Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

*

“Oh, it's Ai-sama! He's really nice, don't you agree?”

“Ai-sama?”

After dinner, the local news was on the TV at the Hasegawa house. There was a ceremony to commemorate the completion of the renovation of the public gymnasium― a topic that would be of little interest to anyone but the locals. However, for some reason, Nanako's eyes were shining and she was staring at the screen.

“The Diet member now on the screen, Shindo Ainosuke. Ai-sama is his nickname. One of my colleagues is a big fan of his, and she often tells me stories about him. So I've become quite familiar with him.”

The Diet member? Nickname? A big fan??

Langa couldn't quite make out what his mother was talking about; on the TV screen, a well-built man in a dark blue suit was smiling and waving at the people in the crowd.

A close-up of the man's face appeared. He had a neat face and red eyes with a gentle glow. Suddenly, Langa felt like something was hooked in his mind.

“He's a councilor from this district. The Shindo clan is a famous local family. They have an amazing mansion, did you know? Ai-sama took over the family’s affairs from his late father and was elected at the age of 25. I heard that he became the youngest member of the House of Representatives, then.”

“...You really know a lot about him.”

“I've learned it all from my colleague. You know, Ai-sama's favorite food is chocolate lava cake.”

“Should we need to know that?”

“Sometimes you’ll get groupies even if you’re not a celebrity. She says even at political speeches on the street, it's hard for fans to get a spot with a good view. Hey, it’s not an idol concert! I myself can’t imagine being so enthusiastic for a good-looking politician, but I guess it's fun for those who enjoy it.”

Langa simply fell silent, and Nanako continued to speak, not expecting a response from her son.

“Well, but it's good to see young people playing an active role in the Diet. The politicians in Japan these days seem to all be old men. Anyway, let's clean up the dishes.”

Nanako left her seat. The news was over and another program had started. Picking up the remote, Langa turned off the TV.

(Where... was it...?)

When Langa went to bed in his room, and tried to fall asleep, the red eyes from earlier appeared behind his closed eyelids. Why? He felt as if he had forgotten something important.

(Eyes, red eyes. I saw them... Where...)

His consciousness wavered, wandering from here to there. He was still trying to remember, but he couldn't recall. Not long after, Langa fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Langa woke up as usual and went to school as usual.

Today, he didn’t have to report to his part-time job at DOPE SKETCH, as it was closed for the day. So after school, he skated with Reki at the usual park, and the two of them tried new tricks based on the videos they watched, but with little success.

His redheaded best friend left early to attend to some family business. Langa, who was feeling a bit hazy and uncomfortable, chose to stay in the park to skate.

With breaks in between, he repeatedly tried the trick and failed. Eventually, the first star appeared quietly in the twilight sky, and the streetlights in the park lit up.

(Ah, it's getting dark.)

There was no one in his home, for his mom was supposed to work late today. When Langa was about to go home, he hit a stone unnoticed and lost his balance, flipping over spectacularly.

“Ouch...”

Langa sat up, rubbing his body. He bent down and picked up the board that had flipped over. Again, something was hooked in his mind.

“Wait, that’s...”

It was getting dark in the deserted park. Langa’s heart started to beat faster and faster. Standing up straight, he grabbed both ends of the board with both hands, and lifting it up. It was supposed to be an ordinary movement, but― no, no, this had happened a while ago.

A dimly lit night, a long, long cave track, accelerating speed, deep darkness and iridescent light, a white world, and a vision of his father sliding through the falling snow. Shreds of scenes flowed through Langa's mind.

Red eyes. He felt as if sparks were flying in the back of his head. Langa gulped as the image of an electric current rushing through the wires flashed through his mind.

Yes, it was those eyes. The eyes that appeared from underneath the mask that had come off that night of the final beef, under the moonlight of the dimly lit rocky mountain. The red eyes that looked at him as if they were surprised, as if they were looking for something.

“―Adam...”

Langa whispered the name to himself. The memories of the red eyes overlapped perfectly in his mind. Without noticing, Langa shuddered.

-Our Love Will Save Japan-

A truly exaggerated claim, put on a busted-up photo of a man with his fists clenched tightly (and a fine watch peeking out). He had a sturdy physique in an expensive suit, a neat face, sharp red eyes with a spark of intelligence, and uniquely shaped eyebrows.

Langa stared at a political poster on the wall of some store along his way to school. It was, without a doubt, Shindo Ainosuke, the young local Diet member that he had seen on the TV news the other day.

“...Love.”

It's a word that has been associated with many things lately. Hearing the word love, Langa couldn’t help but think of someone.

The red background of the poster on the wall was a bit faded, and some parts were torn and peeling. This might have been here for quite a long time. He had passed this road many times before, but had not paid any attention to it.

“What’s up, Langa?”

Langa came back to himself at the sound of Reki's voice. The vague thoughts swirling around in his head were coming to a conclusion, but it wasn't something he could talk to his best friend about right now. Langa shook his head.

“It's nothing.”

“Is that so? Hey, we're going to S tonight, right?” Reki said happily as he checked the screen of his phone. The S app on his phone had a notification for the night’s opening.

“Yeah, of course.”

“Hooh! I'm looking forward to it. We have to have S!”

And then, night came.

