AN: It's almost over.

This chapter almost sort of gets heated (Tero) but nothing too bad… or good, depending on how you look at it…

Also, I've updated all of the previous chapters to correct some grammatical mistakes and stuff.

=.=.=.=

Kamijou stared at the closed door in shock before someone bumped into him from behind.

"Scuse me-! Sorry," Misaki mumbled as he knelt down to gather the things Hiroki had dropped. "Oh, assistant professor Kamijou… eh? Are you alright? You don't look too well."

"Fine, thank you. Did you get the thing I sent you?" Hiroki asked, still a bit frazzled.

"Ah… you sent it in an attachment, I think, but I didn't see anything attached."

"Damnit… okay, I'll send it tonight," Hiroki sighed. "Don't tell my boss."

"Thanks." Misaki watched as Hiroki headed off to his next class, flustered.

He turned and nearly dropped all of his things when he saw Usami standing right in front of him, waving, nonchalantly.

"USAGI-SAAAN?"

Hiroki paused, glancing over his shoulder. "Usa-? Akihiko!" He gawked at the man who was just standing in the middle of a literature hall, being ogled by various students.

"Is that Usami Akihiko?" one whispered.

"I think so," another replied.

"He's so handsome! His picture doesn't do him justice!"

"His works are really beautiful."

"I find them pedantic."

"You just learned that word on a cartoon."

"Shut up."

Ignoring the stupidity that his students radiated, Hiroki walked up to his childhood friend, annoyed. "What're you doing here?"

"Since Misaki didn't get from you what I needed, I decided to come in myself."

"I should have said something earlier- I'm sorry Kamijou-sensei," Misaki mumbled, stomping hard on Usami's foot, but the man seemed unfazed by it.

"Ow."

…For the most part.

"What the hell do you need it for?" Hiroki snapped.

"I want to know what Misaki thinks about my books."

"That is absolutely no reason for me to turn a paper over to you! Do you realize how much work it involves?"

"How've you been, Hiroki? I've not heard from you in a while. I got your boyfriend's discount on roses the other day when my editor informed me that it was her birthday."

"Boyfriend?" Misaki blinked, confused, glancing from his lover to his ex-teacher, then flushing. "Aaaah? Kamijou-sen….sei?" he squeaked the last part when the evil devil Kamijou turned his glower unto the unsuspecting student. "Err… I… have to go… uh… to a class..." Misaki scuttled off and Usami waved goodbye, bored.

"So the rumors are true," one student whispered to her friend and another whispered something inaudible- but Hiroki caught his name.

"Thank you," Hiroki snapped, annoyed. "Now get lost."

"I thought we should go out sometime this week and catch up. It's been a while. Or is it close enough to lunch that I can have lunch with you?"

"No thank you!"

"You don't love me anymore?" Usami asked jokingly, unaware of all that brewed within the assistant professor upon hearing these words.

"Saying 'anymore' implies some sort of initial fondness which has never existed in actuality!"

"Your words can be quite lovely, Hiroki. Why won't you join me in the field of writing?"

"Like hell! I've been to Marukawa, and there's no way I'd fit in with that glum crowd!"

"Is that a joke?" Usami scoffed, folding his arms. "I've seen you when you are working on multiple theses or grading papers. At least when it comes to writing, you get to be more imaginative."

"I'm plenty imaginative! I think of lots of very unique and novel methods of criticizing and penalizing my students to where they will actually learn AND be scarred for life!"

"I know, we should get something sweet. It's not often that I'm in the mood for them."

"Well I'm not!"

"Ah, you haven't seen your boyfriend in quite a while, have you?" Usami asked.

"Will you be quiet about that?" Hiroki hissed, softly.

"Your skin's gotten rough."

"It hasn't!" Hiroki slapped his hands over his cheeks, annoyed. "Go away! I'm upset right now and I don't need you making things worse."

"Why would I make them worse?" the taller man huffed before blinking. "And why are you upset? Are you finding yourself falling in love with that woman?"

Hiroki averted his gaze before sighing. "I think my boss is getting fired… like hell I'd fall in love with anyone other than-!"

His cheeks heated up and Usami started off, not wanting to be beaten up for making the man even more flustered.

"Hey!" Hiroki snapped and Usami glanced over his shoulder.

"You seem annoyed, so I'll go. I have a deadline to meet, anyway."

