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Plot: reo comes home after a long business meeting that unfortunately landed on the very same day as his birthday. he finds nagi sleeping on the couch with two wine glasses of cold lemon tea topped with cover, two gift boxes, and a box of chocolates.
Reo knocks on the door to his and Nagi’s apartment. A tired gentle sigh coming out from him. It’s too late now, the moon has already risen, and the lights are all on. It’s his special day but he had go to his workplace for a business meeting that he could not refuse. The chance was simply too big of an opportunity to pass.
Nagi has been really excited for Reo’s birthday, being more vocal about it lately. Sadly, upon learning about Reo’s plans for the day, his morale suddenly dropped. He promised Reo he’ll make his birthdays more special again, unlike the usual celebration from his peers in the Mikage corporation and his distant relatives. Reo had told him that his parents rarely celebrated their son’s birthday extravagantly, more often than not. With one exception: his 16th birthday.
Nagi had given his spare keys for his apartment, and since no one is answering, he brings them out and opens the door. He turns on the warm orange lights for the night, just enough to light up most rooms. He looks around and realizes how the apartment is cleaner than usual, far more cleaner even compared to Nagi’s most productive days.
‘Did Nagi clean up?’ he thought to himself as he goes farther and farther in to the apartment.
The apartment is fairly big, moreso fit for a family, but Nagi has been the only one living him for many years. Ever since his family had gone abroad to support his education. Of course, in doing so came with a cost of leaving Nagi behind. Reo checks the kitchen and the bedrooms, Nagi isn’t there.
‘Did he go out?’ another one of his thoughts pops out, ‘Is he going to surprise me?’
Reo doubts Nagi would make an effort in trying to surprise him, but he laughs at the thought of it. A heartwarming feeling burning in his chest. That’d be cute, he thinks, putting his bag onto the kitchen counter.
In the end, he finds Nagi sleeping on the couch in the living room. The white haired boy covered in the thickest of sweaters and jumpers was embracing himself with both arms, with one of the sofa pillows under his head. He looks cold and tired, more tired than him. He leans in for a hug.
‘Good evening, Sei’ Reo whispers, kissing Nagi’s soft cheeks, almost like a freshly steamed dumpling. He looks at the coffee table before them where two wine glass lay about covered in coasters. “Did you wait for me?”
Nagi opens his eyes, and sees a purple haired beauty in front of him. His eyes widen at the sight, sparkles coming out them. It’s him. He’s finally home.
“Reo.” Nagi gently extends his arms out, calling for an embrace. “I wanted to drink it with you.”
“Is that wine?” Reo grabbed a glass and smelled it.
“Lemon tea.” Nagi answers just as Reo figures it out.
Reo couldn’t help but laugh, and fell under the soft embrace of his partner’s arms. “You didn’t have to wait for me.”
“I missed you, Reo.” Nagi leans onto Reo’s forehead for a kiss, “Happy birthday.”
Reo’s face flushed a subtle red tint, flustered upon hearing his words. “Thank you, Sei. I missed you too.”
“I didn’t want to drink it without you.” Nagi lets go of Reo and pointed at the other glass.
Reo grabs and uncaps it before handing it to Nagi. He then takes his share and tasted the cold sweet, sour, and bitter tea. A tangy and citrusy taste cover his mouth, leaving a sour aftertaste. The ice seemed to have melted now, though, but the drink is still cold enough.
He takes another sip and smiles. “Did you prepare it?”
“Yes…” Nagi chugs down half of his tea at that very moment, “I wanted to surprise you…” Nagi pouted.
Reo recalls the recent thought of Nagi blandly shouting ‘happy birthday’ with a party hat on and a party popper with him. A cake on the table, lit by multiple candles.
“You came home late…” Nagi whined.
“I’m sorry, my treasure.” Reo’s face turned sad as he moved deeper into Nagi’s warm chest, “But I’m here now.”
“How was work?” Nagi asks, his eyes still droopy from having just woken up from sleep.
Reo reaches his hand out to shuffle through Nagi’s messy hair. “It was tiring and they were noisy.” His knees are on the soft floor carpet.
“It’s okay now, Reo, the house is quiet.” Nagi assures him, hugging him even tighter.
