Gene returned to Starwind & Hawking's the next morning, after dropping Fred off at his office. They had both fallen asleep at the beach during their date, after having so much fun. But now it was time to return to a normal day of work, and then relaxation.
"Good morning Gene, and welcome back", Melfina greeted as Gene entered. Gene gave her a soft smile and a gentle nod, then sat down on the couch. Jim was busy eating breakfast, while Melfina was busy cooking up more breakfast.
"Where'd you two go last night? You were out pretty late", Jim asked, glancing at Gene. He had accepted Gene's decision by now once he realized that Gene was really keen on having this relationship.
"We went for a walk, and then to the beach. We kind of fell asleep there, that's why I just got in", Gene replied, giving a nervous chuckle. Jim just smiled a bit and shook his head, while it seemed Melfina wasn't even listening.
Melfina brought Gene in some breakfast, in which Gene accepted gratefully, and began eating. There was some silence as Gene and Melfina ate, since Melfina had made too much food for one person. Finally, Jim stood up, and headed over to his computer.
Gene went and lied on the couch after he was finished with his breakfast, and just lied there. There was some more silence, until Jim broke it by making a small noise of concentration.
"So..we have enough of these, but we'll be running short of those soon. Then we have to look for more of these...", he mumbled, browsing through information on his computer. Gene glanced over at Jim, then slowly sat up.
"What are you talking about over there?", Gene asked. Jim turned in his seat and looked over at Gene after he was finished with his browsing. He stared at Gene for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, then finally said it.
"Hey Gene, why don't we go out and look around to see if we can get a deal on some parts? You don't want to ALWAYS rely on Fred, do you?", Jim asked, lowering his eyebrows a bit. This caused Gene to chuckle a bit.
"Yeah...I know. We should do that though, so we can actually say we're out on business", Gene replied, moving to stand up. He then stopped, as a sharp pain went up his back, causing him to wince.
"You okay?", Jim asked, before Gene finally stood up completely. Gene nodded over to Jim, and started heading over to grab something.
"I must've slept wrong last night, I'll have to remind a certain someone that we have to try not to fall asleep outside without some form of shelter", Gene replied, grabbing some keys. He headed to the door, Jim and Melfina following him. Once they were outside, Gene locked the door behind them, and they headed off in Jim's car.
--------------------------------------SCENE CHANGE--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gene drove through the city to save a long walk, and Jim and Melfina just looked outside at the various stores and buildings they passed. Gene couldn't help but smile as he felt at peace in the city, even though he didn't really fit in with most of the other citizens.
"Hey Gene, let's take a look in there", Jim said suddenly, pointing to a store on the left side of the street. Gene pulled over and parked near the store, and everyone got out. They headed into the store, which was full of ship parts and supplies.
Gene and Jim split up and searched different sections of the store, with Melfina following Jim. Gene looked around as he passed different kinds of ship parts. He then frowned as he noticed the prices, then sighed. Luckily I can get better parts from Fred...but I can't keep relying on him, I know what he'll say. I need to start looking out for myself, like I promised him I would, he thought to himself.
Jim came up to him after a few minutes of browsing around, holding a part in his hand. "Look at this Gene, and it's on sale", he said, holding out the part. Gene took it and looked it over. It was a part for the engine, and it looked pretty good.
"Are they really putting this on sale? Must be a catch of some sort", Gene added, looking it over some more. Finally, he handed the part to Jim again, heading toward the counter. "Let's get it", he said.
Gene paid for the part, then headed out of the store with the others. "Where should we go next?", Jim asked. Gene looked around, then rubbed his head.
"Let's drive around until we can find something", Gene replied after a moment, getting into the car. Jim and Melfina shrugged, then got into the car with Gene. Gene drove off into the city some more.
They stopped at certain areas, window shopping and actually shopping. They ate lunch when it got to be mid-afternoon, and then decided to head back when it was getting closer to the evening.
Gene happened to look over as they drove back to Starwind & Hawkings and caught a glimpse of Fred's building, and just smiled. Soon, they arrived back at Starwind & Hawkings and headed inside.
------------------------------------ANOTHER SCENE CHANGE-----------------------------------------------------------
Gene sighed as he flopped onto the couch and lied there. Melfina smiled at Gene as he lied there, while Jim was busy looking over the part they had bought.
