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I remembered it was a breezy night back in Meadow Ridge.
I took a glance at the watch on my wrist. Eight o'clock was supposed to be the right time to have dinner. I grabbed a long black coat that was hung in the back of the door and looked at the mirror, checking on myself before I left.
As the door of my room opened, I saw two of my friends, Issei and Takahiro, make their way straight to the cafeteria. I greeted them.
"Where are you going?" Issei asked me, perhaps wondering why I dressed up this well for just dinner.
"Out." I knew that didn't answer his question. Takahiro came to the confusion as his eyes checked up on me, up and down.
"Just… skipping dinner and, yeah, I'll be back at ten." But Takahiro, he never liked the way he didn't get enough explanation from others. "Well, doing things that lovers do," I added.
"Gonna tell Mrs. Miyamoto about your action."
"For what?"
"For coming back at ten." Both of them laughed with delight, which was I knew they wouldn't mind me at all.
I ended the conversation with a pat on both of their shoulders. "Go! Have a scrumptious dinner tonight."
They returned my pat with a hit on my back, and to be honest, that hurt, especially the one that Issei and his big palm gave me.
But I didn't mind them. I walked straight out of the boys' dormitory and found out there was nobody, even Mr. Yamamoto, in front of the gate. I could call this my lucky day, for I didn't have to go through the hidden way which was quite muddy and dark.
I could smell the autumn air as I walked past the gate. The night breeze swayed my hair and rippled through my clothes. There were lots of leaves scattered on the street I was passing.
Meadow Ridge had many dormitories that were filled by all of the students. They were spread across the west and east sides of the school. Usually, we had our spare time at the weekend to go home and meet our family. However, some of them merely stayed at the dormitory every day.
Up ahead, there was Rose Hall that mostly used to hold a banquet or ceremony. From afar, I could already hear the celebration of the orchestra playing, perhaps an event was held there. I walked past the street with my hands inside the pocket and went there.
Rose Hall was made on top of a hill. No, a whole Meadow Ridge was built on top of it. There was so much green scenery for us to enjoy. We could lay on the green grass all day long, basking in the sun or crying in the rain. I had done both of them.
There he was.
Tooru Oikawa.
Wore his dusty blue pyjama and a brown coat, for his jade skin could never bear the cold November. He sat alone on the grass, eyes focused on whatever book he was reading. And the building next to him was Rose Hall and its excitement.
That boy. My boy. Bewitching this poor man in all he was.
I approached him, then happily welcomed by the eager smile he always wore. "Hey!" He exclaimed. Putting his book down, he ran to where I was standing and hugged me. I hugged him back, tightly.
I sniffed the crook of his neck, of which that would always be the best part of him. But then he let go of me, asked me to sit next to him. I wouldn't refuse either. Only if he knew, I would do anything he asked me to.
"You smell like heaven," I uttered as the smell of white musk he wore couldn't get off of my nose.
"Heaven feels like hell, sometimes." To be honest, I was waiting for his reaction whenever I said something flirtatious to him. Perhaps Tooru didn't think much of it. But, he was a romantic person, after all.
"But heaven feels like one when I'm with you, love." I didn't want to deny that he was pretty in denial. He hated it when people praised him too much, even if it was a fact.
"Stop that bullshit, Hajime." And we just chuckled.
I changed my sitting position so that I could see his face clearly. I always loved seeing freckles all over his face, as if I wanted to kiss every one of them badly.
"You know what? My friend, Issei, and his theatre club will hold an event at The Royal Theatre next week. Would you like to come with me?"
That would be a great idea for both of us to have our times together. At least that was what I thought.
"I want to, but what about my father?"
"Let's say we're going there with some of our friends, I think he wouldn't mind it."
I was more than aware to say that Tooru's father never failed to protect his son from whoever he thought was a menace to him. And gladly I wasn't on the list, or at least, not yet.
"But my father will send somebody to watch over us. I don't want you to be known by him. Not now. Never." Tooru carried out every word from his mouth as if he really meant them. I nodded.
"It's okay. I will introduce myself as your close friend, I promise. I want to take you out this time. Please?" I begged him. It took him about a minute to finally nod.
"Thank you." I kissed him on his red cheek. "Thank you, too, for assuring me."
There was a quiet moment between us. The only sound that could be heard was the classical music that was being played in the hall. As the world stopped, I took Tooru's hands into mine.
He once said that one of his dreams was to dance with me. In the hall, many people surround us.
But we were both men. And men were always told not to dance with each other. But I was dying to dance with the love of my life.
“Tooru, would you mind dancing with me?" Words I never thought would slip out of my mouth. And tonight, I even had the nerve to ask it even in silence that only us could hear.
Wise men say, only fools rush in
As the new music started playing, Tooru intertwined both of our hands. We slowly moved our feet left and right, still trying to adjust the rhythm.
"What will you do after you graduate from Meadow Ridge?" He asked. We couldn't take our eyes off each other.
"Perhaps, I will go to the University of Edinburgh. Then apply for some jobs as a teacher, as a researcher, or everything that makes me alive. Or, run my dad's factory in Birmingham."
But I can't help falling in love with you
“Birmingham?" I noticed the change in his expression. Tooru tried not to tear himself apart when he heard the word Birmingham and the fact it was far from where we lived at the moment.
I shook my head. "No, I mean, that will be my last option, of the thousand options I have." And he smiled.
"How about you? What will you do?" I asked him back.
Shall I stay?
"Sending my novels to the publishers, and perhaps they want to help me publish my own books." His eyes were still locked in mine, but his mind was soaring by the idea of his future.
Step. Step. Step.
His foot stepped on mine.
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry!"
Would it be a sin?
I chuckled before I told him I was very fine regardless of what he would do to me. "I wouldn't mind if you were about to step on my foot a hundred times."
He laughed.
"Stop saying things that are so cheesy, Jime." Oh, God. I wish he knew I loved it so much when he called me Jime as if no one else should. The one word that always brought me a thousand butterflies in my stomach. And Tooru got the power alone.
For I can't help falling in love with you
"Have you got me in one of your future plans?" That was the time I froze.
To think of Tooru was to think of us, and our future together. I did love him, for as long as I could. I wanted him to be a part of my longtime life. But Tooru, we never knew what the future would bring.
"No, I don't need to include you in my future plans. Because you're the plan." I wish he knew I wasn't joking or telling him white lies, but he was truly what I searched for in my future. He then sparked a beautiful smile that made my heart warm.
Take my hand, take my whole life too
As we slowly danced in the dark, Tooru put his chin on my shoulder. He grabbed me and got me into his embrace. I could feel his warmth while I hugged him back as if I didn't want to let go of him tonight.
“Hajime, we'll never know what the future holds, but I hope it brings you and me. Together."
He pulled me in a soft kiss. It was the second kiss of ours which was initiated by him. Even though it only lasted for about ten seconds, the memory of it could last eternity.
For I can't help falling in love with you
Tooru, let us write our own story together. While hands of mine interlocked with the warmth of you, and love slipped in every tight hug we shared.