CHAPTER 2

Shinji

Next day in the evening, Shinji rummaged the wardrobe for something to wear on their date. He didn’t want another shirt—he wore enough of those at work. And he didn’t want a sweater either because, even though December had its chill, it wasn’t biting. It was just the right amount of cold to make him feel comfortable.

He settled on a simple charcoal gray t-shirt, fitted across his chest and shoulders, and a pair of jeans, both of which were sure to catch Teruo’s attention.

Glancing sideways, he caught Teruo standing in the doorway, arms crossed, leaning casually against the frame. He’d put on a soft beige sweater since he didn’t have Shinji’s tolerance to the cold.

Teruo’s lips curved in a warm smile, his gaze tracing over Shinji in that way, which made him blush and want to get naked.

“You sure you don’t want to wear something thicker?” Teruo asked.

“Nah, I’ll start feeling suffocated under so many layers.”

Teruo chuckled. “So many? You mean two: sweater and jacket.”

“That’s one too many layers for me.” Shinji shrugged.

Teruo pushed away from the door frame and stepped closer, his hand caressing the nape of Shinji’s neck. It sent a warm and pleasant thrill down his spine, and Shinji leaned back into the touch, tilting his head to meet Teruo’s lips in a firm kiss. Shinji’s heart raced as their kiss deepened, their tongues entwining and their bodies pressing close together. The sensation of Teruo’s touch made Shinji’s body tingle with desire.

They reluctantly pulled apart, breathless and flushed.

Teruo threaded his fingers through Shinji’s hair. “Ready for our date?”

“Definitely.” Shinji grinned, beyond excited to spend a night out with Teruo.

Shinji put on his brown jacket with a faux fur collar while Teruo settled on a long black coat and a scarf tightly wrapped around his neck. They took the train and exited at Harajuku Station in Shibuya.

“So, what are we going to see?” Shinji asked.

“Illuminations.”

“Okay,” Shinji laughed, “but which ones?”

“I’m not spoiling this surprise. You’ll love them, trust me.”

During their train ride here, darkness had settled, and the streets shone with beautiful lights. But Teruo walked full of purpose, so the surprise was likely further ahead. There were other groups of people going the same way and, as they turned one last corner, the destination became apparent.

“That’s the Blue Cave, isn’t it?” Shinji exclaimed, full of excitement.

“Yes.” Teruo smiled, looking a little smug. “Worth the wait, wasn’t it?”

“Definitely!”

The Shibuya Blue Cave was a tunnel of lined zelkova trees, wrapped in striking, electric-blue lights, from the trunk to the highest branches. The lights cast an amazing and intense glow over the pathway and the people walking it, giving the sensation they were under the ocean.

Shinji stopped for a moment, his breath catching as he took it all in. The path stretched ahead in a perfect line, an endless corridor of blue light that seemed to glow in a way which reminded him of the water kitsune ’s spiritual energy, which he’d sometimes see at the Onmyōryō. It was the same mesmerizing blue, although not as strong as the lights surrounding the trees.

Teruo moved closer beside him, his hand lightly brushing Shinji’s, and they shared a smile, both caught in the magic of the scene. The illumination reflected in Teruo’s eyes, a soft glimmer that made him look so handsome, and it took all of Shinji’s willpower not to cup his cheeks and kiss him in public.

“I knew it would be beautiful,” Shinji said, “but this is fantastic.”

“It is. Shall we?”

They began walking down the path and the air felt almost thick with the color, bathing the slow-moving stream of people in a blue haze. It was quite busy, with lots of couples and tourists, but not too crowded. There were occasional supernaturals among them, their purple, green and golden spiritual energies trailing behind them, the colors nearly obscured by the strong lights of the illuminations.

Shinji tilted his head back to look upward at the trees. “Thank you for bringing me here,” he said softly. “I knew about the Blue Cave, but with everything going on at work, I’d forgotten about it.”

“I think today’s the last day it’s shown, so I wanted us to see it. I’m happy you like it.” Teruo wrapped an arm around his shoulder, surprising Shinji because he almost never did that in public.

