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This August is like a long, long dream. Time stops and the real world freezes because they are in no hurry at all. And yet, on the last kilometers of the road disappearing into the sky, they speed up. They rush forward because this is their inevitability and omen. The quintessence of their freedom. That great meaning in the center of which their destinies always collide.In the hot afternoon sun, the place they arrive at looks magical. Invisible grasshoppers chirp in the rich green grass, and this green sea blooms with memories of hope and sweet anticipation. For some reason, it still lives in the past, and for the first time Manami catches the realization that all this may not be real. The World seems to really like to play with him. Put terrible events in his path, which Manami later jokingly calls neutral. Next to him, Onoda looks as if he notices and understands everything too.He gives Manami an uncertain, embarrassed look. As if he wants to ask—(it was very painful?)Manami narrows his eyes slightly, and they put their bikes right down in the soft grass.(not as painful as the first time)Without a word, Manami pulls Onoda forward and almost chokes from the concentration of sweetness. Bright aroma makes his head spin, pulling out of his subconscious the thought come on lightning doesn't strike the same place twice.This time everything will be fine.No.Neutral event laughs in his face. Are you still going to continue to convince yourself that I am neutral?Lightning strikes the same place twice because in the unreal world anything is possible. Manami squeezes Onoda's palm tighter because Onoda is the most delicious sweet in the world and Manami will still eat it even if his tongue is painfully sore from the wounds and his throat turns into a bloody mess.You can't perceive a bad event as neutral when one of the components of the event is something that you always perceive as immensely desirable, filling you with a thousand hot _I want_.At some point, Onoda becomes the one Manami will always choose no matter what.“I have to return your bottle that you left for me in Akihabara,” Onoda says, taking off his backpack.Manami shrugs.“If you want.”(I don't want to)Onoda doesn't say it, but Manami hears it anyway.(the last time I did this you didn't talk to me for months)(the last time you did this I had a chance to fix everything not to repeat the mistake)(but I chose you again and again I choose you as if this cycle became my happiness and curse at the same time)Manami with enviable skill ignores the fact that the white petals under his feet are stained with drops of long-dried blood.It's normal when a bit of pain dilutes the sweetness. He likes it.(I like it)The shade of the tree's thick foliage hides them from the August heat as Onoda sinks into the softness of an old blanket spread among the thick roots. Manami sinks into the softness of his voice. In the sound of a quiet, almost plaintive come to me.(how could it be otherwise?)Just for this moment, he is ready to experience pain a hundred more times.Lying down next to him, he smiles, then touches Onoda's lips, warm and damp from a sip of water, with his fingertips. Manami strokes his cheek and behind his ear with thrill, watching him for a long time while Onoda, closing his eyes, rests, and in those moments, pain does not exist. Reality turns into tart, viscous honey — Manami almost moans with pleasure when he presses his face against Onoda's shoulder, feeling his gentle fingers in his hair.Neither of them says I love you.But Manami would say I will choose you even if you hurt me again.Onoda would say I will choose you even if I have to hurt you again.