no mader how strong the wind blows

chapter 36

Chapter 36: First Month

Summary:

Shorter and Eiji celebrate their first month as a couple.

Notes:

For everyone's guidance, Ash is 14 and Eiji is 16.
Anyways, enjoy the update!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

The days quickly passed by, and before Eiji could even realize it, a month has already passed ever since he and Shorter started dating.
Sure, he had to admit that he was happy being with his Chinese boyfriend. In fact, he couldn't help but feel excited right now because Shorter told him the other day that he was planning something special for the two of them during the weekend. And when he asked what it was, the purple-haired boy simply told him that it would be a surprise.
But on the other hand, he hated himself for being so selfish. It has been a month since he entered into the relationship, but until now he still couldn't figure out whether he loved his boyfriend or not. Or even liked, at the very least.
But one thing was for sure, Shorter already meant something to him.
"Hey, what's with that big smile of yours?"
The raven-haired boy's train of thought abruptly ended when he heard his best friend ask him something. He didn't know why, but for some reason Ash seemed to be spending more time with him these past few days, especially during the weekends. In fact, here he was right now, hanging out in the living room like he always did.
"Sorry, Ashu," he replied with a chuckle. "It's just that, S told me the other day that he planned something for the two of us this weekend and I couldn't help but feel excited."
Ash just rolled his eyes in response.
"By the way, what brings you here?" Eiji asked.
"Nothing, I just wanna hang out with you," answered the blonde-haired boy. "Is there a problem with that?"
"No, it's not that. I mean, don't you have any plans with Trixie this weekend?"
"In case you've forgotten, Mr. Okumura, she's in Hong Kong with her family right now. How am I supposed to go on a date with her if she's not around?"
And that's when Eiji remembered the real reason why his best friend spent more time with him. The only time Ash would be able to hang out with him was when his girlfriend was not around, just like now.
"Oh right, sorry."
The recently turned fourteen-year-old let out a sigh as he leaned back against the couch, placing his arms behind his head.
"Man, I miss her already," he said. "It's been a week since she left."
"Hey, don't worry," Eiji answered. "It won't be long before she comes back, right?"
"I know, just a few days more. By the way, where are you and Shorter going?"
"I honestly don't know, Ashu. He told me that it was gonna be a surprise."
Ash scoffed, folding his arms and rolling his eyes once again. "Since when did Shorter become so fond of planning surprises?"
"Wow, look who's talking," Eiji retorted. "You talk as if you don't ask ME for help when planning something for Trixie."
"Ah, yeah. Hehe," Ash chuckled, scratching the back of his nape. "I guess that's how things work when you're in love, huh?"
This time, it was Eiji's turn to roll his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."
Just then, the doorbell rang, causing the two best friends to pause for a moment. The Japanese boy immediately stood up and walked towards the door to greet his visitor, and a smile formed on his lips when he saw no other than his boyfriend standing outside the apartment unit.
"Hi, E," Shorter greeted, smiling warmly at him. "I got these for you."
And just as things couldn't get any better, Eiji's smile widened when the purple-haired boy handed over three red roses to him.
"Awww, that's really sweet of you," he cooed, holding the offered flowers close to his chest. "Thanks, S."
"Really now, you two? Right in front of me?" Ash suddenly butted in. What was this guy's problem?
"Are you ready, E? This is gonna be a long trip, I tell you," Shorter asked, ignoring the American boy's sudden statement.
"Yup! Hold on, let me just get my stuff real quick."
Without another word, Eiji quickly grabbed his backpack that was sitting on the floor and was about to head towards the door when Ash suddenly got up and stood between him and Shorter.
"Uh, Ashu?" the raven-haired boy asked, puzzled. "We're gonna leave now."
But apparently, Ash had no intention to listen to his best friend as he glared intently at the Chinese boy, and Shorter did the same in response. Dark brown against jade-green orbs, their stares were so intense that Eiji could almost see a thin line of lightning between them.
