The Business of Bonds 1/3
Title: The Business of Bonds
Pairing(s): Akame
Characters: Akanishi Jin, Kamenashi Kazuya, Nishikido Ryo, Ohkura Tadayoshi. (Cameos from other KAT-TUN and News members)
Rating: M for swearing and alluded to sexual activity
Genre: Romance, drama
Warning(s): Lots of business talk, some violence at the end, but hopefully nothing terrifying.
Summary: Akanishi Jin and Nishikido Ryo have started a new business, and they need to find an investor willing to help them accomplish their dreams. Enter Kamenashi Kazuya, owner of Kizuna Investments who is intrigued by both their business proposal and one of the proposers. Business bonds are one thing, but Jin is hiding something, Ryo knows about it; can Kame discover the secret and is their bond strong enough to survive it?
A/N: This was written for the a_s 2013 challenge. Inspired by a video provided by yumiko_okihawa! This video was a scene from a Queer as Folk video. Unfortunately youtube has taken the video away, so I can't link to it! Which may be for the best, as other readers will not know where this could end up.
The sky is too blue, the grass on the field is too green. The heat of the sun on his shoulders burns and his ears ring from the shouting of the crowd, encouraging him to run, to shoot, to score. He know this. He knows it so well. No matter how well he knows it though, and no matter how many times it happens, the end never changes.
He feints left, curving the ball skilfully around the opposition player, and then he's running towards the goal, totally clear, totally open apart from their goal keeper, but Tegoshi is no threat. He grins at him, feels the solid earth beneath as he takes the final three steps, and then raises his right foot to kick the soccer ball deep into the net, to score the goal, and win the match, and take the championship back home where it belong -
He never sees it coming.
The impact from the side stuns him, pushing him off balance and he falls heavily, his knee twisting sharply and the snap of bone terrifies him. The soccer ball is gone, heading back down the field towards the other goal. His lungs burn as he tries to get his breath back, as he bites back panic as he rolls trying to find purchase on the ground, to get up and continue the match, because he can do it, they need that goal, that's why they are …
“Jin?”
Tegoshi is standing over him, eyes wide. He tries to nod, to tell him that he's ok, but he looks down at his leg, where Tego is staring and his mind refuses to process what he sees because there is no way that his leg should be able to bend like that.
“Stay still. I'll get help.” He takes off running, screaming for a coach and a stretcher as he gets to the side lines, but Jin doesn't hear the rest of it, as the pain rolls through him, and he closes his eyes to shut it out and slides into unconsciousness...
Jin opens his eyes to the darkness of his bedroom, the quiet hum of the air conditioner and the soul deep heaviness of unfulfilled childhood wishes. Seven years later, and that day, the last day he set foot on a soccer field, still haunts his dreams. Sometimes he thinks it would be better if he could forget it completely, but if he could - then that would mean that he could never feel that freedom again. Beside him his phone starts buzzing, the alarm designed to get him up and moving in time.
He slides his legs over the side, the sheet catching on his skin as usual. His T-shirt has ridden up during the night, it's twisted under his left side and he pulls it down over his stomach. Time for a shower, shave and work. The tatami is cool under his feet as he heads towards the bathroom.
Forty minutes later he is feeling much more human, and even the slight nick under his jawline from his razor isn't enough to bother him. He'd seen it in time to avoid splashing it with his aftershave. His hair is neatly pulled back into a high ponytail, fingernails scrubbed clean. The suit is a heavier weight than he would like, but it's not as if he has a wide selection of suits these days. At least, not ones that fit him any more. He glances at the closed closet doors, and considers digging through it for the grey summer weight suit he knows is there, but it won't fit. He's sure it won't fit - his torso is broader now, but his legs are less muscular.
Jin shakes his head, and slips the shirt on. It's a nice lightweight cotton, that will help. He can avoid the jacket as long as possible, and leave the tie rolled up in the pocket. The trousers are heavy against his legs, but he can ignore that, he's had enough practice.
His knee is aching, which means there will be rain later today, no matter what the forecast says.
He picks up an umbrella and slips it into his messenger bag, slides his sunglasses into place and picks up his keys. If he leaves right now, he will have time for a Starbucks run. He locks the door behind him and heads out into the humid Tokyo summer.
**
Ohkura places the last 'sign here' sticker on the final page and then efficiently slides all four copies of the contract into the clear plastic folder. He's just in time, as the office door opens and Kamenashi strides towards him, speaking intently into his bluetooth phone headset.
He waits as Kame finishes his conversation, not daring to turn and grab the briefcase sitting behind him, as it's always possible that Kame will flick two fingers at him in search of pen and paper and to not have those ready at his command would be wrong.
So very wrong.
Kame greets him with a cool nod and holds out his hand for the folder.
“Four copies, I've double checked that all the changes they requested have been made, and Masuda down in legal has signed off on it too.” As Kame checks his watch, Ohkura adds, “The car is waiting for you downstairs. Nishikido-san called and asked to change the venue.”
A raised eyebrow is enough for Ohkura to continue. “His flight from Osaka was cancelled, so he switched to the Shinkansen, and asked to meet somewhere near Shinagawa Station.”
Kame barely hesitates. “Call Takeshi at Shinagawa Court Sky Dining, make a reservation for two, 7:45 pm.”
“Done.” Ohkura picks up the phone, but Kame raises a hand.
“I also need two box seats to see the Giants on Saturday night.”
“Shinagawa Court Sky Dining, Takeshi-san, 7:45 pm. Two box seats, Giants, Saturday. Got it.”
Kame smiles gently, and Ohkura struggles to keep a blush away from his cheeks. “Thanks Ohkura. You should head home. I'll see you tomorrow.”
Ohkura nods and watches Kame stride away. Somehow Kame looks as fresh as he did at 7 am this morning when he arrived at the office.
**
“Please.”
“No.”
“Jin, you need to do this.”
“I can't believe you are asking me to!”
