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 Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 4:04 pm
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What I want, I get...
No matter the method------------------------------------------------}:- 
Matsumoto Izo
Chairman - SMASH
The itsy bitsy spider...
Izo took in what the tiger said but he never once moved from the chair. Just like a spider, he waited and was very aware of his surroundings. His web was very weak if nonexistent in this house. "Yes, I'm sure Izzy Lucky will inherit MeKA. Ishi Rukuro and Ishi Crystal groomed a fine heir...with your help I might add." Izo could now easily see the Ishi plans for grooming Ishi Ruki. It was truly brilliant. He could imagine Katsumi's rival would be found eventually within...Izzy Lucky. At least Lucky would give Katsumi the challenge he needed within the same generation.
"You really think that Narcissus is going to just give up everything he has with Izzy Lucky to marry a girl of your choosing?" Izo finally asked because to him, this concept had become abhorrent to his own world. He would never force his son to marriage. Never expected a child, not with Katsumi's tastes. But Izo didn't consider his empire in the same way as Aki. Katsumi, when it was his time, would make his own decision on how to carry on. Izo's only expectations were that Katsumi keep a pet...grow up...and grow strong. He didn't want a 'former pet' running his empire. No, he wanted a man who knew how to handle and control others through the power within his own hands.
As he listened to this old man's executed plan, he could see how some of it worked just the way the b*****d had wanted. "Just like me?...there's nothing wrong with growing up just like me...I'd think I'd be more worried if he had grown up just like...you." he said with a slight snicker, They had quite a difference of opinion here. "Compassion? Is that all? You were afraid he was going to show up at a bar and pull a gun on someone?" he laughed slightly because that was indeed true. Izo had been that someone.
Izo really didn't care about which way Akihiko chose to go with his world. The seed from those loins, the relationships to save Aki's empire was of little value to him. Izo didn't seek out rivals based on a bloodline. Didn't base his empire on one, but Kaori gave him...a child and thus he grew to accept that one day, this child could be an heir. "From my angle...your 'family plan' sound a flawed as your family values. But, that doesn't concern me too much. Your grandson, Izzy Lucky...they're grown men. They can choose their own paths in life."
However, he held back one thing that did catch his attention. If Akihiko followed the this path Aki wanted to set him on, that vibrant career as a musician would eventually be lost. Even if he disliked Narcissus, Izo truly respected his talent and the draw he could bring to concerts. Some men were born to be in the office, but others...were meant to shine different. Yes, he despised the fact that Narcissus was an incompetent in the business world and he would have liked to have seen him become a rival like Aki. But he knew it was a pipe dream in more ways than one.
Izo took a hold of the frame and glanced down at the photo remembering about the time that this picture might have been taking. Maybe a month or so...before she died? He wouldn't let this cloud his judgement, but looking at her there, the smile that she wore painted on her face to hide her sadness from her children. She always wanted children. Wanted to see them grow up, go to college...had so many dreams. Dreams she would never see come to fruition...
Carefully, he set the framed photo on the table close by. No use looking to long as it would not bring her back to life. "Hmmm...well at least you realized my talent as a sculptor." he gibed while uncrossing his leg and leaning forward in the chair.
"One year seems reasonable. Ah...so now you add more conditions. Tsk. I suppose the boy can be left out of the picture until he's an adult and can make his own choices." Izo felt he could give that one because he suspected that the Doctor might actually had success releasing the potential talent from with the boy. Although, Izo hadn't asked for Takagi Hideo to be...an experiment. That issue had yet to be resolved. If the boy was a valuable asset then he wouldn't be harmed.
"Your...secretary? Hiroki Asato? He was on leave for his sister's funeral right?" His eyes followed Aki to the LCD. It really was a good show...minus the flaws of Azriel's team. "I've not touched your secretary." That much was completely true. "However, if he decided to spend time with someone that 'looked likes' your grandson, that sounds like his own choice. Not mine. Maybe he needed a break from his every day life and has been enjoying the holidays? I wouldn't blame him after all you've put him through. But like Takagi Hideo, I'm sure he'll show up."
Well that was interesting. Izo wondered how the old man had garnered that particular tidbit. Although the timing was bad for Izo. Katsumi was prepping his pet to return to his 'normal' life soon enough anyway.
"It sounds like we can come to a deal then...." It was then Izo finally stood up straighten his suit coat; one last glance to the photo in that frame...before looking back to the LCD. He knew they were soon coming to the close of this meeting. Would it be the last one, probably so. Would he regret the loss later? Probably so. Not many men could make his blood boil...his passion heat like Koyasu Aki.
-:{------------------------------------------------No matter the cost.
...Prepare to pay up!
What a shock, it was so surprising,
You looked so small and frail------------------------------------------------}:- 
Izzy Lucky
At times life can be so enlightening .uoy no nrut nac ti tuB
"Awh..I like sweets." Ko said with a continuing boyish pout that soon became a happier grin, " Ooh..jelly and honey! YAY!" The boy could have bounced like a bean right out of that seat but then he noticed the ipad and started looking at Narcissus' insertions and was completely distracted.
"Oh...so you think this would sound better...Mmm..." he hummed a little of what he saw on the ipad then patted his lip with a finger. "I think you're right. Wow...that is a better way of doing that."
Shou chuckled as he looked over Ko's shoulder. "Looks like you and Yuriko-chan had a lot of fun this morning." Shou really didn't care if Ko missed breakfast doing what he enjoyed. Shou sometimes missed it himself when he was consumed by his passion. It was a way of life for the star.
"Sure. I'll get them." Ruki replied and went to grab the jelly, butter and honey from the various locations. "But you should eat before writing music. It will help energize your brain."
"Energize my brain?" Ko asked curiously looking up from his iPad.
"Well...yes, you should always have a healthy meal so you don't feel run down." Izzy pointed out but then Shou interjected with a laugh, "Oh my, I never thought I'd hear that coming from you."
Izzy stuttered for a moment, "Oh..well...I'm trying to eat better!" as he returned to the frig to get the other items Akihiko mentioned and placed them on the table too.
"I'll eat almost any fruit...grapes...bananas..." He glanced at the banana that sat on the edge of the fruit bowl and a slow smile formed on his face. "Bananas would be fine with me."
"Cherries, Blueberries, Raspberries for me! But I'll eat almost anything." answered Ko as he slipped off the chair and walked over to watch Akihiko cook.
"Oh yes, I noticed that when I was watching the ceiling." Shou commented as he pulled the fruit bowl forward, making sure no surprises might be found before anyone else snatched it away. Fortunately, it was safe. "True, we probably should head home soon. I'm sure you both have much to do today."
-:{------------------------------------------------I didn't know what to do
I grabbed the tiger by the tail!
Ninja or Hamu...You decide!
Dirty Little Secrets------------------------------------------------}:- 
Yamada Haru
It's the Devil in the Details...
......What a tangled web we weave......
Haru turned around in a flash as Naoko fell but then just sighed as the younger man started cursing and complaining. "Yes. It's me. You've got a hangover. I'll make some coffee for you after I clean this up."
"Mmhmph...you know if they aren't finished I expect them done soon. It's a good thing I came here after picking up Ko's results. Shou and Ko...especially Ko shouldn't see something like this right now." he scolded but in a low enough tone so as not to cause a ringing in any sensitive ears.
"The papers are fine. It's you who are not." Haru sat down the containers of wipes and then walked into the kitchen to throw the dirty ones away. While he was in there he opened up the freezer and searched until he found Sai's bag of coffee. He pulled it out and ground the beans then started up the machine with the setting on strong. "I don't know if you and your brother like the same brand of coffee but that's what we've got."
-:{------------------------------------------------Dirty Little Secrets
I'll keep my dirty little secrets. |
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 4:35 pm
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"So I got drunk? Big deal..." Naoko whispered, burrowing his head beneath the blanket to keep the light out.
Damn his head hurt...
"Coffee's coffee... and what's it to you if I'm smashed as long as I got the work done? I'll drag myself to bed and lock the door before they get here so there's no ******** problem..."
Oh yes... Oumori Naoko was in a very bad mood. In fact, he didn't want anyone bothering him... no one nagging him... no one giving a damn about him...
Lithe fingers dug into the carpet until it hurt. He'd run out of tears hours ago. At least the voice in his head had finally shut up after the second bottle of Crown...
"You're one to talk... Frozen dinner-san." Akihiko rolled his eyes, scraping the eggs onto a plate and then carefully removing the bacon as well, patting the oil and grease from it with paper towels. "If not for me you'd be a walking frozen food section and you know it." blue eyes flickered over to Hideo. "Don't use Ruki's habits as a blueprint, Ko-kun. You need to eat food that's good for you... at least one good meal a day. I'm sure Shou-san's guilty of not eating properly either?" he looked to his rival then went back to getting the biscuits out of the oven. "I'm guilty of it too... when working. So I can't exactly lecture the two of you... but really... Ko-kun needs breakfast lunch and dinner at the very least."
As he put the bacon, eggs, and biscuits on the table, Narcissus began cutting up bananas, grapes, and strawberries, before adding in blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries as well. Then he lightly dusted them with a stevia sweetener before putting that on the table as well.
