pederasty

***

Hanamichi entered his office earlier than usual. He didn’t want to meet any of his co-workers yet, knowing that they were bound to ask questions he didn’t want to answer.

He stood still when he opened the door to his office. The whole room was filled with all sorts of flowers. He entered the room and looked around. He cursed under his breath when he discovered the security camera missing.

“What the hell are you planning, fox?” he muttered under his breath.

A knock was heard and the door opened, revealing a smiling Akira. “Good morning, Hanamichi,” he greeted the redhead.

Hanamichi scowled. “What’s good in the morning?”

Akira shrugged as he walked towards the redhead. He was looking at Hanamichi predatorily. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe its because it’s a very beautiful morning, or maybe its just because I’m happy to see you.”

Hanamichi straightened in defensive stance. He didn’t like how Akira was looking at him. Akira stopped right in front of him, and was standing too close for comfort.

“What do you want, Sendoh?”

Akira chuckled. He shrugged again. “If I kiss you, what will you do?” he asked as he reached out to touch the redhead’s face.

Hanamichi reacted by pushing him away and trying to punch him.

Akira evaded the punch and caught Hanamichi’s fist. He pulled the resisting redhead closer to him and, before Hanamichi could react again, he kissed the redhead.

Hanamichi was so shocked, he didn’t move at all. Akira thought of it as surrender and deepened the kiss.

Hanamichi’s brain finally registered what Akira was doing so he struggled vehemently. Akira only tightened his hold.
ddendden as the kiss began, it halted when a hand shot out and gripped Akira’s shoulder painfully. Akira let Hanamichi go and turned around to face who interrupted him. But a fist connected with his face instead.

“Shit! Kaede, what did you do that for?” he asked as he felt his jaw.

“I should be the one asking you that,” Kaede answered coldly. Turning to the blushing redhead, he asked gently, “You okay, Hana?”

Hanamichi looked away guiltily but nodded.

Kaede seemed content with the redhead’s answer that he turned back to his brother, who straightened himself and gave Kaede a smug smile.

“Get out,” he ordered.

Akira sighed in defeat. He exited the office with slow steps.

“See you around, Hanamichi.” He winked at the redhead before closing the door.

Hanamichi looked around the room except on Kaede. He felt like he was caught cheating on Kaede or something like that. And it irked the living daylights out of him.

Kaede studied Hanamichi closely. “How have you been, Hana?” he asked after a few minutes of tense silence.

Hanamichi stared at him in the sudden question. “I’ve been fine,” he lied.

“I see,” Kaede whispered. He slowly advanced at the stiff redhead. “Then why are you crying?” Kaede reached out to wipe a lone tear on Hanamichi’s cheek.

Hanamichi’s breath caught in his throat at the tender touch. He slapped the hand away after a minute of stillness.

“DON’T TOUCH ME!” he yelled at Kaede. His tears were flowing uncontrollably again. “YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TOUCH ME! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO COME BACK! AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO ACT LIKE YOU CARE!” Hanamichi was getting hysterical, but he didn’t care. His pain multiplied as forbidden memories came crashing on him. He didn’t want to remember anymore, he didn’t want to cry anymore.

Hanamichi yelped in surprise when he was pushed onto his desk. Kaede took advantage of the redhead’s surprise to assault Hanamichi’s lips in a brutal kiss. Hanamichi gasbreabreathlessly as Kaede shamelessly felt his body on the restricting clothes. He tried to struggle out of the possessive embrace but Kaede was steadfast in holding him down on top of the desk.

Kaede groaned as he allowed them both breathing space for a moment. He stared deeply into the brown eyes that had never left his dreams. He kissed Hanamichi again but more gentle this time.

Hanamichi responded as his fox coaxed his lips apart. In the back of his mind, he knew that he’d regret this later. But his body cried out to touch and feel Kaede again. He vaguely felt their clothes loosening and being dispatched by hurried hands. Hurried hands that played his body into the sensual tune that had been eluded from him for five years.

Kaede moved his kisses lower. He carefully mapped out Hanamichi’s body with his tongue. He hungrily mouthed Hanamichi’s member when he reached it.

Hanamichi arched and grabbed a handful of raven-black hair as Kaede sucked him. He moaned as he felt his opening being prepared.

“Please,” he begged the fox softly.

Kaede heard him. He straightened and trapped Hanamichi with two hands between his head. Kaede kissed him deeply then.

Hanamichi wantonly opened his legs wider as Kaede plunged into him.

“Ah!” he gasped softly as he was filled up. He arched his back to get Kaede to move deeper still. He clawed Kaede’s shoulders painfully as Kaede started to thrust faster.

“Kaede!” he cried when he felt his body tighten.

Kaede took hold of Hanamichi’s hand and gripped it hard as they both reached orgasm. He placed chaste kisses on Hanamichi’s cheeks to erase the marks that were left by his tears.

“My Hana,” he softly whispered before kissing the redhead fully on the lips.

Hanamichi responded jadedly.

***

“You’re early today,” Youhei greeted his best friend as he entered the daycare. Youhei turned away from Hanamichi as a little boy clumsily fell face down to the floor.

