A/N: Hi there :) This was originally meant to be a one-shot, but somewhere along the way it somehow turned into a short-story. It doesn't have much of a plot though. It's just a "slice-of-life" sort of fic. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading it ;)

Trouble

PART I

Akihito peeked across the breakfast table at Asami, who unaware of the scrutiny he was under at that moment took another sip from his coffee mug, casually scanning the morning newspaper for any interesting news.

Unlike most mornings, when they shared breakfast still clad in their sleepwear, Asami was fully dressed in a suit; his travel coat and briefcase neatly resting on the chair beside him.

On top of the table, his organizer was opened revealing a mass of papers, one of which was a plane ticket dated of that morning with his name written on it in bold letters.

The destination: Hong Kong.

Akihito eyed the flight's scheduled departure time highlighted on the ticket, biting down his lower lip. The plane would be leaving in two hours, which meant Asami would be leaving for the airport any minute now.

Well, if he was going to tell Asami anything, he'd better do it now before it was too late…

Resolution in place, Akihito opened his mouth intent on telling him everything… and also very much intent on begging for his forgiveness afterwards, but at the last second courage failed him.

"Crap… I'm so dead." He thought to himself, munching on another piece of his toast.

He blamed his problem on the sake, obviously; on the sake and on his own stupidity.

What else would have prompted him to offer Asami's apartment to his best friend so that he could host his bachelor's party in it…

After waking up the day before with the hangover of the century and realizing the massive screw up he had gotten himself into the previous night, Akihito had vowed never to go near alcohol again.

He immediately tried to dissolve the arrangement with Kou, calling him the minute his eyes could focus enough to dial his best friend's number on the phone, but Kou had been so thankful of Akihito's offer, given that the place he'd previously booked for his bachelor's party had cancelled out on him and it was far too late to book a new one, that Akihito couldn't find it in him to disappoint his friend.

…Which led him to his current predicament with Asami, who of course was oblivious to the fact that his home was about to be turned into a nightclub.

So for the past 24 hours Akihito had been trying to come up with some ingenious way to come clean with Asami, without getting himself killed in the process.

Gambling in his favor was the fact that Asami would be in Hong Kong for the next three days and that his best friend bachelor's party would be taking place in just two.

If he played his cards right, Akihito could still host the party at the apartment, and have it cleaned up before the other man returned from his business trip. Asami would never have to know a thing.

Of course the alternative would be to just tell Asami everything. Maybe he wouldn't mind helping out his friend…

Akihito suppressed the urge to laugh. "Yeah, right. As if that would ever happen..." He thought bitterly.

"Is there something you'd like to tell me?" He heard Asami suddenly ask, making him nearly jump up from his chair.

"N-No, n-nothing. Why do you ask?"

"You're making that face again."

"What face?"

"That face you always make when you're about to tell me something I won't like hearing."

Akihito laughed nervously. "Stop joking around. It's nothing." He said, grabbing his coffee mug.

Asami watched him take a sip of coffee before turning his attention back to the newspaper.

"Damn it… Maybe I should just tell him everything. Let him scold me for as long as he wants and get it over with." Akihito thought.

"Huh…Asami…"

The older man huffed, placing the newspaper on top of the table. "Is it about Hong Kong?"

"Huh?"

"You've been acting weird since I told you I was going to Hong Kong to meet up with Feilong."

Akihito was caught off guard. "Oh, well I…T-That is…" He stammered.

Asami sighed, pulling his fingers through his hair. "Listen…" He said in a calm voice. "You don't need to worry about anything. Feilong just wants to talk business. He's not going to try anything stupid."

"I-I know that…" Akihito mumbled, though he had to admit, the prospect of the two of them meeting again wasn't very reassuring. Both Asami and Feilong's tempers got pretty volatile when they were in the same room together. No one could ever predict the outcome of their encounters.

It's just that with his friend's problem, that concern had been somewhat pushed to the back of his mind.

"And you're safe here…" Asami continued. "even if I'm not around. My bodyguards are keeping the area around the apartment under surveillance and I've dispatched one of them to keep an eye on you…Which I know you hate, but…" He quickly added, sensing Akihito about to protest against it. "…for once humor me, will you? I'll be more relaxed knowing that there is someone around to prevent you from throwing yourself into some street fight."

"Fine!" Akihito grumbled. "Anything else?" He asked, as the sound of the front door's bell echoed through the room.

"Hm, that'll be my assistant. The car must be downstairs already." Asami said, getting up from the chair and putting on his coat.

Seemingly unable to control his movements, Akihito found himself following him towards the front door, his mind screaming at him that this was his very last chance to tell Asami about the bachelor's party.

"Hey, A-Asami…"

"What is it?" The older man asked, stopping short of the door and turning around to look back at Akihito.

Last chance ~ Last chance ~ Last chance.

"Huh…Have a nice flight." Akihito said in a low voice, immediately feeling the urge to hit his head against a wall.

Asami stayed silent for a few seconds, a smile playing on his lips, until he reached out a hand to ruffle Akihito's hair.

"Try not to get yourself in trouble, will you? It's just three days."

"Hey, I'm not a kid, you know?" Akihito retorted offended, as he noticed Asami's smile turn into a smirk.

"That never stopped you…" The older man said, just before he disappeared behind the door,… failing to see Akihito pulling his tongue out at him.

(To be continued...)