pederasty

Disclaimer: I don’t own slam dunk.
***

“Ha! Try beating this! FULL HOUSE!” Hiroaki slapped his cards on the table.

Kiminubo smiled gently at the guy. “Royal flush,” he said as he carefully placed his cards on the table too.

Hiroaki face-faulted. He and Kiminubo had been playing poker for all morning since Youhei, Hanamichi and Usagi left for the daycare. And not once did he ever win.

“I give up,” Hiroaki said dejectedly. “You’re too good. Are you sure you’re a doctor, huh, doc?”

Kiminubo retained his smile. He giggled like teenager. “That’s why I never became a gambler. People might hate me if I won too often.”

“Yeah. Whatever,” Hiroaki murmured as he buried his face on his elbows on the table.

Suddenly they heard aloud crash outside.

“What the hell was that?!” Hir bol bolted off his chair and into alert mode.

Kiminubo frowned but also in alert mode. “Sounds like a car crash,” he analyzed. He looked at Hiroaki. “Let’s go save the driver.” And before Hiroaki could protest he already ran outside.

Hiroaki could only follow Kiminubo as the doctor ran to the crash site. He paused and gawked when he saw that the car had crashed right into Youhei’s flowerbed.

“Oh no,” Hiroaki said helplessly. Youhei had always loved his flowerbed; he wouldn’t be happy to see it now.

“Hiro-kun!” Kiminubo called out. He was near the car and peeling the passenger door open. “Help me here! The man is still breathing!”

Hiroaki snapped out of his thoughts and ran to help Kiminubo with the driver. They heaved the guy out of his broken car and lay him far from the crash site. The car could blow up anytime.

Kiminubo checked the man’s pulse and sighed in relief to find it beating strong. He turned to Hiroaki, who hovered around him.

“Go call an ambulance!” he ordered.

Hiroaki nodded and would have run back into the house if the driver hadn’t spoken up.

“No,” the driver cried. He reached out his hand, and Kiminubo held it. He smiled at Kiminubo. “No ambulance please. I … “ he gasped. “I… hate … hos… *gasp* …pitals.”

“But you’re wounded,” Kiminubo frowned. “You have to be treated.”

“I’m … *gasp* …fine,” the man insisted. “Just… *gasp* … flesh wounds.”

Hiroaki watched the man closely. He had a suspicion that the guy was some runaway criminal. “Who are you?” he growled menacingly.

The driver took out his wallet and gave it to Kiminubo.

“Detective Hisashi Mitsui,” Kiminubo read out loud. He smiled regretfully at the driver. “I’m sorry, but I really think it would be wise for us to send you to the hospital. You’re bleeding quite profusely.”

“Please,” Hisashi begged. “No… *gasp* … hospitals.”

Kiminubo frowned thoughtfully. Hiroaki shook his head and made a turnabout.

“I’m gonna call the cops,” Hiroaki said to Kiminubo.

“No!”

“Oh for God\'s sakes! You don’t want us to call the ambulance and you alsdn’tdn’t want us to call the cops! Are you sure you’re not some lowdown criminal?” Hiroaki asked in frustration as he faced Kiminubo and the driver again.

“Call… *gasp* … this number.” Hisashi pulled a bloodied piece of paper out of his shirt pocket. “He’ll… *gasp* … help me.”

Kiminubo shook his head as Hiroaki took the piece of paper.

“Hiro-kun, please help me carry Mitsui-san to my room please,” Kiminubo requested softly. He carefully made Hisashi sit up.

“WHAT?! Are yot oft of your freaking mind? That guy could be a member of the Yakuza for all we know!” Hiroaki freaked out. He clutched the piece of paper tightly in his right hand.

Kiminubo had a determined look on his face that silence Hiroaki’s protest.

“Okay! Fine!” Hiroaki sighed in defeat.

He then helped Kiminubo carry the guy into his room. It took a while, for the guy’s not exactly light.

“Damn! You should lose weight!”

“Hiro-kun!”

“What?! It’s the truth! Takenori weighs lighter than he is!”

Hisashi winced as Hiroaki raved about his weight. He knew that he’s heavy, around 200 running 300 pounds. Maybe that weight loss manual should be used.

Kiminubo and Hiroaki sighed as they placed Hisashi on the bed.

“You’re lucky that the owner of the house used king-sized beds for all the rooms,” Hiroaki growled at Hisashi. He was not happy to see the guy in his friend’s bed. He turned to Kiminubo, who was currently rummaging through his clothes. “What are you looking for, Kimi?”

“My medical kit,” Kiminubo answered but didn’t look up. “Go get some warm water, Hiro-kun. And some fresh bandages too.”

“And leave you here with a total stranger?” Hiroaki didn’t like the thought. “Forget it!”

Kiminubo’s head emerged from his clothes and gave Hiroaki a stern look. “I’m not a kid, Hiro-kun. I can protect myself.”

“But…”

“No buts,” Kiminubo interrupted. He gracefully moved towards the bed and proceeded in cutting Hisashi’s white shirt off with a pair of scissors.

“Don’t worry,” he assured Hisashi. “I’m a doctor. Hiro-kun, I’m waiting for the warm water.”

Hiroaki rolled his eyes in defeat. He quickly left the two and went into the kitchen and warmed some water for the wounded. He remembered the piece of paper and decided to call whomever the person was so Detective Hisashi Mitsui could just get out of the house. Hiroaki had a feeling that their lives would never be the same due to the man’s presence.

“Hello,” a male voice answered the phone as it rang only once.

“Hello,” Hiroaki croaked. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Hello, is this the friend of Detective Hisashi Mitsui?”

A lengthy pause. “Who’s this?” the callee growled softly.

Hiroaki frowned at the tone of the callee’s voice. “Your friend is at my friend’s house. Bleeding! Unless you want him dead, get your butt in here and make it fast!” he yelled at the phone.

Another lengthy pause. “Give me the address,” the callee said before Hiroaki could drop the phone in annoyance.

