A Single Footprint in the Snow (03)
TWO
THREE: THE START OF A DIFFERENT BEGINNING
At his parents' house, the dinner runs smoothly on like normal. Nino's family and the Aiba family are close, have always been, and he mingles with them gaily like any other day. The only things he finds bewildering are the presence of his "boyfriend" and the reason for the dinner party celebrating their engagement. Nino notices that to the others Aiba Masaki is not out of place. He even realizes what he had not before, that Aiba Masaki has an uncanny resemblance to Mrs. Aiba, him being her son and all.
Despite the celebration being held for them, Aiba and Nino keep a small distance between themselves, not even coming within earshot of each other.
After some time and his family and friends have stopped bogging him down, Nino runs up to his old bedroom. It is as he had last seen it. Only a few small differences stand out to him, like the addition of Aiba on his university graduation day photo. His brain muddled, Nino sinks onto his small four poster bed.
I went to sleep as a single man on another normal, boring night and woke up to learn that I'm getting married to a man, he thinks. "What the heck is going on?" he murmurs wearily, thinking of the endless possibilities. He ruled out selective amnesia. His life wasn't some cliche melodrama.
He hears his bedroom door click open and sits upright to greet Aiba entering. At the same time that his pulse races from the sight of the beautiful man, he braces himself for another confrontation. Aiba takes one look at him, at the tense lines of his body, and then proceeds cautiously. He sits on the floor close enough to the bed, but far enough to not frighten Nino away.
"Kit...Kazu," he starts quietly. "Is it because you don't want to get married? Did you feel pressured into it? I'm willing to call this off right now, even if it'll cost us. Just...just don't pretend you don't know me and try to leave. I don't know if I can take more of this."
Nino wishes it were a lie. The evident pain in the man's voice hurts his conscience and pricks his heart. Yet, he cannot pretend to know what he doesn't. If what the man says is true, they've spent most of their lives together as friends then lovers. He cannot pretend to have memories that he does not.
"I'm sorry," he says again for that day, regretfully. "I really don't remember you."
Aiba takes another deep breath and closes his eyes. "Why only me?"
The question lingers in the air, unanswered.
At last, Aiba asks, "Then do you at least believe me?"
"That we are lovers?" Nino emphasizes. It is hard not to believe with the proof right in front of him and their families celebrating their imminent wedding downstairs. At least the “him” that he doesn't remember must have been a lucky ass to have caught such a gorgeous man as a lover.
Aiba nods. "Yes. And that I love you."
His declaration rings through the open air. Nino holds his breath. He does not answer, cannot, and Aiba immediately stands hurt once again by Nino's silence. He moves toward the bed and slowly takes Nino's hands, stalling to see if Nino will pull away, and a small amount of relief replaces the agony that had been etched on his face when Nino doesn't. He squeezes Nino's hand gently.
"Kitten, sweetheart, please let's figure this out together. Will you try it with me?" he asks softly.
The affection in Aiba's voice wraps around Nino, warming down his cautiousness, and he suddenly feels envious of himself, the one that Aiba loves and the man that is him that he doesn't remember. If Aiba will be patient with him, Nino decides that he will try. He squeezes Aiba's hand back and murmurs, "Okay."
For the first time that Nino remembers, Aiba smiles at him. The smile is so bright and sweet, Nino's heart skips a beat and he melts into that sweetness.
* *
FOUR
THREE: THE START OF A DIFFERENT BEGINNING
At his parents' house, the dinner runs smoothly on like normal. Nino's family and the Aiba family are close, have always been, and he mingles with them gaily like any other day. The only things he finds bewildering are the presence of his "boyfriend" and the reason for the dinner party celebrating their engagement. Nino notices that to the others Aiba Masaki is not out of place. He even realizes what he had not before, that Aiba Masaki has an uncanny resemblance to Mrs. Aiba, him being her son and all.
Despite the celebration being held for them, Aiba and Nino keep a small distance between themselves, not even coming within earshot of each other.
After some time and his family and friends have stopped bogging him down, Nino runs up to his old bedroom. It is as he had last seen it. Only a few small differences stand out to him, like the addition of Aiba on his university graduation day photo. His brain muddled, Nino sinks onto his small four poster bed.
I went to sleep as a single man on another normal, boring night and woke up to learn that I'm getting married to a man, he thinks. "What the heck is going on?" he murmurs wearily, thinking of the endless possibilities. He ruled out selective amnesia. His life wasn't some cliche melodrama.
He hears his bedroom door click open and sits upright to greet Aiba entering. At the same time that his pulse races from the sight of the beautiful man, he braces himself for another confrontation. Aiba takes one look at him, at the tense lines of his body, and then proceeds cautiously. He sits on the floor close enough to the bed, but far enough to not frighten Nino away.
"Kit...Kazu," he starts quietly. "Is it because you don't want to get married? Did you feel pressured into it? I'm willing to call this off right now, even if it'll cost us. Just...just don't pretend you don't know me and try to leave. I don't know if I can take more of this."
Nino wishes it were a lie. The evident pain in the man's voice hurts his conscience and pricks his heart. Yet, he cannot pretend to know what he doesn't. If what the man says is true, they've spent most of their lives together as friends then lovers. He cannot pretend to have memories that he does not.
"I'm sorry," he says again for that day, regretfully. "I really don't remember you."
Aiba takes another deep breath and closes his eyes. "Why only me?"
The question lingers in the air, unanswered.
At last, Aiba asks, "Then do you at least believe me?"
"That we are lovers?" Nino emphasizes. It is hard not to believe with the proof right in front of him and their families celebrating their imminent wedding downstairs. At least the “him” that he doesn't remember must have been a lucky ass to have caught such a gorgeous man as a lover.
Aiba nods. "Yes. And that I love you."
His declaration rings through the open air. Nino holds his breath. He does not answer, cannot, and Aiba immediately stands hurt once again by Nino's silence. He moves toward the bed and slowly takes Nino's hands, stalling to see if Nino will pull away, and a small amount of relief replaces the agony that had been etched on his face when Nino doesn't. He squeezes Nino's hand gently.
"Kitten, sweetheart, please let's figure this out together. Will you try it with me?" he asks softly.
The affection in Aiba's voice wraps around Nino, warming down his cautiousness, and he suddenly feels envious of himself, the one that Aiba loves and the man that is him that he doesn't remember. If Aiba will be patient with him, Nino decides that he will try. He squeezes Aiba's hand back and murmurs, "Okay."
For the first time that Nino remembers, Aiba smiles at him. The smile is so bright and sweet, Nino's heart skips a beat and he melts into that sweetness.
* *
FOUR