I Need To Buy Him a Mobile Phone...

[Sunday]

Seiji sat at his desk, staring at his computer screen, but his mind was far from his work. The memory of Hideaki's sudden outburst yesterday still lingered, gnawing at him.

'If not my intervention in time, That could've gone much worse,'

he thought, his jaw tightening.

'I stopped him this time... but what about next time? Ken saw it. He's not safe anymore. None of us are. If he would snap in a less predicted moment, what would be then?'

He leaned back, eyes narrowing as he considered the reality of his situation.

"He needs something to ground him. I need a plan."

Seiji muttered under his breath, his voice flat, calculating. But even as the words left his mouth, doubt crept in.

"I can't ignore a problem that could spiral out of control." he said to himself, voice measured. "But if I fail..."

He paused, tension lining his jaw.

"Failure's not an option. It never was."

Seiji glanced at his phone,

'Last day off. I promised myself to get him a phone...'

He exhaled, calculating.

'If I give him a way to reach me... I could check on him from distance. Maybe even control the next outburst before it starts.
It's not kindness. It's containment.'

He wasn't about to let things escalate further.

"Alright." he muttered, rising from the chair. The decision was made.

---

He walked over to where Hideaki sat, slouched in front of the TV, eyes glued to some anime.

"Hideaki," Seiji called, his tone sharp but not unkind.

Hideaki's head turned lazily. "Hm?"

"Let's go out."

"Out?" Hideaki blinked.

"Yeah." Seiji said simply, folding his arms. "You're cooped up in this place all the time. I guess the only air you get is sticking your head out of windows. And also... Might do us both some good."

Hideaki tilted his head, expression unreadable. "...I guess."

Seiji nodded once. "Also. I'm getting you a phone."

"A phone?" Hideaki sat up slightly, blinking. "Why?"

"So you can contact me if anything happens," Seiji replied flatly. "And so I can reach you. Simple."

''Why would he do that?'  Hideaki thought, surprised. 'He doesn't have to...'

He gazed at Seiji with serious look

'But... if he really wants to do this... t-then... It's.. really n-nice of him... I guess...?'

He inhaled through his nose, looking... as he was considering something, and then...

"A-alright. Just... let me finish this episode first," Hideaki said, waving vaguely at the TV screen. "They're at the final fight."

Seiji glanced at the screen - typical shounen formula. "I'll grab my wallet, and we'll head out." Seiji replied, his voice calm. "You've got five minutes."

"Mhm..." Hideaki murmured and turned his gaze on the anime.
'A w-walk. I like to walk.'  he thought as his eyes scanned the fight on the TV.

Seiji turned and walked back to his desk, eyes already scanning a mental map of the nearest phone stores.

***

As the two men stepped outside, they were greeted by a gentle spring breeze that played with their hair.

Seiji, ever calculating, decided to start a conversation that could help him get to know Hideaki better.
'Maybe that will help me understand why he is lashing out like that.'

"So, Hideaki, I noticed you were watching anime. What was it about?"

Hideaki perked up. "Oh... Um... It was about a guy who suddenly got magical powers, you know, teleportation, shooting lasers from his hands and so on... He was fighting various monsters to gain more powers and abilities. For example, he once fought a giant slime who was shooting acid from his gluteus body. Gross... And then after a few uh... months..? of traveling, he found out the truth about his origins and along with his friends he met them all while traveling around-(blah blah blah...)"

Seiji's mind began to drift as Hideaki continued, detailing every part of the plot.

'He's lost in the details again... just like when he talks about his "other" activities.'

Seiji was patient, but he preferred conversations to be quick and efficient, especially when it came to trivial topics like anime summaries.

He decided to cut through the rambling.

"Hideaki, listen..." Seiji said, his tone neutral but firm, "Can you summarize it? Just the main points."

Hideaki blinked, confused. "Huh? But... you asked what it was about..."

"Yeah, but I prefer the overview, not a script breakdown... You're talking in circles instead of getting to the point."

There was a pause. Hideaki furrowed his brows, clearly trying to replay the conversation in his head. After a few moments, he asked cautiously, "So, you want me to give you the short version?"

"Exactly," Seiji replied, nodding slightly. 'Finally, he's getting it.'

"Uh... okay. Well... it was about a guy who got powers -(...)" Hideaki's explanation once again spiraled into unnecessary details.

