So yeah. I had to retype this, and I'm pretty pissed, because I loved how it came out at first, and it took me about six hours to do. I apologize for how bad this is, but I just wanted to get this out of the way completely so I'd never ever have to do this again and just ugghhhhhhh.

It didn't take Kisa long to find Ritsu among the crowd - and, when he did, he wrapped an arm tight round the brunette's waist and turned him around, beginning to tug him away.

Ritsu gave a sigh, though didn't turn to look at the older man, staring ahead, "Shouldn't you be at work, Kisa-san,"

Kisa laughed in response, "I could ask you the same thing, Ricchan." he replied with, and, unable to think of a comeback to this, Ritsu just allowed the veteran editor to pull him on his way.

"Come on, Ricchan, we'll stop and get something to eat before we head back to work."

I don't believe I ever said I was going back to work, Kisa-san.

Kisa pulled him into a cafe he seemed all to familiar with, sitting themselves in a back corner booth. Ritsu sighed, sitting down, pulling his bag off his shoulder and dropping it beside him as Kisa slid in across from him.

"So, Ricchan, you've been acting weird for a week now. Is everything alright?" Kisa asked, and Ritsu scoffed, taking a menu from in-between salt and pepper shakers.

"Everything's fine." Ritsu replied with, opening the menu and looking down at it in favor of facing Kisa. When he went uncharacteristically quiet, Ritsu dared a glance up at him, starting at the dark aura suddenly radiating off the older man.

"Come-on-Ric-chan, ju-st-te-ll-m-e!" he added extra syllabols to his words, in a sing song voice that was not kind.

And they told him to watch out for Mino.

Luckily, however, Ritsu was saved from Kisa by their waitress, who bounced happily over to the two of them, notepad in hand. "Ohayo gozaimasu!" she greeted, and the two men were unsure if she was flirting or just overly nice, "Are you ready to order, gentlemen?"

Ritsu glanced up at the girl when all Kisa did was stare at him, "Oh, um... A order of French toast." he sighed, his growling stomach getting the best of him, "Ano... Coffee, please. Black."

Kisa pushed away his menu he had not even bothered to look at, "Black coffee, too. And chocolate cake." he ordered without even pausing to think over his, and the girl jotted it down, opening her mouth to ask 'Will that be all?' when Kisa shooed her away.

She walked off, slightly offended, and Ritsu opened his mouth to speak before Kisa could. "What about your diet, Kisa-san?"

Kisa gave Ritsu such a look, and he could only imagine it saying 'God dammit Ricchan don't start with me.'

"What's wrong with you, Ricchan? You haven't been acting yourself." Kisa said with a sigh after a moment.

Ritsu shook his head, "Really, Kisa-san, it's nothing. I just have had trouble sleeping lately, that's all." he said, and Kisa nodded.

"Bad dreams?"

Ritsu thought for a moment, "Yes." he said after a moment, "I guess you could say so."

They fell into a comfortable silence as the waitress brought their coffee, assuring them that their food would be out in a few moments. Kisa took a drink of his coffee, managing to burn his tongue with a cuss, waving away Ritsu's hand the same way he'd done to the waitress when she'd taken their orders, holding up a napkin to his mouth as their waitress brought their food. After thanking her and sending her on her way, they relapsed back into that comfortable silence, Kisa being to one to break it, holding up his fork.

"Ricchan," he said, and the brunette's attention was drawn up to him, "Do these dreams happen to be about Takano?"

Ritsu's face flushed, and he panicked for a brief moment, looking everywhere but Kisa; his steaming cup of coffee; the menus held up by the salt and pepper shakers; his plate; his lap, and that was all of an answer Kisa needed.

The noirette chuckled, "Don't worry about it, Ricchan," he said, "I promise not to say anything if you promise not to tell anybody that I've cheated on my diet."

Kisa beamed at his friend, who suddenly was overwhelmed with such a thankful feeling he couldn't place for the veteran editor.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Kisa-san."

Sadly, for the members of the Emerald department, Kisa's previous remark of a road trip had been correct. None of them could afford plane tickets at the moment, and they had all decided car pooling to be the most efficient way of traveling at the moment, though none expected this to be so awful, having to wake up at three o'clock to trudge down to Marukawa with their suitcases in hand to meet Hatori, the only one whose car could fit five grown men. Gathering in the publishing building's parking lot, Kisa had given such a large yawn for such a tiny body before turning on his heel, beginning to trudge back to Yukina's car, when Takano grabbed him by his collar.

