Archive of Our Own

This world is full of strangers, was what Sho had read in one of the books.

This world is full of strangers. Those you thought you knew well, yet actually you had no idea about. Those are the once familiar strangers. The ones that remain in the memory with a bitter aftertaste, most of the time. And there were other kinds of strangers. Some, we are meant to meet; some, destined to stay as strangers forever. There’s a thin line there, flexible and unbreakable. Some call that destiny, some call it coincidence, and some call it inevitable.

Sho believed neither. He wasn’t fatalistic enough to believe in destiny and inevitability, and all in all, coincidences sounded like a rather dumb excuse. A few people called him boring because of this habit of his. But he didn’t mind. He thought he would never complain about having his feet pressed firmly on the ground. It was better this way.

But most of the time, people like himself tend to experience weirder (weird, because Sho would never call it a miracle) things than other people who search for the kind of miracles everywhere. He was just too stubborn to accept that there were things he couldn’t control and there were things out of logic.

Yet, after many years, he was going to think that maybe meeting Ohno Satoshi was one kind of a miracle, happened right under his nose without him realizing it. Sho will always be wondering since when he had started to like Ohno, since when he had started to see him in his future. He will always be wondering since when he had started to imagine a future together with Ohno.

***

His journey, as Sho liked to describe, started with a mere letter from the human resources department, interestingly so.

“Dear Mr. Sakurai,

We are happy to inform you that you are hereby transferred to the Yakushima Branch in Yakushima island…”

Sho didn’t read the remainder of the letter as he had known this was going to happen for a few days already. An odd sense of relief filled Sho’s heart as he started to tidy his small cubicle. He had already emptied the important stuff, so it was an easy task. He had already finished packing, found a small apartment in Yakushima, near the office and he was only waiting for the official transfer letter.

He said goodbye to the people he had worked with before he left the huge building that’s located in the middle of Shibuya. He promised that he would call from time to time. To Toma, who was working in the next cubicle, he said that he would call often and to Tabe-chan he promised to send off some gifts once he’s settled. To his junior Ueda, he handed one of his luxurious pens. To his parents, he just lied that it was a temporary thing and that he would be back soon.

Sho wasn’t sure when everything started. He couldn’t exactly pinpoint when he started to feel exhausted just by living his daily life. It was more than just tiring, he had thought as the days kept adding his fatigue. It was suffocating if he had to describe it with words.

The unstoppable city that continues to move forward every day without a break was just a reminder of those who are tired. You can't stop, you're not allowed to stop, he could almost hear it saying.

It was deafening, the sound of the city. The sound of incomprehensible announcements of the subway that he listens to every day. The shrill jingle of Family Mart that he visits daily makes it into his ears even though he tries to block it. The unconvincing voice of the politician talking to the people who are waiting for the lights to turn green in the intersection.

It was maddening. The flowing people towards one direction, the chimes of bicycles passing him by… Nobody cared, no one stopped.

It was suffocating. Anything and everything.

And Sho was so tired of it.

It was around that time, the head of the Yakushima Branch retired suddenly due to health problems and while the company was looking for someone to send in, Sho had volunteered. The exhaustion was probably the biggest reason that pushed him into this decision. It was a good deal, Sho thought when he decided to go to Yakushima. He was going to get a raise, he was going to be the manager of the Yakushima branch, and more importantly, he was going to get away from Tokyo.

This is good, Sho chanted again and again, as if to reassure the skittish part of his brain. I’ll be okay, he thought with hope mixed with fear.

Three days after he received the transfer letter, he had set off to Yakushima.

And that was how his journey towards the unknown started.

***

It was raining when Sho first saw Ohno Satoshi in Yakushima. Sho was drenched, cold and absolutely annoyed when he had to take shelter under the roof of the ramen shop. He had been too busy to stop there. It had only been a week since he had moved to Yakushima and Karma wasn’t going easy on him at all. Yakushima branch had been hanging on without a manager for three weeks when Sho came and of course, there were too many things that he had to supervise.

It was a good thing that he was used to being busy. He hadn’t been not busy for years but that was probably a poor excuse for him not to notice things around him at that specific moment. And he was someone who’s proud of his skills of being able to notice everything. However, he’d like to take some liberty and say that his mind had been working overtime as he was panicking about the meeting he is missing at that moment because of the rain. Because of goddamn rain!

It took him approximately five minutes to stop reprimanding himself for not bringing an umbrella, stop cursing for not being able to find a goddamn taxi and contact the concerned people that he won’t be making it unless there’s a miracle and God decides to clear the weather. And it took him about another minute to finally realize that there was someone else under that small roof. Someone who had a gentle smile on his lips and sleepy eyes looking straight into the rain that was falling mercilessly and beating the pavement harshly.

Sho felt strangely uncomfortable about this new discovery. Truth to be told, he was too busy with himself to take notice of a stranger who’s sharing the same roof and he most certainly didn’t want a stranger to overhear his panicking. It was somehow disturbing. Was he supposed to say anything? Or should he simply continue to ignore the other? Why was Sho even bothered about the presence of this stranger in the first place?!

“It’s pouring,” the stranger spoke with a crystal clear voice, breaking Sho’s train of thoughts as if to give Sho some relief with his inner thoughts. “And it’s not easier to find taxis around here even on the best days,” the stranger added with a soft smile aimed at Sho.

Sho wanted to face-palm, merely a few seconds away from actually doing it.

“But the shio ramen of this place is really delicious, so I always end up here,” the stranger kept talking as if they had known each other for years.

In normal circumstances, something like this would piss the hell out of Sho, however, this man had the opposite effect on Sho’s mood. The calmness of his voice and the relaxed posture of the body of the stranger was able to calm Sho down.

“It’s cold, out here.” The stranger stated matter-of-factly. Sho couldn’t help his eyes as they focused on the pout on his lips and the round cheeks.

“Yes, it is,” Sho answered for the first time that evening, finally finding his voice. “It’s very inconvenient, if I have to be honest. I am late for my meeting, and I have to reschedule another meeting which is definitely going to cause some delays in my schedule,” And that was how he found himself loose enough to list his complaints one after the other.

The stranger laughed. It wasn’t the biggest laugh Sho had ever witnessed in his life, on the contrary, it was definitely hard to count as a laugh but the stranger was definitely laughing. His shoulders were shaking slightly and what could be described as a chuckle was able to suppress the sound of rain as it filled Sho’s ears, occupying his senses.

After years, Sho would describe the sound of Ohno’s laughter as warm spring rains because truly, in that wintery evening that could freeze everyone down to their bones, Ohno’s laughter has managed to warm Sho’s insides.

And it had never changed since then.

***

Two more weeks after that rainy evening, Sho hadn’t seen Ohno Satoshi again. And although he was curious about the person he had shared shio ramen with, after two weeks, the mysterious meeting he had with this stranger had been bound to be forgotten.

