Chapter 4: Curry

When Shiho woke up the next morning, he thought that he was still dreaming, like seriously still dreaming because the bed beside him empty and clean. He squint his eyes, rub them and squint them again at the innocent still-object before he pinched the bridge of his nose in disbelief and wore his eyeglasses on.

"Yuu, are you―"

"―Yes, Kimizuki?" Yuichiro's voice sounded very perky in the early morning instead of the usual gruff snarl as he open one of the flaps of the tent with a sunny smile. "Do you need anything?"

Shiho blinked, shocked upon seeing Yuichiro wide awake, clean and in his uniform already (for the first fucking time). He lifted his eyeglasses to check if his eyes were fooling him before he put it back on and pinched himself, hissing afterwards at the sting.

"I'm… I'm not sleeping anymore, am I?" Shiho asked as he looked at Yuichiro.

"Oh, no, you're still asleep and having a rather nice dream. It will be a shame for me to wake you up." Yuichiro countered sarcastically with a roll of his eyes before he said in a flat tone, "You're awake, telephone pole."

Shiho snorted at the nickname and he stretched up his limbs, flexing his muscles in the process. "Hmm, I thought I was imagining my assistant squad leader to actually be neat and punctual for once."

"Shut up or I'll destroy your eyeglasses and eat your rations." Yuichiro threatened, though there wasn't really any bite in it. He was just feeling too giddy right now and Shiho noticed it in his scent.

"I'm kidding, stupid. You don't have to resort to threats over such a small thing." Shiho snorted with a smile as he got out of his bed. "Anyway, since you're up and going, why don't you tend to the duties of the squad while I shower and change? It'll be a huge help."

Yuichiro's frown turned to a toothy grin as he did a playful salute as he announced proudly. "Done and taken care of, Sir. And I'm currently on standby and waiting for you to accompany me for breakfast."

The alpha was stunned when he heard that, blinking for a bit as if the beta was a foreigner. But, nonetheless, he was glad about the news and he gave Yuichiro a challenging smirk. "All right, hold your horses, I'll be out shortly. I can't have my assistant besting me in punctuality."

"Then you better hurry because the beef stew is going to be cold." Yuichiro added which was enough for Shiho to flee the tent for a shower.

―

"I've noticed that you're unusually happy today, Yuu. I wonder who died..." Shiho commented as he took a spoonful of stew and stared at a gleeful Yuichiro sitting across from him on their table. "... Wait, don't tell me you actually fell in love with a prostitute?"

Yuichiro instantly gave Shiho a dirty look. "Mika isn't a prostitute, Kimizuki. He's still a... a virgin."

"... A virgin?" Shiho repeated slowly as a thought came to him. "Oh! Did you find it out when he was servicing you last night?"

Yuichiro nearly gagged when he was drinking his water and he coughed violently as he cheeks turned red from embarrassment. How the hell did Shiho knew that? Yuichiro wondered as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"How... How did you know that?"

"They broadcasted it around the building. Honestly, I was rooting for Mika but, nah... You won in the end and it was such a huge surprise." Shiho shrugged as he said in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone. "Who knew that someone like you could bed an elite omega? I bet the regular alphas and betas after him will kick your ass when you come back."

"I... I didn't do much, honestly..." Yuichiro admitted with a small blush on his cheeks as he pushed aside his now finished dish. "I just... The experiences in our missions tend to be handy, you know, so yeah..."

"Hm, true. Experience tends to be the best teacher." Shiho agreed then he smirked suggestively at Yuichiro. "So? What is it like?"

The beta blinked in confusion. "What is, what like?"

"You know... Being with the Jewel of Sanguinem Court for one night? It must be nice." Shiho wiggled his brows which spiked a very red blush to form on Yuichiro's cheeks.

"Fuck, no, we didn't even go that far! Get that out of your dirty mind, you asshole...!" Yuichiro shrieked with a red face and a glare towards his squad leader which earned the glances of the other soldiers present in the area.

Shiho hummed with his smirk growing. "I thought so. I mean, you wouldn't still be our cherry boy if you went far with Mika, right?"

