When I opened my eyes, it was to see Noah's face close to mine and his gaze on me. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I realized I had fallen asleep in his arms, and that we were still in the living room.
I hastily moved away and out of his arms. I scratched my head as I said, chuckling in embarrassment, "Sorry. I fell asleep."
Noah said, "Why did you apologize?"
"Because…" I thought for a bit. Why did I need to apologize to Noah?
"Haru? Haru?" Isaac's voice came from the corridor.
I said, "I'm in here."
The door slid opened and Isaac came rushing in. "Jesus, man, don't just disappear like that." He came, caught my wrist, and pulled me up. "Come on, let's soak in the hot spring before breakfast."
I stumbled along behind him, leaving Noah alone in the living room. My mind was still on him when I was in the hot spring pool ten minutes later.
Why did I end up sleeping in Noah's arms last night? I sighed and rested my head on the side of the pool.
"Haru? What's wrong?" Isaac asked, looking at me, his face also resting on the side of the pool.
I shook my head. "It's nothing."
It was half an hour later when we decided to get out, and after a quick rinse and donning our yukatas again, we headed into the living room, just in time for breakfast.
I noticed that everyone was present, except for Aiden.
"Where's Aiden?" I asked as I took my seat around the serving table.
Noah said, "He's out. Apparently, Uncle Jin wanted to talk to him."
I felt my stomach knotting in dread. Could it be that Uncle Jin was talking to Aiden about Reo and me? Was it true that he wanted us back in Japan, just as Mason had deciphered?
Isaac said, "That sounds suspicious."
The staff started serving us breakfast, and it was then Aiden walked in through the door.
The moment I saw him, my heart skipped a beat. Damn, but Aiden was hot wearing that dark blue kimono.
"Bro, you're already wearing your kimono?" Isaac asked. "Damn, I should have worn mine, too."
I felt Aiden's gaze, hot and intense, on me for a moment before it was shifted to Isaac, followed by, "You can put it on after breakfast." He came to sit beside me. "Morning, Haru."
"Morning," I said. "Did you have a meeting with Uncle Jin?"
He nodded.
"How did it go?" I was eager to know. "What did you guys talk about?"
"We talked about…nothing much," he said, smiling.
Nothing much? I doubted that. He was avoiding my question, so I knew something was up.
I turned my attention to my set meal and started eating.
Mason said, "Probably about Reo and Haru, isn't it? The talk with Uncle Jin."
I turned my gaze to Aiden, as did everyone else.
Noah said, "So Mason is right?"
Aiden nodded. He looked at Reo and said, "Don't you have something to tell us?"
Reo chuckled. "So Uncle has already told you he's talked to me?"
Aiden nodded.
Reo said, "I was planning on telling you guys when we get home, but…"
I asked, "Uncle has already talked to you? He really does want us to move back to Japan?"
Reo nodded.
I felt sick to my stomach.
"And are you?" I asked, my voice a little shaky. "Going to move back here?"
Reo nodded again.
"When? Why? Don't you like it back home? What about university? What about us?" My questions came out one after another in quick succession.
Reo said, "Slow down, Haru. It won't be until after I finished university, and that's still a year away."
I took a deep breath to calm myself down. Then I said, "I see. But you are really moving here."
He nodded. "He's giving it to us, Haru, all that's here. The resort hotel and onsen."
I said quietly, "What if I don't want it?"
Reo asked, "How do you know you don't want it?"
I said, "You know why. Everyone knows why. I don't want to be apart from Aiden, or any of you for that matter." I looked at Noah, Mason, and then Isaac. I sighed. "Sorry, I'm being stupid. I'm not hungry anymore." I got up and rushed out the room.
After sliding the door shut, I went to the corner of the bedroom and sat, my mind racing. A few knocks came at the door, followed by Aiden's voice asking, "Haru? Can I come in?"
I took a deep breath and said, "Yes, come in."
Aiden slid the door open, entered, and then shut it again. He came over to me and took a seat in front of me. He looked at me for a moment and then stroked my hair.
"Sorry," I said. "I was acting like a kid. I've ruined the vacation, haven't I?"
Aiden shook his head. "No, you haven't."
I moved over and rested the side of my face against his massive chest, my arms around him. With a shaky voice, I said, "I'm scared, Aiden. I don't want to be apart from you. I don't know, I just know that I'd lose my mind if that were to happen."
"It's all right, Haru," he said. "I told you, haven't I? I won't let anyone take you away from me, not even Uncle Jin."
I raised my gaze to look at him. "Then you've told him on my behalf that…"
He shook his head. "I believe the best thing to do is you tell your uncle what it is that you want, Haru. Choose to stay with me or move here to Japan and take over all this." He looked around to indicate the hotel.
What the hell was Aiden talking about?
I said, moving back from him, "Of course I'm choosing you."
"But you'll lose all this," he said. "And Haru, one day, Noah, Mason, and Isaac will eventually move away from us, just like Reo has already planned to move away. We're not always going to be together forever."
I felt my heart quivering at the thought of that. "I…I know that…"
What the hell was this? I thought this vacation was meant to be all fun and leisure, not spending time having a serious discussion about our future and everyone parting ways.