Shinji’s cheeks warmed, joy spreading through him, and he leaned into Teruo, letting himself get lost in the moment, the blue light engulfing them like a blanket. Their faces were so close together that it would only take a second to close the gap. Shinji glanced around him. Everybody was preoccupied with the beautiful trees and no one was taking pictures in their proximity, so he pulled Teruo’s scarf as a cover, then placed a quick kiss on Teruo’s lips.

For a moment, he thought Teruo would panic, but instead his smile widened and his cheeks flushed. Shinji’s heart fluttered, and they stood like that for a moment, surrounded by the quiet hum of people passing by and the brilliance of the lights. Shinji let himself feel it all—Teruo’s arms around him, the softness in his eyes, the blue glow of the trees surrounding them. It was perfect.

“Sorry I was so reluctant yesterday,” Shinji said. Now he felt rather silly for pestering Teruo about the surprise he planned.

“There’s nothing to apologize for.” Teruo squeezed his shoulder.

They continued down the path, their steps slow, the ground underneath them sparkling from scattered reflections, making it look like a flowing river. It felt warmer inside the blue tunnel from all the lights and the people strolling about.

“Want to take a picture?” Teruo pulled his phone out.

Shinji tilted his head. “I thought you didn’t like being photographed.”

“Yeah, by pesky journalists who shove their cameras in my face.”

His mouth quirked in a chuckle. “Got it.” He leaned toward Teruo and they snapped a few pictures. “Ha! Our faces look very blue.” They took a few more, repositing to catch the trees behind them.

Shinji felt giddy with excitement as he scrolled through the pictures after Teruo sent them. He couldn’t help but grin with each swipe, and paused on one in particular where they looked at each other in such a sweet way, it almost felt unreal. He set it as his screen wallpaper. He’d have to change it when they were back at work, but he’d keep it for now.

Wanting Teruo close to him, Shinji looped his arm through Teruo’s as they continued their stroll. There was a shop near the exit and they got one steaming cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows and cinnamon.

They huddled together to share it, and Teruo took a sip. “This thing is very sweet.”

“You don’t say. It’s hot chocolate.” Foggy air escaped his mouth as he laughed. “Don’t worry, I can take care of it if you don’t want it.”

Teruo pulled the cup away. “Claws off,” he joked. “I want another sip. It warms me.” After another gulp, he passed the cup to Shinji.

“Well, now that I have it, it’ll be gone in a second.” Shinji grinned and popped a marshmallow in his mouth, then drank, enjoying the flavor of strong chocolate.

“Don’t you dare,” Teruo laughed.

“You’re awfully possessive of this cup for a guy who whines that it’s too sweet.”

“Well, I’m used to sweet things. I’ve got you, don’t I?” Teruo smiled. “You’re the sweetest.”

Shinji’s heart skipped a beat. “You’re even sweeter.” He snuggled against Teruo, as much as he could, since there was quite a big crowd around them. “I kinda wish we were alone…”

“I’ve got an idea, but let’s finish the hot chocolate first.”

They passed it to each other until they emptied it, then Teruo led the way out of the Blue Cave and into the street. Shinji threw a last look at the beautiful arrangement of lights, then followed.

“Where are we off to?”

“Omotesandō. It’s within walking distance, and it’s nicely decorated, too. But I thought we’d take a different route. Fewer lights, but less crowded as well since everybody’s taking the main road.”

“Gotcha,” Shinji said. “You know what we forgot to do? Buy fried chicken.”

Teruo’s lips curved in a huge grin. “I already reserved fried chicken for us. I was planning on picking it up later, after we finish our date.”

Shinji gasped in awe and wrapped both his arms around Teruo. “You thought about everything! I’m this close to jumping your bones right here, right now.”

“Sounds tempting,” Teruo laughed. “But let’s not get arrested for exhibitionism.”

“Totally worth it. I don’t know if the cops will be able to pry me off you enough to arrest me, though.”

Another raucous laughter escaped Teruo and Shinji smirked smugly.

“You’re trouble,” Teruo said.

“You’re into that,” Shinji whispered.

“I am.” Teruo pointed beyond the crosswalk. “Let’s make a left there. It’s quieter and you’ll get to have your way with me.” He gave Shinji a flirty wink.

“I like the sound of that.”

They turned left at the glass-fronted clothing shop Teruo had pointed to and entered a narrow lane, flanked by tall buildings on either side, and a short pedestrian guardrail in the middle, splitting the street in two. There weren’t any people around besides the silhouette of a person far away.

