Tempt me if you can (chapter 1)
Written for ladyc2 for the 2019/2020 JE Exchange. My first time writing about Kame/Yamapi and Kame/Ohkura. Please enjoy!
Title: Tempt me if you can
Author: lalois
Fandom: Kanjani8, KAT-TUN, Yamapi
Pairings: RyOhkura
Rating: up to NC-17
Length: originally one-shot (posted in 4 parts)
Words: 3064 (first part) - 11630 (complete)
Genre: AU, ust, romance, angst, fluff, smut, comedy, sort of crack
Disclaimer: sadly I don’t own anything about Kanjani8, just my worship for my OTP. They don't belong to me, but they belong to each other.
Prompt/Background: following the "Steal your Love" prompt + Yamaneko drama character (I love him!) + RL Eito/TORN snippets.
Summary: Phantom Thief Yamaneko strikes again in Kurashiki, to get Monet's famous Water Lilies painting. Once there, his ally Ohkura will bump into a very determined security guard, Nishikido Ryo. Ohkura Tadayoshi likes beautiful things, and Nishikido definitely is.
Written on: October 2019 - January 2020
Also available @ Ao3, LJ, DW
**
Kurashiki is a charming place, indeed.
Magnificent weeping willows adorn its historical Bikan district, the preserved area where several kinds of arts incidentally flourish. The Ohara Museum of Western Art is one of those jewels, and that is also the reason why I'm here today.
It's a beautiful night with a bright moon. As I look up towards the white globe, I recall Natsume Soseki's famous quote.
'The moon is beautiful, isn't it?'
It could easily apply to these lovely and historically preserved streets especially, where couples stroll along the riverbanks holding hands under the moonlight.
Unfortunately, I cannot enjoy the romantic scenery this city has to offer any longer, for I am on a mission here.
Kame-chan has already penetrated the western-looking building to retrieve the Water Lilies, and I’m following.
It's almost a pity we have to remove such a precious piece from here, given the long journey the painter Kojima Torajiro-san had to take in order to bring the original painting to Japan, straight from Claude Monet's home in France. But that cannot be helped.
It should be just a matter of few minutes, though.
The halls and corridors are nicely lit even during the night, but there's only one security guard patrolling the rooms, while another one is in the office getting bored with the security cameras. Japan is a safe place, after all.
After eluding the alarm system, we placed fake videos in the cameras so that all the monitors would keep showing deserted corridors while we’re infiltrating the museum.
And here we are: the security guard guy is currently patrolling some other rooms, and it's me who has to check on him through the mini-monitor on my watch, so I gave Kame-chan the okay and he rushed straight to get the painting.
"K-chan, he's now moving," I warn him through the mic, in a whisper. "He might decide to turn- no, wait, he's definitely turned towards the wrong corridor and at this pace he'll reach your room in a few minutes' time. Seems like he's got some sixth sense, darn. How long will it take you to be done?"
>> Distract him just a little, T-chan,<< he orders me in the earphone, >> I'm nearly done here. <<
I roll my eyes.
How to, darn? No time to think, let alone to act. But if I don't do something soon, Kame-chan will be found out. And we cannot be found out, yet.
I should not have to be doing this, for I'm the brain dude here, rather than the action one like Kame-chan is, but anyway.
Oh come on, Ohkura Tadayoshi. You can do this. Kame-chan always says you're brilliant after all, doesn't he?
I breathe deeply, and then I start running to reach the corridor where the security guard guy is; I stop right before turning the corner separating us, checking on him in the tiny monitor again. He’s at the other end of the corridor and he’s heard my footsteps, for he suddenly turns on his heel and decides to pursue such echoes rather than the place where my friend is. Good. By doing that, he's leaving Kame-chan's spot, so that he’ll be left undisturbed.
“I’ve heard some steps in the C-Hall 4. Can you locate something?” a hoarse voice says a few meters behind me. He’s probably speaking to his back-office colleague. The fake videos won’t reveal my presence, but I need to have this guy far from Kame-chan and passed out from stun spray as soon as possible anyway. I peek from the corner, making myself partially visible to him, and then I quickly move from my spot.
