I had brought Alexandra upstairs and knocked softly on Jia's office door. Toki opened it as he looked down at Alexandra as he smirked and leaned against the door frame and said,

"Hey baby. How my kids?"

Alexandra narrowed her eyes as she jabbed him in the stomach and said,

"Asshole."

Toki laughed as he allowed us both in. Jia looked up from his paperwork as he stood up and said,

"Alexandra...how unpleasant to see you again."

"Same to you Jia.."

She sat down, smoothing her skirt back as she crossed her legs. I stood at the doorway as Toki stood beside Jia again.

"So...you married again."

"I did."

"Another gook."

"What's it to you?"

"A lot if because of you I now have to go after Sung Hyun."

"Why after my husband?"

"Why you back in this city?"

"It's his work. I don't know anything."

"He should know better. You understand that I was in a car accident last night. You're husband's men hit me."

"Sorry to hear that. But you know what they say about Asian drivers."

"Not funny Alexandra. I don't want to be responsible for you being a widow a second time."

She stood up as she leaned across his desk and said,

"You touch my husband Jia, the next time you see me I will be up in arms myself and I will personally make sure you have a hard time getting ANYTHING up. Get me?"

Jia looked at her before he smirked and then laughed a little.

"You...threatening me? That's so funny."

"Why funny?"

"Because you cannot be threatening the oyabun of the 36 Moons. It would be madness on your behave to even think you could touch me."

She stood up straight as she said,

"I got no idea why Sung Hyun is here."

"Get him to leave. Get him to pull out and leave New York if you want him to live."

"I can't tell my husband to do anything. You forget Jia, in Japan and New York you may stand as God, but in Korea, Sung Hyun is in charge. He is God of all Seoul and beyond. It's like talking to another you sometimes."

Jia leaned back against his seat as he looked up at Toki and said,

"I got nothing in Seoul right?"

Toki shook his head.

"Nothing I know of. Is there anything in Seoul to take over?"

"Plenty."

"We may just have to."

"That would be a lot harder then you think Jia."

The woman sat back down as she said,

"You would have to commit genocide to take over Seoul. Because even if Sung Hyun was dead, you couldn't simply come in and take over."

Jia nodded as he said,

"I know. So...what's your last name now?"

"Lee."

"Plain and simple."

"Can I go now?"

"Yeah. I'll more then likely see you again."

"I hope not."

She got up and walked away from the desk and I escorted her the rest of the way out. In the elevator she said,

"So new one, what's your name."

"Don't worry about it."

"You remind me of someone. Got the same I'm evil don't mess with me attitude."

I said nothing.

"Yup...just like him. Even look like him a little...well what would I know since most of his face can't be seen."

The elevator stopped as we got out and I walked her to the main doors. I opened them as I said,

"You need a cab or something?"

"No. I'm good. Thanks."

She then turned and walked away.

Hisoka found me later studying away as usual, a yellow highlighter in hand as I struck through any passage I was having in the book so I could get someone to help me read it later. I was getting proud though because there was only like a few random sentences every other page. Unlike last time which caused me to have whole pages of blue highlighter marking everything. Hisoka sat beside me as he said,

"What you doing?"

"Studying. I still sound sorta bad."

"You're doing better then most. You picked this up quick."

"I understand it better...but saying it and speaking it is still hard."

He nodded as he said,

"I spoke to Jia."

"What did he say?"

"He said that within a week or so we could go home."

"Already? What about the situation here?"

"Not we as in all the top heads, we as in you and me."

"Why just us?"

"We're not really doing anything. Besides, we're no one special."

I nodded, understanding all to well and too soon what it meant to be a "lackey."

In about three weeks, Jia sent Hisoka and I back to Japan. We didn't have anything to do anymore since Jia had his best people on the job and already more then one lackey in New York, two more were in the way. Besides, I only drove sometimes. So I went back to Tokyo. Once I was back home, I called up Miya right away. It was about two in the morning, but I didn't care. I got to his house and threw rocks at his window as I called his house. I hung up after a single ring and kept throwing rocks at his window until I saw his light turn on. He did even go to the window. A moment later I saw him outside and we hugged. How I missed him. Just so glad to see him and smell his scent and hold him. He smiled as he pulled back from me. He then said,

"How are you?"

"I'm good."

I realized how strange speaking fluent Japanese sounded since I was balancing English in there now. We went for a drive since I still had the car in my hands. We sat in the car for a while in an empty parking lot as he said,

"How was New York?"

"Pretty much the same as Tokyo just in English."

"Did you like it?"

"It was okay. I learned a little English."

"I was hoping you would since you were there a month."

I knew what he meant by that. I was only sorry I had stayed a month.

"I'm sorry. It's not like I planned on staying there."

"I know. I missed you a lot."

I smiled. I always loved hearing that he missed me. It made me feel like I had something to go home to.

"I missed you too Miya."

He leaned back against the seat as he said,

"See anyone you liked there?"

"Not really. I was working all of the time."

He smiled slightly as he said,

"Good."

I nudged him. Miya and I always had this joke between us that we wouldn't date anyone else because we were made for each other. It was joke most of the time, I dated and girls liked him and he would flirt in return, but we would always pretend to get mad at each other when we saw each other with girls.

