Chapter 3
Nowaki observed Hiroki's apartment from his spot at the genkan.
Through his initial search from his spot, he almost thought he entered the wrong apartment. The spotless interior confused him. He smelled a strong lingering lemon cleaner. After having gone used to Hiroki's book collection littering every room, this cleanliness threw him off. When he caught familiar knickknacks and a stack of books on the shoe rack, he let out a sigh of relief. Filled with excitement, his heart sped up in his chest.
He broke into Hiroki's apartment.
To his surprise, he felt no mortification. None. Through picking the lock, his subconscious didn't surface to stop him in his tracks. A thrill went through him when he unlocked the door. His curiosity sprung forth in exploring the spaces Hiroki's prohibited him on entering. His warnings in sticking to certain areas didn't apply to him. This prompted him on taking a step inside, dodging the papers on the floor. Droplets of water fell onto the tile the longer he stood there. Creating a small puddle under his feet.
He kicked off his waterlogged shoes and his socks. No use wearing them when they made him uncomfortable. He fought the urge to take off his jacket and instead rolled up his sleeves up to his elbows. After all, he might forget about it through his inspection of the apartment. Hiroki couldn't find out about his little adventure. His jacket would turn into evidence against him.
Moving away from his scattered homework, he noticed his homework was slightly damp. He frowned at the wet spots which smeared the ink across the paper. Turning his careful penmanship ineligible. In his opinion, it turned ineligible. Hiroki somehow read through his rushed notes during their sessions. Throughout his bike ride to the apartment complex, he protected his messenger bag with his whole body. Covering it from the harsh storm hit him in each direction. It helped to some extent but he knew a good portion of it drenched with water.
He imagined Hiroki reprimanding him over the state of his homework. Clear disappointment in his voice and perfect face. This was a reaction Nowaki didn't want Hiroki to present to him. Too bad he didn't have extra copies of the homework to rewrite everything on. Then again, he had the excuse of the storm and using a bike for his transportation. He rubbed his face in frustration.
Hiroki accepted no excuses from anyone.
Frowning, he stepped further inside of the apartment. Rolling up his jeans up to his knees to prevent them from dragging on the floor. His feet slapped on the floor with each step through the rooms. He stayed briefly in the kitchen and the living room. Both areas giving him nothing new, other than the cleanliness and lack of book mountains. Everything smelled fresh of lemon cleaner.
This gave him an indicator that Hiroki left hours earlier. Probably before the storm picked up and went rampant through the streets. Otherwise, the smell would had dissipated long ago.
He found bookcases throughout every single room he entered. All of them filled to the brim with books. From the books obscuring his view, he didn't even know Hiroki owned any bookcases to house his literature.
In a span of minutes, he jumped and tried calming down. On account of the thunder and the trees constantly hitting against the windows. The rain fell harder against the building. The room echoed with the pitter patter of the rain. The rushing water provided tranquility with interruptions of the mighty crackling of the thunder.
Knowing Hiroki visited his parents provided a sense of comfort to stay longer. His mind littered with questions about Hiroki's secret places. Otherwise, he would inspect each room real fast and then scurry away. Of course, not before moving everything in their place to the best of his memory.
Checking the bathroom, Nowaki got hit with a musky cologne. He inhaled it deep. Closing his eyes, grinning at the familiar smell which Hiroki wore on a constant basis. Strong but not enough to make him gag. He personally didn't wear cologne. His experience consisted of older men dousing themselves in the liquid. Thinking it masked any lingering odors after long hours of work. Knowing Hiroki wore it made him want to check the name to buy it for himself. Maybe not wear it everyday but to smell it during times he felt down.
From the corner of his eyes, he saw a box of condoms on the counter. He picked it up and peered inside. A few were missing from the total amount indicated on the box. Nowaki's jaw clenched. He put the box back onto the counter and dug his fingers into his arm. Despite his fantasies, he never expected Hiroki to turn out as a blushing virgin. Untouched through other hands which were not his own. Man or woman.
A flare of jealousy burned through his veins. Deep unrelenting pressure developed in his chest. Breathing in and out, he walked away from the bathroom. He slammed the door closed, flinching at the noise and stood still. Someone might of heard it and come to the apartment on a complaint. Although, with the noise coming from the storm, muffling the impact could had occurred.
