Jin chuckles. "Yeah, Kame's just too used to me being late that he probably doesn't even notice I'm missing."
"I doubt that."
"So do I, but it sounded nice to say."
Yamapi chuckles as he steps out of the closet, Jin staying behind only to leave a few minutes later--just so it wasn't terribly suspicious. They did this more often than he could count with his hands. It was like a hidden art now, hiding their relationship from the whole world.
--
"You're late," Ryo snaps when Yamapi enters the office, his messenger bag loosely hanging on his shoulder.
Yamapi rolls his eyes. "Barely." He settles into his desk next to Shige's.
"Nishikido's a bit on the rampage," Shige leans over to whisper to Yamapi.
Yamapi chuckles. "When is he not?"
"Added irritation from the DUES editor too. Something about Ueda and a bet and, I couldn't really understand his ramblings."
There is no secret to the feud between Ryo and the DUES' editor Ueda Tatsuya; it's a feud that stemmed back to college when they'd been in more than one class together (it really is a small world). Nobody knows what started it though, but all Yamapi remembers that as soon as Ryo entered NewS Express, he already hated Ueda and that only made the relationship between the two newspapers strained.
"Should I talk to him?" Yamapi asks, pulling up his notebook out of his bag along with his camera.
Shige shakes his head. "No, I think Kei-chan already did, but just be careful not to be late. You know how he can be about deadlines."
Yamapi knows better than anyone. "You cannot be sick," Ryo snaps into the phone. "I won't accept that. No. Get in the office now." Yamapi winces, pitying whomever's on the other end.
--
They weren't in love with each other. Yamapi's heart didn't pound when he saw Jin, when they were together in whatever place they were hiding that day--broom closets, bathrooms, under desks. He didn't anticipate seeing Jin, didn't wonder when they'd see each other next. Didn't dread the fact that everyone seemed to believe his little lie--not so little, really, for they'd been doing it for too long. ("God, four years with you. Who would've thought?" Jin laughed, winking at Yamapi. "More to come, ne?") Didn't regret that he had even suggested they hide it, out of fear that everyone would react badly, especially work. And they'd worked too hard to get where they were.
Yamapi repeats this to himself all the time--because the repetition only helps him to cement the idea that all this is true. That all he feels is true, and that there isn't an ounce of regret.
He manages. For the most part.
Except for those moments when he's actually with Jin and Yamapi hates that they have to sneak around, hide, and pretend to hate each other. When it's the last thing he does.
Part 2s
"I doubt that."
"So do I, but it sounded nice to say."
Yamapi chuckles as he steps out of the closet, Jin staying behind only to leave a few minutes later--just so it wasn't terribly suspicious. They did this more often than he could count with his hands. It was like a hidden art now, hiding their relationship from the whole world.
--
"You're late," Ryo snaps when Yamapi enters the office, his messenger bag loosely hanging on his shoulder.
Yamapi rolls his eyes. "Barely." He settles into his desk next to Shige's.
"Nishikido's a bit on the rampage," Shige leans over to whisper to Yamapi.
Yamapi chuckles. "When is he not?"
"Added irritation from the DUES editor too. Something about Ueda and a bet and, I couldn't really understand his ramblings."
There is no secret to the feud between Ryo and the DUES' editor Ueda Tatsuya; it's a feud that stemmed back to college when they'd been in more than one class together (it really is a small world). Nobody knows what started it though, but all Yamapi remembers that as soon as Ryo entered NewS Express, he already hated Ueda and that only made the relationship between the two newspapers strained.
"Should I talk to him?" Yamapi asks, pulling up his notebook out of his bag along with his camera.
Shige shakes his head. "No, I think Kei-chan already did, but just be careful not to be late. You know how he can be about deadlines."
Yamapi knows better than anyone. "You cannot be sick," Ryo snaps into the phone. "I won't accept that. No. Get in the office now." Yamapi winces, pitying whomever's on the other end.
--
They weren't in love with each other. Yamapi's heart didn't pound when he saw Jin, when they were together in whatever place they were hiding that day--broom closets, bathrooms, under desks. He didn't anticipate seeing Jin, didn't wonder when they'd see each other next. Didn't dread the fact that everyone seemed to believe his little lie--not so little, really, for they'd been doing it for too long. ("God, four years with you. Who would've thought?" Jin laughed, winking at Yamapi. "More to come, ne?") Didn't regret that he had even suggested they hide it, out of fear that everyone would react badly, especially work. And they'd worked too hard to get where they were.
Yamapi repeats this to himself all the time--because the repetition only helps him to cement the idea that all this is true. That all he feels is true, and that there isn't an ounce of regret.
He manages. For the most part.
Except for those moments when he's actually with Jin and Yamapi hates that they have to sneak around, hide, and pretend to hate each other. When it's the last thing he does.
--