Chapter 29: Blood Sport
The company was easy-going and informal. They were young people having a fun night out before the weekend. Serious conversation was tossed aside as an unspoken rule.
"Have you been here before?" Ando, the other guy in their group, asked as they stood around a high table at the bar. Full of trendy people flirting and drowning the week's stresses and sorrows.
"First time here," Kozuka replied.
"The crowd is very good," Miyahara commented.
Ando sniggered. "You just come here to check out the men."
"What else! It's so hard to find a good man these days," Miyahara lamented.
"High standards?" Ren grinned.
"Fussy." Ando rolled his eyes.
"Discerning," Miyahara corrected him.
"Oh, definitely fussy," Sakamoto chimed in.
Ando shrugged. "What's the hurry? I'm definitely not going to be tied down so soon."
"Not everyone's a player like you," Miyahara countered.
"Admit it, you like the crowd here too," Ren teased Ando and thanked the dim lights for hiding his flush. His mind treacherously reminded his body of the drunken sex which ensued the last time he visited this place with Shinobu.
Feeling mischievous, he retrieved his phone to let Shinobu know where he was. Maybe Mr. Cool-Logical would appreciate a reminder too and be enticed into an encore.
He stared at the unlocked screen dumbly.
One picture. One line.
He was furious. There must be an explanation to this. A sense of betrayal seeped into his bones.
His fingers flew across the keypad.
"Fujiwara? Everything alright?"
He snapped his head and saw faces looking at him with concern.
"Sorry, yes. It's nothing," he assured them. Ren took a large sip of wine and forced a fake smile. "What were you saying?"
"Oh, just asking if you or Kozuka are seeing anyone."
"Kozuka says he is sadly single. But he is interested in someone."
Ren noticed that Kozuka was standing a little too close and watching him a tad too hard after he read the message on his phone. He wanted to flee.
"I am," he declared instead. "We've been together for years."
"No way, seriously?" Ando gaped.
"High school sweethearts," Ren added proudly. "True story."
"But you were so popular in college!" Miyahara gasped.
"That explains it. Never heard you go out with anyone," Sakamoto noted sagely.
Kozuka's eyes flashed with anger but he kept quiet. His hands gripping a glass.
"People change," he commented mildly. "Relationships do as well. Do you trust each other that much?"
Miyahara mistook it for curiosity. "Yeah, how do you two keep the sparks alive?"
"You must have been in long-distance when you were in college too."
Ando just shook his head in bafflement.
"We've managed. It's been good," Ren answered.
Kozuka edged closer to Ren. He said quietly, out of hearing for the rest, "He's not right for you. His background, or lackof, for instance."
"What are you telling Ren?" Sakamoto asked.
"Yeah, you know something we don't?" Miyahara grinned.
A few thoughts crossed Ren's mind.
Was it socially acceptable to give Kozuka a punch squarely in the face?
Would starting a fight in a crowded bar get him into trouble?
Did he care?
A caustic comeback at the tip of his tongue was interrupted by a small shriek from Miyahara.
"Check that guy out! What a hottie!"
Sakamoto craned here neck. "Where?"
"Just came through the door."
"I see him! Hey, did he just spot us?"
"Stop staring so hard!"
"My god, he's heading here!"
Ando frowned with confusion. "What's going on?"
Ren looked behind him.
It didn't matter how long they have been together; his heart still did a tiny somersault every time his eyes landed on the man.
Whipped for years and going, he sighed inwardly.
Shinobu came around to his side and slid an arm around his hip. Ren arched an eyebrow in surprise.
Then he saw cold fire when Shinobu shot a warning glance at Kozuka.
Oh. Shinobu wanted blood.
Ren was happy to oblige.
He announced to the whole group very cheerfully, "Meet my boyfriend, Kurosawa Shinobu."
The girls gasped. Ando simply stared.
Kozuka was shocked into immobility. Good. They were about to give him more to seethe on.
"Hello," Shinobu greeted courteously.
Ando snapped out of it first. "H-Hello. Nice to meet you."
