**

Jiro felt safe, blanketed in the warm arms of the elder man. He snuggled himself deeper into the embrace, feeling the arms tightening securely around him even more. Sugizo’s face was buried in his hair, making it impossible for him to crane his neck up to take a look at the sleeping man. He was able to though, somehow managing to place Sugizo’s head on his shoulder, smiling at his peaceful face.

‘ He looks so serene..’ Jiro mused to himself.

Sugizo let out a sigh, as if though hearing Jiro’s thoughts. He pulled Jiro closer, hugging him in a possessive way. Jiro smiled at his gesture and relaxed himself.

He knew he was bringing himself trouble by staying the night at Sugizo and Teru’s apartment but the older man had been drunk, too drunk to be left on his own. As much as he would’ve liked to believe it, he knew that by the state Sugizo was in when they left the bar, the pink-haired man could’ve never made it to his apartment safely. So he had taken the responsibility to bring him home.

Jiro brushed away the few strands of shocking pink hair away from the sleeping face. His own arms wound themselves around the body, taking in the heat.

He hadn’t anticipated Sugizo to pull him into bed as well. Nothing had happened between them but still, the memory of being beneath him, trying to push away when he was being showered by kisses… Jiro shook his head.

“ Jiro..,” Sugizo mumbled, burying his face deeper into Jiro’s neck, tickling the man with his breath. “ So… sweet…”

Jiro couldn’t help but smile.

He couldn’t care less what Teru would think should he find the two of them together the next morning. He enjoyed Sugizo’s company, he actually felt loved.

Jiro’s fingers curled themselves on Sugizo’s shirt, clutching onto them. He still hurted.. even the thought of Teru made him shiver.. Afterall, love at first sight didn’t happen all the time.. And Teru was the most sweetest person he had ever met.., before he had left him alone that morning in Bali anyways.

The blond sighed.

‘ Why can’t I just forget him?’

~~

“ You don’t look too good, Teru..” Ami let him rest his head on her shoulder. “ Care to tell me what’s wrong?”

“ My brother’s an absolute asshole, that’s all. Plus, my life has decided to become topsy-turvy all of a sudden..,” Teru was dead drunk, but his words were all too clear. “ ..It was a mistake.. I shouldn’t have met him..”

Ami bit her bottom lip, trying to resist the urge to just yell at Teru and make him spill everything he’d been hiding from her. She knew that society looked down at her for her night profession as an escort but she had never let herself become involved in a sexual relationship before. Teru had been the turning point in her life and she wouldn’t let someone like him disappear without at least an explanation to why.

“ Teru.. who is this guy you’re talking about?” She tried to make her voice soft, even though her efforts were almost futile, there were still evidence of anger.

“ Who is he?” Teru looked up suddenly, facing her with a dreamy expression. “ He’s the most beautiful creature to have graced the earth.. he’s like an angel when he smiles.. like a child when he pouts.. like the sweetest nectar when touched..”

It took every will inside of her to remain calm and keep eye contact with Teru.

“ What’s his name?” Again, a desperate try for softness that would’ve failed hadn’t Teru been drunk.

Teru smiled knowingly, as if though he knew what Ami’s intentions were behind the question. He leaned forward, lightly touching her chin, then kissing her forehead. She felt her hands roll into a fist, trying to resist from surrendering to Teru’s touch.

“ What’s his name?” She tried again.

The dentist’s eyes burned differently, this time with a touch of sadness. His smile remained though, his hand still on her cheek, carefully holding her face.

“ You remind me so much of him…,” Teru said, his voice turning as dreamy as his face. He leaned in again, this time touching Ami’s lips with care. “ Too bad your taste is so different..”

She felt her heart drop. Out of all the things she had thought he would’ve said, that was one thing she hadn’t thought about at all. Ami brushed back a strand of curly hair from her vision, pushing him away.

“ Where are you going?” Teru demanded, his words more than a little slurred.

“ Home, I’ve had enough of this.” Ami said, walking away.

~~

“ Kombanwa Hisashi-san, you called me?” Shinya sat down across from the blue head, offering a smile.

Hisashi looked towards him, his face extremely tired.

“ Shinya.. have you seen Jiro lately?”

“ No.. not really, why?” Shinya ordered himself a drink before turning to face Jiro’s brother again.

“ I think he’s back with that Teru.. I haven’t seen him around the house. He’s been avoiding me.” Hisashi lowered his eyes. “ He’s hiding something from me. He never does it unless he’s afraid that I might not like whatever he’s doing.”

Shinya shook his head.

