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Ainosuke doesn’t do it on purpose.
Langa is attractive, compassionate, kind, enthusiastic about things he loves and believes in, unintentionally funny, and overall a charming boy.
He has such a bright and unique personality.
And yet Ainosuke compares them.
The first time it happens Ainosuke is leaving tender pecks on Langa’s head. They have just had their first kiss after a perfect date, and the boy is enjoying the moment as he’s being held in the older man’s arms. Ainosuke inhales the scent of Langa’s hair, and mint is filling in his lungs. It’s the scent of a generic cheap shampoo one can find at any convenience store. He makes a mental note to order quality bath and body products for Langa when the boy inevitably stays the night at Ainosuke’s place.
After a while, the man starts absentmindedly playing with the boy’s hair. Langa has lovely hair, soft and long enough for Ai to wrap it around his fingers only to release it in gentle waves.
“Have you ever thought of letting your hair grow long?” asks Ai out of nowhere.
Langa hums and clarifies how long his boyfriend is talking about.
“As long as you wish. Up until your waist or so. I think you’d look wonderful, like a nobleman from old times.”
“As long as Cherry’s then?” suggests Langa. Ainosuke doesn’t reply, he only shrugs his shoulders.
They don’t return to this conversation afterwards. Ainosuke, however, feels a little bit guilty every time he spots Langa tying his now shoulder length hair in a high ponytail.
It happens when they are making out, and Langa starts giggling midkiss. In response to Ainosuke’s questioning gaze, the boy points out Ai has a peculiar habit of biting and tugging on the left corner of Langa’s bottom lip. Langa thinks nothing of this, it is a simple observation on his part after days spent exploring and learning about each other in intimate ways.
Only Ainosuke knows a certain piercing is to blame for this habit.
It happens when they have sex for the first time. Everything is sweet and slow. Langa is embarrassed by his lack of experience in comparison to Ainosuke, so the older man has to comfort him and promise that it doesn’t matter, he wants Langa no matter what. The foreplay, the touches, the kisses, wandering hands and lips are gentle and reassuring. Langa is underneath him, sensitive and responsive, trusting the older man to take care of him.
It is so different from Ainosuke’s own first time. Ainosuke and Kaoru lost their virginities to each other. Kaoru was the one to take the initiative. His kisses were demanding, hungry for more as Kaoru was licking Ainosuke’s lips to put his tongue inside. His hands were confident, holding on Ai’s shoulders as Kaoru was pushing him on the back to get on top. Kaoru might have been the one to bottom but he was also certainly the one in control as he was riding his boyfriend.
Ainosuke tries to let go of the images and memories to focus on Langa’s pleasure.
It happens when Langa shows Ainosuke his sketches. The notebook is full of animals, people skating and dancing, logo designs and all sorts of random doodles.
The boy definitely has talent.
“I find drawing a rewarding activity,” admits Langa. “It’s not much but I’ve got better over the years, and it’s nice to see the progress.”
“Not much? Langa-kun, you're selling yourself short, these are very well done. Have you thought of applying to an art school?”
“No, I want this to remain as a hobby. I’d have to follow lots of rules at an art school, and this thought doesn’t sit right with me,” replies Langa.
“I see. What about calligraphy?”
As soon as the question leaves Ainosuke’s lips, he immediately regrets it. Langa simply laughs at the idea, his handwriting is awful, after all, calligraphy is the last thing he should pick up. As the boy goes back to flipping the pages of his sketchbook and commenting on some of the images, Ainouske can’t help but remember another 17 year old boy showing his calligraphy works to Ai and dreaming of pursuing his hobby as a career.
It happens when it’s hot and humid, and Langa complains that his jeans are sticking to his skin and are hard to remove.
“Would you like me to get you a kimono? It would be easier for your body to breath. We can have one custom made to your liking.”
It’s an unexpected offer. Langa isn’t going to lie, he sometimes wonders what wearing a kimono is like when Cherry attends their meetings in one. Unlike Cherry, who is elegant and refined, Langa thinks of himself as a rather ordinary boy.
“I don’t think I can pull it off,” confesses he. “I’m more of a jeans and t-shirt type of a guy.”
Ainosuke only nods in acceptance of Langa's opinion. Deep down he is imagining a silhouette in a floating kimono surrounded by pink petals.
___________________________________________
“Did you go back to using your old shampoo?” Kojiro turns around expecting to see Kaoru emerging from the bathing area.
Kojiro, Kaoru, Langa, Reki, Miya and Shadow are in the middle of one of their regular onsen trips. Kojiro was the first one to finish showering and has already entered the onsen area. After a couple of minutes he sensed a familiar scent of cherries, rosemary and thyme.
“Sorry, what?” frowns Langa, who has just walked into the onsen area.
“Nothing,” quickly replies Kojiro. He isn’t sure why Kaoru suddenly switched back to his old shampoo, but he certainly doesn’t remember the scent to be intense to the point one could sense it from such a long distance.
However, the second Kaoru enters the onsen, Kojiro understands something is wrong. Kaoru’s shoulders are tense, face emotionless if not for a subtly clenched jaw.
Kaoru doesn’t smell like his old shampoo. The scent of cherries, rosemary and thyme, the blend Ainosuke used to gift to Kaoru, is coming from Langa.
“Don’t,” whispers Kaoru when he notices Kojiro is about to say something.
Kojiro doesn’t.
___________________________________________
“You have to get over me.”
Cherry Blossom and Adam stand side by side watching Snow’s race.
“I beg your pardon?” Adam’s full attention is suddenly on the pink-haired man.
“He might not realise what you’re doing but you can’t fool me, Adam. He’s growing out his hair because you suggested it. He’s telling us stories about you offering to buy him a kimono and suggesting he try calligraphy. The shampoo you gave him.” A heavy pause. “I know what’s happening. I also believe you have feelings for him, his authentic self. So, please, don’t try to turn him into someone he’s not.”
“Don’t try to turn him into me” is left unsaid.
They silently watch the rest of the beef on a big screen. As Cherry Blossom is about to leave to congratulate Snow for yet another win, Adam finally speaks up.
“I like him a lot,” says the man as if he’s telling a secret.
“I know,” replies Cherry.
“I-I have no idea why I keep comparing…”
“Maybe,” interrupts Cherry, “maybe we need to talk about what happened many years ago. About us. We both need closure, so we can move on.”
They still don’t look at each other.
“Okay.” Cherry can’t see the smile but he can hear it. “Okay, Kaoru.”