Sleepless Nights

Chapter Eight: Early Bird

"Hirose's house?"

I slowly took in the surroundings in my slightly inebriated state. I had expected a 'god of romance novels' to live in some grand mansion near the coast or something stereotypical like that, but instead we were standing in front of some normal one story house in a regular neighborhood. Not what I had pictured in the least.

"He said to take you here when we were done with our date." Yuzuki repeated, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "If you have a problem with that, go deal with him. He's nicer to woman by nature."

I snorted. "News to me."

A sudden hand on my head made me turn around. Yuzuki was smiling faintly at me while tousling my hair. "Yeah well, I'll see you around, Sil."

"Right. Take care, Yuzuki." I waved to him as he climbed back into the limo. Before he completely shut the door, he showed a genuine smile that I hadn't seen all night. It made him look a lot more attractive then the usual scowl he wore, so the sight took me off guard and I ended up blushing a little. I bet that's how he wins girls over. It probably would have worked a lot better if he hadn't been an ass to me half the night.

"You too." He winked just before the door closed.

And with that the car pulled off of the sidewalk and I watched it drive away until it was only a speck on the darkening horizon. When it disappeared from sight, I nervously glanced back at the house I was left in front of. Well crud, is it really okay for me to just show up unannounced like this? I opened my purse and dug out my phone, touching the screen to the contacts app. I guess I could call him in advance. Maybe he'll actually pick up this time.

It only took three rings for me to hear his smug voice on the other end. "Yes?" Hirose purred. It took a lot in me to not roll my eyes.

"It's me, Arrow."

"I realize that. Did something happen?"

"Yeah, I was dumped in front of your house."

I saw the curtains draw back a little, exposing a figure I recognized. I teasingly waved a hand towards the window, watching the light from inside the house disappear. Hirose sighed a little on the other end of the phone call when he stepped away.

"Seriously? You got back far too soon."

I placed my free hand on my hip, pouting at the spot where he was looking out from. "Sorry, I didn't know I had a curfew." I replied sarcastically.

"Well whatever, just help yourself in and tell me everything."

I closed out of the call and took a few steps towards the front door. When I opened it I was hit hard with a thick smell of cigarette smoke. I forced to close the door so I could cough, refilling my lungs with fresh air. God, can he not crack a window or something? "Jeez Hirose I can feel myself getting lung cancer just standing here." I wheezed when I had reopened the door.

"Just get in here." he replied dryly.

I waltzed inside fully this time, taking a moment to observe the chic décor that seemed to fit Hirose's style pretty well. "Where are you?" I asked out loud, not seeing him in his living room. A door on the far end of the room clicked and I watched a figure step out from the corner of my eye. "Hey, sorry for the intru...." My word trailed off just as my eyes settled on Hirose, all thought processes coming to a screeching halt at the sight before me.

Over the short time I had known Hirose, I was accustomed to seeing him wear suits or regular sports jackets over clean and pressed shirts. The Hirose that I was almost gawking at wasn't wearing any thing of the sort. He still had on a white dress shirt, but half the buttons were undone, leaving his bare chest exposed for all the world to see. He was fixing it when he stepped out, a cigarette dangling on the edge of his lips and glasses perched on the bridge of his nose as he adjusted his shirt.