Shirogane dropped his eyes, which seemed to Akira as if they were brimming with tears. He felt a little sorry for the Shin, but what he had done was stupid. He should have known that Akira would turn him down. Still, the look on his face had been heartbreaking. Akira looked down at the countertop, unable to continue looking at the man. "Fool." Akira whispered as the Shin's footsteps receded and the door to the bar slammed shut behind him. He heard Kou put down his glass with a thud, and looked up to see the dark-haired man staring intently at the wall. Kou addressed the young man without looking at him. "Which one is more the fool? The one who loves and admits it?" He turned then, and looked Akira straight in the eyes, "Or the one who loves and denies it?"