The sign above the building says Rebound. The music is not of his time, but he's familiar with the period. In the background, West End Girls by the Pet Shop Boys is playing. People are dancing, hollering in the middle of the dance floor. He walks around, unsure of how to interact with anyone here. He goes around and finds an arcade. There's Pac Man, Asteroids, and even Mortal Kombat. He's not sure where he is, but this could be fun.

"This can be fun, right?" He finds a quarter and inserts it into the Pac-Man machine. He hears the jingle and puts all his focus on this mundane game. The first level is a breeze, but the next few become too challenging. He loses, but is met with an excitable man with brown hair. "Pretty fun, right?!" He reminds him of someone, but it can't be him. "Do you want to play a round of Mortal Kombat?"

"Maybe not right now." There's a hint of doubt in Nanami's voice.

"Come on, it'll be fun." The brown-haired man selects Liu Kang as his character. "I'll play solo, and then you can see if you'll want to try," Nanami observes the gameplay, just curious to see if this game will be okay. However, seeing the fire attacks flash something. He shuffles away quickly; he's not in danger, but the memory is still there.

"Wait...oh, I see. I'll see you around."

He goes to the bar and grabs a Coke. He's not sure why he went with this particular drink. Maybe he could've gone with something stronger. Everyone is having fun, or so it appears.

"I said to leave me alone. It was just one time."

"Come on, you said we could do this again."

"In your dreams!"

"Funny you say that, but it feels like a dream."

You look around, trying to find an exit, and you notice him looking at you. Nanami makes eye contact with you; it's too late, you're zooming straight towards him, taking a seat next to him.

"Just follow my lead, do you understand?"

Without a moment to respond, he nods. You wrap your arm around Nanami's arm, tugging him towards you as you.

"Oh, he's got a bit of muscle," Thinking this to yourself, he would be aghast, probably if he heard that.

"Who is this guy?!"

"This is my friend! I can't believe he's here tonight!" You continue to tug on his arm, looking towards him with a smile that can disarm any conflict. He's not sure what's going on, but he'll try to help someone in distress if he can.

"Hi." Nanami waves with a free hand.

"You know, he's running out of time. I haven't seen them in so long, and I just want to spend every second with him now that I've found him." You rest your head on his shoulder, hoping the other person gets the message.

"See you around, I guess." There's a scoff before the person walks away.

Nanami welcomes the touch, but there's hesitation. Does he move? Or should he just sit there?

You lift your head and loosen your hold on his arm. "PHEW. You're a lifesaver, I really appreciate it." You continue to give him that smile that you gave him at first glance; he feels heat on his face, while he reciprocates with a shy smile.

"What's your name?" You lean towards Nanami, with no care for his personal space.

"I'm Nanami. Nanami Kento." He extends his hand out.

You tell him your name, shaking his hand.

"What brings you here?"

"I'm...not sure. I'm beginning to feel out of place here."

"I think everyone does when they come here for the first time."

"It's not yours?"

"Not at all! I think this is my...third time coming here!"

"To Rebound?"

"Well, no. I've been to La Cuevita, which is where I met that guy who wouldn't leave me alone."

"What's La Cuevita?"

"If you don't know what that place is, it's better that you don't bother looking for it."

"Oh...okay."

"You're a guy of few words, aren't you?"

"I've been told. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I like that. It means that you're someone who will say what you mean. Or maybe, you show others that you care for them through your actions!"

You read him like a book. You're easy to talk to, but he can't just come up with some boring or random topic to waste your time. Maybe you hate having your time wasted, as he observed earlier.

"Ahh! That's my song, you have to dance with me!"

The Cure's, The Forest plays.

"I'm not much of a dancer."

"You don't have to be! You can just watch what I do."

"Oh, I don't know!"

"Come, just try it out!" You tug on his hand to follow you. He holds on to it, afraid to let go. He looks around at the people on the dance floor. You choose to stay in the centre, now opting to hold both his hands to dance.

"Just move your hips, just like that!"

Nanami's moves are stiff, but he wants to try. You find him quite handsome; his haircut is something you haven't seen since...well, that doesn't matter. His eyes are soft when he's gazing at you; you let go of his hands, wrapping your arms around his waist as you dance. His arms are suspended, not sure where to place them.

"If I place them on her hips, it's too close to there, but if maybe...I place one on the small of her back."

Not a moment too soon, and you place his hand on the small of your back for him.

