FIC: Yoshizumi's Night Out, Part 2 of 3

[geri_chan]

Title: Yoshizumi's Night Out, Part 2 of 3
Rating: NC-17 overall
Fandom: Haru wo Daiteita, When a Man Loves a Man
Pairing: Kenzaki/Yoshizumi
Characters: Yoshizumi, Asano, Kenzaki, Kikuchi, Onozuka
Word count: ~5,240
Warnings: spoilers for the When a Man Loves a Man series
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
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), and Gigolo (Part 1, Part 2). The series also includes two side-stories that are outside of the main timeline: Valentine's Day Surprise and Strictly Business.
Summary: Asano keeps a watchful eye on Yoshizumi, who decides to seek out some companionship at the host club Rusty Nail.

Translation note: omiyage = souvenirs. In Japan, when one travels, one is expected to bring back souvenirs for one's family and friends, usually something that's a specialty of the area. For Kyoto, where Yoshizumi usually works, wagashi would be appropriate, as would non-food items such as incense, fans, or kimono accessories.

Part 1

***

Asano watched Kikuchi and Onozuka flirt, but it had become such a common sight that it was almost boring, and he found that his attention was captured by Yoshizumi instead. Yoshizumi was usually gregarious and got along well with most of the cast and crew, but tonight he seemed restless and distracted. He responded politely when someone else addressed him, but didn't initiate much conversation on his own, which was rather unusual, and Asano had caught him sighing and discreetly checking his watch, as if he were anxious to leave.

Asano was intrigued; up until now, nothing had ever seemed to ruffle Yoshizumi's feathers, and he wondered if Yoshizumi was planning to sneak off to a secret assignation. He actually sort of liked Yoshizumi, whom he got along with best out of all the male actors: Tanabe was a disagreeable sort who didn't even have enough subtlety or intelligence to make a good opponent; Onozuka was a smug bastard who inexplicably managed to fool the public and even most of his colleagues with his innocent "Prince" act; and while Kikuchi made an effort to be friendly to the cast and crew, including the lowliest extras and gofers, he obviously wasn't interested in anyone but Onozuka.

That left Yoshizumi, who had immediately set out to befriend Asano and Onozuka, due to their mutual connection with Iwaki and Katou. He was good company, and had many interesting and amusing stories about the industry, and Iwaki and Katou in particular. Moreover, he had a sly sense of humor beneath his outwardly genial manner.

A little too sly sometimes. He easily deflected Asano's attempts to needle Onozuka--not that the sneaky little bastard needed any defending--and he had very subtly hinted that he knew the truth about the sleepover scandal and wouldn't hesitate to use it to keep Asano in line.

Asano liked Yoshizumi, but he didn't like the idea of anyone holding power over him, and he would welcome the opportunity to even things out between them, and maybe even shift the balance of power in his own favor. So when the informal get-together disbanded, Asano followed Yoshizumi out of the bar.

He kept what he considered to be a safe distance between them, but the precaution was unnecessary, because Yoshizumi never looked back. Why should he, after all? He had no reason to think that anyone might be following him, since the paparazzi didn't pay much attention to a guy who always played the sidekick. The accident on the set of "Winter Cicadas" had cast him briefly into the limelight, but that was his only real brush with fame, aside from occasional mentions as "the friend of Iwaki Kyousuke and Katou Youji" in articles about the latter two.

Asano didn't have to follow Yoshizumi for very long. After a few blocks, he turned and walked into a club called "Rusty Nail." Asano casually walked past it, and was taken aback to see that it was a host club, with pictures of the attractive male hosts posted outside the door for customers to peruse.

Is Yoshizumi gay? Asano wondered. He ought to be pleased to have discovered a secret that he could hold over Yoshizumi, but instead he found himself feeling slightly disturbed about the idea of Yoshizumi going into the host club. He didn't really understand why; he wasn't a prude, and it shouldn't matter to him if Yoshizumi slept with men or women, except that the former would give Asano more leverage over his fellow actor.

It was merely the shock, Asano decided, shrugging off that uneasy feeling. It had simply never occurred to him that Yoshizumi might be gay, although maybe he should have been more open-minded, considering Iwaki and Katou's relationship.

