Traps (Sendoh's POV)
Cats are cautious animals.
That's what an acquaintance of mine once he told me he was cat lover, mentioning that this was a cat trait. They are independent, arrogant and they were born to be owners of humans. They want the people give them all their love and attention. I never understood why would anyone want those types of animals, not until that I met him: a man with a cat personality.
That man is watching me with piercing eyes. From the moment I get on the bus until I sit next to him, his fixed gaze does not abandon me in any moment.
Watching his every move like a cautious cat.
"What are you looking at?" I ask him. Unlike our other teammates, he doesn't seem enthusiastic with this trip at all. Rukawa purses his lips and he turns his face, silently observing the view from the window and completely ignoring me.
I laugh helplessly and look away at the other side of the bus, where Maki is opening a bag of snacks and handing it to Fujima.
"I have no choice but to sit here. That couple has to sit together. Or do you want me to be the bad guy and separate them?"
"I haven't said anything." His monotonous voice is indifferent, but his furrowed eyebrows betray his true thoughts of him. It's obvious that he doesn't want me to sit down the side of him.
Rukawa should be worried that others will realize account of the relationship we have. To be honest, I personally don't give a damn what they think.
"Why do you worry about the distribution of the seating? Anyway, then we'll sleep together." I murmur under my breath.
Rukawa turns and stares at me, his eyes flashing a hint of anger.
Ah, it seems like he suspects that I might try to do something tonight. The truth is that I had not thought about that... well, maybe a little, but that wasn't the reason which is why I insisted on sharing a room with him. He just didn't want to get in the way of the new couple. I wanted Maki and Fujima to have the most fun and sweet on this journey together.
But even if I said this, Rukawa would not believe it. In his eyes, I'm just a guy who can't keep it in his pants of him and he always wants to sleep with someone. To my eyes, Rukawa is like a snow white cat, always carrying an air of arrogance around him, making it difficult for others to approach him, even wanting to be caressed by his owner.
From the time I met him until now, he has always been a cold person.
He is tall and slim. Under those black pants tights hide his slender waist and his firm butt, and skin so light that he could almost blind people when they looked at him. He is a beautiful man. He would definitely catch my attention if I saw him walking down the street.
That time, he was sitting casually with legs crossed, tipping his wine glass and drinking it like it was water. Despite being surrounded by loud, deafening music, he was into in his own world.
That was the impression Rukawa gave me when I met him. I was in my second year of college when produced that fateful encounter. Then I didn't know Rukawa, but I couldn't stop looking at him. He called my attention to his appearance and the way he behaves.
I was with someone that day, but I forgot who she was. No I go to bars alone. That night, I couldn't find the occasion to invite him to have a drink with me. I thought that I had done everything possible to show my side lovely, but it didn't work with Rukawa. When I ran into with him in the bathroom that same night, he looked at me with disdain, as if I were a devouring demon humans.
I thought he must have misunderstood something about me, so when I saw him staggering drunk, I came to help him. I planned to help him out of the bar and ask him for a taxi, but he seemed to think I was trying take advantage of him. At the time, I assumed not would see him again, so I didn't bother fixing that one. I never thought that Rukawa would turn out to be the roommate of my childhood friend, Fujima.
I was probably the only one who was happy when we meet again. The day it happened, Rukawa refused to talk to me, his beautiful eyes showed discontent and annoyance. But still, I didn't get angry absolute. In fact, it made me more interested in him.
That's how it is. From that first meeting, it awakened my interest and I was immediately attracted to him. I guess I could call it love at first sight. No I care about gender, men and women are same for me. Fujima once made fun of me saying that as long as they were living human beings, I would fuck. It wasn't true at all. I only approach the people who fit my ideal type.
And Rukawa is the one that fits the most.
Unfortunately, I rarely had the opportunity to see him. I've only seen him a couple of times over the years my university days. At that time, I was still very young and I wasn't interested in chasing people I didn't like. I usually left my feelings to myself side and surpassed it. Until one day, thanks to Fujima recommendation, Rukawa came to our company for an interview.
