Diclaimer: Nyet, not mine!

Warning: This is Hiro/Tadashi slash, equivalent to Hidashi~ Although they are not related what-so-ever in this universe, it is a same pairing slash. So don't like, don't read. You will be reported for spams, stupid homophic comments and you will be ignored and banned from future reviews if you sound threatful or simply destroy the peace of reading.

A/N: ...I know! I know! I have a hell lot more fan fictions still not updated but you can't blame ze plot bunnies! Their pink, fluffy, cotton-like tails and cute little ears just like to stay in my imagination bin for days to no end until I do get them out! /sighs/ I was planning to actually you know, finish some of the fan fictions I still have before publishing this but then again-eh, whatever. Wouldn't hurt to share, right? Right. So, anyways, I hope you guys liked this first chapter. Tootles! ...Is that you spell it? 'Tootles'? 'Totles'? Uh...ya.

Edited on: 9/5/2015

Chapter 1

Hiro Hamada—teen genius discovered new Physics Law!

Snorting, he sighed as he read through the news on his tablet. It had only been yesterday night since he had declared the new law he discovered and now it was the front page news. He could already imagine the multiple calls he would receive from various television stations asking for an interview. He could already picture the magazine companies trying to stalk him down just to get him to cover for the next issue. He was also going to have to attend more award ceremonies dedicated for his discoveries and then, of course, there were going to be fan mails.

He couldn't help it as a grin stretched on his face.

He was nineteen and he was already making great progress for himself and for the world. Graduated from San Fransokyo Institute of Technology when he was seventeen, already discovering his first theory along the way and now, he had done it again. He looked around from his tablet, sighing as he caught a picture frame hanging on the living room wall. The big luxurious apartment he had bought in the middle of San Fransokyo city wasn't essentially his plan but somehow, as his fame increased, so did the number of stalkers and paparazzi. At the end, it threatened to destroy his aunt's privacy. So, he moved out—even though he sorely didn't want to.

He wondered for a moment how Cass was doing. He sighed once more before grabbing onto his smartphone. He pressed onto her number before he placed the phone against his ear, listening to the annoying ring before she picked up.

"Hiro?" she called out, her voice sounding slightly tired but still happy to hear from him. Hiro smiled softly to himself as he heard her voice.

"Yeah, hi, Aunt Cass," he said as she chuckled.

"God, Hiro," she said after a moment. "You did it again, huh?" A sense of pride washed through her tone as Hiro chuckled this time. He felt his cheeks reddening a bit when he heard the clear happiness projecting through this line even though she was on the other side of the city.

"I try, Aunt Cass," he said cheekily as she laughed heartily.

"You sure do," she said. "I just miss you, Hiro."

"I know," he said. After a beat he added, "I miss you too. How are you?"

"I'm fine," she said quickly. "It's only been three days since we've last talked, Hiro. Nothing's gone wrong with me in the meantime," she continued after a moment, her voice sounded teasing. Hiro rolled his eyes as he sighed.

"Hey, I'm just a concerned family member," he said, feigning hurt in his voice. His aunt just hummed out a response when a clatter from the background had him sitting straight.

"I'm sorry!" his aunt said to the background before she spoke up to Hiro. "Hiro, dear, I have to go. The café is really busy today."

"Huh," Hiro said, relaxing a bit. "Alright. I'll talk to you later then."

A few seconds of silence washed in between before Cass sighed from the other side. "I love you, Hiro. Take care, okay?"

"Alright," Hiro said casually even though his heart constricted a bit from the familiarity. "I love you too, Aunt Cass. Take care as well."

"Goodbye, Hiro. Talk to you later."

Hiro didn't want to say goodbye. He hesitated a moment before he replied, "Bye." With that, he took down his phone and placed it on the coffee table in front of him. He leaned against the couch and placed the tablet next to him. He hadn't seen his aunt's face for almost a month. He was very busy nowadays and he really missed her. He closed his eyes shut as he felt a throbbing pain in his head. Leaning his head comfortably against the couch, he sighed loudly once more. He had just gotten up from his bed after having a restless sleep.

