[In his Care] Chapter 82 ~part 2
He took Jin to the nearby restaurant he knew served good food and ordered himself the beef and pork cutlet bowl he loved to have after a trying day at the boxing club.
“So…who was that Angela you saw earlier today?” Jin asked, as he munched on the same food Kame had ordered and Kame couldn't believe Jin had been following him practically all day.
“Jealous?” Kame asked, having the chance to finally shoot something back at Jin, and Jin gave him a long look filled with the jealousy Kame had hoped to see. Kame answered with a smile, “A nun.”
“Yes, I could see that.” Jin said. “How do you know her?”
She was pretty, too. What if Kame had been dating over this past year! Why on earth had he just wasted all that time doing nothing!? Jin had to wonder again and again. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t wanted to go see Kame.
“I met her when I was out running. I pushed myself too hard so I fainted. When I woke up I was lying with my head in her lap.” Kame explained.
Jin wanted to explode with jealousy. He should’ve gone after Kame right away from Korea. It took a lot of effort for Jin to mutter out a dry, “I see…”
“Yeah, it’s funny. I keep running into her.” Kame continued. “The convent is close to where I run, so I guess that’s why. She even invited me into the convent to eat once.”
Great. How fantastic. Hopefully Angela was faithful to her faith and wasn’t the cheating type.
“And this chick then?” Jin asked, sending a long look at the girl peeking over at them from time to time.
“This is Noriko.” Kame replied, shooting the girl a look. “She works here.”
“…How do you know her well enough to use her first name?” Jin asked.
“Because we always come here with the club members.” Kame replied, devouring his portion. “And she always insists.”
Great. And this one seemed to have a thing for his boyfriend, too. Well, ex-boyfriend, soon to be his boyfriend again once he was done banging sense into Kame’s head.
“Let's go then.” Kame said, as they were done eating.
He let Kame make it to the doorway before pulling another stunt on the boy, who never saw it coming before his lips were already on Jin's. Kame froze, staring at Jin's face until Jin broke the kiss.
“Wh-why did you do that?” he managed to stutter out.
“My reward for winning our sparring.” Jin said and Kame pulled out of his forced embrace.
“You didn’t even fight fairly…” Kame reminded him again, slipping out the door and Jin smiled, sending a look at the crushed girl by the counter. One down, one to go.
Against Kame's will, Jin got him to jump behind the leader on the bike and Jin drove him back to the campus, taking a longer route and passing by the convent what Kame counted to be three times before finally arriving at their destination.
“Don’t even think about it. I’m not as cheap as to sleep with you after just one date.” Kame said at the steps of the building he lived in.
“So when will we have the next one?” Jin asked, eagerly.
“Maybe the next time we spar.” Kame replied, shutting the door in front of him and hurrying up to his apartment. It was only as he had shut the door behind him that he was able to relax and a smile spread over his lips that still tasted like Jin's.
~*~*~*~
The case wouldn't be at court for two hours or so, but she always came in time to work twice as hard as everyone else.
The courthouse was quite empty as it was still quite early in the morning, but she could hear someone playing the guitar and humming. Following the sound the judge found herself by an open door, looking in at the man running long fingers over the strings of the guitar while humming something in tune.
Upon noticing her, Jin lifted his gaze giving her a slightly embarrassed smile. “Can't help practicing whenever I get the chance. Despite this trial I feel so inspired when I'm here.”
She stepped inside the room. “You play beautifully.”
He had had to occupy himself somehow for a year except through fights. Learning English and playing the guitar it had been - stuff he hadn't done in years.
“All I wanted to do was just to perform. I never thought the entertainment world would be this complicated. I'm not usually an early bird, but I keep losing sleep over this case.” Jin sighed, adding more cheerfully then, “Can I play a song for you?”
She hesitated before giving him the nod he was waiting for and Jin set his eyes on the guitar, running his fingers over its strings again.
“It's the one you helped me finish the other night.” he said and she couldn't wait to hear what she thought was the result of them both.
A small distance away in the corridor outside the room another person was at the place early. Kame also tried to work twice as hard, having so much to learn in so little time and he wanted to be more than just prepared for every session.
He halted, hearing a familiar voice but not quite the way he was used to hearing it. Was Jin...singing?
Peeking in through an open door he could see Jin in full action to charm the hell out of one judge, but as Jin's eyes found his Kame paralyzed and all he could think of was the words that came out of Jin's mouth.
“Songs sound amazing with you. Views lose their beauty without you. It feels I don't exist without you baby, without you baby, without you baby.” Jin sang, only momentarily shifting his gaze at the judge and the guitar before gluing them on Kame's again. “I said I love you, said I love you, said I love you. I still can't find any other words than “I love you”, let our bodies do the talking. I said I love you, said I love you, said I love you...love you.”
“You...wrote that?” the judge asked as Jin left the song hanging on that last “love you”.
“Yeah.” Jin replied with a shy grin. “But I've never played it for anyone before.”
