The ceiling of his apartment was an off white shade. There were small cracks running across the ceiling to join at the base of the light. In other words, the ceiling to Tsuzuki�s apartment was very boring. Tsuzuki knew this because he had been staring at it for the past several minutes.

His focus on his ceiling was shattered by his front door being pounded on. As few people knew where he lived, Tsuzuki was quite curious as to who might be on the opposite side.

�Yes?� He asked, as he opened the door. He was greeted by the site of a person with his hand still raised as if to knock.

�Hello!� The person flashed him a cheeky grin, brushing blonde hair out of his face. �You just moved here?� He asked cheerfully.

His cheerfulness was contagious, and Tsuzuki found himself smiling back effortlessly. �Yeah, just a couple of days ago.� He admitted. �Come on in,� He stepped aside to let the man through.

The blonde smiled, and brushed past him to the inside of his apartment, and looked around the bare furnishings. �Err, nice place you got!� He smiled at the small futon that also served as Tsuzuki�s bed. �Very roomy.�

He turned to face Tsuzuki, still smiling. �Oh, I�m Watari, your next door neighbor.� Tsuzuki smiled, deciding against trying to shake hands, and introduced himself. Watari collapsed on his futon, and glanced around. �Let me guess, you�re a bachelor.�

�Why do you say that?� Tsuzuki asked confusedly. �I�m not that bad looking, am I?� He asked worriedly.

Watari held up his fingers. �Hey, not all bachelors are bad looking! I knew because one, you have no real entertainment center in this place. Two, you don�t have any pretty feminine decorations. Three your tie�s crooked.� Watari settled back, and started rummaging through Tsuzuki�s coffee table.

�Oh, is that bad?� Tsuzuki asked worriedly. �I thought I was getting along okay.� He nervously ran his fingers through his hair.

�What . . . Oh, no, I didn�t mean that at all.� Watari flipped through an old newspaper Tsuzuki had pilfered from the laundry room. �See, I�m a bachelor too. It just means I can�t convince your wife to let me come over for dinner, or set me up with any of her friends, which brings me back to the point of why I�m here.� Watari suddenly stood, placing the newspaper collapsing to the ground.

�A friend of mine wants to invite you over for dinner.� Watari watched Tsuzuki expectantly.

�Tonight?� Tsuzuki asked after a long pause. Watari nodded happily. �Well, I guess I have nothing better to do,� Tsuzuki said hesitantly, not sure if it was good to accept an invitation by a person he had only know for a few minutes.

�Great!� Watari gave him a triumphant look. �I�ll come pick you up in about two hours, okay?�

�Sure!� Tsuzuki smiled happily. �I�ll be ready by then!� Any misgiving he had were locked away by the thought of a homemade meal.

***

�You made it!� The young woman who answered the door greeted them. �Please come in!�

�Is Terazuma-� Watari began.

�No, he couldn�t make it. He mumbled something about case with a company before running off.� The woman replied sadly. �He didn�t even grab a slice of the cake I baked!�

�Oh well, more for us, right Tsuzuki?� Watari grinned at him. �Oh, this is Wakaba Kannuki.� Watari introduced Tsuzuki to her, and they politely bowed at each other.

�Tell me, Tsuzuki,� Wakaba said after introductions were finished. �Do you like chocolate cake?�

Tsuzuki�s eyes grew nearly as big as the smile on his face. �Yes, I like chocolate cake a lot.� He replied seriously. He had the feeling he�d like it here.

Wakaba beamed. �Good! I�m almost done cooking, so you two go ahead and take a seat while I finish cooking.� She instructed them cheerfully.

Tsuzuki barely had time to sit down next to Watari before Wakaba was bringing out a steaming tray of stir-fry.

As Tsuzuki and Watari helped themselves, Wakaba observed the purple eyed man. �Tell me Tsuzuki, have you met anyone recently?� She asked daintily.

�Huh?� Tsuzuki looked up from his dinner plate. �Well, this one guy I work with, Tatsumi, and you two.� He replied. �Other than that, I haven�t really met anyone.�

Watari and Wakaba glanced at each other and mouthed something. �Oh, how nice,� Wakaba replied weakly. �I�m glad your experiences haven�t made you too antisocial to join us.�

�Huh?� Tsuzuki asked confusedly. �Why would I be antisocial?� Watari and Wakaba gave each other another look that Tsuzuki couldn�t quite make out.

�Oh, I have a wonderful idea!� Wakaba clasped her hands together. �I have this one friend that�s been meaning to meet some new guys!� She smiled. �Would you mind terribly if I arrange a double date?� She asked. �It�ll just be you, her, Watari and me. It�ll be fun!� She smiled cheerfully.

