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Yuu knew that Kouyou thought he was into fine jewelry. Each time they would go out, which was rare because his nerd of a boyfried preferred staying indoors, Kouyou usually caught him looking at beautiful displays behind glass windows, staring at the pearls crafted into silver and gold and stainless steel, these fine and exquisite pieces lying in pillows of velvet and looking all pretty.
"Do you want one?"
Limbs melting against Kouyou's embrace from behind while an arm settled around his waist, Yuu turned his head upward and to the side slightly, a small smile curling his lipringed mouth as he shook his head in reply to a question he had heard more times than he could count.
"No. I'm just checking them."
Kouyou either never understood what there was to "check" on jewelry shops, or perhaps had always disregarded his wording altogether, but it was only a matter of time before the other discovered why he had such a habit of doing such a thing.
After all, Yuu knew they were bound to find him, sooner or later. What he didn't count on was exactly how soon.
Too damn soon.
"I swear man, that car has been following us since we left the movie house."
They were taking a walk back to the apartment when Akira made the comment out of nowhere with him ahead of them, finishing what would be his fifth burger since the evening started. Yuu had been handing the cigarette he was sharing with Kouyou when the other spoke, and tensing slightly, he glanced behind them at the mostly empty street, tightening his hold on Kouyou's hand that held his.
"What car?" He asked, seeing not one vehicle that was familiar anywhere. And although he tried to mask the worry in his voice, Kouyou still picked up on it because he felt himself pulled close, his hand released as an arm draped around his shoulders instead.
"You're scaring Yuu, bonkura. Just shut up, that movie is getting in your head."
Akira turned to them then as they approached a pedestrian that was lit red, all three coming to a stop by the sidewalk, and was opening his mouth to say something when it suddenly happened.
A black luxury car screeched to a halt at the crossing to block their way, doors opening abruptly. And the reaction was immediate for the two best friends at the sudden turn of events, with Kouyou immediately pushing Yuu behind him and between Akira and himself, one arm out like a shield as four men stepped out and approached them, looking menacing with their dark clothes and expressionless faces.
Oh god oh god oh god–
The last person to step out of the car did so in a calmer manner, fixing the collar of his suit and then the sleeves of it before walking over. He had long black hair tied in a low tail behind his head, and at the sight of him Yuu gulped, staring at the familiar face and wanting to die.
"You..." He began, red-faced as he tried to reign his emotions in. But Yuu couldn't, he just couldn't–
Before he could stop himself and much to the confusion of Kouyou and Akira, Yuu burst out laughing, a hand on his stomach as he nearly doubled over in an uncontrollable guffaw. Whatever tension there had been initially, it broke somewhat, and to everyone's surprise:
"Oi you brat, don't you fucking laugh at me!" The guy in the ponytail and suit seemed to change character all of a sudden, suave and cool at first but flustered now and definitely indignant.
Akira looked from Yuu to said man, question marks all over his expression as he spat out, even as Kouyou signalled for him to keep quiet with a frantic wave of a hand: "What the hell is going on? Who the fuck are you?"
He wiped the tears streaming down his cheeks away brought about by laughing too much, as he stepped around Kouyou. Giving his boyfriend's arm several pats to reassure him when the other tried to keep him from approaching, he smiled and turned to face him and Akira.
"It's fine, I'm fine." He said, gesturing at the man in the ponytail who had lit a cigarette and was now looking at his companions through narrowed, suspicious eyes. "Guys, please meet my older brother Yujiro."
..
They were slightly crowded inside the car since Yujiro's men were bulky in size and took up most of the space, although to his delight, Yuu was almost sitting on Kouyou's lap because of it. Of course, the way his boyfriend's arm cradled him gently but also possessively eventually drew his brother's attention.
"Oi honey blonde hair dude," Yujiro began in a gruff and rude voice, making Yuu pout and huff at him.
"His name's Kouyou!"
