The First Dance

The cafeteria which sold the most delicious foods was on the west of the campus. Since it was far away from faculty buildings, it was usually desolate. Eita and his friends had two free hours until the next lesson and they decided to go there. While they were going closer there, Eita suddenly stopped walking. One of his friends noticed that.

“What’s wrong, Fumikaze?” he asked. Eita didn’t answer that question. Then his friend looked where Eita was looking at. A group was studying their lessons on a table out of the cafeteria. They were drinking their teas.

Eita gulped once. “I just remember I have a work to do, Tachibana. You catch others,” he said and left there. Tachibana found Eita’s behavior suspicious. He thought for a while what he should do. Then he went after Eita.

“What happened, dude?” Tachibana asked.

“Nothing. I say I have work to do,” Eita answered.

Tachibana was bumping someone because he was trying to walk with Eita and at the same time, he was looking at Eita not the road. He didn’t care bumping and went on.

“On the other day, you left there while we were going to basketball court on east of the campus. You made an excuse again,” said Tachibana. Eita denied that and said it was coincidence. Tachibana was out of his patient so he suddenly stopped at the road. “You are behaving like there is a monster on east of the campus,” he said.

Eita got surprised that reaction. He stopped walking, too. “You’re exaggerating,” he said. “I’m not exaggerating! I know you’ve been like that since you visited medical faculty.” Tachibana answered without waiting.

Eita got panicked since they were talking about that in a crowded place. He came closer to Tachibana and “How do you know that?” he asked.

“Ah, as a Liberal Arts Prince, you should know that you’re been watching, man,” Tachibana answered angrily. He waited Eita to say something. After a few seconds, “It’s really annoying to learning from the girls what you do. You’re dealing with something and I don’t know that. How can you say I'm your best friend, then?” he continued. This time he didn’t wait an answer. He left there and sat on the grass beyond them.

Eita sighed once. Then he walked and sat next to Tachibana. After he thought for a while, “I do not think I can explain to you while I haven’t been able to explain to myself yet,” Eita said. Tachibana looked at his friend with surprise. He didn’t wait that his reproach worked. “Even if you can’t tell everything, when you get in trouble you can ask my help, dude. I want to help you how you are helping me,” Tachibana answered.

Eita smiled at his sincere friend. He put his hand on his friend’s shoulder and, “Thank you, Tachibana. You’re my only friend who knows my family situation. But I can’t tell everything about my issues,” he said.

“You’re cutting it off by saying family issues again. You can’t get away with “you’re my only friend who knows” stuffs,” Tachibana answered without waiting. That made Eita laugh. Tachibana looked at him as if he wanted to ask why Eita laughed.

Eita’s face suddenly changed to more serious expression. First, he looked around. Then he turned to curious face of his friend. He moved his hand to his chin and “Is it normal to have wet dreams about the same person in this age?” he asked by whispering.

“What?” Tachibana asked by surprise. Eita got up suddenly and “Anyway, just joking. Let’s eat something at a different place,” he said. He started to walk without waiting an answer.

At first Tachibana thought that Eita was really joking. After he saw the redness on back of his neck, he laughed. “I shall talk with Yamato-san soon,” he muttered and caught up Eita.

…

A week later, after their class had ended, Tachibana turned to Eita and “Are you going to come with me to club, right Fumikaze?” he asked. “Yeah. How many times do you plan to ask that?” Eita answered.

Nowadays three kendo fighters were going to be chosen for national tournament. There were three faculty which had kendo clubs in the university. The oldest and biggest one belonged to Liberal Arts. As the last year kendo students, Eita and Tachibana had no future plans for kendo art. They were visiting the club rarely. But they were called for help about choosing the students who would go to nationals.

“You promised to masters, you can’t quit,” Tachibana said. Eita couldn’t get why Tachibana insisted on that so much. He puffed and “I said I would go, right?” he complained.

…

When Eita enter the practice hall, he petrified what he saw. A few students from different faculties were practicing. He saw brown haired medical school student and turned his back. He was about to leave there but Tachibana’s voice stopped him.