“If I had any other choice, I wouldn't be! If there was any way I could physically get to Tokyo in time, I wouldn't be asking you!”
Jin clutches the phone against his cheek, and feels the glass screen growing warmer. “I can't.” He whispers it and Ryo hears the rest of the words that he doesn't actually say, 'Please don't make me. I can't. I'm scared.'
“Jin.” Ryo's voice grows equally soft. “I know this is going to be hard, but I promise if I had any other choice I wouldn't ask you.”
“You promised.” The words slip out before he can stop them, and he hates himself a little bit more for the weakness.
“I know.”
Jin tries to speak, but can't force any words out.
“You have to do this. We don't have any choice.” Ryo coaxes and Jin listens, and tries to take strength from his words. “You know what's at stake here. This is our chance to make the business work long term. I've laid the groundwork for this deal, he's seen the books, I've told him how we run things and what we want to do in the future. He sees the potential for expansion just like we do. You don't need to convince him of anything. All it's going to take is one more dinner meeting, one more meeting and he gives us the contract to look at, we shake hands, and it's done.”
“Reschedule it,” Jin mutters as his palms sweat and his grip on the phone becomes less secure.
“We need him more than he needs us. If I cancel at this point, after I've already cancelled the warehouse tour, as well as changed the time and venue today, this deal could go south. We owe him a sign of good faith. Jin, I know you can do this.”
“Ok,” Jin takes a deep breath, and far away on a Shinkansen from Osaka, Ryo takes one too. “Ok. I'll do it.”
“Thank you. I'll send you the venue details, ask for Kamenashi Kazuya when you get there. 7:45 pm, don't be late.” Ryo feels the relief sweeping through him. “Are you still wearing the grey suit?”
“Yes?” Jin answers hesitantly.
“That will do,” Ryo answers hurriedly; he doesn't want to give Jin any more reasons to be nervous. “The grey suit will be fine. Just get yourself to Shinagawa and try to look presentable at the other end. You can do this Jin, I know you can.” Before Jin can answer, there is the sound of a scolding voice from the other end, and Jin can just make out the train conductor reprimanding Ryo for using his phone while on the train, and the call cuts off.
Ten seconds later it beeps with the meeting details and Jin knows that he has to find a way to pull through this. Ryo knows how it is, he wouldn't ask him to do this if it wasn't important. He doesn't want to let anyone down, it's just that - Jin forces his mind back on track. If he's not careful, he'll end up in an anxiety attack. He breathes deeply, purposefully, feels his lungs expand and exhales steadily counting off the beats slowly. He can do this. He has to. Ryo is relying on him. Everything that they have been working on relies on this meeting. He can do this. Ryo wouldn't ask him if he couldn't do it... He exhales again, steadily, slowly. He can do this. He has to.
**
Kame steps out of the elevator before the doors fully slide open; the heavy silver watch on his wrist tells him that he is twenty five minutes late. He hates being late, hates it so much that he pays Ohkura to factor in extra time in case there are delays, but even Ohkura can't schedule in enough time to overcome a broken traffic light, a new building opening sale and a traffic collision. While someone else might have been amazed that he was only twenty five minutes late, to Kame it felt like each of those minutes were little shards of glass working their way into his temples.
The maitresse d'restaurant is hurrying towards him, with that hurried glide that takes years for professionals to master, and Kame doesn't need to give his name, the woman obviously remembers his name, although her's has slipped from his mind. She nods in response to his Good Evening, and is steering him unobtrusively through the room towards a table next to the windows.
Far below them Tokyo is spread out like a quilt made of starlight...inky blackness and shining golden lights. Some are orderly, straight rows of golden streetlights, others are the harsh white of office towers, but all of them shimmer below them.
The maitresse pulls out his chair, and Kame bows his head as he greets his fellow diner. “My apologies Nishikido, I do hope that you haven't been too inconvenienced by my tardiness.” He raises his gaze, lips curled in an apologetic smile that he knows earns forgiveness from any other human being due to its overwhelming charm when...
“You aren't Nishikido,” Kame says.
Jin shifts uncomfortably in his seat and says, “No, I'm not.”
“My apologies for disturbing you,” Kame says and stands up, pushing the chair aside smoothly. “It appears our hostess has brought me to the wrong table, I will leave you to enjoy your meal in peace.” He bows, and starts to walk away.
Realising that things are about to go from bad to worse, Jin grabs hold of his sleeve, fingers curling around his forearm. “Wait. Please.” He takes a deep breath. “Nishikido asked me to come tonight in his place.”
Kame looks him over, subtly evaluating the cost of the suit, his watch, the probable cost and source of his latest haircut, down to the gold loop in his ear, and obviously finds the total to be wanting. He raises an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Yes.” Jin holds still under the scrutiny, but doesn't manage to hide the flash of hurt pride. “Really.”
“Well.” Kame smirks and sits down. “Who might you be?”
Jin hesitates, the battle between giving a short rude response, the truth, or something in between, clearly being waged on his face. Finally he settles on a mixture of shortness, and truth. “Nishikido's business partner.”
“Ah. The mysterious Akanishi.” Kame opens the heavy leather menu, and idly reads the drinks list. “I saw your name on the contracts, but Nishikido has been less than forthcoming about you.” He raised a languid hand to beckon the waitress over.
“Speaking of Nishikido, where is he?”
Jin takes a deep breath, visibly, and says with obvious politeness, “There was also a delay on the Shinkansen from Osaka to Tokyo, and he asked me to take his place meeting you tonight.”
“I see.” Kame turns to the newly arrived waitress. “I'd like a bottle of the Penfolds Grange, 2006 vintage. Does that suit you Akanishi?”
Jin tilts his head away automatically, hair shielding his eyes as he requests a whiskey highball. Kame mentally files away that head tilt to consider later. They exchange pleasantries about the weather and the view while they wait for the waitress to return with their drinks. Jin sips from his glass while Kame samples the wine and agrees it is to his taste. The waitress places the bottle beside him with a flourish and Jin notices that there is a second wineglass sitting beside the bottle.
