"Goodbye," you waved your hand: Chapter 1 - part 3

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At first, Seiichi had planned to avoid getting involved with him entirely. But once he realized that Keisuke wasn’t the kind of guy to make things complicated, he started visiting his apartment more frequently on his own. The body of the man he hadn't touched in a while felt new and refreshing, and most of all, it was convenient. There were no romantic feelings involved, but they slept together. The term "friends with benefits" seemed to fit their current situation perfectly.

Keisuke had started working at a small business hotel near his apartment. When Seiichi drove past the hotel and saw the cheap-looking entrance, he couldn't help but wonder what Keisuke was hoping to learn at a place that seemed so beneath him.

One day, Keisuke brought home his hotel uniform, saying he needed to take it to the cleaners. It was a green jacket paired with matching slacks and a tie of the same color. Seiichi might have tolerated it if the shade had been more subdued, but the outfit was so garishly bright that it reminded him of a chameleon—it was impossible to call it tasteful.

"Hey, that uniform is weird, isn’t it?" Seiichi said suddenly, as Keisuke straddled his waist, gently rocking his hips.

Keisuke paused and looked at him. "Weird? What do you mean?"

"The uniform you wear at the hotel," Seiichi replied, his fingers trailing slowly up Keisuke's abdomen as he held onto his waist.

"I don't know, I think it looks nice—kind of like leaves. It's a pretty color," Keisuke said, tilting his head.

"That's not pretty. It's tacky," Seiichi insisted, thinking that Keisuke’s sense of color was definitely off. He lightly pinched Keisuke's reddened nipples, and the connection between them tightened, sending a direct jolt of sensation through their joined bodies.

"Seiichi, don't," Keisuke murmured in a trembling voice, a hint of protest.

"If you do that, I won't be able to keep my strength in my hips."

"Don't lie. You tightened up on purpose," Seiichi said with a smirk.

"But seriously, stop," Keisuke said, though he made no real effort to push Seiichi’s hands away as he pinched both nipples again. Despite the protest, Keisuke's body didn't resist. Encouraged by Keisuke's soft gasps, Seiichi slowly sat up, adjusting the angle between them, which made their connection feel shallower. He pulled Keisuke’s slim hips closer.

"Aah..." A short gasp escaped Keisuke’s lips as his pale body arched slightly. Seiichi brought his lips to the small red fruit in front of him, grazing it with his teeth, then licking it tenderly.

"It was a bit tight at first, but lately you’ve been getting more relaxed," Seiichi said, pressing gently with his fingertip around the spot where they were joined, feeling how Keisuke’s body accepted him.

"I guess I remembered… how to relax," Keisuke answered earnestly.

" Or maybe you’ve just gotten more... open," Seiichi said.

After a moment of silence, Keisuke asked, "Can it actually get more open down there?"

"Yeah, it opens up. To some extent," Seiichi replied.

Keisuke’s face was serious as he asked, "To what extent?"

"To a decent extent," Seiichi said.

"What do you mean by 'decent'?"

"Do you want me to measure it for you?"

"How would you even measure that?"

"Well, it’s about the same size as me when I’m fully hard..."

"...Never mind," Keisuke said quickly.

"What's wrong? I’m offering to measure it," Seiichi teased.

Their banter ended with laughter. They laughed together, tangled in each other’s arms, until they eventually fell asleep that way. Sex with Keisuke was enjoyable and amusing. Seiichi had grown bored of clubbing, and the woman he was interested in had been giving him the cold shoulder. So, finding a cozy room with good food and casual sex made it easy to give up his nights out.

Initially, Seiichi thought Keisuke was just someone who didn’t care about anything too deeply, but now he saw things a little differently. It was clear now that Keisuke liked him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t cook for a guy who showed up at his place day after day, and he certainly wouldn’t have given Seiichi a spare key. Still, Keisuke never said things like "I like you" or "I love you," just as he avoided digging up the past. Seiichi couldn’t quite figure out what the silence meant, but honestly, he was relieved not to have to deal with sentimental words.

