Did anyone already write a fic about the May 2008 Seventeen issue? Have I missed any?

Anyway, here's my take on it. Uh, in the process some Pi-Jin randomness somehow crept in... 0_0 ...though all in the greater good of Tomapi-ness, really.

Feedback is always welcome -- any nitpicking from grammar/spelling to characterization will be a help. *bows*

Disclaimer: This writing is fictional and has no commercial purpose. Characters are real persons belonging to themselves.

Pairing: Tomapi, very tiny bits of Pi-Jin (friendship!) + Akame + T&T + KinKi
Genre: Humor
Rating: G (not counting the innuendo in the canon itself..)
Credits: After the fic, to avoid spoilers.

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Eight-Page Conspiracy



"I see somebody is finally doing some fan service," Akanishi Jin snickered, slapping a magazine on the table as he slid smoothly into the seat.

Yamapi looked up from the menu. "You're late!" was his first response, before his eyes turned to the 0409 article. "Why would you bring that here?"

"Picked it up along the way," Jin continued to look at it. "Gym clothes? Baths? Could you guys possibly squeeze any more innuendo into these pages?"

"We were just talking about the old days," Yamapi returned to the food listing, trying to act nonchalant.

Jin re-read the sentences, before pushing the magazine aside and snatching the menu from under Yamapi's scrutiny. "You're right. That's not explicit enough."

Yamapi sent him a dirty look, both for the comment and the menu.

"But well, that stamped your claim on Toma all right," Jin continued. "Kame actually asked me to ask you if you would mind him going shopping with Toma this Sunday."

Yamapi's eyebrows rose.

"Just for a second opinion, he said. I personally think you should approve it. I suspect they're going to pick a birthday present for me."

"Heh," Yamapi scrunched his face. "What are you being all expectant for? Your birthday is a long way off."

"Not that long, if one really puts his heart into getting the perfect gift," Jin declared dramatically. "Speaking of which, do *you* actually remember the exact date of my birthday?"

"Of course. Didn't I send you a message exactly at midnight last year?"

"That's only because you set a reminder on your phone."

"...But there are a lot of birthdays to remember," Yamapi mumbled defensively. He'd just spent a recent night tracking down the birthdays of all the people appearing in his surprise birthday party, and his thumb had hurt from punching in all those dates.

"Maa, I know better than to expect it from you by now," Jin sighed. "The only thing I can boast over Toma is that I'm on your speed dial while he's not, but that's also because the only phone numbers you know by heart are your home and his."

"You're still on that? I told you that was because I memorized things better when I was a kid."

"Yeah, you can tell me again how long you've spent your lives together..."

Yamapi stuck out his tongue. "Sorry about that, but you're just not competitive enough in that aspect."

"Hey, appreciate me a bit," Jin scowled. "Do you know just how much I had to put up with from Yokoyama when I first got close to you?"

"...Yokoyama?"

"The lovey-dovey stories of you two just like these ones here, but unabriged, in rapid Kansai speech, and with vivid hand gestures." Jin made a face. "I told him I had heard all those, and he said, 'Oh, good then, so you know what to do, right?'"

Yamapi wasn't sure he'd be comfortable taking Yokoyama out for dinner, so he made a mental note to hint it to Toma later.

"Look at you all giddy and bashful," Jin snorted. "Anyway, why am I the one eating with you tonight?"

"Ah, Toma is eating out with the senpais, so--"

"...You know, I did mean to ask that, but it wouldn't hurt for you to appease my ego a bit, now would it? And, I don't know, to secure yourself a companion in similar lonely nights in the future?"

Yamapi grinned. "I get it, I get it. I'm sorry." He bowed a little. "It will be my treat tonight."

Jin huffed. "I've expected at least that much from the moment I grabbed this magazine from the shelf. But... what's Toma doing with the senpais?"


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"Are you guys planning something?" Tsubasa asked. "That's a pretty clear message you're sending to the marketing unit."

"You should step up the love-love display," Takki advised. "That's the way to get more media coverage, and ultimately, company endorsement for your shows together."

"Eh, but," Toma hesitated. "Our image isn't supposed to be--"

"Why, you already have the perfect senpai for reference here," Takki said, making the grand 'Presenting...' gesture[1] towards the side.

