Panic

Hiroshi felt his knees weaken as he slumped to the seat. Who did he think he wanted to protect Miyoko from using the Yugen Holdings' chairman as his backer?

Delusional!

He stared blankly his mind filled with the thought of having Haruki abandoning him. Could he live with it? Could he live with being unwanted by the man he wanted?

NO!

He shook his head subconsciously. It was all his fault. If Haruki had decided to abandon him on his own with an external intervention caused by his foolishness, he would be more than willing to grovel and beg until the man considers him worthy of being part of his harem.

However, if it was his fault, which this is, he could not phantom how he would live with it. He clenched his fist at his realization of such serious thought.

He lifted his fist but hesitated to hit it on the table. He glanced at Miyoko who met his gaze with a furrowed brow. He turned away from her questioning gaze determined to still grovel and beg.

Has he gone crazy? Had he lost his mind?

Yes and yes!

However, that was minute compared to what would happen if he did not regain his place with Haruki whatever it was. He might not be able to live with himself.

He brought his hand slowly to his temple and pressed his fingers against his forehead making a circular rubbing motion hoping to ease the tension building up rapidly inside his skull. He rose and Miyoko mirrored his movement causing him to look at her.

She parted her lips when their gaze met but he waved to prevent those questions in her eyes from escaping her lips.

She ignored his gesture and moved closer to him before asking in a soft voice, "What is wrong?"

He wished he could pour out how he felt at that moment, to announce that he belonged to Haruki and her stunt may have made him lose the little hope he had in being with the man he had fallen for but who was he to claim he belonged, he was no one of importance.

He simply pressed his lips together and forcefully tugged the corners of his lips to show her a smile that could not reach his eyes. "You've got me into a bit of a problem here. I need to fix it," he told her as calmly as he could.

He had agreed with her plan and had no right to transfer his anger and the pain of his aching heart to her.

"Oh . . . what to do . . ." she asked her eyes widening a bit before narrowing slightly. She must be wondering how she was guilty of his accusation after Haruki had spoken about him being a good employee.

He did not want to answer any more questions because he also could not answer the many questions whirling in his mind and he did not need any more added to them.

"Nothing, bye," he tried to be polite with a slight bow before walking away from her.

Her sad gaze he could not see as he hurried away, remained fixed on his back until the door of the restaurant closed behind him.

He had not found the opportunity to go beyond a member of Haruki's harem not lacking in adequacy and he had ruined all his chances. Where did all his plans go wrong?

He felt like he had played the wrong cards and he was losing a very important game before he even got the chance to start.

Haruki believed he cheated on him – maybe cheated was not a word he was worthy to use in their situation – and what could be more infuriating than that?

How could he date someone else when he was sleeping with Haruki? Or had he made Haruki his mistress with all these? The more he thought about it, the crazier he felt. He wished he had aborted the plan as soon as Haruki walked in.

This was a misunderstanding he had to clear. He had never been good at keeping friends even with his young brother who should be the human he is closest to but his priority is Haruki and he could keep Miyoko's secret.

It would have to come out sooner a later, he just had to do it sooner.

He raised his hand to the ignition button of his car intending to find Haruki and reveal the truth and clear the air between them but he froze.

What if was he wrong?

What if Haruki was angry that he had lost Miyoko to him after all, Haruki never took any matters of the bedroom out of it.

He remembered Haruki's warning that reminded him that he lacked every atom of importance, he trembled but still pressed the ignition button and the engine of the car hummed in response.

He groaned his brow drawing together as the ache in his chest only intensified. The only thing that could ease his anxiety is getting Haruki to know that he was not in a relationship with Miyoko.

Regardless of what happens afterwards, he believes his heart will ache less.

He drove to the nearest place on his list of where Haruki could be. He met a guard he had gotten familiar with, the one who let him in the last time he was let into Haruki's house.

"The boss is not here," he informed Hiroshi.

"There is something urgent, I need to give the boss something important could you tell me where he is?" Hiroshi smiled calmly trying to mask his nervousness.

"Ah. . . Underlings like us are not aware of the boss' every location." Seeing the slight look of disappointment Haruki wore, the man added, "You could call brother Kiyoshi."

"Oh, that's right." It wasn't as though he had not considered that, the thought of having to call Kiyoshi made him hesitate but since he could not picture himself going to several other hotels and apartment buildings to find Haruki he had to call Kiyoshi.

The call barely went through when the call was picked up. "What?" Kiyoshi did not seem to have the patience.

"Please can you tell me where the boss is?" he asked seriously.

"I can, how fast can you be?"

"Very fast," Hiroshi responded confidently. Like a concubine given the chance to sleep with the emperor, he could not stop the tremble of excitement.

Silence followed on the other end for a few seconds before Kiyoshi said, "Okay."

"Hope he is not hurt," he hurriedly asked with a sudden shift from a happy concubine to a diligent paramedic."

"Are you on your way?" Kiyoshi asked without responding to his question.

Hiroshi gave him a positive response without hesitation.

He was ushered to the floor Haruki was on by the guard and he met Kiyoshi outside the door as soon as he arrived at the address he was given. He looked at Hiroshi coldly before telling him seriously, "Haruki does not know I invited you over."

Hiroshi was taken aback he had been rejoicing on the way there that he was still wanted.

"Go in," Kiyoshi opened the door for Hiroshi after mentally burning a few incense to pray for him.