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"Hi Zeal~. Do you have time on the evening of the 27th?"
You sent the message. Knowing how incredibly busy he and his friends had been lately, you were prepared for the possibility that you might not be able to see him on the actual day.
After looking away and attending to other things for a while, you noticed a notification on your phone.
"Hi! Of course. My schedule is clear from late afternoon onward that day."
Taken aback by his unexpected reply, you quickly typed back before you forgot.
"Really? I'm so happy! There's somewhere I want to go together. I thought it'd be impossible."
"I've been so busy lately, I really wanted to see you."
"Me too! I missed you so much~. Um, then can we meet up around 5 PM at __ Station on the day?"
"Okie~"
After exchanging a few more casual updates and everyday chatter, you looked forward to the day you would meet him in person. While you had the chance, you purchased two digital tickets for a certain place.
A few days later. Five minutes before midnight, just before Zeal's birthday. Although you needed to go to sleep soon, you wanted to send your wishes right away. Rubbing your sleepy eyes, you checked the time. Four minutes left, three minutes left. With every passing moment, your heart fluttered with nervous excitement.
He might be asleep already. If so, you hoped you wouldn't wake him.
...Finally, thirty seconds left. You pre-typed the message you had carefully thought out.
"Happy Birthday! Thank you for spending this past year with me. I'll keep supporting you in everything you do. And look forward to our date!"
With the message ready, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0. You hit send right at 0:00 AM on July 27th.
"Phew..."
You let out a sigh of relief, glad you managed to send it right on the dot. It didn't really matter what time you wished him, but you just felt like doing it immediately.
Just as you were about to close the chat after finishing your task, the "typing..." indicator appeared.
"I'm awake! Thank you so much for the wonderful birthday wishes. I'd be happy if you continue enjoying time with me next year too."
"Yippie! I can't wait to see you soon."
Reading Zeal's reply, a smile naturally spread across your face. Even though you knew you would see him soon, knowing he felt the exact same way made your heart skip a beat.
"Yeah. Get plenty of rest! Good night."
"Good night."
Your drowsiness had faded from the excitement, but you lay down and closed your eyes.
Light peeked through the gap in the curtains, waking you up. You went about your usual routine, yet everything felt slightly different. After all, today was his birthday, and you knew you would see him in just a few hours. As you spent the busy hours eagerly waiting, the agreed time approached in the blink of an eye.
Arriving at the meeting station a little early, you decided to kill time at a nearby convenience store until he arrived.
Even though the sun was beginning to set, the heat was intense. You browsed the store, buying two bottles of lemon drink and a bag of salted candies.
Then, thinking to yourself how extraordinary ice cream would taste today, you gazed out the window. It was probably time to head toward the station.
Looking around to see if he had arrived yet, you caught sight of a familiar back.
"Ah, sorry! Did I keep you waiting?"
As you ran up to him and called out, Zeal turned around, seemingly just noticing your presence.
"Oh. No, I just got here myself."
He said, his eyes widening slightly. He wore a dark green top with a deep V-neck, paired with a bucket hat in the same shade. Underneath was a dark gray inner shirt, complemented by black pants. Out of his dark, cohesive attire, his kaleidoscope-like eyes peeked out.
"Really? It was so hot, wasn't it! Thanks for your hard work getting here."
Saying so, you handed him a drink. He accepted it, and you both naturally began to walk side by side.
"Yeah, it really is pretty hot. But seeing your face gave me energy."
"Haha, I'm glad to hear that. Just seeing you makes me so happy too. But there's somewhere I want to take you now."
"Come to think of it, I haven't heard the details yet. What kind of place is it?"
"Look forward to finding out when we get there! Let me take you on a train first."
"Hmm? Got it."
Though he looked puzzled, he accepted your words and walked beside you. Before you knew it, his hand gently wrapped around yours, entwining his fingers with yours.
After riding the train for a while, you reached your destination station and lightly pulled his hand. Having been looking out the window, checking the signs and advertisements, and looking at your face, he snapped back to reality and stepped off the train with you.
"Are we here?"
"No, we'll walk a little and transfer. We could actually get there just by train, but I wanted to take a detour on the way there."
"Is there a reason?"
"Because I thought it'd be more fun! You'll see in just a little bit."
