insaneneko

Fujou no kairou by Hana Yakou and illustrated by Oyamada Ami is a wonderful combination of pretty art and enjoyable story. I wasn't too sure about it at first, but I found myself sucked in and relished reading it. It's about a sweet guy who tries really hard to help out the guy he secretly loves get rid of some attaching vengeful spirits. The main character is not very bright but is very very kind and sweet and sincere, eventually breaking through the wall the other guy had built due to the misfortunes in his life. Sometimes simple characters are so simple and silly I dislike them, and I was worried I'd get annoyed by the character while reading the story. But in fact I found him adorable and rooted for him throughout. And the seme? Most of the problems in his personality end up being VERY understandable. No excessive meanness, either. How refreshing.

Amano Ayumu is a sweet and sincere kid of less than average abilities. Not very smart, not skilled in other ways such as in athletics, not exceptionally attractive. He'd learned to smile and be happy at all times to avoid being picked on. The one exceptional thing about him had been his childhood ability to see spirits and such things (which he'd kept hidden). It had basically gone away when he entered middle school, but in his third year he sits behind a kid named Saijou Kiichi with a huge mass of vengeful spirits attached to him. He is fascinated by it and by the kid, and tries to figure the problem out. Over time he also realizes that he's fallen for Saijou. Unfortunately, Saijou does not believe in spirits so Ayumu knows he can't just convince Saijou to see Ayumu's father, who also has powers of not only seeing spirits but doing other things as well and makes his living helping clients out. Ayumu works at trying to see the spirits more clearly, until one day he collapses. Ayumu's father explains that Ayumu has a whole bunch of spirits attached to him. He gets rid of them, but Ayumu is unable to attend school any longer because he'd regained his ability to sense spirits and could not be around people without training to deal with the ability. He is allowed to graduate intermediate school, but does not receive further education. Instead he helps out his dad and does the housework after his mother dies.

At 23 Ayumu's father decides that Ayumu needs to live on his own and be his own man, so Ayumu gets a job working at a convenience store (hard to get a job with only an intermediate school education and not much smarts) and moves into a small apartment. Turns out his next door neighbor is Saijou, who is a teacher at a prep school and still has his attaching spirits. Saijou takes Ayumu out to dinner because Ayumu had overheard Saijou having sex with some woman (the walls of their building are *really* thin)...Until Saijou had lost his erection due to the woman's unpleasant smell. This Saijou tells Ayumu over dinner. Saijou teases Ayumu, deducing that Ayumu must be a virgin. He admits that it feels weird and exciting meeting up with Ayumu after all these years because he'd thought Ayumu had died from cancer or something.

Ayumu wants to desperately help Saijou out with his problem. Attaching spirits of that type always attract other dark spirits and cause more misfortune. One day when Saijou comes to see Ayumu working at the convenience store, Ayumu offers to get Saijou a free bento for dinner as well. Saijou declines as he isn't so broke to rely on leftovers. Ayumu asks if he can come over and hang out at Saijou's room after work. Saijou, looking a bit perplexed, agrees. Ayumu runs home and goes over to Saijou's room. He asks Saijou why Saijou had always been a loner in intermediate school. He points out that Saijou isn't a bad person and couldn't figure it out. Saijou just says he finds being with people annoying. When Ayumu points out that Saijou is hanging out with him right now, Saijou starts to say that Ayumu is like a puppy, but instead tries to kick him out. Ayumu is shocked by Saijou's sudden rejection and desperately wants a promise to meet again. Ayumu gets Saijou to promise to show him around the area, particularly the park nearby. He won't leave unless Saijou promises! Saijou sinks his head between his knees, finding the whole thing insane and bothersome, but does agree. Ayumu is delighted, and gets a smack on the head for showing his delight. Ayumu says good night and goes home.

Ayumu is happy to have gotten a promise to go out with Saijou. He also wonders if he'll be able to help Saijou out. He falls asleep quickly, having drunk some beer at Saijou's room. He dreams of an old woman with a large mole on her cheek asking him to do something, but doesn't know what.