After having confirmed his new theory, they made an official ceremony last night before the public got to know about it. His agent decided that it would be great for publicity if he managed to stay back until the final hours, just to get a good picture in the news. And when he went back home, he couldn't help but to feel slightly distasteful of the apartment. It was lonely looking, cold and clammy inside. He never liked the loneliness.

His parents died when he was young, leaving him to his aunt. He never had any other siblings to grow up with. So, he cornered himself in his room ever since their deaths as he learned new things that were too advanced for kids his age to understand. After that, his life moved forward too fast as he graduated from high school before fourteen and ended up in his university when he was fifteen under Robotics major.

There, he had met new friends and he was grateful that they accepted him for him. He opened his eyes as his sight caught onto the ceiling. It was bleached white and for a moment it made Hiro felt lifeless. He was nineteen and he still hadn't found someone who really understood him from inside.

Sure, his friends liked him—in fact, they treated him like a younger brother and for a while, while they were around him, he would feel complete. But they were never permanent. Cass made him feel supported but she didn't make him feel—feel safe. Safe, as if in the sense where he could just let all the hurt and pain known and even though it would make him look vulnerable, that person would accept it all and keep it like some treasure.

He sighed for the umpteenth time as he felt the dark shadows of loneliness showering his inner mind. All this success, all this money and fame, it didn't help him get what he needed the most. He needed someone to sit next to him and just be there for him. His tablet made a slight ding indicating he got a mail. Hiro groaned a bit under his breath before he grabbed the tablet and looked at it.

Just as he figured, the mail had a red mark on it indicating he had an unread mail. Pressing on it, the mail app opened and the unread mail covered the screen. He pressed on the unread mail and read it only for him to shake his head in exhaustion. It was a ceremony invitation for his achievement in this year's National Young Scientist Awards. He looked down to see he was nominated for the Best Achievement of the Year. Scrolling down, he saw the names of other nominees.

Besides his name, his eyes scrolled down to the names that he barely heard of to the names that he had heard enough times for him to recognise just who it was. Just then, his eyes landed on one particular name. His eyebrows scrunched deep in the middle before he sat up straighter. His shoulders became tense as a frown made way on his lips.

The name had caused some bubbly acid forming inside of his chest. He felt the irritation boiling through his veins and he couldn't help but to feel the pain at the back of his head intensifying. "Great," he muttered darkly under his breath as he threw the tablet on the couch next to him and rubbed his face with both of his hands.

Tadashi Hamada.

The name itself sent some dark thoughts swirling into his mind. He had to endure that person's face soon and he really wanted nothing more than to just go blind than to see his face again. Tadashi Hamada was his sworn rival since all of this started. He hated that man's carefree smile and the bubbly attitude in front of an audience. Hiro especially hated how he would race against him to get to a certain theory or discovery first. That stupid smug look on his face when he did get to it first would always make the young genius grit his teeth.

It all started a few years back when he was attending the same course in the same year as Tadashi was. Tadashi had managed to take everyone off guard with his first discovery when he realised that some basic robotics laws were wrong. Hiro had watched with fascination at first, already idolising the taller man from behind the screen. But that idolisation drowned to the bottom of the glass when Hiro had his very first discovery only for Tadashi to prove him otherwise at the end of the semester.

He saw the smugness on the man's face when he approached Hiro one day, a smile on his face that looked sincere but Hiro doubted it was anything but. He had said to Hiro that it was alright and he shouldn't be down because of it. The young genius had taken offense of that as he shot back saying he would discover something greater than Tadashi did.

Tadashi just smiled, shrugging at the boy before he leaned in close and said, "Well, can't wait."

With that, a silent battle had begun between them. So far, Tadashi had been winning and Hiro knew that Tadashi had also more experience in life since he was older than Hiro by a few years. However, that didn't put the fire out between them. Hiro had finally managed to discover a new law by accident and before he graduated from the institute, he was already famous for his discovery. Tadashi had congratulated him but Hiro knew that there was some new found determination behind his words.

