Hiii everyone! So what happened was…I went on break…but I was given holiday homework ;; So now…I've finally finished my homework (and I wasted my whole holiday…just great) and now I'm back to writing!
Thank you soooo much for all the reviews! My biggest apologies for keeping you waiting for a whole month! And to Ricchan14 yes I saw! I loved your latest chapter! And that cliffy too ^^
Disclaimer: I don't own Sekaiichi Hatsukoi.
Credit to white . affection!
Today was Misako's last day staying over at Takano's place, however in that morning Misako was informed that she should stay back for a little longer. So instead of going back to her apartment on Sunday, she fixed up her bags over the course of two days, which was convenient since all of the editors were in their final days of Hell Week.
Tuesday afternoon as Misako was gathering up the rest of her items, Takano passed by and offered to help but she had refused and continued on. With nothing else to do, Takano went over to Onodera's…well more like barged in without permission and saw how much of a dump the brunette's place was. Again.
"Well aren't you such a pampered little prince." The raven muttered as he threw a pile of the brunette's dirty clothes at Onodera's face.
"I was planning on doing it! And you had to go and barge in—"
"If you call 'planning on doing it' as sitting on your ass correcting three manuscripts, you're hopeless." The raven deadpanned. The brunette grumbled under his breath as he picked up more of his scattered clothes and placed them into the basket to be taken down to the laundry room. He glared at the raven's back as he walked into the kitchen.
"Woooooww…it's a mess here too, amazing Onodera." And who exactly said I was the greatest thing that ever happened to them? The brunette thought bitterly before grimacing when he heard another groan.
"Ugh, I told you to stop buying those godforsaken energy drinks!" Takano emerged out with a box-full as he scowled at Onodera.
"Well I now only drink one a day! Be glad it's at least not ten drinks this time!"
"You drink ten?! Are you serious?!" The brunette winced a bit, suddenly thinking that maybe telling Takano that fact wasn't such a good idea.
"Geh! You know what? I'm gonna throw all of your food out and then we're gonna go grocery shopping."
"HAH?! No wait! Takano-san! I paid for that! Stop! It's a waste! HEY!"
'…why am I…?' Onodera thought exhaustedly as Takano dragged him through each aisle and dumped random items into the cart.
"Seriously, this is why we should start living together." Takano mumbled as he placed something else in the cart. Onodera jumped up in shock and turned his head swiftly to Takano.
"W-what?!" The brunette flushed immensely upon that request.
"What? Don't you think it'll be nice to wake up to some proper breakfast rather than that shitty stuff you call a meal?" Onodera felt a vein pop in his forehead. THIS JERK.
"Besides, I want to make sure you're eating well, because when I found out you collapsed that day…I really did lose myself for a minute. I thought that was the fastest I've ever run in my life." Takano chuckled humourlessly as they passed by another aisle. Onodera watched the raven in awe, before he looked away, a slight blush adorning his cheeks.
"Fine…I'll change my eating habits from now on…" Takano turned around and gazed at Onodera, before giving a small smile and ruffled the younger's hair before continuing to move along. Onodera sighed and tried to will his blush away as he continued to follow the raven.
"What do you want for dinner?" Takano inquired.
"Eh?" The brunette tilted his head quizzically.
"Dinner. I said I'd make a meal for you each day, so what would you like?" Are you still going on about that? The brunette sighed and looked away.
"I don't know…just whatever." Onodera didn't feel up to asking what he specifically wanted, instead, he kept on brooding about the course of events from yesterday. I really don't get how my cancellation of the engagement changes my relationship with Takano-san. I mean…I just told him that I was dissolving my engagement because he wouldn't stop acting weird around me!
'Could it be that…you're finally accepting my feelings?'
"…!" The brunette felt a blush creep up to his cheeks before he rubbed his face with his hand, trying to will his blush away.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Eh?" Onodera snapped his head up and turned to look at Takano.
"You're blushing, so I'm wondering what you're thinking about." The raven stated as he glanced over at Onodera. The brunette waved his hands in front of his face as he laughed nervously.
"O-oh nothing! It's just really hot in here you know, what with all the—"
"We're in the freezer section." The raven stated bluntly.
