Though I had been looking forward to seeing Ichiro since the last time I saw him, I knew work was far more important. I had to be professional, I had to be grown up and mature about this shit. Though when I saw him I almost passed out from holding my breath for so long. Ichiro, this divine creature I now knew so well, looked, if possible, even more radiant then before. Dressed in black pinstripe pants and a matching coat with a black silk button down shirt underneath that was, as always, unbuttoned and loose around his chest since around his neck was the ever present black choker. His still short black hair and swept aside blonde and red bangs covered the corner of his eye while that perfect, attention getting beauty mark was still at the corner of his left eye. He smiled in the most coy, seductive manner and I almost melted when he shook my hand, as if to greet me again. I remembered myself however and bowed my head, remembering he was like my boss and I would never be so damn enchanted with Jia. So I greeted him in return, asking how he was before he responded and then did the same to Mikkie. I shook Karasu's hand next and then Tsubasa. Tsubasa, someone I barely touched, still had that hold over me. His porcelain white skin, pink pale lips, his white blonde hair falling around his face and down the shoulders of his black coat. Ningyo...I sighed to myself as I shook his and grasping it for a few times I had done before....if I ever had. When I felt his skin to mine, I felt he was like ice. I almost flinched back and he looked at me as he said,

"Sorry, I'm always cold."

I nodded as I shook it off and continued shaking his hand until we then went to eat. We went to the back of the restaurant but oddly enough, not to the private room Jia always has. Apparently that's just for him. We went to a different room and we all took a seat at the round, ebony table as we pulled the chairs up and sat. Mikkie sat beside me to my left. Ai'iro beside him, then Tsubasa, Karasu and then Ichiro. The Itto Ketsuen, since it was not well known who was in charge yet, didn't travel with many guards. When the waitress came in, we ordered tea and then she left. Tsubasa swept his hair back as he said,

"Jia said that you were looking for the last two of Kenimin's children."

"Yes, we found two of them already, but the information of the last two is that one of them is here, the other is currently missing."

Ichiro held up his flatware wrapped in a napkin as he said,

"The youngest one is probably missing. The youngest children, aside from the females are usually not as important as the first and second."

I nodded as I said,

"Kenimin's first son is this clone of him, he's ready to take over once Kenimin dies. He is going to be Jia's next problem."

Tsubasa nodded as he said,

"If Kenimin dies and his son takes over, Jia will have to do battle with him."

"Worse, he'll have three other heirs to battle too." Said Ichiro.

I nodded as I said,

"The only thing I can go on for now is that the third and forth are here somewhere."

Before a response was given, the waitress came in with a tray of tea. She set the kettle down on a small mat as she then set down the smaller drinking cups. She then put the tray under her arm as she poured a cup for everyone then asked if we would have any dinner. I ordered hamachi and Alaska rolls with miso soup and rice as everyone looked at me. I felt a little awkward for a moment as I said,

"What?"

"Hungry?" said Ichiro.

I gave a sheepish smile as the waitress took my order then took everyone else's order as well. When she left I started thinking about my hunger instead. I hated being hungry....I'm always hungry though. Anyway, we went back to business. Ichiro then said,

"We should call Takeo, maybe the last two are lurking in Queens somewhere."

I nodded as Mikkie said,

"We should have called him once we got here."

"Yeah..."

Tsubasa raised his hand, dismissing it as he said,

"Just contact him now."

I nodded, getting up from the table, excusing myself as I went to call Takeo. After explaining the situation, he said he would look into it. I then went back to dinner. I watched Tsubasa eat gently and slowly, very cautiously as always, the spoon in his dainty fingers, as he sipped slowly, his pink lips puckered softly as he took small slow sips. Ichiro ate almost as slow, just more carefully, his lips softly taking the piece of sushi as he ate. Anyway, after dinner, we had dessert as we continued talking about the given situation. All I knew when we were done, was that I had to get in contact with Takeo afterwards.

Mikkie had no qualms about leaving me alone, saying I knew the city well enough and it would be much quicker if we both split up to go look around for information. I agreed and we split up. As I walked around Chinatown, seeing if anyone could give me information, my phone rang.

"Yeah?"

"Hey Aka-chan, it's Takeo."

"What's up?"

"Where you at?"

"Chinatown."

"Need you to come into Queens."

"Sure. I'll be there soon."

