Chapter 16: Dawn After Doubt

"You said you would be by my side every day after todayYou said that love would never change after the test of timeYou said you missed me so much and you would be here tomorrowNow I'm left alone, looking at the horizon"你曾说 by 高泰宇,黄靖翔

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Sho and Takuya made their way to the airport, the clock ticking closer to 3 AM with Takuya behind the wheel, allowing Sho to rest on the way. The atmosphere was a mix of quiet anticipation and the subtle chaos typical of an airport at an early hour. Sho glanced around, his eyes searching for the familiar faces of his three colleagues who were also set to attend the short course abroad.

Despite the early hour, Sho's excitement was tempered by the unclear directions he'd received from his colleagues. The vague message intended to lead him to their rendezvous point left him flustered due to lack of the clarity he desperately needed. With each uncertain step, his irritation grew, casting a shadow over his usual composed demeanor.

A wave of fondness washed over Takuya as he saw Sho struggling to decipher the words on his phone screen. "Want me to take a look at that friend's message?" he asked gently, his hand reaching out to touch Sho's arm. He knew that the information might be overwhelming in this sleepy state. After a brief reading, Takuya grasped the directions. "Okay, right turn at this intersection, then straight ahead," he explained, taking charge of navigation through the maze-like terminals.

It wasn't a long walk before Sho found his colleagues huddled together right next to the gate. His steps quickened to greet them. As he reached out to them, Takuya momentarily found himself at a distance, a silent observer amid the excited greetings. Standing a short distance away, Takuya respectfully acknowledged Sho's colleagues with a slight bow from where he stood. After the brief greeting, Sho swiftly returned to Takuya, their reunion cut short by the imminent boarding call.

"It's time for me to go," Sho whispered, his face etched with an unspoken pain.

Takuya nodded, the unspoken words burning in his throat. He turned his head, unable to meet Sho's gaze. But Sho, his own heart heavy with the looming farewell, couldn't bear the growing distance. He reached out, his fingers tracing the curve of Takuya's jaw, and tilted his face back towards him. Their eyes locked in a silent plea, and then their lips met, a desperate kiss that spoke volumes beyond any words. Their lips weren't meant to meet gently, but they crashed together in a storm of emotion. Tongues tasted, breaths mingled, a shared gasp of desire in the face of the coming separation.

As Sho's lips lifted, Takuya instinctively tried to turn away. Sho wouldn't let him escape, he reeled him back in. Sho's voice, a low rumble against Takuya's ear, firm and gentle. "No, don't you dare look away," he tilted Takuya's head, urging Takuya to meet his eyes.

Takuya's gaze found Sho's again, as if drawn by an unspoken force. Their eyes locked, the world around them melting away into a hazy mirage.

Sho's lips brushed Takuya's forehead, lasted only a heartbeat before Sho finally stepped back. His gaze, burning with unspoken questions, pierced through Takuya's facade, seeking the raw truth behind his eyes.

This time, Takuya lifted his head, his gaze meeting Sho's with a raw honesty that stripped bare his soul. The walls he'd built crumbled under the weight of their connection.ho's with a raw vulnerability.

"I'll be sure to send you the updated course schedule as soon as I have it, and reach out anytime you need anything." Sho promised, his gaze softening as he watched the rhythm of Takuya's blinks, a silent wish for Sho's presence to linger a bit longer. "Be gentle with yourself, eat well. You're incredibly important to me, and know I miss you already. See you in 8 weeks!"

After a brief pause, Sho patiently lingered, hoping for even the faintest response from Takuya. Yet, silence persisted, with only Takuya's unwavering gaze fixed upon him. With a heavy heart, Sho chose to turn away, beginning his walk towards the plane, leaving behind the unspoken emotions hanging in the air.

"Sho," Takuya's voice cut through the air, causing Sho to freeze in his tracks. Sensing Sho's instinct to turn, Takuya swiftly added, "No need to look back. Keep moving forward. Have a safe flight. I'll be waiting in our apartment when you return. Take care."

Sho's feet were inching towards departure when Takuya's voice reached him. A grateful smile bloomed on his lips, savoring this final moment of connection. With a surge of warmth, he formed a peace sign with his fingers, a silent promise of return before resuming his stride towards the boarding gate.

As Sho's silhouette faded amongst the bustling stream of passengers, Takuya stood rooted, until the final flicker of his presence vanished. His gaze lingering on the empty space left behind. This departure was a gateway to introspection, a shift towards facing his own struggles and finding resolution for what remained unsettled. With newfound resolve, he turned away from the swirling crowd, ready to face his own storms and find his own peace.