“You really should try the Grange. It is a very good vintage.” Kame smiles, and gestures at the glass. “Shall I?”
“No.” Jin refuses and Kame's eyes narrow slightly, quickly and Jin wonders if he imagined it.
“You don't drink red wine?”
“I prefer not to drink wine, red or white,” Jin says simply, hoping that Kame won't push.
“Don't like the taste? Perhaps you have never been exposed to a quality vintage?” Kame asks, a small smirk curving his bottom lip into a pout.
Jin stares at him, mouth set in a straight line and his eyes dark.
“Come, you should try this. Red wine should be savoured and enjoyed in company, it's the easiest thing in the world for educated men to appreciate together. If I may demonstrate...” Kame stands, lifts the bottle and expertly swirls it before grasping the base of the bottle and showily pouring the wine in a long arc into the glass.
With a flourish he pushes the glass towards Jin and takes his seat, lifting his own glass in a toast. “I imagine you will never have tasted anything similar before in your life.”
Jin leaves the glass sitting on the table.
“Really? You really think I have never drunk red wine before?”
“Of course not, I was merely suggesting that you try this particular vintage, which is...”
“Very expensive,” Jin interrupts and his voice is hard and flat. “A very expensive red wine which you are assuming I can not afford. Do you always insult your prospective business partners?” Jin asks, unimpressed by the pout, the questions or the justifications.
Kame stares, and Jin lifts his own choice of drink to his lips and takes a very slow, very deliberate swallow. “I don't know what information you dug up on Nishikido, but I can tell you that he would be just as unimpressed as I was by that display. Don't assume that the guy from Osaka doesn't know anything about business or wine.”
“I would never make such an assumption. In fact we shared a bottle of Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio all’Oro last week...” Kame realises that he has fallen into the trap a little too late.
“So it's just me then? I'm the only one you feel comfortable enough insulting?” Jin asks.
“Of course not,” Kame denies quickly, and even to his own ears it sounds weak.
“We need your help to make our business work long term,” Jin says his gaze heavy and Kame can't turn his own away. “We need you, and I know that you are benefitting from this deal as well. Don't assume that I, or Nishikido, are stupid or expendable. That's a stupid assumption and one that you would come to regret, as it would be bad for your business and bad for your bottom line.” Jin looks away and drinks from his glass one more time, the ice clinks softly as he sets it down. “You have been putting on an act since you got here. Shall we try again?”
Kame looks carefully, at the slight flush on high cheekbones, the full lower lip slightly swollen from nervous teeth biting at it, and the shaking of fingers being hidden by the cuffs of a white shirt. Fascinating. Jin stares him down. Interesting. Jin sighs and pushes his chair away from the table.
“Where are you going?” Kame asks, startled by the movement. No one has ever called him out on his meeting style to his face before, Jin can't possibly be intending to leave just when his interest has been piqued.
“Home.” Jin reaches for his wallet, and Kame's hand shoots across the table, snatching it from his grasp.
“Wait.”
“What for?”
“You said we should start again.”
“I did.”
“Well then...”
“You never said that you wanted to start again.”
“You didn't give me a chance to!”
“I waited and you never bothered to respond. What were you waiting for, an engraved invitation?”
“I didn't realise I was on a time limit.”
Jin sighs, and reaches for his drink. “Do you usually waste time?”
“Of course not. My time is valuable,” Kame huffs.
Jin smirks slightly, sips and puts his glass down with an audible thud. “So it's just my time that you feel comfortable wasting?”
Kame opens his mouth to retort, realises he doesn't have a retort ready and closes his mouth in frustration. Jin's smirk grows wider and he showily lifts his glass again, and takes a long extravagant swallow of whiskey. Kame watches the candlelight glint off the yellow liquor as it slides slowly from the glass past Jin's lips. He watches the way Jin drinks, watches his throat move and realises too late that he has been staring.
Luckily Jin seems to have mistaken his interest. “Can't think of an answer?” he asks.
Kame mentally pulls himself together, nods and his lips curve into one of his most charming smiles, the one that apologises while making the most of his cheekbones. “Sorry. I really can't think of an answer. I did not mean to offend you.”
Jin sighs again. “Last chance, Kamenashi. Smiles and charm won't work on me.”
“Really?” Kame leans back on his chair, and Jin almost laughs at the look of incredulity on Kame's face...so deliberately fake and over the top that he can appreciate it. “You aren't weak to smiles and charm?”
“Not anymore.” Jin winces inwardly, that was a little too raw and honest, and he sees that Kame has noted that too. He rallies to add. “I'm not a girl and I am stubborn. I don't have time for people who are fake and don't show their real face.”
“OK.” Kame takes a deep breath and then holds up his hands, and with a smile says. “Abracadabra. No more smiles, no more charm, no more insincerity. Can we start again please?”
Jin nods, a little warily.
“Excellent. Thank you.” Kame stands up, and bows formally. “Pleased to meet you Akanishi. My name is Kamenashi Kazuya, I hope our business relationship will be long and prosperous.”
“Sit down, you are drawing attention to us,” Jin hisses and Kame laughs and takes his seat.
“Your turn.”
Jin offers Kame his hand to shake and Kame's takes it with a little start of surprise. “Nice to meet you too, Kamenashi. My name is Akanishi Jin, but please call me Jin. I prefer to be on a first name basis with people.”
“That's unusual,” Kame remarks, then hurries to add. “Honestly, I just mean it is unusual. Most companies in Japan are still working on strict hierarchies, so it's strictly last name only in the business world.”
Jin shrugs. “Ryo and I are old friends, so we were already close when we started the business. It seemed ridiculous to try and force ourselves back into formality. We are on a first name basis with most of our contacts and suppliers now as well. We managed to use family names in our conversations with your office, but I would prefer, if you agree, that you call me Jin.”
