[In his Care] Chapter 80 ~part 2
Finally the day was here. He had waited too long for this combat to begin and things were looking up as they had managed to interest Johnny and his lawyers into a private meeting - the kind one would have to settle things in order not to have to take the case to court. Of course Johnny would prefer that, but the fact that he had agreed to this meant he took their threat quite seriously. Jin couldn’t wait to get his hands on Johnny and his people. For too long had they been fighting Johnny and his big firms. The senpais would regret not playing a bigger part when it finally happened…
“Where’s Miyavi?” Ohno asked two other leaders, while they waited for Johnny and his gang of top lawyers to arrive.
“He’s in an apartment in our blocks…under surveillance, of course.” Yamapi replied. “We don’t want Johnny to know yet that we have him as an ace up our sleeves. I rather have them guessing what we’re planning on doing should they refuse to meet us here under our conditions. They know information was leaked from their main building and the fact that they’re cooperative shows just how scared they are of losing their foothold in America. They haven’t been this vulnerable in years. They’re right where we need them.”
“And we want to be sure Miyavi is right where we need him when we need him.” Jin added.
“Yeah, better keep an eye on him so he won’t take off to who knows where.” Ohno agreed and their discussion ended upon the arrival of a man walking towards them.
“My lawyers are running a little late, so shall we go in and take a seat while we wait for them?” Masa proposed, showing them the room reserved for them.
Yamapi grabbed Jin aside, letting Ohno follow the detective in alone. “Listen to me, whatever happens in there, don’t lose your cool. Remember your place. You’re not a lawyer, you’re our client. Don’t speak your mind whenever you feel like it or we’ll be in trouble.”
“I got it!” Jin hissed back and they joined the two by a long table. Jin made sure to sit down opposite from Masa.
“I see he sent his secretary to do his job.” Ohno commented as they were all there.
“Did you really expect Johnny to come?” Masa asked, sending the leaders on the other side of the table a knowing smile.
No, they hadn’t really.
“Furthermore, I find this to be a waste of my precious time to come here myself.” the detective added, eyeing them all in turn, dressed in suits. “I almost didn’t recognize you guys when you’re not wearing your usual distinctive clothes with those skull markings. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t just expose you and go on with my day?”
“You know it won’t be that easy.” Yamapi replied and Masa did know far too well the gangs were professionals at their undercover gigs and their backgrounds always checks out. It would be difficult to get them, but not impossible.
“We can settle this a little more peacefully if you play along.” Ohno continued. “You don’t want this to rise into a big thing, do you? Think of what your new allies would say if you got yourself into trouble so soon after getting a foothold in America. This is your chance for a break-through there, isn’t it? Why waste such an opportunity on us?”
“I hardly imagine you’d be as stupid as to come before us without some kind of an ace up your sleeves.” Masa said. “So I’ll try to remember your new names and not slip out your real ones.”
“Wise choice.” Ohno said with a fake smile.
“However I see no chance for us to get along much less find a mutual understanding here.” Masa continued.
“We’re not stopping halfway. We’re taking this all the way to court if we have to.” Jin said and the detective fixed his eyes upon the leader in question.
“Revenge, isn’t it?” the man guessed, meeting the dark eyes on the other side of the table. “I heard our men in America harassed you sexually and tried to force you into signing a contract with them and that’s why you’re here. Interesting little story, but in the end just another sex case. Is that all you could come up with? And Akanishi playing the victim makes it even more laughable. From what I know you’re not usually a victim, but more of a victimizer.”
The look in the gang leader’s eyes only darkened as the detective said that.
“You’re out of your league here.” Masa said then. “You know it and you’re just looking to stir something up. You want to cast dirt on Johnny’s name by having his name involved in a lawsuit. Do you really think this will have any effect on his business? It’s not like you haven’t tried to make him look bad before. Your daisenpais didn’t succeed, don’t expect the outcome to be any different now either. In the end you’ll be the ones looking bad.”
“But this time we have something you want, something you know could damage your precious ties to America and if you don’t play along we might expose it.” Jin replied.
Their staring competition was interrupted as Masa’s attention was drawn to his phone and the trio didn’t like the smile that formed on the detective’s lips as the man read the message he had just received.
“My lawyers have arrived.” Masa said, stuffing his phone back into his pocket and leaning over the table. “Don’t take me for a fool. I also have a few tricks up my sleeve. I knew you were going to make a move sooner or later and I’ve waited a long time for this moment. I’m going to savour every second of it.”
The three gangsters turned around in their seats as the door to the room opened and inside stepped the lawyers they were going to fight; an older man in a suit, obviously one of Johnny Kitagawa’s lawyers, followed by a young man.
Jin froze in his seat, not wanting to believe his eyes as the familiar young man took a seat beside Masa. Somewhere distant he could hear Masa’s laughter.
“I wish I could freeze your expression into my memory.” the detective mocked, but Jin didn’t even think of responding to it. He couldn’t form a word. “May I present my lawyer Kumada-sensei and his trainee, a kouhai of mine.”
“Kumada Takahiro.” the lawyer presented himself.
“Kamenashi Kazuya, lawyer-in-training.”
The other side of the table was quiet for quite some time.
“Allow me to introduce our silent opponents; Naruse-sensei, Kurosaki-sensei, and Takasugi-san. But I take it you’ve already prepared and gotten familiar with them as well as the case beforehand.” Masa continued for them as they hadn’t said a word.
