Hope and Disappointments

Rei immediately turned his head around to look at Haruo, who looked just as shocked as he was when he stepped inside and saw the people inside his apartment. He watched as Haruo's eyes scanned the room with a raised brow and stopped when their eyes met. His eyes widened as his hand, which was holding his phone, dropped to his side. Just then, the red-haired Omega's phone also stopped ringing. He then looked away to avoid the other person's gaze, putting his phone back in his pocket as he took a deep breath and grabbed onto the counter.

The room was starting to suffocate, not just the two, but the others who are watching them. Shiori looked back and forth to Rei and Haruo, panicking and gulping nervously. Ahh. She wants to leave.

"O-Oh! L-Look at the time. I didn't know it was already this late, I think we better leave." Shiori gasped, forcing a laugh and nudging Yasuko who looked at her with a raised brow. "R-Right, Yako?"

Yasuko, whose brows frowned at Shiori, then slowly nodded. "Yes. I think we have to leave."

"Is it already that late?" Asuka asked, turning to look at the wall clock and her eyes widened at the time. "Oh my. I think I have to leave too."

Shiori grabbed her bag in a panic, standing up and fixing her skirt before tugging on Yasuko's arm who also grabbed her bag then stood up. Asuka also stood up, grabbing her purse before looking at Rei who's watching at the side, bowing slightly. Haruo slowly walked toward the blonde before whispering next to her, "Do you want me to take you home?"

This, however, didn't go unheard by Shiori who's frowning and squinting her eyes beside them as she thought, 'Oh, Haruo Katsuragi. Taking her home and leaving Rei miserable? Alone? No way!' Asuka then turned towards him, smiling brightly but before she could answer, she stiffened as she felt a pair of slender arms wrapped around hers.

"No need! We can wait until she got a cab." Shiori exclaimed, smiling as widely and as fakely as possible before glaring at him while patting Asuka's shoulder.

"That's right, Haruo-san. I will be fine." Asuka smiled, turning her head to smile at Shiori, whose facial expression immediately turned from glaring at Haruo back to smiling.

"That's right." Shiori slowly nodded before leaning closer to Haruo who leaned back, "So see you later, Katsuragi-san~" She tried to act sweet by whispering before forcing a smile, the smile not reflecting in her eyes before leaning back, tugging Asuka's arm and dragging her out of the apartment. "Let's go, Fujimori-san~"

"Y-Yes!" Asuka squeaked, following Shiori out of the apartment.

Yasuko shortly followed them, stopping beside Haruo and bowing slightly as she whispered, "We will leave now."

The Alpha noticed her emotionless eyes glancing up at him. Her eyes were emotionless but he felt some chills while staring back. She then stood up straight and acted normal by walking past him. He watched them leave and stares at the open door, scoffing at Rei's friends. He didn't know if he will feel irritated for what they did. After all, they kinda disrespect a teacher but at the same time, feel proud that they are Rei's friends. He can't really blame them...

He blinked in shock when Shiori's head suddenly peaked from the door, squinting her eyes at him before shouting, "Kyou! What the hell are you doing?! Let's go!"

"Yeah, yeah." A lazy reply coming from behind Haruo made him turn his head around. "You don't have to shout. Geez."

There, he saw Kyou, hand on the back of his neck, and turning his head to the side to stretch. He was muttering something behind under his breath, one of his eyes closed in frustration and the minute he fixed his gaze, their eyes met. Kyou immediately turned his gaze away and walk past him without turning to greet him or give acknowledgment to his presence. Haruo scoffed loudly and rolled his eyes to look in the other direction, his hands going inside his pocket but stopped when he took a sniff of an oddly, familiar pheromone that made his stomach churn. He immediately shifted his gaze back towards the smell but just saw how the door close behind Kyou. Then he thought, 'That pheromone is the same one as that time...'

He turned his head towards Rei's direction, who's still standing behind the counter, with a raised brow as he points to the door where Kyou just left, "Was he the one?"

"What do you mean?" Rei asked, wiping his hand on a towel hanging on the counter before leaning on the counter and looking directly into Haruo's eyes which the other avoided by looking at the window.

"The pheromone..." Haruo fist tightens inside his pocket as he muttered, "He had the same pheromone I smelled on you when you almost got into an accident."

Rei just watched how Haruo stood awkwardly in front of him. He stares at him from head to toe. To Haruo, his eyes are so cold and distant that he didn't have the guts to look in his direction. But for Rei? The Alpha looked stupidly guilty that the Omega can't help but scoff sarcastically, licking the bottom of his lip before biting it.  Ahh. Honestly, he feels frustrated. So frustrated that he didn't know to whom he is frustrated anymore. Is it to Haruo? Or maybe to himself? He just didn't know.

"Oh. That?" Rei nodded, "Yeah. And so? Scared that I have another Alpha as my friend?"

Haruo quickly turned his head to look at Rei with his shoulders dropped, he looked at him sighing. "You don't have to say it like that."

"Then how do you want me to say it, Haru-nii? " Rei crossed his arms again, smirking at him mockingly and standing up straight before walking closer to Haruo. "Don't worry. Did you forget? How many times have you told me to come back and how many times have I come back to you?"

"Rei---"

"That's right! You..." The red-haired Omega stopped in front of him, poking hardly on his chest before leaning closer and whispering. "Asked me to come back..." He dropped his head down as his eyes get blurry with the tears he didn't know he was holding back before he continued to whisper, voice cracking. "You..." He poked his chest again. "Told me you would try..."

"Please stop this, Rei." Haruo grabbed his wrist, his other hand moving below and caressing Rei's chin to make him look at him.

"Then stop what you are doing..." Rei mumbled to himself before slowly lifting his head, eyes looking blank as tears continue to flow on his cheeks. "I'm so tired of getting my hopes up and being disappointed."