Hello, everyone. Happy belated new year! This is the new chapter and I hope you will like it. Please tell me if you notice mistakes. Thank you, happy reading. :)


"Young master, please, it's almost dusk. Akashi-sama will be displeased at us if you happen to fall ill."

Akihito sighed audibly. The maids had been pestering him to return to his room even though he was only sitting outside and doing nothing.

"I'll be fine. I'm bored being inside the room all the time." Akihito tried reasoning for the hundredth time.

"But-"

"Nee-san, I'll bring him inside in short. Now, go and do something else." Someone interjected.

Akihito perked up instantly, knowing who it was.

"Er...But, Master will-"

"Don't worry. He's with me, isn't he?"

The maids threw glances to one another and after a brief moment, they agreed.

"Then, we depend on you, Daisuke-kun." They replied and left the compound with bow.

"Daisuke!"Akihito cheerfully exclaimed. " Where have you been all day? I've been looking for you."

"My bad, Aki-chan. Sorry. I went to help the guards to attend the guest's horses."

Daisuke settled down next to Akihito and Akihito smiled. That smile caused Daisuke to lost control and he swiped his thumb over Akihito's soft cheek. Surprised at his best friend's sudden gesture, Akihito raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, there was something on your face." He bluffed.

"Oh. Thanks." Akihito smiled again.

Daisuke quickly averted his eyes from the adorable face in front him. He wasn't supposed to have the feeling he was harboring right now. He musn't forget his place.

"By the way, I brought something for you."

Daisuke shoved his hand into his pocket and produced wrapped candies Akihito loved sweets but couldn't eat them as his father forbade him from eating unhealthy food.

He took Akihito's hand and placed the wrapped candies on his palm. He was rewarded with the boy's brightest smile. That was more than enough for him. He felt contented seeing him happy.

"Thank you, Daisuke! You're really my best friend!" Akihito wasted no time to unwrap the little gift he received and popped them into his mouth. Daisuke laughed at how childlike Akihito acted.

"Now, now, eat properly or you'll suffocate on them."

From a good distance, the older Akashi and Takahashi were watching them intently.

"Your son looked very happy, Akashi-san."

Koichi chuckled under his breath.

"Yes. When he was alone with Daisuke or eating sweets." A faint of sad humour was mixed in the calm tone.

He had always known that Daisuke secretly liked his son and gave Akihito junk food and pretended to be oblivious about it. He needed someone who will take care of Akihito in the future, someone who will love him wholeheartedly and certainly, that someone won't be a woman since none will want to spend her life with a blind.

Takahashi studied the expression on the older man and was baffled to see such gloomy eyes. Earlier, he was invited to the garden for a short stroll but they stopped when they saw Akihito's glum face while being surrounded by his maids.

When he saw how Akihito's face glowed and his lips formed a wide grin upon Daisuke's presence, he felt a surge of rage.

"I know he wanted to be treated like a normal person. But...he is all I have, Takahashi-san."

"He is blessed to have a father like you. And I can see that he is aware of that."

Takahashi wasn't born into a loving family. He grew up in the midst of competition and expectations that have to be met. In the end, he cut all the ties he had with his family and lived on his own.

"He is a very good child. What sin could have I done for gods to punish him like this?"

Takahashi was speechless.

"Please excuse me. I'm not supposed to say this to you." Koichi wiped away the emotions on his face and faked a calm face.

"No, please don't feel so. I'm honoured to receive your trust in hearing such meaningful matter."

The wrinkles around Koichi's eyes appeared as he smiled towards Takahashi.

"You are a fine young man. Your family must be very proud of you."

A small bitter smile was his reply.

Out of nowhere, burst of light interrupted and slowly blinded his vision. He forced his eyes to focus back to the older man but failed. Before he could figure what was happening, a ring echoed and it sounded really familiar. That's my cell.

He opened his eyes and finally could wrap everything around his head. It was a dream. He wasn't in the peaceful residence of Akashi, he was in his bedroom. And now he is no longer Takahashi Ryuichi but Asami Ryuichi.

Asami sat up on the big bed and ran his fingers through his hair while his other hand held his cell phone and flipped it open. Three in the morning. Huh.

"Asami-sama, our men at the dock reported that they have captured an intruder and they kept him in warehouse number two. It's a photographer and-" His ever dutiful secretary, Kirishima, spoke in a rather worried voice.

Asami's mind sharpened once the word 'photographer' hit his hearing.

"Is it Akihito?"

"Yes."

"Pick me up in ten minutes." Asami hung the line without waiting for reply and dashed into the bathroom for a quick shower.

Just as what he ordered, a black limousine arrived ten minutes later.

"Did they touch him?"

"Yes. He fought back when they tried to subdue him. So, um, they gave him a blow on the head to stop him."

"And where were Akihito's guards?"

"They were still guarding at Aka-Takaba-san's apartment. They didn't notice his absence."

Kirishima felt a drop of anxious perspiration on his forehead when he heard Asami's knuckles clenching.

They arrived at warehouse number two in less than fifteen minutes and the air inside the warehouse drastically went cold. The men went pale in confusion when Asami glared them as he rushed towards the unconscious and tied Akihito. He really wanted to blow through their head when he saw the blood and wound at Akihito's face and head but held back as he reminded himself that they were only doing their job.

Asami brought Akihito back to his penthouse where his private doctor was already waiting for them. Luckily, the blow wasn't powerful enough to cause any damage on Akihito's skull and he needn't to be hospitalized.

After Kirishima and the doctor left, Asami sat next to Akihito on the bed. He realized that this was the first time he gets to hold Akihito after a very long time. He remember the long empty years he spent after Akihito left him previously until the day that he anticipated, the day of his death, came.

"Akihito." He whispered.

Gently, Asami took Akihito's hand in his and enveloped it. If only he could show how miserable he was to Akihito. If only Akihito would recognise him when he opens his eyes later. If only he could hold Akihito right now.

With his eyes closed, he leaned down to Akihito's bruised face and with a silent prayer-the one and only prayer he ever had- he kissed Akihito's red lips.

To be continued...