"Ugh, just shut up before I report you for harassment, stupid pole!" The beta huffed in annoyance as he stood up abruptly and grabbed his now empty plate so to properly dispose the used china; all the while listening to Shiho snickering at him from behind before they were called out by Shinya.

―

"I'm sorry for bothering the both of you at this time, but this is quite urgent." Their commanding officer, Shinya Hiragi, explained as he looked at Shiho and Yuichiro standing before him in full attention. "We've receive word that a group of terrorist were camping out in the outskirts of Shinjuku as well as somewhere in the road going to Nagoya. However, one of them is considered a fraud; but since we can never be too sure of what terrorists are planning, I sent out my men to scout the one in Shinjuku. As for the road going to Nagoya, I leave the area for you to scout since it's near your base. Is that all right for you, Lieutenants?"

Shiho and Yuichiro did a synchronized salute at the order, showing how much they are willing to accept such a mission. "Yes, sir. We'll do our best to see what we could find."

Shinya nodded, accepting their confirmation. "Very well. If you know our protocols by heart and have no further objections, you may fall out to proceed with your mission." He paused before a wry smile formed on his lips. "Though, I highly suggest that you and your men should exercise caution and safety. We can't risk losing any more men... and also because I don't want to get an earful of Guren scolding me for treating his favorite squad ill..."

"If I may, Major General..." Yuichiro began, seeking permission to speak to Shinya. "I don't think Lieutenant Colonel thought of us that way. I mean, we were chosen by the JIDA, after all."

Shinya chuckled. "Nonsense~ Guren actually recommended your squad to do this special mission himself. If you weren't his favorite, then he wouldn't allow you to reinforce one of the main strongholds of Japan, seeing how your squad composed of mostly of young soldiers. He must have high expectations in you and your men."

"We... We're honored to hear that, Major General." Shiho said with a small bow.

"Oh, and drop the formalities, please. Your squad will be with me for a long while so don't hesitate to call me 'Shinya'. It'll be highly appreciated." The beta officer suggested meekly with a smile.

Shiho and Yuichiro looked at each other in confusion before they smiled at each other at the privilege given to them and they nodded their heads in agreement.

"Of course, Shinya-san. Thank you."

Then, they both proceeded to their mission at hand.

(Hey…)

Yuichiro listened intently on the beeping sounds Shiho was sending him via sound through his head set, listening to what he had to say in Morse code. Usually, Morse code was only used whenever someone was in danger or whenever someone is sending a message so as to not acquire attention from enemies.

However, it seemed that Shiho intended to talk to Yuichiro secretly without letting anyone know, even with the men with him.

(About this morning…)

Yuichiro quickly snatched a device to send Shiho a message in the same fashion.

(There is nothing to talk about this morning, Kimizuki. Shut up and do your job.)

(Why? Embarrassed?)

Yuichiro grind down on his teeth as he tapped quickly a message.

(No. Now, do your job, telephone pole.)

(Come on, it's pretty boring here, you know. At least indulge me for a bit.)

Yuichiro let out a sigh of exaggeration as he pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. How exactly can field work be boring? It was one of the experiences in the military that allowed soldiers to know (or at least get a hint of) what kind of enemy they were dealing with. Prior to the start of the mission, Yuichiro actually volunteered to do the recon but Shiho, being a rank and position above him, thought otherwise which eventually led them into this setup after a lot of questioning; Shiho being in-charge of surveying the area, with Yuichiro being in-charge of intel gathering.

But the raven-haired beta couldn't help but think that Shiho did this on purpose just to pester him in Morse code about what happened last night. He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

(For the last time, Kimizuki, shut up and do your work.)

(Why so defensive, Yuu? A little chitchat won't kill you, you know…)

Okay, by now, Yuichiro could practically hear Shiho laughing at him with a stupid smirk on his face along with his eyeglasses gleaming menacingly at him as he tapped in his message.

(It will if you're going to use that information to spite me in the future.)

(Who says I'm going to spite you just because you have a little crush on someone you just met yesterday night? If anything, I'm kind of happy that you found someone who caught your interest.)