And it was proven true when after a year later, Tadashi had been awarded as one of the best achiever in the Young Scientist Association. Hiro lost that award even though he was nominated that year. He was sure that Tadashi's eyes twinkled when he caught Hiro's eyes from across the room.

It was official, Hiro hated him.

Maybe it was jealousy or maybe he envied that the man could be so cheerful, so himself and yet he had it all. He even had great friends and a girlfriend, the last time he read the news about him. Her name was Honey and Hiro didn't know what was funnier, the fact that her last name was Lemon or the fact that she seemed to be a huge roll of rainbow.

He was secretly jealous after all.

And then, to add more pain in his life, he had to move out of his aunt's house. He had felt dreadfully lonely as he moved into this apartment. His agent had set it all up realising it would keep him safe and sound from stalkers and unwanted attention from the media. Then, he had to find out that his neighbour was none other than Tadashi Hamada.

And there was another problem.

The Hamada part. It turned out Tadashi also had the same last name and they were always called the 'Hamadas: Secret Brothers' or if the media was trying to get on his nerves, they would dub them simply as 'The Hamadas'. Right, he snorted in his mid-thought. The 'Hamadas'. Hiro definitely didn't want to have any familial or in fact any relation with that man.

And he despised how the universe loved to keep him alerted.

His neighbour was Tadashi.

And he hated him.

How lucky was he?

After taking a bath and shoving down two slices of toast with butter on them into his mouth, he took his bag and his sunglasses which were lying on his bed. He decided to head to the institute where he was graduated to carry on his research and experiments. The SFIT granted him his own lab when he was declared as one of the dean students with great achievements. They wanted to keep him here and Hiro well, he didn't decline. As much as Cass's garage made into a fine lab, he still liked the four walls that covered his experiments well.

He sighed as he wore the glasses against his face and walked to the door. Wearing his sneakers, he opened the door and walked out, immediately greeted by the silent corridor. He shivered gently at how lonely it felt and for a moment, he almost drowned at how quiet his life was. Shaking his thoughts away, he locked his door and keyed in his security code. A short click was heard indicating the alarm was armed.

Smiling at that, his eyes drifted off to the door next to his a few centimetres away. Written in silver and planted at the door, the words Tadashi Hamada were perched there. Hiro felt the tingling annoyance lingering at the back of his mind before he rolled his eyes and turned around. Adjusting his bag over his shoulder, he decided to take a few steps forward.

He suddenly heard a door being opened and closed before the shuffling noise covered the hallway. Hiro didn't turn around to see who it was, too lazy to actually care. He then walked to the elevator and pressed on the down button. Finally the shuffling noise stopped next to him. Silence covered the hallway before the slight ding of the elevator caught his attention. The metallic door opened before Hiro walked in immediately. The man followed in as well as Hiro pressed down the ground button. The door soon shut closed with a squeak before the elevator music started chiming.

"Hey," the man said before Hiro looked at him. Seconds ticked on as Hiro stared at him before he narrowed his eyes and looked away. Great, this was just what he needed. Hiro shuffled from one foot to the other, already eager to get out from sharing the same space with this man.

"Hi," was Hiro's curt reply. A short chuckle escaped from the man's lips and Hiro had to string every last ounce of self-control from glaring at him. It wasn't worth it, he reminded himself.

"I saw the news this morning," the man continued as if Hiro wasn't emitting some dark aura around him. "Congratulations by the way."

"Thanks," Hiro shortly replied as he avoided looking at the man. But it was futile as he caught the man's expression from the metallic door's reflection. He growled silently when he saw how amused the man looked. Hiro tried to keep himself calmed down but all he got was another short chuckle. Snapping his gaze at him, he frowned deeply at the man. "What's with that look, huh? You got a problem with me already?"

