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FIC: A Night at the Nebula, Part 1 of 2
Title: A Night at the Nebula, Part 1 of 2
Rating: PG
Fandom: Haru wo Daiteita (Embracing Love), Love Control
Pairing: Kikuchi/Onozuka, Okumura/Yamashiro
Characters: Kikuchi and Onozuka from Haru; Okumura, Yamashiro Kei, and Sasatani from Love Control
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Word count: ~7,310
Sequel to: Remembrance of Times Past (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)
Summary: Kikuchi and Onozuka choose a new apartment, then receive an invitation to Okumura's bar.
***
In-between their many professional commitments, Kikuchi and Onozuka managed to find the time to look at two-bedroom units in Kikuchi's building. Right now they were looking at an apartment two floors above Kikuchi's current place.
"This is nice," Kikuchi said approvingly.
"As you can see, there is a spacious living room, extra closet space, and as you requested, two bedrooms," the real estate agent said brightly.
Ordinarily, since Kikuchi was already a tenant in the building, the resident manager would have shown them the apartment, but since Kikuchi and Onozuka were celebrities, the agency that handled the building had sent over a special representative. Or maybe the woman had simply requested the job because she was a fan: she looked absolutely thrilled, not just to be making a potential sale, but to be waiting on such a famous couple. Lately, they'd even bumped Iwaki and Katou off the tabloid magazine covers, which was no easy feat.
"This will make a nice study," Onozuka said politely of the second bedroom, which was the fiction they had settled on for the public. They really did intend to convert it into a study, but the true purpose of the room was to provide Onozuka with some private space for those times when he got a little panicky about the newly committed relationship that they'd found themselves thrown into.
He was still debating with himself over whether it was really necessary for him to have that extra space. Kikuchi was being very understanding about it, and had in fact suggested the idea in the first place. But Onozuka still felt a little guilty about wanting some space away from Kikuchi, especially when he knew that he'd hurt Kikuchi in the not-so-distant past with his reluctance to commit.
However, it became obvious that they were going to take the apartment as soon as Kikuchi set eyes on the kitchen, and tentative approval turned into unabashed enthusiasm. "This is great!" Kikuchi exclaimed. "More counter and cupboard space, a bigger fridge and stove, and look--it even has an oven! That means I can do some baking!"
Onozuka smiled in amusement at the infamous Kikuchi Katsuya gushing over a kitchen like a housewife on a game show. But he kept that thought to himself, not just because it might hurt Kikuchi's pride, but because it wasn't a princely thing to say and the agent was still present.
Instead, he gently teased, "If you're going to be making a lot of sweets, then I'll have to put in some extra time at the gym to stay in shape!"
Kikuchi grinned at him and said, "Baking isn't just for cakes and pies and cookies. You can cook all kinds of meals in an oven--roasts, chicken, pizza, lasagna..."
"I'll definitely have to hit the gym," Onozuka laughed.
The agent looked a little startled, then she smiled and said, "Ah, that's right--I remember reading in an interview that Kikuchi-san likes to cook romantic meals for you, Onozuka-san!"
"I know that I'm very lucky," Onozuka said, blushing slightly as he gazed at Kikuchi adoringly.
Kikuchi gave him a look of wry humor in return, but played along for the sake of the agent and threw his arm around Onozuka's shoulders, saying gallantly, "Nothing is too good for my Prince!"
"I envy you, Onozuka-san," the agent sighed, then managed to collect herself and resume a professional demeanor. "Well then, it seems that the two of you like the apartment, and personally, I think that it really suits you."
"So what do you think, Onozuka-kun?" Kikuchi asked eagerly. "Shall we take it?"
"You already have your heart set on it, don't you?" Onozuka laughed, and Kikuchi smiled at him sheepishly. "Yes, it's fine. I'm happy living anywhere as long as it's with you."
"You really are a romantic couple in real life, and not just on TV," the agent sighed happily.
But when they went to the agent's office to take care of all the official paperwork, Onozuka found himself struck by an attack of nerves when it was his turn to sign the contract. He managed to scrawl his name on the line below Kikuchi's, but couldn't bring himself to take the final step and stamp his seal next to his name. Instead, his hand froze in mid-air, hovering above the paper.
The agent was giving him a puzzled look, and Onozuka tried to pull himself together. You're being ridiculous, he told himself firmly. It wasn't like he was signing a marriage contract, after all, or even the deed to a house or condo. This was simply an open-ended rental agreement that could be ended any time he chose. He and Kikuchi had to put down a fair amount of money in various fees, including first and last month's rent and a security deposit, but it wasn't the money that he was worried about.
"Onozuka-san, is something wrong?" the agent asked, and Onozuka glanced over at Kikuchi, who was gazing at him anxiously.
No, rental or not, he couldn't just break the contract anytime he wanted, and that was what was really bothering him. Even if there were no legal repercussions, this was still a commitment, and he couldn't just walk out without endangering his relationship with Kikuchi--not to mention his career, but that concern was secondary right now. Which just went to show how far gone he was, that he'd put a relationship above his hard-won and cherished acting career.
So Onozuka drew in a deep breath, then exhaled and gave the agent a princely smile. "Sorry, this is a very important step for us, and I just had to stop and savor the moment."
"Oh, of course I understand!" the agent declared, although Onozuka suspected that he had looked more terrified than blissfully romantic. Left without any excuses to keep stalling, he took that final step and pressed his seal down on the contract. The bright red ink made it look as though the contract had been sealed in blood--or maybe he was just being overdramatic about the whole thing. Then again, Onozuka felt that as an actor, he ought to be entitled to a few dramatics.
"Congratulations," the agent told them as she handed over two sets of keys to the new apartment. "You can move in anytime, and of course the rent is still covered on your old apartment until the end of the month. Just turn the keys in to the resident manager when you're done moving."
When they got back home, Onozuka sighed and said, "Well, it looks like I'll be moving a second time, but least I won't have to re-pack everything." There were still several boxes stacked in the living room, non-essential items that Onozuka hadn't bothered to unpack, since Kikuchi had suggested looking for a bigger place almost as soon as Onozuka had moved in.
"It won't be so bad," Kikuchi assured him. "We don't have to rush, since we still have a few weeks left on this place, so we can move our stuff upstairs little by little."
"No worries," Onozuka said with a grin. "I can draft Miyasaka into helping us again. He'll complain about having to haul the same boxes twice, but I'll treat him to drinks afterwards as a reward. And anyway, I did give him half of that case of cocktail drinks from that commercial we did."
Kikuchi looked slightly annoyed by the mention of Miyasaka, though he covered it up quickly with a casual smile and said, "Fine, we could use the help." Onozuka smiled back at him, feeling both amused and touched that Kikuchi was making an obvious effort to get along with Miyasaka and hide his dislike for his supposed rival.
However, Kikuchi couldn't resist adding, "If you're the brains of the duo, he's the brawn, after all." But his tone of voice was more good-natured than cutting, and since Onozuka privately agreed with him, he snickered at the joke.
"Behave yourself, Katsuya," Onozuka scolded playfully. Kikuchi grinned and opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone.
Kikuchi glanced at the screen of his phone and answered it with, "Okumura-kun, it's been awhile. I heard that you were out of the country on a business trip?"
Onozuka's curiosity was immediately piqued, and he paid close attention to the conversation since the name wasn't one that he recognized. In fact, although Kikuchi talked about his friends back in America quite a bit, he had never mentioned having any close friends in Japan aside from Noguchi, his former stunt double.
"I see, you just got back," Kikuchi said. He fell silent, apparently listening to the speaker on the other end of the line, then laughed and said, "Sure, that sounds great--I've been meaning to introduce the Prince to you, anyway. When would be a good time for you?" There was another brief pause, and then Kikuchi said, "Well, in that case, would tonight be all right? I know it's short notice, but our schedules have been crazy and we haven't had much time off lately...okay then, let me talk to Onozuka-kun and I'll call you back. Thanks for the invite."
"What are we being invited to?" Onozuka demanded as soon as Kikuchi hung up, unable to contain his curiosity any longer.
Kikuchi grinned at him and said, "Would you like to go on a date tonight?"
"A date?" Onozuka echoed in confusion.
"A date," Kikuchi confirmed. "We've had a lot of sex and I've cooked some romantic dinners for you, but we haven't really had a date in the sense of going out to a public place like a movie theater or a restaurant. We couldn't while you were closeted, of course, and we haven't had time for it since we've been outed, but we finally have tonight and tomorrow off." They had asked their managers to clear their schedule for a couple of days so that they could look at apartments, and their request had been granted with the condition that they would give a guided tour to a select reporter if and when they moved into their new place. It would be good publicity and prove to the fans that they were living in happy domesticity, and besides, it had been Kikuchi's idea to begin with, so Onozuka didn't really mind.
"I'd love to go on a date with you," Onozuka said, feeling intrigued. "But you know that we'll be tailed by the paparazzi if we go out in public, which makes it kind of hard to have a cozy, romantic evening."
"Not to worry," Kikuchi assured him. "My friend owns a very private, exclusive bar that's only open to invited members, so the paparazzi won't be able to follow us in there."
"This isn't the kind of members-only bar where you met Tanahashi-san, is it?" Onozuka asked suspiciously, referring to the gay bar that Kikuchi used to patronize while he had still been closeted.
