The magazine fell with a sharp smack on the table. "Look at that!" Hisashi growled, "The article said that they have another date today. What are we going to do about this?"

Kaede clasped his fingers underneath his chin as he gaze unseeingly at the magazine in front of him. "We break them up."


~~~~

"In this card reading business, we always have to expect that in every good thing, bad things follow. It will arrive sooner or later."

"C'mon, Haruko-san," whined Hanamichi, "I don't want to hear anymore."

"Look at this!" Haruko persisted, showing the King of Clubs to the redhead.

Hanamichi's eyes widened when he saw the card and with careful fingers, plucked it out of the girl's grasp.
"It's torn," he remarked, seeing the tear beginning from the top left corner going all the way to the centre of the card.
"This is Akira's card, isn't it?," he asked, turning to look at the girl, "What does it mean?"

Haruko bit her lip in worry, "I'm not sure but as I've said, in every good fortune, bad fortune will follow. Something is about to happen. Soon."


~~~~

Hanamichi was full of worry as he walked out of the school gates, his mind still hearing that ominouos warning Haruko parted to him in class a few hours ago. Lately, the girl's left-to-be-desired card reading skills began to show its real power as if having just woken up from it's latent sleep. With every correct premonition Haruko achieves, Hanamichi's belief in her grew. And it annoyed him that when he usually scoffed (quietly) at her predictions, he now felt the fear of possibility that her readings might become real.

As soon as Hanamichi saw Hasegawa outside the gate waiting for him, the redhead walked over and asked, "Hasegawa-san, do you know where Akira is? Does he have any shooting to do today?"

The man suddenly looked uneasy. "Err... umm... gee, I don't think I am aware of his schedule, Sakuragi-san..."

Hanamichi's eyes narrowed. He knew a lie when he saw one and in his opinion that was one of the worst lie job he has ever seen.

"Don't lie to me," the redhead threatened him, "Akira always picks me up and go out with me and I bet you keep tabs on him as well as on me. Now bring me to him."

