Archive of Our Own

Soft knocks on his door stop Ran from writing in his journal. It’s Yuki, of course it’s him, they are the only two people living in this apartment. His door is already ajar and Yuki steps in and stops right in front of the door. He looks at Ran for a moment, always with his ever-present scrutinizing eyes that took literal practice from Ran not to flinch away.

“Did you just arrive?” asks Yuki once he is done with his once-over on Ran.

Ran shakes his head. There is no point in lying, Yuki already knows the answer anyway. He arrived home around an hour ago, and his guard had to update Yuki the moment he had dropped him off safely.

“Why haven’t you cleaned up? It’s late.”

Ran doesn’t give him a response. He also doesn’t feel like typing on his phone. He just stares back at Yuki with steely eyes, and slightly up-turned lips. It might as well be a Yuki-exclusive sign which means “You asked an unnecessary question and I won’t grace you with an answer.” Yuki knows this, or more like, he is used to it.

Yuki sighs, and continues with what he initially came to Ran’s room for.

“There is going to be an event at the United Kingdom Embassy tomorrow. I want you there with me. You will be picked up at 7 PM. Please be prepared accordingly.”

Ran tilts his head slightly to the right, a tell which means he is not fully understanding what has been said to him.

Ran points at himself. “Me?”

“The Ambassador’s wife is deaf. It’s only polite that I bring an interpreter.”

Ah. Ran deflates. Of course, what was he thinking? He thinks to himself.

Ran knows to unknowing eyes, his disappointment is invisible, but this is Ishikawa Yuki. He makes a living out of seeing through other people’s bullshits and secrets. Regardless of how much Ran has trained to maintain his demeanor and expression to be able to stand equally beside Yuki, Yuki won’t be fooled by his faux emotion.

“To make it clear, we are going to the Embassy on a business engagement. There is going to be nothing between us. You are not my husband. Nor am I yours.”

Arrows.

A bunch of them piercing through Ran’s heart. His eyes are starting to burn, so he blinks rapidly to stop the tears from dropping.

“Am I understood?”

Ran nods jerkily. He can’t meet Yuki’s eyes anymore. That’s how much power the man has over him; a few words and all of his bravado vanishes into thin air.

“Clean up. Sleep,” orders Yuki. “Good night, Ran.”

Then he is gone, leaving his door fully shut.

Ran wipes a single tear that successfully escaped his eyes. He closes his journal, and immediately goes under his blanket. He closes his eyes, praying for slumber to take him away fast, and hopefully takes away his sorrow along with his consciousness.

Ran dreams of the day that turnt his entire world, where he still can’t choose for the better or worse. The day when he was married to Ishikawa Yuki. 

He remembers the chaos. He remembers his helplessness to the situation. 

A marriage between the children of Ishikawa and Takahashi, surely it didn’t just happen overnight, right?

The answer is no but at the same time yes.

Ishikawa Yuki was supposed to be married to Takahashi Riri. The sole heir of the Ishikawa and the only daughter of the Takahashi. Added with the closeness of the families that has been standing for decades long, their marriage was almost predictable. 

What they didn’t expect was for Riri to disappear one night before the wedding.

“Well, you still have one more child, don’t you?”

The voice of Ishikawa Nobuhide–the head of Ishikawa family–that fateful night, is something Ran will never forget until he dies. How can he forget that? That one seemingly simple statement was what led to Ran’s entire fate being rewritten.

The next day, he was sitting in the bride’s dressing room. Way too grand, way too bright, and way too suffocating for what should be a room full of joy. He was left alone, with nothing but Riri’s wedding gown. Every second of its inanimate existence seems to be mocking him. 

“Stop looking at it. It’ll never be yours.”

Of course, only Ishikawa Yuki was capable of saying such insensitive words to a person being forced to marry him. And of course, Ran could only face him with a collected feature, but anguished eyes. There was nothing else he could do. Yuki needed a Takahashi to marry. And true to his father’s word, the Takahashi only have one child left. 

Yuki sighed, like Ran’s existence was merely another unimportant meeting that he still had to attend out of nothing but courtesy.

“Let’s get it over with. I still have to deal with the press.”

Yuki handed him an envelope which he took from his hand harshly. While opening the content, Yuki said,

“It’s our wedding vows. You don’t need to read everything, but remember these;”

Ran looked at that one piece of paper in his hand, eyes jumping from the top to the bottom of the sheet. Ears kept listening to what Yuki was saying, even though he hoped he couldn’t. He hoped he didn’t have to hear his cold, monotonous, disinterested voice while talking about their marriage. While talking to his husband.

“You cannot initiate a divorce, especially during the election of the Prime Minister period. Then, the marriage will be held in private. No one will know that you are my husband, nor will you need to pretend to be one in public. However, you cannot disclose your face or your name as the husband of Ishikawa Yuki. If any of the vows is violated, the penalty will be two billion yen.”

If Yuki saw the way his hand trembled while holding the paper like a lifeline, he didn’t mention it. While Ran, in his position, wished he could scream, could crumple and throw the offending paper to Yuki’s face. But all he could do was stamp his signature on the bottom of the paper. Not out of his approval to the conditions, but so he could keep the day moving. As Yuki put it, they needed to keep it going. The faster he could get out of Yuki’s perimeter, the better.

The faster he could break down at the comfort of solitude, away from the Ishikawas and his own family, the better.

“Give me your hand.”

Ran didn’t give him his hand, but Yuki pulled his hand by himself anyway. From inside the lapel of his tuxedo, his wedding suit that was supposed to be paired with a beautiful white gown–the gown that became the only witness of this marriage, Yuki fished out a wedding ring.

It was Riri’s wedding ring. The design was undoubtedly feminine. The ring was a whisper of white gold, its smooth surface unbroken save for the single, perfect diamond that crowned it. It was simple, elegant, and more than anything a beautiful piece of jewelry in the taste of his sister. 

Ran was looking at it like it was a circle of burning embers, and when Yuki slid the ring on his right ring finger, he could feel a phantom brand taking shape on his skin.

“Now, you are my husband.”

“I am sorry, but you are mistaken. He is not my partner. This is Takahashi Ran. He is my interpreter for tonight.”

“My apology. I thought you would finally bring out this mysterious secret partner of yours. I mean, you definitely look good together. You really are planning to keep your partner hidden away?”

“My partner, they are my weakness. I’m the spokesperson of the Prime Minister, but it’s just nicer words for saying I am the number one scapegoat of him. Of the entire country, even. I’m constantly carrying a target on my back, and that’s why I have to be strong. For this country and for myself. But my partner, I cherish them so much. I’m willing to do anything to protect them and that’s not a good thing when you are supposed to protect an entire country, is it? So, yes. They are my weakness. That is my reason for keeping them away.”

Ran throws back all of the wine inside his glass in one go down his throat. Yuki lets him wander alone after he is done with the pleasantries with the Ambassador. His head has not been in the right place ever since he heard, and interpreted, Yuki’s words regarding his ‘partner’. Only when he stops at this table and starts gulping down the wine, can he slowly think through what happened back then.

Because truly, there is no way Ishikawa Yuki was talking about him, right?

But who else could he be talking about? Is there someone else?

The mere thought of ‘someone else’ brings a bad taste to his mouth. Ran shakes his head to himself. He reaches for the bottle again for another glass, but suddenly another hand snatches the bottle and puts it down.

It’s Yuki.

Ran looks up at him, at his perfectly combed hair, at his handsome face, at his beautiful lips. He is unusually filled with nothing but anger and frustration.

“Are you trying to get drunk? Or are you already drunk?” accuses Yuki monotonously.

Ran scoffs and stubbornly reaches for the bottle again. But Yuki is faster when he moves the bottle completely out of Ran’s reach.

“Don’t test me,” says Yuki. Ran has a childish urge to stomp his feet, but he holds it and decides to cross his arms and stares at Yuki defiantly. “Sit down if you are tired.”

Ran rolls his eyes, and finally pulls out his phone.

“If I’m not needed here anymore, I’m going home.”

“No. You’ll stay here until I tell you you can go,” says Yuki.

Ran scoffs again, and types rapidly, making sure Yuki will be able to tell that he is furious.

“I’m not asking for your permission. I’m going home.”

Without waiting for Yuki’s response, Ran turns away from him with the intention of actually walking away from the party. What he didn’t expect was for Yuki to grab his arm, somehow twist him in his direction, and pull him closer.

For half a second he was chest to chest with Yuki, but Ran is so blindsided with his rage that he pushes Yuki harshly until the man staggers back, making room between them.

Yuki is visibly taken aback from his sudden aggressive behavior and it seeps through to him.

“Why won’t you listen to me for once?” Yuki snaps at him.

“Why won’t you stop being an asshole for once?!”

Ran signs it to Yuki. Yuki knows next to nothing of the sign language, so he is grasping. But grasping is enough.

“Did you just curse at me?” hisses Yuki.

Ran huffs, and types;

“Who were you talking about with the Ambassador?” he shows it to Yuki, then without checking whether Yuki has finished reading everything, he quickly adds. “Do you have any other partner? Surely you weren’t talking about me.”

This time, Yuki is the one scoffing annoyedly and Ran’s blood boils even hotter. “You are being ridiculous,” Yuki says condescendingly.

Ran slams his phone on the table. Yuki gets startled and he doesn’t hide his shock at his burst of anger. He knows there are a few guests lingering in the same area as them and surely they start to wonder what is happening between Ishikawa Yuki and his interpreter. Ran at the moment cannot give a single fuck and starts signing angrily to Yuki.

“You said, your partner is your weakness. You said you hide them away to protect them. So they won’t be used as a pawn against you. I am none of that. I’m invisible to you most of the time. You only see me when it is convenient to you.”

Ran pauses because he realizes his signing is getting too fast and sloppy. Not that Yuki understands him, but even then, he still hopes if he brings perfection to him, Yuki will finally somehow understand him. Will finally be able to see him. He takes a shaky breath to level himself, willing his hands to stop trembling, then he starts again.

“You have no right to treat me like a thing just because I cannot speak. I have feelings that can get hurt, I have a heart that can break. I know you never wanted me, but you can’t get rid of me either. But don’t you understand that I’m stuck in the same trap as you?”

“Ran,” says Yuki, his hand reaching to hold his wrist, but Ran slaps it away before he can touch him first.

Ran takes his phone again and types,

“I actually don’t care who you were talking about. I’m smart enough to know it’s not me. You can cherish and protect whoever you want.”

“Ran, listen to me first.”

Ran shakes his head while typing again.

“I’m going home.”

They are just words on a screen, but for once Yuki feels defeated by them, by the person the words came from. Ran is hurting, and for some reasons Yuki doesn’t understand, he is the one hurting Ran. But he is reasonable enough to spare him tonight.

Yuki takes his own phone. Ran, who initially had said he didn’t ask for Yuki’s permission to be excused, still waits for Yuki to have the final words.

“I texted your guard. He’ll be waiting for you with your car,” says Yuki. Finally, a small gesture of mercy to Ran.

Ran gives Yuki one final look before he turns and walks away.

“It’s you.”

Ran is sleeping. Probably has been for quite a while. It is very late. The party went on and on, and Yuki kept giving himself an excuse to stay. Lying to himself that the reason why he didn’t leave early, didn’t leave with Ran, was because he wasn’t ready to face him yet.

He was left to his own devices a lot at the party, and it left him with no one but his own thoughts. He could think of many things, he should, but it’s Ran that gets stuck in his mind.

Ran and his otherworldly beauty. Ran and his rare anger. Ran and his silent words. Ran and his curse to him.

“I’m smart enough to know it’s not me.”

Those words haven't left him alone ever since he read them through Ran’s phone. Yuki imagines if Ran could actually say it, with his own voice that Yuki will never hear. Would he be nonchalant? Would his voice waver in doubt? Would he say it with conviction?

“I’m sorry that I tend to act otherwise, but it’s you, Ran.”

Ran is sleeping on his side, back facing Yuki. Yuki lets his fingertips hover on Ran’s hair, tracing it back and forth in minuscule movement, barely feeling the softness under his skin.

“There is no one else. You are my weakness.”

Ran only dares to open his eyes when he hears his door click shut and Yuki has left him. He turns to lie on his back. His dark ceiling stares back at him.

“Ishikawa Yuki,” says Ran to the empty air in his room. “What am I truly to you?”

The party reminded Yuki of one of the parties he attended as a teenager. 

It was a house party, thrown at and by the Takahashi. Yuki wasn’t sure what they were celebrating, but it was never important. The elites loved to throw a party without any particular purpose but flaunting their richness and social status. 

“My son loves fish. Eat.”

His mother shoved a plateful of assortment of raw sushi and sashimi, regardless of her knowing he barely could stand their smell. He had been trying to figure out a way to secretly dump the food and spun some lies to her. 

“Stop stuffing your cheeks like a pig! Can’t you take an example from your sister?!”

Yuki silently watched the interaction between the middle son of the Takahashi and his mother. He didn’t know his name, because he was pretty sure the middle son was barely, if ever, taken to other parties by his parents. It was always only his brother and his sister. Yuki had always known of his existence, though, this was the first time he saw him.

The mother was talking in loud-whisper, if that was even possible, but it worked anyway because no one was paying attention to her, except for Yuki. If he was older, maybe he would find the situation ironic; him who was forced to eat, and Ran who was prohibited to eat. But at that moment, he found an opportunity. 

When the kid was left alone by his mother, Yuki immediately walked to him, took his hand, and whisked him away from the party crowd. Yuki led him to an outdoor and upper garden of the house. There was no one there and Yuki found it a perfect place to do his little transaction.

“Eat this.”

They sat on the synthetic grass that covered the landscape. Yuki shoved his plate into the kid's hands which he accepted surprisedly. His eyes were filled with awe at the simple plate which was a total contrast to his hidden disgust to the dish. He expected him to immediately shoving the food to his mouth, instead he turned to look at him with the same big brown eyes.

Wordlessly, the kid pointed at him. His face was expressing a question.

“Me? I don’t like fish.”

Then, the kid pulled something out of the summer jacket he wore. A small vanilla muffin, slightly crushed from being shoved to the jacket. A little treat that he still managed to smuggle from the cruel eyes of his mother. He handed the muffin to Yuki, a silent gesture of trade.

Yuki couldn’t help but smile at the innocent, cute , gesture from this kid. He took the muffin, and immediately ate it to encourage him to do the same with his dish.

“What is your name?”

Yuki asked after their food had been finished. The kid pulled his right hand, then he started to trace a kanji on his palm using his finger.

“ Ai ?”

The kid shook his head, a little adorable pout appeared on his lips. He once again traced his palm, this time in hiragana.

“Ran. Takahashi Ran.”

The kid, Ran, the being that unknowingly would turn his entire world around, nodded excitedly at him.