"And where do you think you're going?" he had hissed.

Kisa had let out a squeak, before pointing a slim finger to his ride, "I was going to ride with Yukina." he said, and at that Takano had thrown such a fit that the rest of the department was able to push through their groggy thoughts with the wish of a video camera, unable to fathom cellphones at such an early hour.

"No! What you're going to do is turn around and get in Hatori's fucking car, because, last time I checked, this bullshit road trip was your idea, and I'll be damned if the rest of us have to suffer and you don't!"

Kisa had given a bark of laughter, the Maiden department covering their ears at such a joyous noise as he turned back round and headed to Yukina's car, rousing the already-napping boy, who's snores were becoming louder and louder.

With their goodbyes said, Kisa was on his way to head back to Hatori's car when Yukina's arms snaked against the smaller man's waist, effectively trapping him, the brunette boy looking close to tears.

"But Kisa-saannnnnnnn!" he whined out.

"Yes, Yukina-saannnnnnn?" Kisa mocked, though Yukina found this more adorable than anything.

"I'll miss you!"

Kisa had sighed, "I'll miss you too."

"I love you!" Yukina nuzzled against Kisa's stomach from his still sitting position in the car.

"I love you too, Yukina-san." Kisa sighed again, though the boy seemed more than settled with this answer, releasing the noirette man and giving a spastic wave as Kisa returned to his colleagues, his suitcase left with Yukina.

An hour later into their trip, however, and they were beginning to wish they'd pawned Kisa off to Yukina. They'd all learned that Kisa had a very bad habit of backseat driving, from his position in-between Ritsu and Mino in the back, Takano in the passenger's seat and Hatori in the driver's. Ritsu was slightly shocked Hatori hadn't pulled over and ordered Kisa to get out and walk yet, though every time he came close too, hands gripping the steering wheel until they'd turn white, Kisa would quiet down for the next few minutes until Hatori had seemed to calm down.

A hour and a half into their trip, Kisa had fallen suddenly quiet for the past fifteen minutes. Glancing over from the window, Ritsu saw Kisa leaning on Mino's shoulder, the two of them passed out against each other, though hesitated when he heard a light melody coming from something besides the radio (which Hatori had turned off after listening to Kisa complain that there was nothing good on at four in the morning, with a look in his eyes that said I will turn this car around right now, Kisa.) and - yup.

Kisa was humming in his sleep.

Hatori continued rushing down the hallway, attempting to shake the girl behind him, who's heeled shoes clacked against the floor with each step, a constant reminder that where was there, and that she had not given up.

"Monsieur Hatori, please, Monsieur Hatori...!" she continued begging, and he shook his head at her, though didn't bother to turn and address her.

"Madame, please stop asking me, I know no more than anyone else."

He attempted to turn a corner in an attempt to lose her, though her hand grabbed onto his arm, stopping him, "Please, Monsieur, that's not true, and you know it. You've seen something."

Hatori viciously yanked his arm back away from her, though when he spoke his voice shook, "I don't know what I've seen! Now, once again, please stop questioning me, Madame!"

An however did not relent, "Monsieur, please, for all our sakes..."

He opened his mouth to speak, then quickly closed it, brown eyes looking around at the surrounding walls, "... Very well, Madame. It was so many years ago... A traveling fair came to my village..."

An nodded encouragingly, "Please, go on, Monsieur."

He took a breath, nodding back, "I'll never forget, he was always placed in front of a typewriter, only moved to different instruments like a rag doll... He was a prodigy, Madame, a scholar, an architect, a musician-"

An cut him off, "And a composer."

"An inventor, too, Madame."

"Was he... deformed?"

Hatori gave a start, shaking his head, "What? No, if anything, his face lacked a teenager's blemishes. That is..."

"That is until what, Monsieur?"

"... He had a blow out with his parents, the fair's ringleaders, when he went... missing. He... escaped. They never did find him - he was presumed dead."

"But he's not dead, is he?"

Hatori shivered, shaking his head, "Everyone forgot him, but I never can..." He shook his head, "I - Madame, please excuse me, I have said too much." He turned back down the hall, hurrying off before she could follow him, "And there have been far too many accidents..."

