My apologies, I have no excuse for the long hiatus. I had a writer block, as simple as that. But re-reading my story after such a long pause had kicked me back into the right path.

So here is a new, very short chapter, as a warm up. I am planning a longer one next. I am not even sure if anyone is still reading/waiting for this. But I'd like to try bringing the story into a conclusion.

For those who are still waiting, this is for you. Thank you for not giving up. :)

Disclaimer: VF belongs to YA. Grammar issue, as usual.

Chapter 12. The Offer He Can't Refuse

Tao tried to ignore it when the phone rang for the first time. He was too drunk anyway. With a grunt, he simply covered his head with one of those pretty decorative pillows that Akihito had helped him choose.

His apartment used to be filled only with the bare minimum necessity. White walls with a grey sofa in the living room and a king-sized mattress in the bedroom had been the extend of his interior design ability. He had no idea how to make a house into a home. No one had taught him that.

He had thought about hiring someone to do the work, but allowing a stranger into a place that was supposed to be his sanctuary had felt like an intrusion into his private space. He wasn't ready for that. So, he had let the spacious penthouse remain empty.

When Akihito had visited him for the first time, bringing a small plant as a house-warming gift, the older man had been terribly upset with what he'd found. "What's the point of working days and nights like you do if you don't know how to enjoy the money you earn?!" Akihito had asked.

They had spent the rest of the day furniture-shopping. Excitement had filled Akihito's eyes as the man moved to check out each items inside the high-end shop. According to Akihito, he'd needed at least a 6-seaters dining table, in case he'd wanted to host a small party. He had no plan to host anything, but he had let Akihito discussed different options available for dining table and chairs with the shop assistant.

Then there had been a long list of other things that he hadn't known was even needed, although Akihito had vowed that he wouldn't be able to live without them. Beddings. More beddings. Table clothes. Dining sets. Mirrors. Rugs. Throws. Curtains. Decorative pillows. Different kind of lightings. Paintings. Side tables. Coffee tables. End tables. Hallway tables. Who knew a person would need so many different kinds of tables.

But Akihito had seemed to enjoy the furniture-hunting that Tao had allowed himself to be dragged from one shop to another and then to a few others. He had simply loved to spend what little time he could get with Akihito. And so they had shopped until they had dropped. Literally.

He had spent nearly 10 million yen that day, just to fill his apartment, but he couldn't care less. Money had never been a problem for him anyway and spending a day with Akihito had been priceless. He would happily give his limbs if that's what it took.

The phone stopped ringing and Tao took comfort in the silence it created. He remembered that they had passed a full-body mirror that day, as they'd pushed their heavy cart through the shelves filled with plates and glasses. Akihito had not noticed, but Tao had paused, realising that their reflection had looked like a couple.

Just a regular couple looking for some domestic-mundane-shits to fill their new house.

How much he had wanted to kiss Akihito that day.

The phone started ringing again, interrupting his memory of Akihito's lips. He let out an angry scream into the pillow. Who the hell had called him in his landline at - he groped the coffee table for his phone to check the time - 1 AM in the morning?

Had it been this late? Had he been fallen asleep? It'd been only a little past 9 PM when he'd left The Collar.

The ringing phone sounded too loud for his alcohol-clouded brain. Slowly, he tried to bring himself up from the sofa. But his legs failed him. It was lucky that he managed to catch himself right before he hit the floor. His feet accidentally kicked the empty bottles on his way to get the phone and sent it rolling all over the room. The clanging sound made his head hurt even more.

He swore if it was Nao who called him, he didn't care what time it was, he would beat the boy himself. Maybe with a studded paddle. The boy would perhaps even enjoyed it. His sober self would probably cringe at how much it turned him on to spank the 15-years old, but he wasn't his usual self tonight. Too heartbroken and too drunk to think clearly.

"Hello?" His voice sounded coarse from thirst. He needed some water to clear out the alcohol in his body.

Static noise. Like the low humming sound created by a machine.

Grumbling incoherently, he was about to hang up when he heard a cold robotic voice, "Hello, Liu-san."

He frowned, trying to clear his muddy mind. "Who is this?"

More static noise. A click.

Then, the robotic sound came back, "I'd like to offer you an opportunity to gain profit."

He scowled. This had to be those automatic marketing calls. How they had gotten his landline number, he didn't know. Oh well, he would find out tomorrow morning, when his brain was clearer.

But then, the robotic sound mentioned something that would make it impossible to come from a marketing call, "A profit, in the form of one Asami Akihito."

And he stilled. Blood froze inside his body and the heated room suddenly felt icy. The name had cleared his mind quicker than a cold shower could.

When he tried to ask again, slower this time, his voice sounded calmer than he actually felt. "Who is this?"

A few seconds of static noise, then, "A widowed man, just losing his powerful benefactor, would surely need a new protector. Someone to make him forget about his dead lover. Don't you think?"

Images flashed inside Tao's brain. Of Akihito showing him dozens of different paintings, each one look weirder than the one before, laughing at Tao's expression of disapproval. Of Akihito holding his hand, trying to move him faster because he had to see the different options of rugs next. Of Akihito, simply smiling, brightening Tao's entire world by just being there by his side.

"Sad. Alone. Lost. He would miss strong hands to strengthen and guide him," the robotic sound continued. "He'd want…"

A pause.

"…a new Master."

And Tao remembered Akihito, nearly naked in that leather short, kneeling. Earlier that night, Asami-sama had asked Akihito to raise his head. Tao had watched as the man he loved looked up at his master, his heart broken again for the hundred-thousandth time. But this time, in his own head, it was Tao standing in front of Akihito, not Asami-sama. No. It was him. And this imaginary Akihito had called him, "Master". This Akihito in his head had leaned that blushing cheek on his strong muscled leg instead.

So soft. So obedient. So loving.

His.

Only his.

No one else's.

"Who. Is. This," he repeated, nearly a growl, his voice dripping with anger.

Whom he had been angry at, he had no idea. Perhaps, it was at Asami-sama, who had suppressed Tao's feeling for Akihito for decades. Perhaps, it was at Akihito, who had been so dense that he had no idea how many times he had broken Tao's heart into pieces. But most likely, it was at himself, who couldn't seem to let go.

Who didn't have the courage to fight. To get what he wanted. To destroy those who stood on his path.

He was a coward.

This time, there was a hint of amused arrogance when the robotic sound said, "I am Yakenonokarasu and I'd like to make you an offer."