That's because he had just made it up and hadn't thought of the lyrics fast enough so he had ended up repeating “I said I love you” a lot.
“It's really good.” she praised and Kame thought the word 'pudding' was fit to describe her right then. Who had known Jin was so good at singing? Then again the gang leader had probably spent most of his youth in karaoke instead of doing some actual studying.
“It's touching.” Kame said and upon realizing his presence the judge startled, as she realized she was caught talking with someone she shouldn't be.
“Excuse me.” she mumbled, taking her leave and Kame looked after the woman, knowing all too well what he had walked in on. Jin was back to his old games and by the looks of it that woman was his target.
“Touching, you say?” Jin said and Kame recognized that teasing tone in Jin's voice that only got more playful as Jin continued, “I touched you?”
“With your song.” Kame emphasized and Jin put the guitar away, getting up and strolling in a satisfied manner towards him.
“I meant every word.” Jin teased, as he stopped before him. “Want me to play you another one?”
“Don't bother. I will neither sleep with you nor vote for you.” Kame replied, leaving the room as well.
“We'll see about that.” Jin said for himself, watching the other boy go, his slender body disappearing as fast as it could from his field of sight. Kame's body language spoke a whole different language. The fact that his job to win the female judge over was making Kame jealous made him eager to play this game.
He picked up his guitar again and let his fingers run over the strings. “I can tell you want me too, and every time I think you of...that luscious drink your lips produce, I can taste your sweet love...juice.”
Oh yeah, he was feeling highly inspired today.
It delighted Jin to see Kame still bothered by what he had walked in on a few hours before as they met in court later that day and he saw Kame eye both him and the judge, but as he averted his eyes for a second he caught the gaze of someone he hadn't expected to be looking at him.
As soon as court adjourned he set off after the lay judges and one in particular, but lost him after turning the corner and instead ran into a reserve lay judge.
“Going after the female judge again to make a certain someone a little more jealous?” Matsumoto guessed. “I saw the whole thing.”
“I'm just doing my part.” Jin replied quickly, but that certainly didn't convince the three gangster lay judges or the two reserves.
“You better focus on her too. This whole trial depends on it.” Ueda reminded him and Jin was just about to cut the discussion short with a usual “yeah yeah” answer when he heard his name being called.
“Akanishi-san.”
Jin turned surprised to find the lay judge he had been chasing, standing a small distant from them.
Tachibana Keita hesitated, before continuing, “Can I have a word?”
“Of course.” Jin hurried to reply and Keita eyed the other gangsters before returning his gaze onto Jin’s.
“It’s about Kame-chan.” Keita said. “He’s been acting weird. The things I’ve heard about him… It’s just not like him.”
“What things?” Jin asked.
“Since he joined Masa and Johnny, he’s been working for them, doing whatever they’ve asked him to do.” Keita continued, sending a quick glance in the direction of also Yamapi and Ohno, who had followed Jin expecting the worst as usual. “I’ve heard he’s run people to bankruptcy and that he’s caused many others to suffer too…”
Jin didn’t want to believe what he was hearing. He couldn’t imagine Kame ever being capable of doing as horrible things as…as he had done.
“I’m worried about him.” Keita added. “He’s miserable, even though he tries to hide it. I think you're right about him being in trouble with Johnny and Masa. He seems stuck somewhere he doesn't want to be, trying to make the best out of his situation.”
Jin knew it. It was the only rational explanation he could find, because the other possible truth would be too horrible to accept if Kame had joined Masa and Johnny to get revenge on him.
“I don’t know if turning to you is the right answer or not, but I know you care for him. I saw it already in prison.” Keita said. “I think he changed you…and now you need to change him.”
“Will you help us?” Jin asked and Keita's gaze fell from his eyes to the floor. “If they win this trial and Johnny gets off scotch-free then things will only get worse for him.”
“You can’t win this trial.” Keita replied, hurrying away then so no one would find them talking.
“Well, that’s not very encouraging.” Kusano commented.
“I need to find Kame.” Jin said, leaving the five boys behind. He only hoped Kame would've stayed behind, jealous and curious if he was having another 'accidental meeting' with a certain female judge. Though he hadn't expected to be the one to run into Kame having a meeting of his own with said judge.
“I hope you didn't misunderstand what you saw the other day.” he could hear the female judge say, as he had managed to get close enough.
“I'm not to judge what you do on your free time, mam.” Kame replied politely.
“But it is highly inappropriate for a judge to associate with a witness of a case.” the judge insisted. “I don't want you to think that was in my intention.”
As if it hadn't been, Jin thought. That woman had been happy she had run into him.
“I believe you.” Kame replied with a smile. “And I'm sorry if I barged in on you earlier. I know it's important to act right, but I also believe one's private life is one's private life. Sometimes there are circumstances.”
“I'm relieved you understand.” the judge said with a small sigh.
“Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about what I saw.” Kame assured. “I believe we can both be professional.”
“So, you're training to be a lawyer?” she asked, glad to be able to change the subject and Kame gave her a smile that would definitely have gotten Jin hooked.