He relaxed when he heard no knock on the door or a complaint through the wall. Rubbing his face, he pushed the image of the box away from his mind. Thinking about it would aggravate his nerves and think utter nonsense.
Turning around, he walked toward Hiroki's bedroom. For certain, the contents of that room had far better contents than what he witnessed.
Nowaki's eyes twinkled as he entered Hiroki's room with a smile on his face. He switched the light on. His eyes stung from the change of light but he dimmed it down. Almost to the point where everything in the room still remained clear to his eyes. He walked forward and reached out his hand to caress Hiroki's sheets. Soft to the touch. They smelled amazing to him. He wanted nothing more than to jump on the bed. Roll around and hug Hiroki's pillows tight in his arms. He stopped himself, his wet clothes prevented him from doing such a thing.
Hiroki banned him access to this room. Giving him stern warnings on never asking him to let him go inside. Whenever he attempted to enter the room, Hiroki intercepted him with a glare and pushed him toward the living room. This stopped him from attempting in Hiroki's sight. He had no business on entering such a private room. There was nothing in there to rouse his interest. His areas were the living room, kitchen and bathroom. Stepping away from these spots earned a good lecture.
He hated to admit that he tuned Hiroki out just to watch his annoyed face. Nodding his head from time to time. Hiroki ended up noticing and flicked his forehead. All he did was laugh in response. Hiroki's reactions were so cute to him.
Nowaki went through the drawers near Hiroki's bed and opened each one without much force. Shifting through everything with trepidation, he found a section with miscellaneous objects. Broken headphones, watches, pens, glasses with one lens cracked and other things he couldn't see in the inside. He grabbed one of the watches and inspected it before slipping it inside of his messenger bag. Then, he got other pens in his grasp. Hiroki wouldn't miss them. He lost them all the time in between his book collection. Most of the time, he caught Hiroki finding pens in the oddest places.
He moved onto the drawers which housed Hiroki's clothing. After looking through the shirts and pants, he went straight to the underwear and sock drawer. Everything was folded and placed in the right areas. All in perfect alignment. He reached out his hand and picked up one of Hiroki's boxer briefs. Nowaki gulped. He held the underwear close to his face. It seemed ridiculous holding it in his hands.
Due to the lack of discarded clothes in his basket, he assumed Hiroki washed his clothing before he left. Hiroki wore these at some point in time. Fitting him in the right areas. All nice and snug. Maybe, these were a new pair. At the moment, he didn't care. He placed it even closer to his face. Opening his mouth, he stuck out his tongue and licked the crotch of those boxer briefs. He did nice long licks, wetting the material with his saliva. He stopped once he got tired of licking. Scrunching it in his hand, he sniffed it. Afterwards, he stuffed it inside of his messenger bag.
When he turned to the left, he noticed the wardrobe door was open a few inches. He opened it and shifted through all the coats. Clean and pressed. All buttoned up or zipped to the top. He noticed an extra set of books in one of the shelves and he couldn't help but snicker. Hiroki seemed to have an overabundance of books through different sections of the apartment. He didn't expect more of them but it was a nice surprise. Next time, he might read the titles and pick some books to buy for himself.
From the corner of his eyes, he saw an array of mixed up scarves. Nowaki picked up a red scarf out of the bundle. It stood out to him out of the rest of the scarves. The vibrant color. The softness when he touched the fabric. His mood picked up in an instant. He wanted it. Not even thinking about it, he placed it inside of his messenger bag. He patted it and then resumed his search of the closet. Touching different coats, he moved the hangers around and attempted to redo their original positions.
In the bottom, Nowaki noticed a tattered photo album. Hiroki's name was written on the front cover. Hiroki Kamijou- Our Little Butterfly. This made Nowaki do a double take. He didn't understand the butterfly comment. A nickname from his Hiroki's parents perhaps? A moniker which transcended through the years and stuck with Hiroki. Long enough to have his parents place it on his photo album. It suited Hiroki in a way. Butterflies showed gentle beauty and grace when they flew. Nowaki saw these aspects in Hiroki whenever they studied together.
