The Increasingly Misnamed Short Story (AKA, This is A Not-So-Short Story, pt. 17)

If you’re interested in reading the previous 16 parts you can find them here. Otherwise enjoy!
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The next day they went out with their group and toured and bought souvenirs. They boarded their bus and headed back to school.

Once there, he said good-bye to that boy for the last time as boyfriends and lovers. Or rather, that’s what he thought at the time.

It wasn’t his proudest moment. It left him with a series of less than successful series of relationships; relationships where he was never happy. He could never quite regain what he had lost. Even though he’s back together with that same boy, he’s still not sure how happy he deserves to be.

He rests his head against the plate-glass window behind him, the one thing that separates him from the rest of the city.

As much as he regretted what happened, he couldn’t help but think what would have happened if he hadn’t been forced to leave. Would they still be together? Would they even have formed this band?

Of everything, he started feeling infinitely grateful that he had come up with that idea so many years ago. If he had never come up with that idea he would have never got to know his boyfriend. Or at least that’s what he thinks. He’s never really been sure what goes through his boyfriend’s head. His boyfriend has always seemed pretty reserved and quiet.

And yet, any time he’s on stage, it’s like something lights up inside of him. He’s almost someone different… almost. It’s almost like this is what he was born to do.

He shakes his head as he looks behind himself at the city below.

“It’s a matter of the rest of the world noticing it… or at least the rest of Japan.”, he thinks.

He hears gentle footfalls against the hardwood floor.

His head snaps around. Before him stands his boyfriend wrapped in a towel. A sight that he has seen so many times, but still rouses intense feelings of desire within him.

His boyfriend reaches out and offers him a hand. He takes it. Once he’s back on his feet, he takes his boyfriend in his arms. He holds him tight. He breathes in his boyfriend’s familiar musky scent. He closes his eyes and rests his head on his shoulder.

He takes in the serenity and peace that he feels when he’s with his boyfriend. He suddenly feels a hand caressing his visible cheek. His eyes snap open. He sees his boyfriend’s boy touching his cheek. As unexpected as it was, it doesn’t necessarily weird him out.
He opens his eyes and looks at his boyfriend’s boy.

“H-how w-was y-your talk w-with your fiancé?”, his boyfriend asks him.

He takes a deep breath, breathing in more of his boyfriend’s wonderful scent. He firmly places his hands on his boyfriend’s arms. He pushes away far enough to look at his face.

“I did it. I told her. I asked her if she wanted to some along on this… well, whatever type of journey it is that we’re embarking on.”, he said staring steadfastly in to his boyfriend’s eyes.

“H-how d-did she r-respond?”, his boyfriend asked.

(To be continued…)