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☆☆☆★★
None of Kanata’s friends would be surprised if they were told that Kanata cannot imagine his life without puka puka-ing.
Not after so many years of watching him doing so in the fountain of Yumenosaki when he was still a high-schooler, or in ES pond, once he and Chiaki graduated. They all have grown used to that picture and sometimes (to Kanata’s growing content) they even joined him more often than not nowadays. They shared numerous talks and laughs, even if they weren’t getting into the water with him.
Despite that, Kanata was still happy. In moments like those, he felt he didn’t need anything else in his life. How could anything possibly top that? Those gentle bubbles of happiness that rose to the surface every time he got to enjoy his two favorite activities together?
Yet, at the same time Kanata couldn’t deny that there was something sacred in the gentle sound of waves crashing on the seashore.
Its familiarity brought out a certain type of irreplaceable comfort to his heart, something that he would never find on land, even in the company of his beloved friends. The waves were the heartbeat of the ocean itself, he believed. They sung the melody of life, the calmest lullaby Kanata had ever heard and fell asleep to, so it wasn’t really a surprise that he found himself longing for it from time to time.
Maybe that was the nostalgia others were usually talking about. Even if they used that word when they missed their houses and families, Kanata couldn’t help but think about the ocean whenever he heard that word. Maybe that’s what nostalgia was to him; a deep longing to be at the seashore and listen to those familiar sounds?
Maybe the wind spoke to his soul the same way the idea of family to others? He loved the feeling of its cold yet comforting gusts, gently embracing him like a nice blanket would. He longed for countless stories it brought him from the depths of the ocean, the stories of his sea friends. They were always so gentle, so comforting, and Kanata couldn’t imagine his life without hearing them all.
And he didn’t have to. A small smile bloomed on his face when he reminded himself that. He could drown in those countless stories and gentle melodies, whenever he wanted. Even right now if he so desired.
So he did. With his back leaning comfortably against the glass pane of an opened window, he listened to another calm melody of the ocean. He needed to focus a little to hear it clearly, a distance between the house and the seashore a little bigger than he wished, but he still heard it nonetheless and that was what Kanata needed.
How long had he been sitting here? Just a moment? Or maybe a few hours? The cold wasn’t bothering him at all, but the sky was a little brighter than before. The stars started to pale on the horizon too. But did it matter? Time wasn’t needed when Kanata had all the time in the world. Even if a small itch within him called him to leave this place and go outside, to take a walk on the sandy beach and feel cold water washing over his feet, he still stayed inside.
Just once, he told himself when he turned his head. A smile on his face widened a little more the longer he was looking at the bed. A special kind of warmth, one that reminded Kanata of a morning breeze, spread inside his heart. After all, the sun is still asleep.
Despite the fact that Chiaki’s face was partially submerged in pillows, and covered by a heavy comforter on top of him, it wasn’t hard to spot him from Kanata’s position. Yet even if he was close to accidentally suffocating himself, he looked the calmest Kanata had seen him in a long time.
How many nights Chiaki truly skipped in the past few months? More than he was letting him know, judging by the dark circles under his eyes and the depth of his sleep. Kanata was aware why he skipped many nights, he also found himself sleeping less for the past few weeks, but he still felt the need to chop Chiaki at least three times for neglecting his rest. Or even more, maybe he should chop him for each time his hero made him worry about his health? It sounded quite fair if Kanata was honest.
Well, at least he didn’t have to kidnap Chiaki to ensure that he rested anymore, not when Kanata was finally allowed to care for Chiaki the way he had always wanted to. The gold band on his finger proved that statement loud and clear.
It was still hard to believe they had reached this place. The thought that it was just a fleeting dream plagued him ever since Chiaki put the engagement ring on his finger all of those months ago. It felt too surreal, too impossible and way too good to be true.
“I was so scared when I got you to the seashore. I thought that I showed up too late and I’ll never see you again...” He remembered Chiaki saying it that night. They had just finished their White Day dinner and between Kanata’s endless teasing and Chiaki’s loud, yet slightly embarrassed laugh, they found themselves on the beach - the one where their lives intertwined forever. His voice suddenly became more somber, the confident and booming tone Chiaki was known for, gone. It reminded Kanata of the boy who wanted to clean the swimming pool all by himself when they were still first years. The boy Kanata met that fateful night and slowly fell in love with. “I told you that my only wish is for you to live. And I’m happy that you listened to me that time! I have no idea what would I do if you didn’t open your eyes and said that you finally got a wish out of me.”