“Nice to meet you, Ran. My name is Yuki. Ishikawa Yuki.”

“And he said ‘You are my weakness’. What’s that even supposed to mean?!” Ran says, signing to the other person rapidly.

The other person is Ogawa Tomohiro, his long-time friend who is the only person outside of the Takahashi and the Ishikawa families who knows about their secret marriage.

“He explained it, didn’t he,” Ogawa drawls. He loves Ran like his own little brother, but trusts him when he says this has been going on ever since they met at this restaurant.

“He did, but it didn’t make sense!”

“He did say he tended to act otherwise, though.”

“Why are you on his side?”

“Oh, here we go,” Ogawa mutters defeatedly. He leans back in his chair and gives Ran a pointed look. “He likes you. Your husband likes you. Fork found in a kitchen.”

“He doesn’t like me,” Ran signs, punctuating his movements. “He endures me at best.”

“Okay, knife found in a kitchen. Spoon. Ladle. Fucking cutting board,” Ogawa sighs. It’s like talking to a child. Maybe it’s his fault for treating Ran like one ever since they got close all those years ago.

“I was wrong when I said he doesn’t like you, but I was also wrong when I said he likes you. Do you want him to like you or not?” Ogawa signs. It’s a thing between them, when Ogawa uses signs to Ran, that means he wants to talk seriously.

Ran slumps to the table. He buries his face in his crossed arms, and if he can, he really wants to whine out his frustration.

“C’mon, talk to me,” Ogawa says while patting Ran’s head. He really can’t break his habit of treating Ran like a child, it just comes in a package with him. “Slowly. One thing at a time.”

When Ran sits up straight again, Ogawa sees how forlorn he is. He came to the restaurant with furious anger and frustration, and now he just looks sad. Defeated even.

“I’m confused,” Ran admits. “We’ve been married for three years, and last night was the first time he ever showed me…” Ran’s hands stop because he can’t find a suitable word.

“Affection,” Ogawa finishes for him.

Ran nods.

“If he was telling the truth last night, then, what happened in the last three years?” Ran continues. “Was he just pretending the whole three years? Or did he just wake up yesterday and decide starting from then he likes me?”

“Well,” Ogawa signs, treading on thin ice. “What do you want to do about it?”

“I want a clear answer. Does he like me or not.”

“‘Clear answer’ which entails…” Ogawa lets his words hang, hoping Ran can piece it together.

“Evidence,” Ran signs. “Hard. Cold. Evidence.”

Ogawa sighs. Ran had stopped looking like a kicked puppy, but he has kind of turned back to his angry self once again. At least it’s looking like a controlled anger, and he is looking more determined than anything. But he can’t help but rack his brain on what could be presented as evidence to prove whether your husband likes you or not. His boyfriend fucks him nice and slow until his toes curl and his brain muddles to prove his undying love, but that’s definitely out of the book for Ran’s case.

His phone chimes. The only sounded notification he has is for his boyfriend’s LINE. His boyfriend rarely texts him during his work hours, so he opens it to make sure it’s nothing urgent.

It’s a photo of a cat.

Ogawa loves cats but their apartment doesn’t allow pets. And of course, in Tokyo there are rarely strays on the streets. Anytime Ogawa meets one, he’ll try to take photos of them. The habit definitely rubs off on his boyfriend.

The cat is a pretty calico. Collared, so definitely not a stray. She is probably just taking a walk around the neighborhood. It brings a small smile to Ogawa.

His thumb unconsciously swipes the photo of the cat, and now he is shown a photo of his own nude that he sent to his boyfriend yesterday. It’s a beautiful and tasteful nude that he worked hard to take, hence he rewarded it to his boyfriend who had to work overtime. This is how he shows his boyfriend that he loves him.

A brilliant idea arrives in his brain.

“We should blackmail your husband.”

Takahashi Ran has arrived at home safely.
21.57

Yuki sighs in relief. That is one thing he should not be worrying about tonight.

Thank you for the update. Have a good night.
21.58

Yuki puts his phone on the table, ignoring the immediate chime which is definitely a reply from Ran’s guard which he doesn’t need to answer.

Yuki leans back in his chair and closes his eyes. He is so fucking tired and he is dying to return home. He just wants to be with his husband, even though said husband never talks to him and always sees him in between fear and annoyance. But the quiet from Ran always brings a sense of peace to him. His noisy world always calms down and stops when he is around, and he desperately needs that right now.

But he has a press conference tomorrow, ass o’clock in the morning, and his team is still writing the draft. He has to wait, then finalize the entire thing, before all of them can go home.

He wagers a couple of minutes of light sleep wouldn’t hurt. What would his team do if they found him sleeping on the job, though? Fire him?

Of course, the moment he closes his eyes, his phone rings. He sighs and blindly takes his phone from the table, expecting his assistant’s voice saying the draft is finished and ready to be checked.

“Spokesperson.”

That is not his assistant, or anyone he knows. It’s not even a fully human voice; only from the one word uttered to him, Yuki recognizes the voice is filtered through a modulator. He immediately becomes alert by opening his eyes and sitting up straight.

“Or should I say, Ishikawa Yuki.”

“If this is a prank call, I assure you I have no time nor patience,” says Yuki, trying to cut through the usual bullshit of anonymous calls. “Spit out your objective now, or get lost.”

“Maybe take me to dinner first before we get to the spitting on each other,” says the voice. He almost sounds flirty, if it weren’t disturbed by the modulator.

“I’m hanging up,” and Yuki really almost does, his thumb already hovering on the red End Call button.

“Are you sure?”

His phone chimes three times in a row, signaling he receives messages. The notifications tell him it’s from the same number currently calling him.

“At least check them out first, then you can decide.”

From the preview on the notification banner, he was sent three pictures. Yuki doesn’t know what came (or didn’t) to him to indulge the voice by opening the message rather than actually hanging up.

He was sent three photos of a faceless man in lingerie.

They are a beautiful set of photos. All of the photos were taken from the base of the neck down. Even only from the images, Yuki can tell the lingerie that leaves little to the imagination is expensive and the man in the photos is attractive. Yuki likes his build. At the slimmer side, but not sickly skinny. His flat chest is covered by a lacy bralette with a small bow at the sternum. He has straight shoulders that taper into curved waists. Yuki can tell the hips will have a give to them when they are gripped. And the thighs, hugged by a garter belt and from the knees down are covered by black stockings. They are thick, round, and smooth which almost intrigue him.

“Your husband is so beautiful.”

His blood freezes.

“Or should I say, Takahashi Ran is so beautiful.”

He remains silent even though his heartbeat is racing a mile a minute. He has to collect himself first before he starts saying something he will regret.

“Suddenly cat got your tongue, Spokesperson?”

“Do I need to repeat myself?” says Yuki. “Spit out your objective now.”

“Two billion yen,” the voice says in a sing-song way. “I want two billion yen, or every person in Japan will be seeing these photos of your precious husband.”

“Two billion yen,” Yuki repeats.

“Surely that’s not too much for a spokesperson of a country. And of course, your husband is way more precious than any amount of money in this world, right?” taunts the voice.

Yuki sighs, trying to sound as defeated as he can.

“C’mon spokesperson, don’t sound so defeated. I’ll even give you ample time to collect the money,” teases the voice. They almost sound giddy in Yuki’s ear.

“Listen to me, pervert conman,” Yuki turns his voice into his authoritative voice, which he knows has made many people cower at his feet. “I will not be giving you any kind of money. I won’t even give you a single yen. Do whatever you wish with those photos. I cannot even begin to care.”

There is a short pause accompanied by a crackling sound at the other end of the line, before the voice shouts at him.

“Are you crazy?! HAVE YOU ACTUALLY GONE INSANE?!”

Another short pause with the crackling. Yuki thinks that’s supposed to be the caller’s heavy breathing filtered by the modulator.

“I will actually leak those photos! Those provocative photos! What do you think will happen, then, huh?! It will drag down your career! Your family too! And what about your husband?! You’ll just allow people all around Japan—no—the world, to see them?!”

Yuki is quite surprised by the sudden change of nature of the caller. They started very suave, even bordering flirty, and they are losing the demeanor after a few sentences from Yuki. It’s kind of refreshing, if Yuki can be completely honest.

“If you want to blackmail me, which will never happen, at least do it right,” says Yuki. “You can’t blackmail me with fake, disgusting, sets of photos. You should put in more effort.”

“FAKE?!” the voice shouts again, Yuki actually has to move the phone a little bit away from his ear. “Those photos are of your husband! How can you say they are fake—Oh, you are actually insane. Look at the photos!”

Yuki does not.

“Takahashi Ran has a unique mole on his right thigh! Look at them!”

That actually piques Yuki’s curiosity. He opens one of the photos that capture the thighs clearly. Yuki doesn’t need to zoom in the photo, the mole is quite visible. It’s a red mole, which is indeed rare, on the middle of the upper right thigh.

“What about it?” says Yuki after he has finished hastily inspecting the photo. “It doesn’t prove anything.”

“It proves everything! I dare you, no one else has an exact mole like that other than Takahashi Ran!” Yuki hears the voice sighing. Only in a couple of minutes, now they are the one sounding defeated. “Oh my God.” The voice starts again, sounding a little bit calmer. “You don’t know Takahashi Ran has that mole.” The voice states, and ends it with a scoff. “Is he really your husband? How come you don’t know such trivial things about him? Have you ever even seen him naked? Have sex with him?”

“Are you done?”

“No!” The voice shouts again. “You know what, I don’t care if you believe those are photos of your husband or not. You will hand me the two billion yen in two days. If you fail to meet the ransom, I will leak those photos. And don’t think I didn’t get anything from this phone call. You haven’t denied that Takahashi Ran is your husband. Heck, you haven’t denied that it’s a Husband.”

“Wait—“

The phone call ends.

Yuki immediately redials the number, but it gets disconnected instantly. Yuki tries it three more times with the same result and decides the number is programmed for a one-way call only.

He drums his fingers on top of his phone screen nervously. The photos nor the phone call will hold anything on him. It was just a harmless threat, he should not think too much about it. If he is really really worried, he should take it up to his team, and let the security personnel look it up.

But an unusual anxiety is tugging at him, telling him to keep everything to himself. Telling him “What if it’s actually Ran? They’re right, you’ve never seen Ran naked.”

Someone is knocking on the door and it briefly brings him out of his spiral. It’s Yamamoto Tomohiro, his assistant, with what seems like the draft of his speech. Which at the heat of the phone call, he almost entirely forgot about.

“Ishikawa-san, the draft,” Tomo says while entering his office the moment Yuki signaled he could come in.

Yuki takes the few sheets of paper containing the draft and starts skimming the words quickly. He knows he is not absorbing anything, he will have to go through it again once the content of his head is not so scrambled.

“It’s way past office hours and it’s just the two of us. I told you ‘Yuki’ is fine,” says Yuki.

“I’m afraid if I make it into a habit, it can slip up when we are in a more formal setting,” answers Tomo.

Yuki sighs, a little bit annoyed at his team's insistence on being formal around him even at occasions he tells them they don’t have to. But he doesn’t push it this time.

“So far so good, we can just finalize this one,” Yuki says, which bewilders Tomo. “I’ll check it a few more times and if I have something to revise, I’ll let you know immediately. I promise they’ll only be minor revisions, if any.”

Tomo hasn’t finished looking bewildered, and Yuki is already collecting his briefcase, coat, and lastly, his phone.

“It’s very late. Let’s just go home. Tell the others too,” Yuki says while patting Tomo’s shoulder. “Thank you for the hard work today. Good night.”

Without waiting for Tomo, or his team who have been left agape seeing his departure, he heads to his car.

He has more pressing matters to check. The speech can wait.

“He said the photos are fake! And disgusting!” Ran says, signing to Ogawa angrily.

They are talking through FaceTime, because Ogawa’s boyfriend hasn’t arrived home yet and Ran has to tell him scene by scene of just what happened between him and Yuki.

“I can get behind ‘fake’. He is definitely just being careful. But disgusting?” Ogawa scoffs. “We worked so hard to take them. Your husband has no taste.”

Ran sighs. He runs his fingers through his hair which is still wet from the shower he briskly took after talking to Yuki. The conversation left his blood boiling, and before he did anything stupid like smashing a glass, he calmed his head by taking another shower for the night. It refreshed him a little bit, but a FaceTime notification from Ogawa brought everything back. His friend wanted to know how the plan was going, as he is part of the plan as well.

“Maybe I’m right the first time,” Ran signs. “He doesn’t like me.”

“Hey, don’t say that. He still has two days to prove himself,” encourages Ogawa.

“But what if he meant it? What if he really will not do anything about it?”

“Then, by then you get the answer you are looking for,” Ogawa signs to Ran. “But for now, don’t lose hope yet.”

“Ran,”

Ran almost jumps out of his chair hearing his name being called all of a sudden. He didn’t hear him coming and Yuki is already at the anteroom, looking at him with sunken eyes from exhaustion. Definitely not because he just got blackmailed.

“Are you on FaceTime?” Yuki says while walking to him.

“Yo, Yuki. It’s just me,” says Ogawa through the speaker.

Yuki stands behind him and crouches a little bit so he can appear on the laptop screen. Ran moves to the side to make room. Like this, their faces are very close to each other, Ran can smell the small remaining cologne on Yuki. But even without added fragrance, Ran knows Yuki always smells good.

“What are you doing FaceTiming another man’s husband in the middle of the night, huh?” Yuki says teasingly to Ogawa.

“Yah, Ran is my best friend longer than he is your husband. I can talk to him whenever I want,” Ogawa retorts back. “But now that you are home with your sweet sweet husband, that means my sweet sweet boyfriend will be home soon too.”

“I’ll text you later,” Ran signs to Ogawa.

Ogawa nods. “Keep me updated.” He signs, then he says, “Good night, lovebirds~” before ending the video call.

Ran stays in his position, because Yuki is not moving from his.

“Did you just take a shower? This late?” Yuki says while looking at him in his profile.

Ran only nods to that.

“And you were answering FaceTime of another man in just that?”

The tone is definitely accusing, but more than anything ridiculous. Sure, Ran is fresh out of the shower and only in a silk bathrobe while FaceTiming Ogawa, but it’s Ogawa for god’s sake.

He opens the Notes app and starts typing so Yuki can read it.

“It’s Ogawa-san. He wouldn’t care to see me in this.”

“I just hope you do not make it a habit,” says Yuki.

Ran rolls his eyes.

“I can’t speak, but I’m not a savage. I understand modesty.”

Yuki chuckles at that and it surprises Ran a little bit. He turns from the laptop screen to see Yuki’s face. The man is indeed smiling, even though it’s a small smile. He looks amused at Ran’s words.

