Chapter 18

"Apologies. They caught me at an awful time as I was getting ready." Hana was straightforward as she fixed her hair across from the Ootori. She was wearing a black dress that hugged her figure, a laced pattern adorned her neckline and her nails were a deep wine red.

The two were left alone a few hours before the event while their parents mingled with one another, speaking about business. Hana had just finished her makeup and her hair needed to be pinned up. But instead, she was called down early and Hana was stuck with half-pinned up hair which, now that she looked at the reflection of her phone – didn't look half bad.

"I have no intention of marrying you," Hana said when she finished with her hair. The Ootori was certainly not amused.

"I expected more than a superficial—"
"—Ootori-san, you likely took 30 minutes at a maximum to put yourself together." She was quick to cut off the Shadow King in his pristine suit and his hair styled the same way as she remembered it in Ouran. The Ootori must have had a routine down by now. "Give me a break as I'm asked to look presentable with my hair, makeup, nails, and dress to consider because of social norms," Hana calmly explained. "No disrespect," she added.

Kyouya stared at the former model who used to be so soft-spoken and polite. He had miscalculated. She was described as docile from his mother. A beautiful young lady, he quoted. Though never once did his mother mention Hana's professional accomplishments, landing an internship at an investment firm in her third year of university and graduating in the top 5% of her class. She wasn't meant to be underestimated, Kyouya realized.

"You and I have much in common. We are both to inherit our respective companies. You and your parents are not family, but rather strict business partners. And of course, you're here out of obligation and pure curiosity to see what I have to offer," Hana smiled. She toned down her voice, but kept her assertive tone. "And I'm here to see what you have to offer me."

The Ootori raised an eyebrow.

"I get the company. We merge. I sit on the board of directors quietly. A done deal," Hana broke it down.

Kyouya narrowed his eyes. "It is hardly that simple."
"Of course not. Marriage is somewhere in the mix, though I'd prefer we avoid that all together. We need a plan."
"I never agreed to work with you, Sawada-san," the Ootori reminded.

The woman shrugged. "Would you agree that the world is a ruthless, cold-hearted place wherein everyone has to fend for themselves?"
"I would agree," Kyouya nodded.
"I'm fending for myself. You're fending for yourself. We have the same goals. Work with me, Ootori-san."

The Ootori sat back. "What would be my goals, exactly?"
"My company. Your parents' approval."
"And yours?"
"My freedom."
"You would be betraying your family," Kyouya pointed out. While his family were nothing more to him than a convenient business arrangement, he had the Ootori name. One that he had grown up to take pride in, a legacy that he strived to maintain. His intentions to inherit the company were selfish, but they were the ones that were expected of him.

Hana, he thought, would have had the same intention. Inheriting the company because it was rightfully hers, and keeping the Sawada legacy alive. A merger would be the ultimate betrayal to her father who had worked from the bottom up to create this conglomerate. Something about that didn't line up with the woman's character. Kyouya knew Hana well enough from his days in Ouran that she would never do such a thing. There was something fishy about that. She would have been throwing all the work that her father had done, for something as silly as freedom.

The woman shrugged. "Say what you will, Ootori-san. Do you want my company, or not?"
"I do," the Ootori admitted. "But why?" He needed to know. An offer like this is much too good to be true.

"Why I don't want to marry you, or why I'm offering up a 35 billion dollar company to you?"
"The latter is preferred, though both would satisfy my curiosity, Sawada-san."

Hana smiled.

"Ootori-san, while your reputation is known to be calculative and cold, I believe you deserve someone who will love you wholeheartedly. Even with that ego of yours," the young lady chuckled. "But that person isn't me. It won't be me, ever," Her voice turned soft. She was honest in her words. This was the Hana Kyouya had remembered from years ago, the kind young woman who gave him 10 different charities to sift through for corruption. The girl who patiently greeted his friends during the outings at their villa, despite the ruckus they caused.

