Onodera's P.O.V:
I blinked my eyes open at the alarming sound emanating from my bedside table. I sighed and turned it off, knocking several things off my nightstand in the process.
Today is the meeting for the manga I'm editing, they're thinking of turning it into an anime! I also can't believe I've only been here for a few months, and they're already thinking of setting up an anime around the manga I'm creating! And, although I hate to admit it, Takano-San has really helped me achieve these goals. I must remember to say thank you to him.
I pick up an energy drink and a sandwich on the way to the door, knowing full well that if I don't, Takano-San will be on a rampage and with this knowledge, I stalk down the apartment corridors and get into the elevator, pressing the button for the ground floor and just as the doors are closing I hear running footsteps and someone full-on pellets through the door. Before me, stands a black-haired, tall man with dark brown eyes and a brief case.
"Good morning." He says, horsily, looking at me with anticipation.
"Morning, Takano-San..." I reply shyly, in full knowledge of his close proximity. It makes my breathing quicken and I flush. He looks down at me.
"So..." He trails off
"What?" I ask innocently
"What did you have for breakfast?" He asks, insistently
I pull out the sandwich I had already started nibbling on and my energy drink and he snatches them off me and strolls out of the elevator.
"H-Hey!" I follow him out and try and grab them off him.
"If you want your lunch, you have to get in my car and ride to work with me." He states simply.
"Nope" I say, popping the 'p'
"Fine then, I'll tell everyone in the office that you and I are fuckin-"
"Blah!" I shout before he can finish his sentence.
"What are you, a cheesy vampire? Just get in the car."
"Fine..." I drop into the car and hold out my hand for him to give me my breakfast once he's in his seat, too. But, instead of pulling out my lunch, he takes out a chicken salad and an orange juice.
"What's this?" I ask, bewildered.
"Your new lunch. Eat up."
"Wait - how did you-"
"I knew you wouldn't have a proper lunch, so I made two servings of my breakfast today. You should be thankful."
"What, for stealing my lunch?" I say sarcastically
"Just eat the damn lunch, Ritsu!"
I forgot that my health isn't something to joke about with Takano-San. "It's not that important that you have to call me by my first name." I mutter annoyed
"It is to me." The way he said that made my heart skip a beat. And I won't argue with a persistent Takano-San. So, without another word, I took the lunch and started eating as we drove to get to Emerald.
...
When we got there I shot out of the car, not bothering to close the door behind me. Takano-San shouted out my name, but I just kept walking, hoping that he didn't follow me. But that was quite idiotic because we work in the same division.
I counted the seconds till he caught up, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5- and there he was. I inwardly sighed and stood my ground, hoping again that he would leave me alone. But, to no avail...
"Are you going to keep ignoring me after I so kindly gave you some of my lunch?" He narrows his eyes at me in a jokey way and I scowled at him and carried on walking, quicker this time. He catches up to me almost immediately, of course.
"Yes, yes. Thank you so much, Takano-San, for taking precious time out of your day to give me lunch I already had." I don't know why I had the urge to use sarcasm then, but Takano clearly wasn't having it.
Just as I was about to enter the office, he took me by my wrist and pulled me away. I should have guessed... I mentally noted to myself. He took me to a printer room and pushed me against a wall with his hands either side of my face, so I couldn't escape. Trapped, I gave in and stopped struggling. He let his hands fall to his sides.
"Why can't you just say 'thank you' once in a while?" He asked, clearly annoyed. I faced away from him, so he couldn't see my red face. I must have looked like a tomato!
"I did!" I answered, slightly annoyed myself now.
"Not in a sarcastic way." He persues cupping my face and turning it, presumedly so he can look at me in the eyes. As he tries to kiss me, I push him away, blushing even more, if that's even possible.
"I'd rather you kept our work lives and our personnel affairs separate, wouldn't you?" He noticeably winces, but only slightly most likely out of rejection and - weirdly enough - steps away from me, allowing me to breeze past him triumphantly, only to look back and see him in deep thought. I feel slightly bad and embarrassed. No, he should be the one feeling bad, not me! I convince myself and stomp away, stubbornly.
...
