❈♍❈

August is coming

❈

“I dislike you with a passion!” Mi-chan whined over the phone which made Kame unable hold in his laughter at the childish attempt as he leaned his head on Jin’s shoulder for support, who turned around and smiled at him.

“I asked if you want to come but you said no,” Kame countered with a chuckle.

“Still hate you though, should have told me that you were going to Kyoto,” he could hear the girl pouting on the other line.

“I thought you didn’t like Kyoto,” Kame frowned at the girl’s words.

“I don’t like when it’s super quiet and all, but I do like the onsen and definitely the matsuri,” Mi-chan grinned on the other line.

“You’re only for the entertainment,” Kame laughed at that and he could see the girl shrug at his words. He felt a nudge on his side and saw Jin signal for him to get off the bus and follow the older man. “Anyway, we’re here, I’ll fill you in later,” Kame bid his goodbye and hung up the phone, he quickly picked up his pace and followed after Jin to their ryokan.

Soon after, they were being taken to their room by the attendant. Jin slightly frowned at the spacious room, he didn’t remember booking this room before.

“The reservation was under Yamaa-san, he called in and asked for the change the night before,” the attendant explained and then excused herself, leaving the couple at their own comfort.

“Seems like someone really wants us to enjoy this vacation,” Jin joked at the thought as he watched Kame running back and forth in the room to check out the premium suite.

“This is so cool!” Kame exclaimed once he opened the sliding door to the backyard of the room. The horizon mixing with the mountain scene gave the younger man an amazing feeling. Leaving Kame feeling at ease, breathing in the fresh air along with the calm heat of the hot spring, Kame felt like he had just transferred to another planet, away from the hectic city life.

“Pi sure knows how to enjoy his luxurious life,” Jin commented as circling his arms around Kame’s small waist, loving how perfectly it fits in his embrace.

“So we shall not let this opportunity go to waste, he has put so much thought into this,” Kame suggested and Jin nodded.

“Where do you want to go after this?” Jin asked, tightening his hold on Kame’s waist.

“Somewhere higher up,” Kame replied with a smile.

“Hiking?” Jin asked slightly surprised.

“Just taking a walk around here,” Kame playfully slapped Jin’s hand and wiggled out of the man’s hold, “Let’s hurry and unpack before that, I want to see the sunset on the mountain,” Kame smiled lovingly at the man and then headed off to their luggage.

❈

Taking a long stroll down the road, Kame smiled contently at their surroundings, the faint fragrant of grass and wood made his sense soothing into relaxation. It was different from the taste of salt which can only be found at beaches. The sounds of leaves brushing against each other in the calm wind and the solidly mudded sand under their feet were truly comforting. Closing his eyes to appreciate the natural creation, Kame exhaled slowly with another smile.

“This is so different from the normal busy Tokyo life,” Kame commented and looked over at Jin.

“It sure does, a change for a chance,” Jin nodded agreeing.

“I have to thank Pi after this, along with Mi-chan too for rearranging my schedule,” Kame made a note to himself.

“What do you want to see?” Jin took Kame’s hand and led the younger man with him. “The sunset?” he asked firmly.

“Why not?” Kame said and followed. Not too long after they had reached the peak of their destination and stood there watching the horizontal sky in front of them.

“This is beautiful,” Kame breathed out.

“Better than any drama or movie,” Jin agreed along.

“I wonder if we can see this again,” Kame asked.

“I’m sure we will,” Jin just smiled.

A short pause.

“I have always wondered, why you rarely smile truthfully,” Jin suddenly popped the question and Kame was caught off guard with that.

“What do you mean?” Kame nervously chuckled.

“Of course when we are together it’s different, the first time we met, your smile was so sad,” Jin explained as he settled down on a small rock near them. He stretched out his hand to Kame, and the younger man took it, their hands intertwined in a firm hold.

“I was always bad with strangers,” Kame confessed, “whether it’s a friend of a close friend, I’m always aware of people around me, but I can’t be rude with them all.”

“True enough,” Jin accepted it. “But isn’t it better to just give them a plain face than a misleading smile?”

Kame turned to Jin and gave the question some thoughts before proceeded, “I’m a bartender, smiling to customers is a must, I can’t just be a cold unfriendly person,” Kame dug up another excuse.

“Are you truly smiling now?” Jin asked tilting his head to the side.

