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FIC: Unmasked, Part 24 of 25
Title: Unmasked, Part 24 of 25
Rating: NC-17 overall
Fandom: Haru wo Daiteita (Embracing Love)
Pairing: Kikuchi/Onozuka, Iwaki/Katou, Yoshizumi/Kenzaki
Characters: Kikuchi, Onozuka, Iwaki, Katou, Yoshizumi, Kenzaki, Miyasaka
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Word count: ~6,950
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: Iwaki and Katou throw a dinner party to celebrate Katou's release from the hospital.
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, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22, Part 23
***
"I don't think I've ever seen anyone, man or woman, cry so prettily before," an amused Kenzaki said as he and Yoshizumi watched Onozuka and Kikuchi's press conference. He paused, then asked, "He is faking it, right? I'd feel like a heel if I were making fun of him crying for real."
"Onozuka-kun is the only one who knows for sure what's going on inside his head," Yoshizumi replied. "But in my opinion, he would never flaunt his real emotions in public like that, so yes, I do believe that he's faking it." He gave Kenzaki a quizzical look and smiled. "It's pretty impressive that you can see through the Prince so easily. Katou-kun knows better, of course, but he's been Onozuka-kun's friend for a long time, and you've only met him once."
Kenzaki shrugged modestly and replied, "Well, you've already told me stories about how devious he is. And as a host, I've become sort of an expert on deception, so I'm good at recognizing it in others." He grinned and added, "Besides, no one could possibly be as perfect as the Prince seems!"
"Well, his fans seem to believe in the illusion," Yoshizumi said, shaking his head, presumably at the fans' gullibility. "I guess it's the same way that your customers choose to believe in the illusion that you and your hosts provide."
Kenzaki nodded in agreement. "Yes, and it's usually better if it remains only an illusion. If a host actually started dating a customer, eventually his little flaws and imperfections would become visible to her."
"Sometimes it's a person's imperfections that make them most appealing," Yoshizumi said, smiling at Kenzaki warmly.
"Hey, are you calling me less than perfect?" Kenzaki growled, trying to sound offended, but he couldn't stop himself from grinning at Yoshizumi like an idiot. Yoshizumi smiled back at him indulgently, and Kenzaki blushed before he managed to get himself back under control. "Anyway," he continued hastily, "you're right that in a real relationship you have to accept, even appreciate your partner's flaws. But customers come to us for the fantasy of the perfect, understanding, romantic, and considerate boyfriend, and once the host loses his perfect luster, the customer might well lose interest in him. Not to mention the trouble it will cause if his other clients find out that he's sleeping with one of them. The jealousy and fighting will disrupt the harmony at the club, but most of all, it ruins the fantasy each customer has that she is the one who is most special to the host."
"Is it all right that we're sleeping together, then?" Yoshizumi asked in a lighthearted voice, but his eyes looked a little worried.
"I never considered you a customer, Yoshizumi-san," Kenzaki assured him. "I know that you stop by the club from time to time out of courtesy, but I've always considered you a friend first and foremost."
"I'm glad," Yoshizumi said quietly, smiling at Kenzaki tenderly.
They continued watching the press conference, and Kenzaki was amused by the display of affection that Kikuchi and Onozuka put on, although Yoshizumi muttered, "This is so nauseating" when the pair stared adoringly into each other's eyes for the umpteenth time.
"I think it's kind of cute," Kenzaki said, and Yoshizumi began to look alarmed. "Don't worry," Kenzaki laughed, patting his arm reassuringly. "I wouldn't want or expect you to act that way."
"Thank goodness!" Yoshizumi breathed in a fervent sigh of relief.
"Onozuka really would make a good host, though," Kenzaki chuckled, and Yoshizumi frowned at him. Kenzaki was bewildered for a moment, until he realized that Yoshizumi was jealous, and it secretly tickled him that the utterly unsentimental and unromantic Yoshizumi cared about him enough to act irrationally. He grinned and kissed Yoshizumi soundly, with enough enthusiasm to leave them both gasping for breath.
"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?" Yoshizumi asked, blinking in confusion.
"Just because I can," Kenzaki declared, grinning again, and Yoshizumi laughed, still looking a little puzzled, but not displeased.
They turned their attention back to the television screen, and Kenzaki watched with increasing amusement as Onozuka talked about filming romantic scenes on the beach, while Yoshizumi looked increasingly pained. Kenzaki burst into outright laughter when Onozuka started talking earnestly about how it had never occurred to him before that he could fall in love with a man, because Onozuka's attraction to men had been quite evident at the host club. It wasn't that Kenzaki believed Onozuka had actually wanted to sleep with him--or Kei and Akira, for that matter--but he had gazed at all three of them with an appreciative eye, and he had clearly enjoyed the flirtation even if he didn't want to carry it any further than that.
Then it suddenly occurred to Kenzaki that Onozuka hadn't looked at Yoshizumi the same way, even though Yoshizumi was as handsome as any of the hosts at the Rusty Nail. Maybe it was because Onozuka had wanted to keep his relationship with his coworker strictly professional, but if that were the case, he wouldn't have been crashing on Yoshizumi's couch and getting on Yoshizumi's nerves with his mischievous teasing. Kenzaki decided that there was more of a brotherly vibe between the two men, which suited him just fine, because he didn't care to have the Prince competing with him over Yoshizumi's affections.
"I can't take this anymore!" Yoshizumi groaned out loud, startling Kenzaki out of his musings. "Please, someone turn it off before I get sick!" He pressed his hand to his mouth, as if he really was about to throw up.
"I guess we don't need to keep watching," Kenzaki laughed as he switched off the TV. "I'm sure those two will be just fine, and that the fans will be praising their loving relationship before long."
"Ah, thank you," Yoshizumi sighed, collapsing dramatically on the couch. "I really thought that I was going to vomit at that nauseating display of devotion!"
"Well, we can't have that, can we?" Kenzaki chuckled, leaning over to kiss Yoshizumi. "I'd never get the stain out of the couch, for starters."
Yoshizumi burst into laughter, saying, "Kenzaki-kun, you are a very welcome breath of fresh air compared to all the nauseating couples I'm surrounded by!"
Kenzaki just smiled, feeling pleased and relieved that becoming a couple hadn't changed things between them--or rather, it had changed things for the better, while still keeping the camaraderie and good humor that had been the basis of their friendship. Yes, he wanted Yoshizumi as a lover, but he also wanted Yoshizumi to remain his friend, because that was the Yoshizumi that he'd fallen in love with. He wanted Yoshizumi to feel at ease with him, and as long as he knew that Yoshizumi cared about him, he didn't need any extravagant declarations of devotion. In fact, if Yoshizumi had stared at him with doe eyes and said things like, "There is no one else in the world that I want other than you," Kenzaki would have said, "Who are you, and what have you done with the real Yoshizumi?"
Thinking about Yoshizumi and what make him tick suddenly reminded Kenzaki of the gift he had bought and then promptly forgotten about in the aftermath of their date-gone-wrong and Katou's shooting.
"Where are you going?" Yoshizumi asked as Kenzaki jumped up off the couch.
Kenzaki quickly returned with a small box, saying, "Here, this is for you."
"A gift?" Yoshizumi asked with a puzzled smile. "It's not Christmas or my birthday..."
"It's sort of a thank-you for the Shisa," Kenzaki replied.
"I appreciate the thought, but that really wasn't necessary," Yoshizumi tried to argue politely.
"And besides, it reminded me of you," Kenzaki said firmly.
"Oh?" Yoshizumi asked, looking intrigued. "Now I really must see what this is!"
Kenzaki suddenly felt anxious; what if Yoshizumi felt insulted by being compared to a lopsided, chipped tea bowl? But it was too late to take the gift back now, and his fears were soon put to rest when Yoshizumi smiled with delight as he lifted the bowl out of the box.
"A tea bowl!" Yoshizumi exclaimed with what sounded like genuine pleasure.
"I know it's chipped," Kenzaki said apologetically. "But it looked so distinctive, compared to the others. It may sound a little silly to say this, but...well, I felt like it had character."
"Yes, I completely agree," Yoshizumi said, turning the bowl in his hands as he examined it. "You have a good eye, Kenzaki-kun--the imperfections are what give it character."
"Like with people?" Kenzaki asked with a relieved grin.
"Yes, like people," Yoshizumi agreed with a twinkle in his eyes. "I'm no expert, but this looks old and well-made. And I like the chip." He gently ran his fingers along the rim of the bowl. "It shows that it was put to good use and didn't just sit on a shelf collecting dust and looking pretty."
"I'm glad that you like it," Kenzaki replied, pleased that his instincts had been right, after all.
"And I have the perfect return gift for it at home!" Yoshizumi declared happily. "A little fish netsuke that I picked up in Nishiki Market. It's not a real antique, but it completely charmed me, and I've been waiting for a good occasion to give it to you."
Kenzaki laughed and shook his head. "At this rate, we'll never stop giving gifts to each other!"
"Is that really so bad?" Yoshizumi asked, smiling at him tenderly.
"No," Kenzaki said quietly as he reached over to take Yoshizumi's hand in his. "It's not bad at all."
***
After their argument on the day of the press conference, Onozuka seemed to have resigned himself to moving in together. If he wasn't exactly thrilled about it, at least he'd stopped his sulking, and even seemed to be keeping a mostly positive attitude as they started planning and coordinating the move.
Kikuchi had been worried that the forced move would drive them apart, so he was relieved that he and Onozuka had tentatively worked things out. But although he wanted to live with Onozuka, he couldn't be entirely happy about the fact that Onozuka was only doing it because he had no choice.