Kanata chuckled at that memory. Between despair and the freezing water of the sea, the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was Chiaki's panicked face. His hero saved him that night. He brought him to the land and then taught him everything he knew. He made the land a place where Kanata found his family and friends, and even more impossible, he managed to make Kanata realize that he too belonged to this place.
He was about to say something. Red beams of sun diving into the ocean reminded him of the promise Chiaki voiced, despite the lack of a sunset at that time of night, but all words died on his tongue when he saw the troubled look on Chiaki’s face. A look he hadn’t seen for some time, and one that made worry slowly seep into his bones.
“Kanata.” He called, his voice regaining some of its booming volume for a second. “You are the most important person to me, the most gentle and beautiful man I’ve ever seen in my life. Someone who never fails to surprise me in all the best ways. You’re someone who I’m proud to call my fellow ally of justice and the hero… No, it’s—I MEAN those too but…” A long deep breath. “I just… You’re more than just an ally of justice to me. More than just a comrade or friend or… And I don't want you to think that I’m voicing some kind of wish right now! Because I’m not. My only wish was for you to live and I still mean it! I—!” he stopped again, his whole face wincing at his own words.
“Take your [time] Chiaki.” Kanata gently encouraged, despite growing nerves within him. He wanted to ask if something happened, whether Chiaki was troubled by something, but he decided to stay silent and wait patiently.
Chiaki did take a few moments to gather his thoughts while they continued their walk in silence. A soft sigh reached Kanata’s ears, before he heard the next words.
“You’re someone I never want to imagine my life without.”
Kanata stopped dead on his tracks and turned to Chiaki, and to his surprise he was greeted by seriousness in those warm, familiar orbs. All previous nervousness gone like sea foam.
“I want to share your worries and problems. I want to be someone you can rely on, someone who will always be by your side, whenever you’ll need me. To be someone… worthy being with you. I know we’ve been dating for some time and those years were literally the best in my life, yet… I still want to become a better person, someone who will be able to give you all the happiness you deserve, to give you everything I can. And even if I still feel I’m not there yet... I mean, I don’t know if I’ll ever get there, BUT—!
“I want to be the one who makes you smile. There’s nothing else I want more in my life. To see your smile so beautifully, and to be the reason behind it,” he continued, and if Kanata was on verse of tearing up before, whether from worry, because he had no idea where Chiaki was going with all of that, or something else, something he couldn’t quite place, then all dams broke down the moment Chiaki took his palm and kneeled in front of him.
“Kanata, will you let me love and cherish you the way you deserve for the rest of our lives? Will you teach me how to be a better person, so I can love and cherish you the way I’ve wanted for so long?” His free hand dug into the pocket and before Kanata could call Chiaki’s name, ask him what was going on, if it was what he thinks it is, or anything resembling those thoughts, his eyes landed on the ring, its twin stones glittering beautifully in the light of the setting sun. “Will you let me stay by your side, forever, as your husband?”
Happy tears still showed up whenever he thought about that evening, one of the most beautiful moments in Kanata’s life. Ruby and aquamarine still glittered proudly on his left hand, now that the right is occupied with the golden band. Chiaki put it there himself yesterday, in front of their beloved friends and children. Both rings were Kanata’s constant reminder that it was not a dream, and the sweetest reassurance that they were both living that reality, that they’re going to walk the same path hand in hand. Together.
Kanata focused his eyes on Chiaki again. He slept undisturbed, almost lifeless, and Kanata caught himself checking if he heard his hero’s breathing, and relaxed when he heard the soft repetitive sound. Chiaki slept really deep today, which made something soft within Kanata flutter with relief.
They had a tight schedule. With Ryuseitai World Tour approaching, endless trainings and countless outside jobs and hero shows on the plate, they had to add their wedding preparations to the list too. They had to hide Chiaki’s and Kanata’s absence for at least two weeks from public knowledge after all, and the cooldown period after the tour was the perfect moment for that. But that also meant more things to take care off and even less time to rest.