“I am.” he replied. “I want to protect people and put the criminals where they belong.”
Jin wanted to snort, but that would probably have revealed to the pair his presence there. Kame sounded so righteous, while the lawyer-in-training was working to free one of the biggest criminals there was in Japan. At the same time Jin hoped Kame hadn't been serious, saying that, because if Kame was then his ass was on the line too.
“I had the same goals when I first became a lawyer.” the judge said, smiling as she remembered those days.
“With the power you have now, you can make it happen.” Kame said, admiration in his voice, which worked well on someone who took such pride in her work. “I bet there are so many things I could learn from you. Seeing you makes me want to fight harder.”
Jin now knew why Kame wasn't spending any time on the old dude, Kame was going for this judge instead. He sure hoped Yamapi would still say that Kame was just teasing. Judging from the conversation, Kame was doing a good job at that and in the end as the two finally finished talking and parted ways, Jin was the one feeling jealous and also quite insulted by this move from Kame he hadn't seen coming.
He waited for Kame to turn the corner and the boy got a startle, as he almost bumped into him still standing there.
“You really are something, aren't you?” Jin said, his tone hard. “I could imagine you running around flirting with old dudes, but you dare even to step out of what you know.”
Kame didn't like what he was hearing. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Are you really going to rival me?” Jin asked and had to chuckle, before adding in a mocking tone, “You? You think you can beat me to her? You, who have no experience whatsoever of playing games not to mention of women.”
“You sure act all high and mighty even though the word on the street is you've gotten rusty.” Kame shot back and the boy refused the urge to take a step backwards as Jin straightened himself.
“Don't underestimate me when you don't even know what I can do. I have been playing games long before you even got your first kiss.” Jin said, refusing the temptation to add that kiss had been his too. “Besides, it's like riding a bike. Don't embarrass yourself trying to compete with me.”
Kame took a step closer, not about to just back off. “You're a good player because when it comes to feelings you run the other way. I'm not like you. I actually understand what it feels like to be the prey.”
“Great. I make her fall head over heels for me and you can brush her hair when I'm done with her.” Jin said.
“You're the one with longer hair.” Kame muttered, but his comeback lost its effect as Jin pushed him into the wall.
“On the other hand, if I just played you I would slip inside the enemy lines and work a little magic there. Then I wouldn't have to run after judges. Problem solved.” Jin said, leaning in towards Kame. “Would you like to be my prey again?”
As Kame didn't answer, Jin took it that he had won the battle and with one final look he left Kame resting against the wall.
~*~*~*~
This time Jin was even more motivated to get things rolling between himself and the judge. He had to snatch her before Kame even got one more chance to talk with her. Not that Kame was a threat, he just didn't like the idea of Kame flirting with this woman any more than Kame flirting with the oldest one of the judges.
Luck seemed to be on his side, as he found the judge he was looking for sitting by a table in the same bar as before.
“Can't imagine why I keep seeing you sitting alone here.” he said as he had made it close enough to the table and the woman looked up, surprise written on her face, but Jin was quite sure she had hoped he would turn up here sooner or later. He pulled out a chair and sat down. “Can't imagine why someone as beautiful and successful as you is alone overall.” he added and noted how he had hit the spot, as she seemed sort of touched by that statement.
“She's not alone this time.” Kame's voice suddenly came from behind him and when Jin looked over his shoulder he saw Kame standing there with two drinks in his hands that Jin quickly realized were Sex on the Beach. Jin couldn't believe Kame was still pursuing this chase or that he had just given that woman that drink.
“Apparently not...” Jin replied as Kame took a seat on the opposite side of the table, handing the woman her drink. “If I asked would you give me some sex on the beach too?”
Kame shot Jin a look. “Go and get it yourself.”
Jin was not getting up and Kame was not giving him any more attention, sending the judge a smile.
“Is it good?” he asked, as she tasted it. “It's to thank you for all the valuable advice you have given me tonight.”
Jin watched irritated the two converse, still not believing that Kame had actually not taken his friendly advice to back off.
“I really don't usually do this sort of thing.” Jin heard the woman explain, sending both him and Kame a look. “Please don't misunderstand me. I take my job very seriously...as do I my relationships.”
“I know what you mean.” Kame replied and Jin moved his gaze from the judge to the lawyer-in-training. Kame really didn't know when it was time for him to leave and instead the boy met his eyes as he continued, “Unfortunately many don't seem to take commitment seriously these days and are only looking to have fun.” Jin knew he was being targeted already by the tone in Kame's voice and Kame turned his head back to the judge. “It's hard to trust others when so few stand by their words anymore.”
“Yeah, or run off without a word.” Jin added and Kame locked eyes with him.
“Or push people out of their lives when they get too close.” Kame shot back, adding, “You know, those sorts of people, who are really not ready to commit and just want to play games...in other words players. They should be avoided.”
Jin's eyes narrowed at that and Kame turned his gaze once more at the judge.