There was an all-night café across the street from the club, where he could keep an eye on the Rusty Nail's entrance if he sat near the window, so Asano headed over to wait for Yoshizumi to emerge.

***

Yoshizumi was greeted at the door by a handsome young man who didn't seem the least bit taken aback by a male customer seeking entrance into the host club. He smiled and said smoothly, "Welcome to Rusty Nail, sir. Would you like to request a certain host?"

"Yes," Yoshizumi replied cheerfully. "I would like to request your number one host."

"Of course, sir," the young man replied. "Please allow me to seat you, and he'll be with you shortly."

"It's all right, Shou," a dark-haired man said, patting the younger man on the shoulder. "Yoshizumi-san is a special client of mine--I'll take over from here." He was dressed in a very expensive suit, and had sleek good looks that reminded Yoshizumi a little of a young Iwaki. However, Yoshizumi knew from experience that his personality was closer to Katou's--at least in regard to his brashness and passionate nature. Yoshizumi highly doubted that anyone would ever call Kenzaki Toshiya "bouncy" or "cheerful"--although it was kind of amusing to imagine Kenzaki bouncing around Katou-style like a golden retriever.

Shou bowed deeply, regarding Yoshizumi with new respect, and Kenzaki led Yoshizumi to a table in a corner at the back of the club, where they would have a little more privacy than among the crowd of laughing customers and hosts in the center of the room. "You've trained your people well," Yoshizumi complimented Kenzaki. "Or do you get many male customers here?"

Kenzaki smiled and replied, "Not many, but we get a few every now and then, perhaps due to Iwaki-san's reputation. In any case, the staff has been taught to make each customer feel special and give them the best service possible, regardless of their gender."

"Spoken like a true number one host," Yoshizumi laughed.

Kenzaki accepted the compliment with a gracious smile and asked, "What would you like to drink, Yoshizumi-san?"

"A bottle of Dom Perignon," Yoshizumi replied.

"One bottle of Dom Perignon!" Kenzaki called out, and there were a few murmurs and curious glances from the other customers and hosts. Yoshizumi wasn't sure if it was because of the price--the bottle would cost about one-hundred thousand yen, but it wouldn't be uncommon for the clients of the number one host to order bottles far more expensive than that. The curiosity might be simply because he was male, or possibly a combination of the two.

"Are we celebrating tonight?" Kenzaki asked.

"I have a good role in a big movie," Yoshizumi replied cheerfully. "Surely that's reason enough to celebrate! Besides, it would look bad if I only ordered cheap drinks while I'm with the number one, right?"

"I appreciate your kindness, Yoshizumi-san," Kenzaki replied with a charming smile. "But I'm happy just with your company; you needn't worry about my pride or reputation."

"Ah, you're good!" Yoshizumi laughed. "I can see how you became number one! But seriously, I'm being paid very well for this movie, so I can afford to splurge a bit."

"Then let me pour you a drink," Kenzaki said as a waiter arrived with the champagne. He filled two glasses, handed one to Yoshizumi, then raised his own in a toast. "To the success of your movie, Yoshizumi-san."

"Thank you," Yoshizumi replied, clinking his glass against Kenzaki's. He took a sip, savoring the taste of the champagne--as well he should, considering how much it cost. Then he reached into his pocket and said, "Here's a gift for you, Kenzaki-kun--it's Gigolo's latest scent."

Kenzaki accepted the small bottle of cologne and asked, "They're one of the sponsors for your movie, aren't they?"

Yoshizumi nodded. "Kikuchi-san, Onozuka-kun, and Asami-chan shot some ads for them that should be made public soon. Gigolo sent them a bunch of free samples, and Onozuka-kun gave me some."

"Meaning that this special gift you gave me is just a freebie," Kenzaki said with a wry smile.

"It's the thought that counts!" Yoshizumi protested good-naturedly. "And it is special--it's their new scent, 'Sin,' which won't be out on the market until the ad campaign starts. Besides, I already dropped off some omiyage from Kyoto when I first came to Tokyo for the film."

"The sweets were delicious, but it was only a short visit and you haven't been back at all since then," Kenzaki said in a wounded voice--he wouldn't have made a bad actor himself.