"I'll make us some dinner", Melfina said after a moment, then went into the kitchen to prepare some dinner. Ashia decided that was the best moment to appear beside Gene.
"Hey there! Long night with your boyfriend huh? Bet he took good care of you really well since you seem so tired", she said in a teasing tone. Gene made an annoyed face at her, then turned his head away from her.
"I already explained this..I don't need to repeat it", Gene simply replied, as the smells of dinner filled the room. Gene slowly sat up, smiling at the delicious smells. He got up and went into the kitchen to watch Melfina cook.
Melfina smiled sweetly as Gene watched her cook, and served it when it was ready. As everyone sat down to eat, Jim spoke up.
"By the way Gene, you have a message waiting for you", he stated, eating up his food. Gene looked over at him, then finished eating before going over to the computer. He pressed a button on the keyboard, and a screen appeared, showing the face of Fred.
"Hello everyone! Just calling to check up on you guys and see how you're coming along. Anyways, I have something I'd like Gene to see, so please come visit when you get this Gene. I'll be waiting, bye now!", Fred said in a cheerful tone, waving to the screen after he finished speaking.
Gene closed his eyes and gave a small smirk, then walked over and grabbed his coat. "I'm being summoned, be back whenever", he said to everyone. Jim and Ashia shared knowing looks, then Ashia covered her mouth to stifle a snicker.
Gene headed out and began walking, not feeling up to driving to Fred's place. It took him about four long, but worthwhile, hours to get to Fred's place. He sighed once he got to the building, and headed in.
----------------------------------MORE SCENE CHANGES-----------------------------------------------------------------
Gene rode the elevator up to the top floor of Fred's building, knowing exactly why Fred had called him in. The elevator finally gave a soft beep, and the doors opened. Gene stepped out of the elevator, and headed down the hallway to Fred's office, passing through the metal detectors.
The two guards at the door automatically let Gene enter, in which Gene did. At hearing the door open, Fred looked over, and smiled instantly.
"Gene! You got my message, I'm so glad you came here", he said cheerfully, running over and hugging Gene tightly. Gene just smiled and returned Fred's hug, rubbing his head a bit.
"I'll never get a day off without having to see you, will I?", Gene teased, smirking a bit. Fred looked into Gene's eyes, then kissed him. Gene returned the kiss, smiling gently.
"Not really, because I'll keep you busy any ways", Fred retorted in a teasing tone, then heading over to sit down. Gene sat down as well, and crossed his arms.
"What is it you wanted me to see? Or is this just a pleasure visit?", Gene asked, looking at Fred now. Fred typed something into his laptop, and turned it around to show Gene.
"Take a look at this, it's a new product. It's going on the market tomorrow, and I'm going to be one of the first to receive shipments of it. I wanted you to see it, just in case you'd be interested", Fred replied, pointing out the products.
Gene looked them over, and showed some interest on his face. "A new model of turbo boosters, and a new weapon model for Grapplers. No wonder you wanted me to see these", he said. Fred smiled at Gene, and nodded.
"Ever since your ship became so well-known, people have been building and purchasing Grappler ships. Because of the increase, there's been a demand for new parts. This demand helps keep businesses like mine going, so I need customers. Please consider it sometime, and I'll give you a special discount", Fred added, a small glint in his eyes.
Gene knew that Fred was going into merchant mode for the time being, so he decided to play along. He reached out and gently placed a hand on Fred's cheek. "How about you set aside one of each of these parts and let me have them for free?", Gene asked, giving a small smirk toward Fred.
Fred just giggled at Gene, smiling gently. "I wish Gene, but if I just gave them away, I'd go bankrupt. Not going to please my satisfied customers that way", Fred replied. He knew Gene was joking around, and was just going along with the joke.
"Can I leave now?", Gene asked, a playful glint in his eyes. Fred frowned at him, and gently took hold of Gene's arm, his lips turning into a cute pout.
"No..don't leave me. You just got here, and I want to see you", Fred whined. Seeing the pout and hearing Fred whine caused a grin to form on Gene's face. He started laughing then.
"Don't cry now Freddy boy, I won't leave", Gene said softly, placing his forehead against Fred's. "I wanted to see you as well, because I missed you. Although I can't compete with your level of separation anxiety", he added, sticking out his tongue a bit.