Seiji sighed internally,
'And here we go again...'

After listening for a bit, Seiji's mind wandered back to his own thoughts.
'If this guy doesn't finish me off mentally with his constant stalking and hunting for my life, it'll be this anime talk that does it.'

Hideaki seemed to notice Seiji's boredom and poked him. "Oi, are you listening?"

Seiji snapped back to attention. "Oh, yes, yes!" he replied quickly, feeling slightly annoyed with himself for losing focus.

'I need to handle these conversations better. Guide them, don't get lost in them.'

"I apologize. I zoned out for a second," he said, more for the sake of keeping things smooth.

"Mhm," Hideaki muttered in response, unconvinced.

"Oh, look, we're here," Seiji said, cutting the conversation short as they approached the subway station.

---

The cool breeze at the station was a welcome change from the warmth outside. Seiji, ever observant, admired the trains passing by. He couldn't help but share a piece of trivia.

"Fun fact. Did you know the Shinkansen can travel up to 320 kilometers an hour? It's so punctual that the average delay is less than a minute. It's amazing how far train technology has come. Speaking of vehicles- (...)"

Seiji began his talk about technology and vehicles, but trailed off as he noticed Hideaki's eyes glaze over.

'Right... not his thing.'

He mentally adjusted. "Anyway, I'll spare you the details,"

Seiji finished, cutting himself off before Hideaki could fall asleep on the station.

'Better to save this kind of talk for someone who cares about tech.'

Soon, their train arrived, and they boarded among the crowd of commuters.

The rest of the ride passed in silence.

After some time, they reached their destination. They stepped off the train and made their way towards the phone shop. Neither spoke for a while, both lost in their own thoughts.

Finally, Hideaki broke the silence. "Hey, have you always lived here?" he asked, his voice breaking the quiet.

"In Tokyo?" Seiji responded, glancing sideways at him.

"Mhm."

"No, I'm from Saitama prefecture. More preciesily from Chichibu - a small town west-north of here."

"Really?" Hideaki sounded genuinely surprised. "So what are you doing here?"

"I studied in Tokyo. My uncles in Saitama city offered me a place while I was at university, so it made things easier."

"Oh... I see. And then you decided to stay?"

"Pretty much," Seiji said, nodding. "I wanted some independence, away from family. Start a life of my own."

"Mhm..." Hideaki muttered, already drifting back into his own thoughts.

After a few more twists and turns through the bustling streets, they finally made their way to the telephone shop.

***

Tucked away in a narrow alley of Sumida, the shop was small and unassuming. It wasn't crowded, but the bell above the door chimed often enough to show it had a regular flow of neighborhood customers.

"Here it is," Seiji said matter-of-factly. "Let's head in. We'll find something that works."

Inside, the hum of electronics and chatter of salespeople filled the air.

The shop assistant tried to show Hideaki some of the more 'curent chosen' models and expensive ones, not realizing he didn't know enough about electronics to tell the difference between them.

Luckily, Seiji was there.

He stepped forward without hesitation, already calculating which models would be a fit for Hideaki's needs. Striding up to the counter, he began speaking with one of the salespeople, confident and straightforward in his negotiation.

Hideaki watched from the side, noticing how Seiji moved with precision and clarity.

There was no wasted effort.

Seiji scanned the display cases, clearly knowledgeable about the products.

Hideaki watched quietly, a faint twinge of admiration surfacing.

Once they exited the shop, Hideaki's grin was unmistakable. The excitement of having a new phone was too much for him to hide.

"I see someone's happy," Seiji commented, noticing Hideaki's grin. A small smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

"Huh? N-no! I mean... K-kinda... Tch!" Hideaki stammered, visibly embarrassed. "Shut up, and mind your own business!"

Seiji shook his head, sighing lightly. "A 'thank you' wouldn't kill you, you know... but I guess manners aren't really your thing." He sighed again, this time with mock exaggeration. "Looks like I'm stuck living with a selfish grump." He gave Hideaki a light punch on the shoulder, his tone teasing but controlled.

Hideaki quickly stepped closer, his voice lowering with a dangerous edge. "Do that again, and I'll kill you, idiot."

"You might want to be careful about what you're doing in public. That includes threatening me and showing any signs of violence. Just a reminder - you're still wanted by the police." He whispered to Hideaki.