Yuki is very handsome like that. Ran maybe despises him most of the time, and the other time he is on the fence regarding his feelings for Yuki. However, he will not lie that his husband is one handsome human being. He knows he has a plethora of fangirls (and fanboys) who love him not because of his political stance, but simply because of how attractive he is. Ran won’t lie that he agrees with them. His fluffy curly hair when it’s not styled, his bright brown eyes, his strong jaw, everything about his face, Ran finds them attractive.

And don’t get him started on his body.

And his lips.

“Ran,”

Once again Yuki snaps him out of his daydreaming. Ran mentally shakes himself off and focuses on Yuki again. He looks serious, but it’s softer on the edge.

“Ogawa hasn’t told anybody about our marriage, has he?”

Ran frowns slightly at that question because it feels like it’s coming out of nowhere.

“Not even his boyfriend, right?” Yuki adds.

“Ogawa-san has known you even longer than he has known me,” Ran types. “You shouldn’t distrust him like that.”

It is true.

Ran and Ogawa are best friends, but Ogawa and Yuki already have a handful of shared history before Ogawa even met Ran. They were acquaintances during college, having taken the same major in the same university, though Yuki is his senior by one year. Ogawa met Ran way after his first meeting with Yuki. Ogawa inherited the sign-language center from his parents. Ran was a transfer employee from their Kyoto branch to the main branch at Tokyo where Ogawa led. Ran didn’t even really remember how exactly they got close, but they just did.

They got married in secret, their respective families were supposed to be the only ones to know about the marriage. However, when they found out they both know Ogawa Tomohiro, even Ran named him as his best friend, Yuki decided Ogawa is the only person who can know outside the two families.

(They actually had their first fight as a married couple because initially Yuki wouldn’t allow Ran to tell Ogawa, but he finally relented.)

“I know that,” Yuki says in response. He feels kind of silly now for uttering the question in the first place. “It’s just,” he pauses, thinking it through whether he should tell Ran or not.

Ran senses his doubt and he is once again looking at Yuki with those big brown eyes of his. Yuki looks down at them, and thinks how he can get lost forever in them willingly.

Even after a long day of exhausting work and getting threatened on top of it, being in Ran’s proximity will never fail to bring him peace.

“I was threatened today,” says Yuki and sees the shock blooming on Ran’s features. “It’s nothing serious. Yet, at least.”

“Are you gonna be okay?” Ran types hurriedly.

Yuki nods. “I asked about Ogawa because the person that was threatening me knows about our marriage.”

“It can’t be Ogawa-san.”

“I said ‘I know’. I never doubted him,” Yuki sighs and stands up straight. He doesn’t realize he has been bending his back the whole time so he can talk to Ran eye to eye, now it’s hurting mildly. “I’m just keeping a mental tally of people who know. So I can determine the leak.”

Ran looks worried before he types. “Is there anything I can help?”

Yuki raises one eyebrow at the question. Ran never really showed any interest in their relationship and on how to maintain it, so this is an unusual behavior.

“You?”

Ran nods. “It’s our marriage, so it involves me as well. Can I help?”

Yuki can’t even start to imagine how his sheltered husband can help in the face of blackmail, especially since he is the blackmail material. Yuki himself is not sure yet how to tackle this issue.

But maybe,

“Takahashi Ran has a unique mole on his right thigh!”

“Have you ever even seen him naked? Have sex with him?”

That part of his conversation with the modulated voice still haunts him.

What if they are right?

And if they are, what should he make of it?

“There’s one thing,” says Yuki while taking one step closer to Ran. They are very close now, Ran has to tilt his head up to see him in the eyes.

It happens so fast, Ran doesn’t realize more than half of it.

Yuki’s hands are suddenly on both of his waists, lifting him from the chair like he weighs nothing, then sits him down again onto the table. His laptop was almost knocked over in the process, but Ran can’t even start to care about it because suddenly Yuki is up in his face.

He is really really close with both of his arms on either side of Ran's body. His knee is pressing on his, holding him to the table. Yuki is caging him with his body. Ran can feel fear starting to rise up in his blood.

Yuki moves his face even closer to his, and Ran doesn’t dare to move. When their noses almost touch and their breaths intermingle with each other, only then Yuki stops. Ran almost goes cross-eyed just to keep their eye contact with how close Yuki is. He can start counting every single long lash on his eyes, his natural tinted cheeks, his other tiny moles that otherwise will not be visible.

Almost automatically, Ran’s eyes gravitate to Yuki’s lips. At their color, at their shape, especially the natural upward curve at the edges of his lips that often gives him a feline-like feature.

“Maybe,”

Eyes still latched on Yuki’s lips, Ran hears and sees his words almost in slow motion.

“There is one thing that you can help with.”

Ran almost doesn’t realize it, hypnotized by Yuki’s lips, when Yuki’s hand starts to rise from his right knee to his thigh that is still covered by the bathrobe. When he does realize it, he catches Yuki who has been looking at his right thigh the entire time.

Ran never sees that expression on his husband.

He looks like a tiger who is eyeing his next prey.

Ran is afraid, but for the first time under the eyes of Ishikawa Yuki he feels desirable. His body burns hot from the foreign feeling.

Yuki’s eyes leave his thigh, and look back at Ran. He almost gasps, moans even, at the intensity of the gaze Yuki is giving him. There is mutual desire there, but also curiosity.

But there is also desperateness.

Yuki is looking at him like he is asking—near begging—for permission from Ran to go further.

Ran’s whole body trembles. He wishes he could mask it enough so Yuki won’t be able to feel it when he puts his hand on top of Yuki's. He slowly pries his bigger hand from his right thigh and moves it away.

Ran is ready for Yuki’s fury, however shape it will take, for denying him from his own husband’s body. Maybe it’s his fault for provoking him through the phone, but this is not the result Ran wanted. What Ran does not expect is for Yuki to hang his head on his shoulders dejectedly. Ran hears him sigh.

Like nothing ever happened, Yuki moves back, finally giving Ran space to breathe.

“Or maybe not,” says Yuki while patting Ran’s wet hair lightly, before fully leaving Ran who is still seated frozen on the table.

“Dry your hair before you go to sleep,” he says while walking to his room. “Good night, Ran.”

Ran only dares to breathe when Yuki’s door clicks shut. He hurriedly collects his laptop and goes to his own room. There, he grabs his phone and sends Ogawa a message.

Ogawa-san. I think it’s working.
23.12

The office is quiet as usual, only the sound of keyboard typing and the occasional small and short chatters fill the room. They have finished their first agenda of the day, the dreaded press conference which they were barely prepared for. But Yuki is pretty laid back about it, and as he promised Tomo last night, he doesn’t make any major revision on the speech. The press receives his statement well too. When Yuki goes down the podium, they all can breathe in relief.

The silence breaks when all of their computers chime with email notifications at the same time. All five computers at the same time.

Tomo catches Sekita’s eyes first from across his desk and the secretary is also looking at him with the same look. The rest of the office members are also throwing glances at one another with the same question on their faces.

“Did we just get an email at the exact same time?” says Sekita, voicing what all of them have in mind.

“I think so,” answers Akihiro.

“Is it all from a redacted email address? And no subject?” adds Shoma.

“Yep,” says Tomo after confirming the email address from the notification bar.

It is too weird and ominous. They are all trained in cybersecurity to not very easily open an email from an untrusted source, so none of them has yet opened the email.

“Kento, can you please scan it for malware without opening the email?” says Sekita.

“On it,” answers Kento.

They are all waiting in suspense while Kento does his thing.

“So far no malware or virus has been detected,” says Kento not very long after. “There are four pictures attached inside, though. And I think that’s all.”

“Should we open it at the same time?” says Tomo. “At least if it screws us over, we are screwed together.”

Sekita thinks it over for a small while before shrugging carelessly. “Sure, why not.”

Kento sighs defeatedly. “You know I’ll be the most screwed over, right?”

“We’ll back you up,” says Akihiro while patting Kento’s shoulder. “On three? Seki-san?”

“Uhh, I already opened it—“ says Tomo, who gains a unison groan from his team while they follow his lead and open the email. “Wait guys I think you shouldn’t—“

“WOAH!” exclaims Shoma which pretty much sums up all of their reactions regarding the content of the email.

“Damn, whose boyfriend is this?” says Akihiro after wolf-whistling. “I’m straight but, this is some tasteful nudes.”

“We are looking at the same photos, right?” says Sekita, and they all nod in agreement. “Why are we getting this?”

“Guys, don’t scroll—“ Tomo tries to warn them, but the gasp from Shoma and the curse from Kento are confirmation enough that it’s too late.

Suddenly, Yuki bangs open the door of his office and shouts at them;

“DELETE IT!”

They are all still shell-shocked by the email and adding their boss out of nowhere shouting at them, it’s fair to say they all freeze for a split second.

“The email! Delete it!” repeats Yuki, which still leaves them unmoving. “Do I need to repeat myself for the third time?!”

Sekita snaps out of it first. “Guys, c’mon.”

A few clicks, almost in unison, are heard while they delete the email.

“Kento, my office,” Yuki says curtly then he disappears back inside, once again closing the door loudly.

Kento gives all of them a dirty look which translates to “I told you” before he hurriedly follows Yuki. Once he has closed the door behind him, the remaining members dare to breathe.

“What the fuck was all that,” says Akihiro.

What the fuck indeed. So much for hoping for a peaceful day at the Spokesperson office.

This can’t be.

Yuki receives the same email as his team, at the same time, the same redacted address, and the same content. Though for Yuki, he has seen the photos before.

The first three photos are the same photos he got from his blackmailer the night before; a faceless man in lingerie who his blackmailer claimed to be Ran. However, the email was sent with one additional photo.

A nude photo of the same faceless man.

It is definitely the same man, because the unique mole his blackmailer mentioned is also visible on the nude photo.

Yuki woke up, went to the press conference, worked at his office, with the threat being no more than a stored memory in a corner of his head. He almost fully believed it was an empty threat that will have no follow-up action. He can’t believe that in less than a day, his blackmailer can prove to him how serious they are.

The photos still cannot be proven to be Ran, but the way the blackmailer fearlessly dares to send them to his team is another action of threat. A tease, as if they were saying in their modulated voice;

“I’ve leaked them to your team. Do you really want me to leak the photos for the entire world to see?”

“I am being blackmailed,” says Yuki to Kento who has been standing in front of his desk for a few minutes with Yuki fully ignoring his presence. “The blackmailer claimed the photos that were sent to all of you are of my husband.”

Kento does not hide the surprise on his face upon Yuki’s revelation regarding the gender of his partner. However, Yuki has to give him kudos for keeping it respectful.

“You heard it right. My partner is a man,” adds Yuki before Kento can get a word out. “I’m telling you this because I want you to find the person behind the threat. My marriage will remain confidential and I trust you not to break it.”

Kento bows to show Yuki his obedience. “Yes, sir.”

“Good,” Yuki says. “The blackmailer called my personal phone last night. At 10 PM. Their voice was covered by a modulator, so I couldn’t even start to identify who it may be. They demand two billion yen by tomorrow, or they will release these photos to the public.”

Kento nods along while taking his notes, then he says, “With all due respect, Ishikawa-san, if anything like this ever happened again, you should tell us immediately.”

“I know, I agree,” replies Yuki. “Up until now I fully believed this was an empty threat and I would be able to handle it by myself. I guess I need to get my ego checked.”

“Also, may I know why you are not taking this to the police?” asks Kento.

Yuki is suddenly looking at him sharply, and Kento knows he just asked the wrong question.

“The public knows I’ve been married for three years, and throughout that time, have you ever once seen or heard me talk about my partner? Their whereabouts and their identity?”

Kento gulps nervously. “No, sir.”

“And why do you think I will start doing so while his inappropriate photos are on the line?” adds Yuki rhetorically.

“I understand. My apology,” says Kento while bowing, which Yuki quickly waves off.

“I have sent you the recording of the call, as well as the email. Tried to get something out of them. Anything,” says Yuki.

“Got it,” confirms Kento.

“Do not tell anyone you are working on this. Including the rest of the team,” says Yuki. “When you return, act like nothing happened. If they ask, ignore them. If they are insistent, direct them to me.”

“Yes, sir.”

Yuki nods. “You may go now. Thank you for this, Kento.”

Kento bows again before leaving the office. Of course, once he steps one foot into their workspace, four pairs of eyes are looking at him intensely and full of curiosity.

“Don’t. Ask,” is all Kento says, ignoring the collective annoyed grumbles.

Where are you?
Are you done at the courthouse?
13.10

The messages were sent fifteen minutes ago, and Ran still hasn’t answered him. At the heat of the turn of events on his side, the silence from Ran makes him gradually antsy. Who else was sent the photos? Did he also get them? Is he okay in general? These are all Yuki can think about ever since he permitted Kento to leave his office.

He finally decides to text Ran’s guard. It’s not very often that he asks his guard regarding Ran’s condition. He always wants to hear it from Ran first, but since Ran is not replying and he is close to banging his head on the table, he resorts to it.

Where is Ran?
13.25

We are at a cemetery, sir. Takahashi-san asked me to drive him here after he was done at the courthouse.
13.26

Ran was hired as a sign-language interpreter for a deaf defendant at the courthouse today. He left the house almost as early as him, and Yuki knew he wouldn’t be able to reach him easily while Ran was working. However, Yuki knew the court should be finished around noon, if not faster. But Ran didn’t immediately answer him, and the time coincides too closely to the email incident.

So he is very glad to hear that Ran still cannot reply to him because he is at the cemetery. His guard sent him the location, but Yuki doesn’t need that. He knows exactly which cemetery Ran is at.

Ran had a brother. He was born a year earlier than Ran. They were very close, Yuki remembers during their childhood, people often mistook them as twins.

Ran had always been a gloomy kid. His biological father might as well not consider him to exist. They had a stepmother who was no better than the man she married. She always put Ran aside, out of the attention. She was too busy with Rui, the first son who one day would inherit everything from his father, and Riri, the only daughter and the last child of Takahashi who happened to be her only biological child. Ran was invisible most of the time, because ever since his young age, all of the adults around him had made sure that Ran knew he would grow up as nothing, with nothing, but the name of the great Takahashi.

Rui would succeed the company.

Riri would be married off to someone influential to strengthen the family.

And Ran would just be.

Ran had long accepted his condition as ‘nothing’ of the family. Little-Ran thought, as long as he had Rui on his side, he would be fine.

Everybody believed the future of the Takahashi children had been set in stone and would move in motion accordingly.

No one expected the tragic car accident.

Rui was declared dead at the scene.

Riri became deaf.

And Ran succumbed to selective mutism.

Yuki sighs at the painful tragedy. He knows Ran hasn’t fully healed from the trauma, and he is not sure he ever will be. Ran visits Rui’s grave very often, he believes he is there at least once a week, and Yuki will always grant him full privacy when he is there.

