❈♍❈

A Day before Christmas Eve

♍

"So..." Koki started, studying Kame's movements as he continued, "What is the deal between you and Jin?" he blurted out the question.

"What deal?" Kame stopped his cleaning activity around the apartment and turned to look at Koki.

"I mean, what are you guys now? Boyfriends? Lovers? Friends with benefits?" Koki threw out all the possibilities. Kame rolled his eyes at the spiked hair man.

"First off, I'm not the 'friends with benefits' type," Kame corrected, "second, we are seeing each other, meaning we are not lovers; that is for sure. But for the boyfriends, I'm still thinking about it," Kame said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean by 'still thinking about it'?" Koki dared to ask.

"I'm fond of him, and do miss him sometimes if he is not around but then I don't feel like he is belonging to me solely. I don't have that possessive attitude or thoughts towards him, to be honest," Kame confessed. It was true that he and Jin decided to give themselves a chance; however, Kame didn't consider that they have to be labeled as boyfriends when they are still in the 'getting to know each other' phrase. Maybe when they have learned a bit about each other, then he might consider it, but for now, they are more than friends, less than boyfriends.

"So you mean that he might not be the right one?" Koki asked with one brow quirking up in confusion.

"You know how I am when I get serious; of course with the exception of you, we broke things off during the pre-phrase," Kame laughed at Koki's crouching.

"Well at least I realized that I prefer over ," Koki bluntly said and Kame just had the urge to throw a pillow at said man.

"You vulgar man!" Kame shouted, taking another soft object and aiming it at Koki. The spiked hair man quickly dodged it and stuck out his tongue at Kame and dashed quickly to his room, his only safe zone in the apartment.

"Stay there and don't come out!" Kame said snickering from the living room, he swiftly turned back to the house chores and continued them.

As he was busying himself with the chores, he didn’t notice the front door opened, entering a very annoyed Mi-chan and a very much displeased Yamaa. Only when Mi-chan dropped her duffle bag down onto the floor with a loud thud that Kame lifted up his gaze to stare at the mismatched couple.

“Why are you two here?” Kame asked out of reflex, ignoring the two displeased persons.

“I’m moving in to here!” Mi-chan deadpanned.

“Why?” Kame was shocked to know.

“Thanks to a certain idiot that broke the water system in my apartment and now it’s like a POOL in my bathroom!” Mi-chan narrowed her eyes at Yamaa, who held his hands up to fend innocent.

“It wasn’t me!” Yamaa yelled out, “the one actually broke it was the lumber man,” he tried to explain.

“Yea, if only you don’t interfere with his work,” Mi-chan still narrowed her eyes.

“Well, I was not the one being touchy and turning the lumber on in the midst of his work,” Yamaa defended.

“Oh really, I wonder who was loudly in the living room,” Mi-chan countered back with a mocking laugh.

“What kind of man would keep quiet when he was given a ?!” Yamaa retorted back.

“SHUT UP!” Kame finally shouted, getting enough of the couple fight. The two immediately stopped their bickering and looked at Kame, “Whatever the that you two did in your apartment is none of my concern, and please spares me the details, you can blaster your dirty thoughts somewhere behind close door with only the two of you, or…” Kame caught a glimpse of Koki who was peeping from the room, “or…telling it to someone that is interested in knowing. Anyway, why my apartment? You can just take a shelter at his place,” Kame pointed to Yamaa, who smiled agreeing to Kame’s suggestion.

“I don’t like to live with stranger,” Mi-chan replied.

“He’s your boyfriend,” Kame concluded.

“Not yet, just toy boy,” Mi-chan corrected, elbowing Yamaa when the man tried to drape his arm around her waist.

“I can change that,” Yamaa said, wiggling his brows at Mi-chan.

“Trust me, it would take you half a century,” Mi-chan rolled her eyes.

“Ok, so he is your toy boy, but he technically ‘lives’ at your apartment for the past three days, what is the different of you staying at his place?” Kame said logically.

“It’s too far from the cabaret and Maru’s café; here is closer to both places,” Mi-chan offered her reason, already making her way to the hallway of the bedrooms.

“But we don’t have extra room,” Kame said following the girl with Yamaa trailing behind him.

“I can stay in your room,” Mi-chan said nonchalantly.

“ no! I don’t want to fight with you over the bed!” Kame screamed in horror.

“Then Jin’s room,” Mi-chan randomly picked.

“NO!” Kame shouted louder.

“Fine! Koki’s then!” Mi-chan walked towards the opened door, revealing Koki already there waiting.

“You’re more than welcome,” Koki grinned making Mi-chan want to kick him.

“ TO THE NO!” Yamaa chimed in, blocking Mi-chan’s way.

Mi-chan annoyingly looked over to the three men standing in front of her with the most murderous expression. She bit her lower lip hard as she walked to Kame’s room, much to Kame’s dismay but he didn’t dare to move an inch from his spot. That murderous look was not joke. Within a few minutes, after several loud thuds of door slamming, and many other noises following, Mi-cha came out with four luggages and dumped them in front of Jin’s room. She then made her way to the front door to pick up the neglected duffle bag and returned to Kame’s room, not forgetting to drag Yamaa along with her.

