Unrequited Love: Chapter 8

Previous TOC

After the barbecue, Isosaki was tasked with cleanup. He folded the rental tables and chairs, gathered the food scraps, and tidied up. Fortunately, everyone pitched in, so the job was finished fairly quickly.

They moved to the beach as the fireworks began. Isosaki watched in a daze as the fireworks—those he had painstakingly carried—brightened the night sky for just a few seconds before fading away.

Around the time the fireworks started, Mikasa and the assistant manager had disappeared. At first, Isosaki thought maybe they had just blended into the darkness, but when several of the girls asked, “Do you know where the assistant manager is?” and “Have you seen Mikasa?”, he realized they weren’t on the beach.

In truth, Isosaki had been searching for the assistant manager. He felt a deep urge to apologize for the prank he had pulled with the spider, which had nearly caused a panic. If he was honest, he’d almost certainly be scolded, but that was to be expected. Targeting someone’s weakness like that had been cowardly.

Since they were all staying in the same cottage, he’d have a chance to face them before bed. Maybe it would be better to wait until then, but he didn’t want to get yelled at in front of Iketani. Mikasa, at least, wouldn’t be too harsh, but in front of Iketani... it was better avoided.

The fireworks were nearing their end, and a final, grand display lit up the sky, signaling the conclusion of the night’s festivities. As soon as it ended, everyone began slowly trickling away from the beach. In the blink of an eye, the only sound was the waves crashing on the shore, and the silence returned to the sand. The moon was half-covered, but the gentle moonlight gave the surroundings a soft glow.

Isosaki walked briskly across the beach, crunching the sand beneath his feet, lost in thought. He regretted not having apologized yet. He wandered until he reached the edge of a thicket of trees, where he had come earlier to gather some firewood. The nighttime woods were thick with shadows, the moonlight unable to penetrate the canopy, and the atmosphere was eerie.

Just as he turned to head back, he heard voices. At first, he froze. He hadn’t expected anyone to be here, especially in such a foreboding place.

"Why can’t you understand?"

"I understand just fine..."

It was the assistant manager’s voice. Mikasa seemed to be with him. Their argument seemed to ebb and flow, the volume rising and falling, and Isosaki couldn’t make out what they were talking about. He stepped cautiously into the dark woods.

It looked like the assistant manager was standing near the spot where Isosaki had been earlier with Mikasa, by the trees, leaning against one. Mikasa was across from him. Though the woods were dark, the moonlight filtered through the trees, clearly illuminating their faces.

Even when he was only six or seven meters away, the assistant manager and Mikasa didn’t notice him. The tense silence between them was almost palpable. Isosaki had initially planned to pull the assistant manager aside while sending Mikasa off, but the atmosphere now was too fraught to do so.

Maybe he should just apologize later… or, at worst, after they returned from the camp. As he was about to give up on confronting them, he heard the assistant manager mutter a frustrated, "Damn it!" followed by the sound of his foot kicking the sand.

"Do you know why I even organized this camp?" he snapped. "It was to introduce you to Iketani, the designer! That’s the whole damn reason!"

"Iketani loves the outdoors, even if you wouldn’t think it at first glance. I figured if I invited him, he’d definitely join. That’s why I agreed to play host for a stupid recreational trip I didn’t even want to plan! But what did you do? I introduced you, and instead of making a connection, you barely said a word and just stood there sulking next to me! Sure, your head’s not the sharpest, but at least you’re supposed to be friendly! Isn’t that your one redeeming quality?"

Mikasa hung his head, staring at the ground as if in shame.

"Still, since I didn’t say much, you did the talking, didn’t you?" Mikasa mumbled.

"This kind of thing is all about self-promotion!" the assistant manager shot back. "You’re the one who’s supposed to handle the actual negotiation. I’m just here to make the introduction!"

He pointed directly at Mikasa, his finger steady and accusing.

"Your construction company picks and chooses too much. If you keep rejecting projects just because of the designs, you're going to find yourselves out of work one day," the assistant manager said, crossing his arms and sighing.

Mikasa shrugged. "We can't help it. There are houses that look nice but are terrible to live in. A house isn't just a decoration—it's a place to live. That's the boss's policy."

"Policy, huh? If you run out of jobs, that's the end of the line for your company."

