"It's simple. I want Nathan." Kazuki said with a smile. "I want to get closer to him."
David chuckled the moment he heard Kazuki's request. "You're really interesting. Nathan is your cousin; did you forget that? Being interested in him, is useless, you would get nowhere with him. Your cousins, there could never be anything between you but just that."
"That's exactly why I want to get closer to him." Kazuki replied resolutely. "He's my cousin, and yet I feel like we're worse than strangers. I just want to get along with him. I'm well aware that we're cousins, don't worry. I'm not a fan of incest."
David grinned and then placed his hand behind Kazuki's waist and then pulled him closer. "I'll help you get closer to Nathan, but first, we can get really close to each other." He said as he pressed their body together. "What do you think?" David asked as he leaned closer, his lips almost touching Kazuki's.
Nathan had called David countless of times, but he wasn't answering. "Shit! David, answer your phone." Once he got back to the hotel, Nathan ran as fast as he could. The sight that welcomed him once he opened the door of the hall was quite surprising.
Kazuki had David's right arm locked behind his back while bending his wrist. Using his other hand, Kazuki held David at the nape and forced him to face the floor.
It was quite shocking, since Nathan knew how athletic David is, and Kazuki's built looked like he could be blown away by a strong wind.
"I'm not that easy." Kazuki said as he let go of David.
"You're rough. I like that." David said as he composed himself.
"You should really shut up when I'm patient with you." Kazuki said as he pushed down on David's neck.
"What kind of game is this?" Nathan walked towards the two, holding off his laughter. "I didn't know you like this kind of play, David."
"What are you doing here? I thought you went back to the office." Kazuki asked as he let go of David.
"Yeah, Nathan. What are you doing here?" David's tone was full of irritation.
"I changed my mind about leaving Kazuki here." Nathan replied as he cleared his throat. "There are documents in the office waiting for him to be reviewed." He said as he turned his eyes to Kazuki. "Let's go."
"How suspicious..." David muttered as he watched Kazuki leave with Nathan.
When Kazuki returned to the office, he was welcomed by intense look that was followed by a scolding from Paula. "Where did you go? Do you know what time it is? It had been more than three hours since lunch break was over, and you're only returning now! Who do you think you are?!"
"Lower your voice, Paula. It's irritating." Nathan said sternly as he walked inside the office. "Kazuki was with me. We inspected the runway. Do you have a problem with that?"
"Ehhh?" Paula was taken aback. "No..." She went quiet and everyone in the room looked at each other quietly.
"Then go back to work, we're busy as it is." Nathan ordered before going back inside his office.
That was the first time that Nathan ever stood for him. Honestly, Kazuki felt great. He felt really happy. Because through that, he could feel that, even if just a little, Nathan does care for him.
"Ahh, that's right, all our models would be wearing a venetian mask as they walk down the runway, and I want their mask to complement what they're wearing. Also, our current jewelry collection won't do, they're too extravagant, they would clash with the masks." Nathan added.
Everyone in the room sounded surprised, and although they have their concerns about the tight deadline, no one said anything. They know better than to go against Nathan's decisions.
The week after, the new employees recruited during the application week started their work at the headquarters of House of Amanda Velin. One name stood out, Bailey Chambers.
"Have you heard the rumors, Bailey Chambers joined the application week, and she came out on top."
"Really? That's amazing."
The whole team was buzzing. And Kazuki couldn't fully understand why. Wow... Bailey is famous... He thought as he remembered the friend he made during the application week.
"She's the sole heiress of Chamberlain Textile."
Chamberlain Textile... Wait... That's the company's sole fabric supplier. If I remember correctly, their chairman is Victor Velin's friend. Kazuki remembered the information he read. Wow, so Bailey is the sole heiress of that empire.
Kazuki was quite amazed, but he wasn't fully surprised, since the very first time he saw Bailey, he could tell that she came from a well-off family.
"She's amazing. She went through all the process of application, really admirable. Not like someone wo uses his connection to get in the company." Howard raised his voice as he stared at Kazuki sharply.
"Do you think she would be assigned here, in our team?"
"That's impossible, that would be too awkward..."
Why would it be too awkward? Kazuki thought.
The door opened and Nathan entered. "Ohhh..." Everyone in the room exclaimed as the beautiful Bailey wearing a black dress and stiletto walked behind Nathan.
"Listen everyone. Starting from today, Ms. Chamberlain would be part of this team." Nathan announced strictly. "That's all. Go back to work." He added and then walked to his office without even turning his eyes to Bailey, not even for a split second.
As Nathan walked away, Kazuki noticed that lingering gaze in Bailey's eyes.
"What did I say, it's awkward..."
