Layers: Distance and Destiny

Week 1

"Tarou!"

The big, brown bear tried not to let his shoulders sag visibly. That would be very disrespectful to his sensei. It was a monumental effort, though. This was the fifth time in this session alone that he had been stopped in mid-performance. He lowered the sticks in his hands - the Bachi - and stood straight, stiff so as to not betray his intense disappointment and frustration. Up on the stage in front of the other performers, it was like being a seven year old child again and being paraded through the classroom for wetting his pants.

His sensei, a grizzled old badger by the name of Iruka, hobbled towards him with that disproving frown on his muzzle, a perpetual sight for Tarou. Tarou absently rubbed his dark brown hair, cut short and left to stand in its natural, wavy style without any interference from hair products. The heat of embarrassment was starting to creep up the back of his neck, pricking the base of every strand of fur and then jabbing at the roots of his hairs like there were little ticks nipping at his flesh. Even though this was the fifth time he had been reprimanded in front of the rest of his class - and about the hundredth time since it was announced that their class was going to perform at the Cherry Blossom Festival - he still felt the weight of shame bearing down on him.

"Hanami is three weeks away," said his sensei. His grey cheek ruffs twitched in agitation. "And still, you beat that drum with the passion of a concrete slab, you waive your Bachi like they're dead fish and your stance has no substance in it, child!" the badger turned and waved a paw absently over his shoulder. "To you this may be a simply hobby, an extra-curricular activity but it is much more than that. It is our heritage and the festival is one of the few moments when we not only honour our rich culture but show to countless onlookers how we venerate our ancestry and history."

"Sensei, I -"

"I will not hear it, Tarou," cut the old badger's gravelly voice. "Mizushima is an old family that has risen and fallen as time goes but they have always stood strong and steadfast. I shudder to think that the future of the family rests on hour dispassionate shoulders."

Tarou broke his steely mask and let out a harrowed sigh. He shuffled miserably off stage, carrying his 240 pound weight away as the next performer took up position. While they still had another hour or so of practice left, it went without saying that Iruka had dismissed him for the day. The grizzled badger did that with all the students that displeased him. It was just how things went in the Taiko Drum Class at Hirokyu College.

The big, brown bear ruffled his short hair and went to the rear of the stage, out sight. There, he retrieved his duffel bag and quickly stripped off his traditional garb. After such a harsh reprimanding, removing those clothes so early in the class felt like a final sign of defeat. The Hanami Festival - or the Cherry Blossom Viewing Festival - was something he was genuinely looking forward. His parent's eyes glistened in pride when he announced that his extra-curricular activity was going to perform at the festival this year.

Not that he ever really gave them any reason not to be proud of him.

At twenty-two years of age, Tarou was just one year away from graduating from a degree in education. He had a double degree in personal training and he was hoping to be a physical education teacher. Next year would be his 'assistant teacher year' where he'd be working full time with a school and learning how to teach students first hand. So many schools had already been clamouring for his attention. A young man of his impressive build and good grades was a catch, as his mother would say. Not to mention that he was very fluent in both Japanese, English and Chinese.

He pulled on a plain white shirt that lay over his strong upper body. Though he posed a bit of a belly, he considered it a rather healthy look. As someone who studied anatomy closely, he knew that those guys with ripped abdominals normally had to starve themselves to get such definition and such a build was actually dangerous. He actually had a speech in his head for when he'd meet his first class; he'd tell them that ripped abs didn't mean you were healthy. It meant you had low body fat and your organs had probably shrunk to the point where you were dangerously malnourished. That would shock the kids.

Tarou gave himself a little smile as he imagined that scenario over and over again. The kids would be looking up at him with wide eyes, his attention in his paws and each of them hanging from his every word. Perhaps it was one of the reasons he took up Taiko drumming. Being up there on stage with people looking up at him, the centre of attention and the spotlight on him... Well, it was the dream. Unfortunately, in the two years since he had joined the club, he hadn't performed once.

Iruka said he just lacked 'passion'.

Tarou slipped a pair of shorts over his thick, muscular legs and slipped on a pair of sneakers. His sensei's speeches had become a weekly lash on his tough hide and he had gotten somewhat immune to them. Time and time again, he had told himself it was just a hobby; perhaps a way for him to get in touch with his Japanese heritage. But with the Hanami festival just around the corner and having announced to his parents that his club was going to perform, he suddenly had a goal and these verbal beatings cut deep.

"Three weeks," he rumbled softly to himself. "Three weeks to find passion."

Hoisting his duffel bag over his shoulder, Tarou batted the thick silver chain around his neck a little - a little gesture for good luck - and then headed out of the stage as the next performer filled the auditorium with the heavy bum-bum-bum-ba-da-dum of rhythmic, traditional drumming. He stepped out into the crisp, winter-to-spring air of Japan and let out a soft sigh.

It was just a short train ride from the college to his neighbourhood. From the train station, just another short walk to his house. Hirokyu was a relatively small suburb, not truly urbanised but still close enough to a major city that if he wanted to be encased in the hustle and bustle of city life, it wouldn't be more than an hour's train ride. Still, it was quiet and already the pink rain of cherry blossoms had started to drizzle the area.

"They're coming in early this year," he observed softly.

Modern houses flanked the narrow streets; a hybrid of traditional Japanese architecture with a modern twist. Dark angled roofs were held up by hard steel made to look like wood. Instead of paper walls, there was glass and concrete. Elements of old-fashioned architecture were preserved in the sliding doors, low deck and well-maintained gardens but modernised such as heated floors for those brutally cold winters, lights, sprinklers and modern cooking appliances. Tarou once spoke with an exchange student from England who was of the opinion that the Japanese either lived in big, traditional houses and acted like samurai or in cramped, small condos where everyone had to walk sideways due to the cramped space. Needless to say, they were pleasantly surprised when they came to stay at the Mizushima for a couple of weeks.

Thinking of that one man, Tarou slowed his pace up the hill as he realised his parents were hosting someone else this year. When he was sixteen, Tarou got a part time job at a fast food outlet in the city and had been rather frugal with his money since then. When he got to college, he continued to earn money by working as a receptionist and maintenance at his College's open gym. There were offers to sign on as a personal trainer or at least as an apprentice but he turned them down. He wanted to be a teacher not a personal trainer. All that money allowed him to move out...

... into the house right next to his parents' home.

He was proud to be a Mizushima and he loved his parents dearly to the point where they had actually cut an open in the fence between their two properties so they could visit one another easily enough. To this day, they still had dinner at one another's homes, alternating day to day. Tarou didn't always come up with the best of meals - starting off with instant ramen initially - but he steadily got better as his mother taught him.

Despite the closeness, Enoru and Riya Mizushima still felt somewhat empty without their son's heavy snored rocking the foundations of their home. So every year since Tarou moved out, they hosted a traveller from overseas eager to see Japan.

"I wonder what kind of foreigner we'll get this year."

Tarou decided that he needed to get some time to unwind first before he was once again polite and accommodating to their new guest. He strode past his parents' home and straight into his own. He checked the mail - nothing, of course - and then strode through the front door. He set his duffel bag in the entranceway closet, stripped off his shirt, set his shoes neatly on the shoe rack and slipped on a pair of house slippers, socks on. He then padded straight into the rear room which was the study of the previous owner.

Being a big house of three bedrooms, Tarou had found a use for each of his spare rooms. The master bedroom was where he kept his computer and his bed, naturally. One of the bedrooms was a guest room in case he ever entertained - which he never did - and the last was his workout room. He strode up to the bench press, kicked off his slippers and began adding some weights. Some music blaring out of the speakers later and he was pumping a good hundred pounds of weight with ease just to work up a sweat. He wasn't going for strength, just repetition to blur out Iruka's harsh words.

Working out always gave him a sense of peace and simplicity and he loved the feeling of his muscles burning as he pushed them to their limit. With all the blood rushing into his muscles, it couldn't go to his brain where he would overthink things. The adrenaline also made him rather pleasant. His father joked that it was the endorphins though Tarou was pretty sure that was just his dad trying to sound smart and had no idea what endorphins really were.

After a quick round at the bench press, he did some free weight flyes, followed by some dips. His arms and chest burned but that left his shoulders feeling somewhat unattended. So he grabbed the bars he had embedded into the ceiling and began pulling his enormous weight towards the roof, sweat dripping all over his body.

By seven in the evening, he was sweating up a storm when the phone rang.

He plucked it from the counter where he kept his protein shakes, a minifridge and a blender.

"Moshi-moshi," he greeted in Japanese.

"Tarou dear." It was his mother and she was speaking in English. That meant that their guest was in the same room. "Why haven't you come over to greet our new guest? You know that he arrived today."

Tarou spoke only in Japanese knowing full well his mother loved to play these mind-games with English-only-speaking guests. "Mother, please don't torture the foreigner. You haven't told them I live next door did you?"

"Oh of course not," she answer, again in English. She was speaking a little loudly so that clearly meant their guest was within earshot range.

"And I bet you complained about the loud noise from your 'neighbour', didn't you?"

"You were working out again, weren't you, Tarou? I swear, I could hear your rock music from here."

"Of course you can," he laughed softly, a smile on his muzzle. "I live right next door."

"Will you be able to make it for dinner, my son, or would you prefer we go over there?"

Tarou glanced around and quickly considered what he had in his fridge. It was late and he hadn't prepared anything for dinner. He mentally kicked himself for not having taken out any protein in the morning to thaw through the day. A vegetarian dish with some tofu would always be good but he wasn't sure if their guest was an exclusive meat-eater or not. He knew some people were a little squeamish about certain Asian foods.

"Probably best to eat there, mother," he answered. "I haven't prepared anything."

"Very well then. Dinner will be in fifteen minutes. You best get here or we'll start without you. Love you! Bye!"

"Bye, mother."

He hung up and laughed softly. In the back of his mind, he just imagined their guest asking how Tarou could possibly make it to the house in fifteen minutes then Riya Mizushima would say something cryptic. When Tarou did appear a moment later, likely from the back door, their guest would be a shocked and doubly so when he found out Tarou lived right next door and was the one blaring that 'god-awful rock music' through the afternoon.

Tarou loved his parents.

Fifteen minutes was still plenty of time to take a quick shower and make himself presentable. Tarou quickly packed up the weights - he liked everything to be nice and tidy after all - and headed into the shower to wash the stink of the day and his sweat off. He was ready in ten minutes and quickly searched his cupboard for some treats. He found some espresso mochi, the kind his father absolutely loved, and carried the box next door.

A quick knock on the door and the door sprang open.

Tarou put on his biggest, warmest, smile. "Konban-wa. I am Tarou Mizushima and I live right next door."

******

The first thought that went through Kevin Rider's mind was, 'Holy shit this bear is going to eat me'.

The second thought was, 'Holy shit this bear is going to eat me' but in a more... sultry manner.

The 5'9'' kangaroo from California had to blink a couple of times to fully take in the titan that was standing in front of him. Mr. Mizushima was a tall fellow but he was a little on the skinny side; rather far-flung from the stereotype of bears back in the US who tended to be burly and... well, more like his son.

"Uh... Hi," Kevin said, holding out his paw. "My name is Kevin Rider. I guess your parents are hosting me."

Tarou regarded the paw like he had never shaken a paw before and extended his own large paw. The big, fuzzy appendance almost completely consumed Kevin's and as they shook, Tarou gave him a curt little bow.

"A pleasure to meet you, Kevin."

"Likewise," Kevin answered with a shaky grin. He stepped aside and let go of Tarou's big paw though he had to admit having such a strong grip wrap around his fingers was rather thrilling. He was already imagining what _other_things that paw could wrap around but mentally kicked himself. Hitting on the hot son of the people he was staying with was not something he wanted to do on his first day.

He had to wait at least until day three for that.

Tarou pulled off his shoes as Mr. and Mrs. Mizushima came in from the kitchen. Now that he looked at them, Kevin could see how Tarou could come from such parents. Enoru Mizushima was a little shorter than his son but definitely more on the thin side. Riya Mizushima, on the other hand, was a little rounder and about Kevin's height, maybe an inch or two shorter. She appeared rather stocky but definitely not dumpy. It seemed Tarou took the best qualities of both his parents and enhanced them to become a large, powerfully built young man.

Definitely bara, Kevin mentally sniggered.

The kangaroo spied the big, brown bear's little, fluffy tail wagging in joy as he greeted his parents and couldn't help but wonder if Tarou was a top or a bottom. From what he heard from the gossipy Riya, Tarou didn't have any girlfriends constantly touting that he wanted to wait until he had a stable career before he started dating. To Kevin, that set off his gaydar but the kangaroo was a cautious predator. Still, lying in bed with an imaginary Tarou while his parents were in the next room would be a rather suitable distraction for the evening.

But that was still a few hours away.

Kevin shut the backyard door and wandered over to the family of bears.

"You've already met Kevin," Riya said joyfully, her rosy cheeks so flushed with joy that Kevin could have mistaken her for a tomato. He guessed that she was the kind of person that enjoyed having more than just her and her husband in the house. "Kevin is from the United States."

"Welcome to Japan," Tarou added with flawless English. He didn't even have that accent where he rolled his l's and made them seem more like r's.

"Thank you," Kevin responded. "You have a lovely home. And you said you live right next door?"

Tarou gave him a jovial laugh and nodded. "Yes. I love my mother and father and we bought the house next door for me to stay in."

A regular momma's boy. That was a little disappointing. Momma's boys were likely less likely to be open to some experimentation even though Tarou seemed like the regular college kid with opened eyes ready to welcome anything. Given that the bear was living right next door to his parents, however, he probably had some very strict rules to live by and the last thing Kevin wanted to be was a homewrecker.

"That's so nice."

Tarou gave the espresso mochi to his father and they went to work setting up the table. Riya was a very open-minded person and decided to have a Korean barbeque-style dinner. They sat out on the patio in the backyard, squatting around a low table while Riya set out a sizzling grill at the centre. Different meats, vegetables and rice were lain out all around them. Within moments, the delectable smell of sizzling pork, wagyu beef and mushrooms filled the air. Kevin deftly held a bowl of steamed rice with a few sprinkles of seasonings on top and a pair of chopsticks in the other paw.

"What made you come to Japan, Kevin?" Enoru asked. He adjusted the glasses on his muzzle but had to set them his chopsticks down a moment later to wipe the lenses a second later. Being so close to a sizzling grill caused them to fog up quickly.

"The culture and honestly, Cherry Blossom Festival," Kevin responded brightly. "I have always been enchanted by Japanese culture and the beauty of cherry blossoms. I once went to the memorial in Washington DC and I've been told that what it's beautiful, nothing compares to the Festivals held right here."

"I am sure you will enjoy it," Riya said. "But the festival isn't for another three weeks. Why come so early?"

"To beat the traffic." The Mizushimas gave him a puzzled look. Then Tarou snickered, bringing a smile to Kevin's face. "Everyone State-side wants to see the Cherry Blossom Festival. They usually make their trips the week of the Festival and that usually means all those flights are ridiculously expensive or sold out. I'm also planning on leaving a few days afterwards because those very same tourists make the festival their first stop before doing all their shopping, sight-seeing and partying afterwards."

Enoru nodded with a soft rumble. "So do the opposite to beat the crowd. Wise choice."

It amazed him how everyone in the family was so well-versed in English that he just had to call it out. "Pardon me if this sounds rude, but you're all extremely good with English."

Riya smiled at him with a motherly sort of twinkle in her eyes. "Oh we host people every year. Sometimes twice a year depending on the situation. Since Tarou moved out, the house has felt so empty without his loud snores rocking the walls."

Tarou blushed deeply. "Mother... And I live right next door."

"And we like learning about other cultures as well," Riya continued, ignoring her son's protests. "Enoru and I tend to be rather busy most of the year. We both work for the same bank. He in the IT department and I on the trading floor. While we take holidays every now and then, we sadly do not have the luxury of experiencing the world."

"You don't?" Kevin asked, inclining his head to the side. There was a soft ringing as the golden band hooked into his left year jingled with the movement. "I would've thought going overseas would be an excellent opportunity to experience the world."

Enoru shook his head. "You will see the sights and see what the country wants you to see. You see the glitz and the glamour but not the culture. This is why we invite others into our home. It is the people who make the culture not the tallest buildings, glistening statues or advertised monuments."

"Then why not do a homestay like me?" Kevin asked.

"A married couple doing homestay holiday?" laughed the Mizushima patriarch. "Come now. The only ones who truly do that are young adventurers such as yourself and retired couples. And we neither young enough nor old enough to do that."

The kangaroo had to laugh at that as he helped himself to a piece of freshly grilled pork.

"Why do a homestay instead of a hotel then, Kevin?" asked Tarou, breaking his semi-silence. The big bear was rather introverted throughout the entire meal and Kevin was starting to think his isolation was purely out of being shy and quiet than secretly hiding his homosexuality from his parents.

Kevin took a moment to swallow his food before answering. "You meet all sorts of colourful people when you're staying in their home. Besides, I'd look crazy if I went on holiday by myself! I need to go out partying with someone, right?" He nudged Tarou slightly. "What do you say, big guy? Want to show me the town's night life after dinner?"

Tarou looked totally abashed while his parents were staring at him with wide-eyed shock, waiting for his response. Kevin wondered if he had overstepped his boundaries. Did the bodybuilding bear not like being touched? He remembered how Tarou had stared at his paw when he held it as an offer of greeting. He didn't even recall Tarou hugging his parents when they greeted him.

"It... It's your first night," Tarou stammered. "Shouldn't you get some rest?"

Mentally breathing a sigh of relief, Kevin said, "Ah but I travelled overnight. I got plenty of sleep on the plane. Now I'm ready and raring to go! Come on, Tarou! There's fun to be had and from what your mother told me, you don't have class tomorrow!" He winked at Riya. "Don't worry, Mrs. Mizushima, I'll make sure he doesn't drink too much."

