The room was bathed in the faint orange glow from the streetlights leaking through half-closed blinds. The bed creaked faintly, the air thick with heat and muffled sounds. Hasegawa's chest rose and fell with each sharp breath, his body pressed tightly, moving instinctively, but his mind… his mind wasn't here.
In his imagination, it was Daichi beneath him.
Daichi's pale skin flushed pink, those thin brows furrowed, lips parted with soft, helpless gasps.
His back arched under Hasegawa's touch, breathy, half-whispered sounds escaping, "Ha—Hasegawa…"
The way his almond-shaped eyes fluttered half-lidded, the tiny shudders, the trembling fingers clinging weakly to Hasegawa's shoulders—it was intoxicating. It was everything.
Reality blurred, Daichi's imagined moans filling Hasegawa's ears until he reached his peak.
His body tensed, a choked groan caught in his throat, and then—
Release.
Panting hard, Hasegawa collapsed to the side, one arm flopping across the tangled sheets, his chest heaving. His gaze fell blankly to the ceiling, sweat cooling on his skin.
What the hell…
His mind reeled. He couldn't believe it. He had been imagining Daichi.
While in reality…
"Hasegawa-san."
A sultry voice floated to his ear, snapping him back.
He slowly turned his head.
There, with messy hair and a lazy smile, was Asahina Makoto. She propped herself on one elbow, her fingers lightly brushing his arm.
"It's past the last train already," she cooed, tracing little circles on his shoulder. "Want to stay over here for the night?"
It took a moment for Hasegawa to register her words, his brain sluggish, still untangling from the mess of his thoughts. He propped himself up slowly, sitting on the edge of the bed and rubbing his face.
"…I'll take a taxi or something," he murmured, voice rough. "It'd be bad if people noticed I'm wearing the same suit at work tomorrow."
Makoto giggled softly, leaning closer, her bare shoulder brushing his. "I bought you a new suit, you know," she said playfully. "I was planning to give it to you tomorrow morning as an early birthday present."
Hasegawa froze. His eyes widened slightly, realizing—
It was already past midnight.
So, today… was his birthday.
Makoto got up gracefully, retrieving a neatly folded suit from her closet. She handed it to him with a bright, teasing smile. "Happy birthday, Hasegawa-san."
"Ah… thanks…"
Hasegawa accepted it, his voice faint, his chest tightening unexpectedly. His mind, again, drifted.
He thought about Sora.
Earlier at the office, the concern in her eyes, the way she seemed like she wanted to say something but didn't.
He smiled at the present he received. But his heart gave a small, aching throb.
***
Across the city, under the same night sky, Sora sat on the edge of her bed. The faint glow of her phone screen lit her face, her thumb hovering over the message she had just sent:
Happy birthday.
Her lips curled into a soft, bitter smile as she exhaled, shoulders slumping. Slowly, she stood and walked out to her balcony, the cool night air brushing her skin.
As soon as she stepped outside, she noticed movement on the neighboring balcony.
There, leaning lazily against the railing, a cigarette between his fingers, was Morikita Daichi—her neighbor, her colleague from a different department.
The man, without his executive-styled hair, noticed her and gave a small nod, prompting Sora to smile gently in return, offering a polite little wave.
For a moment, they stood in companionable silence, gazing out at the city lights.
Then, softly, Sora asked, "Is the view from your old apartment calmer than here?"
Daichi gave a low, quiet chuckle, taking a drag from his cigarette. "Rather lonelier than calmer," he murmured, voice edged with a faint wistfulness.
"I see…" Sora responded softly, her eyes lowering, her fingers curling slightly over the balcony rail.
Daichi glanced sideways at her, sensing the subtle shift in her mood.
"…Something bothering you?" he asked, voice gentle but straightforward.
Sora blinked, startled, then gave a sheepish, slightly nervous smile. "Ah… you caught me, huh?" she laughed lightly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
She hesitated but then confessed, her voice barely above a murmur, "…Today's my boyfriend's birthday, but he hasn't responded to my message."
Daichi stiffened slightly, his cigarette pausing midair.
Hasegawa. Today's also his birthday.
He immediately brushed the thought aside, forcing a light tone as he exhaled smoke.
"Maybe he's already asleep," he said casually. "He'll probably reply tomorrow."
Sora let out a soft, understanding laugh. "Uhm, yeah… maybe he's just tired, catching up with work."
Their voices faded into the quiet hum of the city. They gazed out at the scattered lights, the faint sounds of traffic drifting from afar. Neither said much more, simply enjoying the silent company, two figures under the same night sky.