Sharing a Suite

Gakushuu sighed as he walked into the suite that he was interested in renting. He was 21 and had already graduated from university. He was looking for somewhere new to stay in because the apartment he used to stay in grew too small for his liking, and he had left his father's house the moment he turned 18. Because the legal age of a minor was usually 20, he moved away to America and had stayed there ever since. He was the CEO of Ichiban, a company he has started himself. He examined the penthouse suite and nodded approvingly. It would be a good place to stay. But when he had just taken out his credit card to pay for the suite, an annoyingly familiar voice rang out. "I'd like to rent the penthouse suite, please."

Gakushuu whirled around to see the one and only Karma Akabane walking over. Akabane noticed him as well because he broke into a way-too-large grin. "Ace-kun! Fancy seeing you here! I didn't know you'd be in America! I thought that you'd be back in Japan with the ex-principle."

"I live here now. Alone," Gakushuu said with barely restrained anger. "And I'm renting the penthouse suite."

"I don't think you can, Ace-kun, because I'll be the one renting it." Akabane's smile was so infuriating, he just wanted to punch it off his smug face-

"Sirs, please, calm down," the man behind the cash register tried to calm them down. "Maybe you could both rent it?"

"Both of us? In the same suite? Hell no-"

"I think it's a great idea!" Akabane slung his arm around Gakushuu. "I wouldn't mind. Unless Ace-kun has a problem and would rather not rent this suite, that is."

Gakushuu gritted his teeth. The suite only had one bedroom, so he didn't want to do it, especially if it meant living with Karma Akabane. But it was either back out from the challenge that Akabane was presenting, or compromise, and he knew that Akabane counted on the fact that he was a busy man who had not enough time to deal with all of this. "Fine. We'll share the penthouse suite."

The man looked relieved. "I'll cash everything right away. How long will you guys be staying?"

"Quite a while," Akabane grinned. "At least a year."

"Same," Gakushuu nodded stiffly.

"Shall I cash you two each for half the rent for a year?" The man held their credit cards in his hands.

"Very well," Gakushuu sighed. He took back his credit card, grabbed a set of keys, and marched back into the penthouse suite, making sure to take the only elevator currently available so that Akabane would have to wait for the next elevator or take the stairs. He dragged in his things and put them in the master bedroom, quickly putting his work things on the desk, hanging up his clothes in the closet, and so on. By the time Akabane had come up to the penthouse suite, Gakushuu had taken the keys for the master bedroom, locked it so that he and only him could enter his room, and left for a business meeting. By the time Akabane had found out about the master bedroom being claimed by Gakushuu, Gakushuu was already driving to the cafe where he needed to meet his client.

On the way there, he got a phone call. He didn't recognize the number, but the moment he picked it up, a voice whined, "Ace-kun! Why did you take the master bedroom! It's the only bedroom in the suite! We're paying for the penthouse together, which means we have to share everything!"

"Akabane," Gakushuu said. "I got there first, so I claimed it." He heard some sounds in the background and added, "Don't force your way in, and don't mess any of my things up. And if you're so upset about the rooming, go find somewhere else to stay. I'm more than happy to pay for the penthouse suite myself."

"You're so mean," came the whine from the other end before Akabane hung up.

Gakushuu sighed. It was going to be a long day.