Chapter 4

It was raining the day Ijuuin was supposed to finish his pages. Shizuko had been at his desk in Japun when the call came, requesting that he come pick them up.

"Can't you just fax them over?" Shizuko muttered into the phone. It wasn't that he didn't want Kirishima or the others to hear; he was just in a bit of a mood, and sounding irritated was beyond him right then. Besides that, Kirishima was still Ijuuin's main editor, and yet more and more Shizuko was the one who had to chase after him and clean up after him. He supposed it was better than Ijuuin depending on Takahashi, who was still a newbie and didn't even sub-edit for anyone yet.

"Just go." Kirishima waved a hand as he sat back in his desk, tilting his can of coffee back to get the last few drops. "And go by the printers while you're out, would you? You're better at convincing them to wait."

They didn't seem to like his blank stare, it was true. Kirishima pulled the same one, though; he was found just staring off into space sometimes. Either his mind was blanker than people gave him credit for, or he saw dead people.

Shizuko glanced around the office as he got up and reached for his raincoat and umbrella. It was close to Japun's Hell Week and everyone was running around like their asses were on fire, but Takahashi wasn't anywhere in sight. This was a good thing, mostly because he always hung around Shizuko's desk when it came time to go over and convince Ijuuin to relinquish his pages, wringing his hands and averting his eyes like he wanted to ask Shizuko to marry him. It was obvious how much Takahashi admired Ijuuin, and Shizuko couldn't help the jealousy that built up in him every time he saw them together.

The rain pelted down on him as he left Marukawa. The cement had the damp smell of a storm already, and the crowd that usually passed by Marukawa was a sea of colors as they hid under their umbrellas and rain coats. Shizuko didn't put his on, slinging the plastic over his shoulder and simply opting for the umbrella for protection. His cell phone went off in his pocket, but when he saw it was Ijuuin, he frowned and just let it go to voice mail. He didn't feel like putting up with Ijuuin's excuses right now, especially since he was on his way to get the pages he'd been promised.

Not that he was looking forward to having a cherry blossom picnic with him or anything. Of course not.

His phone beeped, and when he pulled it out, he saw that Ijuuin had left a message. Shizuko rolled his eyes and listened. If he'd bothered to leave a message, he might as well listen to it, at least.

And that's how he ended up at the nearest supermarket, picking out food for Ijuuin's dinner. Because, apparently, he hadn't gone shopping, and today was the day he was going to care about his health and not just get something at a convenience store.

Shizuko was used to going to convenient stores to get what he needed; he couldn't remember the last time he had cause or time to go to a supermarket and just look around. He had written down exactly what Ijuuin needed so he could've just gotten it and left, but he was putting off going to see the man at this point. Originally he'd been raring to get over there and get it done, but his attitude had taken a dive since getting the call, and he wasn't sure why.

Although the fact that he encountered Takahashi Misaki in the produce section couldn't have helped it. He had been wondering why the newest member of Japun wasn't around, and apparently it was because the kid had to go grocery shopping. Because that was a great excuse to not be there so close to Hell Week.

Despite that he was pretty peeved about the entire thing, Shizuko probably would've let the whole thing go as more special treatment. Ijuuin loved Takahashi, after all, and the kid's connections went as high as Isaka Ryuuichirou, the president of the company. It wasn't fair, and was probably proof that nepotism was alive and well, but it was how things went in several kinds of businesses, not just publishing.

As he was considering a display of apples, though, he heard a voice he was only familiar with in the context of Marukawa parties. Usami Akihiko.

"Misakiiiiii," he was saying, his voice a strange combination between whiny and flirting. "We should get those little oranges."

"The little oranges are for children who won't eat them in their regular size.

Shizuko's head shot up and around, spotting Takahashi Misaki pushing a cart, Usami clinging to the end and his feet up on the bottom frame so he could ride it.

"This is the octopus wieners all over again, isn't it?" Takahashi continued, rolling his eyes as Usami put a bag of oranges in the cart, anyway. "I don't know why I bother arguing with you anymore."

