Keisuke stood next to an ashtray with a cigarette stuck between his fingers, waiting for his bus to arrive. Since it was late, there weren't many people around the school, which is why the young man allowed himself to smoke in such an exposed place. With an earphone on, he quietly enjoyed his playlist, together with the last rays of light that the sun had to offer him.

—Oya, Akaashi! Shouted a voice that he knew well in the distance.

Slowly, the student turned his head towards Naoki Igarashi and his eyebrows raised slightly. Baseball training had ended a while ago. There was no reason for his best friend to be wandering around.

—What are you still doing here? Keisuke asked him, in a suspicious voice, as soon as his best friend had come to his height.

—We have to talk, Igarashi innocently replied by standing beside him. Why did you miss training ? He quickly asked with unfeigned curiosity.

—I had detention at the library, replied the smoker by smashing his cigarette end on the pavement with his shoe. Have you forgotten?

—A detention doesn't last that long, Igarashi remarked with insight before his eyes widened. Wait, were you with Midori?!

—Huh?

Keisuke sighed annoyingly when he heard his classmate's name. At the beginning of the year, his class had once been asked to do a group assignment in pairs, and Akane Midori offered to do all the work in exchange for a date. Seeing no negative counterpart, he had accepted, and they had, unsurprisingly, ended up sleeping together. But since then, this girl kept on pushing him and insisted that they meet again, something Akaashi had not considered once.

—Of course not, he said with disgust. My detention took longer than expected.

Akaashi didn't give any further details. He didn't specify that he was responsible for the delay, nor did he bother to specify the reason for it. When he understood that his hour of restraint would take a completely different turn, his choice had been made quickly: Why would he go to the training when he could just skip it, and have a good time with that girl ?

He was so caught up in the moment that he just didn't see the time go by.

—Since when do you work overtime at the library, huh ? Summarized his best friend in an amused tone. Jokes on you, dude, but I don't believe you, he said and laughed before giving him an energetic pat on the back.

Keisuke winced slightly. His somewhat weakened lungs had taken the full blow, but he didn't bother to reprimand his friend.

—You seem to be aware of the truth already, so I see no reason why I should waste my time explaining everything, replied the student.

Unsurprisingly, Igarashi's smile widened, and Keisuke briefly wondered how his best friend's intuition could be so accurate. Every time, it was the same story. He knew things without even having to say anything. This was one of Igarashi's qualities that Keisuke appreciated as much as he hated; it was useful when he was too lazy to speak, annoying when he didn't want to explain himself.

—I plead guilty, said Igarashi, looking at his interlocutor in dismay. I have some suspicions that I would like to clear up.

Keisuke gave his friend a blasted look. It all made sense. He understood better why Igarashi had waited. The latter just wanted to ask questions in a moment when Keisuke couldn't try to escape. Furthermore, they were completely alone. No one could eavesdrop the conversation, meaning Keisuke couldn't use this excuse either to avoid answering. And even though he was annoyed that he had been fooled, he must at least admit Igarashi played his cards well.

—I'll listen, Sherlock, said the dark-haired boy as he drew a new cigarette from his almost empty pack.

—Last week, when that chick came to meet the captain, you already knew they weren't together.

He nodded his head, which made his friend look highly indignant.

—Dude, come on! You could have corrected us.

—I felt too lazy.

—Well, never mind, Igarashi said energetically while he waved his hands. When I realized they were friends, I naturally thought you also knew. Cause you would never be interested in a girl unless you're absolutely sure she's single. So my bet was that you probably knew this girl.

Keisuke breathed a new cloud of gray smoke over their heads. He didn't intervene, listening to his friend explain his latest theories with one ear. Theories that were, as usual, not so far from reality. Because in truth, at that moment of the story, the young man had already slept with her twice. It's a thing she probably would have avoided if she already had a boyfriend – especially if it was Kazuya Shirai.

—Except that afterward, I was disturbed, Igarashi admitted, analyzing his friend's every move carefully. Because when the captain told us they were just friends and that she was fifteen, you looked as surprised as we did.

—No wonder I was surprised, said Keisuke, carrying her cigarette to her lips. I really didn't expect that she...

He had himself cut in mid-sentence.

—Well, «surprised» was not the best word to describe your state, corrected his friend as if he had said something enormous. You looked downright disappointed! I mean, as disappointed as you can look, because you're always so blasé that...

—Cut it down, I don't have all day long, said the dark-haired man before his friend started a monologue worthy of the greatest philosophers of rhetoric.

Igarashi was not indignant at his tone, accustomed to his friend getting impatient when he pinpointed the truth. It was actually a pretty good sign.