"I've been busy working, but I came to see you tonight," Yoshizumi defended himself. "Besides, aren't you supposed to be making me, your customer, feel special instead of trying to make me feel bad?"

"Ah, but if you feel guilty, then maybe you'll spend more money on me," Kenzaki replied with a sly grin. "And we treat each customer as an individual--I know that you're not the type to enjoy that kind of phony sycophantic fawning."

"No, I see enough of that in my business," Yoshizumi admitted, then laughed. "You really are the number one, to understand your customers so well!"

"Of course," Kenzaki replied loftily, as if there were no doubt about it. He opened the bottle of cologne and sniffed at it. "Ah, it does smell nice. I'll forgive you for neglecting me if you put some on me, Yoshizumi-san."

Yoshizumi gently dabbed some cologne on Kenzaki's wrists and neck, letting his hands linger on the other man's skin. Kenzaki shivered, his eyes half-closing with pleasure, and Yoshizumi flattered himself that the host's reaction wasn't just an act--or at least, not entirely an act.

When Yoshizumi reluctantly released Kenzaki, the host took a sip from his glass and gave Yoshizumi another sly smile. "So tell me why you really stopped by tonight, Yoshizumi-san."

"Can't I just want to see you?" Yoshizumi protested innocently.

Kenzaki snorted in disbelief and was about to reply when Shou came up and said apologetically, "Excuse me, Kenzaki-san, but a customer has requested you."

Kenzaki immediately shifted back into the role of the gracious host and said smoothly, "Forgive me, Yoshizumi-san, but can you excuse me for a few minutes?"

"Of course," Yoshizumi replied good-naturedly. "I can't expect to monopolize the number one host all night."

Kenzaki gracefully rose to his feet and bowed, saying, "I'll be back as soon as I can. In the meantime..." He beckoned to two young hosts who were sitting at the bar without any clients, and they hurried over. "Yoshizumi-san, this is Akira, and this is Kei." The two men bowed deeply, and Kenzaki continued, "Akira, Kei, this is Yoshizumi-san, a very special customer of mine. Please take good care of him."

"Yes, sir!" they chorused. Akira was a pretty blond, while the equally pretty Kei had spiky hair dyed red. They were as attractive and well-dressed as any of the other hosts in the club, but there was a certain puppy-like eagerness in their manner that marked them as new to the profession. Still, Yoshizumi was sure that Kenzaki would have hired only the cream of the crop, and besides, he found their unjaded enthusiasm refreshing.

"Please drink with me," Yoshizumi said politely, and they sat on either side of him.

"Thank you, Yoshizumi-san," Akira said with a charming smile. "May I refill your glass?"

"Thank you," Yoshizumi replied, allowing the young host to top off his glass. A waiter appeared with two more empty glasses, which Kei filled for himself and Akira.

Once they each had a glass in hand, Kei raised his and said, "To Yoshizumi-san! I look forward to seeing your new movie."

"I'm flattered that you recognize me," Yoshizumi laughed. "I work mainly as a supporting actor, so a lot of people think that I look familiar, but can't quite remember where they saw me."

"You shouldn't be so modest, Yoshizumi-san!" Kei protested. "I've seen you in many movies and TV dramas!"

"And of course we saw you in the televised press conference for 'Love Reborn,'" Akira chimed in.

"Well, I thank you kindly," Yoshizumi said with a smile. "It is nice to be recognized once in awhile, although there are some advantages in anonymity--I'd hate to have the paparazzi following me around twenty-four hours a day."

"Like the way the press hounds your friends Iwaki-san and Katou-san?" Kei asked sympathetically. "It's really terrible how they go around trying to make up scandals!"

"They're so cool, though," Akira sighed dreamily. "Their love has remained strong and they haven't let all the rumors and gossip come between them."

"You sound like a big fan, Akira-kun," Yoshizumi teased.

"Oh, I am!" Akira laughed sheepishly. "I really loved 'Winter Cicadas'--it's one of my favorite movies! It's too bad that you had to drop out because of your injury."

"Idiot!" Kei hissed. "He probably doesn't want to be reminded of that."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Yoshizumi-san," Akira hastily apologized.

