Chapter Text
The sun hadn't risen yet when Hirose got up that day.
It was autumn and bitterly cold outside; rain tapped gently against the window. It was one of those perfect days to stay home and sleep in.
But of course, Hirose had to work, and earlier than usual, especially today. It was the day of the aquarium field trip with his first-year students, and Hirose never slept well in the days leading up to an event like that. He would spend too much time calculating everything that might happen the next day, so sleep ended up taking a back seat.
Aiki stretched in bed, wrapped in three different blankets, and glanced at the clock: 'Ugh, 5 a.m.' Even at twenty-four, he had never quite made peace with waking up early.
Well, it was time to get ready; still groggy, he grabbed the clothes and backpack he had laid out the night before and began his morning routine.
As always, Hirose left the house a few minutes later than he should have, putting him in a rush to get to work. The weather wasn't helping matters either, though fortunately, he remembered to bring an umbrella this time. He stared at the object's violet fabric and felt a twinge of melancholy; it had been a gift from an ex-boyfriend, Hirose's longest relationship to date, though, sadly, it hadn't worked out.
He shook the water off the object just as he shook those depressing thoughts from his mind. Now was neither the time nor the place for them.
Upon arriving at the school, he was greeted joyfully by his elementary students; it was Hirose’s first year with such a young class, and he was a bit apprehensive, as this was also his first field trip as an official teacher. Of course, he had gone on trips like this as an assistant before, but bearing ultimate responsibility was a completely different matter.
A mix of nervous and excited, Hirose guided his class to the bus. Inside, with his assistant's help, he checked every seat, ensuring all fifteen children were properly settled and buckled in. He also stowed away their backpacks and snacks out of reach to prevent any food-related mishaps on the bus.
Hirose finally took his seat as the children began singing all sorts of songs in unison.
"Hirose-sensei! Tobio is kicking my seat!"
"Hinata started it!"
"Sensei, I'm hungry!"
"Hirose-sensei!"
He sighed, amused. It was going to be a long trip.
After an hour and a half on the road, they were finally nearing the aquarium. Hirose had to admit he was excited too, as he had never been to this particular place before. He had fond memories of visiting the Chinatown aquarium with a classmate back in high school, but he hadn't visited another one since. Somehow, it hadn't seemed quite as interesting without Nakamura there to explain the details of marine life by his side.
Nakamura... Hirose had been thinking about him often since the whole aquarium idea came up. And perhaps even before that.
He still remembered that dark-eyed boy who seemed to blush during every interaction they had. Hirose found it amusing—more so than he’d care to admit. He felt... flattered by the attention.
Unfortunately, at the end of the first year, shortly after Valentine's Day, Nakamura transferred schools, and they completely lost touch; Hirose had missed the chance to ask for his phone number back then.
Taking the opportunity, Hirose checked his phone for the message from the school administration detailing the schedule.
According to the message, a guide would be waiting for them at the aquarium entrance.
As soon as the bus parked, Aiki began the long process of getting fifteen very excited six-year-olds off the vehicle. Fortunately, the rain had let up.
Outside, a friendly-looking woman wearing a name tag greeted them.
"Good morning! My name is Saeko, and I’ll be your guide today! You must be Hirose, the teacher, right?"
Hirose nodded as he greeted her.
"Yes, that's right!"
"Perfect, let's go!"
She led them to the entrance counter; a massive octopus sculpture spanned the entire ceiling of the hall. Hirose couldn't help but smile at the memories it evoked. 'I wonder what he's up to these days... ' Aiki was so captivated by the creature that he asked the guide to take a photo of the class right there.
Together, they put wristbands on all the children for admission, and finally, they were ready to start the tour.
However, the guide signaled for them to wait a moment before proceeding; while she spoke with another staff member, she motioned for Hirose to come closer.
"Hirose-sensei, I’m so sorry! But it seems we have two scheduled tours at the same time, so unfortunately, I won't be able to accompany you on your visit."
"Oh! I see. But in that case, how are we supposed to continue the tour without a guide?"
It looked like Hirose would have to make do with his own knowledge of marine biology; it was a shame, as the class would have benefited from having a specialist along.
