Kento moved his suitcase into the small cottage his friend had rented him to stay in for his ‘summer break.’ That’s what Shori was calling it, but Kento didn’t want to sugar-coat the fact he got unjustly fired from his job as a scientist.
He got fired because he contradicted his boss in using their research on plant cells to create unhealthy ‘medicine.’ He spoke up for himself a few too many times and, low and behold, out in the streets. Kento laughed at how often that disgusting boss would take his credit or try to flirt with him. He would fall eventually, and Kento couldn’t wait to read all about it in the papers finally.
He was so angry and wanted to get away from all that pain! He couldn’t stand being in his drab apartment looking for jobs. It all felt too much! He gave so much of himself to his career; in the end, it took someone else’s ego to wash over all of that.
Thankfully he still had good friends. People who truly cared for him. Shori knew Kento was struggling. Anyone can tell. Kento had a few mental breakdowns after the job loss. Thankfully he had a corporate lawyer as a friend as well. Marius had taken time out of his own day to ensure Kento got everything he could out without going to court. Kento knew he didn’t want to face his boss even a second longer.
So, here he was. Standing in front of a cottage near the river. It took a small bridge to drive over, but it was beautiful. Kento might have been a little scared, but he knew that a few kilometres down, there was another cottage. It belonged to some old couple and their young son. That’s what Shori had told him. Kento wondered if Shori had told them about him because as he walked up the steps to greet the inside of the cottage, he saw a small basket of jams sitting on the porch.
Kento opened his phone and sent a picture of the display to Shori.
Kento opened the door to perhaps the most comfortable-looking place he had ever seen. The scene in front of him included comfortable sofas and fuzzy carpets, possibly from the 80s. It was decorated with family photos and other paintings. Kento locked the door behind him and picked up his suitcase to walk toward where Shori had described his room.
His room, for the time, was decorated as if it were a young boy’s room. It had a few stuffed toys on the bed, and the ceiling was covered with glow-in-the-dark stars. They no longer glowed, but they made Kento smile anyway.
Laying on the bed, Kento decided that he deserved this. He earned a vacation, and he was going to have it. He felt excitement bubble up in his heart. For the first time in a very long time, Kento would experience something fun and fulfilling for himself.
That night Kento dreamed of the beach near the cottage. He had just driven by the place on his way, but in his dream, he was experiencing it as though he had walked there every day. Something or someone was very gently calling out to him. The voice came from behind him, and for a bit, he felt as if it was trying to assure him that he was safe, but soon it became desperate. The voice sounded like the giant bells that hung overhead churches. It became louder and louder. He turned around and… Well, Kento couldn’t remember what happened after that part.
The next day Kento woke to the sun shining in his eyes even though the curtains were drawn. He was sweating as well. It was time for him to get up, shower and hit the town for groceries. This made Kento groan a little. Then the thought of a bakery came to mind, and Kento felt the urge to remove himself from the bed.
The town near the cottage was quite beautiful. It felt like the town from the Murder, she wrote. Kento looked around to see if Angela Lansbury would jump out from somewhere. He chuckled to himself as he made his way around.
“Look out!” shouted someone from Kento’s right
Before Kento knew it, he had a frisbee hit his head. He rubbed his head and turned towards the voice, ready to glare at the perpetrator. He did not expect to see a very hot Adonis in just a tank and some dark blue sweatpants walk towards him with an apologetic look. The arm muscles were one thing, but he could basically see that man’s pecs pop out of his chest. As he traced his eyes back to the face, Kento felt parched. The chocolate eyes, with those plump lips, not to mention that adorable nose.
Kento closed his eyes, silently thanked Shori and dramatically grabbed his head where he got hurt and pouted at the man. He was going to make that man want him.
“Are you okay?”
Kento fluttered his eyelashes and nodded his head. He picked up the frisbee a little slower than he usually would and added a wobble to his step while handing the frisbee back. The boy looked slightly concerned as he bent his neck to look at Kento’s face.
“I’m fine. Just not used to frisbees flying at my face... I’m Nakajima Kento by the way.”
“Sorry about that. One of Mr. Brown’s kids were playing, and he threw it your way. Are you sure you’re okay? You seem a little red” the man hovered his hand over Kento’s forehead for a second before finally putting his cold hand over the waiting man’s warm skin. “I’m Kikuchi Fuma.”