"Breakfast is served. Maybe I should go wake up Yuuji-kun..." the young Koyasu looked off toward the hallway, but didn't move in that direction just yet. Shou's semi-question brought him out of that thought however. "Mmm... well we do have to speak with my grandfather today. Other than that it should just be practice... maybe... I think Michi-kun's still working with Yammi... least I HOPE he is... Depends on how long we're stuck at the estate I suppose."
Actually... their daily plans depended more on how much stress this put the couple through more than anything else...
Aki found himself frowning slightly. "Do I think he'll give Lucky-san up? Probably not. Which is why I wouldn't mind you tossing around some vicious yet true rumors regarding their personal lives together. If Akihiko starts hurting as Narcissus... he'll want to fall back on something... which would be the company itself. A puppet king will be better than an heir-less empire after all. Public scorn probably won't be enough to drive a wedge between them... but I've a feeling some of my proposals will certainly push them apart bit by bit. Not to mention Lucky-san's own music career... busy musicians have little time to play in bed." the older man tapped his cane slightly against a certain spot on the fireplace. A few seconds later there was a very soft noise and then a safe appeared from behind a wall panel. Walking over, Koyasu Aki began punching in a code then a fingerprint and retina scan, before the door swung open. From the myriad of treasures, both personal and profitable, the old tiger withdrew an envelope and a few sheets of bound paper before closing the safe and hiding it was another tap of the cane once more.
"Yes... it was rather rash of him to pull a gun on you, wasn't it?" Aki asked, having known of the incident almost right after the fact.
Yuuji worked so well when properly motivated...
"I've always been concerned with image and legacy. You think it would change just because I'm dying? Hardly. Family is a tool. Unlike yourself, who thinks it a weakness... I think it a strength. More pawns to move where you need in the end." the old tiger handed Matsumoto the bound papers...
A contract.
"It's drawn up to include the return of Hideo-kun and Hiroki Asato as well as the one year of grace for Ohayou. You may look over it if you wish. After we're done I'll have my butler make a copy and have it delivered to your car before you leave. As soon as you sign... this envelope is yours to do with as you will... within these walls of course."
In other words, Izo couldn't take the information from the estate save within his own mind.
The photos inside the envelope... security camera photos which clearly showed a child starting the fire within the Koyasu household that eventually caused the deaths of not only Akihiko's parents but Yuriko's own murderer.
No doubt Izo would want the fire starter of a child's name... and for this deal, Koyasu would be more than happy to oblige.
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 6:13 pm
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What I want, I get...
No matter the method------------------------------------------------}:-
Matsumoto Izo
Chairman - SMASH
The itsy bitsy spider...
Izo said nothing about the rumors as the man spoke. He wasn't Aki's shill and this part of their conversation was not and would not be on their 'contract'. Izo found the notion quite distasteful that he'd be the prime mover to add barbs between the two lovers. Not because he particularly cared for either but because he still felt a connection to Kaori and the pain he knew she suffered after the disruption of losing her child for this man's idea of appearances and family. Izo didn't even care who ran Ohayou for the year - a puppet king, secretary or unacknowledged brat. "These rumors have little value to me. I'm not your lackey, Aki. I'm sure your network is enough to do the job without my involvement." He'd wash his hands clean of that scenario and wouldn't side with Koyasu Aki's idea of...family and appearances. It would not be his problem.
"Hmmph...yes but he did manage to get my attention and bartered a 'fair' deal for himself. Foolish...but I'll give him credit for being ballz." Izo didn't bother to deny the situation happening. He didn't draw a gun, he didn't implicate himself, and no one died. Although if it had come to blows, Akihiko wouldn't have lived. Not in that particular club.
He watched as he man opened the safe and drew out the papers not bothering to turn his head. Izo wouldn't be back here after this. The whole place could go up in flames as far as he was concerned. He laughed with a glint of steel in his eye at Aki's remarks, "Family as tools. Yes, that is just like you." He took hold of the contract as his inner self held in words that he wouldn't use now that the contract was in hand. Aki was a fool and Izo could see why his empire was crumbling. It wasn't because of the competition but because of the way he used family. Izo knew that there was no love between Narcissus and Aki. There wasn't any other family out there as far as Izo could tell. Aki spent his whole life grinding on the idea that his one boy would be the answers to succession. What a waste. There wasn't any family to control save one...pawn. Yes, a waste indeed.
"One year grace for Ohayou is all I will accept in a written contract, Aki and you know this. I won't implicate myself in any illegal venture. I don't have your secretary nor the boy. You'll just have to take a gentleman's agreement on that regard, just like your grandson did for Izzy Lucky. Or there is no deal."
He wouldn't touch the envelope until this part was finalized.
-:{------------------------------------------------No matter the cost.
...Prepare to pay up!
What a shock, it was so surprising,
You looked so small and frail------------------------------------------------}:-
Izzy Lucky
At times life can be so enlightening .uoy no nrut nac ti tuB
"Frozen dinners aren't so bad." Izzy said with crossed arms as he watched Ko wander over to to get a better view of Akihiko cooking. They did look cute side by side. The boy had to stand on tip toes to see everything going on. Izzy smirked and took a quick photo with his phone. A memory for the future.
"They can be good for you. I've lived for years off of them." Izzy answered with a pout and Ko laughed looking back over his shoulder.
"That's because you can't cook. But I can cook some so I will make my own food. It's cheaper to cook for yourself. Right Akihiko-niisan?" he asked as he took a healthy sniff of what Akihiko was making. It really looked yummy. "I want to be a great cook like you!"
Shou sighed and said, "I try to make sure he eats well. Over the holidays it's been easy although I dread when I start to ramp up for my next tour. I guess I'll have to talk to the caterers to make sure food is on hand." He really didn't have time to cook 3 good meals a day or eat 3 meals so how the heck could he make sure Ko did? It was going to be difficult enough putting things together for Ko's education. Somehow he had to work this out.
The star tilted his head though when Narcissus spoke his words slightly more sober and seriously, "I hope that goes well for you." He then got up and chuckled, "I'll go wake up Takagi-san since everyone else here is busy making breakfast. You shouldn't let Izzy near the stove anyway." Shou pushed out of his chair and wandered down the hall stopping in front of Yuuji's door. Lightly, he tapped upon the frame. "Takagi-kun, it's time to wake up..." He wanted to enter but he also didn't want to appear to forward. Yes, last night was still fresh on his mind, but...he didn't want to assume anything the next day. Dreams rarely followed into the morning.
-:{------------------------------------------------I didn't know what to do
I grabbed the tiger by the tail!
Ninja or Hamu...You decide!
Dirty Little Secrets------------------------------------------------}:-
Yamada Haru
It's the Devil in the Details...
......What a tangled web we weave......
Haru said nothing for a short time as he picked up a mug and put it against the machine so the coffee would fill the cup perfectly. Then as he returned, he sat the mug down then stared at the mound of blankets. "Big deal? Yes, it's a big deal. In your own house fine, you're in Shou's...Sai's home and he's got a child living with him. Not fine."
"I know your hurting, I'm not blind to that. Ryuukaze-san isn't exactly the brightest bulb on the planet. I saw the video. But drinking till your blind isn't going to ease the pain as you've probably discovered." he pointed out then walked over to a comfortable seat close by.
"As I was saying before, I just saw Araki-sensei about Ko's results and he'd like to see him again. I've taken the liberty to set up his next appointment and I'm hoping you might take him there for it next week." Haru wondered if speaking of the boy would pull the young man back to more stable ground.
-:{------------------------------------------------Dirty Little Secrets
I'll keep my dirty little secrets. |
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 9:29 pm
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Blue eyes narrowed slightly but the older man nodded. "Then I suppose a gentleman's agreement between the two of us can hold some weight. I've never known you to go back on one before... why start now?" he took the contract that had been given to Izo and carefully rifled through it, tearing out a page here, a page there, before handing it back. "One year's grace. No buying out Ohayou's stocks or paying off the board of directors nor helping any talent to break a contract with us. Fair fighting between the two companies." Aki walked back over to the fire, tossing the pages he'd torn out into the flames.
"Akihiko's always had balls, Izo. His problem is knowing when to bear his fangs... or when to simply back down." the old tiger watched as the pages burned in the flickering light of the hearth. "Wash your hands of the scandal to come then... though I'm certain Shou-san will be asked repeatedly if he knew of an intimate relationship between the two men. One isn't lost at sea and not learn a thing or two."
"Have his tutor help with his meals." Akihiko said matter-of-factly as he sat down at the table. "I mean, why not just have a tutor who stays full time? Or almost full time? Someone to help when you're too busy. Ko-kun can't follow you around all the time, Shou-san... and while I'd be happy to help, I'm just as busy as you are... so is Ruki... so it Yuuji-kun and no doubt NAKO-san and Yamada-san... sometimes..." he smiled slightly. "Sometimes hired help is the only choice... there was one maid that I really did enjoy talking to when I was a kid. She'd worked in France so she spoke French and used to tease me in it. Eventually I started picking up words and it became a sort of secret language... kind of... you'd be surprised how many rich guests know French..."
In other words... Akihiko had said some things that he probably got in quite a bit of trouble for...
His blue gaze watched as Shou left the table, then he winked at Ko. "Would you rather have chocolate milk?" the musician asked with a smirk now that the 'parent' was out of the room.
