A/N: So I'm sure some of you might be thinking "Hey, wasn't Isaka in this scene? Where the hell is he?" Well I'm not sure exactly if I'm going to put him in anything or not. All I know is he isn't going to be in Junjou Flame itself. However, it is possible he can be in the sequels for it I have in mind. It depends on how useful I can make him because I really don't like when you have characters that appear just like, one time.

This is the same for Nowaki, actually in which he isn't going to appear in Junjou Flame. The problem is, though the point of Junjou Flame is to create rare pairings. Nowaki will be in one of the sequels as part of a couple I have in mind and as a minor character in another, but for Isaka I'm not sure who to put him with because there's not much else out there. I mean, why ship him with Asahina when first of all, they're canon and second this is a fic featuring experimentation in couplings?

Also my apologies for using dialogue from the anime once again. It's only for scenes that are the same in canon and here.

Junjou Flame

Act 2

Part 3

At this point in life I realized a majority of why this stuff happens to me is because I happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Take for example having the pleasure of meeting Usami Haruhiko, the man who allegedly was stalking my older brother for whatever creepy reasons he had due to something I call "Usa-mones" (a joke which nobody else but me understands).

Now, I met him because we were in the train station at the same time. Coincidence.

We rode together on the same train. Also a coincidence.

Both of us were heading to Teito hotel. Coincidence once again.

Combine all that with meeting Usami and Takahiro there with said man causing shit to go down back at home and you've got yourself a situation that is just too unbelievable. Because you know, I could have happily found Usami on my own, rode alone or even just missed finding Haruhiko standing in front of the map in a lost daze.

So what comes next while I'm not even ready to absorb these mind-fucking coincidences?

"Takahiro, I didn't expect to see you here. You haven't left my brother yet? We could share a room back at my place."

"For the last time Haruhiko I'm not going anywhere with you," Takahiro said.

"You heard him," Usami growled, "Leave now or I will call security. Just because you're my older brother it doesn't mean I'm going to let you get away with this. It's bad enough you followed us here. To think you used Misaki like that is an all time low for you!"

"U-um I… He didn't…" My voice immediately died.

"Don't accuse me of such things. I don't even know who this kid is."

"Hey! Don't call me 'kid'!" I hissed.

"I am here for a meeting. That's all. Never would have thought I'd run into you here," Haruhiko replied.

"Thank you for the flowers you were kind enough to send the other day," Usami spat, more than likely referring to the amount of gifts Takahiro had been receiving on his end.

"Flowers? Oh, my secretary must have sent them." Suddenly this didn't seem like this argument was going to be centered around my brother anymore-probably something more sensitive. I'm sure Usami felt the danger of the mood as well because he nodded to me, urging me with his eyes to move into the elevator before things got even shakier.

"Misaki, let's go."

"When are you going to come back home?" Haruhiko blurted.

Usami turned his upper body back to face him. "I'm not going back. I believe I've made that clear. I left that house on my own will. I won't ask anything from there now. You can do as you like."

"Give me a break!" Haruhiko shouted, finally breaking his attempt at maintaining a professional demeanor, "What about me! I've got to clean up your mess, fill in the gap you left. You don't give a shit about any of that, do you?"

"If you don't want to do it, then don't. I never forced you to do anything." Usami did have a point there. Haruhiko, if my assumptions served me correct, was rich as Usami so really if anything he could afford a change in life on his own accord. So why take it out on Usami?

"It's so easy to talk when you've bailed out and ran away," Haruhiko seethed.

"I suppose so."

"Hey now, cut it out, both of you!" Takahiro barked, grabbing my hand to keep me close to him.

"And what did you run off to be? A novelist?"

"Haruhiko!"

"What an enviable profession. It must be a wonderful life, to turn away from reality and occupy all your time with daydreams and fantasies," Haruhiko rambled, "You spew page after page, have them publish your trifling books, and on top that, you wallow in your self-complacency. It must be quite pleasant indeed!"

"Shut the hell up!" I screeched, finally stepping forward.

Yeah, how noble of me I know walking into something that was none of my business wasn't the best idea. It wasn't even about my brother at the moment! This was centered around these two guys doing nothing but pissing each other off along with myself!

Well, that whole thing about being in the wrong place at the wrong time I think sometimes is partly something that can be controlled. This here is self explanatory.