The next morning Ayumu is woken up by his father. His father had brought over some supplies, including food he'd received from his clients. Ayumu tries to get his father to look at Saijou, but his father refuses. He doesn't want to do things for free. But then they run into Saijou outside. Ayumu's father tells Ayumu that Saijou has serious problems. He not only has a bunch of old vengeful spirits, he has the resentment of various people'd wronged attached to him as well. He tells Ayumu to give up on Saijou and leaves. Ayumu sweeps the front of his and Saijou's front doors as a way to get rid of resentment. Cleanliness is a quick and simple way to do so. He can do what he can one thing at a time.

Ayumu decides to make a bento for their outing since he'd received a lot of food. He wakes up early to make bento, then knocks on Saijou's door. Saijou looks like he hadn't slept much and can't believe Ayumu really wants to go walking around. He tells Ayumu to wait while he washes his face. Thirty minutes later he comes out, obviously hoping Ayumu had given up in the meantime. But Ayumu is still waiting, so they head out. At one point Ayumu bumps into a random man. The man drops a cigarette box, so Ayumu returns it to the man. Saijou can't believe it. The box had been empty and the man had obviously been throwing it away, littering. But Ayumu hadn't realized it at all and had returned it to the man as if he'd accidentally dropped it. Ayumu thinks back and realizes his mistake. Saijou finds the whole incident amusing. The man had taken the box back because Ayumu had been so smiley instead of telling Ayumu that he'd tossed it.

When Ayumu proposes eating the bento he'd made, Saijou is displeased. Why does he have to eat the (crappy) food a guy had made with that very guy? How gross! But Ayumu wants Saijou to eat it, so he says he'll go somewhere so that Saijou can eat in peace and come back later. Saijou feels like he'll seem like a bad guy if he lets Ayumu do that, so he gives in and they eat together. Contrary to Saijou's expectations, Ayumu's food is very good. Ayumu offers to cook for Saijou, but Saijou is grossed out by the idea. After he finishes eating Saijou falls asleep. Ayumu spends some time going into a trance to investigate the mass-o-spirits attached to Saijou. The first thing Ayumu sees is the resentment of a living woman. He can't deal with the spirits Saijou had been carrying since intermediate school, but he figures he can at least find the woman and deal with her issues. Saijou groans in his sleep, but when Ayumu places his palm on Saijou's forehead, Saijou calms down and sleeps peacefully. When Ayumu takes his hand away, the woman with the mole from his dream appears. She shows him a black lacquered box. Ayumu figures she wants him to find it and tells her he will try.

Saijou wakes up five hours later. He can't believe Ayumu had just let him sleep for so long. Wasn't he bored? But Ayumu replies that Saijou seemed so tired he didn't want to wake him up. Smiling broadly, Ayumu tells Saijou that sleep is very important and that he's glad Saijou feels refreshed. When Saijou looks at him with a troubled expression, Ayumu asks what's wrong. Saijou asks if Ayumu is in love with him. Ayumu unthinkingly smiles and nods. When Saijou asks if Ayumu isn't conflicted at all or if Ayumu liked Saijou in a friend way, Ayumu realizes that his feelings are only a troublesome thing for Saijou. He hadn't ever meant to tell Saijou, so he hadn't thought deeply about the meaning of his own feelings. He apologizes to Saijou. Saijou is thrown out of whack at getting such an apology, and tells Ayumu that he isn't upset. Not not Ayumu could assault him or anything (he's much bigger than Ayumu). Ayumu blushes at being teased, and gets his hair ruffled. He's happy and relieved that Saijou doesn't hate him. As they walk home, Ayumu's heart beats fast at his proximity to Saijou's warmth. He looks up at the setting sun and wishes they could be in this moment this forever.

