Keisuike was worried about Jia's actions. He knew that the Korean and Japanese had a treaty in California for over fifty years but Jia was about to go and break that treaty without regard. Keisuike however, knew he couldn't stop him and offered his support. Before Jia did anything however, he went to see Eirinsu. Eirinsu was lifeless and two dimensional as already mentioned, cold and dead. When he received word that Jia was in his city, he came out to meet him personally. Eirinsu looked the same, blonde hair falling over his eyes, a dark gray suit on with a full length black coat over it. He smoothed his hair back as he approached Jia that evening. We sat in the Ritz Carlton dining room, Jia having a drink as he saw Eirinsu. Once at the table, Jia stood and extended his hand as Eirinsu shook it and said,

"Jia-sama."

"Eirinsu."

Jia offered him a seat among the already huge and crowded table as Eirinsu sat down. He pulled up his chair as he said,

"I would imagine you have a reason for being in my city."

"I do."

"Which is?"

"I'm about to approach the Korean territory."

"Bringing war?"

"No. I've battled with them before and I know they are no match for me. I just decided to let you know in case anything should happen."

Eirinsu nodded before he then said,

"You mean in case the Koreans attack in the Japanese territory."

"Exactly."

"I appreciate the warning. I just doubt any of them would dare to enter my city."

Jia nodded as he said,

"Just in case. And, so you can never say I didn't warn you."

Eirinsu nodded, tipping his head slightly as his hair fell around his eyes.

Later that evening, once we returned to our hotel, we met in Jia's suite. He shrugged off his coat as he said,

"We'll have something to do tomorrow. Of course it's nothing heavy to do, but still something."

I reached up to my hair as I pulled free the elastic band and rubbed my head. I then listened to Jia. Jia sat down on his small sofa as Toki lit a cigarette and started to smoke as he then walked over and sat down beside Jia.

"We'll start around eleven or so...depending what time I wake up."

He then waved his hand off to dismiss us and I went back to my room with Akio.

In our room, I started to change out of my suit as I heard Akio sigh and sit down. He smoothed his hair back as he said,

"What are you thinking about?"

"How I should get something to eat before going to bed."

"You're eating again?"

"I decided I should. I'm getting too thin."

He laughed a little as I loosened my tie and then pulled it loose and started to undo a couple of the buttons on my shirt. I toed off my shoes as Akio took off his coat and started to undo his tie. He then said,

"You going to have dinner?"

"Yeah. Wanna come? I don't feel like eating by myself then going out to have a cigarette by myself."

He nodded. After we both quickly changed, we went out to our hotel restaurant and had dinner. Afterwards, we stood outside and had a cigarette. Akio seemed a little calmer, more mellow. I haven't seen him like that...ever so it was like seeing him as a whole new person. I wanted to ask him what was wrong but I didn't know if anything was wrong. Once we finished, we went back inside the hotel, seeing Jun and Mikkie about to head into the restaurant to get something to eat. I yawned once we got into the elevator. Akio looked over at me as he said,

"Tired again?"

"A little. Not like before though."

We got to our room as I took my hair down again and went to my bed as I laid down still dressed. Akio looked at me and smiled as he said,

"You're still like a little boy."

"Fuck you."

He laughed again as he said,

"I don't mean like you're a stupid kid, I mean like you have boyish tendencies."

I yawned as he gestured me to move over so I did. He laid down on his back as I was on my stomach, my hair all over the place. He turned on his side to me as he said,

"I gotta tell you something."

"What?"

I was starting to doze off, my eyes half closed as I started feeling comfortable.

"I never slept as good as I did last night."

"Cool..."

I wasn't getting what he was trying to say. I felt his fingers move my hair back from my eyes so I could see him clearly. He looked at me, tilting his head towards the pillows as he said,

"Baby-chu..."

"Don't call me that."

"Why? I gave you that nickname."

"It reminds me of all my past mistakes."

I heard him laugh a little as he said,

"What, I'm a past mistake?"

"Nah...not you. You were a growing experience."

He smiled slightly as he said,

"I feel like I watched you grow up."

"You kinda did."

"I guess. You'll always be my Baby-chu though."

I had to laugh. It was a sweet sentiment. I then said,

"Aoki didn't hurt you that day right?"

"Nah...he just asked me what I was doing and I told him I was just messing with you. Nothing serious."

I nodded as I said,

"He threatened me."

"For what?"

"Aya wanted some company to go shopping with him. Aoki got mad...said if I touched him he'd break my arm."

Akio looked a little surprised as he said,

"I can't believe he threatened you."

"I'm not. This is Aoki we're talking about. Who am I anyway? I'd bet he'd threaten Jia if Jia hit on Aya."

Akio laughed as he leaned a little closer to me as he said,

"Baby-chu..."

I smiled slightly as I felt his lips press to mine. I kissed him back, remembering this, feeling eighteen all over again. When he pulled back, I smiled slightly as he put his arm around me. I leaned into his embrace, kissing his neck as I turned on my side and got comfortable. I felt Akio stroking my hair back, his hands moving gently, his fingertips brushing by the top of my ear every now and then. I felt his lips on my forehead as I eventually dozed off.

