Chapter 1

The Question

"Masato….why do we fight?"

The calligraphy brush stood still. A small droplet of ink fell on the page, luckily not marring any of his work too harshly, but enough to be unsettling. Masato's eyes shifted over to the strawberry blonde figure across the room. He was lying in his bed, a magazine in one hand and a mug filled with a liquid of some sorts in the other.

"What?" The blue haired boy asked; his tone unchanging from his usual one despite his current confused mood.

"Why do we fight?" Ren echoed. His tone was casual, his body was relaxed, and his eyes were dead set on the back of Masato's head.

What a curve ball of a question. Out of all the things Jinguji could have asked…why this? Not that he didn't have an answer of course…he was Masato Hijirikawa…he always had to have an answer. The question simply threw him off…a sneak attack at the rear.Yes…that was it.

"You and I both know very well why we fight, Jinguji." Masato replied. His tone was cold. Very cold. Like Dry-ice-in-the-middle-of-the-north-pole cold. Well...perhaps not that cold, but the point was still valid."Well yes. But…think about it for a moment. If it were not for the issue with our families, what reason does that leave?" Ren stated. Was this his way of striking conversation? Because if it was Masato did not like it one bit.

"It's Simple. You are an arrogant, self-centered, shameless flirt who doesn't take his work seriously." Masato laid his brush down on the paper for the moment. "And you are an uptight killjoy who couldn't smile even if it were to save his life. Nobody's perfect. Not even me~" Ren's eyes glazed back down to his magazine at the casual reply. Masato was left speechless.

"That doesn't mean we can't still be friends-…" Ren sat up. He placed his read down on the bed and strolled over to Masato's side of the room. Almost instantly it was as if the mood of the room drifted. Like their rooms had some sort of magical effect on the both of them. As soon as Ren crossed that line, it was as if he felt like he was suffocating. Was this how Masato felt all the time? It was no wonder the boy wouldn't smile…ever.

Ignoring the sensation of crushing hands around his throat, the blonde kneeled down next to the blue haired boy, tilting his chin up with his index finger, forcing eyes to meet. "…Or more than that." He finished.

'More than that'? The words echoed in Masato's ears. What the hell was that supposed to mean? What nonsense was that blonde buffoon spewing this time? What-

…!

Masato's thoughts came to a screeching halt when the sensation of warm lips was pressed down onto his own. His hands shook, his eyes widened like dinner plates…but he didn't pull away. He didn't dare to break. He just…sat there. Everything faded…every thought he had faded to grey, then black…a smooth gradient to the two colors. His thoughts were there, and then they were gone. Albeit slowly…but they left.

Ren soon smoothly pulled away after what seemed like hours. A smirk on his lips and a wink sent flying to Masato. Masato's lips were slightly parted, his stare blank, and his body still. Perhaps his brain was still trying to process what had happened in the last ten or so seconds? Who knows.

Ren Chuckled slightly and coolly stood up. He smoothed out his pants and began to walk back to his side of the room. He grabbed his mug and started for the door. "I'm going to go for a refill. Be back~" Ren announced before walking out of the door. Masato just sat there, not noticing Ren leaving the room.

He didn't even notice the fact that his brush was quickly drying out as it laid over the paper.