Chapter 8: The Misunderstanding

Ryohei had to drag Yuki out of Niji Bookstore to proceed on discussing about the matter he accidentally brought up. He was only considering it in his head, but he unconsciously voiced it out. What worse was Yuki heard it clearly, and his reaction was utterly petrified. The unbounded guilt surfaced and enlarged in Ryohei, thus he grabbed Yuki's wrist and dragged him out.

It was almost break, so Ryohei just left early and needed to return minutes earlier too. Yuki remained speechless as Ryohei tugged him somewhere further from Niji Bookstore. He panted a little, not because of walking hurriedly, but due to pounding heart.

"I'm sorry!" Ryohei bowed his upper body almost 90 degree forward. "I was so insolent! I must get some punishment!"

"What are you talking about?" Yuki frowned deeply. He looked affront, not knowing Ryohei was almost kissing his feet.

Ryohei could not lift up his head. He felt as if he has humiliated Yuki even though there was no one around them at that moment. They both are men, thus it should not be that sensitive between them.

However, Ryohei really thought Yuki's job should be much more proper than the current one. He once decided for Yuki in choosing job - but he did not tell the blind because they lost contact and Yuki was nowhere to be found. Hence, when they reconciled, it was the very first thing Ryohei brought up, getting them into a totally awkward situation.

"About that job hunting thing, please forget it!" Ryohei glued both his palms against each other and bowed lower, "You may slap me if you want."

Yuki was at sea but he tried brushing it off with a chuckle, "You see. I didn't even respond properly to your question, and now you're apologizing? Why?"

Ryohei pursed his lips. He was regretting his own silliness. "I... asked you to do job hunting. But you earn pretty well with your current job. I mean... I don't really dislike your job though."

The countenance loosened a bit. Yuki knocked the bells on his white cane, alerting Ryohei to look at him. "Ryohei-kun, why should I get mad at you? You were just asking me something, not that you laid your hand on me."

Ryohei gradually lifted his head up and his eyes met Yuki's. Yuki did not notice it, yet it was enough to cause heart throb. Ryohei could feel his blushing face was eventually noticeable, thus he lowered his head back.

"Ryohei, I don't get mad. Please do not feel anxious or guilty," Yuki gestured his hand in the air, trying to grasp on something.

Ryohei quickly fetched Yuki's hand and gently caressed it. Yuki smiled a little and stared at Ryohei('s direction) with tilting head. He was acting cute, not to seduce the latter but it was more to his natural self.

'He is really cute to begin with.' Ryohei finally had the bravery to stand straight back and confronted Yuki. Yuki was still beaming, with his hand in Ryohei's. He did not even retreat his hand back.

"I know working from home as an editor doesn't give me much, but so far it is the only job I could get."

"Huh?"

From the abrupt raise in tone, Yuki could detect Ryohei's pure astonishment. Ryohei's ogling eyes were funny, as if they were about to detach from the sockets. Did Ryohei mishear Yuki?

"Working as an editor?"

Yuki nodded excitedly, "Yes. It's my ideal job, regarding my current condition. I won't complain much, and I have a very understanding boss too."

"Wait, wait," Ryohei squeezed Yuki's hand in confusion. Yuki hissed in shock, then Ryohei released him. "So you are telling me you're working as an editor, not a male prostitute?"

"Eh?"

It was Yuki's turn to get startled at the other party's statement. He also ogled at Ryohei('s direction), perplexed by the misunderstanding.

"I as a male prostitute?"

"Eh?"

The condition became typically awkward. Ryohei believed he did not mishear Yuki, but from Yuki's reaction, he doubted himself. Was he listening to the truth last time? It has passed two weeks, but he believed the time gap did not effectively change the fact.

"Do you mean my previous job? If it was, yes, I was a male prostitute."

"Was?"

"Yes, I was. But now, I've offered much better job than that. I accepted the offer."

There was a strange relief in Ryohei that he slumped after getting attacked continuously by shocking information. He could not portray how happy he was to be known that Yuki was not a male prostitute - for currently. So the male prostitute thing was really his bad past, and he might have wanted to improve himself, so he chose to do other job.

"I'm so glad," A loud long sigh escaped from Ryohei. Out of the blue, he swept Yuki into his embrace, tightly hugged the blind until he could feel their heart beating against each other.

There was an odd sensation seeping into Ryohei by his dramatically spontaneous action. The sensation was indescribably amazing, but he could not understand what it was. The best part was Yuki slowly hugged him back. His thin fingers moving against Ryohei's shirt, and the embrace was added by Yuki's forehead landed smoothly on Ryohei's shoulder.

The time seemed regressing. How Ryohei hoped for time to stop at the moment. He loved being hugged by Yuki, and judging by the response, Yuki might have mutual fondness towards him. Whether it was romantically or just normal relationship, Ryohei would accept it. As long as he could reach Yuki, as long as he could see Yuki, as long as he could befriend with Yuki, he did not mind.

"Yuki-kun, I'm so happy," Ryohei whispered right into Yuki's ear. "I was worried for nothing. To be honest, I don't want anyone to touch you "