FIC: Unmasked, Part 5 of 25

[geri_chan]

Title: Unmasked, Part 5 of 25
Rating: NC-17 overall
Fandom: Haru wo Daiteita (Embracing Love)
Pairing: Kikuchi/Onozuka
Characters: Kikuchi, Onozuka, Asano, Yoshizumi
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Word count: ~4,930
Sequel to: Unexpected Opportunities, Comeback (Part 1 and Part 2), Forgiveness, Firsts, First Date (Part 1 and Part 2), Going Steady (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6), Audition (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Cookout (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Press Conference (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Sanctuary, The Prince vs. the Groupie (Part 1, Part 2), Family Visit: Tokyo (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5), Gigolo (Part 1, Part 2), Yoshizumi's Night Out (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Family Visit: Okinawa (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5), and Interlude. The series also includes two side-stories that are outside of the main timeline: Valentine's Day Surprise and Strictly Business.
Summary: Yoshizumi confronts Onozuka, and has another talk with Asano.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

***

After leaving Asano in the restroom, Yoshizumi set off in search of Onozuka, and found him waiting on the sidelines of the set while the lights and cameras were being moved into position. He was talking with Kikuchi, and although they were conversing pleasantly enough, there was a slight air of tension between them, and Kikuchi's smile seemed a bit strained. There was an oddly troubled and uncertain look in his eyes that was completely unlike his usual air of good-natured arrogance. 

Maybe it was just concern over Onozuka's scandal, but Yoshizumi had the feeling that it was something more--a lovers' quarrel, perhaps? If so, it didn't concern him, and he was the last person on earth who should be giving anyone romantic advice, anyway.

"Onozuka-kun, could I have a word in private with you?" Yoshizumi asked.

Onozuka smiled at him innocently, without any sign of guilt in his eyes, then glanced at his watch and said, "I'm due to begin shooting in about ten minutes."

"This will only take a few minutes," Yoshizumi promised.

Onozuka hesitated for just a second, then shrugged and said, "All right."

Kikuchi frowned and gazed at Yoshizumi suspiciously. "Should I come with you, Onozuka-kun?" he asked.

"I'll be fine, Kikuchi-san," Onozuka said sweetly, but with a touch of coolness. "Yoshizumi-san just wants to have a friendly little chat, I'm sure."

Kikuchi seemed less sure of that, looking even more troubled as he watched them walk off.

Yoshizumi led Onozuka down a side corridor, then glanced around to make sure no one else was within sight or earshot, and Onozuka joked, "You know, people are going to start gossiping about us, too, if you keep this up, Yoshizumi-san!"

Yoshizumi gave him a cold glare and said, "Knock it off, Onozuka-kun."

Onozuka looked startled, then feigned a hurt look. "You don't have to be so touchy, Yoshizumi-san; I was only joking."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it," Yoshizumi replied. "I'm talking about your feud with Asano-kun."

Onozuka stared at him with a look of wide-eyed innocence and protested, "I don't know what you're talking about, Yoshizumi-san."

Yoshizumi had to repress a very strong urge to smack his co-star upside the head. He wasn't sure which of the two he was angrier with: Asano, because he'd developed a fondness for the younger man in spite of his scheming, or Onozuka, because he was more mature than Asano and ought to know better.

"Stop playing games with me, Onozuka-kun!" Yoshizumi snapped. "We both know exactly what I'm talking about. Asano-kun leaked that story about your family to the press, and you retaliated by slipping a laxative into his coffee at breakfast. That was a very childish move, Onozuka-kun; I expected better from you."

Onozuka dropped his pose of innocence and returned Yoshizumi's cold glare with an even icier one. "First of all, you can't prove that I did any such thing--"

"Funny, Asano-kun said almost exactly the same thing to me," Yoshizumi interrupted. "The two of you are more alike than you realize."

Onozuka's icy glare grew more heated, and his voice sharpened as he said, "And furthermore, even if I did poison that conniving son of a bitch, it's no more than he deserves! I can handle his snide remarks and insinuations about me and Kikuchi-san, but he went after my family, and that's something I can't tolerate."

"You have every right to be angry," Yoshizumi replied, a bit more sympathetically. "But you don't have the right to disrupt the movie in order to take your revenge. If you want to have it out with Asano-kun, do it on your own time. Feel free to confront him and have a fistfight with him, if that's what it takes to get it out of your system--as long as you do it after filming wraps and it doesn't matter if either of you gets hurt."

