Bald-headed
Ch. 25

On the paper it says:

The reason why parting is so painful is because our souls are connected. It's always like that. Perhaps we have lived a thousand lives before this and then each of us has found each other.

And maybe every time we meet, we are forced to separate for the same reason. That means this goodbye is goodbye for the last ten thousand years and the beginning of what is to come.

And I know I've spent every life before this present life looking for you. Not looking for someone like you, but you, because your soul and my soul must always be united.

And then, for a reason that none of us understand, we are forced to say goodbye.

I want to tell you that everything will work out for us, and I promise to do everything I can to make sure. But if we never see each other again and it's really goodbye, I know we'll meet again in another life.

We will find each other again, and maybe the stars will change, and we will not only love each other at that moment, but also for all the time we have before.

Could it? Birundasih. Could he be right? He never completely ignored the words on that piece of paper, he wanted to keep his promise just in case it was true.

That idea has helped him through many difficult times. But sitting here now seems to be testing the theory that they are destined to always part. Unless the stars have changed since they were last together.

And maybe it is, but he doesn't want to see.

Instead he leaned towards Sugi and felt the heat between them, feeling his body, feeling his arms tightly around him. And her body started to tremble with the same anticipation that she felt when they first got together.

It feels right to be here. Everything feels right. Fire, drink, rain - couldn't be more perfect than this. Like magic, it seems that the years that have changed, no longer matter.

Lightning cut across the sky outside. The fire danced on the smoldering wood, spreading its heat. October rain flushed against the windows, drowning out all the other sounds.

They gave up on everything they had fought for over the past fourteen years. Birundasih lifted his head from Sugi's shoulders, looked at him with a misty look, and Sugi kissed his lips gently.

Birundasih brought his hand to Sugi's face and touched his cheek, stroking it gently with his fingers.

Sugi leaned over slowly and kissed her again, still tender and getting softer, and she kissed back, feeling the years of separation dissolve in passion.

Birundasih closed his eyes and opened his lips as he moved his fingers up and down Sugi's arms, slowly, lightly.

Sugi kissed her neck, her cheeks, her eyelids, and she felt the moisture of her mouth persist wherever her lips touched.

The world looked like a dream as he withdrew from it, a flame light burning his face. Without speaking, they looked at each other so closely, so closely. The two trembled considering what they had shared together.

They kissed again, near the fire, and the heat made the air feel thick. Birundasih's back was slightly curved as he tried to grab Sugi's nape on it in one flowing motion. He lifted his head and kissed Sugi's chin and neck, then returned to find the man's lips, in a long kiss.

And stopping when he had trouble controlling his own breath, Sugi lowered his head on his open shoulder, kissed his shoulder, and felt the perspiration lingering on his body. As the man moved off his shoulder, with a slight teasing frown, he pulled her closer, but Sugi refused.

Sugi's face flushed red, he could feel that his body was responding with anticipation as he heard Birundasih let out a soft whining sound as they touched each other.

They had done this until he couldn't stand it anymore, and when they finally realized that it was his limit, he had to stop.

Birundasih grabbed Sugi's face, pulling the man into his arms. He cried softly and his fingers pressed firmly against the man's back.

Sugi fell silent, buried his face in Birundasih's neck and felt it deep within him, feeling his strength and gentleness, feeling his body and soul.

Sugi understood, at this time Birundasih was letting himself be taken wherever he wanted, to the place he thought he should be.

But, Sugi loved her too much.

Sugi raised his head, opened his eyes and saw Birundasih in the light of fire, admiring her beauty as he moved. He saw the exposed body parts of Birundasih sparkling with sweat crystals and watched the beads roll from his neck to his chest and fall there like rain outside. And with every drop, with every breath, he felt himself, every responsibility, every aspect of his life, drifting away.

Slowly their faces approached each other. Their bodies reflected all that was given, all that was taken, and she was rewarded with sensations she never knew existed. It continued on, tingling all over her body and warming her up, and she struggled to catch her breath while Birundasih trembled under her.

But as soon as it was done, the others began to build up again, and they began to feel it in a long sequence, one after another. When the rain had stopped and replaced the short sun towards sunset, their bodies were already tired but none of them wanted to stop the enjoyment between them.

They spent the day hugging, making love near the fire and then re-hugging as they watched the fire coiling around the wood.

Sometimes Sugi recited one of his favorite poems as he lay beside her, and he would listen with his eyes closed to feel every word that slid from the lips of the man by her side.

Then, when they were ready, they would join again and she would mutter the words of love between kisses as they hugged each other.

They continued through the night, redeemed their separate years, and slept cuddling that night. One time Birundasih woke up and he looked at Sugi who was asleep, then looked at his own body, thin and beaming, then felt as if everything was suddenly right in this world.

Morning, Sugi woke up as usual. He lay quietly staring at the face he had always longed for in the moments before dawn, until then the two pretty eyes opened wide and the owner smiled, extending a hand to touch his face. Birundasih put his fingers to Sugi's lips, gently, so that he would not speak, and for a long time they just looked at each other.

Sugi then whispered to her, "You are the answer to every prayer I pray. You are a song, a dream, a whisper, and I don't know how I can live without you. I love you, Birundasih, more than you can imagine. I always have been, and always will be."

"Oh, Sugi," she said, pulling the man towards her. He wants it, needs it now more than ever, unlike anything he's ever known.