"That was Himura Publishing on the phone," Aisha mentioned, the name of the company naturally catching Ryota's attention. "They said they sent someone over for the cakes and pastries, but something urgent came up with that person's author and asked if it was possible for us to deliver." "What did you say?" Keko asked hesitantly. "I agreed, of course," Aisha replied, crossing her arms as she raised an eyebrow in question. "They are currently our best source of income, I couldn't exactly say no." Keko had been a little protective since they reopened, worried that one of the haters might show up in person. She glanced over at Ryota. "I'm not delivering," he said, quickly, "I'm on my lunch break." She scowled and stomped out back to the kitchen. Aisha could not drive, so she would have to take the cakes over. Well, as long as traffic was calm enough she should be able to make it there and back in less than an hour? After she had vanished, Aisha pulled up a chair and sat opposite Ryota and grinned. "So, how is everything going with you and Yori?" "Everything is fine," Ryota replied, nonchalantly. Then his face fell slightly. "He's been a little busy of late. I've not seen him for a couple of days. He said he had a lot of work to finish and that I was too distracting." Aisha laughed softly and replied; "Well, I guess it is about that time again." Ryota frowned. "What time?" He asked. "The time when Yori disappears and becomes unreachable," she said, dramatically. Her phone vibrated in her pocket on cue and she pulled it from her apron. Scrolling over the received message, she turned the screen towards Ryota and said; "See." "I will be unreachable for the next three weeks." "Did I get a message?" He wondered aloud as he patted his suit jacket in order to locate his own phone, which he recalled that he had placed on silent. "What is that supposed to mean anyway?" He pulled his phone from his pocket as Aisha hinted at the meaning. "It's that time for him," Aisha said, cryptically. "You know, that time." The clueless expression upon his face remained. "An omega's time." Aisha could almost see the light bulb flash on above Ryota's head as he figured out what she was referring to. To her delight, he actually looked flustered. "Oh," he said and suddenly became really interested in his phone. She giggled, brightly and watched as his eyes softened and a smile came unbidden to his lips. He too had received a message from Yori, but it did not contain the same message as Aisha's. "Are you free tonight for dinner?" Ryota did not hesitate as he replied. Aisha crossed her arms in an evident sulk. Ryota had read the message out loud, unintentionally informing her of its contents. "That's not fair," she pouted. "What's not?" Ryota asked. "When Yori and I were dating," Aisha said, causing Ryota's eyebrows to rise as normally she would claim that this had not been the exact relationship between them, "Yori sent me the same message as he has today. Not a word of explanation! I had to wait until after he reappeared to find out what was going on!" Ryota was immediately filled with a delightful warmth and the longing to see Yori increased within him tenfold. Maybe the difference between them; Yori's current boyfriend and former 'girlfriend' was simply due to the actual type of relationship the omega had with each that the treatment differed, but it also filled Ryota with hope. Hope that Yori's feelings for him were deepening. "So," Aisha continued. "What are you going to do if he asks for your help with... it?" "Isn't that something for Yori and I to discuss between ourselves?" Ryota asked her, feeling that the question was a little too much, even if she was his sister-in-law. She blushed and shook her hands and head simultaneously. "Sorry, sorry," she apologised. "That wasn't what I meant! Of course I don't want to know intimate details or anything! What I meant was whether you would.. um.. I probably shouldn't ask that really either. Okay, are you serious about him?" "Yes, very serious," Ryota smiled, honestly. "Then would you..." she tapped the back of her neck and began to blush. "Because, if you are not serious, then stay away from him over the next three weeks, alright?! I don't want him to end up permanently bound to someone who is not serious." And with that declaration, she fled. It took a few moments for Ryota to understand what she was trying to get at and a few more moments to think over what he would do and to come to a decision. If Yori asked him to help him with his heat, of course there was no way he would refuse. Seeing that secret side of him, completely lost to a wanton body, desperate for appeasement, longing to be sexually sated and filled with an Alpha's seed... he crossed his legs as his own desire began to rise. Would he be able to resist the need to claim him fully, mark him permanently as his own? No, he doubted it. But if Yori wanted it, even hinted at the possibility, then there was no way he would miss the opportunity to bind the man to him forever.