"…ah." Onodera mentally facepalmed himself. He looked back to see Takano smirking down at him.
"You were thinking of me, weren't you?" The brunette had his eyes wide open as he strode ahead of Takano with the trolley.
"No I wasn't! Stop being so full of yourself!"
"If someone else made you blush like that, I'd be really jealous you know, I'd probably make you blush even harder in front of everyone." At this, the brunette abruptly came to a stop and turned to look at Takano, stunned.
"A-Are you a child or something?!" The raven only chuckled and shrugged as the two continued to buy more items.
"…woah…" Onodera trailed off as he looked around his apartment. This was the second time his apartment was completely clean ever since he moved in. Takano ran a hand through his hair and straightened up as he looked around the apartment.
"If I see it in a dump again, I'm hauling your ass to my place." The brunette snapped out of his daze and scowled at Takano.
"How about don't come into my apartment at all?!"
"I can't be very sure of that, since I've been here multiple times." Takano yawned and rested his hands at the back of his head.
"All of those times you barged in!" Onodera protested.
"More like you just didn't put up a proper fight. My kisses must be that good." The raven smirked at Onodera.
"Don't say weird stuff like that! And with Takashi-san next door too!" The brunette pointed out.
"Oh, she knows~" Takano teased.
"She WHAT?!" The two slightly jumped up when a loud bang resonated throughout the whole apartment.
"That was…next door…wasn't it?" Onodera questioned Takano as he glanced at him. He blinked in surprise when he saw the look of shock and fear washed across the raven's face.
"Shit…" Takano rushed over to his apartment with Onodera following behind.
"Ow ow ow…" Misako clenched her jaw as she came into a sitting position beside the bath.
"Far out…that really hurt…" The woman sighed softly and wobbly tried to stand up.
"Misako?!" Takano rushed to the open door before carefully treading across the floor and lifting up the woman so she could stand.
"Why the hell didn't you tell me that you mopped the floor?" Misako sighed irritably as she limped beside Takano.
"Slipped off my mind, sorry." Takano murmured as they made their way out. Onodera looked at the woman worriedly as she sat back down on the floor.
"Takashi-san, are you alright?" Misako winced slightly but gave a reassuring smile to the brunette.
"Kinda…but I feel a bit dizzy, is all." Takano crouched down and tilted her chin up as he brushed her fringe away. Onodera stepped back and felt a tightening around his chest and quickly looked away from them. Goddammit, now's not the time! The brunette frowned as he discreetly clenched the front of his shirt.
"There's a swelling on the side of your head. Where else did you get hurt?" Misako moved the raven's hand away as she rubbed her head slightly.
"I fell on my side…so…I remember hitting my knees…as well as my elbows…" Takano drew his lips to a thin line and cursed.
"Shit, I'm really sorry…" The woman sighed softly and smiled as she ruffled Takano's hair.
"Come on, don't be like that! Next time, just tell me these things so I can avoid them, ne? But it's not like I'll be coming back here anytime soon." Misako laughed. Takano smiled a bit in return.
"You're always welcome here you know. Here, stand up." Takano stood up and pulled her up as well.
"I'll go and grab an icepack for you. Onodera, can you take her to the lounge?" The brunette jumped a bit at the mention of his name and nodded at the retreating figure and turned to Misako who was slumped against the wall.
"Takashi-san, are you really alright? You seem a little out of it…" Onodera took her arm and moved it around his neck as they staggered to the lounge.
"No it's nothing…but damn this headache's so bothersome." Misako sighed as she sat back against the couch just when Takano walked in.
"How are you holding up?" The raven asked and watched as Onodera signalled that he was going to return back to his apartment. Takano frowned slightly as he noticed the change of demeanour in the brunette as he walked out of his line of sight.
"Just dizzy, is all." Misako replied. Takano sat down beside her and pressed the icepack to her forehead, and gave a quiet sigh as he noticed it relieved a bit of tension from Misako's body.
After a while the woman uttered out a 'sorry' as she laid back and closed her eyes. Takano tilted his head confusedly.
