-Levi POV-
"Mr. Ackerman," my father's secretary spoke, formal as always. "The Chairman would like to see you in his office. Right away."
I stared at the phone a bit after the call ended. The familiar weight settled in my chest.
Haruka looked up. "What is it?" He asked.
"My father wants to see me." I said flatly. "Right now."
I stood, adjusting the cuff of my blazer. Haruka didn't say anything at first, just closed his laptop slowly, watching me.
"Do you want me to come with you?" He asked.
I shook my head. "No… Just stay here. I'll be back." I looked at him with a smile, but he couldn't help the worry in his eyes.
I didn't wait for him to argue. I stepped out of the office, the air suddenly feeling colder as I made my way towards the elevator. I had a feeling this wasn't going to be just another routine meeting. And I hated that I was right.
And now, I'm in front of my father's office, hesitated at first. I walked into my father's office, the tension in the air palpable even after the door closed. My father is sitting at his desk, his expression unreadable, and I stood there for a moment, waiting for him to speak.
"Sit down, Levi. Since when have you waited for me to tell you first?" His voice was calm, but I could sense a subtle command behind it. I pulled out the chair across from him and then sat.
We stared at each other for a bit, the silence hanging heavily. Finally, my father spoke again, though he didn't get straight to the point, which I didn't expect.
"How's your grandfather?" He asked, his tone softening just slightly. Deep down, I know he never cared about his own father.
I clenched my jaw at the mention of my grandfather, but I kept my voice steady. "Stable. He's still unconscious, but the doctors are confident he'll pull through."
There was a pause before he spoke again. "Good. That's good to hear." That's all he said. See, he never cares. He shuffled through some papers, his gaze focused on the documents in front of him. I resisted the urge to tap my fingers impatiently on the armrest.
I knew he had something else on his mind. He always did.
After a few moments, my father looked up at me, his gaze piercing. "I need you to go to New York this Thursday."
I raised an eyebrow, caught off guard. "For what?"
"The biggest architecture firm in the US, Forma Atelier, wanted to collaborate with us and I scheduled a meeting on this Friday. As the CEO of the Ackerman Museum and Gallery, your presence is required." He continued, leaning back against his chair.
I held his gaze, but inside, I felt a knot tightening in my stomach. I didn't want to go. Not with everything happening with my grandfather. And not after what happened between Haruka and Claude. I need to protect him too. I had responsibilities here. I had obligations that weren't so easily dismissed.
"I'm not going to just drop everything and leave." I said that firmly, my voice tight. "Not now."
My father's expression didn't change, but his eyes grew colder, harder. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze locking onto mine with a weight that left no room for negotiation.
"You're going, Levi. I don't care if your grandfather is in the hospital and you heard the doctors. Your grandfather will be fine. You're not the only one who can take care of him. His wife is here. This is business, and business comes first." He paused, allowing the words to sink in. "Besides, there's no one who can take your place right now. We both know that."
I didn't answer immediately. His words cut deeper than I'm willing to admit. He was right, with my grandfather in the hospital, there was no one left to back me up. Or maybe, there's Haruka. But I didn't want to involve him in this father and son problem. But still, I wanted him to be by my side, always.
"And Mr. Auclair?" I asked, the question slipped out before I could stop myself.
My father's eyes darkened slightly for a while. "You're not bringing him along this time. Bring Sophia as your secretary." His voice is firm.
I bit down on my frustration, trying to push back the irritation bubbling inside. "You're telling me I can't bring Mr. Auclair along just like that? You know he's the best secretary I have."
"Yeah, I know the facts really well, of course. And that's the reason why. I want you to handle this on your own. Besides, I believe you know that Mr. Auclair wished to stay out of business involving the US branch." His voice is calm but I could sense the confidence in it. As if he's saying I didn't have any other choice but to follow what he said. Well, that's true.
As much as I hate to admit it, my father was right. Deep down, I know Haruka wouldn't want to come either. The States. Business meetings. Art discussions. It wasn't his world. And as much as I didn't want to admit it, this wasn't something I could take him into. The world knows about him, especially the States. That reason alone is enough to not bring him alone. He doesn't want attention shifted towards him.