"It's all right," Yoshizumi assured the boy. "Of course I'm disappointed that I couldn't complete the movie, but I'm glad that it gave me the chance to meet Iwaki-kun and Katou-kun--I gained two new friends, if nothing else. And of course I gained a lot of experience working with such talented actors, even if that footage couldn't be used in the movie. I really hope that I have the opportunity to work with them again someday."

"What was it like working with them?" Kei asked curiously, and Yoshizumi obliged by telling the two hosts some amusing stories about the pair and how nauseatingly sentimental they were, although he left out the more intimate and personal details that he had shared with Asano and Onozuka.

Yoshizumi was just about to launch into another story when Kenzaki appeared behind Akira and Kei and smacked both of them on the back of the head.

"Idiots!" he snarled. "You're acting like a couple of groupies instead of proper hosts! It's your job to entertain Yoshizumi-san, not the other way around! You're supposed to be making the customer feel like a star, like the most important person in the room, instead of using them to get some gossip about another movie star!"

The young hosts blushed in chagrin and bowed deeply in apology. "I'm sorry, Yoshizumi-san," Akira mumbled.

"Please forgive us for getting carried away," Kei said.

"Obviously you two are not ready to be out on the floor yet," Kenzaki told them coldly. "Go back into the kitchen and wash the dishes, and when you're done with that, you can clean the bathrooms--and I want to see them so clean that they sparkle!"

Kei opened his mouth to protest and quickly shut it again when Kenzaki gave him a murderous look that was almost as good as Kikuchi's yakuza-boss-glare.

"Yes, sir," the two hosts said meekly, heads bowed and shoulders slumped. They looked so miserable that Yoshizumi took pity on them and said, "Akira-kun, Kei-kun...Kenzaki-san is right that you lost sight of your job just now, but there are no hard feelings on my part. The next time I come in, you can wait on me again and show me how much you've improved."

Their faces brightened and they exclaimed, "Thank you, Yoshizumi-san!" They were so grateful that they actually had tears in their eyes--ah, they really were as cute as puppies!

They hurried off to carry out their chores, and Kenzaki dropped into the seat beside Yoshizumi, growling disapprovingly, "You were too soft on them, Yoshizumi-san."

"Well, you were pretty hard on them, so I couldn't help feeling a little sorry for them," Yoshizumi replied.

"That's because they represent this club," Kenzaki said sternly. "Rusty Nail is known for having only the best hosts, and I can't have sub-standard hosts damaging our reputation. It's for their own good--it's better to correct their mistakes now than have to fire them later for slipshod work."

"I see," Yoshizumi said with a smile. "You're just trying to help them improve, the way that a director might sternly lecture a young actor who made a mistake."

"Exactly," Kenzaki replied. "So don't interfere when I discipline the newbies."

"Sorry, I just wanted to give them a little encouragement," Yoshizumi apologized. "They seem like good kids."

"Well, of course I wouldn't have hired them if I didn't think that they had potential," Kenzaki said gruffly. "That's why I'm so hard on them."

"You're really a nice guy, after all, Kenzaki-kun," Yoshizumi chuckled.

"What do you mean, 'after all'?" Kenzaki retorted; Yoshizumi just grinned at him in response. Kenzaki shook his head, then said, "Anyway, getting back to our earlier conversation--why are you here? Don't tell me that it's just to celebrate or that you miss me, when you've already been in Tokyo for weeks." He smiled slyly and placed a hand on Yoshizumi's knee. "You came because you wanted some company, right?"

Kenzaki's hand slid further up to rest on Yoshizumi's thigh. Heat flooded Yoshizumi's groin, and he drew in a breath in a soft hiss.

"I've been going crazy watching Kikuchi-san and Onozuka-kun flirt on the set all day long," Yoshizumi confessed. "It's almost as bad as sleeping in the room next to Iwaki-kun and Katou-kun."

"So are those two really doing it?" Kenzaki asked curiously.

"Who knows?" Yoshizumi replied with a shrug, taking a sip from his glass. The coolness of the chilled champagne did little to dampen the heat in his body, especially with Kenzaki's hand now gently stroking his thigh. "The point," Yoshizumi continued, a little hoarsely, "is that they're doing a very good impression of just barely restraining themselves from tearing each other's clothes off, and quite frankly, it's making me horny."