Sho had adapted the simple life in Yakushima quickly. It was a small island with more trees than humans inhabiting it. The Yakushima Branch contained only three workers, counting Sho in. Matsumoto Jun and Ninomiya Kazunari had been working in the Yakushima Branch for more than ten years. They were doing almost everything, as they didn’t have a lot to handle, unlike the main Tokyo Branch. The other member, who wasn’t working in the office anymore was Ogura Tomoaki, the previous head of the Yakushima Branch who had to retire due to his health problems which were the reason why Sho came. Ogura still came and go as he pleased, though Sho didn’t mind since the old man was a pleasant person to have around anyway.

The office was small, they all shared the same room and while Sho had the biggest main desk, Jun and Nino (as the other insisted Sho to call him that) sat opposite of each other. The morning hours is not really packed with work, well, they didn’t have a lot of work to do in general if Sho had to be honest. It wasn’t like they were lazing around, though maybe Nino was. Sho had complained about Nino and his beloved Nintendo DS which he kept playing a lot but nothing was stopping the other.

“It’s not like we have anything to do at the moment, right?” Nino would say every time Sho reminded him about work hours.

Jun was the serious type, who would make an effort to meet Sho’s standards and show his talent to his new boss and help him get around Yakushima as much as he can. Nino, on the other hand, enjoyed himself whenever Sho would be surprised about something about the island. He was taking pleasure in teasing Sho about his useless research about the island (despite the fact that they all came in handy pretty much) and how meticulously he had done his schedule. However, despite everything, Sho thought that they all could be friends.

It was a relaxed atmosphere, Sho couldn’t help but compare it to his previous office and he actually liked being there. It wasn’t cold like Tokyo, in every sense. The trees he saw from the window of his office were swaying from the wind, just like they have been for hundreds of years. They stood tall and strong, reminding humanity of how fickle a lifetime is in eternity.

“Sho-san.”

His thoughts were interrupted by none other than Ninomiya as the latter was looking at him intently.

“Yes?”

“It’s going to rain,” Nino stated. “We better get going.”

Sho frowned as he looked out of the window again. “How do you know that it’s going to rain? The sky’s not even dark!”

It was Jun who had answered this time. “It always rains around here. You’ll get used to it,” he shrugged a little as he started to gather his belongings.

“Haven’t your research told you that it rains 35 days of a month here?” Nino asked with a cheeky grin on his face. “Though this one was from meteorology,” he added. “They said they were expecting heavy rainstorm tonight, so we better get home.”

Sho sighed. He had been warned about the heavy rainfalls in the island and that he had been given the liberty to alter the working hours as the head of the Yakushima Branch.

“Alright then,” he inhaled deeply. “In case the rain doesn’t stop tomorrow, you don’t have to come.”

Nino beamed at that. “Thank you, boss! I hope it rains a lot!”

Sho and Jun rolled their eyes at him. “If it rains too much!” Sho emphasized.

“Trust me, it will rain a lot,” Nino shot back smugly.

Sho just hoped for Nino to be wrong.

***

Nino wasn’t wrong adding to Sho’s irritation that the rain hasn’t even slowed down since the night before.

It was dark outside, despite the lightning brightening the skies from time to time. Lightning and thunder were waltzing around each other outside of the window while Sho sat in front of the glass door that was leading to the small veranda of his apartment.

Sho’s new house was very different from what he had left behind in Tokyo. It was only a ten tatami sized room with a small kitchen and a fairly minimalistic bathroom. He was residing in room number 105, which was on the first floor, middle. He has met most of his neighbors. There was an old lady upstairs, Sachiko-san, who Sho sees daily and there was the little girl, Ayumi-chan, who lived with his mother Yukiko-san next door, room 104. But he was yet to meet the other occupied room, number 106. He had been hearing about his other neighbor that how a nice guy he is and how Sho would get along with him when they met but he’s always notat home whenever Sho was around.

His thoughts were interrupted by the loud rumble of his stomach. Sho groaned loudly as he laid down on the tatami curling around himself. He was so hungry at this point and he had no idea about what to do. He only had a few choices of deliveries here in Yakushima and it was very unlikely to order one at this moment. Then again, even if there was a vast choice of deliveries, no one would deliver anything in this weather, he was sure of it.

His stomach grumbled once again, this time making Sho curse his lack of ability to cook something. Why didn’t he ever try to learn cooking? He was too arrogant, too negligent with this specific field. He threw a pathetic look towards the kitchen, trying to remember if he had something he can eat without the need of cooking. He got up slowly, defeated by his own hunger to search for something to eat.

He only managed to find two eggs and a pack of natto with an expired date, a small pack of butter and a bit of jam, which were fortunately still good to eat. He was sure that he had some rice, but had no rice cooker. He gave up on rice and decided to use the small toaster he had but barely used. He can’t possibly screw up something so easy now, can he?

He put the bread into the toaster and decided to make some eggs as he focused on the frying pan. After all, the most dangerous task was probably the one with fire, he concluded. He carefully cracked the eggs and put them onto the low fire.

However, this was Sakurai Sho and his ever so devastating skills in cooking that was aforementioned and even before he himself could understand what was happening he started to smell something. Something wasn’t right, something didn’t smell right. But while Sho was checking the stove, wondering if he was burning something, it was already too late to save the bread that he put into the toaster.

He quickly took the bread out of the toaster, looking at his burnt dinner with miserable eyes. That was the moment he remembered his eggs and still burning stove and dashed back to the frying pan. He grabbed the handle of the frying pan but letting it off at the same moment because it was burning which caused the frying pan to lose its fragile balance on the stove and fly to the floor in no time. The frying pan crashed to the floor with a loud sound of steel hitting the ground together with Sho’s crashing hopes regarding dinner.

How could he be this useless in the kitchen? He lamented as he placed his hand that he burnt under the cool water. He wasn’t just hungry but he had also managed to hurt himself. Sho was sulking, not knowing what to do about his ruined dinner when there was a knock on his door. He wanted to ignore it, whoever it was, Sho really didn’t want to deal with it.

Yet another knock urged him to turn the water off and open the door. It was probably Ayumi-chan, who had a rather sharp tongue. She must have come to complain about the smell… Defeated, Sho slowly opened the door.

“Nothing’s wrong, Ayumi-chan, I just burned-” he started, only to be cut in the middle of his sentence when he saw a man who was wearing a dark raincoat standing there. The cap of his coat has buried the face of the stranger into the shadows and it was hard to tell who he was. Not expecting someone other than Ayumi-chan, he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. “You’re not Ayumi-chan.”

The person who had been standing in front of his door chuckled. It was a familiar sound, which resonated in Sho’s ears together with the sound of rain.

“Yes, I am from room number 106, Sakurai-kun,” Ohno Satoshi said as he pushed the cap of his raincoat. Sho’s eyes widened with surprise as he recognized that face from another rainy day, two weeks ago.

