Chapter 15 - Disappointment and content...
Nowaki fiddled with his hair while he rode in a cab. Using his fingers as a makeshift comb, he shuffled his hair around. Excitement and nervousness bubbled inside of his chest. He rehearsed his words in his mind. It never looked good to fumble or stutter when visiting a home. Through his job, having confidence and gentleness in his voice helped him through the tough cases. This caused the people to calm down from their initial speculations about him before sitting down for a chat.
The cab turned into the gated community and Nowaki gulped. Stepping out of the car, he paid the driver and walked toward the side entrance. He tried jiggling the doorknob. No form of fiddling it a certain way made it open for him. He checked around and noticed the high railings which discouraged him from climbing over them. Getting the police called on him wasn't in his plans.
Nowaki lost hope of entering through the gate. Climbing over the side might alarm anyone who caught an eyeful of him. He didn't want to risk having the police called on him before he finished his quest. A car came along the driveway and he got an idea. Taking out his phone, he fiddled through the options. Staring from the corner of his eyes, he watched the gate open and the car drove inside. He sprinted into through the gate before it closed.
He hopped onto the sidewalk and pocketed his phone. Pulling out the sticky note from his pocket, he read the address again. Comparing it to the numbers on the homes, he calculated that his biological mothers home was located a good distance away. He crumbled the note in his hand to blend into the community. Holding up a paper and checking out the homes singled him out. His decent clothes provided him a sense of cover.
Through each passing home, he read the last names above the mail slot. Powerful names of celebrities and those born into money. He recognized a good portion of them and others which he heard through passing. His workplace gossiped about the newest scandals coming out on tv.
His stomach dropped when he saw the house. Nowaki wiped down his clammy hands after he rang the doorbell. Once. For such a huge home, he assumed a maid or a butler would answer the door. He straightened up his tie and flattened down his blazer. He tapped the side of his neck and felt his smooth skin, no scarring peeking from his large collar.
In case she denied it, the papers he showed his father were in his messenger bag. Tucked away in between his planner and his usual work papers. His father just looked at his face and accepted him without a problem.
A young lady in a maid uniform opened the door. "Hello, is there anything I can do to help you?"
Nowaki smiled big enough to show the dimples on his cheeks. "I'd like to see Megumi Adachi please."
She inspected Nowaki, hesitating in going to fetch Megumi. She saw no visible camera and he dressed decent. Far better looking than the last reporter who tried to get an interview with her employer. She heard nothing of an interview. Megumi dressed herself up before a surprise interview.
"What is your business with Lady Megumi?"
Nowaki informed her. "It's personal business. She won't want anyone else knowing about it. This won't take too long."
"Mimi, I'll handle the gentleman." Megumi appeared from an adjacent room in a tight fitting dark green dress. "I've expected someone to come around for days. No badgering phone calls or reporters has made me impatient. Run along. Go clean something." She waved her hand toward one of the rooms.
Mimi hurried past her, she gave Nowaki a sympathetic look before she disappeared. She made sure she busied herself while keeping a close ear to the conversation.
Megumi batted her eyelashes, "Come in, come in, I don't enjoy having someone take my word on the front step. It's better that we enter the room I use for entertaining. I can always serve you something to drink."
Nowaki nodded his head as he stepped inside. "Like I told the young lady, I don't think this will take long. I just have to tell you something." He saw no indication of a shoe rack and kept his shoes on. "I have other commitments for today."
"Nonsense," Megumi sauntered on ahead. "You can tell me everything you want in the living room. This way, we have privacy from any eavesdroppers hearing our conversation."
Nowaki arched a brow. "I thought you lived alone."
"Yes, I do." Megumi sighed, she twirled a strand of her hair. "My last marriage ended in disaster. Before you ask for your report, I don't have an eye on any particular man. No one in the community has peaked my interest."
She almost entered the living room when Nowaki told her. "I'm your son."