The boring days at work began to be a bit more interesting. I still clearly remember how surprised he was when Rukawa saw me in the office. He did everything he could for avoiding interacting with me. At some point, I asked Fujima if Rukawa hated me. He told me that the reason for Rukawa's behavior was that he did not liked people who play with people's feelings. If he had been someone else, I wouldn't have imported. I prefer not to deal with someone who has a problem with me. But since it was Rukawa...
I started messing with him on purpose, wanting to see how many beautiful expressions he could get out of his cold abroad.
We had no choice but to meet. After all, we work in the same company and we are both Fujima's friends. I started watching him, trying to see what kind of person he is, but to no avail. He always shows indifference. He speaks so little that I could count the number of words he says throughout the day.
And if he does, it is always with a cold tone. It was fun to watch. I asked myself what it would to take break his cold mask. I did everything I could to bother him, deliberately provoking him so that retaliate. In the end, I succeeded. The expression of his face told me clearly how much he disliked me.
Was fun, but the more time we spent together, the more I wanted to know about him.
Thinking about what Rukawa had gone through, I didn't surprised that he had become such a person cold.
It is difficult to describe my relationship with Rukawa. We do not have communication problems when it comes to work, but as soon as we move on to another topic, always we ended up arguing. I bother him every time I have a chance, and he always ends scolding. Our colleagues have already used to. Although I am very interested in him, I never really considered pursuing it seriously.
I thought we would continue like this, arguing almost every days. Until that night happened.
I look at the man sitting next to me. He is looking attentively the landscape that passes outside the window. It has been more than half a year since we started our friends with benefits relationship. Although the conditions he put in place put me at a disadvantage, I accepted without thinking twice. I have not regretted a second of that decision.
But I'm not sure Rukawa feels the same way.
The conversations of our companions fill the bus. Hikoich's powerful voice sounds, asking the driver to play some love song for him and Hanagata to dance. I join them cheering for a moment before looking at my watch to check the time. It's almost nine o'clock in the morning. More than one hundred employees and their families joined this year's company trip. We left the company building in two buses and we headed to Maezato Beach, in Ishigaki.
Honestly, I don't like participating in these travel trips the company. It's hard to relax when you're surrounded by your boss or your superiors. Our company has the standard that participating in company trips is a way part of the criteria for annual evaluations. So I had no choice but to sign up.
We had lunch at a restaurant in Ishigaki before taking to Maezato Beach. It took us 3 hours to arrive from Tokyo to Maezato Beach. The company reserved us a seaside resort to rest. Nothing else arrive, everyone rushed to grab the keys to their bedrooms.
After one of the employees gave us the key, I approach Fujima and Maki, who are waiting in the lobby.
"Let's go to our room, Mr. Rukawa." I joked. Rukawa just snorts before snatching the key from my hand and head in the direction of our room.
"Don't intimidate him." Fujima pats me on the head as I pass.
"I would never intimidate him! Maki! Hurry up and take your blabbering wife to the room!" I ruffle Fujima's hair before continuing to Rukawa. I hear Fujima's grunts while Maki tries to cajole him. Smiling, I speed up the step to catch up with my roommate.
Although it was rumored that the performance of our company is a little lacking compared to the previous year, our boss is still very generous with us, his employees, since he has reserved for us rooms in a four-star hotel. All the accommodation is quite spacious, and those who were brought several members of his family only find it a little difficult plus rent some extra rooms. The bar next to the sea offers various activities, which allow guests take in the beautiful views that surround the complex. Our boss must have spent hundreds thousands of yen on this trip.
"Oh! What?! Single beds?!"
I can't help but complain when I discover that our room has two single beds. I look at my roommate and seems satisfied with the room we will stay in tonight. Rukawa walks over and places his luggage on the bed closest to balcony. Seeing that he has chosen where he wants to sleep, I walk over and put my luggage on the same bed.
"What are you doing?"
"I want to sleep here too," I replied.
His eyes narrow into mine before say coldly. "I sat here first."
"You didn't even ask me! This is so unfair!" I complain.
