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FIC: Unmasked, Part 14 of 25
Title: Unmasked, Part 14 of 25
Rating: NC-17 overall
Fandom: Haru wo Daiteita (Embracing Love)
Pairing: Kikuchi/Onozuka, Miyasaka/Onozuka, Kenzaki/Yoshizumi
Characters: Kikuchi, Onozuka, Yoshizumi, Kenzaki
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Word count: ~4,650
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 takes Onozuka to the host club, but is a little perturbed when he watches Kenzaki exert his charm on Onozuka.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13
***
So they caught a cab over to the club, and Onozuka laughed when he saw the pair of Shisa flanking the entrance. "Yoshizumi-san, don't tell me that this is the souvenir you bought for your friend in Okinawa!"
"It's a very nice souvenir, don't you think?" Yoshizumi replied serenely.
"It's a very expensive souvenir," Onozuka said slyly. "This must be a very good friend." Before Yoshizumi could reply, Onozuka caught sight of the sign next to the entrance, the one that displayed all the pictures and names of the hosts for first-time customers to peruse, like a menu at a restaurant.
Yoshizumi had thought nothing could shock the Prince, so he was vastly amused to see Onozuka's eyes widen in outrage and to hear the young actor exclaim in a horrified voice, "Yoshizumi-san, this is a host club!"
"The best host club in Shinjuku," Shou said proudly as he arrived to greet them. He bowed deeply and said, "Welcome to Rusty Nail."
"The tabloids will have a field day if they find out that I've been to a host club!" Onozuka said indignantly to Yoshizumi.
"That won't be a problem, Onozuka-san," Shou assured him. "We have a private VIP room upstairs that I can show you to, and none of our other patrons will even know you're there."
"Well...all right," Onozuka gave in, calming down, and Shou led them upstairs to the same room that Yoshizumi had stayed in during his last visit to the club. The assistant manager took their drink orders and left, promising that Kenzaki would be with them soon.
Onozuka peered through the mirrored one-way windows overlooking the downstairs floor of the club, watching the hosts mingle with the guests, nearly all of whom were female, although Yoshizumi noticed one male guest chatting unselfconsciously with a pair of hosts in the far corner of the room.
"Interesting," Onozuka murmured. "There are gay clubs, of course, but I've never heard of a host club that has both male and female guests before."
"Most of our clientele is female, but we don't believe in discrimination," Kenzaki said smoothly as he entered the room. Kei and Akira followed him, carrying trays bearing their drinks and a plate of snacks. "If a customer comes here seeking entertainment or relaxation, we see it as our duty to make them happy, regardless of their gender." He bowed and said, "Welcome to Rusty Nail, Onozuka-san. I'm Kenzaki, the manager here."
"And the number one host," Yoshizumi added, winking at his friend.
Kenzaki winked back at him and continued, "And these are two of our junior hosts..."
"I'm Kei," the young red-haired host said cheerfully.
"And I'm Akira," the blond host chimed in.
"It's nice to meet all of you," Onozuka replied politely as the hosts joined them on the couch and served their drinks. Kenzaki sat between Yoshizumi and Onozuka, and Akira sat on Yoshizumi's other side, while Kei claimed the seat next to Onozuka.
"You look familiar," Onozuka said, frowning slightly in concentration as he took a closer look at Kenzaki's face.
"I've seen you on TV, of course," Kenzaki replied with a smile. "But I'm certain that we've never met before--I would never forget making the acquaintance of such a handsome young man."
"Well, your friend certainly is a charmer!" Onozuka said, grinning at Yoshizumi.
"Yes, he certainly is," Yoshizumi said, laughing heartily to cover up the discomfort he felt at watching Kenzaki flirt with Onozuka. He had no idea why it should bother him--hadn't he brought Onozuka here so that Kenzaki could help take his mind off his troubles, after all? Maybe it just felt odd because he'd always come here alone in the past and he wasn't used to having Kenzaki's attention divided between him and someone else. On the other hand, Kenzaki was a much in-demand host, and it had never bothered Yoshizumi when Kenzaki had to leave his side to wait on another client.
"Of course no one could forget meeting the Golden Prince!" Kei declared.