People murmuring, thin smoke drifting in the air, heavy bass rhythms and metallic sounds coming from somewhere, the echo of wheels sliding down the slope, and the sound of boards crashing. Despite the interruptions caused by the tournament organized by Adam and other related matters, Langa and Reki were in the midst of a lively bustle of S.

After practicing some airs on the half-pipe, Langa and Reki took a break for a drink. Then suddenly―

“Hello, my Snow! What a precious night it is to be able to see you!"

“Adam...”

Adam, dressed in the matador costume and wearing a mask, slipped in between them on his usual bull skateboard. Langa blinked once, while Reki let out a squeal of disgust.

It had been a long time since Langa had seen Adam up close at S. However, they had seen each other a few times after their final beef.

Adam parachuted in from a helicopter to Langa's victory celebration, and the other day, they bumped into each other on the street. Langa was half forced into the car and somehow ended up taken to a flamenco lesson.

He's still unpredictable, flamboyant, and handled his skateboard with exquisite control. Langa felt relieved to see Adam, who seemed to have completely regained the “Matador of Love” look he had when they first met.

“Well... evening, Adam.”

“Huh? Good evening, Snow. The moon is beautiful tonight, isn't it? ―Now, do you know the meaning behind these words?” *

“No, the moon’s hidden...” Reki calmly pointed out to Adam, who had made a romantic comment. Whether he heard it or not, Adam did not take his gaze off Langa.

“Really? I didn't see the moon.” Langa replied nonchalantly. Adam let a light smile appear on his face. Just as Adam was about to open his mouth, a heavy gurgling sound reached the ears of the three.

“Hey, Reki! Did you forget your promise to me?”

“Whoa! Shadow!”

Shadow, who had transformed himself into the punk style of his S persona, slid down between them at a good speed. As soon as he got off the board, he grabbed Reki’s yellow hoodie.

“Told you that in exchange for giving you a ride, you’d be my guinea pig for my new trick!”

“Oh, yeah... right.”

“I've been looking all over for you! Come on! I'm gonna tear you to pieces!”

“Huh? You're not gonna get it! I'll dodge them all!”

As they exchanged a few words noisily, Shadow moved away pulling Reki along with him. Langa lightly waved his hands to them.

“See you later...”

Langa spun around to look at Adam. He was still standing there with an unreadable expression on his face, getting off the skateboard.

(Maybe I can ask it now.)

A thought passed through Langa's mind. And he was the type of person who had to act on his thoughts. Langa once swallowed.

(Don't worry, I remember the key words.)

“Hey, Adam. Can I ask you something?”

“Anything, my dear.”

“Do you like chocolate lava cake?”

“Huh?”

When Langa asked, Adam tilted his head lightly. Then he slowly opened his mouth.

• “Yes, I love it.”


• “I'm not good with sweets.”

* Here, Adam was joking based on a popular urban myth in Japan. If you’d like to know more, please google “Natsume Soseki Moon” or something.
The meaning behind these words was “I love you,” however Adam thought Langa, a Canadian boy not raised in Japan, didn’t know it (and Langa didn’t). Reki might know it, but whether Reki noticed it or not, I would leave it to readers' imagination.

Chapter Text

*

“Yes, I love it.”

“Ah... just as I thought you would.”

“Oh, so you already know what I like, huh? I can't believe I'm getting love from you in this way.”

“What? ...Love?”

Langa blinked his eyes. Suddenly, Adam closed the distance between them, and grabbed him by the chin and made Langa look up at the matador. Langa faced Adam, so close that the elder one’s breath was directly on the younger one’s face.
He felt the heated gaze even through the mask and gulped. Langa felt like he could see red eyes with a strong light behind the dark mask that he couldn't see through. Langa felt as if he couldn't even move away.

“Hey, how in heaven did you know my favorite sweets? Do those beautiful eyes of yours have some kind of special magic that can reveal my secret?”

“No, I don’t...”

Was it a coincidence that the keyword Langa had secretly thought of and Adam's favorite sweets matched? But even if it was as Langa imagined, it would be a secret Adam wanted to keep hidden. There was no way that Adam would admit it here at S. What would the king of S do with someone who knows his secret?

Aware that his heart was beating noisily, Langa did not look away from Adam. Suddenly, however, Adam pulled himself away from Langa.

“Ha-ha-ha, just kidding. Don't be so scared, Snow.”

“I'm not... scared...”

The voice Langa let out was smaller than he thought it would be. It sounded like he was trying to be tough. But Adam was unconcerned about that, and smiled at Langa.

“Well, well, Langa-kun. Do you also like chocolate lava cake?”

“No... I'm not sure if I've ever eaten it or not. I don't pay much attention to the name of the cake.”

“Ahh~! That's it, that's a very, very Langa-kun answer! You're so lovely that way too.”

Teasingly and cheerfully, Adam laughed. His true intentions were always unclear to Langa. Even now, Langa couldn't figure out what Adam meant, so he kept silent.

“Oh, my dear Langa-kun, let's go enjoy chocolate lava cake together next time. I have a recommendation for you. A date with sweets sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Let's make a promise!”

“What? What are you talking about? ...A date!?”

“Unfortunately, I can't stay at S that long tonight. But it was very nice to meet you and hear your interesting question. I'll be in touch, darling.”