Yuichiro blinked in surprise at what Shiho sent him, his index finger hovering over the button as he continued to listen to Shiho's Morse code message.

(You would usually ignore the younger cadettes whenever they would try to talk to you into simple idle chatter all because you're focused on your work and what-not. So you being like this for Mika is a huge step, actually... Especially after what we talked about mates.)

Yuichiro sighed tiredly before he tapped in his message.

(… This again? If I didn't know any better, Kimizuki, I'd say that you sound pretty desperate to have one.)

(Not really, no… I'm more worried about you, honestly.)

Yuichiro huffed after he translated the message and his answer came out quickly in record time.

(Well, don't be. I'm perfectly fine all by myself. For the meantime, the topic of finding a mate isn't that much important to me now, and I would prefer it if it stayed that way.)

There was a long pause in the communication line after that. At first, Yuichiro wasn't bothered by it, but knowing that Shiho was at the other end, the silence soon became a bit unnerving that the beta had to check if there was something wrong with the wiring. He was just about to look over when he suddenly heard a tapping.

(You can never be certain, Yuu… By the way, can you report for me that we found nothing during our search? My men and I looked at every place that could have been a potential hiding spot for an enemy, but there was none. No hint, and no possible leads. Everything is clean.)

(Okay, I got it.)

(Also, you can ask for an early leave once you report to Shinya-san.)

(Okay.)

(Also, tell Mika I said "Hi".)

(Oka―) Yuichiro's hand instantly seized movement when he heard that, his expression surprised before embarrassment took over and he was tapping, (What?!)

(You heard me, cherry boy.)

(How the hell can you be certain that I'll go back to that place?! For all you know, I was greatly pissed at you and the place because of that punishment!)

(Yuu, have you forgotten just how happy you were this morning all because of a certain someone? I have no doubts on where you'll be once you're dismissed from duties. You're just that obvious.)

Yuichiro blush a bright red instantly like he was just caught and he instantly tapped on the device, (Shut up!) before removing the headphones with an irritated huff, frowning as he took a piece of paper and a pen to write his report with haste.

Stupid Kimizuki and his stupid logic…

He wanted to deny it, he really did… But, in the end, Yuichiro found himself walking in a very familiar street whose memory was still fresh in his mind. He fumed at the possibility that Shiho might be tracking him with a creepy smile on his face and saying shit like, "I told you so" in a very annoying voice. So what if he wanted to see Mikaela? There wasn't anything wrong with that, so why was it such a big deal? Sure, Yuichiro felt kind of happy in the morning, but did that have anything to do with Mikaela?

… Maybe.

Questions raked through Yuichiro's head as he neared the place where he wanted to go. He immediately spotted the entrance of Sanguinem Court and saw Yoichi sweeping the pavement with a broom, the omega's kimono looking as elegant as ever.

"Yoichi…?"

Yoichi paused for a while to look up to Yuichiro and his face beamed with a smile. "Ah, Amane-san, good afternoon. What brings you here?"

"N-Nothing, really…" Yuichiro stuttered defensively (nervously) as his cheeks blushed lightly. "I'm just getting some air after a day's work. It helps me to relax from all the stress."

"Oh, I can understand that." The omega chuckled with a nod. "Then, may I ask why you decided to go here straight from work, Amane-san?"

Yuichiro jerked in surprise. "How did you―"

"Your scent was giving it away." Yoichi explained as if knowing why Yuichiro reacted that way. "And from the looks of it… You didn't go here to play a game, am I right?"

The raven beta gulped timidly as he let a hand scratch the back of his head, his blush growing redder on his cheeks. "… Was it obvious?"

Yoichi giggled as he did a gesture that it was all right and he looked at the entrance meaningfully. "If you're looking for Mika-san, he is inside doing kitchen duty. He is currently cooking his signature dish as a way to promote Sanguinem Court to the customers. He only does this once a month, though."