An scoffed, "Accidents?!" she snapped, indignant, sarcastic, and Hatori's head nodded, refusing to look back once again.

"Far too many..."

The ballet mister disappeared into the shadows of the hallway before she could say any more, and she suddenly felt very exposed in the dark halls of the opera house.

"W-wait, Monsieur Hatori...!"

Kaoru held his head in his hand as he flipped through the manuscript on the desk before him, Ryuichiro pacing in the center of the room, back and forth, back and forth, creating a tread in the carpet.

"This score is completely ludicrous..." Kaoru muttered, letting it close shut.

Ryuichiro threw his hands up in the arm, "Simply ludicrous! This is the final straw, Kaoru, I've had enough!"

Kaoru gave a sigh, holding his head with both hands now, "But we can't ignore his demands..." he muttered, "We can't have another incident like the chandelier..."

Ryuichiro sighed, stepping over to the desk, one hand placed on his lover's back, rubbing comforting circles while the other reached forward to and pile of envelopes, "Look at what we have here, Kaoru..."

The brunette sighed, claiming the one addressed to him and unfolding it.

"Dearest Asahina! As for the orchestra!

We are in need of another first bassoon, and I want you to get rid of that third trombone, the one always dropping his instrument!

Yukina is much to kind with his band, they need to be critiqued to a harsher extent.

Please fix the band's tuning as quickly as possible, or else I will take care of that."

Ryuichiro's hand stayed on his lover's back as he opened and read his letter.

"Dear Isaka,

Now to fix the choir! I wished they knew what a tone was.

Please get rid of those who are not familiar with it; as I said for the band, if you'd prefer I could always deal with them.

Ahh, but, luckily for you, I've assigned minor roles to those who

cannot act."

As if on cue, Yokozawa shoved open the managers' door, letter flying in his hand, Kirishima close behind him, attempting to calm the soprano down.

"This is an outrage!" the man hissed, and Kaoru stood with a sigh.

"What is it now, Monsieur?"

"This whole affair is an outrage; this opera; this house; an outrage!" To emphasize, Yokozawa slammed his hand fan shut.

Ryuichiro sighed, "Monsieur, please..."

Kaoru's hands went up, as if this action would calm the Wild Horse, "Now, now, what seems to be wrong?"

Yokozawa held up his script to their faces, "Have you seen the size of my role?!"

Kirishima gave a sigh, attempting to pry the poor hand fan from Yokozawa's tight grip, "It is an insult."

Ryuichiro blanched, "Not you too!"

Yokozawa threw his script down to Ryuichiro's desk, "The things I dare do for my art, if you could call that piece of trash art!"

Drawn by the commotion, the star of the opera stepped into his managers' office as well, An close at his hip, holding onto his dress. At the sight of the brunette, Yokozawa noticeably seemed taller, bristling.

"If it isn't our little day dreamer!" he hissed.

Ryuichiro glanced over Yokozawa's shoulder, "Onodera-kun! Quite the man of the hour, are we not?"

Kaoru sighed, explaining the higher manager, "You are assigned the leading role of Don Juan."

Yokozawa scoffed, flicking back open the hand fan Kirishima had not managed to remove from him, covering his mouth, "Onodera Ritsu! He doesn't have the voice!"

Kaoru turned to the Prima Donna, who looked away almost immediately, head held high behind that fan, "Monsieur, please!"

An hesitated, "Does that mean you're agreeing with all this?"

Kaoru gave a sigh, "It seems we no longer have a say, Madame."

Yokozawa's fan snapped shut again, and he directed it to the opera star who'd walked in along side the Victemesse, "He has to be the one behind this!"

Ritsu hesitated, before he brushed An off of him, stalking across the room to stand in front of Yokozawa, "How dare you accuse me!" he hissed.

Yokozawa gave a laugh, not backing down, "You may have the rest of them tricked, but I am not as foolish as the rest of them!"

Ritsu's shoulders set back, "You're evil!"

Yokozawa scoffed, the fan snapping back open, as if he could not bear to breathe the same air as the opera star, "Do you think I'm blind?!"

"None of this is my fault!" Ritsu yelled, "I don't want to have any part in his plot!"

All the eyes in the room went to him, and Kaoru paled, "B-but, he says...!"