Megumi stopped in her tracks. She turned her head, giving Nowaki a once over. Hiding her reaction from appearing on her face, she kept an impassive glance. A long kept secret where only one person knew about it. Plenty of news rags attempted on finding unsavory secrets to tarnish her reputation. She chose whatever she wanted seen to the public. Situations which no one batted an eye to and chocked it up as celebrity behavior.
She decided this man played a joke on her. No rumors surfaced through the magazines or the internet where someone thought she gave birth to a child. She provided no such evidence to speculate such thoughts.
"I have no son." Megumi sneered. "Take your little story and scurry along. I don't need such bad publicity coming out over such a ridiculous lie. You have no proof."
Controlling his own outburst, he unzipped his messenger bag and pulled the folder out. "I have the evidence right here in my hands. DNA evidence and your parents told me the truth when I saw them. Benjamin Jones provided a picture of you in your starter days as well. Don't lie to me. You are my biological mother."
Megumi snatched the folder and saw a picture of herself with her old lover. Her eyes widened at the familiar blue eyes and kind smile. A man who she almost followed to America and left behind her budding career. The glitz and glamour of the spotlight hypnotized her to abandon her normal life. She never wanted to go back to her poor life without money and status attached to her name. Where she didn't have to struggle to buy whatever she wanted. Benjamin possessed nothing of value to satisfy her needs.
She recollected the day when she got the news of her pregnancy. Hours after she signed an important contract with an agency with a girl group. The group which launched her career. Too late in the trimester where no sane doctor wanted to perform an abortion. She hid the pregnancy through any means necessary. Lucky for her, their first year consisted of vocals and photo shoots for marketing.
Her mother knew of her baby. Having someone know her secret unburdened her stress. Even her mother agreed on abandoning her child in an orphanage. Each month toward the due date, she remembered the specifications of her contract. No relationships or any children during her stay with the agency. Her one chance at stardom would get ruined with this child. This prompted her to abandon him without so much of a name and without connections to her family. She never regretted this decision.
She inspected the folder before she ripped it in half. Tearing down more and more pieces until she was satisfied with the size. Ignoring Nowaki's hurt expression, she tossed the pieces onto the floor. Her heel pressed onto the image of her younger self.
"You're not getting any money from me. Whatever nice scenario you imagined from meeting me, you're not getting it from me. Let's face it, you're here to get something out of me. There's no other reason for waiting for so long." Megumi told him with a glare. "I never thought about you after all these years. I suggest leaving the premises before I call the police."
Nowaki gripped the ends of his blazer. "I had no information as a kid. Nothing but a note and a birth certificate with a fake name. Benjamin had to tell me your name just for me to expand the investigation. I just wanted to meet you. I need nothing from you."
Megumi scoffed. "Just knowing my name would have sufficed. Did you really think I would welcome you with open arms? Where I would retell some sob story on how I couldn't keep you? Not a chance. You almost stopped me from starting my career. My loser of an ex wouldn't have provided everything I wanted."
Nowaki couldn't hear anymore, he gritted out. "I get the point. I'll leave. I won't bother you ever again."
"The best decision you have made in your life." Megumi pointed to the door. "Never come back."
Nowaki went back toward the entrance, he opened the door. The realization hit him and he blinked back his oncoming tears. Each step felt heavy and he wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball and sleep. He understood the feelings of his friends when they received the same reaction. Inside his heart, he hoped she reacted the same way as his father.
"Before you think I don't have anymore evidence," Nowaki glanced at her with pity. "Those were copies. The original papers are at home." He closed the door behind him and hurried down the walkway.
He wiped off the tears falling down his face.
Hiroki jumped due to the rapid knocking at his front door. Interrupting him from his reading as his fingers pressed onto the braille. Closing it shut, he held his book in his arms. He expected no company for the day. Not anyone who made a commotion to get inside of his home. He listened for any voices in between the knocking. He heard nothing from his place in the living room. Too far for him to decipher anything to identify the person at the door.