"Don't worry about that, Sensei! We’ve already found someone to take my place."
She pointed to the side, and a very tall, dark-haired man emerged from behind the staff door. He was wearing a black overcoat over his staff uniform and a pair of square-framed glasses. He looked a bit distracted, reading something on his clipboard.
When he looked up, the man seemed just as taken aback as Hirose.
Nakamura stared back blankly, save for the flush rising in his cheeks.
Hirose gaped as the man slowly approached, and the guide continued:
"This is Professor Nakamura; he’s a marine biologist and will be happy to accompany you on your tour! Just ask him if you need anything. Have a great day!" Saeko gave Nakamura a light tap on the arm as she walked past him.
"H-hi, Hirose!" He started off a bit awkwardly; he might have grown in size, but some things never change. "I don't know if you remember me... how have you been?"
Hirose recovered from his surprise, chuckled, and smiled.
"Of course I remember you, Nakamura!"
Okuto seemed relieved as he let out the breath he’d been holding.
'Did he really think I wouldn't remember?'
Hirose opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted when one of his students tugged at the hem of his shirt.
"Sensei! Isn't the tour ever going to start? I want to see the sharks!" Nishinoya complained.
"Yeah, Sensei!"
"Let's go, please!"
"Sensei, who is that man?" one of the children, Hitoka, asked, pointing at Okuto.
Nakamura seemed to shake off the initial awkwardness of their meeting and adopted a completely different demeanor; he appeared more relaxed, settling into a professional stance.
"Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Nakamura-sensei, and I'll be taking you on a journey to the bottom of the sea. Who's ready?"
The children shouted in unison, and Hirose couldn't help but smile. Nakamura looked at him, and Aiki nodded, signaling him to begin.
During the tour, Hirose simply observed how much Nakamura had changed, or perhaps hadn't. He was taller and even more handsome; that was a fact. Yet, he seemed more... at ease. His eloquence had certainly improved.
The shyness was still there, though, in the way his shoulders hunched and he tried to make himself look smaller whenever his and Hirose's eyes met during his explanations, or when they accidentally bumped into each other while moving from one section to the next.
But he spoke with enthusiasm and ease about each of the creatures appearing behind the glass, delighting in every question directed his way; the children were amazed, and so was Hirose.
They continued the tour, and Hirose could tell they were approaching the long-awaited Shark Reef. In this section of the aquarium, the corridors narrowed and the lighting dimmed; the walls were decorated with ship wreckage to simulate a sunken vessel, and there were signs reading "Beware: Sharks," while suspenseful music completed the atmosphere.
It was right there, in front of the photos and videos of sharks playing on the corridor's screens, that chaos erupted. The children who had been so eager to see the shark exhibit were already having second thoughts. At least four of them clung to Hirose’s legs, crying in a panic.
"Hirose-Sensei! I don't want to go in!"
"Sensei, let's go home, please!"
"I don't want to become shark food..."
The children clung to him, sobbing uncontrollably; even the bravest among them hesitated when faced with the scene.
Hirose, slightly flustered as he tried to speak to everyone at once, nearly lost his balance in the narrow corridor. The students screamed when they saw their teacher about to fall.
That was when he felt a pair of arms steadying him and helping him stand upright again.
"Oh, thanks, Nakamura!" Hirose said, hiding the slight flush on his face.
Okuto simply nodded, as if to say it was nothing. The children stopped crying for a moment as Nakamura knelt down in front of them.
"Hey, everyone, I understand how you're feeling. Sharks can seem really scary, can't they?" It’s normal to be afraid of big, powerful animals, but look, I’ll be right there with you the whole time, and I know all these little guys; they won’t hurt you, I promise.
"A-are you friends with them, Sensei?" Tobio asked.
"Yes," Nakamura laughed. "We’re all friends here, and I’m going to protect you."
"Just like you protected Hirose-sensei?" Yamaguchi asked.
Nakamura’s ears turned red instantly.
"Y-yes, for sure." He glanced quickly at Hirose, who was staring back at him with amusement.
"So, let's go."