Riya giggled and even Enoru seemed to relax.

"I'll... have to think about it," Tarou murmured, his ears folded back and his big shoulders slumped. He glanced towards his parents and suddenly began speaking rapidly in Japanese. He tried to cover it up by grabbing some more food and pretending it was about the meal.

"Mother, you've invited a partying_frat boy_ into your home!"

"Tarou, that's not nice," countered Riya.

"Don't be judgemental, son," said Enoru. "He was only trying to be nice. Better that he invited you out than actually just go out by himself."

"But I know his type! The college is filled with them! Look at him. He's wearing an earring. A singlet to show off his muscled physique so he has an excuse to show off his muscles. Plus, have you seen his tattoo?"

"That of the rhinoceros with the words 'I'm Horny' on his shoulder?" asked Riya. "Oh yes. I find it quite cute."

"Mother, in this context 'horny' means 'sexually charged."

"Oh I am fully aware of that, Tarou. I wasn't born yesterday. Young men get tattoos all the time. Your father has one on his left butt cheek. It says -"

Tarou froze and shook his head rapidly. "Mother, please! We are eating!"

"Her point is, son," Enoru said sharply, "you shouldn't be so judgemental. Our guest is a very nice young man. He's been with us for several hours and we quite like him. He's only thirty-years of age. He's allowed to enjoy himself. So should you, in fact."

"He's not thirty," Riya said. "He's only... Twenty, something. I forgot."

"You two don't know how old he is!?" Tarou exclaimed, his voice rising. "Did he lie on his application? How can you be sure he's even who he says he is? For all you know, he could be a teenage runaway! Have you seen what American teenagers are like? They're all big, muscular and look like they came out of those comic books! He could just be sixteen and looking for some Asian tail to chase!"

Then, in perfectly fluent Japanese, Kevin said, "I'm actually twenty-six years of age." The Mizushima family snapped towards him, eyes wide in shock. "I work at a law firm in California. Senior Lawyer, actually. I've been making this trip to Japan every six months for the past four years. There's some legal compliance thing at work where if you work six months straight, you have to take at least two weeks off for risk reasons. Something about answering the question of whether or not the company could endure without me or not."

He flicked the earring on his ear. "This was actually a gift." Then he gestured at his tattoo. "And I got this as a conversation starter when I was just eighteen. Never quite got around to getting it removed because so many people have complimented me on it." He bowed slight but respectfully towards Tarou. "I apologise if I have made you nervous with my offer but please know that it was with the best of intentions. I will make my intentions clear now: I intend to enjoy myself while I am on holiday. That will include be drinking, attending parties and possibly staying out late. But I promise not to bother you or be an inconvenience to you. I fully intend to respect your boundaries and your home. At the same time, I intend to absorb as much culture from your pleasant family as I can and contribute to your family whilst I stay here. If that offends you or still worries you, then I do apologise. I will fine accommodation elsewhere."

Tarou stared at him, aghast. "You... You can speak Japanese?"

"I make this trip every six months, remember?" Kevin replied with a smile. "I've grown somewhat fluent."

Riya bowed very low, her forehead almost touching the table. "I am _so_sorry, Kevin. We didn't mean to be so rude. Tarou was simply being protective of us."

He laughed softly and waved her down. "I understand. I would be the same if my parents invited someone to stay in their home that they barely knew." He folded his paws against his lap and smiled at Tarou. "I do hope that we can be friends, Tarou. And I am sorry if I caused you worry."

The brown bear lowered his head in shame. "It is I that should apologise, Kevin. I was rude and judgemental. I hope you can accept my apology."

"Of course!" Kevin laughed. "As the olive branch of peace, what do you say we go out tomorrow? Just you and I. You can get to know me then. My treat."

Tarou seemed to consider it for a moment then smiled. "I'd like that. Thank you."

******

While a home gym was useful on days when he just needed to 'blow off some steam', Tarou still much preferred going to an actual gym. The environment, vibe and perhaps even the scent of the gym really helped him get into 'the zone'. Armed with his sweat suit, duffel bag and his smartphone full of his favourite mix for working out, he emerged from his suburban home ready to pump his muscles. He stopped at the doorstep when he noticed Kevin was outside as well, in a different tank top, earphones in his large ears and absently scratching his reddish-blonde goatee while staring at something on his screen.

"Kevin," he greeted in English. "Good morning."

Kevin glanced over to him and gave him a respectful bow. "Ohayo gozaimasu."

This was likely a reaction after what happened the previous night. The fit and athletic red kangaroo was being extremely polite and observing all customs even if most people didn't. Tarou felt a pang of guilt gnawing at the back of his head over that and waved him down, offering his a paw. "No need to be so formal, Kevin," he said. "I apologise if last night got you on edge a little. I honestly didn't mean anything by it. I was just worried my parents let a maniac into their house." He quickly held up his paws. "No offense. I get that way every time someone new comes in."

"You sure you were born a bear and not a guard dog?" Kevin joked. He nodded towards Tarou's outfit. "Heading to class? I thought you had today off?"

"The gym actually," Tarou answered. He lifted an arm and flexed a little. "If I want to be a physical education teacher, I need to be fit."

"Graduate college and you'll be overqualified in the US," Kevin scoffed. "All the PE teachers over there are either high school dropouts who could never get over being top dog after they peaked early, college students who didn't make it into the professional football league or the rare few that actually got an education and know that a combination of sweltering sunshine and your spittle from your vein-popping yelling won't magically turn kids into professional athletes."

Tarou gave Kevin a puzzled look and an awkward smile. "You... don't like PE teachers that much, do you?"

"Oh I love them," Kevin answered flamboyantly, emphasising the point with a flick of his wrist. "They always expected me to be painting my nails and to be vomiting rainbows. Many laughs were had over semen coming out of my ass."

Tarou was feeling a little nervous again. It was like being reprimanded by Iruka again. "So... you're...?"

"A homosexual?" Kevin finished. "Yes. But don't worry. You won't catch gay cooties from me."

"I was actually going to ask if you were overweight as a child but good to know." He gave Kevin a lopsided grin. He had been lying but he figured the little joke might ease the tension a little. The kangaroo saw through his ruse and gave awarded him with a tight smile for his efforts.

"You're not uncomfortable with my preference?"

"Not at all. I'm training to be a PE teacher, remember? One of the things they teach us is to be fully aware that kids will be hormonal and everyone will be different. I shouldn't discriminate based on my own preferences and I shouldn't encourage them to conform just because they're being bullied."

Kevin crossed his arms, showing off his strong, lean limbs. "Huh. Someone actually teaching the next generation of educators to be tolerant. That's certainly refreshing." He nodded towards Tarou. "You'll be a good teacher someday, Tarou." He suddenly broke into a smile. "Would you mind if I joined you at the gym? I was going to go for a run but I figure the gym would be good after a long flight."

"Of course! Just don't check out my ass the whole way!" Tarou realised that he should add some physical contact to his statement and gave Kevin a light punch. Though the gesture was a few seconds after his statement and just felt... awkward.

Kevin just laughed it off and made a promise. As Tarou led the way to the gym, however, he felt a slight prickling at the back of his neck like he was being watched. A quick glance over at Kevin and the kangaroo seemed focused on his smartphone. It felt like he had just avoided meeting the lean marsupial's emerald gaze and the man was indeed appraising him. It was... flattering but also a little unnerving.

Tarou had to remind himself that he had no qualms with those who preferred the same gender.

Being in a suburb relatively close to the city, the gym was fairly large. It was open twenty-four hours but Tarou never took advantage of it. Being home at eight every evening and in bed at ten made sure he had a pristine routine that he adhered to. A good eight hours sleep was key to building his body and a healthy lifestyle after all.

Kevin paid for his entrance into the gym and they quickly got changed in the change rooms. Again, Tarou was plagued by the sensation that Kevin was checking him out but again, he ignored it. Kevin was gay but he was also an honourable and respectful man. He was not about to go pouncing on the son of the very people who had welcomed him home.

Was he?

"So what should we do first?" Kevin asked, bouncing on his sneakers; the colourful pair being quite large to accommodate his feet.

"I did a quick round of my upper body yesterday," Tarou answered. "Enough to break a sweat but not enough to really push my muscles. Are you okay to do some bench presses and chest exercises?"

"Lead the way."

Tarou led the way towards a free bench press and began stacking on the weights. As he put more and more weight, Kevin started to pale.

"Is something wrong?"

The kangaroo glanced at the weights. "Is this in pounds or kilograms?"

"Kilograms. Why?"

"Oh... uh... So one and a half hundred kilos, huh? That'd be about... three hundred and thirty pounds, right?"

"Yes."

Kevin averted his gaze, cheeks afire with red. "Erm... I don't think I can bench press that much."

It was Tarou's turn to appraise the roo. Kevin was certainly lean and muscular. He had a definite 'V-shape' going on with his torso and his legs didn't go neglected with thick, plump thighs. Tarou had seen those legs before they were covered by the sweat pants and he knew that every muscle group was pushed up against his short, red fur like the perfect anatomical reference. Kevin's arms was like a roadmap of a particularly mountainous land with his veins as the blue roads and every defined mound showing the contours perfectly.

"You must be joking. You're ripped!"

"Thank you," Kevin laughed softly. "But I'm really more about a lot of reps at low weight than strength. I'm not a power lifter like you."

Tarou went into teacher-mode. "You realise animals in the wild are built to have the perfect balance of fat and muscle right? Low body fat may be aesthetically pleasing by modern standards but it's actually an indication of severe malnutrition, potential organ shrinkage and can lead to several health problems in the future. Not to mention you would get really cold in the winter."

"I life in the hot part of California," Kevin answered with a shrug. "And what? Are you suggesting I should get more fat on my bones?" He pulled up his shirt, showing off his perfectly chiselled eight-pack with his bellybutton all but vanishing between their folds. "I think I look pretty good."

Tarou shook his head with a huff. "The definition of 'pretty' will change in time. It's your health you should be worried about. You have no one to please or prove your appearance to but the person who looks back at you in the mirror."

The kangaroo lifted his reddish-blonde eyebrows and laughed. "Wow. You already sound like a teacher. Or a dad."

Tarou went rigid. "I'm only twenty-two..."

"And you should act like it!" Kevin slipped off a couple of weights. "You're in college, man! You should be out there, exploring the world, partying and meeting new people! I mean, do you go to the gym alone normally?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Don't have any gym buddies? What about your friends?"

Tarou frowned. "My friends aren't interested in working out."

Kevin arched another eyebrow. "How often do you hang out with your friends exactly?"

"Every other day."

"In class?"

"Yes."

Kevin leaned forward. "Do you keep in contact with your friends in high school? In elementary?"

"Of course."

"Really?"

Suddenly getting that prickling sensation again, Tarou said, "Well... Of sorts. We're friends on Facebook. We chat every now and then."

"But you don't actually meet with them, do you? You don't go out for drinks? Do you even celebrate their birthdays anymore?"

Tarou felt like he was being reprimanded again or rather judged. Coming from someone like Kevin, that was a grave insult. He flashed his fangs and slammed on another weight even though the bar was now severely unbalanced. "The definition of friendship may be different overseas but I prefer to keep friends who do not get drunk every weekend, take drugs to get happy and dance in dark, damp places with flashing lights until dawn! My friends know that and they respect it."

"Are you sure they're your friends and not just... I dunno... acquaintances based on circumstance?"

Tarou growled threateningly. "What gives you the right to judge how I live my life?"

Kevin held up his paws and took a step back. "Whoa! Whoa! Easy there, Tarou. Just an observation. I'm sorry."

"As well you should be." Tarou slammed on another weight and sat down on the bench. He had leaned back and gripped the bar when he realised that the weights were incredible unbalanced. With a sigh, he sat back up and made to balance the bar. Kevin told him he got it and added more weights.

The frustration he felt and the anger at Kevin's judgemental words bubbled in his blood. To curb anything violence he may have enacted, he quickly pumped out a good twelve reps before racking the bar. It wasn't enough though. Just seeing Kevin's face hovering over him, spotting him, reminded him of those questions that... admittedly bothered him more than they should. He huffed and grabbed the bar again, pumping out another twelve until his chest burned and was fit to burst.

Still, after a quick rest, he squeezed out another twelve. It took a bit of effort to get that last rep. Kevin's fingers hovered underneath the bar, ready to catch him should he need it but Tarou growled him, keeping him from offering any aid. Once he got that last rep out, he felt proud of himself. He got through the tough set without Kevin's help.

That said something.

When the kangaroo's turn came around, smugness doused the rest of the raging fire as the roo took off a significant amount of weight to be able to perform the exercise. They worked out in silence for a good half-hour before Kevin spoke up again.

"You're a beast, Tarou!"

"Thank you," answered the bear, offering a smile. He caught himself, remembering that he should be mad at the blonde-haired foreigner but it was too late to retract his smile. "You are quite fit yourself."

"What got you into bodybuilding?"

Tarou smiled as they moved over to some free weights. He ran a finger over the silver chain that hung around his neck a little like a choker. "I took up basketball when I was young. I had the height for it. But when puberty hit, I become inspired to building my body for more than just being lean and strong. I wanted to be big. Some people just hit the weight and take the supplements thinking that being ripped and lean means you're healthy but I researched it and learned that is not the case."

"You did your homework."

"Yes. And that inspired me to purpose a career in teaching. I look around at the supermodels and these athletes on the covers of magazines and realise that there are kids out there, just like me, who would think that is healthy. Those men and women build their bodies to be good at a particular sport or activity. I want to teach kids that being fit doesn't mean having a six-pack."

"But it helps though, right?" snickered Kevin.

"In some cases." He glanced towards the kangaroo as he pushed the barbells over his head. "What about you? Why did you become fit?"

"You won't like it."

"Try me."

Kevin shrugged absently. "To party. You only get the hotties touching you if you're hot yourself, right? And the way the lights flash on your abs and pecs while on the dance floor is a sure fire way to get people to notice you."

Tarou frowned at him. "You're right. I didn't like it."

The next half-hour passed in silence until the finished their workout. Tarou knew he was being judgemental again but he felt he deserved to be after Kevin has questioned him about his friends and the way he lived. They headed back to the house with a good two feet between them.

Just as they were approaching the Mizushima household, Kevin opened his big mouth.

"Where are you planning to teach, Tarou?"

"Excuse me?" the bear asked, turning back towards the kangaroo.

"When you graduate and become a PE teacher. Where are you planning to teach?"

"My old high school," came the automatic response. "Why?"

"Why?"

Tarou frowned at the question. "Because my high school gave me so much and I want to give back."

"Have you considered teaching overseas? You're fluent in English and Japanese. Schools in the States would kill to have a bilingual PE Teacher like you who actually graduated college."

The big bear snarled. "I appreciate the concern but I've made up my mind."

"Have you even considered it, Tarou?" countered Kevin. He waved his paws towards the two houses connected by a little hole in the fencing. "The way I see it, you're twenty-two years old and moved out of your parents' place to the place right next door. You're stuck in your hometown not because you're forced to but because you choose to. All your dreams and aspirations, while admirable, are bound to this place!"

"And what's wrong with that?" snapped Tarou.

Kevin sighed and changed tactics. "You were inspired by people on magazines and world-class athletes. There's a whole world out there for you to explore and you're setting your sights squarely in this place. I'm just seeing all that potential go to waste."

It was Iruka's lectures all over again and Tarou could only take so many of those per week.

"We can't all be successful lawyers who take trips overseas every six months on their six figure salary! Some of us have humble aspirations."

"Humble? Try dull."

Tarou stormed forward. "You have no right to question my dreams. You don't know me!"

Kevin rolled his eyes and kept his ears perked and tail thumping the ground. He wasn't backing down. "I think I do. You're the kind of kid that's afraid of the outside world because your mommy isn't there to hold your hand. You're the very definition of 'backwater child'! All you ever want is in this town and you're too scared to go anywhere else! You've got your entire support structure here. You've never taken a leap of faith before in your life, you've never taken a gamble and you've _certainly_never given life a chance to surprise you."

Kevin jabbed his chest with a finger. "That's why you hate me. That's why you were so surprised when I could speak Japanese! That's why when you took one look at me, you automatically thought 'dirty, dead-brained, gay whore instead of a big city lawyer just trying to live life to the fullest! You're stuck in your ways! You're defined by this town!"

"And what's wrong with that!?" Tarou countered loudly.

The kangaroo huffed and shook his head, waving at Tarou dismissively. "You know what? Forget it. There are all sorts of people in the world. You're just the kind of person that wastes their potential because they're too afraid to make a change in their life."

******

The moment Kevin stepped back into the Mizushima house, he could smell delicious herbal tea in the air as well as some scrumptious ramen. His frustration at Tarou was eased away momentarily by the delectable scents and then fear gripped his heart as he realised that mean Riya or Enoru were awake and likely heard their exchange.

Tail dragging, he headed over to the kitchen were Riya was pouring some tea.

"Quite a heated exchange you two had out there," she said in Japanese.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you," he answered. "And if I brought shame to your house for the exchange..."

She laughed softly and waved away his apology. "I didn't ask you to intercept my son on his way to the gym without knowing full well that there would be fireworks." She motherly bear sat on the kitchen counter and sighed softly. "Oh my dear Tarou." She glanced out the window as the sound of rock music blared out from the neighbouring house. "And there he goes."

"He always plays rock music loudly when he's angry?" Kevin supplied.

"He works out when he's frustrated. Every week after his Taiko classes, he works out. He puts on a brave face and tells us that he will be performing come Hanami but I fear that he is setting himself up for disappointment." She gripped the cup in both paws and took a sip. "Ah, that is good. You should try it."

