Personality Flip! Pt.1


"Takano-san! I've told you; you can't approve this kind of manuscript!" Ritsu snatched the papers from a shaken Masamune's hands and tossed them into the dustbin. "B-but, they were acceptable!" the teary Masamune answered. "No, they're not!" Ritsu snapped. "It's boring!" the two continued arguing, though it was mostly merely one-sided with Ritsu scolding his superior.

"Ah, there they go again…" the crew sighed. "They get along well, don't they?" Tori smiled at someone from the sales department who came to deliver a report. He flinched in reply. "R-really…" looking at the way the two 'got along', it certainly didn't seem that way to him.

Before long, the 'death period' arrived and the two lost any chance to argue even if they wanted to, which

Everyone was half dead by the end of the period, which annoyingly lasted longer this October, each individual shaking and struggling to simply get up from the seats they were glued to for 72 hours without any break. They smelled like rotten tomatoes, having not bathed for a week. Only Ritsu appeared normal amongst all of them.

"Photocopy this, this, this, and this. Go submit this to the sensei." Swiftly, he gave out the orders needed. Then he turned to Masamune, who looked just as dead as the rest, whom were all forcefully dragging their feet to grab a taxi or last train of the night.

He walked over to him and whacked him on the head. "Hey! What kind of boss are you if you're slumped like this? Show some energy, will you? The horrid period is finally over; wanna have dinner over at mine?" Masamune flushed despite being dead beat. "Uh, well, I still have a meeting after this with the other departments, so…"

Ritsu pulled him by the sleeve. He was unexpectedly strong with that small size, or maybe it was because Masamune was simply too tired to resist? His spectacles clattered on the floor noisily for no one in particular to hear. "Is Yokozawa-san going to be there too?" he demanded. Masamune paled, then nodded timidly. "Fuck, no way! You're skipping it and going back with me!" Masamune turned paler and tugged Ritsu by his hand to prevent him from dragging himself away, shaking his head. "If I skip this meeting, I'll get in trouble."

Ritsu frowned. "Then I'm going with you." Masamune's mouth gaped open in protest. "Or you're going back with me." His mouth clamped shut, and his face was strained. His eye bags were serious; he wouldn't survive the meeting either way. Without Ritsu, he was hopeless. He didn't even know how Masamune managed to stand as where he is today. It's a mystery. No, this man himself is the mystery.


"… So, any objections to my suggestion?" Yokozawa finished his report and looked around the room. No one uttered a word.

"… If I may," Ritsu raised his hand. Yokozawa shot him a glare that screamed 'you shouldn't even be here, brat'. "Please do," he confirmed politely. "This part, I believe – " the two continued debating even as Masamune shot him disapproving looks.

That man is simply oversensitive, Ritsu thought to himself. He thought of how the man he loved had changed so much over the last ten years.

"— Alright. I'll admit that your suggestion is highly worthy of consideration." With a silent tsk only Ritsu heard, the two sat back on their chairs. The debating meeting of how the manga should be sold and such dragged on for another hour before everyone came to a reluctant agreement, being too tired to debate any longer.

"Finally!" Masamune would have dropped himself if the floor was not looking so welcoming. Ritsu smacked him on the head the second time that day with his working briefcase. "This is unsightly, Takano-san." He went to the table where the stack of photocopied papers were waiting, picking them up and stuffing them into his briefcase. He checked the office clock – 12:20A.M.. "We can drop by the convenience store. Let's go grab food."

He was just about to exit the office when he saw that Masamune wasn't moving. "… Takano-san?" he flinched. "I don't think this is a good idea… I don't want to…" Masamune muttered. Without changing his expression, Ritsu blinked and replied simply, "The last train is long gone and I don't have a car. Do you expect me to go home by myself? I'm just asking you since we're next-door neighbors, and we could drop along the road for a grub or two. I wasn't thinking what you probably have in mind." That made Masamune flush slightly. "I-I'll get my car." As he passed Ritsu, the younger man chuckled lightly. His reactions are always so interesting. Senpai…

Ritsu snapped out of it. No, he told himself sternly. We're over. He dumped me. This is just… work. But how was he supposed to explain the growing bulge between his pants? And finding excuses just to spend time with his superior after work – a man?

As usual, the two spoke nothing in the car. What topic did they have to speak of? They didn't know anything about each other, be it 10 years ago or now. Ritsu can't deny it – he felt sad about that. Even as they bought food from the convenience store, neither stroke up a conversation.

Without realizing, they'd reached the car park. Still not uttering a word, the two got out of the car and went towards the apartment, entering the lift as it opened for them. Ritsu stood close to the door while Masamune plastered himself against the back as far as he could. Ritsu could feel it though – Masamune was stealing side-glances at him, at his tiny profile as compared to his, a much larger and broader one.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the door opened and they stepped out. Ritsu rustled into his pocket and fished out his apartment key, unlocking it swiftly.

"Uhhmm… Onodera, I think I'll reject your offer after all… I'm dead beat –"

"I don't care. Treat it as a celebration for surviving the death period this round."

"Can't it wait till tomorrow where everyone is present?"

"One: It already is tomorrow. Two: I want to be with you only."

Unknowingly to himself, Masamune looked down, obviously embarrassed. Ritsu turned the doorknob and opened the door. "Come on in. Or I'll drag you in." Seemingly with no other choice – or excuse – to reject him, Masamune followed Ritsu in.

Even though he knew what to expect by doing that, he still did it.

After all, how was he to reject the boy… the man who dumped him after they had sex 10 years ago? He wanted to win Ritsu back, no matter what. Even if he has to risk his career, he'd tell him his true feelings.