“I’m staying in your room, and that’s final!” Mi-chan slammed the door and locked it. Kame was still in shock and Koki was a bit dazed at the attitude. However, not long after, Yamaa came out of the room and walked to Koki’s room, pushing the man asides to enter the room; coming out shortly after with a key in his hand, he jingled it in front of Koki’s face which made the spiked hair man cursed out loudly. Yamaa disappeared behind the closed door and the locking sound followed.

“! Now I can’t sneak in,” Koki pouted.

“Where am I going to sleep now?” Kame finally regained his composure.

“My room?” Koki smiled mischievously.

“I can see Jin would tear down that door of yours,” Kame shivered and headed to where the four luggages were at, guessing Mi-chan must have cleared out his closet. He pushed the door open and entered the empty room, wheeling the four luggages into the room. He hoped that Jin wouldn’t mind him invading his personal space for a couple of days.

❈

Christmas Eve

❈

Kame woke up to the sound of people arguing. He frowned at the oddly loud noises, he groaned out loudly as he turned over to the nightstand alarm clock on the right of his bed; he blinked once, twice, and thrice, THE CLOCK HAS DISAPPEARED! He shouted in his hazy mind. He bolted up from the bed and tried to rub the sleep from his eyes. Only then he began to take in the surrounding of “his” bedroom. Oh right, he was in Jin’s bedroom, thanks to the dramatic queen by the name Mi-chan. He plopped down onto the bed with a soft thud. He spread his hands out on the wide space. Jin had gone to work early today. Kame remembered Jin told him that he had to fill in the morning shift in order to take time off from his night shift for their date. Kame’s cheek tinted a deep red color at the mention of “date” in his mind. He smiled at the thought of their first date, of course the time they spent at the beach was not counted, it was Mi-chan’s idea, so it was a group date, NOT romantic date.

“ YOU!”

Kame rolled his eyes at the loud deadpanned shout, he knew so well whose it belong to, it was his lovely majestic of a cousin. He growled his way out of the bedroom and swung the door fly opened with his strength as he made his way to the source of the loud noises. He entered the kitchen to give his cousin a piece of his mind about her loudness in the morning, only to find his jaw DROPPED open at Koki’s whimpered body being forced into the corner with an opened scissors near his spiked hair, and the one holding the scissors was no other than Mi-chan herself while the girl threw a long chain of threatened curses of cutting off his hair and officially making the guy a baldie; all the while, Yamaa just leisurely watched the scene as he munched slowly on his breakfast.

“What the ?!” Kame said in slow stunned tone, it was so blank because he didn’t know what to make out of the scene in front of him.

“Have some breakfast,” Yamaa turned to Kame when he heard the younger man spoke.

“Thanks,” Kame confusedly walked to Yamaa’s side and took the portion of his breakfast. He sat down with ease and joined Yamaa in watching the dog-cat fight playing in front of them.

“What Koki did this time?” Kame asked, putting a piece of food into his mouth.

“He was criticizing her cooking skill,” Yamaa answered, watching in amusement as Koki struggled to push the girl off.

“He is so dead,” Kame said shrugging, anything but devaluing the girl’s skill, any skill. She hated to be put down, that was just how she was.

“So…” Yamaa turned away from the scene and back to the younger man next to him, “do you have the answer for Mi-chan?” Kame looked at the young manager with a confused look, Yamaa continued, “about the date, you know she would not let you off work today if you don’t give her the proper answer.”

“Ah…that…” Kame trailed off, he totally forgot about the fact that Mi-chan wouldn’t let him off tonight for the date. Now, he felt really bother. The question Koki asked him from yesterday came back and chanted noisily in his ears. With Koki, he could give an off answer, but with his cousin, the girl wouldn’t take half-hearted answer.

“Just so you know,” Yamaa voiced out as he saw the worried expression on Kame’s face, “she is more than willing to let you off, if you tell her directly what you truly feel. She is just worried about you.” Kame nodded at the man’s advice. Of course, he knew his cousin’s kind nature, despite her love to torture Koki. Sometimes he wondered do those two really have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING going on between them. They were like a pair of cat and dog; and in reality, cat and dog can be friends too.

“I’ll worry about it after they are done with their game,” Kame pointed his fork at the still arguing pair, this time Koki had got away from being cornered and currently running away with hysterical laughs.

❈

“Do I get my answer today?” Mi-chan asked, eyes bored on Kame.

“So impatient,” Kame laughed, shaking his head.

“I AM IMPATIENT!” Mi-chan shouted out loudly.

“SHUT UP!” Koki yelled from the living room. The girl made a displeased face and was about to retort when Kame stopped her.

“Ignore him for now,” he held onto the girl’s wrist as a way to stop her from stomping out to give Koki a good hard and painful kick on the shin.

“So my answer?” the girl curtly questioned, eyes turned back to her cousin.

“We’re seeing each other,” Kame replied.

“I see,” Mi-chan nodded her head.

