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Extra II. March 2024
He may look like he was doing fine–being gawked at in public wasn’t exactly an uncommon or unfamiliar experience for him. He’s used to being a sight for attention, but it should be painstakingly noted that it’s usually his beloved fan audience that would cast their loving stares at him—not the general public that most often does not engage in any idol fanfare.
And so Isagi felt slightly embarrassed, mostly awkward, standing in front of a coffee shop dressed in frills and lace, and sporting a surprisingly realistic wig of long dark soft waves. The team responsible for his makeup and styling praised that he could genuinely pass off as a member of the opposite sex, truly and with no exaggeration at all. With this in mind, it can be commented that the public wasn’t gawking at him because he was cross-dressing, but it was because he was decked out in this incredibly formal and extravagant gown, dressed to the nines like he was about to be shipped off to meet some royal family in a fantasy romance story.
It was clear that he looked out of a place, but still, he continued to appear unbothered as he waited for his guest to come. And it was kind of nice that he wasn’t alone, albeit his company was the filming crew with him, a security detail, and an inconspicuous-looking individual who was currently seated at a window table inside the coffee shop.
When Isagi told Rin what was being planned for his group’s anniversary special, it was met with stern refusal. It was not because the members would be dressing up as girly princesses, but it was about Rin not being comfortable with him going on a supposedly blind date with one of the fans who would have won a lottery draw for the opportunity. But Isagi tried to reason with him, cameras would be filming the whole thing so fans with unsavory intentions wouldn’t have a chance to attempt anything, furthermore, they were also to be out in the public the entire time, which posed as another social barrier inhibiting any troubling behavior. And Ego wasn’t a mindless person who would endanger his own goods, so it was made a firm rule that each winner that would go on a date with the members would have to go through a thorough background check.
Still, Rin insisted that wasn’t enough. In fact, it had appeared that Rin had composed some long essay detailing everything that could go wrong. Possible concealed weapons, and the failure of the system to catch and record all possible criminals. He even came prepared with case studies of real-life incidents that have happened to other idols. To conclude his points, Isagi more or less understood that Rin was arguing that the world was a cruel place, nothing could be trusted, and that Isagi’s life was at stake by going on a blind date with a stranger.
But Isagi felt like he couldn’t just sit out on this, he really believed that it would be a good opportunity to personally connect with one of his fans. He held it in his own beliefs that a true fan of his would never be a bad person. Yet he couldn’t ignore Rin’s wild (but completely valid) concerns, so they came to a compromise which basically entailed his boyfriend acting as his own personal guard for the day because the security detail Ego offered to placate him was frankly, in his own words, “not good enough”.
When he turns his head slightly, he makes solid eye contact with the dark sunglasses Rin had worn to disguise himself. He squints at his boyfriend as he nonchalantly takes a sip from the Americano Isagi knew he had ordered.
He was half tempted to go inside himself before he was finally alerted by his crew that his guest had arrived. Isagi scans ahead in order to catch his first glimpse of the winner who wants to go on this date. To simulate the idea of a blind date, Isagi himself was kept in the dark about the winner. So he really had no clue of what was about to descend upon him.
Isagi almost let his jaw slack when he sees a clear prominent figure making their way through a rapidly forming crowd that launches the security detail into action.
The cameras were on and rolling and Isagi knew it wouldn’t be proper if he were to turn around now in order to see Rin. But he knew that Rin’s expression wouldn’t be any less different than his own at the moment.
He was undeniably shocked and confused as Itoshi Sae made his way towards them. He himself was dressed impeccably in a tailored suit like he was a prince meant to match with his own princess-like attire.
In his mind, Isagi was screaming because if by chance, the reason why Sae was here was because he was the winner of the blind date, then really, who would have any words for that?
“I assume you have not been made aware of the plans for our date together.”
Isagi wants to run away. His fingers itched to reach down to take off his heels, readying his escape. But then reality dawns on him as he sees both the large crowd of people and, of course, the cameras. He tries his best to calmly smile like he wasn’t just thinking of taking off like a maniac.
“...I really was not, and this seems almost unbelievable! Because when did the great Itoshi Sae enter in random draws for idol blind dates?” He chuckles, but it is easy to discern that he is nervous, very much so in fact.
Sae had the gall to look humored by the whole situation. “Like other fans, I just wanted to try my luck and entered with a hope that I would win.”
