Chapter 9
A figure stood right beside Hiroki's bed as the moonlight peeked through the curtains. His blue eyes stared at the outline of Hiroki's body, thin blankets hugged his body. The change of humidity of springtime caused Hiroki to exchange his sheets and comforter. Most of the time, Hiroki slept in pajamas but in hotter weather, he slept in boxers. Hiroki's skin was exposed for his viewing pleasure.
He reached out and moved a lock of Hiroki's disheveled hair to the side. The scent of Hiroki's cinnamon scented shampoo reached his nose as he gently touched the soft locks of hair he longed to caress. The fantasy of waking up next to him consumed his mind. His hand flinched back when Hiroki murmured in his sleep and shifted slightly so he was facing the shadow.
A smile broke on the man's face as he fought the urge to lay right beside the man. After so many years, his feelings strengthened. There were times he tried to forget about Hiroki but then he would feel awful in doubting his feelings. This man would become his lover.
He took a step back as he checked the time on the alarm clock beside Hiroki's bed. It was 4:56 in the morning, he had plenty of time to watch his beloved sleep before he rushed out the door before Hiroki's first alarm blasted at 6:50 and then again at 7:00.
He would love to wake him up with kisses where the grumpiness dissipated. The risk prevented him from acting this fantasy out. After so many years of tailing Hiroki, finding his new place, and managing to discreetly gather more treasures made him confident in his skills. Not too comfortable. He knew Hiroki's schedule and watched him make it to work on time.
Whenever he left the apartment, he stayed at a safe distance. He saw Hiroki running out of his apartment complex while trying to button up his jacket and tried not to spill his tumbler full of fresh brewed coffee onto himself. It was comical to say the least and it brought a level of joy before he had to leave for his job at the hospital.
It made going to his long hour shifts at the hospital bearable. He loved his job but he tolerated a lot more things when he caught a glimpse of Hiroki the day before or carried that precious locket in his pocket. His beloved brought him strength.
He blew Hiroki a kiss, wording his goodbye instead of whispering it like last time. Carefully making his way out of the bedroom, he went through the apartment to the front door. Making sure he didn't disturb anything, he opened the door and silently made his way out of the apartment.
Kissing his fingertips, he touched the door before he closed it shut and left the apartment complex without anyone noticing his presence.
Hiroki relaxed in his seat on the bus as he let out a deep sigh. He caught his breath and checked his bag. The small box containing Akihiko's present remained nestled in between the papers he needed to grade. There was no time to change his clothes back home so he headed straight to Akihiko's apartment. He already expected drinking at this get together. On their birthdays, they let themselves drink and crash at Akihiko's place. He might limit himself just to get home in one piece.
He managed to hide Akihiko's present from Miyagi since the guy snooped in his business. His office mate might comment on why he thought about giving a guy a watch. Hiroki had no patience to have questions asked to him. It took him days to figure out what to get Akihiko for his birthday. Having Miyagi badger him on topics outside of work didn't work for him.
He had a headache when he gave Takahiro his present for his birthday which turned out to be a cologne. The scent fit the man perfectly. Light but strong enough to evoke his masculinity. Something Takahiro's girlfriend enjoyed.
When he searched for Akihiko's gift, he managed to find it at a moderately good price which didn't break his bank account. He went grocery shopping afterwards and his fridge was stocked with food so he wouldn't starve according to Akihiko.
He heard the bus driver announce the street they almost passed on the intercom. The bus stopped and Hiroki stood up from his seat. Before walking to the door, he made sure everything was in his bag. He put his bag over his shoulder as he walked out of the bus when it made a complete stop. Walking down the street, the large apartment complex Akihiko lived in appeared in sight.
When Akihiko first moved into the place, it was absolutely spotless without Akihiko's junk taking up that vast amount of space. At least, it was still habitable to some degree but he knew Akihiko was lazy, tired, or gave no shits in cleaning his apartment.
Hiroki grew used to Akihiko's unusual habits since they were kids. It wasn't his place to lecture him anyway, he sometimes left stacks of books in his apartment and forgot about them until he tripped over them when he wasn't thinking. In the middle of the night, he fell but the softness of the couch saved him from his fall.