"Me, neither. I always win."

Takahashi glared at him before turning his head, eyes landing right on Shizuko. It took about three seconds, but Takahashi jumped and shrieked like he thought he was going to be attacked.

"I-ishi-san!" he said, his entire body shivering. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"…just picking some things up before I go see Ijuuin-sensei," Shizuko said, his eyes lingering on Usami. "It's good to see you again, Usami-sensei." Especially with what he heard. Shizuko wasn't stupid, and it was easy enough to pick up on the dynamic these men had.

Takahashi let out a long breath when he saw Shizuko wasn't going to do or say anything, but before he pushed the cart along, Usami looking slightly less happy as he continued to cling to the end, he said, "Please don't tell anyone in Japun. I don't… need people thinking I got the job because Usagi-san said something…"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Shizuko said, turning away and looking at the apples again. He hoped that he turned away from them in time to hide the smile that was lingering on his lips now, because he really wouldn't want Takahashi thinking he was happy about anything that had to do with him. But if the kid was in a relationship, it meant that Ijuuin would have to give up eventually. Usami Akihiko put up a good face for the public, but he was known for being possessive towards things he likes or wants, and pretty harsh towards anyone who got in the way of him having those things. Or people, in this case.

Yes, Shizuko's day had just gotten a lot better.

xxx

"Kiwi!" Ijuuin said, grinning from ear to ear when he saw that it was Shizuko at the door. His assistants were in the background, some sitting at the long drawing table and others spread across the floor, looking like they'd just suffered some horrible tragedy. And considering Ijuuin had actually been a man of his word and gotten his pages in on the deadline. He wasn't sure what was worse on them: working hard enough to get everything in on time, or stressing when they were late.

He wasn't sure which was worse for him, either. He did a lot of threatening towards authors to get them to deliver their pages on time, and it probably wasn't great for his karma.

"Good afternoon, sensei," he said quietly, holding the bag of groceries up for Ijuuin to see. "I got what you wanted."

When the assistants realized that someone was there to get the pages, every single one, including the ones who'd been laying on the floor, immediately stampeded for the door. They were at least courteous enough to telling him to have a good day, but that was about it. He couldn't blame them. He knew from experience they were probably both starving and in need of showers. And possibly hadn't had sex in weeks.

Not that his own sex life was much better, if he had to admit it. He wouldn't be admitting that to the man before him, though.

"Come in, Kiwi. I'll make us dinner to celebrate." He waved for Shizuko to come in and had disappeared into the kitchen before Shizuko could protest. Or point out that it was four in the afternoon. Ijuuin's sense of time was probably thrown off from the monthly round of late nights, so he'd give him this one, at least.

"I saw someone at the store you know, by the way," Shizuko said as he slipped into one of the chairs at the kitchen table and watched Ijuuin move around the kitchen, trying to decide what he wanted to make for them. When he turned to look at him, Shizuko added, "The new worker at Japun…"

"Ah, Takahashi-kun." A grin spread over Ijuuin's face, one that Shizuko knew had never been directed at him.

"Yes. He was with Usami-sensei." He waited for Ijuuin to have some kind of reaction. When he didn't, Shizuko went on with, "I… didn't know they live together."

"I did." Ijuuin said it so casually as he finally pulled the package of noodles out of the bag and went to get a pot to boil them in. "They're lovers, right? It's how we met, kind of. He was in Marukawa with Usami one day and helped me out."

There was a long moment of silence as Shizuko tried to process all of this. Ijuuin knew about them so long and yet… he was still chasing after him, as if he thought he had a chance?

Finally a scowl spread over his face, and he stood up so fast that the chair he'd been sitting in toppled to the floor. Ijuuin turned to look at him, blinking in a confused sort of way. "I am so sick and tired of you being so fucking dense," Shizuko said, and he left the kitchen and slammed the front door behind him before Ijuuin could even ask what he'd done wrong.

Kirishima could go and get the pages. Shizuko was going home.