Peaceful sound from the wind chimes made him open his eyes.When he regained his sight, he found himself on his bed.
It's 9 am already.
That made him jump from the bed. He got fresh and went to make breakfast but saw Tanya was already preparing them, 'Did you sleep well?'
'Ya! I will help…' Aki gets in.
'It's ok...It's not like I mind doing this. I used to do them.' Tanya smiles.
'Ya!' Aki kept watching.
The breakfast became awkward. Tanya was frequently looking at Aki.
Aki knew Tanya wanted to ask something, 'Ok! What is it?'
'Nothing.' Tanya nodded off the conversation.
'Nothing?' Aki frowns.
'Ya.' Tanya didn't look directly
"She seems different." Aki was not familiar with this side of hers.
Nora whispered to Aki, 'Akkun you were close with him.'
"I know that." Aki sighs while thinking.
Aki closes his eyes as he has no intention to talk with Lin Ryuji,'Was I?'
'Ya.' Nora nodded.
'It's ok Nora. I know he doesn't remember me as well.' Lin Ryuji said.
"The similar presence like last night. So last night it was him pretending to be Mei. But why?!" Aki didn't say anything even though now he knows who was there in disguise.
He doesn't say anything anymore. But after a while he couldn't help but think, "Is it because he wanted to see me? To think I have to pretend like this…" 'I'm sorry for that.' Aki apologises.
'You shouldn't be. You had no choice.' Lin Ryuji tried to seem understanding.
"No choice?" Something didn't catch up right in Aki's mind.
Lin got out on the upcoming floor.
He looked at Aki and smiled, "Just be happy,my friend."
The words he said didn't have any sound. As Aki was looking at him, Aki could read the lips. Aki's eyes grew bigger to see Lin Ryuji smile.
Aki tried to open the door, "It can't be!"
Nora gets worried to see Aki act like that, 'What happened Akkun? What are you…'
The door opened but a floor later. Aki got down and hurried to take the stairs to go on that floor,''Please! Please! Let my doubt be right."
But he couldn't find Ryuji. When he was about to leave disappointed, he saw the light flickering. Lin Ryuji was standing in the hallway near the window,alone. Lin turned and was looking at him with a sad smile, 'It's been a long time, my friend…'
The light began to flicker again when Aki stepped forward slowly. Ryuji's right eye became greenish yellow and the other stayed blue.
"Kiev?!' Aki's voice shakes as he utters the name. Lin Ryuji tilted his head to the side and smiled, 'Why the confusion??'
Tears were filling his eyes. Aki ran to him and hugged him tight.
'You knew it was me when you were not awakened. You could feel it. You even cried. But, to think that you didn't actually realise it's me...how disappointing.' Lin Ryuji keeps talking.
'Ya! It's disappointing…' Aki holds his cheeks.
'Ow!' Lin Ryuji reacts to the pain.
'It's really you.' Aki became happy, "This is why I felt it but couldn't understand why I did." Aki let go of him when he understood. His eyes were smiling. Lin Ryuji bows, 'Welcome back,Master.'
'I was never your Master.' Aki reminds him.
Lin knows but still Aki is, 'That's…'
'You called me 'friend' just a while ago...why change it!' Aki asked with an angry voice.
'It's a habit, I guess.' Lin shyly said.
'You didn't change at all.' Aki's smile was bright.
To see Aki and Ryuji get down together Nora was astounded. He was smiling.
She came running, 'Akkun!'
"Ah!I forgot about her." Aki instantly regrets it.
'You remember everything?' Nora's hopefully asked.
'About what?' Aki pretends to not know.
She looks at Ryuji.
With a smile Ryuji said, 'We were just talking and got along like before.'
Nora composes her curiosity, 'I see…I thought…anyway…we are going to meet the models now.'
'Ok! Go ahead.' Aki said.
Nora leaves.
Lin Ryuji turns to Aki,'See you later then.'
'Ya! You didn't let anyone know about you right?' Aki wanted to be sure.
'Not a soul. Not even Chev.' Ryuji said.
Aki thanked him as well and said,'It's been hard for you…'
'Don't say sorry now,it would be meaningless otherwise.' Ryuji interrupted Aki's apology.
'I wasn't gonna.' Aki smiles.
'Good. Take care.' Ryuji bades goodbye to Aki.
The happiness didn't leave Aki's face. Nora smiled seeing him happy. They had called some models for their joint venture. Aki watched them from a distance when Nora was talking with them. Among them Nen Uta whom Aki had selected,he keeps observing Nen. Nora was talking with them professionally but in a friendly manner. He yawns. Aki didn't see any problem so he got out of there to get coffee. The coffee machine was not working.
'Seriously!' Aki gets out of the film studio.
He heard some noise getting close to him so he looked back,'Nii-san!!'
'Whoa!' Ayan, Aysha both hugged him in surprise.
'Aysha missed you so much.' Aysha says while hugging Aki.
'Ayan missed you more.' Ayan also joined.
'I missed you too.' Aki hugs them back.
'They won't wait since we have land.' Sara said. 'Oh, really! That's so…' Happiness left Aki's face in a jiffy.
Reiji was standing behind Sara. He couldn't understand why Reiji had come here. Sara hugged Aki while he hugged her back while looking at Reiji.
Sara asks,'How have you been?'
'I'm okay. What about you?' Aki asked.
'I'm good.' Sara went to Reiji and brought him close to them, 'Aki, this is Tsubaki Re, a colleague of mine.'
Reiji greeted Aki,'Hi, Nice to meet you,Aki-kun.' Aki forced himself to smile, 'Nice to meet you too, Tsubaki-san!'
"Why did mom bring him here? Don't tell me...she wants him to be my psychologist, again!" Aki's thoughts became chaotic.
'Where were you going?' Sara asks.
'I was feeling sleepy, so I needed coffee.' Aki tells her while taking a glance at Reiji.
'Oh! I have bought for you and your staff. Silly me! It's in the car.' She ran to the parking lot.
Aysha smiles, 'Silly Mama!'
Ayan as well grins, 'You always forget.'
Reiji was looking at Aki without blinking. Aki talks with Aysha, 'You have grown out your hair Aysha?' Aysha pouts,'I wanna cut but mum won't let me.' Aki smiles, 'I see why she doesn't don't want to.' Aysha became curious,'Why?'
'It's so pretty.' Aki tells Aysha while touching her hair.
Aysha became happy, 'Really! Then Aysha won't cut it. Nii-san?'
'Hm…' Aki became attentive towards them. Aysha points at her eyes and says, 'Did you hurt your eye?'
"Ah! They have never seen me without contact lenses." Aki completely forgot.
'He didn't. It's how his eye colours will be. Do you hate it?' Reiji asks them.
Aki couldn't stop his anger, 'Hate is a harsh word. You don't need to introduce it to them.'
'My mistake.' Reiji knelt down and asked them, 'Will you love your brother less if he had that kind of eye?'
'Why would I?' They both answered at the same time. Reiji looked at Aki.
"What's the meaning of all these?" Aki couldn't deduct Reiji's action.
'See! They will love you no matter what.' Reiji said to Aki