Facing Towards The Blue Sky

[stormyexistence]

Title: Facing Towards The Blue Sky

Pairings: Sakuraiba, Matsumiya (side)

Genres: Beach AU, Guesthouse AU, fluff

Rating: PG

Summary: Unsatisfied with his job, and life in general, Sho welcomes the rare opportunity to escape the confines of the city for a few days. His deskbound job at the bank is slowly crushing his soul, so he leaps at the chance to visit a defaulting client at a small town by the sea. All he asks for is a few minutes to relax in the sun, before what is bound to be a difficult conversation; on paper the logical option for Hello Goodbye guesthouse is an immediate closure. But a chance meeting with a naked man on the beach throws logic out of the window, and changes Sho’s life in many unexpected ways.

Author's notes: This was my first ever time writing Sakuraiba and my first exchange and I had so much fun. This was originally posted at sakuraibaexchange and written for memorya. Please enjoy.



Sho left the music playing for a few minutes after switching off the ignition while he remained in his car and took in his surroundings. Due to the long hours he worked at the bank, he rarely had the chance to be outdoors at this time of day, and the clear blue of the sky was dazzling.

He checked his watch and saw that due to the light traffic, he had more than an hour before he was due at his meeting. Since this was the first time he had been sent into the field to deal with a defaulting business he was eager to impress, but the lure of a pristine white beach and gently lapping waves soon won out.

There was more than enough time for a walk on the beach before making his way to the Hello Goodbye guesthouse, Sho decided. The day was unusually warm and his tie restrictive so he removed it and neatly rolled it up before leaving it on the passenger seat. He left his shoes and socks in the foot well in the passenger side and rolled up his sleeves before he tiptoed across the asphalt of the parking lot to the sandy path leading to the beach.

The sand was soft between his toes as Sho made his way along the foreshore at a leisurely pace. On a late summer weekday the beach was almost deserted, and Sho relished the momentary solitude. A slightly tattered red and green striped deck chair sat abandoned and lonely on the sand and after looking around for an owner and finding none, Sho made himself comfortable.

The warmth of the sun lulled him into a relaxed state which veered dangerously close to a doze. His peace was rudely shattered as droplets of icy cold water dripped onto his face, seemingly out of nowhere.

“Ack!” Sho wiped his face and looked around to find the source of the water.

Looming over him was a smiling face, attached to a slim but muscular body. “Oops. Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you, but I could really do with your help.”

Sho struggled out of the sagging chair and took in the vision before him. The man had brown dyed hair currently slicked back by the sea water which was obviously the source of the drips which had wet Sho’s face. His left shoulder was marked with an interesting birthmark which looked like a splash of wine, and he had an impressive set of abs partially hidden by the surfboard which he was clutching horizontally in front of his hips.

“I know this might sound a bit weird, but can you help me look for my swimming trunks? I got knocked off my board and when I surfaced, they were gone. My name's Aiba, by the way. I’d shake hands, but under the circumstances it's probably safer to keep both hands on the board.” Aiba looked around as he spoke. The beach wasn't crowded, but there were still plenty of people around who might be able to see his naked butt.

Sho’s eyes grew even rounder than normal at the realization that the man in front of him was completely naked behind the strategically placed board. “Um, sure. What do they look like?”

Sho immediately wanted to take his words back. It’s not like there were going to dozens of rogue pairs of swimming trunks floating around to choose from. He was thankful that Aiba kindly chose to ignore the stupidity of his question, and happily described the green shorts decorated with colourful hibiscus flowers.

“You’d better sit in the deck chair while I search. It will be easier to keep everything out of sight,” Sho suggested.

“Great idea, um...I don't know your name…”

“Sakurai Sho,” Sho said with a small nod.

“Great idea Sho-chan,” Aiba chirped, apparently mostly unconcerned about his predicament as he settled into the chair and balanced the surfboard on his lap. “It would be great if you could hurry a bit, since I'm starting to feel a bit of a chill around my nether regions.”

Taken aback by the casual way Aiba addressed him, Sho was tempted to leave him to his fate but the puppy-eyed look which accompanied Aiba’s words won him over.

A quick glance at his watch told Sho that his meeting at Hello Goodbye was imminent, so he hustled along the shoreline scanning the water and the sand for the colourful trunks.

He didn't have to go far before he came across a dog playing with a scrap of fabric on the beach. From a distance the shredded remnants appeared to have once been green so Sho sped up. As he drew nearer the dog dropped the fabric and ran away, heading back to its owner walking a few hundred metres further up the beach.

Sho bent down and picked up the mauled remains of Aiba’s swimming trunks, which were now more holes than substance. “Crap.”

Rather than being upset when Sho returned gingerly holding the fabric corpse between two fingers, Aiba burst into amused laughter, before his expression darkened. “Oh dear. This is bad. I just remembered that I have to meet someone in fifteen minutes. I wonder if I can persuade them that wearing nothing but a surfboard is the latest fashion?”

Impulsively Sho offered further help. “I have some spare clothes in my car. I’ll grab something you can wear home.”

“My hero!” Aiba cheered.

Sho dashed to the car and hastily grabbed a pair of sweatpants, feeling the minutes ticking away before his meeting.

He tossed the pants at Aiba, and stood in front of him with his back turned to shield him as he changed.

“You’re a lifesaver. I owe you a drink, and I shall return the pants as soon as I wash them. How long will you be around?” Aiba said gratefully.

“I’m not sure. It depends on how long my business takes, but at least a few days,” Sho replied distractedly as he checked his watch again.

“This is a small place, and quiet at this time of year, so I will definitely see you around. Better get to my meeting. Catch you later, and thank you for being my knight in shining armour.” Aiba graced Sho with a dazzling smile before dashing off.

Sho simply stood there for a moment stunned by the entire bizarre encounter, before gathering his thoughts and rushing back to the car to prepare himself for business.

++

As he reached the guesthouse Sho straightened his tie, smoothed down his hair, buttoned his suit jacket, and took a deep breath.

Hello Goodbye was two storeys high and built from a confusing mixture of materials which included timber and corrugated iron, and the pale yellow paint of its outside walls was weathered and in some places even peeling. There was a parking area for guests behind the building, surrounded by an unattractive and slightly sagging chain wire fence.

In the harsh midday sun, the structure looked shabby and unappealing, but its position at the end of a quiet street facing the ocean and offering direct beach access, more than compensated for its appearance.

In a sharp contrast to the rest of the building, the front door was freshly painted and gleaming. Bright red paint had been applied with more enthusiasm than skill, if the splashes of paint on the doorstep were any indication.

A brass bell jangled over Sho’s head as he pushed open the door leading to the reception area. The front desk was scuffed and in good need of a polish, but it was of an attractive design and well made. There was no one in sight, but there was a buzzer on the corner of the desk. Sho was just about to press it when a figure burst through a door at the back of the room.

“I’m here! And with thirty seconds to spare!”

Sho blinked hard as he recognized the man from the beach, now fully clothed and looking even more handsome.

Aiba skidded to a halt and looked at Sho with an equal amount of confusion. “Did you come to get your pants back already? Or are you looking for a room? Either way, we have to be quick because I'm expecting some unsympathetic drone from the bank at any minute…”

Sho struggled hard to keep his face impassive as he held out his business card. “Sakurai Sho, banking drone at your service.”

“Oh? Oh! Sorry, sorry.” Aiba flailed his hands around as if to dispel any bad feelings. His face split into a smile as he took in Sho’s neat suit and tie. “I was expecting someone much older and much less cute and helpful.”

Sho took in the floppy hair and wide grin on the other man and wondered if anything ever bothered him, feeling a pang of envy at the thought. “I was expecting to meet with someone of a different name…and sex…?”

“That would be my grandmother. She is currently on a backpacking holiday in Thailand. I last heard from her two weeks ago when she arrived in Chiang Mai,” Aiba explained. “I’ve been managing the guesthouse for the past five years, since she retired and decided to travel the world.”

Sho hesitated. It seemed as if this wasn’t going to be as simple as he’d hoped. “I’m not sure if I can. Is there a way to speak with your grandmother to obtain her permission to deal directly with you?”

“Sure.” Aiba picked up his mobile from the desk. “If she’s not in a temple somewhere cooking food for the monks she’ll probably pick up. I’ll give you some privacy and be back in a few minutes. I have a few rooms to clean before new guests arrive. Make yourself comfortable and give me a yell if anyone comes in.” He handed the phone over to Sho and dialled the number for him before dashing out the door leading to the private area out the back.

++

Sho placed the phone down on the desk with a sigh of relief and rubbed his sore ear. Aiba’s grandmother was quite a talker. Much to his relief, the matter of sorting out the guesthouse finances with Aiba had been solved in the first two minutes, after she gave permission for him to inform her grandson of the details of the debt. She had then spent the next hour telling cute stories about Aiba from birth to present day, and describing in great detail all of the bargains and excellent inexpensive food to be found in the night markets in Chiang Mai.

Aiba had dashed back periodically between cleaning rooms to check if Sho was off the phone , grinning as Sho raised his eyebrows in distress and tried to get him to take the phone back.

This time when Aiba returned he collapsed down into the chair beside Sho and puffed out his cheeks. “My work is done, so I’m all yours. Did granny tell you about the moat and the walls around the old city? The place sounds fascinating.”

