Episode 98

**24 hours ago**

"Hurry up"

"I got...it.."

As the speed of drizzling rain began to increase with every second, the two men struggled to pull off as many clothes from the hanging wire as possible. For Akio he had laden them all over his arms and when he ran out of space to hold, he'd just started hanging them over to Keitarou's head who had his arms full with his share of laundry.

They had no choice but to unload everything on top of the bed as soon as they reached into the room. Atleast, Akio did, meanwhile Keitarou's vision was blocked by the piling Akio did over his head, so in the end only Akio could take it off from him.

"Akio san..we should do..laundry in sections...." Keitarou suggested seeing the whole pile before him. It wasn't that the clothes they used were that much, it was just Akio had randomly decided that the curtains and cushion covers needed washing too. So eventually alot had piled up before them.

"Don't worry I'll take care of this" Akio suggested knowing that it'll be a harder task to put everything back into the prior order compared to having washed it. It's always the afterwork that is more difficult than the main work.

"No, definitely no... sit down.." Kei pushed the pile aside a little and made space before pulling Akio by shoulders and making him sit.

"You're overworking now" Kei spoke strictly, his speech was atleast becoming more and more stable now, enough for him to atleast string three to four words together before he'd stutter.

"But everything needs to be folded and put in order" Akio argued.

Recently he'd picked on another 'mood swing', a phase where he'd suddenly start feeling irritated by something around the house and would start fixing it. It wasn't just limited to cleaning or washing, he'd even randomly start reading books and stick to them until hr would finish. These energy outbursts made him over work himself until Kei would naturally have to argue with him.

"I-I need to do something"

Hearing those words Kei knew that it wasn't just his current state but also that Akio was probably trying to keep something out of his mind.

"Are you sure...do you have something..you want to share?" Kei sat nearby Akio's legs onto the floor and gently cupped Akio's face in both his hands.

For a while there Akio went silent and sat there with a lowered head looking like a guilty pouting child, fiddling with his fingers but then he lifted his gaze and faced Kei. His lips parted but no words slipped past them, it was as if he wanted to convey something but just couldn't put it into words.

However, in cases like these when Akio couldn't make up anything to say, he only resorted to one method. He cupped Kei's face back and leaned down to kiss his lips. Kei stopped him by putting his fingers over Akio's lips.

"Don't try to...get out of this again..."

Kei was overly familiar with this habit of his by now. Though this didn't necessarily mean he could stop Akio. If Akio couldn't kiss him on the lips, who said he couldn't kiss him on the hands, he kissed he fingers that rested against his lips and grabbed Kei's hand, caressing his wrist upto his elbow by pushing back his sleeves all the way upto his upper arm which had gained a little flesh by now. Within the blink of an eye Kei's arm was in the air with Akio holding it up by his wrist as he caressed the flesh of Kei's upper arm.

"Akio san!" Kei couldn't help but get a little mad that Akio was just trying to get out of it again.

Kei was getting healthier than before, earlier he had his bones protruding and his clothes looking oversized on him, but now he was gaining weight too and moreover his stomach and arms didn't appear entirely malnutritioned, if anything he'd been regaining his attractive looks that he'd completely let go of earlier.

Regardless of his recovery, he was no where near Akio's monster like strength that he'd gained from years of hardwork and labor, as a result within a few flipping seconds Kei was flat over the bed in the middle of the mess of clothes that was spread all around him.

"The girls-" Kei's only resort was bringing up the girls when this happened because that was the only thing that could stop Akio.

"Why do you always bring up the girls, if you don't want to do it just say so" Akio's forehead flashed a bit of annoyance.

"Why do you always...do this when...I bring up talking...." Kei looked equally annoyed.

Both of them were pretty much sulking at this point. Kei's face was even puffed up with a little pout that did nothing but pacified Akio and made him feel rather more attracted to the other.

"You're cute when you're angry"

"Akio san..." Kei couldn't even get mad at him when he would pull that shit up.

"I want to do it" Akio argued, it was still middle of the morning, the girls were still outside and Kei had a million things to worry for, the last thing he wanted was being accidentally walked over by his daughters due to Akio's carelessness.

