Nikko's point of view
I'm laying on Hoshi's cloud-soft pillows, the warm night pleasing my inner self. I was for sure dreaming about something beautiful, feeling safe next to my soulmate, who was once again unconsciously stealing my duvet for himself. But I didn't care this time. I don't even care now that he's trying to wake me up very early in the morning, because this sleep felt like hours of peaceful meditation.
"Nikko… Nikko~" I wake up to this whisper that almost sounds like velvet to my ears, also feeling a hand caressing my slightly oily cheek.
It makes me smile how affectionately I'm being interrupted from my cozy sleep.
"Hm?" I let out drowsily, with a hint of satisfaction on my face.
"You're not angry that I'm waking you up?" Hoshi softly chuckles.
"You're just lucky today." I jot down, keeping my pleased expression. I blink a few times to sharpen my vision, yet the subtle darkness is not allowing me to see properly anyways.
"Indeed." He chuckles.
"But why are you up so early?" I inquire, slowly sitting up, as Hoshi's hand leaves my cheek.
The white duvets slightly rustle as I move, quietly filling in the silence of everything around us.
I notice that Hoshi is already dressed up, as if the very early morning darkness wasn't still here, covering his lovely face.
"It doesn't matter why I'm up so early. Just dress up, quickly. The sun rises fast!" He says, and disappears into the kitchen, leaving me clueless about his plans.
A chilly, fresh scent comes in from an opened window, making me shiver when I get out of the bed.
Hoshi is right, the sun rises fast. What seemed like a deep and unyielding night just a while ago, had turned into a fading darkness that comes with dewy lawns and clear air.
The usual Sunday silence is stretching through every corner of the city, nobody awake but a few birds, and maybe some stray people who woke up, and weren't able to fall asleep again. The emptiness is luring me outside, as I have never sensed this much intimacy in the busy streets of Tokyo.
I quickly throw on a white hoodie, straight, blueish jeans, and rush to do some morning hygiene.
What may Hoshi want to do? I wonder while brushing my teeth.
Hoshi suggested he prepared something for today, but he refused to tell me anything about his plans, and besides being slightly frustrated, it also makes me immensely curious. Yet I told him how I hate surprises before, and therefore he said this: "It's not a surprise. Don't be excited, don't expect anything. Once I tell you what we're going to do, just accept it as if it was a thing that we planned together." That's how he disguised a surprise behind something comfortable, and maybe a little bit safer.
I wash off my face and make myself look presentable, before I finally get out of the bathroom.
"So, are you ready?" He asks, a happy smile playing on his lips.
"I would say I am, but since I don't know what we're doing, I can't say it…" I look at him, my gaze silently inquiring.
"We're going for a walk."Hoshi comes closer. "I know you love sunrises and slow mornings so…"
He lets the magic of the unspoken take over him.
My hands wander on his shoulders, finely tracing the neckline of Hoshi's olive sweater, when he chuckles warmly, and takes my hand in his.
"We should head off before the sun actually starts rising." He says quietly with a loving smile decorating his lips.
.
.
.
The navy, morning hue of skies is slowly fading, when the first birds begin to sing.
With a pleased expression, I take a deep breath in. My chest rises, letting the cool, but fresh air flow into my body, while the breeze daintily messes my almond hair.
Hoshi observes me in silence for a while, a stealthy smile remaining on his face. I hope he wonders about how my hair colour is changing through the seasons, because I just thought about it, and realised how pretty it is.
"Did you notice how my hair changes colour through the seasons? Like how in winter it has this dark, coffee hue, and in spring it begins to turn softer, lighter?" I look over at him.
"I did notice." He answers gently. "I notice a lot of things actually. I just don't say them out loud."
This sentence makes me wonder.
"Why?" I ask. "I think it's warming to know that you noticed." I state, as we start walking towards the still hidden sun.
"I just don't think I'm good with words, not half as good as you." He pokes me with an unsure laugh.
The blooming trees serenely rustle above our heads, as if they wanted to fill in the quiet that came after Hoshi's sentence…
A bee suddenly flies towards a waiting blossom, undisturbedly disturbing my mind.
I'm considering what to answer, yet the sounds of the surroundings seem louder than my own thoughts. However, it's okay.