Kento fought the urge to close his eyes and lean even more into Fuma’s touch. When the hand retreated, Kento felt like someone was ripping their breath right out of his throat. He took only a tiny millisecond to still his heart before he began his counterattack. It wasn’t his fault he hadn’t felt someone be so gentle with him that they were not his close friends. They had yet to touch his forehead, though. It was a strong move Fuma had pulled, probably unknowingly.
“Do you know about any café or something here? I” he cleared his throat in the gentlest way possible, “I feel a little dehydrated. I’m not used to being in the sun for too long, Fuma.”
There was a small knowing smile creeping its way onto Fuma’s face as he bit on his bottom lip. He looked over the man whose hand had moved from where the frisbee hit him to a completely different place over the speck of their short conversation.
“Sure, Kento. Let me just return this frisbee, and then I’ll lead the way.”
Kento smiled widely and batted his eyelashes once more. He had found the perfect way to spend his holiday.
Kento watched Fuma walk away to give the boy his frisbee. He whispered something to the kid, who nodded and ran off somewhere.
Fuma walked back far too slowly for Kento’s liking, but watching the man walk toward him wasn’t too bad. He liked the way those eyes were concentrating on him and only him. It almost made Kento blush away and look away. Almost. Kento knew the first person to look away would be the one losing, and he would not let it happen again. Kento was stubborn, after all.
Fuma took him to a local café. It seemed everyone knew the boy. Everywhere Fuma would lead Kento, everyone would greet him. Kento couldn’t help but be a little impressed. Fuma even helped Kento with his groceries and loaded them into his car.
“Fuma, do you know the cottage across the bridge” Kento started when they were done loading his groceries.
Fuma’s smile grew even wider. He leaned against Kento’s car and nodded his head as if urging Kento to continue speaking.
“I’m staying there for now.” Kento looked over at Fuma; he knew just what to do to keep the man interested.
“I see. I do know the Sato’s place,” Fuma said, stepping forward to reduce the distance between the two.
Kento grabbed Fuma’s hand and shook it firmly. He could see the confusion in Fuma’s eyes.
“Thank you for today. It was such a lovely day~.”
With that, Kento got into his car and drove off. He couldn’t help but giggle at how Fuma had seemed so confused. He could see how Fuma expected Kento to invite the man back to Shori’s place. But not so fast. Kento was into the game of making others want him, and that included patience.
Driving back, the waves seemed a little louder. If Kento had turned around, he might have seen something from the ocean looking at him. But in his newfound happiness, he missed the minor detail that would become very important.
It rained that night while Kento slept. He had the dream again, but this time while he was walking, it seemed the voice behind him grew soft until Kento was stopped in his tracks. Something was holding him in place. He would say arms were holding him in place, but it didn’t feel like arms. Something was gliding and slithering around his body. It was growing tighter and tighter, yet it wasn’t crushing or hurting him. It just held a deep want. Kento could feel it. The desire kept growing from the thing behind him. It was infectious. Then something made its way to Kento’s mouth.
Before anything else could happen, Kento woke up. For the second time, he had woken up soaking wet.
Kento hung out in the town the next day, just exploring. He saw Fuma again, but he only observed the man this time. That didn’t mean he didn’t wave back when Fuma waved at him, of course, but he couldn’t seem too interested. He had to keep the other man on his toes. Seeing how Fuma smiled when he waved back, Kento knew his antics would work.
He called his friends again that night to assure them he was doing well. They seemed to relax, seeing Kento smile again finally. Once again, Kento felt comforted by his friend’s presence.
That night he dreamt of being in the ocean. It was a little dark, but something human-shaped made it to him. Before he could reach out, something pulled him away from that person. He floated and floated until he was washed ashore. It felt harrowing.
Kento decided to go to the beach finally. He packed a few sandwiches and juice boxes and headed to a nice area on the beachfront. He was just staring at the waves when the shadow of someone covered his body.
“Nice to see you again, Mr. Nakajima.”
Looking above his head, Kento could see Fuma staring down at him. The sun made it hard to see his expression.
“Call me Kento!” Kento whined as Fuma made his way to sit beside Kento.
“As you wish, Kento,” Fuma said, breathing out the name ever so slowly.
Kento curled his toes, imagining his name being spoken again by Fuma in a different context.
“Would you like a sandwich?” Kento asked, reaching into his basket to bring out a sandwich for the other boy.
Fuma took Kento’s sandwich and happily ate it. His eyes continuously stayed on Kento, making the other almost a little self-conscious under the gaze.
