I returned home with the knowledge I would soon have to leave echoing in my head. As I entered and started taking off my shoes, I heard Miya throwing down his coat on the couch. He walked towards me, his arms open as he hugged me, pressing every inch of his body against mine. I felt his arms around me, his hands pressed against my back as I held him in return. Our cheeks touching, our hair mingled as I turned my head towards him. I was trying to find the words to say I'm leaving again when he softly said,

"When do you have to go?"

I was surprised to hear him say that as I said,

"How'd you know?"

"I know how you get when you have to tell me bad news. Plus you got like this last time you had to leave."

"I don't know when...and I'm not sure when I'll be back."

"Don't promise me a time when you'll be back just promise me you'll come back."

I nodded and we returned to hugging each other. I hated that I had to leave him again. He didn't deserve being left alone as often as he was. I hated my job for making me leave him again...especially when I just got him back. When we pulled away from each other he took my hand and we went to pack. He was quite the whole time. Silent, as he helped me fold some things. I didn't like that about him. He got quiet when he was sad...like he was thinking about the situation and maybe how it could improve. Once we were done, I set my suitcase aside, knowing I had to wait for the call that would tell me I had to go and leave my tsuki behind. I spent that night with him, holding him close, running my hand though the longer part of his hair as I sighed to myself, so sad I had to leave him already. We ended up sleeping for a while until my cell phone rang. I sighed picking it up to hear Jia on the other end telling me to go to the airport. I got up as I started getting ready, Miya behind me, helping me, adjusting my coat as he fixed my tie and the buttons as he then helped me get my suitcase. We walked to the door as I picked up my keys and got my shoes on as I put my arms around him once more, kissing him good bye, as his grip got a little tighter around me. When he pulled away his eyes were closed and he looked so sad. I couldn't stand it anymore so I had to look away and I said bye to him as I left, going downstairs to the lobby as I got in the car and drove to the airport.

I got there almost half an hour later, speeding most of the way as I finally arrived. Jia was there with Toki, Mikkie, Aoki, Aya who was on crutches still because he couldn't walk and he would not be carried, Akio, Gabriel, Tai and Jun. I saw Hisoka was again not invited to this but I wasn't surprised anymore. I bought my ticket and had my luggage boarded as I waited with them. It was about eleven at night so the airport was basically empty. I put my mp3 player on, putting the earphone in as I waited for the plane to board. I was not happy. I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to leave behind my tsuki. Akio noticed as he nudged me asking what was going on. I shook my head as I said,

"Nothing, just a little tired."

"Liar."

I couldn't hide it. My feelings were too strong at the time.

"It's nothing really."

He looked at me unbelieving as he then let it go. When our plane boarded, I saw Aoki helping Aya. Aya said he didn't need the help even though his arm was no longer in the sling he couldn't really walk well. The wound in his leg prevented him from walking right and since he didn't want to nor did he have the time for physical therapy, he would be on crutches for some due amount of time. I saw him whispering to Aoki, telling him he could do it by himself though it was clear he was having trouble. Aoki sighed as he finally said to him,

"If you don't let me help you I'm gonna pick you up and carry you the rest of the way seiai."

Seiai? I cleared my throat and looked away as I kept walking behind them, only I lingered behind slightly with Akio and Jun. We bored the slightly empty plane, sitting back and relaxing as the stewardess came by offering drinks. Toki immediately got one, coaxing Jia to get one too. Aoki settled Aya in the seat behind us and I put my other ear phone in, not wanting to hear what they had to say to each other. Jun yawned and leaned back in his seat as he slouched down and within minutes was fast asleep. Everyone else either stayed awake having a drink and talking, or fell asleep. As for myself, I had a drink as I listened to my music, Miyabi's guitar riff playing away as Sel-fish played out.

We arrived back in New York almost fourteen hours later. Thirteen or fourteen...I always forget. Anyway, I was getting use to the jet lag. I wasn't nearly as tired as I the first time I got to New York. I was more awake now, able to drive, though I still didn't have to. We took a cab into the city, it was seven in the evening and we were all tired as hell. We had all taken different cabs into the city going to our apartments. I sat in the cab with Jia and Toki. As I sat back, yawning, Jia said,

"Ne Joryu, hold out your hand."

I looked over at him, sitting near the other window as Toki sat between us. I raised my hand up and out as Jia went into his pocket and finally pulled out a set of keys. He dropped the set of keys in my open palm and said,

"For you."

"What's this for?"

"Your own place. Not my temporary quarters for others. This is your place."

I looked down at the keys as I said,

"Jia...I couldn't. I'm not even..."

"Consider it a gift Aka-chan."

Great...now he was calling me Aka-chan too. I gave a slight bow of my head as I said,

"Domo arigato."

He gave a smile as he leaned back against the seat as we finally got to my apartment first. I got out of the cab as Toki leaned across the seat and smiled as he said,

"Aka-chan...want me to stop by later so you won't be lonely?"