"Hold it right there, Wong. Where the hell are you taking my best friend?" he asked.
"It's none of your damn business, Callenreese," Shorter answered.
The blonde-haired boy folded his arms. "Whatever. Just take good care of Ei-chan, alright?"
"Oh, you don't have to remind me," Shorter smirked. "I love him, Ash. Of course I'll take care of him."
"Be sure to return him in one piece, okay? I'm warning you."
"C'mon now man, seriously? It's not like I'm gonna do anything funny to him, you know."
This time, it was Eiji's turn to intervene. Fearing that the two might end up hurting each other physically if this kept up, he quickly went over to where Shorter was standing, clinging onto his arm.
"Okay, that's enough, you two," he said, then looked up at his boyfriend. "Let's go?"
Shorter nodded as his expression softened, and the two were about to leave the apartment unit when Ash suddenly grabbed his best friend's arm. Eiji was about to open his mouth in protest when the blonde-haired boy suddenly pulled him closer and hugged him, much to the surprise of the two sixteen-year-olds.
"Ash---"
"Just take good care of yourself out there, Ei-chan. Especially now that I won't be there to protect you," Ash said. "And be back before 9 PM, okay?"
"Don't worry, Ashu," Eiji smiled, obviously touched by his best friend's concern. "I will."
"Did you hear that, Wong?" Ash pulled away from the hug and glared at Shorter once again. "Bring Ei-chan back before 9 PM. Sharp."
Shorter rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, Callenreese. I heard you."
***
"Is everything in here, Nadia?" Shorter asked his sister as the older Wong handed over a duffle bag to him. Before heading out to their destination, the purple-haired boy decided that they make a quick stop first to their apartment unit, apparently to get something.
"Don't worry, little bro," Nadia answered, grinning as she gently patting her sibling's head. "You've got everything you need in there."
"Um, I hope you guys don't mind me asking, but what's inside the bag?" a puzzled Eiji asked. The way the Chinese girl grinned at his boyfriend somehow made him feel uneasy, thinking that she might have put something odd in the bag.
"Really? Are you sure you didn't put anything funny in there?" Shorter asked, raising an eyebrow at his sister.
"C'mon Shorter, why would I even do that? Don't you trust me at all?"
The younger Wong scowled, carrying the duffle bag over his shoulder. "No, I don't."
Nadia just shrugged her shoulders, the mischievous grin still present on her face. "Okay, suit yourself."
"What's in the bag, S?" Eiji asked again, reaching out to open the bag. "I wanna see---"
"NO!" the two siblings suddenly chorused.
"Huh? Why not? What's wrong with you two?" The Japanese boy's confused look intensified. "Is there a bomb in there?"
"Oh, don't worry Eiji, you'll find out soon." Nadia couldn't help but chuckle as she gently gave the two boys a gentle nudge. "Alright you two, enjoy your date!"
And without another word, Shorter turned around left the apartment building, carrying the duffle bag with him and the raven-haired boy cluelessly following suit.
What was that?
***
"Where exactly are we going, S?" Eiji asked the moment the two got inside one of the city's subway trains. Because it was summer, which meant that they were not the only ones going places, the train they rode in was full of people, which was quite an unusual way (for them, at least) to start a date.
"You'll find out soon enough, E," answered Shorter, who was tightly holding onto his boyfriend's hand as the train moved. Upon seeing that the train was packed, he suddenly felt the need to keep Eiji close to him during the trip, lest someone would try something funny on him.
"Okay, whatever." Eiji pouted his lips, disappointed with the answer. "But how long is this trip gonna take?"
Shorter smiled fondly, leaning forward to kiss the raven-haired boy's forehead. "It won't take long, don't worry."
***
After more than an hour of traveling, the Japanese boy was sound asleep, his head resting contentedly on his boyfriend's shoulder, only to be woken up by a sudden cool breeze.
"Are you okay, E? We're here," Shorter said.