Kenzaki burst into laughter and finally removed his hand to pick up his own glass of champagne; Yoshizumi wasn't sure whether to be sorry or relieved. "So which one do you fancy, Yoshizumi-san?" he asked with a grin. "Kikuchi or the Prince?"

"Well, I like Onozuka-kun, but not in that way," Yoshizumi replied. "I find Kikuchi-san to be a fascinating man, and not just in looks. Not to bad-mouth my own profession, but a lot of actors are pretty shallow, and Kikuchi-san has a lot of depth."

"I remember watching his movies when I was a kid," Kenzaki reminisced. "They used to say that every woman wanted to be with him, and every man wanted to be him." He smiled and teased, "Hmm...should I be flattered or insulted that you see me as a substitute for Kikuchi?"

"I see you as yourself, Kenzaki-kun," Yoshizumi murmured, leaning over to place his hand on Kenzaki's thigh this time, and was pleased to hear Kenzaki's breath hitch for a moment before it evened out again. "Let's just say that Kikuchi-san and Onozuka-kun put me in the mood, but it's you that I want."

It was both lie and truth. Yoshizumi had come to Kenzaki because he was convenient--he was usually up for a one night stand without any complications. On the other hand, he genuinely did like Kenzaki, which was why they had started this friends-with-benefits arrangement. Yoshizumi didn't care for picking up total strangers, but sleeping with the same person on a regular basis might lead that person to expect more of a commitment than Yoshizumi was willing to offer. That was why his relationship with Kenzaki was perfect: the fact that Yoshizumi was only in Tokyo occasionally ensured that they wouldn't see each other often enough for more serious feelings to develop, and in any case, Kenzaki was still getting over his breakup with his previous lover, and wasn't looking for anything more than casual sex and friendship.

"You're smooth enough to be a host yourself, Yoshizumi-san," Kenzaki laughed. "All right, if you're willing to hang around till closing, we can get together after I'm done working."

"You flatter me, Kenzaki-kun," Yoshizumi said with a grin. "And of course your company is worth waiting for."

"If you ever get tired of acting, come see me for a job," Kenzaki said, grinning back at him.

***

Asano yawned, disgruntledly wondering how long Yoshizumi was going to hang out at the host club. When the last of the customers filtered out at closing time and Yoshizumi was not among them, Asano wondered whether he might have snuck out through a back exit earlier. He paid his tab and decided to call it a night--or rather, morning. He hailed a cab and had just climbed into the back seat when he saw Yoshizumi leave the club with a dark-haired man dressed in flashy clothes. They got into a car parked nearby and drove off.

"Where to, sir?" the taxi driver asked.

"Follow that car!" Asano instructed.

"Are you serious?" the driver asked skeptically. "I've never heard that line outside of a TV show."

"Just do it!" Asano snapped impatiently.

The driver shrugged and replied, "Whatever you say, sir," then began following Yoshizumi and his mystery companion. They didn't have far to go: the car pulled into the parking lot of a love hotel located a short distance away from the Rusty Nail.

"Interesting," Asano murmured to himself.

"Did you want to get off here, sir?" the taxi driver asked.

"No, let's just wait here for awhile," Asano replied. "You can keep the meter running."

The driver gave him a brief curious look, then shrugged again and said, "Yes, sir." He leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes, obviously using the opportunity to take a nap, which was fine with Asano since it meant that he wouldn't have to deal with any prying questions.

Asano should have felt smug that he'd managed to get some potential blackmail material on a co-star, but instead he felt strangely irritated. He chalked it up to being tired after a long day of work and a night of drinking, and sat back to wait for Yoshizumi to emerge, hoping that his tryst wouldn't take too long.

***

They could have gone to Kenzaki's apartment, but Yoshizumi suggested going to a nearby love hotel instead, ostensibly because it was closer.

"I just can't wait to be with you," Yoshizumi told Kenzaki, who snorted in disbelieving amusement.

The real reason, which both of them left unspoken, was that it helped keep their casual relationship casual and the boundaries that separated sex and romance from getting blurred.

"Want to take a shower first?" Kenzaki asked, taking off his coat and casually draping it across a chair.