It was green tea and it was bitter but Kevin had been here so often that he had acquired a taste for it. Such simple pleasures were what he looked forward to most in his trips here before things became complicated.

"He's kind of... deep rooted, isn't he?" Kevin chuckled.

"Very deep rooted," Riya laughed heartily. "I fear he is never going to grow if he remains on the path that he is now. One of the many reasons we chose you amongst the other applicants."

"Because I'm a gay kangaroo from the United States who likes to party and drink?"

"Because you challenge his preconceptions," she said. "You're a senior lawyer who likes to enjoy himself. You're extroverted and open. You are not what one would expect at first glance. Tarou is very..."

"Judgemental?"

She giggled softly. "One could say that, yes. If someone fits a certain stereotype for him, he sticks to that until proven otherwise. I wish it were not so but as you said quite loudly, he is defined by this town. If our town views someone like you like a dirty, dead-brained whore then he will view you the same."

It felt like he was being lectured by his mother and he was ten again. Laughing softly, he took a sip of his tea before saying anything. "Something I need to ask. How are you and your husband so... open minded compared to him?"

"To answer your question, let me ask you another in turn. How many other families around here did you find would accept travellers such as yourself?"

Kevin frowned. "I... honestly can't say."

"None," she supplied curtly. "We have had many people come through our doors over the years and we have learned much from them. We have learned that there is a big world out there and it fosters many kinds of people. Good and bad. Though it is a risk, such is life." She glanced back towards the neighbouring house, to Tarou's house. "We hope for our son to experience that world as well and not be bound here."

"Aren't you worried that he might get himself hurt? Or that he might not want to come back?"

"A little," Riya answered with a shrug. "But come way may, we want him to come to the decision on his own. Should he wish to move overseas, then he has our blessing. Should he decide to remain here, then we will welcome him with open arms so long as he considers the other options first."

Kevin grinned and gave Riya a coy look. "His decision huh? So what do you call sending me to brutally open his eyes then?"

Riya grinned broadly. "Rent."

The kangaroo laughed heartily, even going so far as to wipe away a tear. "You know, you remind me a lot about my mom. She was such as manipulative and conniving as you. I don't think I've ever had another woman I've ever loved in my life as much as her. Probably why I'm gay."

She gave him a smile and nodded. "I am happy you honour your mother."

"Don't worry. I'm cool with my dad as well. He was a little disappointed he won't have any genetically similar grandkids but at least now he understands why I don't like football and will stop trying to set me up with his co-worker's daughters."

He caught the slight flick in Riya's ears and knew she had a question for him before she even opened her mouth.

"If you will excuse an old woman's observation... you can drop the mask, Kevin."

That was not what he was expecting. "Pardon?"

She gestured at him, waving from the top of his ears to where his torso disappeared beneath the counter. "This. This flamboyant extravagant... façade you put on." She had to momentarily switch to English for 'façade'. "This is not who you are."

He was stunned and his green eyes looked her dead in the eye for a good long minute. Then he laughed and finished off his tea. "Wow... You really do remind me of my mother."

"If you do not wish to talk about it, I understand, but I want you to feel comfortable in our home. You are our guest."

Smiling, he set down his cup and jumped off the stool. "Suffice to say that I make my trips to Japan more than just to party and 'absorb the culture'. I've had enough Japanese culture in me, if you get my drift." He winked at her slyly. "I have other reasons for being here."

Riya nodded sagely. "I understand."

He hiked a thumb over his shoulder. "Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to get showered and then visit the city. I promised to bring my friends back in the States some gifts and I want to get all my shopping done _now_before the festival."

Riya widened her eyes and nodding indicating she knew full well how busy the shops became around this time. "Wise choice."

"I'll be home for dinner."

"Oh we won't be cooking this evening."

"You won't?"

There was a mischievous glint in Riya's eyes. "Why yes. Every other day we eat at Tarou's house. He eats at ours on alternating days. You'll get to see him again tonight."

There, Kevin's shoulders slumped. Suddenly, it felt like he had just walked into a spider's web and Tarou was the other victim. In order to free himself, he had to free Tarou and Riya Mizushima was the cackling black widow watching them struggle valiantly against her strings.

In short, she was good.

Very good_._

"You know, you are the cleverest woman I've ever met," he said.

Riya smiled at him wanly. "So far."

_ _

Week 2

It had been a week since Kevin had assaulted Tarou with a barrage of questions that clearly made the bear uncomfortable. Dinners were, to say the least, incredibly awkward. Enoru and Riya kept asking Kevin questions about his life back in the states and every answer the kangaroo gave was met with a disproving grunt from Tarou. It seemed that with each passing second, Tarou grew to dislike Kevin more and more.

Not that he could blame him.

Kevin did just put into question the very foundation of Tarou's life. All because Riya Mizushima had asked him to. It was an odd request, yes, but one that Kevin was more than happy to accommodate.

And now, as he headed up into Hirokyu College, at two in the afternoon, he wondered what he was going to do. Enoru had given him Tarou's class schedule with the not-so-subtle hint that he should visit the big bear. It was hard to think that he was spending his holiday playing life coach to a stubborn college student instead of hitting the streets drinking beer and sleeping with some random stranger at their place but like Riya said, this was his way of paying 'rent'.

Hirokyu College was situated midway from the suburbs to the city. Not so urbanised that it was dwarfed by towering skyscrapers but not so quiet that it was surrounded by residential houses. Small stores and busy roads hugged its rather small grounds and Kevin was a little surprised so many students could be crapped onto the campus. He was used to colleges being big, sprawling mini-cities with their own economies. Hirokyu just seemed like a slightly bigger high school.

At least everyone wasn't wearing uniforms otherwise he would've been living in a rather bizarre manga. Though admittedly, seeing Tarou in one of those all black senior student outfits, muscles nearly bursting and with at silver chain around his neck...

Kevin shook his head and gave himself a little slap. "No, Kev. Don't go pining for your hosts' son." He glanced around the campus at the various other students pouring out of the facilities. "Plenty of other fish in the sea."

His phone rang. Surprisingly, it was from Chris, a co-worker back across the ocean. Curious, he picked it up.

"Hey Chris, what's up?"

"Hey man! Just wanted to check up on you!" exclaimed the peppy otter.

"You did not just want to check up on me," Kevin answered grimly. "What is it? Is this about the Johnson case? I handed everything to Mirabelle."

"Naw, dude. I seriously wanted to just check up on you. I mean, you're over there in Japan where... you know."

He sighed, rubbing his temples lightly. "Chris, I'm fine. I make this trip every six months. I'm fine. Hell, I'm having fun. You should see all the parties I've been to. They right. This place is really active at night."

"Kev... dude. You don't have to keep pretending."

"I'm not pretending, Chris. We hit up the town every Friday. You know how I am." He was eager to cut the conversation short. Not only because Chris was likely spending a fortune on the overseas call charges but the topic was starting to give him a headache. "Now if you'll excuse me, there's this hot, beefy bear whose 'Japanese Noodle' I'd like to get a taste of."

"Aw, man. That's gross." Chris laughed. "But see you anyway. Take care."

"You too."

Kevin hung up but he was starting to get a headache again. It was one of the many reasons he visited Japan every six months or so. These days, going to work or even mere mention of anything from work started him on the path to a migraine. So much so that he couldn't remember how to get to to where Tarou was practicing. He strode up to two guys, one a wolf and the other an orca, grinning brightly. In perfect Japanese, he said, "Good afternoon. I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the Taiko Drumming Club?"

The two regarded him in surprise then the orca, in English, said, "Wow. A Japanese kangaroo. That's a first."

Kevin lifted his eyebrows. "Oh, you two are foreigners? I'm from the States!"

"What a coincidence!" exclaimed the wolf. "We're from Europe. I'm from Italy and he's from France. We're here visiting a friend."

"I've never been," Kevin admitted. "But would you know where I can find the Taiko guys? I'm looking for someone."

"East Auditorium," the orca said, hiking a thumb over his shoulder. "Just go in that direction and follow the signs. You can't miss it."

"Thanks man!" He gave the two a respectful bow. "If I'm you're ever in California, just look up Kevin Rider!" He bounded off to the auditorium but not before hearing the wolf wonder aloud - in English of course - if what they say about big feet, kangaroos and dick sizes were right. The orca gave the wolf an elbow to the ribs for that and Kevin just chuckled softly.

The orca had been right. The East Auditorium was indeed hard to miss predominantly because of the loud banging that came from it. Clearly he was in the right place. He snuck inside. A grizzled badger was sitting on the third row, watching as a limber, sexy looking cheetah was banging away at the large Taiko drum in traditional garb. He wondered what it would be like to banged by the cheetah and snickered at his own little joke.

The badger cut off the cheetah and gave him some pointers before shouting, "Tarou. It is your turn."

"What a coincidence," Kevin murmured softly.

He watched as Tarou took up position, in traditional garb and with a headband tied around his forehead, a red circle at the centre. Tarou looked rather stiff and rigid. Not nervous. More robotic. Kevin inclined his head to the side as he watched Tarou begin his performance. Though he had only caught the tail end of the cheetah's performance and he certainly wasn't an expert, there was a marked difference between the two. Tarou's performance seemed so... dull, muted. Yes, there was a lot of banging and booming but the cheetah's recital was full of energy and power, it charged Kevin's heart with every beat and left his soul gasping with every pause.

Tarou... it was like he was just hitting the big oriental drum to make noise.

"Enough!" shouted the badger. "Tarou, two weeks. Two weeks before Hanami. All I hear is noise. There is no passion in your performance!"

Tarou bowed his head. "Yes, sensei."

"Did you listen to Ryoku's performance? There was passion in it. Strength. I need to feel that from your performance if you are to perform at the festival. Go. Think. What makes you swing your Bachi? Translate that and channel it into your performance."

The big bear looked so small and meek when he shuffled off stage. Kevin got up from his seat and scrambled after him as the next performer took up their position. He was surprised to fine Tarou in the back of the stage packing up his belongings.

"Leaving already?"

Tarou sprang up like a spring and turned around in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Knowing he should leave Tarou's parents out of this, he said, "Your mother mentioned you were going to perform at the Hanami festival and I wanted to hear you practice. Your sensei was pretty harsh."

Tarou frowned at him. "He is wise and right." He looked at the two sticks in his paws. "My performance is... lacking."

"He said you lacked passion. What did he mean by that?"

The bear snorted at him and turned his back, proceeding to continue packing. "I don't expect a foreigner to understand. Taiko drumming is more than just hitting a drum with sticks. It is a display of honour for my ancestors. It is my heart and soul put on stage. Each beat should be as strong as my own heartbeat and loud as my soul."

Kevin's ears twitched. "So you're telling me your sensei has been telling you exactly what I told you a week ago, Rou-Rou?"

Tarou went rigid and his brown eyes were afire. "What did you call me?"

"Rou-Rou. Isn't that what your mother calls you?"

The big bear stormed forward and Kevin genuinely thought he was going to get squished. "No one calls me that except my family. And you are not family."

Somehow, despite fearing for his life, Kevin stuck to his guns. He had faced down bullies before and being a lawyer, he was accustomed to putting on a brave face and meeting threats head on. "Oh yeah? Then why don't you stop me, Rou-Rou? Oh wait, you can't. Your parents will know, won't they? And you do not want to disappoint your parents."

Tarou's face scrunched up and his paws balled into fists. Then, all of the sudden, his features relaxed and he stared down at Kevin with cold, calculating eyes. "I know your type, Rider," he said, his voice so calm that it was chilling. "You think you're so clever. Rich. College degree. Worldly. You party hard. Drink until you're blind and tell yourself you're living life to the fullest."

Here we go, Kevin thought mentally.

He was a lawyer. All his speeches had been prepared and he had already braced himself for any psychoanalysing that Tarou - a trainee teacher - may have up his arsenal. He had counter-arguments ready as well and he was just getting them ready when Tarou said something heartbreaking.

"But you're empty inside."

For some reason, those few words struck a chord within the kangaroo's heart; a chord that echoed deep in the very emptiness that Tarou had found.

"You 'experience' the world over and over again, get yourself drunk and 'have fun' every night but it's never going to fill up the big, black empty nothingness_you have in your soul," Tarou continued. "You're _trying to fill it with meaning in your life but you've realised you're just another cog in the grand design and nothing you do will be of use. So you drown yourself in whatever will make your heart race just so you can feel alive, trying to find proof in the next near-death experience just so you can prove to the world you have blood running through your veins."

Kevin found his voice. "High praise from a man who is yet another aforementioned cog but so tightly bound to his roots that he couldn't even move away more than twenty feet from his parents."

"We use metric here, you imperialist idiot," snarled Tarou. "And for your information, I take pride in where I am in life. I'm proud of my heritage. You, you're just so ashamed of where you are and who you are that you try will do anything to escape it." He crossed his big, meaty arms across his chest. "In fact, that's why you've taken this trip, isn't it? You're just so ashamed of who you are back in California that you need to fly to another country to escape from it."

The kangaroo snorted and shook his head. "I will take a leaf out of your book, Tarou." He snapped his gaze straight at the bear like a laser. It was so intense that Tarou took a step back. "You don't know me."

The towering college student huffed and picked up his duffel back. Even if he was still wearing his Taiko Drummer's garb, he turned to leave. "Enjoy killing yourself, Rider."

Kevin shut his eyes and realised he had let his temper get the better of him. Not a good thing to happen for a lawyer. Quickly recomposing himself, he quickly said, "Where are you going? After one performance you're running away with your tail between your legs?"

"Sensei told me to go and think," Tarou snarled. "I don't know how you treat your teachers but I listen to mine."

"But he didn't tell you to leave. How do you expect to learn if you leave in the first fifteen minutes of class?" Tarou didn't hear him or at least refused to listen and just continued heading for the door. Kevin was still a little pissed so he said, "Your parents would be really disappointed if you didn't perform at Hanami, Rou-Rou."

That got this attention.

Tarou went rigid, spun and charged right over, fangs bared.

Kevin honestly thought that time that Tarou would actually eat him. Each storming step was like a thunderclap, each one a blaring alarm that screamed at the kangaroo to turn around and run. Thankfully, all the bear did was shove his duffel bag into Kevin's chest so hard that it knocked him over. Tarou retrieved his _Bachi_and stormed onto stage during another student's performance. The guy was a little stunned and protested but the badger silenced him and let Tarou take up position.

Each deafening bang of the drum was like one of Tarou's fists beating down on Kevin. The kangaroo felt a little bit smaller with every boom and could_feel_ Tarou's fury washing over the entire auditorium like a sun was growing there and then on stage. The sensei didn't stop him at any point in the performance and sat fascinated as Tarou continued to play.

By the end of it, Tarou was panting hard and gazed down at the badger as if just waking up from a dream.

"Better," said the older man. "Your posture and form is off but you're grip around the Bachi is much better. I can feel the passion in your strikes as well but they are brutal, a single note. You must play like an ocean, Tarou, with the ebb and flow, rise and fall. Carry us on a journey. Go. Think on this."

Tarou nodded, bowed and, still panting, headed off the stage.

He didn't look at Kevin as he yanked his duffel bag away and left.

******

It took Tarou the better part of the afternoon to finally calm down before he considered himself able to be amongst pleasant company again. There were some nagging questions that had been gnawing at the back of his mind since he got home. Never once had his parents called him 'Rou-Rou' in Kevin's company so either they volunteered the information or the slutty kangaroo had coerced it out of them. A disgusting thought entered his mind of Kevin seducing his mother or - worse yet - his father to get the information.

He tried to push the terrible thought, the idea of his family's honour being tarnished, away. He did some heavy squats and leg presses to drown it in testosterone and sweat. Every time the mere image of anyone of his family curled around the disease-ridded kangaroo crawled into his mind, he just added another twenty pounds and grunted even louder.

But it was no use.

He had to know.

After an hour of blasting his quads, he marched over to his parents' home. Kevin was apparently still out doing some 'shopping' though he suspected the man-whore was just finding some ass to bang considering how he had his handed to him earlier that day.

He found his mother sitting in the lounge reading a magazine.

"Mother," he began. "Did you tell Kevin about my nickname?"

"Rou-Rou?" she responded, glancing at him questioningly. "I don't think so. Perhaps your father?"

A pit appeared in his stomach. Kevin did seduce his dad!

"What's with that look, dear?" Riya asked.

"Where's father now? Have you been keeping track of him? Were he and Kevin ever alone? Did you smell Kevin on your pillows!?"

Riya stared at him with shock. "Tarou, you can't possibly be suggesting -"

"Kevin is a slutty demon from overseas, mother! He knew my nickname and he knew when I would be in Taiko Class! If you didn't tell him then it could only be father!"

Riya clucked her tongue and rose from her seat. Even though he was taller than her, he felt like a child again. "And you automatically assumed that sweet Kevin seduced your father to get the information out of him?"

"Of course he did!"

"Tarou," she said sternly. "Listen very closely to what you are saying. You are being irrational."

"No I am not! Kevin is -"

"Currently out in the city," Riya said calmly. "Your father is out getting some groceries. That does not mean either of them have had any dalliance with one another."

"But Kevin -"

"What is wrong, Tarou?" Riya said accusingly. "Are you judging our guest because he is gay?"

"No! Of course not! I'm fine with his sexuality just..." He trailed off, his ears folding back. As he replayed what he had just said in his head, that pit in his stomach formed again. "Am I...?"

"It seems to me that you aren't," she answered calmly. "You were using his homosexuality as an excuse to throw wild accusations around."

"Mother, I -"

She held up a paw, silencing him. "Tarou, my dear boy," she said calmly. "Yes, Kevin likes other men but that does not mean that he will be going around pouncing every man he sees. He has been honourable around you and your father in that respect. The problem lies with you."

