Transaction

Disclaimer: We only own the Opium and its characters.

Author’s Notes: This one is a little short. If we had planned it out chapter by chapter, this would be longer, but it made more sense to start and end it here. I have a feeling there will be a lot of small chapters every once in a while. We didn’t know we were gonna share this with this public until we realized how much work we put into it.

And now that it’s my job to break up chapters, I’ll be doing it as I see fit! YAY!

See, I like a lot of drama and angst and suspense. I’ll be making these chapters in a way that I think best brings out those qualities that I like. It doesn’t mean I’ll always be right on, though. When we would cut to different scenes, we’d use a little marks, but sometimes, where we’d cut wouldn’t make sense for a chapter. So, as this story goes on, it’ll take longer to figure out.

Thanks for being patient!
~~~
Transaction

Chapter Ten
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"I'll be back after I eat." He told Tohma (or was it warned?) as he left, legs stiff from the hours of standing still. His joints protested at every step, but he ignored it, heading for the elevators with coffee envisioned in his mind.

"Of course," Tohma said with a nod. "Everyone, please be back within a half an hour, forty-five minutes at the most. We have so much more to do."

And didn't he just sound so gleeful about it? Well, why shouldn't he? After all, it was all for the greater good in the long run. The blond left after they had all gone, going up to his office where he had his lunch ready and waiting. Nothing big since he planned only to take the half hour option and be waiting for the band to return.

"Kenji...," Keiko drawled pleasantly, innocently even, as she walked beside him. "Oh Kenji darling... I wanted to know if maybe you had something on your mind today."

Kenji's eyes widened behind strings of red hair, and he glanced at Haido, who was several steps in front of them as he shook his head. "Why would I have something on my mind?"

And... what. He hoped she didn't find out what. He couldn't help it, though! Splitting his attention between watching Taki and Tohma, Haido, and singing, something was bound to suffer! And it was neither of the first two.

Kenji suddenly felt too warm for his own skin, and with a sinking sensation, he realized he was blushing.

Keiko nearly stopped in her tracks. A little butterball he was no more, but blushing! And worse than the time she'd stumbled upon his porn. It took her a moment to regain her train of thought and continue the interrogation.

"Well... you seem awfully distracted during the practice, babe," she pointed out, though gently now. "It takes a lot to keep you away from singing, unless you're being a baby. So what's up?"

There had to be something, anything that she wasn't being told. And she hated that. She was always privy to his personal information.

Kenji stopped in the middle of the hallway, bringing up one hand to push it through his hair. A strange action, because he was normally so fastidious about his hair.

This was Kei. He could tell her anything, he knew that. She'd be mad at him if he didn't tell, but... it was strange, and he wasn't entirely sure he liked the curiosity that had built up within him. It burned and clawed for satisfaction, but he just didn't know how to do it.

"It's nothing important. Just..." He looked awkward, hand slipping down to rub the back of his neck. He jerked his head toward Haido, who was far ahead of them by now.

Keiko followed the direction in which Kenji jerked his head. All she saw was the back of their little synth player. Haido. Nothing special. Maybe he'd accidentally pissed Kenji off during rehearsal?

"Juuuuuuuuust... just what?" she asked, stumped. "Just mad? Just annoyed? Just ticked off? Just worried?"

Keiko didn't see anything wrong with Haido or how he worked.

"He's just doing his job, don't take it personally."

Giving her a flat eyed stare, Kenji shook his head. She really wasn't getting it. "If I was mad, you would have known." He slipped his hands into his pockets, glancing around the hall because really, anyone could hear them if they came by.

"I don't know him, Kei. Like... really know him. And I want to, and that's weird." His brow furrowed, and for once, he was giving her a genuine look of desperate confusion.

He really didn't know what to do.

"That is weird, right?" Just to make sure.

Keiko looked confused for a moment, just staring at Kenji before hesitantly shaking her head. Man, this certainly wasn't what she had been expecting.

"Uh, you asked him to join... I figured it was all you wanted to know about him. He could play," she said cautiously. "But... I mean, if you want to get to know him better, you should. After all, we're with him for two years, right?"

But it wasn't weird. Sure Kenji was self absorbed, but to a point. Maybe it finally hit him that the three of them would be stuck with each other for real. No longer some little garage band.

"Yeah..." Kenji sighed, brow still furrowed. "I guess so."

He wasn't entirely sure Keiko was understanding, but he knew it was because he didn't understand either. It was weird, though, he knew that. There was no denying it, because this curiosity was not like normal curiosity. It burned and itched, making him uneasy as he tried to work.
~~~
Author’s Notes: Kenji was just plain silly to me. I had the role of Keiko, and Kel had the role of Kenji. After we realized they’d have a more important role, we divvied up the band between us. Passing Haido back and forth until I wound up with him in the end, because it made sense.

Kenji, to me, seemed like the kind of guy you’d be taking care of the rest of your life. Babied and rotten at times, sweet and childlike at others. But when I look closer, I realized that Keiko was the exact same way in her own style. They complimented and fit each other in the way that only best friends could. They have their own way of doing things, and take liberties that most people wouldn’t normally take with each other.

On the inside, he’s still that cowering little fat boy, looking for his hero. Keiko did her best. But she turned out to be more of a parent than anything else. And every parent has to let their kids go at some point.

Or lock them in the closet. Which I wouldn’t put past Keiko to do to Kenji at all.

And onward to the development of the third member of Opium. Haido. It’s always the quiet ones.

~Subby