The pants fit Jin to perfection. Every pinstriped inch of them was glue to his body, acting as more of second skin than a piece of clothing. They were matched with a tight fitting, pinstriped blazer, which covered up Jin's favorite t-shirt; a yellow one with some random English saying. All in all, the outfit rather fitted the occasion.

"There. How do I look?" Jin brushed out an imaginary crease in his jacket and turned to face his audience.

"Trying to impress someone, Jin?" Yamapi looked up from where he was sitting on the sofa. "Might as well, just go naked, it would give the same effect."

"Oh, hush, Yamashita-san!" Ueda said reprovingly. "Jin looks unbelievable and you know it."

Takizawa-sempai pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I love that watch. Where ever did you find it?"

Jin looked down at his watch. "Oh, this old thing...I found it, on sale, almost two years ago."

Jin smiled and Takizawa-sempai grinned back. "Well, are we ready? The party starts at nine, and it's almost half past nine already."

Ueda squealed something about how his hair still wasn't right and wondered off in search of some gel and a straightened. Jin shook his head. "So Pi," Jin elbowed Yamapi in the stomach. "Wondering if Toma'll be there?"

Yamapi bit his bottom lip. "I suppose so. It's just, I'm not quite sure what to say. I mean I can't just go up and say "Hey that was a nice fuck, wanna try again." As much as I'd like to. It just - won't work."

Jin laughed at that, running his tongue of his lips. "I suppose not. After all, it was more than just a fuck, right? From what you told me, you stayed up all night talking."

Yamapi had to grin at that. "Mm-hm. All night. Just chatting and kissing and cuddling. It was quite possibly the gayest thing I've ever done in my life. However, not without its fun."

Takizawa-sempai cleared his throat, winking at Yamapi. "Akanishi-kun. I wonder, are you certain all this is necessary?"

Jin faced himself in the mirror, turning first this way then that. "It is important to keep the ring in front of the not-so-merry Kamenashi or he'll decide to merely wait us out. If I can whet his appetite, he might just go ahead and purchase the blasted ring outright."

"I must question the wisdom of that. Flashing the ring before Kamenashi-san is sure to garner his ire. And Maki said he was quite a stern, unsmiling man."

"Hell. Just let him be irked to death." Jin straightened out his jacket, once more. "Facing a worthy adversary will do him a world of good. And I intend on being very, very good at opposing him. At least until he agrees to do as I have asked."

Yamapi chuckled. "If he thinks to outwit you, he'll be sadly mistaken. You never could back down from a challenge."

Takizawa looked up and grinned. "Much to his detriment. Remember the time I told him he couldn't run around the school track naked and he - "

"Yes," Jin said, "and we don't wish to hear that tired story again, thank you very much."

"I'd like to hear it again." Yamapi said.

Jin eyed Yamapi sourly. "You would."

Ueda had apparently found his straighter and intervened. "Fortunately for us all, Jin has matured and can easily turn from a challenge now."

"Oh?" Takizawa asked,d his eyes twinkling with laughter. "What about last month when - "

"Oh enough!" Jin threw up his hands. "Please do not bring every time I have lost my temper and agreed to some foolhardy task! It is a defect of my otherwise perfect self. But I am much better than what I used to be, and that is what really means something here."

Takizawa shook his head. "I certainly hope s. I just hope that this time, with Kamenashi, you are not going too far. Can you not just call him and ask for another letter?"

"And make him think that I've been sitting here, waiting for him for the last two days? No. I cannot do that. It will make me look desperate. And Akanishi Jin is not a desperate person." Jin fixed a stray hair that was out of place, suddenly realizing that he'd not thought of that stupid kiss the entire time he was dressing. It was yet another sign that he was doing the right thing. "I believe I am ready," he said, trying to fight the urge to wink at himself in the mirror. "And while I appreciate all the concern you've been showing, please be aware that if there is one thing I understand, it is how to drive a bargain."

"That's true." Yamapi said, nodding at Takizawa. "Koyama always insists that he would rather be eaten by a snake than face him on the auction floor." Yamapi frowned. "I only wonder what he thinks about Kamenashi."

