Red Roses

Hey guys... how'd you been? yeah... I know... I just posted chapter 3 yesterday... :D hehe... :D it's ok... this chapter was kinda easy to write... :D hehe... :D but then again... maybe not... well... :D hehehe... :D hope you'll still enjoy this chapter... :D

This chapter introduces the conflict of the story... don't miss this chapter... :D it's a really nice one... :D heheh... :D

I might have made a very big crime in this chapter... I think I made Ryoma a little bit OOC... but then again... maybe not... bwhahah... :D please... don't let that stop you from reading... :D just carry on... :D hehehe... :D

Disclaimer: I don't like to go to prison... so I'll tell the truth... I DO NOT OWN POT!!

Chapter 4: Torn Between Two

"I'll be back in a short while, baby." Syusuke said loud enough for the nearby people to hear and waved good-bye while running. He got a killing glare in return. Well, he knew that Ryoma gets pissed-off when he refers to him by baby, sugar, honey, and the like in public, and being the sadist that he is, he likes seeing Ryoma with those angry stares of him.

Ryoma fixed himself and entered the photography store that he and Syusuke put up. It wasn't such a big store; it's still at its early stages. But with Syusuke's ability to capture majestic still-life images, and Ryoma's potentials to rule the business world, this photography store would soon rise to the top. Also, they have acquired the Golden Pair's help to be their receptionist, since Ryoma wasn't all that good with talking to people, and Syusuke would be quite busy with his on-field work of taking photos.

"This is going to be a long day." He said, looking at the huge file of paperwork on his desk.

Instantly, the sound of a chime broke out into the small working space of their small shop. That means, a customer has visited them. Ryoma smiled at the sound of money coming. He wanted to check out how the Golden Pair was doing, so he stepped out of his office from the back of the receptionist's table. He frowned at what he had seen. It was just Eiji running some errands Oishi asked him. "So much for the sound of money..." Ryoma sighed and entered his room again. Before he closed the door to his room, he heard the same sound of chimes he heard just a short while ago. He sprinted back out, excited by the thought of money. His spirit broke once more when he found that the sound was of Eiji entering the store once again. He raised an eyebrow and went back inside. When he sat at his chair, the same sound of chimes vibrated through the atmosphere of the whole working space. "This is going to be a longer day than I had anticipated it to be." He sighed.

Syusuke was running to a show room just blocks away from their store. He was asked to take some pictures of their products to be used on a brochure that has yet to be released. The place took him aback. He didn't like the aura of the place, but he couldn't just run away because of those reasons. A freaky, squeaking sound of a door either closing or opening vibrated throughout the place. He looked up to the second floor. His eyes widened at what he had seen. It was as if all nightmares that he has forgotten found their way towards him again.

"Konnichiwa, Syusuke." The man said as he walked to the staircase on the far right of the building. "Long time no see."

"You have long lost the right to call me on a first-name basis, buchou." Syusuke said following Tezuka's figure with eyes filled with blue, raw anger. The hurt he had forgotten was back.

"Fine, Fuji. So, how have you been?" Tezuka reached his hands to touch and feel Syusuke's shoulders, but Syusuke jerked to the other side and dodged his approach. He could clearly see the mist made of droplets of tears on the space between the two of them.

"I would appreciate it if you'll let me do my work." Syusuke said. His face was filled with nothing but sheer anger, madness, rage... and hurt. The hurt in his eyes was so evident. Even the most common of all the commoners in the entire universe could see the anguishing pain in his eyes. The blueness of his eyes was entirely because of pain and discomfort.

Tezuka couldn't stand the sight of his ex-boyfriend's pain-filled eyes. He spun around and walked towards his office once again. "Please do your work, Fuji." He said as he closed the door behind him. He leaned his back to the door. 'Those eyes... I can't believe I caused those pitiful eyes of his... I'm deeply sorry, Syusuke...' he thought as tears flowed freely on his cheeks.

Syusuke stood downstairs, stiffened by anger, softened by pain. He leaned on the column near him. He took two deep breaths and did his job perfectly. 'I'll show him it's his loss for leaving me! I'll shove it to his face!' He thought as he wrapped his camera on its bag and left.

"Ochibi looks like he'll explode anytime, Oishi." Eiji observed as he opened the door for the umpth time to go out and grab lunch for the three of them. And he was right. As soon as the sound of the chime was heard, Ryoma waltz out of his office angrily. He marched towards the door and pulled the chime out of its place. He threw the chime to the garbage bin. "Good riddens." He blurted out as he entered once again his office.