Work passes by normally up until lunch when Takano-San gets up and leaves, without even stopping by me and saying anything like 'let's go have lunch' to me or 'what are you having for lunch?'. Ever since he found out I fainted and was diagnosed with malnutrition, he'd been on my tail all day, every day about what I was eating... Is he still mad?
But Kisa pulls me out of my daze.
"Ritcche! Could you photocopy this manuscript for me before you go to lunch?"
"Yeah, sure. How many copies?"
"Just 10... Oh, and do you know what happened to Takano? He seems a bit out of it today... Maybe he caught something!"
"I'm sure it's nothing like that, he might just be a bit under the weather..." Oh, no! What's up with him?
I walk off to the printing room and recall the events of a few hours ago. It's not normal for him to be so dis heartened about something like this... I wonder if something happened along side that to make him feel this way...
...
Takano-San's P.O.V:
I'm being too immature. But right now, I can't help it. I never would have thought that I'd need time away from him and this is just getting ridiculous! I know that he's like that, but sometimes, I wish he'd reciprocate. I know he loves me, but because of his pride he won't say it.
I guess we both need time to figure things out, so I'll stay away... I just don't know for how long I can manage to do that. Maybe I could give him a taste of his own medicine and not let him have me for a few days... This could be interesting.
...
1 Day Later:
This is harder than I thought.
Right now I am sat at my desk, a book on my face and I think I've sighed at least 50 times. In the time span of one day Onodera's forgotten to bring lunch and just drank an energy drink, tried to get my attention countless times and (without him knowing it) seduced me by biting on his lip while concentrating on work. And the thing that frustrates me the most? I think he's got the lip biting off of Haitani. That bastard! When did he see him? And I can't even interrogate Onodera about it because we're not talking!
Urg! So frustrating! Why can't I just- my thoughts are interrupted by someone tapping my shoulder. I slowly lift the book off of my face and place it down on my desk, picking my glasses up in the process - I had forgotten to put in my contacts today.
And standing before me is Onodera.
I haven't looked in his eyes for a whole day and I'm craving his touch. His eyes stare deep inside me and looking at me with an adorable confused face.
"Why are you still here?" He snaps at me quietly, and I look around to realise that the office is empty.
"I must have fell asleep while reading the manuscript for that manga you're working on." I say honestly, the only part I didn't mention is that I fell asleep because I was worrying about you.
"Great." He states, slightly flushed "Now, if you'll excuse me I need to get home. I have some people I need to call."
"Who?"
"Saito-San and the people who're making her manga an anime." He gulps, then continues "Then Haitani-San."
"Why the fuck would you call him?!" I rage
"Because, despite what you believe to be true, I am a grown man. I can do what I want and take care of myself. Haitani is just a friend and will continue to stay as this unless he makes a move. Then I will clearly state that I am not interested. Are you happy now? And will you stop ignoring me? It's childish and stupid. Did you think that no one would notice? Everyone now thinks we're in some kind of lovers-quarrel!"
"Aren't we?" I question
"We're not even going out!"
"Didn't we already talk about this?" He turns around and starts walking, head held high. I pack up my things and run after him, hardly panting when I stop him outside of Marukawa. He turns to face me and start talking.
...
Onodera's P.O.V:
"Onodera, whether you realise it or not, I love you and always will. I know things have been going really out of order, but I want to fix that. Onodera Ritsu, go out with me. It's as simple as that. You don't have to admit you love me yet, just say you'll go out with me... Please."
My heart skipped a bit when I saw the sincerity in his eyes. He really means it... And before I knew what I was doing, I cupped his face and brought his forehead to my lips and planted a soft kiss in the middle, then whispered:
"Ok."
He swooped me up into his arms and spun me around, placing me back down a few moments later and pecking me genially on the lips. "However, I have one more request."
"Yes?" I asked tentatively, raising an eyebrow.
"Call me Masamune."
"B-b-but-" I spluttered out
"Call me Musamune at home and Takano at work." He explains simply and I just know that he won't take 'no' for an answer.
"Fine... M-Musamune..." A blush spread across my face, there is no way I am getting used to this!
"Let's go home, Ritsu, you can spend the night at my place and wear one of my shirts to bed."
"But my apartment is right next door."
"I know, but I think you'd look cute in one of my shirts."
I blush an even darker shade of red and before I know it, I'm stuffed into my boyfriend's car and driven home.