Hiroaki thought for a minute. He might be selling their lives to the devil if he told the guy their address, but if he didn’t tell the guy their address then Hisashi would stay longer. Hiroaki disliked the secoptioption than the first.

“It’s 410 Sakura Street, Kanagawa,” Hiroaki informed. He heard a whistle from the kitchen. “I better go now.”

“Wait! Did you say 410 Sakura Street, Kanagawa?” the callee asked in shocked tone.

“Yeah! So you better be here before I kick your friend out,” Hiroaki threatened before dropping the phone. He had the sudden urge to clean his ears.

“That guy better be not a Yakuza or else I’ll rip his friend apart,” Hiroaki muttered under his breath as poured the boiling water into a plastic pan.

“What took you so long?” Kiminubo asked Hiroaki as the smaller guy entered his room. He waat Hat Hiroaki to place the pan near the bed. “You could have just taken some warm water on the faucet and disinfect it with alcohol.”

“I want him to bleed to death,” Hiroaki answered bluntly. He glared at Hisashi, who glared back.

Kiminubo sweat-dropped at his friend’s answer.

“Don’t mind him, Mitsui-san,” Kiminubo told Hisashi. “He’s just worried.”

“I have every right to be worried, Kimi,” Hiroaki uttered. “You just dragged Mr. Fat-so here in the house. He’s a total stranger, for God\'s sake!”

“I’m not fat,” Hisashi growled at the annoying Hiroaki. His side ached more as Kiminubo calmly washed the blood away from his wounds.

“Yeah, you’re right! You’re not fat, you’re just round around the middle!” Hiroaki said sarcastically.

Kiminubo sweat-dropped some more at Hiroaki’s childishness. “Hiro-kun,” he called out softly. “I would like some lemonade please.”

“What am I? Your resident nurse?” Hiroaki glared at Kiminubo’s head.

Kiminubo chuckled softly. “No,” he said as he traced a cut on Hisashi’s chest with alcohol soaked cotton. “If you were my resident nurse, I wouldn’t be asking for some lemonade.” He turned around and grinned at his friend. “You’re my friend that’s why I’m asking for lemonade.”

Hiroaki raised an eyebrow at Kiminubo’s lame excuse. He knew that Kiminubo only wanted him out of the room. He sighed as he looked away. “Fine!” aid.aid.

Kiminubo sighed in relief that Hiroaki got his message. He turned back to Hisashi and gave the guy an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry at how Hiro-kun’s been treating you. He’s not really mean, he’s just a little wary of strangers.”

Hisashi nodded. He hissed when Kiminubo poked none-too-gently on a tender skin.

“These wounds were not made by the crash, Mitsui-san,” Kiminubo said coldly. His usual happy aura changed into a cold professional attitude. “These wounds are knife inflicted.”

Hisashi winced when another poke was made. He decided to drop the barely-alive act. “I was investigating a case in one of our harbor’s main houses,” he explained. “They accidentally found me looking around.”

“Pretty reckless of you,” Kiminubo said coldly.

Hisashi frowned at the doctor’s voice. It amazed him that such warm, friendly person could morph into someone cold and impersonal. The story of Jekyll and Hyde came into Hisashi’s mind.

“Where do you practice medicine?” Hisashi asked casually tse tse the tension in the room.

“Kanagawa General Hospital,” Kiminubo answered as he applied ointments on the wounds so they won’t get infected. “The wounds were not deep, but you lost a lot of blood. You shouldn’t move around too much for next couple of days so the wounds wouldn’t open again.”

Hisashi nodded. He looked at the pile of clothing in the foot of the bed.

“Your gun is on the side table drawer,” Kiminubo answered the unvoiced question. He then left the guy, closine doe door behind him softly.

***

“Stupid man! Stupid Kimi!” Hiroaki kept murmuring under his breath as he prepared Kiminubo’s lemonade.

“Hiro-kun,” Kiminubo called from the stairs. “I have to take a shower. I left Mitsui-san alone in my room.”

“So? What do you want me to do? Watch over the guy? Forget it!”

Kiminubo chuckled.

Hiroaki heard him enter the bathroom and went back into his muttering dismemberment to anyone who interfered with his happy life.

Ding-dong!

Hiroaki automatically ran to the door. He had forgotten that he had called someone to pick Mr. Fat-so.

“AHHH!” Hiroaki screamed when he opened the door.

“HIRO-KUN?!”

“AHHH!” Hiroaki screamed again then slammed the door shut.

***

Hisashi had sat up on his bed, fingering his gun, when he heard someone scream from downstairs. He automatically ran out of the room but froze when he spotted Kiminubo wearing what looked like a towel and dripping with wa His His glasses were not present.

“What happened?” Kiminubo asked the frozen Hisashi. He also heard the loud scream from the shower. Thinking the worst scenario, he grabbed whatever his hands could hold and put it on. Unfortunately, it was the face towel that Youhei kept in hand in the shower.

Hisashi shook his mind off his sexy doctor. He forgot Kiminubo when he heard another scream. He gasped when his wounds screamed in pain as he moved too fast. He felt himself falling but surprisingly strong arms caught him in time.

“I told you not to move for two days,” Kiminubo reprimanded Hisashi.

“That’s your friend,” Hisashi gasped to Kiminubo.

Kiminubo’s eyes widened in fear, but his doctor training had kept him from panicking. He carefully helped Hisashi stand and kept a steady hand on him.

“I’ve got to help him,” Hisashi informed Kiminubo.

Kiminubo nodded. “But you can’t attack in your condition,” he said reasonably. “I’ll go chen Hin Hiro-kun. You better go back into your room.”

“Like hell I will,” Hisashi growled. He stared in Kiminubo’s eyes with determination. “You helped me, now I help you.”

Kiminubo’s eyes softened, and the tough detective melted.

“Hiro-kun! Open the door!” someone yelled from the door while he pounded the door.