Kazuki never found out why the team thought it would be awkward that Bailey and Nathan would be working together; because Bailey caught sight of him and whole team's attention was drawn to the two of them instead.
"Kazuki?" Bailey said as she walked towards Kazuki's cubicle. "It is you." She said with a smile as she and Kazuki looked at each other. "I knew you would get accepted here, what did I tell you."
Great. Now everyone would hate me even more. "Well, that's not exactly what happened." Kazuki said with a hesitation. "I'll tell you later."
Bailey smiled. "This is great. I won't have a hard time making friends at work, because you're already here." She said.
"I'm the one who should be thankful that you're here." Kazuki said. "Finally, there's someone I can talk to at work, I won't have to eat alone as well." He said with smile. It was the first time that Kazuki smiled in that room, it was the first that his coworkers saw how attractive he really is.
"Why were you eating alone?" Bailey sounded concern.
"Well, I'm not really well liked here." Kazuki said. "Apparently I failed the interview, but my connection still got me this position. Unlike you who went through all the process." He then sighed.
"Then just prove them wrong. Prove to them that you deserve that position, I know you can." She said reassuringly.
Kazuki chuckled. "Aren't you a ball of positivity?"
Nathan could see, through the glass walls of his office, how close Kazuki and Bailey seemed to be. The two were chuckling and giggling as they talked. And somehow it pissed him off.
Jealousy got the better of him, and unknowingly he had yet again vented out his anger at Kazuki. "These are not good enough, do it again." Nathan said in a callous tone as he placed the pile of documents in Kazuki's desk crudely.
"Yes, I'll do it again." Kazuki said meekly.
He saw Bailey looked at Kazuki with concern and he went back to his office, even angrier than before. Kazuki was left wondering why Nathan seemed to be pissed off.
"Can't you do things properly?" Nathan asked Kazuki angrily as he walked out of his office with a bunch of documents almost an hour later. "These are no good either. Do it again! How long have you been working here, and you still can't do it properly!? Are you mentally impaired?!" He tossed the documents on Kazuki's desk and the stormed back inside his office.
"Serves him right." Someone in the room said loud enough for Kazuki to hear. Then everyone stared at him and started whispering.
Bailey looked at him and Kazuki gave her a wry smile.
Kazuki proofread the document, and he almost snapped when he saw almost no mistake in those documents. "A typo. Ha." He huffed. "That crazy bastard." He said as he stood up angrily. His chair rolled away and hit the wall.
"What is he doing?" Paula wondered as she watched Kazuki entered Nathan's office. "He finally lost it."
"What the hell is your problem?" Kazuki tossed the documents on Nathan's table. "I just made a few typos and you went ballistic? Do you have to humiliate me in front of everyone like that? I'm already hated here, please, don't make them hate even more. It's tiring." Kazuki said as he looked at Nathan with flaring eyes. "Is it fun? Humiliating me? Scolding me? Is it fun? I thought I'm finally getting closer to you, but I guess I was mistaken. Why do you hate me? What did I do to you? Please, if you can't be a proper cousin to me, at least be a reasonable boss and a civil person." Kazuki said with conviction and left the room, leaving Nathan with no time to react or reply.
I hate this. Why do I care so much if he likes me or not? We're not related, we're strangers. There's no relationship between us. Why am I this affected? Kazuki repeated in his head as he walked out of Nathan's head.
With his head filled with confusion and irritation and his feeling stuffed and heavy, working and focusing was impossible for Kazuki. Ignoring everyone else in the room, Kazuki left the team's office.
Nathan was left in his office, taken aback and feeling guilty. Kazuki was the first person that Nathan met that could make him feel so guilty so easily, and Nathan hated it. Maybe because Nathan didn't want to disappoint yet another person who had faith in him; someone who believes that he is truly a good person.
"This is bullshit!" Nathan angrily stood up and walked out of his office. Kazuki wasn't on his desk, and Nathan figured out that he must've went out to cool his head, so he did the same.
"Are you alright?" Bailey asked as she approached Kazuki who was sitting at one of the lounge area of the headquarters.
"I'm fine. Just a bit irritated, that's all." Kazuki said. "Nathan is being a prick. Something must've ticked him off again, but why did he have to vent it out on me again? I'm not his punching bag."
"Why don't you fight back? Everyone is treating you unfairly." Bailey said.
"I can't blame them. They worked hard to get accepted in the company, and I got in using my connection. They must feel that it's unfair. And it is." Kazuki said.
"Still, they shouldn't treat you like that. Especially Nathan, he shouldn't have humiliated you, he should know better." There was a sense of familiarity in Bailey's voice when she uttered Nathan's name.
"Why do you sound like you know Nathan so well?" Kazuki asked.
"You too." Bailey said.