The man looked at him for a moment before he grinned. "Nope," he said casually. "Hiro," he started at the same time as the elevator door dinged opened. Hiro didn't listen to him as he tightened his grip on his bag and strode out. His mood was slowly worsening by the second but the man didn't seem to notice or he simply didn't care. He followed Hiro out and walked next to him, continuing as if he didn't get interrupted. "I'm just congratulating you. No need to take offence."

Hiro immediately stopped walking and turned around to meet the brown eyes which were clearly filled with amusement. Hiro frowned deeper as he stood in front of the taller man. "I don't need your congratulations, Tadashi," he sneered out his name. Tadashi just raised an eyebrow, a smirk making way on his lips.

"Someone's getting cocky," he sing-sung. "I'm just congratulating you, honest." His innocent look didn't charm Hiro. He narrowed his eyes at Tadashi before he scoffed.

"Right, and I'm the Queen of England," he said sarcastically. "Who're you trying to kid, huh? You're up to something and don't you think for a minute there that that innocent look is working on me."

"Up to something, huh?" he questioned as he took a step forward, his eyes now expressing something more playful. Hiro had to take a step back when he realised that Tadashi was too close, breaching into his personal space all of a sudden. A sudden twisted smile made way on the taller man's lips before he chuckled. "I don't know what you're talking about. Anyways, I have an interview to get to. See you soon, neighbour." With that, Tadashi winked at him and he walked away, leaving Hiro to watch his retreating back. Hiro growled under his breath as he took in a deep breath. Tadashi was always like this. It was as if he was sincere one moment but the next second, he would pull some new invention under his sleeve and just like that, the world was in his hands again.

Hiro knew that he was up to something. It was always like this. Tadashi would congratulate him but then, after a short while, he would invent something or discover something worth praising for. Hiro hated how things went along his way and everything he did somehow mocked Hiro.

The young scientist just hated him.

"Oh, come on, Hiro," Wasabi said as Hiro marched into his lab, already complaining about this morning's encounter with Tadashi. "He's a nice guy."

"Nice guy?" Hiro questioned as he placed his bag on his working table and sat down on his chair, sighing loudly as he looked at his best friend. "No, he's not. He's annoying and just plain infuriating! He's all like 'Hey, congratulations' but really, he's saying 'Don't get too comfortable. I'll beat your ass soon'. Wasabi, I'm telling you that guy's a snake!"

"And you call me paranoid," Wasabi muttered under his breath. Hiro glared at him for a moment before he shook his head. "Hiro, man, don't you think maybe you're too caught up with him?" Hiro frowned at Wasabi before he narrowed his eyes.

"What does that supposed to mean?" he asked. "Too caught up? It's not me who started this war!"

"What war?" Gogo entered, the door swishing close behind her as she raised an eyebrow at both of them.

"Tadashi," Wasabi said in one word and Gogo's face dawned in realisation.

"Oh, Hiro's obsession with him," Gogo said as Hiro growled at her.

"It's not obsession, Gogo!" Hiro exclaimed as he got up from his chair and started to pace around his lab. "You guys don't get it. He's infuriating! And not to mention that everything goes his way and he just gloats it around me!"

"I just don't get it," Wasabi said as he eyed at the young genius for a while. "So what? Just beat him with some new inventions or something."

"Hiro," Gogo started as she cracked a smile at him. "Just don't let him get to you."

Hiro sighed loudly as he nodded knowing that somehow, his friends didn't really agree to what he was saying. How could they anyway? They never knew Tadashi like he did. They didn't get to see all the emotions evoking on that man's face whenever he made Hiro mad and annoyed inside. It was like a game for him, to make Hiro's life a miserable place. He doesn't get it himself sometimes why he got so mad or annoyed but then again, Tadashi's face itself was so sickening to see so he guessed that was one of the reasons why.

"Right, whatever," Hiro finally gave up as he walked to his table and looked at his work for a moment.

"Though, he lives next door to you, right?" Gogo asked as Hiro hummed out a response, already engrossed in his work and forgetting everything about that man in an instant. "The news reported his girlfriend will be in the city to visit him two weeks from now."