“Oh, it’s deserted. Do you plan to kidnap me?” Shinji joked.

“Maybe.” Teruo snaked an arm around his waist and drew him close. “How much ransom money should I ask for?”

“Hard to say.” Shinji’s lips upturned in a sly smile. “I’m priceless.”

Teruo shook his head, amused. “Cheeky.”

Draping his arms over Teruo’s shoulders, Shinji pushed him against the rough brick wall of an apartment building, and claimed Teruo’s mouth in a kiss that stole his breath away. With no prying eyes around, Shinji took his time savoring Teruo’s lips, their taste addictive and heady, leaving Shinji wanting more. Teruo responded with equal fervor, his hands grasping at Shinji’s hips with desperate need, holding him tight. As their tongues entwined, and slid against one another in a sweet dance, Shinji’s heart raced with excitement, every nerve in his body tingling.

It was a moment of pure bliss, from which they reluctantly pulled away, their breaths mingling in the cool air.

“We gotta go before I do something crazy,” Teruo said, “like pull your pants down in public.”

“Do it!” Shinji gave him a mischievous grin.

“Don’t encourage me, you horny brat. Come on.”

Shinji pouted. “But I was looking forward to a public blowjob.”

“Perv.” Teruo nudged him, laughing.

Taking advantage of the emptiness of the streets, they intertwined their fingers and continued on toward Omotesandō. The alley narrowed more as they passed through a residential neighborhood and, after a few more minutes, they reached the main avenue.

The street was lined with zelkova trees draped in millions of tiny golden lights, each branch sparkling like a constellation. Their warm glow reflected on the glassy surfaces of the high-end buildings, and the occasional luxury jewelry shops’ products shimmered brilliantly, gathering a large crowd who looked inside through the windows.

“Let’s stroll up to the station and then go get our fried chicken, yeah?” Teruo asked.

“Yes!”

“Excited about that chicken?”

“Yes!” Shinji answered with even more fervor.

Teruo erupted into laughter once again, making a few people stare at them. It made Shinji’s heart swell with happiness because it had been a while since Teruo laughed this much and was so relaxed. He was tightly wound at work, his patience stretched thin by the cases. They certainly needed time off to unwind.

Teruo pointed at the shops. “If you want to stop and look, let me know.”

“Eh, I don’t know. Not really my style, but if there’s anything that catches your eye, I can get it as a present.”

Teruo shook his head. “I’m not into luxurious brands. I can count on one hand the number of expensive objects that I own.” He gave Shinji a warm smile. “Making memories together is the best gift.”

Shinji bit his lip, feeling all fuzzy inside. “I like that. I feel the same.”

Omotesandō was plenty busy at night, but right now it was teeming with people, almost walking shoulder-to-shoulder. The air grew chillier and the sky above them was velvety black, making the cascade of lights look even more beautiful.

They took their time walking toward the station, and just before they reached it, Shinji saw something hilarious in a shop’s window.

“Okay, we have to buy these.” He dragged Teruo inside with him and went straight for his targets.

“Oh… You want them?”

They were a Santa hat and a reindeer headband, both large enough for adults. The hat had a nice, soft brim, made of a plush material and the headband had ears and long antlers.

“They’re funny and adorable. You’ll look good as a reindeer.” He picked up the pair that was left out to be tried on and put it on Teruo’s head. He posed a little and looked terribly cute.

“Try on the hat,” Teruo said.

Shinji put the Santa hat on and offered Teruo a smoldering look. “What do you say?”

His cheeks turned red. “Yep, we’re buying them!”

Shinji grabbed a packed Santa hat and a reindeer headband from the stacks on the shelf and settled in the queue. The shop assistant put the items in beautiful, festive bags, and once done, they resumed their walk toward the station.

“I pre-ordered the fried chicken at a restaurant closer to home,” Teruo said as they got on the train, “so the food wouldn’t get cold by the time we arrive.”

“Can’t wait to eat it. Last year I forgot and then I was too lazy to search for a place to get it.”

“I don’t usually bother with it, but I figured you’d want a fried chicken feast.”

Shinji wiggled his brows. “You know me so well!”