"Is that so…" Yuichiro hummed as he too glanced at the entrance but his mind was zeroing in on the news that Mikaela can cook. Well, given the fact that Mikaela was an omega, it shouldn't come as a surprise but the thought of him in the kitchen wearing some kind of cute apron made Yuichiro's heart skip a beat.

"Oh, and this chance is just perfect!" Yoichi squealed in delight as he gazed at Yuichiro with a gleam in those olive green eyes, making the beta look at him in confusion. "Mika-san could use a taste tester for his dish. He often does that every time he cooks, so I was thinking of letting you do it."

"Taste test, me? Nah, I couldn't possibly…" The beta hesitated, but in truth, he was very thrilled by the idea of tasting Mikaela's dish but he was kind of jittery at giving a critique to Mikaela's cooking for the very first time.

"Please?" The brunette insisted with pleading eyes. "It would mean a lot to Mika-san if you do. I mean, everyone in here already tasted and critiqued his dish. He could use someone new, after all."

"I-I see…" Yuichiro murmured. "Well… I guess I could try. I need to kill some time anyway before going back to base."

"Great~! Then, let's go inside. Mika-san is probably cooking by now." Yoichi said excitedly as he grabbed one of Yuichiro's arms to lead him inside the building, unaware at how Yuichiro's heart was beating wildly in anticipation on what Mikaela might be cooking.

But while he was walking with Yoichi inside, he couldn't help but feel the stares of the other omegas at him, some even whispering behind their backs.

"Isn't that the man who defeated our Jewel?"

"Yeah, that's him."

"A beta? It's pretty tasteless because he's so ordinary."

"Yeah, but he's kind of cute… and his military uniform makes him look cool."

"Ooh… No wonder he caught the eye of our Jewel~"

"Hmm, now I'm jealous of Mika-sama. He always gets the big catches like him."

The omegas sighed in delight as they look dreamingly at Yuichiro, their scents wafting in the air which made the beta uneasy and self-conscious with his newfound popularity in the Court. He hastily walked faster so that he could be beside Yoichi who was chuckling.

"You've gotten pretty admirable after your game with Mika-san, Amane-san. Everyone around the Court was pretty restless when they found out, but they soon learn to adore you after Mika-san said that you were such a gentleman with him." Yoichi explained with a smile as they continued to walk through halls leading to the kitchen while receiving the infatuating stares of the omegas they were passing by. "Although, being this popular can be quite a handful, especially for Mika-san…"

Yuichiro looked at Yoichi with a raised brow. "It is? Why?"

"Oh… You'll see…" The brunette omega winked at Yuichiro as they stopped walking and stood in front of twin doors. "Here we are. Mika-san is just inside here… But you have to be careful because there are other omegan cooks inside. And they also know what happened yesterday night~"

A sweat dropped from Yuichiro's head as he took the (small) warning before nodding his head. "I'll… try to be careful, thank you, Yoichi."

Yoichi smiled at that. "Well, then… I'll be going back to cleaning duty. Good luck, Amane-san. See you soon."

"Y-Yeah, you too…" Yuichiro replied as he waved a goodbye to Yoichi before looking at the twin, intimidating doors in front of him.

He gulped as he balled his hands into fists the more he stared at the furniture, contemplating if he should open it or leave. Well, he did want to see Mikaela in the first place, so running away wasn't exactly an option from the start… and besides, Yoichi also told him that Mikaela wanted someone new to taste test his dish; something that Yuichiro wouldn't dare to refuse.

To hell with it…!

Straightening up, he placed a hand on one of the doors and pushed it open with a brave face on (even if there wasn't really anything to be scared of) as he entered the kitchen. Once inside, Yuichiro was immediately engulfed by the delicious smell of food all around. He could smell the scent of smoked meat, the profound sweetness of newly baked treats, the mellow blend of herbs and spices, and so much more that it had his stomach growling in seconds.

However, despite the many aromas of cooked food, there were only a few omegas who were presently cooking in the huge, pristine kitchen that it didn't even take Yuichiro a while to find Mikaela who was swirling a laden in a pot of sauce. Smiling, Yuichiro carefully walked over to where Mikaela was and gently nudged on his arm, causing Mikaela to look at him in confusion.