"This company is not mine to keep. Call it betrayal, or whatever you'd like. I have no qualms and this weighs next to nothing on my conscience." Kyouya was surprised to hear that coming out of Hana's mouth. So much for being the kind-hearted girl he remembered her as. She'd grown to be as ruthless as he was over the years. The Ootori couldn't help but to respect that.

"And while I'm aware of your merciless business strategies – I trust you," she continued. "Call me naïve or what you will – but I didn't get a degree in finance for nothing, nor am I pursuing my Master's without any prior knowledge. You can manage the company well. You have the best intentions for the company. You are needed in this partnership. So work with me."

Kyouya couldn't refuse. It would be ridiculous to refuse such an offer. He offered his hand, a trademark of any business agreement. The heiress smiled and shook his hand firmly.

"Let's begin."

Mori was lost. So, so, so, so lost. All he could see were crowds of people he didn't recognize. He was drowning in a sea of strangers. Champagne being served left and right, with hors d'oeuvres somewhere in between. He rushed to get to the venue after his last class and that already left him in quite the scramble. He was late, anyway. It was past 8 and the banquet was over. It was just mingling amongst the upper class, many of whom Mori couldn't recognize.

He couldn't even find Hiro amongst all of the madness, much less the only person he wanted to see. Mori lurked around in the shadows for an hour before giving up. It was such a silly thought, thinking that they could cross paths. He couldn't even spot Hiro.

Takashi sullenly walked out of the venue and out into the corridor towards the elevator. A cool breeze caught his attention. The entire place was comfortably heated and there certainly couldn't be a draft from the heating system. His legs took him to a glass door propped open by a pair of Dior heels, towards a balcony that overlooked the city.

"God damn it Hiro, I told you I'd be back in there in two minutes. I just needed to breathe." Her black dress blended into the dark night, with her pale skin that peaked through the lace down her back and her bare feet were a sure sign that it had to be her. It was freezing outdoors and here she was, her arms crossed while she leaned against the railing.

Hana turned around and widened her eyes in shock.

"This is jetlag getting to me, isn't it?" the young woman brought her fingers to her temple and closed her eyes. It couldn't have been Takashi standing at the doorway, staring at her while she tried to keep it together for the rest of the night. Him in his suit and skinny tie, the classic dark grey blazer that fitted his broad shoulders paired with black loafers with a jacket on his arm.

"You aren't real because I haven't slept in 32 hours. I'm crazy. You can't escape the insanity. I'm going to need more than two minutes to get my shit together."

Hana took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. Mori stood there with a small smile on his face. He'd never seen her like this before. Takashi had caught her at a bad time.

"Do hallucinations last this long?" she mumbled to herself. It wasn't like a hallucination could hear her, right?

Takashi walked from the doorway, making sure to keep her shoes as the doorstop before approaching her. Hana froze, still in complete shock and began regretting how little she had slept. The man gently placed his jacket over her shoulders and pulled her into his arms.

"I'm real," his deep baritone voice rumbled through his neck, with Hana's face buried into his shoulder. It took a minute before she relaxed in his grip, her arms snaking around his waist. It only felt natural.

"What are you doing here? Did you hear me talking to myself? Goodness, tonight is just all kinds of embarrassing," she grumbled, quiet enough so that only he could hear. He chuckled. Hana held him tighter out of instinct, it was such a comforting feeling.

"Hiro invited me."
"Oh," Hana pulled away. "What?" She looked up at him, confused at how this ever came about.

Takashi was unsure how else to say it

"Don't… don't leave."
"I… I don't know what you mean. I have to fly back to London to finish up my degree," Hana explained. She had obligations. It was a 10 month program, shorter than the usual 2-3 year Master's programs in the States and Japan.

"I mean," Takashi took a deep breath. "You… and Kyouya." He shook his head. "You can't. He's a good man but… your happiness is important."

Hana smiled. "Takashi, that's very sweet of you to look out for me." Hiro must've spilled the goddamn beans as usual.
"No," he cut her off but he stumbled over what he wanted to say. He really should have been more prepared, if only he prepared for this as much as he did for the lecture earlier today.