He did like Keisuke, but if he had to rank him, Keisuke would be near the bottom. Seiichi could never fully tolerate someone with bad taste, and he had no patience for someone who didn’t understand the art of playing the game of love. Seen from that angle, a partner who was always ready for sex was almost too convenient, to the point of being a bit dull. If he ever found someone cute, charming, and truly captivating, he knew without a doubt he’d move on in a heartbeat. To Seiichi, Keisuke was nothing more than a temporary diversion, a convenient outlet for his desires, until the next real relationship came along.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

When Seiichi showed up at the club "Piffle," every acquaintance he passed greeted him, all saying the same thing: "It's been a while." He tilted his head slightly, wondering if it had really been that long since his last visit, and took his usual seat at the corner of the counter. He sensed someone approaching beside him—a woman, he hoped—but when he turned around, his face fell. It was just Keiko, a stylist he knew. She was talkative and stylish, but she didn’t quite have the kind of feminine allure that appealed to him on a deeper level.

"You look like you’ve been through a rainstorm," Keiko said, lightly brushing Seiichi's shoulder with her fingertips.

"Was it raining that much outside?"

"Yeah, it was pretty heavy."

"Guess I’ll stick around here a bit longer, then. June weather is always so dreary with all this rain," she said, wearing a light blue summer sweater that seemed to echo the rainy season. The faintly sweet scent from her slender body hit Seiichi’s senses, stirring something that had been dormant for a while.

"I heard a rumor that you got married," Keiko said.

"No way," Seiichi scoffed.

"Then why haven’t you been coming here? You’ve barely shown your face for almost a month. Found a cute girl and got all lovey-dovey, didn’t you?"

A cute girl would’ve been nice. There was no way he could admit that he’d been spending every day like a rutting animal with a guy whose taste was atrocious. He hadn't planned on coming here tonight either, but when Keisuke didn’t return to the apartment by ten, Seiichi got bored and decided to head out.

"What about you? You hadn’t shown up here much either," he said, turning the question back on Keiko.

Keiko intertwined her fingers with a practiced elegance, her well-manicured nails like a cat’s claws. "I had a pretty good guy, was spoiling him rotten, but then he ran off."

"Didn’t you dump him? That’s what you always do."

"Ah, you caught me," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Young guys just don’t cut it. Even if they’ve got a handsome face, they’re quick, lousy, and lack any sense of manners."

"You’re expecting too much," Seiichi said with a grin.

"Well, when they try to go without a condom, you can't trust them, no matter how much they say they’ll pull out at the last second. And that’s not even the only reason I dumped him," she said with a dismissive wave.

Seiichi let the murky music and tasteless conversation wash over him, feeling an odd sense of comfort—like swimming through water—being back in this familiar, dimly lit atmosphere.

He noticed Mari sitting in a seat toward the back, wearing a simple gray dress. She was one of those women who could make plain clothes look elegant. He thought he caught her looking in his direction, but as soon as their eyes met, she quickly turned her head away.

"That girl’s here again," Keiko muttered irritably, following Seiichi’s gaze.

"No matter when I see her, she’s always cute," Seiichi said, unable to help himself.

Keiko shook her head and shrugged. "Cute, maybe, but her personality is the worst. My guy used to date her, you know. They say she’s a real piece of work. Juggling two or three guys at once is normal for her, and she’s all about spending money. Her receptionist salary doesn't go far, so she needs a man to buy her the things she wants."

"Huh..." Seiichi said, absorbing the information.

"She’s bound to get what’s coming to her someday," Keiko continued, her tone almost gleeful.

"I wouldn’t mind getting hurt by Mari," Seiichi replied with a wry smile.

Keiko sighed heavily. "Don’t worry, Mari wouldn’t go for a guy like you anyway."

The certainty in her voice grated on him. "How can you be so sure?"

"Come on, let’s face it—you don’t make much, do you?" she said bluntly.

It felt like a punch to the gut.

"If someone like you, with your looks, still doesn’t catch Mari’s eye, that’s why. The kind of guy she dates makes at least 500,000 yen (roughly 3,269 USD) a month or comes from a wealthy family."