Rukawa frowns and gets up to carry his luggage to the other bed. I quickly grab him by the wrist to prevent it from moving. Rukawa stumbles and I take advantage of moment to lift him onto my lap, without giving him the chance to escape. I bury my face in his neck, enjoying the fresh citrus aroma that radiates from his body.
I really like the smell of this perfume. I have tried, but it has always seemed a bit different when Rukawa wears it. Although it is the same perfume, each person has a chemistry different body, so the same aroma can smell completely different depending on the person. I really love the smell of Rukawa's body, and I don't want to think about something else right now.
It's incredible that even the smell of him attracts me.
"Do you want us to change beds?"
"Aren't you going to sleep in this one?"
Rukawa begins to squirm, with his butt rubbing against my crotch. I quickly grabbed it, keeping it still.
"I don't sleep well in new places. Can I sleep in the same bed as you?"
"This bed is very small. It is impossible for us to sleep here. Let go." Rukawa clings to my arm and tries to get up, but he ends up pressing his butt off against the lower part of my body.
I endure the sudden sensation by clenching my teeth. I'm about to make fun of him, but I notice I start to get hard.
"If you still want to walk and enjoy the beach, leave to move." I warn him.
Rukawa stands still and sits rigidly on my lap. Once calmed down, I let go and move my luggage to the other bed. I can feel Rukawa's nervous look watching my every move.
"Well, are you going out for a walk? Yes we can look for something else I does..."
"I'll go," he interrupts me.
I can't help but laugh. Rukawa picks up his phone before walk out the door.
His reaction is too cute. How can I not make fun of him?
Every year, during our business trip, we all meet for dinner and then we do something entertaining activity. Before that, we have two or three hours of free time. Some choose to stay in the room, others go out to take photos and others participate in accommodation activities. Maki invited Rukawa and me to take a ride on an inflatable banana boat with him and Fujima. We've been waiting for a while at the beach bar, but neither of them have appeared yet.
"Shit! How much longer do we have to wait? They've already after 10 minutes. Aren't they the ones who have given us invited to go?" I complained. Rukawa just looks at me.
"Let's wait a little longer. If they don't appear in 10 others minutes, then we will call them." says Rukawa before change his gaze from me to the clear blue ocean in front of him. He looks much more relaxed than habit. I watch him silently from the side. He is really beautiful. He is standing there, taking in the view on silent, but it is hypnotizing to look at it. His beautiful eyes and his soft and seductive lips captivate me. His eyes always distant, they show indifference to what the most people tend to think that he is being arrogant.
Initially, that was exactly what I thought. Some time later, I realized that that air of arrogance that he show to the world is just a mask, a defense mechanism, to prevent others from seeing his true self.
Rukawa had a hard and traumatic childhood, he suffered too much pain at a young age. He had to protect himself by putting on layers and layers of masks, building an invisible wall to protect himself from everything what could harm him.
I look around, but I still don't see any trace of our friends, although I realize that some girls from a distance cast furtive glances at our address. Few of them have the value of smile at me, so I return the favor. There are also some men, who cast burning glances at our direction, looking at the man next to my side.
Just by standing there with a cold expression, Rukawa manages to attract the attention of countless men. In our office alone, there are several people who are attracted to him, so it is not surprising that would have the same effect here. However, the way these men look at him is starting to irritate me.
What are they looking at? Have them not seen a man before!?
"You like the sea?" I take this opportunity to ask Rukawa, hoping to take away those looks burning from above. He looks at me before refocusing his attention on the ocean.
"Yes, but only quiet beaches like this one. Nowadays it is difficult to find beaches like this. There are tourists everywhere parts."
"I don't like places with many tourists either. Do you know any place to recommend?"
Rukawa thinks for a moment. Minoh is a good place. It offers beautiful views, national parks and has waterfalls. It's not as bustling as most places."
"Have you been there before?"
"I have relatives there, my aunt. I used to go there as a child and visit her during the school holidays, but today in day we do not maintain contact." his tone sounds calm and serene, but I know that family has always been a topic delicate for him, so I change the subject.