"It's not that hard, right?" You say softly, as the song's bass lines help you stay in motion.

"This is safe, there's nothing to worry about." He keeps these thoughts to himself, but the crowd stares at both of you.

"Is there something wrong with us?"

"No, just ignore them."

"Is this a dream?"

"I can assure you that it's not, and I'm right here."

He struggles to breathe. He can feel the sweat pooling in the back of his head. He takes your arms off him and walks away. You follow right behind him, confused about what just occurred.

Nanami stands outside underneath a canopy; it's started to rain. The water splashes on some puddles that have formed on the sidewalk.

"There you are. Are you okay?" Your tone is no longer excitable, but softer.

He nods, unable to articulate what just happened in there.

"I get it. It can be a lot. I'm sorry for forcing you to do something."

"It's not that..."

He can't put his finger on it. This feels new, but he's experienced these situations before.

"Are you living here or are you a tourist?" You ask, making an effort to break the tension.

"I'm...a tourist. Not sure if I want to live here."

"Why?"

"It's paradise, but I'm not sure if I'm meant to have that forever."

"Why not?"

"Well, why are you a tourist?"

"I...it's a long story. You don't have time."

"I have time."

"It's almost midnight."

"Oh? Is your carriage going to turn into a pumpkin again?"

You laugh out loud. He feels pride surging through him.

"Has anyone told you that you're funny?"

"I've heard it from time to time." His body relaxes.

"Do you want to have fun?" You move closer to him, trying to close the distance between the two of you.

He startles; he should be getting comfortable. You just told him that it's almost midnight. Your fingers slowly walk up to rest on his chest. His face feels hot again; his ears are burning.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're too tall?" Your voice sultry.

"I...I guess."

His knees buckle as you stand on your tippy-toes, pouting your lips, batting your eyelashes. He quickly grabs your shoulders, putting distance between you, but unfortunately, also pushing you into the pouring rain.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry."

"No. It's fine. I get it. I'm sorry again. I'll see you around."

You walk away into the dark street, in the pouring rain. It becomes difficult to see where you're going. Soon, he can't see where you went.

The rain trickles. He slams his hand against the brick wall behind him.

"Damn it."

It's a beautiful night, and the weather has remained the same; paradise, right? He stands in front of a mirror, trying to figure out his outfit for tonight.

"Hmm, will this haircut be just right for tonight?" He's opted for a 7:3 part: tapered and an undercut to boot. He slicks his hair back one final time, but he acknowledges that this is a fidget. He focuses on the wardrobe. The cheetah-printed tie stares at him. At one point, it was a symbol of resistance, but what's there to resist right now? There is no danger here, just strangers in a beach town. There was a time he pined to finally be able to relax and dip his toes in the ocean, but now...well, he could go to the beach, but he has a mission; he needs to find you again.

He goes back and forth wondering if a linen shirt and a pair of khakis are the ultimate statement of relaxation. "Maybe I should go for the shorts?" Time is of the essence, playing with his hair one more time before heading out. "Ah, right, can't forget these!" He puts on a pair of glasses for the occasion. "I'll stand out more for these."

Nanami quickly rushes to Rebound, hoping to find you there once more. He wants, no...he needs to apologize to you. You're just looking for fun, right? There's no harm in two grown adults wanting to experience fun together. There's a quiet ache in his heart when he tries to reminisce about the last time he felt he had an inkling of enjoyment. He feels a tinge of pain on his left side, but he tries to shake it off.

The laughter of people going towards Rebound snaps him out of the daze, hurrying along to see if tonight you'll be there. He takes a deep breath as he enters the doors. The music is quite different from the last time he was here.

"It's a beautiful night, oh-oh-oh, I just wanna be here beside you..."

The song feels apt, and then he sees you by the bar: alone. You're wearing a short dress with silver sequins. The straps are too thin and barely do justice to cover you up. You see him as you take a drag out of your cigarette. You pretend to be aloof and uninterested in the man that you see. His physique has changed since the last time you saw him.

His hair has changed; he appears taller. Though that's not what stands out to you: it's the change in his physique. Muscles in areas that weren't there last time. He starts to walk towards you. You turn around and turn off your cigarette on an ashtray at the bar. You signal the bartender as you need liquid courage.

"What are you having tonight?" Nanami cuts in.

"Vodka tonic." You say it so dryly that he wonders if this is a mistake. No, he must persist.