"Me? But I -"

She gave him a stern look. "Tarou. I want you to be honest with yourself. Do you dislike Kevin?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

"Because he is constantly questioning my way of life!"

She gave him a critical look. "So does that give you reason to question his?"

Tarou opened his muzzle to reply... but then clamped it shut immediately. "No..."

Riya nodded sagely. "Now I do not know what you two have been arguing about but I want it to stop immediately, do you understand? He is our guest and you will be accommodating to him even if it means you will eat by yourself at your house for the duration of his stay."

"Yes mother."

"Good. Now I want you to apologise to him."

Tarou's fur fluffed out and he recoiled. "What?"

"You heard me. I don't know what you said but I'm sure it was rude. Now apologise to him."

"I... I can't. I don't know where he is..."

"Then you best find him. Now go."

Tarou's shoulder sagged and he shuffled out of his parents' house. Counting the two times he had been reprimanded by Iruka, Kevin's own assault, this was the fourth time he had been assailed verbally in a single day. Tarou's hide might as well have been whipped raw. His skin prickled and sizzled like he had been slow roasted over a fire.

He didn't have to look far for Kevin. In fact, the moment he stepped out onto the street, he spotted the kangaroo heading towards him from the direction of the train station. Taking a deep breath and mustering his courage, Tarou padded over. As he drew closer, however, he noticed that Kevin was... different. The athletic marsupial's perky ears were folded back, his tail was dragging and his shoulders were slumped. He was peering at his smartphone again, earphones embedded into his ears.

Tarou opened his muzzle to speak but decided to remain silent; he was curious how long it would take for Kevin to notice him. When Kevin came onto the same block, he still didn't look up and was still preoccupied with his phone. Just twenty metres away and the kangaroo still hadn't noticed him. At ten metres, Tarou lifted his paw to wave but again, Kevin was lost in his own thoughts. Five metres and Tarou craned his neck to see if he could spy what had the roo so mesmerised.

Then...

"Oof!" Kevin grunted, bouncing off Tarou's chest. "Gomen'nasai." Then he looked up and his ears instantly flicked up. "Oh, Tarou."

"Before you say anything," Tarou began in Japanese. Then he immediately switched to English. "What's on your phone that's got you so preoccupied that you bumped into me?"

Kevin looked surprised by the answer and held up his phone. There was a song there, 'Never Stop'. "I just love this song."

"Okay well...I need to apologise for what I said back at my Taiko class. It was... out of line. I was frustrated at myself and I took it out on you. You were only trying to help. I understand that." He thought quickly. "So as a means of apology, I wanted to invite you out to a movie if you will accept?"

Kevin cocked his head to the side, bright green eyes searching him. "Your mother put you up to this, didn't she?"

"What? No!"

"Tarou, I'm a lawyer," he said bluntly. "I can tell when people are lying and when they're having their strings pulled." He turned to walk around Tarou. "Tell your mother I appreciate the gesture but I don't want to force anyone into saying something they don't mean. I do enough of that at work. I'm on holiday."

In the few seconds that Kevin took to slip past Tarou, the bear realised he had seen something a little more in the kangaroo than just the partying, whoring foreigner that he had painted in his mind. He immediately lashed out, his paw seizing Kevin's arm. There were some strong muscles beneath that shirt and he felt them tense.

"I'm being genuine," Tarou said. "I honestly do feel remorse over what I said. I have no right questioning how you lead your life."

Kevin's ears folded back slightly. "And I don't have any right to question yours either. So I apologise too. Can you let go of my arm now?"

"Not until you accept my apology."

"Fine. Apology accepted."

Tarou grinned and began dragging Kevin back towards the train station. "Good."

The Kangaroo stumbled back. "H - Hey! What are you doing!?"

"My apology is the movie, remember? You accepted. So we are going to a movie."

Kevin groaned at him. "Tarou, it's a sweet gesture but honestly, I'm tried." There was a second before his next sentence and Tarou instantly knew that what was coming next was a bold-faced lie. "I want to get a little nap before dinner before I head out to the city. I've got a party to go to and I want to be up until dawn."

Tarou stopped and turned towards the American with a coy smile. "I don't believe you."

The kangaroo gave him a lifted eyebrow. "You don't?"

The big bear leaned down with a big smile on his face. "You've been with us a week. Mother says you do go out at night but you're always there in the morning for breakfast. So either you don't party as hard as you say or you're just lying about where you're really going." He gave Kevin's nose a little flick.

Kevin shut his eyes, wiggled his nose a little and let out a sigh. A small smile crawled onto his face. "Okay, you got me. I've got a friend I've been seeing every night, okay? I only ever get to see him every six months when I come over here so it's kind of special."

Tarou's mind instantly went to the gutter but he decided to look on the positive side of this. "A long distance relationship that works for several years. That is impressive."

"Really long. My balls are so blue you could -"

"I get it," Tarou said, silencing him. "Thank you for sharing." He felt that prickling sensation at the back of his neck again but he refrained from rubbing at it. "For what it's worth, I honestly never considered moving too far away from my family because I love them so much that I can't imagine my life without them. If that dulls my aspirations and wastes my potential in your eyes, so be it but in mine, I couldn't be richer."

The kangaroo gave him a smile and shook his head. "I don't think I could ever understand that. You need to come out of your shell, Tarou. At least once and then you can decide if you want to go back or not." He held up a finger. "I've got a proposal."

The big bear crossed his arms. "Do tell."

"We go to your movie. We'll have dinner out and then afterwards, we're going to a club. How's that sound?"

Tarou's eyes widened and his posture crumbled. "A... a club? I've never been to a club..."

"Exactly why you need to go to one. Go with me to a club and then afterwards, you can decide whether or not you like it. Whatever your decision, I'll respect it and I'll stop trying to tell you how to lead your life. How's that sound?"

A chance to not only make amends with the American but also to get him to stop insisting his way of life was wrong? All in exchange for one night at a club? "Alright. Deal. But I get to pick the movie."

"Fair enough." Kevin held out his paw. "Deal?"

Tarou regarded the offer paw with a bit of trepidation. The smile on Kevin's gave him this terrible feeling that he was walking into a trap but he decided there was nothing that could possibly go wrong with just one night at a club. He took a few moments to consider his schedule for the following day and if he had to be anywhere.

"What is it with you and shaking me paw?" Kevin suddenly demanded. "I know you Japanese prefer bows but I've shook paws with you guys before."

Tarou sighed and shook Kevin's paw. "It's not so much that I am opposed to shaking your paw but more like this sense of unease I get from shaking _your_paw."

Kevin laughed and let go of his paw, showing his palm and wiggling his fingers a little. "Look. No herpes. I promise. Yes, I whore myself out but I play it safe. I promise."

"Uh-huh."

For some reason, Tarou believed that. He just wasn't sure why.

******

The movie that Tarou took them to see was thankfully an English movie but it Japanese subtitles. It was an action movie with a strong, muscular male lead and a busty but similarly as strong female lead. Hilariously, when either protagonist yelled loudly or someone screamed, the subtitles read 'Yells in Japanese' in Japanese. Kevin giggled a few times at that and Tarou flicked an ear at him, a sure sign of his annoyance. He tried to keep his commentary to a minimum at that point on.

It was a good movie. Kevin had seen it on the flight over but he decided to keep that to himself as Tarou seemed to be enjoying himself. Once the movie was over, it was about time for dinner. Tarou called his mother to tell her that he was out with Kevin.

"So, where would you like to go?" Tarou asked, shutting his phone. "I know this nice Italian-themed restaurant not too far away. Or if you're feeling like something a little more meaty, there's a Korean barbeque place but it's a fair distance away."

Kevin twitched his long ears a little. "Italian-themed? I'm curious to see how the Japanese do Italian."

"Not very well," laughed the big bear. "At least not this restaurant, in my opinion. They have spaghetti and pizza but it's all very Japanese. They have tofu on their pizzas."

"And how exactly can you compare what authentic Italian is compared to what your restaurant provides if you've never been out of town?"

The bear shrugged his big, broad, bowling-ball shoulders. "My parents once hosted this Italian girl. She made us authentic Italian food one dinner. Made pasta from scratch, the sauce from scratch. It was divine."

Kevin cocked his head to the side. "Your parents really like welcoming complete strangers into their home, don't they?"

"Like they said. They're not completely capable of visiting the world these days due to their jobs. So they'll bring the world to them." Tarou clapped his might paws together and rubbed them together. "So what would you like? I'm starving."

Kevin rubbed his chin thoughtfully and then nodded, indicating his decision. "I know what I want. Follow me."

He led the way through the hustle and bustle of the city. Bright neon lights and flashing advertisements danced above them. Even though the sun had set, the streets were still full with people. Kevin was grateful to have Tarou so close behind him as the big bear could easily pave his wave through the crowd thanks to his bulk. Just like a big bodyguard.

They arrived at a little alleyway particularly a hole-in-the-wall ramen store.

"This is where you want to have dinner?" Tarou asked.

"Remember that friend I told you about that I'm constantly seeing?" Kevin replied with a smile. "This was his favourite place to go. Best ramen in the city. Or so he said. I don't really have much else to compare it to."

Kevin stepped through the big blue curtains with the word 'Ramen' in hiragana drawn on them. He felt the distinct absence of the big, muscled wall lagging behind him and turned around. He poked his head through the curtains and found Tarou looking at him with a bit of confusion on his face. "Coming in?"

"Are you sure it's okay for me to come with you?" asked the bear. "This is a place you share with your companion. Would I not be intruding?"

Despite the gruff exterior and rather awkward first impressions, it was clear Tarou was a sensitive soul underneath. That was really quite sweet. "It'll be fine, Tarou. Now come on. Like you said, you're starving."

They sat down on the long bench sitting in front of the kitchen, made their orders, paid and waited patiently on the stools as their ramen came. It was quick and soon, they were joining in the chorus of slurps and wet sloshing that filled the moderately crowded ramen store. The ramen was just as he remembered it; as good as ever if a little bit oily. He remembered the first time he had come here with Ryujin, back when he was so obsessed with his diet...

He couldn't help but snort a little at the memory.

"Too hot for you?" Tarou asked. "The chilli ramen generally is. You should try the curry ramen instead."

There was a spark of annoyance in Kevin as Tarou tried to dictate what he should eat but he shrugged it off. He had done enough of trying to lead the bear down a different path so it was only fair. Poor Riya would be disappointed about the deal but he had to consider what Tarou wanted as well and he clearly didn't want to change.

"Actually, I was just remembering when I first came here with Ryujin all those years ago. Back then, I was so conscious of what I put in my body." He pointed at himself. "See, I'm a roo and years back, I was really into the 'Species Diet'."

Tarou rolled his eyes. Everyone had heard of the Species Diet. Some celebrity chef had started a whole fad where every species should eat what their feral cousins ate as that was how they survived and remained fit to hunt. There were several levels as well. The first level was just cutting out opposing types of food from your diet. If your feral counterpart was a vegetarian, just go vegetarian. If your feral counterpart ate red meat, that was the only option. In the second level, it was enforced that you only ate that sort of food raw. The third made followers of the diet eat only exactly what their feral counterparts ate exclusively.

"Please don't tell me you only ate eucalyptus."

"That's koalas," Tarou said. "Kangaroos eat grass and shrubs." He waved a paw absently through the air. "I never got that far. I met Ryujin before that." He reached into his pocket and fished out his wallet, handing it to Tarou. "_That's_what I looked like before I met him."

Tarou's eyes boggled and he set down his chopsticks. "Wow... you were..."

"Scrawny as all hell?" Kevin supplied with a smile. "Yeah." He flicked his ears back in embarrassment. "When I joined the Species Diet, I saw all these pictures of buff kangaroos in the wild and kangaroos that were on the diet that simply looked amazing. I told myself 'I want to look like that' so I did it."

"You know that there's no such thing as the perfect diet right?" Tarou chastised. His voice got that disproving tone again like he went into 'Teacher-mode'. Kevin had been on the receiving end of that more than a few times in the week he had been living with the Mizushimas. "All those models you saw probably looked like that before they got on the diet. Those before and after shots were likely staged."

"I know, I know." Kevin shrugged and slurped up some more ramen. "But I was feeling really self-conscious. I was young, parked my ass on my seat in front of a computer most of the time and every now and then, I'd actually _feel_my belly pressing up against the underside of my table."

"Sitting down does that. Just because you're sitting down doesn't mean you're fat. You're probably just not sitting properly. You should get one of those ergonomic chairs. There's actually this article I read how over time people either will lean forwards towards their computer or lean back away from their screen over an hour."

Kevin snorted and twirled his chopsticks expertly in his paw, both rods spinning in opposite directions in an impressive show of dexterity. "You know, for someone who doesn't like people telling him how he should live his life, you're awfully preachy."

Tarou bristled and wiggled his nose. "Our deal was that you would stop trying to change me."

He laughed softly and turned back towards his meal. "I suppose that's true. Go ahead, sensei. Or would you prefer senpai?"

Tarou groaned. "Better than the alternative, I suppose."

Kevin snickered and they finished their meal shortly afterwards. He could tell Tarou was starting to get on edge as they left the ramen store. With a smile, he suddenly placed himself in front of the burly bear. It was Tarou's turn to bump into him, the bear being lost in thought.

"Hey," said the kangaroo. "You don't have to come to the club with me if you don't want to. I know how uncomfortable it'll make you. I may be a man-whore but let it be said that I've_never_ forced myself onto anyone."

Tarou stared at him for a long moment. Kevin shut his eyes for the briefest of moments, a little exasperated but nonetheless accepting of Tarou's eventual words of surrender. Then a rather sharp sting at his nose caused him to jolt back in surprise. Tarou pulled his large paw away from where he had just flicked the roo's nose.

"We made a deal, Flick," said the bear. "I'm not going to go back on my word."

"Flick?" Kevin replied.

"I've been spending the past few minutes trying to figure out a good nickname for you," said the burly drummer with a shrug and a light blush on his cheeks. "You flick your ears around a lot when you're thinking. So, you're Flick now."

He wasn't sure how he felt about that. "Right. So you're okay to go to the club then?"

"I said we would so let's go, Flick."

Kevin rolled his eyes and actually felt his ears flick around that time. Now that Tarou had pointed it out, he felt a little self-conscious about it. Funny because it was the first time he had ever actually felt insecure about anything in a long while. "Alright,sensei. Let's go."

******

The club was exactly as he had anticipated it to be. Loud, flashing lights, bodies pressed up against one another and people clamouring and spilling alcohol everywhere. It was with some relief that Kevin took them to a normal club not a gay club. He felt guilty for thinking it but he didn't like the idea of dozens of men trying to grope or hit on him.

Tarou sat in a booth with a cola, just watching as Kevin dancing to the music. It puzzled him that the openly gay kangaroo was rubbing up against women as well. He would've thought Kevin would prefer to be grinding his groin up against men. When Kevin came back after the song was over, he asked about it.

"I'm not here to hit on anyone," said the kangaroo with a bright smile, his green eyes sparkling. "I'm here to have fun! Besides, I already have my date." He elbowed Tarou lightly and gave him a wink. "Speaking of, why don't you come out on the dance floor?"

"I... don't dance," Tarou admitted with a blush. "I drum. Not dance."

"Oh come on! It's fun!" Kevin grabbed his paw and pulled him towards the flashing dance floor. "Come on!"

"No thanks, Flick," Tarou said, pulling his paw away.

Kevin placed his own paws on his hips and his ears flicked forward. "Look, you said you'd come to this club with me. Fine, you're here. That was part of the deal. I'm not going to hold it against you. But the point of that was for you to experience something out of your element! If you're just going to play it safe your entire life, you're never going to grow up!"

Tarou got that irritating feeling again on the back of his neck just like when he was being lectured by Iruka. "You said you'd stop lecturing me."

"Deals not over yet," Kevin answered with a wink. "The deal was that you come to the club with me and then afterwards, you decide if you like it or not. Only then will I stop trying to change you."

The drummer was about to claim that he was done and had already made his decision but that just made him feel... lousy and dirty, dishonourable. With a sigh, he shook his drink a little. "Let me just finish this."

Kevin's ears did those flicks again and he sat back down next to Tarou. "And I'll sit here and make sure you don't nurse that thing until the night is over!"

"Do you really have to?" Tarou murmured, sipping from the straw.

"Yes. Now do it with me. Big, long sips. Feel that delicious liquid streaming up that straw, filling the back of your throat. Breathe through your nose and when your muzzle is full -"

Tarou snorted and the soda rushed up his windpipe, shooting out of his nostrils. His eyes watered. The fizz of the soda burned the inside of his nose but he couldn't help but laugh at Kevin's sexual innuendo. "You did that on purpose," he muttered, covering his muzzle with a sleeve partially so that he could wipe away the soda dripping down his chin and so that Kevin couldn't see his smile.

The roo laughed brightly and shouldered him lightly. "Sorry. Just couldn't resist."

Fighting to keep his smile down, Tarou finished half his drink and set it down. "Were you always this... vulgar?"

"Vulgar? I like to think I'm just straight forward!" The American marsupial shrugged and leaned back in the booth, arms crossed behind his head. "But you answer your question, no. I was pretty awkward before I met Ryujin. I didn't go out to clubs, was always at bed by ten-thirty at night, woke up, went to work and was a dedicated little worker. I would never have imagined getting a tattoo or a piercing back then."

"And Ryujin changed that?"

Kevin's smile grew withdrawn and his eyes glazed over slightly. His ears were flicking back and forth like he was hearing the sounds of a distant memory. "Yeah. He did. He knew I was gay from the moment he saw me. He worked for my firm's Japanese branch and was visiting for some conference or something. I guess his gaydar just picked me off. He hit on me, I blushed and profusely denied my sensuality. Over the course of a week, he'd slip in hints and torment me with peeks of his body that would get my blood rushing."

