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A strong wind dissipated the thick clouds that hung up high above the meadow in the blue sky, carrying the summer heat of August. Soft edges were torn and stretched until there were shreds of fluffy white clusters that strongly resembled ripped off pieces of candyfloss, sugary sweet and tempting to bite into.
Many kilometres below the clouds, birds flew – free and wild – and sailed through the milder winds that blew across the country, pushing insects high and higher, eventually reaching the treetops that resided on the highest peaks of the mountains of Hakone national park.
A few more kilometres further down these slopes was a valley. There were plenty of forests, hiking paths and roads to discover the area, and lakes to cool off after hours of moving around. And there, right in the middle of nature and wildlife, was a meadow.
Green grass stretched as far as the eye could see and beyond. A nearby pathway led through the forest that the meadow bordered, taking visitors further and further through the slopes and mountain sites and the lakes and grasslands. The strong wind was now a mere breeze. It rustled through the top of the giant oak tree that stood in the field, surrounded by fresh grass and wild flowers that were scattered all over the meadow, creating constellations in a variety of colours. The tree was old, its trunk thick, the bark brittle but strong and resilient. Thousands of green leaves, their colour fresh and firm, thickened and cast a broad shadow over the field, shifting with the turn of the sun.
In the shadow of the tree, the midday heat wasn’t as blazing as beyond the realm of the dark, uneven shade that spread northwards and promised cool air. It didn’t stop the warm air from swishing through the grass and flower heads, which found enough light even near the trunk of the green giant. Like stars in the meadow, various flowers were scattered everywhere, and as Kakeru leaned forward, his elbow brushed a handful of daisies.
Kakeru was lying on his stomach in the soft grass, had propped himself up on his elbows, and was directing his gaze on Haiji, who was resting right next to him. Unlike Kakeru, Haiji was on his back and had shed his t-shirt and sun hat – which was lying by his side – as soon as they had stepped off their bikes and reached the shadow below the tree. It was warm enough to be dressed only in shorts and athletic shoes, and Kakeru had related to the feeling of wanting to get rid of as many suffocating layers of fabrics as possible.
Kakeru’s eyes lingered on Haiji’s face. His hair – soft to the touch – danced a little in the summer breeze, gentle brown eyes were hidden behind closed lids, and all of his facial features were relaxed. Kakeru gazed at Haiji’s lips, which were pliant and smooth, and guided him to the defined jawline and further to his throat, the Adam’s Apple that bounced when Haiji swallowed, and his collarbone and shoulders. His features were sharp, but in a way that defined the strong muscle that ran down his back, arms and chest.
Kakeru let his eyes trail further down Haiji’s chest, swallowing at the feel of how those soft and rosy nipples tasted when they were perked and aroused.
Following the gentle cleavage, Kakeru gazed at the stomach line, equally divided in a soft line, the taut skin and muscles that were smooth and even under the tanned skin. Finally, Kakeru wandered along the firm curves until he arrived at the hem of the shorts, two ribbons neatly tied into a bow.
Today, they had already spent a lot of time outside, walked through the fields and under the trees, constantly in the sun and under the shade of the forest. Naturally, Kakeru had reminded Haiji to use sun cream to prevent them from getting burnt; but it didn’t stop the tan from unfolding on their skin. Haiji wasn’t naturally pale, but the summer changed those kind of things and now he was covered in a smooth tan that reminded Kakeru of their very first training camp many years ago. The difference was that now, Kakeru was aware of the brighter lines that appeared as soon as Haiji got rid of his shorts. It made him snicker whenever he thought about those two perfect moons suddenly visible, and he was proud that he was the only one allowed to look at them.
Letting his eyes wander back upward, Kakeru looked at Haiji’s face again. Noticing the other effect summer had on Haiji’s body, he smiled to himself and started counting the many dots he could see. Balancing his weight on one arm, he raised a hand to trace the spots – one by one – connecting them to their very ow constellations.
A warm stream of air tickled Kakeru’s wrist, and then there was a gentle voice.
"What are you doing?" Haiji mumbled, his voice a little slurred from fatigue. He lifted his hand to rub his eyes.
Kakeru watched him drop itagain to let it rest in the grass before answering the question.
"Counting."
Haiji snickered quietly, but kept his eyes closed. "Counting?" he asked quietly, almost a whisper.