The realization that his lack of money was what kept Mari from noticing him hit Seiichi hard. He was dumbfounded.

"She’s not worth it, you know. So tell me, why have you been MIA lately? Was it really because of a girl?" Keiko pressed.

But Seiichi’s mind was still stuck on the words "500,000 yen a month," swirling around as he tried to make sense of why Mari wasn’t interested in him.

"Keeping quiet like that is suspicious. Maybe you’ve got a serious girlfriend," Keiko said, leaning into his shoulder. It was only then that Seiichi snapped back to reality.

"If I had a serious girlfriend, do you think I’d be out here in the rain at a place like this? My cousin came to Tokyo, so I’ve been helping them out," he said.

"Your cousin? How old are they?"

"Same age as me."

Keiko muttered a casual "Huh," then looked up at him with a curious gaze. "You didn’t make a move on that cousin of yours, did you?"

She hit the mark, but Seiichi laughed it off to cover his tracks. "I wish it was a woman, though."

The moment he said that, Keiko’s expression shifted. "It’s a guy, huh? Is he single?"

"Yeah," Seiichi replied.

Keiko grabbed his arm tightly. "I want to meet him! Bring him here! If he’s your cousin, I’m sure he’s good-looking."

Seiichi pictured Keisuke in his mind—his ordinary clothes, his lack of style that even made Mari laugh. He couldn't muster the courage to bring Keisuke here and risk the judgment.

"Well, he’s got an okay face, but his fashion sense is... let’s just say it’s more country style. Not really your type," Seiichi said, trying to subtly convey his reluctance.

But Keiko’s curiosity wasn’t so easily put off. "That sounds interesting in its own way. Oh, I’ve got a meeting on Monday after work, but when it’s done, I’m coming here. Bring him along."

"Well, I don’t know..." Seiichi hesitated.

Keiko shot him a light glare. "After getting my hopes up, you’re not going to bail on me, are you?"

Caught in her gaze, Seiichi fell silent. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was already dreading the idea of bringing someone like Keisuke here, introducing him as his cousin, only to see the look of disappointment on everyone’s faces and his own reputation taking a hit.

"Actually, I’m not sure—" Seiichi started, but Keiko cut him off and called out to the bartender she knew well.

"Hey, listen to this! Seiichi’s bringing his cousin here on Monday!" she announced.

The bartender, instead of staying out of it, approached them with an intrigued smile. "Seiichi’s cousin, huh? That sounds like it’ll be fun. Is she a looker?"

"It’s a guy, a guy," Seiichi said, trying to sound as disinterested as possible to kill the enthusiasm.

"But Seiichi says he’s a real looker, a natural beauty!" Keiko chimed in. "If he’s holding out on us this much, he’s got to be something special. Tell the girls that a good-looking guy might show up on Monday."

"Hey, stop joking—" Seiichi tried to interject, but Keiko gripped his arm even tighter and flashed a devilish smile. She was setting it up so that if he didn’t bring Keisuke, there would be complaints and he’d have no way to back out. The rumors would spread through the bartender and Keiko to their close circle in no time.

"We’ll be waiting on Monday," Keiko said, giving Seiichi a wink that felt loaded with meaning. Now trapped in a situation where he had no choice but to bring Keisuke to the club, Seiichi was overwhelmed with regret for even coming to this place tonight in the first place.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

On Saturday night, even though it wasn’t after work, Seiichi went to visit Keisuke. It was raining that day, and by the time he got from the station to the apartment, he was already soaked. The moment he arrived at Keisuke's place, he stripped off his wet clothes. Keisuke, who had been getting ready to make coffee, looked surprised, but when Seiichi gestured for him to come closer, he obeyed without hesitation.

"Take it off," Seiichi said, and with that simple command, Keisuke’s shirt slipped to the floor at his feet. Seiichi pulled Keisuke, now as naked as he was, into a tight embrace, feeling the warmth of his back shiver in response.

"Your hands are cold," Keisuke said, his voice a little shaky.

Walking through the rain must have chilled him to the bone. Seiichi ran his icy fingers teasingly over Keisuke’s pale skin, deliberately dragging out the sensation.