“She did. But it was the food which grabbed my attention. Her descriptions were so vivid I could practically taste the pad thai at the market.” To Sho’s embarrassment his stomach growled loudly as he spoke.

Aiba looked at his watch and picked up a sheaf of takeaway menus from a drawer in the desk. “It’s lunch time. How about we order some food and eat it while we finally have our meeting?”

++

The pad thai which Aiba ordered wasn’t as good as the one in Sho’s imagination, but the green curry chicken was superb. Sho shovelled it into his mouth enthusiastically in between giving Aiba the details of his plan to try and save the guesthouse. Originally his intention had been to simply inform the owner that it would be best to close the business down and sell the building to try and recoup as much money as possible, but after speaking to Aiba’s sweet grandmother Sho had changed his mind.

Of course, the fact that he was sitting opposite Aiba and looking into a beautiful pair of almond shaped eyes which sparkled with the joy of living may have also had a little to do with it also, Sho admitted to himself. As he watched Aiba’s tongue dart out and lick a drop of sauce off his bottom lip, Sho was almost sure that he heard violins.

“You should cancel your hotel booking and stay here if you really want to find out how this place works,” Aiba said as he piled some more rice into Sho’s bowl. I have a spare single room. It doesn’t have a bathroom, but you’re more than welcome to use mine if sharing with the other guests doesn’t appeal.”

A vision of Aiba standing naked in a steamy bathroom floated into Sho’s mind. He shook his head vigorously to dispel the image. “No, no, sharing with the other guests won’t be a problem. The bank will pay the full rate for my room, and of course I will reimburse you for the food we’re eating right now.”

Aiba’s smile widened as he teased Sho. “Darn. In that case I should've ordered the lobster.”

“Maybe next time,” Sho replied with a matching smile as his heart fluttered at Aiba’s flirting tone.

++

The next morning when Sho entered the breakfast room, he had a moment of confusion. Had he been teleported to a retirement home?

All of the other people in the room appeared to have an average age well above eighty.

The breakfast offered by Aiba was a generous mixture of Japanese and western foods. There were two different juices as well as tea and coffee to drink. Sho’s eyes were drawn to a plate of burnished flaky croissants sitting next to an array of jams, honey, and butter. Several different loaves of bread and a basket of bread rolls were surrounded by bowls of leafy green salad and a plate of ham and cheese slices. In a bain-marie off to the side there was a stack of perfectly fried eggs and mini sausages. Miso soup and rice sat in warmers next to several toasters waiting to be used.

The food was similar to what would be found in a four star hotel, and the work side of Sho worried about the expense of all of this food in comparison to the room rates which were being charged. The hungry food loving side of him pushed accountant Sho’s side firmly out of the way as he filled his plate with croissants and fried eggs.

As he sat and hungrily devoured his breakfast he observed the other elderly diners and noticed that all of the women carried huge beach bags with them which they handed over to their husband as they went up to the buffet together.

Sho was puzzled as to why anyone would need such a bag while eating breakfast, but the reason soon became clear. Without even making an attempt to disguise what they were doing, the ladies pulled Tupperware containers out of their bags and began shovelling food into them, obviously to be eaten later in the day.

It appeared that Sho was the only one who was shocked by their behaviour. Even Aiba pretended not to notice as he refilled the platters of food. Accountant Sho reasserted himself as Sho strode over to where Aiba had disappeared into the kitchen.

++

Aiba gave Sho one of his heart melting smiles as Sho pushed the swing door open and burst into the kitchen wearing a scowl. “Morning Sho-chan. You look a little grumpy this morning, just like someone else I know who is definitely not a morning person.” He poured a cup of coffee for Sho and thrust it into his hands. “This always works with him.”

“Thanks,” Sho was momentarily distracted by the delicious smell wafting from the cup. He took a sip and hummed in appreciation.

“I knew you’d like it. My friend Nino bought it back with him from a trip to Vietnam. It really sets me up for a long working day.”

The ‘w’ word dragged Sho back from his coffee haze and reminded him why he was in the kitchen. “I came in here to tell you that people are filling their bags with food from the buffet. You should do something about it.”

“They always do,” Aiba said calmly. “It's nothing for you to worry about.”

“It’s stealing,” Sho insisted.

“They only take enough to make themselves a nice picnic lunch, and they don’t eat much anyway,” Aiba replied as he offered Sho a mini muffin to go with his coffee.

Sho was momentarily distracted by the scent of fresh sweet blueberries, but he stiffened his resolve and waved the plate away. It was his job to try and save Aiba’s business and cutting down on the food bill seemed to be a good way to start. “You can’t afford to give away free food. If they want lunch they should pay for it like everyone else.”

Aiba frowned slightly and offered Sho a seat at the tiny table where he was in the middle of eating his own breakfast of diced fruit and yoghurt. “Sho-chan, these people have been loyal customers since my grandmother opened the guesthouse fifty years ago. They come here one week a year for their annual holiday, every year without fail, even if the weather is appalling. They don’t mind that the guesthouse is a little shabby these days, and that there isn’t free Wi-Fi. They were never wealthy to begin with, and since retiring they have a limited and dwindling income to live off. My grandmother has made me promise to look after them in the way she has always done, and if that means saving them the expense of a couple of lunchtime sandwiches, then I mean to continue to do so.”

Aiba’s voice remained level, but the look which he gave Sho clearly expressed his defiance and disappointment in Sho’s attitude. Sho felt bad, but he still insisted on his view. “You don’t seem to be aware of the dire financial situation that the guesthouse is in. If nothing is done, then these people won’t have a place to come to on holiday because you will have been closed down, the building sold off and your grandmother and you left without a place to live. I’m sorry if I seem harsh, but it’s up to me to save you from that fate in the best way that I can.”

“Oh,” Aiba said in a small voice. He put his spoon down and pushed his breakfast away. “I knew things were bad, but not that bad. I can’t bear the thought of those sweet elderly people going hungry though.”

Sho immediately searched for a solution which would restore Aiba’s usual glow. “How about you provide them with bento boxes at a minimal profit? It would still provide an affordable lunch alternative, and they are less likely to poison themselves with improperly stored food. Also rather than cooking so many hot items and putting them out on the buffet in case someone wants them, you could have your guests fill in an order form the night before. This way you would know exactly how much you need to cook. It would cut down on wastage, and people would really enjoy the personal service.”

Aiba’s face lit up like a Christmas tree and he grabbed Sho’s bicep in excitement. “That’s a perfect idea. I do throw away a lot of uneaten food from the breakfast buffet each day. You’re a genius Sho-chan.”

“Just doing my job,” Sho said modestly, but his pleased smile said otherwise as he placed his hand over Aiba’s and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

++

In the evening two days later Sho was sitting behind the reception desk sipping another excellent cup of Aiba’s coffee and trying to stay awake as he tried to make sense of Aiba’s messy accounting system, when a car pulled into the parking lot.

Aiba jumped excitedly from his swivel chair beside Sho. “They’re here!”

“Who?” But Sho’s question was left hanging in the empty space which used to be filled by Aiba who had already dashed outside to the car park.

Through the window Sho watched Aiba hug a small man, barely allowing him time to exit the car. Finding that his fists were clenched at the sight, Sho loosened his fingers and continued to watch the interesting scene. It was no business of his if Aiba was seeing someone.

Aiba was equally as pleased to see the other man, who emerged from the passenger side. As he watched Aiba hug him too Sho figured that he had jumped to the wrong conclusion regarding Aiba’s relationship with the first man, and he happily thrust his jealousy to the back of his mind.

Aiba wheeled two suitcases into reception followed by the new guests. The smaller man, who had pale skin and a distinctive mole on his chin walked beside the other, taller aloof looking man who rested his hand lightly on his forearm as they walked together.

“Sho-chan, these are my friends Nino and Jun-kun,” Aiba said happily as he sorted out a room key for them. “Nino is the one who needs a good dose of sunshine and Jun-kun is the saint who puts up with him.”

“Don’t think I can’t beat you in a fight,” Nino growled in mock outrage at Aiba’s words.

“As if,” Jun laughed. “Aiba could mince you with one hand and we all know it.”

“Anyway,” Nino said loudly. “Sho-chan?” He mused, swiftly shifting attention while looking speculatively between Sho and Aiba. “Nice. It’s about time you found a new boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” Sho squeaked. “You’ve got the wrong idea. I’m not Aiba’s boyfriend.”

“Not yet,” Aiba added, giving Sho a bold look which made Sho’s heart jolt.

“I..I mean, I…we haven’t…I mean we get on well, but…our relationship is strictly professional,” Sho rambled.

Jun, who was wearing dark glasses despite the fact that the sun had set at least an hour ago, admonished both Nino and Aiba. “Give poor Sho-san a break. Nino, stop teasing, and Aiba, if you like him take the poor man on a date and put him out of his misery.”

“That's a great idea, Jun-kun,” Aiba said enthusiastically. “Perhaps Sho would like a surfing lesson?”

“Only if you keep your clothes on this time,” Sho replied with a grin, as he thoroughly enjoyed the matching looks of astonishment on the faces of Aiba’s friends.

++

Sho tugged at his swim trunks, trying to make them cover over more of his legs. They were new and a startling shade of red. Unfortunately they were also a size too small, but the only pair available in the small kiosk which sold beach gear and inflatable toys. At the tail end of the swimming season he supposed himself lucky to have found any at all, but he still felt utterly self-conscious about the way they were hugging his butt.

