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It’s rare that Kakeru finds himself running behind Haiji. Most of the time, Haiji chooses to stay at the back, urging Prince on or just keeping an eye on the other members and their condition. The closest he gets is when Haiji runs up next to him and keeps pace, and he sees the corner of Haiji’s lips curl up as their eyes meet.
So when Kakeru finds it difficult to sleep and heads out for a run at an ungodly hour that night, he’s caught by surprise when he sees a familiar figure in front of him.
He thinks it’s only familiar because he recognises the neon orange running shoes and the windbreaker Haiji has on, but then Kakeru can’t take his eyes off him.
Because he realises that even without looking at his face, he’d be able to recognise him anywhere – from a distance, even.
The way Haiji runs is exactly as one would imagine him to.
The way his legs move and the way his feet hit the ground – It’s relentless, determined, disciplined, focused, controlled.
But there’s nothing frightening in his posture or the way he breathes – It’s warm and bright and light, all at once. It’s free.
And even as he runs alone in front of him, Kakeru gets the feeling that Haiji runs like he’s always running with someone else.
The way Haiji runs is like a beautiful contradiction.
Without realising, Kakeru’s legs begin to slow so that he can continue watching Haiji run. Keeping his steps light and a safe distance between them, Kakeru loses track of where they are going and doesn’t really know how long they’ve been running… just that he wants to keep chasing him, to keep running with him.
As enthralled as Kakeru is by the experience of watching Haiji run, he has – for a while now as they’ve been running – been aware that a storm is coming. The air is heavy, there’s wind in his face and overhead there is the steady rumble of thunder.
Haiji must be aware of the approaching storm as well because Kakeru begins to recognise the route they are taking as one that leads back to Aotake. When they are about 2km from the dorm, it starts to drizzle and Haiji picks up the pace, legs stretching out ahead of him in a sprint.
1km left. Kakeru chases him, blinking away the droplets of rain that are now beginning to pelt down on him.
500m. There is no one around them as they race through the streets, rain roaring around them.
0m. They make it to the front of Aotake and both Haiji and Kakeru are breathing hard, hands on their knees, neither making a move to seek shelter in the dorm.
“I guess we couldn’t outrun the storm,” Haiji gasps, breathless as he turns around with the biggest, most carefree smile Kakeru has ever seen, rain pouring down his face.
“You knew that I was behind you?” Kakeru yells to be heard above the rain and he watches as Haiji lifts a finger to his own lips and mouths: “You’ll wake everyone up.”
And then Haiji takes a step towards him so that he can hear him better.
“I would have known it was you even with my eyes closed,” he says, and even though it’s far too dark at this time of the night, Haiji’s eyes are dazzling, bright, alive.
And then Kakeru decides that he needs to close the distance between them, to feel Haiji – with all his contradictions and every bit of that burning, star-like intensity – near him.
He takes a step forward, watching as Haiji’s eyes widen in surprise, lips parting like he’s about to say something. But before he can find out what it is, Kakeru squeezes his eyes shut and kisses him.
Haiji tastes like rain, but even with the way the cold rain beats down relentlessly on them, Kakeru knows that Haiji’s lips are warm and impossibly soft. Haiji doesn’t stiffen, but he doesn’t quite respond either.
Kakeru feels his body go cold with fear as he pulls back to deal with the consequences of yet another one of his impulsive acts.
But then Haiji surprises him.
Wrapping a hand over his wrist, Haiji tugs Kakeru nearer to the front door where they get a little shelter from the rain and immediately pulls him into another kiss.
The way Haiji kisses is like the way he runs. It’s familiar, relentless, fierce yet tender.
Every part of his body is alight and buzzing as if struck by lightning, but Kakeru also can’t help the way he instinctively relaxes into the kiss, Haiji’s hand warm against his cheek. And so Kakeru pulls him closer, responding to each burning kiss with one of his own.
They eventually part, Kakeru’s lips tingling as Haiji runs his thumb over them as he pulls away. Kakeru thinks he must look as dazed as he feels on the inside because Haiji’s eyes are warm and full of mirth.
“What was that?” Haiji asks, amused, hand reaching out to brush Kakeru’s wet fringe away from his face. “You stalk me in the middle of the night and kiss me?”
“I wasn’t...” Kakeru flushes red. “I wasn’t stalking you. I went on a run because I couldn’t sleep. You just happened to be running too.”
Haiji eyes him suspiciously and Kakeru feels his face grow warmer. But then Haiji smiles and Kakeru knows that he’s just being teased.
“Was it good? Running with me?” Haiji asks, his hand not leaving Kakeru’s face. Kakeru averts his eyes, suddenly feeling like Haiji’s gaze is far too intense.
He glances at Haiji’s knee, a reminder of the reason why he’s been finding it hard to sleep lately and can hear a storm coming.
He has his suspicions but he can’t bring himself to ask.
But Haiji’s voice is gentle as he leans in, placing a kiss on the corner of his lips.
“There’s no need to outrun the storm,” Haiji whispers. “This is good, isn’t it?”
And suddenly Kakeru feels comforted, braver with the knowledge that Haiji knows he’ll run with him through the rain, always behind him.
And even if the impending storm wears them both down, they’ll find a way to seek comfort and shelter together... just like they’ve always done before.