I hung up and took the subway into Queens. I didn't bother asking why Takeo needed me to go to Queens, I just went. After I arrived, I walked to his building, thinking about the situation and about how badly I wanted to get laid...that and food. I was hungry again. Anyway once I arrived, I went up the stairs and to the door. I knocked for a moment before Sashi answered.

"Hey Baby-chu."

"Hi Sashi. Takeo around?"

"Yeah you know the Little Prince is."

I laughed as Sashi let me in. I went to the living room as Takeo sat there, his harem scattered around the place, Ryuhei laying down, his head on Takeo's lap, a pretty girl on the floor, her head on Takeo's knee and her hands around his leg while another girl rested her head on Takeo's other knee. Another pretty boy sat beside Takeo, his head on his shoulder. I sighed as I said,

"If I wasn't a yakuza, I'd love your job."

He laughed as he said,

"I called you here because I don't trust phones."

"Okay."

"So what do you know, if anything about Kenimin's last two kids?"

"Nothing. The information is nonexistent because they don't live in Victoria. They could be any age too because they came from Kenimin's third wife."

"So they could be just about anyone."

"Yeah. Which doesn't make shit any easier. They said one of them was in New York, the other was missing. No one knows where he went."

"I can help you find them."

"They're not in Queens for certain."

"I know this part of the inside out like I know my pets. I can find anyone if they're in here. And if they're not, then I can find someone who knows outside of here."

"I'd really appreciate you doing this."

"Not doing it for charity kid."

"I'll let Jia know."

One of his girls came over to me, setting her head on my knee as I looked down and said,

"So....how soon can you find this out?"

"Like a week. Four days at the least."

"So quickly?"

"I got connections and clients that are so willing to give up any information for one of these."

"You give them out?"

"Only when I have to. It's more or less a bribe."

"I see."

The girl was so cute. She looked like she didn't belong there. I had to wonder how everyone got there since they all looked pretty much sweet and innocent. Anyway, I eventually had to leave Takeo's place, stroking the silk like hair of the girl on my knee as I stood up, thanking Takeo for the information as I shook his hand and then left. I lit a cigarette on my way out and called Mikkie to let him know. He sighed as he said,

"Takeo's information is valuable. I'm glad that he accepted to do this."

"Me too. I have to talk to Jia about his payment though."

"Jia will handle Takeo. Takeo's worth every cent he says he is."

I nodded as I exhaled and said,

"So now what?"

"Did you have any luck finding anything?"

"No, not a thing. You?"

"Nothing. What I was thinking is maybe these two go by a different name."

"Is that's the case, the job just got a hundred times harder."

"Hai."

I frowned as I checked my watch and said,

"I'm going to do another check around Manhattan since Takeo has Queens covered."

"That's fine. I'm in Brooklyn myself. I'll do one more check and then leave. We'll see what we can find tomorrow. How long did Takeo say it would take him to find the information?"

"Four days, a week at the most."

"Like I said, worth every cent. I'll talk to you soon."

"Okay later."

I hung up and then went to get something to eat once I got back into Manhattan.

I filled up on coffee and cake at a coffee shop since I just wanted something. I wasn't even all that tired so coffee was just going to keep me going. It was almost two in the morning. I drank my third cup of coffee, my second piece of marble cake now gone when I suddenly felt like a drink. I ditched the weak stuff and headed to a bar. At first they wouldn't serve me. In America, you have to be twenty-one to drink and I was about to be twenty. I got pissed they wouldn't give me a fucking drink so I went into my pocket and took out a hundred. I slammed it on the bar as I said,

"Gonna give me a drink now?"

The bartender looked at me as he said,

"Your money's no good here kid."

"Fuck you then!"

I picked up my money, ready to go to another bar when I heard,

"Just give the kid a drink if he's willing to pay a hundred bucks for it."

The bar tender looked at the guy sitting next to me as he said,

"All right. What'll you have?"

"Just a beer."

I sat down next to the guy as I looked at him and said,

"Thanks."

He looked at me, long black hair pouring from the top of his head as he said,

"Anytime. I figured if you wanted a drink badly enough, anything is worth the price huh?"

I nodded as I said,

"I guess."

"You must have money to burn."

"Sorta."

The guy sat up from his hunched over position at the bar as his leather coat fell in place, more black hair falling over his shoulder as I noticed it was up in a high pony tail. He shrugged as I said,

"So...what's your name? Let me buy you another expensive drink."

He laughed as he said,

"I'm Xiao-Yui. But just call me Stephen."

"American name huh?"