Reo hugs him again before moving back away. He looks around once more, skimming through the details around the room.
“Did you clean, Sei?”
“I wanted you to come home to a clean place…” Nagi extends his legs straight along the couch, occupying all of the space.
“Oh no, should I take a bath now?” Reo joked, taking off his coat and laying it down on the
Reo, out of nowhere, shoves his arms under the comfortably laying Nagi and pulls him up to the air. Even if his partner is a little taller than him, he still can carry his weight just as he did back in high school.
“O– Reo.” Nagi retorts, visibly confused.
“You seem cold here, I’ll bring you to bed.” Reo giggles, his stupid whiny baby resting on his arms.
“Put me down, Reo, I have a gift.”
Reo questions himself. What kind of gift could Nagi have? Handmade cake? A embroidery? Money? There were so many things Nagi could have brought for him, and every single one, whatever they may be, Reo will surely hold dear. Being given a gift with such genuine intentions, especially coming from Nagi, made his heart warm again, his stomach filled with butterflies.
He places Nagi back down onto the sofa where he scurried to find a box that he pulls out from under the table. A wide rectangular box of purple and white wrapping paper, tied with a brown paper string, and decorated with stickers of leaves and flowers. One of which is the hyacinth, Reo’s favorite flower.
Reo sits down beside him as Nagi looks at him with such expectant eyes, telling him to open it now. Nagi is quiet, but Reo could hear Nagi’s thoughts scream from within him, making him more excited to see what’s inside.
“Open it…” Nagi whines.
Reo starts with the string, pulling it apart, untangling it until it loosens up away from the box. He then carefully opens the wrapping paper, taking out the tape first, before unfolding it, revealing a book.
The book cover is made of some material of cloth, painted in a light pastel-ish purple. On the front says ‘My Treasure’ in gold.
“My treasure?” Reo laughs, totally not expecting it.
“You’re my treasure too, Reo.” Nagi sounds smug, but Reo barely even notices. He sits closer to Reo, leaning his head onto his shoulders.
“And you are mine.” Reo could feel the heat of Nagi’s face warm the countours of his skin, making him more flustered.
He flips to the first page, which, in quotes, says:
‘To My Reo Mikage’
Reo couldn’t help but smile. begins to flip onto the next.
The first photo is of Reo inside his limousine where he seem to look like he’s explain something to Nagi with two glasses of lemon-flavored sparkling water lay on the cup colders. In the background, past the window, the sun shines. It seems to be taken in the morning going to school, where Reo’s sculpted contours are highlighted by the soft warm light.
“Did you take this, Sei?!” Reo almost screams.
“You were being noisy, so I took a picture.”
“You should’ve told me to pose then.”
“Hassle…. I like normal Reo better.” Nagi retorts, saying it as genuinely as he could. And the already red Reo grew redder.
Reo turns to look closer at the photo. “What were I talking about here?”
“I don’t know… Maybe something about soccer.”
“I bet you escaped from practice again that day.”
“I don’t escape from Reo. I like seeing your face.”
Reo is slowly getting more and more used to Nagi’s sudden offhand comment.
“You rarely attended practice when I wasn’t there!”
“That’s because you weren’t there…”
Reo wails in embarassment, but the clueless Nagi stayed atop his shoulder with no idea why his partner is so flustered.
“Reo is so weird.” Nagi comments.
“You’re weirder, Sei.” Reo smirks, knowing full well that he doesn’t like being called weird.
“Tsk…” He scoffs, glaring sweetly at the laughing Reo.
Nagi then reaches out his hand and points to the next picture on the other side of the book. The picture seems to be of Reo again, this time at the park near their school on a sunny day. Reo is standing, sweating, with a can of iced blackberry flavored juice on his hand. The camera coming from a bench where Nagi’s legs can be seen, just like the first photo.
“Why is this here?!”
“You looked pretty.”
“I was enjoying my drink! I remember this day clearly. The vending machine was pretty brand new so I had to fight my way in through the crowd.”
“I could see that…Was it worth it?”
“Maybe. I think I got you a drink as well that time.” Reo looks up, wondering what drink he got for Nagi.
“We played games that night.”
“And you didn’t let me win, I can still remember that. I only won once.”