"Why'd he pick on you like that?"

"He wasn't picking on me," Kevin said. "He was just having fun."

"That could constitute was sexual harassment."

"Maybe but he would later tell me that it's because he saw how much pain I was in. I told him I was happy with my life but then he told me the difference between 'happy' and 'content'."

"Happy is when you are genuinely joyful about how you are and content is when you have no feelings whatsoever about your current state," Tarou said. "I know that."

Kevin shrugged absently and leaned back forward, his ears perked. "I didn't then. He told me that I was shutting myself off from the world. Not experiencing it to its fullest. I was focused on the status quo and didn't want it to change. So much so that I'd do anything to keep it the way it was. But he told me that there were things that were out of my control and when they hit, I'd either be forced to make a painful change or suffer. A few weeks later, I found out that my firm was downsizing and I would've lost my job if I hadn't taken his advice."

"Ouch..." Tarou commented. "He changed your life, huh?"

"Yeah. After that, I seized life by the reins and..." He gave Tarou a wink. "I seized him."

The bear didn't roll his eyes this time. He knew Kevin was going to slip in a sexual innuendo there and just gave the kangaroo an exasperated stare. To avoid any further innuendos, he finished his drink and got up. "Alright. Let's dance."

"Seriously?"

"Scared I'll out-dance you, Flick?"

Kevin smirked and held up his paws. "Oh please, Sensei, teach me how to dance!"

They both entered the dance floor. Though Tarou had no experience dancing, he shook his hips and shuffled from side to side to the beat of the music. It was just like drumming. He felt the rhythm beating through his body, through his soul. It raced into his heart, accelerating the beats to its deep base. Energy pumped through his veins and he just had to get it out somehow. He swung his arms from left to right, making sure not to hit anyone. Iruka's words about his stance, posture and passion flooded him and he shut his eyes, focusing entirely on his movements and his rhythm. The lights were distracting and so were the other bodies flailing their limbs everywhere. He focused just on himself, focused on himself and on the burning sun that filled him with such energy.

Then he opened his eyes and found Kevin rocking just a metre or so away from him.

He allowed himself a smile and danced.

When the night was finally over, it was about one in the morning. The duo left the club even though it was still in full swing. They managed to grab the last train back to their homes and kept the chatter to a minimum as they headed towards their home.

"My mother and father would be asleep," Tarou said as they strode up to the house. "Why don't you stay at me place so we don't disturb them?"

"You've got a spare room?"

Tarou laughed softly and nodded. "Yes. One I don't use. Come on." As they strode up to his house, he admitted, "I had fun tonight, Kevin. I... learned a lot. About you and about myself."

"Does that mean you like clubs now?"

"I can hardly make a judgement on_one_ outing, now can I?"

"Oh..." Kevin's ears drooped slightly. Then they perked up a moment later as he realised what Tarou had implied. "Oh!"

"Same time next week?" Tarou offered.

The kangaroo was practically hopping on his feet. He had a bit of drink that night and was a little tipsy but not overly drunk. "Yeah!"

Tarou let Kevin enter first and followed the kangaroo shortly afterwards. He directed Kevin to where the guest room was and told the roo that he would be taking a shower. All the activity of the night had left him feeling rather exhausted and sweaty and a good shower would help wash away the stink. He entered his bathroom, stripped off his clothing and entered the shower, letting the warm waters cleanse him and leave him to his thoughts.

Kevin... wasn't so bad. Not really.

If anything the foreigner had taught him a little something about passion and he was eager to try it out in his Taiko practice. Next week would be his last chance to prove to Iruka he could perform, his last chance to get a spot at the festival. He really had learned a lot and he genuinely meant what he said about going to the club the following week. It would be Kevin's last week with them, after all. The man that had helped him take a step out of his shell deserved to have one hell of a send-off.

He finished his shower and dried off.

"Whoa! Is this what I think it is!?" came Kevin's cry from the bedroom.

He rolled his eyes, wondering what the kangaroo had found. Maybe his high school pictures or baby photos. He left the bathroom, towel around his waist and still slightly dripping expecting to intercept Kevin at the guest room. Instead, he was surprised to find the roo standing in his room, sitting on his bed with a comic book in his paws.

But not just any comic book.

The bear's cheeks were afire when he entered his room and Kevin looked up at him in shock. "I - It's not what you think!" Tarou protested.

"It's bara," Kevin said bluntly, turning the book towards Tarou where large, beefy men where shown in rather intimate positions.

"I read them for the stories!"

"Uh-huh..."

"Bara has some great stories!"

"You mean big guy meets other big guy, they fuck and then... well..." Kevin shrugged. "What else is there after that?"

Tarou stormed forward and snatched the comic book from him. "Look, don't get the wrong idea. What are you doing in here anyway?"

"I was going to ask you if you had any toothpaste," Kevin snickered. He got up and was suddenly very close to Tarou. The bear's cheeks were practically as bright as coals as the kangaroo inched forward. He felt Kevin's paw hovering over his crotch. "Though I think I could squeeze something out of your tube."

Tarou's mind went blank.

Was this really happening? Was Kevin... attracted to him? His mind reeled, his heart pumping just as hard as it had been back at the club. A whirlpool of emotions was swirling in his chest, drawing all the blood from his brain down south towards his barely hidden groin. Part of him wanted this. Kevin was... annoying and nosey but he was also cute and worldly. There was a bond between them even if it was one built out of frustration and aggravation as they tried to better one another.

Kevin's fingers brushed up against Tarou's towel...

And Tarou immediately took a step back. "Wh - What are you doing!?" he snapped.

His senses returned. The thrill of the moment was gone. He had to remember Kevin was here to see someone. Kevin made the trip to Japan every six months to see Ryujin and here he was trying to seduce Tarou!

Kevin gave him an exasperated stare. "Oh come on, Tarou. Don't fight this. Your parents were right about you. Stop living in the closet and come out, already. You're content with this life of yours and are scared of what will happen if you step out. But you can't deny who you are. You're a typical closet case! You don't have any friends, you read bara, you live close to home. I swear, unless you do something, you're going to grow up to be one of those teachers that get charged for child molestation!"

Fear gripped Tarou's heart and he took another step back. Was the kangaroo just trying to make a point or did he really want to sleep with him? Either answer still hurt. "You said you'd stop with the lectures!"

"Yeah well, I can't help it. That's who I am. Just like who you are is someone so scared of the fact that they're gay that they ignore it, pushing it down beneath workouts, beating drums and isolation." He waggled a finger at him. "And I can see it, Sensei. Everyone can. Your parents can see it and they're worried about you but they know you'll ignore anything they suggest. That's why they asked me to help."

That fear suddenly turned to anger and Tarou straightened, a growl rising from his throat. "Don't you dare speak ill of my parents! They love me!"

"Of course they do but they also know you. They know you're gay and if you listened to them-"

"No!" Tarou roared, shaking the entire house. "You listen to me, Flick. I am not you!"

That hit a nerve and Kevin's ears folded back, his stance weakening. "What did you say?"

"I am not you," Tarou repeated with a low growl. "I am not the meek, closeted, content pencil pusher who was obsessed with his appearance. And you_are not Ryujin! You're not going to show me part of your body, seduce me and make me come out of the closet! You're not doing me any favours, understand!? I don't care if you think you see a lot of yourself in me. I. Am. Not. _You." He huffed loudly. "And you aren't Ryujin. Besides, what would he say if you were going behind his back and seducing the son of the people you're staying with!?"

Tarou shook his head furiously, this time taking a definitive step backwards and strengthening his stance. "Kevin, I thought I had you figured out but this... This is just... disgusting."

Kevin's shoulders suddenly sagged and he squeezed his eyes shut. Tears were actually welling up in his eyes and any other time, Tarou would've felt sympathy for him but he was just too angry.

"You're right," Kevin whispered softly. "I'm sorry." He turned and hiked a thumb in some arbitrary direction. "I'm... I'm going to go."

"You do that," Tarou snarled. "And I don't want to see you ever again."

The kangaroo only nodded numbly and shuffled off, his large tail dragging on the floor.

******

Tarou saw neither hide nor hair of Kevin for the next few days. His mother asked if he knew anything but he merely gave a scathing comment about Kevin likely whoring himself out for a place to sleep. Naturally, his parents didn't quite like his language but he just quickly apologised and took his leave of them. What the kangaroo said really got to him and he had to wonder if what Kevin said was indeed true.

Did his parents actually ask the foreigner to help bring Tarou out of his shell?

He felt guilty for throwing his aggravation at his parents. There was no way they could've been involved in Kevin's schemes. Over and over, he told himself it was just Kevin trying to sever the strong familial ties he had with his parents, trying to isolate him and make him like him.

But still... there was a nagging feeling that he just could not shake.

Eventually, he needed an answer.

Just a little after breakfast, Tarou visited his parent's home. Enoru, his father, was just about ready to leave for some reason or another when Tarou intercepted him.

"Father," he began, speaking in Japanese. "May I have a moment of your time?"

Enoru smiled at him, shrugged and answered in kind. "Of course, my son. What can I do to help?"

Tarou wrestled with his thoughts but decided that the direct approach was best. One thing Kevin did get right was that his parents could read him like a book; a children's book even. "Did you and mother tell Kevin to seduce me?"

Enoru's bushy eyebrows rose but his pleasant, fatherly smile never faded. "Is that why Kevin has been avoiding us? I was about to head to the police station to report him missing."

"He's not worth it," Tarou growled. "But father, did you really...?"

The thinner bear shut the door behind him. Slowly, he gave Tarou a confirming nod. "Yes Tarou, we did."

So many questions swirled around Tarou's mind and he felt his heart shrivel under the grip of betrayal. "Why?" he croaked.

That fatherly smile on Enoru's face never faded and with his glasses sitting on his muzzle, he seemed almost radiant with wisdom. "Why don't you try and answer that question yourself?"

Bitterness came up from Tarou's chest and he spat out, "Because you want me out of your hair, out from next door and away from your life now that I'm all grown up?"

Despite his hostility, Enoru didn't take offense to his son's vehemence. "Do you honestly believe that?" he asked sagely.

Those words were like a knife through Tarou's heart. The moment it pierced the out layer, all the anger and resentment came pouring out, deflating him. His shoulders sagged and he could no longer hold his father's gaze. "No..."

"Then try to answer that question one more time. Why did we ask Kevin to bring you out of your shell?"

"I don't know," was the instantaneous reply. He felt Enoru's gaze upon him like a lamp hovering over him in an interrogation room. "I guess... because I'm so anchored here that you want me to experience the world?"

"One of the reasons."

Tarou managed to meet his father's gaze once more. "One?" he asked.

His father held up two fingers. "Another reason is that you've never had any lasting friends in your entire life. Parents worry when this happens. You're rather anti-social Tarou."

"I have friends!"

Enoru's knowing gaze mocked him. "No you don't, Tarou. You have people who _could_have been your friends but it was _you_who turned your back to them. You much prefer to sit at home, exercise, sleep and masturbate to your bara."

Tarou's cheeks burned. "Father!"

"That's the other reason, by the way," Enoru said with a sly smile. "Your mother has cleaned your room enough times to know where your preferences lie." He reached out and clapped Tarou's shoulders. "Son, we love you no matter whom you sleep and who you love. That is your choice."

Tarou wanted to pull away in anger but couldn't find the strength. "Then why can't you leave me to my choice of staying as I am?"

"And who are you?"

"I am a young teacher in training with an interest in Taiko drumming who lives next door to his parents."

"One more time," his father said, giving him that fatherly gaze. It was almost hypnotic the way those brown eyes peered through his glasses. "Who are you?"

"I..." Tarou croaked. "I'm..." He sighed heavily. "I am a closeted college student trying to be a teacher who tries to push down all his problems either by lifting things or drumming very loudly."

"One last time. Who are you?"

Tarou regarded his father in confusion. "I... am your son?"

Enoru laughed softly and patted his shoulders. "That is the closest to the right answer that I was looking for." He nodded towards Tarou. "Tarou, you are barely in your twenties. If you knew exactly who you are at this age, I would be very surprised and I would call you narrow-minded and stupid."

Those words hurt and again, Tarou felt like he was being reprimanded by Iruka except this was a hundred times worse. Iruka and even Kevin told him straight away what his flaws were. His father led him to that conclusion; using guilt to lure him into a single realisation. "You would?"

"Yes," Enoru said. "Tarou, it isn't a matter of changing who you are. It is a matter of realising that who you are is flexible and malleable. You are going to change over the course of your life. Fighting it is futile."

"But what gives anyone the right to force me to change?" Tarou mumbled.

"Because they are a force of change. Everyone is." Enoru turned and gripped the doorknob, giving it a little twist. "You are hoping to be a teacher, Tarou. You have the power to change the lives of students that you will have under your wing. How can you hope to lead them to the future when you are so solidly planted where you are?"

Enoru opened the door and stepped through. Then he glanced over his shoulder with a sly smirk. "And besides, how much respect can you expect from your students if and when they discover you live right next door to your parents?"

Tarou's heart fell and shattered into a million pieces. His father was right. Especially on that last account. If he strode up to a high school or even a college and any of his students realised he lived right next to his parents, had dinner with them every night... well, as a physical education teacher, he would lose their respect. He would be that lonely, sad teacher with such a pathetic life that he couldn't live more than a couple of metres away from his mother and father!

"I need to change," he concluded.

"That's my boy," Enoru said. "Now I'm going to go see if I can find Kevin. Did you want to come with?"

Tarou lifted his gaze, a frown on his muzzle. "Actually... I think I know where he is."

******

"Hey Ryujin," Kevin sighed, paws in his pocket. "Me again." He paused for a moment. "You must be sick of seeing me. I keep visiting every day now. I guess I really just don't have the balls to go back to the Mizushimas after... well, after that shit with Tarou."

He lifted his paws in apology. "Sorry, sorry. I know. You don't like it when I swear. Old habits, I guess." He laughed softly. "God... I remember when you started that swear jar. By the end of the year we had enough money to make a trip here. I almost wish I didn't swear so much back then because we would never have made that trip and..."

The kangaroo sighed and regarded the solid, grey slab in front of him.

"I miss you..."

He ran a paw over the grave. "If we hadn't made that trip, you wouldn't have been hit by that car and..." He squeezed his eyes shut, fighting back the tears. "Your last words to me were, 'Live for the both of us'. I've been trying, Ryu... I really have. But... This thing with Tarou." He gnashed his teeth together. "I saw a lot of myself in him and I thought I could make your proud, you know? I thought I could bring him out of his shell just like what you did with me. But what he said that night..."

Kevin looked up into the air, took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'll try harder. I promise. I'll have more fun than the two of us would ever have had combined. You'll see. I'll make you proud."

"That's bullshit."

The kangaroo froze for a moment, believing that his dead fiancé had actually come back from the grave to tell him off. Then he realised the voice had come from behind him and spoke in English.

"Tarou...?"

The big, burly, brown bear shrugged at him. "So this is Ryujin, huh?"

Kevin averted his gaze, his eyes staring ashamedly at the tombstone. "What are you doing here?"

"My parents were worried about you."

"How did you even find me?"

Tarou shrugged his broad shoulders. "It's something you said. When you talked about Ryujin, you tended to slip and talk about him as if what you had with him is long past. And then there's your earring." He gestured at Kevin's trinket. "You mentioned it was a gift. I don't think anyone would wear a simple gift like that every single day of their life. You also said you were constantly seeing Ryujin but you're always back at my parents' home at a reasonable hour. So you aren't spending the night with him. At a hunch I guessed..."

Kevin laughed softly and regarded the tombstone again. "Good guess..." He took a deep breath and turned completely towards Tarou. "Well, here I am. No need to worry. I've got a hotel room not too far away so you or your parents don't need to call the cops. So if you don't mind, I'd like some privacy."

"Why didn't you tell me Ryujin was dead, Flick?" Tarou asked.

For some reason, hearing that in English hurt a lot. Kevin was fairly sure that if spoken in Japanese, it would be far more elegant, subtle. But in his native tongue, it felt so blunt like someone had jabbed a spiked baseball bat into his chest and twisted.

"No one ever asked."

Tarou stepped forward, forcing Kevin to turn away completely.

Thwack!

Kevin snapped his head back towards the big bear, covering his nose. "Stop doing that!" he snarled, wiggling his nose to get rid of the stinging.

"You're just being stupid now," Tarou accused. "Don't you think that's something you should've shared instead of lying to us?"

"I didn't lie. If you think about it, I never once said Ryujin was alive."

Tarou crossed his big arms. "A lie of omission is still a lie of omission."

"It's still a personal topic and certainly not one that I'm willing to share with a judgemental asshole so far in the closet that he's crossed over to Narina and so far in denial that he's practically drowning in the Mediterranean Sea!"

The burly bear gave him a quizzical look. "What?"

"The Nile River. It feeds into the Mediterranean." When he got an even more confused look from Tarou, he began making circular gestures form his paw. "Get it? 'The Nile'? 'Denial'? It sounds the same? You're so far in denial sounds like you're so far in 'The Nile'?"

"But that wouldn't make sense."

Kevin let out a frustrated growl and shook his head. "Why are we arguing about semantics?" He made a slicing gesture through the air. "My point is, I don't want to talk about this. Go back home, Sensei. That's where you belong, after all. You've made it abundantly clear you don't want anything from me."

Despite his words, the Taiko drummer didn't move.

Tarou's brown eyes searched his and Kevin was playing a game of 'keep-away' as he tried to keep their gazes from locking. "So when you went out every night, it really was always to meet with Ryujin? You were never really partying?"

"The only time I actually went to a club was when you and I went," he confessed.

"You come to Japan ever six months just so you can stand here and talk to your dead boyfriend?"

