I was far from street smart. I had never been on the streets to work anything other then my job when I had. But now since common thugs were working with Keiishiro, we had to make the rounds in clubs...not so elegant. Akio and I went into a Manhattan hip hop club where everyone was about fucking. Guys grinding up against girl, girls grinding up against each other all while everyone shaking their asses when the music told them too. American music...go figure. Anyway Akio and I had to go in and remain undetected. In our more stylish clothes we got in and stood at the bar. Girls started circling us and rather then the traditional Asian girls that flocked around us, all kinds of woman stood around us. Especially Akio. They flirted with him, coming strong as they wanted attention. Some girls a little more bolder then others as they stood between Akio and another girl as they would give Akio their numbers. He would pay some of them attention, buying only one girl a drink. She stood by him for a while asking if he wanted to dance. Akio said he would and then told me to blend in. He was working....right. I rolled my eyes as I got a drink and then felt someone standing beside me. I turned my head to see a caramel skinned girl standing beside me, her chin length black hair cut in a soft angle. She smiled as I waved to her and she came over. I bought her a drink as we talked for a while and she asked me to dance. I felt a little out of place for a while until I danced with her, looking around. I could feel people watching me, staring at me...for being an outsider or for work purposes I don't know. This went on for another half hour. In between dancing, I had another drink, lighting a cigarette as the girl still stood beside me. I looked over my shoulder to see Akio still talking to random girls, so in his environment though he looked nothing like himself. It looked like he raided Toki's closet now wearing some baggy dark blue jeans and a white designer shirt under a matching dark blue jean coat. He wore boots instead of his leather dress shoes and he seemed much younger then he actually was. I shouldn't have talked though in my black jeans and my powder blue jersey, the designers name on the side of my arm. I inhaled part of my cigarette as the girl beside me said,

"You've been quiet since we last spoke!"

She smiled a cute smile and I said,

"Sorry. Been distracted."

She smiled again as her hand rested over mine. It was then I heard a bang, not coming from the music as I looked behind me and saw Toki. He was yelling at someone as he held a bottle of beer in his hand. A taller man was yelling back at him and Toki was not happy about it. When the guy jabbed Toki in the chest, that was all it took. I watched, as if in slow motion, how Toki raised his arm, beer bottle and all, and brought it back down full force over the guy's head, glass cracking all over, blood pouring down everywhere. Girls screamed as the small crowd soon closed in on Toki. I saw from the corner of my eye as Akio ran upstairs to the second floor where Toki was at as I started to go too. As I stepped forward, someone grabbed my hair and pulled my head back, a knife to my throat. I heard the girl gasping as I heard in a deep, raspy voice,

"You fuckin stupid you know that? Comin up in here thinkin you can find Kei."

I didn't struggle, I hardly moved as I said,

"Nah...I wasn't the stupid one."

I turned my head slightly, avoiding the knife as I elbowed the guy behind me. I grabbed his wrist as I turned and punched him in the face, taking the knife from his hand as I brought him down to the floor. With his wrist in my hand I made him lay his palm flat down and stabbed the knife through his skin. I glared at him as I said,

"Stupid fucker. Know better next time who you put a knife to."

I stood up as I went to help Akio and Toki. I ran upstairs, pushing people back as I struggled to get through. Finally I saw Akio as he raised his gun to the air setting off a shot. People screamed as they fell to floor, Toki still fighting with someone as Akio notioned me to come closer. We had to get Toki out of here, that was the main concern. The guy he was fighting with had done some damage to Toki, but he didn't go away unscratched, his face busted up, bleeding from his nose, Toki only had his lip broken and a couple of marks. The guy Toki was fighting had his boys brought in and they tried to make it an unfair fight. Toki was pulled off the guy, but all they caught was the end of Toki's boot as he kicked one of them in the face, the other in the jaw. Akio then got one of the guys off Toki as I went to help, shoving people off me and Akio as I then saw one of them pull a knife. He went towards Akio's turned back and I quickly grabbed him out of the way. Akio was confused at first until he saw the guy lunge at us.