"Oh, you're much too kind," Onozuka demurred modestly, blushing slightly.
"Not at all!" Kei insisted. "We've seen all your dramas--I especially loved 'Brothers,' the one you did with Iwaki-san."
"Ah, that's it!" Onozuka exclaimed. "I remember now--Iwaki-san and Katou appeared as judges on a game show to choose the top host in Japan! The owner of Rusty Nail was also a judge--I remember that I thought it was odd that he had the same name as Iwaki-san the actor. You were one of the contestants, Kenzaki-san..."
"Please, that show was a disaster!" Kenzaki groaned dramatically. "I'd just as soon forget all about it!"
Yoshizumi remembered that show--Kenzaki and his fellow host Shinkawa had stumbled over a simple question of how to pronounce the kanji that spelled the word "monaka." Ironically, it was a question that Onozuka could have answered easily, since monaka was a type of traditional Japanese sweet: two wafers that sandwiched a sweet filling, usually red bean paste. However, Kenzaki and Shinkawa had both come up with different answers and had started belligerently arguing over who was correct (the answer was neither of them). Katou had also gotten the answer wrong, and when Iwaki teased him about it, he had unthinkingly insulted the hosts by blurting out, "Don't lump me in with those idiotic hosts!" Pandemonium had ensued, and a winner had never been chosen, but the show had been most entertaining.
At least, Yoshizumi thought so, although he could understand why Kenzaki would rather forget the whole experience. He knew that his friend was genuinely mortified about the incident, but Kenzaki played up his embarrassment now for comic relief, making Onozuka laugh. That was because he was a true professional, and he would never allow his personal feelings to interfere with his job as a host.
"It wasn't so bad," Onozuka tried to comfort Kenzaki, although his eyes were still sparkling with laughter. "Really, Katou is the one who came off looking like an idiot, but try not to think too badly of him. He tends to speak without thinking, but that's part of his charm."
Kenzaki gave Onozuka a dazzling smile and replied, "Well, if you say so, Onozuka-san, then it must be true. I'll try to think more kindly of your friend from now on."
Yoshizumi didn't realize that he was frowning until Kenzaki gave him a quizzical look and asked, "Yoshizumi-san? Are you all right?"
"Oh, it's nothing," Yoshizumi said hastily, pasting a smile on his face. "I was just thinking that I'm a little sad that filming will be over soon and I'll have to part with all the friends I've made, like Onozuka-kun. And also that I won't be able to see you as often after I go back to Kyoto, of course."
"Oh, but maybe you'll get another role that will keep you in Tokyo!" Akira said hopefully.
"Yes, we'd miss you so much if you left us!" Kei added.
"Well, we'll see what happens," Yoshizumi chuckled. "I work mainly in historical dramas, though, which tends to keep me out in Kyoto. But I promise that I'll still stop by and visit once in awhile."
"You'll be in town at least for the Academy Awards, though, won't you?" Kenzaki asked.
"Yes, since the main cast have been invited to attend, and it takes place right after we wrap up filming," Yoshizumi replied.
"It's too bad that your movie didn't come out in time to be eligible for this year's awards," Akira said. "Otherwise we might be watching you accept an award on TV!"
"I rather doubt it, but I thank you for the compliment," Yoshizumi laughed. "I enjoyed playing Jun, but it's not the type of role that would attract enough attention to get nominated. But it's a great story and I'd love to see it nominated for Best Screenplay or even Best Picture next year." He smiled at Onozuka. "Or perhaps we'll see Onozuka-kun accepting an award!"
"Oh, Yoshizumi-san is just teasing me," Onozuka protested, blushing modestly. "I'm still a beginner and have a long way to go before I'm worthy of winning such an award. I'm honored just to be working alongside actors like Yoshizumi-san and Kikuchi-san."
Yoshizumi had always found Onozuka's innocent Prince act amusing before, and he wondered why it was irritating him now. Probably because Onozuka was counting on that princely reputation to prevent anyone from suspecting him of poisoning Asano, and he was mostly right. It made Yoshizumi feel a little better that Kenzaki looked amused, which meant that he wasn't buying into the Prince's act, although Kei and Akira looked duly impressed.
