The golden light of four in the afternoon filtered beautifully through the large window of the Shibuya apartment, casting long lines of winter sun across the fine hardwood floor. Outside, the distant hum of Tokyo traffic and the neon screens were barely beginning to ignite at the base of the tower, but inside the fifteenth floor, the silence was absolute—broken only by the soft hum of the heating system that kept the atmosphere warm and cozy.
Aibek sat on the edge of the kitchen bar, wearing only a slightly loose white cotton t-shirt and thin athletic pants. His legs dangled, swaying with a looseness that would have been unthinkable under the rigid gaze of the St. Petersburg physiotherapists. In his hands, he held a cup of jasmine tea, letting the warm vapor warm his face while his onyx eyes followed Jake's movements with a sweet focus.
