Oh! Another Arashi fanfic!

[windyway94]

 

Meet the Witch
Pairing: Sakumiya
Genre: Slice of life, Fluff, Work AU, (attempted) Humor
Rating: PG
Summary: Nino had a shopping date with Sho’s mom. Sho’s suffering life Part 2.
Note: This is a sort of continuation from Bike Onii-san and Scooter Onii-san, but you can read this as a one-shot. The italic sentences are spoken in English. I read that Sho’s mom is an English Literature lecturer so I make Sho and his mom talks in English occasionally XD The nursery rhyme Nino sang was “Ooki na kuri no ki no shita de” or “Under the Big Chestnut Tree”.

"Ooki na kuri no ki no shita de~ Anata to watashi~" Nino was making breakfast and singing his favorite nursery rhyme. He liked the slow weekends when he only made food and lazing around all day long. Then he heard the bell ringing. He frowned and thought that he didn’t have any appointment today. He stopped and opened the door-
"Sho-chan, good morning! Eh?" The guest greeted in loud English and Nino was surprised.
"Whoa! Eh?"
"Who are you?"
"I'm-"
"Kazu, who's that?" Sho came out from the bathroom and checked the door.
"It's..." Nino opened the door wider so Sho could see the guest.
"Oh no," Sho clasped his mouth.
"What no? Aren't you happy to see your mom? Look what I've brought for you!" Sho's mom said cheerfully and showed a big plastic bag full of groceries.

"How can you forget about my plan to visit you, huh? I sacrifice my weekend just for you!" Sho's mom, Sakurai Yoko, complained. They sat in Sho's living room.
"I'm sorry, we will hold the first big event between the daycare and the nursing home. My head is full of it."
Yoko-san sighed, "You're always like that."
"Sorry..." Sho looked down.
"It's okay. I'm already here anyway. So... when will you introduce the man beside you?"
Sho panicked, "Wha- Eh- He's... He's my..."
"He's your..."
"He's my... friend! Yes, my friend hehehehe-," Sho answered groggily and Nino was shocked when Sho introduced him as Sho's 'friend'.
"I'm sorry. Wait a minute, Sakurai-san," Nino stood up and dragged Sho to the kitchen. "Hey, what do you mean by a friend?" Nino whispered angrily to Sho.
"I haven't talked about our relationship to my mom yet!" Sho whispered back.
"We've been dating for months and your mom doesn't know about that?!"
"She doesn't know that I'm gay!"
"Then tell her now!"
"She's a witch when she's mad and gonna burn me alive!"
"Ahem. Sorry for interrupting you, but I demand a clear explanation. Especially from you, Mr. Sho Sakurai," Yoko-san said sternly and crossed her hands over her chest.
Sho rubbed his face and sighed. What an unfortunate Sunday morning. "Yes, Mom."
"Thank you. Now, get back to the sofa and let's continue our talk." Nino and Sho walked back and sat down the sofa.

Nino cleared his throat, "My name is Ninomiya Kazunari. I'm Sho's coworker in the nursing home beside the daycare. You can call me Nino or Kazu."
"Hello, Nino-san. I'm Sakurai Yoko, that forgetful guy's mom. He often talks about you, so I'm happy to meet you in person," Yoko-san smiled. Sho was nervous and only looked down to his toes. "Enough with the introduction. Sho, did you hide something from me?"
"No!"
"Yes!" Nino and Sho answered at the same time then glared at each other. "Yes, Sakurai-san, he's hiding something from you!"
"NO! I'm not!"
Yoko-san smirked and nodded. "If you're not hiding something, then why are you panicked since I stepped in here? Just spill the tea, son."
"...He's my... Oof!" Sho trailed off and Nino elbowed Sho's side hard.
"He's your..."
Sho looked at Nino, at his mom, and back to Nino. "He's my boyfriend. Boyfriend without space..."
"Oh, my~" Yoko-san made an amused smile and raised her eyebrows.
"Are you happy now, Mom?! Are you happy for making me look like a fool in front of my boyfriend?!" Sho yelled to his mom.
Yoko-san chuckled, "Of course~! You're the one who lies to me, right, Nino-san?" Nino laughed and Sho glared to him.
"But I won't let him go! I wanna be with him!" Sho grabbed Nino's hand tightly. Nino was both embarrassed and happy with Sho's statement.
"Who's gonna separate you two?"
"So... So, you accept our relationship? But how about Dad?" Sho was dumbfounded. This was unbelievable. He couldn't expect that it would be easy to tell her about his relationship. His family was strict so he didn't have the guts to talk about his sexual orientation till now.
"Why not? We know that you like men for a long time. Your dad was shocked and angry when he knew it, but chose to accept the fact. I think you should tell him. He'd be happier if you do it by yourself," Yoko-san smiled warmly to Sho and he nodded. "Sho's still in his rebellious phase, Nino-san. Pardon his unstable moods."
"Mom!"
"Okay, okay," Yoko-san laughed. "But I should punish you for lying to me."
"Huh?"
"Clean your home while I'm shopping with Nino-san. You should prepare for your kitchen too. So, when we're home, we can cook and have lunch together. Understand?"
"Wha- When will you go home?"
"Before lunch. I won't tell you the exact time. You should be ready or else, you won't have lunch with us."
"But you've already bought that!" Sho pointed the plastic bag beside his mom.
"Oh. That's for your fridge. I haven't bought anything for lunch. Come on, Nino-san. Take me to the supermarket." Yoko-san held Nino's hand and took him out from Sho's home without words. Nino met Sho's gaze before the door closed.
"I'm doomed," Sho said. All his energy that day was gone in the air.