“With you, I am,” Kame gave a definite answer.

“I’m glad,” Jin inhaled in the fresh air. “I’m glad that you can finally smile for yourself.”

“Yea…I’m glad too,” Kame sat down next to Jin and leaned his head on the older man’s shoulder. “Somehow it feels good to be truly happy,” Kame added.

“Can we stop time for now?” Jin blurted out.

“Eh? Why?” Kame asked with surprise.

“So we can watch this sunset for eternity,” Jin grinned.

“You’re so corny that it gives me a chill up my spine,” Kame laughed at Jin’s words.

“I know right?” Jin agreed with the other.

The couple watched at the sun setting on the western horizon, completely paying no attention to their surroundings. They totally missed out on a shadow that was just a few feet away from them.

“I’ll seriously kill you all after this!” the voice grumbled over the phone.

“Oh shut up you!” a male voice replied on the other line.

“Tat-chan! You’re on their side now?” the voice asked with horror.

“Stupid baldy! Shut up!” Ueda growled over the phone. “Continue with the report!”

“Why must I have to be the scapegoat?” the voice asked with a pout.

“Because Koki darling, you’re the only single man in this apartment,” Mi-chan replied in place of Ueda. Koki swore he heard Ueda and Mi-chan highfiving each other.

“Next time, I call Junno!” Koki grumpily said.

“Sure sure, when he and his girlfriend have another fight, which is going to be another year,” Ueda laughed evilly and Koki just knew he was at lost.

“Anyway, why do we have to look after them?” Koki was curious as to why Jin had asked Kame to go on a short vacation with him. It was nothing out of ordinary, it was just totally odd to have a serious Bakanishi politely asked for a few days off according to Yamaa’s words.

“I heard from Reio that their father had summoned for Jin’s presence the other day,” Yamaa’s voice answered Koki’s question. “And knowing him, its never good and to have Reio coming back to the country, its definitely not a good sign,” Yamaa analyzed.

“Isn’t it that he was being hospitalized?” Ryo finally spoke up after a long silence.

“Yea, and that is what worried me,” Yamaa admitted, “a bull headed Akanishi-sama is not someone that would back down to any opposition. His pride is his everything; I don’t think he would just summon Jin back with a ‘I’ll forgive you’ speech.” Yamaa informed them.

“So…what will become of them?” Mi-chan inquisitively asked.

“We will have to see what Reio has to say about this, he’s meeting with their mother right now,” the rest of the group fell into a silence, all they could do now is wait for Reio.

❈

Meanwhile…

❈

“Sorry for the wait,” Reio said with a smile as he walked towards the table for two. “Have you ordered yet?” he asked once he sat down.

“Not yet,” the person replied as Reio received the menu from the waiter.

“New York steak, rare please,” Reio placed his order and looked over to the person in front of him, “and a fillet mignon for him, well done,” he looked over to the other person with a smile.

“And a margarita too please,” the other person said.

“Make it two, original,” Reio ended their order with a pleasant grin.

Once the waiter turned around and left, Reio pulled the chair closer to the table and sipped on his water, getting back his nerve.

“It didn’t go well?” the other person asked with knowing eyes.

“It’s never easy when dealing with my father,” Reio mockingly said. “If you have to choose between being selfish and sacrifice, what would you choose?” he asked the person.

“Depends on the price that I have to pay for each choice,” the person said with ease, taking a sip on his own glass of water.

“To make it short, it’s the choice whether to lose you or to have you, what would you want me to do?” Reio bluntly said as staring intensely at the person.

❈♍❈

A Few Days after the Vacation

❈

“What do you mean by quitting?” Mi-chan narrowed her eyes at Kame who trying to avert his eyes from the girl.

“Quitting is too…expressive, it’s more like taking a long break,” Kame tried to rephrase his words to sooth the girl’s anger.

“As in…you don’t know how long you will take this break, in my understanding, it is called resigning from your position. I can’t keep your post open for too long,” Mi-chan hardened her voice at the older boy.

“If you need me, I’ll come right in and help,” Kame tried to ease the girl’s rage.

“I need you EVERY NIGHT!” Mi-chan slapped her hand on the granite surface, hurt showed on her soft features.

“I’m sorry,” Kame gave her his apologetic look.