Jin adjusted the tiny globe necklace, fastened around his neck. "The problem with Kamenashi is that life has given him his way far too often and it has made him a little too certain of himself. Rather like an overfed lion, he thinks he has but to glare and we will all fall over dead before him, ready to be eaten at his leisure."

"That sounds horrid, to be sure." Takizawa said, through a snort, as he watch Yamapi push Jin out of the mirror, to stare at his own reflection.

"Oh, not really. Once I arrive at the party, I shall twinkle the ring beneath his nose. Not much, but enough that he sees it. And then..." Jin rubbed the silver ring with one finger, smiling at the warmth that tingled through his hand and arm.

"And then what?" Takizawa instigated.

"And then I shall spend some time with Kitagawa Johnny."

"Who is that?" Yamapi asked.

"He owns JE Real Estate. Arguably the biggest real estate company in Japan. He and Kamenashi don't - get along. Supposedly, Kitagawa offered to purchase many of the Kamenashi assets and Kamenashi didn't take him up on his offer. It will irk Kamenashi to no avail to see his family heirloom being admired by Kitagawa."

Takizawa sighed. "That sounds like a good plan, but I - "

"Shit! Look at the time! We better be off!" And they were off to make certain the annoying Kamenashi Kazuya did not forget that Jin possessed something he wanted, very, very badly.

::

Kazuya walked the foyer of his house, straightening his sleeve as he did so. Ryo was suppose to have met him here almost ten minutes ago, and Kazuya detested tardiness.

"Okura." Kazuya called for his butler. "Have the car brought around front, since Ryo had decided to not join us this evening, I suppose I should just leave."

Okura's usual stern countenance almost froze into a grimace. "Ah! Kamenashi-sama. I'm afraid - the car - um."

Kazuya paused. "The car? What about it? Did I not inform you that I would be going out tonight?"

The butler glanced uncertainly at the door behind Kazuya. "Yes, you did. However, I can explain."

Kazuya raised his brow.

"Do not burn Okura with one of your fierce looks," came a laughing voice from behind Kazuya.

Kazuya turned to find Ryo standing in the entryway. "Well, well, finally decided to show?"

Ryo grinned. "Of course I did. A party just isn't a party without me. Koki and Toma are meeting us there, by the way."

Kazuya nodded. "So, tell me do I have you to thank for the fact that my car is currently unable to be brought around?"

"Yes, it is. I figured we would take my car. It is, after all, much more cool than yours." Ryo smirked knavishly. "You look nice, nice to see you out of business clothes for once."

"We are going to a party. Of course I am not in business attire."

"I suppose." Ryo paused watching Kazuya with interest. "I was surprised when you asked me to tag along. I thought you gave up on social occasions years ago."

There it was again, that hint that something was wrong with him. Kazuya had to count to ten before he replied, "I do get invited out, you know. I have never been a recluse."

"Yes, but you so rarely accept any of the hundreds of invitations that come your way. I don't think I've seen you dressed in such a manner in almost five months. Since your older brother's wedding."

"Shall we leave?" Kazuya asked, beyond irritated. He glanced at his reflection in the wide mirror over the large fireplace in his living room and fixed a piece of stray hair. First Toma and now Ryo. It was annoying, but...Kazuya sighed. Perhaps he should listen a bit more closely; they were his best friends, after all.

Ryo paused, staring at Kazuya. "I just hired a new driver. He's quite adorable."

Kazuya nodded, allowing Okura to put on his jacket and open the door for both of them. "I thought you weren't into cute men? You have stated that fact on more than one occasion."

"Not for me." Ryo grinned, flipping his hair. "I thought that since things with Subaru didn't go as smoothly as you had hoped that perhaps you'd be interested in a new type. Get past the beautiful and into the cute?"

Kazuya almost laughed, but something inside stopped him. "I don't date drivers. Sorry."

"But you could at least give it a chance. Unless," Ryo's eyes lit up with knowledge. "Is Toma right, Akanishi-san? Are you dating him?"

"No." Kazuya said, a bit too quickly. "I am not. I have done nothing with that foolish man besides kiss him and that was a mist - "

"You kissed him?" Ryo stopped walking, in favor of standing there with his mouth agape, staring at Kazuya.