“Though I suppose that's easier said than done. I've made plenty of mistakes in that area.” Kame then said and Jin couldn't believe Kame had just drawn the 'I've been hurt too' card.
It immediately caught the judge's full attention. Seemed as if though she played it safe she hadn't managed to play it all that safe and fallen prey for some kind of a player or two in the past. Yet she didn't know the same thing was going down around her. “I know how you feel. It's not easy to control your feelings no matter how hard you try.”
Kame gave the woman a small smile. “Yeah, tell me about it. I was stuck in a bad romance with one player for two or three years.”
Jin's gaze was practically boring a hole in Kame's skull, but the boy didn't turn to meet his eyes even once, continuing to talk with the judge about feelings this and feelings that.
“How did you get out?” she asked, obviously curious but trying not to let it show.
“I managed to walk out.” Kame replied. “I got to a point where I realized I had always been the one to chase...her.” Kame briefly met his eyes at that point, setting them then on the woman in front of her and even worse laying one hand on hers, an action she didn't reject, as he said, “But that's a given, right? A man should always go after his woman. Even when he is not the one at fault.”
That seemed to impress her. No guy had obviously bothered to do that for her. He was swimming in deep waters if he tried to approach her sexually when Kame was connecting to her emotionally. He needed to cut in, but he couldn't concentrate on anything but on Kame's hand still on the judge's.
“I think so too.” she said.
“Yeah, me too. So you shouldn't have walked out on yours.” Jin finally broke into the conversation and Kame met his eyes again. “You should've gone back to her again, even if she was the one being wrong.”
“Some relationships can never work out.” Kame replied. “Mine couldn't and there was no point in dragging it out any longer than it already had.”
“Why not?” Jin immediately asked. “Why couldn't it?”
He really wanted to know the answer to that.
“Because I fought so long to get her and I ended up never really getting her at all.” Kame replied. “Realizing that was how it was going to be walking out was the only option I had left. It would be the best and least painful option for us both in the long run.”
Jin wanted to laugh, but far out of happiness. He had given Kame absolutely everything he had, he had been everything he thought Kame had needed, and Kame dared to claim the boy had never gotten him? He had nothing else to give. Maybe Kame had really been chasing something of an illusion of him and the real him hadn't just measured up to that fantasy.
The judge freed her hand, putting it on Kame's arm instead in an act of sympathy, but unfortunately that wasn't all that was in that touch. “I admire you for not giving up so easily.”
Jin didn't like where this was going. Kame was winning her over and he had to stop this flow and turn the luck back to his side.
“Yeah, that's really admirable, but I think many people plan ahead too much and forget to live in the now.” Jin said and gained both of their attention. “People worry too much over relationships, worry to get them, worry to change them into their ideal...it makes my head ache. I speak from experience when I say we can't control who we get attracted to and who we end up falling for and we can't make ourselves fall in love with someone we know would be good for us. Sometimes we end up falling for the one's that will hurt us.”
Kame didn't try to cut him off. He was just as interested in hearing what else was on Jin's mind as the woman in between them was.
“Love can't be controlled, but that's what makes life worth living.” Jin continued. “Sometimes it's foolish to play it safe and smarter to take chances even though there are risks.” Jin added, laying his eyes on Kame's. “I used to play games, but I put all of that behind me even though the sacrifices were huge and the risk of getting hurt nothing less. I always played it safe before by never getting involved, but that time I took a chance and I got burnt, and it was worth it.”
As Kame broke their eye-contact Jin turned his gaze to the woman beside him, who looked like she was completely caught in his story. Why anyone would think that the tale of a fallen player would be a turn on was beyond him. It had been his nightmare and the thing he had feared the most.
“Getting burnt may hurt, but loneliness eats you up from the inside.” Jin added and Kame tensed as Jin laid a hand somewhere behind the woman's back. Her hand had long ago left his arm. “And if you don't give people a chance you might walk past someone you could've loved.”
Jin had her completely won over. Kame didn't know what to say now that Jin had taken that course and it wasn't just that. It didn't matter what nonsense Jin was saying as long as Jin said it in that voice and looked at her with those eyes - the way only a real player, a player on Jin's level, could. It made him sick to his stomach seeing Jin look at her like that and when Jin raised a hand to gently push a lock of hair out of her face Kame couldn't stand it any longer.
“Excuse me for a while.” Kame said, feeling Jin watch him get up and leave for the bathroom. Without really taking into consideration the woman beside him, Jin also excused himself and headed into the same direction.
Kame met his eyes through the bathroom mirror as he walked in through the door.
“That was a big mistake there, Kame-chan.” Jin preached, as the leader walked across the floor. “A player should never leave his prey alone with another player.”
“Then what are you doing here? Isn't this your chance to score?” Kame asked, and Jin hadn't actually thought of that as he had instinctively followed Kame to the bathroom, leaving his prey behind to sit alone.
“I don't need such opportunities to win over an amateur.” Jin said, saving his situation.
