i am absolutely smitten by tasugao you know

1. breathe

He feels his body being moved around, being carried and being handled with care.

He doesn't know who's holding him but their arms are warm, so warm in contrast to the waters he last remembers to be drowning in.

Tasuku twitches.

He remembers the loud thunder, the flashing lightning and the terrifying waves. He can hear the screams of the rest of the crew, the sounds of the ship cracking under the pressure of strong waters. He remembers being cold and scared. But he had to hold on. He had to put on a strong face.

Because he was the captain of the navy.

Tasuku gasps, pushing himself up as he coughs out the seawater he swallowed. There's a hand on his back, rubbing up and down. He can't bring himself to push the hand away–it's far too warm and welcoming and he's far too tired and exhausted.

After a few moments of catching his breath, the blue-haired man looks up when he hears his saviour(?) say, "Hey mate, you okay?"

The first thing he notices is the gold in the other man's eyes.

The second thing he notices: it's Gao Mikado, the most wanted pirate of the Aibo Sea.

Shit.

2. captured

Tasuku feels like screaming. On the other hand, Gao is grinning, as if in relief. "I'm so glad you're okay!" he says.

What. What?

"How are you glad?! Don't you know who I am?!" he doesn't mean to sound condescending, but most pirates would be more than glad to let him die.

Why not him?

Ah, maybe he wants to be able to torture Tasuku. If that's the case…

Tasuku narrows his eyes, backing away from the pirate. The red-haired man seems amused. He laughs. "Yeah, I know who you are. Commodore Tasuku Ryuenji. You've been after pirates in these waters since I can remember."

"Then why did you help me?"

"Because not all pirates are entirely as nasty and mean as you people make them to be."

"Where's your proof?"

"I just saved your life, didn't I? You're welcome." Gao is still grinning, his pirate hat tipped sideways. He doesn't seem the least bit offended that Tasuku is apprehensive of him.

He can't deny Gao's words however. They're the truth. He skims over Gao and notices he doesn't have a sword around his waist. But he could very well have a gun under that jacket. Then again, the redhead is also wet from head to toe like him. Probably from pulling him out of the water. The gunpowder wouldn't light up now. And in the event that Gao decides to knock him over the head with the blunt end of the gun, Tasuku wouldn't let that happen so easily.

In short, they're both weaponless.

He supposes he can… trust the pirate. For now.

3. shine

He doesn't even try.

Tasuku knows, from the very first time he talked to Gao Mikado, that this boy doesn't even try. He shines bright, always, without giving it a thought, without putting in the effort.

Just like the sun.

Always bright… always shining… and always blinding.

Everybody knows you're not supposed to look at the sun directly. You're not supposed to stand under the light for too long. Too much of the rays and you're done for.

But despite knowing all of this… Tasuku can't get enough of him.

He keeps coming back, he keeps looking back at the ball of light and keeps spending more and more time with him that he should be burnt to a crisp by now.

But that's the thing.

Even though Gao Mikado's like the sun, he won't hurt you like the sun.

4. duty

As the Fourth and Blue King, Tasuku Ryuenji handled Scepter 4 with utmost importance, care, and diligence. Everyone under him respected him, and did as he told them. They trusted him, believed he could do anything if he put his mind to it.

But even a man such as that has his secrets.

And Gao Mikado, not-so-recently appointed Third and Red King, knows that well.

He eases his stance, staring right into the Blue King's face. Tasuku himself does not show any emotion, simply standing there with his arms behind his back. His second-in-command, Shosetsu, is nowhere near where they are, most probably busy taking care of the mess that the Green Clan is making on the other side of the island.

"And what is it that you want to talk to me about, Gao?"

"You know what I'm here for, Tasuku."

They fall into silence. The Blue King is monotone as he says, "The Silver King is putting ideas in your head."

"Yeah? At least Kyoya–"

"Kyoya Gaen must be eliminated at all costs."

"Why?! Why are you so adamant on killing him without reason?! That's not like you at all!"

There is a silence once again. Gao's eyebrows are furrowed, in both confusion and frustration at the treatment Tasuku is giving him. He grips his hands, sparks of bright red lighting up around his fists and feet. He wonders if a fight between the Red and Blue King would happen, as they always do.