“You!!” Sho exclaimed. “Wait, you live next door?!”

Another chuckle. “It’s an interesting coincidence to meet you here again,” Ohno answered. “I was just passing by when I heard the sound and was wondering if the person who moved to 105 is okay, so…” he explained.

“Ah-! Um… I was just… trying to cook…” Sho scratched behind his neck. He was suddenly all too conscious about his failure.

“You failed?”

“I… well, yes, I did.”

Ohno hummed. But didn't say anything more for a few seconds. Then he just shrugged. "Well, it's okay as long as you didn't hurt yourself," he settled.

Sho nodded, quickly hiding his hand behind his back. "I am sorry for causing trouble," he bowed.

"No problem," Ohno replied softly and bowed as he walked to his own door.

Sho closed the door behind himself, staring at the mess he had created. He grimaced at the sight. Not only had he burnt his dinner,it was also the only thing he had to eat that night. He sighed as he rolled his sleeves up to start cleaning his kitchen.

He had barely finished cleaning up his kitchen when he could hear knocking in his door again. His eyebrows drew closer wondering who it was this time as he opened the door, only to find Ohno Satoshi on his door again, this time without the wet raincoat.

“Ohno-san?” Sho asked as he looked at him.

Ohno didn’t say anything, he looked like he was deep in thoughts, Sho could tell. But he didn’t know what to do with that. “Um… Is there a problem, Ohno-san?” Sho asked confused when Ohno continued to stay silent.

That seemed to do the trick as Ohno blinked. “I was going to ask if you have something to eat,” he explained.

Sho looked away uncomfortably when his stomach chose to growl at that moment. Sho cleared his throat, “I’ll take care of it,” he said.

Ohno pursed his lips together as he once again seemed like thinking hard about something, but this time, Sho didn’t need to intervene in his thoughts. “Do you like shellfish?” Ohno asked out of nowhere.

Sho blinked. “What?”

“I made asari nabe,” he explained, scratching behind his neck.

“Um…” Sho stammered.

His train of thoughts was interrupted by the soft voice of Ohno. “It’s too much for one person,” he looked at Sho, this time smiling softly.

“I wouldn’t want to trouble you,” Sho said.

“I wouldn’t ask you to come over if it was any trouble,” Ohno shrugged.

Sho looked at Ohno for a good long minute before nodding in defeat. He was too hungry to refuse Ohno at this point. So he found himself agreeing.

Ohno held his door open for Sho to come in. Ohno’s house, room 106, wasn’t more different than Sho’s room. They were the same size, same design, except Ohno’s room had much more than Sho had in his. On the corner, there was a fairly big television with a game console attached to it, and in front of the television, there was a low sofa. He could see some fluffy blankets on it. There were painted canvases on the other corner leaning against the wall and so much more that Sho couldn’t identify.

There was a low table set in front of the sofa and the table was already set, clams boiling inside the pot. Sho could feel his mouth-watering by the smell.

“You don’t cook much, do you?” Ohno asked as he moved towards the small bathroom as Sho stood there in the doorway.

“I never cook,” Sho admitted sheepishly. “More like, I can’t cook.”

Ohno hummed thoughtfully but didn’t say anything. Then he came out of the bathroom with a first aid kit in his hand. “Come on,” he urged Sho inside, making him sit down on the sofa. “Give me your hand,” he added when he sat down to the floor, cross-legged, taking out a burn ointment from the small bag.

“Um…” Sho felt his cheeks burning with embarrassment. “It’s okay, it’s not that bad,” he mumbled futilely.

Ohno went on like he didn’t hear him as he boldly reached out for Sho’s hand, bringing it out in between them. He didn’t say anything while he carefully applied the ointment to Sho’s fingers. Sho’s breath caught in his throat, not knowing what to say. He was aware that he had no idea who this man is, aside from sharing shio ramen together once and the fact that he was his neighbor, and Sho was aware that he shouldn’t be feeling like this, in the lack of better words. But despite the awkwardness he was feeling, he didn’t hate it when Ohno touched him.

Ohno continued working efficiently in silence, his eyes focused on the task before him and soon he was finished. “It should be okay now,” he told Sho with a soft smile. “Be more careful next time.

“I’ll stock instant noodles for the next time,” Sho said without even realizing what he was saying. What kind of effect does this person have on Sho that made him lose up enough to speak without thinking?

However, when Ohno laughed out loudly, he just couldn’t bring himself to feel bad about it.

“Or just ask for help,” Ohno suggested. “I’m sure Sachiko-san would be happy to have you for dinner. She loves you.”

“How would you know that?” Sho asked confused.

Ohno grinned. “She loves to gossip.”

That made Sho laugh too. And it felt good, being there in Ohno’s presence and laughing with him. It was easy and comfortable. They were enveloped by the soft noise of boiling shellfish and the occasional sound of thunder in the small room, so close to each other and guarded against the world outside.

“Do you like Yakushima?” was the sudden question from Ohno as he moved away for a bit.

Sho didn’t answer for a few moments. He looked out of the window in front of Ohno’s small veranda that resembled his own. He didn’t have the best scenery out of that window, but he still thought that Yakushima was a beautiful place. “I do,” he answered. “You see, I came from Tokyo.”

“I could guess that more or less,” Ohno chimed in with a soft smile on his face. “You weren’t comfortable with the rain back then.”

“To be fair, I was drenched and I missed a meeting because of the rain,” Sho pouted.

Ohno just smiled. “You still don’t look comfortable with rain,” he commented.

Sho shrugged. “How can I be when I am starving?”

Ohno chuckled but didn’t say anything while he simply got up from where he was sitting to change place. He sat opposite Sho, opening the lid of the pot that contained asari nabe. “Let’s eat then.”

Sho beamed at that, eyes zeroing to the pot as his stomach growled furiously.

“I’ll be partaking!” Sho announced as he scooped some shellfish to his bowl and started munching on it. “This is delicious!” he moaned with delight as he ate.

He only paused when he heard Ohno’s laughing. His mouth was full as he looked at Ohno. “What?” he asked, it was a bit hard to talk because of all the food he had stuffed into his mouth.

“You look like a squirrel,” Ohno commented. Sho frowned but before he could say anything Ohno continued. “I thought the same thing the last time we ate shio ramen but it’s fun watching you eat.”

Sho couldn’t say anything to that. But he didn’t have to since Ohno started eating too, without expecting anything from Sho.

It was nearing six in the evening, rain raging outside, and in the dim lights of Ohno’s small apartment, Sho hoped it wasn’t too obvious that he was blushing.

***

After that day, Sho started seeing Ohno more. In the mornings when they were both leaving the house, or late in the evenings when Sho was walking back home from the office. He would find Ohno sitting in the small bench space under the stairs that led to the second floor of the apartment building.

