"Goodbye," you waved your hand: Chapter 2 - part 3

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On the fourth day after moving to Tokyo, Keisuke got a job at a business hotel one station away from the apartment. The mid-career recruitment period had already ended, but a sudden vacancy opened up, and his experience working at a hotel made the hiring process smooth. The pay was low, but it was fortunate to have found a place to work nearby.

The small, inexpensive hotel catered mainly to businessmen looking for a simple place to stay. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed, and the staff got along well. On Keisuke’s second day, his colleagues threw him a welcome party at a familiar old izakaya. Naturally, they asked about how he came to work there. Keisuke shared openly—he told them about closing down his family inn due to financial troubles, his divorce, and how he was now staying with his cousin.

The mood turned somber, and Keisuke regretted oversharing, but as the drinks started to flow, the conversation shifted, and his past quickly faded from everyone’s minds. The lively mood took over, and soon Keisuke found himself laughing along with the group, drawn in by someone’s joke.

He was sipping his beer, which had gone a little warm, when suddenly someone grabbed his left hand. Startled, Keisuke turned to see Kunihiro Hiiragi, who had at some point moved to sit beside him, staring intently at the hand he had pulled closer. Kunihiro was twenty-two, almost a decade younger than Keisuke. With his bright, outgoing personality, he had been friendly with Keisuke from day one, speaking to him as if they had been friends for ten years. Though the familiarity felt a bit strange, Keisuke also found comfort in Kunihiro’s openness in an unfamiliar place.

Keisuke couldn’t remember what he was like at twenty-two, but Kunihiro, who had started working right after graduating high school, struck him as more mature than others his age.

“What’s this ring about?” Kunihiro asked suddenly.

“I was given it.”

“Isn’t that… a wedding ring?”

“It might be.”

Kunihiro’s eyes widened in surprise, and he laughed, his short bangs bouncing as he shook his head.

“Might be? That’s so vague! A ring on your left hand doesn’t really suggest anything else, does it?”

Keisuke had thought about the meaning of the ring before, but he didn’t want to dig too deep.

“I’ve thought you were kind of a slow guy from the start,” Kunihiro said, chuckling. “But I didn’t expect you to be this oblivious.”

After laughing for a while, Kunihiro glanced up at Keisuke with a playful look.

“Usually, people give rings like that—they don’t just receive them. So, who gave it to you? Whoever gave you that ring must have it rough. You don’t seem to understand their feelings at all.”

Then, as if thinking aloud, Kunihiro continued, “But I gotta say, I can definitely feel some serious possessiveness coming from her. Those marks all over your body—they’re intense. I’ve noticed them during every single clothes change, and they never seem to fade. I bet that’s why you got divorced, right? Because of that woman?”

Kunihiro’s lips spilled every thought that crossed his mind, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he giggled.

“You really go for it, don’t you, with such a calm face? But I kind of get why a woman would be so into you. You’re kind. Your expressions, the way you talk—there’s a gentleness to it. And if you really look closely, you’ve got a damn handsome face. People might not notice because you’re quiet and wear those weird black-framed glasses, but you’re really attractive. Your skin is so pale, like porcelain. I can’t believe you’re over thirty. I thought you were twenty-five when I first met you.”

“Kunihiro.”

“Hm?” Kunihiro tilted his head.

“You’ve got a bad habit when you drink, don’t you?”

Kunihiro burst out laughing, clutching his stomach, causing others to turn their heads to see what was going on. He kept laughing until finally, he collapsed, resting his head on Keisuke’s lap. For a moment, Keisuke was taken aback by this brazen display. But as he looked down at Kunihiro’s sleeping face, he noticed how boyish and innocent he still seemed, which made it hard to hold any resentment. He decided to tolerate the weight on his lap, at least for a little while. A woman in her late forties from the accounting department leaned over and chuckled at the sight.