“Fine.” Kame waves. “I have no objections to calling you Jin if you prefer it.”
“I do. I don't expect you to offer the same by the way. I am happy to keep calling you Kamenashi.”
“Actually....” Kame shrugs. “Most of my close business colleagues call me Kame, as do my friends. I have no objection to you
calling me Kame, if that is ok by you?”
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
With that, the waitress arrives with their entrees and an apology for them being late as the Chef had been unhappy with the texture of the oysters.
“I didn't think we had ordered...” Jin mutters at Kame.
“It's a set menu. Chef's choice,” Kame mutters back.
They take a short break to devour their entrees, and after their plates have been cleared away, and Jin's glass refilled, Kame asks, “Should we get down to business?”
Jin nods. “Of course.” He stares at Kame a little, just enough to catch his attention, and then says, “If you have time of course.”
Kame glares and Jin toasts him with his glass. “Just kidding.”
“I can see why you have Nishikido look after the interacting with people side of things,” Kame grumbles.
“He is good at it.”
“He is.” This time it's Kame's turn to stare at Jin a little, and it doesn't take long for Kame to realise just how uncomfortable his scrutiny is making Jin. “Sorry, I was just wondering...” Kame takes a breath. “How did you and Nishikido come to develop your business? Where did you get the idea to move into sports memorabilia?”
“It's a long story,” Jin glances around, obviously uncomfortable with the topic, and Kame doesn't have a chance to wonder why, because the waitress interrupts with their main dishes.
He lets Jin steer the conversation in other directions for a while, they exchange the usual details about families, and where they live, and whether they had cats or dogs growing up, and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly and open, and so unexpectedly comfortable that Kame almost forgets the reason that they are there. Kame waits until their dessert plates have been cleared before he brings it up again.
“Is it a secret?” he asks bluntly.
“Is what a secret?” Jin asks warily.
“Is it a secret about how you got involved in the sports memorabilia business? You've gone to great lengths to keep Nishikido as your contact man, he's the face of your company, and it was hard work to even get your name out of him.”
“I … I prefer to keep a low profile.” Jin mutters. “I don't like being on display in public.”
“Not everyone does,” Kame says quietly.
“You seem to enjoy it.”
Kame looks sharply at him, but there is no malice, no nastiness there. Just a simple statement of fact as Jin sees it.
“I've come to enjoy it,” Kame says. “I learned how to handle it and how to present myself in the best way. I was lucky, I had a mentor who showed me how to take what I had, and to make it work for me, how to make my presentation, the way I talked to people, how to network, how to forge those type of connections into an asset. I wouldn't say I seek it out necessarily, but I do know how to use it to my advantage.”
“I've never been good with people. I never know what to say.”
“It took time.” Kame grins at him then points at his eyebrows. “You could say that it started there.”
“How?”
“These were how I met Kimura senpai. I'd closed a few deals, all fairly low level stuff, but enough to get me noticed. I bought a decent suit, an expensive hair style and an even more expensive briefcase and I bluffed my way into a meeting with Kimura. I... lied to his executive assistant. Kimura took one look at me, realised what I had done, and made me an offer. He was setting up a big deal with Japan Airlines, and he said I could sit in on it, but his condition was that I needed to make myself 'presentable' in the next 30 minutes. That was all he gave me. Luckily his EA took pity on me, she was listening in on the meeting, and pointed at my eyebrows as I left. ”
Jin peers across the table, and without realising it, his fingers reach to follow his gaze, gently stroking over the arch of Kame's eyebrow. “Looks like you managed it.”
Kame laughs softly, the mellowness of the red wine heavy in his belly, and the warmth of Jin's touch combining in a glow of contentment. “I did. There was an esthe salon across the road from their building, designed for Office Ladies to have any beauty treatment they wanted. I walked in and begged to see the manager, and threw myself on her mercy. She laughed at me, told me it was impossible in the time we had, but I managed to convince her it was a matter of life or death.”
“Exactly how bad were they?” Jin asks.
Kame reaches for his phone, and the movement takes him out of Jin's reach. The sudden colour in his cheeks shows his realisation, but before he can apologise, Kame is waving his phone under his nose. “Here. See for yourself.”
“Wow.” Jin stares... young Kame is cute with longer hair carefully brushed back behind his ears... and what looks like two huge furry caterpillars stuck to his forehead.
“Yeah.”
“That's... quite a difference.”
“Yep.”
“How do you...” Jin points between the phone and the real life version in front of him. “How did you get from that to... that?”
“Waxing.”
“Waxing?” Jin's eyes grow wide. “Didn't that hurt?”
“The first time it hurt like a bitch.” Running his own fingers over the perfect arches, Kame grins. “There was no time for anything else. The salon manager gave me to their eyebrow lady, I laid down on a bed, and she went to work. She warned me it would hurt, and by god it did. Imagine someone sticking hot duct tape to your eyebrows and then yanking it off.” Jin's wince makes Kame laugh out loud. “Seriously! She told me to brace myself, but it really hurts. She knew what she was doing though, ten minutes later I had these. I ran back to Kimura's office, and the EA asked if she could help me... then almost fell off her chair laughing. When Kimura came out of his office see what the problem was, he took one look at me, said to follow him, and I shadowed him for the next month before he offered me a full time job working with him. I was lucky. I learnt so much from him, from the way to do business with clients over the phone, to setting up contracts. When he pushed me to go solo I wasn't sure... but he said I was ready. I trusted him, and... well.” Kame smiles modestly. “I'm doing ok.”
“More than ok from what I hear,” Jin says, his attention still focussed on the eyebrows. “Do you still get them waxed?”
“No. I go back to the same salon, to the same lady as obviously she knows her trade, but these days it's mainly maintenance. I pay her to keep them in shape so I don't have to worry about it.”
