The next afternoon, Jia called in myself and Akio in to stand in as body guards. Karasu had contacted him earlier that morning to let him know he had set up a meeting with Sozaburo in Chinatown for lunch. Aoki was going as back up but everyone else was staying behind. Jia had some trust in Karasu and he believed he would not set him up with someone that was out to kill him. That afternoon, I drove Jia to Chinatown, Akio in the seat beside me as Aoki sat with Jia in the back. We were all smoking despite how cold it was but we didn't want the stench of cigarettes to be in the car so we rolled the windows down. We arrived a few minutes later and I parked in front of the restaurant Jia owned. He got out, Aoki following as Akio got out and then me. I hit the alarm on the car as we walked inside, looking around for a moment before the host of the restaurant came up to greet us. He bowed his head and offered a seat as Jia said,

"I'm waiting for someone. Sozaburo Ichiro. He here?"

The host nodded as he said,

"Mr. Jia?"

"Yeah."

"This way. Mr. Sozaburo has reserved a special table for you."

Jia nodded as Aoki went to sit among the restaurant as I went with Akio and Jia to the back of the restaurant. I expected someone like Sozaburo to be maybe...like Jia's age with the same class and grace. Instead, the host led us to someone who could be one of Miya's friends. He was in a collar less, silk, black button down, his black coat still on with black pants. He smoked a cigarette as he sat up straight, his short black hair was curved around the shape of his pretty face as his blondish, red bangs fell over the side of his left eye, covering the corner more. On the corner of his right eye, was a small birthmark. He had perfectly done eyebrows, a small nose, thick full lips and slender hands that held onto that cigarette. Jia must have been thinking the same thing I was as he said,

"Sozaburo?"

He turned his head as he stood up, his height being a little taller then Jia but only by an inch or two. He extended his hand out as he said,

"Jia Li from the 36 Moons I'm assuming."

Jia nodded, shaking his hand in return as Sozaburo then asked him to sit. Akio and I stood by Jia's side as Sozaburo put out his cigarette as he said,

"Karasu told me about the given situation."

"I imaged he would. He said you use to work with him."

"Yes. When the Yami emerged head strong some years back, my brother was in control of a large chunk of New York. The Itto Ketsuen was in charge. But the Yami came in with too many ties, too much power and my brother didn't want to give anything up, but he had to. The Yami was too much. So we allied with them instead. Near the end of my brother's reign and I took over, I parted from the Yami, but not as their enemy and worked with Karasu recently."

"So you were working with the Yami when I took over."

"Yes. But now I work with Karasu. Jigoku offered my brother the deal but my brother was not interested."

"What happened to your brother?"

"He was killed not to long ago with his wife."

"Why?"

"I'm no sure. I'm not too angry about it though. I know there isn't much I can do."

"Did he have any children?"

"Yes. My niece. She was three when it happened. She's almost six now."

"Who takes care of her?"

"I do."

"How old are you Sozaburo?"

"Twenty."

Jia nodded, going into his pockets for his cigarette case. A waitress came over a few moments later as she asked if anyone would be ordering lunch. Sozaburo ordered lunch while Jia just ordered a drink. Sozaburo looked up at Jia from the sides of his pretty eyes as he said,

"Are you surprised to see someone like me Jia?"

"Yes. I won't lie. I expected something....different."

Sozaburo nodded as he then said,

"So, your reason for meeting with me..."

"I'm having a problem with some people that are depending on your alliance."

"Yes. I heard. What would you like me to do?"

"I need information on them. What they look like, where they are, family, any other allies they may have."

Sozaburo nodded as he said,

"All easily provided. The ring leader of this little circle is the Russian. He's very high up on himself thinking that I'm not the head of my syndicate because of how I look. They're not for pretty boys running anything of power."

Jia nodded as he inhaled his cigarette, the held it for a moment before exhaling and then he said,

"So, why are they conducting business with you?"

"They think I'm a gateway to someone else. They have no idea they're conducting business with me."

"I see. But don't they ever want to talk to someone else?"

"Yes, but they're too distracted to care too much. They fear you Jia. They know you are a force to reckon with. They're panicking at the thought of your retaliation."

Jia nodded as he said,

"I will give them something to fear. They already inflicted damage on my personal behave. I will get them back."

"I could help you in anyway I can Jia."

"What do you want in return?"

Sozaburo blinked slowly a few times as he said,

"What could you offer?"

"Money. And you still being able to run your syndicate without me killing you if you plan to back stab me."

"I wouldn't dare."

"Then I can give you head way through New York like Karasu. And pay you for the risk you're taking."

Sozaburo nodded as he said,

"You have a deal."

They shook hands on it as they went on to have lunch.

