Masterpiece [Chapter 8]
Title: Masterpiece
Author: dephi
Pairing: RyoDa, KameDa somehow, more to come
Genre: Angst, Romance
Rating: PG - 15
Disclaimer : I only own the plot and the OCs
Summary: It took place in Japan, where the rich and the poor had their own societies. There were parties everywhere for the rich. Nishikido Ryo was one of the rich people, an honorable person, the heir of a big corporation, yet he had his own family secret, an unthinkable one. Here came Ueda Tatsuya who stepped into his life, an innocent guy who did not know that his decision would bring him to a totally different world that he never imagined before.
Notes: And update at last! I know. Details are under the cut. Un-betaed because I have to post this today as my own birthday present ♥
He ran his hand down her body as his eyes pierced through hers. Slowly, he went lower and lower, teasing with the barest touch against the fabric that still covered her body, and stopped right above her skirt. She clicked her tongue and was about to complain. But before the first word ever made it out, he grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her closer, his tongue started ravaging the inside of her mouth.
It wasn't just a simple kiss. It was rough and simply mind-blowing. He wasn't just kissing her; he consumed her, completely, just with his tongue.
A blush crept up Tatsuya's face as he observed the scene that was unfolded before him. His hands reached up to cover his eyes, yet he still peeked through the fingers. There was an inner battle inside, he was curious but at the same time he was brought up secured from the world, so innocent about relationships beyond blood relation, friendship and enmity. He was never meant to be there; his parents had designated an environment that was ideal for him and perhaps in the future when they see fit they would teach him the reality in steps and they would also ensure that he knew how to use his words as his weapon, how malicious the meaning could be, that the greatest liar could control the world.
Shame, the time had not come yet and he was quite unprepared for this. Perhaps he should have been mature enough to be knowledgeable however in his entire life, the most intimate relationship he ever had, except with his family and a few couple of good friends, was with his books and his job or his study. He yearned to be big, to be more that what he was, but he forgot to understand certain conditions.
Still, he was curious.
The woman whimpered and he couldn't help but stared back at the monitor. Tatsuya knew that the moment he followed Ryo his life would change drastically. But he never understood how committed he should be and each revelations that he discovered as he delved deeper inside shocked him. Yet the scientist side of him never ceased to amaze. He was far too curious to let his hesitation defeated him and he survived. So far.
Ryo's hand traveled here and there, he could barely keep up with it. His heart pounded hard and he had a mixed feeling. He couldn't identify his feeling.
He never knew what love is, not in the romantic way, let alone lust. Oh he knew the definition of it; that he could look up at the dictionary. But he did not understand the application in reality. Fondness he knew. Family love he fully understood. But love?
He was attracted to Ryo, he admitted. And he had never been so attracted to someone, so curious, that perhaps it was the reason why he was tempted to break out of his shell and figure out things by himself, things that couldn't be taught but you had to learn by yourself.
It was just attraction, he decided. It wasn't enough to be deeper, to be more complicated. He would still choose his family or others he very fond of any other day. But he wanted to learn more, he yearned for more knowledge and experience and that justified his act.
He stared back at the monitor, just watching.
Ryo suddenly smirked at him.
He wondered.
###
Every task must be carefully planned, each steps carefully timed. Just a few minutes miss and the whole organization could be ruined. Precision was important in order to carry out the designed plan smoothly. A mistake simply could not be tolerated.
He eventually had to learn how to be tact and fast. Keeping up with each detail was not a problem. It had always been his forte. But it wasn't enough, he had to push himself harder to make himself useful in the plan, he didn't want to be left behind.
The next job finally arrived and he found it amusing how simple the plan could be. There was nothing special about it, some were tasked to gain information here meanwhile he just had to observe through the camera and recordings --when used-- and made some notes. When the deeds were done, they would then prepare the next stage. Nothing special, or so he thought.
It was just a painting, of which originality was still unknown. Some said that it was created by Van Gogh's pupil however some claimed it was one of the master's pieces. Yet it now stayed inside the residence of a famous art collector, Akihiro Ichi, for his beloved wife. As per usual, security would be the trickiest problem, but the problem could be conquered in no time.
When he was told that Ryo would be confronting the tricky PA (tricky -- their words, not his), he did not mind playing the observer. It would be just a piece of cake.
He didn't have anything useful to do, after all.
###
She giggled when his hot breath was on her neck. But slowly he licked her skin and it made her shiver. She grew needy, impatient, and she moaned.
"Why are you here?" she asked, her breath ragged. Yet instead of answering he continued his attack on her neck and pinned her on the wall. His fingers reached the top button of her shit, not exactly doing anything just toying with it. Then it ventured lower and she whimpered in excitement.
" Oh, just do something," she pleaded. Depressed, she decided to take the matter on her own. Her hand sought for flesh, she slipped it under his shirt, just barely touching the skin and oh how she loved the feeling. She hummed as she trailed her fingers, nails scratching tender skin.
She gasped as he grabbed her wrist.
"Will you really tell me anything?" Ryo asked, his voice dangerously low.