“I see,” Jin mutters, and sneakily traces a finger over his own right eyebrow as he tries to remember the last time he had checked his own for caterpillar like tendencies...
Not subtly enough to escape Kame's notice though. “Yours are fine. Possibly a little thick, but they have good shape. I wouldn't worry.”
The waitress quietly interrupts them to ask if they would like coffee to end their meal, Jin nods, while Kame asks for green tea.
“It's a bit late for coffee on top of the red wine,” he says with a grimace, then decides turn about is fair play. “Ok, I told you about my embarrassing eyebrows and even showed you a photo. I am dying of curiosity... how did you and Nishikido get into business together?”
“Well...” Jin takes a deep breath and Kame can almost see him arranging the words and memories in his head before he speaks.
Presentation is vital, he knows that, so he doesn't begrudge Jin the time, and if patience will bring this knowledge to him, he can wait.
“We met when we were both still teenagers, junior high age. A frien... guy I went to school with introduced us, and we had a lot in common. So when Ryo went back to Osaka to finish high school we kept in touch.”
“So, old friends then?” Kame encourages.
“Yes. Really old. We stayed in touch, even when he was studying economics at Osaka University and I was at .. studying in Kanoya.” Jin bites his lip hoping that Kame will miss it.
“Kanoya? Isn't that down in Kagoshima? Where the National Institute of Fitness and Sport is?”
“Yes.” Jin swirls the whiskey in his glass, hoping Kame will take the hint and leave it alone.
“Were you studying there?”
“Yes.” Jin admits it because he knows he can never lie convincingly if it is a direct question. He can hide bits of the truth though.
“For a while, but I didn't finish.” Kame nods, and Jin adds, “I ended up coming back to Tokyo and studying English.”
“Interesting,” Kame murmurs. “Anyway, back to business?”
Jin takes a deep breath. “So… three years ago, we were drinking beer and watching a baseball game on TV, and we started arguing over which player won the Most Valuable Player the year before. We kept arguing, and finally I tried to google it on my phone and so did Ryo. He ended up on Yahoo Japan auctions, I ended up on eBay, and we realised that there was a market for sports memorabilia, especially if you could authenticate it. I joked that we should go into business, and a week later, Ryo knocked on my door with a business plan.”
Kame nods, and the story starts to come faster as Jin remembers. “We started with just a Yahoo Japan auction account, and that took us hours to set up because we couldn't agree on a name. Ryo wanted to use something unique, like our initials to make up a new word. He was positive that JARN was a good idea.”
“Ouch,” Kame says and Jin's eyes light up.
“Thank you! He refused to see what a stupid name that was.”
“It does lack a little...pizzazz..” Kame says diplomatically.
“We argued over and over about it and my mother called me in the middle of it. Ryo grabbed my phone and asked her what she thought of my latest idea, which was J*SINC for Japan Sports Incorporated. She said it was too weird and then said we should go with Japan Sports Stars, and abbreviate it using JSS and add a star at the end for our logo. So JSS* we became.”
“Your Mother has a good sense for names.”
“Yes she does,” Jin says with a smile. “After that we set up the account and we listed twenty items, all things that we already owned. Mainly sports goods from games we had attended, a few special edition magazines that kind of thing. After that we worked out postage, packaging, and slowly started to expand.
Over the next year we moved in two directions, one which concentrated on more high end rare merchandise that we could authenticate as originals and two we started curating stock that was available in other places but we could also sell at close to cost when they were in demand. So we would buy in stock of Hanshin Tigers and Tokyo Giants when there was home games, and list that at the same time we were listing figure skating photo books of Asada Mao that she had signed for us.”
“Sound strategy.”
“Thanks to Ryo. He knows his stuff.”
“So where do you fit in?” Kame asks quietly, and Jin glances at him sharply.
“I bring the background knowledge,” he finally says. “I know the teams, know when the championships happen. I know how the teams work, how different sports peak at different times of the year. I'm the sports guy in the background.”
“Impressive.”
“Useful.” Jin looks away.
“Vital,” Kame states, and waits for Jin to look at him. “Irreplaceable,” he adds. Jin smiles slightly and shakes his head.
“It's always been a team effort between the two of you then,” Kame muses. “Now you've reached out to me for financing because you want to expand?”
“Yes.”
“Walk me through it?”
“Hasn't Ryo already done that?”
“He has. I would just like to hear your take on it, to make sure that we are all on the same page.”
“Ryo is much better about presenting the plan.”
“I'm sure he is, but if we are going to be working together I would like to hear it from you as well.”
“I really think that you should listen to Ryo about this.”
“I'll make you a deal. I have pretty much already made up my mind. If anything you say makes me change my mind, I will give you and Nishikido another chance to walk me through it together. Deal?”
“You promise to let Ryo walk you through this again tomorrow?”
“Yes. If it's necessary.”
“It will be,” Jin mutters and tries to think of everything he needs to say, tries to put it in order so that it makes sense. His fingertips
tap a nervous rhythm on the table, and Kame nudges a glass of red wine across the table.
“Take it slowly. One step at a time.”
Jin does, laying it out step by step and sip by sip. “Well we started small, and grew slowly. I was sure that we could grow faster, but Ryo was worried if we invested too much too fast that we wouldn't survive. So, slowly. We had these huge spreadsheets with all this data about what sold, how quickly, the number of bids, whether the same person bid on multiple items, if they came back that kind of data. So that helped us work out which areas to concentrate on, and after the first year we started concentrating on the sports that shifted the most merchandise, and started building up the extra special items, ones that were signed or special.” Jin takes a gulp of wine, and Kame reaches across to refill his glass.
“You managed to get hold of some very good items. How did you make sure they were genuine?” Kame says.
“Some of them we bought from other sellers if we could vouch for them. Others we obtained directly.” Jin licks his lips. “We had contacts in a few places, and we made arrangements for some items, and shared profit. It was all above board and legal.”
“I don't doubt that,” Kame says. “I am glad that you use certificates of authenticity as well as the photos.”