“No, and it's more fun having me watch, isn't it?” Kame guessed, showing a handful of traits a player shouldn't have: jealousy, hurt and vulnerability. Kame could never be a player and that's what Jin liked about him and that was exactly why he didn't like seeing Kame try so hard to become one.
“So you're really going to rival me?” Jin asked and the other boy still didn't turn around, eyes locked on his through the mirror as he approached. Jin stopped right behind the boy, laying one hand on the sink on both sides of Kame's waist. “Do you feel like losing to me again?”
“Don't worry, I won't be obeying any rules this time.” Kame replied and Jin laid his head to rest into the crook of Kame's neck, eyes still locked on his through the mirror.
“You never followed mine either, but you still knew you belonged to me. Whether you follow any rules or not won't change a thing. I will have you both right where I want you.” he spoke into the boy's ear.
“Maybe.” Kame said and managed to turn around even though Jin was pressing against him and the boy met his eyes again. “But you're holding back, aren't you? In fact, I'm the one that's holding you back. That’s why you’re not out there getting into her pants, but here with me. You can't go back to being the player you once were because of me. Because you still hold onto the ties you share with me you don't see yourself as free to play games anymore. You see yourself as mine.”
Jin stretched out a hand, running it through his hair. “I am.” he replied and it was unclear to both of them who initiated it, but it didn't matter as their lips pressed harder against each other than their bodies did.
It seemed as if they both wanted to show the other who he belonged to, neither backing down nor accepting defeat to the other one, still both knew neither of them were in control right now.
Jin lifted Kame up on the sink, enjoying the feeling of Kame's thighs pressing hard against his hips and Kame was only too pleased that Jin was there with him and hadn't taken off with that judge while he had left the table.
They shocked a few customers of the bar who made the mistake in walking in on them before hurrying out of the bathroom faster than they had entered.
Kame pushed Jin off enough to slip down from the sink and they stumbled into the nearest stall. This time Jin ended up being the one sitting down and Kame straddled him, lips finding his again quickly.
But Jin wanted to taste more of Kame than that, placing his lips on Kame's neck and hearing the boy moan, tilting his head to give Jin better access to that area and as Jin sunk his teeth into Kame's flesh the boy gave a wordless cry, pressing his lower body into Jin's and his nails into his back through his shirt.
Jin stood up, lifting Kame in the process and pressed him into one wall of the stall, feeling Kame's legs slip down from his waist till his feet connected to the floor and Kame's hand got access to his belt the boy started undoing.
“Wa...wait, wait up.” Jin mumbled between the kisses. “Not here. Let's go back to my place.”
Kame stopped kissing him and his hand also froze where it had almost undone Jin's belt. Kame gave him a look, as if he finally realized what he was doing. “The hell I will.” he replied, pushing Jin off so that the leader hit the opposite wall and Kame stormed out the stall.
“Fine, your place then!” Jin called after him, seeing Kame splash water against his face a few quick times before drying it off on his way towards the door. “What, you finally want to do it in a bathroom stall?”
Kame didn't reply, storming out the bathroom next and Jin hurried after, fastening his belt as did, and almost bumped into Kame when the smaller boy suddenly halted abruptly outside the bathroom, eyes on the empty table.
“Oh, fuck.” Jin cursed. How long had they been in there together?
“I'm leaving.” Kame announced.
“Fuck.” Jin cursed again as he watched Kame go, leaving the bar in fast steps, and he regretted that outcome more than the one with the judge.
Kame made sure to keep out of Jin's sight till the next session in court. Typically enough this was the one where Jin was to take the stand. He couldn't believe he had almost fallen into Jin's arms, or trap, the other night while knowing Jin was playing both him and that judge at the same time. He had never heard of Jin ever taking on two preys at the same time.
Kame briefly met Jin's eyes as Jin took the stand. This should prove to be interesting enough.
“Let me handle this one.” Yamapi requested of Ohno, who shot him a smile.
“I thought you might want to.” the other leader replied and Yamapi stood up, approaching Jin.
Kame reminded himself of his position as Yamapi started to interrogate Jin. He needed to put his feelings aside and do his job. Yamapi and Jin worked well together, just as Kame had imagined they would. They walked through the whole thing smoothly together as if they had practiced, but Kame doubted they had. They were both professionals at what they did and well-aware of what to say.
“I just wanted to perform, sing and play the guitar. They offered me the stage, but it came with a price. Even worse, the people, who were supposed to have my back wanted to sell me.” Jin said. “They kept urging me to sign their contract, saying there was a price to pay for fame.”
“What exactly did they do to you?” Yamapi asked. “In what ways did they sexually harass you?”
“They tried to get me drunk and drug me, while encouraging me to do things and touching me. They said I was already in too deep by simply being where I was and urged me to learn the rules of the game. Said I'd get used to it.” Jin answered and Kame flinched at that last part, knowing Jin had seen his reaction even though the leader wasn't looking at him. Why was Jin saying those things? “And the firm did nothing. Not for any of us. Neither did the guards or the rest of the personnel at work there.”