She pulled her arm back. "I don't kiss and tell, Nishikido." Slowly she reached for the clip that tied her hair into a ponytail, unclipped it, then she shook her head, her long wavy hair fell in disarray. She crossed her arms. "But maybe, just maybe, I can make some exception," she spoke in a husky whisper. Laughing, she added, "It depends on the payment, of course."
Then it was silent, save for the sickly sound of hands groping everywhere, another kiss with tongue included, but clothes still intact. Her high heels were suddenly thrown and followed his suit. But suddenly, she pushed him away.
"You amuse me--" "And you talk too much."
Stunned, her smile fell off her face. She just kept staring and staring for a couple of minutes then dissolved into laughter. "I get it. Nobody's watching. It's easy, really. But the vault can only be opened with a combination of codes. That, I couldn't tell," she sighed. Ryo opened his mouth but she put her finger on his lips, and he swallowed back his words. "Ask around, Nishikido. The master, the spouse and the eldest."
"How could you?" he raised a brow.
"You are not the first one to seek me," she reached for his shirt, slowly unbuttoning it. Her eyes widened in excitement, she paid little attention to anything else.
Ryo shoved her palm. "Really?" he straightened her shirt and grabbed his suit, fixing his clothes neatly. Then he walked away to the door, turning the knob and pushed it. "Oh, and thank you," he added before he quietly left her office, careful not to be noticeable, leaving her behind exasperated, longing, unsatisfied.
She laughed.
"You just don't know what hit you yet, Nishikido," she threw her head back. "Not yet..." Then she reached for her drawer and produced a phone from it, pushing a series of number and attached it to her ear.
"It's done."
###
The day when the real act began was quite nerve wrecking. At least, that was how Tatsuya felt. This was only the second time he was included in a mission which worried him in case he made a mistake. He shouldn't have, with all the self learning he had sternly made himself does. Yet he was still unconfident with his ability.
What he actually needed was to keep his face straight, free from any unnecessary emotion.
And unfortunately he had never been a good liar.
His heart beating a tad bit harder, he arrived at the huge residence. It always amused him how rich people loved to lavish and flaunt their money. What was the purpose of these social gatherings, he wondered, because he found it plainly stupid and a huge waste of money. Imagine how helpful the money would be for the experiments that sometimes required huge budget. Monetary problem sometimes delayed the progress of his projects and it pissed his off, especially since he actually owned the money but he wasn't brave enough to ask more from his father. On the other side there was a different feel of satisfaction when he managed to accomplish something with his own strength so perhaps his pride might have gotten in the way.
That aside, he was also amazed by the amount of money thrown for such events. Indeed, Akihiro Ichi or actually his spouse had done an extraordinary job in organizing the event. The garden which he assumed was regularly taken care of had transformed to a huge outdoor venue and waitress were everywhere, drinks were poured, every aspects made the party so lavish that it would scare people who did not belong to this level away. Which wasn't the case for Tatsuya as he was born into this community and grew up in it.
So here he was, actually invited because of his status. It bothered him a little because he didn't quite know the family except that the master was an acquaintance of his father, he did not quite know the purpose of this party but it seemed like it had something to do with the daughter who recently began her way inside the society. Perhaps that was the reason; she wanted to ensure her position. And what better way than flaunting her wealth would be effective to secure it? He chuckled, this slightly reminded him of some of his school friends, just showed him how different they actually was from his cousin.
Speaking of his cousin, Tatsuya wondered where Erika was. Unlike him, who always felt reluctant to attend these gatherings, Erika loved this. She loved all the attention she could get and perhaps she had some attitude but she was still an attractive woman. These events were her soul, she just loved how people reacted around her, she enjoy flaunting her wealth -- just like others but she was different. She did not seek popularity; she instead lured them to her. And if someone like him, who was socially inept in this society, was actually invited, then Erika wouldn't be far.
And there she was, waving from a distance. She quickly approached him, wide smile spread across her face, never one to afraid she lost her classy style because of the lack of elegance -- she was really confident of herself. Wearing a white cocktail dress, and a simple pair of diamond earrings, Erika looked quite stunning. Not that he saw her that way because after all she was still his cousin, but Tatsuya had to admit, this cousin never ceased to impress.
Erika tucked her hair behind her ear and crossed her arms. "Thought you wouldn't come."
"I wouldn't." usually, "But I had nothing better to do. So, why not?" he shrugged.
"Really?" she murmured and he heard a hint of what, curiousity perhaps, from her voice. But why or what for, he couldn't understand. "Yes," he cleared his throat, hoping, really hoping, that his facial expression wouldn't fail him.
"Oh." Erika was a little less chatty today and he wondered why. It was weird, his heart was pounding really hard and his hands were precipitating. He avoided her gaze as it pierced straight to his. Or was he just too nervous and paranoid?
Erika suddenly looked around and smiled at...someone? Well the face looked familiar, but who? Erika winked at him then she suddenly left him alone and confused.
Wasn't that the eldest son?
Well, he shouldn't really be worried about that because it wasn't his task to deal with him. Whoever did, he prayed for him since Erika was around, it would be hard to get the code. Oh well, he should really be looking for his own job.