"Tch!" Hideaki sulked.

As they walked back towards the subway station, tall, multi-story skyscrapers loomed around them, the sheer size of the city adding to the weight of the moment. Seiji's mind wandered briefly.

'I promised him a walk... and I still need to learn more about him. Maybe being around nature will loosen him up and he'll show me something special about him.'

"Let's take a detour," Seiji suggested, pointing toward a path that led to the riverside, lined with trees.

The path by the Sumida River was peaceful, relatively empty for Tokyo, save for a few small groups of friends, cyclists, and the occasional couple.

Hideaki didn't protest, and the two walked side by side in silence, the sound of their footsteps the only noise between them.

---

The wind rustled through the treetops, carrying a breeze from the Sumida River. Hideaki seemed to enjoy the moment.

Seiji glanced at him and smiled to himself.

'He looks... relaxed,' he thought, exhaling a quiet breath of relief.

It wasn't often that he saw Hideaki like this.

The wind tousled Seiji's blonde hair as the faint scent of river water reached his nose.

'It's been a while since I've taken a proper walk like this,'

Seiji reflected.

Lately, his routine had revolved around the basics:

Eat, sleep, code - repeat.

With a few distractions like video games and anime mixed in, it was all a blur of mundanity. But now... Seiji found himself rediscovering the small, quiet moments he had long overlooked.

Suddenly, Hideaki gasped loudly, snapping Seiji out of his thoughts.

"KITTYYY!!!" Hideaki's voice rang out as he bolted toward a small cat peeking out from the bushes.
"HOW CUTE!!!"
His wide, unsettling grin and tiny pupils made him look more like a predator than a guy trying to pet a kitten.

The cat, sensing danger, darted away, disappearing into the underbrush.

"Hey! Come back! I'm not going to hurt you!" Hideaki shouted, frustration in his voice.

Seiji snorted, unable to resist the jab. "You, not hurting anything? Now that's funny."

"Tch! You saying I can't be gentle?"

"After spending weeks with you?" Seiji raised an eyebrow, giving him a deadpan look. "I'd say no."

"Watch this, idiot." Hideaki grumbled, determined.

He made another attempt at catching the kitten, lunging and reaching out with both hands.

The nimble creature, however, effortlessly evaded his grasp. With each failed attempt, Hideaki's frustration grew.

"Come on, stop moving..." he muttered through gritted teeth.

Seiji sighed, watching Hideaki's increasingly aggressive efforts. "You're scaring it, Hideaki. You need to be gentle. The cat's not going to come to you like that."

"I know that, you smug bastard!" Hideaki snapped back, flustered.

Without saying another word, Seiji knelt down, quietly clicking his tongue and making gentle sounds to coax the cat out from its hiding spot.

Slowly, the tiny feline inched closer, its curiosity winning over its wariness.

Within moments, the kitten was purring and nuzzling against Seiji's hand. He carefully scooped it up, cradling it in his arms, before turning to Hideaki with a smirk. "See?" he said, holding the kitten out.

Hideaki hesitated but eventually reached out, stroking the cat's soft fur. His expression softened as he muttered, "Adorable..."

Seiji's curiosity piqued. "You like cats?"

Hideaki's face reddened slightly and covered himself with his hair as he tried to cover his blushes. "Mhm... They're... cute, fluffy and good for hugging..."

Seiji shook his head and chuckled gazing at Hideaki's now oddly calm expression.

Seeing him so composed and delicate, Seiji felt a little bit more at ease,

'Well, looks like he has a soft side... At least for cats.'  he muttered under his breath.

"See?" Seiji crossed his arms "All it took was approaching it differently." he remarked, clearly pleased with the outcome. "But to be fair, the cat probably sensed some evil aura coming off you," he added teasingly.

"HUH!?" Hideaki bristled, his face flushing with both anger and embarrassment.

Seiji's grin widened. "I mean, you are a serial killer. Can't blame the cat for being cautious. Or maybe... it saw through all that anger and found the softie hiding inside?"

Hideaki's fists clenched, his face turning an even darker shade of red. "I'll kill you!!!" he shouted, swinging his fists at Seiji's arms in a flurry of light punches.

The cat jumped off from Seiji's arms.

"What did I tell you about showing violence in public?" Seiji asked, but received no response from Hideaki.

