Second Serenade: Chapter 07

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It was a calm, relaxed café. The tables and chairs were simple, antique pieces with a refined, understated charm. Old foreign movie posters adorned the wooden-paneled walls, and the soft strains of instrumental film music filled the air.

Even though Aketo had arrived fifteen minutes early, Otomo-san was already there, seated at the farthest corner of the shop. She gave him a small wave as their eyes met. She was wearing jeans, a white camisole, and a floral-patterned shirt layered on top.

"Sorry for calling you out like this on such short notice…"

"I don't mind. I didn't have any other plans."

Editing the film had taken far longer than expected, and Aketo, Kakegawa, and Hayashida had been practically living at Sunahara's apartment lately. He was supposed to head there again today, but his morning had taken an unexpected turn with a single phone call.

"I'd like to talk in person…"

The moment Otomo-san had said that, Aketo had responded without a second thought, "Where should we meet?" He could almost picture Kakegawa and Hayashida sitting there now, puzzled and waiting for him to show up.

"Is the editing coming along?" Otomo-san asked as Aketo lowered himself into the chair across from her.

"It's going smoothly."

"That's good. I'm looking forward to seeing it. I hope it wraps up soon."

But Aketo doubted she had called him here just to talk about the film. Her tone was gentle, but her eyes held none of the warmth her words implied.

When the young waitress approached, Aketo ordered an iced tea.

"It's hot today, isn't it?"

"Yeah… unbearably so. I feel like it's messing with my head."

Aketo waited patiently for her to get to the point. Neither of them said anything, the silence stretching uncomfortably between them. To distract himself, Aketo's eyes wandered to the posters on the wall—Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, East of Eden, Roman Holiday…

"I can only ask this of you, Aketo-kun. Lately, I can't seem to focus on anything. I'm a mess. I can't sit still for a moment…"

The words burst out of her, shattering the fragile silence. She confessed how, even after the filming had ended, she had still longed to see Sunahara, how thoughts of him kept her awake at night. The words spilled from her like water from a burst dam.

Each one cut into Aketo like a knife, slicing deep, leaving his chest bleeding with invisible wounds. Yet he said nothing, simply listened as she poured her heart out.

When she finally finished, she looked at him with a plea in her eyes, asking him to convey her feelings to Sunahara on her behalf.

Aketo had half-expected this kind of conversation, but hearing it still hit harder than he anticipated. He reached for his glass and took a small sip of iced tea. His throat felt parched.

"I mean… I don't mind, but… Otomo-san, didn't you say you'd tell him yourself last time? That you were ready?"

"I just… I can't do it," she said, her eyes fixed on him, her gaze intense enough to steal the breath from his lungs. "If he turns me down, I know I'll only end up making things awkward for him. I can be selfish like that."

The weight of her stare made his chest feel tight, the air around him unbearably stifling.

"Alright," he said, the words coming out in a resigned sigh. "I'll tell him for you."

There was no way Aketo could refuse her request.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

Aketo finally reached Sunahara's apartment, significantly later than planned. But neither Kakegawa, Hayashida, nor Sunahara himself seemed particularly upset by his late arrival. They all continued silently splicing the film together, heads bent over their work, and Aketo found his eyes drifting repeatedly toward Sunahara. Whenever Sunahara held a strip of film up to the light, a deep frown creased his face.

As evening fell and the day's editing reached a natural stopping point, the three of them left Sunahara's apartment together. They hadn't walked more than five minutes when Aketo suddenly came to a halt.

"What's up?"

Hayashida turned around, confused by Aketo's abrupt stop.

"I forgot something. You guys go on ahead. I'll catch up."

Without waiting for a response, Aketo spun on his heel and hurried back the way they'd come. His brisk walk quickly turned into a full-on sprint, and it took him less than two minutes to reach the apartment again. He paused at the entrance, panting heavily, before pushing the door open without bothering to knock. Moving as quietly as he could, he slipped off his shoes, crept down the hallway, and peeked into the living room.

Sunahara was still there, staring at the completed film, utterly absorbed.

"I have a message for you," Aketo said, breaking the silence. "She likes you."

Sunahara's thin shoulders visibly tensed. When he turned and saw Aketo standing in the doorway, his expression immediately darkened with irritation.

"At least have the decency to knock."

"Otomo-san asked me to tell you. She said she likes you."

"Otomo?"

"Yeah. Honestly… you have no idea how other people feel…"

The wound he'd tried to ignore suddenly tore open, and a fresh wave of pain spread through his chest. He should have thought it through more carefully, found a way to dismiss Otomo-san's feelings without actually passing them on to Sunahara. What good could possibly come from delivering this message now?

"You have no idea how other people feel…"

His vision blurred, and when he reached up to touch his eyes, he felt a tear slip down his cheek. He hadn't meant to cry, but the tears kept coming, one after another, spilling over uncontrollably.

