My Soul Will Find Yours : The Fulfillment of the Promise

He Likes Men

For the next three days, everybody showed obvious in my relationship with Kaname. Almost everyone in the company dropped by my office and asked in various roundabout ways about our marriage as well as on how we met. Of course, there were those that didn't bother to disguise their snooping and just asked me about it outright.

At first, I didn't know whether I should be amused or irritated but all the unwanted attention started to get bothersome as time went by. I stopped being polite and no longer pretended to be tolerant of everyone's nosiness. This gave me the effect I wanted: people left me alone and stopped making me feel like I owe them an explanation.

Speaking with human resources about my situation helped quite a lot. As advised by Charles, I told them I was still processing my Japanese marriage certificate when they asked me why I didn't update my marital record as soon as I returned last year. My good friend turned firstborn helped me and Kaname secure the documents we needed to prove our marriage. After submitting them, my transition from being Ms. Yang to Mrs. Kirishima in the office went smoothly. I wasn't sure how Charles and Marina did it but the document's authenticity could not be argued.

To thank the two lawyers, Kaname and I decided to treat them to a buffet dinner. For the first time since meeting him, Marina showed up with Charles in what he calls as his 'forgotten self'. I was very surprised at how striking he looked without thick makeup on! If it weren't for the familiar way he waved at me, I wouldn't have recognized him. Marina's hair was parted to the side, gelled, and combed to perfection. His sparse, nearly nonexistent brows highlighted the high bridge of his nose, reminding me of Alexander Skarsgård when he played the role of a vampire years ago. This was further enhanced by what he had on: he was wearing a claret shirt underneath his navy blue slim fit suit, his usual glass platform heels were replaced by gleaming black leather shoes, and he had one onyx stud on his right ear. Gone was the flamboyant hair and makeup artist that resembled Him, what replaced him was a dangerous and vampiric lawyer.

"Must you ogle Riku's friend?" came Kaname's irritated whisper.

"Huh?" I asked as I reluctantly looked away from the two handsomely dressed men approaching our table.

"Why were you looking at him that way?" his left brow was raised in annoyance. "Is he more handsome than me?"

I looked at him incredulously. When his frown didn't face, I giggled. "Anata, there is no point in being jealous of Marina."

"Well, mahal, if I looked at another woman in the same manner you just looked at him I bet you'd be wringing my neck!" he hissed, his eyes flashed with jealousy and building annoyance.

Not caring that we'd be displaying affection in public, I kissed the corner of his tightly pursed lips. "You will see what I mean soon."

He just grunted and the irritation in his eyes burned brighter as Charles and Marina neared us.

"My dear!" Marina exclaimed before touching his cheeks with mine. "You look lovely as always!"

I gasped when I heard his real voice. It was nothing like the soft and flirtatious one I have grown accustomed to at all, it instead perfectly matched his appearance today.

"What happened to you?" I couldn't help but blurt out.

He laughed and patted me on the head, even without his heels on he was still taller than me. "I left Marina at home. Today, I stand before you as Nathaniel Santiago, Atty. Arroyo's closest colleague. You may call me Nate for short."

"Nate?" I looked at Charles then back at him, unable to accept that he and Marina were the same person.

A strong and calloused hand suddenly reached out for a handshake. "Nathaniel, I am Kaname Kirishima. You might know me as Hina-chan's better half."

"It is nice to finally meet you, Mr. Kirishima," although he said this, Nate was wincing as they shook hands.

I frowned while groaning internally at Kaname's immaturity. He is such a possessive person and has absolutely no qualms letting the whole world know about it.

We chatted for a bit before the two lawyers got up to get some food.

"Did you really have to squeeze Nate's hand?" I chided Kaname as soon as we were alone. "Control your jealousy, will you?"

"He likes you," he sneered. "No one likes what's mine."

"Oh my God, he does not like me!"

"And what makes you say that? If it's because he's our son's friend then that's invalid and irrational."

"You're the one being irrational. He only sees me as a friend."

"If he only sees you as a friend then why did he kiss both your cheeks as if he's oblivious to the fact that I'm your husband?" he countered. "It took all my self-control not to kick him earlier!"

"We just touched cheeks and that's a totally normal way of greeting someone you know in this century."

"He calls you dear and beautiful, what the hell was that even about?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"It's nothing romantic," I said exasperatedly. "Haven't you learned anything from the dramas you watched with mum before?"

"Weren't you the one who told me not to take those shows seriously because they don't reflect real life?"

I was speechless. I can't believe he'd use something I said to him against me. I couldn't think of any other riposte so I just told him what I knew, "He likes men, anata. Nathaniel is gay, okay?"

"Preposterous!" Kaname shot back.

I couldn't retort because Nate was already making his way back to our table with his tray of food. I immediately faked a smile and pretended that everything was perfectly fine. We only got up to get our own food when Charles returned with his own plate.

Like the Japanese place we went to last time, this restaurant also had booth seating. Our tufted leatherette settee was able to accommodate three to four people but Kaname insisted on sitting very close to me, like skins-touching close. Whenever I moved a little, he would do so as well until before I knew it, I was already at the end of the seat next to the glass wall. I gave him a pointed look but he acted as if he didn't notice. Angered, I pinched his thigh underneath the table. Still, no reaction.

While gnashing my teeth, I pretended to rummage through my bag to search for something. Then, with the sweetest tone I could muster at that moment, I requested, "anata, could you accompany me to the car for a bt? I think I left my wallet there."

He gave me a sideways glance and slid out of our booth without saying anything.

"Excuse us for a bit," I said.

"Oh sure," Nathaniel replied.

Charles nodded his acknowledgment but his eyes followed us out of the restaurant with a worried look.