“Any of you?” Yamapi led the discussion on.
“I witnessed young boys being dragged in against their will into backrooms followed by rich customers.” Jin answered, taking the conversation down the desired road. “Talking to the other so-called upcoming stars they told me they had been either fooled or pressured into signing contracts with Johnny Kitagawa. They said that as long as Johnny wanted them to be his stars they would have his backup and his protection as long as they did everything he asked them to.”
“Your honours, as you'll see tomorrow when we bring in our witness, who has signed one of those contracts, you’ll see that the conditions on them are very vague and filled with loopholes and opportunities that allows Kitagawa’s firm to misuse the talents signed up to them. According to these contracts the boys can’t even terminate them without losing the rights to use their own names in the entertainment world.”
As Yamapi ranted on Jin took the opportunity to meet the female judge's eyes across the floor, giving her a small, secret smile and she couldn't meet his gaze for very long, but Jin was sure it had been long enough for a certain someone to notice their shared look. Turning his head into Kame's direction the boy definitely didn't seem pleased, but Jin should've known that Kame wouldn't just sit back and let Jin have it his way.
Victoriously Jin turned his attention momentarily to Yamapi to answer his next question. “No, I never did anything to indicate I was interested in having a sexual relation with any of the clients.”
“So, you're saying that the approach came from the clients, which after you denied it and that is when the harassment turned really serious and you got the bruises on your body you later showed for doctor Aizawa?” Yamapi asked, but Jin only heard half of the question as he made the mistake in turning his head into Kame's direction again.
Kame didn't seem all that upset anymore, eyeing him instead quite playfully, which in itself was a rare sight, but then Kame's hand went touching his own neck, the very place Jin had been feasting on the other night and Jin thought he saw a mark on Kame's pale skin as the boy tilted his neck to one side, brushing over the spot again and sending Jin back into that stall for a moment there.
“Takasugi-san?” Yamapi said in a stern voice, knowing what Jin was up to, which was not paying attention, and Jin managed to return to present time.
“Uh, yeah, that's about it.” Jin replied and Yamapi wanted to roll his eyes.
“I have no further questions.” the News leader said, retreating to his seat and gave place for Masa's lawyer Kumada to question next, but as the lawyer rose, Masa took his arm. The two exchanged a few words, before the lawyer sat back down and Masa turned to Kame, saying something to him.
“What are they doing?” Ohno whispered to Yamapi next to him. “Are they so confident they're not even going to question Akanishi?”
But that wasn't the case and instead of Kumada, Kame rose to his feet, buttoning his suit as he did.
“Oh no.” Yamapi mumbled, as they watched Kame cross the floor and stop in front of Jin.
His eyes met Kame's that looked at him from behind the pair of glasses Kame always wore in court and Jin fought to remain calm.
“To come here and make all those claims is to be taken very seriously.” Kame said and Jin's gaze slipped to the red mark on Kame's neck before returning back to the boy's eyes.
“That's what I hope and exactly why I'm here.” Jin replied.
“Our defense has been repeating this throughout the whole trial and we'll say it again: this case is filled with holes and you have no solid evidence to backup anything you've just said.” Kame continued. “You have a doctor's certificate that may prove you in fact had been the victim of harassment and abusement and you have the footage of being in our client's club the same night, but you have no statements, no witnesses and no proof whatsoever that the harassment took place in our client's club. I find that strange, especially since you claim you weren't the only victim there that night. Someone should be able to back your story up.”
Jin wondered if those words were coming from Kame or if they were put in Kame's mouth. “Well, your client does a very good job in silencing people. No one dares to speak up and at least half of the victims were already bound to contracts, they couldn't speak up or then the words they say aren't their own.”
“That would be another serious claim you come forth with again without no evidence to back it up.” Kame pointed out.
“We have a witness who will tell you the exact same thing.” Jin replied.
“Yes, your mysterious witness whom you keep referring to.” Kame said. “If he did sign that contract, then it would be in our client's agency's responsibility to honor their part in it and protect him as they should, but you can’t really expect treatment from them if you have not signed their contract. Therefore you should've been free to simply walk away. Why didn't you?”
Jin reminded himself to stay in character before answering, “It is not that simple to walk away from a man like Johnny Kitagawa when he controls a huge part of the Japanese entertainment industry and his powers doesn't limit only to that area. And I believe it is in every human being’s responsibility to aid someone in need no matter if it is in their duty to or not, wouldn’t you agree?” Jin asked. “Not that they did anything for the ones who had signed their contracts. I’d say it was even worse for them.”
“That sounds like a very interesting story.” Kame said. “Maybe you should make it into something, but here we talk about facts. You don't have any.”
“You don't know what...” Jin started, stopping himself before he could get carried away, and Kame eyed him, waiting for him to continue. “You don't know what it was like. The humiliation, the feeling of being powerless, the scars it creates...”
He saw something in Kame's eyes at that point, but the young lawyer-in-training didn't say anything.