"What the hell is your problem? You just said on the train that you'd never read any of his books! Well if you haven't read them, quit mouthing off about them!" Everyone was speechless. Takahiro wasn't trying to hold me back. "You don't have the slightest clue how hard Usami works to write his books! Sometimes he doesn't sleep for a week! And you've never seen how terrible his face looks then, have you! (Which was true. Dear Lord that is one of the most frightening things I have ever encountered in my life)."

"Misaki," Usami finally said, "I think it's time to head upstairs." The elevator doors opened.

"Wait I'm not finished yet!" I cried as Usami dragged me inside. Pointing my index finger firmly at him, I said, "Don't act like you know everything based off your own stupid opinions. You've got a problem with him? How about you read a single one of his books before you open your mouth?" I took a deep breath. "IDIOT."

The doors closed and it was just the three of us in the elevator standing there. When we got up to our floor I rolled my suitcase out and to my room, not wanting to say anything else at this point.

"Listen, Misaki," Usami said sharply to me, drawing my attention, "Under no circumstances are you to interfere with this. It's my fight, so stay out." And that was all he said to me, entering inside his room with my brother. At that point I had opened the door, rolled in the suitcase and didn't even bother putting away whatever necessities were in there. Instead I plopped onto the bed belly down, flushing with anger.

'Stupid Usami… I stuck up for him and I get that kind of response...! Why is he such an asshole to me despite everything?' I rolled over and sighed. 'He's no different from that Haruhiko guy, that's for sure.'

On impulse I pulled out my phone and dialed Shinobu's number, knowing that he would want to hear about what just happened, and was surprised to hear his voicemail. Then I remembered he'd still been mad at me for whatever I did.

I wasn't sure how long I ended up sleeping, but it was noticeably dark outside. I didn't feel better, nor was I worse until looking at my phone. Shinobu hadn't called back. I mumbled curses, angry at Shinobu for being so irritable and at myself since I didn't understand why.

…

Neither Usami or my brother mentioned a time for dinner, so I wasn't exactly shocked to knock on the door and have no answer when in the first place there were no lights on seen from outside. Only thing to do left now was to get myself something to eat. Alone.

"What are you doing here?" I turned around abruptly and saw the last person I had wanted to see carrying a wrapped box.

"Ah-ah Usami…Haruhiko-san!" I addressed him, backing away, "I was just looking for my brother. He's not in his room so…"

"Very well then," he said, handing me the box. Haruhiko turned away, not even bothering to look back at me. "You can give that to your brother."

When Haruhiko left, I unwrapped the box and found inside it a small case of German chocolates. My stomach groaned just by looking at the pictures of it on the cover, but I found resistance to eating them by throwing out the box. It was a waste of chocolate, sure and I felt bad since it was more than likely expensive. Opening it I realized in a sense would have been admitting defeat as it would mean he won me over-or even my brother.

…

Usami and Takahiro weren't to be found in the restaurant downstairs. I figured they wanted to dine somewhere else that would give them a better chance of avoiding Haruhiko so I called my brother.

"Mi-Misaki…? What is it?" Takahiro's words were slurring on the other line. I thought at first there was a lousy connection.

"Where are you? I tried knocking on your door but there was nobody there. You're not at the restaurant either!"

"Ahhh… Hah! Usagi stop that!" Takahiro whined in a higher octave, "I'm on the ph-phone he'll-ahhh!"

"Nii-chan?"

"I'm s-sorry, Misaki you'll h-have to… Ngh!" And he hung up on me. I pursed my lips, failing to register in my mind what had been going on at the moment. 'The food better be charged back to the room or I'm screwed…'

I ended up waiting on line next to a guy who seemed to be swinging between his middle aged and elderly years. He only noticed me when I smiled at him politely when taking my seat.

"How long have you been waiting here?" I asked him.

"I'd say about 10 minutes or so. It's not so terrible. I'm not sure how much longer I can wait, though," he laughed, then sighed, "Ah, it's not easy to get a one-seater here. I could have easily gotten a double if my son came down here with me."

"Why didn't he? I mean-you can answer that if you want to."

He shrugged. "It's fine, really. The boy's being difficult. He's not hungry, or so he says. I think that's just an excuse to get away from me for a little while. Teenagers. What can you do about them?"

