'After leaving the forest, Reiji and Aki were strolling through a field. In the end, there was a lake. Reiji took a couple of steps forward. Aki then sat on the lake's edge. Reiji takes a step into the lake and emerges up to his knees.
Within half an hour, the sun will be setting.
'Where else do you want to go?' Aki asked Reiji ' Aki asked even though he was not sure why it matters where Reiji goes.
'I' wish I knew where I wanted to go.' Reiji looked at Aki and with a smile, he said, 'I will tell you when I decide.'
Aki has no curiosity to know, '' Reiji smiled.
It is not associated with Aki so he asked Reiji, 'Why do you wanna tell me when you decide?''
''I Need you. I want to set up my own clan and own territory where no one can intervene.' Reiji said.
' Reiji said.
'Aki couldn't understand why Reiji was telling him those.!' Aki raised his brows at the answer.
''I will let you choose the place. You can have any place you want in my territory.' Reiji explains.
'' Reiji offered.
'You want to bind me there?' Aki frowned as he asked.' Aki asked.
Reiji seemed baffled, '
The question made Reiji's smile fade, 'I..just wish that you stay with me. With whatever reason you have. But if you really want to go…I will let you...cause…you won't stay even if I plead.'
'Didn't you say you won't let me go?!' Aki muttered.
He didn't answer as if he didn't hear what Aki said. Reiji keeps throwing pebbles into the lake. The sun was setting, turning the sky golden in red...
'Look! The sky has your eye's colour' Reiji kept smiling while looking up.
When the sun was blocked by Reiji, to Aki it seemed he was glowing with a thousand jewel's sparks behind him.
'That's actually not how my colours were…'
Reiji didn't listen. He was still standing there looking up at the sky. Aki saw the sky going dark quickly and Reiji was going far away. He could not reach Reiji no matter how much he tried. His feet were stuck in the mud.
Aki woke up.
He fell asleep in the bathtub. He didn't realise when he had fallen asleep. He covered his eyes with his palm to organize his thoughts.
His usual morning began with utter chaos. The monthly magazine's due date was over so everyone was happy and celebrating their free time, inside the office. Aki never minded these things. As a boss, he is always supportive towards his subordinates. Even in University, he was famous for being kind-hearted as well as charismatic.
While Aki was inside his room reading he noticed suddenly the room went silent. Aki couldn't understand why. So he switched on the transparency on the smart glass. Aki jumped out from his chair. It was Lord Lin talking with Nora. Aki couldn't move for a while but when Lord Lin entered with Nora he was baffled.
Lord Lin smiled, 'Pardon me for not letting you know in advance.'
'Um..No, no, It's ok…It's totally ok…Please…' Aki offered him to sit.
Without a doubt, This charismatic man has already captured the whole office's attention. Everyone was frozen in their places and kept looking at this ethereal beauty of Lord Lin's.
'Why did everyone become silent? I must've interrupted their celebration!' Lin said.
'No…' Aki tried to manage and Nora nodded as well.
'Absolutely, you absolutely didn't interrupt at all...But yes we are really surprised to see you here.' Aki could not comprehend what Nora was indicating.
'What...are you saying Nora? How can you...do you know Lo...I mean him?' Aki frowned.
Nora smiled, 'Of course, I know him. He is one of our investors and uncle Aito's business partner Lin Ryuji.'
Aki was literally out of words. He couldn't describe his shock but maintained his posture instantly, 'Nora!' Aki signals her to get out and bring something to eat. Nora got out right away.
'I'm sorry...she is a bit.'Aki wasn't sure what he should say.
'It's alright. She meant well.' Lord Lin saw Ginger, 'You bring your pet here?'
'He is a bit clingy.'Aki smiled.
' Of course, he is.' Lord Lin smiled while looking at Ginger and Aki felt relaxed after talking normally.
Lin asked while staring at the cat,' Did Rei escort you home properly?'
Aki didn't want to lie, 'Yes he did. I never thought I would see you here.'
'Well, we also live off the same resource of this earth so we have to work together to utilize it.' Lin leaned on the sofa in a relaxed way.
'Yes! Right.' Aki tried to understand what was the meaning behind the explanation.
'I came here to see you today. To let you know that you can see me whenever you want.' Lin simplified the thought of Aki's.
Aki remembered what he said back there and was embarrassed, ''I know it was awkward to ask something like that when you barely know me and moreover your son presented me as his lover…'
'I have known you…all your life.' Lin's eyes were pretty sad while saying so even though his lips were smiling.
'Pardon!?' confusion made Aki frown.
'You know me too. You just haven't realised yet.' Lin said with a smile.
Aki couldn't remember where he might have known him.
Lin was surprised, 'You are surprisingly accepting.'
That flustered Aki, 'Thank…you.'
'That was not a compliment though. You should voice out your opinion.' Lin warns Aki.
'I do that obviously. But I tend to listen to whom I admire.' Aki rubbed his eye as it was itching a bit.
Lin stared at him for a while then spoke, 'Your eyes…are just like my daughter's. Amber eyed. They change colour with emotions.'
Aki was surprised. Aki didn't understand what he was saying.
