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It was lustrous. A pair of honey eyes were mesmerized by what it saw. It's either the reflected ray of light coming from the sleeping guy beside him or the way this guy chews and mumbles as he sleeps. Distracted by a silver metal clinging from the guy's ear, Haruki couldn't focus on listening to their professor. There's an urge of wanting to touch and trace these metal pieces and caress his light blonde hair. Haruki's glances turned into stares as he observed the way he softly snores, chews, and mumbles. This did not remain unnoticed by their professor as she asked questions to the class.
"Mr. Kaji," She called out knowing that he was sleeping soundly.
Haruki jolted, knowing he and this guy named Mr. Kaji might be in trouble for not paying attention. Eyeing Haruki to wake him up, Haruki immediately shook him. He mumbled something and his emerald eyes landed on Haruki’s worried face.
“What?” He whispered. “Akihiko, get up! She’s asking you a question!” Haruki loudly whispered. Hearing that he quickly got up. “Yes, Ma’am?”
“It seems you had a very good sleep, Mr. Kaji,” Sarcasm could be felt. “So, Sir, if you may, what is the chemical name of this compound?” She continued, pointing out the screen with a chemical structure. It could be seen in Haruki’s face the worry of him not getting the right answer.
‘Shoot, he was asleep when she discussed that part.’ He looked up again to the guy beside him, waiting for the answer. “It’s nicotine, Ma’am.” Impressed, their professor commended him for getting the right answer, “Very good. But next time, I won’t tolerate sleeping in my class. Well that’s all for today, please don’t forget your projects.” A sigh of relief was heard from Haruki as she dismissed the class.
“Oi, Haruki,”
Haruki hummed in response. “I’m counting on you for that project,” he said.
“Huh?!” The disagreement on his tone made Akihiko softly giggle as he walked away from him.
“Wait, Akihiko! You know, I’m not very good at this class!” Akihiko turned to him as Haruki grabbed his arm. “Don’t worry, I know you can! I have to go to my job right now, so I’ll just help you tomorrow at the lab. Thanks.” The taller guy ruffled his honey blonde hair then waved goodbye.
Stunned, his eyes slowly widened realizing what just happened. Heat suddenly filled his face and he internally screamed while placing his heated face on his hands.
‘ AAAAA!!! WHY DID HE HAVE TO DO THAT?!’ Haruki thought, internally screaming at the gesture Akihiko gave him.
Rainy morning, Haruki was late due to a hassle he encountered while going to their meeting place. His jacket was still wet and some parts of his hair were also dripping water. Breathing heavily as he ran towards the lab, he slammed open the door and saw everything was prepared already. The glasswares, the reagents and the chemicals they needed for this experiment, or so-called "project", were there already and prepared. Even with the experimental set-up, it was just there as if it's waiting to be used.
Ah, what did he expect? Akihiko was that Science genius, of course, the preparations for this project were done. He bet to himself that Akihiko could do the project by himself, not minding him as he felt he was not needed since Akihiko has the brains after all.
He sighed at the thought then began to remove his jacket, replacing it with a laboratory gown. Tying his hair up, he heard someone mumbling at the back. There he found Akihiko, sleeping with his lab gown on, using his arms as his pillow on the table just like yesterday. His amber eyes saw how tired Akihiko was, scanning his facial features became Haruki's hobby.
'Ah, he must be really tired then.' Haruki said to himself, finishing tying his hair up.
Haruki looked at him once again before deciding to wake him up. There he noticed something new again from Akihiko.
'Oh, he had a new earring again.' He thought as he saw a new silver metal pierced on his ear.
Akihiko felt his presence, he opened his emerald eyes, widened when he realized they were past the schedule.
"Haruki! I'm sorry I fell asleep." He stood up and yawned.
"It's okay, I was late anyway. Plus, thank you for setting everything up." Haruki smiled.
"Ah, your hair's still wet. Won't you have a headache if you tie it already? Let it dry first."