Tasuku is not fazed.

"There is a reason." He begins, his voice as emotionless as ever, but there's a twitch in his red eyes that Gao can't miss. "The very same reason why the late Gold King sacrificed his life in his attempts to assassinate Kyoya."

Gao starts. His eyes widen.

"What…? Yota…?"

5. dust

There's a mark left behind.

He lifts his hand away, staring at the fingerprint he left on the dusty table in the hallway. Tasuku turns his head around to look at his surroundings, at his home, but not at his home.

This is the place he used to live in. This is the place he used to laugh in, talk in. This is the place where he used to feel comfortable in. But he's been away for so long it feels like a stranger's home, stuffy, foreign, and… unwelcoming.

The warmth is not here.

He knows well why this place he called home is not home anymore. He knows why the cream-coloured walls, the prints of long-gone photo frames, and the dust dancing in the sunlight shining through the window is not home anymore.

Nothing in here belongs to them anymore.

He loosens his black tie, throwing the keys onto the table earlier, letting more dust fill the air. He shakes off his black jacket too and leaves it on the same table without another glance back.

When he walks past the mediocre mirror they put up on the wall facing the living room entrance, he sees a man with lifeless blue hair and dull red eyes looking back at him. There are dark patches under the eyes and he can't say he's surprised.

His eyes flick towards one last photo he didn't take down from the wall, of him and Gao when they were younger, stupider, but still as affectionate with each other as ever. His lips curl into a frown and he grips his hands into fists. The tears come and he lets them fall.

Gao isn't here anymore. Gao is gone. He was the only reason why Tasuku ever considered this house home in the first place. And he's gone, taking everything they ever hoped for in the future with him.

Tasuku knows there won't be a home for him anywhere anymore.

6. fly

"Is it fun? Being able to fly like that?"

Tasuku blinks. "What do you mean? Isn't it just the same as yours?"

Gao scratches his cheek and then crosses his arms. "No, not really I think. With Drum's Buddy Skill, it's more like you're skateboarding through the air. You've been on it before, you know how it works."

Tasuku nods, a small smile on his face.

"But with yours… I think it's more free. Because you're not restricted to a single floating surface. You're flying using your own feet, which makes it easier to control in a sense. I bet you could do a lot of twists and tricks without fear of falling!"

"Like rollerblading through the air?"

"Yeah, I guess!"

Tasuku turns his head to look at the night sky. "Would you like to give it a try then?"

"What?" Gao blinks, a confused look on his face. "Uhm, are you sure? Doesn't it work for just a single person? And last I checked, swapping Buddy Skills isn't an option."

The police officer stifles a chuckle. "I meant I'll carry you. It'll be fun, come on."

Gao feels his heart skip a beat. "Carry me? How?"

"Well, a piggyback ride sounds like the safest position. You can just cling onto me tight, okay?"

He's hesitant about this, but it doesn't mean he doesn't want to do it. So he grins and says, "Alright, let's do it!"

Later on, when Tasuku spins them around in loops and circles, and twists and turns, and he's screaming his head off with the stars and moon just barely out of their reach, Gao doesn't think it is a good idea after all.

At least Tasuku is enjoying himself.

7. brother

When his dad called him down, he was not sure what to expect.

The young Gao Mikado, around eight to nine years old, trod down the steps of his house hurriedly–in the same time making sure he won't trip and fall. His mom and dad had left home earlier with wide grins on their faces that felt like they were holding on to the biggest surprise in the world.

He hoped he'd find out what it is.

He halted in front of the main door, where his grandmother already stood waiting, and greeted his dad. "Welcome home!" he exclaimed, grinning. "Where's mom?"

His dad shrugged out of his coat. "Outside. We have someone we want you to meet."

"Really? Who is it, who is it?!"

The front door opened and his mother walked in, smiling. "I can hear you all the way outside, Gao." There was someone behind her with blue hair, he could tell. He saw the small figure clutching onto his mother's coat like his life depended on it, and when the other kid raised his head, Gao caught red eyes.

He stared.

"Gao, this is your new older brother, Tasuku. We adopted him." His mom continued and he raised his head.