“Master, Fumikaze and me have come to help you as you order!” Tachibana said loudly. Since master saw them by this calling and came to great them, Eita had no option but staying. Eita sensed that Tachibana did that knowingly. He looked at Tachibana and saw his grinning.

After their master greeted them, they headed to changing room. But Tachibana walked faster and moved away Eita because he knew what would happen. Eita began to spell his name “Ta-chi-ba-na...” and flew onto him. He kicked Tachibana’s back. Tachibana were still grinning even his pain on the ground.

He turned to Eita and “Don’t run away from your problems. Just face it,” he said. Eita got angrier and prepared another kick but Tachibana dodged that this time and run to the changing room.

Their juniors were watching them beyond them. The students who knew them in the same department were laughing. Others were watching them by surprise. “Aren’t they the last year kendo students in Liberal Arts?” one of them asked. “Perhaps they are going to attend to selections,” other one asked nervily. He knew he had less chance if two experienced seniors would attend for nationals.

“No, they have come to help for selections. Don’t mess around. Go on knocking up!” one of masters said. Ando was one of kendo club students in medical school. He watched behind Eita by smiling. He had some predictions about the situation.

…

Half an hour later Ando and Eita were looking at each other for the battle. At first Eita couldn’t understand how they matched with him between a lot of students. Then he turned to Tachibana and saw his smiling. He got that Tachibana had a hand in matching.

Eita got closer Tachibana by clenching his fist which he wanted to punch with. Tachibana believed that Eita couldn’t harm him in crowd and he got closer Eita, too. “Dude...” Tachibana said. “I’m not your dude anymore,” Eita answered. They were whispering to each other.

“You’re breaking my heart,” Tachibana said by howling.

“I want to break your head, too,” Eita answered without thinking.

Tachibana acted like he didn’t hear Eita, and “However...” he said. He lowered his sound more and “It’s better that you don’t remember your wet dreams while you’re in a battle against him,” he added.

Eita hit Tachibana with his elbow and got him down. He hit Tachibana one more time and made him welter. He pressed Tachibana’s back with his food, took his arms backward and started to pull them.

Some of the students were watching them by surprised and smile. They startled and stopped that when the grand master words.

“Eita, Ren! Stop your ridiculous knocking up style and get work!”

…

Ando and Eita’s turn came. Eita was going to match with two other students and Ando was first student. Eita took a deep breath. He saw Ando’s farceur smile and asked him why he was smiling.

“Are you alright?” Ando asked as if he didn’t hear Eita’s question.

“Why are you asking?” Eita asked.

“I’m just worrying about someone who smokes how he can deal with a sport which he hasn’t done for a long while,” Ando answered with a smile.

“I won’t be easy on you,” said Eita angrily.

“I hope you won’t, senpai. Or you seemed like you want to run away before to me,” Ando said calmly. He wanted to say that he was aware of everything by saying that. Eita got that and got angrier. “You asked for it,” he said and took his attack position. They started with a sign.

“Hey, Fumikaze is getting harder, isn’t he? His attacks are so fast,” one of masters who watched the match said.

“I wonder how he can be so good even though he quitted the kendo club,” other one added.

“Kendo is like a hobby for him. I guess he trains somewhere, too,” third one said.

Eita got carried away Ando’s adaptations to his attacks. After a bunch of defenses Ando finally could find a way for a counter-attack. Eita dodged that attack with a stronger defense but that style made Ando fall to the ground.

Ando got up without waiting. He wanted to go on match but one of masters asked a break. He wanted to check Ando if he was alright. Because Ando fell down severely.

Before Eita moved away, “As your words I would like to see a harder battle,” he said. He gave his sonkyo (greeting style in kendo) and turned his back.

As soon as he turned his back, “Eita, you fool! What if you hurt him! You believed his tricks so easily! I hope he is alright!” he whispered himself. Both of his words and panicked face were not being seen and heard in his bogo (cap in kendo). The second part of the battle went softer.

…

After Eita and Tachibana’s work finished, masters let them go home. But students had to wait all battles. Sky got dark already. Students were discussing the results while they were leaving the building. After a while Ando saw someone who was sitting on a bank beyond them. There was a towel on his head but Ando recognized him easily. He said goodbye to his friends and headed there.