"Sorry for disturbing your date and your breakfast, Nino-san. This is just an excuse to talk with you without being disturbed by him." They were walking to the nearby supermarket.
Nino chuckled, "Fine by me. We can make a delicious lunch later. Ummm, are you and Sho in a bad state?"
"Hahaha, not at all. I just love to tease him. My son doesn't give you any trouble, right?"
"Not at all. Well, sometimes he's clumsy and clueless till gives his coworkers headache. But he's a kind and hard-working person."
"Good then. I was worried about his decision to move here when he could continue his career in Tokyo. I guess his life is better in Hakone. He even gets a handsome man like you," Yoko-san smiled.
Nino shook his head, "It's me who should be grateful for dating him, Sakurai-san."
"That clumsy and clueless man? Your taste is unique, Nino-san. Ah, I think you can call me Mom. Sakurai-san sounds too formal. I feel like I already knew you for a long time, thanks to Sho's endless stories about you," Yoko-san grinned.
"Hmmm, okay... Mom. You can call me Kazu then," Nino smiled.
"Deal," Yoko-san said and they laughed.

They arrived in the supermarket. They took a shopping basket and strolled between the aisles. "Do you cook?" Yoko-san asked.
"Yes, only simple meals tho. I eat outside sometimes."
"My son can't cook. You know that, right?"
Nino nodded and chuckled, "He even needed 30 minutes to peel an apple. And got several cuts."
"He's bad at dealing with hands-on activities since his childhood. But he has strong legs."
"That's why he's very motivated to ride his bike every day."
"He did that every day? Marvelous."
They walked in the seafood aisle. "Mom, what should we make for lunch?"
"What do you want?"
"Hmmm, what about Sho's favorite dish when he's back to Gunma?"
"He eats everything I make," Yoko-san laughed.
"Ah- exactly, but there must be something he really likes, right?"
Yoko-san thought about Sho's favorite food. They had a similar thinking face ('As expected of mother and son,' Nino thought). "Omurice with seafood ketchup rice and Japanese-style potato salad. Oh! And stir-fried eggplant with shoyu and mayonnaise."
Nino was amused, "He's like a little boy."
Yoko-san laughed and nodded, "Indeed. He hated shiitake back then and was scolded by his sister. 'If you hate shiitake, it means that you hate me too, Nii-chan,' like that. And that was when he was 25 or 26 already. He hates coriander too."
"What a spoiled boy," Nino laughed.

She took a pack of fresh squid and put it in her basket. They bought other ingredients for making omurice. "He's always hard with himself but soft with others. Spoiling him when he comes home is one of my ways to loosen him up. Is he happy with his job here?"
Nino smiled and nodded, "Yes, he is. Everyone loves him and he said that he enjoys doing his job. Sometimes I see his tired face but he's bright again when he meets the kids. My nephew is one of his students."
"Oh? Is he a good teacher and coworker? I'm not asking you as his boyfriend tho."
"Hahahaha, you can trust my opinion, Mom. He knows what to do with his job. He's an adult man with a child's heart, something that gives him an advantage for his job. But he tends to overthink and makes unnecessary simulations in his head," Nino said while remembered about their misunderstanding episode. How a ridiculous misunderstanding could bring them together.

They went to the cashier and paid for their goods. They packed their goods and walked home slowly. Yoko-san resumed their convo, "He dislikes failure and often blames it on himself. I think it's okay to make mistakes as long as you do something to learn and change positively."
"Is that because he's a firstborn child?"
"I think so. He feels that he has a bigger responsibility as the firstborn. He wants to be a good example for his siblings."
Nino hummed agree. "I want him to understand that he doesn't have to be that strict to himself. He's a human, he can fall and make mistakes too. Right, Mom?"

Yoko-san has stopped walking. Nino didn't realize it till he turned to her. He looked backward and ran back to her.
"Mom, are you okay?" Nino panicked and held Yoko-san's shoulders.
Yoko-san grabbed Nino's hands and held them together, "I hope that you can take care of my son. I know that he's already an adult, but he needs someone who will remind him about what you said earlier from time to time. I know that my son and I can trust you. Onegaishimasu," Yoko-san bowed to Nino.
"Mom..." Nino smiled warmly and nodded.
"He chooses the right person and I'm proud of him. Don't tell him about my request for you. I'm his first and biggest enemy," Yoko-san winked.
"Eeeh? How can?" Nino laughed.
"It started when he was five years old."
"Tell me more about Sho's childhood, Mom!"