"New older brother?" a memory of Yota from a fuzzy past crossed his mind. Were they replacing Yota…? "What's adopted?" he asked.

His dad crouched down and clasped his shoulder. "Adopting is when you take someone without a family and make them a part of your family. How about it? Will you let Tasuku into our family?"

Gao stared at his dad's face, before he looked over the man's shoulder to see his mom helping Tasuku out of his own coat. The kid was fidgeting, he could tell, and he wasn't looking at anywhere but the ground.

Gao knew what to do.

He grinned and nodded at his dad, before he ran up to his mom and Tasuku, took the other boy's hands excitedly and exclaimed, "Tasuku-nii, do you play Buddyfight?!"

At first he was tense, and looked ready to bolt, but maybe it was because Gao called him Tasuku-nii, or maybe it was because of the word Buddyfight, but the boy's shoulders relaxed and the surprised look on his face slowly turned into a soft smile. He nodded, gently.

"I do."

8. transfer

He jumps on his heels, his grip on his strap growing tighter and tighter as he paces up and down the hallway. He's biting on his nails too.

Gao Mikado is not nervous.

He giggles to himself. Of course he's not nervous, why should he be nervous? It's not like he's going to go into The Hunger Games or something. He's just going to walk into a new class, in a new school, in a new prefecture, meeting lots of new people he doesn't know, where he's going to have to work really hard again to get friends or else he'd be alone again and just basically oh God he feels like throwing up.

Things would be easier if he hadn't gotten himself lost.

He feels embarrassed suddenly because he's seventeen years old for crying out loud, a sudden school transfer should not shake him this much, moreover to the point he loses himself in the clouds so much he loses his bearings.

He's been through worse. Even Hanako is handling this better than him–she was jumping about in excitement at starting at a new school this morning before they left.

Gao takes a deep breath to calm himself. He can do this.

"Hey, you there!"

Gao jumps five feet into the air.

He looks over his shoulder nervously, eyebrows furrowed and lips pressed together. There, not far down the hallway, he sees a tall guy with blue hair wearing glasses walking towards him. He gulps. Not an hour in this school and he's already in trouble.

"Y-Yes…?"

"Why aren't you in class?"

Uh-oh. Is this guy some kind of hall monitor? Or maybe a prefect? Maybe even the student council president? He doesn't know. He can't tell. For all it is possible in this world, this guy could be all three.

"I… uhm, I'm new here and I… got lost?"

The other's red eyes relaxed and he smiles. "I see. I'm sorry I scared you then. Would you like me to show you to where your new class is?"

Gao nods quickly. "Yes, I'm in class 2-5! You saved me…" he smiles back. Okay, this is a good start. He's not in trouble. Nice.

"Not a problem."

The other starts walking, beckoning Gao to follow and the transfer student did just that. They've already taken a few steps ahead when the blue-haired teen looked over his shoulder. "I'm Tasuku Ryuenji by the way. If you need help settling in, you can come to me."

Surprised, he grins widely in response and nods his head. "I will. Thank you!"

Yeah. Maybe this school won't be so bad after all.

9. steps

Gao presses his lips together. "Remind me again why I'm taking ballroom dance lessons from you."

Tasuku chuckles. "Isn't it because your sister joined Suzuha's contest?"

Gao throws his head back and crosses his arms. "Ah. That. Right. The ballroom dance competition. And Hanako asked me to be her partner. Right."

"Now remind me why I'm the one who has to teach you how to dance." Tasuku says, slipping his hands into Gao's and guiding them towards his waist as the music starts. They're in the Mikado dojo, the only room in the house with space wide enough to dance.

Gao tilts his head. "Because I don't know how to do this and Hanako's learning from Kuguru who only knows how to do the girls' steps?"

"Ah."

They fall into silence as they attempt again to dance the waltz. Gao tries to remember the steps Tasuku taught him, his eyes focused on the feet under him. At least he doesn't have two left feet, so that's one thing off his worry list.

Tasuku dances the girl's part well and he corrects Gao patiently every time the younger one makes a mistake, keeping a keen eye on the other's movements. But the close distance between them, with their bodies almost touching, and how they are moving as one… it's, well…

It's driving Gao mad.

When they complete the dance, Tasuku smiles. "You've really improved by now, Gao. When is the competition going to be held?"