“I know that you want a stabled relationship answer, but I can’t give you that when I can’t really confirm what I’m feeling towards him,” Kame looked at her with cautious eyes, the girl only stared back and waited for him to continue, “the fact is I’m attracted to him, yes. But being hurt one is enough to make one feels wary and be careful the next time around, I don’t want to make the same mistake twice. I want to get to know him first, before actually give this relationship any further progress in the future.” He ended with a hopeful stare.

Mi-chan didn’t say anything as she was still staring deep into his eyes, searching for something. Kame felt uneasy at the girl’s gaze, it felt like she had stripped him with those eyes. He felt completely weaken and lost in that gaze.

“Well, promise me one thing,” Mi-chan finally spoke, which eased Kame’s anxiety, “don’t run away after the first date,” the girl stated firmly, narrowing her eyes at him. “You can’t know whether the person is right or not after the first date; and yea, I don’t mind you two are at the getting to know each other stage, AS LONG AS you two don’t do anything inappropriate in the first few stages, then I’m ok with whatever you have decided,” Mi-chan grinned toothily.

“Geez, do I look like someone who would jump his date on the first date?” Kame rolled his eyes.

“I don’t know. Male hormones are a bit too active,” the girl grinned.

“As if female hormones are any calmer,” Kame scoffed, laughing at the girl’s pout.

“Hey! Be respect of us women!” the girl hit Kame’s biceps lovingly.

“Yea, yea,” Kame laughed at the girl’s antics. “Anyway, I’m off tonight?” he readdressed the question.

“Yea, but remember to come by the café after your date,” Mi-chan reminded Kame of their annual Secret Santa. Kame nodded at that and headed back to Jin’s room, now he really needed some good quality sleep, knowing that he would have to stay a bit later that day for the Secret Santa.

❈

He shouldn’t be nervous, more like he SHOULD NEVER be nervous. He felt kind of odd, a bit TOO STRANGE. Normally, it would be one picks up one’s date at the front door, because the couple lives apart from each other. In Kame’s case though, they lived in the SAME apartment, and just yesterday, they shared the same room, bed to be exact. Kame wondered how they are going to work this out. Kame had asked Yamaa earlier about Jin’s schedule and knew that the man would be off from work at exactly five p.m., and it would take thirty minutes to drive from the restaurant to here, without traffic of course. However, with this kind of holiday, traffic was so inevitable.

Kame glanced over at the clock, it was nearing six p.m., and yet he was still in his bathrobe and standing in front of his luggages (he couldn’t just occupy Jin’s closet because he believed that he had WAY more clothes than the older man) as he pulled out each article of clothes. He groaned silently when the clock ticking closer to the numerical number six.

“Seriously, I have NOTHING to wear!” Kame shouted in his mind.

“Why is it so hard to pick out one good enough outfit?” Kame pouted to himself, checking the clock again and was shocked at the five minutes had just passed by. “Great! Now I’m having fashion crisis!” He face palmed himself. He really wanted to ask Mi-chan for help, but he knew the girl would for the rest of his life after this. But then, if he decided to keep his pride, he would still be in his bathrobe by the time Jin came back from his shift.

“I hate my life!” Kame grunted, hands ruffled his hair in frustration.

“Something bothers you?” Kame jolted from his spot when Jin’s voice greeted him. He abruptly turned around and nearly stumbled backward on his luggages due to his shock.

“Shoot! You’re here!” Kame shouted, hating it when he was not ready when the man was back.

“Yea, I was a bit eager to be back,” Jin smiled and walked towards his closest. “Just got out of the shower?” he asked, hinting to Kame’s wet hair and lightly damped bathrobe, the younger man just nodded his head.

“Sorry for not being ready,” Kame apologized, fumbling with his clothes in the luggages.

“It’s cool, I also need a shower too, it has been a long day at work, and we are still early for every plan I’m having for us,” Jin smiled, quickly picking out his outfit and off to the bathroom in the hallway.

When the older man’s figure had exited the room, Kame quickly dug into his luggage, nearly dumping all of the contents out of the four big luggages just to find the outfit that matches the one Jin took with him to the shower. Maybe, Kame’s anxiety was coming from the fact that he didn’t know what to wear to match Jin’s fashion sense. Kame rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. He was having a fashion crisis because he just wanted to find the right outfit to match Jin’s.

Mi-chan kept staring back to the door to Jin’s room, she wondered what take her cousin so long to change, and what take Jin so long to get out of his work clothes. She picked up her phone and checked the time, it had been over thirty minutes the last time she saw Jin exited the restroom to enter his room. Now what these two doing in their room, impatiently Mi-chan stood up from her sitting position on the sofa and off to Jin’s room.

When she reached the room, she didn’t bother to knock but pushed it open unannounced. Witnessing Jin and Kame were engaging in a lip locked moment where they didn’t even notice a new intruder in the room.

“Don’t you have a date? Or you two just want to skip the formality of ABC and jump right into C?” the girl laughed when Kame immediately pushed Jin away and composed himself.

“Sorry,” Jin chuckled out an apology.

“Whatever, I want you two out of here within 20 minutes, whether clothes on or off,” Mi-chan quickly decided and left the room, heading back to the sofa.