I let out a slow breath and leaned back in my chair. "Fine, I'll go."
My father nodded, his gaze finally softening just a fraction. "Good. I'll have the details arranged. You'll leave by Thursday morning."
I stood up, ready to leave, but before I did, I paused.
"Is there anything else?" I asked, my voice quieter now.
He gave a short nod. "No. That's all."
I turned and walked out, my mind already racing with everything I'd have to prepare. But one thing kept repeating in my mind. There was no way around it. I had to do this. For the family. For the business.
I didn't want to go, but I had no other choice.
I went back to my office. The door shut behind me with a soft click, but the sound felt deafening in the silence that followed. My jaw was tight, and my hands were curled into fists at my sides by the time I stepped back into my own office.
Haruka looked up immediately from his spot on the couch, brows knitting together. "What happened?"
I didn't answer right away. I set my phone down on the desk with more force than necessary, then walked over to the window, staring out at the skyline like it might offer the answers I don't have.
"He's sending me to the States." I said finally. "This Thursday. Business trip. Forma Atelier wanted to collaborate with us, Ackerman Art Museum and Gallery, to be precise."
There was a pause. "And you're going?"
I let out a slow, sharp breath. "You know how my father is, and I don't have a choice."
Haruka stood, stepping closer. "Of course you have a choice. It's not like the place will fall apart without you."
I turned to him, my voice low and edged. "He made it clear this isn't optional. With my grandfather in the hospital, he knows I have no backup. He's using that."
Haruka didn't say anything for a moment. I could see the storm behind his calm eyes, though.
Then his voice came out quiet, even. "Then what about me? Am I coming with you?"
I looked away, jaw clenching again. "No. He said… no. He doesn't want you to be involved."
Haruka's lips parted slightly, but I held up a hand. "Don't. It's not that I don't want you there. You know that. I told him that I didn't agree. But then I thought…"
"You thought I wouldn't want to go." Haruka finished that for me.
I nodded. "You hate that kind of thing. You said it once. The condition to work here was you wouldn't want to be involved with the businesses involving the States as you hate the attention you'll get if you go there. My father reminded me of that and I hate that he's using that against me."
Haruka was quiet for a beat. Then he reached up and rested his hand on my chest, right over my heart. "Well, you're not wrong. Maybe if you asked me months ago, I wouldn't want to go. But now, you know things are different between us and of course, I would love to be there for you. Well, whether I want to go or not isn't the point. He wants to separate us. And you're letting him."
Those words sank deep. I didn't respond. Not because he was wrong, but because he wasn't.
Haruka stepped back, his hand dropping, reaching for my hands. "You should still go. Just… come back to me. Don't let him twist this into something else."
I stared at him, the tension in my chest pressing tighter than before.
"Don't worry." I said softly, squeezing his hand. "I'll come back as soon as possible."
He gave me a faint, sad smile. "Then, I'll be waiting."
And just like that, the silence between us wasn't heavy. It was full of everything we wanted to say but didn't need to.
We already understood.
"Then, I think I should be returning back to my desk for now." Haruka said, still with a faint smile.
But I know, deep down, he needed some time to accept this and I didn't want to push him to stay in my office for now.
"Sure. Let's grab lunch together later." I said softly and he just nodded before making his way towards the door.
The office was quiet again.
Haruka had returned to his desk outside, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I sat in my chair, leaning back slightly, staring at nothing in particular. My phone sat on the desk, silent now, as if it hadn't just dictated the course of my week.
I hated this.
Not the business trip. Not even the fact that I had to go.
It was manipulation. The way my father always pulled strings without lifting a hand, like some goddamn puppet master. He knew I'd be vulnerable with my grandfather in the hospital. He knew I had no backup.
He's always known how to play me.
I wasn't afraid of going to the States. I could handle boardrooms, speeches, gallery and art deals, all of it I could handle easily. That wasn't an issue at all.
The thing is, it was leaving my grandfather and Haruka, especially.
After everything that happened between him and Claude, I wanted to be with him 24/7 and that's what I've been doing the past weeks. I know Ray is there to protect him, but I still couldn't shake off this anxious feeling.