By the time they finished, Sozaburo said he would call Jia later with the information he needed. As Sozaburo and Jia talked outside, Jia lighting his cigarette for him, I saw Akio looking at Sozaburo with this look in his eye like he wanted him. I had never noticed that look before and it bothered me. But I checked myself, reminding myself that he was nothing of mine anyway and he could look at whoever the fuck he wanted. Though it did make me mad for a few minutes. Damn jealousy. I took a moment to clear it out of my system as I lit a cigarette and got in the driver's side and waited for everyone to get inside the car. Once they did, I drove Jia back to his building. Jia held meetings all day, Tsubasa, Takeo and Karasu walking in and out of the building all day. Takeo would stop and talk to Akio every now and then and that's when I sat there and got so mad.

"I should have known why Sozaburo was your friend!" Said Akio.

Takeo laughed, his hair falling slightly over his eyes as he said,

"Pretty isn't he?"

"Fuck yes! He has the most perfect lips.."

He licked his own lips as I looked at him, kinda disgusted to be hearing this. Takeo laughed again as he said,

"Yeah, Ichiro is a lovely young thing."

"He's not that young. He's twenty."

"Still younger then you."

Akio nudged him as Takeo laughed. He then put his hands in his pockets to retrieve his cigarettes as he said,

"What's the matter Playboy? Thinking of hitting up Ichiro?"

"Maybe...he is fuckin sexy."

"It's the eyes. The way his hair is and the birthmark."

Akio nodded in agreement as Takeo looked at me and said,

"What about you Aka-chan? Didn't you think he was cute?"

I shrugged as Akio nudged me and then said,

"Nah, Baby-chu is through with pretty boys."

Takeo nodded as he said,

"Anyway, I gotta head back to Queens. I still got shit to do and I need to visit all my pets before I get busy tonight."

Akio laughed as he said,

"Later."

"Later."

Takeo left as Akio looked at me and put his arm around me as he said,

"You okay?"

I nodded, feeling calm yet angry. I was over reacting and I needed to stop. Anyway, while Jia was busy with that all day, Tai, Gabriel and Aya began to hold business meetings because of the territory. They knew it best since they were the ones that mapped it out. Akio eventually had to go as well since he had to help them plan everything out. I was left alone for a while wondering what to do so I went and sat around Jia's office for a while, wondering if I could help. I noticed he rubbed the side of his nose a lot when things were getting to be frustrating. He kept talking to Karasu in person, Sozaburo on the phone as he was told where Jia's newest problems where. He finally sighed and hung up the phone once Karasu left again. Jia had to give the order out to his people to take care of his enemies, but he put his head down on the desk as he stayed still for a few moments. I stood up from the couch I had been sitting on for a while as I said,

"Jia...you okay?"

"Yeah...I'm fine. Just a little tired. What time is it?"

I checked my watch as I said,

"Almost eleven thirty."

"Fuck...I haven't seen Toki all day since I left. Shit...and everyone is working now..."

He sat up as he rubbed the side of his nose as he then looked at me and said,

"Aka-chan do me a favor."

"Um...sure Jia."

He went into his coat pockets as he handed me the keys to his apartment and said,

"Get some food for Toki. Force him to eat if you have to. Check how he is and if he needs anything."

"I have to play nurse maid to him?"

"I'd get Jun to but he can't and I can't go myself. Everyone is busy."

I nodded as I took his keys and said,

"Anything he likes in particular?"

Jia lit a cigarette as he shook his head and said,

"Nah, he likes all sorts of garbage. Just get him whatever's on the way."

I nodded as I said,

"Are you sure I can't do anything else?"

"Just go Aka-chan."

I bowed my head slightly as I then went to do what was asked of me.

I wasn't too happy about doing this, but Jia said if I went quickly I could come back for my orders on his recent enemies since he finally gained enough information on them to retaliate. I picked up some simple basic food, stuff that wouldn't make too much of a mess being a sandwich, some chips and something to drink. I took Jia's keys from my pocket and after a few tries I got the door open. Jia's apartment was still nice, now my second time arriving and going inside. Everything was clean and picked up so it looked like something out of a magazine. I took off my shoes as I went inside, closing the door behind me and went towards the bedroom. I was kind of nervous about being anywhere alone with Toki, flashbacks playing in my head from California as I sighed and then opened the bedroom door, taking a quick peek in. Toki was sound asleep, the room warm since it was pretty cold outside. Toki was on his side, his back facing me as the thick comforter was over his shoulders. I sighed, hating to be the one that had to wake him up. But I set the food down beside the bed as I kept my gloves and coat on as I shook his shoulder trying to wake him. Once he did, his eyes opened and looked up at me as he said,

"What are you doing here?"

"A favor for Jia."

I picked up the food as he groaned and pulled the covers over his head.

"I'm not hungry."

"Well I don't care. Jia asked me to do this for him and I am."

I pulled off the covers from his head as he said,

"You can't make me eat."

"I will if I have to."