“Oh my, how cute. Kunihiro never usually drinks this much. He’s been saying since you arrived that you’re such a kind person, Keisuke-san. I guess he’s thrilled to have someone like a big brother now.”

With Kunihiro fast asleep on his lap, the welcome party wrapped up. They divided the group for taxis based on direction, and Keisuke realized for the first time that Kunihiro lived nearby, meaning they would be sharing the ride home.

Keisuke asked one of his colleagues for directions to Kunihiro’s apartment and instructed the taxi driver to stop there before heading to his own place. Kunihiro remained fast asleep in the taxi, and even after they arrived in front of his apartment, he staggered unsteadily the moment he tried to stand. Keisuke, leaving the taxi waiting, had to support Kunihiro’s shoulders as he helped him walk. After unlocking the door, Keisuke removed Kunihiro’s shoes, turned on the lights, and dragged him to the bed in the back room.

Kunihiro’s apartment was sparse, resembling a hotel room more than a lived-in space. It didn’t match the image of the talkative, lively man that Keisuke knew, and the emptiness felt jarring.

“Good night,” Keisuke said, laying Kunihiro on the bed. As he tried to pull away from Kunihiro’s still-clinging arms, Kunihiro suddenly pulled him back with surprising strength. Before Keisuke could react, Kunihiro pressed his lips to his. It was brief, and Keisuke quickly pushed him off and stood up.

“You’re not that surprised,” Kunihiro said, his gaze sharp and intense, nothing like the wobbly man he had been just moments ago. It occurred to Keisuke that he might have been deceived this whole time, but there was no use in regretting it now.

“Stop acting foolish and get some sleep,” Keisuke said, his tone stern.

Kunihiro gave a small shrug. “You’re pretty cool, huh?”

Leaving the drunk man behind, Keisuke climbed back into the taxi. Kunihiro had called him "cool" for not being fazed by the kiss, but what meaning could a kiss hold when there were no feelings behind it? Keisuke thought to himself that Kunihiro might get offended if he knew, but to him, the kiss had felt no different than putting his lips to a glass to drink water.

By the time the taxi pulled up in front of the apartment building, it was already past midnight. Keisuke had expected Seiichi to be asleep, but the lights beyond the front door were still brightly lit.

In the living room, Seiichi had fallen asleep on the hardwood floor, still wearing his suit. He was curled up tightly, shivering slightly as though cold. Beside him were the remains of a convenience store bento, and seeing that made Keisuke feel a pang of guilt. He regretted not having prepared something for Seiichi earlier.

“You’ll catch a cold sleeping here,” Keisuke said softly, kneeling down and shaking Seiichi’s shoulder. Seiichi mumbled a faint “Mmm…” and sleepily opened his eyes to look at Keisuke. His groggy expression quickly brightened into a smile, and he reached out with open arms. “Welcome home,” he whispered, grazing Keisuke’s ear with his lips in a playful bite.

“I’m home,” Keisuke replied, but the words were soon swallowed up in a passionate kiss. The kiss was long, and when they finally broke apart, Seiichi smeared the string of saliva across Keisuke’s lips.

“You taste like alcohol,” Seiichi murmured.

“I had a few drinks,” Keisuke admitted.

Seiichi’s fingers began to unbutton Keisuke’s shirt, but Keisuke gently stopped him.

“Why don’t you take a shower? Then you can get some sleep.”

“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” Seiichi mumbled, though he lingered, planting small kisses on Keisuke’s lips like a child reluctant to let go. Keisuke, finding Seiichi’s childish stubbornness endearing, pulled him into a hug, breathing in the faint scent of his hair gel.

“Aren’t you exhausted?” Keisuke asked, holding Seiichi close.

Seiichi had fallen asleep on the floor after a long day. On the first day after Keisuke moved in, Seiichi had come home at seven, but ever since then, it had been no earlier than eight, and sometimes as late as after midnight. Keisuke didn’t suspect he was seeing anyone else—he always came home looking worn out. And while Seiichi always smiled when he saw Keisuke, the exhaustion in his eyes was unmistakable.