Kento opened his mouth to say something when Fuma leaned closer to him. Their faces were so close that Kento could smell the cocoa butter from Fuma. Fuma smiled and pulled away with one of Kento’s juice boxes in his hand. Kento was impressed, but he wasn’t one to back down. He got up and took his shirt off. Fuma watched his every move, noticing Kento pull out a bottle of sunscreen and rub it slowly and sensually over his chest. He made sure his every move was as suggestive as possible without letting himself look as though he knew what he was doing.
Fuma put the juice box down and looked to the side. Kento did a little victory dance in his mind.
“Have you heard the story about this beach?”
This was not where Kento wanted the conversation, but he shook his head. Fuma reached over to Kento and brought him down so they lay beside each other. The waves crashed against the beach in the sound of a pulsing rhythm.
“The town lore is that this was a place of worship to two water deities.” Fuma turned to his side to look at Kento as he continued, “They were lovers and stayed in the ocean, but one day one of them decided to try living as a human for once. The other deity waited and waited, but his love never came back. It was said that his lover had been human for too long, and he forgot where he belonged.”
Kento nodded, trying to concentrate on the story and not Fuma’s clavicle peeking from under his shirt. If that wasn’t distracting enough, the sound of the waves and the warmth radiating from Fuma’s body almost lulled Kento to sleep.
“The lonely deity is said to have split himself into two parts. One part of his soul is said to have become almost like a normal human, here to mingle with the townspeople, hoping his lover would stumble back home one day. The other being the waves that carry the fishermen safely back to those who love them.” Fuma ended the story and pushed himself up.
“That’s like the little mermaid,” Kento added with an innocent smile.
Fuma burst out laughing so hard he was growing red in the face. Kento realized this was probably not something to say to the townsfolk. Yet he wasn’t as embarrassed as he thought he should be.
“Why would you even say that?” Fuma asked between his laughs
Kento just shrugged. He picked up the sunscreen and lay on his stomach.
“Do you mind helping me?”
“Anything for you...”
Fuma rolled his eyes as he went along with Kento’s wishes. They spent a while longer getting to know more about one another. Kento was truly surprised to know Fuma had been living in this town his whole life and had never gone elsewhere.
That night Kento dreamt he was watching himself sleep. His body was behaving weirdly, though. His arms were raised in the air, and his wrists were glowing blue. He tried to move away, but every time he tried to leave the room, he would be pushed back in with a strong gust of wind. He tried looking around the room, but it was as if nothing made sense, nor did anything matter at that moment.
Kento assumed his dream was going to be just that when a shadow of a man travelled from being a shadow over the room’s curtain to lying beside Kento. It put his arms down and seemed just to press a kiss against Kento’s forehead.
The shadow left, and Kento felt himself falling to the floor with tears flowing down his face. He didn’t understand why, but a claustrophobic feeling of guilt and pain washed over him. He clutched his chest and sobbed the rest of the night.
The following day, he barely felt like moving around the house or getting out of bed. Alone in a place too big for only one person, he felt small. Smaller than even what he had felt during his childhood. He felt so alone.
He put his head in between his knees, pulling his body as close together as he could. Why did life have to be so tough? Kento knew he wasn’t perfect, but with the number of times he had been pushed down, he started to wonder if life would ever let up on him. He wasn’t even sure he would get another job anytime soon.
He just wanted to run away, away from all his thoughts.
The floorboard creaked slowly. Kento felt something holding him and rocking him back and forth very slowly and gently. He could have been making it all up, but he just needed to be held.
Kento dreamt he was in some sort of ballroom. A creature made of water walked towards him. The thing kept changing shape until it stood right in front of him. It extended a small tendril towards him and changed his form to that of Fuma.
Kento moved to put his hand towards the boy, but the other took a step back, then beckoned Kento towards himself again. Kento frowned and walked forward, and Fuma did the same thing again. Kento took a more significant step, but the water boy just started rushing away from Kento, with Kento following right after him. They went through doors and downstairs and continued running.
Kento woke up with a start. This time he wasn’t on his bed but being pulled back from walking into the ocean by Fuma. He noticed that he was running and had only managed to stop when he realized.
“Are you awake now?!?”
Fuma asked, realizing Kento wasn’t struggling in his arms anymore. Kento was scared, so he held Fuma’s hands in place. He had never sleepwalked before and had no idea how his sleeping self could open locks, go downstairs, and run in the sand without tripping.
“You scared me so much, Kento!”
