fic for gomushroom! (1/2)

[nino_mod]

For: gomushroom
From: :3.

Title: Halving the Compass
Pairing/Focus: Matsumoto Jun/Ninomiya Kazunari
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 50,000~
Warnings: Chapter 2 has a lot of history into it; there’s a lot of mention of racism and discrimination, a mention of hangman’s nooses
Summary: Nino is a freelance writer currently in probably one of the greatest writing slumps he’s ever had. A friend suggests a change of pace, but going out of his house and traveling alone with a stranger was not what he had in mind.
Notes: You seem to like travel a lot, so I decided to go with it along with the struggling writers! I also incorporated a service kind of thing, it’s not mentioned as much but it’s very vital to the story. I hope my descriptions would somewhat make sense but I can’t say I was able to capture the true beauty of these places. I hope you still enjoy what I wrote. <3 I’d like to say thank you so much to the mod, I probably wouldn’t have made it without you, I’m so glad that you’re here, and A for being that awesome cheerleader when this fic was at its foundation.


Chapter 1

Nino, in absolute exasperation and at the state of complete uselessness, slams his laptop for the nth time today. This is the first time that he has nothing to write about; no inspiration, no ideas, not even a single word inputted, just completely and utterly nothing. It’s smack in the middle of December and not even Christmas could spark a little thought into his currently empty head. It’s not like he has anyone to celebrate it with anyway, being too committed to his work and video gaming has prevented him from doing so, and no matter how long he watches people on the street from his flat, nothing seems to be of any interest. Even with the adrenaline of the nearing deadline and the impending endless tirade from his editor, Yoshitaka-san, nothing seems to jumpstart his engine. In other words, Nino is in a complete slump and nothing, nothing that has ever worked before seems to have an effect and Nino is on a one-way track towards simply giving up on this book.

Nino isn’t exactly a popular novelist, but his works are of high acclamation. From the complexities of mundane life to philosophical paradoxes, Nino is able to beautifully render those concepts into stories of introspection and journeys of self-discovery. Despite his blithe attitude and slightly callous behavior, he’s a lot more sentimental and poignant behind the paperback. His moving kindness and overwhelming sympathy that he evokes in his words is what tugs at the heartstrings of his readers, avid or not. Almost like an old wise man, his friends call him; cognizant and observant. His words are either straightforward and blunt, unfiltered and raw, but he tends to skirt around the edges of ambiguity, almost like a reflection of himself. Call his works cathartic, but he’s still young and inexperienced; he’s just pensive and better at expressing feelings through words as if plucking random words from the air and stringing them into beautiful poetry.

But even if he’s called amazing, or to an extent, a genius, it doesn’t cut him some slack on the due date of his next manuscript. Before he is able to slip back into a video game marathon, his phone rings. Speaking of the devil, it’s that ringtone— annoying and pitchy to remind him who’s calling: it’s his editor.

Nino sounds optimistic as he picks up the phone after the second ring or tries to and his voice only cracks. “Good afternoon, Yoshitaka-sensei. Miss me already?”

“No, in fact, I’m tired of calling and checking up on you.” She says in a bland tone, and Nino can almost feel the dryness of her voice.

Nino immediately feels sheepish and inwardly cringes for trying to sound like the complete opposite of what he’s feeling right now. “Well, I tried, really. But nothing— nothing works. I write, but it’s not good enough.”

He can almost hear Yoshitaka nodding through the phone. “I understand, but I’m not the one who’s pressing you for the manuscript; I’m only doing my job.”

Nino leans back on his computer chair and sighs, he stares out the window, watching the snowfall and create an even thicker blanket over the concrete pavement. He observes the gaudy Christmas decorations: from the wreaths hanging on lampposts to the human size standees of Santa Claus. The atmosphere is thick of the holiday spirit, but it never seems to wrap around Nino’s head. But the holidays give him more reason to bring out his tacky sweaters. “I’ll try again, I promise. I’ll get help somewhat.”

“I trust your word on this, Ninomiya-sensei. I’m sorry I had to pester you during this holiday season.” Her tone is nuanced but he recognizes the heartfelt apology. They’ve known each other for quite a while already, he’s no longer bothered by the indifference in her voice nor her blunt speech.

“Thank you, and sorry for making you go out of your way. Maybe I should get a partner or something, maybe a heartbreak would inspire me, don’t you think?”

“I don’t think partners work that way.” Her tone seems almost displeased and Nino hopes she didn’t take it too seriously.

“It was a joke, you know? … One last. Do you ever laugh?”

“Only if it’s funny.” And she hangs up at the last syllable, almost like the end of a punchline.

Maybe Nino’s still a little affected by the way she talks.

—

Nino decides to take a break from all the hair-pulling and useless keyboard smashing by hanging out with his best friend, Aiba. He calls him up to ask if he’s free and by a lucky chance, he is and informs him that he’ll pick him up from his place in fifteen minutes. He curses at his laptop again for not being able to magically produce content despite being in the 21st century before he gets up and prepares to pick up Aiba.

A little while later, he drives up to the front of his flat’s building and spots Aiba, waiting for him in front. Even if they meet up more than once a week, Aiba smiles as if he hasn’t seen him in months. Nino unlocks the car door and gestures for Aiba to climb unto to the shotgun because he needs to be reminded that he isn’t just a driver (because he habitually enters the backseat).

Aiba straps his belt on and leans to give Nino a big hug when it should’ve been in reverse. “I’m so happy you asked me out today! I thought I was going to die of boredom.” Nino almost audibly rolls his eyes and pats him to go back into his seat.

“I need help. And yes, I’m going to you of all people because even if I think you’re one of the oddest and craziest people alive, I still trust you.” Nino feels almost crazy for saying that out loud but Aiba gives one of the brightest smiles Nino has ever seen and Nino somewhat doesn’t regret expressing that.

“Wow, you really love me, don’t you, Nino? I’m so glad you thought of me! Anyway, on topic, what do you need help for? But please don’t tell me it has to do with snakes, I hate snakes.”

Nino eyes him in disbelief then shakes his head, both in disagreement and not understand why out of all things Aiba suggests snakes. “No. It’s just that I’ve been on a slump lately and it’s killing me. I’ve been so painfully unproductive and nothing seems to change.”

Aiba ponders, staring at the snow as they drive past familiar buildings, on a route to a restaurant they pop by often. He watches the setting sun in the late afternoon, the pale sunlight reflecting the snow, casting a wintry glow on the car windows. Nino turns on the radio and lets it play some Christmas tunes, though it doesn’t really ignite the holiday spirit yet, it doesn’t hurt to join in the fun. For a while, silence permeates the air, aside from the faint holiday music and the busy street filled with gift shoppers.

“I have an idea, but I don’t know if you’ll like it.”

Nino stares at him while they wait at the red light. Nino doesn’t really like where this is going either.

“What is it?” He enunciates ever so slowly, a bit frustrated that he’s a bit curious.

“Maybe you need to go out of the house.” Aiba giggles a little while saying that and Nino looks at him with absolute shock and a face appalled.

It honestly doesn’t sound bad at all, but to Nino, it already sounds like a nightmare.

—

They stop in front of an okonomiyaki house they’ve gone to so often that one of the workers spots them and already reserves a table merely through gestures and a smile. Aiba clicks the seatbelt out and Nino switches the engine off. The chilly air surrounds them immediately and white puffs appear as soon as they breathe out. Aiba has a little more pep in his stride than Nino so he walks ahead, Nino takes time to take in his surroundings: the pale sunlight emanating that smidgen of warmth despite the biting cold, the crunching of footsteps of various sizes leading to different directions, the chatter and laughter resonating throughout the street with faint holiday music as its accompaniment, the familiar scent of grilled okonomiyaki; it’s definitely Christmas. It’s another Christmas lonely but nothing feels better than to stay at home and watch the seasons change.

Nino flips the banner up and gets greeted by the shop workers as soon as he steps in. He smiles back at them and bows while he greets. He then walks over to his usual table with Aiba sitting across him. He slides off his coat and hangs it at the back of his chair while Aiba’s already preparing the ingredients for the pancake. He rubs his hands as he sits down and Aiba looks up to him, beaming.

“So, are you ready to hear my suggestion?” Of course, Nino’s already wary and assuming that he’ll regret asking Aiba but with a face like that, it’s hard to say no.

Nino pours the pancake batter onto the sizzling plate, scraping it towards the center. “Well, come at me. I have nothing else anyway.”

Aiba heaves a long sigh before he starts getting excited, almost spilling the ingredients out of focus. “I know you don’t like leaving your house and spending, but why not a change of pace?”

Nino flips and mixes the ingredients with the batter while raising an eyebrow at Aiba. “I have these friends, they own this kind of travel agency, except it’s a service kind of thing.”

“I don’t understand what you’re getting at.” Nino flips the pancake almost lazily and Aiba sees him do it so carelessly he decides to take over.

“It’s like an escort service! But the people aren’t actually an escort, they just know a lot about travel a lot more than the usual vacationers, and they’re kind of like your traveling buddy! Doesn’t that seem like fun?” Aiba exclaims happily as if he’s the one going on the trip, but he’s just trying to influence Nino’s mood, which works half the time.

“I didn’t even agree to the traveling part, so what more traveling with a complete stranger?” Nino crosses his arms in reluctance, not really liking where this is going.

Aiba nearly throws up the pancake in his suppressed excitement. “You didn’t say no either! Come on, I’ll take you to the place and we’ll see from there if it’s worth a shot!”

Nino eyes him cynically, “So, you’ve never been there? And besides, why can’t you be the one to go with me? If you think I really need to get out of this house.”

Aiba almost looks sheepish, but undefeated. “I would love to, but I’m swamped with work and I’ll be abroad for a while too. Come on, this is a good time to meet new friends too!”

Nino still doesn’t give in to his persuasions. He’s trying to dissuade Aiba from letting him leave his house and seeing the world. “You know what, fine. I’ll go to that so-called ‘travel agency’, but any funny business and we leave and forget about all of these, you hear?”

Aiba flips the pancake in joyful exuberance. “Finally! Nino-chan’s leaving his home!”

Nino looks at him incredulously, with a face full of shock and embarrassment, looking around the area, watching if people were staring.

“I never said yes!”

—

Aiba rolls over in front of Nino’s building and rolls the windows down. “Hop on! We’ll grab a bite then go to the travel agency. Seems like a good plan?”

Nino rolls his eyes and walks over to the passenger seat. “Seems like a normal plan, aside from the fact we’re going to this sketchy travel agency.”

Aiba locks the door and drives off. “Oh come on, they’re my friends! You can trust them, I mean, I do! It’s not like I make you do weird and crazy things all the time, right?”

Nino shifts his gaze towards the scenery outside. “Emphasize on ‘all the time’, Masaki.” Honestly, Nino’s a little bit curious. Though he’s skeptical towards the credibility of this so-called ‘travel agency’, he’s still anticipated to know what it’s about. Whether or not it’s all a big scam, it’s still worth a try, a kick out of his mundane, sheltered lifestyle. Who knows what he finds there?

They drive for a while, Aiba tapping on the steering wheel every once in a while, humming to the Christmas songs blasting through his radio. There is some snow frosting over the side windows, blurring the scenery outside, it’s mostly a blend of white, gray buildings speckled with green and red and the occasional gold, and a flurry of people. Nino hates going out, especially with crowds like this, but for his friends, he makes an exception, not that he would say that out loud, but he does.

After they pass by a Starbucks drive-through, Nino just getting a plain sandwich while Aiba orders the peppermint frappuccino as well as the peppermint cake to “get into the holiday spirit”, they pull up to a nondescript building, not really showing any distinctive qualities, no sketchy or run-down qualities to be exact. Aiba shuts off the engine and they get out the car at the same time. Nino shivers at the gust of wind that swishes past him and he immediately shoves his hands inside his jacket. “Let’s get inside, it’s freezing out here.” Aiba nods and leads him into the entrance.

It’s not exactly anything unique and nothing really stands out, aside from the logo of the company. It’s a small office on the right, two doors past the entrance. It’s white all-around, bland and so so banal, it’s hard to get an impression of the place. There aren’t so many people around so there is an air of stillness and silence. Nino simply follows Aiba towards the office with a colorful logo. There are various splashes of color as the background, but he can somewhat make out the island and the palm tree that’s being illustrated by the paint strokes. Sprawled over the colorful scenery is the name of the company, “8UPPERS”.

Aiba pushes the door inwardly, making the bell chime and he’s greeted by one of the workers at the front desk. “Ah, Kimi-chan! It’s you!”

The man in a black tie, with his eyebrows, scrunched together, screeches a bit, “I told you not to call me that at work, Aiba-kun! And, Subaru, wake up!” He elbows the smaller man, who also has significantly has lesser hair, in the ribs a bit too hard, Nino almost feels phantom pain. That man, now Subaru, hacks loudly and yawns as if no one’s watching.

“Yoko, do you need to be so harsh? Geez…” Subaru adjusts his red tie and scratches his side, visibly obvious that his nap was interrupted.

Yokoyama Yu, as Aiba introduces which shouldn’t be his job, shakes Nino’s hand. “Good afternoon and welcome to 8UPPERS. May we interest you in partaking in any of our services? We offer travel tours and flight packages, as well as consultation and guidance on how to prepare for your next trip.”

Nino nods and looks at Aiba for a while, then shifts his gaze back to Yokoyama. “I heard you do this kind of service wherein you have a tour buddy or something. Kind of like a tour guide but not really? Are you getting what I’m getting at?”

Subaru steps into the conversation without any care, and Yokoyama tries to give him a warning look but he ignores him altogether. “That escort service, you mean? The one for people who want to travel but don’t have friends nor do they know anything about traveling?”

Yokoyama hits Subaru on the head like they’re a comedy duo and Subaru glares back in retaliation, and they both look back at Nino at the same time, it’s almost hilarious. Nino is almost taken aback by the comedic reactions and he can’t suppress a tiny chuckle, even if what Subaru said was slightly insulting. “Er, yes. That one to be exact. Just how do you find those people?”

Yokoyama pushes Subaru aside to prevent anymore conflict and Subaru just quietly grumbles at the corner of the desk. “We usually have volunteers or people who genuinely want to travel and teach someone to travel. We have a thorough screening process and we guarantee you that all of them are credible and real people! Would you like a pamphlet?”

“Uh, yeah sure. How does this thing work, exactly?” Nino gingerly takes the pamphlet and stashes it in his jacket pocket.

Yokoyama smiles widely, enthusiastic and a bit cheery, which is kind of a mismatch for his appearance, but it’s marketing, he guesses. “We have clients who come here and ask for a traveling escort, then we look into our database for available escorts and we also try to take account for preferences such as likes and dislikes, as well as personality to better suit the client. It sounds kind of like a matchmaking service, but we’d like to prevent incompatibility between our clients. We then suggest travel packages or the client can ask for places they would like to go to and we would help search for the best prices if asked for. Oh, and we usually use Japan Airlines as our main source of air travel. You just come here for an interview and as soon as you’re settled with an escort, you just need to submit all of the requires documents, such as a passport and proof that you are capable of paying for the whole duration of the trip. Plus, with an escort, there’s an added discount package. So, are you interested?”

Nino ponders for a while, while it does seem interesting, he’s still skeptical around the escort. And he needs to ask his editor whether he’s allowed for a vacation. They don’t really appear cromulent, so that’s an added factor but there are way too many things to be thinking about to settle for a decision.

“Wait, can I have a trip that’s kind of spread out in months or something? I know it’s an odd request but I’d prefer to take intervals in-between trips, for work and all.”

“That’s fine, but there won’t the discount package for the all-in-one trip if that’s alright?”

Nino feels his wallet may be starting to cry, but it’s not like he’s been lavishly spending or that much of a shopping enthusiast, so maybe splurging just this once may be fine. “Sure, I guess. I’ll talk to my boss and I’ll get back to you, okay?” Nino walks over to a bench on the side and calls on Yoshitaka. “Hi, this is Nino again. I’m wondering if I can request to take a leave.”

“Good afternoon, Ninomiya-sensei. What do you mean? You work at home already.”

Nino laughs because it’s true and he didn’t convey his question properly. “I mean like, out-of-town, actually, out of the country. I know it doesn’t sound like me and it will probably delay my manuscript but my friend, and my gut actually, is suggesting I should take this chance and it’ll probably inspire for the next. Does that sound okay…?”

Yoshitaka chuckles a bit, and Nino’s a bit surprised because it’s probably this rare of a chance to hear her express any emotion aside from indifference and disappointment. “I’ll talk to my boss and I’ll let you know about it. And I think you deserve it too. You should stop wasting your time on video games.”

“I am not wasting my time!” Nino huffs with indignance, and he thinks, when would anyone understand it’s a genuine hobby?

“Okay, okay. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Enjoy your vacation, Ninomiya-sensei.” She hangs up and Nino can’t help but smile. Conversations like these are more lax, refreshing from the constant “where’s your manuscript” talk. Nino gets up to meet with Yokoyama, who are enthusiastically chatting with Aiba.

“I’m interested in your offer.” He hands his business card with two hands and Yokoyama gleefully accepts it. “I’ll get back to you for the interview, is that alright?”

“Oh, of course! Thank you for availing of our services. We hope to see you soon!” Yokoyama bows and pushes the sleepy Subaru to bow as well. Nino and Aiba bow in response and they leave the office.

“I told you, they’re my friends! I would never do anything to harm you! And besides, doesn’t it seem fun, the thrill of a new adventure and the possible spark of a new relationship!” Aiba exclaims while flailing his arms out wide. Nino backs away, avoiding the recoil and his face twists in cynicism.

“You’re exaggerating things. And besides, who said anything was set in stone?” Nino crosses his arms while walking towards the entrance. As soon as the front door opens, a gust of wind blasts through them and Aiba ends up sneezing due to the sudden change in temperature.

“You’ll never know, Nino. Perhaps this is the change you need.” Aiba smiles a bit cryptically as if he knows what’s going to happen in the future beyond.

—

As soon as the go-signal is given by Yoshitaka, and of course after he has checked his bank account, he calls up 8UPPERS to schedule an appointment as he prepares the needed documents. He sends them a schedule of his available dates and he immediately gets an email back stating the date of his appointment. Nino’s a bit thrilled because this is quite a new experience for him, from traveling to booking in with a stranger, for now, of course. Of course, the skepticism never leaves him but a change of pace is just what he might need.

He enters the building and heads for the office, two doors down the right hallway. The familiar logo shows up again and he pushes the door to enter, with the bell chiming again. He told Aiba that he’d meet him here, his reason being his moral support, and with Aiba being the loyal and good-hearted best friend he is, does come and greets Nino as he enters.

“Oh, Nino! You came! I’m glad you didn’t flake on me, because I would get really upset.” Aiba emphasizes the ‘real upset’ with a tone of melancholy and Nino understands he’s not joking about that. An unfamiliar face pops out, along with Yokoyama.

“Good afternoon! And welcome… welcome to…” the cheeky looking man suddenly stammers, staring at Nino incredulously, as if he’s not real. “Welcome to 8UPPERS! W-we are here to help you get the most out of your travel experience!” He adjusts the orange tie that seems to be choking him. “How may I h-help you…?”

Yokoyama raises an eyebrow quizzically and elbows his side accordingly. “Well, I don’t know what cat got his tongue, but welcome back, Ninomiya-san. We’ll be having your interview, correct?”

Nino is just as bemused as Yokoyama so he decides to just smile at the colleague and turns his focus back to Yokoyama. “Yes, please, if it’s not bothering you.” Yokoyama then proceeds to pick up his clipboard and walk over to the front of the counter.

