18 - Julius

Apollo nodded as he understood what had happened to Ichinose. Asami moved closer to Ichinose's side even though they were already holding hands. Ichinose's eyes expanded at what Asami was trying to do, "What are you doing?!" he muffled his voice so Apollo would not hear them.

Asami does not care if Apollo sees them sticking together and he even deliberately wanted to show it off to Apollo to let him know that no one can approach Ichinose.

He shook his head as a signal not to do those things. But Asami smirked at him. Because he was happy that now Ichinose was looking him directly in the eye. And Asami whispered to him and said...

"Now you're looking at me and I have been looking at you for a while. Why don't you look at me?." it was like Asami was nagging at him in a low voice.

Ichinose could not utter his voice, so he nodded in agreement with what Asami was asking of him. Then Asami tightened his grip on Ichinose's hand to say that they understood each other. Asami is extremely irritated because they always get interrupted when he wants to talk to Ichinose privately. There was not a day that the others did not bother them. So, in this case Asami will not let it be missed.

Apollo noticed that Asami whispered to Ichinose and he pretended not to see it.

"Ichinose, we are close to your house. Do you have anything you want to buy? also we are close to the convenience store." Apollo started the conversation and changed the ambience so that Ichinose could speak.

"I don't need anything, and someone is waiting for me. So, when we arrive, please go upstairs first. There is a person waiting for me so I want to talk to him for a moment. It's kinda urgent." Ichinose sounded apologizing to Apollo.

"Ah ... that's right! You told me that last night. So okay go ahead no problem." Apollo got what Ichinose meant. "If you need help just holler so we can be there asap." added of him and secured that Apollo will come to him.

And just a few minutes later they arrived at Ichinose's apartment. Asami and Apollo parked the car and were about to go straight up the house. Asami saw a man waiting for Ichinose when he got out of the car. Apollo helped Ichinose walk and Asami joined them.

When Asami saw the man's face, his blood directly boiled on his head. As Ichinose and Apollo approach this man. Asami could not help but clenched his fist and suddenly he remembered what that guy said about (in the hospital) to Ichinose.

Slowly he walked towards them. When Ichinose confronted Julius, Apollo at once left to give them space to talk properly. But he stayed at Ichinose's back watching and listening to them.

"Julius, we have nothing more to talk about, please stop this." traces in Ichinose's voice that he was pleading.

Julius suddenly grabbed his arm and spoke… "Why? Is it because your boyfriend is here, and you have the courage to speak up with me?" Julius replied to him and at the same time he grabbed Ichinose's chin and tried to kiss him because he saw Asami was watching them.

"No! Don't please!... Stop!" Ichinose struggled to get away while holding his crutch

"Heh… You really hate it? Before you didn't say you hate this." But Julius ignored him and was really going to kiss his lips.

Ichinose couldn't do anything but close his eyes or he would fall if he struggled more on getting away from Julius. But they did not expect Asami to get angry in a frenzy. He grabbed Julius in his collar and gave a straight punch without any word coming from him.

"He said No already and that's how you treat an injured person? And you're doing it anyway! Are you that person whose behavior is offensive to others?" Asami's voice was boiling with a bad temper.

Therefore, he pulled Ichinose out of Julius and hugged him tightly. "One more time I see you messing with Ichinose. You'll get more than that the next time we meet." Asami's voice threatened him

Julius fell because Asami pushed him away to Ichinose also as well as Julius' mouth bled from Asami's punch. He just spit the blood inside his mouth and he looked badly at Asami and said ...

"Guess you don't know him yet. He has a habit of baiting someone and after what he gets he will leave you hanging. As long as he enjoys playing with you, he won't leave you yet, right, Ichi? Or maybe he gave you a one night stand that you can hardly imagine how good he is?" Julius' face smirked at Asami's dark face.

"Also don't waste your time because he won't be loyal to you either. He had someone he loved and until now his heart belongs to him." Julius added and has not yet stood up.