"You know that's not how I operate, Yoshizumi-san," Onozuka said coolly. "I can't do anything to ruin my princely reputation."

"And you don't think that dosing someone with a laxative might do that?" Yoshizumi asked sarcastically.

Onozuka smirked and replied, "Not as long as it isn't connected to me. Who could imagine the Golden Prince doing such a thing, after all?"

Yoshizumi quickly lost what little sympathy he'd had for Onozuka, along with his temper. He abruptly leaned forward, backing a startled Onozuka up against the wall, then slapped his hands against the wall, one on either side of Onozuka--mostly to vent his frustration and keep from punching the other actor in the nose. It also served to trap Onozuka in place, although at the moment, he seemed too shocked to even think of trying to escape.

"This is not a game!" Yoshizumi snarled. "Your little prank could've put Asano-kun out of commission and delayed filming of his scene, costing the studio time and money. It still could, if he's too sick to film the scenes he's scheduled in later today. Even if he's able to go through with them, he might not be able to give his best performance, which would affect the overall quality of the film. Maybe you don't care about the director or producers or crew members whose careers will suffer if the movie fails, but your career is riding on it as well--this is your first big role in a feature film, and you might not get another if the movie flops."

"The movie isn't going to flop just because Asano got a little sick," Onozuka protested, but in a more subdued voice.

"Are you really willing to take that chance?" Yoshizumi retorted, and Onozuka averted his gaze. He grabbed Onozuka by his shoulders and gave the younger man a shake to emphasize his point. "Listen to me, Onozuka-kun--I won't let you and Asano-kun put the film at risk with your little feud! Because you were defending your family, I'll keep quiet about this incident, but if there are any others, I'll have to tell Kitamura-kantoku what you did. And whether I have any proof of it or not, the princely image you're so concerned about will be tainted if word gets out that you're a troublemaker."

Unlike Asano, Onozuka didn't get flustered by the threat. He merely looked up and met Yoshizumi's gaze with a measuring, slightly detached stare and a small frown. Yoshizumi could almost hear him thinking out loud, weighing the chances of Kitamura believing Yoshizumi's accusations against the possible risk to his reputation. It was so coldly calculating that Yoshizumi had to repress another urge to hit him. He mostly liked Onozuka and his mischievous charm, although Onozuka was a little too aware of his princely image for Yoshizumi's taste. Yoshizumi didn't begrudge the younger actor his ambition and vanity, because he seemed truly dedicated to his work. But at this moment, Onozuka seemed no different than Asano, whose first priority was his own career rather than the welfare of the movie as a whole.

Well, actually Onozuka was different in that he possessed the cold calculation and cunning that Asano aspired to but couldn't quite achieve. Although Onozuka too had been moved by his emotions when he'd chosen to take revenge on Asano, but at the same time, he had obviously planned it out in advance in order to minimize the risk to himself.

Finally, Onozuka said, "You're right, Yoshizumi-san. If I had decided to take revenge on Asano-kun, it would've been wrong of me to do something that might affect the filming schedule. I will call a truce if Asano-kun will, but if he continues to attack my family, I can't just let it go." Yoshizumi opened his mouth to deliver another lecture, but Onozuka calmly continued, "However, I'll make sure that whatever happens between Asano-kun and myself does not affect the shoot."

"It had better not," Yoshizumi warned, but he thought that Onozuka would keep his word, out of self-interest if nothing else.

Onozuka bowed meekly, a perfectly polite and expressionless mask on his face, then headed back towards the set. Hikari ran up to him, saying, "There you are, Onozuka-san! The director is ready to begin filming."

"Sorry, I was the one who delayed him," Yoshizumi apologized. "I knew Onozuka-kun was worried, so I just wanted to tell him how Asano-kun was doing."

One corner of Onozuka's mouth quirked up in a grudging, wry half-smile, though he quickly rearranged his features in a look of innocent concern. "Yes, I was very worried about poor Asano-kun," he said sweetly, and Yoshizumi had to admire his quick recovery even though he was still a little angry with the young actor.

Kitamura had joined them by now, and he asked, looking genuinely concerned, "How is Asano-kun doing? Should we send him to the hospital?"

"It's just a touch of diarrhea," Yoshizumi replied. "He probably ate--or drank--something that disagreed with him." Onozuka, Yoshizumi noticed, didn't bat an eye, and the look of concern on his face didn't waver in the slightest, forcing Yoshizumi to grudgingly admire his colleague's acting skills.