"Yup. My very own."

We both laughed as he said,

"You?"

"Akui."

I had gotten into the habit of using my syndicate name to people I didn't know. He nodded as my beer came and I gave the bar tender the hundred and said,

"Another drink for him too."

Stephen gestured for the same thing he once had in his glass as he said,

"Thanks."

"Anytime."

I took a sip of my beer as I held it and then he said,

"So how old are you?"

I let the bottle from my mouth as I said,

"Gonna be twenty in like two weeks."

"Damn you are so young."

I shrugged as I took a sip of my beer again and then said,

"You?"

"I'm twenty-two."

"Not that much older then me."

He nodded as his drink was refilled and we both talked for a while. Why I was making conversation with a perfect stranger, I didn't know. Probably because he seemed so nice. I talked with him for half an hour about little things, work, life, weather, traveling, background, New York. We steered clear from family, love life and things of that nature. I didn't want to talk about anything that had to do with anything with my love life....or lack there of. Or even abundance of....depending on how you look at it. Anyway, Stephen was probably the most mellow guy I met in a while. He reminded me of Hisoka a little. After we finished enough drinks, we got up and left. He put his hands in his leather coat as he said,

"Where you going?"

I checked my watch, remembering I had a meeting tomorrow as I said,

"Home probably."

"Me too."

We smiled at each other as he said,

"So, thanks for the drink."

"No problem."

"You wanna hang out some time?"

"Sure."

We exchanged cell phone numbers as we waved to each other and left. I myself went home to get some sleep before I passed out.

The next morning, I woke up to my cell phone. I thought for a moment I over slept, but I checked my clock and saw I still had a good two hours before I even had to get up. It was almost eight in the morning. I had to meet Mikkie around eleven so I wondered who was calling me.

"Yeah?"

"Hey Joryu."

That voice full of seduction...

"Hey Ichiro."

"I was wondering what time you had to get to work today."

"Not until eleven."

"Good."

"Why what's up?"

"If you are I am."

I laughed as I said,

"Well I just woke up, it'll take me a minute to get to your place."

"Don't bother. Just tell me where you live and I'll go there."

I gave him my address as he then said,

"Perfect. I'm right around there."

I smiled as he then said,

"I'll see you soon."

"Okay."

We hung up as I got up and went to brush my teeth. I wouldn't have time for a shower as I just washed my face and did my best to freshen up. No less then ten minutes later, he knocked on my door. I answered as I smiled, seeing pretty Ichiro stand there, his knee length coat on covering his slender frame, his black dress pants on underneath along with a dark blue dress shirt, still undone around the collar since he wore his black choker with silver buckle clasping it around his neck. His bangs were swept aside from his face as he tilted his head to the side and said,

"So nice to see you again."

I just smiled and invited him inside. Five minutes later, I was already having sex with him. I didn't even bother undressing him all the way. After I got his pants and boxers off, it was all downhill from there. I still never got over about how amazing Ichiro was. After the first time, as he laid there on his back beside me, his legs drawn up as he started undoing his choker he sighed and said,

"Sorry I was busy last night."

"It's okay. I went out for a drink anyway."

"Meet anyone?"

"New friend."

He turned to his side as he face me since I laid on my stomach. He took off the choker as he said,

"Should I worry?"

"No....it's not like that."

He smiled his pretty smile as I said,

"I love your smile."

He kissed me as he turned his head and looked at the clock and said,

"What time where you going to work again?"

"Eleven."

"Good then we still have time for another round."

I could only smile and turn back around, ready to go again.

Later that morning, I went to see Mikkie. I was running late since I only had a little time to spare after going my third...or forth I forget, round with Ichiro. I ran out of my apartment with my tie in my hands, trying to make the noose as I ran across the lobby. I hailed cab and went to meet Mikkie downtown. As I waited, I did up the noose and adjusted my tie as I then buttoned my coat. A little while later, I got to a small restaurant down town as I met up with Mikkie for a late breakfast. He and I also talked about work. After I ordered, Mikkie tucked his hair back, drinking his coffee as he said,

"I got a call from Takeo as I waited."

"Sorry I was late."

"You weren't really. It's just five minutes. Anyway, Takeo called. Said he found a led to the fourth son."

"I thought the forth was missing."

"So did I, but Takeo found a lead. The guy he said told him, said the fourth is here in the city. But for how long who knows."

"Why?"