"No, nothing like that!" Kikuchi laughed. "I promise, it's just a regular bar. It's sort of a pet project for the owner, so it's only open to his friends and business associates. I've never been there, but I'm told that the terrace is beautiful at night--a very romantic spot for a date."
"That sounds nice," Onozuka said, and it did, but he was still more interested in Kikuchi's mysterious friend than the bar. "I'm grateful to your friend, but I'm a little curious..." He hesitated, then added cautiously, "I wasn't sure if you had any close friends in Japan other than Noguchi-san."
"It's true that most of my old friends turned on me after the scandal," Kikuchi replied matter-of-factly. "But I have a few people I've stayed in contact with over the years--mostly Noguchi-kun and a couple other crew members I worked with in the past. Oh, and I have an old high school buddy who's not in the industry. He's a cop, actually--I think he hung out with me because he looked up to my dad." Kikuchi laughed and said, "He lives in Kyoto now, so I've only seen him once since I moved back to Japan, but if we ever go there for business or a vacation, I'll introduce you."
"Hmm," Onozuka murmured thoughtfully. It seemed like he was constantly learning new things about his lover, or maybe it was just because Kikuchi had dropped the pretense that their relationship was only "casual" and was finally revealing his true self. They both were, Onozuka supposed--or at least, he was trying to. Being honest didn't come easily when he'd spent most of his life pretending to be something he wasn't, whether that was the dutiful heir or the noble Prince.
"What's he like, this bar owner friend?" Onozuka asked.
"He's a very ambitious businessman who became successful at a young age," Kikuchi replied, then grinned at Onozuka. "But you can judge for yourself when we meet him tonight."
Onozuka nearly asked if the friend was good-looking and if Kikuchi had ever slept with him, but there was no point in being more of a jealous idiot than he'd already become. At least, there was no point in letting Kikuchi see his idiocy, since Kikuchi had a tendency to become infuriatingly smug whenever Onozuka got jealous. And besides, he was probably just being a little paranoid after the incident with Tanahashi.
So Onozuka merely smiled pleasantly and said, "I look forward to it."
***
Okumura hung up the phone, glancing back at the magazine article about Kikuchi and Onozuka that had inspired him to invite his old friend to the bar for a drink. They had both been too busy to talk recently, much less meet in person, but Kikuchi had sent a couple of e-mails after the scandal broke, confirming that he was indeed involved with the Golden Prince and that it wasn't just a publicity scheme. In fact, he had said, "I am as smitten with my Prince as you are with your own young beauty."
As he smiled at the thought of Kei, it occurred to Okumura that he had met Kei's best friend Takamiya Jin (albeit through work), but he had not introduced Kei to any of his friends. Kikuchi couldn't be called a close friend, precisely, but Okumura was not close to many people outside of his family other than Kei. Still, Kikuchi was one of the few people who knew that he was gay, although was mainly by default, thanks to their brief tryst five years ago.
(Kei seemed to be under the misapprehension that he was bisexual, due to the polite flirting he indulged in with his female colleagues. It was merely a bit of gallantry designed to charm them and help keep business relations running smoothly, but Okumura was amused and flattered by his lover's jealousy--well, most of the time, anyway--so he hadn't yet bothered to correct Kei.)
Regardless of the reason, it was nice to have someone that he could be honest with, which was the main reason why Okumura had maintained his long-distance friendship with Kikuchi all these years. Of course it didn't hurt to be able to count a movie star among his acquaintances, and besides, he genuinely liked Kikuchi and sympathized with the ambivalence Kikuchi had felt about living in exile in America.
He should have introduced Kei to Kikuchi earlier, but even though Kei often called him an arrogant bastard, Okumura had been reluctant to introduce his lover to such a charming rogue. But now that Kikuchi was living in domestic bliss with his Prince, it should be safe enough to arrange a meeting.
Okumura picked up the phone again, dialed Kei's number, and purred in his most seductive voice, "Kei, let's meet at the usual bar tonight."
"You idiot!" Kei snapped, and Okumura grinned as he pictured the embarrassed blush spreading across his lover's face. Kei really was adorable when he got flustered, which was why Okumura enjoyed teasing him so much.
"I'll take that as a 'yes,'" Okumura laughed, and quickly hung up before Kei had a chance to contradict him. Even if Kei got angry at his presumption, Okumura figured that his lover would still be sure to turn up tonight--to tell him off, if nothing else.
***
Since Kikuchi had a policy about not drinking and driving, they took a taxi to the address that Kikuchi's friend had given him, located in a ritzy business and shopping district in Tokyo.
"Are you sure this is the right building?" Onozuka asked a bit doubtfully as they walked through the lobby and got into the elevator. "I don't see a directory and the floors aren't even labeled.
"I'm sure," Kikuchi replied, pressing the button for the top floor. "The concept of the bar is 'a hidden retreat,' so I suppose the mystery is all part of the atmosphere. And the exclusiveness probably makes the members feel special."
"Then I guess we should feel honored," Onozuka said with a wry smile, wondering if the whole building was members-only. A doorman had bowed politely and let them in without asking for any ID, but they were such public figures these days that their identities were obvious to anyone who read a newspaper or watched TV.
At the top floor, they were greeted at the door with a "Welcome, Kikuchi-san, Onozuka-san," and ushered into the bar by a man who introduced himself as the manager.
"I'd offer to take your coats," he said. "But the owner wanted to show you the terrace and it's a bit chilly tonight, so you might want to keep them with you."
"That's fine," Kikuchi replied. "Okumura-kun says that the view from the terrace is beautiful, so I look forward to seeing it."
"Terrace?" Onozuka asked curiously.
"Right this way," the manager said, leading them through the bar. It was a nice place--sleek and elegant and much more upscale than Lime, with little nooks and alcoves partially shielded by potted plants for customers who desired some privacy. More than a few heads turned their way as they walked by, and Onozuka heard some excited murmurs of recognition, but no one was crass or bold enough to call out or approach them for an autograph.
To Onozuka's surprise, they stopped at a staircase that had a chain and a "closed" sign barring the way. "I thought that this was already the top floor," he said.
"The stairs lead to the terrace at the very top," the manager said with a smile as he unhooked the chain. "Our terrace seating is very popular, but as it's open to the elements, we have to close it during the colder months--and, of course, when the owner wants privacy for entertaining special guests."
"We're very flattered," Onozuka said with a charming smile, and began composing some polite compliments in his mind. However, when they stepped out onto the terrace, he realized that there was no need to manufacture false flattery. Cylindrical white lamps gave off a soft, flickering glow that mimicked candlelight and reflected off the narrow channel of water that wound its way along the terrace and through the seating like a very pretty manmade stream. It was open to the air, yet seemed cozy and intimate at the same time, in contrast with the bright lights of the city that twinkled off in the distance like starlight.
"Oh, it's beautiful!" Onozuka gasped with genuine awe.
"Thank you," said a deep voice laced with a hint of amusement. Startled, Onozuka turned around to see a man walking towards them with a confident, almost arrogant stride. He was wearing an expensive designer suit--one more conservative and less flashy than Kenzaki's host outfits--and looked to be around Kikuchi's age, or perhaps a few years younger. He looked vaguely familiar, which was puzzling, because Onozuka was sure he would have remembered meeting such a strikingly handsome man before. He was tall and broad-shouldered with brown hair and eyes that were an odd shade of yellowish-brown, almost gold. Those eyes, along with a faintly Western cast to his features, made Onozuka wonder if he might be part American, or maybe European.
There was also a slightly predatory look in the man's gold eyes that was amazingly similar to Kikuchi's, and Onozuka seethed with jealousy as Kikuchi greeted his friend with a warm smile and a hearty, "Okumura-kun! It's great to see you again!"
They shook hands, firmly but briefly, and Onozuka's jealousy eased--not completely, but enough so that he was no longer contemplating violence to either his lover or his rival--as Kikuchi slipped an arm around his waist and said proudly, "And this is my beloved Prince, Onozuka Yuu."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Onozuka said humbly, with a sweet smile and a graceful bow.
"I'm Okumura Takashi," Kikuchi's friend said smoothly, bowing just as gracefully in return. "And this is Yamashiro Kei--he's actually the one who deserves your compliment since he designed the terrace."
Only then did Onozuka notice the second man, who had been walking a few paces behind Okumura. He was slighter in build and younger than Okumura--somewhere in his mid to late twenties, Onozuka guessed. Yamashiro was also quite handsome, though it was a quieter and less showy sort of beauty than Okumura's. Glasses and a serious demeanor gave him the look of a young salaryman except that he was dressed a little too casually for an office worker: a nice shirt and blazer but no tie. At first glance, the only thing that really stood out about him was his hair, which was turning prematurely gray. However, the dim light gave it a silvery sheen that lent him an air of elegance and maturity, so it suited him rather than looking odd.
"It's truly lovely, Yamashiro-san," Onozuka said with another polite bow, although he was thinking to himself sourly that he was going to have a few words in private with Kikuchi about dragging him out on an alleged "date" to meet two handsome men, one of whom might be an ex-lover.
"You're too kind, Onozuka-san, but I'm glad that you like it," Yamashiro replied, a little too coolly for courtesy, and Onozuka looked up to see that Yamashiro's handsome face was marred slightly by a suspicious frown as he glanced from Okumura to Kikuchi and Onozuka, then back again.