"Akio san wait for... the night.." Kei tried to argue nonetheless "or atleast till...nap time for girls..."

Akio briefly paused as if thinking it over and then continued from where he'd left off by turning Kei over on his stomach.

" This way you can see them from the door, if they come near, I'll get off..." Akio whispered into Kei's ear from behind. Akio didn't even hesitate before sucking at his own fingers and lifting up Kei's shirt from the back trailing his fingers down the dip in the other male's back before slipping them inside the delicate entrance that swallowed it up right away as if it was accustomed to do so.

Kei covered his mouth with both his hands, his eyes fixated upon the view of the living room past the door. Where Leah and Sia were busy playing with their dolls and houses. Even though the girls never looked their way but even if they did, from that angle, nothing was really visible. However it was still embarrassing enough for Kei.

Akio as Kei regarded it, was probably re-hitting his puberty late in the years considering how shamelessly horny he was all the time. Though Kei wasn't as energetic as him anymore so nevertheless it was tiring for him and it was one reason why he'd fall asleep during random hours of the day.

Moreover, Akio was barely gentle, even though he tried his best but in the end he only played it rough. Kei was slowly getting accustomed to it too, atleast his body was. Yet he still trembled like a fish out of water under Akio as the latter moved his fingers in a rough thrust. He even tried to slip out of Akio's grip considering how close he was to getting off in less than a minute due to Akio's skills in playing with the other's body. Though Akio had an arm around his neck from the back which didn't let him breakthrough and within less than three minutes, he'd already had his first....

"How come it's this fast..." Akio made a snide comment to which Kei couldn't help but glare at him from the corner of his eyes.

Not only was this risky enough for Kei but embarrassing since he came so fast. He gave Akio a light push on the chest and moved him off himself.

"I.. want to stop..." Kei said with a rather grim expression to which Akio moved back feeling he'd really done it this time especially since Kei looked mad.

"I'm sorry" Akio apologized holding onto the latter's shirt as he sat up.

"Am I in trouble?" Akio asked with a rather innocent childlike demeanor. This man really was aging backwards in so many ways.

"Yes you are..." Kei sighed "You're forbidden from...doing it today"

Akio made the most desperate face in response as if he'd been grounded from doing his most favorite hobby.

"I told you to wait... till night...or nap time...but you didn't listen..." Kei got off the bed and leaned near Akio's ear "it's your punishment for..today"

He'd deliberately whispered in a seductive demeanor before he moved away.

"Wash your hands.."

He said before he turned to the closet and grabbed himself a new pair of underwear and pajamas.

"Kei...." Akio pretty much whined at the latter.

"Nope" Kei replied and took off to the bathroom first leaving Akio whining on his own.

He entered the bathroom and closed the door, standing against the door and taking a deep breath.

"That was..close..." He mumbled to himself before locking the door and hanging the clothes behind it before he stood by the sink staring at the mirror looking at himself and recalling what had just happened a moment ago.

A little blush appeared on his face and he lowered his own gaze shyly away from the mirror.

"No..I can't give in...or he'll do this everytime...to get out of talking..."

He spoke to himself looking at the mirror, making himself appear more strict.

In fact, he wasn't really that angry about it. If he wasn't that worried about the girls being outside, he probably would have let Akio do more than that. However he had to discipline the other male nevertheless because he was already barely communicative and now that he'd picked the habit of doing this whenever Kei brought something up, naturally Kei wanted to stop him from doing so.

Despite Akio's roughness, there was never a time when Kei would feel threatened by it. More than anything Akio understood when the other really wanted him to stop.

If he'd seriously tell Akio to stop at any point, then Akio would obediently do so. 

Meanwhile Akio was still sitting outside reflecting upon his behavior when the doorbell rang and his first instinct was to wash his hands and face properly before attending to the door. Though he was expecting that with the time he took to get there, the other person might have probably left but was surprised to see the guy with his back towards the door standing in wait.

"Sorry, I was in the toilet" he spoke naturally as the other man reacted to his voice and turned his way which made his eyes widened.

"Akio.." he whispered in that familiar voice. It had been years since he'd heard that familiar voice or seen that red hair covered under the cap that he took off.