"Apparently, the fourth is planning to skip town soon. So we have to find him, and track him down to wherever he's going because if we loose him now, he may come back to haunt us later on down the road."

"I know."

When our breakfast came, I looked up at the waitress as she gave a nod of her head and left. Just then Mikkie said,

"You're marked. You might wanna cover that up."

I cleared my throat, pulling up the collar of my suit coat a little higher up as I went on to eat. I didn't have time to check just how marked up I was so, I could only hope I wasn't too bad. We spent the afternoon talking to Takeo, Mikkie not too pleased about having Takeo's "pets" crawl around him like nosey kittens would. He didn't even want to sit. It wasn't his style. Takeo then said,

"From what I know, this fourth is in the city. He was, was being the key word here, close to the third son, they came to New York together. Some months or weeks, the time is unknown, the two got into a fight, the fourth is looking to skip out from here soon."

"So the third could be found." Said Mikkie.

"I'll need another day or so. Like I said, four days to a week at the most."

"Okay."

Mikkie nodded as I thanked Takeo and we left. We spoke to Karasu about it who said he was on the trail of the third. Ichiro had found someone who knew the third.

"From what Sozaburo tells me, the third was a small business man. He was trying to amount to something, it didn't work so he blamed the fourth. The fourth got mad, now he's going to leave. The third is still here and he could be found."

"Takeo said he's close to finding the fourth."

"So I heard. If we find them soon, you two can go home."

Mikkie and I nodded as we both then went back to work.

Later that night, I got a call from Stephen. He wanted to meet up for a drink. Since I wasn't doing much anyway, I went. We went to a different bar in Soho as we sat down and talked for a while. He then set his glass down as he said,

"I wish I would have met you earlier."

"Why?"

"I'm leaving in a few days."

"Where you off to? Vacation?"

"Yeah kinda. I'm thinking about Vegas."

"I've never been to Vegas. I heard it was hot as hell though."

I took a drink before he laughed and said,

"Yeah....I did too. Ever been to Cali?"

"Yeah that sucked too. Too many smoking laws."

He laughed as he said,

"I don't smoke so I wouldn't know."

"I shouldn't have started. Now I can't go on a day without having a cigarette."

He tucked some of his bangs back behind his ear as he said,

"So...Vegas sounds good to me."

"Be careful not to piss away your money on all the gambling."

"I'll try."

We laughed together again as I sighed, setting my now empty glass down as I pulled back my hair and went into my pockets getting my cigarettes out. I lit one up as he then said,

"Nice tattoo."

"Thanks."

"What's it mean?"

"It's just my name."

"I wanted to get one. I never really had the time to though. You have any others?"

"Yeah, got one on my lower back. Black widow spider."

"That sounds hot."

"Hurt like all hell though."

"I would imagine."

"I thought about getting another."

"I should get one."

He sighed, part of his hair flying up as he then finished his drink.

"How long you going to stay in Vegas for?"

"I don't know. I may move out there."

"Wow, sick of New York already?"

"Yeah....I have ADD, I can't stay in one place to long. Plus I just got out of my family's clutches so I'm just trying to be free."

"I know the feeling."

We got another drink as he said,

"Don't you get bored of being in the same place?"

"I use to get home sick a lot. But, then I just got use to it."

"Where did you live before?"

"Tokyo."

"Big cultural gap."

"Yeah. But it's not as big as people think. New York's just like a translated version of Tokyo."

He laughed slightly as he then said,

"I'll leave in a few days."

"We should hang out again before you go."

"Yeah. Defiantly."

I nodded, having another drink. We sat and talked for a while longer until it was almost one thirty in the morning. My cell phone went off and I excused myself to answer. I got up and walked away from the bar as I said,

"Yeah."

"Aka-chan, I got the fourth." Said Takeo.

"Great, where is he? What's his name?"

"Where he is right now is up to you. He's in Manhattan. Lives there for now until he leaves."

"Okay good, I'm there now. What's his name?"

"I don't know his Chinese name, which is what made it so difficult. He's still Kenimin though, but he goes by his American name, Stephen."

I stopped as I looked over my shoulder and saw Stephen sitting at the bar still. I could have smacked myself for not even thinking about connecting the two. Stephen was Kenimin's fourth child. The youngest one besides Lotus, who if given the chance, could be a future problem for Jia. I could only shake my head, hating for having to know so much information for so long and not even connecting it. What made it worse was that I had made friends with the guy who could be a potential enemy. And now, I had to turn on him.