"Alright," Takuya said. He straightened his shoulder with determination. "Let's do this."

♡

Ryoga, Takashi, and Shuya were just nearing their practice room when they observed Haru closing the door in a slow-motion act. Familiar with Haru's occasional eccentricities, they exchanged amused glances, silently questioning what he might be up to this time.

"What's keeping you out here?" Ryoga asked, his voice light and teasing. "Come on, practice is about to start."

"No, wait, hold on!" Haru said, stepping in front of Ryoga. "There's Takuya-kun, sprawled like a starfish on the floor, catching his breath. I guess he just ran through his dance routine. I thought I was the first one here. Also, He's got his eyes fixed on the ceiling like he's lost in some deep thought, and I'm not sure if I should say anything."

Ryoga wasn't surprised. He'd learned from security that Takuya had swooped into the studio at 6 AM, clocking in four solid hours of practice before anyone else. Ryoga met Takashi's gaze, their eyes sharing silent understanding.

Without needing further explanation, Takashi offered, "Nishigaki-kun hopped on the first flight out this morning."

"Ah, now it makes sense," Ryoga nodded, piecing together the information, he understood the situation Haru had painted, revealing the reason behind Takuya's distress. "He's not doing well. Let me go chat with him and see if everything's cool. If he's not in the right headspace, he needs to head home. You can all relax here while I handle it."

"Huh? Why did he need to leave?" Shuya remained puzzled.

"He's got so much going on. We just want to make sure he's taking care of himself." Takashi explained. "Remember how tough it was last time when Takuya overexerted himself due to emotional struggles? We don't want him to repeat the unhealthy pattern of burying his problems in work and practice. He needs to take care of himself emotionally, and that means addressing what's bothering him."

Shuya winced, a memory from a few years back flashing through his mind. "Okay, Ryoga-kun. Do what you need to do. Maybe mention that sometimes the best practice is self-care, and heading home might be the answer."

Takuya lay motionless in the practice room, lost in a sea of thoughts. His gaze fixed on the ceiling as his mind wandered. When it came to Sho, a shadow of doubt occasionally crept into Takuya's optimistic heart. Perhaps it was the memory of life without Sho, leaving Takuya determined to never endure that absence again. He yearned for a settled life with Sho, but his unwavering desire to be by Sho's side posed a potential threat to the success of 'Bullet Train'. Are all of Takuya's individual fans responsible for the 15% decline? He found himself regretting this situation, feeling disheartened by his fans' response.

"Whatever you decide, it's all good," Ryoga stated firmly, snapping Takuya out of his thoughts, leading to Takuya gave a sharp glance at the group's leader. "But right now, you need to go home, get some rest and come back with a clear head. Deal?"

Rising from his position on the floor, Takuya settled himself comfortably cross-legged. "It's almost time yo begin," he declared, giving his watch a quick peek that confirmed it was 5 minutes until ten.

"I hear you," Ryoga said in understanding. "You've been at it since the crack of dawn, which is four hours longer than anyone else. It's best to call it a day and chill out."

"I can continue-"

"I get it," Ryoga said, his voice resolute, mirroring Takuya's insistence with a relaxed tone. "While you may have the energy to keep practicing, it's important to address what's truly troubling you. This practice isn't helping you move forward. Instead of burying it under more and more work, facing it head-on can help you find lasting relief."

A silent acceptance settled over Takuya as Ryoga's words resonated within him, offering a chance for introspection. He slowly collected his things, a heavy sigh escaping his lips as he rose to his feet and and left the practice room without a word, the door clicking shut behind him.

After a few minutes, Takashi, Haru, and Shuya entered the room. They were deeply impressed by what they saw.

"I wouldn't have thought anyone could budge him," Shuya admitted, impressed by Ryoga's ability to sway Takuya and remembering Takuya's past stubbornness.

"He could have reacted to something I said related to his personal life," Ryoga admitted with a thoughtful shrug.

"There's more to the story. Did your magic words convince him, or did the whole discussion backfire?" Takashi asked, hinting at his suspicion.

"The happiness in his eyes when Nishigaki-kun proposed was impossible to miss. He must have been counting down the days since the law passed," Haru expressed with empathy, highlighting the depth of Takuya's feelings.