"You weren’t here on Friday," Seiichi whispered into Keisuke’s ear, his tone laced with a hint of resentment.

"You came over? Sorry," Keisuke replied. "One of my coworkers was leaving, so we had a farewell party. I should have told you in advance."

"You ditched me for a party?" Seiichi said, half-pouting.

Keisuke gave a small smile and gently held Seiichi’s head in his arms. Seiichi knew that Keisuke liked him, so if he made Keisuke feel good before making demands, he figured it would be easier to get what he wanted. If he pretended to be lonely and acted a bit needy, Keisuke wouldn’t mind. So he played along, being extra clingy and affectionate in bed. By the time they were done, and he glanced at the clock, it was exactly midnight.

"You said you’re off tomorrow, right?" Seiichi asked.

Keisuke, lying beside him with his eyes half-closed, slowly opened his drowsy eyelids. "Yeah..."

"Let’s go shopping," Seiichi suggested.

"Okay," Keisuke mumbled, his face still pressed against the sheets, halfway to sleep. But Seiichi had no intention of letting him drift off yet, not until he got to the point. He ran his fingers through Keisuke’s surprisingly soft black hair, tousling it roughly. Keisuke blinked again, his eyes heavy with sleep.

"How about changing your hairstyle?" Seiichi said.

"My hairstyle?" Keisuke repeated, tilting his head.

"I’ve been thinking about it for a while. You work at a hotel front desk, so you’re in a job where people see you. You could put a little more effort into your appearance, don’t you think?"

That was just the pretext; his real goal was to transform his unfashionable "cousin" before Monday, to make him presentable for the meeting at the club.

"Really?" Keisuke rubbed his eyes like a cat, still sleepy.

"A different hairstyle can totally change the impression you give off. I’ve got a friend who’s a really good hairstylist—let him handle it," Seiichi suggested.

Keisuke’s eyes, slightly wet and shining, fixed on Seiichi with an intense gaze. "Do you think I could look as cool as you, Seiichi, if I go there?"

The words were so cute that Seiichi couldn’t help but pull him into a tight embrace, planting a light kiss on his lips.

"You’ve got a good base to work with," Seiichi said, "and if we fix up your hair and your clothes, you’ll definitely transform. I’ll make you into the kind of guy that girls will hit on."

Keisuke smiled brightly, genuinely happy. He seemed excited about the idea of changing, but maybe more than that, he was just thrilled that Seiichi was paying attention to him. If Seiichi could improve Keisuke’s appearance, at least he’d be able to save face on Monday. He convinced himself that this makeover plan was mutually beneficial, finding a way to justify it to himself.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

On Monday, in front of the entrance to the club "Piffle," Keisuke hesitated, his steps faltering.

"Let’s go in," Seiichi said, but Keisuke clutched his arm more tightly than expected.

"I don't look strange, do I?" Keisuke asked, uncertainty written all over his face.

"What are you talking about? I coordinated your whole look, there’s no way it could be weird. Even the shop staff said it looked great on you," Seiichi reassured him.

Still, Keisuke kept his eyes downcast, mumbling softly, "I’m not used to wearing things like this..."

"Come on, if you keep saying stuff like that, you’ll let the clothes wear you. Hold your head up high," Seiichi said, giving Keisuke a pat on the back. It seemed to give him the push he needed, and he finally took a step forward.

Beyond the door was the familiar atmosphere of the club—the dim lighting, the haze of smoke, the smell of alcohol, and the languid music.

"There they are," called out Keiko, standing up from a corner table dressed in a black pantsuit. She hurried over to them.

"You were so late, I thought you’d chickened out," she said, giving Seiichi’s chest a light tap with her right hand.

"I said I’d be here, didn’t I?"

"But you seemed pretty reluctant," she said, though her gaze kept flicking to the person standing behind Seiichi. Sensing her anticipation, Seiichi stepped aside, revealing Keisuke beside him.

"This is my cousin I told you about," he introduced.

Keisuke, who had been looking down, finally lifted his head and gave Keiko a friendly smile. "Hi, I’m Keisuke Himi," he said warmly.