Hanamichi just shrugged. He’d only been to the office for an hour or so, only to leave as fast as he could right after his office interlude with Kaede. Luckily for him, the office was still deserted for he had been very early. Kaede tried to stop him from leaving but Hisoka Sendoh suddenly arrived and wished to talk to his sons. So Hanamichi got out easily and smoothly.

He went home immediately. He spent nearly an hour under the shower trying vainly to stop himself from thinking of what had just happened.

‘It wasn’t supposed to happen,’ he thought. But it did and he enjoyed it.

Hanamichi felt like banging his head on the floor. He was thinking of those wondrous hands and finger again. Not to mention the *eleventh finger*.

Youhei watched his friend’s face burn up. It was still ten in the morning, and Hanamichi wasn’t supposed to be at the daycare this early. He silently studied his best friend’s feature and was a bit surprised to see a small bruise on the redhead’s neck. The bruise was too small to be made by accident so it only meant that…

“You had it with Rukawa-san, didn’t you?” Youhei asked suddenly as he turned away from Hanamichi again. His hands were full with a little one-year old boy crying for his bottle.

Hanamichi sweat-dropped. He was hoping that Youhei wouldn’t notice. He sighed dejectedly.

“It wasn’t supposed to happen,” he said defensively.

Youhei nodded. “Yeah,” he agreed as he gave Hanamichi a brief stare. He went back to feeding the one-year old. “But it did and you enjoyed it.”

Hanamichi puffed up. He didn’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse having a best friend that knew him too well. He sighed again.

“I know,” he muttered. He watched as Youhei smiled tenderly at a little girl. He looked around the room and spotted Usagi on one of the tables, playing with blocks. He let his eyes travel more and witnessed how kids of all sizes made a mess of the playroom.

“Hanamichi, since you’re here, why don’t you help me with the kids, okay?” Youhei requested to the silent redhead. When Hanamichi nodded, he pointed to a back door. “The aprons are over there.”

***

Hanamichi dragged his feet slowly as they walked home.

“Hell, Youhei,” he uttered in a raspy voice. “You deserve an award for dealing with those hellions everyday.”

Youhei smiled sympathetically at the very tired redhead. If he were cruel enough, he would have laughed out loud.

“They’ll grow on you,” Youhei said as he turned away. He agreed to let the father and daughter stay at his house until the redhead was stable enough emotionally to deal with Kaede.

Hanamichi stared ahead with droopy eyes. He was never this tired in all his life, even when Usagi was teething. Those darn kids sap the life out of him, leaving him feeling like an empty sack of rice.

Youhei smiled sympathetically at Hanamichi again. He shook his head at the hopeless look on Hanamichi’s face.

“Dadee, it’s that man again,” Usagi pointed out to a car parked near Youhei’s house. She was perched on Hanamichi’s shoulders and was holding on to Hanamichi’s hair.

“Eh?” Hanamichi answered absent-mindedly. His eyes weighed a ton that it was hard for him to open them fully.

Youhei looked at the people that Usagi pointed to. He could clearly recognize Kaede and Akira. He looked at Hanamichi and sweat-dropped at the almost asleep redhead.

Kaede walked briskly towards them. He nodded at Youhei before fully turning his attention to the sleepwalking redhead.

“Hana?” Kaede asked with worry when the redhead just walked past him. He caught Hanamichi’s arm and stopped the redhead’s trance-like walking.

Usagi stared at Kaede curiously. “Hello,” she greeted to get Kaede’s attention.

Kaede noticed her for the first time. He smiled at the little girl. “Hello, Usa,” he said. “What happened to your Dadee?”

Usagi shrugged. “He helped Uncle Youhei in the daycare.”

“Oh. Now that explains why he’s so tired,” Akira butted in. He grinned at Usagi. “Hello, chibi!”

“Hello, Aki-chan!” Usagi beamed brightly at the friendly guy.

Akira smiled wider at the nickname.

Kaede narrowed his eyes at his brother. He reached out to Usagi. “Come here, Usa,” he ordered gently. “I don’t think its healthy for you to stay perched on your sleg fag father’s shoulders.”

Usagi nodded before accepting the open arms. Hanamichi was jolted with Usagi’s sudden movement and automatically tightened his hold on his daughter.

“Dadee!” Usagi cried out when the Hanamichi’s hold became painful for her.

Hanamichi woke up and stared in shock at Kaede who held Usagi to keep the child from falling. “What are you doing, fox?” he asked sleepi
K
Kaede scowled. “Let Usagi go, idiot. You’re sleepwalking, and it’s dangerous for Usagi to stay on your shoulders.”

Hanamichi, though his mwas was foggy with sleep, let Usagi go to the relief of the child and Kaede. He instantly went back to sleep as he walked towards Youhei’s house.

Youhei watched the three with a bigger sweat-drop. He was a little startled when he heard a faint chuckle beside him. He looked beside him and found a grinning Akira.

Akira turned his gaze away from the three to look at Youhei. He smiled widely at the smaller guy. “Would you like to have dinner with me, Youhei?”

Youhei stared suspiciously at the grinning guy before looking at the three again. He could see that Usagi had produced the key to his house and they were already entering his humble abode. He sighed and shrugged.