"Look, Maki is pulling Fujima over here. Really he is a jealous man. He even overcomes my jealousy!" I say in voice aloud. Rukawa looks away to where I am looking. I take this opportunity to shorten the distance between us separates and I nudge his arm lightly. But I understand. I also get jealous easily.
"Why are you telling me that?" His sudden cold voice gives me chills.
"I only say what I see. You don't need to take it in serious." I quickly clarify things before he starts to get upset.
Rukawa has set a clear boundary from the beginning about what we can and cannot do. Cross that limit endangers our secret relationship. Maybe some of my actions are crossing that line, but I haven't been doing it intentionally.
Because honestly, I don't want our relationship secret finish.
We went on the banana boat for a while. To Maki and I find this type of activity very pleasant, while Fujima complains with annoyance that he doesn't stop from falling into the water. Rukawa just follows us in silence. The lack of discontent on his face suggests that at least he enjoyed it.
"Here." Maki holds some bottles of water that he bought at a nearby store.
It's almost five in the afternoon so the sun is no longer so intense. More people begin to fill the beach to play in the water and more glances are shot at us address. What can I say, a group of attractive people together in the same place it attracts the attention of many.
As I drink my water, I realize that Fujima is looking at a group of girls who seem to be gossiping while sneaking glances at Maki, whom I am blocking his field of vision. I feel curious to know how Fujima would react, so I step aside so the girls have a clearer view of the handsome Maki.
"Why are you moving there?" Fujima asks me immediately.
"I'm running away from the sun. It's hot."
"There is no sun here!"
"What do you mean?" It literally hurting my eyes.
"Sendoh! Come back here!" he grumbles quietly.
I pretend to be confused by what he says and refuse to move, while continuing to drink my water. Fujima hesitates for a second before moving to the place where I was before. I purse my lips to not laugh. What is smhe trying to block? His head barely reaches Maki's shoulders.
He is trying very hard to protect Maki from admirers of him. Why doesn't he start working on his height first?
Maki seems oblivious to how his little boyfriend is in a silent battle with other people and keep talking. I don't feel like looking at them anymore, so I turn around and throw my water bottle in the trash.
"Hey, let's go back to our room and take a shower. We have to prepare for dinner tonight." Fujima rushes us back to our room.
"It's still early, we can stay a little further. If we leave at five it gives us plenty of time to shower before dinner." I contradict him to purpose. He gives me a smile, but his eyes don't smile at all. Rather he seems like he wants strangle me.
"There is no time! Hurry up and let's go. There is a lot people watching... I mean, if we don't shower soon, we will be late and that would be bad education!"
"Yes, of course, you are worried about being rude. Just say you are jealous..."
"Sendoh, you idiot!" He can't help but yell at me.
I almost died laughing at my friend's reaction childhood. Fortunately, Maki notices and drags his boyfriend back to their room. It's fun to see them and their beautiful height difference. Ah... it's fun to see my friend get jealous.
"You're messing with him on purpose," Rukawa murmurs, with a trace of tenderness evident in his eyes. I shrug, pretending not to understand what he wants say, and we return together to our room.
On the way back to our room, I smile at the people who look at me. Suddenly one comes to me question to the head: Would Rukawa be jealous like Fujima? He always hides his emotions from him, what I does hard to know what he feels. I usually can't tell what he hides behind his cold appearance. Watching him looking the other way and pretending not to notice, I guess that he doesn't really care.
As always, he doesn't seem to think about me in any special way.
After showering and dressing, we headed to the restaurant to have dinner with our colleagues work and higher. Before we start eating, our boss reviewed the company's achievements in the last years and our goal for this year, but to me I couldn't care less. Like everyone else, I stare at the food in front of us, waiting for our boss to finish his speech.
After more than half an hour, the directory finally finished speaking. Even then, employees as we have to wait for them to finish start our mini party.
All types of music alternate. The usual partygoers, like Akagi-senpai, Hanagata, Hikoichi and Fujima, they sing with enthusiasm. I get up and follow their example, singing a couple of songs with them before I return to my seat. I take a sip of my wine and enjoy the sea breeze. I feel relaxed.