“GO TO HELL!” Hiroaki’s voice yelled back.

Kiminubo’s attention got caught at the yelling. He frowned thoughtfully. “It doesn’t sound like Hiro-kun’s in trouble,” he aned. ed.

Hisashi stood up, and started to walk towards the end of the stairs. “Let’s go see, okay?” he murmured to Kiminubo. He was biting his lip to keep from crying out as his pain intensi.
.

Kiminubo wanted the detective to go to bed but it seemed that he would have his way no matter what Kiminubo says. So he assisted Hisashi move towards the stairs.

The sight that beheld them struck them in immobility.

“What the…?” Hisashi wondered out loud as he watched Hiroaki bodily blocked the door.

“Hiro-kun,” Kiminubo called the smaller guy amidst the chaos. “Who’s at the door?”

“It’s the pervert!” Hiroaki yelled at Kiminubo. “How’d he find me?!” Hiroaki was panicking.

“Pervert?” Hisashi asked the doctor beside him.

Kiminubo could only sweat-drop.

Suddenly they heard a loud crash on the living room window. A man in his mid-thirties had crashed into the room.

“AHHH!” Hiroaki screamed before throwing anything that he could get a hold of to Akira Sendoh.

“Damnit, Hiro-kun! Stop that,” Akira cried out as he blocked throw pillows and whatever knick-knacks that Hiroaki threw at him with his arms. “Aren’t you happy to see me? You did call me!”

“Like hell I am! And who told you that I called you?” Hiroaki was now panting in his exertion in keeping Akira at bay.

“Ouch!” Akira cried in pain as a rubber ball bounced on his head. “Damnit! That hurts!”

“Then get out!” Hiroaki was running out of knick-knacks. If Akira didn’t leave the house soon, he would have to use Youhei’s vases.

Akira glared at Hiroaki thauncaunched himself at Hiroaki.

Hiroaki was taken by surprise and wasn’t able to escape. He squirmed under Akira and yelling expletives at the grinning man.

“Ah, Hiro-kun, I didn’t know you like it rough,” Akira purred seductively at the squirming guy beneath him. He moved closer for a kiss.

Hiroaki’s eyes widened in panic. He moved his face away from Akira and yelled with all his might, “KIMIIIIII!”

Kiminubo left Hisashi’s side to help his friend. He pulled Akira away from Hiroaki forcibly but the guy wouldn’t budge.

“Sendoh-san, please,” Kiminubo pleaded at Akira

But Akira was stubbornly refusing to move away. He wanted to kiss Hiroaki, and he would do so.

Suddenly a gunshot ran in the house. The three on the floor froze.

“Get off him, Akira,” Hisashi ordered harshly.

Akira looked up from the floor and grinned at Hisashi. “Sashi-kun! You’re alive!”

Hisashi grinned back at his friend. He looked at the helpless Hiroaki and the relieved Kiminubo. He shook his head and laughed.

“Damn! Get off the poor guy, Akira. He helped save my life, though he was little reluctant.”

“Oh?” Akira stared back at Hiroaki. He smiled seductively. “You deserve a gift then.” He began to lower his head again.

“Ahhh! Get off me!” Hiroaki shouted as he wriggled more.

Kiminubo sweat-dropped. He looked up and gasped when he saw Hisashi swayed and threatened to fall down the stairs.

“Mitsui-san!”

Akira and Hiroaki simultaneously looked up as Kiminubo bolted to Hisashi’s side and caught the guy the second time around that morning.

“You better go to your room now,” Kiminubo ordered as he wrapped his arms around Hisashi.

Hisashi smiled thankfully at Kiminubo.

Akira looked down at the silent Hiroaki and quickly stole a kiss before Hiroaki became agitated again. He stood up with laugh when Hiroaki yelped in surprise. He immediately ran to help his friend as Hiroaki made a move to punch him.

“Here, let me help you,” Akira said. He grunted as he heaved Hisashi. “Shit! You ought to lose weight.”

“Thanks for the friendly advice,” Hisashi hissed. He honestly preferred Kiminubo’s gentle hold than Akira’s caveman antics.

Between Kiminubo and Akira, they managed to place the detective in his bed.

“Stay there,” Kiminubo instructed sternly to the bedded Hisashi.

Akira chuckled. “That’s the first time someone ordered you to stay in bed, Sashi-kun. It was usually the other way around.”

Kiminubo blushed at what Akira implied. He quickly murmured to get lemonade for the two and left before the two could reply.

Akira chuckled again. He knew Kiminubo when he was tracking Hanamichi all those years. He still couldn’t believe that he missed on Hiroaki.

Hisashi stared after his doctor with an expression close to longing. But he looked at Akira when Akira chuckled.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” Akira retorted. He sobered and gave his friend a sympathetic look. “He’s married, Sashi-kun.”

Hisashi frowned. “I’m not interested in him, Akira,” he lied.

“Yeah! So you say,” Akira said, not believing Hisashi for a second. He sat down on the bed. “What brought you here, Sashi-kun? Not that I mind, mind you. I finally got to see where Hiro-kun’s staying. But if you wanted to die, could you do that somewhere else? My son’s staying here, you know.”

“Mamoru?” Hisashi asked in disbelief. “What happened to Kaede?”

“He’s staying here as well,” Akira informed the detective. “He’s back with Hanamichi.”

“Oh. You mean the redhead?”

“Who else? Hey! Don’t change the subject,” Akira scolded. “What happened? Those wounds look really nasty. And not to mention the fence and the garden.”

“They found me snooping earlier this morning,” Hisashi said calmly.

“They didn’t follow you, did they?” Akira asked with worry, and with right justification. The gang that Hisashi had been investigating for months now was not exactly nice.

Hisashi shook his head. Akira sighed in relief.

“That’s why I ended up here,” Hisashi murmured. “I didn’t mean to destroy the fence though, but I sort of lost consciousness for a minute there.”

