Gift fic for: yukimahou [1/2]
To: yukimahou
From: santa_johnny
Title: The Three Dates in Between
Pairing/Group: Ueda/Kame (KAT-TUN)
Rating: R
Warnings: Strong Dom/sub themes, BDSM, prostitution, Sadist/masochist themes, dark, pain kink, power play, psychological play, Jin bashing (not too much I suppose?) and some fluff to balance all the dark.
Notes: There is no explicit smut, but there will be heavy Dom/sub themes and minor BDSM play. The ending may be rather rushed, but I found it difficult to end the fic realistically, so let’s just roll with it. I found listening to 1582 while reading is quite suitable for some reason. Why? Don’t ask me. (P.S.: I have nothing against Jin okay? I need an antagonist, so I just picked a name out of the hat). Beta-ed by memento_mori66.
Summary: It's like his life in programmed to repeat in an endless, tiresome loop. Sometimes the tight blankets of camera flashes and smothering fans make him want to rip off his skin and just become someone else, someone that no one recognises. Then along came that sinful, but oh so sweet illicit addiction that seemed to snap that repeated loop, twisting path laid out as clear as day for Kame into millions of roads that seemed too dangerous to walk down, but all just to enticing to refuse.
"Good job today! That was excellent."
Yeah. It was a ‘good job’ everyday.
He casts a modest smile which has effortlessly managed to trick the entire world into believing that Kamenashi Kazuya is the epitome of excellence, with a extraordinarily clean slate, free from the degrading marks of scandals and snarkish rumours which are catalysts that eventually trigger the bomb that can easily end any idol's career.
No. He has worked too hard, and for too long to get to where he is, and he is not planning on throwing it all out the window.
The harsh lighting of the film set hurts his eyes, and Kame wonders if the director plans on getting dimmer ones. Ones that won’t cast rays of blinding light onto his being, making him feel as though all his dirty little secrets are laid out for the world to see. The shadows were comfortable, but being an idol deprives you on the comfort of being invisible.
"Great job today, Kame!"
Only one person on the entire set will sound this sincere and genuinely cheerful - everyone else are basically going through the motions, putting up the show that people wanted to see.
"Thanks."
Junno is always encouraging, a little too smiley maybe, but a good person.
"About the follow up filming, and that promotional video, can they be postponed?” Asks Kame wiping his brow.
Kame isn't surprised when Junnosuke frowns almost immediately, his unusually thick brows slanting downwards, and his gaze hardens.
"No, they certainly cannot be postponed. I don't know what's up with you lately, and frankly I don't want to know, but you are getting stiffer and stiffer by the day. That’s not exactly what an idol should look like. What happened to your enthusiasm? You were so excited to get this part."
Kame isn't sure either, but he doubts that Junno will be able to understand. It has nothing to do with the filming that was for sure - Kame makes sure he is the part whenever the cameras are rolling, and on better days, he even enjoys it.
It is the insistent repetitive motions that grate on his nerves. It is hard to explain how fucking trapped he feels to someone like Junno, who although is a good listener, is all in all too airy to fully grasp serious situations even if one hit him directly in the face.
"How's Jin?" Junno decides to break the sudden silence that settles in, thick and suffocating.
Ah yes, Jin. Kame nearly forgot. It is getting easier and easier to forget Jin, even though hi boyfriend is the clingy type, and Kame sometimes has to leave his cell phone outside the room since it keeps vibrating every ten minutes.
It has been about what? Two years? Three? The initial thrill and anticipation is wearing off, and Kame wonders if that is supposed to happen. I mean, if you really love someone, does that love dull over time? Or maybe it is the sex? There is hardly any foreplay anymore, and sometimes, he feels that Jin's annoying moans are too high pitched for his tastes. Nowadays, Kame just lies there and let’s Jin have his way. He’s always tired and really can’t be bothered.
"He's fine. In America for a few weeks for a tour, but he emails every other hour."
Junno laughs - Junno always laughs - and Kame wonders when was the last time he had seen Junno frown.
"He must really miss you. Don't know why though. You aren't a very good boyfriend."
There is a slight edge to Junno's tone that Kame doesn't like, even though the goofy smile is plastered on his face. But he can't blame Junno for so kindly pointing out the obvious.
Oh Kame knows. He knows very well how much of a sucky boyfriend he is, but what the heck? If Jin doesn’t like it, he could just fu- Kame stops his incoming thought just in time. Maybe that is a little too harsh. After all, it isn’t exactly Jin's fault that Kame just isn't… interested anymore.
His duffel bag is crammed with spare towels, spare make up (which Junno insisted he carried along with him) a change of clothes, and his cellphone. The sleek black contraption lies innocently among the soft fabrics and folded cotton, but the blank screen seems to glare up menacingly at Kame, and he knows, knows the barrage of missed calls, countless unread texts of cliched 'I love you's and 'i missed you's that has somehow become less and less appreciated is just lurking behind the darkened screen.
"Kamenashi-san? The director would like to see you."
Fuck. He had wanted to get out of the studio before something like this happened. Biting down the curse that nearly escapes his lips, Kame turns to look at the assistant with his signature smile intact.
"Eriko-san, was it?" He begins, tone smooth, "If it's about the filming schedule, tell him that I can't afford to have more changes made to the times. It's frankly, impossible for me. I do have other commitments."
The assistant who had not heard anything after Kame said her name nods dreamily and flounces off in the direction of the door. Junno shakes his head, and Kame merely shoulders his bag with a grim expression.
"I'm gone before she gets back"
Before Junno can protest, Kame is out the door and half running towards the elevator.
///
It's raining, and Kame is caught in a ridiculously long line in front of the main traffic lights. The wipers make that annoying squeaky sound as they move up and down, up and down, up and down…. Kame finds his eyes following the motions, and it's a bother, because they move too fast, and Kame has to follow them, up and down, up and down-
Alright, now he’s just being plain crazy. Tearing his eyes from the wipers, Kame finds his sleek iPhone lying on the passenger seat. Why the hell is it not in his bag? Ah yes, Junno had texted him earlier to tell him that the director was super pissed, and that if Kame wasn't such a goddamned good actor, he'd have him fired on the spot. Unfortunately for him, Kame was just too precious to lose. Along with a barrage of emojis - Junno particularly like the peace sign - were the time and dates of the follow up shooting, interview and a photoshoot.
Just as he turns his head away from the contraption, a familiar ringtone nearly makes him step on the accelerator and Kame curses loudly before turning his head back to look at the screen. He doesn’t really need to see the caller ID to know who the person on the other end of the line is. He purposely set a different ringtone for Jin, and while strangers might say that the gesture is romantic in the sense, if only people can see the truth behind this 'sweet gesture'.
He waits for the ringing to stop. Finally it does, and he releases a breath he doesn't remember holding, only to have the fucking ringtone to start up once again after an interval of two minutes. Kame wonders if he should just turn on silent mode and ignore it, or maybe he can just turn off his cellphone as usual.
He eventually does neither.
"Hello?" He holds the phone a little way away from his ear, as though afraid that Jin might just explode into the speaker.
"Kazu? Jesus, why didn't you fucking pick up? I though something happened to you." As usual, Jin doesn't yell, and Kame often wonders why.
"I was busy." A short answer, like always.
"Did you get my texts?"
"Yeah."
"You didn't reply."
Kame licks his lips.
"I was busy,” he repeats.
"You always say that."
"It's true."
It is only a half-truth, but Kame isn’t really in the mood now. He just wants to hang up and perhaps chuck his phone out the window so Jin can’t call again.
"How was filming?"
"Usual. The schedule's altered again, so I'd be really busy for the rest of the week, okay?"
"So you're basically telling me that you can't answer my calls for the rest of the week."
It's a statement, and one that is spot on, but Kame isn’t going to admit it.
"I never said that."
"But isn't that what you do?"
"Are you suggesting something?"
There was silence of the other end of the line, and Kame bites his tongue for saying it. But then, Jin replies in his usual, unaffected voice.
"No. I guess I just miss you that's all. You weren't really acting like yourself before I left, and you sure aren't sounding like yourself now either."
"Like I said, I'm tired. I'm not being like this on purpose."
Lies.
Utter lies, and Kame knows it.
Jin laughs lightly.
"I understand. Well, I hope you lighten up your cranky mood soon. Before I get back, at least."
"Yeah, sure."
"Okay. Well, bye."
"Yeah, bye."
Kame tosses his phone to a side and lets his head fall back into the seat, the scream that threatens to escape successfully stifled.
The phone rings again, and Kame really thinks he should just turn the damn thing off, but it's not Jin, it's Pi. Slightly relieved, he answers.
"What the hell do you want?"
Awkward silence.
"You just spoke to Jin, didn't you?"
"I'm hanging up."
"Alright, alright!"
"So?"
"Where are you right now?"
"At the junction near La Boheme. That French restaurant."
"Sweet, then don't go home. Take the next left and meet me at the 24 hour cafe there."
Pi hangs up before Kame could protest, but then again, that is how Pi always is. Not really wanting to go home to see the obvious signs that there is someone else living with him, Kame finds himself taking the next left once the traffic clears.
///
"Where the fuck are you taking me?"
Pi, or Yamapi to Jin, is perhaps the only one other than Junno who knows that Kame and Jin's relationship isn't going too well. And doesn't make it a secret to Kame that he knows. The minute Kame arrives at the designated meeting spot, Pi had hopped into his car, and had given him some shady directions, demanding that Kame follow them without complaining.
"Trust me, it's a good place. I can't believe I never thought of introducing you to it before."
Kame is fond of Pi's sense of humour and daredevil personality, but there are times where he knows that Pi takes things a step too far, and perhaps this is one of them, as alarm bells started going off in Kame's head the minute they take a right turn into a side street down one of the roads in Shinjuku - Kame can't really remember - only to arrive into the Kabukicho district.
"You're bullshitting me aren't you?” Kame hisses, quickly swerving into a darkened area to avoid being the throng of pedestrians, "People can recognise us here! You may not care about your reputation, but I do!”
"Loosen your corset, Kameppi." Pi drawls, patting the angered man on the shoulder, "I haven't finished directing you."
"Ha. Ha. I am not going any further down this place,” Kame snaps humourlessly, and is prepared to make a U-turn back, but Pi grapples at the steering wheel, stopping him.
"C'mon, Kame! I'm not taking you directly into the place! Just go on a little way more, and turn into a side street - that one! There."
Pi points at a darkened street between two high rise buildings, "Trust me Kame. This place will blow your mind."
"No way,” Snorts Kame firmly, "I'm not going to resort to this."
Pi pouts, "Kameeeee~~~ Please~! Even if you don't want to, just go there and have a few drinks! I won't force you to do anything you don't want to, but at least try!"
Kame in all honesty, wants nothing better than to turn around and leave as fast as he can, but he also knows that Pi will not stop harassing him if he backs out. Well, perhaps drinks, and only drinks will be okay.
"Fuck you, Pi,” Kame spits, before giving in and turning sharply into the darkened side road.
"Thank you, dear,” Pi chuckles, thumping Kame on the back, "Just trust me, you won't be disappointed."
Kame does not need to drive long, before the darkened road brightens up as he travels deeper into the bowels of the Kabukicho district, and Kame is slapped harshly in the face by the glare of blood red lights, ensconcing the entire street in a scarlet hue.
///
Kame wonders if he'd just entered the gates to hell. Everything is dipped in the scandalous colour that originated from the large red lanterns hanging like bulbous tumours in front of a large traditional looking building, sandwiched snugly between two large dilapidated shophouses.
This is all wrong, and Kame can feel it. Pi doesn’t really seem too concerned, and is smiling widely.
"Woah, woah, stop here."
"Pi, What the hell is this place?"
