Well hello and welcome to my little summer project. I've taken a break from my epic story The Two Lights to bring you something more romantic, more humorous and far sexier.
I'd like to thank my bater Believe Bridesmaid for her wonderful work and inspiration.
Please enjoy and if you like it, hate it or just want to comment then please do so.
Disclaimer: I don't own DN.
Concierge – a hotel employee who assists guests by booking tours, making theatre and restaurant reservations, etc
My name is Okane Jin, Concierge at Tokyo's Imperial Hotel. My job is to 'assist' the guests, in whatever way they need and ensure that their stay in the hotel is both a pleasurable and an expensive one. Most often my guests are visitors to Tokyo, so need a little advice on where perhaps; they might find a good restaurant, have a nice evening out or the directions to the sort of establishment that seems to attract a lot of poor young ladies who don't seem to be able to afford clothes.
Whatever the guest wants, I'll get it for them. Whatever the guest needs, I'll arrange it for them. Whatever the guest desires, I'll bring it to them. With efficiency, anonymity and great abundance of variety, it is my only wish to see to your happiness, O-kyaku-sama. Whether it is a haircut, a personal shopper or a bottle of lube and a selection of root vegetables at 4am.
The compensation for my hard work is the 'Special Room Service' item on your bill and as many tips as I can take. It's a good job, ruthlessly fought over and highly rewarded. It's only open to the most sociable, the most networked and the most charismatic of the hotel employees and for good reason too, for my work often takes me so very close to the line of legality, that occasionally, the odd toe might just dip in to the world of the illegal.
Hell! Who am I kidding? I constantly have a whole foot over the line, but that foot is wearing tap shoes, and the moment anyone so much as looks at me funny I dance right out of there!
The bread and butter of what I do is book restaurants, cars and theatre tickets but I'm supposed to do that gratis and it's always the fun stuff that pays most. The management 'don't know' and would fire me the instant they 'found out' what I was doing in their precious, innocent little hotel. Heh! So I'm on my own, but then my profits are my own as well.
To be a good concierge you have to know what your customer wants just by looking at them. Debu-san for example, the executive from Kyoto, hurrying toward me at 7:15am top half business suit bottom half casual, I believe he has noticed whilst dressing for his important meeting that one to many beers has a detrimental effect on one's waistline; his trousers no longer fit. An easy one I grant you, but I already have the inhouse tailor on the line before he even crosses the lobby. Later when Johnson-san and wife, the loud American couple on holiday, seek my help, it is only moments later I have them on their chauffeured way to the sumo stables, presumably they wish to see the rare sight of something fatter than themselves.
My first afternoon guest arrives shortly after 2 and I admit at first I'm a little flummoxed. I've heard the rumours about him; his grandfather is here on business, he's a tad eccentric (nuts) and coincidentally incredibly rich. He doesn't like noise apparently so to avoid any chance of the stuff from our soundproofed rooms, the guy has completely booked out 3 floors. 3 floors and the presidential suite! Just one room like that is more than my job pays in a month. They're only here a week, but then I've heard from my friends in the other hotels that they've been moving around a lot.
Interesting, but not my department.
So far this is my first time seeing the grandson, who's an odd sort of bloke on all accounts. His clothes, his hair and his walk would have had the less well informed of the staff throwing the possible gold mine from the hotel, lest he upset the other guests. He rarely leaves his room, but I hear, is raking up a nice room service bill. The pastry chief in particular has never been so busy, and if the delightful Mr Lind Taylor chooses to stay here much longer we will be needing to hire another one. Specially sourced coffee, fresh exotic fruit and fine porcelain tea cups are all daily sent up to his room, yet oddly he's yet to use the laundry service.
I checked the hotel's computer. In fact this guy has yet to make use of any of the hotel's entertainment facilities, the pool, the gym, or even the pay-per view films on his room TV… This definitely looks like someone in need of my attention. He wonders over to me and is just about to speak, but I of course get in there before him.
"Good afternoon Mr Taylor," I say in English, for I am a professional after all. "and how may I be of service to you today?" I see he wasn't expecting the English, he's impressed of course, but oddly answers in Japanese. Its like that sometimes, I do appreciate the effort that some guests make to learn a little of the language before they arrive but I find it far more efficient to have this sort of conversation in the guests preferred language.
"Errr My grandfather has gone out and I was wondering if you could give me directions to the nearest bakery or something." 'Or something.' Huh. Now there's a cry for help if I've ever heard one. The doorman told me his grandfather has been gone for several days, he must be really bored, depressed and perhaps a little lonely? Well I know one thing for certain, he's suffering from an excess of money, a problem which I intend to relieve him of.