After his shift at the convenience store, Ayumu makes dinner. He goes over to Saijou's room to invite him over for dinner, but Saijou is not home. He leaves a note on the door, and Saijou comes over when he gets home. They eat, Saijou happy at Ayumu's tasty food. Ayumu is happy to be eating with someone, and with Saijou in particular. He mentions that he'd seen a dream of an old woman and a mole, and asks if anyone in Saijou's acquaintance fits that description. Saijou mentions that his grandmother had a mole on her cheek. Ayumu then asks about the lacquered box, but Saijou has no idea. Ayumu confesses that he can see spirits, but Saijou coldly tells Ayumu that it's all delusion. While he expounds on how such delusions come from the weakness of people who believe such things, they hear rapping sounds. Ayumu tries to explain that it's a spiritual manifestation, but Saijou, obviously in a bad mood, explains it away as sounds the old building is making and gets up to leave. Ayumu doesn't want to take the chance that Saijou won't see him again, and asks if he can make dinner for Saijou tomorrow as well. Saijou tells him to do as he pleases. As soon as Saijou leaves the noises stop. Ayumu isn't sure how he's going to deal with Saijou's complete denial. He realizes he'll probably have to visit Saijou's parent's home at some point to find the box.

The next day Saijou comes over before Ayumu is finished making dinner. He praises Ayumu's food as he eats. Then Ayumu is even more shocked when Saijou washes the dishes. "That Saijou-kun! Washing the dishes!" Saijou is kind of offended. Why is Ayumu so surprised at him washing the dishes?

As Ayumu serves Saijou tea, he asks if Saijou is tired. He looks it. He offers a futon for Saijou to lie down and rest. Saijou asks if Ayumu is planning on assaulting him as he sleeps. Ayumu turns bright red and shakes his head. Never! Saijou laughs at Ayumu--like Ayumu could! He falls sleep right there. Ayumu covers Saijou with a blanket. He gazes into Saijou's face, but thinks that Saijou may not like him doing something like that so he goes off to take a bath. Saijou sleeps until midnight, when Ayumu decides that he should wake Saijou up. But Saijou wakes up on his own. He stares at Ayumu's face, then comments that Ayumu isn't that unattractive though his style sucks pretty badly. He tells Ayumu to kiss him. Ayumu falls on his butt. What is Saijou saying! He thinks Saijou is teasing him again and glares at Saijou, his face beet red. But Saijou is serious. He goads Ayumu into doing it. Ayumu presses his lips against Saijou's in his first kiss. He's quite excited about it, but Saijou is dissatisfied with Ayumu's baby kiss. He grabs Ayumu and kisses him deeply. Ayumu can't breathe and is kind of uncomfortable, but becomes aroused. When Saijou breaks off the kiss, he declares that he can't believe it but he thinks he'd be able to sleep with Ayumu. He'd always thought he couldn't sleep with a guy, but it seems it depends on the partner. He finds Ayumu's scent quite nice. He brushes his hand against Ayumu's crotch and notices Ayumu's erection. He offers to give Ayumu a hand job. Ayumu scampers to the far corner of the room and declines vigorously. He hadn't even noticed he'd become hard, and he's terribly embarrassed. Saijou decides to leave, thanking Ayumu for dinner. He asks if he can come over the next day. Ayumu can't look at Saijou, but nods. Saijou laughs, commenting that it may have been too much stimulation for Ayumu, and leaves. Ayumu rolls around on the floor, then jerks himself off to memories of the kiss.

Ayumu is totally worthless at work the next day, in a daze over the kiss. He'd never been interested in sex, but one little taste seems to have set him off. He now understands why monks are forbidden from having sex. Too alluring! He gets sent home early. As he's making dinner Saijou comes over. He's brought beer. Ayumu screams when Saijou embraces him from behind while he's mixing the miso soup. Saijou sniffs behind Ayumu's ear and neck, finding Ayumu's scent very nice. He'd thought last night was due to Ayumu having taken a bath, but he seems to be wrong. While Ayumu is freaking out, Saijou acts like everything's normal. Saijou asks if Ayumu is off work tomorrow. Ayumu says that he is, and asks why Saijou is asking even as he slowly moves his stiff body away from Saijou. Saijou then proposes having sex tonight. Ayumu can't even make words out. He's beyond red, he's pale. As he stutters, Saijou takes the ladle from his hand and pours out two servings. Saijou serves out the rice and sits at the table. He tells Ayumu that they should eat before the food gets cold. Ayumu stands at the sink for a while, dumbfounded, but then sits at the table. Ayumu can't really eat. Have sex with Saijou? The kiss last night blew his mind out! Plus, what did it all mean? He loved Saijou, but it's not like Saijou loved him. Saijou liked sleeping with easy women, was he going to be one of those easy women? Saijou, in the meantime, happily eats dinner. After dinner, he tells Ayumu to come over after taking a bath and heads to his room.