Hiroki blinked, somehow hurt by his friend's retreat, but he turned and stalked off to class.

'Wrong move?' Usami doubted himself before following the man and quickly catching up. "See? We've spent too much time apart; I can't read you as well anymore. Just now, I could have sworn that expression meant 'get the hell away from-'"

Hiroki cut his friend off by drawing open a locker when a student went to close it. It smashed into Usami's face and he stumbled backward.

"No, you were right," Hiroki replied without looking back, turning the corner and heading to his next class.

Usami caught up quickly. "Hey! That hurt a little!"

"Some of my students heard you spouting crap about a boyfriend, so I had to assert my dominance. This school is my realm, Akihiko. Don't fuck with me in it. Oh- and my soon to be ex-boss asks that you return that encyclopedia set."

"What's wrong with you?" Usami grabbed his friend's arm and tugged him into the men's bathroom, tossing him inside and locking the door.

A teen looked up from a piss he was taking and the two men stared.

Drip… drip…

The boy zipped up, quirking a brow and headed out when Usami reopened the door for him, then locked it again.

"What do you want?" Hiroki snapped.

"You are wound up tight." Usami snapped. "If you don't tell me what's wrong, you'll snap, and it's better you take it out on me than the students."

"That's why I hit you with the locker. Thanks for being a good friend. You can leave, now."

"Tell me what's wrong. This isn't like you. You're going to explode if things keep up like this."

Hiroki was silent for a moment before he inhaled. "I'm sorry… Akihiko… I..."

"It's alright but," Usami raised his hand up to touch Hiroki's head- probably to muss his hair, but Hiroki caught his wrist.

"Don't. Don't touch my head anymore," Hiroki muttered before he could stop himself.

Usami blinked, taken aback. After a moment, Hiroki released his wrist, trusting him not to touch him.

Akihiko lowered his hand.

"Talk."

Hiroki sighed.

"Did the school find out about you?" Usami asked. "I heard two students discussing it earlier- Kamijou the Devil is a homo… that's your students' term of endearment toward you, right?"

"Homo?"

"The devil."

"Endearment?" Hiroki's brow twitched. "Right… so… the dean found out but… I assume everyone else found out through Saitou, who likely spread rumors based on an illegitimate case that was brought against me but… I don't really care about trivial shit like that. More importantly, my boss is getting fired, and I think it's my fault, somehow."

"What did you do?" Usami frowned.

"I dropped hints to his ex-wife about him and her little brother."

"Wait, you mean that girl that we saw you with the other day?"

"We?"

"Your boss and myself."

"Oh yeah- that was his ex-wife."

"Isn't she your boss' daughter?"

"Yes."

"So he's doing it with the boss' son, now?" Usami got a twinkle in his eye and Hiroki resisted the urge to hit him. "Yeah."

"I can understand that perfectly well!" Usami folded his arms. "I'm also dating my ex-wife's little brother."

"Can you be serious for a moment? And Takahiro was never your wife!"

"'Wife,' 'the person I spent the majority of my life being in love with'- same thing."

"Not the majority," Hiroki snapped. "You only loved Takahiro for a measly ten years!"

"MEASLY?" Usami glared. "You've only been with that one tall guy for about six or seven, right?"

"Err… feels like a lifetime- anyway, can you please focus?"

"Go on."

"Well I felt really bad for Risako because- for stupid reasons- she's still in love with the professor… when she mentioned that her kid brother was in love with him, too, and that she knew he was gay, I realized that if she knew about the two of them, that stupid brat would probably have an easier time… he's always got a glare on his face! He's glowering and snapping at people all the time-"

"Sounds like someone I know."

Hiroki frowned, averting his gaze. "Exactly. Even though he's annoying, he's just a kid… I didn't get into education because I wanted something easy that I enjoyed and could make money off of… I want to be able to really help and change people… probably like you do with your writing."

Usami nodded, feeling a little praised and connected with his best friend, for a moment.

"So even though I can't stand half of my students, I still want them to be something great- especially if I'm going to be the one to teach them at some point in their lives. What kind of hit would I take to my pride if I just let them be stupid without trying to develop them just a little? Anyway, that's how I feel about young people, so even though he's a twerp, I can sympathize with him. I know now that my parents love me and still love me even though they know I'm."

