Trifecta

Developments


When Yokozawa's phone buzzed with Masamune's casual "drinks saturday?", his first reaction was to text back an immediate, crushing, no. 

Maybe followed by a what the fuck?

His frown deepened as his fingers twitched, wanting to do just that. There was no way he still loved Masamune like he had before, but he'd be lying if he said that his chest didn't twinge painfully every time he saw him around, and that being alone with him wasn't too soon.

Still, that was no excuse to act absolutely childishly about whole affair. Especially since Masamune had taken it upon himself to be the bigger person. It was only Yokozawa's responsibility to respond in kind, since the whole messed-up situation had been his fault in the first place. Just the fact that Masamune had gone out of his way to make the first move towards salvaging their raging trainwreck of a relationship was, Yokozawa knew, his own, wordless way of saying I still care about you.

"Just what part of give me time does he not understand..." he muttered to himself as he contemplated his options. Idealistic notions as he might entertain, the truth was that things were more awkward than anything else between them right now. The tension between them hadn't been helped one bit by Masamune walking in on him with his hands literally down Kirishima's pants.

Shit, his cheeks still burned in shame at the memory as he let out a quiet groan. Masamune was never going to let him live that one down. He knew it was all the more reason to refuse him, but it wasn't like his friend was any stranger to the desires of the flesh, himself. And it wasn't like he could lie to him, either. They'd always had an unspoken contract to answer honestly whenever interrogated by the other about their love lives.

---

Unbidden, the memory flashed across his mind.

"Of all people, why Onodera?"

"Because I love him."

His blazing eyes had delivered the message with more finality than any words ever could.

---

His train of thought was saved from taking a running leap into the gutter by the appearance of Henmi, who came bursting into his cubicle after a hurried knock. Yokozawa seized the opportunity to put off replying to the troublesome text, shoving his phone into his briefcase as he shot Henmi a questioning look.

"Yokozawa-san, you'll never guess the news I have for you!"

"Huh?" Yokozawa said, thrown off for a moment by Henmi's face, flushed with exertion and excitement. He'd obviously run all the way here. Whatever the news was, it had to be pretty important for him to get this worked up over it.

Then again, he was a pretty excitable sort. Yokozawa couldn't deny his curiosity, though. "Let's have it, then."


"You're going to be on the Board for the Diamond Heart anime!"


"Huh?"

Ichinose Erika's bestselling manga was something he was familiar with, of course, having worked with pretty much every manga the shojo department churned out. However, having someone from Sales on the Editorial Board was unheard of. The anime editors were, as far as anyone in Manga was concerned, from another dimension altogether.