As they had promised at the first press conference, they continued to give interviews--many interviews--in the following days. This didn't completely shield Onozuka's family, but when Nakata Kouhei refused to give any statements beyond a terse, "Yuu is an adult and can make his own decisions," most of the paparazzi found it more productive and profitable to talk to the actors themselves rather than have nothing to report other than silence or a "no comment." Kikuchi's family was also subjected to some unwanted publicity, though much less than the more wealthy and famous Nakata family. His parents and brother handled it gracefully enough, politely saying that they liked Onozuka and that they hoped he and Kikuchi would be happy together.
In spite of his good intentions, Onozuka tended to be a little moody after those grueling rounds of interviews, but Kikuchi much preferred a sincerely grouchy Onozuka to the falsely adoring lover that Onozuka played for the sake of the media. He couldn't really complain, because he was the one who had suggested that Onozuka treat it like a movie role, but it disturbed him to see Onozuka smiling at him adoringly and professing his love when he knew that Onozuka didn't really mean it. He believed--or at least he hoped--that Onozuka loved him, but he knew that the way Onozuka said it so readily for the reporters was a lie. Kikuchi hoped that someday Onozuka would say those words to him and really mean it, but in the meantime, he tried to be patient and not push for more than Onozuka was ready to give at the moment.
If their personal life was a bit complicated, at least their professional lives were running smoothly in comparison. Onozuka had lost a few fans who couldn't handle the idea of a gay prince, but the majority of them remained supportive, and once they'd gotten over the shock, were vehemently defending the Prince's right to love whomever he chose, even if that person was a man. Kikuchi's popularity had even increased due to the enthusiasm of the Golden Prince's fans, who had decided to view him as Onozuka's devoted protector. Kojima was smugly pleased that her plan had worked out so well, and she was so uncharacteristically cheerful these days that it was a little scary.
Ironically, the celebrated lovers Iwaki and Katou were having a much harder time of things. At first, the press had praised Katou as a hero for risking his life to save his lover, but now Iwaki was being blamed for provoking the attack in the first place, by stealing InterPro away from the Nojima family.
"It was bad enough that your own husband, Katou-san, was hurt in the attack," a reporter accused Iwaki at a press conference. "But what if other innocent victims had been caught in the crossfire?" Iwaki looked stricken by the question, which unfortunately only made him look guilty in the media's eyes.
"He's not really thinking about the hypothetical innocents," Onozuka told Kikuchi as they watched the news broadcast. "Of course he'd have felt bad if someone else had gotten hurt, but right now I can tell that all he's thinking is 'What if Katou had died? I could never live with myself!'"
Kikuchi should have taken pleasure in seeing his hated rival put in the hot seat, but oddly enough, he felt a little sorry for Iwaki, maybe because he couldn't help thinking about how he would feel if anything happened to Onozuka. "I don't get it," Kikuchi said. "I don't know all the details about what went on at InterPro, but Kojima told me that the ex-president had a bad reputation, and that he'd been reprimanded by his father in the past for making shady deals. I'm sure that if Iwaki explained why he took over the company, the public would quickly take his side. Why is he keeping quiet when it only makes him look bad?"
"Because he always has to be noble and selfless," Onozuka replied disgustedly. "Katou told him the same thing that you said, but apparently he doesn't want to shame President Nojima--the old president, that is--any more than he already has been by his drug arrest and the arrest of his son. Although if you ask me, there isn't much family honor left to preserve!"
However, it turned out that the elder Nojima did still have some honor left, because the next day, he issued a statement through his lawyer explaining how his son had gotten him addicted to drugs, and praising Iwaki for protecting the company. Another surprise was that Asano, acting as a spokesperson for all the actors at InterPro, almost simultaneously sent out a statement in support of Iwaki, vaguely alluding to the "unreasonable management" of the young ex-president and thanking Iwaki for protecting them.
"And now that little snake looks noble, too!" Onozuka exclaimed, throwing up his hands in disgust. "The timing's a little too perfect--I wonder if he knew in advance about Nojima's statement?"
"I don't know, but it clearly had the intended effect," Kikuchi replied. "But you'd better watch your step around Asano--if he really had the resources to get the information ahead of time and plan this out in advance, he's going to make a formidable enemy."
"He'd better watch out for me," Onozuka snarled, glowering at the TV screen. "I haven't forgiven him for exposing my family to the press, and he won't always have Yoshizumi around to protect him!"
"Asano's an idiot if he doesn't fear you," Kikuchi said, impressed and secretly a little turned on by his lover's passionate ferocity. He took Onozuka's hand and lifted it to his lips.
"Are you making fun of me?" Onozuka asked suspiciously.
"I meant what I said," Kikuchi replied with complete sincerity. "And I hereby resolve not to make you angry at me again!"
Onozuka laughed, his bad mood suddenly dissipating. "Oh, I'm sure you'll make me angry sometime in the future," he said with a grin, wrapping his arms around Kikuchi. "I don't think that you can help yourself. Just don't ever lie to me or go behind my back again, and I'll be able to forgive you."
"I won't," Kikuchi promised solemnly.
"Oh, and one more thing," Onozuka said, that fierce look returning to his face as he glared at Kikuchi warningly. "You convinced me against my better judgment that we should get serious, so you've got to accept responsibility for that. You said that you wanted us to be together, and you had better mean it, because I promise that I'll kill you if you ever cheat on me--slowly and painfully."
If Kikuchi were the type to play around, he would have been seriously frightened by that threat because he was quite sure that Onozuka wasn't joking in the slightest, but fortunately, he didn't want anyone but his prince. And in a way, Onozuka's threat reassured him, because it proved that he really did care about Kikuchi.
"Yuu," Kikuchi said fervently as he returned Onozuka's embrace, "if I were ever stupid enough to cheat on you, I would deserve to be killed."
"As long as that's clear," Onozuka said, looking mollified, and he kissed Kikuchi.
***
After Katou was released from the hospital, he and Iwaki decided to have their much-delayed dinner party to celebrate his return home. Katou had originally planned to do the cooking, but the doctor had given him strict orders to take it easy and not over-exert himself--orders that Iwaki was strictly enforcing. So although Katou protested that cooking wasn't very tiring at all, the dinner turned into a casual potluck.
Kikuchi didn't mind. He liked cooking, and it gave him a chance to show off for Onozuka, so he whipped up a batch of smoked salmon and basil pasta, using the recipe that Okumura had given him. It was fairly simple to prepare, but it looked impressive, and he had to admit that he preened a bit when Onozuka murmured, "I love watching you cook."
"If you keep talking like that, we aren't going to make it to the party," Kikuchi warned, only half-jokingly.
"Well, we can't have that," Onozuka said with a grin, backing off slightly and assuming a less seductive demeanor.
"Aw, Yuu..." Kikuchi wheedled.
"The party is to celebrate Katou surviving being shot," Onozuka said firmly. "You can sacrifice one evening for him." He added impishly, "Besides, you promised the press that you would get along with Katou for my sake."
"Oh, very well," Kikuchi gave in with a sigh. He hadn't really expected Onozuka to skip the party, and although he'd partly been putting on an act for the media, he knew that he would have to get along with Katou in the future. However little he liked it, Katou was someone that Onozuka cared about, and if he was going to be a part of Onozuka's life, Kikuchi had to accept that Katou--along with Iwaki and Miyasaka--were a part of it as well.
He and Onozuka were the first guests to arrive, greeted by Iwaki with a warm smile and by Katou with an only slightly grudging, "Come on in."
Onozuka immediately began teasing Katou that he must be enjoying his recuperation because he had Iwaki-san to play nursemaid. Katou retorted that Onozuka was an idiot, and the two started bickering in their usual playful manner, making Kikuchi a little jealous of their easy camaraderie.
Iwaki accepted the bowl of pasta and gave him a sympathetic look, as if he'd guessed what Kikuchi was thinking, but all he said was, "I'll put this on the dining table. Would you like something to drink, Kikuchi-san?"
Miyasaka arrived a short time later, bearing a tray of sushi, and promptly started trading joking insults with Katou and Onozuka while Iwaki watched with patient indulgence. Kikuchi wondered if he ever got jealous of Katou's friendships, but if he did, he didn't show any visible signs of it. Then again, with the way that Katou was so possessively protective of Iwaki, there was little reason for Iwaki to feel insecure about Katou's affections.
Yoshizumi was the last to arrive, and no one noticed or cared what type of food he brought because they were much more curious about his companion: a sleekly handsome dark-haired man who resembled a young Iwaki.
"Kenzaki-san!" Onozuka exclaimed delightedly. "I didn't know that you'd be here tonight!"
"The two of you know each other?" Kikuchi asked, a bit more sharply than he'd intended.
Onozuka grinned at him mischievously and replied casually, "Oh yes, Yoshizumi-san introduced us while I was staying at his place."
"Ah, please forgive me," Yoshizumi hastily intervened. "This is my good friend, Kenzaki Toshiya."
He began introducing Kenzaki to the others, but Katou suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! I remember you--you're one of the idiot hosts from that TV show!" Kenzaki winced and sighed, a pained look on his face.
"Katou!" Iwaki snapped, giving his lover a sharp rap on the head with his fist.
"Ow!" Katou whined, giving Iwaki a plaintive, puppy-dog look. "Iwaki-san, how can you hit an injured man?"
"Your head isn't injured, although sometimes I think there's something wrong with your brain!" Iwaki retorted. "How can you be so rude to our guest?!"
"I was just surprised, that's all," Katou said defensively. "Yoshizumi-san could have warned us ahead of time," he added, giving his friend an accusing look.
"Sorry, I'd forgotten all about that show," Yoshizumi said sheepishly.