Aiba wolf whistled and checked Sho out from every available angle. “Looking good Sho-chan. Red is definitely your colour.”

“They certainly match my face right now,” Sho muttered as he tugged at them and blushed furiously. “I’m not sure that this is a good idea.”

Aiba laughed and placed his surfboard down on the sand. “Don’t worry. I promise to be gentle with you.”

++

Sho groaned and stretched out his shoulders and legs as he stood under the shower. Surfing was definitely not his sport. He had swallowed enough salt water to make him feel as if he was being pickled from the inside out.

Aiba had been more than patient with him, and had spent almost an hour on the beach teaching Sho how to paddle and how to stand up on the board, before they headed into the water.

Despite being able to successfully complete the manoeuvres on land, things had then gone terribly wrong. Paddling the board out had been quite easy since Sho had strong muscular arms which he worked hard on in the gym once a week. The admiring glances sent his way by Aiba had boosted Sho’s confidence and he had met each wave with great gusto only to be dumped repeatedly into the surf. He had never felt so foolish, and at one stage he was sure that even a nearby seagull had been laughing at him.

Rather than enjoying the perfect swell, Aiba floated beside Sho on his board offering advice and moral support accompanied by an encouraging smile, patiently waiting until finally he had managed to stay on his feet and rode a wave for the first time.

Sho winced as the hot water stung the scratches on his back where he had fallen off his board in shallow water and been dragged across a gritty patch of sand. The look of pride on Aiba’s face had made all of the discomfort and embarrassment worth it. He had grabbed Sho and swung him around in a victory dance before planting an excited kiss on his cheek.

Even now, Sho was sure that he could still feel his skin tingling where Aiba’s slightly chapped lips had made contact. He pressed the palm of his hand to his cheek and vowed to do whatever it took to save the guesthouse and preserve Aiba’s stunning smile.

++

Sho noticed Jun had sunglasses on inside again. If he thought about it, Sho hadn’t actually seen him without them. The guest lounge led out to a terrace offering a view of the sea, but it was by no means particularly bright. He knew that the man had the looks of an idol, but it seemed rather affected to dress like one on the run from the paparazzi.

Curiosity got the better of Sho, and a question was on the tip of his tongue when he felt a tug on the back of his collar. He spun around and saw Nino standing behind him vigorously shaking his head and holding his finger in front of his lips in a shushing gesture. Nino silently indicated for Sho to follow him out of the room.

They ended up in the tiny games room next door, which contained one sad dart board stuck on the wall, and a folded up table tennis table. Aiba was trying to resuscitate a flat ping pong ball and looked up in surprise as Nino pushed Sho into the room ahead of him.

“I know what you were about to say to J, and just don't,” Nino hissed angrily at Sho.

Sho was confused and sorry that he had somehow upset Aiba’s friend. “I was just going to ask him about his sunglasses. How can he see what he's doing? It can't be good for his eyes.”

Nino’s shoulders slumped and he seemed to shrink into himself. An expression of immense sadness clouded his face.

Aiba dashed over and put his arm around Nino’s shoulders. “It’s not Sho’s fault. I should've told him before you arrived that Jun is blind.”

Sho was mortified and immediately wished that the ground would swallow him up. “I'm so sorry. It was none of my business.”

“And I’m sorry for dragging you in here. I'm just being overprotective, as always, but he means the world to me,” Nino said softly. “He would kill me if he knew that I did it. He hates it when other people try to fight his battles for him.”

Sho felt so small, and deeply regretted his jealousy. “What can I do to help him?”

Nino walked to the door and offered some parting words. “That's just it; he doesn't want any help. Please just treat him like you would anyone else.”

After Nino had gone, Sho turned to Aiba and wailed, “Why didn't you tell me?”

Aiba blushed, "Oh, I kind of forget he can't see. He's still just Jun to me. Sorry."

Sho slapped his hand over his face and shook his head. “I can't believe that I didn't figure it out for myself. I'm such an idiot.”

“Jun hides it well,” Aiba said calmly as he gave up on the ball and shoved it in his pocket. “Since he lost his sight he has worked really hard to maintain a normal life. As Nino just said, just treat him like you did before you knew and it will be fine.”

Sho wasn't sure if he could manage it, but he nodded anyway.

++

According to the blueprint of the building there were more unused rooms up in the attic. Sho wasn't sure what condition they were in, but if they were even remotely habitable they would be able to provide some sorely needed extra income for the guesthouse.

After a long phone conversation with his manager, Sho had been given one month to come up with a sound plan to turn the business around and to show an upward trend in the profits. He and Aiba agreed that the building was in desperate need of a facelift so Aiba was busy preparing the outside walls for a fresh coat of paint. Since Aiba was occupied (and looking rather cute in his blue denim overalls), Sho decided to check out the attic by himself.

A loud thud above his head made Sho jump and drop the blueprint. According to Aiba the rooms in the attic were unoccupied, but there were distinct sounds of someone walking around up there.

With a slightly shaky hand Sho grabbed his phone and rang Aiba. “I think you either have giant rats in the attic, or someone has broken in. I think we should call the police.”

Aiba was silent for a moment before exclaiming excitedly, “That's no rat; it must be Oh-chan!”

Sho slid his hand over his face and rubbed eyes at yet another thing which Aiba had neglected to tell him. “And who might Oh-chan be?”

“I can't really talk now, Sho-chan. My paint is dripping. Just go up and see him and tell him I’ll be up soon,” Aiba said happily. “Oh and ask him if he has any fish.”

“Fish?” Sho asked, but Aiba had already ended their connection.

Life with Aiba was certainly never boring. To some people his ditziness and carefree attitude might be frustrating, but after years of working in the stuffy atmosphere of the bank, Sho found it refreshing.

Sho cautiously made his way up the rickety stairs and made a mental note to add them to the list of required repairs, wondering what an ‘Oh-chan’ might look like and hoping that he wasn't a potential rival for Aiba’s affection.

++

The faint sound of music could be heard coming from the far end of the attic accompanied by melodious singing.

Following the sound Sho passed by four doors on either side of a narrow passageway. The floor was bare and the dusty floorboards creaked as he made his way to the final door.

“Hello?” Sho knocked cautiously. “Pardon for the intrusion.”

The singing ceased but the murmur of music continued. The door opened to reveal a short man with a tan which made him resemble an overcooked chicken nugget, and what appeared to be splashes of blue paint in his hair. He was wearing a faded t-shirt and a pair of shorts which were also daubed with various shades of blue. “Hi. I’m Ohno, and you must be Sho-san. Aiba has told me all about you. Come on in.”

Sho looked around curiously as he followed Ohno into the long room. He jumped back in surprise as a giant canvas covered with a painting of a black pug dog loomed in front of him. Its bulging eyes seemed to follow him across the room as he joined Ohno under the window which provided unparalleled ocean views. At Ohno’s request he gingerly took a seat on a rickety stool at a tiny table which contained a ceramic teapot and several cups which appeared to be handmade. The rest of the space was filled with half-finished paintings, rather peculiar sculptures, and a surprisingly neat rack filled with an assortment of fishing rods. Even the walls were covered with abstract murals which added to the unreal atmosphere and Sho wondered if Alice had felt like this when she fell down the rabbit hole.

Ohno examined the cups and gave them a bit of a polish with a reasonably clean scrap of cloth before pouring two cups of fragrant tea. “I would offer you a snack to go with it but I’m afraid that the cupboard is bare.”

“That's fine. Thank you.” Sho accepted the tea, but placed it down on the table without tasting it. It smelled suspiciously like turpentine. “Aiba said that he’ll be up to see you soon, and um...he wanted to know if you have any fish?”

Ohno shook his head regretfully. “I haven't had a chance to go out in the boat yet.”

“So you're an artist?” Sho knew that he was probably stating the obvious, but since Aiba had told him nothing, it was probably safest not to assume anything.

“I guess so,” Ohno replied lazily. “I paint stuff and make things and people give me money for them.”

“And you work here?”

Ohno perked up and nodded enthusiastically. “It’s the only place where I feel inspired.”

“So you come here often then?”

“Nah, only a few times a year. The painting really interferes with my fishing, so I try to get it over and done with as quickly as possible so I can get back to my boat. That’s where I live for the rest of the time.” Ohno took a slurp of his tea and pulled a face. He sniffed the cup and then shrugged and took another sip.

Sho wondered how this would affect his plans for the refurbishment of the attic space. Knowing Aiba, he was probably allowing this basically homeless person to stay here rent free.

As if he could read Sho’s mind, or at least his facial expression, Ohno added, “Aiba also told me that you are here from the bank attempting to sort out the guesthouse’s financial problems. I assure you that despite appearances to the contrary I do pay my way, and not just in fish.”

Sho blushed and hastened to apologize. “I’m sorry Ohno-san; I didn't mean to offend. It’s just that since I've been here, this place has become very special to me.”

“And Aiba-chan too?” Ohno asked knowingly. “He has a special magic which affects those who are close to him. But he needs someone like you to act as a steadying influence.”

Sho ran his finger around the rim of his cup and looked Ohno in the eyes. There was something compelling about the older man which prompted Sho to confess, “I’ve lived my whole life being steady, which is exactly why I need someone like Aiba. He helps me to see the world in a better way.”

