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Holding hands with Gion, Iwashimizu wanders through the zoo. The sun shines but it isn’t too hot, and the sounds of chattering visitors and animals roaring and hooting and making all sorts of noises fill the air. With his hand interlocked with his boyfriend’s, Iwashi is totally at peace.
“This is nice, isn’t it?”
Gion smiles. “Yeah, it’s cool. I haven’t been to a zoo since I was a kid. Hey, do they have tigers here?”
Iwashi’s family used to come to this zoo once a month, so he knows his way around the place blindfolded. He nods. “Yeah, they do. They’re this way.”
“Awesome!” Gion says in that far too loud voice of his that used to confuse Iwashi but he’s now totally used to. “Tigers are probably my favourite animals. What about you, Tree Trunk?”
It doesn’t take him long to think of his answer. “Giraffes, probably.”
Gion grins. “Oh, ‘cause they’re really tall, just like you!”
Iwashi’s face heats up. “Basically, yeah. Look, there are the tigers.”
Gion laughs and rushes up to the railings, staring into the huge enclosure. He peers through the heavy foliage and manages to spot the orange fur of a tiger. “So cool, Tree Trunk!”
Iwashimizu smiles, watching Gion stare at the tigers and tighten his grip on his hand. But then Gion spots the information board, and his smile fades.
“I knew they’re endangered, but I didn’t know it’s this bad,” Gion says, his voice strangely quiet. “They’re gonna go extinct if we don’t do something.”
“I know,” Iwashi says, sighing. “Loads of the animals here are endangered. We just have to hope the breeding programmes work.”
“I hope they do,” Gion says, staring at the tigers. “I don’t wanna lose my favourite animals.”
“Me neither,” Iwashi whispers, squeezing his hand.