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“Nakamura, let’s go ride the roller coaster first!” Hirose hurried off to snatch a spot in the long line.
Nakamura almost tripped over himself to chase after him but Nakamura knew that if he did trip, the other boy would have run back to help him. Ever the angel, even on his birthday.
Nakamura experienced how hyper Hirose could be when they went on that trip to Yokohama. Still, he wondered if Hirose’s excitement was genuine or if, like Nakamura, he had something else plaguing his mind. Of course, Nakamura admitted to himself this could all simply be his projection.
The idea reaffirmed itself when Nakamura stood close to Hirose in the line, his fingers came into contact with Hirose’s and the shorter boy intertwined them with barely any hesitation.
“Thank you again for this.”
The amusement park itself was no Yokohama but it was cheap enough for two students to afford and had plenty of attractions for them to have fun. Nakamura speculated if he should have splurged more on this special day and this concern must have been apparent on his face since Hirose thanked him multiple times already without Nakamura even asking for it.
Truth be told, however, there was another reason for Nakamura to be concerned.
It had been a week, two days, six hours, and eight seconds that they had officially been together, and within that period, Hirose still had not called Nakamura by his first name and vice versa.
It really should not have been that difficult but since this was Nakamura's first relationship, he had no real reference for how to broach the subject. It also didn’t help that he was Nakamura and Nakamura had a knack for bungling things up.
He wondered if he should have just done it in the cab on the way there or if he could have done it when he picked Hirose up at his house. A brief "Ready, Aiki?" to greet him would have sufficed but Nakamura was worried his family would be offended on his behalf, so he kept his mouth shut. He was not ready to die yet from an angry father-in-law.
The line got shorter and shorter until it reached them. The operators settled them into a cart and Nakamura watched as Hirose bounced in his seat. He is so cute.
Now, I can do it, Nakamura thought. He started, “Uh, Hirose!” Nevermind.
“Hm?”
“I… wish you a happy birthday! In case I forgot to say it,” Nakamura muttered.
Hirose smiled and reached for Nakamura’s hand. He squeezed it. “I’m glad I get to spend it with you… Nakamura.”
Nakamura’s words faltered. He was about to respond when their ride suddenly commenced and it felt as if he got shot out of a cannon. The people on the ride with him, Hirose included, screamed in joy and terror. Meanwhile, Nakamura remembered a little too late that he had motion sickness.
“Woohoo!” Hirose raised his hands high.
Nakamura cried out for help, “A-Ai… ki…”
It was no use. His mumble was drowned out in the cacophony of excitement.
Nakamura was promptly taken to the infirmary afterwards by concerned staff and a remorseful Hirose. Nakamura wanted to tell him that it wasn’t his fault but all he could manage was a hoarse "Hirose…" and also some puke. Not exactly the best start to their trip but at least Nakamura didn’t eat too much before he came here.
Now out and on a slow walk, Nakamura and Hirose apologised to each other excessively. Nakamura chewed on a fat wad of gum recommended for motion sickness and he used this as an excuse to not say it. You shouldn’t speak with your mouth full, he rationalised.
“Look,” Hirose stopped, “Let’s forget what happened and enjoy the rest of our date.”
D-D-Date?! The ball of gum fell down the wrong pipe. Nakamura choked on it and Hirose hurriedly prepared himself to do a Heimlich manoeuvre until Nakamura spat it out on the sidewalk.
“We can forget… starting now.”
Forget they did. Nakamura paused all his attempts so the couple could freely go on motion-friendly rides and play a few games together; they even won some prizes. Eventually, enough time had passed since Nakamura expelled everything that was in his stomach earlier, so they decided to check out the food stalls.
“The nurse said you shouldn’t eat anything that could irritate your stomach,” Hirose said firmly.
“I wasn’t planning to…”
“I just wanted to remind you. I’ve done this stuff a lot since I’m a nurse’s aide at school, remember?”
Nakamura suddenly flashbacked to the time he drank too much protein and Hirose had to comfort him as he puked his guts out in a toilet. He grimaced and groaned at the memory of it.
“Feeling sick again? We could go–”
“N-no, please. I’m f-fine,” Nakamura said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster.
Hirose didn’t look too confident in his boyfriend’s words but he must have trusted his judgment enough to let the issue pass.
“I’ll go find us a table,” Hirose said. But first, he gave Nakamura a peck on the cheek. Nakamura realized early in their relationship that Hirose, although inexperienced with dating boys, had the power to make Nakamura a total wreck and Hirose, though he won’t admit it, enjoyed this power often.
Nakamura stood in line and mulled over their dynamic. It’s weird. Nakamura fantasized his whole school life about what his relationship would be like with Hirose if they got together. Not to be a hardcore fudanshi, but he imagined himself to be the stoic, dashing seme to Hirose’s tenderhearted uke. In reality, Nakamura continued, I still act like a loser and I still fail often.
But…
That changes today! Nakamura clenched his fists. I will call Hirose Aiki! I. WILL. WIN.
With a tray of food in his hands, his will solidified as he squinted around the mass of tables and chairs for his date. That’s right, I’m his DATE. He spotted a familiar head of brown hair and strode over.
This is it.
He set their tray down on the table and pulled out a chair.
Act natural.
He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, then exhaled. Nakamura attempted his huskiest voice, “Heh. Did I keep you waiting?”
Nakamura sat down and looked at his boyfriend.
“Ai–HUH.”
It was a girl. No, it was a woman, at least sixty years old. Unless Hirosenne came to life and aged up forty years, Nakamura was pretty sure this lady was not Hirose. She stared horrified at the flirty young man who sat down at her table.
Nakamura got up immediately and stuttered for a response when he heard someone cackle behind him. He turned around sharply.