"A bakery? Surely Mr Taylor has not tired of our chef's creations? Or perhaps what Sir requires is something a little different?"
He gives me a blank stare.
"Different? How?"
"How about something more fun than anything you can find in a bakery? Or something far sweeter than can be found in a bakery?" That was it, I got a hit off of 'sweet'! That's how I work you see, I can't just outright ask a guest whether he wants to snort cocaine off a stripper's backside - someone might get offended! I have to ask leading questions first of all, see if I can work out what they want without forcing them to ask for it. I look for clues in their responses and facial expressions, Taylor-san here isn't interested in gabling, drugs or strippers (no reaction to 'fun'), he wants something 'sweet' so I try again.
"I've got a few tickets for the Misa-Misa concert?" I don't actually, those things are damned hard to get hold of…but not the right reaction. So 'sweet' doesn't mean girls then, ok how about this."Or I hear Ryuga Hidiki is doing a book signing down in Aoiyama"
"Oh really?" Bingo! Boys it is then. Well whatever floats your boat as I always say. In fact I prefer them this way, single men tend to have more disposable income to give me.
"Don't tell me Mr Taylor you're a Ryuga fan? My cousin is a huge Ryuga fan." I added an eyebrow wiggle to that last bit, but I don't think he got it.
"Uh, I guess, I haven't been in Japan very long but I hear he's good."
"That's right, Mr Taylor you only arrived last week did you not? Have you been able to go out much?"
"Not really, my grandfather doesn't like me going out by myself," So the old man is holding you back eh? "but I think I'd like to go out a bit maybe."
"A bit of sight-seeing? The sakura blossoms will be out soon" nope, "and then there's the many beautiful temples…" hmmm maybe, "the nightlife…" oh negative response there "the shopping, Akihabara is very interesting..." He liked the sound of that, an electronics geek perhaps. "arcades or the art museums…" I'm not sure about those, but at least I've got him interested, now its time to go in for the kill.
"Exploring Tokyo is always fun but I think its always better to do it with someone, to have a guide with you, don't you think?"
"I guess."
"Yes, there's nothing like relaxing on a date in Tokyo."
"A date?!" Gottcha! He's blushing now.
"A very busy man like you Mr Taylor should go on fun dates every now and again don't you think?"
"Um …um… " he's stammering and blushing like a tomato. Don't worry Taylor-san I'll arrange everything for you.
"Now I know it's a crazy idea, but do you remember I mentioned my cousin? Well I think he'll be free tomorrow."
"Urk!"
"Oh don't worry he's a very nice guy, handsome" check "sexy" check "and smart" double check. OK I've got a few people who might do, he's a bit on the shy side so not Ashimoto or Midori-chan then.
"Er…I don't think … ah… I've never…before" Come on Taylor-san just say it. "Well, if he's … er free, then I…"
"Perfect! He loves foreign men and you're just his type!"
"Really!? Well in that case, I think I would like to meet him, if you… don't mind that is. Only, just don't tell…"
"Your grandfather? Of course not! So how about I introduce the two of you at 1o'clock tomorrow, you'll have all afternoon to get to know one another." Eyebrow wiggle.
"So soon? Gosh! Oh what should I wear …" I finalise a few more details with Taylor-san before sending him on his way.
Behind my desk I open The Book. The Book was handed to me after a short inauguration ceremony by my predecessor and is the indispensable map to the network that is my job. I turn to the page marked with an 'R' and search through the list of contacts for the boy most suited to my Okyaku-sama's needs. 'Tsuki-kun'. I call the mobile number.
"Hey! Prince Charming I have a job for you tomorrow."
And already anticipating the large commission I began to explain the particulars.
A date! L was nervously fiddling with his napkin as he waited in the hotel café for his date. What a thing! He had barely slept last night, well less than usual anyway and had been twitchy ever since. He had even asked Watari to set out his smart going out clothes, but whilst the smart green jumper and dark trousers had looked good this morning his unease and constant adjusting had left them quite wrinkly.
Watari had started brushing his hair, until they both realised that that was making things worse, but hadn't stopped pestering him about where he was going all of a sudden, never having know the boy to ever leave a room on his own volition before. L, after a suitable amount of digging, finally took pity on his companion and revealed with quite a hint of pride that he, L, was 'going on a date.' Watari, surprised but ever proud then gave L some good solid advise remembered from his days courting the young lady that eventually became his wife. L failed to mention the fact that complimenting his date on her dress might not go down so well with the smart, handsome and charming young man he was about to meet, for he wasn't quite sure how the older gentleman might feel about that.
