Chapter 1: Close Calls
"I swear, Usagi-san, I just don't know what to do anymore!"
Usami Akihiko- or, as his wailing friend Takahiro had so affectionately nicknamed him, "Usagi-san"- groaned inwardly and ran a hand over his face. This had to be nearly the hundredth time he's heard this same line. Apparently, Takahiro had gotten into another fight with his little brother, Misaki, and, of course, Akihiko was the one he called. Akihiko wasn't particularly bothered by this fact. He enjoyed talking with his childhood friend and crush. He enjoyed being his rock, his comfort. But ever since their parents died when Misaki was merely 8 years old, the boy has become positively volatile. He's sarcastic, unruly, disrespectful, and downright cruel to everyone around him. Not to mention ungrateful as hell, considering his brother abandoned his dreams of college to take care of him.
Akihiko sighed and cut into Takahiro's blubbering. "Takahiro, relax. Do you know where he could've run off? Anywhere you think he could've gone?"
"No, that's the problem. I never know where he goes or what he's getting into. He could get into serious trouble and I won't be there to help him!" Takahiro sniffed.
"Ok, ok, calm down," Ahihiko reassured Takahiro before he could start bawling again. "If it makes you feel better, I can go out and help you search for him. Help convince him to come back home."
"Really?" Takahiro perked. "You'd do that for me? But you're so busy, I wouldn't want to trouble you."
"It's no trouble at all," Akihiko soothed, hiding the fact that Aikawa was likely to come after him with a stick in about a few hours if he didn't finish the manuscript he was working on. Priorities, right?
"Oh, thank you so much, Usagi-san! I'll make it up to you, I promise. Anything you want, just ask!" Takahiro gushed, not knowing that what Akihiko wanted most from him was the one thing he couldn't ask for.
"Anytime, Takahiro. That's what friends are for, right?" Akihiko said, struggling to keep his voice steady as that blasted word escaped his lips; friends. Akihiko couldn't tell him that he so very badly wanted to be more, not with Takahiro's girlfriend in the picture. He couldn't bear to lose Takahiro, even as a friend, so he was willing to watch from the sidelines if that's what it took.
Akihiko donned his long winter coat and wrapped a scarf around his neck as he prepared to venture out into the cold winter morning. After hanging up with Takahiro, he had immediately gotten a call from-surprise! - Aikawa. She had demanded to know where his latest manuscript was, and, of course, Akihiko had dodged her questions, only to make her even more furious. If he were to go out and help Takahiro find his missing little brother, he had no time to sit on the phone all day listening to Aikawa nag at him to write. He couldn't write with someone breathing over his shoulder anyway, so this should give him plenty of time to collect his thoughts before he sat back down to write.
The elevator ride down to the ground floor seemed to take ages, in which Akihiko could only think of his distressed friend, but he finally exited through the doors of his house (which was really more of a mansion) into the biting chill of mid-winter. He lightly jogged over to his bright red sports car and sorted through his keys to find the one that would open the door.
"Stop, thief!" someone down the street yelled, startling Akihiko into dropping his keys. Grumbling, he stooped down to pick up his keys and looked up to see what the commotion was. A short boy of about 17 or 18 was running- no, sprinting- down the street, shoving past unsuspecting pedestrians in his hurry to elude the large, stocky man that was quickly gaining on him. The boy had short black hair with too-long bangs that fell into his face and hung around his jaw line. He wore a black, sleeveless shirt that clung to his slim body and black cargo pants with too many chains rattling about his waist. In his hand, Akihiko could see he was carrying a bulging wallet.
Irritation flashed through Akihiko like a burst of flame. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was thieves and pickpockets. With a speed he didn't know he possessed, Akihiko dashed forward and, thankful for the moment that the boy was paying more attention to the owner of the wallet than to anything else around him, he crashed into the boy with so much force they both fell over onto the concrete. Akihiko wrapped a strong, lean arm around the boy's chest and gripped his slender wrist with his free hand, wrestling it behind his back as they both struggled back to their feet, leaving the now-forgotten wallet on the ground.
"Didn't your parents ever teach you not to take something that isn't yours?" Akihiko scolded nonchalantly, holding the boy's hand behind his back as the man came rushing up to them to retrieve his wallet.
The boy shot Akihiko a menacing look over his shoulder. "Didn't your parents ever teach you to mind your own damn business? Let me go, old man!" he screamed, struggling in the author's strong grip.
"Now, why would I do that?" Akihiko asked, pulling the teen's arm in what must have been a painful way. "What's your name?"
The boy grunted as Akihiko pulled on his arm, though, surprisingly, he managed to turn in Akihiko's grip- a feat that must have been excruciating- and spat in his face.
Oh, he wanted nothing more than to pound the squirt into the ground, right then and there. Though he knew that's just what the boy wanted, for Akihiko to be arrested for assault and attempted murder. So, instead of rising to the boy's bait, he put more pressure on his arm and whispered the question again in the boy's ear. "Your name?"
"Ah," the boy grunted, though he finally conceded with a muttered, "Takahashi. Takahashi Misaki."
Akihiko froze. This was Takahiro's little brother? Sure, he'd only ever met the boy once, but he never expected to see the boy like this. The sweet, innocent-looking child he remembered seeing was not the boy who stood in front of him, who had just spit in his face.
"Takahashi Misaki? What's happened to you?" Akihiko said softly, not realizing he'd said the words aloud until Misaki threw another glare at him.
Akihiko was suddenly acutely aware of the man next to them dialing the police. "Ah, sir. This kid's with me. If you don't mind, I'd like to take care of him myself."
Misaki looked surprised for a moment before he fixed the scowl that seemed to be permanently glued to his face back on. The man, on the other hand, didn't seem so sure. Seeing the hesitant look on the man's face, Akihiko rushed to assure him. "I wouldn't want you to be bothered by such a small matter. I assure you, he'll be dealt with."
The man seemed pleased with this, and with a nod, he turned and walked off. Akihiko sighed, still keeping a tight grip on Misaki's arm and chest. Oh, he could just see Takahiro's face now. He doubted he would scold Misaki one bit for his little stunt today; he'd be too relieved to just see him home safe. And Akihiko knew that whatever he said to the boy wouldn't affect him in the slightest. With another heaving sigh, Akihiko dragged the smaller male towards his car and shoved him into the passenger seat before he could so much as struggle. As Misaki regained his bearings on the leather seat, Akihiko jumped into the driver's side, started the car, and sped off.
"Where are you taking me?" questioned Misaki roughly, glaring at Akihiko as he buckled his seatbelt. When Akihiko didn't provide an answer, a panicked look flitted across his features for the briefest moment. "I have a brother, you know. And he's very protective, so if you do anything to me you'll be in trouble."
Akihiko couldn't help laughing sadistically at the desperation he could hear in the boy's voice, which caused him to scowl once again at the author. "Relax, kid. You brother is the one who sent me to find you. But you're right about one thing; he is very protective of you. But, if you know this, why do you make him worry so much?"
Misaki crossed his arms and scowled out the window, watching as the scenery blurred around them. "No one asked him to take care of me. I can do fine on my own."
"Oh yeah? And how are you supposed to do that?" Akihiko shot back, angry that the boy had so little consideration for what Takahiro had to give up to care for him. "You don't have a job. With no source of income, how are you supposed to pay for a house, food, or clothes?"
Misaki shot him a dark look, though he didn't respond. Akihiko sighed and turned his focus back to the road. This was going to be a long drive….