1 The Apricot and His Curse

"Shit."

He just stepped out of the shower, but he is already cursing to himself. He walked closer to the bathroom mirror, touching all the hickey and bite marks on his chest. He sighed as he felt the back of his neck, grabbed onto the sink, and ran his hand through his red hair3 as he groaned. If they are officially a couple, then he will be happy with these marks, but damn. That bastard doesn't have the guts to label their relationship!

"I should stop drinking..." he muttered to himself as he grabbed his towel, wiping his face before opening the door to the bedroom. He snatched his phone from the side table and stared at the date flashing on his lock screen.

"February 13... That's quick," he muttered to himself but stopped when a message popped up one after another.

: Baby, good morning. Can we talk?

: Please, just for a while.

: Can we talk it over?

: Baby?

: Did you eat yet?

"When will he ever stop bugging me?" Rei groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as he felt a headache forming.

"Rei~"

Rei immediately looked at the curly-haired black guy1 lying on his side with his right arm supporting his head on top of the bed. He stares at the guy's smirking face before noticing the bedsheet draping around his naked waist.

"Did you have a good night's sleep?"

"When are you doing to stand up, Haru? It's late already." Rei replied in a deadpan face, hissing but the guy he called Haru just smirked at him before he grabbed his arm, pulling him forward and causing Rei to fall on his chest.

"What---"

He took a deep breath while he buried his face in Rei's hair, smirking. "Did you use my shampoo? It smells great~ We smell like each other."

"Idiot. We have the same kind of shampoo. . ." Rei mumbled under his breath, blushing before pushing the guy below him as he stood up; his bangs were covering his face.

"You know. . . You smell like fresh apricots~ Yum."

Rei rolled his eyes at what the black-haired guy just said. "Yes, and you always say that. But I have to go to school now. I am already late."

Haru smirked at the latter's reaction. "Too bad~"

Rei went to the bathroom and changed his clothes. But as he walked towards the door, he looked at the black-haired guy who was already standing up with his boxer shorts and just watching him pick up his stuff. He walked closer to Haru, wrapping his arms around his neck and pulling him closer before kissing his cheek. The guy's hand then grabbed onto his hips, but Rei just leaned to the side, picking up his bag before showing it in front of Haru.

"I forgot about this~" Rei whispered, smirking and waving.

He went out of his room, leaving Haru, who was also smirking at Rei. He gripped his bag as he walked down their apartment. Yes. Their. Haru and Rei have been living together for almost a year. Their relationship is complicated. He doesn't even know if he can call it a relationship. Because again, they don't even have a label! Sighing, he pulled his phone into his pocket and looked at his phone's clock, groaning at the time.

"Yasuko's gonna kill me when I'm late again!" he groaned to himself but stopped when he felt his phone vibrate, flashing the name of the only person who can save him right now, so he immediately answered.

"Where are you?"

Rei grinned at how serious the voice from the other side of the phone is. "At my apartment."

"I'm picking you up."

Without any word, the guy who called him dropped the call. It's not that surprising how he would get a cold shoulder from him. After all, Rei didn't visit this vacation, and second, he ditched his cousin to find a part-time job and an apartment. His family didn't even know he was living with someone nor what type of job he has...

'So... What should I tell him?' Rei sighed, sitting on the bench on the sidewalk.

After minutes of contemplating what to say, he stopped when a red Chevrolet stopped in front of him. The driver lowered his window, revealing a silver-haired guy2 who tilted his head to the side like he told Rei to hop in.

"You saved me, Yuu-chan~" Rei sighed, hopping in the car and putting on his seatbelt.

"Don't call me that!" The silver-haired guy hissed at him.

Rei smirked as he sat in the passenger's seat. "But that's what I call you even before."

"Setting that aside, Rei..."

"Yes?"

Yuu immediately grabbed Rei's shoulder as soon as he settled in his seat. "Why didn't you call to tell me that you aren't coming home with me last time?!"

"Sorry..."

Rei felt Yuu's grip tighten as he blinked his eyes rapidly, acting cute in front of him. Yuu's eyes twitched in annoyance like he wanted to punch him for acting cute, but instead, he sighed and leaned his back on the driver's seat, grabbing the steering wheel with both of his hands.

"Mom and Dad have been worried. You didn't call nor visit them. You got a part-time job plus an apartment! And without telling us?! What the hell are you thinking? There is nothing wrong when you are living with us. You don't even have to work your ass off!" he exclaimed, gripping the steering wheel and driving away from the apartment.

"Nothing. I just feel like it." Rei shrugged, apathetically.

Yuu sighed for the nth time. "Call them when you have time so they wouldn't get too worried. Better if you visit them, it's just a station away from school! Geez."

Rei felt sorry for making his aunt worried, but he still wouldn't change his mind. He had his plans, and he can't tell anyone. Not Yuu, even his aunt, and uncle could know. He only smirks before leaning back on his chair to relax, staring at the view from his window.

"Roger that~"

"Good."

"So? Why are you here? Don't tell me you just want to fetch me and take me back home?" he looked back at Yuu, who is still focusing on driving.

"That's MY plan, but we have classes, and you have a part-time job. Because of that, I will let you off the hook. . ."

Rei raised a brow at him. "And the other plan?"

"Mom wants you to go home next week."

"What happened?"

"Uncle's birthday is on Saturday, right? She wants me to meet up and plan with you today." Yuu answered, which made Rei's eyes widen but stopped when his cousin put his hand on his head and messed up his hair.

Rei groaned as he tried to stop Yuu from messing up his hair. "Yuuuu!"

"Did you think we will forget about his birthday?"

Rei blushed a little and avoided Yuu's gaze at him. His smirk is starting to irritate him. "No. . ."

"Liar. You have this habit of avoiding my gaze when you are lying."

The latter just stayed silent at what his cousin said because he knows it is true. "I'll be waiting in the library later during lunchtime. Just text or call me up when you're done, okay?"

Rei just nodded as an answer, gripping his seatbelt and finding himself smiling happily throughout the ride.