Screw what I said about this being up by Tuesday. It's up today. And please, no mention on why I made Kano a bit of an asshole. I like adding characters like that. Again, no smut for awhile. Sorry, I want to lead up to it. Shintaro really doesn't appear in this chapter. It's all Konoha, and a bit of Kido. And of course, Kuroha makes a short appearance. Please enjoy.

Chapter Two: Kido's Issues

The next week was pure stress for Konoha. Though it would rarely show on his face, the air around him was heavy and depressing. Shintaro was there to relieve some of it by just being there, but Kuroha didn't help at all. Actually, he was the problem.

Konoha would have been totally fine with Kuroha's stay if not for one thing. He had managed nineteen years of constant Kuroha, so a few weeks wasn't going to drive him insane. But there was that one thing. His brother was a slut. Every single damn night, it was someone new. Mostly girls, but everyone once in a while there would be a boy. With his room between Konoha's and Shintaro's rooms, he could hear it all. Every moan, every creak, every slap—all managed to leak through the walls and into his room.

The noises didn't even bother him. Since eighth grade, Kano had been introducing Konoha to various types of 'films'. By now, a simple moan wasn't going to embarrass him, let alone his brother's moan. What bothered him most of all was their volume. He was sure his brother had some kind of fetish with hearing everything, because it sounded like he knew they could hear him. How Shintaro woke up every morning completely refreshed was a mystery.

He decided not to confront his brother about it, knowing it would just lead to a butt-hurt Kuroha and a hole in the wall.

"Just for a little while?" Shintaro asked the albino, his hands together as he begged. "Marry really needs me to do this for her. She was there for me when Ayano died, so I need to be there for her now." He was closer than necessary, getting in Konoha's face. Konoha could feel his ears burn.

"…But why here? He can afford his own hotel room, right?" There was a slight hitch in his voice. He didn't like his brother here, praying on his—yes, in Konoha's mind he was his—Shintaro. But the way Shintaro begged made it hard to say no…

"He probably could. But we need to keep him away from her. She's moving in with Seto and-"

"The veterinarian?" Konoha asked. Seems Kuroha was right. "I thought he was dating that once girl from Tokyo…"

"That was a phase. As soon as he heard Marry needed to get away, he ended it with her. You know how much they've loved each other. Since high school, even. Just," He paused, bringing out the puppy eyes, "please say yes, Konoha."

With a sigh, Konoha shrugged. "I mean...I guess so…I can't turn down family…" He didn't think how in a week, he would thoroughly regret those words. But what happened next would be worth it.

Shintaro wrapped his arms around Konoha's unexpected figure, hugging him tight. "I knew you'd say yes. Thanks so much, Konoha."

"Where are you going?" Kuroha asked, watching the albino walk to the door. He was half naked, his chest covered in small red marks. A bowl of cereal was balanced on his knee as he googled 'how to remove cum stains from sheets' on his phone.

"Kido called me yesterday and asked me to have coffee with her. She said it was important." He didn't even want to wait to hear a stupid comment from his little brother's fat mouth. He walked out the door, slamming it shut.

The coffee shop the ten friends often went to was just down the street, so he decided to walk instead of drive. He was used to the stares he received as he walked down the street. People weren't expecting to see a man with white hair on their walk, or pale pink eyes, or pasty white skin…Let's just say he was the center of attention and top on the list of unexpected things for most.

Walking into the coffee shop was like walking into a coffee ground covered pastry shop, the smell of sweet breads and cakes making him drool. Double shots of caramel and whipped cream were irresistible. The counter always offered free samples of their sweets, gladly handing a small cup to anyone who wanted one. Kido was sitting at their usual table in the far back corner, her hands already around a cup of black coffee. Her hood was off, and another cup sat across the table from her. His, he presumed, as he made his way around awkwardly square tables. She was playing with sugar on the table when he got there.

"Hey Konoha. I already ordered yours." He took a seat, instantly taking a drink of his sweet drink. After years of going to the same shop, the workers had their orders memorized by heart. They often got special treatment due to how often they came there, getting free food and coffee on weekends. The owner liked all of them, her smile always coming back when she saw any of the ten young adults sitting at one of her tables.