They would exchange small talk, Ohno would smile at him softly, making Sho’s heart beat a bit faster than usual. Sometimes, Sho would ramble about unimportant things and others they just sat in the comforting silence. They would sit on the bench while it rained and eat the snacks they brought. Sho got to know that Ohno’s silence wasn’t uncomfortable at all. From time to time Sachiko-san and Ayumi-chan would join too, and all in all, Sho's starting to find a lot of fun from hanging out with his neighbors.

However, these all were small moments. Not more than an hour but always less than that. It was slowly making Sho want more.

He wanted to know Ohno more. But before he could do something about it, Ohno disappeared once again.

***

The next time Sho had seen Ohno, it had already been a week since he last saw him and it was an unexpectedly sunny Saturday. Sho was out for a gathering with his colleagues.

They said it was Jun's idea, but Sho was sure that the idea originally belonged to Ogura-san who had been wanting to get Sho used to the island. Sho didn’t protest. He too wanted to get to know his colleagues better too, since there weren’t a lot of people to befriend on the island anyway.

They had told him to go to Keikarou, which was located in the middle of the small town. It was run by the Aiba family. Sho had been to the restaurant a few times already, it was close to the office and their lunch sets were delicious.

Jun waved at him when Sho walked into the Keikarou that morning. Ninomiya was sitting next to him with his Nintendo DS. He had been heavily leaning on someone as he smashed the buttons of his DS. Sho’s breath caught in his throat as he recognized Ohno immediately.

“Welcome, Sho-san!” Jun greeted him immediately when he finally reached the table.

Nino looked up from his game briefly and greeted him with a mischievous smile. “Yo! Boss!”

Ohno had a serene smile on his face. “Hi, Sho-kun,” he waved.

“Um, hi!” Sho greeted the table hesitantly. Why was Ohno here?

“Sho-san, this is Ohno Satoshi,” Jun frowned, eyeing both Sho and Ohno carefully before he started to introduce them to each other dutifully. He didn’t say anything even if he found it weird for Ohno to call Sho by his name. However, thankfully, he was cut by Ohno.

“We know each other,” Ohno chimed in.

Jun raised one of his prominent eyebrows and looked at Ohno. “You do?”

“Yes, um… He’s my neighbor,” Sho tried to explain.

“Isn’t that great J?” Nino cut in. “It saves us a lot of introduction to do!”

Jun shrugged. “I guess, you’re right.”

Sho watched the conversation between Jun and Nino confused while he could feel Ohno’s eyes on him. The question once again echoed in his mind: why was Ohno here? Do they all know each other? And the fact that he was coming across Ohno everywhere was strengthening his desire to know Ohno more. However, before he could ask anything a cheerful voice behind him greeted them.

“Welcome guys!!!”

Sho looked at the voice, a tall man who had a smile that was as bright as the sun walked in.

“Finally, Aiba-shi,” Nino clicked his tongue as the man called Aiba sat down to the last empty chair.

Aiba ignored Nino completely as he smiled brightly. “It’s so nice to meet you finally, Sho-chan!”

Sho-chan?

“Um… It’s nice to meet you too, Aiba-san.”

Jun cleared his throat. “Sho-san, this is Aiba Masaki. Eldest son of Aiba family,” cutting in helpfully. “He is the vet of the island.”

“Oh!”

“I usually help my parents here when I can but it’s usually my brother who’s around,” Aiba explained. “My mom really likes you!”

Ohno chuckled. “He’s cute when he’s eating something.”

“Oh?” Nino eyed Ohno and Sho curiously. “How come you know that, Oh-chan?”

Ohno shrugged. “He can’t cook.”

Nino hummed. “I see. And?”

“He was about to burn the house last time,” Ohno added, to Sho’s embarrassment.

That caught Nino’s interest. “That’s interesting,” he smiled impishly. “Tell me more, Oh-chan.”

And Ohno did. He told them about Sho’s failed attempt at cooking and how he was going to starve if Ohno hadn’t invited him in. Sho groaned and buried his face into his hands while Aiba and Nino laughed like they were having the time of their lives. Even Jun was having a hard time containing his laughter.

“You were also useless when you first came here, Oh-chan,” Aiba chimed in gleefully.

“Ohno-san is from outside of the island too?” Sho cut incuriously.

“He is!” Aiba exclaimed. “I met him in university. Actually, it was Nino who brought him.”

Sho’s eyes locked on Nino who just shrugged. “We three are from the island, as Aiba just said so. Me, this idiot and Jun-pon,” he pointed at everyone one by one. “This sleepy-looking guy here,” he pointed at Ohno, “is from Tokyo, just like you. But trust me, he’s not as sleepy as he usually looks.”

“We all went to the same university and met Ohno there,” Jun interjected when he didn’t find Nino’s explanation helpful enough. “He moved here a few years ago, as a fisherman.”

“How long has it been Oh-chan?” Aiba turned to Ohno. “Two years? Or more?”

“I’m not sure,” Ohno murmured then shrugged. “I’m not keeping a tab.”

“It’s nice to have you here though, Oh-chan!” Aiba continued cheerfully. “We were worried that you wouldn’t like it here especially after-”

Aiba was cut in when Jun coughed. Sho’s eyes fell onto Ohno who had been extremely focused on the curry that was served by Aiba’s mother.

“Aibaka, we need more beer here!” Nino whined, changing the subject.

“Go get it yourself!” Aiba protested.

“It’s your restaurant!”

“It’s my family’s restaurant! I am a vet!”

“So what? Do I have to be a pet to make you move?”

“Hey!”

Jun heaved a sigh before he threw a piercing glance to Aiba and Nino. “Guys, can you please stop it?” he spoke calmly, with a warning undertone in his voice. That shut Nino and Aiba up like scolded puppies, to Sho’s utter surprise. Then with Jun’s instruction, they got up and went to take the remaining of their orders from the kitchen.

“Matsujun here is really scary when he’s angry,” Ohno who was now leaning towards Sho as he whispered. Sho had no idea why he was whispering, now that they were alone but he didn’t comment on it.

He just lowered his voice to match Ohno’s. “He doesn’t look that scary to me,” he commented silently.

Ohno shook his head negatively. “You wouldn’t want Matsujun as your enemy. He used to wear heavy rings and smack them on the head when people won’t shut up.”

“Oh.”

Ohno chuckled. “He’s better now, but I still don’t recommend you to upset Matsujun. Also, don’t approach him from behind.”

“Behind?”

Ohno shook his head. “Believe me, you wouldn’t want to know.”

“Oh… Okay…”

“And Nino likes you a lot, despite the fact that he looks uninterested.”

“You think so?” Sho asked, still skeptical about what Ohno had said.

“I don’t think, I know that he actually likes you,” Ohno reassured him. “He wouldn’t bother teasing you if he didn’t like you.”

That made Sho laugh.

“And don’t worry about Aiba too. He likes everything aside from the cicadas.”

The thought of it made Sho giggle. “Cicadas?”

