FIC: Unmasked, Part 7 of 25

[geri_chan]

Title: Unmasked, Part 7 of 25
Rating: NC-17 overall
Fandom: Haru wo Daiteita (Embracing Love)
Pairing: Kikuchi/Onozuka, Yoshizumi/Kenzaki
Characters: Kikuchi, Onozuka, Katou, Miyasaka, Yoshizumi, Kenzaki
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Word count: ~8,570
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: Onozuka enjoys an evening out with Katou and Miyasaka, while Yoshizumi turns to Kenzaki for a little comfort.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6


***

There were some reporters hanging around outside the apartment building when Onozuka got home, and he politely fielded a few questions, then referred them to the press conference that he'd just conducted for more information. (The first news clips were scheduled to air later that night, and the print interviews would start showing up in the next day or two.) The reporters grumbled a bit, but let him enter the building without mobbing him--things hadn't quite yet reached the frenzy that Katou's alleged infidelity scandal had caused, or Kikuchi's gay scandal, for that matter.

He had come straight home, not wanting to chance more encounters with reporters or even just curious fans by stopping for takeout on the way home, and he was too tired to cook. Besides, the fridge was practically empty except for a six-pack of beer that Miyasaka had bought. So he heated up a bowl of instant ramen for dinner, and began checking the internet for fan reactions to today's scandal, scanning the discussion forum on the official website that his agency had set up, and a few of the more prominent unofficial fansites and message boards.

It wasn't like he wanted to spend his free time reading about the scandal, but he thought that it was important to gauge his fans' reactions and make sure that his princely image stayed intact. Fortunately, the reaction was almost entirely positive--there were hundreds of messages of sympathy and support, and their ire was directed at the media for attacking their beloved Prince. That was a relief, although he did wince at the all the talk about the "Candy Prince" and how exciting it was that Onozuka-san really was (almost) a prince. It was to be expected, but Onozuka silently cursed the reporter who had invented that new nickname, because he had a feeling it was going to stick. And he sighed with resignation at all the posts made by girls saying that they had tried or were going to try Nakata wagashi.

Onozuka shut down the computer, and his cell phone rang a few minutes later with an e-mail from Takumi. It was almost as if Takumi had been reading his mind, because the message said: "I know you're ignoring my calls, Yuu-san, but you can't avoid your family forever. Call me when you're ready to talk to them. Oh, and I thought I'd let you know that the publicity hasn't been all bad--business was booming today, not just at the main store, but all of the branches. The Master grumbled that they're just curious, which is no doubt true, but we're always trying to attract younger customers, so if even just a few of the curiosity seekers become regulars, then I think that's a good thing."

"Glad to help," Onozuka muttered sarcastically as he deleted the message.

By the time Miyasaka arrived home from work to pick him up, most of the reporters had left. One or two of the more persistent ones were still lingering nearby and followed them to Lime, but since he went there frequently with Miyasaka and Katou, it was hardly a scandal. And once they were inside the bar, they were quickly escorted into a private room, safely out of range of the paparazzi's cameras. There were definitely some nice perks associated with being the friend of a famous movie star, and Onozuka looked forward to the day when he warranted such treatment on his own--not just for the perks themselves, but as confirmation of his success.

For now, though, Onozuka was happy enough to reap the benefits of Katou's fame. Katou was already waiting there, and greeted them with a warm smile. "Good to see you guys!" he said heartily. "It's been awhile since we were able to get together like this, huh?"

Onozuka grinned at Katou's blatant attempt to cheer him up. Although it was far from subtle, it still had the intended effect because the emotion behind it was sincere--and besides, Katou's earnest puppy-like demeanor was part of his charm. Onozuka was also pleased that Katou had left Iwaki behind this time--or maybe Iwaki was simply too busy to tag along, but whatever the reason, he was glad to have his two friends all to himself for a change.

"It's such an honor that a big star like you has managed to make time in his busy schedule for peons like us," Onozuka gushed in a fawning manner, earning a light smack on the head as he dropped down onto the couch next to Katou.

"Oh, knock it off, Onozuka," Katou growled, but playfully rather than angrily. "And anyway, it seems like you're not doing too badly in the stardom department yourself, either."

"Exactly!" Miyasaka chimed in. "In fact, you're the one who never has time for us these days--you're always either filming or sneaking off to be with your precious Kikuchi-san!"

"Hey, that's not fair--you guys are pretty busy these days, too," Onozuka protested, feigning a hurt look, but he was secretly a little tickled by Miyasaka's jealousy.

"And why isn't Kikuchi here to cheer you up as well, if he's such a devoted lover?" Katou asked pointedly.

They didn't know about his argument with Kikuchi, and Onozuka had no intention of filling them in. Explaining that would also require him to talk about his family, something that he'd had more than enough of today. Besides, Katou was the earnest type who would urge him to reconcile with his parents, and if Onozuka wanted to hear that, he could just call Takumi. And even if he was angry with Kikuchi at the moment, he didn't want to hear any "I told you so" type remarks from Katou, who would probably be only too happy to see Onozuka break up with Kikuchi. Miyasaka wasn't too fond of Kikuchi, either, although he'd liked him well enough before Onozuka had started sleeping with him.

So Onozuka smiled and said glibly, "I know that you and he don't get along, so that's why I didn't bring him along tonight--you ought to thank me for my consideration."

Katou made a skeptical little snorting noise, but admitted, "Well, I'm just as glad not to have to deal with that dirty old man."

"Besides," Onozuka added with a mischievous smile, "it won't do any harm for him to miss me a little. I wouldn't want him to take me for granted, after all."

"You're a manipulative bastard, Onozuka," Miyasaka accused, sounding torn between disgust and grudging admiration.

"I don't believe in playing hard to get," Katou announced sanctimoniously. "I always let Iwaki-san know how much I love him, and I'd never play games with his feelings."

