After the lunch with Furukawa, I didn't think anything of it mostly because when I was having lunch with him, he talked mostly business. He asked me how working with Jia was, if he was like a power tripping oyabuns that think they're God and such. I told him Jia wasn't like that and he was relieved. He confessed it was the only reason he didn't mind working for Kotei, because despite the meaning behind the little emperor's name, he really didn't act like one all the time. When I got back to the building, Jo was bouncing up and down with excitement, asking what had happened. I had to bring him down and let him know nothing. Furukawa simply wanted company for lunch. He frowned, clearly disappointed with the events as I asked him,

"Why do you seem upset that it was just lunch?"

"Because...it was the way he acted. Like he was interested in you."

I scoffed, buttoning the front of my coat as I said,

"Please. People that don't know me can't know me. I'm frigid."

He laughed a little as he said,

"Toki called you that didn't he?"

I turned and looked at him over my shoulder as I said,

"Yes...how'd you know?"

"I know his words."

I then turned back and walked away.

Furukawa was around enough. He worked with Jia, proving himself and why he was known as the Kitsune. He was sly, devious, quick and clever. He had a silver tongue, making words his weapon of choice as he spun stories of wealth to anyone that was in his way. Jia loved the way this guy work. So did Tai. All that was left was everyone else getting comfortable with him. I didn't have a problem with him since he just bothered me with that one time. Anytime after that he was polite, he was rarely around me and spoke to me when he had to. But his eyes told a different story. The way he looked at me made me wonder what he was thinking and left that feeling creeping over my skin like a caress of the wind. It wasn't a bad feeling...just a new one. I couldn't remember the last time anyone ever looked at me like that. It was strange. Anyway with Jia finally approving on Furukawa's skills, we made plans to return to Tokyo. It was late in the evening, around two in the morning or so. I had fallen asleep in the lobby by the light. It reminded me of Tokyo so I slept with little trouble. The business heads were still upstairs working, the others had gone home except me...because I couldn't sleep in my apartment. Jo had other plans tonight so I was on my own. And I was exhausted. So I slept, on my side, curled up on the sofa without a care. I figured I would wake up within the hour and go home and continue to sleep for another hour before I had to go back to work. I heard a soft sound in the back of my head and soft noises continued to come. I opened my eyes slowly, things coming into focus slowly as I saw I was still on the lobby sofa. Once my eyes focused, I saw Furukawa sitting on the other sofa across from me. He sat near the table with the lamp, his black hair high lighted with soft shades of blue still falling in whatever way as his dark eyes watched me. I saw his cigarette case sat on the small table between us, the word Kitsune glowing since each stroke of the kanji brought out new shades and shadows. I sat up slowly as I cleared my throat and said,

"What time is it?"

"Three in the morning."

He smoked calmly, the ribbons of gray floating away as he looked at me, bringing one pale, slender hand to his mouth and the moving it back. I pulled my hair back as I said,

"Is something wrong?"

"No."

"Did Jia call for me?"

"No."

I looked at him strangely as I said,

"Do you need something?"

"No."

"Then why are you just sitting there?"

He smiled that cunning smile again as he brought his hand to his mouth again. After he exhaled, he said,

"I was watching you sleep."

I kept looking at him as he sat there, one leg over the other as he rested his free hand on the sofa, the other on the arm of the sofa as he brought the cigarette close to his mouth every now and then. He looked unapologetic about his actions as I then said,

"Why?"

"Because you looked peaceful."

"I'm far from it."

"I somehow believe that. But you looked peaceful...that's the point."

I blinked a few times as I got up and said,

"If the meeting is over why are you here?"

He got up as well and I noticed his height. He was about the same height as Jia...and Toki. He looked thin enough, his suit cut to show that off, his hair fell slightly past his shoulders and his eyes were so dark...smoldering and feral. Very strong. Ebony...I blinked to get away from my thoughts as he said,

"I was about to leave when I saw the light turned on. I thought it was weird since when I got here the light was off. I peered over the sofa and there you were. It was enchanting."

I felt my face flush with color but I was thankful for the light that covered it for the brief moment it was there. I then turned away and said,

"I'm going home. Good night."

"Good night."

I then left and went home.

