Playing Games With The Billionaire (KageHina)

19 - Being Followed

The tension was high in the mansion.

Everyone felt the end of their time there coming closer and desperately tried to get as much alone time with Tobio as possible. It was catty and bitchy and Shoyo hated seeing everyone so stressed.

Even the BFFs Saeko and Hitoka had exchanged some cutting remarks from time to time. Shoyo spent most of his time trying to lighten the atmosphere or hiding out somewhere away from everyone.

Tobio had joined him on the sunny windowsill a few times but no one was willing to let them sleep away the precious time and they would end up with far too many people crowding their space and nap.

Shoyo's only solitude now was when he escaped to the roof.

Tobio was the most affected of all.

The bachelor business tycoon wasn't able to get a minute to himself unless he was on the phone for some business matters and even then, someone always hovered around.

Shoyo would occasionally drop off something to the man to eat or drink when he locked himself away and would often have to shoo away the people hanging around outside the door.

The poor man looked more visibly stressed as the days went on. Dark lines under his eyes, a visible twitch to annoying things, and an increasingly worn impassive mask.

Worse still, the more impassive Tobio seemed, the more desperate the contestants were to get any reaction at all.

The mood in the mansion was oppressive and Shoyo was out of ideas on how to fix it.

He had tried cooking a fancy feast, running a baking session, tried to start another dance party, and even tried to organize an afternoon at the pool side. That one had backfired spectacularly when it turned into a 'pose almost naked for Tobio' fest while simultaneously putting the others down.

Shoyo had actually stormed off in sheer frustration after that one.

He was at the point of just wanting the stupid show over.

*****

Tobio was fleeing from the hell hounds that were the twins when Shoyo appeared in front of him with a grin as he grabbed the man's hand.

He saw dark blue eyes fly wide in surprise before he turned and ran, tugging the taller man into a run behind him.

Twisting and turning as they got further into the mansion, he came to an abrupt halt as the voices of other contestants could be heard around the corner.

He dragged Tobio into a small side room and raised his finger to his lips in a gesture to keep quiet.

The man's eyebrows jumped in surprise but he didn't speak. Shoyo peeked through the crack in the door, watching as the others walked on by unaware.

Tobio's hand was warm and large in his own. Shoyo studiously ignored the nervous thrill that the feeling shot through his stomach.

It was the reaction of a giddy school girl; he was just holding the man's hand for goodness' sake. Nothing crazy.

Soft, small gestures seemed far more intimate than they should and Shoyo didn't know quite how to handle them.

At least with the twice that Tobio had cornered him in the shower, it went so quickly and overwhelmed him so completely that it was somehow less embarrassing.

So, he was left getting flustered over chaste kisses and hand holding.

The oblivious contestants passed them by and once they were sufficiently far away, Shoyo resumed pulling Tobio in a light jog towards the far end of the mansion.

They ran up some stairs and finally arrived at the furthest corner right at the top of the mansion.

He let go of Tobio's warm hand with reluctance and threw the window open wide. Shooting a cheeky grin over his shoulder, he climbed out of the window and swung up onto the roof.

It was less perilous than the first time he had scurried up there as the mansion staff had realized that he liked the spot and endeavored to make it safer by placing extra railings onto the window ledge and roof.

A head popped out the window and swiveled around to catch sight of him perched up on the roof.

Tobio's eyebrows were almost at his hairline but after a moment of consideration, he pulled himself through the window and clambered up beside Shoyo.

"So, was there something you wanted to talk about?" Tobio spoke after a few minutes of silence.

"None," Shoyo leaned back along the sloped roof and closed his eyes, intent on soaking up the last of the afternoon sun. "I just thought you might need a chance to relax. You know, not talk, take a nap, things like that. And just because you're not talking with people here doesn't mean holing yourself up in your office to work counts as relaxing."

Silence enveloped them for a moment.

"You really are something else."

Shoyo opened one eye to peer up at the other man curiously but Tobio didn't elaborate as he continued speaking.

"So this is where you've been hiding away, huh? Not a bad view. Although not all of us are solar powered."

He huffed and closed his eye again. "You can go back to the others if you want but you look like you could use a nap, to be honest."

Tobio chuckled and Shoyo felt the man stretch out alongside him, their arms brushing together.

They both stayed like that for some time. It was nice; the warm afternoon sun across his face, a slight breeze ruffling his hair, and the quiet presence of the man lying next to him.

A thumping, scrabbling sound followed by an amused huff interrupted their peace.

"Of course you would be up here. And you dragged the Bachelor along with you."