"Well, he probably just wants his space. It's not anything personal, I assume. Boys at that age can be complicated," I said, trying to sympathize with him.

"I suppose. Hopefully he'll come around." He glanced at me. "You sound like a parent yourself. You're quite young looking too."

"Wh-what? No way! I'm nineteen and I wouldn't"-

"I'm only kidding!" the man beamed, "However you do sound quite mature. My son could learn a thing or two from you."

…

I never asked for the man's name. I'd been called up and he bid me farewell.

And yet something told me that he looked oddly familiar. I couldn't tell what it was about him that did. He had short gray hair, glasses and a suit on. The man wasn't virtually different from any other well dressed guy I happened to pass by on the street. So why…?

Bumping into someone reminded me that I had been on my way back to the room.

"Sorry!" I apologized on reflex. He bowed his head and ran around me.

For a split second I caught a glimpse of his eyes. I was ready to grab his arm, but he had already turned a corner. I shook my head.

'No… what the hell am I thinking? That can't be Shinobu!'

…

I managed to fall asleep again after spending some time staring at the ceiling with a half-blank mind. My body felt groggy from all those hours of resting, yet I felt the urge to drift off again.

"I've told you time after time and I'll say it again; leave me alone!" That sounded like Takahiro for a second.

'I need to snap out of it…'

"You do realize you're making a mistake, right?" The other voice sounded kind of like a deep and reserved baritone.

'It's Haruhiko! Wait, what the hell are they doing arguing in the hallway? Usami could hear them! Or is he already with them?'

"The only mistake I made was trying hard to get along with you! You're going to be my brother-in-law and that's all I will ever be."

I forced myself out of bed, landing on the floor loud enough to cut off what had been going on outside short.

"What was that?"

"I'm not sure. But I assume we're done here," Takahiro hissed. The door slammed harshly against its hinge.

"We'll continue this later," Haruhiko said probably loud enough for him to hear (since I could).

I wasn't sure how long I had been asleep to miss whatever conversation they had. It was 11 in the morning. Already I wanted to drift off back to sleep again if dramatic stuff like this was bound to occur all day.

I decided right away that it was best Usami didn't know about what happened this morning. It amazed how well the man could sleep through what I was able to hear outside I realized when I came in to visit a nerve-wrecked Takahiro and Usami sleeping soundly on the bed even at 11 AM.

"Man, he's still out cold," I commented.

"Yeah, Usagi didn't get much sleep at all this week. Hopefully he gets up soon… I don't wanna have to wake him." Takahiro visibly shuddered at the thought, knowing very well what consequences might have occurred despite being Usami's fiancé. He then opened the closet and pulled out a wire hanger with a long cover attached to it. "Oh and before I forget, this is yours."

I un-zippered the cover and frowned. "A suit? I'm going to the ceremony?"

"Of course! I can't let you just stay up in your room the entire time! That wouldn't be fair," said Takahiro.

"I didn't even know I was on the guest list."

"You're not, but Usami can pull a few strings," Takahiro replied nonchalantly. I sighed, carrying the suit by its hanger.

"Hey, nii-chan," I said, "What happened?"

My brother took one look at me and shook his head. "It was nothing. Haruhiko came up to me this morning. Besides, didn't Usagi tell you not to get involved?"

"You think I care about what he says? Takahiro, you're my brother and if there's something going on with you it's my problem too!" He still wouldn't say anything. "I only heard the ending, but there's still no point in keeping it from me. So just spill it already. Tell me what happened."

At first he seemed to resist, but then he finally said, "I lost my cool. That's what happened. He went up to me and asked whether I got his gift. I didn't know what he was talking about, but apparently he gave you something I was supposed to get." I opened my mouth to say something, but Takahiro held his hand up. "If you did and threw it away, that's alright. I don't care about that. What bothers me is that he then said, 'So you've got your brother conspiring against me too? That just shows how appreciated I am. At least I wouldn't treat you like a privileged toy.'"

"The hell is he talking about? Usami doesn't treat you that way!"

"I know but then he goes on about how many people Usagi's slept with in the past as one night stands-which I knew about. What really hit me though is the fact that he mentioned Usagi has not only never come out to the media but that our engagement was never announced and just… it really hurt. So I lost it and started yelling." He looked up at me fearfully. "I don't wanna doubt him. We're getting married. I love him so much. We trust each other. The thoughts of it going wrong scares me."