"I'd like to forget about it," Kenzaki muttered, not quite under his breath, but he managed a good-natured smile and told Katou, "That's all in the past, so why don't we just consider it water under the bridge?"
"Sounds good to me," Katou said with relief, holding out his hand.
As Kenzaki shook his hand, Onozuka's recognition of Yoshizumi's friend combined with Katou's references to hosts clicked together in Kikuchi's mind, and he blurted out in an accusing voice, "You're the guy who runs the host club!"
"Forgive me, Kenzaki-kun," Yoshizumi groaned, burying his face in his hands. "This is a complete disaster!"
"Not quite as bad as that game show," Kenzaki said with a wry smile, patting him on the back consolingly.
"There's no need for you to be jealous, Katsuya," Onozuka assured Kikuchi with an impish smile, slipping an arm around his waist. "Because Kenzaki-san is seeing Yoshizumi-san." He smiled slyly at the pair and asked, "Am I right?"
To Kikuchi's amazement, Yoshizumi actually blushed, and a smile of pure joy spread across Kenzaki's face. The young host was clearly head over heels in love with Yoshizumi, and Kikuchi found his jealousy easing enough to tease his colleague.
"I thought you said that you were allergic to romance, Yoshizumi-kun!"
"Yes, well...only when it involves nauseating sentimentality and irrational jealousy," Yoshizumi defended himself. "I mistakenly thought all romance was like that, but Kenzaki-kun reminded me that it doesn't have to be." He smiled fondly at his date and added, "Besides, Kenzaki-kun is not the jealous type and he's not at all nauseating, so we suit each other well."
Things settled down after that, and Yoshizumi was able finish the introductions without mishap this time. He also revealed his contribution to tonight's dinner: "I brought dessert," he announced cheerfully, presenting his hosts with a large pastry box labeled "Antique."
Katou opened it to take a peek inside, revealing an assortment of exquisite little cakes that would be delicious if they tasted even half as good as they looked. "Wow, these look great, Yoshizumi-san!"
"It's my cousin's latest business venture," Yoshizumi replied with a slightly cynical air. "He tends to jump from one career to another, so who knows how long this one will last? But his pastry chef really is a genius, so enjoy these while you can."
Katou started to reach for a cake, but Iwaki slapped his hand aside and took the box from him. "I'll put these aside for later," Iwaki said firmly. "You wouldn't want to ruin your appetite. Everyone's here, so why don't we start dinner?"
Iwaki had prepared a salad as his contribution to the dinner, and brought out a bottle of sparkling cider, explaining that Katou wasn't allowed to mix alcohol with the medication that his doctors had prescribed.
"Although he barely touches the painkillers," Iwaki added, looking a little worried. "He's so stubborn that he insists he doesn't need them and would rather endure the pain."
"I don't like them," Katou argued. "They make me feel groggy and muddled; I'd rather have a little pain and keep my mind clear. It doesn't hurt that much, and besides, it's bad to overuse painkillers."
"Don't worry," Onozuka said, winking at Iwaki. "Katou will take good care of his body because I'm sure that he's eager to resume his...ah...bedroom responsibilities with his beloved Iwaki-san!"
Iwaki blushed and Katou growled, "Idiot!" as he reached out to smack Onozuka on the head. Miyasaka laughed as Onozuka grinned and ducked to evade the blow.
"Stop roughhousing!" Iwaki scolded Katou. "And you two, don't encourage him! He's supposed to be taking it easy!"
"He certainly seems to have plenty of energy," Kenzaki observed with a smile. "Perhaps you could consider that a good sign, Iwaki-san."
Yoshizumi chuckled and picked up his glass of cider, then suggested, "Shall we say a toast to Katou-kun's recovery, then?"
So they all raised their glasses in salute, and Kikuchi smiled wryly, thinking to himself that he had never imagined himself drinking a toast to his rival's health. Katou gave him an equally wry look in return that indicated he was thinking the exact same thing.
"We should also congratulate Iwaki-kun on his Academy Award," Yoshizumi said innocently enough, although there was a glint of humor in his eyes as he cast a sidelong glance at Kikuchi. "You're in quite illustrious company now, Iwaki-kun!"
"Indeed!" Kenzaki laughed pleasantly. "It's an incredible honor to be sitting here at the same table with two Academy Award winners!"
"I'm honored to be mentioned in the same breath as Kikuchi-san," Iwaki said modestly, while Katou looked as though he begged to differ. "Although of course I don't compare myself to him because I know that I still have a long way to go in my career."
"Is that a roundabout way of saying that Katsuya is old?" Onozuka teased.
"Of course not!" Iwaki immediately protested, looking mortified. "Please, Onozuka-kun, don't go stirring up trouble where none is intended!"
"Stirring up trouble is your favorite pastime, isn't it, your Highness?" Kikuchi laughed, ruffling Onozuka's hair fondly, and Onozuka gave him an innocently bewildered "Who, me?" look in response.
Everyone laughed and they said another toast to Iwaki, and Katou congratulated his lover heartily and with all apparent sincerity, showing not even the slightest hint of disappointment or jealousy that he had been passed over for the award he had also been nominated for. Kikuchi supposed that Katou was so enamored with Iwaki that he didn't mind losing to his lover, and that made Kikuchi wonder how he would feel if he and Onozuka were up for the same award. It wasn't quite the same situation, of course--Kikuchi already had a Best Actor Award, and so had nothing to prove. He still had a competitive streak and would want to win in any contest, but at the same time, he would also be happy to see Onozuka win an award of his own. So he decided if that ever happened, he would be able to concede defeat gracefully--as long as it was to Onozuka. Being beaten by a puppy like Katou would be a completely different story!
Kikuchi sipped his cider and gazed across the dinner table at the happy couple, thinking that it was an impressive feat that they'd both managed to get nominated for Best Actor, and in the same movie, no less. Perhaps he'd been getting a little complacent and it was time to up his game--it really would be humiliating to lose to those two one day! And damn it, that meant he really was going to have to watch "Winter Cicadas" so that he could see if their acting really was that good or if the Academy had been swayed by the glamor of their idealized gay romance. As much as he would like to believe it was the latter, Katou and Iwaki had both received almost universally rave reviews from both American and Japanese critics, so in all likelihood, they probably were really that good.
They began eating dinner, and everyone complimented Kikuchi on the pasta--even Miyasaka said, a bit reluctantly, that it was delicious. Everyone, that is, except for Katou, who stubbornly stuck to the salad and sushi, pointedly avoiding Kikuchi's pasta. Kikuchi was amused rather than offended, but Iwaki gave his lover a stern look and said, "Katou, don't be so childish. Here, try some of the pasta--it's really delicious."
He placed some pasta on Katou's plate, but Katou just glared down at the food mulishly. "I don't want to eat anything that man made," he said, making the words "that man" sound like an insult, and Iwaki sighed wearily.
"But Katou, didn't you promise that you'd get along with Katsuya for my sake?" Onozuka asked sweetly.
"I never promised that I'd eat his food," Katou growled, looking embarrassed and annoyed with his friend. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm doing him a big favor just by allowing him in my house."
"Our house," Iwaki reminded him sternly, then impatiently ordered, "Just eat it already!"
Katou immediately shoved a forkful of pasta into his mouth, while Onozuka snorted with repressed laughter and Miyasaka openly snickered. Kikuchi only managed to hold back his own laughter by muttering under his breath in English about henpecked husbands, and when Katou gave him a murderous glare he belatedly remembered that Katou had spent a considerable amount of time in the U.S. prior to the premiere of "Winter Cicadas," and must have picked up at least some English.
"How do you like the food, Katou?" Onozuka asked. He'd managed to get himself under control and was now smiling at Katou angelically.
"It's not bad," Katou said grudgingly.
"That means he really does like it," Onozuka informed Kikuchi with a grin. "If he thought it was bad, he would just say so."
"Oh, shut up," Katou growled, and Onozuka smirked.
"What, you can't come up with a snappier comeback than that?"
"Both of you, settle down and behave yourselves!" Iwaki ordered, sounding so much like a mother scolding her children that Kikuchi couldn't help bursting into laughter. Iwaki sighed again and shook his head helplessly, turning to Kenzaki and apologizing, "I'm so sorry that you have to be subjected to this, Kenzaki-san."
"Not at all," Kenzaki laughed. "While I certainly can't compare myself to all of you in terms of talent, I do earn my living by playing a role for my customers, in a sense. So I know what it's like to want to cut loose and relax during your time off."
"Maybe you need to relax and cut loose a bit yourself, Iwaki-kun," Kikuchi joked, although he couldn't really picture the uptight Iwaki goofing around like Katou and Onozuka.
The skeptical look on Onozuka's face said that he agreed, while Yoshizumi chuckled, "Now that would be an interesting sight!"
Iwaki glanced over at Katou and replied dryly, "I think that one of us acting like an idiot is quite enough, thank you very much."
Onozuka and Miyasaka burst into laughter while Katou protested, "I am not an idiot!" Iwaki sighed heavily in response, then gave in and smiled at the trio with a look of slightly resigned amusement. Kikuchi felt a touch of that old, familiar jealousy at how well the three friends got along, but at the same time, it did make him smile to see how happy and carefree Onozuka looked after all the tension they'd been under lately. He just wished, a bit wistfully, that he'd been the one to make Onozuka look that way.
Then Onozuka turned to grin at Kikuchi, his eyes sparkling with merriment, and that brief moment of melancholy faded. Kikuchi grinned back at Onozuka, then twirled some pasta around his fork, lifted it to his lover's mouth, and said, "Say 'ah'!"