“Wait, wait... Adam...!”

Langa tried to reach out to him, but Adam quickly stepped back.

“Good-bye Snow, sweet dreams~!”

After saying “sweet dreams” in English with a fine pronunciation, Adam kicked the board off the ground and left like the wind.

“...Night, Adam.”

Langa felt like he had been let off the hook. However, it would be hasty to think that he could discover Adam’s secret with just the words “chocolate lava cake.”

(Adam, are you truly what I thought you were?)

Taking a deep breath, Langa looked up at the sky, his thoughts swirling even more in circles. The clouds seemed to have moved on, and a moon slightly larger than half full appeared in the night sky of Crazy Rock.

“You said... let’s make a promise.”

It was told unilaterally, but if Adam made a promise to Langa, he would have another chance to meet the king of S. Langa asked himself, what would he see and think at that time, but of course there was no answer.

The moon was shining quietly, as if to gently illuminate Langa's uncertain future.

Chapter Text

*

“I'm not good with sweets.”

“Oh, you're not?”

“Hmm, I'm sorry, but I'm not the type of person who enjoys cake. I'm in favor of the dry taste. I like it spicy, just like the taste of you.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Langa was confused, wondering what it meant. Suddenly, Adam closed the distance between them, and grabbed him by the chin and made Langa look up at the matador. Langa faced Adam, so close that the elder one’s breath was directly on the younger one’s face.
He felt the heated gaze even through the mask and gulped. Langa felt like he could see red eyes with a strong light behind the dark mask that he couldn't see through. Langa felt as if he couldn't even move away.

“Hey, why are you asking me that? Is it a favorite of someone famous that you know?” Adam asked.

“Well... um... It's a... secret.”

Langa thought that was the key word, but it seemed it wasn't. But even if it was as he imagined, it would be a secret Adam wanted to keep hidden. There was no way that Adam would admit it here at S. What would the king of S do with someone who knows his secret?

Aware that his heart was beating noisily, Langa did not look away from Adam. Suddenly, however, Adam pulled himself away from Langa.

“Ha-ha-ha, just kidding. Don't be so scared, Snow.”

“I'm not... scared...”

The voice Langa let out was smaller than he thought it would be. It sounded like he was trying to be tough. But Adam was unconcerned about that, and smiled at Langa.

“Oh, maybe it's some kind of trendy sweets? You'd be at an age to be paying attention to what's in fashion. Hey Langa-kun, do you like cakes?”

“Ah yeah... I like sweets, too.”

“So, next time we're on a date, let's go out for sweets! Maybe I can't have it with you, but that's okay as long as my little snowball is happy with it. Yay I’m excited! Let's make a promise!”

“What? What are you talking about? ...A date!?”

“Unfortunately, I can't stay at S that long tonight. But it was very nice to meet you and hear your interesting question. I'll be in touch, darling.”

“Wait, wait... Adam...!”

Langa tried to reach out to him, but Adam quickly stepped back.

“Good-bye Snow, sweet dreams~!”

After saying “sweet dreams” in English with a fine pronunciation, Adam kicked the board off the ground and left like the wind.

“...Night, Adam.”

Langa felt like he had been let off the hook. However, it would be hasty to think that he could discover Adam’s secret with just the words “chocolate lava cake.”

(Adam, are you truly what I thought you were?)

Taking a deep breath, Langa looked up at the sky, his thoughts swirling even more in circles. The clouds seemed to have moved on, and a moon slightly larger than half full appeared in the night sky of Crazy Rock.

“You said... let’s make a promise.”

It was told unilaterally, but if Adam made a promise to Langa, he would have another chance to meet the king of S. Langa asked himself, what would he see and think at that time, but of course there was no answer.

The moon was shining quietly, as if to gently illuminate Langa's uncertain future.

Chapter Text

*

(Why am I here?)

For the umpteenth time today, Langa muttered to himself again.

The room was air-conditioned, with ivory-colored walls and lace curtains on the high windows. In front of him, the steam from the tea in a cup with an elaborate pattern was rising. A crisp, bright white tablecloth adorned the table. On the edge of the round table was an elegant single-flower vase holding a crimson rose.
The person sitting across from him, smiling happily, was―

It was last night when Langa received a message on his phone from Adam. It was about going on a promised date, and Langa remembered the conversation they had at S the other night.

Without thinking about anything in particular, Langa went to the designated multi-tenant building in the city, dressed in his usual shirt, jeans, and sneakers. The place didn't look like it would have a café, although Adam had said something about sweets. Wondering whether to go inside or not, he received a new message.

Langa followed the instructions and stepped into the building, took the elevator and arrived at the roof. Using the passcode that had been sent to him, he opened the metal door that led to the outside. To his surprise, a single reddish helicopter was waiting for him on the unobstructed rooftop.

“Hello, Langa-kun! Very nice to see you again!”

“A... Adam!?”

The man standing by the helicopter walked up to Langa with his arms outstretched. Langa wondered if it was Adam, for the voice was familiar, but his appearance was very different from the usual matador outfit he wore at S.
His hair was in a wild style, but he was wearing a dark blue shirt, black slacks, and large sunglasses that could cover his eyebrows (instead of the mask maybe?). The sunglasses were so dark that Langa couldn't see Adam’s eyes at all.

