AN: The Literary festival begins...

Chapter 3

After a leisurely and belated breakfast, Hiroki and Nowaki made their way to the festival in the early afternoon, when the event was just starting to gain a buzz of people. The excitement in the air was palpable, with literary enthusiasts, authors, and academics filling venue. Hiroki, who had meticulously planned the day while sipping his morning coffee, with Nowaki agreeing to whatever he wanted, felt a surge of anticipation as they entered surrounded by like-minded people.

Professor Takashi Yamada was scheduled to give a small presentation in one of the side rooms on her latest research, with a chance for questions soon, and later on, Professor Sakurako Ueda would hold a larger conference in the main hall. The latter was expected to be a busy affair, as Hiroki had noticed many professors from across Japan whom he recognised from a previous event hosted by Dean Takatsuki. That event had been a huge success, and the dean gloated about it at any chance. The conference took up the entire first floor of the hotel, with its two large event spaces, normally used for weddings, being utilised for major talks, while smaller conference rooms hosted author talks and meet-and-greets.

As they entered the side room, already buzzing with people, Hiroki scanned the crowd, spotting a couple of empty seats in the third row. "Let's sit here," he said, pulling Nowaki gently towards the seats.

Nowaki settled into the chair next to him, glancing around. "Looks like it's going to be packed," he said, noting the number of attendees still filtering in.

"Of course! It's Professor Yamada," Hiroki said with excitement. "She's done some of the most groundbreaking research on homosexual relations in Edo-period Japan." His eyes lit up as he spoke, leaning closer to Nowaki. "You know, people always think we're some of the first generations to be dealing with these issues, but same-sex relationships—especially among men—have existed for centuries. It was so different back then."

Nowaki, intrigued, turned to Hiroki. "Really? I didn't know that. How were things different?"

"Oh, it was fascinating!" Hiroki continued, his voice lowering just a bit in excitement. "There was no rigid connection between gender and sexual preference. Samurai, priests, even commoners—they could all engage in same-sex relationships, and it wasn't considered unusual. It was part of their culture."

Nowaki, fully engaged now, smiled and squeezed Hiroki's hand. "That sounds amazing. I love how passionate you are about this, Hiro-san."

Hiroki blushed slightly, smiling back. "Well, it's important history… and Professor Yamada's one of the best scholars on the subject. You'll see."

Nowaki leaned in, his voice soft. "I already see it—in you."

As the talk began, Professor Yamada entered the room, and the audience of around 30 fell silent. Nowaki was surprised that Professor Yamada was an older woman in her late 60s, dressed in a smart, crisp dark green pantsuit, complemented by the most fantastic pair of multicoloured shoes he had ever seen. He had expected someone younger, and this would teach him not to have preconceived notions.

"During the Edo period (1603-1867)," Professor Yamada began, her voice steady but filled with enthusiasm, "there was… no normative connection—none—between gender and sexual preference." A few murmurs rippled through the crowd, some nodding in recognition while others exchanged surprised glances. "All men, whether samurai, priest, or commoner, were… able to engage in both same- and opposite-sex affairs." Nowaki exchanged a knowing look with Hiroki, smiling at their earlier conversation. Hiroki just raised his eyebrows in a knowing response.

As she paused, glancing at the audience to ensure they were following, a low buzz of conversation broke out, with some attendees whispering to each other, clearly intrigued by the historical context. She took a few steps to the side, her hands gesturing lightly as she spoke, emphasising key points. "At the time, men's same-sex relationships were governed by a code of ethics—yes, a code—described as nanshoku… male eroticism… or shudō, the way of youths." Her eyes sparkled as she continued, clearly in her element.

The room grew quieter as the gravity of her words sank in. "In this context, elite men pursued boys and young men who hadn't yet… undergone their coming-of-age ceremonies as well as transgender males of all ages from the lower classes who worked as actors in the kabuki theatre." A few gasps could be heard, and one or two people leaned forward in their seats, captivated by the revelation.

Her tone grew more animated as she added, "These relationships were not only a conspicuous social reality but were widely represented—in art, literature, and on the stage!" A few heads nodded in agreement, while others sat wide-eyed, clearly astonished by the cultural implications and acceptances of such practices.

Her hand made a sweeping motion as if to encompass the entire cultural landscape of the period. "It's fascinating, isn't it? How these dynamics… how deeply they were ingrained in the society of the time." Professor Yamada took a breath, allowing the significance of her words to settle. The room was a mix of hushed whispers and thoughtful silence, as the audience absorbed the profound historical insights she had shared.

The room was captivated by her, and Nowaki found himself intrigued by the subject. Hiroki had mentioned some of this information in passing. Still, truthfully, when Hiroki got passionate about something, Nowaki often found him so incredibly endearing that he would cease to listen, captivated instead by Hiroki's enthusiasm. To avoid getting distracted by his thoughts, Nowaki turned to see Hiroki carefully writing notes in his personal notebook. He loved how his hand glides across the page and how passionate Hiroki was about literature. He spent most of the presentation stealing glances at him instead of fully listening.