“This way, please.” He leads him to an adjoining room and Aiba waves him a goodbye despite being a room next over. Nino follows him to the room, but before he enters, he meets the gaze of another man, presumably a client because his clothes don’t match that of Yokoyama or his colleague back at the front desk. He doesn’t really pay attention to his features, but he’s definitely more attractive and a lot more broad than a lot of the people Nino has met. They only make eye contact for a brief second then Yokoyama closes the door and cuts off the contact. Yokoyama hands him a waiver before they get started and Nino signs it while Yokoyama sets up the room, turning on the lights and setting up the heater.

“Well, let’s get started, shall we? First, your name, birthday, and age.” Yokoyama gestures for Yamada to sit on a comfortable, plush chair, while he sits on a stool across him. He clicks his pen and starts jotting down on a paper clipped to the board.

Nino takes a few seconds to get comfortable and take in his surroundings, leaning back on the cushion. “Ninomiya Kazunari, born June 17, and I’m 34 this year.” Yokoyama nods dutifully and jots down the information.
“Are they any specific information you would like us to take note of? Any past illnesses or trauma?”

Nino shakes his head, “No, nothing much, I just get seasick, but anything else of importance, there’s none.”

“Do you have any preferences towards your escort?” Yokoyama continues to scribble down notes while Nino watches him do so.

“I guess I’d prefer that they’re around my age, I don’t think I could handle someone younger than me, nor do I think someone much older could handle me. And I guess any gender would do, but I’d probably be comfortable with a male.”

Yokoyama nods, “Don’t worry, this information remains confidential. Only the workers who need it for setting up your escort would have access to this and I assure you, they are trustworthy.” He smiles a bit to reassure Nino and Nino sighs in relief.

After a round of common and uninteresting questions, ranging from what his budget is to what kind of places he’s interested in, Yokoyama brings out a quite surprising, if not reflective, the question of,

“What do you think you’ll be getting out of this trip?”

Nino stares at him in bewilderment, eyes slightly widening in the sudden personal question, only blinking in response and Yokoyama only stares back at him in earnest, waiting for his response.

“Oh, um. Experience, I guess? Inspiration, maybe. ...a new friend, even?” Nino enunciates a bit bemusingly, not knowing whether there was a correct answer or not.

Yokoyama jots down the final notes and clicks his pen back into place. “Thank you for your input, Ninomiya-san. We look forward to seeing you again, hopefully with your escort and travel scheduled prepared. Thank you again.” They both bow accordingly and Nino follows him out the room, heading for the benches. He sits down, but he vaguely notices a figure right next to him. He gets up in surprise because he’s afraid he sat too close, but the man waves him off.

“It’s fine, I wasn’t bothered anyway.” He smiles lopsidedly, and Nino thinks, what a beautiful smile. And then he remembers that he’s the same man he made eye contact with before the interview. He sits back down beside him and smiles back.

“Thanks. Um, is it weird to ask for your name, and why you’re here? I’m Ninomiya Kazunari, but you could just call me Nino.” Nino feels a little brave today, not really knowing where it’s coming from and why but he extends his hand to shake his, for good measure.

“I’m Matsumoto Jun, a travel writer, or a travel blogger, whatever suits your palate. I volunteer as a traveling escort, kind of like those tour guides, except for one person.” He shakes his hand a bit firmly but immediately lets go. In the corner of his eye, Nino spots Aiba approaching them, but he stops at a distance. His mouth is agape, and he points at Jun, he looks almost surprised and he wiggles his eyebrows for Nino just to shoot him a warning glare. Aiba zips his mouth animatedly and slowly saunters to a bench nearby, leaving the two in peace.

“Sorry, that was just my friend. Anyway, I’m a writer too, but of novels and the like. I write essays for a monthly magazine too. And I’m here because I’m looking for one of you guys. Seems like a coincidence, huh?” Nino chuckles to himself and Jun nods.

“Maybe it’s fate.” Jun smiles a little before getting up. “I need to go now, sorry. Maybe we’ll meet again, here? It was nice knowing you.” Jun winks a little before leaving the office and the chime resounds the room before Aiba springs upon Nino.

“Oh my god, Nino. Did you see him? He’s probably your lucky chance!” He shakes Nino vigorously and Nino looks away with mock disgust. “You should definitely get him as your escort, I mean, look at him!”

“Aiba. I can’t just choose some guy based off his looks. I mean, what if he’s this stuck-up spoiled brat, or what if he’s some frivolous playboy? And besides, we aren’t the ones who get to choose.” He pries off Aiba’s hands from his shoulders and pats him.

“Didn’t you see the way he looked at you?! It was like… love at first sight!” Aiba exclaims excitedly and the man with an orange tie shushes him to keep his voice down.

“That’s beside the point. And you’re exaggerating. Again. Can we just go home already? Or will you be treating me out?” Nino smiles cheekily but Aiba wiggles his finger at him.

“Not until you admit that Matsumoto guy is cute.”

“What?” Well, if he’s getting free food, why not? He never passes upon the opportunity. He pauses for a beat, sighs a bit and then closes his eyes, not really believing that he’s saying this out loud.

“Okay, he is a bit cute. And maybe my type too.”

“I knew it!”

—

Weeks pass and he’s waiting on the email, informing him of his escort. He’s got the flight schedule and the projected expenses for the trip already and he can’t deny that he’s a little bit more excited than he planned on being. He stares at his laptop screen dumbfoundedly once more, not really producing any work. It’s nearing the start of January and the deadline is closer than ever. Even with that in his mind, he still seems to be at a slump, with nothing good coming out. He researches on random topics online such as ghost stories on straw dolls to dog sommeliers, hoping that something as odd as these would at least give him an idea. He watches the frost creep up his window until his phone chimes: it’s a notification for a new email.

He grabs his phone immediately to check what it was and it seems like he received an email from 8UPPERS.

From: Yokoyama Yu <yokoyamayu@noroshi.co.jp>
To: Ninomiya Kazunari <ninomiya.k@docomo.ne.jp>

Subject: Your travel escort

Good day, Ninomiya Kazunari-san. We are pleased to inform you that we have found a compatible escort for your travels. Please read the attachment for more details and the info sheet on your travel companion. Thank you for availing of our services here at 8UPPERS Travel Agency. We hope for a wonderful and exhilarating experience for you and your companion.

Safe travels!

Yokoyama Yu, Head Travel Consultant
8UPPERS Travel Agency and Tours

Attachment: NinomiyaK_assignment.pdf

Nino opens the attachment in absolute worry of discovering his travel companion. He doesn’t even know who it is, but the prospect scares him more than it should be. The attachment loads and a name beside an ID picture appears. His phone nearly slips out of his grasp due to the sheer shock he’s experiencing.

He reads, almost in disbelief:

Matsumoto Jun.

FLIGHT O126 | 12:00 NRT | DEPARTURE

As soon as he knows it, he’s packed for a three day trip to Shanghai, China. He didn’t really get to choose his destinations but for someone who never goes out of his home, it’s a good start, or what he hopes is. He drags his suitcase across the linoleum floor, heading towards immigration, dropping off his bags, then checks in before he boards the plane. He hasn’t been able to contact Jun even after receiving the notice for his travel companion. He assumes that he already has boarded the plane ahead and is just waiting for him. He walks across the aisle to spot him, leaning on his chair, scrolling through his phone. Nino stands in front of him to catch his attention and in no time, Jun notices him and gets up to shake his hand.

“Well, good morning to you, Ninomiya-san. I’m glad to have properly met you this time. I’ll be under your care.” Jun bows accordingly and Nino returns the gesture. He moves across Jun to take his seat next to him and Jun plops back into his seat.

“I told you Nino’s fine. And sorry for not asking for your number, if you thought I was a snob or anything.” Nino gets himself comfortable before shifting his position to face Jun. “But I guess I can get your email now that we’re here? I think this would’ve been better in person anyway.”

Jun smiles and waves him off, “Don’t worry, I didn’t think much of it. I was busy too anyway.” He flicks through his contacts to find his own and shows him his email. Nino types it down and immediately sends a message through LINE.

Nino: hi there
Jun: Hello.

“You’re quite formal in your texts, aren’t you?” Nino puts away his phone and chuckles a bit. He leans back in his seat and stares towards the ceiling. “So, I’m curious, what made you want to travel so often?”

“I saved up a lot from my main job. I’m a production designer, from designing costumes and controlling the lights, to designing the stage itself and sometimes helping out with the actual production. I was really dedicated to my craft that I really didn’t have time for anything else, except for constant brainstorming and revisions. But I managed to save up and I decided that I wanted to travel the world. You?” Jun shifts his gaze towards Nino expectantly.

“Oh, I managed to save up too, from being a hired photographer back then. But like I mentioned back then, I’m a novelist. A friend suggested a change of pace, so I guess here I am? I hope to find inspiration for my next book, hopefully. And I don’t have a penchant for leaving my house, so it’s a whole new experience, I guess.” Nino nods to himself and Jun grins and Nino feels like he’s falling for that smile more.

“Well, I hope that this, or rather these, trips would help you inspire the next? And I hope you’ll have fun too. Maybe even I could inspire you.” Jun laughs at that last bit and Nino senses a bit of coquetry on that last sentence.

“Maybe. I’ll be in your favor too.” He bows at Jun again before they both lean back and tend to their businesses. Nino turns his phone on to check the itinerary once again but he’s bombarded by Aiba’s texts.

Aiba: you have to tell me what happens ok!!!!!! have fun!!!!!
Aiba: he’s your chance, nino!!! if u ain’t gonna get him, i would! lol, im kidding he’s totally into you!!!!
Aiba: no sex on the first date!!!!!!!
Aiba: also have a safe flight!! message me once you land!!!!!!

He’s been bothered by Aiba ever since he learned that Jun was to be his escort. He kind of regrets telling him but it’s unavoidable for Aiba to not find out because they’re the best of friends and he personally knows the company workers, which is a total breach of privacy so the former is more likely. After a few coffee hangouts, or dates as Aiba calls them, of discussing costs, deciding on the itinerary, which is mostly Jun suggesting and Nino saying yes or no, and a dash of idle talk, it’s hard not to say Nino’s a little bit interested in Jun. Yes, in that way. But he dismisses the thought immediately because they barely know each other and he doesn’t even know if he’s single.

Nino leans back on his seat and braces himself for the long, long ride.

FLIGHT O126 | PVG 14:20 | ARRIVAL

Well, not really that long of a long ride, since the flight’s only a good two hours. Nino’s not exactly bad with air travel, but he rather stays on the ground. They’ve finally arrived at Shanghai and the weather still bites, despite the lack of snow. The weather is reported to reach a low 30 later at night, so Nino’s advised to stay warm. The afternoon sun is only bright, not really warming anyone in this late winter. Since it’s February, the streets are still busy with the extended festivities of Chinese New Year, from bright red and gold banners to many, many collectibles and charms bearing the year of the dog. One of the features of China is the amassing number of people. Unlike Tokyo, they’re a lot noisier and congested here and it’s doubled due to the holidays, and Nino’s not particularly a fan. He hopes such an atmosphere wouldn’t put a damper on his enjoyment.

He and Jun take a taxi towards a hotel named Sunrise Bund, nearby their itinerary for the next three days. As soon as they get to the hotel, Jun immediately has his mood overturned, participating in a heated argument with the concierge. Nino stands back, holding his luggage, hoping that he isn’t brought into the conflict. He probably knows what it’s about, but he decides to trust Jun and let him handle it. He looks around the lobby, a mass of people coming and going. It must be a popular hotel and there’s bound to be overbooking. But he rather stays inside, avoiding the chilly and dry air outside.

After the fight breaks, Jun stomps over to Nino and he suddenly straightens up out of fear because his senses tell him Jun isn’t a force to be reckoned with, especially when angered.

“I’m sorry, Nino. Some rich brats came in here, flexing their cash at the manager and now they take our room. I can’t believe they’re such pushovers! We still have a room though, but if you’re not willing to share a bed, I can look for another hotel.” Jun immediately turns his phone on and checks for available booking while muttering to himself, “I booked months ago. Months ago!”

Nino shakes his head and gives him a reassuring smile, nearly tapping him on the shoulder but he thinks that’s a step too forward. “It’s okay. I don’t mind. It’s just three days, anyway.”

Jun looks up to him questioningly, wondering if he really meant what he said, but immediately shrugs and heads back to the concierge. Nino spots the concierge’s eyes suddenly full of fear as Jun approaches him. The taking of their keycards finishes without a hitch and they both head for the elevators. As soon as they head to their room, Jun sets his bags down and calls the front desk to arrange for a taxi later tonight. He sits on a chair parallel to their shared bed and sighs heavily, head turned upwards in exhaustion. Nino understands the frustration and knows that this isn’t a good time to start talking. Nino spends the afternoon chatting with Aiba and taking a nap.

—


A hours later, they manage to flag down a taxi and head for the Yuyuan Garden in the late afternoon. Located in Anren Jie, the Yuyuan Garden is representative of China’s old town: a showcase of Chinese architecture, from the pavilions, halls, ponds, rockeries, and cloisters, it’s like taking a trip back to the past. Upon entering the garden, they encounter a rockery, called the Great Rockery, overlooking the garden. Nino peers over, listening to the tranquil flow of the water streams, the wind whistling through elderly trees, and the chatter of fellow tourists and locals. He takes in the air, releasing white puffs every now and then, his nose turning a faint pink due to the cold. He walks solemnly, enjoying the archaic structure of the gardens. Like most Chinese architecture, the gardens are painted with reds and whites, banners and logos emblazoned with gold with an ebony board as its background, with spring bamboos sprouting on the perimeter of the cloisters.

Each courtyard has its own unique layout, from the different stories portrayed by the hanging scrolls, the variety of exquisite rosewood furniture in elaborate pavilions, and the stone paved walkways surrounded by ornamental ponds and flower walls. They shift through the different decorative corridors and Nino finds himself in awe each time. He dares himself to lay his fingers on the intricate embellishments of Chinese design, imagining the inner workings of the past. They consist of old inscriptions and couplets, clay structures and brick cravings, and calligraphies of ancient artists. They stroll around, basking in the late afternoon sun while the air of ancient wraps around them. Nino watches Jun snap photos of the architecture, the foliage, the people, while he takes in the scenery surrounding them. They pass through by the dragon wall and Jun takes him around the garden to search for the five dragons.

Before they head for the market, they pass by Yuhua Hall, which across it sits an Exquisite Jade Rock. Jun drags him excitedly as if his bad mood has disappeared into thin air, past the showering trees and hanging overgrowth, to a rock of 10 feet, with several holes around it. Jun pours the water over the rock and water pours out of those 72 holes, creating a beautiful waterfall-like picture. Jun embarrassingly emits a sound of enthrallment and Nino, being the tease he is, chuckles while Jun turns away with a blush. They sit on the bench, watching the pond glitter of the setting sun. Their hands brush each other’s a few times but they don’t make mention of it. They watch their breaths turn into white clouds and Nino pokes fun at the wind messing up Jun’s hair. While Jun becomes extremely conscious and tries to comb his hair to one side, Nino ruffles his hair, ruining it all together, leading to them wrestling on the bench for a while.

As soon as night falls, there are red lanterns illuminating the streets, the glazed roofs are adorned with lights, the white walls which now emit a bright yellow light reflects on the still waters, and there are multi-colored lantern boats float atop of it. The garden and street market is abuzz with visitors, street vendors, and the loud celebration of the Chinese New Year. Despite the psychedelic colors of the parades and the boisterous crowd, a dirtied haze hangs in the air and the space between one another is nonexistent. Nino nearly loses Jun in the crowd more than twice and he’s starting to get frustrated with people pushing him over. There is a cacophony of voices, from yelling street vendors to customers trying to get their message across. Nino almost expresses his discontentment until a young little girl crashes into him, a face full of tears. She weeps for her mother but Nino doesn’t even know the child, what more the mother.

Jun looks back to check on the sudden turn of events and walks towards them. He speaks in their language to the child and she continues to cry. He watches Jun’s face turn into a scowl and Nino picks up the little girl so she can better spot her mother in the crowd. He pats her back reassuringly while she frantically searches. Jun looks in the same direction as the little girl so that when she spots her mother, he can reach out to her. After a while, she manages to point to her mother in the noisy crowd and Jun immediately follows her. When Jun taps her shoulder, she could see her fear-stricken face, knowing that she is looking for her child too. Nino puts down the child for her to run to her mother, throwing herself into her mother’s embrace. The mother and her child exchange their bows with Nino and Jun and the little girl departs tearfully, waving especially to Nino.

As they watch them leave, Jun looks at Nino with a smirk and Nino raises an eyebrow in question. “I would’ve never thought of you being good with children.”

Nino shrugs and replies, “I don’t really like kids in general, but I happen to have helped out in a lost child center once or twice. But I wouldn’t do it again.” Nino laughs and shakes his head. When he lifts his head, he looks up to Jun who’s extending his hand. Nino looks at him weirdly and Jun just laughs in the other direction.

“You walk too slow.”

“And?”

“I wouldn’t want to lose you too. And besides, no one will notice.”

Nino hears his heart thump a little louder than usual, his eyes widening a bit. A beat passes and he takes his hand anyway. The sift through the crowd, and Nino holds a little tighter each time he feels like he’s being pulled away. He feels like a teenager, holding hands with someone he’s been having on a crush for while. But now he’s adult, holding hands with a very, very handsome companion. A few moments pass and Jun leads them to a tea house. This tea house dates back to several hundred years ago and their concoction has never changed since. They manage to find a seat for two and order some tea and chicken soup to fend off the wintry cold. Nino takes a look at the adjoining store of souvenirs. They sell a variety of authentic Chinese goods— there are antiques, silk fans, bamboo articles, and small keychains featuring the temples and gardens. While he picks up and stares at the shimmering jade stone necklace, Jun calls him to come back. Before he walks back to their table, he decidedly buys a dog keychain for Aiba and a charm for Yoshitaka. As soon as he arrives, a waitress comes and serves their soup and tea. While Nino sighs happily at the sight of warm food and drink, he notices Jun staring at the waitress’ cheongsam, and much to his dismay, his heart sinks a little. After she pours the tea and leaves, Jun turns to stare at Nino intently and Nino squirms in his seat.

“I was thinking…” Jun takes a pause before thinking about the words to follow. “You’d look good in that.”

“Excuse me?” Nino nearly chokes on his tea when Jun finishes his sentence and Jun covers his mouth with a closed fist to muffle his laughter.

“I imagined that it’d fit you, that’s all.” Jun nonchalantly takes a spoonful of soup while at it.

“Even if you flatter me, I’m not trying it on, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Nino tries to nonchalantly drink his soup too, but he’s fooling no one with that flustered look. Nino drinks the soup happily, warming his throat. He watches the crowd outside and it has shown no signs of dying down yet, mostly because the night is young. Nino and Jun don’t talk because it’s useless to chat over such a racket did today but Nino’s ready to call it a night. Jun spots the exhaustion in his face and notifies him that they’ll take a bus back to the hotel since it’s cheaper and it’ll get them a better view of the city. They thank the owner before they leave the shop and Jun buys a bunch of trinkets.

“You have a lot of friends,” Nino peers over his shoulder and comments.

Jun hands the money to the cashier and shrugs, “I just happen to like give gifts.” He stuffs the trinkets in his knapsack and they head back on the street. Nino instinctively grabs on to his hand before he loses Jun in the crowd and he looks back with a cheeky grin. Jun pulls him closer so that they walk almost side by side and leads the way.

