It's the next day, afternoon now this chapter start.

Now that Masamune thought about it... there was something he didn't consider about Ritsu.

Yes, he may blush with him and all, but was it out of admiration and shyness, or admiration, shyness, and a hint of a crush?

He hoped it was the second one.

Unless...

Masamune stared over at the napping brunet.

Ritsu had a fiancée. Used to, anyway... and that could also mean that Ritsu probably never dated a man before. He probably didn't consider him- oh...

Oh.

'Uggh...' He faced back to his front, frustrated. Why did his mind have to turn to that? He had to admit, of course Ritsu probably didn't consider him a love interest. He had no reason to.

No reason to...

'Well,' Masamune thought then, 'Not for long.'

...

'Maybe I should take the other room...' Ritsu thought, trying to not listen to whatever Masamune and his friend Takafumi were talking about.

Friend... maybe that wasn't the right word.

'They're dating right? Right? Yokozawa-san sits too close and he didn't hesitate at all to take him to the bathroom and hold him up really close. And they share a cat!' He had heard them mention one by the name of Sorata.

'Takano-san leaves earlier than me though, so shouldn't he be the one moving? Wait, then I should just wait then right?' He pauses in thought hearing the two voices of the men soften.

Now he felt in the way. What if he was disturbing a touching moment or something?

'Ugh, this feels like the time I bumped into Haitani-san and his boyfriend. Was it his boyfriend?' Ritsu couldn't recall; Shin had told him he couldn't quite keep a boyfriend or girlfriend for long. If it's anything Ritsu hasn't learned by now, it was to mind his own business instead of staring when walking home in the evening.

Anyway, he wanted so badly to move. To move his neck would feel great right now.

His nurse also told him that if Masamune still ended up throwing things at him when he starts work, he could get a doctor's note ordering him not to. 'Ha! In his face!'

"Onodera, what's so funny?" He jerks a little hearing Masamune. He can feel them looking over at him.

"Huh? Nothing's funny."

"You laughed."

"N-no I didn't!"

"Sure," Masamune says, and Ritsu was sure the man was rolling his eyes.

"I didn't-" he was interrupted by a ball of crumpled paper hitting him. "Stop that!" Masamune throws another one. "Stop it!" he moves his head to glare, only to throw his head back straight when he felt that pain again, worse than last time. "Hnnnh..."

"Oy, stop that," Takafumi warns, getting up and taking the papers balls away. Seconds later, he notices the look of pain on Ritsu's face, and becomes worried. "What's wrong?! Do you need the nurse?" Not waiting for an answer, he goes around and presses the button.

"Takano-san, no more throwing! Got it?" The nurse glares, another nurse coming in with a extendable hanging curtain. "I understand you're bored, but don't bother a patient like Onodera-san!" She pulls the curtain across, blocking Masamune's sight of Ritsu.

"The other room isn't ready yet," the other nurse says in a worried tone. "I wonder if he'll be okay for a few days until it is."

"He will be okay," The main nurse decides determinedly, casting a warning stare to the 27-year old. "Right, Takano-san?"

"...Right."

It's been a while since he felt really guilty. The other time was when he realized how much he was hurting and using Takafumi from their college days and a year back when they finally called it quits.

...

He just meant to tease, but if it really bothered Ritsu, why didn't he say anything more than a simple protest?

Why didn't he use the nurses against him seriously instead of bluffing?

Deflated now, he looks up at the pale blue curtain separating them. On the other side, he can hear the brunet's soft breathing, asleep from some food and painkillers.

This feeling he had in his chest now, it was aching. He never felt it ache like this before. It was different from the guilt that seeped into it. Other than wanting to apologize, he wanted to be closer to Ritsu. He wanted to see his sleeping face, and be the first thing he sees when he wakes up.

But this wasn't... it couldn't be love.

Actually, considering the way one of his mangaka's works was going right now...

It was getting there.

'Hmm?' Ritsu slowly opens his eyes, blinking for a moment and remembering what had happened hours earlier.

'Ah, my neck, it...' It didn't hurt now, but he wasn't going to risk anything now. He stayed still, glancing around the dim room. The light source seemed to be on the other side of the blue... curtain? 'Why is that here?'

"Takano-san?" Ritsu asks for, his voice quiet in case the other was sleeping. "Takano-san?"

"...Onodera?" Masamune responds after a few seconds. "Do you feel alright?"

"Ah, yes. Um, why is there a curtain here?"

"So I don't bother you."

"O-oh..."

"Why didn't you tell me to stop?"

"I did!" Ritsu says a little loudly. "I said it a lot!"

"...Sorry."

"...! A-aah, it's okay." Ritsu tries to grasp for more things to say. "It- It's better this way though, huh? Now you and Yokozawa-san can have more privacy when he visits."

"What?"

"Well, I've noticed how close you two are and-"

"We're not dating."

"You two?"

"Yeah. But we used to."

"Ohh..."

"You okay with that...? Two men?"

"Ah, well, it's not my place to judge... I-I have a friend too though that dates both men and women so..."

"I see. What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Have you dated a man?"

"Me? No... I've dated a few girls and that was it."

"So you've never done it." It wasn't a question.

"Wh-what does that have to do with this?"

"Nah, just curious."

"Y-you..!"

"Would you date a man?"

"M-me?" He felt put on the spot. "I... I don't know. I never felt anything towards another man before."

"...I see."

"Why do you ask, Takano-san?"

"It's nothing."

'Obviously it's something!' Ritsu thought.

"And, I'm sorry. Again," the older continued. "I won't throw things at you anymore."

"Even at work?"

"Can't promise that."

"Hah?! So you throw stuff at the other co-workers?"

"Only to newbies who can't do worth crap."

"You...!" Ritsu huffs, trying hard not to make any sudden movements that could endanger his neck. "You're lucky then! I'm going to transfer as soon as I can!"

"..."

"...?"

"...Just like that?" Masamune begins after a while. "What about your mangaka?"

"H-huh? My-"

"She is new to this as well, so you two can learn together. I'm planning to assign you two more. Well, it can't be helped if you can't take it."

"I'm injured like this! How can I already have-"

"Did you forget I'm the chief editor? Besides, I'm used to this workload, so just take your time healing until you can take them."

"What? But how-"

"Aaahhhh, look at the time." The light turns off with Masamune's nearby control. "Goodnight, Onodera. I'll try to show you some material tomorrow."

"O-oh, okay..." Ritsu replies, followed by an oddly comfortable silence. He could wonder what just happened, but then again he could just close his eyes again for sleep and put that all away for now. He'll do just that. "Goodnight..."

...

So he lied about him already having a mangaka- it was no big deal. He will follow through with that anyways, reluctantly. He sighs, for this can only mean more work and work before he can fully try and make progress with Ritsu. He gazes longingly at the curtain as if he can see through it, wondering what the brunet was dreaming of. Ritsu tended to fall asleep pretty quickly.

"Ritsu," he tries the name out, his voice a light whisper. It sounded so nice through his tongue. "Ritsu."

He wondered what his name sounded like on Ritsu's lips.

Now begins my re-reading for the number of days! Not even a week with them, yet...