Me: PCHOOO! I am back! *throws arms up and blows a kazoo*

Hiroki: *arms folded, frowning deeply*

Misaki: *worried squirming*

Me: What's wrong with you two today?

Hiroki: THE SAME THING THAT'S BEEN WRONG WITH US FOR THE LAST YEAR!

Me: Ouch, harsh.

Misaki: All that work for nothiiiiiing!

Me: Is he talking about the deleted chapter?

Hiroki: What else would he be talking about?!

Me: Hmm... you know... these scenes with the three of us seem to be getting too... – what's the woord... – self-indulgent...? *grabs the white out*

Misaki: *gaasp!*

Hiroki: You wouldn't dare...

Me: Or would I~? Mwahahahahaha-... You're right. God damn you. *puts white out away*

(IMPORTANT: If you have not read the recently edited chapter 4 please go read that now. It has been completely modified and you may or may not miss something if you skip it.)

Short chapter (more like an intermission – it's that short), but enjoy~!

Chapter 5: Homeward

"Aren't you going to help me?" Misaki grumbled.

"Not if I don't have to." Shinobu answered, expression neutral.

"And if I said you do have to...?" Misaki asked.

"Then, I wouldn't believe you." Shinobu said, turning his head away as if the subject had been dropped.

Misaki groaned. "They're your clothes too!" he yelled, tossing a stray shirt at the stubborn dirty blonde. But Shinobu dodged the balled up article, tossing it back to the brunette once it had landed on the floor.

"There, I helped." Shinbou mumbled as he yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"Shinobu-san if you don't help I'm not going to pack your things at all." Misaki threatened, stuffing more clothes into the suitcase.

This time Shinobu was the one to let out a small groan. He then trudged over to where Misaki sat on the floor and started picking up clothes to shove into the suit case.

It was their last day on their vacation and Misaki's brother had woken them both up extra early in order to pack up all their things. And that didn't settle well with the two boys.

They packed their things in a sleepy daze, only waking up at all when Takahiro came up and accidentally startled them, by which time they had finished packing and were starting to doze off again.

Takahiro helped them carry their bags down to the lobby where Manami was waiting with their luggage. That was when Takahiro gave them their things back and they waited outside for a taxi that Takahiro called for.

All the while Misaki squirmed, guilt weighing heavy on his heart. He had to tell his brother what was going on. He had to tell him he was in a relationship and with another man no less! It was going to be the hardest and most procrastinated thing the brunette had ever done, but it was one of those things he knew there was no getting out of.

Shinobu saw Misaki's discomfort and patted him on the shoulder. "Just tell him." he whispered. "It's no big deal."

"That's easy for you to say!" Misaki hissed. "I've never h-had to tell him anything like this. I mean, I have I suppose, but this is a lot more serious than coming home with a bad grade o-or burning ramen!"

"How do you burn rame-"

"What if he doesn't approve?!"

There was a short pause in the conversation before Shinobu sighed and placed his other hand on Misaki's other shoulder, turning the shorter man towards him. Misaki panicked slightly, eyes darting over to glance at his brother. He was currently far enough away and distracted. Good.

"Misaki, this is Takahiro we're talking about." Shinobu whispered a bit louder than before, but still not loud enough for the other two to notice. "I don't know him well, but I'm sure it's safe to say he's not going to get angry at you."

Misaki opened his mouth to say something but Shinobu continued.

"Besides, what would he even have to be angry about? So his brother is dating now. He's not going to mind! You an adult!"

Misaki's brow furrowed. "He'd be angry about the fact that I'm dating a guy and that I kept... it... from him..." Misaki's shoulders sagged as he came to the end of his statement. The inevitable truth of it all was that he had dug his own grave from the start.

Shinobu stared at him for a moment then shook his head. "Just talk to him, Misaki." Shinobu placed a quick peck on his boyfriend's cheek before dropping both of his arms and stepping away. "Everything's going to be fine." And with that he walked away.

Misaki watched him walk over to Takahiro and Manami. He stared at Shinobu's back, confused as he chatted with the both of them for a few minutes before leading Manami away. Suddenly, Misaki was a lot less confused, and a lot more nervous.

Misaki gave it a few more moments, staring at anything but his brother. It wasn't until his eyes caught sight of Shinobu's glaring at him as if to say "don't make me come back over there" that he started inching, as slowly as he could, towards Takahiro.

"N-nii-san...," Misaki began, voice hushed as he stood right behind him. Shinobu and Manami were currently talking about their favorite dishes about ten feet away.

"Ah, Misaki!" Takahiro cheered, voice chipper as he turned around to face Misaki. "I was starting to wonder where you went!" he said with a chuckle.

"I have something to tell you." Misaki mumbled, fumbling with the strap to his messenger bag.

"Okay. Go ahead!" Takahiro smiled and Misaki was finding it harder and harder to simply keep his knees from shaking.

"I- uhh..., well, you see..." Misaki stuttered, staring at his shoes.

"Are you okay, Misaki?" his brother asked, concern weighing down on his features.

"Yes, I'm f-fine." Misaki muttered, brow knitting. Why couldn't he just come out with it?

There was a pause as Misaki thought hard on what he was going to say next and in that time Takahiro stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his little brother's shoulders.

"Nii-san?" Misaki squeaked, confused by the sudden action that had disrupted his train thought.

"You know you can tell me anything, right, Misaki?" Takahiro asked, voice soft, but much more serious than normal.

"Y-yes." Misaki replied, surprise overruling guilt in his voice.

"Anything you're having trouble with or want to get off your chest?"

"Yes..." Misaki muttered, guilt finally showing.

"And you know I'll accept any decisions you make, right?" Takahiro's voice was becoming much more soft than before and it caused Misaki's throat to knot up. Not trusting his voice, he just nodded into his brother's shoulder.

"So if you, say, started dating your roommate, you know I wouldn't mind, right?"

"W-WHAT?!" Misaki shrieked, head flying off Takahiro's shoulder to stare wide-eyed at his brother.

Takahiro looked surprised as well. "You... you are dating Shinobu-san, right? Or was I misinformed?"

"M-m-m-misi-i-informed?!" Misaki stuttered, a stale tear rolling down his cheek, but he wasn't feeling the least bit choked up now.

Behind Takahiro, Misaki could hear snickering. With one peer around Takahiro's shoulder Misaki could see Shinobu with his hand covering his mouth, looking right back at him.

"SHINOBU!" Misaki screamed, rage piquing as he broke out of his brother's embrace to run at his boyfriend. Getting the hint quickly, Shinobu twirled away from Manami in favor of getting a head start on running for his life.

Behind the two boys Shinobu could hear his boyfriend's siblings laughing, as he himself was, but with a note of fear in his voice as Misaki continued to peruse him, rage all burning in the brunette's eyes.

He'd thank him eventually.

Unbeknownst to the happy group, in a nearby ally, a pitch black limo's passenger seat window rolls up slowly. A man clad in black grabs a intercom, muttering a few descriptive details to a man in another limo, stationed elsewhere, as a taxi parks and the limo drives away.

Gotta love a good cliff-hanger. God I missed making those~