Specks of Light

Part Five. Chapter 1: Unanswered Questions

The first night after Kyo's return have been everything Yuu had imagined it would be. They had   spent the night doing quite a great physical effort and got only two or three hours of sleep. So as it was expected, today their faces were certainly revealing their exhaustion. Yuu looked at himself in the mirror in an effort to make his clothes work so that he looked less tired for work. "I guess we could've been smarter" Ijuuin said with a little chuckle standing behind Yuu carefully placing his arms around Yuu's waist. "Well, I am the one who has to work today!" Yanase replied a little irritated, not that he had resisted that much yesterday but the dreadful state he was in today, was definitely not laughing matter. Everyone would be able to tell that he hadn't slept well.

"Ha ha, in fact, I have a meeting to discuss the winter festival today" Kyo replied with a smile "Kirishima- san said he had been waiting for me to arrive back to Japan" he continued releasing Yuu's waist. "Winter festival?" Yuu asked a little confused as he fixed his hair "Yes, last year's was really successful and this time they want to have autograph sessions with some of the authors" Ijuuin explained opening his closet to pick an outfit for the day. "I see. So is there the possibility of Usami- sensei being there?" Yuu asked turning to look at Kyo, the fact that Ijuuin had started to date Yuu hadn't put Usami- sensei at ease, most likely because he didn't really know anything about it. But even when a long time had passed with Kyo not really reaching to Misaki- kun unless it was fully work related, Yuu had heard and seen that Usami- sensei still didn't trust Ijuuin and the environment was always tense between the two. "I don't know, I sure hope not" Kyo answered apparently realizing that it was a possibility for the master novelist to be there at the festival as well.

"Well, I am off to work, sensei" Yuu said picking up his bag. "You work at Fujino- sensei's today?" Kyo asked with a sweet smile. "Yes, his apartment is nearby so I don't have to hurry" Yuu answered picking up his glasses from one of the bedside tables. "Then wait, I will take you there, I am heading off too anyway" sensei said as he approached Yuu "Plus that's the least I could do for making you look so tired today" he whispered landing a soft kiss on Yuu's cheek. He felt his face automatically turning red at the gentle touch of sensei's lips. "O- okay, but then I'll come back by train" Yanase said trying to sound determined "Maybe, maybe!" Kyo replied displaying a wide smile.

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"It is indeed only a few blocks away" Ijuuin noted when they arrived to the apartment complex where Fujino- sensei lived "Yea, see you this evening, work hard please" Yuu said stepping out of the car "Wait!" Ijuuin said pulling Yuu's wrist and successfully landing a kiss on his lips. "Just like that time a year ago"* he said breaking the kiss "See you later, sensei"  Yanase answered feeling his face burning. He stepped out of the car and was about to ring the doorbell when a familiar voice called him "Yuu- san, good morning" Fujino greeted with a smile approaching him from the side. That's when Yuu remembered he hadn't told Kyo about the fact that Fujino knew about their relationship. He hadn't even greeted back yet when he heard Ijuuin getting out of the car.

Yuu watched Kyo approaching tightening and buttoning his blue jacket achieving a perfect executive look. Sensei was indeed really handsome, but he had said he needed to be at Marukawa, and he was still unaware of Fujino's discovery, so why had he gotten out of the car? "Nice to meet you, Fujino- sensei. I am Ijuuin Kyo" sensei greeted with a polite bow extending his hand towards Fujino who now wore an unreadable expression. "What an honor to make your acquaintance. I am Fujino Aki, big fan of yours" Fujino answered returning the polite bow and shaking Ijuuin's hand. Yuu had known Fujino- sensei for a little while now, yet he had never seen him wearing such an unreadable mien as he did right now. "Thank you, I have read your work too and I must say it is fantastic" Kyo told him displaying a casual smile. Yuu knew that Ijuuin read a lot of manga, but he didn't know that 'Invincible' was one of those. Still, he knew sensei was not one to lie, so if he said he had read Fujino's manga, it was because he definitely had.

"Thank you very much, it's a huge compliment coming from such an established author like yourself" Aki said this time displaying more relaxed features "I see you brought Yuu- san over, that is really thoughtful" he continued with a rather confident tone. A rush of anxiety ran through Yuu's veins upon hearing Fujino's comment. If Ijuuin was to find out that Fujino knew that they were dating, it had to Yuu himself the one telling him about it. "Of course, it's the least I can do after having kept him awake almost until dawn" Ijuuin replied almost replicating the confident tone Fujino had used. 

Ijuuin and Fujino seemed to be equally tall, yet Ijuuin seemed to be looking down on him with every word he spoke, no doubt sensei was totally on guard, but why had he adopted such a state? "Naturally! No one would expect you to be drawing manga while you were in Paris" Fujino spoke casually "It would've been rude to whoever was lucky enough to keep you company during the trip, right?" he finished with a tiny, almost arrogant, smile. That sentence made Yuu remember that he also needed to talk about Karuoko- san with sensei. But how exactly had Fujino found out about that? Yuu's mind started to fill with a whole lot of unanswered questions when he saw Kyo's expression slightly darken at the Fujino's last sentence. "Ha ha, I appreciate your understanding, Fujino- sensei. But Yanase- kun here has a lot of abilities with his hands...so I don't really have to worry" Kyo said using a bit of a sarcastic tone. 

Yuu felt his cheeks starting to turn red knowing that Ijuuin was definitely not talking about his artistic skills whatsoever. "Anyway, I have to go to Marukawa. Yanase- kun, I'll pick you up this evening" Ijuuin spoke before letting Fujino form an answer to his last comment. "Uh- yea" Yuu answered really wanting for the situation to end. Why was he so uncomfortable here? "Pleasure to meet you, Fujino- sensei" Ijuuin said politely. "Pleasure is mine" Fujino replied with a somewhat relieved expression. Yuu and Fujino watched as Ijuuin got into the car and drove away from the building.  "Cmon, Yuu- san. It's getting really cold here" Fujino said as he kindly placed his hand on Yuu's shoulder. Maybe it was the fact that Yuu had always been reluctant to being touched, but he could very clearly feel Fujino grabbing his jacket in a sort of protective gesture as they entered the building. Obviously he wouldn't be having answers to all the questions his mind had formed anytime soon, but at least, the uncomfortable situation had ended. Even so, as they walk towards the elevator, Yuu couldn't help but to think that if Ijuuin and Fujino had never really met each other, why had this first reunion been so tense?

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*Reference: Junjou Sentiment: The Case of Yanase Yuu. Part Two. Chapter 1: Cheesy Text.