Hello lovelies~

It was a long day of work, and all I could think about was posting the next chapter to this story.

I will be going silent for a few days. Do not fret- It's my birthday on Wednesday and I'm kind of a birthday whore. I usually celebrate it across and entire week, but I settled with Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday (had to take a day off to recover, of course =P )

Also, I found out really good news that my boyfriend will be returning from the Phillipines in a month! (Originally, I wasn't expecting him back until 2017).

Sorry for the personal details. I just have a lot of things going on, teehee!

Last thing! If you guys have a favorite romantic novel or heartbreaking story that you would like to share with me, feel free to message me. I'm looking for some new reads.

Enjoy!


Chapter 3: Twenty Eight Minutes

The October morning air was not very forgiving. Yami had dismounted off his bike and immediately tugged on his knitted ruby scarf to cover his freezing nose. The teen had bundled himself in a soft navy colored North Face with thick black gloves. He wore black jeans that hugged his slender waist. Although the ride into town was uncomfortable because of the bitter cold, he did enjoy the sight of the foliage and golden fallen leaves—the town was well known for its natural beauty. In fact, it was one of the qualities that drove so many visitors into their quiet village.

The man leaned his bike against the side of the building. He had never had to lock his bike up. The town was a small enough place that if someone were to steal it, anyone would be able to spot it and know exactly who it belonged to. Using his teeth, the man pulled his gloves off, as he stepped through the entrance of the Job Center, which shared the same building as the Community Center.

The receptionist greeted him with a gentle smile as she tapped her pen to her lips, "Morning, Yami." She chimed, tilting her head to the side, a loose brown lock falling over her face. "How can I help you?"

Yami offered the woman a gentle smile in return. He had attended school with the girl. "Morning Anzu." He bowed his head a bit, as he placed his hands on the edge of the counter. He leaned forward, and spoke quietly. "I wanted to meet with a job assistant."

Her azure colored eyes filled with concern and her brows furrowed, "What happened to the Café?"

"Otogi is closing up shop."

"Really?!" She asked, looking around to notice that her outburst had caused a few people in the waiting room to look up with curiosity. She immediately lowered her voice, "I'm so sorry to hear that. Why is he closing?"

"He's moving home. Is there anyone available to speak with?" He asked, not in the mood to explain the situation. He wanted to move the process along.

The woman nodded, as she turned to her computer and began typing away. As she worked, Yami casually turned to the side, so he could get a glance of the room. It was actually quite depressing. There were a few people waiting to be seen. One was an older man who looked as if he was sweating bullets. Yami could only guess that he too had lost his job, and at his age, he could only assume that work was limited. There was a woman with her daughter. The girl was coloring on the floor, while her mother was flipping through the pages of her resume. Yami's lips pinched into a frown. The only work experience he had was serving tea. What other job could there be that he was qualified for?

"Looks like Honda can see you. Just fill out these forms. I'll let you know when he's ready." She said, as she handed over a clipboard and pen. As the teen took the documentation, she nibbled on her bottom lip, before speaking, "So… Are you still with Jou?" She nervously asked, as she fiddled with the sticky notepad.

Crimson eyes glanced up to meet the curious blue ones. He was a little surprised that she had asked, since they had only seen the brunette at the local pub less than a month ago. "Yeah."

"Good." Her response caused the male to arch a brow. He chose to ignore it as he forced a smile, and turned to take a seat. It was an awkward interaction, but he was optimistic that the rest of the day would go smoother.


"Honestly, Yami, I'm not really seeing a ton of options. How would you feel about an adult 'chat' service?"

The look Honda received was not a pleasant one. He put his hands up defensively, "What, at least you qualify for it."

The teen let out a sigh. He had already been there for an hour now. They had gone through the listings of the jobs in town, and just as he had expected, it was quite sparse. So, they adjusted the search engine to include the town over. It would be a longer bike ride, but he was hopeful that the search would come back with more listings. It did, however, the positions were not exactly ideal. These jobs included mortician assistant, logger, slaughterhouse conveyer belt operator, and chimney sweeper. He listened to each of the descriptions of the job and could not hide his disgust. Sure, the café wasn't a clean job, but it was better than coughing up black soot or embalming rotting flesh.

Yami moved a hand to pinch the space between his eyes, before letting his thumb and pointer run along the skin under his eyes. He let his hand run down his tan skin until he was cupping his mouth. That feeling a dread was starting to bubble. They were in the middle of a recession—what if he wasn't able to find a job?

"Honda, there has to be something else."

The man sitting across from him frowned, before glancing over at the computer. He clicked the refresh button. Suddenly, his eyes widened as he leaned forward. "Hold on-" The man started wiggling his mouse around as he double clicked on a few things.

Yami watched silently, leaning over to steal a glance at what had grabbed the other's interest on the screen.

"Looks like something just got posted. Care assistant position," he said idly.

"I don't really think I'd be-"

Honda ignored the protest, "It's only a few miles from your address. Looks like it's for a disabled man."

"Honda, I'm not good with people. How am I suppose to-"

Again, interrupted. "It's a daytime position. Looks like he's a quadriplegic. I'm assuming they need someone to help feed him and assist in things like taking them out and basic stuff. Can you drive?"