Kame's hands are clenched so tightly around the steering wheel in front of him that his knuckles turn a stark white colour, his eyes fixated at the illegal looking business displayed before him. God, if any reporter catches him hanging around this place… Kame shudders. He doesn’t even want to think about the fucking headlines that will be splashed across the news.
'KAMENASHI KAZUYA AND YAMASHITA TOMOHISA SPOTTED IN KABUKICHO BROTHEL!'
Pi is already out of the car and making his way toward the entrance. Kame debates on whether to sit here and wait for Pi. Yeah, perhaps that will be a good idea. Pi can go soil his name all he wants, Kame doesn't want any part in it.
To his immense annoyance, Yamapi is not prepared to let him slide from this, and he soon finds himself half dragged out of the front seat and with Pi's hand clamping tightly on his upper arm, Kame is unable to pull away.
"You can't make me go in there."
Pi rolls his eyes and stubbornly holds onto Kame's arm, "Stop being such a prude. And quit worrying about reporters, they won't show up here, the owner makes sure of that. Besides, it's actually safer in there than it is out here."
Still very reluctant, but his paranoia of crazy stalkerish reporters overpowers Kame's initial disgust for the general surroundings, and finally allows Pi to lead him into the building.
The powerful smell of wine and incense envelopes him as soon as he passes through the heavy wooden doors, the fumes slapping him harshly across the face, and he finds himself in a crowded bar.
It's slightly anticlimactic, but also a relief. Kame blinks at how normal the place looks in comparison to its exterior decor. Soft jazz music plays over large speakers, and Kame nearly chokes at the sight of several familiar faces amongst the sea of people. If his eyeballs are screwed on right, then he is certain that he saw a few of his co-stars from previous dramas sitting and drinking without a care in the world.
Regardless, Kame still feels that something isn't very right about the place. There's a bar, several tables, booths, with waiters and random customers milling about. Everything looks like a normal bar - well, perhaps the furniture and lighting appears to have cost a small fortune - nothing is out of the ordinary.
That is when it hit him.
There are waiters.
Only waiters, no waitresses.
Why aren’t there any females in this joint? Kame glances at Pi, who is talking happily with a smartly dressed man with slightly wavy dark cocoa hair. He's donned a vest like suit and a dress shirt complete with a black tie. Despite his professional appearance, Kame can sense a strange air about the man, and being an actor has taught him to recognise when people are putting up a fake exterior, so it isn’t very difficult to deduce that this man is so obviously putting up a mask.
Pi sounds really pleased as he speaks to the dark haired man, much to Kame's puzzlement.
“Jun-kun, so glad you could join me tonight."
Kame wants to snort at how cheesy Pi sounds, but Jun doesn’t seem to think so. Instead, he smiles politely, and leads both Yamapi and Kame past the crowds and to a small booth in a dark corner of the bar. "It's always a pleasure to serve Yamashita-sama. And I presume that this is Kamenashi-sama? Would you both like a drink?"
Jun is half-bowing, and Kame raises a delicate brow at how over the top polite Jun is. Pi, who basks under this treatment calls for two whiskies, and sends Jun to off fetch someone by the name of Ueda. The latter bows low and left swiftly for the bar, leaving Kame and allowing him to have a breather. Still trying to reorganise his thoughts which is going to take awhile, but first he really has to know what the hell this place is.
"I'm leaving now, if you don't tell me what he hell's going on,” Kame says, staring at how indecently close a pretty looking boy waiter is pressed to a large beefy customer across the room, "There is something wrong with this bar, and don't tell me there isn't, because everyone is acting too fucking weird here for my tastes."
Pi finally turns to Kame with a grin on his smug face, "Well… Technically, it’s a host club, but this host club is special,” Pi hurriedly adds upon seeing Kame's face darken several shades.
"The place is called Red Lotus and it literally exists for celebs like us to unwind. They have this policy, which is basically no questions asked, and the owner, Nakamura-san is a very good manager. So far, there have been no leaks regarding the idols that frequent here. Hell, I've been a member for like, half a year and nothing happened. Trust me Kame, this place is the best."
"No fuck,” Kame spits, glaring at the sight of the smartly dressed 'waiters' scooting to accompany their customers in drinks or meals. He feels bile rise in his throat upon seeing a young man - who looks no older than seventeen - sitting on the lap of male customer old enough to he his father and kissing him passionately.
"Hey, don't look so sick,” Pi chides, "You do that too."
Kame’s head swivels back so he can glare at Pi's smug face.
"Excuse me," hisses Kame, his face twisting in disgust, "I don't do that to underaged men. Besides, it's only Jin I kiss. Big deal."
"I don't know if you noticed this, but you and Jin are not gonna pull though if you don't try,” Pi hums absently, eyeing a particularly muscular host, "Akanishi tries. I can actually see it, but you don't seem to give a damn. If you don't love him anymore, just break up. It's not good to have your relationship hanging on a thread like this."
Kame rolls his eyes, "You don't really care, do you? You just have nothing better to do."
"Touche."
Jun returns, laden with a crystal bottle of dark honey brown liquid and two shot glasses, “Your drinks," he stands next to Pi with a stick straight figure, his head bowed in respect.
"Jun-chan~ stop being so uptight and get a glass for yourself as well!"
Kame can tell by the sudden flash of something through Jun's eyes that he doesn’t want to spend a minute longer with Pi, but the host merely smiles politely. "Yamashita-sama has booked me for the night after all. But is Yamashita-sama sure about me-"
"Come oonnnnnnn Jun-chan~! You are as bad as Kame! Just relax and have a chat with us! Oh and please, call me Yamapi!"
Jun's face is starting to morph into something akin to panic now, but realising that it will be impossible to reject Pi, he nods stiffly with a smile and slides into the seat next to Pi. Kame pours a shot of whiskey for himself and downs it in one go, almost regurgitating the fiery liquid back out when Pi snakes an arm around Jun's shoulders, pulling him closer.
Kame can see that Jun doesn't appreciate the closeness, but the host smiles seductively, and shamelessly throws a leg over Pi's thighs, his long arms teasing the actor's collar.
"Jesus Christ,” Kame shudders, and downs his second shot, "I can't believe I'm sitting here."
Pi is too occupied with trailing touches down Jun's neck to really note Kame's complaint, but Jun does, "Is Kamenashi-sama uncomfortable with… this?” He asks politely.
Kame waves a hand dismissively and pours himself another glass, "Don't mind me,” his voice is tired and edgy, and Jun seems to note his displeasure at the place, "I'm just here for the drinks."
"Jun-chan~ Look here, not at him!" pouts Pi, which immediately draws the host's attention back to him. Kame groans at the blatant display of obscene touching and lustful looks his friend throws at the other male. Just as Kame is about to just swallow his next shot, not caring about the hangover he is sure will not fail to impair his acting skills the next day, there is the sharp sound of glass breaking that slice cleanly through the general thrum of the chatting customers.
Several heads turn, but most choose to ignore the disturbance. Kame cranes his neck, allowing his eyes to skim across the sea of heads in the direction of the noise.
He sees two hosts - one was tall and lanky, and another shorter with feminine features - trying to haul a man who is struggling violently through a door at the side of the bar. They are gripping the thrashing man by his upper arms, and trying to keep their faces as far away as possible from his lethal fists which are swinging dangerously at them.
Kame watches as the man wrenches himself from the two hosts' grasp, and stumble forward slightly, before whipping around. He is also dressed in a black vest over a white dress shirt, a tie and black slacks, which indicates that he is most probably a host as well.
"Don't fucking touch me." the man spits, and Kame raises a brow. It doesn’t take an idiot to see the contrast between Jun and the other host. Weren’t hosts supposed to be courteous to customers?
Kame notes that the violent host looks different from the others, even to Jun. The very obvious thing will be that the man is practically ripped. Kame isn’t going to deny how he can see the prominent six-pack pressing against tight clothes and those bulging biceps beneath his long sleeves. His vest is hanging open and the top few buttons of his dress shirt undone, looking completely ruffled and messy in an almost endearing manner.
Unlike the rest of the hosts, he appears more masculine rather than feminine, with unruly black hair, sporting a rugged style that stood out defiantly against the sea of soft browns and blondes. The host is glaring daggers at the two other hosts who dragged him out of the room, and he looks downright pissed as his turns to face the throng of customers.
“This isn’t a goddamn roadshow,” the host snaps loudly, looking both dangerous and amazingly hot at the same time, “Get back to your pigging out. The hell are you looking at?”
The taller hosts smacks the violent host upside his head, and Kame watches as the angry host turns to clock the man across the face, but fails.
Now it looks like they are having some sort of argument. Kame watches as the angry host flips the taller one off before brushing past him and disappearing through a threshold that most likely led to the staff area.
Kame scoffs at the man’s lack of manners and turns away, however, he will be lying to himself if he says that the man didn’t interest him. That host exuded an aura that demanded to be noticed. That, coupled with the bad-boy, I-don’t-give-a-rat’s-ass-what-you-think attitude is a perfect combination, standing out starkly against the rest of the submissive-looking hosts.
“Sorry about that,” Jun says, inclining his head lightly, “He can get rather rowdy at times, but usually he’s not on call, so it’s very rare for him to cause such a scene.”
Kame hums thoughtfully while sipping the last dregs of his drink. At this rate, Kame hopes that by morning, he’ll not remember anything that has taken place tonight, courtesy of the mind numbing liquid that is blessed alcohol.
Throwing all caution to hell, Kame finally gives in, “Who was that?” He asks, and cringes internally at the astonished yet triumphant gleam in Yamapi’s features and the man grins slyly at him.
Jun blinks uncertainly before answering, “Oh, you mean that man? He’s one of the new hosts boss hired this year, Ueda-san. Despite what you saw earlier, Kamenashi-sama, Ueda-san is one of the most popular hosts in the club.”
Yamapi looks thunderstruck, “Popular? That brat? Impossible!”
Jun only shakes his head, “Ueda-san may be very violent, but he is very good at what he does. he is one of boss’s favourites. That is why he gets away with acting out with a customer. Although if he goes overboard, we do have him put on suspension, but that never lasts long. Are you… interested, Kamenashi-sama?” Jun asks, carefully.
Kame pauses. Yes, damn straight he’s interested. But on the other hand, this is a host they are talking about. There will be goddamn repercussions, and Kame isn’t sure if he wants to deal with them. However, perhaps there is a way around it.
“You could say that,” Kame says thoughtfully, “How do I… Go about this if want to ask for him?” He asks, ignoring the way Pi does a fist pump into the air in glee.
Jun appears slightly worried and voices it, “Just a forewarning Kamenashi-sama, Ueda isn’t one of our regular hosts. He is one of the First Class hosts.”
Kame quirks a brow in confusion, so Pi very helpfully decides to translate, “He means that this Ueda person is a prostitute, Kame,” Yamapi says bluntly, completely throwing Kame off.
“What?”
Jun nods at Pi’s crass words, “That is one way to put it,” Jun admits quietly.
“That is the only way to put it if it’s true,” Kame says hoarsely.
“There are two kinds of hosts here. Regular and First Class,” Jun explains , “I, like most of the hosts out in the bar area are Regulars. Others, like Ueda-san and Tegoshi-san over there are First Class hosts. They rarely come out here. Normally, customers book them online.”
Jun nods at the direction of a very pretty man dressed smartly in the default vest and dress shirt. He looks the same as any other Regular, but Kame notes that he is more heavily made up, and his hair is styled into a more fancy fashion, making him stand out more.
Kame feels as though he’s being educated on the rules and regulations of this sick world, but this just stirs his curiosity about a world he doesn’t know. He knows he shouldn’t. Heck, ever fibre in his being is screaming at him ‘Are you out of your goddamn mind?’ but really, Kame supposes he wants a taste of something different, something dangerous, risky, despite knowing that he’ll most likely regret it later.
“Tell me about how to go about booking him,” Kame says resolutely. He isn’t going to back out now that he’s already in this mess.