He hurried down the street when he heard his cell phone ringing in his pocket. The ring tone he set for this number meant that Takahiro called him, maybe to ask his exact location. He would have answered the call but he already entered the building. No need to waste his time.
Hiroki went inside of the elevator and scratched the back of his head as he stared at his reflection on the elevator doors. He felt completely alone for the first time in days. He brought it up sometimes with Akihiko. The usual thoughts of remaining without any meaning to his life. He was met with Akihiko telling him that he worked too hard.
He frowned when he saw the dark circles under his eyes, maybe he did need a break to get himself together. Months prior, he was sick with a cold which went away after a week but it screwed up his sleeping schedule for the semester. There were days when he woke later than usual and he barely made it to Mitsuhashi before his class started.
He grumbled. "I don't need Miyagi or Akihiko commenting on my impending wrinkles or these bags under my eyes." He poked his forehead when he said. "Hopefully mom's youthful appearance transferred over to me…or at least aging gracefully like father would be nice."
The doors of the elevator opened as he walked out before the doors attempted to close on him. He made it to Akihiko's apartment and knocked on the door.
Hiroki counted three seconds before the door opened. He stared into Takahiro's cheerful eyes which seemed to only become brighter when he looked at him. He didn't know how it was remotely possible but Takahiro spread out positivity. More than enough for their trio.
Takahiro gave Hiroki a bone crushing hug the moment he stepped foot inside of the apartment. "Hiro-chan! It has been so long since I have seen you! Why didn't you answer my phone call?!"
Usually, Hiroki pushed Takahiro away since he wasn't used to hugs from anyone other than his parents and his mother's family members. Then again, time passed since he saw him so he let Takahiro cling to him. Takahiro even rubbed their cheeks together. One whiff of his breath and Hiroki found out Takahiro started drinking. He located Akihiko walking toward them with an amused smile on his face and Hiroki stuck his tongue out.
Akihiko chuckled. "You are not drunk yet and you are already acting childish, don't tell me you started drinking without us."
"Piss off Akihiko." Hiroki said as Takahiro patted his back before he let him out of his embrace. "And to answer your question Takahiro, I was already in the building when you called me so I didn't think I needed to answer you. Sorry about that."
Takahiro grinned when he told Hiroki. "I was growing worried since you arrive early to our little get togethers. I wanted to know where you were before I started looking for you."
Akihiko blew some smoke when he said in a teasing tone. "Alert us when you are going to be late Hiroki, you know how much we worry about you."
"Yeah yeah yeah, I'll make sure to reassure you on every single second toward the moment I step foot in this apartment next time." Hiroki said sarcastically as Takahiro chuckled at both of them.
His best friends always knew how to entertain him.
Takahiro handed Hiroki a beer while he set down a platter of snacks for them to eat. Akihiko lounged on his couch with his over sized bear at his size. Hiroki and Takahiro showed more surprise when Akihiko didn't have a bear by his side or forgot to lit a cigarette.
Hiroki popped the can open as he took a long swig and relaxed onto the couch. He placed his bag right beside him and didn't notice it tipped over, spilling some of his papers on the couch.
Takahiro was already on his second beer but snacked on some chips as he talked with Akihiko. He grinned when he told Akihiko a ridiculous joke and the author shook his head in amusement. When the cheesy jokes rolled around, Akihiko and Hiroki knew Takahiro started singing after the fifth beer.
Hiroki hoped Takahiro wasn't in a romantic mood and didn't start serenading Suzuki-san like last time. He cursed himself for not having recorded it. After the second song, Akihiko joined Takahiro just to get a reaction out of the stuffed animal.
Takahiro turned to Hiroki, he asked with his usual grin. "So how's everything going at work Hiro-chan?"
Hiroki shrugged his shoulders as he gulped some more beer. "It's okay. Besides the usual complaining of my students and my superior being an ass a good portion of the time, it's not so bad."