“You know what, do as you like,” Mi-chan heaved out a dejected sigh and collected her breakfast exiting out of the kitchen.

“I’m sorry,” Kame tried to apologize after the girl but Mi-chan just shook her head in reply as she walked on.

Kame slumped down on the tool chair as twirled his breakfast around his fork. He hated to drop the bomb on the girl like this but Jin was asking him to quit the bartender job. Jin was a possessive lover, the older man openly told him that he couldn’t stand to see Kame flirting with the customers every night when they were taking their relationship into a more serious level. To Kame, that was understandable because the same goes for him, he wouldn’t like to see teenage girls clinging around Jin as well. Therefore, they both had come to the conclusion that they would quit their current job and find a less ‘skin contact’ job.

“Trouble with her majesty?” Koki squatted down next to Kame, one hand pulled Kame’s breakfast plate to him while the other held a cup of orange juice to sip on.

“Don’t you have work?” Kame asked taking the plate back, not forgetting to slap Koki’s back for taking his food.

“I can go in late today,” Koki shrugged and continued drinking his juice.

“Since when did you become such a busy body? You never care about things around the house before,” Kame questioned suspiciously.

“Just because I’m rarely home , it doesn’t mean I don’t pay close attention to the people living under the same roof as mine,” Koki answered with a smirk.

“Ugh! Are you stalking us?” Kame glared his eyes in accusation.

“Stalking? That is old school Kame,” Koki answered truthfully which in turn received an ‘what!’ from Kame. He just laughed and slid out of his tool and off to the living room.

“Creepy,” Kame said with a half-smile and returned to his breakfast while thinking what he should do in the next hours. Jin had left the apartment early to settle down some business at Yamaa’s restaurant. He wondered should he look up some job openings while he was at it anyway.

❈

At the mean time

❈

“Are you sure about this?” Yamaa asked looking at his best friend in doubt.

“Well that’s the best I can do,” Jin smiled halfheartedly.

“Does Kame know about this?” Yamaa worriedly asked, the last thing he would want to see was his best friend’s love life going down the hill.

“I haven’t told him yet, I will when the time is right,” Jin said weakly.

“You have no time left Jin, only one month. That’s not something that can be waited, he has to know about the situation you two are being placed in,” Yamaa consulted with concern. “Meanwhile, I will keep Mi-chan busy so she won’t chase after your sorry , I know she is capable of playing devil,” he added to Jin’s bewilderment which made Jin’s expression changing from blank to horrified.

“Yea…when it comes to Kazu, she can be quite scary,” Jin admitted at the truth.

“Well, I’m going to put you on temporary leave just in case, and your pay check for this month will go to Kame’s account when the time for you to leave,” Yamaa said, “after all you have caused the guy to quit his job, do you have any idea how much the guy makes one night?” Yamaa narrowed his eyes at his best friend who only grinned goofily.

“You know it’s true that I can’t stand seeing him being surrounded by those old erts,” Jin scrunched up his nose at the images of Kame being flirted and touched by others. “Nasty,” Jin grunted out.

“You’re too possessive,” Yamaa chuckled and waved his hand at Jin, “just hurry and tell Kame about this, he is old enough to deal with this,” he reminded his best friend.

“Un,” Jin nodded his head and exited the manager’s room to get back to his work; his last day of work.

“What am I going to do with this?” Yamaa asked himself after Jin had left the room. He moved his hand to touch his temple, soothing out the stress building up in his head. Dealing with Mi-chan was not easy but not totally impossible. Maybe he would have to break the news after a mind blowing ? Yea, that would somehow lessen the damage. Maybe he should break the news to the girl when she is at a safe distance away from Jin; that would save Jin’s family jewels from being castrated.

 “Ugh I hate life itself,” Yamaa groaned into thin air. If only Jin’s family makes life easier for the siblings, then he might have a good happy life.

❈

“If you want to tell me something, say it,” Kame nudged Jin’s arm when the older man kept staring at him blankly from his spot.

“Promise me that you will be calm,” Jin said eerily as he nervously looked at Kame.

“Is it something really bad?” Kame asked with carefulness.

“Sort of,” Jin smiled nervously, “it relates to Reio…and my family,” Jin explained further.

“I think I know where this is getting at,” Kame said with a sad smile yet still understanding.

“I wasn’t able to protect him back then, I can’t repeat the same mistake again,” Jin sighed out dejectedly.