The next day, I called Hisoka and asked if we should do anything. He said no, since Jia was out of town and only his allie Nishiki was taking care of everything here, we had nothing to do until Jia returned. And that was okay with me. It gave me a chance to sorta go back to normal. Miya and I hung out for a while again since he had finished his college exams and school was out for him we had a lot of free time. I had to unlearn all my new habits including being armed and looking over my shoulder every few minutes. Miya was becoming the part of me that was normal still, the high school student, the average teenager. Miya was still all those things and I almost envied him in a way. I had gotten myself into things I never wanted Miya to ever know. I was starting to remember all over again why he was my best friend. As I sat and watched TV with him the other day I remembered Hisoka telling me how Jia and Toki are best friends themselves...and then that night in the car where it looked like they were...distracted. I looked over at Miya as we sat in my apartment and I put my arms around him. He smiled, tilting his head on my shoulder, his dark hair falling over his eyes. He fit so well in my arms...like he was just made to be there. It was almost ten at night, we had just finished eating as Miya drank some of his soda when my cell phone rang. I had left it charging in my bedroom so I had to get up and ran to get it.

"Moshi moshi."

"Joryu, get to the airport."

"Huh? Naze?"

"Jia is coming back in tonight. You have the car so you have to go pick them up."

"Okay."

We hung up as I went back out and said,

"Miya I have to go."

"How come?"

"Have to pick up my boss at the airport. His flight is coming in."

Miya sighed and said,

"Okay. So back to work for you huh?"

"I guess."

It had only been a week since I had gotten back. I took Miya home and then went to the airport. There wasn't much traffic thank God, but enough to make me lag behind sometimes. I called Hisoka to tell him I was there as he then told me which gate to go to. Once I got there, I noticed the flight had not gotten in yet since it was a few minutes behind. I yawned, waiting around as I heard the announcement that the flight had landed. Jia, Toki, Aoki and Mikkie all came out, suite and ties, Aoki with his sunglasses on as the followed Jia. Some of the people looked at them in fear and backed away as I went up to Jia and bowed. He said nothing but pat my head and then we went to the luggage claim as their luggage was picked up and I helped take it to the car. I wouldn't ask if the situation with the Koreans had gotten better or worse. It wasn't my place to ask. The four of them got in the car, Mikkie sat in the back with Toki and Jia and Aoki sat up front with me. I wasn't sure where to take them so after I pulled out into the street I said,

"Jia, where to?"

"Home. Tomorrow I'll call you around ten or so. I'm not conducting business right now. I'm too jet lagged."

I nodded as I watched from the rear view mirror that Toki had already fallen asleep, Mikkie was yawning, trying to fight it and Jia himself was about to fall asleep. Once I took them home, helping Jia and Toki take their luggage out and then bringing it to their apartment, I had a chance to see how they lived. I knew they were living together because of what Hisoka told me. Though Jia and Toki themselves never acted like anything more then friends to the world. Just...really close friends. It was no wonder Toki got away with everything and anything. Anyway, I left them in their apartment and then took Aoki and Mikkie home. Mikkie said he wanted no help so I just left him at his building and Aoki didn't carry much. After I was done I went back home myself and slept.

The next morning, I went to work where Jia explained to me that the situation had gotten somewhat better but there was still something he needed to be done.

"I trust few people in my operation. Just my eight, Tsubasa and his guards and Nishiki. I don't even trust some of my own working for me."

I nodded as I stood alone in his office. Toki was there but he was asleep on the small couch near Jia's desk. Everyone else was working.

"You are what I need. A close connection to someone close to me. You're blood of one of the best."

"He doesn't even treat me like anything of his."

"Aoki will never be anyone's daddy kid."

I nodded, knowing that all too well.

"But you still got his genes. You got his knack for picking things up quickly. A month ago you couldn't even hold a gun. Now you're drawing it quicker then you blink. How fast did you learn English?"

"I haven't even learned a lot of it..."

"But you understand it. Just like Aoki. Doesn't speak a word of it, but he understands. You and him are similar which is why I'm going to take a gamble and intrust you with something."

"Me? But...Jia I..."

"Look all my eight are busy to go in a pair right now. The other oyabuns working for me can't do what I ask of them and I have to go back to New York in a matter of days. I'm only here now to talk things over with Nishiki and then I have to leave. So...since I need someone to trust, you're my next best option."

"What would you have me do?"

"I need you to go to Seoul. I'll assign you with someone who isn't as busy and that I could spare for the moment. You have a week to figure out where and who is loyal with Sung Hyun. Find out anything you can and do whatever damage you can. It's a two man job. It's why I can't send two of my own since sending one will be bad enough."

"Jia, I don't know if I can do this. I thought I was just your driver."

He notioned me to sit as he sat on top of his desk and said,

"Joryu, when Aoki asked me to hire you, I had my doubts. Fresh out of high school kids who didn't even have an intention to be yakuza don't make for much good then fuck toys. But you...you're different. You're a definite follower of your father's footsteps. And trust me if you didn't want to be a yakuza now, you would want to somewhere else down your life."

I nodded, understanding what he meant.

"But you can do this. It's in your blood. So I'll assign you. You do a good job, and you'll do more then cater to being my chauffeur."

I nodded as I said,

"Domo arigato."

He nodded as he said,

"So, go book a flight. I'll assign Mikkie to help you."

I nodded as I got up, bowing and then left.