It was as if the happy bubble that Akio was on until a moment ago had suddenly burst into prismatic droplets that engulfed him down and made it difficult for him to breathe. The other man had an expression somewhat similar to Akio himself. Akio's voice cracked as he pulled out the words from his mouth.

"... it's you..."

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"How was it?"

"I understood nothing"

Alex let out a slight laugh before ruffling up the hair of the young boy.

"I thought you atleast knew something, but I guess I'll have to teach you everything from simple addition"

Lian rested his chin against the desk making a grumpy face.

Five minutes into mathematics and his head was a fuzzy mess.

Little Adrian had stubbornly begged Alex to let him sit in on this one because he wanted to spend more time with his brother Lian.

He was innocently watching with his big pearl like eyes glittering at every little action of Lian.

"Here, I just taught you this, try solving it" Alex turned the notebook towards Lian who made a pretty much muddle headed expression seeing it and started attempting it somehow.

Adrian was standing over his chair hovering over Lian at this point.

"Noooooo you do wrong, look papa told you, muplilply first, why you add first"

Alex pretty much covered his mouth keeping himself from laughing at the young one's pronunciation at first, but then came to a realization.

"Adrian, you can understand this?" He was a little skeptical at first, how come a boy who had barely started kindergarten was able to tell a mathematical error in a question meant for 5th grade. 

"Adrian understand everything dad say!" Adrian threw his hands up in the air which was a habit he'd recently picked from kindergarten.

"Then.. what's 2+2?" Alex asked.

"Thweeee" Adrian answered with complete confidence.

Alex pretty much face palmed himself. Though that wasn't Adrian's fault, he'd never been taught addition in the first place.

It was just the fact that he was paying attention to what Alex had been teaching Lian and therefore was able to remember the steps and the symbols rather than the operation itself.

Though it was still praiseworthy how fast he'd picked it up.

Alex had hope knowing atleast Adrian was on him and not Zhuang.

But then again..... what about Zhuang? Everyone knew Alex was a Biochemistry major... though what about Zhuang?

... suddenly he was curious about Zhuang even though it never popped up in his mind before. They never really had the need to talk about this..

"Hey honey" Alex said and Zhuang popped his head forth from the kitchen.

"Need something?" He asked right away standing there in a pink kitty apron that for some reason Alex had chosen for him and yet he laughed everytime he'd see Zhuang in it.

That's exactly what happened at that moment too, he covered his mouth to suppress the laughter and then controlled his emotions before asking.

"How much is your education?" Alex asked, it was weird enough asking at this point of the relationship.

It was funny how they actually knew such deep things about one another and still missed out little things about one another.

Zhuang blinked looking dumbfounded at first and stared at the other giving off the expression where he appeared like he was saying how could you not know

"I'm masters in double calculus"

"YOU'RE WHAT???!"

Alex was in pure shock.

" Why are you making that face?" Zhuang felt a little annoyed at the way Alex looked at him in disbelief.

"But I never saw it- I mean when I went through your..." Alex was still tracing back every point of his life where he'd come across with information on Zhuang.

"That's because Naoyuki Zhuang are both surnames of my parents since they were both prestigious alphas, unlike my birth father who was an omega, so it's more like a family title, not my real name" Zhuang replied " Obviously being the son of mafia my identity had to be guarded for me to blend into society, so I got referred to by my title and barely used my real name..for things like going to school.."

" No wait- why am I finding this out today???" Alex still couldn't digest most of it.

More than four years with this guy and he didn't even know the other's real name??? What kind of farce was this??

"Well you never asked?" Zhuang replied. He did have a point there but Alex felt so damn mad at this.

"If I hadn't asked then I wouldn't have known for the next decade!" He burst out a little at him and got up from the chair leaving the two kids sitting there a bit worried and just went into the room closing the door loudly.

" Um, I'll get him..." Zhuang told the kids who looked at him with a worried expression not really understanding what was wrong. He took off the apron and hung it before going off after Alex.

" Are they phighting ?" Adrian asked Lian who was pretty confused himself.

