I had woken up in Takano-san's bed, fully clothed. It didn't feel as if we had done anything naughty last night. In fact, it didn't feel like I had seen him last night at all. "Takano-san?" I called, but I heard no answer. Something felt strange as I began to walk around the apartment. I tried to turn on the lights, the water, but it wasn't working. And there wasn't furniture either, in the living room, kitchen, there was nothing. I went back to the bedroom, and it was empty. Even the bed had disappeared.

I barely bothered to put on shoes as I left the apartment building. It felt like less than five minutes before I arrived at the publishing office. I took the elevator ride up and walked on over to the shoujo department. Everyone looked exhausted, with some even passed out on their desks, nothing out of the ordinary, to be honest.

Takano-san was nowhere in sight.

I found a certain dark-haired co-worker of mine sprawled out on a pile of mangas. "Oi, Kisa, wake up!" I said shaking him roughly.

"..Huh…? Oh, hey there Ricchan…" He said lazily while rubbing his head.

"Where's Takano-san?" I asked immediately, shouting a little louder than was necessary.

His eyes widened slowly, as if shocked by what I had said, but still tired he said "Eh… Takano moved 5 months ago."

Now my eyes widened. "He… He moved?" How could he have moved? I don't remember hearing anything like that…

"Yeah. With his wife, to China. He had his reception here in the office, you were there. Don't you remember?"

So many thoughts were going through my mind at once. His wife? Who did he marry? After all his attempts to get me to return his love… He must have moved on. He must have thought it was useless, that all his work was being proven futile, and moved on. And the only person I could have blamed was myself. I was the one who pushed him away. I was the one who rejected his love. I was the one who expected Takano to hold on even if I gave him clear signs that I didn't want him in my life. But I did. I needed Takano-san in my life. I needed him to hold me in a warm embrace, to give me chaste kisses even when we were alone, and to tell me he loved me just so I would stay with him. I loved Takano-san. And the one I loved had ran away, never to return.

Just as I had done to him.

I woke up from my dream to feel something soft and warm on my forehead. It was Takano-san.

When I opened my eyes I saw his expression filled with love. "Good morning, sleepyhead." He said before he gave me a warm, loving kiss on my lips. I didn't want it to stop for a long time, as it was very relieving to feel him like this after the awful nightmare I had had just now, but it stopped much too soon.

"Good morning" I replied afterwards, his expression not changing. I wonder if he could tell what I was dreaming about.

It wasn't until he got up and off the bed that I realized he was casually dressed, as if he didn't plan to go anywhere special, if anywhere at all. "I already made breakfast for us. And I grabbed a change of clothes from your apartment for you."

I looked at the clothes that were folded neatly on the bedside table. They were casual as well. I then looked at the clock on the same table. 8:00. "Uhm, that's nice of you, thank you.. But shouldn't we be getting ready for work?"

"Oh, I already called in sick for the both of us, so we have the day off." He said with the same loving smile.

"You did what!?" I said with an annoyed expression.

He looked at me the same. "Why are you giving me that response!? I got you the day off!"

"I don't want to be seen as a slacker at work!"

He sighed, frustratingly. "Can't you just be grateful? I made you breakfast, and got you a change of clothes!"

"Well I don't see why you felt compelled to do that stuff for me! It's not like you're my lover or anything!" 4

His frustrated expression faded away into seriousness. He sat back down on the bed and leaned in for a kiss. I didn't try to stop him, and our lips connected. After a few seconds he pulled back and gave me a tight hug, leaving my face nuzzled in his neck. "Haven't I already told that I am your lover, Onodera?" I felt my cheeks get slightly hotter at his words, and felt a tiny peck by my ear, and he let go of me standing back up. "I'll be waiting for you in the kitchen." He said, and walked away.

When the door closed I got up from the bed and started to change into the clothes Takano had brought for me. He had also brought over my toothbrush, so I went to brush my teeth in the bathroom as well. After I was done I went to the kitchen and found Takano-san at the table. I sat down and looked at my plate. Takano made me scrambles eggs lightly salted with a few pinches of pepper. Next to them I had two pancakes, each delicately buttered with a generous amount of syrup with a few dashes of powdered sugar. He also gave me an orange in a little bowl to the side, cut and peeled exactly as I liked it all those years ago. On his plate was an omelet, felled with cheddar cheese and bits of sausage, toaster waffles were buttered and syrup coated, but also had a few blue berries on top, and a couple strips of bacon (I couldn't help but worry about his health). He had obviously put more effort into my meal than his. We gave our thanks and began to eat.

There was a silence between us at first, not an awkward one but it was there. "It's really good." I unintentionally mumbled, just to start conversation.

"Well I always try my best for you, my dear."

I blushed at his last words. My dear. "There never is a time when you don't try to flirt, is there?"

"I always try to make you feel special, love."

I couldn't see the expression on his face since my gaze was cast down towards my food, purposefully to avoid eye contact with him.

Then his tone got more serious. "Oh, Onodera I wanted to ask you about something."

I looked up at him. "Yes?" "Well, you see, this morning when I went to wake you up, you were obviously still fast asleep, and your face looked pretty distressed. Were you having a bad dream or something?"

I faintly remembered it. In my dream, I had found out Takano-san had moved on from trying to win over my love. My eyes widened in realization of it. "Oh! Um no really, it was just…" My voice faded off as I looked to the side. What if my dream ever did come true? Would I be okay if Takano ever left me? I never thought I would come to return his feelings, but…

"Onodera," he said with the same tone in his voice "you can tell me anything you want to, you know that right?"

I slowly nodded my head, still not making eye contact with him.

"What was your dream about?"

My face started to slightly turn red in embarrassment. "Oh, nothing! Really, it's fine. I don't remember much of it, to be honest." I offered a reassuring smile so he would hopefully stop worrying about it, because there was no way I was actually going to tell him. It would be embarrassing to tell the person I try my best to avoid all the time that I had a nightmare of him being out of my life.

Unfortunately, his doubtful face showed he didn't believe me. "Well… I guess I won't force an answer out of you then if you don't want to tell me…"

And then the silence returned. I thought that I could finish the meal and sneak off to work, but Takano spoke up again.

"You know Onodera, I really would like to spend today in bed with you."

"But we were just in bed together all last night!" I said, slightly annoyed at his priorities.

"Well that was sleeping. I want us to lay down, cuddle next to each other, our foreheads pressed together, exchanging tiny kisses, and talking about how much we love each other-"

"But I don't love you!"

"Well then we can talk about that, it doesn't make a difference to me as long as I get to spend the day with you." He had that loving smirk I hated so much plastered on his face as he said it.