"Hey you, stop there!" he barks in a louder voice, and he starts chasing openly after me.
This is bad. I'm so bad at running, shit. He's already right at my heels because I literally suck at doing this. So when I turn left at the corner, I stop abruptly and the man bumps into my back. He seems so surprised from my silly move that he does not even react by blocking me in any way. It’s just a matter of seconds now, Tadayoshi. Concentrate: turn on your heel, spray him before he can see too much of you and then flee. I turn, but he suddenly blocks my right arm and I have to get his other arm pinned to the wall with my free hand before he can do or think anything else.
As I take a better look at him, I cannot help but smirk.
He's petite, shorter than me, with a frail body frame, dark hair and some faint hint of a moustache and beard. I could crush him. He doesn't even look like a cop. I can bet he's just a newbie here.
And still, his dark eyes look fierce as if piercing through the mask hiding half of my face, and when they meet mine I'm frozen for a second.
Very, very interesting eyes, I have to say. Black ones gleaming in boldness rather than fear or pride. Kind of droopy eyes of rare beauty, embellished by a mole right under the left eye and a tempting twin one not far from his mouth.
Soft and rough lips, also.
I'm on them before I can think straight.
My tongue is forcing its way into his mouth and he gasps and moans wildly rather than pushing me away, his hands gripping around the elbow on the fabric of my black leather suit.
He's kissing me back, challenging me with the twirls of his curious tongue, and I'm kissing him even deeper and harder. An uncontrollable make out that seems to have me space out completely.
He tastes good. Way too good.
>> Done!<< Kazu’s voice echoes in my earphone, and I’m thrown back to planet Earth.
>> Let's go back. <<
Shit.
I pull back from the droopy-eyed guy, kinda out of breath, and stare at him. He looks equally at a loss about what to do with, or expect from, me.
He didn't foresee this, not at all. He could not, nor could I.
'Nishikido', the name tag on his chest says. But then, his warm grip on my elbow does remind me of who I am, and I have to go now.
I take a step back and use the snooze spray to finally knock him down. What a pity, darn. I leave him unconscious on the floor as I run away, still out of breath, the taste of him still lingering on my dry lips. Kame-chan is already waiting for me out of the museum, in the nearest Bikan alley; he winks at me when he shows me the cardboard tube where he safely tucked the oil on canvas painting after carefully rolling it up, and we disappear into the night.
**
The following morning my warm duvet gets pulled off me without any notice. I crack one eye open only because I can sense Kame-chan staring at me, and I am not wrong. He looks very pissed off. I blink once, then twice.
“Good morn-“
"Please explain this to me," he cuts me off, grumbling low, as he literally drags me from the bed to the living room, turns on the television and makes me watch the latest news. Where, apparently, the biggest concern about the incredible theft perpetrated by Phantom Thief Yamaneko yesterday night is not about the loss of the famous Monet masterpiece from the Ohara Museum in Kurashiki, but rather some other very trivial detail, like… the presence of a second thief and the ridiculous mask the guy was wearing in order to hide his identity.
Shit.
The ruckus of this is so completely wrong.
“I… I have to say I don’t get this,” I tentatively question my friend, furrowing. “You did leave the message telling them the painting we took was a fake, didn’t you?”
“I did, of course.”
“Then why are they ignoring the ominous scandal in order to talk about the stupid mask you gave me?”
“Maybe because so far no one knew that Thief Yamaneko had an accomplice, let alone a silly one?” Kame-chan replies, frowning even more.
“Hey, wait, wait. I’m definitely not the attention-whore here, Kame-chan, and I haven’t got the slightest intention of stealing the spotlight from you, not even when-“
“Not even when there’s a hot guy who does seem to know so maaaaaaaaaany details about my little Kobo-chan accomplice, mmmh?” Kame-chan teases me, narrowing his eyes and beckoning for me to resume watching the news on television. That's when I see the press taking endless photos of the droopy-eyed guy amidst a creek of cops questioning him, notably Inspector Murakami and his right-hand man Detective Yokoyama of the Okayama Prefecture.