“Okay,” he agreed. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to let them be for a few hours. After all, Hanamichi will be too sleepy to eat early and Usagi will be taking her nap again.”

Akira nodded enthusiastically. He led Youhei to his parked car and pointed to Youhei the passenger seat. “You’re the only man I know who owns a daycare,” he said as they buckled their seatbelts.

Youhei grinned. “I know that I’m a rare breed,” he informed cockily.

Akira laughed. “What did you finish in college?” he asked as he maneuvered his car out into the pavement.

“Psychology,” Youhei answered. “But I took a minor in childhood education. I liked it so I opened a daycare.”

“Don’t you find it tiring?”

“Nahh.” Youhei stared at the passing landscape. “I love it. I love kids.”

Akira maneuvered the car in the late afternoon traffic expertly. “Why don’t you get married? If you love kids that much.”

Youhei’s eyes darkened. “I haven’t found the right girl yet, I guess.”

Akira detected a tone of sadness in Youhei’s voice, but sensibly let it pass. “Do you like seafood, Youhei?” he changed the subject tactfully.

Youhei brightened considerably. “Yeah, I do.”

Akira chuckled. “So do I.” he winked at Youhei. “I’ll treat you to a true seafood paradise here in Kanagawa.”

Youhei noddeth ath a smile.

***

Kaede carefully put the young redhead on the floor. He looked around and spotted another redhead on the couch, snoring loudly.

“Usa?” he called out to the girl. When he felt Usagi stand beside him, he looked down at her. “Where’s your Dadee’s room? Do you share rooms?”

“No,” Usagi answered. “I have another room. Dadee’s room is that one.” Usagi pointed to a door near the stairs. “And oom oom is the last one on the left.”

Kaede nodded. He noticed that the little girl kept on yawning. “Is it your nap time, Usa?”

Usagi nodded. “But I can’t sleep. Dadee always sings me a lullaby.” She rubbed her chubby hands to her eyes.

Kaede carefully stopped the girl’s action. “Don’t do that, Usa. It might hurt your eyes.” He carried the little girl again and headed to the room that the girl pointed as her room. “I’ll sing you a lullaby, okay? So you can go to sleep.”

i smi smiled at Kaede adoringly. “Thank you, sir.”

Kaede smiled at her. “Call me father.”

Usagi nodded. “Father.”

Kaede smugly nodded.

***

Youhei laughed loudly at what Akira just told him. He honestly had a good time that night. He got out of the car and waited until Akira did the same.

“Thanks,” Youhei gratefully said to Akira.

Akira just nodded. He looked at the silent house and wondered out loud, “Do you think Kaede had le

Youhei noticed the wed eed expression on Akira’s face. “I think so. The house is pretty quiet.” He looked closely to Akira’s jaw and noticed a dark coloration. “Did someone hit you?”

“Eh?” Akira looked surprised. Youhei pointed to his jaw. Akira rubbed his jaw and grinned sheepishly. “I’d done an experiment this morning, but Kaede was not happy.”

Youhei raised an eyebrow. “That experiment did not include Hanamichi, did it?”

Akira laughed. “How’d you guess?”

Youhei sighed then smiled at the ling ing man. “Because you said that Kaede was not happy. If I remember correctly, he’s very territorial and doesn’t like the idea of anyone stepping into his *territory*.”

“Territory, eh?” Akira winced slightly as he felt his jaw again. “I’ll have to remember that.” Brightening up all of a sudden, he embraced Youhei suggestively. “You’re nobody’s territory, aren’t you?”

Youhei was taken by surprise he she sudden flirtations. His eyes widened and, before he could react, Akira’s lips claimed his. He honestly liked the kiss but it was more like kissing your brother than kissing a potential lover. It had no heat.

“That was nice,” Youhei murmured when they parted.

Akira winced then let the smaller man go. “Not much of a French kiss, was it?”

Youhei shrugged. “It was just nice.”

“I know. I once experimented in kissing Kaede; the kiss was as bland as boiled chicken breast. It had neither substance nor heat; and Kaede vomited so hard, mother had to take him to the hospital. From that day on, Kaede refused even the mere idea of sharing a room with me overnight.”

Youhei clutched his sides, as he laughed hard. “Man! I don’t blame the guy a bit. He’s your brother, for god’s sakes!”

“It was an experiment!” Akira cried defensively.

“Do you often experiment with any guy you went across to?”

“Of course not!” Akira huffed with indignation. “I’m very picky!”

“Picky?”

“Yeah, PICKY!”

Youheugheughed again. “Oh gods! I have to go now, Akira. I still have a daycare to take care of tomorrow.” He muffled his laughter with a grin.

Akira pouted cutely for being dismissed. But he turned around and opened his car door. “See you around, Youhei,” he shouted as he zoomed away.

Youhei shook his head at the hopeless Akira. He made a turnabout but jumped back when he noticed a large shadow near the gate.

“Goddamnit, Akagi-san! What the hell are you doing snooping around me?” he shouted as he clutched his chest. “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

“Sorry,” Takenori murmured. He stared intently at Youhei.