Tsuzuki blinked at them confusedly. �Are you two-� He started, not sure how to finish. Hadn�t Watari said something about being a bachelor?

Watari caught on rather quickly. �Oh no,� He waved his hands disarmingly. �Wakaba and I are cousins.� He grinned quirkily.

�Well, sure, I guess I�ll come.� Tsuzuki smiled back at him. �I have the day off tomorrow, so it would be nice to have something to do.�

�Good!� Wakaba smiled cheerfully. �Watari will pick you up then.� Watari smiled and winked at Tsuzuki.

�Alright.� Tsuzuki smiled back, and went back to eating his dinner.

***

Tsuzuki smiled at Wakaba�s friend, Yukiko. The petite blonde managed a disinterested smile, and continued to stare out the window. Across the table, Wakaba�s smile grew pained, as Watari rested his forehead in his hand. The silent, half empty coffee shop that they were in only magnified the silence.

�Well,� Tsuzuki said after a long period of time. �What do you do for a living?� He asked conversationally.

It took the girl a few minutes to realize that Tsuzuki was talking to her. �Oh? I work as a sales clerk for the boutique store over there.�

�Oh,� Tsuzuki smiled nervously. �That�s nice. You must get to meet interesting people.� He commented.

�Yeah, I do, mostly married couples.� She replied, sighing in boredom. �And how about you?� She asked.

�I don�t get to meet people in my job.� Tsuzuki chuckled nervously. �I�m not sure what the title of my job is, though.�

Yukiko gave him a disinterested look. �Well, what do you do in you job?�

Tsuzuki beamed, hopping he had finally caught her interest. �I sign papers!� He replied happily. �I work at the company building a little down the road.� He clarified.

�The new one?� Yukiko asked. Tsuzuki nodded vigorously. Yukiko thought for a moment. �You sign papers . . . sounds like you�re a secretary.� She said finally.

Tsuzuki pressed his forehead against the table. �No, I don�t think I am.� His voice had gained an injured tone.

�Are you sure?� Watari asked companionably. �Hey, secretaries are okay. I mean, it�s like being a male nurse, right?� A grin as the women both gave him confused looks. �It�s not like it�s a challenge to your masculinity, right?�

�Um,� Tsuzuki started, not sure how to respond.

Looking behind him, Yukiko gasped and started to beam happily. As whatever she was looking at was behind Tsuzuki, he had to turn around to look. It took him a moment to realize that there was a tall figure that was making his way through the tables towards their general direction.

Upon recognizing the figure, Tsuzuki smiled. �Tatsumi!� He called out cheerfully; ignoring the startled look Yukiko was giving him.

Tatsumi stopped, gazing at Tsuzuki for a few moments. �Tsuzuki-san,� He said hesitantly. �I do apologize for not recognizing you at first.�

�It�s okay.� Tsuzuki smiled happily. �Hey, it�s been a few days, how have you been?�

�Thank you for asking, I have remained as well as one could expect.� Tatsumi briefly broke eye contact with Tsuzuki to quickly glance around. �Oh, am I distracting you from your companions?� He asked. �I do apologize-�

�No, it�s okay!� Tsuzuki blinked at the odd echo in his voice. Then he realized Yukiko was right next to him.

�Tatsumi Seiichirou, I have heard so much about you from Wakaba!� Yukiko exclaimed happily, reaching out to grasp his hand.

Tatsumi grimaced, trying to discreetly tug his hand away. �Perhaps she has been too kind,� Tatsumi commented.

�No, no, you must join us!� Yukiko tugged Tatsumi towards the chair Tsuzuki had recently vacated.

�Yes . . . It�s alright, right?� Tsuzuki asked Wakaba. Wakaba shrugged and nodded.

�The more the merrier,� She replied, smiling at Tatsumi.

�If you insist . . .� Tatsumi began, before more or less being shoved in Tsuzuki�s seat. Watari helpfully made room for Tsuzuki to pull a chair between him and Tatsumi.

�Watari-san, Wakaba-san, I trust you are well?� Tatsumi greeted.

Wakaba gave him a charismatic smile. �Oh, yes, please don�t worry about us.�

�And how are your students?� Tatsumi asked politely, to which Wakaba beamed and nodded. �And you, Watari-san?�

Watari sighed. �They finally gave me back the grant money. I mean, the professor�s hair grew back with no problems.� He glared out the window. �Anyways,� Watari shook himself out of his mood, and focused warily on Tatsumi. �I guess everything�s still okay with you.� He commented.

Tatsumi inclined his head. �And may I ask who you are?� He asked Yukiko.

