Hope Will Find Its Way to You

Chapter 10: Complications Arise

The swimming pool was a privilege reserved only for the first-class passengers–the second of its kind on a massive, extravagant ship. That was what he had heard when he first learned about it anyway. Many would consider it such a novelty to swim abroad a ship sailing on the Atlantic Ocean. And there he was, running quietly down the hall to where the pool was alongside Komaeda.

They could have gone during the day like any other passenger but then they wouldn't be able to be free to do whatever they wanted, to be themselves. That, of course, along with the obvious excuse that they didn't pack their swimwear, or that was what Hinata wanted to convince himself with. Well, that meant they would have the pool all to themselves, no one else to share it with except for them. It felt like it was their very own romantic getaway. Hinata could already feel his cheeks growing hot, his stomach fluttering at the idea that he and Komaeda would be swimming together, naked. The venture had his heart thumping with excitement that he could hardly contain.

They finally managed to reach the F Deck and a sign next to the door read "The Turkish Bath". Komaeda then turned to Hinata with a smile and said, "The pool should be in here." He opened the door and they snuck inside.

Switching on the lights, Hinata froze in place, feeling utterly mesmerized at the lavish, arabesque design of the room, the impressive walls that were tiled in large panels of blue and green, the detailed wood carvings on the walls and ceiling, the intervening panels that were picked out in deep red. On one side, there was a small marble drinking fountain, set in a frame of tiles. Portholes were covered with carved Cairo curtains and Hinata could only imagine what the room would feel like when light shone through, giving the room a warming orient look during the day.

They made sure the lights were switched off before making their way across the room. They then passed two other doors and finally reached their intended destination. Hinata felt butterflies fluttering wildly in his stomach when Komaeda shot him a smile over his shoulder before stepping inside. Closing the door behind them, Hinata's eyes widened with awe at the sight of water.

There truly was a pool on the ship!

Taking a few steps inside, his eyes examined the unlighted room. There were dressing and shower rooms on the left, railings were adjacent to both sides of the pool, and on the right were the portholes emitting the moonlight that reflected gently on the calm and eerie-looking water. Turning around, he saw Komaeda had started to unbutton his loose dress shirt and that was when reality dawned on him.

This was really happening.

Although they've already seen each other naked and have been quite intimate together, why did he still feel so flustered?

He should be used to it by now, right?

Hinata bashfully pulled his gaze away and took a steadying breath to ease his nerves as he too started to unbutton his shirt, determined to remain calm and collected.

The room was so quiet that he could hear the faint sounds of ruffling clothes, fingers working on the buttons, zipper being pulled down, and Hinata swore he could hear his own pounding heartbeat echo in the room and worried if Komaeda could hear it too.

...Was Komaeda stripping provocatively or maybe it was all in his head? Why was his brain giving him such a hard time?! Get it together! He mentally scolded himself.

Hinata swallowed hard, feeling Komaeda's eyes boring into his back as he stripped out of his clothes. With one article of clothing remaining, Hinata frowned down bashfully at the obvious erection pushing up against the thin layer of his undergarments, disappointed by how his body had betrayed him. But how could he not? His nerves simply frayed at the idea that they soon would be swimming and the thought of Komaeda's body flush against his sent heat straight to his groin.