"No, I want to be able to smell you," Yoshizumi replied, wrapping his arms around Kenzaki and pressing his face against Kenzaki's neck. He inhaled, taking in the scent of the cologne he had placed on Kenzaki earlier, along with the fainter hint of women's perfume clinging to his clothes, which had presumably been transferred by one or more of his female clients.

Yoshizumi planted a kiss on Kenzaki's neck, and Kenzaki sighed softly. Excited by the sound, Yoshizumi nipped at the same spot his lips had touched, but Kenzaki pushed him away, saying, "You can't leave any visible marks; my customers will get jealous."

"Ah, but if it's not visible, it's okay?" Yoshizumi asked with a sly wink. Without waiting for a reply, he unbuttoned Kenzaki's shirt and kissed his way down Kenzaki's neck to his chest, pausing to bite down hard enough to leave a small mark above his nipple. Kenzaki gasped at the bite, and moaned when Yoshizumi's tongue licked soothingly at the bruise, then moved lower to tease the nipple below it.

Kenzaki's hands grabbed Yoshizumi's head and pulled him up roughly for a deep kiss. They quickly undressed each other and fell onto the bed in a tangle of limbs, kissing and groping, their clothes scattered carelessly across the floor.

"What do you want to do, Yoshizumi-san?" Kenzaki whispered.

Yoshizumi paused to consider. He liked both men and women, and he didn't have any hang-ups about taking or being taken; as long as it felt pleasurable, it was all good to him. But Kenzaki had to cater to the whims of his customers all day long at work (or rather, all night long), and in his free time, he would probably appreciate the opportunity to choose his own pleasure--although Yoshizumi knew that Kenzaki's offer was genuine and unbegrudging.

"Whatever you like, Kenzaki-kun," Yoshizumi replied with a smile. "I enjoy everything that we do in bed together."

Kenzaki grinned, looking pleased. "Well then," he whispered into Yoshizumi's ear, pausing for a moment to lick and nibble at the lobe, "what I'd like is to be inside you."

Yoshizumi felt himself begin to harden at the thought, and he replied, "I'd like that, too."

Kenzaki reached over into the nightstand drawer and fished out some lube and condoms. He squeezed some lube into his right hand, then began easing two fingers into Yoshizumi. He moved slowly and gently at first, which Yoshizumi appreciated; it had been awhile since he'd been with a man this way. When Yoshizumi's body began to adjust, he moaned and pushed back against Kenzaki's hand, and Kenzaki responded by thrusting into him harder and faster, while his free hand reached out to stroke Yoshizumi's growing erection.

They continued in this vein for awhile, until Yoshizumi gasped, "Enough, enough--I'm ready!"

"Are you sure?" Kenzaki asked teasingly, but the hoarseness of his voice revealed his own readiness.

"If you make me wait any longer, I'm going to kick you out of bed and jerk off alone," Yoshizumi threatened.

"Well, we can't have that," Kenzaki chuckled. He pushed Yoshizumi's legs apart, and Yoshizumi groaned as Kenzaki slowly entered him. Kenzaki moved carefully, almost gently at first, in shallow thrusts, and Yoshizumi wrapped his arms around Kenzaki, murmuring, "Hey, I'm not a virgin, you know. I won't break."

"Patience, Yoshizumi-san," Kenzaki replied in a smooth, seductive voice. "When presented with a feast, is it better to gobble it down or savor it?"

"Depends how hungry you are," Yoshizumi retorted with a grin. "But once again, you prove why you're the number one host!"

Kenzaki silenced Yoshizumi with a kiss, and his thrusts gradually grew deeper and stronger. "Oh yes!" Yoshizumi gasped, actively pushing up into Kenzaki's thrusts now, and Kenzaki responded with a low, wordless groan.

As Kenzaki moved inside him, Yoshizumi's mind drifted back to Kikuchi and Onozuka, and he couldn't help speculating about what they might have been doing behind the closed door of Kikuchi's dressing room during their "English lessons," or in private after they left the studio--maybe they were even at a love hotel themselves right now. He imagined their bodies entwined together--Kikuchi would probably be on top; he seemed like the type. Then again, looks could be deceiving...

