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They had just finished an interview earlier that day and now the group was headed back to the studio to do some practicing. They were scheduled to go on a show and do a live performance in just a few days. So they only had a small window to get all the details of their dance right, which wasn't a task too difficult to them. All the members had a pretty good idea how everything would go, what they had to say in the interview before the performance.
There was nothing different from these busy days, that was just another thing they had to do for their job. It was a few hours of practice and then they were let go to do whatever they needed to do individually.
Ryoki was the first to leave, he had to go through a script and it was going to take the rest of his day for that. Sota left with Manato soon after, Leo had said something about having to do some errands and Junon decided to go home to rest. Leaving the youngest of the group by themselves, both deciding to go get takeout and bring it back to the studio.
They left the building, only needing to walk a few blocks down the street to pick up some food. It had started to rain as soon as they left, only the jackets on their back were protecting them from the cold rain.
They weren't there for long, ordering ahead of time for their food. Shunto thought about eating there but he had changed his mind last second, feeling more comfortable eating in the studio and Ryuhei agreed to that. So they grabbed their order and were off into the rain again, watching their steps as the rain picked up pace.
The two of them got rained on enough that a chill ran through them as they got inside. They headed up the stairs and took off their jackets as soon as they got inside the room. Ryuhei was wearing a zip up hoodie under his jacket and Shunto had a simple cotton oversize t-shirt, the younger boy noticed how much colder Shunto looked at that moment.
While they placed their takeout on the floor, Ryuhei had taken off his hoodie and handed it over to Shunto. The older boy looked towards Ryuhei. "Here, take it." The young boy said as they both knelt down, about to go through their food.
"You look cold." Ryuhei continued.
And he did, he was very cold after the walk back to the building. So he took it graciously, the soft and still warm hoodie from Ryuehi's hand, slipping his arms in and zipping it up. There was a different type of comfort to sharing clothes. Especially from someone like Ryuhei, where his stature overtook how small he made himself at times.
He acted very much like the young boy he was when Shunto first met him, those many years ago. His shyness but very determined self, when he would put on a serious face knowing there was no time to play and when he let himself be playful. Now here he was taking out their food and organizing it for them, handing Shunto a pair of chopsticks.
They had ordered curry rice and some veggie gyoza, as Ryuhei opened the first container there was steam rising. Freshly made fried dumplings, Shunto was the first to take one from the many they were given. He took a bite and shared the other half with Ryuhei as he held the tender gyoza filled with cabbage and green onion up to the boy's face.
Ryuhei took his half and made a face of delight, going for another one as they both hummed in pleasure. Some minutes later the young boy handed Shunto his bottle of ice tea to open, and Shunto took it and then opened his own after that.
Letting their bodies relax in the quiet atmosphere they had created whilst they ate their curry rice, thick chunks of carrots and potatoes, every bite warmed their faces. Shunto had noticed how hungry they both were, not having said a word in a while. It didn't make things awkward between them, Ryuhei eventually began talking about a soccer game not long after.
And the older boy chimed in, making their conversation feel they were long time friends. This was just like any other day for them, talks of their favorite sports, what they've seen on tv, what was trending online and so on.
Once they had finished most of their food, they laid there on the floor. Taking another break, not wanting to get up and it made Ryuhei begin to talk about a time they had done something they weren't supposed to do, which made Shunto laugh.
It came out so naturally, a hiccup somewhere in there. Shunto turned his head over to Ryuhei and he was reminded of their many moments together, when it was just them. When they were having to come into the studio and practice for their parts and the space was so enormous between them, the two youngest making their way around the spacious room.
They would always seem to come together, as if a tight string was pulling them closer and closer. Only inches apart, to make their feet move so smoothly away. To then become one again, as one of them leaned against the other and the support would become crucial.
Shunto is reminded how many times they have parted and then been brought back together again. If it was circumstance, since their goals matched. Both interested in dance and putting on a performance for an audience to watch, the pure enjoyment of showing others what they were capable of.
They knew well of their commitment to this career, way before they were put in a group together. The long hours of practice, on top of going to school and knowing the chances of becoming famous was slim to many. The bond had formed very early on, whether they knew it or not.