"No...thanks anyway."

He smirked, still not satisfied with the last encounter we had. He licked his lips at me as he then reached over for the cab door and slammed it shut behind me. I then went ahead to my apartment building and went inside the lobby, the bag I packed against me as I walked. I went inside, remembering what apartment Jia said was mine and got to the door. I put the key in the lock as I then unlocked it and turned the knob opening the door. I took one look as I said,

"Whoa...sugoi..."

It was huge and furnished. Everything about it high tech and modern. I took off my shoes at the door and walked inside, going to the living seeing a beautiful sound system waiting, flat screen TV against the wall the stereo hooked up with tower speakers everything black, a small red stained coffee table in the middle of the floor, a small couch against the couch, near the window, a wide floor to ceiling doors that opened to a balcony. I sighed as I walked to the windows and looked out to the view. It was breathtaking...all I could think of was being with Miya right now. I turned away as I went to the bedroom. A large queen size bed only to serve as a reminder of how lonely I was awaited me. Black comforter covering the whole bed, four large pillows at the head of the bed. A night stand stood on one side of the bed a lamp with a gray shade over it. I set my bag down on the bed as I went over to the closet and opened it only to see a single black bag hanging inside. I walked in as I unzipped the bag only seeing a black designer suite hanging inside. The lapels so soft as well as the lining of the coat. A red silk tie hung inside as well as I rubbed my fingers against it. It was a beautiful suite. I then left the closet as I went to the bathroom, checking it out, seeing nothing too fancy, a regular stall with a glass door a small sink, a mirror in front of it and then the toilet. I went back to the room as I then unpacked, yawning as I did so. As I unpacked I remembered Miya packing my clothes for me, his touch still lingering in each of my shirts and pants, even my ties. I sighed as I changed and went to sleep for a while, still awing in my new apartment.

I woke up later on at night when I heard my cell phone. I sat up as I answered, my hair falling over my eyes as I said,

"Hai?"

"Joryu, how are you?"

"I'm awake Jia."

"Good, good. So come to the building. Don't worry about me, I'll be there without a ride."

"Okay, I'll be there soon."

We hung up as I got up and went to change. Once I was done, I went to the building, pulling up as I tucked my hair back behind my ear and I went inside and across the lobby as I headed to Jia's office. Everyone was already there, Toki sitting in his usual place. I saw Yuki there with Estuya so I greeted Yuki with a quick bow, then Tsubasa. I saw Jiki was up and about again, a now painful looking scar cutting along side his neck. His layered orange colored hair falling over it, covering most of it but it was still visible. The ningyo with his white blonde hair sitting in the chair beside Yuki's. I then took a step back and stood next to Estuya, Ai'iro and the rest of the 36 Moons. Jia spoke about how the Koreans were still in New York but were not making a move.

"Sung Hyun's second in command was already killed. So I don't know why they're still here."

Tsubasa tilted his head back to the side, a wave of white and yellow falling over his black shoulder as he said,

"It could be nothing. They could just be waiting to move out or for you to make a move Jia."

"Maybe...but I don't want to risk that which is why I came back to New York. I will not hesitate to kill someone."

Yuki fished out his cigarettes as he found one and lit it as he said,

"Ne, Jia we should flush out some of these people. Plus, we gotta find Alexandra. If she knows already that kid could be sitting on the throne to being his heir in the Korean mob."

Jia nodded as he said,

"I thought of that. I don't feel exactly right about killing a child. But I will not want this child to grow up and be a problem for this syndicate later."

Tsubasa got his own cigarettes out as Ai'iro leaned down and lit it for him as he inhaled, his slender fingers pulling back the cigarette from his beautifully colored pink lips as he said,

"So what's the plan?"

Jia looked away from Toki as his cigarette was lit and said,

"I want everyone to go out, find the remains of Sung Hyun's people and get information out of them. No killing unless you have to."

They nodded as Jia said,

"Aya.."

Aya looked over at him as he said,

"Not you."

"Jia I can walk."

Everyone looked at him so unbelieving...even me. Jia raised an eyebrow as he said,

"Not you. Go home."

"Jia..."

"Don't argue with me. You'll be fine in...I don't know Jun when will he be fine?"

Jun turned and said,

"About...a few more days or so. Depending on how much pain he's in walking."

Aya sighed as Aoki leaned down and picked him up, Aya sighing even more, frustrated he had to be carried. I was partnered with Akio and we headed into the city.

Akio was the kind of guy that liked to have the occasional smoke as he did his job. Girls loved to flirt with him, watching him as he tucked his chin length hair back, flash a perfectly straight smile as he walked right past them, making them stop and look at him go by. Sometimes if one of them was smoking, he would stop one and kindly ask for a cigarette which they would give to him, lighting it for him as he smiled and kept walking. Akio was a smooth guy. I liked hanging out with him. He was also blunt when he had to be. We walked through the city, the night life keeping it up as people still walked around, couples holding hands as they walked past us. I put my hands in my pockets as he said,

"So you gonna tell me now?"