" Don't know.. " Lian shook his head but decided not to intervene in the matters of the adults just like Ian Strauss had taught him to turn his eyes away from the affairs of the adults. Therefore he decided to continue racking his brain over the problem before him.

Meanwhile inside the room Alex was standing with his hands folded in a tight sulking demeanor as Zhuang came in.

"Hey are you mad?" Zhuang asked closing the door behind him and approaching Alex.

"If you come within an arm distance of me, I'm going to knock you down" Alex said right away and Zhuang paused right where he was.

"I'm sorry, it's just so much was going on in life, it didn't even come in my mind" Zhuang spoke in his argument while slowly stepping forth.

"We're almost five years into relationship and I don't even know your name! What kind of joke is this!" Alex was more disappointed than mad.

Zhuang slowly made his way and put his hands on Alex's shoulders who brushed them off by shrugging.

"Okay it's my mistake, sorry?" Zhuang tried to prop his head over Alex's shoulder who turned his head the other way and Zhuang had to move to the other side trying to meet eyes with him "sorry, sorry, very sorry" Zhuang pretty much annoyed him to death with the amount of sorrys he pulled after that.

Alex kept turning in circles not even meeting eyes with him until Zhuang had to take action, he legit picked him up, slinging him over his shoulder.

"What are you-?" Alex was taken by surprise before he got thrown over the bed "whoa..."

"Sorry?" Zhuang whispered this time with a heavier voice as he held down Alex with his arms pinned at his sides. 

Alex was speechless for a moment as he watched the other being so manly. Alex was a man of low tolerance and naturally he was more reactive towards situations like these.

Zhuang wouldn't have known if his body wasn't pretty much pressed against the other.

"Um, why are you-"

Now Zhuang was the one confused.

"I mean just now- that was so hot-" Alex spoke in a bit of a daze watching this older man hover above him looking all mature and hot while holding him down.

"Why are you such a pervert-" Zhuang spoke with a twitching brow.

"What's your real name?" Alex interrupted him to which Zhuang became silent at first and then neared down against Alex's ear, brushing his lower lip against the rim of his ear while he let his soft breath tease Alex's skin.

"It's YuHua, Yu of the gem, hua of the flower.. Zhuang Yuhua"

His whisper sent chills down Alex's spine.

Zhuang backed up after saying that leaving Alex all dazed by himself.

"Isn't that a feminine name?" Alex asked to which Zhuang smiled.

"It's something my alpha mother came up with" He told him before getting off Alex. Alex moved forth and grabbed Zhuang's wrist.

"You can't just lead me on and leave" Alex spoke with a twiching brow knowing Zhuang was about to escape as usual.

"I really have to get lunch ready, I mean-" Zhuang who was actually regretting starting what he'd started tried to argue.

"We can order" Alex argued back squeezing Zhuang's wrist quite hard.

"Yeah but I have to do the laundry too" Zhuang spoke with a wavering expression.

"Why are you talking like a housewife trynna get out of- uh nevermind, if you don't wanna do it, I'm not that desperate, my toys are better than you anyways, atleast they don't die on me..." Alex got up ranting out " what kinda alpha are you, can't even satisfy an omega.."

" What did you say.." Zhuang lowered his head a little.

" What kinda alpha are you, can't even satisfy an omega.." Alex shamelessly repeated

" No before that, what is better than me?" Zhuang had a dark expression on.

" Uh-oh-" Alex knew he had flipped the wrong switch.

" Play with your toys then I'm out!" Zhuang was the one sulking now, Alex stuck to his leg while the other was trynna leave.

" No wait- your **** is better, original is always better!" Alex got dragged about as Zhuang tried to move outta the room.

Meanwhile outside, Lian was covering Adrian's ears wondering if those two didn't actually know how loud they were.

Adrian was sitting there being all plump and cute with his little face squished between Lian's little hands; before he did what a child did best after hearing a new word.

"D**k"

Lian's soul pretty much got sucked out of his body.

"Adrian! Don't repeat!"

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"A letter?"

"Yeah"

Aoi took a few sips of the coffee, holding her phone pretty much upside down with the amount of multitasking that was required of her. She listened to Mari's explanations carefully while her eyes trailed along the pages of the documents that were spread all over the table infront of her.