“But before that Kamenashi-sama, Ueda is different from the other hosts. I don’t know how much I have to stress on this matter, but he is a Dom.”
Kame blinks.
“What is that?”
Pi explains.
“He means that Ueda is the dominant one, Kame-chan. Y’know? The ‘top’ in the relationship.”
Oh.
Oh.
Kame frowns. He doesn’t like where this is going.
“Ueda-san is a very violent Dom as well. He’s probably the only First Class host who isn’t a submissive one. He’s different, but he doesn’t get many regular customers because most of them can’t take his sadism. But then again, there are many new customers who are intrigued and want to try him out,” Jun continues, engrossed in his explanation, “He is the only First Class other than Tego-chan who gets the most bookings in a week that I have ever seen, but he never accepts all of them. Boss lets him get away with it because he’s good at what he does. Ueda-san is practically one of the biggest money makers working here.”
Different, strange, odd one out… All these adjectives Jun describes Ueda with just makes Kame more interested in the mysterious man.
“Is there anything else I need to now about him?” He asks
“Yes. Are you into BDSM, Kamenashi-sama? Because that is what Ueda-san specialises in. Actually, he only caters to BDSM, nothing else.”
Kame has to suppress a shudder. Of fear, excitement, or - God forbid - pleasure, he isn’t sure.
Yamapi is grinning wide. He slaps a hand down onto the table, startling Jun, who is still on his lap.
“Whatever, Kame. This guy sounds perfect for you! After all, you’re used to being the one in charge right? You are the dominant one at work, you make all the decisions, and you are the ‘top’ in bed as well. I think you deserve a rest. Since this Ueda person is the Dom, and he’s so obviously a sadist, you’ll be the sub! It’s perfect”
Kame scowls and crosses his arms in irritation, “Yeah, I don’t do BDSM. I’m not a sadist.”
“Ueda-san is a sadist. You will need to be a masochist to want to book him,” Jun says helpfully, but really, Kame is rather pissed now.
“I don’t fucking like pain,” he says firmly, “I just can’t see how-”
But Yamapi interrupts swiftly, waving a dismissive hand, “Well I reckon a little submission will be good for you. Get your mind off Jin any everything.”
Kame narrows his eyes.
“Are you telling me to cheat on Jin?”
Yamapi rolls his eyes and snorts at this comment.
“No. Of course not! Obviously you break up with him first stupid,” Pi says, shaking his head, “It’s really not healthy to keep him hanging like this. Please, you don’t even love the man. Honestly, I don’t think you ever did. It was probably more of an impulsive thing you both jumped into, and it somehow turned into this sappy domestic bullshit that you aren’t really comfortable with.”
Kame doesn’t answer. He really doesn’t want to cheat on Jin. After all, he may not love Jin, but he still respects the man. Cheating is after all, wrong, and Kame will rather dance on the rooftops naked than cheat while in a relationship. He believes that cheating is bad no matter how it is done. It’s not about love, but a mutual understanding.
Cheating is wrong, finish. Full stop. End of story.
Kame doesn’t want a big fuss or any of his or Jin’s names going up on the tabloids. He respects Jin too much to cause such a scandal, and it will be pretty bad for both of their careers anyway if that happened.
“I’m not breaking up with Jin yet, not when he’s all hyped up about his new single. He’s not in the country, and I’m not going to disturb him on his tour. I’ll settle this break up business with him when he gets back. I’d rather do it face to face like a mature human being.”
“But then you can’t sleep with Ueda, Kame. That’s just the way it is,” Yamapi reasons, shaking his head.
“Whoever said I was gonna get into his pants? I don’t do prostitutes, Pi. I don’t plan to sink that low. All I mean is that I am interested in Ueda as a person, more specifically, the way he thinks,” Kame replies, “All I want is to meet up with him for a bit, as… acquaintances. We’ll just talk. No kissing, no sex, no nothing. Just talking.”
Now Pi is severely confused.
“I know you are filthy rich, Kame, but really? Hiring a prostitute to talk? Just what are you?” Yamapi scoffs, looking really bewildered.
“I don’t know,” Kame admits, “But I feel like a serious conversation, one that involves some out of the box thinking and unravelling ideas will be interesting with Ueda. I- I want to see if he can break me. Make me think. Question my morals of what I think is right and wrong. You could call it… creative thinking I suppose. Somebody who can make me do shit I won’t normally do. Ultimately, I want someone who can challenge me.”
There is complete silence for awhile, as both Yamapi and Jun stare at Kame like he’s gone completely bonkers.
“So basically, you want him to manipulate and screw with your mind,” Yamapi says, looking a little worried now, “Kame, I know you said you didn’t like pain, but what you are suggesting of subjecting yourself to is actually considered psychological torture by most people.”
Kame only smiles, “It’s a challenge Pi. Not torture, no. I see this as just some form of entertainment to be honest. After all, Ueda is a sadist right? Then doing this shouldn’t really be any problem, should there?”
Jun is quiet for several seconds as he ponders this.
“It is an unusual request,” he admits, “But I’ll have to ask Ueda-san personally. I don’t think something like this can be asked for online. Alright, I’ll see if Ueda-san will accept you. After all, he doesn’t really do talking. Like I said, he does the fucking and then no strings attached. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you,” Kame says, and as he watches Jun politely slip away to the staff area, Kame barely feels Pi’s worried stare on him from the excitement that curls in his gut.
“Honestly, I don’t know if what you are planning to do to yourself is worse than cheating, but you are one crazy bastard, Kameppi,” Yamapi says, downing another shot of alcohol.
///
Ueda is used to his job.
He doesn’t really care, because it isn’t him taking it up the ass. Frankly speaking, the pay is reasonable, and Ueda isn’t planning on hanging around this shithole once he grows tired of it. Ueda doesn’t like to say he breezes though life without much thought, but in reality Ueda likes to think that he has a better life than some of the hosts out there.
He isn’t going to lie, and not to be narcissistic, but he knows that has both the looks and the charisma to pull his job off without needing to try at all. What he lacks is patience - and that is one particular aspect he isn’t planning on improving on if he can help it - he makes up with hooded eyes, baritone voice, and ability to act like a complete asshole yet have people chalk it all up to him being adorable in his own way. Ueda loathes working for people, but since he is forced to, he may as well get a kick out of it. His bastard of a boss isn’t going to fire him if the greedy pig can help it, so as long as Ueda remains popular enough to rake in the cash, but not popular enough to make the costumers love him, he should be in the safe zone: not desired to the point that his boss chains him down to the club; but not so unpopular as to be fired if he so much as shot his mouth off.
The last thing Ueda needs is for a customer to become his regular. So he maintains this balance of being terribly desired yet disliked at the same time. It’s like walking a wire thin line between success and disaster, but Ueda likes the thrill.
Another perk of being a First Class is definitely the number of high-end customers he gets. The fact that he gets to pick and choose out of the lot is the icing on the top. Ueda has a particular type, and only goes for the pretty ones with a delicate frame and a submissive streak. Everything is easier that way, and Ueda doesn’t try hard at all.
Ueda doesn’t accept unusual requests, or those that go against his ‘type’ (he never accepts anything outside of his online booking in general, despite it being allowed), so when Jun approaches him with a very uneasy look on his face, he knows what is coming, and Ueda has a rejection all ready on the tip of tongue.
But then Jun goes ahead and says that Kamenashi Kazuya wants to request something off menu, and the rejection just dies off his throat like ash, leaving in its wake a dry, raspy sensation.
“What?”
Is the best comeback he has.
Jun repeats his sentence, and this time Ueda is able to process the information. To say that he is surprised in an understatement. Seriously? Kamenashi Kazuya? Oh Ueda knows who the man is. Hell, the whole world knows the rumoured cheerful, kind, considerate, amicable idol whose million dollar smile captured the hearts of trashy fangirls that have nothing better to do than ogle over his face.
Ueda is actually surprised that the man is here of all places. Everybody knows of his relationship with the famous singer-artist-songwriter Akanishi Jin, so just what the hell is he in a gay bar-cum-brothel at all?
“Are you serious? That prim and proper stick-up-the-ass Kamenashi Kazuya wants to book me? Why? He does know that I’m not a Regular, right?” Ueda asks, eyes narrowing at the other host, “Plus, I do the fucking, and trust me, his overinflated ego isn’t going to degrade itself to the point where he allows himself becomes the ‘bottom’ in any sort of relationship.
Jun fidgets slightly under Ueda’s intense gaze.
“I did explain to him, but he’s different. He wants to book you to- to talk. No kissing, no sex, just talking.”
And Ueda’s eyebrows furrow deep at this. Of course. Young Master Kame just wants to talk. He scoffs and looks away, getting ready to leave.
“I don’t do dates,” Ueda snaps, cringing at the word, “Tell him to fu-”
“Um, he says he doesn’t want dates. He just wants to talk. As acquaintances,” Jun hurriedly adds.
Ueda stops mid step and looks at Jun, completely boggled. Is this person crazy? He wants to hire a prostitute to talk? Now this is new.
Ueda isn’t gonna deny that Kame is one hell of a pretty face, but the man is nowhere close to his type. Even so, Ueda can see the spitfire hiding underneath those layers of properness and decorum and uptight manners. Ueda thinks, no, he knows that Kame will be a hell of a good fuck, once he manages to break past those annoying walls of fake, but the man wants to TALK?
“Why does he want to talk to me of all people?” Ueda asks, curious, “There are many other First Classes who go for that kind of vanilla thing. Redirect him to that Tegoshi brat or someone else.”
“That’s just it, Kamenashi-sama doesn’t want vanilla,” Jun sighs.
Now Ueda is just downright confused, but Jun continues on, “He says he wants a challenge, something exciting and different, I think. Kamenashi-sama says he wants someone that makes him question himself and think. He doesn’t want the gentle date, he wants… well, I don’t know exactly, but according to him, in his words, he wants somebody who can make him do things he wouldn’t normally do. Make him question his morals on what is right and wrong. Basically, I think he wants to be broken, but he calls it entertainment or creative thinking.”
Jun shudders at this, but Ueda’s eyes only widen in amusement, and is silent for several moments.
“Is he crazy?” Ueda finally says, a lopsided grin spreading across his face, “Who the hell wants someone to break them? I suppose you mean psychologically, since the prude doesn’t want sex and all. He’s really doesn’t want to cheat on his relationship huh.”
“I suppose so,” Jun mumbles.
Ueda suddenly wants to laugh. Laugh long and hard and just not stop.
“He must be some sick masochist or something, because from what you just told me, this guy is one fucked up sucker,” Ueda says, snorting.
Jun shakes his head, “No, Kamenashi-sama isn’t into BDSM. He said so himself.”
Ueda frowns, “Now that’s not exciting at all,” but he can’t wipe the maniacal grin off his face.
Make me question my morals.
Question his morals, huh? Maybe this will be something new. Interesting.
Jun sighs, “I guess you aren’t interested then? I’ll tell him-”
But Ueda stops him.
“No, no, tell him… I accept.”
Now, it is Jun’s turns to be gobsmacked. Something like this has never happened before it is virtually impossible that it happens now.
“O-okay,” he manages weakly, “I’ll tell him then.”
“Yeah. And remember to tell him that even if we don’t do it, I’ll still want my full pay. No discounts.”
Jun hurries off looking both bewildered and amazed, as thought what just happened should never have happened at all.
Ueda smirks as he lounges at the threshold between the private rooms and the main bar. He sees Jun return to his annoying regular, Yama -something, and Kame turns that pretty head to look at Jun. Ueda can’t hear them, but he can see Jun’s lips moving and then those dark, eyes widen a fraction, and Ueda feels a shudder pass through him. He watches as Kame’s pale pink lips part in surprise, and he relishes at the though that he is the one to put the out-of-character expression there.