The assistant manager folded his arms, sighing heavily. After a moment, he lowered his voice and continued.

"This is confidential, so don’t tell anyone… Iketani’s going to go independent soon. Our company is shifting toward apartment construction, and there’s no room anymore for Iketani’s talent in designing shops and private homes. But Iketani’s got a name. Once he goes solo, he’s going to succeed. And you know what someone like Iketani will need? A construction company that’s reliable, meticulous, and honest. That’s where your company comes in—you’re good at small-scale projects, like individual houses. If you build a relationship with him now, you’ll have work coming in down the line."

"Yeah…" Mikasa muttered, his head still lowered.

"Do you even understand what I’m saying? Our company’s moving toward apartment construction. That means we won’t be passing jobs to small firms like yours anymore."

Finally, Isozaki began to piece together the situation.

"Iketani’s got an eye for design—serious talent. If a house designed by Iketani gets attention, the construction company that builds it will also earn recognition. And recognition means more work."

As Isozaki listened, he couldn’t help but feel a wave of admiration. This whole camp had been organized for a friend—for Mikasa—and for Mikasa’s company. The assistant manager was someone who didn’t hesitate to go the extra mile for others… Even if it was Isosaki who bore the brunt of the grunt work, it felt impressive. This was the assistant manager he hated so much, yet now, Isosaki found himself thinking he could actually follow a person like this.

"Thank you," Mikasa muttered softly.

"I'm not looking for your thanks. I'm telling you to take the initiative and get the job yourself!" the assistant manager shot back, still visibly irritated despite Mikasa's gratitude.

Mikasa took a step forward and pulled the assistant manager into a tight hug. "Let go, you idiot! You're making a mockery of all the trouble I've gone through!" the assistant manager protested, squirming.

It was the kind of passionate embrace that could only come from strong friendship—or so Isosaki thought at first. But then Mikasa, still holding the struggling assistant manager, pressed him against the trunk of a tree. The closeness of their bodies and the intensity of the situation carried a… different vibe, something strange that Isosaki couldn't quite put his finger on.

The assistant manager glared at Mikasa, but then suddenly averted his gaze, lowering his head. Mikasa reached out, gently tilted the assistant manager's chin upward with his fingers, and leaned in. As the assistant manager turned his face away in panic, Mikasa pursued, capturing his lips.

Isosaki’s jaw dropped as he stared at the scene before him: two men locked in a kiss. The assistant manager squirmed, trying to escape, but Mikasa refused to let him go. The image of the larger Mikasa pinning the assistant manager down looked less like camaraderie and more like a predator cornering its prey.

"Mm! Mmnn!"

The assistant manager resisted. Was this a moment where Isozaki should intervene? Should he step in and help? But then again, they were friends, right? Maybe this was just how they were? Isozaki scrambled to rationalize the scene in his mind. Perhaps both were raised abroad, where hugs and kisses were just a casual greeting?

Before he could sort out the confusion in his head, the assistant manager shoved Mikasa away, ending the kiss. His face was faintly flushed, and his eyes glistened as though tears were threatening to fall.

"You always do this whenever things don’t go your way. You try to smooth everything over like this," the assistant manager said, his voice trembling. "No matter how much I plan and think things through for your sake, you ruin it all with a single 'this is too much trouble.' If the company goes under, you’ll just end up as a high school graduate stuck working part-time forever!"

With that, he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. It was unmistakable—he was crying.

"You love this company, don’t you? Everyone gets along, the boss is a good guy, and you said you wanted to work there forever. That’s why I…"

The next time Mikasa hugged the assistant manager, there was no resistance. Instead, he stayed still, letting Mikasa gently pat his back like soothing a child. The assistant manager buried his face in Mikasa’s shoulder, the tension melting away.

“I’m so happy you care about me this much,” Mikasa murmured. His voice was warm, his expression soft with a kindness that bordered on affection.

“And I get it now—you’re totally in love with me.”

At that, the assistant manager snapped. He shoved Mikasa away, spun on his heel, and stormed off in Isosaki’s direction. Isosaki, panicked, ducked behind a tree. He’d already felt guilty for intruding on their private moment, but now he was sure he’d seen something he wasn’t meant to.