Youhei nervously fidgeted under the penetrating gaze. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough,” Takenori answered in a dead voice. He walked out of the gate and left Youhei looking like a goldfish.

“Damn!” Youhei uttered in frustration as he watched the huge bulk moved away. He entered the ghost-like quiet house in heavy steps.

“I’m home,” he said to no one.

“Hmm..thank God you here! I was thinking that Akira might have raped you by now,” a voice told Youhei calmly, making Youhei jump in surprise.

“Damnit! What’s with you people?! First it was Tak…Akagi-san, now you?” Youhei cried angrily. He opened the lights and glared at Hanamichi, who was currently lounging on the couch, drinking what look like a glass of lemonade.

Hanamichi just shrugged. “I was just thinking.” He took a swig from his glass.

Youhei sat beside him and sighed. “What happened with Rukawa-san?”

Hanamichi shrugged again. “Nothing,” he murmured. “When I woke up, Gori was already here, tutoring Usagi. And the fox was not around.”

Youhei nodded. He thought of what had taken place outside his gate and the look he got from Takenori. He knew that the guy was homophobic.

Hanamichi studied his best friend. He knew something was bothering Youhei. “You-chan?”

“Hn?”

“What’s wrong?” Hanamichi shifted in his seat. “You didn’t fall in love with Akira, did you?”

Youhei stared at Hanamichi like he had grown another head. They laughed after a moment of silence.

“I wish I did,” Youhei said, still laughing.

Hanamichi sobered. “Yeah, you’re too reasonable to fall for that pervert.” He finished his drink with one single gulp. He decided to change the subject when he saw Youhei’s face darken with loneliness. “What’s with you and Gori?”

Youhei looked like Hanhi shi slapped him with a fish. Hanamichi’s eyes widened as realization hit him.

“My God!”

Youhei looked away. He covered his face with his hands, and slumped forward.

“My God!” Hanamichi uttered in total disbelief. “When, Youhei?”

Youhei shook his head. He rubbed his face in agitation. “I don’t know, Hanamichi. It just sorta hit me.”

Hanamichi stared at Youhei in shock. “My God! I never thought that you’d … that you’d fall for Gori! And here I was, thinking how foolish it was for me to fall for an insensitive asshole. You’re more foolish than I am.”

Youhei cringed. “Shit, Hanamichi! Do you think it was easy for me to admit to myself that I had fallen for a homophobe? It was pure masochism.”

Hanamichi blinked repeatedly. “I always thought that you’re straight, Youhei.”

Youhei shrugged. “I only realized my preference lately,” he admitted. He got up, took Hanamichi’s glass, and walked to the kitchen.

Hanamichi followed him in a daze. “Okay. So what are you gonna do now?” He stared at Youhei anxiously.

Youhei faced Hanamichi after placing the glass into the sink. “I don’t know,” he whispered in defeat. He laughed mirthlessly. “I’m so pathetic.”

Hanamichi looked at Youhei in sympathy. “Welcome to the club.”

Youhei smiled miserably at Hanamichi. “You’re luckier than I am. He came back to you.”

Hanamichi nodded. Kaede did come back to him, and, foolish or not, he knew he had a better chance of happiness than Youhei. He clumsily reached out and hugged his best friend.

Youhei allowed Hanamichi to hug him close. He knew he could count on Hanamichi for support.

“Thank you,” he whispered to the redhead.

Hanamichi hugged Youhei tighter as answer.

***

Hanamichi carefully placed the sleeping girl on the floor. He reached out and grabbed some blankets. He placed the blankets on top of the sleeping children so they won’t get chilled.

Youhei smiled widely at the redhead. Hanamichi refused to go to work so Youhei nagged him to help him in the daycare again. Hanamichi grudgingly agreed with the help of Usagi.

“They seem to like you a lot,” Youhei commented to Hanamichi as Hanamichi joined him in the daycare’s playroom. They picked the scattered toys and placed them in the toy box.

Hanamichi grunted at Youhei. He didn’t feel as tired as he was yesterday. He hated to admit it, but Youhei’s right. Children could grow on you.

Youhei silently laughed at his best friend. He knew that the redhead had started to like the children too.

“You’re better in taking care of the children than I am,” he teased the redhead as they finished cleaning the playroom.

Hanamichi grunted again. “If you keep insisting I help you here, you’ll have to pay me.”

Youhei made a mock shocked face. “Are you applying for a job, monsieur?”

Hanamichi suddenly straightened. “Oh yeah! Good idea, You-chan! I could work for you!” he beamed at Youhei excitedly.

“Eh?” Youhei stared at Hanamichi in surprise.

“I could work for you,” Hanamichi repeated. He gazed at Youhei hopefully.

Youhei was flabbergasted. “But… but, Hanamichi, what about your job at Hino Company?”

“I resigned,” Hanamichi answered with finality.

Youhei’s eyes widened. “When?!”

Hanamichi looked away. He returned to sweeping the floors. “This morning. I wrote my resignation letter last night. I asked Ayako to give it to the cny fny for me.”

Youhei regained his senses and started sweeping too. “I see,” he murmured. He paused and thought for a moment. “Okay.”

