After finishing at the front desk, Asakura walked outside and joined the others in the courtyard.
"So, are we going to share the same pillow tonight?" Kota asked the moment he saw him walking towards them.
"You might be disappointed. I asked them to change the room with another one."
"Ah, that's too bad. And here I was, looking forward to our first night together." Kota feigned regret, sighing deeply.
"Yes, well... We all have to live with disappointment." Asakura retorted without the slightest emotion showing on his face.
While this exchange went on, Keita and Rintarou were discussing their traveling plans. They, of course, had no qualms about sharing a bed or even a pillow for that matter. They were too busy paying attention only to each other, to notice the stares filled with jealousy and envy that some people gathered outside the hotel continuously threw in their direction.
Asakura was, of course, one of those 'lemon' people, but there was someone else who had a similarly intense longing while gazing at the oblivious couple.
A bit farther away from Asakura and his lot was a group of six people. All male, around twenty-something and looking as if they came to celebrate and have fun. They were loud, making a huge racket until one of them, who seemed to be their leader, finally calmed them down.
Amongst these men only one was standing still, staring unblinkingly at Keita and Rintarou with an unfathomable look in his eyes.
From that distance there was nothing out of the ordinary about this person, apart from the strange expression he wore. It was something between pain and nostalgia, as if just looking at those two brought about painful memories.
Asakura could recognize each and every one of those emotions as if they were written on the young man's face with capital letters. Why? Because it was the same way he was feeling while looking at Keita. But while he was regretting the person in front of him, that young man seemed to think about someone who was far away.
Even from that distance Asakura could see the lost look in his eyes, and the way his body refused to move even when he was urged by his peers. Eventually, another young man threw an arm around his shoulder, dragging him towards the inn. The movement forced the young man to pull his eyes away from the scene that was causing him so much suffering.
Without realizing what he was doing, Asakura followed the young man with his eyes, until he disappeared behind the large front doors.
For some strange reason, he felt compelled to look at that person, taking in every small change in his expression and gestures. From the way his eyes seemed to be glued on Keita and Rintarou, to the tired manner in which he brushed his hair right before he entered the inn. Asakura saw everything and felt something that made him pause.
What was this strange feeling? Could it be a sense of camaraderie towards that person, since both their pains seemed to have the same root cause? Or maybe it was something else entirely, something that had to do with that person's appearance?
Either way, Asakura found himself thinking about the sad young man for quite a while, before finally pulling himself together.
But, as fate would have it, that wouldn't be his last encounter with that person.
Half an hour later, when they went back inside, Asakura received news from the front desk saying they had successfully managed to change his room.
"Great! I hope there weren't any problems in convincing the other party. If so, I can pay for the inconvenience." Asakura said in a businesslike tone.
"No, we were able to discuss amiably with them. The owner of the room agreed to change the rooms without requesting anything in return. They even left the key card here and asked me to give it to you, sir. Furthermore, they hadn't moved any of their luggage yet, so the room is still empty.
"Then, here is my key card as well. I didn't bring my luggage inside either, so that works perfectly. Let them know they can move anytime."
"Of course. I will be sure to do so, sir." The clerk smiled and bowed his head,. He was obviously very pleased that he had managed to solve things so smoothly.
Asakura nodded his head and was just about to leave, when a thought crossed his mind. He, once again, turned towards the clerk and leaned against the counter.
"Is there any chance that I might know who was so kind as to accept this change? Ah, I don't mean anything by it." He added hastily, seeing the worried expression the clerk was making. He smiled charmingly. "I just thought I should thank them. It's the least I could do since they have been so accommodating."
"Oh, yes, of course. I understand, sir." The clerk replied, sighing in relief.
For a moment he was really worried that this imposing person would seek trouble with other customers. Since that wasn't the case, he smiled politely and pointed somewhere behind Asakura.
"It's actually that person over there."
When Asakura turned around, he was so surprised that for a moment he couldn't even form a proper word. The person he saw was none other than the young man from before.
How can a coincidence like this happen?
In order to make sure he wasn't misunderstanding anything, Asakura looked back at the clerk and inquired in a low voice.
"Are you referring to that young man over there?"
"Yes, sir. That's indeed him." The clerk nodded confirming everything. "That young man is here with a group of actors. Apparently, they came out to celebrate one of their juniors receiving a big role. After I explained the situation, they were very open-minded and willing to change the rooms almost immediately."
Asakura nodded his head distractedly, missing most of what the clerk was saying. He was staring again at that young man, who now had his back to him. But the moment he turned around and glanced in his direction, Asakura felt a jolt coursing through his body.
They were now closer than before, so Asakura could see the young man's appearance more clearly.
His face had fine features, appearing more delicate than handsome, but still holding an undeniable charm. Below thin eyebrows were a pair of stunningly bright eyes. Like two pools of clear water, they lacked the cloudy sadness from before.
At that moment, the young man's entire personality seemed completely different from what Asakura saw outside just a few minutes ago. Instead of a melancholic, sad young man, he could now see a very lively and rather attractive person.
The moment their eyes locked, the young man's lips curved into a smile. He gave a subtle nod, tilting his head gracefully.
It was a rather casual and seemingly natural greeting between absolute strangers. There was nothing too shocking or special about it.
However, the young man's image swept across Asakura's brain like a wave of electricity, causing all his processes to stop working for a while. He watched him in a trance for what felt like hours.
As if possessed, Asakura took a step forward wanting to say something. But, just as his lips parted, the young man received a nudge from one of his peers. That other man threw an arm over his shoulder, causing his attention to shift from Asakura's person.
The moment those eyes were pulled away from his gaze, Asakura felt an odd sense of loss. That smile, too, had left a lasting impression on him. It felt somewhat timid, but also very honest.
Without a shadow of a doubt, this had been the most impactful and lasting nonverbal greeting in Asakura's entire life.