CONTENT WARNING: This section contains sexual content that may not be suitable for some readers.
After dance class, Koki and I take turns having Ryusei film our audition videos. I go first, nailing my choreography in one take. Ryusei gives me a smile, complimenting my form before letting me review the video. When it's Koki's turn, I stand against the wall, excited to see what he came up with.
Watching him move to the hip-hop beat, I'm reminded of how good he is. A worthy opponent. I'm going to have to give it my all if I want to make sure he doesn't beat me in the competition. I already know he's going to pass the audition.
"Very nice," Ryusei comments, handing his phone to Koki. "Take a look."
Koki pants as he intently watches the playback.
"I'll send your videos tonight," Ryusei assures us. "Are you two thinking of entering together if you pass the audition?"
Koki and I exchange looks. I hadn't considered it and I don't think he did either.
"You should," Ryusei suggests. "You have great chemistry in class and you could probably come up with a sick choreo if you put your heads together."
"Yeah?" Koki looks intrigued.
"Just a thought," Ryusei says as he grabs his duffle bag and turns for the door.
"Should we?" Koki asks, dabbing the back of his neck with his towel.
"We could," I consider. "We can probably come up with a more interesting choreo if there's two of us." Plus I won't have to worry about you being better than me.
"We should then." He smiles. "If you're alright with it."
"Of course I'm alright with it!" I beam. "As long as you don't slow me down."
He snickers. "I was about to say the same to you."
Smirking, we head for the door.
"We getting ramen tonight?" I ask.
"Yep," he answers as if we had already planned it.
I've already grown accustomed to the weekends when Shun is too busy to go anywhere with me. He'll usually either spend Saturday afternoon shopping for material, hunched over his desk, or rubbing his chin at the mannequin. Today starts a little differently, though, when he asks me to let him take my measurements.
It's a little weird having him hold a tape measure over every part of my body while taking notes. It kind of makes me feel like a test subject.
"You have long arms," he comments quietly, scribbling a number on his notepad. "And legs."
"Let me see," I press.
He shows me the paper full of numbers, but they don't mean much to me with nothing to compare them to.
"How long are yours?" I ask.
Without even the subtlest act of acknowledgment, he wraps the tape measure around my bicep.
"Stop flexing," he orders.
"Tell me yours," I persist.
"No," he says flatly.
"Why not?"
"It's not important." He writes down another number and moves the tape to my wrist.
"I'm just curious." I pout.
YOU ARE READING
A Mark That Lasts Forever
RomanceAll Makoto wants is to enjoy his new life in Tokyo, but his gay roommate Shun has other things in mind. Despite wishing his nightmarish roommate away, Makoto does his best to tolerate him until learning he might not be the person he's making himself...