It was hectic, hard to grasp what was going on at some points, but at the same time it was quite a funny time, when Kanata thought about it now. The number of times Kanata was forcefully dragged from the dance room by a very distressed Shu was… well. High doesn’t even cover it.
Both Chiaki and Kanata tried to reason with Shu, (the Red Ogre didn’t kidnap Chiaki to get his outfits done, after all), and they did manage to make Shu wait till their training sessions ended. One time though, the second the clock marked the end, and Shu didn’t barge in…
“Is Itsuki-senpai dead?” Midori asked after 10 minutes. He showed up in the end, with three croissants in bag, the biggest cup of coffee Kanata has ever seen in his life and the most murderous look of someone who slept one hour that night.
“38 minutes and 13 seconds.” Shu corrected him when Kanata asked on their way to his room. To say that Kanata was relieved when he saw four grand outfits instead of the initial twelve would be an understatement. It was still too many in his opinion, but he really didn't want Shu to have another heart attack any time soon.
…There were darker moments, too.
Working with Kaoru and Izumi, their self-proclaimed wedding planners seemed calmer on the surface, but if Kanata was honest, those parts of preparations made him realize what kind of big-scale event they had been actually preparing. Choosing the wedding hall, booking the hotel rooms, establishing a theme and then adjusting everything to it, listening to several bands, arranging flowers, catering, the wedding cake, making sure all outside services would sign the contract to keep the identity of the newlyweds and the guests hidden… the list was endless and it was getting longer and longer with each meeting Kanata and Chiaki had with them.
It was hard to say when exactly, but at some point Kanata started to feel weird and tense whenever he saw Kaoru, even when they weren’t working on wedding preparations. Kanata was tense and uncomfortable, and he had no idea why, or how to make it stop. So he smiled when Kaoru asked if everything was okay and continued their talk as if the wind of weird emotions within him didn’t exist.
Yet it was just the beginning. The wind brought dark clouds and with each new meeting and talk, rain started to pour mercilessly from them. Before Kanata even noticed, the slightly uncomfortable wind turned into a raging storm, the origins of which Kanata still couldn’t understand. It didn’t make sense, he was preparing for his own wedding, the day he had been waiting for a long time. It was the day he’d be finally married to Chiaki, the hero who taught and gave him love and family, someone who patiently showed him the world Kanata was slowly becoming part of. He longed for this day, he couldn’t wait till it’d all become reality, yet he was feeling unwell and uncomfortable. Why? Why he felt like that?
Wedding preparations reminded him of the rituals he performed at home, he realized one evening. They were all grand, big and official, and Kanata couldn’t make any kind of mistake or everyone would read it as a bad omen for the future. Everything had to be flawless; the place, the outfit, the performance, everything. The realization made Kanata’s anxiety spiral out of control that day. Suddenly he was flooded with so many emotions, all of them strong and unpleasant and Kanata had no idea what to do, or how to deal with them. They made Kanata feel bad when he saw his friends putting so much effort into preparations for their day. They made his heart ache when he couldn’t tell Chiaki that he couldn’t wait for that day too, even if he wanted to do so and he meant it. They made him wish something went wrong and forced them to stop all of the preparations.
They made Kanata wish he could just disappear.
And that’s what he did. He shut the doors of the aquarium behind himself and locked them for a few hours. He regretted it later, especially when Kaoru found him that evening, like all of those years ago, and told him that everyone thought some crazed fan or, worse, the more radical branch of the sect itself had discovered their marriage plans and decided to do something about it. But what Kaoru said next was what broke something within Kanata there and then.
“Even if Moricchi didn’t say it, I see what he’s thinking. He fears you don’t want to marry him anymore.”
The same evening Kanata called Chiaki and told him he’s in aquarium, and before an hour passed, Chiaki was standing in front of him, his eyes unsure, sad but still relieved. They talked and cried together that night, and once the sun rose above the horizon, they found each other in a warm, tight embrace, Kanata’s true home.
Once they left the aquarium hand-in-hand, they started their planning again.