"Yes, well, that's because you're annoyingly straightforward," Onozuka replied sourly. Did Katou really have to go on about his beloved Iwaki-san even when he was supposed to be cheering Onozuka up? Onozuka repressed a sigh; he supposed that Katou wouldn't really be Katou if he wasn't so completely besotted with Iwaki. Aloud, he said, "But Katsuya is more devious, and he'd get bored if I didn't make things interesting for him." He flashed a bright grin at his friends, as if he hadn't a care in the world, and added, "So I need to keep him on his toes every now and then!"

"I don't know," Katou said with a frown. "Shouldn't a lover accept you as you are, without having to play games to keep things 'interesting'?"

Katou had unwittingly touched a nerve, not knowing about Onozuka's recent arguments with Kikuchi, or his uncertainty about the nature of their relationship, and Onozuka found himself snapping defensively, "This is how I am, Katou! I'm devious, too, and I enjoy the game-playing!"

Katou blinked, looking startled, and Miyasaka gave Onozuka a look that was more thoughtful than usual for his impulsive, hot-tempered friend. That made Onozuka uncomfortable; he was used to being able to read them easily, not the other way around.

Then Katou grinned at him and retorted, "Then I guess Kikuchi really is the right man for you, after all--you two sneaky bastards deserve each other!" Onozuka laughed and Miyasaka snickered in response, breaking that brief moment of tension.

"Sorry I snapped at you," Onozuka apologized, with a deliberate air of sheepishness. "I guess I was more stressed out than I thought."

"Sure, who wouldn't be?" Katou said sympathetically, patting him on the shoulder. "Come on, let's drink up and blow off some steam!"

He poured Onozuka a drink, and one for Miyasaka as well (though with a bit of eye-rolling) when Miyasaka piped up, "Hey, what about me?" Once they all had drinks in hand, Katou raised his glass and the three of them clinked their glasses together.

"Here's to you, Onozuka," Katou said. "Nobody wants to have the tabloids go after your family, but look on the bright side--a scandal means that you're considered a star now! They don't bother writing up front page stories about nobodies."

"I'll try to keep that in mind," Onozuka said dryly, but Katou's words actually did console him a little, because they were true. If it had been Yoshizumi, nobody would have cared if he'd been keeping his family a secret--not because he was a bad actor, but because the public knew him mainly as "what's-his-name, the guy who's in all those samurai dramas." At best, his connection to Iwaki and Katou might earn him a one-page article buried in the middle of the magazine on a slow news day.

"But seriously, Onozuka, I think you and your family handled things in a classy way," Katou said, once they'd drunk to his half-joking toast. "Your dad kind of reminds me of Iwaki's dad: very stern and dignified, but a good guy deep down."

"I'm sure that's what he'd like people to think," Onozuka muttered, taking another sip of his drink.

"He really stood up to those reporters for you," Katou pointed out.

"He didn't stand up to them for my sake," Onozuka said bitterly. "He was just protecting the family name, that's all."

Katou frowned at him in concern. "I thought the press was exaggerating things, but do you really not get along with your family, Onozuka?"

Onozuka sighed; now he was going to have to listen to a lecture from Katou, after all. He should just have agreed pleasantly with Katou that yes, his father was a great guy, but he'd been telling polite lies all day and he was sick of it. So he shrugged, feigning more indifference than he felt, and said lightly, "I'm used to being the black sheep of the family. My father considers acting to be a distasteful career, but it would be even more distasteful to carry on a family feud in public." He waved his hand dismissively and said, "Don't worry about it, Katou. Things will blow over soon, and we'll be able to go back to ignoring each other."

But Katou's frown only deepened as he replied, "I know it's none of my business, but..."

Onozuka sighed heavily and complained, "Why do people always say 'I know it's none of my business' when they're about to go ahead and butt into someone else's business anyway?"

"I'm serious, Onozuka!" Katou shouted, sounding genuinely distressed. "You never know what could happen; you never know when you might not get another chance to talk to the people you love--"

"Please, there's no need to be so melodramatic, Katou," Onozuka interrupted.

"I'm not being melodramatic!" Katou insisted. "Iwaki-san was estranged from his family, too--he cut off ties with them when he became an actor over their protests. During that time, his mother fell ill and his family wasn't able to reach him because he hadn't given them our new phone number after we moved into our house together. She died before they could make peace--he had to learn about her death in the news, and he wasn't even able to attend her funeral! Eventually he managed to make up with his dad and brother, but he'll never be able to tell his mother how much he loved and appreciated her. He'll never be able to apologize to her, or to ask for her blessing on our marriage."

"My parents are in perfect health," Onozuka said coldly, although a faint hint of guilt and fear pricked at his conscience. His Onozuka grandfather had been diagnosed with cancer a year before his death, but had forbidden the family to tell Onozuka about it because "I don't want to worry Yuu and distract him from his work." Onozuka had been too busy to visit Okinawa for months, so he'd been unaware of his grandfather's condition until it unexpectedly worsened at a rapid rate. Kaoru had finally called him then, but it had been too late--his grandfather had already died by the time Onozuka had arrived in Okinawa.

"Don't feel guilty, Yuu," his aunt had tried to console him. "Dad wanted you to be able to concentrate on your work. He was so proud of you--he taped all of your TV appearances, no matter how small. He didn't have any regrets."

Maybe not, but Onozuka did. Although he'd been busy with work, he could have managed to squeeze in a few more visits to Okinawa, but he'd kept them to a minimum because his grandparents always lectured him about reconciling with his parents. After it was too late, he wished that he'd endured the lectures and spent more time with his grandfather before he'd died.

He didn't quite feel guilty enough to try and mend things with his parents and sister, though--and judging by the cold reception he'd gotten from his father and Shiori at the funeral, they weren't interested in a reconciliation either.

Still, after that, Onozuka had tried harder to stay in contact with his Okinawan relatives, and he kept tabs on his parents and sister through Kaoru and Toshi, who had a better relationship with his own parents and regularly received all the news and gossip from Kanazawa. As far as Onozuka knew, they were all in good health, but Katou's warning had awakened a hint of doubt in his mind.