“Lately, there’s been so much to do. A lot of little tasks that just pile up. I have to be careful about everything. I mean, I finally got you here, but I’m too tired to even spend time with you,” Seiichi said with a laugh.

“How much closer could we even get?” Keisuke joked, making Seiichi smile.

“Don’t push yourself too hard. That’s all I can say.”

For some reason, that smile stirred a sense of guilt in Keisuke. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt compelled to voice something that had been bothering him, even though it seemed irrelevant.

“Today… someone kissed me.”

Seiichi’s expression changed immediately. His brow furrowed, and a sharp, intense anger filled his eyes—an expression Keisuke had never seen before.

“Who?” Seiichi asked, his voice low.

The grip on Keisuke’s arm tightened, reflecting the anger Seiichi was holding back. But Keisuke couldn’t see why there was any reason to be upset—it was just a kiss.

“One of my coworkers at the hotel. He was really drunk. I think he meant it as a joke…”

“Where?”

Seiichi’s gaze remained fierce, unyielding.

“On the lips.”

His eyes narrowed, his stare piercing.

“Why did you tell me?”

Keisuke didn’t know. He could have kept it to himself, and Seiichi would never have known. That way, he wouldn’t have made him angry.

“It felt weird to hide it,” Keisuke said.

Seiichi responded by roughly pressing his lips to Keisuke’s, kissing him hard and deep, making it difficult to breathe. Keisuke gasped for air, overwhelmed by the intensity.

“This happened because you let your guard down. I don’t care how drunk they were—don’t let anyone else touch you. You’re mine.”

Swept up in the storm of Seiichi’s passion, they tumbled together onto the floor. Eventually, as the cold crept in, they moved to the bed, but Seiichi’s relentless desire didn’t subside.

Keisuke’s thoughts drifted to his time with his wife. Their intimacy had been calm, infrequent—just enough to affirm their bond. Neither of them had complained about the lack of passion. But with Seiichi, there was no waiting. He always craved more, and Keisuke found himself responding, realizing for the first time that this intensity had always existed within him.

His wife and son had been family, but Seiichi was different—a lover, burning with passion. But Keisuke couldn’t help but wonder how long this passion would last, when it would finally fade away. One day, this too would be forgotten, buried deep in the recesses of his memory, just like the love he once shared with his family.

From the start, he had known this relationship wouldn’t last forever. No matter how much love there was, he couldn’t bring himself to fully trust it. It was inevitable, after all, that it would end someday. Hadn’t he come here knowing that?

Tears welled up as he thought about the loneliness that awaited him once again. He pressed his face into the sheets, trying to hide his sadness.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

The day after the welcome party, Keisuke found himself in the morning locker room with Kunihiro. Kunihiro greeted him with a fresh, clear face, saying, "Good morning," and then, with a smile that erased the sharp look from his drunken eyes the previous night, he apologized, "I’m sorry for causing trouble yesterday." Keisuke, not inclined to keep holding the drunken mistakes against him, responded with a smile, "Just be careful not to drink too much next time." Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to take off his shirt until Kunihiro left the room. The comment about the mark still lingered in his mind.

At the front desk, Kunihiro was his usual friendly self, not mentioning the events of the party at all, making Keisuke wonder if Kunihiro might have forgotten what he said that night.

But that evening, while Keisuke was changing in the empty locker room, the sound of the door opening made him turn. Kunihiro entered, holding a can of coffee. Relieved that he had almost finished changing, Keisuke slowly buckled his belt, when suddenly, his collar was pulled.

"So, it is a brand name, huh?" Kunihiro said, his breath brushing against the back of Keisuke’s neck.

"You’re choking me," Keisuke protested, and Kunihiro’s fingers immediately released their grip.

"I’ve always been checking out the nice clothes you wear. It’s impressive, considering we don’t get paid that much here."