The fight soon came to an end as we heard someone shouting that the police had arrived. Everyone started scattering and we grabbed Toki and got out of there, running through the alley as we jumped a fence and kept on going. I was surprised Toki kept up with us as lazy as he is and as much as he smokes. We got a few blocks away as I turned and saw Akio was looking at Toki.

"What was all that about?"

"Fight...same shit as it always is."

"Someone insult your dick?"

"Ha ha....funny."

I saw him grip his forearm as he said,

"Shit about Keiishiro. They were warned about the tattoos on the inside of our wrist. One of them came up to me..started talking shit. So I stood up and...here we are."

"How come anytime you stand up we end up running?"

Toki shrugged giving a smirk as he said,

"I think I'm hurt though."

Akio looked down at Toki's arm which was now colored in his blood, the streams running down to his fingers as they dripped to the ground. Akio sighed as he said,

"Fuck, let's get back. Jun can handle it."

We ran to the street curb where I hailed a cab and we got in as we headed back to the building. Akio called Jun on the way as Toki grumbled and complained the whole way there.

Once we got there and paid the fare, we brought Toki inside, Jun already standing there waiting. He had Toki sit down on the couch of the lobby as he took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves before snapping on a pair of surgical latex gloves.

"You can never stay out of trouble long can you?"

Jun said as he prepared a surgical needle and thread. Toki frowned as he said,

"It wasn't my fault."

"It never is."

He then looked down at Toki's arm as he said,

"Damn look at the mess you made."

"I made? I didn't cut myself you stupid motherfucker!"

"Yeah keep talking that way see if I don't leave your ass here to bleed to death!"

Jun picked up a small patch of gauze as he picked up a bottle of something that was sitting on the small table behind him. He soaked the gauze as Toki said,

"You dumb fuck, I wouldn't go to you if I had a fucking choice! You fucking bootleg, wannabe- OW!!!"

I bit my lip as I saw Jun had put whatever was in that bottle on the gauze and he pressed it into Toki's wounded arm. Jun smirked as he said,

"That ought to shut you up while I sew your dumb ass back up!"

Toki gritted his teeth as he let Jun work. Mikkie watched him work as he knelt beside him and said,

"How deep is the cut?"

"Pretty deep. I'm surprised he didn't loose more blood then he did."

Toki managed to grin as he said,

"I'm special."

"Yeah...real special." Said Jun.

Toki kicked him as Jun actually stabbed him with the end of the needle. As Toki cursed in pain, Jun said,

"Yeah keeping fucking with me while I sew you up."

Toki said nothing as a few moments later, Jia and Takeo appeared. He saw Toki as he said,

"What happened?"

I turned to him as I said,

"Some of Keiishiro's thugs picked a fight with him. They know who we are by the tattoos on our wrists."

"Yeah these damn things give us away."

Jia looked down at his wrist as Takeo said,

"So did you guys find anything else?"

"Other that Keiishiro's men are all a bunch of lowly thugs that really don't know what their dealing with...no."

Takeo sighed as he turned his attention back to Jun who finished up Toki's arm. Toki then grumbled as he said,

"Keiishiro's bitches don't know jack shit. They think we're some rival gang. They think they can take us on so that just shows how stupid they are."

Jun nodded as he stood up and said,

"Akio what about you?"

"What about me?"

"You hurt?"

"Oh no, I'm good."

"Aka-chan?"

I shook my head, not feeling any pain as Mikkie crossed his arms, his blonde hair falling over the sides of his face as he said,

"We should get back to work."

Jun nodded as he said,

"Ne, Aka-chan, you have a small mark right here."

He gestured to my throat as I felt the small nick from where the guy probably cut me with the knife. Jia then said,

"Let's get this done. The simplest way to get to Keiishiro is to have Ryuhei. And since we left him out there alone...again, we're gonna have to go find him."

"The whore shouldn't be too hard to find." Said Takeo.

Jia nodded as he went into his pocket and got his cell phone out. He called Tsubasa to let him know everyone was now looking for Ryuhei as he took out a set of keys and threw them at me. He told Tsubasa to hold on as he said,

"Aka-chan, take the car, you, Akio, Toki, Jun and Mikkie out with you and look for him. Like Takeo said, the little whore shouldn't be too hard to find."

I nodded as Jun said,

"Actually Jia, I rather not go. Seems kinda crowded there already."