They had been in Japan now for a couple of weeks and all over the Orient in the months before that. Due to a sudden and unexpected rise in violent and drug related crimes L had been commissioned by Interpol to investigate and then crack the East Asian smuggling roots, his international reputation and all access pass to police information making him the perfect hunter for large cross-border crimes. He had China and Korea sown up and the relevant authorities were by now planning their sting operations, leaving him with Japan, who's gun and drug networks he was close to mapping. It was all a waiting game now really, he'd located and tagged all the main players, so it was just a case of following them to see how the gangs operated.
Which had all left him yesterday afternoon rather bored; Japan's current and cold case files not being difficult enough to stimulate an interest. Watari had been on call at the police station for several days waiting on evidence and liaising with the lead detective and whilst he had all the sweets he wanted from the diligent room service the waste paper and dirty clothes were starting to pile up. He could do it himself, but after what happened last time… well in his defence the paper shredder had only warned against drooping ties, never mentioned anything about long sleeved shirts and how was he to know the correct dosage of the extra bubbly washing powder?
So L had been rather weary about leaving the comfort and security of his room, who knew what disasters might befall the genius detective if left unsupervised. But a trip to a local bakery shouldn't be too difficult right? Get some fresh air and some of that much raved over 'sunlight' stuff. What he hadn't expected whilst on his sugary quest was to end up scoring a date with a hot Japanese guy. At first he deeply regretted his decision made in a moment of weakness, going so far as to dial the number of the front desk to tell Okane he'd made a mistake, but then he'd spotted the corner of the magazine poking out from under his bed. Okane answered the phone but L, resolve now strengthened, slammed the phone down in a moment's impulsiveness.
The magazine, of origins unknown, but probably left behind by the cleaners, had reawakened in L something he hadn't thought about in a long time. Guys. It was a girl's magazine filled with pictures and articles about the of sort singers and actors who's posters no doubt covered every teenage girl's bedroom walls. Pretty guys, hunky guys, rugged guys, guys without shirts, buff guys reclining in swim wear all displayed on the glossy pages smiling up at the camera as they discussed love, fashion, dreams and secrets with the readership. L had gazed at their beautiful hard bodies, the soft flawless faces and perfect hair and clothes and drooled, amongst… other things.
He'd never exactly had the chance to explore this side of himself, since by the time he'd worked out what was going on he'd left the orphanage and was on the road alone with Wammy, a man who had 'ideas' about this sort of thing. That's not to say he was actively discouraging or homophobic, but L couldn't help wondering when he'd ever requested a net nanny, let alone such a selective one. At one point it had gotten so 'selective' that he couldn't even look up the word 'analysis' without it informing Watari.
However at almost 24 years of age L had taken an executive decision, he was going on the date! L had never been on a date before, but that's not to say he was completely inexperienced in the ways of love and romance, but he wasn't sure that a snog with a girl from the Wammy House Valentine's day disco and an awkward fumble with another boy on the tennis team were going to cut it with a suave young Japanese man he so wanted to impress.
It would be his first date and if Watari was ever going to except him as the independent adult he was it would have to go perfectly. So in order to beef up before the big event he'd wisely invested in some chick flicks and manga and stayed up late 'studying'. He'd also read the local and international news for conversation starting material, then looked up a few famous bands and musicians so as not to be caught without an informed opinion and finally finished up with the top ten films and plays on at the moment both reviews and plot summaries, should again his opinion be required on the choice of date activity. He was ready for any eventuality!
Yagami Light, did not appreciate the term 'Rent Boy' nor gigolo, prostitute or any other words that someone quite misinformed might have for his little hobby. Light, the intelligent, attractive son of a well respected police detective had found himself rather put out to discover that at age 14 he would never be quite as perfect as his family would have wanted. He'd tried to deny it of course, perhaps hoping that if he ignored his problem long enough, he would eventually find girls attractive. Two miserable and frustrating years later he'd given in, and gleefully submitted himself to all which he had previously shunned.
His first real kiss had been with the young cop his father used as an errand boy.
Matsuda had been sent to the Yagami residence to pick up an important document so carelessly forgotten by his father (mysteriously falling out of his briefcase and under Light's bed.) Light, being home alone, had offered to help look for it, then get him a drink "You look so tired…" then to his room "Dad was using my printer, maybe he left it there."