"All thanks to you man," the shorter one of them smiles back sheepishly. "Hanako told me it's this weekend."

"Really? I can't wait to see the fruits of your hard work then."

"Now you're making me nervous…"

They share a laugh at that. But honestly? Gao doesn't want that competition to come any closer. He wants to keep on practicing with Tasuku as his partner, to dance with nobody but the other.

Ah… he really must be going mad.

10. voice

Gao doesn't really care about singing, or people singing. He'll give compliments, sure, but he won't think much of it after.

That's not the case when Tasuku does it though.

It's not something someone finds out through a big competition, or from a karaoke party. It's something he notices when Tasuku's in the shower for too long and he gets carried away, or when Tasuku's favourite song comes on the radio and he's subtly dancing around as he works.

Tasuku has a nice singing voice.

He's not really surprised about that fact. Rather, he enjoys it. He likes getting lost in Tasuku's voice as the other sings to his favourite tune without realizing it, relieving the stresses of a Buddy Police's day in just a couple of minutes.

But when he really asks Tasuku to sing, especially in front of a crowd, Tasuku would purse his lips, chuckle, maybe even blush, and then say, "Gao, you know I can't sing."

He'll make Tasuku realize how wrong he is one day.

11. ask

"Tasuku, will you go out with me?"

Seconds pass. Gao stares.

"Oh my God, I can't do this…" he sighs deeply as he throws the picture frame onto his bed. He's been staring into that picture of Tasuku smiling at the camera for as long as he can remember, practicing again and again, repeating his question non-stop till even Drum got tired of hearing him and left the room.

He's in his first year of high school now, and it's high time he acts on his crush on Tasuku Ryuenji. Crush? Scientists say that if a crush lasts longer than four months, it's no longer a crush. You're in love.

And Gao has been infatuated with Tasuku for four years.

So what does that make of him?

Holding his head in his hands, he recalls back to all those other times he tried to ask the senior out once he realized truly what his feelings for Tasuku meant. It always ended with someone interrupting them, or Gao chickening out.

He tries not to think on whether or not Tasuku will accept him. He'll deal with that when the time comes. What matters right now is that he has to pop the question. But how?

"Urgh… why is this so hard…"

"What's so hard?"

With a yelp, Gao jumps from his sitting position on the bed and finds himself face-to-face with the very person he was thinking about.

"T-Tasuku…?!"

The senior laughs. "Sorry I startled you. I knocked but you didn't answer, and Drum let me in."

"O-Oh… W-Why are you here?"

For a moment Tasuku's face looked solemn, but he smiles at Gao. "Actually… I'll be out of town for a few days, maybe even weeks. Buddy Police business, you know?"

Gao feels his heart in his stomach. "Oh."

"So I came by to say good bye. I guess I kind of realized I'll miss you…"

Now Gao feels his heart soar into the clouds. So he pats Tasuku's shoulder and grins. "Hey, I'll be here waiting for you here, okay? So go kick some criminal butt!"

Tasuku nods and he chuckles, his smile genuine this time. "Okay."

And when we meet again, I really will tell you how I feel.

12. out

Tasuku can hardly wait.

It has been three weeks since that day. Three weeks since he left his hometown in favour of an undercover job in another district, three weeks since he started this investigation, three weeks since he last saw or even talked to anyone from back home.

He wants to see Gao again as soon as possible.

So when the criminal is secured and his things are packed, he decides to fly his way home in celebration.

Or because he really just can't wait for the Buddy Police cars.

Traffic would be horrible during this time of the day, he reasons, and flying is so much better too. He's seventeen years old by now but it doesn't mean he can't enjoy the little things in life.

Jack accompanies him the entire way, and Tasuku's sure he half expects the teen to fall suddenly out of tiredness. Tasuku hardly feels tired though. He just wants to get home as fast as he can.

Besides, he has something important to say to Gao.

The flight home takes roughly an hour or two, and when he sees the roofs and landmarks that are familiar to him, he smiles. He'd like to make a turn and head towards Gao's home right away. But he can't. Not yet. Especially not in this sweaty Buddy Police uniform.

So he continues his journey to the Buddy Police HQ to report in and returns to his apartment for a shower.