"Ahhh!" Onozuka cheerfully obliged, opening his mouth wide and then closing it around the fork.
Katou and Miyasaka stared at him with identical expressions of slack-jawed shock, while Iwaki and Kenzaki merely looked amused. Yoshizumi, however, looked a little green around the gills, and he groaned, "Please, I'm begging you--don't do such nauseating things at the dinner table or I will completely lose my appetite!"
At that point, everyone else at the table--including Iwaki--burst into laughter. Yoshizumi continued to look appalled for a few moments more, then he laughed too but added, "But seriously, please try to restrain yourselves. I want to be able to enjoy this wonderful dinner you made, Kikuchi-san."
"Well, since you're complimenting my cooking, I guess I'll oblige you, Yoshizumi-kun," Kikuchi said with a grin.
"But I like being spoiled by Kikuchi-san," Onozuka pretended to pout.
"Please, Onozuka-kun!" Yoshizumi begged. "I really can't take much more of this--you two are getting to be as bad as Iwaki-kun and Katou-kun!"
"Don't compare me to that dirty old man!" Katou shouted indignantly, just as Kikuchi was protesting, "Don't compare me to that puppy!" And this time, Yoshizumi joined the others when they burst into laughter. Kikuchi laughed too, since he'd mostly been needling Katou rather than being genuinely offended. Katou glared at him a little longer, but proved himself to be a good sport when he raised his glass and said with a wry smile, "Truce, old man?"
"Truce...puppy," Kikuchi agreed, clinking his glass against Katou's as Iwaki gazed at them approvingly.
"You're so sweet, Katsuya, calling a truce for my sake," Onozuka crooned, staring up at Kikuchi adoringly.
"Onozuka-kun, please!" Yoshizumi begged desperately.
"Let's take pity on poor Yoshizumi-kun before he throws up at the dinner table and ruins everyone's appetite," Kikuchi laughed.
Onozuka pouted one last time, then reverted to his normal behavior, much to Yoshizumi's relief. Iwaki attempted to steer the conversation to safer ground by politely asking, "So what are your plans now that filming is over, Yoshizumi-san? Will you be going back to Kyoto?"
Despite all his complaints about public displays of affection, Yoshizumi exchanged a tender look with Kenzaki, then replied, "Actually, I've made enough money on this film that I can afford to take some time off before I start looking for work again. So I thought I'd take a vacation and spend some time with Kenzaki-kun, and...well, try to figure out how we're going to make a long-distance relationship work, or if I'll try to audition for more jobs in Tokyo."
"I told you, I'm fine with things either way," Kenzaki said serenely. "Kyoto is close enough to visit often, and I know that many of your period dramas are filmed out there."
"If you decide to stay in Tokyo, will that mean you'll try out for more modern dramas?" Katou asked curiously.
"It's slightly outside of my comfort zone, but it might be good to challenge myself," Yoshizumi replied. "Actually, there is a possibility that I will take on a job here--the producers of 'The Kings of Ginza' asked if I'd be interested in doing a sequel." He hastily added, "Nothing's certain yet, and it's still in the planning stages. The network is still deciding whether to finance it or not, so even if it does get approved, it will take awhile for the script to be finished and the director and cast to be chosen. I don't want to pin my hopes on it, but the premise does sound interesting: my character has retired to manage his own club, and begins training a young host to become the next King of Ginza. And of course, the original series is special to me because that was how Kenzaki-kun and I met."
"Why Yoshizumi-san, that was a rather sentimental thing to say!" Onozuka teased.
"Oh no, it's contagious!" Yoshizumi cried in horror as everyone began laughing again.
"You know, this would be a great opportunity to go to the Rusty Nail for research!" Onozuka exclaimed, his eyes lighting up gleefully. He turned to Miyasaka and said, "Even if the press finds out, it won't be a scandal, because we could say that we're interested in auditioning for the show."
"What do you mean, 'we'?" Miyasaka demanded. "You want me to go to a host club with you?"
"Sure, why not?" Onozuka replied breezily. "It'll be fun!"
"I don't know..." Miyasaka said uneasily.
"What's the big deal?" Onozuka asked. "You've been to hostess clubs before--it's the same thing, only with men instead of women."
"Yeah, but I'm not really..." Miyasaka started to protest, but he blushed and his voice trailed off as he glanced at Kikuchi and Iwaki.
"Not really into men?" Kikuchi muttered sarcastically under his breath as Miyasaka glared at him.
"Yeah, well, you can't tell me that you're thrilled about the idea of your Prince going to a host club," Miyasaka retorted.
His young rival had struck a nerve, and Kikuchi glared back at Miyasaka while Onozuka looked rather thrilled to be fought over. "You're so cute when you're jealous, Katsuya," he said sweetly.
"Perhaps it would be safer for my health if you stayed at home, Onozuka-kun," Yoshizumi said, glancing slyly at Kikuchi. "After all, the last time you went to Rusty Nail, Kikuchi-san nearly punched me out over it."
"Really?" Onozuka asked delightedly.
"He did?" Kenzaki asked, his smooth charm disappearing as he glared at Kikuchi with a fierce protectiveness that looked remarkably like Katou's when Iwaki was threatened.
"He's exaggerating," Kikuchi said gruffly.
"Don't worry, Kenzaki-kun, nothing happened," Yoshizumi assured his lover, patting Kenzaki's arm soothingly. "Although I was a bit alarmed when Kikuchi-san stormed into my dressing room and grabbed me by the front of my shirt, demanding to know why I'd taken Onozuka-kun to a host club."
Kenzaki's glare intensified and Onozuka looked even more pleased, while Kikuchi groaned in embarrassment. And Katou, damn him, looked vastly amused by the whole situation. "You are not helping things, Yoshizumi-kun!" he complained. "And I wasn't jealous," Kikuchi told Onozuka, trying without much success to salvage the tattered shreds of his dignity. "I was just concerned about protecting your reputation."
"My knight in shining armor," Onozuka cooed, leaning over to plant a kiss on his cheek.
"Please, Onozuka-kun--" Yoshizumi began to protest.
"Must you be so nauseating?" Onozuka and Katou finished in chorus, and everyone laughed. Even Kenzaki relaxed and smiled slightly.
"He didn't actually hit you?" Kenzaki asked, still regarding Kikuchi with a bit of suspicion.
"No, once I explained that Onozuka-kun's reputation--and his virtue--were never in any danger, he calmed down," Yoshizumi said placatingly, patting Kenzaki's arm again.
Kenzaki relaxed fully and regained his composure. "It's not uncommon for husbands and boyfriends to get jealous of their wives or girlfriends going to host clubs, but really, it's just harmless entertainment. Perhaps you should come along with Onozuka-san and see for yourself, Kikuchi-san."
Onozuka suddenly frowned in consternation and Kikuchi grinned. "Perhaps I should, since Yuu thinks so highly of your establishment," he agreed pleasantly. "What's wrong?" Kikuchi teased, running his hand through his lover's hair as Onozuka pouted at him. "You were willing to take Miyasaka-kun there, but you don't want to bring me? Surely you don't have anything to hide, your Highness?"
Onozuka shook off Kikuchi's hand and made a show of smoothing down his hair. "Of course not," he replied with icy sweetness. "You're quite welcome to come along with me and Miya-chan."
"I haven't said that I'm going yet!" Miyasaka pointed out, but Kikuchi and Onozuka both ignored him.
"Just remember what I told you before about cheating on me," Onozuka whispered into Kikuchi's ear, and the threat in those words was very clear despite the soft tone of his voice.
"I value my life," Kikuchi replied sincerely. "Besides," he added, lifting Onozuka's hand to his mouth, "I have eyes only for you, my Prince."
"Shameless flatterer," Onozuka accused, but he looked placated. Yoshizumi sighed wearily and didn't even bother to protest their nauseousness this time.
After they had finished dinner, everyone was too full to eat dessert immediately, so Iwaki offered to give Yoshizumi and Kenzaki a tour of the house. "It's your first time here, after all," he said.
"I was here once, but I didn't get a tour," Kikuchi laughed.
"Why would we want you snooping around our place?" Katou retorted, but subsided when Iwaki scolded him sternly.
"Today he's a guest, Katou! And besides..."
"I know, I know, we have to get along for Onozuka's sake," Katou said resignedly, glowering sullenly at his friend while Onozuka beamed at him innocently.
Part 25
***
Afterword: Yes, the references to Yoshizumi's cousin Tachibana and his bakery are a nod to the Antique Bakery manga--and it's all Bronze Ribbons' fault! ~_^ We got into a lengthy meta discussion in the comments of her Yoshizumi/Kenzaki Flattered and Insulted fic, and she brought up the possibility of Yoshizumi being related to Tachibana in this thread. And of course, once I read that, my brain started being attacked by Haru/Antique Bakery crossover bunnies! (I have to admit, Yoshizumi's aversion to romance makes perfect sense if he's related to the romantically dysfunctional Tachibana, not to mention all the drama that goes on at the bakery with the "demonic gay" baker Ono who is irresistible to both gay and straight man, with the exception of Tachibana.)
There's no actual crossover here, but I couldn't resist throwing in the reference to lay the groundwork for future plot bunnies. Ribbons casually mentioned the possibility of a Kenzaki nephew further down the thread, and now the latest plot bunny involves Kenzaki's rebellious teenage nephew running away from home to crash at his uncle's place. Uncle Kenzaki is none too pleased with the intrusion, and Yoshizumi suggests putting the nephew to work at the bakery in order to teach him some responsibility.
*sighs and adds to the ever-growing pile of bunnies*
And of course the reference to the fish netsuke in the first scene once again comes from Bronze Ribbons' Present Understanding.