"I already know that! you don't have to say more! He had loved someone for more than 7 yrs now." Asami blurted it out accidentally as his voice was hurt.

Ichinose was shocked by what he heard from Asami. He was dumbfounded by the realization of what he said.

When Apollo heard Asami's loud voice he quickly came to get Ichinose and walked him out there. He also could not react because he knew he had no right to protect Ichinose. He has long lost the right to do that so he can only watch on the sidelines. He saw in Asami's face that he was really serious and Asami could defend him in any situation for Ichinose. And Apollo will support the two only if Asami is the right one for him.

Asami was boiling with rage because of Julius' remarks on Ichinose so he gave him another blow followed by more blows until Julius and Asami had a loud brawl. Julius wouldn't take another punch from Asami so he gave him one big punch that Asamis got a cut on his left eyebrow and was swollen. But Asami got more furious at Julius so he grabbed his collar again and pushed him on the wall and punched him couples of times with more heavy blows.

The fight took 15 mins and Ichinose couldn't take it anymore and he jumped to Asami's side to stop him and Julius from fighting. Then he comes to Julius begging wholeheartedly just to stop. Even though he couldn't walk properly, he hugged Julius and whispered...

"Julius, that's enough. You know that I have loved you wholeheartedly in those 3 years that we've been but I love him more than anyone else and that's him. I'm sorry." said with a low voice that only two of them heard and while his face was shedding tears because he regretted bringing Asami and the fight between the two of them.

Julius just sat there, stunned, unable to speak and just staring at Ichinose. After a while he returned to himself. He stood up, pulled Ichinose close to him and whispered...

"Is that why? That's why your stupid! Ha... ha... ha...! I couldn't believe this. Over 7yrs. you're waiting for that idiot? Ichi this is not over yet even if you don't trust me but heed my warning. You will come to me soon." Julius' laughter reflected the pain but there is something hidden behind his eyes. Then he looks over at Asami.

"You!... you are incredibly lucky but stupid! I want him, he wants someone, and he doesn't want me!" At the same time Julius pointed to Asami's chest as he told him that. And he mutters to him, "You will not dare to take Ichi because you're an idiot! He is not as simple as you think he is. You still don't know Ichinose, bro!" laughing hard while he was walking away from them. And Asami was astonished because he did not understand what Julius was trying to say to him. After a while he helped Ichinose get up and they went up to his house.

"Let's go inside, Ichinose" and he helped him stand up and put his crutch on his other shoulder.

"Thank you, master Asami." He was so scared and confused as he wiped his tears. Thinking how come it ends up into a fight that he only wants to talk to Julius and have a clean break up. "Now Julius is giving a warning, what should I do now? And I'm sure he will also take another step on his craziness." There are a lot of questions running through his mind that he doesn't realize he was already inside of his apartment.

"I will go down stairs and explain to your neighbors what happens. So please rest as your feet are just barely healing, Ichinose." Apollo breaks the silence as he feels awkward and the fight gets messy.

"Okay, Apollo and thanks. I owe you another one." Ichinose's tone was apologetic.

"Naah, it's nothing and you just helped me last time on my problem remember and you solved it nicely. Don't worry about this." Apollo said with assurance that he was nothing to worry about. It was only a small talk and explained to them what caused the fight.

"And I will stay in my car so you can have some privacy." he added and grinned on Ichinose saying you need to explain to him.

The two nodded as saying thank you to Apollo for giving them space to talk sincerely. Now the two of them don't want to open the conversation as they feel awkward or embarrassed. But Ichinose broke the silence between them and said, "Please wait and I know I have the first aid kit around here." as he crawled to reach the small drawer near the sofa.

"Tell me where it is and I will get it for you. You can't walk or crawl like that." Asami held his arm, lifted him up and laid him down on the single couch. "Just tell me where's the first aid kit and I'll look for it." He added as he waited for him to give the instruction.

Then Ichinose gave the details of where the box was and he started to treat Asami wounds.

******

To be continued…...