I brought my latest copy of Gravitation on the plane with me when we went to Hong Kong so I was slouched in my seat, my winter coat still on as my cashmere gloved hands held onto the manga, my MP3 Player buried in the layers of my clothes as I listened to Luna Sea's Mother. When I put my book down to stretch since I had been slouching since take off, I noticed Toki was looking at me but kind of laughing. I took the ear phone from my ear as I said,

"What?"

"Nothin. Just laughing at the shit you're reading."

I shrugged as I said,

"It's funny."

"Yeah it is."

I flipped him off as I went back to my reading. When the plane landed, we all got up, no luggage since we all had places there now as we left the plane. We were greeted by Kenimin, Lotus and some of the Black Hand. Jia shook Kenimin's hand as he spoke him right away, almost as if avoiding Lotus completely. Eventually he did say hi to her, barely glancing at her as Toki stood by him, putting his arm around Jia in a playful, yet possessive manner. Kenimin then said,

"I'm glad you could come here so soon."

"You did say it was urgent."

Kenimin nodded as he started to led the way outside to the awaiting cars.

Within an hour or so, everyone arrived back at Kenimin's building, Lotus still walked behind Jia, her hands clasped loosely in front of her, her head slightly bowed, her hair now tied up. She was always dressed casually, but still maintained that semi elegant look. Mikkie, Toki, Aoki and myself all stood near the doors with the other members of the Black Hand as Jia sat down in front of Kenimin's desk, Lotus standing beside him. I could see Toki was pissed about that but he wasn't about to run over and stand by him like a jealous girlfriend. He lit a cigarette instead and leaned against the door, his hands in his pockets as Aoki lit a cigarette too. Mikkie and myself stayed still though now I really wanted a cigarette too. Kenimin then started to speak.

"Jia, I have to tell you, the past few months of this merger have been excellent. And I know you even had the trouble with the other mobs through the world. You took care of that quickly."

"I had no choice in that matter."

"How were all those results by the way?"

"I got the Italians to clean up because it wasn't my soul mess."

"I see."

"So, Kenimin to get right to the point, I'd like to know why I was called here in first place. You said it was urgent and something you must discuss face to face."

Kenimin nodded as he put his hands on his desk and said,

"Jia, I called you here to let you know I'm dying."

"What? Dying?"

"Yes."

"From what?"

"Cancer. I found out the other day. From Lotus's urging I went to a doctor. I don't have much time. Maybe half a year. A whole one if I'm lucky."

Jia sighed as I looked over at Lotus. Her head was down and not looking at anything going on. Kenimin then said,

"I'm actually glad it's cancer. I can die naturally and have to worry about being shot to death."

"I guess."

Jia then went into his pockets as he took out his cigarette case and put a cigarette in his mouth. He patted down his pockets for a lighter and realized he didn't have one. He looked over from the chair as he said,

"Toki...give me a light."

Toki walked over, taking out his lighter as he leaned down and lit Jia's cigarette. He then walked back to us as Jia said,

"So...what should I do Kenimin?"

"I want many things to happen Jia. I want you to start learning this city better, this syndicate, the way I run things. I want you to spend more time with Lotus."

"Kenimin, we discussed this before I married her. I told you, upfront, I can never be a family man. I know you would like me to have a son and pass on your blood even further. But I didn't marry her out of love or devotion, I did it out of a business deal."

Kenimin nodded as he said,

"I understand, but you have to understand that this is also part of the deal. Being seen with Lotus as your wife, not you background. People would sooner think your guard is your lover."

Toki smiled, sticking out his tongue as he looked up at the ceiling. Aoki smirked, holding back laughter as I looked at the floor. Jia cleared his throat as he said,

"He's my best friend. That's the closeness."

"I understand that. But Jia, others won't see it that way."

"I know. Okay, I'll treat Lotus like my wife when I'm here."

Kenimin nodded as Jia then asked to leave if that was all. Kenimin gave us permission to leave as we all left. Jia stuck his hands in his pockets as he said,

"Such bullshit. I don't know why but I wish Kenimin would just come out and say he had hopes of me changing my mind and I would love his fucking daughter."

Toki shrugged, lighting another cigarette as we walked. Aoki, Mikkie and myself behind them.

"Jus the way shit is Jia. Kenimin's old fashioned. He wants you and Lotus to have a fucking kid."

"The only way I'm having a kid is if you have it for me Toki."

He poked Toki's side as Aoki and I laughed as Toki rubbed his side as he said,

"I don't know man, that's kinda hard."

Jia laughed as we kept walking. Eventually Jia gave us permission to go back to our apartments for some rest so that's what we did.