Okay so maybe he wasn't the BEST influence...
"Urusai..." amber eyes glared from beneath the blankets.
It wasn't even quite a normal angry glare either... an unhinged, pissed, fury that was seething just beneath the surface.
"I quit if he sticks with Shou. I don't give a damn if it pisses off Matsumoto... I refuse to be in the same room as that... that THING..." well that at least got Naoko sitting up... His hair was stuck up in random spots and blindly he groped for his glasses, putting them on and narrowing his eyes even more at the man sitting across the room. "I don't want to talk to him... hear him... see him... or screw him. All because I didn't want to have a go at it with him after Jun ******** died! All because, I... I..." Naoko curled forward, pressing his forehead against the coffee table. "Tell me you love me. Tell me you'll stay, because I need you, Naoko. I do. I'm hurting too, so please...please stay. I won't leave you, Naoko, so please don't leave me... DAMN LIAR!" the blond said in a mocking tone, scoffing at the promises broken like blades of grass.
Torn between anger and sadness, he just didn't know which way to sing. "It hurt... Jun died and it hurt and he didn't understand!" the blond slammed his fist down on the table's top. "I couldn't even mourn for him because it wouldn't let me! I just wanted life to be normal! And then he goes off with some random b*****d in the middle of the night!" lithe fingers reached up, tangling in blond hair as Naoko just tried to calm down.
Thank the gods the voice inside was silent...
It was probably too drunk!
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 11:03 pm
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What I want, I get...
No matter the method------------------------------------------------}:-
Matsumoto Izo
Chairman - SMASH
The itsy bitsy spider...
It was true that Izo wouldn't break a gentleman's agreement because such agreements kept the proof between two men alone. What wasn't on paper couldn't be drudged up later. Unless the other man talked. And then, well, at that point, Izo felt unbound by any sort of personal rules surrounding the matter. And thus, those who made such agreements with him usually found that he kept his part of the bargain. Thus he rarely made such agreements... "It's the best offer you'll get from me in regard to the matter of the boy and your secretary. So take it as it is."
Izo didn't say what he felt, It's because Tools don't learn from there Masters. And if you only consider your grandson as a frigging tool, he'll never learn from you. But those words never left his lips, "He's young. I'm sure you made as many mistakes as he growing up." Of course, the spider was a bit of a hypocrite. He used his own son as a tool too. But the spider did think that there were differences...weren't there? The thought of Katsumi bumping his head so hard when he closed the door came to mind at that moment for some reason. God...the boy did want to please him so much. Was he just too much like Aki? That thought caused his eyes to narrow...No....he'd never be like Koyasu Aki...NEVER.
"Shou can handle the media but I will make sure he's not overwhelmed by the press. Considering he's new album is releasing soon, I'm sure he'll have better things to discuss with them." Izo would protect his asset from the storm. Shou didn't need more instability. That much was certain.
Izo then walked through every page of the agreement reading every single word. The man didn't skim like most would. He never left anything to chance with contracts. Only a fool would trust what someone else had typed or torn from a document. But once he walked through it all and found nothing that didn't relate to Ohayou proper. He felt reasonably comfortable with signing the document.
His signature was quick and sharp like a spider's bite and then done. "One year's grace for Ohayou...nothing more...nothing less." It was then he picked up the envelope and finally peered at the contents. To stare at a child. Not an adult but a small....boy. This wasn't what he expected at all. But his face didn't betray it. "Who is it?" he demanded with an icy calm to his voice, " Obviously there are no names on these photos." The odd part in all this was the fact that if these cameras had taken the photos, why hadn't someone called the parents? Why hadn't someone done anything?
-:{------------------------------------------------No matter the cost.
...Prepare to pay up!
What a shock, it was so surprising,
You looked so small and frail------------------------------------------------}:-
Izzy Lucky
At times life can be so enlightening .uoy no nrut nac ti tuB
"A live in tutor? Mm...I would have to think about that. It would depend on the tutor and if I could be comfortable with someone I didn't know within my home." Shou allowed very few within his house to begin with due to his need for privacy so it was a difficult for him to wrap his brain about how he'd handle it.
But then Shou smiled, "A French Maid. And what else...." he didn't finish the sentence once he realized that Ko was standing right there. But Izzy got the idea right away and laughed.
"Oh I'm sure he learned many things from his maid. Didn't you Akihiko?" He knew they couldn't talk about anything in depth but he could tease his partner underhandedly.
But soon Shou had left and the boy was grinning when Akihiko offered a sweet treat that caused Izzy to roll his eyes. His partner was a BAD influence! No sweets...then chocolate milk!? He should have said something but as he watched the two of them in their conspiratorial mode, he just had to smile. Akihiko was happy being an uncle....and that made Ruki happy indeed.
"Yes Please!" Ko said sweetly while Izzy rolled his eyes again. The boy had Akihiko's genes, he could tell!!
--------------------------
Meanwhile, after no one answered at the door, Shou took initiative and crept into Yuuji's room. The man was sprawled out on the bed. No he didn't look like an angel at all in this state but innocent enough with his head lulling to the side and his lips slightly parted.
Shou smile softly and knelt down beside the bed; his fingers gently slide over Yuuji's skin. "Wake up...my beautiful blossom. the cool morning has already felt the rays of the rising sun." he whispered then leaned in and left a light kiss upon those parted lips before pulling away.
His eyes twinkled as he watched Yuuji in the darkness of the room after hinting every so slightly upon last night's fantasy. Nothing more would he do...because the flower truly had been just a dream. But the memories could be stoked ever so slightly within the waking dreamers mind.
-:{------------------------------------------------I didn't know what to do
I grabbed the tiger by the tail!
Ninja or Hamu...You decide!
Dirty Little Secrets------------------------------------------------}:-
Yamada Haru
It's the Devil in the Details...
......What a tangled web we weave......
Haru sighed as he watched the the younger man and then got up and got his own cup of coffee and returned to sit back down. Yes, he was going to need it. "I don't think you have anything to worry about there. Ryuukaze-san has been offered his own Team. Hayato's old team. He's going to be solo again very soon. And I know Shou wants you to stick around. No reason to quit." Besides the young man couldn't afford to and he knew it.
Holding the cup in his hands he watched as Naoko raged in between anger and sadness. "I know what Ryuukaze-san did was crass. And I know how much it hurts. But, at least you now have a clear idea about what the truth is with him. He's impulsive and sometimes doesn't think. He probably wasn't thinking the other day. You both have problems and well...maybe those issues make you and he incompatible." Haru didn't want to shove all the blame on Ryuukaze or Naoko. But he did want Naoko to start thinking clearer than he was.
For a moment, Haru looked at the mug in his hands then finally took a sip, "Drink the coffee. It will help." He glanced up and then chose his next line of thinking, "I'll be straight up with you. You don't need a partner right now, not until you workout the stuff inside your head. You do need to grieve for Jun and then work with Araki-sensei to help yourself clean out your fears, shame...guilt and whatever else is keeping you from a productive life."
"I know quite a bit has happened to you. And I know that Sai loves you dearly. You've people who do care about you in the right ways. Who aren't expecting anything from you except your good and gentle nature. Just take time to see that...trust those things. And take time to heal. Life isn't going to get any easier for you until you start cleaning up your own closet." Haru tried to be gentle even though he was stickler for direct and blunt actions. He knew that harsh words would only be pouring salt on fresh wounds but honest words had to be spoken clearly or they wouldn't be understood.
-:{------------------------------------------------Dirty Little Secrets
I'll keep my dirty little secrets. |
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Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 11:54 pm
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Naoko didn't say anything about the words or any of the advice Yamada gave him. Instead, lithe fingers reached out, grasping the coffee cup and bringing it to his pale lips.
"He tried to propose to me... twice..." the blond whispered softly, his gaze fixed on the coffee cup. "I turned him down... because I wasn't sure... I didn't think he really loved me... not like I loved him... I..." for a moment, it seemed like Naoko would start crying but instead he shook his head slightly. "I thought about just disappearing... I considered it the night he... he left me but... but I loved him so much and even though I wanted to protect him, I just... I convinced myself he shouldn't be alone... and yet I was the one to wake to a cold bed... my lover gone... only to have the news tell me that he'd spent all night out with another." his nails scrapped at the coffee mug. "I never lied to him, Ya... Yamada-san... I... I never kept anything from him... if I slept with... with Jun or... or that one time with Sai and Jun.... I told Ryu... I told him about the things that happened to me and... and I never lied to him." sighing, the blond closed his eyes, letting the coffee cup's warmth seep through his skin... his veins... Then he looked at Haru once more. "Everything he ever said to me was a lie... or maybe it was the truth and I drove him to this point. I... I never meant to hurt anyone... I loved him... I still love him... how can you know what it's like, Yamada-san? How can you know how much it hurts? I know I've people who care... Sai cares and Ko-kun cares and I'm sure Shou cares too... even you do in your own way I guess but..." again he shook his head, this time sipping his coffee, letting the hot liquid warm him inside and out. "The only person who knows... who understands... left me for a fling... I had never thought... never thought he cared so little... what was I to him?"