"He might get angry if I tell you, but who cares. I'm so pissed off right now." Kazuki said and then took a sip of his soda and then looked at Bailey seriously. "Nathan and I are..."
"Kazuki!" Nathan called out his name as he walked towards them. "What do you think you're doing?" He asked.
"I'm telling Bailey the truth. You told David; so, why can't I?" Kazuki said in a provoking tone.
"That's different."
"How is it different? Bailey is the heiress of Chamberlain Textiles, her company is Amanda Velin's business partner, she has the right to know that we're cousins." Kazuki said with a grin.
"You, crazy bastard..." Nathan murmured.
"You're cousins...?" Bailey sounded confused as she looked at the well-dressed handsome men. "Then, you're Carter Velin's son?"
"Apparently." Kazuki replied as he stood up. "You're well informed, Bailey. Must be because our Granddad's are friends. Well, even though we're family, it doesn't feel like it at all. No one wanted me in that house, no one treats me as family, and everyone wants me gone. They all hate me." Kazuki said as he turned his eyes to Nathan. "Am I right, Nathan?"
"Kazuki." Nathan muttered impatiently.
"Forget it." Kazuki replied. "I'll go back to work, that's what why you're here, isn't it? T scold me to go back to work. I apologize, for trying to skip work." Kazuki said sarcastically. That's what you always do anyway, scold me.
What now? Is he angry at me? I can't blame him; I did vent out my anger on him again. Nathan thought as Kazuki walked away. You're an idiot, Nathan, you should've apologized to him when you had the chance, go after him, tell him that you don't hate him.
Nathan was about to follow Kazuki, but Bailey suddenly called his name. "Nathan, can we talk?"
"I don't think it's the right time for that." Nathan said coldly and dismissively.
"I missed you." Bailey said.
Nathan froze for a second. "If you're going to miss me, then you shouldn't have broken our engagement." He said and then walked away.
Even though he knew he was partly at fault, Nathan was still hurt that Bailey broke their engagement. He should've made her feel secure, he should've told her and made her feel how much he loved her, but Nathan, who grew up not knowing how it is to express one's love, failed to do so while they were still together.
He never felt love form his own family, he never heard anyone in that manor say that they love him. And the only memory he had of someone showing him pure and genuine love was when he was still with his father, but the Velins took him from his father. And from then on, he hasn't heard of his old man again.
Bailey was the first person who showed him what love is, she was the first person who had faith in him, who believed that he was a better than the conniving and cunning people that surrounds them, but she was also the first person who truly broke his heart.
She left him. He was finally starting to become a proper person who knows how to love and be loved, but then she left him.
"So that's it, huh?" Kazuki scoffed. He heard Bailey and Nathan's exchanged and stood hidden at the corner the whole time. "That's why you're in such a bad mood, because the ex-fiancée who left you suddenly appeared in your office. Are you pissed off that you're going to work with her every single day from now on?"
Things made much more sense to Kazuki. Nathan was that person Bailey wanted to see, the reason why she applied at House of Amanda Velin. That must be why Nathan was so curious about his lunch with Bailey that day, why he must be so curious if he likes Bailey or not.
"You still like her, don't you?" Kazuki added. "That's why you're venting out your irritation on me, because we look close. What, are you jealous? How immature..." Kazuki said with a scoff and then left.
This is so messed up. Nathan thought.
Kazuki went back to work as if nothing happened, but not Nathan. His guilt was eating him from the inside, and it was killing him. The thought of Kazuki losing faith in him was somehow disturbing. What if he starts thinking that I am like the other Velins, that I am as cunning and conniving as they are? Why do I hate that idea anyway? Deep down, Nathan just wanted to be liked, to be acknowledged that he is a good person.
He doesn't want to the same as the people who took him away from his father.
No matter how much he thinks of words to say to apologize to Kazuki, Nathan just couldn't find the right words. Because every time he would remember what Kazuki said about him being jealous of Kazuki and Bailey's closeness, he would feel irritated.
Provoking Nathan might not be the best idea, but Kazuki was so pissed off that he wanted annoy Nathan even more. He walked out of the office to cool his head off, but he came back with an even fouler mood.
They were engaged. Why did they break up then? I bet its Nathan's fault. Kazuki thought as he walked away.
"Are you sure about that?" Ivory asked over the phone. "Continue watching them and report anything of interest to me. I might be able to use this against Nathan." Ivory said with a grin. "I don't have to remind you, Ginny. This is your last chance. I don't like keeping anything useless, I get rid of them." She said threateningly and then ended the call. She then went through her contacts and dialed another number. "I have news for you." She said with a grin.
"So you and Nathan, huh..." Kazuki said with a small grin as he and Bailey was in the elevator on their way home. "Do you still like him?"