Ah, then perhaps he's Okumura's boyfriend, Onozuka thought, relaxing a little more. Meanwhile, Okumura looked amused by his companion's frown, but didn't comment on it. Instead he gestured towards a nearby table and said pleasantly, "Let's enjoy some drinks on the terrace, then, unless it's too cold for you out here."
"I'm fine," Onozuka said. The night air was cool and crisp, but not uncomfortably so, at least with his coat on, though some of the ladies in the bar would've been shivering in their short-sleeved dresses.
"No problem," Kikuchi said with a mischievous grin as he pulled Onozuka a little closer. "I have my love to keep me warm, after all!"
Onozuka feigned a blush and an embarrassed laugh as he protested, "Kikuchi-san!" In a much lower voice, pitched only to Kikuchi's ears, he growled, "Don't push your luck."
Kikuchi grinned unrepentantly, but loosened his hold on Onozuka as they seated themselves at the table. The other two men took the seats across from them and Okumura chuckled, "The two of you really are a romantic couple, just like the press says."
"Oh, you can't believe everything that you read in the tabloids, Okumura-san," Onozuka laughed.
"But we are a romantic couple," Kikuchi argued, giving him a wounded look.
"The puppy-eyes look doesn't suit you as well as it does Katou," Onozuka whispered, and this time Kikuchi responded with a look of genuine indignation. Satisfied at having scored a point, Onozuka patted his lover's hand placatingly and said sweetly, "Yes, of course it's true that we're a happy couple, darling."
Yamashiro gave them a brief, incredulous look before turning to direct another suspicious glare at Okumura. "You of all people should know better than to believe the stories in the tabloids," he said coldly. "Or are we supposed to believe all the stories that they print about you, Okumura-san?"
"Tabloid stories?" Onozuka asked.
"Didn't Kikuchi-san tell you?" Okumura replied. "I'm the director of the Jiri Group. This bar is the Nebula Sinus-Jiri, a personal side project of mine. I'm afraid that from time to time, the gossip columns make up silly stories about me when they don't have anything better to print."
"Ah!" Onozuka exclaimed as he finally realized why the man had seemed so familiar. "Of course, you're that Okumura Takashi! You've done some interviews for women's magazines, and the secretaries at my agency were swooning over you. And you were ranked in the top ten list of eligible bachelors, which made some of the actors who didn't make the list a bit jealous!" By now, Yamashiro was openly scowling, and Onozuka couldn't resist stirring up a little mischief by adding, "According to the tabloids, you're quite the playboy, always surrounded by beautiful women."
"Beautiful women who happen to be business associates, nothing more," Okumura laughed nervously as Yamashiro's scowl intensified. "Anything else is merely gossip and rumor--which the tabloids excel at, as I'm sure you're aware." He regained his composure and lifted Yamashiro's hand to his mouth as he said soothingly, "Don't glare at me like that, Kei--you know that you're the only one I have eyes for."
"Okumura-san!" Yamashiro spluttered in a mortified voice, his face turning bright red.
"I can see why you're friends," Onozuka said to Kikuchi dryly. "He reminds me a lot of you."
Kikuchi grinned and replied, "I guess we do have a few things in common."
"Come now, there's no need to be shy, Kei," Okumura said to his lover. "Kikuchi-san is a trusted friend."
"I don't know him at all, but that's not the point!" Yamashiro snapped, jerking his hand out of Okumura's grasp. "You said that you wanted to introduce me to an old friend, not that you were arranging some sort of double date!"
"I think we're in the same boat, Yamashiro-san," Onozuka said sympathetically, feeling a kind of fellowship with the other man now. "Kikuchi-san said pretty much the same thing to me, too."
"I wanted to surprise you," Kikuchi said, still grinning. "Besides, I don't know Yamashiro-kun, so it wasn't my place to out him, so to speak."
Onozuka and Yamashiro both glared at their respective lovers, and Okumura smiled in a conciliatory manner even if Kikuchi still looked unrepentant.
"I'm sorry, Kei," Okumura apologized. "I thought it would be a fun surprise to introduce you to two movie stars."
Yamashiro calmed down, though he still looked a little flushed and irritated. "I'm not closeted, exactly," he told Kikuchi gruffly. "But I don't like flaunting my personal life in front of strangers, and I don't like surprises."
"Most people would be thrilled to meet Kikuchi-san and Onozuka-san," Okumura pointed out.
"Well, I'm not most people!" Yamashiro retorted, then flushed slightly when he realized that his comment might be a little rude. "Ah...sorry, no offense intended," he apologized sheepishly to Kikuchi and Onozuka. "I don't really keep up with all the show business gossip and I don't have much time to watch TV, but everyone at the office will be envious that I met you, I'm sure. And I'm happy to meet Okumura-san's friends--I just would've liked a little warning beforehand, that's all."
He shot a quick glare at his lover, who gave him another apologetic smile, and Onozuka laughed gently, "No offense taken, Yamashiro-san--we actors are so vain that it's good for us to realize that we're not the center of the universe!" Yamashiro still looked embarrassed, so Onozuka reassured him, "I don't really have much time to be interested in hobbies outside of my work, either. You're in the design business yourself?"
Yamashiro relaxed and replied, "Yes, I'm an interior designer." He reached into his jacket pocket to pull out his card case and handed Onozuka a business card.
"Oh?" Kikuchi asked, leaning over to peer at it with a look of interest. "Then maybe you could give us some professional advice--we're moving into a new apartment, and we're supposed to invite a reporter over for an interview once we get settled in. My own decorating skills are pretty much nil."
Onozuka frowned suspiciously, wondering if Kikuchi was creating an excuse to invite a handsome young man into their home. However, he couldn't detect any hint of lust or flirtation in Kikuchi's face or voice as he spoke to Yamashiro, and besides, Kikuchi wouldn't be stupid enough to hit on another guy right in front of him even if he did intend to cheat on Onozuka--which he'd better not, if he valued his life.
Okumura looked amused, and Onozuka realized that he'd let his princely mask slip. He hastily smoothed out his features, smiling sweetly as he said, "Kikuchi-san is exaggerating, but his current place is a bit spartan. It's neat and clean, but it still sort of looks like he just moved in, even though he's been living there since he moved back to Japan."
"There was no one for me to impress until you moved in with me," Kikuchi said with a grin, but Yamashiro nodded at Onozuka with a more serious expression on his face.
"I see--you'd like to personalize the place, give it more of a sense of self," he said gravely. "Or rather 'selves,' since it should reflect both your personalities. I specialize more in restaurants and bars, but I'd be happy to come over and take a look. Just call my office to set up an appointment."
"We wouldn't want to inconvenience you," Onozuka said politely.
"It's not an inconvenience," Yamashiro replied, smiling at him with a bit more warmth. "It's a departure from my usual work, but I have done some home design work before and I'd enjoy the challenge."
"He redecorated my condo for me and did a wonderful job," Okumura purred, with a suggestive sidelong glance at Yamashiro, who blushed.
"Okumura-san!"
"Oh, I hired him before we became lovers, so it wasn't as if he didn't win the job on his own merits," Okumura added calmly.
"You don't need to say unnecessary things, Okumura-san!" Yamashiro hissed at him.
"Any such reassurances are indeed unnecessary," Onozuka agreed with a serene, princely smile. "Judging by how beautiful this terrace is, there's no reason to question Yamashiro-san's talent."
"Thank you, Onozuka-san," Yamashiro said gratefully, smiling back at him. Onozuka noticed that Okumura suddenly looked a little less amused, and so did Kikuchi. Since the older men had apparently conspired together to catch him and Yamashiro off-guard, Onozuka thought that it served them right.
He flashed an even more charming smile at Yamashiro, causing both Okumura and Kikuchi to frown. But sadly, Onozuka's mischief was interrupted by the arrival of a young man bearing a tray of drinks--a waiter, Onozuka assumed, quite handsome and smartly dressed in a uniform of white shirt and black tie, vest, and trousers. Okumura seemed to have a thing for beautiful young men, or so Onozuka thought until Yamashiro smiled at the waiter in a friendly manner, while Okumura merely nodded at him coolly.
The man placed a glass in front of each of them, then bowed deeply, but that humble gesture contrasted with the gleam of insolent amusement in the waiter's eyes. Onozuka's interest was piqued, but he pretended not to notice as he examined the drinks: three of the cocktail glasses contained a clear, pale amber liquid with a curl of citrus peel garnishing the rim of each glass. However, Onozuka's drink was a more opaque yellow-orange that looked like fruit juice, and was garnished with a sprig of rosemary.
"Why is mine different?" he asked.
The waiter bowed again and said smoothly, "It's called an 'Okinawa nectar'--the main ingredients are awamori and peach nectar. I made it specially in your honor since your family is from Okinawa."
"You're very kind," Onozuka said graciously, feeling rather pleased by the flattery, whether it was because the waiter--no, the bartender--was a fan or because he had been ordered to give the owner's guests special attention. Onozuka often joked about the vanity of actors, but he was self-aware enough to recognize a streak of that vanity in himself, and figured that it wasn't a big deal as long as he didn't let it go to his head. He took a sip from the glass, then flashed a charming smile at the bartender and said, "It's very refreshing--I really like it!"