Ayumu takes a bath, but is very low in spirits. He thinks sex should be between people who love each other, and while he loves Saijou...Saijou takes sex so lightly. He decides to decline. He goes to Saijou's room. Saijou tells Ayumu that he's late and tries to pull Ayumu inside. Ayumu resists, saying he'd come to decline. When Saijou asks why, Ayumu replies that Saijou doesn't love him. Seeing Saijou's exasperated expression makes Ayumu feels worse and he tells Saijou that he's going home. Saijou asks if Ayumu wants him to say he loves him. He grabs Ayumu and pulls him into his room. Saijou grabs both of Ayumu's arms and tells Ayumu that he doesn't understand that kind of thing. He'd never felt love for someone else before. Ayumu can't believe it. What about his mom and dad? Saijou's dad had died a while back, and his mom was a total pain. That's why he'd moved out a long time ago. Ayumu then asks about the girl he'd dated. Saijou had dated her only because she'd threatened to kill herself if he didn't. Ayumu then asks about Saijou's grandmother. Saijou responds that he didn't dislike her, but she'd died when he was young so he doesn't remember her much. Ayumu is shocked. Saijou hadn't changed at all. He'd rejected everyone in intermediate school and had continued to do so. Saijou sniffs Ayumu's neck. He tells Ayumu that he likes Ayumu's scent more than anyone else he'd met before. He asks if that isn't enough? Ayumu can't say no anymore, but does try once more. He tells Saijou that he loves Saijou and doesn't want Saijou to continue if Saijou is just playing around. Saijou tells Ayumu that he frankly doesn't know if he's serious or just playing. He confesses that he had jerked himself off after he'd gone home last night. He'd never done something like that, and he'd like to try having the real thing. He just really wants to sleep with Ayumu. If that isn't enough for Ayumu, he'll give up. Ayumu is warmed by the fact that Saijou has more feelings for him than he'd thought. Saijou is willing to confess his true feelings to Ayumu. Saijou had never loved anyone before, and yet here he was wanting someone so much. He grabs Saijou's hand and says he won't go home.

They have sex. Ayumu is shocked by the size and appearance of Saijou's dick. He comments that it's like his dad's (the size, that is). Saijou complains that Ayumu has no delicacy, bringing up his dad during sex. He carefully explains how men have sex with each other. He figured Ayumu had no clue so he'd done some research on the internet. When Ayumu realizes Saijou's dick is supposed to fit into his ass, he is freaked out. Like that scary big thing will fit! He'll die! Saijou tells Ayumu that he won't just stick it in. He'll make it work, and make it feel good for Ayumu. And he does.

The next morning Ayumu wakes up to find Saijou staring at him. Saijou can't figure out why he'd gone after Ayumu. If Ayumu was a girl he'd be a type Saijou would never touch. Ayumu doesn't understand Saijou's mutterings, and asks if he wasn't a good lay. Saijou tells him that Ayumu was most excellent. He'd love to have another go right then if Ayumu wasn't sore. He asks how it was for Ayumu. Ayumu replies that it was so good it was scary. Saijou kisses him deeply, then grabs Ayumu's dick. Ayumu tells Saijou that his ass hurts so they can't have sex now. Saijou complains that Ayumu shouldn't tempt him. Ayumu protests that he wasn't tempting Saijou. In any case, he wants to go to Saijou's house today. Saijou asks where Ayumu thinks he is now. Ayumu realizes he's at Saijou's house already. He laughs at himself. Saijou realizes that Ayumu must want to go to his parent's house, since Ayumu had previously asked him if it was still the same from intermediate school. Ayumu confesses that he wants to find the box the grandmother had shown him, apologizing to Saijou but telling Saijou that he will go no matter what. Saijou tells him do whatever, and turns his back on him. Ayumu leaves before Saijou stops him or something.

