S C A N D A L

Chapter Sixteen

Their return home was met with reluctance since Oba-chan didn't want Shiro to leave just yet. However, she was scheduled to return to her own residence with her husband too and there was no other choice but to let him go.

"Why aren't you sitting beside your husband?" Raiden asked his younger brother who insisted on riding shotgun in his Ferrari after getting down from the yacht. There was also the matter of irritation since he was looking forward to inviting Yoshi to his car.

Instead of answering, Kurou pointed at the red mark on his right cheek that Raiden was sure that it was done by a rather powerful hand. "Okay. What did you do to earn your little Shiro's ire again?"

Kurou stared back at the injustice. "What? I didn't do anything!"

"I'm sorry, I don't believe that."

Kurou's eyebrow raised. "If you must know, he tried to take advantage of me last night!"

Raiden almost slammed on the brakes in his car. "I would slap you too on the face if you say that one more time. What makes you think someone like Shiro would even do such a thing, huh?"

"But, it's true! He was so drunk last night that he jumped on me. Hey, I have no intention of telling him what he had done so embarrassingly but he was assertive."

"Seriously, you should've warned your husband that vodka was involved in Oba-chan's birthday ritual."

"This was all her fault. Then again, I do not regret anything."

Raiden smirked. "I bet you don't..."

Kurou drew a deep breath and shifted his seat to face his brother. "Do you know how many times he cockblocked me? I can't even understand whether he wants to do it, or when he wants to do it."

"Sounds like you know how to ask permission now."

"I'm not a rapist! Besides...I will never do that to my husband."

Raiden watched him briefly from the corner of his eye before focusing back on the road. "It seems that your treatment of Shiro was extra special."

Kurou looked outside the window this time. "I am obliged to. It is what is expected of me."

"Is it?" When the man didn't argue, he went on, "I heard you telling Oka-san and Oto-san that nothing will change even if you marry Shiro. Yet, I never saw you left the house without him knowing about it."

More silence. "I think...I like Shiro."

"You think?"

"He isn't like any people that I know and dated. He's traditional but he welcomes innovation as well. He doesn't mind learning new things and he's very smart. I never spend a single dull moment whenever I'm with him."

Raiden hid a smile and tried to make the conversation casual. It was rare for Kurou to be so open about his feelings to someone. Sometimes, he had to press the information out of him before he decided to share it. "What do you plan on doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what about the contract?"

As expected, Kurou was stunned. "You know about the contract?"

"Not from Shiro, I assure you. But does it matter if I know? So, what are you going to do about it?"

Kurou awkwardly averted his eyes. "I don't know..."

┏━•❃°•°❀°•°❃•━┓

Coming home with his cousin this time felt different. Of course, Shiro was more than delighted having Yoshihiro with him but recently, he had enjoyed the company of Kurou more despite their endless bickering.