“Wait—hey, I said wait!” Mikasa called after the assistant manager, his footsteps following closely behind. The sound of scuffling reached Isosaki, growing louder until it felt as if they were mere steps away.

“It’s true, so why are you so embarrassed about it?” Mikasa teased.

“Shut up!” the assistant manager snapped.

“…You’re adorable,” Mikasa replied with a chuckle.

Then, silence. And then… something else, faint and breathy, crept into Isosaki’s ears. No way. It couldn’t be… could it? Against his better judgment, Isosaki peeked around the tree and froze.

There they were, embracing once again. But this time, it was different. The assistant manager wasn’t resisting. Instead, his arms were wrapped around Mikasa’s neck, his lips eagerly meeting Mikasa’s. The kiss was deep, passionate, and intimate, punctuated by an unmistakable wet sound that Isosaki refused to dwell on.

G-Gay... It’s real… The suspicion had become reality. Isosaki clutched his head in disbelief. The assistant manager… is gay…? He had suspected it, sure, but, no, no way… he had denied it. No matter how attractive the assistant manager might be, the fact remained that he was a man. And yet, here he was—with another man. Just processing the reality of it was taking all of Isosaki’s mental energy, his mind struggling to keep up. He wanted, desperately, to leave this scene and think it over by himself. But if they noticed him leaving, that would be awkward. Really awkward. Worse, he had a feeling that if the assistant manager saw him, he might just beat him half to death.

“St-stop it!” the assistant manager’s sudden shout snapped Isosaki out of his spiraling thoughts, making him instinctively turn around. What he saw was Mikasa’s large right hand squeezing the assistant manager’s slim butt through his jeans, gripping it firmly. The assistant manager slapped at the lewd hand from above, and reluctantly, the hand withdrew from his waist. But it didn’t stop—it moved to the front instead, shifting to the area near the assistant manager’s crotch, where it fidgeted and moved suggestively.

“You…!” the assistant manager growled, glaring at Mikasa, his teeth clenched.

“Not here,” he hissed. “This place is full of sand, and what if someone sees us? How would we even explain it?”

Unbothered, Mikasa leaned in and kissed the assistant manager’s neck, grinning as he murmured, “The fireworks are over. No one’s coming here. And once we get back to the cottage, we won’t even be able to kiss goodnight.”

“Wait until we’re home!”

“Nope.”

Their debate—lively, raw, and disturbingly candid—continued. Isosaki, growing increasingly desperate, clasped his hands together and silently begged them to just go back to the cottage. But then Mikasa suggested something that made Isosaki’s mind short-circuit.

“Okay, I won't go all the way, just let me suck you.”

Mikasa proposed an outrageous compromise.

"I'll just suck you, and I'll behave. Please."

There was no response. Isosaki didn't think the assistant manager would agree, so he expected them to leave. But when he looked again, he saw Mikasa kneeling down in front of the assistant manager, who was leaning against a tree in the moonlight. The sound of the zipper unzipping echoed lewdly. Mikasa had pulled the assistant manager's jeans down, along with his underwear, to his thighs. Isosaki could see the assistant manager's crotch, exposed and vulnerable. Mikasa pressed his face against the assistant manager's crotch, as if he was going to rub his cheek against it, and then he began to suck the assistant manager's genitals.

Isosaki could only stand there, frozen, as the impossible unfolded before his eyes.

“Ah… ha…”

Soft sighs escaped as the assistant manager hunched over, covering his mouth. The lewd, wet sounds of sucking were unmistakable, and Isosaki, still crouching, squeezed his eyes shut. If he didn’t know better, he’d think he was listening to the background audio of one of the adult videos he occasionally watched.

Yet he couldn’t stop himself from mentally shouting, "What’s so enjoyable about sucking a man’s… dick, Mikasa?!” The absurdity of the situation overwhelmed him.

And then, it hit him—Mikasa’s earlier confession about his partner. How shy he had looked as he spoke about him being beautiful, but bad at giving blowjobs. Could it be…?

“No, ah…! stop!”

A particularly high-pitched scream echoed in the night.

“Ugh, don’t put your fingers back there! You said it was only going to be sucking today!”

Hearing this, Isosaki couldn’t help but imagine the situation, and an involuntary shiver ran down his spine.