"Hi, Mika~"

"Y-Yuu…?! Why are you here?" Mikaela squeaked embarrassingly with a red face which caught the attention of the other omegas present.

"Ah, well… My work was finished a bit early so I thought of paying you a visit." Yuichiro explained himself innocently before adding, "Oh! And Yoichi requested me to taste test your monthly dish and I'm kind of curious as to what your specialty is." The beta blushed shyly as he glanced away and played with his fingers behind his back. "T-That is, if you want to. I won't force you into accepting if it makes you uncomfortable…"

"No, no, that's okay. In fact, you just came at the perfect time now that I'm done with it." Mikaela said as he took his laden out and poured a small amount of the sauce in a saucer, handing it to Yuichiro afterwards. "Please tell me what it tastes like."

"Oh, thank you."

Yuichiro gratefully took the sample and sipped the liquid, savoring it on his tongue before swallowing. "Amazing…" A huge smile curled on his lips as he looked at Mikaela with delight in his eyes. "This is delicious, Mika. The taste imparts a spicy yet mellow flavor on the tongue, leaving a wonderful aftertaste that let's anyone craving to have more. Not to mention that the spices used gives off a very fragrant note to the nose that makes the dish all the more enjoyable to eat."

Mikaela blushed at how specific Yuichiro was with his critique and smiled widely. "Thank you, Yuu. Hearing you say that makes me happy."

Yuichiro hummed thoughtfully as he remembered the feel of the sample he was given, thinking of the dish Mikaela was cooking. "Based on this… Were you perhaps cooking curry?"

The blonde chuckled. "My, was it that obvious?"

"Curry is my absolute favorite dish…!" Yuichiro revealed with his green eyes shining in sheer elation before he coughed and straightened his composure from his reaction. "Well, I've received curries in the military but their tastes are always lackluster and left nothing much to appreciate in terms of flavor and what-not. But yours, though… it's a very different story."

Mikaela peeked over to Yuichiro curiously at what he said, turning the stove off in doing so. "Hmm… How so, Yuu?"

"Ah, well… It's like, uhm…" Yuichiro murmured nervously as he set the saucer down on a nearby counter. "… It reminds me of my mother's cooking, honestly."

The huge compliment quickly sent Mikaela's face in flames and he could've sworn that his heart also took a slight attack, feeling something hit in his chest. "I-I see…"

As Yuichiro and Mikaela were talking, an omega bashfully came up to Yuichiro and poked him on his arm, causing Yuichiro to turn his head to the source.

"U-Uhm… Are you Amane-san from last night?" The omega asked with her face completely red because of her nervousness.

"Oh, yes, I am. What seems to be the matter, Miss?" Yuichiro asked gently so as to not scare her.

"Ah, well… I-I know that this is rude of me, but…" The omega bowed as she pushed a tray that she was holding in front, letting Yuichiro look down on the dish being presented to him. "Can you please taste test my dish as well?"

"Eh, really? Well…" Yuichiro glanced at Mikaela for a bit with uncertainty, asking permission if it was okay to try it out.

Mikaela met his stare and smiled, nodding.

A small smile crept up on Yuichiro's lips upon seeing Mikaela's approval and he took the small spoon that was provided for tasting the dish. "Sure, why not? Let's see… This is ramen, right?"

"Y-Yes…!" The omega confirmed as she slowly raised her head. "It was originally Soy Sauce Ramen, but I decided to do a bit of a change and added chicken and vegetables s-so it becomes Soy Sauce Ramen with Chicken and Vegetables as a result."

Yuichiro hummed. "That sounds pretty interesting. Now, then… Thanks for the food."

Dipping the spoon for a bit to get some soup, Yuichiro then sipped it and paused for a while, eyes widening. The silence made Mikaela and the omega stare at the beta in awe before Yuichiro placed the small spoon aside and grabbed the chopsticks on the tray, taking the bowl as he began to eat the noodles and toppings with great enthusiasm.