"Do you want some?" I offer him the newly brought wine to the person who is next to me. Rukawa takes it and serves himself a little in his glass. Lately he avoids touching alcohol, although he likes to drink a little. How is he going to reject something he likes if they offer it to him for free?
We rarely have a vacation like this. There is nothing bad at getting a little drunk, right?
Some of our colleagues are dancing while others, including Rukawa, Maki and I, are sitting chatting. Maki can't stop looking at his boyfriend. The voice of Fujima is louder than the music, but Maki still looks with heart eyes and with a warm smile and gentle.
Does Fujima secretly pour some love potion in Maki's food and drink? Otherwise, why would Maki be so stupidly in love with him?
"I go to the bathroom." Rukawa puts down his glass and gets up.
"Do you want me to accompany you?" I let out a giggle.
He glares at me before walking away. I watch it until his figure disappears from my sight before change my gaze to the man who is calmly drinking beer.
"Don't get drunk again tonight."
"I promise I won't," Maki answers, continuing to look at Fujima, who is singing at the top of his lungs. Maki sketches a smile, eyes shining with a familiar emotion for me. "I don't want to sleep early tonight."
"Be gentle, my friend. We still have plans for tomorrow." I smile knowingly. I'm about to give a sip of my drink when his next words catch me off guard.
"What about you, Sendoh? Will you two sleep this tonight?" I leave the glass on the table and stay looking at him for a moment, wondering if I should respond to his question or ignore it. His question seems random, but his look tells me otherwise.
I take a deep breath and ask him. "When did you discover it?"
"When I finished working there. It was just a hunch. I didn't think I was going to be right."
Squints as he looks at me and I sit cornered Maki is intelligent, cautious and a little cunning. No wonder he was able to figure it out.
"So you're dating Rukawa?"
"No. We're just friends with benefits. But I don't know. Don't tell anyone, especially Fujima. Kaede will kill me."
"I know." Maki chuckles and refocuses his attention in front. I take my glass and drink the wine that remains in one gulp. Maki is not the type to talk a lot, so I guess he's fine if he knows about of our secret.
The party continues until late into the night, with the lively music playing non-stop. Several companions from work they came to chat and drink with me. Is obviously they are interested in me, but I didn't want to reject their company, unlike Rukawa, which he rejected immediately. Furthermore, we work in the same company. It is important that we get along be able to work better and more effectively. While not start making serious insinuations, I'll continue entertaining them. If not, I would reject them immediately.
Relationships between employees greatly affect the work environment, that's why I refused to participate in work romances in the past. But the future is really hard to predict, who would have thought that would end up in a friends with benefits relationship with my workmate!
It's already late at night and the crowd on the beach is going decreasing little by little. I approach the outdoor bar from the beach to continue drinking after dancing. For over an hour, Fujima finally stopped and drank one gulp of his cold beer while I sipped my wine, looking around for my partner room.
Rukawa went for another bottle of wine, but it's been ten minutes since then and he still hasn't returned.
Besides, he seemed a little drunk.
He hasn't fainted somewhere, has he?
"I'm going to look for Kaede."
After telling Fujima and Maki, I get up and head towards the bar. I find the person I'm looking for standing in front of me, smiling at a tall foreigner, who seems look at him with bad intentions.
A wave of anger explodes in my chest, the atmosphere relaxed where I was becomes serious.
"Kaede!"
I rush to get closer and get his attention. Rukawa turns around and looks at me. He has unfocused eyes and glazed. Clearly he is drunk!
"You're drunk. I'll take you back to our room."
"It is still early..." Rukawa whimpers softly with frowning, seeming displeased with what I just said. I grab his arm and pull him to push him away from the bar, dragging him to our table.
"We'll go back first," I tell Fujima and Maki.
Fujima puts down the crab leg he is eating to warn me not to intimidate Rukawa. I stick my tongue out as I tighten my grip around Rukawa before rush back to our room.
"Too early... why..." Rukawa murmurs, with his broken voice with a sad tone, as I take him to the room.