Yujiro grunted and directed an irritated glance his way, but only fleetingly. "Shut up, I'm not talking to you. Anyway, are you sleeping with my brother?"
From Kouyou's other side, Akira masked what was undoubtedly a laugh with a snort, avoiding everyone's eyes as he muttered an excuse me although it was pretty obvious how he was trying hard not to follow up with a snicker.
There was a long while of heavy silence, Yujiro's eyes not leaving Kouyou's who was staring back as unwaveringly, until Yuu couldn't take it anymore.
"Yes we're sleeping together," He replied challengingly. "So what?"
This time Akira laughed aloud and didn't even bother to cover up the sound at all, just as Kouyou admonished Yuu in a low and exasperated voice, squeezing his waist and making him squirm.
"Babe!"
Yujiro's eyes became dangerously bright, eyes finding Yuu's hands that were folded over his lap, one atop the other. "Then where's your ring?" He glared back at Kouyou then, leaning forward on his seat threateningly. "I don't see a fucking ring, where's my brother's goddamn ring?"
He rolled his eyes with a groan. "Ugh, you're so old fashioned-" He was still saying, but to his surprise, his boyfriend suddenly cut him off, voice low and serious as the hold he had on him tightened.
"I'm saving up for it."
Yuu's heart skipped a beat, his stomach giving a funny little flip at those solemnly spoken words.
But the conversation died as soon as the car turned towards a long driveway that led to home, Akira reacting in amazement (quite unashamedly too) as the house came into view, drawing everyone's attention to himself.
"Holy shit, you never said you live in a fucking mansion!"
..
They were asked to stay in a lavishly decorated sitting room and were served cake and coffee while Yuu was escorted by his brother's men down a long hallway to who-knew-where. Akira dug in, finishing even the portion that wasn't meant for him, all while Kouyou stood before a Victorian-style window, eyes not really seeing the lit up flower garden out front that was the view.
"I'm worried." He suddenly said aloud after about ten minutes, turning to Akira who had icing on one corner of his mouth. His best friend straightened up and their eyes met, but all Akira did was shrug. "Maybe you need to go to the toilet. I sure do."
He stood up then and headed towards the archway that led to the main hallway, disappearing from sight and leaving Kouyou on his own with a cold, squirming feeling in his gut—and he had no idea why.
Thirty minutes later and even more worried to death now because Akira hadn't come back yet, he nearly jumped out of his seat when his best friend suddenly re-appeared in a run, practically jumping for the couch as he sat down beside him.
"Just shut up, don't ask me where I was, just shut up." Akira whispered frantically just as two of Yujiro's men came walking in, the bulkiest out of the four Kouyou noted, standing on either side of the only exit there like sentinels. And then–
It was like looking at a female version of his boyfriend. She had long black hair and a feminine version of Yuu's face, except the eyes. Yes, it was the exact same brown, but while Yuu's eyes were warm, the pair that met Kouyou's? It was flat and emotionless, and regarded him coldly.
"Are you Takashima Kouyou?" She asked immediately and as soon as she walked in, arms crossed over her chest where she stopped just a few steps inside the sitting room. She was wearing an office attire even though it had to be past ten pm by now: a coat over a white blouse with ruffles and a pencil skirt, all gray and black lines. She even looked like she was just about to head to work.
Kouyou was already on his feet as a sign of respect, nodding his head and giving a hesitant smile. "Yes. It's nice to–" but he was rudely cut off midsentence. "Well then, Yuu has been a problem because of you, just to make you aware. Are you in college? How old are you?"
His jaw tightened at the interruption and the condescending tone he was so suddenly being spoken to, those frigid-seeming eyes looking him up and down as if gauging his worth. Or at least that was what it felt like.
"Where is he? And may I know who you are?" Kouyou asked in the kindest tone he could manage. There were several seconds of silence and then a sigh. "I'm his sister and where he is, is not your business any longer. You won't be seeing him again."