Inspecting the contents, a smile formed on his face when he saw Hiroki as a baby. The first photo inside of one those plastic cribs in the hospital. Wrapped around a blue blanket with a pout as he slept. Another one, showed Hiroki in the arms of a young tired woman with a loving smile on her face. A stern man crouched beside them. Hiroki's parents. As an adult, Hiroki was a perfect combination of his parents. His mother's brown hair and father's light brown eyes. In his opinion, most of Hiroki's looks came from his father.
With each page he turned, Hiroki grew older before his eyes. Photos of him with unfamiliar children appeared had Nowaki assuming they were his cousins. Then, images of Hiroki in different scenarios. Family vacation. Kendo tournaments. Swimming practice. Calligraphy. New Years. Birthday parties. A smiling Hiroki posed for the ones which contained his parents. The ones with other family members, his smile lessened but it remained visible.
One photo in particular made his jaw clench.
Behind the plastic cover, Hiroki stood beside a silver haired boy. Both of them grinned, hooking arms over each others shoulders. The familiar purple eyes which shined under the sun. Too familiar.
He remembered the appearance of the man from the other day. Hiroki's friend. The author who Hiroki held in high regard. One that brought out a sincere smile from his beloved. He was the child in this picture. He gripped the album hard enough that it shook in his hands.
He heard something hit the floor.
Nowaki gazed down and saw a heart shaped locket in a handkerchief. Bending down, he picked it up with one hand. Closing the album, he set it aside onto the bed. He touched the cool gold. Running his finger over the engraving of a butterfly, another reference to the photo album. It was worn out. Even the chain seemed to have seen better years. He saw a mechanism on the side and pressed it.
It opened without fault. The contents were empty. No photo or even an indication there was ever anything in the space. He sighed. In the process of closing it, he caught some letters. Going to the switch, he pressed it up to gain more light in the area. Reading the inscription, his eyes widened.
To our little butterfly, happy 10th birthday. Love, mom and dad.
Nowaki pushed the light at max before turning it off. He was happy Hiroki got a normal family. Loving parents who obviously doted on him. Their great care showed in the album and the nickname they gave him. A concept he dreamed of since childhood. It never happened to him but he still held lingering thoughts. Regardless, he wondered on the personality of Hiroki's parents.
He hoped to meet them one day.
Wrapping the handkerchief around the locket, he went toward the bed and picked up the album. Checking the contents, he saw an indentation in the back, indicating the spot as the area of the locket. He put it inside and placed it back in the closet. Shuffling some clothes to make it appear natural. He moved the door and left a space open.
After moving the last object back in its pace, Nowaki closed the last door. He kept on checking the ground for any water trails. Sighing in relief when he saw no water accumulation anywhere. Although, when Monday came around, it would've dried off. Regardless, he wanted no trace of him anywhere in the apartment. Nothing to lead to the idea that he walked through the rooms and searched through everything. He suspected Hiroki's mountains of books would return the moment he came back for his tutoring session. Masking his invisible trails of his lingering hands.
Nowaki checked the time on his waterproof watch. Long overdue on departing. Staying any longer pushed his initial luck streak he acquired through the quieting storm. At one in the morning, no one wandered the streets. Giving him a limited amount of time to ride his bike back home. Although, some might assume he left a late shift somewhere in the city. No buses or trains ran during the late nights.
His newly acquired treasures lifted up his spirits. Yet, some information he figured out about his Hiro-san didn't set well with him. It was better than finding out about it later on. The adorable pictures of Hiroki's youth gave him a sneak peek about a past Hiroki kept hidden. Hiroki answered no private questions.
Nowaki caressed the red scarf as he walked toward the entrance. As he felt it underneath his fingertips, he felt no thread out of place. Warm and soft. A scarf got the best treatment from Hiroki. From what he remembered, Hiroki's book collection was in peak condition. No bent corners or torn pages. He remembered the locket inside of the photo album. The gold circular piece, the butterfly engraving, and the minimal damage.
In Nowaki's mind, everything Hiroki touched turned magical. The closet in his apartment turned into a hiding place to keep these precious treasures out of sight. Hiroki never went to his apartment anyway. A safety precaution on his end.