I woke up the next morning in the same place I fell asleep. I felt comfortable. I also felt strange. Akio has never really....been sweet unless he wanted something in return. Usually sex. I didn't really want to fall back into this pattern again...it would be so childish of me to do so. Especially after all the shit I went through before. It wasn't that Akio was a bad person...it's that he made me feel like Mikkie and he was Toki. His reputation for sleeping around and hitting on people was almost as bad as Toki's. Hell his nickname was the Playboy...how much more obvious could you get? I didn't want to feel anything ever again since it cost me so much the first time. And the idea still made me sick to my stomach. I didn't want to be something he could have fun with then toss aside and then pick up again. I refused to be his fuck toy again. I didn't need it. I rubbed my eyes as I moved back and started getting up. I checked the clock seeing it was ten thirty. I got up and went to shower and change as I then woke Akio, telling him it was almost eleven. He told me to go ahead, there was no way in hell he could ever be ready in fifteen minutes. So I finished getting ready and went on my way to check if Jia was up.

Of course he wasn't. Toki answered the door, half asleep in his drawstrings as he cursed at all of us who stood there and said to go away, Jia would call when he was awake and then closed the door again. Jun rolled his eyes as he said,

"Asshole."

Tai shook his head as he said,

"Jia will call when he's up. It's eleven. He couldn't stay asleep any longer anyway."

We decided to get some breakfast as we waited. Tai, Gabriel, Jun and Mikkie. Aoki was still dead to the world as was Akio and obviously Toki and Jia. I wasn't sure where Aya was. I sat down for coffee and toast to start and as I ate, I noticed Tai and Gabriel talking to each other again. They seemed to be over whatever problem they had before. I bit into my toast, savoring the soft buttery taste as I saw Jun already eating his huge breakfast. I wondered where all that food went. Anyway we continued having breakfast, Aya joining us during that time as he sat down next to me. He had some tea and some fruit thing with confectioner sugar on it and he ate it in a seductive manner. So much so I couldn't help but not stare. The way he bit into the ends of the strawberries, licked his lips clean of the white powder or any juices from the fruits, how delicately he brought the spoon to his mouth with a few small berries on the metal...it was so hard for me to turn away. He turned and looked at me as I stared and I turned away as he laughed a little and picked up a blueberry from the collection and brought to my mouth. I took it, feeling the sugary, sweet fruit, almost melting once it touched my tongue. As I closed my lips, I felt his fingers still lingering on my mouth so I flicked my tongue at them as he laughed, giving me a heavy lidded look of seduction. Ah...he was going to be the death of me. Anyway, he moved his hand back as I then heard my cell phone ring. It was Akio and I told him that Jia wasn't up yet and we were having breakfast downstairs. A few moments later, Akio joined us. Around twelve that afternoon, Jia finally showed up. We had spent an hour in the restaurant mostly because some of use didn't eat until later. I had managed to suck on Aya's fingers for the most part of that hour. Until Aoki showed up. I didn't feel like having another threat thrown my way so I stopped flirting with Aya. When Jia showed up, we all got to our feet as he waved us to sit down and said,

"I apologize for over sleeping. Someone didn't tell me that everyone showed up."

He shot a look at Toki who just shrugged and said,

"I was tired."

Jia sat down as he said,

"We'll go into Korean territory later this afternoon. I doubt anyone serious is in charge there, but if there is, we'll meet and I'll break him in."

Jia had some tea to start as we waited form some time to pass.

Later that afternoon, we went to L.A, to the Korean side of the city and began to search it through. It didn't take very long for people to look at us with suspicion and Jia decided it would be best if we went to Choong Jae's former club. The California based head that was once Sung Hyun's cousin owned a night club that Jia barged into when I first started out. Since it was early, there wasn't anything going on, so we were able to just walk in. Jia was in the car with Tai, Gabriel and myself. Toki, Aoki, Mikkie and Akio went in to see what was going on there. Jia lit a cigarette as Aya and Jun came over from the other car we had borrowed from Keisuike as They got in. It was crowded but better then being alone. Jia smoked as he said,

"I doubt the Korean based ruler here would dare to go up against me."

"That's what I was just thinking Jia." Said Aya.

He got comfortable as he said,

"Why is important you over throw this guy anyway?"

"California needs to be mine. I'll add it to the collection."

Aya nodded as he said,

"It'll make for good profit."

Jun then said,

"They're back."

"That was quick." I said.

I noticed them coming back to the car as Jia rolled down the window and Toki leaned down as he said,

"No Korean head."

"No one?"

"Not a one. A collection of like street punks own the shit. They prolly put their milk money together to buy the shit."

Aoki laughed slightly as did Jun. Jia shook his head as he said,

"So there's no one in charge of anything?"

"Not here at least."

Jia gave a heavy sigh as he got out of the car and flicked his cigarette away, he then said,

"I gotta meet with one."