“Then…do what you find fitting,” Kame smiled knowing this was the best for them.

“But…”

“I know what comes down to this, remember what I said before, just enjoy the time we have together,” Kame smiled, “rather than living in dejection, it’s not like us,” he winked causing Jin to burst out laughing.

“Shall we?” Jin said after a short pause and Kame nodded agreeing.

 ❈

“Wait! You two are going on vacation?” Koki asked with eyes widen as Yamaa and Mi-chan nodded their heads, Koki immediately jumped out of his chair and made a victory dance. “Woot! Freedom at last!”

“Can you at least pretend to be heartbroken?” Mi-chan chugged a couch pillow at Koki who perfectly caught the fluffy material.

“I can’t contain my happiness,” Koki bluntly said and continued his dance.

“I feel no love from you,” Mi-chan rolled her eyes at Koki’s ignorance.

“Anyway, where are you going to?” Kame asked still laughing from across the living room.

“Ask this guy, he keeps it from me,” Mi-chan pinched Yamaa’s side to get the other man’s attention. Kame turned his gaze to said man for an answer but Yamaa just gave a secret wink.

“Secrecy is not working well with me you know, I hate being in the unknown,” Mi-chan elbowed Yamaa’s side to get her point through, the young manager held his side in pain while he looked pleadingly at Kame for help.

“Keep your lovey-dovey fight in your room!” Koki shouted from his spot, he had had enough with these love birds. “Anyway, when are you leaving?” Koki focused the topic back to the couple.

“Tomorrow if possible,” Yamaa answered while Koki whistled in joy.

“You want me to get out of here that bad?” Mi-chan pouted at the overjoyed man.

“You should have been out of here since LAST MONTH!” Koki reminded Mi-chan of her overstay.

“Oh shut up, not that you want me to leave,” the girl countered and Koki just made a gag sound.

“I will even pay for your moving fee,” Koki smirked back in victory at the girl’s pout, who stuck out her tongue as her final retort.

“Ok, we should pack,” Yamaa broke the little bickering and pulled Mi-chan by the wrist towards their bedroom to pack for the trip. Once the couple was out of sight, Koki turned back and jaw dropped on the floor at Jin and Kame who were now having a heavy make out session of their own.

“Com’on guys! GET A ING ROOM!” Koki groaned in frustration and left the living room while cursing under his breath at his hormones.

Kame and Jin laughed out loudly when they heard Koki’s complaints about them. The two high fived each other as their plan had succeeded to shoo the other man away.

“I guess we are to be left to watch their businesses,” Kame said after his good laugh.

“I bet so,” Jin nodded and Kame shrugged.

“Don’t get jelly on me if customers flirt with me,” Kame pinched Jin’s cheek to remind the man of the soon-to-come circumstances.

“I’ll come with you,” Jin quickly decided and Kame arched his brows at his boyfriend. “I need to make sure those customers know who you belong to,” Jin said possessively and Kame just rolled his eyes.

“Yea~Yea~ whatever,” Kame halfhearted said and smiled at the love he receiving from the other man.

❈

“Stop glaring,” Kame chuckled when Jin shot another glare at a female customer who tried to flirt with him. “You’re scaring off the drunkards,” Kame laughed and Jin just clicked his tongue at the comment.

“And you told me to be nice to ‘the drunkards’, you have a nice name for them,” Jin turned to sip on his drink and continued his observance.

“It’s only for me to know and for you to keep, don’t let out my secret,” Kame winked flirtingly and Jin just waved it off with a jolly laugh.

“You’re wicked than you look,” Jin leaned back on the stool to look over to the other side of the cabaret. “It’s still the same after so many months,” Jin commented on the place he used to work at.

“As crazy nut as she looks, Mi-chan does know how to run her place better than most people I know,” Kame joined in complimenting as he passed a drink to next customer.

“I’m sorry,” Jin whispered lowly, however, Kame already caught on the man’s words.

“I want to do this, so stop being all guilty, you make me feel pathetic for quitting,” Kame poked Jin’s cheek and spoke in a child voice which made Jin laughed out loudly. Kame grinned at the smile. He took a glance around the place and then heaved out a satisfied sigh, “I will sure miss this place a lot.”