She sat listening to the commotion in the room, laughing to herself at how much those two believe her words. Would she really let them out of the house without a piece of clothes on? Well…maybe… Within a few minutes, the two men had already exited their room and off to their date.

“Geez, do I have to threaten people so they can do things right?” she mumbled to herself.

“But you enjoy torture people, I can already see the glint of evil in your eyes,” Koki’s voice broke the silence in the house. Mi-chan shot up from the sofa in shock at the sudden appearance.

“You!” she shouted at him, “stop scaring me!” she threw a pillow at him.

“Not my hair,” Koki warned before dashed out of the apartment.

“Don’t you dare spy on them, I’ll finish you off myself!” Mi-chan warned, for she knew so well what her friend would do.

❈

Kame kept glancing over to Jin, the older man didn’t tell him exactly where they were heading to; only a “you will know when you are there” answer. Kame was curious. He wouldn’t like it to be in the unknown, the curiosity in him just wouldn’t sit still. He turned fully to Jin and was about to ask again when Jin beat him to it.

“Be patient, Kazuya,” Jin said warmly, smiling; eyes still focused on the road.

Kame attempted to open his mouth to say something to that but Jin’s hand suddenly clasped on his, holding his cold hand in place, circulating small circles on top of the hand. Kame decided to quiet for now. He would have to see to it when they arrived then. Kame returned to his earlier position, sinking deep into his seat, hand still holding onto Jin’s one. It took them some time later to reach the destination. Kame quickly got out the car as soon as Jin parked, he eagerly wanted to know where the older man had taken him to. This was the first time he let the other be the lead in dating. He was not quite used to it just yet.

“Where are we?” Kame asked.

“On a hill,” Jin answered shortly.

“Why hill?” Kame questioned but still followed Jin closely behind.

“You will know,” Jin smiled softly at Kame and held out his hand for the younger man to take. Kame took the hand, and let Jin lead the way. The wind became ruthless as they slowly reached the top of the hill. The dark plain view greeted Kame when they slowly made their way to the edge, he could make out the small fountain in middle of the peak. He never knew such place exists. Maybe he didn’t have enough time to explore what Mother Nature has created for mankind. His night time was mostly spent at the cabaret anyway.

The moment they had reached the highest point of the hill, Kame’s eyes immediately widened in size, he quickly released Jin’s hand and ran to the view in front of him. The city lights, the sparkling lit horizon of the busy city was right in front of him. His mouth gasped open at the dark sky blanket contrast with the mixture of red, yellow lights of the city, making up the beautiful picture of panorama; this was the most beautiful view he had ever seen in his life, asides from the beach sunset.

“Do you like it?” Jin asked from behind, laughing lightly at the mesmerized man.

“It’s…beautiful…” Kame replied, being captivated by the view in front of him. His eyes moved from left to right, he even noticed the little road they were driving on earlier. Somehow that road added to the details of the beauty in front of him. Little details make up for the big picture as he concluded.

“I’m glad,” Jin said, joining Kame in mesmerizing the place. He made a mental note to thanks Yamaa later; his best friend knew just exactly where to go on dates.

“Do you have a camera?” Kame asked, turning to Jin with hope. The older man looked back at him with confused eyes.

“I don’t,” Jin replied with a surprised look. Kame pouted but he quickly fished out his phone.

“This will do for now I guess,” Kame took a quick picture with his phone but it didn’t come out the way he wanted. “Ok, next one,” he childishly said, trying his best to focus the camera right and took the picture as best as he could.

“It’s quite hard to do it with a phone camera, it’s hard enough with a digital ones, only professional cameras can capture this beauty,” Jin helped Kame in explanation.

“I know, but that doesn’t mean I can’t take one for my memento,” Kame grinned when his fourth shot was a success. “Yes!” he cheered to himself, grinning silly at the newly took picture.

“You’re so damn cute right now,” Jin blurted out.

“I’m not,” Kame quickly denied, still admiring the scene in front of him.

“It’s a compliment, not a sarcastic remark,” Jin soothed the younger man, coming closer to Kame from behind. Jin gently wrapped his arms around Kame, holding the younger man in his embrace, pulling Kame backward to rest on his chest, loving the scent of lavender and fresh breeze entered his nostrils. Jin could feel Kame startled at first but the younger man quickly relaxed in his hold, letting Jin bringing the warm to the lonely figure.

“This is so nice,” Kame mumbled as he nuzzled into Jin’s arms, seeking the warm emitting from the older man.

“Umh…” Jin nodded agreeing, not wanting to break the peaceful and silent moment they shared.

“I want to imprint this in my memories for a bit longer,” Kame said and received another agreeing grunt from Jin. He was pleased with the agreement, leaning himself back onto Jin as they watched the scenery in front of them. Kame loved the beauty of life, these scenes remind him once again that life is much more beautiful than he was once thought.

They had lost track of time as they both stood rooted on the same spot, ignoring the giggles and the admiring glances sending their ways. The people must have thought they are one perfect couple, and Jin wouldn’t disagree to that.

“Jin,” Kame called out softly, “I’m hungry,” Kame said embarrassedly.

“I thought so too,” Jin laughed softly, “what do you want for dinner?” Jin asked.

