"You look good nowadays." Mr Nakamura, Nagomi's psychiatrist, smiled at him. 

The latter nodded showing his agreement.
"I will lower your dose. Seems like I won't have to pursue you for therapy today." 

Nagomi's eyes lit up at his words, he hated taking medicines but he hated those therapy sessions even more. For him, opening up to someone, showing his vulnerabilities and flaws, even thinking about it made his stomach churn. 

"I would rather gulp down a bottle of medicine rather than opening up to a stranger." He used to turn down Mr Nakamura's offer with the same statement during every appointment. 

And the latter could only suggest him, he couldn't force him to do anything out of his will rather than giving advice. 

The first time Nagomi dragged himself to his clinic was two months before his concert, he was full of cuts and wounds that he gave to himself, he didn't want to be overwhelmed by the crowd presence and wanted to achieve some stability. 

Since then Mr Nakamura had been taking care of him, although it was not professional of him to favour a particular client of his, something in Nagomi's empty eyes made him draw him closer. 

But these days those eyes had more shine and more life to them. 

"So, what's the reason?" He teased Nagomi, trying to quench his curiosity in the process as well. They had gotten pretty close to the stage where they could openly talk about these things and tease each other. 

"Mind your own business." Nagomi pulled his tongue out. 

"Aww, I am lonely now that our Sato- chan has found someone." He whined. 

"You have become more annoying after getting dumped." 

".... I am hurt." Nakamura put his hand on his heart. 

Sometimes, Nagomi wondered if he chose the right person to treat him. He sighed and got up. 

"Anyway, I am leaving now." 

"Byee, you traitor." 

Nagomi waved his hand and shut the door close after leaving. 

                                 **** 

He got the prescribed medicine and went outside. Haruto was there waiting for him. After seeing Nagomi walking out of the premises, he stood up and walked with him. 

"Are you still sulking?" 
Nagomi poked the side of his cheeks amused by how much of a big baby Haruto was. 

"I am not. You just don't understand how much I want to wake up with you, you always leave me alone." Haruto fastened his pace, pouting. 

Nagomi tried to catch up. 

"There there, my big puppy. Don't sulk." 

"You didn't wake up early before, why now? It's so unfair." 

Because I didn't have a reason before. 

"Next time. Next time, l will wake you up too, okay?" 

Haruto's ears perked up and he turned back- 

"Really?" 

"Yes." 
                                ****

"Tomorrow you have to meet with the producer, he said there need to be some changes on your next album." 

"At the last minute?" 

"I also didn't wan- 

"Abe-san." 

Haruto stopped his talk when a low pitch female voice interrupted their talk. He averted his gaze from Nagomi to the source of the voice- a fairly tall girl in her mid-20s stood before their apartment door. 

"I have been waiting for you." 

The heels clicked on the floor when she walked towards them, her long black wavy hair falling over her shoulder with her movement. Nagomi knew who she was after all Haruto rejected her for him- how could he not know a possible threat to his peaceful love life. 

She flashed her polite smile towards Nagomi expecting the same but the latter just stared at her- expressionless. 

"Why are you here?" 
Haruto broke the ongoing staring competition between them. 

"I want to talk with you." 
She squeezed his arms with a cutesy smile- totally different from what she threw at Nagomi. 

"I have nothing to do with you."
He yanked his arm away, his face cringed at the sight. 

"But I have, we are going to get married- 

"Get yourself out of your fantasy. I have already rejected you once and I will over and over again." 

"Do you have someone else?" 

"Let's take this talk inside, we will be disturbing the neighbour if this goes on." 
****

Nagomi placed the teacups on the table between Haruto and Sasaki Mio- the girl who was still chasing Haruto after being rejected for a marriage interview. 

"Sato-san, I am sorry but could you please us alone for a while." 
Mio pushed her hair behind her ear, gazing towards him straight forward. 

He gazed back in astonishment at how different she was to him- was it because she sensed something between Haruto and him? He couldn't help but delve into the matter. 

"Of course." He said, turning to leave but getting ting stopped in his tracks when Haruto grabbed his arm. 

"He will stay here. State your business." 
Haruto was stern. 

Mio clutched her pink floral dress- her face turning red due to the anger and humiliation at Haruto's indifferent attitude towards her. 

How could he be so cold towards me? 

"This is a matter between us, outsiders- 

"If that's all you have to say, you can leave." 

As soon as those words fell on her ears, she looked at Haruto in disbelief. Enough was enough. 

"Sato-san this, Sato-san that. All you ever do is talk about him! And even now when this matter includes only us, why are you bringing him in?! Is he your lover or what?!" 

She breathed rapidly- giving herself in rage. 

"What if he is?" 
Haruto causally stated. 

Mio's and Nagomi's eyes widen in sync- shocked. 

"Haru- 

"You are joking right?! This must be a joke right?! You and him? You are not even gay!" She shouted, banging the table. 

Haruto stood up and took Nagomi by his waist. "I don't care what you think. I already said the truth, it's up to you to believe it or not." 

She gasped at how cold Haruto was towards her day by day, she had known him since their childhood and he has always been a caring, kind person in her eyes but today's Haruto was just now what she had known for years. Despite, all the mess she had to push the blame some Sansome Sato Nagomi. 

Nagomi clenched his eyes shut when he saw Mio raising her hand to hit him, he braced himself for the impact. 

If slapping is enough to make her give up on Haruto, I am willing to get slapped as many times as it takes. 

But the impact never came, he slowly opened his eyes- shivers ran down his spine when he saw Haruto's dark expression- who grabbed Mio's hands midway. 

He pushed her hand away, pushing her away in the process. 

"This is all because of you! He had never been so cold to me and now he doesn't even want to consider me because of you!... She shouted... You made him weird. You must be happy after taking Haruto's future and family away from him!" 

She then stormed away, eyes brimming with tears that were threatening to fall anytime soon. 

Nagomi hadn't even realised how tense he was until his knees gave up and Haruto had to support him to stand. 

"Sato- san are you okay?"
His voice was as tender as Nagomi had always remembered. It was as if the Haruto he saw just a second ago was nothing more than an illusion. 

"I am fine." He smiled. 

"Don't listen to her. She is- 

A pair of soft lips met Haruto's as Nagomi wrapped his hands around his neck. 

"I don't care. I want you to touch me."