Kento nodded still feeling very terrified, “Thank you!... How did you save me?”
Fuma picked Kento up and started walking away from the ocean. Kento would appreciate the fact that he was being held as if he weighed nothing more than if he had been at a different time. Kento just put this memory away to think about later.
“My house. I’m your neighbour. Well, I’m a neighbour of the Sato family, but you know.”
Fuma took Kento back to his place and helped clean and tend to Kento’s feet. It seemed sleepwalking Kento had not been too thoughtful or conscious Kento.
Fuma very softly dabbed the cotton with Dettol on it. Kento should have been exhausted and very worried, but watching Fuma tend to his feet made the extreme shock from being woken while walking into a different form of excitement.
Fuma was holding Kento’s foot by his heel as he brought it closer to blow air onto the swollen part. His lip grimaced while he concentrated on making sure to treat Kento as gently as possible.
“Are you going to be okay?” Fuma asked, looking up at Kento, who was doing his best to not let his mind race too much.
“Yeah… I guess I’ll go to the doctor tomorrow.”
Fuma bit his lip and nodded. He moved to pick Kento up again and carry him to where he pointed to his bedroom for the moment.
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning. You just rest for now. Get some shut-eye.”
When Kento pushed himself back into a sitting position, Fuma moved to leave the room.
“You’re leaving?”
Fuma turned back around and scratched his head.
“Can you stay… Just for tonight! I haven’t sleepwalked before, you know.”
Fuma looked around and nodded his head.
“I’ll go take their couch then.”
Kento wished Fuma would have shared the bed with him. He didn’t want to be too forward, but he wanted to share the bed with Fuma. He just felt as if, with Fuma by his side, he would be safe.
“Or I can sleep here. Just stop pouting.” Fuma sighed and started walking to the bed with a cheeky grin.
Kento looked a little shocked when he saw Fuma climbing into bed. Fuma seemed very brave. Too brave. Was Fuma straight? No. A straight man wouldn’t suggest sleeping together. Or would he? Kento had no idea. Was this a relationship already? He was not about to make out in bed with injured soles.
“You wear your feelings on your face. Come on, Kento, stop thinking and let’s go to sleep. We want to get you to the doctor first thing in the morning, or you’ll be stuck behind Chatty Jane.”
Kento nodded and lay beside Fuma. The rest of the night, he didn’t have any other dream.
The next day the Fuma went to his place to freshen up and get his own car to drive Kento around.
They arrived at Doctor Matsushima’s office early in the morning. Fuma tried picking up Kento again, but Kento decided to just walk himself this time, leaning on Fuma as he walked.
Somehow overnight, his injuries were reduced by an exponential amount. He still had his feet bandaged by Fuma, but there was a severe lack of pain as there had been the night before.
The doctor’s assistant let them in, and Dr. Matsushima’s eyes widened at the sight of Fuma carrying Kento inside.
“Hello, I’m Dr. Matsushima Sou. I don’t think we’ve met before.” Sou says, finally taking his eyes away from Fuma to Kento to give him a once-over, “You’re lovely!”
Kento’s face scrunches in complete confusion. He looked towards Fuma, who was giving an unimpressed look to Sou.
“Check the injuries on his feet,” Fuma said, helping Sou to get him on the patient checking bed.
Sou nodded and opened the bandages. He looked behind him to Fuma, who was standing at the back.
“The scarring is bad from when he walked from the Sato house to the beach.”
“THE LOVERS BEACH?” Sou asked, turning his whole body towards Fuma, who just calmly nodded.
Sou then turned to look at Kento with another weird expression. He did the bandages for Kento and prescribed some medicine for his sleepwalking. It was a quick appointment, after which he ran out to get Kento’s prescription.
“Weird doctor!” Kento noted
There was silence in the room for a bit. Kento ran his hand over the examining bed. The fabric was a little soft. He wanted to look towards Fuma, but so much had happened last night. At the same time, not much had happened. Sleeping next to someone meant something intimate to Kento, though. It was strange. He just felt so comfortable around Fuma. It was as if he had known the man his whole life, even though they had just met.
On the other hand, Fuma pulled the doctor’s chair to sit in front of Kento. He put his arms on each side of where Kento was seated.
“Can I kiss you?”
Kento’s neck hurt from the speed at which he turned to look Fuma in the eye. The man looked away when their eyes connected.
“Huh?!?!?”