It's not long after all of that when he finally finds himself standing in front of the Mikado family's door.

He's dressed in his casual clothes, a black and red checkered button-up that he left unbuttoned over a navy blue shirt and a simple pair of grey jeans. He has his fake glasses on too, just in case. Jack agreed to leave him for a while, knowing he'd want some privacy for something like this.

He gulps and knocks on the door.

The person who opens it is Hanako.

He doesn't know whether to feel disappointed or relieved.

Tasuku smiles at her nonetheless, because she's grinning in pleasant surprise at him. "Hey there. Is Gao home?"

Now a middle school student, Tasuku can say that Hanako is growing up nicely into a fine young lady. Whoever she sets her eyes on will be really lucky. Tasuku's glad he's not the one, because he always has his eyes set on another Mikado.

She nods her head quickly, grinning cheekily as she opens the door wider to let him in. "Yeah, he's home. I'll go and call him, so wait here for a sec."

The girl runs up the stairs and leaves Tasuku standing in the hallway. The teen rubs his arms. Suddenly the prospect of seeing Gao again after so long is giving him the nerves and jitters. Especially when he plans on–

He hears a loud crash from upstairs and jumps.

Okay, what was that?

Tasuku is tempted to go up and see what's going on, but before he can take one step further, he hears the thudding of footsteps and Gao Mikado rumbles down the staircase like a tornado.

His heart does a little jump at how excited Gao is to see him.

With a little laugh, he greets the other, who sheepishly tries to hide the fact that he collided with a wall. "Hi Gao."

"H-Hey, Tasuku! You're back!"

"Yeah, I am. Say, are you busy right now?"

"No, not really. Why?"

This is it. The moment he's been dreading and anticipating is drawing near.

Tasuku takes a deep breath and notices Drum's tail at the top of the staircase, carelessly forgotten by the eavesdropper. "Can we… go somewhere private? To talk? I have something to say to you."

"Um, sure. Is the dojo okay? I kind of have something to tell you too."

He nods and lets Gao lead him to the family dojo, where the younger one slides the door open to let him in and makes sure its closed shut after.

He hides his hands in his pockets, because he realizes they're sweating. His nerves from earlier come back tenfold and he's not sure if this is a good idea anymore. Maybe he should do this another time. When he's more ready. Because despite convincing himself weeks before, he is definitely not ready for this.

"So, what is it that you want to tell me?" Gao asks.

He looks into the golden eyes of the younger teen. "I've been… doing a lot of thinking," he rubs the back of his neck. "About the past few years, about us. And I…" he gulps. He can feel the rush of blood in his cheeks, heating his face in a blush. "I love you, Gao. Will you go out with me?"

There's silence as a blank look falls on Gao's face.

He presses his lips together in worry. Was that too forward? Too fast? Does Gao actually have a secret partner he knew nothing of? Or is Gao not interested in him?

He doesn't know which option is the worst.

He decides maybe now should be a good time to split the scene, when Gao's face explodes in a vibrant red colour.

"W-What?" the other stammers. "D-Did you just…?" Gao makes hand motions, too lost to speak properly. His face is still in a deep blush that Tasuku can't help but to find adorable. Gao points at him and then at himself, stuttering still."D-D-Did you s-say you… l-l-love me?"

He can still feel the anxiousness inside of him, but when Gao responds like this, some of that slips away and he can feel courage again. There's no use backing out now. He nods his head.

"I did. I'm in love with you."

It takes a moment later for Gao to grin, his hand in his hair as he chuckles. Feeling giddy, he says, "Wow… I just… wow. I've been… I mean, I was trying to confess to you too, you know. But you beat me to it."

He blinks. "Does that mean…?"

Gao laughs, sheepishly. "I'm in love with you too, Tasuku-senpai."

Tasuku brings a hand to his mouth to cover up the wide smile that he can't stop. He feels a charge of joy shoot through him and he almost swears he's never been this happy before.

This has to be the best moment in his life.

13. breakfast

"Do you even have breakfast?" Gao asks, sounding incredibly scandalized.

Tasuku shakes his head, slowly getting worried at the look Gao is giving him. "The first time I'll eat anything everyday is during school lunch breaks…"

Gao looks appalled. "You have got to be kidding me."