I got back to my still empty apartment as I went to my room. The only thing that was filled was my closet and that's because I had to have a constant change of clothes. I sat down on my futon bed as I sighed, shrugging off my suit coat as I laid down and pressed play on my MP3 player. I listened to some music for a while before I dozed off to sleep. I woke up later that night when my cell phone was going off. I picked it up as I answered hearing Mikkie's voice on the other end as he said we had a meet up for dinner and had to head over to Jia's apartment. So I got up and went. I met up with Aoki and Mikkie over there to find out they were waiting for the past ten minutes. I sat down beside Aoki as I lit a cigarette finally as I rubbed my eyes and said,

"So, is Jia busy?"

"Probably."

I looked at Aoki who knew just about everything, but like Mikkie didn't say a word. I hate being around them something. It got so boring listening to myself breathing after a while. Anyway, after twenty minutes, Mikkie said,

"Joryu maybe you should go up there and check on them."

"Me?"

"Yeah go. We're going to be here all night."

I had a feeling as to why Mikkie sent me up. Aoki wouldn't go because he didn't have to and Mikkie didn't want to because of what he'd see. So that left me. I took the elevator to Jia's floor as I got there and knocked on his door. I waited for a little while until I got my cell phone out. I called Jia first with no answer. Then I called Toki. After a few rings I heard him answer, as if I just woke him up.

"What man?"

"We've been waiting for you and Jia for the past half hour."

"For what?"

"We have dinner plans with Kenimin."

"Oh shit...Li, wake up."

I heard Toki moving around as he then said,

"Where you at?"

"Outside your door."

"Man..."

He hung up on me and a few minutes later he answered the door, jeans on, as he tightened the belt and then pulled his wife beater over it. He said,

"Get in here."

I walked inside as I went to the living room and sat down. Toki ran his hands through his hair as he went back to the bedroom and I sat down to wait. I called Mikkie to let him know what was going on and within five minutes, Jia was walking out, tying his tie as he said,

"Sorry, I over slept."

I shrugged it off since I wasn't anyone for him to be apologizing to. Toki was walking behind him, pulling up his short sleeve button shirt over his wife beater as he then grabbed his bandanna from his pocket and wrapped it around his head, tucking underneath his black hair and let his bangs hang loose. I then escorted them downstairs as we hailed a cab and finally went to meet Kenimin for dinner.

Jia didn't seem to pleased about having to see Kenimin again. He looked bored everytime he talked to him but when he wasn't speaking to Kenimin, he was talking to Toki, nudging him and giving him little smiles as if not to laugh. It was almost very juvenile of him to do but it was Jia, my employer what could I say? Lotus sat across from Jia and she could probably see how happy Jia was around Toki. Again, if you spent twenty minutes with those two, you could see they were more then friends. Kenimin then said,

"Jia?"

"Hm?"

He looked away from Toki after having his cigarette lit and said,

"What is it?"

"Have something to eat."

He moved a plate of food over to Jia as Jia looked at it with disdain and said,

"No thank you. I'm not hungry."

"You should eat Jia. I've known you all this time and yet you still don't eat."

"I'm rarely hungry. I sustain myself with this and some liquor."

Kenimin shook his head as Toki exhaled and said,

"Kenimin, why you on Li's ass about how he eats anyway?"

Kenimin looked surprised at Toki as he said,

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

Kenimin didn't answer, he just looked away, kind of insulted as he went back to his dinner.

After that, Kenimin didn't seem to happy with Toki being around. But Jia had business to conduct so he had to have Toki around. Jia and Kenimin worked together so Jia could learn Hong Kong better. Aoki, Mikkie and myself knew the city inside out from the last time we were here and all we really had to do was go a quick walk through. Mikkie and Aoki spent most of the trip being bored. But we couldn't leave for almost three weeks since Jia was so busy with Hong Kong now. He had to learn and add a whole country to his empire now. Kenimin didn't have much time anymore so he was urging Jia to take everything in his own hands. Jia was growing tired by the end, rubbing the side of his face a lot until finally, after staying in Hong Kong a month and a week, Jia said,

"Kenimin, I've learned all I could. Until your pass away there's nothing else I can do. I'm prepared."

Kenimin seemed to understand Jia's need to leave, mostly because Jia worked hard too. After the first few days of being juvenile with Toki, he started to get serious again and worked hard for the rest of the time we were there. The rest of us didn't really have much work to do since we weren't the business heads and hence didn't have to learn much. While I was away I called Akio a lot. I let him know what was going on and how bored I was.

"I'm starting to hate Hong Kong."

He laughed as he said,

"Why?"

"There's nothing to do. I mean there is, but it's so fucking boring because I'm here with Aoki and Mikkie. Geez I might as well be alone because those two don't talk to me. They both talk to Toki more and Toki is busy fucking Jia again so that just sucks because now everyone is focused on Toki and while I'm not working, I'm just bored all the time."

"Aw, poor Baby-chu. But don't whine."

"I'm only whining to you."

He laughed as he said,

"Miss me?"