However, he didn't allow any of that doubt to show on his face, and he stubbornly resisted Katou's attempt to guilt-trip him. "Anyway, as you said, it's none of your business, Katou," Onozuka said in a calm and unconcerned voice.

"Even if your parents are in perfect health, you never know what might happen!" Katou cried out in frustration. "What if there was an accident, or--"

"Honestly, Katou, you're being rather morbid," Onozuka interrupted coolly.

"Of course I don't wish any harm on your family," Katou said impatiently. "I'm just saying that if the unthinkable happened, you wouldn't want to be left with any regrets. I saw how much pain Iwaki-san went through, and I wouldn't want you to suffer that way, Onozuka."

Onozuka sighed, his anger beginning to dissipate. It was easy to get annoyed with Katou, but almost impossible to stay angry at him for long, especially when he threw out such unabashedly honest and touching statements. "It's complicated, Katou," he said wearily.

"I know," Katou replied in a gentler voice. "Believe me, I know. There's still a bit of tension between Iwaki-san and his brother, and Masahiko still hasn't fully accepted me. But that makes it all the more important to start mending things before it's too late." When Onozuka remained silent, Katou said, "At least think about it, okay?"

"Okay," Onozuka agreed reluctantly. "Now can we talk about something else? I've had to answer questions about my family all day, and I need a break from it. Weren't you guys supposed to cheer me up?"

Katou finally relented and gave him a cheerful smile, and Onozuka pretended not to notice that it was slightly forced. "All right then, let's drink up!" Katou said, topping off Onozuka's glass, even though he'd only taken a couple of sips from it. "How about a little karaoke?"

"Sure," Onozuka said with a grin, although instead of picking up the mike himself, he egged on his friends into singing a couple of the latest chart-toppers. Miyasaka actually did a credible job on a heavy metal song, but as for Katou...well, he might be a brilliant actor, but he couldn't sing on key to save his life. However, Katou still turned in an entertaining performance that had Onozuka and Miyasaka literally rolling with laughter as he hammed it up on the latest hit by a current pop diva, warbling in a painfully high voice while he imitated her dance moves. Actually, although the diva wouldn't envy his voice, Katou tossed his hair and pursed his lips into a sexy pout even better than she did.

"It's easy enough for you to sit back and laugh at us," Katou said once he was finished with the song. He gave Onozuka a mock-glare and announced, "It's your turn to sing, your Highness!"

"Okay, okay!" Onozuka gave in, still laughing. He chose an Enka song--the same one that he used as Fujimoto's ring tone, as a matter of fact. His singing was mediocre (though still better than Katou's), but he was able to turn the melodramatic style of the ballad to his advantage by using his acting skills. Instead of trying to hit every note perfectly, he focused on the emotion behind the song, pouring pain and longing into his voice as he belted out the tune of a man reminiscing mournfully about his long-lost love. In an odd way, it felt kind of cathartic after the rough day he'd had.

His friends cheered and clapped when he was done, and Katou exclaimed, "Hey, you're actually pretty good, Onozuka!"

"Better than Katou, anyway!" Miyasaka interjected with a grin.

"Hey, you didn't need to say that!" Katou complained, swatting him on the back of the head.

"Ow!" Miyasaka cried. "If you're looking to start a fight, bring it on!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

Onozuka burst into laughter and all his cares and worries seemed very distant and insignificant, at least for the moment. It really did feel good to have the three of them drinking and joking and arguing, just like the old days before Katou had introduced Iwaki to them.

Katou and Miyasaka broke off their argument and smiled at him, looking pleased with themselves. "Feeling better now, Ono-chan?" Miyasaka asked hopefully.

"Yes," Onozuka replied. "And since when do you call me 'Ono-chan'?"

"Well, you always call me 'Miya-chan,' so it's only fair for me to return the favor," Miyasaka said, a bit defensively.

"But perhaps you prefer being called 'the Prince' or 'your Highness,'" Katou teased.

Onozuka affected an exaggerated princely air and said disdainfully, "Of course it's obvious which one out of the three of us is nobility."

"Hey, I thought you called yourself a peon earlier!" Katou pointed out, giving Onozuka a very light, affectionate tap on the head.

"I was just being modest," Onozuka replied condescendingly, earning another slightly harder tap.

"Shall we sing some more?" Miyasaka suggested.

"Let's sing one together this time, all three of us," Onozuka suggested.

"Great idea!" Miyasaka said enthusiastically, and Katou joked, "We could form a boy band together!"

"Not with your singing voice," Onozuka said dryly.

"With a boy band, looks are all that matters, anyway," Katou replied with a shrug, unoffended.

"And we're three of the best-looking guys in the business!" Miyasaka said with a grin, giving Katou a thumbs-up. Katou winked and returned the gesture, and Onozuka shook his head and laughed.

They chose a treacly-sweet pop song by a boy band from Onozuka's talent agency--he and Miyasaka made fun of them on a regular basis behind their backs, mostly because they couldn't stand the lead singer, who was a conceited jerk. They crooned together in harmony--or rather, disharmony, since Katou couldn't stay on key and their voices didn't quite mesh, but they sang loudly and with enthusiasm, mimicking the band's choreographed dance moves. When they were done, they collapsed into laughter and high-fived each other.

"Whew, I need a drink after that!" Miyasaka said, wiping the sweat from his brow and draining his glass.

Katou was ordering another round of drinks when Onozuka's cell phone rang. It was Kikuchi's ringtone, so he checked and saw that his lover had sent him an e-mail. Onozuka grinned and opened the message, expecting to see a complaint about Onozuka abandoning him, or maybe a cajoling request for Onozuka to leave the bar early and come over to his place.

Instead, he found a message saying, "It's a pity you're not here tonight because..." and then it went on to list--in very graphic detail--all the things that Kikuchi would've done to or with Onozuka if he had been there. Onozuka felt his face grow hot in in response, and at the same time, felt a different kind of heat pooling in his groin.

