"What are you saying?" Junpei's voice shook.
"I'm saying 'that's it.' It's over." Akihiko paused. "…I'm sorry."
"Why?" Junpei demanded. "You were the one who started it, so why are you doing this?"
"Come on, you know why." Akihiko didn't meet his eyes. "He's coming back, and…it wouldn't be right if…"
"If what? He saw that you'd moved on and gotten a life?" Junpei's voice was angry now. "Oh, I'm sorry. I guess you didn't move on."
Akihiko looked up at him. "I guess I didn't."
There was nothing left for Junpei to say. He turned sharply and strode over to the door, slamming it behind him. Akihiko sat down at his desk and drummed his fingers against it, staring out the window but not seeing anything. He wondered if he had done the right thing, if there were some way he could have handled it better. Ultimately though, he decided that what he had done was less cruel in the long run.
Back in his room, Junpei slammed his fists into his bed. He started to bury his face in his pillow but then drew back suddenly. He gritted his teeth and ripped the sheets off the bed, then stripped the pillows and balled everything up under one arm to take to the laundry room.
Until his bed didn't smell like Akihiko anymore, Junpei knew he wouldn't get any sleep.
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"Okay, measure me out 2 cups of stock." Shinjiro didn't look up as he kept stirring.
Akihiko squinted at the array of measuring cups on the counter. "…er…that's eight ounces, right?"
"Spoken like a true dumb jock. Here boy, drink some more protein. Maybe it'll restart your brain."
"Very funny. I'm good at math, just not…girl stuff like measuring."
"Excuse me? All the best chefs are men."
"All I'm saying is, maybe a haircut wouldn't be a bad idea."
"Sounds great. Let's do it on the same day I shave your head."
Junpei watched the two of them bicker. The entire time he was standing there, they never noticed him. After awhile he left them there in their private world.