“He’s scared of them,” he chuckled. “A few years ago he found a cicada in his bathroom and he couldn’t get into it because he was scared of it. He’s still scared of them.”

The thought of it made Sho laugh out loud. “Poor Aiba.”

A few seconds of silence fell between them as Ohno leaned back on his seat. A question popped Sho’s mind: How about you? Do you like me? He shook his head, dismissing the thought. There was no way he could ask this, he doesn’t even know how to ask even if he could ask.

“I like you, too,” Ohno’s voice interrupted his thoughts, making Sho look at him in surprise. Did he say that out loud?

“You think too much and too hard,” Ohno commented with a serene smile as if to assure Sho’s worries which even Sho himself wasn’t aware of. “I like you too.”

However before Sho could elaborate more, others returned to the table and it was the end of their small secret conversation.

***

They said their goodbyes and exchanged promises to gather again when the time was past five in the evening. Aiba remained in the restaurant, saying that he was going to help out there. Nino and Jun left together since they lived pretty close to each other and Ohno decided to walk with Sho since they were going to the same place anyway, the opposite direction of Jun and Nino.

They walked side by side, their pace matching each other as the sun was nearing the end of its journey towards the west. The sky was dyed in orange, the warmth of a southern island could be felt even in February, and Sho’s heart was full with peace as he walked next to Ohno. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and continued to walk with a smile on his face. It could have been awkward to walk in complete silence if it wasn’t Ohno, Sho thought. And he liked that very much. He wasn’t a hundred percent sure about the reason for these feelings but he didn’t mind them.

However, the silence was broken by Ohno.

“Aren't you going to ask?” was what Ohno asked with his soft voice.

“Ask what?” Sho questioned.

“Ask what Aiba-chan was about to say about me?”

Sho hummed thoughtfully. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t curious, especially with the way Nino and Jun intervened. But he also didn’t want to question Ohno about it. Despite the fact that it was Ohno himself who brought the subject up, Sho had a feeling that it was a sensitive subject for him.

“Do you want me to ask?” Sho asked instead.

Ohno shrugged, without looking at him. “I will answer if you ask.”

Sho looked at him curiously. “Why? You don't even know me.”

Ohno looked at him too, making firm eye contact and not breaking it. “That's true but I would like to know you.”

Something in Ohno’s demeanor was so intense that it made Sho blush. He prayed for sunset to mask his embarrassment. “That’s not reasonable at all,” he commented.

Ohno hummed thoughtfully, looking ahead of himself. He then kicked a small pebble on the road as he replied, “What is reasonable and what is not differs for everyone, isn’t it?”

That caught Sho off guard. “That… Makes sense…” Sho couldn't help but laugh out loud as he accepted.

A silence fell between them, it wasn't restless and Sho still had the smile on his face when Ohno started talking. “I used to be a dancer,” he told Sho softly. “Back in Tokyo. I was good, I guess but couldn’t cope very well. Then I moved here. I didn’t have anything left for me or anyone who waited for me in Tokyo and when I was wandering around aimlessly, I ended up visiting here. It was Nino who told me to move here. And I did,” Ohno chuckled. “It was a fast decision but these kids are my best friends who accepted me even when I didn’t really have anything anymore. Aiba introduced me to Matsu-nii and Nino helped me find my current apartment, and Jun kept me alive and fed until I learned cooking for myself,” he chuckled.

Ohno’s story made Sho think about his own reasons to come here. He had run away. But, he wondered, was that something he should be ashamed of?

“Sometimes running away isn’t that bad,” Ohno added, as if he was able to read Sho’s mind.

“You have good friends,” Sho commented with a fond smile on his face.

“They are your friends too,” Ohno smiled. “I’m sure you’ll receive a bento from Matsujun soon, and I’m sure Nino will barge into your house with Aiba in no time.”

Sho giggled. “They are really kind.”

“They are.”

Sho took a deep breath and gulped down his anxiety. “You are, too.”

Ohno looked at him, confused, then smiled softly. “You too, Sho-kun.”

***

In the following weeks, Sho continued to hang out with the other three. While Ohno showed up from time to time, he had been absent more often than not. Ohno was a mystery, and it was just so easy to get used to him. He wished someone had warned him about this, that he was going to get used to his silent presence next to him this easily that it would be hard to concentrate without him being there. Ohno didn’t do anything most of the time. But Sho guessed that he didn’t really need to do anything. Sometimes it felt like everything was rotating around Ohno as if he was the gravity that Sho didn’t know that he lacked and he was just so simple, so naturally pulled towards him.

So when he disappeared once again, after a month of the gathering at Keikarou, Sho tried not to let it affect him. But it wasn’t easy. At first, Sho tried not to show his disappointment when he hadn’t seen Ohno together with the rest since he had a hunch that Nino would tease him for the rest of his life. However, it was either he was too obvious or Nino was just too sharp.

“By the way, where is Oh-chan?” Nino asked out of nowhere when they were eating dinner in Keikarou again. Sho tried not to choke on his curry.

Jun hummed as he munched on his own ramen. “Probably somewhere in the sea, fishing. Why?” he eyed Nino suspiciously.

Nino shrugged. “Just curious.”

Jun’s eyes narrowed but he didn’t say anything when Aiba intervened in order to explain Sho.

“Oh-chan likes the sea. So he tends to disappear to fish or think… I don’t know,” he scratched his chin. “I wonder what he’s doing on that ship.”

“We’re talking about Ohno-san here,” Nino clicked his tongue. “He’s probably spacing out.”

That made Aiba laugh merrily. “You’re right.”

The subject changed after that, but Nino still continued to look at him with an annoying smirk every now and then. Sho was grateful that he didn’t dig more into it. However, when Jun and Aiba started to clean the table going to the kitchen to help Aiba’s mother and he and Nino were alone, he knew Nino was going to talk about it.

“You know,” Nino slid closer to Sho’s side from where he was sitting. “Oh-chan rarely comes to gatherings with new people.”

Sho tried to stay neutral. “Is that so?”

“He’s not the sociable type,” Nino hummed thoughtfully. “He would promise to come just to cancel the plans the next day saying that he has some urgent business to attend. Never fall for it. He has no urgent business, no one has any urgent business on this island. It just means that he doesn’t feel like meeting you. But we all let him be,” Nino crossed his arms in front of his chest as he spoke fondly about Ohno. Sho could hear the affection on Nino’s sharp tone. But then he looked at him sternly. “And he doesn’t speak a lot too. I know because I’ve known him for fifteen years already,” Nino shot him a serious glance. His posture was almost saying I’m the one who knows him the best. “I was the one who invited him here when he was crying on the phone helplessly. And we were all happy that he decided to stay here for good,” his voice was low and he wasn’t joking like how he usually did. “So, I’ll be honest with you,” he crossed his arms in front of his chest as he looked at Sho intently. “If you ever hurt him, I’ll hunt you down myself before Jun could do so.”