“I know, just a little. Only the tip…”

The sound of saliva—wet and sloshing—merged with a squelching noise, unmistakably intimate.

“Hah… no, stop… no… ah, ah…!”

The sounds of Mikasa's sucking and the assistant manager's moans filled the air. The assistant manager's stifled cries of pleasure were not unpleasant - in fact, they were quite good. Even though Isosaki knew it was a man, he couldn't help but feel a reaction. As he listened to the sounds, he felt a change in his body. His crotch was heating up.

Noooo! he screamed inside, trying with all his might to suppress the rising heat with an ironclad sense of self-control. Calm down, calm down… It was almost like praying to a higher power.

Though divine intervention rarely seemed to favor him, Isosaki knew one thing for sure: if he ended up aroused by the assistant manager’s moans, this would go down as an unforgettable, shameful black mark in his personal history.

"Ah, ahh… ahhh…!"

A long, raspy cry filled the air before the obscene noises suddenly stopped. It seemed the assistant manager had reached his climax, as only his ragged, damp breathing remained.

Isosaki, too, had barely managed to win the battle against himself, letting out a sigh of relief. But his relief was short-lived, as what came next sent him reeling.

"I really want to put it in," Mikasa announced, his words raw and shameless in their explicit desire.

"You promised it would only be sucking!" The assistant manager’s voice was nearing a sob. In his mind, Isosaki was on his knees, begging, Please, have mercy!

"You're too sexy, Satoshi. I can’t hold back anymore. I’m going crazy wanting you. You’re so soft there now… it’s ready for me."

"You don’t even have a condom!" The assistant manager’s tone was on the verge of hysterical.

"I won’t finish inside, I swear. I won’t—just let me, please. I need you." Mikasa wrapped his arms around the assistant manager, whose lower half was already exposed.

"Please, just say yes… I don’t want to force you," Mikasa murmured, his desperation palpable.

It was clear Mikasa was determined, with or without consent, and the assistant manager looked utterly defeated. After a long, tense silence, the assistant manager finally spat, "Do whatever you want, you stupid idiot!"

The sound of rustling clothes filled the air, but Isosaki didn't want to look. He didn't want to see, but his curiosity got the better of him.

He slowly turned around, peeking around the tree trunk to see the scene. Mikasa was sitting on the grass, his legs spread wide, with the assistant manager straddling him—wearing nothing below the waist.

"Can you see me? I'm hard. Take your time, lower yourself down slowly," Mikasa's voice was smooth, almost charming—but his words were unmistakably lewd. As the assistant manager gradually bent his knees, his body trembled slightly, as if in trepidation.

"Just the tip’s in now," Mikasa murmured.

"Don't say it!" the assistant manager snapped.

Bit by bit, the assistant manager continued lowering himself until their bodies were completely aligned, no space left between them.

"It’s all the way in… Thank you, Satoshi. I’m going to move a little now."

"Wait, wait—give me a moment to adjust first… Ah!"

The assistant manager flinched violently and clung tightly to Mikasa’s neck.

"Go slower… move slower," he pleaded.

"No," Mikasa replied.

Mikasa, who had carried an air of calm dominance until now, suddenly transformed into a tyrant.

"You were shamelessly flirting with the girls on the bus, even though I was right there. You were clearly showing off."

"Ow!" Mikasa yelped. The assistant manager had smacked him on the head.

"You were the one playing beach volleyball with that… that cow of a receptionist! And during the barbecue, you kept letting her hang around you…"

"Beach volleyball was just a game. And she came over to the barbecue on her own," Mikasa retorted.

"Don’t act like you weren’t enjoying it! You’ve got a track record, after all!"

Their movements paused.

"You mean Reina? That was before I started dating you! That doesn’t count as a track record," Mikasa argued.

The heated exchange devolved into what could only be described as a petty lovers' quarrel. Isosaki couldn't help but wonder why he was even listening to this.

"But… but you were two-timing her!"

"For one day! The same day I decided to date you, I broke it off with her."

"Stop saying her name! Every time you say 'Reina,' it makes my stomach churn!" The assistant manager practically roared.

Mikasa pulled the seething assistant manager into a tight embrace.

"Alright, alright, calm down. I swear to you—I’ve never cheated since we started dating."

"Of course not! If you ever did, I’d kill you!"