"These belong to my roommate," Keisuke replied, adjusting the collar. All the clothes he wore to work belonged to Seiichi. The clothes he had brought with him were stuffed into a sports bag and stashed in the back of the closet after Seiichi had pleaded, "Please, don’t wear those." Although Keisuke was slimmer, they were nearly the same height, so he could wear Seiichi’s clothes.

Kunihiro sat down on a steel chair and popped open his canned coffee.

"Your roommate has good taste. What does he do?"

"He’s just a regular office worker."

"How’d you meet him?"

Kunihiro kept pressing.

"As I said yesterday, in case you don’t remember—I’m living with a cousin of the same age," Keisuke replied.

"That’s a lie."

Kunihiro shot back with a resolute tone.

"I’m not lying."

"You’re living with a lover, aren’t you? And I bet that outfit was bought for you by a woman. Come on, confess."

It could be called a romantic relationship, but it wasn’t with a woman. Keisuke didn’t understand why Kunihiro was being so nosy, but he hurriedly gathered his things, eager to escape the pointless conversation.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I really am living with my cousin."

"Did you go back to the apartment last night?"

Keisuke tilted his head in confusion, and Kunihiro grinned.

"I noticed a new love bite. After you dropped me off, you had some fun, didn’t you? You’ve got more stamina than I thought, Himi-san."

Kunihiro's sharp eyes probed him. Maybe the side of Kunihiro he’d seen when drunk was closer to his true nature. Keisuke strengthened his resolve to keep his guard up around this overly candid colleague and quickly left the locker room.

He decided to start coming to work a little earlier from tomorrow, hoping that would let him change without Kunihiro’s prying or teasing. It might have been simpler to just ask Seiichi to ease up on leaving marks, but he didn’t want to do that. He didn’t want to stop Seiichi from doing what he wanted.

Distracted by his thoughts, Keisuke only realized he was out of flour after he’d already started making dinner. He had remembered it that morning and planned to buy some on the way home, but Kunihiro had occupied his thoughts, and he’d completely forgotten.

With a sigh, he took off his apron. He couldn’t make fried food without flour. He could change the menu, but it seemed easier to just run out and buy some. Grabbing his wallet, he pushed open the front door, only to hear a startled “Whoa!”

Right outside stood Seiichi, looking equally surprised. It wasn’t even 7 PM yet—Keisuke hadn’t expected him to come home this early.

"Going out?" Seiichi asked, and Keisuke responded with a wry smile.

"I forgot to buy flour. Just heading to the convenience store."

"Got it..." Seiichi murmured, then set his briefcase by the entrance.

"I think I’ll come with you."

"It’s just a quick trip for flour."

"Yeah, but I need a few things too."

And so, they left the apartment together, with Seiichi still in his suit. They walked side by side along the sidewalk, lit by streetlights. It was still early, and the sidewalk bustled with people and passing cars. As a bicycle approached from ahead, ringing its bell, Seiichi pulled Keisuke closer by the shoulder before he could move out of the way. Once the bicycle passed, Seiichi’s arm fell away, but for some reason, even such a small gesture made Keisuke’s chest ache.

At the nearby convenience store, there was no flour, so they ended up walking to a supermarket a bit further away. Despite claiming he needed something, Seiichi didn’t buy anything, and though Keisuke told him it was fine, Seiichi took the bag of flour from him anyway.

"Why don’t we take a walk through the park on the way back?" Seiichi suggested.

Keisuke nodded and followed behind the suited figure. The park was a bit out of the way. Keisuke thought idly that maybe this man just wanted an excuse to take a stroll.

"What’s for dinner tonight?" Seiichi asked as they walked.

"Tempura," Keisuke replied.

"What kind?"

"Shrimp, some vegetable fritters, and... a few other veggies. It won’t take long; just frying them."