Onozuka smirked with satisfaction as Kikuchi scowled jealously and growled, "What's in the rest of these?" The threatening tone of his voice would have sent the "Love Reborn" production assistants running for cover, but the bartender didn't even flinch, which raised Onozuka's estimation of him up a notch. In fact, he even had the temerity to grin rather cheekily at Kikuchi--which impressed Onozuka considerably less, although it didn't seem to be a flirtatious gesture.
"It's actually a drink created by the owner," the bartender explained calmly. "It contains shochu, yuzu juice, and a bit of honey." Then he winked at Yamashiro and added, "It's Yamashiro-sama's favorite because it's the same color as the owner's eyes."
Yamashiro's face immediately turned beet-red as he protested in a mortified voice, "Sasatani-kun!"
Okumura gave the bartender a cold glare and said, "Sasatani-kun is a genius at mixing and creating drinks, but unfortunately his manners still need some polishing. I promise I'll see to it that he receives the proper training. You can go back to the bar for now, Sasatani-kun."
"Yes, Owner," Sasatani replied as he bowed deeply, but there was still too much amusement in his eyes for the gesture to be genuinely contrite. Okumura and Kikuchi both glared at his back as he walked away, and Onozuka and Yamashiro exchanged a conspiratorial smile.
Kikuchi took a sip from his glass and grudgingly conceded, "It's pretty good."
"Believe me, I wouldn't put up with his insolence if he wasn't brilliant at his job," Okumura replied. "He's not just good at mixing drinks, but has an uncanny knack for inventing custom drinks on the spot to suit a customer's personality and mood. He's talented and clever--though maybe a little too clever for his own good."
"It's your own fault for hiring him," Yamashiro told his lover with a distinct lack of sympathy. "You stole him away from another bar, so perhaps this is your karmic retribution."
"Perhaps," Okumura sighed.
"You could just fire him," Kikuchi suggested, earning a quick glare and a disapproving frown from Yamashiro.
"If you fire him because he's not doing his job properly, that's your right as his employer," Yamashiro said sternly to Okumura. "But not out of petty jealousy or just because he annoys you."
"There's nothing petty about my jealousy, Kei," Okumura murmured, giving Yamashiro a possessive look that made him blush. "And I'm a bit hurt that you're taking his side over mine, but you needn't worry." He smiled sourly and added, "Sasatani-kun is so popular with the customers that I can't afford to fire him at this point."
"So just who's the one who was too clever for his own good?" Yamashiro asked with a smirk.
Okumura's brow furrowed in annoyance, and Onozuka decided that it might be a good idea to change the subject before a playful lover's quarrel escalated into a real argument.
"So tell us, Okumura-san," Onozuka said in a sweet voice. "How did you and Kikuchi-san meet?"
"Yes, Okumura-san," Yamashiro chimed in, a good deal more pointedly. "Just how did the two of you meet?"
Distracted by the question, the lines of irritation on Okumura's face eased, and he answered smoothly, "At a party in the States a few years ago. It was the grand opening of Jiri's first American branch, and we had been contracted to host a party to celebrate the opening of a new movie--a double debut, you might say. Kikuchi-san just happened to be one of the stars of that film."
Maybe Okumura's explanation had been a little too smooth, because Yamashiro stared at him suspiciously and asked, "Oh? So you're saying it was just a coincidence?"
"Yes, although a fortuitous one," Kikuchi replied casually. "One of the movie producers introduced us, thinking that we'd have something in common, both being from Japan. I'm fluent in English, but I'd missed being able to speak Japanese, so it was nice to have a conversation with someone from back home."
"Yes, I'm sure that you had some very nice conversations," Onozuka said sarcastically, while Yamashiro continue to glare at his own lover suspiciously.
"Yes, they were very nice," Kikuchi said calmly. "To be honest, I didn't have many friends left in Japan, so I kept in touch with Okumura-kun through e-mails and phone calls so that I could keep up with the news back home, or just talk to someone in Japanese when I was feeling homesick."
Yamashiro didn't look completely persuaded, but his expression did soften slightly, while Onozuka felt similarly conflicted. He knew that Kikuchi really had suffered during his American exile, but at the same time he also knew that Kikuchi was manipulative enough to play up that suffering in order to gain some sympathy.
"I suppose it must have been difficult, moving to a foreign country," Yamashiro acknowledged. "Especially when..."
He hesitated, and Kikuchi finished for him, "When it wasn't my choice?" He smiled ironically and continued, "Yes, it was difficult at first, but it wasn't all bad--the Americans are less rule-bound than the Japanese. Not that they don't have their prejudices, of course, but I felt more free to be myself than I did here. I grew pretty comfortable there eventually, but...it still wasn't really home. When I received an offer to come back and work on a movie, I suddenly realized how much I'd missed Japan."
"So you don't regret moving back here, then?" Yamashiro asked.
"Not at all," Kikuchi replied firmly. "I miss the friends I've made there, of course, and I intend to go back and visit from time to time, but I have no regrets." He threw an arm around Onozuka's shoulders and said with a grin, "Besides, my Prince is worth any sacrifice that I might have made by leaving America."
"He's a shameless flatterer," Onozuka informed Yamashiro and Okumura, but Kikuchi's shamelessness was part of his charm, after all. He felt his lips curving into a smile in spite of himself, and Kikuchi leaned over to kiss him. "Don't think that you're forgiven so easily," Onozuka whispered, just to let Kikuchi know that he wasn't completely off the hook yet.
"Yes, your Highness," Kikuchi murmured, bowing his head in an apparent show of contrition, but the roguish glint in his eyes belied the meekness of his voice.
"Utterly shameless," Onozuka sighed, shaking his head as Kikuchi attempted (without much success) to look innocently bewildered.
Okumura chuckled and Yamashiro smiled, and the mood became much less tense after that. Kikuchi told a few anecdotes about working in Hollywood, and coaxed Yamashiro into talking about his design work, relaxing him further. Looking relieved, Okumura talked about his own work at Jiri, and how he'd started off as a chef and worked his way up into management.
"You know, it's funny," Onozuka mused. "When I was starting off as an actor, I worked at a number of odd jobs to pay the bills in-between roles. For awhile I was a waiter at an Italian restaurant."
"Really?" Okumura asked, looking amused.
Yes, although not one of the Jiri branches," Onozuka replied with a grin. "A much smaller and more modest restaurant. But the food was good and I liked the job because the chef would always let me take home leftovers."
"Let me guess, the chef was a woman," Kikuchi said dryly.
"Why, however did you guess?" Onozuka asked with a look of wide-eyed innocence that caused Kikuchi to snort in response.
"I'm sure you were popular with the female customers, too," Yamashiro said. "The women in my office were reading some magazine article about you the other day, and they were all gushing over how handsome and charming the Golden Prince is."
"Just the Prince and not me?" Kikuchi demanded, feigning a hurt look. At least, Onozuka assumed it was feigned, although Kikuchi's ego was unexpectedly sensitive at times.
"Well, they did admire how protective you are of him," Yamashiro said placatingly. "But they do think it's a shame that Onozuka-san is no longer single."
"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint them, but the Prince belongs to me now," Kikuchi said possessively, wrapping his arm around Onozuka again.
"Kikuchi-san!" Onozuka protested, but secretly he felt reassured by Kikuchi's show of jealousy.
Yamashiro and Okumura both laughed, although Onozuka knew that Kikuchi wasn't really joking, despite the playful front that he put up. "So, if acting hadn't worked out for you, perhaps you would have done well in the restaurant industry, Onozuka-san," Okumura chuckled.
"Alas, my career as a waiter was cut short," Onozuka said with an exaggerated sigh. "I got fired for missing one too many of my shifts because of audition calls. I'd usually try to trade shifts with one of the other waiters in advance, but sometimes auditions would come up at the last minute. I felt bad about causing trouble to my coworkers, but...it was my ambition to become an actor, not a waiter."
"Well, you've certainly achieved your ambitions, Onozuka-san," Okumura said. "I think that we all have, in our own ways." He smiled at Yamashiro, who blushed slightly and nodded.
"Indeed we have, in more ways than one," Kikuchi purred, giving Onozuka a possessive and loving look that made him forget, just for a moment, that he was supposed to be annoyed at Kikuchi for surprising him with this double date.
"To ambitions achieved, then," Okumura said, raising his glass in a toast, and the others clinked their glasses against his.
They chatted for a little longer, then Okumura said, "It was good to see you again, Kikuchi-san, and a pleasure to meet you, Onozuka-san. But I understand that it's a rare night off for you, so we should let you two lovebirds enjoy the rest of your date alone." He winked at Yamashiro and added, "Besides, I'd like to spend some time alone with my date, too!"
"Okumura-san!" Yamashiro snapped, his face turning bright red.
Onozuka gave him a sympathetic look, trying to silently convey the message, Our lovers are impossible, aren't they? Yamashiro must have understood, because he sighed and nodded in response.
Aloud, Onozuka said politely, "It was nice to meet you, too, Okumura-san, Yamashiro-san. Thank you for inviting us here--it truly is a lovely place to have a date."
"You're more than welcome, and please feel free to come back anytime," Okumura replied smoothly, ignoring the silent looks Onozuka and Yamashiro had exchanged. "I'll leave instructions for the two of you to be added to our membership list."
"Thanks, Okumura-kun--I'm sure we'll be taking you up on that offer," Kikuchi said.
