"Um..." Harumi began to hum as she was looking around the building that she had entered with Aki. A Victorian Era style building, with drapes and velvets along with red carpet where they were walking on. Her arm began to wrap tightly around Aki's arm, getting his attention. "This is um..."

"I'm invited to a classical music concert, and I've decided to bring you here," Aki immediately explained, knowing how confused she was.

"And in what ways is THIS going to help me?"

"Just wait and see," Aki said, before greeting other guests that Harumi thought were VIPs. She just smiled at every person that had recognized her as the handbag designer and as Aki's wife.

When it was time for the performance, Harumi tightened her arm around Aki's as they entered the hall. They sat on the third row of the first floor's left wing section of the hall. Harumi looked around the dim-lighted hall, before the curtains on the large stage were sliding open, revealing a large orchestra band.

Just by the look of the band, Harumi began to sink down into her seat, trying to suppress one feeling that suddenly was trying to burst out of her. As the music began to play, her hand began to slide into her handbag, firstly looking for her pencil.

"Wait," suddenly Aki whispered, pulling her hand out of the bag and entwining his fingers with hers. Harumi was surprised, and she immediately looked up at him. Aki pulled her hand, placing it on top of his lap, before turning to Harumi. "Not now."

"But, Aki-nii..." Harumi stopped as she noticed Aki was startled as their eyes met, even in the dim hall. Aki shook his head and tightened his grip as if he was afraid that Harumi would run away. "Aki-nii..."

"D-D-Don't look at me like that," he stuttered, immediately looking out at the performance, trying to ignore Harumi. "B-Behave yourself."

With that, Harumi breathed in deeply and sunk back into her seat, trying to capture the scene with her mind. She was trying to pull back her hand, but Aki kept his grip tight as she moved her hand a bit. With no more choices, she had to give up and just watched the whole performance.

~~~

"There's only twenty minutes of recess before the second half. Do it quickly," Aki quickly said, as Harumi sat down on one of the sofas at the corner section of the lobby hall. She quickly pulled out her notebook and her pencil, instantly started her work while Aki stood in front of her, trying to cover her from other peoples' view.

"Um..." Harumi began to hum, before her hand stopped and looked up at Aki. "Aki-nii..."

Their eyes met, and Aki sighed as if knowing what she wanted. "I'll get you something," he said and left her. Harumi continued her work and after a few minutes, Aki came with a glass of water and a chocolate cupcake on a plate.

"Here," he said, putting down the refreshments for her on the coffee table in front of her. He took the cupcake and split it into half, before giving it to her. "You should fill up first."

"Thank you Aki-nii," Harumi thanked, as she took the half and ate it immediately. She picked up the glass and drank almost half of it. "Aki-nii, you eat that half and drink the rest," she swiftly said, before proceeding with her work. "You haven't eaten too, right? I don't want your health to worsen back."

Astonished, all Aki could do was just staring at her, who was focused on her work, never realizing him staring at her. He ate the other cupcake half and finished the water, and didn't even realize that he had a small smile by the corner of his lips.

He looked around and saw the entrances were getting crowded once again for the second half. "You're done? It's almost the second half," Aki reminded, as he turned at her.

"What? Already?" Harumi asked, a bit frustrated. Aki could see it through her eyes, so he stood up and straightened out his blazer, while Harumi began to slip back her things into her bag.

"You probably don't want to miss the second half, right?" he said, holding out his hand to Harumi, which then Harumi took without hesitation. She stood up, but froze when suddenly Aki cupped her left cheek with his hand. They stayed like that for a moment as Aki kept caressing her cheek with his thumb, before he cleared his throat.

"There's chocolate on this side of your mouth."

"And you didn't tell me about it? You-"

"Let's go!" Aki pulled her hand, immediately cutting her off as he dragged her back into the hall.

~~~

"Finally, it's done," Harumi stated, letting out a deep exhale as she looked down at her notebook.

After the concert ended, Aki had avoided the crowds of the VIPs he knew and had brought Harumi straight to a nearby hotel to Harumi's office so that she could finish her works. She immediately opened her book when they got a room and began to immerse once again into her works.