At the target end, Kouichi laughed. "Eh? Me?" He made a show of looking around. "Ah, but Tsuyoshi's not here..."

"Please feel free to use him," Tsubasa pushed his partner over.

Takki squeaked. "Why--!"

"You're the one who wanted to come along, so make yourself useful," Tsubasa reasoned.

Takki had happened to call when the three of them were chatting over dinner and asked to join, and upon seeing Toma and no Yamapi, had *dared* to say, "Eh, why? Are you excluding him because of me?"

Tsubasa left his vengeance out of the reasoning, of course.

"No, no, really," Toma waved hurriedly, embarrassed. "We are best friends, so there's no need to..."

"On screen, you mean," Kouichi nudged.

"Everywhere too!" Toma denied mightily, only to be met with laughter.

He was saved by the ringing of his phone. "Ah, sorry," he said in relief, and quickly retrieved it. "Hello?"

"Toma?"

"Oh, Yam--" he started, then quickly brought his voice down, but it was too late. Takki made an 'Ooo~' shape with his mouth.

"Everything okay?"

"Er, yes, you could say so," Toma said with a resigned tone. "Takizawa-kun has joined us too, by the way."

"Ah, is that so?" Yamapi said. "Are you guys discussing something serious?"

Toma glanced at his three senpais, sipping their drinks each with an eye on him. He tried to shrink into his seat. "Sort of. We are talking about the interview. You know, our..."

"Ah, yes... So they're giving you advices?" There was a brief pause. "Should I be there?"

"Eeeh.... maybe... not," Toma scooted further away from the bunch. "The situation is a bit..."

"Yamapi! Come and join us!" Takki shouted, the mischief clear in his tone.

"...awkward," Toma finished.

There was a chuckle. "I understand. Sorry to leave you to that."

Toma laughed. "Is Jin still with you?"

"Uh-huh. He wants to continue with karaoke, so I'm calling to check if you want to come along."

"He put you up to this, no?" Toma guessed, amused.

Yamapi laughed. "I figured you'd be there till late, but he insisted I call. Our predicament is not so much different, really. But I of course can smack this guy's head anytime."

"I'll manage," Toma grinned. "Don't be too mean to him."

"I know," came the cheerful reply. "Okay then, try to have a good time."

"See you," Toma ended the conversation and turned back.

"And that," Kouichi announced, "was Ikuta Toma's *best friend*."

"Enough with that, please," Toma pleaded.

"That image is not bad," Tsubasa nodded. "The intrigue."

"Mmm, suspicious."

"Delicious."

"Mou~~ can we move on already?"

"I'll keep a lookout for something suitable," Kouichi promised. "You guys keep it up from your end, too."

"Ah, thank you," Toma bowed. "Um, this dinner is really not supposed to be about that, though..."

"Ours was 'best friends' image, no?" Takki suddenly turned to Tsubasa. "When we debuted?"

"Did we actually have one?" Tsubasa asked back. "I was more focused on the CD..."

"I'm just saying these kids' image doesn't look like that at all."

Kouichi picked up the magazine and flipped through the pages again. "Hm, reminiscing about old times... Already? At that age? You guys are worse than Tsuyoshi and me."

Toma scratched his head. "That's because..."

"Definitely," Kouichi decided, "a married couple."

"That's what I'm trying to say!" Takki agreed instantly.

"Senpai!" Toma felt ready to die from all the redness.

Tsubasa patted him comfortingly. "That won't sound so bad five years from now, trust me."


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[1] Uh, don't know how to properly term it in English. Help?


Credits:

* 0409 translations were by Teacup and Helen.

* Yoko got mixed in because of this Recomen subbed by tomalicious_frm.

* Yamapi's surprise birthday party was known from this HEYx3 appearance subbed by newshfan.

The nature of Jin and Yamapi's friendship is made up from personal experience. =P I hope I didn't end up belittling it. Jin-Yoko interaction was also blindly constructed; I know Yoko's older, but he doesn't emit much of a senpai aura, so. Please do point out anything that's off.

Limited use of senpais as they are the only ones I'm familiar enough to write at this point... and the combination may not be very believable (off-season SHOCK generations?). (As if they have enough free time to be messing with their kouhais' love relationships in the first place, hah.)

Sorry for the occasional lameness, too. I'm kinda addicted to Takki-bullying!Tsubasa, regardless of the actual personality. XD

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