Aki never noticed nor did anyone tell him. He almost always wears contact lenses. So nobody can. Right now he is wearing them too.
'When your right one changes, it changes into like my wife's eye, hazel gold.' Lin points to the right eye.
'Are you able to see through my contacts?' The question made Lin nod his head, 'Hm…Eyes are the mirror of your soul, isn't it?'
Lord Lin's smile was really stunning. Aki couldn't seem to take his gaze away from him.
'I didn't know that…'Aki abruptly stopped.
'That...your eye changes colour?' Lin finished Aki's sentence
'Yes.' Aki tried to smile.
'They are.. Precious…' Aki suddenly noticed Lord Lin's eyes were teary after saying that.
Lord Lin's eyes right now were not in different colours but were in green shade. Aki couldn't understand the meaning of Lord Lin's soft gaze.
'You have the same eyes as me too.' Aki smiles
Lin nodded his head, 'Yes, I do…' He suddenly smiles widely, 'Ah! He's here!'
'Who?'Aki didn't get the meaning.
Within a few seconds Reiji enters the office with an anxious face. Aki was surprised to see him. Lin smiled towards Reiji. Reiji entered Aki's room.
'Father!'Reiji seemed out of breath
'You hurried here. What a sight! Never had I thought that I would see you this much troubled!' Lin mockingly said to Reiji.
'Did anything happen? Why are you here?' Reiji was the opposite. He seemed serious.
'Nothing happened. I just came here to see Aki. Why don't you sit down!' Lin assured Reiji
'I thought something happened.' Reiji sat beside Aki.
Reiji was relieved and covered his face with his hands. Aki moved away a bit.
'You do really love him.' Aki looked at Lin then Reiji when Lin said that.
He was troubled for some reason, 'You knew that I lied but you didn't say anything that time and now you show up unannounced so I thought maybe you had another idea.'
Reiji could have said to Lin that he knew Aki. But Reiji didn't.
'That would have been enough as you know why. They will make a scene out of it even if they say they won't.' Aki didn't understand and didn't interrupt them.
Reiji was smitten, 'He is not my lover. Sorry for lying. But I had my reasons.'
Aki felt a bit unnerving in that situation. So he joined their conversations.
'It's true. We are not... Lovers. I don't know how he feels but he had abandoned me a week ago after confessing he wouldn't and then left.' whatever Aki was saying didn't make any sense when Aki realised.
'I...I didn't abandon you…' Reiji looked at Aki with confusion.
'You left me alone in the hospital and didn't even try to check how I have been all week!' Aki sounded upset.
'That had nothing to do with my feelings. Well,I had left you with my brother and you like Joshua more than you like me and also...I thought you would not want to see me.' Reiji explained.
'But you could have at least met him to apologise.' Lin smiles while Aki agrees with Lin.
Reiji was perplexed, 'Dad! What are you…that's not it...I did apologise. Maybe you couldn't hear because of...Dad, why are you doing this? You know I am not very well-versed!'
'You should learn to express yourself before it's too late.' Nora entered with snacks and drinks interrupting Lin.
.They stopped talking while Nora stayed. Aki could hear what everyone in the office was gossiping about now.
'Are those two fighting over our boss?!'
'How sweet! Reiji-San seemed to have come running here. Sure our boss has noticed that.'
'Shut up. They are all in high society. They might be discussing business.'
'But our boss seems to be troubled. It's No wonder if they fall for him. Even though they are unbelievably handsome they can't compete with our boss. He is on another level. Among them our boss is the only one that shines though. But how come our boss behaves so timid around them!'
Aki felt embarrassed, "Oh for God's sake! Somebody, please shut them up. They can hear you" Aki was screaming inside with embarrassment.
'Reiji-san when did you arrive?' Nora was smiling at him.
'Just a while ago.' Reiji politely answered.
'Akkun...um! Boss!' Nora gestures that snacks are short.
Aki couldn't understand.
'It's alright Nora! I will share it with Aki.' Reiji smiled.
Aki understood now. He gave Nora a stare. Nora hurriedly got out.
'She is one funny girl.'Aki nods to agree with Lin, 'She's Noah's I mean. my friend's younger sister. She is the only girl in that family…so has been pampered a lot.'
'Having a daughter really feels nice. They are like their father's heart. We parents can feel our child's heartbeat. Especially mother's.' Lin touched his chest as if it was hurting.
'That's not different from us.' Aki feels empty.
Lord Lin and Reiji understood that and didn't comment.
Aki hesitated but says,'Um…There's nothing to worry about him and I. You can rest assured we just have professional relations. And to them I will say we broke up, cool?!!' Lord Lin laughed and Reiji sighed and hid his face disappointedly. Aki was curious..
'You think they will create problems knowing you are Reiji's lover?' Aki doesn't know how to answer Lin.
'Even though they are purebloods and can take action against you,They won't. They won't dare to observe you mostly because you are Reiji's lover and besides nobody will purposely walk into a lion's den.'Aki could not get the meaning behind it.
'Well he told me that we cannot mix our life. Didn't that mean we can't be lovers too? Jinn and humans…' Aki paused.
