-Reiji's POV-
Takamiya sat back up on his bar stool and ran a hand through his hair before he sullenly repeated, "I've lost him, Aoe."
The man briefly turned tortured eyes towards Reiji and looked away. The translator then grabbed another shot of whiskey before him and gulped it down.
The B&B owner didn't know what to make of that statement. He knew very well to whom Takamiya was referring to. But considering the information he gathered since his friend's arrival, it didn't add up. Did something happen to the brat then? Was that why the man's assistant is accompanying him rather than his lover?
If something did happen to the brat, Reiji knew Takamiya would not be here with him now, but instead be by the brat's side. But since his friend is here with him, that means something else must have happened to the boy. If that was the case, it still didn't explain what Reiji saw earlier between Takamiya and his assistant. That familiarity couldn't be misinterpreted any other way.
Annoyed by the many conjectures rolling around in his head, Reiji had had enough and took a quick puff before he inquired evenly, "What happened?"
Takamiya visibly flinched when he heard that question and he slumped back on his seat dejectedly before he spoke in a halting manner. "I'd hit him, Aoe. ––I'd hit him… and he'd left."
His friend's face clearly mirrored the distress in his voice. However to Reiji, he couldn't believe it was something so trivial. So his friend and the brat had a lover's spat. How typical, he thought.
He'd witnessed on many occasions, the brat hitting his friend especially when the boy was flustered. So in his book, Takamiya should at least be allowed some small retaliation in kind. Reiji decided to voice his thoughts exactly. He scoffed derisively and commented, "He hits you all the time and you still come back to him. Just give him a day or two, he'll be back and will chastise himself for not being here with you."
Takamiya was quick to respond as he turned back to Reiji. It was then the B&B owner saw how upset his friend really was. "That's just it, Aoe. He left three days ago and I haven't heard a word from him. Not a word. He didn't come back. I have no idea where he went! "
The translator's frantic voice rose with each statement he'd made. By this time, Reiji couldn't ignore the pointed looks from the other patrons any longer. It seems they could be thrown out of the establishment any moment now regardless whether they were VIP guests or not. So he quickly stubbed the half-smoked cigarette on a nearby ashtray and reached both arms to rest on Takamiya's shoulder, intending to instill some calm on the fellow and reminding him not to make a scene. It seemed to have work for Takamiya's uncharacteristic outburst deflated and he turned back to face the bar in front of him. The man then held an empty shot glass up in the air, thus signaling the bartender for another.
Reiji released a small sigh as he decided to keep vigil and wheedle out what happened between the two from Takamiya. It was going to be a very long hour before their dinner appointment.
-Naoya's POV-
Naoya found himself yet again looking at the time on his wristwatch for the past hour. It was fifteen minutes till six and Reiji has yet to return. Naoya had never felt so anxious before for his friend. He had called Takamiya's cottage in England, regardless of what time it was, hoping that Izumi would pick up, but no one answered. He had even tried Izumi's mobile number, but it went straight to voice mail. Ever since, Naoya had called the cottage once every half-hour, yet each time no such luck. He was about to call his lover's mobile number when the man himself walk through the doors to their suite. Naoya immediately stopped his pacing and ran towards Reiji.
The older man flashed him a knowing grin and Naoya blushed in response as he followed Reiji towards the bedroom. Noticing that his lover was about to change for dinner, Naoya quickened his steps and stand before Reiji to help him with his tie. As he does so, he looks up at the older man and asked anxiously, "Well?"
The look of annoyance quickly showed on his lover's face. Naoya quickly took Reiji's tie off and went into the walk-in closet to gather the older man's dinner attire for tonight. When Naoya returned to the bedroom he found Reiji already stripped down to his briefs. The blush from earlier on returned with a deeper shade. Despite their six years of being together, Naoya still feels embarrassed around his lover over such domestic couple-hood activities. It seems though; his lover has yet to notice or otherwise chose not to comment on it. Naoya was grateful for that. Reiji had always been considerate of his feelings and well-being.
He flashed a whimsical smile towards his lover and received a questioning brow raise in return. Naoya shrugged in answer then walked over and hand the suit to the older man. He then sat on the edge of the bed and waited for Reiji to impart the information he's learned.
Naoya's patience was soon rewarded when his lover began to tell him what he's learned from Takamiya as he dressed.
-Reiji's POV-
"Since we don't have much time, you'll have to settle for the gist of it, Naoya." He hadn't expected a response from Naoya but received a nod of affirmation from his young lover anyways. Reiji's lips kicked up a corner and he continued his narrative as he began to tuck his shirt in.
"Because of this big project Takamiya had been working on, his publishing company sent a junior editor to assist him. They hit it off great. Then for some reason, Kuroda ends up temporarily living with them at the cottage."
Reiji pause in his narrative to knot his tie. Naoya immediately appeared before him and took over. The older man absently relented then resume with his account.
"Obviously the brat wasn't overjoyed by that." Reiji received a slight warning glare from Naoya and his smiled widen before he continued.
"But Takamiya seems to think it was charming at first. He liked the idea of making the brat—" Reiji received another pointed look and he corrected himself, "the boy jealous. He said something like 'a possessive Izumi makes for a sexy Izumi.'"
Naoya blushed at that as he pause his ministrations. Reiji inwardly smiled at the return of the young man's habitual flushed cheeks. "Hey, his words, not mine."
His lover only nodded in reply and continued knotting his tie signaling Reiji to carry on. "But Izumi's behavior towards Kuroda got out of hand and Takamiya had to resort to keeping Izumi away from the editor until the project was finished. Suffice it to say, it only got worse. It finally came to a head, when three days ago before they were to fly out that Izumi had cut Kuroda on the forearm with a kitchen knife."
"But Izumi would never do such a thing on purpose!" Naoya emphatically defended his friend. He was about to say more when Reiji held up a warning hand. He immediately stopped and waited for what his lover had to say.
Reiji chided his young love. "We don't know that. This is from Takamiya's point of view, remember?"
Naoya didn't reply to that as he finished tying the knot and went back to sit on the bed. Reiji shook his head at his behavior, knowing that his young lover will soon be more upset then he is now when he hears the rest of the story. Thus Reiji went to sit beside Naoya and resume his narrative.
"Takamiya said he couldn't believe it himself, but the evidence was there and Izumi didn't deny it. In fact, he said Izumi wouldn't even admit that he was wrong especially after all the other stuff he had done to Kuroda."
"What other stuff?" Naoya cut in, but any further questions were quelled by a sideway glance from Reiji.
"So Takamiya acted out a whole month's worth of frustration and hit Izumi on the face."
"Wha—"Naoya began but was quickly cut off by Reiji's warning.
"Naoya..."
Contrite by the rebuke, he quickly apologized. "Sorry."
Satisfied that he won't be further interrupted by his caring young lover, Reiji resumed yet again.
"That's when Izumi ran out and didn't come back."
Expecting the sudden alarm on Naoya's face, Reiji tried to alleviate some of his lover's distress.
"Takamiya had checked everywhere and Izumi was nowhere to be found. He said he had called the local constable and they said they'll look into it. He would have stayed at the cottage but Kuroda had reminded him of his commitment and responsibility for the project. So that is why Takamiya is here and not over there."
Not looking forward to sharing the sordid details with Naoya anytime soon, Reiji quickly looked at his wristwatch and said, "Save your questions for later, Naoya. It's time."
Naoya reluctantly expelled a small sigh of defeat and followed Reiji out the doors as they both headed down to the lobby to meet the other two.