Ryuichiro squeezed the man's hand, "It is your choice, but... Why?"

Kaoru ignored his lover at his side, "You have a duty!" he snapped, loud and clear, eyes turning to look at him as well.

Ritsu shook his head, "I cannot sing it, I refuse to sing, duty or not!"

There was a rapping on the door, announcing the arrival of the ballet mister as he walked in, head held high, Kisa trailing after him, "Gentlemen," said Hatori, reaching into his coat and retrieving a letter, "Another note."

Ryuichiro nodded, "Read it." he instructed, and the brunette nodded, clearing his throat before he spoke, reading from the letter.

"Good evening to you all! Ah, but a few instructions before we begin tonight's rehearsal.

Dear Yokozawa must be taught how to act! not to strut around the stage as he does.

And our Don Juan must learn not to drink so much, it's not healthy for someone of Kirishima's age.

And as for the managers of my house:

They must learn that their place is at a desk! and not in the arts...

And as for our star, Sir Onodera Ritsu...

There's no doubt he'll do his best. His voice is amazing, though he still has much to learn...

I wonder if he'll let return as his teacher, or if pride will get the best of him.

Your obedient friend...

... and Angel..."

"We've all been so blind - the answer is staring us right in the face, gentlemen!"

Everyone hesitated, turning to look at the beaming An, "We'll have the change to capture our clever angel!"

Kaoru blinked, looking at Ryuichiro, who nodded to the girl, "We're listening."

"We'll play his opera - if Ricchan performs, he'll show up for sure, right?"

Kaoru hesitated, squeezing Ryuichiro's hand, "We'd just have to bar the doors...

Ryuichiro hesitated, nodding with his lover, "Our security will be there, of course armed..."

An smiled, "With that, his time will end!"

Hatori hesitated, Kisa gripping onto his arm at the outburst beginning to form. "Madness!" he declared, and Ryuichiro shook his head.

"Not if it works."

The ballet mister growled, eyes narrowed, "This is madness! You can't truly expect it to just end this easily!"

"Perhaps you should stick to ballet!" Ryuichiro suddenly snapped, and Hatori reared up, about to respond when An opened her mouth.

"You should help us, Monsieur, in stead of warning us!"

Hatori hesitated, head shaking, "Madame, I can't... I wish I could..."

"Don't make excuses!"

"Or perhaps you're on his side!"

Hatori glared at the Victomesse's accusation, "Madame, believe me, if I intended ill will on any of you, I would of carried it out years ago," before turning to his managers, "Gentlemen, please! We've seen him kill with our own eyes!"

Ritsu finally spoke up, "All of you, stop! You cannot make me perform if I refuse, and I will not go back to that stage... He'll take me, I know it... What I used to dream is now what I dread!"

The voices calmed down, and only Yokozawa was the one to speak, from behind his fan.

"Hmph. He's mad, I told you all this to begin with."

An hesitated, stepping forward, though the opera star took one step back away from her, "Ricchan, please, we'll be free..."

Ritsu grimaced, turning to look away; he walked away, brushing past the ballet mister and the dancer Kisa, "What are my options now?" he said simply, and walked off, not bothering to turn back round at An and Kisa's cries.

Ritsu awoke to elbows jabbing into his rib cage; he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, glancing down and seeing Kisa had moved from Mino to the newbie editor. Kisa's eyes blinked open when he felt Ritsu readjusting himself, on the verge of falling back to sleep, before he turned and snuggled himself deeper into the brunette's chest.

"Hey, Ricchan," murmured Kisa.

"Mmhm?" Ritsu mumbled back.

"You were humming in your sleep." Kisa gave a sleepy smile, able to feel the vibrations the Ritsu's response against his cheek.

Ritsu hesitated, before he simply nodded in response - he felt no need to alert the noirette that he had similar sleeping patterns, and, he supposed if he was unable to run from these persistent dreams, he might as well embrace them.

"Yes," Ritsu said after a moment, "Yes, Kisa-san, I guess I was."

Okay. It's 4:30. Sorry for any mistakes, and I promise the next chapter will be better! :D

SaySaeri: Right?! Poor Ricchan! D:

nekocandy4life: Don't worry, I'm gonna explain that soon! :D

loopyhutton: I'm glad! :D