Tasuku doesn't understand what the big ideal is. He's used to it, he's been living on store-bought food for as long as he can remember. From the moment he started living alone with Jack, he thinks. And it's not like he always gets instant noodles.

It's a bit too much on his wage but it's nothing he can't plan carefully. Besides, it's faster this way. He needs all the time he can get to balance his Buddy Police work and his school work, and getting take-out saves him a lot of time rather than the option of making his own meals.

He also doesn't understand how seriously Gao is taking this revelation. Until the next day when he gets a knock on his apartment door.

He's surprised, yes, but he doesn't particularly mind. He's already in his Buddy Police uniform, ready to clock in for work in the morning before school. He's just very, very, very confused.

Who could be at his door so early?

When he opens it, he almost falls over at the sight of a familiar face.

"G-Gao? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to give you real food."

"What?"

Gao hands him a paper bag, and a cup that he assumes to be coffee, if the scent isn't a big enough of a hint already.

"Okay, so the food is homemade, but I cheated on the coffee."

He almost wants to laugh. "What coffee shop is open at this hour?"

"McCafé."

This time he really laughs.

He can't believe Gao would go to this extent to give him 'real food'. It's endearing, honestly. And touching too. He feels his heart swell when he thinks about it. It's so early in the morning, and yet Gao went through the trouble to (possibly) make him food and send it to him.

He takes the cup and the paper bag, and the first thing he notices is that something's written on the cup. He turns it and finds doodles of shapes like hearts and stars on it.

"Ah, that.. was Hanako's doing. She woke up early too and got her hands on a marker."

Cute.

"Thank you, Gao. Really, I appreciate it."

Gao grins. "Don't mention it. I'll be leaving now, see ya!"

"Bye."

With that, Gao speeds off towards the stairs. Tasuku hopes he'll see him again later and closes the door. He decides to look at what Gao made for him and unrolls the paper bag's opening, only to find something else written there in black marker.

Have a good day at work!
-Gao

He blushes. What the heck?!

Gao Mikado is honestly too much for him.

14. host

Gao Mikado has absolutely no idea how from all the rooms this school has to offer…

…he stumbles into Music Room #3.

He looks around the expensive furniture, the expensive wallpaper and decorations and he feels literally out of place. Really, remind him again why he decided to spend his high school life at Aibo Academy?

Ah, right. His parents. And his younger sister. He couldn't let them down when he was offered this scholarship. So off he goes, to this prestigious school for super rich kids and super famous celebs.

He is so out of place.

It's just his first day here and he already wants to go home. But no, it's just the first day. He won't back down so soon. He's Gao Mikado after all! He'll fight for a place in here until his last breath.

…That is, if he can find a way out of this room first. Why is it so huge?!

He thinks the doors are like… that way. But he doesn't remember seeing that vase when he walked in. Ah, screw this, those are still doors over there and wherever they take him, at least it'll still be in school grounds.

"Hello. Are you lost?" a voice interrupts his thoughts, honeyed and charming.

He jumps five feet into the air.

"Whoa!" the fruity voice laughs. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

Gao turns around, arms ready for action in case the voice was a trick on his mind. The first person he sees is someone with silky blue hair, glittering red eyes and a smile so entrancing it paralyzes him.

His jaw drops.

Is he blessed with the presence of an ethereal being?

"Um… are you okay?" the being asks, trying to sound concerned but Gao can see the glint of amusement in those ruby eyes.

"I'm… fine. I think. I'm just lost?"

"Really? It must be fate then that led me to meet such a handsome fellow."

His heart jumps. "W-What?"

The blue-haired being chuckles, silvery and modulated. "Welcome to Aibo Academy's Host Club. We're supposed to be in class right now… but for you, I believe I can make an exception."

"Eh… Eeeeh?!"

15. sink

When he first laid his eyes on the man with the shiny shoes and clean coat, he thought, This guy isn't supposed to be here.

He is obviously from the first class, even if the man had been wearing drabs, torn and dirty, when he first saw him. The way he carried himself with a perfect posture and an air of sophistication, it's why Gao Mikado realized he wasn't from the lower classes, but of the higher and respected class that wouldn't even dream of coming down here, not with their fancy cutlery and comfy beds.