Keiko’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes widening in surprise. She stood there, staring blankly, even forgetting to shake the hand Keisuke offered. Confused by her lack of response, Keisuke leaned over to Seiichi and whispered, "Did I do something wrong?"

Keiko finally snapped out of her daze and muttered, "You’re so... beautiful," as if realizing she'd been caught staring. A blush quickly spread across her cheeks.

"Sorry, I got a little distracted," she said, looking flustered.

"No problem," Keisuke replied with a gentle smile, which only made Keiko blush even deeper. Seiichi couldn’t believe she was acting so shy—it was almost like a joke, but her reaction seemed genuine.

"If you don’t mind, would you join us at our table?" Keiko asked, her voice still tinged with embarrassment but her invitation clear.

Keisuke glanced at Seiichi for confirmation, and Seiichi whispered in his ear, "Go on ahead. I’ll grab a drink at the counter and join you in a bit."

With Keiko leading the way, Keisuke walked over to the back table, turning heads as he went. Seiichi couldn’t help but sigh with satisfaction. Seeing Keisuke garner so much attention made him feel a swell of pride as if he’d accomplished something remarkable. Even Seiichi hadn’t expected this level of transformation. Initially, he thought he’d just give Keisuke a clean-cut look, something fitting for a polite young man, but with just a change in hairstyle and switching to contact lenses, Keisuke had transformed like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, ending up looking like a magazine model.

His light brown hair suited his fair skin, and without the distraction of his old glasses, his naturally refined features stood out even more. Just a slight adjustment to his eyebrows made his eyes appear sharper, enhancing his overall look. Yet, despite his polished appearance, Keisuke's laid-back personality still showed through, adding an endearing quality to his newfound elegance.

Surrounded by curious people asking him questions about his name, job, age, and hobbies, Keisuke looked a bit overwhelmed. Watching from a distance, Seiichi noticed the bartender set a beer down in front of him.

"That guy’s amazing," the bartender said with a sigh, his gaze fixed on Keisuke, now surrounded by admiring women.

"There really are people who look perfect, like they belong in a different world. Is he a model or something?" the bartender asked.

"He works at a hotel front desk," Seiichi replied.

"What a waste. If I had a face like that, I’d make a fortune in showbiz," the bartender said with a wistful shake of his head.

Seeing the man he’d put so much effort into transform and attract all this attention gave Seiichi a smug sense of satisfaction. He watched his "creation" surrounded by women, his carefully chosen brand-name clothes looking better on Keisuke than he’d imagined. He had spent a fortune picking out the best pieces, but Keisuke had paid for everything in one go with his card, from clothes to shoes to contacts, following Seiichi’s advice without question.

When their eyes met from across the room, Keisuke flashed a smile at him. Seiichi trusted that Keisuke wouldn’t be foolish enough to blab about their relationship in public—he’d already made it clear before coming here that they should keep things discreet.

"Are you really single?" Keiko asked, casually touching Keisuke's shoulder, clearly trying to get closer.

"I really don't have anyone," Keisuke said earnestly.

"That’s hard to believe," Keiko replied, tugging lightly on the collar of Keisuke’s shirt. "Then tell me, who left that hickey on your neck?"

Seiichi’s heart skipped a beat. He’d gotten carried away yesterday, leaving more marks than he should have. The surrounding crowd buzzed with curiosity as Keisuke tilted his head slightly, reaching his fingers into his shirt to touch the mark on his neck.

"Oh, this?" he said.

Keisuke’s gesture of exposing the hickey seemed almost like he was flaunting it. The reaction from the onlookers was one of disappointment, confirming their suspicions that he did indeed have a woman in his life. But Keisuke, oblivious to the atmosphere, just looked a bit puzzled.

"Should I have hidden it?" he asked, as if he didn’t understand the implications. Admitting to having a sexual partner while insisting he had no girlfriend—he might as well have been openly taunting the women around him.

"Hello," came a voice, cutting through the conversation. Seiichi froze at the sound he recognized so well. The slim figure standing there was one he’d never expected to see... Mari, who had never been known to approach men, stood right in front of Keisuke.