"It's your choice." Takashi wanted her to know that he respected her decision. He wanted her to know that he was happy so long as she was happy. He wanted her to know that he cared for her… to an awfully large degree that he couldn't quite vocalize. He knew he wasn't enough for her. That she was the sun and he was the sea. That she would be eons farther in space than he was, while he stayed in his little orbit.

"I just… I don't want you to leave. I don't want to say goodbye. I want you here. Right here. Forever. If I can. If I'm allowed to have you."

Hana blinked. He went from being coherent, to somewhat coherent to just downright confusing. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite… follow…"

"Can I kiss you?" he cut her off. Takashi couldn't convey his emotions otherwise.

Hana stared at him and blinked a few times. Did she hear right? It didn't matter because Hana already found herself halfway to closing the distance between them. He swooped down and met her soft lips that were caked in a deep plum colour. He was careful and afraid that he was overstepping his boundaries. He pulled back, leaving her breathless. She pecked him on his jaw before burying her face in his chest. Takashi welcomed her embrace and rested his chin on her head.

"You're too good for me," Hana shook her head.
"You're too good for me," Takashi answered.

She pulled away. "No. You don't understand. I'm… I'm all over the place. I'm flying across the world all the time. I have school. I have work. I'm… I'm not right for you. I can't give you security. I can't even promise—"
"—It's fine," he reassured.
"No, Takashi. You deserve better than some girl who can only come around every once in a while. You deserve more than someone who can't always put you as a priority. You—"
"You told me to take charge years ago," Takashi reminded her. "I'm doing that. I want this."
"I don't want us to fall apart," Hana shook her head. "I want this to work. I don't want to just try it out, I want this to succeed. I want us to stay together. I don't know what it'll take but I know it… it's hard. It's all or nothing."

She took a deep breath. "I just don't want to disappoint you."
"I don't want to disappoint you."

Hana sniffed. "How could you ever disappoint me?"
"I'm… nothing."
"You're a graduate student. You're on your way to becoming a PhD candidate and I think you'll be a wonderful professor one day – that is far from nothing, Takashi."
"You're… so much more."
"I'm not much more," Hana shook her head. "I'm… just… a selfish person who would rather sell out a lifetime of someone's work for their own freedom."

It was Takashi's turn to be confused. He looked down at her, watching as she blinked away tears of guilt.

"I'm not marrying Kyouya," Hana assured him. "But I am selling out the company to him. A move that my father would never appreciate."
"You don't owe him anything," he whispered, pulling loose strands of her hair out of her face. He cupped her face and spoke with his yearning eyes. You're doing what you need to do.
"I… I'm not sure about that," she shook her head. "I owe him an explanation, at least." Hana lied about having none of this weigh on her own conscience. It weighed heavily. So much so that she couldn't sleep at night.

He didn't know what to say. He never knew what to say. Takashi tucked her into his body, reminding her that everything would fall into place, like they did. Or at the very least, he hoped that it would. The warmth of his body enveloped her as she breathed in and out, calming down.

This was home. Where her mind was clear and her heart was at peace after so long.

"Why?" Hana murmured into his neck. "Why now? Why here?"

He didn't know what to say. The rush of fear that ran through his veins at the thought of her never coming back to him. In some way, somehow. He used to think he would be alright with that. The note he left her reminded him of the harsh reality, a goodbye that could have been forever. Before then, time felt eternal, that the last time would ever really be the last time. The fact that she was an heiress and she was destined for someone much greater than a mere graduate student, making next to nothing and enjoying the lifestyle of mundane papers and books to be shelved. She was so much more. So much better. She was not meant for him.

But for some reason, Takashi couldn't help but to think of her. The way that his thoughts gravitated towards her, no matter what. The happiness he felt conversing with her, in all the ordinary things she could talk about. He was so drawn to her and he didn't even care to think of any reason why. He just accepted it. Accepted that she was an important part of his life, accepted that he couldn't escape from her, in complete bliss.

