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The warm glow of the setting sun bathed Morioh in soft gold as Josuke and Okuyasu strolled along the quiet seaside road. The waves crashed gently against the shore, filling the silence between them with a calming rhythm.

Okuyasu had been acting strange all day—fidgeting, glancing at Josuke like he wanted to say something but always stopping short. Now, standing at the edge of a seaside railing, the breeze ruffling his hair, he finally spoke.

"Josuke… I—" He cut himself off, groaning in frustration before laughing nervously. "Man, this is hard."

*Josuke leaned against the railing, watching him with a smirk. "What's hard? You're not makin’ any sense, dude."

Okuyasu let out a deep breath, then turned to face him, eyes filled with something raw and unguarded. "You. You’re hard to talk to when you look at me like that."*

*Josuke blinked, tilting his head. "Like what?"

"Like you don’t even realize how much I—" Okuyasu clenched his fists, then suddenly grabbed Josuke’s hand in his own, squeezing tight. "How much I love you, man."*

The confession hung in the air, the waves below their only witness. Josuke’s breath hitched, his heart pounding loud in his ears. He looked down at their joined hands, then back up at Okuyasu’s face—flushed, nervous, but completely sincere.

Josuke swallowed, a slow grin spreading across his lips. "Took you long enough, dumbass."

He stepped closer, closing the distance between them, and with the scent of the sea and the warmth of Okuyasu’s hand grounding him, he finally leaned in.

Would Okuyasu let him? Or would he beat him to it?