"I do not have separation anxiety", Fred said with a hint of sternness in his tone. It disappeared when Gene gently kissed Fred again. Fred gave into the sign of affection and the minor apology, and their kiss turned into a deep one quickly. Fred broke it off after a few minutes, and stood up.
Gene watched Fred as he walked to the window, staring out into the darkness. "Something wrong?", he asked out of concern. Fred just shook his head gently, then looked over at Gene.
"I've had this feeling all day, this intuition if you will. You know how you get that feeling in your chest, the one that you believe is a sign of something bad? Well, I got that today, and I can still feel it, even now", Fred replied, looking down a bit.
Gene just smiled gently, and stood up. He walked over to Fred, and gently pulled him into a warm embrace, holding Fred against him. "It's okay, I'm here now. Nothing bad is going to happen to you", he said reassuringly. Fred accepted the embrace, and wrapped his arms around Gene.
They held that embrace for a few moments, until a loud boom of thunder startled them both. They gently broke away from the embrace, and looked out the window together. "I thought the sky was looking darker than usual", Gene said. It then began to pour, and a crack of lightning struck, followed by more thunder.
"I heard there was going to be a storm tonight. Sorry about just remembering it now, otherwise I'd have asked you to come see me tomorrow", Fred added on, moving away from the window and facing Gene.
Gene moved away from the window as well, raindrops appearing on the glass outside. "Fred, what did I tell you about apologizing for things that aren't your fault? I'm here because I want to be, not because I feel like you're forcing me to be here", Gene replied.
Fred blushed a bit then, looking away from Gene. "Well, I can't have you walking all the way back in this storm", Fred stated, and was quiet for a moment before his face lit up, and he looked at Gene again with a grin. "Why don't you stay the night? I'm sure the others know where you are, and that you won't be coming back in this storm", he added, taking hold of Gene's hands.
Gene just gave a nervous smile, knowing that Fred would suggest keeping him overnight. He then smiled warmly at Fred, and gave a slight nod. "Sure, I'll stay here with you. I can't let my Freddy stay all alone during the storm without being here to tuck him in", he replied, adding the teasing just for fun.
Fred lowered his eyelids at Gene as he was teased, and poked at Gene's forehead gently. "You forget that I'm both older and taller than you. I'll be tucking YOU into bed tonight", Fred responded. Gene smirked at this now
"Is that right? You'd take advantage of me like that? I'm surprised", Gene said, putting an arm around Fred's shoulders. "The things I learn about my best friend, you're disappointing me here", he added.
"I'll be damned if I was a replica of my father, so please tell me if I act like a spoiled and stubborn bastard", Fred said, walking away from Gene while playing with his right ear. Gene just watched him for a moment, knowing that on the inside, Fred was as much of an ordinary man as he was, but you'd never know it unless you knew him as well as Gene did.
"Yep...I'm glad I'm with him", Gene said to himself at last, and followed Fred. Fred began to lead Gene down the hallways while they engaged in idle chat. Fred pointed out the different rooms in the office, telling little stories about some of them.
It's funny how I can pretend to listen to a woman talk about everything that I don't find interesting, yet Fred can talk about nothing and I can actually listen to him. I really have fallen fast, haven't I?, Gene thought to himself as he listened to Fred talk about a room one of his associates thought was haunted.
As the night went on, Fred and Gene found themselves in Fred's room, since Fred had saved it as the last spot on his little tour. Gene took a moment to examine the room, and felt a bit uncomfortable at the sight of it. This room was quite different from the one at Fred's office on Sentinel III.
Inside, you could tell that Fred liked to spend his money on nice things only wealthy people could buy. Gene noted it was the least luxurious of the entire building, but it still looked like a room in a fancy hotel. It was the size of two small closets for one thing, with a large dresser with a mirror attached to it on one side, and a large bed with an expensive looking spread covering it in the center of the room.
Gene took note that everything on Fred's bed was made of fine silk. The bed was big enough to fit at least four people in it, but Gene looked around once more and noticed that Fred's bed looked like the most expensive thing in the room. "Did I just die two minutes ago?", Gene asked, staring at the bed.
Fred looked over at Gene a moment, then chuckled. "Yeah...I have to admit, I really like silk. It's a step up from what I'm used to, but hey, who doesn't like treating themselves to the finer things in life?", Fred replied, then took Gene's hand and lead him over to the bed. "Try it out", Fred offered.