"Hey, why are you blushing, Onozuka?" Miyasaka asked curiously. "Is it a love letter from Kikuchi-san or something?"

"Of course not!" Onozuka snapped, hastily turning off his phone. "It's just a message from Fujimoto-san, that's all."

"You don't normally blush like that when your manager calls," Miyasaka replied skeptically.

"It was a flush of anger," Onozuka replied coolly. "He was discussing the press conference and the tabloid article, and I was just getting upset, thinking about how Asano sicced the paparazzi on my family."

Miyasaka still looked skeptical, but Katou was distracted by the mention of Asano's name. "Was it really him who leaked the info?" Katou asked disgustedly. "I thought he'd learned his lesson, but it sounds like he's up to his old tricks again."

"I can't prove it, but there's no doubt that it's him," Onozuka replied. "He's the one who started those rumors about him and Iwaki-san having an affair back when he was Iwaki-san's manager, right?"

"Yeah," Katou admitted, scowling. "He was trying to get publicity for his acting debut--and cause trouble between me and Iwaki-san."

"You should've told Iwaki-san what that bastard did," Miyasaka said. "I never understood why you didn't."

"Because Iwaki-san wouldn't believe him?" Onozuka guessed, although he suspected there was more to it than that.

"Not exactly," Katou sighed. "I mean, at first he just believed that I was being jealous when I told him I thought that Asano was up to no good."

"That's because you're jealous of every man who looks sideways at Iwaki-san," Onozuka said with a grin.

"I'm not jealous, I'm protective!" Katou defended himself. "Well...I do get jealous sometimes, but I'm not just being paranoid! A lot of times people were really out to do harm to Iwaki-san! Like your dear Kikuchi-san and..." He let his voice trail off, but glared at Miyasaka, who squirmed guiltily.

"You know I'm sorry about that," Miyasaka said gruffly.

"Anyway, Iwaki-san wouldn't believe it when I told him that I felt like Asano was trying to come between us, but after the scandal, I talked to Asano alone, and got him to brag that he'd actually slept with Iwaki-san, which of course we know was a lie."

"But if there were no witnesses..." Miyasaka said.

"Iwaki-san knows that I wouldn't lie about something like that," Katou said with absolute certainty. "If I just say that I don't like Asano, he might think that it's just my bias, but he knows that I wouldn't make up lies to turn him against someone."

"So then why wouldn't you tell him what Asano said?" Miyasaka asked in confusion.

"Because it would upset Iwaki-san," Katou replied quietly. "He'd be hurt if he knew that someone he trusted had betrayed him."

"Katou, sometimes you're too noble," Onozuka said, with a sigh of exasperation. "Was it really wise to continue to let Iwaki-san trust a snake like Asano?"

"Well, I warned Asano that he'd make enemies out of both of us if he pulled something like that again, and he seemed to have learned his lesson," Katou replied with a worried frown. "He worked really hard on 'Winter Cicadas,' and it was obvious that Iwaki-san's opinion meant a lot to him, so I figured he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that. But if he's gone back to his old ways...I don't know, maybe I should've told Iwaki-san the truth, after all. But if I tell him now, he'll not only be hurt, he'll get angry at me for not having told him sooner."

Katou seemed torn between fear of Iwaki's anger and the desire to protect him from Asano's machinations, so Onozuka finally took pity on his friend. "I don't think you need to worry about Asano doing anything to Iwaki-san," he said reassuringly. "He just went after me because he's jealous that I got the co-lead role--like a kid throwing a temper tantrum." He smiled smugly as he continued, "But he knows better than to mess with me now."

Miyasaka actually turned a little pale, which amused Onozuka. "What did you do to him, Onozuka?" he asked hesitantly, as if he wasn't sure that he really wanted to know the answer. "You didn't poison him, did you?"

"Of course not," Onozuka replied innocently, which didn't seem to reassure Miyasaka. "You didn't hear anything in the news about an actor dropping dead on the set, did you?"

"So what did you do to him?" Katou asked curiously.

"Me? Absolutely nothing," Onozuka replied with a wide-eyed guileless look that only made his friends gaze at him with even more suspicion. "Although Asano-kun did come down with a touch of the stomach flu and was miserable all day." He smiled sweetly and added, "It must be karma."

"Right, karma," Miyasaka said sarcastically.

Katou just laughed and shook his head, saying, "Well, whatever happened, I'm sure that Asano richly deserved it."

They drank a toast to Asano's ill fortune and sang a few more songs; Katou and Miyasaka seemed to grow louder and more enthusiastic (and less in tune) with every drink that they consumed. Onozuka nursed his own drink and watched them with amusement, feeling strangely content.

At the end of the evening, even Katou was reluctant to leave, although he was usually eager to rush back home to his Iwaki-san. "We'll have to get together and have a party after you're done filming, Onozuka," he said. "Maybe we'll have another barbeque and invite Yoshizumi-san over, too--he hasn't been over to the house yet, and Miyasaka ought to meet him."

"Onozuka's told me about him," Miyasaka said. "He sounds like a nice guy." He added with a grin, "And I'd certainly like to meet the one guy that Katou trusts around Iwaki-san--he must be a real paragon of virtue!"

"Oh, you have no idea," Onozuka muttered under his breath. Fortunately, Katou didn't notice, although Miyasaka gave him an odd look.

"Maybe we can do it after the Academy Awards?" Katou suggested. "You should be done with your movie, and Miyasaka will be done with his series by then."

"And maybe you or Iwaki-san will win an award, and we'll have even more reason to celebrate?" Onozuka suggested slyly. "Sure, sounds like fun!"

"Just don't bring any boar meat this time," Katou told Miyasaka, slapping him on the back, laughing along with Onozuka as Miyasaka complained about how much work he'd put into catching the boar and how ungrateful Katou was.

"By the way, I have a location shoot tomorrow night, so I'll be home late," Miyasaka told Onozuka as they were getting ready to leave. "And if filming runs really late, I might just sleep over at a hotel, but I'm hoping we won't have to work overtime."