The lights of the dance studio were dimmed, giving comfort to the two boys that continued to lay on the hard wooden floor. When Shunto turned on his side and faced the younger boy, he watched how he stretched his long limbs, arms up and over. Ryuhei let out a long yawn, making his eyes water from the heavy but fulfilling day.
It gave Shunto a reason to not want to get up, to lay there and watch Ryuhei do other mundane things. Let the sun set and the clouds disappear from the sky, so they could leave the building and watch the stars twinkle in the night.
For them this was like brushing their teeth every morning, greeting each other at the start of the day and making their rounds of who did what. To then get on with their day, go through what they needed to do, if that was speaking with management and the staff. Travel for interviews, radio shows, events and so on.
Behind the curtains, before the group would get on stage there was waiting. Some hours, nothing too long that would make them restless. Enough to create something out of nothing, at times an individual was better off alone in a corner doing whatever. Many times Shunto found himself playing phone games with Ryuhei, they would be side by side at a table. Or right across those long lounging couches in those backrooms.
Other times, they would come together in a group to eat, then leave one by one. Ryuhei being the last one to finish eating and Shunto would sit there and watch as Ryuhei took his last bite, telling the boy to go faster just to tease.
Never to be cruel, but being the older one came with some advantages. That didn't stop Ryuhei from talking to Shunto as if they were the same age, that being a three year difference. It felt for Shunto that he knew much more, everything he said weighed differently.
All of his words had an influence on the younger boy, good or bad. On the better side of things, he only hoped. It always felt to him that his relationship with Ryuhei was of long lost friends, reappearing over and over again.
Those waiting hours, watching soccer games on his pocket size phone with Ryuhei, taking random walks around empty rooms, through halls to catch up on whatever they had missed when they were apart. The long bus drives where they would sit together and eventually move to another seat when it got too warm.
Ryuhei's recommendation on the new music he had been listening to, the flavor of gum he changed to, from the retelling of a soccer match of their favorite team. Ryuhei fit right into Shunto's life so easily, nothing about him was overwhelming or obnoxious.
Even if the young boy towered over Shunto and wanted to rest his chin on his shoulder, which gave the older boy comfort to know there was familiarity, even from a group of so many boys that range around the same age. Shunto felt the closest to Ryuhei, the young and still vulnerable, stuck to him after so many years.
When they finally got up from the hard floor and picked up their mess, they headed out. Taking different directions to get home, saying their goodbyes.
One thing was for certain, the sip of a coffee never tasted the same for Shunto if Ryuhei wasn't there. Their returns to each other were like watercolor, seeping so gracefully. Delicate and sharp like their dances and when Shunto hears the raspiness of his voice blend with Ryuhei's low and smooth tone.
He's caught off guard with how his attention is taken, his eyes always going back to Ryuhei.
A few weeks later, Shunto is reminded of that again. When they were partnered up to be the hosts of the radio station for their group. Sent out on a frigid and dry evening day, his puffer jacket protected him in his own warmth but his hands felt like ice and he was aware of it even before the two of them got into the building.
Ryuhei was covered from top to bottom, his messy hair sticking out from his hoodie. Face looking of someone who had just woken up, but noticing Shunto's every move.
The young boy stopped them to take Shunto's cold hands and enveloped them into his own, thin and almost wiry fingers that were somehow warm. He was by no means small, but Shunto felt small at that moment as Ryuhei's hands cradled his so gently. Began to rub his own hands against Shunto's to give him some of his warmth.
"Why do your hands get so cold?" Ryuhei asked, his focus somewhere else.
"I don't know." Is all Shunto replied with, which made Ryuhei chuckle.
It was no longer than a few minutes and then the young boy let go of Shunto's hands and opened the door to the building for them, and off they went.
Shunto was distracted from that point on, everything went well with the radio station. They talked about many things, music that was popular in the past weeks. News of upcoming concerts, tours and so on. A friendly conversation that ended with them going out to eat at a restaurant nearby, a bit crowded but still enjoyable.