Ayumu goes to his dad's house to get the address of Saijou's childhood home from his graduation album and heads over. When he rings the bell to Saijou's house, Saijou's mother greets him. She'd been expecting him. Ayumu is surprised that Saijou had talked to his mom even though he'd been so mad. Saijou's house is rather large and old, but dilapidated. It looks like a haunted house. Ayumu explains his dream and about the box. He's afraid that Saijou's mother will kick him out or call the police, but she brings out the very box he's seen. It contains Saijou's family lineage, a very old and pretty impressive one. Ayumu has no idea why the grandmother had wanted him to see it at first, but he realizes that the men in the family had all died young. Saijou's father had lived all the way to thirty, but he'd mostly been in the hospital. Saijou's mother wonders if they were cursed. She mentions that she'd heard that an ancestor had massacred some family a long time ago, but she doesn't seem to think it was really the problem. She doesn't know much about the past, but Ayumu thinks that might be it. Such powerful resentment can last for centuries and can carry down through the descendants. Saijou's mother becomes worried about her son, asking if he's okay. Ayumu assures her that Saijou is healthy. He realizes why Saijou found her annoying. He didn't like seeing her worry over him constantly, which is basically another expression of love. He decides to leave, knowing he wasn't going to get any more information here.

As Ayumu heads home, he feels like he understands a little bit more about Saijou's attitude toward life and other people. Image being born in a family where the men all die young, your own father dying when you're a child? It's not hard to see why he'd reject everyone. Ayumu hurries home and rings Saijou's doorbell, wanting to see Saijou. Saijou complains that he only needs to ring the doorbell once, and notices Ayumu is all wet. Ayumu had walked in a pretty light rain, but was pretty wet because he'd been in the rain for a while. Saijou lends him a towel and a dry shirt. When Ayumu tries to urge Saijou to have someone do a spiritual investigation, Saijou tells him that his mother had taken him to one when he was young. The monk had died in the middle of it. Ayumu is amazed at Saijou's stubborn disbelief in the face of everything. Saijou tells Ayumu that he doesn't believe in any supernatural things, but he doesn't care if he dies young. He has no attachment to the world. Ayumu objects to Saijou's attitude. Saijou doesn't have any attachments because he'd never made any! He doesn't want Saijou to die. Saijou tells Ayumu that it's pointless to expect anything from him. Ayumu protests that he doesn't want Saijou to die. He loves Saijou and won't let him die. He glares at Saijou.

Saijou is silent for a while. He then wonders why he'd slept with Ayumu. He gets Ayumu to climb on top of him, and they kiss lightly over and over. Saijou tells Ayumu that he'd probably opened up to Ayumu because he'd thought Ayumu had died once. He'd gotten a bit excited at seeing someone come back to life. Ayumu is disappointed at the reason (he'd been hoping for something nice), but is swept away in the physical sensations. They have sex.

As Ayumu heads home from work, thinking about making dinner that night (he'd been given money and a request from Saijou), he passes by a freaky woman he isn't sure is a real person or a ghost. When he gets to his room he sees a dead cat in front of Saijou's front door. When he approaches he sees that the cat is actually still alive, if bleeding. He picks up the cat and takes it to a nearby vet. The vet promises to do what he can, though the prognosis does not look good. He can't help but think about the woman he'd passed earlier. Had she abused that poor cat? He shops for dinner and walks home, out of it. He runs into Saijou on a bridge, who laughs at his absentmindedness. Seeing Saijou's smiling face, Ayumu's face crumbles and he starts to mutter "the cat, the cat..." But then he realizes that it might be a shock for Saijou to learn that a cat's body had been left at his door, so he just explains that he'd found an almost dead cat and had taken it to the vet. Saijou tells Ayumu that he hopes the cat is okay, and pats him on the head. He looks up and comments that the setting sun is particularly gorgeous today. Ayumu agrees. He'd totally take a picture if he had a cell phone or something. Saijou can't believe Ayumu doesn't have one, but he offers to take a picture with his cell phone camera. He leans one handed on the rail trying to take the picture. A white something coalesces around Saijou's arm, solidifying into a hand. It pulls Saijou's arm down. Ayumu grabs Saijou's waist as the hand tries to pull Saijou off the bridge, so Saijou manages not to go over the rail. Saijou apologizes, commenting that it felt like his arm been pulled. Ayumu agrees that a hand had pulled Saijou. Saijou doesn't speak for a moment, then says that his hand had just slipped. Ayumu is disappointed that Saijou had again rejected the supernatural. Saijou shows Ayumu the pretty picture he'd taken, and they head home.

