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As he stood surrounded by a screen of pouring rain, the young billionaire contemplated the cold emptiness in his chest.
Ever present, he scoured the depths of his mind for some meaning or reason behind it just as he always did.
He knew his past was no shining light - instead filled with dark turns and events that had left deep, jagged scars on his heart - but now, as he’d begun to feel himself heal, he was hyper aware that there was still something missing. Something integral to not just surviving but living.
Unable to pinpoint that constant yearning that seemed to overwhelm his very being, he often found himself wondering what it was he hoped to fill that void with.
With his attention focused on the pools of water, the warm lights of the izakayas and lanterns reflecting against them, he took a cigar from the breast pocket of his suit. Placing it in his mouth, he adjusted his umbrella, rummaging through his pockets for his lighter.
After a moment of fumbling, the small space beside him was suddenly occupied by a tall, sodden man, with dusty blonde hair and eyes the colour of honey.
‘Need a light?’ he said.
Kambe found that his own words of protest seemed to die in his throat, the cigar hanging loosely between his teeth as he tried his best to comprehend the words the man had spoken - whose mouth now tilted in a sly smile as he pulled a lighter from the pocket of his suit, waving it before him.
Unable to respond, he simply leaned forward.
As the man flipped open the lighter, a golden flame illuminated the small space beneath the umbrella and he felt his heart rate quicken.
Whilst baffled by his presence, the sight before him was captivating - the way the warm light cast delicate shadows across his features. Kambe was entirely in awe.
Lost, he could only focus on one concrete thought. A single word.
Beautiful.
And with the sharp click of the lighter, the light was gone, snapping him from his trance. Kambe inhaled slowly, thick smoke filling his lungs, as he felt a warmth overtake him.
Letting out long tendrils of smoke, he watched the man beside him huff a small laugh.
‘I’d normally push for a thank you but since I’m the one invading your space, I’ll let it pass.’
Kambe looked away, returning his attention to the slowly growing puddle before him, allowing a small smile to tug at his lips.
‘Then it’s only fair that I do so too,’ he said, sending a sly smile to the man beside him before returning the cigar to his mouth.
Taking another drag he wondered why he was humouring him. The man was beautiful, there was no doubt, but not once had a person's appearance impacted his behaviour around them. Yet, here he was, his heart rate climbing along with the heat in his cheeks due to the stranger beside him.
He pondered what it could be that allowed this man to brush shoulders with him?
Looking down at the cigar in his hand he thought maybe he should stop smoking. That maybe the nicotine had begun to rot away at his common sense.
The man in question chuckled, ‘I don’t normally do this kind of thing.’
Kambe looked at him awaiting his explanation.
‘Joining strangers under their umbrellas.’
Kambe hummed in response, ‘I assumed you were just jumping between them until you arrived at your destination.’
He nodded, taking his lower lip between his teeth as he looked out at the rain, ‘That’s a good plan. I should have thought of that sooner.’
He pushed back his damp hair, turning his head to give Kambe a teasing smile. He felt himself grow hot as he looked deep into the man’s eyes, fighting off his own smile.
‘What’s your name?’
The man seemed to think for a moment, as though he’d asked him for directions rather than his own name.
‘花火.’
‘ Hanabi ?’ Kambe repeated. ‘Your name is Firework ?’
‘Indeed it is. Ha-na-bi ,’ he said, sounding out each syllable. ‘People say it fits.’
He thought about it for a moment, taking a long drag of his cigar. About how chaotic and beautiful the man seemed to be, similar to that of the cascade of cherry blossoms that would come each spring despite his behaviour.
He breathed out the large plume of smoke.
‘ Ha-na-bi ,’ he repeated, letting the word sit on his tongue as he contemplated it. ‘I like it.’
He moved to put the cigar to his lips once again and noticed the man’s eyes following his movements.
He worried that the man might have expected a cigar or cigarette in return.
‘Do you smoke?’
He shook his head.
‘‘The nicotine makes me dizzy, but I like the smell.’
Kambe scoffed, ‘So you are mad.’
The man beside him - Hanabi - chuckled, ‘I’m not, it’s just a nostalgic smell.’
He didn’t press further, instead he thought about the cigar in his hand. How his father had always smoked the same brand and how the scent alone sent him back to standing beside him at the large windows of their greenhouse, watching the delicate butterflies flutter among the leaves.
‘I see.’
