Warm shower water had soaked their glued bodies and steam had filled the bathroom, adding to the feeling of intimacy that surrounded the pair.
They enjoyed the glowing aftermath of their passionate session, basking in the mutual pleasure they had just shared in bed.
"You made me the happiest person in the world," Jiro said with a contented smile.
"What if we bought an island somewhere warm and lived there? We can stay naked all day and have sex as much as we want," he suggested with hope.
"So, you would just turn me into your prostitute?" Natsuo sighed.
"No, we would be husbands. I can also call you my wife if you wish," Jiro smirked.
"Husband is fine..." Natsuo replied with a faint blush covering his cheeks.
"It's settled then," Jiro smiled, sliding his hands around the other's waist.
"You're my fiancé now."
Natsuo felt a heat spread through him as their lips connected.
"But I could be your prostitute," Jiro murmured in a voice dripping with desire as he planted his lips on Natsuo's shoulder. His mouth trailed up Natsuo's neck and sucked stains of love into his skin as his hands glided down his body.
"Let me make you feel good," Jiro whispered in between sultry kisses, completely devoted to pleasing him.
"You don't have to - "
"When you tell me to stop, I will stop."
His determined words only served to enflame their passion further, as they clung to each other more tightly in the drizzling shower and enveloped them in a warm cuddle.
Jiro lowered himself to his knees and his breath caught against Natsuo's abdomen. He licked the tip of his shaft with his hot tongue and lightly grazed the length of his hardening member as his hands began to explore his thighs.
Natsuo was jolted with pleasurable electricity as Jiro moved his other hand to the base of his shaft. His thumb and forefinger began to move in a gentle rhythm, squeezing and releasing in a tantalizing motion that had his body trembling.
His hand moved in sync with his wet mouth as he embraced his throbbing part. Natsuo's breath hitched as the intensity of pleasure began to build, spiraling up from his core with every stroke of Jiro's hand and mouth. Jiro's actions evoked ever-increasing sensations until Natsuo was struggling to stay upright.
"I can't stand..." Natsuo muttered embarrassedly as his legs started to feel like collapsing and his grip on his tattooed shoulders tightened.
Jiro reached out and caught Natsuo before he fell, steadying him and giving him a loving look.
"Is everything okay?" Jiro asked huskily.
"I think so..."
"Do you want to continue in bed?"
"No... I mean..." Natsuo mumbled.
"You can go in if you want..."
"Are you sure?" Jiro reassured, his grip strong and secure as he brushed wet strands of hair away from Natsuo's flushed face.
Natsuo nodded as he looked into his eyes. Jiro reached for the lube in the sink and sprouted himself with it.
"That should do it," he said as he finished.
"... and maybe you are still nicely wet and soft."
"Y-you don't need to comment on that," Natsuo stammered nervously as his cheeks glowed.
"I'll support you. You can lean on this," Jiro instructed and turned the water off. Natsuo grabbed the brass-colored shower pipes with both hands and arched his back. His palms felt cool against the frigid metal as he gripped it firmly.
He closed his eyes and moaned faintly as Jiro started to fill him with his warmth again.
Jiro wanted to make sure he wasn't pushing him too far, so he asked if he wanted to stop. His subtle muttering indicated he wanted to continue.
A wave of pleasure washed over both of them as Jiro moved slowly with an exquisite rhythm.
"You can go... harder..."
Jiro cradled his fiancé as he followed his command. Natsuo's body trembled as Jiro repeatedly thrust into him, entranced by the ecstasy that seemed to consume him. His movements became increasingly passionate and filled the steamy room with deep breaths as he moved in and out of Natsuo. As his satisfaction increased, his fingers tightened around the pipes and his muscles tensed.
Love overwhelmed Jiro as he watched Natsuo succumb to him, knowing that these moments were one of the ultimate expressions of their bond.
A powerful groan erupted from Jiro's throat when they both reached their highest point. Their drenched bodies shuddered as a rush of relief surged through them.
Natsuo opened his eyes when a bathrobe was wrapped around him to keep him warm and protect him from the chill of the bathroom air. He was then scooped into Jiro's arms under the knees.
"I can walk by myself," Natsuo insisted confusedly.
"I don't mind carrying you," Jiro answered as he set him down on the king-sized bed and tucked the blanket around him.
"So, do you want to come with me when I pick up Kyoko tomorrow?" He asked as he returned to the bathroom.