Gene looked at Fred, then smiled as he lied down on the bed. Once he felt the silk hit his body, he instantly melted into the bed. "Mmm...this is nice. It's really comfortable, and I don't feel like getting up", Gene commented. Fred just smiled and giggled, then helped Gene up off of the bed.
"The blanket is made of cotton as well, so it's really warm. Come look at the bathroom, you'll really like this", Fred said, leading Gene to a door beside his dresser. Inside, was a bathroom the same size as the bedroom. It looked like a small spa instead of a bathroom. There was a large shower on one side, and a large tub on the other, which was surrounded by candles and various scented oils and shampoos and such.
Gene turned to Fred, and smiled. "I bet you spend most of your time in here", he said. Fred rubbed the back of his head, and nodded.
"It helps heal the fatigue I have after a long day's work. That's why I always look like I'm sitting on cloud nine", Fred replied. Gene was thinking the exact same thing that Fred had just said.
After Fred showed Gene his room, they went into a small kitchen upstairs and Fred made them both some warm mint tea to calm their nerves. Gene sighed contentedly as he drank his tea, and smiled. Fred drank his tea in silence, but looked to be in a state of peace as well. "Let me guess, more Luo family secrets and traditions on how to have a happy and successful life?", Gene asked, looking at Fred.
"You can say that, but I discovered some of these things on my own. I call them 'The Secrets On How To Remain Peaceful When You're Stressed Out By Customers' ", Fred replied. Gene chuckled a bit, and finished up his tea, as did Fred.
Once they were finished, Fred glanced at the time. "Already this late, and the storm isn't letting up. Oh well, let's get to bed", he suggested, standing up. Gene stood up as well, and they both walked out of the kitchen, then downstairs to the rooms.
Fred looked around in each of the five rooms he had in the hallway, which intrigued Gene since he had no idea why Fred needed five separate rooms. Finally, he stopped at a room across from his own. "You can sleep in here if you'd like, so that you're closer to me. That way, you can get me if you need anything", Fred said, looking at Gene.
Gene nodded, and headed inside. "Thanks for letting me stay here, I really appreciate it", Gene said, smiling. Fred gave a smile in return, and gave Gene a gentle hug.
"It's no problem Gene, I'd let you stay here anytime you want", Fred said, turning to head to his room. "Good night Gene", he added, walking to his room.
"Night Fred, sleep well", Gene answered in return. He then disappeared into the room, and went over by the bed. He stretched out, then stripped down to his boxers. He lied down on the bed, and closed his eyes. He then realized there was only one pillow on the bed, and he always slept with two.
Gene didn't think it was polite to just go steal one from another room, so he got up and left the room, going to Fred's. He noticed the door was open, and headed in. "Hey Fred, I wanted to know if..", he began, but stopped suddenly. He stood and watched as Fred slowly began to undress. It had seemed that Fred didn't see Gene walk in, so he continued to undress.
Fred had his jacket off and hanging on a chair in the corner, and was working on getting his long-sleeved shirt off. Once he had it off, he sighed a bit. Afterwards, he slowly got his pants undone and unzipped, and slid them off to reveal black boxers. Gene noticed how different Fred's body looked when he was undressed. Fred's clothes were actually hiding a nice body, Gene noted. Fred's chest and ab muscles were toned out pretty nicely, albeit not as muscular as Gene's per se. Fred had such broad shoulders as well, more broad than Gene's actually. Fred's legs were nice and slender, the kind you see on track athletes.
Fred stretched out a bit, groaning as he pushed against his shoulders. He walked over to his dresser, opening a drawer and pulling out a pair of black slacks. He put them on, and Gene noticed just how perfectly they fit Fred's body. Gene took notice of how perfect Fred's skin looked in the moonlight as well, almost like porcelain. He just wanted to touch it, wanted to feel it against his fingertips, and against his own skin.
Fred looked at himself in the mirror, then finally reached out up to his forehead and took hold of the red headband that he always wore to keep his hair back and out of his face, and slowly tugged it off of his head. He set it down, then gently shook out his hair. His fair fell out loosely, and down his head. His hair was actually longer than it appeared with the headband.
Fred then felt a presence in the room, and turned around slowly. Gene's eyes widened a bit as he was caught by Fred's gaze. But Fred didn't look all that surprised. "Oh, it's you. I didn't see you come in, did you need something?", Fred said, tilting his head a bit.