After a satisfying dinner, Ayumu mentions the woman he'd seen hanging out by Saijou's room. Saijou recognizes her. Her name is Kirie, and she's his stalker. He'd dated her after she'd threatened to kill herself. She was insanely possessive and just kind of nuts. Ayumu can't believe how calm Saijou seems about having a stalker. Saijou doesn't think she's much of a threat and forgets about her often. Saijou deduces that the cat had been left at his door. He tells Ayumu that she'd left dead animals at his door before. He's surprised the cat was still alive. Ayumu tells Saijou that people who abuse animals often hurt people as well. She could easily attack him from behind with a knife. Saijou shrugs it off. It's not like his life is worth that much. Ayumu wonders how he can get Saijou to want to live. He realizes that not only does he have to get rid of the vengeful spirits and resentments attached to Saijou, but he has to somehow get Saijou to want to live. He can't even imagine Saijou's lack of attachment to life. He can't help but feel that things are getting worse for Saijou, and asks if he can stay over. Saijou is okay with it if they can have sex. Ayumu senses that Saijou's touch becomes gentler all the time, yet is sad that he can't be a reason for Saijou to want to live.

Ayumu wakes up in the middle of night from an unpleasant dream of being lost in a forest and chased by a frightening presence. He sees the sleeping Saijou being choked by a white human-shaped mist. Ayumu immediately tries to push it off. He feels some resistance for an instance, but it's gone and he falls on Saijou. Saijou groans and wakes up. The mist is gone. Saijou tells Ayumu that he dreamed that he was being strangled. Ayumu senses that the presence was a living person. He tells Saijou that he saw a woman choking Saijou, figuring that it must be Kirie. He tries to explain that Saijou needs to do something about it, but Saijou dismisses it all as them both having weird dreams. He pulls Ayumu to him. Ayumu feels Saijou's speeding heartbeat, and realizes that no matter how much Saijou denies it he must be scared. Ayumu hugs Saijou back and prays that nothing assaults Saijou. He resolves to talk to his dad to save Saijou.

The next day Ayumu goes to see his dad. He explains all that's happened and begs his dad to save Saijou. Ayumu's dad asks when Ayumu had turned gay. Ayumu blushes, but realizes he can't hide anything from his dad. He confesses that he loves Saijou and apologizes for being a bad son. He gazes into his dad's eyes, hoping to convey the depths of his feelings. His dad puts his hand on Ayumu's shoulder and comments that Ayumu turned out to be attracted to good-looking types. Ayumu can't believe his father would go there out of all things, but his father tells Ayumu that he shouldn't mess with Saijou. He checks out Saijou through his powers and tells Ayumu Saijou has the shadow of death on him. He will die soon. Ayumu had suspected it, but to hear it so clearly is shocking. He begs his dad for help. He'll do anything! His dad teaches him a forbidden technique that can only work as the person is dying.

Ayumu is in shock. Saijou will die soon. He has to be around when Saijou is dying in order to save him. That means he has to stick close to Saijou. He waits for Saijou to finish work at the prep school. They head home for dinner. After some sex, Saijou tells Ayumu that he will be going to Osaka by air for an overnight training session in two days. Ayumu asks if he can go as well. Saijou calls Ayumu an idiot. Is Ayumu a stalker? Ayumu realizes he's talking crazy, so he apologizes. They fall asleep.

Ayumu wakes up in the middle of the night, sensing someone's gaze. Saijou is sleeping peacefully. When he looks outside, he sees a long-haired woman. He goes outside, but can't find the woman. He still feels that clinging gaze.

The next morning Saijou notices that Ayumu doesn't look very good. Ayumu hadn't been able to sleep, but he tells Saijou that his stomach hurts. Saijou is about to go look for medicine, but Ayumu tells Saijou he'd already taken something. Ayumu tries to book a ticket on Saijou's flight but it's sold out. He doesn't know what to do. So...that night he mixes some sleeping medicine in Saijou's food. He sleeps over that night as well. Saijou gives him a spare key to lock the door, since Saijou will be leaving early in the morning. When Saijou goes to sleep, Ayumu handcuffs Saijou to him. He apologizes over and over to Saijou's sleeping face.