Jin’s eyes travelled over Kame. Kame was the same as he remembered the boy. He hadn’t changed his hairstyle and he was still wearing his ring. His gaze fell to Kame’s hands opening a map and laying it out on the table. But Kame really did look the part of a lawyer, even if he wasn’t fully a lawyer yet, dressed in a suit and wearing glasses.
Kame didn’t meet his gaze and he didn’t even notice Yamapi’s on him.
“Let’s get started then.” Masa said, giving the older lawyer a look.
“I understand you’re suing my clients and their company for having sexually harassed you and tried to force you into signing their contract, which you claim to involve outrageous conditions. And you demand compensations.” the lawyer said and Jin thought he saw a small smile appear briefly on Kame’s lips as the lawyer read out the terms for their case. “We’re here to negotiate.”
“We don’t want to negotiate. We don’t believe we’ll come to a satisfying conclusion.” Ohno replied, the tone in his voice sharp and his eyes bore holes in the senior lawyer opposite the table.
“So Masa’s right. You’re just here to pick a fight.” Kumada said. “Fine, then we don’t need to follow the formula or be polite, I can ask you straight out, what is it that you have?”
“Do you really think we’ll just tell you straight out?” Ohno pointed out.
“Do you expect us to follow your conditions without even knowing what it is you’re threatening us with?” the lawyer asked. “For all we know you have nothing.”
“We have a lot.” Yamapi cut in. “For one, we have records of your contracts made in LA. If they were to get out you wouldn’t look good.”
“Think twice, young men. We can do so much more. You’re in over your heads and we’re generously offering you the chance to back out.” the lawyer warned.
“Meaning you’re scared we’ll pursue this.” Ohno added.
“How does a disgrace for a lawyer such as yourself even dare to spea-”
“Kumada-sensei, enough.” Masa cut in, as things were getting uncivilised and turned to the three gangsters then. “I propose you give this all some thought and we’ll meet again in a few days here at this same time.”
“You can’t negotiate forever. Sooner or later you’ll have to face us in court.” Yamapi said, as they rose from their chairs.
“Oh, by the way, how’s Ikuta Toma these days?” Masa asked and it made Yamapi grit his teeth together.
“Ikuta Toma?” the lawyer repeated the name. “Is he with you? I always knew he was a bully, but to end up like you… What a waste when his father went through all that trouble to get him off that murder case.”
Jin shot a look at his best friend, who was obviously going to lose his cool very soon. “Oi, don’t let him get to you.” he hissed into the other leader’s ear, noticing then how his other ‘lawyer’ was also far from calm.
Ohno had hated that stuck up attitude ever since first meeting that lawyer many years ago. If he had started on his revenge he had planned out long ago then that lawyer would be lying six feet under by now.
“Excuse us.” the lawyer said then and the trio turned on their heels, but Yamapi managed to grab the detective’s collar before he could exit the room.
“How did you find out his name?” Yamapi demanded to know and Masa just shot him a smile.
“Kame looked at your profiles and filled in the blanks for us. We’ve gathered everything we’ve ever as much as suspected you’ve been behind into those records. I don’t think he liked what he saw very much.” Masa replied, eyes escaping over to Jin’s. “Though, he knew so many more intimate details about you than we did. He really knew how to get information from you when you least expected it.”
Jin’s eyes sharpened as he returned the detective’s look. What the hell did Masa mean by that? Was that bastard suggesting Kame had gotten information out of him on Masa’s command? Kame would never have.
“For a year now Kame has done nothing but studied hard.” Masa continued, eyes still locked on Jin’s. “He’s a straight A student in his major. You did know he was studying law already as I sent him to Todai in the first place?”
“Laugh as much as you want.” Jin said. “You don’t know anything about him. His heart can not be easily changed and what more he’s still wearing my ring, if you haven’t noticed.”
“Oh, I’ve seen it.” Masa chuckled. “I know everything about your relationship. I also know why he is wearing that ring. I wonder if the reasons are anything like you imagine.”
Jin would want to imagine it was because Kame still loved him, but then why was Kame behaving so strangely?
“Have fun with your petty little attempt. It’s so amusing having you sit and try to bring us down, which includes your ex-cellmate, ex-boy toy and ex-boyfriend, so we’re more than willing to let this go on for a bit.” Masa added. “And mostly I’ll enjoy watching him defeat you. Forgive my enthusiasm, but you owe me quite a few laughs after everything you’ve put me through in the past. I’m looking forward to this trial.”
With that the detective brushed himself free and left the room.
“What did Masa mean by Kame getting information from you?” Ohno asked, as they were alone.
“I don’t know, but Kame…asked me some things before he left and I told him. Things about us all.” Jin confessed.
“So in other words he pumped you for information?” Ohno concluded. “And then gave that information to Masa?”
“I wouldn’t go as far as to say Kame-chan pumped anything…” Yamapi added as they exited the room, finding Kame and the rest still gathered in the corridor exchanging a few words and to their surprise Kame didn’t try to run when they steered their feet towards the boy in quite an accusing manner. Instead Kame left Masa and the lawyer side to meet them halfway.
“What’s your plan of action?” Kame asked as they stopped at a small distance from each other.
“We have an eye witness.” Ohno said, nodding towards Jin.
“And an ace stashed away...” Kame added, looking interested in knowing what it was.