"He couldn't have been more eager," Takashi confirmed, speaking on behalf of the senior members. "That's why, we stand by him in any decision he makes. I think it's time we give Takuya the space to truly focus on himself and prioritize what matters most to him."

Despite understanding Takuya's possible choice, the Bullet Train members struggled with his unexplained absence from practice sessions for three consecutive days. On the first day, he informed Yuki about feeling unwell, and while a message to Ryoga seeking continued leave for the same reason arrived the next day, communication stopped entirely by the third day, leaving the members in the dark about his whereabouts and health status.

Four days passed, and Takuya's continued absence sparked alarm among the Bullet Train members. Ryoga knew it was time to act. He approached Yuki and Aloha, entrusting them with the mission of visiting Takuya's apartment to check on him.

The insistent buzz of the doorbell echoed through the quiet hallway as Yuki and Aloha waited patiently at Takuya's door. Despite their repeated attempts to contact him, minutes ticked by with no answer, and the door remained resolutely shut.

The persistent doorbell finally reached the ears of Takuya's next-door neighbors, Yagi Yusei and Hagiwara Riku. They popped out to see what was up. Spotting Aloha, Yagi Yusei gave a friendly wave. While not exactly close, but their paths had crossed a few times. "Hello again," Yagi Yusei greeted him.

"Long time no see," Aloha replied.

"This isn't exactly a common hangout spot. What brings you two here?" Hagiwara Riku chimed in, joining the chat. "Are you guys waiting for someone, or just chilling in this hallway?"

"We've been ringing that doorbell like crazy," Yuki started explainig, pointing at the intercom. "We haven't heard anything back from the intercom and no one has anwered the door."

Hagiwara Riku and Yagi Yusei exchanged a confused glance. "It's surprising you don't know," Hagiwara Riku said cautiously. "One of them is currently out of this country, and the other hasn't been home for three days, his brother came to get him."

"Just to double-check, was it Naoya?" Yuki confirmed casually.

"Naoya, Nao-chan... something like that. It's a bit fuzzy, but I think I remember Takuya-kun using one of those names." Yagi Yusei admitted, frowning in concentration. "The details are hazy, but I do recall Takuya-kun wasn't feeling well that day."

Uncertainty gnawed at Yuki and Aloha as they locked eyes, their faces reflecting a shared concern. Why would his brother, rarely being involved by Takuya in his personal life, be the one taking him home? Was it a sudden health crisis? A fatigue from work? Or was there something else, something they hadn't considered, that demanded his brother's assistance?

"Alright," Hagiwara Riku announced, interrupting Yuki and Aloha's thought. "Up for a relaxing break in our place?"

♡

"Does this mean things are going badly?"

Aloha asked Yuki, who responded with a shaking head, signifying a 'No'. Yet, Yuki, having spent many years with Takuya in the boygroup, could anticipate the potential outcome. But Yuki anticipated that if he were to discuss this with Kai, Takashi, and Ryoga, they would likely share his concerns.

Yuki's sharp eyes landed on Naoya standing by the elevator, eliminating the need for further discussion with senior members. They'd be riding together, but Naoya pushed the button for a higher floor. It sent a wave of speculation through Yuki's mind.

Naoya's gaze landed on Yuki and Aloha, and he gave them a short head nod. Yuki, in turn, greeted him with a friendly smile.

"Naoya-kun," Yuki began. "Just checking, is Takuya in your house?" Yuki asked directly.

"Yeah, he is home," Naoya muttered hesitantly. "He mentioned having trouble getting some good rest, and he looked pretty worn out."

Aloha sought clarification, "Is he okay?"

"He was absolutely wiped out," Naoya emphasized, shaking his head slightly. "When I went to get him, he looked pale and drained, bags under his eyes, sluggish walk. I later learned he's been suffering from sleep-deprived headaches."

"And I found it interesting, Naoya-kun," Yuki mused, tilting his head. "You are heading to that floor. What brings you to visit the management level?" However, The persistent silence from Naoya pushed Yuki to be more direct. "Maybe you know best... is he thinking about leaving the group?"

Naoya's mind reeled. He anticipated shock, concern, anything but the composed expression Yuki wore. This unexpected response made Naoya hesitate, struggling to find the right words.

"That seems to be the case," Yuki concluded. "If he doesn't feel comfortable talking to everyone, get the manager to explain things to other members."

"Yuki-kun," Aloha interjected, trying to keep calm despite the shocking conclusion. "We've reached our floor. Should we go?"

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