“I would’ve thought you were trying to make a move if I hadn’t known any better.” His grin grows even wider and Nino just clicks his tongue at him.

“Pompous asshole.” He teases Jun by loosening his grip but Jun decides to make his grip tighter. They walk like this for the rest of the night until they reach the station. Jun breathes into his hands and rubs them together for warmth and Nino follows his suit. They get on the bus and they manage to find a seat for two on the right, and Nino takes the window seat. Jun takes the seat beside him and yawns loudly. Though Nino is tired, he can’t imagine the stress Jun had gone through today, from the messed up hotel rooms to the dizzying crowd of Shanghai. He sees Jun’s head drooping and then jerking back up before his head slumps and leans to the left. Before Jun can fall over, Nino cradles the side of his head to make him lay on his shoulder. He would never hear the end of it if he was properly awake, but it’s the best thing he could do for all he’s done for him today.

As the bus driver starts to drive, Nino watches the scenery outside: the bright neon iridescent lights of the shopping districts, buildings and even highways, the mass of people coming and going, and the vibrant festivities that really makes the nightlife stand out during this time of the year. The watches the illuminated Shanghai Tower change its colors like it’s performing a dance. He imagines all the parties going on but he can’t really stand those kinds of things so he rather pass out on it. The concrete jungle almost feels like Tokyo almost feels like home.

Once they reach the hotel, Nino taps Jun awake and they descend the bus. Jun walks towards the entrance sleepily and Nino saunters from behind to watch him properly. They get to their room without a hitch and Jun ungracefully flops into the bed, making himself comfortable. Nino decides to take his bath first, seeing that he rather not bother Jun and also because he wants to warm his body from the freezing cold. He peers over to Jun for a brief moment before entering the bathroom. He immediately strips off his clothing and turns the shower on. He forgets to adjust the setting so he shrieks a bit loudly once the cold water hits him. He steps away from the shower to let it adjust and to also hear if he has awakened Jun. He hears no sound of movement nor any voices so he continues to shower. His body relaxes under the heat and steam wraps around the glass walls. He’s had a long day, from the flight to the strolling through the gardens, and through the experience of the Shanghai nightlife. Not that he didn’t like it, but he probably wouldn’t go through another busy street like that again. As soon as he finishes the shower and gets dressed, he rubs his hair to dry and taps Jun to take his bath. Jun grumbles in his sleep but relents anyway, probably after a good ten minutes. He stalks towards the bathroom, accidentally shutting the door with too much force. Nino checks his phone before going to sleep and faces the end of his side of the bed. It’s best to not make things more complicated than it already is.

—

To say that Nino’s morning is frustrating is an understatement. Jun had probably forgotten to warn him about he being a blanket hogger because Nino nearly froze to death in the morning. He wakes up shivering to the biting cold, his feet numbing due to the lack of covers. He gets up grumbling to himself and decides to relieve himself on the toilet, partly to release stress and partly because it is really damn cold. He manages to relieve himself and takes time to breathe after, but since he’s still half awake, he suddenly decides to sit on the toilet seat without putting it down, and he nearly slips in. He tries everything in his willpower not to curse loudly to awake Jun and bites his tongue instead. Nino doesn’t experience extremely foul outbursts but this seems to be one of them. He grumpily stalks back into the bedroom, about to head back into bed because it’s way too early to be dealing with anything else and he still spots Jun swaddled with the blanket and comforter and he tries not to groan too loudly. He ungracefully flops on the bed and tugs part of the blanket to cover himself. He blinks his eyes towards the nearly rising sun and lulls himself back to his sleep.

The next thing he knows, he’s a lot warmer than he was going back to sleep. He turns his head slightly to find the source of his warmth and he finds that Jun is incredibly close to him. Jun had ditched the blanket and wrapped around Nino instead, and whether it was sleep-induced or completely out of his own will, he doesn’t and probably won’t know. As soon as the thought sinks in, Nino’s squirms nervously, not really knowing how to react to the situation. He could wait for Jun to wake to minimize the awkwardness but he doesn’t know how long he could handle being in this kind of predicament. He grows more conscious as he begins to take notice of the breaths that come out evenly, resting upon his nape, their slightly tangled limbs at the foot of the bed, the proximity between their freezing bodies, and that Jun’s arm is wrapped around his middle, protectively even, as if not wanting to let go. It frightens Nino that he is comfortable, wrapped around by Jun, and yet there are so many, too many unspoken details and facts surrounding them, they’re closer to strangers than friends. But sometimes Nino allows himself to bask in these kinds of luxuries. Sometimes.

Later in the morning, Nino has managed to break free of Jun’s hold in clandestine and freshens up. Their tour starts later, just before lunch and he decides to take as much time as he can before Jun hogs the bathroom. Jun does wake up a little while after and Nino spots him already by the coffee machine, and he’s the textbook definition of “woke up like this”. His hair is mussed in every possible direction, his eyes blinking rapidly as if he’s not used to morning light, face turned into a permanent scowl, and it almost seems like he wants to murder the coffee machine.

Nino hesitates to talk to him, hopefully, him leaving the bed earlier didn’t contribute to his unpleasant mood. “Um, morning. You okay over there?”

Jun raises an eyebrow, squinting towards Nino’s direction. He grumbles out a bunch of words but only a few are audible. “‘M fine. I just hate mornings.”

Nino mutters to himself while heading for a seat. “I can tell,”

While Jun waits for the coffee to drip, he scrolls through the itinerary today. He scratches his eyes furiously at the bright light, probably forgetting to adjust the brightness. He scrambles for his glasses and puts them on, squinting meanwhile. Nino notices how he’s kind of a grump in the morning, and as much as he’d find it endearing, he didn’t have much of an enjoyable morning either. Though most of his unpleasantries had faded away, a part of it lingers there and he feels like it’s a warning.

—

Their first stop is the Shanghai Tower. Reportedly, it holds the record for the fastest elevator in the world and Nino can’t help but agree. It’s way too fast for him to notice that he’s past the first, tenth, twentieth, fiftieth, hundredth and then the hundred-and-sixty-eighth floor. The speed of the elevator is unmatched with how long they waited in line. The view of Shanghai makes it even more worth the wait, depending on how long you wait, of course. They don’t actually wait that long, it’s just the aggregation of tourists that makes it almost unbearable. They should’ve have gone earlier, but it would’ve been physically impossible for Jun and mentally impossible for Nino.

The bird-eye's view of Shanghai is nonetheless breathtaking. They stroll across the tower, watching through the towering glass windows, the cluster of skyscrapers, the various running rivers, the glazed roofs of ancient temples, the lush green parks; the busy city life of Shanghai. Perspectives really change things, from being one of the specks on those streets to seeing you as a part of a whole. Nino studies the cityscape, trying to find something of interest but Jun taps his shoulder to get a move on.

They descend the tower to have lunch. Jun had booked them a reservation and considering the crowd today, he’d rather not be late to that. They take the bus to a famous restaurant nearby their next destination, the Yu Garden. Supposedly, this restaurant dates back its recipes to over a hundred years ago, and Jun had been anticipating to try it. They manage to make it to their reservation and sigh in relief when they get to their table. The restaurant is abuzz with tourists and it’s inevitable that everyone wants to try authentic xiaolongbao. Jun excitedly takes the menu and points at what he’s been waiting to order and Nino decides to go along with it, trusting Jun’s palate. They are served hot tea to fend off the cold and Nino sighs happily once the warm liquid flows down his throat.

“How are you doing? Like, how’s trip so far?” Jun questions a bit hesitant, conscious about his choices. Jun shifts his gaze over to his hands on his teacup. “I know I’m not the best at organizing things to the last detail but I hope I haven’t disappointed you or anything.”

“It’s fine, you’re fine. It’s just a first for me, and for someone who doesn’t go out often, if not at all, it can get overwhelming at times. And I underestimated the crowd in Shanghai. Nonetheless, it’s still breathtaking to be immersed in a different world, I think.” Nino strokes his chin thoughtfully and Jun chuckles in endearment.

“I didn’t know I could evoke such insightful comments. I’m glad you enjoy. And… can I ask you to take my picture? It’s for my blog. And my parents too.” Jun sheepishly scratches the back of his neck and Nino stretches his hand out.

“Don’t worry about it, I won’t make fun of you if that’s what you’re thinking.” Jun hands him the phone and switches on the camera. As soon as the food comes, Jun positions it and poses with a peace sign and Nino snaps the picture. He stares at it for a brief while, wondering how someone can smile so prettily before Jun clears his throat and takes Nino out of his thoughts.

“Is something wrong?” Jun reaches for his phone and scrutinizes the photo.

“No, no. It’s good. Well then, shall we eat? I’m really hungry.” Nino kind of says that all at once but Jun manages to catch what he’s saying and they say their greetings before digging in. Jun sips on the steamed bun from a straw and sighs happily. Nino takes one of them into his mouth and once he bites into it, the soup pours out of the bun and the liquid spreads across his mouth, and Nino drinks it down contentedly, from the warmth of the soup to the delectable flavor of Chinese soup. They all too easily slide down his throat, heat and spice washing over him, the fullness of the juice coursing through his mouth all the way to his stomach. After comes the meat, and he chews on it, relishing in the tenderness. He nearly gasps at the flavor: from the sharp splash of vinegar and soy sauce, the distinct spark of shredded ginger, and the soft, soft, white flesh that encloses these flavors. He finds it remarkable that a flavor from over a hundred years ago could still be so mouthwatering. He’s not a big fan of food in general, but this is one of the things he would like to try again. It’s not expensive or luxurious, but it does not possess a cheap taste, rather a heartwarming and home-like kind of feeling. They fall into silence in favor of relishing in their meal but Jun finishes his food ahead. Nino doesn’t notice him watching over him and Nino inadvertently moans softly after taking another bite out of the bun. Jun’s eyes widen for a brief second and he grows still but Nino has failed to notice and innocently continues to finish his meal. Jun had looked away ever since and Nino nudges his shoe to catch his attention.

“You worried about something?” He scoops up another bun, taking it into his mouth.

Jun turns to look at him, shaking his head. “Nothing. I was just thinking. I’ll call for the bill?”

Nino nods and begins to finish off of what is left. Jun goes back to check his phone, scrolling nonchalantly but he could tell he’s distracted or thinking about something. Nino nudges his foot and but Jun doesn’t look away from the screen, only humming in response.

“Um, I’ve never seen your blog. Do you mind showing it to me?” He tries to ease the awkwardness and Jun’s face lightens up a little.

“Really? But it’s embarrassing to see someone looking at it in front of you…” He hesitates but hands over his phone anyway, already on the homepage of his blog. It’s entitled “Enjoy by MJ” in a chunky, kind of playful font. There are various posts, already starting from 2014, not so recent. He scrolls down and takes a look at the previous posts. Unsurprisingly, they all consist of travel guides and experiences, his more recent posts are him from Thailand, Taiwan, and Korea. The landscapes and cityscapes are taken What interests him are the photos of Jun himself, some a bit angled weirdly or blurred.

“Did you take these pictures yourself…?”

“I know I’m not good with taking pictures of myself, okay? That’s why I asked.” Jun takes his phone back and slips it into his pocket. Jun pays for the both of them as usual, never really questioning why Nino never brings out his wallet. He feels like he’s taking advantage but Jun seems to have no qualms over not sharing the bill. At least for food.

—


They head for the Propaganda Poster Art Centre and meet up with a tour guide. Jun managed to find someone who could speak Japanese and Nino’s slightly relieved that someone aside from Jun and he spoke in their language. It’s not like he dislikes the Chinese language, it’s just that the last time he touched upon it was high school, and that’s a long, long time ago. The place itself is hard to find because it hides in plain sight: the basement of an apartment building. It’s easy to miss but if you find their secret guard, he would lead you there. As soon as they get in, they immerse themselves in an array of posters. They look at the various printed media throughout the years, the striking design of propagandists and their leaders, the text inciting their ideals and virtues, their messages to the oppressive government. The posters are colorful caricatures and drawings of joyful soldiers, chubby-cheeked children, ruddy-faced peasants abound with produce, and the famous Mao Zedong, illustrating the state of China during the Maoist period of communist China. Their tour guide explains a part of China’s history, the history of communism, the cultural revolution, and how China thought about on the rest of the world. Their tour guide allows them to stroll for a while, taking in the posters around them. They look around the souvenir shop for a while before they head for the last destination for the day.

They take the bus towards the Bund and Nino observes the sharp contrast between the old and ancient buildings to the new and modern skyscrapers. Nino’s about to start walking but he notices that Jun’s way behind him and that he’s arguing yet again.

“What do you mean I can’t cancel and get a refund? I’ve told you that he has motion sickness! Or are you just trying to get a run for my money?!” Jun exclaims at the stern looking tour guide, who this time, seems unaffected by Jun’s rage. He merely shakes his head and tells Jun off and Nino hurries to catch up to appease Jun.

“What’s wrong?” Nino asks and Jun turns his head sharply, almost snapping but realizes it’s Nino in time.

“I told them that I couldn’t bring you on the cruise because you know, you get seasick. And now they’re telling me that we have to go on it or have our money wasted. I’m so, so sorry Nino. I didn’t mean for this to happen. Things are a lot messier than I thought so.” He shifts his focus back on the tour guide, glaring even if it doesn’t work.

Nino knows himself that he can’t stand boat rides and would do anything to avoid them. But this time…

“It’s okay, Jun. Besides, it’s a waste of money if we don’t. I can bear it for a while, don’t worry about me.” Jun looks at him disbelievingly and Nino just shakes his head, patting his shoulder and nodding at the tour guide. “It’s okay, we’ll take it.” The tour guide rolls his eyes and hands them their tickets, then waves them good riddance. Jun glares at him one more time before they take leave.

Jun looks down at his feet and shuffles a bit. “I’m sorry, that you’re doing this for me. I should’ve done better. I promise next time will be better.”

Nino holds him by the shoulders and looks at him in the eyes. “Look, I’m not mad, okay? Not everything goes our way, but you have to take what you can get. I’ll try my best there too, okay?” He pats his shoulder for good measure and Jun smiles a little.

“Thank you. For understanding. I’ll really do better next time.”

Nino nods and they begin to walk again, stopping at the crosswalk. Then Nino remembers, he doesn’t remember how cruises are like.

And that he’s probably full of xiao long bao.

—

They stroll around the Bund for a while, walking across the waterfront promenade along the Huangpu River. The buildings consist of a variety of architectural styles: from Gothic, baroque, and neoclassical styles. They watch as the sunset glitters on the river, they bask in the golden hour, a soft, amber glow reflects off their features. Nino watches Jun snap pictures of the setting sun and watches as the shadows of his camera disappear when he puts it down, letting the sun touch his face. Nino finds himself mesmerized in his features, the sharp angles of his facial features in contrast to the soft afternoon glow. His hair almost appearing golden under the light, his eyes reflecting the warm colors of reds and oranges, he also watches the thrill of adventure, of new places appear on his features, in pure earnestness and fascination.

“Beautiful,” Nino mutters out loud, flushing a deep red once he enunciates that last syllable. Jun hears him perfectly, almost speechless when they meet gazes and turns into the same shade Nino has.

“Who? The sunset, or me?” Jun tries to brush away embarrassment by pretending to be contemptuous but anyone can tell he’s completely and utterly embarrassed.

Nino elbows his side and they both laugh it out, trying to ease the sudden awkward atmosphere. The way Jun’s eyes scrunch up while he smiles and gives out a good laugh makes Nino’s heart pound a bit louder than it should have. Nino blames it mostly because of the time he spends with Jun; that he’s feeling things more than he should for a stranger or an acquaintance, but maybe it’s just because they’ve been together all this time that all of his focus is centered on Jun. It’s probably just like that.

They later get on the cruise, just before the sun completely sets and luckily, it’s the 30-minute cruise. He couldn’t possibly imagine being on the sea for three hours and a half. Jun had given him some medications and water before they had gone on the boat and Nino feels slightly rejuvenated. Jun keeps at a close distance, which usually would bother Nino, but admittedly he would need the help and he does actually get lonely that quickly. He manages to situate himself on the middle of the deck, staring at the horizon in front of him. The Huangpu river is now decorated by the city lights of the buildings and markets. It reflects an ensemble of reds, blues, greens, yellows, oranges, purples, and pinks. He peers over the side of the boat from time to time to view the Shanghai skyline, noticing the blend of old and new cultures. He finds the night view enchanting but he has a limit. Once Jun notices him getting lightheaded, he heads over to hand him another bottle of water and helps him breathe. He rubs his back soothingly, helping him relax.

“How are you doing?” Jun brushes stray bangs away from Nino’s face, putting them behind his ear, almost endearingly. Nino feels a lot more bashful because he’s not used to being this pampered and well taken care of. He can’t help but indulge in his care because for one, he likes being spoiled more than the usual person, but not admittedly, of course.

“I’m fine, thank you, Jun-kun. Don’t worry about me.” Nino smiles and Jun pats his head before leaving him again to watch on the rails. He’d join Jun if he could, but he rather not let Jun deal with the aftermath.

Halfway through the cruise, he finds himself watching Jun’s figure, observing the curves and angles of his back, his broad frame leaning against the rails of the ship, and Nino wonders if he could touch them someday.

—

After they reach the shore, they head for the northern end of the Bund, the Huangpu Park. In between the Bund and the busy shopping areas, this luscious green lawn and garden stand like a border. Amidst the concrete jungle and congregation of tourists and locals sits this peaceful park, free from the buzz of city life and the heavy air. They find themselves a bench to rest before they head back to head back to the hotel. Jun flops down haphazardly, sighing in exhaustion. Nino sits down almost as clumsily, drained from the cruise. Jun breathes out white smoke and turns his head up, staring at the sky above them, littered with stars. He rubs his hands together for warmth and breathes on them from time to time. They listen to the faint water running across the park, immersing themselves in one of the only sources of greeneries and nature in Shanghai. They don’t talk but it’s the comfortable type of silence and they’re too exhausted to do so.

They flag down a taxi back to the hotel and this time Nino leans on Jun as he gradually falls asleep. Jun doesn’t nudge his shoulder or adjust him, so Nino makes himself comfortable. It takes a while due to the traffic but they still manage to get back in the early bouts of the evening, giving them more time to rest for their last day in Shanghai. Time definitely passes faster than Nino thought it would but nevertheless has he done way more things than he has done in the past few years. They head back to their hotel room and Jun is back to normal already whilst Nino’s still on the verge of recovering. Jun orders room service while he turns his laptop on, already preparing to transfer the pictures from his camera. Nino lays on the bed, resting his eyes, his arms, his legs, actually just resting his whole body. Going out for long periods of time plus on succeeding days tires him out more than he’d think so. He pushes himself to get up after deciding he should take his bath before he passes out on the bed. Jun makes no sign of getting out of his work so Nino heads for the bathroom anyway. While he’s in the bath, he hears room service come and it’s a good thing Jun’s awake because he doesn’t plan on shocking the staff. As soon as he heads out of the bathroom, he already spots Jun eating dinner and his plate set out for him. Jun waves at him to come to the small table and Nino sits across him.

“You hungry? Cause I’m famished, so if you don’t mind, I’ll continue eating, yeah?” Nino nods and takes a look at what they served. It’s some plain, fried dumplings with some fried rice but it’s served warm and smells heavenly. Nino says his greetings and partakes in the meal. Jun hands him a beer can and Nino pops it open, immediately drinking it, letting the liquor bubble down his throat.

“Are you working on your blog already?”

Jun nods. “I’d rather work while my memory’s fresh.” He adjusts his glasses and takes a spoonful of rice.