“ I’ve just met with Die, Teru’s friend, and he was with this girl…”

He felt like a dagger had stabbed straight into the weakest point of his heart. Just remembering the kawaii girl made him depressed.

“ A girl..?” Hisashi pressed on.

“ Yumi,” Shinya continued, “ She’s a friend of this girl named Ami and Ami’s supposed to be going out with Teru right now. Jiro hasn’t met Teru at all, if not he would’ve told me.”

“ Oh..,” The tired look still didn’t leave Hisashi’s face. “ But I know he’s going out with someone now.. I know my brother well enough to know when he’s seeing someone new.. I think this person’s a man, the way he’s being so secretive and all..”

Shinya saw his hand grip onto his glass even more fiercely. He reached out to ease the tension before Hisashi destroyed any of the restaurant’s glasses.

“ If he was… would you act this way in front of his lover?” Shinya asked slowly.

Hisashi was quiet.

“ I think you would. That’s why he won’t talk to you.. or me either.” Shinya sighed. “ This someone must be really special, to actually make Jiro care about our views on him. Usually he just acts on impulse.”

“ Shinya.. I thought I told you, I don’t want him to..”

“ ..feel what you felt? Go through your pain?” Shinya supplied the rest of his words. He shook his head, disagreeing. “ Hisashi-san, he’s old enough to know what’s best for himself. And anyways.. that man you had fallen in love with.. not even your parents could change your mind about him.. so why should Jiro?”

Hisashi sighed, not knowing how to answer Shinya. He only wanted what was best for his brother but he knew that with his brother stubborn attitude it would be useless to talk to him now. If only he had talked to him sooner..

“ Do you think I should confront him?”

“ Why are you asking me, Hisashi-san?” Shinya’s voice was soft, but there was a sharp edge to it that didn’t go unnoticed by the blue-head. “ You’re his brother, you should know what’s best..”

“ You won’t object to whatever my decision is?” Hisashi didn’t know why, but he didn’t want Shinya to be upset by whatever he decided to do later on.

“ Of course not.” Shinya snorted. “ I thought you knew me better than that.”

Hisashi tried on a smile.

“ Arigatou. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

~~

Die was walking around town aimlessly, not really having a clear destination in mind. Images of Toshiya and Shinya, kissing with such tenderness replayed in his memory like a broken music box; unstoppable. He shook his head, trying to rid himself from his misery but knew that he couldn’t. No matter how hard he tried to persuade himself to smile along with Yumi’s company, he only longed for Shinya’s prescence. He didn’t need anyone else.

He was feeling extremely sorry for the blond girl. He knew that he should’ve paid more attention to her, but his mind wasn’t set straight yet. He needed to relieve himself from his stress.

“ Die-kun!”

He turned around and felt anger flare inside of him. It was Toshiya! What in the world was he doing here.. shouldn’t he be accompanying Shinya? If he had been able to have Shinya the way the beautiful model did he would’ve never left the man, even for a split second.

“ Toshiya.” He couldn’t bring himself to say his name with as much friendliness anymore.

The model pouted, attaching himself to Die’s arm immediately. Die wanted to pry his hands away but knew that he couldn’t; Toshiya didn’t know how he felt, questions will arise later on if he did so..

“ Die-kun, what’s wrong? You’re not happy to see me?” His sweet voice did nothing to make him feel less mad.

‘ How right you are, dear Totchi..’

“ What do you want?” He felt himself saying instead. “ I wanted to walk alone..”

“ Don’t you know it’s dangerous to walk around alone at this time of the night?” Toshiya teased.

“ It’s even more dangerous with you.” Die managed. “ What do you want?”

He wanted to be rid of the lanky man by his side. He needed anything but Toshiya’s company, it was irritating him. The arms that were holding onto him, the soft touch on his bare skin, the warmth from the body next to him.. they had all been able to embrace Shinya’s beauty effortlessly, as if though the two were destined for each other.

“ I just wanted to be with my friend.” Toshiya’s voice was genuinely hurt. “ But I see I’m not wanted so I’ll just go now..”

“ Totchi..” He felt himself calling out to the retreating man. It was hard not to feel guilty, Toshiya was not to blame for anything.

His friend spun around, looking hopeful.

“ Yes Die-kun?”

Die sighed. He didn’t want to smile, not just yet anyways. Not when Shinya was still Toshiya’s. He opened his arms, beckoning for his friend to come back to him.

“ Come here baka.. I never said I wanted you to leave me.”

‘ But I do.. I do.. why do I have to be so nice to someone I feel so much jealousy for?’

He felt himself hugging his friend close to him, Toshiya chuckling in his embrace.

