(Jin's b-day is in April)
23. Habit
Jin and Takashi had been together for four years, on and off. It was an odd arrangement because Jin was not the type for commitment and his ways were indicative of this. Jin had an odd habit, if indeed it could be called a habit.
“It’s over,” he would say, three times a year.
It was pure clockwork, and yet, no one ever seemed to see it coming. There was always this underlying thought in everyone’s minds that Jin and Taka were simply meant to be and that maybe this time Taka-san had finally tamed the wild man.
Takashi understood, to a certain extent. But still, he hated Valentines Day, and he had come to hate Jin’s birthday, and most of all he hated Christmas. But he didn’t hate Jin.
Jin’s mother accused him of being sadistic, breaking that poor boy’s heart three times a year and at the most inconvenient times; it was unnecessary. Jin scoffed and took to avoiding her as often as possible.
Christmas rolled around and Takashi felt that now-familiar ball of dread knotting in his stomach as “that time of year” came back to haunt him. April was a long way from December, but Takashi didn’t think he was quite over the last time. It had taken Jin a month and a half to come back. Jin always came back, or at least, so far he had always come back. The dread came from the possibility that one day, he might not.
Jin took Takashi out to dinner on the 19th of December. They went to Jin’s favorite restaurant. Takashi hated the place; he had been dumped there six times before.
Takashi fully expected a repeat performance.
Jin took a sip of water.
Takashi was not incorrect.
“It’s over,” Jin said. “This time… I’m not coming back.” Takashi sighed inwardly. Jin always said that.
Something had to be done. Takashi was sick of being emotionally brutalized three times a year by the one man he believed he ever truly loved and cared so deeply for.
The waiter hovered about, ready to drop the check; he was accustomed to the routine as well it seemed. That annoyed Takashi to no end and prompted him to speak. “Jin, please stay. At least stay.” Just be here, for once, he thought.
Jin considered, then pulled out his wallet. The waiter played his part and exited the stage before Jin made his grand departure. Takashi went home alone.
So Takashi’s father was beyond surprised when his son’s now off-again boyfriend came waltzing into the restaurant on Christmas Eve.
“Is he in?” Jin asked as Takashi’s father checked and re-checked his calendar.
“Jin.” Even Takashi was surprised when he stepped into the room to see his now ex-boyfriend standing there as if there was nothing unnatural about his timing.
They took a walk. Jin led the way and Takashi followed silently. At some point, Jin turned and took a set of stairs up to the third floor of an anonymous apartment complex. He opened one of the doors and led Takashi into a fully furnished apartment.
“What is this, Jin?”
Jin was quiet as they stood in the doorway. “I put a bid down. We can have it by New Years.”
“Jin.”
Takashi knew better than to ask if Jin had finally kicked his habit. For once, Takashi was not going to be single on Christmas. He supposed the real test would come next Valentine’s Day, but he was content to wait and see. Because even if Jin wouldn’t quite stay, at the least, he always came back. Takashi was fairly certain of that now.
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
poutonly) wrote,
hungry