“Come on, get in, right now. It may be a little bumpy, but I promise you a thrilling flight today.”

“Wha... what??”

Adam tugged on Langa's hand and led him inside the helicopter. In the pilot’s seat sat a guy who looked familiar, but Langa did not have time to think about it.

―On his first flight in a helicopter, Langa had no idea where he had flown, how he had flown, or how many minutes he had flown.
Eventually, he stepped out fearfully at the spot where he had landed. It must have been near the ocean, because it smelled like a sea breeze. In front of him stood a cozy western-style white house in the midst of the greenery.

“Here we are. Let's go!”

As though he didn't care about Langa's stunned expression, Adam pulled Langa's hand again and led him into the house.

“Welcome, Langa-kun. Thank you for coming with me so far away.”

“Uh, yeah... I've never been in a helicopter before. Where are we?”

Adam sipped his coffee from a plain white cup and looked at Langa through his sunglasses.

“This is an Ōberujyu that my relatives are involved in the management of.”

“Ōberujyu...? I've never heard of it before. Can I look it up?”

Langa pulled his phone out of his jeans pocket to search for the unfamiliar word.

“Oh, I don't mind, but does your phone work here?”

“Ah, no, it's not working. It's out of the communication range.”

“I don't think there's any cell phone reception here, because this is a place for guests who want to get away from the city and the people.”

“Hmm, I see. Well, I guess that's just the way it is.”

Langa replied nonchalantly and put the phone away in his pocket. Adam smiled, his mouth twisting slightly.

“Ōberujyu is the name of a style of restaurant with accommodations. Originally, it's French. ―Auberge.”

“...Inn?” Hearing Adam’s French, Langa reflexively muttered in English.

“Ah, lovely. You’d get English from French. I’ve heard that the original meaning of the word in French is simply ‘inn’ or ‘hostel’. In Japan, they are often built in resort areas and have an image of high class.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Anyway, the food here is definitely delicious. Since I'm treating you, I should do it somewhere appropriate.”

Adam tilted his head lightly. He might have winked at Langa, but he was still wearing his big dark sunglasses, so Langa could only imagine what was behind them.

(Why don't you just take off your sunglasses?)

Just as Langa was thinking this, he heard the door open. With a voice that said, “Thank you for waiting,” a waitress came to the table with a large tray in her hand.

“Wow...!” Langa's eyes lit up at the sight of what was placed in front of him.

On a large black square plate, a snowflake pattern was drawn with powdered sugar. Next to it was a small cylindrical chocolate cake (is this a lava cake?), also decorated with powdered sugar. The cake was surrounded by ice cream, fresh cream, and small cookies and pies, and brightly colored berries and mint leaves gave a gorgeous accent to the whole plate.

“I ordered these especially for you. Help yourself. The chocolate lava cake is best when it’s hot.”

“Just for me? How about yours?”

“I think I'll just have a drink today. Just being with you fills my heart with so much joy.”

Adam again motioned lightly for Langa to try the dessert. Without hesitation, Langa grabbed a fork and knife and dipped into the tempting treats without hesitation.

“It was delicious, so delicious...”

After Langa had finished his plate, even the powdered sugar, a waitress cleaned up the plates and closed the door. Once again, the two of them were the only ones in the room.

“Ahh... it was delicious...”

Langa had never been the type to talk eloquently about his impressions of food, but now he felt like all he could say was “delicious.”

These were a different level of deliciousness than any other sweets he'd ever had. The melted chocolate and the cold ice cream were in perfect harmony. The accompanying petit sweets were all excellent, and Langa was enveloped in a euphoric feeling that made his head feel dizzy.

“I'm glad you like it. ―Well, Langa-kun, you've come all this way. But you might have no idea whether you're on the outskirts of the main island of Okinawa or somewhere else on a remote island.”

“Adam?”

“As you know, your cell phone is not working here. If you are in trouble, you can't ask for help for your friends or family. What would you do if I said I wouldn't let you out of here forever?”

“Eh... Do you have such a plan in your mind, Adam?”

“Huh, who knows? For a long time, I've been looking for the Garden of Eden. A paradise where my Eve and I could be alone.”

Adam whispered in a singing tone. Langa blinked a few times, trying to figure out what he meant.

“...My dad used to say that if you don't take risks, you don't get anything.”

“Yes?”

“You can't get what you want if you keep avoiding the dangerous course. So I don't think I was wrong.”

“‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained,’ I see. I've always admired your courage, and that's what your father taught you, isn't it?”

Adam nodded “Hmm,” then he turned to Langa again.

“You've come so far, so you must have something you want, right? Is there something you want to ask me?”

“I... I...”

What is your true identity? What is your real name?

A hackneyed phrase came to Langa’s mind, but he didn't want to ask Adam such questions.
That night, under the moonlight of a dimly lit rocky mountain, there were red eyes looking at him. It has been hooked in his mind ever since. Now, they should have been close by, but still he couldn’t see them. What kind of material were these thoroughly dark sunglasses made of?

“Your sunglasses.”

“Yeah?”

“Take them off.”

“Well, well, Langa-kun, what a bold request.”

Adam's mouth quirked up in interest.
Before he even realized it, Langa had gotten up from his chair. He walked over to the seat across from him. And then―

“...You really don't hesitate to act, Langa-kun.”

