Hiroki stared at Akihiko in horror, his lips trembling as he desperately tried to think of something to say.

"Oh. So I was correct," Akihiko said quietly, his voice low. He moved out of the shaft of light, melding into the darkness.

"I-I-I-I… you're wr-wrong!" Hiroki sputtered, finally finding his voice. There was no answer, however, as he watched the black mass of Akihiko prowl about the darkness. He squinted, trying to make out his best friend as he ducked into a particularly dark shadow.

Without warning, he was there, pressing into the side of Hiroki. Jolting, Hiroki tried to jump away, but an arm coiled around his waist and held him against a large, cold body. Chilled fingertips tilted his head back by the chin.

"Let go!" Hiroki hissed, trying to shove away from Akihiko but failing as a second arm snaked around him. He was herded back towards the bed.

"I'm not wrong, am I?"

"Stop! Akihiko, sto-" Hiroki was abruptly cut off as the back of his knees hit the bed and he toppled down onto it. He tried to scramble away, but Akihiko fell forward and caged him in, pinning him to the bed with his thighs and holding Hiroki's wrists down with an iron grip. Cold breath washed over Hiroki's face as Akihiko lowered his head to stare at Hiroki with a sharp violet gaze.

"You loved me, didn't you?" he asked softly. Hiroki shuddered as he lowered his head further and brushed his nose over Hiroki's earlobe.

"Akihi-"

"Let's make up for the lost time, shall we?" Akihiko breathed into Hiroki's ear. Hiroki's heart leapt up to his throat in terror, and he thrashed against Akihiko's grip as hard as he could, quickly tiring himself out.

"Please no! Please! I don't want this! Please, Akihiko!" he begged desperately, tears springing to his eyes. The hold on his wrists instantly loosened, and Hiroki was released as Akihiko slid off of him. Hiroki buried his face in his hands and rolled onto his side, curling into a ball. He felt the mattress dip behind him as Akihiko sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I'm happy," Akihiko said simply after a long pause as Hiroki's terrified panting calmed. Hiroki sat up abruptly, looking over his shoulder and glaring daggers at the idiot behind him.

"What the fuck was that? Why the hell did you do that?" Hiroki asked furiously.

"I'm happy," Akihiko repeated. "Nine years ago, you came to me and gave your body to me as a substitute for Takahiro. And I… and I played along, thinking it would make me feel better. It wasn't until much later that I realized that you loved me. You gave your body to me just to hear me call out your name. All these years, it's been on my mind."

"Why are you happy about that?" Hiroki asked, his cheeks on fire. "Are you trying to mock me?"

"No. I'm happy because now, nine years later, not only are you begging me not to take advantage of you, but you're fighting back with all of the strength you can muster. The Kusama kid- he has really patched over the mistake I made, hasn't he?" Akihiko asked softly. Intrigued, Hiroki rolled over and crawled up to Akihiko's side, sitting on his heels as he tilted his head at his best friend. Akihiko turned to him, then reached out to stroke Hiroki's bangs out of his blushing face. "I'm glad."

Akihiko let his hand fall, and he turned away again, resting his elbows on his knees and propping his chin on his knuckles. He stared off into space, his eyebrows furrowed.

"I'm sorry. I really can never express to you how sorry I am. For using your body as a substitute, for not seeing your love… I was putting you into the same exact situation that Takahiro was putting me in. But you've loved me for so much longer, haven't you? Since we were children? For you to love me for so long… I was so blind," Akihiko said. His lips thinned as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He slowly looked up, his strained eyes flickering with guilt. "For all of these years, I've wondered and fretted about your wellbeing. I wondered if Kusama could make you happy again. I wondered if you had ever actually moved on from me. I feared that you were using Kusama as a replacement. But now I see. You have truly, irreversibly fallen out of love with me."

Hiroki stared at Akihiko, his body trembling. He slipped off of the bed, only to sit beside Akihiko on the edge. He pondered for a few moments, then scowled down at the floor as his mind whirred.

"Of… of course I've fallen out of love with you. You're the reason for most of the trauma between me and Nowaki," Hiroki said slowly, his voice raising in volume and speed as his heart threatened to overflow with emotion. "Of course I did! I thought I would never love again because of you! All of my misunderstandings with Nowaki were because of you!"

"I am truly sorry," Akihiko whispered. He shut his eyes and tensed as Hiroki sharply raised his hand. However, Hiroki reached out to turn Akihiko's face towards him and cup his cheeks in his hands. Akihiko slowly peeled his eyes open, confusion laced in the violet irises.

"If it wasn't for the bitter end of my love for you, I would've never met Nowaki. I would have never cried, I would have never gone to that park. Although I believe Nowaki and I would've met regardless of the circumstances of our first meeting, I think that it wouldn't have been as powerful if I hadn't been crying. Ironic, isn't it? The man who almost destroyed my love life also created it."