These two are arguing while… doing it? Isosaki thought, both baffled and begrudgingly impressed. How are they not losing the mood?

"I only have you, Satoshi. Sure, you can be a little mean sometimes, but I love you," Mikasa said soothingly, stroking the assistant manager’s hair.

"You're so cute when you’re trying so hard."

They exchanged a kiss before the assistant manager, now straddling Mikasa, began to move more vigorously. Suppressed moans mingled with the sound of the waves.

"Hey, does it feel good?" Mikasa whispered.

The assistant manager didn’t reply.

"You’re tighter than usual," Mikasa added. Isosaki had no intention of imagining what that referred to.

"Even your nipples seem more sensitive. Don’t tell me… you like doing it outside?"

What are you, a porn actor? Isosaki thought, resisting the urge to shout at Mikasa’s increasingly explicit commentary.

"Your hips are trembling, but it’s not because you’re cold, right? ...Maybe next time we should do it outside again. The balcony could work—our place isn’t visible from outside," Mikasa suggested.

"...No," the assistant manager replied, his voice hoarse.

"...I hate it because... my voice comes out," he added.

"Yeah, Satoshi, your voice is pretty loud," Mikasa teased. "It’s sexy though—I like it."

"...I don’t want... anyone else to hear my voice but you," the assistant manager whispered.

For reasons he couldn’t fathom, Isosaki found himself unexpectedly moved by the assistant manager’s words.

"You're adorable, Satoshi," Mikasa said, his voice brimming with emotion.

"So cute," Isosaki mentally agreed.

The assistant manager clung to Mikasa’s neck.

"Just... shut up... and move," he ordered.

What followed was an unfiltered, over-the-top display of passion that sent Isosaki's pulse racing. It was too much. His heart felt like it might give out. He had to get out of there.

Determined to escape, Isosaki slowly crawled away on all fours, inching further and further from the rapturous scene playing out behind him. Finally, he reached the edge of the woods. Just as he stood up to make his final break, his foot landed on something, producing a sharp crack.

He froze and turned back. His eyes met Mikasa’s.

Both of them stood still, locked in mutual shock. But Mikasa recovered first, pressing a finger to his lips in a silent "shhh" gesture before giving Isosaki a casual wave, as if to say, "Carry on."

Even when caught in such a compromising moment, Mikasa manages to stay cool and breezy, Isosaki thought bitterly. He trudged out of the woods, feeling like a dead weight had settled over his entire body. He hadn’t done anything, and yet he was utterly drained.

As he staggered toward the cottage, Terao and Wada approached him.

"Hey, Isosaki. Do you know where the assistant manager is? He hasn’t come back to the cottage," Terao asked.

No way in hell could Isosaki tell them the assistant manager was in the woods, in the middle of some very public playtime.

"Hey, I’m talking to you," Terao pressed.

Feigning ignorance, Isosaki replied, "Haven’t seen him," then added offhandedly, "Oh, by the way, I heard that woods over there has a reputation for, you know, creeps hanging around. You might want to be careful."

The two women exchanged uneasy glances before quickly turning back toward the cottage.

Once back in the room, Isosaki found Iketani, who had apparently been bored out of his mind. To help Mikasa out in his absence, Isosaki sang his praises, sharing a few stories to highlight what a great guy he was and compensating for Mikasa’s lack of self-promotion earlier.

Surprisingly, Iketani, despite his stylish appearance, turned out to be a gamer. They ended up bonding over game talk late into the evening. It wasn’t until after 11 p.m. that Isosaki finally slipped into bed.

By the time he drifted off, the assistant manager and Mikasa still hadn’t returned to the cottage.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

The next morning, when Isosaki woke up, the assistant manager was already dressed and ready to go. He must have returned sometime during the night.

Despite his slightly reddened eyes, the assistant manager seemed to be in high spirits, exuding an odd kind of allure. To Isosaki's disbelief, the assistant manager even greeted him first with a casual "Good morning." Flustered, Isosaki could only mumble a quiet "Good morning" in return, unable to meet his gaze directly. Naturally, the assistant manager responded with a justified, "What a gloomy guy to start the day."

Thinking about how that face had uttered such sweet, heart-fluttering words and how that voice had moaned so seductively the night before, Isosaki felt mortified. He wanted to scream and run in circles, but managed to restrain himself—doing so would make him look truly unhinged.