Sho smiled. “Thank you for telling me, Nino,” he answered, despite his initial surprise. It was good to know that Ohno had such people who care about him. Had he ever had such people caring about him? He wasn’t sure. He didn’t even know if he ever let anyone care about him to such extent. He had always acted strong, independent, as the perfect frontman. “I’ll do my best.”

Nino looked at him intently for another second before he smiled. “In exchange, come to me if anything happens. I’ll kick his ass if he hurts you too.”

“Who are you kicking again?” Jun came into the conversation with a confused expression on his face.

“Oh-chan.”

“Why?”

“In case, you know, he forgets to bring fish,” Nino shrugged.

Jun groaned as he plopped down to his chair. “I wish he forgets bringing fish for once. My fridge is overflowing with fish and it’s all his fault. I want to eat Italian once in a while.”

“You want to eat Italian, I don’t even cook! Yet I still have fish in my fridge.”

“You can cook perfectly, you’re just too lazy to cook.”

Nino slid next to Jun as he wormed his arms around Jun’s waist. “Who needs cooking when I have you, Jun-pon.”

“Stop flirting, you two,” Aiba interjected as he walked back to the table with some mitarashi dango.

“We are not flirting!” Jun and Nino denied at the same time, while Jun tore Nino apart from his body.

“It’s all your fault,” Jun grumbled.

“No, it’s your fault!”

Aiba sat next to him as they let Nino and Jun bicker. “I don’t even know if they love each other or hate each other,” Aiba whispered to Sho’s ear.

Sho chuckled as he started munching on the mitarashi dango together with Aiba. Being here was good, and he liked it very much.

***

Sho slowly adapted to the rainy weather of Yakushima way better than he had initially thought. It certainly rained more than any other place and even though he sometimes thought that it was rather gloomy to live with rain all the time, and even though the rain was still inconveniencing him from time to time, he started to like the rain and sometimes even wished for it.

Because strangely, whenever it rained, he got to meet Ohno.

And slowly, the rain started to smell like Ohno, sound like Ohno. Sho couldn’t deny that he was falling for Ohno, hard. It was something even he himself didn’t expect; this turn of events, but he couldn’t deny it, not after spending a few months in Ohno’s presence.

They met a lot, certainly not every day, just as much as Ohno was around. Sho slowly got to know Ohno; how much he loved the vastness of the sea, how inspiring he had thought Yakushima is, how much he cherished Nino, Jun, and Aiba and how he couldn’t just leave them behind, how he wanted to protect this quiet and peaceful life of his and how talented he is in drawing. He was yet to discover how talented Ohno is about dancing but Sho had a hunch that he would be discovering that soon too.

However, that afternoon, it wasn’t raining when Ohno stood in front of his door. Sho couldn’t help the surprised look on his face but it soon turned into a smile when he found Ohno standing there, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his well-worn jeans.

“Ohno-kun,” Sho blink with surprise.

Ohno smiled at him. “Hey.”

“Why are you here? I thought you went fishing.”

“Something came up, so, not today,” he shrugged.

“Oh.”

There was a silence for a few long seconds as none of them dared to talk. Sho just observed Ohno, who looked rather uncomfortable standing there and thinking hard about something Sho couldn’t tell. Sho let him be. He was slowly figuring out that no one intervened Ohno on this island. He did what he wanted, how he wanted and at his own pace. Sho slowly came to like Ohno’s pace.

“The weather is nice,” was what Ohno blurted out after he finished organizing his thoughts.

“It is,” Sho nodded, his eyes turning to the sky instead of Ohno. The clear blue sky looked welcoming.

“So…” he stopped for a second before inhaling deeply. “Can I take you out for a walk?” Ohno asked finally, his head cocked to the side, exposing his neck and smiling to Sho sheepishly.

How could Sho deny such a request? Especially when it’s Ohno who asked him. That was how he found himself walking next to Ohno on a road that Sho had no inkling of. Sho let Ohno lead the way with subtle steps that didn’t make any noise. They walked past the ancient cedar trees surrounding them as they walked side by side in silence. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of the soft breeze dancing around the leaves. The scent of the wet soil was reassuring, enveloping them into an otherworldly experience.

Sho wondered where they were going, this certainly wasn’t one of the usual hiking routes. It looked wilder and untouched. He wondered where this walk was headed but he refrained from asking. He didn’t know if a goal was needed at this point. Hadn’t he reached a point where he valued the way itself more than the end of it?

He eyed Ohno who looked as comfortable as he had always been. He wondered what Ohno was thinking…

“Isn’t it amazing?” Ohno broke the silence suddenly.

“What is?”

“The fact that these trees have been here for more than a thousand years.” Sho hummed but before he could say anything, Ohno continued. “It makes me feel small. It makes me think about how fleeting everything is. You, me, everyone will disappear one day. I wonder how many lovers disappeared from this world and these trees have witnessed it.”

Sho was left speechless over Ohno’s words. He was thinking hard for a comeback, for an answer but when the latter looked at Sho and chuckled softly, it somehow didn’t matter.

“It’s okay, Sho-kun,” Ohno bumped his shoulder softly. “Don’t think about it that much.”

Sho sighed. “The world itself will be over one day. Even these trees will disappear. Everything is finite, but if we keep thinking about the end then we would be just miserable,” he told Ohno truthfully.

Ohno laughed at Sho’s words, even though Sho didn’t think he had said something funny. “I guess you’re right, Sho-kun.”

They continued to walk for a few more minutes when Sho saw a clearance ahead of them and heard the sound of waves crashing to the rocks. They reached a cliff, where the lighthouse was standing solitarily and the sun was setting. Sho looked at Ohno, who had been looking ahead when they stopped, facing the sea.

A part of him was desperate to ask what was wrong, but he didn’t know how to. So he did the only thing that felt right. He closed the small distance between him and Ohno, letting their shoulders brush.

Ohno looked at him, the orange light of the setting sun was dancing on Ohno’s tanned skin and he smiled softly, so softly that it made Sho’s heart ache.

I’m in love with him.

Sho probably will never remember the exact time when he started to fall for Ohno. But he was probably going to remember that moment as the moment he fell for Ohno. Not under the rain, not in the hot summer but standing there, in front of the vast sea that was kissing with the setting sun, as he waited for Ohno to sort out his thoughts.

Sho had no idea how long they stood there, watching the sun disappear on the horizon when Ohno started talking.

“They called me back,” Ohno told Sho out of nowhere.

“Who?”

“My old dance group. They called me back, said they needed me there,” Ohno explained.

Sho felt his heart sinking. “Will you go?”

“I…”

Ohno didn’t finish his answer but Sho already understood that Ohno was going. He felt his heart aching slightly at the thought of Ohno leaving the island.

Taking a deep breath, Sho asked: “Will you be okay?”

“Honestly?” Ohno looked at Sho with an expression that’s hard to read. “I don’t know.”