A cold breeze blew, making Keisuke let out a small sneeze. It had been chilly since they left, but he hadn’t bothered going back inside for a jacket, thinking it was just a quick trip and he'd be fine with just a shirt. The October evening air seeped through more than he expected. Suddenly, warmth pressed against his back—a suit jacket carrying a faint scent of cigarettes, and Keisuke stiffened in surprise.

"You’ll get cold if you do that," Keisuke said, concerned.

The man, now left in just a shirt himself, stopped walking.

"Want me to teach you what you should say in moments like this?" Seiichi asked, tilting his head and smiling.

Keisuke tilted his head, unsure of what he meant, and Seiichi’s smile deepened.

"Just say ‘thank you’ and give me a nice smile."

Keisuke hurried to catch up to him, grabbing his arm to stop him from walking away.

"What if you catch a cold? I don’t want to see you suffering," he said, clinging tightly to Seiichi’s arm.

In response, Seiichi led him over a low iron fence marked "No Entry," guiding him into a secluded grove of trees. Keisuke was pressed against a large tree trunk, held so tightly he could barely breathe. Seiichi’s passionate kiss made it impossible to think clearly.

"Are you cold?" Seiichi’s breath warmed Keisuke’s ear.

"Right now... I’m fine," Keisuke replied.

As soon as he said it, Seiichi’s hands grabbed Keisuke’s backside through his jeans, kneading it firmly. When Keisuke stiffened in surprise, those hands slid down, unzipping the jeans without hesitation and reaching inside his underwear.

"Wait, hold on..." Keisuke protested.

But Seiichi responded with wet kisses along his neck and relentless fingers exploring deeper. Just as Keisuke thought it might stop, he glanced up to find Seiichi's gaze, burning with desire.

"I want you here. Is that a problem?"

"If someone sees us..."

Seiichi smirked.

"Then let them watch."

His deep kiss left Keisuke unable to resist anymore. Clinging to the tree trunk, he tried to keep himself covered as much as possible, but he still felt exposed when Seiichi entered him from behind. Even though it was dark, the thought that someone might see them filled him with a mixture of shame and heightened arousal.

When Seiichi reached his climax, Keisuke followed almost at the same time, releasing onto the tree trunk he was clinging to. Afterwards, Seiichi, who had been so rough earlier, now gently helped adjust Keisuke’s clothes, treating him with a tenderness that felt incongruous.

"Sorry for making you cold. But you were just so cute saying that..."

Keisuke struggled to his feet, still feeling the sensation of Seiichi inside him. His legs were unsteady, but Seiichi’s supportive arm held him up. Leaning against Seiichi, he pretended to be drunk as they walked back. Even in the elevator, with another person facing away from them, Seiichi stole a kiss in the corner.

Passion can drive people to act strangely. It reminded Keisuke of those days in high school, when he first slept with Seiichi—he felt that same sense of being swept away by something too powerful to resist. But things were different now. Any attempt at holding onto a sense of propriety shattered at the front door of their apartment.

"Dinner can wait," Seiichi murmured before they even entered the apartment, holding Keisuke from behind as he fumbled with the keys.

"I want to hold you properly right now."

His sweet voice felt like a drug, leaving Keisuke unable to say no.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

The intense night left them oversleeping the next morning. Both of them woke up on the verge of being late and jumped out of bed in a panic. Naturally, they skipped breakfast, and Seiichi rushed toward the front door with just his briefcase in hand, not even bothering to tie his tie. Yet, he didn’t forget their usual habit of sharing a kiss before heading out—a small, embarrassing ritual.

Keisuke arrived at the locker room much later than usual. There were barely ten minutes left until the morning briefing. Inside the locker room, three other employees, including Kunihiro, were already dressed in their hotel uniforms.

"Himi-san, you're late today," one of the older men remarked.

