Subaru

Chapter LXXI.

Ayame Tsuge became lost in his thoughts as he walked his way back home, pondering over Katsuya Hattori.

After their conversation during the treasure hunt on the island of Nagashima, the blond male had been pretty anxious about Katsuya.

And today, the ginger-haired boy's behavior had only fomented Ayame's anxieties.

Flashback

This morning...

A knock came down onto the front door of the house and Ayame, who was taking his breakfast in the kitchen, went to answer it immediately.

Opening the door, he was surprised to see Katsuya standing there under the porch.

The ginger-haired boy only rarely visited him, especially at this hour of the day.

'Aren't you going to say something?' Katsuya asked the younger boy, who was staring at him, dumb-founded.

Ayame flushed up in embarrassment.

'Oh, sorry! Please, come in!'

Katsuya didn't make a move to enter and suggested, instead, 'Why don't you come out, take a ride with me?'

He held out the second helmet he had in his hands at the blond.

The latter glanced at Katsuya's motorcycle which was parked on the street in front of the house.

He flushed up again.

His idol was proposing him a ride on his bike!

It wasn't like it was the first time but, never before had Katsuya Hattori showed up at his door to ask him to go on a ride with him.

'Okay!' he accepted gladly, but he couldn't help but feel a bit restless, even if he couldn't quite place the said-feeling.

Locking the front door of his house, Ayame followed after Katsuya up to his motorcycle, and putting on their helmets, the two jumped onto the bike. They took a ride around town, before they made a stop by the river in Kuribayashi.

'There!' said Katsuya, holding out a canned drink at the blond who was sitting on the grass, gazing at the water.

'Thanks!' Ayame murmured, with a shy smile, as he accepted the drink.

Gosh! Why am I behaving like a girl with him? The younger male scolded himself in his mind.

Katsuya sat down by his side, his eyes fixed on the flowing water.

There was a long silence between the two males before the ginger-haired boy shattered it, by saying, 'Ayame, I wanted to tell you...'

The blond looked at the older male instantly.

'Yes? What is it?'

'I know that you've always looked up to me as your older brother. I haven't always been available for you and I'm sure that you must have felt extremely lonely during those moments. I truly regret it. It's also true that I don't always tell you everything, but I want you to know that, I also consider you like my brother.'

Ayame stared at the ginger-haired boy, too moved to speak.

But then, came again that same restless feeling of before.

Ayame should have been on cloud nine at this moment, but instead, he was worrying why Katsuya was telling all of this to him.

***

That feeling of restlessness had stayed with Ayame Tsuge during the whole day, only fomenting with every hour.

Why did Katsuya's words sounded like a goodbye? Why did he have the impression that he'd never see the ginger-haired boy ever again after today?