When the punches kept coming, Seiji finally blocked him, stopping Hideaki's attack entirely. "You're overreacting, you know that?"

"Tch!" Hideaki hissed, looking like the angry little demon.

Seiji smirked, finding it oddly amusing how easily he could provoke Hideaki.

Then offered a peace deal. "Tell you what - if you behave, I'll buy you a cinnamon roll."

Hideaki's eyes lit up instantly, his anger evaporating in a flash. "C-cinnamon roll?"

Seiji nodded "Yes. But no more hitting, okay?"

"...Okay."

"You promise?"

"Mhm." Hideaki nodded, eagerly to get a sweet bun.

"Good. We have a deal then,"

As they continued walking, Seiji glanced at Hideaki, reflecting on the day.

'This walk was a good idea... He's more open and calmer when he's not stuck indoors. Of course, he still have his violent moments, but I'm beginning to see the layers beneath them. He's not just a killer or chaotic persona - there's something else in him...'

As they walked, a man with a large German Shepherd passed by. The dog, picking up the scent of the kitten, barked loudly, pulling at its leash. Hideaki flinched, stepping back with a startled look.

Seiji raised an eyebrow, noticing Hideaki's sudden fear. "Let me guess - you love cats but hate dogs?"

"It's not t-that I hate them!" Hideaki stammered. "I just... prefer cats, that's all."

Seiji nodded, smirking. "Makes sense. I'm more of a dog person. They're loyal, fun to play with, and they're always there when you're feeling down. Cats... well, they do whatever they want." 'Just as he does...'

As the dog and its owner walked away, Seiji noticed Hideaki was still a bit shaken.

'He's a serial killer, but not as scary as he tries to be... In fact, he's a really fearful person...'

Seiji mused, an image of Hideaki fear of spiders has crept in his memory.

Once Hideaki calmed down, they resumed their walk. Seiji watched him as he admired the nature around them, a small smile creeping onto his face.

'I wish he could always be calm like this...'

***

They walked side by side, nearing the entrance to the subway. Seiji was already planning out the rest of the day when Hideaki suddenly stopped him.

"I'm hungry." He blurted out.

Seiji exhaled.
"We're almost at the subway... and now you want food?"

Before Hideaki could muster a response, a loud growl erupted from his belly.

Seiji rolled his eyes and sighed.

His eyes scanned the street for options. "What are you in the mood for?" he asked, keeping his tone neutral.

Before Hideaki could respond, another loud growl came from his stomach, making him blush deeply and hide his face in his hands.

Seiji chuckled softly, unable to resist a smirk. "Sounds like you need more than just 'anything.' How about Ramen? Freshly made this time."

Hideaki's eyes lit up, his earlier embarrassment fading as he nodded eagerly. "Yes!!"

Seiji gave a quick glance around, spotting a place nearby. "Alright then. Ramen it is," he said, leading the way.

***

The two roommates stepped into the small, cozy restaurant.

As they entered, Seiji was greeted by the savory aroma of food and the soft hum of conversation.

The place was modern but had a warm, inviting atmosphere, making it a perfect spot for a quiet dinner.

Seiji scanned the room and quickly spotted two open seats by the window. "How about there?" he suggested, already steering them toward the spot.

Hideaki nodded, following without much thought.

After a few moments, a friendly waitress approached, and Seiji ordered two portions of ramen, keeping things simple and efficient.

As the waitress left, Seiji noticed Hideaki's eyes wandering, taking in the restaurant's cozy interior. He seemed almost... at peace.

"Hideaki," Seiji said after a pause, an idea sparking, "How about a little game while we wait?"

"Game?" Hideaki raised an eyebrow, mildly interested.

"Yeah. We'll play Truth or Dare. You know it?"

"Of course that I know it! Tch! ...But... don't we need a bottle or something for that?"

Seiji waved dismissively. "It's just the two of us, so we don't need all that." He leaned back in his chair, casually stretching his arms. "I'll start. Truth or Dare?"

Hideaki shrugged. "Truth."

Seiji was genuinely surprised. He'd pegged Hideaki for a Dare person.

"Alright then," Seiji leaned forward slightly.
"How many kills have you racked up?"

Hideaki tilted his head, thinking for a second. "A lot."

Seiji rolled his eyes. "And by 'a lot' you mean...?"

Hideaki smirked. "I used to count, but after a while, it got boring. If I had to guess... around 30?"