The director sighed, "Well, I'd hate to delay filming, but if he's too sick to work, it can't be helped. Maybe I could shuffle the scenes around..."

"I think he'll be all right if he gets some rest," Yoshizumi said. "His next scene isn't scheduled till after lunch, right? I'm not in the next scene, either, so I'll run over to the convenience store and get him some medicine to settle his stomach."

"You don't have to do that, Yoshizumi-san," Kitamura said, looking a little surprised. "I can send Hikari-chan or one of the other assistants."

"I don't mind," Yoshizumi replied cheerfully. "They're busy working, and I'm not doing anything at the moment. The store's just a couple of blocks away; it won't take long for me to run there and back."

"Well, if you don't mind, that would be a big help," Kitamura said, still looking slightly puzzled. "Just let me know if Asano-kun's condition gets worse. Onozuka-kun, let's get started."

Yoshizumi left the others and ran down to the convenience store, picked up some over-the-counter medicine and a bottle of water, then returned to the studio. After checking with one of the assistants, he found Asano in the dressing room that they shared. The three lead actors--Kikuchi, Asami, and Onozuka--had individual dressing rooms, but the supporting actors and extras had to share, something else that probably fed Asano's sense of jealousy, although Yoshizumi didn't much care about the young actor's hurt pride at the moment.

Asano was lying down on a cot that one of the crew must have brought in for him, still looking pale and ill. It was no more than he deserved, but he looked so miserable that Yoshizumi decided that he didn't need to scold the young actor further.

"Yoshizumi-san?" Asano asked weakly, struggling to sit up as Yoshizumi walked into the room. Aside from looking ill, he also looked very meek and humbled, but he had also seemed contrite after the time he had spied on Yoshizumi in Shinjuku. Yoshizumi wondered, a bit cynically, whether the lesson learned would stick with Asano a little longer this time.

"Here," Yoshizumi said briskly, handing him the water and medicine. "That should help settle your stomach." Asano washed down a couple of capsules with a swig of water, and Yoshizumi urged him, "You need to drink plenty of fluids, too, to replace what your body has lost, or you'll get dehydrated."

Asano flushed but obeyed, and continued sipping cautiously from the water bottle, as if he didn't trust the liquid to stay down. "Thank you," he said in a chastened voice.

They sat in silence for a few minutes as Asano slowly drank the water, then Yoshizumi asked quietly, "Why do you hate Onozuka-kun so much? True, he's a popular and successful young actor, but there are others who are even more popular and successful, so why him in particular?"

"For one thing, those other actors aren't working alongside me in the same movie, in the role that I tried out for," Asano replied sourly, sounding a bit more like his old self.

"But surely you've lost roles to other actors before, and you haven't gone after them the way you went after Onozuka-kun," Yoshizumi countered. He paused for a moment, then added pointedly, "That I know of, anyway."

Asano flushed and said defensively, "All right, I know what I did was stupid and petty. But...it's just that everything seems to come so easily to him! He flashes a fake smile and turns on a little charm, and suddenly everyone's swooning over 'the Golden Prince'! He wins a contest and gets a big break, and gets even more publicity for being friends with Iwaki and Katou--I wouldn't be surprised if he befriended Katou for exactly that reason! And then because the star of this movie is attracted to him--whether or not they're actually sleeping together, which they probably are--they have good chemistry, which catches the director's eye and gives him an advantage over the rest of us.

"I've worked hard for every bit of success I've achieved. When I couldn't get an agency to sign me as an actor, I took a menial job as a driver and gofer at Interpro just so I could get my foot in the door. Things were looking up after I was assigned to Iwaki-san, but my first chance at an acting debut was taken from me when the producers of 'Inside Report' decided to give the role to Katou instead. After I finally did make my debut, I was offered nothing but small supporting roles, and had to fight hard for every one of them. Fine, I've always been willing to work hard and do whatever it takes to make it in this business, but I hate that everything comes to Onozuka so easily, and I hate that the bastard is so damned smug about it!"

Yoshizumi sighed wearily. Asano was a clever and talented young man, but he was also willfully stubborn and childish, and much too caught up in his own self-importance.