>> It has also become a personal matter now, so it’s my duty to collaborate the best I can, >> I hear Nishikido say to several microphones, a slight furrow marking his eyebrows.
"He's the one leaking information about you, apparently," Kame-chan tells me, intercepting my gaze.
"It's the security guard guy I told you about," I tell him nonchalantly. "He was about to break into the room while you were retrieving the painting. You told me to distract him, and that's what I did."
"Kobo-chan, ne? Now they definitely know I'm not acting alone," Kame-chan sighs, shaking his head.
"No way I could have ever put on the Hyottoko mask you had given me as the other option!" I cry out, hinting to the backpack where the plastic mask of the character of Kobo-chan from the animated Sazae-san series is hidden since the events of yesterday night. "At least Kobo-chan is a human being," I frown, “The cat ears of your knitted hats and cat mask aren't even so!"
Kame-chan offers me an evil grin, and then walks closer to face me. He's scary, but at least I'm taller.
"Do I have to remind you how it all started, Tatsu? How you basically whined you wanted to be of help too, and then I told you my little secret and let you in on it completely?"
"N-no," I utter.
"Good," he says, patting me on one shoulder. "Because, you know... the truth is I'm incredibly proud of you, babe!" he adds, patting me even stronger and winking at me with an open smile.
"Eh?" I blink at least twice, unable to grasp what's going on here.
"I was joking," he explains, winking again and offering me his trademark meowing cat pose with his fists. "I'm not mad. I'm very impressed, actually. Not only did you deal with the situation nicely, but you even managed -however unpredictably- to bring this fake Water Lilies case to the spotlight in a way we could only dream of! This is great, Tatsu, and maybe this time we'll get to uncover the truth about the real painting missing from the Ohara Museum for who-knows-how-long, after working on its traces for so long!"
“Mmh… you’re right.” It’s been ten years already since I made friends with Kame-chan, but sometimes he’s still able to fool me completely.
“I’d better pay a visit to the Ohara soon, though, to take a closer look at this guy,” he tells me.
“Eh? Why on Earth?”
“Apparently he’s been promoted and will be transferred to the Police headquarters in Okayama in a week. Our dear Murakami and Yokoyama duo, they both want him with them to chase us better, since so far he’s the only one who had a one-on-one encounter with the daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaangerous Yamaneko clan, and even if it’s dangerous, we have to keep an eye on-“
"I... might have kissed him," I blurt out, out of the blue.
Kame-chan stops his delirious chatter and looks at me.
“Excuse me?”
It’s frankly ridiculous, but I feel my cheeks burn a little while I bite my lower lip, a bit uncomfortably.
“I kissed him, yesterday night,” I slowly repeat, meeting my friend’s eyes. “There’s no point hiding that from you and there’s no background story for it anyway. It just happened in the middle of some little brawl before I had him unconscious. I would have told you anyway.”
During the long minute that follows, Kame-chan keeps staring at me with some undecipherable expression.
“I’m glad you’re not blind, Tatsu, for this Nishikido guy is indeed a pretty hot one,” he quietly replies then. “Don’t fall in love with him, though. He’s playing on the enemy’s side out there.”
“No need to remind me,” I snort.
Kame-chan leaves my place with another wink, and I slump onto the couch as the television is still focusing on the Water Lilies case and the brave security guard guy.
Does this mean I’ll have to see him again? I don’t know how to feel, even less what to think.
**
I like beautiful things. I always have.
I am a lucky guy, for even though I'm an average one, I can do modeling for a living, and I enjoy a lot of beauty in my daily life indeed, from art to jewels, not to mention gorgeous people.
I'm not as famous as my fellow colleague Kazuya Kamenashi is, but I'm pretty much okay with that. It was my dear friend Maru-chan, who works as a photographer in the entertainment industry just like us, who introduced Kame-chan to me during a photoshoot we had together, about ten years ago.
When on stage, Kame-chan is a real diva; he says I'm the same, but I'm definitely not... I'd say I'm still learning from him, instead.