He took in one last air full of smoke, allowing the warm sensation to seep into his bones. Tilting his head, he let out long tendrils of smoke towards the man - who seemed dazed as he watched it circulate in the air surrounding them.
Kambe felt his mouth twitch into a sly smile, as he flicked the cigar to wet ground beneath them.
‘So, Hanabi , where to?’
‘Station.’
Kambe nodded, as though he knew the exact direction.
He moved, gesturing for Hanabi to grab hold of the umbrella handle, who quickly obliged.
‘Lead the way.’
He blinked at him a few times, mild confusion painting his features before he let out a soft chuckle.
Kambe felt a hand press against his lower back as he was maneuvered into the direction of the station.
He felt mildly disappointed as Hanabi’s hand left him in favour of holding the umbrella over them.
They walked in silence for a few minutes. Inside, the restaurants and izakayas that lined the street were bustling, filled to the brim with people attempting to escape the downfall. The sound of their clattering drowned out, nothing but the patter of rain above them and the sound of their steps against the wet floor surrounding them.
Two salarymen ran by them cursing loudly, one with his suit jacket over his head and the other sheltering himself with his briefcase.
‘You never said yours.’
Kambe hummed in question, his attention back on the man beside him.
‘Your name. You never said.’
He thought for a moment.
He was certain Hanabi was an alias but he couldn’t pinpoint why. He could be an agent, hired by a competitor specifically to attempt to pull the plethora of information on contracts and business deals from his head. Or a man wronged by his father, out to get revenge. There were many possible reasons that screamed danger - telling him to call back the security he’d sent home.
Looking over the damp man smiling pleasantly in his direction, however, he didn’t feel that that was the case. There was something trustworthy about him, a warmth in his eyes that welcomed him.
However, he’d been wronged one too many times before.
‘黒.’ ( Black )
Hanabi began to laugh.
‘ Kuro?’ He asked, incredulously.
Kambe nodded, one simple movement.
‘Should I be concerned , Kuro-san ?’
Kambe scoffed, covering his mouth in an attempt to muffle the small chuckle that threatened to leave his lips at the mocking tone in his voice. Remembering to play the cold, mysterious man he’d been portraying for so long now, he schooled his features.
He hated when people made him laugh. Whilst rare, it meant his whole facade could crumble in a single moment.
‘No.’
Hanabi hummed beside him, ‘Okay, we’ll stick with it. 黒花火.’ ( Kuro-Hanabi: Black Firework)
Kambe grimaced at the concept of black soot filling the sky, rather than the vibrant sparks of colour, ‘Sound repulsive.’
‘Maybe.’
He seemed to think for a moment, as Kambe noticed the droplets pattering against his right shoulder. The umbrella leaning to cover to the left to cover Kambe entirely.
‘It could be breathtaking, who knows?’
Kambe continued walking, silently adjusting the positioning of the umbrella in the man’s hand so that it was covering the two of them equally. He moved a little closer, ensuring it was easier for him to do so.
He felt himself blushing as his arm kept brushing the man’s arm beside him, cursing at himself for acting such a fool.
He did his best to ignore the sensation, instead focusing on the heavy splatters that were hitting the pavement ahead of them. Trying to avoid large puddles, they made their way through the back streets of Tokyo.
After a long pause in their conversation in which Kambe appraised the man beside him, he spoke, ‘So why are you out in the rain in the middle of the night?’
‘I could ask you the same question.’
Kambe thought about it, but he wasn’t keen on telling his new friend that he’d been drinking alone.
Alcohol had always had a strong effect on him, so drinking his night away meant nursing a single glass of whiskey over the course of 2 hours. It never matched up to the image people seemed to have of him in their heads, so rather than tarnishing this image, he decided to lie.
‘I was out drinking with some coworkers,’ Hanabi interjected. ‘My boss smokes so I always keep a lighter on me.’
Kambe nodded slowly.
‘Guess it came in handy tonight, huh,’ he said, flashing Kambe a smug grin before continuing. ‘He’s a great guy - really great - but…’
There was a stern expression on his face as he continued on.
‘He believes in me too much. He expects big things that I can never accomplish,’ he gave Kambe a tired smile, ‘after a while it gets a little much. I had to get out of there’
He huffed, ‘You’re brazen, aren’t you?’
Hanabi seemed taken aback though mildly amused, ‘Brazen?’
‘Spilling your secrets to a stranger.’
Nodding, he adjusted the umbrella in his hand, once again letting the rain patter against his shoulder.