"I… I'm sorry. I took so long," she didn't mind that Takashi didn't answer her. She didn't have to know. All she could feel was his sincerity through his firm embrace, the way he brushed his lips on her forehead, how he kept his hands on her waist without ever thinking of letting go any time soon. But he would never tie her down. He would let her fly free and he would stay. His loyalty was definite. Takashi would never, ever, let her down.

"I always thought you… you didn't need someone with so much baggage. So much complexity," she pulled away from him and tried thinking straight. Reality was always waiting for her, it was always just a quick escape. A temporary high.

"I've always admired you. You were level-headed, wise, humble, strong, kind, and gentle," the woman smiled as he listened to her intently. "I'm sorry I took so long to realize how important you are to me. I'm sorry I'm not... good with relationships." Hana had nothing but pure honesty to offer. "I can barely keep it civil with my pretend family, besides Hiro. I can't… guarantee something stable, something normal, something that—"
"I know," Mori cut her off.
"I'm not—"
"—You're everything." It was like deja-vu. He said the same thing to her a few summers ago when she asked how much she was worth.

Hana shook her head. "You're… too good," she sighed in frustration. "I'm not everything. I'm not perfect."
"Neither am I," Takashi pointed out.
"Yes but," Hana huffed. "You… deserve better. You deserve happiness."
"You make me happy," the man reasoned. "Would you rather me be with someone else?"

Her eyes softened as her body retracted at the thought of him with someone else. "If… if they're right for you, then of course."
"You're right for me."

"How can you be so sure?" Hana whispered.

He didn't know how to explain. Takashi shifted closer to her, making sure he wasn't overstepping any boundaries. Making sure that she was comfortable. He inched closer to her, as if asking for her consent. Hana looked at him with tired doe eyes, trying to read his mind despite knowing fully well that it was impossible. He met her lips softly, pulling her closer for the nth time that night. Letting her melt into his embrace, slowly letting her take the lead. Hana chased after his lips as he pulled her back into his body, Hana couldn't have let go even if she wanted to.

And she certainly didn't.

He left her breathless for the second time of the night.

"I'm sure," Takashi murmured into her hair. "Trust me."

"When are you coming back?"

Hana sighed. She called him from the airport to say goodbye the next day. Granted, she was there a whole six hours early to avoid any confrontation with any of her family members. Hana had grown rather fond of the airport over the years, after spending so much time in them ever since she was a teenager. Hana had spent years watching family members say goodbye, children refusing to let go, lovers parting, and lone travellers like herself come and go.

"Five months, maybe." That was when her degree ended. But if she had any choice, Hana wanted to stay in Europe just a little longer to explore. Mori nodded to himself, not surprised by the ambiguity of her reply.

"Sorry," Hana sheepishly added, realizing that most people would've visited their significant other whenever they had the chance. They hadn't quite defined their relationship to begin with. They connected on a level that they had never experienced with anyone else.

"Don't be," Mori smiled to himself. All he knew was that she was coming back to him, someday. It must have been naïve for someone to place all their trust in someone, he figured. Any realist would have at least some kind of inkling of doubt, wondering if their partner would be faithful over distance and time.

They were both fumbling and wondering what to do next. Careers, marriage, kids, retirement – that seemed like the normal thing to do. But marriage was out of the question for either of them. They had hardly began their lives outside of school. Better yet for Mori, he was planning to stay in academia.

"You should be working on your paper," she reminded.
"I am," Mori assured. "So are you."
"Right," she laughed. "I'll be working on it during the flight."
"You should sleep."
"I… haven't slept very well, lately," Hana admitted. "Between school and preparing to work for the company, there's a lot on my mind."

"Mm." He wasn't sure how to comfort her, or what to say. He wondered if she would ever find that to be annoying, if he wouldn't ever be enough. Hana however, liked that he never really pried into her thoughts. Hana was unsure where to begin with what went on in her mind anyway. It always felt like chaos, never a minute where her mind wasn't focused on the next task or planning for whatever needed to be done in a few months time. Hana knew that he was always listening. The way he picked up on the small things, usually without her even noticing.

