The whispers of a heart [BL]

Chapter 10

Keita, I like you. I like you very much. Ever since that day, so many years ago, I... I have kept you in my heart and mind ever since...I kept thinking about you...

My body jerked on its own, as if it had been electrocuted. I sprang to my feet and shuffled a few steps backwards, trying to put as much distance between us as possible. What was all that about many years ago? Haven't we just recently met? I don't remember meeting this person ever before, let alone be so close as to give this man the chance to feel this way towards me. It was all very confusing.

When I tried speaking, I was startled to notice just how much my voice shook. I didn't want to seem weak in front of this person, therefore I tried my best to reign in my emotions.

"Asakura-san, you... you can retrieve your investment if you wish. I don't care. I...I just want to know what it is that you really want from me."

It appeared that my violent reaction made him snap back to his senses. He also seemed to make an attempt at calming down from his previous surge of emotions. He even did it better than me. His voice was steady and his posture had the appearance of calmness. Only his eyes betrayed an internal turmoil.

"Masato-sensei, you don't have to worry. I won't take back the funds for the movie, because I believe your story needs to be brought into a world of color on the big screen. You deserve that."

"Asakura-san..."

"Alright. I'll tell you the whole truth. Whether you will still want to talk to me after that, it's your call. I will abide with whatever you decide."

Asakura-san stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath and sitting straighter, as if getting ready for battle. I looked at him puzzled, thinking what could he have to say that was making him feel this nervous.

When he finally began speaking again his voice sounded low and melancholic.

"15 years ago, I was in a car accident. My father's driver fell asleep at the wheel and caused a big accident. More than one car was involved, but there were only two severe casualties. One was the driver who died, and the second was a boy of around 14-15 years old who ended up in a coma. I only got a concussion and the rest of the people who were further away from the hot zone only had mild injuries. I spent a week in the hospital, before I was finally allowed to go home. My father was still worried, so he had me coming back for a checkup almost every other week. It was boring to stay in the hospital, so I took the habit of walking around the hallways or going up on the rooftop for a breath of fresh air. One day, I heard a doctor talking to my dad about the accident. They mentioned the boy who was still unconscious. Since he had been on the crosswalk at the time of the accident, he got the worst of it. But astonishingly he was still alive, even if just barely. His head had been hit pretty badly and they couldn't estimate when he would wake up. Since the accident had been caused by my father's driver, he offered to pay for the boy's medical expenses. Whether he would remain in a coma for a week or even longer, he was willing to have everything taken care of. Thus, his personal assistant went and talked to the boy's parents, offering his assistance for whatever it was needed. I don't know how those parents reacted; I only know that they agreed in the end. After all, having to keep a single room in a hospital must have costed a lot of money and they didn't seem that well off.