You pulled his hand again as you walked. He pursed his lips slightly in thought, but then suddenly sniffed the air. You felt it too, so you knew right away. The scent of the sea.
"...Is the ocean close to here?"
"Yep! We're going to travel by boat, though it's only for ten-odd minutes."
"A boat. Wow. That's awesome."
"I thought it'd feel a little special and fun."
"That's true, it really is."
Arriving at the pier, you waited briefly before boarding the boat.
"We can stay inside, but what do you want to do?"
"Since we're here, why don't we stay on the deck?"
And so, instead of sitting inside the cabin, the two of you chose to sit in the covered deck area.
The heat still clung to your skin, but as the boat began to move, a strong sea breeze roared past.
"The wind is pretty strong."
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine! It's easier to see the scenery from here anyway."
As you said that and opened your drink to take a sip, he let out a soft chuckle and drank his as well.
"Ohh. The warm 'Hot Lemon' was delicious, but this is great too."
"Yeah! It's perfect for summer. Ah, look at me for a sec?"
When you called out, he turned his face toward you.
"Open wide?"
You said, unwrapping a candy.
"What is it?"
"Ahhh. Say 'ah'?"
Opening his mouth as told, you pushed the candy out of the wrapper and into his mouth. With a soft click against his teeth, it settled safely inside.
"Since we sweat a lot in the summer, it's a salt candy."
"So that's why it's sweet yet salty?"
Understanding the reason, he hummed softly while rolling the candy around in his mouth. You put one in your own mouth as well.
"We're going over there, where you can see in the distance."
You pointed across the sea toward the land visible slightly far ahead.
"I thought a short boat trip would be nice, hehe."
"Yeah. I haven't been on a boat much lately."
"Right? Because you've been so busy. ...Wow, the light reflecting on the water is so sparkly."
"Mabushii~!"
"Exactly! Mabushii!"
Giggling softly together, the two of you admired the flowing ocean scenery.
After about 15 or 20 minutes, the boat arrived at the dock. You both stood up and disembarked.
"We're here~! From here, it's just a short walk!"
Watching you stretch grandly, Zeal tilted his head slightly.
"Can I ask where we're heading now?"
"Hmm, let's see. Let's talk while we walk."
Taking his hand, you walked toward your destination. There seemed to be many people heading in the same direction, likely for the same purpose.
"Well, we're heading to an aquarium. You'll see it after a short walk."
"An aquarium?"
"Yeah. They hold a Night Aquarium during the summer. Day time is great, of course, but night is easier to walk around in, and the atmosphere is different. I wanted to come here with you."
His eyes, which had widened in curiosity, softened with delight.
"How exciting. Thank you again for inviting me here today."
You tried to reply. But looking into his eyes, the words got stuck in your throat. Shyly smiling, you nodded and squeezed his hand firmly.
Until you reached the aquarium, the two of you remained silent. Yet it wasn't an awkward silence, but rather one born from knowing your feelings were conveyed without needing words.
"...Ah, here it is. I've already bought the tickets. Shall we go in?"
Reaching the gate of the aquarium, you pulled out your phone and presented the e-tickets for the two of you to the staff.
"You prepared them in advance?"
"Yep! I wanted to go right in."
"That helps so much. Thank you."
"Hehe, it's your birthday, after all, Zeal! Feels special, right? An aquarium on your birthday night."
Proudly puffing out your chest with a little smirk, you spread out the pamphlet received from the staff.
He leaned his face closer to peek in with you.
A scent gently reached your nose—a fresh, summer-like fragrance reminiscent of mint, cucumber, and water. You couldn't help but let out an admiring sigh.
"The entrance is here. The route goes..."
Hearing his voice right by your ear, you shook your head to pull yourself together.
"The gate is like a tunnel, and after that, it goes from river and forest to the ocean, it seems."
He hummed thoughtfully, and the two of you stepped through the gate. The lighting dimmed significantly, making you feel even closer to the person beside you.
Opening up from the dark space was a tunnel-shaped tank spanning as far as the eye could see. You heard him gasp, and a quiet sound escaped your own lips as well. It felt as though you had wandered right into the middle of the ocean.
Bright tropical fish in yellow, orange, and light blue appeared and disappeared in the deep blue. Every time a school of fish crossed overhead, the water's surface rippled, casting blue shadows across your skin and clothes.