In a few weeks, a package was left on her doorstep. It was the middle of winter and Hana had gotten home from a rather long commute from the library where she worked on her paper. Tired and already exhausted, she lifted the package and entered her small flat. Hana settled down by her kitchen counter and opened the cardboard box to find a tin of herbal tea, a book, and a note.

To help you sleep – Takashi

It was past nine. Which meant it was sometime after six in the morning in Tokyo. He must have been awake, given that he was always an early riser. He picked up after the second ring.

"You're wonderful," she whispered. No hellos. None of that small talk. "You know that?"
"Why?"
"Sending me tea and a book to help me sleep – that was unnecessary but incredibly sweet of you, thank you," Hana explained. "Is there anything you'd like from London?"

Mori couldn't really think of anything. He just glad that the package made it across the world without getting lost. He didn't need much to begin with. He was a simple man, who needed very few things to sustain himself.

"Just you," he settled after a few seconds of thought. He heard her sweet laugh over the phone.
"You're… impossible," she sighed. "Let me return the favour somehow."
"Just take care of yourself."
"You too, Takashi." She paused. "Are you lecturing today?"

"Mmhm," he replied. Mori was in the midst of packing his backpack with his notes and laptop. The professor was off at a conference and left him in charge of the lectures this week along with the seminars.

"Good luck," Hana smiled. "Not that you'll need it."
"I do," Takashi replied. He wasn't a particularly big fan of public speaking. Though he was lucky that he was well versed in the subject, otherwise, he'd look like a complete fool stumbling over topics he wasn't familiar with.

"How's your paper coming along?"
"Good," he answered. "About two thirds done. How about yours?"
"Still gathering some research, about halfway done the paper," Hana sighed. "Just worked on it tonight in the library. Libraries remind me of you," she slipped out. It might have just been the coziness of the place, with hardwood floors and furniture. Light seeping through the stained glass windows. Books everywhere, a quiet setting. It was a calming environment.

"The sun," Mori locked his door and began his usual morning commute.
"Hm?"
"Reminds me of you," he clarified.

Hana let the kettle boil as she leaned against her kitchen counter. "How am I the sun?"

"You're bright."
"You mean, blinding?" Hana corrected. The sun was more of an annoyance to her, with the exception of it rising and setting. That was when she enjoyed the sun.
"No," Mori disagreed. "You're… unattainable."
"Unattainable?"
"Far away. Up in the sky," he tried again. "Too good for me."

"Takashi," her voice softened. "I'm—"
"Essential," he interrupted. That was a better analogy of the sun and what her existence meant to him. It sounded like ridiculous, now that he said it aloud. She must've thought of him as silly. No one says that kind of thing.

"You can't do this to me," Hana grumbled. "Don't… don't make me fall for you like this. Across the world and I can't do anything about it."
"Sorry," he apologized, not knowing what else to say.
"No," she groaned. "Don't apologize! Stop… stop making me feel... I'm not good at this. I'm not good at whatever you're making me feel."
"What do you feel?"

She hesitated. But then she decided that there wasn't a point in pretending. Honesty was all she could offer, after all.

"Something in my chest. Something heavy, like… it hurts to miss you this much. And here you are, being the incredibly sweet man you are, making me feel so… special? Is that right? Is that the word?" Hana spoke her thoughts aloud to him. She felt comfortable with him, and only him. "Do you feel… the same? Or am I just weird? Probably just weird. Sorry."

She poured the boiling water over the tea leaves in her mug and hoped that she didn't scare him off on the other line.

"I'm… not good at this either," he offered in comfort.
"Oh, but you are," Hana shook her head. "Perhaps this is why you were a host in Ouran."
"I never spoke," Takashi pointed out. Honey did all the speaking. Besides, Takashi wasn't interested in mingling with the girls. He was there to take care of Honey, first and foremost. He walked down the street, muting the noises of traffic and focused solely on her voice. How he loved the way she sighed, the way she stuttered, or the slight hesitance in the way she tried piecing the right Japanese words together.