—My theory is the following, he began after his voice cleared. I thought you were pissed because you were into her and discovered that she's friends with Shirai, but now that I've talked to you, I think you were pissed because she's also too young for your liking. Which means you have to move on and find another girl.

—That's almost it, the smoker said while he twirled one of his rings between his fingers.

—Almost? What do you mean almost?

Silence, shifty gaze, and sudden realization.

—Oh, dude, don't tell me that...?

Igarashi burst out laughing at this silent confession. His best friend's ups and downs would never stop entertaining him. He asked for further explanations, and by the time the bus arrived, what he heard only confirmed how his comrade's misadventures would never ever be boring.

—Hey, though, Keisuke suddenly remembered when he got on the bus. Why did you ask me if I was with Midori earlier?

As a response, the young man was entitled to a simple amused look that just contributed to leaving him in the most total incomprehension.

What a traitor.

─── ∗∙⋅❀⋅∙∗ ───

As usual, Keisuke barely had time to cross the threshold of the door when he was greeted by one of the housekeepers. His family had hired maids to take care of their huge residence, and as far as he could remember, they had always had several.

—Good evening, Mr. Keisuke, said the maid, bowing slightly in her way. May I take care of your coat?

The door closed in a clapping sound. The echo reverberated in the vestibule, and the young man immediately felt an unusually heavy atmosphere. A simple glance at the housemaid confirmed it. She seemed more tense, and her voice had become less friendly than usual. Keisuke didn't dwell on this detail, however, and put it down to fatigue, thinking that she probably just had a particularly exhausting day.

—Good evening, said the young man, handing over her uniform jacket, which she took immediately. Thank you.

—The meal will be served in half an hour, sir.

—So early? Said the young man with a surprised tone and frowned.

The maid's discomfort didn't escape her.

—It was requested by your father, she explained briefly in a low voice.

Taking advantage of the young man's dazed air, and without a word, the maid bowed again, then disappeared as quickly as she had appeared. With his arms dangling, Keisuke didn't even have time to digest the information before the housemaster's voice resounded in his ears.

—Do you think this is an appropriate time for you to come home?

For a moment, Keisuke hoped that this voice was only the fruit of his imagination, that he had simply misinterpreted the words of the housekeeper and that his father was not standing a few steps away from him. But no matter how much he wished, his meager hope was completely wiped out the second he looked up.

From the top of the stairs, Ichiro Keisuke looked at his son with a stern look, with that coldness in his eyes that the young man had never managed to bear. A dead silence hovered in the vestibule. In the blink of an eye, the atmosphere became icy, overwhelming and almost suffocating, like the battle of hostile looks between father and son. The seconds were passing, and with them the patience of the adult who was the first to put an end to it.

—I asked you a question, Keisuke, he remarked with a freezing voice as he slowly descended the steps of the staircase.

The boy didn't answer immediately, staring haughtily at the man with whom he shared nothing more than a similar face and a last name. Keisuke enjoyed a bit more the angry air of the adult before finally deigning to answer, taking however the freedom not to comment on his father's initial question.

—Why are you here?

—That does not answer my question, Ichiro hissed, looking at him with annoyance.

—Answer mine first, and we'll see later.

The adult clenched his teeth, exasperated by his son's insolent behavior, but made no comment. He knew that the young man was doing all this circus in order to upset him, and for nothing in the world would he leave him the satisfaction of achieving his goal.

—I came back as soon as I heard about Honoka's state, he informed him in a neutral tone.

—She's been in the hospital four days now, said Keisuke with a disdainful voice. And you're only coming back now?

—I could not deviate from my commitments in a snap, explained the CEO with a calm intonation. Which you would understand if you were a little more diligent about your own obligations.

The young man didn't bother with his words and answered, the question that the adult had asked him earlier.

—I've been in detention.

—In detention? Repeated the adult in a cold, visibly incredulous tone. Do you take me for a fool?

—Call the establishment if you don't believe me, he replied, shrugging his shoulders with indifference.

—And may I ask, to what honor have you been held in detention once again?

— I arrived late on Monday.

The adult looked at him, visibly irritated, but not very surprised to hear it. What a brat, sometimes.

—The maids told me that you spent the night from Sunday to Monday somewhere else, announced Ichiro, looking at his son in every way. Can I ask where you were staying at ?

Keisuke sighted. He didn't like such intrusive interrogations, and even less when it was his father who pulled the strings. Of course, he could not blame the employees for reporting him, but that didn't prevent the fact that it exasperated him somewhat.

—Keisuke, called the adult.

—I was at the hospital, Keisuke admitted. Are you satisfied, now ?

—It's better than believing you were again high on drugs, drunk, or whatever.