“Yes. The Johnny Book of Prison Records…among other things.” Ohno filled him in. “Everything that has happened in Johnny’s prison, every last craziest shit including Johnny’s rapes, secret passages…everything can be found in it, even you under the section of Boy Toy records. Prisoners have been writing in this book ever since the prison first opened its doors…or well, shut them actually, if you’re looking from a prisoner’s point of view. Let’s see how glad the public will be to have it be released.”
“You’re trying to use the media against us?” Kame said. “That’s naïve.”
“Not even Johnny’s hold on the media is perfect. There are windows and sometimes things get printed about what is really going on behind the scenes of Johnny’s world.” Yamapi cut in.
“They’ll be looked upon as rumors even if they are true. If we find your rumors to be too influential all we need to do is release a rumor of our own that will be more favourable to us. It will overwrite yours.” Kame replied. “Don’t tell me you expect those records to be enough to blackmail us. Even if they are released we can just file a charge against you for defamation of character and demand compensation…”
Jin wasn’t paying half as much attention to what Kame was saying as he was to the fact that Kame was standing there a few feet away from him and still wasn’t paying attention to him, as if the boy didn’t even notice he was there. Kame was completely focused on the Ohno-Yamapi pair, until finally the two other leaders understood to read his situation and realized that arguing over the case with Kame wasn’t what they were supposed to do right now. As the discussion came to an end Kame finally met his eyes.
“It’s been a while, Takasugi Natsu.” he said, breaking the silence.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Kame?” Jin asked, cutting straight to the point.
“You seem spirited.” Kame replied instead of answering his question.
“Is this how you ended up after leaving me? You went to work for Johnny?” Jin continued. “You ought to know what he’s like! How could you do such a thing?”
“I find it hilarious that would come from someone like you.” Kame replied. “So it’s Takasugi Natsu now and not Yabuki Hayato, Kurosawa Akihiko or Shouchikubai Miroku? Guess you have to change your undercover names quite often. And you’re the lead singer of a band…called LANDS, correct? Not the leader of the AT-TUN gang anymore?”
“You’re pretty confident attending school and court under your real one after everything you’ve done.” Jin retorted. “Don’t think I’ll allow you to do this. If you don’t walk out of this yourself then I’ll put an end to it. I’ll finger you out and show the authorities your records and you’ll be out in a matter of minutes, so if you still want to go to school I suggest you tell Masa you’re not going to be part of his case anymore.”
Kame took a step forward.
“What records?” he said in a slightly quieter, but very amused voice, pulling back then to watch realization dawn on Jin.
“He wiped them clean for you.” Jin said. “Did he wipe the memories of the people you love too?”
Kame ignored the sarcasm. “No, but we do have a backup for that as well. You see, I was sent to prison to investigate you.”
Jin was a bit taken aback by that statement.
“Or at least that’s what we’ll be telling them if you try to use my family against me somehow. Truth to be told no one would be as stupid as to send in one boy in hopes of him staying in Akanishi Jin’s cell for longer than a month.” Kame said. “Let’s not get families involved. You have too much to lose in that area as well, so let’s keep this clean.”
“Well, haven’t you changed your tune…” Jin stated dryly.
“But you haven’t changed.” Kame said. “You still like games, don’t you? Just like the ones you’re used to a courtroom also has rules, but they can be bent on. I’ve studied hard, but the real credit goes to everything I’ve learned from Masa and Johnny and their lawyers. To add to it I have their forces behind me and they let me use them. This is my game.”
“I ought to pull you over a knee and spank you.” Jin said and Kame gave him a smile.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Kame shot back. “Now if you’ll excuse me-”
He had barely turned around before Jin had already grabbed a strong hold on his arm.
Jin felt the muscles tense under his grip and Kame’s gaze travelled from his hand up to his eyes. It was the first time Jin had felt like a lowlife with Kame as Kame clearly relayed the message to him of ‘how dare you touch me?’ Kame didn’t have to say it out loud, it was all so clearly written on his face, but Jin didn’t release him even as security guards immediately rushed over there.
“Is there a problem, sir?” they asked Kame. Masa indeed had this place in his palm. The detective was probably trying to make Kame into what he was, calling Kame his ‘kouhai’ and acting so proud of what he had accomplished with Kame so far.
“It’s all right.” Kame assured to them and they hesitantly returned to their posts. The smaller boy then set his gaze back onto Jin. “I’ll enjoy this trial. Be well prepared for it’s my first one so make sure you give us a good fight, because we won’t lose.”
With that Kame brushed his arm free and without sending as much as a look back at them he returned to the two men waiting for him.
We? Jin thought as he watched Kame leave together with Masa and the senior lawyer, and Masa shot him a victorious smile. Since when was Johnny, Masa and Kame we?
“Something tells me he’s not just going to take it lying down anymore.” Yamapi said, laying a hand on his shoulder. “He’s got quite the attitude.”
“I don’t understand, I thought Kame was with his family. Why is he hanging out with our enemies?” Ohno asked. “Did he switch sides? How could he? What made him do this?”
Jin suddenly felt looks directed at him. “What? Don’t blame me. I had nothing to do with it!”
“What exactly happened between you and Kame-chan in Korea?” Yamapi pressed on. “Why did he leave?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” Jin replied, taking off and Yamapi guessed he should be kind of pleased Jin had finally taken his advice concerning Kame.