Ando was not guessing that he had been waiting for him. He got so happy. “Hello,” he said by trying to show his happiness.

Eita figured that his heartbeats were getting higher by hearing that voice. But he pulled his towel, he raised his head and looked at owner of the voice.

“Aren’t you going to run away this time?” Ando asked by smiling.

“Who is running away?” Eita said by pouting. Ando smiled again and sat next to Eita.

Eita saw Ando’s callused hands while he was sitting. He suddenly held one of Ando’s wrists and got closer to see those calluses. Then he realized that he was holding Ando’s wrist which Eita could hurt in the battle and released him.

Ando figured what was going on and smiled again. He said that it didn’t hurt. Eita apologized for his making him fall. Ando said that it was not Eita’s fault. He thanked him for not going easy on him. Then Ando put his hands on his knees and looked at his calluses. “I can’t study kendo every day, afterall. So, I am getting calluses just like you get,” he said by looking at Eita’s hands. In that moment Eita realized that he got calluses, too.

They sat quietly for a while. Ando lifted his legs and wrapped his arms to his knees. He looked at Eita and “Could you tell me why you were running away from me?” he asked.

Eita peeked Ando and “You’re not missing a thing from your eyes,” he answered.

That complaining made Ando smiled. Ando who was smiling under a street lamp made Eita’s heartbeats higher. Eita took his own hand to his chest as if his chest was in pain. Ando figured out that Eita was doing that unconsciously.

“Is your hand hurt or your heart?” Ando asked by getting closer to Eita. Eita blushed that question. He couldn’t guess he was showing his emotions easily or Ando was so smart to understand that. Then “If an old man who smokes does sport suddenly, this is how it happens,” Ando added. Eita relaxed a bit with that joke. But he was feeling depressed at the same time. He didn’t say anything.

Ando found enough messing dose with him. “Fumikaze-sama!” he said. “I said Eita was enough before,” Eita answered calmly by not looking at him. Ando didn’t care Eita’s response and he got up. After he had a stretch, he asked if Eita had a work or not that time. Eita said that he had no work to do.

“Let’s go to an interesting place. If you didn’t run away from me, I could show you there before,” Ando said and showed the road.

That night, they visited a rag fair. They bought a few absurd clothes and disguised as a hospital staff. Then they visited a woman in a hospital. At first Eita couldn’t recognize her. Then he figured her out that she was Humaki-san's daughter. He was owner of the restaurant which Eita wanted to do business with.

According to Ando's investigations, the hospital where the woman had been imprisoned was belonged to Akira Group. The daughter of the restaurant owner had been kept in return half of the monthly income of the restaurant. Her treatment was going on yet it was slow. However, Humaki was being threatened that the woman would been killed without evidence.

Two days later, Fumikaze Family members infiltrated to hospital as staff. They kidnapped her and put her in a safe hospital. As Akira Group learnt that, they wanted to raid the restaurant but head of the group took a threatening letter from an unknown person. It was written some corruptions with evidence in that letter. He gave up there. The restaurant had been protected in that process.

A few days later, Eita visited the restaurant as a college student. After he finished his meal, he received a message by phone. When he left the restaurant, he saw a guy with a bicycle. He sat on that bike without talking. He lit his cigarette and “Who saw a big yakuza boss drives a bike?” he asked. “I rented for you too,” Ando answered by smiling. Eita forgot to smoke by surprise.

They drove about a half of an hour and arrived a temple garden at west of the city. Since Eita knew what was waiting for him “Come on! I can’t climb those steps!” he said. Still, he climbed the steps with Ando’s insistence.

When they finished climbing, they headed to the opposite direction of the temple. Eita waited with patient for an explanation from Ando. After they passed the other side of the garden, a beautiful city view welcomed them.

Ando waited for Eita’s resting while he was watching the view. “You should quit smoking, senpai,” he said by smiling. Eita stretched out his waist in pain and “Shut up, you are so hyperactive,” he answered. That made Ando laugh more.

