Author's note: This is a darker side to SIH. Warning: Heartbreak, Cussing & Yaoi. Reviews welcomed, no reviews also welcomed. Disclaimer: I owned nothing of SIH but my own creation Nagasaki Raiu. I'm simply unleashing my imagination!

Chapter 2: Unwelcomed wind of change

"It's overrrrrrrrrrrr! I'm so tired!" cries of relief were heard all over the Emerald editing department. The deadline was met yet again. The end of the cycle was finally here. The magazine was going to be published after all.

Everyone was on edge of their seats, jumping out of their skins every time either the editor or co-editor opened their mouths in either anger or frustration. The editor-in-chief and the new co-editor-in-chief went head to head almost every second, screaming at sales and printing and writers and especially at each other. Admittedly, this edition was the best one that Emerald has ever produced but it also caused so much tension that everyone was on the verge of a major irrevocable breakdown.

Despite tearing at each other's throats, rumours had been circulating that the legendary editor Takano Masamune and the new Iron Lady Nagasaki Raiu complement each other so much that there were talks of a budding love interest between the two of them. One was never seen without the other. They were attached to the hips so much. Everywhere they went, it was always just the two of them, meetings with board of directors, meetings with printings and sales, even meetings with writers; it was always just the two of them.

And nearly everyone agreed, despite their not so misplaced fear of the two, that they were the ultimate power couple. They stood out in the crowd, their dark attires, their heights, towering above everybody else. They were like yin and yang. Except, in this case, they both possess dark personalities.

"Damnit Nagasaki! Shut up already!" Masamune yelled at the top of his lungs. I am getting sick of this shit, he thought grimly, but she's generating so much good results! Damn!

"You shut up! Had you listened to me earlier on, we wouldn't have to chase after the writers all the time! Cut out this half-assed work of yours!" Nagasaki yelled in reply. I told you I'll drive you up the wall, Takano-san, she thought sadistically, I'm going to possess your attention no matter what!

"What the hell do you mean half-assed work? If you hadn't been caught up in your gung-ho feminist drive to torture every male species you see, we would've gotten a whole lot more work done!" Masamune yelled in reply, veins starting to pop out of his neck. Seriously, I'm going to kill this bitch, he thought violently to himself, self righteous feminist!

"WHAATTT? Are you insulting my intelligence you moronic Neanderthal of a man?" Raiu screeched, slightly taken aback at being called a feminist. Damn, he is more observing that I give him credit for! Let the games begin, she thought ruthlessly.

Ritsu was watching all this happening in front of him. The two of them were so alike and so different at the same time, it was impossible to ignore the quiet harmony in how they worked. They answered for each other, finishing each other's sentences; they understood each other's territories, strengths and weaknesses and supported one another despite the screaming and raging against one another every single minute. Give them a challenge and they can do it at a second's notice, with confidence second to god's.

A pang of jealousy coursed through him as the rumours that circulated around the office did not escape him. He had to painfully admit this to himself that Takano-san and Nagasaki-san had repeatedly gone back to Takano-san's place over the course of the latest publication. Even he himself had not seen Takano-san in nearly a month or stepped foot into his apartment despite living next door to him.

Could it be? That the two of them are…. Secretly going out with each other? He thought, a frantic desperation pulling at his heartstrings. B-but that's impossible, Takano-san claims that he loved me… although I haven't actually acknowledged this relationship. A small sigh escaped Ritsu's lips as he pulled his eyes away from the screaming couple in front of him. A while later, the barrage of insults finally died down and peace was relinquished over into the atmosphere.

Raiu sat back down in a huff, dismissing her editor in chief from her thoughts for a few moments. Masamune had gone to the director's office to have a word with Ryuichiro over the latest publication. Sure, they had exchanged heated words all the time, every time, but even she could not deny what a very capable worker Masamune is. She frowned as her thoughts came to her unbidden. She put two fingers to her forehead in an attempt to massage the frown out of it.

Only then did she realize that someone was watching her.

"Oi. What are you looking at?" she asked, sitting up and looking at Ritsu.

"N-Nothing Nagasaki-san! It's… It's just that…" Ritsu stammered, caught off guard watching the second boss.