It was the very presence of Furukawa that began to make me nervous. As Jia prepared to go back to Tokyo, everyone already meeting him, liking him and his business sense and the way he carried himself, Jia only had to stand back and let time test him from here on out. Furukawa had to leave his apartment in New York since he was about to take residence in Tokyo. He didn't have to leave much since he was short on friends and had no family. Once a residence for him had been set up in Tokyo, we made plans to travel back. We had a dinner at the Dragon Leaf the last night we were in New York, the Yami, the Itto Ketsuen, the Ryuujin no Chi, Yuki, his guard Estuya, Takeo, Shikou and Furukawa were all there. Jia let the New York heads he was taking Furukawa back with him to Tokyo...the others didn't seem to have a problem with that at all. Since most of the business heads sat near Jia that evening, Toki decided to shift to the lower part of the table just to talk to Akio and Aoki better. I was sitting by Jo who sat next to Akio so I could hear just about everything. Jun sat across from me, next to Aoki as he disacknowledged everything. Aoki and Aya were on non speaking terms for the moment so Aya sat closest to Jia, two people between him and Aoki. Jun sighed as he looked at me and said,

"You going home after this?"

I nodded, picking at the sushi on my plate as the trio conversed, talking about spending one more night in the clubs of the city. They pulled Jo into the conversation as Takeo, who was also around that area began listening. Meanwhile, higher up, Jia and the oyabuns of the city were talking business. Kotei was painfully bored by the expression on his face. His hair was falling over his eyes, wine colored shirt open around his collar bones to reveal his pendant, his black suit coat still on as he took sips of the sake in his cup. He listened, he just didn't seem happy to do so. Ren looked at him every now and then and the little emperor would give him a pleading look as if to say, end this now. Ren would give him a loving gesture, sweeping his hand under Kotei's chin, his thumb under the little emperor's lips as he would turn back to the conversation. It was enough to content Kotei. Tsubasa was looking at Jia's direction as was Shikou, the elegant one still peering over at Jia, his tongue peeking from behind folds of pink lip as he touched the silver lip ring clinging to the right side of his mouth. Furukawa sat close to Jun, near Aya and Tai as he took drinks of his tea cup, his cigarette case, like everyone else's sitting directly in front of him, the matching lighter sitting on the side. When I glanced up at him I saw his eyes, that smoldering feral gleam peering back at me. It was almost as if his eyes shone for a moment before he turned back to say something to Jia. I shifted in my seat, looking back at Jun.

After dinner when everyone lit up and had dessert, I drank some of my tea, listening on the conversation below. Takeo, Akio, Aoki, Toki and Jo were in the middle of some private conversation that had them laughing every few minutes. They were all smoking at this point, tea cups filled with sake, as Takeo talked, filling his tea cup like all the others. Takeo licked his lips, his short blonde hair, cut to fall over his eye that lacked pigment, which he called his warped eye, was pushed aside slightly as he peered over at everyone. Everyone that knew Takeo knew he had that eye so it was no big surprise. He smoked as he waved his hand around and said,

"There's one this one club, in Lower Manhattan. It's suppost to be good."

Toki laughed as he said,

"Most of them are suppost to be good but they all look the same in the end don't they?"

Aoki laughed as he swept his hair back from his face, his sunglasses slide down his face slightly before he pushes them back up as he said,

"I need to get laid."

Akio gave a laugh as he put his finished cigarette out as he said,

"What you do this time?"

Aoki glared at him as Akio laughed again and said,

"Don't look at me like that! I didn't touch your seiai."

Aoki sighed, ignoring him as he took another cigarette out of his pack that was now half empty. Toki shook his head, his newly done red hair falling around his face as he took a long drink from the tea cup. He then sighed and said,

"I'm not sure if I'm in the mood to get wasted. What time the plane comin?"

"Around seven at night." Said Jo.

"Eh, plenty of time to sleep."

Takeo exhaled as he said,

"Sucks that you guys were busy most of the time you were here."

Toki laughed as he said,

"Not for Jo."

Jo rolled his eyes as Takeo looked over at him.

"Ah, the tall tale signs of action. Jo got some ass."

They all laughed as Jo shrugged and said,

"So I did. Big deal."

Akio then said,

"Same person every time we in New York, Baby-Chu or is it a new one everytime?"

"None of your concern."

Everyone oo'ed looking at each other, making faces of amusement as Jo said,

"Can we not talk about me?"

Takeo swallowed a sip of his cup as he said,

"Sure, let's talk about how Shikou up there is all over Jia."

They turned their heads to look as the elegant one was peering up at Jia as if he was in love. Toki scoffed as Aoki smirked and Akio said,

"Looks like Jia's got his own little Ryuhei now."