"Oi! I was a kid, thank you very much! Besides, she wasn't exactly my type." Akihiko spoke with a smirk.
No he and the maid hadn't done anything of the sort. She'd been someone he could talk to when the world had abandoned him.
At least until she had a family of her own and retired to take care of the little girl she'd given birth to.
Standing from the table, the young Koyasu went to the fridge and pulled out a small single serve carton of chocolate milk. "I thought you might've wanted this with your pancakes last night but there was enough sugar then." he laughed, bringing the carton back to the table.
For a moment... nothing happened. Then Yuuji groaned slightly, stretching out on the oversized bed. His dark eyes opened and for a moment, seeing Shou, just didn't register.
"Sh... Shou-san? What?" Takagi sat up, obviously surprised to see the musician in his bedroom. But there was light peeking in from a nearby window so...
"Oh god, did I oversleep? What time is it?"
He said nothing about their interesting encounter in the kitchen the night before... but what could he say? If he'd overslept then there was no telling if or when someone would just walk into the room or hear their conversation from the hall. After all, Akihiko wasn't exactly as preoccupied now as he had been last night...
"My only mistake was not raising my family, especially my grandson, properly." Koyasu Aki admitted as he walked back over to his comfortable chair and sat down. "The child in those photos... is Takagi Yuuji."
For a few moments, the old tiger just let those words sink in.
"You can see why nothing was done about the murders now... can't you, Izo? Saving face... image... I covered up everything. Now the boy turned man works for me, doing the less savory aspects of this empire's work. He was... in love with Yuriko." of course Matsumoto would know the murdered girl's name. "After she was killed, Akihiko revealed her murderer to be the piano teacher both himself and Yuriko took lessons from. Yuuji was simply on his way to my son and Kaori's home when he noticed that very tutor breaking in. Turned out the man wanted to confess his crime to my granddaughter's parents... but in a rage... Yuuji thought to kill the murderer. The fire got out of hand and Takagi barely escaped the building with some 1st and 2nd degree burns... the only survivor. After that I sent him back home, had the murders covered up, and never told a soul. Akihiko knew of course... The fact he hasn't claimed revenge himself should tell you something of my grandson's character. Either he doesn't give a damn..." Aki picked up his brandy glass, draining the last of it's contents. "Or he doesn't want to soil his hands with his cousin's blood." blue eyes focused on the spider for a long moment before the old tiger spoke once more. "You've your name and the story behind her death. I can't help but wonder however... what will you do with this tiny bit of history?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 10:25 am
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What I want, I get...
No matter the method------------------------------------------------}:-
Matsumoto Izo
Chairman - SMASH
The itsy bitsy spider...
Izo overall was silent as he stared at the photos; his thoughts completely veiled. He wanted...needed revenge but the weight of these photos on his fingers felt heavy as he sifted through them one by one. "Why didn't the guards do something when they saw this? If you've photos from a camera, then you had men watching these cameras."
Internally, even if this boy was the perpetrator, he couldn't call this child the 'murderer' it was an accidental death if the boy didn't know and never intended to kill the parents. Something wasn't right here, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He had a feeling the old tiger was hiding something else. And unfortunately, he didn't have that part written into their...deal.
Even so, he could see the flow of events that he believed Aki expected. Aki knew a bit of the Spider's nature, not many men survived his wrath. However, If he took out Takagi-kun for the death of Kaori, that could force eventually put his grandson closer to the job of chairman. It would leave a loose end...Takagi Hideo, but considering the way Aki's mind seemed to work, he expected that Aki would want the boy to fill the father's shoes as a greasy cog to the Koyasu machine.
Izo from his dark perspective, didn't like the idea of giving Aki the pleasure. He had to make a few choices. But none of them had to be...immediate. He knew at least the cause of her death although some of the issues behind the cause were completely shrouded. He still had his suspicions about Aki's part in this. Oh he knew that just like himself, Aki wouldn't bloody his hands. But that didn't mean someone else didn't follow a coded command.
"Did you ever find out why that instructor wanted to kill Yuriko-chan?" The question was out of the blue yes, but the murder seemed to be another oddity that had no purpose. Izo had to wonder what cascade of events brought these end results. He didn't expect an answer.
His eyes narrowed knowing he probably couldn't force the old tiger to give up any more desirable information without another deal. " Maybe your grandson has a different concept of Justice." Izo finally said as he straightened the gloves on his hands. "He doesn't have to move directly on Takagi Yuuji to meet his goals...whatever they may be." Maybe he gave Narcissus more credit than due. He certainly wasn't going soft on the younger man but...maybe like himself, Narcissus had questions. There was more here than met the eye.
His steel eyes lifted to meet those blue ones...ones he might never see again wide open and looking back with that intelligent and calculating gaze. Take this moment in, he thought with a slight tightening of his chest. It won't last forever.
"As for what I will do... Curiosity killed the cat. So it's fortunate that I won't satisfy yours even if you're on the last of 9 lives." he joked lightly covering the deeper frustrations that would never be satisfied.
However, he wouldn't be the one to hang on and drag this out any further. His hand drifted over his other hand to peer at a fine watch before he looked up again, "But, I believe that I've stayed my welcome and now I should depart. Time flies too quickly for old men. It was a pleasure and pain to have a Rival such as you, Koyasu Aki. I have no love for you...or your methods but I doubt that I'll ever find another man quite like you in my lifetime."
-:{------------------------------------------------No matter the cost.
...Prepare to pay up!
What a shock, it was so surprising,
You looked so small and frail------------------------------------------------}:-
Izzy Lucky
At times life can be so enlightening .uoy no nrut nac ti tuB
Izzy sat down at the table as Akihiko started his mischief then glanced over at the single serving chocolate milk! Narcissus WAS becoming a DOTING uncle already! This man had prepared for the boy even before he had him at the house!
And those happy bright eyes of Ko's were just fascinated with Akihiko! Yuuji might have had different reason for wanting to keep the two apart but Izzy could see that the small boy and his star were going to eventually be good buddies...and Akihiko would teach him all his bad habits. Oh great!.
"YAY! Thank you Niisan!" Kou squeaked then opened the single serving of chocolate milk. The child might have agreed with Akihiko about the timing of the milk but he was already enjoying it's rich taste.
Izzy wandered over and leaned up against his star whispering into his ear, "I was a good boy too last night, where's my chocolate milk?" The manager had to tease his partner. Where was his treat!?
-:{------------------------------------------------I didn't know what to do
I grabbed the tiger by the tail!
Do you know what you got into
Can you handle what I’m ’bout to do------------------------------------------------}:- 
SHOU
No escaping when I start .traeh ruoy nwo I ni m'I ecnO
Beautiful Dreamer
Shou thought for a moment patting his lip with a finger tip. "It's about 11:30 am because it's just before noon and we are still within the time frame for Narcissus-san to make a delicious breakfast. I slept in too. Which is actually amazing considering I usually am heading to work about 5-6 am most mornings. I think I have you to thank for such a restful sleep."
He continued to smile and while most men would have moved forward after such a comment and stole another kiss, Shou would not. "Ko is watching Narcissus cook breakfast, and Izzy has been given the 'get this and that duty'. It's safer that way I think." Shou said with an amused smile.
"I think you needed a good night's rest. I'm sure your internal battery feels quite recharged today." It was the only mention he'd make of last night from a previous conversation. "Should I leave now so you can refresh yourself?"
-:{------------------------------------------------Cause it’s about to get rough for you
I’m here For Your Entertainment
Ninja or Hamu...You decide!
Dirty Little Secrets------------------------------------------------}:-
Yamada Haru
It's the Devil in the Details...
......What a tangled web we weave......
"Well, I'm glad you didn't up and disappear. That wouldn't have helped you any and would have worried everyone else." Haru commented as he listened to Naoko pour out his feelings.
"Relationships are a two way street, Naoko. You can't blame yourself fully, can't blame him fully either. You both had a hand at getting to this point. But now that it is to this point, you need to make healthy decisions for yourself. Because you can't change what has past. Only make a better future." Haru didn't dig into any particular point that Naoko revealed because there was no use picking at the wounds.
Haru pushed up his glasses and tilted his head, "Naoko, I know plenty of how a relationship can hurt. I'm not a child. I've had my formative teenage years, plenty of tragedies that I can't count. I know the pain of relationships and I know what it feels like to be betrayed. You're not alone. Most every adult has experienced what you're going through at one point or another. Maybe not in the same way, but it has happened."
He sipped his coffee and wondered what Sai would say about all this or would the man go find Ryuukaze and give him a piece of his mind. He wasn't sure Ryuukaze would be able to handle Sai's anger if the blond took that path at all, "But knowing what you do now about yourself, and about him....I think that you can start making a better world for yourself now. It will hurt for awhile and you will question yourself along the way, I think if you'll be better off."
"I think that Ryuukaze cares about you, but I don't think he's got the best fore thought or judgement skills. Then again, sometimes you don't either. So if I look at it from that perspective it might be the case that like your incidences with...mm...Jun and the rest, gives him the idea that it's ok if he does the same. Maybe he planned to come home and tell you about his...mistake and expected you to forgive him?" Haru would look at both sides of the issue logically even though this particular relationship to him was a train wreck. He could see this strange line of thinking occurring with the puppy like star. And well Naoko, in his state at the moment was very Me oriented so it would be impossible to see the other side.