"You're a wonderful actor, Onozuka-san!" Kei gushed.
"It's sweet of you to say so, Kei-san," Onozuka said with a gracious, princely smile.
"No, really, I mean it!" Kei insisted.
"It's nice to know that I have such a big fan, then," Onozuka said sweetly, then turned to Kenzaki. "I have to ask--how did you and Yoshizumi-san meet, Kenzaki-san? I don't want to sound prejudiced, but I had never imagined that Yoshizumi-san made a habit out of going to host clubs!"
"He was doing research for a TV show about hosts," Kenzaki said with a grin.
"I was working on a drama called 'The Kings of Ginza' a few years ago," Yoshizumi explained. "I played one of the 'Kings,' the top five hosts in Ginza; the hero was a young up and coming host who was trying to usurp my throne. The director had the actors visit Rusty Nail in order to learn what it's like to really be a host, and that's how I met Kenzaki-kun. He was a big help to me, and we remained friends even after the show was over, so I stop by the club to visit him whenever I'm in Tokyo."
"That sounds interesting," Onozuka said. "I'll have to track down a copy of the show and watch it."
"You would make an excellent host yourself, Onozuka-san," Kenzaki said, only half-jokingly, and Onozuka laughed.
"I promise that I'll come to you if this acting thing doesn't work out, Kenzaki-san!"
As the number one host, Kenzaki had other clients to attend to and couldn't stay with them for the entire night, but he left Kei and Akira in the VIP room to entertain them, and he returned at frequent intervals. Onozuka seemed to be having a good time, and soon had the two younger hosts practically eating out of his hand--he would indeed make an excellent host, Yoshizumi thought to himself wryly.
He was happy, really he was, that he had succeeded in cheering Onozuka up, but he was also relieved when Onozuka finally glanced at his watch and reluctantly said that they should be going since they had to work tomorrow.
"Please come back and see us again sometime, Onozuka-san," Kenzaki said with all the smooth, professional charm of a number one host.
"Yes, please come back!" Kei exclaimed with more spontaneous eagerness. "We had so much fun with you and Yoshizumi-san tonight!"
"It's not every day that we get to entertain a prince," Akira added with a mischievous grin and a wink.
"I had fun, too," Onozuka laughed. "I promise I'll come back again."
"And you must come and see us again before you go back to Kyoto," Kenzaki told Yoshizumi, giving him a less polished but more sincere smile. "A private visit," he added in a whisper too quiet for the others to overhear.
"Of course," Yoshizumi replied, feeling a bit more cheerful.
"Thanks, Yoshizumi-san," Onozuka said during the cab ride back to Yoshizumi's apartment. "It was nice to have fun and just forget about everything else for a little while."
"You're welcome," Yoshizumi said. "I'm glad you had a good time."
Onozuka grinned at him slyly and added, "By the way...that fancy suit you were wearing the other day...it belongs to Kenzaki-san, doesn't it?"
"How did you--" Yoshizumi started to reply automatically before he managed to cut himself off, a little too late to feign ignorance.
"It was obvious to a trained observer," Onozuka said gleefully. "He was wearing the same brand in a similar style tonight. I've never seen you wearing designer clothes like that before, so I figured either you were dressing to impress, or you were borrowing someone else's clothes. And since nothing out of ordinary happened at work that day..." He allowed his voice to trail off suggestively, and he smiled smugly at Yoshizumi, obviously pleased with his own cleverness. "So is Kenzaki-san your boyfriend?" Onozuka persisted. "I certainly couldn't blame you for liking such a handsome and charming guy!"
"Kenzaki-kun and I are just friends," Yoshizumi said coldly.
"Really?" Onozuka drawled, giving him a skeptical look. "He seemed very attentive to you, even more than one might expect of a host."
"It's a host's job to make each of his clients feel like they're the one who is most special to him," Yoshizumi replied, glaring at Onozuka. Actually, he'd thought that Kenzaki had been most attentive to the Prince--which was Kenzaki's job, after all. He ought to be happy that Kenzaki had made an effort to pay special attention to his friend, and maybe he would've been if he hadn't been so irritated with Onozuka at the moment.