We've been roommates for a long time, too. He's recently moved out to live with his boyfriend Yamapi. In the living room of their apartment there's now a beautiful frame hanging and displaying the fake Water Lilies canvas. No one would ever guess it's the same painting that had been stolen yesterday night, not even Yamapi, should he not be in on the secret as well. That guy is some kind of saint, honestly.
It was right after a gossip conversation with Maru-chan that Kame-chan felt like entrusting me with his secret.
I'm far from thinking the entertainment world is all happy frills, and when Maru-chan told me the sad story about the veteran Shibutani Taeko, I reacted quite badly. I wished I could do something for her, for she's one of my favourite actresses since I was a child, but I could not be of help. That's probably the reason why I fell into the trap, when Kame-chan asked me to join him and get back the pearl choker the old woman thought she had lost. At least until it publicly appeared on the neck of the young mistress of the man her daughter had just divorced. Long story short, Kame-chan happened to overhear both the conversation between me and Maru-chan and my open outburst after that; that very same night, in the little apartment we shared, he told me pretty much everything about the legend behind the Phantom Thief Yamaneko, and I've been his sort of ally ever since.
It’s theft and it’s not, at the same time; it’s a matter of doing the right thing even when justice itself cannot, according to me. Throughout our work, we both happen to come across various diplomatic incidents or unpleasant situations like Shibutani-san’s ones. We merely try to fix them, the best we can.
My mobile rings, distracting me from my thoughts.
“Moshi-moshi?”
"Nice ass, he's got. Maybe a little too thin for my own taste, but it’s not my taste we’re talking about, since I’m already happily taken. And I'm definitely not surprised you've got such good taste in men after all, Tatsu," Kame-chan’s voice tells me like an avalanche, “and Pi agrees and says that among the jewels kept within the Ohara Museum, he’s a relevant one himself.”
“I guess you’re in Kurashiki for a romantic trip, then,” I reply, ignoring his sarcasm together with the subtle mentions of a certain guy.
“Pi is a charming guy who loves art, it would be a waste not to bring him along. And Kurashiki is a very romantic place indeed. You should try it yourself. If you get what I mean~.”
“I told you it’s not like that,” I bark in reply, before hanging up the call, upset even though I should not be.
What I hate the most, though, is that Kame-chan’s probably so damn right.
I need some fresh air. Or maybe it's really just an excuse to see that guy again.
I take my time in Kurashiki; the Bikan district is a mere ten minute walk from the train station and looks equally lovely in the daylight. It's a warm day despite the chilly season, and the river stretches beautifully along the area, packed with tourists, families and couples in love strolling around or having lunch together. When I cross the little stone bridge facing the Ohara Museum, I immediately spot something equally stunning: it's him, the Nishikido guy, with the very same dark yellow security guard uniform I saw a few days ago.
I was already wondering what he's doing outside the building, when I realize I already have the reply before my eyes: there's a flock of children surrounding him, and they're all staring at the guy teaching them how to properly feed a couple of swans apparently nestled in the bend of the river, below the weeping willow, at a distance of merely three meters from where I am.
I cannot help but stare at such a bucolic scene, so different from the last harsh image I remembered about him on television. Nishikido's smile is tender, filled with glee and astoundingly amazing. It makes him look a bit naive and maybe slightly younger, but definitely even more attractive.
It might be the most beautiful thing I have ever seen on Planet Earth so far, way better than jewels, paintings and precious items whatsoever. I am sorry, Claude Monet-san.
He looks up and notices me and I shiver, before I can have the presence of mind to tear my gaze away and resume my stroll along the river.
I'm wearing sunglasses and a large, trendy hat today. I even had my hair dyed shiny purple for work yesterday. No way he could have ever recognized me. But still, I feel as if he could have seen right through me.
**
( chapter 2)
Notes:
Re-posting from Ao3 in 4 parts because of LJ limitations.
First time for me to write about Kame/Yamaneko (& Yamapi) so I hope both Kame, his personality and his relationship with Ohkura will not sound too OOC.