"Yeah."
"What is there to count?" Haiji sounded genuinely curious; Kakeru had known he would be.
Kakeru hummed and thought about it. "There is one tree," he finally said without taking his eyes off Haiji.
"Thank the gods," Haiji said, his lips twitching into a weak smile. "The shadow is a lifesaver."
"And there are two birds, sitting on a branch." Kakeru shot a glance upwards. "Two blackbirds, I think."
"Oh. I guess they’re seeking the shadow as well, huh."
"Mhm."
"I thought you were counting the bikes in the grass."
Kakeru smiled and looked at their bikes they had laid in the grass, careful not to crush any plant.
"And," Kakeru continued, "there are also three sunflowers, I can see them near the forest, just beyond the path, where they can still get enough light."
"Growing wild, huh? No," Haiji added, sounding thoughtful. "Maybe someone dropped some seeds."
"And I can see four, no, five dandelions just near your shoulder, Haiji."
A smile tugged at Haiji’s lips. "I like dandelions. They seem to like me too."
Kakeru gave the other man a tender smile. "They do," he whispered. "They like you a lot."
"Mhm, good to know."
For a moment Kakeru didn’t continue his list and Haiji didn’t ask. The two birds above their heads twittered and preened their wings.
"What else?"
"Hm?"
"What else did you count?"
Kakeru cocked his head to the side and raised his hand to trail the back of his finger over Haiji’s cheek. A pleased sound rumbled through Haiji’s chest, low and soft, like the wind itself, but oh so strong.
"The number of straws sticking out of your hat."
"It’s an old hat," Haiji mused.
"It sure it. But you like it."
"I will always like it. Even when it’s too old to wear."
"Reliable."
"Sure is."
Kakeru smiled and continued stroking Haiji’s skin, softly tapping his nose and brushing his lips with his thumb, feeling the other smile under his touch.
"Oh."
"Hm?"
"Now," Kakeru said, blinking slowly. "Now there are seven straws."
Haiji snickered. "How come?" he asked quietly.
"It just fell out."
"Probably because it’s too dry."
"Yes, you might be right. "
Another pause connected the two.
"I hope it won’t be another one. Eight straws is a lot," Haiji said with a wondrous voice.
"Yeah, but we can fix it."
"You’re right, your hands are good at fixing stuff," Haiji said with a smile.
Kakeru’s lips twitched and he listened to the wind telling its own tale.
"What else?" Haiji then whispered.
Kakeru’s eyes flicked over Haiji’s still-closed ones, the relaxed brows, and soft brown hair, before moving back to his cheeks, covered in a soft tan and constellations.
"Nine…," Kakeru said slowly.
"Nine?"
"No, ten."
A snicker. "Ten what?"
Kakeru heaved a playful sigh. "Neither nine nor ten, there are just too many. I started counting them, I really wanted to know the number, but…" He trailed off.
"But?"
"I lost count."
Now Haiji frowned slightly, and the even line of his brows twitched. When he opened his eyes, his gaze was a bit hazy and uncoordinated before he focused on Kakeru. For a moment, Kakeru forgot to breathe, and he stared into the deep brown, streaked with fine golden lines that glowed in the shadows.
"What did you count?" Haiji asked, quietly, almost a whisper again. His look was tender and patient as he waited for a response.
"The stars," Kakeru replied, stroking Haiji’s cheeks again with his finger, pausing only at his favourite freckle before continuing. "I tried counting them, there are too many, Haiji. I can’t count them all," he told the other man, smiling.
Haiji’s cheeks moved under his touch when he smiled, too.
"I guess you’ll have to spend a little longer counting them," he murmured.
"I will try, but… it might be a very long time."
Haiji hummed. "I don’t mind, Kakeru. Take as much time as you need until you’ve counted them all."
"And then?"
"Hm?"
"When I’m done counting, then what?"
Brown eyes gleamed at the question. "Start over," he whispered.
Initially surprised, Kakeru blinked, but then chuckled. He leaned forward and brushed his lips over Haiji’s, feeling the ghost of a breath run over his cheek.
"Yeah," he mumbled as he pulled away. "I think I might just do that."
Haiji hummed in agreement, his lips curling into a soft smile. Tension ran through his body, and then he raised his arms to loop them around Kakeru’s neck and pull him in, showing him all the constellations he had.