Title:Nino
Pairings:OhnoxNino
Genre:Fluff, AU, Friendship, (slight) Angst, (slight) humor
Rating:G
Disclaimer:I own nothing but the plot
Word Count:8032
Summary:Nino was bullied for being short. Ohno just wants to be among the stars. The two meet, and, well... stuff happens. (Nice summary, right?)

ニノ

Nino frowned, unable to stop the boys from bullying him. Just because he was short, it did not the give others permission to automatically pick on him, call him names, push him around, or treat him like a toddler. However, in grade school, it just seems like an important factor for bullies to use against him.

He sighed.

オ―ノ

Ohno wondered what it was like to be in space, to fly in weightless gravity among the stars. He imagined himself with them, smiling, and dancing around happily. Finally, he had an inspiration for a new painting titled: Ohno Satoshi Among the Stars. A wonderful title, it is.

Smiling contently, he grabbed a blue paint brush, dipped it in black paint, and spread the color over the canvas.

The beginning of a cool project.

ニノ

For the last time, he grunted, kicking the bullies away with all the force he can gather. He is not afraid of them and he is not going to show it as much as they wanted him to. Instead, he fights back. Yet they still bother him no matter how many times he resisted.

One day, after school, he asks his mom if he can move schools.

She says, “No” right away.

オ―ノ

He was done with the background, but he needed to add in more details. After washing up his blue brush and drying it later, he dipped it in yellow paint. It is meant for the stars since he always see stars being the color of yellow. But before placing a dot on a random space, Ohno stopped himself.

There was a night, he remembered, when he watched the night sky with his parents and his older sister. He clearly saw that the stars, no matter how far away they were from earth, changes colors faster than you can blink.

He decides to put the yellow paint anyways, deciding to change the color after a few dots here and there.

ニノ

Nino drew on the white blank paper furiously, not caring if he colored out of the lines he created. At least, he could show something to his teacher. How imaginative and creative he is.

When it was time to bring it in, Nino was the last to turn it to their teacher.

He never really made it to his seat that day. Instead, he found himself sitting on the chair outside of the principal’s office.

“An inappropriate drawing,” Nino mumbled angrily.

Just because he drew pictures of him standing over his bullies with a sword that was completely free of blood didn’t mean it was appropriate. Besides, their teacher asked for them to draw what they were feeling, so he did.

オ―ノ

Ohno took a short break, deciding it was best to steer away from his artwork. Artists need a break, he told himself. Or do am I the only one who needs it?

He yawned.

A hard week of working on the background, and he wasn’t even halfway done. He only had the dark space, the twinkling lights, and -- he wasn't that far yet. He needs to make this project a masterpiece.

After putting away his artwork, somewhere safe so no one could mess with it, he went to class. How long was it since he hasn’t been going to class? A week since he started Ohno Satoshi Among the Stars maybe? It must be, because as soon as he went back to class, he was sent to the principal’s office.

Darn.

ニノ

He had a few spare pencils with him, a few of them were colored pencils, some of which he stole before heading to the principal. While he waited for his mom to come, he jumped to the floor and laid on his stomach. It was cold even though he wore a shirt, but he didn’t care.

After spreading the pencils down besides his paper, he began to draw.

He customized himself with a war scar and snickered contently when he made the X’s on the bullies eyes a darker shade. Now that is inappropriate, he told himself proudly, this deserves to be on the wall, along with that Ohno kid’s paintings.

“Hi.”

Nino didn’t look up, not wanting anyone to disrupt him during battle mode. However, it seems that ignoring that person did not make them go away. He saw him lay down on his stomach besides him too.

オ―ノ

Ohno watched with amazement as the person besides him furiously scribbled the colored pencils on the paper. There weren’t any colors but red, and black, but the brightest color was yellow, the one colored onto what seemed like a person who had just won a battle.

The person’s artwork was a bit... inappropriate, but strangely Ohno liked it. It gave some kind of impression like power, and intimidation, or something like that despite how crude the drawings were. The figures, or the persons, in the drawing were not of human shapes, but actual shapes as in the body was a rectangle, the head was a circle, and everything else were geometric shapes. On the other hand, Ohno drew what he saw, how people really are, their unique features, and detailed areas.

Once, an art teacher from a high school called him a prodigy.

“Hi,” Ohno calls out again for the second time, hoping that the person would look at him so he can see who this person was. “I like your drawing.”

The person grumbled, scooted further from him, and hid his drawing from Ohno’s view. “Go away,” the person said.

ニノ

Nino was getting irritated by the minute. This person kept moving closer to him no matter how many times he tried to move from him.

Though to his relief, his mom finally came.

She scolded him a bit, demanding that he get up from the dirty floor before dragging him into the principal’s office.

Nino had forgotten to take the colored pencils.