In response, Eiji sat up and yawned, rubbing his sleepy eyes, then they widened in surprise when he saw a breathtaking view of the ocean from the train's window. Out of excitement, he immediately got up from his seat and bolted out of the train towards the beach. Upon reaching the coastline, he took off his shoes and walked on the sand barefooted, then paused for a moment, blissfully taking in the scenery as he felt the waves washing over his feet as well as the sea breeze blowing on his face.
Just then, he felt a familiar pair of arms encircle his waist from behind him.
"It looks like you're already having fun, huh? Well, I'm glad you like it here," Shorter whispered, planting a soft kiss on his boyfriend's cheek.
"What are you talking about, S? I LOVE it here," the raven-haired boy answered, turning around to face the Chinese boy. "The view is just absolutely breathtaking. Where is this place, anyway?"
"We're at Rockaway Beach, one of New York's best beaches. There aren't many people yet because we got here pretty early, but it's definitely a popular spot to go to during the summer." The purple-haired boy smiled. "By the way, here you go." He handed over the duffle bag to his boyfriend.
"You know, I've been wondering about this since this morning. What's in this bag, S?" asked a puzzled Eiji, who hesitantly took the bag.
Shorter chuckled, ruffling the Japanese boy's hair. "They're just a bunch of beach clothes, E. Nothing to worry about."
"Huh? Beach clothes?" Eiji's forehead crumpled. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? I have my own beach stuff, you know. I could've brought them along with me if you told me that we would go here."
"But if I told you in the first place that we would be going to the beach, the surprise would be ruined." The purple-haired boy grinned, wrapping an arm around his boyfriend's shoulder. "C'mon, let's get changed. I can't wait to go swimming."
And with that, the two boys headed to the nearest restroom for a change of clothes. Eiji set down the duffle bag on the sink and opened it to get the swimwear prepared for him, but was stopped short when he saw a handwritten note placed on top of the folded pieces of clothing.
"Happy 1st Month, E. I love you."
His heart beginning to race, the raven-haired boy felt his cheeks redden as he glanced over at his boyfriend, who was blushing himself as he shyly scratched the back of his head.
"Really, S? Was this really necessary?" he asked, pursing his lips as he tried to hold back a smile, to no avail.
"Don't you like it, E? I wrote it myself. Well, I thought it would be nice to add a little personal touch, so..." Shorter answered, unable to look at him.
This time, Eiji couldn't help but smile widely. "This is only our first month together, S. How much more if it's our anniversary?"
And at the mention of the word 'anniversary', his smile quickly faded as he realized what he just said. It would definitely be something if their relationship would actually make it to a year, let alone a couple of months.
"If we reach our one-year anniversary, then I'll take you to wherever you want," replied the purple-haired boy, taking the duffle bag and handing it over to him. "Go ahead and change now, I'll be over at the next stall."
"Alright then. Thanks, S."
With that, he tiptoed to plant a small kiss on Shorter's cheek before going inside one of the bathroom stalls to change. It didn't mean anything to him though, it was just his way of saying thanks for the purple-haired boy's simple but sweet gesture.
As he took off his clothes one by one, the Japanese boy dug into the bag to see what pieces of clothing were inside. There was a towel, a pair of floral shorts, a white button-down shirt, and a...Speedo?
He gulped, holding up the dark blue swimming brief with both hands to get a better look. Sure, he's been wearing stuff like these before, but this time was different. It was his first time going to the beach with his boyfriend, and he had to admit, he somehow felt uneasy with the idea of exposing almost his entire body to him.
But did he even have a choice? Apparently, it was the only swimwear available right now.
***
After a few minutes, the raven-haired boy gingerly peeked through the stall's door to see if Shorter was finished changing. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw that his boyfriend was already dressed in his own pair of orange swimming trunks, casually leaning against the sink as he played with his phone.
He quickly closed the door, willing his heart to calm down. Should he really show himself to Shorter looking like that? But if he didn't come out now, he would keep the purple-haired boy waiting. And he didn't want to disappoint him, since he kept on mentioning earlier how excited he was to go swimming.