After wandering for a couple more minutes and a few glasses of various alcoholic liquid, he finally stopped in front of a restroom. Why, he wondered, the hell did the lady of this house had to spend a long time in the bathroom. He couldn't really understand it. Maybe some problem with stomach or other organs? Not that the image of what she might be doing inside was entertaining, in fact it was gross.
But then he heard a voice, someone speaking frantically. A female, from inside the restroom. What? Inside the restroom? He pressed his ear against the door trying to listen, completely unaware that his act might look a bit strange to others or that someone might be around. He was focused; he wanted his part to be done as soon as possible.
'Are you deaf? No?'
Then someone flushed the toilet. Oh, the image.
'It's 2-8-3-2. The code was so simple. My painting is so precious. By the way, what did you need it for, again?'
What?
'Again, it's 2-8-3-2. You useless assistant. 2-8-3-2. I'm so tired of repeating it.'
Was that...?
Never thought that the job would be this easy. Way too easy. So what had he been dreading about all this evening?
Guess he was actually good with this stuff.
Or he was just one really lucky lad.
Both worked.
###
It was damn hard.
Jin couldn't quite understand why he had to move stealthily and sneak around this time. He didn't like being invincible, he loved to have his presence acknowledge. But at this moment he had to do something he wasn't fond of and it annoyed him.
Shrugging, he pushed the door quietly, his eyes swept around just to ensure that there was nobody around. He moved inside swiftly, eyes still observing the sites and of course the security camera. They had attached cameras all over the place which made the site almost impenetrable unless he wanted to be caught, but after thorough search, they finally figured out that there were dead spaces the cameras couldn't cover. Those dead spaces were the key, so he had to be aware of his surrounding while reaching the office.
Right after the door of the office was closed, Jin hit his chest, feeling so relieved that he managed to dodge the security, perfectly he assumed. Brushing the sweat off his face, he quickly began his search, right through the neatly stacked files above the desk. Akihiro had the tendency to leave some clues around and there was a high possibility that he kept something around his desk. He skimmed through one file and another, and again another one in vain. It was useless, he could find not even a clue. And now he was stuck inside because there's no way he could leave without the code.
Exasperatedly, he groaned. It turned out to be harder than he thought it would be. That was why he preferred to be the distraction not the one to do the job. Yet it seemed like Ryo was toying with the idea of torturing him.
Jin heaved a big sigh. As much as he adored and actually admired his cousin, he sometimes was such a pain in the eyes.
Yet, Jin wanted in. He didn't want to be left behind. He wanted to do something interesting, something that was different from his boring daily life. That was why he followed Ryo, because he offered Jin something he never experienced before.
But if this was what he had to do all the time, well, he might need to re-evaluate his decision.
Not that it would make many changes anyway.
Sighing, Jin browsed through the books that were neatly organized alphabetically. Just a bunch of novels, some romantic. Jin snickered. Never thought that a big man actually had a feminine side. Snagging one, he opened the pages, just trying to find something, anything.
And he finally found one.
That was just too easy.
Out of nowhere (or maybe from his pocket), Jin produced a pen and paper, scratching on the clues that he accidentally found. If only he realized, if only he tried to stop and think, he would have notice that it was so odd. It was too easy. But damn was he so tired and desperate. He just wanted to get his job done as soon as possible then he would be able to entertain himself with some more interesting things.
"...and 5... Done." As he finished scribbling, a smile crept up his face and he pocketed the note. He was done, at last. Now all he had to do was figure out how to make his exist swiftly and stealthily and pass the note.
It shouldn't be too hard.
###
The code that the eldest son knew, he realized, would be the trickiest to get. Hence why Ryo decided that he had to do it. It would be hard, in fact he came unprepared, he just lacked confidence, but damn was he good at his job. So no matter what, he had to accomplish it and deliver the goods to the client. It wasn't about the money; he had to maintain his good reputation and he was way too proud to let himself beaten by his own failure.
It had occurred to him that something suspicious was going on but he couldn't put his finger at it. He had checked all possibilities and done some research but he couldn't find where it was wrong. So he decided that it wasn't a fluke. But it bothered him how the assistant knew what he was after. Ryo's plans were always perfect and kept as secret. He had ensured that it wouldn't leak out unless he wished it, however her statement simply showed that he had to fix his system.
So, did someone set a trap?
To be honest, he wasn't quite sure of that. He had searched for more information but whatever he found was nothing he never knew before, which made things more complicated than it should have been.
Normally, he would have silenced any witness, if he ever left any. He didn't necessarily have to commit some more serious criminal act; there were other ways to achieve that. However for once, he just left the assistant as the way she was, not even an attempt to dismiss her. He was curious. What exactly was happening? If someone wanted to trap him then he shall lured them out. He was not stupid, he was beyond excellent.
Now if it was a game they wanted, then he would play along.
He smirked.