Yukiko was only too happy to answer. After she introduced herself, she smiled happily at Tatsumi �I�ve heard quite a bit about you.� She smiled.

Tatsumi coughed. �As you mentioned before,� He reminded her. Undaunted, Yukiko gazed happily back at him.

Suddenly a waiter arrived with four slices of delectable pie. Tsuzuki sat up; beaming at the scrumptious pie much like the way Yukiko was beaming at Tatsumi.

Raising a bite sized piece to his mouth, Tsuzuki suddenly remembered something, and turned to Tatsumi.

�Do you want any?� was the innocent question presented to Tatsumi.

Tatsumi shook his head and waved in dismissal. �Thank you, but I will be quite alright.� He replied.

�Oh, no, you must try some!� Yukiko exclaimed, bringing up her fork.

Tatsumi grimaced while edging away. �No, thank you.� Yukiko pouted while Tsuzuki shrugged, and started to eat his pie.

Tatsumi watched the three people eat their desserts disinterestedly. He noticed with increasing displeasure that Tsuzuki was managing to get more of his desert around his mouth than in.

Pursuing his lips in annoyance, he turned to Yukiko, who hadn�t even started eating her pie slice yet.

�Might I borrow a handkerchief?� Tatsumi quietly asked.

Yukiko beamed at being the focus of his attention. �Of course,� She replied, handing him a scrap of cloth. �I embroidered the design myself.� She said happily. �If you want, you can keep it.�

Tatsumi inclined his head. �Thank you.� Before she could reply, he turned to Tsuzuki. �Tsuzuki-san,� he commanded imperiously. �Here,� Yukiko gasped in distress as he handed a confused Tsuzuki the handkerchief.

�Huh?� Tsuzuki asked, starting to wipe at his mouth with his sleeve. Tatsumi diligently caught his hand and forced it down before it could make contact.

�You may use this to wipe your mouth.� He gestured at the scrap of cloth in Tsuzuki�s hand. Yukiko made a protesting noise which Tatsumi ignored.

�Okay,� Tsuzuki wiped at his face, dirtying the handkerchief, and smearing the pie bits more than he was wiping them up.

�No, not like that,� Tatsumi�s face was frozen in a twisted grimace. �A little harder . . . try wetting it . . .� Finally Tatsumi sighed, and grasped the handkerchief by clean backside. With his other hand, he pressed his thumb and forefinger behind Tsuzuki�s jaw, and held on hard. Tsuzuki immediately started struggling, but Tatsumi�s grip was too strong.

Tatsumi delicately spat in the dirty cloth, which gained one last moan of horror from Yukiko, and wiped at Tsuzuki�s face vigorously. �Icky,� Tsuzuki whimpered, trying to struggle out of Tatsumi�s grip. �That�s gross!� He called out at the saliva covered handkerchief as it scrubbed at his face.

After Tatsumi was done, he sat back to admire his work. Though it was hard to see with Tsuzuki furiously scrubbing at his face with the cuffs of his shirt, not a speck of pie remained on the young man�s face.

Satisfied, Tatsumi turned back to Yukiko. �Thank you.� He told her, handing back the scrap of cloth. Gingerly, she accepted it.

�Well,� Wakaba said faintly after watching the spectacle. �I suppose it�s around time we went home.� She giggled nervously. Watari stopped blinking, and nodded in agreement.

�It�s dark out.� Yukiko said, gazing at Tatsumi. �You wouldn�t let a woman walk home all alone, would you?� She asked hopefully.

Tatsumi regarded her coolly. �In my estimation, you seem quite capable of arriving home with no assistance. This city is supposedly one of the safest in the world.� He pointed out.

�But . . .� Yukiko started.

�If you want, I�ll walk you home.� Tsuzuki helpfully offered. Yukiko glanced disinterestedly at him.

�Let�s all walk Yukiko home.� Wakaba offered. Watari and Tsuzuki nodded encouragingly, Tatsumi shrugged indifferently.

�So, it�s still early in the evening,� Tsuzuki started as they started to get up.

�Oh, that�s okay.� Watari reassured him. �Say, after this, we can hit a bar or something!� He grinned charmingly at Tsuzuki.

�Must you speak of this in front of me?� Tatsumi asked darkly.

Watari looked puzzled. �Huh?� He asked Tatsumi confusedly. Then his face dawned in understanding. �Oh, sorry . . . I forgot,� He smiled weakly. Tatsumi sighed and nodded. �So,� He began again, turning to Tsuzuki. �Surely two young men such as ourselves can do something tonight.�

�That�ll be nice,� Tsuzuki smiled back.