~*~*~*~
Kame’s peaceful evening studying was interrupted by impatient knocks on his door and as he opened it he met the eyes of an indeed very impatient and frustrated looking person.
“I’m impressed.” Kame said as he was greeted by the sight of Akanishi Jin standing in the hallway outside his apartment. “It didn’t take you all that long to find out where I live. What do you want?”
“What do you think I want?” Jin stated and Kame let go off the door, walking back into his small apartment.
“If you’re here for sex then you picked the wrong address.” he commented, hearing how Jin shut the door behind him.
“That’s not how I remember it.” Jin said as he walked further into the apartment. Kame had a big bookshelf filled with law books and some dictionaries, a desk with a chair, a bed… The kitchen was located in a corner of the room and Kame had even his own bathroom. “Pretty nice… You let him spoil you, unlike you let me.”
Kame crossed his arms in front of his chest, where he stood in front of his desk with open books spread over it, and Jin couldn’t help but take a moment to eye the boy still in a suit and wearing the same glasses as earlier today, indicating the boy had just gotten back, probably after having spent the day with Masa and his lawyers.
“Why are you doing this?” Jin asked. “Do you want revenge on me?”
Kame sighed. “This is not about you. This is about what I want.”
“And what is that?” Jin asked, watching Kame sit down by his desk.
“I wanted my old life back and a future. I got more than I bargained for.” Kame replied, adding, “And I want to continue studying in peace. See you in a few days.”
“You wouldn’t sell out on us for something so cheap. There must be some reason you’re doing this.” Jin said, approaching the table. “Tell me what it is. I’ll help you.”
Kame just ignored him, but Jin wouldn’t let that pass.
“Is he blackmailing you?”
“More like bribing.” the smaller boy answered.
“Did he start threatening you when you came back here?” Jin asked, leaning onto the table and it seemed his presence alone was irritating the smaller boy enough to rise to his feet again to put some space between them. Kame wasn’t acting at all like Jin had imagined the boy might should they see each other again. Jin had expected to see some kind of remorse or missing, but Kame seemed more eager to get rid off him. “Did he offer you a deal of some kind?”
“Yes.” Kame replied. “He offered me a deal.”
“How could you take it?” Jin asked. There had to be a reason. Kame wouldn’t change into this without a really good one, not the Kame he had known. No matter how what had happened between them Kame would never…
“I took it because it was too good to refuse.” Kame replied, circling the desk from the opposite side. “You know how I wasn’t settling in with you…how our relationship was on the rocks…”
His hands tightened into fists, as he tried to hold back the urge to explode in anger and let the frustration in him win over. He just wanted to know why Kame left and talk things out, but Kame didn’t want to catch up never mind make-up. Kame seemed to want to fight. Jin didn’t understand why Kame was so mad at him when the last time he had seen Kame the boy hadn’t given him any such signs.
“Then he came to me, offering me my life back and more, and I finally realized my future with you would mean I’d serve tables for the rest of my life while with him I could go far.” Kame continued, stopping near him. Jin studied the boy, hurt in his eyes. “So I took his offer. I knew about my charges being dropped long before you did.”
To that Jin jerked back.
“He planted that information in for you to find out about it.” Kame explained. “We knew you’d never let me go if you had known I’d be going to him and Johnny, so we let you create a way out of those blocks for me yourself. And it worked.”
Kame brushed past him, about to walk back to the door to probably show him the way out, when Jin grabbed his arm hard, sending him against the wall harder than he usually would.
“You watched us all suffer as we thought we might lose you while we felt guilty about the fact that if you stayed with us you’d have to give up your life with your family, yet you never said a thing!” Jin accused, grip tightening considerably on Kame and at the moment Jin was again very tempted to pin Kame down. “You spent all that time with me, pretending not to know!”
To Jin’s surprise Kame suddenly grabbed his arm back, twisting it in a way that forced Jin aside and made him let go off the smaller boy.
A bit taken aback he sent the smaller boy a look. Kame had gotten stronger, physically stronger.
“Yes, I did.” the boy then replied, fixing his white sleeve on his abused arm.
“What’s gotten into you?”
“You’d be surprised how different people become once they suffer through traumas.” Kame kept brushing him off with his answers. The boy was wearing a mask.
“This is not you.” Jin insisted. “You’re not heartless like them.”
“You don’t even know them.” Kame said, turning back towards Jin. “And if I hadn’t run after your back for as long as I did after prison then years would probably have passed by without us meeting again. In that case I might’ve really joined Masa for revenge against you.”
That wasn’t true. He would’ve sought up Kame sooner or later. He had said that, but for some reason Kame didn’t seem to believe that anymore.
“Now go prepare for your trial.” Kame added.
“You’re really going to help them win?” Jin asked in disbelief. “Damn it, Kame, you know Johnny and his company are guilty for what we’re accusing them of! We didn’t make it up! I really saw it all with my own eyes! Are you really going to help a man like Johnny Kitagawa?”
“What do you mean? I stuck with you, didn’t I? Even though you were guilty of a lot of things too, I still defended you.” Kame said. “But I’m not yours anymore. I’m Masa’s and Johnny’s boy toy now.”
Jin’s gaze darkened in a way that would’ve scared the hell out of Kame a few years ago.
“Go back already.” the boy repeated. “We’re preparing for a possible trial, which means we’re not really supposed to meet outside our scheduled meetings. If you coming here was to be public knowledge in court how do you think it would make us look? You don’t want to waste all of your efforts on me, do you?”