"No, it's f-fine!" Haruki stuttered. Well, the truth is, it does give him headaches sometimes.
"Come here, I have an extra towel,"
"N-no, I told you it's fi-"
Akihiko grabbed him and made him sit in front of him. Ruffling his hair with the towel, drying it, Akihiko couldn't help himself but to nag at him. "Don't you have an umbrella? Why did you run into the rain? Didn't you see the weather for today?"
"I--"
"What?"
"I forgot my umbrella. I knew I was going to be late if I went back home for it. And," he paused. Thinking if he should say it or not.
"And what? Haruki?"
"I thought you're gonna wait for me for so long so I just ran towards here." Haruki thanked the towel for managing to hide his now reddened face.
"Ah, it's okay. I managed to get some sleep because of it. I think this is done already." Akihiko let Haruki use the towel once more.
As he walked towards their set-ups, Haruki noticed his piercings once again and held onto his ear.
"Akihiko," the blonde guy only hummed in response. "Was it painful?" Haruki asked Akihiko, not making eye contact, slightly embarrassed by his question. The latter turned to him, seeing Haruki holding his ear, he assumed what he was talking about.
"Ah, you mean my piercings? Hmmm, yeah, a bit, I guess? I don't know, maybe I'm used to it. This one's my third anyway." Akihiko answered, pointing to the new piercing he got yesterday which Haruki noticed earlier.
Curiosity hit the blonde guy, "Why? Do you want to try?" He asked as he moved closer to him, seeing if he's interested in these kinds of things.
'SO CLOSE! SO CLOSE!'
"Ah-eh, I-I'm not sure! Anyway, let's start this. Pass me the beaker!" Panicking, he managed to give him a reply.
“Well, it’s up to you. If you’re afraid of getting hurt, don’t worry, it’s part of the process. You’ll be proud of yourself if you overcome it. Who knows, it might look good on you.” Akihiko smiled and Haruki just rolled his eyes at that comment.
‘Will it look good on me?’ he thought.
Working on the said project, there were times when Haruki couldn’t really help it but to steal glances to his partner. Fortunately, Haruki can do multitasking. Doing their project and thinking about the results while observing how Akihiko is so good-looking when he’s serious and thinking, how Akihiko is so immersed by their experiments, how Akihiko would smirk when he got an amazing idea and even how Akihiko still wants to hear his opinions to work this project out. He observed it and memorized everything. Basically, he thanked the heavens so much for this semester that he got to get close with his old time happy crush, and sometimes he wondered if it’s really just a “happy crush” or if it’s more than that. But every time he’ll think of it, he’d just deny it and treasure whatever moments he could get together with him.
Time passed and they were almost finished with today’s task. It was a mellow afternoon and they had to clean the lab for it to be used by other students in the university. Haruki placed the glassware and everything they used in the basket to be returned. He picked it up but it was just taken by his genius partner.
“I’ll carry that for you.” The deep voice coming from Akihiko made Haruki give it up and just let him take it from him. It was as if he was hypnotized or something, Haruki blushed right after that and replied, “Well, if you insist. But!-- let me go with you.”
The blonde guy beside him just smiled and nodded in return. They walked down the hallway, talked about some random things and joked around.
“So, Haruki, what do you call a clown in a jail?” Akihiko asked.
“What?” said a curious Haruki.
Akihiko laughed, “a Silicon!”
“Oh.” As if Haruki lagged or something, he just didn’t get it.
“Come on, it’s a si-li-con! A silly con!” Akihiko explained.
“Ah.” Haruki realized and laughed together with him. “Tell me another one!” he requested. It’s either he really wanted to hear another joke or just wanted to hear Akihiko’s laugh. Well, it’s the latter for sure. For Haruki, Akihiko’s laughter is music to his ears.
“Okay, okay. I got this. So let’s pretend, you’re the ‘electron’ and I’m the ‘proton’. So what am I going to say to you?” He asked as he returned the basket he was holding to their laboratory technician.