"Right." Usami frowned. Hiroki was lucky. His father gave him nothing but shit about his choice to love Misaki. Although in all honesty, his father probably wanted him to be completely alone… 'Who knows… who cares…? I do what I want.'

"So if that brat knows that she loves him even though she knows. I'm sure things would be easier on him- he'd probably smile more- but I was stupid. I didn't think enough of her connection to the dean."

"Right, he's your boss' boss- sleeping with the boss' daughter after you're married is one thing but sleeping with the boss' son? That probably won't go over too well," Usami surmised.

"Right," Hiroki sighed.

"How did you find out? You said 'just now.'"

"Well, while I was waiting outside my office, I heard the dean tell Professor he wants him to draft up a resignation letter."

"Idiot, you're probably over thinking it," Usami assured Hiroki, patting him on the shoulder. "He said draft one up? Those were his words?"

"Something like that."

"He didn't say 'Please resign,' or 'Turn in your resignation,' or anything like that?"

"No, he said it was a project while I was in the room, then once I left, he said 'draft it up.'"

"So don't worry. It's probably for that questionable Saitou character."

"I don't know… but I feel horrible," Hiroki sighed.

"As well you should." Usami nodded, patting his best friend on the shoulder. "After all, you hit me in the face with a locker."

"Odd, I feel little to no remorse about that," Hiroki blatantly lied, folding his arms.

"Just go to class, then call your professor afterward."

Hiroki frowned, nodding.

"That's all you can really do, for now. Don't worry. Everything will be alright."

=.=.=.=

That wasn't all Hiroki could do, though he did appreciate Usami's comforting words. As he stalked onward toward his next class, he found himself dialing Risako's number. He tried three times, but they all went to voicemail. Somehow, he didn't feel comfortable leaving a message or texting, so he decided to try again, later.

Maybe the muskrat knew something. He didn't have his number, though.

Annoyed, he resigned himself to waiting to hear from Miyagi what was going on.

He carried out his next two lectures flawlessly, (which was normal, but really he was trying to distract himself as best he could from what awaited him when he returned). Once the second was done and over with, he hurried back to the office he shared with Miyagi.

"Professor?" he called upon entering.

Miyagi was sitting at his own desk, typing away at something. Startled by his subordinate's sudden shout, he looked up.

"Hey, Kamijou," he greeted. "Sorry our discussion from earlier was interrupted. If it makes you feel any better, I don't think you perpetuate any homosexual stereotypes."

Hiroki flushed slightly. "I don't know if you're serious, making fun, or just babbling in an attempt to distract me from what I overheard earlier, but none of these attempts will distract me."

"Overheard?" Miyagi asked. "Oh, you mean the project the chairman has asked me to help him with… I really can't share, sorry." He smiled nervously.

"Professor, I'm worried," Hiroki admitted. "I heard him say you needed to draft a letter of resignation."

"Ah?" Miyagi blinked. "It's not for you, don't worry."

Hiroki glowered, annoyed. "I'm not worried about me!"

"Professor Saitou was merely reprimanded."

"And you?"

"Mm?" Miyagi stared blankly and Hiroki glared at him hard. Was he just faking being an idiot? Miyagi could really be an idiot, but he could also fake it really well when he didn't want the truth to be seen.

"Did the dean find out about you and Takatsuki-san's little brother?" Hiroki whispered, and Miyagi smiled.

"Ah… you're worried about that?"

"Yes."

"Don't worry about it."

Hiroki's eye twitched. "Did he find out or not?"

"No," Miyagi sighed. "Kamijou, I… I can't talk to you about what happened. Please drop it."

Hiroki studied his boss and friend for a moment before pursing his lips and nodding. "Soooo… you… want to go drinking, later?"

Miyagi blinked, startled, then laughed. "No, I mean it- drop it. I can't talk about it- in or out of the office; with or without ten beers clouding my judgment- it's not that he said not to- I will have to discuss the matter with you soon, but right now, I'm trying to think through a few things."

"You are the worst secret keeper in the entire world," Hiroki snapped, placing his fists on his hips. "You blabbed and told me that I had this job before the decision had even been made!"

"That's different. This is a personal matter that the dean specifically requested I not tell anyone about. What he doesn't realize is the personal ties I still have with Risako as well as Shinobu. I've been given some unsettling information and if I tell them, it'll be a direct betrayal to him and if I don't tell them, when they find out, they'll probably feel a bit betrayed by me as well. I've got a catch 22 on my hands and I'm trying to decide what to do."

