Chapter 10

Hiroki grinned from ear to ear while he stared at his online bank statement. He pressed the refresh button and the same numbers appeared before his eyes. The first check from his professional writing career. An amazing start and this uplifted his spirits to a high level. Sure, he received a small cut from his short stories but the novel made way more profit. He thought upon making his dream dinner to celebrate the occasion. Half of the ingredients resided in the fridge which added him a trip to the market. He didn't mind. His giddiness overshadowed his usual morning mood.

Aikawa and Akihiko called him while he slept and left him congratulatory messages. Aikawa hinted at the BL story, Hiroki almost snickered at the way she sneaked in the subject. While Akihiko offered advice over managing his time. Hiroki chose to ignore Akihiko's words, the guy missed his deadlines all the time. Although, he felt touched over the meaning behind the words. Akihiko believed in him and knew his story ideas sold well.

Throughout the week, his cousins left him plenty of messages. Bright and positive messages about the content of his book. They expressed their shock about his writing goals. His cousins knew about his love of literature but the writing aspect remained a secret.

From his last observation, the house remained spotless. Nothing to clean and no laundry to wash. A good lazy day where he laid around his home and snored away. Cuddling with his pillow and showing no care in the world. The coffee he drank piped up enough where he couldn't fall asleep.

All in all, the morning started on an amazing note.

He ended up watching some random movie online before his stomach grumbled. Taking the cue to get up, he went into the kitchen and made himself a quick snack. Simple rice balls. Nothing to extravagant before he left to the store. He prepared the rice and filled the contents of the rice cooker before pressing the button to cook it. In the meantime, he assembled the salt water bowl and fillings on the counter.

Once the rice was done, he left the lid open to cool it down as he wet his hands. He scooped a pile out onto his palm and began molding the rice in the proper triangular shape. Some of them ended up as spheres but he would still eat it anyway. While preparing his snack, he nibbled on one to calm his growling stomach.

The winds picked up and caused the bells to jingle throughout the first floor. Hiroki's heart skipped a beat at the noise. Hiroki wiped his hands with a clean towel and checked the vicinity. Hope filled his eyes at the idea of seeing his old friend again. He tried not to seem so eager as he sported a scowl on his face for appearances sake.

"Nowaki-" When he caught no sight of the guardian, Hiroki turned his gaze back to mold his rice ball. "Damn it...where are you? You know I finished my book. You of all people wanted to see the cover." He bit into his food and let out a deep breath.

Nowaki encouraged him through the beginning, listening to his mutterings about the story and imputing small suggestions. He sat right beside him during his harder nights of his continuous writer's block. It broke soon after Nowaki recommended walking through the woods early in the day. Of course, Nowaki followed him just to keep an eye for anything suspicious. The man worried over him due to those evil spirits he talked about.

He shivered just thinking about the dark entity that got a hold of him that one night. Taking extra care of his surroundings, he made sure not to stay out past sunset. He sort of understood why his grandparents insisted they carried sacred amulets when walking through the forest. The talk of the dangers of the forest extended to the boys, not just the girls.

He collected his rice balls and ate them as he returned back to the living room. His mind went back to Nowaki no matter how much he tried to distract himself. This flustered him as he quickly munched down his food and hit his chest when he coughed.

Fuyumi knocked on the door to Hiroki's old office. She tightened her hold on the plastic bag in her hands and heard noise inside of the room. The door opened and Miyagi waved his hand around and a smell of pine scented freshener reached her nose. She tried not to make a face at the overwhelming smell of smoke but she held it together. Miyagi moved out of her way and motioned her inside.

She waited until he closed the door before she handed him the bag in her hands. She told him with a grin. "Hello Miyagi-san, I already handed one of these books to that Tsumori fellow. He might come around later on today to tell you about it. Trust me, you will enjoy the contents of this book."

Miyagi took out the book from the back and read the title. The cover and the genre seemed out of his element but he might give it a try. "Who is this Nobuhiro Kanno? I've never heard of him."

Fuyumi sing songed. "That's Hiroki-chan. He wrote his own book."

Miyagi almost choked on his spit and almost dropped the book in his hands. "This is Hiroki's book?! He went into the publishing business? When did this happen? I never would have known this was him, the pseudonym caught me off guard."