Gene just stared at Fred for a moment, then remembered why he had come in the first place. "Yeah, I was wondering..if I could have another pillow? There's only one in that room", Gene replied. Fred gave a gentle smile, and went over to his bed and grabbed a pillow, then walked over to Gene.
Gene smiled back, and reached out to take the pillow from Fred. In the process, he ended up accidentally bumping into Fred, causing them both to gasp a bit. Their bodies had both touched when that happened, and it caused a warm feeling inside of both men.
They each stared at each other, with Fred still holding the pillow. Soon, Gene moved closer and wrapped his arms around Fred. Fred slowly dropped the pillow as he wrapped his arms around Gene, and they gently pressed their bodies together, feeling each other's skin.
They stared at each other for what seemed like forever, their hearts beating faster in their chests. Finally, both of them closed their eyes and leaned in closer, and their lips met in a warm kiss. This kiss soon gained sparks and turned into a deep and loving kiss. Fred slowly moved against Gene, but the movement caused some minor friction of their skin, and it sent shivers up both of their spines.
Gene's hold on Fred grew tighter, as did Fred's. They broke the kiss after what seemed like hours, and stared into each other's eyes. Then they proceeded to place gentle kisses on each other's lips, and this time Gene moved against Fred, causing more friction.
When they were done kissing, Fred slowly glanced up at Gene a moment, his lips still inches from Gene's. "I love you so much Gene...", he whispered.
"I love you too Fred...", Gene whispered back, and then Fred broke the barrier between them and kissed Gene again, only this time, the kiss turned heated and passionate. Gene slowly moved back, and fell back onto Fred's bed, Fred landing on top of Gene. Their hold on each other and the kiss remained intact, and it was clear to see where Gene spent the rest of the night.
The next morning, Fred was the first to awaken, since he was used to waking up early. He got up out of bed and stretched, then looked back at the other figure in his bed. He smiled at Gene's sleeping form, then went into his bathroom to shower and get dressed.
Gene awoke some time after Fred had gotten out of the shower, and Fred was busy fixing up his hair. Gene sat up in bed, and yawned, before getting out of bed and stretching. Fred heard Gene get up, and turned to face him. "Good morning my red-haired angel", Fred greeted, smiling gently.
Gene got dressed and smiled back at Fred. "Morning", he simply greeted back. Fred walked over and hugged Gene gently, the scents of lavender body lotion and fresh spring rain shampoo evaporating off of his body. Don't women use lotion and that kind of shampoo?, Gene asked himself in his head, but shook it off as he returned the embrace.
In the middle of their embracing, one of the guards knocked on Fred's door. "What is it?", Fred called out in a business-like tone.
"A call from your father, Master Luo", the guard replied, and Gene felt Fred stiffen up a bit in his arms. Fred sighed, and slowly let go of Gene.
"I have to take this call, I'll be back. Stay here", Fred said, heading out of the room. He headed into his office, and sat down at his desk and pressed a button on his computer.
Gene waited for 15 minutes before Fred finally came into the room again. He didn't like the look on Fred's face, and prepared himself for bad news. "My father says I have to go to the house. He says there's someone he wants me to see", Fred replied.
"Is that all? I thought this was going to be something bad", Gene replied, looking relieved. Fred looked over at Gene, and hugged him.
"I don't want to leave you! I wish I could stay here with you, but I'd never hear the end of it from Dad", Fred said with a whining tone. Gene just chuckled and petted Fred's head.
"Don't worry about it. There's no more sign of rain, so I'll just head back. I want you to call me and tell me about your visit with your dad, just so you'll feel better", Gene said comfortingly, winking at Fred. Fred smiled, and slowly let go of Gene.
Gene headed out of Fred's room, and to Fred's office to grab his coat that he left the previous night. "I'll be waiting on your phone call, so make sure you call", Gene said to Fred, putting on his coat.
Fred smiled, and leaned up to gently kiss Gene. Gene smiled into the kiss as he returned it, then broke it off. "I'll be sure to call, count on it", Fred replied, smiling. Gene nodded, then waved to Fred as he headed out towards the elevator, onto the elevator, then out of the building and down the sidewalk.