-:{------------------------------------------------Dirty Little Secrets
I'll keep my dirty little secrets. |
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Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 12:41 pm
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"He'd done things like this before and come home to tell me... he had a round with Chiyou-san and Nakai-san... but he told me about it..." sighing Naoko sipped more of the coffee slowly. "This... the whole country knows he did this and... and he didn't come home. That's what makes it so hard... I woke up alone... in his bed... for the first time in our relationship. He left me in the middle of the night!" another soft sigh and the pianist shook his head. "You're right, Yamada-san... gomen..." though he didn't say what the man was right about.
He'd driven Ryu away with his madness... the darkness inside knew it... had been taunting him with it all the night before.
Carefully, the blond reached over, snagging his pack of cigarettes then stopped and thought better of it. Yamada would scold him... course the pack was empty anyway so he tossed it into the trash can.
Amber eyes focused on the lonely cigarette pack in the trash. "Night before last... after we got back from the onsen... Ryu started freaking out at me about smoking... tried to get me to quit... he just didn't understand, you know? Jun's death... assassination attempts... my being batshit insane... so many things all at once and he's worried about me smoking... kept seeing he saw some sort of oni every time I left the room... wonder if he's seeing it now." another sigh... but at least Naoko wasn't screaming and crying and beating up the furniture any more. "Maybe I drove him crazy, you know?" the younger Oumori leaned his head back against the sofa, staring up at the ceiling. "Being here makes me happy... and I knew Ryu wasn't happy in our relationship any more... aside from today though... I've been taking care of myself and dealing with my issues even given the cold I had at the onsen. Maybe I was too dependent on him and it drove him away... he kept telling me to just rely on him and his 'love' to drive away my madness... Love as the best medicine..." shaking his head, Naoko looked over to Yamada. "Since you spoke with Araki-sensei I assume you know my problems in more detail... otherwise I doubt you'd be sitting there, watching my every move like a hawk.
Yuuji couldn't help blushing slightly as the memory of the night before suddenly stirred in his groggy mind. "Um yeah... well I mean no, you don't have to leave but you can if you want to." the other man said, getting out of bed.
Least he'd put his boxer briefs back on...
"I um... guess we both needed the rest, ne? I know I did and... well... I do feel recharged... though... though I'm not sure if breakfast sounds all that wonderful right now... I swear if I see a grape at the table I'll blush like a damn school girl..." Takagi said as he started putting on his pants. But his dark eyes flickered over to Shou and for a moment, he just stared at the man. "No mask today?"
Blue eyes looked up and to the side, catching Izzy's own gaze. "Sure you want chocolate milk instead of nacho cheese?" Akihiko teased as he stood from the table again, walking over and taking out not just one more individual carton... but four more. "There... now everyone can have chocolate milk and regular milk for breakfast." he winked, setting them on the table. "Ne, Ko-kun, what do you want on your plate? I figure we can go ahead and eat... I'm starving."
After last night, how could he not be famished?!
Koyasu Aki sighed. "Just because there were security cameras, doesn't mean there were bodyguards. My empire wasn't as strong then as it is now. Yes there was someone positioned down the street but they didn't seen the break-in nor Yuuji's actions. In truth, he alerted the fire department to the inferno and was actually the one to find Yuuji stumbling from the flames." blue eyes held their gaze on Izo.
No... Aki hadn't had a hand whatsoever in the murder of his son and daughter-in-law. It had been the decisions of an angry and hurt child. He had been glad that Akihiko wasn't in the house that day and rather at his own estate.
Yes he thought of his grandson as a tool... a pawn... but the boy was his piece to play.
"The instructor was carefully selected out of applicants and a native of Australia. I picked the man myself sadly enough." a decision he still felt regret over even to this day. "Akihiko once told me that when he discovered the scene, the instructor said... ' it should have been you'. I've come to believe that his original target was Akihiko and he'd gotten the two confused. They were completely identical after all and at that age, neither had started to mature properly yet. You can imagine the guilt he must feel... he should have died and his sister lived. Tragic..." the old tiger's gaze was on the fireplace by the time he'd finished speaking.
Yes... he gaze Izo an answer to a question that the spider never imagined to be answered. But what good was holding onto that information now?
"Even I am not heartless enough to harm a child... though I suppose I must have done harm to Katsumi on some scale by letting you sink your fangs into the boy. He would have grown up an outcast of the family or perhaps as a servant's child if he'd remained. Would it have been a better life for Katsumi?" the older man's question was rhetorical of course. He didn't expect Izo to answer.
Blue eyes took in the spider as the man stood and prepared to leave. "Our last business deal, hm?" standing as well, Koyasu Aki smiled charmingly, a smile that Izo had seen time and time again... used to hide the truth. "We are men who hold our values differently from one another. While it has been fun battling you all these years... I can't help but think the war is far from over, even if it is time for this general to retire." instead of a polite bow however, Aki held out one hand.
A handshake.
A final farewell.
They would not meet again and both knew it.
"I will have your copy of the contract sent to your limo if you will but wait a few moments. It has been a... pleasure to do business with you, Matsumoto-san."
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Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 2:46 pm
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What I want, I get...
No matter the method------------------------------------------------}:-
Matsumoto Izo
Chairman - SMASH
The itsy bitsy spider...
Izo didn't relay his surprise in his physical demeanor but back then when he was younger, he had thought much more of Aki's defenses and to find out now that it was just a bluff. It was a harsh reality that he didn't have all the answers then. He was stubborn then...still stubborn now. But it didn't seem like Aki was telling him any falsehoods at the moment. So Takagi Yuuji as a child just burned the whole place down trying to kill the man who destroy his first love and killed her parents accidentally in the process. It seemed almost as blindly tragic as some of his own past.
But the instructor, now that was strange. What would bring a man to suddenly want to kill a single twin? It seemed random enough to be...something else. Of course Izo could have put the thought aside but Kaori would have still been alive if this moron hadn't decided to go after one of the twins. "Seems rather strange that an instructor would suddenly try to kill one of the twins especially when I'm sure you paid a very good wage even back then."
However the next question, Izo titled his head, with eyes like gunmetal he gazed at the dying man, "Between you and me, either way, he would have been messed up. You took him away from the one that loved him. And I, well...yeah. He probably would have had a better life...if neither you or I had a hand in his world." If he hadn't been so angry, if he hadn't been so bitter...yeah, Katsumi could have grown up in a better life.
"Had to end some day...didn't it?" he answered as those blue eyes rose to meet his dark ones. Standing face to face, like this that charming smile that he could never imitate. It was always met by his sharp smirk instead.
"No, this war ain't over." Izo reached out and took the man's hand, his hand was warm for such a cold blooded creature. "When I see you on the other side, I'll tell you all about it." Izo gave that hand a firm shake. His life wasn't over even if the one before him was turning the knob to death's door.
When Izo released that hand, his eyes gleamed as he turned away,"Sure...send it out to the limo, I'll wait. Yeah...a pleasure, Koyasu-san." There wasn't any grief in those eyes, the long conversation was over, the final transaction done and the contract signed. Ohayou had its year, he had the reason for Kaori's death, and the old tiger had his chance to press his last heart beats into salvaging an empire that was dying with him. But Izo didn't think it would work.
Even as he walked out of the room, he had to wonder what he had missed, what other foul secrets were hidden in the vault of Aki's mind. Maybe he shouldn't have cared but somehow, the old tiger had a way of leaving claws in the back of those who weren't prepared. The spider was more prepared now than he had been years ago but even so, he still didn't trust the older man.
Glancing over at Ishihara You, Izo spoke as he walked out the door,, "Let's go. We'll wait in the car until some paper work is presented then head back." With that he continued to walk until he left the mansion without so much as a turn of his head back to the door he had left.
-:{------------------------------------------------No matter the cost.
...Prepare to pay up!
What a shock, it was so surprising,
You looked so small and frail------------------------------------------------}:-
Izzy Lucky
At times life can be so enlightening .uoy no nrut nac ti tuB
Izzy had to actually stop and think about that choice. Nacho cheese or Chocolate milk. Oh...that was tough! But he glanced out over the breakfast table and then exclaimed, "Chocolate milk for breakfast! Nachos for lunch!" Now that was a win win in his book of eats!
Ko burst into laughed again but stifled it with another drink of his milk before saying, "I want to try everything. It all smells good." He put his milk down and pointed to the fruit, eggs and all the other goodies. "I'm a growing boy!"
Izzy smirked as pulled out a chair, "You shouldn't have to ask that question Akihiko, He isn't a picky eater. Seems like someone taught him right." Izzy sat down as well and pulled a carton of chocolate milk close then opened it. Wondering if Akihiko really was going to have chocolate milk. If he didn't Izzy was already eyeing another carton. He really did have a sweet tooth.
"I'm hungry too, I wonder why?" Izzy said as he gazed over at his partner knowingly. "Eat up as much as you want Ko. There is plenty. We can always make more too." Izzy was very happy this morning. It seemed just like a little family...
-:{------------------------------------------------I didn't know what to do
I grabbed the tiger by the tail!
