After proposing to Ritsu, Takano is sent on a business trip on the other side of Japan and won't be able to see Ritsu again for about two months. When he comes back and decides to see Ritsu, Ritsu doesn't remember him, and Anna is pregnant.
"Wha--you're what?!" Ritsu jumped up in shock after hearing the words that just came out of Anna's mouth. "It's the truth." Anna stood up after he did and bowed before him. "Please, help me! My boyfriend walked out on me. I don't know where he is, but he abandoned me and he doesn't even know I'm pregnant. We used to live together, but since he's left, I have nowhere to go. Please, Ritsu. I'm begging you to help me..." The room was silent, and the only noise that filled the area was the slight sound of Anna whimpering. Ritsu sighed and set his hands on Anna's shoulders, waiting for her to look him in the eye. "Anna, don't worry. You can move in with me, and we'll take care of this. Hey, look at me." Anna lifted her head to meet with Ritsu's gaze. "Everything will be alright." She swallowed her tears and tightly hugged her ex-fiance.
"Man....it feels different without Takano-san here." Kisa slammed his head down on his desk with a sigh. Ritsu glanced over at his friend, then back at his paperwork. "And what's worse..." He continued, looking up at their new boss. "Yokozawa-san has taken over. We're doomed...." "D-Don't say that." Ritsu patted Kisa's back. "Takano-san will come back. He's just gone on a business trip. I'm sure things will go back to normal once he returns." "Hmmmm?" Kisa lifted his head up from the desk and leaned closer to Ritsu, staring at him. "Ricchan, you seem awfully confident. Why are you-UWAH!" He grabbed Ritsu's left hand and gazed down at the ring on his hand. "Amazing! You're engaged?!" Ritsu rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling nervously. "Yeah...I am." "To who?" "I know who!" Kanade jumped inbetween the two of them and set one hand on Ritsu and the other on Kisa. "Y-You do?" Ritsu asked, hoping that he didn't know. Kanade nodded and whispered in Kisa's right ear. Kisa gasped and covered his mouth with one hand. "I knew it. Ricchan, so you and Takano-san really were in a relationship!" "Shhhhhh!" Ritsu hushed Kisa and pulled off the ring. "This is just between us, okay? I don't want anyone else to know." "Why not? This is amazing! Heck, I'm already 34 and I'm not even engaged." He swayed back and forth with joy. "It's really romantic. You really are lucky, Ricchan! I bet the wedding will be wonderful!"
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Ritsu blushed at the thought of the wedding, then looked back down at the ring that he set on his desk and decided to put it back on his ring finger. "Thanks..." He said with a smile.
"You're right. I didn't. If you're that upset over it, then you can quit. I won't stop you." Takano twitched with a low growl at the woman who was bossing him around. He sighed and changed the subject. "When you said I'd be working under someone else, you didn't give me the name." The woman leaned back in her chair. "I'm sure you've heard of him before. He's an author of many novels; Usami Akihiko." He raised one eyebrow. "...Usami??" "He writes shounen ai and shoujo. So you'll be editing his work." "I see..." Takano gathered his stuff and got ready to leave the room. "Also, Takano." The woman continued. "I understand that you are not happy to be here, but this is your job. So shape up, or get out. Understood?" "...Understood." With that, he left the room.