"On Valentine's Day, isn't it?" Wasabi asked as Hiro snapped back to reality and turned around to look at his friends. He raised his eyebrows at that before he sighed, crossing his arms against his chest and leaning against the table.

"Great," Hiro muttered. "Just what I need. His annoying girlfriend too, living next door to me. Seriously, sometimes I wish that I could just move out of there."

"I somehow doubt that," Gogo teased. "You'd miss all of his annoying bits and your life will be dull again."

"I don't think so, Gogo," Hiro shot back, rolling his eyes at her. "I'll be in a happier place as long as he isn't there."

Wasabi just chuckled at that. "So," he said, changing the subject. "Anyone special for Valentine's Day?"

"Special?" Hiro asked as he looked at Wasabi. "You mean like a girlfriend?"

"Or a boyfriend," Gogo added as Hiro shot her a dark look. She just shrugged, looking innocent. "Yeah, it's in another two weeks."

"No," Hiro said. "I'm not—you know. I don't have time for all of that. I'll just visit Aunt Cass or something."

"Isn't your aunt dating that doctor, Teo?" Gogo asked as Hiro grimaced at that. He had completely forgotten about her—boyfriend. That word itself sent shivers down his spine. The first time he had met Teo, it was during last year's Christmas. It was awkward as hell mainly because Hiro didn't know what to talk about with his aunt's boyfriend. Slowly, he warmed up to the doctor but still, whenever he accidentally walked into them going through some PDA, Hiro would count the scars in his life.

"Yeah, him," Hiro said as he tried to remove the gross thoughts from his mind.

"So, she's got to have a date with him, Hiro," Wasabi said with a grin.

Hiro just sighed once more before looking at his friends. "Then, I'll just hang out with you guys."

Wasabi immediately cleared his throat as he avoided his friend's gaze. "I—I uh, got an appointment."

"I have work," Gogo added next to Wasabi as Hiro narrowed his eyes at them.

"Am I that undesirable?" he asked as Wasabi just grinned out and shook his head.

"Just get a date, man," Wasabi said as Hiro looked away from him. "You didn't have one love interest since all of this started. You're basically nineteen and single—forever single."

"I'm just," Hiro started as Gogo walked up to him and clasped his shoulders.

"It's time to find someone, Hiro," she said softly. "Don't you want to experience what it's like to be in a relationship?"

"Of course I do!" Hiro exclaimed as he pushed her away. "But I just don't have the time. I can always love whenever I want."

"Right, like that's how feelings work," Wasabi snorted as Hiro rolled his eyes once more before turning around and looking back at his experiments. "Well, it's your life, man. We just want you to find someone you can love."

"And I will," Hiro said slowly, even though he found himself trying hard to believe his own words. "Later."

With that, the discussion was dropped. Gogo and Wasabi then excused themselves and walked out of his lab, leaving Hiro immersed in his thoughts.

He walked back to his apartment, his stomach grumbling a bit and his eyes filled with tiredness. It had been a long day today and his agent dropped by a few times to get his schedule for this month straightened out. By the time everything else ended today, it was almost nine in the evening. He sighed softly to himself as he finally made it to his door. Opening it up, he walked inside and closed the door shut. He wanted nothing more than to drown in his bed even though his stomach was yelling at him to eat something.

Just as he took a few steps forward, the doorbell to his house chimed. He groaned under his breath, tempted to just ignore it when the doorbell rang again. He turned around and headed to the door once more, opening it up widely ready to curse at whomever it was on the other side when his eyes landed on Tadashi. He was wearing his black shirt and loose pants, looking relaxed and homely. His brown eyes met Hiro's and for a while, they did nothing but stare at each other.