Seiji's eyes widened slightly. "Thir-?!"

Before he could finish, Hideaki interrupted with a laugh.

"Hehehe! Yeah! Some of them begged for their lives, you know? 'Please! I have a family! Don't kill me!' hehehe!"

Hideaki mimicked their voices, his grin wide and eyes gleaming.

"And when I finished them off - splat! Their beautiful red blood was everywhere! Hahahaha!"

Seiji's stomach turned slightly, but he kept his expression neutral, forcing down the discomfort that was starting to creep in.

'Maybe I wasn't wrong with all this 'he should be put in psychiatric hospital' at the end?'
He swallowed hard, deciding not to linger on that thought.

Hideaki leaned in, grinning. "Your turn. Truth or Dare?"

Seiji considered for a moment. No way was he giving Hideaki a chance to put him in some psychotic situation with a dare. "Truth."

"Where do you work?"

Seiji blinked, surprised by the mundane question. "Oh, that's easy," he muttered, relieved it wasn't anything more personal.
"I work for an IT company as a programmer. About 30 minutes away from my apartment."

"Why IT?" Hideaki blurted out another question.

"Hey, you're jumping the line," Seiji raised his voice, irritated by Hideaki's impatience. "I'll answer that next round."

"Tch. Fine." Hideaki grumbled, visibly annoyed.

Seiji continued. "Alright... A little apart from the game, tell me, why are you so obsessed with getting that knife back?"

Hideaki's eyes darkened a little. "Because it's my weapon. It's special."

Seiji nodded thoughtfully. "I see... but with your Blood Control Magic Ability, why do you even need it? Seems redundant."

"It's easier to cut into someone first," Hideaki explained with an unsettling calmness, "makes it faster to draw out their blood."

"But you can do it easily even without it. You're doing your bloody weapons all the time, so... Why the knife?"

Hideaki lowered his gaze and smiled lightly, almost unsettling.

"It's... Because... I just like it. I like how the blade smells metallic. How I can easily cut through someone. How unsettling it is when I'm holding it... Hehe..."
He smirked, then added darkly, "Don't think for a second you can hide it from me forever. I'll find it - and when I do, I'll kill you with it."

'That’s not normal. He loves the smell of metal and how easily it cuts through... Yeah... It sounds like a kitchen knife commercial. The problem is, he’s not cutting vegetables.'

Seiji fought to keep his composure. "Well, good luck with that," he said, his tone intentionally casual. "I hid it in a secret place you'd never think to look."

"Huh? What secret place?" Hideaki narrowed his eyes, suspicion flaring.

"Exactly. Secret." Seiji leaned back, crossing his arms with a calm smirk.

Hideaki scowled, crossing his own arms in frustration. "I'll find it anyway... Tch!"

"Anyway, as for your earlier question - I chose IT because it's one of the few careers where I can sit at a desk, work alone, and still get paid well." He paused. "Also, I like a challenge. Coding gives me that. Plus, I was top of my class at university." He added the last part with quiet pride.

Hideaki rolled his eyes. "Oh, great... Good for you."

Seiji rolled his eyes as well. "What about you? Did you go to college?"

At this, Hideaki flushed slightly. "N-No."

"No?" Seiji tilted his head, curious now. "Why not? Failed the entrance exams?"

"Kind of..." Hideaki muttered, clearly irritated by the question. "I... killed one of my high school teachers. So... yeah."

Seiji froze. "You... what?"

Hideaki shrugged nonchalantly. "It's all because of the others in my class... One guy was pissing me off especially, so I wanted to show him that he shouldn't underestimate me, only that... I had troubles with controlling my Magic Ability back then and... eh... I killed the teacher with a stroke..."

Seiji's hands trembled slightly under the table. 'He killed a teacher, with a stroke? just like that?'  

He took a deep breath, doing his best to stay calm.

Before the tension could escalate, the waitress returned with their ramen, placing the steaming bowls in front of them.

Seiji quickly snapped back to the present. "Thank you," he said, smiling at the waitress.
"Wow, this is a huge portion," he remarked, eyeing the massive bowl in front of him.

"Yeah..." Hideaki mumbled, as he stared at the food.

"Well, let's dig in then. Itadakimasu." Seiji said.

His gaze however, turned to Hideaki again, unable to fully comprehend that this small, impulsive man in front of him has killed others just like that. Treating as it was nothing serious.