“Anything,” Kame said, “I’m too hungry to be picky,” he added and Jin ruffled his hair, loving the younger man’s childish manner.

“Sure,” Jin nodded and led the way back to the car.   

❈

It was a bad idea, no cross that, it was the most horrible idea ever! Jin should never ask Kame where the younger man wanted to go, because really, he should never have asked. Jin’s body began to shiver the nth time that night when his skin was hit with the freezing breeze of the night. He could smell the salted sea water in the breeze. He could even taste it on the tip of his tongue through the mist of the breeze. Once again, he found himself standing next to a balling up Kame at the beach.

“I wonder why the beach right after dinner,” Jin asked, still shivering in his coat.

“Because I’m crazy?” Kame replied laughing and Jin couldn’t help but smile along.

“We were just at the beach not too long ago,” Jin reminded his partner.

“I know but a walk along the beach after dinner is good, right?” Kame said, marching his way towards the open sea. Jin followed behind still shivering. When he saw Kame kept going forward, taking off his shoes as he was about to reach the water, Jin frowned and quickly called out.

“Kazuya, what are you trying to do?”

“Go into the water,” Kame answered shortly, and true to his words, his feet had touched the icy water. Kame hissed lightly at the sudden change in temperature.

“Are you for real?” Jin said from behind, couldn’t believe his partner but he still took off his shoes nonetheless. Kame stood on his spot and waited for Jin to come to him.

“You know, we should take off our coats, before we soak them,” Kame gave it a thought and quickly shrugged off his coat and threw it to Jin, who caught it effortlessly. Jin did the same and placed the coats near their shoes. The chill gave Jin an uncomfortable feeling, his body trembled as he walked up to Kame. The younger man seemed unaffected by the harsh wind.

“You know why I go into the water?” Kame asked as he picked up his pace and headed towards the deeper level of the water. Jin followed right behind, shaking his head as he couldn’t find a good answer in this case.

“Because the water will warm you up,” Kame replied, wickedly splashed water at Jin. The older man was caught by surprised, blinking his eyes through the splashes.

“Oh, you just did not…” Jin couldn’t finish his sentence when Kame had already attacked him by the waist and brought him down into the freezing water.

“Kazuya!” Jin screamed but it didn’t affect the younger man, Kame was still splashing more water at him. “You ask for it!” Jin said and immediately replied Kame’s attacks with his powerful splashes. They were like the two little children playing under the water. They were too engrossed in their own game that they didn’t notice someone else was shivering from the cold and cursing a long chain of curse.

“Damn those two! Why the beach of all places,” Koki cursed, sneezing once in awhile, but didn’t dare to move his cell phone from the scene.

“HOLD STILL YOU IDIOT!” Mi-chan’s voice could be heard from the other line.

“! I can’t feel my fingers!” Koki retorted back, he hated it when his curiosity took the best of him. He didn’t know why he was even followed these two. He should have just stayed home and be warm. But then again, Mi-chan would make him do something in the house.

“You sign yourself up for this, so stop complaining, spikey!” Mi-chan cruelly replied.

“I demand a large sum of payment for this!” Koki curtly said.

“If only I get to see the good part, now stay still you spikey!” Mi-chan cut the man’s words. Koki grumbled in his seat but didn’t dare to move.

“Wait! ZOOM IN!” Mi-chan’s loud ringing tone could be heard and Koki had his attention back on the couple; trying to zoom into the scene, and then he found his jaw dropped open at the scene.

Kame and Jin came back on shore after their childish game, thoroughly soaked to the bone. Kame took off his shirt and threw it next to their shoes and coats, and then found an empty space to lay down on his back, staring up the starless sky. Jin sat on his side and also looked up at the sky.

“Shoot! I’m cold,” Kame whined, curling up into a ball. Jin chuckled, turning to Kame and collecting the younger man in his arms.

“Jin! You’re COLD!” Kame screamed at the sudden wetness of the shirt. Jin rolled his eyes and took off his shirt in a second, then turned back and hugged Kame. The younger man smiled contently at the new warmth.

“Better?” Jin asked, and received a satisfied nod from Kame.

“Such a whiny baby,” Jin laughed, and snuggled into Kame’s bundle wet hair.

“Shut up!” Kame sulky said.

“My precious whiny baby,” Jin rephrased and there was no words coming from Kame. The younger man was blushing madly at the claim.  He was at a loss for words for Jin’s words had warmed up the iceberg of his heart.

❈

“KYAAAAAAAAAAAA~~~” Mi-chan screamed happily from her spot on the couch, almost jumping up in happiness.

“What’s wrong?” Yamaa came rushing in from the front entrance, worries painted his features. He stared at Mi-chan with concerned but frowned the minute he saw a grin on the girl’s face, “what happened?” he questioned, this time a bit more relieved.

“Awwww~ Jinnie boy and Kazu-chan are being cuddly,” Mi-chan replied, still grinning.

“That’s all?” Yamaa asked, making sure, Mi-chan nodded her head frantically as she turned back to her phone.

“Hey! Stop shaking spikey!” Mi-chan yelled but only received a loud huffing noise on the other line and the images were focused once again.