Getting up on his feet, he kept his hand on the wall as he hurried toward the intercom. Once his hand hit the box, he slid his hands over the buttons until he got the right one. A family member added stickers with braille to help him out. Easily taken off the moment he decided to move into another apartment. Pressing the button, he heard sobbing on the other side of the line.
Furrowing his eyebrows, Hiroki recognized a male voice. "Hello? Are you alright? Are you sure you are in the right apartment?" This person sounded heart broken from the sounds of the crying.
"Kamijou-san, it's me, Nowaki." Nowaki hiccuped. "Can you let me in?"
Hiroki removed his hand from the button. He put his hand back on the wall and went toward the front door. Without any hesitation, he opened the door. In mere moments, Nowaki yanked him into a tight embrace. Nowaki hid his face in the crook of his neck. Frozen in place, Hiroki felt tears hitting his white t shirt, wetting the material. He gripped the material of Nowaki's clothing.
His book nudged his chest at an odd angle. He tried not to show his discomfort on his face as he moved it flat on his chest. Nowaki's cries distracted him and he wanted to know the cause. The happy-go-lucky man he once knew broke down in his arms. Crying his heart out. His growing anger went toward the individual who brought his lover into this state. He controlled his outburst for Nowaki's sake.
"Let's get you inside Nowaki." Hiroki told Nowaki in a soft tone, he rustled Nowaki's hair. "I might not be able to do much. Lack of one vital aspect prevents any help but I want to hear everything you have to say."
Nowaki sniffled, loosening his grip, he wiped the remaining tears from his face. "O-Okay." He closed the door behind him, he took off his shoes before he lead Hiroki toward the living room. They sat down on the couch and Nowaki noticed the book in Hiroki's hands. "You were busy...I'm sorry."
Hiroki lifted his book. "This is an old book I read as a teenager. I can go through it without thinking much. This isn't about me." He frowned. "What the hell is going on?"
"S-She abandoned me on purpose." Nowaki blurted out.
Hiroki arched a brow, he asked "Who are you talking about?"
"I found my biological mother, Kamijou-san. I meant to tell you that I was going to see her in person. I wanted to know why she left me at the orphanage. I thought she couldn't provide for me or a family member left me in front of the orphanage in secret." Nowaki knelt in front of Hiroki and hugged his torso. "I had all my hopes up. She accused me of coming to blackmail her for money. She ripped up the DNA test and the other documents, tossing them onto the floor."
Hiroki gritted his teeth. He ran his fingers through Nowaki's hair. He reached out his left hand and felt Nowaki's turtleneck. Going down Nowaki's neck, he placed his hand on Nowaki's right shoulder and squeezed the area.
"I-I don't know why I started crying. I have a father who wants to get to know me. Two younger sisters who accepted me." Nowaki touched Hiroki's chest with his forehead. "I never thought I would feel the devastation that my old friends at the orphanage felt when they found their parents. The idea of someone not wanting you and tossing you aside. An abandoned child no one wanted."
Hiroki snapped. "She's a nobody!"
Nowaki lifted his head up in shock. "She's an ex idol...I researched her and she's well known."
"I don't give a flying fuck! She doesn't deserve someone like you in her life. She can live in misery for all I care. She made you upset and I want nothing more than to wish her the worst. I know she's your biological mother but I'm just pissed."
Nowaki held Hiroki tighter and felt the earlier emotions slip away from his bdot. "Any emotions came from an image I had of my mother. A make believe woman. I don't feel anything for her now."
Hiroki huffed. "What's her name?"
Nowaki smiled lightly. "Why?"
"Just to know for future references."
"Kamijou-san, don't do anything on my behalf. I told her I wasn't going to see her again. No contact whatsoever. What's the point? I know where I'm not wanted." Nowaki sighed, he took his arms off of Hiroki and stood up on his feet. He sat down beside Hiroki and held his hand. "I'm not going to reveal myself as her son."