“ You’ve been moody eversince you met me in the café.” Toshiya took Die’s hand, leading them into a park. “ What’s wrong? You used to tell me everything in that complicated mind of yours..”

“ Things change Totchi…,” Die drawled out, not knowing how else to answer the man.

“ Oh.” The blue strands of Toshiya’s forelocks covered his eyes as he looked at the ground momentarily. “ Well… I can understand that. Everyone changes, ne?”

His voice was cheerful, but there was something amidst the sweet smile he was offering.

“ Totchi.. ,” Die shook away the sudden worry that had crept into him, focusing on trying to ask the question that had burned his mind for so long.

“ Changes, eh?” Die tried a different approach. “ I guess switching from Teru to Shinya is one of them.”

Toshiya stopped in his tracks, looking up at Die with a puzzled look.

“ What about Shinya?”

“ Well..,” Die became a bit uncertain, “ You’re with him now..”

“ Oh, that!” Toshiya chuckled. “ I’m not with him. It was just a spur of the moment thing.. Kiki-chan caught us in the act and I didn’t know how to explain it to her. I couldn’t really say I was kissing Shinya for fun!”

“ For… fun?” Somehow those words made his blood boil, even when he realized that the two were not a couple. Was Toshiya only playing with Shinya the way Teru did with Jiro?

Toshiya suddenly waved both his hands in front of him frantically, shaking his head.

“ No! I didn’t mean it that way… Like I said, it was a spur of the moment thing.. Just for that instant when he was there in front of me, I felt like every cell inside of me, every part of me, my heart and soul.. I felt as if I loved him. And I think I did, but just for that short instant. That was why we kissed.. I think he felt it too.”

The soft strands of his blue hair touched his shoulders as he shrugged.

“ Shinya.. I can’t touch him. Not anymore anyways. It’s a weird feeling.. but I just needed him for that moment. I don’t know how to really explain it.. “

Die’s heart stopped pumping so furiously. Relief washed over him.

“ So there’s nothing between the two of you?”

“ No..,” Toshiya shook his head, looking quite innocent. “ I think we’ll go back to being distant from each other after this.. I think I prefer it that way.. Easier feelings to cope with.”

Toshiya’s hands suddenly pulled Die’s face close to him, a devilish gleam in his eyes.

“ What about you and that girlfriend of yours?”

‘ Girlfriend?’ Die’s overjoyed mind suddenly became confused.

“ Girlfriend? What girlfriend?”

“ That girl you were with.. what’s her name- that Yumi-girl!” Toshiya looked proud of himself, remembering her name. “ She’s really cute… how’s your relationship going on?”

“ Yumi?” Die suddenly laughed out loud, his stomach aching from the hilarity of it all. “ We’re just friends.. there’s nothing going on between us!”

Toshiya peered at him closely then gave him a hard smack on his head.

“ Baka! You don’t know!”

“ Itaiii~~” Die cowered from the sudden hit. “ What are you talking about?”

“ I can’t believe there’s someone who’s actually more dense then Teru..” Toshiya sighed, rolling his eyes heavenward. “ And that’s already saying a lot…”

“ Totchi.. I don’t understand..”

*SMACK*

“ Itaii~~ Totchi that hurts!” Die yelled out.

“ Die no baka!” Toshiya yelled back at him. “ Yumi likes you!”

The pain from Toshiya’s hit suddenly left him; his eyes widened when his finally was able to understand the full meaning of the words.

‘ Uh-oh…’

~~

Sugizo leaned back, enjoying his view. He was thankful for waking up earlier than usual, he hadn’t expected the lovely treat he was given upon awakening. Even though his head throbbed a bit, he was able to ignore it; concentrating on the beauty in front of him. Or rather, lying next to him, one hand holding onto Sugizo’s own.

Jiro was fast asleep, unconscious to Sugizo’s attentive eyes that watched him with wonder. His usually well-kept hair was a mess of golden locks, the shirt he had worn the night before rumpled to an extent it would be impossible to iron out the wrinkles, and his feet were still covered by woolen socks. Apparently he hadn’t been able to release himself from Sugizo’s grip, falling into deep slumber during the passing night.

“ Kirei ne…” Sugizo lightly touched his fingertips to Jiro’s lips, smiling at the small smile that appeared on Jiro’s face. “ Kawaii…”

Jiro seemed to hear what he was saying because his face was immediately scrunched, turning abruptly away from the other man, though his fingers were still entwined with Sugizo’s.

“ No, don’t look away…” Sugizo immediately tried to turn Jiro back to him but the blond seemed too content in his current position to bother Sugizo’s persistent pulling. “ Jiro…”

A mumble.

