3 - Glances

Asami's mind was filled with curiosity and questions... "Is that how they greet each other?" That thought vanished quickly after he saw Ichinose pushed the man lightly.

On the other hand, after Apollo went inside to the driver's seat, he could not help but to rant about what happened to him all day long.

"Can you imagine your boss asking you for the things that aren't really part of your knowledge?" exclaimed Apollo.

Ichinose didn't really say that much and just let Apollo let his anger out. Apollo's work is no joke, being an architect with that kind of boss. He stopped ranting for a second when they got into a small pub.

Apollo called for a waiter who's familiar with him, "The usual!" he said.

"Are you a regular here?" asked Ichinose.

He then shrugged, "Who knows?" he asked rhetorically then eyed the man who just received his order. Ichinose's eyes shrunk at Apollo's image, eyeing the handsome, bulky man.

"Is he your type?" asked Ichinose right away after what his friend just did.

Apollo was startled because of what Ichinose asked, "A-Are you kidding me?!" he contradicts. His reaction made Ichinose excitedly ask more questions about this guy's type because Apollo doesn't really tell him what kind of guy he prefers.

Ichinose fixed his composure, straight back, chin up and chest out, he even intertwined fingers then placed it on his lips to emit this serious aura and positioned his elbow on the table,

"Don't you like small, cute and fragile people like his about to cry that you can hug them anytime? What makes you change to a well-built, bulky, strong and handsome man now?" he asked, just like a student who was asking his teacher about a topic that interests him.

"So, here it is... about my boss," Apollo's sudden change of topic is so obvious that Ichinose's curiosity just arose, but then just let it pass since he also wanted to hear about Apollo's rants.

"Do you remember the construction site that we are currently working on?" starts Apollo on their conversation about his problem regarding work. Ichinose then nodded as an answer.

"The hotel, right?" ask Ichinose to make sure that he knows what his friend is talking about.

"Yes! I really don't have a problem with designing things because that's what I'm good at, but asking for my opinion regarding flowers?! I'm not even a gardener!" Apollo's voice circulated in the small pub as he shrieked.

The annoyance and madness that he felt about this topic is so high that the alcohol on the tray of the handsome, strong, bulky man's hand is already on Apollo's hand, the waiter didn't even have a chance to place it on their table before taking the alcohol he was about to serve.

"Calm down!" Ichinose can't help but to shriek so he can stop Apollo from drinking those alcohols one after another, "Just how much can your stomach take?!" he added.

"Let's see," Apollo jokingly said, but it just made Ichinose go mad, "Alright! I'll stop!" surrendered Apollo, placing the alcohol on his right hand back on the table.

Ichinose signaled him to continue so he continues explaining to Ichinose what happened and asks for his friend's advice, "What plants do you think will fit this picture?" asks Apollo after he shows Ichinose the design on his small envelope that is the worst copy of the design he has.

Ichinose examined the design on the paper that Apollo only had, "Hmm, Let's see. Why don't you add vine plants in this area?" he suggested while tracing the parts of the paper they should place the vine plants at.

Apollo's eyes glistened, "I didn't even think of that!" he excitedly said then laughed. "Perks of having a landscaper best friend," he whispered but it didn't escape Ichinose's ears.

"What did you just say?!" Ichinose was about to attack him when Apollo shields himself using his arms, especially his face so that he won't have any visible bruises after Ichinose's attack.

After that night of Ichinose and Apollo's hang out, the next day they focused on their work again. Like they never had a talk and drink and like the usual everyday routine.

******

Ichinose's tiredness had paid off after he saw the flowerbed in the garden that he created for a week. He's now thinking of getting started working on the wet garden too, to trim some unruly twigs on those shrubs and hedges that are coming out of the leaves.

As he was about to enter the west garden, he sneaks and takes a quick look on his master Asami's face; seeing him on the chair comfortably sitting while holding a book on his chest, "His face is really filled with an aura of attractiveness." it is what's in Ichinose's mind. It seems like he was healed just from looking at Asami's face, his tiredness has been completely erased and now full of energy, it's like his feet are on cloud nine.

Ichinose then think, "Oh! It would be nice if those strong and well-built bodies hugged me," he moaned, "No! That would be great!"

He was lost in his own thoughts that didn't even notice that Asami was looking at him, thinking if he would give Ichinose an advance warning to be careful while entering the garden since he's not paying that much attention while walking on the pathway.

Asami is a bit concerned about him so he closes the book and sits up straight while saying, "Ichinose. Ichinose... be careful not to walk that way!"

Then Asami quickly went to him and grabbed Ichinose's shoulder to prevent him from falling on the bricks. Ichinose was startled by Asami's sudden actions, he's so embarrassed that his face became so red as a tomato now.

"W-Why didn't I notice those bricks?!" he couldn't blame anyone so he just kept quiet until a couple of minutes passed, he mustered up the courage to speak but before that.

He fixed his composure and finally said, "Thank you... Master Asami," he can't look at Asami's face because he feels ashamed of the embarrassing scene he just did and that is why his head is still bent.

"I was lost in my own thoughts because of something for a moment and didn't even notice those bricks that I almost stepped on," he added.

"Please don't talk about something unnecessary next time and focus on taking care of yourself too. You're always working so hard that you almost fall while walking," Asami's reply makes him blush a little, but his flustered face didn't escape Asami's eyes and that face makes him smile.

"Is he always this shy around people?" Asami thought but suddenly remembered the picture of Ichinose hugging his friend a week ago, "Maybe not." Asami's answer to his question.

Asami smiled after he looked at Ichinose who is still shy. He found out he was kind of cute the time that he helped him not to step on those bricks. Asami suddenly thought about something because he always saw Ichinose talking side-glances at him, not only for today but also these past few days. "Does he have something to say that he couldn't say?"

He is wondering whether to offer him a cup of tea or a coffee just to talk to Ichinose for a bit, but he is not sure if Ichinose would like the idea or be offended by the "Master and Servant" situation. So he decided not to ask Ichinose about it.

He suddenly felt something strange yet familiar but he couldn't exactly tell what that was. Asami knew that he was different from Ichinose... so different that he did not pursue to ask Ichinose for a cup of tea or coffee as he isn't sure if they are on the same page.

******

To be continued...