"His father and I are so proud of him. The family is buzzing about the book and have called him to express their opinion. What surprised him were the positive reviews he received on his first novel. He published a collection of anthologies but those garnered a small percentage in comparison to his first book." Fuyumi boasted. "In the back of the book, you can see which anthology he submitted his work."

Miyagi looked through the pages and smiled, relief clear on his posture. "Looks like he is doing well for himself. He talked about stories but found no time to write them out. Through this whole hidden scandal, I thought he would try going for his father's company. He wouldn't have to worry about going into the job market."

Fuyumi tried not to snort in amusement. "Hiroki is not the business man type. He never wanted to take his father's place in the first place. Soshi realized it early on in Hiroki's childhood. Hiroki wasted his allowance in books and graduated with a degree in literature. He just doesn't fit into the business atmosphere. He's better suited for a career in books. This new opportunity is a perfect fit for him."

"Yes." Miyagi stopped fiddling with the book and held it in his hands. "Thank you for bringing this to me. I would have passed this book in the bookstore. Let's be honest, this genre is not something I associate with Hiroki."

Fuyumi waved her hand. "I understand you completely. The family questioned the fact he wrote this book so well. Then again, it shows that he can extend his talents into other genres."

"Knowing his pseudonym will give me a chance to search for his work." Miyagi added in. "I will buy his books. I have to support my old friend after all."

"He will be so thankful!" Fuyumi took out a notebook and a pen from her purse. "This is Hiroki's address and his phone number. I'm sure he won't mind having you and Tsumori-san visit him." She wrote down the information real quick. Once she ripped the paper from its place, she handed it to Miyagi.

"Thank you. He left no address or phone number when he left." Miyagi pocketed the paper in his shirt pocket with a grin. "I'll try to make a quick visit. Although, I might have to go on a day off. It's a few hours away from the city."

Fuyumi nodded her head. "You won't miss it. There are talismans on the outside of the house."

"I didn't know Hiroki had a superstitious streak."

"Not him. My father." Fuyumi explained. "Hiroki inherited the house when my father passed away. In the will, there was a clause to keep certain items on the house. Hiroki complained about the talismans but to stay in the house, he couldn't remove them. When I visited him with my husband, he grew used to country life."

Miyagi stifled back a laugh. "Hiroki as a country boy? I have to visit him now!"

"Hey Miyagi, I'm back-" A young man opened the door without warning, he froze when he noticed Fuyumi. "I didn't know you had company over in your office."

Miyagi snickered. "It's alright, walk right in."

"That's my cue to leave. I don't want to take away more of your time." Fuyumi waved back at Miyagi as she walked toward the door. "Try to lessen the cigarette intake, Miyagi-san." She addressed the young man. "Excuse me." He moved aside as Fuyumi walked through the threshold.

Miyagi chuckled. "No promises," Fuyumi closed the door. "Your father didn't tell me you returned from Australia, Takatsuki-san."

"I keep telling you to call me Shinobu." Shinobu rolled his eyes. "I returned months ago, I just spent my time going between university and home. I had no time to come around this area." He avoided his eyes and stared at the new materials on the desk. "Who was that woman? Better yet, what happened to Kamijou? Was he transferred to another office or something? That's not his usual crap."

Miyagi set the book onto his desk and moved his cigarettes from Shinobu's line of view. "She's Hiroki's mother. You see, she came the other day with the family lawyer for an investigation."

"Investigation?"

Miyagi hit his fist on the middle of his hand. "You don't know do you?" Shinobu shook his head. "That's right. You haven't come to visit the university in a while. You see...Hiroki was framed with some photos showing him with a female high school student."

"Shit." Shinobu hitched his breath. "That's an automatic dismissal until everything is resolved. The accusation alone will follow Kamijou whenever he tries to attempt to take another teaching position."

Miyagi stared at him in surprise. "I thought you would celebrate the fact that Hiroki got fired. Whenever you visited, you didn't look too happy to see him."

Shinobu narrowed his eyes. "Not at all. I have nothing against him. You're mistaking me for his illiterate students. Those are the ones who bored me with their complaints about your old office mate. He seemed decent and cut no slack for his students. Not that I would take his class in the first place. Who's the new professor?"