"Who were you smiling at?" I ask instead reply. Rukawa raises his head and looks at me with his misty eyes.
"I don't know," he shakes his head. "He smiled at me, so I smiled at him back. You also smile at others."
I sigh in frustration. It's normal for me to do that, but that behavior is unusual for him. Damn, he can smile at people he doesn't even know, but when it comes to me, all I get are looks murderers.
"Akira, why are you frowning..." Rukawa stumbles, and I wraps his arms around my neck before offering me his hand. Nicest and sweetest smile I have ever seen on him.
"There is nothing to smile about."
I automatically wrap my arms around his waist, even though I feel irritated. Rukawa gets tiptoe and lean his face closer.
"Why not? Weren't you having fun today?" His warm breath brushes against my earlobe and his soft lips brush the corner of my lips. He presses of his body closer to mine and I feel that the lower part my body starts to react.
I hold his waist tighter and ask him with my clenched teeth. "Why do you always test my patience?"
"Patience?" Rukawa tilts his head and fingers run along the collar of my shirt. What he says to the continuation almost made me lose my sanity.
"If you want to do it, do it. Nobody is stopping you."
Damn! He's provoking me.
With clenched teeth, I use all my strength to hold back and not push this little seducer on the bed and fuck him right there. My rational part tells me not to continue even though he has already slept with me many times. Right now he's too much drunk and I don't want to take advantage of it.
"You got bored of me? You don't want to go to bed anymore with me?" He continues with a soft voice when he does not get response from me. I'm probably giving too many thoughts, but I heard a glimpse of complaint in his tone.
"Yes I want. But I want you to be sober when we do it," I replied.
Rukawa frowns slightly and he nuzzles my neck before murmuring. "I don't see what's wrong with it...we did it...once...before we start going to bed..."
His words silence me. Memories of the party Maki's welcome crowds my mind. He was drunk that night, and so was I. I was unable to control myself. I still feel guilty about it. Although I am interested in Rukawa, I never thought about hint at him. If I could go back in time, I would stop for Fujima to take him home and then nothing would happen between us.
"I'm sorry." I apologize to the person I have between with my arms. Rukawa babbles, muttering something to himself. I don't understand what he says so I go with him to his bed.
"You... Kaede..."
"Hmm..."
"Sleep."
I laid him down and tried to untangle his arms from around my neck, but Rukawa hugs me tighter, looking at me with blurry eyes as if he were pleading. I can't help but lean in, give him a kiss on his lips and caress his blushing cheeks. Then I pulled him away and covered him with the blanket.
"Hey, Akira..."
"Sleep. Tomorrow we have to get up early." I whisper softly in his ear. He looks at me weakly before closing his eyes, falling asleep for the fatigue.
The pain in my lower body is so unbearable that I have to go to the bathroom to relieve myself. Once my boy calms down, I take a shower and leave the bathroom.
I look at the man sleeping peacefully in bed with complicated feelings. It's strange that someone can I remain faithful to someone during a long time. I don't like to commit because I love being free. I don't want to be tied to anyone and be held by them. It's nice not to have to worry for the feelings of others, but right now... I'm starting to feel a little insecure about feeling this way.
There is no doubt that I love sleeping with Rukawa. Our bodies fit together perfectly, and I love it every time I have the chance to hug him. I loves to look at his blushing face when he's under me, because it's the only time he doesn't look at me with his cold eyes.
Compared to the bedmates I've had in the past, Rukawa matters more to me than any of them. For me, Rukawa is not just a bedfellow, but also my friend. I'm also interested in him, although I'm not sure if he would consider having one different relationship with me. I have a strong possessive character and can be quite competitive. Someone as cold as Rukawa can provoke me easily. Sometimes I wonder if we were to become a couple, would I end up getting bored of him?
I haven't fallen in love with him, have I?
The clock on the wall says it's almost half past eleven of the night. I turn off the light in the room and turn on the lamp on the nightstand between the two beds. Rukawa is afraid of the dark, and I worry that he will be scared if he wakes up to go to the bathroom with darkness surrounding him. I lie in bed, pushing those thoughts away, and I let sleep consume me.