Then a 'oops! Sorry I slipped.' And on the bed they'd ended up.
When Light thought back to it now it was with a cringe of embarrassment. How desperate had he been when caught up in the momentum of his sexuality he had slept with the young cop a few weeks later merely because the man was safe and easy?
Their 'relationship' had not lasted long after that, Light's fears having abated. Now, all he could see were the endless possibilities of his new found confidence. After the cop, there had been a string of men, other detectives from his father's office, guys from school, the teacher from his prep course and even a few conquests claimed at clubs and bars. Although enjoying the last sort became a lot easier with his admission to university and his subsequent moving in to on site accommodation, ostentatiously for independence and study related reasons but Light suspected it had more to do with someone finally slipping it to Soichiro that his son might not be as heterosexual as previously thought.
On campus he'd become an overnight sensation and subject to much of the student paper's gossip column headlines. He wasn't camp as such, but just as an old flame once put it "amazingly magnetic."
It wasn't until half way through the second year though, that Light had even properly 'come out.' Before then he'd just been fantastically bisexual, even if his harem of perfect girlfriends had never made it to the bedroom. His epiphany and new hobby had their roots in a single event that occurred quite by chance that year. For the charity auction at the end of the arts festival, friend and deputy to his presidency of the student council, Takada Kiyomi had added 'a date with Light' to the programme catalogue. Takada admitted later that she'd only added it to check whether the louche president was paying attention during committee meetings – it seemed he hadn't been, but then neither could have possibly imagined the furor that the inclusion of such an item might create.
The art auction was typically pretty low key event on anyone's social calendar, normally attended only by the artsy types and those attempting to date them, where last year's collection of student art was flogged to anyone drunk enough or charitable enough to part with money. Light, being one of the evening's objects d'art was displayed pride of place on a chaise lounge in the centre of the student gallery (blackmail had been involved) and although he had made a brilliantly witty joked about them not being able to expect much money for Kiyomi's object trove, no one had understood. What they hadn't expected when the doors were opened was the rush and the crowd and the cues. All there, as it soon became very apparent, to bid for the last item in the catalogue. Light had at first been horrified, not recognising a single face in a very mixed crowd, some of them weren't even students!
Takada and the other organisers shot him worried looks as the crowd impatiently jostled, all waiting for then end when the bidding war would begin. The auctioneer hesitated as the moment arrived, the art sale having gone badly with the artsy types not even making it inside the gallery.
"And now for the last item tonight, 'An evening of company and entertainment with the delightful Mr Yagami, shall we begin at 10,000 yen?"
When Light was asked only days before as to what should be the guide price he would have, he said they'd be lucky to make back on the posters. Why would anyone pay for a date with him? It wasn't as though he didn't go out with most of the people that asked him, of course with certain hotness levels as his standard. So why would anyone pay for something they could probably get for free?
But it seems they would, and within minutes the bidding left the realm of any mere student loan funded mortal. Light let his mouth hang agape as the number approached the 5 million yen and completely lost his cool demeanour as that figure doubled. Why would anyone waste their money like that? The bidding began to slow down at that point seemingly confined to a select few rich business types and a large group of girls who seemed to be clubbing together. It was quite unbelievable!
However what was more unbelievable was that he wouldn't be getting the money, some bloody charity would! Why? When it would be him doing all the work, he would have to be charming, polite and make pointless conversation. And he'd probably have to pay for dinner…
That's how it started really, with the question 'that if people were prepared to pay large amounts of money to be with him - why wasn't he getting any of it'. He thought over it later that night and the next day when the winner, a twenty something flash lawyer named Mikami picked him up in his Mercedes. Guys, he realised, often payed quite a lot for his time anyway, the bars, the restaurants and the clubs where he was wined and dined were never the cheap and tacky variety. Take the Michelen stared French cuisine, currently being brought to their table for example. Five star romance all the way and always on someone else's wallet. The cars, the clothes and cologne his date had to buy to satisfy his standards and the entertainment and presents make the evening and the relationship… it seemed everyone was making money out of him except Light.
Well, he thought, as the prosecutor showed him around his gorgeous company penthouse; that is going to have to change.
Could he do it though? Ending up in his date's bedroom had never been part of the deal, but he did anyway because, as the man undid the buttons of Light's shirt, Light realised he liked sex. With men he'd known for 2 years or 2 minutes, it made no difference, as long as they were hot and up for it then so was he. The man pulled off Light's underwear and murmured some trite compliment. Any position, any time or any place there was nothing he wouldn't try at least once. The man paused, looking mildly uncertain… ah he wants me to take charge. So Light did, pushed him backwards and crawled over him. The man, (what was his name?) mumbled something apologetically. Something about not expecting things to go this far and not having any protection.
