Chapter 2: Lost and Found

!!! Sexually Explicit Content !!!

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"Isn't it obvious that I love you?Isn't it obvious that you're not alone now?Precious to me, you're special to me"Eyes by Anonymouz

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The aftermath of their impulsive kiss weighed heavily on Takuya's mind. He withdrew quickly to his seat, attempting to act as if nothing had occurred. He had always feared losing control, and now he had to deal with the stunned expression on Sho's face. Throughout the meal, Sho remained unusually quiet. The atmosphere between them grew dense with silence, and the expected warmth of their encounter had taken a sharp turn towards an icy chill.

Despite his best efforts to appear nonchalant, Takuya couldn't escape the regret that flooded his thoughts. The once-promising evening had now dimmed, clouded by that impulsive moment. In silence, Takuya couldn't help but blame himself for disrupting the atmosphere.

As the meal came to an end, Sho pushed his plate away and declared, "I'm done."

Takuya, still lost in his thoughts, replied with a distracted "Hmm? Oh, hmm," even though he hadn't really eaten much. The meal had turned into nothing more than a scene playing out behind his inner conflict.

"Are you finished?" Sho asked, glancing at Takuya with concern.

Takuya nodded, and that's when Sho suddenly grabbed his arm, pulling him along, surprising Takuya. Bewildered, Takuya followed Sho's lead as they passed by the room where the rest of their group was dining. Sho called out to his manager, "We're done here. Settle the bill for the other room, Manager-san."

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In the private, dimly lit of Sho's hotel room, he and Takuya's desires found an outlet, and their emotions flowed freely. Sho's initial tender gesture, cradling Takuya's face in his hands, set the stage for what was to come. Their lips met in a passionate kiss. There was an undeniable passion in the way their lips met, a long-awaited release of the emotions they had been holding back. The kiss was an intimate dance, filled with the warmth of their shared longing. Their desire for each other couldn't be contained any longer.

Sho gradually loosened his embrace, but Takuya's response was to draw him even closer, hugging him tighter, a silent yet powerful announcement of his desire to be close to Sho. With a subtle shift in their positions, Takuya took the lead, guiding Sho down onto the bed. It felt like there had always been an empty space within Takuya, waiting for Sho to fill it, and in that moment, the void was replaced by Sho's warmth.

Whispers of affection and soft, impassioned moans filled the air. Amidst these intimate sounds, their pleasure became a dance of controlled desire, a captivating shift of power that had now been claimed by Sho, leaving Takuya in a state of surrender.

Sho, surprising Takuya, skillfully flipped their positions. Takuya found himself lying on the bed, a gasp escaping his lips as he adjusted to the change.

"Nngggh!" Takuya's startled moan cut through the air like a lightning strike, an unfiltered expression of the intense pleasure that surged through his body. Every Sho's movements connected their body and soul deeper.

Their eyes locked in a heated, loving gaze, conveying emotions that words could never capture. As Sho guided them further down this path of mutual ecstasy, the world outside ceased to exist.

Sho, ever so gentle and caring, paused and took a moment to observe Takuya closely. The startled moan had prompted his concern, and he couldn't help but worry about Takuya's comfort. "What is it?" Sho asked.

Takuya hesitated for a moment, his breath coming in ragged gasps, and then he admitted in a low voice, "Too deep."

Sho responded to Takuya's confession by giving him locking their lips in passion. Their intimacy continued until the first ray of sunshine gently entered the room.

♡

Morning arrived, and as the sunlight filtered through the window, Sho awoke to the realization that Takuya was no longer there. The room felt emptier, devoid of the presence that had lingered so vividly the night before. Despite calling out Takuya's name and checking the surroundings, there was no sign of his friend. He checked his phone, but there were no messages or missed calls from Takuya. There was nothing out of place, no hint or note left behind. It was as if Takuya had simply vanished into thin air.

Sho, gripped by anxiety, hastily fumbled for his phone, dialing his manager's number in a frantic attempt to locate Takuya. His heart pounded as each unanswered ring heightened his worry. Regrettably, Sho's manager was clueless about Takuya's location, preoccupied with tending to Ryoga, Kai, and Takashi, who had clearly overindulged in a few too many drinks.