Akihiko blew another line of smoke when he commented. "I don't know how you deal with those brats, if I was in your place I would have gone crazy a long time ago."
Takahiro chuckled. "There are just some people who are good for the position and Hiro-chan is so passionate about books that I know it will rub off on his students."
Hiroki doubted his students appreciated the power of books. Since childhood, he loved reading and creating his own stories in his head. He had a collection which rivaled a library in his new apartment and ran out of room already.
Although, if some of his students gained knowledge and a love of books then it was worth it.
Hiroki placed his beer on the table. "Either way, there are harder professors at Mitsuhashi so it's a waste for them to complain about me."
Akihiko snickered. "This coming from the famed 'Demon Kamijou'." Hiroki glared at him. "Don't think I don't hear the rumors going around that place whenever I go over there. The first time I asked where your office was located, the student in question barely stuttered out the directions."
Hiroki grabbed a pillow and threw it at Akihiko who dodged it just in time.
Takahiro inquired in curiosity. "Demon Kamijou? Why would they call you that Hiro-chan?"
Hiroki's cheeks went slightly red when he said. "It's a nickname the students call me after I started my first semester at Mitsuhashi. They think I don't know about it but my office mate is a blabber mouth. That's how I found out. I gave them no reason to think I was an easy teacher and apparently I am a demon to these brats."
Akihiko smirked. "It's pretty entertaining when I ask for you Hiroki, every single student has a different reaction to your name."
Takahiro tilted his head. "But you don't seem scary to me Hiro-chan."
"All I do is enforce my rules and give a level of work suited for literature. I don't care about the nickname anyway. At the end of the day, it doesn't suit me." Hiroki snorted as he grabbed a handful of chips and ate them. "Besides, my father is scarier than I will ever be and you can't deny that Takahiro."
Takahiro chuckled nervously. "Yeah..I think I caught him on a bad day the last time I came to your house when we were in high school. He was screaming into the phone over a delayed proposal for something…It really left an impression on me."
Akihiko laughed as he put out his cigarette. "It gets easier once you get lectured by him pretty often, after a while you get used to it."
Hiroki rolled his eyes. "Only because you manage to piss him off all the time, even I know better than to purposely anger my father."
Akihiko huffed as he wrapped an arm around Suzuki-san. "You are almost as mean as he is…I need a hug."
Takahiro smiled as he pulled Akihiko into a loose embrace as both of them chortled.
Hiroki chugged the rest of his beer as he threw it inside the plastic bag on the floor. He opened up another beer and enjoyed the taste without chugging it down like his first one. Akihiko always stocked on pretty good beer when they all hung out together.
Takahiro separated from Akihiko's side in favor of hooking his arm around Hiroki's shoulders. He sat right next to him as he set his beer on the table while keeping a smile on his face.
Hiroki stared at him with a suspicious look on his face and then he saw Takahiro showing the peace sign. He turned to his left and saw Akihiko holding up his phone with a smirk on his face.
"C'mon Hiroki, smile for us."
Takahiro insisted, "Yes, Hiro-chan! Smile!"
Hiroki was trapped in Takahiro's grip while Akihiko held the camera. He let out a sigh, his friends wouldn't give up unless he at least had a slight appearance of a smile. Every single time they hung out with each other, he managed to escape the photos and left before he got too drunk to remember even taking pictures with his friends.
It looked like he couldn't escape this time, he would let them have their picture if it meant they wouldn't bother him for another one next time.
A slight smile formed on Hiroki's face as Takahiro wrapped both of his arms around Hiroki and grinned along with him. Akihiko chuckled as he took the picture and then walked over to the sofa and sat on the free spot right next to Hiroki.
"What the hell are you doing Akihiko?" Hiroki asked. "You got your picture."
Akihiko said, "Isn't it obvious? I am going to be in the picture with you two."
Takahiro gushed. "This is the first time we have taken a group photo since high school! I want a copy of it Usagi-chan!"
"Of course, I'll have copies for each one of us." Akihiko said as he pressed his cheek against Hiroki's face and Takahiro did the same. "You better not throw it away Hiroki."
