Asahina paced the room quietly, nervous that any sound would bring him the bad news he had been expecting since Mayumi, the nice lady at the office, had told him Isaka had left work early. Asahina had know Isaka for over twenty years, twenty years of misery, then joy, then back to the irrefutable despair. It had been quite a ride. He knew how passionate Isaka was about his job; there hadn't been a day when he missed work, no matter all the pointing and muttering he had to stand, or any sickness the ever-changing weather brought along. Not one day. And yet, he left work early that afternoon. And for what? He hadn't said a word about it to Asahina. The rain started to drum softly on the window; it seemed to be reflecting his mood.

Should he go look for Isaka? But where? And if he were to find him, what would he say? He had kept quiet about his feelings towards Isaka for so long, until recently when the situation forced him to speak of his emotions, but never again; it's not like he didn't love him, in fact he was the only person he had ever truly loved, he couldn't imagine his life without him, even though he was the most selfish, vain, self-praising bastard he had ever laid eyes on. It was just his pride, his dignity, what would people say? Leaving aside the fact that Isaka's father was the most noble and generous person he had ever met, his mother so loving it would seem to an outsider he was her own, but he was nothing more than the boy with the insane parents who the Director of the recognized Marukawa Publishing had the compassion to save from a terrible fate. He was nobody. He let his thoughts carry him trough terrible scenarios where Isaka would leave him for good for someone younger, smarter, better, throughout most of the slowly moving afternoon.

The vibration in his pants startled him; he felt his pockets until he found his cell phone. He didn't particularly like the sensation of some foreign object moving in his pants without his permission, but he had taken the sound off the phone because Isaka said he couldn't stand it. He sighed dolefully and put the phone to his ear.

"Hello, Asahina speaking.- Yes, yes I'm aware of that- no I do not know that sir, he didn't share the information with- of course- yes, sir right away, sir. Thank you, goodnight to you, sir."

He hung up the phone and pocketed it again. He hesitated for just a moment before going out the front door. The rain had started beating harder, so by the time he got to his car, he was completely soaked. The rain remained him of some ten years back when Isaka, drenched from head to toe had come banging trough his door. But no, he couldn't think of those things right now. He started the car and began moving for the main road. What had the director said? "Isaka has been very strange lately- I haven't seen half of him as I used to- he might go find Usami Sensei-"Stupid Isaka. Why was it always his job to go save him from whatever ridiculous situation he found himself stuck in? Ah, but you love that, said a little voice inside his head, you love that he's reckless, and proud, and spoilt beyond belief. It's the ad venture that you love the most about him. He shook his head and tried to concentrate on the busy road.

He didn't give Isaka, or anyone else any thought until he reached the restaurant. He didn't know why he had gone to that place exactly, sure he had seen Isaka and Akihiko Sensei go to that place a lot of times, but there were so many restaurants in the city. It had just been a hunch.

When he got out of the car, his heart stopped. Isaka's car was parked just in front of his own. How could he have missed that? He approached the car to make sure. Yes, it was definitely his car, and the empty bottles of sake and beer were not a good sign. He hit the door of the car with his fist angrily. He heard thunder in the distance and decided to hurry inside before the rain drenched him any further.

"Hello," he told the hostess on the door of the restaurant, "I am looking for a man named Isaka -, has he taken a table by any chance?"

"No, I'm sorry sir," said the woman softly.

"Oh," said Asahina, "Well then, how about a man named Usami Akihiko?"

The woman checked the list. "Yes sir, they, that is he and his friend, came in about half an hour ago."

"His friend?"

"Yes, a young man with brown hair came in with him. Would you like to be seated with them?"

"Oh, no that's alright, I just came to pick something up. Could you please point me to the table where he's seated, please?"

The woman eyed him carefully. She looked disapprovingly at his wet clothes and hair, but he seemed to pass the examination, maybe by an air of importance or goodness, but she checked her list again and pointed him to one of the private booths in the back.

So the great Usami Sensei had taken his friend out to dinner? And the friend hadn't even bothered to let him know where he was going. It's not like he asked much of their relationship, he was very happy most of the time with just being with Isaka, taking care of him, but didn't he deserve a phone call at the very least?

He strode angrily to the back of the restaurant, when he saw a familiar silhouette walking in the same direction from his left. "Isaka? Isaka wait-!"

Isaka walked into one of the rooms. Asahina waited for a couple of minutes, but when he didn't see him come out he stealthily followed. He didn't dare burst inside in case Akihiko-sama was inside, he knew of his reputation and personality from Isaka. Instead he leaned against the door frame and tried to listen to the conversation inside.