“The photos were my idea,” Jin grins. “I figured it was the internet, and a certificate is only a piece of paper. If we had photos of the person signing it, with the date and location, it gave buyers confidence.”
“For sure,” Kame murmurs. “Still, fakes are a problem.”
“Which is why we never bought from other sellers if we didn't know them, or couldn't find other people to vouch for them.”
“Ok, so you have two choices,” Kame says. “You can keep your business small scale, maybe concentrate only on the high end stuff, or you can expand. Why did you chose expansion?”
“We are good at this. Ryo and I work well together, and we know our stuff. We can pick which sports are going to give the best return, and I have picked the last three MVP players in baseball, basketball and soccer, so our returns on their signed goods have been outstanding. This is something we can make a career, and we can really build a good company.”
“You aren't worried that it's too much pressure on the two of you? That you might get bored?”
“No.”
“That's.. definite.”
“Ryo and I are friends. There is no way business would come between us, and I will make sure I don't get bored. This is
important to me.”
“Ok. So you want to take the business offline as well, into a bricks and mortar store?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Authenticity. The high end goods have a ceiling now, and we can't break it as long as we remain an online only business. I can't blame them. If we had something really special, something like say a signed golf ball from Tiger Woods, we could never sell that. We need a showroom for that, a place where serious collectors could see it, evaluate it, and buy it with confidence.”
“That makes sense.”
“A showroom also lets us build a brand. People start approaching us, we don't have to keep chasing contacts.”
“Also true.”
“And we can actually have a nice workplace that has central air conditioning and nice offices, instead of a tiny office next to a tiny storage unit doubling as a warehouse, and an address for deliveries.”
Kame laughs. “Do you also want nicer letterhead and business cards?”
“And my name on a door!”
Kame raises his glass, and clinks it against Jin's. “Deal.”
“Really?”
Kame grins; Jin's smile is so bright and delighted that it feels infectious. “Yes. Deal.”
“Ryo is going to be so happy!”
“You should also tell him that your presentation was the icing on the cake, so to speak.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“That's cool.” Jin's grin gets wider, Kame's not sure how it is possible but it happens. “That's so cool.”
“I do have some ideas though. Where are you thinking about locating the flagship store? How about a branded JSS* logo apparel
line? What if Tokyo wins the 2020 Olympics? What about...”
Some time and a lot more celebratory alcohol later, the waitress quietly slides a cordless phone onto the table. “Excuse me gentleman. Kamenashi-san you have a phone call.” Kame thanks her, and with a puzzled smile picks up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Kamenashi? Nishikido here.”
“Nishikido! Are you back in Tokyo? You shou-”
“Kamenashi, is Akanishi with you?” Ryo interrupts. “He's not answering his phone.”
“Yes! He's sitting right across from me.” Kame laughs. “Do you want to speak to him?”
“He is? He's still with you?”
“Of course! You asked us to meet to discuss the investment plans.”
“I did...but it's 1 am in the morning.”
“It is?”
“Yes.”
“Are you drunk?”
“Ummmm a little?”
“Is Jin?”
Kame looks across the table at Jin, who is searching for his phone...in his shoe? Under the table at any rate... Jin sits up, and the sudden movement causes the room to lurch around him a bit. “Woah. Hey! Ryo called me!” he says.
“Ummm a little?” Kame answers Ryo's question belatedly.
“Give the phone to Jin.”
Kame passes the phone over and watches with interest as Jin first holds it wrong side up, drops it on the table and finally manages to position it properly.
“Ryo! You should come join us!”
“It's 1 am Jin.”
“It is?”
“Yes. It can't be. Kame got here at 8 something.... It's really 1 am?”
“Yes. So you are getting along with Kamenashi then? No problems?”
“No. Everything is fine. He was a bit of a prick at the beginning with his Mr Perfect Smooth I am such a great business man act,
but he got over it.”
“How much have you had to drink?”
Jin squints at the table top, and tries to remember. “Whiskey highballs and red wine.”
“For fuck's sake, you know you can't drink red wine! It messes with your medication.”
“Kame wanted me to try it!” Kame's ears prick up at his name, and he catalogues the pout on Jin's lips as adorable. “He said it was a terfa.. tari...terf.. fabulous vintage and I should try it.”
“That's no excuse. You are going to feel terrible in the morning, and we have meetings, remember?”
“I remember. Hey! Kame agreed to help us with seed funding if we bring him on as a partner. I explained all our plans to him, and he has some great ideas and Kame says that..”
“You explained our plans to Kame?” Ryo says, and even in his haze Jin can hear the incredulity and can take offence.
“Yes. He said I did a good job.”
“And he is still willing to work with us?”
“Shut up,” Jin sulks. “I explained it all.”
“I'll check if I need to do any damage control tomorrow morning,” Ryo mutters and ignores Jin's outrageous huffing.
“Get Kamenashi to pour you into a taxi, and come over to my place. It's closer than yours, and I need you functional by 8 am.”
“Fine.” Jin frowns. “Is Kame coming to that meeting too?”
“I wasn't planning on it -”
“Hey Kame! We are meeting with the team manager for the Giants tomorrow at 9. Wanna come?”
“Jin! You can't just invite -”
“Kame says yes he's coming.”
“This is either going to be the best idea I have ever had, or the worst one in the history of the world,” mutters Ryo. He raises his voice. “Taxi now. Tell Kamenashi we will meet him at Tokyo Dome at 8:50 am, and-” Ryo sighs as Jin excitedly tells Kame that they will meet at Tokyo Dome in the morning.
“Jin!”
“Yes?”
“Are you ok? Walking?”
“Umm. I haven't tried yet?”
“Get Kamenashi to help you. You are both drunk, you can stagger downstairs together.” Ryo's tone adds weight to the words. “That should work.”
