Specks of Light

Part Five: Chapter 4: Bother

As soon as Yuu felt Fujino's hand setting on his cheek, he turned his face to the side. He felt Aki's hand pressuring his head back to its original position but the action was interrupted by Yuu's phone ringtone. Fujino- sensei immediately let go of him allowing Yuu to pick up the phone. As expected, it was Ijuuin- sensei calling. Fujino looked at him intensely as he took the phone out of his pocket. "He- hello?" Yuu answered feeling a little nervous. ["Yanase- kun, I am waiting for you. Sent you a text but you didn't answer, are you done with work?"] Ijuuin said through the phone. "Ah- yeah, I'll be there in a min" Yuu answered still feeling nervous, the look coming from Fujino's blue eyes had always been hard to handle, but today it was almost unbearable. ["Alright, come quickly. Please"] Ijuuin told him with a serious tone. "On my way" Yuu answered flustered "I have to go, thank you for everything, sensei" he said politely. "I'll see you out" Aki replied in a low tone. It had become customary for Fujino to go with him to the lobby when he left and as much as Yuu wanted to tell Fujino to stay in the apartment, it was more important to just leave for today.

He noticed Fujino- sensei to have a concerned, almost sad, expression all the way to the lobby. For the time he had known the author, he had never really seen the guy being so out of focus. "Thank you for your hard work, Yuu- san" Fujino spoke as they walked together towards the building's main entrance. "Good work, sensei. I'll see you next month" Yuu answered and quickly headed out. He walked towards the black car where Ijuuin awaited for him feeling quite relieved "Good night, sensei" Yuu greeted getting inside the vehicle. "Good night, Yanase- kun" Ijuuin replied sounding a little mysterious. "How was the meeting at Marukawa?" Yuu asked turning to look at him "It was alright, they want me to be at the winter festival, sign autographs and make some sketches for fans" Ijuuin answered in a flat tone that made Yuu guess Ijuuin had found out that Usami- sensei would be attending too. "That sounds nice!...sooo you learned that Usami- sensei will be there too?" Yuu inquired without dropping his gaze from Ijuuin's face. "Yes I did, guess it was unavoidable! But anyway, what do you have there?" Kyo asked referring to the big golden package Yuu carried in his hands. "It's an 'Invincible' collectible...Fujino- sensei gave it to me since they're making an anime" Yuu replied lifting the package. "They are? That's great, I remember how hectic I became when they offered me an anime deal" Ijuuin commented with a little smile. "Fujino- sensei  is not hectic at all! He is excited but extremely composed" Yuu said with an impressed tone, despite the fact that Fujino Aki- sensei could sometimes have a weird attitude, he was also an exemplar Mangaka. Being extremely organized, calmed and always on time with this work, he was definitely one of a kind in this business.

"Well good for him!" Ijuuin said with a little hostility showing in his voice as he slowly drove into the apartment complex "That figure looks like a limited one, though!" he commented parking the car and taking a good glance at the box Yuu carried. "It is! He presented his whole assistant crew with a figure" Yuu quickly said "With a special edition one?" "No, this one was just for me" Yuu answered trying to make his voice sound as low as possible. "Is that so?" Kyo asked with a sarcastic tone. "Yea, but only because I am his chief assistant, he said so himself!" Yuu replied avoiding the thoughts of the scene at Fujino's apartment that now were flashing in his mind.

"I see...speaking of Fujino- sensei, how come he calls you by your given name?" Kyo asked as they entered the elevator. Ijuuin may had been trying to sound casual, but the annoyance was really noticeable in his voice. "He asked for permission to call me by my given name and I didn't refuse" Yuu answered as he remembered the first time he had met Fujino- sensei. "Isn't it a little too soon for him to be calling you so?" Ijuuin protested "It's not big deal. It's just a name" Yuu said sounding a little annoyed. Maybe things had gotten a little out of place earlier this evening at Fujino's apartment, but it was not like something had happened, so Ijuuin didn't have to be questioning the, fully work- related, relationship he had with Fujino- sensei. "It bothers me, Yanase- kun. Not even I call you by your given name" Kyo said using a more serious tone.

It was when he heard the phrase "it bothers me" that Yuu remembered Fujino's words "That says a lot about how little he cares about your feelings". With that thought in mind, Yuu spoke again, this time sounding quite upset "Then call me 'Yuu' if you want, I don't care...if it bothers you that much, then just change it". He turned to look at Ijuuin who had just opened the apartment's door, the expression he wore now was pretty blank. "What is this about, Yanase- kun?" He asked as they walked into the living room. "I don't mind how you call me, sensei. But if you are bothered by it, I can allow you to change it! You see!" Yuu answered sounding really irritated. "Are you implying that I don't care if something bothers you?" Ijuuin quickly asked getting closer to Yuu. "I'm not implying it, I'm sure of it! You were with Usami Karuoko- san in Paris, even when you knew that it bothered me" Yuu replied looking at sensei "I told you I would hang out with her before leaving, Yanase- kun. She is the one who invited me to Paris in the first place and she is a good friend" Ijuuin quickly rebutted without losing his calm expression. "Well, Fujino- sensei is my co- worker and..." "And what?" Kyo asked calmly "And he is my friend too!" Yuu completed. Sure, he hadn't known Fujino- sensei for long but the author had still proclaimed their relationship as one of friends before. Plus there was no denying that he had kept Yuu's secret and had trusted him with his own secret too.

"I'm not against you having friends, Yanase- kun. There is something about Fujino- sensei that I don't like! The way he treats you...it's very suspicious" Kyo commented stepping closer to Yuu "It's almost seeing that girl that Nozomi- chan, so don't tell me she is your friend too" he continued setting a finger under Yuu's chin. "She can't be a friend! She confessed to me while you were away" Yuu fessed up turning his gaze down "What?! Really?! Why didn't you tell me? Did you reject her?" Ijuuin asked moving his finger forcing Yuu to face him. "Of course I rejected her! And I didn't tell you because you were always busy and with Karuoko- san!" Yuu protested trying to move his head to the left side. "Aaah, I see, I see. You are jealous" Ijuuin commented finally displaying his usual smile. "No! Th- that's not it!" Yuu protested feeling his cheeks blushing.

Ijuuin got closer smoothly landing a kiss on Yuu's cheek "Something else I should know, Yanase- kun?" He whispered into Yuu's ear making Yuu immediately feel his hands getting cold. If he didn't said what he needed to say now, he would never say it "Well...Fujino- sensei, he..." Yuu started nervously "Yea?" Ijuuin spoke into his ear again pressuring Yuu to finish his sentence "He knows about us" Yuu said putting his arms around Ijuuin's neck in the hope of him not getting mad. "Really? Did you tell him or did he find out?" Ijuuin asked returning the sudden embrace. This reaction was certainly unexpected. "He discovered it and I couldn't deny it" Yuu answered honestly "I'm sorry" he added when he felt Ijuuin pulling away from the hug.

"Don't apologize, I don't mind if he knows. Nor would I mind if Nozomi- chan knew either" Kyo said with a smile. Yuu looked at him a little confused, he had guessed Ijuuin would be upset at the fact that he had been careless about their secret. "It's good that they know you're mine" Kyo went on as he grabbed and pulled Yuu's wrist directing him to to the hallway "Wa- wait! What are you...?!" Yuu asked trying to free his wrist "You just told me that author knows about us and that he is your friend, plus you told me that an assistant confessed to you" Ijuuin said pulling Yuu into his bedroom "You wouldn't expect me not to be a little possessive now" he finished finally letting go of Yuu's hand and locking the door behind them.