"I don't think I've ever seen anyone, man or woman, cry so prettily before," an amused Kenzaki said as he and Yoshizumi watched Onozuka and Kikuchi's press conference. He paused, then asked, "He is faking it, right? I'd feel like a heel if I were making fun of him crying for real."
"Onozuka-kun is the only one who knows for sure what's going on inside his head," Yoshizumi replied. "But in my opinion, he would never flaunt his real emotions in public like that, so yes, I do believe that he's faking it." He gave Kenzaki a quizzical look and smiled. "It's pretty impressive that you can see through the Prince so easily. Katou-kun knows better, of course, but he's been Onozuka-kun's friend for a long time, and you've only met him once."
Kenzaki shrugged modestly and replied, "Well, you've already told me stories about how devious he is. And as a host, I've become sort of an expert on deception, so I'm good at recognizing it in others." He grinned and added, "Besides, no one could possibly be as perfect as the Prince seems!"
"Well, his fans seem to believe in the illusion," Yoshizumi said, shaking his head, presumably at the fans' gullibility. "I guess it's the same way that your customers choose to believe in the illusion that you and your hosts provide."
Kenzaki nodded in agreement. "Yes, and it's usually better if it remains only an illusion. If a host actually started dating a customer, eventually his little flaws and imperfections would become visible to her."
"Sometimes it's a person's imperfections that make them most appealing," Yoshizumi said, smiling at Kenzaki warmly.
"Hey, are you calling me less than perfect?" Kenzaki growled, trying to sound offended, but he couldn't stop himself from grinning at Yoshizumi like an idiot. Yoshizumi smiled back at him indulgently, and Kenzaki blushed before he managed to get himself back under control. "Anyway," he continued hastily, "you're right that in a real relationship you have to accept, even appreciate your partner's flaws. But customers come to us for the fantasy of the perfect, understanding, romantic, and considerate boyfriend, and once the host loses his perfect luster, the customer might well lose interest in him. Not to mention the trouble it will cause if his other clients find out that he's sleeping with one of them. The jealousy and fighting will disrupt the harmony at the club, but most of all, it ruins the fantasy each customer has that she is the one who is most special to the host."
"Is it all right that we're sleeping together, then?" Yoshizumi asked in a lighthearted voice, but his eyes looked a little worried.
"I never considered you a customer, Yoshizumi-san," Kenzaki assured him. "I know that you stop by the club from time to time out of courtesy, but I've always considered you a friend first and foremost."
"I'm glad," Yoshizumi said quietly, smiling at Kenzaki tenderly.
They continued watching the press conference, and Kenzaki was amused by the display of affection that Kikuchi and Onozuka put on, although Yoshizumi muttered, "This is so nauseating" when the pair stared adoringly into each other's eyes for the umpteenth time.
"I think it's kind of cute," Kenzaki said, and Yoshizumi began to look alarmed. "Don't worry," Kenzaki laughed, patting his arm reassuringly. "I wouldn't want or expect you to act that way."
"Thank goodness!" Yoshizumi breathed in a fervent sigh of relief.
"Onozuka really would make a good host, though," Kenzaki chuckled, and Yoshizumi frowned at him. Kenzaki was bewildered for a moment, until he realized that Yoshizumi was jealous, and it secretly tickled him that the utterly unsentimental and unromantic Yoshizumi cared about him enough to act irrationally. He grinned and kissed Yoshizumi soundly, with enough enthusiasm to leave them both gasping for breath.
"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?" Yoshizumi asked, blinking in confusion.
"Just because I can," Kenzaki declared, grinning again, and Yoshizumi laughed, still looking a little puzzled, but not displeased.
They turned their attention back to the television screen, and Kenzaki watched with increasing amusement as Onozuka talked about filming romantic scenes on the beach, while Yoshizumi looked increasingly pained. Kenzaki burst into outright laughter when Onozuka started talking earnestly about how it had never occurred to him before that he could fall in love with a man, because Onozuka's attraction to men had been quite evident at the host club. It wasn't that Kenzaki believed Onozuka had actually wanted to sleep with him--or Kei and Akira, for that matter--but he had gazed at all three of them with an appreciative eye, and he had clearly enjoyed the flirtation even if he didn't want to carry it any further than that.
Then it suddenly occurred to Kenzaki that Onozuka hadn't looked at Yoshizumi the same way, even though Yoshizumi was as handsome as any of the hosts at the Rusty Nail. Maybe it was because Onozuka had wanted to keep his relationship with his coworker strictly professional, but if that were the case, he wouldn't have been crashing on Yoshizumi's couch and getting on Yoshizumi's nerves with his mischievous teasing. Kenzaki decided that there was more of a brotherly vibe between the two men, which suited him just fine, because he didn't care to have the Prince competing with him over Yoshizumi's affections.
"I can't take this anymore!" Yoshizumi groaned out loud, startling Kenzaki out of his musings. "Please, someone turn it off before I get sick!" He pressed his hand to his mouth, as if he really was about to throw up.
"I guess we don't need to keep watching," Kenzaki laughed as he switched off the TV. "I'm sure those two will be just fine, and that the fans will be praising their loving relationship before long."
"Ah, thank you," Yoshizumi sighed, collapsing dramatically on the couch. "I really thought that I was going to vomit at that nauseating display of devotion!"
"Well, we can't have that, can we?" Kenzaki chuckled, leaning over to kiss Yoshizumi. "I'd never get the stain out of the couch, for starters."
Yoshizumi burst into laughter, saying, "Kenzaki-kun, you are a very welcome breath of fresh air compared to all the nauseating couples I'm surrounded by!"
Kenzaki just smiled, feeling pleased and relieved that becoming a couple hadn't changed things between them--or rather, it had changed things for the better, while still keeping the camaraderie and good humor that had been the basis of their friendship. Yes, he wanted Yoshizumi as a lover, but he also wanted Yoshizumi to remain his friend, because that was the Yoshizumi that he'd fallen in love with. He wanted Yoshizumi to feel at ease with him, and as long as he knew that Yoshizumi cared about him, he didn't need any extravagant declarations of devotion. In fact, if Yoshizumi had stared at him with doe eyes and said things like, "There is no one else in the world that I want other than you," Kenzaki would have said, "Who are you, and what have you done with the real Yoshizumi?"
Thinking about Yoshizumi and what make him tick suddenly reminded Kenzaki of the gift he had bought and then promptly forgotten about in the aftermath of their date-gone-wrong and Katou's shooting.
"Where are you going?" Yoshizumi asked as Kenzaki jumped up off the couch.
Kenzaki quickly returned with a small box, saying, "Here, this is for you."
"A gift?" Yoshizumi asked with a puzzled smile. "It's not Christmas or my birthday..."
"It's sort of a thank-you for the Shisa," Kenzaki replied.
"I appreciate the thought, but that really wasn't necessary," Yoshizumi tried to argue politely.
"And besides, it reminded me of you," Kenzaki said firmly.
"Oh?" Yoshizumi asked, looking intrigued. "Now I really must see what this is!"
Kenzaki suddenly felt anxious; what if Yoshizumi felt insulted by being compared to a lopsided, chipped tea bowl? But it was too late to take the gift back now, and his fears were soon put to rest when Yoshizumi smiled with delight as he lifted the bowl out of the box.
"A tea bowl!" Yoshizumi exclaimed with what sounded like genuine pleasure.
"I know it's chipped," Kenzaki said apologetically. "But it looked so distinctive, compared to the others. It may sound a little silly to say this, but...well, I felt like it had character."
"Yes, I completely agree," Yoshizumi said, turning the bowl in his hands as he examined it. "You have a good eye, Kenzaki-kun--the imperfections are what give it character."
"Like with people?" Kenzaki asked with a relieved grin.
"Yes, like people," Yoshizumi agreed with a twinkle in his eyes. "I'm no expert, but this looks old and well-made. And I like the chip." He gently ran his fingers along the rim of the bowl. "It shows that it was put to good use and didn't just sit on a shelf collecting dust and looking pretty."
"I'm glad that you like it," Kenzaki replied, pleased that his instincts had been right, after all.
"And I have the perfect return gift for it at home!" Yoshizumi declared happily. "A little fish netsuke that I picked up in Nishiki Market. It's not a real antique, but it completely charmed me, and I've been waiting for a good occasion to give it to you."
Kenzaki laughed and shook his head. "At this rate, we'll never stop giving gifts to each other!"
"Is that really so bad?" Yoshizumi asked, smiling at him tenderly.
"No," Kenzaki said quietly as he reached over to take Yoshizumi's hand in his. "It's not bad at all."
***
After their argument on the day of the press conference, Onozuka seemed to have resigned himself to moving in together. If he wasn't exactly thrilled about it, at least he'd stopped his sulking, and even seemed to be keeping a mostly positive attitude as they started planning and coordinating the move.
Kikuchi had been worried that the forced move would drive them apart, so he was relieved that he and Onozuka had tentatively worked things out. But although he wanted to live with Onozuka, he couldn't be entirely happy about the fact that Onozuka was only doing it because he had no choice.
As they had promised at the first press conference, they continued to give interviews--many interviews--in the following days. This didn't completely shield Onozuka's family, but when Nakata Kouhei refused to give any statements beyond a terse, "Yuu is an adult and can make his own decisions," most of the paparazzi found it more productive and profitable to talk to the actors themselves rather than have nothing to report other than silence or a "no comment." Kikuchi's family was also subjected to some unwanted publicity, though much less than the more wealthy and famous Nakata family. His parents and brother handled it gracefully enough, politely saying that they liked Onozuka and that they hoped he and Kikuchi would be happy together.