“People get away with those sorts of things all the time. I'm here today, because I think someone who does something like that should be held responsible and should pay for his actions. There should be a limit to what a person has to go through.” Jin continued and though Kame had stubbornly kept eye-contact with him all this time the boy had to look away for a second there. “It was wrong. It should be punished. And the offender should feel sorry.”
Jin was convincing enough to set the whole room in silence for a while.
“I have nothing but my word against his and I’m merely speaking as one more person involved in hope to prevent that from happening again in the business your client runs.” Jin said. “Maybe you will listen better to the next person to take the stand. Mind you, he did sign that contract. And whether you want to acknowledge it or not there are currently people, who are being taken advantage of by Johnny Kitagawa and his people and I want to do something about it.”
“I have no further questions, your honours.” Kame said, returning to his seat and Yamapi wanted to sigh in relief. Jin had been able to hold his own. It was a dirty move of Masa to put Kame up there. The detective kept testing Jin's nerves and Yamapi knew as a best friend that when it came to Kame those nerves threatened to break easier.
“Then you may step down, Takasugi-san.” one of the judges said and looked into the direction of Yamapi and Ohno next. “Tomorrow we will hear from your other witness. This court is hereby adjourned.”
“We will have to keep a very close eye on Miyavi until tomorrow.” Ohno said to Yamapi. “Johnny will want him not taking that stand. Akanishi's case he can easily win, but Miyavi's will be harder as the contracts in themselves will look outrageous. Everything depends on his performance.”
Yamapi nodded, eyes on Jin, who stepped down from his seat, but the News leader wasn't able to restrain the other leader, who slipped right past them obviously in chase of the lawyer-in-training, who had just questioned him.
“Funny seeing you on the stand talking about something like that as if you knew what it actually felt like.” Jin heard a member of wFL say as he passed the boys in the audience by and he stopped momentarily, reasoning with himself there was no point in staying there arguing and continued on his way in the direction he had seen Kame take off in, which was the area neither of them should be moving around in.
“Looking for someone?” Jin asked, as he had finally managed to catch up with Kame, who turned towards him. “Eager to correct last night's mistakes, aren't you?”
Kame didn't reply and Jin hurried to follow as Kame the continued to walk.
“Nice try distracting me today.” Jin said. “And an excellent performance just now.”
“Likewise in attempting to understand exactly how me and those before me could possibly have felt.” Kame shot back, seemingly taking a defensive stand.
“I meant it.” Jin insisted, not liking the fact that Kame said the same sort of thing as that wFL boy just had. He didn't want Kame to look at him like they did. He reached for Kame's wrist, grabbing it and forcing the smaller boy to halt and face him. “Will you stop and talk with me?”
“There's nothing to talk about.” Kame answered, attempting to get free, but Jin held his wrist firmly.
“There's not? How about the things we just said in that courtroom? How about the other night in the bathroom stall?” Jin asked. “You wanted me just as badly as I wanted you and now you're mad at me because you forgot all about her when you were with me. You messed up because of me and you hate messing up.”
“Well, luckily you only have to win either of us over so you don't have to care. You'll keep this up and she'll get hurt, but I guess you won't lose sleep over it.” Kame replied. “Do you even remember her name?”
“Sure I do! It’s…” Jin said, searching his memory in vain. “Okay, fine, I don't. But don't get all righteous on me, aren't you doing the same thing?”
“At least I've never enjoyed it.” Kame said.
“No, but you definitely enjoy rivaling me. Admit it, that’s why you were all over me in bathroom stall last night.” Jin threw back. “The next time I won’t try to be romantic and suggest we move it anywhere else.”
Kame went red. “That was a big mistake, just like we are.”
“You don’t mean that anymore than I did.” Jin replied, not about to be defeated in a verbal fight with his player skills. “And in case you haven't noticed, you and I are still caught in that same bad romance as we were a year ago. You'll never completely walk out on me and you know it.”
Kame still tried, almost slipping out of Jin's grip when practically shoved him into the nearest office, where he trapped him against the wall and slammed the door shut.
“Don't you ever dare walk out on me again.” Jin warned, feeling Kame's wrist throbbing against his hand. “And don't accuse me of not letting you get me! You had all of me!”
Something flashed in Kame's eyes at that and the boy was just about to return a spiky comment when another voice in the room interrupted them.
“Uh, excuse me...” a familiar voice suddenly spoke, taking both of them aback and as their eyes met the one's of the female judge they practically flew off each other.
“We were just...having a bit of a disagreement.” Jin babbled out, not wanting to believe he had been that distracted by Kame he had failed to notice someone else was in the room when he threw Kame in there.
Kame straightened himself. “I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean to be rude-”
“It's okay, but I think we shouldn't meet again.” she said and both wanted to protest. “I think you two should talk...a little more relaxed and confront whatever is...going on between the two of you and not draw me into the middle of it.”
Neither 'player' knew how to respond at that moment.
“Wha- This is not what it...” Kame tried to explain.
