GIVE YOU MY HEART [BL]

-Haruka POV-

"I'm not interested in being the heir." Levi's words clearly surprised me. I didn't expect him to say that. There's no way he wouldn't want to be the heir. He's been working really hard for the company alone.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I heard you correctly." I said awkwardly.

"I said I'm not interested in being the future heir, and you heard me correctly." He repeated.

"But why? You've been working hard for the company until now. This doesn't make any sense." I said with a serious face.

"Why do you care whether I'm going to be the future heir or not?" His question made me realise. Right. Why do I care about that?

"It's just that I've been working as your secretary for over two years already. I know how hard you work for the company. So, I didn't expect this coming from you." I gave him an honest answer.

"Haha. Right. I've been working so hard that I don't have much time to enjoy myself. You can say that I worked hard just to fulfil my father's wishes and to help my grandfather manage the company, of course. Maybe I'll just leave the company after my grandfather retires." He said that with a smile. He is clearly telling the truth.

"Then what will you do after you leave the company?" I couldn't help but ask. I want to know.

"I told you, didn't I? I have more than enough money to have my own company. I can just buy stock somewhere and run the business on my own. After all, I'm the Ackerman Group's brain. Well, of course you're still going to be my secretary." He looks me in the eyes.

"Did you earn your money just by selling your paintings?" I asked. He didn't do anything dangerous like money laundering, did he?

"Right. Beside studying, I spent my time drawing and painting. After your mother bought my painting at a high price, I got many demands, and I just went with the flow, accepting all the requests. You know, American people value the arts. That makes it easier for me to make money. You see, I made more than 10 billion dollars selling my art. So, leaving the company is not going to make my life hard." I'm shocked. Really. He really did earn that much money just by selling his paintings? Well, after all, three of his paintings are ranked in the top 10 most expensive paintings in the world. So it does make sense.

"You don't believe me?" He asked when I didn't say anything for a moment.

"No, it's not that I don't believe you. I just found that's a bit hard to believe." Just what am I saying right now? Did I believe him or not actually?

"I can even show you my bank account, haha." He said that with a chuckle.

"No, you don't have to. I believe you. You're L. Schatz after all. Of course I believe you." I mumbled.

"Well, you're right. So you shouldn't mention about me being the heir again. I'm not interested. About the marriage, I'll deal with my father on my own. I'm serious about making you my love life, so you better remember that. I'm not going to marry anyone except you. I promise you that." He said so out of nowhere. What should I respond to right now? He's making my face turn red again.

"You're talking nonsense again and again. Why don't you finish your food? It's getting cold now. We got dessert to eat later too." I tried to change the topic and continue to eat again. He just chuckled and continued to eat as well.

//SKIP//

It's 5 p.m. now, and I'm getting ready to leave. I can't believe I stayed at Levi's place until this late.

"I'm going back now." I said, taking my car key from the hook.

"Why don't you just stay for dinner? Levi asked.

"I don't really eat dinner, and I don't think I'll be having it today. I ate a lot already, and we had lunch pretty late, too." I said that, rejecting his offer.

"Alright, then. Here." He handed me a paper bag.

"What is it?" I asked him in confusion.

"Trifle and chocolate mousse. You can have them as a late-night snack." He said that with a smile. Again, my heart skipped a beat.

"Well, thank you. Thank you for the food also." Without looking at him, I took the paper bag.

"Are you leaving now?" He asked.

"Yes." I replied shortly.

"Hmm, I'm sad already. Still, I got to spend my time with you today, so that should be enough for now." He said that, following me from behind towards the door.

"Should I send you off until the main gate?" He asked.

"You don't have to do that. If there's nothing else, I leave first." I said so, opening the door.

"Alright. Bye Haru-chan. I'll see you at work." He said that with a grin.

"I told you not to call me that. I'm leaving." With that, I closed the door and left.

//SKIP//

It's just another day of working. It's been a bit hot lately because of the summer season. So, I always sneak out from the office to buy something refreshing at the cafe. And that's what I'm doing right now. I just came back from the cafe.

"What did you buy this time?" A voice speaking behind me made me startle, and it was Levi.

"You scared me. What I bought is none of your business, sir. And may I ask, why are you here, sir? Do you need anything?" I asked, putting the drink on my table.

"I'm waiting for someone." He replied.

"And may I ask who?" I said. I didn't recall he'd be having any meetings right now.

"He should be here soon." He said, and a moment later someone arrived. Lucas?

"You call for me, Director?" Lucas asked as soon as he arrived. He looks a bit scared, I could tell. 

"Ah, you're here, Lucas. Come in. Let's talk in my office." Levi said it with a welcoming tone. It sounds a bit strange, to be honest.