Hanamichi turned happy puppy brown eyes at Youhei. “Really?” he exclaimed gleefully.

Youhei laughed at Hanamichi’s expression. He nodded as he started to sweep the floor. “Really. You have to call me boss now, though.”

“In your dreams,” Hanamichi retorted with a laugh. He returned to sweeping the floor with enthusiasm.

The day passed uneventfully until at last their parents took the children home. When the last kid kissed Hanamichi goodbye, three raven-haired males arrived suddenly.

“Well! Hello!” Youhei greeted with a friendly smile. Hanamichi stiffened beside him.

Kaede nodded to Youhei. He glanced at the pale redhead. “Hello, Hana,” he greeted in a very cold calm voice.

Hanamichi smiled at him hesitantly. “Hello.” Looking down, he greeted Mamoru with a wide smile. “Hello, Mamo.”

Akira pouted. “Don’t I get a hello too, Hanamichi?”

Hanamichi chuckled. “Hello, Akira.”

“Too late! You already hurt my feelings,” Akira said as he let tears fill his eyes to show his hurt feelings.

Hanamichi sweat-dropped. Kaede snorted and Mamoru sighed. Youhei laughed softly.

“If its any consolation, Akira, I could take you to dinner tonight,” Youhei offered.

Akira brightened up. He nodded vigorously. “Dinner it is.”

Kaede rolled his eyes at his childish brother.

Mamoru looked around and spotted Usagi, who was sitting under a sakura tree. He walked towards her slowly.

“Hello,” he greeted.

Usagi looked at him incredulously. “Hello,” she greeted back after staring for a long time.

Mamoru grinned at her. “You look like a lost cat under the tree.”

Usagi puffed up angrily. “And you look like a nerd with your …umm… clean clothes!” she retorted with a shout.

Mamoru frowned. “What’s wrong with clean clothes?” he asked angrily. He clearly didn’t like being shouted at.

“Everything,” Usagi pouted like a queen to her disrespectful subject. “Especially if you’re wearing them.”

Now Mamoru puffed up too. “Weirdo!”

Usagi gasped in shock. She glared at the offending boy, ala Sakuragi killer eyes. “BROOMHEAD!”

The adults finally noticed the two.

“Uhuh! We’ve got to separate them now, or they might do bodily harm to each other,” Youhei said as he marched towards the two in sure steps, Kaede walked with him. The two parents followed behind.

“Usa-chan, Mamoru, quit that now,” Hanamichi ordered sternly. He scooped Usagi easily and perched the girl on his shoulders.

“But he started it, Dadee,” Usagi protested as she grabbed a handful of red hair. “He was being mean to me.” She looked down and glared at Mamoru.

Kaede squatted in front of Mamoru. “Apologize to the young lady, Mamo,” he commanded the young boy.

Mamoru looked away stubbornly. Kaede sighed in defeat. He stood up and faced the father and daughter. “I’m sorry, Usa,” he apologized in behalf of his nephew.

Usagi nodded. She was still glaring at Mamoru.

Akira chuckled at the children’s fighting spirit. “They’ll burn the house down when they grow up. Literally.”

Youhei smiled. He watched Hanamichi squat down at Mamoru’s level while Usagi pulled at his hair and yelling at him to stop talking to the mean boy. He laughed when Hanamichi winced in pain. Kaede only watched the father and daughter.

“So? Where are you taking me tonight?” Akira asked suddenly.

Youhei didn’t leave his eyes on the two redheads. “I know of a very good restaurant near here. We could go there,” he answered.

Akira nodded. He tugged Youhei’s shirtsleeve. “Let’s go,” he said when Youhei looked at him.

Youhei raised an eyebrow. “What about your son?”

“Kaede always takes care of him.”

“Oh?”

Akira nodded again. “I’m hungry,” he admitted with a blushs sts stomach growled in agreement.

Youhei chuckled. “Okay.”

Akira smiled in relief. He turned to Kaede. “Hey, Kae-chan!”

Kaede stared at him in boredom.

“We’ll be going now.”

“Where?”

“Dinner,” Akira shouted. He was already dragging Youhei to his car. He hastily pushed the smaller guy inside and joined him.

Kaede watched as the slick red car zoomed into the horizon.

“Where are they going?” Hanamichi asked beside him.

“Dinner,” Kaede answered coldly. He turned to Mamoru and held out his hand. The boy immediately took hold of it.

“Let’s go,” Kaede told Hanamichi.

Hanamichi stared dumbly at Kaede. “Where?”

“To Youhei’s house, I guess,” Kaede, answered as he looked at the bewildered brown eyes. “That’s where yo sta staying, right?”

Hanamichi nodded. He blinked when Kaede held out his other hand for him to hold. He blushed but took the offered hand.

Kaede smiled for the first time since he received the resignation letter that morning. He tightened his hold on Hanamichi’s hand as they walked towards the horizon.

***

“So tell me,” Youhei started as they sat down for dinner. “Why is that Rukawa-san’s the one taking care of your son and not you?”

Akira smiled sheepishly. “I’m too busy.”

“Too busy?”