"Okay, dear, I won't wait up for you," Onozuka replied sweetly, playing the role of a doting housewife.

"Do you always have to be such a smart-ass?" Miyasaka grumbled.

"He can't help it; it's in his nature," Katou replied.

Of course Onozuka couldn't let a remark like that pass unpunished, so he gave Katou a light smack on the head, but it was almost an afterthought, because Miyasaka's offhand comment about working late had given Onozuka a sudden burst of inspiration. A plan was beginning to form in his mind about how he could get a little payback against Kikuchi while satisfying his lust for Kikuchi's body, and as an added bonus, needle Miyasaka a bit, too...

***

After a very long day at work--made longer by having to deal with his two very stubborn and vengeful young co-stars--Yoshizumi decided that he needed some relaxation tonight, and headed over to the Rusty Nail.

He grinned when he saw the two Shisa statues flanking the entrance to the club, and laughed out loud when he saw that one Shisa was wearing a party hat and the other had a wreath of colorful paper flowers around its neck.

"Good evening, Yoshizumi-san," Kenzaki's assistant Shou said, grinning back at Yoshizumi. "As you can see, Kenzaki-san put your gift to good use."

Yoshizumi patted the flower-draped Shisa on the head and chuckled, "I'm glad, although the decorations are...interesting."

"It is a bit undignified," Shou said apologized. "But one of our important clients is having a birthday party here tonight, and well...the festivities spilled out onto the Shisa."

"Oh, I don't mind," Yoshizumi assured him. He could hear the sound of music and laughter coming from inside the club, and peered inside to see a crowd of women laughing and dancing with several hosts, many of them wearing the same party hats and flowers that the Shisa were. Kenzaki himself was performing a "champagne tower": pouring champagne into tiers of glasses stacked into a pyramid, with the champagne spilling out of the top glass and down into the ones below it. The women cheered and clapped in appreciation of the spectacle--as well they should, since Yoshizumi knew that the tower cost a minimum of one million yen, and could even run higher, depending on how many glasses and bottles of champagne were used.

"Everyone seems to be having a good time, the Shisa included," Yoshizumi said cheerfully, patting the statue again.

"Kenzaki-san is with the client, but I'll let him know that you're here, and he'll come over to see you as soon as possible," Shou said, looking relieved that Yoshizumi wasn't offended.

"There's no rush," Yoshizumi replied. "I realize that the number one host has many customers to wait on."

Shou led him upstairs to a private room reserved for VIPs, and Yoshizumi was impressed that he warranted such status, although he knew that it had more to do with his being a friend of the boss than anything to do with his acting career. He took a seat on the couch, and Shou bowed and said, "I'll have a couple of our hosts tend to you until Kenzaki-san is free. What would you like to drink, Yoshizumi-san?"

"A glass of whiskey to start off with," Yoshizumi replied.

Shou left, and a couple of minutes later, two young hosts returned with the whiskey and a tray of snacks. They bowed deeply, with grace and courtesy, and the blond-haired host handed him his drink, murmuring, "Compliments of the house. It's very good to see you again, Yoshizumi-san."

"It's good to see you, too, Akira-kun, Kei-kun," Yoshizumi said with a grin, because the hosts that had been sent to wait on him were the young pair who had been scolded by Kenzaki during his last visit. "I guess your punishment has been lifted?"

Kei placed the tray down on the table and took a seat on Yoshizumi's left, while Akira took the seat on the right--sitting close enough to be flirtatious, but not close enough to seem like they were making a move on the manager's special customer. "We're on probation," Kei said with a charming smile. "We said that we'd act like proper hosts and show you how much we improved when you came to visit again, and Kenzaki-san was kind enough to let us keep our promise."

The boys were true to their word. They acted like professionals this time--they chatted and flirted with him, and asked him a few questions about the movie, but they kept the focus on entertaining Yoshizumi instead of getting carried away and acting like fans.

After about fifteen minutes, Kenzaki showed up and told the two young hosts, "Thanks, you can leave now."

"Can't we assist you, Boss?" Kei asked, looking crestfallen. "We wanted to show Yoshizumi-san that we can behave like proper hosts this time."

"You've already done that, Kei-kun," Yoshizumi said, patting his hand reassuringly.

"Don't question my orders and don't call me 'Boss'--it makes you, and by extension, me and the club sound crude," Kenzaki scolded him. "I told you before, call me 'Kenzaki-san' or 'Manager.' Or would you rather go back to dishwashing and janitorial duty?"

"No, Kenzaki-san!" Kei and Akira hastily chorused.

"Good," Kenzaki said. "Go downstairs and help with the party; the others have their hands full."

"Yes, Kenzaki-san," the two hosts said obediently. "It was a pleasure to see you again, Yoshizumi-san, even if it was just for a short time," Akira said smoothly, bowing deeply.

"I hope we'll have the opportunity to wait on you again sometime in the near future," Kei said, bowing as well.

"You can assist me the next time that Yoshizumi-san comes in," Kenzaki said gruffly, and the two hosts beamed at him.

"If you two don't have customers of your own by then," Yoshizumi said with a grin.

"We'll always have time for you, no matter what, Yoshizumi-san," Kei replied firmly.

"Spoken like a true host!" Yoshizumi laughed, and even Kenzaki smiled a little.

"You two are beginning to develop a bit of charm, but don't let it go to your heads," he cautioned. "You still have a long way to go as hosts!"

"We know that, Kenzaki-san," Akira said respectfully. "We promise that we'll continue to work hard to improve ourselves."

"Shoo!" Kenzaki snapped, waving them off impatiently, and they hurried out of the room, grinning. "They're still insolent puppies," he grumbled, "but they're slowly coming along."

"I bet you were an insolent puppy when you first started working as a host," Yoshizumi teased.

"Bite your tongue, Yoshizumi-san," Kenzaki retorted, and in response, Yoshizumi playfully stuck out his tongue, causing Kenzaki to laugh.