Leaning against a think wall, he glanced at Yamashita's back, waiting, observing. Ryo hated waiting, but to be successful one must possess great patience, and so he did. It would be his turn, next, but while waiting he watched as Yamashita was working on the codes. It was quite reckless that Akihiro only prepared a vault with a set of combination codes without actually placed some guards in the place he kept his collection, and that was another thing that bothered him. However, he was confident that he would be able to handle any possible complication later, if there was ever one.
"I'm done with the second one. Jin has retreated."
Startled, Ryo was completely silent for a couple of minutes. It was odd indeed, but he couldn't help but distracted. Sighing, Ryo turned at Yamashita and firmly nodded. "I see..." he murmured before he retreated to look for his own target.
Turned out, it wasn't difficult to find him. Just a few minutes’ walk from the vault, Ryo found him, or to be exact his back, with someone. Erika?
The sight was quite intimate and disturbing but it wasn't what Ryo was thinking about. Everything was wrong, he just had a feeling about this. Somehow out of nowhere he was suspicious about Erika. The PA's word and now Erika was here. Coincidence too much?
Then suddenly Erika looked at him and smirked.
Oh it was bad, really bad.
Ryo rushed back to the vault place, just hoping that things were still the same as how he left it. Yamashita was there so there should have been no reason to worry but for once he prayed, just desperate.
So when he found the fault door widely opened with his friend lying down unconscious, a piece of note left, he wasn't quite surprised.
Damn, he thought, as he gritted his teeth and grabbed the note, quickly scanning and squeezed it.
Who the hell messed up with him?
###
Toshi had no idea what was going on, but his master looked distracted earlier at that worried him. He couldn't help it, he had taken care of the young master long enough he considered the younger guy his own son.
Just now he broke a vase and the telephone rang. He was unable to receive the call until it reached the answering machine.
"Nishikido," the voice said, "It's Kamenashi." Oh he knew young Kamenashi well enough. He was his master's acquaintance and had assisted his master many times. He liked Kamenashi, he was a good lad. Toshi smiled as he kept listening.
He heard a deep exhale before the message continued. "I quit." One brow raised. "Don't look for me." and the message was finished.
Toshi wondered.
Author’s note: Hello readers. Sorry to keep you waiting long ( a year or so?) but this story (and my other stories) are back. First of all I apologize for the delay and for this is the un-beta-ed version because I want this to be out for my birthday so yeah, I haven't got the chance to have it beta-ed. But I will, and I'll edit this post later. Also, be prepared because this note will be really long.
It was really hard to re-create the draft again because I first created the draft about 2 years ago then I lost it a year ago. Thankfully, I still remember some major points however it seems like I forget the role of some muses especially Toma :/ Nobody's perfect and so is my memory so I decided to make some improvisation for the plot and the characters while for Toma I guess I'll have to re-create a whole new him because no matter how hard I push myself I couldn't remember. Thankfully, he hasn't come out much (probably the reason why I couldn't remember him) so I'll work on it again later. But the good news is, I''m done with the story plot drafting and now I'm working for the details of each chapters. I have prepared a few for the next 2 chapters so it shouldn't be hard to work on the next one. As for The Art of Manipulation a.k.a TAOM, I'm basically finished with the major plot as well and I've started working on chapter 6 so expect that for the next update.
I'm so happy that I can finish this for my birthday. As some of you might now, I recently held a poll and this came out as the most waited and I was like o.O WTH? I don't know whether I can finish this on time because well, the drafting and the length of this fic not to mention the complexity. Not to mention my midterm started last November 1 until this friday. Masterpiece and TAOM are both really hard to write for me as they're so unlike my typical writing. Well, before I had experimented with many but mostly I wrote angst and I felt so comfortable with that, not too much plot going on, but for these two, especially Masterpiece, the difficulty were really hard, for me. I was actually quite surprised that many wanted Masterpiece instead of TAOM because I think when I started both, TAOM was more popular than this. But anyway, both (and the other 3 on-going) are my babies and I'll definitely work on this.
So, on to the story itself, let me clear one things first. At this point, Tatsuya is still just attracted to Ryo while Ryo is still a mystery because I want to focus more on Tatsuya first (who is the easier one to write between the two). We have more action this time and actually I've started the beginning of a twist but what it is I won't tell. It won't be fun, right? Haha... Also there're some more mysteries, what the hell is happening with Kame and what will happen after the message? Who is the girt at the beginning of this story? What the hell is Erika doing? What goes wrong with the plan? Why can't they get their target? Any suggestion/prediction? Also notice that the writing style is slightly different from the previous chapters? I'm experimenting. :D
Update will be scarce and rare compared to last time as I'll be juggling between the on-goings and I'm not done with my exam yet. Besides, my major starts to give me more headache and I am also working now, freelancing actually. Still, most of my time is spent on that and what little spare time I have I spend on reading basically and writing when I have the mood. However starting now I'll post updates of my fic,how far each has progressed at this journal. Weekly, I think, or every two weeks. Just check it out if you'd like to :D
Last but not least thank you very much for reading. Any kind of comments is welcome, constructive criticm is definitely appreciated, or whatever. I'd love to hear anything for you guys. And see you next time! :D
Please pardon the lengthy note and wish me a happy birthday and luck for my exam? :p
Love,
dephi
Author: dephi
Pairing: RyoDa, KameDa somehow, more to come
Genre: Angst, Romance
Rating: PG - 15
Disclaimer : I only own the plot and the OCs
Summary: It took place in Japan, where the rich and the poor had their own societies. There were parties everywhere for the rich. Nishikido Ryo was one of the rich people, an honorable person, the heir of a big corporation, yet he had his own family secret, an unthinkable one. Here came Ueda Tatsuya who stepped into his life, an innocent guy who did not know that his decision would bring him to a totally different world that he never imagined before.