Akira nodded. “I handled the business with father after Kaede and Hanamichi’s break-up. My brother was too distraught to do anything. So after my ex-wife gave birth, Kaede handled Mamoru’s care for me,” he answered all the while placing the napkin on his lap.

Youhei frowned. “Rukawa-san was too distraught?” He sounded doubtful.

Akira stared at Youhei; he wasn’t surprised at Youhei’s reaction. “Kaede left Hanamichi because our father ordered him to. Father thought that the family should minimize our appearances in the gossip columns.”

“It nearly killed Hanamichi,” Youhei muttered in cold fury.

Akira looked away. He partially blamed himself for the break-up. “If it’s any consolation to you and Hanamichi, Kaede tried to commit suicide seven times the past five years.”

Youhei looked at him questioningly.

Akira just shrugged. “Most of the reasons were Hanamichi. Hell! All of the reasons were Hanamichi.” He paused to drink from his glass. “I kept track of Hanamichi, and I told Kaede what I found out. I stopped tracking when Kaede tried to kill himself the third time. But on the fifth time, we, my father and I, found out that Kaede had hired his own private investigator. So for the family’s benefit, I returned to tracking Hanamichi again.”

“So you knew that Hanamichi worked in Hino Company,” Youhei stated.

Akira nodded. “Yeah. But I didn’t tell Kaede that Hanamichi decided to work in an office rather than in a gym.”

Youhei nodded, his anger had abated.

“Good evening, sir,” a man in smart clothes who approached their table, greeted them. “I’m sorry for the delay of services. The house had been very busy, and lacking some personnel.” He passed the menus to the two.

Akira stared at him with a gaping mouth. Youhei smiled at the young man.

“Hello, Hiro-kun,” Youhei addressed the waiter with a friendly smile.

Hiroaki Koshino stepped back in surprise. “You-chan,” he murmured breathlessly. He regained his composure and smiled brightly at the older guy. “How have you been? And little Usagi?”

Youhei laughed heartily. “I’m fine. Hanamichi and Usagi are fine too. He works in the daycare now.”

Hiroaki’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding, right? Hanamichi swore before that he’d rather be shot dead than be stuck working with kids that weren’t his.”

“His mind has changed.” Youhei studied the menu, but was startled when a foot made a painful contact with his leg. He looked at Akira, puzzled.

Akira widened his eyes at Youhei, silently motioning Youhei to introduce him to Hiroaki.

Youhei got the message instantly. “Hiro-kun, meet Akira Sendoh,” he introduced the young waiter to the overly eager Akira. “Akira, meet Hiroaki Koshino.”

Hiroaki smiled brightly at Akira as they shook hands. His smile faltered a little though after a few minutes of hand shaking.

Youhei chuckled. “Akira, what do you like to order?”

“Huh?” Akira looked bewildered. He was still holding Hiroaki’s hand.

Hiroaki blushed and tried to peel his hand away from Akira, but the man responded by tightening his hold. His blush deepened when Youhei laughed.

“Akira,” Youhei chastised Akira softly. “Give Hiro-kun some space, will you?”

Akira finally realized that he was still holding Hiroaki’s hand. He smiled sheepishly at Hiroaki as he let him go. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.

Hiroaki responded with a strained smile. “What’s your order, sir?” he asked professionally.

Akira gawked at him again. Youhei laughed again. Hiroaki was getting very uncomfortable.

“I think we’ll take the lobster special tonight,” Youhei announced, deciding for Akira. “What do you think, Akira?”

“Huh?” Akira was looking at the fidgeting Hiroaki rather than at Youhei.

Youhei snickered at the love-struck, or more like lust-struck man, before him. He turned to his young friend. “It’s lobster, Hiro-kun,” he decided.

Hiroaki bowed gracefully at Youhei and Akira before leaving their table to attend to their orders. He sighed in relief to be off the perverted man’s sight.

Youhei sipped his wine leisurely before he kicked Akira’s leg under the table to get his attention. He smiled knowingly at the look Akira gave Hiroaki.

“Where did you meet that guy?” Akira Sendoh asked Youhei after taking his eyes off Hiroaki’s ass.

Youhei chuckled. “In college,” he informed. “He was a member of the basketball club that Hanamichi joined in. But he’s more into academics so he left the club prematurely.”

Akira nodded. “So you’re pretty close with him?”

“Not really,” Youhei answered honestly. “Hanamichi’s pretty close to him. They agreed in more things than one.” He paused to sip his wine again. “He was one of the people who voted the name Usagi for Usagi.”

“Oh?” Akira seemed surprise. “I thought that the name was chosen by Hanamichi himself.”

Youhei shook his head. “There was a list of names for Usagi. There were so many that there was a voting day before her birth. Usagi won the most votes so the name was given to Hanamichi’s first child.”

“I see,” Akira uttered. He gave Youhei a penetrating look before he leaned conspiratorially. “Is he single?”

Youhei had been expecting that question. He smiled at Akira. “Yes, but he doesn’t like men.”

Akira made a face. “Right,” he snorted. “They all say that.”

Youhei shook his head at the hopelessness of the situation. “Can I ask you a question, Akira?” he asked suddenly.