Akira nodded in understanding. He stood up suddenly.

“Well, I better go now,” Akira, said excitedly. “I still have to talk to Hiro-kun.” He then went out of the room with light steps.

Hisashi shook his head at his friend’s malevolent attitude when it comes to his sexual pursuant. Even if Hiroaki hadn’t been nice to him, Hisashi couldn’t help pitying the guy.

***

Kiminubo’s face burned as he sat down on the kitchen table.

Hiroaki was curly cly chewing a piece of dried squid from the refrigerator. And he was jiggling a large knife with his right hand.

“Why didn’t you wear something more …” Hiroaki paused to think for a minute. “… decent?” he glared at Kiminubo as he finished his question.

“You screamed and I panicked,” Kiminubo said defensively. He looked away when Hiroaki just raised an eyebrow.

“Really?”

Kiminubo sighed. “Okay, I admit it. I forgot to bring some clean clothes to the bathroom.” His face burned a deeper shade of red when he recalled walking and running around the house in a face towel. Luckily, he’s not that big and the face towel was larger than most, so it covered him. “And I don’t think they noticed.”

Hiroaki took another bite off the squid. He chewed it thoughtfully. “Now I know why I don’t like that Detective Mitsui. I knew he was bound to ruin my life.”

Kiminubo sweat-dropped. Hiroaki had scowled fiercely at him when he finally noticed that Kiminubo had only been wearing a face towel in the onset of all the chaos. He immediately ushered the guy into his room and threw at him the newly purchased clothes. So now, Kiminubo was wearing a T-shirt too small for him, and a pair of shorts. He felt a little off ease to be wearing shorts because it’s been years since he had last wore shorts. He kept tugging at the shorts every now and then.

“It wasn’t really that bad, Hiro-kun,” Kiminubo said as he tugged at his shorts again. “At least, Mitsui-san won’t be staying long.”

“Bad? Kimi, bad didn’t even come close to this.” Hiroaki swung back a curtain and revealed the broken fence and ruined flowerbed. “Look at that! How are we gonna tell Youhei that his precious flowerbed is ruined for life?! And how in the world can we explain the broken fence? And the broken window?”

“We could tell the truth,” Kiminubo volunteered. He tugged at his shorts again.

Hiroaki shook his head. “Oh that would be an idea. We’re just gonna say, ‘Hey, You-chan! A detective crashed into your fence and into your flowerbed this morning! He was wounded so we put him into Kiminubo’s bed.’ Bullshit, Kimi! Even Hanamichi will not believe us. And stop tugging at your shorts!”

Kiminubo sheepishly followed Hiroaki’s orders. He sighed softly.

“I could take care of the fence and window,” someone said softly from the door of the kitchen. “But I’m afraid I don’t have a green thumb.”

“You won’t be having any thumbs if you took one more sin hin here,” Hiroaki threatened.

Akira chuckled but moved a step anyway. “I dare ya,” he challenged Hiroaki softly.

With a swift motion, Hiroaki sailed the knife into the air. Kiminubo watched with wide eyes as the knife swished near his head. Akira calmly evaded the knife. It implanted itself in the wall beside his head.

“You got good aim,” Akira praised Hiroaki softly, his grin gone.

Hiroaki raised an eyebrow. “I won’t miss again,” he said as he produced another knife.

Kiminubo’s eyes widened even more. “Can’t you two just talk like civilized people?” he croaked. But Hiroaki’s answer was throwing the second knife to Akira, who again calmly evaded it.

“Don’t move!” Hiroaki ordered as a third knife was taken off the cupboard.

Akira’s eyes glinted. In a blink of an eye, he pulled the two knives off the wall and threw them at Hiroaki.

The knives wedged on Hiroaki’s shirt, right along side his waist. He was caught by surprise when the two knives pinned him to the sink.

“Damn!” Hiroaki cursed under his breath. He tried to pull the knives off his shirt but they were stuck. The third knife was suddenly taken away from him, and the bane of his existence stood in front of him.

“You shouldn’t play with the pro,” Akira murmured as he bent towards Hiroaki.

Hiroaki sought help from Kiminubo but the doctor was frozen in his seat. Kiminubo was never into violence.

Akira held Hiroaki’s hands over the two knives and kept it there. He lowered his head and tried to kiss the squirming guy. He endedkisskissing Hiroaki’s cheek though.

Hiroaki stubbornly dodged Akira’s advances. He opened his mouth to scream at Kiminubo but Akira caught his chin and kissed him before he could utter as single word of protest. He held his breath.

Akira angled his head to deepen the kiss when Hiroaki refused him entry. He then changed tactics and began licking the closed lips.

Hiroaki was surprised at the sudden change. He gasped softly and Akira took advantage. He moaned as his mouth was ravaged wantonly.

Akira groaned when he felt Hiroaki respond. He let the hands go and began exploring the young body. With skilled hands, he opened the shirt buttons fast before Hiroaki was even aware of it. He groaned when he felt bandages around Hiroaki’s chest.

Hiroaki turned his head away when he felt cool air and heated hands on his chest. Akira only began licking his neck.

“Why do you have bandages on your chest?” Akira asked softly on Hiroaki’s ear.

Hiroaki’s fuzzy mind cleared with bang. His leg involuntarily kicked Akira’s shin.

“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR?!”

Hiroaki didn’t even flinch when Akira yelled at him. He used his karate training and twisted from his restraint, with the prize of his shirt. Akira stepped closer to Hiroaki to tackle him down, but Hiroaki saw him coming and let loose another kick. This kick landed on Akira’s jaw, sending the man flat on the table.

Kiminubo had enough presence of mind to push his chair away from the table before it crumbled to pieces of sticks beneath an unconscious Akira. He shakily stood up and felt Akira’s pulse.

“He’s still alive,” Kiminubo informed Hiroaki softly. He looked up at his friend and frowned with worry. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Hiroaki, said. He’s breathing fast and was obviously shaken. He gave Kiminubo a glare. “You should have helped me.”