"What do you want?" Hiro questioned finally, straightening himself up with a frown on his lips. He wasn't in the mood to deal with this. Tadashi just looked at him for a moment before he smiled, warmth somehow radiating from his lips. Hiro raised his eyebrows at him before shaking that singular thought away. He was that tired, wasn't he? So tired until he was hallucinating that Tadashi was smiling at him warmly, wasn't he? He could nearly laugh out loud at the absurdity and yet, somehow, he savoured it.

That contradicting emotion confused him for a moment before Tadashi broke his thoughts. "I just wanted to apologise."

"Huh?" Hiro asked, his eyebrows furrowing deep before he sighed. "Look, I'm exhausted from today and I want nothing more than to sleep. So, could you not make me anymore irritated with your confusing demeanour and just get to the point?"

Tadashi didn't seem to take offence to that and instead he said, "Can you spare me ten minutes of your time and maybe somewhere more private? Not the hallway where everybody can hear us?"

Hiro wanted nothing more than to shut the door right at his face but he decided that if he complied with the demands, maybe Tadashi would leave him alone for the rest of the night. With that, he begrudgingly opened the door wider and stepped aside as an invite. Tadashi didn't waste the opportunity and walked in, his shoulder relaxed as he walked to the living room.

Hiro closed the door and followed Tadashi. He shuffled to his feet for a moment before he looked at his kitchen. Should he offer him something to drink? Should he offer him a seat? His nemesis was in the same living space as he was and he was trying to figure out what was going on. Was he supposed to act natural around him or just get him to spit the words out?

Tadashi however, didn't make Hiro get any more confused and turned around, looking at the shorter boy with a smile. "Right, I just want to say I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I got that," Hiro said coldly. After a beat, he felt the guilt tripping through him and he sighed. He rubbed his eyes with his index and thumb fingers before he looked at Tadashi once more. "Sorry. I just—could you please just get to the point?"

"Yeah, I'm," Tadashi started before he took a step forward. Hiro raised an eyebrow at his sudden change of distance but decided to stand rooted to the ground. "I didn't mean to make you get irritated this morning. I really was just congratulating you."

Hiro looked at the man for a moment before scoffing. "Ya, and like I said, I'm the Queen of England. Is that all?" Hiro snapped as he looked at the door pointedly before looking back at Tadashi. A loud sigh escaped from the taller man's lips before he looked at Hiro.

"Look," he said. "I never meant for you to get irritated with me. In fact, it wasn't my intention to be all 'hate-hate' on you, alright. I don't see why you don't like me."

Oh.

So that was what all of this was about.

The Hiro disliking him part was the issue. A grim smile made way on the young genius's lips as he chuckled dryly. Of course Tadashi couldn't accept that there was someone in this big fat hypocritical world who didn't like him. Hiro felt queasy at that and he felt anger washing into him. Why was it so important that everybody liked Tadashi? What was so perfect about his stupid little life anyway?

Hiro felt bitter when he realised that he could actually list out ten thousand reasons as to why people would prefer Tadashi than him. Even though he never really experienced a situation where someone was forced to pick between Tadashi and him, Hiro was sure though that if the situation did arise, Tadashi was the one to be picked. Hiro, no matter what he had, just wouldn't be good enough.

He had never been good enough for anybody.

Nobody gave him a chance to let his real self be known. He couldn't pin point exactly at which point of his life that had Hiro realising that the world was actually a dark place, but he was certain it was after losing both of his parents. Someone like Tadashi, who had everything in his hands, wouldn't understand. Losing someone he needed most in his life, how would Tadashi know of this feeling anyway?

Everybody liked him.

Even before Hiro met Tadashi, he had heard of him through whispers from people who came by to the café and sometimes, he would read it in the news. Tadashi's life was something like a golden apple—a precious rare thing that everybody wanted. Hiro was no exception.

So, yeah, he felt bitter.

He wanted Tadashi's life.

He wanted every ounce of happiness he had.

Hiro had his share of happiness, he couldn't deny. He had his aunt and his friends. But sometimes, he needed more. He didn't know if he was selfish but he wanted—no—craved for attention. Ignoring all the false attention he was receiving at the moment, he wanted an attention that would settle deep into his life and make him realise that he wasn't alone.