In a carefully level and emotionless voice, Yoshizumi said, "Before you judge or envy Onozuka-kun, you should realize that he's worked hard to get where he is." Asano looked like he was about to protest, and before he had a chance, Yoshizumi quickly continued, "I've no doubt that you've worked hard, too, Asano-kun, but I've done some research on both of you, and he's been at this longer than you. The two of you are about the same age, but Onozuka-kun has been in the business for six years, since he was eighteen. He was signed by Heaven Productions, and spent most of those years in obscurity, starting off with roles as an extra, or bit parts with one or two lines. In between going to auditions, he took acting classes and worked odd jobs to make ends meet. He gradually progressed to more substantial supporting roles, and finally one of those roles caught the public's attention and he won that contest you mentioned. He moved on to doing lead roles in TV dramas, and then won the role of the romantic co-lead in this movie.

"It appears to be a sudden, dramatic burst of fame when you only look at the last year or two of his career, but it's actually been a very slow and steady progression. In fact, your career has been progressing much more quickly than his, Asano-kun: you worked for about a year at Interpro, and managed to catch Shimizu-san's eye. She promoted you to the position of Iwaki-kun's manager, and not long after that, you made your debut and began getting roles in dramas, even if they were small ones. And if you still want to say that Onozuka-kun got lucky, then you can't deny that you've experienced some luck as well: that scandal with Iwaki-kun got you a lot of publicity." Asano blushed, and Yoshizumi smiled slightly and continued, "And of course, you got lucky again when the role of Aizawa went to you after I was injured."

Asano looked even more mortified as he stammered, "Yoshizumi-san, I...I didn't..."

"It wasn't your fault, Asano-kun," Yoshizumi assured him, softening slightly towards the other actor; he was cute when he got flustered, though cuteness didn't excuse the trouble he had caused. "If anything, it was mine for rushing into a burning building to save the roll of film--which as it turns out, was never used in the final cut, anyway. They ended up reshooting the whole scene, which was probably the right decision." He laughed and added, "But who knows, maybe they'll use some of the old footage as bonus out-takes on the dvd release!"

"You really are passionate about your work, Yoshizumi-san," Asano marveled. "I don't think I'd have the courage to run into a burning building to rescue a roll of film." He smiled wryly. "Even if I were the star of the film and my big scene was on it."

"Well, it was more foolhardy than courageous," Yoshizumi admitted sheepishly, but he still didn't regret his actions. The actors, the director, and the crew had put their hearts and souls into creating that scene, and Yoshizumi couldn't have just let it burn up into ashes. Being so romance-phobic, he doubted that he would ever marry and have children, so in a sense, his films and TV dramas were like his children: creations he had helped bring to life, and he had nurtured and cherished every one of them. He could never have left one of his precious children to be destroyed, even if that would have been the smarter, safer thing to do. Yoshizumi knew that some of the cast and crew had thought he was crazy to have risked his life for the film and ended up so badly injured that he'd been forced to drop out of the movie, but Iwaki and Katou understood his dedication. He didn't think that Asano really did, but maybe he would someday, if he matured enough to achieve his full potential as an actor.

Although that day was probably a long way off, judging by his past and recent actions.

"Anyway," Yoshizumi continued, "the point is that Onozuka-kun has worked hard for his success. It's a testament to his acting skills that he's able to make it look easy, but make no mistake, Asano-kun--he didn't get where he is today by accident." Asano reluctantly nodded in acknowledgment, but looked rather sulky, and Yoshizumi's voice sharpened as he said, "And in contrast, your problem is that you've been working too hard to become a success."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Asano demanded.

"Acting, like most forms of entertainment, is not supposed to look like work," Yoshizumi explained. "Take ballet dancers, for example: they have to train long hours, build up a lot of physical strength and stamina, and endure constant pain. But when they're dancing onstage, the female dancers have to create the illusion that it's effortless, to leap and twirl and glide across the stage like graceful sylphs or elegant swans. The audience doesn't want to see the sweat of their exertion, or the callused feet hidden beneath their dainty slippers. And the men must be noble heroes and princes..." Asano grimaced at that reminder of his princely adversary, and Yoshizumi had to repress a smile before continuing, "A male dancer's arms cannot tremble with the strain of lifting his ballerina partner into the air; it must look as if she were as light as a feather. I told you earlier that you're too self-aware, Asano-kun. What I meant is that sometimes your performances show the strain and sweat."