Hiroki nodded his head. "You already scheduled to meet your father and sisters in the summer. Don't let that woman sour everything in your life. She's not worth it. Do you need to cry some more? It's fine."
"No." Nowaki relaxed in the sofa. "I'm not going to cry over her. I might end up moping when I'm alone but I won't cry. I'll go wash my face before I leave."
"Take a long bath." Hiroki suggested. "Better yet, stay for the afternoon. I can order in some ramen from the nearby store down the street." He slid his hand up Nowaki's chest and touched his face. "Your eyes must be red and swollen."
Nowaki smiled big as he leaned in Hiroki's palm and kissed the soft skin. "You're the sweetest. I don't care which ramen you get for me. I'm not a very picky person."
Hiroki's face warmed up as he scoffed. "You will regret telling me to pick for you."
Fuyumi laughed through another one of Kana's hospital stories. Giving the young woman the cue to continue onto more humorous stories she collected over the years. Days of overtime and lack of resting days to the brink of overworking the young woman. The motions of Kana's hands and facial expressions added a flair to the storytelling. She pushed another plate of sweets toward Kana who picked them up and spoke in between bites.
Her own experience consisted of doctor's visits and overhearing the commotion whenever she accompanied Hiroki. Hearing first hand accounts brought her humor but she counted her blessings. After all, she almost entered the nursing field but switched before graduating high school.
Kana mixed her sugared tea with a small spoon. "I have many days where I wish I entered into a different profession. Half the time, I'm overworked because people call off all the time and I'm the on who gets the call to come in. I don't want to seem ungrateful and say no when my superiors call me in."
Fuyumi chuckled. "Just don't answer the phone."
"Ha! I'll have to listen to my superiors complaining about irresponsible nurses who don't take the initiative to help out. Sure, I get extra money from the overtime but sleeping in on my days off is something I miss so much. I want to take that vacation with my mom in the summer." Kana finished off her macaroon as her cellphone rang. She hung her head, the personalized ringtone told her about the name of the caller.
Fuyumi curled her hand over Kana's, giving her a gentle squeeze. "You just got out of a shift two hours ago. I'm sure they will understand why you didn't answer the phone. You were asleep. You ended up calling them back hours later." She winked. "Go to sleep in one of the guest rooms. I insist. This way, you can spend dinner here with me and Soshi."
Kana reached into her pocket and silenced her phone. "Are you sure that's alright? I didn't bring any spare clothes with me."
"We still have some of Hiroki's spare clothes in his old bedroom." Fuyumi smiled. "In any case, Hiroki won't miss his old sweat pants and t-shirt."
"Thank you." Kana stood up and went down the hallway. "Should I stay in his room as well?"
"Go right ahead. We went through a cleaning spree through the manor and cleaned the sheets." Kana nodded her head as she disappeared down the hallway, leaving Fuyumi alone with her pastries.
Fuyumi shook her head in amusement before she ate some cookies. One of the family maids, Chiyo, pushed a tray inside of the room to collect the dishes from the table. She noticed the older woman wore a new pair of glasses. Brand name glasses with a connective chain around the neck. She knew her husband handed them to her as a gift. Chiyo couldn't deny presents from the boy she helped raise.
Chiyo arched a brow and stopped the cart near the table. Noticing Fuyumi glance up at her glasses, she sighed. She said nothing of the topic as she moved the tea pot closer to the edge. Picking it up with some clean towels, she walked closer to Fuyumi.
Chiyo poured her a new cup of tea. "I heard from Kana that you ran out of tea on her way toward Hiroki's room."
"I actually needed a fresh new cup. Thank you so much Chiyo." Fuyumi stirred in honey before collected some of the plates to help out.
Chiyo coughed into her closed hand with a slight smirk. "I have news about Megumi Adachi. Fresh news."
"Not her again." Fuyumi rolled her eyes, Chiyo snickered behind her hand. "Her shameless behavior in the last community party should have brought her embarrassment. No respectable person drinks to the point of making a spectacle of themselves. Leave that behavior for the young adults."
