Me upon discovering that Gakushuu Asano canonically studied in MIT and becoming an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley: GODDAMNIT THAT MEANS HE'LL STAY OUTSIDE OF JAPAN FOR GOOD AND IN CASE THERE IS A 'YEARS LATER' MOVIE FOR ASSCLASS HE LIKELY WOULD TURN UP!? WHAT THE HELL!
Me 5 minutes later: ... OH SHIT. THIS IS A USEFUL PLOT DEVICE.

CHAPTER 10

Gakushuu sighed tiredly as he finally finished reviewing all the reports and signing the necessary papers with a heavy slump on his custom made chair. Headache was beginning to build after reading for hours and he lightly massaged his temples in attempt to alleviate it even just a little. His shoulders were stiff, deadening his arms to move and he honestly wanted nothing right now but to go home, lay down the bed and if it wasn't too much to ask, have Akabane massage his back like he did the other night.

Handling works from in and out of Japan was no easy feat, Gakushuu just made it look like it was. There were just too much that needed his attention; monitoring of progress of sales, proposals, and scheduled meetings for business reviews. Being an entrepreneur required more than money and brains; it needed consistent aggressiveness, creativity and endurance to keep up to the growing competition of the biggest companies, and for Asano Gakushuu and his budding success in the industry, it was taking him time and well, his life, to get this far. It was admittedly tiring, yes, and it could have been redundant and boring if it wasn't for Karma Akabane making his days extra special for being always there for him.

In all fairness, of all the lovers he had, Akabane was the most understanding and supportive aside from being clingy and to his utmost surprise— genuinely caring (Oh, if only he'd stop slipping cooking condiments in his drinks from time to time when he least expected it, life could have been much better. But he figured as long as it wasn't sending him collapsing on the floor then it's okay). Yes, he sometimes complained about the lack of their time together but he was never a demanding prick. He never got angry when he had to cancel their dates or come late and casually shook it off, but Gakushuu knew better: Akabane was upset and disappointed wherever that happened, it was just he wouldn't let it show either because of pride or he didn't want Gakushuu to know that he was affected.

That touched and hurt Gakushuu at the same time.

One time, Gakushuu was two hours late on a dinner because he was stuck in traffic after a grueling meeting with his departmental heads. He expected Akabane to be extremely pissed off and cancel it then leave, but when Gakushuu finally arrived, he was still there, waiting, looking nonchalant but his eyes screamed mixture of impatience, anger, and disappointment. Gakushuu was so guilty that he wasn't able to look him in the eyes as he explained why he was late. Akabane dismissed it and said he was okay, that he didn't have to explain. He said he didn't feel like eating anymore and invited him to just to home and just buy some take out.

Gakushuu honestly wanted him to lash out what he felt so that he could apologize properly and ask him what he could do to make up to him. But Akabane was silent all the way to his house, looking outside the car as rain drizzled the road.

As soon as they stepped inside his apartment, Gakushuu pulled Akabane into a very tight hug with his face nuzzling against his neck. Trying hard not to break down, he said 'I'm very sorry' with a deep sigh and long intake of breath. Chest to chest, he could feel Akabane's heartbeat. It was slow and loud. He buried his face deeper into the nook of his necks and repeated, 'I'm really sorry.' After some seconds, he heard Akabane's warm chuckle and felt his head being patted. 'Okay, I'm not angry anymore,' it was as if all the stress of the day dissipated into thin air when he heard his laugh and those simple words of understanding. That night, Gakushuu took over the kitchen and made midnight snacks and they ate on the bed, pulled out some chips and shared a bottle of cola before sleeping in each other's arms, not caring about the dirtied covers and how much carbs they took in then going straight to bed.

Akabane had become a big part of his daily habit, his system, and it felt good and alarming the same time.

Because Gakushuu knew they couldn't last this way forever. Sooner or later, their secret love story would be revealed. One day he knew that somebody would find out. That if they were really, really serious about each other, they had to be out in the open.

And Gakushuu was afraid. Afraid of how much this could affect his life.

The weight of keeping Akabane and his name were pressing down on him, and he couldn't choose what was heavier for him. Logically, it was his reputation that mattered the most. Yet the mere thought of letting Akabane go crushed his heart and he couldn't take it at all. He couldn't understand, he was cold hearted as far as he knew but this time around, he became sensitive and emotional when it came to Akabane. He cared and worried about him. He thought of him and was happy about it. The bastard meant to him more than what Akabane and even himself thought, and Gakushuu didn't know how to handle it. And they called him a genius.

So this... was love, huh.

There came a knock on his door that woke Gakushuu from his musings.