Asano looked affronted; the truth could be harsh sometimes, but if he could accept it, he'd grow into a better actor. "You want success so badly that it ruins the illusion," Yoshizumi told him bluntly. "Take your audition for this movie, for example. Your acting was good and you poured a lot of intensity into your performance, but at the same time I could tell that you were thinking about how much you wanted the role, and were concentrating on how to make yourself stand out among the other actors. You were Asano Nobuyuki the actor playing the role of Honda Eisuke, while Onozuka-kun became Eisuke and made us forget for a moment that we were watching a performance. If you want to get the best of Onozuka-kun, you need to learn how to perfect the illusion."

Yoshizumi expected Asano to protest in his own defense, but instead he remained silent as he drank his water, scowling but looking thoughtful, and maybe some of Yoshizumi's advice would actually sink in.

***

After Onozuka finished his scene, he skipped his usual "English lessons" with Kikuchi and returned to his dressing room alone, scowling as he recalled his conversation with Yoshizumi. Giving Asano a case of the runs was hardly equal payback for what Asano had done to him, but he was going to have to leave it at that--at least until filming wrapped up. Damn Yoshizumi for interfering, friend of Katou's or not!

He grudgingly conceded that Yoshizumi was probably right, though, at least in regard to not doing anything to jeopardize the shoot. In his defense, however, he hadn't given Asano a big enough dose to put him out of commission--just enough to make him feel very, very uncomfortable. In a worst-case scenario, it might delay shooting for a couple of hours while Asano recovered, which would lengthen their work day but not throw the schedule off enough to cost an extra day of shooting. However, if the director and crew got irritated at Asano for making them work late, that was all to the good as far as Onozuka was concerned.

Of course, he was also running the risk that Asano's "illness" might win him some sympathy instead, but what mattered most was letting Asano know that Onozuka wasn't someone to be trifled with. Even if everyone else thought that it was a natural illness, Asano would know better and he would know that Onozuka was the one responsible. At the same time, he wouldn't be able to accuse Onozuka openly, because no one aside from Kikuchi (and Yoshizumi, apparently) would believe that the Prince could ever do such a thing.

He smirked a little at being able to turn the tables on Asano, who had looked so smug when Onozuka had glared at him in frustration this morning in the cafeteria. That had, of course, been a cover and distraction to prevent Asano from noticing his sleight of hand as he slipped the laxative into the coffee. It had also served to keep Asano complacent and overconfident, since he would have grown suspicious if Onozuka had revealed his own smugness at the time.

"You think you're smart, but you're no match for me, Asano," Onozuka murmured, then frowned again. On the other hand, he'd grown a bit overconfident himself and had underestimated Yoshizumi. He should have remembered how observant and perceptive Yoshizumi was, not to mention his dedication to his work above all else. There was such a thing as being a little too idealistic, Onozuka thought to himself sourly. The guy had to practically be a saint not to resent Asano even the slightest bit for taking over his role as Aizawa--any normal person would feel at least a touch of secret resentment, even if it hadn't been Asano's fault.

Onozuka tried to console himself with the fact that at least he'd managed to make Yoshizumi angry at Asano as well as himself, which meant that Asano would lose his one ally on the set.

He took out his phone and checked to see if any messages had been left while he'd been filming. There was one from Takumi, asking Onozuka to call him back, no doubt to discuss a possible family reunion, so Onozuka ignored it.

There was an e-mail from Toshi-chan, expressing concern and sympathy about the tabloid story, and Onozuka sent back a brief reply saying that he was all right and would call Toshi back later. He'd probably support Takumi's plan for a family reunion, but still, he was a loyal friend and Onozuka owed him a proper reply--even if he had given out personal information to Kikuchi. To be fair, Kikuchi had probably tricked it out of him, since Toshi was honest to a fault and no match for such a devious bastard. Still, Onozuka intended to make his friend sweat just a little for falling into Kikuchi's trap.

There was a similar e-mail from Kaoru, also sympathizing about the tabloid story, and it concluded with, "Oh, and Grandma says to call your parents and make up with them, even though she knows you're a stubborn little brat who never listens to anyone's advice."

Onozuka let out a little snort of amusement and replied, "My manager's doing his best to run damage control, and we're hopeful that this so-called scandal will blow over soon. Tell everyone at the inn that I'm fine, and that I thank them for their concern. Oh, and tell Grandmother that I'll take her words under advisement. Love, Yuu."