Hiroki blinked. "Oh, so you aren't drafting your own letter of resignation… you're drafting the dean's?"

Miyagi sighed. "Kamijou."

"What'd he do? Sleep with a student?" Hiroki exclaimed. He really liked the dean, so he wouldn't like to find out about such things. "Ah-! Is he sick?"

Miyagi glared and Hiroki's eyes widened.

"Eerr… ah… good luck, then. J-just know that if you need to discuss it with me, I'm here."

"You'd blab to Risako, or I'd tell you."

"Ah-! I won't!"

"Yes you will."

"Professor!" Hiroki slammed his hands down on the desk, glaring angrily at the man. "I've worked with you-"

"Under me."

"I've been doing the majority of your work for nearly two years! Not only am I your foolishly loyal subordinate, I am your friend! And from now on, you come before Risako when it comes to matters such as this, so please confide in me!"

Miyagi's brows knitted together and he sighed. "Well, I do need to talk to someone."

=.=.=.=

"Hiro-san, welcome home!" Nowaki exclaimed when Hiroki walked through the door, that night.

"Nowaki, you're ho… home." Hiroki glowered at Tsumori, who was sitting at their table, a deck of cards strewn about atop it. Another man was sitting across from him, so Hiroki's glare lessened.

The man was attractive. VERY attractive. He looked to be about Miyagi's age- maybe a bit older, and he was dressed in a stylish suit. He was foreign.

"Good evening," the man said with only a slight accent. Smiling, he moved to stand, but Tsumori waved his hand.

"You don't need to stand for that- it's just the housewife."

"I am not a housewife." Hiroki glared at Tsumori and the man stood, regardless of Tsumori's advice, offering out his hand.

Nowaki smiled nervously, glancing at Hiroki. "Hiro-san, this is my mentor from America, he's come to Japan on business and I promised he could meet my lover and share a lovely dinner with us."

"Dr. Carter- a pleasure to meet you," the man greeted.

"Aaah, you're the reason Nowaki and I almost broke up a year or so ago." Hiroki nodded, shaking the man's hand and Nowaki's jaw dropped.

Tsumori laughed, quite amused. "Wow, he has a good memory, huh, Nowaki?"

"You told HIM?" Hiroki glared at Nowaki, who looked abashed by this entire situation.

"I apologize for my plane being delayed." Dr. Carter smiled, shaking Hiroki's hand firmly and powerfully, letting their hands linger together for just a moment before sliding it gracefully into the pocket of his pants. "Now that I've gotten a good look at you, this merely reinforces my opinion of Nowaki's lack of common sense."

"Eh?" Hiroki glared, clearly offended.

"To think he came to see me when he already knew he was in my favor, rather than going to be with you… he sure can make some foolish choices when pressured… luckily this quirk doesn't hold true when it comes to his work."

"Th-thank you," Nowaki mumbled, embarrassed.

"Oh, you're quite adorable," the man stated, circling Hiroki like a hawk, making him glare, "but to be perfectly honest, it was his professor who persuaded him to come meet me. He practically dragged him along. I admonished him when I found out about the whole incident. I do hope you didn't hold it against Nowaki-kun for long."

"What do you mean when you 'found out?'" Hiroki blinked.

The man smiled. "Nowaki scolded me the next day."

"Nowaki!" Hiroki exclaimed, having not known.

"He shouldn't have made such a big deal about coming- he comes to Japan every other month just because he likes rice balls!" Nowaki defended his past actions.

"They're delicious and American-made rice balls just don't cut it," the man stated, matter-of-factly.

Hiroki's eye twitched. "You fly all the way from America to Japan just to get rice balls?"

"I used to do it twice a week, but my husband found out and restricted my access to our shared account."

"Ah… husband?" Hiroki blinked.

"Yes, I'm married." The man gestured to his ring with a sly grin.

"But what goes on in Japan stays in Japan." Tsumori smirked and Dr. Carter laughed.

"No, I'm a very devoted husband, just like Nowaki."

"Hmpf." Hiroki glanced Nowaki's way, annoyed. "If he were devoted, he'd tell me about stuff like this instead of leaving me to just arrive, looking like a shlub… and I assume I'm making dinner, too?"