Yuki has one very, very distant little sister. She was practically granted freedom the moment she was born, because the family already had a first-born son to inherit the rest of the family. The quite big age gap wasn’t helping either, hence their unattachment to each other. Yuki can’t even begin to understand the grief Ran has been living with ever since the accident. The only thing Yuki can give him is space as much as possible regarding this touchy subject.

Tell him to check his phone once he finishes.
13.26

Yes, sir.
13.27

“Rui, the funniest things happen this week,” says Ran once he is finished with his prayer.

It’s a routine at this point, and Ran realizes he has been visiting Rui’s grave more often ever since he was married to Yuki. It’s ironic, really, that he swore under God that he will spend the rest of his life with this one human being, but ever since he never felt more lonely.

His life has always been lonely, even when Rui was still alive and Riri was still in the picture. Ever since they were young, Rui and Riri were always herded to one social event to another as their parents' cute-little company, which was also their indirect way to show their social circle who would continue their bloodline. Ran was always left at home. He only ever appeared at those parties if the Takahashi were hosting. Even then, Ran was ordered to just sit at his table and not allowed to do anything. That included just walking around, even eating. When his stepmother deemed it appropriate for Ran to eat, she would send a server to give him a plate which always contained basically nothing. If he was caught wandering around, or worse, ‘stealing’ food from the buffet table, his stepmother would punish him once the event ended.

Rui always tried to be on his side. He knew his stepmother had no leverage on him, but he was clever to never test her limit. When he was bored out of his mind at a party where Ran couldn’t attend, he would always text Ran, trash-talking the guests, even if he was lucky they could play co-op games together. At a home party, Rui always tried to eat together with Ran so it would be easier to sneak more food onto Ran’s plate. When Rui was not forced to mingle with the adults, he always sat beside Ran and just be his brother and his friend until he was whisked away to another guest.

When Rui passed away, of course he became very, very lonely. But he tried to get used to it fast. As he grew older, though, especially ever since college, he managed to gather friends here and there. He was good at fending off people with fake intentions, so he was pretty sure the handful of people he kept close were genuine in befriending him. Ogawa being one of them, regardless of him technically being his boss.

But then, he got married to Ishikawa Yuki. And it was not even a straightforward said-and-done marriage. There would always be something when it came to that family. The marriage must be kept a secret or else. This caused Ran to have to push away the few people he had in his life. He had to walk on eggshells just by carrying and living in this secret. Then of course, on top of it, he now has two sets of family who were constantly dictating what he could and couldn’t do at beak-and-call.

Three months into the marriage, Ran realized he had returned to that bleak phase of his life when he was a little kid without Rui on his side. And just like that time as well, all Ran could do was suck it up and try to get used to the loneliness as fast as possible. Because if he stumbled, even just once, he would get trampled with no one helping him back on his feet.

He has Ogawa, sure, who he knows loves him like his own little brother, like his own family. He will always be indebted to him for always being on his side ever since they met all those years ago, but there’s even a limit to what he can tell him.

But Rui, his grave, can’t talk nor share his deepest, darkest thoughts to other people. Dead men tell no tales, and Ran finds refuge in that.

“Yuki-san and I had a fight. You know, nothing new,” says Ran while laughing deprecatingly. “And then at night, he thought I was sleeping, and he said to me ‘It’s you Ran. You are my weakness. There is no one else.’ Can you imagine, Ishikawa Yuki, saying something as sappy as that? To me nonetheless?” Ran actually laughs a little after recounting the story. It is after all what started the whole blackmail thing that he planned with Ogawa.

“But it got me thinking. Yuki-san has always been acting cold toward me, even before we got married.” Ran gulps. “It’s easier for me to keep saying that he hates me. That he was forced into doing this and he despises every second he spends with me. That my presence in his life is just a reminder of his controlling family. Because if Yuki-san actually felt that way,” Ran takes a shaky breath. He didn’t realize it when he started crying, but suddenly there were tears on his cheek. “If he actually hates me, it’ll be easier for me to hate him too when he eventually leaves me.”

Ran wipes his tears with the back of his fingers. He didn’t mean to cry at Rui, this is supposed to be a funny story, but his heart can’t help but break every time he says it out loud that Ishikawa Yuki hates him.

“But it’s starting to be hard to believe it. I can only lie to myself for so long,” says Ran after collecting himself. “Yes, he is very cold, sometimes I feel like he can’t even see me. But, when I start to look into his behavior, just the small details of them, the more I find proves that he actually really fucking cares about me.”

He rests his forehead on the edge of Rui’s tombstone, ignoring the biting cold from the marble. His head just finally feels too heavy, along with his heart, remembering Yuki’s acts of affection throughout their marriage. The acts were so small, so intertwined into his daily lives that most of the time he can’t even feel it.

Yuki who never forced him into anything sexual.

Yuki who let him keep working as an interpreter.

Yuki who always tells him when he is going home.

Yuki who hires guards to keep him safe.

Yuki who let him live a life out of the suffocating grip of his parents.

Ran remembers, the second night they spent as a marriage couple, he was given a direct order to consummate their marriage by his stepmother.

“Dine him, wine him, get him drunk, dance with him, I don’t know Ran! Why must I do everything for you?! Think for yourself!” his mother snapped at him when he asked how he would consummate a loveless marriage.

But he followed her words, regardless that night Yuki was home at two in the morning the next day, while Ran was already dead asleep at their dining table, their dinner feast had long gone cold.

Yuki woke him up gently, asking his condition first before anything else.

In his hazy, wine-drunk, and sleep-addled brain, Ran could only remember his mother’s order to get his own husband to fuck him. Almost unconsciously, he laced his hands on Yuki’s nape and pulled him into a kiss.

Yuki managed to duck back without breaking Ran’s hold from his neck. He steadied Ran by gripping his waist, a silent command for him to not move any further. This led Ran to tears, because he felt dirty by his own crude behavior, but more than anything embarrassed for doing it to Yuki. Ran cried silently, just waterfalls of tears from his eyes onto his cheeks.

His mind was blunt, he remembered clearly the weight of Yuki’s hands when he cupped his wet cheeks. He remembers his callous fingers wiping his seemingly unstoppable tears. He remembers Yuki’s heated eyes on his face, on his entire being, which made Ran want to cower, to crumble on his feet and ask for his forgiveness. He remembers his words;

“Did your mother make you do this?”

Ran, still tearful and so fucking tired, could only nod shakily.

“Listen to me, Ran,” said Yuki, thumbs insistent on wiping his tears, like he was willing every single tear he erased to be the last. “I want you to live as you want. You don’t need to do any of this, any of what your parents tell you.”

“Ogawa-san and I set up this elaborate plan of blackmailing Yuki-san, just so he can prove himself that he actually likes me. Now, I honestly just feel stupid for taking things that far to gain something that I already have,” said Ran with a bitter smile. “Yuki-san likes me. I know this. My heart knows this. He likes me, he cares for me, more than anyone in this world. I’m just too stubborn and prideful to admit it.”

Ran raises his head again, absently rubbing the dent mark left on his forehead from the stone. “But what’s done is done. Yuki-san said he is not taking the threat seriously. I just don’t need to follow it up, then I’m sure he’ll forget about it in no time.”

A chilly breeze suddenly goes in his direction, bringing small bits of dust and any microscopic debris it managed to carry. Ran has to duck his head to not let anything get into his eyes or his face.

Then, suddenly he hears a cracking sound from behind. Like a foot that stepped and broke a fallen branch. Ran turns around, and he sees a man standing in his direction. He is far enough that Ran couldn’t immediately tell their identity.

The man keeps walking toward Ran until he is close enough for Ran to see. That moment, Ran really wishes he can speak.

Yuki's phone chimes and he grabs it almost too fast, expecting replies from Ran. However, it’s from Ran’s guard instead. He tries not to look too disappointed, even though no one is at his office to see him.

Ishikawa-san, I just want to let you know that Takahashi-san is done praying at the grave, but I don’t think he can come to the phone yet.
14.30

Why?
14.30

He met a man. They’ve been chatting for a while now.
14.31

Who is this man?
14.31

I am sorry but I do not recognize him.
Takahashi-san seems to be familiar with him, though.
14.32

the better ishikawa child: The lunch is still on or what?
14.45

Oniki Ren: Takahashi-san said he will be having lunch with the man. He said it’s his friend, he did not tell me his name. I will send you the location of the restaurant they are going to below.
14.43

A great idea appears in his head. He copies the link of the restaurant location from Ran’s guard and pastes it into his sister’s chatroom.

Let’s have lunch there.
14.46

Eh, I’m not really feeling Italian, though
14.47

Ishikawa Mayu we are having lunch there and you better show up
14.47

Uugghhh fine
14.47

This can't be a coincidence. Nothing is with the Ishikawas. Ran can't even begin to guess what the siblings are trying to do by setting up this meeting. He feels a little ambushed by their sudden appearance, but tries to maintain a positive outlook. Only a few hours ago, he was crying his heart out at his brother's grave, vowing to see Yuki in a better light, to truly understand his unique form of affection. It will be incredibly hypocritical of him to start suspecting the worst of Yuki (and his sister) again.

"Your orders will be right out," the server announces, their presence a welcome distraction. The tension in the room is palpable. It is a strange cocktail of emotions: Mayu's awkwardness as she pretends not to know him, Tatsu's nervous energy – understandable considering he was sitting across from the Spokesperson of the Japanese Prime Minister – and Yuki's usual brooding demeanor.

"Mayu," Tatsu began, a desperate attempt to break the ice. "When did you return to Japan?"

"About two weeks ago," Mayu replied. "The campaign and then the election will be starting soon, so my father insisted I come back. Family unity, you know."

"What about your club?" Tatsu asked, his worry barely concealed. "You were doing so well this season."

"I don't need to be with them 24/7," Mayu said dismissively. "Besides, I quit."

Tatsu frowns, but doesn't press the issue. Mayu and Yuki raised their wine glasses in unison, a silent toast.

"Don't mistake this for retirement," Mayu clarified, setting her glass down. "I'm not like you." She paused, a pointed glance at Yuki. "I think it's best to step back for now, until things settle down. Don't you agree, Yu-kun?"

The nickname throws Ran off guard a little bit. It is unusual to hear anyone address Ishikawa Yuki so casually, even though it is coming from a family member.

"Otsuka-san," Yuki interjected, completely ignoring his sister, "how did you know Takahashi-san?"

Mayu sighs dramatically and takes another sip of her wine. Ran sent an unspoken 'Are you serious?' glance at Yuki, hoping it went unnoticed by Tatsu.

Tatsu seems momentarily flustered, unsure if Yuki was actually speaking to him. Perhaps he was supposed to inquire about Mayu and him, not him and Ran. But after a few seconds of tense silence, and with Yuki still staring at him expectantly, Tatsu realized the question was directed at him.

"Don't you live in Milan?" Yuki pressed on. "And the last time we spoke, you said you never left Japan, Takahashi-san. How did you two become acquainted?"

"Yuki," Mayu warned, even she is finding this line of questioning ridiculous. But Tatsu finally answers.

"Believe me, I only lived in Italy for four years, for my undergraduate studies," he explained. "But I returned to Japan frequently. You see, during college, Ran volunteered at an orphanage my family runs as part of our company's CSR initiatives. That's where we met and became friends."

“Tatsu is the first speaking-person I met who could speak sign language.” Ran signed. “It's much easier to communicate with him.”

Tatsu chuckles, lightly nudging Ran with his elbow. "Surely your mentor can sign."

“She doesn't count,” Ran replied with a glint in his eyes.

Tatsu laughs softly, then turned back to the Ishikawas. "He said it's easier to communicate with me because I understand sign language."

"You can speak Japanese, Italian, and sign language," Mayu exclaimed, impressed "Valedictorian and summa cum laude. Best outside hitter in SuperLega 2025. Rich parents. Tall." She ticks off the list on her fingers. "What can't you do, Otsuka Tatsunori?"

Tatsu chuckles politely. "Believe me, there's a lot."

"Your parents own a company?" Yuki inquired, his tone bordering on intrusive.

Mayu perches on the edge of her chair, took another long sip of her wine, her eyes twinkling with amusement. Across the table, Tatsu, seemingly already used to the continuing barrage of questions, returns a polite smile.

He nods. "They have a few branches of sports academies."

"Do you teach there?" Yuki pressed on, his gaze unwavering.

"I would love to," Tatsu replied, a hint of wistfulness in his voice, "but I don't have a Japanese teaching license yet. And my parents want me to focus on other things first."

"Such as?" Yuki continued, his persistence bordering on unbearable.

"Inheriting the company, of course," Tatsu said, his voice slightly sharper now.

“Why did you learn sign language, Otsuka-san?” Yuki continued.

Mayu stifles a laugh behind her wine glass, her eyes widening in amusement. Ran, sitting beside Tatsu, gently pats his thigh under the table to get his attention.

“Are you okay? We can leave if this is too much.”

Tatsu, seemingly oblivious to Mayu's amusement and Ran's silent concern, responds in sign language: “I'm fine.”

Then, addressing Yuki directly, he said, "There will always be children at the orphanage who are deaf, hard-hearing, or unable to speak due to psychological reasons. I want to be able to communicate with all of them equally, regardless of their disability. I've been able to speak sign language since high school, long before I met Ran." He pauses, his gaze hardening. "That's why, Ishikawa-san."

The subtle jab hangs heavy in the air. Mayu, unable to contain her laughter any longer, let out a soft chuckle. Ran, observing the tense exchange, can practically feel the icy aura radiating from Yuki. He has no idea what had prompted this sudden line of questioning, but it is clear that Yuki's relentless interrogation is beginning to grate on Tatsu regardless of his friend’s ever-present calm demeanor.

As Yuki opens his mouth to respond, seemingly poised to launch another volley of questions, Ran decides to intervene. He feigns reaching for his wine glass, his fingers clumsily knocking it over. The contents spill onto the tablecloth, a small, crimson stain blooming on the pristine white linen.

The unexpected interruption provides a much-needed break in the tense atmosphere.

“Are you okay?” Tatsu signed to Ran, his expression concerned.

“I'm going to the restroom,” Ran signed back, “I'll call the server on the way.”

“Just go,” Tatsu signed, a small smile playing on his lips.

As Ran rises from his chair, he discreetly glances at Yuki, silently urging him to follow. He needs to get Yuki away from the table, and the restroom seemed like as good a place as any to have a much-needed private conversation.

He waits patiently in the men's room, the silence broken only by the soft hum of the air conditioning. He hopes Yuki will take the hint and join him soon.

In the blessedly empty restroom, Yuki joins him soon after. Ran doesn't hesitate, pulling Yuki further inside and locking the door behind them.