All the references about Kurashiki, the Ohara museum and the Water Lilies painting are real.
I hope you enjoy!
Title: Tempt me if you can
Author: lalois
Fandom: Kanjani8, KAT-TUN, Yamapi
Pairings: RyOhkura
Rating: up to NC-17
Length: originally one-shot (posted in 4 parts)
Words: 3064 (first part) - 11630 (complete)
Genre: AU, ust, romance, angst, fluff, smut, comedy, sort of crack
Disclaimer: sadly I don’t own anything about Kanjani8, just my worship for my OTP. They don't belong to me, but they belong to each other.
Prompt/Background: following the "Steal your Love" prompt + Yamaneko drama character (I love him!) + RL Eito/TORN snippets.
Summary: Phantom Thief Yamaneko strikes again in Kurashiki, to get Monet's famous Water Lilies painting. Once there, his ally Ohkura will bump into a very determined security guard, Nishikido Ryo. Ohkura Tadayoshi likes beautiful things, and Nishikido definitely is.
Written on: October 2019 - January 2020
Also available @ Ao3, LJ, DW
**
Kurashiki is a charming place, indeed.
Magnificent weeping willows adorn its historical Bikan district, the preserved area where several kinds of arts incidentally flourish. The Ohara Museum of Western Art is one of those jewels, and that is also the reason why I'm here today.
It's a beautiful night with a bright moon. As I look up towards the white globe, I recall Natsume Soseki's famous quote.
'The moon is beautiful, isn't it?'
It could easily apply to these lovely and historically preserved streets especially, where couples stroll along the riverbanks holding hands under the moonlight.
Unfortunately, I cannot enjoy the romantic scenery this city has to offer any longer, for I am on a mission here.
Kame-chan has already penetrated the western-looking building to retrieve the Water Lilies, and I’m following.
It's almost a pity we have to remove such a precious piece from here, given the long journey the painter Kojima Torajiro-san had to take in order to bring the original painting to Japan, straight from Claude Monet's home in France. But that cannot be helped.
It should be just a matter of few minutes, though.
The halls and corridors are nicely lit even during the night, but there's only one security guard patrolling the rooms, while another one is in the office getting bored with the security cameras. Japan is a safe place, after all.
After eluding the alarm system, we placed fake videos in the cameras so that all the monitors would keep showing deserted corridors while we’re infiltrating the museum.
And here we are: the security guard guy is currently patrolling some other rooms, and it's me who has to check on him through the mini-monitor on my watch, so I gave Kame-chan the okay and he rushed straight to get the painting.
"K-chan, he's now moving," I warn him through the mic, in a whisper. "He might decide to turn- no, wait, he's definitely turned towards the wrong corridor and at this pace he'll reach your room in a few minutes' time. Seems like he's got some sixth sense, darn. How long will it take you to be done?"
>> Distract him just a little, T-chan,<< he orders me in the earphone, >> I'm nearly done here. <<
I roll my eyes.
How to, darn? No time to think, let alone to act. But if I don't do something soon, Kame-chan will be found out. And we cannot be found out, yet.
I should not have to be doing this, for I'm the brain dude here, rather than the action one like Kame-chan is, but anyway.
Oh come on, Ohkura Tadayoshi. You can do this. Kame-chan always says you're brilliant after all, doesn't he?
I breathe deeply, and then I start running to reach the corridor where the security guard guy is; I stop right before turning the corner separating us, checking on him in the tiny monitor again. He’s at the other end of the corridor and he’s heard my footsteps, for he suddenly turns on his heel and decides to pursue such echoes rather than the place where my friend is. Good. By doing that, he's leaving Kame-chan's spot, so that he’ll be left undisturbed.
“I’ve heard some steps in the C-Hall 4. Can you locate something?” a hoarse voice says a few meters behind me. He’s probably speaking to his back-office colleague. The fake videos won’t reveal my presence, but I need to have this guy far from Kame-chan and passed out from stun spray as soon as possible anyway. I peek from the corner, making myself partially visible to him, and then I quickly move from my spot.