"Spit it out, what is it? I have no time for subtleties," Raiu spat coldly. She liked Ritsu very much, he is a very kind and considerate person but his lack of confidence irritates her to no end.

"I-I was just thinking h-how s-similar you are to Takano-san!" Ritsu blurted out. He looked up, wide-eyed, he couldn't believe he had just said those words. They have been playing around in his head for some time.

Raiu felt something snapped inside of her. A distant ringing began in her ears, a flashback to her dead father. Shit, Raiu thought to herself, if I don't watch it, this boy will find out why I'm after Masamune. In an attempt to intimidate Ritsu, she narrowed her eyes and slammed a hand on the table. She saw Ritsu backing up a few steps and she knew she had him in his grasp.

"How dare you insinuate that I am similar to Takano-san," Raiu said, between narrow slits of eyes. She injected as much venom as possible into her voice. She could see the fear in Ritsu's eyes, "I am better than him!"

"I-I'm sorry Nagasaki-san, I'm sorry!" Ritsu bowed so low at his waist. Damn, he thought, why can't I keep my big mouth shut! She's going to bloody kill me!

"Oi! What's happening here?" it was Masamune. He thought he could hear Ritsu stammering an apology as he walked into the office.

"Ah! Takano-san! It's-It's nothing!" Ritsu stammered. He does this every time he is cornered. He saw the bulk of the man he loved by the doorway. This very sight always sent his heart into overdrive.

"Nagasaki-san, you can take your arguments up with me, do not ever touch my subordinates!" Masamune interjected, looking directly at Raiu, his eyes narrowed. He pulled an objecting Ritsu behind him.

"Your subordinates are my subordinates as well, or have you forgotten that I actually work here now?" Raiu huffed, irritated but interested, "You don't interrupt when I yell at the others. Aahh… So… why are you so protective of this one?" she inquired further, her voice quiet and her eyes drinking in everything in front of her.

There was no one else in the office. Everyone had left after an exhausting week's worth of work. There was only the three of them left. Raiu stood up slowly, her face an unreadable mask. She wanted to know, no, she needed to know what Ritsu was to Masamune. This will either complicate matters or lighten her mission. Getting here was no problem, handling matters in front of her, will pose a risk she was not willing to face.

No, not after all these years, waiting patiently by her dying father's side, no, she vowed silently.

"Ah! Aahahha!" Ritsu laughed nervously, "There's nothing Nagasaki-san, n-nothing! We are just boss and subordinate!"

"Onodera!" Masamune cut him off, his brows forming a frown, "Nagasaki-san, if you are within your reasons, I will not stop you from telling him off but we have reached the end of our cycle, so I assume there shouldn't be anything of importance you need to discuss with Onodera at the moment,"

"Indeed. However, that does not answer my question," Raiu began, laughter in her voice, "Who is he to you?"

"Takano-san! Let's go!" Ritsu grabbed Masamune's arm and yanked him out of the office, leaving a slightly disgruntled Raiu watching them leave.

Masamune turned his head around, he watched Raiu leaning on the office door, watching him with her arms crossed over her chest and eyes too knowing as he was dragged elbow first by Ritsu towards the elevator. He doesn't mind her finding out, he was anything but secretive, but Ritsu was not yet ready to face this challenge. He did not want Ritsu to have to go through the embarrassment if he could help it. Granted, he does not know Raiu as well as he would have liked. The woman is extremely secretive despite being by his side all the time, every time. This woman intrigued him on so many levels. He felt… no… but he felt a strange likeliness to her…

What the hell was that, Ritsu thought to himself frantically, why is she asking that kind of question? I know I've been very careful to avoid any physical contacts if I could in the workplace with Takano-san. Or… Or was An-chan right? Do my feelings show on my face? Does my expression change when Takano-san is near me? Did she see anything? He dragged Masamune by the elbow towards the elevator. He knew he would die of embarrassment if Masamune opened his mouth and admitted their wayward relationship. Masamune can rebuke him later but for now he just needed to get them away from Raiu.