The bartender nods, looking towards Nanami to see if he wants anything.

"Jack and Coke."

"Coming right up."

You tap your fingers, wishing your drink would come out faster.

"Listen, about last week..." His voice is trying to remain soft, but the loud music makes it difficult to do that.

"No, it's okay. You don't have to say anything." You're not sure what he's trying to explain. He rejected you; it's fine. You've been rejected before.

"I insist we talk about it."

"But there's nothing to talk about."

"Vodka Tonic. Jack and Coke." The bartender walks to the other end of the bar, but you wonder if he's trying to avoid getting involved in any drama. Probably not the first time this has happened.

You take your drink and move towards the dance floor. Around the World by Daft Punk plays. Your dress makes you look like a disco ball as the club lights reflect on it. The way you move your body has him unable to look away from you. Men come up to you to try to dance with you, but you nod and tell them you're not interested, continuing to dance to the music.

Nanami sips on his Jack and Coke, fire surging through his body. Why won't you hear him out? You groove to the bass, without a care in the world. Nanami Kento wasn't going to steal your fun tonight. It's only 9 pm; there are only 3 hours until midnight.

You walk away from the dance floor, making your way to the bathroom. You set your empty glass on the counter. Staring into the mirror, you tousle your hair, concealing whatever nerves this man is creating for you. You're not sure why this man is so persistent, but there's no harm in hearing him out. The door opens from behind you, and you see him walk in, locking the door behind you.

"What are you doing? This is the women's bathroom."

"I said I want to talk to you."

"You have a way of showing it. Let me leave."

"I...want to have fun."

"Okay, there are hundreds of people to have fun with out there."

"No...I want to have fun with you." He takes a deep breath. "I don't know when the last time was that I felt happy in the company of another person. So please...just show me what I need to do."

There's no distance between your bodies. You can't stop staring at his arms, or turning your attention to the unbuttoned button on his shirt, exposing his collarbone. You've been with both men and women before, but this feels different. He's someone who is seeking to make that connection with you.

Without saying anything else, you pull on his shirt, signalling him to come closer to you. Your eyes slowly close, hoping that Nanami can take a hint. He takes your hands, cupping your face as he presses his lips on yours. Your stomach is full of butterflies, the kiss blooming into something more. You wrap your arms around his neck, as his hands shift to find your waist. He can't resist trailing his hands to find your ass, pulling on the dress to caress your ass.

You pull away from the kiss, giggling. "Most people take me out to dinner before they do that..."

"I'm not most men." He kisses you again as his hand grips your ass, caressing it as he grows hungrier for more. His tongue pushes its way into your mouth, fiddling with the flimsy fabric of the thong you opted to wear this evening. Your hands run through his neatly combed hair, disheveling it as you ache to have this man to yourself.

"You know...my place isn't that far away from here."

"Oh?" He pulls away from the kiss, but can't resist touching you.

"I think my bed would be more comfortable...what do you say?"

He nods, opening the door. He grabs your hand to pull you out of the bathroom. It's 10:03 pm.

Making way to your convertible, both of you can stop kissing each other. You stop right outside the doors; he slams into you the second time against a wall, and a third time against your car, where he slides his knee between your legs. You have no shame in doing this publicly, but Nanami deserves a special touch.

You race on the road, trying to hurry as the clock has been ticking. You make it to a beach house next to the ocean. You lead the way into your home, Nanami in pursuit. As he goes inside, he observes the concert posters decorating the wall. A wall of vinyl records on the opposite wall. Photos of various people alongside you. He recognizes the uniform you're wearing in one of the photos. Before he could say anything, you take his hand, guiding him to your bedroom.

"Where were we?" You remove the straps from your shoulders and let the dress pool beneath your feet. You step out of the dress, taking your shoes off. You're nearly bare, Nanami opting to sit on the edge of the bed. He pulls you towards him, forcing you to sit on his lap. His fingers caress your back, taking note of how soft you feel against him. He peppers you with kisses across your collarbone, lingering on your pulse point. You grind against him, his erection growing.

"Mmm, Nanami..."

You kiss his cheeks, moving to find his ears, biting on his earlobe. Another groan comes out as he squeezes your ass, bringing you closer to him. You caress his body, outlining his muscles with your hands, surveying all his perfections; not a single scratch or scar on his body: the perfect canvas.

