“Gyaaaaaaaaa!”

That was the usual morning sound of Kazahaya and Rikuou’s day, accompanied by a “get up, baka” from Rikuou.

“Gah . . .”, Kazahaya mumbled under his breath. The darker haired, taller man sure was hard to please . . . “Damn it, couldn’t you just wake me up peacefully for once!”

The guy, his so called “partner”, just stood there and smirked. Arghhh! That self-confident bastard! He would get what he deserved one day . . . It was called bacchi — something bad you had done would one day come back to you.

Kazahaya held that thought all the way to the store. Just up until the point where Saiga ambushed him. A black covered arm encircled his waist, pulling him backwards to where Saiga stood.

“So, gonna work hard today Kazaya?” A voice asked near Kazahaya’s ear.

He looked back, startled. “Saiga-san! Of course I’ll work hard! And my name’s not Kazaya! It sounds girly!” The sunglasses were a dead giveaway. What was up with that, anyway?

Saiga stepped back, arm dropping to his side once again. He chuckled as he wandered aimlessly toward the back of the store.

Well . . . Kazahaya always thought Saiga was a bit weird. Now that he thought of it, sometimes that weird bordered a line of creepy. That was just Saiga though. He shrugged mentally, and turned back to the task at hand, which was stacking and shelving. It was always stacking and shelving.

“Umm . . . Excuse me?”

Kazahaya turned curiously, not expecting anyone. A pretty, shy-looking high school girl stood in front of him. “How may I help you?”

“W-where can I find medicines for headaches?”

“Oh, here. I’ll show you.” Kazahaya led the girl to the aisle, showing her the goods, like any other good employee. He blinked. There was something on the floor. Kazahaya picked it up, examining it. It looked like a medallion or something. “Is this yours?” He asked the girl, as it had been lying near her.

“Oh, I’m sorry! Thank you, yes, that’s mine!” She bowed, took her items, and left for the front.

“You’re welcome!” Kazahaya said loudly at her retreating back. He turned back to shelving, feeling not quite right.

“Aah!” He yelped in surprise as a throbbing headache blossomed. He felt really dizzy, like the room was spinning. “I think . . . I need to . . . sit down.” He mumbled to himself as he tried to walk straight. Wait. There was someone blocking his way. A bigger someone, with black hair.

The teenager stumbled, falling into open arms and oblivion.

* * *

A light haired brunette by the name of Kazahaya slowly blinked his big eyes. If one looked at those eyes, that person would notice the unusual color — a pale light yellow-green. His eyes looked almost . . . catlike.

Kazahaya blinked hazily. His eyes slowly opened to a clear green staring back at him. “Gyaaaa!” His arms flailed wildly as he almost toppled over once again. “Don’t scare people like that!”

“You’re the one who fainted on me,” said the all too familiar face of the owner of the clear green eyes. Rikuou added a muttered, “Moron.”

“Y-y-you! Bastard!” Kazahaya shouted, face turning red while furiously pointing at the taller teenager. “I did not faint!”

“Well, what di—”

Rikuou was interrupted by the graceful figure of their boss. “Don’t play too much, now. There’s another job. The “other” one.”

“WE WERE NOT — uh, what? I’m in!” Kazahaya answered quickly. Hey, that’s strange . . . that headache is gone. I guess it’s nothing to worry about, he thought.

“That’s good, Kazahaya. Rikuou will accompany you.” Kakei said with a faintly amused expression on his face.

Damn it! Kazahaya swore inwardly. I need the cash more than that guy does! He sighed. At least it’s money . . .

* * *

Kazahaya shivered. This was where they would find a “special” sakura tree? A graveyard, of all places? He did not want to touch one of those headstones. He glanced around carefully, peering through the darkness to find a sakura tree. The darkness. The job required them to go to the graveyard at night. The pay had better be worth it . . .

“Hey, there’s a tree over there. Let’s go.” A dark figure tapped his shoulder and left towards a tree. Kazahaya jumped at the touch, a little unnerved by the fact that they were in a graveyard.

