Parallel Lines

Yanagi Kotaroh is a camera whore. It's not a bad thing because having a best friend who hogs the spotlight all the time just means that he's out of it more often.

Yuuya actually hates the viewfinder and the way it makes his neck itch and his palms sweat. He's a nervous person, a self-conscious person, a person who had never considered a job on stage until he failed math, and apparently, that was the end of the world.

Becoming friends with Yanagi hadn't been on his to-do list either, and he's not sure when they became joined at the hip. After all, the first time Yanagi walked into the D-BOYS office and practically mauled him in his enthusiasm, Yuuya had been sure that Yanagi hit the caffeine too early and too often—he had been determined to avoid him.

Then Yanagi attached himself to Yuuya's side, like a persistent piece of toilet paper that follows his shoe out of the restroom—Yanagi was just as annoying, twirling in Yuuya's chair, following Yuuya to lunch and inviting himself over to Yuuya's apartment. He had done everything in his power to get rid of Yanagi: he made excuses to walk out of the room once Yanagi walked in, he snapped at anything that came out of Yanagi's mouth, and he even degraded himself by asking Shirota for help. (The taller man had snickered, patted his head and refused, the bastard.)

But Yanagi ends up being unshakable, and before Yuuya realizes it, he is no longer just "Yuuya" and Yanagi is no longer just "Yanagi". Instead, they are "EndouYanagi" (until Shirota slurs it into "EnYana"; and then Yanagi, with his big eyes and wide smile, begins calling him "Enya").

It is Yanagi who opens his world to cute stuffed animals and even cuter nicknames; Yanagi who drags him into pictures, one arm around Yuuya's shoulders and his fingers held up in a 'V'; Yanagi who demands that they be together at photo shoots, meaning that every time Yanagi has a photo spread in a magazine (which is much too often for Yuuya's tastes), he has to go smile and pose as well. Yanagi is also the only one who can force him to socialize—to attend cast parties and to make an appearance at the D-BOYS get-togethers—when all he wants to do is spend quality time with his cat.

Yanagi is more trouble than he's worth, but Yuuya answers to all his whims because Yanagi is all charisma and encouragement, and they are EnYana.

**

Yanagi is a constant in his life, those graphs in math where y=0 or y=1. He is a straight line, wonderfully familiar without complicated twists and turns.

They share odd bonds and strange routines, like how Yuuya knows Yanagi cannot communicate coherently before noon on Saturdays and how Yanagi knows Yuuya keeps his shoes in alphabetical order, first by brand and then by color. (Yuuya unlocks Yanagi's apartment door every Saturday and makes a pot of dark coffee; Yanagi messes up Yuuya's shoes.)

He becomes one of those friends Yuuya was supposed to meet in high school, the best friend who confides in him about everything and who Yuuya confides in about everything. In one startling moment of clarity after Yanagi had mixed up his bright orange converses with his black-and-fuchsia striped tennis shoes, Yuuya realizes that they have come to the point where they can finish each other's sentences. He is already playing out the next scene in his head; the one where he frowns disapprovingly, Yanagi pouts and opens his eyes wide, and Yuuya sighs. "Don't do it again," he would say, and Yanagi would respond angelically, "Of course." (Yanagi will do it again the following week.)

Yuuya pens "y=" onto a yellow post-it note, smiling slightly. Yanagi equals infinity. Yuuya equals infinity. He knows they will walk the same path together forever. He knows Yanagi will be by his side forever.

They are infinite.

**

Yanagi gets into an accident and lands himself in a sterile, white, impersonal hospital that he would have hated if he had been conscious. Most of Yanagi's friends are clustered around the emergency room, a number of people that makes him feel like he's developing a bad case of claustrophobia. The doctors look grim and sad in their white lab coats, and they tell them that Yanagi will probably never walk again.

Yuuya hears Kimeru choke out a dry sob somewhere on his right and say, "My fault, all my fault. God, his dancing—" before breaking down into tears. He stares numbly at the doctors, who glance at each other and then back at the crowd around the room. Yuuya knows they're not done yet and watches with a sense of foreboding when the head doctor opens his mouth again.

"He may never wake up."

Yuuya’s carefully constructed world falls out from underneath him.

**

The truth is this: Yanagi is the center of the Tenimyu universe.