“Nothing”
Fuma got up to walk away, but Kento grabbed his hand as he slipped away. He pulled Fuma back a little too forcefully, making the other almost tumble on top of him. Fuma caught himself before he could fall on top of Kento.
They were, however, in each other’s faces. Kento took this chance to initiate a kiss with Fuma.
It was much better than Kento had imagined. Fuma’s soft lips pressed into his own with a fervent hunger. He pulled Kento’s hips close to his own and slipped his tongue into Kento’s mouth. Fuma ruled over Kento’s lips in ways Kento had never felt before. He felt himself being led and given options for ruling over Fuma himself. Fuma crashed and pulled back in ways Kento couldn’t get enough of.
He wasn’t sure if he would have been able to stop himself from going further if it hadn’t been for Sou very loudly making his presence known as he walked in.
They were rushed out of Sou’s office. Fuma laughed at Sou, who looked a little traumatized, having seen what he walked into.
“This is like seeing your dad!” Sou said after making a gagging sound.
Kento looked at Sou and then Fuma. Sou wasn’t that young to be saying that statement.
Fuma took Kento home. He had more tasks to do that day, so he left after Kento a kiss on the forehead.
It felt a little dizzying, and Kento wanted to invite Fuma to his home to talk about each other’s lives. Still, the other was such a busybody in the town. Fuma did promise to come back for dinner, though. In the meantime, Kento decided to call Shori to pass the time and maybe learn what Shori knew about Fuma.
At the same time as Kento did that, Fuma walked back into Sou’s office. He greeted Jane, who waved at him in the same manner as she had been doing since she had turned 18, which was about five decades ago. Not that he would remind her remembering the hits she would land on him when she was in her 40s for bringing up her age.
Most people in the town were like Fuma’s family. They were humans, so they couldn’t really be his family, considering they were different species. Him being the human version of his more oceanic half.
“Grandpa, you’re back! Didn’t think I’d see you again so soon.” Sou said, clapping his hands and giving Fuma a thumbs up.
“Grandpa? I thought I was dad!” Fuma said straight-faced.
Sou bit his tongue dramatically and hit his head. He knew that Fuma was like everyone else in the town, but that didn’t mean Fuma hadn’t become one of the people. Plus, Sou remembered Fuma babysitting him since he had even started having memories.
He was the first to notice Fuma had aged. Fuma had grown some forehead wrinkles which is not typical for Fuma.
The whole town held a celebration to celebrate the deities’ upcoming reunion. Honestly, everyone had assumed as soon as the other half would stop by the town, he would remember everything. However, when Kento finally entered the town, he still didn’t remember anything.
He, indeed, had turned human like the stories had said. Though the exposure to the town should be bringing his memories back.
Sou bit his lip. He was happy like everyone else, but he didn’t want to not be able to go to Fuma whenever he wanted. He knew if the ocean was there, Fuma would be there, but it would be different.
The Fuma that taught him how to ride a bike or helped him choose his career path would be gone. Or maybe he would be there, but those memories would seem so small to someone as big as the ocean who lives forever.
Fuma must have noticed his feelings because he ruffled Sou’s hair reassuringly.
“I will complete this human life with Kento. I doubt he would just want to leave this current life, and then it would be time for us to return. But that isn’t for a long time, Sou. You can rest assured. And even when I am whole again, you will still be just as important to me.”
Sou nodded. He felt slightly reassured.
Meanwhile, Kento, at that exact moment, was feeling the exact opposite.
On the call with Shori, Kento discovered something very unusual. Shori had been excited to hear about Kento getting into a relationship. However, apparently, the young son wasn’t Fuma but Sou. Fuma was the name of the guy who lived with the family to take care of Sou when Sou was very young.
In other words, Fuma should look much older than he did.
It was all super confusing to Kento.
In addition, Shori had shared a picture of him and Sou as kids with Fuma in the back, looking the same as he did now.
He was confused and wanted to pace. He got up, forgetting he was supposed to have injured feet, only to realize he could stand and walk on his feet with no pain. He got curious and opened the bandages to see his feet looking perfectly normal.
Kento moved to get some answers when the pipe in Shori’s kitchen burst. The sound was super loud, and to Kento’s surprise, the water spraying from where the tap used to be created the shape of a man. Kento wanted to run, but he also felt the urge to run into the arms of the man. He was frozen.
The creature grabbed his face, and water started covering his whole face. Kento felt his lungs burning for a moment as he struggled to move away to find a way to get air, and then everything went black.