Do you know what you got into
Can you handle what I’m ’bout to do------------------------------------------------}:-
SHOU
No escaping when I start .traeh ruoy nwo I ni m'I ecnO
Beautiful Dreamer
Shou decided to stay. "I don't think I want to leave..." That sweet blush stirred his imagination and brought a smile to his lips. "But yes, I slept in too. First time in a long time. I thank you for that."
"Then maybe you should avoid the fruit salad Narcissus-san has made." he said with a wink.
"No mask?" he quickly felt his face almost worried about what he'd find then reflected on the morning's actions. "Ah...the makeup is a mask...isn't it?" He could feel the layers of make up upon his skin...but maybe since it wasn't his own make up it wasn't quite right. "I tried very hard to wear something like I would at home. Ko...likes to imitate me but I didn't want him wearing masks in the house. He's not like me even if I must protect his identity outside the home. I was trying...to set a good example. But, mm...maybe I should put something a little heavier on?"
-:{------------------------------------------------Cause it’s about to get rough for you
I’m here For Your Entertainment
Ninja or Hamu...You decide!
Dirty Little Secrets------------------------------------------------}:-
Yamada Haru
It's the Devil in the Details...
......What a tangled web we weave......
Haru did watch his moves like a hawk and listened to every word but then he smiled slightly, "Yes, well I always observe people like that so it's nothing new. However, you are right, I did get a brief intro to your issues. And while it wasn't completely what I expected I wasn't surprised."
He set his mug on the coffee table and leaned forward, "You didn't drive him crazy. Of that I'm sure. But, he probably is overwhelmed with similar problems such as Jun's death, the assassination attempt, being a back up musician rather than the star he was, and all the worries that are between the two of you. I can't say that there isn't more under the surface but a lot has been happening over the course of the year."
"Being in love is great but I think you need to start loving yourself. You're not happy with the way you are, and that will affect whoever you're with. Eventually it wears even the best of relationships down. You're not the only one at fault for the way this relationship has gone. But I think from here, if you get your own act together, and clean your mental closet the next relationship you choose to be in will be far healthier and happier." Haru pointed out as he picked up his mug again. He had so many of his own problems right now. But it always seemed like if he had a short time to reboot he could manage everything in due time. He wouldn't be able to fix this problem, he could only point to the right path and pray Naoko would follow it.
-:{------------------------------------------------Dirty Little Secrets
I'll keep my dirty little secrets. |
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Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 4:11 pm
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"Ko-kun makes me happier..." Naoko whispered, glad for the boy who had somehow stumbled into his life. "Sai makes me happier... but I can't have him all the time now... can I?" the blond shook his head before drinking down what remained of his coffee. "Feeling needed... Ryu doesn't need me anymore. He's back to normal musically so why stick with the crazy man, ne?" he couldn't help but laugh slightly. "But... is wanting to be needed too shallow, Yamada-san? If it weren't for Ko-kun I don't think I'd be able to deal with this... truthfully... poor boy kept me from going nuts yesterday and I doubt he even knew it..." amber eyes closed for a moment as the pianist just tried to relax a little.
Damn his head hurt...
'Drank too much... ba... baka...'
"I need to take my medicine... damn I hadn't thought about not being able to keep it down... guess it's good I don't puke so easily..." Naoko said, pushing himself to his feet and sitting back down on the edge of the sofa. "Would you mind getting more some more coffee, Yamada-san? I'd rather not spill it in a drunken wobble..." he smirked slightly, reaching out to grab the bottle of medication that had been sitting next to his lighter on the table.
Yamada was right.
Naoko couldn't dwell on Ryu's stupidity and sudden lack of feelings... not when Ko-kun mattered to him... not when Sai mattered either.
He'd push forward.
Didn't mean he wouldn't be depressed or wouldn't cry and rage at the heavens for what his akuma had done...
Their intimacy on a restaurant tabletop seemed so far removed from life as it was now...
"Oh no, I meant no physical mask. I hadn't meant your makeup was messed up or not thick enough or anything like that." Yuuji waved a hand, pulling his shirt on. He smiled softly, thinking about Halloween a couple years back when Hideo had dressed up as Kamen Rider and run around the house for days afterward with that plastic mask on.
"Arigatou, Shou-san. Not just for what you did last night but... for caring so much about Ko-kun." he walked forward, coming to stand in front of the mercurial man. "I think your makeup looks just fine the way it is..." Yuuji whispered as he reached up, his thumb tracing along Shou's pale bottom lip.
Yeah...
He'd definitely avoid the fruit salad...
"I don't know if I can fit everything on the plate..." Akihiko teased, putting a spoonful of eggs in one spot... another large spoonful of fruit salad down too... two pieces of bacon... a biscuit...
The food was in front of Ko in an instant. Of course the young Koyasu knew the child was capable enough of putting his own condiments on so instead the musician fixed Izzy a plate than fixed one for himself.
Fork in hand, Narcissus didn't put any butter or jelly on his biscuits but instead had a small dollop of honey on the plate. Nothing on the eggs even... he was too hungry.
Besides, something told him spicy wasn't going to set well with his other tasks set for him today.
"I don't think I ate enough dinner last night." Akihiko said after digging into the eggs. "Got a bit distracted by Yuuji I think."
So Izo had done something to make Katsumi an unhappy child. Of course the old tiger could only guess as to what that was and he doubted his guesses were anywhere near the mark.
The seedier side of Matsumoto seemed to strike out to those most innocent after all.
"I'll be expecting a detailed account of the outcome, Izo. I don't think the afterlife need be as secretive as this one." Aki smirked before sitting back down in the comfortable chair as his rival departed.
Yes... everything eventually did have to end... didn't it?
His butler, of course, showed the guests the way out then returned and picked up the contract. A copy was then made as swiftly as possible... the original being returned to the safe hidden in the wall.
The meeting had gone better than expected.
Now... to move his next piece...
When once more the butler was at his side again, the old tiger's blue gaze glinted. "Send her in once Matsumoto-san has left the property."
"Sir." Ishihara bowed as soon as Izo left the room and he remained bowing until the man was past him. Straightening once more, You followed, acknowledging the order to remain until the contract was dropped off... which honestly wasn't more than a couple of minutes waiting in the car.
"Did things go as you planned, Matsumoto-san?" the assassin asked once the car finally was pulling away from the grand estate.
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Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 5:48 pm
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What I want, I get...
No matter the method------------------------------------------------}:-
Matsumoto Izo
Chairman - SMASH
The itsy bitsy spider...
When they were finally in the car and the contract in hand, Izo stared out the window. His distant eyes were as grey as the skies above. "Yes and No. When ever you think that I'm a foul man behind those glasses of yours, I will tell you to remember that there are men far fouler than I."
He placed the contract in a nearby briefcase and closed the lid locking it. "I'm taking a different road for a short year as far as Ohayou...No..my plans have not change, my timing has. And yes, it is part of a deal. It got me something I've wanted for a long time. Although, it wasn't what I expected...even if it was the answer.
Izo opened his coat and pulled out a cigar, lighting it and taking a slow draw,"I'm not sure if I got the better end of the deal. But..." His words dwindled as he took a deep breath, he could almost feel his heart beat...but the cigar sooth the pace. It had been a long time since he felt something like closure. Was it knowing what really happened to Kaori or that he'd out live his Rival? The feeling of that handshake slowly fading.
Blowing a smoke ring, he stared at his #1, "There will be a return of goods soon as well. One small package and another larger one. Nothing that we weren't already having difficulties keeping anyway. Azriel will dress the latter up for delivery and as for the former. Well, that one...mmm....I have to think on that. Shou is the sticking point but I've got a few tools I can use. Either way, I still want you to become that one's tutor."
For a long moment he became silent as he puffed another drag from the cigar....
-:{------------------------------------------------No matter the cost.
...Prepare to pay up!
What a shock, it was so surprising,
You looked so small and frail------------------------------------------------}:-
Izzy Lucky
At times life can be so enlightening .uoy no nrut nac ti tuB
Ko grinned and looked up at Akihiko as he piled on the food. "You can do it! I'm sure!" he said in regards to the piling of food. And as soon as the food was all piled up, Ko clapped his hands, "Itadakimasu!" The condiments were easy and he slathered biscuits with jam, honey and butter.
"Shou might be right, he is a little piggy." Izzy joked as he watched the small boy cover a biscuit.
"Distracted by Yuuji?" Izzy questioned with a raised eyebrow as he started dressing his own biscuit - honey and butter. His sweet tooth was always happy with honey. He smirked a little thinking that wasn't exactly the reason why he was starving. However, they couldn't discuss intimate details at the table with an 8 year old present.
Izzy wondered if Yuuji got drunk or something after they all went to bed since he was the last one up. But he was rather thankful that Shou went to get him because Izzy actually was very hungry!
-:{------------------------------------------------I didn't know what to do
I grabbed the tiger by the tail!
Do you know what you got into
Can you handle what I’m ’bout to do------------------------------------------------}:-
SHOU
No escaping when I start .traeh ruoy nwo I ni m'I ecnO
Beautiful Dreamer
"Ah...I see. Well I'm glad that it is on thick enough. Even I have to take off those things every once in awhile." But he still couldn't live without something covering up his face. Although, sometimes he wondered what life could be like if he could walk out on stage without it. The magic...wouldn't be there. That...he couldn't abide by.
