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*pouts* Only 1 review for the last chapter? *Goes off and sulks.*

...But instead of being a big meanie, I still uploaded this chappie sooner than I thought...

Hiroki's Birthday – Part 5

"Mother, err, why are you calling from Nowaki's cellphone?"

"Kusama-san," Hiroki's mother started sharply, but then continued in a neutral tone, "has kindly allowed me to borrow his cell. Mine was out of power." There was a pause in the conversation then, no doubt Sayomi Kamijou waiting for a response from her son. However, Hiroki wisely kept silent and waited for his mother to get to the crux of the matter behind the unexpected phone call and visit. Needless to say, Hiroki was unnerved to hear his mother's voice from his lover's number.

Meanwhile, Miyagi's eyebrows had shot up the moment Hiroki's surprised and shocked greeting had left his lips. But Hiroki didn't have much of a mind to focus on the antics of his co-worker when his heart was beating hard from shock and his thoughts were racing a mile a minute.

Ignoring the way Miyagi fidgeted in eagerness and leant forward to stare at him hard, Hiroki leapt out of his chair and headed towards a corner of the room, distancing himself from the other man to compose himself. He would need all his wits about himself when talking with his mother, lest he accidentally reveal something incriminating.

"Hiroki-kun, will you come home early today? It's been so long since I've seen you face-to-face." His mother's voice held a touch of sadness and Hiroki couldn't do anything but concede to the request.

"...Alright," he said with a sigh.

"Your friend, Kusama-san, has been very generous! Why haven't you told me anything about him? You must tell me why you haven't even told me that you had a room-mate in the first place," Sayomi berated. It seemed his mother wanted to get out all her frustrations and complaints over the phone just then to her son.

Hiroki shifted about uneasily. He almost felt like a child being reprimanded and bore more than a little guilt. But then he shook his head and thought, I'm too old for this!, with a frown. Really, Hiroki reasoned, he was an independent adult and shouldn't be feeling guilty over some simple questions his mother asked.

However, the fact that the questions for which he felt guilt were the ones regarding Nowaki made him think again. With that, Hiroki had to accept the reality that some part of him was still childish to some extent, which in turn enforced that he was so NOT ready to confess the truth. And her repeated questions over Nowaki reminded Hiroki of exactly what he was not telling his family.

"Hiroki-kun, your apartment is so wonderful! And the kitchen! It was so clean – unlike when I saw it last time in your old apartment," Sayomi switched to an excited chatter. "But of course, it's probably Kusama-san's work. I've never seen you having rooms this neat!" She continued in an amused yet admonishing tone to Hiroki. "But poor Kusama-san. All the rooms are littered with books! Hiroki-kun, what have I told you about your libraries? I'm starting to wonder how he's even living with you. ..." Hiroki had already tuned her out some time ago and only listened with half a mind to his mother's prattle.

Then, Sayomi dropped a bomb on Hiroki with her next words.

"Oh! I can't wait to see the rest of the apartment!"

Oh Shit! Hiroki paled. Fuck Fuck Fuck! He thought.

They had two bedrooms in their apartment. One currently devoid of anything except piles of books and stacks of boxes, and the other was where Nowaki and Hiroki slept. On the same bed. And there in lay the problem...

In what world did men, who were supposedly "room-mates", happen to sleep in the same room, on the same bed?

...Hiroki really wanted to curse just then.

But he refrained with extreme difficulty. If his mother saw the rooms in particular (or even the bathroom!) he would be in big trouble. She would put two and two together and come to the conclusion that he was gay. And then Hiroki didn't know what would happen. He only knew that she couldn't find out yet. Not ever, if he could help it.

"... I still can't believe that you haven't called me all these months – like now, Hiroki-kun! I know you're not listening to me anymore! Hiroki-kun? Hiroki-kun! Are you still there?" Sayomi's voice was sharp with annoyance and Hiroki 's attention immediately snapped back to the conversation. He really couldn't afford any more lapses with his mother, Hiroki thought.

"Y-Yes, mother! Sorry...," Hiroki looked around his office nervously, searching for an excuse quickly. His eyes landed on the amused and grinning form of his professor. "My co-worker was just telling me something," he fabricated.