Unaware of Isosaki's internal turmoil, the assistant manager acted as usual, bossing him around like an overbearing superior. Under a blazing sun hinting at another sweltering day, Isosaki was loading rented tables and chairs into the bus's trunk when Mikasa approached him.

"Need a hand?"

"Oh, thank you," Isosaki replied.

The two of them worked silently, stacking the luggage into the bus. The atmosphere was tinged with an awkward tension, leaving Isosaki feeling oddly self-conscious. He couldn’t help but think, Mikasa-san is, like, way too sexy.

As they continued their repetitive tasks, Mikasa suddenly broke the silence.

"About yesterday... I’m sorry."

It was immediately clear what he was apologizing for.

"Oh, um, no—it’s fine. Really, I’m the one who should apologize," Isosaki stammered.

"I figured you probably didn’t want to see something like that. If it made you uncomfortable, I’m sorry," Mikasa said sincerely.

"N-no, it’s really okay! If anything, I’m sorry for, uh, accidentally spying on you," Isosaki said, flustered.

Mikasa paused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Ah, I see," he said, his tone light but teasing. "So, Isosaki-kun, do you have a thing for voyeurism?"

Mortified, Isosaki’s inner monologue was filled with anguished wails as he vehemently denied it aloud. "No! Not at all!"

"Relax, I’m just kidding," Mikasa said, laughing. But his smile hinted that he wasn’t entirely convinced.

"One favor, though," Mikasa added, suddenly bowing with his hands pressed together. "Could you keep what you saw yesterday a secret?"

Isosaki quickly grabbed Mikasa’s arm to stop him.

"Please, don’t do that—I wasn’t planning on telling anyone, anyway."

"Thanks," Mikasa said with a relieved sigh.

"I’m not too worried about myself," he continued, "but Satoshi’s... well, he’s sensitive about these things. If he found out someone from work saw us, he might even threaten to quit."

Considering the assistant manager’s personality, that scenario didn’t seem far-fetched.

After loading the last table, Mikasa bought two sodas from a nearby vending machine and handed one to Isosaki, calling it "a treat." They sat in the shade, sipping their drinks, when Isosaki couldn’t help but ask a question that had been on his mind.

"The person you were talking about before—your, uh, partner—that’s the assistant manager, right? So... why him?"

Mikasa raised an eyebrow.

"Why him?"

"Oh, no, I don’t mean it in a bad way!" Isosaki said hurriedly. "It’s just... your personalities seem so different. It’s kind of surprising."

Mikasa’s face softened into a wide smile.

"I’m not much of a guy, really, but even so, Satoshi loves me with everything he’s got. That kind of dedication... it’s irresistible."

As they spoke, the infamous assistant manager appeared on the path leading to their cottage, repeatedly wiping sweat from his forehead in the heat. Spotting them in the shade, he called out in his usual commanding voice, his tone carrying easily across the distance.

On the bus ride home, the person who claimed the seat next to the assistant manager wasn’t Teruo or Wada—the two who had been fighting their love battle—or any of the other female fans swooning over him. Instead, it was Mikasa.

Right before boarding, Mikasa had suddenly claimed, "I’m not feeling well. I might’ve gotten heatstroke," and declared, "Satoshi’s my friend." Using that as justification, he led the assistant manager to a two-person seat at the very front of the bus, where he lay down with his head resting on the assistant manager’s lap.

Faced with this sick friend scenario, even the most ardent female admirers couldn’t protest. The unspoken consensus seemed to be, Well, if it’s a guy, I guess it’s fine. It’s better than another woman. Reluctantly, they allowed Mikasa’s exclusive claim to the assistant manager.

Sitting just one seat behind them on the left, Isosaki couldn’t help but notice Mikasa’s antics. Despite supposedly being unwell, Mikasa took every opportunity to subtly stroke the assistant manager’s waist or thigh, only to have his hand swatted away like an annoying fly.

Watching this unfold, Isosaki thought to himself, Well, maybe they really are a good match.

THE END

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T.N: This novel has a side story titled "That Person," which is told from Kadowaki's perspective. It also gives us a deeper look into Mikasa and Yoshimoto's relationship. I'll work on it next~

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