From there he kind of started to quiver a little and tear up, so I put an arm around him. "Takahiro it's just some stupid scare tactic. You know none of its true. Yeah, he's a perverted and flamboyant, but you know what? The guy waited ten years for you. I highly doubt he's going to leave anytime soon."

"You're right," Takahiro said, wiping his eyes, "I'm just a nervous wreck I guess, getting upset over nothing."

"I didn't say that. Just you need to get your head together. That's all."

He held me into a tight embrace and sniffled. "Thank you, Misaki. For everything."

"Listen, I'm going to put the suit away and then shower. I'll probably get something to eat in about an hour. Feel free to join me if you can." Takahiro nodded to me as I pulled away from his hug and took the suit with me out of the door.

I momentarily admired the suit. The dress shirt underneath was a bright pink and the suit itself was a smoky gray. There was a blue tie its pocket I discovered. I then remembered that I'd worn this before, but when exactly?

'…The wedding! I wore it to Miyagi's wedding!'

And it all flashed in my mind for a few seconds. That was the night I met Shinobu.

'Shinobu! Did he call back?' I eagerly checked the phone. 'Nothing.' With a grunt, I tossed the phone onto the bed. 'What am I expecting? All I'm doing is getting myself crazy over this.'

From the corner of my eye I noticed a tiny sheet of paper lying on the floor. I guessed that the paper slipped inside when I walked in. Written on it was vaguely familiar handwriting.

This isn't over.

It seemed there was something more troublesome on my plate.

…

"Ladies and gentlemen, some words from Usami-sensei on winning the award."

Takahiro is next to me trying to applaud with a glass of wine in his hand. For once he seemed at ease compared to earlier and I can't help but feel better around him as well.

"Doesn't he look handsome, Misaki," he gushed to me as Usami walked on stage.

I snorted. "Yes, professional indeed."

The spotlight is cast onto Usami and he gives this bright, sparkling smile. "I'm Usami Akihiko." I'm sure my jaw wasn't the only one that dropped. Takahiro couldn't keep a straight face. He was already swooning like a few other girls behind me. "I would like to thank all of you for making time in your busy schedules to come all this way, and I'm incredibly grateful for this amazing celebration that you've all made possible. This novel, for which I was honored to receive the Kikukawa Award, is somewhat unique compared to the other books I've written, I think."

It seems celebrities have two different kinds of faces: the ones they have in the magazine and on stage.

The magazine is usually a personal highlight that becomes a phenomenon in the gossip industry. Whether it's certain that this is the real person may be unknown.

However, it seems more realistic than the stage face. This is the mother of all poker faces or at least one meant to please as everyone while they're applauding.

And I just kind of think about it for a moment. He's up there making his speech and I wonder if for one second it's crossed anyone's mind here that he is not only a homosexual but engaged to an average man. Has it occurred to anyone that he's a pervert who not only writes award winning novels but BL material under a different penname? Or what about his obsession for average family possessions and activities? What about the fact that he can barely do anything other than eat, sleep, have sex and write? The paparazzi would have a field day with all that!

"Thank you very much."

Usami left the stage only to be surrounded by a crowd of women eagerly waiting for him to reach out like a grand king in his prime. Takahiro shifted a little nervously.

"Should I…?"

"Go get him," I said to him with a small smile.

"But what about you, Misaki?" he asked.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom. Don't mind me."

I left the ceremony and headed for the restroom just a floor above. A restroom was back down there, but I wanted to be away from the party if not for a little while. In truth I just wanted to have an excuse to leave as I didn't need to use the facilities. Besides, it wasn't really my place to be. I wasn't even invited.

After entering the restroom, I looked in the mirror. I adjusted my hair and tie, making sure both were proper. Taking a deep breath I then ran my hands under the faucet with cold water. I flinched at first, feeling the sensation. Something about this screamed of nostalgia.

And something choked in the background right then as if trying to hold itself back. The water shut off automatically once I removed my hands, listening intently to the sound that came around a couple of times.

Carefully I walked about, trying to find a pair of feet. Thankfully it seemed only one stall was occupied. I knocked on the door. "Hey, is there something wrong?"

"G-get out of here! Don't bother me!" he screeched.

I bit down on my lip. "I can't just leave you alone like this."