“Don’t forget to rest, okay?” Nino pokes at his dumplings nonchalantly and doesn’t notice yet again that Jun’s taken aback with his choice of words and turns away, covering a part of his face shyly.

“Okay. I will. Thanks.” Jun smiles as he looks towards Nino and he can’t help but smile a little back. Later that night, Nino takes his place back on the bed, turning his phone on to finally play the games he’s been neglecting for a while. He plays a little shorter than usual because he’s tired, then he plugs his phone to charge. He feels the bed dip on the other side, meaning Jun’s ready for bed as well. He turns his head to peer over to Jun, seeing that this time, he’s facing his end of the bed. Jun hasn’t mentioned of them tangled in the morning so he probably wasn’t awake or had awoken by then. At least sleeping beside him won’t be as awkward as he thought it would be.

The next morning, yet again he finds himself wrapped around by Jun, his back pressing against his chest. It feels all too comfortable that it worries him, that they’re crossing a certain boundary too early. The only sign of movement is Jun’s breaths matched with the motion of his chest. Jun’s nose is buried in the tufts of Nino’s hair and he could feel the warm breath tickle down his nape. It’s trickier now to break free of Jun’s grasp before he can wake up. Nino eases himself little by little, wriggling free. He tries to hold the arm wrapped around his waist at a close distance, trying to minimize any movement. He slithers out of his embrace and immediately slips in his pillow to replace himself and Jun immediately hugs the pillow with his whole body, almost crushing the poor pillow. Nino gets up to freshen up but hears the blaring of Jun’s alarm. He looks for the source of the noise to immediately snooze it but Jun managed to groggily turn it off before him. He vigorously rubs his eyes and throws his face back into the pillows. Nino decides to go back to the bathroom and leave Jun be, not really wanting to bother him in the morning. He manages to freshen up, change his clothes, and fix his luggage while Jun hasn’t made any plans on getting up. He walks over to sit on Jun’s side of the bed, brushing those tufts of hair sticking out from his messy mop. He doesn’t really know how to wake him up without getting him angry but he decides to be affectionate, just this once, while he’s still half-awake.

“Jun-kun. It’s time to wake up. We have breakfast scheduled, don’t we?” He runs his fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp slightly, hoping it would soften his morning mood a bit. Jun leans into the touch, mumbling incoherently into the pillow. Once he shows signs of lifting his head, Nino immediately pulls away, watching him get up. Jun squints his eyes towards Nino but only does for a brief second. Jun’s face isn’t as bad as it was when newly woken up but he desperately needs freshening up. Nino watches him head for the bathroom and heaves a heavy sigh of relief.

“I thought for a second he’d bite my hand or something.”

—

Their last stop in Shanghai is the Zhujiajiao Water Town. They take the Metro Line 17 to Zhujiajiao Station, getting there right after they’ve had breakfast. The pale morning light shimmers on the river and the town is tranquil, peaceful, unlike the hustle and bustle of Shanghai’s city. It’s undoubtedly popular, a water town of 1700 years yet it’s the most well preserved of the four ancient towns in Shanghai. The town boasts of its antique architecture, bubbling streams and small rivers, small wooden bridges dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties, willow trees casting shadows upon sidewalks and rivers, it’s almost like taking a trip back to the past, when serenity had reigned, when the air was still clean and fresh, and when the people were not occupied with smartphones. The bridges come in an array of different material: from sturdy wooden ones to sleek marble ones. The town’s pathways are paved with stones and they zigzag across the town. Nino and Jun nearly get lost a couple of times in the long, winding roads but they manage to find themselves in a completely new area each time.

They eventually find their way to the largest stone arch bridge in Shanghai, the Fangsheng Bridge. They first head over to the stone tablet situated in the middle, with eight dragons coiling around a pearl. Jun snaps a photo of it then reads the engraving. Nino admires it for a few seconds but his focus shifts towards the stone lions scattered across the bridge. He taps Jun’s shoulder to point towards the stone lions.

“I’ll take your picture.”

Jun’s mouth gapes open a little, turning a bit bashful after. “You make it sound like I’m your kid.”

Nino snickers a little and extends his hand for the camera. “Look, you can take one of me too, okay?” Jun reluctantly hands over the camera and walks over to the stone lion, posing with his hand. Nino takes a while in adjusting the aperture that Jun gets suspicious.

“Hey, is there something wrong—” Snap.

The picture reveals to be a candid of Jun talking midway and it’s slightly awkward looking, with his hand reaching out. Nonetheless, he still looks really attractive, which frustrates Nino a bit, wanting to catch him in an uglier state.

“Hey! I look horrible in that! I demand a retake!” He tries to grab for the camera but Nino manages to dodge his hands each time, marveling at his masterpiece.

“Then let me keep this one. I promise I won’t show anyone.” Jun raises an eyebrow and Nino replies with a cheeky and guileless smile. Jun eventually gives up and lets go of Nino’s wrists.
“Okay, fine,” Jun reluctantly gives up and takes the camera. “Come on, your turn.” Nino exchanges places with Jun and prepares himself for the photo. Nino doesn’t know that he could effortlessly be cute so it doesn’t take a while for Jun to take his photo.

“It’s unfair that you look good in yours and I don’t look good in mine.” Jun pouts while staring at the photo he took. Nino takes the camera and positions it to face them, pressing his face on Jun’s and immediately snaps the photo, knowing Jun is even way more unprepared. Jun immediately takes the camera, loading the picture and gasps once he sees himself in candid mode.

“Nino! You can’t just take it without informing me! I look terrible!” It’s not really as terrible as he thinks it is: his eyes are wide in shock, his hair was slightly sticking out to the right due to the wind, and he was caught mid-sentence again. But all Nino can think is how warm his face felt pressed to Jun’s cheek. And that he was frustratingly way taller than he thought he was.

—

Their next stop is at the Kezhi Yuan, a secluded garden in the northern part of town. Built also in the Ming and Qing dynasties, this garden is the largest manorial one out there. It consists of a hall area, an artificial hill area, and a garden area. It interested Jun because it was said to be a place to see and learn about plants and apparently bonsai and growing produce at home had become one of his many hobbies. Nino calls him domestic but admittedly, he has been growing green peppers at home and is now jealous of the lemons at Jun’s place. They stroll around the tranquil garden, only the sound of nature filling the air. There is the sound of slight chatter but it doesn’t overpower the trickling of the water channels and the wind whistling through the willow trees. The garden is paved with old narrow lanes and on the riverside rests stone hawsers. Nino can imagine the life back then, all in its tranquility and simplicity. They go over to the artificial hill to view the symbolic architecture: the Moon View Pavilion. The pavilion boasts of being the tallest piece of architecture in the town, with its five stories. When the climb the pavilion, they can see the weaving of the garden’s different spots and pieces, creating a very scenic view from the top. There are clusters of old residences, preserved in its antique opulence. They also get to view the water town as a whole, giving a view of what life must have looked like in the past.

Before they head on to the rowing boat tour, which Nino surprisingly agreed to, they pass by the North Street, otherwise known as the Bei Dajie. Aside from the representative ancient buildings, this street is the best preserved in the entire suburb. Despite not being much of a long stretch, the stroll is almost stunning; the historic buildings, long-established stores, and old bridges create a whole new world, simple yet elegant. It’s almost inspiring to see these architectures last to this day. While they stroll around, looking for a place to have an early lunch, Nino presses his side on Jun, both due to the cold and the increasing number of the crowd. Jun doesn’t comment on it, rather allowing him to press close and sometimes putting a hand around his waist when he feels that Nino would get pulled by the crowd. Though it’s highly unlikely for Nino to get lost on the narrow lanes, the crowd is too congested that they continually get pushed over to different directions. Jun manages to find an eatery with seats by the counter. They immediately take the seats, relaxing as they sit down. They order some wonton soup and tea then Jun sighs heavily in relief.

“I’m beginning to hate these crowds.” Jun sighs again, leaning his cheek on his palm.

“Only now?” Nino chuckles a bit but he gets what Jun means. Jun’s probably accustomed to a flurry of tourists but Shanghai definitely has a very aggressive crowd. Nino doesn’t want to admit it but the only reason why he puts up with it is that he has a reason to stick close to Jun. (That’s all, he says.)

Their last activity before they head back for a late night flight is the Zhujiajiao Cruise. They rent out a small gondola through the Town God Temple dock. It only takes a short ten minutes, making Nino less hesitant to join Jun. The waters are calm today so Nino’s a bit on a lucky streak, probably in reparation for his terrible morning the other day, and being on that thirty-minute cruise had accustomed him to the waters for a while. Jun boards the boat first then reaches out his hand to help Nino on, and Nino loses his footing on the slippery dock. Jun manages to catch Nino in time and they both nearly make the boat tip over. Nino grabs ahold of Jun’s arms while Jun wraps around Nino’s waist, holding him upright. Nino’s clinging on to Jun due to the shock and for security but they don’t notice how tightly they’re holding each other in front of other tourists. They immediately let go once they come back to their senses and nervously sit on opposite sides of the rowing boat.

“Well, that was embarrassing…” Nino shifts his gaze downcast, trying to hide the growing blush across his face, but it ends up running towards his ears. Jun huffs out a little steam and giving Nino a noncommittal noise as his only reply. Their guide rows the bow and they take another look at the places they’ve passed by. They go under the Fangsheng Bridge, marveling at its structure and how truly large it is. They pass by the Kezhi Yuan again, the foliage creates an enchanting image from afar, the leaves glittering underneath the afternoon sun and the sound of the gurgling waterbed. Most of all, they view the town in all of its glory. The ancient town is littered with various olden Chinese homes, pagodas and pavilions of different sizes, the axial symmetry of imperial architecture and the lowly homes of the common people, and the beautiful gardens. They notice their famous timberwork: wooden posts, beams, lintels, and joists, glazed roofs, and intricate sculptures, carvings, and frescoes. The interweaving of the temples and the nature that surrounds it is a symbolism of the integration of heaven and humanity. The view is almost picturesque and Jun can’t help take various pictures of the town, all in its marvellousness and elegance. Nino asks Jun to borrow the camera and Jun hands it over without taking his eyes off the view. Nino focuses on different spectacles: the town, the water, the garden, the people, and then, Jun. He snaps a photo of Jun earnestly watching the town.

As soon as Nino takes the picture, he slowly puts the camera down, finding himself staring at Jun in awe. Nino finds himself mesmerized by one more thing, by one more person. Besides the poised side profile of Jun, he finds amusement, wonderment, enthrallment in Jun’s eyes.

Never would he have ever thought of immersing yourself in a new country, a new culture, almost like being in a new world, could be breathtaking.

Never would he have ever thought that someone could be so breathtaking.



Chapter 2

As soon as Nino gets home, the first thing he does is finally start typing away at his laptop. Well, before that, he passes out on his bed for almost a day, answers Aiba’s persistent calls, play the video games he’s neglected, also answer Yoshitaka’s calls, then he starts to write. He doesn’t type like his hands are on fire but he manages to dish out some words of substance, way more than what he initially had, which was nothing. The trip definitely gave him things to work with but at the back of his mind; Jun had also been a factor, not that he’d admit that to anyone.

Of course, there has been the constant rehashing and revising but he’s far, far, from where he started. Because he didn’t want to lose the adrenaline and the consistent flow of ideas, he hasn’t left the house since. Four days in Shanghai were already a bit too much, in Nino’s book, and spending almost a week in Johannesburg might even make him more of a recluse than he already is. He’s lost track of time in way too many instances and forgets to even perform basic human functions. Luckily, Aiba, being the best friend he is, has a spare key to Nino’s flat, because he trusts him that much. He regularly stocks him food when he passes by and eggs Nino off his damn laptop or PlayStation.

Eventually, coffee meetings, or rather dates, how Aiba insists it’s supposed to be, became at-home meetings because Nino wouldn’t dare to leave his workspace. Not that he minded, as he was constantly distracted by his next work and he could leave Jun to work on his own things. He’s supposed to be a lot more conscious of the situation, but it doesn’t feel wrong at all, and that’s something he has to think about in the late future. But if it gets him free food and company, then he’s all ears. If Aiba doesn’t come, coincidentally, Jun pops in to share some of the food he made the other night, and Nino nearly blurts out that he should cook for him every day. But he does anyway and Jun doesn’t mind and goes along with it. Whether they were serious or not remains to be of question up to today.

Today, Jun has come over after his own work, spending sleepless nights on a concert he’s been planning for a famous boyband in their country. Not that Jun bragged about it but Nino probably spent an unhealthy number of hours stalking Jun’s social media account. Just when Jun pops his pasta into the microwave, Nino’s front door opens with a click.

Oh no.

Jun looks over his shoulder to take a peek at the front door. “Were you expecting someone?” But Nino had already rushed to the front door, immediately blocking the sight of Jun and his unexpected visitor. He waves his arms wildly, trying to stop Aiba from taking a look inside.

“Why didn’t you say anything?!” Nino stammers and aggressively tries to shoo Aiba away, not wanting things to get awkward.

“Since when did you have a problem with that?” A beat. “Oh, hi Jun-kun!” Aiba then glares at Nino with a you-didn’t-tell-me look and Nino just gives up altogether, sauntering back to his desk.

“Oh, hi Aiba-kun. Am I interrupting something?”

Aiba waves him off. “I should be asking that question,” he chuckles, “I brought some food! It’s probably enough for the three of us since Nino eats like a bird.” Nino stares at him indignantly and Aiba huffs in defiance. Jun prepares the table for them and Nino suddenly feels conscious and runs over to help him out.

“You didn’t have to… You could’ve just told me.” Nino takes the plates from Jun’s hands, lingering for a bit then returns to set the table. Aiba tries to muffle a cheeky laugh and Nino nearly threatens him with the plate, only giving him a look of annoyance. Aiba mouths, “You look so domestic,” and Nino teethers on the edge of knocking the daylights out of him.

When Jun brings out the pasta from the microwave, a heavenly aroma permeates the studio and it tempts Nino to leave his seat. He gawks in awe at the carbonara Jun brought, despite just coming out of the microwave. Aiba mimics the reaction because it looks that good. But the real test is the taste, and after all the others Nino has tried, he has no doubt this would just be as delicious.

“You didn’t tell me Jun was a good cook!” Aiba exclaims as he sits across Nino.

“I didn’t need to!” Nino rebuffs. They clasp their hands together as they say their greetings and Nino finally finds comfort again in homemade food. Surviving on convenience store boxed meals and cup noodles isn’t really good for you when you hit your thirties. They dig in, sighing happily at the creamy paste of the noodles and Jun chuckles in delight. Nino embarrassingly faces downcast and Aiba nudges his shin lightly, giving him a murderous look.

While chewing, “So, where you going to next?”, Aiba manages to say audibly. Nino leers towards Jun as a cue for him to be the one to answer. Not that he minded, but he rather has someone else talk about it.

“Johannesburg.”

“No way! When?!” Aiba nearly slams his hands on the table in surprise but manages to compose himself before he can make much of a ruckus.

“We arrive on the 28th. You?” Jun skims through their itinerary on the phone.

“My last day is on the 2nd of March! You guys wanna meet up? Not unless…” Aiba wiggles his eyebrows only to get a heavy sigh from Nino. “You’re too busy?”

“The 2nd is fine, you’re okay with that, Nino?” Jun gazes at him for a while, searching for a response and Nino reluctantly nods his head.

“Great! I can take you to see the big cats and Kazama will be there! And that intern of mine.” Aiba opens his phone to start typing and messaging his friends. Aiba then starts to prepare the Montblanc he has brought while Jun opens up bottles of beer for them.

“So, how’s your book going, Nino?” He leans on his palm, smiling a bit.

“It’s better now. I think I have an idea going but I can’t say for sure if it’s final. But really, the trip gave me things to work with, so I should thank you a bit.” Nino nods to himself and gets up to prepare new plates and Aiba slices the Montblanc.

Later on, Jun and Aiba end up having a long conversation about how to get along with puppies to places they’ve traveled. It eventually escalated to talking about Nino, which he silently appreciated but soon got annoyed by.

“Nino is kind of like a small animal, isn’t he? Literally small too.” Aiba laughs too hard, and it earns him a glare from Nino.

Jun nods all too willingly, suddenly enthusiastic about the conversation. “He snaps at you like he’s rabid but ends up becoming extremely affectionate in the end, right?”

“And he gets lonely easily too!”

Nino coughs loudly, interrupting. “I’m here, you know.” They both just laugh it out and Nino rolls his eyes, turning his back again to continue his work.

“But you’re not denying it!” Aiba proclaims and Nino merely sighs, not wanting to argue further because undoubtedly, it’s true. They continue on until it’s late evening and Aiba leaves first.

“Don’t stay up too late, Nino! I’ll keep saying it even if you don’t listen to me, bye!” Aiba yells from the genkan, slipping his shoes on. “Also, see you again, Jun-kun! I want to try more of your dishes!” He leaves the two of them in silence. They don’t talk for a while, as Nino tries to work and Jun fixes his things before he leaves.

He walks over to Nino, tapping his shoulder. “Nino. I’ll see you soon, okay? Rest up, it’s going to be a long trip.” He smiles a bit and Nino smiles back.

“Yeah, of course,” He turns in his computer chair, facing Jun. “Thanks for today, and sorry if Aiba gets too excited or rowdy.”

“No worries, I enjoyed his company.” He pats Nino’s head and Nino swats it lightly, not really meaning to push it away and Jun decides to lay his hand upon his head. “Take care, Nino.”

“Yeah, you too.”

Jun picks up his bag and waves him goodbye before leaving through the front door.

Though silence saturates through the studio, the hammering of his heart in his chest combats it.

—

The following night, he manages to produce an assemblage of paragraphs, deleting the humdrum writings and revising the compelling ones. He calls up Yoshitaka to tell her what he’s planned so far and she simply applauds him for actually getting work done. The conversation cuts short and as soon as he hangs up, he gets a message from Jun about his day. He sends a short message before shutting his phone down.

He finishes up cutting redundant sentences and phrases from his last paragraph, producing a somewhat vague summary of his book from the vestiges of it.

A traveler; a lover of changing sceneries and witnessing the world for themselves. But what is a home, to a traveler? Must he give up home for the world?

FLIGHT S125 | 11:20 NRT | DEPARTURE

As soon as he knows it, he’s seated on Jun’s left, on board to their layover in London. It’s a staggering number of 29 hours to get to Johannesburg and Nino isn’t quite excited for that. He adjusts himself on the seat, trying to get a comfortable position. He peers over to Jun, seeing that he’s already cozy on his own seat. He fiddles with his phone for a while before shutting it off once the plane starts to take off. He shifts his gaze towards Jun and he catches him staring. Nino nearly turns his head away but Jun starts a sentence before he does.

“What are you thinking about?” Jun angles his body to face Nino and being polite, Nino faces him as well.

“Nothing just got bored, I guess. I’m not sleepy yet.” Nino taps an irregular rhythm on his thigh, his eyes wandering off Jun’s face. The more he stares at Jun, the more his thoughts lead to dangerous boundaries, unsolicited feelings. “This an odd question but, do you have anyone you’re waiting for at home? Perhaps a lover? A significant other?”

“With my workaholic habits and constant out-of-town trips? Heavens, no. If I had one, they’d probably run off with someone else by now. Not saying it did happen but it’s bound to if the situation was like that.” Jun responds wistfully.

“Do you ever miss of home?”