Nakamura straightened up mechanically and held out his hand to the children; two of them quickly grabbed it, and he had to crouch down a bit to hold their hands in return.
The other children crowded around Nakamura.
Aiki couldn't help but laugh.
The shark wing was just as magical as Okuto had made it seem; the aquarium tunnel passing overhead fascinated the children, and many sat or even lay down on the carpet to gaze upward, as if watching clouds in the sky.
Hirose took advantage of that rare moment of quiet to step closer to Nakamura.
"I didn't know you were so good with kids."
Nakamura jumped when he saw Hirose beside him.
"O-oh, well... Let's just say it's something I had to learn. I used to scare them with my face; one of them even cried once."
Hirose laughed; the serious way Nakamura said things like that struck him as very funny.
"I wish I'd seen that. But you seem to have improved a lot in that regard."
"I'm training to be an environmental educator; I'd be pretty screwed if I hadn't improved."
"Wow, so besides being a biologist, you give talks?"
"Yeah... But it's more like an internship than anything else; I still have a lot to learn. Actually, you guys are my first group as a guide."
"Seriously? You did so well I never would have guessed. You're really amazing, Nakamura."
Okuto felt an electric jolt run through his body at the compliment.
"It was nothing special..." he replied softly. "You're an excellent teacher too, Hirose; you can tell they adore you."
Now it was Hirose's turn to feel that jolt.
He looked away, embarrassed, and found himself facing a small octopus in a smaller tank.
"Oh! How cute! Nakamura, do you still love octopuses?"
"Yeah! I still really like them," Nakamura laughed. To him, Hirose still seemed like the same boy as always, the same one frozen in his memories, but somehow, he was right there, and it was real.
"This brings back memories," Aiki began. "It’s just like that time in..."
"Chinatown," Okuto finished.
"Yeah." Hirose looked away from the aquarium, his iris reflecting the water's blue glow, and turned to Nakamura. "It’s been so long; I never thought I’d see you again, but I’m glad I did."
Nakamura’s eyes lit up.
"Me t..."
"Hirose-sensei! I need to go to the bathroom!" One of Aiki’s students threw himself into his lap.
"Okay, okay, Tanaka, I get it." He stood up, holding the boy’s hand. "I’ll be right back. Could you keep an eye on the others for me?" he asked Nakamura.
Okuto nodded and approached the children on the mat.
After Hirose returned, the rest of the outing went smoothly; everyone had a great time, and Aiki was delighted to share the experience with Nakamura.
Then came the time to head back to the bus. The return trip was always easier than the journey there; the children were tired and drowsy, and many were already asleep in their seats by the time Hirose fastened their seatbelts.
Aiki stepped off the bus, where Nakamura was waiting to confirm that all the children had boarded safely.
"Thanks for everything, Nakamura! It was a really fun outing," he added in a lower voice, "especially because you were our guide."
Nakamura didn't quite know how to handle the compliment, so he just nodded nervously.
They looked at each other in silence; neither seemed to want the moment to end.
"Oh, well," Hirose finally said, "the bus is just waiting for me, so I..."
"R-right! Yeah, go ahead! It was g-good seeing you, Hirose."
Aiki gave a final wave and turned to walk back toward the vehicle. With one foot already on the bus steps, he felt a strange sensation, somehow, the farewell didn't feel right.
He gathered his courage and turned around.
Aiki nearly stumbled again when he found himself face-to-face with Nakamura, who was standing right behind him.
Okuto let out a startled squeak.
"AH! HIROSE! C-COULD I GET YOUR NUMBER??" He blurted the words out so quickly that it took Hirose a moment to process the request.
Faced with the silence, Nakamura continued:
"I thought that, since you're a teacher, maybe you could give me some tips regarding my t-training." Hirose looked at him and replied after a moment:
"Sure. Actually, it would really help me too if we could talk a bit more about marine biology, since we're studying it at school."
They agreed and quickly exchanged numbers; torn by conflicting emotions, Aiki finally sat back down on his bench while watching Nakamura walk away outside.
After so much time, the butterflies Aiki had thought were dead in his throat came back to life inside him once more.