Sakamoto and Miyahara sputtered their names as introduction. They didn't even notice Kozuka's silence.
"We were just talking about you," Ren told Shinobu.
"Were you?" Shinobu's cool voice somehow resonated amidst the noise.
"I told them that we have been stuck with each other for years," he said airily and offered his glass. "Want some?"
"You make it sound like a chore." Shinobu took an elegant sip. Ren spied both Miyahara and Sakamoto staring without shame.
He supposed he couldn't blame them.
"Yeah, how do we keep the sparks alive?" he continued in a playful tone.
Shinobu's lips quirked in a slow, knowing smile. And Ren could see hearts fluttered around the girls.
"That's not a topic for polite conversation."
The man was illegal. Criminal.
"Speaking of which, I haven't seen you for days," Shinobu murmured. He turned to the rest, "If you don't mind, I'll be taking him home."
Miyahara and Sakamoto actually giggled.
"Of course, don't let us hold you back."
"Really nice to meet you."
Ando bobbed his head in agreement. "Hey, how much do we owe you for the bottles?"
"It's on me since I am ditching you all," Ren said happily. "Catch you guys another time."
"Bye!"
"Bring your boyfriend next time too!"
Before leaving, Shinobu turned to Kozuka and lowered his voice.
"Nice try."
Icy. A clear threat in his tone.
Kozuka froze and before he could reply, they left the table and exited the bar swiftly.
Once outside, Ren blurted, "I can't believe that he thought he caught you cheating! Or that he'd tail you!"
"Probably hired someone. They were good pictures," Shinobu remarked wryly.
"When did he send them?"
"When I was on the train. Asleep. Quite a wakeup call."
"Tonight is crazy. Why would anyone do something like this?"
"You said it. Crazy."
Ren was still in disbelief. He took another look at the photo and earlier exchanges with Shinobu on his phone:
'From Kozuka. Are you alone with him?' - Shinobu
'What the! No, we're with a bunch of friends. I'm leaving.' - Ren
'Where are you?' -Shinobu
'Bar Mood.' - Ren
'Stay. Am nearby. I'll come get you.' - Shinobu
He laughed when he recalled the night the photo was taken.
"I'm never going to let Tsurono forget this," Ren decided.
"Give the kid a break. It was traumatic for him."
That was true. Tsurono had called Shinobu halfway through their dinner one evening, drunk and sobbing. It took Shinobu a few tries to locate the younger man.
When he finally found him, Tsurono tried to kiss him while slurring incoherently about what was so great with good-looking men? Why had his girlfriend cheated on him with some pretty boy? Maybe he should try to kiss one too.
Shinobu, ever responsible, brought him home. He held Tsurono's head over the toilet bowl while he threw up and Ren tucked him into bed after in their spare bedroom.
When Tsurono remembered bits and pieces of his actions once sober the following morning, he bowed to them in deep mortification and apology.
"What was her name again? He was wailing the whole evening," Ren mused.
"Hikari," Shinobu uttered.
"How's he anyway?"
"Better. He wants to buy you lunch next weekend."
"No alcohol?"
"Not for a long time."
Ren chuckled and realised that Shinobu was empty-handed. "Where is your luggage?"
"Locker at the station." Shinobu shrugged.
"Did you come straight from the station to save me?" Ren teased. Inside, he was giddy with fuzziness.
"No. To show the fucking bastard to stay away from you."
Shinobu said it so easily, as if he was discussing one of his presentations at work.
"You DO love me," Ren sighed almost dreamily.
His lover gave him a strange look and mumbled, "Yeah."
Ren wanted to swoon. Secretly, of course.
Suddenly, they noticed the boutique hotel they were passing by.
An instant look of understanding was exchanged.
"Screw the luggage." Shinobu took his hand and led him into the hotel lobby.
"Feels like we are cheating," Ren breathed.
"I'd cheat if it's with you," Shinobu remarked slyly.
"Oh, I'd cheat all the time if it's you," Ren admitted. He leaned closer and murmured, "I'm free all day tomorrow."
Shinobu smirked and asked for a late check-out at the counter.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
-- Power
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