Raiu watched the two of them leave. She saw the questioning curious look on Masamune's face when he turned his face around to look at her. She also saw the unmistaken embarrassment on Ritsu's face. That was cutting it close Raiu-chan, please don't get over-excited, she reprimanded herself, so is Onodera-san somewhat in a relationship with Takano-san? It seems very likely… I will use this opportunity to get closer to Takano-san… With that she packed her things and left as well, musing over what the future might bring for her.

"Oi, Onodera, what the hell was that about?" Masamune asked Ritsu once they have boarded the train.

"Uhh, it was nothing," Ritsu tried to deflect.

"That was not nothing. You don't usually get all worked up like that," Masamune objected.

"Well, I found myself watching her," Ritsu began.

"WHATTT? What for?," Masamune interrupted before Ritsu could finish his sentence. He sat up straight and was glaring at Ritsu.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry Takano-san!" Geez, why am I apologizing, it's not like I did anything wrong, he thought to himself, "I was just thinking to myself how similar both of you were," he continued quietly.

"Ehhh?" Masamune was dumbstruck. What the hell is this?

"I was thinking about how similar both of you looked like, how similar both of you spoke, the attitudes, the likeliness, the both of you are just… so damn… alike," Ritsu continued, unable to contain or stop himself, "Takano-san went everywhere with Nagasaki-san. I barely see Takano-san anymore. A-and I was thinking, how much both of you suited one another,"

Ritsu whispered the last sentence to himself, admitting at last the nagging thought that had been bothering him all week long. He hung his head low, his face turning so red it felt hot and stinging. He shut his eyes so tight, unable to look at Masamune, who was staring at him wide-eyed.

"CONKK!" Masamune had hit Ritsu's head with his fist.

"W-What the hell was that for!" Ritsu shouted, taken aback by Masamune's physical strike, and he had gained a modicum of his self-confidence again.

"Ritsu, there is no one in this world that I loved more than you," Masamune whispered in Ritsu's ear, his warm hand ruffling his hair lovingly.

Ritsu looked up to Masamune's smiling face and stared at the naked truth in his eyes. His heart skipped a beat. He knew Masamune was telling the truth but he could not stop his heart from hurting, knowing that if anything came in between him and Masamune, it would destroy what walls he had built around him to protect his heart from breaking. He slowly looked down, still agitated but he refrained himself from saying anything anymore. Masamune ruffled his hair again before the train stopped at their destination.

"Come, let's go home. It's been a long day," Masamune said, his voice soft. He saw how jumpy Ritsu had been all throughout the day.

Masamune took Ritsu's hand in his as they walked towards their apartment. Ritsu was too distracted and didn't attempt to pull his hand away from his. They walked in silence, the night breeze playing with their hair. The night sky was deceptively bright, the moon, nearly full, shining above them. Stars dotted the sky, giving it the illusion of a painter's masterpiece. Ritsu looked up and watched the moon and tentatively squeezed Masamune's hand tightly. Masamune returned the gesture, intertwining his fingers through Ritsu's.

As they reached the 12th floor, without a word, Masamune pulled Ritsu, who was strangely compliant, into his apartment.

"Tonight, tonight stay with me," Masamune asked quietly, as he pulled Ritsu into his arms. He felt he needed to do this for the both of them.

"I-I will.." Ritsu whispered, his voice quiet. His arms made their own way across Masamune's back.

They hugged for so long near the entrance, each in their own thoughts, thinking of the other. Masamune bent his head low and kissed Ritsu's parted lips. The kisses became more passionate. They had both been holding back this past month and they could not deny the lustful attraction that was now presented to them.

"Ritsu, I need you now," Masamune whispered into Ritsu's ear, sending shivers down Ritsu's spine.

Masamune led Ritsu to his bedroom, his eyes watching every move Ritsu was making. As he gently stripped Ritsu of his clothes, he found that, a dark thought came unbidden into his mind. A flash of dark lips, coated in black lipstick, a nasty grin and a pair of hazel brown eyes behind thick rimmed glasses cutting him with her stares crossed his mind. He could hear the misplaced, jaded laughter echoing through and he was suddenly struck with anger and fear.

"No one will come between us, Ritsu, no one, you and I belong together only, only the both of us," he swore vehemently as he held Ritsu tightly in his arms.