Hiroki rolled his eyes as he looked into the camera when he declared. "No I won't."
Akihiko pressed the button as they all grinned for the photo.
After the photo was done, Hiroki remembered Akihiko's gift as he got himself out of Takahiro and Akihiko's grip. They stared at him in surprise as Hiroki grabbed his bag and dug out the small box from the bottom of his papers.
He handed it to Akihiko and stated with a frown. "Here's your gift, don't complain that it isn't fancy Akihiko."
Akihiko chuckled as he opened the box. He was surprised to see the watch that he looked at when he was out one day with Hiroki. It was a simple silver watch with elegant designs throughout the strap. The simplicity of the watch caught his attention and the silver color. It wasn't gaudy like the watches he saw the Usami family members wear on their wrists.
He was touched that Hiroki paid attention and bought this watch for him. Sure he could have bought it himself but Hiroki must have noticed him staring at it when they were walking toward his car.
Takahiro was in awe of the watch as he commented. "It looks great Hiro-chan! You always know what gifts to give us, I still have some of the cologne you gave me, it just smells amazing."
Hiroki felt some pride swell up inside of him that he didn't screw up the gifts this year. He tried to get hints from his friends whenever he was with them or the things that they looked at when they wandered through the stores. He loved seeing the smiles on their faces when they opened their gifts.
Akihiko pulled Hiroki into a loose embrace as he said. "Thank you, Hiroki. I love it."
Hiroki patted his back as he hid the smile on his face. "You're welcome."
Akihiko let him go as he took off the watch he had on his wrist and put on Hiroki's gift. "And it's exactly the right time too, you really are considerate Hiroki."
Hiroki hit Akihiko's arm playfully. "As if I would give you a watch without the right time on it, you dumb ass."
A few hours later, Hiroki left Akihiko's apartment but not before he got pulled into a group hug. Takahiro gave him one of his usual bone crushing hugs while Akihiko ruffled his hair. He declined Akihiko's offer to drive him home since the author was stinking drunk. He wasn't going to risk them getting into an accident or get pulled over by the cops.
The last time they were stopped by the cops, Akihiko managed to weasel them out of a ticket but the man's persuasion skills deteriorated when he was wasted. There was no way he was going to jail because of carelessness.
Hiroki gripped his bag full of papers tightly as he swayed slightly and he felt the effects of the alcohol in his system. He rubbed his eyes while walking through the somewhat busy street. Easily dodging the people, he avoided the ones who visibly seemed like trouble. The drunk business men who left the bard bumped into him but continued on their way.
Hiroki stopped when he felt someone watching him again. He shivered. After so many years, he couldn't pin point where the feeling of being watched came from. He tried talking to Akihiko about it but his claims were dismissed. Takahiro almost showed the same reaction until news of burglaries reached the news. Now, he wanted him to text him whenever he left a location. Just to appease him, he complied with his request.
He had kendo training since he was a child where he knew how to defend himself. The worry of being defenseless left him but who knew what type of training this person had under their belt.
Despite having this training, he had not practiced in years since he entered university. He might fight someone off but his muscle strength went down after lack of practice. Now that he worked full time, all he managed to do was piano or swimming and even those activities were rare.
He shivered as he rubbed his arms, telling himself that he was just cold. The alcohol made him feel this way, not someone who might be watching his every move like some sort of stalker. He hastily turned a corner into an almost empty street, this person wouldn't follow him all the way to his apartment.
His phone chimed as Hiroki jumped and froze on the spot at the sudden noise. He took out his phone and saw that it was Akihiko who sent him a text. Hiroki frowned at being scared so easily as he opened the message and the group photo he took with his friends appeared on the screen.
Hiroki smiled as he sent a copy of the photo to his email. He didn't want to risk losing it if he lost his phone. He lost his phone more often than his oldest book. Besides, Akihiko said he was going to print a solid copy to keep. This was a safety precaution. Putting his phone back in his pocket, Hiroki resumed walking.