When the short conference between his mom and the principal was done, Nino went back outside to find the colored pencils.

They were gone.

オ―ノ

Ohno decided to take the boy’s pencils after a hard time of thinking what to do with it. Maybe the boy accidentally left it, or he didn’t want it anymore. Either way, Ohno took it with him to the art room for the upperclassmen, forgetting about why he was sent to the principal’s office.

ニノ

Oh well. Nino can replace those stubby colored pencils anytime. In fact, he had a bunch of them at home, all stolen without his mom’s knowledge. He even has a stash of them at home, all stored away somewhere his mom wouldn’t find it.

As soon as they got home that day, with the drawing in his hand, he immediately went up to his room.

It needs blood, he says, more blood.

オ―ノ

Ohno had forgotten about Ohno Satoshi Among the Stars. Actually, he had forgotten where he had put it. As soon as he arrived in the art room, he took a new canvas and drew. He just drew, with the pencils the boy left.

He lacked color, but it was enough for drawing.

ニノ

Nino has posted his drawing on his wall, proudly and content of his drawing. His mom told him that night to put it down immediately, but he didn’t. He wanted to keep it, and maybe show it to his bullies one day. Maybe, this will scare them off.

オ―ノ

It’s been a few weeks since he had last seen the boy, and he was done with his drawing. It was done, and it looked much more magnificent than his other projects.

He called this one “ニノ”. When he saw the boy drawing the other day, he saw those characters on the yellow shirt, the one that the winner wore.

ニノ

Nino eventually went back to school after a couple of tantrums he threw over the table during breakfast. Also because his mom gave him five dollars just to shut up. Now he can go to the arcade just down the street from school.

Usually, as soon as he arrived to class, his bullies would go after him. Strangely, they didn’t. When he stepped in class, however, he heard people calling his name.

“What?” He glared at them, at everyone who was looking at him.

“Look,” A girl says, “It’s you. And it’s beautiful.”

She was pointing at the board, where all the best artworks go. Once everyone made way for him (surprisingly, the bullies did too without a word), he stood in front of the board to see what the commotion was all about.

Nino had no opinion about the drawing. It was just a boy laying down on his stomach, drawing on a paper.

オ―ノ

Ohno proudly stood in front of his artwork. He had sent this one in earlier, when the students began to file in class, to his teacher who gave him permission to hang it up (also after seriously asking him to stay after school).

Once he posted his artwork up, his classmates began to gather while whispering what the “Great Ohno” has this time. Soon, he heard long sighs from the girls, and murmurs of approval from the boys.

Their attention, however, was disrupted when a girl told someone about the artwork to come towards the board.

Ohno tried to look at the boy, wondering who it was to cause everyone to shut up at his presence. But he was too short, and he couldn’t see.

ニノ

He continued to gawk at it, it’s beauty and simpleness. It must be that Ohno kid, he thought, because his artwork is always on here. And he was right, it was that Ohno kid’s work. On the bottom right corner of the artwork was katakana characters of “オ―ノ”.

Now that he thought about it, he never has seen this Ohno kid before. He only knew that he was in his class since his artwork was on the board, and there were whispers of an Ohno being in his class. Something about the “Great Ohno” or something like that.

Is he--

A boy, with a sleepy smile on his face stood in front of him.

“Hi,” he said.

Where did he hear that voice from?

オ―ノ

Ohno grinned brightly as he held out his hand to the boy. Strangely, he looked familiar.

“You must be Nino! I’m Ohno Satoshi.”

The boy looked at him with expressionless eyes for a brief second before it flickered to annoyance. Ohno didn’t know how to respond to that, but he just wanted to know him, not to make him mad.

ニノ

Nino pushed past Ohno who almost fell to the floor. After the students had dispersed from the board, Nino took a couple of push pins from the side, brought out his own masterpiece (he made a copy of it from his mom’s scanner in her house office), and laid it over Ohno’s.

“There,” He took a step back and placed his hands on his hips. “That’s more like it.”

The drawing Ohno had put on the wall was no longer visible. Instead, it was Nino’s masterpiece from weeks ago. It looked so awesome that it deserved to be up there too.

“Ew, Ninomiya-san. Is that blood?!” One of the girls asked in dismay. “I like Ohno-san’s better!”

“Yeah!” Another girl chimed in, followed by the rest of his classmates but him.

“No, mines is better.”

オ―ノ

Ah, Ohno knew he was now. He was the boy he had met, drawing furiously on a paper. So it was Nino.

Ohno felt a little... dejected, somehow. He thought that Nino would be happy with his drawing since it was for him after all, and he worked so hard on it. Though he noticed how much Nino’s drawing had improved, and he even added in more colors other than red and yellow.

Well, at least Nino saw it.

Sighing, he retreated back to the art room.