***

Hideaki finished his meal before Seiji, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied sigh. He looked like he might fall asleep right there, completely content.

Seiji stared at his own bowl, which still had a third of the ramen left. "I don't think I'll eat anymore." He glanced over at Hideaki's empty bowl, then back at his own, eyebrows raised. "H-How... did you finish all of that?"

Hideaki, looking half-conscious, rubbed his stomach lazily. "I don't know... Mmm..." He mumbled, clearly full but somehow pleased with himself.

Seiji shook his head in disbelief, still processing how someone smaller than him had devoured everything while he couldn't finish.

'Well, stomach capacity varies... I guess,' he reasoned internally, but it was still impressive.

Or concerning.

Suddenly, Hideaki's eyes shot open as he realized something. "Cake!" he exclaimed, practically jumping in his seat.

Seiji blinked, momentarily thrown off. "Huh? Cake? Wait... No way..."

He saw Hideaki's eyes light up and the unmistakable sight of his mouth starting to water.

'Oh, for God's sake... he still wants dessert?'

As the waitress approached with a tray of desserts for another table, Hideaki immediately jumped in. "Can I order something sweet?" he asked eagerly, almost too eagerly.

The waitress smiled. "Of course! We have cakes, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and sundaes."

"Cinnamon rolls?!" Hideaki's voice was filled with excitement as drool started to form again.

Seiji sighed, already resigned to the situation. "Alright, alright... I did promise you a cinnamon roll if you behaved." He glanced at Hideaki. "Just one, though."

"Fuck yeah!" Hideaki nearly shouted, his excitement almost childlike.

Seiji crossed his arms. "One. That's it." He thought to himself, 'I don't know how anything else will fit into that already overstuffed stomach...'

Hideaki's face lit up with a wide grin. The waitress soon returned with the cinnamon roll, and as soon as it was placed in front of him, the sweet aroma of cinnamon and frosting filled the air.

Hideaki wasted no time, devouring the pastry quickly, getting frosting smeared all over his face and hands. Seiji watched him in silent disbelief.

'He's unbelievable...' he thought with a quiet sigh, noting the mess Hideaki was making of himself.

With the meal finished, Seiji signaled for the bill and paid with his credit card. "Alright, time to go." He glanced over at Hideaki, who looked like he might pass out from overeating. "Wake up," Seiji nudged him gently. "It's getting late."

Hideaki groaned, clearly stuffed and sluggish. He picked up the menu again, staring at it longingly. "Mmm... I want to stay here forever..."

Seiji rolled his eyes. "Come on, don't hang around. And don't even think about ordering anything else. Your stomach's going to explode."

"Tch..." Hideaki grumbled, reluctantly putting the menu down. When he tried to stand, he struggled to lift himself, his belly too heavy after all the food.

"I can't get up," he muttered.

Seiji sighed, shaking his head. "You overdid it." He stood up and helped Hideaki out of his seat. "You're so heavy now, it's like trying to lift a heavy rock. At this rate, you'll need a whole new wardrobe soon." He pointed out at Hideaki's exposed midriff.

"H-Huh?!" Hideaki scowled, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "N-not true! S-stop teasing me about my belly!" he barked, hastily pulling down his shirt in a futile attempt to cover himself, frustration burning on his face.

Seiji smirked, not letting it slide. "Yeah, that's what happens when you eat like you're trying to out-eat an entire sumo team."

Hideaki didn't respond, too embarrassed to argue, and Seiji helped him out of the restaurant.

'At least he behaved somewhat normally today,'

Seiji thought as they left.

'No snapping... but I still need to keep an eye on him.'

As they made their way toward the subway, Seiji exhaled satisfied.

After hearing the sigh Hideaki moved his eyes at Seiji, looking at him puzzled. "W-what?" he asked.

Seiji laughed, clearly amused. "I didn't expect to do something else than buying a phone and a walk. Or even expect you to stuff yourself like a glutton today."

"Sh-Shut up..." Hideaki muttered, his face turning red from a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.

Seiji spoke again, this time more gently. "It was a good day, wasn't it?"

Hideaki hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Y-Yeah... it...was." He smiled slightly, as if remembering the more enjoyable parts of the day, massaging back silently his stuffed belly.

With that, they reached the subway and eventually made their way back to their apartment.