“See you soon!” Jin ends the call, leaving a slightly annoyed Ryo sitting in his apartment twenty minutes away, wondering if everything really was ok. He hoped so - until then, the only thing he could do was make up the couch into a bed. Still, it sounded like Jin and Kamenashi had found common ground, and it had been years since he had heard Jin sound happy in the company of someone new. Maybe this was still a good idea.
**
Jin cuddles deeper under the light blanket; the alarm hasn't gone off yet so there is plenty of time to just lay here with his eyes closed, and his knee throbbing and enjoy not being in a rush for the meeting this morning.
“Jin?”
Or maybe not. Ryo's voice is close, but he doesn't sound as annoyed as he usually does when he needs to get Jin up and moving in time for a meeting.
“Jin?”
He opens his eyes, and pushes the blanket down beneath his chin. Ryo is dressed in a grey suit, sharp and stylish and his hair is styled and he … looks like someone who has been out all day.
“Are you awake?” Ryo asks, and for once the tone is not expectant or irritated.
Jin nods sleepily and blinks at Ryo, who sighs a bit and sits down beside Jin, squishing him against the back of the couch. “What time is it?” he asks, voice scratchy and rough from sleep.
“Almost five,” Ryo answers and Jin considers thumping him hard on the shoulder.
“Why are you waking me up so early?” he asks.
“Early?” Ryo snorts. “Jin, 5 PM. PM. As in end of the work day.”
“What? The meeting ...”
“Is over. Kamenashi and I took care of it. Don't worry, it's fine.”
“Damn it Ryo, I should have been there. Why didn't you wake me?”
“I did try,” Ryo says, a touch acidly and a lot snarkily. “You were dead to the world. I wasted fifteen minutes, but I couldn't get you more than half awake. I decided you were in no fit state to be involved, and it looks like I was right. You needed the extra nine hours of sleep.” Ryo shifts a little on the couch, finding the edge, and then he gently presses down on Jin's calf. “How is your knee?”
“Stiff and a bit sore, so no real change.”
“No after effects from the red wine?”
“No.”
“Good. You should still have known better than to drink red wine, you know it interferes with your meds and how they deal with the inflammation in your knee.”
“I know. It's just that Kame was really insistent and he wanted me to try the red wine, and it did smell outstanding and it tasted great, and I got a little carried away.”
“For a few glasses of wine are you really willing to risk your knee? You are lucky to have the range of movement you do, why endanger it? Kamenashi would have backed down if you told him you couldn't due to medical grounds. Ah. I see.”
“I didn't want to tell him,” Jin admits. “He has no idea about my knee, or how it happened or who I am, and I want to keep it that way for as long as possible.”
“He really has no idea?” Ryo asks sceptically. “Kamenashi can afford better people than I can to vet our backgrounds. Think of what we were able to dig up on him. I find it hard to believe he has no idea about you.”
“He doesn't. He didn't blink when I introduced myself.”
“That doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't know. He's got a good poker face, he needs one in this business. And Jin...” Ryo pauses, wanting to tread delicately. “It is possible that not everyone knows or remembers.”
“I know.” Jin meets Ryo's gaze. “No one else at the restaurant last night recognised me.”
“How long since someone recognised you on the street or made a scene?”
Jin thinks back, and shrugs. “A stranger? Probably six months. It helps that most of the time we are only dealing with people who know or are prepared to meet me.”
“It's been seven years Jin. Eventually it fades. People forget.”
“I know, I just...I don't ever know what to say, and they never leave me alone and they make a fuss, and I don't know what they want from me.”
“But meeting Kamenashi last night was ok? He was a stranger and you seemed to get along ok?”
“Yeah but we did argue first.”
Ryo stares. “You fought with Kamenashi?” he asks, each word clipped and clear.
Oops. Jin peeks at Ryo but he's wearing his pissed off face. “Just a bit?” he ventures. “It's ok. We made up.”
“You fought with the man we are asking to invest money in our business? Are you an idiot?”
“Well, he came in and was being all ridiculously obnoxious, and then he looked me over like I was a loser because my suit was less expensive than his, and then he ordered red wine and when I wouldn't drink any he thought I didn't know anything about red wine so he assumed I was stupid, and he basically agreed that his time was more valuable than mine so it was fine for him to be late and...”
“Stop!” Ryo buries his head in his hands. “The only reason I am not killing you right now is because Kamenashi and I went to the meeting this morning and I know the investment is safe.”
“Of course the investment is safe. I told you last night that I walked him through our plans again, and he was happy with the information!”
“I thought you were joking.”
“You don't think I could do that?” Jin huffs. “Why the hell are we even friends?”
“Because I can kick your ass at Supermario, but you win at Biohazard.” Ryo sighs and then says seriously, “Jin. Business is business. You didn't want to be the guy who went out and met with the investors, because you said you weren't any good at it, and because you worried that it would be too hard to meet new people all the time. Can you do this, or was it a one time thing?”
“I don't know.”
“Well, arguing with Kamenashi was not a smart opening move.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“He could have pulled the funding, and we would be screwed.”
“I know.” Jin rolls onto his side, and slowly pulls his legs over the edge of the couch, wincing as his feet hit the floor. “I'm sorry. It was just... a thing.”
“Don't let it happen again.”
“I don't think it's likely to happen again. I don't really want to be the one doing the talking.”
“You were ok talking with Kamenashi though?”
“Yeah. It was different with him.”
“You really think he doesn't know? About what happened to you?”
“He doesn't. I think... I think he was training for that year's Koshien. He was really into baseball as as kid, and he was in the squad that went to Koshien that year. He doesn't know about... my knee.” He tries to stand, but only makes it half way before Ryo grabs at his arm and guides him back down to the couch.
“Meds first?” Ryo asks.
Jin nods and massages his knee, fingers pushing hard at the scar tissue that wound beneath the skin. He nods.
“I'll get you some water,” Ryo says, and walks towards his kitchen, muttering under his breath, “Kamenashi deliberately walked you to the taxi last night, he knows something.”
