ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴ - ᴊᴜᴊᴜᴛꜱᴜ ᴋᴀɪꜱᴇɴ

Chapter 5

As the last vestiges of daylight painted the sky in shades of deep orange, Akira and Suguru hastened their steps, departing from the dormitory building with a sense of urgency.

Suguru's stride suddenly faltered, his footsteps slowing to a halt, his gaze fixed on an invisible point at his feet. Akira, his curiosity piqued, turned around to face him. "Suguru?" he questioned, his voice carrying a mixture of confusion and concern.

A heavy sigh escaped Suguru's lips, laden with unspoken emotions. "I'm sorry," he confessed, the words tumbling out with an unexpected haste. Akira's attention was now fully captured, his concern deepening as he noticed Suguru's reluctance to meet his gaze, his eyes steadfastly trained on a distant spot.

Frowning slightly, Akira closed the distance between them, his footsteps measured and cautious. "For what, Suguru?" he probed gently, his voice a soothing presence in the gathering dusk.

Suguru's hand extended hesitantly, a symbolic gesture that seemed to momentarily halt the passage of time. "For everything," he admitted, his voice a fragile whisper carried away by the evening breeze, laden with the weight of unspoken burdens.

Akira's fingers curled around Suguru's outstretched hand, their touch an unspoken promise of unwavering support. With such tenderness that Suguru questioned if he deserved it, Akira drew Suguru into an embrace, their bodies melding together in a moment of unspoken solace.

Akira's words, soft yet resolute, resonated against Suguru's ear. "You have nothing to apologize for, Suguru."

Suguru clung to Akira as if the world around them had faded into insignificance, as if this shared moment held the key to unlocking the depths of his heart. His grip tightened, fingers threading through the fabric of Akira's shirt, seeking an anchor in the sea of emotions.

Akira held Suguru with a gentle strength, a protector shielding him from the uncertainties of life. Suguru's quiet tears were absorbed by Akira's shoulder, a testament to the depth of his burden.

Taking a series of deep, calming breaths, Suguru gradually loosened his grip and eased himself out of the embrace. He met Akira's gaze, his eyes reflecting a blend of emotions that had been shared in that brief, intense moment.

With a carefully curated smile that seemed to belie the storm of feelings within, Suguru spoke, his voice light and seemingly unaffected, "Come on, Satoru's waiting."

Akira, his lips parting as if to continue their conversation, found himself momentarily halted by Suguru's interruption.

"Suguru," Akira began, the name carrying a mixture of understanding and unresolved curiosity. "Come on," he insisted, his tone gently cajoling as he stepped forward, nudging Akira in the direction they had been heading.

—

The resonating thud of Akira and Suguru's footsteps reverberated through the corridor, their rhythm a hurried heartbeat matched only by the intensity of their breaths. Each footfall against the floor was a symphony of urgency, a symphony that echoed the urgency of their mission. Their breaths, labored and desperate, punctuated the otherwise tense silence, filling the air with a palpable sense of determination and anticipation.

The hall stretched ahead, seemingly endless, its walls lined with locked doors and dimly lit sconces that cast elongated shadows. The flickering light danced along the edges of their figures, accentuating their hastened pace as they sprinted forward.

With every stride, their desperation seemed to intensify, their determination to overcome whatever obstacles stood in their way fuelling their movements. The world around them seemed to blur into a mosaic of muted colors, a backdrop to their race against time.