“You seemed to enjoy it.” Kiminubo stood up. He looked around the kitchen and face-faulted. “Now, it’s not just the fence that we have to explain to Youhei. You clearly ruined his kitchen.”

Hiroaki shook his head. He carefully gathered his torn shirt around him and walked out of the kitchen.

Kiminubo just silently let him leave. He looked down at Akira and sighed. He bent down and lifted the guy to place him beside Hisashi in his room.

Hisashi looked up from his book when Kiminubo entered and gawked as Kiminubo calmly lowered Akira to the floor.

Kiminubo panted in exertion. He grinned at Hisashi. “I’m stronger than I look,” he boasted.

“Could have fooled me,” Hisashi responded with wide eyes. He looked down at Akira. “What happened to him?”

“He sort of messed with Hiroaki’s temper,” Kiminubo replied.

Hisashi whistled. “That little guy’s stronger than I thought so too.”

“Hiro-kun grew up in a dojo,” Kiminubo said with a laugh. “And he had thirteen older brothers.”

“Thirteen? They’re one big family, aren’t they?”

“An older brother, three twins, and two triplets. Plus Hiro-kun.”

Hisashi whistled again. “Like your attire. Where did you get it?”

Kiminubo blushed, and then tugged his clothes lower. “They’re Hiro-kun’s. He refused to let me enter this room with a towel only. He could be very green minded sometimes.”

Hisashi smiled sexily. “I don’t blame the guy,” he murmured.

“Excuse me?”

“Nothing,” Hisashi lied. He nodded to the closet. “Go get your clothes. Leave Akira on the floor. Maybe it’ll teach him to keep his hands to himself.”

Kiminubo beamed at Hisashi. “Thank you.” He entered his closet and took most of his clothes. “Thank you,” he said again when he was about to go out of the room.

“Where will you be sleeping tonight?” Hisashi shouted to the retreating Kiminubo.

Kiminubo pointed to the room next to the bathroom. “To Youhei’s room.”

“You’re not sleeping with Hiroaki?”

Kiminubo sweat-dropped. “I don’t want to be like Sendoh-san here.” He then left a puzzled Hisashi.

***

“What the hell!” Youhei exclaimed as he looked at a blue fence. His fence was not blue. But he was standing right in front of his house but with a blue fence. And his garden was now planted with roses instead of lilacs.

“Is this my house? Am I on the right place? Or maybe I’m in the twilight zone?” Youhei said with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“You’re in the right place, Uncle Youhei,” Usagi confirmed. She was in her usual perch. But Hanamichi was currently having the same expression as Youhei.

Kaede stood beside his redhead with Mamoru on his back. He stared emotionlessly at the weird transformation of the house. He had a nagging feeling that this was all Akira’s doing.

“I think Daddy painted the fence blue. But I’m not sure about the garden,” Mamoru said thoughtfully.

Youhei and Hanamichi stared at the little guy.

“Akira?” Youhei asked. “Why in the world would he do that?”

“I don’t know,” Mamoru replied with a slight shrug. “He wanted to impress some guy, wasn’t he?”

Youhei and Hanamichi’s jaw dropped.

Hanamichi looked away and closed his eyes. “My God!”

Kaede frowned. His nephew’s logic did make sense. “Hn… Possible,” he murmured.

Youhei looked like lightning had struck him. “Why my house?” he wailed.

Hanamichi smiled sympathetically at his best friend. “Don’t worry, You-chan. The roses look really beautiful.”

“Bullshit! I prefer lilacs,” Youhei said, forgetting that he’s with little kids.

“We could plant another batch next spring,” Hanamichi said hopefully. He wanted Youhei to calm down so as not to upset Usagi.

“And the blue is really pretty,” Usagi added her two cents worth. Hanamichi kissed her hand gratefully.

Youhei stared at the two redheads, then sighed in defeat. “Fine! But I’m still upset at Akira. He should have told me that he’s planning to redecorate my place.” He opened the gate and marched to his house.

“I don’t think it was planned,” Kaede said softly as he followed Youhei.

Hanamichi closed the gate before walking alongside Kaede. Kaede instinctively held Hanamichi’s hand.

“That doesn’t change anything,” Youhei rumbled. He flung the door open with a bang as the wooden door hit the wall.

“WHY DID YOU PAINT MY FENCE BLUE?” Youhei yelled at Akira, who was sitting with a fat stranger in the living room. “AND WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?”

Hisashi raised an eyebrow at Youhei’s question. He would have answered but Mamoru excitedly greeted him.

“Uncle Sashi!” Mamoru jumped down from Kaede’s back and ran to Hisashi. “When did you come back?”

Hisashi scooped the little boy effortlessly on his lap. “This morning,” he answered the little boy. He turned back to Youhei and held up his hand. “Hello, I’m Hisashi Mitsui. I’m a friend of the Sendohs and,” he looked at Kaede. “Rukawas.”

Youhei shook Hisashi’s hand. He glared at Akira, who just smiled innocently at him.

“What did you do to my fence and my garden?” Youhei growled at Akira.

“Hiro-kun made me do it,” Akira pouted defensively.

“Oh?” Youhei looked doubtful.

Akira sweat-dropped.

Hanamichi chuckled at Akira. He looked at Hisashi and shook hands with him. “Hello, I’m Hanamichi.”

“I know,” Hisashi nodded. “I’m the one who tracked you down for five years.”

“Oh.” Hanamichi was surprised. “I thought Akira did that.”

Hisashi shrugged. “Akira did the analyzing, I did the searching. You know --took pictures, photocopied documents-- those dirty stuffs. Akira here took those homd red report to Kaede over there.”

Hanamichi looked at Kaede. Kaede just shrugged the look.

“Hello! You’re back early!” Hiroaki suddenly appeared from the kitchen. He beamed at Youhei. “I’m cooking dinner.”