Clueless as he is, Akihiko just raised an eyebrow while signing the return slip, not looking at Akihiko, “I don’t know, you tell me.”
“ I am attracted to you! ” Akihiko burst into laughter. But Haruki couldn’t hear it. The beating of his heart was so loud that I couldn't hear his laughter, his music.
“Oi, Haruki.” Haruki only realized he cracked a joke when Akihiko’s been saying his name thrice already. “Oh, yes?” He replied.
“I’m saying, we can meet tomorrow at the library to study about the results we got today.”
“Ah y-yeah. O-okay.”
“You sure, you’re okay? You’re a little red. Do you have a fever or something? Maybe it’s because you ran under the rain earlier!” Haruki turned redder as Akihiko placed his palm on his forehead, feeling the heat coming to his face.
“I-I’m fine, Aki! I’ll see you tomorrow!” He said as he ran away from him.
‘HE’S SO TOUCHY! MY HEART COULDN’T-- ARRRGH’ He grunted.
‘Would it be better if we’re not blockmates?’ He sighed.
Being a science major was kinda tiring, but for them it’s fine, especially for Haruki. As long as Akihiko is his blockmate, it’s fine. As long as he can see him everyday, it’s fine - even though he might really struggle with some courses in this program. Not to mention, the mini heart attacks he could get just by interacting with the oh-so-genius-yet-sleepyhead Akihiko.
Walking home, he went to the mall and bought some food for his dinner. He thought of all the things that happened today and smiled, “Anyway, today was fun with him.” He said, tucking his hair behind his ear. He held his ear and he was reminded of that shiny little thing Akihiko has on his ear. As if on cue, he saw a shop where they place arts on your body and piercing beautiful metals wherever you like.
‘Should I try it?’
‘But I heard it’s painful’
‘But it looks nice, Akihiko looks cool with it.’
‘I think no, maybe next time.’
‘That metal on Akihiko’s so shiny though’
‘Shush, no, I don’t want to get hurt.’
Haruki’s doubtful mind was all over the place. He couldn’t decide whether to try it or not. Then he heard Akihiko’s voice in his mind saying, “If you’re afraid of getting hurt, don’t worry, it’s part of the process. You’ll be proud of yourself if you overcome it. Who knows, it might look good on you.” And with that, he pivoted, walked to the shop and finally came up with a decision.
‘Well, I really wanted to have matching earrings with him.’
The next day, the library was so full. Oh, it was hell week. Finals, deadline of projects, thesis - basically, a normal “hell week” in a university. University students came to do some of their projects, reviewing for exams, studying and such. Haruki came early and he saw the quiet chaos inside. As if acting on instinct, the first thing he did was to find a certain blonde. He’s probably asleep somewhere , he thought. His eyes roamed around looking for him but found nothing.
‘Where is he? He’s usually earlier than me so…’ Haruki thought, curious as to why the other guy was late. As if on cue, Haruki’s phone pinged and a message popped up.
“akihiko~: Haruki, I'm stuck in traffic. Sorry!”
As the understanding and kind man as he is, Haruki nodded to himself, taking a mental note that he’ll just borrow the books he thought they needed. His phone pinged again, not expecting another message.
“akihiko~: Oh, and good morning.”
His lips curved upward as soon as he read the next message. His face lit up and he felt so motivated for the day.
Thinking of a place where they can study peacefully, his feet brought him to a garden in the university. He texted Akihiko where he was.
“akihiko~: okay, got it.”
Ahhh, receiving messages from the person he likes for a long time was such a mood uplifter. He unconsciously tucked his hair behind his ear. Oh, he felt something cold. He didn’t know if he was so into Akihiko’s message that he forgot his own piercing or he’s just too excited to see the certain blonde again even though they just met up yesterday.
He smiled to himself, thinking silly thoughts made him giggle. He opened a book and began scanning the content until he heard a familiar voice calling his lovely name.
