goes next. The only thing left is to teach his muscles to do what he tells them to, and with Senga's help it's not as difficult as it looked.

Or maybe it's because instead of a dance teacher or a senior, it's Senga holding his arms to show him the proper place to put them.


- - - - - - - - - - -

"Senga's growing up," Yokoo says one day out of the blue.

Kitayama tries to determine whether he's being spoken to. After three glances and a frown, Yokoo's still looking at him, so yeah, Yokoo's most likely talking to him, though why the guy's telling him this Kitayama can't fathom.

"I guess," Kitayama drawls out, "he seems taller, I'm not sure though, and he's gaining some muscles."

Yokoo looks at him like he suddenly grew wings, or something equally bizarre. "Must be from all that dancing. Wait, stop distracting me!" Before Kitayama could reply that he wasn't distracting anybody, Yokoo continues, "I don't mean growing like that. I meant mentally. Finding out what he wants and all that."

Kitayama wants to ask what Yokoo meant by Senga finding what he wants. Being in Butoukan? Being outside Kis-My-Ft2? He probably wouldn't be a good sport if he asks that outright, however tempting it is.

And anyway, before he could say anything else, Fujigaya's voice comes over from another corner of the room, shouting for Yokoo to help him with something that has to do with jackets and strings. The only thing Kitayama could make out of the request was that Fujigaya hasn't gotten any quieter and Yokoo's a kind enough guy to help out his teammates with whatever asked.

He turns around to face Senga, watching as he grabs a towel to wipe away all that sweat. It's becoming a common joke among the Shounen Club crew that Senga looks like he's been in a shower even before a show, but then Kitayama has always thought Senga was like a legend in of itself.

"Occasionally like a comedy," he muses, when Senga's face suddenly comes into view, making Kitayama jump backwards.

Senga's grinning oddly again, making Kitayama want to bash him on the head. Kis-My's not lucky enough to perform today, but that's no reason for Senga to flaunt the fact in front of him. Not that Senga is, but Kitayama finds himself easily irritated these days.

"Help me check for mistakes, Kitayama?" Senga says aloud, then smiles like it's a hilarious joke.

And Kitayama suddenly understands that it is. Or at least Senga believes that Kitayama also knowing this dance is a private joke between the two of them. There's no mistaking Nikaido's bewildered expression, or Tsukada's confused look. Everyone within earshot was staring, with the exception of Fujigaya and Yokoo still busy with Fujigaya's jacket.

Hamanaka, shy enough to keep to himself most of the time, couldn't help but utter, "But I thought Kis-My-Ft2 isn't performing today? Or are they?"

Kitayama laughs a little, then. Smiles wider than he's had in a few weeks while he pulls Senga to a spot with enough space for Senga to practice most of his dance steps without trouble.

"Sure, make sure you get the rhythm right and everything."

When he's actually going along with Senga's moves, Kitayama knows he's got quite a lot of attention on himself. He's pretty sure everyone thinks they're sharing some sort of alliance, and hey, maybe that's true. Senga's also smiling wildly, and keeping on a positive outlook during performance today wouldn't be a problem at all.


- - - - - - - - - - -

When he rushes into the resting room, Kitayama notices that the room's completely bare, with the exception of Senga sitting at the corner typing something on his cell.

He frowns. "Where's everyone?"

"You're late," Senga accuses, not waiting for Kitayama to make some sort of remark. "Anyway, they canceled shooting today, something to do with the lans combusting, and surprise! Johnny-san decided to give everyone a free day."

In which they would have to make up for later with more work and a crazier schedule.

"So? Why're you still here?" Kitayama shrugs off his bag, deciding to sit down for a rest before figuring out what he's going to do with his sudden vacation. "And you didn't really answer my question. Where's everyone?"

"I don't know," Senga answers honestly, "Tamamori and Miyata just left, I think they went back home to catch up on some sleep. Fujigaya and Yokoo also disappeared, and Nikaido said I should probably wait for you. Am I missing anyone?"

"You didn't have to," Kitayama points out, while Senga carefully counts out the names he just said to make sure he didn't forget anyone.

"I don't think we've been out together before, have we?" Senga asks without missing a beat.

Kitayama tries not to look taken back. "No, don't think so."

"I think it's time we should," Senga exclaims, like stating a scientific fact in front of his fellow scientists. Though the only people here are the two of them, so Kitayama just chalks it up to another one of Senga's quirkiness.

Kitayama leans back into the chair, taking a full look at Senga.

He thinks back to the first time they met, Kitayama being well into high school while Senga's just getting used to junior high. Kitayama entered the agency late, so they're basically in the same group, but the age gap had seemed tremendous, like how he'd already outgrown all the usual juniors' outfits while Senga's just growing into it.

Kitayama suddenly remembers what Yokoo said that day, about Senga growing up. The guy's right - it's obvious that Senga's grown, and he wouldn't be the adorable idiot he appears to be now forever (though Senga would probably always be a little slow at things). Senga's not going to be a kid forever, isn't much of one now.

It feels odd, and it'd definitely takes time getting used to, but perhaps it's time Kitayama rethinks on how to act around Senga. And isn't the guy proposing an outing? Just the perfect chance to relearn an old friend in a new way.

Kitayama puts on an amused smirk, "Where do you want go?"

"There's a game center nearby, right?" Senga seemed to be pondering something for a second, "Oh, and would you like to sleep over today? My mom said I could invite someone over if I wanted to."

It doesn't take long for Kitayama to decide. "Yeah, both to the game center and to the sleepover."


- - - - - - - - - - -

Senga's spreading out the futons and blankets, waving off Kitayama's attempt to help. Not knowing what to do, Kitayama sits down onto the floor, going over what he did today - or yesterday, since it's well past midnight.

"Just warning you, uh," he probably should have said this earlier, but it's Senga's own fault for inviting him, "I may be a little hard to wake."

"Everyone knows that," Senga grins back, patting the futons again to make sure it looks comfy.

Kitayama's known that Senga regularly invites the juniors to his house, whether it's for dinner or a sleepover like this. In fact, Senga's confessed that he invites his classmates in school even more often, which would have been insulting if not because they're coworkers and it's understandably more stressing to be with someone you work with than someone you study with.

Senga is unaffected by Kitayama's deep thoughts. "We should do this more often," Senga says.

There's really no other answer for that other than, "Yeah."

"Everyone says I worry too much," Senga suddenly spouts out of nowhere. Kitayama stares at him wide-eyed, while Senga lies down and pulls the covers to tug himself in. "But they also say you're really worried lately. You could always talk with us, you know."

Surprise doesn't justify Kitayama's reaction, though he did manage to remain calm enough to wonder if the others got Senga to do all this.

As youngest of the group, Senga generally held the privilege of having others care for his well being. Kitayama, on the other hand, is the oldest and easily the most relied on, his own personality also having a lot do with it. So, if that's the case, when did Senga start trying to take care of his fellow teammates as well?

"Butoukan's a good experience for you," Kitayama says, realizing that it's true.

Senga likes to dance, likes the dances he's been doing lately, and is hyped up enough to teach it to someone who was just onlooking because he thinks too much. Butoukan allows him to do all that, while Senga chooses not to hide what he learned but instead share it with the others. In any case, with him.

And at least for now, Senga's still in Kis-My-Ft2.

"I really like your voice," Senga concludes, but when Kitayama tries to say something about the sudden comment, Senga had already fallen asleep.


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THE END

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