Sugizo couldn’t help but smile again, leaning in to touch his lips onto Jiro’s soft cheeks. He saw Jiro’s lips twitch slightly before the blond turned his face, still very much asleep, giving him a quick peck on his own cheek.

“ Jiro..” Sugizo didn’t want to disturb the man’s sleep but he wanted so much to speak to him.

“ Let me sleep…” Jiro muttered out, pushing away Sugizo’s hands that were trying to shake him awake. “..I’m tired..”

“ Jiro..” Sugizo leaned in again and showered him with quick butterfly kisses, earning himself a wistful smile from the still asleep Jiro. “ ..wake up, kawaii..”

“ Let me sleep…”

“ Jiro..” Sugizo managed to breath out his name as he continued to kiss him.

“ Teru… let me sleep..”

Sugizo stopped his kisses as soon as he heard his brother’s name escape Jiro’s pouted lips. He felt himself getting out of bed, away from Jiro as if he had just encountered a dangerous being. Jiro’s hands reached out to the empty space, searching for the hand he had held onto. When found nothing, his fingers clutched onto the bedsheets, curling himself back into a peaceful sleep.

“ Mmmph.. oyasumi Teru…” Jiro murmured, still smiling as he snuggled into the covers.

‘ Teru..’ Sugizo blinked many times. ‘ Teru…’

The sleeping beauty stirred slightly, as if though hearing his thoughts.

‘ He thinks I’m Teru..’ Sugizo swallowed the lump in his throat.

~~

“ I had a horrible night!” Ami announced, bursting into the cake store looking very pissed.

“ I had an even more horrible night!” Yumi countered from behind the counter.

Both best friends looked at each other, thoroughly accessing information on the condition the other was in. Without a moment to lose, they embraced each other, sobbing furiously. Their boss wanted to scold them for their behaviour but once seeing the state of miserableness the two was in, she left them both alone.

“ Teru… he said the meanest thing!” Ami managed to say in between her tears.

“ Die really does like that Shinya guy!” Yumi cried out, hugging her friend as if there was no tomorrow.

After getting over the desperate tears and sobs, they were able to calm theirselves, putting up the ‘closed’ sign over the shop before taking seats across each other. The boss had left, not wanting to give into the desire to eavesdrop on the two girls. Ami and Yumi both had bags under their eyes, their faces both pale from their sleepless night.

“ Teru.. he won’t say his name.. but the way he spoke.. it’s got to be that Jiro person I heard him saying!” Ami wiped her red eyes, trying to clear the wetness that was gathering in them again. “ I can’t believe I surrendered myself to a one night stand!”

“ Oh Ami!” Yumi threw her arms around her friend, hugging her fiercely again. “ Don’t say that.. you’ll make me even more sad!”

“ But it’s true!” Ami pushed herself away from Yumi gently. “ I’m so stupid! Why didn’t I realize that he was just taking out his frustration on me? Why didn’t I realize he only saw me as the escort girl? Why didn’t I realize he couldn’t ever love me the way I love him!”

“ I understand.. “ Yumi nodded, looking equally devastated. “ Die loves another man.. I’m sure of it.. when he saw Shinya kissing that Toshiya-guy.. he looked like he had seen the world come to it’s end and left him alone! He wouldn’t even talk to me afterwards! I know he tried but it’s just not the same… he really loves that Shinya person!”

“ Why did both our men fall in love with other men?” Ami sighed into her hands. “ This is so not fair. They’re supposed to be with us. We can make them happy. I know we can.”

“ But if they’re not able to have their heart’s content, they would always be sad through their happiness!”

Yumi slumped over the table, her eyelids closing shut. Her shoulders shook slightly making Ami rest her hand on her back.

“ I don’t want to give up..” Ami’s voice sounded defeated. “ But it’s so useless to go on..”

“ I know.. we’re really hopeless, aren’t we?” Yumi managed a smile.

“ I love Teru…”

“ I love Die..”

They both turned to look at each other, embracing each other again.

“ Do you think we’ll ever make it?” Ami asked, clutching onto her friend in fear that her shelter would disappear.

“ I don’t know Ami…” Yumi felt herself sighing. “ I really don’t know..”

~~

“ I’ve got to go see Yumi..” Die muttered through clenched teeth, trying to find Yumi at her usual hang-outs. “ I’ve got to ask her if it’s true..”

In his haste, he ran into someone, knocking the lady on her knees. He turned around, hearing her swear underneath her breath. Upon closer look, he realized that the lady wasn’t a lady at all but Shinya!

