"They've all disappeared," Hanagata murmured into Fujima's ear. Fujima grinned, and shifted slightly in the taller boy's arms as he leaned against him. They had moved to a small sheltered porch on the beach, a short length away from the barbecue pit. In the darkness, he could just make out Ayako and Miyagi sitting on the edge of the campfire, and behind them Akagi who was intent on his job as chief cook for the night. Further on down the beach, two other figures strolled, presumably Kogure and Mitsui. The redhead, the ace-rookie and the quiet captain's sister were nowhere to be seen. Fujima couldn't suppress a smile to himself as he wondered what they were all up to.
"Kenji?" a soft voice interrupted his thoughts, and he turned to face the source of the inquiry. "Yes, Hana?"
The firelight glinted on Hanagata's glasses as he leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on the brown-haired boy's cheek. "Happy Valentine's Day."
His emerald eyes laughing, Fujima returned the chaste kiss, before sighing contentedly and relaxing again. He looked at the sky, where silver constellations winked in a bed of velvet blackness. "Hana?"
Strong arms tightened around him, bringing an embrace of warmth that secured him in his next question. "How did we ever make it so far?"
He felt his lover's lips curve in a smile against his forehead, and he accepted the kiss, unsure at first as he always was when Hanagata loved him, then more certain, and with fervor and renewed mutual passion. He was startled when the other boy stopped, and then began to speak softly.
"Because I love you, and because I can't stop loving you. Because when you became everything in the world to me, I lost all notion of being alone. Because when you smile at me, nothing can go wrong, and the days and nights become filled with hope and happiness. Because our goals and our aims have always been similar, and because I trust you in everything. Because when I take you in my arms, and feel the beating of your heart so, so close to mine, I can shut out the world and everything else disappears. Because when I'm with you, my soul is so full, I feel I could burst with joy and just sing with all the hope you bring to me by being in my life. Because when I get angry at you, I see your face and I feel your touch in my head, begging you to forgive me for every harsh word or action I made. Because when you look at me with sorrow in your eyes, I forget everything except to pray you smile again. Because your truth, your spirit, has taught me so many things. Because, Kenji, I can't see life without you. That's why, Kenji. That's why."
Warmth flooded Fujima as he looked up into the heavens and smiled, a smile of tremulous confidence and love and trust. "Aishiteru, Toru. Happy Valentine's Day."
End of part 4