When that day arrived, Kanata found himself being guided by Mama to the seaside aisle where everyone was waiting for him. He saw his kids’ warm smiles as Kanata passed the last row of chairs, other Eccentrics’ proud grins when he noticed them standing in matching outfits on one side of the wedding bower. Kona-chan was also waiting there, with a small pillow where two shining bands were resting, and most importantly, Chiaki was there. Waiting for him with the most astonished look on his face Kanata had ever seen, even if partially obscured by Kanata’s veil. The moment Mama put Kanata’s hands onto Chiaki’s and the two of them stood in front of Kaoru was truly magical.
“It’s hard to believe we’re here today. That we managed to get here after everything we’ve been through,” Chiaki started, a small smile gracing his face. “The first-year-me would never believe that one day the boy I met at the bottom of Yumenosaki pool and mistook for a ghost would stand in front of me during the most important day of my life. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to consider myself your friend or unitmate one year later, it all felt so impossible at that time, so out of reach for me.
“But this place entangled our lives together that night.” He continued, his voice calm and steady. “Before I even knew it, we were on the stage together. We danced and sang our hearts out, and our song reached the hearts of others. It was already more than I ever hoped for. But you showed me it was just the beginning of our journey. It was a hard path at times, but I never imagined taking another one, not when I could walk it down with you, not when I could finally see the version of you that is not a god and truly get to know you, the real you.
“I wanted to be a hero,” he said after a small break, his eyes bright when he looked at Kanata. “And I feel I could achieve that only because you were by my side. You showed me— you still show me every day, that my dream is real and within my reach. Yet you also showed me that I don’t have to be a hero to be loved. You showed me I can be weak and lost, that I can make mistakes, that I’m more than that role I always wanted to play. You showed me I can be a better person, someone the first-year-me would never anticipate I’d get a chance to become, and that’s the person I want to become for you. I want to become better person than I am now, and I want to continue our journey for the rest of our lives.
“That’s why I swear, on the bright red sunset,” his voice regained some of its familiar booming tone as he spoke again. The familiarity of those words and tone made Kanata smile as happy tears threaten to flow down his face with each spoken word. “That whatever happens during our journey, whatever we’ll have to face in the future, I’ll always stay by your side and love and cherish you the way you deserve, with everything I am. That I’ll continue to do my best to become the best version of myself for you, that we’ll tackle our problems together, like a squad we became all of those years ago. That’s a promise and my vow.”
The place they chose for the reception was smaller than most places Kaoru and Izumi had presented to them, but it was spacious enough for their celebration. There was a beautiful pond in the garden where Kanata had soaked happily several times during the reception (the only reason he agreed to keep more than just one wedding outfit for that night). The room was dressed in hero-themed colors and decorations instead of original blue and red crystals or lights. They had a karaoke station on the outside and a small instrument corner, arranged by former members of the music club. The band was substituted with a DJ console operated by Mama, Wataru and Leo by turns.
Niki was in charge of preparing the meals, while deserts and the wedding cake fell under Rei’s younger brother’s hands. Wataru prepared drinks for the guests, and Mama even hosted special midnight games, a custom he had seen during one of his Europe trips. Chiaki and Izumi competed especially fiercely and Kanata couldn’t help but watch it fondly. Not like he didn’t take part in those games, Kanata even won a few of them, but nothing could beat a certain game his former roommates hosted. During a small break between meals, all lights turned off for a long moment and before Kanata could realize what was happening, someone put a hand on his lips to keep him silent.
“Play along, Kanacchi,” a familiar voice whispered, and when the lights turned on again, masked Chief-san started laughing maniacally while holding Kanata hostage. “Soo, o’ great hero. You need to watch closely when a foe strikes! If you want to get back your dear wife, you need to defeat me and my minion!!! Hahhahahah!!!”
“A minion?!” Hiyori gasped, his hand flying to his chest as if he was shot. “If anything I’m the main villain here!” He warned and pulled out a fake gun into Chief-san’s direction. “Hand me the bride, you CHEAP IMPOSTOR!”
As it turned out later, they got the kids, Eccentrics, Souma, and even cardboard-Kanata involved too, and they all made Chiaki to do several tasks to get Kanata back. It was all chaotic, full of laugher of people Kanata loved and cared about, so he watched his hero doing his best to rescue him, until he decided he had enough and chopped Chief-san to escape himself. There was a guitar match between Koga, temple Guy and Rei at some point and Nacchan even made some potions for them to “use later” as he said while smiling knowingly at both of them. Chiaki almost choked on his French fries because of that, to Kanata’s amusement.
