: Act Two : My Eternal Spring, a My Beautiful Man/Utsukushii Kare FF.

2.5 : Just Be My First, My Last, My Everything And More

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"Kiyoi, I hope you don't mind me saying that you seem off today." Anna-san carefully broached the topic as she, Kiyoi and Manager Yamada settled at a restaurant to eat after work.

"What makes you think that?" Kiyoi asked Anna-san through gritted teeth after simultaneously stubbing his toe against their table's leg. How could she not wonder though? Just twenty minutes ago he was cursing out a driver that dared to flip off Manager Yamada in traffic. Then he kept bumping into furniture as they were seated, and they hadn't even started drinking yet. He was always the epitome of someone with a cool swagger, unless things were devastatingly wrong. When Anna and Yamada exchanged a curious look, he gave up the truth with a heavy sigh. "Why are men so difficult?" He miserably lamented, then tossed his head back as he slumped in his seat.

"Shouldn't you be asking yourself that?" Both women pointed out in unison.

"Oi!" Kiyoi exasperatedly dragged his hands over his face, then continued to fuss, "No, I mean why does my fiancée in particular have to be so difficult? He's so damn weird!"

"Uh-oh, what happened this time?" Manager Yamada asked, then turned and whispered a request for extra beers to their waiter.

"I know he's mad at me," He explained, "But won't admit to it and it's making everything worse."

"What makes you think that?" Anna-san was genuinely shocked to hear that, she always admired their relationship. Even when they fought it never seemed as gravely serious as Kiyoi was making it out to be that night. She noted, "He's always sounded too obsessed with you to ever get angry!"

"I thought so too."

However, ever since the incident with Iruma, then Ito's appearance that followed - things were not so certain. Slowly but surely, their interactions lessened in passionate intensity, devolving into awkward small talk. Hira adopted a new, distant way of carrying himself. He always lurked around a little oddly, but Kiyoi noticed his eyes trained on the ground far more often. Even more unpredictably, and the more damning piece of evidence he gathered; Hira began investing more time in other people.

On multiple occasions, Kiyoi caught sight of his Knight sharing lunch in the agency courtyard with one, particular co-worker. Each time, those two were sat close together on the same small bench, laughing about whatever stupid inside joke they shared. Hira smiled around that guy in ways he never did with Kiyoi, and that part was what hurt him the worst. On top of all that, despite how close they seemed, Hira never mentioned who the jerk was. He'd just come home from work, they'd vaguely chat about their days for a bit, then quietly go about the rest of their evening.

The horrors didn't end there either! The frequency which they had sex plummeted against all expectations, considering Kiyoi was gone for so long before. Perhaps the previous amount was a little overboard, but it was like Hira secretly Pavlovian Conditioned him to expect it as soon as he came home. There wasn't a single spot in their apartment they hadn't done it. He could barely make it from the door to the fridge, or from the bathroom to their couch, without naughty memories popping up to nag him about how long it'd been since their last time. He didn't share that part with the two women of course, but a serious case of pent up sexual frustration was definitely part of his problem that night. Damn it! Kiyoi cursed himself for worrying about all of those stupid, annoying, weird, perverted things, I'm so gross now!

Whatever their situation was, it made Kiyoi's stomach turn. The Star was being forced to just helplessly watch as other shining lights started flickering around their universe. Their universe, the sanctuary they created to only harbor each other, was suffering an infestation. Those two devastating situations tore a rip between them that pests took advantage of to slip their way between the Star and his beloved, and to threaten everything they built. Hira's face was becoming blurry. It was like he finally looked away, and was consumed by another radiant light. He was being lured in by the other newer, shining Stars.