Tatsumi massaged the bridge of his nose. �Do you wish to eat dinner with me again?� Tatsumi offered Tsuzuki. �I went grocery shopping earlier today, and there was quite a bit of food on sale. Unfortunately most of the food was in large quantities, and I fear I might have too much leftovers.�

Watari gave Tatsumi a look of pain. �But . . . you never offered to cook for me before!� He exclaimed.

Tatsumi gave Watari a bored look. �The two of you may join Tsuzuki and me as well.�

Wakaba smiled gratefully at him. �Thank you, Tatsumi; I suppose I could use a break from cooking.

Watari grinned, and gave Tsuzuki a peace sign. �Lucky, huh?� He grinned at Tsuzuki as he patted him on the shoulder. �If I hang out with you, I can get food on a regular basis!�

Tatsumi pressed his hand to his forehead, regretting his decision. For some reason though, the look on Tsuzuki�s face had been worth it. He turned to Yukiko. �Shall we bring you home?� He asked her formally.

Looking somewhat put out, Yukiko managed a weak smile just for Tatsumi. �Sure . . .� She smiled at him.

Tatsumi had already turned to where Tsuzuki and Watari were and tugged on Tsuzuki�s sleeve. �Come, we have one more duty until dinner.�

�Uh,� Yukiko started, but Tsuzuki and Tatsumi were already leading the way.

�So,� Watari sprung up next to her. �Did you enjoy the day?� He asked companionably. Yukiko pursed her lips and walked a little quicker. Watari glanced at Wakaba, who shook her head at him.

�Perhaps this wasn�t as good as an idea as I though,� She said hesitantly.

Yukiko managed to catch up to Tatsumi, hoping to have one last chance. �Say,� She said, holding out a slice of cake. �I made this a little before I came, would you like to try some?� She had spent the last several hours trying to make a cake, and as far as she could tell, succeeded.

Tatsumi hesitantly accepted the slice, and slowed down enough so that he could try it. He tilted his head to the side, while tasting it.

�Well, what do you think?� She asked hopefully.

Tatsumi started to reply when he thought of something. �Tsuzuki-san, please try this.� Yukiko watched boggle eyed as Tatsumi proffered the slice. �I do believe this requires a few more egg whites, but I remember you mentioning that you have eaten many cakes. What do you think?� He asked.

Tsuzuki chewed the slice. �Ah! This is the same mixing you can buy at the supermarket! Only, I think you should have used just the egg whites.� He told Yukiko, who had developed a twitch to her face.

�Thank you,� She said weakly. �Well, we�re here.� She turned and ran into her place without looking back.

Tsuzuki watched her go. �Oh, she seemed sad,� He informed Tatsumi. �Maybe I shouldn�t have said anything.�

Tatsumi shrugged. �Please do not concern yourself.� He said, leading Tsuzuki back to Watari and Wakaba. �Even if Wakaba-san�s attempt to set you up did not work out well, I am sure you will eventually find someone.�

Tsuzuki smile happily. �Really? Thank you Tatsumi?� And before Tatsumi could protest, he was wrapped up in a hug. Awkwardly he patted Tsuzuki on the head.

�Hey, Tsuzuki!� Watari hurried over to them. �Did you manage to get Yukiko�s number?� He asked hopefully. Tsuzuki let go of Tatsumi and shook his head. �Too bad, she was kind of cute. Hey, maybe Wakaba can find another friend.� He said hopefully, starting to lead Tsuzuki back.

�I think I�m done with blind dates for a while.� Tsuzuki replied.

�This is just as well.� Tatsumi replied from the other side of Tsuzuki.

�Huh?� Tsuzuki asked. Tatsumi gave him a quick smile, before focusing on the sidewalk in front of him. �Why?� He asked Wakaba. Wakaba smiled and threw up her hands, starting to back off. Tsuzuki gave Watari a hopeful glace.

Watari gave both Tatsumi and Wakaba a look that showed he questioned both of their sanities, and shrugged at Tsuzuki. �Women� he mouthed, before giving Tatsumi a suspicious look.

Tatsumi gave Tsuzuki a sharp look as the latter broke out into a fit of mirth.

End of Part 3

This is a tribute to all Mary Sues who try to get in the way of a Tatsumi x Tsuzuki relationship while a Tatsumi x Tsuzuki fan author is writing it. Though I . . . err . . . �borrowed� Yukiko from the fourth manga, I don�t really know her personality that well. But, from what little I was able to translate (aka: ripped off a translation site), Yukiko existed. That and she didn�t seem to be overly fond as Tsuzuki as mostly everyone else is.