Akira stared at Youhei long before nodding.

“Have you ever been in love?” Youhei asked the cliché question. “Like really in love?”

Akira frowned thoughtfully. He wanted to lie to Youhei, but he knew the smaller man could see through the lie instantly. If truth be told, no, he had never been in love. In lust, yes, thousands of times as a matter of fact.

“No,” Akira answered. “I’ve never been in love.”

Youhei smiled sadly. “How old are you, Akira? Thirty-four? Thirty-seven?” Youhei waved his hands as he asked.

“It’s thirty-five,” Akira informed with him a smile.

Youhei nodded. “In all your thirty-five years, you have never been in love. Doesn’t that make you feel … umm… empty?”

Akira’s smile disappeared. It did make him feel empty. Being in love was probably the one thing that he envied his brother Kaede about. ‘It’s better to love and be hurt, than not to love at all,’ rang in his head more than a million times already.

“Why are you telling me this?” Akira asked in a tight voice.

“He’s my friend, Akira,” Youhei answered gravely. “And so are you.”

“Are you insinuating that I’ll hurt him, Youhei?” Akira sounded hurt at the unvoiced accusation.

“You’re a heartbreaker,” Youhei shrugged. “You’re bound to hurt him.”

“What if I told you that I’m in love with him?”

Youhei laughed mirthlessly. “Love at first sight is not something I believe in, Akira. For me, and for Hiroaki, love didn’t grow instantly.”

“Not very romantic, aren’t we?”

“No. I’m more reasonable than that.”

“Have you ever been in love?”

Youhei was taken aback at the question. His eyes darkened considerably. “Yes, I have. And because of that, I personally questioned my reasons and sanity.”

“That bad, huh?”

Youhei smiled bitterly. “More than bad.” He took another sip of his wine. He straightened casually when he spotted Hiroaki walking towards them with their orders. “Here come the lobsters.”

Akira smiled flirtatiously at Hiroaki. “Can I have your number?”

Hiroaki’s eyes widened. He turned away from Akira and glared at Youhei.

Youhei shrugged at the glare. “He wouldn’t listen.” Youhei immediately tackled the lobster as the plate was placed in front of him.

Hiroaki sighed. He turned back to Akira who was smiling eagerly. “I don’t have a phone, sir,” he lied calmly. Irritation was slowly ticking in his head.

“Your address then?” Akira produced a memo pad from his shirt pocket and made a motion of writing something down.

Hiroaki glared at him. “I don’t give my address to strangers,” he growled before he left their table.

Akira stared after him in bemusement. He turned to Youhei for guidance but Youhei was eating the lobster with gusto and was completely ignoring him. He sighed and started eating too.

Youhei smiled at the frustrated Akira. But he knew that the man was persistent. He’d find a way to contact Hiroaki. Due to his disregard of Akira’s silent pleading, he ended up eating the lobster fasthan han he intended.

“Is that your favorite?” Akira asked as he chewed slowly.

Youhei blinked unbelievingly at the lobster’s carcass. He smiled sheepishly at Akira. “Not really,” he admitted with a blush.

Akira chuckled. His eyes trained to a couple that just entered the restaurant. “Isn’t that Hanamichi’s brother-in-law?” he pointed to Youhei.

Youhei twisted around and saw Takenori with a beautiful woman clinging on his elbow. Pain stabbed his chest, and momentarily stopped his breathing. He turned back to Akira when he realized that the couple was facing in their direction.

‘You won’t notice me. You won’t notice me,’ he prayed silently. Tears were slowly forming, but he blinked them away stubbornly.

Akira studied Youhei with hooded eyes. It would take a fool not to notice Youhei’s silent agony, and Akira was no fool.

Takenori smiled at the beautiful woman. He was happy that the woman that he had been courting had finally consented to this dinner date. He gallantly escorted the woman as they weaved through the winding tables around the restaurant following a waiter that showed them to their table. His eyes fell on Akira, and recognizing him as Youhei’s date the other night. He looked at Akira’s companion and was a little surprise to see Youhei. He frowned as he moved towards the two. His lady companion was startled at Takenori’s sudden change of direction.

“Akagi-san?” she inquired as Takenori dragged her towards a very attractive man. She straightened her polished clothes when she identified Akira Sendoh.

“Good evening,” Takenori greeted Akira with a very strained smile. He turned to Youhei and glared at him. “Hello, Mito.”

Youhei smiled at him tightly. “Hello, Akagi-san,” he murmured in suppressed fury. He turned his eyes to the beautiful woman beside Takenori. “Would you mind introducing me to this lady?”

The woman immediately held her hand out to Akira. “Hello, Sendoh-san. I’m Catherine Yamato. You know my father, Kuno Yamato. You met him last year at the world fair in Tokyo. I would have met you too if not for a nasty cold I had that time. I had always wanted to meet you,” the woman giggled excitedly.

Akira hesitantly held her hand. He sweat-dropped at the woman’s prattle. He looked at Youhei silently for help. The woman was starting to chatter about her hair and her designer-made gown.

Youhei’s rage against the woman increased. He could feel Takenori’s glare at him and it totally ruined his good disposition that night.