Toki nodded as he turned to Aoki and said for him to go in the car. He pulled me out instead as Aoki went in. Then Jun and Mikkie switched places as well. We all went inside again as Jia went to speak with the one thug who did have part ownership. He was dressed almost like Toki, jeans, baggy shirt, a bandanna around his wrist with his dyed light orange hair falling around his eyes parted down the middle. He turned to Jia once he saw him and said,

"Sup."

"You know who I am?"

"Nah, but I know you 36 Moons. We don't fuck with 36 Moons. Not after that shit way back."

Jia nodded in satisfaction as he said,

"It's good you know that. I need you to tell me something."

"What up."

"Who's in charge of the Korean based territory here?"

"Uh...that's before me man. I'm only nineteen years old. My hyung passed this shit down to me."

"Your what?"

"My hyung...means older brother type."

"Oh. Well why did he pass it to you?"

"He went to jail. Drugs or some shit."

"Who do you know that know of the Korean Japanese treaty?"

"Uh..."

He scratched his head as he said,

"My uncle."

"Who's your uncle?"

"Jin Suk Hyun. He owns a restaurant about two blocks away. He would know that."

Jia nodded as he said,

"What's it called?"

"The Moon Light."

Jia again nodded as we left and headed to the restaurant. There Jia met with no resistance Jin was willing to speak with us and tell Jia anything he wanted to know. The middle aged man was terrified to displease Jia, knowing he was a crime lord over many countries and cities and with the knowledge that Jia and will kill any Korean that dared to fight him, Jin cooperated.

"Who's in charge of Korean based cities?"

Jin shrunk in his chair once Jia didn't sit. The old man said,

"There aren't any official dons that would take over. Each city is run by small syndicates. They don't do much...some drug selling, extortion...they have small claim over the their cities."

Jia nodded as he said,

"Wouldn't take me much for me to take over would it?"

"No."

Jia nodded as he said,

"Good."

"But...wait.."

Jia glared at Jin as he said,

"What?"

"There is a Japanese Korean treaty. We made it so no one can invade and cause war."

"That is null and void to me. I'm not a California head. I'm from Tokyo."

Jia then left.

It didn't take us long to go through each city on Jia's behalf and start to take over. Few put up any resistance. They were afraid. Those that did, met a quick, yet bloody death, their bodies dumped in the nearest alley or garbage bin. By late evening, I was getting tired. Jia had gone back to Keisuike's city and the rest of us worked. I was starting to fall asleep by four in the morning. I slept in the car as Aoki drove. When it wasn't my turn to go do business, I slept in the back seat, Akio watching over me, letting me sleep since he understood it could be exhausting. All day I had been running around, shooting someone, yelling, and sitting in a car traveling through city after city. I needed a break. By five, Jia told us all to come back. A two hour drive later, all of us, except Aoki who was driving, were now falling asleep. I slept with my head on Akio's shoulder as he slept with his head tilted back on the seat, Aya slept in the passenger seat, Toki slept with his head lolling side to side, threatening to hit the window beside him. Everyone else was either in a different car or back with Jia. Once we arrived at Keisuike's building, Jia too was tired. He had stayed up with us, working with Tai, trying to figure everything out. There wasn't a main center of operation in California. No one was stupid enough to try and take over it anyway. Jia decided that Keisuike, who he had already made the oyabun of California while Jia was away, would also be in charge of operating everything through his city. It meant that Keisuike was now a head of business and if cut, could collapse everything. Keisuike knew and understood the risk. He took the job with honor. Jia now had to finish going through the Japanese territory of California. He knew he would meet resistance, having already collected a good portion of the land, there was a few cities with something to hold interest, the rest were minor ones that couldn't catch Jia's attention and then Eirinsu's city. But for now, Jia let us rest.

I slept all morning and most of the afternoon. When I woke up again in the early evening, Akio was in my bed again. He had been sleeping beside me for the past three days now and I wondered why. Before when we were on okay terms, he slept in his own bed. Well...when he was in the hotel room long enough to sleep in the bed. I sighed, turning to my side as I checked the clock seeing it was seven. My stomach grumbled as I sat up and started pulling back all my hair when my cell phone rang. I picked it up as I answered.

"Hai."

"Hey Jo."

"Kon ba wa Jia."

"I hope you're up."

"I just got up."

"Good. Come meet us for dinner before we work."

"Hai."

"Wake Akio."

"I will."

We hung up as I saw Akio open his eyes and said,

"Time to go?"

"Yeah. Jia is expecting us for dinner."

I got out of bed as I took of the shirt I changed into before I collapsed earlier that morning and was about to take a quick shower when Akio said,

"Baby-chu, come here."

I went over to him as I said,

"What?"

"I gotta talk to you once we're done working."

"Okay."

"I'm serious okay."

"Can't you just tell me now?"

"Nah, it's serious. I can wait though. So after we're done with all this, we'll talk."

I nodded as I went to get ready. I tried not to think about what he could possibly say to me. So I pushed the idea out of my head as quickly as I could as I went about getting ready. My job for now, was only half way done.