Chapter 25 : Apology

Osaki Kaname was literally skipping through the first floor corridor of his faculty building. Last weekend had been great since he had managed to go on date with Hamaji. Well, it was still a long way to go for Kaname to finally win the girl's heart but the date had been a very successful first step. Kaname checked his clock, there was still plenty of time before the next class so he decided to get some coffee and sweet pastries from the café in front of central library. On the way to the place, his smart phone beeped. He got an e-mail from Shino for the third time today. Shino had sent Kaname several e-mails about Rio's strange behavior and asked whether the blonde had been doing fine at campus. Kaname wrinkled his eyebrows as he went through the e-mail.

/Kaname, Nii-san seems getting more and more depressed. He has not even scolded me in a week! This is crazy./ Kaname paused for a moment. Well, that was definitely strange. Rio never missed scolding Shino for various reason-from the boy's laziness to health. Stepping out of faculty building, he continued reading. /Anyway, for your information, I am dating Sousuke now. I don't know whether Hamaji has told you yet but yeah...Sousuke is my boyfriend./ Kaname grinned widely. Of course! How could Hamaji did not tell him in advance? The girl had been a loyal observant of Shino and Sousuke's romantic relationship. She had found out that they were dating so easily. /Okay, that's not the point of my e-mail./ Aaaaw, Shino was being shy... /Could you go to Nii-san and help him with whatever his problem is? I'm counting on you, cousin! Don't disappoint me! Thanks, Kaname!/

The blonde wrinkled his nose. Well, well...talking to Rio was not going to be that easy since the young man could be very secretive. Rio was not a kind of person who would ask someone's help even if he was on the verge of death. Kaname walked through a small path that connected the building's bicycle parking area to the café. His eyes immediately caught another blonde who was sitting at an outdoor table. 'Speaks of the devil...there you are Satomi Rio...' Before he went to approach his cousin, Kaname quickly sent a short text message to someone on his contact list.

"Oi, Rio!" Kaname greeted, placing his palm on Rio's shoulder from behind. Much to Kaname's surprise, Rio flinched instantly and turned back. He almost knocked his coffee in process. Kaname stepped back a little. "Woah, there! Geez! What's with the reaction?" he asked with both hands were up in the air.

Rio frowned. "What were you doing sneaking behind my back?" he asked back.

"You were spacing out." Kaname sat on a chair next to Rio. Before Rio could make any comment, Kaname put his index finger just an inch away from Rio's lips. "I know. Satomi Rio does not space out, does it?" He threw an amused smirk, making his cousin scowled inwardly, "I'm going to be honest with you, my dear cousin. Shino has sent me e-mails about how unusual your behavior lately. Soooo, care for any explanation?" Kaname leaned over the table and lifted Rio's chin up. Some girls inside the café who could see the view clearly from window glass squealed in delight.

"Stay away from me, Kaname," Rio said and hit Kaname's hand but it did not make his cousin give up. Kaname was smiling at him now. Rio knew that kind of smile. A smile of Osaki Kaname who demanded a great, long explanation so much that he would not let people slip away from his grasp. "It has nothing to do with you," Rio continued as he began to stand up, "I'm going to my class now."

"The period has already started since five minutes ago. You can skip this one," Kaname said in sing sang tone, "It won't kill you, believe me."

Rio frowned but in the end he settled back on his chair. "What do you want, Kaname?"

"Story?"

"I don't have any story."

Kaname rolled his eyes. "Then... Secret?"

"I have no secret."

"Hmph, you are no fun, Rio." Kaname drummed his finger on table surface. "Well, everybody keeps secret, including your own little brother. Don't you know he's dating your neighbor now?"

"I know."

Thankfully, Kaname did not drink any coffee right now or he would have spurted the liquid or choked on it like a mad man. He noticed how Rio was raising an eyebrow. The Satomi boy seemed to be very satisfied with Kaname's reaction. "Oh, shit the apocalypse is on the way!" Kaname cried, "Shino is right! You are getting insane!"

Rio twitched at the word 'insane'.

Kaname ignored Rio's irritated facial expression. He continued, "Wait, you didn't get mad? I mean, he's your little brother! No, not only little brother. Shino is your precious angelic little brother! Are you really going to give him to a man six year older than him?"

Even though Rio did not show it, actually he was processing Kaname's questions into his brain. 'Wait, that's true. Why didn't I get mad?' Rio looked at his cousin who was still rambling about Rio's developing insanity then stared at his coffee.