Hasegawa furiously began to think of another excuse but the warning look on the redhead's face made him think twice. The man sighed and left it all up to fate.


~~~~

"Why did you call me here for?"

Kaede placed the teacup on the stone balcony railing he was perched on before turning around to see Akira crossing the threshold of the balcony door, the tall brunette's expression full of curiosity and wariness.

"Ah, I know," Akira smiled, not waiting for the fox-eyed youth to answer, "You want to talk about Hanamichi, right? Don't worry. I won't hurt him. Y'know he's a great guy and it's your loss that you don't want to- "

"That's not what I want to talk to you about," Kaede cut in, "I want us to discuss about the leadership position of the Nanno hotel resort."

Akira blinked in surprise. "Huh? Why? I thought you wanted it? Why bring me into this?"

"No," Kaede said, unwavering, "That is what everybody thinks. I don't desire it for me. What I want is you to lead the Nanno hotel resort and from there you build your own business empire and become one of the head leader of the clan."

Akira stared at him in disbelief. "But, I thought Hisashi would be the one-"

"I don't want aniki..." Kaede stopped for a moment to gather his words and when he spoke again his voice was softer.
"Do you remember the time when you called me at the bridge?"

"Aa..." Akira nodded dumbly.

'Kaede no baka!'

'Come here!'

Kaede looked down, seemingly lost in his reminisce. "Your voice... when you ordered me to come to you... I felt suddenly safe. That's why I went with you without hesitation. From that day on, I dreamt and am still hoping that I can live and always be with you."

The fox-eyed youth lifted his head slowly to see Akira's response to his admission. The actor looked amazed, then delighted before he turned red in embarassment.

"Wait! Wait! Hold on a sec!" squeaked Akira, waving his hands furiously in front on him, "This is all so sudden!"

Turning his back towards Kaede he began to mumble uncertainly as he clutched at his chest where his heart was beating horribly fast, "Y-You must know that I regret saving you that day."

"You do?"

"Aa."

Kaede closed his eyes, his voice full of resignation. "So then..."

Akira turned around and to his shock saw Kaede tilting dangerously back.

"Kaede!" His body immedietly went into motion and in a heart-stopping second later, his left arm was holding Kaede at the back, preventing the fox-eyed teen from falling off the balcony. The teacup beside the younger brunette was forgotten and fell with a sharp crash onto the ground below.

"You idiot!!" cried Akira, "Are you crazy?!"

"You said you regret saving me," Kaede told him emotionlessly, "Why did you stop me this time?"

"Yaro!" the tall brunette growled, pushing Kaede away from him, "What are you trying to say? Are you threatening me-"

"I'll do anything you want," Kaede said as he stood in front of Akira, "Not aniki, nor Hanamichi - all I need in this world is you with me."

The actor blinked, holding up a finger to Kaede. "Say that again."

Kaede looked confused for a moment, but then he nodded and repeated what he knew Akira wanted to hear, "All I need in this world is you with me."

Akira was overjoyed, suddenly wanting to do cartwheels and singing at the top of his voice but he repressed that desire and instead began to grin crazily at the young man before him. If Kaede have said anything to Hanamichi remotely romantic as what he have just heard, he certainly would not blame the redhead for still being hung-up on his step-brother.

"Well," the actor said, still unable to stop smiling, "This is funny. Us two building the business.... us two..."
Suddenly he remembered something and he turned to Kaede with a troubled look on his face.

"Ano.... what about Hanamichi?" Akira asked.

Kaede crossed his arms as he leaned against the stone railing. "That's a problem," he said, touching his chin with his knuckle, "I don't like to see you together with Hanamichi."

"He wouldn't like it," Akira remarked wryly.

"I know," Kaede replied.

"YOU BASTARDS!!!"

Akira 'eep'ed and gripped at Kaede in surprise. When he turned to look behind him, there was Hanamichi, glaring at them fit to kill.

Kaede suddenly felt worried. "Hanamichi...."

"I-I'm sorry, Kanagawa-san!" pleaded Hasegawa from the doorway, "I tried to stop him but it's as if he has got some sort of six sense to track you down!"

"That's right," the redhead snapped, "I've got the sense to know when I'm being had."

Akira gulped. Hanamichi suddenly turned angry eyes to him and strode towards the anxious actor who immedietly stepped behind Kaede for protection.

"Don't you remember what you said to me just yesterday, Akira? Huh?" Hanamichi enraged, "You said you feel alone if I'm not with you, and that your life is nothing without me. You jerk! Answer me now. Who do you care more? Me or Kaede?!"

Akira pouted. "That's not fair! You know that you wouldn't be able to answer me as well if I asked whether you like Kaede or me best."

"Sure, I would," said Hanamichi arrogantly, "But if I say who it is, that person has to become my real boyfriend."

"Uh..." tried Akira.

"A-Ano...." began Kaede.

"What?!" demanded the redhead. Kaede shook his head furiously while Akira cowered behind him.

"You two play with my feelings and then suddenly dump me when you can't stand it!" the redhead snarled, "You, Akira, as soon as Kaede said that he wants to be with you, you forget about me! And you, fox, as soon as Akira got near me, you try and take him away from me! You are both dirty, lying, cheating bastards!"

"But this is the first time he has said anything like that to me before," Akira said plaintively.

Kaede held up a hand in attention and stepped away from the taller brunette, facing the redhead calmly. "Yes, we are dirty, lying and cheating bastards. If you don't like that, then I can't say anything anymore."

Hanamichi growled, his fists clenching by his sides."I should hit you till you bleed!"

"Then do it," Kaede allowed, stretching his arms open as if to offer himself for the redhead's pain.

"Alright!" the redhead said and swiftly he stepped forward pulling the brunette to him by the front of his shirt. Kaede staggered and anticipated a blow to come but instead he found himself staring at the soulful brown eyes looking at him in pain.

"I can never hurt you," murmured Hanamichi.
Before Kaede could shake himself out of his surprise, the redhead let the brunette go with a rough push and turned around to walk back into the room, pushing past Hasegawa along the way.

Akira stared at the redhead's retreating form until it disappeared behind the door before turning to Kaede who looked stunned at what the redhead has said.

"Well, that went well," Akira teased weakly.

Kaede gave him a dirty look in return.

Sendoh backed off with a chuckle. "Maa......."
When Kaede turned away from him, he sighed, tucking his hands in his pockets. "Having a relationship with Hanamichi isn't easy, ne? That's why you wanted to break off with him, isn't it?"

Kaede did not reply but looked out towards the lush trees growing around the estate.

"I wish there were two Hanamichis instead of one," the taller brunette said as he leaned against the balcony railing, "Then you and I can each have one."

"Impossible," Kaede said finally, "There is only one Hanamichi."

Hanamichi's angry strides slowed down each time his steps brought him away further from the Kanagawa mansion.
He felt so frustrated that he wanted to hit something! He had to find a way to make them regret ever thinking of trying to get rid of him. Just because the three of them could not decide who they cared for most, that does not make it alright for the two to try and attempt to take out a third of this troubled relationship. Especially when that one-third was him. Sure, it would be easier since he was the only non-Kanagawa or outsider in the equation but that did not mean that he agreed with it.
Slowly an idea began to form in his mind and with that plan in his thoughts, he walked home at a much sedate pace, whistling a merry tune to himself.



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