Of course Saijou is not happy the next morning. He's very very mad. But then he gets a call from his boss--turns out the plane he was supposed to be on had an accident. His co-worker on that flight had been badly hurt. Ayumu lies that he was told by Saijou's grandmother to not let Saijou on the plane. Knowing Saijou wouldn't believe him he'd done this crazy thing. He apologizes over and over. Saijou gets Ayumu to unlock the handcuffs and asks him to leave. He wants to be alone. Ayumu goes home, terribly shaken. Could he have done something to prevent Saijou from going to Osaka without making him so mad? He imagines Saijou never forgiving him. He cries himself to sleep.

The next two days Ayumu works hard to follow Saijou around. It is incredibly hard, and taxing. Eventually his thoughts are filled with the desire to save Saijou. He then hits upon the brilliant idea of almost killing Saijou himself, so that he can save him! He picks up a knife and waits for Saijou to come home. But his dad comes over, telling him he's been taken over by a spirit. Ayumu's dad gets rid of the it. He explains that Ayumu's mom had been appearing in his dreams the last few nights telling him Ayumu was not normal, but that he'd ignored it thinking Ayumu was an adult and could deal with whatever was going on. But he'd done a seeing on Ayumu and saw that Ayumu had a bunch of spirits attached to him. Ayumu tells his dad that he was about to kill Saijou. Ayumu's dad confesses that the forbidden technique was a total lie. He thought Ayumu would give up if he'd told him it was a technique to use when the person was dying. Ayumu is not happy. He'd almost killed someone! He asks his dad to save Saijou, but his dad confesses something else. He'd had a client a while back who wanted to kill someone. That someone was Saijou.

When Saijou comes home, Ayumu is waiting for him outside. He apologizes profusely for the handcuff thing and the stalking thing. Saijou apologizes for what he'd said before and invites Ayumu inside. Saijou tells him not to do that kind of thing again. He tells Ayumu that his redeeming feature is his energy and cheerfulness, and yet he's all worn out. He's thinking too hard. Saijou touches Ayumu's face, then kisses him. Ayumu clings to Saijou. As they drink coffee, Ayumu tells Saijou about his father's job and how Kirie was a client. He asks if he can put a mirror at Saijou's door to send back her resentment. He tells Saijou that he should really talk to Kirie to resolve things, but Saijou doesn't think it'll work. He'd tried and failed before. Saijou tells Ayumu that he'd been saved by Ayumu twice. Once was the airplane thing, but the other time was back in intermediate school. Ayumu had once caught sight of Saijou walking around. Sensing something dark, Ayumu had followed Saijou up to a high place in the neighborhood. When Saijou had caught him, Ayumu had given him a bunch of mountain greens. Saijou tells Ayumu that he'd gone up there to die, but felt like he couldn't off himself after having been given a ridiculous bag of green crap. He'd taken it home. That day was the day the monk had died. He thought it'd be better if he was gone since he'd gone and gotten someone killed.

Ayumu feels like he's been hit in the head. He hadn't understood Saijou at all. Saijou had rejected everything supernatural so stubbornly because he was afraid someone would die because of him again. He had rejected everyone because he didn't want to fuck up anyone else's life. He'd been more open with Ayumu because he thought of Ayumu as someone who'd died once. Saijou continues to dispassionately explain how he'd always wished he'd never been born. Ayumu starts to cry. Saijou insults Ayumu's crying face in exasperation, but admits that he finds it adorable as well. He remembers Ayumu saying sex was something you did with the person you loved, even as he starts to caress and kiss Ayumu. He tells Ayumu that its a silly thing to think. What is this, a shoujo manga? But as he says it he draws Ayumu close and sucks on Ayumu's neck. Ayumu feels his body heating up and wraps his arms around Saijou's neck. They have sex. After the first round, Saijou kisses Ayumu and asks if they should have sex till morning tonight. Ayumu wraps his arms around Saijou to say that he'd like to, and they do.