"Tell you what?"

"About why you're so miserable."

"I just wanted to stay home."

"Oh...I see. Got someone huh?"

"Yeah."

"What's her name?"

"It's not a her."

"Oh...so what's his name?"

"Miya."

"Miya?"

"Short for Miyabi."

"So why are you dating if you know it's frowned on? I know someone must have told you about that."

"They have. But I can't help it."

"It can never be helped. I'll tell you a story. But you gotta keep it to yourself."

"Okay."

"Well..."

He started, putting out the cigarette he bummed off a girl as he tucked his hair back behind his ear and said,

"Jia and Toki are best friends. You know that everyone knows that. But they're more then that. Everyone who hangs around them for a twenty minute period knows that."

"Yeah...I sorta had that guess."

He nodded as he continued.

"Back in Japan, when Jia was starting to take over, we had a conflict with the oyabun of Sapporo. The old bastard didn't wanna give up his land. So he tried to kill Jia by killing him inside first. He shot to kill Toki."

My jaw dropped a little as I said,

"Oh shit.."

"Yeah. Shit. Jia flipped out and the same night Toki got put in the hospital we all left Tokyo, took an all night train to Sapporo and found the don as Jia emptied out his clip in the motherfucker. He says it was for Sapporo...but it was really more for Toki then anything."

"So are they..?"

"More then likely. Toki still fucks anything on two legs and there's this guess that Jia is fuckin the ningyo...but...you know...they stick by each other no matter what. It's like they're in love or something."

I thought for a moment as I said,

"At least they got each other to make them go on."

Akio looked at me as he laughed and said,

"Oh man, you're so in love it's not even funny."

I didn't think he was right, but if I thought about it back then, I knew I was. We walked into Times Square still working though it was close to one in the morning. There we ran into trouble right off the top. Some of the remainder of Sung Hyun's men were lurking about. After a quick confrontation, Akio and I had them down as we asked for information. Akio pulled back the clip on his glock as he said,

"Talk motherfucker."

The Korean looked up as he sighed, his short, buzzed off black hair dripping blood down the side of his face as he said,

"You might as well kill me."

Akio knelt down as he smiled and said,

"See, we're not gonna. So you either talk or we torture you until you wish you were dead."

The Korean said nothing. I then said,

"You know, Sung Hyun's dead. There's no one to be loyal to."

"There's always someone. Now either kill me or go away."

Akio and I looked at each other as he leaned down and picked him up and walked him with us back to the 36 Moons. There we dragged him to the basement, the empty part of Jun's make shift hospital as Akio sat him in a chair, tied him to it and then said,

"We'll wait until Jun and Aoki get back."

It was a while before either one got back. Jun did first. Tai and Gabriel came in afterwards and between them, they decided the best way to get information out of this guy. Jun then said,

"Aoki's the best at doing this."

"Someone should get him." Said Gabriel.

I thought for a moment as I said,

"Isn't he working?"

Akio looked at me as he said,

"Yeah...but I'm not sure where. I should call Jia."

Tai nodded as he said,

"I'll call Jia, someone else call Aoki."

I watched over the Korean with Jun and Gabriel as Tai called Jia and Akio called Aoki. After the calls were placed, Jia arrived a little while later. Apparently he was at Yuki's building conducting business so Estuya accompanied him along with Yuki and Toki. Tsubasa was in the lobby with Ai'iro and Jiki and the other heads of the 36 Moons that could not fit downstairs. Some of us had to leave...meaning me so I went back up with Gabriel and Akio. I admired Tsubasa from the doorway watching as he gracefully sat down, his hair blowing up gently before settling back down. I think I was infatuated with him. Anyway, Estuya and I talked to pass sometime until Jia eventually came back upstairs with everyone behind him except Aoki. Jia smoothed back his hair as he said,

"Sung Hyun's connections in Seoul will not let this die down. I have a responsibility to it...so...rather then wait until he comes here and fucks up my land...we're going to California."

Toki sighed looking annoyed as Gabriel said,

"California?"

"Hai. Sung Hyun's following connections, where Alexandra is also staying with and raising her son, because it is a boy, in California. They have recently gotten word of Sung Hyun's death. So we have to move now before they come to New York."

Gabriel and Tai agreed as Toki started complaining about traveling. Aya who was sitting on the couch said,

"Jia how much do we have to wait?"

"Not long. Two days at the most."

"I'm still going."

"Not saying you weren't."

Aya started getting up, flinching slightly as he put weight on his leg. Jun said,

"I'll have to see you about that later Aya."

Aya nodded as Jia then started sending people back home. Now...it was off to California...and I started hating this even more. Now...even more time away from Miya...true regret started settling in at this point. But I knew I couldn't give up this job. I headed back to my apartment to start packing again. In two days time, I was moving back out.

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Definitions

Seiai: Sex love

Sugoi: Wow