He felt grateful that his home came closer and closer the more he hurried up. He wanted to escape the gaze. All he was going to do was fall asleep in the comfort of his own bed and leave his grading for the next day. He would sober himself up with hot bitter coffee without sugar and have a relaxing shower in the morning.
The thought of his warm bed made him hurry up in the street, panic filled his body when he thought he saw someone in the shadows following him. He held his bag strap in death grip while he kept looking over his shoulder and all of his surroundings, he would only relax when he made it home.
His home was his safe haven. He was on the second floor. No one would break into his home without causing a commotion. He felt so confident in this fact that he only used one lock on his door and not the extra one provided. His paranoia caused him to rethink this careless notion.
Suddenly, Hiroki tripped over a rock on the sidewalk. He cursed out loud as he took two steps onto the road and saw the bright lights of an oncoming car. He felt he was frozen in time as his bag fell on the ground, scattering all the papers he was supposed to grade the next day. His eyes widened as he felt the impact of the car on his side as he fell backwards onto the ground.
He saw black spots in his vision as he barely made out the driver getting out of his car to look him over. Different parts of his body throbbed in pain, especially the back of his head. Everything hurt. The man visibly panicked as he quickly got back into his car and quickly drove into the distance. The squealing of the wheels ringed in Hiroki's ears while he tried to move to the side but pain filled his body.
Hiroki heard his heartbeat clear in his ears, he tried figuring out where he was located but he couldn't think through the pain. He remembered his closeness to his home but the blacked out street provided no visible road signs. After what seemed forever, Hiroki passed out from the agony. His blood seeped through his clothes and his hair, painting the road with red.
A tall figure ran out of the shadows, gathering the now blood stained papers and shoving them into the bag. Hooking the bag over his shoulder, he crouched right beside Hiroki as he gently caressed his cheek.
His eyes narrowed as he remembered the licence plate of the person who dared to hurt what was his. He would deal with that person when the opportunity arose but Hiroki needed someone to tend to him. He smiled at this chance, Hiroki wouldn't reject him after he learned what he had accomplished. A pediatric doctor who held a high standing in the eyes of his coworkers.
He gathered Hiroki into his arms and he kissed his forehead. He got up on his feet and walked on the sidewalk, careful of his injuries, he held him firmly in his arms. Spotting Hiroki's shoe on the road, he kicked it into the drain on the side of the road. No one suspected anything out of place.
Word of heavy rains coming during that week came during the evening news. He wasn't worried that anyone saw rhw bloodstains on the road. They would be washed away and no one would question where they came from,
"I will never let you go, Hiro-san." His blue eyes gleamed under the lights of the sidewalks, his smile twisted into a smirk. "The love I have for you is endless…and you will love me in return I am sure of it." He kissed Hiroki's lips after so many years and relished in the feeling that he wanted to continue.
Hiroki didn't stir in his arms during this kiss. He wanted him to wake up when he kissed him again but that would come after he healed. He didn't want his beloved Hiro-san in pain. This way Hiroki would enjoy the wonderful sensations of his love for him and the images of his imagination would become reality.
He stopped kissing him as he smiled while whispering beautiful things to Hiroki. This continued when he walked down the road until he heard the rambunctious laughter of drunk businessmen at close proximity. When they got close, he fast walked past them, giving them no chance to speak or identify anything about him. He hid Hiroki with his large build.
When he was at a safe distance, he let out a sigh of relief when he heard no one else. Maybe the distant sound of cars driving into the night but no sign of anyone. Hiroki grumbled in his arms as he awed at the sight and kissed his cheek.
"I wonder…how you would react to knowing I became a doctor, Hiro-san?" He said as he smiled. "Doctor Nowaki Kusama, it sounds somewhat odd when you think about it. No one ever expected that I camethis far but it was with your help…you inspired me.."
Hiroki's eyebrows furrowed as Nowaki chuckled. "Even in your sleep you are just adorable." He made sure Hiroki was comfortable in his arms as he took a left to the direction of his apartment. "You are just going to love where we will be staying my love, you will simply love it."
TBC