"I can think of better things you can do with that tongue of yours, Yoshizumi-san," Kenzaki murmured suggestively, leaning forward to kiss Yoshizumi, and Yoshizumi found himself in silent but enthusiastic agreement with Kenzaki.

When they pulled apart, Kenzaki asked, "Is there a special reason why you're here, Yoshizumi-san?"

"I must be a terrible friend," Yoshizumi sighed. "You never seem to think that the pleasure of your company is reason enough for me to stop by."

"Well, I consider it an added bonus," Kenzaki said with a grin, and Yoshizumi had to laugh. "But seriously, I'm happy that you think of me as someone you can rely on if you need some relaxation or cheering up." He gave Yoshizumi an exaggeratedly lascivious look and added, "Or even just a booty call."

Yoshizumi burst into laughter and said, "Ah, thank you, Kenzaki-kun! You're right; I did need some cheering up..." He went on to explain the situation between Asano and Onozuka.

"You really had a rough day at work, Yoshizumi-san," Kenzaki said sympathetically. "Although to be honest, I don't really blame Onozuka."

"Of course I don't blame Onozuka-kun for being angry with Asano-kun," Yoshizumi said irritably, although he should have foreseen Kenzaki's reaction. He'd developed a strong hostility towards Asano ever since that incident at the love hotel, and Yoshizumi suspected that he was probably secretly gloating about Onozuka's revenge. If he was, he managed to hide it well, but Yoshizumi wouldn't expect anything less from Rusty Nail's number one host.

"But still," Yoshizumi continued, "he was out of line to make Asano-kun sick right before he had a scene to shoot. If he'd done it after filming was over, I wouldn't have gotten so angry."

"You're right," Kenzaki said soothingly. Yoshizumi suspected that his friend was just humoring him until Kenzaki added, "I'd be angry at my hosts if they were pulling those kinds of stunts on each other, no matter what the provocation."

"Exactly," Yoshizumi said, feeling comforted by the fact that Kenzaki really did understand what he was going through.

"Would you like something to drink to help you relax?" Kenzaki suggested. "How about a refill on the whiskey?"

"I think I'd prefer some hot sake," Yoshizumi replied. "There's something about it that I find soothing and relaxing."

"I guess it's more appropriate than whiskey, considering all the samurai roles you've played," Kenzaki chuckled, then called the order down to the bar. It arrived a short time later, and Kenzaki had just poured out a cup for Yoshizumi when there was a knock at the door.

"Yes?" Kenzaki asked.

The door opened a crack, and Shou said, "I'm sorry, Kenzaki-san, but Ikeda-sensei is asking for you, and..."

"And she can be very demanding," Kenzaki finished, then explained to Yoshizumi, "She's the birthday girl. She's also a very famous and very wealthy fashion designer who's used to getting her own way."

"Go ahead," Yoshizumi told him. "I don't want you to lose a client because of me, and besides, it's her birthday. I'm sure that your being there means a lot to her."

"Yoshizumi-san, I'm kind of glad you're not a host," Kenzaki laughed. "You'd be pretty steep competition! Okay, I'll go down and tend to Ikeda-sensei. Would you like me to send Kei-kun and Akira-kun back up to you?"

"No," Yoshizumi replied, yawning. "I enjoy their company, but I'm really tired. I know it goes against host etiquette to leave a customer alone, but I'd really prefer to just relax and get some rest while you're gone."

"It's our policy to make the customer happy," Kenzaki said with a smile. "I'll leave instructions that you're to be left alone, and I'll be back as soon as possible." He pointed to a phone resting on the table and said, "If you'd like more sake or anything else, just press line one to place an order."

"Thanks, but I'm fine," Yoshizumi said. "Go on, your customer is waiting."

Kenzaki left and Yoshizumi drank his sake, sighing happily as a pleasant warmth spread throughout his body. It made him sleepy, and he stretched out on the couch and closed his eyes, thinking that maybe he'd take a little nap until Kenzaki came back...

***

"Yoshizumi-san?" Kenzaki asked when he returned to find his friend snoring on the couch. When a few more inquiries and a gentle shake failed to rouse the sleeping actor, Kenzaki sat down next to him, murmuring, "You really did have a rough day, didn't you, Yoshizumi-san?" He took off his jacket and draped it over Yoshizumi like a blanket, and remained at Yoshizumi's side, gently stroking his hair every now and then until Shou called for him to attend another customer.

***

Yoshizumi woke to find his head pillowed on Kenzaki's lap, and Kenzaki's jacket spread out over him. "Ah, you're finally awake," Kenzaki said.

Yoshizumi slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?" he mumbled.

"About three a.m.," Kenzaki replied, glancing at his watch.

"Then that means the club closed an hour ago!" Yoshizumi exclaimed. "I'm so sorry! Why didn't you wake me?"

"Because you needed the rest," Kenzaki replied matter of factly. "Anyway, I don't mind staying late. I often stay later than this to catch up on the paperwork."

"But you couldn't do any work with me on your lap," Yoshizumi protested, still feeling chagrined.

"It was relaxing for me, too," Kenzaki said with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "It's not really a hardship to have a handsome man sleeping in my lap."

"You're such a charmer, Kenzaki-kun," Yoshizumi laughed, his good mood restored. He gave Kenzaki a kiss and apologized again, "Well, I'm sorry to keep you so late--"

"I told you it was no trouble," Kenzaki interrupted.

"And I wanted to spend a little time with you after you finished work--"

"Translation: you wanted to get laid," Kenzaki said with a grin.

"Stop interrupting," Yoshizumi scolded, silencing him with another kiss. "As I was saying, I was hoping to spend a bit of time with you, but I've got to be up again in about four hours to get ready for work."

Kenzaki said casually, "Come over to my place. You can take a shower and get a bit of shut-eye before you go to work." Yoshizumi hesitated and Kenzaki laughed and said, "It's not a marriage proposal, Yoshizumi-san! It's pure practicality--my place is closer to the club than yours, and you can get a little extra sleep time in."