There was a loud audible thud from behind him like something had hit the window. Isagi ignored the sound as he let out a small laugh, hoping to hide his unease.
A sly smile curves its way onto Sae’s lips. “I also must add, that you truly look beautiful Isagi-san.”
If Isagi was like anyone else, he would probably swoon with the crowd that was unanimously enamored and undoubtedly charmed by the famous actor. But Isagi knows too much now, and he can tell that Sae knows that he knows too much because his subtle glance at the view behind him is very telling.
He didn’t wake up this morning expecting to go through a seeming disaster like this but he was one never to back down from a challenge of course—and so he squared his shoulders, and he met the elder Itoshi with a determined grin.
“You also look quite dashing yourself.” He then offers his arm which causes a raised brow. “Shall you lead us to our first location? After all, we don’t have all day to be standing here when I’m sure you have many wonderful things planned.”
Sae had stared at his arm curiously before accepting it and the two of them were joined together as if they were a pleasant couple about to bask on a day out.
The smile was back as he gave Isagi a suspiciously knowing look.
“Of course, the pleasure is all mine.”
⊱— · ⋆ ✩ ⋆ · —⊰
He wasn’t sure if Sae was actually the mastermind behind the planning of the “date”, but he would say it was thoughtful in a way that was weirdly romantic.
They were situated in a park with a quaint little lake that offered swan boats if one was in the mood for a relaxed trip around the water. As a rather well-kept park with gardens of roses arranged so pleasingly to the eye, it would have been a great place to be, if not for the person he was with and that person’s younger brother hiding away behind one of those rose hedges.
Isagi had no anticipations on how the date would go and so he was pleasantly surprised that when they had first arrived at the park, there was already a table that had been set up in a spot that had a scenic view of the entire area. The table had been layered with a pristine white cloth and decorated with beautifully crafted sweets and desserts.
“Would you care for some afternoon tea?” Sae had moved ahead and pulled out one of the chairs for him, waiting for him like he was some noble gentleman.
Isagi went and settled down on the seat that was offered to him, but at the same time, he was met with an odd feeling from the awfully gentle and polite way Sae was treating him. However, when he thought about how technically both of them were currently putting on a show for the cameras, it really should not have been surprising at all. Sae always had that great reputation that followed him—the top of the top when it comes to actors in Japan. Everyone always expected the best out of him and the planning and execution of a random blind date was no exception.
When they were both seated at the table, Isagi was unsure what was to come next, but it seemed as though Sae really did have everything planned out because out of somewhere he didn’t know, a man dressed as a butler had come up behind him and offered to pour them tea. Isagi had watched in fascination as the tea cups were gracefully placed onto the table before an elegant turn of the wrist had let down a stream of an aroma characteristic of floral tea.
Sae gestured to the many kinds of confectionary laid out in front of them. “Please help yourself, I remember you said once that you do like sweets.”
Isagi raised an eyebrow at him. “Did you have your team do some research on me?” Sae responded with a smile before resting his chin on top of his clasped hands.
“Whose to say that I didn’t do the research myself?” He playfully banters.
“That seems unrealistic considering how busy your schedule must be.” He says it lightheartedly but at the same time, he can’t say that he can believe anything that comes out of the professional actor’s mouth.
“If there is something that you should know about me, it’s that I am quite efficient—otherwise I would never have time for anything,” Sae pauses to take the smallest of sips from the dainty tea cup, “including catching up with that dear brother of mine.”
Isagi was in the middle of reaching over to grab a small slice of cake before he froze for a second. He catches himself before it is noticed by the cameras, but he knew couldn’t fool those keen eyes of Sae.
“As close brothers, I’m sure it is very important that you two keep up with each other.” He wants to add that he never seems to hear about it, but he wasn’t about to air out a family’s dirty laundry like that for the public.
His sarcasm is obvious between the two of them and Sae decidedly answers him in a similar manner. “You must know since you two are good friends now, that Rin appears to try to make use of any free time he gets outside of work.”
“In fact, maybe we should all get together sometime. A day with the Itoshis as it can be coined.”
He lets out a small laugh but he is anything but happy. In fact, he was back to feeling utterly uncomfortable. “Of course! You know what they say; the more the merrier.”
They sit in silence and before Isagi finds it in himself to stop what he was planning to do, he suddenly stands up. “Please excuse me, I need to go for a quick break to the restrooms.”