“You will fall in love with train rides, and sooner or later you will realize that nowhere seems like home anymore.” He pauses then after a beat, “I got it from a famous poet and it has stuck to me ever since. I’m not eloquent enough to produce such poetry.” Jun chuckles and leans back, signaling his time for rest.

And there is Nino, astounded and at a loss for a witty remark, what more a meaningful response.

FLIGHT S125 | 15:50 LHR | ARRIVAL

They make it to Heathrow Airport at 3 PM JST, but it’s the bloody morning when they land. Of all hours in a day, they just had to arrive when the clock hits 8 AM in London and Nino knows that Jun hates mornings. He also doesn’t know what they’ll do for the next four hours, not unless Jun has something prepared. It takes a bit of a while for Jun to get up from his seat and process the situation but Nino’s smart enough not to instigate his wrath. He takes charge of talking to the staff and getting the directions to their gate for the next flight. Jun’s responses comprise of mere grunts and groans but it’s good enough that he actually responds, even without his morning coffee yet. Nino brings them to an airport cafe to have some coffee and breakfast while they wait. When he brings the coffee to their table, Jun immediately takes a huge gulp, not even minding it’s fresh and piping hot. He flinches at the heat but simmers down his tongue and he feels even more refreshed.

Jun slurps up more coffee and takes a bite out of the sandwich before clearing his throat and turning his phone on to show the schedule. “So, we have three hours, right? Wanna see how far we can make it?” Nino notices a bit of color brightening up Jun’s face now, now that he’s had his coffee and more than excited.

Nino doesn’t say no or doesn’t know how to. With a face like that, how can he?

—

They first take the Tube from the airport to the Green Park Station. They see Buckingham Palace, with their famous royal guards standing at the gate. But they don’t have enough time to go inside and have a tour so they stay outside, looking at the impressive facade, marveling in the impressive statues and architecture.

It all happens like a flash. The next thing he knows, they’re already on their way to see the Big Ben from St. James’ Park. They walk along Birdcage Walk and pass by St. James’ Park on the left, and the Flanders War Memorial, Guards’ Museum, and Guards’ Chapel on the right. St. James’ is massive and spacious, but it doesn’t really interest Jun and Nino since they’re not huge fans of football. They pass by the memorial to pay their respects, the chapel to view the ornate interior and the decorative altar, and go through the museum briefly to look at the uniforms of the guards. After all of these, they make it to the Big Ben, a giant clock tower that London is notable for. The view is breathtaking, from the clock tower to the added features of the Parliament buildings, of the river Thames, of the red buses. Nino notices the many statues and plaques that scatter London; that’s when Nino realizes that he’s truly in London.

Now they’re on their way to the Westminster Abbey, adjacent to the Parliament buildings. It’s one of the most significant houses of worship in the world and is abundant and rich in the history of Britain. Because Jun had secured them tickets online to avoid waiting time, they get in almost immediately, avoiding the increasingly long line. They look around like the usual, awed by the grandeur and magnificence of the place, viewing noteworthy exhibits such as the Coronation Chair and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The huge, decorative windows with stained glass, intricate and sturdy pillars, and the towering ceiling leave them almost breathless, basking in its splendor. They pass by the Royal Tombs, ornate and baroque, and the Poets Corner, consisting of a variety of statues of famous poets such as William Shakespeare to Emily Brontë.

The last thing on their itinerary is the Trafalgar Square. They don’t really have much time left so they stroll around a little, Jun takes some pictures (while Nino sneaks in some candid pictures for himself), and Jun finds a place for them to have lunch before they go. Nino poses by some blue chicken statue then takes a picture of himself but doesn’t notice that Jun had already come around and witnessed the affair.

“Oh, um, hi.” Nino immediately pockets his phone, pretending as if nothing had happened.

“I saw that.” Jun laughs and tries to get his phone from him but they only end up wrestling each other. Jun had eventually given up and let go of his wrists, pouting in defeat. Jun tells them that he managed to find a place to eat but when Nino asks where he merely smirks and faces away to walk ahead. Not really understanding his reason for secrecy, he follows along, and Jun’s leading him to St. Martins in the Fields Church. He’s confused because the last time he heard about churches was that they were for prayer and worship, not lunch. There’s nothing special, or rather different: it’s your church with the ornate altar, dome-like ceiling, hanging baroque chandeliers, thick and sturdy pillars; sophisticated but not out-of-the-ordinary.

But it doesn’t stop there: Jun’s leading him downstairs, and if he didn’t know Jun, it’d be suspicious, as if being lead to his doom. He’s still confused on where they’re going because usually, the lower floors of a church would be the catacombs and Nino’s not looking forward to eating with dead bodies. They delve deeper into the crypt, past the vaulted ceilings and tombstone floors and Nino’s beginning to doubt that Jun’s in front of him. His steps slow down a little and Jun immediately notices, looking back at Nino; at least he’s not with a stranger. When Jun comes to a halt, Nino looks at him questioningly, not really having any clue where he had brought him. They stand in front of a restaurant called, The Cafe in the Crypt.

The restaurant is quaint and nothing like the catacombs or tombs. It’s much brighter than what they’ve gone through, so Nino’s eyes are still getting accustomed to the light. They’re greeted warmly and shown to their table and they order as soon as possible.

Jun whispers, a bit mischievously, “There’s actually an elevator going down here.”

Nino’s eyes widen in surprise, then his eyebrows furrow in annoyance. “Why didn’t we take that then?!”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Jun laughs and earns a kick to the shin from Nino. Their meal comes and it’s quite large, maybe too much for Nino’s appetite. He immediately digs into the burger steak though, just the right thing for his famished self. They manage to finish their meals within fifteen minutes, clearly starving. Nino feels bad for not finishing the other half of his meat pie but Jun waves him off reassuringly, saying that the price wasn’t even that bad. At least he knows Jun doesn’t unnecessarily splurge all the time.

—

They head back to the airport from the tube in Leicester Square. They started running halfway to not miss the next train stop and they manage to barely make it, the train leaving seconds after they get in. They breathlessly slump down on their seats, laughing at the sheer rush of events. It’s pretty hard to process that they’ve visited so many places within that small interval. It’s nothing something Nino would ever do, but it wouldn’t stop him from trying.

“First time?”

“Yeah. If I hadn’t known you better, I’d think you were crazy. But we did it, didn’t we?” They laugh a bit too loudly, but not noisy enough to bother the other riders.

Though this has made him more tired than he should’ve been, Nino realizes that he actually had fun, spontaneous, rushed, and all.

“Can I borrow your phone for a bit? My phone died on the way.” Jun asks while looking at his own, pouting.

Nino’s currently in a rush of emotions that he doesn’t fully take in the question. He takes it out of his pocket and types in the passcode, handing it over to Jun. “Here,” Jun takes it gently and immediately starts typing away at whatever he needs to do. Nino hears a familiar ping, the sound of an email sent and he takes a look to see that Jun had sent the picture to himself, right in front of Nino. Nino immediately wrenches it out of his grasp but it’s all too late and Jun already has a copy of it. Jun doubles over in laughter, looking at it in his supposedly dead phone. Nino grimaces and elbows his ribs none too lightly, but Jun continues to laugh.

But he got to see Jun smile and laugh, so I guess he can let it pass, for now.

FLIGHT S125 | 9:15 JNB | ARRIVAL

When they land, it’s early morning in Japan, but in Johannesburg, for the lack of vocabulary, shit AM. The wind blasts through Nino’s face when he gets out of the plane and shivers to the unrelenting cold. Jun saunters from behind, still exhausted from their impromptu tour of London and very long flight. Nino just wanted a bath and a nice, warm bed, and Jun seemed to agree, putting off any activities for the day. They manage to get to their hotel without a hitch, this time having no problems with their hotel room, and Jun immediately flops on the left bed as soon as he drops his luggage. Luckily, they were able to secure a twin room so no more awkward tangling early morning. Not that Nino was against that, but it crossed a certain boundary he was not ready for. He immediately heads for the bathroom without question and finally gets that warm bath he needed almost two days ago. He takes his shower then slips into the bathtub, nearly falling asleep as his muscles relax. He manages to finish freshening up before Jun comes and knocks grumpily to get him out of the bathroom. He wakes Jun up to tell him to freshen up before knocking himself out. As soon as he fixes his clothes for the next day, and prepares his bed, he falls into a deep, undisturbed slumber.

Because of the cursed concept called, jet lag, Nino wakes up groggily, his muscles aching and confused over the current time. He stares out into the clear night sky, signaling him that it’s probably the middle of the night and that they’ve almost slept for an entire day. He glances over to Jun, swaddled in blankets, probably as tired and groggy as Nino but with a worse attitude when waking up. He gets up to drink water then head back to bed, not really wanting to stay up despite sleeping for almost a whole day. Before he does go back to his own bed, he sits by Jun, brushing off strands on his face, gently enough not to stir him awake. It’s probably due to Nino’s half-asleep state that willed him to do something so affectionate, so endearing. But it’s a great enough reward to watch Jun peaceful, almost a guileless expression. Jun makes no sign of waking, but he leans into the touch, making a slight noise of comfort.

If Nino wasn’t in the right mind, he might have slipped into the same blanket and slept beside him. But he was, unfortunately, and slinked back to his bed, finding himself surrendering to sleep once more.

—

When they wake up for the bus tour, Nino feels more refreshed than ever, after having almost more than twenty hours of sleep. Jun, on the other hand, looked like he had no plans of ever waking up ever again, but he had eventually evicted himself out of the bed, immediately searching for the coffee machine. His voice is extremely scratchy and almost sounds rusty from the lack of use. The cold air has made his throat dry so the only noises he makes in the morning are grunts and clearing of his throat. Nino’s slightly used to the time difference now, just seven hours behind their home. Sure, it’s probably early afternoon in Tokyo by now, but he’s awake anyway in either time zone.

They eventually venture out into town, actually doing something else aside from sleeping. They’ve been in Johannesburg for almost two days now, and they’ve done nothing except experience the chilly weather and the comfort of the hotel. Their first destination is the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill, having a taste of the country’s history.

They join the hop-on-hop-off bus tour today. The bus is a double-decker with an open top, and Nino guarantees Jun would probably take the upper floor, out in the open air, with the wind blasting through his hair and face, picturesque like out of a romcom. Nino’s not too keen about that, on the other hand, rather staying with the safety of the inside. But sometimes he’ll compromise. For now, though, Jun stays within the confines of the lower deck, still a bit drowsy and sluggish.

When they make it to the Apartheid Museum, the entrance is already of striking quality: the entrance is divided for whites and non-whites, a symbol of racial segregation. It almost shocks Nino at the sheer bluntness of the museum, holding nothing back but the brutal truth of that generation. Of course, being a non-white, they enter through the doors of the opposite, then they go off to meet their tour guide.

They walk towards the inside more, meeting their tour guide. Their tour guide is from 8UPPERS themselves because tour guides require fifteen or more people, plus they don’t understand English enough, so it would’ve been a waste of their money. Their tour guide is in a somewhat more formal attire, the only accessories revealing that he is theirs is his nameplate written in both Japanese and English, plus the trademark tie, this time in yellow. He introduces himself as Nishikido Ryo, with a killer smile, a smile mimicking that of a serial killer to an extent, and leads their way inside.

It hits Nino like a train when he finally tours the place. The museum is a haunting, poignant memory of South Africa’s racial history. The apartheid was a time of racial discrimination during the 20th century, when despite the minority of whites, they ruled over all races, from blacks to Asian Africans and Indians. Millions forcefully evicted from their homes, placed in segregated neighborhoods, multiple ethnic-states were created, blacks were no longer citizens of South Africa, rather citizens of independent homelands who worked in South Africa as foreign migrant workers. Voting rights were denied to both Africans and Coloreds; a gross example of abuse of power and white supremacy.

The museum’s artifacts are diverse: photos, newspaper clippings, chilling personal accounts, and film footage. There is a series of televisions playing footage of the brutal treatment of anti-apartheid residents and some interactive exhibits such as moving a stone to a pile that represents the commitment to fight discrimination and racism. The audio and video records feel all too lifelike, with some of the featured people still alive to this day. But what strikes Nino the most is the room of limp hangman’s nooses, not the ones used, but a reminder of the victims of state executions. The museum is almost cathartic; a feel of the devastation the apartheid had brought into South African society. It also allows them to understand the distant history of how the apartheid came to be.

Jun and Nino merely make noises of affirmations and ponder, trying to absorb and process the overload of history. They learn of the terrible treatments on the non-whites, unjustifiable by any means and a disrespect to human dignity. They learn of both external and internal resistances, the struggles of the fallen and crushed ones. The sights and sounds immerse them into the exhibits, weaving them through paths that explore the decades of oppression, to the birth of democracy.

It all comes to an end, explaining the feats of the labor unions, radical groups, social movements, the honorary figure Nelson Mandela, of how South Africa paved its way to democracy. The journey is thought-provoking, almost emotional. Nino’s almost taken aback in the richness of the history tour; that everywhere, people were fighting, and still are, that humans can be so cruel and horrifying, but those same humans can be strong and fight against adversity. The feeling is heavy, but not a bad kind of heavy, rather the feeling of sympathy and understanding. Though he may never truly understand the struggles and hardships of those oppressed by the apartheid, he recognizes their feats, lets himself become a living reminder that they are not forgotten. They spend a whopping three hours in the museum, almost nearing four, but it’s enough to process the learning and experience. They leave with a heavy heart, but a more open one at that.

Nishikido, their tour guide, joins their tour bus because they’re headed to another historical site: the Constitution Hill. They still remain in the lower deck, defying Nino’s expectations again, but it’s probably just the atmosphere. They remain quiet for the rest of the trip there, mostly silent in thinking and pondering. Nishikido points at notable places around the city, talking about the neighborhood and the locals, how the city and rural life are in Johannesburg. Jun’s interest is heavy on the trendy neighborhood, which isn’t much of a surprise considering his style.

Their next destination is Constitution Hill, another significant landmark of the apartheid era. The old cells have become a museum, and the ramparts have become a walkway overlooking the skyline. They are likened to concentration camps, a place of hostility and gross treatment of humans There are former prisons that inhabit Constitution Hill, there’s the Women’s Gaol, Number Four, and the Old Fort, where they all held political prisoners. One of the former precincts was once known as The Fort, held political prisoners, common criminals, and passive resistors, among them, being Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi. The artworks line the corridors, illustrating South Africa’s Bill of Rights.

There is an interweaving of the new and old Johannesburg: aside from the former prison, there is the reformed Awaiting Trial building, or rather Constitutional Court of South Africa, a symbol of freedom and the highest court in the land, which works to protect the rights of the people. There are hearings that are open to the public, but there’s not one scheduled today, so they miss out on that. They manage to take a look inside through a window, supposedly a metaphor for the court’s transparency. Nishikido also explains that the eye-level judge's podium decorated with different Nguni cow hides represents the diversity of the bench and equality between the judge, defendant, and lawyer.

With this and the Apartheid Museum, Nino realizes how far South Africa has come, and how amazed he is on how people fight, how there is still hope despite desolation. History has never been that of huge interest to Nino, rather living in the present, but a look back makes him realize both the richness of every other history, whether known to him or not and that humanity has come a long, long way.

And, of course, he has more ideas for his book.

—

It has long fallen into the night and they board the bus one last time to be dropped off at a quaint restaurant only ten minutes away. Jun had reserved many of their activities months ago, and Jun’s even more surprised himself that he had managed to get a booking. Though they won’t be the only ones at the small restaurant, it’s good to have some company. Nishikido comes along, as per Jun’s request, as a thank you for his service and so that they can better talk with the locals there.

When they board the bus, Jun drags Nino to the top deck, finally meeting his expectations at least, and brisk March air slaps Nino on the face. Nino’s face turns into a pout, wanting to go back inside. He immediately changes his mind when he thinks about Jun’s safety. He watches Jun almost skip over to the rail and stick his head out, literally throwing caution into the wind. He immediately rushes to his side, holding on to his jacket.

“J!” He calls out to his, using the nickname, or rather letter he had given to Jun, “Can you at least be careful?! You’re like a child sometimes.”

Jun strikes a perfect smile, and with the way the wind swipes against his hair, giving him a perfect side-swept look, a look without an ounce of guilt, rather of pure elation and innocence. “You care.” He grins impossibly wider. “You can hold me if you want.”

“If this is to get me to hold you like Jack in Titanic, then I’d have to say no.” He lets go of Jun’s jacket and leans on the rail instead, holding a bit tighter than the usual.

“You want to be Rose instead?” Jun says with the same lopsided grin, with an eyebrow raising teasingly.

“I want to be Nino.”

“Okay. That’s fine too.” He laughs while wrapping an arm around Nino’s waist, his hand resting protectively on his hip. Nino looks at him in disbelief but it’s not expressed strongly enough to fend away Jun. “I’ll hold on to you and the rail. Good enough?”

Nino looks away with a huff, ignoring his horrible flirting. Sometimes though, he’s into cheesy advances. This is one of them.

—

It doesn’t take them a while to reach the Yeoville Dinner Club. Despite not being part of the artsy, hipster revival like that of other areas in Joburg, it’s trendy and vibrant. When they enter, the size surprises Nino. The restaurant is quite literally quaint and intimate, only having one table seated for eighteen guests. There a bunch of other locals and tourists occupying the other chairs, but there are two beside each other and one across reserved for the three of them. Nishikido, of course, allows himself to be seated next to a stranger, mostly because he can speak English and a bit of Afrikaans. It’s no surprise he manages to hit it off easily with the other customers. While Nino sits at the edge, Jun sits beside him, and also next to a stranger. Jun manages to hold a small conversation, with Nishikido sometimes butting in to help decrease the language barrier. As much as Nino would like to engage in conversation too, he’s a bit shy and probably needs a drink to loosen up.

The jovial restaurant owner Sanza comes out to introduce himself and the restaurant, with Nishikido translating, and hands out the menu for today. He’s overwhelmed with the expanse of the menu: from authentic African dishes, he even spots some Asian fusion in them. He sifts through the menu a bit first, trying to take a look at what’s available. Apparently, the menu changes constantly, and with the look of the fresh print, he’s probably looking at a new set. Jun and Nino had ordered authentic African dishes, to take advantage of the opportunity that they get to taste the real African flavor. But the table is filled with a variety of dishes, all for sharing. It’s like one big reunion of strangers, it’s odd but it’s full of comity.

Later in the night, everyone has been served and are now drinking the night off. Sanza’s been sharing different anecdotes and stories, breaking the ice with the customers. Jun’s already laughing with the locals and fellow tourists and Nino has only gotten short conversations with one or two people. He notices Jun’s face has turned pink, from the alcohol and the amount of laughter he’s produced within two hours. He constantly sidles up to Nino when he’s listening to other people, usually putting an arm around his chair, but if bold enough, around his waist. He’s probably touchy when tipsy, and Nino takes note of that.

Of course, Nino’s not entirely missing out on the fun, he’s had probably more than two drinks, and despite the hearty meal, he somewhat craves spaghetti. He’s probably tipsy now, he feels lightheaded and is probably fantasizing right now because Jun looks more attractive than usual, loose and exuberant, his hair slightly mussed after trip going here and the more than lively conversations, and probably the way he grins at Nino every once in a while and when he checks up on him with soft whispers and tiny smiles. His heart echoes louder, but he blames it on the alcohol. He’s not entirely wrong.

Nishikido slips in beside him, tapping him out of his daydream. “Hey, how are you feeling, Ninomiya-san?”

Nino smiles weakly, taking a swig of the craft beer. “I’m fine, thank you. I should thank you too, for today. You’ve treated us really well and it would’ve been this great without you.” He spits out a bunch of compliments, not his usual style, but he’s in a good mood, so he’ll allow it for now.