After a few minutes Eita’s tiredness went away. He started to watch the view, too. Then “First the incident in my area, then that restaurant issue...” he muttered. Ando could hear him because of closeness to each other even if Eita muttered. But Eita made his voice clearer and “I don’t understand why you are helping me but... Thank you,” he said. Ando smiled sweetly without an answer.

“Is there anything I can do in return? Anything for you...” Eita asked. He was so embarrassed that his face turned to red. Ando continued smiling. Then he got closer to Eita slowly and looked at his face. “Will you do it really?” he asked by making a face as if he wondered something.

“Of course!” Eita answered. That time Ando lowered his head slowly. His forehead touched Eita’s shoulder. “Do not run away from me and...” Ando said. “And?” Eita asked curiously. “Do not go to your women in your bars,” Ando muttered. His face was showing his embarrassment.

He took his face to Eita’s chest without looking at him. Since Ando couldn’t be sure how Eita reacted to that movement, he couldn’t lift his head. Then Ando felt Eita’s racing heartbeats even though he was leaning on right side of his chest. He put his hand on left side of Eita’s chest. Eita’s heartbeats were so fast and strong that he knew Ando could sense them easily. When he could lift his head, their eyes were matched. Eita couldn’t stand to this embarrassment and excitement and he looked at elsewhere.

“This racing is for climbing stairs,” he said. But Eita took Ando’s touching hand into his hand. His gaze slit to Ando’s wrist that he could hurt a few days ago. Eita brought Ando’s wrist closer and kissed front part. At the same time Ando kissed Eita from his check. Then both of them realized what they were doing and got away from each other. They couldn’t look at each other for a while. Then they both smiled and looked at the ground.

A few seconds later Ando moved away from Eita by turning around himself like he was dancing. He came the garden fence which was put for the cliff. His arms were still open. He took a deep breath. Then he put his arms down and turned to Eita with a smiling face.

“Have you ever seen me before?” Ando asked. Eita made correct that he did not see Ando in Kobe-san's house for the first time. “I don’t remember,” he answered hesitantly. That answer didn’t make Ando upset. “You may not remember but I hope you can remember that,” he said calmly.

Eita got closer to Ando and “Would you remind me yourself?” he asked. Ando said no. Then “That day was the most important day of my life so I can’t tell you that easily,” he added. Eita couldn’t say something because of his diffidence. He wished he could remember.

Ando hold Eita’s hands without giving up his happiness. “Let’s come here one more time when you remember that,” he said by getting closer. He was smiling so beautifully that Eita couldn’t stand that cuteness and gave a kiss to Ando’s forehead. There was a confusion inside him how he could kiss a man with a big love.

Eita’s head moved away as soon as he kissed but he didn’t stop holding Ando’s hands. He was afraid of disturbing Ando than being uncomfortable. As soon as he looked at Ando again, Ando gave a little but meaningful kiss to his lips. After he kissed Eita, he felt the same worry like Eita did. When they looked at each other one more time, they realized that they had the same feelings about disturbing.

Both of them smiled and their foreheads touched each other. Since they were closer each other, Eita could sense Ando’s smell clearly. With that, he hugged Ando from his waist and began to kiss him intensely. Eita didn’t need to worry because Ando was kissing him, too. Ando’s arms hugged Eita’s neck.

After a few seconds Eita sensed that Ando couldn’t breathe but he continued what he was doing. Then he stopped kissing and took his lips to Ando’s ears. “You wanted this. I tried to run away but you didn’t let me. You started that and you can’t run away anymore,” he said. He smelled and kissed Ando’s ears and neck.

When Ando hugged him tighter, Eita decided that it would be dangerous if they continued to kiss each other like that. He gave his last kiss to Ando’s forehead and “Let’s go home. It’s late,” he said.

“Sorry, I didn’t want to kiss you with a smell after my kendo training,” Ando answered. Eita remembered that he sweated after climbing the stairs. He closed his eyes and lift his head to sky. “Why did you remind me that I sweated, too?” he asked. Both of them laughed. Then both of them said that none of them was smelling badly.

They went down stairs by holding hands. Someone who was jogging at that time saw them and stopped moving by surprise. Then he run faster. Eita and Ando watched his running for a while. After they realized why he was running, “It’s better we are not hooked on badly,” they said at the same time.