ニノ

Nino got in trouble again. His teacher demanded that he take the drawing off or he’ll be sent to the principal’s office. But of course, he didn’t. He wanted to keep it, he told the teacher, because it was awesome and it shows how awesome he is. As he was sent to the principal’s office, he heard the laughter of those menacing bullies...

He decided after all, not to go to the principal’s office. He had better things to do other than getting lectured by both his mother and the principal. He took another route and headed to wherever the halls lead him.

オ―ノ

Ohno couldn’t get himself to paint or draw. He had thought that meeting Nino would be one of the coolest things ever since he had never met a troublemaker like him, or someone who is proud of their actions no matter how negative it was.

Back when he had started the beginning of the school year, he had heard of rumors going around about a kid named Nino, who was supposedly in the same class as him, being sent to the office on the first day of school. Some said he was vandalizing the school property, some said he picked on a girl, and some said he was being a yankee, or something like that.

But really, Ohno didn’t know whether or not he should believe them.

ニノ

Nino whistled a happy tune, one that came from one of his favorite anime show. He keeps forgetting the title, but the tune was that catchy for it to be stuck in his head. Nino casually strolled down the hall, glad that there weren’t supervisors around or else he will end up for sure in the principal’s office if he got caught.

Well, today was his lucky day. It seems as if the school people, however you call them, were being careless today. Though he made sure to keep low when he passed by classes with open windows...

Nino felt like he had walked a maze. He kept seeing the same things again (or was it just because the school was laid out in the same design?), passed by the same classrooms, and went up and down the stairs a couple of times. He finally came to a stop.

Now that he realized it, he didn’t have anywhere to go but school. The gates were closed, there were guards outside, and if he hopped the fence where guards were not present, he can still be caught by a police outside since all children are supposed to be in school at these hours. Maybe he should have gone to the office...?

Nah. He can manage.

Just as he was about to proceed, however, he heard a loud sigh.

オ―ノ

Ohno sighed loudly, leaning his body on the multi-colored table. He kept wondering if Nino hated him, or something like that, based from his actions earlier in the morning.

At times like these, Ohno would paint or draw even if he was put in a bad situation. The results of his drawings always came out in a way that showed his mood, but still, he was able to be creative...

His head snapped up when he heard the sliding of the door. He heard soft footsteps probably walking its way to him.

ニノ

Nino looked around, amazed, and out of words. There were many canvases, posters, models, and such displayed around. Even though some of them didn’t look complete, it was still enough to take his breath away.

Who was the genius behind all this?

Amidst the mess, he heard another sigh. It must be from behind that canvas with multi-colored swirls. He quietly took a step forward, hoping that whoever it was wouldn’t be disrupted.

Unfortunately, he was only able to make it a foot away from that canvas. He fell down to the floor from accidentally getting his foot caught in something.

オ―ノ

Ohno heard a loud crash, followed by an audible moan of pain. He immediately went up to his feet, made a beeline across the mess, and looked for this source of sound. As soon as he found this person, Ohno couldn’t believe his eyes.

Nino was on the floor, writhing in pain as he held onto his ankle. Ohno heard Nino curse under his breath, but then Nino screamed when he made a sudden move as soon as their eyes met.

ニノ

Nino jolted in surprise, sending a thousand pain sensations to his ankle. Whatever it was also caused him to have a minor cut, and now there was blood seeping out. He should have guessed that it was Ohno’s sanctuary.

Nino glared at him. “Well?! Aren’t you gonna help me up?! Stop standing there like an idiot!”

“Ah...” Ohno breathed, looking calm about this whole situation. “I’m gonna go get...”

“No, you’re helping me,” Nino cut him off. “If you send me to the nurse’s room, I’m gonna be sent home again. Now help me up!”

It took probably a couple of seconds for Ohno to place his attention back to him. Ohno gave him a sheepish smile as he bent his knees a little and offered his hand.

Nino didn’t want to take it, seeing the splatter of paint in his hands, but he had to. He couldn’t just lay down on the floor all day.

オ―ノ

It was a good thing he had a small box of medical supplies so he didn’t have to steal some (prior to Nino) from the nurse’s office. After setting Nino down on a clear space, Ohno set the box up, and propped Nino’s ankle on his leg.

“Ow...” Nino winced as Ohno applied alcohol on the fresh cut. “That hurts...”

“Sorry,” He quickly apologized. “I’ll try to be more gentle next time.”

“Try harder then,” Nino snapped.

ニノ

“It’s just a minor pain,” He told Ohno once again after limping to take a seat further from him in the room. “It will heal.”

“But...” Ohno pouted. “It’s my fault. I should at least do something to owe it up to you. Can I walk you home, at least?”

Nino shook his head. There was no way he was going to let someone like him walk him home. What if he was being careless and yet again, causes another incident like he did with his mess.

