Mizuki P.O.V.
"Ms. Hoshiko, you've received a bouquet today as well."
Nina comes in with the flower bouquet in her hands and puts it on my desk.
"No, Nina. No need to bring it in, please."
I signal her to take it back with her.
"Will you read the notes at least?"
She grins when hands me the card.
"Did he bribe you or something?"
I take the card from her hand.
"I'll take my leave."
Nina smiles, bows slightly before walks out from the office.
"Is this area becoming some sort of garden?"
I was checking the card when Takeomi shows up in my office.
"I can see someone is working hard to capture our Bonten's firefly."
He adds, smirking at me.
"Yeah, yeah, except fireflies don't live in the flowery garden."
I chuckle when he sits across me.
"And they shine the brightest when they're in the dark."
"Is there any deep meaning behind that sentence?"
"Yes, if you get the hint."
We both laugh.
"So what's going on between you and Haru?"
He asks curiously.
"The flowers aren't from him."
I frown at him.
"Damn, that's a clever respond to dodge the question."
He's laughing out loud.
"But I do want to know, who's the sender?"
I'm pondering for a while before answer.
"It's from Fujiyama kun."
I say, making him raising his eyebrows.
"Are you dating him now?"
He asks again.
"No."
I immediately reply.
"Does he trying to pursue you?"
"Do you think so too? Or am I the only one who thinks that way?"
Takeomi chuckle when I ask him back.
"Oh, this is bad."
He grins.
"How about our Haru then?"
He continues, touching his chin as if he's thinking hard.
"Why bring him up?"
I smile and shake my head.
"I was hoping you're the one who takes care of him."
He's leaning closer with his chin over his hand.
"What am I? Care taker?"
I raise my eyebrows at his words.
He chuckles and gets up from his chair.
"You're the light, right? Help him out from the darkness around him, won't you?"
Takeomi walks out, waving me goodbye from the door.
"You really care about your brother, aren't you?"
I mumble at myself after he disappears from my sight.
After a long sigh, I clear up my desk from mountains of document before leave my office.
"Nina, you can go home now. I'll leave first, okay?"
I tell Nina and she nods.
"See you tomorrow, Ms. Hoshiko."
I walk into the elevator and stop at Sanzu's room.
"Are you in there, Sanzu?"
I ask, knock his door few times but there's no reply.
"I'm going in."
I turn the door knob and walk into his room.
I cough few times when I pick up the smoke odors. I walk further into the room next to it and find Sanzu and 2 girls sleeping on his bed. There are empty bottles of liquor, cigarette butts and many other things lying around on the bedroom floor. I open up the balcony door and turn on the light.
"Ugh..."
He groans when the light is on.
"Do you have fun?"
I ask, standing at the side of his bed.
"What do you mean?"
He opens up one of his eye before closing it again.
The girls wake up and confusedly staring at me.
"Go back to Meiko now."
I tell them which they hurriedly pick up their clothes and leave.
Sanzu gets up and sit on his bed.
"What time is it?"
He asks.
"It's almost 7 pm. Should I told you the date too? It's Wednesday, April 29th."
"Is there any meeting or something?"
"No, there's none."
We stare at each other.
"Everyone is wondering what happened to you."
He pauses for a while before answering.
"But isn't this the usual me?"
I roll my eyes when he says that.
Well I guess he's not entirely wrong. Suddenly I feel stupid to barge into his room like this.
"Alright, I'll leave if there's nothing wrong with you."
I turn around and step away before he grabs my wrist and pulls me down.
"Not so fast, Hotaru chan."
He says in a seductive tone.
"What are you doing?"
"You chase the girls away."
"So what?"
I frown at him.
"You'll be staying then."
He kisses my ear, making me flinch.
"This is fun."
I try to get up from the bed but he's blocking by pressing his body close to mine.
"Stop it, Sanzu. You're drunk."
"Care to find out whether I'm sober or drunk?"
He starts kissing my neck and my collar bone.
"Or maybe you're too high. Stop taking drugs, for goodness sake."
I push him aside, making him chuckles.
"You're quite strong, sensei."
I pause to stare him. He never called me that ever since I joined Bonten.
"What did you ate? Never touch them again, ever."
I try to get up but again he grabs my waist, making me sit on his lap.
"I didn't take any."
He grins.
"Then stop acting weird like this."
I protest, frowning at him.
"Is wanting to taste you a weird idea?"
"And why would you have that idea? Your taste in women are never includes someone like me anyway."
I boldly stare into his eyes before he laughs.
"This is exactly why, sensei. Ever since the first time we met, your stares are always so bold and unwavering. You never knew that it arouses me every single time."
He whispers into my ear.
"Fine, I won't do that again. Are you happy now?"
"No."
He chuckles when I'm wriggling in his arms.
I decide to give up after the few minutes of meaningless struggle.
"Let me go, Haru chan~."
I rest my chin on his shoulder.
Sanzu doesn't answer.
"Do you love me, Haru chan?"
I change my tactic by asking him this.
I can feel he tenses up, clearly flustered at my question.
"I'm not sure about love but I know I like you."
Sanzu answers then he releases me to face me.
"Don't get me wrong, Hotaru chan. I just don't even know myself if I'm capable of loving someone."
He explains so seriously, making me chuckle.
"What are you? Alien or some kind of new species? All human are capable of loving someone, Haru chan. It doesn't matter whether it's your parent or sibling or friend or someone special."
He smiles.
"I'll remember that. But-"
Sanzu leans closer.
"What about you? Do you love me, Hotaru chan?"
"Of course I do."
His eyes wide open at my answer.
"You know, as a friend."
I add, holding in my laughter.
"Damn, you got me."
He curses.
When he's distracted, it's my turn to pin him down this time by pushing him to fall on his back and nimble his ear.
"And do you love it when I do this to you?"
I ask mischievously.
"Don't seduce me, Hotaru chan. I swear you'll regret doing this."
Sanzu warns me, his tone changes.
I can see that he's being serious.
"Hey, you're the one who try to seduce me first!"
I get down from his bed immediately while complaining.
"Go look for the others, they all worried about you."
I remind him before hurriedly walking out from his room.
Sanzu P.O.V.
I cover my eyes with my arm when Hotaru leaves my room.
"She really got me this time."
I laugh when remembering her answer.
It's strange. Our relationship is strange. Somehow it makes me happy and angry at the same time because I start to wondering if she does this kind of thing with the others as well. But looking at her relationship with the others, it shouldn't surprise me if she does.
"All those serious talk really doesn't suit me at all."
I sigh and get up from my bed to take shower to clear up my mind.
***