"-he still sleeps with a teddy bear, at his age? And his bedroom is a toy paradise. Not exactly becoming of a 28-year-old man, you know what I mean?"

"What's the problem? I think we're all free to do what we want in our private lives,"

The first on was unmistakably Isaka. But whose voice was the second? He sounded young, and not like anyone at work. Could that be Akihiko's date who the hostess mentioned? His spirits lifted slightly at the idea, and he pressed his ear harder to the wall to keep listening. Perhaps he wouldn't have to intervene at all; maybe Isaka-san just came to do some off-hour work.

"And then listen to this-"

"Isaka-san, that's enough! There's a car waiting outside for you, isn't there? I'll escort you to the door."

Asahina moved his head to the frame of the door. Usami-sansei didn't sound very happy. He would probably have to impede a nasty scene very soon. When he looked through the frame, he saw a young boy; he couldn't have been older than eighteen, very cute too, sitting at the end of the table, looking very disgruntled towards Usami-sensei and Isaka, who was staring at Usami in a way Asahina had only seen him use once, almost ten years ago in his house.

Isaka smiled and closed on Akihiko. "Besides," he said grabbing his face with the tips of his fingers, "Isn't it time you stopped playing hard to get and let me have you?" he said getting dangerously close.

No! No, he did not just do that! Why-? No! I refuse it! Asahina gave another step towards the room.

Akihiko pushed Isaka very hardly against the wall; he looked mutinous.

"Isaka-san," he said, in a soft voice that sounded very upset none the less, "Are you trying to make me angry?!"

"Ow, let go of me Akihiko!"

Asahina couldn't control himself any longer. He walked inside the room and grabbed Isaka by the shoulder, dragging him away from Akihiko's murderous hands.

"H-hey! What-?"

Asahina straightened Isaka against his left side, pulling him upwards by the collar of the suit.

"Usami-sensei," he said not meeting his eye, "You have my humblest apologies."

"Asahina!" said Isaka. He was struggling to get away from Asahina's strong grip which seemed to be choking him slightly. Asahina took no notice whatsoever.

"It would appear that our fool of an executive director has once again made a nuisance of himself."

"Who are you calling a fool?!"

"I assure you," Asahina said ignoring Isaka, "you will have a formal apology in the near future. But if you wouldn't mind excusing us for tonight..."

"Go ahead. Just quarantine him somewhere, that would be more than sufficient," said Akihiko motioning them to leave with his hand.

Isaka looked pleadingly at Akihiko.

"Good night," said Asahina bowing slightly to Akihiko. He gave the boy a last look. He looked rather hurt and was staring at his unfinished plate. Asahina pulled Isaka angrily away.

"What the hell, you dirty bastard?" said Isaka. "You're just a secretary!"

A job I took for you. "You're drunk," he answered simply.

"I didn't drink anything!"

"We're going, sir."

"I'll be back!"

"The hell you'll be! Now be quiet, you're making a scene!"he said. People were staring at the two retreating men. The hostess looked like she wanted to say something to them when they exited, but thought better of it when Asahina almost threw Isaka out of the restaurant. He smiled at the hostess and gave her a curt nod.

He put Isaka on the passenger seat of his car and making sure he locked the doors, drove away towards Isaka's apartment. They didn't speak a word to each other throughout the entire ride, and when Asahina parked in front of his building, Isaka got out of the car slamming the door behind him.

"Wait, Isaka, wait," said Asahina. He helped him up the front steps and into the elevator. After three floors, Isaka stopped the elevator. Asahina looked surprised at Isaka, but he didn't meet his eye.

"Why did you go looking for me?" said Isaka quietly, as if to himself.

"Why-? Well, I was worried about you, wasn't I? You weren't picking up your cell phone, you didn't leave me any notes, any messages, nothing. And I go finding about your disappearance by people from the office, and then your father calls me-"

"My father, Isaka sneered. "Well I'm surprised you didn't go and console him the minute he called you."

"It's not like that! How many times do I have to explain the same thing to you?" Asahina said, angrily. "And you're the one to talk, following Usami- sensei when he was on a date, and then you, you-" he stopped, afraid that his voice might break and he would show his true emotions. He backed into the corner of the elevator and leaned on the wall closing his eyes.