"...unless you were distracted."

Then Rio looked up from the cup. "Excuse me?"

"I was saying," Kaname cleared his throat, "that you were probably distracted since you didn't get into a fit because of Shino dating your next door."

"I never go into a fit." Rio growled.

"Really?" Kaname asked mischievously which Rio replied with another frown. "Listen, Rio, I am not that stupid. Has something happened between you and the younger twin?"

"Wha-"

Kaname suddenly stood up from his seat. "You know what, Rio," Kaname said with a meaningful smile, "I'm gonna leave you two alone." Rio was confused now. He also stood up to catch Kaname's arm but instantly halted on his move as he saw Ao walking toward their table. Rio unconsciously took a step back, looking completely horrified at him. Kaname's expression suddenly became serious. "I could have sent you to jail, Ao," he said to the dark-haired man, "You are lucky I accepted your stupid reason."

Ao nodded. "Thanks," he said back, feeling relieved when Kaname went back to the faculty building. He turned his attention to Rio who was still standing frozen on his place. Ao opened his mouth but closed it again after two seconds. He could not understand himself lately. Why would he do this? Why would he ask for Kaname's help only to meet Rio again? Had not he promised to himself not to be bothered by that night's event? Was it a guilty feeling that gradually eating him alive?

"...he knows." Rio broke the silence, "Kaname...knows."

"Yes."

"You told him?"

"I didn't know what to do again, Rio, believe me."

Rio bit his lower lip. No, he would not lose his composure. He could control his emotion, could not he? Rio inhaled deeply, closed his eyes for a moment, and looked at the man. "I'm going," he said, "There's no need to talk."

Ao swiftly grabbed Rio's upper arm. "Let me explain!"

"What explanation?!" Rio raised his voice, "What happened that night explained everything!"

Some passerby stopped to see what made the law faculty's infamous prodigy shouted out of the blue. "You can blame me, Rio," Ao said, "You can blame me for everything but I only need a little time to say something important to you."

"Just tell me now." Rio glared

Ao groaned inwardly. "Can we talk somewhere more...private?" He asked. When Rio took another step back, he realized how stupid his question had been. Of course Rio would have immediately thought about his pent house. "You can choose the place," Ao added.

They ended up at an art museum not far from the campus area. The place had only few visitors today, mainly tourist and some art student. The museum had quite vast range of western art collections from sculptures to drawings. The walk from campus to this place had been a pure torture for Ao. His stomach churned and he could not stop glancing at Rio who kept silent all the time even when they entered the museum's exhibition room. Ao felt like a bastard. Well, he was a bastard who had forced Rio to sleep with him out of anger. To tell the truth, the morning after he had sex with the blonde, Ao felt that it seems good to jump from his pent house's balcony. He had never felt this ashamed in his entire life. He had thought being a yakuza had sunk him into the lowest but no... It had been nothing compared with Rio's limp, broken body laying next to his own that morning.

"Talk," Rio's voice echoed through the air. They were at the farthest exhibition room from entrance. Rio had his back facing Ao and his eyes on one painting with no intention to look at his conversation partner.

"I..." Ao opened his mouth but noticed that Rio's shoulder was shaking slightly. The young man cursed inwardly. Within second, he took a deep breath to calm himself down. Rio did not make any comment at the man's gesture. With steady voice, Ao continued, "I...apologize for what I've done."

"And?" Rio sounded very cold. He just really wanted to finish it all. After all, seeing Ao after that night was the last thing he had on his list.

"It wasn't supposed to be like that."

Rio laughed mentally. Of course, no! They had supposedly disliked each other. He slowly turned to face the other man. "Are we done?" asked the blonde again, snarling.

"No, Rio. Please, listen to me." Ao pleaded. "I...I know I've done something terrible to you. I practically...raped you." He almost choked by the end of his sentence while Rio looked at him with a furious eyes. "But it was not supposed to be like that..." He gently reached for Rio's hand, stroking the back with his thumb. "I was supposed to be gentle."

The blonde blinked and his jaws dropped in shock. He was...what? Rio tried to register those words but ended up with jumbling thoughts. No, he probably had heard it wrong. However, the scene in front of him spoke the opposite. Here they were...standing in front of a painting created by one of the most famous western artist. Ao was holding and stroking his hand. Suddenly an odd sensation went into his spine. His cheeks became really, really warm. No, Satomi Rio did not feel embarrassed by a simple gesture like being stroked by a handsome young man... Wait! That was totally wrong! How could he think Ao as hands-no, no! Rio was confused. Had Ao confessed his feeling just now?