Feeling satisfied, Harumi stared at Aki, who was swirling his wine glass as he stared into it. The room was silent, as Harumi kept staring at his profile side, somehow flustered with him. She began to smile when Aki suddenly turned at her.

"How many?" he suddenly asked her, making her a bit shocked.

"Twenty-two," she answered. Aki looked down at his glass, and began to sip his drink until the last drop. He put down the glass, but Harumi found a small smile by the corner of his lips. "I know it. You felt happy when you did more than Haruo-nii."

"What do you mean?" Aki asked as he turned to her, his brows furrowed showing her how confused he was. Chuckling, Harumi stood up from her seat as she landed herself on the comfy bed in the room.

"Last night, I've did fourteen designs with Haruo-nii," she told him as she stared at the white ceiling, smiling.

"I didn't know that."

"Liar. You've looked through my sketches last night. And you were counting them, am I not right about that?"

"Hmph," Aki hummed, walking towards the bed and landed himself a bit away from Harumi. Both of them turned to one side, facing each other. Even though they had always been sleeping in the same position as they were now, but Harumi still felt embarrassed whenever Aki was looking at her.

"Thank you, Aki-nii," she thanked, almost sounded like a whisper, as she tried to avoid his eyes. "Because of you, I've finished my design quota for this season," she stated, giving him a smile before she sat up. She let out a sigh of relief, before Aki grabbed her wrist, getting her attention.

"Oh right. I have a request," he said, immediately sitting up next to her as his hand still grabbing her wrist. But then Harumi froze, when she had thought that she saw a glint of lust in his eyes as he came closer to her. "Please don't look like that in front of other men."

"W-What are you talking about?" she stuttered, at the same time trying to keep a distance between her and him. But Aki kept coming towards her with lustful eyes. "Aki-nii-"

"Haruo must've seen it too."

"Seen what?"

"That expression. Desire."

"W-W-W-What are you talking about?"

"That look..." Aki slowly placed his hand against her left cheek; meanwhile Harumi suddenly felt chills running through her spine.

"Aki-nii, y-y-you sound like a drunk!"

"I am drunk," he whispered, keep leaning towards her until Harumi was supporting her body just by her elbows. And she had just realized that Aki was now on top of her.

"Just a few sips and you're already-" her words immediately were cut off by Aki's lips, devouring hers. Never expecting it, Harumi lost balance on her elbows and laid down on the bed back while kissing with Aki. Even though she felt excitement, but the feeling of confusion also kept playing in her mind.

Is he just trying to satisfy himself? Is he using me? But why it has to be me? He hates me, I know that. But to kiss me like this...

Suddenly, a phone rang, breaking their kiss. Even though it was dim in the room, but Harumi could see the redness on Aki's cheeks as he looked away from her. Almost immediately, he got off Harumi as she was trying to reach out her phone on the side table.

With trembling fingers, she quickly answered the phone. "He-Hello?"

"Harumi-san?" Miyuki's voice rang through the phone, and Harumi detected worries. "You were sleeping? I'm sorry..."

"No, it's... fine. What is it?"

"There's something I need to show you."

"Oh right, me too. I'll come to the office," Harumi informed, ending the call. Slowly, she looked at Aki next to her, who was looking away from her. As she stood up, she caught his attention as she immediately grabbed her notebook, slipping it into her handbag.

"Work?" Aki finally asked, watching her as she was touching up her makeup a bit in front of the mirror.

"Yeah, of course," she murmured, after putting on her lipstick. After playing around with her hair a bit, she turned at Aki, who was also ready to leave.

"I'll check out. You can go first," he said, tying up his necktie before putting on his coat that was rested on the bed.

"O-Oh. See you later." Quickly, Harumi left the room and went straight to the elevator, going down to the lobby. She walked towards the exit while checking her things in her handbag, and as she realized that she was already standing out of the hotel, she had noticed a man in a black trench coat, approaching her.

"Toshiyuki Harumi-san?"

Suddenly she felt chills through her spine. Clutching tightly to her handbag, she stepped away from the guy. "Y-Yes?"

Adrenaline rushed through her veins as the man grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards a maroon van. "No!"