Kame’s gaze then passes over Jun and locks with his, and Ueda likes how Kame’s eyes narrow dangerously as he smirks.
Ueda loves the defiance in those eyes,
Mind games huh? Well, Ueda is more than happy to indulge.
He’ll show Kame what real mind games are, and he just hopes the idol can come out in one piece on the other side once he is through with him.
///
First Meeting
November 12th 2014
0900 hours
///
Kame doesn’t immediately contact Ueda after the man agreed to meet with him. Jun had given him Ueda’s personal contact, and Kame decided to bide his time.
It is two whole days after visiting Red Lotus does Kame finally text Ueda. His message is short and not at all sweet. Kame rationalises that if Ueda dislikes the way he contacts him and calls the whole thing off, then the man doesn’t deserve to meet up with him.
To his utmost surprise, Ueda replies almost immediately, agreeing to meet up at a private bistro for lunch. Kame doesn’t know what he expects from Ueda, but he plans to arrive early just to show the man just where his place is. Kame isn’t a pushover, and he isn’t going to let Ueda walk all over him, despite how notorious the man may be.
Kame arrives at the bistro five minutes early. He refuses to admit, but it has more to do with trying to intimidate Ueda. Kame is sure the other man isn’t going down without a fight.
Kame is dressed casual, and he has a pair of dark glasses on. He expects the waitress to lead him to the empty private booth, and he’ll sit back and pretend like he’s been waiting ages. After all, intimidation is the key to winning this battle.
But when Kame opens the door, he almost has a heart attack.
“Oh, you’re early,” drawls a lazy voice, and Kame blinks twice at the sight of Ueda slouching on the long seats with his feet propped up on the table.
Kame has to admit that the leather jacket, tight against Ueda’s muscles, ripped jeans, and combat boots make the man look ridiculously delicious. So much so that Kame stands there stock still for a whole minute just staring.
“Well? Aren’t you going to come in? I really don’t care who you are, but all customers get about an hour of my time. So I suggest you’d better hurry up.”
Ueda says this lazily, as though the mere situation is boring him to tears.
Kame, furious that this asshole managed to get the better of him, finally snaps out of his stupor and stalks into the room, trying to gather together whatever pieces of shattered pride he has left.
“I’m amazed at how enthusiastic you are, Ueda-san. I never expected you to be the first to arrive.”
Ueda quirks a brow, eyes dark and smouldering that Kame has to suppress the urge to look away.
“I make it a rule to be all set and… prepared for my clients,” Ueda says, baritone voice smooth like warm honey, “Did you think you could somehow intimidate me with your petty showmanship?”
He can see me through and through.
But Kame isn’t ready to back down. This is merely a small blip in his plan. Ueda isn’t anywhere close to getting him to lose his cool just yet.
“I would never.”
Kame smiles his usual prat iced smile that makes Ueda sneer. He is expecting something interesting today, and he hopes that Ueda doesn’t disappoint. Kame seats himself in front of Ueda, still smiling and picks up a tall menu to scan the courses. Truthfully, Kame isn’t hungry, but he’ll see how long he can toy with Ueda’s patience.
“Have you ordered yet, Ueda-san? I highly recommend-”
“Stop stalling, Kame,” Ueda interrupts. He sounds neither impatient or annoyed. Kame can feel a vein twitch in his forehead, and he is surprised at how fast Ueda manages to get onto his nerves.
Pulling away the menu from his face, he nearly springs back in shock, because Ueda is right in his face. The man is leaning forward on the table, tan cheek resting on a palm as he watches Kame with the most apathetic expression he has ever seen.
The man neither looks impatient or annoyed, which strikes Kame as odd, because this person showed a very violent (yet hot) side of him back at the bar, not that ueda isn’t hot now, because Kame has to angrily fight back a blush that threatens to overtake his face.
He swallows, and laughs lightly.
“What do you mean, Ueda-san? I’m just being polite. It’s common curtesy to do this when you are treating a guest.”
“I am not a guest, you fool. You’re paying me here, so why don’t you just get to the point of all this?”
Ueda waves his hand lazily around.
“All this fake and acts? Just drop it, Kame. You aren’t paying me to waste time on deciding whether to get the fucking chicken or beef are you?”
Kame’s fingers tighten on his menu, and he takes a silent breath before setting the menu down.
“Fine then. To begin this, I have a question.”
Ueda shrugs, and Kame takes it as a go ahead.
“Why is your behaviour so different now than it was back at the bar that day?”
Ueda’s eyes widen a fraction.
“Oh, you’re interested in that? Whatever the hell is up with your head? Actually, don’t answer that. You are a seriously crazy fucker to want to pay to get broken, prepare this unnecessary setting, and now you want to play twenty questions?”
Kame grinds his teeth together.
“Answer the question, Ueda-san. I’m not going to let you in unless I’m certain of what I am paying for here. So fucking answer me.”
Just as Kame finishes his comeback, the man claps a hand over his mouth in shock, which is shown plainly on his face. Never in his life had he ever, ever cursed at a stranger, no matter how angry he got. The man. How could he let him so stealthily irritate him to this point?
When Kame looks at Ueda, the man is smiling smugly.
“There we go. Don’t you feel so much better now you got that out?”
Kame grits his teeth but doesn’t answer. He doesn’t trust himself not to scream profanities to the high heavens if he did.
Ueda chuckles, his voice deep and enticing in a way Kame has never heard before.
“If you really must know, I socked a client in the face. The filthy bastard was getting a little too touchy-feely,” Ueda laughs, his expression quickly turning maniacal and mocking, “I mean, the douchebag actually thought I would suck him off! Like I’d put my mouth anywhere near that fugly old pervert. What a delusional fuck! Can you believe it? Hah!”
Kame wanders if he should be worried, but he is to preoccupied with the way Ueda’s Adam’s apple bobs as he laughs, melodious and rich.
“The jerkwad should be glad I didn’t eviscerate him. Anyway,” Ueda turns his attention back to Kame.
“So, tell me something about the oh-so-great Kamenashi Kazuya? I do need to know something about you to screw with your mind right?”
Kame blinks, and hurries to reorient himself, but blushes horribly, and he is sure Ueda knows just how uncomfortable this is, and the bastard is enjoying it.
“Well,” Kame says, clearing his throat, “If you’re so good, why don’t you tell me. You already know I am an idol, so tell me something about myself I don’t know.”
Kame watches as Ueda blinks carefully, and he thinks that he’s won, but then Ueda laughs, long, hard, and cruel.
Kame can feel his face flushing with anger and embarrassment. Just what the hell did he say?
“The hell do you think you are? You think you’re that hard to figure out? Hell, if this is all you wanted, you could have gotten any cheap whore to do it. Heck, anybody could do it. Don’t flatter yourself Kame. You aren’t that great. You aren’t fucking God, so don’t think you can act all mysterious and play hard-to-get and think that everybody will fall over their feet to try to ‘figure you out’. The world doesn’t revolve around you, so don’t act like it. Most people have better things to do that waste their time on this bullshit.”
Kame would have liked to say that Ueda is very perceptive. But that way Ueda had said those words- Kame is struggling to keep smiling sweetly, but suddenly he feels so insignificant, useless, worthless even. No one had ever said anything as cruel as Ueda had so straightforwardly and so unflinchingly to his face before. He knows that there are people that slander him behind his back, but this? It’s a completely different thing to have the parts of himself he feels so insecure about laid before him in black and white like this.
“But since you’re paying me to indulge you, why the hell not?” Ueda says, scoffing, “So let me break this down so Boy Wonder here understands. First thing is first: you and that God-awful, picture perfect smile. It’s fucking convincible, but too painfully convincible. Everything about you, all this politeness and manners and shit? It’s a load of fake.”
Kame is breathing harshly, but for some reason, his previous fear, anxiety, and horror is slowly dissolving is something more fearful - excitement. Adrenalin pumping through his veins, Kame tries to salvage what little pride he has left.
“Is- Is that so?” He says, voice hoarse with a slight tremble in his words. It’s fine. It’s fine. After all, Junno can see through him as well. It’s okay-
Ueda grins unkindly at Kame, clearly enjoying the situation. The idol is almost in the middle of his palm. A little push will send the man to breaking point.
“Yeah, that is so. Don’t try to turn the tables on me, Ka-zu-ya, I’ve been playing in this field longer than you have.”
The way Ueda drawls out his first name send tingles up his spine, and this is just so fucking humiliating, but what really hits home is the fact that Kame realises that he is aroused by it.
Almost panting heavily now, Kame grips his knees hard.
“You are very rude, Ueda-san,” he whispers, voice tight and strained.
“There, right there. You don’t really wanna call me Ueda-san do you? You are just being too overly polite. You think that you can fool the world but really dumbass, the world isn’t that stupid. People don’t say it, but they can see underneath all your pretences. Why you even bother to keep them up I don’t know.”
Stop it.
“You fake your way through life, but really, all you are doing is lying to yourself.”
“That’s not true,” Kame says, tightly, his fingers gripping his skin tighter and his default smile faltering.
“Oya, oya, did I hit a nerve?” Ueda says cruelly, “Good. Now, let’s move on to point number two: Akanishi Jin.”
Kame freezes. He hadn’t been expecting this.
Why is Ueda so well informed of his life? But then again, he and Jin never kept their relationship a secret. Now this asshole is going to use it to break him down even more.
Kame’s toes curl at the thought.
“Okay then. Let’s start with the fucking obvious fact that your relationship is going limp faster than the penis of a ninety-year-old man short on Viagra. Does your bae even know that you are out with a whore?”
So Ueda can see through Kame fake attempts to show how he and Jin are still happy together on television. Figures.
“We aren’t having sex. We are just acquaintances. So it’s fine,” Kame reasons weakly, but Ueda gobbles up that weakness faster than a shark does its prey.
“In other words, he doesn’t know. Wow. You really are the lowest, aren’t you?”
“I’m not cheating!” Kame shouts, leaving a ringing silence in his wake and a very smug Ueda with an expression that screams “yippie-kai-yay motherfucker’.
“But I can see why though,” Ueda continues, clearly enjoying himself, “Akanishi Jin, the famous singer huh? The main reason your relationship is getting burned to the ground is, in my opinion, the fact that you are in a very domesticated one. A normal home, normal life, normal routine, sappy boyfriend, and most likely vanilla sex to top it all off,” Ueda shudders, “It’s very repetitive and very… safe.”
Kame swallows.
This man is more than good; he’s brilliant.
In such a short amount of time, Ueda has managed to reduce him to this sweating mess, and Kame can feel every single nerve in his body short-circuiting, leaving him jumpy and hypersensitive all at the same time.
Ueda suddenly leans in close, and Kame just stares, too utterly spent to really move. Not only is he mentally exhausted, but strangely, physically as well.
Ueda drags a well-manicured finger across Kame’s jawbone, and leans forward even more until his head is right beside Kame’s ear, hot breath puffing into the shell.
Oh God.
Ueda snickers.
“Oh? You’re hard.”
And Kame feels a rough hand grab the bulge on the front of his jeans, making the man yelp in pain and sudden pleasure. Kame immediately scrambles away into a wall, tipping his chair over, his eyes wide and wary, like a trapped animal.
Ueda only laughs as he gets up from his seat, but this time it doesn’t sound cruel at all, but more of amusement.
“Well, times up, M’Lord,” Ueda says sweetly, “I have to get going for my next appointment, but I like you. You interest me, so, I’ll give you a reward, hmm?”
Kame swallows.
“You have my personal number. Feel free to text me to vent or whatever if you like, whenever. It’s a privilege, Kame, so make sure you appreciate it. I don’t do this for just anyone.”
Ueda grins seductively.
“I look forward to the next date, Ka-zu-ya.”
And with that, Ueda disappears out the door, leaving Kame really, really pissed and horny all at once.