“Then I wish you luck.”

Apparently their conversation was over, because Ohno abruptly stood up and walked over to a canvas covered with layered splashes of paint and began to flick blobs of red in a zig zag over the top. It was as if he'd forgotten that Sho was even there.

Sho shrugged and made his way out, carefully avoiding looking at the giant dog painting as he passed it.

++

Filled with inspiration after his talk with the unusual artist, Sho went in search of Aiba.

There was a blob of yellow paint on the tip of Aiba’s nose just asking to be removed. Sho found it impossible to resist reaching up and gently wiping it off with the ball of his thumb.

Aiba’s eyes grew wide as he waited to see what Sho was going to do next.

“I would very much like to kiss you right now,” Sho said softly. He moved close enough to be able to observe that Aiba had the warmest brown eyes he had ever seen, and some tiny moles on his face which he had never noticed before.

“I’d like that very much too,” Aiba replied as his lips hovered tantalizingly close to Sho’s mouth.

The afternoon sun highlighted the golden streaks in Aiba’s hair as Sho closed the small remaining gap and met his lips. Aiba tilted his head in a way that was just right so that there was no awkward bumping of noses; it was as if they had done this many times before.

When they parted they stood and grinned foolishly at each other. A dozen butterflies seemed to have taken up residence in Sho’s stomach and he suspected that Aiba felt the same. “I think that it's about time that we had our second date, don't you?”

Aibas eyes sparkled as he handed Sho a paint roller. “The sooner we finish this wall, the sooner we can go.”

++

A full moon hung low over the sea making it easy to see where they walked, but Sho held Aiba’s hand anyway under the pretext of making sure that he didn't trip over any of the pieces of driftwood scattered over the beach.

A fallen tree made the perfect seat, and they settled themselves comfortably on the trunk. Sho unscrewed the lid of the bottle of Australian red wine he’d brought from the tiny local liquor store and handed Aiba a plastic cup which he filled for him, and then poured one for himself.

“I hope that you’re not disappointed because we aren't eating in a restaurant. It’s just that the night is so beautiful, and I’d hate to miss a moment of it. Normally I’d still be stuck behind my desk at the bank eating cup noodles until at least nine o’clock,” Sho said as he tapped his cup against Aiba’s to make a toast.

Aiba took a sip of his wine and leaned against Sho. “I don't know how you can stand being cooped up all day breathing city air.” He took a deep cleansing breath of the salty air and released it with a happy sigh. “When I was twenty I had a spontaneous pneumothorax and after they reinflated my lung I was in hospital for a while. After I was released my parents made arrangements with my grandmother for me to stay with her for a while to get my health back. I was supposed to return to college in the next semester but I somehow never went back. I loved it here too much.”

Sho’s heart clenched as Aiba spoke so casually about his health problems. “You’re okay now though?”

“I'm more than okay, especially since you arrived.” Aiba laughed, but then his expression changed to one of contemplation. “I know this is happening kind of fast, but you are already a special person to me.”

“I feel the same way Masaki,” Sho said softly. He had never used Aiba’s first name before and liked the way it felt to speak it.

Aiba rested his head on Sho’s shoulder and they sat and watched the waves lapping the shore for a few minutes before the hungry rumble of Sho’s stomach reminded them that they were supposed to be having dinner.

Sho rummaged in the insulated bag he had placed down beside his feet and handed Aiba a large cardboard box. “Jun mentioned that you like fried chicken.”

Aiba opened the box and took a deep appreciative sniff. “Like it? It’s my favourite. My grandmother has always said that my body is about seventy percent fried chicken.”

The next box which Sho pulled out contained fried shrimp which he stuffed into his mouth with great enthusiasm while Aiba sat and watched him with a mixture of amusement and astonishment.

Speaking around a mouthful, Sho held out the box to Aiba. “This is rude of me. Did you want some?”

Aiba waved it away, and smiled at the crumbs clinging around Sho’s lips. “I couldn't possibly deprive you of it.” He happily munched on his chicken as they sat and gazed at the sea which sparkled silver in the moonlight.

“I brought dessert too. Please tell me that you like sweets?” Sho held his breath as he waited for Aiba’s response. If Aiba’s response was positive then Sho felt it would be a sign that they were meant for each other.

“I looove sweets. Oh-chan and I are the only ones who really enjoy them, so if you like them too he will be thrilled as I am. We often joke that if we had one more person then we could form a sweets club,” Aiba enthused.

The butterflies returned to Sho’s belly; here was the sign he was looking for. “My favourite is cheesecake, so when I spotted it at the store I couldn't resist.”

Suddenly made shy by his feelings towards Aiba, Sho fumbled with the cake box as he took it out of the bag. He opened the lid and immediately slammed it shut again. The baker had offered him a fresh cake from out the back, rather than the one in the display cabinet, and he had happily agreed. What the baker hadn't mentioned was that it was heart shaped. If Aiba laughed, Sho seriously considered walking into the sea and swimming back to Tokyo.

Aiba snatched the box out of Sho’s hands and looked inside. “Awwwww. How romantic. Those strawberries on top look delicious too.”

“You don't think that it's too, if you’ll pardon the phrase, cheesy?” Sho asked hopefully.

“It's perfect,” Aiba said with a smile which rivalled the moon’s bright shimmer.

Sho hid his pleased blush by rummaging in his bag in search of the spoons he’d asked the baker to provide. He could only find one though, and dug around with increasing frustration.

“Is there something wrong?” Aiba asked with concern.

“I can only find one spoon. How are we both supposed to eat it?”

A smile played around the corners of Aiba’s lips as he suggested, “You could always feed it to me.”

The cake almost ended up on the sand as Sho’s hands jerked reflexively, causing Aiba to break into his distinctive laugh.

“I dare you,” Aiba challenged.

This date was turning out better than Sho had even imagined.

++

The next day Sho noticed Jun walking across the guest lounge, and even though Nino’s warning to treat Jun like anyone else still resonated, he couldn’t help but to hover and watch out for him as he negotiated his way around the furniture.

Apparently he wasn’t as discreet as he imagined, as Jun stood still and turned in his direction. “So you know now Sho-san. I was wondering when you would figure it out.”

Sho was immediately flustered, and then impressed. “How did you know it’s me?”

Jun smiled and tried to put Sho at ease. “It’s my fault. I should have told you back when we first arrived, but it feels a bit too attention grabbing to make a dramatic pronouncement. And I know it’s you because of the cologne you wear; it’s very nice, by the way.”

Sho still felt as if he should be doing something to assist Jun. “Is there anything I can do to help make things easier for you?”

"It’s sweet of you to offer, but I know this place so well I can get around just fine. The best way to help is to stick to your job of making sure that this place stays in business. Aiba and this guesthouse are both very important to all of us who stay here."

As he spoke Jun resumed his walk across the room and Sho spotted a book on the floor which had obviously been dislodged from the table next to the sofa. Jun was heading right towards it and Sho couldn’t help himself from dashing over to pick it up.

The only problem was that in his haste to prevent Jun from tripping and falling over, Sho actually ended up in Jun’s way resulting in them both ending up on the floor.

Knocking Jun down was bad enough but Sho’s fate was sealed when Nino walked through the door at the exact moment when he was flat on his back with Jun in his arms.

Nino snarked, "Could you please do me a favour and unhand my boyfriend? That's what you have Aiba for."

Jun was no help whatsoever; he was surprisingly muscular and really quite heavy as he draped himself over Sho’s prone body and giggled helplessly.

Eventually, with Nino’s assistance Sho managed to get Jun off him. He cringed, expecting the worst from Nino, but to his relief, Jun’s boyfriend was giggling as well by the time they were untangled.

“We don't know you well enough to indulge in a threesome just yet,” Nino joked as they all collapsed onto the large sofa while still giggling intermittently.

“All jokes aside, we need to make sure that the bank doesn't close the guesthouse.” Jun took Nino’s hand and stroked the back of it with his thumb as if calming him in advance of what he said next. “I lost my sight two years ago courtesy of a taxi driver who failed to stop at a red light. Nino feels guilty because he only has a bad back which troubles him if he overexerts himself or stands up for too long. Even though I have told him a hundred times that it was just random fate which left me blinded, I know that deep down he still doesn’t believe me. I finally convinced him to stop torturing himself for something which wasn't his fault, but he's been overprotective of me ever since. That’s why we spend a lot of time here, where we can both relax and heal mentally. ”

Nino rubbed fist across his eyes and muttered, “It’s not fair that you have to pay for the rest of your life for something which wasn’t your fault. Why was I the lucky one?”

Jun shook his head and continued to speak to Sho. “I think that I’m the lucky one. Nino’s back will always hurt, but once I recovered from my injuries I’ve been pain free.”

For the first time in Sho’s presence, Jun removed his sunglasses and Sho couldn’t help staring. Jun was an exceedingly handsome man with large brown eyes and long thick eyelashes. The only thing which hinted at his blindness was a small jagged scar on his right temple and the blank stare of his beautifully coloured light brown eyes.

Since Jun was in sharing mode, Sho ventured another question. “What happened to the driver?”

“Got away without a scratch,” Nino said angrily.

Jun tugged Nino closer and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. “It’s true that he wasn’t injured but he was found guilty of dangerous driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, and reckless endangerment. As far as I know he’s still in prison, and will be for a while.”

