1 - Prologue

Ichinose

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Ichinose loves laying out the flower bed that's filled of English roses, regal tulips, blue forget-me-nots with some spring citrus color like multicolored snapdragons with vibrant red geraniums and some mix of purple and yellow, or white pansies and some white daisies supplying a naturalistic wildflower.

After a week of working on the flowerbed he looks at what he created, a beautiful garden, he feels that his tiredness has paid off. Now, he's thinking of getting started on working in the west garden too, to trim some unruly twigs on those shrubs and hedges that are coming out. As he was about to enter; he sneaks and takes a quick glance of his master Asami's face. Seeing him on the chair comfortably sitting there while holding a book on his chest, Asami's face is filled with an aura of attractiveness. It seems like he got a healing from looking at his master that his tiredness now is filled with energy and it's like his feet are on cloud nine.

Ichinose then think, "Oh! It would be nice if those strong and well-built body hugged me. Aah! That would be great."

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

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

Asami quickly went to him and grabbed Ichinose's shoulder to prevent him from falling on the bricks. Ichinose was startled and embarrassed that his face became red.

He felt a little ashamed and a couple of minutes passed, and he was still unable to say a word. After a second, he got his composure back and said, "Thank you... Master Asami," He can't look at Asami's face and that's why his head is still bent.

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

"Please be careful next time, you're always working hard and that's why you almost fell from thinking too much." Asami replied to him, seeing him blushed a little makes Asami smile.

"Master, it would be great if you allow to add more flowers around here as when the wind blows this way, it could be also great and refreshing for your breaks or naps." he added, not wanting their conversation to end so fast, he still can't look straight to his eyes as he feels that Asami can see through him.

Asami smiled as he quickly looked at him and found out he was kind of cute when he tried to help him get out on the stone bricks. Asami is also wondering if he can offer a cup of tea or coffee, just to have a longer chat for a bit. But Asami already thought that Ichinose wouldn't like the idea of "Master and Servant" having a snack, drinking tea or coffee in the middle of his working hours.

Asami couldn't help but cast his eyes again at him while he was working, thinking of how and what to do to make it possible for them to talk. Asami suddenly thought about something because he saw Ichinose taking side-glances at him, not only for today but also in the past days. He felt something strange but also felt familiar, yet he couldn't exactly explain what it was. Asami knew that he was different from Ichinose and the reason why he became hesitant to ask him as he wasn't sure if they are in the same page.

Meanwhile, Ichinose is taking glances again here and there on Asami with full admiration while his hands suddenly stop moving as he shakes his head and keeps his mind busy with work by pruning a shrub and removing the twigs thoroughly.

"I have a lot of work to do, I must finish this before the day ends." as he keeps reciting this to his mind to avoid thinking of Asami.

After some time, it became dusk and Ichinose already done doing the work for today, so it's time to go home. He met Asami in the hallway as he was about to leave the garden, suddenly Master Asami talked to him saying, "It's too dark outside and the buses are hardly passing by now, would you like to stay here for the night instead?" Asami didn't wait for his answer and suddenly called the housekeeper.

"Aisha, please fix one of the guest rooms on the second floor and get the dinner ready." the housekeeper bows to let Asami know that she understood what her master was ordering her to do and walked away from them. Ichinose was about to refuse the offer, but he just shrugs his shoulders, thinking it's convenient for him to stay there for the night.

Asami then asked him, "Can you join me for a smoke while we wait for the dinner?"

He followed Asami to the balcony and sat on the single chair. Asami offered him a cigarette and said, "It's okay, have some if you want to smoke too,"

He was a little hesitant, but he took one and was about to light it up when Asami suddenly grabbed his nape and uses the opportunity of Ichinose became flabbergasted of what he did and lit the cigarette up that's between Ichinose's lips using the cigarette that's on his lips too.

'Why did he do that?!' Ichinose thinks and gets nervous, but he tries to hide it from his master, scared that if he shows a sign of awkwardness, it may affect his job and for it to become a misunderstanding between the two of them. But that's not the real reason why, he doesn't want his master to know his feelings for him as he's just a lowly servant!

Ichinose just lets it pass and ignores what Asami did as he blows the smoke away from his face. He started to open a conversation between them about work, he can only open a small one and it's about gardening just to get out of the awkwardness.

Ichinose then says, "Master Asami, how do you like the idea of adding more pink, yellow, magenta or red roses near the entrance to make it more attractive and the aroma of the roses when the wind blows, it might be refreshing for the afternoon relaxation. Can you consider it?"

"That will be gorgeous but as you can see this isn't my house yet. I called you because I need your expertise to help me take care of these garden for my late mother and she forgot those flowers while we're living in the United States." Asami replied to him.

Asami felt bad to see those withered flowers as her late mother loved this garden when they were still in this villa. Asami is still thinking of a way on how he's going to apologize to Ichinose, but he saw his face like he doesn't want to remember anything about what happened; he just got more curious about him. Since Asami grew up in America, he also learned his sexuality, which is bisexuality and there are no people who said 'no' when he wants to go with them.

Asami opened a topic to get his attention, "Can you do other work besides taking care of the garden? Like, can you do some patching on the wall and fixing the drapes?".

Ichinose then smiled while still blowing his cigarette, "Yeah, I can. If it's only fixing and clamping back the rack. I also know how to do the curtain wall installation," he sneaks a peek at Asami who's staring at him intently.

He suddenly feels awkward and tense now that he doesn't know why Asami is looking at him. He tried to hide the embarrassment like nothing happened and continued to blow the smoke away. To Ichinose, Asami is totally his ideal man, now that Asami is already an adult. Ichinose now thinks about Asami's body... his muscular chest and biceps, his broad shoulders, those attractive lips, jaw line, nose, and his blue eyes which only added more alluring when you look at him. He got an electric shock flowing in his back when he saw that Asami was still looking at him.

A short silence has covered them and was only cut off when Aisha speaks to their master, "Excuse me, Master Asami. The dinner has been prepared in the dining hall as per requested. Would you like to add some dessert after the main course?" Aisha waited for Asami's answer before she went back to the kitchen.

Asami replied, "That's perfect, please do."

"Yes, Master." Aisha then leaves the balcony and starts to walk back in the kitchen.

"I think it's about time we should go in," Asami spoke to him like nothing happened and started to lead the way into the dining hall.

"Ah, yes... I'm already hungry anyway." he chuckles while following Asami, feeling ashamed of thinking those weird thoughts and not to mention while being in front of him. Nonetheless, he can't do anything about it since he likes Asami a lot, just thinking of confessing his feelings to him is impossible.

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To be continue....

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Author's Statement:

Primarily, this novel of mine are not taken from anyone, if you find my work similar to yours then it could be a purely coincidence; the scenes and dialogues were totally from me and no one else. I started writing it not long ago since there is like a river flowing lots of ideas that's coming into my mind and so I think; "Why don't I make a novel instead of doing nothing on my free days?". Also, if you find this novel disturbing, please leave and don't go further. My story has a mature content that's only suitable to 18 and above readers and not for minors (17 years old and below). So, I recommend you think carefully before you continue.

Secondly, English is not my mother tongue and so you might often notice some grammatical errors as I'm using the global language. Please take care of me and go easy on me because this is my first novel writing about boys' love genre.

Lastly, as I said earlier; this novel has mature content and is not suitable for 17 years old and below because some of the words and content might make them uncomfortable to read. Also, they are not yet legal and it's not appropriate for them to read this.