ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴ - ᴊᴜᴊᴜᴛꜱᴜ ᴋᴀɪꜱᴇɴ

Chapter 30

Akira and Shoko rapped on the door with anticipation, waiting for it to swing open. However, when no one answered, Akira let out a resigned sigh and pulled a spare key from his pocket.

Shoko couldn't resist teasing him, "Oh, wow. You already have a key to his place?"

Akira's cheeks reddened slightly, and he defended himself, "It's just for emergencies." He then used the key to unlock the door.

As they entered, Akira led the way through the apartment, passing by several closed doors. Eventually, they arrived in the living room, where Satoru and Suguru were engaged in a heated discussion.

The two abruptly paused their conversation, turning their attention to Akira and Shoko's entrance.

Akira broke the silence, introducing Shoko with a quiet tone, "Shoko's here," and discreetly pointed towards her.

Shoko greeted them with a calm peace sign. "Yo!" she called out.

Satoru and Suguru exchanged a glance before offering polite greetings to Shoko, who took a seat next to Suguru.

Shoko wasted no time delving into conversation, her curiosity evident. "Sooo... how are you?" she inquired, casting a meaningful look at Satoru and subtly tilting her head toward Akira.

Satoru, who appeared somewhat fatigued, rose from his seat and stretched, letting out a tired yawn. "I'm tired, I'm going to go take a nap," he announced as he passed by Shoko.

As he walked past her, Shoko deftly slipped something into his pocket, a move that didn't escape Akira's notice. He watched with a raised eyebrow, trying to make sense of the situation.

Satoru turned to Akira, "Let's go, Akira."

Akira nodded, still puzzled by the exchange, and followed Satoru as they left the room together, leaving Shoko and Suguru behind.

----

As Akira followed Satoru into the room, Satoru closed the door behind them, creating a sense of privacy.

Akira settled on the bed, observing Satoru's unusual restlessness. It was uncommon to see Satoru fidget, and it raised a red flag for Akira.

Concern laced his voice as he asked, "Satoru, are you okay?"

Satoru hesitated, his gaze avoiding Akira's. He eventually nodded, but his unease was palpable.

Akira, sensing something amiss, gave Satoru a pointed look. "What is it?" he inquired, wanting to get to the bottom of the matter.

Satoru looked up but still avoided direct eye contact, his hesitation speaking volumes about whatever was troubling him.

Akira rose from his seat and approached Satoru, who looked down at him with a mix of emotions. Without hesitation, Akira took Satoru's hand and guided him to sit on the bed, positioning them side by side.

Concern etched across his features, Akira asked, "Are you okay?"

Satoru initially attempted to dismiss his troubles with a simple "I'm fine," but Akira wasn't having it. He interjected firmly, "No, you are not fine. Tell me what's going on."

Satoru let out a sigh of defeat. "I ruined everything," he blurted out, his words heavy with self-blame.

Akira's shock was palpable as he looked at Satoru, his heart aching for him. He gently pulled Satoru's hands away from his face, urging him to continue. "Satoru, what are you talking about?"

Satoru's voice trembled with guilt as he confessed, "I was too weak to do anything against Toji. I couldn't do anything to bring Suguru back. I let Yukihira get away. I..." His words trailed off, the weight of his perceived failures pressing down on him.

Akira silenced Satoru's self-deprecating words with a gentle, soft kiss. Their lips met briefly before Akira pulled away just enough to look into Satoru's beautiful blue eyes. He reached up and tenderly removed Satoru's sunglasses, exposing the vulnerability in those eyes.

With unwavering sincerity, Akira spoke, "You didn't ruin anything, Satoru." His words were filled with conviction and love. "Toji is gone because of you, Suguru is back because of you, and we'll deal with Yukihira when we get there. But, I refuse to sit here and listen to you blame yourself for such things."

Satoru's eyes welled up with tears, and he lowered his head in emotional turmoil. Akira gently held Satoru's head, offering comfort and understanding. "It's okay," he reassured, feeling Satoru's trembling.

Akira ran his fingers through Satoru's stark white hair, soothing him as they shared this tender moment.

As Akira continued to run his fingers through Satoru's hair, he felt Satoru's trembling gradually subside. The weight of Satoru's self-blame and doubt seemed to lessen as Akira's words and actions conveyed his unwavering support and love.

Satoru finally looked up, his teary eyes meeting Akira's with a mixture of gratitude and vulnerability. "I just... I wanted to protect everyone, especially you," he admitted, his voice still tinged with regret.

Akira smiled gently, cupping Satoru's cheek in his hand. "You have, Satoru. You've protected us in more ways than you realize," he reassured him. "And I'm here for you, just as you've always been there for me."

Satoru's eyes softened, his heart warmed by Akira's words and actions. He leaned in, capturing Akira's lips in a tender kiss, expressing his love and appreciation through this simple yet profound gesture.

Their kiss deepened, and the room seemed to fade away as Satoru and Akira shared this intimate connection. It was a moment of reassurance, a silent promise that they would face whatever came their way together, drawing strength from their love.

As their lips parted, Satoru gazed into Akira's eyes, his own filled with a mixture of emotions, including love, gratitude, and a newfound sense of resolve. "Thank you, Akira," he whispered, his voice barely above a breath.

Akira smiled, a soft and genuine expression that conveyed his deep affection. "You don't have to thank me, Satoru. We're in this together, always."

Satoru nodded, a profound sense of relief washing over him. He leaned in to rest his forehead against Akira's, their breaths synchronizing in a shared moment of closeness.

"We'll face everything together," Satoru affirmed, his voice filled with conviction. "And we won't let anything tear us apart."

Akira's heart swelled with affection as he held Satoru close, their bodies pressed together. "That's a promise," he whispered, sealing their commitment with a tender kiss.

Akira acted swiftly, slipping his hand into Satoru's pocket and retrieving the item that Shoko had covertly placed there. His expression changed from confusion to shock as he examined the small plastic object.

"What the hell!" Akira exclaimed, clearly surprised by what he had found.

Satoru leaned back, equally stunned by the discovery, and immediately defended himself, "I don't know how that got there," he protested.

Akira couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. "So you had NO idea that Shoko put this in your pocket?" he questioned, his amusement evident.

Satoru's eyes widened in disbelief. "She did what?!" he exclaimed, genuinely shocked by the revelation.

Akira regarded Satoru with a suspicious look. "So you really didn't know?" he asked, arching an eyebrow, his playful skepticism adding to the humor of the moment.

Satoru shook his head in genuine confusion.

As Akira examined the small piece of plastic, a mischievous idea seemed to spark in his mind. He looked over at Satoru, who still stared at the object in shock.

A playful smile spread across Akira's face, and he leaned in closer to Satoru. "Want to use it?" he proposed, his tone teasing.

Satoru met Akira's gaze with a smirk, his playful confidence returning. "Can you keep up?" he challenged.

Akira's smile faltered momentarily, caught off guard by Satoru's response. However, before he could react, Satoru took the plastic away and swiftly pushed Akira onto the bed.