In honor of zeroworkethic's birthday. Because she so subtly asked for it! ;) Happy Birthday!
Since When Did Aikawa Run a Meat Market?
Misaki wasn't quite sure what he was doing here. He was told Usami would meet him here. Isaka-san had told Misaki that he could come watch the event if he so chose to, but he was required to wear a suit. The hotel ballroom was filled with elegantly-dressed women, all sitting at round tables that had delicious food and glasses of wine.
Misaki found a place somewhere in the back and quickly sat down. "Oh, hey. There's Aikawa-san," he said to himself as he noticed the red-haired editor speaking at a podium.
Aikawa was her bubbly self. "And because this year, I am heading our Young Authors of Japan Foundation, I am counting on your generosity tonight to raise as much money as we can to help our blossoming young writers of tomorrow! So, let's get this event started, shall we?"
Women all around were cheering, and Misaki clapped along, smiling. As Aikawa continued to speak, he looked around the room and noticed that women were suddenly getting these cards ready in their hands (1).
When Misaki looked up at the stage again, he was surprised at what he saw. Aikawa was standing next to his favorite manga-ka, Ijuuin Kyo-sensei. This time the sensei was clean-shaven and did not appear to be so psycho-looking. ". . . and he is the very writer of the popular manga Da Man. He is a creative catch, ladies! His readers adore his work! And I know you will adore him, too. So, what do you say? How about we start off with a bid of 94,231 yen? Do we have a . . . .?" (2)
Misaki gasped. What the hell is this? Some kind of bachelor auction?! He looked around and saw some women hold up their cards that had numbers on them, presumably each woman bidding an amount more than the previous lady.
After working the ladies, Aikawa slammed down her little gavel on the podium. "And sold to number 209. Haha, you two make such a lovely couple!" The whole room applauded as the woman holding the card with number 209 smiled with satisfaction, and Ijuiin-sensei nervously pulled his shirt collar away from his throat.
And on the evening went, with more bachelors walking onto the stage to stand next to Aikawa, some even looking very nervous. One poor bachelor was barely walking off the stage when three excited women approached him and nearly ripped off his shirt, causing him to scream out, "Aikawa-saaaaaan!"
The editor dismissed the scene with a wave and gave a laugh. "Oh, the fun is just beginning ladies, because I do believe we've saved the best for last."
Misaki let out a critical snort. But suddenly, his heart started to race, and he was feeling uneasy. Usagi-san? Where is he? Oh, dearest Kami-sama, no!
Aikawa's smile beamed as she rolled into her introduction of the next item. "Ladies, I do believe our next bachelor is the most sought-after, most eligible, most successful . . . and perhaps most elusive." Aikawa extended her arm out to receive the next bachelor, and to Misaki's shock, his own precious Usagi-san walked on to the stage!
Women started to squeal, but Aikawa shushed them. "Here he is, ladies! Women from all over swoon over him and would kill just to be allowed to touch his hand. Well, if you successfully bid on him tonight, you just may be able to touch more than just his hand! Ladies, I give you, the winner of both the Naomori and Kikukawa awards and writer of many best-sellers, the sexy author Usami Akihiko-sensei!"
Again, squeals. Misaki was red-faced and fuming. This was going too far! No woman was going to be with his Usagi-san!
"Now because he is one hot catch, we are going to have to start his bid at 942,356 yen. Do we have a . . . .?" The bidding between the fangirls commenced, and Misaki was boiling. (3)
He stood up abruptly from where he was sitting, sending his chair rocking back. He saw women hungrily shoot up their cards, trying to outbid each other. Misaki was a broke college student himself and could not compete with any of these women, and he was helpless as he looked at his Usagi-san standing on the stage like a piece of meat. Misaki was sweating and clenching wildly at the fabric of his slacks that rested against his tense thighs. He couldn't let a woman get her filthy paws on his lover!
But Misaki's anxiety and outrage could not get any worse when he looked up and noticed a new contender – his own sempai!
Sumi was smiling and holding up his card, attempting to outbid another woman. Misaki walked up to him and shamelessly hissed at him, "Sempai! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
Sumi noticed the teen, his own smile disappearing from his face, for he appeared to be thrown off by the sight of Misaki. However, Sumi was determined to continue with his bidding. He held up his card again to signal a higher bid, and then he looked at Misaki. He whispered rather hoarsely, "Misaki, don't take it so personally!" After receiving a competing bid, he held up his card again.
Misaki walked right up and ripped the card out of Sumi's hand and threw it down on the floor. "Quit it, Sempai!"
