The ride to the apartment was silent but it was not awkward. They soon reached and Nagomi invited Haruto upstairs, clearly he didn't want the day to end here.

"Want to come upstairs? I can pour you some coffee."

Haruto held back on his breath and his heart skipped a beat, he knew his confession wasn't only a bet on either being accepted or rejected but also putting their relationship in danger. Who guranteed that Nagomi wouldn't request for a new manager? But having such a simple invitation made his heart fluttered more than he thought. The feeling of anxiousness was replaced by relief and his heart knew peace.

After placing the coffe on the table, he sat beside Haruto on the couch, the latter took this chance to scoot a little closer. He thought, he had been sneaky on doing so, but he had failed to calculate Nagomi's feelings of consciousness towards him.

Stop beating so loud. Stupid heart!
Nagomi mentally cursed his heart for betraying him at moments like this.

"There's still a chance for you to take back your confession."
Nagomi said, blowing the coffee before sipping it.

No matter the intentions Nagomi had said that with, it only inflicted a sharp pain in his chest.

"I am so sorry. I know you are kind but you  don't need feel bad for rejecting me."
Haruto's voice broke as tears welled up in his eyes. He didn't dare to look up at Nagomi.

"Why are you the crying?"Nagomi wiped Haruto's tears, chuckling at the red swollen eyes of Haruto.

"I don't want you to regret your decision in the coming future, I am not rejecting you. Just making sure one last time."

"Trust me when I say, I love you, I have neved loved someone as much as I love you." Haruto cupped Nagomi's cheeks.

"Are you sure you are not saying it on a whim?" Nagomi said in a playful tone but deep down he prayed with everything he had that Haruto would say 'no'.

"Obviously no... he rubbed Nagomi's cheeks with his thumb.... You don't know how much I have prayed these past 3 years for you to have this moment like no-" Haruto blurted out in the heat of the moment without a second thought.

His eyes widened when he realised what he just said and slammed his own mouth close.

"What was that?" Nagomi pulled Haruto's hand from his mouth and raised an eyebrow as if ordering him to speak.

Haruto looked anywhere else but at Nagomis. He still acted like he just didn't expose himself. Nagomi sighed at Haruto's stubbornness.

"Expecting me to trust you when you are clearly hiding things, hmm?" Nagomi bit his lower lip, nodding acting as though, he was analyzing things.

"You are so unfair, Sato-san."
He whined while Nagomi feigned ignorance.

Watching at how childish Nagomi was being, he finally let out a sigh of defeat.

"It's not an interesting stor-

"I am all ears."
Nagomi interrupted before Haruto could protest any further.

Haruto paused before continuing again.
"You could say the first time we met, was not a few months ago but 3 years ago. But it was only me who knew you." 

                             ♧♧♧♧

A pair of empty eyes bored at the ceiling, a sigh automatically left the boy's lips. Everything was blurry and dull for him. 

Nothing was working out in the way he wanted to. At this point, he had no idea what was worse, his parents controlling his life and pushing their dreams on him or he not being allowed to have his own dream.

He always wanted to be an artist, decorating the walls of exhibition halls , with the pieces created by him was what he always wanted. 

But his parents had different plans, if he wasn't the best in what he did they wouldn't allow him to do anything.
So just like that he had to give up on his dreams and plans.

It was getting stuffy in his room. It has been for some months. He walked out of his room, his parents were sitting in the living room probably discussing his internship at "ST" company. They noticed his presence while he was trying to get to the kitchen. 

"Haruto. Come here." 
His mother called out to him. He knew where this was going to lead but he complied to it anyway.

He sat on the sofa across his parents. They both gave him worried looks. None of them spoke out for a while and the silence was killing Haruto. He decided to start the conversation anyway but his father beat him to that.

"Haruto.... How long are you going to keep this up? Why do you think we keep pushing you? We are worried about you. If you don't have anything you want to do then just apply to the "ST" company. I have my connections there and it is a big company too. Think about your future more seriously." 

It was the same as always. Ever since he passed his college, his parents had been nagging him to do something he didn't want, but it's not like he has anything he wanted to do. At least that was what he had said to himself.

He was grateful to them at first but as time went by their worry and expectations for him started to become a burden.

And little by little, everything he did felt so empty and grey. But he could never go against his parents.

A dim glow of light lit up as his phone rang.
Without looking at the caller id, he picked up the phone.

"Hello."

"Yo Haru, my man. What's up?"
It was Kise, Haruto's best friend and his classmate, since his high school.

"Nothing really. Why did you call?"
"Aww, now I can't even call you? You big meanie." Haruto could feel his friend pouting from the phone.

"If there's nothing, I am hanging up." Haruto sighed.
"Wait! I called to say that we are having a get-together tomorrow." 
" I am not-

"Oh what's that you are excited. I already informed everyone that you are going. I will text you time and location."
And just like that he hung up the phone.
Kise was hard to argue with as ever. 

No matter how Haruto behaved at home, he was a social bird outside and was pretty popular in his peer circle. He didn't want anyone to see his weakness, if he did, that would mean his loss, that's what he always thought.
So it was unavoidable for him not to join any get together.

