Chapter Nine ^.^

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'In Which They Are Nervous '

Misaki

"Takahiro, are you sure you want to do this? You were so angry with him before-" Misaki muttered at his brother as they walked towards Akihiko's apartment.

"Oh, Misaki, please! It wasn't Akihiko's fault there was a dead body in the apartment!" Er, yeah- his dead one-night-stand/stalker. "From what you've said, you had a great time otherwise. Besides, I've known Akihiko for ten years! It would be very rude for me not to visit him on my stay."

"Ok... but don't stay too long, remember you're flying out tomorrow morning. Early doors!"

"Misaki, honestly! Why are you so nervous?"

"Nervous? Nervous! Me? No, no, no, no. I just-" Misaki was interrupted by his phone ringing. He reached inside his jacket pocket, got it and flipped it open.

"Setsuna?"

"Hi! I'm standing outside the address you gave me- where are you?"

"We're just coming to you now. You good?"

"Yup, excited to see you! Does Usami know I'm coming?"

"Err..." Misaki hung up as he saw Setsuna just five metres ahead. "Takahiro, is Manami coming?"

"No, she's out with a couple of her friends who live in Tokyo."

"Ah..." Dammit- just me, Takahiro, Setsuna and... him... that won't be awkward at all. In a stupid moment, Misaki had thought it a good idea to invite Setsuna. He thought she may be able to act as some sort of barrier. Why was he going with Takahiro in the first place?

1. If he backed out, Takahiro would be curious and back him into a corner with his obsessive interrogating.

2. If he let Takahiro and Akihiko be alone together, there was a chance that details would be revealed, details Misaki definitely wanted to be forgotten.

3. He...

I need to see how he is... no matter... everything... I need to see he's okay... like a... friend... after all, we went through so much...

"We..." Misaki muttered to himself.

"Misaki-chan!" Misaki looked to the side, arms ready to catch Setsuna with a sort of contented resignation- what idiot would be annoyed at a girl leaping into his arms?

Me. I'm an idiot. You haven't even kissed the girl yet.

Misaki kept still and laughed nervously as Setsuna pecked kisses all over his face and neck.

"Setsuna! I didn't know you were coming," Takahiro exclaimed, brushing his black hair off his forehead and adjusting his glasses. Setsuna slid off Misaki. God... in all the mangas I've read, the guy always has a boner when a girl gets that close... is there something wrong with me? Should I go to the doctors?

"Oh... is that a problem?" Setsuna asked, blushing as she tied back her long, jagged black hair. Her storm-grey eyes flickered in... sadness, was that?

"Not at all," Takahiro smiled.

Akihiko

Ok, you've beeped them in. Pull yourself together. The Takahashi brothers are nothing to be afraid of! Honestly.

He took off his glasses and put them back on about six times after he heard the elevator doors ping open, then settled for having them off. Two voices... good, two- hold, on, three? A female voice... Aikawa?

Akihiko opened the front door before any of them had a chance to knock.

There, in front of him stood a smiling Takahiro, a blushing Misaki- who had suddenly found the woodwork of the door the most fascinating thing in the world and... and...

"Akihiko! Good to see you without a corpse in the living room!" Takahiro joked, stepping forward and embracing him. Akihiko instinctually hugged Takahiro back but his eyes were firmly trained on the slim, black-haired girl who was... holding... Misaki's hand...

Misaki

Takahiro pulled back and looked back to Misaki.

"Misaki, say hello at least," Takahiro prompted.

"H-hi," Misaki muttered. Setsuna gave him a questioning look. There was a silence, before...

"Ah, Misaki, so good to see you! How's college going? Did the exams go well? Who's this pretty, young thing?" There was no eagerness in Akihiko's voice. Just polite pleasantness.

It burned Misaki to the core.