Kevin snarled. "You make that sound like it's a bad thing. I don't know what you do with your dead loved ones, Sensei, but I at least honour mine."

Tarou's arms just folded closer, his muscled tightening. Kevin recognised that stance. Tarou was about to get all high-and-mighty with him, go into 'teacher mode'. "And you accuse me of not being able to move on."

Those words struck deep and Kevin actually staggered back in shock. The blow was strong and it took the kangaroo a good thirty seconds to realise just what had hit him: his own words.

"You keep telling me that I can't let move on with my life because I'm so bound to the people I love and here you are, coming back to Ryujin's grave every six months, pretending you're this partying playboy when really, you're just coming up here all lost in what you used to have. That's really pathetic, Flick."

"This is in no way the same as your problem!"

"It's exactly the same," Tarou snarled.

"No it's not!"

"Oh yeah?" Tarou narrowed his eyes, instantly setting Kevin to be on the defensive. "Never Stop. What's its significance to you?"

Kevin choked. He pursed his lips and squeezed his eyes shut. "It's... It was our song. We were going to play it at our wedding..."

"See?" the bear accused. "You surround yourself with Ryujin. His ghost haunts you and I'm willing to bet it's not what he wouldn't wanted from you." He jerked his chin at Kevin. "His last words. What were they?"

He couldn't answer. The memory was just too painful.

"Just what happened?" Tarou demanded. "What the hell happened that's got you so tied up with him?"

"Fine!" Kevin snapped, opening his eyes. "You want the truth? Here it is." He took a deep breath and let it out nice and slow. "A couple of years ago, Ryujin came over to the US from our Japanese branch. We hit it off, like I said. A year later, he proposed to me." He gestured at his earring, the golden band. "This was meant to be our wedding ring."

"I thought it was a little peculiar looking for an earring."

The kangaroo smiled faintly. "We were happily engaged for about four months. Then we flew here a month or so before the big day. Wanted to say hi to his parents and spend some time in his home town for a bit before we headed back to the US to get married. One night, while he was having a bachelor party with his friends, some drunken idiot came zooming down a street and..."

His voice broke.

"I'm sorry," Tarou mumbled. He seemed genuine with that but it was just empty platitudes. Kevin got the same thing at work every since day since Ryujin died. Everyone seemed to treat him like he was made out of glass; like even the mere mention of Japan or Ryujin would shatter him and cause him to break into tears.

"Ryujin's last words to me were, 'Live for the both of us'." Kevin puffed out his chest proudly. "And that's exactly what I've been doing. I've been living like he would've wanted for me. I just spend a couple of weeks every six months to reflect on what we had. Is that so bad?"

Tarou didn't say anything for a long moment. It was almost serene as the wind blew and several cherry blossoms danced around them even if they were standing in the middle of a graveyard.

"Yes," the bear said firmly. "Yes it is."

"You are heartless, Sensei," Kevin sneered.

"Am I really, Flick?" Tarou countered. "Or are you just so blind that you don't realise there's someone here who is trying to help you."

"High praise coming from you."

The bear rubbed the back of his neck. "Look. I know I've been fairly stubborn in my own right and I haven't been very... receptive to your criticisms. I don't know anything. And it's come to my attention that... I am... complacent with my lot in life and that isn't sustainable." He waved a paw towards Kevin. "But the way you're going isn't sustainable for you either."

"And you're suddenly the expert?"

Tarou finally unfolded his arms and gave Kevin a sympathetic smile. "Were you the expert on me when we met? I bet you thought you could lull me into friendship, seduce me and come up here to boast about your latest conquest to Ryujin to prove to him that you're living for the both of you, right?"

It hurt that Tarou had hit the nail on the head. Even though Kevin was the lawyer, it seemed that Tarou would make one hell of a teacher with his uncanny mind-reading abilities.

"It's hard to let go of him..." Kevin confessed.

"It's hard to move away from something or someone you've held onto for so long," agreed Tarou. He took a deep breath and held out his paw. "But maybe we just need someone to pry our arms loose?"

The kangaroo closed his eyes and turned away, giving his head a little shake. "That was so corny..."

"I'm not Ryujin so you can expect a little bit of corn." Tarou closed his paw for a moment the twisted it to the side, offering it as a paw shake instead. "Hi, my name is Tarou Mizushima. I'm a twenty-two year old Japanese bear who lives right next door to his parents. I like working out every day but really I use it as an excuse not to masturbate to the distinctly bara manga I have hidden under my bed that I keep telling everyone, including my parents, that I read for the stories."

Kevin gave him a puzzled stare. "What are you doing?"

Tarou gave him a smile and for the first time, he felt like he was actually seeing the real bear. "We were both wearing masks whether we realised it or not. We were hiding ourselves. So let's start again. This time without the masks." He shook his paw lightly, beckoning for Kevin to shake it. "So? What do you say?"

The kangaroo regarded the gesture, blinking several times partially to get the tears out of his eyes and partially due to disbelief. Then, he just had to shrug and gripped Tarou's paw. He felt warmth radiating from it, a heat that coursed through his veins and just made him feel... alive. More alive than he had ever been since Ryujin had died.

"My name is Kevin Rider. I'm a twenty-six lawyer from California. I live alone in a one-bedroom apartment and was once engaged. But my fiancé died a month before our wedding and I've been trying to live enough for both of us by partying all day and night but I keep making a trip to his grave across the Pacific Ocean every six months on some bullshit excuse that I need to do it for compliance sake."

They shook paws firmly, big smiles on their face.

"You know this is the corniest thing I've ever experienced?" Kevin admitted, half-laughing, half-crying.

Tarou just gave him a wan smile.

"So far."

Week 3

The alarm rang.

Tarou woke up, feeling spry, happy and full of energy. He bounded out of bed, stretching for a few moments before heading towards the kitchen. Every step was filled with energy like every strand of fur on his body was charged and ready to burst. He swung his arms happily and stepped into the kitchen... before freezing immediately.

"Morning," greeted Kevin, handing him a freshly made protein shake. "Ready to go?"

It took Tarou a whole minute to remember - for about the third time - that he had invited the foreign kangaroo into his home and Kevin wasn't here on some twisted agenda from his parents. It took him another minute to remember what had happened a few days back, particularly when he and Kevin finally made amends.

"Just let me throw on something decent," Tarou said, hiking his thumb over his shoulder. He tried to control the blush on his cheeks as he became very aware of his near-nudity. With only his underwear, some part of him - albeit miniscule - couldn't shake the feeling that the American homosexual was going to pounce on him at any given moment and that the more clothes he had on, the better equipped he would be in fending off the kangaroo's advances.

As memories caught up with instincts, he remembered that Kevin had been nothing but a gentleman the past few days since he had invited the roo to stay with him instead of his parents. Still, two weeks of being repulsed and condescending towards the sweet, if damaged marsupial was hard to sweep under the rug in a few days.

"Hey question," Kevin began, after taking a sip from his shake. "Do you guys even really use those weird towels that you somehow twist around to become a pair of underwear? Kind of like a thong but not?"

Tarou lifted an eyebrow. Anyone else wouldn't have understood that but he knew exactly what Kevin was referring to. "You mean a fundoshi? Nah. It's fallen out of style. Though we have these festivals every now and then. Hadaka Matsuri. Basically the Naked Festival were participants were the least amount of clothing and sometimes even completely naked and just run around doing whatever."

The kangaroo, who was in the middle of his drink, choked and nearly spewed some of his shake through his nostrils. "Wait? Really?"

"You've been coming here every six months for the past few years. How do you not know about this?" Tarou was very careful not to mention Ryujin as he was aware Kevin was still recovering. He could sense that Kevin was aware of the 'rubber-gloves' treatment he was given the roo. On the other hand, he could tell there was still a lot about him that Kevin didn't quite approve about either.

But he was relieved when Kevin rolled his eyes and said, "Well, in case you forgot I was pretty caught up in my own little world of nostalgia with Ryujin. I have a lot of catching up to do. I mean, do you know I've never been to Mount Fuji? Or to Tokyo for that matter? Hell, is Shibuya even really that busy?"

Tarou gave the question some thought as he headed back into his room. "You know? I've never been to Mount Fuji either. Or Tokyo or Shibuya... I guess I've just always been in this town." He fished out a pair of jogging pants and threw on a singlet.

"Ever given thought to going out there one of these days?" Kevin asked.

Tarou shrugged and slipped on his runners. "Actually, I was thinking of applying to one of the schools elsewhere outside of this town. I mean, there are only so many students in this place, right? If I widen my range, I'll have a better chance of finding someplace that'll let me teach there."

"Is this the Tarou Mizushima _actually_thinking of a place outside the house he bought right next to his parents' place?" Kevin mocked playfully. "Or are you seriously considering commuting from halfway across the country every day just to get to work?"

"Hey, the bullet train is pretty fast."

"And expensive."

Tarou gave Kevin a light punch on the shoulder. "Come on. That's a ways away. Let's go."

It had become a sort of morning ritual for them to go running every morning and then hit the gym shortly afterwards. Kevin would then go off to do his thing - which usually involved seeing a few sights - and then he'd meet up with Tarou after he finished class and they would just hang out before dinner. Usually that involved then just sitting in front of the TV.

They worked up a good sweat as they ran around their usual route. It was around then that Kevin starting pulling ahead. The kangaroo was built for speed after all and he had impressive endurance for someone who was comparatively thinner than Tarou. The bear began slowing down but he had to admit he didn't quite mind the sight of Kevin's firm rump and well-toned back in front of him. Such sights were getting quite common around his house and after officially coming out to his parents, it was like a whole new world had opened up for him.

Suddenly, he was seeing shapely rumps, well-built chests, rippling abdominals and bulging biceps everywhere. He_knew_ they had been there before but it was actually the first time he started realising that those things were very sexy. It became very hard to be around Kevin even though the kangaroo was clothed most of the time.

More than once, he had been tempted to feel Kevin in more ways than just a helping paw or a gentle massage to ease a sprained muscle. Sadly, he was all too well aware that Kevin was going to leave again in just a little under a week. What was the use in getting involved with someone that was just going to leave?

He cherished their friendship too much to break it over something as stupid as hormones.

Just as they reached the train station, they stopped like they always did to catch their breath and chug down the rest of their protein shake. Kevin was the one that taught him that through their run, their metabolism kicked up to the next gear so downing their protein shake during that would ensure the supplements were absorbed quicker. A gym session afterwards would ensure that effort went into muscle growth.

"I've only got a week left here," Kevin began with a sigh. "Anything in particular you feel like doing?"

It was a question Tarou had asked himself many times before. Their friendship was indeed special to him but the looming date of Kevin's departure was like a doomsday clock to him. If a doctor had just given him less than a week to live, he wouldn't have been as worried as this.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Tarou laughed softly. "I feel like I wasted your time here for the past two weeks."

"That was my fault." Kevin scratched his goatee thoughtfully. "Besides, as stupid as we both were, I wouldn't trade that experience for anything."

Whenever Kevin said such sweet things, Tarou just wanted to go up to him, hold him in his big arms. But he had to pull himself back and remind himself Kevin was still very tender and fragile.

"There's a lot I'd really want to do," continued the roo. "That time at the club was actually pretty fun. First time I actually went to a club and felt genuine instead of acting like I was Ryujin. I'd love to go back."

"Sure. How about tonight after my Taiko practice?"

The kangaroo gave him a questioning look. "You've got Taiko practice today? I thought that wasn't for a couple more days?"

Tarou wiped his brow with the back of his paw. He was drenched in sweat though it just made his fur look all matted and sticky. On Kevin, it looked fantastic. With such short fur, the coppery-red fur clung to every muscle on Kevin's lean, muscled body. "The festival is in a couple more days. Iruka-sensei wants us practicing every day to make sure we're ready."

Kevin shrugged and gave Tarou a brilliant smile. "Sure. That sounds like fun. Same plan as last time? Taiko practice, movie, dinner and then the club?"

"Sure."

As they headed off for the next half of their run, Tarou couldn't help but feel that the impending deadline of Kevin's departure was a big, black mark on his calendar. They had never spoken about it but with the roo finally recovering from his heartbreak at Ryujin's death, would the kangaroo even come back? In fact, they hadn't even exchanged contact details yet. It seemed better to ignore the problem and enjoy themselves than deal with it.

Tarou shook his head.

No. They would just be going back into denial.

"You know, we should exchange contact details," he said. "For when you leave. I know time zones are going to be a pain but I don't want to lose contact with you." Just like he lost contact with his friends from high school, he mentally added. Things were changing indeed and he was changing with them for once.

"Yeah, of course," Kevin said with a smile. "Besides, six months isn't all that long."

Tarou tilted his head to the side. "You're still coming back in six months?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I want to see my favourite family?" Kevin then spun around and began running backwards. "Your mother has been more of a mom to me than anyone else. She's nosy, manipulative and goddamn if she doesn't make the best ramen."

Any other time that would've put Tarou on the defensive but after learning how his parents had toyed with both of them a little, he couldn't help but feel both extremely loved and a bit childish.

"My father isn't any better," he laughed softly.

Kevin laughed in return. "And of course, I wouldn't want to miss my classes, eh Sensei."

Tarou rolled his eyes at the nickname. "I guess we should start planning what you want to do in six months when you come back, eh Flick?"

"Maybe it can be an excuse for us to go on a trip across the country! You have a break during the semester, right?"

Tarou beamed. "I do! But it's in the next three months, not six."

"I can make the trip," Kevin said with a shrug. "I've been to this wonderful country twice every year and I've barely seen a fraction of it." He spun around, spreading his arms like he was about to soar on a pair of wings. "I'm ready to see the rest of the world!"

A small smile touched the bear's lips. "Yeah. Me too..." he whispered softly.

When they arrived back home, they took a moment to cool down before heading off to the gym. It was arms day for them and they had a good workout. Tarou had to admit that he felt somewhat jealous of how vascular Kevin was. He could have traced those veins up and down the kangaroo's arms all day particularly since he never had to flex or be pumped for them to be visible. He reined himself in before he could get too excited. Again, they were friends and he didn't want to ruin that fresh, new relationship.

But he couldn't help but wonder... Kevin was so... clothed all the time. What did he look like naked? What would it feel like to have their bodies pressed close to one another?

He shook his head free of the thoughts and dove straight for the gym shower stalls to dampen his hormones. He did not want to push the topic. Kevin was a good friend. They were going to part in a couple of days. The roo was probably going to find someone his age and in his field back in the United States anyway.

Though a bit of him did hold out at the hope that when Kevin came back in a few months...

"No!" he growled to himself, the shower's waters peppering him. "Bad. Don't do that, Tarou. Don't burden him."

Once they were done with their showers, they went their separate ways from the gym; Tarou to his Taiko drumming practice and Kevin off to the city to finally experience the town he'd been visiting so often.

But as they parted, Tarou felt the looming shadow of the impending date hovering over his shoulder and its weight was starting to drag him down. To make a friend and then lose them in just a week even if it was though long distance...? He came to the terrifying realisation that Kevin was his only _true_friend and that he would barely get to talk to him once he left.

He didn't want Kevin to leave.

But he couldn't ask Kevin to stay. That would be selfish of him and Ryujin's memory was still raw in the poor roo's heart.

"Tarou!"

He snapped into attention like a soldier, utterly surprised to have hear Iruka's voice. Last thing he remembered, he was stepping out of his house, bidding Kevin a fond 'see you later'. What he was doing in the auditorium, up on stage, in his traditional garb and with his Bachi in paw was beyond him.

It occurred to him that he had been performing and there was Iruka, judging him.

"Where was that fire and passion from last week?" demanded the badger. "Today, you're back to going through the rhythms. Whatever it was that mustered such ferocity in you, find it again and bring it back or you will not perform at this year's festival."

Tarou's shoulders slumped. "Yes, sensei."

"Go. Think on this."

The bear shuffled off the stage. He was stopped just at the base of the stage by a spotted paw. It was Ryoku, his fellow student in Taiko.

"Tarou, are you alright?" asked the concerned feline. "Last week I saw you talking to that kangaroo and overheard your heated exchange. Is that American bothering you?"

Tarou regarded the feline with surprise. "What? No. No. He... He actually helped me."

"I noticed," answered the feline with a soft laugh. "After your talk, you charged up there and banged away at the Taiko like you were possessed. It was your best performance yet but it was full of rage and frustration."

Rage and frustration. That was what Kevin had incited in him. But these days, he could no longer muster those emotions. Not against Kevin.

"It's complicated."

Ryoku glanced over his shoulder to where Iruka was waiting for him to perform. "Did you want to talk about it? I mean, let me perform first and then did you want to grab a bite to eat?"

"Why do you care?" Tarou asked bluntly.

The cheetah gripped his arm in a brotherly fashion. "Because I see your potential and I know it is a great honour to be performing at Hanami. I want you up there alongside me, bringing honour to your family and yourself."

There was no deception in Ryoku's words and he had to sigh in relief. "I appreciate that. And yes, I would like talk about it."

"Great. Give me a moment."

Ryoku stepped up onto stage and performed. His drumming was so zealous and full of life. Tarou felt like he was being carried back and forth on a tide and Ryoku was the fearsome god of storms and seas dictating the ebb and flow of the oceans. He allowed himself to close his eyes, envisioning himself as a lonely sailor amidst a raging storm. Each thunderous boom a clap of thunder, each _bang_a flash of lightning. Ryoku told a story.

That was what he needed.

A story.

And he knew exactly what story he wanted to tell.

But he had a problem.

After the performance, Ryoku and Tarou headed out into the school cafeteria. They grabbed some food and sat down at a booth. It shamed Tarou to realise that he had been in the same club for nearly a year with Ryoku but knew next to nothing about him save for the fact that he was a cheetah and was into Taiko drumming.