Nishikido flushes a little, bashful. “Why, thank you. I’m glad I’ve made it a wonderful experience. Would you need help in getting back in the hotel?”

“If it’s no trouble, then okay.”

“No worries, it’s on the way to mine.” He nods and bows a little. “I hope you enjoy yourself for the rest of the night.” He smiles, a bit too enigmatically. He surreptitiously glances over to Jun then back to Nino and smiles again. Nino can’t really grasp at what he’s thinking about, but it’s probably not that important.

Not for now, maybe.

—

The next day, they wake up a with a dry throat, hoarse from the alcohol and, more so Jun because he ended up singing that night. He’s at least glad that they made it back safely, but Jun has probably forgotten about the many arms and shirts he’s vandalized and how he’s tried to kiss Nino, twice. Not that he didn’t like it but his breath smelled awful, so he’d rather not. Nino’s arms and shoulders ache because he’s not physically fit to carry anyone larger than himself. Though Jun has probably more than enough strength to carry himself, he stumbles way too often for Nino not to worry. Of course, Nino wakes up earlier and has to wake up Jun again, but so far he hasn’t angered him in the morning. He does his usual softly beckoning him to awaken routine which takes longer than it should be but avoids any kind of repercussions.

After they have breakfast, Aiba and his friends appear in front of the hotel, ready to pick them up. They all appear in safari garb and Nino feels slightly underdressed, with just a shirt and parka on, and some plain sneakers. The feeling passes immediately though since he’s not too keen on completely interacting with them. He’s more scared than thrilled. Jun, on the other hand, is completely excited to get as close as possible to the big cats. He kind of feels like his parent, trying to always watch out for him.

They climb onto the van, but it’s a bit cramped, with Aiba’s supplies and three grown men at the back seat, there’s not really enough space for movement. Nino’s inevitably squished between Jun and Aiba, being the smallest of the three.

Aiba hollers, “Hi Jun-kun! Hi Nino!” He tries to hug Nino with that limited amount of space but all he feels is being squished to death. Once he lets go, he introduces the two in front.

“The one driving is Kazama-kun. Kazama say hi! He’s a tour guide at the reserve, he’s one of the most booked tour guides there! And on the shotgun is Inoo-kun. He’s my intern. Say hi, Inoo-kun!” He introduces them enthusiastically, probably even more than the people themselves. “This is Jun-kun and Nino-chan! Nino’s my best friend and Jun-kun is Nino’s…” He trails off, finding the right term.

“Friend, Aiba. Friend.”

“What he said! Anyway, we’re going to the Lion and Safari Park in Broederstroom. There’s a lot of big cats there, like lions and cheetahs! I’ll even show you the one I’m taking care of right now. Our first activity today is the Cheetah Walk!”

Nino gulps and looks towards Jun, whose eyes are twinkling with excitement. “Ah, I’m really excited, aren’t you?”

“In any case, I’m bitten, you both are paying for my insurance, you hear?”

Aiba merely laughs and pats Nino on the back. “Don’t worry, I know them! I promise they won’t hurt you. Just don’t run!”

—

Their first activity indeed was the cheetah walk, with Kazama driving the truck holding two cheetahs and Aiba driving the two of them. They drive on behind and Nino could already see the cheetahs stalking around the cage.

“It’s near feeding time but they won’t eat you, in most cases,” Aiba reassures them, slowing down the car.

“That’s… reassuring.” Nino fidgets in his seat, not really knowing what to feel. A part of him is intrigued to see them up close, but he’s still scared because anything can happen after all. They come to a stop and they get off at the same time as Kazama. Inoo comes out as well, preparing the horse meat for the feeding session.

“Okay, just don’t freak out or try to run away, okay? It’ll trigger their survival instincts, even if they’re tamer than those who have never come into contact with humans. Otherwise, let them be! They’re a lot more affectionate than you think.” Kazama notified them while unlocking the cage, then sets the two free.

Much to his surprise, they don’t start running or take off, they merely make their way out of the cage, sniffing the ground and inspecting the area. They stalk up to Jun, sniffing his legs and Jun reaches out to them. He senses that he’s a bit hesitant but the cheetah merely butts its head against his palm, sitting in front of him and purring. The other cheetah has found its way to Aiba, already playing around his legs. The cheetah moves on to Nino, and Nino doesn’t really get freaked that easily, so the cheetah remains calm and butts his shin, asking for attention. Nino does pat its head and it leans into the touch, purring.

Though this is probably his limit, he already spots Aiba cuddling the fellow cheetah, and its purrs are even louder than the one he’s with.

“This is Luna! She’s really affectionate and makes me doubt that she’s a wildcat. You should come and touch her too!” He says while he scratches her chin, effectively making her more pliant and submissive to Aiba. “And that’s Ken. He likes being petted too!”

Jun’s already comfortable with the male cheetah, getting him to lie on his back and scratching his belly. Nino crouches down, patting his belly, earning a slight purr. The cheetah is already licking Jun’s hand. Inoo brings Jun the horse meat in a bucket and the two cheetahs noses perk up in the air, sensing their lunch.

“You can feed them if you want. Just toss it towards them, they don’t mind! You can walk for a short distance and take them with you too.” He hands the bucket and both cheetahs surround Jun in anticipation. He walks away a bit, with both cheetahs on either side. He tosses some meat at separate directions, to avoid them from arguing.

Aiba puts his hands on his hips and huffs in relief. “Oh, he’s good! And don’t you think it fits him? You put a velvet cloak then a regal crown, he’d look like a king, don’t you think?” He laughs and Nino shakes his head, rolling his eyes.

“Don’t encourage him.”

—

After taking them back, they go and visit the giraffes, feeding them as well. One of them comes up quite too close to Nino’s face and Nino nearly jumps. It chews its food way too closely, and Nino backs away with a grimace.

“You’re really ugly up close…” He walks away slowly, hopefully, to avoid another attack of giraffe faces.

Aiba’s tending to the lion cubs with Inoo and Jun had asked to visit them. Nino remained nearby, sitting on the bench to rest. It’s been a long trip going here and walking around with the cheetahs tired him out a little more than expected. He hears Aiba’s loud voice from afar, not really a surprise, but it’s the tone that shocks him.

“What do you mean you can’t find the other one?”

What did he mean by that, he thinks—

And he finds himself seated beside a white lion cub, curiously pawing at his thighs. Nino forces himself not to jolt because it would shock the poor cub and he could possibly get hurt. He allows the cub to observe him a bit, sensing danger or threat. When it’s done sensing no harm from Nino, it jumps on his lap, curling up and falling asleep almost immediately. As much as Nino’s not a big fan of wild animals, he doesn’t have the heart to evict the cub away. He merely pets his head, lightly of course, and when it purrs, he moves to scratch it behind the ears, hopefully calming it down. He’ll keep it with him until Aiba comes to retrieve him. At least he doesn’t have to run around the park to look for it.

—

Their last activity is the tour around the reserve, with Kazama as their tour guide. Aiba’s currently scolding and mentoring Inoo, so they’ll have to pass. The car they have is not like the usual, the walls are grills to both increases the closeness of contact and serve as protection. They sit in the back together, a bit squashed because the car is smaller than the usual too. He takes them around to show the other animals and give a guide on their different habits, lifestyles, and unique traits. Jun’s the one mostly asking questions while Nino watches the animals come up close to observe them. Kazama’s a natural at this, sometimes he thinks its rehearsed and memorized to perfection but Kazama’s probably been doing it for years now, mastered it by now.

The first few animals aren’t so bad, remaining at a distance. The ostriches stick their heads below the ground and Nino laughs quite hard when they all do in succession. The zebras run around playfully, the young ones trailing behind their mother. The mother antelope gently nurses her children, cuddling and curling up around them protectively.

They move on to the more territorial and subjectively scarier ones. Kazama stops every now and then, to give a description. The wild dogs run up close, curious about the onlookers. Nino merely stares at them sniff him, not willing to stick his hand close. The dog closest to him yips to his kin, and they all approach Nino, sniffing him and yip at Nino.

Jun chuckles a little, “Guess they like you. Probably because you’re both cute.” Nino kicks his ankle, sighing at him.

They move on to the hyenas and he hears whooping from different distances. Hyenas emerge from patches of grass and they all stalk towards their car, piquing their interest. They merely circle around them, not really showing any signs of aggression. “You know, they do this high-pitched sound, often called laughter, right? It’s a misnomer though, they only make that sound when they’re stressed or in danger.”, Kazama explains. They eventually go away, letting Kazama drive off.

Lastly, they move to the lions’ den and most of them are grouped on a slab of rock, watching them carefully. Their piercing gaze sends chills down their spines, thinking about how they’d be immediately pulled apart if they were to leave the car. Kazama points at their eyes, “Do you see that white patch underneath their eyes? That’s what helps them see at night and catch nocturnal creatures.” When Nino meets the gaze of one up close, the lion mistakes it for aggression and immediately jumps at him, rattling the car. Nino’s able to safely move away, avoiding its claws through the grill and he’s clinging on to Jun’s arm for dear life. They make no noise, hopefully boring the lions and making them go away. Kazama then drives off immediately, but with no sign of shock or surprise, probably used to it. Nino has already loosened his grip on Jun but his hold remains there and they make no mention of it. When Nino surreptitiously glances towards Jun, he only smirks at him, immediately letting go.

—

They move out of the hotel to stay at the Lesedi Cultural Village nearby the Hartbeespoort Dam. They deposit their bags at their decorated traditional hut and change out of their traveling clothes. It’s almost lunchtime and they’re off to help out in making lunch with the locals. They head out together to find the kitchen. They meet with the local cooks, and Jun introduces the both of them. Jun helps out with the main cooking while Nino helps out with the preparation and plating.

They teach him how to use the traditional utensils, showing him different tricks and tips with them. He’s mildly fascinated with them, probably because both his parents are professional cooks. He glances at Jun every once in a while, seeing him charm the lady cooks. He spots his notepad in his back pocket, probably for when he cooks at home. When he looks back at his work, he meets the gaze of a little girl and she looks at him in anticipation, merely humming in question.

She points at Jun and looks at Nino earnestly. “Do you like him?”

Nino shakes his head vigorously and laughs a little. The little girl looks at him disbelievingly then proceeds to leave him alone. But when he takes a gander at Jun, he meets his gaze and Jun winks at him. Totally uncalled for, his heartbeat thunders through his ears and he shifts his now flushing face towards the carrots he’d been ruthlessly chopping.

—

When he’s finished with lunch, he proceeds to take a breather by exploring the village. He finds himself amazed at the rich, vibrant African designs, those same trademark designs on blankets, drapes, walls, and carpets. He finds different kinds of traditional garbs representing different tribes such as Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, Basotho, Nguni, and Ndebele. He spots children play-fighting with some fighting sticks, almost rhythmically and routinely. He notices other children banging at the drums, blowing at their whistles while the rest dance along. He sits down with one of the tribespeople, and despite not being able to converse that easily, he enjoys the company and the reenactment of their mythology.

Jun eventually finds him alone, sitting on the bench watching the sunset over the African bush. Jun looks like he’s thoroughly enjoyed himself too, landing on the bench with an ungraceful heap. He feels Jun’s pinky touch his, but he lets it happen. They don’t make any other sign of movement, but this is okay. It feels absolutely okay.

—

When night falls, they visit the Boma to witness an affair of traditional singing and dancing. They dance around the hearth, the fire almost like dancing to the beat. Like bards, they tell of stories of their ancestors, of their greatest achievements and feats of their time. They drag along Jun and Nino, and Jun enthusiastically dances along, following the steps, whereas Nino’s a tad shy and doesn’t move his body so much. A bunch of children tries to get him to dance more but he just ends up feeling like a noodle.

Later on, the King brings them to Nyama Choma, a restaurant that showcases many authentic and ethnic African dishes, along with a fusion of Pan African cuisine. They are brought to their table by friendly staff and are all served warmly throughout. They follow a traditional service of serving, but it’s not really different from the normal style. But what truly surprises Nino and Jun is the serving of impala, ostrich, and crocodile meat. As much as they are a delicacy and probably fancy in their standards, Nino decides to pass out on it, in favor of keeping an undisturbed stomach. Jun tells him though it tastes all like chicken but he still rather not.

The King brings them out to the hearth again, not to dance this time, but for storytelling. They sit before an open fire, recalling stories of old: from tales of African mythology to the mystical cultures and tribal folklore. They teach them some of the ancestral traditions and origins, like that of their unique African designs.

When it gets too late, they head back to their lodging to settle in for the night. Jun immediately head for a bath, complaining about how sticky and sweaty he feels. Nino fixes their things before they leave again the next day. When they finally freshen up, they immediately pass out due to exhaustion.

And yet again, Nino finds himself wrapped around by Jun in the morning.

—

Before they leave the village, Jun passes by the souvenir shop to buy some for his friends, as usual. He looks at the various art pieces, keychains, mugs, shirts, and even woven cloths they have on the display. Nino merely looks at them but Jun looks like he’d purchase anything that looked interesting. What Jun ends up buying for himself is a large woven cloth, patterned with a variety of designs, tacky in Nino’s book.

“What would you even do with that?” Nino raises an eyebrow cynically, crossing his arms.

“I like buying things like these.” He marvels at the designs, turning the cloth around and trying to look at it from edge to edge.

“Exotic things you mean?”

Jun laughs a little and stuffs the cloth in his backpack. “They’re cool.”

“I wonder what sorts of things you keep at home.” Nino rolls his eyes, but Jun smiles at him, almost innocently.

—

They move to a hotel near the Maboneng Precinct the next day after they depart from the Lesedi Village. The neighborhood is a trendy one, it takes a modernistic approach with its graphic street art and graffiti lining the walls, street markets and open eateries and kiosks, wide open spaces with benches under the shade, buzzing with quirky locals and excited tourist, and the hanging letters that spell out ‘Maboneng’. The people around them are equally vibrant, with music playing on the streets and the art pieces scattered around like live entertainment. Jun’s snapping a bunch of photos here and there, and Nino has to watch over him before he gets run over or get injured.

Jun takes him to a myriad of food stalls, stuffing Nino with some free samples. Nino’s just confused about the flavors now, not really knowing which is which anymore because they’re going way too fast. Jun fascinated himself with the numerous wares and clothing, and Nino has to physically drag him away before he gets any thoughts on splurging. They visit a bunch of art galleries but they’re getting slightly bemused over all the abstract designs; they kind of just stare at it and think it’s cool, but nothing more.

They eventually go to Pata Pata for dinner, a cosmopolitan food district. The atmosphere is buzzing with the mix of lively locals and visitors, and it’s almost like a gathering from people from different places in the world. They manage to get seats despite the busy crowd, and they’re immediately served hearty African food, a lot more like street and comfort food, just like how Nino likes it. Jun has nothing against it either and they immediately dig in, hungry despite all the food sampling in the afternoon. While they eat, they’re entertained by the live jazz band. At some point, Jun had moved closer to the band, leaving Nino alone to his food. He could already see him mingling with the locals and fellow tourists and he slightly feels bad for the lack of interaction.

Jun takes them for drinks in the Time Anchor Distillery in the same area. Situated in the Aerial Empire complex, they produce a range of unique rums, gins, and other liqueurs offered with garnishes to enhance the flavor. Though they had drunk back then in the Yeoville Dinner Club, this is so much more different. Beyond social drinking, there is a variety of unique African brews, ready for them to taste. Luckily, they managed to schedule a time wherein they would be available for taste testing and try their latest concoctions. If it’s free alcohol, then why not?

—

After how many rounds of gin and rum, Nino had lost count of how many glasses he’s taken, bottles even. He’s both taken the advantage of taste testing and he doesn’t have the heart to reject or refuse from the patrons or locals. Even though they’re earnestly explaining the history of alcohol and how to properly drink them, it all goes over his head. He continues to accept offers and drink like he hasn’t been drinking before that until a hand reaches out to refuse another glass.

From behind him, Jun slurs, “Whoa, whoa. I think he’s had enough for tonight, thank you though.” He smiles at the offeror and he leaves them be, to find another patron. Nino ends up leaning against Jun’s chest, searching for his face whilst looking up and Jun has to wrap an arm around him to hold him steady.

“Let’s go? Drink some water and go to the bathroom before we leave, okay? I’ll just say thank you to the owner.” Jun pats his head before briefly letting go. Nino does just that and waits for Jun at the entrance. His stomach is completely full and any more would make him vomit. But he’s stable enough to walk properly, not in a straight line though, so Jun holds on to him from time to time. The chilly air is crisp and almost like a slap to Nino’s face. He shivers from time to time, despite the alcohol trying to warm him up. Sometimes he pauses dazedly, staring at the concrete and Jun has to walk back to get him going again. Jun, after many tries, ends up holding Nino’s hand for the rest of the trip.

They manage to make it back without incident and Jun sighs heavily in relief, setting down both their bags. Nino’s standing in front of the door, staring disorientedly on the floor. Jun walks over to drag Nino back to his bed but Nino clings to his shirt and drags him with him, flopping haphazardly on his bed, their limbs are messily tangled and Jun is just inches away from Nino’s face, and there’s only enough space to fit the two of them.

Jun’s staring at him, a bit bewildered but not angry, he’s more surprised than frustrated. “Not my bed.”

Nino laughs into his skin, loosening his hold on his collar to trail his hand up his neck, tickling the hair there. “I know.”

When Nino pulls away a little, he feels Jun’s mouth on his neck, leaving what feels like trails of kisses going upwards to meet his ears. He feels Jun’s breath on his ears, warm and comforting, and he probably knows now how red his ears turn. He tries to shy away from Jun’s mouth, but it only succeeds in stretching his neck out prettily, giving Jun more access. When Jun trails up again, his lips close to his own, he talks all too closely that his lips lightly brush against his.

Nino grimaces, nose scrunching up a little, but he doesn’t pull away. “Your breath smells horrible.”

“You smell just the same.”

It’s all a blur, but he feels a pair of moist lips against his, pressing lightly, brushing featherlike. Their lips move against each in tandem, languidly and slowly. There is no rush but the need is present. Nino parts his lips a little and gasps when Jun sneaks in a little of his tongue, merely touching his then pulls away to kiss him again. He lets Jun suck and nibble on his lower lip, sighing in response.

“Were you waiting for this?” Nino asks, while his bottom lip is caught in between Jun’s teeth. He gets only a hum as a reply before they kiss again and fall asleep at it.

—

Their last day in Johannesburg is dedicated to shopping, as per Jun’s request. Nino’s perfectly fine with it, as long as he doesn’t have to do anything physical aside from walking or sitting. His head hurts a little but he doesn’t feel like vomiting or anything, so that’s that. He faintly recalls anything that happened last night, only sure of the fact that he has drunk way too much in the distillery. No doubt it was good alcohol though.

It’s a good thing Jun chooses a light meal for their first because Nino doesn’t think he’ll be able to bear anything heavy. They eat at the Fresh Earth Food Store, a vegetarian eatery that advocated healthy eating and sustainability. He wouldn’t peg Jun for a vegetarian but it’s no surprise that he’s a health junkie. Dishes prepared from scratch, with no artificial additives, sweeteners, colorants, or preservatives sound like heaven to Jun. And with the added bonus of detailed vegetarian recipes for free available at the store, for sure Jun wouldn’t miss out on this. Even with the promise of a healthy life, with less aching joints and sore muscles, Nino rather sticks to his cup noodles and convenience store box meals. Jun eats the salad heartily and Nino kind of feels bad that he’s merely poking at the food.