The expression on Kouyou's face fell. "What?"
But Yuu's older sister already had her back turned, spewing out orders in a bored tone while walking away.
"Drive them to the nearest bus stop."
It wasn't until hours later that Kouyou could properly think again as he and Akira were ushered back inside the same car where only minutes ago he had been holding Yuu.
"... bet you've even slept with him, like you did all the others you met in every city you escaped to."
"That's none of your business."
"It's my business Yuu. As the one in charge of this house and of you, it is."
"Fuck off."
"Watch your language. If you can speak to Yujiro that way, it's only because he allows you to. I don't."
"I already told you to leave me be, to let me live my own life. I don't care about running the family business, I already told you that a few months ago."
"And for what? For a boy who has nothing to offer you?"
"I love Kouyou."
"You're just a kid. And this Kouyou—here, I have his information. He's from a middle class family that's based in Kanagawa. His father is an average salary man, his mother is a housewife, both his older sisters are married to average salary men... you're kidding right?"
"I don't understand why you're bringing up his family background."
"Because as the one who will inherit the entire business, you can't be with this Takashima Kouyou."
"I don't want to inherit anything in the first place. Just throw me out. Disown me. I don't want to run the business."
"You will. And you're going back to Mie."
"I–what?"
"You will finish the rest of your schooling there, home study, with the best tutors. You will not see this boy again."
"No! No, you can't, you won't take me away from Kouyou, you can't–I won't-"
"You will, it's done. We've paid your landlord in that small bedspace you've been renting to break the contract you signed, and all your things have been shipped to Mie. Yujiro can't hide you from me forever."
"I didn't see any of the stores around here carrying our brand, how the hell did you even find me without me knowing?!"
"We changed our look and brand name. If you were more involved in the business, you would have known. Take him away."
"I don't want to go, you can't make me, take me back to Kouyou!"
"Stop crying, for god's sake. You think you're in love with this person? You're not."
"You can't-you–"
"I just did, Yuu. It's for your own g-"
The recording cut off all of a sudden, and the silence in Kouyou's bedroom was deafening following the loud and desperate sound of Yuu's shouting and sobbing. Akira took his phone and locked it, sighing heavily as he stared at the ground.
"That was why I was running back. They almost caught me recording."
Kouyou was just staring straight ahead, his brows furrowed in thought, and it took a while before he spoke up, prodding Akira's arm.
"How long do you think is the drive from here to Mie, and how much gas is needed? I need pricing and distance, there's probably a way to calculate this..." He suddenly stood up and grabbed a notebook, scribbling numbers and equations.
Akira appeared surprised at first, and then very slowly he started grinning. "You mean, we're going to Mie?" He asked excitedly, unlocking his phone and already opening Google Maps.
"Wait, you're going too?" It was Kouyou's turn to be surprised as he paused from whatever the hell he was doing, Akira rolling his eyes at him with a lopsided smile.
"Are you kidding me? Of course I am. What are best friends for right?"
But Kouyou was only half-listening because he was staring at the page that had just been revealed after he tore off the piece he was scribbling on, showing Yuu's handwriting. The date up top was weeks ago from today.
10 Things I Love About You
1. You and I have great sex!
2. You don't know how hot and handsome you are
3. You're a cute dork at the same time
4. You ask me about my day
5. You don't tell me what to do
6. You always hold my hand
7. You looked for me (Akira told me!)
8. You've made me the mother of your ducklings
9. You listen to what I have to say
10. You're YOU
You're sleeping as I write this and you're so cute because you're drooling hahaha. I returned Uruha today and took Kai home, next week it'll be Reita and Ruki, so all ducks have time with me :)
Yuu was here xoxo
P.S. You should stop saying my name while you sleep, it's creepy!
Looking up slowly, Kouyou's expression was resolute as he spoke to a still-grinning Akira.
"Pack your bags. We're leaving tonight."