Feeling a light tap on your shoulder, you looked over at him.
"Look, over there."
Above where he pointed, vibrant fish passed by, making you feel as though you had truly been invited to the bottom of the sea. Standing side by side, you both looked up with mouths agape.
Glancing back at him, the blue light from the tank illuminated the fair skin visible from his deeply open collar, creating an ethereal beauty. His eyes sparkled like geodes, appearing far more vivid to you than any of the tropical fish.
Moving on to the next area with a hint of reluctance, you found a space lit by warm-toned lights, quite different from before. Arranged with plants, it easily conveyed the image of a forest and river.
"Looks like river fish."
Nodding at his words, you looked around. Listening to the babbling of the stream and the chirping of birds, you approached a tank. Behind the aquatic plants was a school of tiny fish no bigger than a finger, making you peer in while lowering your voice.
"Whoa, so tiny. So cute."
Turning back to Zeal, you found him busy observing you being excited rather than looking at the fish.
"Hey??"
"Ah, I am looking! It's just cute watching you say 'cute'."
Telling him to focus with his eyes, you lightly tapped his arm, and he chuckled softly.
"Look, over there it says Arowana and Arapaima."
Turning around at his words, you saw a giant fish on display. The Arowana was understandable, but the Arapaima was so huge that you had to do a double-take.
"Huh?"
"Whoa, that's insanely huge."
"If I'm not mistaken, it might be bigger than you?"
"Maybe?"
Standing a little distance away, you measured his height with your fingers while looking at the tank, comparing him to the Arapaima. It really didn't look much different!
"To think something like this lives in freshwater..."
Muttering that, you moved to the next exhibit.
Ahead were amphibians and reptiles. Green frogs that blended right into the forest greenery. As you stared intently, you happened to look at Zeal's face and noticed his still, staring posture resembled the relaxed look of the frogs. As you held back a laugh, he noticed your reaction and gave his signature 'frog blink'—blinking his eyes asynchronously. You almost burst out laughing and covered your mouth with your hand.
Next to it was a snake exhibit.
"Ah! A snake, a snake!"
Pointing quietly, you called out, and he approached to stare intently at the snake as well.
"Its eyes are so round and cute~"
"Looks like a gentle one. Seeing those round eyes reminds me of you," he murmured in a soft voice.
"Really?"
"Yeah. ...Of course, you're the cutest."
"I'm not pouting! I know snakes are cute too."
"Haha. Snakes are definitely cute, but kohebi-chan is only you."
His finger gently poked your cheek.
Next was the ocean area. Individual exhibits lined this space, and ahead of you, a row of cutlassfish swam upright.
"What are those?"
"Those are cutlassfish. They look like a cutlass, right?"
Shifting your gaze, you saw garden eels lined up in a cylindrical tank.
As you leaned close to the tank, Zeal peered in with interest behind you.
"Wow. They're all popping their heads out together."
"Apparently, they're eating plankton. Look, look."
The two of you observed them swaying in the water with their mouths opening wide. Some lowered their bodies to intimidate one another, while timid ones fled into their holes.
After a while, you moved to the next area—the jellyfish exhibit.
Some gracefully swayed their tentacles like lace, while tiny round ones with transparent bodies busily pulsed through the water, and others were oval-shaped like gourds. Various species were displayed.
"There are so many jellyfish, both in number and species."
"Hmm. A lot of people love them."
In the quiet, dark, and cool exhibition room, the jellyfish floating gently through the water felt somewhat surreal.
Seeing a large, white ghost jellyfish spreading its body across the entire tank, Zeal's eyes widened, his mouth slightly open in amazement.
"Unbelievable. Jellyfish can get this big?"
"Mmm. Its tentacles look like a string curtain."
The main attraction was a large circular tank filled with moon jellyfish. The light shining from above the tank slowly and softly shifted colors—blue, green, yellow, red, and then white. Swimming and drifting through the water illuminated by the light, the jellyfish looked almost like falling snow.
The two of you stood side by side, simply watching them in silence.
When you leaned softly against Zeal, he smiled soundlessly and pressed a kiss to your hair.
After thoroughly enjoying the jellyfish area, you walked through the section featuring penguins and seals. Animals that swam leisurely through the water during the day had come ashore as night fell, lying flat on their bellies on the floor to sleep.