Notes: And update at last! I know. Details are under the cut. Un-betaed because I have to post this today as my own birthday present ♥
He ran his hand down her body as his eyes pierced through hers. Slowly, he went lower and lower, teasing with the barest touch against the fabric that still covered her body, and stopped right above her skirt. She clicked her tongue and was about to complain. But before the first word ever made it out, he grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her closer, his tongue started ravaging the inside of her mouth.
It wasn't just a simple kiss. It was rough and simply mind-blowing. He wasn't just kissing her; he consumed her, completely, just with his tongue.
A blush crept up Tatsuya's face as he observed the scene that was unfolded before him. His hands reached up to cover his eyes, yet he still peeked through the fingers. There was an inner battle inside, he was curious but at the same time he was brought up secured from the world, so innocent about relationships beyond blood relation, friendship and enmity. He was never meant to be there; his parents had designated an environment that was ideal for him and perhaps in the future when they see fit they would teach him the reality in steps and they would also ensure that he knew how to use his words as his weapon, how malicious the meaning could be, that the greatest liar could control the world.
Shame, the time had not come yet and he was quite unprepared for this. Perhaps he should have been mature enough to be knowledgeable however in his entire life, the most intimate relationship he ever had, except with his family and a few couple of good friends, was with his books and his job or his study. He yearned to be big, to be more that what he was, but he forgot to understand certain conditions.
Still, he was curious.
The woman whimpered and he couldn't help but stared back at the monitor. Tatsuya knew that the moment he followed Ryo his life would change drastically. But he never understood how committed he should be and each revelations that he discovered as he delved deeper inside shocked him. Yet the scientist side of him never ceased to amaze. He was far too curious to let his hesitation defeated him and he survived. So far.
Ryo's hand traveled here and there, he could barely keep up with it. His heart pounded hard and he had a mixed feeling. He couldn't identify his feeling.
He never knew what love is, not in the romantic way, let alone lust. Oh he knew the definition of it; that he could look up at the dictionary. But he did not understand the application in reality. Fondness he knew. Family love he fully understood. But love?
He was attracted to Ryo, he admitted. And he had never been so attracted to someone, so curious, that perhaps it was the reason why he was tempted to break out of his shell and figure out things by himself, things that couldn't be taught but you had to learn by yourself.
It was just attraction, he decided. It wasn't enough to be deeper, to be more complicated. He would still choose his family or others he very fond of any other day. But he wanted to learn more, he yearned for more knowledge and experience and that justified his act.
He stared back at the monitor, just watching.
Ryo suddenly smirked at him.
He wondered.
###
Every task must be carefully planned, each steps carefully timed. Just a few minutes miss and the whole organization could be ruined. Precision was important in order to carry out the designed plan smoothly. A mistake simply could not be tolerated.
He eventually had to learn how to be tact and fast. Keeping up with each detail was not a problem. It had always been his forte. But it wasn't enough, he had to push himself harder to make himself useful in the plan, he didn't want to be left behind.
The next job finally arrived and he found it amusing how simple the plan could be. There was nothing special about it, some were tasked to gain information here meanwhile he just had to observe through the camera and recordings --when used-- and made some notes. When the deeds were done, they would then prepare the next stage. Nothing special, or so he thought.
It was just a painting, of which originality was still unknown. Some said that it was created by Van Gogh's pupil however some claimed it was one of the master's pieces. Yet it now stayed inside the residence of a famous art collector, Akihiro Ichi, for his beloved wife. As per usual, security would be the trickiest problem, but the problem could be conquered in no time.
When he was told that Ryo would be confronting the tricky PA (tricky -- their words, not his), he did not mind playing the observer. It would be just a piece of cake.
He didn't have anything useful to do, after all.
###
She giggled when his hot breath was on her neck. But slowly he licked her skin and it made her shiver. She grew needy, impatient, and she moaned.
"Why are you here?" she asked, her breath ragged. Yet instead of answering he continued his attack on her neck and pinned her on the wall. His fingers reached the top button of her shit, not exactly doing anything just toying with it. Then it ventured lower and she whimpered in excitement.
" Oh, just do something," she pleaded. Depressed, she decided to take the matter on her own. Her hand sought for flesh, she slipped it under his shirt, just barely touching the skin and oh how she loved the feeling. She hummed as she trailed her fingers, nails scratching tender skin.
She gasped as he grabbed her wrist.
"Will you really tell me anything?" Ryo asked, his voice dangerously low.
