Shingyouji slumped in his chair as he put his hands in his lap. This was it. The moment he'd been dreading and hoping for after weeks of waiting. He wasn't sure if he should be happy or scared. While he'd been desperate to know what had been weighing on Misu's mind, he couldn't help but feel a little nervous at what he would say. It had to be something tremendously big to force Misu to behave as he had.

"Shingyouji, I've known you've noticed I've been unhappy lately."

Shingyouji bit his lip as he nodded.

"Even asking Atomu about me."

"Ah, he told you?"

"He did. And I am sorry, Shingyouji."

He sat up. "You're sorry?"

"I should have discussed this with you first. You are my partner after all."

"It's okay, Arata-san. I understand."

"No Shingyouji, it is not okay. We have been together long enough I should not have kept you in the dark about my thoughts."

Shingyouji's eyes drifted down to the plates full of his favorite foods. The food Misu had picked up for him. Had he brought them to lessen the blow for what he needed to say? Whatever it was, could not be a small matter. He trusted Misu with all his heart, and yet he feared the words that would leave his mouth.

"Shingyouji?"

"Yes, Arata-san?"

"Shingyouji, look at me."

Shingyouji couldn't stop the shake from his body as he looked at Misu. His eyes reached only as far as his lips. He couldn't bear to look any higher.

"Shingyouji, what's wrong?"

"I don't know, Arata-san. I'm scared." His lower lip trembled as he fought to keep the tears away.

"Scared? Of what?"

Shingyouji shook his head, unable to find the words to answer.

"Shingyouji, do you think what I want to discuss is about our relationship?"

He gulped back the lump in his throat and nodded. "Yes. You are unhappy and didn't want to talk to me. I could only guess it was something I've done to make you upset."

Misu shoved his chair back and stood. "Damn it." Shingyouji jerked back from the table at Misu's outburst. He had seen Misu angry before. They'd had a few minor disagreements in their time living together. But his anger felt different this time, and Shingyouji wasn't sure why. "Shingyouji, I'm sorry." Misu moved around the table and knelt next to Shingyouji's chair.

"Arata-san?" Shingyouji's heart pounded in his ears. His own fear forgotten as he stared at Misu's pale face.

Misu took Shingyouji's hands in his. "I've been an idiot and I am sorry. What I want to tell you involves us, but not in the way you think." Misu took a deep breath. "I am unhappy. Unhappy in my job. I hate going to the office every day and sitting behind that desk and doing it again day after day. The only thing keeping me sane is coming home to you."

Shingyouji blinked. Of all the crazy ideas he had built into his head, those were not the words he had expected of Misu. "You hate your job?"

Misu nodded. "I didn't want to tell you, because I didn't want you to worry. Your studies are more important than anything."

"If you hate your job, you should quit."

Misu rubbed his thumb along the back of Shingyouji's hand. "No, Shingyouji, I can't."

"But—"

"Not yet. You need to finish school first."

"But I can—"

"What? Quit school, get a job and support us? No. You will get your degree first, then we can discuss what comes next."

"But if you're unhappy, you should quit."

Misu moved closer to pet Shingyouji's hair. "What happened to the scared Shingyouji from a minute ago that was trembling? Can you only think of me?"

Shingyouji nodded. "Yes. Always."

"Then, if you want to make me happy, you will stay in school until you graduate. Understood?"

He nodded. He didn't want to. If Misu didn't demand it of him, he'd quit school in an instant if it meant keeping Misu happy. "Yes."

"Good."

Misu leaned forward and kissed Shingyouji's forehead. His lips felt cool against his feverish skin. Misu stood and moved back to his chair. The stress deep in Shingyouji's body did not evaporate, but it lessened. His shoulders no longer ached from holding the tension in.

"Arata-san, when you quit, do you know what you want to do?"

"After getting Saki's advice..." Shingyouji spit out the bite of food he had taken.

"You asked Saki-san for advice?" Misu handed him a napkin.

"He and I may have our differences, but he has been helpful in the past. He does have good ideas, occasionally. I plan to go back to school and get a master's degree to become a professor."

"A professor?"

Misu nodded. "Yes. It will take a few years to get there. Without a job, this will make you the sole provider for our household. Which is why it is even more important that you finish school."

"I'll work two jobs if I have to."

"Calm down, Shingyouji. I doubt it will come to that." A dark cloud slid over Misu's head. "Saki will no doubt make sure the price we pay for this place reflects your salary. He is very generous when it comes to you."

"You know he's doing it for both of us."

Misu rolled his eyes and took a long breath. "Again, I am sorry, Shingyouji. I hadn't meant this to be a secret from you. I did not want to worry you while you are dealing with all of your school work."

"Oh, right, my school work." Shingyouji jumped to his feet.

"Shingyouji, what is it?"

"I have something for you. I was going to surprise you with it later, but I don't think it can wait any longer." Shingyouji dashed into his room and grabbed his phone. "This is for you. Though once you quit, I don't think you will need it anymore." Shingyouji shoved his phone into Misu's hands.

"I don't have a use for your phone now."

"No Arata-san, I wrote this program." Shingyouji pushed an icon on his screen. A yellow loading page appeared. "It's to help you with your accounting. Your father has helped me with a lot of the basics. Atomu-san too, with some of the corporate concepts."

"Is that what all your secret meetings with my father were about?"