"Ah, they're all about to sleep. Their eyes are closed."
Though the animals couldn't hear you, you both naturally lowered your voices as you watched over them. Gazing at their almost motionless figures brought a peaceful calm, making it feel like you could stay there forever.
Just as you were about to move on, the space opened up dramatically. What met your eyes was a massive panoramic tank. No matter where you looked, it was large enough to fill your entire field of vision. Naturally, this area had the most people—some pressed right against the glass, some leaning on the wall watching from afar, and others busy recording videos.
"Is it a bit clearer over there?"
"Yeah. Let's go over there."
Calling out to each other like that, you moved toward a relatively less crowded spot to gaze at the tank.
As you pointed with sparkling eyes at a manta ray gliding overhead like it was flying,
"Ah."
A short sound escaped Zeal's mouth. Wondering what it was, you followed his gaze to see a whale shark swimming leisurely toward you. Its sheer size and presence left both of you completely speechless. The word "overwhelmed" was truly fitting.
Mesmerized by its presence to the point of forgetting to blink, the two of you suddenly snapped back to reality, looked at each other, and let out a quiet giggle.
"Did we look too serious watching that? Haha."
"No way, but that size really takes you by surprise."
"Hmm. Seeing it in person is totally different from photos or videos."
Nodding in agreement with his words, you spoke up.
"By the way, that's pretty much the end of the route. There's a restaurant after this. Want to check it out?"
"Sounds good. I'm curious what kind of menu they have."
Relieved by his interest, you gently took his hand and walked ahead.
"The restaurant is down these stairs," you explained, letting go of his hand just at the staircase. Holding onto the handrail as you descended, you found a restaurant inside with several small tanks placed throughout. Further ahead, a large window reflected the underwater world.
"There's a huge tank," he noted, tilting his head slightly.
"Ah, that's..."
Just as you were about to speak, a large shadow crossed the window before you. A dolphin and a finless porpoise. They hadn't gone to sleep yet, casually swimming rounds inside the pool.
"Whoa! Wait, you can see them from the restaurant?"
"They came right on cue! Yep, you can watch the dolphins while eating."
While he observed the tank with deep curiosity, a waiter guided you to your seat.
As you walked, you whispered to the waiter, "I'm the one who made a reservation earlier."
Shortly after, the waiter returned with two glasses of water and spoke.
"As discussed previously, we will be serving the sautéed chicken with colorful vegetables set, prepared with wheat-free herbs and lemon salt. Please wait a moment."
As the waiter stepped away, Zeal looked at you with a thoroughly surprised expression.
"Eh? You called ahead to ask?"
"Yeah. I wanted you to enjoy it to the fullest, and today is your birthday!"
"I never imagined anything like this here. Thank you so much."
His eyes narrowed in happiness as he rested one elbow on the table and reached out. Gently touching a strand of your hair, he tucked it behind your ear.
Feeling your face flush, you turned away involuntarily, but Zeal's fingers scooped up your chin.
"Don't look away."
"Eh? Ah, um. The dolphins! Right, let's watch the dolphins?"
Giggling softly, he released your chin as if reluctantly.
"Look, it came again!"
"Whoa, it really did. It's so close."
He blinked. Illuminated by the blue light from the tank, his eyelashes fluttered like black feathers across his skin, capturing your gaze like a painting.
Moving before you could think, your hands reached out to wrap around one of his hands like a precious treasure. Surprised by your reverent gesture, he blinked, then overlapped his other hand on top of yours and smiled.
Before long, the plates were brought out. The chicken with a nice golden-brown sear, refreshing lemon, and fragrant herbs tickled your appetite. The side dishes included grilled summer vegetables and baked potatoes, accompanied by rice.
"This looks so delicious, wow."
"Ugh, just the smell is making me so hungry!"
Taking his cutlery and taking a bite, Zeal's face immediately softened into a smile.
"This is insanely good. Wow, the flavor is amazing."
"That much?"
Saying so, you took a bite of the chicken as well. Inside the crispy skin, the chicken was packed with savory flavor, the crisp taste of salt and lemon perfectly matching the aroma of the herbs.
"It really is! It's even better than I expected. I'm so glad I ordered the same thing."
"Right! ...Hehe, I'm happy I get to eat the same thing as you. Thank you for thinking so much about this."