Miyagi's eyebrows again shot up and his lips quirked up farther in delight. He wondered if he should somehow make the phone conversation further uncomfortable – or torturous – to Hiroki. After some deliberation, though, Miyagi mercifully declined the idea as watching Hiroki now proved to be more than enough entertainment. He was glad that he did not have to answer to his mother anymore, (that was what was happening, he guessed, from Hiroki's behaviour) having already married and divorced a woman introduced by his parents.

But, now, he only had to answer to the Dean, who was both his Boss and his ex-father-in-law, and his lover's family – one of whom was his ex-wife – of how he was in love with their son. And let's not mention how that son unfortunately happened to be 2 decades younger than him. Miyagi thought, shuddering.

No, better to not continue those thoughts and curse himself, he decided. And so, Miyagi decided to be considering of his co-worker's situation and be helpful to the other man, if he could. After all, he didn't want karma to come back and kick him in the arse.

Hiroki was quick to grab his mother's attention and wanted to get her out of their apartment as soon as possible. He didn't want his mother back there until he was prepared and readily expecting.

"Err...It has been a long time, hasn't it, mother?" Hiroki hastened to say. "We should meet for lunch! In fact, my lunch break is in another five minutes. We can meet at a restaurant nearby the university and talk more there. Alright, mother?"

"Oh! That would work great," Sayomi replied.

Before his mother cut the line, Hiroki rushed to say, "Wait! Let me talk to Nowaki for a second," and have the cellphone be passed to his lover.

"Hiro-"

"Don't say anything!"

There was a sudden silence on the other end and Hiroki immediately felt bad at the tone he had used. He had not meant to be angry at his lover but he just felt trapped and Nowaki's cheerful voice in that brief moment had stood out like a target for him to react on.

With a sigh, Hiroki said, "Sorry...," then took a breath before continuing. "Just feeling...uncomfortable. Anyways, I've invited my mother out to lunch, okay? -"

"But, I've already made food!" Nowaki interrupted with a protest.

"Knew you'd do something like that," Hiroki muttered to himself. "Listen, brat, save the food for tonight. And while I'm out with my mom, get a damn futon into the other bedroom."

"Oh! I didn't think of that... Is that what was making you snappy?" Nowaki quickly caught on.

"Maybe," was all that Hiroki said, somewhat reluctantly, with a huff. He couldn't stop himself from blushing either. "And don't say anything to her!"

"...Fine." Hiroki could practically hear his lover frown over the phone.

"...I'll tell her...sometime," Hiroki conceded with guilt. But he really didn't want to tell his mother. He would rather jump off a cliff, knowing all the while that there were sharp, jagged rocks waiting for him at the bottom, ready to grant him a gruesome death.

Then, a realization hit Hiroki suddenly. "Hey! You haven't called me Hiro-san throughout this conversation," he said, holding his breath. "Is it – is it because I yelled at you just then?" He asked in a hushed voice, unsteadily.

"No," was the reply.

"Then...why?"

"Because, she's here."

Hiroki sharply exhaled. It was embarrassingly endearing to know that Nowaki knew enough of him to sense and do what was wished of him in situations such as this. And that he did it without hesitation – well, Hiroki could only blush and turn away from the prying eyes of Miyagi.

"...Thanks," Hiroki said softly. "And Nowaki? - … love you. Bye." He hurried to add before Nowaki could say anything and pressed the end button, giving his lover no chance to respond or reciprocate. Besides, he thought, Nowaki was probably too surprised and speechless.

Then, Hiroki imagined the idiot wearing a gigantic, goofy grin.

...And the image of his mother slanting a suspicious glance at his lover automatically followed it, causing Hiroki to wince.

TBC

A/N:

So, after only getting one review for the last chapter, I have come to the conclusion that it wasn't popular much. I hope this one makes up for it some... And based on this small niggling feeling I have, I would also like to apologise if anyone thinks that I'm dragging it out...but I'm merely writing whatever comes to me while trying to make it flow.

Anyways, please tell me your thoughts and comments! I, personally, felt that Hiroki had too much of a whiplash with his emotions in this chap. And that he may have been a slight bit OOC... Also, did anyone notice that the chapters are getting longer?