Okay Eiji, calm down. He's your boyfriend, don't be shy!
Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and came out of the stall, carrying the duffle bag along with him as he walked towards Shorter, whose eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the Japanese boy.
"Um, S?" he asked, suddenly tensing up with his boyfriend's reaction.
But Shorter didn't answer. Instead, he quickly snatched the duffle bag away from Eiji's grasp and opened it, bringing out the towel and wrapping it around the raven-haired boy's shoulders.
"What's wrong, S? Don't you like it?" asked a nervous Eiji.
"What? No, I never said anything like that," Shorter answered, his entire face slowly turning bright red as he looked away, whispering something in annoyance but it was audible enough for him to hear. "That Nadia, I shouldn't have trusted her. Oh, she's definitely gonna get it when I get home."
"What about Nadia?"
"Seriously, E?" the Chinese boy whined. "Look at what she made you wear!"
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Eiji tried to sound as innocent as possible, but he could feel his cheeks burning in embarrassment as well.
Shorter sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, just wear that towel, okay? You might catch a cold outside. And..."
"And?"
"And..." The purple-haired boy bit his lower lip. "...you look tempting."
Right then and there, Eiji's face flushed all the way to the tip of his ears.
So much for looking forward to having fun on the beach.
***
Eventually, the two boys headed out to the beach to finally start their date. Almost the entire day was spent swimming, surfing, sunbathing, building sandcastles, burying each other in the sand, and just playing in the water in general. Eiji had to admit, he would be lying if he said that he wasn't happy the whole time, because even before they started dating, he already enjoyed Shorter's company. The Chinese boy was a fun person to be with, he would surely attest to that.
"Are you hungry?" Shorter asked him a few hours later as they sat side by side on a beach towel, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore.
The raven-haired boy was about to answer when he suddenly felt his stomach grumble. Impulsively, he placed his hand on top of his tummy as if the action would calm it down, earning a chuckle from his boyfriend.
"Yup, you're hungry alright." The purple-haired boy flashed a playful grin.
Eiji rolled his eyes. "Alright, you got me. Where do we eat?"
"Don't worry E, I've got this." Shorter grabbed his backpack from behind him, taking out two lunchboxes. "I prepared food for us to eat just in case we get hungry."
Because he was feeling hungry, Eiji didn't hesitate to take one of the offered lunchboxes. Opening it, an amazed smile instantly formed on his lips upon seeing three Japanese rice balls inside, with bits of grilled fish and pieces of sliced watermelon on the side.
"Wow, you really prepared for this day, huh?" he beamed, grabbing one of the rice balls and taking a bite out of it. "And this one tastes really good!"
"I'm glad you liked it, E." Shorter smiled, biting into his own rice ball. "But actually, Lao was the one who made this."
"Eh? Really? Lao did?"
The purple-haired boy nodded his head. "Mmm-hmm. Actually, everyone helped me plan for this day. Sing was the one who suggested that we go to the beach, Nadia, obviously, prepared your clothes, and Lao took care of the food."
Eiji couldn't help but blush at the statement, looking away and bowing his head as he continued to chew on his food. Everyone who lived at his boyfriend's apartment unit really supported their relationship, huh? That's definitely something. Sure, he appreciated their kind efforts, but on the other hand, he somehow felt bad for them because it would definitely be painful for them if they would break---
His train of thought abruptly ended when he suddenly let out a loud burp, making Shorter laugh.
"You're too cute, E! Hahaha! So natural!" He playfully pinched Eiji's cheek, much to the raven-haired boy's embarrassment. "And that's one reason why I love you."
And right there, Eiji froze in his spot, his eyes widening in shock upon realizing that though they have already been dating for a month, he never told his own boyfriend an 'I love you' nor answered with an 'I love you too'. Not even once.
"I'm sorry, S," he said, looking away.