Nowaki smiled. "I told them you're a good cook!"

"He's been such a liar, lately," Tsumori stated.

"Why is HE here?" Hiroki snapped without holding back and Dr. Carter laughed.

"I don't know either, he just tagged along."

"I just REALLY like Hiro-chan's eggs." Tsumori smirked at the way Hiroki glowered when he called him 'Hiro-chan.'

"I'm not making EGGS for dinner!"

"Hiro-san may not be the best cook, but there's one meal he's absolutely the greatest at!" Nowaki clasped his hands in front of his face and winked, nailing 'cute,' somehow.

Hiroki sighed. "Fine, but you're in big trouble as soon as they leave."

"I want to stay the night, again," Tsumori whined and Hiroki glowered.

"Absolutely not!"

"Again?" Dr. Carter blinked, looking from Tsumori to Hiroki, then glancing curiously at Nowaki.

"Don't bring it up- it's a nightmare," Nowaki sighed.

"Need some help in the kitchen, Hiro-chan?" Tsumori offered.

"Yes, if you'd accompany me to the knife drawer, and then mysteriously disappear, that would be very helpful."

"Actually, we'll finish playing cards."

"Thank you for your hospitality." Dr. Carter smiled.

"Nowaki, do you mind helping me in the kitchen for a sec?" Hiroki smiled.

"Ah… sure, Hiro-san." Nowaki smiled, nervously. He knew he was in for it.

Carter glanced at Tsumori who smirked and raised a pinky. Carter quirked a brow.

Nowaki entered the kitchen and Hiroki folded his arms, opening his mouth to scold the bastard into the next year, but Nowaki beat him to the punch.

"Hiro-san, who's Shinoda-san?"

Hiroki's mouth just hung open for a second while the question registered, then he promptly closed it, eyes widening.

"H-huh?"

"Shinoda-san…? Do you know who that is?"

"Ah…ah… how… when did you…?"

"He brought his son in for an appendectomy and I met him… I was wondering how well you knew him?"

"What did he say?" Hiroki asked.

"He said he knew you- and I think he meant to imply that you two had shared a relationship… um… a physical one."

"I don't know about that," Hiroki sighed, closing his eyes. "But I haven't seen, spoken to, or heard from him since before I met you, so don't worry about it."

"Okay, Hiro-san," Nowaki sighed, relieved- then, remembering he was in a heap of trouble, he struggled to force idle conversation, "Err… how's Takatsuki-san?"

"Nowaki, I'm not going to kill you for springing this all on me but please make note of what I'm about to say."

"Of course, Hiro-san, every word that leaves your mouth is treasured very dearly in my heart."

Hiroki flushed even deeper. "I'm not going to break up with you, despite that horribly mushy nonsense you just spouted, or all of this bull crap, but I am absolutely mentally and emotionally exhausted. So after they leave, I want you to cater to my every whim."

Nowaki glanced over his shoulder at the others, who were discussing something in English, before leaning in closer to his lover.

"Is everything alright, Hiro-san?"

"Yes," Hiroki muttered. "It's just complicated work stuff."

"Are you and your superior on bad terms?" Nowaki asked.

"Ah… yeah… sort of." Hiroki scratched the back of his head. When had he told Nowaki about that? "How… did you-?"

"Usami-san sent me a very horribly written text message. I think he needed an excuse to take a break from his manuscript so he sent me a note, telling me what was going on with you and to be super nice to you. I feel bad, because now I'm springing this on you, but I REALLY wanted to show you off to Carter-sensei. I think he thought I was lying about being in a committed relationship with another male to gain his favor, and I wanted to show him how happy we are together."

Hiroki sighed, looking away. "In some ways, you're still such a kid."

Nowaki noticeably wilted. "Oh, Hiro-san… why?"

Sighing again, Hiroki placed a hand on Nowaki's head. "It's okay… I love that you're so open and honest."

"I love you too, Hiro-san." Nowaki perked up a bit.

Hiroki smiled slightly. He had had too rough a day to go making it worse for himself. Sometimes mushy moments could be good, too.

Or whatever.

So after destroying dinner, he made instant ramen, (which turned out to be Dr. Carter's favorite food), and they bid farewell to the man and to Tsumori, who reluctantly left with the other male.

"Tsumori-sempai is not gay, Hiro-san," Nowaki assured Hiroki as he massaged his feet that night.