“You beat me once, that’s good enough…”
“Tsk, fine. Just tell me you brushed your teeth after I left.” Reo teases, hoping that Nagi actually listened to his advice on how not to fall asleep while brushing you meet or how not to fall onto the bed and sleep in the middle of changing the sheets.
“I don’t know… Brushing is hassle…”
“I know, I know. At least you brush now, I guess.”
Reo himself knows how Nagi had improved in so many aspects of his life. From the old passionless Nagi to the new Nagi who had found its goals in life, who now can be independent. And Reo is proud of that, that the love of his life had changed for the better so ways more than one.
He recalls how Nagi used to only eat melon bread from the convenience store, or drink only his jelly juice for the enture day, making his stomach ill. But now, Reo notices how Nagi is so much more active in daily chores, even if it’s still a hassle to him, he still makes an effort. An effort to change, to grow better.
“Yes…..”
Reo nudges him, smiling, wrapping one of his arm over Nagi before turning to the next page.
The third photo is also Reo, now in his Hakuho soccer attire attempting to trap his ball just as Nagi usually does. He looks at the ball with such intent, a driving force telling him that he can do it.
“You’re still bad at it.” Nagi complains.
“You’re not allowed to talk, genius.”
Reo knows that Nagi had always been a genius, a lazy genius. When he first investigated about Nagi, he couldn’t believe that this lazy creature was able to get into Hakoku High School.
“It’s okay, Reo. You trapped my heart.”
“Wh–” Reo turns puzzled, “Who taught you those pick up lines??”
“The internet.” Nagis mouth turns into an X.
The fourth photo is another candid photo of Reo. In the local tailoring shop, Reo is having his new suit measured. A pitch black coat adorned in gold with a white shirt inside.
“Are these all candid photos of me?”
“They are pretty photos.”
Nagi has always found Reo pretty, and Reo doesn’t know this. The oblivious Reo unaware of the heartstruck Nagi’s affection. There’s a reason why Nagi acts mor elike a baby in front of Reo compared to with everyone one else.
The photos were all taken from the young Nagi Seishiro’s phone, the phone where all his memories are kept intact, the phone where everything started. The very same phone from that very same staircase where they first met. The beginning of a journey, an unusual one.
“Turn to the other photos, Reo.”
“Don’t be impatient, Sei.” Reo laughs, skimming through the rest of the images in the album.
There one where Reo is at the counter, ordering him and Nagi the steak had has always taken an interest with at the local steakhouse.
Another one where Reo is sipping on a straw of a mango shake that Nagi had suggested him to try out. Nagi was never fond of shakes, but the cold sensational feeling eventually grew on him. Reo always found Nagi experiencing brainfreeze a sight to behold.
There are also pictures of Reo snatching away some grapes at the farm vineyard they visited for his father’s business venture, and a picture of Reo sniffing the white roses at the fancy flower shop from across the country that they visited a few years ago.
Along with it is a picture of Reo running through the field of blossoming flowers under the warm sun in a cool windy day of spring. Nagi cannot forget that trip, especially that he was the one that took them there. A trip that Nagi finds special, a beautiful memory. Well, everything that has Reo in it is always beautiful.
“Ah, this.” Reo smiles, recalling the time they both sat on the field, looking at the horizon as the sun start to set.
“It’s been a while…”
The next photo is of their previous apartment where Reo can be seen crying with tissues in his hand. The room was dark, and they were sitting on a sofa right in front of their TV.
“You took a picture of this?”
“Why not?”
“I was having a moment!”
“You looked cute.”
“I didn’t know you were into that, Sei.”
Nagi pouts, not sure of what to reply.
“That movie was sad. Let’s watch it again.”
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind?”
“Yep. I won’t cry this time though.”
“I doubt it.” Nagi shuts his mouth, knowing that Reo is about to “I’ll cry with Reo.”
“It’s the only movie you’ve ever watched, of course you won’t.”
The eleventh photo is of Reo in a yukata holding a large rabbit plush. It was taken during the tanabata festival where Nagi had won him the rabbit. The streets are crowded, and the sky was colorful. It was the first time Reo and Nagi went to a festival together.
