Second Serenade: Chapter 08

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The planetarium, two train stops away on the riverbank, had about thirty minutes until the next show, so the two of them killed time by wandering through the small adjacent museum. As they walked past a collection of long-exposure star photographs, Aketo suddenly remembered why this place had been on his radar.

I'd thought of bringing Otomo-san here, if the film project brought us closer. He had imagined taking her to different places, planning little outings in his head. He'd never expected those plans to come in handy like this… and certainly not with someone like Sunahara.

Aketo glanced over at the man beside him. Despite his initial reluctance, Sunahara was staring intently at the star photographs, completely absorbed.

It was a weekend, but the small museum was nearly empty. As Aketo idly watched the sparse flow of visitors, he suddenly caught sight of someone he knew—Kakegawa. Holding tightly to Kakegawa's right hand was a small child. Aketo remembered Kakegawa mentioning a much younger brother in kindergarten. That must be him.

Without thinking, Aketo grabbed Sunahara's arm and practically dragged him toward the exit.

"Hey, what the hell? I was looking at that," Sunahara grumbled in protest.

Anyone but Kakegawa. The last thing Aketo wanted was to run into a classmate while hanging out alone with Sunahara. He had no idea how he'd even begin to explain it. If people started thinking they were on a date… the fallout would be a nightmare.

The planetarium's next showing was less than ten minutes away. The announcement echoed through the hall, audible even from outside.

"Your behavior is a complete mystery to me," Sunahara muttered as they stepped into the small park behind the museum.

The park, though small, had a clear view of the river and a refreshing breeze sweeping through. Sunahara dropped onto one of the concrete stumps shaped like tree trunks that lined the park's edge.

"Because Kakegawa was there."

As soon as he said it, Aketo felt a jolt of regret. Sunahara's brows drew together in mild suspicion, his head tilting to one side.

"Kakegawa? Are you two fighting or something?"

Aketo forced a strained, ambiguous smile, hoping to deflect the question. Maybe sensing Aketo's reluctance, Sunahara didn't press further.

A gust of wind swept past them, ruffling Sunahara's slightly long bangs. He raised a hand to his forehead, brushing the hair back with an irritated gesture. The way he gazed absently at the riverbank, his expression tinged with a quiet, melancholy air, made him seem older than his years.

With slender fingers, almost delicate for a man, Sunahara reached into his jeans pocket, pulled out a cigarette, and placed it between his lips. He shielded the flame as he lit it, his hand momentarily blocking the late afternoon sun. The smoke he exhaled was quickly whisked away by the wind, and he narrowed his eyes slightly, perhaps against the bright glare of the setting sun.

Aketo's heart gave a sudden, heavy thud.

Sunahara glanced at his watch, then slowly got to his feet.

"It's starting soon."

He looked up at Aketo, who instinctively averted his gaze, his pulse still racing, as if struck by a lingering aftershock. What… was that?

"Should we just skip it?" Sunahara asked.

Without thinking, Aketo shook his head.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

Every weekend, Aketo took Sunahara out somewhere. Without much thought, he'd invite him to movies or the beach whenever the mood struck. Sunahara also reached out occasionally, though in his case it was almost always for a movie.

The original reason Aketo started inviting Sunahara out was simple: to keep the idea of his supposed interest in Sunahara alive until he could push Otomo into making her confession. But even Aketo himself had to admit it had become more frequent than he'd intended.

Despite Sunahara's gruff, often infuriating manner, Aketo didn't actually dislike spending time with him. He'd often rant about him in his head, listing every annoyance without restraint, but the truth was, he enjoyed their time together. Being with Sunahara meant he didn't have to be on his best behavior, like he did at school or home. He could just be himself.

And it seemed Sunahara didn't mind either. When Aketo called, he never complained, always showing up without a fuss.

One day, as they were running out of day-trip destinations reachable by public transport, Aketo asked on a whim, "Hey, you've got a license, right? Why not get a car?"

"I do have a license, but I haven't driven since I got it three years ago. I'm basically a paper driver. But if you really want to put your life in my hands, I'll take you for a ride."

"Fine by me. Should we make a suicide pact, then?"

It was meant as a joke, but Sunahara didn't laugh. Instead, he leaned in and peered seriously into Aketo's face.

At the end of September, Sunahara bought a used car.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

Despite not having driven for three years, Sunahara's handling behind the wheel was surprisingly smooth. Aketo had been genuinely shocked when he'd called to say he bought a car. It hadn't even been a week since their casual conversation about it.

When Sunahara came to pick him up near his house, he gave the deep indigo body of the used car a proud, playful slap, grinning as he said he'd blown his entire summer bonus on it.

"Where to? Name it, and I'll make it happen," Sunahara said, his mood noticeably brighter as he sat behind the wheel.

Aketo suggested Tsujiyura, a place he'd read about in a magazine article titled "Hidden Date Spots for Couples." He'd originally saved that info for a future outing with Otomo, though the connection had long since slipped his mind.

The car cruised smoothly down the expressway, reaching Tsujiyura just before noon after a solid morning of driving. It was an unremarkable little port town, lined with quaint, weathered shops, but they got a local to point them toward a beautiful cove nestled among the cliffs.