It's true. But many Jinn have relations with humans and maintain that in a secrecy from others. But they can't last because human lifespans are really short. Many break up because they get afraid, sometimes as they can't change their nature. Some desire a family which they can't have together.
'Why can't humans have a family with them?' Aki mumbled.
'Human females can't conceive male Jinn's child because of the foetus abnormalities.' Reiji explained.
'What about female Jinn? Can't they conceive with male human?' Lord Lin and Reiji went silent after Aki's questioning..
They looked at eachother. Reiji looked outside, placing his elbow in the sofa's armrest. Aki didn't noticed that Reiji was upset.
'They can but those children don't survive. That chance is almost zero. Their Blood won't match. In rare cases if they do survive they get killed because they are weak or stay in observation of purebloods. There are some rules. That's why it's forbidden. If anyone wants to be in a relationship with a human, they have to prove their infertility and live quietly so that it doesn't create any chaos.' Lin stops.
The clock hit 12 on dot and Lin got up from his seat. Aki did too. Reiji kept seated as if he was lost.
'So much time has passed. I should go now.' Reiji got up after he heard Lin say, 'I will escort you out.'
Reijj got out first and held the door for them.
'Nora! I wonder what happened!Reiji-san looks a bit off.'
Nora noticed too. The trio left the office together. In the garage Aki stood aside while Reiji opened the car door for Lin.
While getting inside Lin asked, 'What color do you see when people lie?'
Aki was baffled.He has guessed correctly, 'You can see them in colours?'Reiji was stupefied
'Mine's blue.' He smiles.
'Oh! It's different then. I guess I see them as colourless. Like the saturation of their body turns grey.' Aki said.
Aki wanted to ask more but stopped himself. Reiji on the other hand looked very confused. Lin leaves and the two were alone.
Aki then asked, 'Do you want to come up?'
Reiji seemed not to listen to Aki's word's.
'Reiji!' He didn't respond and stayed like a statue. Aki wondered if it was like his dreams. He stepped forward to see if he could walk or not. He was relieved that he could. Aki touched him and called his name again and this time he responded, 'Oh sorry! What were you…'
'I asked..if you want to come upstairs.' Reiji nodded and they both headed to the elevator.
But the elevator was busy.
'Would you mind walking?' Aki asked.
'No!' the smile seemed so tired on Reiji's face.
They took the stairs.Reiji was two stairs below Aki. Aki was skipping stairs while going up. Reiji smiles seeing that.
Aki asked, 'Why do you seem so…'
'Nothing...I was just thinking.' Reiji said.
'Oh! That's what it was? I thought you got frozen like in my dreams.' Aki was relieved.
'You had a dream about me? Hearing Reiji, Aki felt awkward, 'Ya! At first I thought I was really, actually walking with you through forest and fields but turns out…'
Reiji pulled Aki's hand to face him suddenly.Aki was about to fall but held onto Reiji's shoulder and Reiji supported Aki's balance with another hand by holding his waist.Their face was close.
'What did you say?' Reiji's expression was surprised.
'What!!' Aki tried to go back in walking but Reiji didn't let him.
He wrapped his hand on Aki's waist a bit more. He was not able to move because if he forces out of him he will fall. So he answered, 'I saw we were walking out of a forest and walking through… a wheat field.'
'Then?'Aki couldn't grasp the situation nor his question
'Then what! I don't know…I saw we were sitting on the edge of a lake. You then went into the lake and played with pebbles.' Aki mumbled whatever he could remember.
'How did the sky look??'Aki was confused at the question.
"How does he know about the sky? does that truly exist?"Aki looked at Reiji's lip then his eyes with a curious look and answered, 'Blue...The sky looked...blue…' He lied.
Reiji's eyes softened and Aki confirmed to himself that somehow his dream was true.
Aki tried to move out but Reiji pulled Aki more closely and kissed him. Aki's whole balance was on Reiji.
For a while Reiji kept forcing the kiss and Aki kept pushing but after a while, Aki didn't resist nor respond.
Reiji then stopped and ended the kiss with bite on Aki's lip.
Aki moves out of him finally.
Aki's lower lip was bleeding. Aki was breathing heavily, touching his lip. Removing the blood with finger he keeps looking at the blood on his fingers. Reiji observed that Aki looked rather sad than angry and his heartbeats were erratic.
Aki began to walk upstairs. Reiji felt guilty about it as he thought Aki was out of expression. He said while stepping down, 'I will see you tomorrow with your appointment.'
Aki didn't respond so Reiji began stepping down.
Suddenly Aki came down and grabbed Reiji's hand and pulled him upstairs with him. They entered the office that way so everyone was looking at them. Reiji felt a bit uncomfortable with that. Aki took him to his room and made him sit down on the sofa and then put a bottle in Reiji's hand while he sat on another single sofa.
Reiji couldn't understand what's going on so Aki said, 'You said you would share my drink and snacks.'
Reiji was surprised and the burden went lighter then he laughed out in relief with another hand on his forehead, 'How in the world are you so lovable !!'
The whole office could hear his laughter. Aki looked to his other side, towards where his employees were. They went silent but couldn't stop their smiles as Reiji was still laughing.