"When do your classes end?" the woman changed the topic, effortlessly. Mostly in an attempt to cover up her embarrassment, but it didn't seem like Takashi noticed.
"End of March."
"Have you applied for your doctorate?"
"In December," Mori answered. He was lucky to have formed a good relationship with the head of the department from his job as TA and during his years of undergrad. There were very few people who took Philosophy as a major in the first place.

"Have you heard back?"
"No." It was only January, after all. "I'm not worried."
"Ah, I see."

Mori ended their call short when he entered the subway. As the weeks passed, it became more difficult to say goodbye during their occasional phone calls. The exhausted student came home to mail slipped underneath his door. It was a rather thick envelope.

In it was an air ticket to London, departing late at night on March 31st, the last day of classes. Attached was a note in her neat handwriting.

When I asked if you wanted anything from London and you said just me… I realized that I just want you. From Tokyo.

He called her immediately, without taking note of the time difference. She picked up after a few rings.

"You bought me an air ticket."

She laughed. "I did. Sorry, it's not first-class or anything. I'm… kind of on a budget." Hana hadn't taken a first-class flight since her modelling days. Over the years, Hana began investing her money in a small amount of stocks, applying her finance degree to some extent. She also owned a tiny share of equity in her previous job in a start-up . It was a means of payment for her time. She was making money, though nothing like the real investment bankers or hedge fund managers.

"It's…"
"Hopefully not too big of a surprise? I know you said you ended class at the end of March. But don't feel like you have to come visit. I'm sure you can cancel or rebook the flight if you do it now," she rambled. Hana stood outside of a seminar room, noting the fact that she had only a few minutes before she had to give a presentation.

"Thank you," was all he could manage. "I'd love to come."
"I'll be waiting," she smiled. "Listen, I have to go. I have a presentation to give. But um, I'll call you."

He said his goodbye but felt relieved knowing that it wouldn't be their last.

The old man grumbled at the sight of the young man at his doorstep. Kaina of course, was thrilled to see the familiar guest and nuzzled her neck against the leg of the man.

"Did she put you up to this?" The grandfather had been coming down with a cold lately, and with Hana calling him every Saturday night like clockwork, she became concerned when he had a coughing fit. Mori held up a bag of oranges and apples, along with some cough drops.

Mori hadn't been around for quite some time. Their regular Saturday training sessions had stopped after he finished undergrad, and with his Master's degree he had taken up more shifts at the library while teaching on the side. Of course, that didn't mean he stopped working out. Keeping fit was a daily part of his life. He went for a run whenever he could, and had a regime of strength training for at least 20 minutes a day.

"That girl needs to stop being such worrywart," the elder grumbled to himself. "I'm fine, goddamn it. I can walk and ta—" A fit of coughing interrupted the man's rant. Takashi was quick to pat the ill man's back until he was back in shape.

"I'll make you some tea," Mori shuffled into the kitchen. The dog followed, believing that it was about to be fed. As Takashi waited for the tea to boil, he peeled the apples and sliced the oranges. The elder watched from the doorway.

"You two do that texting thing still?" the grandfather was curious. From what he remembered, Mori's sole purpose in texting Hana was to let her know of the old man's condition. But now that Takashi didn't come around to visit, there was no reason for him to keep contact with his granddaughter. How Takashi knew about his cold meant only one thing: the two kids were talking.

"Sometimes." Hana often sent over photos at random times, or she would send them by mail. It was always a surprise. They talked occasionally, perhaps once a week or every two weeks.

"What are you two?" the elder asked.

Mori looked up from the plate of fruit. Obviously confused by the question, the young man could only tilt his head and blink.

"What do they call it now? Boyfriend? Girlfriend? Dating?" His original intention was to tease the kid until Sawada-san found the behaviour of the child strange.

The young man slyly looked down to the half-cut apple in his hand and stayed silent. The dog began sniffing around his legs, nudging his calves for a piece of fruit. Mori cut a small piece of an apple to satisfy the animal.