Miyagi motioned to the sofa and Shinobu sat down. "He's not doing so well. In the first month alone, students have transferred over to different professors. My classes are at full capacity. His teaching methods are way stricter than Hiroki's own. It doesn't help that he doesn't give any sort of leeway to his students whenever they fail in their assignments. There is also a grading curb which brings down the overall class."

Shinobu looked through his phone to check through the university roster. "Arata Wakahisa? Must be a new professor. Father failed to mention him whenever I returned home for dinner." He shifted through the commentary in the university forums. "The students who stuck around have given their anonymous input."

"Verdict?"

"Horrible, incompetent, stricter than Kamijou, the grading curb doomed the majority of the class, need I say more?"

Miyagi rubbed his temples with his fingers, he craved a cigarette badly. "You can stop. I thought the rumors exaggerated certain parts but...the end of the semester rating will get interesting."

"So..." Shinobu checked his phone for any missing messages. "Where is Kamijou hiding out?"

"Countryside. His mother left me his address whenever I get the urge to go on a surprise visit."

"Sucks for him. I wouldn't have the capacity to survive away from the city."

Miyagi snickered. "According to his mother, he settled well in the house he inherited from his grandfather. Want to tag along?"

"Forget it."

"Hiroki Kamijou is innocent." Motou set down the photos on the desk. "I hired a forensic scientist to look through the photos and found inconsistencies. First, the young girl turned out to be an AV model. A twenty-five year old, not a seventeen year old that the letter stated. The images were cut from a video and manipulated into compromising positions. The quality of both individuals suggested that the photos of Hiroki were shot without his knowledge." She patted down her slacks before she sat down.

Dean Takatsuki tried not to show the embarrassment of the situation. This whole dilemma blew up in his face. In recent months, the students came to him for complaints. The new professor got low ratings online and brought the ire of the literature department. With this outside investigation, he couldn't deny or confirm the rumors flying through the university. He acted without thinking and the accusations turned out to be false.

He generalized his decisions over keeping his staff clear of scandals. From his experience, nothing retained any clear cut image for long. When he first took the dean's seat, a handful of students cheated in their entrance exams. He reprimanded himself for acting so abrupt and without having outside sources go through the evidence.

He gulped and relented in the lawsuit coming his way. "I'm guessing that Kamijou will sue me for such a mistake."

Motou shook her head as she hooked a leg over the other one, "Not at all. He wants to clear his name. His father almost convinced him to go through with the suit for such a huge misunderstanding." She peered at the papers on his desk. "My brother found the culprit in this whole spectacle. Different fingerprints were all over the envelope. A stray hair was found in the glue of the envelope as well."

"Who?"

Motou readied herself for a blowout when she answered him. "Two sets of fingerprints other than your own were found on the envelope. Your son, Shinobu Takatsuki and another student from the same university, Jiro Takeshi."

"Preposterous! He would never do such a thing. We raised him with common decency! There must be some mistake in the evidence. He's in university right now studying criminal law. He would never jeopardize his future!"

Motou scoffed. "Sir, my brother has solved cases dating back decades. His team went through the evidence three times due to their protocol. No mistakes. Unless, you can attest for your son's innocence? Would there be a reason for him to frame my client?"

"No! My son has never gone into a deep association with Kamijou." He wiped the sweat from his brow. "My son stayed in Australia for the past year! On his return, he returned to his university and his course work keeps him on campus. Before leaving abroad, he talked with my ex son-in-law but I heard no bad commentary about Kamijou. Is that sufficient enough for you?"

"I'll have the investigative team collect the evidence." Motou tucked a stray hair behind her ear. She stood up and picked up her purse. "I'll give you a phone call with the news."

"Wait!" Motou turned to him, impatience clear on her face. "What about Jiro Takeshi?"

"The investigative team will deal with him. I handed you the photos to present the truth and clear Hiroki Kamijou of this black mark. He might not return to teach but the family wants his best interest. From what I hear, he's made a new life for himself." She hooked her purse over her shoulder. "I suggest talking with your son about Jiro Takeshi."