With a vague smile, Keisuke replied, "I overslept." He didn't want to change in front of Kunihiro, but he had no time to hesitate. He quickly stripped off his shirt and changed into his hotel uniform. He finished tying his navy-blue tie with just five minutes left before work began. Two of the other employees had already gone to their posts, but Kunihiro remained, sitting on a folding chair, smoking a cigarette and watching him intently. Unable to bear the gaze, Keisuke finally spoke up.

"Aren’t you going to the front desk?"

"I am. I was waiting so I could go with you, Himi-san," Kunihiro replied, pressing out his cigarette in the ashtray before standing.

They left the locker room and walked to the front desk together. The manager, who sat in the back office, shot them a sour look for arriving right at the edge of being late but refrained from commenting. As soon as they took their places at the front desk, a line of guests checking out kept them busy. It wasn’t until after 10:30 that the crowd finally thinned.

"So, Himi-san, do you always do stuff like that?" Kunihiro asked suddenly, breaking the silence as they watched the now-empty lobby.

"Stuff like what?" Keisuke replied, a bad feeling creeping over him.

Kunihiro looked up at him, smirking.

"I wasn’t trying to spy or anything," he began.

Keisuke immediately realized what he was referring to, and he felt the blood drain from his face.

"I was walking back through the park after dinner, and I heard some strange noises from deeper in. Sometimes you run into people doing stuff out there, so I thought I’d scare them off. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be you, Himi-san. And with another guy, no less. At first, I thought you were being attacked, but then... well, you seemed to be enjoying yourself just fine."

Kunihiro recounted the embarrassing story in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Just be careful when you do that kind of thing outside, alright? You never know who might be watching."

Kunihiro said nothing more after that and returned to work as if nothing had happened, but Keisuke found it impossible to stay composed. It was true—doing such a thing in a public space meant anyone could have seen them. Yet, he had let himself be swept away by the moment, accepting it without resistance. He glanced sideways at Kunihiro, feeling a sense of unease about this younger, shorter coworker. If Kunihiro told others about what he saw, if word spread that Keisuke had been seen with a man in such a compromising situation at the park... If that happened, he would just quit. It would settle things cleanly. Kunihiro didn’t know that the person Keisuke was with was his roommate, his cousin. Even if rumors spread here, it was unlikely they would affect Seiichi.

Lost in his thoughts, Keisuke didn’t notice a guest standing in front of him, looking irritated and holding out their room key. A tug on his arm from beneath the counter snapped him back to reality, and he flinched at the sight of Kunihiro.

"Hey, check out the guest," Kunihiro muttered quietly, his expression puzzled.

Keisuke couldn't process the words right away. Kunihiro frowned and took the key from the guest, handling the check-out.

"Mr. Terayama, right? Please wait a moment," Kunihiro said, typing into the register and completing the payment. The guest, clearly displeased with the delay, left the hotel with a scowl. As Keisuke bowed in apology, he could hear Kunihiro sigh beside him.

"Himi-san, what are you doing? Don’t space out like that."

"Ah... Yes," Keisuke replied, but he continued to make mistakes throughout the morning. He kept mixing up guests' names and even handed out the wrong room key to a returning guest. Each time, he bowed repeatedly, like a mechanical doll, apologizing over and over.

Finally, it was time for lunch, and Keisuke slumped into a chair in the break room, holding a cup of coffee. The other employees had gone out to eat, inviting him along, but he’d turned them down, saying he had no appetite. Despite not having eaten anything since the night before, he truly wasn’t hungry. As he sat there, he wondered if Kunihiro was telling someone about what he’d seen while he was away. He wouldn’t be able to blame him. It was the truth, after all, and the act had been consensual. But the waves of self-loathing kept crashing over him, relentless and inescapable.