Chiyo collected the rest of plates onto the tray. "The majority of the men sure had no problem watching her stumble with her dress exposing more of her body."
Fuyumi nibbled on another cookie. "I'm surprised no paparazzi conveniently passed through the gates and snapped photos of her. Her PR representatives might have changed their strategy in keeping her name out in the public. What happened in her home that's caused this new rumor?"
"One of her maids told me that an illegitimate son came today." Chiyo patted her forehead with her personal handkerchief. "He wanted nothing more than to know the woman. No threats of exposing this secret for money whatsoever. From what my source said, he showed her a folder which she tore up in his face! In my opinion, he spared himself the trouble of getting involved with her."
Fuyumi frowned, she placed her cookie back onto her plate. "Poor child. The illusions of a caring mother shattered before his eyes. He must not have researched her before going to see her. I'm not at all surprised she reacted in such a harsh manner. Such a haughty attitude."
Chiyo huffed. "I'm surprised she didn't use this to her advantage."
"How so?"
"To bring out her name in the papers. Stumbling around in a drunken stupor is nothing compared to an illegitimate son coming out of nowhere." She collected the dishes and placed them in the cart. "As they say, there's no such thing as bad publicity."
"That's not always the case. Plenty of people can find offense in how she abandoned her child." Fuyumi sipped her honey laced tea, she licked her lips. "Either way, this will spread throughout the community."
Chiyo clasped her hands together with a giggle. "Ah, I'll keep an ear out for the other maids and butlers in the other homes. Good thing we were the first ones who got the news."
Fuyumi chuckled and motioned the seat across from her. "Sit down, you need to take a break." Chiyo sat down across from her and entered into another topic of conversation.
Nowaki walked out of the bathroom in Hiroki's longest sweatpants. Feeling refreshed, he touched around his eyes. The redness went down and the damp towel helped him out. He placed his drying towel over his shoulders, covering the scars on his left side. He saw some smaller ones on his throat so he shuffled his hair on that area. Hiroki's largest shirt ended at his belly button and the sleeves tightened on his arms. This left him shirtless. Despite Hiroki's lack of sight, he still felt self consciousness over exposing his secret.
When he walked inside of the kitchen, the smell of hot delicious ramen reached his nose. He salivated at the thought of eating the meal. A young delivery man set the bowls on the table and Hiroki thanked him for his service. Nowaki watched the man's every move for any sneaky tricks. The man noticed him. He tipped his head down in acknowledgement and waved at him before he left the apartment.
Nowaki padded toward the steaming hot ramen. "It smells so delicious...I can't wait to dig in." He rubbed his fingers together as he licked his lips.
Hiroki turned around with a slight smile. "I thought you would take a longer bath. The ramen is always piping hot when the restaurant delivers it."
"My stomach kept rumbling during my bath time and I wanted to eat instead." Nowaki scooted back his seat at the table and sat down. He left out the fact he continued on thinking about the incident earlier in the day. "I used some of your bath salts in the water. I hope you don't mind."
"I wouldn't have suggested a bath if you couldn't use any of my products." Hiroki walked toward the location of his table and sat down. "Miyagi ordered this specific ramen the last time he visited, swearing it was delicious. The smug bastard continued on teasing me throughout the meal when I didn't stop eating. I have to say, he knows how to order good food."
"Well it smells great." Nowaki picked up the spoon and his chopsticks. He sipped on the broth first and smacked his lips. "And tastes amazing."
Hiroki blew into his spoonful of broth and sipped slow. "Miyagi will have another thing to badger you about when he meets you. His drunken stints have him forgetting whoever he talks to that day. You might have to reintroduce yourself."
Nowaki chuckled. "How do I introduce myself? As your friend or your lover?"
Hiroki slurped down the noodles before he spoke. "Nowaki, you're not a friend. You know exactly which label to put yourself under. We established this a while ago." He motioned to the fridge. "I distinctly remember having requested iced tea with my weekly shipment of groceries. You can grab one."
