A/N: Many apologies for taking so long to update this story, and sorry as well for the short chapter :(

Regret

PART IV

It turned out that the best way Akihito found to deal with the awkward situation he was in was to try to get himself hammered.

Luckily for him, the expensive port wine that Kirishima served five minutes into the interview seemed to be doing just the trick.

Four glasses of the stuff and Akihito was already seeing double thru his camera's viewfinder. For some weird reason, foreign booze always got the best of him… and fast.

Akihito wasn't stupid though. He could tell his behavior was coming off as severely unprofessional and he had already sensed Megumi-san directing curious looks at him, as if she was wondering what the bloody hell was up with the young photographer that evening and why was it that he had spent all available time pointing his camera at everything around the living room except the subject of their interview, Asami Ryuuichi.

And she was right to be concerned since Akihito hadn't taken a single shot of Asami yet.

…Although in truth he'd tried. Indeed, he had! The problem was that as soon as Akihito would turn his viewfinder on the older man, Asami would catch Akihito's stare and lock gazes with him in such a way that the photographer ended up feeling like his cheeks were in a blaze.

"Shit!" Akihito cursed mentally. He needed to pull himself together. The interview was ending any minute now and judging by the way things were playing out, he doubted that Megumi-san would be giving a very favorable review of his conduct to his boss on this assignment.

So taking a deep breath, Akihito finally pointed his viewfinder at the duo sitting on the sofa in front of him and snapped as many photos as his camera would allow for the next minute or so (never mind the fact that he ended up closing his eyes during the process in order to avoid Asami's piercing gaze).

The young man was about to sigh in relief, thinking that the interview was finally over, when sly Matsumoto Megumi decided to pull a rabbit out of her sleeve.

"So Asami-san," She started; her voice mellow yet casual, even though it was clear she was fishing for something. "would you like to take a moment to address the rumors concerning your affair with actress Azumi Ryouko?"

The reactions that her question caused were nothing short of priceless.

While Akihito choked on his drink as soon as the words left her mouth and Kirishima nearly dropped the tray filled with hors d'œuvre he was holding, baffled by the reporter's insolence towards his boss' private life, Asami on his hand just stared at her as if Megumi-san had spoken some foreign unknown language.

The older man's silence didn't deter the reporter though. If anything, it only managed to spike her curiosity forward.

"Well Asami-san, you have been seen on several social occasions these past couple of months in the company of Azumi Ryouko? You don't deny this to be true, do you?"

Asami's voice was cool and composed when he answered her, although for a fraction of a second his eyes turned towards Akihito, almost as if he wanted to make sure whether or not the youngster was paying attention to the conversation.

Not that such was really needed since Akihito wasn't even bothering faking disinterest at this point.

"No. I don't deny it." Asami finally answered, turning his attention back on the reporter. "We have been seeing each other quite frequently as of late, you are correct."

Megumi-san nearly beamed in delight at his words. "So the rumors are true then? Are you two in a committed relationship?"

The smirk that appeared in Asami's lips clearly meant he was about to disappoint her though.

"We're only meeting up for professional reasons. Azumi-san is about to open a nightclub in town and has asked me to be her associate in the venture." He confessed.

Megumi-san returned his smirk in much the same way. It seemed she had anticipated that Asami would provide a foggy answer and was evidently prepared with a cunning comeback.

"And would an associate be required to spend his weekends at her luxury condo as you were reportedly seen doing over the past month?..."

This time Kirishima nearly threw the port wine bottle at the reporter's head.

Asami however remained perfectly calm albeit being aware that Akihito was looking straight at him now; the younger man's lips slightly parted in a silent gasp.

"I'm afraid your thirty minutes are up, Matsumoto-san." Asami said, getting up from the sofa in a clear indication that the interview was over. "Please give my regards to your editor and thank him on my behalf for his interest in including me in the fund raising gala's newspaper article." He added, as the reporter reluctantly got up from the sofa as well.

Megumi-san probably figured she'd been oh so close to snag the socialite scoop of the year, but her journalist spirit wasn't easily defeated.

"So will you be attending tomorrow's fund raising gala in person, Asami-san?" She asked, seeming to wish to change the topic of conversation.

"Yes, of course. Will your newspaper be covering the event as well?" The older man asked, giving Akihito another quick look.

"Yes, indeed." The woman smirked in reply. "And I can assure you that Yomiuri Shimbun's socialite department will be most interested in seeing who will be your date for the gala." She added provocatively. It seemed Asami had just started a war with Tokyo's noisiest reporter.

"Shall we go Takaba-san?" Megumi-san asked soon afterwards, turning in Akihito's direction, who was forced to snap out of his daze.

Unfortunately for the young man, his reaction ended up being a little too quick. For as soon as Akihito jumped up from the sofa he was sitting in, he felt a wave of nausea engulf him as if the port wine he'd taken was threatening not to stay in his stomach for very long.

Akihito figured he must have swayed out of balance because the reporter's tone instantly softened as she addressed him again.

"Takaba-san, are you feeling ok?"

"Yes... sure." The photographer lied, suddenly not knowing if it was he that was swaying or the living room around him.

He tried to take a few steps, but his feet ended up stumbling on each other making him plummet to the floor.

Akihito never ended up touching the ground though, although as soon as he felt two strong arms holding him up he almost wished he had.

He knew those arms all too well after all, had felt that touch against his skin numerous times before, had heard that deep, powerful voice over and over again so close to him.

"Are you alright?" Asami whispered against his ear, as he pulled Akihito back up on his feet.

A small commotion followed with Megumi-san apologizing to Asami for the trouble on Akihito's behalf (seeing as the youngster seemed too out of it to speak properly at the time), while Kirishima rushed off to the kitchen to fetch some water for the photographer.

Too late though. Before Akihito had time to register what was happening, a fierce wave of dizziness and nausea gripped his insides once again and he was forced to empty the contents of his stomach right there on Asami's expensive Armani shirt.

The funny thing was that before losing his consciousness, Akihito could have sworn he heard Asami calling out to him by his first name Akihito, like he used to when they were lovers.

(To be continued...)

A/N: Just for reference, Azumi Ryouko is the character that appears in a couple of panels alongside Asami in chapter 3 of the Pray in Abyss arc.