But, there was always something Nino wanted...

A grin formed in his face.

オ―ノ

Ohno didn’t like it, that evil grin on Nino’s face. The latter must be planning on doing something bad to him...

“Buy me a game,” Nino finally spoke up.

“B-But I don’t have money...” Ohno whined. “Can I just lend you my games?”

Nino shook his head. “Buy me it. Or I’ll sue you for injuring me.”

“S-sue?! But I’m too young!”

“I’m gonna call my family lawyer, tell him that...”

“Fine!” Ohno finally gave in. “I’ll get it! Just wait for a few weeks.”

“A week,” Nino says. “I want it in a week.”

“Ok, fine. A week. Now what game did you say it was...?”

ニノ

Nino eventually got caught, thanks to Ohno. He would have gotten away if only he could outrun one of the teachers...

Just like the usual, he had to wait. As soon as his mother came with her usual disappointed face, they sat in with the principal, had a small talk, then went home.

Before he was sent to his room though, he snuck the house phone with him then went to his room. He would have to call Ohno to check in, to make sure that the latter wouldn’t forget because he seems the type to forget.

オ―ノ

Nino started following him around school. The latter told him it was because he wanted to check up on him, like he had told him last night on the phone, and that he wanted to make sure that he wouldn’t run away in the middle of a deal.

No matter how many times he told Nino that he was going to carry it out, the latter remained closely behind him with that limp leg of his...

It was lunchtime, and as usual, Ohno only got bread. It was enough for to satisfy his hunger since his mother feeds him a lot at home anyways. With Nino still behind him, he walked back to the art room. It was the only place he goes to since he really had no friends...

Ohno watched Nino move about the room. He heard the latter say something about cleaning up, and putting everything away so he had room to walk. But Ohno didn’t do anything and just listened to Nino and his footsteps while munching on his bread.

“They shouldn’t be in school anyways,” He heard Nino mumble. “They’re just idiots, just waiting for me. Their next victim!”

Ohno tilted his head in curiousity. What was Nino going on about? He noticed, since earlier, that he wasn’t in a good mood.

“Just because I’m short... I didn’t ask to be this way?!”

“Hmm?”

“I-- Oh,” Nino paused his pacing before continuing again. “Sorry. I forgot you were there.”

Ohno’s heard of that many times before so he was used to it. “Is there something wrong?”

“No,” Nino snapped. “Just keep eating your bread and think about how you’re gonna get me that game. Shoo!”

ニノ

Nino was infuriated, and it was obvious enough for Ohno to notice. That morning, on his way to school, he encountered with bad luck. First, he tripped -- almost -- tripped on a puppy and when he dodged it, his foot fell on a muddy puddle. Then along came those idiots who had nothing better to do than bully him for being short. They made fun of his muddy shoe, his height (as usual), and made jokes about his height.

He would have picked a fight if it weren’t for his foot...

But Ohno was there, sitting silently as he stared at him.

“What?” Nino snapped. “I thought I told you to think.”

“I can’t,” Ohno said.

“Then why are you in school to begin with?”

“Just because.”

“Just because what?”

“...That’s my answer. I don’t see why I have to extend it.”

Nino rolled his eyes. “Just think, ok? Or I’ll see you, I promise I will.”

“Oh.. uh... ok...”

Just like that, Ohno spaced out. Nino can tell he did because he didn’t react when Nino waved his hand in front of Ohno’s face a few times. Ohno didn’t blink either of flinch when Nino poked him. Is he asleep?

オ―ノ

Nino had gone once the school bell rang. Ohno was supposed to go back too, but he had other things to do, like trying not to get sued. During lunch, when Nino told him to think, he was thinking, and he tried, but he couldn’t do it.

When he spaced out, something that normally happens when he thinks, he didn’t tell Nino that he knew he was waving or poking him a couple of times. He laughed. In all his life, he had never met someone so interesting...

School ended, and surprisingly, Nino didn’t show up. Ohno admitted that he felt a little bit lonely without Nino following him around. Instead of going home, Ohno remained in school. He had wasted a day thinking of a solution to get money, when really he couldn’t think of anything. There was his mother, but she will just ask him why he isn’t playing the new game she bought for him, or she would ask him where the game was since she was the one who put his games away at the end of the day. She would immediately think that Nino was some kind of bully, which he isn’t.

Well, Ohno has yet to figure out. Nino was... in a way, a delinquent. But unlike him, Nino goes to class everyday despite getting into so much trouble. So he couldn’t tell yet if Nino was a bully.

Ohno hummed a tune he had heard Nino earlier hum during lunch. It was upbeat, and catchy that it got stuck to his head. He actually liked it. He looked around, wondering what he could do for the time being. That was when it hit him. Everything in the art room, everything he had done since school year had started was there, waiting to be finished.