Part 2
Rating: PG
Fandom: Haru wo Daiteita (Embracing Love), Love Control
Pairing: Kikuchi/Onozuka, Okumura/Yamashiro
Characters: Kikuchi and Onozuka from Haru; Okumura, Yamashiro Kei, and Sasatani from Love Control
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Word count: ~7,310
Sequel to: Remembrance of Times Past (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)
Summary: Kikuchi and Onozuka choose a new apartment, then receive an invitation to Okumura's bar.
***
In-between their many professional commitments, Kikuchi and Onozuka managed to find the time to look at two-bedroom units in Kikuchi's building. Right now they were looking at an apartment two floors above Kikuchi's current place.
"This is nice," Kikuchi said approvingly.
"As you can see, there is a spacious living room, extra closet space, and as you requested, two bedrooms," the real estate agent said brightly.
Ordinarily, since Kikuchi was already a tenant in the building, the resident manager would have shown them the apartment, but since Kikuchi and Onozuka were celebrities, the agency that handled the building had sent over a special representative. Or maybe the woman had simply requested the job because she was a fan: she looked absolutely thrilled, not just to be making a potential sale, but to be waiting on such a famous couple. Lately, they'd even bumped Iwaki and Katou off the tabloid magazine covers, which was no easy feat.
"This will make a nice study," Onozuka said politely of the second bedroom, which was the fiction they had settled on for the public. They really did intend to convert it into a study, but the true purpose of the room was to provide Onozuka with some private space for those times when he got a little panicky about the newly committed relationship that they'd found themselves thrown into.
He was still debating with himself over whether it was really necessary for him to have that extra space. Kikuchi was being very understanding about it, and had in fact suggested the idea in the first place. But Onozuka still felt a little guilty about wanting some space away from Kikuchi, especially when he knew that he'd hurt Kikuchi in the not-so-distant past with his reluctance to commit.
However, it became obvious that they were going to take the apartment as soon as Kikuchi set eyes on the kitchen, and tentative approval turned into unabashed enthusiasm. "This is great!" Kikuchi exclaimed. "More counter and cupboard space, a bigger fridge and stove, and look--it even has an oven! That means I can do some baking!"
Onozuka smiled in amusement at the infamous Kikuchi Katsuya gushing over a kitchen like a housewife on a game show. But he kept that thought to himself, not just because it might hurt Kikuchi's pride, but because it wasn't a princely thing to say and the agent was still present.
Instead, he gently teased, "If you're going to be making a lot of sweets, then I'll have to put in some extra time at the gym to stay in shape!"
Kikuchi grinned at him and said, "Baking isn't just for cakes and pies and cookies. You can cook all kinds of meals in an oven--roasts, chicken, pizza, lasagna..."
"I'll definitely have to hit the gym," Onozuka laughed.
The agent looked a little startled, then she smiled and said, "Ah, that's right--I remember reading in an interview that Kikuchi-san likes to cook romantic meals for you, Onozuka-san!"
"I know that I'm very lucky," Onozuka said, blushing slightly as he gazed at Kikuchi adoringly.
Kikuchi gave him a look of wry humor in return, but played along for the sake of the agent and threw his arm around Onozuka's shoulders, saying gallantly, "Nothing is too good for my Prince!"
"I envy you, Onozuka-san," the agent sighed, then managed to collect herself and resume a professional demeanor. "Well then, it seems that the two of you like the apartment, and personally, I think that it really suits you."
"So what do you think, Onozuka-kun?" Kikuchi asked eagerly. "Shall we take it?"
"You already have your heart set on it, don't you?" Onozuka laughed, and Kikuchi smiled at him sheepishly. "Yes, it's fine. I'm happy living anywhere as long as it's with you."
"You really are a romantic couple in real life, and not just on TV," the agent sighed happily.
But when they went to the agent's office to take care of all the official paperwork, Onozuka found himself struck by an attack of nerves when it was his turn to sign the contract. He managed to scrawl his name on the line below Kikuchi's, but couldn't bring himself to take the final step and stamp his seal next to his name. Instead, his hand froze in mid-air, hovering above the paper.
The agent was giving him a puzzled look, and Onozuka tried to pull himself together. You're being ridiculous, he told himself firmly. It wasn't like he was signing a marriage contract, after all, or even the deed to a house or condo. This was simply an open-ended rental agreement that could be ended any time he chose. He and Kikuchi had to put down a fair amount of money in various fees, including first and last month's rent and a security deposit, but it wasn't the money that he was worried about.
"Onozuka-san, is something wrong?" the agent asked, and Onozuka glanced over at Kikuchi, who was gazing at him anxiously.
No, rental or not, he couldn't just break the contract anytime he wanted, and that was what was really bothering him. Even if there were no legal repercussions, this was still a commitment, and he couldn't just walk out without endangering his relationship with Kikuchi--not to mention his career, but that concern was secondary right now. Which just went to show how far gone he was, that he'd put a relationship above his hard-won and cherished acting career.
So Onozuka drew in a deep breath, then exhaled and gave the agent a princely smile. "Sorry, this is a very important step for us, and I just had to stop and savor the moment."
"Oh, of course I understand!" the agent declared, although Onozuka suspected that he had looked more terrified than blissfully romantic. Left without any excuses to keep stalling, he took that final step and pressed his seal down on the contract. The bright red ink made it look as though the contract had been sealed in blood--or maybe he was just being overdramatic about the whole thing. Then again, Onozuka felt that as an actor, he ought to be entitled to a few dramatics.
"Congratulations," the agent told them as she handed over two sets of keys to the new apartment. "You can move in anytime, and of course the rent is still covered on your old apartment until the end of the month. Just turn the keys in to the resident manager when you're done moving."
When they got back home, Onozuka sighed and said, "Well, it looks like I'll be moving a second time, but least I won't have to re-pack everything." There were still several boxes stacked in the living room, non-essential items that Onozuka hadn't bothered to unpack, since Kikuchi had suggested looking for a bigger place almost as soon as Onozuka had moved in.
"It won't be so bad," Kikuchi assured him. "We don't have to rush, since we still have a few weeks left on this place, so we can move our stuff upstairs little by little."
"No worries," Onozuka said with a grin. "I can draft Miyasaka into helping us again. He'll complain about having to haul the same boxes twice, but I'll treat him to drinks afterwards as a reward. And anyway, I did give him half of that case of cocktail drinks from that commercial we did."
Kikuchi looked slightly annoyed by the mention of Miyasaka, though he covered it up quickly with a casual smile and said, "Fine, we could use the help." Onozuka smiled back at him, feeling both amused and touched that Kikuchi was making an obvious effort to get along with Miyasaka and hide his dislike for his supposed rival.
However, Kikuchi couldn't resist adding, "If you're the brains of the duo, he's the brawn, after all." But his tone of voice was more good-natured than cutting, and since Onozuka privately agreed with him, he snickered at the joke.
"Behave yourself, Katsuya," Onozuka scolded playfully. Kikuchi grinned and opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone.
Kikuchi glanced at the screen of his phone and answered it with, "Okumura-kun, it's been awhile. I heard that you were out of the country on a business trip?"
Onozuka's curiosity was immediately piqued, and he paid close attention to the conversation since the name wasn't one that he recognized. In fact, although Kikuchi talked about his friends back in America quite a bit, he had never mentioned having any close friends in Japan aside from Noguchi, his former stunt double.
"I see, you just got back," Kikuchi said. He fell silent, apparently listening to the speaker on the other end of the line, then laughed and said, "Sure, that sounds great--I've been meaning to introduce the Prince to you, anyway. When would be a good time for you?" There was another brief pause, and then Kikuchi said, "Well, in that case, would tonight be all right? I know it's short notice, but our schedules have been crazy and we haven't had much time off lately...okay then, let me talk to Onozuka-kun and I'll call you back. Thanks for the invite."
"What are we being invited to?" Onozuka demanded as soon as Kikuchi hung up, unable to contain his curiosity any longer.
Kikuchi grinned at him and said, "Would you like to go on a date tonight?"
"A date?" Onozuka echoed in confusion.
"A date," Kikuchi confirmed. "We've had a lot of sex and I've cooked some romantic dinners for you, but we haven't really had a date in the sense of going out to a public place like a movie theater or a restaurant. We couldn't while you were closeted, of course, and we haven't had time for it since we've been outed, but we finally have tonight and tomorrow off." They had asked their managers to clear their schedule for a couple of days so that they could look at apartments, and their request had been granted with the condition that they would give a guided tour to a select reporter if and when they moved into their new place. It would be good publicity and prove to the fans that they were living in happy domesticity, and besides, it had been Kikuchi's idea to begin with, so Onozuka didn't really mind.
"I'd love to go on a date with you," Onozuka said, feeling intrigued. "But you know that we'll be tailed by the paparazzi if we go out in public, which makes it kind of hard to have a cozy, romantic evening."
"Not to worry," Kikuchi assured him. "My friend owns a very private, exclusive bar that's only open to invited members, so the paparazzi won't be able to follow us in there."
"This isn't the kind of members-only bar where you met Tanahashi-san, is it?" Onozuka asked suspiciously, referring to the gay bar that Kikuchi used to patronize while he had still been closeted.
"No, nothing like that!" Kikuchi laughed. "I promise, it's just a regular bar. It's sort of a pet project for the owner, so it's only open to his friends and business associates. I've never been there, but I'm told that the terrace is beautiful at night--a very romantic spot for a date."