“Haruki! I-”
“It’s okay… I couldn’t find a place inside so I went here…” Haruki cut him off immediately and gave him the books he borrowed.
The wind blew and they felt the cold breeze touching their face. Haruki’s hair flew, letting it flow down his face after the wind passed by.
“You found a nice place. It’s relaxing.” Akihiko smiled, looking at flowers that seemed like welcoming them as they wave wherever the wind blows.
Haruki wanted to get his phone and capture this very beautiful scenery that unfolds in front of his very own amber eyes but he chose not to. He photographed everything - starting from his short light blonde hair, his emerald eyes, his pierced ears, to his nose and down to his curved up lips - Haruki photographed them all. All of it, framed in his mind.
Studying became intense and they needed a break, a breath of relaxation from all the information they tried to munched earlier.
“Turn around,” Akihiko commanded.
“Why?”
“Just turn around, back facing me.” Haruki complied, not knowing what this guy was up to. Suddenly, he felt something muscular behind him, the blonde’s broad shoulders pressed onto Haruki’s back, making him crouched a little. Akihiko leaned his head at the side of Haruki’s neck, and the latter basically could smell his scent. Flustered, Haruki uttered a protest but Akihiko was being childish, he even made himself more comfortable in that position, closing his eyes.
Haruki felt a little bit painful since Akihiko leaned and accidentally pressed his newly pierced ears. He slowly shifted his head to his other shoulder. Hearing his mumbling and chewing again, Haruki softly laughed, careful not to wake up the other guy. Haruki was slowly crouching, so he opened a book and let himself feel his surroundings.
He also closed his eyes, leaned his head on the other guy’s shoulder too. He heard the rustling leaves, the chirping birds and the way the book at his lap sounds when turned by the wind. Ahh, it was peaceful. Studying was tiring but this aura made his heart melt as he felt the warmth of one he likes the most, or should he say, the one he loves behind him.
Haruki opened his eyes, he saw dragonflies flying over them. He thought he saw butterflies by the flowers too yet all he felt inside was butterflies also. There’s a comfortable silence and the chaotic feeling combined when he fell asleep at Akihiko’s back.
Fortunately, they didn’t have any classes that day. They stayed like that for minutes until it went by for an hour. Akihiko woke up and felt the honey blonde’s hair flow at his shoulder.
‘Ah, he fell asleep too.’ Side-eyeing the guy behind him.
‘It might be uncomfortable.’ With that he arranged himself by placing Haruki’s head on his lap as he observed him as he slept.
Akihiko caressed Haruki’s face very gently, admiring this man’s facial features.
“You know, Haruki, I love you.” He said as he stroked the sleeping one’s soft hair. “I only realized it.. Hmm… that time when we were hanging out at your place.” He sighed. “You were so beautiful to look at, can’t get tired of looking at you especially when you smile or laugh.” Akihiko stroked his hair once more and tucked it behind his ear. Noticing the metal clinging on it, his eyes widened by the design of the earring Haruki had. It’s a silver metal with a simple leaf design. He knew that it was a new one since he could see how slightly red the area was.
‘What a coincidence ,’ He thought as he touched his ear feeling the same metal leaf design on his ear.
Haruki’s amber eyes fluttered open. His amber eyes met emerald eyes, both eyes showing their soft spot to each other.
“Ah!--” The sleepy guy got up when he remembered that it was not the position they were in when he fell asleep. “A-Aki-Hiko! Sor--”
“So you got yourself a piercing,” He smirked. “Don’t deny it, I saw,”
Haruki gave up, nodded slowly. Hanging his head low, not showing his face due to embarrassment.
“You asked me yesterday about it, so, I see you’ve done it.”
“Yes, I-- I just want to try…”
“And you have the same earring as mine.” If red was not the word to describe Haruki’s face, flaming red would be better.
“Tell me, Haruki. Why?" Akihiko asked as he moved slowly at Haruki's face.
"Is it because you just wanted to try, like out of curiosity or…"
"Or what?" Despite being so flustered right now, Haruki managed to fire back.