Now he knew what to do and he didn’t have to think at all. Actually, thinking hurts.

ニノ

His ankle hasn’t gotten better yet. His mom, who had scolded him when he sprained his ankle, asked him who did it. She must have assumed someone was bullying him since he was short like her; she actually admitted once that she was bullied for her height from junior high to high school. Of course, he didn’t want to reveal who it was yet. But now that he thought about it, he never actually told his mother that he was also getting bullied just like her. He had yet to keep that to himself...

On his way to school, he made sure he avoided stray puppies and muddy puddles, and the bullies. To his relief, his morning went by smoothly. The bullies were too busy picking on another student, to which Nino was glad wasn’t him.

Now, where was Ohno...?

オ―ノ

Ohno woke up, feeling the earth beneath him shake. But when he opened his eyes, he realized it was him that was shaking.

“W-what...” he mumbled sleepily.

“Ohno! You didn’t go home?!”

“Ah, Nino.”

“It’s not about me!” The latter tsked. “Have you been here all night?”

“Uh...” He looked around him and realized his workspace had been much messier than he had seen it last. Paint, pencils, and every art supplies known to man was spread all over his desk. He looked at his mess then at Nino. “Yes...?”

“Stupid,” Nino spat. “Go home.”

“I can’t... I have to make money.”

“Make money when you smell better and had eaten. For now, go home.”

“But...”

“Go.”

Ohno sighed, letting Nino know that he gave up. Once Nino took a step aside, Ohno was dragged to his feet and pushed out by Nino.

It really didn’t seem like Nino was a bully at the moment although he was being demanding...

Ohno went back to school right away after he had showered and ate cereal. His mother was already at work and it didn’t seem like him being away affected her. He had actually done this before five times during the third month since school began.

He had to sneak in when he went back to school, but by the time he reached the front, a guard caught him and escorted him back to his classroom. He felt eyes on him once he entered, especially Nino’s, and their teacher.

“Ohno-kun, meet me in class after school,” their teacher says once he took a seat.

ニノ

Nino rolled his eyes. For the first time since this whole week, Ohno was actually going to class. He noticed, since meeting Ohno formally at the class art board, that he hasn’t been going to class. He only went sometimes, but it felt like he was never really there. But it seems that the teacher noticed he hasn’t been in class.

As soon as lunch came, Nino dragged Ohno to the art room.

“Alright, tell me what’s up with you,” Nino demands after pushing Ohno to his workspace.

Ohno shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Ohno, stop joking.”

“I’m not,” Ohno says, his face scrunching up. “I really don’t know.”

“Wha-- How could you not know?!”

“I really don’t...”

“Fine, ok, let’s say you really don’t know, but at least tell me you aren’t sick.”

Ohno lifted his hand up, placed his palm on his forehead, then set his hand back down his side. “I’m not.”

Nino inhaled in a sharp breath of air. “That’s not what I’m talking about.”

“Then wha-- Oh...”

“Yeah, oh.”

“Then if it’s that, I’m not.”

Nino looked at him with uncertainty. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Ok, let’s say you are. I’ll be right back then, going out to get lunch.” With that said, Nino left, slightly limping towards cafeteria. On his way there though, he just wondered what he did. It was odd for him to be worried about someone he had just barely met, and caused his limping.

オ―ノ

Nino is strange, Ohno wondered. He really can’t figure him out. But at least someone else other than his mom worried for him. He actually liked that thought. Smiling contently to himself, he turned to face his work and began what he needed to finish.

No matter what, he can’t get sued.

ニノ

Nino came back, holding a tray of food. He made sure he got enough for two since yesterday, he noticed that Ohno only ate bread. When he came back though, he expected he could eat lunch, but he saw Ohno was working. When Nino yelled for him, the latter didn’t even respond.

He must be working hard to get that money, Nino thought, amused of the latter. Once he had set the tray down somewhere stable, he picked up a plate full of curry and white rice, he stuffed his mouth a spoonful of it ...

A few days had passed and Ohno claimed he was almost done with whatever he had been working on. Nino, on the other hand, was starting to get impatient. He wanted that game really badly, and he needed something new to play with his PS3. All the games he has at home had been finished and done, and he was getting tired of replaying them.

“When will you be done?” Nino asked Ohno on the third day after school. He looked over his shoulder and he saw that Ohno was working on a person flying in space with a bunch of stars around the subject.

“Almost,” Ohno tells him again, “Just needs one more .”

Nino exhaled impatiently. “You told me that yesterday, and the day before. Wait... why are you even doing this? I thought you were trying to make money?”

“I am,” Ohno said. “I just need to finish this.”

“And how does finishing all of this help you get money?”

Ohno hummed. “I’m selling all of it. I saw in this document once that an artist, who dropped out of school, made his living selling his art. And you know what? It worked! One doesn’t really have to go to school just to get money, Nino. And I figured, what if I sell my stuff too? I can really help you get that game then.”

