Had we slept like this, when we were young? Once, or a number of times?
Where would we have been?
Not at my house, I only brought him there twice, both times at his insistence. The first time, he might have been merely curious. Why did I spend so much time away from home? Why didn't I ever bring him to see my family?
I tried to talk him out of it, but I failed, as I always did at that challenge. I knew the visit would go badly, and it did.
My father was displeased with everything I did while Touga was there. I was not showing my guest the proper degree of respect. I was not presenting my family with honor and the appropriate deference. He criticized everything I said and didn't say, every move I made and didn't make. Once Touga was gone, I bore the full brunt of his displeasure.
We never said a word about it, but Touga knew as well as I did that I never wanted to repeat the experience. Yet he found a way, some excuse, I no longer recall what it was. I knew what he was doing, but he had made sure that he could deny it, that whatever reason he had come up with was just believable enough, though I no longer remember what hat reason was.
I don't know if I've ever forgiven him for that.
But I'm sure that, if we slept like this when we were young, it was not at my house.
Was it at the Kiryuu home, then? Somewhere tucked inside that edifice of tall windows and carved stone?
Yet I do not recall spending much time there. Mostly, we stuck to neutral territory: to wild places and public buildings and thoroughfares.
Could it be that Touga also had some reason to not go home?