Taking a sip of her bitter blend, her hands began to shake as she set the cup back down. A shiny tear rolled down her face and hit the table, dissolving the sugar in a salty solution. "K-Kano…" She swallowed hard, a lump in her throat. 'K-Kano said he hates me…" Konoha knew her well. Kido was a kid when she was adopted by Ayano's family. Kano was her adoptive brother, but they never considered each other family. He knew Kido couldn't take someone she loved dearly hating her. Kano had gone too far this time… "Momo's growing distant…"

Konoha knew that Kido and Momo were only in a relationship at this point for the benefits. Split rent, good sex, and each other's company were the only things holding together their shaky relationship. Konoha felt sorry for her, the feeling not showing on his face. "Are you sure he wasn't lying again? He is an actor, Kido…" His voice was extremely flat, not expressing any of his sympathy for the green-haired girl.

She shook her head, crying a bit hard. She wasn't sobbing yet, but she was extremely close to it. "N-No…" She was speaking between cries. "He told me I was…a girl who couldn't even attract the attention of a fly…and…that Momo was blind for dating someone like me…He called me a prude…and said he…hated me…" She wiped her runny nose on the sleeve of her jacket before Konoha could reach into his pocket to pull out some tissues. She accepted them, grateful that Konoha was there for her.

After a few minutes of crying, she was able to speak calmly again. "How do you do it, Konoha?" She asked, her eyes red from crying.

He shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb. You know, how you feel about Shintaro. How do you go on every day knowing he's too dense to understand how you feel?" She cleared her throat, taking a deep breath. "How do you remember how to breathe?"

Konoha had never thought about it. How did he make through the day? "I think…I just enjoy Shintaro's company…I don't try to hide my feelings…I try to make them clear." He closed his eyes, taking a drink of his coffee. "Maybe I just like how things are now."

"It's been going on for years, Konoha. You can't enjoy not being able to touch him." She was finally back to her normal self, sitting up straight as she drank her coffee. "You have to tell him sometime."

"So do you." He said, not even making eye contact with her.

She swallowed hard, glaring at him. "That's not fair. My situation is different. I can't tell him. He'd never-"

"You've used that excuse before, Kido. If you don't tell him, someone else will steal him away from you. You only have a few chances before its too late, Kido." He was the biggest hypocrite in the world. He was giving her the same speech Kuroha had given him a week ago. "I want you to be happy, Kido. You're a dear friend of mine."

Kido sighed. "I just wish he could see me as a woman rather than a thing. I'm paying his damn rent, and he just blows me off."

"Ditch him then. You don't need that in your life."

She stared at him with wide eyes. "What?"

"Don't stay around him. If he's been with you for this long now and can't appreciate you, then forget about him. Either that, or tell him how you feel. Until you do one, this whole situation is just going to get worse." He smiled softly. "Please, just do what you feel is best."

"Konoha…"

He glanced down at his watch. "Don't you have a lecture in fifteen minutes?" She glanced at the time as well, biting her lip.

"Shit, you're right. Sorry Konoha, I have to go." She gathered her things and quickly left the coffee shop.

Konoha stayed for a few more minutes to finish his coffee, leaving as soon as the last bit was down his throat. Throwing the styrofoam cup away, he walked across the street to walk off what calories he had just had.

There was a park across the street form the coffee shop. It was a place most went to cry their hearts out or mope. People actually found it normal when they saw two strangers crying on each other's shoulders.

Konoha walked down the gravel path, watching all the crying that was going on. Three kids were by the playground, one of them holding their scraped knee while the other two comforted her. A woman was holding onto an old man, crying about how her husband had divorced her. Two girls were crying because their dates ditched them. He had been around too much crying for the day.

Just as he was about to leave, he saw a familiar brown head. His brother Haruka was laying under a tree with Takane, drawing quietly while she listened to her music. They had been together for years, both in love with each other while they tried to transfer that love to others. Lately, he had noticed how they walked closer to each other, Haruka stealing sweet kisses from her when he though no one was looking. Right now, they looked perfect together.

Konoha felt his heart ache. Would he ever be like that with Shintaro? His mind was hazy. He wanted nothing more in life that to be by Shintaro's side, comforting him when he was sad or kissing any worries away. He didn't even care about sex; as long as Shintaro was happy he would be happy.

Deciding it was time to go back, he stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked home, his mind deep in thought.

He didn't know he would be alone when he got home.

Good, right? Not. I decided that Kido and Momo would be in a relationship for reasons. This AU is more canon than I thought it would be. I don't want to rush anything, but next chapter is going to be nice. Since I'm on a roll, it might be up today. I mean two chapters in one day. I'm proud of myself. Please Review!