Ran knows his husband is angry, but he would rather face his wrath than allow him to further embarrass himself in front of Tatsu.

"Why are you here?" Ran typed, showing it to Yuki. "I know Oniki-san told you I'd be here, but why are you following me? Are you spying on me?"

"Are you hiding something from me?" Yuki countered with another question.

Ran immediately understands the source of Yuki's suspicion and finding his behavior utterly ridiculous and baseless. He types, missing Yuki's condescending eye roll.

"Are you suspecting me and Tatsu?"

"Suspect? Is there something I should be suspecting?" Yuki's questioning continues. He seems determined to be unbearable today.

Ran starts to type again: "Whatever it is, Tatsu is not that kind of person. So—"

Suddenly, Yuki snatches his phone from his hand. Ran is stunned. He knows his husband can be an asshole sometimes, but this was... he can't even find the words.

"Do you know him that well?" Yuki demands. "From what he said, you two shouldn't have had much opportunity to become close, living in different countries and only meeting during your volunteer work, which you never told me about. So I apologize if I seem unbearable, Ran."

Yuki scoffs, the mockery clear in his voice. "You know what, I don't care. Do whatever you want." He pushes his phone back into Ran’s hand and turns to leave, but Ran stops him, grasping his arm.

Yuki looks into Ran's pleading eyes, begging him to stay and explain. "I gave you complete freedom to do as you please, Ran," Yuki said, his voice finally levelled, but Ran can hear a crack in it. "But I am still your husband. I have the right to know things about you. However, if you insist on keeping secrets from me, fine. Do it your way."

Yuki gently removes Ran's hand from his arm, and this time, Ran let go without resistance. After Yuki left the restroom, Ran is left with his ever-present dilemma.

What am I to you, Ishikawa Yuki.

Tatsu wasn't surprised when Ran returned to the table and announced his sudden departure. The sign-center asked him to return immediately. At least Ran had the decency to look apologetic for leaving so abruptly.

The Spokesperson, however, displayed no such remorse. He returned shortly before Ran, coldly announcing his own urgent departure. As a Spokesperson he had to get a lot of urgent calls. Yet, Mayu's growing gloom hinted at a more personal reason.

All the dishes they ordered have arrived, but Mayu has not touched them, and Tatsu still feels a lingering tension from the earlier confrontation.

"Is the Spokesperson Ran's sugar daddy?"

Mayu, mid-sip of wine, nearly chokes. Tatsu chuckles at her startled reaction, while Mayu is staring at him in disbelief.

"I’m just kidding," he said evenly. "You can stop pretending now, Mayu. I know that Ran and you know each other. And I know Ran knows your brother. I can read between the lines."

"How do you know?" Mayu asked after she gathers herself.

"I just do," Tatsu replied simply. "None of you acted like strangers around Ran. Your brother didn't even try to hide it. And anyone observing our conversation would notice your brother's… obsession with my relationship with Ran."

Mayu sighs, defeated and almost embarrassed by her brother's behavior. "I'm so sorry about that. I had no idea he'd act crazy like that." She paused, looking at him apologetically. "And I'm sorry for hiding things from you."

Tatsu chuckles, though surprised by her apology. "Mayu, it's fine, really." He said reassuringly. "When I put the two and two together, I wasn't surprised that you all knew each other. Ran's family is deeply involved in Japanese politics, and the Ishikawas are practically synonymous with it. Heck, you probably have known him longer than I have. So it’s understandable that you know each other. But I also sensed something deeper between you and Ran, something involving your brother. Am I right?"

Mayu's silence is confirmation enough.

"Ran is my friend," Tatsu said, meeting Mayu's gaze, striving to convey his sincerity. He takes her hand, which has been nervously playing with the stem of her empty glass, and holds it firmly. "And you are you. I trust both of you." He said. "I just hope you can trust me in return."

Mayu remains silent, but Tatsu senses an internal struggle within her. He yearns to ease her burden, to share it with him. Doesn't he deserve that, after all they have been through together? But he can't push. Who is he to force her to reveal family secrets when he has his own skeletons in the closet?

Tatsu smiles at her, offering reassurance. He releases her hand, the sudden absence of her warmth leaving a pang of longing in its wake.

"Forget about it," Tatsu said. "Let's eat. We have plenty of food to finish."

He tries to shift the mood, to bury the uncomfortable topic. Spending time with Mayu, simply enjoying her company, should be enough.

When Mayu picks up her utensils and begins to eat as he suggested, Tatsu finally feels a sense of relief. Their conversation flows smoothly thereafter, pretending they did not have that conversation a few minutes ago. Because unlike Mayu, he is good at pretending. After all, he has been doing it only his entire life.

Ran has been home for hours, a gnawing anxiety twisting in his gut. He is getting impatient for Yuki's return, yet simultaneously dreading his arrival. The thought of facing Yuki, of his possible anger or disappointment, sends unpleasant knots to his gut. He chants internally, "Yuki won't hurt me. Yuki likes me," like a mantra. He has made that resolve, however, it is evidently hard to believe in himself, especially after the stunt Yuki pulled at the restaurant.

He sits in the living room, fiddling with his phone, when the familiar whir of the automatic lock alerts him to Yuki's return. Ran scrambles to his feet as Yuki strides towards him, a simmering rage evident in his eyes.

"Give me your phone," Yuki demands.

Ran clutches his phone tighter, shaking his head. Yuki has sworn to respect his privacy, and Ran won't let what seems like a lapse of jealousy break that promise.

"I'm not in the mood to fight with you," Yuki growls, his patience already wearing thin.

Ran shakes his head again, more firmly this time.

Yuki clicks his tongue in annoyance and turns away in frustration. Ran, assuming Yuki is heading to his room, relaxes slightly. But his husband only goes to the kitchen for a glass of water. He stands by the counter, his back to Ran.

Cautiously, Ran approaches him. Yuki turns, his eyes weary, yet with a hint of pleading that weakens Ran's resolve.

“If you can give me a good reason, I will give you my phone,” Ran types on his phone, showing it to Yuki.

Yuki closes his eyes, sighs, and says, "The threats I received yesterday... they escalated today. It's blackmail."

Ran's blood runs cold. He is the blackmailer, and he has planned to stop it. He did not even do anything about it today. What does Yuki mean by "escalated"?

"My team is looking into it," Yuki continues. "I need your phone. We suspect it's been hacked."

Hacked? Ran stares at his phone, fear gripping him. How could his phone, that more often than not is in his hand, have been compromised?

"Please, Ran," Yuki pleads. "Let me check it."

With trembling hands, Ran hands over his phone. Yuki takes it, then gently grasps Ran's hand. Ran looks up at his husband, his fear unconcealed. Yuki's eyes harden with determination, offering a flicker of comfort. He squeezes Ran's hand, saying, "I'm sorry you're involved in this mess. I'll take care of it. I'll get you out of this soon."

Ran can only nod. How can he explain that he is the one who has created this mess?

Yuki remains close, holding his hand while he examines Ran's phone. Suddenly, Yuki shows him the screen, his face a mixture of shock and disbelief. It is one of the racy photos Ran has taken of himself in lingerie.

"Why did you take these photos?" Yuki asks, his voice calm.

Ran cannot explain without revealing the truth, and he isn't sure how to confess after Yuki's mention of the hacking. He signals for Yuki’s phone so he can type up his response. Yuki hands it, seemingly already prepared because the phone is already unlocked on his notes app.

“I wanted to send them to you,” Ran types, lying through his fingers.

Yuki frowns. "Why?"

“Isn't that what married couples do?” Then he adds, “But even I found them crude and ridiculous, so I refrained from actually sending them.”

Yuki frowns deeper, seeming to misinterpret his words. "Your mother forced you, didn't she?"

Yuki has unknowingly provided an escape route, and Ran seizes it. He tugs on Yuki's hand, leading him to their bedroom. He cannot recall the last time Yuki has ventured beyond the doorway, but it doesn't matter now. He needs to sell this lie convincingly.

He gently pushes Yuki onto the bed, then retrieves a box from his wardrobe. Yuki watches him with a mixture of confusion and patience. Ran would never understand Yuki’s unending patience to his behavior while often acting like he has none.

Ran opens the box, revealing the lingerie from the photos. His stepmother actually sent it to him a few months ago, which of course he gladly ignored. He never thought it would come in handy up until this point. Not in a thousand years Ran expected his stepmother could somehow save him in this kind of condition.

Yuki's eyes widen in realization after seeing the content of the box. Ran then hands him a card tucked beneath the box. It reads, "Make your husband happy," in his stepmother's handwriting.

Yuki places the card back in the box. "I told you not to do what your parents tell you," he says, his voice tinged with frustration. "I'm your husband, and you barely listen to me, which is fine. But this..." He pauses, catching himself. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You don’t need to do what your parents force you to do. If you feel helpless, tell me. Confide in me. We'll face them together. I'll face them for you. And what does your mother know about making a husband happy? Her marriage is a business arrangement."

"I'm happy with you, Ran," Yuki continues, his words stealing Ran's breath away. "Every day I come home, and you're there. Every morning I wake up, and you're still there. It's enough."

Ran feels tears welling up. After all his lies, his threats, Yuki has responded with nothing but sincerity, with the answer he has been desperately seeking. Yuki cares for him, deeply.

Ran nods helplessly, hoping it is enough of an answer. He then types on Yuki's phone, trying to put them back on the initial topic,

“What happened to you? What did you mean about my phone being hacked?”

Yuki looks at Ran with worries filled in his eyes. He does not immediately answer him, clearly bargaining to himself whether Ran should know the matter further or not. In the end, he gives up, and tells Ran,

"These photos, including the nude one, were sent to my team this afternoon."

Ran feels a wave of dizziness.

"It was just my team, but yes, they all saw it," Yuki says.

Ran has taken four photos, one of which is a complete nude. His face is not present, of course, but everything else is pretty much displayed on the photo. He has intended to send them all to Yuki the night before, as part of his threat, but he has hesitated, fearing it was too much. Now he feels utterly stupid. He has withheld the photo from his own husband, only for it to find its way out and end up in the hands of Yuki's colleagues. Karma surely has struck him a hundredfold.

"I'm so sorry, Ran," Yuki repeats, his voice filled with genuine remorse. "My team and I are still investigating. We traced the photo back to the cemetery, around the same time you were there." He explains. “While you were there, did you notice anything unusual? Anyone?”

Ran doesn't ask how Yuki knows he has been at the cemetery. His guard must have informed him. And if anything unusual has happened, he wouldn't have noticed. He has been occupied at Rui's grave, and then Tatsu has arrived, distracting him.

He won't mention Tatsu, not after the restaurant incident. But now, knowing Yuki has been at the restaurant while already aware of the threat, it explains his snappish behavior.

Then he remembers something. He quickly types,

"I left my phone at the courthouse. I was only gone for a few minutes, but when I returned, a man was holding it. He didn't say anything, just handed it back to me."

Yuki nods. "That could be the culprit. Even a short time would have been enough to hack your phone." He shows Ran his phone. "Your phone is compromised. I'm confiscating it. I'll get you a new one tomorrow."

Ran can only nod. He is still struggling to comprehend the gravity of the situation. And worst of all, he has started it. If he hadn't taken those photos, Yuki wouldn't have been threatened. He wants to bang his head against the wall, to atone for his stupid actions.

"Ran," Yuki says, taking his attention. He has dropped his phone and placed his hand over Ran's. He squeezes it reassuringly. "Don't blame yourself. This person would have threatened me one way or another. Even if those photos didn't exist, they would have found another way. It's unfortunate you got involved, but it's not your fault, Ran."

Tears stream down Ran's face. He doesn't realize he is crying until Yuki gently wipes them away.

"I'm so sorry you got involved, Ran," Yuki whispers.

Ran, overwhelmed with emotion, tugs on Yuki's arm, pulling him closer. Yuki responds by wrapping his arms around Ran, holding him close. Ran buries his face in Yuki's shoulder, tears soaking Yuki's suit. He clings to him, desperate for comfort.

Yuki holds him tightly, offering as much solace as he can. He kisses the top of Ran's head, whispering, "I will protect you. Don't worry, Ran."

“Thank you so much, Otsuka-san. I know you must be busy, but you always come and visit us. Even helping with the administration stuff. I’m deeply grateful.”

Tatsu smiles at the nun, Nanami-san. It’s the day after the restaurant incident with the Ishikawas and Ran.

“It’s okay, Nanami-san. I am always glad to be able to help around here,” he says while tidying up their table.

What he did not tell the Ishikawas yesterday is that he is actually the head of the orphanage. It is actually the only condition he asked his parents if they wanted him to inherit the company. He wanted to privatize the orphanage, making it exclusively under the fund and care of the company and the Otsuka family. His parents did not make too much fuss about it and did exactly what Tatsu wanted. As long as he does not get too side-tracked on it, by all means go ahead and take care of the orphanage, they said.

“And your friend out there, isn’t she pretty? Is that your girlfriend?” Nanami teases with a concealed giggle.

Tatsu laughs lightly, taking the tease in stride. “I have another business with her after this, so I asked her if she wanted to come here for a little while. She agreed, so…” He lets his words hang, letting it explain itself.

“Ah, speaking of your friend, where is your friend from college? He never comes here again, I’m sure the kids that remember him are missing him,” she says.

Tatsu is not sure who Nanami-san is talking about. Other than today, he never brings a friend to the orphanage. Unless she is talking about…

“Did you mean ‘Ran’? The one that used to volunteer here? Brown hair, around my age, slightly shorter than me?”

“Yes, Ran-kun! He volunteered here while he was in college, right?” Nanami-san adds. “Even when you were not here, he came very often. He helped us a lot, sometimes I felt bad for him, but he was really good with the kids. I clearly remember, there was a baby who just wouldn’t stop crying. But the moment Ran-kun swaddled her and sang her a soft lullaby, the baby went calm almost immediately. He was like a miracle, really.”

Tatsu nods attentively to what Nanami-san says.

“I wonder what happened to him, he never visits us anymore. It’s been three years, I believe,” Nanami-san continues. “Are you still in contact with him?”

Tatsu gives her a tight smile before answering, “He got married.”

“How were the kids? They weren’t too rowdy, right?” Tatsu says to the passenger beside him.

Mayu shrugs. “They were fine,” she says. “We just played volleyball while you were doing whatever it was inside.”

Tatsu smiles while keeping his eyes on the road. “I’m sorry I left you like that. Next time I’ll play with you and the kids.”

“Oh, there is going to be ‘next time’?” Mayu says while tilting her head, her telltale when she wants to tease him on something. She knows Tatsu still can see her from his periphery.

“If you don’t mind, of course,” Tatsu says, trying not to trip over his words. “The kids like you, and it’s always nice to have extra hands to help, even if it's just for a couple of hours.”