"Rio?" Ao pulled him closer, noticing how Rio's face changes from crimson to white. "Rio, are you alright?"

But Rio only moved a little without any sound.

This time Ao went into panic. He shook Rio's shoulders. "Rio, are you okay? Please talk to me. Did I offend you th-"

"You are the worst!" Rio cut him off. Yanking Ao's hands away from his shoulder, Rio growled, "You are the worst, Ao! How could you...say something like that after you rejected me that time?"

"R-rejected you?" Ao stuttered.

"Yes, when I woke up next morning, you were not there. Instead you..." Rio covered his mouth with one palm. How stupid, he thought. Now his mouth had also become really stupid. He stepped back until his back hit the wall. Mumbling under his palm, Rio dropped his eyes onto the floor. "...worst, Ao."

"I'm sorry..."

"...worst."

"I know." Ao encircled his arms around Rio's shoulders. "I'm sorry." He planted a kiss on top of the blonde's head, feeling the other man began shaking. Ao hurriedly placed one hand on Rio's back, patting it lightly. He had no idea what to do in this kind of situation. His older brother would have known what to do or say but Ao was too awkward to even speak up. He was grateful that the museum had only few visitor. He did not want to get caught in this kind of awkward embrace by random stranger. Oh, heck, whatever! He did not care anymore as long as Rio could forgive him!

After a while, Rio let out a deep sigh. He moved his hands, clutching at Ao's jacket. "Ao, do you know that this room has security camera?" He whispered, glancing at his surroundings.

"Uhm, yeah...?" replied Ao in confusion.

"How long do you intend to hug me? The security guards are most likely looking at us from surveillance monitor."

Ao was dumbfounded.

"Do you have a narcissistic tendency?"

The dark-haired man looked down to meet Rio's eyes. "Did you... Did you try to make a joke?"

"I don't joke."

"Sounded like a joke to me." Ao cupped Rio's cheek. They looked at each other before Ao finally smiled. It was not his usual mischievous smile but a genuine, gentle smile Rio had ever seen on the man's face. "I'm so sorry, Rio. I swear I will no-"

"Stop saying sorry. It makes my ears hurt." Rio frowned a little bit. "Let me go, Ao."

"Do you forgive me?" He asked again.

Rio twitched. "I don't know."

"W-what do you mean you don't know? Is my apolo-" Ao could not finish his sentence as a soft lips were placed on his. Rio was...kissing him! Oh, deity of every Shinto's shrine in Japan, the kiss was so...intimate and delicate. Ao did not wait to kiss back. He pulled Rio's body closer until their chest crashed.

The blonde was the one who broke the kiss first. He tilted up his head, whispering, "I will make sure we get even."

Ao laughed. "I'm sure you will..." He loosened his embrace then grasped Rio's hand. Leading the younger man to the entrance, he was quite surprised that Rio did not make any sign of protest as their fingers were intertwined. Sure some visitors had their eyes on the two which they completely ignored. When they were already outside, Ao finally let Rio's hand go. "Home, I guess?" He asked.

Rio frowned. "I can't believe that I skipped class again."

"Oh, come on. It won't kill you."

"You sound exactly like Kaname," said Rio, "Speaking of Kaname, how much did you tell him about us?"

Suddenly Ao went rigid. "Uhm, well...I did give him some details."

"Details?" Rio twitched, imagining his pervert idiotic cousin sat and listened to Ao's story about their...errr, bizarre night.

"But it's not only Kaname! Sou also..." He stopped as he received deadly glare from Rio. "Could we leave that topic behind?"

Rio sent him another glare. The blonde quickened his pace and Ao hurriedly followed him from behind while mentioning about how he had no choice but to tell those two the truth. Rio twitched at the explanation but kept walking through the park where the museum was located.

Little did they know there were some people watching them from far away. One of them-a man in his early thirties with a bald head-took his sunglasses off, staring at the peaceful scenery of park before him. Another person handed him a digital camera and said, "It seems that your suspicion is right, Sir."

"Hmm, yes...indeed." The bald man scanned through pictures on the camera. Most of pictures showed Ao was talking to Rio. He stopped on a picture which had been taken right when Rio had kissed the dark-haired man. "Well, well...what do you have there, Ao? A pretty blonde lover?"

.

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tbc