"Nice to meet you," Mari said with a smile, and Keisuke returned her smile warmly.

"If you don’t mind, could we talk over there for a bit?" Mari asked.

The boldness of her move was so surprising that Seiichi could only marvel at it. Mari was trying to lure Keisuke away, right in front of everyone. It was the kind of invitation only someone with absolute confidence would make, sure that the guy would say yes.

"I’m actually here with someone..." Keisuke replied, hesitantly trying to turn her down.

"Then bring them along," Mari said, unfazed.

Keisuke turned to Seiichi, seeking his opinion. With a sinking feeling, Seiichi stood up from his seat and walked toward the pair. Standing side by side with Keisuke in the corridor, he faced Mari, who was now the center of attention. The women they’d been talking to moments before shot them accusatory glares, as if to say, "Are you just going to leave us?"

Seiichi put his hand on Keisuke’s shoulder and smiled at Mari. "We’ve got plans, sorry about that," he said.

Seeing Mari’s expression shift from a triumphant smile to one twisted with frustration gave Seiichi a fleeting sense of satisfaction. He grabbed Keisuke’s arm and led him out of the club. The moment they were alone, Seiichi roughly shook off Keisuke's arm, taking the lead with a cold expression on his face. The warm, damp wind blew around them as he walked ahead, trying to clear his mind. He hadn't even spoken much to Keiko, and they hadn’t been at the club for more than thirty minutes. Keisuke, who probably had no idea what had just happened, followed silently behind.

Keisuke's transformation into someone strikingly handsome was undeniable. Everyone saw it, and even Seiichi couldn’t dispute it. But there was one thing he couldn’t tolerate—Mari.

Mari was Seiichi's untouchable beauty. Gorgeous, charming, and uninterested in anyone beneath her level—that was what he liked about her. Yet here she was, approaching Keisuke of all people, despite knowing that Seiichi had been quietly trying to win her over. It wasn’t just that Mari had talked to Keisuke. What hurt most was that she’d casually included Seiichi in her invitation, like he was some kind of afterthought. That bruised his pride beyond repair.

"The club was interesting, wasn’t it?" Keisuke said from behind, his voice as calm as ever. "All the women there were beautiful... especially the one who talked to me at the end. She looked like a doll."

Seiichi didn’t respond, moving briskly down the stairs to the subway station.

"But the air wasn’t great, was it? Maybe because it was underground—there was so much cigarette smoke," Keisuke continued, oblivious to Seiichi's silent anger.

Seiichi bought a subway ticket in silence.

"Are you angry?" Keisuke asked, the question stopping Seiichi in his tracks.

"Did I do something wrong to you or your friends?" Keisuke asked, genuine confusion in his voice.

There was no way Keisuke could understand. He didn’t know about Seiichi’s one-sided feelings for Mari, nor the jealousy eating away at him over Keisuke himself. It only made Seiichi more furious.

Without another word, Seiichi grabbed Keisuke’s arm and yanked him toward the public restroom in the subway station. The smell of ammonia hung in the air of the dimly lit room. He shoved Keisuke into one of the stalls, locking the door behind them, and immediately pinned him against the wall. Without much preparation or concern, he yanked down Keisuke’s underwear to his thighs and thrust into him from behind.

"Agh... it hurts," Keisuke gasped.

The body Seiichi violated writhed in discomfort, but he ignored it, thrusting with brute force. As he reached around to the front of Keisuke, he noticed that despite being treated so roughly, he was still erect. He wanted to show Mari this sight. Look at the man you lured. He's writhing in pleasure from being penetrated by another man and is even hard. The climax came unexpectedly fast, and after ejaculating into the tight body that gripped him, he withdrew his penis without delay. Keisuke, still pitifully erect, clung to the wall. Perhaps sensing from the atmosphere that Seiichi would no longer touch him, he slowly brought his hands forward and began stimulating himself. After he finished, he wiped his palm and waist with a handkerchief and, with trembling fingers, started adjusting his clothes.