Amidst the manager's uncertainty about Takuya's whereabouts, there emerged a flicker of hope. The manager revealed that Takashi had left his contact details and might hold crucial information. Driven by desperation, Sho wasted no time and swiftly dialed Takashi's number. Takashi's immediate response provided a much-needed sense of relief, as he calmly shared that Takuya was indeed at their hotel, immersed in a relaxing swim. He also shared the hotel's location, but his next words struck Sho like an unforeseen blow: "He mentioned earlier that he didn't want to see you right now."

Sho found himself torn between relief and the ache of being pushed away by someone he deeply cared about, leaving him bewildered and longing for answers.In response, Sho simply said, "I get it. Thank you."

After ending the call, Sho's facade of understanding crumbled. He expressed his frustration with a click of his tongue and a muttered, "Like I care!" With an unwavering resolve to track down Takuya, Sho set out towards the location Takashi had disclosed, each step fueled by determination to reunite despite the unsettling emotions swirling within him.

Sho swiftly arrived at the spot and found Takuya seated on a bench near the pool, his hair still wet and a slightly damp white T-shirt outlining his form.

Takashi immediately noticed Sho's arrival, greeting him with a knowing, wide smile that conveyed a silent confirmation of his earlier assumptions about Sho, affirming his understanding of Sho's determination and commitment.

As Sho caught Takuya's attention, an immediate wave of anger surged through Takuya. He swiftly turned to Takashi, his voice tinged with frustration, and retorted, "I don't understand why you're doing this to me. Can you please, just this once, not meddle in my affairs?" There was a clear hint of irritation.

"He's searching for you," Takashi replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "I've informed him that you preferred not to meet, but he's still here. He's not one to dodge unresolved matters, and perhaps, that's what you need right now-a person willing to confront things." Takashi's words carried a sense of understanding and a suggestion.

Having said his piece, Takashi departed, leaving Takuya alone with Sho, who had been observing the interaction from afar. An awkward silence settled between them, thick with unspoken tensions and unresolved emotions.

Takuya closed his eyes and took a deep breath, aiming to regain his composure. As he reopened his eyes, he found Sho seated beside him, a patient presence, silently waiting for the moment when Takuya might be ready to talk.

"Did I hurt you last night?" Sho finally asked, his gaze fixed on the shimmering surface of the swimming pool. His words carried a mix of concern and a touch of regret.

Takuya responded, his voice tinged with embarrassment, "Well, as you can see, I'm moving just fine." There was a hint of defensiveness in his tone, trying to brush off the question.

Sho smiled gently and clarified, "That's not what I meant." He shifted to face Takuya, who was now blushing deeply. "But I'm glad what happened last night didn't cause you any pain," he added, seeking to reassure Takuya and alleviate any discomfort.

Takuya couldn't conceal his discomfort. "I already left the room," he admitted, revealing his departure earlier as the final conclusion. He had left, intending to avoid encountering Sho again. Last night's loss of control weighed heavily on him. The realization that he haf made love to someone who didn't reciprocate his feelings left him conflicted. It dawned on him that their lovemaking was merely an impulsive act between them.

Sho acknowledged this with a nod, expressing, "You were planning to leave me again, I understand." He grasped the intricate layers of emotions enveloping their current situation, so he attempted to respond with composure.

Takuya voiced his sadness, "Weren't you the one who didn't want to be friends with me?" Takuya couldn't reconcile himself with Sho's accusations, feeling it was the other way around. There was a confusion in Takuya's tone as he defended his perspective.

Sho responded with honesty, saying, "I've always wanted to be with you, but I thought maybe you didn't feel the same way."

Takuya released a deep, heavy sigh, fully aware that both of them had been entangled in their individual hesitations, complicating their current circumstances.

"You're so dazzling," Sho confessed softly, his gaze tenderly fixed on Takuya, as if fearing that his intense admiration might somehow affect the older man beside him. "I don't think that thought will ever change, even as time goes by," he added, expressing the timeless nature of his feelings.