Fred sighed, and grabbed some keys from a desk drawer and headed out of his office. Who is it that Dad wants me to see? I hope it's not who I think it is..., Fred thought to himself as he headed into the garage and got into a car, starting it up and driving out of the garage and toward his father's mansion.
-------------------------------OH NO A SCENE CHANGE!-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fred arrived at the mansion after about half an hour, and pulled up into the driveway, then shut off the car. He got out, and looked up at the mansion that used to be his home at one time. He dreaded coming back with a passion, but had to see what his father was talking about.
Fred entered the mansion, and walked down the hallway he used to wander as a young boy, then into a large room. "I'm here Dad", he greeted politely.
A man turned to face Fred, and looked him over. The man was basically an older version of Fred, only he had a mustache and was about 3 inches taller than Fred, and had much shorter hair. This man was Fred's father, Yang Luo, the former owner of Luo Enterprises.
"Ah yes, so you are. Come, sit down", Yang replied in a tone that gave off that he was a typical wealthy person. Fred complied, and walked over and sat down in a chair in front of his father's desk.
"You have been keeping up our family business quite well my son, and for that, I am grateful. However, what I am not grateful about is that you are not married yet. You are of the age where you were supposed to choose a bride and pass on the Luo family heritage", Yang continued. Fred lowered his eyelids a bit, not liking to hear those words that he heard so many times before.
I still can't stand up for myself and say "Guess what Father? I'm not going to marry any woman you want me to because I am a flaming homosexual who is in love with my best friend". Sorry Dad, the Luo family ends with me, Fred thought to himself, and just pretended he cared what his father was saying.
"Anywho, I called you here to bring you great news. Your bride has been chosen, and by you no less", Yang continued, and this information caused Fred to pay close attention to what his father was saying.
A bride I chose? This must be a joke, I didn't choose anyone to be my bride. Unless, oh no..it can't be!, Fred thought, his face showing some panic. Fred's father just grinned, and turned toward a door to their left.
"Bring her in, I want to see the lovely girl my son has chosen to be his bride!", he called to the door. The door opened, and Fred's worst nightmare came walking, almost running inside. For the person that entered the room, was none other than Reiko Ando.
"Fred! My love, I have come back to accept your hand in marriage!", Reiko called out with glee. Fred watched her come closer to him, and wanted to run. He remembered his last encounter with Reiko, which ended up with Fred in the hospital with a broken back and a broken hand. Fred could still feel the pain from that time.
Reiko had looked the same as Fred remembered her, a beautiful face stuck on the body of a bodybuilder who had a share of too many steroids. She was about ready to maul him, when Fred quickly ducked out of her grasp.
"R-R-Reiko! Good to see you again, how have you been doing?", Fred asked, faking like he was actually happy to see Reiko, when he was actually nervous that he'd get the shit beat out of him.
"Oh Fred, how I've missed you so. Every day, I thought of only you and being together with you. And now, I have returned!", Reiko replied, finally getting a hold on Fred and hugging him. Fred's father just smiled warmly, enjoying the moment.
"You've picked a fine lady to marry Fred, I'm proud of you. Your mother would've be proud of you too", Yang complimented, much to Fred's annoyance.
Mom already knew I loved men, she'd never let me marry this she-man you bastard!, Fred shouted in his head. He felt like breaking down and crying at this moment, but it'd get taken as cries of happiness so he held back.
"Miss Ando, you come from a fine family. I've met your parents, and they are delighted to hear about your engagement! Now, tell Fred what you told me", Yang said, smiling like the proud parent he was.
"Thank you Mr. Luo, I'm very honored to be Fred's fiancée. Fred, I have more good news. Know how you promised me we'd get married if I won The Strongest Woman in the Universe title five years in a row? Well guess who just won her fifth year title? That's right! So now me and you are officially engaged!", Reiko replied, grinning with joy. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she started crying. She finally let go of Fred as she did so.
Hearing those words, Fred's body went completely stiff. Why did he have to make that damn promise? Why was he such a coward that he couldn't confess his true motives? Fred just sat there, looking at the floor. This was going to be a long visit.
--------------------------------SCENE CHANGE FTW!-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, back at Starwind & Hawkings, Gene was sitting around waiting to hear from Fred. Hours passed, and still no phone call. Jim watched him at times, shaking his head at how desperate Gene was acting, it just wasn't like him.