“As soon as we were able we came here to recover from our injuries,” Nino said quietly as he picked up the story where Jun left off. “Aiba and his grandmother are like family to Jun.”

“My family came here on vacation for one week every summer until I graduated from high school. This is why I can find my way around relatively easily. In my mind I can picture the rooms as they were. As a matter of fact I even came here on my graduation trip. That’s when I met Nino. He was playing his guitar under a big shady tree near the jetty and the music drew me to him,” Jun reminisced.

“I’m sure that it was actually my stunning looks which attracted him,” Nino boasted as he noticeably cheered up.

“You were scrawny but cute,” Jun said fondly.

Nino poked him in the side. “Says the person who had arms and legs like pipe cleaners.”

Sho looked at the impressive width of Jun’s shoulders and raised his eyebrows disbelievingly.

Catching Sho’s expression, Nino explained, “After the accident Jun spent a lot of time doing rehabilitation at the gym and it really beefed him up, much to my pleasure.”

Jun hushed Nino before he could go into further detail. “I’m sure that Sho doesn’t need to hear about your pleasure, Nino.”

Sho could see how the couple could be such good friends with Aiba. They were such warm and humorous people of exactly the type that were missing from his own life.

As if reading Sho’s mind once again, Jun said, “So Sho, since you’re our new friend and we’re in confession mode, is there anything else you want to know about us?”

A warm feeling flooded Sho as he looked at the happy pair opposite him. There was one thing which he’d wondered since finding out about Jun’s disability, so that was what he asked. “How did losing your sight affect your career?”

Nino and Jun shared a smile and Nino answered on Jun’s behalf. “Didn’t affect it in the slightest. That was the one fortunate thing about the accident. We write songs together. I write the music and Jun comes up with the words. We write mostly for groups who are part of Johnny’s Agency. In fact when we were first starting out, the agency tried to snare J to train as an idol but he said that he preferred working behind the scenes.”

“Lucky thing too, because if I had taken up their offer, I’d certainly have been on scrap heap immediately after the accident. And losing my career at twenty six would have finished me,” Jun said sadly.

“I wouldn’t have let that happen,” Nino said fiercely.

Nino’s love for Jun radiated through every pore of his body and Sho felt envious for a moment as he contemplated his sterile life in Tokyo, living alone and having no time for friends.

But then a vision of Aiba popped into his mind and Sho felt warmth flooding his body and his heart seemed to expand to fill his chest. There was a chance that he might end up as happy as Nino and Jun, if only he didn’t let this chance slip through his fingers.

++

Unable to find Aiba anywhere about the guesthouse, Sho went looking for him in the most obvious place. In the three weeks in which he’d been here, Sho had noticed that whenever Aiba needed cheering up he headed to the sea as if drawn by a magnet.

The sky was a bright and cloudless blue, and even though it was windy enough to create foam horses on the crest of the waves it remained unseasonably warm. Sho peeled off his light jacket and tied it around his waist as he made his way along the sand.

At the waterline, a lone fisherman stood with fishing rods sitting in a neat line of rod holders which had been screwed into the sand in front of him. As Sho neared him the figure waved and he realised that it was Ohno, who had apparently abandoned his work in favour of toasting himself under the sun. He wasn’t wearing a hat and his skin was even darker than before. Sho waved back and smiled as Ohno pulled a large fish out of a cooler and held it up proudly. There was no doubt as to what to expect for dinner.

As expected, Aiba was perched on the same fallen tree where they had enjoyed their second date, facing towards the blue sky with a pensive expression which didn’t match the beauty of the day.

Sho hesitated for a moment before walking up to Aiba. “Want some company?”

Aiba turned to look at him and his face brightened. He patted the space beside him in invitation. “If it’s Sho-chan who is doing the asking, then the answer will always be yes.”

They sat in silence for a while, watching the same dog which chewed Aiba’s swim trunks run back and forth across the beach while its owner threw a ball which it ignored in favour of barking madly at seagulls.

Eventually the noisy canine and its ineffective owner moved out of earshot and Aiba took a photo out of his pocket and handed it to Sho. “Granny isn’t coming back. That’s a photo of her with her new husband.”

The photograph depicted a small smiling elderly Japanese lady holding hands with an equally small and elderly Thai man standing at a lookout on top of a mountain surrounded by lush green forests.

Sho was surprised and slightly envious. “Wow that’s fast. Did they know each other before?”

Aiba shook his head and shrugged. “Nope. They met at the temple on the day that you spoke to her on the phone. She said that at their age they couldn’t afford to waste a single minute of happiness.”

“In that case, what has she decided to do about the guesthouse? The bank will need to be informed,” Sho said as he snapped back into work mode and began to consider what this meant financially for the guesthouse.

“She has signed it over to me,” Aiba replied in a stunned voice. “I tried to talk her out of it, but she said that it's better that way since she planned on leaving it to me in her will anyway. I don’t know what to do…”

Sho took Aiba’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “What we have to do is make sure that we make the guesthouse profitable so that you can run it for as long as your grandmother did.”

“That sounds like a dream,” Aiba replied sadly.

“Not at all,” Sho replied with more confidence than he felt. “I know you want to honour your grandmother’s commitment to her old customers, but you have to look towards attracting a younger crowd. All it will take is a few renovations and some updating of the amenities.”

“You’re right. Now that the place is mine I can make it into somewhere even more special. Even if I don’t have any money there are surely things I can still do.” Aiba jumped up and jiggled excitedly. “Thanks Sho-chan. You’re an inspiration.”

++

“Are you sure that you are okay with this?” Sho asked Nino as he placed his bucket hat on his head and slid on a pair of sunglasses.

“I’d much rather stay here and deal with cranky old ladies, than go out on that vomit-inducing rust bucket which Ohno calls a boat,” Nino replied with a shudder.

“Nino, be fair. The only reason you hate it because you get seasick,” Jun chided. “Oh-chan’s boat is actually very comfortable.”

“It would be, if it was on dry land, and not rolling about the place,” Nino conceded grudgingly. “If only he could do something about the fishy smell,” he added as his face turned slightly green.

Jun patted Nino’s back and reassured Sho at the same time. “Just enjoy your day out with Aiba. We will make sure everything is fine here. I’ll man the phone while Nino looks after the guests. He’s a wizard with a toilet brush.”

Nino turned and gave Jun a withering look, which Jun obviously sensed as he reached up and pinched Nino’s cheek and smiled.

Aiba joined Sho, carrying a picnic basket and wearing an eye wateringly patterned Hawaiian shirt. “You have no idea how much I appreciate this. I haven’t had an entire day off since I can’t remember when.”

Up close, Sho could see the dark circles under Aiba’s eyes and felt terrible to be part of causing him so much stress. “Let me carry the basket for you.”

“Thanks Sho-chan,”Aiba said gratefully as he handed it over. “Today is going to be great.”

The basket was surprisingly heavy and Sho wondered just how much food Aiba had packed. It seemed that even if Ohno failed to catch any fish they would still be well fed.

++

Freestyle was the name of Ohno’s boat and Sho was pleasantly surprised by the sight of her pristine white paintwork and the well-polished shine of the chrome railing which ran around her deck.

Ohno waved Sho and Aiba aboard and gave Sho a guided tour of the sleeping quarters, bathroom, living area, and galley. Each area was small but exceedingly well organized. Sho was stunned by the almost clinical neatness on board in comparison to the colourful chaos of the attic studio.

As if reading Sho’s mind Ohno said. “Yep, I know it's different, but with so little space it's important to keep things stowed away.”

Aiba, who had been on-board many times before, skipped the tour and busied himself with placing cold drinks and food into the small refrigerator. When he was done Aiba went up on deck and arrayed himself comfortably on a beach towel. He stripped off his shirt and held out a bottle of sunscreen towards Sho. “Can you give me a hand?”

Ohno gave Sho a knowing look and pushed him towards Aiba. “Off you go. In the meantime I'll take the boat to one of my favourite fishing spots.”

As the engine started, Sho knelt down next to Aiba and squirted some lotion onto his hand. Aiba’s back felt warm and silky under Sho’s fingers as he smoothed the sunscreen onto his skin. Aiba sighed happily and flopped bonelessly onto his front on the deck as he relaxed under Sho’s touch.

“I'm sorry if I've been pushing you too hard to make changes,” Sho said guiltily. He thought of the stack of paint charts and furniture catalogues he’d been bombarding Aiba with over the past week, along with spreadsheets outlining various financial scenarios dependent on whatever level of renovations were selected.

“Don't be silly Sho-chan; you've gone above and beyond what your job requires. I’m really grateful for everything you've done for me. I love the people side of running the guesthouse, but the financial side of it confuses me,” Aiba admitted. “I don’t know how it’s going to work out when you’re no longer here.”

“I will only be a phone call away. You can ring me any time.” Sho imagined himself sitting at his desk in his stuffy office, hours away from Aiba and his heart sank at the prospect.

Aiba flipped over onto his back and gazed up at Sho. “For business purposes only, or can I ring you to talk about nothing?”

“I would be very disappointed if you didn't,” Sho replied with a grin. It seemed as if Aiba was just as keen to maintain their relationship.

++

Sho put down his chopsticks with a satisfied sigh. “That was delicious Ohno-san. Your knife skills are incredible. That's the best sashimi I’ve ever tasted.”