Oishi just smiled. Instantly, Eiji was back with three lunch boxes from the nearby fast food restaurant.

"Ne, Oishi? Where's the chime?" He asked noticing the silence of the door when he entered.

Oishi pointed to the trash bin and began wrapping his work. "Echizen! Let's eat."

"Has Syusuke returned?" Ryoma asked as he stepped out of his room.

"Nope... Haven't heard a word from him since earlier when he left."

"I'm worried about him. He usually calls if he's late for lunch. But I haven't received a message from him." Ryoma said looking at his phone.

"Ne, don't worry about him, Ochibi! Fujiko loves grand entrances, remember? Also, his car disappeared from the parking space, so he must've taken it out. Don't worry about him. He's old enough to fend for himself. Now, are you going to eat or what?" Eiji enthusiastically lifted the gloomy atmosphere of Ryoma.

"Ok, senpais." Ryoma sat beside Oishi and across Eiji. The three sang out in chorus, "Ittadakimasu!"

Syusuke didn't return immediately to their photography store. He wanted to clear his entire mind out of those thoughts about Tezuka, so he went to the place that made him forget Tezuka even for just one night. He has been driving his car for the past 10 minutes. After the tenth minute, he hit the brakes and carefully parked his car below the shade of a tree. He's once again on the meadow where he recently celebrated his birthday. It was the perfect location to reflect on things at ease. No worries, no preoccupations to the mind, no outside interference. Even though the sun was high up, it wasn't very hot in the meadow; the soft and cool breeze countered the radiating heat of the yellow orb.

Syusuke fell on his back, head looking up, arms stretched to the side, and legs opened. He sighed. "What has this life of mine gone to?" He dozed off to a nice sleep on the meadows.

When Syusuke woke up, he notices that the sun was setting. The orange sky seemed so majestic, so beautiful. He turned his head to see who was lying beside him. He smiles at the sweet angel sleeping on his shoulders. The angel had his right arm across his chest. He pulled the angel closer to him and wrapped his arm on him. "Wake up, sleeping beauty. It's going to be dark." Syusuke fidgeted his fingers on the hair of the other person.

The small person smiled in return. "I love you, Syusuke."

"I love you, too, Ryoma." Syusuke kissed Ryoma's forehead and embraced the smaller person closer. "How'd you know I'd be here?"

"Mada mada dane. Your phone has a tracking feature, remember?" Ryoma smirked.

"Oh yeah... I forgot about that. Are you alone?"

"I have you." Ryoma chuckled a little.

Syusuke sighed. "What I meant is, did you come here alone?"

Ryoma didn't reply verbally. He pointed to the edge of the hill. Syusuke turned his head and smiled. Right on the foot of the small hill, he sees Oishi and Eiji sitting. Eiji's leaning on Oishi, Oishi's one hand wrapped on Eiji's waist and the other pointing to the sky. Both are smiling. "Such lovebirds that they are." Syusuke commented.

"Leave them be, they're enjoying themselves." Ryoma said as he pulled Syusuke closer to him.

Syusuke smiled. "Why won't you tell me that you like my attention to be on you, Ryo-chan?"

"Because you already know that. Now, shut up or I'll leave you here." Ryoma threatened as he smiled his killer smile.

'If only this time will remain forever. I would give anything to stop time from moving.' He remembered the happenings earlier that day. This thought made his radiating smile drop and change into an ugly frown. Ryoma quickly noticed the change in aura of the most precious person in his life.

"Ne, Syusuke? What's wrong?" Ryoma said looking at Syusuke in the eyes.

Syusuke didn't want to lie to the person he made a big commitment with. "Ryoma, I met Tezuka earlier."

Ryoma's eyes grew wide with aggravation of the name he just heard. He despises his buchou for what did to HIS Syusuke. "What does he want?" Ryoma asked coldly.

"I don't know, Ryoma. But please, no matter what happens, don't leave me." Syusuke pleaded as tears began flowing once again.

Ryoma squeezed his body against the older boy's. "No one will be able to separate you from me, Syusuke. Carve that to the stone. No one will take you from me. Not even him." His voice was conclusive.

"Thank you so much, Ryoma." The smile that was gone a while ago made its way back to Syusuke's lips.

bwahaha... I love the last part... and don't you love it, too? :D bwahahah... :D...

also... please note: Ryoma's killer smile is his heart-pounding, pulse-leaping smile... you know... the cute smile... not the evil smile... :D hehe... :D

So... please post a review... :D I'd gladly appreciate it... :D

all the while... :D

-kitoyisme