"Eh? What for?" At this, the woman gave a cheeky smile and cracked an eye open as she pinched her cousin's cheek and watched as he grimaced a little.
"Because~" She grinned. "I cockblocked ya didn't I?~" Takano sighed and pulled the icepack away from her forehead to press it against her neck.
"Uwah! C-cold!" Misako yelled as she snatched the icepack and threw it at the sighing male.
"And here I was thinking you were injured."
"I am!" She stated clearly and gestured to her bruised elbows.
"Says the woman who's already well enough to tease me." Takano raised an eyebrow at her.
"Okay, okay, I'll give you that, but my knees are killing me, so pass me the icepack will you?" The raven complied and passed the icepack to Misako before walking over to the kitchen and grabbing a few items and placing it in a bag.
"Mm? What are you doing Masamune?" Takano looked up at the mention of this name as he placed in a cooking book.
"I promised I'd make Onodera dinner tonight, so I'm just grabbing a few things from here that he might not have so I don't have to go back here." The woman blinked in surprise before smiling widely.
"That's so adorable of you! I've never seen you like this." Takano sighed at the compliment before leaving the bag at the table and walking over to the lounge to sit next to her and edit some manuscripts.
"Yeah, I never really thought I'd be the type to do that sort of thing…but I guess Onodera's the exception." Misako laughed a bit and leant her head back on the couch.
"I'm glad then, you're finally getting into a serious relationship." Takano glanced at her before rolling his eyes and slapping his hand on her knee.
"OW! That was uncalled for! I didn't even do anything!" Misako grimaced as she rubbed her knee before placing the icepack on it.
"It's just because you're being a dummy." The amber-eyed man replied. "Look, I'm gonna be alright, stop worrying about me. What happened in the past is in the past. I'm gonna be okay." Takano smiled softly and ruffled her hair. The woman sighed and scratched the back of her neck.
"I know…I'm just a tad bit too motherly aren't I?" Misako asked with a nervous laugh.
"Quite the contrary. I'm glad to have a cousin like you." Takano chuckled and stood up and stuffed a few manuscripts in the bag he placed the cooking book in.
"I'm gonna be going over now. Are you going out too?" The raven asked as he slung the bag over his shoulder. Misako nodded and stood up shakily.
"Yeah, I'm gonna head out to do some grocery, I need to stock up on food because I know I'll be lazy going grocery shopping once I go back home." Takano hummed and walked out to the hallway.
"Alright, just lock the door before you leave with my spare key, and be ready with your bags as well, cause I'll drive you home."
"Eh? Really?" Misako asked as she followed Takano out. The amber-eyed man turned to glance at the woman.
"Yeah, so you won't have to pay for the taxi fee." Misako smiled gratefully.
"Thanks cuz, you always know how to make me happy." Takano rolled his eyes before giving a final wave as he walked out of the apartment.
"Takano-san, I don't really see why you should go to all this trou—"
"This is for your sake, idiot. Now take it like a man." Onodera sighed and buried his face into his arms as Takano moved around his kitchen. At one point he wondered to himself why he still hasn't kicked out Takano yet, but he figured that the raven would become royally pissed and pay him back for that at work. The thought itself made the brunette cringe. Instead, he decided to actually follow on Takano's words and watch him quietly. After a while, Onodera began to slowly grow uncomfortable in the awkward atmosphere and darted his eyes on everything but Takano.
"Why are you so nervous?" The brunette jolted up at the sudden question as embarrassment began to settle in.
"W-What do you mean?"
"You're just…nervous. You're biting your lip, twiddling your thumbs, darting your eyes around the place besides me, am I really making you that uncomfortable?" Onodera tried to stare at Takano in the eyes, but it only lasted for a couple of seconds before he averted his gaze.
"See? You're doing it again?" The brunette scowled at Takano.
"Well it's not like I can help it! It's just an old habit unable to die down." Takano gave a hum in response before the conversation subsided once more and the tension began to seep in once more.
"Oh yeah, how's your old man doing?" Glancing back at Takano, he leant his head on his hand as he stared at the wall.