Adam gently chided him and lightly grabbed both of Langa's wrists, which were stretched out towards his sunglasses. Langa came to his senses.

“Uh... I'm sorry Adam, I didn't intend to be mean to you. But I...”

“You want to see it so badly? If you find out, you might not be able to come back, you know?”

“I just want to be sure.”

“Well... I’m no match for you. ―All right, as you wish, my darling Eve.”

Adam let go of Langa's hand that was holding his wrist. Slowly, Langa put his hand on Adam’s dark sunglasses. As he carefully lifted them up, the red eyes that had been etched in Langa's mind appeared underneath them. They looked many times more beautiful than the ones in his memory, now that he could actually see them again.

“Ah...” Without realizing it, a voice like a sigh escaped from Langa's mouth.

Suddenly, Adam grabbed Langa's wrist with more force than before. He then pulled Langa's body towards him. Langa lost his balance and landed on Adam's chair, with his feet on the elder's lap. The sunglasses left Langa's hands and rolled onto the floor.

“Did you find what you were looking for, Langa-kun? Are you satisfied? Well done, now that you've uncovered my secret.”

“No... no, I didn't mean... I didn't want to reveal your secret, I just wanted to see you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, you.”

Langa tried his best to say. But Adam's eyes blinked as he tried to make sense of it.

“We've met many times before, haven't we?”

“No, no, no. It’s you, the one I met at the final beef.”

Adam's eyes widened slightly and his lips tightened. Langa looked intently into the red eyes in front of him.

“Not the ‘Matador of Love’ seen at S, not the Diet member Shindo on TV and posters. You, at that time, were different from any of them.”

“Well... since you already know, they're all me. But are you saying that I was different in the final?”

“I don't know, it just seemed that way to me. And... gosh, and, I just wanted to see you again. That's all.”

“Langa-kun...”

Slowly, Adam unclasped Langa's wrist. Once his eyes were downcast, he let out a light breath.

“You really... you surprise me over and over again. Actually, I brought you here for more reasons than just sweets, too.”

“What?”

“I want to kiss you.”

Langa gulped at the low whispered words. He could feel his face heating up at once.

“I want to kiss you, only if you'll let me have your lips. I've been wanting to kiss you for a long, long time.”

“Wh... why, doing it, here!?”

He didn't want to ask about “here.” But the words of the question came out of Langa's mouth. Adam gave a small smile to Langa, whose face was bright red and eyes were rolling in astonishment.

“As I said before, here is a place where you can get away from the city and the people. You know my profession, don't you? Scandal can kill me. If I were in the city, where the paparazzi would be looking for me, it would be too dangerous to show my love.”

“...Love?”

“Yes. ―I like you very much, Langa-kun. You may not realize it, but what you've given me is immeasurable. You are truly a very important person to me. I would devote my love to you, if you wanted me to do so.”

“Adam...”

Adam said and stared straight into Langa's light blue eyes. Adam’s red eyes, so serious and fervent, seemed to pierce deep into Langa’s heart.

“I... I’m not sure what love is. But, I wanna know it. I wanna know more about love, and... more about you.”

“Langa...”

When Langa managed to say what was on his mind, he turned his attention to Adam's lips. These were the lips he had just said “kiss.” The large mouth, the thick, glossy lips. Once again, Langa thought Adam (Shindo Ainosuke?) was undoubtedly a gorgeous man.

“So, teach me, please.”

Whispering, Langa put his hand on Adam's shoulder. He tilted his head slightly and placed his own lips very lightly on Adam's lips.

“...Definitely yes, my sweet.”

Slowly, Adam put his hand into the back of Langa's head. Adam pulled the younger's face closer and carefully placed his lips on Langa's.
Hot breath, hot lips. A numbing sensation ran through Langa's entire body, from the core of his head to the tips of his toes.

The chocolate lava cake he just tasted was meltingly hot and blindingly sweet. But the kiss felt much sweeter and denser than that. Langa was enveloped in an overwhelming wave of emotions that made him feel as if he could never leave.

“Adam...”

Once their lips parted, Langa whispered the name of who he desired in a faint voice. What he had long wanted was certainly right here, right now, right in front of him.

Chapter Text

*

“Hey, Langa. Didn't your phone go dead for a while on Sunday afternoon? Was the battery dead or something?”

Reki asked casually as he carried his lunch box to his mouth on the roof of the school during lunch break on Wednesday. Langa swallowed the bread he had been gulping down, and answered nonchalantly.

“Yeah, I was in a place where there was no cell phone reception. Adam took me there by helicopter.”

“Helicopter? How far did you guys go?”

“Ō... something. Something to stay in.”

Langa continued in the same tone of voice as he opened the fourth bag of savoury bread. Reki managed to wash down the meatballs he nearly choked on with a bottle of tea and asked his best friend.

“To stay in? Don't tell me you've been taken to a love hotel by him!?”

“No, I learned about the love hotel things thanks to you. On Sunday, Adam took me out for sweets.”

“Sweets? Why would he fly all the way to a helicopter for something like that? He's as crazy as ever, huh... Didn’t he do anything weird to you?”

“Ah, I kissed Adam.”

Langa told Reki a fact that had too much impact in a tone as if he were casually stating that it was a sunny day.