Yoshizumi smiled sheepishly; of course Kenzaki didn't want a serious relationship any more than he did. His commitment-phobia, combined with the stress of today--or rather, the previous day--must be making him paranoid. "Thanks for the offer, but..." He brushed his hands across his now rumpled clothing.

"You can borrow some of my clothes," Kenzaki pointed out logically, leaving Yoshizumi with no further reason to object.

"Okay, I'll take you up on your kind offer, then," Yoshizumi gave in with a yawn. "I don't think I'll be much good for anything but sleeping, though."

"You can owe me a rain check," Kenzaki said with a grin.

So they drove over to Kenzaki's apartment, which was in a secure and very upscale building. The rent in this part of town was astronomical, and Yoshizumi hated to think how much Kenzaki was paying every month for this place.

"I must be in the wrong business," he joked, glancing around at the sleek, expensive furniture and the great view from the living room windows.

"I know that you don't do badly for yourself," Kenzaki retorted as he headed into the bedroom. "You work steadily all year round, which is more than most actors can say, and you make enough that you can buy a pair of Shisa for your favorite host on a whim."

"I like what you did with them, by the way," Yoshizumi chuckled. "I'm glad that you were able to put them to good use."

"Thanks," Kenzaki said as he began to undress. "Do you want to take a shower?"

Yoshizumi shook his head. "I'm really beat. If you don't mind, I'm going straight to bed. I'll shower in the morning before I leave."

"Suit yourself," Kenzaki replied. "But I stink of perfume and cigarette smoke, so I definitely need a shower. Go on and get some rest; I'll join you when I'm done."

He carelessly tossed his designer clothes on the floor and headed into the bathroom. Yoshizumi shook his head and picked up the clothes, carefully folding them and draping them over a chair. He undressed himself and was about to climb into the bed when the sound of running water and Kenzaki's voice humming a vaguely familiar pop tune changed his mind.

"Yoshizumi-san!" Kenzaki exclaimed as the shower door opened and Yoshizumi stepped in to join him.

"I changed my mind," Yoshizumi said cheerfully. "I thought a hot shower might help me relax. And besides, I owe you one for lending me your lap, so I thought I'd return the favor by scrubbing your back."

Kenzaki grinned slyly and said, "There are other parts of me that could use more attention than my back."

He took Yoshizumi's hand and placed it on his crotch, and Yoshizumi raised an eyebrow when he realized that Kenzaki was already half erect. "It appears that you started the party without me," he observed.

"You looked so worn out that I didn't want to disturb your rest," Kenzaki replied, managing to sound surprisingly virtuous considering that he was wet, naked, aroused, and looking pretty damned sexy.

"It's nice of you to be so considerate, but I seem to have gotten a second wind," Yoshizumi said reassuringly as he wrapped his fingers around Kenzaki, causing the other man to gasp.

"I guess that nap must have helped," Kenzaki said breathlessly, then covered Yoshizumi's mouth with his own before Yoshizumi had a chance to reply.

They kissed and scrubbed and caressed each other playfully, although they soon gave up the pretense of bathing as their hands began to move on each other's bodies more urgently. Kenzaki shoved Yoshizumi up against the shower wall, kissing Yoshizumi hard as he ground their hips together. Yoshizumi groaned into Kenzaki's mouth as he wrapped his arms around Kenzaki to pull him closer, hands sliding across slippery, soapy skin.

Kenzaki bit gently at Yoshizumi's lower lip, grinding against him harder, and Yoshizumi groaned again as he felt Kenzaki's hardness moving against his own. Their lovemaking was usually more playful and lengthy, but tonight Yoshizumi was too weary for anything more than a quick release, and Kenzaki gave it to him, instinctively seeming to anticipate his needs without being told.

If Yoshizumi had been less tired, that might have worried him, but the thought slipped out of his mind as the intense pleasure of his climax swept over him, and he gasped, his body arching up into Kenzaki's. He leaned back, letting the wall support the weight of his now relaxed body as Kenzaki panted and continued to rub against him until he shuddered with his own release, his body trembling violently for a moment before it stilled in Yoshizumi's arms.

"Feel better?" Kenzaki whispered into Yoshizumi's ear.

"Much," Yoshizumi said firmly, and rewarded him with a long kiss.

They rinsed and dried off, then climbed into bed together. And although Yoshizumi usually preferred to sleep alone (which was why he conducted most of his affairs at love hotels), he surprised himself by immediately falling into a deep and peaceful sleep in Kenzaki's arms.

***

The next day, Kikuchi finally managed to corner Onozuka in his dressing room during one of their breaks, although he suspected it was only because Onozuka wanted to taunt him a bit about having spent the previous evening with Katou and Miyasaka. And sure enough, he talked about what a fun time they'd had drinking and singing karaoke.

"You're so cruel, Yuu," Kikuchi complained. "I was sitting home alone all night missing you and thinking of you."

"I know what kind of thinking you were doing," Onozuka replied dryly as he took out his cell phone and displayed the message Kikuchi had sent him last night. "You seem to have a very vivid imagination."

"Maybe I wanted you to miss me, too," Kikuchi said flashing a charming and lustful grin as his lover, who glared at him. "Come on," Kikuchi wheedled, wrapping his arms around Onozuka's waist, and was pleasantly surprised when Onozuka didn't push him away, but instead leaned into his body. "How long are you going to stay mad at me?" Kikuchi whispered, brushing his lips against Onozuka's ear, and feeling even more encouraged when he felt his lover shiver in response. "I'm very, very sorry that I misled you, Yuu," he crooned. "Let me make it up to you."

"Well..." Onozuka drawled with a show of reluctance. "You are a good cook, and I suppose I could let you make me dinner, but..."

"But?" Kikuchi prompted.

Onozuka drew back slightly, not enough to break the embrace, but enough so that Kikuchi could see his lips forming a pout that was rather un-princely, but charming all the same, and Kikuchi couldn't resist kissing them.