The tension builds, but there's no respite just yet. He picks you up with such ease, setting you gently on the bed, his body caging you in. His hands are gentle, exploring the curves of your body, slowly removing the final garment of clothing from your body; a real goddess right in front of his eyes. He cannot take his time with you tonight, but he wants to savour this moment. Open-mouthed kisses seeking every part of your body, going from North to South. He kneels before you to taste the nectar from between your legs.

His tongue takes one long stripe, zeroing in on your clit.

"Wait...fuck. Hold on..."

The words fall on deaf ears; if time is of the essence, he needs to relish your sweetness before this night is over. He laps slowly, but he finds his momentum as you whine and wriggle away from him. His arms hook around your legs to keep you from running away from him.

"Shit...please...." Your right hand tugs on his hair, pulling on it, begging him to go further. He goes from licking to sucking, the sounds becoming filthier as you get closer to the edge. Your back arches away from the bed as you cry out his name; he's not your first, but this is different. His arms continue to hold you, refusing to let you get away. He kisses your inner thighs, standing up to tower over you.

He removes his bottoms, unveiling his stiff cock. You admire him; the muscles on his body present before you. You bite your lip as you admire the V-line that forces you to take note of the size of the muscle that is eager to make itself at home inside of you.

"My eyes are up here..."

You release a laugh as he moves towards you, taking your legs so he can rest them on his shoulders. The tip of his cock teases you, slowly pushing itself in, but pulling back out. You feel that you're becoming wetter in anticipation of feeling all of him deep inside of you.

"Mmm, stop that."

"I'll reward you soon, just wait..." His voice is low and husky.

You feel heat on your face as he finally bullies himself inside of you. The sting is there, but it fades as Nanami fully bottoms out. He kisses your calf as he thrusts, maintaining eye contact with you. He wants to feel you closer to him, pushing your legs further back as he closes the distance between you too. He's able to finally kiss you, letting you taste yourself in the process. You're intoxicated by him, needing to feel him closer to you. You don't let go of him as the kiss persists; he finds himself coming closer to the verge, but he needs this to last just a little longer.

He pulls out, quickly placing you on top of him. You don't hesitate as you guide the tip of his cock back inside of you, rocking back and forth to feel him. He bends his knees, allowing you to feel him much deeper than previously. You rest your hands on his chest, digging your nails into him as you grind faster.

"There she is...show me how much you want me..."

The words give you the courage to go faster, to take everything he's giving you. You lean in as the kisses become sloppier, his arms wrapping around your waist, but he's no longer interested in making you work for this, as he slams his cock inside of you. His pace quickens, euphoria washing over both of you, his warm seed filling you up as he tilts you to the side to deepen the passion between the two of you. You don't want this night to end, but it will soon.

"Are you okay?" His voice is soft, caring.

"Mhmmm." You nuzzle onto his neck, lightly kissing it.

He places a kiss on your forehead as he slowly pulls out. You sigh, craving to have him once more. You move closer to him, but he moves quickly to rest his head on your breasts. His kisses are gentle as he lies there quietly. Your fingers run through his hair once more, seeking to hold him for as long as you can.

"That was...truly..."

"Yes?" Curiosity is piqued.

"Amazing..."

His lips graze your breast once more. He wants to find the right words to say, but this moment is perfect; fleeting.

The tension has snapped, but both of you hang on by a thread. You try to avoid looking at the clock next to the bed that you're sharing with him.

"When was the last time you were with someone?" He asks quietly.

You're not taken aback, but you figured there would be a moment to talk about this.

"A few years ago. I was going to get married."

"What happened?

You take a deep breath, trying not to remember the pain that you've left behind. "He...died."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

You giggle, clearing the air momentarily.

"It's okay. When was the last time you were with someone?"

"I can't remember...I just remember that she was a baker."

"She sounds sweet."

"She was."

"Nanami?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you believe in second chances?"

The silence is deafening, but you want to know what Nanami Kento believes in. He thinks methodically, trying to find the words to articulate how he feels right now. He desires to find home somewhere, with someone. He's not sure if he's found that yet, but he wants to believe that it's possible.

Life has been a series of different events and opportunities for Nanami Kento. The one true thing he wonders if he’s ever found happiness. Is this the second chance that he’s been looking for? “I’m hopeful that a second chance will present itself soon.”

He yawns suddenly, wondering where all the exhaustion came from. His eyes become heavy as sleep takes over. You didn't hear a word he said because you were already in deep slumber before he finished his last sentence.

"How long has he been in suspended animation?"