Damn it. Kazuya hadn't meant to impart that particular piece of information. And to Ryo - the ass would never let him live it down. "I wanted to shut him up, and it seemed the best way of doing so." Kazuya shrugged as nonchalantly as he could possibly manage, but even as he did so the fragments of a smile started to appear on his face. Even the thought of the kiss, made him feel slightly giddy. And the memory of Akanishi's body, so hard and lean and strong against him, caused his body to heat up with a fire that'd he'd never experienced.

"Yes, but you don't kiss people." Ryo still stood in the same place, as though his feet were glued to the floor.

"I do. I kissed Subaru many times."

"Only at the beginning. From what I've been told, you gave up on any type of foreplay, including kissing, a long time ago. Preferring, shall we say, the action?" Ryo grinned, apparently gaining back some of his composure.

Kazuya sighed. That much was true. Kazuya had always found the idea of kissing and foreplay to be somewhat tedious. Why waste time when one could just fuck? "I found it a waste of time to swap saliva with Subaru, considering we both knew what the end result would be."

"But with Akanishi you didn't? In fact, you kissed him?" Ryo was grinning even larger now, his dimples popping out.

No, damn it. With Akanishi he found the whole idea of kissing rather enjoyable. He found the whole idea of touching him, of fondling him, of Akanishi touching and kissing him rather appealing. In truth it was a hell of a lot more appealing that sex with Subaru had ever been. "Yes, I kissed him, Ryo. Now can we please leave? I hate being late."

Ryo chuckled and they walked to his car in a relatively comfortable silence. "Ah. Here he is! Tegoshi-kun!" Ryo said, as they reached his car.

Ryo did, in fact, have a cool car. It was a European car, silver in color, with leather interior. Kazuya had always admired it, but would have felt silly buying such a car himself. Especially considering the pricetag; one could purchase a whole fleet of houses for what Ryo had paid for his car.

As Kazuya admired it, a small man, perhaps a few years younger than Kazuya popped out. And he was adorable. Built small and feminine, with a delicate bone structure that just begged to be touched. "This," Ryo announced. "Is Tegoshi. He is simply adorable, is he not?"

Kazuya smiled, and watched as Tegoshi tripped, trying to open the door for him. "Um, I forgot to mention. He's very, clumsy." Ryo laughed, watching Kazuya's reaction, with amusement. "But he's an excellent driver, I assure you."

Kazuya didn't respond, just graced himself into the car, winking at Tegoshi as he did so."Let's go. It's almost nine already." Kazuya wanted to see Uchi before the man had time to drink himself into a stupor. Since Uchi's financial difficulties had begun, he was realer seen without a glass in his hand and his clothes askew. It was sad how some people allowed their emotions to get the better of them. Thank goodness he was better than that.

::

The dangerously fast car racketed down the private drive of the Mastumoto's, whisking past the line of waiting vehicles, mud spraying each one. By the time they reached their destination, Kazuya's clothing was lopsided, his hair out of place, mud graced the side of Ryo's silver car resembling a racing stripe and the driver was grinning from ear to ear. Of course, Kazuya had found out, Tegoshi was always grinning from ear to ear.

A valet assigned to open car doors immediately came forward to do his duty, but to his astonishment,the short, cute, driver jumped down from the carriage seat and grinned the man out of the way.

"I'll do it." Tegoshi said, eyes lit up. "I love helping!"

The valet blinked. "I was just going to open the door."

"Yes, but I'm sure there are a million other people out there waiting for you to open their doors. Leave these two to me!"

Ryo watched the scene, entertained, while Kazuya watched it, slightly outraged. "Is there anything that you don't enjoy doing, Tegoshi-kun?"

Tegoshi pouted, raised and eyebrow and finally said, after a moment of though, "Hurting people."

"Why, of course, Ryo I'm surprised you didn't guess that. Tegoshi is the complete humanitarian." Kazuya drawled, sardonically. "Have we stopped moving?"

Tegoshi giggled. "Of course we have, Kamenashi-san!" The driver stepped back and opened the door.

Kazuya managed to climb out without stumbling too badly. His entire body protested the sudden move and he was certain his face had a greenish tint as he stepped down. "Hell," he muttered, clutching the car door with both hands. The entire world seemed to be slowly moving, left to right and then, just as confusedly, right to left.