"Answer me, kid," the elder lowered his voice when he found Takashi's behaviour suspicious. At the very least, the kid would always nod or shake his head. Evading questions were a sign of disrespect and the child was taught better than that.

Mori cleared his throat. "She asked me to check up on you." Technically it wasn't a lie. He wasn't sure how to explain what they had. They were in no rush to put labels on their relationship, in fact, they were comfortable the way they were. No labels. Just... comfortable talking.

The grandfather rolled his eyes and shook his head at the young man. The two made their way into the living area, with Kaina following Mori closely behind. When they settled at the table, Kaina sprawled its body across the floor, waiting for a belly rub by her friend that she hadn't seen for a while.

"Look at the way the little shit acts around guests," Sawada-san huffed. "She's a real annoyance. Wanting to be walked all the time, those annoying checkups at the vet, and not to mention the damn pet needs to eat. It's like caring for another child."

The elder's rants were another form of endearment. Mori and the dog knew that by now. The grandfather ate the apples quietly before speaking.

"She'll hurt you real bad so I don't have to," Sawada-san warned. The crunch of the apple piece resonated through the room as he bit into it, a neutral expression sprawled over his face as he chewed.
Mori looked up from the dog to meet eyes with the elder.
"If you hurt her, I mean," the grandfather smirked.

Mori could only nod.

"She could really throw a punch, kid."
"I know," Mori had been on the receiving end of those numerous times.
"I taught her that," the elder grinned while picking up an orange slice. He slurped the juice before ripping off the skin.
Takashi nodded.

"I won't," Mori eventually choked out. He spent a few minutes wondering if it was even appropriate to speak and even then, he couldn't quite convey the emotions. He had to admit that a part of him was a little fearful of saying the wrong thing to offend the elder.

"You won't what?" Sawada-san pressed, narrowing his eyes.
"I won't hurt her," the young man answered, his words came out a little rushed. Not as smooth as he had intended.

The grandfather stared at the young man for a few seconds, gauging whether or not the child actually spoke the truth. Mori did not break his stare until the elder reached down for his cup of tea.

"Well then. Do you plan to marry my granddaughter?"

Takashi's eyes widened. This blindsided him more than anything. This was not something he was prepared for. And he had been repeatedly kicked, punched, and pinned to the ground without warning for years during his life.

"There is only one right answer, Takashi," the grandfather sipped his tea and waited patiently for the boy's answer.

"No," Hana answered.
"C'mon, Hana," Hiro pleaded. "Don't lie to your big brother."
"Nope," she was adamant.

Hiro had been hinting at Hana and Mori's relationship for the past couple of calls. They called every few weeks. There had to be something between the two, no matter how much his little sister denied.

"Stop meddling," she ordered.
"I'm not meddling! I'm just being the concerned older brother."
"I can take care of myself just fine, Hiro."

The girl was impossible to persuade.

"Okay. But I just want to know…"
"What?"
"Have you guys hooked up ye—"
"Fucking shit, I'm going to hang up," Hana seethed. She had a goddamn paper to write.
"I'm kidding," Hiro laughed. "But does he still have rock solid ab—"
"I'm not kidding about hanging up," she warned.

"Look, I'm rooting for you guys. Whatever you two are."

Hana shook her head. What was it about everyone wanting to put a label on relationships? Hana never understood it. It wasn't anyone else's business, besides their own. Why were people so eager to define other people's relationships?

The pressure of people asking whether or not two people are "just talking" or "dating" to being "exclusive" and "boyfriend/girlfriend." It seemed like such unnecessary stress, especially for either of them who had papers to write and programs to graduate from. To define a relationship was not a priority to them, especially when they couldn't even be physically together. Yet despite it all...

"We're happy," Hana quietly said. "That's what we are."

A/N: I head back to uni in a few days time - which unfortunately, means I won't be writing regularly for the next few months (unless I'm procrastinating - and hopefully that won't be the case). I hope all of you have had a wonderful holiday, and an early Happy New Year to all my readers. Your thoughts of course, are always appreciated.