“You have Koki spying on them?” Yamaa asked with quirked eyes.

“He followed them, and I made him to video call it,” Mi-chan replied quickly and turned to sit back on the sofa, ignoring Yamaa who had just got back from work.

“Ok,” Yamaa said and his heels, a pan of sadness washed over him and he didn’t know why. He took off his shoes and put them back in place then turned back to the living room, he was surprised to be greeted by Mi-chan with open arms.

“Okaeri,” Mi-chan said smiling, waiting for the man in front of her to accept her welcome.

Yamaa beamed with joy at the welcome, he made his way to the open arms and circling his arms around the girl’s waist and mumbled, “Tadaima,” while he could feel Mi-chan’s arms wrapped around his neck and placed a small peck on his lips.

❈♍❈

-Christmas-

❈

Jin leisurely sipped in the warm dark milky liquid, loving the taste of sweet and rich milky flavor. He smiled contently as he sipped in another gulp, gaze glued on the sleeping form on his bed. He smiled each time the man frowned at unpleasant sun ray touched his small frame. The man on the bed rolled over to the left to avoid annoyed light, arms wandering around the empty spot on the bed. The man turned his head over to search for the missing form, eyes meeting with Jin’s ones. Jin smirked at the half asleep groan produced by Kame; he placed down his cup of chocolate and headed over to his bed, slipping under the warm comforter.

“Morning,” Jin greeted the sleeping man as held Kame firmly by the waist.

“Morning,” Kame greeted back, eyes closed, and snuggled closer to Jin’s warmth.

“Merry Christmas, beautiful,” Jin said sweetly, pecking Kame’s forehead with a light kiss.

“Merry Christmas, handsome,” Kame chuckled at his own words.

“Any plan for today?” Jin asked, tightening his embrace as inhaling in Kame’s sweet vanilla scent.

“I don’t know, didn’t Mi-chan say something along the line of celebration today, right?” Kame asked in his hazy state, he could have sworn the girl threatened them too.

“Only if we have nothing plan,” Jin replied, brushing a strain of hair out of Kame’s sweet feature, “she did mention that you don’t have to come to work tonight, I think she has Koki to fill in for you,” Jin chuckled, Kame also joined him as they remembered the grimace on Koki’s face when the girl forced him to work for her.

“It would be a disaster,” Kame commented, knowing too well what condition the cabaret would be in.

“That’s their problem to solve I guess,” Jin sighed, pulling Kame closer to him.

“Jin,” Kame called out softly, receiving an “hm?” in return, the younger man decided to continue, “I can’t breathe,” Kame snickered when Jin immediately loosen his dead-gripped embrace.

“Sorry,” Jin apologized, “you’re just too cute that I just want to ‘eat’ you,” he laughed as Kame slowly scurried away. Jin quickly pulled the younger man back, “I was just joking,” Jin chuckled, crawling closer to Kame and nuzzled in Kame’s neck.

“I’m not food,” Kame pouted.

“But you are so cute, can I squeeze you?” Jin asked cutely.

“No,” Kame deadpanned.

“Com’on I want to pinch my Kazuya’s chubby cheek,” Jin pleaded pouting.

“I’m a skeleton,” Kame answered, narrowing his eyes playfully at Jin.

“But a cute skeleton,” Jin replied smiling, Kame just rolled his eyes, “You’re so adorable that I just want to kiss you. Can I kiss you?” Jin asked.

“…”

“Kazu?”

“…”

“Baby?”

“…”

“Honey?” Jin poked Kame’s cheek as the younger man just staring at him. Jin waited patiently, staring back to those orbs.

“Let’s get out of bed,” Kame said, quickly bounced off the bed and dashed to the bathroom. Jin was still in his shock state, sometimes he just couldn’t get the younger man. Jin lay back down on bed, ready to close his eyes but Kame called out to him, “are you going to join me or not?” Jin didn’t have to think twice before leaping off the bed and heading to the bathroom with an awaiting Kame.

“Don’t you dare break the bath tub!” Mi-chan shouted from her spot in Kame’s bedroom, she rolled over on her stomach to reach for her phone, but something was in the way. The girl opened her eyes to stare at the obstacle. Yamaa was busying himself on his laptop, typing away whatever business it is the man having.

“Morning,” Yamaa greeted and handed the girl the phone, knowing the first thing Mi-chan searching in the moring was always her cell phone.

“Thanks,” Mi-chan said softly, “when did you get up?” she asked.

“An hour ago I think,” Yamaa replied, eyes still glued on the laptop; he needed to conclude this year sales to hand it in to the board executives as soon as possible.

“Work so early in the morning,” Mi-chan groaned out a complaint.

“I have to finish this before year ends,” Yamaa replied shortly, fingers typing swiftly across the keyboard.

Mi-chan observed the man next to her, who concentrating on those numbers and calculations; she studied the serious expression on the man’s feature. She had never noticed the perfect bone structures, the flawless face, and the hot abs. Maybe she had never actually looked at the man in that way. Their meeting was of any normality, their attraction to each other was one-sided on his part, and their relationship was bloomed for the sake of her cousin. She didn’t know what to call their relationship as of now.

