"What does Kurosawa remind you of?" Asakura asked, abruptly changing the subject.

In the face of this sudden shift in the conversation, Kota could only marvel.

"That came out of left field, you know."

"Just answer me." Asakura pressed, ignoring the strange look his friend was giving him. "And don't think about it. Just say the first thing that comes to mind."

Kota fell silent for a moment, his thin lips pursing slightly. Based on the small frown that was forming on his forehead, he appeared to be deep in thought. 

A little while later Kota finally opened his mouth to answer.

"Uhm, a golden retriever, I guess. That's the image I had in mind when I first met him." 

Asakura remained silent, digesting the information. It made Kota wonder what he was thinking about, looking so pensive. After a short while, he couldn't stand not knowing, so he opened his mouth to ask.

"What about you, Ryuu? What do you think of when you see him?"

"That he's obnoxiously cheerful. Just like a sunny day... so bright it's annoying."

"Annoying?!” Kota snorted. “Ryuu, are you a vampire on a hating streak against the sun? How can you dislike Kurosawa-kun for such a stupid reason as that?"

"Shut up. I just don't like him."

"That's because you're jealous."

"No, that's because he's annoying. You know what he said the other day? He said that he admires me. What kind of person says that to their formal love rival? And to their face no less!"

"The kind who won the beauty in the end." Kota shrugged. 

"Have I told you that you're heartless?"

"Many times, but I never seem to get enough of it. So, praise me more." Kota retorted with a cheeky smile.

"How did I end up having a friend like you, Subaru?" Asakura shook his head, but his lips still curved into a smile.

"I bet you didn't think like this when you begged for my help all those months ago." Kota smirked and splashed some water onto Asakura's face. "We should get out soon. Otherwise, my brain will become mush from all this steam and I might declare my undying love for you."

"I apologize, but you’re out of my radar. I don't like flashy guys like you."

"Gah! Now it's my turn to say you're heartless! You have hurt my young, innocent heart." Kota closed his eyes, posing dramatically.

"Stop acting stupid and let's go. Or else I'll make sure to break that glass heart of yours even further." Asakura threatened with a grin, pointing at a place below Kota’s waist.

After following the direction with his eyes, Kota let out a gasp.

"That's not fair! Size doesn't matter!"

Asakura shrugged and, with a loud chuckle, turned around to leave.

In the end, Kota was left brokenhearted and still wondering about his friend’s mysterious behavior.

~~~

It was already their fourth night at the inn. Asakura was heading towards the bar, when he saw a figure moving slowly in front of him.

The fact that he was able to recognize that outline was a real mystery even to himself. After all, the hallway was dimly lit and there was a distance of at least several meters between him and that person. 

Despite all this, Asakura was sure that the person walking in front of him was none other than the young man he had exchanged rooms with.

What surprised him, though, was the unstable manner in which that person walked. It was almost as if he was drunk. His legs wobbled, causing his entire body to sway to the side. Luckily, he was trudging along the wall, so he only hit his shoulder but didn't fall further down.

Nevertheless, it was clear that this person wasn't feeling very well.

Before he could think about it further, Asakura's body moved forward, catching the young man from sliding down the wall. His arms circled around his shoulders and waist, pulling the entire body upward.

The young man let out a soft gasp and stared at Asakura's face in surprise. He looked so defenseless, like a small animal, with those widening eyes and parted lips. 

Suddenly, the image of a startled bunny materialized in Asakura's mind, causing him to smile.

Seeing the inexplicable change in Asakura's expression puzzled the young man exceedingly. He blinked a few times while gaping silently at this strange person, who was holding him so intimately. 

After what seemed like an hour, but it was in fact just mere seconds, the young man let out a soft cough, breaking the silence.

"Uhm, thank you for helping me, but could you please let go of me now?"

"Eh?” Asakura woke up with a start. “Ah, yes! Yes, of course! I'm sorry."

Asakura hastily released the young man. But just as he was about to pull away, he saw him swaying on his feet again.

"Are you sure you don't want me to carry you? It doesn't look like you can stand on your feet right now."

"I'm alright. Just... just a little dizzy."

The young man shook his head slowly as if to clear his foggy mind. Then, he brushed a hand over his forehead, causing strands of hair to move aside and reveal his eyes. 

That's when Asakura noticed that this person's face had an abnormal color. His cheeks were flushed as if he was running a high fever and his eyes were half-lidded and moist.

Despite looking unwell, his appearance still retained a certain attractiveness, which took Asakura completely by surprise. He kept staring at that person's face as though he wanted to engrave it in his mind. His eyes roamed from one spot to another, until finally settling on the parted lips. 

Shallow puffs of breath escaped them from time to time, giving Asakura a tingling sensation along his spine. Cold sweat gathered on his back and he involuntarily gulped.

For a split second, he wondered how it would feel to kiss those lips. Would they be soft and moist like they appeared to be or feel hot and feverish just like the young man’s entire face?