"That sounds nice," Onozuka said, and it did, but he was still more interested in Kikuchi's mysterious friend than the bar. "I'm grateful to your friend, but I'm a little curious..." He hesitated, then added cautiously, "I wasn't sure if you had any close friends in Japan other than Noguchi-san."
"It's true that most of my old friends turned on me after the scandal," Kikuchi replied matter-of-factly. "But I have a few people I've stayed in contact with over the years--mostly Noguchi-kun and a couple other crew members I worked with in the past. Oh, and I have an old high school buddy who's not in the industry. He's a cop, actually--I think he hung out with me because he looked up to my dad." Kikuchi laughed and said, "He lives in Kyoto now, so I've only seen him once since I moved back to Japan, but if we ever go there for business or a vacation, I'll introduce you."
"Hmm," Onozuka murmured thoughtfully. It seemed like he was constantly learning new things about his lover, or maybe it was just because Kikuchi had dropped the pretense that their relationship was only "casual" and was finally revealing his true self. They both were, Onozuka supposed--or at least, he was trying to. Being honest didn't come easily when he'd spent most of his life pretending to be something he wasn't, whether that was the dutiful heir or the noble Prince.
"What's he like, this bar owner friend?" Onozuka asked.
"He's a very ambitious businessman who became successful at a young age," Kikuchi replied, then grinned at Onozuka. "But you can judge for yourself when we meet him tonight."
Onozuka nearly asked if the friend was good-looking and if Kikuchi had ever slept with him, but there was no point in being more of a jealous idiot than he'd already become. At least, there was no point in letting Kikuchi see his idiocy, since Kikuchi had a tendency to become infuriatingly smug whenever Onozuka got jealous. And besides, he was probably just being a little paranoid after the incident with Tanahashi.
So Onozuka merely smiled pleasantly and said, "I look forward to it."
***
Okumura hung up the phone, glancing back at the magazine article about Kikuchi and Onozuka that had inspired him to invite his old friend to the bar for a drink. They had both been too busy to talk recently, much less meet in person, but Kikuchi had sent a couple of e-mails after the scandal broke, confirming that he was indeed involved with the Golden Prince and that it wasn't just a publicity scheme. In fact, he had said, "I am as smitten with my Prince as you are with your own young beauty."
As he smiled at the thought of Kei, it occurred to Okumura that he had met Kei's best friend Takamiya Jin (albeit through work), but he had not introduced Kei to any of his friends. Kikuchi couldn't be called a close friend, precisely, but Okumura was not close to many people outside of his family other than Kei. Still, Kikuchi was one of the few people who knew that he was gay, although was mainly by default, thanks to their brief tryst five years ago.
(Kei seemed to be under the misapprehension that he was bisexual, due to the polite flirting he indulged in with his female colleagues. It was merely a bit of gallantry designed to charm them and help keep business relations running smoothly, but Okumura was amused and flattered by his lover's jealousy--well, most of the time, anyway--so he hadn't yet bothered to correct Kei.)
Regardless of the reason, it was nice to have someone that he could be honest with, which was the main reason why Okumura had maintained his long-distance friendship with Kikuchi all these years. Of course it didn't hurt to be able to count a movie star among his acquaintances, and besides, he genuinely liked Kikuchi and sympathized with the ambivalence Kikuchi had felt about living in exile in America.
He should have introduced Kei to Kikuchi earlier, but even though Kei often called him an arrogant bastard, Okumura had been reluctant to introduce his lover to such a charming rogue. But now that Kikuchi was living in domestic bliss with his Prince, it should be safe enough to arrange a meeting.
Okumura picked up the phone again, dialed Kei's number, and purred in his most seductive voice, "Kei, let's meet at the usual bar tonight."
"You idiot!" Kei snapped, and Okumura grinned as he pictured the embarrassed blush spreading across his lover's face. Kei really was adorable when he got flustered, which was why Okumura enjoyed teasing him so much.
"I'll take that as a 'yes,'" Okumura laughed, and quickly hung up before Kei had a chance to contradict him. Even if Kei got angry at his presumption, Okumura figured that his lover would still be sure to turn up tonight--to tell him off, if nothing else.
***
Since Kikuchi had a policy about not drinking and driving, they took a taxi to the address that Kikuchi's friend had given him, located in a ritzy business and shopping district in Tokyo.
"Are you sure this is the right building?" Onozuka asked a bit doubtfully as they walked through the lobby and got into the elevator. "I don't see a directory and the floors aren't even labeled.
"I'm sure," Kikuchi replied, pressing the button for the top floor. "The concept of the bar is 'a hidden retreat,' so I suppose the mystery is all part of the atmosphere. And the exclusiveness probably makes the members feel special."
"Then I guess we should feel honored," Onozuka said with a wry smile, wondering if the whole building was members-only. A doorman had bowed politely and let them in without asking for any ID, but they were such public figures these days that their identities were obvious to anyone who read a newspaper or watched TV.
At the top floor, they were greeted at the door with a "Welcome, Kikuchi-san, Onozuka-san," and ushered into the bar by a man who introduced himself as the manager.
"I'd offer to take your coats," he said. "But the owner wanted to show you the terrace and it's a bit chilly tonight, so you might want to keep them with you."
"That's fine," Kikuchi replied. "Okumura-kun says that the view from the terrace is beautiful, so I look forward to seeing it."
"Terrace?" Onozuka asked curiously.
"Right this way," the manager said, leading them through the bar. It was a nice place--sleek and elegant and much more upscale than Lime, with little nooks and alcoves partially shielded by potted plants for customers who desired some privacy. More than a few heads turned their way as they walked by, and Onozuka heard some excited murmurs of recognition, but no one was crass or bold enough to call out or approach them for an autograph.
To Onozuka's surprise, they stopped at a staircase that had a chain and a "closed" sign barring the way. "I thought that this was already the top floor," he said.
"The stairs lead to the terrace at the very top," the manager said with a smile as he unhooked the chain. "Our terrace seating is very popular, but as it's open to the elements, we have to close it during the colder months--and, of course, when the owner wants privacy for entertaining special guests."
"We're very flattered," Onozuka said with a charming smile, and began composing some polite compliments in his mind. However, when they stepped out onto the terrace, he realized that there was no need to manufacture false flattery. Cylindrical white lamps gave off a soft, flickering glow that mimicked candlelight and reflected off the narrow channel of water that wound its way along the terrace and through the seating like a very pretty manmade stream. It was open to the air, yet seemed cozy and intimate at the same time, in contrast with the bright lights of the city that twinkled off in the distance like starlight.
"Oh, it's beautiful!" Onozuka gasped with genuine awe.
"Thank you," said a deep voice laced with a hint of amusement. Startled, Onozuka turned around to see a man walking towards them with a confident, almost arrogant stride. He was wearing an expensive designer suit--one more conservative and less flashy than Kenzaki's host outfits--and looked to be around Kikuchi's age, or perhaps a few years younger. He looked vaguely familiar, which was puzzling, because Onozuka was sure he would have remembered meeting such a strikingly handsome man before. He was tall and broad-shouldered with brown hair and eyes that were an odd shade of yellowish-brown, almost gold. Those eyes, along with a faintly Western cast to his features, made Onozuka wonder if he might be part American, or maybe European.
There was also a slightly predatory look in the man's gold eyes that was amazingly similar to Kikuchi's, and Onozuka seethed with jealousy as Kikuchi greeted his friend with a warm smile and a hearty, "Okumura-kun! It's great to see you again!"
They shook hands, firmly but briefly, and Onozuka's jealousy eased--not completely, but enough so that he was no longer contemplating violence to either his lover or his rival--as Kikuchi slipped an arm around his waist and said proudly, "And this is my beloved Prince, Onozuka Yuu."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Onozuka said humbly, with a sweet smile and a graceful bow.
"I'm Okumura Takashi," Kikuchi's friend said smoothly, bowing just as gracefully in return. "And this is Yamashiro Kei--he's actually the one who deserves your compliment since he designed the terrace."
Only then did Onozuka notice the second man, who had been walking a few paces behind Okumura. He was slighter in build and younger than Okumura--somewhere in his mid to late twenties, Onozuka guessed. Yamashiro was also quite handsome, though it was a quieter and less showy sort of beauty than Okumura's. Glasses and a serious demeanor gave him the look of a young salaryman except that he was dressed a little too casually for an office worker: a nice shirt and blazer but no tie. At first glance, the only thing that really stood out about him was his hair, which was turning prematurely gray. However, the dim light gave it a silvery sheen that lent him an air of elegance and maturity, so it suited him rather than looking odd.
"It's truly lovely, Yamashiro-san," Onozuka said with another polite bow, although he was thinking to himself sourly that he was going to have a few words in private with Kikuchi about dragging him out on an alleged "date" to meet two handsome men, one of whom might be an ex-lover.
"You're too kind, Onozuka-san, but I'm glad that you like it," Yamashiro replied, a little too coolly for courtesy, and Onozuka looked up to see that Yamashiro's handsome face was marred slightly by a suspicious frown as he glanced from Okumura to Kikuchi and Onozuka, then back again.
Ah, then perhaps he's Okumura's boyfriend, Onozuka thought, relaxing a little more. Meanwhile, Okumura looked amused by his companion's frown, but didn't comment on it. Instead he gestured towards a nearby table and said pleasantly, "Let's enjoy some drinks on the terrace, then, unless it's too cold for you out here."