Parts: 1 2
From: santa_johnny
Title: The Three Dates in Between
Pairing/Group: Ueda/Kame (KAT-TUN)
Rating: R
Warnings: Strong Dom/sub themes, BDSM, prostitution, Sadist/masochist themes, dark, pain kink, power play, psychological play, Jin bashing (not too much I suppose?) and some fluff to balance all the dark.
Notes: There is no explicit smut, but there will be heavy Dom/sub themes and minor BDSM play. The ending may be rather rushed, but I found it difficult to end the fic realistically, so let’s just roll with it. I found listening to 1582 while reading is quite suitable for some reason. Why? Don’t ask me. (P.S.: I have nothing against Jin okay? I need an antagonist, so I just picked a name out of the hat). Beta-ed by memento_mori66.
Summary: It's like his life in programmed to repeat in an endless, tiresome loop. Sometimes the tight blankets of camera flashes and smothering fans make him want to rip off his skin and just become someone else, someone that no one recognises. Then along came that sinful, but oh so sweet illicit addiction that seemed to snap that repeated loop, twisting path laid out as clear as day for Kame into millions of roads that seemed too dangerous to walk down, but all just to enticing to refuse.
"Good job today! That was excellent."
Yeah. It was a ‘good job’ everyday.
He casts a modest smile which has effortlessly managed to trick the entire world into believing that Kamenashi Kazuya is the epitome of excellence, with a extraordinarily clean slate, free from the degrading marks of scandals and snarkish rumours which are catalysts that eventually trigger the bomb that can easily end any idol's career.
No. He has worked too hard, and for too long to get to where he is, and he is not planning on throwing it all out the window.
The harsh lighting of the film set hurts his eyes, and Kame wonders if the director plans on getting dimmer ones. Ones that won’t cast rays of blinding light onto his being, making him feel as though all his dirty little secrets are laid out for the world to see. The shadows were comfortable, but being an idol deprives you on the comfort of being invisible.
"Great job today, Kame!"
Only one person on the entire set will sound this sincere and genuinely cheerful - everyone else are basically going through the motions, putting up the show that people wanted to see.
"Thanks."
Junno is always encouraging, a little too smiley maybe, but a good person.
"About the follow up filming, and that promotional video, can they be postponed?” Asks Kame wiping his brow.
Kame isn't surprised when Junnosuke frowns almost immediately, his unusually thick brows slanting downwards, and his gaze hardens.
"No, they certainly cannot be postponed. I don't know what's up with you lately, and frankly I don't want to know, but you are getting stiffer and stiffer by the day. That’s not exactly what an idol should look like. What happened to your enthusiasm? You were so excited to get this part."
Kame isn't sure either, but he doubts that Junno will be able to understand. It has nothing to do with the filming that was for sure - Kame makes sure he is the part whenever the cameras are rolling, and on better days, he even enjoys it.
It is the insistent repetitive motions that grate on his nerves. It is hard to explain how fucking trapped he feels to someone like Junno, who although is a good listener, is all in all too airy to fully grasp serious situations even if one hit him directly in the face.
"How's Jin?" Junno decides to break the sudden silence that settles in, thick and suffocating.
Ah yes, Jin. Kame nearly forgot. It is getting easier and easier to forget Jin, even though hi boyfriend is the clingy type, and Kame sometimes has to leave his cell phone outside the room since it keeps vibrating every ten minutes.
It has been about what? Two years? Three? The initial thrill and anticipation is wearing off, and Kame wonders if that is supposed to happen. I mean, if you really love someone, does that love dull over time? Or maybe it is the sex? There is hardly any foreplay anymore, and sometimes, he feels that Jin's annoying moans are too high pitched for his tastes. Nowadays, Kame just lies there and let’s Jin have his way. He’s always tired and really can’t be bothered.
"He's fine. In America for a few weeks for a tour, but he emails every other hour."
Junno laughs - Junno always laughs - and Kame wonders when was the last time he had seen Junno frown.
"He must really miss you. Don't know why though. You aren't a very good boyfriend."
There is a slight edge to Junno's tone that Kame doesn't like, even though the goofy smile is plastered on his face. But he can't blame Junno for so kindly pointing out the obvious.
Oh Kame knows. He knows very well how much of a sucky boyfriend he is, but what the heck? If Jin doesn’t like it, he could just fu- Kame stops his incoming thought just in time. Maybe that is a little too harsh. After all, it isn’t exactly Jin's fault that Kame just isn't… interested anymore.
His duffel bag is crammed with spare towels, spare make up (which Junno insisted he carried along with him) a change of clothes, and his cellphone. The sleek black contraption lies innocently among the soft fabrics and folded cotton, but the blank screen seems to glare up menacingly at Kame, and he knows, knows the barrage of missed calls, countless unread texts of cliched 'I love you's and 'i missed you's that has somehow become less and less appreciated is just lurking behind the darkened screen.
"Kamenashi-san? The director would like to see you."
Fuck. He had wanted to get out of the studio before something like this happened. Biting down the curse that nearly escapes his lips, Kame turns to look at the assistant with his signature smile intact.
"Eriko-san, was it?" He begins, tone smooth, "If it's about the filming schedule, tell him that I can't afford to have more changes made to the times. It's frankly, impossible for me. I do have other commitments."
The assistant who had not heard anything after Kame said her name nods dreamily and flounces off in the direction of the door. Junno shakes his head, and Kame merely shoulders his bag with a grim expression.
"I'm gone before she gets back"
Before Junno can protest, Kame is out the door and half running towards the elevator.
///
It's raining, and Kame is caught in a ridiculously long line in front of the main traffic lights. The wipers make that annoying squeaky sound as they move up and down, up and down, up and down…. Kame finds his eyes following the motions, and it's a bother, because they move too fast, and Kame has to follow them, up and down, up and down-
Alright, now he’s just being plain crazy. Tearing his eyes from the wipers, Kame finds his sleek iPhone lying on the passenger seat. Why the hell is it not in his bag? Ah yes, Junno had texted him earlier to tell him that the director was super pissed, and that if Kame wasn't such a goddamned good actor, he'd have him fired on the spot. Unfortunately for him, Kame was just too precious to lose. Along with a barrage of emojis - Junno particularly like the peace sign - were the time and dates of the follow up shooting, interview and a photoshoot.
Just as he turns his head away from the contraption, a familiar ringtone nearly makes him step on the accelerator and Kame curses loudly before turning his head back to look at the screen. He doesn’t really need to see the caller ID to know who the person on the other end of the line is. He purposely set a different ringtone for Jin, and while strangers might say that the gesture is romantic in the sense, if only people can see the truth behind this 'sweet gesture'.
He waits for the ringing to stop. Finally it does, and he releases a breath he doesn't remember holding, only to have the fucking ringtone to start up once again after an interval of two minutes. Kame wonders if he should just turn on silent mode and ignore it, or maybe he can just turn off his cellphone as usual.
He eventually does neither.
"Hello?" He holds the phone a little way away from his ear, as though afraid that Jin might just explode into the speaker.
"Kazu? Jesus, why didn't you fucking pick up? I though something happened to you." As usual, Jin doesn't yell, and Kame often wonders why.
"I was busy." A short answer, like always.
"Did you get my texts?"
"Yeah."
"You didn't reply."
Kame licks his lips.
"I was busy,” he repeats.
"You always say that."
"It's true."
It is only a half-truth, but Kame isn’t really in the mood now. He just wants to hang up and perhaps chuck his phone out the window so Jin can’t call again.
"How was filming?"
"Usual. The schedule's altered again, so I'd be really busy for the rest of the week, okay?"
"So you're basically telling me that you can't answer my calls for the rest of the week."
It's a statement, and one that is spot on, but Kame isn’t going to admit it.
"I never said that."
"But isn't that what you do?"
"Are you suggesting something?"
There was silence of the other end of the line, and Kame bites his tongue for saying it. But then, Jin replies in his usual, unaffected voice.
"No. I guess I just miss you that's all. You weren't really acting like yourself before I left, and you sure aren't sounding like yourself now either."
"Like I said, I'm tired. I'm not being like this on purpose."
Lies.
Utter lies, and Kame knows it.
Jin laughs lightly.
"I understand. Well, I hope you lighten up your cranky mood soon. Before I get back, at least."
"Yeah, sure."
"Okay. Well, bye."
"Yeah, bye."
Kame tosses his phone to a side and lets his head fall back into the seat, the scream that threatens to escape successfully stifled.
The phone rings again, and Kame really thinks he should just turn the damn thing off, but it's not Jin, it's Pi. Slightly relieved, he answers.
"What the hell do you want?"
Awkward silence.
"You just spoke to Jin, didn't you?"
"I'm hanging up."
"Alright, alright!"
"So?"
"Where are you right now?"
"At the junction near La Boheme. That French restaurant."
"Sweet, then don't go home. Take the next left and meet me at the 24 hour cafe there."
Pi hangs up before Kame could protest, but then again, that is how Pi always is. Not really wanting to go home to see the obvious signs that there is someone else living with him, Kame finds himself taking the next left once the traffic clears.
///
"Where the fuck are you taking me?"
Pi, or Yamapi to Jin, is perhaps the only one other than Junno who knows that Kame and Jin's relationship isn't going too well. And doesn't make it a secret to Kame that he knows. The minute Kame arrives at the designated meeting spot, Pi had hopped into his car, and had given him some shady directions, demanding that Kame follow them without complaining.
"Trust me, it's a good place. I can't believe I never thought of introducing you to it before."
Kame is fond of Pi's sense of humour and daredevil personality, but there are times where he knows that Pi takes things a step too far, and perhaps this is one of them, as alarm bells started going off in Kame's head the minute they take a right turn into a side street down one of the roads in Shinjuku - Kame can't really remember - only to arrive into the Kabukicho district.
"You're bullshitting me aren't you?” Kame hisses, quickly swerving into a darkened area to avoid being the throng of pedestrians, "People can recognise us here! You may not care about your reputation, but I do!”
"Loosen your corset, Kameppi." Pi drawls, patting the angered man on the shoulder, "I haven't finished directing you."
"Ha. Ha. I am not going any further down this place,” Kame snaps humourlessly, and is prepared to make a U-turn back, but Pi grapples at the steering wheel, stopping him.
"C'mon, Kame! I'm not taking you directly into the place! Just go on a little way more, and turn into a side street - that one! There."
Pi points at a darkened street between two high rise buildings, "Trust me Kame. This place will blow your mind."
"No way,” Snorts Kame firmly, "I'm not going to resort to this."
Pi pouts, "Kameeeee~~~ Please~! Even if you don't want to, just go there and have a few drinks! I won't force you to do anything you don't want to, but at least try!"
Kame in all honesty, wants nothing better than to turn around and leave as fast as he can, but he also knows that Pi will not stop harassing him if he backs out. Well, perhaps drinks, and only drinks will be okay.
"Fuck you, Pi,” Kame spits, before giving in and turning sharply into the darkened side road.
"Thank you, dear,” Pi chuckles, thumping Kame on the back, "Just trust me, you won't be disappointed."
Kame does not need to drive long, before the darkened road brightens up as he travels deeper into the bowels of the Kabukicho district, and Kame is slapped harshly in the face by the glare of blood red lights, ensconcing the entire street in a scarlet hue.
///
Kame wonders if he'd just entered the gates to hell. Everything is dipped in the scandalous colour that originated from the large red lanterns hanging like bulbous tumours in front of a large traditional looking building, sandwiched snugly between two large dilapidated shophouses.
This is all wrong, and Kame can feel it. Pi doesn’t really seem too concerned, and is smiling widely.
"Woah, woah, stop here."
"Pi, What the hell is this place?"