Tomorrow came by and Haruto was already in their meet up place.

They really enjoyed their meet up after a long time, well at least his friends did. He was just going with the flow, getting dragged by them. Kise had noticed how the usually enthusiastic Haruto was out of gas. 

It was already 6pm when they got out of Karaoke. 

Kise put his arm around Haruto's shoulder.

"We sang a lot, so why don't we go hear someone else singing. Let's hit the concert. It's starting at 6:30 we might reach there just in time." Kise smiled at Haruto. 

"Guys, I think I will call it a da-

"Oh you were thinking the same. Then what are we waiting for, let's hit the concert." Kise pulled Haruto. Kise was a pushy character but he knew Haruto better than anyone else.

His mood, his situation and even how to cheer him up. Sending him home now, would only make him indulge himself in some useless overthinking and it was unacceptable for a happy guy like Kise to see his best buddy sad.

They were a bit late for the concert. But the smell of sweat and the hot environment made it clear that the concert was still alive and going. Haruto felt nostalgic as he hadn't been to a concert for a while now.

"And now for our new rising star Nagomi Sato. Welcome him with a huge applause." The host announced, making the crowd go wild.

In contrast to the hype of the crowd, a sweet and soft instrumental started to play. Haruto was confused as to why soft music was being played in a rock concert.

"He is the new singer who has been making a name for him." Kise answered Haruto.

"Isn't this the rock concert?" Haruto asked, confused.

"Yeah. I heard the organizer called him to play because the demand of the public was high during the public voting they held." Kise had that 'I-know-it-all' expression.

"Is he that good?" 

"Hmm... More than that, his way of singing is unique. The way he sings feels like he is speaking to you and only you. You know like he is pulling you inside his world?" Kise looked at Haruto while Haruto stared at the said man with confusion.

"Don't cry my dear."

When the voice reached Haruto's ear he felt something amazing. His voice was like a magnet and Haruto was drawn towards it unintentionally.

All of a sudden the crowd disappeared around Haruto. It felt like Nagomi was singing solely for Haruto, only them in that room. His voice was raspy and shaky but at the same time it was sweet and soothing. The moment was undescribable for Haruto.

He continued to sing with a smile on his face but his eyes were dull and empty, void of any emotions. Maybe it was only Haruto who felt that because he was in the same situation. But one thing was for sure, he felt an unknown attraction towards the boy. Something that said: I want him. His voice felt so good, looking at him singing felt so good. 

"Don't cry my dear
Although this pain, is hard to bear
Heart and mind shattered, collide
While the wounds got deeper
The scars only scarier....

You've got your share of pain
Cursing, shouting world's unfair
But isn't it for all of us?
Hush, no one's perfect, neither life's a fairy tail
But who are we to complain?
It's okay not to be okay.

Those words were harsh yet comforting at the same time. It was a perfect fit for someone as imperfect as Haruto who tried to be perfect. Tried to fit in, meeting the exceptations of his parents and others.

You smile and say it's all fine
But is it really alright?
Reassuring this ache would fade away
Saying it's just a phase

Yet you drown yourself in despair
I know I can't make it okay
But won't you even let me stay?
Let me hold you in your pain
In dull days and your worst nightmare

It was just simple words but the atmosphere and the reassurance that his voice held was more than enough to lighten up Harutos' heart.

A question rang through his mind.

"Will you really hold me?"

No he was sure of it, the way he sang.
He would make sure to hold him.

Don't be afraid and embrace
All you have and all you are
Cause no one's perfect neither life's a fairy tail
But who are we to complain?
It's okay not to be okay."

The concert was over and Nagomi was waving towards everyone with a smile, but just as Haruto felt, his eyes were not smiling. They felt cold and distant but in contrast Haurto felt giddy and timely.
(A/N: In this context, I meant it as happy and he felt giddy/dizzy because of happiness.)

His usually grey day was vibrant and colorful. A smile naturally hugged his face. It was the first for Haruto to ever feel this way. Even in his happy days he was not this smiley. 

For the first time Haruto felt that he wanted to do something aside from coloring the blank canvas. He got his drive, his dream and it was Nagomi.

The only thing he wanted to do was get closer to Nagomi and make him feel the same emotions as Nagomi had made him feel. He needed to have him, even if it meant going against his parents.

                            ♧♧♧♧

"Since then I convinced my parents to let me take some music courses and even worked with my father's manager to get some experience. I took advantage of my father's connections and requested Mr.Takashi to appoint me as your new manager. He was troubled but it worked out in the end." Haruto explained with each detail.

Nagomi was speechless. Never in his wildest dreams he would have thought that anyone would make so much effort to get close to him. He knew his fans liked him but they always felt very distant. But Haruto was right in front of him, smiling, radiating his warmth, gradually melting his once frozen heart.

"I know it might sound unpleasant to know a guy did this." Haruto scratched his head while Nagomi rapidly shaked his head.

"No. I am more than happy to know that you made an effort to get closer to me." Tears flowed down his cheeks and he hugged Haruto like his life depends on it. 

For the first time in 5 years after a certain incident, Nagomi finally cried and this time it was not due to pain but due to love and warmth he felt.

"It was not that bad of a story."