Jin didn’t give a damn about that, but it didn’t look like he could turn Kame’s head tonight. There was no reasoning with the smaller boy right now. He slowly started to walk, stopping by Kame and the door the boy held open for him. “This isn’t over.”
“No.” Kame agreed. He knew that better than Jin. “You’re going to see a lot more of me and I of you whether we like it or not because we’re only getting started.”
Jin gave him one last pointy look that promised more trouble before leaving and Kame shut the door, taking a moment to compose himself before locking the door too, but he doubted it would really stop Jin from entering should Jin want back in. He sighed, returning to his desk.
Jin was pissed off the whole way back and to his delight half of the block had gathered to meet him as he returned, everyone asking the same thing.
“Jin!” Four fellow gang mates immediately surrounded him. “We heard about Kame-chan! Is it really true he showed up today with Masa-chan?”
“Yeah.” Jin replied.
“Why?” they wanted to know. “Why would he ever?”
“If I knew that…” Jin started, hating that the subject was brought up and that it made him once more remember that awful morning Kame left. Kame’s bag packed, Kame leaving without a warning or as much as a goodbye…and now this. He fisted his hands tightly as he continued, “I thought he left to be with his family. If I had known Masa would snatch him away like this I would have tried to stop him.”
“You mean you didn’t try?” the foursome asked in disbelief.
“And told him what?” Jin asked. “Please don’t go, choose me instead of your entire life? You saw it he wasn’t settling in like us.”
“But he had a job.” Maru insisted.
“At the moment and in Korea.” Jin said. “In our blocks he might not have gotten one he would be satisfied with and he might not have been able to ignore that the money he was paid with wasn’t clean. The money that circles in our blocks is blood money.”
“Johnny Kitagawa’s money isn’t any cleaner. In fact all money is stained and dirty.” Ueda pointed out.
“I don’t get him.” Junno sighed.
“Is it revenge? Is he doing this to get back at Jin?” Koki asked and Jin shot him an offended look. “It’s not impossible!” Koki insisted. “He broke down in Korea and remembered everything you had done to him! It’s not so easy to be able forgive something like that-”
“I was forgiven.” Jin replied. “At least according to HeeChul…”
“Kame-chan loved Jin.” Maru reasoned between the two. “And he’s not the type to do this sort of thing out of revenge or without a really good reason. He is probably being forced to this. Masa got to him when we had our backs turned.”
“So how do we save him?” Ueda asked.
“We could squeal on him and show he hasn’t got the right to be attending court as Masa’s law student. Not with a prison record.” Junno suggested. “Even if Masa controls the court we have Kame-chan’s prison file and plenty of people who can verify our claim.”
“You think that’ll work against Johnny?” Yamapi said, joining the group. “That record will be just a piece of paper someone made on the computer.”
“It won’t hold up in court.” Ohno agreed. “If Johnny rules the court, no files, no tapes, no eyewitnesses will be enough. No matter what we do it will never go to court.”
“So what are you planning on doing then?” Morita Go had to ask. “Our senpais couldn’t do it and he didn’t have all the power then that he has now, so how are you planning on defeating Johnny in the court he rules?”
“The same way he does it.” Yamapi replied.
“Hah? Just what have you guys been cooking up?” Nagase asked.
“Just wait and see.” Jin muttered, starting to walk.
“Where are you going?” TTUN called after him.
“For a drink!” Jin replied, meeting Yamapi’s eyes once and the other leader took that as a sign to tag along.
Jin had barely gotten his first beer before he was already talking way more than during the past months.
“I can’t believe that guy!” the leader complained. “You should’ve seen him! He kept shooting down all my attempts to have a normal discussion with him! It was as if he had nothing to say to me after a whole year! And then he wore that irritating façade! I felt like ripping it off all the time!”
Along with his clothes, Yamapi was sure.
Jin shut up enough to take a big sip, slamming the glass back onto the counter then.
“He was so different! I could clearly see how it irritated him to see me and all he wanted was to get rid off me and I can’t think of one thing I would’ve done to deserve that! It was as if the years we’ve known each other didn’t even matter to him anymore! It was as if he had forgotten what had happened during that night before he left…” Jin continued and Yamapi gave Jin a curious look.
“What happened the night before he left?” the other leader asked, raising an eyebrow then as he realized what Jin had left unsaid said it all. “You did it with him?”
Jin sighed. “He was suddenly so much like himself again. I thought I finally had him back. I was so happy. I had been going out of my mind thinking I might lose him, but that night I felt as if I never would.”
“Why did you never say anything?” Yamapi asked.
“Say what? That he left like it had been some kind of a one-night stand?” Jin chuckled miserably. “I’ve been asking myself questions ever since that. If I hadn’t slept with him, would he have stayed the next morning? Had he planned this from the beginning? Obviously he had planned to leave me… Thanks to Masa.”
“Masa?” Yamapi repeated.
“He contacted Kame somehow. He must’ve convinced him to come back. I should’ve known the person who left that morning wasn’t really Kame.” Jin said, groaning at his own stupidity. “Kame wouldn’t have left me like that, without even trying to explain. I should’ve known something was up.”
“Did you really mean what you said to TTUN just now? You didn’t even ask him not to go?” Yamapi said in disbelief.