“You are?” Usagi said. She shifted and Hanamichi got the message and let her down. “What’s for dinner?”

Hiroaki smiled at her. “It’s lobster and crab meat in oyster sauce.” He turned to Youhei and smiled at the suspicious man. “That’s your favorite, isn’t it, You-chan?”

Youhei narrowed his eyes dangerously at Hiroaki. “Yes,” he answered with a snarl.

Hiroaki sweat-dropped. “Well I better go finish it then.” He immediately turned back to the kin. Un. Usagi tagged along.

Hanamichi held back his laughter. Hiroaki was obviously up to something.

Youhei turned back to the sheepish Akira. “Spill it, buddy,” he ordered.

Akira looked at Kaede for help. Unfortunately for him, Kaede had no intention of such. He sighed.

“It’s kind of complicated,” Akira told Youhei. “Well, you see…”

“I’d had an accident this morning,” Hisashi butted in. Akira widened his eyes at him, but Hisashi ignored him. “I lost consciousness while driving and I crashed into your fence and garden.” He grinned apologetically at Youhei. “I’m sorry.”

“I see,” Youhei said calmly, his anger evaporated into thin air. “Are you okay?”

“,” H,” Hisashi replied in embarrassment. “Min-kun healed me.”

“Min-kun?” Hanamichi asked.

“Kiminubo,” Hisashi nodded at Hanamichi. “I thought that Kimi was too child-like.”

“And Min-kun isn’t?”

Hisashi blushed.

Youhei laughed. He turned away from the group and walked to his room. “Damn! I’m only gone for a few hours and my house is not the same anymore.”

***

Youhei’s vein ticked in his forehead as he entered his kitchen. He could see Kiminubo and Hiroaki slaving on the stove and little Usagi piling peanuts on a dish of some sort.

But that’s not what pissed him off. It’s the table. It’s not his freaking table. What the hell happened to his table?!

Usagi sensed Youhei’s angry aura and glanced up at her Uncle. “Are you okay, Uncle Youhei?”

Youhei vainly tried to control his temper. Hanamichi will be very pissed off too if he ended up upsetting Usagi. He saw Usagi pensively observe him. He couldn’t lie to the little girl, and he’s not effective in turning her attention away either.

“Usa-chan!” Hanamichi suddenly burst into the room. He beamed when he spotted Usagi. “Here you are! I’ve been looking all over for you! Father brought some mint candies from Grandpa Hisoka. You ought to try them.”

Usagi calmly nodded. She stole a glance at Youhei before Hanamichi carried her to the living room.

Youhei sighed in relief. But glowered at the two, Kiminubo and Hiroaki, who stopped their pretence of cooking and decided to face Youhei’s wrath.

“What happened to my table?” Youhei emphasized every word with a hard edge. “Well?” he said impatiently when the two just guiltily looked away.

Hiroaki shrugged his shoulders. He smiled sheepishly at Youhei before looking away again. He winced as he thought of his excuse.

“I’m waiting, Hiro-kun.” Youhei’s usually pliant temper simmered in the surface. He would blow any minute now.

“I broke it,” Hiroaki admitted breathlessly. He stared luminous brown eyes at Youhei filled remorse and unshed tears. “I didn’t mean to. It just got in the way as I kicked the pervert away.”

“It got in the way?” Youhei’s voice was still evident of his near explosion. “My innocent table got in the way when you kicked Akira?”

Hiroaki laughed nervously. “Uh-hnn,” he said as he bit his lip. “He flew and he landed on the table. He was too heavy so the table crumbled into sticks.” He looked away again.

Youhei looked from Hiroaki to Kiminubo. His eyes widened when Kiminubo nodded. He walked out of the kitchen in angry dazed expression.

“Do you think he’s angry?” Hiroaki asked Kiminubo when he saw Youhei exit the kitchen.

Kiminubo sweat-dropped.

***


“So you met my father?” Akira asked Hanamichi. He ate his food enthusiastically for *his* Hiroaki cooked it.

Hanamichi nodded. “After our trip to the zoo, we went to your parents’ place. Hisoka-san and Mona-san were happy to see the two children.” He took a forkful of crabmeat in rice and chewed it. He carefully wiped the oyster sauce off Usagi’s chubby cheeks.

Kaede fed Mamoru with his dinner. He kept glancing at Usagi too, in case the girl would want help in dinner.

“What do you think of father?” Akira asked the redhead.

“He’s okay,” Hanamichi answered with a shrug. “He instantly played with Usagi and Mamoru. He didn’t seem to mind my presence too.”

Akira chuckled. He looked to his right and grinned at Hiroaki, who was busy ignoring him.

Youhei looked at his instant family. Each of the person in the table had someone fawning over them or the other way around. He felt a sudden pain of loneliness when he remembered Takenori. Hanamichi had informed him that morning that Takenori had flown to Hawaii for a vacation. Youhei snorted at the term ‘vacation’. Takenori just wanted to get away from him.

Youhei was on the head of the table and Hanamichi was on Youhei’s right side, while Hiroaki was on the left side. Akira had immediately occupied the seat beside Hiroaki. Kaede sat beside Hanamichi and Kiminubo sat beside Akira. Hisashi was seated on the other side of the table. The children were seated on the laps of Hanamichi and Kaede.

“Uncle Youhei?” Usagi called Youhei softly, but loud enough to be heard among the adults’ voices.

Youhei smiled at the little girl. “What is it, Usagi?”

“Why’d you have a bruise?”

Silence instantaneously sunk within the room.

Youhei sweat-dropped when Hiroaki and Kiminubo moved a little closer to him. Each had a curious expression on their faces.

Akira chuckled, which he choked to stop when Hiroaki glared at him.

Hisashi frowned with curiosity as he studied Youhei. The first time he met Youhei in the living room, he also noticed the discoloration on his right eye; a common one on a brawl.

“Well?” Hiroaki probed Youhei. “Aren’t you gonna explain why you had a bruise? Usagi is very curious.”