“Shhhh! Don’t talk so loud!” Kazahaya whispered at Rikuou.

“Why? Afraid?” He couldn’t see Rikuou’s face, but Kazahaya just knew that there was a smirk on it.

“No!” He protested vehemently.

“Yeah right. Moron.”

“Shut up, you bastard!” Rikuou infuriated him sometimes. It was so damned annoying!

Soon they reached the tree, and it proved to be a sakura tree. Kazahaya lifted his hands to the tree’s smooth surface.

Rikuou looked down at the headstone near the sakura tree, reading. It read, Kimura Sakura. 1977-1999. Loving wife and a caring friend. She will never be forgotten in our hearts.

Slender arms wrapped around Rikuou, a head rested lightly on his back. He tensed, waiting. “Are you finally coming to me, after all this time?” a soft voice asked. “I have missed you so much. I want to be with you, be safe in your arms. Will you hold me, just once more?”

Rikuou sensed that this was what they had been looking for. Slowly, he turned. Kazahaya stood before him, quietly looking up at him with emotion filled catlike eyes. The taller teenager carefully locked arms around the slender body.

The form he held gave a small sigh. “Thank you,” he murmured into Rikuou’s shirt. Kazahaya, or the spirit that possessed him, lifted one of Rikuou’s palms to his lips, caressing it softly, lovingly, with his lips, as his eyes slid shut.

Rikuou had to do fast work to keep Kazahaya from falling to the ground as the spirit left him, unconscious. As he watched, a wispy form left Kazahaya’s body and was swept away in the night air. The tall seventeen-year-old looked back at his partner.

Kazahaya’s features seemed feminine, yet not at the same time. Rikuou absently noted that Kazahaya’s hair was very soft. Rikuou could feel him breathing through his lips, as his hand was still at the other teenager’s mouth. He almost looked . . . angelic. Rikuou came to his senses and snorted. When the smaller boy woke up, he would definitely not be angelic by any means.

Rikuou shook his head, and figured that the idiot would probably sleep for a while more. Hooking his right arm at Kazahaya’s bent knees, and his left bracing his shoulders, the black haired boy stood and started on the walk to the store, carrying Kazahaya.

* * *

“What happened? Well, that spirit was waiting for her beloved to come to her. But she waited in vain, because her beloved had married again after she died.” Kakei explained to the two teenagers, after Kazahaya had woken up. “All you had to do was put her spirit to rest. Her husband was taller than her, and with a physical appearance more suited to Rikuou. You were able to get her memories from the tree that she loved so much, Kazahaya.” Kakei smiled. “You did well. Here’s your pay.”

“Yeah!” Kazahaya exclaimed as he received his envelope. “Good night, Kakei, Saiga!” He waved as he walked up to the apartment he and Rikuou shared.

Rikuou was already there, reading something he didn’t read that morning in the newspaper. Kazahaya almost stumbled in the doorway as his throbbing headache came back, pounding painfully. His vision became somewhat blurry, as he had a sudden urge to go to Rikuou.

The headache worsened and the pain intensified. Before he knew it, the light haired teenager was sitting on the other’s lap. An emotion bloomed inside of Kazahaya, a desire. A longing, as if it were something he had wanted for a while. He stared, somehow captivated by Rikuou’s mouth. It was moving, but in his condition he couldn’t hear a word.

Kazahaya felt himself moving forward towards Rikuou’s mouth, closer and closer. As their lips touched in a kiss, a shiver moved throughout the smaller teen, and the pain in his head slowly resided.

As Kazahaya came to back to himself, he found himself in an odd position. What was I doing?, he wondered. What am I doing? A hand cupped the back of his head, and his head was tilted upwards as he kissed . . . Rikuou?! He gasped, panicked, and that broke the kiss.

“W-what happened?” He said softly, as if to himself.

Kazahaya felt eyes on him, and looked up only to see Rikuou regarding him. He blushed ferociously, and ran to his room. What did I do, what did I do?!!, he screamed to himself in his mind. And what am I supposed to do now?