If the ambiance is weird few moments ago, the ambiance that very moment is definitely weirder. Too uncomfortable. Asano Gakuhou had left but he did also left them a few statements that made the talk they haven't even have yet more uncomfortable.

"Good evening, Mr. Asano Gakuhou."

"Good evening, Nakamura-san. You didn't have to stand." It was maybe Rio's imagination, or it may be true but compared to how she remembered Chairman Asano back in junior high, the 'President' Asano now looks kinder. He aged, for sure, but he was less terrifying than he was ten years back. She noticed now that his son is a carbon copy of him. She sat back while Mr. Asano moved a bit so he's between them. Gakushuu glared at his father. She realized the cold treatment was meant not for her but only for his son.

"So, Asano-san, mind answering my questions now?" The tone of his voice suddenly turned cold. She was right. By how formal they talk to each other, there was obviously a heated conflict between them.

"We have an something to talk about. I didn't know you were to return earlier so I thought this place has the highest security for the confidential matter we are about to discuss. Seems like I'm mistaken if the president himself is going to poke his nose into a customer's private business," Gakushuu answered calmly, but evidently annoyed. Every word seems like a hidden attempt to assault.

Gakuhou laughed once more. "Sorry, son. You know, I'm getting old. Hearing that my son booked a reservation for two with a lady to a romantic place such as this restaurant made me really happy and excited. Especially the name of the lady he will be with rang a bell to me. I mean, who can forget a beauty with wits, strength, ability and brains like Nakamura-san of class 3-E before, right?"

She blushed at what she heard. That was flattering coming from a man who hated their class back then. The compliment sounds sincere that she couldn't hold back a little smile. Mr. Asano returned her smile. She glanced at Gakushuu, though forcefully keeping a straight face, his face was still screaming embarrassment and fury.

"It's not what you think, Mr. President. This is business matter. Nakamura-san is an employee under me. If you please, just give us the guaranteed privacy that this restaurant offers and I paid for," Gakushuu no longer kept his composure. He almost raised his voice. Mr. Asano just laughed.

"Alright, alright. Always so stingy. I'll better be off, then. See you both tomorrow at the conference," Rio was taken aback by what he said, however it was Asano who quickly reacted.

"Conference tomorrow?" Gakushuu almost stood up at what he heard.

Mr. Asano just smiled sarcastically at him, then quickly shifted it into a much warmer smile to Rio.

"By the way, I want it to be a boy, okay? So he can help me manage my school in the future. It's been a long time since I engage with little children," By that, he casually bowed and immediately left their table. Asano looked like he was about to chase his father.

Rio couldn't say anything. That... Was definitely an awkward joke. She was flustered, but Asano's shocked and embarrased face made her laugh. He looked really funny when he can't do anything. Just like Karma's defeated face. It wasn't a look that you see in them everyday. She snorted.

They were awkwardly quiet when Asano's order came. It was just a bottle of wine and two plates of foreign pasta. As soon as the waitress left, Asano broke the silence.

"I reserved this place to clear everything that happened that night," he started. His voice clearly showed that he's trying his best to sound professional. She noticed that his expressions changed. From the cool and composed vibe that he usually gives off, it turned into a gloomy, serious and weird vibe. He changed right after seeing his father. For some reasons, it felt wrong seeing him like that. And his talking formally isn't helping either. Much as she wanted to just laugh it off, it made her feel uncomfortable and she's not liking it.

He took a sip of his wine and looked straight into her eyes.

"First and foremost, I'd like to thank you for getting me home, despite the inconveniences. That night reflects my negligence as a person. It was careless of me to drink excessively not even considering the consequences of—"

"Wait. Can you stop with the formal talk? It's disturbing. I'm no longer a subordinate as you are my boss at this time. Plus what we're about to discuss is something personal and far from our work. Don't make it sound like a business talk," she ranted. The formal talk is making their ambiance more and more awkward, especially that they were going to talk about things like confession and well, kisses.

Asano just stared at her, then exhaled. "Fine."

He started once again, "Thanks for sending me home last friday. I was too careless to I drink more than I can. I also apologi— Well, I'm also deeply sorry for what I did later that night. I was really wasted that I wasn't thinking straight." He bowed.

Wait, what? The apology was too formal. Didn't he made fun of her with it just an hour ago? She knew that Asano is definitely a fair person. The reason she was really nervous about their talk is that he'll use that incident (the way she consented him as he kissed the lights out of her) for evil purposes. It turned out that he was too righteous of a guy to take advantage of that. An idea struck her to cool the situation down. She smirked.

"Apology accepted, even though you joked about it just an hour before. Anyway," she leaned in closer and whispered, "How handsome do you think is Karma?"

Asano almost choked on his wine. Rio triumphantly laughed.

"You still owe me, too. There's no way I'm asking for nothing in exchange of all the inconveniences that I went through while driving you home and dragging you to your room," she added, still snickering. She took a sip of her wine.

"That is not what you think! I thought about it over the weekend and I realized I was just..." he trailed. As if finding the next words that got lost along the way.

"You were just?" Rio asked teasingly.

"I don't know," he gave up. He looked so lost that it was hard for Rio to keep her laugh to herself. Although somehow, something inside her tugs her to help him. The Asano before her now is the Asano that she has never seen before. In fact, it seemed like the opposite of the usual Asano. Except when he's drunk. That was different, too. But seeing him like another person when he is sober is something else.

"Maybe because you liked him?" She tried her best to help him and mock him at the same time.

"I don't," he strongly denied.

"But you said you were attracted to him?"

"I realize that isn't it. Maybe I am... Jealous of him? I don't know."

As expected of Asano, even with Rio's mocking his professionalism didn't falter. His sudden honesty caught her off guard. He sounded sincere and really lost that Rio somehow felt sympathy. She wanted to help, but she also wanted to make fun of him to lighten up the mood.