“I bet,” Youhei sighed. He took a deep breath. “Takenori hit me.”

“Akagi?!” Kiminubo exclaimed in disbelief. “Why would he do that?”

Usagi looked back at forth at the adults. She looked up when Kaede suddenly scooped her up.

“Where you going, Uncle?” Mamoru asked coldly. But he blinked in surprise when Kaede tugged him along, out of the kitchen.

Hanamichi coughed softly before joining the exiting Kaede and two kids. The remaining males followed them with bemused expressions; except for Akira, who grinned maddeningly, and Youhei, who blushed beet-red.

“I have a feeling that a bomb is about to explode,” Hiroaki said to break the silence.

“Must be a big one,” Hisashi butted in. “Kaede actually dragged the kids out.”

“Censored too,” Kiminubo said deadpan. He lookt Yot Youhei. “What happened?”

Youhei’s eyes traveled to the calm Kiminubo, to a chewing Hiroaki, to a frowning-with-curiosity Hisashi, and a grinning Akira.

“What do you wanna know?” Youhei croaked.

Hiroaki took his glass and drowned the whole content in one go. He put down the glass and danced it around. “Youhei,” he said without looking at his friend. “Kiminubo and I know that tone so well.” He then looked at Youhei in the eye. “What happened?”

Youhei thought for a moment then took a very deep breath. “I… I… I…”

“You….” Hiroaki knitted his brow as he pushed his friend to reveal the secret.

“Irapedhim.”

“Eh?” the four males were flabbergasted.

Youhei took another deep breath. “I raped him. Takenori.”

THUD!

Kiminubo fainted and fell off his chair. Hisashi stared at Youhei like he turned into a hydra. While Akira had a hard time picking his jaw off the table.

“MY GOD!” Hiroaki looked like he was hyperventilating and poured himself another glass of lemonade. He gulped the whole contents then poured himself another glass. Then another, then another, then another.

“I never thought you love that stuff so much,” Akira said with amazement when Hiroaki drowned down his fifth glass.

“Shut up,” Hiroaki snarled as he put down his glass. He looked at Youhei with wide shocked eyes. “I never knew…thought that you…that you…you have a thing…for…for…Akagi. You never revealed a single clue.”

“This Takenori Akagi is a girl, right?” Hisashi asked in pure ignorance.

The three conscious males stared at him.

“What?” Hisashi-the-clueless just had to ask.

“Didn’t ya hear what Youhei said? He said ‘I raped him’. HIM. Does that answer your question?!” Hiroaki sneered at Hisashi.

Hisashi’s eyes widened in shock. He looked at Youhei.

Youhei had to sweat-drop at the looks he received. He was suddenly alerted when they heard a moan from under the table. “You okay, Kimi?”

Kiminubo massaged his head as he rose from the floor. “I had the worst nightmare. My best friend just told me he raped my other best friend,” he groaned as he seated himself again.

Youhei’s sweat-drops multiplied.

“It was no freaking nightmare, Kimi. Youhei had come out of the closet,” Hiroaki burst Kiminubo’s bubbles.

Kiminubo forgot his headache and stared at Youhei in shock.

Youhei’s sweat-drops had no more space in his head.

“You know what, You-kun? When I heard that you got laid with Akagi-san, I thought he was in whole consent.” Akira shook his head in total disbelief.

“You knew about this?!” Hiroaki turned his wide eyes at Akira. “When?!”

“You don’t have to scream, Hiro-kun,” Akira uttered as he cleared his ear. “Hanamichi told me last night.”

“Hanamichi knew?!” Kiminubo and Hiroaki chorused.

Hisashi stared at the group, feeling left out. Of course, he, after all, had no idea who Takenori Akagi was. Then he remembered a wedding picture he took three years ago, in Hanamichi’s wedding with Haruko Akagi. Hanamichi’s wife had one older brother named…

“How the hell did you restrain the guy?! Club him in the head?!” Hisashi asked in astonishment when he recalled who Takenori Akagi was. He remembered that the guy was taller than Akira and had more muscles than a body builder. Hisashi scrutinized Youhei and could not picture how a small guy like Youhei would overpower a large bulk of muscles.

“You drugged him,” Hisashi answered his own question, quite a detective he is.

Youhei looked at Hisashi and nodded.

Kiminubo shook his head in disbelief. He sighed deeply the turned to Hisashi. “You’re supposed to be in bed,” he frowned at the detective.

Hisashi sweat-dropped at the sudden change. He smiled sheepishly. “It’s boring up there.”

Kiminubo raised an eyebrow at the answer.

“Okay, I’m sorry,” Hisashi apologized half-heartedly. He grinned at Kiminubo. “I would stay there if you join me.”

Kiminubo’s face burned at the suggestion.

Hisashi and Akira laughed at Kiminubo. Hiroaki’s vein popped angrily at the two perverts. Youhei hid his grin with a nonchalant expression.

Hisashi expertly avoided a plate that nearly hit his face. “Come on, Hiro. It was a joke.” He grinned like a Cheshire cat at the enraged man.

“Not in Kimi’s expense, pervert-number-2.” Hiroaki poised to throw another plate at Hisashi.

“That’s my plate,” Youhei said calmly at Hiroaki.

“Oh.” Hiroaki put back Youhei’s plate and picked up Akira’s plate. He let it fly before Akira could protest.

Hisashi ducked under the table and crawled out of the kitchen as fast as he could with his injury. Hiroaki would have followed Hisashi but Kiminubo caught his arm.

“Let him be, Hiro-kun,” Kiminubo said coldly. He smiled to reassure Hiroaki. l hal handle him.”

Hiroaki stared at Kiminubo and grinned wickedly. He sat down and drank another glass of lemonade.

Akira looked back and forth at the two grinning friends. He had a funny feeling that the two were not as innocent as they look. He looked at Youhei, but Youhei just grinned back at him. A chill ran down his spine.

