"Would you deliver this up, please?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, of course." Misaki looked at the stack of paper. It was covered in drawings, a couple of things marked out with red Xs, speech bubble switches, all that stuff. "Um, where do you want"- he asked, but nobody was listening.

Ah well. I better find it myself, and fast before anybody notices I'm missing.

Misaki got out of the elevator and looked around. He hadn't been on this floor that much, the place was covered with paper hearts and pink everywhere, flowers in vases, teddy bears that looked like they belonged in Usagi's collection.

"Oh? Is that the rough copy?" Misaki turned to see a man who looked to be a little older than him, but not much taller, with brown hair and similar-colored green eyes.

"Yeah," Misaki said. "I'm Misaki Takahashi."

"Nice to meet you, Takahashi. I'm Onodera Ritsu, but you can call me Ricchan." He grimaced. "Well, some of my coworkers do, at least."

Misaki laughed. "Um, is this...?"

"Emerald Publishing," 'Ricchan' replied.

"The office is very nice," Misaki commented.

"It's that time again..."

"Beg your pardon?"

"Oh, nothing." Onodera shook his head. "Well, I'm sure I'll be seeing you around again, Takahashi."

"Yes, yes. Goodbye."

Misaki got in the elevator. When he saw who was coming, he tried to discreetly close the elevator, but it didn't work.

"Takahashi-kun?"

"I-Ijuuin-sensei. I'm sorry about yesterday... I honestly didn't know Usagi-san was"-

"It's fine." Ijuuin laughed. "Honestly Misaki, you worry too much!" Ijuuin reached out to touch Misaki's face, and-

Ding.

The elevator opened and there stood Aikawa, smiling pleasantly. "Oh! Ijuuin-sensei, Misaki-kun [1]!"

Misaki moved away awkwardly. "Hello, Aikawa-san." He was praying Aikawa wouldn't mention this little... incident... to Usagi.

When the elevator stopped again, Ijuuin got off, waving. "Bye."

"Yeah... bye." The second the door closed, Aikawa turned to Misaki. "What was that?"

Misaki tried to maintain composure. "What was what?"

"Usami"-

"Don't mention it," Misaki said. "Please, Aikawa-san. Please."

She sighed dramatically. "You're the focus of his novels, Misaki-kun! If he loses you..."

"Is that all I am? A way to sell Usagi-san's novels?"

"I didn't mean it like that." Aikawa set a box of files down on her desk. "But you're going to have to be more careful."

"What?" Aikawa wasn't acting like the cheerful, ditzy fangirl she usually was.

"You heard me." Aikawa turned back. "Usami's suspicious at the moment. You know how he is, but this? Let me tell you, the jealousy between Usami and Ijuuin runs deep." With that, she walked off, leaving Misaki alone and confused.

"What would you like for dinner?" Misaki stood at the stove, cutting up vegetables. "We still have some salmon..."

"That's fine," Usagi said. "Sounds fine."

Hmm. That's odd. It's already seven o'clock and there have been no perverted comments, no rude teasing... is Usagi-san turning over a new leaf?

Misaki realized Usagi was quiet, silently smoking his cigarette, reading.

"Usagi-san? Are you okay?" The sizzle of food was the only noise.

"Misaki..." Usagi frowned. "Misaki, are you cheating on me?"

Is THIS what Aikawa meant? Misaki wondered. Hadn't Aikawa said Usagi was worried about something like this?

"No! Why would you think that?"

"You and Ijuuin"-

"Usagi-san, I swear. It's work, remember? Remember I rejected him." Misaki fidgeted nervously.

"Do you love me, Misaki?"

Misaki laughed. "W-what? Why are you asking me?"

"Just say it."

"No, no"-

"Misaki..."

"It's embarrassing!"

"..."

"I'm going to bed," Misaki huffed, storming off and slamming his door.

A/N- Woo hoo. Another chapter. Ohhh and!

[1]- I couldn't recall what Aikawa calls Misaki, and I was too lazy to look it up, so you're getting Misaki-kun. If it's right, it's right, if it's not, sorry.