Toki smiled as he put his arm around Mikkie and said,

"Good so jus me, Aka-chan, Akio and mah Ghosto."

Mikkie looked at him from the sides of his eyes as he moved away and said,

"I won't go if my partner doesn't."

Jia rolled his eyes as he said,

"Okay fine, Mikkie, Jun you two stay here then."

"What about me!? I don't wanna go partnerless!" said Toki.

"Fuckin...GOD TOKI you're so damn whinny!" Said Jia.

"Well look who's fuckin talking!" shouted Toki back.

Akio along with everyone else rolled our eyes as Mikkie said,

"Toki shut up. We all have jobs to do. Jia can't be around to baby sit you twenty-four hours a day and I will certainly not be there either. You're a grown man. Act like it."

There was a coldness in Mikkie's voice and granted it has always been there but, if possible, it got even colder. Toki said nothing as the rest of us started leaving, Jun following Mikkie with a satisfied look on his face, Takeo kinda not doing anything as I turned and left with Akio. We got in the car, Akio sitting beside me as he snapped his seat belt in place. I stuck the key in the ignition as I started the car when I heard the back door opening. Toki got in, slamming the door behind him as he looked out the window. He didn't say a word so I just checked the street and pulled out.

It was almost two in the morning before we finally found Ryuhei. He was a little harder to find then anticipated, but he was not hard at all to pursued to come with us. He climbed in the back seat with Toki as he said,

"Hey Shinkan. What's the big problem."

"We're using you as bait."

He licked the side of Ryuhei's cheek as he laughed and said,

"Bait to lure who? You?"

"Nah...your ex."

Ryuhei was suddenly not amused.

"I can't fuck with him."

"You already did."

"No if he sees me he'll kill me!"

"You should have thought of that before you got involved with him. What you do that was so bad anyway?"

"Nothing. I just didn't want to be involved in any mess he made with the Yami. I'm pretty and I maybe a whore to you but I'm not completely fucking clueless!"

"You gotta be if you didn't think we were gonna use you."

Ryuhei sighed as he leaned against the seat and I pulled off. Akio called Jia to let him know we had found him and I headed back to the building.

When Ryuhei came face to face with Jia again, he sighed and said,

"You're gettin to make a real habit out of this Jia."

"So are you. I'm not here to save you this time. I'm actually here to see if I can get Keiishiro from out of hiding. And if you happen to get caught in the crossfire, oh well."

"Before you saved me now you're out to sacrifice me."

"Hell I didn't mean to save you the first time."

"But you did. Look Jia, I know you don't like me very much because I can make you boy Toki grin from ear to ear but that's no reason to kill me off!"

"I'm not killing you off first of all. Secondly, I don't give a fuck what you make Toki do. Third, I'm not so petty that if I WAS jealous, I would have you killed. Don't be so stupid and arrogant."

Ryuhei crossed his arms as he said,

"So what do you want?"

"You're gonna stay here, guarded. When word gets through tonight that you're with me, Keiishiro will be furious."

"I'm not with you."

"I know you're not, but Keiishiro will think that, hence bringing him out hiding. You have any brains under that pretty face?"

Ryuhei pouted as he frowned and looked away. He then went to sit down as Jun said,

"What are we gonna do with him?"

"Keep him there until someone passes word around about him being with me."

"That could take a while."

Jia nodded as he said,

"I'll call Takeo and have the word spread around. Until then we'll wait."

He turned to Ryuhei as he said,

"Meanwhile...someone should watch him. I can't have him leaving anywhere. Where's Toki?"

I looked around the lobby, seeing he wasn't there. I saw Mikkie looking at his hands, his blonde bangs falling around his face as he refused to look back up. I went into my pockets, searching for my cigarettes as I said,

"But it'll take through the rest of the night. It's almost three in the morning."

Jia finished his train of thought as he said,

"I know which is why I should send him with...you Aka-chan."

"Me!? What I do?"

Jia laughed as if he just punished me. But I was not amused. I didn't want to be saddled with taking care of Ryuhei. But I had no choice. Jia assigned him to me and I took him back to my apartment.