“I bet you do,” Jin agreed with the statement, stretching out his hand for Kame to hold onto. Kame gladly accepted the hand and held on it tightly as they watched the place getting on its busy life.

“Where you will kidnap me to?” Kame asked after a long pause.

“Stop ruining the moment,” Jin whined at Kame’s sudden question, “that was such a perfect romantic scenario we had there,” he pouted to make his point.

“I didn’t know you are a romanticist!” Kame pretended to gasp at the new discovery.

“It was just perfect,” Jin shrugged trying to get back to his manly composure. “Anyway, to answer your awesomely sudden question, I’m thinking of going to a deserted island and get lost there with you,” Jin grinned while Kame blinked his eyes at the stupid idea, feeling the urge to slap the man on the forehead.

“You should be glad that I love you too much to smack your head,” Kame voiced out his thought.

“I’m just loveable that’s all,” Jin boasted, Kame made a gagging sound at that. The two laughed heartily at their silliness. “I was just kidding, you know it,” Jin said, “what do you think of us two spend the days in my private penthouse. Well not mine, it belongs to Pi actually but since he spent most of his time here, that place is unoccupied and available for use at any time as I wish.” As Jin finished his sentence, he found Kame already leaned over the counter to tackle him into a tight hug while kept repeating ‘I love you’ loudly. If the bar counter was not in between them, Jin believed he would have been crushed to death by now by the younger man’s grip on his neck.

“I…bre…breath…KAZU~” Jin tried to catch his breathing but Kame only tightened his arms.

“K..Kazu..Ka…Kazu…”

“You’re going to suffocate your boyfriend,” Ueda smacked Kame’s head, successfully stopped the younger man from accidentally murder his boyfriend.

“I’m just too happy,” Kame grinned while patted Jin on the back to help the older man getting back his breathing.

“I can totally see it,” Ueda said sarcastically, “anyway, it’s my shift now, you two get out of my way,” Ueda pushed Kame out of the bar to the back room.  “You can take him and be all freaky at your own place, don’t do it here or I’ll have to explain to Mi-chan why the sale of this month showing a down side,” Ueda half glared at Jin. The man bowed his head in an apologetic gesture for the earlier action. 

 

❈

The Next Morning

❈

“Morning sunshine,” Jin said softly next to Kame’s ear making the younger man stirred in his sleep, slowly crack opened his eyes to study his surroundings. Kame smiled upon seeing Jin’s smiling face. He stretched out his arm to collect Jin in his embrace as he snuggled closer to Jin’s warm body and purred contently.

“Morning,” Kame hummed a small greeting, eyes already closed to enjoy the lazy day.

“Wake up sleepy head,” Jin chuckled when Kame went back to sleep.

“Don’t wanna,” Kame replied childishly in his hoarse sleepy tone.

“You don’t want breakfast in bed?” Jin teased, poking Kame’s lips with a piece of toast. Kame automatically opened his mouth for Jin to feed him. However, the older man was not going to give in that easily, Jin moved that piece of toast slowly away from Kame’s mouth, making the younger man tailing the piece. Kame opened his eyes when the toast was not in his mouth, he pouted at the game Jin was playing on him.

“Mou~ no teasing, give me it~” Kame pouted and whined, hand reached out to the toast; but, Jin has longer arm.

“You need to wake up first darling,” Jin cooed, “before you can have your breakfast,” he put the piece in his mouth to tease Kame.

“I hate you,” Kame turned his back to Jin, sulking over a piece of toast.

“I love you too darling,” Jin lovingly kissed Kame’s bare shoulder to sooth the younger man’s annoyance.

“I don’t want to wake up at this godly hour,” Kame said nodding his chin at the clock, and yes indeed, it was too early for breakfast at seven a.m. in Kame’s sense.

“Ok, what do you want? Sleep?” Jin asked trying to please the younger man.

“Nope,” Kame answered once he was facing Jin and blasted a grin at the older man, “BUT, I want something much more delicious than your breakfast,” Kame said with his low seductive voice. Jin widened his eyes at the sudden change of mood.

“In the mood already?” Jin laughed but his laugh was soon being muffled by Kame’s lips, the younger one boldly rolled on top of Jin and sealed their lips together in a sweet slow kiss. Jin smirked into the kiss, letting Kame taking control of their intimacy time, the half-eaten toast in his hand was long forgotten on the carpet floor next to their bed.