Irritated, Sumi bent down and retrieved the card. "Misaki, loosen up."
Bids continued, and Sumi continued to top all of them. Finally, Aikawa slammed her gavel to the podium. "Sold for an astounding total of 9,401,067 yen! Congratulations to number 325! I hope you and Usami-sensei will have a wonderful evening." Sumi smiled with satisfaction and looked lustfully at the author. (4)
Sumi began to make his way over to Usami, and Misaki was ready to run wildly when Isaka-san grabbed the back of the teen's evening jacket.
"No, Chibi-tan." The director restrained Misaki as the teen struggled in his hold. Isaka-san said sternly, "It's just a harmless date. Let it go. We've made a lot of money tonight off of Akihiko alone, and I don't want you to blow it for us." Misaki helplessly watched as Sumi and Usami made their way backstage. "Now, Chibi-tan, why don't you just go home. He'll be back in a couple of hours." The director slowly let go of Misaki and gave him a look of caution. Misaki frowned and stormed off.
Once outside the hotel, he stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Sumi and Usami on the sidewalk. Sumi placed a hand on Usami's shoulder and then lowered that same offending hand down to the author's ass, which Usami promptly slapped away. But the persistent Sumi opened the door to his car and threw himself on Usami, causing the writer to fall inside the car, landing on his back, with Misaki's sempai on top of him. Sumi smacked his lips all over Usami, and Misaki yelled out, "Usagi-san! No! No!"
Just when Misaki was about to run to the scene and kick his sempai's ass, he felt himself being grabbed again. The voice of Isaka-san hissed with anger, "I told you, let them be!" Misaki cried and thrashed about in the director's hold while watching his Usagi-san getting attacked by his creepy sempai. "Usagi-san!"
Misaki suddenly gasped and thrashed in bed with a swift kick of his leg and jerk of his body. His eyes flew open and he panted. His body went stiff. He slowly turned his head and saw Usami sleeping soundly by his side. He stared at the silver-haired man, and it took the boy a minute to realize that there had been no Sumi. No attack. And no bachelor auction. A stupid dream, he thought to himself. He sighed deeply, still feeling a little upset. He never wanted to experience the feeling of losing Usami to anyone or anything ever again. Swallowing any pride he was known to hold on to, Misaki scooted closer to the man his heart hopelessly adored and he cuddled closely to him. And when that didn't feel like enough, he turned upward and kissed the man in the only decent spot he could reach – on the neck.
"Mm, Misaki. . ." Usami's voice was sleepy and lazy. "Kiss me. . . again. . ."
Misaki pushed himself up, and he hovered above the half-sleeping man's face. "Usagi-san? Promise me you will never participate in a bachelor's auction as long as you live."
"Eh?" The older man's eyes were completely opened now.
Misaki looked serious, even a little pissed.
"Why would I ever do that, Misaki? I'm already with you. And besides, you know I hate all social functions." Usami gave a little snort.
The college student sighed and collapsed on the writer's chest. "I know," Misaki mumbled.
Just then, the alarm clock went off, and Usami stretched his arm out to turn it off. He groaned before muttering, "Sorry, Misaki. I gotta meet with Aikawa this morning." At the mention of the editor's name, the teen's grip on Usami got tighter. "Misaki?"
"You're not going anywhere this morning," the boy said with determination. "You're staying right here with me, Usagi-san."
Usami's eyes widened with surprise. "Misaki?" The teen rubbed his face gently into the older man's chest, causing the writer to smile. "Do you really want me to stay?"
"Yeah," Misaki mumbled.
Usami's heart melted when he realized how much the boy sincerely wanted to be near him. "Okay, my Misaki. I'll stay here with you." The brown-haired teen was comforted in the arms of his rabbit, and with his ear pressed against the gentle heart beat of Usami, Misaki was being lulled back to sleep. Before he closed his eyes, he made the following mental notes: Never trust Aikawa-san, and help that bastard Sempai find a boyfriend of his own already.
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Please bear with these footnotes! I know it was probably annoying to come across the long figures of the Japanese yen in the story, but it was necessary.
(1) cards – at auctions, something bidders may use to identify themselves to the auctioneer.
(2) 94,231 yen – according to currency converter site, equal to approx. $1000 US dollars
(3) 942,356 yen – equal to approx. $10,000 US dollars
(4) 9,401,067 yen – equal to approx. $100,000 US dollars (No, Sumi doesn't have this much money, but it is a dream, and boy, Usami is worth every penny and more!)