"Sure," Natsuo said and glanced at the bag of sweeties on the side of the bed.
Jiro had tied a white towel to his waist and combed his silver hair back. His signature fragrance always gave Natsuo a pleasant sniff, so he added an extra spray.
"Are you going to see Mrs. Ishikawa before your train?"
"Yeah..." Natsuo muttered as he ripped open the package of cherry toffee.
Jiro watched as Natsuo reached for a piece of candy and slowly sank his teeth into it. He sat down next to him, taking a bite for himself and chewing on the sweet flavor.
"And when we get home, we'll buy rings and I'll propose properly," he said as he ate his toffee.
"You don't have to do that..."
"But I want to show you how much I love you," Jiro said with a sweet smile.
(The next day)
A nurse from the oncology ward escorted Kyoko to the corridor where Natsuo and Jiro were waiting for her. She had a beanie pulled over her natural dark hair and a thick maroon sweater covering her withered frame. Kyoko's sunken eyes were a reminder of the toll cancer had taken on her body, yet she wore a faint, brave smile as she made her way to them.
"Be safe while driving. The roads are more slippery than usual with the first snow," the nurse wished them with a small bow.
Natsuo took Kyoko's hand and Jiro accepted a bunch of papers related to her treatment. They bid farewell to the pale walls and left the stuffy hospital corridors behind.
The dark ground was covered in a soft blanket of snow and cool air greeted them as they stepped outside.
Natsuo escorted them to their steel gray sports car in the parking lot, and he hugged Kyoko before helping her into the front seat. Even though they would see each other the same night, he seemed reluctant to let her go.
"Let's decorate your own room. We'll buy all the apples in town for you. Or whatever you want."
Kyoko's frail arms responded to Natsuo's embrace. She tucked herself against him and he heard her exhale a deep sigh.
"Thank you, Nat..." Her voice whispered barely audibly. After a quick smile, Natsuo opened the car door and assisted her into the seat, fastening her seatbelt. He closed the door with a gentle click and stepped back, his gaze remaining on her for a few seconds before he gave her an encouraging nod.
The cool wind ruffled Jiro's front hair and the long hem of his coat as he stood still outside. The pair's lips met in a tender goodbye and their eyes stayed locked as they slowly pulled away, relishing in their last moment together.
"Do you think we can go buy the rings tomorrow...?"
Jiro smiled and lightly brushed his fingers against Natsuo's cheek, nodding his head in agreement.
"It's a date then."
"Drive safely," Natsuo reminded.
"Sure. See you tonight, future husband," Jiro said as he hunched over and nuzzled their noses.
(Later that day)
"Sorry that it's been so long. Last time we didn't have time," Natsuo said as he stared at the snowy gravestone beneath the bare cherry tree.
He left the bouquet of roses on the ground, smirking as he imagined how badly Ayumi would have frowned at him.
"Jiro gave me these yesterday, but I didn't want to take them to the train with me. So here you go."
Small snowflakes floated in the air as a cool breeze swept through the cemetery, adding an eerie beauty to the solemn atmosphere of the graveyard.
"I know, but look. Your favorite, so you can stop bitching," he continued as he took a can of her preferred beer, leaving it next to the flowers.
With a warm smile, he tried to mask the feeling of sorrow in his heart as he handed the gifts to his friend.
"And you were right," Natsuo thought, his eyes lingering on the tombstone and the bleak, empty branches of the cherry tree.
"There is nothing I love more than poker..."
(Elsewhere at the same time)
Jiro was driving on the busy highway with a quiet Kyoko beside him, who was looking at the surrounding traffic and skyline in wonder.
"If you want to stop for the bathroom or to eat, express it however you want," Jiro said and glanced at her, whose head seemed to tilt in agreement.
A beam of excitement spread across his face as he looked forward to the moment when he could show Natsuo the certificate and officially declare their relationship. He planned to do it the right way, humbly kneeling and pouring out his entire heart as he proposed, putting a ring on his finger to solidify their bond.
"Hey, Kyoko. Natsuo and I are getting married. It would be - "
Before he could finish his sentence, the sound of squealing brakes and crunching metal reverberated throughout the winter air. The steel-colored car was spun out of control, before it was flipped over multiple times and the polished frame of the vehicle crumpled under the force of impact. Glass shattered as it slammed into the frozen ground with a thunderous thud...