Nino couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Sell? All of these work of art... he would sell it? Though he agreed on Ohno’s opinion, he felt somewhat it was not right. On the first day he stepped foot in this art room, he was amazed by the art. He never would have thought that Ohno was going to use them all just to sell it.

“No,” Nino said, grabbing the brush from Ohno’s hand. “I can’t let you.”

“But you need the game,” Ohno said, “Can I have my brush back?”

“No, Ohno. I can’t let you.”

“Why is that, Nino? I thought you needed that game?”

“I do. Just...” he looked around, at all the artwork around him that Ohno had been working on for who knows how long. “...Not your art. Come, I know a better way.”

Without saying a word, Nino took Ohno’s wrist and dragged the latter with him. Honestly, he didn’t have a plan.

オ―ノ

“What are we doing here?” Ohno whispered, feeling somewhat like a criminal.

“Idiot,” Nino smacked his head. “We’re at my house. I already told you that a thousand times. Stop sneaking!”

“But I’ve never been to anyone’s house, Nino... I feel like we’re going to do something bad.”

“Really?” Nino asked, obviously irritated with what he just said. “Last time I checked, I haven’t done anything with this foot. And I never had before it.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“You better be.”

He followed Nino up the stairs, feeling somewhat like a foreigner in this house. He had never been anywhere, not even in other relative’s houses. Compared to his own home that resembled a traditional Japanese home, Nino’s house made it feel like he was in an American home. Everything was so modernized that it made his house look like a trip to the past.

He was even more amazed when he entered Nino’s bedroom. It was clean, really clean, and now he knew why Nino complained about the mess in the art room.

“Tell me again what we’re doing here?” Ohno asked him once he closed the door.

“I’m getting money.”

“Getting-- Wait, what?”

“Yeah, I’m getting money. You think I wouldn’t have money?”

“Well... you did ask me to get you a game so I thought that you didn’t have cash... I didn’t think that you have...”

Nino smirked. “Yeah, I know. And seriously, you think with a house like this I wouldn’t have money?”

Ah, now that he pointed it out he was right. “Then you’re rich?”

“Kind of,” Nino shrugged. “My father, or well, my ex-father sends money from time to time. Mom says he sends it or else she’ll sue him for not funding in. I think it’s because of me. You know, child care and stuff like that.”

Actually, Ohno didn’t know. He thought that Nino had a father. “Oh,” was what he said instead.

“So, here,” Nino hands him the money in his hand. “I’ll buy your art.”

Ohno looked at the money, then at Nino. Now he was confused. “Why are you giving me this?” Ohno asked, pushing the money away from him. “I thought you needed me to make the money.”

“And you are,” Nino said, offering him the money once again. “You’re earning it and you’re getting that game for me. Is that clearer?”

“Nino, I...”

“No, don’t say anything. Just accept it, buy the game, then give it to me, ok? Oh, and give it to me in a cool present. You know, something flashy.”

“Nino...”

“Go before my mom comes home. I’ll see you in school tomorrow.”

Ohno really didn’t get to ask Nino why he was acting that way and was instead pushed out of the house with Nino’s money in hand...

Ohno still couldn’t believe it. He had the money in his hand, but he didn’t feel like he deserved it. It was from Nino after all, and he felt somewhat cheated. Now, a bully wouldn’t do that, give money to someone. A bully takes the money and uses it for their own good. Wait... was he the bully then? No, that’s not possible. His mother said that he wouldn’t even hurt a fly. And it’s true. He saved a puppy, on the day Nino first followed him around school, on the way home and placed the puppy in a pound so someone could adopt him or her to a better home.

No, he’s not a bully.

Putting that thought aside, Ohno stared at the front of the nearest game store. He knew which game Nino wanted, but he couldn’t bring himself inside. He should have went to school instead of skipping, and so he could give Nino back his money.

But then he thought about how Nino would react. Will he get sued? Oh, no. He can’t. Without another thought, Ohno slipped into the game store. He bought Nino’s game, then went to the nearest arts and craft store he could find.

Just like Nino told him, he got a flashy wrapping for it. It was yellow, just like the color of some of the stars from his Ohno Satoshi Among the Stars project. He was glad he found that project, though, after quite some time of leaving it alone...

Ohno decided to head back to school once classes ended for the day. When he arrived, he received strange looks from other students because they knew he was a student of the school as well. But he ignored them and his intention was to look for Nino and give him his game. Finally, after a couple minutes of waiting, he saw Nino coming from the building.

“Ni--” He stopped when he saw boys, twice the height of Nino coming towards Nino with wicked smiles on their faces. Ohno recognized them right away, they were the tall kids in his and Nino’s class.