"I don't care- I don't want him coming over again. Especially since he found out I suck at cooking."

Nowaki muttered something that resembled 'he already knew that,' and when prompted to speak up and repeat himself, upon falling silent, Hiroki kicked him gently in the head.

Nowaki chuckled softly. "Hiro-san, Carter-sensei said you were adorable!"

"How can a thirty year old man be adorable?" Hiroki snapped, annoyed.

"I don't know how you do it, Hiro-san, but you sure are!"

"No way. Not a thirty year old man."

"But what happens when I turn thirty?" Nowaki whined. "Will it be impossible then, too?"

Hiroki lowered his book and glared at the smirking male. "You're awfully cheeky, lately."

Nowaki's gentle smile slowly faded, replaced with a look of sincere concern. "What happened today, Hiro-san?"

Hiroki raised his book again, pretending to be enthralled, again. "Mm?"

"With your professor? Did you get him fired?"

Hiroki lowered the book, annoyed. "How long was this text Akihiko sent you?"

"It came through as seventeen separate texts. I had to wait until I thought they were done being received before opening the first."

"Che! BAKAhiko!"

"He really didn't want to work on his manuscript, from what I gather." Nowaki shrugged. "So? What happened?"

"I was wrong, I guess. The dean is resigning."

"Is that bad?"

"Not necessarily. I really liked him, and I guess, well the tough part is, the chairman hasn't told his wife or children about what's going on. That puts Professor Miyagi in a tough spot."

"Because the chairman's daughter is his ex-wife and his son is his current lover, right?" Nowaki recalled.

"Right."

"And the chairman asked him not to tell anyone?"

"Right."

"Ah, you aren't going to tell Risako-san are you?"

"I promised Professor Miyagi I wouldn't."

"So are you going to?"

"YOU BASTARD! You're the same as him!"

"Quite different, actually- it's you who's predictable," Nowaki teased.

"I'm not going to tell her… it's not my place to get involved…"

=.=.=.=

"Miyagi!" Shinobu exclaimed as he threw open Miyagi's front door.

Miyagi looked up from uncovering his latest creation; Kamijou's glasses in a large bowl-shaped jell-o monstrosity. Shinobu's eye twitched.

"I saw it on a TV show and it was too good of an idea to pass up- what's up, Shinobu-chin?" Miyagi smiled.

"Are those Kamijou-sensei's GLASSES?"

"Hehhehehyeah!" Miyagi grinned. "Boy is he going to flip when he sees this!"

Shinobu ran his hand down his own face, annoyed and actually sympathizing for the man he'd come to loathe until very recently. "You'd better not pull this type of infantile stuff when you're chairman."

Miyagi's smile diminished and he leaned back in his chair. "So your father told you?"

"No, Kamijou did."

"WHAT?" Miyagi whipped out his cell and dialed Kamijou's number, standing and fuming.

"Hello?" Hiroki answered, after a moment.

"You BASTARD!"

"I promised I wouldn't tell Risako and I didn't."

"How did you even get his number?"

"I didn't call him, he made me tell him!"

Miyagi glanced warily at Shinobu, who didn't look guilty at all.

Though that didn't mean much.

Sighing, Miyagi hung up on Kamijou, took a picture of the jell-o monstrosity and sent it to him, then shut his phone off.

"Okay, so…" he sighed. "What all do you know?"

"He said that father is resigning. He didn't say why. He said I should talk to you about it."

"Why would he tell you?" Miyagi sighed.

"I think he knows that you want to tell me. And he knew I'd understand that you felt obligated not to, since you and my father are friends. He doesn't want you stressing out."

"Is that what he told you to agree to say before he told you?"

"Pretty much." Shinobu shrugged. "So what is it?"

Miyagi sighed. "Great. If I tell you to go talk to your father about it, he'll know I blabbed to Kamijou. If I tell you, you'll probably confront him yourself, so it's the same either way."

"I know that he would never cheat on my mother, so it has to be something bad. Like he's dying or something." Shinobu frowned. "Miyagi, please tell me if my father is-!"

"Shinobu-chin, I love you more than anything which is why I don't want to be the one to have to tell you what's going on- especially since your father asked me, as an old friend, not to. So please don't make me."

He looked so serious, Shinobu actually took pity on him. He was still upset, but the way his lover had asked proved that he was really torn.