"Huh? Sorry? What are you apologizing for?" Shorter answered, a mix of surprise and confusion evident in his voice.
"Because..." The Japanese boy's voice trailed off, unsure of what to say. He simply couldn't tell his boyfriend that he still wasn't sure on what he felt about him, that his feelings were yet to be developed without hurting the other's feelings.
But apparently, Shorter seemed to get the message as he felt an arm wrap around his shoulder and pull him closer to him.
"I know, E. It's okay. Don't push yourself."
"But S, I'm being unfair to you." Eiji bit his lower lip as tears began to form in his eyes. He suddenly felt guilty for doing this to Shorter, for dating him while he loved someone else. He didn't deserve to be treated like this, he didn't deserve to be hurt just because of his own selfishness, because he wanted to forget his own feelings.
"No, it's okay, really. I understand how you feel." The purple-haired boy gently kissed his forehead. "I completely understand that it takes a lot of time to figure things out. Don't worry, I know you'll eventually get there. All we need to do right now is to just enjoy things."
"Thank you, S," Eiji replied with a sigh, hugging his boyfriend back. "Thank you so much for understanding me. I may not be sure about my feelings right now, but believe me when I say that I'm trying my best to love you. And if I really couldn't feel anything," He paused for a moment. "I'll have no choice but to leave."
And with that, Shorter gently but firmly held Eiji's face in his hands, looking straight into his eyes.
"Don't say that, E. Please," he said, a serious, sad tone in his voice.
"But I don't wanna be unfair to you, S." The raven-haired boy shook his head as a tear slid down his cheek. "I don't wanna hurt you."
"I'd rather have you being unfair to me than you leaving me, E." The purple-haired boy rested his forehead on his boyfriend's. "I'd rather be hurt than lose you."
"No, S. That couldn't be---"
But before Eiji could even finish his sentence, Shorter pulled him into a tight embrace, his cheek pressing against the other's bare chest.
"Please E, please let me love you." The raven-haired boy felt his chest constrict upon sensing the pained tone in his boyfriend's voice. "I don't care if you love me back, just please let me stay with you for now."
A sigh was all he could let out in response.
Really, this boy deserved better.
***
After a few hours, the two boys said nothing as they lay down on the sand, watching the sun slowly set on the horizon and the sky gradually changing from blue into shades of yellow, orange and red. As Eiji rested his head contentedly on Shorter's arm, Shorter, on the other hand, gently played with the strands of Eiji's soft raven-black hair.
"Don't you just love the sunset, S?" the Japanese boy broke the silence.
"Yeah," replied Shorter. "Sunsets really are beautiful. But I hope WE don't end up like the sunset."
And with that, Eiji pursed his lips into a grimace, silently wishing the same thing. Oh, how he wished he fell in love with the guy beside him instead.
"We should be heading back now E, it's getting late," Shorter suddenly said, sitting up. "Ash is gonna kill me if I bring you home after 9 PM."
The raven-haired boy rolled his eyes at the mention of his best friend's name. "Don't mind him, S. He's only being a wet blanket."
"I know, but I just couldn't help it. He sounded really worried back there, you know."
"Yeah, I couldn't blame him either. He's my best friend after all."
A grimace was all Eiji could muster up as he once again felt that familiar pain in his chest. He didn't want to admit it, but even though he said that he was trying his best to forget his feelings for Ash, the word 'best friend' still stung him.
***
After changing into the button-down shirt and floral shorts he found in the duffle bag earlier, Eiji stepped out of the bathroom stall and was surprised when he saw that Shorter wore the exact same outfit as he did. The only exception was that his floral shorts were blue while Shorter's was yellow.
"Wow E," Shorter said, a fond smile on his lips. "You look adorable. Looks like my sister's taste in clothing is not so bad after all, huh?"
"I can't believe we're matching, though," Eiji answered. "You look dashing in your outfit as well."
The purple-haired boy grinned. "I know, right?" Then he fished out his phone from his pocket. "C'mon E, let's take selfies."