"I'm fine," Onozuka said. The night air was cool and crisp, but not uncomfortably so, at least with his coat on, though some of the ladies in the bar would've been shivering in their short-sleeved dresses.
"No problem," Kikuchi said with a mischievous grin as he pulled Onozuka a little closer. "I have my love to keep me warm, after all!"
Onozuka feigned a blush and an embarrassed laugh as he protested, "Kikuchi-san!" In a much lower voice, pitched only to Kikuchi's ears, he growled, "Don't push your luck."
Kikuchi grinned unrepentantly, but loosened his hold on Onozuka as they seated themselves at the table. The other two men took the seats across from them and Okumura chuckled, "The two of you really are a romantic couple, just like the press says."
"Oh, you can't believe everything that you read in the tabloids, Okumura-san," Onozuka laughed.
"But we are a romantic couple," Kikuchi argued, giving him a wounded look.
"The puppy-eyes look doesn't suit you as well as it does Katou," Onozuka whispered, and this time Kikuchi responded with a look of genuine indignation. Satisfied at having scored a point, Onozuka patted his lover's hand placatingly and said sweetly, "Yes, of course it's true that we're a happy couple, darling."
Yamashiro gave them a brief, incredulous look before turning to direct another suspicious glare at Okumura. "You of all people should know better than to believe the stories in the tabloids," he said coldly. "Or are we supposed to believe all the stories that they print about you, Okumura-san?"
"Tabloid stories?" Onozuka asked.
"Didn't Kikuchi-san tell you?" Okumura replied. "I'm the director of the Jiri Group. This bar is the Nebula Sinus-Jiri, a personal side project of mine. I'm afraid that from time to time, the gossip columns make up silly stories about me when they don't have anything better to print."
"Ah!" Onozuka exclaimed as he finally realized why the man had seemed so familiar. "Of course, you're that Okumura Takashi! You've done some interviews for women's magazines, and the secretaries at my agency were swooning over you. And you were ranked in the top ten list of eligible bachelors, which made some of the actors who didn't make the list a bit jealous!" By now, Yamashiro was openly scowling, and Onozuka couldn't resist stirring up a little mischief by adding, "According to the tabloids, you're quite the playboy, always surrounded by beautiful women."
"Beautiful women who happen to be business associates, nothing more," Okumura laughed nervously as Yamashiro's scowl intensified. "Anything else is merely gossip and rumor--which the tabloids excel at, as I'm sure you're aware." He regained his composure and lifted Yamashiro's hand to his mouth as he said soothingly, "Don't glare at me like that, Kei--you know that you're the only one I have eyes for."
"Okumura-san!" Yamashiro spluttered in a mortified voice, his face turning bright red.
"I can see why you're friends," Onozuka said to Kikuchi dryly. "He reminds me a lot of you."
Kikuchi grinned and replied, "I guess we do have a few things in common."
"Come now, there's no need to be shy, Kei," Okumura said to his lover. "Kikuchi-san is a trusted friend."
"I don't know him at all, but that's not the point!" Yamashiro snapped, jerking his hand out of Okumura's grasp. "You said that you wanted to introduce me to an old friend, not that you were arranging some sort of double date!"
"I think we're in the same boat, Yamashiro-san," Onozuka said sympathetically, feeling a kind of fellowship with the other man now. "Kikuchi-san said pretty much the same thing to me, too."
"I wanted to surprise you," Kikuchi said, still grinning. "Besides, I don't know Yamashiro-kun, so it wasn't my place to out him, so to speak."
Onozuka and Yamashiro both glared at their respective lovers, and Okumura smiled in a conciliatory manner even if Kikuchi still looked unrepentant.
"I'm sorry, Kei," Okumura apologized. "I thought it would be a fun surprise to introduce you to two movie stars."
Yamashiro calmed down, though he still looked a little flushed and irritated. "I'm not closeted, exactly," he told Kikuchi gruffly. "But I don't like flaunting my personal life in front of strangers, and I don't like surprises."
"Most people would be thrilled to meet Kikuchi-san and Onozuka-san," Okumura pointed out.
"Well, I'm not most people!" Yamashiro retorted, then flushed slightly when he realized that his comment might be a little rude. "Ah...sorry, no offense intended," he apologized sheepishly to Kikuchi and Onozuka. "I don't really keep up with all the show business gossip and I don't have much time to watch TV, but everyone at the office will be envious that I met you, I'm sure. And I'm happy to meet Okumura-san's friends--I just would've liked a little warning beforehand, that's all."
He shot a quick glare at his lover, who gave him another apologetic smile, and Onozuka laughed gently, "No offense taken, Yamashiro-san--we actors are so vain that it's good for us to realize that we're not the center of the universe!" Yamashiro still looked embarrassed, so Onozuka reassured him, "I don't really have much time to be interested in hobbies outside of my work, either. You're in the design business yourself?"
Yamashiro relaxed and replied, "Yes, I'm an interior designer." He reached into his jacket pocket to pull out his card case and handed Onozuka a business card.
"Oh?" Kikuchi asked, leaning over to peer at it with a look of interest. "Then maybe you could give us some professional advice--we're moving into a new apartment, and we're supposed to invite a reporter over for an interview once we get settled in. My own decorating skills are pretty much nil."
Onozuka frowned suspiciously, wondering if Kikuchi was creating an excuse to invite a handsome young man into their home. However, he couldn't detect any hint of lust or flirtation in Kikuchi's face or voice as he spoke to Yamashiro, and besides, Kikuchi wouldn't be stupid enough to hit on another guy right in front of him even if he did intend to cheat on Onozuka--which he'd better not, if he valued his life.
Okumura looked amused, and Onozuka realized that he'd let his princely mask slip. He hastily smoothed out his features, smiling sweetly as he said, "Kikuchi-san is exaggerating, but his current place is a bit spartan. It's neat and clean, but it still sort of looks like he just moved in, even though he's been living there since he moved back to Japan."
"There was no one for me to impress until you moved in with me," Kikuchi said with a grin, but Yamashiro nodded at Onozuka with a more serious expression on his face.
"I see--you'd like to personalize the place, give it more of a sense of self," he said gravely. "Or rather 'selves,' since it should reflect both your personalities. I specialize more in restaurants and bars, but I'd be happy to come over and take a look. Just call my office to set up an appointment."
"We wouldn't want to inconvenience you," Onozuka said politely.
"It's not an inconvenience," Yamashiro replied, smiling at him with a bit more warmth. "It's a departure from my usual work, but I have done some home design work before and I'd enjoy the challenge."
"He redecorated my condo for me and did a wonderful job," Okumura purred, with a suggestive sidelong glance at Yamashiro, who blushed.
"Okumura-san!"
"Oh, I hired him before we became lovers, so it wasn't as if he didn't win the job on his own merits," Okumura added calmly.
"You don't need to say unnecessary things, Okumura-san!" Yamashiro hissed at him.
"Any such reassurances are indeed unnecessary," Onozuka agreed with a serene, princely smile. "Judging by how beautiful this terrace is, there's no reason to question Yamashiro-san's talent."
"Thank you, Onozuka-san," Yamashiro said gratefully, smiling back at him. Onozuka noticed that Okumura suddenly looked a little less amused, and so did Kikuchi. Since the older men had apparently conspired together to catch him and Yamashiro off-guard, Onozuka thought that it served them right.
He flashed an even more charming smile at Yamashiro, causing both Okumura and Kikuchi to frown. But sadly, Onozuka's mischief was interrupted by the arrival of a young man bearing a tray of drinks--a waiter, Onozuka assumed, quite handsome and smartly dressed in a uniform of white shirt and black tie, vest, and trousers. Okumura seemed to have a thing for beautiful young men, or so Onozuka thought until Yamashiro smiled at the waiter in a friendly manner, while Okumura merely nodded at him coolly.
The man placed a glass in front of each of them, then bowed deeply, but that humble gesture contrasted with the gleam of insolent amusement in the waiter's eyes. Onozuka's interest was piqued, but he pretended not to notice as he examined the drinks: three of the cocktail glasses contained a clear, pale amber liquid with a curl of citrus peel garnishing the rim of each glass. However, Onozuka's drink was a more opaque yellow-orange that looked like fruit juice, and was garnished with a sprig of rosemary.
"Why is mine different?" he asked.
The waiter bowed again and said smoothly, "It's called an 'Okinawa nectar'--the main ingredients are awamori and peach nectar. I made it specially in your honor since your family is from Okinawa."
"You're very kind," Onozuka said graciously, feeling rather pleased by the flattery, whether it was because the waiter--no, the bartender--was a fan or because he had been ordered to give the owner's guests special attention. Onozuka often joked about the vanity of actors, but he was self-aware enough to recognize a streak of that vanity in himself, and figured that it wasn't a big deal as long as he didn't let it go to his head. He took a sip from the glass, then flashed a charming smile at the bartender and said, "It's very refreshing--I really like it!"
Onozuka smirked with satisfaction as Kikuchi scowled jealously and growled, "What's in the rest of these?" The threatening tone of his voice would have sent the "Love Reborn" production assistants running for cover, but the bartender didn't even flinch, which raised Onozuka's estimation of him up a notch. In fact, he even had the temerity to grin rather cheekily at Kikuchi--which impressed Onozuka considerably less, although it didn't seem to be a flirtatious gesture.