"Hey you, stop there!" he barks in a louder voice, and he starts chasing openly after me.
This is bad. I'm so bad at running, shit. He's already right at my heels because I literally suck at doing this. So when I turn left at the corner, I stop abruptly and the man bumps into my back. He seems so surprised from my silly move that he does not even react by blocking me in any way. It’s just a matter of seconds now, Tadayoshi. Concentrate: turn on your heel, spray him before he can see too much of you and then flee. I turn, but he suddenly blocks my right arm and I have to get his other arm pinned to the wall with my free hand before he can do or think anything else.
As I take a better look at him, I cannot help but smirk.
He's petite, shorter than me, with a frail body frame, dark hair and some faint hint of a moustache and beard. I could crush him. He doesn't even look like a cop. I can bet he's just a newbie here.
And still, his dark eyes look fierce as if piercing through the mask hiding half of my face, and when they meet mine I'm frozen for a second.
Very, very interesting eyes, I have to say. Black ones gleaming in boldness rather than fear or pride. Kind of droopy eyes of rare beauty, embellished by a mole right under the left eye and a tempting twin one not far from his mouth.
Soft and rough lips, also.
I'm on them before I can think straight.
My tongue is forcing its way into his mouth and he gasps and moans wildly rather than pushing me away, his hands gripping around the elbow on the fabric of my black leather suit.
He's kissing me back, challenging me with the twirls of his curious tongue, and I'm kissing him even deeper and harder. An uncontrollable make out that seems to have me space out completely.
He tastes good. Way too good.
>> Done!<< Kazu’s voice echoes in my earphone, and I’m thrown back to planet Earth.
>> Let's go back. <<
Shit.
I pull back from the droopy-eyed guy, kinda out of breath, and stare at him. He looks equally at a loss about what to do with, or expect from, me.
He didn't foresee this, not at all. He could not, nor could I.
'Nishikido', the name tag on his chest says. But then, his warm grip on my elbow does remind me of who I am, and I have to go now.
I take a step back and use the snooze spray to finally knock him down. What a pity, darn. I leave him unconscious on the floor as I run away, still out of breath, the taste of him still lingering on my dry lips. Kame-chan is already waiting for me out of the museum, in the nearest Bikan alley; he winks at me when he shows me the cardboard tube where he safely tucked the oil on canvas painting after carefully rolling it up, and we disappear into the night.
**
The following morning my warm duvet gets pulled off me without any notice. I crack one eye open only because I can sense Kame-chan staring at me, and I am not wrong. He looks very pissed off. I blink once, then twice.
“Good morn-“
"Please explain this to me," he cuts me off, grumbling low, as he literally drags me from the bed to the living room, turns on the television and makes me watch the latest news. Where, apparently, the biggest concern about the incredible theft perpetrated by Phantom Thief Yamaneko yesterday night is not about the loss of the famous Monet masterpiece from the Ohara Museum in Kurashiki, but rather some other very trivial detail, like… the presence of a second thief and the ridiculous mask the guy was wearing in order to hide his identity.
Shit.
The ruckus of this is so completely wrong.
“I… I have to say I don’t get this,” I tentatively question my friend, furrowing. “You did leave the message telling them the painting we took was a fake, didn’t you?”
“I did, of course.”
“Then why are they ignoring the ominous scandal in order to talk about the stupid mask you gave me?”
“Maybe because so far no one knew that Thief Yamaneko had an accomplice, let alone a silly one?” Kame-chan replies, frowning even more.
“Hey, wait, wait. I’m definitely not the attention-whore here, Kame-chan, and I haven’t got the slightest intention of stealing the spotlight from you, not even when-“
“Not even when there’s a hot guy who does seem to know so maaaaaaaaaany details about my little Kobo-chan accomplice, mmmh?” Kame-chan teases me, narrowing his eyes and beckoning for me to resume watching the news on television. That's when I see the press taking endless photos of the droopy-eyed guy amidst a creek of cops questioning him, notably Inspector Murakami and his right-hand man Detective Yokoyama of the Okayama Prefecture.