Takeo nodded as he said,

"Oh speaking of which...Toki he misses you."

Toki laughed as he said,

"Don't they all."

Everyone laughed as Toki the rubbed out the last of his cigarette as he said,

"I'll pay him a visit soon. But you'll have to lend him to me Takeo."

"Of course. You are a friend after all."

I kept my eyes back down on my tea and finished it up quickly afterwards.

Dinner was soon over. Jia paid and we all stood outside, having more cigarettes, exchanging the last of the small talk. Kotei was saying good bye to Furukawa now since he wouldn't have the chance to see him tomorrow evening. Ren also said his farewells as everyone began parting ways. Takeo hailed a cab as he offered Jo and the trio a ride to the club. Jo went ahead with Akio as Aoki took a quick glance over at Aya. Pretty Aya was watching him and he waited for Aoki's reaction. Even I knew that if Aoki got in that cab it would only suit to further the silence between them. Aoki got in the cab anyway. Toki came up behind me as he hugged me and said,

"Where you goin tonight?"

"Home."

I didn't bother fighting him knowing it was pretty much pointless. I felt his arms around mine, his nose near the base of my neck as he breathed, cigarettes and sake on his warm breath. He kissed my neck as he said,

"Come with us?"

"You know I won't."

"Then come with me."

"I thought you were going with them."

"I won't if you come with me."

"No."

I felt him kiss my neck very tenderly, his tongue lapping at it a moment later as I flinched. He then let go as he said,

"I'll see ya tomorrow."

He then left, getting in the cab as it pulled away. Jia was saying good night to the other oyabuns, kissing Tsubasa's cheek, shaking Jiki and Ai'iro's hands as he then kissed Shikou good night. I saw Jun as I said to my partner,

"I'm going home. What about you?"

"Same thing. Nothing else to do until tomorrow."

I nodded as Jun then said good night to Jia and left, going towards the subway. I lost sight of Furukawa as I then began to approach Jia. I said good night to him as he nodded and said the same thing back as Tai and Gabriel said good night to me. I said it back as I then started to go towards the same subway Jun went to a little earlier. I walked down the steps, still feeling the lingering effect of Toki's mouth on my neck. I saw the first train as I passed my metro card through the turnstiles and walked in. I waited for my train to show up, my hands in my pockets as I took a seat near the wall. Just then, a shadow blocked my view as I looked up and saw Furukawa. He sat down beside me as I said,

"Good evening."

"Good evening."

He sat still, his hands in his pockets as I said,

"What train are you waiting for?"

"I already missed it."

"Oh....me too."

He turned to me as he said,

"He's your lover."

"Excuse me?"

"Toki....Silence...whatever he likes to be called. He's your lover."

"Hardly."

"He seemed affectionate enough."

"He's always like that."

He nodded, his dark hair falling around his eyes as he said,

"I'm glad."

"For what?"

"That I'm going to Japan. I haven't been there since I was younger. And to work for someone like Jia...it's exciting."

I didn't say anything, but looked away from his profile as he said,

"You don't like to talk do you?"

"No."

He gave a small laugh as he rested his slender pale hands on his lap and said,

"That's fine. It's intriguing."

I said nothing, watching as a few people came and waited on the platform. I checked my watch seeing it was eleven at night.

"Black with soft violet hues."

I turned my head back to Furukawa as I said,

"What?"

"Your hair. It's black with violet hues. Unlike mine, your hues are natural."

I looked at him strangely as I said,

"What do you want from me Furukawa?"

"Kazuki."

"You want me to address you by your first name?"

"I would like you to."

"Why?"

"I've taken an interest in you."

He smiled, the white of his teeth showing slightly as I said,

"Why?"

"I like how you carry yourself. While the rest of your associates are painted in vivid colors, they stand out by some fault, but not you. Your color is black, void of all color you don't want to stand out and that alone makes you stand above everyone else. Emotionally ruined, another color that comes to mind is a pale blue...like ice if the sun were to reflect it. It's interesting."

"You sound like an idiot."

He laughed as he said,

"I probably do. But it's true."

My train soon arrived as I got up and said,

Good night."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

I bowed my head slightly, reminding him he was about to take the place of Nishiki, who was like my own employer and I would be working for him in a sense. He needed to remember that. I then got on my train and turned as the doors closed. I saw him still sitting there, that same cunning smile on his mouth, his eyes still smoldering and feral. The train soon left and I was on my way home.