It is not a surprise that Yanagi plays surly, arrogant, strangely alluring Echizen Ryoma to perfection. Echizen Ryoma is a compelling force who, despite being all kinds of bratty and annoying, draws in everyone he meets, and Yanagi becomes what Echizen is in the Prince of Tennis plotline—a pillar. He takes the cast’s worries, hopes and disappointments onto thin shoulders, just as Echizen carries his team's defeats and insecurities. He inspires his co-actors with his fluid dances and strong voice, just as Echizen inspires Seigaku with his awe-inspiring tennis and unwavering confidence.

Yanagi only asks for friendship in return, something anyone who knows him is more than willing to give—something Yuuya is more than willing to give.

The truth is this: Yanagi is the center of Yuuya's universe.

**

Sometime after his mental breakdown and sometime before he learns to cope, Kimeru comes over and fidgets on Yuuya's couch. He tells Yuuya that Tenimyu will be running on schedule.

Yuuya stares blankly at the pop star who can't seem to hold his gaze for more than a few seconds, and absently wonders if he actually is scary enough to make Kime-hime sweat so much. "Who will be playing Echizen?" Yuuya asks and means, "Who will be replacing Yanagi?"

Kimeru winces and points to himself.

Oh, Yuuya thinks, oh, so that's why he looks like I'm going to pick up the coffee table and smash it over his head. Yuuya entertains the idea just a little, but Kimeru looks uncharacteristically dishevelled and miserable. "It must be hard," Yuuya says, trying to look reassuring though he figures he just looks tired, "Yanagi's shoes are hard to fill."

Kimeru chuckles weakly and sips from his cup. He leaves a few minutes later, murmuring something about rehearsals and would you like to come and watch, Endou-kun?

Yuuya wants to tell him that he hates Tenimyu, he hates that Yanagi is in a coma because he was out late practicing for the musical, and he might just hate all the cast members for not protecting Yanagi when Yanagi needed them. Instead, Yuuya shakes his head and mutters pleasantries because he has always been a polite child and because Yanagi would not approve of his hostility.

After Kimeru leaves, Yuuya is left staring at the white mug cupped in his hands. Yanagi would have wanted the show to go on, Yuuya knows. He would have wanted Yuuya to go on.

**

Yuuya begins going to work again, a little lonely and a little sad. Yanagi is no longer waiting for him by the nearby Starbucks or prank-calling him during work. He doesn't have post-its stuck on his computer monitor, full of little jokes that Yanagi has scribbled down throughout the day, and he even misses the constant photo shoots that he always attended because Yanagi insisted.

He is a Golden Pair who has lost its Eiji. He thinks he can play a few singles matches, but the court is now too big, too empty.

Yuuya waits for his partner to return.

**

Yanagi wakes up as suddenly as he fell into his coma. The doctors are somewhat awed by the miracle and pull up the visitors list on the day Yanagi had gotten into his accident, proceeding to call everyone on it.

When the taxi finally screeches to a halt in front of the hospital building, Yanagi is already surrounded by what seems like half of Tokyo. Even the guys who had just performed in the last showing of the Fudomine myu are all huddled around Yanagi’s bed, a sea of blue and white jerseys. Yuuya hangs back and contents himself just watching Yanagi move and talk and laugh.

Then he is pushed forward, a sea of arms pressing him towards Yanagi's bed. He is a little apprehensive, a little worried, a little unsure about what he should do and say, but then Yanagi is smiling at him.

"Enya," he slurs from his position propped against the pillows, pale, sickly and far too thin; but Yanagi's eyes are still bright, and Yanagi's smile is still the same.

They will worry about rehabilitation later, Yuuya thinks, they will worry about walking and singing and dancing later. He moves to sit on the hospital bed and finally feels his life piecing back together.

**

Yuuya allows Yanagi to snap candid pictures of him on his cell phone. He hears the phone's clickclickclick and turns to throw Yanagi an unamused look. Yanagi sticks out his tongue in retort, and Yuuya smiles discreetly.

He can't let Yanagi have his way all the time or he'll really become spoiled. But Yuuya plays along anyway: he blows air into his cheeks, pokes at his mouth and slides his cap down. Yuuya knows he looks ridiculous, but Yanagi is laughing; and for now, that's all that matters.


end
**