"Yes. I'm lonely."

"Aww...I'll make you unlonely when you get back."

I laughed as I said,

"I can't wait till I get back. Kenimin is like driving Jia crazy. You can tell Jia just wants the old man to die already."

"Kenimin is gonna die?"

"Yeah he's got cancer or something. He said he has like a year or something left."

"Damn. What about Lotus?"

"Jia doesn't seem to give a fuck as always."

"Not a shock."

"Kenimin is like pushing Jia to this whole you married my daughter now you have to love her though Jia made he wasn't doing it out of love nor would he ever change his mind."

"Fuck. I bet Toki's pissed."

"Yeah but he doesn't seem like it most of the time. He's usually having a drink with Aoki in his room while Jia's working."

"Hm..so any word on when you'll get back?"

"I think soon. Because like I said, Jia is already frustrated with Kenimin."

And I was right. Two days later, Jia announced that he was ready to go back to Japan. Kenimin said it was fine but before we left he had a long conversation with Jia about Lotus.

"When I die, she'll be yours."

Jia shrugged as he said,

"She can stay here."

"She can't stay here by herself."

"She'll be safer here then anywhere else."

"She would be safer with you."

"No she wouldn't. She'll be in more danger with me."

"Jia she's your wife."

"Not out of love. The only way she could be safe is if she's in Arkansas in a college somewhere. Not with me, not in any of my cities."

"You would abandon her like that?"

"She's not my responsibility Kenimin. Why are you acting like I was suppost to take care of her for all time?"

"Because that is the agreement."

"No, the agreement was, I marry her and I get headway in Hong Kong."

"Jia, when I said I was giving you my daughter, I meant I was giving her to you. When my time passes, she's yours."

"She's not a fuckin object! You jus can't give her to someone!" Said Toki.

Kenimin looked at him as he looked back at Jia and said,

"Jia, I suggest you shut him up before he gets shut up."

"Do not threaten him Kenimin. All right, I married her for this. I didn't know I was suppost to take care of her after you die. So that was my deal. I'm a man of my word. When you pass...I'll figure something out."

Kenimin seemed to be satisfied with that. Toki however, was not.

On the cab ride back to our apartments, Toki and Jia fought the whole way there. Toki complained that he shouldn't have made such a stupid promise and Jia said he was one of his word and he wouldn't break it. Needless to say, I couldn't wait until I got back to my apartment. Even though I had my headphones on, I could still hear them arguing. They were like an old married couple sometimes. Anyway the next morning, I was up and ready to leave so I got to the airport, plane ticket in hand as I waited for everyone else to show up. While I got some coffee and went to wait I saw Mikkie already there. I went over to him as I said,

"Hey. You mind if I sit here?"

He shook his head as I sat down and took a drink of my coffee. I then said,

"How long where you here for?"

"About twenty minutes."

"Why'd you get here so early?"

"I couldn't sleep."

"Oh.."

Mikkie was sitting up against his chair in the terminal as his hair fell around his pale face. I know he must have been hurting from this whole thing with Toki and Jia. Sometimes I felt really bad for Mikkie because he was like a middle point for Toki. To get to Jia, he went through Mikkie and once he was mad or bored with Jia, he went back through Mikkie. It was an awful place to be. And unlike Jia who had Tsubasa to warm his bed when Toki was away, Mikkie had no one else. I never saw him with anyone else except Jun but they had a strictly friendship and business relationship. I didn't show any sympathy towards him. I didn't want him to think I was pitying him. I didn't say anything until later. Aoki showed up after sometime, cup of coffee in hand as he sat down on the other side of Mikkie. Jia and Toki showed up with Kenimin and Lotus along with three guards from the Black Hand. Jia and Kenimin spoke some final words before Jia bowed his head, thanking him for the hospitality before we got on our plane and left.

When we finally got back to Tokyo, I asked if there was anything I could do before I left. Jia shook his head and sent me home as I called Akio in the cab. I let him know I was home and asked if he was.

"Yeah I'm home."

"Is it okay for me to stop by?"

"Sure. Come over."

So I did. I went inside since he left the door open for me. I shrugged off my coat and toed off my shoes as I left the trail of my clothes on my way to his room. I was in my boxers by the time I got to his room. I saw him in bed, as if waiting for me so I quickly got in bed beside him, hugging him as he held me in return. I was glad to be home, but somewhere in the back of my mind I was still working which meant I wondered about this whole situation with Jia and Kenimin. Unlike before Kenimin seemed to be pushing Jia into this whole marriage thing even though before he was fine with the way things were. Jia didn't seem to pleased with Kenimin anymore especially after he threatened Toki. And now with Kenimin dying and Jia conquering Hong Kong with ease...it probably meant more work in the near future. Eventually I stopped thinking about it as I closed my eyes and hugged Akio as I went to sleep.