"So, what is it you're so excited for me to watch?" I asked bringing to conversation back to the whole reason I was invited over.
"Have you heard of Eurovision?" He quizzed quite excitedly.
"No! What's that?" I responded.
"It's so awesome! All the countries in Europe and Australia compete in this singing contest. Each country sends a singer and an original song. The best 25 countries go into the Grand Final and the winning country with the most points gets to host it the following year! I watched a bit of this year's one and I knew you had to see it too!"
He was so excited. He was acting the same way I do when a new Pokémon game comes out. I was certainly curious.
"How long is it?"
"It's around 4 hours long."
"What!?" I exclaimed. "Why so long!?"
"Well, there's the 25 songs. Plus the jury vote and then the public vote."
"And this is why I was to come here early?" I enquired.
"Yeah. Plus I wanted to utilise having the house to ourselves all day." He answered with a cheeky smirk.
I couldn't help but turn a little red. He always made my heart race when he gave that cheeky smirk.
After his parents left for the golf club, Asahi escorted me downstairs to the livingroom. He had seriously planned this out. There were snacks, he was ordering food. This was serious. Everything had to be perfect before he pressed play. I was seriously hoping I was going to enjoy it as much as he was. Although, his excitement was pretty contagious. It was difficult not to get caught up in it.
He plopped down next to me on the couch and giggled.
"Ready?" He asked.
"Yeah! Hit play!" I smiled.
It started with a roaring crowd and an empty stage. A song started to echo around the stadium...
A goddess on a mountain top
Was burning like a silver flame
The summit of beauty and love
And Venus was her name...
She's got it...
The beat was starting to build. The excitement was close to eruption. The crowd was getting excited...
Live from Rotterdam, The Netherlands. This is the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021. Please put your hands together for our finalists...
The roar of the crowd, the music getting louder, Asahi was restless, lightly bouncing in his seat as the excitement grew...
Cyprus
The crowd cheers as the first country entered the arena
Albania
Asahi cheered from his seat. I jumped a little as I wasn't expecting it.
I could totally see why he found this exciting. I had only watched the first few minutes, and that was of all the countries entering the arena, and I was already getting engrossed. I never even heard of half of the countries.
"Azerbaijan? Where the hell even is that!?" I blurted out.
"Eurasia. Next to Armenia." He responded flatly.
"That doesn't help!" I answered sarcastically. "I'll Google it."
"Do it later!" He complained, grabbing my hand. "Enjoy the show and then Google!"
I chuckled. I rolled my eyes but knew he was right. The whole point was to watch it together and that's what we were gonna do.
*******************************************************
The Grand Final was over. Italy had won. They would be the host country next year.
"That...was...AWESOME!" I shouted.
"Wasn't it!?" Asahi cheered.
"It's insane this happens every year. I wish I had discovered this sooner!"
"Well, the next one will be May 2022." Asahi replied.
"We're definitely watching it!" I declared.
"Definitely!" Asahi laughed.
We just stared at each other. Smiling. Staring into each others eyes.
"I love you!" Asahi suddenly said.
"I love you too!" I grinned.
"You're the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I want to spend every moment that I can with you." He said while caressing my cheek.
I closed my eyes and leaned gently into his hand and smiled.
"I never thought I'd be so happy. I keep expecting it to be a dream and that I'll wake up at any moment."
"This is real..." Asahi declared as he leaned in and kissed my lips.
I could never have gotten sick of kissing him. I could've just kissed him forever. It's like it became my oxygen. I would suffocate without it.
The hand on my cheek travelled down to my back, meeting his other hand as they pulled me closer to him. His head moved beside mine, resting his chin on my shoulder as his body sank into mine. Lightly squeezing me. I felt his heart beating against my chest. The warmth of his body reached my soul.
We stayed like that for quite a while. I started to lightly release from the hug, but he squeezed me tighter...
"Sorry, not yet. Just a bit longer...please." He pleaded.
I could hear the fear and sadness in his voice. I didn't pry because I knew he'd rebuff me.
"Don't ever be sorry." I whispered as I squeezed him back.
He lightly kissed my neck.
"No matter what happens. I'll always be with you. Nothing will keep us apart...I promise." He lightly whispered.
As sweet as it sounded. I knew that secretly meant things were bad. Really bad.
"Asahi! Please talk to me!" I asked.
"It's fine. Don't worry about it." He rebuffed as expected.
I begged. I pleaded: "No! Tell me. You keep saying that but of course I'm going to worry. There's something wrong. We're boyfriends. We need to be able to help and support each other. And be honest. Please! Please don't suffer alone. Lean on me! Tell me how I can help!"
Asahi pulled away from me and looked at me with a weak smile. He placed his hands on my cheeks.
"You continue being you!" He replied. "You being happy is more important than anything else. Being yourself is how you can help. Being with you is the only thing I need...my promise stands. I'll always be with you. I'll always protect you."
"Asahi..." I cried. I struggled to stop the tears.
"Please don't cry..." He said wiping the tears off my cheeks. "...I don't want to ever make you cry."
"Please don't suffer alone!" I blubbered, struggling to speak as I cried.
He chuckled and kissed my forehead.
"OK..."
YOU ARE READING
When We Crossed Paths
Teen FictionThis story follows Yamashita Hideki as he tells you about something that happened a few years ago. It was something that changed his world forever. Listen as he tells you his story in the hopes that you will heed his words and why you should never l...