"Aw, come on, Yoshizumi-san," Onozuka cajoled. "There's no need to get defensive. I'm friends with Katou, after all, so I'm very open-minded. It's no big deal to me if you're dating a guy."
"You know, there's a saying in the West--I'm sure that Kikuchi-san probably knows it," Yoshizumi said. "Something about how people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."
"Oh?" Onozuka asked, giving him a suspicious look. "And what is that supposed to mean?"
"In this case it means that you might want to be aware that you talk in your sleep, Onozuka-kun," Yoshizumi said coolly. "I heard you mention a certain person's name tonight..."
Onozuka turned pale and flinched away from Yoshizumi, as if he'd been physically struck, and Yoshizumi instantly regretted his harsh words. True, Onozuka was being annoying with his insinuations, but Yoshizumi didn't sense any true malice in them; it was probably just his idea of a little harmless mischief. And even if he'd had any ill intent, it was petty of Yoshizumi to respond in kind; he had always tried to hold himself above all the rivalries and in-fighting that went on among his colleagues.
"What did I say?" Onozuka whispered, his eyes wide and strangely vulnerable. It seemed that Yoshizumi had managed to break through the Prince's mask, and it made him feel uncomfortable and a little ashamed, as if he'd been caught spying on Onozuka in a private moment.
"You said a person's name, that's all," Yoshizumi replied wearily. "I think you know whose. Look, I'm sorry, Onozuka-kun--I was out of line. It's none of my business, and I promise that I won't repeat it to anyone."
"I'm sorry, too," Onozuka said quietly. "It's a hobby of mine, to find out other people's secrets, but honestly, I was just teasing you a bit. You're Katou's friend, so I wouldn't really have tried to blackmail you or anything like that."
"I know," Yoshizumi said. "Besides, it's not like I'm worth blackmailing--the press doesn't really care about me." He found himself offering up the truth, perhaps as penance for overreacting to Onozuka's mischief. "Kenzaki-kun and I really are just friends. We sleep together occasionally, but we're not a couple--I guess you'd call it 'friends with benefits'? Neither of us is interested in a serious relationship, and Kenzaki-kun's job isn't conducive to one, anyway."
"I can see that," Onozuka said, still sounding subdued. "Most people would get jealous if their lover made his living flirting with other men or women." He gave Yoshizumi an ironic, bitter smile. "Although you might want to be careful, Yoshizumi-san--I was in a 'not serious' relationship, too, and the other person unexpectedly changed their mind about how serious they wanted to be."
That confession made Yoshizumi feel even more uncomfortable. "I'm the last person who should be giving anyone romantic advice, but...you and Ki--er, the person you mentioned--both seem very unhappy. Shouldn't you talk to each other and try to work things out?"
"I suppose so," Onozuka replied unenthusiastically. "The problem is that there isn't much room for compromise--it's going to have to be all or nothing, and I can't make up my mind what I want."
They rode the rest of the way home in silence, and Yoshizumi felt a little guilty for having reminded Onozuka about his problems with Kikuchi when he'd originally taken Onozuka out as a distraction.
***
Onozuka glanced over at Yoshizumi, who was staring out the car window with a brooding look on his face. He regretted teasing the other man about Kenzaki now, although it had seemed like a bit of harmless needling at the time--a little payback for the way Yoshizumi had threatened him into leaving Asano alone. It had been so obvious that Yoshizumi was jealous of Kenzaki's attentiveness to Onozuka at the club, and he'd been tickled by the idea that the utterly unsentimental Yoshizumi had managed to fall in love, or at least infatuation. He'd figured that the teasing would be mostly harmless, since it was equally obvious that despite Kenzaki's considerable charm, his interest in Onozuka was purely professional, while there seemed to be a spark of genuine warmth between the host and Yoshizumi. Besides, even if Kenzaki had been interested in him, the last thing that Onozuka needed right now was yet another suitor to complicate his life. He had enjoyed the pleasure of having three handsome men flirt with him for an evening, though, knowing that nothing more would come of it. It also gave him a bit of spiteful pleasure to imagine how jealous Kikuchi would be if he could see what was happening.