**
Kame's Message: Thanks for inviting me to the meeting today. It was a great opportunity to see how your supplier relationship building works, and personally, it was a dream come true to see the team rooms beneath Tokyo Dome. Next time, I want you to be there as well. Hope you are feeling better soon. BTW Ryo gave me your number.
Jin's Reply: Feeling much better thanks. Ryo says the meeting went well. How do you think it went?
Kame: Very well. They were open to building a relationship with us, and Ryo explained the idea behind a premium line. They are on board with it. Suggestions on where we should start?
Jin: For the premium line? Posters, Jerseys and Baseballs.
Kame: Agreed. When are you free to get the paperwork signed?
Jin: Paperwork for what?
Kame: The investment paperwork.
Jin: Anytime works for me. I'll check with Ryo.
Jin: Friday work for you? 5 pm?
Kame: Yes. Meet at my office? Drinks afterwards?
Jin: Sounds good.
Kame: I'll have my EA Ohkura courier over a parking pass for the building.
Jin: See you then!
**
Jin: Red or blue?
Kame? Huh?
Jin: For the logo on the new stationary. I want red but Ryo says that's because I've got a big head.
Kame: Am I your mother? Don't involve me in your arguments!
Jin: I thought you were our partner. Don't you want a say?
Kame: Only if it means I get to make the final choice in everything.
Jin: And Ryo says I have a big head. Who made you boss?
Kame: Gold. Gold would look better than either red or blue. See you this afternoon.
**
"And done!" Kame presses his hanko firmly against the contract paper, and pulls off the final sign here sticker, then checks to make sure that there are no more. "Officially signed."
He stands and reaches across his desk to shake hands with Jin and then Ryo. "Let's all work well together."
Ryo smiles and nods, while Jin claps Ryo and then Kame on the shoulder. "All or nothing."
"Maybe you should call me Ryo? It will seem really weird if you keep calling me Nishikido."
"As you wish," Kame grins. "Please feel free to use Kame as well. Ok. Gentleman, let's head out for drinks!"
**
Kame: Hi. How is your week going?"
Jin: Good. Waiting on a call back from the Tigers...seeing if they want a similar deal to what we have with the Giants.
Kame: Smart. Maybe talk with the Swallows as well? Premiership team might make it worth while.
Jin: Will do. Hey, have you eaten yet?
Kame: No. What do you have in mind?
Jin: Pizza?
Kame: Sure. I know a great place in Shibuya we could try?
Jin: Actually, I was thinking more of pizza, beers and some DVDs at my place. Game?
Kame. Yep. Send me your address. See you around 7?
Jin: Ok!
**
"So....Iron Man 2 coming up next? Would you like another beer?"
Kame checks his watch. "Not if I want to make it home tonight."
"Do you have an early meeting tomorrow?"
"Nope."
"It's Friday night...." Jin lets his voice trail off, and gives Kame a tempting smile. "You can crash on the couch if you want..."
Kame stretches and groans as the muscles in his shoulders flex and stretch. "Would you mind?"
"Not at all. It's fine. Hey, I can lend you a T-shirt and pants if you want to get out of that suit..."
Kame smiles, and looks up at Jin through his eyelashes. "Are you trying to get me out of my clothes?"
"And into more comfortable ones, yes of course. Did you want another beer?"
Kame's smile grows slightly smaller, and then he asks, "Are you trying to get me drunk?"
"Only if you want to be," Jin answers, his voice puzzled. "Don't you want another beer?"
"Sure," Kame nods. "Another beer and some other clothes would be great."
Jin heads into his bedroom to fetch the clothes, behind him Kame watches him move with a small frown of concentration buried between his eyebrows.
Two hours later, Kame and Jin are both comfortably settled on the couch, and the climactic battle between Iron Man and the drones rolls across the TV screen. Kame's eyes are closed, and Jin is trying not to laugh as his head keeps dropping down towards his chest. Jin stretches, and the next thing he knows, Kame has crept under his arm and curled up against his chest.
"Kame?" Jin whispers.
No answer, Kame is deeply asleep.
Nonetheless, Jin tries again. "Kame?"
No answer.
The credits start rolling and Jin starts wondering what the best approach is to handle this situation. After all, Kame is only sleeping because he is tired... it's been a long week for them both, and... wait.. now he's snuggling... and breathing across his collarbones.
He's quite proud that he manages not to throw himself over the back of the couch to get away from the warm air ticking his collarbones, after all Kame doesn't know how sensitive they are, and he's still asleep, and - now he's snoring, and the ridiculousness of it all is making it very hard for Jin to keep the laughter bottled up.
Kame wriggles beside him and suddenly his collarbones are free of torment, and an arm is curled around his neck, and Kame has pulled himself into his lap and buried his face in his neck..and ok..the credits on the TV screen have ended and now Agent
Coulson is looking at Thor's hammer..and Kame is really really asleep.
He doesn't know what to do.
Kame works hard and he said he could sleep on the couch and it seems really harsh and rude to just wake him up when he would only need to go to sleep again, and it's kind of nice, he feels a little like a teddy bear. A much bigger and heavier and manlier teddy bear than he used to cuddle when he was a child of course...
Ok, a lot heavier. His knee is starting to ache just a bit.
Kame is dead to the world.
Jin considers his options. He could try and slide out from under Kame, without waking him up, and head to bed. Or he could sleep on the couch and deal with it later. Jin slowly pulls his legs onto the couch and slides himself down, Kame clutches his shoulder and moves with him, his weight heavy against him. Jin ends up lying on his back, head pillowed on the arm of the couch, while Kame settles himself sleepily back against his shoulder. Mission accomplished! Kame is still asleep - and now Jin's knee isn't aching any more. Kame's steady breathing is very soothing, and Jin smiles as his own breath synchronises with Kame's.. in ... out … in out... until finally he falls asleep.
Onto part 2