He couldn't be alone.

Right now, he didn't have that and he was sure, Tadashi had it.

That was why he was bitter.

"Don't like you?" Hiro questioned as he met the man's eyes. "You're saying you don't get why I dislike you?"

Tadashi just shrugged, confusion filled his eyes for a moment. "Yes, Hiro. I don't understand what I did to make you hate me. Sure, we're rivals, it's fun but I don't see why you hate me behind the scenes."

"I hate you, Tadashi," Hiro sneered. "And I don't see why you can't leave it at that. Is that why you're here? To ask me why I hate you? Why I dislike you? Why now after all these years, huh? Can't handle seeing someone hate you?"

Tadashi frowned as he took another step forward, his shoulders tensed and rigid. "I just don't get you, Hiro. When I first saw you, I thought you were brilliant. I thought that I finally met my match and then—you suddenly turn away and now you hate me without basis. What did I ever do to you?"

Hiro took in some time to get the words to settle in his mind before he chuckled again, this time sounding forced. "Brilliant? Tadashi, I don't need you to say that to me," Hiro cooed sarcastically. Some parts of him yelled at him to stop. He was being arrogant and that wasn't him but he couldn't do stop it. He wanted to mock at him, mock with everything he got in his life and try to make do as if he had everything that Tadashi didn't. If just for once, it would show him that he was fine.

"Hiro," Tadashi started. "I really tried to approach you from every angle I knew."

"I don't see why we're having this conversation, Tadashi," Hiro finally said, as his mind closed off from the conversation. His shoulder sagged tiredly and his mind went hazy. He didn't understand this motive—his motive at the moment. Why was Tadashi here? "Why after all these years? I can't even hate you in peace?"

"Because it took me all these years to figure something about you that intrigued me," Tadashi confessed. Hiro looked at him quietly as the sentence settled deep into his mind.

"Intrigue you?" Hiro asked. "What does that—"

"You have a charm that you don't know of," Tadashi cut him off with a smile. "And that charm actually attracts everyone who looks at you." After a beat he added, "Including me."

Hiro's world screeched to a stop. The young scientist blinked for a few seconds before he looked at the man in front of him. "Excuse me?" he said. "What the hell are you talking about? Are you drunk?" Hiro asked as he waved his arms around. Panic suddenly surged deep into his mind alongside with confusion. "Tadashi, what are you saying?"

A charm? Attracted? Tadashi—what?

Hiro's mind started dancing around the conversation as he narrowed his eyes at him. A sudden realisation dawned on him. "Is this it? You're going to scoop that low?"

Tadashi raised his eyebrows at him. "What?"

"You're using these cheesy lines to pick me up and make me fall for you so you can throw me off my game, aren't you? God, Tadashi! Who knew you had it in you, huh? You almost had me," Hiro said as he laughed humourlessly. "Now, if you're done irritating me. Leave."

Tadashi immediately took a few steps forward and crowded Hiro's personal space. Hiro's eyes widened as he looked at the man. "Hiro," he started. "I'm not playing around. I really am attracted to you."

Hiro took a step back at the blunt words. "Stop saying that!" he exclaimed. "I hate you and you hate me, remember? Rivals forever? Hello, did someone switch your brain or something?"

Tadashi just sighed before a smirk made way on his lips, his eyes twinkled in something akin to irritation. "I'm perfectly me and I never said I hated you, Hiro. You concluded that yourself. As far as I'm concerned, I was intrigued by you and before I knew it, I like you."

Hiro was baffled at the words. He couldn't believe that this was happening. "Liar," Hiro said, sounding like some high-strung teenager. "Whatever, bring your twisted game and get the hell out of here, Tadashi. I really had enough of you today."

"Alright, fine, I'll leave but," Tadashi said, looking at Hiro in the eyes. "Before that, let's make a bet, okay?"