“Get away!” He heard Nino scream, and to that, Ohno ran towards him in attempt to pull the tall students away.

ニノ

Nino couldn’t be more happier when he saw a familiar face among the monstrosity, otherwise known as his bullies. He saw Ohno running towards them, looking determined to do something.

“Get off him!”

To his surprise, it was Ohno who yelled. He always thought that he was sleepy, quiet, and confused.

“Oh yeah?!” The leader of the bullies extracted himself from the group and stomped towards Ohno. “What are you going to do about it?!”

Ohno didn’t say anything, but he just looked at him with a straight face as if he was thinking. The bully, however, must have mistaken it for something, like intimidation from someone who was a bit shorter than him. Oh, how jealous Nino was of Ohno’s height. Nino closed his eyes when he saw the bully was about to attack. To his surprise, there weren’t the sounds of a boy falling to the floor and a grunt in pain. He opened his eyes, and immediately the rest of the leader’s followers let him go.

“Are you ok?!” One of them asked the leader as they ran to the student groaning in pain o the floor. “Boss!”

Nino was unable to see how everything else played out once Ohno came into view.

オ―ノ

“What did you do?” Nino asked him as he glanced over his shoulder.

Ohno shrugged. “I just... hit him.”

Nino looked at him with disbelief. “With just one blow? You did that?”

“Yes,” Ohno nodded. “I did. What’s wrong with it?”

“I didn’t think you knew how to hit.”

“Well, sensei always says use your fists for good things. So, I guess saving you was a good thing then, right?” He told Nino, remembering his Judo sensei’s words.

“You take classes for that?”

Ohno nodded his head again.

“Oh, you have got to show me that.”

“But before I do,” Ohno handed him the game that he had been holding the whole time. “I bought it. You won’t sue me, right?”

Nino laughed. “Of course not! But hey, can you come with me to my house today? I would like to show you something. Oh, and promise me you’ll teach me.”

“I promise.”

With that said, Nino grabbed his wrist and made him run again. As he ran to Nino’s house, he couldn’t help but look at Nino’s ankle. It’s only been, what, four days now? How did his ankle heal so fast...?

As expected, Nino’s house was still modernized no matter how many angles he tried to look at the building. Once he entered the house, though, he felt Nino tense. Ohno could hear Nino’s and his own breathing from the run they just did, but it was starting to die down since they were now resting. Now what? They were just standing there on the entrance.

“Ohno, you promise me also that you won’t say anything. Just play along, ok?”

Ohno looked at Nino in confusion. What is he up to this time?

“Take your shoes off. I want to introduce you to someone.”

Once he had them off, Nino once again grabbed his wrist and he was pulled into the living room. And in the living room, he saw a man and a woman sitting across each other. He was only able to see the woman, and her face was deadly serious. It wasn’t until he and Nino came into her full view that her face relaxed.

“Nino,” His mom sighed, “You’re back.”

“I am,” he replied.

“And who’s your friend?”

Ohno held his tongue. He (silently) promised to Nino that he wouldn’t speak.

“He’s my friend,” Nino said.

It’s the first time Ohno had heard someone call him that.

“And dad,” Ohno noticed how much stress he had put into the word dad, “He’s my friend.”

The man, Ohno was able to see him now, turned around. He didn’t have a smile on his face and he didn’t react to what Nino had just said. He must me Nino’s ex-father, Ohno concluded.

“Nino, you know what today is,” The man said, “You can’t be--”

“But I want to stay!” Nino stomped his foot on the floor angrily. “See! He even brought me a present! I don’t want to leave my friend.” He showed the present Ohno had given him earlier. Oh... is that why he wanted a game?

“Nino...”

“You leave, dad. Just like you left mom and me. I don’t want to live with you. You don’t even think about me dad. You just think about that lady you’re dating. I bet you buy a lot of things for her! I bet you don’t even know what today is either, other than you taking me away for good from mom.”

“Kazunari!” Nino’s mother snapped. “Don’t talk to your father that way.”

“But he’s not my father, he’s someone else,” Nino countered. “You said so too, mom.”

“I...” His mother’s cheeks reddened. “Kazunari, go to your room. I’m sorry you had to see that.” Ohno knew she was talking to him. Before he can say it was ok, and that he didn’t mind at all, Nino dragged him to his room upstairs.

As soon as the door was closed, Nino let his wrist go and flopped on his bed.

ニノ

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Nino apologized. “I used you, didn’t I?”

Ohno didn’t answer. He must be thinking, or dozing off. But Nino went on anyways.

“He was my dad. I thought that I could somehow persuade him from making me live with him, but I couldn’t think of anything else. And then when I got my ankle sprained and I made that deal with you, I guess that’s when my plan was starting to form, I guess. I shouldn’t have dragged you in this.”

Still, Ohno remained silent.