Unlike earlier, the adult didn't challenge his eldest son's words. He knew only too well how much the young man valued Honoka, and the fact that he spent his night at her bedside was a possibility he had inevitably thought of. To hear the confirmation from the principal concerned gave him no reason to doubt his sincerity.

—All right, uttered Ichiro before turning away from his son. We'll eat soon. Go change... and hide this damn tattoo from me, he ordered while gliding an upset look towards his son's uplifted sleeves.

Silence.

—It's not the tattoo that should bother you, said the student with a glance.

Having nothing else to add, the dark-haired boy walked past his father and took the stairs leading to the first floor, totally ignoring the dismayed look glued on his back.

Keisuke wasn't short-tempered, and he would never let his anger take over. And yet, the mere fact of being in the presence of his father awakened in him a violent feeling of aversion.

Keisuke opened the bedroom door but didn't notice that someone was already there. It was only when a few timid notes of music rang that he realized another presence than his own. His gaze instinctively turned to the grand piano, which was in the center of the room, just in time to see the little girl running into his arms.

—Oh, you're finally home!

Without any difficulty, he caught the girl and raised her to his height, which made her laugh. Her laughter however soon gave way to a dejected exclamation as she hummed the perfume of her brother, marked by the smell of cigarette.

—Yuck, you smoked again.

—Sorry, he responded mechanically, as he put the child back on the ground.

—Dad will get angry again, grumbled the girl with a pout. As when you dyed my hair, she added, grasping a cherry wine-red strand of hair as a proof.

The young man puffed ironically, but the little one didn't pay attention. She had already moved on, as her bright little eyes and wide innocent smile could attest. With her little hands,  she grasped those of her eldest son and pulled him towards the varnished wood instrument. Before she even opened her mouth, he knew what she was going to ask.

—Please, please, can you play the song for me? She begged with a small voice to appease him.

—Later, Rina, he replied, while throwing his school bag in the corner of the room. We must go eat soon.

—Come on, please! Cried his sister, pulling more at her hand.

—Hey, take it easy, little worm.

His reply had, as always, the result of annoying his sister who swelled her cheeks, suddenly sulking. Saying that the difference in character among the Akaashi siblings was blatant was an understatement. At the grand old age of eight, Rina was and had always been much more expressive than her eldest, something that didn't fail to amuse him every time he had the opportunity to tease her. But despite his detached look and the many bullying of his younger sister, Keisuke cared for her more than anything in the world.

—After dinner, if you want, finally promise the student by pressing his finger on the cheek of her younger sister, which made a little "pop" noise.

—Okay, she said, smiling again, before placing a sound kiss on his cheek.

—Come on, encouraged the dark-haired boy while he approached his wardrobe. Let me hear what you were playing earlier. It was swan lake, wasn't it?

While he was searching his wardrobe for a sweater to cover the ink on his arm, the young man heard Rina groan behind his back.

—But it's better when you play it. I can't learn the whole thing.

—You have to train, he replied calmly as he pulled out a gray sweatshirt to put on. You won't need me to learn anything for you anymore.

—But it is easier if I ask you to learn them for me, replied his little sister in a Machiavellian voice. And you always say yes.

—Hey, don't get too cocky, shorty.

—But it is true, though.

Keisuke kept smiling at his sister's superior air. She was definitely starting to resemble him. He had learned the piano sheet of Tchaikovsky for her, since Rina had been obsessed with this ballet for some time. But that was not a reason for her to brag like that.

He could have refused, huh.

—Well, let's go already, let the young man go as he closed his cupboard. Are you coming?

Facing the unusual silence of the electric battery that served as his sister, Keiuske turned his head towards her. Rina stood in the middle of the room and watched him with cross-eyed, eyebrows curled and visibly alarmed. Without blinking, she approached him gently and reached out for him to carry her, which he did without hesitation.

—What are you looking at, the garden gnome ? He finally asked her, raising an eyebrow.

—What's this ? Asked the girl innocently, touching the skin of her jugular with the tips of her fingers. Did you hurt yourself?

Confused by the words she was saying, Keisuke looked at himself in the mirror to analyze his reflection. His translucent eyes were approximately on the spot indicated by his younger sister, and he understood her questioning by discovering a reddish mark that stained the skin of his neck. A hickey.

I bet you'll get caught first.

Hoshino's words suddenly came to his mind, and his eyes widened in amazement as he made the connection. The audacity. He didn't even remember when she did it. And to think that Igarashi didn't tell him anything and let him show up like this at his house... no wonder his father didn't believe him.

Instead of being offended by the young woman's low blow, it was a semblance of smile that appeared on his lips as he contemplated the work she had left, wondering what she might be capable of in order to have the last word. All things considered, he was right to give her a second chance.

With her, Keisuke felt he wouldn't be bored.