Mayu laughs at Tatsu, clearly sensing his nervousness. “Yeah, you didn’t need to pitch your CSR like that. I’ll help out if you bring me along. It will be kinda awkward if I just go there alone.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Mayu says while nodding. “Trust me, I have way too much free time ever since I returned to Japan. I’m not like you, I don’t have a company to be inherited or an orphanage to be taken care of. I’m just there to sit pretty, the trophy daughter of the prime minister candidate.”

Tatsu frowns at Mayu’s statement. “Don’t say that. You are way more than just a ‘trophy’.”

“But I am pretty, right?”

A blush blooms on Tatsu’s cheeks and Mayu smiles pleasantly. It’s good to know she still can get under Tatsu’s skin, in a good way, like that. Being with him, ever since yesterday until today, is the closest resemblance of stability she has gotten ever since she returned to Japan.

She has lived in Italy ever since she was in middle school, and since then she almost never returned to Japan. Volleyball and Italy were all she knew ever since she was a pre-teen, and for both of those things being taken away from her so abruptly, simply because her father is running for prime minister election, is like getting a whiplash. She doesn’t know anyone from Japan, her family is too busy for her, and it’s not like she would be allowed to try-out in a local club just to kill time. It’s only been two weeks, but most days Mayu is close to losing her mind for the nothingness she has to face while in Japan.

It was a shock meeting Tatsu at that restaurant yesterday, especially with the stunts her brother pulled there, but after everything has calmed down, she is just left with relief for meeting Tatsu. Her home is Italy, and Tatsu brings just exactly that to her.

“You are,” Tatsu says, almost a whisper, seemingly too shy to say it out loud. “Pretty. You know that.”

Still smiling, pleased, Mayu pushes Tatsu’s shoulder lightly.

“Where are you bringing me now, Tat-chan?” she says, swerving the topic.

“Ah, yes,” Tatsu starts like he just forgot why he brought Mayu along since the morning. “Well, you know that I’m actually an orphan.”

Mayu nods. When their relationship grew closer while they were both playing in Italy, Tatsu confided that information to her. She believes not many people know about it, but he told her anyway. Tatsu was adopted by the Otsukas when he was 13 years old and he has been raised like their own ever since.

“I grew up in that very orphanage. At that time, the orphanage was named ‘Nuri Dream House’, then Otsuka company privatized it and renamed it to ‘Otsuka Dream House’. My parents adopted me from there, then I lived in Kyoto with them,” Tatsu explains. “The orphanage actually moved, so it can be closer to the city. When I was still under their care, it was pretty secluded, located near a hill surrounded by quite dense forest. Not far from Nuri House, there was a mansion.”

Mayu is not sure where Tatsu is heading with this conversation, but she doesn’t interrupt and lets Tatsu continue.

“At the time I was still with Nuri, there were many cases of missing orphans. Orphans who were under Nuri’s care. My friends.” Tatsu pauses, chewing on his lips slightly. Mayu can feel grief radiating from Tatsu. “I was a kid, sure, and it’s been years, years ago. But I can’t get them out of my head. I talked about them to my therapist, we tried many things so I can let them go, forget about them, but I never can. I think I know why, and I never told this to anyone, so I confide one more thing to you, Mayu. I’m sure I almost became one of the missing children.”

Mayu blinks once, twice, trying to make sense of what Tatsu just said, before coming up empty-handed.

“What do you mean by that?”

“The mansion near Nuri House, the nuns always told us to never go there, but of course we were children. A handful of us didn’t listen. Including me. I was curious about the mansion, so one day I went there. The mansion was like a haunted house, dark, intimidating, just bad vibes all along, but my curiosity won over. I kept exploring the mansion, then, suddenly like it appeared from thin air, there was a boy. I think he was around my age, and he was wearing a mask that covered his eyes. I didn’t think much about that, because the boy said, ‘Let’s play. I have many toys in my room.’ A child that I was, I followed him and, true, he had many many toys and we spent almost all day playing in his room.

“Then, there was a cat. I think it was a stray that sneaked into the house.” Tatsu pauses. He takes a shaky breath before continuing. “The boy said, ‘Let’s play with the cat. We can open up his belly.’ He said with so much glee, like he was unaware he just said something menacing. He had a knife, and–”

Tatsu seems to not be able to continue his words. The grip on the wheel tightens, turning his knuckles white. His face turns into a painful grimace. Mayu does not hold back her gasp when she gathers what Tatsu is unable to say.

“The boy killed the cat?”

Tatsu nods jerkily. “I ran away. As fast as I could. Because even then I understood, I was going to be next.”

“Tatsu,” Mayu says, trying to stop him from telling the story. Clearly it is a painful, traumatic, event of his life. She doesn’t need to know if Tatsu is hurting himself in the process.

Tatsu shakes his head, seemingly understanding Mayu’s intention.

“I didn’t tell anyone about the boy. About the mansion. And when my friends went missing one by one, I knew it was the boy.” Tatsu takes another shaky breath, and it goes through to his words. “If only I told them. If only I was not such a coward. They would all still be alive. Instead I ran away and hid the truth. And adopted to a rich family and living such a comfortable life, while my friends were kill–”

“You were a kid, Tatsu,” Mayu says, stopping Tatsu from his self-blame.

“I was indeed,” Tatsu says. “But I’m an adult now, with resources. I want to get to the bottom of this.”

Tatsu hits a road-bump, and only then Mayu realizes they are no longer on the busy streets of Tokyo. On both sides they are surrounded by rows of trees, driving on a narrow road uphill.

“I will find that boy who killed my friends.”

The road ends at a tall metal gate with intricate carving. Beyond the gate, stands tall a mansion clouded by the shadow of the hill and the endless rows of trees. Mayu gulps, understanding the weight of the situation.

“If I want the police to handle this case, I will need evidence. And I will look for them,” Tatsu says, not noticing the turmoil brewing beside him.

“You are joking, right?” Mayu says. Tatsu turns his face from the gate to look at Mayu. He was a cocktail of grief and self-blame only a few minutes ago, but now, Mayu almost does not recognize the man in front of him. Tatsu is always warm and home personified to Mayu. His bright smile, his easy laughter, his endless kindness. But this man looks nothing but cold and revengeful.

“Tatsu, this is my grandfather’s house.”

“I know,” Tatsu says. Mayu can hear sinister in his simple words. “That’s why I brought you here.”

Under Yuki’s order, Ran is not allowed to go outside of their home, so he has to do his work from home. He hasn’t told Ogawa the details. He is afraid, if his best friend knew, he would be worried and blame himself. The nude photos were part of his idea anyway, even though none of them would have known the issue would blow up out of proportion like this.

He still doesn’t have a new phone. The other phone that he used to blackmail Yuki is still burning a hole in a secret compartment in his nightstand. He has to solely depend on his laptop to communicate with the outside world. It isn’t so bad, he has no one in particular to video-call or text anyway.

While he is doing his work at the kitchen diner, the landline rings. It spooks Ran a little bit, the sound reverberating loudly in this empty apartment. He almost never hears the landline, and he is not sure what to do. He cannot pick it up, and even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to talk with the caller either. He lets the phone ring while getting back to his work. After the call gets disconnected, the phone immediately rings again, again, and again. The sound is starting to make Ran nervous.

He walks to the phone and decides to pick it up. He will hear what the caller has to say. If it is really necessary for him to talk, he is going to pretend he is Yuki’s assistant or something. Not that he could say he is his husband.

“Ah~ You finally picked up. Why did you leave me waiting like that, Ran-chan~?”

Ran's entire body goes frozen. He does not recognize the male voice at all, but that is not important. Who is this person, and why does he know Ran is in Ishikawa Yuki’s residence? Why does he know it is Ran that is going to pick up the phone?

“Quit it with the mute-act, Ran-chan. I know you can talk, you just don’t want to.”

Oh, of course it could get worse.

“C’mon, say something. I would love to hear your voice.”

Ran doesn’t say anything. He cannot. He is still processing what is currently happening to him right now.

“Well, it is the first time we ever talked, maybe you are shy. Don’t worry, we’ll get over that soon. Anyway, Ran-chan, you really love your brother, huh? Your dead brother. Like you are obsessed with him. I have never seen someone visit a slab of stone that often.”

Ran’s hand that has been gripping the phone trembles hard. He almost drops it when he hears his laptop chime, way louder than he set it to be. An involuntary gasp escapes from his lips from his shock, and the caller chuckles in delight.

“Ah, a gasp! That’s a start. You have a really beautiful voice,” says the caller. “Go on, check your laptop. I have a gift for you and your brother.”

He walks to his laptop, phone still hovering on his ear. He has an email containing a photo from a redacted email address. With his other hand which is just as shaky, he moves the cursor to open the email.

It is Rui’s tombstone, covered with hundreds of chopped fish. The bodies, the heads, the innards, they are piled around the tombstone until the ground is not even visible. The red liquid poured on the stone, dripping down to the fishes at the bottom is unmistakably blood.

Ran is holding himself from throwing up at the gruesome sight. He turns his back from his laptop, getting away from the photo. The caller laughs at his ear. He sounds manically happy and pleased. Ran’s stomach churns hearing his voice.

“Rui must be hungry. You only brought him flowers. I’m doing him a favor, Ran-chan.”

“W-what…” Ran says, braving himself to show his voice to the mysterious caller. He already knew he could talk anyway, he doesn’t need to hide it anymore. “What do you want?”

“See? It wasn’t too hard talking to me, right?” taunts the caller. “I think Rui misses you, Ran-chan. Come, we are waiting for you.”

The call ends. The ‘click’ sound almost deafening to Ran. He cannot think straight any longer. He puts the phone beside his laptop and grabs his car key.

.

.

Mayu slaps his face. Tatsu knows he deserves that one.

“So you’ve been using me?” She somehow still manages to keep her voice level. “Five fucking years we were together. All those years, you were only playing a long game to get me here? To use me to open my grandfather’s house? To satisfy your sick obsession?”

“Yes,” Tatsu replies. He sighs while lightly touching his tender cheek from Mayu’s hit. He knew she was strong, but it really stings. “I can explain it better, but can you please just do me this one favor, Mayu?”

“I will tell my father about this. He will destroy you.”

“He won’t,” Tatsu retorts, which gains a deep frown from Mayu. “My parents are a big supporter of your father. One of the biggest sponsors of his campaign. He won’t do anything. He won’t risk it.”

Tatsu quickly holds Mayu’s hand before it can fly to slap him again. Mayu’s calm composure has broken. She looks furious, one second away from beating Tatsu to a pulp.

“I’m sorry your father is an asshole who doesn’t care about his only daughter,” Tatsu continues. “We are already here, Mayu, might as well help me. We are not going anywhere until you open the door.”

Mayu pulls her hand out of Tatsu’s grip harshly. She doesn’t hit him, but she points at his face, “You are an asshole. I hate you,” she hisses.

She flicks a secret clasp at the metal door handle which reveals a fingerprint sensor. She presses her right forefinger on the sensor, and under two seconds, they can hear the locking mechanism whir then click. The door pushes inward automatically, opening their way into the house.

Mayu faces Tatsu once again. Fury, sorrow, and betrayal are flooding her eyes. “I hope this is worth manipulating me for five years.”

Tatsu bites his lips, holding back words of self-defense. Mayu doesn’t need to hear them now. He will make her understand, one day, but not today.

Mayu enters the house first, and Tatsu follows.

“Are all of the Ishikawas’ fingerprints registered to open this house?” Tatsu asks.

“You already know the answer.”

“So your brother will be able to open it as well?”

“Stop talking. I will literally kill you.”

After the anteroom, they arrive at the foyer. Mayu keeps walking forward to the grand staircase, but Tatsu stops her.

“It’s not that way,” he says. “The boy brought me to the basement. We played there.”

“There’s no basement.”

“There is. Come here.”

Tatsu leads her to the house’s wet-kitchen, a nook way deeper in the 1st floor. Mayu is not familiar with the area, of course; surely only the domestic workers step foot here. The princess of the house does not need to ever enter a wet-kitchen. Beside the industrial refrigerator, hangs a small frame of a generic tree painting that people would walk past without a second thought. Tatsu puts the frame down, and shows Mayu another fingerprint sensor behind it.

Mayu sighs, but without another word or fight, she puts her forefinger on the sensor. A trapped door opens at the far corner of the kitchen, the whirring of the stairs being lowered fills the room. Mayu is looking at the trap door with horror on her face. A secret fingerprint key in the furthest corner of her grandfather’s house to open a trapdoor that leads to a dark basement. She never claimed to know her grandfather that well, but she would never in a thousand years expect him to have a secret basement in his house.

“Come,” Tatsu says, already on the first step of the downward stairs. He is offering his hand to Mayu, the other one holding his phone as a flashlight.

Mayu takes his hand, letting him guide them down to the darkness. She doesn’t even know this room exists, and Tatsu apparently has been here before.

When they have fully descended to the basement, the sight they see is not what they would have ever expected.

“RAN!”

There, laid on the dusty floor, is Ran; unconscious and bleeding from his head.

Tatsu immediately lets go of Mayu’s hand and runs to his friend. He calls his name, shakes his shoulder, all to no avail. It is dark, but Tatsu can see the sizeable pool of blood around his head.

“Mayu, call an ambulance.”

“No,” Mayu says to Tatsu’s horror.

“It’s not the time to be petty! Call the ambulance!” Tatsu snarls.

“No!” Mayu insists, shouting back at Tatsu. “If we call an ambulance at my grandfather’s house, my father will hear. What do you think he would do if he found out the son of Takahashi had been found bleeding at his property?!”

“Then what should we do?!”

“Your car, God! You are so stupid!”

“Tomorrow is finally the day, dear husband. Five years of engagement, five years of me trying anything in my disposal to break out the deal, to mess up the engagement, all in vain. Shouldn’t have known better, should I? Who is the only daughter of the Takahashi family when put against the Ishikawa.”

“…”

“Say something. I can’t be the only one grieving here.”

“What about your brother?”

“My mother will marry him to a South Korean media conglomerate. The wedding won’t be too long after ours. That woman, really, she doesn’t even try to hide that she wants to get rid of him as soon as possible.”

“…”

“What about him? Why do you care about Ran?”

“Riri, let’s make a deal. Do you want your freedom from me and my family? From yours?”

“… I’m listening.”

“Let’s switch the bride. Tonight, you will disappear wherever you want. I will cover all of the expenses, and all of your tracks. Tomorrow, I will be married to Takahashi Ran.”

“Deal.”

“Good. All the best to you, Riri. May you find your happiness.”

“My and Ran’s happiness had died that day, along with Rui’s body. But thanks, Yuki-san. Please take care of my brother.”