"Come in," Gakushuu called out. It was his secretary. Cradling a small pile of folders, she approached his table and carefully placed them on his table.

"Asano-san, here are the reports from Silicon Valley branches for your checking and signature. Also, I've already booked a hotel reservation for our investors and they would arrive at Narita Airport tomorrow about four PM."

"Very well, I'll greet them personally at the airport tomorrow. Is there something else I need to see? I want to go home early today, I'm not feeling well."

"Ah, no more so far Asano-san. But there is one thing I need to note. Your visa is about to expire in a month. Do you want me to extend it?"

Gakushuu felt as if a weight was dropped on his stomach. He almost forgot it...

"Also, Sakakibara-san called early this morning on the landline when you were on break. He asked me why he couldn't reach you on your phone and I reasoned out that it was turned off while charging. He told me to tell Asano-san to call him back as soon as he can."

"Got it, thanks," his secretary bowed and left, then Gakushuu whipped his phone out and dialed Ren's number.

"Finally! What took so long to call back?" Ren answered after the third ring.

"Sorry, busy. What is it?"

"Ah, just want you to know that I miss you a lot."

"Yeah right," Gakushuu rolled his eyes. He knew better; Ren liked it when Gakushuu left the company in his hands while he was away. He got to play around with girls without Gakushuu telling him from time to time that he didn't tolerate flirting inside his office. "What is the status over there?"

"Have you seen the reports I sent to you?"

"Not yet, I'm just about to."

"Ah, let me spoil you a bit: we exceeded the sales from last year by twenty-five percent. Banzai," Ren drawled in a bored tone.

"Good. As expected from you, Ren-kun."

"Tsk. We both know that if only you are here, it could have been more than fifty percent growth. You know how to sweet talk people into working harder. Believe it or not, there's a big difference when they know their boss is only a door away and when he's not around the country. It's been six months, Asano-kun. What's taking you so long over there?"

'I'm stuck in here because I'm dating Akabane right now,' he could imagine his friend gawking in disbelief should he have said that. "There are some things that I haven't finished yet. But don't worry, once it's clear, I'll surely go back."

"You really should. It's not like you're a dual citizen to stay there in the country you decided to leave. Silicon Valley is now your home, and seriously speaking, it's sad in here when you're away. Go back as soon as you can, 'kay?" Your company needs you."

"I know. I have to go, Ren-kun. Call me is something comes up."

"Roger. Bye."

"Yeah. Bye," Gakushuu hung up and dumped his phone on his table before leaning back on his chair. Damn it.

Six months, Ren made him realize. He had been dating Akabane for six months, and within that time he hadn't found the right timing to tell him a very, very important thing about him.

Since graduating from college and establishing his own company, Gakushuu had let go of his Japanese citizenship and decided to live in Silicon Valley for good. Not that he hated his country, it was just that business was more booming in there and to top it all, his father wasn't living there. Yes, the chilly relationship between him and the former Kunugigaoka principal lived on, and Gakushuu believed it wouldn't change. Aside from other businesses, his father had built another school and continued teaching, giving all the rights and management of Kunugigaoka to his only son. Despite staying in Japan for half a year, Gakushuu hadn't seen his father— not that he wanted to, though he contacted Gakushuu from time to time—more like once or twice a year—to check on him that Gakushuu believed he only did out of obligation as a parent, and not as a concerned, caring father.

Technically, Gakushuu was a foreigner in the land where he was born, and he had yet to tell this to his lover because he knew that Akabane would be furious and they would likely end in a break up once he found out.

Gakushuu knew. He should have told him about it back then at the bar where they met again five years after their graduation. If he only told him that, everything wouldn't turn out this way. There shouldn't have been them. If only Gakushuu said from the start that... that he wouldn't stay... he couldn't have met Akabane and fall for him.

This was troublesome. Stick with Akabane and he would lose everything he had worked for so far. Let him go and he would break both of their hearts. Imagine if he had told Akabane the truth, perhaps he wouldn't ask him out that night, and everything wouldn't turn as messed up like this. That had Gakushuu ask himself: it was stupid of him to hide the truth, but did he regret not telling Akabane about it? Did he regret saying yes with his invitation?

Gakushuu reached for his phone and fiddled in it. He punched the 'My Files' thumbnail and swiped more, knowingly opening one folder to another until he reached a special, nondescript folder. As he opened it, a stolen photo of a certain idiot with red hair stuck in all directions while lying on this couch and scratching his belly greeted him. His out of the bed look didn't change the fact that Akabane was handsome and cute and funny no matter he stupid he looked, and that made Gakushuu smile and feeling weird sensations inside his stomach.

No. Gakushuu regretted nothing.