They were being served fried squid and all sorts of stuff, with bowls of steaming white rice and nice cold ice teas. In a medium size booth and with barely any light coming from inside, just a small lamp stuck on the wall, they could only see what was in front of them. The clattering of dishes and scraping of chairs, humming of the heaters.
They were supposed to eat and dip, as it was getting late.
Shunto ended up going on a tangent of sorts, which Ryuheii listened intently without one single word out of him, only humming in agreement. He laughed at what he thought Shunto was being too serious for, and ate his side dishes as his eyes never faltered from the older boy's face.
By the end, it had started to slow down and there were few people in the restaurant. Ryuhei ordered another drink whilst Shunto finished the last of his food. The earl grey tea took off the edge from eating so much salty food, pushing it over to Shunto once he had enough. He took sips from the same straw Ryuhei used, just like they had shared clothes before.
And squeezed next to each other in a too small couch, used the same chapstick to save time and because Ryuhei had lost his.
Shunto pushed those thoughts away when the waiter came by to hand them their bill to pay. They left with a full stomach and more thoughts to sort out.
Their farewells to see each other tomorrow were a bit ungraceful and quiet. There were no hugs or nothing, just the bright red hues of Ryuehi's cheeks in the cold and Shunto with one hand in his pocket.
Many days later came with questions and curiosity. Ryuhei had asked to come over to watch a match with him, they could be as loud as they wanted over at Shunto's place. And he always liked the snacks Shunto hoarded in his cabinets for days like these. The text was simple from Ryuhei I'm coming over.
Shunto tidied up a bit and took out some blankets, since the younger boy liked to huddle at one side of his sofa for comfort when they watched games together.
He didn't have to wait long, the doorbell rang and he unlocked the door to let the other boy inside. Ryuhei had a half empty drink in his hand. "Has it started?" He asked, leaving his shoes at the entrance as he made his way in. Shunto just shakes his head and goes to his kitchen to bring out the snacks for them.
They sit not long after in Shunto's small living room, all the lights turned off with only half a curtain open to watch as the sun went down. The coffee table filled with snacks and drinks, his humidifier turned on and the commercials blasting in the small space they shared.
Shunto had gone through his head how he was going to ask Ryuhei, something that was on his mind for a while now. A simple by complicated question, that to anyone being asked this could go many different ways. He thought it was best to do it now, to get it out of the way. Never bring it up again, not that he was embarrassed about what his answer was going to be.
Ryuehi's eyes were glued to the tv, with his legs pushed closed to his chest, he looked much younger in that position. And it made Shunto wonder about what was going through the younger boy's head. What he was willing to share and not, what made him stop and think and what he would do on instinct.
Shunto knew very well that he could ask Ryuhei anything he wanted, there was never a time where the boy didn't want to answer his question or tell him about his past. He was the one to be more reserved at times, letting some questions be unanswered. But Ryuhei always got him to spill more than he should, plenty of times when they were alone and Shunto would go on about hidden feelings.
His worries and his sadness, to keep some things between them and tell no one else. Ryuhei always kept his promises and being the sweet boy he was, he gave Shunto more reassurance than anyone deserved.
It made the older boy want to wrap Ryuhei in more blankets and laugh along with his jokes that never made sense but were still amusing.
"You've kissed someone before?" Shunto wasted no time to ask, gazing over at the boy.
"Uhh, yeah I guess." Ryuehi answered, turning his face towards Shunto.
"What do you mean, you guess?" Shunto said with mirth, so fond of how Ryuhei answered him.
"It was quick, my first time. Nothing too special, I was kinda nervous." The younger boy continued, trying to remember the times he had kissed someone, which wasn't many to begin with.
Shunto remembers his first kiss, a very boring and underwhelming way to start his high school years and then never again. "Do you think it would feel different, with someone you knew better?" Shunto's words didn't make sense to him, but what other way was he going to say it.
"Hmm, sure. I suppose if you knew each other for a long time." Ryuhei replied, head turning with the question of if a kiss would feel better from someone like...
"Would you try it again, just to try?" Shunto asked, whether the answer would be yes or no. All he wanted to know was if Ryuhei was willing to try for curiosity, to know something unknown.
