The sunshine came through the window glass, sneaking in between the closed curtains, forming a line-shaped light that reached the wall across the window. It was the only light that illuminated the room.

And inside that dark room, two boys slept while hugging each other, and covered only with a blanket.

Shingyouji lied next to Arata’s bare chest, burying his face in the elder’s embrace. On his head, there was the palm of his most beloved person, held him tightly.

The bright light awakened Arata and he blinked. Rubbing his eyes, he slowly got up but stopped halfway before even sitting. The younger boy flinched as he felt Arata moved and finally opened his eyes too.

“Arata…” he yawned.

Arata looked at him and brushed his hair. Not saying anything, the older boy caressed his cheek, making him blushed. The elder’s dark eyes stared deeply, as if he was looking through Shingyouji’s minds and heart. Slowly, the touch moved to his lips and then he felt the thumb slipped inside, making him opened his mouth a bit.

The older boy moved his face closer until Shingyouji could feel his warm breath, before slowly brushing his lips. It was only lasted for a few seconds before Arata released them again.

Shingyouji couldn’t even blink. He stared back at Arata, trying to figure out what the other was thinking.

Arata smirked as he saw Shingyouji’s expression. He thought that this pet of him was really cute when he was being teased. Even the confused look of Shingyouji could make him felt that there were butterflies in his stomach. This was the same feeling he felt since the first time he saw the younger boy’s tears when he was begging Arata to not report him for cheating in the entrance exam, the feeling that he had no intention of telling to the person concerned at all.

“What a dumb expression… silly pet…” he pinched Shingyouji’s nose.

He chuckled a bit when he saw his pet pouted and rubbed the pinched nose. He then got up of the bed and put back his pants, giving Shingyouji his grey T-shirt.

“I’m gonna head out a bit and buy you new clothes, stay here like a good pet.” He wore his brown jacket and wanted to head out before Shingyouji called out to him.

“Wait, Arata-san… Can I… Come with you?”

Arata paused for a bit to consider his answer. “Fine, but wear a cap and glasses. I don’t want to make a fuss in a public place.”

Although he didn’t know what Arata mean by that, he happily jumped off the bed and putting Arata’s clothes on his body. He wanted to be with Arata even just for a little longer, no, not just a little but for a long, long, long time. He smiled widely as he put on glasses and a cap just as Arata told him.

They headed to the department store using the train. All the way to there, Shingyouji walked behind Arata just like a loyal pet. Sometimes, Arata just pulled his hand so the younger boy wouldn’t be left in a crowd.

Feeling their hands linked to each other made Shingyouji terribly happy. He kept smiling until Arata realized this.

“What are you smiling at? That’s creepy...”

Shingyouji pouted cutely, “Arata-san... that’s mean of you.” Seeing his reaction, Arata only smirked teasingly while still holding the younger boy’s hand.

Just like this, Shingyouji had his hopes up. Even though they arrived already at the clothes section, the older boy didn’t let go of his hand.

Since a long time ago, he always treasured the moment he spent with Arata, even if it was just for a second. Because, he didn’t want to have any regret in the future. To be together with Arata was the only thing that could made him drown in happiness.

The feeling of a skinship, he wanted more and more. To be separated with Arata for years only made his feeling grew deeper. He realized of this fact and that made him worried.

Like an arrow being led by its bow. Flew a hundred meters away and landed at an unknown place just for missing the bow so badly. Waiting anxiously, for someone to pick it up and bring it back to the original place, side by side with the prideful bow.

But this kind of feeling was not bad either. To love and to be loved were wonderful things. It was the core of life. Without it, humans could only live with an emptiness. And the sound of a rapid heartbeat when seeing the beloved person was the most beautiful melody God ever created.

It was destiny’s game for when the two of them finally met again. Shingyouji thought that this was his last chance to be together with Arata and he wanted to convince the older boy that he didn’t want to be apart from Arata no matter what happen.

“Oi, stop daydreaming, Shingyouji!!” Arata’s voice brought him back from his thoughts.

“Ah, sorry, Arata-san... i was just...” He paused for a bit as he saw a brown hat with bear ears on its sides. “thinking that this might suit you.” He took it from its original place and put it on Arata’s head.

Seeing the usually-serius-guy wore a cute hat like that made Shingyouji laughed in satisfaction. Arata blushed and hurriedly took it off.

“What the hell...” He said while averting his gaze somewhere, still blushing.

“Eeh? Arata-san... so cute!” He hold back his laugh. Seeing the new expression of Arata made Shingyouji excited.

The older boy flicked Shingyouji’s forehead a little. “you dared call me cute despite knowing I’m your owner...”

Rubbed his forehead and pouted. “That hurts, Arata-san!”

“serves you right.” Arata answered as he chose some clothes. “Try these on.” He gave the clothes he just chose to Shingyouji. The younger boy obeyed him and accepted the clothes.

After that, Arata pulled his hand and led him to the fitting room. Being pushed inside the fitting room, Shingyouji saw Arata came in as well.

“Eh?” Shingyouji felt that this had happened before.

“Put those on.”

“O-okay...” He turned around and took off Arata’s T-shirt, changing it with a striped shirt from a pile of clothes Arata picked for him.

He stood in front of the mirror, trying to button the shirt. But, Arata’s hands reached out to his front and buttoned the shirt while looking at his reflection on the mirror. The older stood behind him just as close. There was no distance between them anymore. He could feel arata’s face brushed his hair softly.

“This is bring back memories, don’t you think?” He whispered in Shingyouji’s ear with his usual seducing low tone.

Shingyouji knew that the older reffered to the Tanabata Event when Arata suddenly left Sagara-senpai with him just for picking some clothes as the promised.