>> It has also become a personal matter now, so it’s my duty to collaborate the best I can, >> I hear Nishikido say to several microphones, a slight furrow marking his eyebrows.
"He's the one leaking information about you, apparently," Kame-chan tells me, intercepting my gaze.
"It's the security guard guy I told you about," I tell him nonchalantly. "He was about to break into the room while you were retrieving the painting. You told me to distract him, and that's what I did."
"Kobo-chan, ne? Now they definitely know I'm not acting alone," Kame-chan sighs, shaking his head.
"No way I could have ever put on the Hyottoko mask you had given me as the other option!" I cry out, hinting to the backpack where the plastic mask of the character of Kobo-chan from the animated Sazae-san series is hidden since the events of yesterday night. "At least Kobo-chan is a human being," I frown, “The cat ears of your knitted hats and cat mask aren't even so!"
Kame-chan offers me an evil grin, and then walks closer to face me. He's scary, but at least I'm taller.
"Do I have to remind you how it all started, Tatsu? How you basically whined you wanted to be of help too, and then I told you my little secret and let you in on it completely?"
"N-no," I utter.
"Good," he says, patting me on one shoulder. "Because, you know... the truth is I'm incredibly proud of you, babe!" he adds, patting me even stronger and winking at me with an open smile.
"Eh?" I blink at least twice, unable to grasp what's going on here.
"I was joking," he explains, winking again and offering me his trademark meowing cat pose with his fists. "I'm not mad. I'm very impressed, actually. Not only did you deal with the situation nicely, but you even managed -however unpredictably- to bring this fake Water Lilies case to the spotlight in a way we could only dream of! This is great, Tatsu, and maybe this time we'll get to uncover the truth about the real painting missing from the Ohara Museum for who-knows-how-long, after working on its traces for so long!"
“Mmh… you’re right.” It’s been ten years already since I made friends with Kame-chan, but sometimes he’s still able to fool me completely.
“I’d better pay a visit to the Ohara soon, though, to take a closer look at this guy,” he tells me.
“Eh? Why on Earth?”
“Apparently he’s been promoted and will be transferred to the Police headquarters in Okayama in a week. Our dear Murakami and Yokoyama duo, they both want him with them to chase us better, since so far he’s the only one who had a one-on-one encounter with the daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaangerous Yamaneko clan, and even if it’s dangerous, we have to keep an eye on-“
"I... might have kissed him," I blurt out, out of the blue.
Kame-chan stops his delirious chatter and looks at me.
“Excuse me?”
It’s frankly ridiculous, but I feel my cheeks burn a little while I bite my lower lip, a bit uncomfortably.
“I kissed him, yesterday night,” I slowly repeat, meeting my friend’s eyes. “There’s no point hiding that from you and there’s no background story for it anyway. It just happened in the middle of some little brawl before I had him unconscious. I would have told you anyway.”
During the long minute that follows, Kame-chan keeps staring at me with some undecipherable expression.
“I’m glad you’re not blind, Tatsu, for this Nishikido guy is indeed a pretty hot one,” he quietly replies then. “Don’t fall in love with him, though. He’s playing on the enemy’s side out there.”
“No need to remind me,” I snort.
Kame-chan leaves my place with another wink, and I slump onto the couch as the television is still focusing on the Water Lilies case and the brave security guard guy.
Does this mean I’ll have to see him again? I don’t know how to feel, even less what to think.
**
I like beautiful things. I always have.
I am a lucky guy, for even though I'm an average one, I can do modeling for a living, and I enjoy a lot of beauty in my daily life indeed, from art to jewels, not to mention gorgeous people.
I'm not as famous as my fellow colleague Kazuya Kamenashi is, but I'm pretty much okay with that. It was my dear friend Maru-chan, who works as a photographer in the entertainment industry just like us, who introduced Kame-chan to me during a photoshoot we had together, about ten years ago.
When on stage, Kame-chan is a real diva; he says I'm the same, but I'm definitely not... I'd say I'm still learning from him, instead.