“I will.”

Yuki hasn’t been able to concentrate at all the entire day at work. He gave Kento Ran’s phone, and Kento confirmed that his husband’s phone is indeed hacked. Kento is currently doing further investigation on the device, and hasn’t gotten back to him at all. He doesn’t want to pressure his subordinate; he still has to do his actual job as a staff in the Spokesperson office on top of his private investigation. He is supposed to be doing the same thing, but he can’t bring himself to it.

The memory of Ran silently crying and trembling in his arms last night is stuck in his head. He almost didn’t go to the office today, wanting to be at Ran’s side the entire day in the safety of their home, but of course he can’t do it. That morning his excuse was he still had to attend his actual job, but now he isn’t doing anything about said job. He regrets his decision; he should’ve stayed with Ran. But now it’s too late. At least the office hours will end soon, and he can be with Ran again.

His private phone rings, the screen showing an incoming call from an unknown number. His blood immediately boils at the sight, in tandem with the flashback of an unknown call he received two days ago; the start of everything that has been happening to him and his husband.

He answers the call, letting the caller have the first words.

“Oho~ Picked up at the first ring. You are more obedient than your husband.”

Yuki doesn’t recognize the voice. The caller is unmistakably a man, and he doesn’t use a voice distortion. However, the confidence, and the coincidence too, is pointing to this person being the same person from the blackmail call.

“Dropping the voice distortion is a bad idea. I will use your voice to find your identity.”

“Oh~ I’m so scared~!” the voice teases. “Do you like my gifts? Did you jerk off together with your employee to your husband’s nudes?”

“Listen, you piece of shit,” Yuki balls his fist so tight until his nails are digging into his palm. He is holding himself back from punching his own desk. “If you think you can use them against me, you are wrong. You are wasting your time, and your effort. It’s only a matter of time before I catch you.”

“Sca~ry~” the voice says, without a hint of remorse. “You said ‘a matter of time’ but surely you are taking your sweet time, huh? If I’m not mistaken, the deadline is today, right? 2 billion yen for your dear husband’s nudes. Maybe you want them to get leaked, you kinky motherfucker.”

“You—“

“I’m feeling generous today, though,” the voice cuts his threat before he can start. “Something already satiated my hunger. How about a new deal, Ishikawa Yuki?”

“I’m not negotiating anything with a maniac like you.”

“Your husband in exchange for you.”

The caller’s tone changes. Where it had been gleeful, fearless, and provocative, it changes into something cold, sinister, and threatening. Yuki knows he isn’t joking around anymore.

“I want you. The real, Ishikawa Yuki. Give me all of him. If not, I will take Takahashi Ran and return him at your feet as nothing but a body.”

The phone call ends. Yuki doesn’t hold back anymore from his rage. He punches his table hard. He feels his skin break and blood tainting his table, but he doesn’t feel the pain at all. The sound of him hitting the table seeps outside, and from his periphery he sees his staff trying to peek at his office from their respective cubicles. He couldn’t care less. His head is clouded with nothing but a blinding anger; he feels like he could strangle someone and kill them with his bare hands. That is exactly what he wants to do to that caller.

His phone rings again, and without seeing the caller ID, he picks it up. He expects it to be the same male’s voice, but it is different.

“This is Otsuka Tokyo Medical Center. Is this Ishikawa Yuki?”

Why is a hospital calling? “Yes,” is all he can say between his bouts of anger.

“Ishikawa-san, you are listed as Takahashi Ran’s medical emergency contact. There has been an accident. Please come to our location as soon as possible.”

He is too blindsided with cocktails of unfathomable emotions to even think what he is doing. He runs to his car, bringing only his phone and his key. His staff are looking at him worriedly while he runs past them. In the flurry of the moment, Yuki doesn’t realize an email is being sent to him. He will open it later, much much later, and his phone’s screen cracks from the impact of him throwing it to the wall.

The email contains a photo of Ran; a pool of blood around his head, unconscious on the basement floor of his grandfather’s house.

A line of message accompanying the email: If you test me again, next time I’ll make sure nobody will be there to help him.

.

.

When Yuki arrives at the hospital, a nurse immediately hurries him to the OR area. Her voice is almost white noise, but he gets the important gist:

“Fracture at the back of his head.”

“Left at the place he was found for a long time.”

“Lost a lot of blood.”

“Needing transfusion.”

In the corridor of the OR, Otsuka Tatsunori is sitting at the waiting bench, and Yuki sees red. He dashes to the other man, pulls him from the seat, and punches his face.

The nurse shrieks and runs away, probably getting security to stop him, but he couldn’t care less.

“It’s all because of you!” Yuki screams at Tatsu’s face, his hold on his shirt lapels not loosening. “Ever since you returned here, to Ran’s life, nothing has been going right!”

“Ishikawa-san—“

“You are behind this, aren’t you?! The blackmail?! The kidnapping?!”

“No—“

“Shut up! SHUT UP!”

His fist is already rising again, but is stopped when someone pulls him away from Tatsu. Tatsu staggers back, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Yuki elbows back the person pulling him back. He hears a thud, the person falling from the impact. Only then does he realize it is Mayu.

“What are you doing here?! What the fuck is happening?!” He shouts at his sister.

Tatsu hurries to Mayu’s side and helps her stand back to her feet. He had been looking close to neutral when Yuki punched him, but now, putting himself between him and his sister, Yuki finally sees his anger.

“Don’t ever touch her again,” Tatsu hisses at him.

“No—stop! Both of you stop!” Mayu shouts. She pushes Tatsu away, and now she is the one between the two men. She faces Yuki fearlessly and says, “Tatsu saved him! If he wasn’t there, Ran would already be dead! So calm down and think with your head!”

“What do you know about him?!”

“I was there with him!” Mayu shouts, finally bearing the truth. “We were together the entire day. We found Ran together at grandfather’s place. If you don’t believe him, can you at least believe me? I’m your sister. Have I ever lied to you?”

Mayu’s words make something in his head click back to its initial position. Seeing Tatsu’s bloodied face, the fact he just pushed Mayu, and remembering Ran behind the OR’s door, he feels his sanity gradually return to his senses.

“I’m sorry,” he eventually says between his bated breath. He doesn’t even realize when his breath started racing like that. “What do you mean grandfather’s house? Where were you? Where was Ran?”

“It’s a long story and I will tell you everything,” Mayu adds the latter part quickly to appease his brother. “I need you to calm down first.”

Mayu takes both of his hands and forcefully unfurls them out of his fists, and lets their hands clasp into one, intertwined with each other. Yuki feels so much calmer by the simple gesture. He looks down, and he sees a bandage on the inside of her left elbow.

“What is that for? Are you okay?” he asks.

Mayu nods. “I gave them my blood, for Ran. We have the same type.”

“But—how?”

“He is my family too. In-law, but it’s enough. He really needs it. There’s not much choice,” Mayu explains.

It only dawns on him now. The hospital called him as Ran’s emergency contact. The hospital allowed Mayu to donate her blood for him. That means they know.

They know Ran is his husband.

“This is my uncle’s hospital,” Tatsu suddenly says. Yuki almost forgot he was there, regardless of the punching a few minutes ago. “I’ll talk to him, to keep everything under wraps. Don’t worry.”

“Thank you,” is all he can say. He cannot yet feel ashamed, only grateful for protecting Ran. “And I’m sorry, Otsuka-san. I truly am.”

Tatsu waves it off, then he says to Mayu, “I’m leaving for a bit. Call me if you need anything here, okay?”

His voice while talking to Mayu is incredibly tender; it makes a gear whir in Yuki’s mind. Something is up between them.

“Okay,” Mayu says.

Tatsu leaves them. It’s just the two of them, waiting for Ran’s operation to be done. Mayu fills him in with everything that happened which led them to finding Ran at their grandfather’s secret basement. Yuki feels like his brain is about to combust with the amount of near-absurd information he is getting from Mayu.

“At least now I don’t feel bad for punching him. Five years? That’s insane, Mayu.”

“Could be worse. At least he brought me there alive. If he was clinically a maniac, he could just chop off my finger and get on with the plan.”

“That’s a disturbing image. Never say it again.”

Mayu sighs. Yuki hears her tiredness in her voice. It has indeed been a long day for both of them. She slumps on the back of the uncomfortable metal bench, and Yuki follows. When she puts her head on his shoulder, he lets her be.

“Do you think he was telling the truth?” Mayu says after a few minutes of silence, only the constant hum of the hospital accompanying them.

“Who?”

“Tatsu. About the boy he met. That killed the cat and his friends.”

“If he was telling the truth, by process of elimination that boy would be me. And I don’t recall committing homicide that young.”

“So the other option is: he is insane.”

“Five years, Mayu. Five fucking years.”

Mayu sighs again, and that’s the end of their conversation.

The operation is taking longer than usual, but they have been informed it is going okay so far. It is already late, and Mayu forces him to return to pack himself and Ran necessities for overnight stays at the hospital.

“He won’t be awake when he comes out of the operation anyway! Just go!” Mayu insists, and he relents with a heavy heart.

Something clenches at his chest when he arrives home. Only last night he promised Ran to protect him, and here they are; Ran kidnapped and attacked, and he is left clueless of what has gone wrong. He doesn’t let himself dwell too long, though. He needs to hurry if he wants to be by Ran’s side when he wakes up.

After packing Ran’s belongings and a few of his own, he scans the entire house before leaving. He sees Ran’s still opened laptop on the kitchen diner. His curiosity is piqued, especially when he also sees their landline phone beside the laptop.

He turns on the laptop (Kento cracked the pin on both his phone and laptop; Rui’s birthday) and he is left shocked at what is last left on the monitor before the laptop went to sleep.

Rui’s tombstone covered by blood and countless mutilated fish.

He starts to connect the dots that led to Ran’s kidnapping. Before he can draw the conclusion, he checks the landline phone. The log shows eleven miscalls, which should be expected. Ran cannot answer the landline, he cannot talk. But the twelfth call is answered, and that’s weirder than the huge amount of miscalls. Yuki navigates the device to open the phone history. At times like this, he is glad he programmed the phone to auto-record every answered call on his landline.

He gets his answer. Ran is called by the same person that called him this evening at his office. He is lured to Rui’s cemetery, and definitely gets kidnapped there.

However, what leaves him frozen on his feet is not that.

“What do you want?”

Ran can speak.

When Yuki returns to the hospital, Ran’s operation has successfully finished. He has been moved to the patient room, still unconscious. He takes Mayu’s place accompanying Ran. Tatsu appears out of thin air when he is seeing her off the hospital, saying he will drive Mayu to her place. Yuki lets them do whatever they want.

Yuki sits on the chair beside Ran’s bed. He looks very pale compared to his usual naturally flushed skin. His lips too are dry and lack color. His hair is a mess, and he can already see Ran fussing over the bald-patch at the back of his head when he comes to it. It brings a smile to his face, imagining Ran woken up and back to his feet; back to cooking them breakfast, back to working and scheming with Ogawa, back to fighting every single thing that he says to him.

Back to talking.

He wants Ran to wake up, he still wants that. But the new revelation puts a damper on it. Maybe it’s good that Ran doesn’t wake up that fast. He still needs time on how to breach the topic.

He has known Ran for 13 years, and not once has he ever heard his voice. Not once has his husband let out an instinctive gasp, whimper, scream. He remembers when he was a teenager—Ran was even younger—Ran was almost attacked by a dog in their neighborhood. It was a good thing Yuki was around to help him so all Ran got was a lifetime of scar on his knee. Even then, almost mauled to death by a rabid dog, he didn’t scream or cry for help.

But today, threatened by a psychopath through a phone call, he spoke.

He sighs defeatedly while letting his hand comb through Ran’s locks. He will find a way somehow, but not now. Now, he just wants Ran to recover well and return to his health.

His phone chimes, signaling a chat. It is from Kento, and he opens it after reading the preview.

I have successfully deciphered the blackmailer’s voice from the call two days ago. It’s a man.

Miyaura Kento shared a file: DECIPHERED

Do you recognize the voice?
21.05

Please match it to the voice from these calls.

You shared a file: Phone Call 1

You shared a file: Phone Call 2
21.06

On it.
21.06

I understand that you wanted me to match the voice of the blackmailer to the voice that was threatening you on file Phone Call 1, right? Well it’s not a match. But,
21.15

But?
21.15

On file Phone Call 2. The man who said “What do you want?”  

It’s a match.

98%, him and the blackmailer.
21.16

When Ogawa arrives at the hospital the next day, Ran still hasn’t woken up. Yuki has expected his arrival, and from Ogawa’s steely face, he looks ready to face him. He has a lot of explaining to do, as much as Ran, but his husband can wait.

After putting his fruit-parcel on the table, Ogawa sits across from Yuki. Ogawa looks impassive, which is how he always looks. It has been a long time since he actually met the other guy in the flesh, regardless of Ran being his best friend and employee, and him dating Tomo. This junior of his in the university, he hasn’t changed a bit.

Yuki returned to their house this morning and flipped his room upside down to look for a device, a phone. A phone that has a built-in voice-modulator, a phone that can only make a one-way call, a phone that can only be used to call his personal number.

A phone that Ran used to call him, to send him his nudes, and to blackmail him three days ago.

He found it, hidden in a secret compartment in Ran’s nightstand.

The thing is, Ogawa Tomohiro is a genius. Yuki has known this ever since their university days.

They were both taking mathematics as their undergraduate studies, but the genius that Ogawa is, he was also taking electrical engineering. They used to be close because they were roommates for two semesters in their university dormitory before Yuki’s parents pulled him out of it to continue living with them. Ogawa was a freshman, and Yuki a sophomore, and he witnessed first-hand the way Ogawa breezed through the first year of college while doing two majors.

The most interesting part about Ogawa was his ‘side-hustle’ of fixing the students' electrical equipment. It was mostly phones that needed screen replacement, but he was also once fixing an entire refrigerator inside their shared room. Yuki told him off, Ogawa didn’t care, in the end it was Yuki who had to sleep in his other friend’s room.

He remembers, one day Ogawa asked him to call a number. Yuki did it just to shut him up, but actually became intrigued when the call was disconnected after one ring.

“This phone,” Ogawa waves it to him, “I programmed it so it could only make a call to one exact phone number. Also, this phone can’t receive a call.”

“What kind of person is commissioning that?”

“I don’t know, a psychopath probably.”

Yuki puts the phone on the table. The phone has all of Ogawa’s signature engineering which he somehow still can recognize. Who knows, after years of finishing undergrad and not using the major at all to run his parents’ company, he still has it in him. Maybe he never stopped. Maybe just like during the college years, Ogawa is still doing his side-hustle on top of being the leader of a company.

It doesn’t matter though. Yuki has other more important questions regarding his handiness.