Sho tried to smile, just to dismiss the heavy atmosphere. “Just make sure to come back,” to us, he didn’t add. “This is your home, after all.”

That made Ohno smile too.

“You’re right,” he spoke softly, as he turned to look at Sho in the eye, “this is my home.”

***

Two months passed since Ohno left Yakushima for a musical and Sho would be lying if he said that he didn’t miss him even though he didn’t disappear completely. He often sends Sho random messages with photographs attached to it. Some of them had nothing written over them to explain what they were about and some were so out of context that Sho simply couldn’t help laughing over them. Ohno’s messages have become his source of happiness while he was away. It helped him bring his feelings under control, but it didn’t lessen the feelings.

It was nearing the end of the second month when he received one specific photo as he was lying in his futon unable to sleep, missing Ohno. He was aware that it was almost two a.m. and he really needed sleep because he had work tomorrow, or well, today. He was thinking about Ohno. The other side of the thin wall had been so silent since he left and it felt gloomy when it rained. Sho was missing him. He was missing Ohno so much.

His phone’s screen lightened up that moment, blinking with the ringtone of a new message. Sho had nothing better to do than to check the message. He crawled halfway out of his futon, reaching out for his phone where it was plugged in to charge. His eyes widened when he saw the sender's name. He opened the message with a speed that even he himself had no idea he was capable of.

There were no messages again. It was just a photo of Ohno, in his stage costume and makeup. He was smiling widely as he was holding a long paper, “Smile!” written over it with a brush and it was just so hilarious, Sho laughed out loud.

He laughed until tears came out of his eyes and when he looked at the photograph again he just couldn’t stop himself anymore. For two months, Sho had been receiving messages from Ohno, communicating in a normal way but neither of them took the initiative for a phone call.

Ohno picked it up on the first ring. “Sho-kun?”

“Hi,” Sho breathed, letting Ohno's voice wash over him. After two months, it felt so good, so right, to hear his voice once again.

“It’s late,” Ohno said matter-of-factly. He wasn’t asking anything, merely stating the fact that it was so late in the night. Or was it too early in the morning? Sho just didn’t care.

“You’re awake,” Sho wasn’t asking either but Ohno answered anyway.

“I am.”

There was silence on the phone, as Sho tried to get his thoughts in order. His mind was numb from overworking; he couldn’t come up with anything. He had no excuse for calling Ohno at two a.m. in the morning.

“How are you?” was the question that broke the silence. It was the safest question Sho could ask and at the same time, it was the safest thing he could say without sounding like a freak or a teenager in love.

Ohno chuckled. “I am fine,” he replied, and Sho could imagine the soft smile of his. “And you?”

“I am…” missing you, he wanted to say, but there was no way he could actually say it out loud. “...fine too.”

“Good.”

And the talk was over. None of them hung up but Sho was panicking as he tried hard to say something. But he couldn’t think of anything aside from I miss you.

“I miss home,” Ohno said while Sho was still trying hard to find something to say. “I miss you,” Ohno added.

Sho’s breath was caught in his throat. It felt like nothing had changed, like Ohno was there next to him, reading his thoughts so easily.

“I will come back,” Ohno continued when Sho didn’t say anything.

“I know,” Sho whispered. Ohno didn’t say anything but Sho knew that he was smiling. “I should let you sleep now.”

Ohno hummed.

“Have a good night, Satoshi-kun.”

“You too, Sho-kun,” Ohno murmured from the other side of the line, voice thick with sleep and added before Sho could hang up. “It was nice to hear your voice.”

Sho bit his lower lip, “You too, Satoshi-kun … and …” Sho took a deep breath, gathering up his courage to continue his words. “I miss you, too.”

***

The rain was pouring when Sho got the message of “It’s not as tasty as it’s in Yakushima,” written on the shio ramen photo. He looked at the photo of the bowl of ramen that looked delicious as he held his umbrella firmly on his one hand and smiled. He kept getting the random messages and some random phone calls from Ohno for the past month but it had been three months already and at this point, the absence of Ohno was starting to show an effect in everyone’s behavior.

He balanced the umbrella on his left hand against the wind, as he quickly typed; “I’ll treat you when you come back.”

A few seconds after he sent the message, his phone started to ring.

“Satoshi-kun?” He tried not to squeak as he answered the phone.

“How about treating me that shio ramen now?” Ohno asked, foregoing the greeting.

“What?” Sho blinked with surprise, stopping dead on his track. “What do you mean?”

“That blue necktie suits you well.”

Sho’s eyes widened as he looked around himself. When he realized that he was standing a few steps away from the ramen shop that he met Ohno, his eyes searched for his presence under that roof. He was almost sure that Ohno wouldn’t be there. But he was wrong. Ohno was was standing under the roof, his phone plastered on his ear and one hand stuffed inside the pocket of his jeans. He was wearing a soft smile on his face, eyes focused on Sho.

“So what do you say?” Ohno asked still over the phone and really, who was he to deny Ohno’s wishes?

Sho dropped the phone from his ears as he walked towards Ohno with unrushed steps.

“It’s pouring,” was what Ohno said when Sho was in front of him. If it was someone else, Sho would be angry at such a greeting. It has been three months, and that’s what you’re going to tell me? would probably be what he would say. But this was Ohno and that just explained everything.

“It always rains when I am with you,” Sho told Ohno calmly. Ohno was the rain, after all. He liked Ohno under the sun too, but he was the spring rain that came softly.

“Do you hate it?” Ohno asked curiously, cocking his head to the side slightly while he searched for the answers in Sho’s eyes rather than in his words.

“No,” Sho told truthfully without a second thought. “I’ve actually come to like it.”

Ohno smiled, making Sho’s heart swell with the love he felt towards him. “That’s good to know.”

***

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. It was a phrase that Sho doubted its credibility until he met Ohno. He had never thought he would taste those words first hand, but when he had Ohno in flesh and bone in front of him, it really didn’t matter.

He was clutching the handle of his umbrella, trying to guard himself against the rain that’s beating the umbrella mercilessly. Sharing the umbrella with Ohno was only making it worse for Sho to focus as his thoughts drifted from one thought to another. He had so many things happening in his mind at that moment. The taste of shio ramen still fresh on the tip of his tongue, the heat of Ohno standing so close to his right side, his scent that was suppressing the scent of the rain, the sound of their footsteps whenever they walk over a small puddle. They were silent, yet, Sho’s thoughts were so loud that they were able to silence the sound of rain. He only realized his own doubts when he was in Ohno’s presence. He'd admit that he was afraid of not seeing Ohno ever again when he left; only now that Ohno was walking towards the small apartment complex they both lived that Sho felt relief crushing over him to have him back.

When they finally reached their destination, Sho hesitated. He hesitated to let him go to his own room, and he hesitated to tell him how he feels. For a one long minute, Sho hesitated while Ohno waited for him, without saying anything, without going back to his own apartment.