They took the train toward Suginami and stopped at Ogikubo station to pick up the chicken, then took a bus to reach Teruo’s house. The moment they were inside, Shinji couldn’t wait and unpacked the Santa hat, then put it on.

Teruo looked at him for a second before closing the gap between them and giving him a big kiss. Even after so long in the cold, Teruo’s lips were warm and delicious. Shinji held onto him as Teruo tilted him back a little as he kissed him silly. He trailed his lips across Shinji’s jaw and neck before raising his head.

“You look gorgeous.” Teruo placed another kiss on his lips.

Shinji smiled and put the reindeer antlers on Teruo’s head. “So do you.”

“Want me to bring out the kotatsu table? I have an old one upstairs.”

“Definitely! Let’s get it.”

The table was deposited in the unused guest room along with the blankets. They brought it downstairs, and Shinji set the first blanket on the floor next to the Christmas tree, then Teruo settled the table on top. He turned it on and waited for a bit to see if it still worked. The heater started warming and Shinji placed the second blanket over it, then the table top. They dimmed the living room lights and turned on the Christmas tree’s lights.

The soft glow created a cozy atmosphere and Teruo brought two legless floor chairs from the kitchen. Shinji grabbed the bags with fried chicken.

“Wait,” Teruo said, as he hurried back to the kitchen. “Let me bring plates, so we don’t stain the table.”

“But the chicken is in a bag…”

By the time Shinji finished his sentence, two plates were already in front of them. “Well, yes,” Teruo added, “but the bag has grease marks and I don’t want stains on my perfectly preserved table. It will seep through the wood and ruin it.”

Shinji pulled out his phone. “Can you say that again while I record you? I want to put it as my ringtone.”

Teruo raised a brow. “No…”

“Too bad. Would’ve been a great ringtone. Imagine we’re in the middle of an investigation and my ringtone goes off: The bag has grease marks and I don’t want stains on my perfectly —”

“Ha ha, you’re hilarious.” Teruo gave his ass a playful smack. “Sit down and eat your chicken.”

“Yes, sir!” Shinji crossed his legs and settled underneath the blanket. “Oh…!” The warmth immediately enveloped him. “I might never get out of here.”

“Didn’t you say you hate feeling too hot?”

Shinji put a finger to Teruo’s lips. “Shhh… The kotatsu warmth is the exception. It’s always the exception. There’s no bigger pleasure in winter than a kotatsu .”

Mochi and Dango approached them, evidently sensing the heat of the table and the smell of chicken. Mochi was less focused on the food and more on the kotatsu . She dug underneath the blanket and Shinji felt her soft fur tickling his ankles. She curled at his feet and immediately started purring. Dango sniffed the chicken, but Teruo gently stopped her from pawing any. Since she couldn’t get chicken, she went to sleep next to Teruo, half under the blanket and half outside.

“Let’s dig in,” Shinji said, dropping his pieces onto the plate. He took a bite, the chicken soft and the crust crunchy. “So good! Not as good as your food, but still good.”

Teruo chuckled. “It’s okay, my ego can take it.” He took a bite, too, though he seemed rather skeptical. “Huh, it’s actually nice.”

“Your expectations were pretty low, weren’t they?”

Teruo shrugged. “A bit, but it’s tasty. The crunchiness is top-notch. Really well done.”

Shinji nodded and wolfed down the piece of chicken in his hand. He looked at Teruo, whose eyes reflected the twinkling lights. He was stunning and adorable with the reindeer antlers on his head. “Thank you for tonight. It was amazing.”

“I’ve got more stuff planned for tomorrow.”

Shinji sighed, staring at the tree. “I feel terrible that I didn’t prepare anything.”

“Hey…” Teruo wiped his hands and placed a palm on Shinji’s wrist, his thumb moving in soothing circles. “Don’t feel terrible. These days are about us enjoying each other. You being here with me is already an amazing gift.”

Shinji felt his cheeks turn red. “I’m thrilled to be here with you.” He picked up one of the chicken pieces and fed it to Teruo, laughing when Teruo pretended to bite his fingers.

They finished stuffing themselves with chicken and, after cleaning up, they settled under the kotatsu , wrapped in each other’s arms. Shinji nearly melted into a mushy puddle as he lay against Teruo’s chest. It was perfect.