"What are you crying for?"

Sunahara's voice was tight with confusion. Humiliated at being seen like this, Aketo quickly turned his back on him. Clearly, Otomo-san's confession had shaken him more deeply than he'd realized. He felt foolish for breaking down like this, but he couldn't stop the tears from coming. Gritting his teeth, he choked out his next words, his voice thick and trembling.

"What… what do you think of her?"

No answer. The silence dragged on, each second stretching unbearably long.

"You could at least say it, like you did last time. That it has nothing to do with you."

Aketo glared at him, anger flaring in his chest. He felt like everything had gone wrong because of this man standing in front of him.

"It doesn't matter to you whether I live or die, right? Maybe I should put that to the test."

It was pure impulse, a reckless, unthinking burst of emotion. He didn't actually intend to end his life, but before he could stop himself, he had bolted into the kitchen, yanked open a drawer, and pulled out a knife.

Sunahara's face turned a shade of white Aketo had never seen before.

"Do you even understand what you're doing?"

Aketo gave a slow, deliberate nod. Then, without the slightest hesitation, he brought the blade down against his wrist.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

The first sensation was pain. Sharp, immediate, and real. It snapped his scattered thoughts back into focus as his pulse hammered in his ears. Blood welled up and began to drip to the floor, splattering against the worn tiles with a quiet, irregular beat. The knife clattered to the ground, spinning once before coming to a stop.

Sunahara, who had been frozen in shock, seemed to snap back to reality at the sound. In an instant, he crossed the distance between them and slapped Aketo hard across the face, the crack of his palm against skin echoing in the tiny apartment.

"You fucking idiot."

Snatching a nearby towel, Sunahara pressed it firmly against Aketo's bleeding wrist, barking a frantic order for him to keep pressure on the wound. Then he rushed to fetch the first-aid kit, hands trembling as he rifled through it.

The makeshift bandage he managed to wrap around Aketo's wrist was a messy, uneven thing, like the shoddy wrappings of a half-mummified corpse, but it seemed to slow the bleeding. Sunahara's strained, panicked expression eased just a fraction once the wound was covered, though his hands still shook as he finally sank back onto his heels.

"You don't actually have feelings for Otomo-san, do you?"

His voice was low and sharp, like a threat. His hands paused, the roll of gauze forgotten in his grip. Sunahara's eyes were unreadable, his jaw clenched tight, but at last, he let out a long, defeated sigh.

"No, I don't," he said, his tone resigned.

"And you never will, right?"

"How the hell should I know? All I can tell you is that I don't feel anything for her now. That's it."

Sunahara stood, clutching the first-aid kit, as if suddenly needing the physical distance.

"I'm serious," Aketo said, his voice quiet but intense. I'm deadly serious. More serious than I've ever been. Serious enough to lose my mind over this.

Sunahara's gaze softened for a brief moment.

"I can see that," he muttered, his tone almost sympathetic.

"Who is it that you really like, then?"

But Sunahara didn't answer. He simply turned his back, leaving Aketo alone with the question.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

"Want to catch a movie?"

The invitation came in early September. They had just finished splicing the film, recording the voiceovers, and even held a test screening with the whole class. All that remained was to wait for the culture festival. It was a Saturday night when Aketo's mother called out, "It's for you—a friend on the phone." He picked up the receiver, and when the person on the other end introduced himself as "Sunahara here…" Aketo nearly jumped out of his skin. Then, when Sunahara got to the point, he was stunned a second time.

"If you're free tomorrow, want to catch a movie? I got two complimentary tickets…"

Aketo couldn't respond right away. He could understand getting such an invite from Otomo-san, but Sunahara? Why would he want to go to the movies with Sunahara of all people? This was the guy who'd driven him to the brink, made him lose his mind, and nearly cost him his wrist. It had been a nightmare explaining the injury to his parents. As he groped for a plausible excuse to turn him down, a troubling thought crept in: I'm supposedly in love with Sunahara, right? If someone you like invites you out, wouldn't you normally drop everything to go?

"…Alright. I'll go."

Sunahara gave a brief, businesslike confirmation, named a meeting spot, and hung up before Aketo could change his mind.

"What the hell is he thinking? I seriously don't get him," Aketo muttered to the dial tone.

The next day, Sunahara was already at the meeting spot in the park when Aketo arrived. He was wearing the same T-shirt and jeans Aketo had seen him in before, making him look far younger than his twenty-four years. Seeing Sunahara's casual outfit, Aketo regretted spending so much time agonizing over what to wear.

"You're late. It's about to start," Sunahara said, raising his right hand in a half-hearted wave as soon as he spotted Aketo. Without another word, he turned and started walking toward the theater, not even giving Aketo a chance to catch his breath.