No thought can clearly describe how I feel about Hoshi's words anyways. The few words that he always says that I find comfort in. Unlike my sentences, his words never try to guess the deepest sorrow of my soul, or express my beauty in difficult metaphors, instead, he's always present, and the assurance and safety in his voice leads me to happiness.
"I don't mind." I look at him with an assuring smile. "Words do not have to be difficult to be beautiful."
The surroundings appear lighter than a while ago, the bright sun already peaking from the distance.
"Look, the sun's already rising!" I exclaim happily, tugging at Hoshi's sleeve. "It feels beautiful." I smile.
The subtle shine lures me forward, and I let my intrusive thoughts win, starting to run.
"Wait!" He chuckles, rushing behind me.
I keep running forward, laughing along with Hoshi, whose dark hair flies with the wind as he tries to catch me.
The first sun ray hits my face. I stop, observing the beauty with a heavy breath.
Hoshi catches me by my shoulder, and I can feel his deep exhales on my head, as he stands really close to me.
"I can't even express how happy I feel right now." I grin, chest still rising with my heavy inhales.
Suddenly, I pounce on Hoshi. My hands tightly hug him, saying all the uncertain words and feelings going on in my head.
He chuckles. "Come on, I know where to go!" Hoshi takes my hand, leading me somewhere with this warm excitement of his.
We keep heading forward to the shining sun.
Intertwined fingers, our love pulsing into each other, dainty little petals beginning to decorate the gray pavement. It's pink petals.
Along a river, before us, a long alley of bloomed cherry blossoms begins to tower. A pink heaven, with soft clouds above it turning warm colours, just like the morning glow does. Bright sun tenderly filtering through the blooms, shadows on the pavement dancing, and us quietly stepping into the vulnerable beauty, being covered by a rain of sakura petals every time the wind blows.
"We're here." Hoshi says, so peacefully it makes my heart beat.
He slows down, until stopping completely, perceiving the calmness.
The surrounding is so quiet, it almost sounds hushed, only tree's rustling and purling of the clear river to be heard.
The fresh breeze is again playing with Hoshi's messy hair, a neat petal falling onto his head. His face is bathing in the sunlight, and his eyes are suddenly so bright when the light blesses them. The texture of his iris is so detailed, reminding me of sandy deserts, and how falling in love feels like.
Our bodies close, so close we feel our breaths mixing. Hoshi's hand wanders to my cheek, gently stroking it with a single question. "May I?" He asks.
I can't suppress a wide smile.
"You don't even have to ask." I say, and plant a kiss on his welcoming lips.
Hoshi holds me close, not letting go of me. He gently tightens the grip on my back and slowly leans in again.
He cautiously deepens the kiss and his tongue unviolently begs for entrance.
My cheeks abruptly catch a strong crimson hue, a wave of nervousness making me tremble. I catch myself tightly gripping onto his green sweater, my heart beating way too heavily, yet I let him inside.
A mixture of fear and pleasure fights within me, making this moment more intense than it should be. For a while everything feels heavy, and the easiest things are hard to do. It's as if my brain was fogged, and my muscles started giving up. Shaking, not being able to control my muscles, or my mind, a tight feeling spreading in my chest, yet Hoshi's kind and tender pace feels magically safe. One heavy breath it takes for me to reagain myself back, because the person kissing me is Him, and anyone else.
Yet when our kiss breaks, I still have to ask myself "Didn't I make it weird for him?"
Hoshi grins. Softly.
"No," He takes me into a hug, and rests his head on mine. "I didn't."
I smile, and look up at him.
"Did you know that we exchanged like over a million germs now?" I mumble shyly, still processing what just happened, but it makes Hoshi laugh.
"How do you always make such beautiful moments so adorably awkward?" He asks sarcastically. "I love it."
A gentle smile forms on his perfect lips, once again giving me the warmest, most natural sense of love I could ever crave.
I want this to never end.
*beep*
I look at my phone. "A new message from Takamori?"
Takamori : Hey, Nikko, I just wanted to say I'm really sorry for the way I've been treating you.
I realise now how much of a jerk I was. I hope we can make up and enjoy the exchange programme together.