They hiked for nearly twenty minutes through uneven, grassy slopes at the base of the seaside mountains. Just as Aketo started grumbling about getting bad directions from the old woman they’d asked, Sunahara came to an abrupt stop. Aketo, not expecting it, bumped into him, hitting his chin on Sunahara's shoulder.

"Hey, don’t just stop like that," he snapped, rubbing his jaw.

Without a word, Sunahara pointed ahead.

Aketo's breath caught as his view suddenly opened up.

It was the ocean—a wide, endless expanse, stretching out before them with nothing to block the view. The sea sparkled like glass, glittering all the way to the horizon.

The cliff they stood on was a single, wide rock formation, its flat top blanketed with a lush, spongy carpet of short grass, untouched by any safety rails or barriers.

"Wow..."

The only words that came to mind were the usual, overused clichés—beautiful, amazing—and that frustrated him. The panoramic, 180-degree view was breathtaking, truly a hidden gem. At the same time, the lack of barriers gave it a slightly ominous edge, as if it could just as easily be a spot for someone looking to take a final step.

Sunahara seemed fascinated by the sheer drop of the cliff. He wandered right up to the edge, peering down at the churning waves far below. Curious, Aketo crept up beside him, cautiously leaning forward to peer over.

Far beneath them, the restless waves crashed against the rocks, sending up white plumes of spray, the salty scent of the sea riding the updrafts to reach them.

Every time the surf pounded particularly hard, Sunahara would flinch back, almost instinctively. It was such a boyish, almost skittish reaction that Aketo couldn't help but crack a small, amused smile.

After about fifteen minutes, Sunahara finally seemed satisfied and slowly made his way back to the rocky border where Aketo had been waiting.

"It was insanely high... My legs nearly gave out."

Sunahara mumbled this as he fished a cigarette out of his pocket, but the strong wind made it impossible to light. He kept flicking his lighter in frustration, sparking it over and over with growing irritation. Aketo laughed at the sight, which made Sunahara scowl and mutter, "Don't laugh."

When he finally managed to get the cigarette lit, he took a long, satisfied drag. Despite his boyish demeanor, the way he smoked somehow suited him perfectly. It was almost irritating how natural he looked doing it, so Aketo plucked the cigarette right out of his mouth.

"Hey! Give it back," Sunahara protested, reaching for it.

Aketo held it high above his head, well out of reach. Sunahara, on the shorter side, quickly realized he had no chance of snatching it back, even on tiptoe. He fell silent, his face settling into a sullen scowl.

Aketo brought the half-smoked cigarette to his own lips, drawing the smoke deep into his lungs. I look better doing this than he does. He spun around, ready to throw Sunahara a smug grin, but his companion had already turned on his heel and was briskly walking back down the trail.

Aketo hurried to catch up, calling to his back, "Are you mad?"

"Not really," Sunahara replied tersely.

"Then why'd you just walk off like that?"

"I felt like heading back, so I'm heading back," he shot back without turning around.

The narrow path they had been following gradually widened, becoming just wide enough for a single car. The rocks underfoot had thinned out, making the footing less treacherous, but Sunahara still stumbled, nearly falling forward. Without thinking, Aketo reached out from behind to steady him, though Sunahara quickly righted himself without the help.

"Careful," Aketo said, lowering his arm.

Sunahara glanced down at the jagged rocks he'd almost tripped over and muttered, "Should've watched where I was stepping."

"Yeah, well, it wouldn't kill you to pay attention," Aketo teased.

"If I fall, I'm the one who gets hurt. None of your business," Sunahara retorted, glancing off to the side to hide the slight embarrassment in his voice.

Spending so much time together, Aketo had started to pick up on Sunahara's habits. He was stubborn, guarded, and far from honest about his feelings, but even his sharp words had begun to seem oddly endearing. Aketo was starting to understand what Kakegawa had meant when he'd said he liked Sunahara.

"Hey, Aketo?"

Without thinking, Aketo wrapped his arms tightly around Sunahara's small frame. He didn't have a particular reason—just an intense, unexplainable urge. Sunahara didn't resist. He simply stood there, as still as a borrowed cat, letting himself be held.

It didn't feel wrong. It didn't even feel strange.

When their eyes met, the distance between them naturally closed, their lips brushing together. That shallow connection felt frustratingly insufficient, so Aketo deepened the kiss, tangling his tongue with Sunahara's. For a brief moment, Sunahara responded, just barely, but it was enough to leave Aketo craving more. Even after the kiss broke, he kept Sunahara in his arms, unwilling to let go.

"The sun's setting," Sunahara muttered softly, his voice muffled against Aketo's chest.

As the heat between them built, Aketo felt a sudden, intense ache in his lower body. I want him. I want to take him right here. The thought struck him like a bolt of panic, fear flaring up from the pit of his stomach. I'm scared. He had never felt so viscerally afraid.

"Let's head back," he said abruptly, stepping back from Sunahara.

Sunahara glanced at him, momentarily puzzled, but didn't press the issue. He simply turned and started walking again, his movements calm and unhurried. Aketo fell in beside him, casting occasional glances at Sunahara's profile as they made their way down the path.

"You're... not bothered by kissing me?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

It was the first time he'd brought it up since that impulsive kiss under the shade of a tree in the peak of summer.

Sunahara paused, as if weighing his answer, then looked back at Aketo with a surprisingly cool expression.

"Not really," he said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

They didn't talk much on the drive back from Tsujiyura.

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