As the heat of his anger cooled, a sudden, intense wave of guilt crashed over him. He had never been this rough before. In the cramped space, they stood facing each other in silence. In an attempt to apologize for his actions, he gingerly embraced Keisuke. Keisuke’s body trembled violently, but just like when he had held him before, there was no resistance. He kissed him, but Keisuke’s lips were cold. When he touched the corner of his eye, thinking it seemed wet, Keisuke muttered in a trembling voice, "I’m not used to my contacts," and gave a small, strained smile.

It had been one-sided, non-consensual sex. He feared this would create an unbridgeable awkwardness between them, but Keisuke's behavior didn’t change. So, just as before, he continued visiting Keisuke’s apartment, sharing meals, and having sex.

That day, too, he intended to go straight to Keisuke’s apartment, but Keiko called his cell phone, saying there was something she wanted to talk about, and summoned him to "Piffle." He wasn’t eager to go, especially after having upset Mari just a week ago, but Keiko had insisted, and he reluctantly made his way there. Keiko hadn’t arrived yet, so he sat in his usual seat, sipping on a beer.

"By the way, your cousin from the other day—he was quite handsome, wasn’t he? Everyone was still talking about it afterward," the bartender remarked, striking up a conversation. He gave a disinterested reply, "Yeah."

"And yesterday, Mari was asking me if you had come by," the bartender added.

"Mari?" He tilted his head in confusion, and the bartender leaned in slightly.

"I had a feeling when I saw you all the other day. I think Mari might be interested in you. If you made a move now, you'd definitely win her over."

The bartender seemed confident, but he was doubtful.

"It’s not that simple."

Slowly, the bartender shook his head in disagreement.

“I had noticed for a while that Mari had a thing for you, you know. Even the other day, I think she talked to your cousin just to get your attention,” the bartender said.

Even hearing this, he still couldn’t believe that Mari, of all people, was interested in him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Seiichi."

A familiar hand casually rested on his shoulder. When he turned around, there was Keiko, who had invited him out but arrived horribly late, smiling without a hint of guilt.

“That was awful the other day, you know. You suddenly took Keisuke-kun home—people were not happy about it. Total buzzkill.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” he replied.

Keiko, who had sat down next to him, flashed a sharp smile with her nearly beige-colored lips.

“But it was still satisfying. You brushed off Mari’s advances so smoothly.” She leaned in, her tone shifting. “So, to the point: is Keisuke-kun really a hotel front desk worker?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s not under contract with any agency or anything?”

“Of course not.”

“Great! I’m putting together a feature on good-looking guys for the women’s magazine I work for as a stylist. It’s mainly celebrity interviews, but there’s also a ‘handsome men from the streets’ section. I’m looking for a good-looking amateur to feature, and I was wondering if you could lend me Keisuke-kun.”

“Why not use me instead?” he said, a little annoyed.

Keiko shrugged. “You’re already too recognizable. I mean, didn’t I have you in that wine-tasting panel for amateurs just two months ago? C’mon, please? Just ask Keisuke-kun for me.”

“I don’t mind talking to him about it, but I can’t guarantee he’ll agree to it,” he replied.

Keiko clapped her hands excitedly. “The editorial team wanted to see him, too! He’s really gorgeous, isn’t he? His skin is so fair, and his face is just... perfect.”

Hearing Keisuke being praised like that, a twinge of jealousy—something like, what about me?—started to creep in.

“He’s a bit on the delicate side, though.”

“That delicate, beautiful youth thing is exactly what’s great about him. He’s got an androgynous vibe, too, and with such a small face—he might even look good in women’s clothing, don’t you think?”

At the mention of "women’s clothing," something clicked in his mind.

“I’ll let you have him. I’ll even guarantee it. But I have one condition.”

“You’re not going to ask me to spend the night with you or something, are you?” Keiko frowned, knitting her brows.

He burst out laughing. “Idiot, no, it’s not that.”

When he whispered the condition into her ear, Keiko’s eyes widened in surprise before she burst into laughter.

“Sounds fun,” she said with a grin, forming a circle with her thumb and forefinger in an "OK" sign.

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