"I'm just concerned about him, okay? He looked really unhappy", Gene had told Jim earlier. Jim then made a note that Gene had a soft spot for being so caring of others. It went on 9 PM, and Gene was getting worried.
"Gene...he's probably busy. Get some rest, and call him in the morning", Jim suggested. Gene just glared at him slightly, so Jim sighed and knew it was hopeless to argue with Gene.
Soon afterwards, the phone rang through the computer. Gene ran up to it, and saw it was an audio-only call. He saw it was Fred's number, and immediately pushed the answer button. "Hello? Fred, are you there?", Gene asked.
There was a moment of silence, before Fred's voice finally replied. "Yeah..I'm here. I'm calling on my cell phone, and I'm on my way to Starwind & Hawking's now. I really need to see you right now", he said. Gene noticed Fred sounded like he was on the verge of a breakdown.
"Yeah..I'll be here. I'll be waiting for you. You can tell me all about it", Gene said, before hanging up. He grabbed his coat and went outside, looking around for Fred. Fred pulled up to the building a few minutes later, and Gene got into the passenger seat.
Fred drove away from the building, and the car ride was complete, yet deadly, silence. Gene knew something really awful must have happened. Fred pulled over near his building, and got out. Gene followed him out, and they began walking.
They walked in silence, until they reached the park. Fred sat down on a bench, and Gene took a seat beside him. "Fred, tell me what happened. I want to hear all about it", Gene finally said.
Fred sat in silence until he finally looked over at Gene. "She came back...she..came back...", Fred began, tears welling up in his eyes. Gene blinked a bit, then put a hand to Fred's cheek.
"Who came back?", he asked. Fred fought back the tears that threatened to fall, and clutched at Gene's coat.
"Reiko...she came back. That's who my father wanted me to see, Reiko. She came back to tell me that she had won the title five years in a row. She actually did it Gene, so that means...I have to marry her", Fred finished, and he finally broke down and buried his face in Gene's chest and started crying.
It took a moment for Gene to remember who Fred was talking about, and had forgotten the promise Fred made to her. He didn't believe that muscular woman would actually be able to win five years in a row. It hurt him to think about it, about Fred having to marry Reiko.
"Fred...it's okay. We'll get through this...I'll be right here with you. We'll make it, and go through with it together", Gene said, trying to comfort Fred. Fred slowly calmed down, and looked up at Gene.
Without warning, Fred let a few tears fall down his face as he kissed Gene deeply. He broke it off after a moment, only to look at Gene. "I love you so much..I want to be with you. I want to be with only you", Fred said softly. Gene smiled at Fred, and rubbed his back as he held his boyfriend.
"I won't leave you..I promise", Gene replied, kissing Fred deeply. Fred returned the kiss, and both of them stood up and started walking down the sidewalk some more, holding hands.
What the two of them didn't know was they were followed. Reiko had come by Fred's office to pay him a surprise visit, but was told he hadn't got back. She waited for him, and finally saw him pull up and get out of his car with a man Reiko didn't know.
Reiko followed the both of them in secret, hiding behind corners so she wouldn't be seen. She had heard every word the two of them had said, and saw everything they did. When she heard Fred tell Gene that he loved HIM, that Fred wanted to be with HIM, and ONLY him and saw them kissing, Reiko's heart tore in half.
She started crying once she saw the two of them walking away together, feeling betrayed. This was quite a shock for her, and she just walked back towards Fred's office feeling all depressed. By the time she had gotten there, she started feeling all the things a woman would feel if she saw a scene like that.
Depression, jealousy, heartbreak, anger, all those emotions went through Reiko's mind. The emotions that overtook her however, was the feelings of anger and jealousy. She headed into Fred's office building, and up to his office. Once there, she went to Fred's computer and opened up a call link, and dialed up Fred's father.
After a moment, the voice of Yang was heard through Fred's computer. "Yes, hello Mr. Luo. This is Reiko, and I'm calling to inform you of some things you probably don't know about your son", Reiko said with anger in her tone.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: I am SO sorry that this wasn't updated sooner. I held off on this chapter for a week because I wanted to train for the anime convention I'm going to in a couple weeks. Gomen nasai! Please forgive me, but this chapter is now here. So your questions have been answered, and this is where the drama part of the fic begins. Prepare some more questions in your mind, and keep watching for an update!