She pulled her arm back. "I don't kiss and tell, Nishikido." Slowly she reached for the clip that tied her hair into a ponytail, unclipped it, then she shook her head, her long wavy hair fell in disarray. She crossed her arms. "But maybe, just maybe, I can make some exception," she spoke in a husky whisper. Laughing, she added, "It depends on the payment, of course."
Then it was silent, save for the sickly sound of hands groping everywhere, another kiss with tongue included, but clothes still intact. Her high heels were suddenly thrown and followed his suit. But suddenly, she pushed him away.
"You amuse me--" "And you talk too much."
Stunned, her smile fell off her face. She just kept staring and staring for a couple of minutes then dissolved into laughter. "I get it. Nobody's watching. It's easy, really. But the vault can only be opened with a combination of codes. That, I couldn't tell," she sighed. Ryo opened his mouth but she put her finger on his lips, and he swallowed back his words. "Ask around, Nishikido. The master, the spouse and the eldest."
"How could you?" he raised a brow.
"You are not the first one to seek me," she reached for his shirt, slowly unbuttoning it. Her eyes widened in excitement, she paid little attention to anything else.
Ryo shoved her palm. "Really?" he straightened her shirt and grabbed his suit, fixing his clothes neatly. Then he walked away to the door, turning the knob and pushed it. "Oh, and thank you," he added before he quietly left her office, careful not to be noticeable, leaving her behind exasperated, longing, unsatisfied.
She laughed.
"You just don't know what hit you yet, Nishikido," she threw her head back. "Not yet..." Then she reached for her drawer and produced a phone from it, pushing a series of number and attached it to her ear.
"It's done."
###
The day when the real act began was quite nerve wrecking. At least, that was how Tatsuya felt. This was only the second time he was included in a mission which worried him in case he made a mistake. He shouldn't have, with all the self learning he had sternly made himself does. Yet he was still unconfident with his ability.
What he actually needed was to keep his face straight, free from any unnecessary emotion.
And unfortunately he had never been a good liar.
His heart beating a tad bit harder, he arrived at the huge residence. It always amused him how rich people loved to lavish and flaunt their money. What was the purpose of these social gatherings, he wondered, because he found it plainly stupid and a huge waste of money. Imagine how helpful the money would be for the experiments that sometimes required huge budget. Monetary problem sometimes delayed the progress of his projects and it pissed his off, especially since he actually owned the money but he wasn't brave enough to ask more from his father. On the other side there was a different feel of satisfaction when he managed to accomplish something with his own strength so perhaps his pride might have gotten in the way.
That aside, he was also amazed by the amount of money thrown for such events. Indeed, Akihiro Ichi or actually his spouse had done an extraordinary job in organizing the event. The garden which he assumed was regularly taken care of had transformed to a huge outdoor venue and waitress were everywhere, drinks were poured, every aspects made the party so lavish that it would scare people who did not belong to this level away. Which wasn't the case for Tatsuya as he was born into this community and grew up in it.
So here he was, actually invited because of his status. It bothered him a little because he didn't quite know the family except that the master was an acquaintance of his father, he did not quite know the purpose of this party but it seemed like it had something to do with the daughter who recently began her way inside the society. Perhaps that was the reason; she wanted to ensure her position. And what better way than flaunting her wealth would be effective to secure it? He chuckled, this slightly reminded him of some of his school friends, just showed him how different they actually was from his cousin.
Speaking of his cousin, Tatsuya wondered where Erika was. Unlike him, who always felt reluctant to attend these gatherings, Erika loved this. She loved all the attention she could get and perhaps she had some attitude but she was still an attractive woman. These events were her soul, she just loved how people reacted around her, she enjoy flaunting her wealth -- just like others but she was different. She did not seek popularity; she instead lured them to her. And if someone like him, who was socially inept in this society, was actually invited, then Erika wouldn't be far.
And there she was, waving from a distance. She quickly approached him, wide smile spread across her face, never one to afraid she lost her classy style because of the lack of elegance -- she was really confident of herself. Wearing a white cocktail dress, and a simple pair of diamond earrings, Erika looked quite stunning. Not that he saw her that way because after all she was still his cousin, but Tatsuya had to admit, this cousin never ceased to impress.
Erika tucked her hair behind her ear and crossed her arms. "Thought you wouldn't come."
"I wouldn't." usually, "But I had nothing better to do. So, why not?" he shrugged.
"Really?" she murmured and he heard a hint of what, curiousity perhaps, from her voice. But why or what for, he couldn't understand. "Yes," he cleared his throat, hoping, really hoping, that his facial expression wouldn't fail him.
"Oh." Erika was a little less chatty today and he wondered why. It was weird, his heart was pounding really hard and his hands were precipitating. He avoided her gaze as it pierced straight to his. Or was he just too nervous and paranoid?
Erika suddenly looked around and smiled at...someone? Well the face looked familiar, but who? Erika winked at him then she suddenly left him alone and confused.
Wasn't that the eldest son?
Well, he shouldn't really be worried about that because it wasn't his task to deal with him. Whoever did, he prayed for him since Erika was around, it would be hard to get the code. Oh well, he should really be looking for his own job.