‘We’re going to the station. You’re just a stranger doing me a favour. You’ll never see me again. How can you judge me?’
Kambe shook his head, ‘Are you always like this?’
‘No. I’m still a little drunk.’
‘Ah,’ Kambe said, with a smile. ‘That explains it.’
He paused for a moment before deciding it was safe to confide in the man beside him.
‘Me too,’ he said. ‘I’m not normally not so forgiving of intruding strangers.’
Hanabi nodded, ‘More of the cold and aloof type, eh?’
‘That would be too generous,’ Kambe scoffed. ‘People have often referred to me as a heartless bastard.’
‘But Kuro-san,’ he said, leaning in close, causing a heat to climb up Kambe’s back. ‘You don’t seem so mean.’
Kambe pushed him back. Hanabi laughed, as he struggled to keep the umbrella covering them.
They continued to walk. Making short and slow strides, as they made their way to the station.
Kambe refrained from asking what Hanabi’s job might be as he continued to explain the intricacy of the workplace dynamic. From what he could understand, there was a great deal of pressure on him to do well.
Kambe understood well what that felt like - being the inheritor of his father’s corporation - he too had great expectations thrust upon him.
Kambe explained this to Hanabi, providing as little detail as possible, only telling him of his own feelings regarding his own situation and how he could relate to him.
After a while Hanabi turned to him and asked, ‘If you had all the money in the world, what would you do with it?’
Kambe couldn’t help the scoff that left his mouth.
‘I’m serious,’ Hanabi said, misinterpreting. ‘Anything at all? What would you do?’
He thought about it. What he did with all the money in the world at his fingertips.
The answer was nothing.
A deep cloud of emptiness settled in his stomach and he fought for an answer.
What did he love?
He thought of when he was younger, when his mother would take him to the observatory, showing him constellation after constellation.
‘See the stars.’
Hanabi nodded, thinking it over to himself.
‘Like you’d go to space?’
Kambe laughed.
‘No. I’d go to the place with the best view of the stars. A place like the NamibRand Nature Reserve. Supposedly, that’s the best place to see the stars. I’d go there.’
Hanabi nodded again, much more pleased with this answer.
‘Good answer.’
Kambe was quiet for a moment as the uneasy feeling continued to turn in his stomach.
‘And you?’
He took in a deep breath as he thought.
‘I’d change the world. Person by person.’
‘How so?’
He stopped abruptly in front of an izakaya, pointing to a man sitting drinking alone.
‘That guy there, say he’s down to his last few yen. It’s cold and raining, he’s had a shitty day, and he decided instead of spending his last money on getting the bus home - he’d treat himself to a beer to make himself feel better. He might have to walk all the way home in the pouring rain but for now he’s enjoying a nice beer. If you decided to pay for that guy’s beer, he could have both. He wouldn’t have to pick and choose necessity over pleasure.’
Kambe hummed in response, ‘Would depositing a lump sum into his bank account not have the same effect?’
Hanabi nodded, ‘Of course, but-‘
He cut off, frowning to himself. Kambe bit his lip in order to conceal the growing smile.
‘That was a bad example,’ he said, finally. ‘It’s not about the money. It’s about that one act of kindness that makes the world feel a little brighter.’
‘I see.’
He didn’t. Not entirely.
As they continued walking, he thought to himself that surely the kind of money he could give would easily equate to a simple favour.
‘I think if you gave everyone little moments like that, the world wouldn’t be so cruel.’
He mulled it over for a second.
Life had been incredibly cruel to Kambe - no matter how much money he, or his parents, had at his disposal. Maybe Hanabi was right, if he’d had more of those little moments in his life, things wouldn’t seem so bleak. Maybe he’d be a better man than the one he was.
‘Do you think about these kinds of things often?’
‘Always,’ he said without a moment's hesitation. ‘The world’s a horrible place, Kuro-san. Filled with horrible things and horrible people, but I’m determined to make it just that little bit brighter.’
Kambe chuckled, ‘Like fireworks?’
Hanabi sent him a warm smile that made his heart flutter, ‘Exactly.’
He hesitated before deciding he had no reason to hold back his words, ‘Kindness sounds exhausting.’
Hanabi raised a brow, ‘How?’
‘People are quick to take advantage of it. Almost certainly when money is involved.’
‘That’s very cynical.’