He narrowed his eyes at me as I sat down and picked up the food I brought. He kept glaring at me as he said,

"What you bring me?"

"A sandwich. It doesn't have much in it because I wasn't sure what you'd like."

He groaned as he said,

"I hate eating!"

"But you're not well and you need to. Now sit up and take this sandwich and eat."

Toki glared at me as he said,

"I'm not hungry."

"Toki don't make this any harder then it has to be. It's just a sandwich and some chips."

"Ugh chips! You're making me eat that too!?"

"You don't have to if you eat the whole sandwich."

He narrowed his eyes as he took the sandwich from the container and began to eat. He ate like he really hated to, chewing really slowly, looking at the piece of food with much disgust and hate. I picked up the can of ginger ale as he said,

"I don't drink that shit."

I looked at him seeing he was still holding a piece of the sandwich in his cheek as I said,

"You can't have any sake."

"It's what I want."

"Well I don't care. You have to drink this."

He rolled his eyes at me as he said,

"That hurts my throat."

I sighed as I said,

"It's flat."

"Oh so now I have to drink flat soda!"

"Why are you making everything a million times harder then it has to be? You know, most people would be grateful and happy to have someone care about them and send someone to check on them since they were too busy and couldn't go!"

Toki looked at me for a moment as he then said,

"Yeah...Li always cares when I'm down."

"Of course he would. He loves you."

I looked down as I picked up the bag sitting on the floor. I gathered it in my hands as he said,

"You seem down Aka-chan."

"Toki....spare me. You're the last person I wanna talk to about how I feel."

He nodded as he said,

"I wasn't sayin talk to me, I said you look down."

I then looked at him and said,

"Finish eating."

He finished the rest of his sandwich as I snapped open the can for him and handed it to him. He shook his head as I said,

"Just take it!"

He stuck his tongue out as he took it and said,

"So...what's goin on while I'm down?"

"Jia found out where everyone was. New allie Sozaburo."

"Ichiro?"

"You know him?"

"Hell yeah. One of Takeo's......friends."

He said "friends" like in this sarcastic like he knew more then he led on. I rolled my eyes as I said,

"So yeah..."

"We got the Itto Ketsuen on our side now huh?"

"Yeah."

He nodded as he said,

"When's Jun gonna come in an tell me I'm fine so I can go back to work already. Imma miss all the action!"

"I don't know. Last I checked Jun was busy."

He took a sip from the can as he scrunched up his face that made me laughed as he said,

"Ugh...this is nasty. What the fuck is it?"

"Ginger ale."

"Is fuckin nasty."

I shrugged as I said,

"I'll bring you some water."

"Nah, don't bother. I want a cigarette."

"You should get some rest."

"Fuckin...call Jun's dumb ass and tell him to come see me so I can go to fuckin work or Imma jus go!"

"You can't. I doubt you're in any condition to do anything."

"Says you. I'm bored."

I stood up as I gathered the garbage in my hands and checked my watch as I said,

"I have to go. Do you need anything else?"

"Just my cigarettes."

"Where are they?"

"Pocket."

He pointed to his jeans on the floor as I picked them up and took out his wallet, setting it on the night stand beside him and then went to his other pocket getting his cigarettes out along with the lighter. He didn't carry a case like Jia or Akio. I gave them to him as he took one out and lit it as he inhaled and then exhaled. He pulled a jade ashtray close to him as I said,

"I'll go now. I have to get back to work."

"Hey Aka-chan, Aoki don't know that you an Akio fucked right?"

I looked at him sorta surprised as I then said,

"What are you talking about?"

"Nah, don't play dumb with me. If anyone can figure out who's fuckin who among us, is me. Aoki don't know right? Nah obviously not, he would have splattered Akio all over the lobby of Li's building."

I felt sick all the sudden but I didn't confirm anything.

"Whatever Toki. You always got sex on the brain anyway."

"I know. But that's what makes it all the easier to figure shit out. Besides, I know the Playboy."

I started to leave the room when he said,

"I won't tell Aoki."

I turned back around at the door as I said,

"Even if it was true, why would you do that for me?"

"Cuz I owe you one for not tellin anyone about me an Mikkie. I know you didn't do that shit for me, you did it for him...but I'll owed you one anyway cuz nothing makes him happier then having this under wraps. An I love to see mah Ghosto happy."

I nodded as he exhaled as he laid on his side, his head being held up by his hand as he held a cigarette in the other. I then turned and went to leave but I stopped and said,

"Thanks..."

I then walked out and left the apartment, going back to work.

When I got back I saw everyone was already rushing out and I quickly went back up to Jia's office. I found Akio there as Jia said,

"There he is."

I sighed, glad I didn't miss my chance to go to work as Jia said,

"Okay, Akio you and Aka-chan have the lower East side. Sozaburo said he set up the dinner there with the Irish and Italian. Sozaburo says he only meets with the Russian in person so we'll have something of a problem with that but we'll deal with it later. I may deal with it myself. Aka-chan how was Toki?"

