Hello everyone! I'm finally back! I apologise for taking so long, but my exams are finally over! Itaku: Doesn't that entitle you to freak out about another thing? Anyway, please enjoy this chapter everyone!
Hydra: Hm? And what would that be?
Rikuo: What else could it be? -whispers- Your grades...
Hydra: Aah! Don't talk about that!
Rikun: Come on guys, don't bully the author.
Hydra: Rikun-chan's my saviour.
Rikun: You can do that after the chapter.
Hydra: So mean!
A smile, half lustful and half nervous, formed on his mouth. "It basically means 'Let's take a chance on happiness'."
Itaku was stunned for a moment. It sounded extremely promising, but what exactly did Rikuo mean by that? Was he reading too much into the simple sentence? He tended to do that around the white haired male a lot.
Rikuo on the other hand, was nervous as hell. His palms were starting to sweat and his legs were going to fail him anytime soon. "Itaku," he steadies his shaky voice. "let's take a chance on happiness. Together." He held out his hand.
~.~.~.~
Itaku didn't believe his eyes or ears. All he knew was that Rikuo was right in front of him, that dazzling smile of his in place, his hand held out to him invitingly. "Take a chance on happiness... How do we do that?" His voice came out uneven, much unlike him.
Contrary to his beloved's belief, Rikuo was a mess inside. His stomach was churning badly, like stormy waves in the sea. "How, huh?" He thought about it for a while, wanting to find something logical to say to the lithe youth before him but could not. After a brief lapse in which Itaku had started to shake his shoulder out of impatience, Rikuo turned to him and smiled. "I guess, we just have to go with the flow."
Somehow, Itaku had never been able to resist that ever ready smile of confidence. He doubted that between the both of them, they truly understood what happiness meant, much less able to take a chance on happiness. Plus, there were still so many issues concerning their current relationship. Him in the night business, Rikuo's family status, their stand in society... Itaku wondered if they really could overcome all those and attain the elusive happiness.
A kiss was planted on his brow. "It's okay, Itaku. You don't have to answer right now." The other's forehead bumped against his, engulfing his vision with ruby orbs and white locks. He could smell the scent of sakura and sake. "I have all the time in the world to wait." A bittersweet smile had crept up onto Rikuo's face, and Itaku hated himself for it.
"I-I just need some time, Rikuo." he bowed his head, causing black spiky locks to tickle the other's nose. "Just give me a little time." Why did he feel so guilty all of a sudden? As if he had let down Rikuo badly. I have. He saved me so many times already, from strangers and myself. I'm the one who can't commit.
A chaste kiss on his lips. "I told you, Itaku. I will wait." Rikuo slipped his fingers lightly under a slightly tanned chin, lifting up those amber orbs to his own eye level. "I will wait." he emphasised. And he would. To Rikuo, Itaku was the most important person in his life as of this moment, he could not imagine it without him.
A weak 'Okay' was all the youth could say. His heart felt like bursting.
~.~.~.~
"Ne, Kubinashi? Have you seen our young master lately?"
Said man shook his head, making his cropped blond hair swish side to side. "No I haven't." He continued checking the finances for the Nura family. Stocks they had, but the market was plunging badly. There was a supply without a demand, because everyone hadn't the money to pay for the things.
"Hn~ That's too bad. I wanted to see him too."
At least it wasn't an inflation. But they had to find a way to solve this problem quick. If they didn't nip it in the bud now, it would cause a mountain load of complications lately. "By the way Kejorou, why are you here?"
Kejorou allowed a small smile to play on her lips. "Like I said, I wanted to see our young master. It's been so long!" She placed a finger to her lips. "Oh, and I wonder how he and Taku-... I mean, Itaku, are getting along." She was genuinely curious on that matter. Itaku wasn't a bad kid in her books, since she understood why he needed to take up his night job. Moreover, he kept the young heir happy all the time.
Kubinashi's eyes never left the papers scattered all over the table. "They are both well... I think." He flipped a piece of paper and noted something down. "Though it is becoming more difficult to read the young master's thoughts nowadays."
"Mm, that I can agree on." Both of them simultaneously reminisced about those earlier days. Rikuo was brought into the world, everyone in the family celebrated, they were all so fond of him. They played with him, taught him, talked. Not long after, Rikun arrived to even more celebrations and cheers. Everyone was ecstatic. Rikuo and Rikun, they were little drops of sunshine in their lives.