"So who was that American?" Ryoku asked.

"Someone staying with my parents who welcome people into their home as part of a holiday stay program," answered Tarou. "He was a little nosey and kept trying to tell me how to live because he's so 'worldly' but he's actually a nice guy after you get to know him." Tarou sighed softly. "In fact, I am loathed to admit that my exchange with him is what inspired my best drumming last week."

"So what's the problem?" asked the cheetah.

Tarou was careful not to reveal too much so he deflected the question. "Let me ask you something first. When you drum, you seem to tell a story. Are you?"

Ryoku grinned. "You got that, did you? Well, you are right. I do try to tell a story. In my head I am trying to replay my favourite baseball game over and over in my head. The thrill of game, the amazing home runs, the thrilling plays." He shook his head. "I've memorised that game in my head and I try to translate that into my drumming." He cocked his head to the side. "What of you? What story are you trying to tell?"

Tarou pursed his lips. "That is the problem. I have a story. But... I don't have the ending."

Ryoku's eyebrows rose. "Is it about the American?"

"Yes. Before -"

"Wait, wait," said the cheetah, holding up his paws. "Let me guess." He shut his eyes. "First there was distrust and immediate disgust. Then afterwards, just pure frustration and anger. But now..." He opened one eye a Tarou. "You actually like the guy now, right?"

"How'd you know?"

"Your drumming," Ryoku said with a shrug. "I remembered your past performances and I pieced it together. Today, you seemed confused. You were going through the motions like you were distracted." Ryoku's eyes widened and he broke into a broad grin. "You like this foreigner, don't you!?"

There was no use denying it and Ryoku was practically a stranger. There was no harm in telling the truth. "Yes. After we got over our mutual... frustration at one another, we actually grew to like one another. I think he feels the same way too but I don't want to commit to anything simply because he's going to leave in a week. I can't help but feel that I wasted the past two weeks being a judgemental fool when I could've grown closer to him instead."

The cheetah smiled brightly. "I've got the perfect solution."

"Really? What?"

Ryoku beamed. "We are going to a particular club tonight!"

Tarou offered a faint smile. "Well, we were planning to go to a club tonight so might as well."

"Excellent! Meet me at the train station outside of school tonight. Just at nine."

"Nine? Isn't that a little late?"

Ryoku just grinned at him. "Of course. This place doesn't open until ten!"

******

Kevin was honestly surprised when Tarou cancelled their movie and dinner to meet a 'friend' of his. He was of the opinion that Tarou didn't really have any friends. It was a terrible thing to say but one of the many reasons he always kept as much clothing as possible on him - even going so far as to hide his 'I'm Horny' tattoo - was to ensure he didn't give Tarou any ideas.

Even if Tarou was big, strong, smelled amazing when he was all sweaty and every heavy breath he took while working out pumped most of Kevin's blood from his brain to his groin, he just couldn't advance on his desires. Every inch of him wanted to be held tightly by Tarou's big, strong arms, to be told that it was going to be okay and to be encompassed in a loving warmth he knew Tarou was more than willing to give. He didn't want to become Tarou's one and only friend, his anchor. The big bear needed to go out there, find his circle of friends and grow as a person before he found someone to love. Whether or not that was Kevin was debatable.

Tarou had just come to accept his sexuality. Did he even really know what that meant or who he was? There was more to a person than just being gay after all. Admitting to himself that he liked men was the first step but he had to figure out the rest for himself. Kevin was happy to help but he wasn't going to offer advice unsolicited; that only led to Tarou lecturing him in turn and while boht of them had fun about it, neither really took the advice to heart when delivered in such a way. Besides, the kangaroo told himself that he had really just gotten over Ryujin and jumping the bones of the first guy that he was attracted to was a terrible idea.

They both needed some time apart no matter how much it hurt.

That said, he was still very surprised when they met up with a cheetah he recognised to be from Taiko's drumming class.

"Kevin, this is Ryoku," Tarou said, gesturing at the cheetah. "Ryoku, Kevin."

"Pleased to meet you," Ryoku said in English despite having a heavy accent.

In Japanese, Kevin replied, "The pleasure is mine, Ryoku."

The cheetah switched to Japanese with surprise. "Oh! You speak Japanese very well!"

"Thank you. So where are we going?"

"You'll see," Ryoku answered enigmatically.

Even Tarou was looking a little nervous as they headed back on the train, deeper into the city. When the neon lights began to drown out the stars, Kevin was really starting to get worried. Tarou mentioned that they were going to a club but exactly what club? He only really knew of one and that was the one that Ryujin took him to.

Then, just about an hour later, they stopped in front of the door where a big, burly bouncer was standing beneath a bright sign that simply said 'Bara'.

"Oh..." Tarou murmured.

"Oh boy," Kevin answered. He turned to Tarou. "I think we should go somewhere else..."

Surprisingly, Tarou shook his head. "No. Let's do this."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. It'll be fun." Despite those words, Tarou's cheeks were afire with a blush. More interestingly, the confident Ryoku stepped up to the bouncer, exchanged a few words and then the bouncer waved them in, skipping the line and angering those who were already waiting.

"It's like I never left the US," Kevin laughed softly, offering the waiting patrons an apologetic wave. "What did you tell the guard?" he asked Ryoku.

"I'm a regular here," answered the cheetah with a distinctly Cheshire grin. "Garo knows me and knows that I'll pay him back after his shift is over."

Tarou froze in place, his eyes wide in shock.

Ryoku just laughed at him. "I'm joking, Tarou. I booked us in earlier today. Garo confirmed it." He spread his arms wide as they stepped through a colourful bead curtain. "Now let's have some fun!"

The music was loud. Very loud. And there were a lot of people. But not just gay men either. There were women too just trying to have fun. Perhaps there was something liberating about knowing that none of these guys were out for their ass. Yes the clientele were predominantly male but everyone was just there to have fun.

"Ryoku, are you...?" Tarou began.

The cheetah just beamed at him. "No, my friend. I like women. But sometimes, I just like it when men touch me. Boys know what boys like, after all."

Kevin grinned broadly, his tail thumping the ground to bead of the heavy bass. "I like him."

Ryoku quickly vanished into the sea of bodies and flashing lights. Kevin turned to Tarou who looked like he had frozen in place. With a smile, he gripped Tarou's paw, awakening the sleeping giant from his trance. Their eyes met and the rest of the club just faded away. It was just the two of them.

They two strode onto the dance floor and just let the music flow into them. The tide of bodies didn't afford them a lot of space to move so they were constantly being pushed against one another. Kevin could feel Tarou's blush and he was forcing himself away with every ounce of his self-control. But every time he took a step away, someone would bump into him and push him against Tarou or Tarou would be shoved a little forward back into his arms.

It seemed that the universe was telling them to be together.

But no! He couldn't! He'd have to leave in a week and that would only leave him with heartbreak!

He took a single step away and managed to swerve aside before a big panda bumped him back into Tarou. A big wolf in only a fishnet shirt and little else gripped Tarou's hips and the bear leapt forward towards Kevin with a yelp. Thankfully, Tarou turned his back in time and they pressed their backs against one another. They shared a lopsided grin. It was almost like a game. Ten points if they could dodge any partially, naked, sweaty bodies and avoid colliding into one another.

Kevin pulled away from Tarou and leapt to the side a big, scaly tail swept through the ground. Tarou used his bulk to his advantage and tried to shuffle through the crowd. But being such a big stud like him, people were more likely to grab onto a piece of meat than let him pass. It was rather cute watching the big bear blush like that.

Then that same panda came back around swinging his arms wide while letting out a wild howl. Kevin jumped back... right into Tarou's powerful chest and big, strong paws. A shiver ran up his spine and he could feel Tarou's discomfort.

The music abruptly changed.

From the fast-paced rushing with a deep bass, there came a melodic song.

"Uh oh," Kevin muttered. "Slow song..." He tried to pull away. "Tarou, let's get some drinks -"

Then he felt Tarou's lips against his neck, the bear's warm breath wafting through his soft fur and his strong heartbeat pounding through his powerful chest. Tarou's arms wrapped around his chest, holding them together tightly. Kevin couldn't resist nor could he escape and he leaned into the bears chest, swaying gently with the gentle, sweet song. Tarou gently pecked his neck, sending ripples of arousal through his whole body.

Inch by inch, he found his lips thirsting for the touch of Tarou's, his mind going blank and filled with a primal instinct to feel the touch of the man who had broken him out of his slump and brought him back to the land of the living. He twisted his head as far as it would go, their cheeks pressed up against one another. Eyes half-closed he looked up at Tarou and the bear's brown eyes looked back down to him. There was no confusion in his eyes.

Kevin pulled away from Tarou just long enough to turn around and pressed his chest against Tarou's.

Their lips inched towards one another.

He could feel the bear's breath washing over him like a crisp, sea breeze.

A powerful force greater than gravity was pulling their lips together, inching together until their noses were practically touching -

Then the song ended.

Like waking up from a dream, the two of them jerked away from one another. Tarou blushed but this time, Kevin did too. Even as the music built up again to a heavy rhythm, neither of them did much but just stand there, looking awkwardly at one another.

Kevin eventually had to break the silence.

"Hey, you wanna get out of here?"

The burly bear grinned. "Absolutely. Let me just tell Ryoku."

Fifteen minutes later, they were out of the club with Tarou reporting that Ryoku was going to stay for a little while. The hour long train ride back to their home suburb was the longest he had ever experienced especially since it passed in relative silence. Kevin's mind was still blank and he was only aware of the throbbing need in his pants. As the train ride continued however and blood returned to his brain, he realised what a terrible mistake coming onto Tarou was and was glad that they had stopped. The more time passed, the more he was sure that this was right choice.

He just didn't feel like it was time to talk about it.

When they arrived back at the house at long last, it was with much relief that they headed into their own rooms. Kevin slumped into his bed, shutting his eyes and wondering at what could almost have been. He let himself fantasize of a reality where he would have had brilliant, mind-blowing sex with Tarou, they'd fall in love, experience the festival together and by some twist of fate, somehow they'd end up staying together forever, they'd get married and suddenly be very happy together.

But then reality came crashing down.

Kevin still had his job back across the ocean. Tarou didn't even have a steady job yet. He was still in school! How would they support themselves? They couldn't live off Tarou's parents forever. Besides, it wouldn't be good for Tarou's growth if they were bogged down by debt and lack of funds, anchoring them further in this place.

And what if Tarou found a job elsewhere in Japan? Could they both move in together and somehow sustain both of them on a teacher's salary? How long would it take for Kevin to find a job if ever? Of course, Tarou could always move to the states where Kevin had a well-paying job but that would mean forcing the bear to cancel his studies here and pick them back up overseas. Who knew how long that would take?

Kevin growled at himself.

It hurt that this was the right decision.

"Kevin," came Tarou's voice from his room, "could you help me with something for a second?"

The kangaroo rolled his eyes. This was probably a corny line from Tarou, trying to convince him to help him with an erect dick or something. As he stood up, Kevin steeled himself into rejecting Tarou. As much as it hurt, as much as he wanted to be with Tarou, he couldn't. It just wouldn't be right for both of them.

He headed towards Tarou's bedroom, a speech already ready. But when he stepped inside, he couldn't find Tarou anywhere. He checked the bathroom but he wasn't in there either.

"Tarou?"

There was a soft shuffling behind him and he turned.

Tarou was just emerging from his closet.

Naked.

And with his big, fat dick at full past and drooling with precum.

Kevin's throat closed up but he still managed to croak out, "Tarou -"

"I'm coming out of the closet," the bear offered cheekily.

"I'm sorry?"

"Isn't that how you Americans put a confession of being homosexual? Coming out of the closet?"

Kevin couldn't help but smile. "Tarou, you were out of the closet a while back. You... Uh..." He tore his gaze away from the bear's member. "Could you please put some clothes on? That's very distracting."

Tarou's heavy footsteps suddenly bounded over to him and the bear was just a foot away from him, that slick member just inches away from Kevin's flesh. "I know this is a mistake! I know that you have to leave in less than a week and that if we do it here and now, we're going to develop feelings for one another that are only going to fester and hurt the longer we're apart. But here's the thing..."

He looked up into Tarou's brown eyes. "Those feelings are already there..."

Tarou nodded slowly. "They are. And even if we don't do it here, even if you reject my advances, we'll always be left wondering what life could've been."

Kevin pursed his lips. "I don't know if I'm ready. I just recently let go of Ryujin."

"And I've recently just embraced who I am," Tarou replied with a sheepish grin. He held out his paw, just like how he had back in the graveyard. "But like I said back there, I'd like to start this new journey with someone. So... will you be that someone?"

The kangaroo didn't hesitate. He took Tarou's paw and was immediately pulled into the big bear's arms. A long last, their lips met and it was like fireworks had just gone off. Kevin's heart leapt to his throat and his eyelids fluttered. He pressed himself against Tarou, feeling the big bear's dick pressed up against his shirt and soaking into the fabric. His paws happily roved Tarou's body, finally getting to explore every inch of the strong ursine's muscled form in great detail. He closed his eyes, eager to commit everything he felt, tasted and smelled to memory.

Twenty-two years of barely repressed sexual tension exploded out of Tarou and his tongue shot out of his muzzle and into Kevin's. The smaller marsupial was stunned at the sudden invasion and even laughed a little as Tarou took strong command and curled an arm around his back. Tarou carefully dipped him, his strong arm keeping Kevin from falling to the ground. Kevin instinctively curled a leg around the big bear's waist. There was something comforting to be carried by such a big strong man like that.

Then Tarou broke the kiss and his brown eyes searched his lover's.

Kevin fully understood.

Tarou was still very new to this scenario and from what Kevin guessed, he really didn't have any serious girlfriends before. That left him very much a virgin and though he perused bara comics, nothing within those pages compared to reality.

With a gentle paw, Kevin slipped back onto the ground and slowly took Tarou's paws, guiding the bear to the bed. He sat on the large, mattress, Tarou's immense weight having formed a large indentation there. He could smell the bear's heavy, earthy musk off the sheets and it made him shiver. Gentle paws gripped the rims of his shirt and he shut his eyes, letting those paws slide the fabric off his body.

"You look so amazing..." Tarou whispered. He leaned in, taking a deep, long whiff of Kevin's neck . The gesture made every inch of Kevin's body yearn for the bear. He barely managed to restrain himself to curling an arm around Tarou's thick neck, pushing him against his shoulder where the bear gently nibbled at his skin. Electric bolts of desire shot through Kevin's body with every little nick.

Kevin brushed his cheek against Tarou's and gently kissed the bear's neck. The muscles beneath the thick fur were so strong. He could feel Tarou's racing heartbeat through the veins beneath that corded neck. With rising urgency, he traced the roadmap of veins down Tarou's neck, over the mountainous shoulders and towards the bear's thick chest. He could only guess where the veins were but he continued to lap at those enormous, steel-like plateau's of furry muscle until he reached their peaks. His tongue brushed against Tarou's left nipple -

"Ah!" gasped Tarou.

He immediately pulled back. "Ticklish?"

Tarou gave him a shaky smile. "Felt... really good actually."

Kevin's ears twitched slightly. "Oh really?" he asked mischievously. "Does Sensei like it when I do this...?" He made a show of opening his muzzle big and wide, his long, flat tongue out as it brushed gently against Tarou's nipple.

The big brown bear vibrated in front of him, his grip around Kevin's shoulder's tightening. "Oh... Flick..."

"How about this?" Kevin teased. He closed his lips around Tarou's nipple and gave it a tender suckle. A spurt of hot precum directly onto the kangaroo's chest was his answer. "You like it when I play with your nipples, huh?"

Tarou's cheeks were afire. "They're very sensitive..."

"I can tell," Kevin snickered. He rested his head against Tarou's chest, shutting his eyes gently. "Just tell me when you want me to stop, okay?"

He got a soft mumble as acknowledgement and he gently ran a finger around Tarou's nipple, running circles around the sensitive flesh and feeling it harden beneath his pawpads. Tarou was shaking with pleasure, his eyes fluttering beneath his eyelids. Strength left the bear's legs and he all but collapsed on top of Kevin. The roo didn't mind as he allowed himself to lay back, compressed against the sheets that smelled so much of this bear and the mound of incredible muscle pushing down upon him.

"Tell me what you want to do," Kevin whispered softly. As soon as he finished, he wrapped his lips around Tarou's nipple and the bear grunted loudly, biting his lower lip as he desperately tried to hold back his orgasm.

"I... I wanna..." Tarou mumbled, pawing at Kevin's pants.

For a moment, the kangaroo hesitated. He hadn't really let anyone in since Ryujin.

But this was Tarou...

With a smile, he gripped the edges of his pants and pulled them down. His erect dick pushed up against Tarou's. The feeling of another cock against his own was electric. He had many partners since Ryujin but never before since his fiancé's death had he felt something so... right. The warmth that radiated from Tarou meshed with his own, mingling, forming a passionate flame that burned brighter than even the sun.

Kevin wanted that warmth inside of him and not just on the surface.

He curled his legs around Tarou's waist, his hips bucking and urging Tarou to take him. But he felt Tarou's eyes on him. Their gazes met and shortly after, their lips. Passion erupted between them as one man let go of his past and the other embraced the future. Neither of them had to ask for permission or even doubt what would come next. Each one just knew.

Tarou shuffled slightly, aiming his dick directly at Kevin's ass. Kevin gave his nipples a little twist, eliciting a moan but also a heavy flood of precum that splattered all over Kevin's ass and balls. The kangaroo smiled scooped up some of the sticky, clear fluids and lathered it over his own erect member, effectively lubricating himself. Driven by instinct and perhaps some knowledge from the manga he favoured, Tarou gently pushed his member into Kevin's ass. The kangaroo let out a loud moan, that source of heat entering him and flooding his very being.