“Y-you’re–” wheeze, “you really–AHA!” Hirose slapped his knee and threw his head back laughing.
Nakamura could just about die right about now.
Evening. It was now way past the time for them to stand in long queues and so they took a ride in a Ferris wheel that overlooked the sea. It would be the perfect moment here, but I’ve had that thought several times now. Nakamura was in trouble. The park was about to close and the day would end swiftly afterwards with no progress made.
Nakamura swore he could hear each wave roll over each other. As the sun departed, Nakamura saw the yellowed heat slip away from the ground as they ascended and then felt the nighttime coolness creep into their passenger car. The pillowy texture of the seat cushions felt rougher than they were and the armrest was slippery to Nakamura’s touch yet his sweaty fingers gripped onto it as if he were afraid to fall. He already fell.
In sharp contrast, Hirose gazed out the window and to the sea. The sunset reflected on the surface of the water. A dark blue and a bright orange coated his face and body like an impressionist painting.
Nakamura spoke up, “The sea is beautiful, isn’t it? Ai–”
Hirose tilted his head up at Nakamura curiously, the corner of his lips slightly upturned.
Nakamura stuttered, “Ai… I l-like the view... heh heh…”
The two locked eyes, the darkness of the sky made their face clearer, only Nakamura’s was light pink in hue whilst Hirose’s kept the same sun-kissed complexion to it. With only the small light of their car and the striking lights from below, Nakamura and Hirose were alone at the peak.
Nakamura awkwardly shifted to face the window, away from his stare. Rays of artificial light shone harshly on his eyes, but the sun had gone and it sat right beside him. He could feel his body heat rise.
“I like the view too,” Hirose giggled innocently but Nakamura saw in the corner of his reflection that Hirose’s eyes were still on him. He turned and watched over the sea again on his side. It was all blue.
Nakamura felt fingers gently crawl their way onto his lap and curl around his own.
Hirose leaned his head on Nakamura’s shoulder. Nakamura finally eyed the boy on him, he looked so peaceful that it calmed Nakamura too.
“I really enjoyed myself today… Thank you again, Nakamura…” The smaller boy sighed sleepily.
Nakamura reclined in his seat, his eyelids slowly lowered, and he let all his doubts about their relationship fade away.
Did it really matter that Hirose called him by his last name?
Hirose still loved him, that’s all he needed to know. If Hirose didn’t love him, he wouldn’t be with Nakamura on his birthday when he could’ve been with his friends or family. He chose Nakamura, shouldn’t Nakamura be grateful? Had he been ruining his boyfriend’s birthday by worrying about the silliest things?
Once the ride was over, Nakamura woke up his partner and they boarded off. They walked around some more but as the boys made their way to the exit, Hirose spotted one last place they could visit.
“Look! An aquarium!”
Nakamura protested. This was Hirose’s day. Nakamura wanted it to be all about him. Although to be honest, I had plans to visit this aquarium earlier but its position in the schedule was taken up by a visit to the infirmary.
However, Hirose persisted and what would Nakamura be if not an attentive partner?
The inside was surprisingly spacious. They were eventually in some sort of dark cavern to gawk at some corals, lobsters, sharks, jellyfish, and, of course, octopuses.
Nakamura spaced out when one octopus in particular seemed to notice him. It waved at him with two of its tentacles. He grinned and waved back similarly with both hands. Hirose chuckled behind him and Nakamura returned to reality. He stepped back from the glass.
“What’s so funny?” Nakamura had turned and asked, worried that he looked like a total weirdo.
“Your name.”
“Huh?”
“Okuto!”
Nakamura was stunned into silence but his heart had beated hard enough in his skull to deafen him. His name out of his crush–no, boyfriend’s –voice was a new and strange sound but he wouldn’t mind hearing it for the rest of his life.
“Your name sounds like the word octopus, hehe. Maybe you were an octopus in another life,” Hirose struggled to suppress his laugh.
Was it really that funny? Nakamura’s mouth opened before he even registered it.
“Aiki.”
Hirose’s laughter halted. In truth, Nakamura didn’t expect himself to say it either but now he had to form a sentence.
“Your name, um…” Nakamura tried to find words to say. He cast his eyes around the room for a single pun and it came up short.
Hirose gradually smiled in anticipation, his boyish beauty bathed in the blue light of the dimly lit aquarium. The sight made Nakamura drop his train of thought. He looked down to catch it.
“It has the symbol love in it,” Nakamura didn’t know where he was going with this, “It’s fitting.”
I have to see this through to the end.
“After all, I… I love you… Aiki!...”
Nakamura almost yelled it out, as though if he didn’t let it out through his lips at that very moment, he would never again be able to utter it. Damn, I must seem clingy now.
He felt a pair of hands pull down his tense shoulders. Nakamura licked his dry lips and gulped before he could meet his eyes.
“I love you too, Okuto,” Hirose’s tone was soft, “If you didn’t know already.”
Nakamura’s eyes widened and Hirose beamed in delight. He broke out into a fit of giggles.
“It was written all over your face. You wanted to call me Aiki, didn't you?”
Nakamura was at a loss for words. He was caught red-handed. The dark-haired boy thought for a second that Hirose was laughing at his expense, but he knew that he would never do it maliciously. Looking back, I guess I was acting kind of goofy throughout this entire trip, Nakamura thought.
“I don’t mind… but,” Hirose giggled again.
“I’ve been calling you Okuto in my head for a while now. Haha.”
Nakamura was shocked. Then, he was relieved. He glanced at the aquarium, the octopus jumped up from its spot as if to celebrate. Thank you, Icchan. This day was a success after all. He and Hirose… are a little closer than they already were before. Hand in hand, they smiled.
“Happy birthday, Aiki.”