“It comes from using the freshest fish possible, and they couldn't be any fresher,” Ohno said proudly.

“We haven't eaten any of the food which Aiba brought though. I hope he won't be offended.”

Ohno shook his head and began to clear up the dirty dishes. “You obviously didn't look in the basket while you carried it for him. Which means that you're in for a surprise.”

“What?” Sho was puzzled but amused by Ohno’s secretive expression as the artist disappeared below deck to join Aiba in the galley.

The warmth of the sun and the gentle motion of the ship lulled Sho to sleep where he was sitting. He jerked awake from his doze when he heard Aiba and Ohno laughing as they came up on deck. The vision which met his eyes made Sho wonder if he was still asleep and dreaming.

“Welcome to the official launch of the Friendship Sweets Club!” Aiba chirped.

Sho was speechless as Aiba and Ohno made their way carefully across the deck carrying a long wooden plank which had at least a dozen small plates balanced across its surface. Each plate contained three miniature desserts or tiny slices of cake which had been artistically arrayed and garnished with cream and fresh fruit.

The wooden plank was covered with paintings of desserts sitting on pink fluffy clouds floating in a rainbow coloured sky. It was obviously the work of Ohno and the attention to detail was incredible. The best bit was in the very middle where the three of them were depicted in cartoon form making a toast using cupcakes.

“This is wonderful,” Sho said in stunned amazement.

“Now that you’re our friend, we have finally found someone who can make our dream of a sweets club a reality,” Aiba said happily as he and Ohno carefully placed the plank down. “We can have a meeting once a month to try out new sweets.”

“Nino and Jun are such spoilsports. They refused to join in because Nino doesn’t like sweets and Jun always worries about the sugar and calories contents, but now that you’re a permanent fixture the club can finally begin.” Ohno said eagerly. “My manager will be pleased if I stay at the guest house more and crank out a few extra paintings.”

Aiba’s eyes sparkled as he handed out forks. “There are some really weird flavour combinations I’ve always wanted to try, and now that we have Sho-chan, it’s going to be so much more fun.”

Sho’s mouth was dry as he feigned excitement even while his heart sank. It was wonderful to be included by Aiba and Ohno who seemed to take it for granted that he would still be around to take part. But how could this be possible? Unless he came up with any more excuses for his absence, he must return to Tokyo soon and would be lucky to see Aiba and his new friends once a year if the bank actually permitted him to use any of the leave which had been building up for years.

++

A week after the fishing trip, Aiba invited Sho to his living area for the first time. Although they had been spending a lot of time together, they had been focused on the work of saving the business, and put their mutual attraction temporarily to one side. Aiba had shown Sho all of the local attractions which made the area so popular with tourists while Sho had scribbled down copious notes for a prospective advertising approach for the business.

Finally the last new guests were checked in for the day and Aiba had given Sho one of his beautiful smiles which created crinkles around his eye,s and invited him to join him for the evening. The kiss which had accompanied the invitation made it perfectly clear that he wasn’t inviting Sho around to discuss business and Sho’s pulse had raced at the prospect of taking their relationship to the next level.

Unsurprisingly Aiba and his grandmother’s shared private quarters were a mixture of old lady floral sofas and surfing gear. The walls were covered with framed family photographs, including shots of Aiba at various ages sporting his trademark beaming grin. Sho was wondering if it was creepy of him to find toddler Aiba utterly adorable, when his attention was drawn to a print on the far wall.

At a distance the print was of a seahorse on a white background, but on closer inspection it proved to contain dozens of intricate tiny drawings which made up the whole. He wasn't at all surprised to see that it was Ohno’s handiwork. After his first meeting with the artist he had paid him several visits up in his attic, sharing cake and tea (minus the turpentine) with him. At first he had found Ohno’s artwork confusing, and in the case of the pug painting quite confronting, but after spending time with him Sho had come to realise that each of the pieces were just as unique as their creator. Ohno appeared to be perfectly happy with his simple life, and even if he didn't appear to have much money, his freedom to do as he wished was something which Sho deeply envied.

“It's marvellous isn't it?” Aiba asked from somewhere close behind Sho. He wrapped his arms around Sho’s waist and leaned his chin on Sho’s shoulder. “I’ve looked at it so many times, and yet still find something new to enjoy.”

“I wish I was that good at something,” Sho said longingly.

While still keeping his arms around Sho’s waist, Aiba steered him over to the sofa. “You are good at stuff Sho-chan. You managed to master my accounting system in only one day.”

“Being good with figures is a job, not a life.” Sho dropped down despondently onto the squishy floral cushions. The prospect of returning to the office in less than a week was bringing his mood down to its lowest ebb.

“There's something else at which you’re rather good,” Aiba said with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle.

Amused by Aiba’s expression, Sho decided to play dumb. “What would that be? I can't really think of anything else right now. I even suck at surfing…”

Aiba sat down as close to Sho as possible and then kept edging over until Sho was firmly wedged against the armrest. He puckered his lips and closed his eyes.

Sho fought down the desire to laugh at Aiba’s antics and continued to tease him. “Is there something wrong?” He leaned in close. “Is there something in your eye?”

Aiba’s eyes popped open and he practically went cross-eyed as he tried to focus on Sho’s too close face. Sho’s mood instantly turned serious as he gazed into Aiba’s captivating eyes. People often said that a person's eyes were the windows to their soul. If this was the case then Aiba’s soul was pure and warm.

When Sho kissed him Aiba melted against his body and wrapped his arms around him, engulfing Sho with his scent of the sea and a warm summer’s day. With Aiba in his arms, Sho’s worries melted away as he lost himself in savouring the taste and texture of Aiba’s yielding lips.

It took quite a while before Sho noticed that they were no longer alone. Aiba made a small noise of displeasure as Sho pulled away when he saw that Jun was standing in the doorway. Sho immediately relaxed a little; there was no way that Jun could know what he had interrupted.

“Aiba, put Sho down. We need to talk,” Jun said as he carefully made his way across the room and took a seat opposite where Sho and Aiba were sitting.

“Oh, I’ll be off then,” Sho said as he hastily disentangled himself from Aiba’s long arms and made to leave. “But how…?”

Jun finished Sho’s sentence for him. “Did I know that you two were kissing? Because I know Aiba.”

“Stay right there,” Nino said as he came in and sat next to Jun on the sofa. “You’re included in this conversation.”

Ohno slumped his way into the room last, making scuffing noises with his flip flops before dropping down next to Nino.

The three of them sat facing Aiba and Sho. Nino and Jun were wearing serious expressions which made Sho nervous, but he was relieved to see that Ohno looked blank as usual.

“If you’re here to ask me about my intentions towards Aiba, I can assure you that they’re entirely honourable,” Sho joked weakly.

“But I’m afraid that my intentions towards Sho aren’t, and if you’d arrived here five minutes later you would have seen for yourselves,” Aiba said with a breathy giggle.

Nino groaned and buried his head in Jun’s shoulder. “Ewwwwww. That’s a mental picture that I didn’t need.”

“Really?” For once Ohno looked animated as he looked around eagerly. “Because I wouldn’t mind at all.”

“That’s because you are a hopeless pervert,” Jun said as he reached around Nino and poked the artist in the side.

Nino leaned forward and allowed Jun and Ohno to continue to poke at each other behind his back. “The three of us have been talking and we’ve come up with a solution to Aiba’s financial problems. We want to invest in the guest house. All Sho has to do is come up with a figure.”

Aiba clutched Sho’s hand hard enough to hurt as he looked at his three friends with tears in his eyes. “I love you guys, but I can’t possibly accept. The business has been going downhill for years; there’s no guarantee that things will change and I don’t want you to lose your money.”

“Don’t worry, it will mostly be Oh-chan’s money since he’s filthy rich, and it’s not like he uses it anyway. All he buys is beer, fishing magazines, and more paint,” Nino said smugly.

“But Nino and I definitely want to contribute,” Jun added. “This is where I feel most comfortable and I want to make it comfortable for other disabled people too. Just because you have a disability doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve a great holiday.”

“You can have as much money as you need, just as long as my attic remains untouched.” Ohno said with a smile. “I wouldn’t mind a mini fridge up there to keep my beer in though.”

Sho appreciated their good intentions, but it seemed improbable that the scruffy artist could afford to pay for the renovations. “I don't want to sound rude, but are you sure that you know how much money is actually required?”

“Don't worry about it. Oh-chan will just need to crank out a couple of paintings,” Nino answered for the artist who appeared to be on the verge of dozing off. He pulled out his phone and brought up Ohno’s website. He handed the phone to Sho. “This is how much his current works are selling for.”

Sho’s eyes bugged out as he attempted to comprehend exactly how many zeros were part of the price. He was pretty sure that his new car had cost less than half as much as one of the sculptures, and most of the paintings were worth even more.

Throughout the last part of the conversation Aiba had sat in silence, wringing his hands. When he finally did speak, his voice was choked with emotion. “I don’t know why you’re doing this for me. I’m not worthy of your trust. What if I screw it up again?”

Sho knelt in front of Aiba and cupped his tear streaked cheeks and kissed him. “You won’t screw it up, and even if you did I would still love you.”

His words seemed to have the opposite effect to that which he had intended as Aiba burst into loud sobs. Sho was distraught and didn’t know what to do. He pulled away and walked to the far side of the room, all the while wondering what he had done wrong. The other three didn’t seem to be bothered at all by Aiba’s emotional outburst. Jun pulled a pristine white handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to Nino.