After a minute of silence Isaka walked towards Asahina. He grabbed his hand with his own and held it tightly. "Whatever that looked like, it wasn't-"

"Yes, it was!" said Asahina opening his eyes. He pulled away from Isaka's grasp and backed even further into the corner. "I realize I'm nobody to tell you this, just a secretary, as a matter of fact-"

"No, I-"

"Don't interrupt me! For all these years I have done nothing but love you! I devoted myself to you none the less, and how did you repay me? Going off, and cornering Akihiko-sama and telling him he should let you have him. Fuck. And how would you know what it's like to "have" someone? As I recall, all you do is get it hard in the-"

"Alright, I get it!" said Isaka loudly. He passed his hand trough his untidy hair, a habit he had picked up some years back. "I get it, I'm sorry. I am," he said looking at Asahina's disbelieving face. "It's just, I don't know... I realize I won't be able to justify my actions to you any time soon, but you gotta believe me, for the time we've been friends, I feel nothing for Akihiko. I respect him; I care for him as the friend of his brother, as his editor, but nothing else. It was the alcohol speaking tonight, not me, not the real me anyway.

"It's only you I love, and I do. You know me; I would never joke about something like that. My feelings have always been there. Now why I love you, I have no idea, you're a bit of an idiot, really-"

Asahina didn't let him finish; he kissed him very hardly on the lips. Isaka opened his eyes in shock and backed up to breath.

"What-? I thought you were angry with me?"

"I was, but the truth is I can't resist you for long Isaka. I know when you're telling the truth, and I believe you are in fact, telling me the truth right now. And now, let me tell you the truth. You've never looked more appealing to me as you do now."

"We're in an elevator! What if-?"

"Would you shut up, and let me "have you" already?"

Asahina didn't wait for him to respond, he kissed him again, and this time Isaka replied his passion with the same intensity. Asahina grabbed him from the hair and pulling him slightly upwards like he had done in the restaurant he moved him against the opposite wall hardly.

Isaka let a small grunt escape him. Asahina took this as an initiative and kissed his neck, occasionally biting him softly, moving the skin away with his teeth to bite it a little harder, and then let it go, which brought more grunts form Isaka. Asahina smiled and raised his head up to Isaka's, and placed it tentatively close.

"So, not so opposed to elevators now, are you?" he laughed.

Isaka closed his eyes and pulling Asahina softly by the hair, he placed Asahina's head on his shoulders and took a deep breath, taking all of him in as he could.

"Asahina, an attractive male of 31," he began kissing the top of his head softly. "A rather attractive male, that is. Tall and lankly, he walks about the world with ease and poise, and yet manages to spread goodness wherever he goes, even with me,"

"I think you are correct," said Asahina from his shoulder. He was taller than Isaka, but he had managed to accommodate himself so his head fir perfectly in his shoulders.

"Despise all the tragedies and misery he suffered," Isaka went on, "he manages to be the reflection of goodness. His elegant ways make me think of... of antique temples and churches, so his skin must smell like an aged library, full of parchments and ink," he said smelling his neck. "And his hair, why his hair is a breath of fresh air from the mountains, or the forest maybe," He smelled his hair. "I stand corrected; it smells like wind itself,"

Asahina laughed softly. "Just how much did you drink?

"A lot," Isaka responded truthfully. "But not enough to make you feel as if you're taking advantage," he added with a smile.

Asahina smiled back and started unbuttoning his shirt. Isaka closed his eyes and leaned his head against the elevator wall. He smiled softly and concentrated his energy on not letting his head spin, trying to make the blood get out of his face and go-

"Whoa!" he said to Asahina who was on his knees.

"What?" he responded from the floor. He frowned slightly, but kept going, the movement from his head increasing slightly. The moans emanating from Isaka's mouth only seemed to motivate Asahina to go deeper, faster.

He suckled Isaka's, until the edge, and when Isaka thought he was going to be, Isaka was gong to-

There was a vibration on the floor. Asahina ignored it and continued suckling softly. Suddenly, the elevator came to a halt.

Asahina choked a little in shock, and put his hands to the floor quickly, trying to pretend he was tying his shoe lace. Isaka moved his body away towards the wall embarrassedly and did his zipper quickly.

When the doors of the elevator opened, an old lady walked in the elevator. She couldn't have been older than eighty but carried herself in a way that seemed old fashioned. She didn't seem to notice anything weird about Isaka's and Asahina's behavior and walked inside, settling herself between the two men, continuing the elevator ride. The elevator halted on the next floor and Isaka walked off, with Asahina stepping on his heels.

Isaka put the key on the door of his apartment and walked inside. He turned to look at Asahina who winked mischievously and followed him, but stayed outside.

"So," Isaka started.

"So," Asahina responded.

"So, do you want to come inside?"

Asahina kissed Isaka quickly on the neck.

"You're still in a good mood?" Asahina said lowering his grasp.

Isaka gasped and as a response grabbed him from the back and pulled him into his apartment.

"You bet," he said biting his ear.