“Umm... Arata-san...” Feeling nervous, Shingyouji didn’t dare to look at Arata’s eyes in the reflection.

“Want to repeat that again?” Arata smirked playfully as he whispered again.

Those words made Shingyouji flustered and his face reddened just like an apple, even reached his ear that close to Arata’s lips.

“Answer me, Shingyouji...do you want it...or not?”

All the whispering Arata made ran through his body like electric current, making him shivered. “I... I want it... Arata-san.” He knew he couldn’t lie to Arata, not even once.

The older boy turned Shingyouji’s body over to face him. “Good answer.” He smiled.

“Arata-san...” He lost his words when Arata’s face went close to his, slowly brushing the lips and put his tongue inside Shingyouji’s mouth. The older boy kissed him as passionately as ever.

Arata kept moving his mouth as if he wanted to devour Shingyouji’s lips to his cheeks. The softness of the younger boy’s lips had aroused him.

Shingyouji closed his eyes as he felt his face became hot as well as their breath. They kept kissing and exchanging their mouth love juices. And he could feel Arata’s fingers touching his right ear and sticking something on it.

Just when Arata pulling out his tongue and ending the kiss, Shingyouji touched his right ear and felt a thing stucked on it.

An earring.

“That thing will make me can always find you no matter where you are, so you can’t hide from me.” Arata stared deeply to the younger boy’s eyes. “Don’t you dare to take it off.”

Shingyouji felt touched with Arata’s words, his eyes were tearing. He also knew the meaning behind the earring although he didn’t sure whether Arata thought the same thing as him.

The only earring on the right ear means that it is a symbol of a gay lover. This is knowledgeable to all gay people in the world as the common fashion accessory.

Arata smirked again as he patted Shingyouji’s head. “Let’s pick this shirt, stupid crybaby.” He then pulled Shingyouji’s hand again and they got out of the fitting room.

Arata led him to the cashier as Shingyouji nervously wiped the tears that piling up in his round eyes. He then gently rubbed his earring and from the touch, he could know that it had ruby stone as its ornamental object. Feeling that he was loved, Shingyouji smiled shyly and blushed again.

After buying all the clothes he picked previously, Arata made the younger boy came with him to the nearest family restaurant.

“You haven’t had breakfast yet, right?”

“Ah… yeah…” Shingyouji turned the pages of the menu.

“What do you want to eat, then?” He looked at Shingyouji, realizing that the younger boy was still nervous, He smiled. “This feels like a date, eh?” He teased the flustered pet of his.

“Eh… Ah… I-Is it?” He laughed awkwardly. “Uhh… Arata-san… Don’t tease me like that…” He covered his face with both of his hands, trying to hide his embarrassment.

Arata snorted seeing that cute reaction. “What’s that…? I didn’t do anything.” He rested his chin on his palm.

Shingyouji pouted. “You always like that, Arata-san…”

“Why? You didn’t like it?” He asked instantly.

“It’s… Not like that…!” Shingyouji tried to convince but soon realized that Arata was just teasing him again when he saw the older boy snickered. “Arata-san….” He desperately begged for Arata to stop.

The older boy only laughed happily with a satisfied face. He finally got his revenge for the bear hat earlier.

Seeing the cheerful expression of Arata made Shingyouji mesmerized. I wish he could laugh like this more often. And if… it’s all a dream, I don’t want to wake up. Please God, I want to stay like this forever. I don’t want that smile of him disappear. Please tell me, how to make this man happy? I want to keep his smile just for me alone. Am I hoping too much?

He didn’t know anymore whether he already obsessed with Arata or just loving him a little too much. These thoughts influenced him to smile from the bottom of his heart, so beautiful it made Arata stunned.

“I hope I brought my camera with me. I really want to capture your cheerful expression with it, Arata-san.” He said it truthfully while still smiling. The reddish hue spotted on his cheeks vaguely.

Arata didn’t answer. He was just dazed at the cute boy in front of him.

“Arata-san?” Shingyouji tilted his head as he waited for the older boy’s response.

Unexpectedly, the older stood up from his seat. “Wait here and don’t leave this place, I’ll be back soon.” His expression looked like he was just remembered about something important.

“Huh? Arata-san..? Where are you---“ Arata was already went out of the restaurant before he even ask.

Because of what Shingyouji said, Arata wanted to do something for him. He rushed back to the department store to buy a digital camera for repaying the negative film he destroyed previously. He took 20 minutes to arrive at the gadget section. With the help of the shopkeeper there, he picked the silver one.

“Is it for a present? Do you want to wrap it, sir?” asked the shopkeeper politely.

“Oh, yes. But do it quickly, please.” He replied instantly.

“I understand, please wait for a while.” She carried the digital camera with her and took out a wrapping paper.

He looked around as he waited impatiently. And there, he saw a big television which broadcasted a live culinary program at the pastry shop near the restaurant Shingyouji was in. His eyes widened when he spotted a brown haired boy being pushed over by a lot of people who were crammed, trying to precede each other just for the sake of a famous cake. His hat and glasses fell apart from him and his face was clearly seen in the camera.

“Excuse me, Sir. It’s all done.” The shopkeeper handed over the wrapped camera to Arata.

Quickly, Arata took out some money and grabbed the camera, and then he dashed out to the pastry shop. His face went pale as he hoped something was not going to happen to Shingyouji.

Unfortunately, when he reached the shop, Shingyouji was no longer there. He tried to search for the younger boy randomly to the nearby shops but still, he couldn’t find him everywhere. This made Arata panicked. His intuition said that the worst possible thing he thought of before had become a reality.

They got him!! He clenched his fists as the anger filled him up.