In spite of his good intentions, Onozuka tended to be a little moody after those grueling rounds of interviews, but Kikuchi much preferred a sincerely grouchy Onozuka to the falsely adoring lover that Onozuka played for the sake of the media. He couldn't really complain, because he was the one who had suggested that Onozuka treat it like a movie role, but it disturbed him to see Onozuka smiling at him adoringly and professing his love when he knew that Onozuka didn't really mean it. He believed--or at least he hoped--that Onozuka loved him, but he knew that the way Onozuka said it so readily for the reporters was a lie. Kikuchi hoped that someday Onozuka would say those words to him and really mean it, but in the meantime, he tried to be patient and not push for more than Onozuka was ready to give at the moment.
If their personal life was a bit complicated, at least their professional lives were running smoothly in comparison. Onozuka had lost a few fans who couldn't handle the idea of a gay prince, but the majority of them remained supportive, and once they'd gotten over the shock, were vehemently defending the Prince's right to love whomever he chose, even if that person was a man. Kikuchi's popularity had even increased due to the enthusiasm of the Golden Prince's fans, who had decided to view him as Onozuka's devoted protector. Kojima was smugly pleased that her plan had worked out so well, and she was so uncharacteristically cheerful these days that it was a little scary.
Ironically, the celebrated lovers Iwaki and Katou were having a much harder time of things. At first, the press had praised Katou as a hero for risking his life to save his lover, but now Iwaki was being blamed for provoking the attack in the first place, by stealing InterPro away from the Nojima family.
"It was bad enough that your own husband, Katou-san, was hurt in the attack," a reporter accused Iwaki at a press conference. "But what if other innocent victims had been caught in the crossfire?" Iwaki looked stricken by the question, which unfortunately only made him look guilty in the media's eyes.
"He's not really thinking about the hypothetical innocents," Onozuka told Kikuchi as they watched the news broadcast. "Of course he'd have felt bad if someone else had gotten hurt, but right now I can tell that all he's thinking is 'What if Katou had died? I could never live with myself!'"
Kikuchi should have taken pleasure in seeing his hated rival put in the hot seat, but oddly enough, he felt a little sorry for Iwaki, maybe because he couldn't help thinking about how he would feel if anything happened to Onozuka. "I don't get it," Kikuchi said. "I don't know all the details about what went on at InterPro, but Kojima told me that the ex-president had a bad reputation, and that he'd been reprimanded by his father in the past for making shady deals. I'm sure that if Iwaki explained why he took over the company, the public would quickly take his side. Why is he keeping quiet when it only makes him look bad?"
"Because he always has to be noble and selfless," Onozuka replied disgustedly. "Katou told him the same thing that you said, but apparently he doesn't want to shame President Nojima--the old president, that is--any more than he already has been by his drug arrest and the arrest of his son. Although if you ask me, there isn't much family honor left to preserve!"
However, it turned out that the elder Nojima did still have some honor left, because the next day, he issued a statement through his lawyer explaining how his son had gotten him addicted to drugs, and praising Iwaki for protecting the company. Another surprise was that Asano, acting as a spokesperson for all the actors at InterPro, almost simultaneously sent out a statement in support of Iwaki, vaguely alluding to the "unreasonable management" of the young ex-president and thanking Iwaki for protecting them.
"And now that little snake looks noble, too!" Onozuka exclaimed, throwing up his hands in disgust. "The timing's a little too perfect--I wonder if he knew in advance about Nojima's statement?"
"I don't know, but it clearly had the intended effect," Kikuchi replied. "But you'd better watch your step around Asano--if he really had the resources to get the information ahead of time and plan this out in advance, he's going to make a formidable enemy."
"He'd better watch out for me," Onozuka snarled, glowering at the TV screen. "I haven't forgiven him for exposing my family to the press, and he won't always have Yoshizumi around to protect him!"
"Asano's an idiot if he doesn't fear you," Kikuchi said, impressed and secretly a little turned on by his lover's passionate ferocity. He took Onozuka's hand and lifted it to his lips.
"Are you making fun of me?" Onozuka asked suspiciously.
"I meant what I said," Kikuchi replied with complete sincerity. "And I hereby resolve not to make you angry at me again!"
Onozuka laughed, his bad mood suddenly dissipating. "Oh, I'm sure you'll make me angry sometime in the future," he said with a grin, wrapping his arms around Kikuchi. "I don't think that you can help yourself. Just don't ever lie to me or go behind my back again, and I'll be able to forgive you."
"I won't," Kikuchi promised solemnly.
"Oh, and one more thing," Onozuka said, that fierce look returning to his face as he glared at Kikuchi warningly. "You convinced me against my better judgment that we should get serious, so you've got to accept responsibility for that. You said that you wanted us to be together, and you had better mean it, because I promise that I'll kill you if you ever cheat on me--slowly and painfully."
If Kikuchi were the type to play around, he would have been seriously frightened by that threat because he was quite sure that Onozuka wasn't joking in the slightest, but fortunately, he didn't want anyone but his prince. And in a way, Onozuka's threat reassured him, because it proved that he really did care about Kikuchi.
"Yuu," Kikuchi said fervently as he returned Onozuka's embrace, "if I were ever stupid enough to cheat on you, I would deserve to be killed."
"As long as that's clear," Onozuka said, looking mollified, and he kissed Kikuchi.
***
After Katou was released from the hospital, he and Iwaki decided to have their much-delayed dinner party to celebrate his return home. Katou had originally planned to do the cooking, but the doctor had given him strict orders to take it easy and not over-exert himself--orders that Iwaki was strictly enforcing. So although Katou protested that cooking wasn't very tiring at all, the dinner turned into a casual potluck.
Kikuchi didn't mind. He liked cooking, and it gave him a chance to show off for Onozuka, so he whipped up a batch of smoked salmon and basil pasta, using the recipe that Okumura had given him. It was fairly simple to prepare, but it looked impressive, and he had to admit that he preened a bit when Onozuka murmured, "I love watching you cook."
"If you keep talking like that, we aren't going to make it to the party," Kikuchi warned, only half-jokingly.
"Well, we can't have that," Onozuka said with a grin, backing off slightly and assuming a less seductive demeanor.
"Aw, Yuu..." Kikuchi wheedled.
"The party is to celebrate Katou surviving being shot," Onozuka said firmly. "You can sacrifice one evening for him." He added impishly, "Besides, you promised the press that you would get along with Katou for my sake."
"Oh, very well," Kikuchi gave in with a sigh. He hadn't really expected Onozuka to skip the party, and although he'd partly been putting on an act for the media, he knew that he would have to get along with Katou in the future. However little he liked it, Katou was someone that Onozuka cared about, and if he was going to be a part of Onozuka's life, Kikuchi had to accept that Katou--along with Iwaki and Miyasaka--were a part of it as well.
He and Onozuka were the first guests to arrive, greeted by Iwaki with a warm smile and by Katou with an only slightly grudging, "Come on in."
Onozuka immediately began teasing Katou that he must be enjoying his recuperation because he had Iwaki-san to play nursemaid. Katou retorted that Onozuka was an idiot, and the two started bickering in their usual playful manner, making Kikuchi a little jealous of their easy camaraderie.
Iwaki accepted the bowl of pasta and gave him a sympathetic look, as if he'd guessed what Kikuchi was thinking, but all he said was, "I'll put this on the dining table. Would you like something to drink, Kikuchi-san?"
Miyasaka arrived a short time later, bearing a tray of sushi, and promptly started trading joking insults with Katou and Onozuka while Iwaki watched with patient indulgence. Kikuchi wondered if he ever got jealous of Katou's friendships, but if he did, he didn't show any visible signs of it. Then again, with the way that Katou was so possessively protective of Iwaki, there was little reason for Iwaki to feel insecure about Katou's affections.
Yoshizumi was the last to arrive, and no one noticed or cared what type of food he brought because they were much more curious about his companion: a sleekly handsome dark-haired man who resembled a young Iwaki.
"Kenzaki-san!" Onozuka exclaimed delightedly. "I didn't know that you'd be here tonight!"
"The two of you know each other?" Kikuchi asked, a bit more sharply than he'd intended.
Onozuka grinned at him mischievously and replied casually, "Oh yes, Yoshizumi-san introduced us while I was staying at his place."
"Ah, please forgive me," Yoshizumi hastily intervened. "This is my good friend, Kenzaki Toshiya."
He began introducing Kenzaki to the others, but Katou suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! I remember you--you're one of the idiot hosts from that TV show!" Kenzaki winced and sighed, a pained look on his face.
"Katou!" Iwaki snapped, giving his lover a sharp rap on the head with his fist.
"Ow!" Katou whined, giving Iwaki a plaintive, puppy-dog look. "Iwaki-san, how can you hit an injured man?"
"Your head isn't injured, although sometimes I think there's something wrong with your brain!" Iwaki retorted. "How can you be so rude to our guest?!"
"I was just surprised, that's all," Katou said defensively. "Yoshizumi-san could have warned us ahead of time," he added, giving his friend an accusing look.
"Sorry, I'd forgotten all about that show," Yoshizumi said sheepishly.
"I'd like to forget about it," Kenzaki muttered, not quite under his breath, but he managed a good-natured smile and told Katou, "That's all in the past, so why don't we just consider it water under the bridge?"
"Sounds good to me," Katou said with relief, holding out his hand.
As Kenzaki shook his hand, Onozuka's recognition of Yoshizumi's friend combined with Katou's references to hosts clicked together in Kikuchi's mind, and he blurted out in an accusing voice, "You're the guy who runs the host club!"
"Forgive me, Kenzaki-kun," Yoshizumi groaned, burying his face in his hands. "This is a complete disaster!"