Truly, he couldn’t imagine a better wedding than that.
A soft sound made Kanata snap out of his treasured memories and focus his eyes on his husband. Chiaki had shifted a little in his sleep, his face a little more visible now that the comforter fell to the side. His eyebrows were furrowed though, as if he’s dreaming about something unpleasant and Kanata wondered for a second if Chiaki needed a hero to get rid of those nightmares, but then his eyes snapped open as he sat up suddenly, his breath suddenly labored as he looked around the bed.
“Chiaki?” Kanata called, and when his hero noticed him sitting on the windowsill, he sighed relieved.
“It was just a dream.” Chiaki whispered, more to himself than to Kanata.
Kanata slid down from the windowsill and after closing the window, he got closer to the bed. Chiaki almost immediately gravitated towards him, into the hug Kanata was offering, even if he shivered lightly when he touched him. He must have been cooler than he initially thought.
“I am here, Chiaki.” He reminded softly, his one hand rising to Chiaki’s hair, hugging him closer. They sat in silence for a few moments, until Kanata decided to ask, “[what] did you [dream] about?”
“Not sure to be honest…” he answered, his hold onto Kanata a little stronger than before. “But I think it was the past. The time we didn’t talk during our first or second year… Or it was the future, I don’t know…” He fell silent again, probably sorting the images of the dream in his mind and Kanata waited.
His hand continued the slow movement, a gentle caress from the top of Chiaki’s hair, then down his nape, and ending on his lower back, before repeating it from the start. Just like Chiaki liked it, especially when he was distressed. It worked like a charm this time too, as after a particular deep breath, Chiaki continued. “I was walking around Yumenosaki. I think.” Another beat of silence. “…It felt like I was stuck in a maze. I heard you and the kids—just behind the corner or… maybe it was underwater. I’m not sure but… I had this terrifying feeling that I couldn’t shake off but… it felt like you weren’t existing in this world anymore. Like something happened and I…”
“We’re all here,” he promised, but then one small detail made itself present in his mind. “Or not [exactly] here? The kids are in [Japan], waiting for us until we [come back] from our honeymoon. But they are waiting. And I’m here. Now and in the [future]. Always.” He kisses the side of his head lightly. “So Chiaki doesn’t have to [fear] he’d be [lonely] again.”
They sat in silence for a moment, and then a small chuckle reached Kanata’s ears from below. “Usually it’s my line, you know?”
Always want to be the cool, shining hero.
Kanata couldn’t help but giggle at that thought, as the warmth that’s always present when Chiaki was close to him mixed with the bubbly amusement. That’s who his Chiaki was. A vulnerable soul, who hid from the whole world behind the hero persona. A stubborn boy who Kanata (to his delight and relief) observed growing more comfortable to reach out to him. The dazzling sun whose true confidence and charm started shining the brightest when he finally allowed others to see the real him.
Chiaki was the brightest star Kanata had the privilege of seeing from the very first night, before anyone else realized that he was even there.
“I am also a hero, so I can [use] it too,” he answered, while trying to sound offended. “And Chiaki often [forgets] he doesn’t have to be the hero all the time. He can feel [lonely] and [sad], he can shed tears that aren’t the happy ones. And [most importantly]—” he drew back a little, releasing Chiaki from the tight embrace, to have a better view on his face. He continued once their eyes met— “Chiaki is [loved] for who he is. Both the hero and the not-hero side of him. He doesn’t have to [pretend] one side of him doesn’t [exist], because Chiaki wouldn’t be Chiaki that way. And I [love] the whole Chiaki, every single part of him.”
Chiaki watched him wordlessly, his eyes a little wider but at the same time he didn’t look shocked. More like… at awe with Kanata’s words, even if it wasn’t the first time he heard something like that from his lover.
Yet instead of getting adorably embarrassed or saying anything back to change the direction of the conversation, Chiaki leaned closer. His palm quickly found its way to Kanata’s cheek, gently nudging it, until their lips met in a chaste kiss.
It was a tender, quick brush of lips. Innocent if anything, and then they parted for a second, one shared breath, before Chiaki dove again, and Kanata without a second thought welcomed his as his eyes closed on their own.