Bailey smiled and looked down. "I never stopped liking him."
"Then why did you two broke up?"
"I was insecure." Bailey said honestly. "I didn't fully believe in his feelings for me..." There were regret in her voice.
"Then, do you want to get back with him?" Kazuki asked carefully.
"I'm not that shameless. I can't ask him to get back with me. I was the one who broke our engagement in the first place." She said and then the elevator door opened. There was sadness in her voice, and Kazuki couldn't help but feel bad for his new-found friend.
"The most important thing now is that you convey to Nathan what you really feel, don't you think so? Anything else could follow after that." Kazuki said with a supportive smile.
Wine glasses clicked as Phillip Olivier and Avery Velin made a toast. With Nathan's decision to change the jewelry collection that will be used in the fashion week, Avery successfully made Oliviers' Jewelry a part of the project without any question.
"So the boy is useful after all." Phillip said as he sipped his wine. "How long are you going to keep him?"
"There would be a stockholder's meeting a week after fashion week, if things go as planned, I will be a step closer to controlling the company by then. Once I gain control of the company, the boy would be of no use to me." Avery said with a wicked grin.
"What are planning to do to him, then?" Phillip asked.
"I hate useless things." Avery replied. "I get rid of them."
Kazuki was in no mood of being within close distance of Nathan, so he sent him a short text that he would take a cab instead. Trying to get close to Nathan was tiring, and Kazuki was on the verge of giving up. He was contemplating on asking Victor Velin for a car of his own, so he wouldn't have to bother Nathan on driving him to and from work.
The cab stopped in front of Kazuki's favorite fast-food burger joint and he stepped down from the car with a smile. "Finally, I can eat here again..." He muttered. Without Nathan bringing him home, he could escape that suffocating opulent lifestyle for a few minutes and go back to the normal and laid back lifestyle that he loved.
It was a bit different that before though, since he could feel the presence of a few bodyguards hiding and watching over him.
Can't I ever be alone? Kazuki thought to himself as he tried to ignore the bodyguards.
Walking inside the joint sent a sense of familiar comfort to Kazuki. That was the world he belonged to, a normal and ordinary world without rich and powerful people trying to take each other down.
He was on his way to the counter when he saw something, or rather someone, out-of-place. Standing in line was tall man wearing expensive clothes. The kind of clothes one would not wear when eating at a fast-food joint.
"What is he doing here?" Kazuki muttered as he walked up to the out-of-place man. "I though you said fast foods are greasy and unhealthy."
"Kazuki." Nathan turned and he looked quite surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm going to eat my stress and anger away." Kazuki replied seriously. "What about you? Why are you here? Did you change your mind about this joint?"
"No. I still think it's unhealthy..." Nathan hesitated. "...but you like the food here so..." He sighed. He can't hide and hesitate forever, that was the reason why Bailey left him in the first place. "...so I was going to buy it for you..."
"Ehh...?" Kazuki was taken aback. He didn't quite know how to react. "You're going to buy it for me? Why?" He didn't quite understand what Nathan's intention was.
"I was wrong." Nathan said as he avoided eye contact with Kazuki because of embarrassment. "I shouldn't have lashed out on you."
It wasn't a proper apology, but Nathan's intention was conveyed to Kazuki properly. Even though he was acting coy and embarrassed, Kazuki could still feel Nathan's sincerity. "I want the barbeque burger." Kazuki said as he looked at the menu above the counter acting normal, hiding the fact he was happy that he could jump in joy.
"Then... are we ok?" Nathan asked.
"If you treat me." Kazuki said. "Double patty, extra bacon, large soda and fries." He added with a smile.
"Isn't that a bit too much? Are you trying to kill yourself?" Nathan instantly complained. Looking at how skinny Kazuki was, there was no way he could finish all that and still walk.
"Then forget it." Kazuki said, feigning anger. "You don't have to apologize either. I'm fine." He added, burying more guilt into Nathan.
"Fine. I'll buy it." Nathan said defeatedly. "What a child..." He muttered.
"What was that?" Kazuki asked.
"Nothing..." Nathan replied.
Then, he did something that surprised Kazuki enough for his heart to skip and his mind to go blank. Nathan leaned closer to Kazuki and muttered something directly to his ear. "I don't hate you? So, don't ever think that." Nathan's voice was very kind, very caring. It was the first time Kazuki heard Nathan speak like that. It was the first time he ever talked to him that way.
He was really happy.
His heart started racing. He could feel it beat through his veins, and the only sound he could hear was the loud thumping of his heart.
Why? No... This is wrong. I can't feel this way. We're supposed to be cousins.
We're both men.
This can't happen.
I can't feel this way.