"This is awesome…!" Yuichiro said after he took a slurp. "The soup is very flavorful, emitting the luscious taste of soy sauce and chicken with an overtone of matured vegetables and scallops in the mix. It's a completely balanced dish and the way that each ingredient compliments the other shows just how much you were careful with the preparations."

"R-Really?!" The omega gasped with a huge smile. "Thank goodness. I'm glad you enjoy it, Amane-san."

Yuichiro smiled as he placed the bowl back down on the tray. "Hey… What's your name?"

"Y-Yayoi Endo, sir…"

"This is a good dish, Yayoi-san. I'm sure the customers will love it."

The compliment made Yayoi smile in happiness and she gratefully thanked Yuichiro for evaluating her dish before she went back to her kitchen to make more.

"You're quite the critic, Yuu." Mikaela commented on the sidelines as he began to make some servings of his curry. "With the way you said those words, you could easily become a journalist or a food critic if you want."

Yuichiro snorted at that as he leaned a bit on a counter. "Nah, I'm just saying those to appreciate the food better in detail. It isn't always that I get to have a good meal, you know. So I have to make a huge use of the opportunity as being your taste tester."

Mikaela paused in what he was doing so that he could look over to Yuichiro with a concerned expression. "Is… military food that bad?"

"It isn't bad, but it isn't good either." Yuichiro sighed as he crossed his arms on his chest. "It isn't bad, in a way that it provides us the nutrients to start the day and do our duties, but it isn't good because it lacks taste, almost like the food that they serve is just merely a fuel to get us up and going about. It may keep us alive, but on a personal level, it doesn't have any spirit that you can find in a warm home."

Mikaela was silent after hearing that as he found that situation pretty similar to what happened to him before, but he swatted those memories away and softly said, "… It must be hard on you."

The beta chuckled. "Hmm maybe so, but not really… We eventually got used to it on the end. We had to; not like we had a choice."

Mikaela hummed as he poured the curry on another plate of rice, giving the dish to Yuichiro who looked at it in confusion. "Since it's almost evening, I figured that you should eat some dinner and have a nice bath in our bath house." The omega explained himself as he handed Yuichiro a spoon. "It's been a long day for you and the least I could give you is relaxation."

Yuichiro flushed. "Ah, thank you but no, that's… that's a bit too much to offer, Mika."

"Just take it. What are friends are for, after all." The omega insisted, pushing the plate resolutely on Yuichiro's chest.

Yuichiro blinked in surprise before he sighed in defeat and accepted Mikaela's offering. "Y-You sure? I'm not going to be charged for this, am I?"

"Nope~ Consider this as a treat from me. You have nothing to worry about." Mikaela proudly said with a toothy grin. "If you want to leave and return back, you are very much free to do so. For the meantime, just relax and enjoy your stay here."

Oh… Now, how could Yuichiro say no to that?

―

After eating his (delicious) curry and asking for a few directions, Yuichiro made it into the bath house. His eyes glimmered in excitement as he remembered what it was like to be in one of these places when he was still a kid.

"This sure brings back memories…" He murmured to himself as he slowly undressed from his uniform. "The last time I came into a place like this, it was in Akane's birthday in Okinawa…"

Yuichiro's hands paused when he was about to undo the last button of his shirt, his brows furrowing in nostalgia at the memory of his little sister. Despite how many years had passed by, Yuichiro could still remember the face of his sister like it was just yesterday; the color of her hair, her eyes, her smile…

Akane…

Pursing his lips, Yuichiro resumed on his task to undress himself from his uniform, and just like that, his movements became less enjoyable and more mechanic like how he would act around base. Once the last piece of clothing was off and on the basket, he wrapped the towel provided for him on his waist and preceded into the bath through the sliding door, expecting some of the other customers to be there with him since it was a large communal bath house…

… But it was silent.

Yuichiro blinked as he looked around the bath to find at least one person inside, but to no avail. It was completely deserted.

Maybe I'm the first one…?

Well… He did come in the Court straight from work, so it was expected that he was a tad bit early as compared to other people, but even so…

"I guess I have the whole place to myself then…" Yuichiro concluded as he walked over to the pool of warm water emitting steam, dipping his foot in to test the temperature.