His gaze went to the table they used for their study sessions. Empty of any indication of his presence or Hiroki for that matter. He hoped a piece of him remained somewhere in this apartment. An indicator of him which brought out memories of him in Hiroki's mind.
His imagination played in his dreams. He managed to seduce Hiroki when he kissed him in one of their tutoring sessions. Inhaling a sweet cinnamon aroma as he ran his fingers through those soft locks. Which then, lead them to Hiroki's bed. A beautiful sight underneath him as Hiroki gripped his back. Moaning his name in abandon and diving into their passions. Those white creamy thighs encircled his waist, their bodies molding together until they were spent.
Warmness traveled down to his manhood. These dreams haunted him throughout the day. Distracting him from his duties at his jobs but no one else noticed a change in him. He kept on smiling while he thought about Hiroki.
Through their study sessions, he knew better than to push himself on Hiroki. He didn't want to scare Hiroki away with his advances. He needed to find the perfect moment to bring up his affection.
Once he made it to the front door, he crept over his scattered papers. He crouched down and picked up his wet socks which he placed inside of his messenger bag. Placing them in a different section away from the scarf. He cringed when his foot made contact with the inside of his shoe. Turning around, he checked the lock before he walked outside and closed the door.
Observing the hall, he saw nobody in sight. He ventured down the hallway and hurried over to his bike. Unlocking it from the bike lock he used, he rode it down the street. He had an all-knowing smile on his face. His quick mission turned into a success.
A celebration was in order when he returned home.
Nowaki laid his messenger bag on the side of his bed. He didn't care to turn on the lamp which resided on the dresser of his bed. Slowly taking off his clothing, the wet material landed on the floor with consecutive smacks. Each article of clothing placed on the same spot so they didn't litter his room. Left in his boxers, he shivered in the coldness of the room. Sliding them off and he tossed them on the pile.
Grasping the covers of his bed, he pulled them up enough so he slid underneath. The coolness of his sheets made him shiver again. He adjusted his body around the bed and fluffed his pillows. Once he got comfortable, he heavenly smile formed on his face.
He reached out his hand and opened the top drawer in his nightstand. His hand wandered through the clutter until he his fingers bumped into a bottle. Grasping it in his hand, he lifted it out and recognized the lotion he bought some time ago. He kept it to moisturize his hands when they dried out. Opening it up, he placed it under his nose and whiffed the vanilla scent.
He cared nothing about the brand name. The smell was a bonus to making his hands softer. Most of the old lotions he got were presents from coworkers around the holidays.
Squeezing the lotion on the palm of his hands, he reached down his body. His member twitched and he hadn't touched it. He placed the bottle back on his dresser. Thoughts of Hiroki appeared in his mind, making his lower half react quick. He hastily grabbed his bag from the side of his bed and snatched out the red scarf from the inside. Somewhat damp in some areas due to his wet messenger bag, he inhaled it. His slicked up hand hovered over his dick as he contemplated his next move.
Nowaki laid the scarf right beside his head. Having it close to him was like having the real Hiroki with him. He gathered a mental image of the auburn haired man in the same state of nakedness. Imagining him sitting right next to him on his bed. He grasped his dick.
At first, he hissed at the cold touch of his hand. He got used to it as he slid his hand in slow motions. His dick hardened after some strokes and he gasped. He visualized Hiroki's hand replacing his own. Panting out loud with his nose buried deep in the red scarf. Not wanting to separate from it throughout his actions as he used his left hand to explore his body. Fingers ghosting over his heating flesh, trembling at the contact.
Imaginary Hiroki whispered beautiful words in his ear. His hand going faster as he looked down at him with a lustful gaze. His moans grew louder as he chanted Hiroki's name under his breath.
"Hiro-san...Hiro-san..."He repeated over and over again, his mind blank as he thought of no one other than Hiroki. "P-Please...Hiro-san..."
He climaxed. His hand coated in semen as his body cooled down. Relishing in the afterglow, he pressed a kiss on the scarf. A satisfied smile appeared on his face. He wiped his hand on a random cloth and threw it toward his pile of wet clothes.
Cuddling with the scarf, he closed his eyes. He went into a blissful sleep.
TBC