Beneath the Moonlit Waves

Kou's eyes remained fixed on the sea, his thoughts consumed by the events of the past few days. He knew he shouldn't bombard Mitsuba with questions, but the way Mitsuba had run off still left him puzzled. The silence between them had been peaceful, but Kou's curiosity was starting to get the better of him. He turned to Mitsuba, his voice gentle. "What happened? What was wrong? Why did you disappear?" Mitsuba's reaction was immediate. He took his hand away from Kou's and buried his face into his hands, his fingers clawing into his face and dragging the skin up and down. At first, Kou thought Mitsuba was just covering his face, but then he noticed the slight tremors of Mitsuba's shoulders. It wasn't noticeable until Mitsuba started to speak up, his voice breaking. "I love you," Mitsuba whispered, his words barely audible over the sound of the waves. His voice cracked, and he paused, taking a deep breath. "I... I'm in love with you." As Mitsuba spoke, his body began to shake more violently, and Kou realized that Mitsuba was crying. Kou's heart skipped a beat as he reached out, hesitantly, and gently placed a hand on Mitsuba's shoulder. Mitsuba flinched at the touch, but he didn't pull away. Kou's mind reeled as he processed Mitsuba's words. He had suspected that Mitsuba might feel something for him, but hearing it out loud was a different story altogether. Kou's hand remained on Mitsuba's shoulder, a gentle, comforting presence as he waited for Mitsuba to continue. The moon cast an ethereal glow over the beach, and the sound of the waves seemed to fade into the background as Kou focused on Mitsuba. He could feel Mitsuba's pain and vulnerability, and his heart went out to him. Kou took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to say, but for now, he just sat there, his hand on Mitsuba's shoulder, as Mitsuba cried out his emotions. Mitsuba's words hung in the air, a fragile, beautiful thing, and Kou felt his own heart swell with emotion. He knew that he had to respond, to let Mitsuba know that he was there for him, but he was frozen, unsure of what to say or do next. All he could do was be present, and hope that Mitsuba would find the strength to face whatever had driven him to tears.