They go through various shops, mostly window shopping because Nino has to convince Jun not to impulse buy. The next one they pass by is the Vintage Zionist, popular for their leather jackets. Apparently, they repurpose second-hand leather garments and create them into the jackets they now see. Jun’s intrigued, from both the source material and the jackets themselves. Nino has that feeling that it fits him somewhat, giving him a bad boy look and he snickers to himself thinking about it.

“What are you thinking about?” Jun asks while holding up one in each hand. One of them has way too many studs all over and the other one has a pink flower embroidered from the back all the way to the chest.

Nino shakes his head at both, and Jun pouts, putting them back on the rack. “Can you just get a plain one? You’ll make it look good anyway.” When Jun moves onto a rack, his eyes focus over another problematic one and Nino immediately tells him no. “You’re literally paying the same price for half the fabric. What’s the use of the jacket if it has holes?”

After a while, Jun manages to pick out a plain looking one, it fits him well, his broad shoulders filling out the jacket perfectly. He looks too good and Nino’s almost jealous over how he can pull it off. Jun is quite happy with his purchase at least and Nino’s glad he talked him out of the more eccentric ones.

The last store Jun makes a purchase on, much to Nino’s insistence, is another clothing store called Stitch and Steel. It stands out with its distinctive African inspired pieces, from dresses, tops, jumpsuits, shoes, and more. A lot of the garments Jun liked were either out of his size or no longer in production, so Jun mostly spends his time looking around. He pulls out some tiger and leopard printed shirts around Nino’s size and tries to picture Nino in them.

“No way, there’s way too many in my closet because Aiba brings the same thing every time!” Nino pushes the shirts away in a grimace, shaking his head vigorously. He goes out and tries out some of the shirts for fun, choosing probably the most eccentric and odd-looking ones, with tacky print and psychedelic tones. He stares at some of the ones he actually liked before parting with them wistfully, after looking at the price tags. Jun says he can go ahead and buy some food from the stalls outside while he buys some shirts for his friends. When Jun finally comes out, he hands a bag to Nino and Nino raises an eyebrow in question. Then he realizes.

“No, no. You didn’t!” He opens the bag to see the exact shirts he was eyeing on, now off the rack and his.

“I did. Even though they’re so gaudy and tacky. You seriously like these stuff?” He stuffs the other purchases in his bag and Nino’s still standing in shock.

“But these are expensive!” Nino reluctantly accepts the gift, trying to not show how happy he is being given clothes for free.

“Just enjoy it.” Jun grins and sits down across him, partaking in his meal.

“You’re crazy sometimes, you know that? But, thanks. Really.”

“Isn’t that how you like me anyway?” Nino looks at him, mouth gaping in shock and Jun ignores him, smiling innocently even.

He’s not wrong.



Chapter 3

When they get back home, Nino passes out for the next two days or so, only getting out of bed to go to the bathroom or measly feed himself. Aiba doesn’t come by since he’s still back in Cape Town, so he sees Jun more often. He’s not complaining though, despite being with him for more than a week, he’s not yet tired of his face. Sometimes he catches himself staring for long periods of time, and sometimes Jun himself takes him out of his reverie.

They’ve become busy ever since they’ve come back; Jun is swamped with concert planning and preparing a stage for an upcoming musical, whereas Nino’s been offered to write some essays regarding his trip for a magazine alongside coming up with the next manuscript. He’d only accepted the offer due to the extra cash, of course, but he hadn’t realized by then how much work had piled up since he left. Jun pops by only because Nino’s place is either on the way home or is nearer to his other workplaces. Nino could only offer his couch, but Jun is more than happy to comply. At least Nino has company and he’s assured that he’s not starving himself to death. (He does feel bad at times, but he recognizes that it’s in Jun’s nature to take care of people.)

When he’s about to turn in the night, he sees Jun reading a book, one with a familiar cover. He peers closer to see that it’s one of his books, in particular, his most recent one called “A Day Like Today Will Come Again Tomorrow”. He’s surprised Jun had actually found the time to pick up his book and read it, despite his busy schedule, emphasizing on his book. He takes a look at the state of his book, already a bit crumpled on the edges and with a ton of colorful bookmarks. Jun’s glasses are already falling off his nose and Nino barely makes in time to catch the book from falling. The rapid movement jerks Jun awake and they end up face-to-face when Nino lifts his head.

“You were falling asleep already,” Nino whispers, taking Jun’s glasses off and placing both his book and glasses on the coffee table.

Jun mutters incomprehensibly but manages to make out a sorry. Nino merely pets his head affectionately, beckoning him back to his sleep. He slightly feels bad that he’s awakened him, but it was slightly unavoidable on his part. He looks at the book one more time, making a silent reminder to ask Jun about it some other time.


“You’ve grown out your hair. Have you even shaved today?” He brushes stray strands off his eyes, and Jun merely hums noncommittally in response, leaning into the touch. He pulls away after a minute or so, seeing that Jun had fallen asleep again, breaths evening out softly. He turns off the lamp and puts a blanket over him. It takes him all of his will to not sneak in a kiss, reminding himself that he might wake Jun and cause an uncomfortable situation. He turns in for the night, with a nagging thought that he’d rather have Jun beside him.

—

Nino’s satisfied with the next chapter, even giddy and mischievous enough to leave a rhetoric on the hanging. He hasn’t felt relief in this long, so he rewards himself with gaming marathons and even goes out to eat a freshly cooked hamburger steak. Aside from the trip, he has to thank Jun for all the productivity lately, but he won’t openly admit it was because of Jun himself, he’s not that sappy.

Perhaps there is already a beautiful world out there; but with whom will you see it with?

FLIGHT A225 | 10:40 NRT | DEPARTURE

When Nino boards the plane, obviously later than Jun again, he spots him reading the same book, probably inching towards the last chapters. He puts his things down and sits beside him, poking at his arm.

“Didn’t think I’d meet a fan here,” Nino snickers and Jun rolls his eyes, closing the book. He grabs Nino’s finger and puts it away, getting bothered.

“Don’t let it get to your head. But I can’t deny I like your work.” Jun huffs, stashing the book away.

“I’m honored.” Nino smiles cheekily and Jun punches him on the arm, he’s having too much fun.

“You made the ending of that other book… what was it again?” Jun ponders, “Anyway, it was too sad!” He exclaims with a pout. “I cried that whole night!”

“You mean It was you, after all? Not every story has a happy ending, you know.” Nino laughs, but deep down he feels elated over the fact Jun had been reading his work and enjoying it. A piece of him feels embarrassed because a lot of his works are very expressive, and combined with the real Nino, Jun can somewhat gain a whole new understanding of him. Or maybe he’s just afraid of what Jun might know, rather will know, but he’s overthinking as usual.

Jun groans, “I know that. I just didn’t think it’d be that sad. Still was a good read though, so thanks, Ninomiya-sensei.” He laughs at the sudden use of formality and earns a kick to his foot.

Jun continues, “I think your words are really beautiful. They’re a bit hard to understand first, but I’d be willing to read them all over again. Maybe I’m in love.” Jun laughs to himself, leaning back in his seat.

Nino blinks at the last words, not really knowing the meaning of them.

FLIGHT A225 | 14:50 HEL | ARRIVAL

They arrive in Helsinki a few hours later for their layover, but since it’s quite short, they stay behind in the airport, only to grab coffee and biscuits, specifically coffee for Jun and some hot chocolate for Nino. They sit across each other on the corner of the coffee shop, warming themselves up. Scandinavian weathers are a lot more biting and chilling than that of Tokyo and Nino’s only starting to adjust. It’s early in the morning and not many people have come by, so the air is still and quiet, perfect for a warm and quaint morning.

Nino cups his mug and blows on to it, cooling his drink and soon as he is about to take a sip, Jun snaps a photo. Nino immediately puts down the mug before he drops it in surprise and tries to grab for the phone, only failing miserably because Jun’s arms are much longer than his.

“Hey! That isn’t allowed.” Nino pouts and goes back to nursing his hot chocolate, finally taking a drink and letting that sweet cocoa warm his throat. He pouts in indignance, hopefully pleading enough to at least show the picture, but it goes to no avail. Jun merely pockets the phone and smiles to Nino, as if nothing had happened.

“Don’t worry! You look cute, I promise.” He smiles and lightly punches his shoulder, taking a sip of his own coffee. If Nino can audibly roll his eyes, he would. Instead, he disgruntledly huffs and glares a little at Jun. So much for his puppy-dog look. When he takes another sip of his hot chocolate, he spots Jun staring a little bit too pointedly at him, eyebrows furrowed and all.

“Do you have to stare?” Nino’s expression mimics Jun, hopefully getting the feeling of being watched so intently across. Jun merely continues to stare, as if anticipating his next move.

“There’s…” He trails off without completing the thought and reaches over to wipe away at the corner of his mouth with his thumb. Nino freezes in shock, allowing Jun to caress his face. But what truly surprises Nino is when Jun pulls away, he brings his thumb to lick off the excess chocolate, the chocolate that was just on his face.

Nino probably doesn’t know how good he manages to hide away his completely flushed face behind his mug, but Jun seems unaffected, or probably nonchalant to an extent. The ass.

Jun’s equally as embarrassed though, and he can’t help but smile when he notices how red Nino’s ears have become.

FLIGHT M252 | 16:00 KEF | ARRIVAL

They arrive early in the morning, even earlier than the previous trips and Jun’s barely staying awake. Nino has to pull him aside before he turns in on someone for accidentally bumping him or standing too close. Nino’s not a morning person either, but he can better handle himself and has enough energy to handle a fussy one. Luckily, the flight is much shorter than their previous trips and with the way Nino’s used to it, he’s not as tired as expected. They make it to the hostel without incident and Jun immediately heads for his bed to resume his sleep. Though it’s late in the afternoon back in their home, the morning sun probably triggered Jun’s sleeping instincts.

While Nino prepares for their road trip to the baths today, Jun’s too comfortable on his bed, sleeping like a child. Nino moves in closer, to try to wake him up but he indulges himself in the silence for a while, observing him as he sleeps. Nino has grown a fascination for brushing through Jun’s hair, feeling the soft locks underneath his fingertips. It’s almost like a stress reliever, calming and soothing despite not being on the receiving end. He lets himself bask in the early morning glow, letting the still and mellow atmosphere settle around him. He nearly allows himself to turn drowsy before he remembers their agenda for the day. He taps Jun awake, and Jun complies all too readily as if he wasn’t asleep this whole time.

Maybe he wasn’t.

—

It takes them around five to six hours to make it to Mývatn Water Baths, they sluggishly make it to their hotel room and drop to their beds. The weather outside is a lot colder than they’re used to, so their skin feels extremely dry and flaky. Nino would like to refuse any activity that requires him to go out, but with already spending for both the trip going here and for the baths, he decides to put in staying in for another day. Jun allows some free time before they head on to the baths though, allowing Nino to huddle up in blankets and gather all the sleep he’s been needing.

Later that night, Jun wakes him for dinner. They eat a simple dinner at the lodging, and Nino’s just happy to finally have some warm, hearty meals, hot enough that it warms his body from the cold. The food leaves Nino’s stomach warm and happy but he’s more excited to get into the open air bath, not really a rare sight in Japan, but it’s a lot different from what they have back at home.

They go back to their room to fetch swimsuits, because staying naked in the pool is a no-go and head back to the shower. It’s extremely freezing when Nino strips down to take a shower, and barely wants to step back into the cold shower. He sees Jun also suffering underneath the freezing shower and the freezing temperature. Nino manages to take one of the quickest baths in his life, wanting to end the freezing experience immediately. Jun finishes a few minutes after him and they both head for the bath.

When they finally soak in, Nino’s muscles immediately begin to relax under the heat of 39°C. His dry skin appears to soften under the water and he feels all too loosened up in the water. There’s a distinct sulfuric odor, but it eventually begins to pass the longer Nino is in. He watches Jun relax the same way, his muscles relaxing and stretching all too beautifully while the soft moonlight reflects off his pale skin. Being this close and witnessing his upper half naked all in its glory has Nino both blushing and conscious. He looks down at his lanky body, devoid of any muscular mass. It’s hidden there, he supposes. But truly, the broadness of Jun’s triceps is a sight to behold.

The view is none too amazing, but it creates an air of calmness and serenity, out in the open, just right next to nature. Though Nino’s not a fan of the outdoors, he can enjoy this much. The water is a milky kind of blue, mellow in all the ways possible. Steam rises from the geothermal heat and it’s enough to keep his face and neck warm. The night sky is clear, littered with stars, free from air and light pollution. When he feels his eyes droop and his body slackening, Jun immediately wraps an arm around Nino’s waist, holding him up.

“I wouldn’t want you to drown here. And besides, wetting your hair would make it hard for the next few days. Be glad I’m here for you.” He says nonchalantly, still holding on to Nino. No one around him has noticed, probably uncaring in the least and there aren’t many tourists, to begin with. He lets Jun’s arm remain there, even boldly scooting closer. They don’t look at each other though, merely letting their bodies soak into the hot and soothing water.

“Well, thank you, Jun-pon.” He snickers playfully and Jun pinches his side in retaliation. Nino tries to hold back a shrill yelp and glares at Jun after. Jun merely laughs in his face and Nino can’t help but laugh back. The shared warmth and laughter does nothing but sends tingles up Nino’s back, but he supposes it’s just the cold wind.

Maybe the outdoors aren’t so bad after all.

—

When they get back to their rooms and settle in for the night, Nino is about to head into bed before Jun takes a hold of his shoulder and calls out his name.

“How do you have such nice skin? It’s unfair.” He sees Jun pouts while taking a look at his face, almost sullen.

“Huh?” Nino feels conscious all of a sudden, but he doesn’t deny that his skin is a lot better than most people, and he doesn’t have to spend so much on cosmetics or makeup. He touches his face without thinking, noticing how supple and soft it has become after the bath. It almost feels like baby skin, he thinks. When he notices Jun’s still staring, and the corner of his eye, he observes that there a few bottles by Jun’s bedside. Nino laughs to himself, patting Jun’s hand. “You’re tipsy. And besides, you’re beautiful enough, despite your scars.”

Nino doesn’t really know why and how he managed to say those words so boldly and willingly, and he has even had a single drop of alcohol. They remain still, staring into each other's’ eyes, not making any sign of reaction or movement. Jun breaks the silence by coughing a little and takes his hand away from Nino’s shoulder, hiding a part of his face in embarrassment. Nino wonders if he’s red from the alcohol. Jun leaves him be, heading for the bathroom. Nino blinks and stares off into space, not really believing what had just happened.

But there’s no denying he means every word of it.

—

When dawn breaks, Nino gets up, obviously earlier than Jun. He decides to take a walk outside, despite the cold, but it’s a lot more bearable now that he’s used to it. He takes a sharp intake of crisp, winter air and puffs out white clouds. His body is slightly groggy due to the jet lag, but he’s trying his best to get used to it as much as possible. At least the view is beautiful though, he thinks. He sits on a bench to catch his breath since the air is much thinner in the cold. He rubs his hands together and blows on to it for warmth. He watches the pale sunrise from the mountainous horizon, the sunlight glittering on the pools.

He wishes that Jun was here, watching this with him.

—

They prepare yet again for another road trip, packing their things and heading out for an early lunch. They don’t make mention of what had happened last night, either Jun forgot or they rather not talk about it; either way, Nino doesn’t mind. He doesn’t know what to say either. If only these were like his books.

It’s mostly just idle talk and banter from time to time, from lunchtime until they board the car that’ll take them further in the mountains. They mostly sleep for the duration of the trip, saving their energy for the activities tonight.

When they finally get to fix their things after the long car ride to Thórsmörk, it has long fallen into nighttime. They are given a bunk bed, with a double on the bottom but for no particular reason, they decide to share the double bed. They choose the double room partly since it’s cheaper and partly for reasons not mentioned. There are certain feelings that need to be confronted and properly expressed, but it’s too early for that, Nino thinks. But there’s a mutual understanding between them and that’s fine, for now. His main priority as of now is to warm himself from the freezing temperature of below zero. He prepares tea he brought from home because food can get quite expensive in Iceland, and after spending so much in Johannesburg, they both agreed on going on a budget for Iceland. Well, more of Nino, but it gives him the chance to eat Jun’s cooking, so he can’t complain.

As Nino waits for Jun’s cooking, he stares outside the window, into the clear night sky,

After they finish dinner, they head outside to watch the sky, to watch the stars twinkle and hopefully catch the Aurora Borealis. March is supposedly one of the best months to see the Northern Lights, but it comes and goes with a two to three-night interval. The cold glacial wind picks up every once in a while, slapping Nino’s face from time to time. He sneezes a couple of times and Jun goes over to him, rubbing his arms.

“You okay? You don’t have to stay out for so long if it’s too cold.”

“I’m fine, thank you.” Nino smiles while patting his shoulder. They continue on to find a good spot to sit and watch the stars. The traverse through the rocky path, watching their step, in any case, they miss one and miserably injury themselves. Nino holds on to Jun from time to time, to both steady himself when the path’s too ragged or steep. Sometimes, the way Jun grips his hand tightly and securely makes his heart giddy and he desperately tries to calm down its racing beat.

As they hike later into the night, the sky becomes awash with colors, particularly of green swirling lights. Jun produces a squeak of enthrallment for a second there and Nino pokes fun at him for it. It’s not meant to be mocking, rather, Nino finds it endearing, watching Jun become so vivacious. He almost forgets that about the beautiful scenery as soon as he turns his focus towards Jun: on how his eyes twinkle in profound admiration, how his face depicts pure fascination.

“Wow, I think I might actually cry. I didn’t realize that it would be this beautiful up close. I’m really glad that I went here.”

A bit of snow falls since they’re deep in the mountains. They both stare upwards, looking towards the lights that scatter across, bright neon green and blue slice about the starry sky, with dashes of reds and purples wedging through, and the earthly screech from the deeper side of the mountains create a scenic view. The vibrant hues create a variety of shows: like roses coming into advent, like the crashing waves from the river, sometimes it feels ethereal or otherworldly. But one thing for sure, it is nothing like Nino has ever seen, all in its brilliance and purity, weaving in perpetual motions.

Nino somewhat grasps the beauty of nature, even if he would prefer indoors by any day, images on the internet cannot compare. The view is just so beautiful, so breathtaking, and he realizes that he’s missing out so much, that he’s missing out on the world. The world is a lot more beautiful than he thinks, more than he can ever picture. He knows he probably can never witness it in its full glory or comprehend the complexities and inner workings, but seeing the world like this, raw and unfiltered changes things.

He realizes that people can be as equally beautiful. They both face down, staring at each other, Jun’s probably still relishing over the fact that they’ve managed to catch the Northern Lights but watching Jun like this affects him way more than it should. Maybe it’s time to recognize that he’s falling, falling harder than expected, and there’s nothing stopping him this time. They continue to stare at each other for a brief while, smiling nervously at some point, becoming sheepish like schoolboys on a date. A bit of snow catches on to Nino’s eyelash and he tries to blink it out.

“Let me,” Jun reaches out to cup his face without waiting for a response and rubs off the snow off his eyelash. Nino tries to hide the fact that his ears have fully flushed scarlet and he’s thankful for the dimness of the sky, but it doesn’t hide the thundering beat resounding from his ribcage. Jun’s hand lingers there for a few more seconds and after a beat, he does something unexpected.

He pinches Nino’s nose lightly, chuckling while Nino’s eyes flutter close, grumbling at Jun. It doesn’t stop Jun from pinching though, only spurring him further. Nino tries to lower his face, trying to get Jun’s hand off, but not too forcefully that it seems like he’s pushing him away.