"Alright, Director." Lucas replied and followed Levi.

"Mr. Auclair, you too. I need you to listen too." Levi said, signalling me to enter his office too, and I just followed.

"Have a seat, Lucas. You too, Mr. Auclair. There's something important I want to talk about." Levi said and then took a seat in front of Lucas. I took a seat beside him.

"So, what I'm going to say is, Lucas, are you interested in managing Ackerman Travel and Entertainment?" Levi suddenly asked.

"Pardon me, Director? But what do you mean by that?" Lucas asked, looking confused. Of course, if it were me, I would be asking that too.

"First of all, just call me Levi, okay? I'm not used to that when my family members call me that. Okay, what I mean is, I'm going to make you the Managing Director of Ackerman Travel and Entertainment in the future." Levi said that calmly. Lucas was taken aback. Of course he's shocked, and so am I.

"But, brother Levi, why so sudden?" Lucas asked in disbelief.

"You've been in the States learning from Uncle Kenny for a month, right? How is it?" Levi didn't answer Lucas' question. He asked a question instead.

"Emm, I can say I learn a lot from Uncle Kenny." Lucas said, trying to avoid Levi's gaze.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. I can see an improvement from you too. Okay Lucas, you're going to train under me for one month. And Mr. Auclair, you're going to help me too." Again, what is this man thinking?

"I'm sorry, Brother Levi, but why do I need to train under you?" Lucas asked in confusion. Even I couldn't interpret what Levi is trying to do right now.

"You're going to be the next Director for Ackerman Travel & Entertainment. Of course, I'm going to train you personally. Oh right, you're coming with me to Pampelonne Beach tomorrow afternoon. We planned to build a resort there. This should be a good start for you." Levi said calmly. Is he in his right mind at the moment?

"I'll do my best, Brother Levi." He said so, trying to be confident. Well, he does look a lot better right now.

"Good. This is the details about the project. If you have any questions, you can ask me." Levi said, handing him the documents.

"Will do, Brother Levi. If that's all, may I take my leave now?" Lucas asked politely. He's definitely changing.

"Yeah, you can." Levi replied.

"Thank you, Brother Levi." Lucas said so and then left.

"Well, what are you scheming now, sir?" As soon as Lucas left the room, I asked Levi.

"What do you mean, Mr. Auclair?" Levi looks me in the eyes.

"I'm the one who should ask you. Are you serious about making Lucas the Managing Director?" I asked him in a serious tone.

"I am. My grandfather will announce his retirement soon, in two months at most. And I believe I'll no longer be the one who manages Ackerman Travel and Entertainment in the future. So, of course we need someone we can trust to take my place, right?" He said that while looking at me as if he's asking for my opinion. 

"But why Lucas? You used to resent him." I asked in confusion.

"Right. I used to resent him. But you do see how much he improved, right? I'm the one who told my grandfather to send him to the States. Of course I want him to learn from Uncle Kenny, and I'm impressed with the result. I didn't expect him to improve that much. Well, that's the whole reason I sent him there, actually. Because I know he could do his work much better after learning." Levi said with a smirk, but there's some strange aura about that smirk that I couldn't tell. Now I understand why his father wanted him to be the heir, despite his preference for Louis. Levi's abilities are more than great compared to the others.

"Right. I notice there's no more major error in the documents he's in charge of." I replied to him.

"Right. Uncle Kenny may be a bit harsh, but everything you learnt from him is valuable. You wouldn't want to miss anything he said. He's using the right way of teaching, that's why. Totally different from my father's way. He assists others in becoming more competent and reliable. That's why everyone who learned from him made a lot of improvements, including me. And I hope Louis would do the same too." He said that with a smile, but deep down I know he was a bit sad. After all, it wasn't his father who properly raised him. And he still cares deeply about Louis.

"But are you sure about bringing Lucas with you?" I actually didn't know how to respond to what he just said, so I asked that instead.

"I am. You don't have to worry. I know what I'm doing. Well, talking about the Pampelonne Beach project, we're not going to see each other for three days then. I'm gonna miss you." He said that with a sad tone, which doesn't suit him at all.

"You're going to send me the painting this weekend, by the way." I replied lazily.

"Right. I'm going to your place. Tell me the location, will you?" He asked me.

"I told you I'd provide the location later. It's a place you are familiar with, btw." I said while glaring at him.

"Alright, alright. I'm going to go meet Lucas, I guess. I need to brief him a little, at least. You can leave first, Mr. Auclair. I'm going to miss you. I'll see you this weekend." He winked and then left the room. What's his deal telling me he's going to miss me? Ugh.

TO BE CONTINUED!!!