False Advertising

style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:
"Courier New";color:black'>Sixteen

            Shun gave a huff and pulled himself up out of the hot
water.  He was suddenly once again feeling very reluctant to embrace any
ideas that put him closer to Suka beyond being friends.  He didn't want to
think it through, fearing that maybe it was his way.  It just didn't seem
like something he could enjoy.  Aoki seemed to like it. . . style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>yeah, well, Shun thought, style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>life is full of 'seems'.  style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>Realities are hard to come by.

            Yeah, he
sneered back to himself, when you don't
submit to them.

            Shun shook his head and hopped out of the furo, nearly
slipping on the floor and he made way to the door.  What's worse, what
would Suka-chan say if he decided it was true?

            Decided. . .

            Shun looked down, cursing himself in remembering that
things like that were not a choice.  The choice existed in accepting, not
being.  He reasoned that he could be gay, sure as he stood.  But as
far as he was concerned he could just as easily be sitting.  He twisted
his face in thought – what a crappy analogy.  It held surprisingly true,
however.

            And what if Hasukawa said no?

            Reluctantly, as he pulled a pair of sweat pants on, he
saw that he was in fact going over the idea again.  It didn't scare him as
much as the potential for losing Hasukawa did.  He didn't seem like one to
be repulsed, but neither did he seem like one to easily accept it and love Shun
like that, be it the case.  Suddenly, as Kisaragi pulled on a tee shirt,
whipping his long hair back out of his face, he felt that loving Suka-chan like
a brother left him feeling somewhat empty. How long had it been since he had a
girlfriend?

            Taking another deep breath as he left into the halls of w:st="on">Greenwood, he also took
into consideration that maybe this wasn't something that was deciphered in a
day.  Of course, if he was gay, he'd been like that his whole life and had
simply been fooling himself with thoughts of encounters otherwise.  And he
knew that if it would be anyone, it would be Suka-chan.  Hell, he hadn't
stopped thinking about him since he'd started in the baths and sure didn't feel
as comfortable with anyone else.

            It was declarations like that that made Shun a little
ill.  Saying that to himself, he could only determine that with each
passing second, the reality of him being someone other than what he thought he
was arriving at tangibility.  But he smiled, still knowing that he wouldn't
actually change; he'd still be his colorful and vibrant self.  His
preference did not affect his personality.

            Colorful indeed!

            Shun could almost laugh at the correlation, but figured
that he couldn't answer these questions alone.  Perhaps it was time to
talk to Kazuya – not to admit anything, just yet, but the perhaps get a better
scope on things. Besides, he was sure that Shinobu was tired of hearing his—

            "Wait a minute!" Shun yelled as he stopped
before the sempais' door, "I didn't even admit anything!" He sighed
in deep frustration – he was right, he couldn't do this alone.  Perhaps,
however, Hasukawa was not the best
answer in this case.  Glancing to 211, he steeled himself up and went for
the door.  As quickly as he had made the decision, it flew open and Mitsuru
steamed by. Not even given an explanation, he left, Shinobu dragging Shun back
in and shutting the entrance to his quarters.

            "Shinobu-sempai!" he yelled.  "What
are you doing?!"

            Shinobu shrugged and let his hand fall off the
doorknob.  "I made Mitsuru mad.  Something on your mind?"
Shun frowned.

            "How'd you guess?"

            "Well, you're frowning and I heard you
yelling.  What haven't you admitted?" The pink-haired boy squirmed, a
blush swimming to his face as he dropped his head.  Shinobu sat down next
to him and patiently waited for a response. Maybe it was just time for a nap.

            "Sempai. . . I. . . I think I have to go."
Shinobu didn't reply, merely motioning for the door as Shun shuffled to his
feet.  Kisaragi glanced back, a little drawn by Shinobu's knowing
eyes.  Shun bit his lip and placed his hand on the doorknob, daring
himself to turn it.  Damnit, how could Shinobu say so much in so few
words?

What happens next? :

[Shun leaves and goes along to
his room.] – Go to Chapter Thirteen
(13)

[Shun spills his guts.] – Go to
Chapter Nineteen (style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>19)