"Yeah, he's doing fine. He's gotten a few days off, so…"
"It's alright, you don't need to tell me all the details. I was just a little worried, because that night…it took you quite a while for you to stop crying. I thought it was a lot more serious than what I assumed." Onodera frowned and hid his eyes behind his hair. He wondered how Takano would react that he was planning on going back to Onodera Shuppan once more to take over. It was quite a large business, and he'd have to move into another apartment complex because the building was just that far from Marukawa. Wouldn't it mean that he'd be leaving again?
The brunette frowned, he couldn't just do it without a word, it would be cold, heartless even. Especially since he and Takano had started getting closer, even if he hated to admit it. He wanted to tell the raven, but his mind kept on saying that it'd only hurt more that way. But even just being around him, when they're alone and when he could just simply tell him, talk it out, actually understand each other for once, he just couldn't, and it'd only fill him up with regret and longing.
But he knew Takano's answer was simple. He would want him to stay. But the more he thought about it, the more he became uncertain.
"No…it's not that…it's just…" Takano lifted his head up and gazed at the brunette for a while, before letting out a large sigh before grasping Onodera's chin and turned his face around and tilted it up a little.
"Nevermind, I'm going into work topic again. Here, just try this." Takano lifted a spoon up and blinked when Onodera retracted from the raven with a glare and a noticeable blush on his cheeks.
"W-what the hell are you doing?" Takano rolled his eyes and pushed the spoon in front of Onodera's face.
"Try it, I'm just asking what your opinion is on it." The minutes ticked by as Takano waited, but it seemed that the brunette was still in a state of hesitation. The raven sighed irritably and grabbed Onodera's chin once more and thrust the spoon into his mouth.
"MMPH!" The brunette slapped Takano's hand away as he swallowed the liquid as he gasped out, "I could've choked on that!"
"It was only soup, suck it up rich kid." Onodera scowled at Takano and was about to protest but felt the words die back in his throat as Takano smiled genuinely and lifted up some more soup into the spoon.
*doki*
"Now come on, let me serve it to you properly." The raven spoke in a soft tone before gently grasping the younger's chin and slowly pressed the tip of the spoon to Onodera's lips.
*doki*
Reluctantly opening his mouth, Onodera took the time to taste the burst of flavours before swallowing it down.
"It's really nice Takano-san, where'd you get the recipe from?" The brunette asked, enjoying the aftertaste of the soup. Takano chuckled and turned off the stove.
"Family recipe. Do you like it?" The raven inquired as he leant against the counter.
"Yeah I do, it's really tasty!" Onodera glanced over at the pot in interest before looking back at Takano.
"Thanks, it's actually half-assed, cause we started talking and I got distracted, so it's not as nice as it would usually be." Takano smiled once more, and the brunette couldn't help but stare at the raven in awe.
*doki*
"When we were younger, Misako and I used to make it together, and we'd end up making a huge mess of the kitchen…" Onodera blinked once, before bowing his head as he chuckled.
"Is that so…?"
What am I thinking?
"Yeah, I remember we both got angry at the recipe and started throwing the ingredients around…"
"Honestly, I think she was the highlight of my childhood. She always knew how to brighten my day." Takano commented.
He only smiled for Takashi-san…
"…-nodera? Onodera?" The brunette jumped slightly as he felt as hand run through his hair.
"Ritsu, are you alright?"
Why are you calling me that?
"…yeah…my head's just…throbbing a little…"
"Will you be fine?" Takano asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"I think it'll pass if I sleep it off." Before Takano could ask any more, Onodera abruptly stood from where he sat and began to walk to his bedroom.
"Thanks for cooking, I'll eat it when I wake up." The brunette muttered as he shut the door to his bedroom, leaving a confused raven.
"Oi, Onodera?" Takano moved towards the door and knocked on it. "What's wrong?"
Sliding down against the wall, Onodera sighed softly and rested his head against the wooden-carved door as he slowly slid his eyes shut.
Maybe…maybe not telling you won't be so bad after all…
Well…it's 12am and I have school XD However this is not edited properly, so sorry if there's any grammar/spelling errors and stuff…hopefully you've enjoyed this chapter ^^ See you soon~