"Part of me really wants to tell you, you know. Not only is this shit weighing on me, heavily but… I should be more loyal to you than to him. But the level 2 loyalty to him, combined with the fact that finding out would hurt you adds up to… to… I'm not telling."

Shinobu's eyes narrowed and his brows furrowed. His lips formed a thin line and he shook his head slowly from side to side. "What?"

"Shut up! All of my mental energy has been allocated toward coming up with stupid resignation letters, going over various scenarios in my head and putting glasses in jell-o!"

Shinobu let out a soft sigh, eyes closing, brows rising and shoulders slumping- all signs of resignation. Slowly, he stepped forward, closing the gap between him and his lover and he wrapped his arms carefully around the older male's waist. "I'm sorry, Miyagi."

"I'm sorry, too." Miyagi instinctively closed his own arms around the boy, then tightened his hold, resting his cheek against the top of the teen's head. "You're going to be so upset. You already know that."

"So until I find out, I want to be happy. As happy as one can be when they know there's something bad coming," Shinobu fished.

Miyagi smirked, tightening his hold even more. "Understood. What's the first order of business, then?"

Shinobu thought before deciding. "Take me out for a romantic night… if you're going to be dean, then treat me to a fancy dinner and a nice hotel."

"Are you sure you want to celebrate it?"

"Whether he's sick or whatever… I'll deal with it when I find out. Right now, the only facts I know are that you're probably going to take his spot, since everyone likes you and you've accomplished more than that idiot Saitou, and that you owe me. So? Take me out."

Miyagi laughed. "It's not like that kind of move is certain- they may hire a chairman from outside the university. I may not have enough tenure to fill that spot, yet."

"Don't pretend you don't have confidence in your work," Shinobu huffed. "Your works, from common reviews to the elaborate dissertations you write are renowned… sure, only nerds admire you, really, but even that's something!"

"Only Shinobu-chin could turn a lovely compliment into something that makes me feel bad about myself," Miyagi sighed. "But it's okay- I'll opt only to remember the first part."

"So where are you taking me?"

"I don't feel like taking you out," Miyagi explained and Shinobu glared. "I'd rather take you right here, right now."

"Ah-!" Shinobu gasped as Miyagi grabbed him up and hoisted him over his shoulder with one arm, using his free hand to begin unbuttoning his pants as he headed for the couch. "M-Miyagi! W-wait!"

"I've waited all day and I want to release it inside you, tonight."

The teen's face heated up and reddened even more quickly than it had already been, from the up-side-down position of his head. "Ah… M…Miyagi!"

"Prepare yourself." Miyagi tossed him onto the couch with a sly grin as he slid his hand into his boxers and eyed the flushed-faced teen. "And this weekend, I'll take you for a three-day get-away. How's that sound?"

Shinobu brightened considerably, unbuttoning his shirt. "That sounds like it better be a promise!"

"It is," Miyagi stated, smile fading. 'You're going to need it, Shinobu-chin… tonight, I'll try harder than ever to be gentle.'

Shinobu's smile lessened as well, and he blinked. "Miyagi…? What's wrong? Can't keep it?"

"Keep it?" Miyagi blinked, snapping out of it.

"I asked if it was a promise… and you frowned."

"No… I'm not frowning."

"Yes you are." Shinobu blinked innocently up at him. "Miyagi, is everything alright with you?"

Earlier, when Shinobu had happened upon Kamijou whilst looking for his precious Miyagi, the man had looked quite distressed, and when pressured into revealing that the dean was resigning, the assistant professor had also warned Shinobu that the information was weighing very heavily on Miyagi- that he'd said so himself.

Frowning, Shinobu forced a small smile up at his lover and let his shirt slide down his shoulders. "Come here, Miyagi. I'll make you forget everything except tonight."

Miyagi's smile returned and he climbed onto the couch, reaching out to touch his lover's face. Shinobu cocked his head to the side, eyes narrowing and then closing as both men kissed lovingly, then heatedly.

Shinobu hoped Miyagi would keep his promise… because he was definitely keeping his.

=.=.=.=

AN: Is the dean sick? Did he have an affair with a student? Is he tired of being an idol to nerds like Miyagi and Kamijou? Find out, next time, in a brand new chapter of-! Just kidding.

Next chapter is the last.