"Fine."

"Did he eat?"

"Yeah but after I forced him too. He wanted to know when he could go back to work."

"When Jun gets the chance to see him, I'll send him over. For now, you and Akio go do what you're told."

I nodded as Akio and I went to the Lower East Side.

We were both quiet as I drove. I didn't have much to say and I guess he didn't either. I finally got a CD out and put it in as I turned up the volume. I couldn't stand sitting in silence if no one was going to talk. Akio didn't say anything even after that. Once we got to the Lower East Side, Akio called Jia and told him where we were. After a few moments, Akio hung up as he said,

"Sozaburo said he'd be over there."

He pointed across the street from where I parked at a small cafe. I then said,

"So..let's go. Where's everyone else?"

"Others got shit to do Baby-chu. Aoki and Aya are around here somewhere. So are Jun and Mikkie. So let's just go do our job ne?"

I nodded as I got out of the car after checking my gun and then walked ahead, not bothering to wait since I knew Akio was behind me. I went inside the cafe, taking a quick look around, recalling the brief and vague description Jia had given me on my way out with Akio. It was hard to recall since it wasn't all that full of detail anyway. But a quick turn around the room with my eyes and I saw my two. Akio walked in beside me as he said,

"Over there."

I nodded as we took a seat near our targets and ordered some coffee as we waited. I over heard some of their conversation since it was now more or less my talent to eavesdrop on people.

"Where the hell is that brat?"

The older man was the Irish one. His accent echoed in some words as the Italian shrugged and said,

"Not a clue. But he's late."

The Irish leaned back as he said,

"We're gonna kill this kid. I don't think he can be trusted."

"He's not worth the bullet. Let's just kill his boss and be done with it."

"Aye, better plan."

Akio looked at me as he whispered,

"We can't waste too much time."

I nodded as I go out my cigarettes and Akio reached across the table to light my cigarette. I inhaled as I didn't bother to take off my gloves again. I had been wearing them all night. I then looked over at the two as I said,

"I got the one on the right."

"Fine."

We both stood up as we walked over to them, Akio drawing out his gun as he shot the Irish man. The Italian jumped up and looked at us as I fired and he fell back, the chair catching him before tipping backwards while the Irish man bled to death, slumped over at the table. Akio then looked at me as he said,

"Let's go."

I nodded, walking out as the people cowered under tables, shuttering, some too scared to move or even speak. We both left and got back to the car as Akio called Jia and let him know the two were dead. He hung up as we returned back to his building.

It was close to two in the morning as I yawned, my gloves still on as I rubbed my eye. Jia was tired himself, lighting a cigarette with shaky hands as he said,

"I'll have to see Sozaburo about the Russian tomorrow. Right now, Sozaburo says the Russian is scared and is hiding out."

"I'm surprised he didn't have guards around." I said.

"Nah, they made a mistake in underestimating Sozaburo. They didn't think he would do any harm so they went guardless."

I nodded as Akio said,

"So what now Jia?"

"We wait until tomorrow. By then, we'll get to work. Where's Jun? I need him to go see Toki before I go to bed otherwise he won't let me sleep."

"I'll call him." Said Akio.

Jia began to stand up as he pulled his overcoat on and then took out his leather gloves, putting them on as he held his cigarette in his mouth. He swept his black hair back as he then said,

"Fuck I'm tired."

"And tomorrow's another day."

He nodded, giving an exhausted sigh as I said,

"I'll take you home."

"Where's Jun?"

"He's on his way up Jia." Answered Akio.

Jia nodded content with that answer as he turned off the lamp light from his desk and we left his office. Within a few moments, Jun appeared as he said,

"Yeah Jia?"

"I need you to come check on Toki for me."

He nodded as we all left, getting into the car and I drove to Jia's apartment. While he and Jun were in there, Akio and I sat in the car with the heat on as he said,

"Going home after this?"

"Yeah...I'm hungry."

"Want me to stop by?"

I looked at him as I said,

"Thought you be hitting up Ichiro."

"Yeah but not tonight."

"Oh I feel so much better now. I'm a temporary relief."

He nudged me as he then turned my face towards him and he kissed me softly, his lips so warm against mine. I almost missed his kiss. He then licked his lips as he said,

"Don't get jealous Baby-chu. It's not becoming."

I stuck my tongue out at him as he laughed and said,

"I'll show you were to put that."

"You promise?"

He laughed as he said,

"So am I invited or what?"

"Yeah...you are."

"Good."

Once Jun came back in the car, complaining about what a brat Toki was, I drove off, dropping him at his apartment before I took Akio back to mine. I probably needed the rest more then I needed the fuck but....oh well. Stress relief. Tomorrow was going to be hell.