"We're home!" Nino opened the door.
"Sho-chan, are you done the cleaning?" Yoko-san asked his tired son.
"...Yeees. I'm hungry, please give me food...," Sho whined. He sat lifelessly on the floor with the wall as his support.
"Hmmm, can't help it. Let's cook, Kazu!"
"Eh, Kazu?!"
"Yes, Mom!"
"Mom?!"
"What?" Nino and Yoko-san said in unison.
"Whoa- No, hahaha, don't mind me. I'll take a break."
"No. Help us cook."
"Mooom, you know that I'm helpless in the kitchen, right?"
"You'll only do the simple tasks; the rest is ours. Wash your hand and wear your apron."
"Yes- HUH? Apron?"
"Yup, your apron. You'll cook, right?" Nino said while holding his snicker.
"You- You're teamed up with that witch! Kazu, since when you're on her side?"
"Hey, don't call me a witch!"
"Hmmm, this morning? Yeah, Mom?" Nino and Yoko-san high-fived, Sho rubbed his tired face.

They had a good cooking date with each other. Sho beat the eggs and cream into the bowl. Sho peeled and learned to cut the carrot ('Sho-kun is smart, neee~,' Nino teased Sho in baby talk and Sho pouted) then boiled the green peas. Nino showed his knife skills that always made Sho amazed. Nino's duty was making potato salad while Yoko-san made the omurice.

Sho rarely watched his mom cooked and only knew when the food was ready. Now he could watch her cooked and talked nonstop beside his boyfriend. That was a special moment he wanted to cherish. They looked like a mother and... a son-in-law. Sho blushed at his imagination and made himself busy by setting the dining table. Sho's home smelt heaven with food and it reminded him of his parents' home in Gunma. Someday, he would take Nino there and introduced him to his family.

The food was ready and they had lunch afterward. They ate and talked about Nino and Sho's project, Sho's family on Gunma, and many more. Nino was more a listener, letting the mother-son pair to lead the talk. It was their family time after all. Nino laughed every time the pair bantered. As expected, Yoko-san won over Sho and Nino would laugh at his defeated face. He always was "the parent" in the daycare, so it was refreshing when Nino saw Sho as "the child".

Yoko-san went home after lunch. "You don't wanna have a sleepover here?" Sho asked before she left.
"No, I have a morning class tomorrow and I don't wanna overhear any lewd sounds coming from your night activity," she smirked and the couple blushed hard.
"Mom!"
Yoko-san laughed and looked at her watch, "Sorry, but I really should leave or I'll miss the train. Thanks for today!"
"Be careful on your way home, Mom," Sho hugged her.
"Yes. Good luck for your event and Kazu, don't forget about my request," she winked and Nino nodded.
"What request?" Sho was confused.
"Secret," she put her finger to her smiling lips. "See you, my sons!"
"See you, Mom!" they waved her goodbye. Her taxi came and she went to the station. They came back home and sat side by side in the living room.

"Hey, Kazu. What request?"
"Hm?"
"Mom's request. What's that?"
"Secret," Nino winked.
Sho pouted and poked Nino's arm playfully, "You're annoying~ Tell me~"
"What? Since when you become a spoiled brat?"
"But I wanna know~ Please~ Kaaazuuu~"
"Okay, okay, stop poking. She wants me to..."
"Yeeessss~"
"Teach you how to cook."
"HA?!"
"Why? Cooking is one of the survival skills if you wanna live on Earth. You can't depend on bento boxes, fast food, and the daycare meal forever. You eat too much Matsu-nii's ramen till your face becomes round."
"But my weight is normal. Matsu-nii's ramen has nothing to do with my face."
"But your face is round now, your jaw is gone!"
"It's because I'm happy! I'm happy to be with you. And you spoil me with your yummy dishes every weekend. It's your fault too."
"Awww, Sho-chan, you can't drag me to your mess. No way. How do my dishes cause your chubby face?"
"Because you put your love in it and I can't stop eating."
"Ugh, cheesy," Nino hit Sho's arm.
"Oh, I love cheese," Sho snuggled and hugged Nino against his chest.
"Not that cheese, baka," Nino looked up and scowled.
"But I love you more. I wish you can cook for me every day so I don't need to attend your cooking class," Sho's expression became serious and he looked at Nino's eyes intensely. Nino's breath hitched and his brain suddenly couldn't think of any response.
"I... I still have Hiro to take care of..." Nino looked away from Sho's intense gaze.
Sho chuckled and made Nino face him again, "Just kidding! I understand your condition and we're agree to take it slow. I just wanna tease you. We're even now."
"Shoooooo, you're annoying!" Nino pouted but they laughed together afterward. "Maybe someday, Sho. Someday."
"I'll look forward to it, Kazu," Sho kissed Nino's hair and hugged him tighter.
Nino closed his eyes while held Sho's hands and hummed, "Me too."