Sae feigns casual disinterest as he rests the side of his face on his left hand, but that subtle smirk tells him otherwise. “By all means, the restrooms are on the other side of the park.”
Isagi picks up the skirt that pools down around him and hurriedly speeds away from the scene. He didn’t know how Sae was going to entertain the cameras in the meantime but he was absolutely sure that man had a few tricks up his sleeve.
He had nearly twisted his ankles a few times trying to run through the grass but he eventually made it to an isolated spot behind some trees. Leaning against one of the trunks, he basks in the shade and lets out a long-awaited sigh.
Isagi gives it a few more minutes before he hears the audible rustling of someone following behind him.
“This better not have been some awful surprise you had planned.”
Isagi eyes Rin’s tall figure as he appears. He crosses his arms with an unamused look in response. “You know I never talk to him. This was all his doing.”
Isagi continues, “I actually don’t know why he would do something as dramatic as this, is it, not his style to keep things under the radar?”
For a second, Rin had this slightly guilty expression on his face, like he had been hiding something from him.
“I might know why he would do this.”
Isagi narrows his eyes at him. “What do you mean?”
Rin avoids eye contact by looking away like he is now being hit with the shame of something that Isagi had no idea of.
“I may have been ignoring his calls and his attempts to get in contact with me.”
Isagi was floored before he was suddenly invigorated with the intense need to barrage his boyfriend with how this ridiculous day was all related to him. “You! Why didn’t you say anything?!”
“Because I know if I told you then you would have kept encouraging me to reach out!”
“Well yes! It’s worth giving him a chance especially if he was being that persistent!”
Rin lets out an exasperated sigh as he uncharacteristically slumps down and sits on the grass next to him. “I just didn’t want to think about it.”
It was painfully honest of Rin to admit it, after all, they had several years of issues and problems they had to work out between the two of them and it was more comforting to keep pushing that task aside, prolonging it until it appeared out of existence. He knew Rin did try to make some effort of a peace offering when he gave that interview after his first movie was released, but since then nothing else had been done.
Isagi lowered himself until he was also sitting down. He tried to arrange his skirt in a way that was proper before giving up as it was just the two of them there,
“You might not want to think about it, but it seems like Sae has other ideas.”
He watches as Rin turns his gaze down, staring at the grass. “I should have figured that this awful surprise was his own work.”
Isagi pokes at Rin’s thigh. “So, what are you going to do about it?”
His partner goes quiet before speaking up again.
“I’ll talk to him.”
He knows he has been gone for a suspiciously long amount of time but Isagi couldn’t find it in himself to care much as he leans over and rests against Rin’s shoulder, finally feeling at ease after the whirlwind of events that had transpired today.
Rin fingers the long lock of hair that lands on his arm before he turns to look at him.
“It’s ridiculous how you actually look good in this.”
Isagi shrugs, “I’m sure you would too if you let my team do you up.” Rin ends up scoffing, refusing to let such a day come.
Before Isagi resigns himself to leave his boyfriend and continue on with his date with said boyfriend’s brother, he basks in the remaining time he has left. He was glad that he did get a chance to actually enjoy some aspect of the date in the park, even if it was in the company of someone else.
⊱— · ⋆ ✩ ⋆ · —⊰
When Isagi eventually heads back to where Sae is, he carefully observes the elder Itoshi who appears to be unbothered by his somewhat long disappearance. Nonetheless, the both of them continued as though nothing had happened. After finishing their tea at the table, Sae led the both of them down to the lake and helped him get onto a small boat he rented.
They were out in the middle of the lake and before the camera crew could catch up to them, Isagi found them having a small private moment to themselves.
“Rin’s willing to stay behind after filming. He also promised to stop ignoring your messages.”
Sae widens his eyes, evident that this was an outcome he had little to no hope for. “So that’s what you two were talking about when you ran off earlier.”
Isagi narrows his eyes at him. “Clearly, this can’t be a surprise considering how you were using this date to get his attention.”
He hears a small laugh from Sae in response. “I was banking a lot on this date.” When Sae looked to the side, Isagi felt as though he caught something rather private. On Sae’s face was this peaceful look, like reconciling with his brother made him feel genuine content.
It felt like he would be intruding on a rare moment for Sae so he kept quiet, choosing to stare at the other side of the lake and waiting for the crew to continue filming them.