He loved that feeling, getting lost in it, in Chiaki and the sound of his own heartbeat. Kanata’s hands reached for his face too, holding onto it, not wanting to let go even for a moment. Chiaki’s hand dug deeper, sliding over his neck and then diving into his hair, in a gentle, yet persistent manner.
Breathing wasn’t the easiest thing to do, but Kanata didn’t want to pull away, especially when he felt so many unspoken emotions within that kiss. Silent relief and burning happiness, longing, gratitude, love. He was drowning in all of them, in the warmth that a few years back he’d call overwhelming or even unbearable. But now? It felt like home to which he always wanted to come back to. And he never wanted to let go of it.
They had to separate at some point, but Kanata refused letting go of the affectionate embrace they found themselves in. Kanata didn’t have time to mourn the loss of Chiaki’s lips on him though, especially when Chiaki’s eyes carried the familiar sparkles of happiness. Shining brightly like the sun itself, so Kanata had no other choice but to bask in their warmth seeping into his skin and bones.
“How long have you been awake? What time it is?” He whispered but none of them made a move to get either of their phones to check.
“It’s close to the [sunrise],” he answered back, volume of his voice matching Chiaki’s. When he turned his head slightly to the side, he saw that he was right. The sky was significantly lighter, tinted with light shades of purple and pink. The stars had already disappeared but the moon still shined on them a little, even if it was paler than earlier. “Do you want to [watch] it together?”
“Aren’t you tired though? We didn’t sleep a lot, and you slept even less than I did.”
“We don’t have to go anywhere [today], do we?”
They did have a few things planned for their stay here. An all-day coral reef trip from Kaoru, check the island they are currently on… Chiaki wanted to surf if possible, now that he was getting better at it, and Kanata wanted to see the fish species that were apparently living in a pond and the deep water cave underneath it. There was also a small town nearby and both of them wanted to check it. Especially when the closest shop was situated there and it was a few kilometers away from their house. They’d have quite a walk there…
“Hm… we go scuba-diving on Saturday if I remember correctly, so nothing planned so far…” Chiaki’s eyebrows were furrowed as he took a look at Kanata, as if it would help judge whether Kanata would be able to walk to the beach on his own or not. It’s not as bad as Chiaki was making it out to be. He did get a few hours of sleep and he was far from tired for now. Maybe he’d find himself asleep in the water later, but for now, he was fine.
“If Chiaki wants, we can [sleep] more later. A [walk] will make it easier to [doze off].”
Why he wanted to watch the sunrise? It was probably a random whim of his, but the idea of watching the beginning of a new day with his husband sounded romantic in Kanata’s mind. But he probably needed better arguments to convince his forever-worried partner, and as he was about to voice more arguments, Chiaki’s chuckle interrupted him. It was a short sound, amused with the sudden request.
“Let’s get dressed then? You were freezing cold earlier, and we cannot have you get ill anytime so—” A yawn tore itself from his mouth. “—And then let’s sleep more~”
A few minutes later they found themselves on the beach, sitting on a small blanket they found in the living room and watching the sun peacefully rising from the ocean. It greeted them with its warmth, yet to Kanata, it wasn’t nearly as warm as the embrace he shared with Chiaki.
The lulling sound of the ocean, combined with the gentle view in front of them and the loveliest warmth that kept him in a firm hug, making sure the morning breeze was anything but unpleasant, Kanata truly couldn’t imagine a better scenario for himself. Especially when he thought about paths they had been walking until this point.
Life was such a weird thing, but somehow they found each other, forever connected by a bright red sunset. And now, they could share a bright red sunrise together for the rest of their lives. It wouldn’t be the last one and Kanata couldn’t wait to see every single one of them with his own eyes. It didn’t matter what future had in store for them. Not when they’d continue walking that path together.
“Thank you hero,” he whispered. “Thank you for bringing me to the [land] and making it my [home] .”
Chiaki turned to Kanata, surprise illuminating his eyes shortly, but as it disappeared, something softer took its place as Chiaki intertwined their hands together. His thumb was gently stroking the side of Kanata’s hand as he answered back.
“Thank you for living Kanata. Thank you for being here with me.”