Riku raised his head in a sudden. “Y-Your ex?”

“Yeah, my last. I’ve never had a lover again until now.”

He grasped the bottom of my shirt tightly. However, seconds after, he loosened it. He looked at me with a poker face.

“So, you aren’t moved on yet? That’s why you haven’t had a lover again ever since? Why don’t you try to get her again, since she doesn’t remember her past life.”

He’s definitely mad right now, although I don’t understand why. However, seeing him like this make me feel bad.

“No, it’s not like that! I’ve moved on already, long time ago! I just not yet have any interest in having a relationship again, not because I still love her.”

I raised my hand, trying to stroke his cheek, but he brushed it off. “Whatever. It’s not like I care.”

He got off of my lap and walked upstairs.

“Riku, wait!”

Perhaps it’s a bad choice telling him about that. However, although I don’t know what kind of feeling is this, but I don’t like to see him mad at me. I really don’t like it.

I followed him into his room. He’s already in his sleeping position, turned his back on me.

“Riku, are you mad? I’m sorry ….” I hugged him from behind. “I don’t really understand why, but if I made a mistake, please tell me. I know I’m a moron, it’s my fault. I’m sorry, okay? Don’t be mad at me, please.”

I smooched his neck and hugged him tight. I know he has not asleep yet.

“… You’ll just leave me now, right, since you’ve already met a person you know. You’ll dump me because you don’t need me any—”

I pulled his body, force him to face me. A shock expression adorned his face when I suddenly kissed his lips and played with his tongue.

“Nghh … W-Wai—mphh!”

He’s panting when I got off of his lips.

“Riku, look at me.” I touched his bottom lip. “Never had I have a thought, even just a little bit. There’s no way I’d leave you, Riku.”

Tears started to fall out and wetting his face. His sobbing makes my heart hurts. I didn’t wipe it, but I brought him into my arms, let him cry there.

“Then … why didn’t you answer me back then?! When I asked you whether you’ll leave me, just like him?!”

I gasped. So he remembers it? Then it means, he might remember all the things we have done.

“I’m sorry, I thought you were just mumbling out of the heat.”

He pulled himself off of my arms. “Now, then, answer it. Will you leave me, just like him?”

I hold his hand, brought it close to my lips. Gently, I kissed it with my eyes closed.

“I won’t.”

When I opened my eyes, there’s a hand embraced my waist. No wonder it felt a little heavy. I lifted my hand to turn the alarm off. The owner of the hand on my waist seemed to feel my movement. He embraced my waist more tightly.

“Wake up …,” I said while yawning.

Honestly, I couldn’t sleep last night. Only when I almost got to sleep, the alarm rang. My head hurts from the lack of sleep and the thoughts of last night.

It wasn’t just about my fear if he leaves me. No, it was actually a mere excuse.

The real thing is, I’m jealous.

“… Let’s get more sleep.” Again, he held me tightly and brought his face closer to my neck.

“No, it’s your second day of work, and I’m gonna go to work too.” I let go of his hand and sat on the bed.

He sighed. “Is your heat over already?”

I nodded. “Mm-hm.”

We fell silent for a while, to get back our consciousness from the sleep.

“I’ll come pick you up today. Let’s get off work together.”

He turned his head fast to face me. “Why? You don’t need to, just get rest right after work.”

I shook my head. “No, I want to. I don’t accept your refusal.”

I ignored him and walked straight to the bathroom, leaving him who still in confuse.

It’s not that I have a proper reason. I just want to pick him up and meet him immediately after work.

My head throbs whenever I remember it. How excited he was when he told me about that woman.

I wonder what kind of woman she is. What kind of woman has ever filled Iori’s heart?

***

When I got off of the bathroom, Iori isn’t here anymore. He might be going back to his room while I was bathing.

I opened the wardrobe and searched for my uniform. After I wear it, I make the bed and found clothes inside the blanket. I just remember that I saved it here last night. I should return it to him later.

Opened the door, I smell a delicious scent from downstairs. Iori must’ve been cooking right now.

“Oh, you’re here. Wait just a little, it’s almost done.”

My jaw dropped the moment I got here. This man is standing and cooking with only wear trousers.

“What the—why the hell didn’t you put any clothes on?!”

He smirked. “What are you so surprised of? Haven’t we already seen everything?”

Ackk! My face is burned!

He remembers! Of course, I’m sure he remembers it, but he has been acting like ‘nothing had happened’ these days.

I sat on the chair, covered my face that still feels hot. The thoughts of that spicy night crossed my mind and it burned my face even more. I remember when he suddenly asked me to call his name at that night.

“Aghhh!”

“What, what’s wrong?”

Shit!

“N-No, nothing! It’s … I just lost a game, haha.”

I want to crawl into my own grave ….

“What game?”

Iori placed the plates on the table. He flipped my phone, so I can focus on my meals.

“Nah, just a basic action game.”

We started to eat while chatting. Iori has been bragging about how good he was in the action games, and he’s mocking me, saying that I’m a noob.

“Prove it, then!”

“Sure. Let’s go to the arcade someday.”

I’m holding onto my spoon and fork tight. “Arcade? Sure, it’d be fun.”

I’ve never gone to an arcade before. Actually, I don’t have any interest in games. It was just an excuse, of course. However, my experience with arcade wasn’t good. I caught Haruto was cheating there, when he has never brought me to the place.

“Riku?”

I gasped. “W-What?” I quickly finished my food.

I see Iori is wearing his clothes. I placed the empty plates into the sink and washed it. Then, I go back to him, grabbed his tie and put it on him.

“Can you even wear it right? How did you wear it yesterday?” Finished, I pat his shoulder. “There you go.”

He’s still quiet, like a statue. However, seconds after, he grabbed my arm and brought me closer to his face. He kissed me without saying anything. It’s shocking, but exciting at the same time.

Then, I smell it. A superb scent. It’s calming, as if persuading me to get closer to him. Somehow, it makes my body tingles.

He let go of my lip and rubbed it gently. Then, he kissed my forehead.

“I’m off.”

***

The touch on my lip still felt the same, as it’s just happened. I can’t get it out of my head, and I’ve made several mistakes today at work.

Sigh

“What’s wrong, Riku? You just got to work again after taking a long holiday, and now you sighed? It’s not enough, hm?”

I sighed, again. “You know it better than anyone, Boss. There’s no way I want to take a day off. Those days, I was sick, in heat, and more importantly, I just had a crazy-protective roommate! That’s why I can’t go to work! He’s so annoying, he can match my stubbornness!”

Boss laughed hard. “So you admit it that you’re stubborn, huh?”

Ack!

I ignored him and looking at the clock on the wall. It’s almost four, Iori’s time to off work.

Boss sighed, he pat my shoulder. “Go, Riku. You want to pick him, right?”

I see his soft smile, as if encouraging me to go. I always feel it. Since I don’t have any siblings, he’s like an older brother to me.

“Thanks, Nii-san.”

Changing my uniform and putting the shoes, I walked straight to Iori’s office. He gave me the address yesterday, and it looks not so far from here. I can just take a walk, since it’s such a nice weather today.

The weather is nice, but not with my heart.

I stopped my walk. I just got here, and is this what I’m supposed to see?

Why does Iori cling onto that woman? And his clothes are very messy.