Rescue

"Haruki! Ouch! Haruki-san, you're freezing!"

Takashi exclaimed, hugging him, and started rubbing Haruki's chest. It felt great. The singer let his friend continue to run his hand freely over his body, even when the artist lowered his hands, rubbing his legs.

Takashi's hands were warm and agile, in contrast to his body, cold and rigid. Gradually Haruki unfolded, stretching the body and leaving the fetal position. Looking at the clear, cloudless, and blue sky, Haruki understood that he had slept again. The floor was chilly and damp. He contracted the body again.

"Haruki-san, you need to help me. I don't know if I can get you up alone," Takashi spoke slowly, softly, as if explaining something very complicated to a child.

Haruki laughed and acted into the character, whining,

"But I want to stay here, Tashi."

Takashi snorted with amusement at the new nickname, which could mean several things.

"You don't want to, Haruki. I don't know how or why, but it snowed in the morning. And you are wet and have a hypothermia onset. We are alone here. I'm afraid of leaving you alone to go ask for help." Takashi took a deep breath before continuing,

"Please, big boy! Help me help you."

"Hff! Do you also think I am the golden boy?" Haruki's thoughts blurted out his sleepy mind.

"There's snow on you, Haruki. It snowed this morning." Takashi continued to rub the singer's body. "It was a bad idea to sleep out here, Haruki." Takashi tried to lift the singer off the ground but failed. "What's wrong with being the golden boy? I'd like to be one. In fact, I see that they all have this desire, secretly. Then don't feel bad about being one. But that's not what I said, but 'big boy'. In the sense that you are still a very young man. Haruki-san, don't fight me. I had to look for you all over the building. We are very concerned about you. But now, please help me get you up," Takashi explained everything calmly, while continuing his massage to activate Haruki's circulation.

Stopping just to pull the singer, lifting his torso. Takashi took off the singer's wet shirt and dressed him in his own jacket.

Haruki got aware of his body and understood what was being said. He struggled to stand, trembling, with the help of the artist.

With Takashi supporting them, they went inside the Empire State replica. The artist left him for a moment and went to turn on the heater at maximum. Then going back to Haruki, he explained,

"I'm going to take off your wet pants, and you're going to wear mine until yours are dry."

And without waiting for an answer, he undressed and went to take off the singer's pants, putting them on. Takashi took Haruki next to the heater and hanged the singer's pants to dry.

"I'm going outside to get you a shirt, rest while I'm gone."

Haruki nodded in agreement, which he had been doing frequently for the past two days. He was still incredulous about everything that was happening. Takashi had taken off his clothes on a snowy day to help him. This went beyond everything someone had ever done for him, except his parents.

The singer rested, slowly coming back from the numbness which had taken his body and mind moments ago. When he felt better enough, Haruki stood up and started doing jumping jacks to warm his body faster.

That was how the artist found him when he returned with the shirt.

"Can you tell me what happened yesterday?" Takashi also did the same exercise to warm up, after all, he was in his shirt and underwear now and had gone out in the cold.

"I did a show for Saito-san to get the diamonds and buy a car for the rally. Daisuke went to work at the event, filming the show, and during my break to change clothes, he blackmailed me on 90,000 diamonds. I had to use almost all of my diamonds to buy the chip. It didn't help at all, in the end, because Jun also went to work there and saw me on stage. Jun, well, he took it all wrong and made me feel terrible." Haruki could not tell what happened without revealing facts about Jun and Saito.

Takashi nodded that he understood even though Haruki had told the facts partially.

"Haruki-san, Saito-san told me that you were in this building alone, and asked me to come and see if you were okay," the artist revealed how he found out where to look for him. "I wanted to talk to you before, but I didn't. It's something I regret now. I shut up for not knowing if it would be well interpreted by you."

The artist stopped the exercise and sat down, continuing,

"They have been antagonistic since Saito arrived at the mansion. And then you came with your joy and liveliness. You changed the mood for all of us and brought us hope." Takashi stared at the singer as he recalled these facts. "Don't look at me with that surprised face, you must have heard many times it's good to be by your side, that your vibe is great, or haven't you?" Takashi waited for the singer's response to continue talking.

Haruki nodded in agreement, and smiled as he explained the reason,

"It's just that I inherited my father's looks and spirits!" The singer smiled softly. These two aspects have always been why he was the favorite of his mother and grandparents.

"Seriously?! I didn't know why I thought you were familiar. Is your father working in the government, Takeda-san?" the artist asked with wide eyes.

"Yep!" The singer was proud of his father. His father was highly regarded by the Minister he worked with. Haruki just didn't talk about him, so he wouldn't sound arrogant.

"Wow, Haruki, you are an endless source of surprises." Takashi was really impressed with the fact.

"Now I know you didn't notice it happening. Your personality. You became the favorite at the mansion. Everyone, including me, wants your attention. And those who didn't have it resented it." Takashi stopped talking to see the effect of the revelation on the singer. Haruki was embarrassed by all the compliments.

"A competition has started, and today you could have died because of it. Jun and Saito are dangerous men, Haruki. Don't let them make you a trophy." Takashi's voice was hoarse and low. He was angry.

"Haruki-san, you need to stay focused on leaving the Otome Game."

The singer listened to Noguchi Takashi, nodding.

The artist had put into words everything that Haruki had already realized earlier, outside in the snow when his thoughts were in turmoil. That was the right decision to make, to focus on getting out of this place and ignoring the two men.

He stopped exercising and, feeling healthier than before, thanks to Takashi-san's intervention. He was sure he recovered some life points but didn't check the smartwatch right now. Haruki checked to see if his clothes were dry. He had to go back to the game.

"Takashi, I need help to get the diamonds, I need a car for the rally. Could you help me win the game?"

"I can help you. But not with gambling. You need diamonds to buy a car at the store," Takashi explained the problem.

"Is it not the same thing?" Haruki didn't understand how he would get the exorbitant amount of diamonds, other than gambling at the casino.

"I liked this 'Idol' shirt of yours. I offer you 100,000 diamonds for it, as a memento of a show I wasn't. It's called memorabilia, do you know it? Also, I'm a specialist in prices, I make a living appraising things. Take it or leave it. I will not haggle over the price."

Takashi was really amazing! Haruki hugged him tight, because he was so happy with his friend. He had got a brother there.

"We are going to get out of here and you are going to meet my family. From now on you can consider that you have a brother, Tashi."

The door was opened and a gust of icy wind entered, bringing a person who wasn't expected by the half-naked men in each other's arms!