Once the water touched his skin, Yuichiro shivered in delight when he felt his nerves relaxing instantly and he quickly got in the pool of water with a second thought, sighing as his stiff muscles loosen up and his body wrapped in comforting warmth. He inhaled deeply, smelling the mix of mineral salts and chlorine of the waters while he sagged by the edge, mind and body soothed from stress.

"Now this is nice… I never felt this comfortable before… It's very refreshing…"

"Is that so? I'm glad."

Who―?!

Yuichiro jumped from his spot and was about to turn around when he felt a pair of arms circling around his shoulders, keeping him there.

"Shh, it's just me, Yuu. Don't be so shocked." Mikaela's playful voice answered (whispered) next to his ear and Yuuichirou had to suppress a shudder right there. "I see that you are enjoying yourself."

"V-Very much so…" The beta answered with a small nod as he tried to relax… but he was distracted with the way Mikaela was touching him so intimately. "Uh, can you let go of me, please?"

"Oh, pardon me." The omega chuckled and his arms slithered away from the other.

Yuichiro let out a breath that he didn't know that he held once Mikaela's arms were away, but he flinched when he felt movement beside him and he glanced at his side only to see Mikaela sitting right next him in the bath. And just from that, Yuichiro suddenly became very self-conscious of the tiniest things.

After all, it was only them… alone in the bath together … with only a minute distance between their skins…

… Well, fuck.

Yuichiro needed to calm down.

"Hey…"

Yuichiro jumped again at being addressed so suddenly and he nearly snapped his neck to the side to where Mikaela was to answer whatever the omega had in mind. "Y-Yeah…?"

"Are you all right? You've been pretty restless lately, with you reacting like that and all." Mikaela asked with worry in his features. "Is something the matter?"

"No, not really, I just…" Yuichiro laughed awkwardly afterwards before he tried to explain himself. "It's just... uh, you… never seize to surprise me, Mika."

The omega blinked. "I… do?"

"Yeah, you do. You nearly scared me half to death when you surprised with a hug behind me and now you surprised me by addressing me so suddenly… in this very quiet place." Yuichiro's face blushed lightly against his will as he averted his eyes away in a futile attempt to avoid Mikaela's curious stare.

But, Mikaela, being the smart omega that he was, immediately took notice of it and he was chuckling with a hand on his mouth. "Yuu… Are you perhaps embarrassed that we're alone?"

"I…" Yuichiro trailed off before he sighed in defeat, face blushing even redder. "Yes, and it's pretty weird. I mean, we're both men a-and I'm a beta so I shouldn't be affected by you this much…"

"Hmm, then that could only mean one thing~" Mikaela sing songed as he purposely inched closer to Yuichiro with a toothy grin. "You like me, don't you?"

Yuichiro sputtered. "H-Huh?! Yeah, right, as if! I mean, that's a completely ridiculous idea, Mika…! Why would I feel that way about you?"

"… Do you want to know why, Yuu?" Mikaela suggested in a low tone of voice as he leaned close to the point where his nose barely brushed Yuichiro's and his eyes half-lidded into a sultry look. "Because you're acting defensive right now, and you know what they say about people who became defensive over such a simple matter."

"I-I see…" Yuichiro murmured as he stared straight into Mikaela's eyes before he looked down onto tempting plush lips; the very same lips that he had kissed yesterday in a moment just between the two of them.

He wondered how it would feel right now against his own but Mikaela was pulling away, returning back to his place in the bath with a satisfied smile.

"Well, now that you know, calm down and relax here beside me. The bath house was meant to relief stress from the customers, after all."

"R-Right…" Yuichiro agreed as he straightened up and attempted to relax again like he did before Mikaela came in.

"And to help you, why don't you tell me about your day? I'm sure sharing would let you loosen up more." The omega advised gently, setting up his bait to lure the beta in for information leaking.

And when Yuichiro's face lit up in excitement as he began to talk to him, Mikaela knew that the beta was now trapped in his web and the other wasn't even aware of it.

This will be a piece of cake.