Ohno was waiting for him. He was waiting for him to decide. And that made Sho’s heart swell with fondness. Just the knowledge of knowing that Ohno wasn’t and will never force himself into something he didn’t want was such a privilege.

“Won’t you come in?” Sho asked before he could think.

Ohno beamed at that. Once inside, Sho realized that his umbrella was definitely too small for two of them since they were both partially wet. Sho brought out towels and gave one to Ohno as the latter sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall. Sho didn’t say anything as he walked and turned the heater on. Then he slowly proceeded to sit down next to Ohno. They were close, maybe too close for the common courtesy, but none of them cared.

A flash of lightning illuminated the room as the rain picked up once again, then the sound of thunder filled the silence between them. Sho was looking out of the window, and he felt Ohno’s gaze on him.

“Your hair is longer,” Ohno broke the silence softly, making Sho turn his head towards him as he leaned closer to Sho, tucking the unruly hair behind Sho’s ears and smiled. They were standing so close that Sho was afraid that Ohno could hear his crazy heartbeat.

Sho knew that he had to say something, anything, but with Ohno being this close, his brain couldn’t come up with anything. Ohno’s hand didn’t leave its place, and Sho could feel the warmth transmitted through Ohno’s delicate fingers. He could only look at Ohno’s eyes, and let Ohno’s presence invade the world around him.

He didn’t know how long they stayed like this when Ohno whispered his name.

“Yes?” Sho answered with a weak voice.

“Can I?”

“Can you?”

“... kiss you?”

Sho’s breath was caught on his throat as his brain went blank. Why can’t his brain function right now?

Ohno put his hand firmly on Sho’s cheek, stopping him from thinking too much and grounding him to the present time. “Stop thinking.”

“I am not,” Sho denied automatically.

Ohno was patient as he caressed Sho’s cheek lightly to calm him down. “You’re trying to think. Stop it.”

“... Okay.”

“Good.”

When Ohno moved closer, Sho was sure that he was going to kiss him. But instead, Ohno pressed his face closer to Sho, not kissing, just resting his forehead against Sho. “I am not going to do anything you don’t want,” Ohno was whispering while he reassured Sho. Noses brushing, breath mingling together and breathing each other in, Ohno just held Sho close. Ohno’s arm around Sho’s waist and his other hand still caressing his cheek. He wasn’t demanding for more, he was just waiting for Sho patiently. It didn’t take long for his heartbeat to calm down. Sho closed his eyes and smiled. He was amazed at how much Ohno was able to calm Sho down no matter what the situation was.

“Satoshi-kun,” Sho whispered as his heartbeat calmed down.

“Hm?”

Sho could tell Ohno was smiling even without looking at him. It was making him feel excited. He wetted his lips trying to think what to say. He could simply ask Ohno to kiss him. Sho knew that Ohno would do it if he were to ask. That was the moment Ohno’s words echoed in his mind once again.

Stop thinking. For once, stop thinking and just move.

He could feel the surprise of Ohno when Sho put his hands on Ohno’s nape and pulled him in, closing the small distance within a second. Their lips crushed and Sho kissed Ohno passionately like it was all he had needed. Ohno’s surprise melted quickly and he kissed Sho back with a passion that wasn’t any lesser than Sho’s own. When Ohno moved closer as if it was possible, Sho fell onto his back, bringing Ohno down together with himself. Their lips never parted until the need for air pressed.

They were panting hard when they parted. Ohno’s hair was tousled and his lips were swollen. He was looking at Sho with a smile that brightened even the deepest parts in his eyes.

The words I love him, came so naturally, to Sho’s surprise. It was so simple, so easy… He had been searching for a place to belong. That place wasn’t Tokyo. It wasn’t Yakushima too. Sho was sure that it wasn’t anywhere else in this world even if he went far away in search of it. I belong here, next to him, he thought.

“Satoshi-kun?”

“Hm?”

“I think I am in love with you.”

The smile he had seen on Ohno’s face after those words were the brightest Sho had ever seen.

***

The news about Ohno's return traveled faster than he would have liked it to, Sho thought when he found Nino, Jun and Aiba on his door next morning. Saying that he wasn't expecting them would be an underestimation, as he stood there blinking like a rabbit that was caught in the lights.

"Aiba here heard from his mum who heard from the Yamashita-san of the grocery who heard from Okino-san of the ramen shop that Oh-chan is back," Nino explained in one go. "But when we came here he just wouldn’t open his door so we need to crash in your place until he's awake to open the door," he added as he pushed the dumbfounded Sho and walked inside before Sho could stop him.

"We are really sorry, Sho-san," Jun was apologizing for his friend's demeanor while Aiba was bouncing up and down like an excited puppy.

"Hey! Nino! Wait!" Sho tried to stop him by grabbing his arm but Nino brushed him off.

"Why? Don't be stingy, it's just for a while-" Nino was cut in the middle of his sentence.

Sho tried not to groan.

"Nino? What's up?" Jun asked from behind Sho, where he was still safely out of the door.

Sho just didn't want to know what Nino was thinking, now that he had seen Ohno under the covers, sleeping peacefully, half-naked.

"So that's it," Nino murmured before he turned back to Sho whose face was taken a deep shade of red. Nino flashed Sho his evil grin and Sho knew that everything was beyond saving at this point. He was just surprised how Ohno was able to sleep in the midst of so much noise.

"Nino?" Jun was still trying to look inside curiously.

"I see, so that's how it is," Nino's grin just widened as he studied Sho from head to toe. Then he whistled and turned back, getting out of Sho's apartment. "Let's go, Jun-pon" Nino grabbed Jun's and Aiba's arm dragging them away.

"Wha-?! Wait, Nino, what's going on?" Jun questioned.

"Aren't we going to wait for Oh-chan?" Aiba was asking but Nino didn't see the need to reply to them as he dragged them with him. Sho was sure that the whole island was going to learn about this by evening, which made him groan as he closed the door behind him.

He helplessly walked back inside, only to see that Ohno was awake and looking at him with a sleepy smile.

"You were awake? Why didn't you do anything?" Sho sighed.

Ohno hummed, reaching out and grabbing Sho's wrist, he pulled Sho back into the futon. "I didn't need to say anything," he murmured when Sho was once again settled under the sheets with him.

"The whole island will be talking about us," Sho sulked.

Ohno nuzzled into the crook of Sho's neck as he breathed Sho's scent in. "I know."

"You're not helping," Sho scolded Ohno lightly, but he still wrapped his arms around him anyway.

Ohno chuckled. "This makes everything easier," he said, it was apparent that he was still sleepy. "Let them talk."

"You're shameless."

"I know."

"I really don't know why I love you."

Ohno just laughed.

"I love you, Satoshi-kun."

I love you, Sho-kun, he didn't really need to hear those words. Ohno always found a way to convey those feelings without needing the words. And Sho was sure that Ohno was going to keep making him feel loved, forever.