The emptiness he felt since Ryujin finally started to fill up and as more and more of Tarou's precum and dick pushed into him, he found himself replacing the memory of Ryujin from that crippled, bloodied Shiba gasping his last with that of the bright, cheery canine that had brought light into his life. That was a memory he could let go of and the way he wanted to remember his fiancé.

Kevin let out a howl of pleasure as Tarou hilted into him. Tarou's bulk pressed down on him, sandwiching his cock between his set of rock-hard abdominals and Tarou's thick belly. Tarou panted, gasping for breath. Kevin leaned down, pressing his muzzle right in between Tarou's pectorals. The bear flexed those taut muscles, catching the roo's muzzle in a tender but firm embrace. In thanks, Kevin bent over to Tarou's nipple and gripped it firmly in his lips.

Tarou gasped and instinctively bucked his hips, shaking the entire bed. Like an earthquake had hit him, Kevin clung onto anything he could for dear life, holding onto Tarou's broad back and clamping his lips tightly around Tarou's nipples. The big bear bucked again and he in turn ran his tongue over the succulent, fleshy nub.

With every little lap, Tarou jerked his hips, letting out a deep, rumbling grunt. Each shake pushed his dick back and forth out of Kevin, precum pouring out of the fat member. Kevin's own cock answered the burst with his own shot of quickly thickening precum. Even without the presence of his paws stimulating himself, Kevin found a burning heat, the desire to orgasm, building deep in his balls and bubbling up to the surface.

He shut his eyes, blinded by pure desire and his affection for Tarou, his friend, the man who taught him how to let go.

His Sensei.

Kevin somehow managed to let go of Tarou's back, his claws raking across Tarou's thick chest until they found perchance against Tarou's nipple. He got a deep fuck as the big, sweat-drenched bear's body shuddered with the twin pleasures of his nipples being stimulated. Kevin found himself clinging on for dear life as the bear went wild, striking at his own pace regardless of the pace he set with his laps and twists of the nipple.

Every thrust shook the kangaroo's world and he could feel Tarou deep inside him, through every fibre of his being, reaching into his soul. He pulled his head back away from the nipple. He had to grip the sheets as Tarou's powerful thrusts sent him rising and falling like a wave. Pressure built deep in his balls. Every drop of precum that poured into him from Tarou was another drop that was building in his balls, begging him to burst out in glory.

He cried out, arching his back, eyes squeezed shut.

"Don't stop, Tarou!" he cried. "Don't you fucking stop!"

Tarou only let out a loud, feral growl and lunged for Kevin's lips, their muzzles meeting to form a single glorious breath. If the world had twisted and they merged into one in some miraculous twist of fate, neither man would have cared. They were united in more than just their lust but by circumstance, perhaps by destiny.

Tarou unleashed one powerful thrust and Kevin suddenly felt a rush of hot seed blasting into his ass. The fire that had ignited within him burned even brighter with this new fuel. Even through the haze of lust, he made a decision, a choice that was cemented further with every continuing hammer blow that Tarou unleashed despite the bear already spilling his seed. Each thrust seemed only to drill Tarou's essence deeper and deeper into him until at last, Kevin let out his own howl of joy and spilled his seed mightily across his chest. His seed seeped in between them where his dick was still sandwiched between their two bodies, a strong glue that would forever bind them no matter what came.

Kevin shuddered and gasped.

He looked deep into Tarou's eyes and the bear was looking back down at him, a wan smile on his face.

Their lips met.

It would not be the last time.

******

Tarou woke a little while later, wondering why he had awoken. It was just a little before dawn. The morning's grey sky was barely visible between his curtains. It was still dark outside. Something felt wrong. He recalled what had occurred the previous night and could only smile. He reached one big, meaty arm to where he thought Kevin lay but only found air. Puzzled, he got up, searching for the roo.

For a moment, he feared that he was just some conquest of the marsupial and now that he had finally gotten to sleep with him, Kevin had moved on. But he saw a faint light coming from his guest bedroom. Curious, naked and still a little sticky, he got up and quietly padded over.

Kevin was hunched over his laptop on the spare desk, rapidly typing something across the screen.

"Kevin?"

The kangaroo's ears swivelled around in that adorable way that earned him his nickname. "I'll be back in a minute babe. I just couldn't sleep with this on my mind."

"This? What is this?" Tarou asked, heading over. He saw the words 'Letter of Resignation' on screen and his heart leapt to his throat. "You're resigning?"

Kevin nodded firmly and gave him a brave, proud grin. "I've decided I'm going to stay here in Japan."

"You have?" Tarou exclaimed, his heart soaring. "But... what about your Visa? Your job?"

"I'm a senior lawyer. I've got good references. I'll find a good job. Besides, we've got an office here, admittedly in Tokyo but you always wanted to go there right? If I'm lucky, they'll negotiate with me to get me a job here in Japan and I won't have to actually quit my job. If not, I'm sure I'll find something."

Tarou's excitement reached its limits and he was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Flick... Kevin... I... Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Kevin got out of his seat and turned towards Tarou. He clasped Taoru's paws, the contact just feeling so right between them. "Tarou, you've made me realise a lot of things about myself and you've helped me grow. I can never repay you for that but at the very least, I'd like to be by your side and try."

Kevin gripped Tarou's paws tighter and gave them a secure shake. "I don't know what life will have in store for both of us, Tarou, but I am more than willing to find out. No matter the risks. I want to be with you. We can deal with whatever comes. I mean, it's crazy, I've only known you for three weeks and two of those weeks we spent sort of resenting each other. But if these last few days are anything to go by..."

Tarou's excitement and joy suddenly ebbed and his face fell. His heart sank back from his throat, sliding down his chest and sinking into the bottom of his gut where it sat in a pit of guilt.

"What?" Kevin asked, sensing his mood.

"I..." Tarou began softly. "I can't..."

Kevin's eyes widened. "What?"

He had to search his feelings and wrestled with himself, with his desires and his future. Tarou had to shut his eyes and could feel tears rising from within him. "I can't let you do that," he finally said. "You're giving up your career for me. Someone you've only really known for a couple of days."

"But that's the beauty of it, Tarou!" Kevin exclaimed. "Even in those three days, I feel like I've known you my whole life."

"You're just saying that."

"No! You were exactly like me, remember? In the closet, rooted where he was -"

"And I told you, I'm not you," Tarou sighed, finally opening his eyes. He took a step back. It was a pain, a terrible agony, but he managed to pull his paws away from Kevin. "Kevin... You built a whole life back in California."

"But it was a fake life! It wasn't me!"

"Are you sure? You were so confident about it when you came here and met me. Are you sure some part of that isn't you? Ryujin lives on in you even if he's no longer you anchor." Tarou gulped loudly as he considered his next words. "Can you honestly tell me that you are willing to give up your friends, your family, your past just to be with me? Did you really want to give up everything about yourself for a near-complete stranger?"

Kevin opened his muzzle to object but Tarou cut him off with a raised paw.

"I'm not going to let you make that choice, Kevin." His voice broke but he coughed to cover it up. "You... You just let of Ryujin. Your ears still twitch a little at the mention of his name. You're looking for someone to hold onto. If anything, you are like me." He offered Kevin a shaky smile. "You're so scared of what the world is out there that you don't want to let go of the one thing that you know will keep you stable and safe. Me."

"But -" Kevin cut himself off and balled his fists. He turned his head aside, sneering. "Damnit! You're right! I knew it was a mistake sleeping with you. It made this harder! Fuck!"

Tarou reached over, gripping Kevin's shoulder gently. "Do you what to know something?" he laughed softly. "Last night, when I 'came out of the closet', I was telling myself that I needed to have this. I needed to be with you. Just once. So I'm never left wondering. It was like I was reading a story, living it. There was a build-up and then if I didn't go through with it... the story just doesn't have an ending. But after I kissed you that first time... I realised I could never let you go."

With his head down, Kevin reached up and gave Tarou's paws a single squeeze... before gently brushing them off his shoulders. "And yet here we are about to let one another go."

"Because it's the right thing to do," Tarou concluded, tears welling up in his eyes. "I can't ask you to give up your job, your life back in the states and your family just to be with me. You still have a lot of healing to do, Flick. I've done what I can. Anything else I offer will only hurt you in the end."

"And it will hurt you too," Kevin offered, a wry smile on his face. "You're just starting to spread your wings. You don't need a ball and chain like me holding you back. If we start this, if we see it through, I'm going to tie you down. We'll be forced to go wherever the other goes. You might not like Tokyo."

The two men stood there, offering one another sad smiles.

They knew it had to happen. But it still hurt.

"You know, I almost wish we had this talk at least until the night I was going to leave," laughed Kevin. "At least then we couldn't had some crazy sex before then."

Tarou grinned slightly and gave his friend a light punch. "Then it would've been even harder."

"Yeah it would've."

He gave Kevin another little shove. "Stop it. Stop joking. Take off that mask."

Kevin squeezed his eyes shut, tears running down his face even though he wore such a brave smile. "I'm trying to cope. But it hurts. Kind of like tearing off a bandage off a wound that's still bloody and open."

"I know." Tarou took a deep breath. He braced himself. Then he pulled Kevin into a hug. "I'll never forget you, Kevin."

The kangaroo leaned against Tarou's chest, not saying a word for a long moment.

Then...

"... and I'll never forget you, Tarou. For the rest of my life. I will never forget you." He shook his head a little, burying his head into Tarou's thick pectorals. "This is the most I've ever cried."

Tarou turned to look at the ceiling, a smile on his face even with is eyes filled with tears.

"So far."

Week 58

"Hey! Kev! Are you coming or what?"

Kevin looked up from his desk. The door to his office was wide open and there was Chris Windborough, his best American friend and hyperactive otter.

"In a minute," Kevin said, turning back to his monitor. "Let me just finish this email."

"Dude!" exclaimed the otter, bounding over to him. "Come on! We'll miss the festival!" Chris had no sense of personal space and immediately reached over the desk and twisted Kevin's screen around. "Who are you emailing anyway?" Chris' blue eyes widen. "Oh-ho! It's your Japanese hubby!"

"He's not my hubby," Kevin sneered, turning the screen back towards him. "We only had sex once a year ago."

Even without looking, he could feel Chris' condescending stare. "Uh-huh. And how many times did you two do it when you went back there six months ago?"

"None," he answered sternly. "I was just visiting him six months ago after we parted six months before that."

And still that stare.

"Okay. Fine!" Kevin growled, slamming his keyboard loudly. "I keep thinking about him, okay? I couldn't stop thinking about him after I left the first time. I told myself to be strong and postponed by flight from three months to six just to tell myself that I could live without him." Kevin slumped into his chair, a dreamy smile on his muzzle. "But you know what?"

He got a curious look from Chris. "What?"

"Even though Tarou didn't have a break then from his classes, he _still_took three weeks off to spend time with me and go around the place. He crammed three weeks' worth of class into the weeks before just so he was comfortable taking that time off with me."

Then he snarled and slammed a fist into the table. "Leaving him a second time six months later... It was a little better but... It didn't feel right. I wish, wish, wish that he had come on that plane with me back here but just like he couldn't ask me to uproot my life and move to Japan, I can't do the same to him."

"Dude, just tell him how you feel!" Chris beckoned to him absently "He clearly feels the same about you."

With a sigh, Kevin tapped off the last few words on the email. It was just some idle chatter between himself and Tarou with him promising that he was just heading off to go see the Japanese Festival. Tarou had been insistent that he attend. Apparently someone he knew was going to play there, probably Ryoku.

"There, done. We can go to the festival now."

"You really aren't going back there this time?" Chris asked, his expression getting somewhat sombre. "It's spring over there, right? Same time you two first hit it off."

Kevin rolled his eyes and loosened his tie. "Look, I love Tarou. I really do. But we agreed that now isn't the right time. I'm over Ryujin but I just bought a property in the suburbs, remember? Property you said was nice and cheap." He poked Chris' shoulder.

"Hey, I got you a deal, didn't I?"

The kangaroo lifted three fingers and once by one, began to knock them down. "Its foundations were shoddy." He lowered his ring finger. "It had a hole in its roof." Then he lowered his index finger leaving only the middle facing a grinning Chris. "And let's not forget the cockroach infestation! I not only have to deal with the mortgage but fixing the place up until it becomes hospitable!"

Chris shrugged absently. "Aww, come on man. It's not that bad. At least now you have more room should Tarou ever visit."

"That's not going to work out either," Kevin said as they left his office. He pulled off his blazer and slung it over his shoulder. "Tarou just got a student teaching job somewhere really far from his parents' place. He can't really afford to make the trip out here. Still technically a student, after all."

"Good for him. But you know, once he's a full-blown teacher and you get your house all picked up..."

"With your help," Kevin growled.

"I know, I know!" laughed Chris, holding up his paws. "I promised I'd help you fix it up." He held up his paw. "Taxi!"

Moment later, a big, yellow cab drove up next to them and they hopped in. Chris gave the address of the Annual Japanese Festival and within moments, they were off. It was spring and as much as Kevin would have loved to be back in Japan, embracing Tarou in a shower of cherry blossoms, it just wasn't meant to be.

"You know, I'm really impressed with you guys," Chris said with a smile.

"Thanks."

"Oh no, it's not a compliment. I'm just impressed that you two idiots_can't get it through your heads that you're in love with one another and just _do something about it instead of awkwardly dancing around one another every six months and pretending you don't want to seriously fuck!"

Kevin regarded his friend in shock. "The thing between me and Tarou is more than just sex! I mean, we didn't have sex six months ago at all!"

"Ah-ha!" Chris exclaimed, pointing accusingly at Kevin. "So that proves it! That trip six months ago was more than just a 'friendly visit'!"

Though he had claimed to love Tarou just a short while ago, having Chris call him on it like that still made him furious... and embarrassed.

"Just drop it, okay Chris?" The cab stopped. The bright, vivid colours of traditional Japan suddenly surrounded them. It wasn't quite like being back in the Land of the Rising Sun but it was as close as Kevin was going to get. "Let's just enjoy the festival."

He got out of the cab, paid the driver and stepped into a land of nostalgia. He could smell Tarou and his heart ached to be with the big bear again. Sadly, their situations just didn't allow them such luxury. Perhaps one day they would be together. For now, they would just have to settle for how things are.

"One more question!"

Kevin's shoulders sagged. He was drawn immediately to the large stage at the back of the festival. There was a large Taiko drum there and he was _just_in the middle of remembering Tarou's thrilling performance in a duet with Ryoku. It had uplifted his heart to hear just how much better Tarou had gotten in the six months since they first parted.

"What?" he growled, taking a seat near the front.

Chris sat back down beside him. "Tarou's parents, Riya and Enoru, do you think they'll ever get to travel overseas instead of just letting strangers stay at their house to absorb foreign cultures."

"Eventually," Kevin responded with a bit of frustration. "When they have the time and money, I suppose."

But something... felt off with that question. It took him a moment to realise what it was and by then, a sole drummer was stepping onto the stage in traditional garb. A hush had fallen across the crowd.

"I never told you Tarou's parents' name," he said. "How did you know about them?"

His answer came when two bears took up the seats beside him. One was a rather skinny specimen wearing a pair of the glasses and the other was a healthily rounded female with a motherly smile.

Kevin's jaw dropped to the floor upon seeing them.

"Hello, son," Enoru said with a sly wink.

Then the drumming started.

It started slow with strong, thundering beats that shook Kevin through to his very soul. Each reverberating bang was like the tick of the gears that slowly turned his head away from the sight of Tarou's smiling parents and towards the stage. When his eyes fell upon the stage, the drumming suddenly burst into a quick riff met with an explosive bang, a realisation filled with fireworks. Then there was a rising build up as Kevin took in those big feet, leading up to the powerful calves, the thick thighs, slightly rounded belly, powerful chest and finally, to the handsome features of the brown bear that had stolen his heart.

Another thunderous boom and their gazes met.

Chris leaned forward, a cheeky grin on his face. "I'll give you one guess on how far Tarou's new school is from his parents' place."

Kevin grabbed Chris' face and shoved him back into his seat, the otter letting out a playful yelp as Tarou continued with his performance. Each beat of the _Bachi_sent ripples right through Kevin's heart and soul. The entire world faded away. All that remained was Tarou, on stage, that big drum and Kevin sitting right in front of him.

He couldn't stop smiling even if he wanted to.

By the end of the performance, the crowd cheered, Kevin amongst the loudest. He bolted straight for Tarou as the big bear stepped off the stage.

"What? How? Huh?" was all he could manage.

"It's good to see you too," Tarou laughed, pulling Kevin into a hug. "I got the student teacher job here in the States!" He winked at Kevin and gave him a playful nudge. "You were right. A bilingual sports teacher is a real good selling point!"

"But... but... California!? Really?"

His bear laughed heartily. "Why not, Flick? I needed to spread my wings, right? So I flew across the ocean."

"Flick?" Chris asked, approaching them with Riya and Enoru close behind.

"Don't you start," Kevin snarled but he it was only half-hearted as he couldn't stop smiling. He looked towards Tarou's parents.

As if reading his mind, Riya simply said, "We are merely visiting. Just to make sure our Rou-Rou is settled in."

"Rou-Rou?" Chris echoed, his grin growing broader.

"Now don't you start," Tarou threatened playfully. He turned towards Kevin, a big smile on his face. That smile was quickly wiped away when Kevin's lips met his own. The stunned Tarou only remained with his eyes wide open for a second before he wrapped his arms around Kevin and held his roo tightly.

When at they parted, Tarou smiled and said, "You know what? This is the happiest moment of my life."

Kevin flicked his ears at him. He reached over and gave Tarou's nose a little flick with his fingers.

"So far."