"Hold on a second," Aketo called after him, jogging to catch up. "I was trying to pick the right clothes, that's why I was late."

Sunahara glanced back over his shoulder and let out a small, derisive snort. The dismissiveness of it irritated Aketo, and before he knew it, he had reached out and grabbed the other man's arm, forcefully spinning him around.

"I spent all that time trying to pick something you'd want to see me in," he blurted out.

It was a lie. He'd really just wanted to look his best for himself, picking clothes that made him feel confident. It had nothing to do with Sunahara. Just a matter of presentation.

Sunahara scowled, his brow knitting together in irritation, and roughly yanked his arm free before turning back toward the theater, acting as if nothing had happened.

Insensitive jerk. Aketo thought as he followed, seething. After all that, he just brushes it off…

They cut through the park, slipped down a back alley lined with small shops, turned at the corner drugstore, and stopped at a crosswalk. Aketo spotted the movie theater across the street.

"You look good," Sunahara muttered abruptly, breaking the silence.

Aketo's head jerked up in surprise, catching the tail end of the compliment just as the traffic light changed and Sunahara strode off across the street. He hurried to catch up, his mind replaying the unexpected words. He remembered something Sunahara had once mentioned—how it had taken him a whole year to confess his feelings to a girl he liked. The thought of this clumsy, tongue-tied adult struggling to articulate his emotions struck Aketo as absurdly funny, and he found himself chuckling quietly as he followed Sunahara's narrow, slight back.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

The film Sunahara had picked was a serious romance starring a popular American actress. Aketo had heard Hayashida mention it once, saying it was a good movie, but he'd had no particular interest in it himself. Still, he found himself drawn into the story, just as Hayashida had promised. It was genuinely moving.

But the theater was packed with couples—couples everywhere. Two guys sitting together in the middle of all that felt like a neon sign flashing "We don't have girlfriends!" Aketo found himself glancing over at Sunahara more than once, wishing it was Otomo-san in the seat next to him instead.

When the credits rolled and the lights came up, the faint sound of sniffling and muffled sobs filled the theater. Aketo himself had come close to tearing up, but the idea of crying in front of Sunahara—or worse, being seen crying by him—was too mortifying to consider. He pressed his fingers hard against the corners of his eyes, willing the tears back.

But when they reached the brightly lit lobby, Aketo looked over at Sunahara and froze.

Sunahara, the same man who'd once told him it had taken a full year to confess his feelings, was standing there with fat, unashamed tears rolling down his cheeks, his face contorted with raw emotion.

Panicking, Aketo quickly guided him to a quieter corner of the lobby, shielding him from prying eyes. He fumbled for his handkerchief and shoved it into Sunahara's hands. Sunahara snatched it away without a word, pressing it roughly against his tear-streaked face.

"Man, how embarrassing. A grown man acting like this."

Aketo shrugged, muttering with a faint sense of superiority as Sunahara let out a loud sniffle.

"It's no use," Sunahara said, rubbing at his nose. "If it's something I've seen two or three times, I'm fine. But with a first-time watch, I get too caught up in it… Even when I know full well the director is deliberately trying to make you cry, I still fall for it. Damn it."

Aketo let out an exaggerated sigh, loud enough to be heard. Even down to little things like clothes, he thought, I feel like the older one here.

"I'm thirsty. You must be, too," Sunahara said, taking the lead as he walked into a nearby café. The moment he sank into his seat, he launched into a spirited defense of the movie. "It was great, wasn't it? That's what real love is supposed to look like."

It was only then that Aketo finally realized why Sunahara had invited him to this particular film. Knowing Sunahara, he had probably researched the plot thoroughly before suggesting it. He must have chosen it for a reason…

"You thought it was good too, right?"

Clearly, Sunahara had intended this as a lesson in "proper" romance, trying to set Aketo back on the straight and narrow. Aketo stifled a bitter smile. Don't worry, teacher. I'm perfectly 'normal.' I'm just using you, that's all…

"It really was a good movie," he replied in a quiet, introspective tone. "But honestly, what made me happier was that you invited me to it."

He spoke the words softly, letting them hang in the air. Sunahara's mouth snapped shut, his face darkening in silent frustration. There goes all your hard work, down the drain.

"So, what should we do next?" Aketo asked, deliberately putting Sunahara on the spot. "We've still got time. Where should we go?"

Sunahara, who had likely planned nothing beyond the movie, faltered for a moment, visibly taken aback. Aketo himself had intended to head straight home after the film, but seeing Sunahara flounder like this, he felt an unexpected urge to mess with him a bit more.

"I'd like to go to the beach, but you don't have a car, do you? Hmm… Oh, I know. There's a planetarium nearby. How about that?"

He pushed the unresponsive man until he got a grudging nod of agreement. This time, it was Aketo who took the lead, striding out in front while Sunahara followed a few steps behind, head down.

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