“I think we have to go now, Akira,” he said angrily. He threw his napkin to the table and stood up before anyone could utter a word of disagreement.

Akira excused himself and followed Youhei as fast as he could without looking like he was running. He panted as he caught up with Youhei near his car. He opened his car door and wordlessly turned the ignition as they both finished buckling their seats.

Silence ruled the car until they reached Youhei’s house.

Hanamichi raised his head from Usagi’s book when Youhei barged into the house and ran mindlessly into his room.

“What was that all about?” Hanamichi asked Akira, as he entered not far from Youhei.

Akira shook his head. He smiled for Usagi’s benefit. The little girl was sitting on Hanamichi’s lap, reading with her father the adventures of Alice in Wonderland.

“Nothing,” he lied. He peeked a kiss on Usagi’s chubby cheek before looking around. “Where’s Kaede?”

“We’re here,” Kaede answered as he entered in the living room. He was cradling Mamoru in his chest. “What happened?” He noticed too the peculiar behavior of Youhei. “You didn’t do anything, did you?” Kaede narrowed his eyes at his older brother.

Akira rolled his eyes at Kaede. “Please, give me a break,” he whined. He dropped beside Hanamichi in the couch. “We just met Akagi-san in the restaurant. With a date.”

Hanamichi’s eyes widened in understanding. He carefully placed Usagi on Akira’s lap and went to his best friend’s room.

“You-chan?” he called out gently to the darkened room.

Youhei didn’t answer. Hanamichi entered the room apprehensively. “Akira told me what happened,” he said as he closed the door. “I’m sorry, You-chan.”

Hanamichi heard a sob from the bed. He silently made his way to the bed, and lay beside Youhei’s prone form. He hugged his friend tightly as Youhei cried.

Kaede, in the meantime, asked Akira what he meant by glaring at him. Hanamichi had informed him that Usagi had a very high IQ, and could understand things that adults wouldn’t want children to understand.

Akira shrugged. He picked the book that lay unattended on the couch. “Do you like this story, chibi?”

“Not very much, Aki-chan,” Usagi answered honestly. “What happened to Uncle Youhei, Aki-chan?”

Akira sweat-dropped. He opened his mouth to lie but Mamoru butted in.

“None of your business, weirdo,” Mamoru said coldly.

Usagi pouted but ignored Mamoru. She turned back to Akira and asked him again what happened.

“Usa,” Kaede called out before Akira started lying to the little girl. When Usagi stared at him, he shook his head slowly. “Whatever happened to your Uncle Youhei, you shouldn’t worry your beautiful head over it, okay?”

Usagi thought for a minute before nodding her head. “Okay,” she agreed softly. “He’ll be okay, right, father?”

“Father?!” Akira cried in surprise.

Kaede shrugged his shoulders before flashing Akira a grin. “Don’t tell Hanamichi,” he said cockily.

Akira chuckled. “You move fast.”

Kaede’s grin widened. He turned back to Usagi but not before setting down Mamoru beside Akira on the couch. “He’ll be just fine, Usa. Your Dadee won’t let him be anything but fine,” he reassured the child as he squatted down to her level.

Usagi nodded. She looked beside her and found Mamoru looking at the book on her lap. She pushed the book to him and leaned on Akira as she yawned sleepily.

Mamoru stared at her in surprise but ignored the girl when the book caught his attention. Kaede sat beside him and read the book for him loudly. Akira hummed a song so Usagi would fall asleep.

***

An hour near midnight, Hanamichi walked down the stairs but paused when he caught sight of the four on the couch. He smiled though he felt a little down. He descended the stairs quietly so the children wouldn’t wake up.

Kaede woke up when he felt a soft caress on his face. He smiled at Hanamichi as Hanamichi settled down on the floor beside him. He shifted Mamoru so the boy lay on the couch. He then joined Hanamichi on the floor.

“How was Youhei?” he asked Hanamichi. He massaged Hanamichi’s neck when the redhead smiled bitterly.

“Asleep. Broken hearted,” Hanamichi answered in a whisper. He leaned closer to Kaede as he remembered Youhei’s confession last night. “It was stupid of him to fall for Gori.”

Kaede kissed his temple ge. “Y. “You can’t control who you fall for, Hana.”

Hanamichi quietly laughed. “I know,” he muttered. “But you can’t help wishing sometimes.” He stared at Kaede in the eye. He gently traced Kaede’s jaw. “If I had been older, would you have stayed that summer, Kaede?”

Kaede gazed at the brown eyes soulfully. He decided to be honest. “No,” he answered bluntly. “I still would have left.” He looked away and took a deep breath. “But I still would have come back.”

Hanamichi reverted his gaze by bending his head onto Kaede’s shoulder. He breathed his lover’s scent. “I never stopped loving you, Kaede,” he whispered honestly.

Kaede was stunned. He tightened his arms around Hanamichi. “I never ceased to love you too, Hana,” he murmured.

Hanamichi smiled on Kaede’s shoulder. For now, his presence comforted him. The problems were far away when Kaede was beside him. Tomorrow would have to take care of itself.

***

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