“Ran used this phone to blackmail me, demanding 2 billion yen in two days,” Yuki starts. “You built this phone for him.”

“I did,” Ogawa answers easily. “The nudes were my idea too. Helped him take the photos and everything.”

“Was it also your idea to send the nudes to my staff?”

Ogawa’s calm composure breaks. His eyes turn wide, and mouth goes slack. He wants to say something but can’t even begin to start putting the sentences together. At least now Yuki knows for sure Tomo never breached his work confidentiality.

“What,” Ogawa stutters, a frown appearing on his ever boyish face. “What do you mean? Of course not.”

“Of course,” Yuki says, not hiding his mocking tone. “Ran’s phone got hacked. You can imagine from there, can’t you?”

“Shit,” Ogawa curses under his breath.

“Don’t worry, it got worse,” Yuki adds, “The hacker so far has sent all of the nudes to my staff, threatened me to leak them publicly, vandalized Ran’s brother's graveyard, kidnapped Ran, and attacked him, and left him to die.”

Ogawa’s face grows gradually paler on every point Yuki casually ticks off from his fingers. He is furious just remembering what has been unfolding to Ran and him in less than two days. He really wants to direct his rage to Ogawa, but he knows he can’t. He needs him for something else.

“Yuki, I swear,” Ogawa says, voice trembling with undoubtedly fear. “It’s not me. I didn’t do any of it. I would never hurt Ran.”

“I said; I know it’s not you,” Yuki answers. “If it was you, do you think I would allow you to step one foot here? In his vicinity? I would already have you hanging in jail.”

Ogawa gulps nervously. He bites the inside of his lips to stop himself from saying another word.

“I need you for another thing that I need answers for,” he says. “Do you know that Ran can speak?”

Ogawa doesn’t immediately answer. He looks at him in the eyes, between his long bangs that always cover his. Yuki sees something shift in those eyes.

“I do,” Ogawa answers after a few seconds. “He never spoke to me, but yes, I know he is able to speak.”

“How?”

“I run the biggest sign-language center in Japan, Yuki. Of course I know. And if you forgot, my mother is deaf and can’t speak. I can tell, must be able to tell, when someone is pretending to not be able to speak or the real deal,” Ogawa explains. “He must have a reason to not speak. And it’s his decision to not speak, and I respect that.”

“‘His reason’ for not speaking is his trauma. The car accident, losing his brother. The shock, the trauma, they succumbed to Ran into selective-mutism. That’s what it’s supposed to be. That’s why his parents have been telling me for years,” Yuki says, disbelief in his tone. “What do you mean ‘his decision’? He can’t decide. He doesn’t have a choice.”

“Do you want to know my opinion about Ran?” Ogawa says. “About his mutism?”

Yuki frowns. “What about it?”

“I think he was forced into it. He still is,” Ogawa’s voice turns into something somber, sorrowful. Something tugs at Yuki’s chest while hearing his words.

“I think someone is forcing him to never ever speak and he is incapable of rejecting it,”

Ran's dream is a jagged shard of memory, the day after the crash. Grief, raw and untamed, still choked him. Tears, barely dry, burned his cheeks. Then, the storm.

"How dare you..." she screamed, spittle flying, a fist slamming into his ribs. "HOW DARE YOU?" Another blow, a raw, animalistic sound.

"HOW DARE YOU STILL ALIVE? STILL normal ?" Her ringed fingers, cold and hard, clamped around his throat. Air vanished. He clawed, desperate.

"Rui died... Riri... my beautiful Riri... broken ." Each word tightened her grip, a vise crushing his windpipe. "You... perfect."

He gasped, a strangled wheeze. "Worthless... you return perfect while my daughter is defected! "

She released him, only to deliver a brutal kick, sending him sprawling. He crumpled, a broken doll. Tears streamed, silent screams trapped in his throat.

Her heel slammed into his flank, driving the air from his lungs. Then, her weight, heavy and suffocating, pressed him to the floor. A hand clamped over his mouth, silencing the last whimper.

"Shut up," she hissed, her voice a venomous whisper. "No one wants your ugly voice. Only your brother, and he's gone."

Ran tried to fight her, but he was so tired and in pain, and he had no power to throw her off. He could only cry, until only his tears came out of his eyes, and no sounds came out his mouth.

“That’s it…” she said, her voice a thin, raspy thread. Her eyes were glossed over, like he couldn’t even see Ran even though he was right under her. A tremor ran through her, a shuddering mix of rage and despair. “You can’t talk. You can’t speak. You are defected, aren’t you?”

Her fingers dug deeper into the soft flesh of his cheeks, her nails leaving crescent-shaped marks. Her breath hitched, a ragged, uneven sound. Her eyes, wide and bloodshot, held a terrifying mix of grief and manic fury. “And if you talk, if you dare,” she hissed, her voice cracking, “I will hit you, over and over again, my dear and only son. So please, be a good boy for mommy, and listen to what I say. You can’t speak.” A single tear escaped, tracing a path through her unblemished cheek.

Before Ran could react, she pulled him close, her arms wrapping around him with a sudden, suffocating force. It wasn't a comforting embrace; it was a cage. Her grip was too tight, her body rigid, and the air between them seemed to vibrate with unspoken threats. The scent of her expensive perfume felt cloying, almost poisonous. It was a mockery of a mother's warmth, a twisted parody of love which Ran never experienced.

His shoulders slumped, his last fight of resistance draining away. Over her shoulder, he stared at the floor, his own reflection a blurry, distorted image in the polished marble. His voice was barely a whisper. 

“Until when? Until when can’t I speak?”

She released her arms from around his body. She smiled, a chilling, empty expression that didn't reach her eyes. She then began to slowly stroke his hair, her hand moving with a disturbing gentleness. 

“Until you disappear, like bubbles.”

Ran's eyes snap open, a silent scream trapped in his throat. He claws at the air, a desperate, frantic struggle against the phantom weight pinning him down. Yuki is a blur, a sudden presence at his side, but Ran doesn't see him. He sees only the nightmare–his memory–suffocating him.

"Ran! Ran, please!" Yuki's voice is desperate, tinted with fear. He holds his husband to his chest, physically forcing him to stop thrashing. He is still tied down to so much medical equipment; he is going to hurt himself.

Ran does not stop. He tries to push Yuki away, to no avail. He is too weak, and it frustrates him even further. He resorts to punching Yuki’s chest, desperate to get him away from him. Still, it is to no avail. If anything, Yuki holds him even closer, until Ran has no room to move his limbs. When he realizes his helplessness, he cries.

Yuki feels his husband’s cries, because even then, he still does not utter a single sound. They are a mirror of what unfolded between them two days ago in Ran’s room: Ran, crying silently, only tears streaming down his eyes and no sound coming out of his mouth, and Yuki holding him to his chest, willing with every power he possesses to take away his husband’s agony.

It takes a few moments, but finally Ran comes to. He finally recognizes Yuki, recognizes where he is, and understands the situation he is in. Yuki helps him to lie back on his bed and helps him take a sip of water. It was painful to witness, but at least Ran finally wakes up, that is what is important.

“Do you remember what happened to you?” Yuki says after he has made sure Ran has fully stabilized.

Ran nods weakly, expression sorrowful.

“Good, we will need that later.”

Ran looks around the room. His eyes are darting around, looking for something, and his fingers are antsy, can’t stop fiddling with his blanket. Yuki knows he is looking for a phone, a notebook, anything, to communicate with Yuki. Yuki has made sure he is away from any aiding instrument, so he can breach the topic fast.

"Ran," Yuki begins, his voice carefully neutral, though his heart pounds against his ribs. He places his hand over Ran's, a silent anchor.

Ran looks up, confusion in his beautiful eyes. Yuki sighs, letting himself get lost for a little while in those brown eyes he loves so much. Even now, bed-ridden and fragile, Ran remains the most beautiful human he has ever seen. A beauty marred by suffering, a suffering he is responsible for.

Yuki retrieves the phone from his pocket, placing it on the nightstand. Ran's eyes widen, a flicker of terror replacing the confusion. He tries to snatch his hand away, but Yuki's grip tightens.

“I know you used this phone to blackmail me. I know Ogawa helped you. I know everything that you've done,” Yuki starts, feeling the trembles on Ran’s hand.

“I know you can speak.”

Ran turns his face away from Yuki. His shoulders are shaking greatly. Out of fear, out of guilt, shame, Yuki is not sure. He usually indulges Ran when things start to get uncomfortable for him, but he is tired of Ran’s hiding stuff from him, tired of being lied to. He wants everything to end tonight.

He reaches over, as gentle as he could, turning Ran’s face back to him again by his chin. Tears once again stream down his face, and still no sound comes out of his cries, even after his revelation. After him still not denying his revelation.

"Whatever your reasons, Ran," Yuki says, his voice thick with emotion, "I promise you, I will always protect you. Even from myself."

Through his unstopping tears, Ran's brow furrows, confusion deepening the lines around his eyes. There is fear too in those eyes, probably the most familiar emotion that Yuki can discern from his husband. He smiles at him, fragile and placating, trying to soothe his fear.

“Isn’t that the reason for you blackmailing me?” Yuki asks, voice laced with sudden vulnerability. “You are forced to be with me. I know not one day of being married to me, you ever feel happy. You were caged by your family, and married to me was just moving you to a new cage. Isn’t that right? Do you want your freedom? Do you want to leave me?”

Ran’s tears haven't stopped, and Yuki can feel his own starting to brim his eyes.

"If that's what you need, if that's what will ease your pain," Yuki whispers, his voice trembling, "then I have to keep my promise."

He inhales sharply, bracing himself for the words that would shatter his world.

"Go. Leave me, Ran."

“NO!”

Ran's voice, raw and desperate, rips through the silence, a sound Yuki had longed to hear. Not through the speaker of his phone, not through a voice modulator. Ran is talking to him.

He stares, stunned.

Even his voice is beautiful. Shaky and tearful as it is, but Yuki is hearing choirs of angels descending to grant him a miracle.

"Why are you so stupid?" Ran shouts, his voice thick with tears and rage. "So fucking dense! I don't want to leave!" He leans forward, his voice cracking. "I want you to love me! I want my husband to love me!"

Oh.

"I didn't want the money!" Ran sobs, his chest heaving. "I just wanted to know if you cared. If you'd fight for me. It was supposed to be that simple!"

Yuki's mind reels. Ran's voice, raw and unfiltered, shatters the silence he has grown so accustomed to. A wave of emotions crashes over him: disbelief, relief, and then, a crushing realization. All this time, Ran didn’t hate him. He was so blindsided, so caught up in his own assumptions. He was so sure that Ran hated him, and wanted to leave him. He had convinced himself that Ran was simply trying to escape the marriage. Now, Ran is here, voice broken, tears falling, begging for love. Yuki's heart clenches, a painful mix of joy and regret.

“Well,” Yuki says, suddenly finding his voice hoarse. He does not realize, he has been crying with Ran. “Have you got the answer you want?”

“Yes,” Ran says, his voice turning into a trembling whisper. “You love me, Yuki-san, more than anything in this world.”

Yuki-san. His name, a gentle caress on Ran's lips, a sound he'd never thought he'd hear. Ran's words, his confession, are a balm to his wounded soul. Ran's eyes, still glistening with tears, hold a depth of emotion that makes Yuki's heart ache. All this time, three years being married to him, for the first time he can see through the thick facade Ran always puts up around him. He is but a wounded soul, reaching out for connection, for love.

His love.

“And you? Do you love me, Ran?”

Ran nods, a single, decisive movement. “Yes. I love you.”

The simplicity of the words, the sincerity in Ran’s gaze, sends a shockwave through him. He used to dream of this moment. All those scheming and planning, all of them supposed to lead to this moment. At one point, though, he had given up. At a certain point he had to appease himself that Ran would never see him but another cage. Another person taking hostage of his freedom. Here he is now, hearing it. Hearing Ran’s voice.

He reaches out, his fingers trembling slightly, and gently cups Ran’s face. His soft and warm skin, perfect like any other part of his being. He leans closer, his gaze searching Ran’s eyes, seeking confirmation of the truth he so desperately needs.

“Say it again,” he whispers, his voice hoarse with emotion. “Please, say it again.”

Ran smiles, a small tug at the end of his lips, and Yuki’s heart blooms into summer with them. Ran closes the small gaps left between, letting their foreheads rest against each other, letting their breaths mingle into one.

“I love you, Yuki-san,” Ran repeats, his voice stronger this time, filled with a newfound confidence. “I love you more than I thought possible.”

Yuki kisses him, and Ran lets him. It was chaste, a simple peck on Ran’s lips which he tasted for the first time. Ran’s lips were soft, warm, and yielding beneath his own. Finally, he feels a true connection to Ran, to his own husband. Finally, his decades of longing are answered to the same degree, and he feels like he can burst at the seams, from the uncontainable happiness he is experiencing. When he pulls back slightly, his thumb gently traces the curve of Ran's cheekbone.

"I love you too, Ran," he whispers truthfully, pulling all of his emotions into his words, willing them to make Ran believe in his affection. "More than anything."

They are both lying down on Ran’s bed. It is supposed to be for one person, but they fit like puzzle pieces, so they make do. Ran is pressed comfortably against Yuki’s chest, and Yuki’s chin is hooked on his head. His hands haven’t stopped patting him, his back, his arms, his head, it’s like Yuki can’t live without touching him.

“There was a guy at Rui’s graveyard. I think it was the same person who took my phone at the courthouse. They are about the same height,” Ran explains, recounting the event of his attack. “He was saying something about you.”

Yuki hums. “What did he say about me?”

“Do you even know him? Do you even know Ishikawa Yuki? If you woke up, and the person parading around as your husband turned out to be the imposter, would you still love him? Or would you love the real person?”

Ran remembers those voices, more menacing without being covered by a phone’s receiver, more sinister now that they have lost their teaseful remarks.

“I don’t understand what he was saying. Just a bunch of nonsense, I guess,” Ran says, after telling Yuki what the man said. He is amazed at himself for still remembering every word. “But then, somebody else hit my head from behind. And that’s all I remember.”

“So he has an acquaintance,” Yuki concludes.

Ran nods against his chest. Fear starts bubbling in his mind once again. He hasn’t even asked Yuki where and how he got found, how he ended up in this hospital. Now there is a maniac with an acquaintance that is using him, dares to hurt him, to get to his husband. He doesn’t realize when his fist on Yuki’s shirt tightens.

Yuki realizes it though. He kisses the crown of Ran’s head, and pulls him even closer.

“Don’t be afraid,” Yuki whispers to him. “Never forget my promise to you, Ran. Whoever it is, I will protect you.”

Ran closes his eyes. He is letting slumber take him, not realizing the turmoil brewing in the person holding him.

-FIN-