With the orange skies and the sea as their background, Shorter's one arm was wrapped around Eiji's shoulder while his phone, set to front camera mode, was in the other. Eiji, on the other hand, wrapped his arm around Shorter's waist.
"Okay E, smile!"
Both boys smiling widely into the camera, the Chinese boy pressed the capture button, successfully taking a picture.
"One more time. One, two, three!"
They didn't change their pose, but just merely seconds before pressing the capture button for the second time, Shorter suddenly kissed Eiji on the cheek, making the raven-haired boy's jaw drop open in surprise, his entire face turning red.
Wait. Is this déjà vu?
***
On the way home, Shorter couldn't help but stare at Eiji, who was asleep on his shoulder, obviously tired from all the activities they did that day. He had to admit, he really enjoyed their beach date. There were no dull moments, it was as if they were the only ones in the world. Everything was perfect, if only he could freeze the time so he could spend more time with the boy he loved.
But despite the happy day he had with his boyfriend, there was one thing that greatly bothered him. He didn't know why, but he suddenly felt scared the moment Eiji told him that he might leave him if he couldn't learn to love him back. Judging from the serious tone of his voice that time, he knew the Japanese boy wasn't kidding.
His chest suddenly feeling heavy by the thought, he rested his head on top of Eiji's, taking in the sweet scent of his shampoo. Careful not to wake the sleeping boy up, he kissed the top of his head.
"Happy first month, E. My Eiji," he whispered.
He didn't want to lose him, he couldn't bear to lose this wonderful boy beside him. How he wished he could keep him for a long time, how he wished he could eventually learn to love him back.
But if losing him would be the only way to make him happy, he wouldn't hesitate to do it.
Even if it would kill him.
***
"Well, well, well, looks like you made it before the time after all."
The moment Shorter stepped of the taxi, carrying a still sleeping Eiji in his arms, he was surprised when he saw Ash standing by the door of the apartment building, his arms folded and a serious look plastered on his face. It was 8:51 when they arrived, a few minutes before his "curfew" of 9 PM.
A smirk was all the purple-haired boy gave as his answer. This guy really waited for them, huh?
"Hand him over to me, Shorter," added the blonde-haired boy, holding out his arms. "I'll take him to his room."
"Dude, let me do it," Shorter replied.
"I insist, let me do it. You've had enough for this day."
Letting out a defeated sigh, and knowing that Ash wouldn't stop insisting until he got what he wanted, the Chinese boy had no choice but to gingerly hand over his boyfriend over to his best friend's waiting arms.
"Wait a second. Why the hell are you two matching clothes?" Ash raised an eyebrow at him the moment he carried Eiji.
"Why?" Shorter folded his arms. "What's it to you?"
Ash scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Seriously? Matching outfits? Man, that's so old school."
"Shut it, Ash. You're just jealous." The purple-haired boy smirked.
"Jealous? Hah, whatever. Shouldn't you be heading home by now?"
Shorter shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, whatever you say."
But before the Chinese boy could even turn around, he quickly walked over and planted a quick kiss on Eiji's forehead, much to Ash's surprise. He stifled a chuckle at his reaction, he was obviously surprised by the fact that he would no longer be the only one who would get to show Eiji affection.
"Hey, it's getting late! Go home!" yelled the American boy.
This time, Shorter couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. "Alright, alright. Goodnight, you two."
And with that, he left. As he quietly strode down the sidewalk towards his own apartment building, he just realized something.
He just returned Eiji to the one who really owned his heart.
He paused in his tracks for a while, his lips pursed in a grimace before letting out a sigh, once again feeling the familiar pain in his chest as he continued walking. Yes, he knew that things would eventually end between them. He knew that eventually, he would have to give his boyfriend back to the one he really loved.
But right now, while Eiji was still with him, he just had to focus on doing everything he can to make him happy.
And hopefully, he would eventually make him love him back.