For the rest of the afternoon, the two of them would make small talk with each other in order to give their date some content for the viewers. They avoided talking about Rin and other topics of conversation that was ill-advised. However, due to Isagi’s insatiable curiosity, he did dance around the idea of what Sae did when he left Japan.
“I traveled.” He put it simply, making it seem like the abandonment of his family was to pursue some grand desire to see the world. Isagi had the feeling that was partly the reason as to why he had left, but some words were expertly left unsaid.
“I wanted to see Europe and experience theatre acting in other areas of the world. It was something I always planned to do.”
Isagi takes in the information but he doesn’t know what to do with it. He let it sit in his mind, trying to fill in the narrative that he once had of him.
“But you came back after all of that.”
There was a grin on Sae’s lips, one that appeared pure and without ill intentions. “Of course, this was my home. I was always bound to return.”
He hums, and he briefly wonders why he didn’t make the effort to stay in contact with his brother and chose instead to leave him stewing alone in misery. Perhaps it was an answer he wasn’t privy to know, but he hoped it was one that Rin would receive.
Isagi pivots the conversation towards a different discussion and the both of them spend some time talking about their own respective careers. Isagi hears about the more interesting behind-the-scenes facts of some of the projects that Sae has participated in. He also shares some aspects of the occurrences of his idol life and really, the two of them made quite a cordial pair. With enough content to work with, the crew soon wrapped up the filming when the two officially ended their date with some typical pleasantries.
More than ready to leave, Isagi wasted no time heading towards the car that would take him back. It was in the parking lot that he would formally bid Sae goodbye and leaned in to tell him that Rin was hiding somewhere in the park. He was sure that Rin was still around the area with the trees but he’d leave it up to Sae to find him, it was the very least he could do, in his opinion.
He was going to let the brothers work through their matters on their own, he was confident in his decision to stay out of the issue and he surely hoped he wouldn’t be dragged in again in such a way. Before he leaves, he sends Rin a short text, hoping that it will be encouraging for him.
⊱— · ⋆ ✩ ⋆ · —⊰
Lounging in the comfort of his bed, he was scrolling mindlessly through his social media when the doorbell rang and he heard Hiori calling out that he would get it. After a few minutes, in front of the open door to his bedroom stands Rin.
Isagi looks up from his phone. “Did you guys talk?” He was curious to know what had happened between them when he left.
Rin collapsed onto his bed, landing mostly on him and Isagi let out a yelp. “I’m tired, it’s been a long day.” Isagi feels arms that come and wrap around him. “I was hoping that you hadn’t changed out from your outfit yet.”
He lightly hits Rin’s arm. “Don’t avoid the uncomfortable conversation that needs to be had.”
The arms around him hold him tighter and he feels Rin’s face nuzzle the back of his neck. “He told me about his trip and why he felt like it was necessary.”
“And how do you feel about it?”
“It makes sense, I assume. There is still a bit we need to work through before, I don’t know, we all sit together as a family and eat dinner again.”
“That seems reasonable, at least you two are talking again and you’re not just ignoring each other.” Isagi cranes his head to give him a stern look which Rin rolls his eyes at.
“Yes, I know now that ignoring him was not the solution.”
They leave it at that for now and Rin was more than satisfied with staying silent as Isagi continued to scroll through his phone. He wasn’t exactly looking for it, but he somehow ended up stumbling upon a photo that was posted from a fan account of Sae’s of the two of them from today.
It was a candid image that showed them linked at the arms as they appeared to be somewhere in the park. He admits that it was a well-taken photo with how the roses looked in the background.
From how quiet Rin was, Isagi had assumed he had fallen asleep and so he was startled when he heard a scoff coming from behind him.
“He looks like an idiot.”
“I think it actually suits him! He does play a convincing role as some kind of prince or a noble.” He felt like he had to defend Sae a bit there because he was somewhat glad that he wasn’t the only one who was all dressed up.
“It would have been better if it was me.”
Isagi pats Rin in a light attempt to console him. “Maybe next time then.”
However, it was with his utmost sincerity that Isagi prayed that there wouldn’t be a next time because cross-dressing in public was surely an experience he didn’t need to go through again.
Furthermore, while it had its merits in this case where it had helped his boyfriend take the step to resolve some long-term pressing issues of his, blind dates with a fan were also something that he was sure was something he could do without.
He was sure Rin would be nothing less than pleased to hear of such a conclusion he had come to.