Akihiko's eyes softened as Hiroki let his hands slip from his face.

"I see. Thoughts about you and your happiness have been haunting me for nine years. Now I can finally have some peace of mind. You have no idea how relieved I am," he murmured. He reached up to take Hiroki's chin into his hand and run his thumb over his bottom lip.

"Oh, I think I have an idea," Hiroki said softly. "It's been on my mind for a long, long time."

There was a long pause. Akihiko absentmindedly thumbed Hiroki's lip.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked quietly. Hiroki blinked.

"Why?"

"I feel like… I feel like I have to," Akihiko whispered. He had a strange expression on his face, somewhere between uncertainty and confusion. Hiroki stared at him for a few moments before slowly shutting his eyes and tipping his head back ever so slightly.

And then, his lips were there, cool and gentle against Hiroki's. Akihiko's hands moved to cup Hiroki's face, his fingers threading through his chestnut locks. It was a strange, nostalgic feeling, a touch that Hiroki had almost completely forgotten.

It was different. The chill of his fingertips felt alien to him, his skin being so accustomed to the molten touch of his beloved. It didn't feel wrong, though. It was just… different.

Akihiko pulled away for a moment with a slight pop. He exhaled, his breath cold against Hiroki's face. Russet eyes met a questioning violet gaze, and Hiroki nodded dazedly. He shut his eyes once more as Akihiko kissed him again, tilting his head slightly. Akihiko pressed into him, forcing him to lean back. Without realizing it, Hiroki fell back onto the bed with Akihiko in tow. Their hands naturally joined, and their fingers interlaced on either side of Hiroki's head.

It wasn't lust. It wasn't love or romance, or even friendship. All Hiroki could feel was an overwhelming sense of closure. It was almost as if all of the underlying angst and worry was being kissed away. Hiroki had been so desperate for resolution that he was almost addicted to the kiss, and he whimpered into Akihiko's mouth for more. Akihiko understood and seemed to feel the same way, and he squeezed Hiroki's hands and pressed even harder into him.

It ended after a few minutes, and Akihiko pulled away, both men panting shakily.

"Do… do we have to make love now, or-" Akihiko began.

"No, Akihiko. This is enough," Hiroki murmured. Akihiko sighed in relief and buried his face in the crook of Hiroki's neck.

"Good. I don't think I can get it up for anyone else besides Misaki."

Hiroki chuckled breathily, nuzzling into Akihiko's hair.

"We're so strange. Settling feelings with a kiss… it kind of contradicts itself, doesn't it?"

"Strange? Maybe for other people. It feels like nine years of anxiety has been lifted off of my shoulders," Akihiko breathed. "Thank you. I can finally concentrate solely on my family."

Hiroki hummed contentedly.

"I feel that way, too. We should have done this a long, long time ago," Hiroki said softly. Akihiko released his hands and wrapped his arms around Hiroki. Hiroki reached up to wrap his arms around Akihiko's neck. They stayed like that for a long time, simply holding each other in the silence. Akihiko suddenly chuckled a little, his rumbling laugh quiet.

"Funny… I feel like I'll never be able to hold you like this again," he said lowly. Hiroki smiled into the crook of his neck and held him a little tighter.

"I feel it, too."

"That was our last kiss, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"Out of the three kisses we've shared in our lifetime, I think that one was the most meaningful."

Hiroki hummed a chortle.

"Even though our lovers are in the next room this very minute?"

Akihiko looked up.

"I'm in love with Misaki. Forever and always," Akihiko said adamantly. Hiroki rolled his eyes as he smirked, lightly smacking Akihiko's shoulder.

"Shut up, idiot. I know. You don't need to tell me."

Akihiko smiled.

"You have truly fallen out of love with me, haven't you?"

Grinning, Hiroki moved his hands to Akihiko's neck, thumbing the pale skin.

"Yes. My heart belongs to Nowaki and him only."

"I'm so glad," Akihiko whispered. He stroked Hiroki's bangs back and craned his neck to press a kiss to his forehead. "I thought you'd never be happy again."

"You were wrong. I've found someone who has made me unbelievably happy. I love Nowaki so much more than I ever loved you. Probably thousands of times more."

Akihiko snorted, shaking his head.

"You really know how to bruise a man's ego, Hiroki. But I'm happy you have found someone that can return your love and not torture you with their idiocy," Akihiko said.

"I'm happy for you, too."

They pressed their foreheads together affectionately, a silent goodbye passing between them as they nuzzled against each other for the last time.

"Best friends?" Akihiko murmured. Hiroki smiled and shut his eyes.

"The strangest."