“ Shinya!” Yumi could wait, he wanted to speak to this beautiful auburn-haired man. “ It’s you!”

“ Haii haii, it’s me..,” Shinya didn’t look as happy as he was.

He helped the smaller man up, waiting until Shinya was done brushing off all the dust from his long dress. Die raised an eyebrow when he finally realized what had made him think Shinya was a lady in the first place.

“ Umm… Shinya?”

“ What is it now?”

“ You’re… you’re wearing a dress.” Die said, not knowing how else to put it.

Shinya gave him a ‘no duh’ look before adjusting the skirt of the dress. He straightened himself and only then did Die notice that Shinya was wearing platforms, making him able to meet him eye to eye. Whether this was a good or bad thing, he didn’t know. All he knew was that here was Shinya, staring at him, expecting, and he hadn’t the slightest idea what to say to him.

“ Well.. why are you wearing a dress?” Die asked, mentally strangling himself for saying something so stupid.

Shinya sighed.

“ Isn’t that my business?”

“ Yeah.. sumimasen.” Die mumbled an apology.

The two of them stood in front of each other, not knowing what to say. Die looked up at the sky, as if though asking for it’s help.

“ Well.. where are you going?” He asked, applauding himself for thinking up something that didn’t sound quite so stupid or idiotic.

“ Work.” The man answered shortly and turned on his heels, ready to leave.

“ I- I’ll walk you!” Die ran up to him, catching Shinya’s wrist.

Shinya looked surprised, he hadn’t expected Die to speak to him, not after the way he had given him the cold shoulder when he was with Toshiya.

“ Don’t you have work?” Shinya asked, curious.

“ I’ve gotten myself a holiday.” Die gave him a quick wink. “ I’ve got a pretty flexible schedule anyways so..”

“ What do you work as?”

The question finally came. He shoved his hands into his pockets, whistling a tune. Maybe Shinya would get the message and not ask any further.

“ Die, what do you work as?” Shinya asked again, not at all getting his ‘message’.

“ I.. uh.. “ He scratched the back of his head nervously, “ I’m a taxi driver.”

“ Oh.” Shinya nodded. “ Are you sure it’s okay for you?”

“ Huh?”

“ Not to go to work?”

“ Oh!” Die looked at Shinya with wonder.

‘ He doesn’t care?’

“ No, it’s fine.. I’m really on holiday.” Die assured.

‘ This is a first.. Yumi wasn’t so pleased.. she thought that I wouldn’t be able to pay off my time with her when she first knew of my occupation.. Shinya doesn’t care that I’m just a cab driver?’

“ Why are you looking at me like that?” Shinya took several steps away from Die, as if he was planning something bad for him.

“ No..,” Die shook his head, going closer to Shinya again, “ You don’t mind that I’m just.. you know? A cab driver? It’s not much of a profession..”

Shinya shrugged.

“ You’re working. You’re paying off for yourself, you’re standing on your own two feet. That’s all that matters.”

Die was so touched by his words that he gave into his impulse, kissing the younger man in the middle of the street. Shinya was, no doubt, surprised, but didn’t step away. Like Toshiya, the impulsive act made him want more and he was slightly disappointed when Die broke off the kiss.

“ Shinya?” Die breathed in, anxiety written clearly across his already worried face. “ I’m sorry.. I shouldn’t have.. I..”

“ Do you know why I wore a dress?” Shinya cut off his apology, his tone steely.

“ Uh.. no.” Die didn’t know what the dress had anything to do with him kissing Shinya. But since Shinya was talking, he’d listen anyways. “ Uh.. why?”

“ Because this way I’ll look like a girl. And when you’re with me, no girl will come close because they’ll think I’m your girlfriend.” Shinya said, his tone still even. “ And when you kiss me.. no one will care because..”

Die covered Shinya’s reason with a long, heartfelt kiss. He held the other man closely, gently, securely to himself. People stopped to admire the couple, commenting silently how they complimented each other so well; burning red against a coppered brown/auburn, a handsome young man with his beautiful lady.. The two didn’t seem to care if people found out that they were both men, they were just savouring each other’s taste for the first time.

When they broke apart again, breathless, Die held onto Shinya’s hand, shyly guiding the man through the streets.

“ You were thinking so far ahead, ne Shinya?” Die chuckled.

“ I’m a planner.” Shinya replied curtly.

“ Well, you don’t have to worry..” Die smiled sincerely, “ I don’t care if you don’t look like a girl.. you look beautiful either ways.. and I don’t care at all what people will think about me..”

Shinya returned the smile, his hand also holding onto Die’s.

‘ But Die.. I care…’

~~

End of Part 7