Somehow, things had managed to flip themselves around, and Ryo had not been able to figure why. He just knew he was chasing Shuichi outside and down the street. The former singer had looked so crush at catching Rose kiss him and Ryo not fighting back. He had not wanted his boss to kiss him, if he were to be honest with himself, and he had realised it the moment his eyes had met Shuichi's. Rose had been wrong and so had he. Ryo just hoped he did not pay too dear of a price for a small discretion on his part. He liked having Shuichi around. It eased the ache in his heart, not completely, but enough to know he felt comfortable with the younger man around. He just had to catch up with Shuichi and to . . .

"Do what? Apologize for something you didn't do? You're an idiot."

"I'm still gonna try. I have to. I can't lose him."

"And why is that? Why can't you lose him? What's so special about him and not the one who kissed you?"

"I don't know . . ."

"Then why are you bothering?"

Ryo did not have an answer for that, and he doubted he ever would. He just knew he had to try or he would regret not trying. Dee had taught him as much.

"Shuichi!"

The lithe form ahead of him paused and turned around. Pale cheeks were flushed a faint pink, and amethyst-coloured eyes flashed with some kind of emotion. Ryo was too far behind Shuichi to discern what the emotion was, but the distance was decreasing rapidly. Then he saw white. Quite literally, he saw white, and his face felt cold and wet. It took him a moment to realise he had been hit with a snowball, and Ryo wiped his face off. He looked around for Shuichi, only to have another ball of snow hit him the moment his gaze landed on the younger man. Another look told him the snowball culprit was Shuichi. The younger man was quickly grabbing at whatever snow he could and balling it up to throw.

'Okay, he's upset.'

Ryo knew that was an understatement, but he just did not know why. It was not like he and Shuichi were a couple or anything, though the younger man's behaviour was suspicious in Ryo's mind. There were little things Shuichi did that seemed to indicate he might, such as an accidental contact of skin, catching Ryo the moment he was under the mistletoe but only giving a slight kiss on the cheek . . . It screamed loudly that perhaps the former vocalist felt more for him than just friendship. After all, if Shuichi just saw him as a friend and a confidant, would he be acting like this? Ryo did not think so. He held his hands up in a placating manner and approached the dark-haired man once more.

"Shuichi . . ."

The third snowball dropped to the ground the moment Ryo spoke, and a bitter-sounding chuckle escaped Shuichi. The younger man shook his head.

"I'm being a fool, huh? I should have known you'd have someone special . . ." Tears started to form on the other man's face. "I just wish I would have seen it sooner."

Ryo wrapped his arms around Shuichi the moment he reached the former vocalist, and he pulled him close. Inwardly, he cursed his own, momentary weakness in the matter, though he still did not understand why.

"Shhhh . . . I don't have anyone special, Shu . . . I don't . . . I promise you that."

For a moment, he thought that Shuichi did not believe him. He would not have believed himself, either, if he had been the one to walk in on someone kissing his roommate, and if Ryo's suspicions about Shuichi's behaviour were correct . . .

The former vocalist lifted his head. Ryo gazed into violet eyes, eyes that were seeking reassurance and held hope.

"He's not . . ."

"No." Ryo shook his head. "I think I was under the mistletoe." He winced as he spoke. It was the only other logical reason for Rose kissing him in his own home, aside from the man's feelings for him.

"Oh . . ." Then Shuichi laughed a little in embarrassment. "Guess I was overreacting, wasn't I? Not that I have any reason to do so . . . Oh hell."

Before Ryo could respond or even react, he found himself being kissed for the second time that day, and a warm feeling spread throughout his body . . .