“You can leave once they’re gone. I’ll just stay up here and--”

He was interrupted when he felt a hand circle his wrist and was forced to face up. He was looking at the ceiling now instead of his sheets, but he can also see Ohno looking at him.

“Why did you tell me all of this?” Ohno asked. “About the bullying and all of this.”

“I thought you already knew about the bullying?” Nino asked him.

“I didn’t.”

“Well, it’s no big deal. I can fight them myself.”

“No you can’t,” Ohno said. “You against them, there’s no way.”

Nino propped himself up with his elbows. “Are you calling me weak?”

“No, I’m not. I’m just telling you what you can’t do. Not with those jerks.”

“Gee,” Nino sighed, feeling somewhat relieved and offended by Ohno’s words. “Thanks. But I don’t think they’ll come around so soon, not after you did that thing. Oh, and speaking about that. Can you teach it to me now? I would like to--”

“Nino, don’t change the subject,” Ohno interrupted him. “You said something about today. Why? What’s today?”

Nino shrugged. “It’s my birthday.”

オ―ノ

Oh... is that why...

“Nino, I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” Ohno apologized right away. “Is that why you wanted me to buy that soon?”

“Yes,” Nino answered directly. “And thanks for that, actually. I--”

Ohno cut him off, leaving the latter hanging in his words. So this guy, after all, was not a bully. He was actually the one being bullied. Without a warning, he grabbed Nino and embraced him.

“You’re so brave, Nino.”

“Uh... what is going on, exactly?”

“It’s just... I’m impressed. Honestly, I always thought Nino just likes to get in trouble.”

The latter laughed. “You really thought that? And wow, Ohno was thinking. That’s a first for me to hear.”

“No, seriously, Nino...” Ohno paused, unable to continue what he was about to say. Really, though, he had nothing else to say.

“Ohno?”

“Wait, hush,” Ohno pulled away as a sudden thought came to him. “I’m thinking.”

“Ouch,” Nino winced. “It looks like your suffering.”

“I’m not... Nino, I think I know what to paint now.”

“Oh, and what’s that?”

“I won’t tell you,” He said, “And happy birthday, Nino. I’ll be back before midnight.”

He never really gave Nino the chance to speak entirely since he sped out of the house and back to school...

ニノ

As it turns out, his ex-father didn’t take him. His mother then told him once his father had left that he realized he had no right to take him from his mother, since he had been living with her since day one. He was glad because he was actually waiting for Ohno to come back as he promised. As he waited, he stared at his drawing on the wall, the one where he drew himself as King of Awesomeness. Nino laughed. He should have drawn Ohno, that is if he knew him before.

オ―ノ

Ohno had finished, and it looked perfect. After putting in the finishing touches: a of yellow there and a few colors there, he flipped the canvas to the back and rewrote the name of the painting. Once it dried, right before 11PM too, he rushed back to Nino’s house, hoping that the latter was still awake...

He arrived by 11:30 and he was glad Nino’s mother was still up. When she opened the door, she looked surprised, but didn’t say anything and just let him in. Once he was up the stairs, he entered Nino’s room. To his relief, Nino was still up, but his back was facing him since he was looking out through the open window.

“Ahem,” Ohno coughed for attention. It took about three times to get Nino’s attention.

When Nino finally looked, though, Ohno smiled. “I have it, I finished the painting,” he said, holding out the canvas faced down to Nino. “I worked on it long before I met you, but I was finally able to finish it.”

Nino looked at him. Ohno assumed that he had seen the name for the painting.

“You named it Nino?” He asked. “Just like the drawing back in class?”

“Yes,” Ohno said. “But it’s different this time. Go look.”

“Ok...”

ニノ

Once he flipped it faced up, Nino gasped. It was the most...

“...beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” He said out loud. “Ohno, you made this?”

He lifted the painting up. It was him on it, sitting down on a crescent moon. Behind him were stars, billions of them that it will probably take forever to count. Despite it’s simpleness, it was by far the best painting he’s ever come across. But wait... wasn’t Ohno working on this yesterday?

“I did. It originally titled Ohno Satoshi Among the Stars because, you see, I wanted to know what it was like to be up in space with the stars. I was supposed to finish it yesterday, before you dragged me to you home, but after today, I decided to change it.”

“Ohno, you shouldn’t have...”

“But I did,” Ohno grinned. “And I want to be friends with you.”

オ―ノ

Nino laughed. “Aren’t we already?”

“Oh, and happy birthday again. Wanna do something before the day ends?”

“We only have 20 minutes left. What could we possibly do under that time limit.”

Ohno shrugged. “Let’s watch the stars.”

Ohno was glad that he finally had a main subject for his art, now that he’s made a very strange, weird, cunning, yet brave friend.

Nino.

Now this was the beginning of a really cool project.

END