‘What are they up to?’ Akira thought with dread.

***

Hanamichi sat down beside Kaede as he played poker with the other five males.

“Who’s winning?” Hanamichi asked Kaede as he held his cards.

“No one,” Kaede answered coldly. He turned to Hanamichi and stole a kiss. “How are the kids?”

“Will you please stop that?” Hiroaki whined. “We’re playing here.”

“Jealous, Hiro-kun? I could make you feel better,” Akira purred.

“Want me to break your jaw?” Hiroaki raised his fist threateningly.

Akira chuckled. “Hmmm… Still playing hard to get,” he murmured under his breath.

“WATCHA SAY?!” Hiroaki had to be restrained by Kiminubo and Youhei so as not to cause too much noise that would wake the kids up.

Hisashi grinned at the Akira. The guy never gave up. His grin disappeared though when he felt his ribs pulse with pain. Darn! Kiminubo poked at his wounds like they weren’t wounds but steak beef during the wound cleaning right after dinner.

Kaede grinned inwardly at his brother’s antics. He groped at Hanamichi’s hand with his free hand. He brought it to his lips and whispered softly, “Beautiful.”

Hiroaki, Kiminubo and Youhei froze. Akira and Hisashi rolled their eyes at Kaede’s sappiness.

Hanamichi blushed and smiled at Kaede. He moved closer for a kiss but cards suddenly rained on them.

“Hn?” Hanamichi looked at the cards source and sweat-dropped at the sight of a ticked off Hiroaki.

“Do that somewhere else!” Hiroaki growled. He yelped when Akira pulled him on top of table.

“Hiro-kun,” Akira purred as he leered at the fallen Hiroaki. “Let’s follow their example.”

Hiroaki struggled off the table and picked up his chair. Kiminubo and Youhei caught him in time before he slammed it down to Akira’s head.

Hanamichi chuckled at his friends. He looked at the telephone when he heard it ringing. He kissed Kaede’s lips before he got up and answered the phone.

“Hello?” Hanamichi greeted the caller. He paused for a minute when he recognized the caller’s voice. “Wait, I’ll call him.” Hanamichi placed his hand on the phone’s speaker. “Hiro-kun! It’s for you.”

“Me?” Hiroaas bas baffled. “Who?” He let the chair down and walked to Hanamichi.

Hanamichi smiled at Hiroaki. “It’s Fujima-san.”

Hiroaki’s eyes widened in surprise. “Don’t kid me!”

Hanamichi laughed softly. “It’s him. He wants to talk to you.”

Hiroaki combed his hair with shaky hands. He looked at Hanamichi in panic. “How do I look?!”

Hanamichi sweat-dropped. “He’s in the phone, Hiro-kun. Not at the door.”

“Oh yeah,” Hiroaki giggled nervously. He looked at Hanamichi again. “How’s my breath?”

Hanamichi face-faulted.

“Just take it,” Hanamichi growled as he thrust the phone at Hiroaki.

Hiroaki took the phone happily. He cleared his throat before he said a greeting.

“Hello?” the caller asked in a cheerful voice.

Hiroaki threatened to topple at his crush’s voice. Hanamichi wisely stood beside him and caught him before he fell to the floor.

“Hiro!” Hanamichi glared at the swooning Hiroaki.

“Hello? Are you still there?” the caller sounded worried.

Hiroaki snapped out of his trance and greeted cheerfully. “Kenji, how are you? You haven’t called me for a long time.” Hiroaki pouted at the phone when the caller apologized. “That’s okay. But I wished you have enough time for me.” Another pause as the caller apologized again. Hiroaki jumped up and down when the caller asked to see him out to dinner. “Okay! You’re on! Where will you be taking me?” Another pause. “Oh! Okay! I’ll be there!” Another pause. Hiroaki pouted again when the caller said goodbye. “Yeah, goodbye to you too.” Hiroaki placed the phone back to his cradle then danced happily around the room.

“He asked me out, Hana-chan,” Hiroaki informed the redhead excitedly. “After a month of waiting, he’s finally going to propose.”

Hisashi looked at the ecstatic Hiroaki then to the dumbfounded Akira. “Are you okay, Akira?”

Akira went back to his happy-go-lucky self and grinned at Hisashi. “What are talking about, old man? I’m fine. I’ve never been better.”

“Yare yare.”

Akira pouted at brother. “I’m fine,” he insisted.

Kaede stared at his brother. He then looked at Hiroaki. “Koshino-san, what’s your real name?” he asked suddenly.

“Eh?” Hiroaki was surprised. He looked at Hanamichi, who shrugged his shoulders. He turned back to Kaede. “How’d you know?”

“I don’t like most women,” Kaede answered deadpan.

“Hmp!” Hiroaki snorted. “My real name is Hikaru Koshino.”

Hisashi’s cards dropped to the table as he realized what Kiminubo meant that afternoon about not wanting to sleep with Hiroaki. “Good God! You’re a woman.”

“So? What if?” Hiroaki dropped her deep voice and returned it to a more feminine one.

“Who gave you the name Hiroaki?” Kaede asked in his usual tone.

“My older brother,” Hiroaki replied. She turned to Akira and asked haughtily, “Cat got your tongue, pervert?”

“No, of course not,” Akira, who had been silent all this time, said. He grinned at Hiroaki. “I’m happy for you, Hiro-kun. You won’t mind me calling you Hiro-kun, would you?”

“No, I won’t,” Hiroaki frowned at the Akira’s happy face. “What’s up?” She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Akira.

“Nothing,” Akira laughed. “I really hoped that he’d propose to you.”

Hiroaki raised an eyebrow, but shrugged it off. She happily skipped out the room, humming a happy love-song.

Everyone in the room gave Akira a sympathetic look. Akira shrugged it off and laughed.

“I’m fine,” Akira insisted. He got up and exited the room too.

None was fooled by his lie.

***

Reviews, criticism and questions are welcome.