The sound of the alarm wakes me up. The curtains of the room have been drawn back allowing light from the sun fills the room. I sit up, stretching and shaking off the drowsiness, when Rukawa leaves the bathroom, he already changed clothes.
"What time is it?"
"Eight o'clock," he says calmly, sitting on his bed and putting his clothes in the suitcase.
I approach and sit next to him, with my eyes fixed on the back of the neck white and smooth of it. Can't avoid giving him a kiss there.
"Hurry up and go take a shower." Rukawa pushes my arm. "Seducing me early in the morning. Have you forgotten how much did you make fun of me last night?"
His eyes meet mine and his red blush ears betray his thoughts. I remember clearly what I did last night. I hug him from behind and lean closer to his ear, feeling how he shudders in my embrace.
"Last night I behaved like a gentleman, aren't you going to give a reward?"
"What reward do you want?"
"Something like... you let me sleep in your apartment tonight." I whisper, only to be pushed aside quickly.
"You are the only one who decided not to do anything last night and now you complain. Tomorrow we have to work. Wanna rest."
"How mean!" I cast a sorrowful look at the man cold-faced. Rukawa looks at me with a small glimpse of amusement in his eyes, but his tone remains flat as usual.
"I'm going to have breakfast. Go take a shower and then catch up with us." he says before getting up and leaving me alone sitting on the bed.
Didn't he see how well behaved I was? What the hell!
"Oh, you're finally here! You're late, Sendoh!" Hanagata greets me. I look around as I approach the buffet with my plate. Many of our colleagues arrived early in the morning, and it seems like I'm the last one to arrive.
"Yeah. The protagonist is usually the last to appear." I smile and place my plate next to Hanagata. Fujima acts like if he were about to vomit, while Maki was just smile at me. Rukawa rolls his eyes before to calmly return to his breakfast.
"Last night you returned early to your room and still you were late. Hmm... You weren't bullying Rukawa last night, right?" Hanagata ask me.
"Of course not! What kind of person do you think I am, Hanagata?" I grumble as I take a bite of my bread. Why does he bother me like Fujima? Is it because they have been spending time together that has rubbed off on Fujima's habits?
"You are always mean to Rukawa. I'm just worried for you, Sendoh. Rukawa has many admirers. I only fear all the men of the company come and tell you trample to death." Hanagata jokes.
I just smile and eat my perfectly fried egg.
Just as he says, Rukawa has many admirers. Pity I only have the opportunity to hold him in my arms.
I wonder what kind of expressions they would have if they find out about us.
After breakfast, everyone returns to their rooms to pack and prepare for let's go. I follow Fujima and return the key to the hotel staff counter. I think Maki must have been very gentle with my friend last night, otherwise Fujima's posture at walking would have been different.
"Guys, the boss calls us to the beach for a photo of cluster!" Hikoichi yells, waving his hands in the air. We make a way and get into position.
I put the camera on a tripod and activate the timer, before running back to stand next to Rukawa. Rukawa's eyes are fixed on the camera, with a strange smile drawn on his face.
Seeing him smile, I can't help but smile with him.
I've always been unsure of how I feel about Rukawa, but after last night, I know for sure that it's not I like that Rukawa smiles at other men. I don't like to lose sight of him and that he doesn't feel anything for me. I also realized that this way of thinking endangers our relationship as friends with benefits.
In this type of relationship, let feelings be born, is completely prohibited. Rukawa was willing to sleep with me because he thought there would be no romantic feelings between us. However, now I'm willing to cross that line. I do not know what will happen in the future. If I'm lucky, Rukawa will accept my feelings and our relationship will level up. But if no, I'm afraid we won't even be able to continue being friends.
Is it worth it? Should I try it?
"Say cheese!" Hikoichi shouts. I take the opportunity to surround my shoulder at Rukawa with my arm and smile happily at the camera. Suddenly, I remember something Hikoichi said the day that we choose our roommates.
Come to Maezato Beach, you will always be happy!
Well it looks like it's exactly as he said.
Will be continued...