Kambe sighed, ‘Many people have taken my kindness for granted. Everyday people continue to push their limits with what they can get from me. My world has been dark for far too long. Like you said, the world is a horrible place.’
He looked back at the man beside him who watched him closely as he spoke.
‘Maybe you’re a much better person than I am, but I refuse to be anyone’s saviour but my own.’
Hanabi nodded.
‘I think,’ he paused, his teasing smile now set in a stern like as he chewed over his words. ‘Maybe you’ve stopped looking for the light. From our short encounter alone, I can see a kindness in you, Kuro-san. Maybe you just need to let that light back in.’
¥¥¥
Kambe had no idea how far or long the walk to the station might be, but as the two continued to talk - the conversation shifting from the most meaningless things to the most in-depth conversations - he found himself hoping that their journey might never end.
And just as he’d had that thought, Hanabi stopped.
‘Well,’ he said. ‘I guess our evening stroll is over.’
Kambe looked up at the glowing entrance to the station. Despite the late hour, people bustled in and out, some running whilst others walked casually as they continued their conversations under their umbrella.
He felt his heart sink slightly at the thought of their own conversation being over.
Hanabi seemed to hesitate for a moment before holding out the umbrella. Kambe took it, his eyes still fixed to the man before him, determined to draw in every last feature before he never saw him again.
He lowered his voice as he spoke a second time, ‘This was nice. I had a great time walking with you.’
He took a step back, nearing the edge of their own little shelter.
Kambe nodded, his own voice quiet as he spoke, ‘Me too.’
There was a pause, the two of them just looking at one another - the crowd and rain fading away around them.
‘Well,’ Hanabi said.
‘Well,’ Kambe replied.
Hanabi took another step back, and then another.
‘Goodbye, Kuro-san.’
‘Goodbye,’ Kambe said.
And when Kambe thought that their night had come to an end, Hanabi took a step forward.
‘Actually, I have a confession,’ Kambe looked up at him quizzically, a sense of dread filling his gut as he considered the possibility that he really had been duped. ‘My last train left half an hour ago.’
Kambe blinked at him, confused as he watched Hanabi rub the back of his neck, his eyes cast down to the ground.
When he looked back up at him, it was with a look of something that could only pinpoint as admiration.
‘I wanted to talk to you more and before I knew it, I was leading us on detours.’
Kambe huffed, baffled at the man’s frankness.
‘So what are you planning to do now, Hanabi?’
He seemed to think for a moment, looking Kambe over.
‘I have a proposition for you. There’s something intriguing about you, Kuro-san. Something I can’t quite put my finger on. If you’d be willing to, I’d like to spend the night with you.’
Kambe raised his brows in surprise before he could even process his words fully, causing Hanabi to chuckle.
‘Not in a perverted way, I’m not trying to sleep with you or anything - I just…’ he trailed off and Kambe noticed a soft blush painting his cheeks. ‘I just mean talking. Spending the night together.’
Hanabi huffed, taking in a deep breath as though he were composing himself as Kambe looked him over, trying to figure out if the man really was sane or if he did in fact have a screw loose.
He considered it for a moment, pretending as though he hadn’t already thrown caution to the wind for the sight of shiny hazel eyes before him. As though he wouldn’t do anything to spend even another minute with the stranger under his umbrella.
‘Just one night. A night where we don’t have any weight or pressure, we’re just two strangers confiding in one another before we never see one another again. We just… take a breath.’
And how could he turn that down, the chance to spend the night with the dazzling man before him. A night that no matter what, would end in a non-judgemental and even parting.
Just a night where he wasn't just Daisuke Kambe - a night where he was human. A night of fun.
‘Just one night?’
‘One night,’ he nodded. ‘At sunrise, we can go our separate ways.’
He thought for a moment, looking carefully over at the man before him - hoping with all his being that this was the right decision.
‘Okay.’
Hanabi’s expectant face morphed into a shy smile.
‘Yeah?’
Kambe nodded, partially regretting his choice as a blush rise in his own cheeks.
Hanabi wrapped his damp arm around Kambe’s shoulder, making him squirm as he manoeuvred them in the direction opposite the station.
‘There’s a yakisoba place I’ve been meaning to try. I think you’ll like it.’
He didn’t have the heart to tell the man of his rich taste palette, and that no matter where this man took him, Kambe would most likely be unable to stomach whatever he was served.
Instead he allowed Hanabi to lead him through more unfamiliar streets, each lined with stores and restaurants packed full to the brim with people.