“Wha... what? What!? Kissed Adam!?”

The confession of an event far beyond his imagination caused Reki to scream out. Putting the lunch box aside, Reki crowded Langa and grabbed him by both shoulders.

“Langa, are you okay? He didn't force himself on you, did he!?”

“He didn't force me. He asked me if I wanted to, and I wanted to.”

“Whoa...! Dude, you... you’re pretty amazing. I can't even imagine what it's like to have a kiss with Adam...”

“You don't have to imagine it, do you?”

“Oh, yeah... yeah, that's right. Sorry, I was a little upset, yeah, umm, that's all.”

Muttering half to himself, Reki nodded. Langa huffed and chuckled lightly.

“I was feeling a bit strange, but it was fun. I felt my heart pound.”

“Ah, well, that's good. Well... I’m surprised, but I guess it's okay if you two like each other.”

“Like each other?”

After swallowing the last bite of bread, Langa tilted his head in confusion at Reki's words.

“Come on, man, kissing is supposed to be done with someone you like. Why do I have to explain this to you, who grew up in North America...”

(―I like you very much, Langa-kun.)

Suddenly, Langa's mind replayed the image of Adam from the other day. The red eyes, colored with seriousness and passion, were staring straight at him. And the gentle sound of Adam’s voice.

“I... I might not have told him.”

“What?” Reki raised his eyebrows at Langa's words. He had managed to pull himself together and was devouring the rest of his lunch.

“I like you... or something like that. Adam told me that clearly, but I...”

“Oh... oh. But it's okay if he's okay with it.” Reki said in a plain manner.

“Was he okay?” Langa asked back somewhat anxiously.

“I dunno! It’s none of my business!!”

“Reki...” Langa muttered in an unreliable voice, like a child who had been scolded. A little bit of guilt passed through Reki's mind.

“...I dunno what to say,” he said, “but he's the only one who can answer your question. Next time you see him, tell him honestly, okay?”

“Yes, I’ll do it.”

As Langa nodded, the pre-chorus for the afternoon classes began to ring from the speakers on the roof.

“Whoa! I've got to get back!”

After quickly gathering their belongings, they returned to the school building and ran down the stairs to their classroom.

In the evening of that day, Langa was on his way home when he received a message on his phone from Adam. It was a simple message, “Got a little time on my hands and wanna see you”, but it made Langa's heart beat faster.

He slightly changed his route home and skated to the designated area, a medium-sized street on the outskirts of a residential area in the twilight hours, just inside a large roadway. There was no particular landmark, but it was a place with a long fence that was impossible to see through.

A black car was quietly parked in front of the fence. As Langa jumped off his board and picked it up, the driver's window opened and a man in a black suit gave him a look. It must be the pilot of the helicopter from the other day. He looked familiar, but Langa couldn't tell.

“...Did Adam send you?”

As Langa approached the car and asked, the man quickly held out his hand. Langa saw the familiar S pin. So that meant...

“I've come for you, sir. I'll take you to my master.”

The man said this in a polite tone that didn't sound like he was related to S. Langa was a little skeptical, but quietly got into the car through the open back door.

“This is the room. Please come in.”

Langa was about to step into a room in an apartment building when a man in black led him to the door.

Somewhere in the city, in a large apartment building that seemed to be more than ten stories tall. Langa entered the building from the underground parking lot and rode the elevator, which was operated by the man, to the top floor.
Langa squinted at the brightly lit room, a complete change from the dimly lit hallway. There, he heard a familiar voice.

“Langa-kun! I'm sorry you had to come all this way. I'm glad to see you again!”

“A... Adam!?”

Langa slightly wondered if he should call him Shindo Ainosuke. Adam had the same hairstyle as on political posters, but with a big smile on his face. Adam tugged on Langa's hand and led him into the room. Behind him, Langa heard the sound of a metal door closing.

“One of my afternoon appointments was cancelled, so I was just taking a short break. Sorry I'm not in formal attire to see you.”

Adam was indeed in business style, but not wearing a jacket, but a vest. However, he looked much more like a normal adult than the matador outfit Langa was used to seeing. No, on the outside, he must have had an occupation that could hardly be called normal.

“Never mind. But when you look like that, the atmosphere looks different. This is what ‘Ai-sama’ looks like, as my mom told me before.”

“...I guess I should thank your mother. But it kind of tickles me when you call me that, dear.”

“Adam, is this your home?”

“No, it's an apartment that I sometimes use. I don't live here. And I just want you to know that the security is very good, so please feel at ease.”

“Hmm...”

Langa looked around the spacious living room area. It looked much larger than the room in the apartment where he lived with his mother. There weren't many things, but the furnishings looked expensive. He wondered how wealthy Adam, or the Shindo family, was, to be able to use an apartment like this without having to live in it.

Langa shook his head and drove away his thoughts. It's not that he was here to look for gossip about the Diet member Shindo, but that he had something to say to Adam. Determinedly, Langa turned to Adam.

“Hey Adam, I told Reki about our outing on Sunday.”

“To the Little Redhead?”

“And I realized... I had to tell you that...”

“What is it, Langa-kun?”

Perhaps it was his imagination, but the tone of Adam's voice seemed to have become even lower. The heavy gaze of the red eyes staring back at him accelerated Langa's emotional turmoil.