After wandering for a couple more minutes and a few glasses of various alcoholic liquid, he finally stopped in front of a restroom. Why, he wondered, the hell did the lady of this house had to spend a long time in the bathroom. He couldn't really understand it. Maybe some problem with stomach or other organs? Not that the image of what she might be doing inside was entertaining, in fact it was gross.
But then he heard a voice, someone speaking frantically. A female, from inside the restroom. What? Inside the restroom? He pressed his ear against the door trying to listen, completely unaware that his act might look a bit strange to others or that someone might be around. He was focused; he wanted his part to be done as soon as possible.
'Are you deaf? No?'
Then someone flushed the toilet. Oh, the image.
'It's 2-8-3-2. The code was so simple. My painting is so precious. By the way, what did you need it for, again?'
What?
'Again, it's 2-8-3-2. You useless assistant. 2-8-3-2. I'm so tired of repeating it.'
Was that...?
Never thought that the job would be this easy. Way too easy. So what had he been dreading about all this evening?
Guess he was actually good with this stuff.
Or he was just one really lucky lad.
Both worked.
###
It was damn hard.
Jin couldn't quite understand why he had to move stealthily and sneak around this time. He didn't like being invincible, he loved to have his presence acknowledge. But at this moment he had to do something he wasn't fond of and it annoyed him.
Shrugging, he pushed the door quietly, his eyes swept around just to ensure that there was nobody around. He moved inside swiftly, eyes still observing the sites and of course the security camera. They had attached cameras all over the place which made the site almost impenetrable unless he wanted to be caught, but after thorough search, they finally figured out that there were dead spaces the cameras couldn't cover. Those dead spaces were the key, so he had to be aware of his surrounding while reaching the office.
Right after the door of the office was closed, Jin hit his chest, feeling so relieved that he managed to dodge the security, perfectly he assumed. Brushing the sweat off his face, he quickly began his search, right through the neatly stacked files above the desk. Akihiro had the tendency to leave some clues around and there was a high possibility that he kept something around his desk. He skimmed through one file and another, and again another one in vain. It was useless, he could find not even a clue. And now he was stuck inside because there's no way he could leave without the code.
Exasperatedly, he groaned. It turned out to be harder than he thought it would be. That was why he preferred to be the distraction not the one to do the job. Yet it seemed like Ryo was toying with the idea of torturing him.
Jin heaved a big sigh. As much as he adored and actually admired his cousin, he sometimes was such a pain in the eyes.
Yet, Jin wanted in. He didn't want to be left behind. He wanted to do something interesting, something that was different from his boring daily life. That was why he followed Ryo, because he offered Jin something he never experienced before.
But if this was what he had to do all the time, well, he might need to re-evaluate his decision.
Not that it would make many changes anyway.
Sighing, Jin browsed through the books that were neatly organized alphabetically. Just a bunch of novels, some romantic. Jin snickered. Never thought that a big man actually had a feminine side. Snagging one, he opened the pages, just trying to find something, anything.
And he finally found one.
That was just too easy.
Out of nowhere (or maybe from his pocket), Jin produced a pen and paper, scratching on the clues that he accidentally found. If only he realized, if only he tried to stop and think, he would have notice that it was so odd. It was too easy. But damn was he so tired and desperate. He just wanted to get his job done as soon as possible then he would be able to entertain himself with some more interesting things.
"...and 5... Done." As he finished scribbling, a smile crept up his face and he pocketed the note. He was done, at last. Now all he had to do was figure out how to make his exist swiftly and stealthily and pass the note.
It shouldn't be too hard.
###
The code that the eldest son knew, he realized, would be the trickiest to get. Hence why Ryo decided that he had to do it. It would be hard, in fact he came unprepared, he just lacked confidence, but damn was he good at his job. So no matter what, he had to accomplish it and deliver the goods to the client. It wasn't about the money; he had to maintain his good reputation and he was way too proud to let himself beaten by his own failure.
It had occurred to him that something suspicious was going on but he couldn't put his finger at it. He had checked all possibilities and done some research but he couldn't find where it was wrong. So he decided that it wasn't a fluke. But it bothered him how the assistant knew what he was after. Ryo's plans were always perfect and kept as secret. He had ensured that it wouldn't leak out unless he wished it, however her statement simply showed that he had to fix his system.
So, did someone set a trap?
To be honest, he wasn't quite sure of that. He had searched for more information but whatever he found was nothing he never knew before, which made things more complicated than it should have been.
Normally, he would have silenced any witness, if he ever left any. He didn't necessarily have to commit some more serious criminal act; there were other ways to achieve that. However for once, he just left the assistant as the way she was, not even an attempt to dismiss her. He was curious. What exactly was happening? If someone wanted to trap him then he shall lured them out. He was not stupid, he was beyond excellent.
Now if it was a game they wanted, then he would play along.
He smirked.