"Not quite as bad as that game show," Kenzaki said with a wry smile, patting him on the back consolingly.
"There's no need for you to be jealous, Katsuya," Onozuka assured Kikuchi with an impish smile, slipping an arm around his waist. "Because Kenzaki-san is seeing Yoshizumi-san." He smiled slyly at the pair and asked, "Am I right?"
To Kikuchi's amazement, Yoshizumi actually blushed, and a smile of pure joy spread across Kenzaki's face. The young host was clearly head over heels in love with Yoshizumi, and Kikuchi found his jealousy easing enough to tease his colleague.
"I thought you said that you were allergic to romance, Yoshizumi-kun!"
"Yes, well...only when it involves nauseating sentimentality and irrational jealousy," Yoshizumi defended himself. "I mistakenly thought all romance was like that, but Kenzaki-kun reminded me that it doesn't have to be." He smiled fondly at his date and added, "Besides, Kenzaki-kun is not the jealous type and he's not at all nauseating, so we suit each other well."
Things settled down after that, and Yoshizumi was able finish the introductions without mishap this time. He also revealed his contribution to tonight's dinner: "I brought dessert," he announced cheerfully, presenting his hosts with a large pastry box labeled "Antique."
Katou opened it to take a peek inside, revealing an assortment of exquisite little cakes that would be delicious if they tasted even half as good as they looked. "Wow, these look great, Yoshizumi-san!"
"It's my cousin's latest business venture," Yoshizumi replied with a slightly cynical air. "He tends to jump from one career to another, so who knows how long this one will last? But his pastry chef really is a genius, so enjoy these while you can."
Katou started to reach for a cake, but Iwaki slapped his hand aside and took the box from him. "I'll put these aside for later," Iwaki said firmly. "You wouldn't want to ruin your appetite. Everyone's here, so why don't we start dinner?"
Iwaki had prepared a salad as his contribution to the dinner, and brought out a bottle of sparkling cider, explaining that Katou wasn't allowed to mix alcohol with the medication that his doctors had prescribed.
"Although he barely touches the painkillers," Iwaki added, looking a little worried. "He's so stubborn that he insists he doesn't need them and would rather endure the pain."
"I don't like them," Katou argued. "They make me feel groggy and muddled; I'd rather have a little pain and keep my mind clear. It doesn't hurt that much, and besides, it's bad to overuse painkillers."
"Don't worry," Onozuka said, winking at Iwaki. "Katou will take good care of his body because I'm sure that he's eager to resume his...ah...bedroom responsibilities with his beloved Iwaki-san!"
Iwaki blushed and Katou growled, "Idiot!" as he reached out to smack Onozuka on the head. Miyasaka laughed as Onozuka grinned and ducked to evade the blow.
"Stop roughhousing!" Iwaki scolded Katou. "And you two, don't encourage him! He's supposed to be taking it easy!"
"He certainly seems to have plenty of energy," Kenzaki observed with a smile. "Perhaps you could consider that a good sign, Iwaki-san."
Yoshizumi chuckled and picked up his glass of cider, then suggested, "Shall we say a toast to Katou-kun's recovery, then?"
So they all raised their glasses in salute, and Kikuchi smiled wryly, thinking to himself that he had never imagined himself drinking a toast to his rival's health. Katou gave him an equally wry look in return that indicated he was thinking the exact same thing.
"We should also congratulate Iwaki-kun on his Academy Award," Yoshizumi said innocently enough, although there was a glint of humor in his eyes as he cast a sidelong glance at Kikuchi. "You're in quite illustrious company now, Iwaki-kun!"
"Indeed!" Kenzaki laughed pleasantly. "It's an incredible honor to be sitting here at the same table with two Academy Award winners!"
"I'm honored to be mentioned in the same breath as Kikuchi-san," Iwaki said modestly, while Katou looked as though he begged to differ. "Although of course I don't compare myself to him because I know that I still have a long way to go in my career."
"Is that a roundabout way of saying that Katsuya is old?" Onozuka teased.
"Of course not!" Iwaki immediately protested, looking mortified. "Please, Onozuka-kun, don't go stirring up trouble where none is intended!"
"Stirring up trouble is your favorite pastime, isn't it, your Highness?" Kikuchi laughed, ruffling Onozuka's hair fondly, and Onozuka gave him an innocently bewildered "Who, me?" look in response.
Everyone laughed and they said another toast to Iwaki, and Katou congratulated his lover heartily and with all apparent sincerity, showing not even the slightest hint of disappointment or jealousy that he had been passed over for the award he had also been nominated for. Kikuchi supposed that Katou was so enamored with Iwaki that he didn't mind losing to his lover, and that made Kikuchi wonder how he would feel if he and Onozuka were up for the same award. It wasn't quite the same situation, of course--Kikuchi already had a Best Actor Award, and so had nothing to prove. He still had a competitive streak and would want to win in any contest, but at the same time, he would also be happy to see Onozuka win an award of his own. So he decided if that ever happened, he would be able to concede defeat gracefully--as long as it was to Onozuka. Being beaten by a puppy like Katou would be a completely different story!
Kikuchi sipped his cider and gazed across the dinner table at the happy couple, thinking that it was an impressive feat that they'd both managed to get nominated for Best Actor, and in the same movie, no less. Perhaps he'd been getting a little complacent and it was time to up his game--it really would be humiliating to lose to those two one day! And damn it, that meant he really was going to have to watch "Winter Cicadas" so that he could see if their acting really was that good or if the Academy had been swayed by the glamor of their idealized gay romance. As much as he would like to believe it was the latter, Katou and Iwaki had both received almost universally rave reviews from both American and Japanese critics, so in all likelihood, they probably were really that good.
They began eating dinner, and everyone complimented Kikuchi on the pasta--even Miyasaka said, a bit reluctantly, that it was delicious. Everyone, that is, except for Katou, who stubbornly stuck to the salad and sushi, pointedly avoiding Kikuchi's pasta. Kikuchi was amused rather than offended, but Iwaki gave his lover a stern look and said, "Katou, don't be so childish. Here, try some of the pasta--it's really delicious."
He placed some pasta on Katou's plate, but Katou just glared down at the food mulishly. "I don't want to eat anything that man made," he said, making the words "that man" sound like an insult, and Iwaki sighed wearily.
"But Katou, didn't you promise that you'd get along with Katsuya for my sake?" Onozuka asked sweetly.
"I never promised that I'd eat his food," Katou growled, looking embarrassed and annoyed with his friend. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm doing him a big favor just by allowing him in my house."
"Our house," Iwaki reminded him sternly, then impatiently ordered, "Just eat it already!"
Katou immediately shoved a forkful of pasta into his mouth, while Onozuka snorted with repressed laughter and Miyasaka openly snickered. Kikuchi only managed to hold back his own laughter by muttering under his breath in English about henpecked husbands, and when Katou gave him a murderous glare he belatedly remembered that Katou had spent a considerable amount of time in the U.S. prior to the premiere of "Winter Cicadas," and must have picked up at least some English.
"How do you like the food, Katou?" Onozuka asked. He'd managed to get himself under control and was now smiling at Katou angelically.
"It's not bad," Katou said grudgingly.
"That means he really does like it," Onozuka informed Kikuchi with a grin. "If he thought it was bad, he would just say so."
"Oh, shut up," Katou growled, and Onozuka smirked.
"What, you can't come up with a snappier comeback than that?"
"Both of you, settle down and behave yourselves!" Iwaki ordered, sounding so much like a mother scolding her children that Kikuchi couldn't help bursting into laughter. Iwaki sighed again and shook his head helplessly, turning to Kenzaki and apologizing, "I'm so sorry that you have to be subjected to this, Kenzaki-san."
"Not at all," Kenzaki laughed. "While I certainly can't compare myself to all of you in terms of talent, I do earn my living by playing a role for my customers, in a sense. So I know what it's like to want to cut loose and relax during your time off."
"Maybe you need to relax and cut loose a bit yourself, Iwaki-kun," Kikuchi joked, although he couldn't really picture the uptight Iwaki goofing around like Katou and Onozuka.
The skeptical look on Onozuka's face said that he agreed, while Yoshizumi chuckled, "Now that would be an interesting sight!"
Iwaki glanced over at Katou and replied dryly, "I think that one of us acting like an idiot is quite enough, thank you very much."
Onozuka and Miyasaka burst into laughter while Katou protested, "I am not an idiot!" Iwaki sighed heavily in response, then gave in and smiled at the trio with a look of slightly resigned amusement. Kikuchi felt a touch of that old, familiar jealousy at how well the three friends got along, but at the same time, it did make him smile to see how happy and carefree Onozuka looked after all the tension they'd been under lately. He just wished, a bit wistfully, that he'd been the one to make Onozuka look that way.
Then Onozuka turned to grin at Kikuchi, his eyes sparkling with merriment, and that brief moment of melancholy faded. Kikuchi grinned back at Onozuka, then twirled some pasta around his fork, lifted it to his lover's mouth, and said, "Say 'ah'!"
"Ahhh!" Onozuka cheerfully obliged, opening his mouth wide and then closing it around the fork.
Katou and Miyasaka stared at him with identical expressions of slack-jawed shock, while Iwaki and Kenzaki merely looked amused. Yoshizumi, however, looked a little green around the gills, and he groaned, "Please, I'm begging you--don't do such nauseating things at the dinner table or I will completely lose my appetite!"
At that point, everyone else at the table--including Iwaki--burst into laughter. Yoshizumi continued to look appalled for a few moments more, then he laughed too but added, "But seriously, please try to restrain yourselves. I want to be able to enjoy this wonderful dinner you made, Kikuchi-san."