We've been roommates for a long time, too. He's recently moved out to live with his boyfriend Yamapi. In the living room of their apartment there's now a beautiful frame hanging and displaying the fake Water Lilies canvas. No one would ever guess it's the same painting that had been stolen yesterday night, not even Yamapi, should he not be in on the secret as well. That guy is some kind of saint, honestly.
It was right after a gossip conversation with Maru-chan that Kame-chan felt like entrusting me with his secret.
I'm far from thinking the entertainment world is all happy frills, and when Maru-chan told me the sad story about the veteran Shibutani Taeko, I reacted quite badly. I wished I could do something for her, for she's one of my favourite actresses since I was a child, but I could not be of help. That's probably the reason why I fell into the trap, when Kame-chan asked me to join him and get back the pearl choker the old woman thought she had lost. At least until it publicly appeared on the neck of the young mistress of the man her daughter had just divorced. Long story short, Kame-chan happened to overhear both the conversation between me and Maru-chan and my open outburst after that; that very same night, in the little apartment we shared, he told me pretty much everything about the legend behind the Phantom Thief Yamaneko, and I've been his sort of ally ever since.
It’s theft and it’s not, at the same time; it’s a matter of doing the right thing even when justice itself cannot, according to me. Throughout our work, we both happen to come across various diplomatic incidents or unpleasant situations like Shibutani-san’s ones. We merely try to fix them, the best we can.
My mobile rings, distracting me from my thoughts.
“Moshi-moshi?”
"Nice ass, he's got. Maybe a little too thin for my own taste, but it’s not my taste we’re talking about, since I’m already happily taken. And I'm definitely not surprised you've got such good taste in men after all, Tatsu," Kame-chan’s voice tells me like an avalanche, “and Pi agrees and says that among the jewels kept within the Ohara Museum, he’s a relevant one himself.”
“I guess you’re in Kurashiki for a romantic trip, then,” I reply, ignoring his sarcasm together with the subtle mentions of a certain guy.
“Pi is a charming guy who loves art, it would be a waste not to bring him along. And Kurashiki is a very romantic place indeed. You should try it yourself. If you get what I mean~.”
“I told you it’s not like that,” I bark in reply, before hanging up the call, upset even though I should not be.
What I hate the most, though, is that Kame-chan’s probably so damn right.
I need some fresh air. Or maybe it's really just an excuse to see that guy again.
I take my time in Kurashiki; the Bikan district is a mere ten minute walk from the train station and looks equally lovely in the daylight. It's a warm day despite the chilly season, and the river stretches beautifully along the area, packed with tourists, families and couples in love strolling around or having lunch together. When I cross the little stone bridge facing the Ohara Museum, I immediately spot something equally stunning: it's him, the Nishikido guy, with the very same dark yellow security guard uniform I saw a few days ago.
I was already wondering what he's doing outside the building, when I realize I already have the reply before my eyes: there's a flock of children surrounding him, and they're all staring at the guy teaching them how to properly feed a couple of swans apparently nestled in the bend of the river, below the weeping willow, at a distance of merely three meters from where I am.
I cannot help but stare at such a bucolic scene, so different from the last harsh image I remembered about him on television. Nishikido's smile is tender, filled with glee and astoundingly amazing. It makes him look a bit naive and maybe slightly younger, but definitely even more attractive.
It might be the most beautiful thing I have ever seen on Planet Earth so far, way better than jewels, paintings and precious items whatsoever. I am sorry, Claude Monet-san.
He looks up and notices me and I shiver, before I can have the presence of mind to tear my gaze away and resume my stroll along the river.
I'm wearing sunglasses and a large, trendy hat today. I even had my hair dyed shiny purple for work yesterday. No way he could have ever recognized me. But still, I feel as if he could have seen right through me.
**
( chapter 2)
Notes:
Re-posting from Ao3 in 4 parts because of LJ limitations.
First time for me to write about Kame/Yamaneko (& Yamapi) so I hope both Kame, his personality and his relationship with Ohkura will not sound too OOC.
All the references about Kurashiki, the Ohara museum and the Water Lilies painting are real.
I hope you enjoy!