Her secretary checked in and added more to the trouble. She put her mug on the table and rubbed her temples while she pointed at the mug signalling her secretary to get a refill, to which he crossed his arms infront of him, clear cut refusing her considering it was her third cup already and he was worried she was over doing it.

"I got it, don't worry, I'll deal with this matter as well" Aoi reassured Mari before the two got off line and a ting of her phone made her check the picture that Mari had just sent her.

"Aayush, can you help me find out information about this?" She held out her phone towards the young man who'd barely joined and had already so much piled before him.

"Aoi san, why don't you take a rest first, you haven't taken a breath in a while now" The man started piling up the files categorically infront of her while Aoi pressed her back against the chair, resting her head back at it and slightly closing her eyes while massaging her temples.

" I'm sorry, even though you just joined... it's practically work abuse at this point, I wouldn't even blame you if you were to sue me right now..." Aoi gave out a deep sigh

The young man with dusty brown hair and brown skin gave out a relieving smile and with a low voice he mumbled

"So I have that option huh?"

"Eh will you?" Aoi suddenly opened her eyes to look at his mischievous face brimming with a bright demeanor.

"I'm joking" He reassured her "besides if I wasn't here, I'd be at home overthinking... believe me or not the work is keeping me really distracted here"

"How are you?" Aoi ended up asking with a concerned look upon her face.

" My mother's funeral procession is over...the house is really empty now, it feels kinda haunted there if I'm alone with my thoughts"

" Your mother was a brave woman for having raised you alone in a foreign land..I really respect her" Aoi spoke with a grieving tone.

" All her life was basically a struggle to raise me and now that I'd finally grown up and could give her a proper life... she's no longer here..." His voice cracked as he lowered his head.

" Hey hey.." Aoi got up and walked over to the young man putting an arm around his shoulder and tightly squeezing it

" Come on, if your mother was here she'd be pretty mad at you for thinking like you owe her something back, she did everything without expecting in return, the least you can do is have a happy life in her place, find love, have kids or pets, whatever you prefer! And make her efforts worthwhile!"

" Aoi san, you could be a politician" Aayush somewhat smiled as he rubbed off the tears at the corner of his eyes and pulled himself together.

" How did you become such a sarcastic brat huh? Want me to give you more work?" Aoi pulled the young man's ear a bit to which he smiled rather brightly.

The moment was interrupted by a little knock on the door and Aoi turned to Aayush handing him over a handkerchief from her pocket to clear up his face as she went back to her seat.

" Come in " she spoke authoritatively to which a middle aged woman dressed up in a suit with her hair tied up in a professional bun entered the door.

" Ma'am, there's someone who wants to see you on a short notice" She spoke with the professional demeanor of a manager.

" Um can it wait? I'm somewhat busy right now" Aoi looked down at the stack of files again and tried to regain her focus.

" They said it can't wait and is really urgent and that you'd regret it later if you don't meet them" The woman expressively told her as if trying to convey the emotions of the speaker before going back to her stoic face.

The words sounded pretty ominous and so Aoi was somewhat drawn by her curiosity and gave the woman a look before she closed the folder in her hand.

"Ms. Aoi, I'll go handle it" Aayush having done with clearing up his face at the corner, turned to Aoi, ready to head out.

"Hold up-" Aoi stopped him midway.

She gave it a thought and decided, it really could be something important and maybe she'd regret not hearing it later.

"Just send them in"

"But Ms. Aoi-" Aayush tried to say something however Aoi turned her head towards him and gave him a reassuring nod as if saying she'd be fine.

" Alright ma'am" The woman bowed her head a bit and walked out until the sound of her pencil heel disappeared.

" Find this for me as soon as possible " Aoi forwarded him the picture to which he gave a silent nod before heading out.

Aoi got up from her chair and walked to the coffee maker by herself since that was her only chance considering Aayush had just left. She didn't even turn her head hearing the knock at the door and simply said " come in" until she'd finished pouring two cups and putting them on her table.

Though the moment she brushed her hands clean and lifted her head to see the man before her, her eyes widened.

" Joshua Hughes...?"