Undercurrents

University was a strange place in many ways. A brief respite before the responsibilities of being an adult kicked in. It was like being in a massive club. Excitement, freedom (imagined or otherwise), random strangers and loud voices all rolled into a nice little contained academic dance floor.

They made new friends, lost touch with old ones and kept in touch with a few. It was great not having to wear uniforms. They discovered thankfully that they could indeed live together without killing each other.

"What should we do this weekend?" Ren asked cheerfully as he set two cups of coffee on the table. They had both found it difficult to get out of bed before noon. The joys of being university students.

Shinobu drank the coffee gratefully and then replied, "What do you want to do?"

His lover leaned onto the table and asked mischievously, "Take me out on a date? We haven't seen each other much this week."

That was true since they belonged to different faculties (Ren in languages/linguistics and Shinobu in economics) and clubs (they couldn't understand each other's choices so had agreed to disagree).

"How about a movie?" Shinobu suggested.

Ren's face lit up. "You're serious about this!"

Shinobu was sometimes still embarrassed by the whole relationship stuff - he was obviously not raised in this sort of environment.

"Fine if you don't want to," he managed.

"I want to go on a date! I don't think we've ever been on one."

Shinobu gave him an incredulous look. "What are you talking about?"

"It's not same," Ren insisted. "Oh wow, this is amazing. We need to make it memorable. It's our first date, Shin!"

"You're crazy," Shinobu shook his head.

"I'm spontaneous," Ren retorted. "Come on, be serious about this."

Shinobu resigned himself to listening to the plans forming in Ren's imaginative mind.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You seem to enjoy university."

"Yes, it's been awesome."

"Are you sure the flat is suitable?"

"Mom, I'm sharing it with Shinobu. It's perfectly fine. Don't worry!"

"I see."

Ren held in a sigh as he nibbled through the exquisite slices of beef on his plate.

"Keiko, independence is good for him," aunt Minami interjected.

"But he is working part-time as well," his mother frowned. "Must you, Ren?"

It was his mother's way of making up to him – what she couldn't give in terms of maternal affection, she tried to overcompensate financially. Ren understood that it was also her way of showing love.

"I really like recommending books to customers," he explained. "Besides, it's nice to hang out with my co-workers too."

"He will have to enter the workforce one day," his aunt remarked dryly. "Might as well start now."

"I suppose," his mother lifted an elegant shoulder and took a sip of tea, signalling the end to the topic.

Ren exchanged a helpless smile with his aunt.

Halfway through the courses, his aunt excused herself to go to the restroom. Ren suspected that it was intentional since his mother waited for the door to the private room to close before beginning hesitantly.

"How is your friend? Is he coping well with school?"

"Shinobu?" Ren was confused. "He's excelling. He's very driven, mom."

His mother paused for a moment, as if to consider her next words.

"That's good to hear. Now that you're both adults, you also need to reconsider the situation."

"What's there to reconsider?" Ren stared at her in surprise. "Mom, you know that-"

"I know," she cut him quietly.

It reminded Ren of the silent agreement in the family. His mother and aunt Minami knew all about their relationship. Whereas aunt Minami has accepted it and only cautioned discretion, his mother chose neither to object nor to approve openly.

"Then what's the problem?" he challenged, feeling irritation beginning to rise.

"You met when you were so young. People change, Ren. The world is also not always so accepting."

Her tone was even and her face was impassive. However, Ren saw the slight sheen in her eyes.

His mother was truly worried. Ren felt his anger diminished.

"We'll figure it out," he smiled slightly, trying to reassure her. "If there is trouble, I'll come home, alright?"

She looked at him for a moment and nodded.

Aunt Minami chose to return to lunch just then. His mother changed the conversation immediately.

Ren exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hey, over here!"

Ren waved back and went to the table where Arai and Izumi were waiting. They were meeting at one of the new cafes downtown since they were all in different universities.

"How's life?" Izumi asked right after they've ordered drinks.

Arai just grinned at him.

Ren groaned. "Come on, guys."

"You're the only in domestic bliss," Arai teased.

He fessed up to the trio just before high school graduation when they were discussing accommodation plans for university. Arai and Izumi had taken the news with relative calm. Both were even supportive from the outset, for which Ren was enormously grateful. Although Arai continued to abuse him for lying through that one summer at his family's inn.

"You're both in college too," Ren shot back. Then he asked. "Where's Nozawa?"

Arai and Izumi gave each other an awkward glance.

"He's not coming. Busy or something," Izumi mumbled.

Ren tried to hide his disappointment. Nozawa had been rather uncomfortable after he found out about Ren and Shinobu. He never said anything about it but ever since then, he hadn't spoken properly to Ren.

"Forget about him," Arai exclaimed loudly.

"Yeah, he's boring anyway," Izumi agreed.

"So, back to you. How's life?" Arai repeated the question innocently as the waiter placed their drinks on the table.

Ren knew they were trying to make him feel better about Nozawa's distance. He waited for Arai to take his first sip.

Then he announced, "The sex is great. Better than at the inn, you know."

He and Izumi burst out in laughter as Arai choked and sputtered.

"You bastard!"