He was able to breathe again. He was also in another dream. This time he was on a beach. Behind him, standing in the water, was Fuma. They were lovers.
“I’m going to see the new city they’re talking about. I’ll be back in two days. Promise you won’t miss me?” Kento asked, moving closer to Fuma, who rolled his eyes
“You’re going to get the clothes the fishermen gave you wet. Go already! The sooner you leave, the sooner I get you back.”
Kento laughed and gave Fuma a chaste kiss before waving him goodbye.
This was the trip that ruined everything. Kento got on the train, and as it went further away from the ocean, Kento felt his memories disappear. He felt his mind burning up. He rushed to the back of the train cart, but it was too late. The only thing he remembered when the train reached its destination was Fuma. He went on to be a small worker at a diner. Since he had no memories and barely any money, he didn’t have the best life.
Then he died.
He was born again, this life, he was a mechanic. He remembered he had something he wanted to go back to but had yet to learn what. He lived a decent life.
Then he died.
He lived a few more lives until he was Kento Nakajima. A man who loved plants and had no memory whatsoever of Fuma. But this time, he came back.
He was not dead. He was getting his memories back. He could breathe in the water encapsulating his face. And Kento felt regret seeping into every part of his body. The water around his face was gone. The body made from the water was still standing there when Kento nodded. He missed Fuma so much. He was never going to leave him again.
It was time for him to go back to the ocean.
He opened the door, ready to walk into the ocean.
Human Fuma was just driving when he felt his head ringing. He knew what it meant, so he put his foot down on the accelerator and sped to Kento’s house. He was still human, and it wasn’t fair to the Kento of now to take that away from him.
Kento was walking towards the ocean with the pain of every life he had spent without Fuma building up within his heart like a stone. His lover. His one and only was always waiting.
He stood still on the beach for a second before he felt himself being tackled to the ground.
“What are you doing??” Fuma said, lying atop Kento
Kento wanted to push him off, but he also wanted to hold him as close to himself as possible. So, he did both. First, he pushed Fuma to the side, climbed onto Fuma’s lap and held him in a crushingly tight hug.
Fuma rubbed Kento’s back with the bit of space his arms were given to move. He whispered it’s okay to his lover repeatedly.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” Kento cried into Fuma’s shoulder.
His snot was dripping onto Fuma’s shoulder, but at the moment, neither cared. Kento finally loosened up enough for Fuma to pull himself out of the hug to get a good look at his face.
“Your memory is back?” Fuma asked very softly.
Kento just nodded, trying to get air back into his lungs.
“I’ll go back with you. I’m sorry! You were alone for so long! I’m sorry!” He hiccupped. “You even split yourself!” Kento’s face morphed into disgust and horror. “You split your soul! I can’t even imagine the pain!”
Fuma shook his head.
“You don’t need to do that. I’m okay. I’m here. I’m fine. Kento, look at me!” Fuma smiled at Kento. “I’m fine.”
“You’re fine.”
“I’m fine.”
Kento finally caught his breath, but even that felt too soon. The water on the beach rose to unnatural levels until it was blocking the sun and had formed into the shape of Fuma. The diety opened its mouth and screamed. To Kento, it didn’t sound like anything but having it rain on his face.
Fuma understood what it was saying.
“Let him be. He has human friends and family. He needs to complete this life.”
The creature moved to come face to face with Fuma, who didn’t even flinch as a giant man made of water was glaring at him.
“Yeah, sure, I’ll see it when it happens. Go away now, and don’t hurt him again; you will regret that now.”
The water went back to normal. It was raining now, but everything was normal again. The boys got up and went back to Kento’s place.
After getting warmed up again, Kento came to Fuma, giving him a bowl of tomato soup.
“What did he say?” Kento asked.
“Who?”
“That version of you.” Fuma pulled Kento closer to himself as Kento spoke.
“He said he couldn’t wait to see how regret would decorate my face when we are one again… don’t you worry, though. I know how it feels to miss you, and I know I’ll only be happy in the end, knowing that you and I are both doing okay.”
Kento sighed. It was tough to get through everything with his old and current memories. However, it eventually became just a part of life. Kento started living with Fuma in the town, opening his own little café. They lived a long and happy life, and then when they passed away, they were given a water burial and were once again reunited as deities. Thanks to their love, they would always return home to their lovers if anyone ever departed from their beach, no matter the weather.
Ps. Kento’s ex-boss did burn and fail.