"I'll prove he did nothing of what you implied."

"We'll see." Motou tossed back her hair and left the office. The sounds of her clicking heels dissipated as she walked further down the hallway.

"I'm back."

Hiroki stopped typing. He turned his head to his right and Nowaki waved at him. A smile clear on his face with a sense of tiredness showing through. His voice even cracked at the end of his sentence. Almost as if he stopped speaking throughout his time away from him. Hiroki's initial response came out as irritation but relief took over. Nowaki's smile grew. His face must had turned welcoming. He waited so long for his friend to return from his errand. This extended event kept Nowaki away from him.

Nowaki floated closer toward him. His hands stayed in front of his body and he rubbed his fingers. He stopped in front of Hiroki. His smile faltered a bit. He awaited Hiroki's response to his return. In his mind, he hoped Hiroki missed him just as much as he did. He wanted him to voice any sort of emotion. Anything.

Hiroki's lips almost formed a smile, until, he caught new abrasions around Nowaki's hands. He reached out his hand and his hand went through. Cursing under his breath, Nowaki materialized his skin, long enough for Hiroki to touch the surrounding areas. They shared a glance. Hiroki's showed concern. Nowaki tried to keep the smile on his face.

"You don't have to keep on smiling. You're forcing yourself." Hiroki stood up on his feet and smoothed down his wrinkled up jeans. "I can tell."

Nowaki dropped the act and his muscles relaxed. "I'm so sorry I stayed away for so long. Time just went by so fast. I keep forgetting that my sense of time is different than yours."

Hiroki curled his hand to his chest as he turned his back to Nowaki. "You didn't make it in time for the premiere of my book."

Nowaki bit his lip. "How long was I gone?"

"A couple of months."

Nowaki pushed back his bangs from his face. "I...I missed you."

"Oh really?"

"I did! More than you know."

"You're lucky I missed you as well. I think...maybe even more than I expected. Hell...this novel is giving me writer's block because of you." Hiroki whispered his admission while his back remained turned. "You better have a good excuse. I went through all this time without hearing anything from you."

Nowaki reached out his hand and rubbed Hiroki's shoulder. "Those spirits were tougher than I expected. I wanted to protect you and this town from their presence. I had to use more power than I wanted and now I have to conserve my energy. I might have to stay in your home...well...if you would be so kind to offer the gesture."

Hiroki peeked over his shoulder. "You don't have to ask me. You spend your time bothering me anyway. Why not make it a permanent fixture?"

"Really?!"

The enthusiasm was almost blinding but Hiroki confirmed it. "Yes. It's not like you're going to need a room to yourself. The house is a safe haven for when you need a break from your outside work. Just try not to activate the bells so much. I require sleep."

Nowaki collected his energy in his body as he encased Hiroki with his arms. "Thank you so much! I'll make sure not to cause too much trouble during my stay."

An onslaught of soil and musk filled Hiroki's nose. His heart flipped. He assumed Nowaki contained no scent to stick to him. The assumption of a centuries old spirit which smelled of the surrounding area flew out the window. He closed his eyes and let his arms lay on his sides. Relishing in the moment, he failed to notice Nowaki phased half way through him.

"Um...Hiro-san?"

Hiroki slowly opened his eyes. "What?"

"I'm sort of...halfway through you."

Hiroki jumped on his spot and padded forward. He managed to catch Nowaki passing through his leg as he shivered. The act alone made him inch a few more inches away from him.

"How did you not notice?!

Nowaki laughed as he observed around his own body. "I got too excited at holding someone for the first time in twenty years. I guess I lost control of myself."

"Warn me next time." Hiroki huffed. "I don't want to blink and you're going through me. I swear, you'll give a guy a heart attack one day." He went back to his laptop and sat down. "I hear there's a comedy showing on TV. You can watch while I get through half this chapter."

"Thank you!" Nowaki sat down in front of the low rise desk as Hiroki clicked to the right channel. "I'll try not to laugh so loud."

"Laughter doesn't bother me." Hiroki assured Nowaki as he started rapidly typing on his laptop. His inspiration flowed through his fingers while he sneaked glances toward Nowaki's quivering form.

TBC