"It's actually a drink created by the owner," the bartender explained calmly. "It contains shochu, yuzu juice, and a bit of honey." Then he winked at Yamashiro and added, "It's Yamashiro-sama's favorite because it's the same color as the owner's eyes."
Yamashiro's face immediately turned beet-red as he protested in a mortified voice, "Sasatani-kun!"
Okumura gave the bartender a cold glare and said, "Sasatani-kun is a genius at mixing and creating drinks, but unfortunately his manners still need some polishing. I promise I'll see to it that he receives the proper training. You can go back to the bar for now, Sasatani-kun."
"Yes, Owner," Sasatani replied as he bowed deeply, but there was still too much amusement in his eyes for the gesture to be genuinely contrite. Okumura and Kikuchi both glared at his back as he walked away, and Onozuka and Yamashiro exchanged a conspiratorial smile.
Kikuchi took a sip from his glass and grudgingly conceded, "It's pretty good."
"Believe me, I wouldn't put up with his insolence if he wasn't brilliant at his job," Okumura replied. "He's not just good at mixing drinks, but has an uncanny knack for inventing custom drinks on the spot to suit a customer's personality and mood. He's talented and clever--though maybe a little too clever for his own good."
"It's your own fault for hiring him," Yamashiro told his lover with a distinct lack of sympathy. "You stole him away from another bar, so perhaps this is your karmic retribution."
"Perhaps," Okumura sighed.
"You could just fire him," Kikuchi suggested, earning a quick glare and a disapproving frown from Yamashiro.
"If you fire him because he's not doing his job properly, that's your right as his employer," Yamashiro said sternly to Okumura. "But not out of petty jealousy or just because he annoys you."
"There's nothing petty about my jealousy, Kei," Okumura murmured, giving Yamashiro a possessive look that made him blush. "And I'm a bit hurt that you're taking his side over mine, but you needn't worry." He smiled sourly and added, "Sasatani-kun is so popular with the customers that I can't afford to fire him at this point."
"So just who's the one who was too clever for his own good?" Yamashiro asked with a smirk.
Okumura's brow furrowed in annoyance, and Onozuka decided that it might be a good idea to change the subject before a playful lover's quarrel escalated into a real argument.
"So tell us, Okumura-san," Onozuka said in a sweet voice. "How did you and Kikuchi-san meet?"
"Yes, Okumura-san," Yamashiro chimed in, a good deal more pointedly. "Just how did the two of you meet?"
Distracted by the question, the lines of irritation on Okumura's face eased, and he answered smoothly, "At a party in the States a few years ago. It was the grand opening of Jiri's first American branch, and we had been contracted to host a party to celebrate the opening of a new movie--a double debut, you might say. Kikuchi-san just happened to be one of the stars of that film."
Maybe Okumura's explanation had been a little too smooth, because Yamashiro stared at him suspiciously and asked, "Oh? So you're saying it was just a coincidence?"
"Yes, although a fortuitous one," Kikuchi replied casually. "One of the movie producers introduced us, thinking that we'd have something in common, both being from Japan. I'm fluent in English, but I'd missed being able to speak Japanese, so it was nice to have a conversation with someone from back home."
"Yes, I'm sure that you had some very nice conversations," Onozuka said sarcastically, while Yamashiro continue to glare at his own lover suspiciously.
"Yes, they were very nice," Kikuchi said calmly. "To be honest, I didn't have many friends left in Japan, so I kept in touch with Okumura-kun through e-mails and phone calls so that I could keep up with the news back home, or just talk to someone in Japanese when I was feeling homesick."
Yamashiro didn't look completely persuaded, but his expression did soften slightly, while Onozuka felt similarly conflicted. He knew that Kikuchi really had suffered during his American exile, but at the same time he also knew that Kikuchi was manipulative enough to play up that suffering in order to gain some sympathy.
"I suppose it must have been difficult, moving to a foreign country," Yamashiro acknowledged. "Especially when..."
He hesitated, and Kikuchi finished for him, "When it wasn't my choice?" He smiled ironically and continued, "Yes, it was difficult at first, but it wasn't all bad--the Americans are less rule-bound than the Japanese. Not that they don't have their prejudices, of course, but I felt more free to be myself than I did here. I grew pretty comfortable there eventually, but...it still wasn't really home. When I received an offer to come back and work on a movie, I suddenly realized how much I'd missed Japan."
"So you don't regret moving back here, then?" Yamashiro asked.
"Not at all," Kikuchi replied firmly. "I miss the friends I've made there, of course, and I intend to go back and visit from time to time, but I have no regrets." He threw an arm around Onozuka's shoulders and said with a grin, "Besides, my Prince is worth any sacrifice that I might have made by leaving America."
"He's a shameless flatterer," Onozuka informed Yamashiro and Okumura, but Kikuchi's shamelessness was part of his charm, after all. He felt his lips curving into a smile in spite of himself, and Kikuchi leaned over to kiss him. "Don't think that you're forgiven so easily," Onozuka whispered, just to let Kikuchi know that he wasn't completely off the hook yet.
"Yes, your Highness," Kikuchi murmured, bowing his head in an apparent show of contrition, but the roguish glint in his eyes belied the meekness of his voice.
"Utterly shameless," Onozuka sighed, shaking his head as Kikuchi attempted (without much success) to look innocently bewildered.
Okumura chuckled and Yamashiro smiled, and the mood became much less tense after that. Kikuchi told a few anecdotes about working in Hollywood, and coaxed Yamashiro into talking about his design work, relaxing him further. Looking relieved, Okumura talked about his own work at Jiri, and how he'd started off as a chef and worked his way up into management.
"You know, it's funny," Onozuka mused. "When I was starting off as an actor, I worked at a number of odd jobs to pay the bills in-between roles. For awhile I was a waiter at an Italian restaurant."
"Really?" Okumura asked, looking amused.
Yes, although not one of the Jiri branches," Onozuka replied with a grin. "A much smaller and more modest restaurant. But the food was good and I liked the job because the chef would always let me take home leftovers."
"Let me guess, the chef was a woman," Kikuchi said dryly.
"Why, however did you guess?" Onozuka asked with a look of wide-eyed innocence that caused Kikuchi to snort in response.
"I'm sure you were popular with the female customers, too," Yamashiro said. "The women in my office were reading some magazine article about you the other day, and they were all gushing over how handsome and charming the Golden Prince is."
"Just the Prince and not me?" Kikuchi demanded, feigning a hurt look. At least, Onozuka assumed it was feigned, although Kikuchi's ego was unexpectedly sensitive at times.
"Well, they did admire how protective you are of him," Yamashiro said placatingly. "But they do think it's a shame that Onozuka-san is no longer single."
"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint them, but the Prince belongs to me now," Kikuchi said possessively, wrapping his arm around Onozuka again.
"Kikuchi-san!" Onozuka protested, but secretly he felt reassured by Kikuchi's show of jealousy.
Yamashiro and Okumura both laughed, although Onozuka knew that Kikuchi wasn't really joking, despite the playful front that he put up. "So, if acting hadn't worked out for you, perhaps you would have done well in the restaurant industry, Onozuka-san," Okumura chuckled.
"Alas, my career as a waiter was cut short," Onozuka said with an exaggerated sigh. "I got fired for missing one too many of my shifts because of audition calls. I'd usually try to trade shifts with one of the other waiters in advance, but sometimes auditions would come up at the last minute. I felt bad about causing trouble to my coworkers, but...it was my ambition to become an actor, not a waiter."
"Well, you've certainly achieved your ambitions, Onozuka-san," Okumura said. "I think that we all have, in our own ways." He smiled at Yamashiro, who blushed slightly and nodded.
"Indeed we have, in more ways than one," Kikuchi purred, giving Onozuka a possessive and loving look that made him forget, just for a moment, that he was supposed to be annoyed at Kikuchi for surprising him with this double date.
"To ambitions achieved, then," Okumura said, raising his glass in a toast, and the others clinked their glasses against his.
They chatted for a little longer, then Okumura said, "It was good to see you again, Kikuchi-san, and a pleasure to meet you, Onozuka-san. But I understand that it's a rare night off for you, so we should let you two lovebirds enjoy the rest of your date alone." He winked at Yamashiro and added, "Besides, I'd like to spend some time alone with my date, too!"
"Okumura-san!" Yamashiro snapped, his face turning bright red.
Onozuka gave him a sympathetic look, trying to silently convey the message, Our lovers are impossible, aren't they? Yamashiro must have understood, because he sighed and nodded in response.
Aloud, Onozuka said politely, "It was nice to meet you, too, Okumura-san, Yamashiro-san. Thank you for inviting us here--it truly is a lovely place to have a date."
"You're more than welcome, and please feel free to come back anytime," Okumura replied smoothly, ignoring the silent looks Onozuka and Yamashiro had exchanged. "I'll leave instructions for the two of you to be added to our membership list."
"Thanks, Okumura-kun--I'm sure we'll be taking you up on that offer," Kikuchi said.
Part 2
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nice chapter, even knowing nothing about Yamashiro & Okumura (if i did read the manga, it didn't leave any trace in my mind, LOL). i like the moment of their encounter on the terrace, and the jealousy all around the place. and somehow, Kikuchi managed to deflect questions about his & Okumura's past relationship - though i'm sure this'll coming up again ^^
*jumps > p2*
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