When Ayumu wakes up the next morning, Saijou is sleeping deeply. Ayumu gets up and leaves with a note letting Saijou know that he'd gone to visit Kirie. He meets up with her and tries to talk with her, but she's just totally messed up. She thinks he's coming between her and Saijou, and threatens him with a knife. Luckily Saijou shows up. He punches her. She falls down and hits her head on a rock. Saijou then scolds Ayumu for worrying him. Ayumu apologizes, then checks on Kirie to make sure she's still alive. Saijou slaps her face to wake her up. When she wakes up, she implores him to realize that she's the one that loves him truly. He tells her she's just obnoxious. His "star-crossed love" is Ayumu, not her. She should go find her true love. She objects. Ayumu is a guy! Saijou replies that Ayumu is a thousand times more adorable than she is, boy or girl. He warns that he'll kill her if she tries something against Ayumu, and pushes her towards the ground. As she stumbles to her feet, she looks at the two of them. Ayumu sees a shadow leave Kirie's body. The spirit that had attached itself to her had left. She insults Saijou and runs off. Ayumu is amazed that Saijou had saved Ayumu and resolved the situation. When Saijou asks if Ayumu is okay, Ayumu feels all warm. Even though Saijou won't say the words, it's obvious by his actions that he cares for Ayumu. So Ayumu clings to Saijou and blurts out that Saijou must love him! Saijou peels Ayumu off of him and bonks Ayumu on the head. Saijou tells Ayumu to not get so cocky, but Ayumu can't get mad about being bonked on the head since Saijou is blushing.

The next day Ayumu convinces Saijou to see his father. Saijou seems to have decided to believe Ayumu, even if he still denies the supernatural in general. According to Ayumu's dad, the spirits were of a family whose male children had been killed by one of Saijou's ancestors. Though they didn't have a lot of power, they could attract bad spirits such as the one attached to Kirie. He does an exorcism that takes three days. Saijou will have to continue hold a memorial service for those spirits yearly to avoid dying young. Though it didn't seem like Saijou totally believed, Ayumu figures he can force Saijou to do it as long as he's with Saijou.

With everything more or less over, Ayumu starts wondering if he's actually necessary for Saijou. Maybe Saijou should start a new life, with a family and everything. He starts to think of himself as something blocking Saijou's happiness.

One day Ayumu brings home the cat from the hospital. Home, as in Saijou's apartment. Saijou asks why Ayumu had brought the cat to his room. In any case, their building doesn't not allow pets. Ayumu replies that he's always at Saijou's place anyway. He'd bought supplies for the cat, and has had cats before so knows how to take care of them. Saijou gives up, letting Ayumu do as he wants. Saijou starts looking at a magazine listing rental properties. Ayumu asks if Saijou is planning on moving. Saijou responds that he is. His current room is small, and the other day he was told that he was being too noisy by the person who lives below him. When Ayumu wonders if they'd been so loud, Saijou tells him that they were, making creaking noises at night. It takes a bit for Ayumu to realize what Saijou is talking about. He hides his flaming face in the cat's back. He hadn't realized that not only were the walls thin but the floors as well. Saijou mutters that it'll have to be a place that allows pets as he turns the pages. Ayumu is relieved that Saijou will take the cat with him. He wants to confirm that he can come over, but he can't get the words out. But then Saijou asks if Ayumu wants to live together. Ayumu is happy, but is hesitant. After all, is he the right thing for Saijou? He expresses his doubts. Saijou asks if Ayumu doesn't love him. Ayumu assures Saijou that he loves him, but he admits that he's never been told the same from Saijou. He feels pathetic and bows his head. It's like he's begging for the words! Saijou wraps his arm around Ayumu's shoulder and asks if Ayumu wants him to say it. At those words, Ayumu gazes at Saijou expectantly. Saijou kisses Ayumu, but tells him he won't say it because it'd be a waste. Ayumu tears up. Saijou could be so mean at times. But then Saijou sweetly tells Ayumu that he'll tell him in ten years. Ayumu is filled with happiness that Saijou had imagined a time ten years from now that includes him. The tears flow from his eyes. Saijou smiles and wipes Ayumu's tears away. He asks if Ayumu will live with him. Ayumu nods again and again and embraces Saijou.