Shingyouji nodded. "Yup. He's been a big help with explaining the things I don't understand. It's not that great yet, but it will be. It doesn't replace you, but can help with the fine details. You can import a spreadsheet here, and then you have all these options for what to do with the numbers. You can pull out costs into one area, profits into another. It helps with time comparison for product worth. You can highlight with different things. There are pie charts and graphs." Shingyouji paused. Misu sat stiff in his chair staring at the screen, unmoving as Shingyouji stepped through the different screens. "And...And...it can remind you of deadlines. And it can compare data across clients. And..." Shingyouji's shoulders slumped. What had he been thinking? How could he think he could write a program that would help Misu? He didn't need the help. There was nothing his program could do that Misu couldn't already do himself. All he had done was insult Misu's intelligence.

"Why did you stop talking? Is that the entire program? Or is there more?" Misu asked.

"I figured you didn't like it because you weren't saying anything."

"Shingyouji, when did you have time to work on this?"

"Ah, it's my end-of-year project. We have to come up with an useable app for our main grade."

"And for your project you decided to work on a program for me?"

"Yes?"

"You could have created a game that you and your friends enjoy."

"There are plenty of games out there. I wanted to do something for you. And every time you use it, you would think of me. But I guess I didn't do it well enough."

"Shingyouji, I was quiet as I was interested in what you were showing me. I can't believe you did this for me."

"You know I would do anything for you."

"If this is for me, do you mind if I offer a few suggestions based on the little you've shown me?"

Shingyouji nodded vigorously.

"When this is done, and I become a professor, I could see using this in class as a teaching tool. To help explain the core concepts they will work with."

"Then you can still use it?"

"I can. Thank you, Shingyouji. Can you show me more?"

Shingyouji worked his way through the program. There were a few remaining bugs to work out, but enough to pass his final grade. Anything Misu offered would only make it better. He hadn't planned to give it to anyone beyond Misu, but if he wanted to share with others, Shingyouji didn't mind.

Shingyouji rolled over in bed for the third time. It wasn't that he wasn't tired. He was exhausted. It had been a long evening, with too many emotional ups and downs.

Misu had finally shared his burden. While it had not been as scary as Shingyouji worried, he still felt afraid. Only the fear had shifted. Away from their relationship and to the fact the responsibilities of the household would fall to him.

What would happen if he couldn't find a job? Would Misu be stuck working at the office he hated until then? It already bothered him that Misu couldn't quit right away. How long would he have to wait? Would it be better to take the first job offered him to get Misu out quickly, or wait until he had the best offer of all to guarantee their safety? If he even got any offers at all.

Shingyouji shifted again. His body wanted to sleep, yet his mind would not stop talking.

"Shingyouji, what's wrong? Why aren't you sleeping already?"

"I'm sorry, Arata-san. Did I wake you? I'll go to the living room."

Misu's hand clasped around his wrist and pulled him back into bed.

"You're overthinking again, aren't you?"

"I'm worried, Arata-san."

"Tell me, Shingyouji."

"Aren't you tired? You should sleep. We can talk later."

"I am tired. But not too tired to listen to you?"

"What if I'm not good enough to find a job to support us? You will be stuck at your job forever."

"Do you really think you're not good enough, Shingyouji? Before you answer that, let me remind you, you are the one who was smart enough to figure out how to stop your stalker. Who manages to befriend nearly everyone you meet? Who has stood up to your own parents in the face of their intolerance? And who is strong enough to be in a relationship with me."

"But none of those are job qualifications."

"I think you would be surprised." Misu pulled Shingyouji into his arms.

Shingyouji snuggled into his warmth. While his fears did not evaporate, they did settle to the back of his mind. He wished he could let his fears go. His whole relationship with Misu could be boiled down to Misu making him feel better for his insecurities. He loved Misu for it, but it wasn't fair to have him always be the cheerleader for his problems. Misu loved him for a reason. If he could learn to see himself through Misu's eyes, maybe he could become a little bit stronger for it and become Misu's cheerleader instead.

"Arata-san, I think you will make a good professor."

"You do?"

"Of course. You helped me with my studies. You were always patient with me and explained every question I had. I wouldn't have done as well without your help. But..."

"But?"

Shingyouji felt a heat to his cheeks. Even after all these years, the memories still flustered him. "You have to promise you won't treat your students the same way you treated me."

"What do you mean?"

"You can't give them the same rewards and punishments."

"Rewards and punishments? I don't understand. Explain."

"Do you really not remember?" Was he the only one who thought of those times together as important?

"I think you need to refresh my memory." Misu's lips twitched.

How could he think Misu had forgotten? Shingyouji pulled the sheet over his head. "Don't make me say it, Arata-san."

"Say what, Shingyouji?" The safe cover of the sheet was tugged away. "Do you mean something like this?" Misu placed a light kiss on his forehead. "Or something like this?" Misu pulled up the edge of his sleeping shirt, exposing his belly. Goosebumps spread across his body as Misu's fingers glided against his now exposed skin.

"Yes." Shingyouji answered through his clenched teeth.

"I will only ever treat one student that way."

"One is too many." Shingyouji pouted at Misu.

"Even if you are the one?" Misu tugged on his shirt harder, pealing it off his body.

"Arata-san, I thought you were tired." Shingyouji squirmed under Misu's soft touch.

"I was, until someone woke me with their tossing and turning. I think I will need that person's help to get tired again."

Shingyouji leaned away from Misu's hand. "Wait, if you're going back to school, doesn't that mean you're going to be a student again?"

"It does."

"Does that mean I can reward and punish you instead?"

"Reward, yes. Punishment, only if you dare."

Shingyouji squealed as Misu pinned him to the bed. His heart pounded with pure happiness. While they still had a tough road ahead of them, and numerous conversations about their future, the Misu he loved and adored was here with him, and had finally shared his burdens. In this moment, he could relax into the happiness and melt into Misu's hands.