“No.” Jin answered. “I didn’t.”
Yamapi couldn’t believe it. Jin didn’t seem to listen to what he said at all. He had been trying to convince Jin for long over a year to get his head out his ass but nothing he said seemed to do the trick.
“You’re unbelievable.” Yamapi muttered.
“I couldn’t, Pi. I had to set him free.” Jin added. He had proven to himself that he loved Kame enough to set the boy free, but admittedly he had hoped and waited for Kame to return then too and been disappointed when Kame hadn’t.
“Set him free, my ass. You weren’t doing that. The only one you set free that morning was yourself. You finally escaped having to feel guilty as he left, but it didn’t work out too well for you after all, did it?” Yamapi replied and the words surprised Jin, not expecting to hear something like that from his best friend when this clearly was a sympathy beer thing.
“It wasn’t like that.” Jin insisted. “I gave him the liberty to make a choice and he made it. He chose to live a life without me-”
“Oh, go on with that self-pity, won’t you?” Yamapi cut him off with a moan, taking Jin aback again. “’Kame left me, boohoo. Poor me. I’ll just sit and sulk, drink and smoke my ass off, while secretly waiting and hoping for Kame to come back to me like he always did before.’ Does that even remotely sound like you? Is this my sworn rival? I think I’ll start competing with Matsumoto instead…”
Jin didn’t like his best friend saying that, feeling betrayed Yamapi wasn’t taking his side.
“So you said Masa was there and talked to Kame? I bet he set this thing up and you let Kame-chan slip right through your fingers. That’s why Masa won. You admitted defeat. Good job, ex-player. Can’t you even tell when you’re being played anymore?” Yamapi continued. “Masa knew you weren’t yourself. It was an easy win for him.”
That made Jin so angry to hear.
“You should’ve gone after him.” Yamapi added. “You should’ve told him you didn’t want him to leave - that couldn’t have hurt. I think you hurt him by just letting him leave.”
“I could’ve influenced his decision.” Jin retorted.
“By telling him how you feel about him?” Yamapi asked. “You would’ve flattered him, not held him against his will. Do you really think you can make up his mind for him when you barely controlled him in prison?”
To that Jin didn’t reply and the bar was unusually quiet for a while.
“Well, as I said, it couldn’t have hurt.” Yamapi finally spoke. “You know you could’ve seen him without Masa finding out, but you used Masa’s threats as an excuse not to because you feared what he would say if you asked him to re-consider your relationship. Didn’t he face you again and again, while being afraid you’d turn him down? Were you expecting him to do the same this time too? Couldn’t you have done it instead?”
Yes, he had expected. He had waited for Kame, who was the one to leave, to be the one to come back too. Just like Kame had always sought him up before and it had made him think Kame might actually love him.
“Well, it doesn’t matter anymore. He obviously knew exactly where you were all this time too and he didn’t come to see you. Your chance to go make things right with him on your own is gone too and he’ll draw his conclusions.” Yamapi said, getting up. “I’m not going to listen to you anymore as long as you’re like this. When you sing more familiar tunes I’ll have a drink with you again.”
Yamapi put his empty glass onto the table and got up.
“Oh, and as long as you wear that façade don’t think you’re in a position to tell him to take his off.” the News leader added and left.
~*~*~*~
Jin was still in a bad mood as he sat by the long table with Yamapi and Ohno, going through fruitless negotiations with the party on the other side.
He hadn’t exchanged a word with Yamapi since the other night and frankly he didn’t want to either. His so-called best friend had made one of the most terrible nights of his life even worse.
Instead he spent all his time watching Kame, who had only met his eyes once briefly as he had arrived, earning no further attention to him for the rest of the meeting, which as expected didn’t end on a satisfying note and so a new, last scheduled meeting was made.
Kame noted how the sworn enemy rivals weren’t on a good foot this morning and it interested him in knowing why, but it didn’t mean he wanted to have a chat with either one. Through the corner of his eyes he watched one of the two approach him as he packed away his files.
“Come to torture me?” Kame guessed as Yamapi stopped next to him.
“If you call my presence torture, then yes.” the News leader replied, watching Kame finish packing files into his suit case and eager to leave the room, but not with Yamapi blocking the way. “Look at you. Our baby boy has grown up a bit.”
Yamapi could tell Kame wasn’t less comfortable with him than the rest of them. It probably had something to do with the fact that Kame had no means to control him the way Kame seemed to have figured out how to control Jin.
“Honestly, I ought to have your head for squealing on Toma and all of us…but I guess you feel the same about me for all the shit I gave you, don’t you Kame-chan?” Yamapi continued. “You’re doing this for something important. I’ll trust that. You don’t only love Jin, you love us all and you won’t let us get into harm’s way. If we couldn’t change that goody two-shoes attitude of yours in prison or on the streets then Johnny and Masa sure don’t stand a chance either.”
“How kind of you to regard me with such warmth, but you’re not as smart as you think.” Kame said and Yamapi raised an eyebrow. “You were wrong about me and Jin. You said that Jin would never allow me to walk out of his life. He didn’t try to stop me even once.”
“And you think Masa-chan knows everything about you and Jin?” Yamapi asked and Kame didn’t answer. “I know why you left.”
That earned him Kame’s attention, all right.
“I should really thank you.” Yamapi added.
“For getting out of your lives?” Kame guessed.