“Eeh, I had to tell you... I...”

It was supposed to be a simple statement, but why were the words so hard to come by? Langa cursed himself for his inability to speak.

“Gee, no! Don't look at me! Turn around, please!”

“Huh? Langa-kun?”

“No, Adam, please!!”

Langa pushed Adam’s body and forced him to turn around. He was ashamed of himself for making such a childish and selfish request. But Langa couldn't stop now that he had started moving.

A wide back wrapped in a dark blue vest was spread out in front of him. Langa leaned his head against Adam’s shoulder. He could feel Adam's body heat and scent strongly, but his vision was dim. He thought he'd be able to say something now. Langa took a deep breath.

“I― I’m fond of you. I'm sorry I didn't say it right the other day...”

It took a lot of courage, but Langa managed to say what he wanted to say. Adam's back moved slightly, but for a while after that, no response, including words, came back.
Could it be that he had taken Adam aback? Just as Langa was getting a little anxious, he heard the hard sound of Adam's voice coming from above him.

“May I... turn around, now?”

“Ah, yeah...?”

Langa looked up at Adam, with some kind of fear-like feeling. When Langa saw the expression on the taller man’s face, for some reason the image of a galaxy cat picture he had seen on the internet came to his mind. ―Galaxy? Why??

“―Let's dance, Langa-kun.”

“...What!?”

Although upset, Langa managed to keep in tune with Adam's movements, who had already begun to tick off the steps, and moved his feet. When in Canada, Langa had occasional opportunities to dance, but he hadn't mastered much of it.

Hands outstretched, back arched, dancing moves were not easy. But when Langa paid a little more attention, he found that Adam's movements included a lot of guidance that taught him what to do next.

Langa calmed his mind and let his body move along with the lead as if he were going with the flow. The movements were self-induced and improvised, just like the very first days of skating, and Langa managed to keep up with Adam.

“I'm sorry to pull you all of a sudden, but your confession of love made my heart overflow with passion and I couldn't stop it. If it were possible, I would take my time and tell you about my passion...! But, unfortunately I have to go back to work after this...”

“...So, dancing?” Langa murmured as he caught his breath. Adam nodded vigorously to him.

After dancing with Adam, Langa collapsed on the sofa. Not just on the board, Adam might like dancing itself. It seemed very much Adam.

“I realized it again, Langa-kun, you're the best partner I've ever had! The way you respond to my lead, the way you move, the way you breathe, it all feels so good in my mind and body. Our souls resonate with each other. I knew it from the first time we danced in S though.”

“Oh,” Langa replied simply. Not saying this to Adam, but honestly Langa himself had no sense of that feeling. Maybe it was simply a difference in the level of dance experience. However, hearing such praises from Adam made him feel a little proud.

“I'm so glad you told me your love. But to tell you the truth, I already knew that you were fond of me.”

“...Really?”

“You said you wanted to see my true self, wanted to see me without any mask on, with such a yearning look on your face, my dear.”

Looking at Langa, Adam smiled softly with a gentle light in his red eyes. Remembering the act from the other day, Langa blushed again. His emotions were so riled up at the time that he couldn't remember exactly what he had said or how he had looked.

“Did I... did I look that obvious?”

“Yes, you had such a lovely expression on your face. And I couldn't hold back my desire to kiss you.”

Langa felt as if his face was burning. The memory of that day's kiss came back to him, and he couldn't help but cover his face with his hand.

“Oh please don’t hide your face, red Snowbunny. Your expressions and actions are eloquent, but I'm still very happy when you put them into words. I also like your fresh voice. I want to hear more of your voice.”

“Adam... Thank you. I like your voice, too. It makes my heart pound.”

“Ah, I'm flattered. I can whisper as many words of love to you as you want―”

As Adam stood up and was about to reach out to Langa, he stopped at the sound of an electronic notification. The phone seemed to have rung on the table.

“Oh, my... It's a shame, but it looks like I have to get back to work. It's the way to live in this world, though.”

Adam placed his hand on Langa's head once, lightly. He then walked over to the table, picked up the phone and seemed to be doing something with it. Langa sat up and got out from the sofa.

“Langa-kun, I'll give you a ride home. We'll leave together.”

“Yeah, thank you, Adam.”

Langa nodded. He never thought that he would be spending time with Adam in a room in an apartment like this. He didn't know what would happen next, but Langa felt he wanted to spend as much time as possible with Adam. With such thoughts in mind, Langa left the room.

“Ah, Reki. I met Adam in the evening and was able to tell him about it.”

The next morning on the way to school, Langa met up with Reki as usual. While skating down the street, Langa reported to his best friend about yesterday.

“Oh, that's good. What happened to him? Didn't he fall over with excitement?”

“No. We danced.”

“What!?” Reki rolled his eyes and screamed in derision. Langa's reply was also far beyond his imagination.

“He said he wanted to dance. It was a lot of fun to dance with Adam. We're going to take a flamenco lesson again.”

“What the hell is that? Hey, I understand now. With you guys, even romance becomes something happening between two crazy geniuses...”

With a hefty sigh, Reki gave his most plausible impression. Langa tilted his head lightly.

“Well, if you guys are okay with it, I guess it's fine. Anyway, you look so happy, dude!”