"I only have a bike."

"But can you drive?"

"I have a license?" He said with a question, wondering if that was the answer the job assistant was looking for.

"Perfect. There isn't any job experienced needed, which is great in your case."

"Honda-"

"And the money is… wow… really good."

There was a pause.

"What kind of money are we talking about?"

"Way more than what you were making at the café." The smile that had crept across the other man's face caused the crimson eyed male to arch a brow with curiosity. Yami hesitated, as he tried to wrap his head around the idea of being a personal assistant to someone who could not help themselves. He knew himself to not be the most patient of people. But, if Honda was serious about the sizeable check he could be bringing home every week, then he would be foolish to turn it down.

"Should I book you for an interview?"

After another moment of silence, a long, audible sigh escaped the lips of the teen, as he rubbed the side of his temple, "As long as I don't have to wipe his ass."


Yami sat perched on the back rest of a bench, bundled up tightly into his jacket. He had a paperback laid out across his lap while both of his hands cupped the sides of his coffee drink, trying to stay warm. He hated the cold. He brought the drink to his lips, taking a swig, before flipping the page. He had been reading a book called "Winter's Tale", a story of a master mechanic who attempts to rob a home in the Upper East Side, only to fall in love with the home owner's daughter, who is dying. He had been consumed by it for the past week.

"Time!"

Crimson eyes glanced up to see a blonde man bending around the corner of the park path, his arms pumping up and down as be sprinted closer. The book fell out of his lap as he frantically searched for the phone that had been abandoned on the seat of the bench. He tapped the screen, struggling to remember exactly how to work the device, before finally finding the app he needed. Once he found the stopwatch, he glanced up and watched the man sprint right by him. Yami clicked the 'stop' button. "Twenty seven minutes and forty three seconds." He called out to the man, who had slowed down to a walk at this point.

Yami watched the man walk around in circles, catching his breath as he did. It didn't take long before the man was walking back over to Yami, a wide grin spread across his lips, "Twenty-eight minutes?! Fuck yeah!" He chimed.

The smaller teen handed the smart phone over to his boyfriend, before smiling sweetly, "Good job, Jou." He watched his boyfriend check his pulse, fiddle with the confusing device, before walking to the edge of the bench where a duffle bag was left abandoned. Jou placed the phone in the small side pocket, before grabbing a canteen, chugging the liquid like a frat boy as a college party.

Yami could not help but admire the man. His boyfriend was in excellent shape. He had lean, tight muscles that were carved out perfectly by the tight racing clothes he wore. His golden hair was damp from sweat and it made his skin glisten in the afternoon sun. Jou had been working as a personal fitness instructor for the past three years, and Yami had the pleasure of watching his boyfriend morph into a complete stud. Jou had made many attempts to get Yami into shape as well, but his clumsy footing made it difficult for him to run distance without hurting himself. So, Yami sat on the sidelines and supported his boyfriend compete in marathons.

When Jou nearly finished his canteen, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and panted from the lack of air. "In a few months, I'll be able to compete with some of the best. Maybe even compete in the Olympics someday." Immediately, Jou began stretching his legs, supported by the bench, "So, who is the unlucky idiot who gets you as a care assistant?" he asked, smirking at his own joke.

The teen rolled his eyes, as he carefully marked his book and stored it safely in his bag. "I haven't gotten the job yet." He said, before glancing down at his lap. Jou wasn't the best listener, but he thought he'd attempt it, "I just don't think I'll be any good at it."

Jou's cackle caused Yami to look up with a surprised expression on his face. Jou had moved closer to the man, resting his hands on the backrest of the bench, capturing his boyfriend. "Look, you don't have to be good at it. You just have to get by and collect a paycheck. Think of the money you'll be making." When his boyfriend fell silent, the blonde took this as a sign that he was right. He smiled and captured the tricolor haired man's lips into a bruising kiss and nearly knocked Yami right off the back of the bench. In response, a small squealing noise escaped the teen as he tried his best to dig his heels into the bench so he did not tumble back.

Jou pulled away and started laughing again, "Now, put a smile on that face and get yourself back out there. You know, if you wanted to, I could put you through a regiment and I can train you to be a personal trainer."

Yami blinked his bright crimson eyes, before pursing his lips, "I'll pass."

"Suit yourself." Jou said, before walking backwards away from his boyfriend, "I'm going to make a few more laps, and then we can go get lunch."

"But, I'm hungry no-!" But, the blonde had already started sprinting down the path.

A soft groan escaped his lips, as he jumped off the bench, finishing his tea drink. Maybe he was second guessing his own ability? After all, coffee drinkers were some of the most difficult people in the mornings, and he dealt with a lot of their bullshit. If he could handle a coffee-addicted asshole who was irritated that he had to wait for a fresh pot to brew, he could surely handle an older crippled man.

He started walking home, wondering if Yugi had made enough curry last night for leftovers.


What did you think of the chapter? Review, follow, do whatever your little hearts desire!

Next chapter will be the interview with Gozaburo. I'm pretty excited about playing a creepy, evil, old man ^_^;