FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Gah! Damn this stupid heat! The broken fan here at the room didn't make matters any better. And then there's this pile of books on my table right this moment as I tried to go through all my summer homework. Was skipping all this during the weeks I've been here in Minasato worth it? You bet it was! Going to the beach. Making sweets with Shin-kun. Seeing Kouya live on stage. RPGs with Shun-kun late at night. Lighting up fireworks. Building a plane with Tatsu-nii. Tests of courage with Kounosuke. Camping with everyone. Having a blast at the Bon Festival. Juuichi-san slamming down opponents at his competition. Kyouji-san and Soutarou-kun scoring that last goal. To top it all off, Torahiko winning gold at the swim meet. What more could a guy ask for when he's back with his childhood friends?

Speaking of Tora, ever since the first day I've been back in Minasato he's been rather touchy-feely with me, the tiger getting close every chance he could get. Sure he missed me so much these last five years, but it felt a bit too much even from someone like him who's been clingy since childhood. Not to say that I was hating it. In fact, I liked every second of it. Those big arms, that beefy chest, and all that warm fuzzy fur. Wait, where was I? Oh right, homework. Well, with just a few weeks of summer left, guess this was all that's left to do. While passing the time, I took out Tora's letter from my bag, placed it on the table and read it again.

"Hey, how are you doing? I'm the same as usual. Everybody really wants to see you. Come and visit every one in a while. I'll be waiting."

A simple and sincere letter, yet it had me going back here. While playing around with my pencil after reading I lost rhythm and dropped it, the lead smudging an empty part of the note. Huh? Was that a letter just now? Oh, I remember now! Tora and I used to do this back in elementary school. When we would send secret messages to each other we would write with bamboo sticks and smudge the whole paper when we wanted to read it.

"This is so like you, Tora," I thought. Grabbing the pencil, I smudged the lead on the entire empty part, revealing Tora's other message bit by bit. When it was all done, I tried reading it.

"Hiroyuki, glad you still remembered how to do this. Even in five years, we still haven't forgotten about you. Hope you didn't or I'll beat you to a bloody pulp when you come back here! Well, maybe not. Don't wanna make a bad impression when you return."

Pausing for a moment, I chuckled. That said, it's lucky I still remembered them. Even more that they still remembered me.

"Hey, listen. This is weird coming from someone you haven't seen in a long time, but in the last five years I've been constantly thinking about you. Was everything good with you in the city? Have you met new friends? Were you happy there? Will you really return? When I would think about this I would get a little depressed, but in the end what I still wished for your happiness."

Torahiko...

"With the years that passed, my body grew bigger with all the training I've had. Probably even taller than yours now. Like it, my feelings for you also grew as time passed by. So, whether or not you'll be able to read this, I'll say it here and now. I like you, Hiroyuki."

Wait, what?

"Even if you won't be able to return my feelings, at least let me see your face one more time. Let me spend one more summer with you along with everyone here. If you do find someone you like back here and it's one of our friends, it's alright with me. I'm not really good at these kinds of things so that's all I'll say."

Everything around me felt like it froze that moment. Tora liked me? And for that long? Then it all became clear: the times he grabbed me, the food he cooked that he had me taste, and those times he would invite me to watch him practice swimming. It's normal to spend more time with the person you have feelings for, right?

Considering that, what were my feelings for him? Closing my eyes, I thought of Torahiko: his green-tinted eyes, his playful and child-like smile, his strong body, that quirk of his where he would cover his muzzle every time he's embarrassed, those moments that we were together and most of all, those moments where he would call my name. As images of him went through my mind, the middle of my chest felt warm as a fuzzy feeling went all over me, my lips curling into a smile. And there I found my answer. Carrying the letter with me, I put on my footwear and dashed off to Ooshima Inn.

Great, just great. Of all the times he had to run off somewhere it had to be now. When I arrived at the inn Ooshima-san told me Tora's out somewhere and he assumed it was the pool. Going to the pool, there was also no sign of him there. And so here I was, running around the village just to look for him. Where could he be? Candy store? Penny arcade? Antiques shop? While running around I caught sight of Tatsu-nii pass by.

I waved at the dragon while running towards him "Tatsu-nii!"

"Ah, Hiroyuki! How's the day?"

"Never mind that. Have you seen Tora?"

"Tora? Let's see... Oh! I remember him saying something about going to the old elementary school when he passed by me just this morning."

"Great. Thanks so much, Tatsu-nii!"

"... Sure."

If he was going to the elementary school, then I'm sure he'll be in one place there: the playground. Where we played the most there was by the swings, both of us having a competition back then as to who could swing the highest. My instincts proved me right. There he was, sitting on the swings with his head bowing down. Whether my heart was beating fast because of all that running or being able see him there, I didn't care anymore.

Clutching the letter tight in my hand, I ran towards him. "Tora!"

He stood up from the swing. "Hiroyuki?"

Standing in front of him, I tried to catch my breath before speaking. Torahiko looked at me and laughed, making another comment on how the city life's made me weak. Hey! Running all around the village was no easy task, okay? When he noticed that there was something in my hand, he turned to it and saw that it was the letter he sent me with the empty part smudged with pencil. That moment he froze at where he stood, his mouth wide open, brows raised and cheeks turning red as he stammered. Taking the chance I dashed and held him close, burying my face in his chest and savoring every bit of this warmth of his that I've taken for granted all this time.

"Say it."

"What?" Torahiko asked.

"I wanna hear it from you this time."

Without saying a word, Torahiko hunched his back and pulled me closer, bringing my head to his shoulder as he rubbed his cheek against mine. Compared to the usual hugs he gave me, it was more tender yet I could feel a bit of sadness in it. "I like you, Hiroyuki," he said. "For a long time, I've wanted to say this to you."

"I like you too, Tora. Sorry it took so long."

"Hiro..."

Just then, he held me tighter as I could feel his tears on my shoulders. I didn't care if anyone was there watching us. Everything that was in my mind that moment was him as my eyes started to tear up also. For what seemed like minutes to us we held each other like that. Letting go of each other after, we wiped the tears off of our faces and smiled.

Turning to his side, Torahiko scratched the tip of his nose. "Hey, Hiroyuki."

"What?"

"You remember the time you proposed to me back when we were kids?"

I remembered that day: it was one hot summer day when after playing a game of tag in the forest me and Torahiko lied down on the grass, talking about random things. When our talking went to about marrying the person you like, I said to him "Well I really like you Tora. I'll marry you when I grow up." We were kids back then and didn't know any better. Looking back, it was rather funny.

Torahiko coughed. "So, can that still happen?"

Well that was unexpected. We just confessed to each other and now we're talking about marriage? Then again, it's not like it couldn't happen. I said that to him ten years ago. We liked being with each other back then, and we still do now. Putting my arms around his neck, I pulled his face close to mine and grinned.

"Did I ever break my word?" I said before giving him a kiss on the lips. Not resisting, Torahiko pulled me closer and lifted me up. With that, both of us found closure to the five years that we were apart from each other.