Kame's hands are clenched so tightly around the steering wheel in front of him that his knuckles turn a stark white colour, his eyes fixated at the illegal looking business displayed before him. God, if any reporter catches him hanging around this place… Kame shudders. He doesn’t even want to think about the fucking headlines that will be splashed across the news.
'KAMENASHI KAZUYA AND YAMASHITA TOMOHISA SPOTTED IN KABUKICHO BROTHEL!'
Pi is already out of the car and making his way toward the entrance. Kame debates on whether to sit here and wait for Pi. Yeah, perhaps that will be a good idea. Pi can go soil his name all he wants, Kame doesn't want any part in it.
To his immense annoyance, Yamapi is not prepared to let him slide from this, and he soon finds himself half dragged out of the front seat and with Pi's hand clamping tightly on his upper arm, Kame is unable to pull away.
"You can't make me go in there."
Pi rolls his eyes and stubbornly holds onto Kame's arm, "Stop being such a prude. And quit worrying about reporters, they won't show up here, the owner makes sure of that. Besides, it's actually safer in there than it is out here."
Still very reluctant, but his paranoia of crazy stalkerish reporters overpowers Kame's initial disgust for the general surroundings, and finally allows Pi to lead him into the building.
The powerful smell of wine and incense envelopes him as soon as he passes through the heavy wooden doors, the fumes slapping him harshly across the face, and he finds himself in a crowded bar.
It's slightly anticlimactic, but also a relief. Kame blinks at how normal the place looks in comparison to its exterior decor. Soft jazz music plays over large speakers, and Kame nearly chokes at the sight of several familiar faces amongst the sea of people. If his eyeballs are screwed on right, then he is certain that he saw a few of his co-stars from previous dramas sitting and drinking without a care in the world.
Regardless, Kame still feels that something isn't very right about the place. There's a bar, several tables, booths, with waiters and random customers milling about. Everything looks like a normal bar - well, perhaps the furniture and lighting appears to have cost a small fortune - nothing is out of the ordinary.
That is when it hit him.
There are waiters.
Only waiters, no waitresses.
Why aren’t there any females in this joint? Kame glances at Pi, who is talking happily with a smartly dressed man with slightly wavy dark cocoa hair. He's donned a vest like suit and a dress shirt complete with a black tie. Despite his professional appearance, Kame can sense a strange air about the man, and being an actor has taught him to recognise when people are putting up a fake exterior, so it isn’t very difficult to deduce that this man is so obviously putting up a mask.
Pi sounds really pleased as he speaks to the dark haired man, much to Kame's puzzlement.
“Jun-kun, so glad you could join me tonight."
Kame wants to snort at how cheesy Pi sounds, but Jun doesn’t seem to think so. Instead, he smiles politely, and leads both Yamapi and Kame past the crowds and to a small booth in a dark corner of the bar. "It's always a pleasure to serve Yamashita-sama. And I presume that this is Kamenashi-sama? Would you both like a drink?"
Jun is half-bowing, and Kame raises a delicate brow at how over the top polite Jun is. Pi, who basks under this treatment calls for two whiskies, and sends Jun to off fetch someone by the name of Ueda. The latter bows low and left swiftly for the bar, leaving Kame and allowing him to have a breather. Still trying to reorganise his thoughts which is going to take awhile, but first he really has to know what the hell this place is.
"I'm leaving now, if you don't tell me what he hell's going on,” Kame says, staring at how indecently close a pretty looking boy waiter is pressed to a large beefy customer across the room, "There is something wrong with this bar, and don't tell me there isn't, because everyone is acting too fucking weird here for my tastes."
Pi finally turns to Kame with a grin on his smug face, "Well… Technically, it’s a host club, but this host club is special,” Pi hurriedly adds upon seeing Kame's face darken several shades.
"The place is called Red Lotus and it literally exists for celebs like us to unwind. They have this policy, which is basically no questions asked, and the owner, Nakamura-san is a very good manager. So far, there have been no leaks regarding the idols that frequent here. Hell, I've been a member for like, half a year and nothing happened. Trust me Kame, this place is the best."
"No fuck,” Kame spits, glaring at the sight of the smartly dressed 'waiters' scooting to accompany their customers in drinks or meals. He feels bile rise in his throat upon seeing a young man - who looks no older than seventeen - sitting on the lap of male customer old enough to he his father and kissing him passionately.
"Hey, don't look so sick,” Pi chides, "You do that too."
Kame’s head swivels back so he can glare at Pi's smug face.
"Excuse me," hisses Kame, his face twisting in disgust, "I don't do that to underaged men. Besides, it's only Jin I kiss. Big deal."
"I don't know if you noticed this, but you and Jin are not gonna pull though if you don't try,” Pi hums absently, eyeing a particularly muscular host, "Akanishi tries. I can actually see it, but you don't seem to give a damn. If you don't love him anymore, just break up. It's not good to have your relationship hanging on a thread like this."
Kame rolls his eyes, "You don't really care, do you? You just have nothing better to do."
"Touche."
Jun returns, laden with a crystal bottle of dark honey brown liquid and two shot glasses, “Your drinks," he stands next to Pi with a stick straight figure, his head bowed in respect.
"Jun-chan~ stop being so uptight and get a glass for yourself as well!"
Kame can tell by the sudden flash of something through Jun's eyes that he doesn’t want to spend a minute longer with Pi, but the host merely smiles politely. "Yamashita-sama has booked me for the night after all. But is Yamashita-sama sure about me-"
"Come oonnnnnnn Jun-chan~! You are as bad as Kame! Just relax and have a chat with us! Oh and please, call me Yamapi!"
Jun's face is starting to morph into something akin to panic now, but realising that it will be impossible to reject Pi, he nods stiffly with a smile and slides into the seat next to Pi. Kame pours a shot of whiskey for himself and downs it in one go, almost regurgitating the fiery liquid back out when Pi snakes an arm around Jun's shoulders, pulling him closer.
Kame can see that Jun doesn't appreciate the closeness, but the host smiles seductively, and shamelessly throws a leg over Pi's thighs, his long arms teasing the actor's collar.
"Jesus Christ,” Kame shudders, and downs his second shot, "I can't believe I'm sitting here."
Pi is too occupied with trailing touches down Jun's neck to really note Kame's complaint, but Jun does, "Is Kamenashi-sama uncomfortable with… this?” He asks politely.
Kame waves a hand dismissively and pours himself another glass, "Don't mind me,” his voice is tired and edgy, and Jun seems to note his displeasure at the place, "I'm just here for the drinks."
"Jun-chan~ Look here, not at him!" pouts Pi, which immediately draws the host's attention back to him. Kame groans at the blatant display of obscene touching and lustful looks his friend throws at the other male. Just as Kame is about to just swallow his next shot, not caring about the hangover he is sure will not fail to impair his acting skills the next day, there is the sharp sound of glass breaking that slice cleanly through the general thrum of the chatting customers.
Several heads turn, but most choose to ignore the disturbance. Kame cranes his neck, allowing his eyes to skim across the sea of heads in the direction of the noise.
He sees two hosts - one was tall and lanky, and another shorter with feminine features - trying to haul a man who is struggling violently through a door at the side of the bar. They are gripping the thrashing man by his upper arms, and trying to keep their faces as far away as possible from his lethal fists which are swinging dangerously at them.
Kame watches as the man wrenches himself from the two hosts' grasp, and stumble forward slightly, before whipping around. He is also dressed in a black vest over a white dress shirt, a tie and black slacks, which indicates that he is most probably a host as well.
"Don't fucking touch me." the man spits, and Kame raises a brow. It doesn’t take an idiot to see the contrast between Jun and the other host. Weren’t hosts supposed to be courteous to customers?
Kame notes that the violent host looks different from the others, even to Jun. The very obvious thing will be that the man is practically ripped. Kame isn’t going to deny how he can see the prominent six-pack pressing against tight clothes and those bulging biceps beneath his long sleeves. His vest is hanging open and the top few buttons of his dress shirt undone, looking completely ruffled and messy in an almost endearing manner.
Unlike the rest of the hosts, he appears more masculine rather than feminine, with unruly black hair, sporting a rugged style that stood out defiantly against the sea of soft browns and blondes. The host is glaring daggers at the two other hosts who dragged him out of the room, and he looks downright pissed as his turns to face the throng of customers.
“This isn’t a goddamn roadshow,” the host snaps loudly, looking both dangerous and amazingly hot at the same time, “Get back to your pigging out. The hell are you looking at?”
The taller hosts smacks the violent host upside his head, and Kame watches as the angry host turns to clock the man across the face, but fails.
Now it looks like they are having some sort of argument. Kame watches as the angry host flips the taller one off before brushing past him and disappearing through a threshold that most likely led to the staff area.
Kame scoffs at the man’s lack of manners and turns away, however, he will be lying to himself if he says that the man didn’t interest him. That host exuded an aura that demanded to be noticed. That, coupled with the bad-boy, I-don’t-give-a-rat’s-ass-what-you-think attitude is a perfect combination, standing out starkly against the rest of the submissive-looking hosts.
“Sorry about that,” Jun says, inclining his head lightly, “He can get rather rowdy at times, but usually he’s not on call, so it’s very rare for him to cause such a scene.”
Kame hums thoughtfully while sipping the last dregs of his drink. At this rate, Kame hopes that by morning, he’ll not remember anything that has taken place tonight, courtesy of the mind numbing liquid that is blessed alcohol.
Throwing all caution to hell, Kame finally gives in, “Who was that?” He asks, and cringes internally at the astonished yet triumphant gleam in Yamapi’s features and the man grins slyly at him.
Jun blinks uncertainly before answering, “Oh, you mean that man? He’s one of the new hosts boss hired this year, Ueda-san. Despite what you saw earlier, Kamenashi-sama, Ueda-san is one of the most popular hosts in the club.”
Yamapi looks thunderstruck, “Popular? That brat? Impossible!”
Jun only shakes his head, “Ueda-san may be very violent, but he is very good at what he does. he is one of boss’s favourites. That is why he gets away with acting out with a customer. Although if he goes overboard, we do have him put on suspension, but that never lasts long. Are you… interested, Kamenashi-sama?” Jun asks, carefully.
Kame pauses. Yes, damn straight he’s interested. But on the other hand, this is a host they are talking about. There will be goddamn repercussions, and Kame isn’t sure if he wants to deal with them. However, perhaps there is a way around it.
“You could say that,” Kame says thoughtfully, “How do I… Go about this if want to ask for him?” He asks, ignoring the way Pi does a fist pump into the air in glee.
Jun appears slightly worried and voices it, “Just a forewarning Kamenashi-sama, Ueda isn’t one of our regular hosts. He is one of the First Class hosts.”
Kame quirks a brow in confusion, so Pi very helpfully decides to translate, “He means that this Ueda person is a prostitute, Kame,” Yamapi says bluntly, completely throwing Kame off.
“What?”
Jun nods at Pi’s crass words, “That is one way to put it,” Jun admits quietly.
“That is the only way to put it if it’s true,” Kame says hoarsely.
“There are two kinds of hosts here. Regular and First Class,” Jun explains , “I, like most of the hosts out in the bar area are Regulars. Others, like Ueda-san and Tegoshi-san over there are First Class hosts. They rarely come out here. Normally, customers book them online.”
Jun nods at the direction of a very pretty man dressed smartly in the default vest and dress shirt. He looks the same as any other Regular, but Kame notes that he is more heavily made up, and his hair is styled into a more fancy fashion, making him stand out more.
Kame feels as though he’s being educated on the rules and regulations of this sick world, but this just stirs his curiosity about a world he doesn’t know. He knows he shouldn’t. Heck, ever fibre in his being is screaming at him ‘Are you out of your goddamn mind?’ but really, Kame supposes he wants a taste of something different, something dangerous, risky, despite knowing that he’ll most likely regret it later.
“Tell me about how to go about booking him,” Kame says resolutely. He isn’t going to back out now that he’s already in this mess.