“This stunt of yours might be exactly what Jin needed to snap out of it. You’ve made him pissed off and even challenged him to a game. Mark my words that façade of his will finally be coming off and then he’ll tear yours off too. Be here to see it happen. You do want to meet your master again, don’t you?” Yamapi said and Kame turned his gaze away.
The leader seemed satisfied with the reaction he had gotten and Yamapi was almost out the door, when turning back to say, “Oh, and should you ever try to run away like that again, I’ll track you down myself.”
Kame slowly met his eyes again and Yamapi gave him a smile, “Turtle power, Kame-chan.”
With that the leader left.
Kame exited the room last, finding Jin waiting for him on the outside and he stopped, exchanging a few looks with the angry leader before walking over to Masa and the lawyer, following them out.
That night Jin skipped the idea of going out with Pi for a drink, cursing his traitorous best friend in his mind, and steered his feet into direction of the Todai campus area. He had no idea what Yamapi had said to Kame, but the conversation had hardly been in his favour. He was going to make things that way instead.
A few twists of the wrist later he found himself in a familiar apartment.
Water was running inside the bathroom, indicating he had caught Kame just at the perfect time - in the shower. The water soon stopped running and a few minutes later the boy dressed in a bathrobe stepped out of the bathroom.
“Nice apartments, these Todai ones…even a private shower. Or is this one of the fruits you enjoy by working for Masa-chan and Johnny?”
Startled, Kame directed his gaze at Jin sitting by his desk, legs resting on top of it and his books.
Jin shot him a smirk. “I bet you’re glad you met me because otherwise you might not be studying in Todai and wouldn’t have struck such a deal with Johnny and Masa either…” the leader added dryly, eyes travelling in a very obvious way down his body and Kame fixed the bathrobe around him.
“Why are you here again?” the younger one asked.
“I didn’t come to fight.” Jin said, swinging his feet to the ground and walking over to Kame, who gave him a warning look not to do anything strange. “I didn’t come to take advantage of you either.”
“I wouldn’t let you.” Kame replied as Jin stopped before him, running a hand through his wet hair.
“You kept your hair blond.” the leader said, playing with the ends of it. “I’ve missed you, Kazu.”
Kame wondered how true that was, but didn’t resist as Jin tilted his head up, kissing him long and savouring.
“Don’t help them, Kazu-chan.” the leader murmured, as their lips parted, but remained at a distance barely an inch from each other’s. “Whatever it is, let me in. Just tell me what’s going on and then leave it to me. I’ll take care of it for you.”
He touched Kame’s lips again softly before adding, “It’s okay, it’s not too late to turn back.”
A few seconds passed, as Jin waited for a reaction, but had expected anything but hearing Kame chuckle.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m not going to fall for that. I’ve had too much experience with you. You can’t just woo me into doing whatever you want.” Kame said, the laughter then disappeared from Kame’s voice as the boy continued, “Don’t underestimate me just because I used to spread my legs for you.”
“I never underestimated you.” Jin replied. “I don’t want you to go down like this. Kame, please.”
“Give me a break.” Kame said, pulling apart. “Do I need to keep reminding you about not meeting on our free time?”
“Don’t put on that façade!” Jin said, despite that Yamapi had told him he couldn’t, and watched Kame walk over to his closet to find something to wear. “I don’t believe you’ve become like this! You still care, don’t you?”
“I care about myself and to get ahead. It doesn’t have anything to do with you except that you made me realize how important it is to have a real future.” Kame replied, back still turned at him and Jin decided to do something about it, grabbing the boy’s shoulder and forcing Kame around to face him and to keep Kame that way he fisted his hand into the front of the bathrobe.
“I know I meant something to you!” Jin said then. “You wouldn’t have gone to bed with me that night if I didn’t. You wanted me because you were missing me already so much even your traumas couldn’t hold you back.”
“I’ve changed sides. It doesn’t matter why.” Kame replied stubbornly. “Let it go and then let me go. You can find someone else to obsess over.”
“Then look at me and tell me you don’t love me.” Jin demanded and Kame simply returned his gaze without a word. “You wear my ring even in the shower.” Jin continued, eyes falling momentarily to the jewellery on Kame’s finger. “I’ll let you go only if you prove to me that you don’t love-”
“You always have to have it your way, don’t you?” Kame cut in. “Whether it’s in prison or outside it, you’ve always got to be the one in charge. Well, it’s not like I expected any less from you, but you’re not going to get it your way this time.”
“I’m not leaving until you give me an answer.” Jin said stubbornly. “Why did you leave?”
“Why didn’t you ask me that a year ago?” Kame replied, folding his arms behind Jin’s neck. “Let me make this painfully clear to you. Whatever you say or do will not change what I’m planning on doing. Defeating you in court is just the beginning of it. Don’t make the mistake in thinking I’ll go easy on you and if you know what’s best for you then you won’t have mercy on me either. I’ve already committed myself to this and there’s no point in going back on it now. Your only chance of stopping me was in Korea.”
“That doesn’t mean I won’t try.” Jin replied and Kame had to smile.
“I had a feeling that would be your answer. Maybe you’ll learn soon enough I’m serious.” Kame said.
“I won’t lose you.” Jin insisted.