“Hey, Jun—” As soon as registers that Jun had already let go of his nose, his eyes flutter open and the distance had already become nonexistent. He feels the soft press of Jun’s lips against his, hesitant and in question. Jun pulls away a bit, staring into his eyes, cupping his face, as if waiting for a response. Nino wastes no time in hesitating and pulls Jun in for another, holding him by his nape. He tilts his head to kiss him at a better angle, pulling him closer by the second. He senses Jun’s prodding as if asking for permission and he parts his lips slightly, allowing him to get deeper. Even more snow begins to fall, some landing on their face, but they’re too caught up in the moment to care. Nino would usually brush this off, saying this is too cliche or sappy, but with the way Jun’s kissing him, he has no room to care. He thinks to himself, ‘I no longer have to daydream about it.’

Jun pulls away to breathe, resting his forehead on Nino’s. Their breaths mingle together and they exchange breathy laughter. Nino curls his fingers on the hairs on Jun’s neck and they both lift their faces to properly gaze at each other.

“Your lips are cold,” Jun says as he brushes his lips with his own for a brief moment before parting once more.

“I feel like this isn’t the first time.”

Jun chuckles, rubbing at his cheekbone. “You too? I was thinking that I’ve probably daydreamed too much.” He sneaks in another kiss, lingering a bit longer this time before fully letting go of his face and steps back.

“Well, can we go back before the snow becomes heavier? And it’s freezing out here, I rather take this inside.”

“Oh?”

“Just get going, Matsumoto.” He turns him to face the opposite direction, the direction back home and lightly pushes him to get going. “The lights are telling us to go back home.” Though the lights lasted for only a good fifteen minutes, it felt like an hour.

But what made it feel like it lasted for so long? Maybe it was the lights. Maybe it was because Jun was there.

—

After having warm baths and drinking some chamomile tea, they both settle in for the night, Jun watching the night sky outside through the window. Nino plays a bit of Puzzle and Dragons before that pang of drowsiness hits him. When he puts down his phone, he finds Jun staring at him, expectant. He shies away from his gaze, Jun probably doesn’t know it himself but he has this look of intensity that most people, including Nino, get conscious of. With the moonlight and streaks of neon illuminating his side profile. It almost looks so enchanting, as if they were in a dream, but no, this is real. What’s, or rather who’s, in front of him is real. What he’s feeling now is real. Never would he have thought that these kinds of feelings would come back to him again. After a whole lot of years dedicated to no commitments, falling in love was barely on his mind.

But things change, sceneries, people, events, even Nino himself, changes. The question is, will he choose to embrace this change?

When he falls deeper into thought, Jun intertwines their fingers, bringing them to his face. He caresses Nino’s cheek, trying to smooth out wrinkles, creased lines, and furrowed eyebrows. Nino lets his eyes shut, sighing happily at the affectionate gesture.

“What are you thinking about?”

“You. This.”

“Is something wrong?” He brings their hands towards himself, kissing Nino’s knuckles. Nino squirms closer, his expression softening. There’s a certain unreadable expression in Nino’s eyes, yet Jun finds how alluring his eyes look under the moonlight. His eyes are a warm hazel under the shine, cryptic and enigmatic; as it holds a myriad of secrets and Jun wants to uncover each and every one of them.

“No, it’s like, I’ve nearly forgotten how it feels like to like someone again.” His eyes turn downcast, not in melancholy, but in earnest longing.

“Am I that of a shocking presence in your life?” He grins lopsidedly, brushing stray bangs from his eyes, then moving down to massage his thumb on Nino’s cheekbone.

Nino kicks at shin none too lightly. “Don’t get cocky.” Jun decides to then discontinue the conversation by taking Nino’s lips again, and Nino’s all too pliant and submissive. He lets Jun take the reigns, allowing him to take and take. He pulls their fingers apart to wrap it around Jun’s nape, curling on his hairs while Jun returns his hand to cusp Nino’s cheek. When Jun swipes his tongue on Nino’s bottom lip for permission, his mouth responds by slightly opening it further. He feels Jun’s tongue sneak in a few times, and Nino nibbles in retaliation. When Jun feels slight tugs on his hair, he motions for a better angle to achieve an even deeper kiss. Going like this has Nino lose all sense of clarity and rationality, allowing himself to bask at the moment and let the seconds bleed. With the breathtaking scenery outside and the feelings coursing through his veins, it feels like any other cliche romance movie.

As soon as Jun has gone to explore uncharted territory, his tongue navigating through hidden pockets in his mouth, he loses all traces of thoughts, inevitably moaning in contentment. There’s a mix of sighs, moist sounds emanating when tongues and lips clash together, the vibration from the moans that escape their throats; they all produce a harmony that Nino can’t get enough of. Of course, such luxury won't last forever unless they’re willing to give up oxygen. They pull away, remaining within that proximity. Their breaths mingle, they’re both gasping for air, trying to regain back all the oxygen lost. When they have enough energy to, they weakly laugh in light of the situation. With the moonlight cast upon Jun’s face, he can trace lines, crinkles that he creates when he smiles, the wrinkles from aging and overwork, the scars from rugged puberty, and his very chiseled face structure. Nino realizes what he’s fallen for from the start and seeing it up close is spine-tingling. When Nino brushes his fingertips over Jun’s lips and lets it linger there, he kisses the pads of his fingers. He slowly brings his knuckles to his lips, leaving fluttering kisses of promise, of light affection. He smiles a bit coyly when he notices Nino’s eyes have flitted close, wrapping an arm around the bottom of his spine, bringing them flush together. Nino scoots closer, getting comfortable, particularly burying his face into Jun’s chest.

“Just because it’s cold. Don’t get the wrong idea.” Nino says as he slips his leg in-between Jun’s tangling them.

“And I have a feeling this isn’t the first time either.” When he lays a kiss on his hair, Nino hums appreciatively as a response, wiggling even closer.

“You were sober each time. Well, most of the time. But you’d be lying if you don’t remember any of those times.” He stares up to Jun through his lashes. Jun, rather than making excuses, stares at him as if he’d just discovered treasure. The feeling is visceral; he thinks about the weight of what words hold, he thinks of the gravity held by giving yourself to one person, he wonders if he’s ever ready to take on that responsibility again.

But tonight, tonight is not a night for that. He scoots up to kiss Jun one more time before he succumbs to the land of dreams.

—

When he’s gotten tired of sleep, his eyes blink towards the pale sun in the distance, his joints popping when he tries to stretch. He doesn’t mind making such movement anymore because it won’t be awkward when Jun wakes up and it doesn’t look like he’ll mind anyway. Gradually, his body turned to the other side, his back against Jun’s chest, but Jun’s arms are kept in place. He tries to turn his head to face Jun, only cracking his neck in the process. It’s all too comforting and warm in his current position that he doesn’t want to leave. It’s all too perfect for him to return to his sleep but once his eyes shut…

“Fuck, Jun! That’s cold!” He flinches all too wildly, that he knocks Jun’s jaw with his head and they end up throwing some of the pillows on the floor. Jun had tried to slip his hands inside Nino’s shirt. His hands managed to find themselves inside, but once it comes into contact with Nino’s skin, the stark contrast of temperatures jolted Nino, resulting in their current mess.

“My hands were cold.” Jun pouts when Nino pins his wrists above his head, glaring at him from above. It takes a while for Nino to notice their compromising position, the way Jun’s bed hair is endearingly messy, bangs falling right above his eyes, and that cheeky grin plastered on his face. As soon as he knows it, he’s being pulled down for another kiss.

—

After finally willing themselves to get out of bed, they pack for the next thing on their itinerary. They take another road trip to the Golden Circle, but it’s a shorter trip this time, being an approximate two hours and thirty minutes. Nino’s wondering why out of all things, Jun chooses a waterfall as their next destination in this blasted weather. But indulge the man, he’s been planning these for months and Nino has nothing else to offer. He trusts his Jun’s senses anyway.

When they finish fixing their lodging at the hotel, they hike up in the mountains towards their first stop, the Gullfoss waterfall. Jun insisted that they go early to avoid the influx of tourists and to catch the view at an opportune time. It’s a good thing that it’s windy and chilly because Nino wouldn’t want to hike under such a clear, sunny sky. The vibrant sunlight shimmers off the gushing waters and the dew on the leaves. He already hears the crashing of rapid waters against rocks, the strong current from the waterfall. The closer they are, the more he gets sprayed from the strong current, and he shivers each time he gets hit by a big wave.

When they make it though, it’s a sight to behold. The waterfall shimmers under the bright sunlight, the crashing of the waves on the surfaces of rocks, the rushing noise from the river connecting the waterfall, the mist emanating from the rushing waters; the view is like no other, unlike most waterfall viewing, they view it from the top, watching the waters crash down. Jun takes ahold of his hand and guides him to walk along the slippery path behind the cascading water. The cold spray constantly hits Nino in the face, leading up to a sneeze. Jun ends up sneezing too, after getting splashed on quite harshly on his face, and his hair is completely soaked. Nino laughs grandly at Jun but it makes him lose his footing. Jun immediately wraps an arm around Nino to hold in securely in place and just in time for them to both get completely soaked by the spray of the waterfall.

They go past the path to stay on the deck, to fend off the cold and to somewhat dry up. It’s a lot calmer up there and they could still manage to see the waterfall down below. What really strikes Nino is the way the sunlight refracts through the water, creating a wonderful prismatic view over the waterfall, shimmering under cloudy mist. The colors glitter over the surface of the water, almost creating like a fairytale-like scene.

Nino feels a sudden pang like an idea had popped into his head. He stares at the rainbow waters once more for full effect. He knows he knows, this is it. He looks at Jun as if he had won the lottery and Jun only stares back quizzically. Nino grabs his face for a short kiss and throws his hands up triumphantly like a burden has been lifted off his shoulders.

Finally, a title! Nino exclaims to himself while Jun remains completely at a loss, but nonetheless happy about the kiss.

—

Jun drives them to their next stop at the Geysir. It’s famous for its hot springs and geysers in the geothermal area of Haukadalur Valley. When they set out to stroll around the place, the biggest geyser, Strokkur, as they call it, shoots up a vast jet of boiling water, nearly making Nino jump right out of his pants. He inevitably bumps into Jun as a result of his shock and Jun nearly doubles in laughter over how jittery Nino has become. Nino elbows him in response but it doesn’t stop Jun from laughing altogether. In another five minutes, the geyser spits out again, jolting Nino and Jun can’t help but laugh over how Nino looks so genuinely shocked each time. Though eventually, the geysers burst in between an interval of five to ten minutes, so Nino’s bound to get used to it.

They pass by a bunch of fumaroles emanating steam into the cool, glacial air. The pillars of steam are almost hypnotic that Nino ends up lingering, simply staring at it go off and Jun has to snap him back to reality. Nino merely blinks in response but breaks off from spacing out. Jun points out the mineral crystallizing on the surface of the rock beds, creating yellowish sulfuric stains, and it has the smell similar than those of the baths they’ve gone to.

When they move to the southern part of the valley, Þykkuhverir, to view various bubbling mud pots. Jun explains that these are actually fumaroles that boil up through the loose ground, and when finally dry, they become hardened fumaroles, but in all honesty, Nino’s just thinking of how he wants to push Jun into one for laughing too hard a while ago.

—

Their last stop for the Golden Circle is the Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO Heritage Site. The view is breathtaking, from the dried magma fields covered in Icelandic moss, surrounded by glacial springs and a bowl of ancient mountain peaks, ravines ripped open by centuries of earthquakes. What really makes this place striking is not only the fact that it houses Iceland’s largest national lake but the exposed North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.

They stroll around the North American plate, watching as the water gushes out of the waterfall, gently flowing into the body of water that separates the two plates. The water is extremely clean, clear enough to see what’s underneath and on the waterbed. There are a ton of rock formations, aside from what’s on land, deep within those waters. He watches the fishes swim across the waters, some of the familiar ones like the trout (much larger than back home though), and it gives him a wistful feeling, like a distant memory of a friend of his. Despite the air becoming chillier, it remains to be crisp and cool, and Nino’s somewhat enjoying the single digit temperature.

The sun casts out a harsh yellow glare from out on the horizon, the sky is awash with hues of vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows, with billowing violet and pink clouds littering the plane. The walk along the path to find a place to sit and watch the sunset, one last activity before they leave and settle in for the night. Nino would’ve never thought that he’d go out into the world and witness its natural beauty like this.

“Hey, Jun. I’d like to say… thanks. For showing me the world.” Nino mutters, staring into the horizon.

Jun laughs lightheartedly, punching his shoulder lightly. “I haven’t shown you half the world yet, idiot.” He kicks at a stone, pondering. “But thank you, for being with me.”

Nino smiles to himself, his face downcast to hide away how much he’s grinning. He supposes that Jun’s already noticed that and he’s probably smiling himself too, but he’s hoping he won’t catch wind of it and make fun about it.

I would’ve not done it— this, without you.

—

They leave early yet again for another road trip to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Nino’s body is somewhat accustomed both to the time zone and weather already, so he feels a lot more refreshed than when he got here. With their rented car, Jun drives them along the coast of the beach, admiring the view. They get down to walk towards the beach and get closer to the icebergs and glaciers.

The lagoon is beautiful, its water coming from the crumbling ice of the glacier, glistening under the morning sun. The nearby beach has unique black colored sand covered with compact, translucent ice, along with ice chunks floating nearby the shore, earning its name, the Diamond Beach. The seawater rolls onto the glacier tongue, melting the ice from the glacier. The ice eventually calves and crashes unto the water, floating on the river, making its way to the ocean. The floating icebergs cast a glassy and deep luminous blue, in contrast to the pure white glaciers in the distance and the black banks on the land they stand in. They spot some seals swimming near the coastline and laying on top of icebergs too. The view is otherworldly, and the colors and the natural sounds create quite a serene experience.

“It really is beautiful, isn’t it?” Jun smiles as the waves crash, ice sifting through the waters harshly then come to a stop to float.

“The world is a lot more beautiful than I’ve thought,” Nino mutters, as if in thinking.

“I’m glad I got to show it to you then.” Jun smiles proudly.

—

They move back to Reykjavik, the heart of Iceland, through a bus trip. Nino doesn’t know how long he can stay in the mountains and glaciers, far from existence, and most of all, internet connection. And he’s glad the road trips would be over soon since his back and butt has been aching from the constant sitting for hours. They go to their hotel to settle their lodging for their last stay at Iceland and nap a bit before lunchtime.

When they venture out into the city, they see the city awash in buzzing cafes, psychedelic looking clubs, quaint pubs, and they watch the hustle and bustle of the locals. The town is filled with brightly-colored wooden townhouses clustered together; rustic and nostalgic. There are luscious gardens everywhere, street art lining the walls, and the occasional resident cat passing by.

They first head to Hallgrímskirkja Church, Reykjavík’s main landmark, with its distinct tower towering over the city. The entrance is astoundingly baroque, pillars of decreasing heights creating symmetric arches on the sides, similar to basalt columns, decorative windows and glass art compliment the magnificence of the church, and the clock on the very topmost of the tower completes the cake. They find themselves inside to view yet another, but equally as, ornate and marvelous altar, housing the biggest organ in Iceland. But a trip to the top is what makes it all worthwhile, it offers a great view of Reykjavik, a 360° perspective over the entire city. The city remains to be quaint, charming in the sense of its serene, yet busy streets.

They head on over to The Pearl, along with Hallgrímskirkja Church, another of Reykjavík’s most recognizable landmark. Sitting on top of Öskjuhlíð, a big green public space, it is a huge, futuristic glass dome, glittering under the sunlight, surrounded by cylindrical structures on the perimeter. Inside, they find themselves in the Perlan Museum to explore the lit-up ice cave, casting a blue luminous glow from above and the walls, rugged walls with paved pathways, several crossroads and tunnels winding through different corridors. It’s almost as breathtaking as the actual ones nearby the glacier lagoon but incomparable in size. They head over to the observation deck, offering yet another 360° view of Reykjavík.

Their last stop before the harbor is the steel sculpture, “Sólfar”. With the view overlooking the sea, and spotted on the horizon are the mountains, it’s picturesque. The Viking-ship-like sculpture is magnificent, steel gleaming under the light, with fork-like structures sticking out of the deck and the opposite ends. Though it resembles a Viking ship, Jun explains that it is a dreamboat and an ode to the sun, that it represents undiscovered territory, and a dream of hope, promise, and freedom.

They head on back to the city streets, to visit the Old Harbor. Though rustic and a bit olden, it still remains functional and clean, almost like it was built not too long ago. The harbor is populated with small cafes and shops, teal warehouses, and the pier is docked with different kinds of boats and fishing nets cast onto the sea. The place is vibrant and bustling with many seamen and families. There are several flea markets scattered across, with restaurants nearby serving fresh seafood dishes.

They go to one of the restaurants nearby the ports, one that serves traditional fresh seafood dishes. Nino doesn’t have much of a choice since he’s allergic to shellfish and all, but fish is quite good enough for him. The fish served is piping hot and fresh from catching so the aroma is heavenly. He sees the fish meat foam up in the middle, with the fats almost ready to burst. The steam coils around him and he’s already found himself in delight. The edges are crispy and the meat is mellow and soft enough, rich with flavor and juicy at the first bite. It’s somewhat milky and lighthearted, and Nino completely enjoys the grilled fish along with some garnish on the side. He slightly wishes for some rice though.

He notices Jun smiling when he takes a bite of his fish and sighs happily in response, almost like a father watching over his child. He feels slightly embarrassed but Jun doesn’t say anything, save for the noises he makes while chewing on his own food. He takes a look at the various shellfish being served around him and feels somewhat nostalgic, like a remembrance of a friend.

They pass by Kolaportið, an eclectic marketplace. Nino watches Jun from time to time to make sure that he doesn’t impulse buy random and useless things again because he had nearly gone over the baggage limit last time. There are some cool knick-knacks that pique Nino’s interest; he’d probably get them for the heck of it but since he always, always thinks about money, the thought flees his mind. The sift through the different stores and kiosks before Jun stops at a certain apparel shop. They sell a variety of hand knitted wool jumpers, otherwise called as lopapeysa. They have plain ones to patterned ones, coming in different sizes, all in authentic wool and no animals were harmed in the making, they said. Jun looks through the sweaters and finds an expensive looking one, sleek and almost professional-looking, and Nino bets it’s cashmere— the tacky person Jun is. He tries it on and it fits perfectly, and it frames his body structure quite well, so it’s an immediate buy for him. Jun continues to look around though and pulls out a patterned grey one, and Nino immediately knows that it’s not for himself, but for him.

Jun hands it out to Nino, “Try it on, and don’t worry, I’m paying.”

Nino snickers to hide the slight shyness, “Well, if you insist…” He slips it on, quite scratchy on his neck and the sleeves run past his wrists, but it makes him feel warm and cozy and oh, he could wear this for days. Jun notices how much he enjoys the jumper that he immediately purchases it for Nino and Nino feels a surge of consciousness. Jun waves him off like it’s nothing, and even seems happier despite being the one paying for both.

They walk around the city for a while, basking under the sunlight and breezy weather, and Nino feels like he’s in a whole new world, free from the dreary confines of his workspace, despite being there for almost 24/7, and he kind of feels bad that it feels like he’s running away from reality. But the world he sees it right now, it’s so much clearer and brighter than he’s seen it in the last few months, and he admits that he’s truly been missing out on it.

But really, he thinks maybe it’s because of Jun after all.


Part 2