“Thanks, Reki.”

Langa hummed. Maybe Reki was right. He had a curious feeling, as if his heart had grown wings and was flying freely in the sky.

Thinking of Adam, he felt some kind of emotion run through his body. It was similar to the fun of skating with someone else, but a completely different feeling. For the first time in his life, Langa learned that there was such happiness shared with the only one partner in the world.

//END

Chapter Text

*

“Langa-kun.”

They were in the back seat of the black car, just leaving the apartment. Langa felt his left hand, which was being held by the bigger hand, was suddenly squeezed tightly. The light blue-haired boy returned his gaze to the man with the large hand, Adam, sitting on his left.

“So, it’s something we were talking about earlier. Well... what did the Little Redhead say to you?”

Hearing Adam's question, Langa unknowingly expressed surprise on his face.

“Oh my Snow, I’m not trying to pry. I just― um, if you don't mind talking about it, I would like to hear it from you,” Adam said in a serious, but somewhat difficult tone. Langa felt a sudden and painful tightness in his chest as he looked into Adam's red eyes, which were filled with a sorrowful glint.

Just thinking back on it made Langa feel as if his face was burning once again. However, he did tell Adam that he had told Reki about their outing on Sunday. Langa didn't know what was bothering Adam so much about the conversation he had with Reki, but if it was important to his brand new older boyfriend, he wanted to talk about it properly. Langa was just like that.

Once he had cleared his throat, Langa slowly opened his mouth.

“Ah... well... Reki told me that kissing is supposed to be done with someone you like. So, I could see, I... I like you, and... eh... He also recommended that I should tell you honestly.”

Though he managed to say that earlier in the apartment, Langa felt his face heating up again. When he could not bear it anymore, the high school boy directed his gaze downward. Why was it so embarrassing to say “I like you” to the person you like?

“...Adam?”

For a while Langa hung his head, but Adam said nothing. Holding Langa's hand, the blue-haired man in the expensive suit did not move, as if he had frozen again.
Gently, Langa looked up. Seeing the expression on Adam's face in the seat next to him, the image of a surprising cat in space passed through his mind again. Yes, a spacecat, also known as a galaxy cat, that popular image on the internet.

Adam blinked slowly a few times and turned his head diagonally forward. In front of Langa, he spoke to a man in black sitting in the driver's seat.

“Tadashi.”

“Yes, Ainosuke-sama.”

“Arrange to send one million yen to the bank account of the Little Redhead. It's a present from me.”

“What!?” Langa was taken aback by Adam's words, which were too abrupt, and by their outrageous content.

“I am sorry to impose upon you, Ainosuke-sama. Depositing a large amount of money into a personal bank account in the name of a high school student may lead him to suspicion of involvement in a crime. I don’t recommend using banking institutions that keep a record of such transactions.”

“Hm? Is that so?” Adam hummed.

“I suspect he would also refuse to be handed over in cash.”

The driver spoke plainly. Strangely, his tone was as if he was sure of Reki’s reactions. Langa wondered if he was an acquaintance of Reki. But how? How in the world could a grown man driving such a luxury car come to know a skate-holic high school boy?

“I think it would be less suspicious to give him money as an extra bonus at his part-time job in DOPE SKETCH. However, giving one million yen all at once may look strange, so how about paying it in installments?” *

“Hmm, well, I'll leave that part up to you. Just get on with it.”

“Yes, sir.” The driver nodded.

“Hey, you said DOPE? Is it that DOPE SKETCH I know?”

Hearing the familiar name, Langa unwittingly leaned forward to take a little peek at the man in the driver's seat. The driver glanced back at him. He had black long front hair and long-slitted green eyes. Suddenly, the image of the cap-man of S who once visited DOPE SKETCH came to Langa's mind.

“...Snake!?”

“Oh, I guess I didn't tell you, my love? Hm, he had been sneaking in S with that name. Anyway, you can call him Kikuchi Tadashi if you want. He’s my dog, so you may be able to use him as you please, Langa-kun,” Adam said happily.

Certainly, Snake was a man who seemed to have a history with Adam in some way. But Langa was not expecting that he was even working as Shindo Ainosuke’s private chauffeur.

―No, no, more importantly, what did Adam just say?

“Wait, you said what? ...A dog??”

“Yes. I am a dog of Ainosuke-sama, for the rest of our lives.”

From the driver's seat, Snake― Tadashi’s voice, even colored with pride, reached Langa. The Canadian teen thought he misheard something, but it seemed he didn’t.
A dog? For the rest of our lives?? He was not sure what it meant, but Langa wondered if there was such an idiomatic expression in Japanese.

(Snake... or a dog...!?)

Hands still clasped, humming a tune, Adam looked at his younger boyfriend with a smirk on his face. However, Langa was certain. Now, he was the one with the indescribable expression on his face like a cat with a galaxy background.

Langa was very confused: the black car driven by Snake, who was called a dog, just quietly made its way through the darkened city.

* Though I’d like to leave it to the readers’ imagination, this chapter is based on the idea in rbt’s tweet, “Adam is a mysterious owner of DOPE SKETCH.”
If so, Adam and Tadashi could easily see what is going on there, and they’re able to order Oka to pay extra bonus to Reki :)