"Y-yeah you can. Everyone else has…"

My heart dropped. "Now why would you say that?" I asked him.

"I-I don't know… My Dad's threatening to pull me out of school and make me go to a different one if I don't change my major. He also mentioned something about changing my l-living arrangements. If all that happens I'll n-never get to see him again!" he explained, trying to keep his stuttering under control.

"Your Dad?"

"No," he said. His voice shook more. "This guy I'm in l-love with! H-he's the one who inspired m-me to d-do what I want! Th-the sad part is I-I don't know what I'll d-do without him and he doesn't even l-like me that way nor will he e-ever! H-he probably wouldn't care if I was g-gone!" The sobbing grew unstable as he rambled on.

"Does he know how you feel?" I questioned.

"Y-yes. I don't think he s-still understands though," he answered.

I blushed, thinking back to my situation. My initial reactions put me to shame, but that was because this was something I hadn't seen coming by a long shot. Now though I was confused.

Aikawa said so herself that I had the ability to overlook gender if I put my mind to it because Shinobu as a female would be the same male. He would still be the grumpy, arrogant, odd mannered, failure of a cook, persistent, talkative, fun, kind, gentle, caring, guy I knew. But what was holding me back?

"Maybe you just need to give him time," I advised, "I mean; it could take ages for that to happen. Someone close to me didn't realize he was…gay until falling for his best friend ten years after they met."

"So w-what am I supposed to do? W-wait that long?"

"Keep him at the back of your mind until you find someone new. That would be for the best. But don't close off yourself to him. Be open. Me, I wonder if I've lost my chance. I know I've blown it quite a few times. Now he's mad at me and I don't know what to do because he refuses to answer the phone when I call him. I've been chasing after him like a maniac and haven't been getting anywhere," I confessed, exhaling when I finished.

"It…sounds like you feel the same way," he observed, his voice oddly losing its stutter while still having the ring of someone about to start crying again.

Did I like Shinobu? I could survive having his arms around me, let alone knowing that he loved me and despite the flaws in his personality there was an indescribable attraction. But did that make it all worth it? Is that what I wanted?

What did I want?

"I just… need to talk with him again," I finally stated, "I want to tell him how sorry I am for not being around lately and not explaining why. I want to tell him how worried I was because he never called me back. I want to say how much I m-missed him because we've been really c-close. I-I want to say how much this has been driving me crazy…" Hot tears began to streak my cheeks. "A-and I just wish I knew how to f-figure it all out! Th-this is all just so irrational a-and I'm making a mess of myself."

For a while there was no reply. But then I heard a low mutter something along the lines of, "You are an idiot".

With a click, the stall door opened and out came Shinobu from the stall red-eyed-his arms open wide to hug me. I stepped back at first, surprised by his sudden appearance and slowly doomed to be pinned back with the bathroom counter.

My eyes widened, still wet with tears forming. "Wh-what? You're here too?"

He responded by slowly inching his face closer to mine. Since I didn't show signs of protest though I shivered in anticipation for what was going to happen next, he gently pressed his mouth against mine, moist lips asking dry ones to part. I allowed him to and at once there was a full impact of what had just happened. I might have gasped into his open mouth.

His eyes were closed and mine fluttered shut after a while. I didn't try to put any force back. All I did was stand there and shudder a little even when he pulled away after what seemed like ages. In reality, the kiss was quite brief. If my face wasn't pink before, it surely would have been a bright red by now.

"Shin…obu?"

"You stopped." I blinked, unsure of what he met until realizing that the tears were no longer flowing. I bowed my head in embarrassment.

Shinobu then buried his face into my shoulder. He had been shivering himself. I wrapped an arm around him unconsciously kept a hand on his head, letting the silk strands of honey hair graze my finger tips.

"So… I guess that means you heard everything I said, right?" I questioned with a nervous laugh. He nodded against my suit. "I really did mean it, though. I'm sorry."

"I forgive you. I'm sorry for how I acted too," Shinobu held onto me a tighter. "Just stay like this for me. That's all I want right now."

A/N: WELL FINALLY. Geez. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this fluffy scene.

Sorry about missing the update. I would have had this done but I went to my grandma's and forgot to put the chapter on my USB drive. I would have rewrote it but that would have been pointless since have the chapter was written. Instead however I started writing Junjou Passion while there so I didn't waste that much time. See you next week (hopefully)!