Before he even got an answer from the boy, "would you try it now?" He continued, watching Ryuhei's face turn the darkest shade of pink he ever saw.
"Ah, you mean now, like right now?" Ryuhei's voice sounded so quiet, and Shunto nodded his head to that.
"Mm sure, if you're curious. If not, that's fine." Making it seem as if it was any other conversation they had before. There was a way out but with his heart beating so loud in his ears, Shunto wanted nothing more than to try.
Sounding so casual, he didn't want to scare Ryuhei away with these thoughts. He let the boy think for a while, making sure he understood what the question was. As the noise of the tv played in the background and the shadows moved, making the room darker.
The light from the kitchen only reached the back of the sofa and the humming from the heater could make any one of them fall asleep at that moment. But the seconds were getting shorter and Ryuhei's movements to get closer to Shunto made every part of his body active. Shunto began to move as well, turning his body towards the younger boy.
"It's fine." Were Ryuhei's next words.
Shunto said nothing at first, worried he might ruin this moment. The boy's eyes were searching for something of a signal, a show of what would happen next. If Shunto's words were true, they were going to have a try at this.
Whatever this was. Whatever it would later mean to them, was at the tip of their tongue.
They had forgotten about the game on the tv, the snacks they were supposed to indulge in. Comment about their day and every other little thing that went on with them. All they were seeing was each other, how Shunto could spot every single mole on Ryuhei's face. How his soft lips curved and awaited for Shunto's own.
"Close your eyes." The older boy said, too nervous to look into the other one's eyes.
And Ryuhei obeyed, eyelashes splayed on his clear skin, waiting and waiting. With no hesitation, Shunto leaned into the younger boy, some pillows between them. Angling his head to the side, only pressing their lips and keeping still.
There was nothing at first, just the skin to skin touch.
He separated a few centimeters from Ryuhei, but went back in seconds later and that was when he felt it. More than softness, a perfect heat that melted together and brought forth something bigger. He let go and so did Ryuhei, as their lips began to move, slide against each other. There was a push from Shunto as he took more, and the younger one let be taken as that.
There was an easy flow for the two, Ryuhei had Shunto's lips between his own, sounds of their lips smacking were becoming loud. Nothing could interrupt them though, every steady beat. A quiet moan coming from the younger one, made Shunto burn from the bottom up.
He moved and so did Ryuhei, and the thoughts of doing more than he should were making him dizzy and overwhelmed. Shunto brought his hands up to cradle Ryuhei's face as they continued to kiss. Ryuhei could smell the sharp cologne that Shunto had on and he craved for more, that the eldest wouldn't stop and swallow him whole if he could.
Ryuhei let out another moan, because how couldn't he. When every nerve in his body was standing up and splitting. When Shunto's kisses were leaving him breathless, didn't want it to stop and leave him wanting more. So it went on for more seconds, that when one of them opened their mouth slightly, teeth were hitting teeth.
And so calmly, Shunto slipped his tongue in, and tasted something so sweet and dear to him. So many memories, of the still moments and peaks of days behind. Ryuhei let his nerves run through him, so close to opening his eyes and coming face to face. But his eyes were squeezed shut and every small gulp of air escaped him, to be put back.
More, more, more.
There had to be a point of end to this, so devastating for them.
It had become dark in that small living room, the sun setting so low and whistles of the crisp night wind hitting windows and street lights. So badly wanting to hide under the covers with Ryuhei and forget the outside world for a few more hours. Shunto’s lungs were asking for air though, second by second, they were going to have to separate and hold account.
When their lips did part with glimmers and hope, the youngest couldn't bring himself to open his eyes and chose to hide his face onto Shunto's chest. Bringing all his weight and becoming the shy boy he always was.
In Shunto's eyes, there couldn't be anyone better than Ryuhei. To share these kisses and wait to receive more after everything has calmed down. "Why are you like this?" Shunto asks with tenderness, because Ryuhei meant so much more than a few curious kisses.
And the younger one lightly laughs at that, shrugs and stays right there where he belongs. Under the arms that wrap him up like a delicate dove.