But Yoshizumi was obviously in denial, because he didn't seem to understand why he was jealous--in fact, Yoshizumi didn't even seem to be aware that he was jealous at all, even though he obviously was. Of course, his accusing Yoshizumi of being in denial was like the pot calling the kettle black--something that Onozuka didn't really want to think about, so he let the silence between them remain, and didn't press Yoshizumi further on the subject.
When they got back to the apartment, Yoshizumi politely said good night to him, still looking sheepish about his earlier outburst. "Good night," Onozuka replied politely. He hesitated, wondering if he should leave well enough alone, then cautiously added, "Kenzaki-san seems like a very nice person. I'm sure that he looked after me tonight as a favor to you."
Yoshizumi shrugged, looking uncomfortable. "He's a very conscientious host, so he treats all of his customers well, but I'm glad that you liked him. Sleep well, Onozuka-kun."
***
Kenzaki went shopping the next day, wanting to find a gift for Yoshizumi. Strictly speaking, one didn't have to get a return gift for a souvenir, but the pair of Shisa statues had been such a costly present that Kenzaki wanted to get something for Yoshizumi to show his appreciation. Besides, since Yoshizumi would probably be going back to Kyoto soon, he wanted to get a little going-away memento for his friend. It didn't necessarily have to be expensive, but it had to be something special that would suit Yoshizumi's personality.
He paused to stare in the window of an antique shop that was displaying an assortment of ceramic tea bowls. There were several that were beautifully glazed and lacquered, but the bowl that caught his eye was a plain brown, the color of earth, slightly misshapen and with a small chip on the rim, but something about it appealed to Kenzaki. He thought that Yoshizumi might appreciate the the unique character of the bowl that made it stand out among its prettier but more generic companions.
"Hey, do you think you're too good to say hello to an old colleague?" a belligerent but affectionate voice asked, and Kenzaki looked up in surprise to see his ex-lover Shinkawa standing beside him--along with Shinkawa's present lover, Takaaki.
"Ah, Shinkawa!" Kenzaki exclaimed. "Sorry, I was lost in thought."
"I don't know how you can manage to run a successful club if you're so addle-brained!" Shinkawa scoffed.
"Who're you calling addle-brained?" Kenzaki retorted, and Takaaki chuckled.
"Rusty Nail has certainly been doing very well," Takaaki said placatingly. "And I hear that you've had a very interesting change in decor."
"Oh, you mean the Shisa?" Kenzaki asked. "They were a gift from a client--well, from a friend, really."
"You'd better watch out," Shinkawa cautioned. "If your other customers find out where the statues came from, they'll be wanting you to display their gifts in the club, too."
"Do you think I don't know that?" Kenzaki said indignantly. "I told everyone that they were a gift from a male friend--an eccentric actor who did some research at the club for a show awhile back, which is true enough. We don't get enough male clients at the club to make the women suspicious, so they accepted my explanation without question. Anyway, if Iwaki-san trusts me to run Rusty Nail as I see fit, there's no need for you to question my judgment. Our customers think that the Shisa are cute and add a bit of character to the club."
"You obviously have it all thought out," Takaaki said approvingly, and the three of them chatted--or rather, Takaaki chatted, and Shinkawa and Kenzaki argued good-naturedly--for a few more minutes before going their separate ways. It had been several months since he'd last seen them, and it felt good to bicker with Shinkawa again, like slipping into a well-worn, slightly ratty but comfortable old robe or pair of slippers.
Kenzaki ducked into the shop and bought the bowl, which was marked down with a nice discount due to the chip, and he headed back home, whistling cheerfully to himself. It was only then that it occurred to him what he wasn't feeling--none of the usual pangs of regret or longing that he felt whenever he ran into Shinkawa. He had known all along that he'd been nothing more than a rebound lover for Shinkawa, and he knew that he could never have made Shinkawa as happy as Takaaki did. He had made his peace with the other two men and they were on friendly terms now, but that didn't mean that he felt no pain to see the man that he had loved with someone else.
But now all he felt was a bit of wistful nostalgia. He remembered the pain of their breakup, of course, but it felt removed, like a distant memory. He felt nothing more for Shinkawa than the same sort of affection that he'd feel for an old friend.