“Are you hungry?” Yamaa said after he was done with his work, glad that he finished the report early. When he didn’t hear any reply, he turned to the girl and frowned lightly at Mi-chan’s spacing out. He ruffled the girl’s hair which had successfully brought the girl out of her stupor.

“Hm?” Mi-chan voiced out when she was brought out of her thinking.

“Hungry?” Yamaa asked, watching as the girl flipped her phone and checked the time.

“Not really,” Mi-chan replied, “I don’t eat breakfast,” she added.

“Oh…” Yamaa sounded disappointed.

“But it’s close to 11am, I don’t think breakfast is appropriate now; I can always do lunch,” Mi-chan rephrased, and Yamaa was more than delighted to receive such answer. Mi-chan smiled when she saw the happy smile, somehow she liked this Yamaa than a sulking one. It just made her feel…warm…and…happy.

“Oh, before I forget,” Yamaa said, jumping off the bed and walked towards his bag lying on the floor across the room. Mi-chan watched the young manager reaching into the bag and fishing out a red small wrapping box, she looked up at the man with curious eyes. Yamaa handed the wrapping box to the girl, “Merry Christmas,” Yamaa smiled. Mi-chan blinked her eyes at the surprised present; she smiled contently and took the box.

“Can I open it?” she asked with a childish grin.

“Yea,” Yamaa gave an ok and added, “I hope you will like it.”

“I will,” Mi-chan immediately answered, “I love all kind of presents as long as they are for me,” the girl added, quickly untied the box and uncapped the box. She gasped when she saw the present sitting proudly inside the box, a wide smile adorning her face as she threw herself on Yamaa.

“Thank you! I love it!” she said excitedly, “how did you know?” she added.

“I’m a good observer,” the man replied, smiling at the excited girl who still hugging him tightly. He slowly pulled the girl out, staring deeply into the girl’s eyes. The distance between them decreased by each second, Mi-chan fluttered her eyes close and tilted her head to the side…

“JIN!”

The loud scream made Mi-chan and Yamaa jolted and immediately pulled apart. The girl growled unhappy, she rolled her eyes at the loud thud of someone falling from losing balance entered their hearing range, and more of Kame’s apologies and Jin’s groaning in pain.

“These two…” Mi-chan gritted her teeth and ready to bring the two dickheads out of the bathroom but Yamaa grabbed her before she could leave the room. Mi-chan fell backward and found herself in the young manager’s embrace, lips touching and moving in sync. The kiss made her forget what she was about to do to the couple in the bathroom.

❈

Koki watched as Kame applied ice pack on Jin’s forehead, the visible bump could be seen from a mile away and Koki wondered how Jin managed to get such bruise. He turned his attention to Kame who was trying to soothe the red spot away at his best with a few light blows. For once, he felt pity for the two of them, Mi-chan must have been rough on them.

“So…did Mi-chan punch him or what?” Koki asked, hoping to get some resourceful gossips.

“Punch?” Kame turned to Koki with confused look, “we haven’t seen her yet,” he added. Koki’s eyes widened as he wondered how that was possible! The loud thud in the bathroom could be heard from his room, which was the furthest from the bathroom; how could Mi-chan couldn’t hear it from Kame’s room? That was impossible.

“She didn’t shriek until your eardrum bleed?” he asked wonder.

“Like I said, we haven’t seen her yet,” Jin repeated the answer that Kame just gave earlier.

“What the heck?” Koki stood up and walked to Kame’s room and was about to knock on it when the door burst open with a bubbly happy Mi-chan.

“Why are you at the door?” Mi-chan questioned the spiked hair man.

“Checking to see if you are ok?” Koki replied with a question.

“If it’s about the loud thud earlier, yea I’ve heard it, but I wasn’t able to move due to someone,” she turned to Yamaa who just grinned.

“Oh please, do tell,” Koki’s expression turned interested.

“Not in a millennium,” the girl stuck out her tongue and pushed the spiked man away from her.  “Kazu-chan?” she called to Kame who turned to her with a questioning look. “Any plan for today?”

“Not really,” he replied.

“Good, come with me later to pick up something,” the girl smiled and Kame just nodded. Mi-chan then walked to the kitchen to find some snacks.

“That’s rare,” Jin wondered, “She is in a good mood,” he added.

“Just because torturing Koki is her hobby, and speaking harshly at Pi whenever she feels like it; and teasing you whenever she finds a chance to, that doesn’t mean she is a weirdo, it’s just her way to adapt to things,” Kame said lovingly, he understood his cousin better than the rest.

“Is she protecting herself from something?” Jin asked curiously.

“Let just say…she is trying to figure out the appropriate way to approach thing, she loses that touch when she was a teenager, she doesn’t know how to react when people are being nice to her, and I can’t help her in that,” Kame explained a bit further.

“I see,” Jin just nodded, somehow he could relate to the girl in that sense.

“Anyway, does it still hurt?” Kame used his other hand to rub on the small bump.

“A little,” Jin winced at the light touch.

“Sorry, I should have warned you about the soap,” Kame’s words were filled with guilt.