Kubinashi spoke up first. "How they've grown up..."
"I kind of miss their younger selves." Kejorou chuckled into her sleeve, remembering the time when the two young children pranked Kubinashi good. "They were much less uptight."
"Tch. I feel that Rikun-sama is the only one who's uptight. Rikuo-sama is still as carefree as ever." complained Kubinashi. If it was anyone else, he wouldn't let his true feeling be known. But this was Kejorou, and he could tell Kejorou anything. "He's the heir, yet he never seems to settle down."
The female lightly punched Kubinashi on the shoulder. "Don't be such a sourpuss, Kubinashi." to which the male grunted. "Rikuo-sama may not seem like your ideal heir, but he is trying his best. With all his might."
He sighed, head drooping as low as his chest. " I know, I know. It's just..."
"You're worried about him." Kejorou finished neatly for him. "But you don't want to hover, and you don't want to see him fail. You're stuck between helping him and letting things take its course."
Once again, Kubinashi was amazed by how well this woman knew him. They shared a bond that ran deeper than blood. "Yeah, that's right." Kejorou was the only person in the world who could understand him and not judge him. "When did you get so wise, Kejorou?"
She shrugged her shoulders, making her wavy brown locks move along. "I don't know. Probably faster than you."
The sound of a laugh unwittingly escaped his lips. "I highly doubt that." He finally placed the papers down and faced her who was sitting behind him. "After all, you never were good at anything except cooking."
"Hey!" She smacked the upside of his head. "I'll have you know, I am good at other things too!"
He rubbed the tender spot with a wince. "Oh really? Like what? Pray tell now, Kejorou." Damn, her hits were always hard, unfeminine indeed. Then again, Kubinashi never truly liked girls who relied on the people around them too much. Whoa, did I just think that?
She pouted, pouted, and Kubinashi could swear the thing beating in his chest malfunctioned for a moment. "Well... if you come watch me tonight, you'll know." Was he dreaming or was that blush on her cheeks?
"Tonight?" he asked sceptically. Deep in the recesses of his mind, he hoped there was nothing for him to do tonight. "At the..."
"Yes," she cut him off. "At my workplace."
He swallowed. "Right. Right. I'll see what I can do."
A sudden smile beamed on her face, lighting up her whole exterior. "You mean it Kubinashi? You'll come?" Her tone was a bit too hopeful, but she couldn't care less. Kubinashi is coming to watch me perform! A bubbly feeling had risen in her stomach.
"I never said I would. I said I'll see what I can do." mentioned the blond. He didn't want to get her hopes up too much, lord knows she's energetic.
Rising abruptly, she dusted her kimono, headed to the paper door. "We'll see what you can do." And she left with a smile plastered on her face.
Oh god, Kubinashi started to bang his head on the small table. I'm totally fucked over aren't I? It's not that he didn't like Kejorou, in fact he found her extremely attractive and easy to talk to. But I'm supposed to be her best friend. Not thinking about her all the time. He exhaled heavily, willing his brain to focus on the documents laid out before him. That's when he saw it.
Contract of purchase
20 crates of coal for the price of 3600 yen
Made by the young heir of the Nura Family
Nura Rikuo
Dealt with by the manager of the eastern ports
Maeno Tori
Maybe, Rikuo-sama is growing up.
~.~.~.~
"Ah-choo!" sneezed Rikuo.
Itaku slanted his eyes towards him on the futon. "You've caught a cold?"
"Nah," replied the young heir. He wrapped his arms closer around Itaku. "Someone's talking about me for sure."
That's a wrap!
Hydra: A little more Kubinashi and Kejorou than expected, but what can I say? I love them!
Kubinashi: Is that a compliment or an insult?
Kejorou: I think Hydra is trying to do something again.
Hydra: Ping ping! You've got that right! Although I will add more RikuoXItaku in the next chapter.
So, to all readers out there, I was wondering if I should branch of this series into several other stories concerning several other pairings. I definitely have KubinashiXKejorou and RihanXWakana in my mind already.
Kubinashi, Kejorou: Hey!
Tell me what you think!
As always, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! Please fav/follow/review if you think it's worth it. Until the next chapter!