Nino walked over and perched on the edge of the chair where Aiba was sitting, edging him half off the seat and handed him the handkerchief. “Aibaka, stop crying. And don’t worry; Jun, Ohno and I will stick around to make sure that things are done right. You know what a control freak J is.”

Aiba wiped his eyes and blew his nose loudly. “That’s not why I’m crying! It’s because Sho said that he LOVES me.”

“I think that’s our cue to leave,” Jun gave Ohno a shake to wake him from his doze. “It’s about time Oh-chan showed me his latest sculptures.”

Nino showed no sign of leaving and was staying put next to Aiba, ignoring the fact that everyone was glaring at him. “I’ve already seen them.”

“But I think you need to see them again,” Jun said pointedly. “And by that I mean right now .”

Jun’s tone of voice was impossible to ignore, even for Nino. He rose to his feet and walked to the door as slowly as possible while keeping his eyes on Sho and Aiba the whole way. “Can’t I at least leave my phone here to record this important moment?”

“NO!”

++

Aiba jumped up from the sofa and dashed over to the window. He flung it wide open and leaned out as he took a series of shuddering breaths as if he was struggling to get enough air.

Sho’s heart was in his mouth as he dashed over to Aiba; he feared that Aiba’s lung issues had resurfaced due to the stress of the past month. “Masaki? Are you okay? Is it your lungs? What should I do?”

Aiba turned to him and shook his head. His chest was still rising and falling rapidly but his breathing was slightly smoother. After taking a few more breaths he managed to wheeze out a few words. “I'm fine, although I think I might be having a panic attack, because I could’ve sworn that you just said that you love me. And you calling me Masaki and looking at me with that soft expression isn't helping.”

Sho was utterly confused and bewildered by Aiba’s reaction, but his instincts drew him closer. He wrapped his arms around Aiba and held him tenderly. He could feel the frenzied pounding of Aiba’s heart as their bodies pressed together. “It’s true. I love you. I think I loved you from that first moment on the beach, and not just because you were naked.”

“I love you too Sho-chan. You’re the best thing to happen to me in…well… to be perfectly honest…ever.” Aiba clung tightly to Sho and soaked the front of his shirt with his tears. “I’m so happy that the guest house is safe, but if my financial problems are gone, it means that you will soon be gone too. What use is having a business if I don't have youuu?” Aiba wailed.

“What if I want to stay? Would that be okay?” Sho had been thinking about it for weeks but somehow had never managed to pluck up the courage to speak to Aiba directly. “Every time I think about returning to Tokyo and sitting down at my desk I want to throw up. How can I possibly leave you here alone, knowing that I would only be making both of us unhappy?

“Sho…”

Sho felt as if he was being squeezed by a boa constrictor as Aiba hugged him tightly and kissed him hard enough to steal away whatever breath he had left before pulling away abruptly.

Eyes still brimming with tears, Aiba looked at Sho with the faintest glimmer of hope, which was immediately dulled as reality set in. “But what about your career? All the work you’ve put into your position at the bank would be wasted.”

Sho felt no inclination to return to his sterile old life cooped up in an office and unaware of the changing of the seasons, or sometimes even if it was day or night. It wasn’t just Aiba who had won his heart; he loved this little piece of paradise and the character-filled guest house. The problem was that he couldn’t find a way financially to achieve the break from his old life which he so desperately desired.

“Ahem.” Jun’s hesitant clearing of his throat made Aiba and Sho jump. He was hovering in the doorway with his hand still on the door knob as if prepared for a hasty exit depending on the reaction he received. “Sorry. Since it’s me, you obviously don’t need to worry about me seeing anything I shouldn’t. I know that I told the others not to interrupt and now I’m doing it myself, but we had an idea, and it’s something which you need to hear right now before you make any decisions about your future.”

Sho could tell by the slight flush to Jun’s face that he had definitely been standing there while Aiba had kissed him senseless. He knew the other three well enough by now to be aware that they had chosen Jun as their appointed messenger because of his disability. There was no way that Sho could physically eject him from the room without feeling like a terrible bully. “This had better be good.”

“It really is,” Ohno said as he popped his head around the doorway.

“Sho, I take it that you probably have a dozen weeks’ worth of holiday leave which you haven’t taken?” Jun said as he calmly shut the door in Ohno’s face.

It was hard for Sho to remember exactly he had taken his last vacation, and it had been spent at home catching up on all of the chores he didn’t have time for while working twelve hour days, six days a week. “Well, yes. The bank doesn’t exactly encourage their employees to take time off. Even though it’s wrong, it’s definitely something which they take into account when considering employees for promotion.”

“So if you resigned, the bank would have to pay it out to you on termination?”

Sho nodded. “Yes, they would.”

“Then your problem is solved and you and Aiba-chan can get back to finally getting into each other’s pants, as Nino would say,” Jun said with a dirty grin.

As Sho got the drift of what Jun meant, a smile of his own spread slowly across his features. If they were thinking along the same lines, then maybe his life was about to change.

Only Aiba remained confused. He looked back and forth between the pair. “What? I don’t understand.”

“Sorry Aiba. Let me elaborate.” Jun said kindly. “Sho can use his payout to join in with us in financing the guest house. If you have no objection, the business can employ him to handle the financial side of things while you take care of the hospitality side of things. The salary would be much less than the bank, but I’m sure that you could find him somewhere to sleep and toss him some food occasionally so that he wouldn’t have much in the way of living expenses.”

“So that means that we could all be partners and have an equal share of ownership of Hello Goodbye!” Aiba said eagerly. “What a great idea. Let’s find a solicitor right away and have them draw up the papers.”

Sho objected. “Aiba you don’t have to do that. The guest house is yours, and once the renovations are completed and we make the other improvements, you stand to make a tidy profit.”

“Sho is right. We were suggesting a way for Sho to stay here with you and earn a small income. We don’t want to take over your business,” Jun added.

Aiba shook his head and gave them a stubborn look. “You guys are really dense.” He walked over to the door and pulled it open without warning. Nino and Ohno landed in a tangled heap on the floor and gazed up at him with feigned innocence. He helped them up and then prodded them over to stand in a line with Jun and Sho.

“It’s not about money or possessions. You all know that that sort of stuff means nothing to me,” Aiba began. He marched back and forth in front of his friends mimicking a general addressing his troops, prodding them in turn with his finger in turn as he continued. “Jun, Nino, you always say that living in the city reminds you of the accident and those dark days. Correct? And Sho has made it more than clear where he wants to be. Right? This place is where we are all at our happiest and most relaxed. Yes?”

Three heads nodded obediently, but Ohno looked as if he was about to disagree, so Aiba hastily added, “And our most inspired?”

Ohno shrugged but eventually nodded reluctantly.

Aiba smiled in satisfaction at Ohno’s response before continuing. “Since without your financial assistance the guest house would no longer exist, I think you all deserve to own your own piece of Hello Goodbye. I want us to be partners and for you each to have your own room. I would love it if you choose to live here full time, but I'm not going to pressure you.” In a direct contradiction to his words he bestowed his best pleading puppy-eyes look at all of them. “We can not only live our best lives, but if we work together we can recreate the experience for our guests as well.”

Ohno looked uncomfortable at the idea. “I hope this doesn't include me. I love the place, but I don't think I can help you with the guests. They all talk too much.”

“I would never expect you to, but it would be great if you could help out with the decoration,” Aiba replied eagerly.

Jun and Nino looked at each other and shared a smile. Sho could almost see their body’s grow lighter as they contemplated a permanent move to the place where they could finally move on from the trauma which had altered their lives forever.

Sho’s heart wanted to snatch at Aiba’s plan, but his head had some questions. “If we take over some of the rooms then the available rooms for paying guests will be drastically reduced, and so will the profits.”

“Then we just build an extension. That way we can each have our own space, and still have enough rooms available for a range of guests on different budgets, including the pensioner crowd which Aiba has inherited. We can offer luxury rooms with ocean views and private balconies in this building and disabled accessible rooms and backpacker dormitories in the single storey extension. I keep my attic space and the additional unfinished rooms on that floor. Nino and Jun retain their regular room, since Jun is familiar with its layout, plus take over the family suite next door. This way they could knock down the wall between the rooms and create an open plan living and kitchen space, creating an easily manageable apartment. Sho will obviously be sharing Aiba’s existing living quarters, so we wouldn't lose any space there,” Ohno said calmly. “I’ve already had my manager and financial advisor look into purchasing the adjoining vacant block of land. He has advised me that the owner is amenable to selling, and at an extremely reasonable rate since he is an old friend of Aiba’s grandmother. My lawyer has checked out planning permission and said it should be easily obtained since the town is eager to attract a wider range of tourists.”

The other four looked at Ohno with mouths agape. They had never heard him talk like that before and it made them wonder what else he had done in his life before becoming a full time artist. Apparently exhausted by the longest speech that any of them had ever heard him make, he flopped down limply on the sofa and pulled a cushion over his face.

“Well, we can't really argue with that. Moving here would finally chase away the demons which have plagued us since the accident. I just know that Nino and I could be truly happy here,” Jun said. Nino nodded and buried his face into Jun’s chest to hide the tears which trickled down cheeks. Jun held him tightly and pressed a kiss onto the top of his head.