Leaning against a think wall, he glanced at Yamashita's back, waiting, observing. Ryo hated waiting, but to be successful one must possess great patience, and so he did. It would be his turn, next, but while waiting he watched as Yamashita was working on the codes. It was quite reckless that Akihiro only prepared a vault with a set of combination codes without actually placed some guards in the place he kept his collection, and that was another thing that bothered him. However, he was confident that he would be able to handle any possible complication later, if there was ever one.
"I'm done with the second one. Jin has retreated."
Startled, Ryo was completely silent for a couple of minutes. It was odd indeed, but he couldn't help but distracted. Sighing, Ryo turned at Yamashita and firmly nodded. "I see..." he murmured before he retreated to look for his own target.
Turned out, it wasn't difficult to find him. Just a few minutes’ walk from the vault, Ryo found him, or to be exact his back, with someone. Erika?
The sight was quite intimate and disturbing but it wasn't what Ryo was thinking about. Everything was wrong, he just had a feeling about this. Somehow out of nowhere he was suspicious about Erika. The PA's word and now Erika was here. Coincidence too much?
Then suddenly Erika looked at him and smirked.
Oh it was bad, really bad.
Ryo rushed back to the vault place, just hoping that things were still the same as how he left it. Yamashita was there so there should have been no reason to worry but for once he prayed, just desperate.
So when he found the fault door widely opened with his friend lying down unconscious, a piece of note left, he wasn't quite surprised.
Damn, he thought, as he gritted his teeth and grabbed the note, quickly scanning and squeezed it.
Who the hell messed up with him?
###
Toshi had no idea what was going on, but his master looked distracted earlier at that worried him. He couldn't help it, he had taken care of the young master long enough he considered the younger guy his own son.
Just now he broke a vase and the telephone rang. He was unable to receive the call until it reached the answering machine.
"Nishikido," the voice said, "It's Kamenashi." Oh he knew young Kamenashi well enough. He was his master's acquaintance and had assisted his master many times. He liked Kamenashi, he was a good lad. Toshi smiled as he kept listening.
He heard a deep exhale before the message continued. "I quit." One brow raised. "Don't look for me." and the message was finished.
Toshi wondered.
Author’s note: Hello readers. Sorry to keep you waiting long ( a year or so?) but this story (and my other stories) are back. First of all I apologize for the delay and for this is the un-beta-ed version because I want this to be out for my birthday so yeah, I haven't got the chance to have it beta-ed. But I will, and I'll edit this post later. Also, be prepared because this note will be really long.
It was really hard to re-create the draft again because I first created the draft about 2 years ago then I lost it a year ago. Thankfully, I still remember some major points however it seems like I forget the role of some muses especially Toma :/ Nobody's perfect and so is my memory so I decided to make some improvisation for the plot and the characters while for Toma I guess I'll have to re-create a whole new him because no matter how hard I push myself I couldn't remember. Thankfully, he hasn't come out much (probably the reason why I couldn't remember him) so I'll work on it again later. But the good news is, I''m done with the story plot drafting and now I'm working for the details of each chapters. I have prepared a few for the next 2 chapters so it shouldn't be hard to work on the next one. As for The Art of Manipulation a.k.a TAOM, I'm basically finished with the major plot as well and I've started working on chapter 6 so expect that for the next update.
I'm so happy that I can finish this for my birthday. As some of you might now, I recently held a poll and this came out as the most waited and I was like o.O WTH? I don't know whether I can finish this on time because well, the drafting and the length of this fic not to mention the complexity. Not to mention my midterm started last November 1 until this friday. Masterpiece and TAOM are both really hard to write for me as they're so unlike my typical writing. Well, before I had experimented with many but mostly I wrote angst and I felt so comfortable with that, not too much plot going on, but for these two, especially Masterpiece, the difficulty were really hard, for me. I was actually quite surprised that many wanted Masterpiece instead of TAOM because I think when I started both, TAOM was more popular than this. But anyway, both (and the other 3 on-going) are my babies and I'll definitely work on this.
So, on to the story itself, let me clear one things first. At this point, Tatsuya is still just attracted to Ryo while Ryo is still a mystery because I want to focus more on Tatsuya first (who is the easier one to write between the two). We have more action this time and actually I've started the beginning of a twist but what it is I won't tell. It won't be fun, right? Haha... Also there're some more mysteries, what the hell is happening with Kame and what will happen after the message? Who is the girt at the beginning of this story? What the hell is Erika doing? What goes wrong with the plan? Why can't they get their target? Any suggestion/prediction? Also notice that the writing style is slightly different from the previous chapters? I'm experimenting. :D
Update will be scarce and rare compared to last time as I'll be juggling between the on-goings and I'm not done with my exam yet. Besides, my major starts to give me more headache and I am also working now, freelancing actually. Still, most of my time is spent on that and what little spare time I have I spend on reading basically and writing when I have the mood. However starting now I'll post updates of my fic,how far each has progressed at this journal. Weekly, I think, or every two weeks. Just check it out if you'd like to :D
Last but not least thank you very much for reading. Any kind of comments is welcome, constructive criticm is definitely appreciated, or whatever. I'd love to hear anything for you guys. And see you next time! :D
Please pardon the lengthy note and wish me a happy birthday and luck for my exam? :p
Love,
dephi