"Yoshizumi-san," Kenzaki moaned, and Yoshizumi broke off his daydream with a little start of guilt. He and Kenzaki might not be in love, but the lover sharing his bed right now deserved his full attention.

"Kenzaki-kun," Yoshizumi groaned, a little louder than necessary, and pulled Kenzaki's face down for a long, passionate kiss. His voyeuristic daydream was mostly harmless, Yoshizumi rationalized--it added a little extra spice to their lovemaking, but he enjoyed being with Kenzaki. They knew each other well enough to know how to please each other and to add an element of affection to the sex, even if it wasn't True Love (in the nauseatingly sentimental Iwaki and Katou fashion).

Besides, Kenzaki probably fantasized about his ex-lover sometimes, and Yoshizumi wondered if he was thinking about Shinkawa now. Yoshizumi wasn't offended by the idea, but he felt a pang of sympathy for his friend, because he knew that Kenzaki had been hurt deeply by the break-up, although he almost never talked about it and brushed it off as "that's all in the past" when he did. Still, sometimes Yoshizumi would see a melancholy look in Kenzaki's eyes, that he would quickly cover up with his suave host charm. Yoshizumi knew that he wasn't the one who could heal Kenzaki's broken heart, but at least he could offer some comfort and companionship in the meantime.

"You're so good, Kenzaki-kun," Yoshizumi murmured as their bodies continued to rock together, and he began touching Kenzaki in ways that he knew would make the other man shiver with pleasure: stroking the nape of his neck, running a finger down his spine, gently tweaking a nipple.

"Ah, Yoshizumi-san!" Kenzaki groaned, and began thrusting into him more urgently. "I can't hold back!"

"Then don't," Yoshizumi replied, wrapping his legs around Kenzaki to pull him in deeper, and Kenzaki thrust hard into him one last time and froze for a moment--he looked beautiful with his head thrown back, eyes closed and face contorted in pleasure that almost looked like pain--and then Kenzaki sighed and relaxed, the tension draining out of his body.

"Ah, sorry," Kenzaki said sheepishly (and a bit breathlessly). "I'm a bad host, not to see to your pleasure first."

"You're not a host now, just my friend," Yoshizumi replied with a smile. "And it's my pleasure to please you."

"Thank you, but let me please you now, Yoshizumi-san," Kenzaki whispered, bending down to kiss Yoshizumi. He wrapped his hand around Yoshizumi's erection, and Yoshizumi wrapped his fingers around Kenzaki's, and together they brought him to orgasm with a few quick strokes.

"Ahhhh," Yoshizumi sighed in satisfaction, as that nagging frustration finally left him, to be replaced by a feeling of sated contentment. "I really needed that."

"Glad to oblige," Kenzaki said with a grin, planting another kiss on his mouth.

They basked in the afterglow for a few minutes, and then Yoshizumi yawned and said reluctantly, "I should go home and get some sleep soon."

"Do you have to work tomorrow, or rather, today?" Kenzaki asked.

"Just one scene later in the day, fortunately," Yoshizumi replied, yawning again. "I went in early today...yesterday...to watch Asano-kun's big murder scene, but I think that I'll sleep in this morning."

"Asano?" Kenzaki asked. "He's the one who was involved in that scandal with your friend Iwaki, right?"

"He's a schemer, but I don't think that he's a bad kid, deep down," Yoshizumi said.

"And he's cute?" Kenzaki asked with a sly smile.

"That he is," Yoshizumi laughed. "But sleeping with a scheming coworker is just asking for trouble."

"Well, the hosts of Rusty Nail know how to be discreet," Kenzaki promised, and kissed Yoshizumi again.

They showered together, playfully washing and groping each other. Neither of them had enough energy to take it any further than that, but it was a pleasant enough way to end their tryst, on a note of laughter.

"Can I give you a ride home?" Kenzaki asked as they got dressed.

"Thanks, but you live in the opposite direction, so I'll just call a cab," Yoshizumi replied.

Kenzaki gave him a goodnight kiss and scolded in his seductive-host voice, "Don't wait so long to come see me next time."

"Actually, we'll be going to Okinawa soon for some location shooting," Yoshizumi said apologetically. He planted a placating kiss on Kenzaki's lips and added, "But I'll bring you back a souvenir."

Part 3