"Stop that," Onozuka scolded, shoving Kikuchi away from him. "You're not forgiven yet." But his mouth relaxed into a smile, and there was a glint of amusement in his eyes.

"So what will it take to make you forgive me?" Kikuchi asked.

"It seems to me that whenever we get together, I always have to go over to your place," Onozuka replied. "If you really want to show me that you're sorry, shouldn't you make the effort to come to me for once?"

"Of course I'd be happy to go over to your place," Kikuchi said, trying to figure out what Onozuka was up to. "It's just that you share a place with Miyasaka, so there's a lack of privacy."

"Ah, but that won't be a problem tonight," Onozuka purred. "Miya-chan is off on location and won't be home till tomorrow, so we'll have the place all to ourselves."

"In that case, I'd be happy to come over and make you dinner tonight," Kikuchi replied.

"Then it's settled," Onozuka said, planting a light kiss on Kikuchi's mouth. "I'll need to lure away the paparazzi, so wait for my call. After they're gone, you can sneak in and wait for me." He placed a key in Kikuchi's hand.

"All right," Kikuchi said agreeably, his fingers closing around the key. He wondered if he'd be allowed to keep it, or if he'd have to return it tonight.

An assistant knocked at the door and called out, "Onozuka-san, they're ready for you on the set!"

"I'll be right there," Onozuka replied. He gave Kikuchi another kiss and whispered, "I'll see you tonight," before he left.

Kikuchi wasn't in this particular scene, so he remained in the dressing room, mulling over Onozuka's words. Onozuka was being much too agreeable--he was charming and beautiful, but he didn't let go of a grudge easily, as Asano could no doubt attest to.

Therefore, he must be up to something, Kikuchi reasoned. Onozuka had never minded coming over to Kikuchi's place before, so he probably had some kind of plot in mind by inviting Kikuchi over to the apartment that he shared with Miyasaka. The most likely scenario was that Miyasaka wasn't staying out all night as Onozuka had claimed, and would come home early to catch Onozuka and Kikuchi in a compromising position. Onozuka wasn't really the exhibitionist type, but he would enjoy catching both his lover and friend by surprise and making them jealous of each other.

Because Kikuchi did think that Miyasaka was jealous of the time he spent with Onozuka, and he was certainly jealous of Miyasaka's closeness to Onozuka. He frowned for a moment, and then smiled with more confidence. Fine, then--he'd play along with the Prince's scheme and turn the situation to his own advantage. He'd show Miyasaka that Onozuka belonged to him, and he'd make Onozuka realize it, too.

He grinned wolfishly, then happened to look up and catch sight of his reflection in the mirror. Kikuchi threw back his head and laughed, thinking that the assistants would scurry away in terror if they could see him now.

Part 8

***

Afterword: The argument that Katou and Onozuka get into over Kikuchi and how lovers should accept each other as they are, was inspired by Lore's comments here about whether Kikuchi would still like Onozuka as much if he ever got to the point where he could open up and show Kikuchi his true self. It was something I hadn't really considered up until then, and it definitely inspired further thought about both characters.

The nickname "Ono-chan" was lifted from Bronze Ribbons' No Life Save When the Swords Clash , although Katou was the one using the nickname in that story. Onozuka occasionally refers to Miyasaka as "Miya-chan" in the manga, but I've never noticed Miyasaka or Katou calling Onozuka by a nickname. (Maybe he's too dignified for one, other than "the Prince"?) Anyway, I thought that "Ono-chan" was kind of cute, and I could imagine Miyasaka wanting to sort of even things out between them by attempting to give Onozuka a playful nickname.

Ten One million yen = approximately ten thousand US dollars. ETA: Oops, made a mistake and added an extra zero to the amount there! I edited the story to read "one million yen," which is more or less the equivalent of $10,000; ten million would equal $100,000, which is a bit pricey even for a host club!

I must also lay the blame on/thank Bronze Ribbons for the Yoshizumi/Kenzaki scene because of her comment here: "...so just know that I'm squeeing over Yoshizumi (and wanting to swat Onozuka, and fantasizing about comfort/calm-down sex between Yoshizumi and Kenzaki -- no, that wasn't a hint, that's just how real this universe and its characters are to me when I visit it)."

Bronze, I know you weren't trying to pressure me, but once that bunny hopped into my head, it just seemed perfectly logical that of course Yoshizumi would go to the host club for a little relaxation after dealing with his two troublesome coworkers, and the bunny just would not leave me alone until I wrote it down. So thanks for the inspiration...I think! ~_^

Comments

[portisheart.livejournal.com]

LOL@Katou, Onozuka & Miyazaka singing karaoke, half of them not in tone XD..
i love Yoshizumi-Kenzaki! happy to get more *wink* ^^
and Onozuka look like he's ready to forgive Kikuchi, though he's gonna pull some stunt before seems.. now i'm really thirsting for the next chapter!

[geri-chan.livejournal.com]

Haha, glad you liked the karaoke scene, although it's a good thing we didn't actually have to listen to it! ^_^ Also glad you liked Yoshizumi and Kenzaki!

Yes, Onozuka has a stunt in mind--although he should've remembered the advice Kikuchi gave him on their first date, about not being too clever for his own good. ~_^

[sakura-sensei.livejournal.com]

thank you very much! looking forward to seeing kikuchi turn the tables on the prince. ^^

[geri-chan.livejournal.com]

You're welcome--I'm glad you enjoyed it! Heh heh, I'm also looking forward to having Kikuchi and Onozuka both trying to outsmart each other, so I guess that means I'd better get back to work on the next chapter! ^_^

[nursedarry.livejournal.com]

Love Yoshi's falling asleep in K's bed with him, but... Well, you know...

*hee hee*

and LOL Katou's singing!!!

[geri-chan.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know. *sympathetic hug*

My friend over on IJ said that she was glad this was just a fic and that she didn't really have to listen to Katou singing! ^_^

Oh, and I love your icon!