Tegoshi grabbed his arm and held him upright. "Kamenashi, do you need an aspirin? I've heard that hangovers are very bad things."

"I do not have a hangover, damn it." Kazuya managed to say through his teeth, though his stomach protested even that small expulsion of air. "I do not drink to the excess, ever. However, I almost wish I did. The heaving ground slowly sifted into a semblance of stillness. "You drive like a - a -"

"A real driver?" Tegoshi squealed, in a hopeful tone.

"No," Kazuya said, yanking his arm free from Tegoshi's grasp. "More like a mad man."

Ryo laughed and winked at Tegoshi, who was currently sporting a look of intense, deep hurt. "He's playing Tegoshi-kun."

Tegoshi brightened up at Ryo's words and Kazuya took a deep breath, pulling the welcoming cool night air into his nose. "Surely you have not allowed him to drive you around town?"

Ryo barked a laugh and grabbed Kazuya's arm. "Tegoshi, we have to be going. I shall call when it's time to pick us up, yes?"

Tegoshi nodded, looking slightly depressed again, but smile nonetheless. "Yes, Nishikido-san! I promise, this time I won't be late. Believe me."

Ryo nodded and Kazuya gave one last look at Tegoshi, before the young man clambered back into the car.

The Matsumoto mansion was ablaze with light and decorated in the latest fashion, if somewhat overdone. Kazuya wasn't sure what it was - the colors were too bright or the furnishings too numerous or the use of gold foil trim painfully excessive - but the result was a flood of color and texture that made one wish to turn and run.

The Matsumoto's were new money, having acquired their fortune in the early 80's and only building it from there. They were a nice family, if not perhaps a little eccentric, with their taste of fashion and blatant progressiveness that had always gotten them a bit of a negative reputation with the older generations. Kazuya, however, liked them.

As Kazuya and Ryo walked in Jun, the host, seemed to beam in all directions. "Kamenashi Kazuya!" he trilled, just loudly enough to be heard by every person in the grand hall. "I can't believe you came."

Kazuya smiled in response, watching as Ohno, one of Jun's closest friends blustered out a hello and bowed. "Wow, too long no see." The older man bowed. "Haven't been out of the house, in what, three years?" Ohno asked, in good sprit and Kazuya, whose mood had improved, knowing that he was finally gaining the Uchi estates, let it slide.

Where was the card room? He'd wager ten-thousand yen that he'd find Uchi comfortably ensconced there, gritting away what tiny bit of income he still had left.

"I wonder have you met my friend Ninomiya? He's very smart looking." Jun winked and Kazuya knew at once that the rumors of his and Subaru's parting were abound.

Ohno didn't seem to find that prospect pleasant. "Jun, leave the man alone. Besides, perhaps he more interested in the gambling room?"

Jun laughed. "Oh, but Kamenashi doesn't gamble. He's far too -"

"Actually, Ohno-san, I'd love if you'd show me and Ryo were it's located. We're in the mood."

Ryo nodded, grinning at Jun. "Yes, please, Ohno-san. I wanted to show Kamenashi, here how to really play dirty."

Ohno smiled, sending Jun an "I told you so" look and lead the pair to a secluded room, away from the antechamber, where most of the parties inhabitance were gathered.

Kazuya immediately spotted his prey; Uchi Hiroki sat at a green-felt-covered table, his clothes perfectly manicured, his face slightly flushed from the contents of a half-empty glass at his elbow, a wild, desperate gleam to his eye. He was a young man, younger than Kazuya, with soft, beautiful features and held by most to be extremely personable, albeit, slightly overemotional. But Kazuya knew him for what he really was - a profligate gambler who had sold a brilliant gem of apartments, in bustling Osaka on the flip of a single card.

Yet, here he was, drinking and gambling, yet again. Kazuya moved to one side, offering a polite bow when Uchi's gaze finally found him.

However, the younger man's gaze did not rest long on Kazuya. It brushed past him, landing on Ryo. "Ryo?" Uchi asked, his smile widening slighlty, as he grabbed impulsively at his glass and took a glup, then sat it back on the table.

Ryo rose an eyebrow in confusion. "Do I know you?"

::

TO BE CONTINUED!