“I’ve thought through every single chance there could be for us, but I realized there wasn’t one.” Kame replied. “Stop talking about relationships and call my master back to me. He always did things differently…he just wanted to have fun…”
Jin didn’t like the way Kame kept throwing these things at him. The master comeback was meant to tie his wrists, preventing him from throwing comebacks. Kame was using it for that purpose, Jin was sure. Kame tried to seek control over him through those spiky comments.
“Aren’t you someone else’s boy toy now?” Jin asked, playing along instead, and to his surprise it didn’t make Kame back off and instead he was led him across the floor until his feet hit the bed.
“Masa doesn’t tell me who to sleep with.” Kame said, tiptoeing up to him. “I can go to bed with whoever I want. I guess you could say he’s got a looser chain around me than you ever did.”
“Still, I bet he’d simply love to hear that person was me.” Jin shot back and Kame chuckled.
“He wouldn’t care that much.” Kame assured, pushing him down onto the bed and before Jin could get up the boy had crawled onto his hips. He could feel Kame’s bare skin against his clothes and should that bathrobe come undone…
Jin focused his eyes back onto Kame. He had to hold onto any thread of sanity there was in him. Doing Kame wouldn’t fix their problems and maybe only make things worse if Kame hadn’t gotten over everything in their past yet.
What had Masa and Johnny done to Kame this past year? How could the Kame, who had been so afraid of physical contact, be seducing him like this now? He had to wonder if it was possible for a person with a trauma like Kame’s to be able to overcome it completely after just one night of physical closeness and with the one, who traumatized him of all people.
“Why are you even so hung up about this? Did I hurt your pride by being the one to walk out on you? Can’t we just be even now? Don’t you remember telling me how you thought our relationship was more fun when we weren’t dating?” Kame said tauntingly, hands making their way up his chest and Jin found it harder to remain seated and not just lay down onto his back. “Now we can have that again, as long of course as you don’t spend the night, but that won’t be a problem, will it?”
Jin didn’t believe Kame wanted that. He didn’t think Kame could accept closeness like a handshake. Kame had to be bluffing.
“No problem at all.” he lied, reaching up towards Kame’s lips, but the boy leaned backwards, not letting him have them. “Now that I won’t bargain about.” he said and one hand tightened around Kame’s waist as the other caught the struggling boy’s neck, forcing the boy to meet his lips and he kissed them less lovingly than a while ago. Kame resisted a bit at first, but gave up fighting and let him deepen the kiss. He was thrilled to Kame responding to their kiss this vigorously, but it tore on his sanity. Then again why was he fighting so hard to keep control? Kame was taunting him to take him all the time anyway...
He had almost overthrown rational thought and all responsible action when Kame suddenly pulled away. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I forgot how this must upset you after all you’ve been through.”
Jin shot him a feigned smile. “Believe me, I’ll tell you when it gets too much for me and I want to stop.”
Which was never and they both knew it.
Kame’s fingers slipped into his hair, making it come undone as Kame met his lips again. There was something familiar about the kiss despite how Kame was unusually eager to fight for dominance.
His hand fell from Kame’s hair to the boy’s waist, while the other one travelled down to the legs spread across his lap until he found some naked skin under his fingertips and he let his hand roam upwards under the bathrobe. Jin had never been so delighted to feel Kame jump, body tensing under his touch in a familiar way and lips leaving his instantly.
“You want to touch, but you don’t want to be touched?” Jin concluded with a hint of victory in his voice, and Kame pulled back, well aware that he had lost this round. “Are you sure you’re not the one getting upset about this?”
“Get out of here.” the boy ordered, getting up from him and the bed.
“You play so cold and emotionless, but in reality you don’t just want to get off, do you?” Jin said, standing up as Kame turned a barely clothed back at him. “They told you that in order to get to me you might have to sleep with me whether you want to or not, so you prepared yourself for that as well, but you can’t pull it off meaning you’re doing this against your will. What are they threatening you with?”
“You don’t know anything.” Kame muttered, not facing him. “And Masa doesn’t tell me who to sleep with.”
Jin went for the boy’s shoulder again, but this time Kame wouldn’t let himself be turned around and instead grabbed his wrist, about to send him off but Jin wouldn’t fall for that move a second time and he caught Kame’s wrist.
“You’ve toughened up a bit, I’ll give you that.” Jin said, locking the struggling boy into him tightly by twisting Kame’s arm behind the boy’s back. “But you’re not up to my level yet.”
Kame didn’t reply, but Jin could feel how the boy was still trying to get loose and should Kame succeed hell would be loose too.
“Where are Masa and Johnny and all your new buddies now?” Jin continued. “Weren’t they going to protect you?”
Kame leaned forwards, almost reaching Jin’s lips. “From what?” the boy whispered. “You won’t hurt me.”
Challenging eyes travelled up to his.
“You wouldn’t do anything to me against my will, would you?”
Kame knew where to strike and Jin had a feeling Masa had been the one to guide Kame to his weak spots. Masa had had a whole year to train Kame into being able to resist anything he said or did, giving Kame the means to defeat him in a way only Kame could. Kame knew now what Jin could and couldn’t do. Kame could without having to fear punishment or anything from him throw stuff at him, knowing he wouldn’t cross the line because Kame meant too much to him.
Jin let go off Kame and Kame fixed his bathrobe.
“Now go home.”
Jin felt slightly abandoned by everyone at the moment. It seemed like no one wanted his company. Jin left, leaving the apartment in silence after him. Kame let out a relived sigh as he closed the door and checked its locks before going to put some clothes on.