Shou blinked as the man came forward and thanked him, "Douitashimashite. Ko is a joy to care for even if I'm not so skilled at parenting.
His lips parted to take in a breath, his hand reaching up to caress those fingers close to his face. Shou kissed the palm of that hand and whispered softy, "I will wish for the day you show up on my door step." Carefully, he let go although the more potent part of him desired to continue where he had left off the night before. That fruit basket still had quite a bit of bananas left....
-:{------------------------------------------------Cause it’s about to get rough for you
I’m here For Your Entertainment
Ninja or Hamu...You decide!
Dirty Little Secrets------------------------------------------------}:-
Yamada Haru
It's the Devil in the Details...
......What a tangled web we weave......
"Ko-kun is a good kid. He needs lots of love but I think that's no problem. You and Shou/Sai both love him dearly. Oh...I almost forgot. Shou's stumbled on to Ko's father. He's Takagi Yuuji. I'm sure you know him. But...we can't just tell anyone about it right now. For the kid's own safety." No he didn't really want to tell Naoko that but he realized that the young man would be staying here for awhile and would figure it out. Best to trust him with this and hope he'd keep it locked up tight.
"But...sounded to me that Shou might be still confused although Sai isn't. That much I know. I'm not sure of all the details yet. However, I don't think Ko's going anywhere any time soon. So don't fret that point." Haru finished his mug and shook his head. "You've got problems but stop putting yourself down so much. It's ok to want to be needed but you also need to know when to just need yourself. Once you love your self, you can be with someone...or without someone."
Haru got up and grabbed the cup. "Sure. I'll be right back." He wandered into the kitchen and refilled the mug then returned to the great room. "Remembering to take your medication is important." he said as he handed the younger man the mug. "So...do you feel a little better now that you've had some time to talk?"
-:{------------------------------------------------Dirty Little Secrets
I'll keep my dirty little secrets. |
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Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 6:38 pm
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"Once you love your self, you can be with someone...or without someone."
As Haru went to refill the blond's coffee cup... Naoko sighed, staring at his reflection in the room's television screen. How could he love himself? How could he love the monster who had ripped out a man's eyes? Who had murdered another in cold blood... just for fun?
No one understood... no one knew... no... Matsumoto knew... Ryu knew... Chiyou knew... at least in part...
How could he love himself when he was a monster?
Had Naoko ever loved himself? Now that he thought about it... he really hadn't... As a child he'd wanted to be a girl to make Sai happy... as a young adult he'd wanted to be loved by someone more than anything else and had done things he probably never would have done normally to garner those affections.
He'd never loved himself... not once.
But then Yamada was back and lithe fingers took the offered mug, downing his medication... a pill and a half, just as prescribed.
"I... feel a little better. I think. I mean... I'll be honest, Yamada-san... I don't think I've ever loved myself before... so... well... doing what you're saying is going to be hard for me but..." then he blinked, looking up at the man quickly. "Wait, Takagi Yuuji? Lucky-san's assistant?! He... isn't he the acting Ohayou chairman right now?! I saw a re-run of the press conference Ohayou held today and... are you sure?"
If the boy was Takagi's son... it made perfect sense that Matsumoto would've held onto the boy.
"But... I mean if you've found his father why... why would Ko stay here? Wouldn't he go home? I mean... doesn't his father want him home?"
"I have to show up on your door step..." Yuuji whispered, his free hand gently cupping the side of Shou's face without messing up the man's makeup. "You've my son... remember?" the man's dark eyes were... well happy.
Hideo was alive and well and with perhaps the best person he could've been with aside from himself or his own family.
"But... well, I'd like to show up for other reasons too..."
Shou didn't demand anything of him... which lately was nice. It was like Michi in a way. A man who didn't want an affair unless he himself did.
An affair...
His time with Michi... his time with Shou now... did it make Yuuji feel guilty? Aya had left him after all... had even sent him divorce papers that he had yet to sign. Should he sign? Didn't Hideo need his mother?
No... right now Hideo needed time...
Takagi wouldn't sign the papers, but he wouldn't tell Aya either. Not until the nightmare was over and his boy was back in his arms again.
"Well you know, he came by and Ko-kun had already run off to the studio and I was trying to finish eating and one thing lead to another." Akihiko said with a shrug, blue gaze flickering to watch the boy eat. "Don't eat so fast, Chibi. There's more if you're still hungry after you finish." the musician said it with a smile however.
Hideo seemed a bit on the thin side, but who was to say his kidnappers even fed him? Maybe the boy was making up for lost meals...
Picking up a piece of bacon, Narcissus took a bite then used the bacon to point at Izzy. "And you... we're not having nachos for lunch. We're eating out. I'm not cooking after we talk to ojisan. Course then again... it might help me blow off some steam afterwards..."
Ishihara blinked in surprise. "I don't think you a foul man, sir. Some of your beliefs may not be the same as my own but you do what must be done to be number one." of course, he highly doubted that Koyasu Aki could ever be fouler than the man who sat across from him in this limo.
From within his coat pocket, You withdrew his cell phone and began making some small notes. "I'll speak with Azriel-san in regards to releasing his pet if you'd like... as for the package... may I ask how to proceed, sir? Surely Shou-san will not want to relinquish the boy any time soon... perhaps letting him know the child's father might be best? Visitations until the boy has adjusted perhaps? He's quite attached to Shou-san and vice versa..."
What was it that Izo had gotten an answer to? The walls of the Koyasu estate, sadly, were quite soundproof and he hadn't been able to eavesdrop as he would have liked. Something about the conversation that took place however seemed to both sadden and yet relax the older man before him.
Perhaps the deal wasn't so bad after all.
"Did Koyasu-san enjoy Azriel-san's performance?" Ishihara asked absently, his eyes on his phone as he moved schedules around and tried to figure out the best times to get in touch with both Katsu and Shou.
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Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 8:16 pm
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What I want, I get...
No matter the method------------------------------------------------}:-
Matsumoto Izo
Chairman - SMASH
The itsy bitsy spider...
Izo laughed with that response and slapped his knee lightly with his hand, "I suppose not. Your life doesn't lend itself to many morals. I guess I wouldn't appear that foul to you. But Koyasu Aki, in my eyes makes me seems almost...pleasant. I suppose that sort of emotion would vary with the viewer."
"Speak with Azriel. Yes, letting Shou know would be the right thing to do. I'm sure 'visitations' can be arranged. Might be for the best anyway so Shou can get out of this parenting stage and back on track for a tour." Yes, Izo seemed a bit more relaxed as he sat there. One of his two loves...had an answer to her past. It wasn't a shrouded mystery anymore.
But even as he sat there thinking of Kaori, he wondered what she would have done had Koyasu Aki been on the verge to taking her eldest son's world away from him. Would she have just watched? As she watched him hand off Katsumi years ago? "Mm? Enjoyed Azriel's performance?" he shook his head with a sarcastic smirk, "I think he thought it was a joke."
As he continued to think upon it he tapped on the glass of the limo. Kozaki opened the glass and said, "Yes sir?"
"Give me your phone, Kozaki-kun. I need to send a message." Izo said as he reached his hand up waiting for the phone.
"Uh...sure...sir." The driver reached down and fished the phone out of his pocket when they got to the stop light and handed it back to the boss.
When he received the phone, Kozaki closed the glass. Izo looked down at the Motorola Razor and flipped open the lid. "Kozaki-kun needs a better phone...dang"
From there he sent two text messages:
Watch yourself, or you'll become a king with strings & marry the girl of His dreams.
Be prepared for intimate rumors that neither you nor he can afford together.
Upon Narcissus' phone the first message would arrive and upon Izzy's phone, the second. The caller would be marked Anonymous.
Izo deleted the messages then tapped on the glass and handed the phone back to the driver. He smirked as he sucked in another draft of his cigar. Yeah, he didn't give a rat's a** for Koyasu Aki's Family Planning. Why not give the kids a clue? He wasn't the Old Tiger's lackey. Screw that!
-:{------------------------------------------------No matter the cost.
...Prepare to pay up!
What a shock, it was so surprising,
You looked so small and frail------------------------------------------------}:-
Izzy Lucky
At times life can be so enlightening .uoy no nrut nac ti tuB
Izzy shook his head. He couldn't even imagine what Akihiko said happening in this reality. So he didn't comment back but his face told it all.
His brown eye bounced from Akihiko to the boy, who was scarfing at his food. "Slow down Ko-kun."
The boy glanced up at Akihiko and Izzy. "I really am hungry. But...ok...I'll try." He set down his fork for a few moments but that didn't last too long. Soon he was back to eating.
Izzy frowned, "Awh...but ok...so where are we eating?" He could have eaten Nachos as any meal with Akihiko making them. But his partner was right, after meeting Koyasu Aki, Izzy doubted that any one of them would want to cook.
"What's your Ojisan like? I don't...know if I had an Ojisan" asked Ko as he started into the fruit salad. Ko was making up for lost meals. Shou had been feeding him decent food but he hadn't eaten well at all in the darkness. He didn't want to think of those things. The bad food was enough to turn anyone's stomach but still he had eaten it. He wanted to live so badly and go home.