Shaking your head 'no problem', you felt relieved seeing his happy smile. Spending the same time together, eating the same food—this ordinary moment warmed your heart. Knowing how busy he had been all this time made you treasure the tranquility of this exact moment all the more.
Stepping out of the aquarium after finishing dinner, the sun had completely set. A summer night breeze passed between the two of you.
While waiting for the train, you reminisced happily about your memories at the aquarium.
Boarding the train as it slid onto the platform, you sat in side-by-side seats.
"...So, um. If you'd like, why don't you come over to my place after this?"
You glanced at his expression. Of course, you had everything prepared, but if he was tired, you didn't want to force him.
"Of course. Don't look so worried, I won't decline."
His gentle gaze caught your eyes, and the worries in your heart melted away in an instant.
The two of you safely made it back to your place, unlocking the door and slipping inside.
"Welcome in~! I'll go turn on the AC real quick."
As you hurried to wash your hands and headed to the living room to turn on the air conditioner, you heard the sound of running water behind you as he washed his hands.
"Feel free to take a seat~"
"Yeah. Thanks."
While you headed to the kitchen to pour coffee and retrieve the tart from the fridge, a faint creak of the floorboards sounded.
"The aquarium was super fun, but your home really is the most relaxing place."
"Really? I'm honored~ I'm so happy."
Saying so, you first brought over two cups of coffee.
"Here you go. I made it decaf since it's night, but enjoy."
"Thank you. ...Ahhh, this is so relaxing."
Watching him take a sip of coffee, you then brought over the tart.
"And this is the celebration tart. It's gluten-free!"
"Eh? You even prepared this much?"
His eyes widened as he looked at the tart. It was a shine muscat tart, adorned with glossy, round green grapes that were vibrant to the eye.
Placing small candles shaped like 4, 1, and 6 on top, you lit them and turned off the lights.
"Haaaaaappy birthday to you~"
As you began singing Happy Birthday holding out a long tone the way he often did, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
With a soft breath in, pffft! he blew out the candle flames in a single breath.
"Yay~! As expected. Happy Birthday!"
"Haha, glad I managed to blow them out properly. Thank you."
After clapping your hands, you cut into the tart with a knife and placed a slice on a plate.
"Here you go. Eat, eat!"
Holding his fork and putting a piece of tart into his mouth, his expression turned ecstatic. It seemed to be to his liking, and with a sigh of relief, you ate a bite of the tart as well.
"Wow. The tart crust is so nice and crispy, and the muscat grapes are delicious."
"Whoa, really! It's so good, wow."
Silence fell upon the two of you due to how delicious it was, as you devoured the tart in pure enjoyment. Before you knew it, you had polished off a slice.
After relaxing and chatting casually for a while, the clock suddenly caught your eye. Night was deepening, and it was almost time for the last train.
Of course, deep down, you wanted to spend more time with him. Even so, knowing how hard he had been working and how busy he had been lately, you hesitated.
"As much as I hate to say it, it's almost time..."
Just as you began to speak, he cut you off by placing his cup on the table and overlapping his palm over your hand.
"Um, is it okay?"
You stopped talking, tilting your head to encourage him to continue.
Uncharacteristically, he averted his eyes for a split second, took a quiet breath, and brought his gaze back to you. There was a unmistakable seriousness in his eyes.
"I don't want to go home yet."
Eh? As you froze in confusion, he leaned across the table, taking your overlapped hand and entwining his fingers with yours.
"Instead of leaving like this, I want to be closer to you. ...Can I stay over?"
His words, as if reading your mind, soaked smoothly into your heart. It felt as though he had scooped up the true feelings you couldn't bring yourself to speak aloud.
"...Of course, that goes without saying. You can stay here whenever you want. I want to be with you much, much longer."
Without room to pick your words carefully, the emotions simply spilled from your lips. Hearing that, his eyes narrowed softly as he stood up, moving from the opposite side to sit right beside you. Embracing you tightly, he whispered near your ear.
"Thank you. I'm really, really happy. ...Hey, my birthday is ending in a little bit, but will you spend a special, ordinary night with me?"
As you nodded quietly, your chin was scooped up by his fingertips once more. This time, you didn't resist, closing your eyes to accept the soft warmth.