The twelvth is of Reo cooking. It was a fine day, not for the food however. Reo was trying his best in stir frying a shrimp and vegetable dish with Baya, with Nagi simple hanging out by the kitchen counter top. Nagi believes that the dish Reo made was incredibly good, but Ba-ya believes otherwise.
The thirteenth is of Reo in an art museum. The day before Reo left for abroad for a business trip, they decided to visit the national art gallery. Reo found everything insightful, with pieces of extraordinary skill and stories. Nagi, however, already found the greatest masterpiece of all, as he takes a picture of Reo.
The fourteenth is Reo crying on Nagi’s lap. It was the day after a test in high school. Right after the economics test Reo, which Reo is very fond of. He couldn’t answer one of the most important questions and ran straight to Nagi, sulking. The next photo has Reo sleeping on Nagi’s lap.
“See, you’re my treasure.” Nagi joked.
Finally, the last picture was of Reo baking Nagi’s cake for his birthday a few months ago. Nagi was slaying down on the couch playing games. Little did Reo know that he was being taken a picture of.
On the final page, it says:
‘I hope this made your birthday more special. I love you.’
‘– Seishiro’
Reo could almost tear up, having felt the intimacy of a real friend. He was about to say something, but interrupted him.
“Turn around, Reo.” Nagi commands, grabbing another gift from under the table. A much larger one. It’s a soft-looking cone shaped object with an unusual shape on the top wrapped in thin brown paper. Reo places the photo album onto the desk and turns around as Nagi began opening the other gift.
“Okay, you can look now.”
Reo shifts his body back to Nagi, seeing the most gorgeous gift he’s ever been given. It isn’t some key to a car form his parents, or a box of expensive liquor from his friends, it was more special than that. Under the dim lighting of the living room, only being lit by soft orange hues from the side bulbs, Reo adored the gift that lay before him.
The bouquet of flowers Nagi had always wanted to give him. The most special of flowers.
Reo explained to Nagi long ago how hyacinths are the most beautiful of the bunch. To him, they emit emotions and deepness that cannot be rivaled by just any other. Ever since, Nagi have always wanted to get him bouquets, without telling Reo, of course. But with how hard it is to get them fresh, he hasn’t been able to. Not until today.
“Where did you get that?!” Reo exclaims, his face flushed an ever dark shade of red for he does not recall telling anyone his most favorite of plants. His hands covering his face.
A bouquet of the most vibrant of hyacinths of different colors. There’s a crimson crimson-red one, one with the most royal-look of violets, a blank one filled with grandeur, one adorned by the most ocean-deep blues, a plum-like purple one, one with the softest of pinks, and one with the purest of whites.
Nagi’s smiled a soft, gentle smile, glad to know that Reo loves the gift he had surprised him with.
“I love you, Reo.”
More of Reo’s tears start to roll out of his face. The often strong-willed Reo felt so vulnerable before his partner, but he felt warm and safe. As if Nagi tells him: ‘You don’t have to worry about anything. The society outside. The expectations. Shh… Just be you, Reo.’
Reo holds the bouquet on his arms and laid down on Nagi’s lap. “I love you, Seishiro, I love you so much.”
Nagi watched as Reo rests on him.
Reo abruptly pulled his body upwards and glared at Nagi. “You will hear from me. I will send you so many gifts, Sei.”
Nagi, who is melting into his seat, leans into Reo’s cheeks and gives it a peck on the lips.
“I don’t want you to promise me everything, Reo. I don’t want gifts.”
“Then, what do you wish for?”
That question strikes Nagi a core memory of his. Ever since he was a child, he had always been devoid of a goal, of a want, of a desire. He did things not out of
“I want you. I just want you to stay with me.”
“I will stay with you to the moon and back, Sei.”
Nagi smiled. “Happy birthday.”
The night turns quiet. It was time for them to rest, both in each other’s arms. Times like this are common, but even so, Nagi had made it more special than a simple hello and goodbye. A heart for a heart, a companion for a companion.
For the two love-birds, who knows what will happen next in their journey?
– director’s cut
“Ah– right, Reo. The cake is in the refrigerator…”
“There’s cake?”
“I was going to eat it earlier,” Nagi pouts, “But you took so long.”
Reo carries Nagi up immediately and runs straight for the kitchen. Cake.