“Don’t be, I was careless as well for not paying attention,” Jin reassured the younger man, rubbing small circle on Kame’s hand to calm the other.

“Remind me next time to not use soap,” Kame smiled and Jin nodded.

It was about an hour later that the two couples left the apartment, Kame and Jin followed Mi-chan and Yamaa closely from behind. They had no idea where they are heading to but decided to not question the bubbly happy Mi-chan. Shortly after, the four of them reached the pet shop; Kame and Jin were a bit surprised; however, excitement could be seen on Kame’s face.

“Boys, have fun playing,” Mi-chan announced, leaving Jin and Kame in the pet shop and following Yamaa to the counter.

Kame was grinning like a child as he moved about from each glassed box separating him and the puppies. Jin watched in amazement at how childish Kame had turned into, that was when it struck the older man that maybe Kame really likes puppies.

“He is so adorable!” Kame squeaked, didn’t care if he was squealing the high pitch tone. He poked his finger on the glass as the puppy inside the glass following his finger, sticking out its tongue to the finger through the glass.

“So cute,” Kame sighed, smiled lovingly at the Papillon puppy.

“He is beautiful like a butterfly,” Jin commented, following Kame in poking the glass.

“That’s where this breed got the name from, papillon is butterfly in French, which is due to its long and fringed hair on the ears,” Kame said expertly as if he had done a research on puppies and the breeds.

“Have you ever owned a pet?” Jin asked curious.

“Does fish count?” Kame wondered, looking up at Jin for an answer; the older man just chuckled at the sudden cuteness.

“Yes, it does,” Jin replied, smiling.

“Then yea, I have,” Kame replied proudly.

Jin let out a small smile and kept on watching Kame going to the next glass box, he read the label on the corner and learned that it is a Maltese, its white fluffy fur added to its cuteness and even Jin had the urge to just squeeze the fluff ball.

“I want to play with him,” Kame pointed at the Maltese, grinning from ear to ear.

“Can we?” Jin asked, unsure. Kame also wondered the same thing. Jin turned around to look for the shopkeeper, he quickly found one and asked to spend some times with the Maltese. The employer smiled happily and nodded her head. Shortly after, they were led to a separate room, the teenage girl gently handed the Maltese to Kame and wished them a fun time.

Kame was jumping in joy as he tickled the little fluff ball, giggling each time the little darling rolling on its back, enjoy the little freedom from the box. Kame picked up the little fluff ball and let it sit on his laps as he its head with love. The little cutie though had other ideas in mind. It suddenly bolted out of Kame’s laps and ran wildly, as if this was the last time it would be out of the cell. Kame tried to chase after the energetic puppy but he failed each time he tried to catch it, as if the little darling knew Kame’s every move.

Jin watched in amusement at each time Kame failed on his mission, loving the pout the younger man adorning his face. To Jin, it was the cutest thing ever. He had never owned a pet in his life, seeing that his family is more rigid on the business, is more interested in the up and down of the lines on a graph and the many digits in sale producing by each profit. He had long lost sense of pet and cuddling thing.

“Do you want to hold him?” Kame asked when he noticed Jin had been watching him with mesmerized gaze. He shoved the little cute face in front of Jin and made the older man jolt from surprise, but Jin held out his hands to hold the little cutie.

Surprisingly the fluff ball was being such an obedient child, it didn’t bolt out of Jin’s hold, instead it snuggled its head into Jin’s palm to feel the pleasant gently on its head.

“Mou ~ so unfair, he likes you more,” Kame sulked, kneeling in front of Jin and watching the little cutie’s eyes fluttered close.

“Maybe he is tired from all those running activities, you know it must have been a while since he last got out of that cage,” Jin emphasized on the last word with a bit of hatred, and Kame could feel that as well.

“He is such an active and adorable one,” Kame commented, joining Jin in the fluff ball’s neck, snickered when the little one purred in satisfaction.

“He is really cute,” Jin complimented finally.

“I know right,” Kame said with excitement.

“Shall we adopt him?” Jin shot out his suggestion, which had Kame turned to stare at him in shock.

“Are you sure?” Kame asked, hoping that he was not hearing thing.

“Yea, but does it violate the apartment policy?” Jin was unsure but Kame’s grin helped to ease his worries.

“Pets are allowed,” Kame smiled nodding.

“Then shall we?” Jin urged and Kame eagerly agreed.

The two couples exited the pet shop with Jin and Yamaa’s hands full with shopping bags for the pets’ needs like shampoos, pot training pads, and beddings, etc. The two men had lost count of how much this pair of cousins had spent.

“Have you named him yet?” Mi-chan asked Kame when the four reached Yamaa’s car.

“Not yet, yours?” Kame pointed to Mi-chan’s American Eskimo.

“Yup,” she held up the puppy and jingled the collar, “Pi gave him this name,” she chirped happily, sprinting forward.

“Did I just hear she said “Pi”?” Jin asked with wide eyes when he caught up to Kame.

“I think so,” Kame’s eyes also widened in size.

“Puppy wins her heart,” Jin chuckled and Kame nodded, the girl was easy sometimes as that. Talking about name, they also needed to think up a name for their puppy as well.