Kenzaki felt relieved to have finally gotten over Shinkawa, until in a sudden flash of insight, he realized why he was no longer pining over his old lover: because his heart had turned to someone new. Specifically, to Yoshizumi.
"Oh no!" Kenzaki groaned. What was wrong with him, that he kept falling for impossible men? And Yoshizumi was even more impossible than Shinkawa--the latter had at least been willing to try making a relationship work, even if it had ultimately been ill-fated. But Yoshizumi was adamant that he was not interested in anything more than friendship and casual sex, and even more adamant that he would never, ever fall in love with anyone. Not even a trusted friend like Kenzaki.
Kenzaki knew that, and yet somehow Yoshizumi had gotten under his skin before he'd realized what was happening. Maybe it was because they normally didn't see each other very much, with Yoshizumi being based in Kyoto and Kenzaki in Tokyo. But with Yoshizumi working on the movie here, they had started spending time together on a regular basis--enough so that Kenzaki had gotten a little too comfortable with Yoshizumi's presence and companionship.
He should have realized it the moment that he'd gotten jealous of Asano, the cute but scheming young actor that Yoshizumi seemed inexplicably fond of. But Kenzaki had been so sure that he was still in unrequited love with Shinkawa that he hadn't thought to guard himself against getting too close to Yoshizumi.
This was a complete disaster. He knew that if Yoshizumi picked up on the slightest hint of his true feelings, the commitment-phobic actor would take off running and Kenzaki would never see him again. Therefore, he would have to carry on as if nothing had changed--at least until he figured out what he should do. His options were limited: give up on his impossible feelings and return to just being friends, and hope that his heart went along with his actions, or try to change Yoshizumi's mind about relationships. The former would be difficult, and the latter next to impossible. Yoshizumi appeared deceptively easy-going on the surface, but he was unswerving in his convictions about things that really mattered to him--such as the integrity of filmmaking and his policy of no romantic attachments.
Kenzaki didn't know if he could stand to have his heart broken again, but giving up without even trying went against his principles. He was too stubborn--or maybe just too stupid--to concede defeat without a fight. He wouldn't have become Rusty Nail's number one host if he was weak-willed, after all. But until he could figure out his next move, he would have to play the role of the casual friend-with-benefits who provided no-strings-attached comfort without pushing for more. It wouldn't be easy to fool someone as clever as Yoshizumi, but in his own way, Kenzaki was an expert actor, too. Being a host required a certain amount of acting skill because a good host had to make each of his many clients believe that he or she was special to him, had to make them believe in the illusion of romance on a visceral level. Intellectually, they knew it was a business transaction, of course, but if they didn't feel an emotional connection, a visit to a host club would be a mere novelty and they wouldn't keep coming back. The top hosts relied on steady customers and repeat business in order to maintain their sales levels. Therefore, as the top host at Rusty Nail, Kenzaki was just as skilled an actor as Yoshizumi, though his focus was much more narrow.
He hated the idea of having to deceive Yoshizumi, though--their friendship was based on their ability to be open and honest with each other. On the other hand, if he was honest about this, he would lose Yoshizumi forever as both a part-time lover and a friend, and Kenzaki simply couldn't allow that to happen.
When Kenzaki got home, he sat on the couch and took out the tea bowl, turning it round and round in his hands, as if it could give him some insight into the puzzle that was Yoshizumi. Finally he set it aside and sighed, feeling no wiser than before. Perhaps it was a good thing that Yoshizumi would be leaving Tokyo soon; some distance might give him perspective, and maybe even cool the ardor of his very foolish and uncooperative heart. Yet somehow accepting that as a solution seemed like the coward's way out...
Part 15
***
Afterword: The bit about Yoshizumi being a puzzle to solve was also influenced by Bronze Ribbons' Present Understanding, specifically the line where Kenzaki is thinking "but here he was, obsessing over a puzzle it wasn't even his business to solve. Compulsively trying to figure something out -- maybe this is what it feels like to be Yoshizumi?"
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so.. each one in their corner, Yoshizumi and Kenzaki start to realize they have feelings for each other - and both may think the other side would be shocked to know and would rather stop the relationship.. i really hope they soon find to each other, heart included ^^
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I truly like the slight edge you gave him here.
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