“But before that Kamenashi-sama, Ueda is different from the other hosts. I don’t know how much I have to stress on this matter, but he is a Dom.”
Kame blinks.
“What is that?”
Pi explains.
“He means that Ueda is the dominant one, Kame-chan. Y’know? The ‘top’ in the relationship.”
Oh.
Oh.
Kame frowns. He doesn’t like where this is going.
“Ueda-san is a very violent Dom as well. He’s probably the only First Class host who isn’t a submissive one. He’s different, but he doesn’t get many regular customers because most of them can’t take his sadism. But then again, there are many new customers who are intrigued and want to try him out,” Jun continues, engrossed in his explanation, “He is the only First Class other than Tego-chan who gets the most bookings in a week that I have ever seen, but he never accepts all of them. Boss lets him get away with it because he’s good at what he does. Ueda-san is practically one of the biggest money makers working here.”
Different, strange, odd one out… All these adjectives Jun describes Ueda with just makes Kame more interested in the mysterious man.
“Is there anything else I need to now about him?” He asks
“Yes. Are you into BDSM, Kamenashi-sama? Because that is what Ueda-san specialises in. Actually, he only caters to BDSM, nothing else.”
Kame has to suppress a shudder. Of fear, excitement, or - God forbid - pleasure, he isn’t sure.
Yamapi is grinning wide. He slaps a hand down onto the table, startling Jun, who is still on his lap.
“Whatever, Kame. This guy sounds perfect for you! After all, you’re used to being the one in charge right? You are the dominant one at work, you make all the decisions, and you are the ‘top’ in bed as well. I think you deserve a rest. Since this Ueda person is the Dom, and he’s so obviously a sadist, you’ll be the sub! It’s perfect”
Kame scowls and crosses his arms in irritation, “Yeah, I don’t do BDSM. I’m not a sadist.”
“Ueda-san is a sadist. You will need to be a masochist to want to book him,” Jun says helpfully, but really, Kame is rather pissed now.
“I don’t fucking like pain,” he says firmly, “I just can’t see how-”
But Yamapi interrupts swiftly, waving a dismissive hand, “Well I reckon a little submission will be good for you. Get your mind off Jin any everything.”
Kame narrows his eyes.
“Are you telling me to cheat on Jin?”
Yamapi rolls his eyes and snorts at this comment.
“No. Of course not! Obviously you break up with him first stupid,” Pi says, shaking his head, “It’s really not healthy to keep him hanging like this. Please, you don’t even love the man. Honestly, I don’t think you ever did. It was probably more of an impulsive thing you both jumped into, and it somehow turned into this sappy domestic bullshit that you aren’t really comfortable with.”
Kame doesn’t answer. He really doesn’t want to cheat on Jin. After all, he may not love Jin, but he still respects the man. Cheating is after all, wrong, and Kame will rather dance on the rooftops naked than cheat while in a relationship. He believes that cheating is bad no matter how it is done. It’s not about love, but a mutual understanding.
Cheating is wrong, finish. Full stop. End of story.
Kame doesn’t want a big fuss or any of his or Jin’s names going up on the tabloids. He respects Jin too much to cause such a scandal, and it will be pretty bad for both of their careers anyway if that happened.
“I’m not breaking up with Jin yet, not when he’s all hyped up about his new single. He’s not in the country, and I’m not going to disturb him on his tour. I’ll settle this break up business with him when he gets back. I’d rather do it face to face like a mature human being.”
“But then you can’t sleep with Ueda, Kame. That’s just the way it is,” Yamapi reasons, shaking his head.
“Whoever said I was gonna get into his pants? I don’t do prostitutes, Pi. I don’t plan to sink that low. All I mean is that I am interested in Ueda as a person, more specifically, the way he thinks,” Kame replies, “All I want is to meet up with him for a bit, as… acquaintances. We’ll just talk. No kissing, no sex, no nothing. Just talking.”
Now Pi is severely confused.
“I know you are filthy rich, Kame, but really? Hiring a prostitute to talk? Just what are you?” Yamapi scoffs, looking really bewildered.
“I don’t know,” Kame admits, “But I feel like a serious conversation, one that involves some out of the box thinking and unravelling ideas will be interesting with Ueda. I- I want to see if he can break me. Make me think. Question my morals of what I think is right and wrong. You could call it… creative thinking I suppose. Somebody who can make me do shit I won’t normally do. Ultimately, I want someone who can challenge me.”
There is complete silence for awhile, as both Yamapi and Jun stare at Kame like he’s gone completely bonkers.
“So basically, you want him to manipulate and screw with your mind,” Yamapi says, looking a little worried now, “Kame, I know you said you didn’t like pain, but what you are suggesting of subjecting yourself to is actually considered psychological torture by most people.”
Kame only smiles, “It’s a challenge Pi. Not torture, no. I see this as just some form of entertainment to be honest. After all, Ueda is a sadist right? Then doing this shouldn’t really be any problem, should there?”
Jun is quiet for several seconds as he ponders this.
“It is an unusual request,” he admits, “But I’ll have to ask Ueda-san personally. I don’t think something like this can be asked for online. Alright, I’ll see if Ueda-san will accept you. After all, he doesn’t really do talking. Like I said, he does the fucking and then no strings attached. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you,” Kame says, and as he watches Jun politely slip away to the staff area, Kame barely feels Pi’s worried stare on him from the excitement that curls in his gut.
“Honestly, I don’t know if what you are planning to do to yourself is worse than cheating, but you are one crazy bastard, Kameppi,” Yamapi says, downing another shot of alcohol.
///
Ueda is used to his job.
He doesn’t really care, because it isn’t him taking it up the ass. Frankly speaking, the pay is reasonable, and Ueda isn’t planning on hanging around this shithole once he grows tired of it. Ueda doesn’t like to say he breezes though life without much thought, but in reality Ueda likes to think that he has a better life than some of the hosts out there.
He isn’t going to lie, and not to be narcissistic, but he knows that has both the looks and the charisma to pull his job off without needing to try at all. What he lacks is patience - and that is one particular aspect he isn’t planning on improving on if he can help it - he makes up with hooded eyes, baritone voice, and ability to act like a complete asshole yet have people chalk it all up to him being adorable in his own way. Ueda loathes working for people, but since he is forced to, he may as well get a kick out of it. His bastard of a boss isn’t going to fire him if the greedy pig can help it, so as long as Ueda remains popular enough to rake in the cash, but not popular enough to make the costumers love him, he should be in the safe zone: not desired to the point that his boss chains him down to the club; but not so unpopular as to be fired if he so much as shot his mouth off.
The last thing Ueda needs is for a customer to become his regular. So he maintains this balance of being terribly desired yet disliked at the same time. It’s like walking a wire thin line between success and disaster, but Ueda likes the thrill.
Another perk of being a First Class is definitely the number of high-end customers he gets. The fact that he gets to pick and choose out of the lot is the icing on the top. Ueda has a particular type, and only goes for the pretty ones with a delicate frame and a submissive streak. Everything is easier that way, and Ueda doesn’t try hard at all.
Ueda doesn’t accept unusual requests, or those that go against his ‘type’ (he never accepts anything outside of his online booking in general, despite it being allowed), so when Jun approaches him with a very uneasy look on his face, he knows what is coming, and Ueda has a rejection all ready on the tip of tongue.
But then Jun goes ahead and says that Kamenashi Kazuya wants to request something off menu, and the rejection just dies off his throat like ash, leaving in its wake a dry, raspy sensation.
“What?”
Is the best comeback he has.
Jun repeats his sentence, and this time Ueda is able to process the information. To say that he is surprised in an understatement. Seriously? Kamenashi Kazuya? Oh Ueda knows who the man is. Hell, the whole world knows the rumoured cheerful, kind, considerate, amicable idol whose million dollar smile captured the hearts of trashy fangirls that have nothing better to do than ogle over his face.
Ueda is actually surprised that the man is here of all places. Everybody knows of his relationship with the famous singer-artist-songwriter Akanishi Jin, so just what the hell is he in a gay bar-cum-brothel at all?
“Are you serious? That prim and proper stick-up-the-ass Kamenashi Kazuya wants to book me? Why? He does know that I’m not a Regular, right?” Ueda asks, eyes narrowing at the other host, “Plus, I do the fucking, and trust me, his overinflated ego isn’t going to degrade itself to the point where he allows himself becomes the ‘bottom’ in any sort of relationship.
Jun fidgets slightly under Ueda’s intense gaze.
“I did explain to him, but he’s different. He wants to book you to- to talk. No kissing, no sex, just talking.”
And Ueda’s eyebrows furrow deep at this. Of course. Young Master Kame just wants to talk. He scoffs and looks away, getting ready to leave.
“I don’t do dates,” Ueda snaps, cringing at the word, “Tell him to fu-”
“Um, he says he doesn’t want dates. He just wants to talk. As acquaintances,” Jun hurriedly adds.
Ueda stops mid step and looks at Jun, completely boggled. Is this person crazy? He wants to hire a prostitute to talk? Now this is new.
Ueda isn’t gonna deny that Kame is one hell of a pretty face, but the man is nowhere close to his type. Even so, Ueda can see the spitfire hiding underneath those layers of properness and decorum and uptight manners. Ueda thinks, no, he knows that Kame will be a hell of a good fuck, once he manages to break past those annoying walls of fake, but the man wants to TALK?
“Why does he want to talk to me of all people?” Ueda asks, curious, “There are many other First Classes who go for that kind of vanilla thing. Redirect him to that Tegoshi brat or someone else.”
“That’s just it, Kamenashi-sama doesn’t want vanilla,” Jun sighs.
Now Ueda is just downright confused, but Jun continues on, “He says he wants a challenge, something exciting and different, I think. Kamenashi-sama says he wants someone that makes him question himself and think. He doesn’t want the gentle date, he wants… well, I don’t know exactly, but according to him, in his words, he wants somebody who can make him do things he wouldn’t normally do. Make him question his morals on what is right and wrong. Basically, I think he wants to be broken, but he calls it entertainment or creative thinking.”
Jun shudders at this, but Ueda’s eyes only widen in amusement, and is silent for several moments.
“Is he crazy?” Ueda finally says, a lopsided grin spreading across his face, “Who the hell wants someone to break them? I suppose you mean psychologically, since the prude doesn’t want sex and all. He’s really doesn’t want to cheat on his relationship huh.”
“I suppose so,” Jun mumbles.
Ueda suddenly wants to laugh. Laugh long and hard and just not stop.
“He must be some sick masochist or something, because from what you just told me, this guy is one fucked up sucker,” Ueda says, snorting.
Jun shakes his head, “No, Kamenashi-sama isn’t into BDSM. He said so himself.”
Ueda frowns, “Now that’s not exciting at all,” but he can’t wipe the maniacal grin off his face.
Make me question my morals.
Question his morals, huh? Maybe this will be something new. Interesting.
Jun sighs, “I guess you aren’t interested then? I’ll tell him-”
But Ueda stops him.
“No, no, tell him… I accept.”
Now, it is Jun’s turns to be gobsmacked. Something like this has never happened before it is virtually impossible that it happens now.
“O-okay,” he manages weakly, “I’ll tell him then.”
“Yeah. And remember to tell him that even if we don’t do it, I’ll still want my full pay. No discounts.”
Jun hurries off looking both bewildered and amazed, as thought what just happened should never have happened at all.
Ueda smirks as he lounges at the threshold between the private rooms and the main bar. He sees Jun return to his annoying regular, Yama -something, and Kame turns that pretty head to look at Jun. Ueda can’t hear them, but he can see Jun’s lips moving and then those dark, eyes widen a fraction, and Ueda feels a shudder pass through him. He watches as Kame’s pale pink lips part in surprise, and he relishes at the though that he is the one to put the out-of-character expression there.