"Well, since you're complimenting my cooking, I guess I'll oblige you, Yoshizumi-kun," Kikuchi said with a grin.
"But I like being spoiled by Kikuchi-san," Onozuka pretended to pout.
"Please, Onozuka-kun!" Yoshizumi begged. "I really can't take much more of this--you two are getting to be as bad as Iwaki-kun and Katou-kun!"
"Don't compare me to that dirty old man!" Katou shouted indignantly, just as Kikuchi was protesting, "Don't compare me to that puppy!" And this time, Yoshizumi joined the others when they burst into laughter. Kikuchi laughed too, since he'd mostly been needling Katou rather than being genuinely offended. Katou glared at him a little longer, but proved himself to be a good sport when he raised his glass and said with a wry smile, "Truce, old man?"
"Truce...puppy," Kikuchi agreed, clinking his glass against Katou's as Iwaki gazed at them approvingly.
"You're so sweet, Katsuya, calling a truce for my sake," Onozuka crooned, staring up at Kikuchi adoringly.
"Onozuka-kun, please!" Yoshizumi begged desperately.
"Let's take pity on poor Yoshizumi-kun before he throws up at the dinner table and ruins everyone's appetite," Kikuchi laughed.
Onozuka pouted one last time, then reverted to his normal behavior, much to Yoshizumi's relief. Iwaki attempted to steer the conversation to safer ground by politely asking, "So what are your plans now that filming is over, Yoshizumi-san? Will you be going back to Kyoto?"
Despite all his complaints about public displays of affection, Yoshizumi exchanged a tender look with Kenzaki, then replied, "Actually, I've made enough money on this film that I can afford to take some time off before I start looking for work again. So I thought I'd take a vacation and spend some time with Kenzaki-kun, and...well, try to figure out how we're going to make a long-distance relationship work, or if I'll try to audition for more jobs in Tokyo."
"I told you, I'm fine with things either way," Kenzaki said serenely. "Kyoto is close enough to visit often, and I know that many of your period dramas are filmed out there."
"If you decide to stay in Tokyo, will that mean you'll try out for more modern dramas?" Katou asked curiously.
"It's slightly outside of my comfort zone, but it might be good to challenge myself," Yoshizumi replied. "Actually, there is a possibility that I will take on a job here--the producers of 'The Kings of Ginza' asked if I'd be interested in doing a sequel." He hastily added, "Nothing's certain yet, and it's still in the planning stages. The network is still deciding whether to finance it or not, so even if it does get approved, it will take awhile for the script to be finished and the director and cast to be chosen. I don't want to pin my hopes on it, but the premise does sound interesting: my character has retired to manage his own club, and begins training a young host to become the next King of Ginza. And of course, the original series is special to me because that was how Kenzaki-kun and I met."
"Why Yoshizumi-san, that was a rather sentimental thing to say!" Onozuka teased.
"Oh no, it's contagious!" Yoshizumi cried in horror as everyone began laughing again.
"You know, this would be a great opportunity to go to the Rusty Nail for research!" Onozuka exclaimed, his eyes lighting up gleefully. He turned to Miyasaka and said, "Even if the press finds out, it won't be a scandal, because we could say that we're interested in auditioning for the show."
"What do you mean, 'we'?" Miyasaka demanded. "You want me to go to a host club with you?"
"Sure, why not?" Onozuka replied breezily. "It'll be fun!"
"I don't know..." Miyasaka said uneasily.
"What's the big deal?" Onozuka asked. "You've been to hostess clubs before--it's the same thing, only with men instead of women."
"Yeah, but I'm not really..." Miyasaka started to protest, but he blushed and his voice trailed off as he glanced at Kikuchi and Iwaki.
"Not really into men?" Kikuchi muttered sarcastically under his breath as Miyasaka glared at him.
"Yeah, well, you can't tell me that you're thrilled about the idea of your Prince going to a host club," Miyasaka retorted.
His young rival had struck a nerve, and Kikuchi glared back at Miyasaka while Onozuka looked rather thrilled to be fought over. "You're so cute when you're jealous, Katsuya," he said sweetly.
"Perhaps it would be safer for my health if you stayed at home, Onozuka-kun," Yoshizumi said, glancing slyly at Kikuchi. "After all, the last time you went to Rusty Nail, Kikuchi-san nearly punched me out over it."
"Really?" Onozuka asked delightedly.
"He did?" Kenzaki asked, his smooth charm disappearing as he glared at Kikuchi with a fierce protectiveness that looked remarkably like Katou's when Iwaki was threatened.
"He's exaggerating," Kikuchi said gruffly.
"Don't worry, Kenzaki-kun, nothing happened," Yoshizumi assured his lover, patting Kenzaki's arm soothingly. "Although I was a bit alarmed when Kikuchi-san stormed into my dressing room and grabbed me by the front of my shirt, demanding to know why I'd taken Onozuka-kun to a host club."
Kenzaki's glare intensified and Onozuka looked even more pleased, while Kikuchi groaned in embarrassment. And Katou, damn him, looked vastly amused by the whole situation. "You are not helping things, Yoshizumi-kun!" he complained. "And I wasn't jealous," Kikuchi told Onozuka, trying without much success to salvage the tattered shreds of his dignity. "I was just concerned about protecting your reputation."
"My knight in shining armor," Onozuka cooed, leaning over to plant a kiss on his cheek.
"Please, Onozuka-kun--" Yoshizumi began to protest.
"Must you be so nauseating?" Onozuka and Katou finished in chorus, and everyone laughed. Even Kenzaki relaxed and smiled slightly.
"He didn't actually hit you?" Kenzaki asked, still regarding Kikuchi with a bit of suspicion.
"No, once I explained that Onozuka-kun's reputation--and his virtue--were never in any danger, he calmed down," Yoshizumi said placatingly, patting Kenzaki's arm again.
Kenzaki relaxed fully and regained his composure. "It's not uncommon for husbands and boyfriends to get jealous of their wives or girlfriends going to host clubs, but really, it's just harmless entertainment. Perhaps you should come along with Onozuka-san and see for yourself, Kikuchi-san."
Onozuka suddenly frowned in consternation and Kikuchi grinned. "Perhaps I should, since Yuu thinks so highly of your establishment," he agreed pleasantly. "What's wrong?" Kikuchi teased, running his hand through his lover's hair as Onozuka pouted at him. "You were willing to take Miyasaka-kun there, but you don't want to bring me? Surely you don't have anything to hide, your Highness?"
Onozuka shook off Kikuchi's hand and made a show of smoothing down his hair. "Of course not," he replied with icy sweetness. "You're quite welcome to come along with me and Miya-chan."
"I haven't said that I'm going yet!" Miyasaka pointed out, but Kikuchi and Onozuka both ignored him.
"Just remember what I told you before about cheating on me," Onozuka whispered into Kikuchi's ear, and the threat in those words was very clear despite the soft tone of his voice.
"I value my life," Kikuchi replied sincerely. "Besides," he added, lifting Onozuka's hand to his mouth, "I have eyes only for you, my Prince."
"Shameless flatterer," Onozuka accused, but he looked placated. Yoshizumi sighed wearily and didn't even bother to protest their nauseousness this time.
After they had finished dinner, everyone was too full to eat dessert immediately, so Iwaki offered to give Yoshizumi and Kenzaki a tour of the house. "It's your first time here, after all," he said.
"I was here once, but I didn't get a tour," Kikuchi laughed.
"Why would we want you snooping around our place?" Katou retorted, but subsided when Iwaki scolded him sternly.
"Today he's a guest, Katou! And besides..."
"I know, I know, we have to get along for Onozuka's sake," Katou said resignedly, glowering sullenly at his friend while Onozuka beamed at him innocently.
Part 25
***
Afterword: Yes, the references to Yoshizumi's cousin Tachibana and his bakery are a nod to the Antique Bakery manga--and it's all Bronze Ribbons' fault! ~_^ We got into a lengthy meta discussion in the comments of her Yoshizumi/Kenzaki Flattered and Insulted fic, and she brought up the possibility of Yoshizumi being related to Tachibana in this thread. And of course, once I read that, my brain started being attacked by Haru/Antique Bakery crossover bunnies! (I have to admit, Yoshizumi's aversion to romance makes perfect sense if he's related to the romantically dysfunctional Tachibana, not to mention all the drama that goes on at the bakery with the "demonic gay" baker Ono who is irresistible to both gay and straight man, with the exception of Tachibana.)
There's no actual crossover here, but I couldn't resist throwing in the reference to lay the groundwork for future plot bunnies. Ribbons casually mentioned the possibility of a Kenzaki nephew further down the thread, and now the latest plot bunny involves Kenzaki's rebellious teenage nephew running away from home to crash at his uncle's place. Uncle Kenzaki is none too pleased with the intrusion, and Yoshizumi suggests putting the nephew to work at the bakery in order to teach him some responsibility.
*sighs and adds to the ever-growing pile of bunnies*
And of course the reference to the fish netsuke in the first scene once again comes from Bronze Ribbons' Present Understanding.
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cool and funny dinner party, with them bitching at each other under the stern exasperated look of mother Iwaki XD.
about your bunny: Kenzaki's nephew won't be immune to the demonic charm of this gorgeous baker (i only know him from the movie - *hmmmmm*).
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Thanks for reading, and I'm glad you enjoyed the fic. I had a lot of fun writing mother Iwaki watching over his rowdy guests!
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*ponders the possible bunnies*
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Btw, in the manga, the owner of the bakery is very handsome.
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http://www.ampedasia.com/forums/-k-movie-antique-bakery-t-14342.html