"A bet?" Hiro asked, his interest picking up as Tadashi's eyes twinkled once more in something a little less irritated. He didn't know what this man was planning at the moment but he was sure—he wasn't going to be a fool and just accept it.

"Yeah," he said as he casually leaned away from Hiro. "I'll seduce you and make you fall for me."

Hiro felt his world screeching to a stop once more. He didn't know if he was hearing things right. Maybe he was too sleepy after all. He sighed loudly as he felt his cheeks reddening and his heart picking up speed. He didn't know why he was feeling squeamish but he was. He shuffled his feet before he took another step back, just for the sake of his personal space. Tadashi's smirk widened at Hiro's nervousness as the young scientist cleared his throat.

What was this man playing at?

Did he really think he could suddenly jump into this from nowhere?

"Yeah right," Hiro sneered, trying to sound confident. "Like I would fall for someone like you. Just looking at you makes me irritated. Seriously Tadashi, if this is one of your tactics to throw me off—"

"It's not," he said.

"Then why now?" Hiro asked. "Why now? I just don't understand what goes on in your mind."

"Wouldn't you like to know," Tadashi said as his eyes clouded with mischief. "Why now you ask?" He shrugged casually but his eyes still managed to twinkle in that mischief. "I just came in terms with my feelings. So, like I said, I like you and am attracted to you."

Hiro didn't even ponder on what he said before he frowned. "Yeah, never going to happen, Tadashi. I can list you a lot of reasons to why this won't work but one of them is because I don't swing that way. I'm straight and I hate you, in case you forgot."

"Like I said, I'll seduce you," Tadashi said easily making Hiro to growl at him even though his cheeks were reddening. "Let's keep a time frame, alright? Until Valentine's Day. I'll have you loving me by Valentine's day."

"Isn't that two weeks away?" Hiro questioned, his eyes narrowed. "You think you can make me fall for someone like you in just two weeks?"

"Including Valentine's Day," Tadashi said. "So, fifteen days. I'll have you falling for me in fifteen days."

"And if I don't?" Hiro asked, sounding confident. Tadashi just smiled, his lips quirking in a manner of pure confidence himself.

"If I don't, we never spoke of this and you can just keep on hating me. I'll give you up," Tadashi said. "But I doubt that'll ever come."

"You're pretty confident, Tadashi," Hiro sneered as he took a step forward to the man. "That's why it won't work."

"We'll see, Hiro," Tadashi said as he chuckled. With that he did something unexpected and took a step forward. Before Hiro could comprehend what in the world he was doing, he leaned in and kissed his cheek. Tadashi then winked at Hiro and walked away, leaving Hiro stunned at where he stood.

Hiro felt the short warmness from the man's lips sinking into his skin from where he was touched. His eyes were wide and confusion wormed into his heart. Looking at the closed door, he felt the irritation boiling into his mind and growled. He quickly wiped his cheek harshly and shook his mind from the thoughts.

Did Tadashi really think he would win this?

He liked Hiro?

That sounded absurd even for Hiro. Tadashi was his rival and Hiro was sure that he was doing this just to get even for once again throttling on Tadashi's fame. He was going to make Hiro confused so badly that his work was going to suffer. He wouldn't let Tadashi win.

Let that man try.

Hiro stormed to his bedroom afterwards and slumped on his bed. His hunger already diminishing inside and his heavy feelings settling deep in his chest. Tadashi had looked so serious and confident about his challenge and it made Hiro angry a bit. How dare Tadashi assume that Hiro would immediately fall for him like some maiden?

And besides, didn't he have a girlfriend?

Hiro smirked at that, somehow realising that maybe this was just his plan after all.

Make Hiro so confused that he couldn't even think straight and before he knew it, Hiro's career would be suffering. Hiro made up his mind as he finally concluded his thinking. Hiro swore in his heart that he wouldn't let Tadashi win.

No, Hiro, he wasn't going to fall in love with Tadashi.

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this chappie! Do review to let me know what you guys thought and if you guys want me to continue! Until next chappie (if wanted)~ -Krystal