For once, I wanted to rebel but I couldn't afford to do that. Not now. Not while the family's name, legacy, business… and my grandfather's place in all of it, rested on my ability to carry the weight.
My fingers curled into fists.
"Come back to me." Haruka had said.
That meant something. Not just physically. He meant all of me. The parts of me I locked away when duty got too loud. The parts he refused to let me forget.
I looked toward the door.
I was still here. Still breathing. Still capable of making my own choices.
And no matter how far my father tried to push, he wasn't going to take that from me.
Not this time.
//SKIP//
-Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport-
The airport terminal was quiet in that early morning way—half-awake, with the low hum of announcements and the soft clatter of rolling luggage echoing through wide, polished halls.
Haruka walked beside me, matching my pace without saying much. Neither of us had really spoken during the ride here. The silence wasn't tense. It was... waiting. Like we were both holding our breath.
When we reached the gate, I stopped and looked at him. He didn't smile. Just looked at me with those calm, unwavering eyes.
"So," I said, breaking the silence. "I'll be going now."
"You said Sophia's coming with you. Where is she?" Haruka asked. Right, I forgot to tell him.
"My father has a meeting this morning. So, she'll be leaving with my grandfather this afternoon." I said, eyes looking straight at him. Honestly, I didn't want to leave.
I studied his face, memorising every angle like I wouldn't see him in weeks instead of days. The ache in my chest was sharper than I thought. And heavier.
"You sure you'll be alright?" I asked, squeezing his hand gently.
He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not the one flying across the world with a museum-sized weight on my back. And Ray is here with me, so don't worry."
I huffed a breath. Almost a laugh. "That's fair." Then I looked at Ray with a serious face. "Protect Haruka." Simply, but firmly said.
"I promised to protect him with my life, so you don't have to worry." Ray replied confidently.
There was a bit of silence before he stepped closer. "Text me when you land. Let me know how the meeting goes. And if they try anything funny, walk out. You don't owe them your soul."
I nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."
He reached up, adjusting the collar of my coat like it mattered. Then his hand lingered on my chest, right where my heart was.
"I'll be waiting." He murmured.
I didn't hesitate. I leaned in and kissed him, with Ray covering up for us.
It wasn't rushed. Wasn't dramatic. Just a quiet steady moment, meant to linger when everything else started moving too fast.
When we pulled apart, I held his gaze. "I'll come back to you. I promise."
He nodded. "I'll be right here."
And as I turned toward the gate, boarding pass in hand, I didn't look back.
Because I didn't need to.
He was already with me.
//SKIP//
The plane had been in the air for nearly 8 hours and will be arriving at New York soon.
I leaned back, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Haruka's face kept slipping into my mind. That look in his eyes when I left. Not fear. No doubt. Just... something deep and unshakable.
And still, I hated that I had to leave.
After about 20 minutes, the wheels touched down with a soft jolt, and the quiet ding of the seatbelt sign echoed through the cabin.
I didn't wait. As soon as we taxied off the runway and my phone caught a signal, I turned airplane mode off. The flood of messages was immediate—work emails, reminders, unread notifications.
But one stood out.
Haruka: Landed yet?
I exhaled through my nose, already typing.
Me: Just did. Already exhausted
His reply came almost instantly.
Haruka: Go rest. Don't overthink everything the second you touch the ground. You're allowed to breathe, Levi.
I smirked faintly at the screen.
Me: I'll breathe when I'm back.
There was a pause, then a photo came through.
A blurry shot of Haruka's living room. One of the kittens curled up on Haruka's lap, half-asleep, while Haruka's hand rested gently on its back. In the background, my hoodie was draped over his shoulders.
Haruka: See? We're holding down the fort. Take care, Levi. I'll be waiting for you here.
I stared at the screen longer than I should have. My thumb hovered over the keyboard, unsure what to say that wouldn't sound like too much.
Instead, I took out the folded note he'd tucked into my coat before I left.
Take care, Levi. I'll be waiting for you here.
Same words. Different weight now.
I didn't reply right away.
I didn't need to.
He already knew.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!