Keisuke leaned on the table, burying his head in his hands. Suddenly, the door burst open with a loud noise. Kunihiro walked into the break room, carrying a plastic bag from a nearby bento shop. Instinctively, Keisuke glanced up at the clock on the wall. Normally, the two front desk staff took their breaks in turns, so Kunihiro wouldn’t have his break until Keisuke left. There were still about thirty minutes until it was Kunihiro's turn, but if Kunihiro was already here for his break, then Keisuke needed to return to the front desk. He scrambled to his feet, knocking over the folding chair with a clatter in his haste. Feeling awkward, he quickly righted the chair and made for the door as if to escape.

But before he could leave, Kunihiro slammed the changing room door shut. He let out a heavy sigh, grabbed Keisuke’s arm, and pushed him roughly into a folding chair. Kunihiro’s eyes held a look of exasperation as he stared down at him.

"Why are you so jumpy?" he asked.

Kunihiro tossed the bento bags onto the table, making a thud.

"If you’re worried about the shift change, don’t be. Tokieda is covering for me. He usually does office work, but he used to work the front desk before," Kunihiro explained as he dropped into a seat across from Keisuke.

"It’s because I brought up that thing in the park, isn’t it? That’s what’s got you all messed up."

Kunihiro clicked his tongue, irritation clear in his voice.

"I can’t tell if you’re insensitive or overly sensitive. You show off those obvious love bites, but then you get all scared when I prod you a little. Hard to believe you’d be so bold doing what you did out in the open."

His muttered words reached Keisuke’s ears.

"I don’t know what you’re so worried about, but I don’t plan on telling anyone about that. It just surprised me to find a kindred spirit so close by, so I thought I’d mess with you a bit," Kunihiro said.

There was a rustling sound as he pulled two bento boxes from the plastic bag.

"Feel better now? Come on, don’t look so gloomy—eat this and perk up. My treat. Just try not to mess up after lunch, okay?"

Keisuke felt a sense of relief at Kunihiro’s assurance that he wouldn’t talk, but it didn’t mean he let down his guard. Kunihiro noticed that Keisuke hadn’t touched his bento and clicked his tongue again, tearing open the packaging with a rustle. He snapped the disposable chopsticks in half and held them out.

"Eat a little, would you? I didn’t mean to scare you that much. Just forgive me, okay?"

The casual way he said it made Keisuke let out a small laugh. Seeing him laugh, Kunihiro’s stiff expression softened as well. The unreasoning fear Keisuke felt toward the younger man began to fade, and with that, his hunger returned. He couldn’t help but find himself a bit ridiculous for being so easily swayed. With the lunch break nearly over and the chopsticks already prepared, he felt guilty leaving the food untouched, so he finally took a bite. The fried chicken was surprisingly good, and he focused on eating just that.

"You know, I’ve always thought this, but you look kind of... seductive when you’re eating, Himi-san," Kunihiro remarked out of the blue.

It was the first time Keisuke had ever been told that.

"That pale, beautiful face of yours, the way you flick your tongue... No guy could resist if you came on like that. Must be nice. If I had a face like yours, I’d be charming all the good-looking guys, one after another," Kunihiro said, his expression innocent despite the brazen words. Then, with the same curious expression of a child, he continued his questioning.

"The guy you were with in the park—he’s your boyfriend, right? At first, I thought you might just be some exhibitionist, but after it was over, he was so gentle with you. It was embarrassing to watch how many times he kissed you. I usually don’t like clingy guys, but seeing that, I thought maybe it wouldn’t be so bad once in a while."

Kunihiro leaned in casually, grabbing Keisuke’s left hand.

"Tell me, how did you meet such a cool guy? I want a boyfriend like that. But I can never seem to make it last with anyone. Though I know why—it’s because I get bored too easily."

The clock on the wall in the changing room chimed loudly, announcing the time.

"Oh, it’s time already. Let’s go out for drinks together sometime, okay? You seem like you’ve got more experience than me, Himi-san. Bet you’ve got some interesting stories to tell."

Kunihiro’s rapid-fire words left no room for Keisuke to gather his thoughts. He needed to return to the front desk, but before he left, he managed to say one thing.

"You’re misunderstanding something."

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