-Takamiya's POV-

Takamiya didn't know how long he had stood there on the balcony looking out onto the night lights of downtown Shanghai. It had become a ritual for him ever since the first night he arrived. And just like all the other nights, he couldn't help but look up into the heavens and asked that same nagging question. But of course, the heaven never replies. It was silly of him to think it would.

He closed his eyes and felt the cool April breeze caress his face and glide through his hair as it gently brushes his opened white, dress shirt against his body like a lover's caress. Yes, it was a beautiful night. And just like all the others, he wasn't able to enjoy it. How could he? The person he had wanted to share it with isn't here with him.

A familiar ache constricted his heart upon thinking of him.

Izumi, where are you?

This question had plagued Takamiya for two weeks now. It tortured him, tying his innards into knots. It was a question among many, but one where the answer supplant all the others.

Takamiya was at his wit's end. It had been a struggle to maintain his calm, collected façade as he presented his work to his clients at the Shanghai University of Technology and made the requisite rounds to conduct a series of seminars. There were so many times that he wanted to throw his professional reputation to the wind and fly home, but he couldn't. Aoe was right when he counseled him to stay. There was nothing else he could do. He had already frantically searched, several times in fact, all the places that Izumi could have been. For the three days before he left England, Takamiya had even called all the local hotels, hostels, bed & breakfast places, and even hospitals. Yet, there was no trace of Izumi.

He did have a lead at one point. The café that Takamiya frequents with Izumi mentioned that the young man had stopped by for dinner the other day but they haven't seen him since.

The translator had been devastated upon hearing that. It was his only lead and the trail had gone cold with no other points of destination.

Since then, Takamiya had frequently called Scotland Yard to check up on their progress, but he soon learned that the endeavor was useless as well. Their general consensus was that he was a Japanese face among many Japanese tourists. There was nothing else they could have done except alert Interpol of another missing person.

Then tonight, hope was restored.

Naoya had reluctantly suggested something to Takamiya in which he couldn't believe that it had never occurred to him. It was clearly written by the habitual frown on the young man's face whenever the translator was around that he knew what happened. Takamiya couldn't blame his friend for telling him that much. Izumi and Naoya were close friends after all. If the young man knew the rest of what happened, Takamiya knew very well that Naoya would never had come to him with his suggestion. There was hope yet, or so he thought.

The first chance he returned to his suite after their dinner together, Takamiya had called Izumi's parents in Kyoto. His heart raced upon hearing the other end picked up on the third ring. He could still remember the conversation clearly.

"Moshi, moshi. Sakashita residence, may I help you?"

With his heart still pounding in his ears, Takamiya had swallowed hard before he responded.

"Sakashita-san, this is Takamiya Katsura. How have you've been?"

There was a brief pause where he could hear Izumi's mother admonishing what sounded like a little boy over something in the background before she replied with enthusiasm.

"Ah, Takamiya-san! How nice of you to call. We've been doing well. How about you? How's my Izumi doing?"

Takamiya had been so sure, yet Sakashita-san's words had been like a death knell. He didn't remember the rest of the short conversation he had with her soon after that.

Takamiya reopened his eyes and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He then took a deep breath before he braced his hands against the balcony railing.

As he did so, slender hands traced his back towards his front and wrapped surprisingly strong arms around his waist, tightly. An equally slender body pressed against his back and he could feel the person behind him pressed his face onto his back. Cool air soon wet that spot and he knew that person was crying silently.

"I hate to see you hurt like this, Takamiya-san."

Takamiya took another deep breath before he straightened up and reached down to release the arms around him. Then he slowly turned around to face the other's shining, sadden eyes. He raised a cold hand to wipe the other's tears away and rasped pitiably, "Imai-kun."

Unbidden, the other threw his arms around Takamiya and kissed him desperately.

-Naoya's POV-

That had been shocking to say the least. Naoya had had his suspicions but he'd decided to give Takamiya the benefit of the doubt after seeing the man night after night looking forlorn standing on the balcony. But now, as he witnessed the two embracing on that same balcony several floors below him, Naoya silently wished that Takamiya would never be able to find Izumi. The man doesn't deserve him.

Review Responses:

Shimmer1 – Thanks for the review. And no, you aren't the only person reading. I do have quite a few hits on this fic. I'm glad you like the story. I have most of it written already. So I'll try to post the rest up quickly.