"What, jealous? Are you sure of that? Do you find him handsome?" She asked.

"He looks like me, doesn't he? I personally hate my face because it reminds me of a devil. But technically, many people say my face is beautiful. So, if he looks like me, then he is technically handsome."

Sure enough, he did answer honestly again. Gosh, Asano just answering her questions without hesitations made her uneasy. It's like he was willing to tell her everything. He seems so serious about the matter that even though she tried to irritate him a bit, it didn't work. She sighed. Maybe it's time to take him seriously.

"Nakamura-san, I'd like to propose some— uhh, I want to ask a favor, in exchange of anything you want. This is the main purpose of this, uhh, private meeting."

"What?" She was caught off-guard by his sudden statement. "A favor?"

"A favor. In exchange of anything you want. Anything reasonable."

"Let me hear about it first," Rio negotiated. This is the best trait she can remember of Asano Gakushuu. He is willing to swallow his pride to ask a favor, but he makes sure everything is fair for both parties. It reminded her of their final exam in middle school. She was just below him in the final ranking, with Karma as the first and him as the second.

"I entrust you my dignity as a man, since it was irresponsible of me to spill everything to you in that drunken state, so I have to take the consequences. I want your help to understand all these," he said in all seriousness. Looking directly in her eyes. "Go on, make fun of me, but please, I ask you to help me in this. This is a totally foreign subject for me and I— this is totally new to me and I can't understand anything."

He bowed again, she noticed that both of them barely ate their food. They must be so focused on their talk to pay attention to their food.

Surprisingly, his request is too easy. She laughed heartily, humble Asano is too funny. She understood quickly that it wasn't just for 'taking consequences'. It was also to keep in touch with her just in case she'll do something crazy. However, she thought that helping Asano in his little request is a lot more fun than spreading that juicy gossip. Honest Asano is just as precious and rare as Honest Karma.

"Okay," she continued laughing. "God, Asano, are you really new to this?"

He nodded, face still serious that made her laugh once more.

"Sorry that was really funny. Anyway, since were bff's now because you just asked me to help you in love matters—"

He interrupted her, "This is not love matters, Nakamura-san. I told you, I am not attracted to Akabane. I feel, I don't even know, envious? And that was maybe because he was too carefree and happy with that Okuda girl."

"Or, maybe because you like Karma but you deny it to yourself. Gaku-cchi, there is nothing wrong with liking a guy while being a guy." She finally took interest on her plate. He did, too.

"I highly doubt that. And please, can you stop calling me that?"

"I'll call you Gaku-cchi after shift, and Boss on shift, don't worry. I will not disrespect my boss at work, you know. You can call me anything other than Nakamura-san though. To show that this is different from work," she smiled. The ambiance definitely improved. And she felt like, little by little, she can befriend this weird boss of hers.

"Fine. That made sense and it's more professional. I'll just call you Rio-san, then."

"Nope, a lot of our coworkers call me that. Think of another," she demanded.

"Nacchan?" He said with a bored look at his face. Obviously he's against the name calling but he also know that she's being reasonable.

"Yes, that's cute! Now tell me more about your favor. And the whole story behind it." She finished the last bite of her pasta.

"Wait, tell me what you want in return first," he said as he took another sip of his wine.

"Nah, I'll think of it later. I don't want anything right now, maybe in the future I can decide what I want. Prepare your money from there," she grinned. Surprisingly, he smiled back.

"Okay. Well, to answer your question, that would take another night. We can't stay here longer especially that he's here. He said that he would be attending tomorrow's conference so he knows that I need to be really early tomorrow. Let's reschedule another time."

"Fine with me. I also wanted to ask about your father, ever since middle school to be honest."

He smiled a little. "This coming Friday. I'll find a place where we can discuss everything privately."

Asano asked for the bill. He told her it was his treat this time. They were getting ready to go.

They were both quiet as they left the building. Before going inside her car, Rio called out. "Gaku-cchi, thanks for the meal and I'll do my best." She bowed.

"Don't call me that here. Thank you, too, for accepting my favor. I'll be ready to save my money for your compromise. Save all your questions until Friday, and see you tomorrow, Nakamura-san," he bowed as well. Clearly, although business-like, he meant that when he said he wanted her help.

"I told you to differentiate work from this," she scowled at him.

"Fine, Nacchan," he half-heartedly said. Rio beamed.

"Bye bye, my new bff Gaku-cchi," she waved before going inside her car. Asano waved back. Not even smiling.

Rio kept smiling. It was interesting. It turned out that that day isn't as bad as she thought. It was nice seeing Asano like that again, just like when he did the same thing when they were in junior high. He swallowed his pride and ask for a favor, only that this time the favor is far too personal. He looked genuinely honest when he told her that he doesn't know what he feels. It was refreshing, seeing Asano lost is not a sight you see everyday. Funny that the Asano Gakushuu that every one considers as perfect has issues like that. It would be really nice if she can help him find out his true orientation, though.

She chuckled at the thought of the perfect Asano Gakushuu being gay. It would be really unexpected, but if it is really his true self, then she can accept that.

With the issues settled and a peaceful mind, the only thing left to be worry about is her conference tomorrow, which is not much of a problem anymore.

/

Hey guys! Wow I didn't expect this to have reviews. I'm really thankful! Sorry for the many grammatical errors. I'm not a native speaker so I'm still learning. If you find it disturbing please point it out. ^_^ I'm really loving this pair because I think they will complement each other very well, and I hope the changes I did with their personalities didn't make them ooc. I changed it a bit because yknow they had to mature and all because this is set ten years later. Anyway, thanks again for following this fic, leaving reviews and favorites. I'll do my best in this fic!