Nowaki got up from his seat and opened the fridge. "Double checking." He located the iced teas on the fridge door and picked them up. "Should we watch a movie after we finish dinner? There's this movie on tv and my co-workers told me it's supposed to be funny. It's going to start in," Nowaki checked the time on the wall. "Actually, we will be able to make it in twenty minutes."
"Why not." Hiroki ate more of his ramen. "The last movie I sat through was about...two months ago with Kana. Some thriller which used dialogue and music to create the atmosphere. A pretty good movie."
"Great!" Nowaki grinned. "Since we'll be full, we won't need any snacks to munch on."
Hiroki warned him, "It better not turn into a cheesy romantic comedy. Romance is not a bad genre, unless it turns over the top and the lines make me cringe. Trust me, I've sat through plenty with my mother and we laugh at them."
"The majority of my co-workers enjoyed it." Nowaki shut the fridge and unscrewed his own iced tea, placing Hiroki's on the table. "It's a good distraction for the rest of the afternoon. Anyway, I'll wash the bowls and put them outside for the delivery guy."
Nowaki wrapped his arms around Hiroki's shoulder. Sitting on Hiroki's left, he felt more comfortable. He changed the channel to a comedic movie he told Hiroki during the start of their dinner. He explained the plot and Hiroki found it interesting enough to watch it. No complaints so far. Some of beginning jokes brought a chuckle out of Hiroki while they relaxed against each other.
Nowaki burst into laughter alongside Hiroki who covered his mouth with his hand. His horrible mood lifted up through the company of his lover and the entertainment of the movie.
Ten minutes into the movie, Hiroki laid his head on Nowaki's shoulder. Hiroki furrowed his brows. His hand bumped into the damp towel on Nowaki's shoulders. "You're still wearing your towel?"
"I'm sorry is it bothering you?" Nowaki gulped as he scooted away from Hiroki.
Hiroki shook his head. "Not really. I don't care if you wear it but it caught me by surprise. You know you can go around shirtless. If you're embarrassed, I can't see anything." Hiroki motioned to his eyes as he leaned back on his couch. "Either way, it's your decision whether you want to catch a cold."
Nowaki nuzzled Hiroki's cheek. "I'll take that chance." He fiddled with the towel so it pooled over his left shoulder. "You don't have any over sized shirts for me to wear." He stared down at the sweat pants which ended at the middle of his calf. "Your pants barely cover my legs all the way."
Hiroki snickered. "You're lucky I had those sweat pants in the back of my drawer or you would walk around in a towel. Did you put your clothes in the washer?"
"I did." Nowaki pecked Hiroki's lips. "They'll dry throughout the night while we're in bed."
Hiroki hummed as their lips connected again. Ignoring the movie, they focused on each other. Lasting pecks and hands roaming in different sections of skin. Hiroki's fingers ghosted up Nowaki's neck and gripped his hair. Nowaki's hands rubbed down Hiroki's waist and gripped his butt.
When Hiroki's hand wandered toward Nowaki's left side, his finger slipped under the towel. Nowaki broke out of the spell of the kiss as he snatched up Hiroki's hand. The shock caused Hiroki to break the kiss. He stepped back and Nowaki released his hand.
"I'm sorry, I forgot...I wasn't supposed to..."
"It's okay." Nowaki settled the towel back in place as he bit his bottom lip. "I think it's time to tell you about happened to me. It's about time. Last time, we almost...did more than kissing." Nowaki blushed at the recollection of their last make out session. "Kamijou-san...I have scars down the left side of my chest." He gulped. "These burn marks cover a big section of my chest."
Nowaki removed his towel, exposing his scars to the coldness of the apartment. Moving himself closer to Hiroki, he reached out his hand and guided Hiroki's hand toward his skin. Settling it on his shoulder, giving Hiroki the chance to explore on his own terms. He gulped. Breathing through his nose, he attempted to calm his doubts and his rapid beating heart. He awaited his lover's reaction, so far, Hiroki kept a neutral response. The silence unnerved him more than the commentary.
