By Zephyria 
“I love you.”
Grayson, his heart overflowing, couldn’t help but confess. Dane, who had just been about to bring the remaining piece of steak to his mouth, paused, then laughed in disbelief.
“What kind of thing is that to say suddenly while eating?”
“What’s wrong with it? You can say it anytime. I love you.”
Grayson repeated his confession, as if to prove a point. Dane shook his head as if Grayson were an incorrigible fellow, then chewed and swallowed the remaining meat in one go.
“I love you.”
Grayson murmured. He realized belatedly that he had said the same words as back then. Dane, who was driving, glanced over and chuckled as always.
“I know, you idiot.”
That was it. It was the same back then. He hadn’t received the words “I love you” back from him, but it was okay. Grayson thought that the fact Dane was going to Disneyland with him was enough.
“We’re going to overwrite bad memories with good ones.”
It was the first time going to Disneyland since then. The memories from last time were painful just to recall. It was the same now.
But it would be different now. Because Dane would create plenty of happy memories for Grayson.
“Heaaaaart!”
Grayson shouted the chorus at the top of his lungs, slapping his thigh with one hand and Dane’s chest with the other. Dane let it slide again this time. He thought that this indulgence was also the last for today.
In fact, he had bought a new tool a few days ago. Of course, it was intended for Grayson. He thought that after playing to their heart’s content at Disneyland, it would be adult time at night. He planned to strip Grayson, who was so excited, tie him up, and spank his bottom, so he let the impudent hand slapping his chest go for now.
“Wooooow!”
“Pretty, so pretty!”
“Donald, over here! Donald!”
As characters passed by one by one, people cheered. Grayson was among them. Whether they were in mascot costumes or had makeup on, he actively approached everyone, took pictures, posed, and had a great time. Of course, Dane stood far away from him, looking in a different direction as if they were strangers. However, he couldn’t help but intervene when Grayson tried to fight with a child over candy being handed out by Winnie the Pooh.
“Do you want to fight with a kid, now that you’re all grown up?”
Dane shook his head in exasperation. He wasn’t just grown up. If you measured the height of everyone at Disneyland today, this man would surely be in the top ten. Yet, he was arguing with a child who wouldn’t even reach his knees over something as trivial as candy.
“But.”
Grayson said discontentedly, as if he had something to say.
“It was the last candy. That kid had three, and I had one.”
“One is enough.”
“You don’t have yours.”
Grayson said with a serious expression, his eyes wide. But to Dane, it was just pathetic.
“I don’t eat candy, so it’s fine. Don’t fight with kids next time.”
“Bu-but…”
Grayson blinked, looking flustered. But Dane walked away nonchalantly.
“Look, there’s Snow White.”
“Where?”
Grayson’s eyes lit up, as if he had completely forgotten what had just happened. He looked in the direction Dane pointed and dashed off without a second thought, as if he had never been gloomy. Watching his retreating back, Dane shook his head and chuckled. He could vividly imagine how much Ashley must have struggled with six children.
Six is definitely too many.
Looking down at the children walking by with their parents, he suddenly thought. The thought that flashed through his mind, however, did not disappear as easily as it appeared and remained in place. Dane stood there for a while, watching the passing children. Small, fragile, lovely beings.
Fragile…
“Dane?”
Startled by the sudden call, Dane snapped back to attention. He turned his head and saw Grayson approaching him from a few steps away. Each holding a hot dog in their hands.
“Here, eat.”
“Oh, uh, sure.”
He accepted the hot dog absentmindedly, and then Grayson offered him a soda. They started walking, each holding a hot dog and a soda in one hand. The amusement park was endlessly vast. Walking along the large lake, the faces of the people passing by seemed full of happiness. Although buying two expensive tickets had caused considerable financial strain, it was worth it. Because.
“Dane, look at that!”
Grayson shouted loudly, pointing upwards. A structure symbolizing a ride loomed over them. In the end, Dane was dragged by Grayson to join the queue.
Even though I don’t really like rides…
It couldn’t be helped. Hadn’t they decided to accommodate Grayson as much as possible today? Dane braced himself and endured the long wait, standing in line for their turn. After waiting for about two hours, their turn finally came.
“Oh my, you! The firefighter?”
The staff member guiding them suddenly recognized Dane and exclaimed. As expected, the next step was a photo opportunity. She blew a kiss with her hand, and Dane hesitated. In the past, he would have smiled and pretended to catch the kiss, but now he faltered. Most importantly, Grayson was beside him. It would be better to just let it be…
But there was no need to worry. Grayson, who had raised his hand first, snatched the invisible heart floating in the air right before Dane’s eyes. Then, with a smirk, he pretended to crush the heart in his large fist and opened his palm. If that heart had had substance, it would surely have turned to dust and spilled onto the floor. Dane, as well as the staff member, stared at Grayson with wide eyes. As if to ask, “What is this?”
“Get in, quickly.”
Before he could be further embarrassed, Dane quickly pushed Grayson inside. They took seats at the very back in the narrow indoor space, divided like a theater. Soon, a bar lowered. The lights around them dimmed, and the screen in front of them lit up. The main actors from a famous movie series appeared and exchanged a few lines. While watching without much thought, the entire space where they were sitting suddenly dropped downwards from below.
“Ugh… Aaaaaaaah!”
At that moment, Dane screamed at the top of his lungs for the first time in his life.
He could hear people chattering from all directions. The voices of those looking for suitable spots and moving around, as if a parade was about to begin, were mixed in. Dane leaned his head back, closed his eyes, and slumped on a bench under the shade of a tree. His face was unnaturally pale. His stomach was also not feeling well. He had actually vomited everything he had eaten – the hot dog and soda he had before the ride – as soon as he got off.
“Dane, Dane.”
He couldn’t help but lift his eyelids at the call. Grayson was looking down at him with a worried expression.
“Drink water.”
Dane took the plastic bottle he had bought and brought it to his mouth, emptying it all at once without a word. As if he had expected it, Grayson took the empty bottle and offered another one. This time, Dane drank about half of it before setting the remaining bottle down.
Am I really alive right now?
He thought with his haggard face. Every time the seat he was sitting on plummeted, Dane’s soul and innards felt like they were escaping his mouth hand-in-hand. It had been quite some time since they got off the ride, but he was still completely disoriented.
“Ugh.”
“D-Dane.”
As he let out another pained groan, Grayson sat beside him, flustered, and asked.
“Are you okay? Do you feel like throwing up again? What should we do, should we go to the infirmary?”
Dane raised one hand to refuse the barrage of questions.
“I’m fine, I’ll feel better if I rest a bit.”
I feel like I’ve rested enough…
Grayson was worried about him but couldn’t force him to move. As he sat beside him, fidgeting, Dane, who had been breathing with his eyes half-open for a while, suddenly chuckled.