So, why is he here?

Curious, with his hands in the pockets of his almost-worn pants, he walks up to the misfit man and says, "Hey. Um, not to be rude or anything sir, but are you lost?"

The man looks taken aback, like he didn't expect Gao to talk to him at all, and he tries to hide his nervousness behind a gentle smile–Gao could see it, and with guilt in his chest he finds it adorable. He swallows.

"Oh, it's quite alright. I'm not actually lost…" for a moment the blue haired man hesitates. "I'm just rather curious."

"Curious?"

"Yes… I'm curious about…" the man hesitates again.

It clicks in Gao's mind. "You are curious about the lower classes?"

The man smiles, albeit guiltily. "Does that offend you…?"

Gao can't help his laugh. "No, not really. It doesn't bother me as much as you would think. I feel like… I understand why you're curious." He extends his hand. "I'm Gao Mikado. You can just call me Gao."

The man looks relieved and he doesn't hesitate to take Gao's hand at all, unlike most others from the higher class. "Thank you for your kindness, sir. Most of the others who I've told of my intentions did not take it well." He smiles. "That is a nice name. I'm Tasuku. Tasuku Ryuenji."

Gao thinks the other's name is nicer.

They talk more after that. Idle, casual talk, about how it is on the bottom half of the ship they're on, headed straight for New York City. Gao tells him about how hot it is under there, where the people sing and dance the night away in their sweat and beer. He also answers every question that Tasuku asks as best as he can… despite the weirdness of some of them.

"Is it true that the children play with rats?"

"What?!"

But Tasuku is a good man. His curiosity is genuine, and he does not mean to scorn the people below him. He merely wants to know. And so Gao provides.

The more he spends time with the other, walking around the Shelter Deck and eventually ending up in the second class library, the more he finds himself drawn in. He does not quite understand the feeling. But the more they talk, make jokes, and interact like they're long lost friends… the more he doesn't want this moment to end.

But it does, eventually, when the sun sets and Tasuku excuses himself to attend to dinner. He thanks Gao for the lovely chat, he nods his head in farewell, tipping his worn hat, and he watches as the man with the charm walks away, his silhouette tinted by the glowing red of the sunset.

Gao spends his entire night thinking about him.

When the next day rolls by, he's determined to look for the man. However, as it turns out, he did not need to do so. They met again halfway, in the Shelter Deck again, and again in front of the second class library.

Gao's taking deep breaths from the running, and his hat is in his hands because it almost fell off earlier, and Tasuku's cheeks are flushed, probably from running too, and when their eyes met neither of them could stop themselves from laughing.

"W…What are you doing here?"

"I can ask the same of you!"

They laugh again.

This time, Tasuku brings him up to the First Class areas, and he sees that the atmosphere is much different compared to the lower classes. It feels far more refined, controlled and proper. He supposes that's how it is here in the higher class.

And, despite his tries, it does feel nostalgic.

Tasuku showed him around the boat deck, where there were no lifeboats to block the view of the open sea. It's easier to look at the waters here, to stretch his arms as if he could touch the horizon, and he likes how Tasuku laughs in amusement at how excited he is.

"Tell me more about yourself, Gao."

"Me?" he blinks. He averts his eyes back to the ocean. "What more is there to know? There's a pool down there, and a Turkish bath—"

"That's not what I meant…"

"Huh?" Gao looks at Tasuku. The man is staring out into the ocean too.

"I want to know more about you."

…Oh. He swallows. "Well, I've been in the streets for some time now, you know? Been to a lot of countries, sleeping under the stars and more often than not starving…" he turns again and this time he meets Tasuku's eyes. He grins. "But for me, this is my life, and it's only the best if I make it the best."

Something glimmers in those beautiful red eyes and Gao has to swallow again.

Tasuku smiles. "That sounds like something only you would say."

He turns to look at the sea again and so does Gao. A brisk of seawater hits them lightly. As the sunlight shimmers the water's surface, and the slaps of the waves against metal echoes through his ears, Gao thinks that this trip sailing towards New York City isn't so bad after all.

It is quite possibly the best thing that has happened to him.