Akihiko moved closer to his face. Only inches apart. "Or… because of me?"
Confused, Haruki closed his eyes trying to escape the situation. But then, his heart told him to be confident so he opened his amber eyes locked on with the other's emerald eyes and decided to be honest and not lie about his feelings anymore.
"Yes, Akihiko. It's because of you! Yes, I want to try it because of you. You have that in your ears and I want to try and know how it feels. I want to so I can relate to you. I even looked for the same design of your earring so we can look like we're having matching earrings. I study so much so that I can walk beside you whether in academics or whatever you're interested in. I did all of this because of y--"
He stopped as he felt Akihiko's soft lips landed on his forehead. "You, you talk too much."
"I--I don't understand," he said.
"Haruki, I love you." Gathering all the courage up, he finally said it. "I- love you since I don't know when but I realized it when I went to your place, hanging out." Now, it's time for Akihiko to get flustered.
"Haruki, will you go out with me?" His emerald eyes asking for an entrance in his heart not knowing he's been there in a long time.
The amber eyes of Haruki were full of emotions. He didn't know what to say. His insides were a zoo right now with all his feelings screaming inside. The man he loved for a long time, confessed to him. How would he feel about it? Of course, his pure heart couldn't contain it.
The wind blew once again. "Haruki, y-you don't have to a-ans---"
"Yes. I'd love to." Haruki beamed at him with a soft smile. They hugged each other and both of them melted in each other's presence.
After a while, they decided to finish their project quickly so they'll have more time with each other.
"Ahhh! My brain hurts, let me lie down," Akihiko once again made himself comfortable not on Haruki's back anymore but on his lap. Haruki's heart was racing a marathon as he saw his eyes staring back at him.
"Say, Haruki, do you want a helix? I can do that for you. I mean, I'll be the one who will do the procedures" He suggested.
"Oh really, you know how?" Haruki said, amazed.
"Yeah, I'm part time worker at the shop in the mall near us by the way."
"Wait, that's where I went yesterday!"
Akihiko's eyes widened. The next thing he did was smirk. He had something in his mind.
"I'm jealous."
'WHATTTT?? DID I HEARD IT RIGHT???!!! HE'S JEALOUS?!?! OF WHATTT??' Haruki panicked. "W-what do you m-mean?!"
"I mean, I'm supposed to be the one who did that for you but no. Yesterday I asked you about this but you just denied it. If you said yes yesterday, I should've done it. Yeah yeah. I even dried your hair for you." He pouted then flipped to his other side, back facing Haruki.
'WHAT IS THIS ATTACK?! IS HE PLAYING WITH ME? WHAT DOES HE WANT?!'
"You're sulking?! Oh my goodness, Aki~"
"WHAT? I'm supposed to be your closest friend until yesterday but now…"
"Now what, Akihiko, now what? What do you really want huh?" Haruki asked, teasing Akihiko and not expecting his reply.
"What? I need love from my boyfriend!" There, he said it. Oh, the look on his face. He's so proud shouting that THE Haruki Nakayama is now his boyfriend.
The word "boyfriend" made Haruki's heart skip a beat again. But then, he was glad. Finally, he didn't even imagine this moment.
He flashed a smile on Akihiko. The latter sat up. Their eyes met once more.
"Haruki, can I...can I k-kiss you?" Haruki's loss of words and only nodded in response. In that cue, Akihiko cupped his face, slowly leaning towards the other. The birds chirped, the wind blew, the leaves rustled, and the garden witnessed when the warmth coming from their lips met and being shared, pouring out all of their emotions they kept to each other in the long run.
They slowly parted away and shared looks upon each other's eyes. Their hands intertwined with each other. It’s like their hands find a missing piece. Their eyes - the amber eyes and the emerald eyes were sparkling. It's not the matching silver metal piercings, it's their eyes. Those eyes that tell the beauty of loving someone and to be loved by someone. It's the eyes that were shiny. It was lustrous.