Hiroki, aware that Nowaki was stealing glances at him, could feel the "Hiro-san is cute" energy radiating from his partner, but the professor's talk was too interesting for him to stop writing notes or to chastise Nowaki for staring in public. While Nowaki might not have shared the same level of passion for literature as Hiroki, his support and interest meant the world to him, and the fact that Nowaki was willing to sit through a weekend of literary events for him was one of the best gifts he could ever receive.

As the talk concluded, Professor Yamada took a seat at the front and invited questions from the audience. A few hands rose, including Hiroki's. When it was his turn, Hiroki asked, "Professor Yamada, given the fluidity of gender and sexual norms during the Edo period, how do you think these historical dynamics influence contemporary Japanese attitudes towards LGBTQ communities, particularly in relation to the cultural memory of such practices?"

Professor Yamada, visibly pleased with the question, responded thoughtfully, "That is an excellent question." She pondered, "The historical acceptance of such relationships does indeed contribute to a complex cultural memory in Japan. While modern attitudes have been influenced by various factors, including Westernisation and post-war legal frameworks, the Edo period's legacy still lingers subtly, such as in the continued popularity of kabuki theatre, which often features themes of gender fluidity." The crowd murmured in agreement, "However, there is also a disconnect, as these historical practices are not always acknowledged or understood in their full context by the general public today. This creates a tension between historical acceptance and contemporary struggles for recognition and rights."

This response enraptured the crowd, prompting some fellow audience members to raise their hands and ask questions. The Q session ended, and the crowd began to disperse.
"Nowaki, do you mind waiting for just a few minutes? I want to thank Professor Yamada personally for this talk," he asked as he handed him his notebook and pen.
Nowaki smiled in response. "Of course, Hiro-san, I can see some others have had the same idea; I'll wait right here."

Hiroki was the last person to join the queue of people to speak and thank Professor Yamada. When it was finally his turn, he bowed to her as a sign of respect and shook her outstretched hand, and then they started talking. Nowaki sat watching this exchange, not taking his eyes off his Hiro-san, he loved that passionate man.

Hiroki returned to Nowaki, his face flushed with excitement, "Nowaki, you won't believe—" he started, his words tumbling out in a rush. "Professor Yamada! She was—she was amazing, even more than I imagined!"

Nowaki smiled, warmth filling his chest as he watched Hiroki's eyes sparkle with enthusiasm. "Oh?" he encouraged gently; his voice soft with affection.

"Yes!" Hiroki continued, barely able to contain himself. "I told her how much I loved her talk, and then—" He paused, taking a breath, his excitement almost overwhelming. "I mentioned that I'm a professor of literature at Mitsuhashi University, and… and that I'm conducting my own research on a similar topic!"

Nowaki's smile widened, his heart swelling with pride. "That's incredible, Hiro-san, what did she say?" he asked, squeezing Hiroki's hand.

"And get this," Hiroki went on, his voice filled with awe, "she offered me her contact details! She said—if I ever need to discuss my studies further—I can reach out to her directly! She loved my question and my thoughts," His words were almost breathless, the joy radiating off him.

Nowaki chuckled softly, his eyes shining with love as he watched Hiroki gush. "That's amazing, Hiro-san," he said, his voice tender. "I'm so excited for you."

Hiroki's excitement seemed to spill over, his hands gesturing animatedly as he continued. "It was… everything I'd hoped for and more, Nowaki! Just—just talking to her, hearing her thoughts… it was incredible!"

Nowaki just smiled, his heart full as he basked in the glow of Hiroki's happiness. He leaned in slightly, his voice soft. "I'm glad, Hiro-san. Seeing you like this… it's the best part of my day."

"You sap," Hiroki chided, but with no venom in his voice.

"I know Hiro-san – so what's next on your list?" Nowaki asked as he handed Hiroki back his notebook and walked out into the main hall with all the stands of different authors, publishers and academics.

"I definitely want to buy the journal containing Professor Yamada's latest research paper, and then let's look around; I do need to get that book for Miyagi as well." Hiroki said reading from the mental list in his head.

"Ok Hiro-san, lets do that,"

AN: I really wanted to write about Hiroki's excitement and passion for literature, so there was a lot of discussion about literature, I even did some research! It may not be an exciting read, in comparison to the lemony goodness of the previous chapter, but I love anything to do with the egoist couple, so imagine you are Nowaki, completely captivated by Hiroki's enthusiasm.

I shall upload chapter 4 soon. It was originally one long chapter, but I felt it was better to split it into two. I am just refining some areas.

As always feedback is always welcomed.

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