Kame’s gaze then passes over Jun and locks with his, and Ueda likes how Kame’s eyes narrow dangerously as he smirks.
Ueda loves the defiance in those eyes,
Mind games huh? Well, Ueda is more than happy to indulge.
He’ll show Kame what real mind games are, and he just hopes the idol can come out in one piece on the other side once he is through with him.
///
First Meeting
November 12th 2014
0900 hours
///
Kame doesn’t immediately contact Ueda after the man agreed to meet with him. Jun had given him Ueda’s personal contact, and Kame decided to bide his time.
It is two whole days after visiting Red Lotus does Kame finally text Ueda. His message is short and not at all sweet. Kame rationalises that if Ueda dislikes the way he contacts him and calls the whole thing off, then the man doesn’t deserve to meet up with him.
To his utmost surprise, Ueda replies almost immediately, agreeing to meet up at a private bistro for lunch. Kame doesn’t know what he expects from Ueda, but he plans to arrive early just to show the man just where his place is. Kame isn’t a pushover, and he isn’t going to let Ueda walk all over him, despite how notorious the man may be.
Kame arrives at the bistro five minutes early. He refuses to admit, but it has more to do with trying to intimidate Ueda. Kame is sure the other man isn’t going down without a fight.
Kame is dressed casual, and he has a pair of dark glasses on. He expects the waitress to lead him to the empty private booth, and he’ll sit back and pretend like he’s been waiting ages. After all, intimidation is the key to winning this battle.
But when Kame opens the door, he almost has a heart attack.
“Oh, you’re early,” drawls a lazy voice, and Kame blinks twice at the sight of Ueda slouching on the long seats with his feet propped up on the table.
Kame has to admit that the leather jacket, tight against Ueda’s muscles, ripped jeans, and combat boots make the man look ridiculously delicious. So much so that Kame stands there stock still for a whole minute just staring.
“Well? Aren’t you going to come in? I really don’t care who you are, but all customers get about an hour of my time. So I suggest you’d better hurry up.”
Ueda says this lazily, as though the mere situation is boring him to tears.
Kame, furious that this asshole managed to get the better of him, finally snaps out of his stupor and stalks into the room, trying to gather together whatever pieces of shattered pride he has left.
“I’m amazed at how enthusiastic you are, Ueda-san. I never expected you to be the first to arrive.”
Ueda quirks a brow, eyes dark and smouldering that Kame has to suppress the urge to look away.
“I make it a rule to be all set and… prepared for my clients,” Ueda says, baritone voice smooth like warm honey, “Did you think you could somehow intimidate me with your petty showmanship?”
He can see me through and through.
But Kame isn’t ready to back down. This is merely a small blip in his plan. Ueda isn’t anywhere close to getting him to lose his cool just yet.
“I would never.”
Kame smiles his usual prat iced smile that makes Ueda sneer. He is expecting something interesting today, and he hopes that Ueda doesn’t disappoint. Kame seats himself in front of Ueda, still smiling and picks up a tall menu to scan the courses. Truthfully, Kame isn’t hungry, but he’ll see how long he can toy with Ueda’s patience.
“Have you ordered yet, Ueda-san? I highly recommend-”
“Stop stalling, Kame,” Ueda interrupts. He sounds neither impatient or annoyed. Kame can feel a vein twitch in his forehead, and he is surprised at how fast Ueda manages to get onto his nerves.
Pulling away the menu from his face, he nearly springs back in shock, because Ueda is right in his face. The man is leaning forward on the table, tan cheek resting on a palm as he watches Kame with the most apathetic expression he has ever seen.
The man neither looks impatient or annoyed, which strikes Kame as odd, because this person showed a very violent (yet hot) side of him back at the bar, not that ueda isn’t hot now, because Kame has to angrily fight back a blush that threatens to overtake his face.
He swallows, and laughs lightly.
“What do you mean, Ueda-san? I’m just being polite. It’s common curtesy to do this when you are treating a guest.”
“I am not a guest, you fool. You’re paying me here, so why don’t you just get to the point of all this?”
Ueda waves his hand lazily around.
“All this fake and acts? Just drop it, Kame. You aren’t paying me to waste time on deciding whether to get the fucking chicken or beef are you?”
Kame’s fingers tighten on his menu, and he takes a silent breath before setting the menu down.
“Fine then. To begin this, I have a question.”
Ueda shrugs, and Kame takes it as a go ahead.
“Why is your behaviour so different now than it was back at the bar that day?”
Ueda’s eyes widen a fraction.
“Oh, you’re interested in that? Whatever the hell is up with your head? Actually, don’t answer that. You are a seriously crazy fucker to want to pay to get broken, prepare this unnecessary setting, and now you want to play twenty questions?”
Kame grinds his teeth together.
“Answer the question, Ueda-san. I’m not going to let you in unless I’m certain of what I am paying for here. So fucking answer me.”
Just as Kame finishes his comeback, the man claps a hand over his mouth in shock, which is shown plainly on his face. Never in his life had he ever, ever cursed at a stranger, no matter how angry he got. The man. How could he let him so stealthily irritate him to this point?
When Kame looks at Ueda, the man is smiling smugly.
“There we go. Don’t you feel so much better now you got that out?”
Kame grits his teeth but doesn’t answer. He doesn’t trust himself not to scream profanities to the high heavens if he did.
Ueda chuckles, his voice deep and enticing in a way Kame has never heard before.
“If you really must know, I socked a client in the face. The filthy bastard was getting a little too touchy-feely,” Ueda laughs, his expression quickly turning maniacal and mocking, “I mean, the douchebag actually thought I would suck him off! Like I’d put my mouth anywhere near that fugly old pervert. What a delusional fuck! Can you believe it? Hah!”
Kame wanders if he should be worried, but he is to preoccupied with the way Ueda’s Adam’s apple bobs as he laughs, melodious and rich.
“The jerkwad should be glad I didn’t eviscerate him. Anyway,” Ueda turns his attention back to Kame.
“So, tell me something about the oh-so-great Kamenashi Kazuya? I do need to know something about you to screw with your mind right?”
Kame blinks, and hurries to reorient himself, but blushes horribly, and he is sure Ueda knows just how uncomfortable this is, and the bastard is enjoying it.
“Well,” Kame says, clearing his throat, “If you’re so good, why don’t you tell me. You already know I am an idol, so tell me something about myself I don’t know.”
Kame watches as Ueda blinks carefully, and he thinks that he’s won, but then Ueda laughs, long, hard, and cruel.
Kame can feel his face flushing with anger and embarrassment. Just what the hell did he say?
“The hell do you think you are? You think you’re that hard to figure out? Hell, if this is all you wanted, you could have gotten any cheap whore to do it. Heck, anybody could do it. Don’t flatter yourself Kame. You aren’t that great. You aren’t fucking God, so don’t think you can act all mysterious and play hard-to-get and think that everybody will fall over their feet to try to ‘figure you out’. The world doesn’t revolve around you, so don’t act like it. Most people have better things to do that waste their time on this bullshit.”
Kame would have liked to say that Ueda is very perceptive. But that way Ueda had said those words- Kame is struggling to keep smiling sweetly, but suddenly he feels so insignificant, useless, worthless even. No one had ever said anything as cruel as Ueda had so straightforwardly and so unflinchingly to his face before. He knows that there are people that slander him behind his back, but this? It’s a completely different thing to have the parts of himself he feels so insecure about laid before him in black and white like this.
“But since you’re paying me to indulge you, why the hell not?” Ueda says, scoffing, “So let me break this down so Boy Wonder here understands. First thing is first: you and that God-awful, picture perfect smile. It’s fucking convincible, but too painfully convincible. Everything about you, all this politeness and manners and shit? It’s a load of fake.”
Kame is breathing harshly, but for some reason, his previous fear, anxiety, and horror is slowly dissolving is something more fearful - excitement. Adrenalin pumping through his veins, Kame tries to salvage what little pride he has left.
“Is- Is that so?” He says, voice hoarse with a slight tremble in his words. It’s fine. It’s fine. After all, Junno can see through him as well. It’s okay-
Ueda grins unkindly at Kame, clearly enjoying the situation. The idol is almost in the middle of his palm. A little push will send the man to breaking point.
“Yeah, that is so. Don’t try to turn the tables on me, Ka-zu-ya, I’ve been playing in this field longer than you have.”
The way Ueda drawls out his first name send tingles up his spine, and this is just so fucking humiliating, but what really hits home is the fact that Kame realises that he is aroused by it.
Almost panting heavily now, Kame grips his knees hard.
“You are very rude, Ueda-san,” he whispers, voice tight and strained.
“There, right there. You don’t really wanna call me Ueda-san do you? You are just being too overly polite. You think that you can fool the world but really dumbass, the world isn’t that stupid. People don’t say it, but they can see underneath all your pretences. Why you even bother to keep them up I don’t know.”
Stop it.
“You fake your way through life, but really, all you are doing is lying to yourself.”
“That’s not true,” Kame says, tightly, his fingers gripping his skin tighter and his default smile faltering.
“Oya, oya, did I hit a nerve?” Ueda says cruelly, “Good. Now, let’s move on to point number two: Akanishi Jin.”
Kame freezes. He hadn’t been expecting this.
Why is Ueda so well informed of his life? But then again, he and Jin never kept their relationship a secret. Now this asshole is going to use it to break him down even more.
Kame’s toes curl at the thought.
“Okay then. Let’s start with the fucking obvious fact that your relationship is going limp faster than the penis of a ninety-year-old man short on Viagra. Does your bae even know that you are out with a whore?”
So Ueda can see through Kame fake attempts to show how he and Jin are still happy together on television. Figures.
“We aren’t having sex. We are just acquaintances. So it’s fine,” Kame reasons weakly, but Ueda gobbles up that weakness faster than a shark does its prey.
“In other words, he doesn’t know. Wow. You really are the lowest, aren’t you?”
“I’m not cheating!” Kame shouts, leaving a ringing silence in his wake and a very smug Ueda with an expression that screams “yippie-kai-yay motherfucker’.
“But I can see why though,” Ueda continues, clearly enjoying himself, “Akanishi Jin, the famous singer huh? The main reason your relationship is getting burned to the ground is, in my opinion, the fact that you are in a very domesticated one. A normal home, normal life, normal routine, sappy boyfriend, and most likely vanilla sex to top it all off,” Ueda shudders, “It’s very repetitive and very… safe.”
Kame swallows.
This man is more than good; he’s brilliant.
In such a short amount of time, Ueda has managed to reduce him to this sweating mess, and Kame can feel every single nerve in his body short-circuiting, leaving him jumpy and hypersensitive all at the same time.
Ueda suddenly leans in close, and Kame just stares, too utterly spent to really move. Not only is he mentally exhausted, but strangely, physically as well.
Ueda drags a well-manicured finger across Kame’s jawbone, and leans forward even more until his head is right beside Kame’s ear, hot breath puffing into the shell.
Oh God.
Ueda snickers.
“Oh? You’re hard.”
And Kame feels a rough hand grab the bulge on the front of his jeans, making the man yelp in pain and sudden pleasure. Kame immediately scrambles away into a wall, tipping his chair over, his eyes wide and wary, like a trapped animal.
Ueda only laughs as he gets up from his seat, but this time it doesn’t sound cruel at all, but more of amusement.
“Well, times up, M’Lord,” Ueda says sweetly, “I have to get going for my next appointment, but I like you. You interest me, so, I’ll give you a reward, hmm?”
Kame swallows.
“You have my personal number. Feel free to text me to vent or whatever if you like, whenever. It’s a privilege, Kame, so make sure you appreciate it. I don’t do this for just anyone.”
Ueda grins seductively.
“I look forward to the next date, Ka-zu-ya.”
And with that, Ueda disappears out the door, leaving Kame really, really pissed and horny all at once.
Parts: 1 2