He sauntered in once we arrived and went to my room. He crawled onto my bed like a cat and laid down as he held his head up with one hand, the other on his hip as he said,

"Hey."

"Why are you on my bed?"

"Gonna sleep here."

"Fine, I'll sleep on the couch."

"Why? There's room for you here."

He pat the empty side of the bed as I said,

"No thanks."

"Why not?"

"I don't know you."

"You can get to know me."

"I rather not. I have someone."

"Akio huh?"

"No."

"Then?"

"None of your business."

"What's the matter? Not into boys?"

"Not into you and for your information."

"How disappointing."

"Not that much older then me. How long have you been dealing with yakuza?"

"Since I was fifteen."

"Why'd you start so young?"

"Because I'm pretty. Most people don't care about anything else."

"Aya's pretty. He's respected."

"It doesn't matter. He's smart too. Not me. Why do you care anyway?"

"I'm curious. I rather talk to you then fuck you."

"That's a first."

"So...why did yo get involved with Keiishiro?"

"Kei wanted to take care of me."

"How old is he?"

"Fifty- three."

"Oh my God.."

"I know. He's old. I was seventeen when I was Akihasa. It's when I met Jia."

"So...you were with a yakuza then?"

"Yeah. Never was one myself. I couldn't handle doing anything illegal."

"You seem nice."

"I am. But don't be so naive. It's what a lot of yakuza do. You're one...you sure you don't want me?"

"I'm sure. If you want you can change out of that."

"Thanks."

I searched through some drawers for some clothes as I handed him a pair of sweat pants and a shirt. I left the room so he could change and I went to the living. I sat down, turning on the TV as I called Akio.

"Yeah."

"Hey Akio."

"Hey Baby-chu. How's the assignment?"

"In my room changing."

"Where are you?"

"Living room."

"Good boy."

"Yeah...he's too much for me."

"He's more Toki's type."

"That I figured out a long time ago."

He laughed as he sighed and said,

"So what are you gonna do?"

"Stay in the living room. Why did Jia have to assign him to me?"

"Thinks your more capable of keeping your hands off him."

"Jun or Mikkie could have done it. You could have."

"Nah, Mikkie wouldn't pay him any attention. Neither would Jun. And as much as I hate to admit it, if his leggy ass crawled into my bed and said fuck me, I would probably do it."

I sighed as I looked at my bedroom doorway.

"You think I should leave him alone in there?"

"What's he gonna do? Run down the fire escape?"

"Maybe."

I got up to go to the bedroom and softly knocked on the door. I opened it slightly and peeked in and thankfully saw Ryuhei sitting on the bed. He was in the shirt I gave him and nothing else. It hung past his thigh slightly and he sat on the bed, his legs open as he held his clasped hands between them. He looked up at me, a sensual smile on his face. I sighed as I said,

"Yeah he's still here."

Akio laughed as he said,

"I don't hear anything."

Ryuhei then said,

"Who you talkin to?"

"Akio."

Akio then laughed and said,

"Ah I heard him."

"Yeah...well he's going to sleep, so I'm gonna close the door now."

Ryuhei pouted as he stood up and got into my bed as I closed the door behind him and went back to the living room.

The next morning, I got up and went to wake him, finding him on his side, the shirt slightly up his thigh as he held the pillow close to his face. I smiled, noticing how innocent he looked as I shook his shoulder. He yawned as he turned and said,

"What?"

"We gotta go."

I was already showered and dressed, my suit and tie in place as I had my mp3 player in my pocket, the earphone in my ear as Ryuhei sat up and stretched his arms over his head, making the shirt rise more. He then went to the bathroom and then came out a while later as he got on his low rise, black leather pants and his black sleeveless shirt as his black flame tattoo was clearly visible again as he swept his hair away from his face and didn't bother to put on his coat. I then took him back to the 36 Moons building. Once we got there, we had to wait until everyone else arrived. Ryuhei fell asleep on the couch again, his head tilted to the side as he crossed his arms loosely in front of him. Once everyone was present, even Toki who remained a fair distance from Jia, Tai told everyone what he had found out.

"Keiishiro knows that Ryuhei is with Jia. He thinks it's a sexual relationship so he's pissed. Expect retaliation tonight."