Offering no words to him, Hiroki began caressing the smooth skin, stopping at certain points where the scars ended. Giving those spots extra attention before moving on. Hiroki's fingers ran down the scarred valleys covering Nowaki's chest. Light ghosting touches, Nowaki shivered underneath his fingertips. He lingered just enough to develop a mental image in his head.
During his brief visits to the hospital, he saw burn victims walk through the hallways of the pediatric section. Others stayed bedridden to not irritate the wounds any further. He flinched at the sight of the wounds. He couldn't imagine feeling such indescribable pain. Once they healed, the scarred skin contrasted against the smoother areas. A visual reminder of their ordeals.
No wonder Nowaki diverted his hands whenever he touched the left area of the chest. Areas on the neck stayed off limits as well. Nowaki cited them off as ticklish spots. He wanted to keep himself from spoiling the moment if he laughed. Hiroki respected Nowaki's wishes and never strayed beyond the areas Nowaki instructed.
This secret caused Nowaki so much grief. From their earlier conversations, Nowaki mentioned a hard patch in his past. Something which held him back from attempting any close relationships.
Hiroki placed his hand on Nowaki's shoulder as he muttered. "How did this happen?"
Nowaki averted his eyes. "When I was a child, the orphanage I stayed in caught on fire during the night. I woke up to comfort another child when I saw it. I managed to wake up the other kids on the floor. The smaller kids went down the ladder but I had to go back for the older ones. When we tried to escape, the ladder caught on fire and we couldn't use it. The last thing I remember is a beam falling on top of me and I went into unconsciousness."
At the full description, Hiroki flinched with sympathy. "I don't even want to ask you about the pain. Of course you suffered throughout your recovery. Before you ask, I used to visit the hospital when Kana was sick. I wandered the halls sometimes and saw burn victims. Most of the patients were drugged up with medication to keep them from agitating the areas."
"Kana-san was sick?"
"Throat cancer." Hiroki explained. "The doctors caught it on time before it spread. You see, her mother was my physician around the time I started losing my sight. Kana will tell you the whole story whenever you two formally meet. I'm just relieved."
"Relieved?"
"You finally opened up to me."
Nowaki tightened his hold around Hiroki, he moved his left side away from Hiroki due to his old habit. "Thank you for understanding me."
Hiroki blinked back tears as he rubbed his hand down Nowaki's back. "You don't have to thank me for anything. These are marks of your bravery. You saved plenty of people from dying in that fire. Anyone who can't see it are not worth your time."
Nowaki pressed a kiss on Hiroki's cheek. "I'm not ashamed. It's the pity stares I couldn't stand when anyone discovered them. I had enough problems when people found out I was an orphan. An unwanted child is an easy target for bullies. Adding these scars brought on a new level of teasing. Let's just say that my high school years were not enjoyable. My height kept them from becoming physical but it didn't stop the jeers and nicknames."
"That's one of the worst aspects of life. Once you have something incapacitating you, no one treats you the same." He tossed the towel away and laid his cheek over Nowaki's scars. "Do you still have nightmares?"
Nowaki stared ahead at the tv. "They have lessened over the years. I won't suddenly thrash around in bed and grab onto you."
Hiroki arched a brow. "Nowaki, you cling onto me every single time we fall asleep in the same vicinity."
"You complain about it whenever you find me doing it." Nowaki stifled a laugh when he saw the unamused expression.
"I grew used to it. No use complaining about something you can't control." Hiroki waved it off. "In fact, you're useful for the winter. I don't have to waste gas to heat up my apartment. You provide enough heat for the both of us."
"I'm just a huge heater for you?" Nowaki smiled.
"Maybe." Hiroki smirked, "You use me as a stuffed animal. We're even."
TBC