“It's nothing like that. We were just sorting some things out. We have disagreements about the case as well as...you.” Jin added and Kame sure was amazed how fast such a pro as Jin could cover it up, but the judge wasn't as convinced as Kame.
“It's okay. I'm not judgemental.” she assured. “I've just seen the way you look at each other and...well, it's pretty obvious you two aren't fighting over me as much as...well, let's face it, many guys in the entertainment industry tend to have tendencies towards...you know.” she said looking at Jin, turning towards Kame then, “And you seem to understand me so well. You really understand women.”
Neither could reply this time, not even Jin had a smart remark.
“I don't think now is the best timing to sort this out, but this trial will be over soon and then you can meet without the fear it will affect either of your cases. Because I haven't acted right either, I will not as a judge let what I have seen so far affect my ruling.” she said, before leaving the two silent men.
“By many guys in the entertainment industry, she really did mean that...” Jin first broke the silence. “And by you really understanding women, she-”
“Don't even go there!” Kame interrupted. “Don't you dare.” he added, before hurrying off from another failed mission, devastated that the woman he had tried to connect with and understand had taken him for something like another woman - only trapped in man's body.
This time Kame managed to take off without Jin stopping him and Jin returned to the blocks bearing a feeling he had never felt before.
“How's it going with the female judge?” Yamapi asked and Jin sent him a quick look, wanting to avoid having to answer.
“Great, she thinks Kame and I are gay and practically gave us her blessing.” Jin replied and Yamapi stopped what he was doing, forgetting about the bunch of files and other so-called evidence they had prepared for the case and giving Jin a long look, which Jin returned with a grimace. “We're going to need that third judge really badly, because this one will not rule in either one of our favor because she thinks we could be hot in bed...well, maybe only together.”
Yamapi rubbed his temples. “I don't believe it. I give you a simple task and you...fail?”
“I hate that word.” Jin muttered, finally being able to give a name to the feeling he was experiencing for the first time as a player. “I didn't fail, I was just...distracted.”
“By Kame-chan!” Yamapi practically yelled. “You moron, you were not supposed to aim at Kame-chan, you were supposed to get that judge onto our side!”
“Well, Kame didn't get her either.” Jin muttered, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
“Kame-chan is not even a real player! I really- Ah, great! That's just great!” Yamapi groaned. “We have only Miyavi's testimony left before it is time to give our closing and our best hope is that a judge is actually going to rule according to the evidence presented in court.”
“I think I got her sympathy.” Jin insisted.
“Get out of my sight!” Yamapi said and it was rarely Jin did as he was told, but he really didn't feel like standing there explaining what went wrong. He didn't even care that much, because things were going better with Kame.
He was removing the mask off of Kame, he was sure. Kame was giving in to him little by little and the next time a chance like the one in the bathroom stall would be given to him he wouldn't fuck it up. As long as he got Kame back he could take everything else as it comes.
Jin couldn't wait for tomorrow's trial.
~*~*~*~
Kame was up early the next morning as always, partly because he hadn't been able to sleep and partly because he had put too much time on other things than going through their case and re-reading books for exams. He wanted to do perfectly or at least as good as he had when Jin hadn't been around to distract him and to make sure Jin wasn't going to be a distraction this time Kame decided he would study at work and go from there together with Masa and Kumada-sensei to court.
Feeling his cell phone vibrate Kame picked it up, seeing he had gotten a mail. It was a picture of the letter K and A glued next to each other on a door and there was a text saying, still attached.
Against his own will Kame smiled. How was Jin able to drive him so mad at times and at other times... Why was it getting harder and harder for him to play the part Masa had given him? Was he growing weaker because Jin was messing with his head?
Despite the reservations he had had against seeing Jin again in this manner and despite Jin shooting him down in every given opportunity he was still having a bit of fun in these games they played. He could never be a player, he would probably never become as strong as Jin and Jin would most likely never acknowledge him, but he still felt slightly more equal to Jin right now.
“Morning.” Masa greeted and Kame jumped in his seat, hurrying to shut his phone and put it away.
“Good morning.” he greeted back, burying his nose in his books again as Masa approached the table.
“You okay, Kame-chan?” Masa asked, gently touching the red mark on Kame's wrist and Kame hurried to pull the hand to himself. “I couldn't help noticing how you've been seeing Akanishi Jin a lot lately.”
“I'm sorry, I know I screwed up with the female judge. He keeps appearing over and over again and when he does I can’t entirely make him go away even though I know I should.” Kame sighed. “He’s like a bad addiction.”
“Been there.” Masa said with a small smile.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it under control.” Kame assured. “I’m not letting this affect the outcome of our work and I’m doing what you told me to.”
“I wasn’t doubting you, but I was worried about you. You don’t have to keep on that mask with me. I know he is everything but air to you and you’re going to have to lead him to his end.” Masa replied and Kame looked up at the man. “I’ll go talk with Johnny now about our little arrangements. Then it’s time to go to court.”