In spite of everything that had happened, Onozuka couldn't help but smile a little. He could almost hear his grandmother saying tartly, "That little brat," and could almost feel her fan smacking him on the head. Of course, if he'd still been in Okinawa and within reach of Grandma's fan, he probably wouldn't have sent such a smart-ass reply.

And finally, there was a voicemail from Katou that said, "I heard about what happened. Call me back when you get a chance."

This time Onozuka returned the call, and Katou said, "Miyasaka told me about that tabloid story. Are you okay, Onozuka?"

Onozuka was touched by the concern in Katou's voice, and some of his anger and worry eased as he replied, "Well, I'm upset that my family got dragged into this, but I'll be all right. Thanks for asking."

"Hey, let's go out drinking tonight," Katou suggested, somewhat to Onozuka's surprise. "You, me, and Miyasaka--it'll be just like old times!"

"Sure, it sounds like fun," Onozuka agreed, his spirits lifted further by Katou's obvious attempt to cheer him up. He and Miyasaka usually had to coax Katou into going out with them, and on top of that, Onozuka felt like he'd been playing second fiddle to Iwaki with both his friends for a long time now. It felt good to have them thinking about him for change.

"Okay, let's meet at Lime, then," Katou said cheerfully. "Say, around nine? Does that work with your schedule?"

"That's fine," Onozuka replied. "I'll see you then." He hung up, but his phone rang again almost immediately afterwards, and he saw that Kikuchi had sent him an e-mail--probably because he'd been avoiding Kikuchi's attempts to talk to him alone.

The message read: "I'm really sorry, Yuu. Let me make it up to you with dinner tonight. How about your favorite omuraisu? Or if there's something else you'd prefer, just let me know."

Onozuka took great pleasure in replying: "Sorry, but I can't make it tonight. I'm going drinking with Katou and Miyasaka. ♥" He grinned widely as he imagined Kikuchi's reaction.

***

Kikuchi swore out loud, just barely resisting the urge to hurl the phone against the wall. Outside the dressing room door, he heard a startled little yelp and the sound of footsteps hastily scurrying away--he had scared away yet another assistant. He shook his head, torn between amusement and irritation. Most of the camera crew and stagehands had a healthy, if slightly wary respect for him, but the assistants were positively terrified of him, and he wasn't exactly sure why. Maybe because they were mostly kids, younger even than Onozuka and Asano, and they'd heard stories and rumors about his bad boy image that had grown in the telling during the ten years he'd spent in America. Some of the older crew members who had known him in the old days might even have exaggerated the stories on purpose in order to pull the kids' legs a bit. But Kikuchi didn't really mind--he took a secret pride in his fearsome reputation, because it was better to be feared than disrespected--or worse, ignored. In some ways, the indifference he had encountered in America had bothered him more than the scandal he'd faced back home in Japan.

At least the unknown, frightened assistant had distracted him briefly from his current lovers' quarrel. Kikuchi scowled at the phone and deleted the offending message. He had learned patience and self-control over the years out of necessity, but he was not a patient man by nature, and his patience in this very slow and careful and complicated courtship of Onozuka was starting to wear thin.

Maybe it was time to start reeling in his fish in earnest now...

Part 6

Afterword: Onozuka's agency isn't named in the script, so I named it after a fictional talent agency mentioned in Penguin Revolution, another manga about show business. It isn't really meant to be the same agency as in the manga; I just liked the name, so I stole borrowed it.

Comments

[portisheart.livejournal.com]

i think that even if Asano's punishment wasn't too harsh, i agree with Onozuka on the point that it showed him the prince isn't someone to fool with. so it's rather a warning than a proper retaliation. and if Asano, after Yohizumi's excellent talk, starts to grow a bit and stops being an ass, i'll forgive him too XD
though, it seems dark clouds are hovering on Onozuka's and Kikuchi's love affair.. *jumps to next chappie*

[geri-chan.livejournal.com]

And the moral of the story is: don't mess with the Prince! ^_^ I think Asano will mature a bit after this, although I don't think that Onozuka will ever forgive him.

Thanks for reading!

[nursedarry.livejournal.com]

Enough with the Y/A UST, already! This is killing me!

*hugs Katou for being willing to go out for the evening - hee hee*

[geri-chan.livejournal.com]

Sorry about the the Y/A UST! And yeah, Katou's a real sweetheart to give up time with his Iwaki-san for Onozuka! ^_^