Takuya couldn't help but respond in kind, softly murmuring, "You are too," his gaze shifting away from Sho.

"I yearn to be with you more often," Sho confessed, his eyes brimming with longing. "But I don't feel deserving of someone like Kusakawa Takuya," he admitted, acknowledging a sense of inferiority in comparison to Takuya's stature.

Takuya furrowed his brow, perplexed by Sho's sentiments. "What's this about? You're bringing this up again. Isn't it about time you realized that I dislike the way you perceive me like that?" he exclaimed, frustrated by Sho's persistent perspective on the matter. "Don't hold me in such high regard. You'll end up regretting it," he warned.

Sho smiled with a touch of melancholy in his voice as he confessed his heartfelt emotions. "If I admitted that I've been restraining myself from saying I want to grow even closer to you than ever before, would you be willing to accept that?"

Takuya, still struggling with his own fears and doubts, hesitated before finally speaking, his words stuttering out, "Wait, Sho, this isn't right. You can't just say-"

Sho accepted Takuya's reluctance with understanding. "I got it," he acknowledged. Sho considered that it might be time to acknowledge that it could burden Takuya to be with someone perceived as less popular.

Takuya's voice quivered with an emotional intensity, his eyes betraying a whirlwind of feelings. "You just don't understand," he breathed, "I've had these feelings for years. Why is it so hard for you to see it? You even said you didn't want to be friends! What do you think I must do? Keep holding onto hope? I feel helpless, and that's not something I can control!"

Without a second thought, Sho confirmed, "I'm feeling just as helpless."

Takuya chuckled softly after hearing Sho's response, a blend of relief and amusement coloring his expression. "It's almost funny how we've spent two years dodging this conversation when it was exactly what we needed."

As Takuya laughed joyfully, Sho enveloped him in a comforting hug. Teasingly, he remarked, "You're soaked. Did you forget to dry off after your swim?"

The comforting warmth from Sho's embrace enveloping Takuya, he playfully quipped back, "Next time, give me a heads-up before you hug, and I'll make sure to change into dry clothes."

Their laughter subsided, changed with a tender silence settled between them, filled with unspoken words and the weight of the moment.

Sho was the first to loosen his hug. "We still have to talk," he said, grabbing Takuya's hands and locking them together with his own hands. He wanted Takuya to focus. "I get that my insecurities might've bugged you and made you feel the same. But before I go on-"

"Sho," Takuya's smile glowed warmly as Sho held his hands firmly. "You don't have to explain your insecurities to me. If you believe you're not enough for me, your thoughts resonate with mine, making me feel like I'm the only one longing for us to be together. Can't we just complement each other instead?"

Sho's eyes shimmered with emotion. "I want to be with you."

"Then?" Takuya left the decision in Sho's hands, granting him the freedom to choose.

"Our feelings for each other," Sho hesitated but there was a flicker of hope in his eyes. "Could it keep us together from now on for a long time?"

Takuya maneuvered his hands, signaling a desire to break free from Sho's grip. Sho, surprised by Takuya's attempt, chose to honor Takuya's decisions and let the hands go. This time, Takuya's already liberated hands grasped hold of Sho's, restraining them from getting away.

"I have no doubt," Takuya finally answered Sho's question. "It's only grown stronger over all these years despite our lack of communication and meetings. There's no reason for us to deny it anymore."

The air between them seemed to lighten, a weight lifted off their shoulders as they embraced the truth they had been tiptoeing around for so long.

Sho's face lit up with a radiant smile, and without hesitation, he leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss on Takuya's lips.

As they pulled back, Takuya's cheeks flushed a soft shade of pink. "I guess that settles it then," he chuckled softly.

Sho grinned, his eyes sparkling with newfound joy. "It does."

With that heartfelt exchange, they finally laid bare their true emotions, letting go of doubts and uncertainties. It marked the beginning of their shared journey, hand in hand, toward an unknown yet promising future together.

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