Those thoughts caused Ko to stop eating for a moment and suddenly hugged Akihiko. "Thank you for making such good food for me."
-:{------------------------------------------------I didn't know what to do
I grabbed the tiger by the tail!
Do you know what you got into
Can you handle what I’m ’bout to do------------------------------------------------}:-
SHOU
No escaping when I start .traeh ruoy nwo I ni m'I ecnO
Beautiful Dreamer
"I remember..." he answered with a twinkle in his eyes; enjoy the press of flesh upon his cheek. He really did feel good when he could see happiness like this in another person. He couldn't call this 'love' but a sense of deep satisfaction filled his own soul. Maybe he wished for more, but there was still a book in his life he needed to close first. Everything came in its own time.
"Then show up for...Ko and other reasons. I'll be there and well, if I'm not Hamu has my schedule." he replied wondering when that time would be...the near future? He had a feeling that these times would be short as the man's schedule probably was as busy as his own.
"Why don't we go eat breakfast? Before I lose my resolve and steal a kiss from those soft lips." he admitted gently as he started to turn toward the door. That warm contact between them caught his attention, the signals were enticing and while he wasn't a weak man, it certainly wouldn't take much for him to lock that door and seek out those lips.
-:{------------------------------------------------Cause it’s about to get rough for you
I’m here For Your Entertainment
Ninja or Hamu...You decide!
Dirty Little Secrets------------------------------------------------}:-
Yamada Haru
It's the Devil in the Details...
......What a tangled web we weave......
"Hard. Well yeah, it's hard to love yourself. It takes time. Just work on it. Small steps. Like your music...you love that part of yourself. Right? Well choose another part of you to start improving and then you'll eventually come to love that too." he answered then nodded and sat back down in the chair.
"Yes, Lucky-san's assistant now Acting Chairman. Pretty sure but we're having DNA done. If I looked at photos I'd guess there was a 93% chance without DNA that he is. Makes sense too...but when I found the kid, I hadn't any clue." Haru glanced over at the cold fireplace and then to the table. He knew some of the details from Narcissus forgetting to hang up the phone but not everything.
"I suspect things didn't go well when Ko was introduced to his father. And, considering the circumstances. He might not be able to protect him right now. I'm sure from what I could hear that Takagi Yuuji wants is boy back. Shou wasn't mentally prepared for it from my talk with him. But I won't know everything until I get in contact with them again. Since Shou isn't here with Ko, I am hoping that means some things got worked out. Or Sai worked things out." answered Haru as he leaned back in the chair and tried to speculate what could have happened.
"Matsumoto-san won't touch the boy here. That makes it the safest place for the child until we can figure out everything else. At least, that is what I think is going through their head over at Narcissus' home."
-:{------------------------------------------------Dirty Little Secrets
I'll keep my dirty little secrets. |
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Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 9:21 pm
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Naoko sighed softly, "I wish I were with them instead of here... no offense to your company just... you know... sounds more productive than drinking alone. Course I did get work done..."
Hot coffee...
It tasted really good after having eaten nothing and simply downed drink after drink all night.
"I want Ko-kun to be happy but I don't want to lose touch with him..." amber eyes flickered over to Haru. "Is it bad to think I'm using Shou? I mean... he is my brother but... I'm kind of sponging off the protection his success offers... yare yare... I'm a lose end just waiting to be tied up..." another sigh but then the young man laughed. "Offing me though would probably upset Ko and Shou though so I guess me being here works out for the best for everyone and not just myself. Shou gets help with the boy and I don't get tossed into a dark pit somewhere..." smirking at the workings of his world, the pianist drank a few gulps of coffee.
"Where did you find Ko, Yamada-san?" his gaze lingered on the older man. "I mean really. Where did you find him?"
"You really think your assistant will let me have your schedule with no fuss?" Takagi asked with a slight smirk.
Yamada Haru was a secretive one... even Yuuji knew that.
Watching Shou turn away though... the acting Ohayou chairman felt a bit jaded. But he understood perfectly well.
There was an open invitation for him later... away from eyes that might pry...
And yet...
Yuuji's hand shot out, grabbing Shou's wrist and pulling the musician toward him. Takagi easily caught the other man with his body, before placing a soft kiss on the star's lips.
Nothing hot or heavy... nothing dripping with passion... but a kiss nevertheless.
Releasing Shou, Yuuji smiled. "Looked like you needed it." he teased lightly, before motioning to the door. "Let's go before they get worried, ne? After you... Shou-san..."
At first, Akihiko very nearly panicked when he was suddenly glomped. It was totally out of left field and his initial reaction was to pull away.
But his brain caught up with his instincts and the musician smiled, though he doubted Izzy wouldn't have caught the glint of confusion in his gaze. Looking down at the boy who was hugging him, Narcissus put his arms around the child and returned the hug.
"I always cook for people I care about." the young Koyasu said, his smile firmly in place. "And you know what... I very rarely cook for anyone so that says something about how much I care about you and Shou-san." gently he let the boy go and instead put a hand on top of Hideo's head. "And you had an ojisan. I didn't know him very well... but he and my father were very good friends despite their differences when they were both alive."
Yes, the young tiger was putting in some personal family information here, including that Yuuji's father was no longer among the living... but he was hopefully drawing, very slowly and very delicately, a thread of a family relationship between himself and Hideo.
"My ojisan though... ah, Ko-kun... I'd trade you ojisan's you know." his smile remained in place, but it didn't quite reach his blue gaze. "Mine is mean and stingy and doesn't like Ruki or Yuuji-kun... don't even think he likes me much either." Akihiko laughed softly.
Oh he knew Aki didn't like him... but he was stuck with him...
"In fact, I..." but suddenly Narcissus' pocket was vibrating and he pulled the phone from his slacks, looking at it.
He didn't know the number...
But the text he'd gotten...
Akihiko turned about five shades paler than he was before. Other than his skin pallor however, nothing seemed amiss and the musician pocketed his phone once more, going back to his original sentence. "In fact, I'm going to visit my ojisan today because he's very sick, Ko-kun. Ruki and Yuuji-kun are both going with me too."
(((OOC: Just what is it that Izzy can't imagine happening in this reality? -confused-)))
Glad he could amuse Izo...
Of course there were many things that Ishihara thought the man foul for. His relationship with Katsu was just one thing on the list. But his boss would never know it.
You would kill a man on an order and enjoy the dying gasps of his victim... but didn't hurt outside of his orders... didn't kill or torture anyone that the spider didn't want dead or injured. Ishihara wasn't a saint by any means, but he did enjoy sleeping at night and a conscience that told him it was 'all part of his job' and nothing more.
After all... people did say you should do what makes you happy for work...
"I think it would be best if I was not the one to alert Shou-san about Takagi-san being the boy's father. It may jeopardize my chances of being the child's tutor." but then Matsumoto was doing something very unlike himself and Ishihara had to wonder just who he was texting...
"I can have a new phone delivered to him tomorrow if you'd like." You spoke, adding that into his own cell's 'to do list'... though not before his eyes spied the screen of Kozaki's phone in the reflection of the limo's glass.
Ishihara had but a split second to read the message and memorize the number as he continued to type away on his own phone. The assassin would find out later who the number belonged to and try to tie one thing to another.
After a moment he smiled and pocketed his phone once more. "May I inquire as to who you're meeting tonight, sir? I can accompany you if need be." one couldn't be too cautious with damn snipers running around everywhere apparently.
(((OOC: -is randomly dancing to Hard Gay's rendition of "Young Man (YMCA)"-
Bacchikoi
Y-M-C-A , Y-M-C-A
Itoko nara me wo tsuburi zenryokushissou
Seisei
Y-M-C-A , Y-M-C-A
Kobinu hikanu kaeriminu kuuki wa yomanu
Fuuuuuuuu!!!!!!! -high pitched voice-))) |
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Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2012 6:23 am
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 ~ Nanika tarinakute mo ima aru iro de ~
"An apron, huh? Maybe I can dress up as a butler and be your host once in a while?" Ryu raised an eyebrow, waiting to see how Kou would react to that idea. Sure, Kimura would probably laugh, but it was an interesting thought, giving the host a chance to be the "customer", for once. A little bit of roleplay never hurt, after all, and dressing up was fun!
Dressing up....suddenly, the violinist was picturing Naoko, in his beautiful kimono, looking as graceful and lovely as a princess.
His breath caught in his chest and his heart suddenly hurt, but the musician hid it well, closing his eyes for a moment as he tried to force the thought of his....ex....from his mind.
"W...work?" he asked, pulling himself back to reality, "No, I don't need to contact anyone. As things stand, I don't have a set schedule, just deadlines. As long as I get everything done by or before the deadline, I'm good. as of now, I'm a little bit ahead of things, so nothing to worry about." Ryuukaze explained with a smile. He really was lucky that he didn't have any pressing appointments or tasks for the day. At the moment, he really could use some time to just decompress.
"I don't have any ideas as to what we should do with our day, but everything you just mentioned sounds great. I'll let you pick, Raito." the violinist cuddled up against hid friend, but couldn't help looking out the window just behind the man, wondering against his will just how Naoko was holding up, wherever he was.
~ Sou boku no sekai wo nurikaete mitai ~ |
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