“Then we are agreed? Hello Goodbye will become a partnership?” Aiba looked around at them with barely concealed excitement.

Ohno raised his hand lazily from his position on the sofa and gave a thumbs up to signal his agreement.

“Yes,” said Jun firmly as he cuddled Nino who added his assent, “I think it will be good for all of us, and even though he might grumble, I think it will benefit Oh-chan too.”

This just left Sho, who took Aiba’s hand and gazed into his eyes. “I think it’s the perfect solution for the business, but is it really okay for me to move in with you? We haven’t known each other for very long, so I can understand if you have some doubts.”

“I love you Sho,” Aiba said with a sparkle in his eyes. “And I agree with Granny’s philosophy that none of us can afford to waste a single minute of happiness.”

“In that case, I accept.” Sho placed his hands on Aiba’s cheeks and kissed him with enthusiasm.

Nino rolled his eyes, but joined in with Jun’s laughter and Ohno’s applause, as Sho grabbed Aiba around his waist and joyfully but clumsily spun him in a dizzying circle in the middle of the room to celebrate the moment.

++

The fresh sherbet yellow paintwork of Hello Goodbye glowed brightly as Aiba draped bunting across the railings of the new balconies which had been added to the front rooms on the upper floor. These rooms had been extensively renovated and the nightly rate doubled. Despite the price increase, all of these rooms offering expansive ocean views were already fully booked over the peak rate summer season. Once the updated website had been launched, bookings had begun rolling in almost immediately.

The entire interior of the guesthouse had been freshly painted, and Ohno had been thrilled to be offered a pristine white wall in each room to adorn with murals of whatever took his fancy, which fortunately turned out to be ocean creatures and beach scenes.

Under Jun’s relentless supervision, the builders had worked hard all through winter, battling the elements to have the extension completed by the middle of spring. Nobody knew quite how it had been accomplished, but apparently by using a combination of charm and threats Jun had achieved the seemingly impossible.

The disabled accommodation in the new wing had been featured on Accessible Japan’s website and booking enquiries had been flooding in from all parts of the country and even from some overseas tourists who were used to struggling in unsuitable accommodation while touring Japan.

Busy overseeing the new construction, Jun had left the renovation and expansion of his and Nino’s living quarters to his boyfriend. Nino had lovingly ensured that every possible gadget and convenience to assist Jun had been installed in their new apartment and not complained even once about the expense. They now had access to one of the wide balconies facing the ocean, which Nino thought was a waste as he much preferred being indoors. But the sight of Jun wearing a blissful expression as he sat on the balcony one mild morning in late spring with his face raised to the sun, listening intently to the crashing waves instantly changed his mind.

Up in the attic, nothing much had altered, except that Ohno had installed skylights and knocked down some walls so that his studio was now double the size. One of the other unused rooms now served as a storage area for his fishing gear, as his rod collection had also doubled in size. Sitting on the floor next to his tiny table was his only other purchase; a new bar fridge which was already covered in blobs of paint and fingerprints, but constantly stocked with a selection of beers from around the world.

There had never been a happier day in Sho’s life than when he and Aiba returned to Tokyo to pack up his apartment. His notice had been handed in two weeks prior and despite giving a stated finish date one month later, the HR department at the bank had told him that two weeks would be more than sufficient. It appeared that during his time away, he had ceased to be relevant. Sho broke into a cold sweat when he realized how close he had been to stagnating in the same position in that boring office with little or no chance of promotion for the rest of his working life.

Aiba’s waist fitted perfectly into Sho’s hands as he joined him on the final balcony. He spun his boyfriend around and drank in the glowing countenance of the man he loved. “The reopening party doesn’t begin for an hour. Do you want to have a quick lie down?”

Aiba wriggled away and fussed over the bunting. “I’m far too excited to nap.”

Sho caught hold of Aiba again and whispered in his ear. “I wasn’t suggesting that we sleep.”

“Oh?” For a moment Aiba looked puzzled, but then a mischievous smile bloomed on his face. He grabbed Sho’s hand and dragged him back into the building. “I can think of lots of things which we can do to each other in an hour.”

Nino, whose balcony it was which Aiba had been decorating, glared at them as they dashed by him where he was sitting playing a game on his phone. “You do know that I’m here, right?”

Sho’s apology trailed off down the corridor as Aiba pulled him along behind him as he made his way back to their living space at great speed.

++

“I’m still gunna go out on my boat you know,” Ohno slurred as he leaned heavily on Jun and almost spilled his drink down Jun’s silk shirt. “Jus coz I spent winter indoors doesn’t mean I’m a landlubber now.”

“Just as long as you don’t expect me to go with you,” Nino replied as he rescued his boyfriend from Ohno’s vice like grip.

After spending winter and spring mostly indoors working on the murals, Ohno’s tan had faded to a shade of light toast. His attic was also filled with completed works ready to be transported to the gallery in Tokyo where he was holding his annual exhibition.

“You’re also not a pirate, so less of the ‘landlubber’.” Jun laughed as he fondly ruffled Ohno’s fluffy hair.

Ohno giggled drunkenly and draped his arms over Jun and Nino’s shoulders. “Sorry. Somehow I always talk like one when I get drunk. Maybe I was one in a past life?”

“Nah. You’re way too soft and emotional to have been the scourge of the seven seas,” Nino said as he gave Ohno a quick peck on the cheek.

As if to prove Nino’s point, Ohno burst into tears and pressed sloppy kisses over both Nino and Jun’s faces. “I love you guys…and Aiba and Sho too…I love you all.”

“We love you too Oh-chan,” Jun pulled out a packet of tissues, which he had placed in his pocket in anticipation of this happening, and wiped Ohno’s face. “Let's get you some food to sop up some of that alcohol.”

Most of the locals, including the builders who had done such a fabulous job on the extension and renovations, had turned up for the party. The building was filled with music, laughter and lashings of alcohol and good food.

Leaving the others to their celebration, Sho took the opportunity to steal away with Aiba. He picked up a pre-prepared picnic basket and blanket he had hidden away earlier and they snuck out onto the dunes to enjoy what promised to be a spectacular sunset.

Sho spread the blanket out on the sand and tugged Aiba down beside him. The champagne cork was stuck firmly in the neck of the bottle which he drew out of the picnic basket, but after a few moments it gave up the fight and popped out onto the sand.

Aiba hastily grabbed the pair of flutes which Sho had packed with the champagne and an assortment of snacks and sweets. He tilted them as Sho poured, so that the bubbles didn't spill out over the top.

“The fizzy bubbles always make me sneeze,” Aiba said happily as he held his glass and scrunched up his face in anticipation.

“I can’t wait to see that. I'm sure you look adorable,” Sho took the other flute and clinked them together. “A toast to Hello Goodbye, and to our partnership, both in business and in life.”

Aiba kissed Sho’s cheek and pulled a rolled up tie of Sho’s out of his pocket. He unfurled it and waggled it under Sho’s nose. “And a toast to your freedom from the bank,” he added. He took a lighter out from the same pocket and set the flame to the end of the tie.

They both watched the flames lick up the striped silk. Aiba held the burning tie for a second too long, yelped and flung it away from him onto the sand, where it continued to burn down to a pile of ashes.

Sho grasped Aiba’s hand and tipped a little of the ice cold champagne over the tips of his singed fingers and gently kissed the hurt away.

With their fingers entwined, they leaned against each other and watched as the sun sank below the horizon and the surface of the sea turned the colour of molten copper.

In that moment Sho remembered the first time he laid eyes on Aiba and laughed.

Aiba poked Sho in the ribs with his elbow and looked at him quizzically. “What's so funny?”

“I was just thinking of the day when I met a crazy naked man on the beach. I had no idea at the time that he would change my life forever.”

“In a good way?” A smile tilted the corner of Aiba’s lips upwards as he looked at Sho with love.

“Better than I ever imagined. That surfboard carrying naked guy turned out to not only be the love of my life, but the key to living my life on my own terms and no longer just existing. I love you, Masaki.”

“I love you too, Sho-chan.” Aiba kissed Sho’s fingers as Sho had kissed him and pressed the palm of Sho’s hand to his cheek.

“And I love the both of you!” Ohno said as he appeared out of the dusk and plopped himself down on a corner of the rug.

“And so do we.” Nino led Jun over and pushed Aiba and Sho closer together so that he could make Jun comfortable.

Sho glared at them. “We were having a romantic moment here before you interrupted.”

“Plenty of time for that soppy stuff later. Right now we're celebrating our partnership.” Nino rummaged in the picnic basket and handed Ohno a fruit tart.

Sho shared a look with Aiba who shrugged and offered Jun some of his champagne.

As he surrendered to the inevitable, Sho sat back and watched his best friends and the love of his life enjoying the moment and each other. Utterly at peace with himself and the world around him, he made a mental note to buy the dog which ate Aiba’s trunks an extra-large treat next time he saw him.

The sea gradually lost its fiery glow but they lingered in the twilight and laughter rang out across the dunes accompanied by the gentle lapping of the waves, until they gathered up their things and headed back to the glowing cocoon of the guesthouse.

And if the other three noticed that at the last second before re-joining the party Sho tugged Aiba into a pool of darkness around the corner of the building they didn’t let on; even when Aiba’s breathy giggle rang out loudly before stopping abruptly as if stifled by a kiss.