Light sighed but stretched an arm back towards his clothes. "That's why (Please be right! Please be right!) T-Teru-san, one should always be prepared no matter what!" and triumphantly he fished out the silver foil square.
…
It wasn't until a few weeks later after some very useful research and few mortifying misadventures that Light felt confident enough to start his new hobby. The internet was good for ease and anonymity, but was hardly safe and made Light very glad his father had taught him a few self defence moves. Approaching possible clients in bars and clubs turned out to be nerve wracking and possibly quite embarrassing on the occasions when Light misread the situation. The 'special' clubs and host bars had the great advantage of safety and protection, but as well as losing a cut of his fee they also had the disadvantage of occasionally being raided by the police. And right at the top of Light's list of 'Ways He'd Least Like To Come Out To His Father' was after he'd bailed Light out of custody, assuming he would of course.
But it was through these trials and adventures that Light happened to make the right connections and how his name and number ended up with the likes of Okane and the other hotel 'entertainers,' it seemed to be the perfect solution for it was in their interest that Light, now Tsuki-kun, was safe and earning them money, and that he only met with the richest of clients in the swankiest of rooms.
There was now also a regulated and agreed pricing and payment system. Light could be confident in slipping out the next morning and allowing the hotel to handle everything and paying him as any other member of staff. No more dodgy wads of cash and the inadvertent tax fraud, now it was all fully taxable income for the highly payed 'Personal Entertainer.'
And it was very highly payed! Each service had its own fee from 'a kiss'(1000 yen) or 'pretending to be interested in your very boring career during dinner' (3000yen, accountants counted double) to 'full on kinky bondage session involving unusual bodily fluids' (three million yen), this amount, once tallied up at the end of the evening was multiplied by the number of times the client 'enjoyed himself'; a measure designed to encourage the 'entertainer' to work as hard as possible and really give the client his money's worth.
With such high remuneration, Light was living the good life and only needed to 'work' once a month, thus allowing him to easily fit his vast shopping trips, socialising and studying in to his schedule. It also helped that whenever he wanted to do something extravagant he always found someone else willing to pay for it; last summer's two weeks surfing in Okinawa was at the behest of Namikawa-san, a regular, who needed someone to entertain him after the busy days of conferences. The good life indeed.
…
He had just been finishing off an essay when his phone rang, Okane's name flashed on the screen. It seemed he would be 'working' again tomorrow, some rich, geek needed a tour of Tokyo and an evenings 'entertainment'. The concierge said to be smart and confident, but wasn't sure weather Tsuki was to be Prince Charming or Slutty Uke, so Light would have to start neutral and just wing it. 'Date' had been the active word, so Tsuki would throw in a bit of 'shoujo-manga school boy,' hand holding and lots of compliments maybe even some flowers when they met. No the concierge had described his 'date's' seemingly endless room service bill, so a box of candies or chocolates? Smart-casual clothing, perhaps shirt, tie and suit trousers, he'd have to be smart enough for the expensive hotel restaurant but didn't want to spoil the mood of his 'fun date.' Which shirt? Which tie? And what would he pack in his 'overnight bag'?
..
L arrived at 12:45 in the lobby of the hotel, where he shuffled uncomfortably about until a beaming Okane-san swept over, took him by the arm, and led him over to the chair in which now he resided. "What you looking so worried about Taylor-san?"
"I erm…" he mumbled as he fiddled with his collar again.
"Now don't you get so scared over this, he isn't going to bite, unless of course you want him to!" Said the concierge with a laugh as he slapped Taylor-san on the shoulder.
L just blushed even more, his palms were unbearably sweaty. "Um maybe…I don't… think…good idea…" he said hurriedly as he tried to get to his feet and escape.
"Oh no you don't!" Okane's big paycheck was so not walking out of here. "Come on Taylor-san, he's come all this way just to meet you, he'd be so disappointed if you chickened out. Now come here, straighten your shirt out, sit nicely and I'll order you some calming tea. He'll be here in just a few minutes, I'll go meet him and bring him over." Okane patted the young man on the head and signalled to a waitress.
What thinks you? Whatever you think about the likely hood of Light taking up such a career, I'd suggest it's more likely than you'd think.
I've got about the next 3 chapters on standby ready to go, so as soon as my bata has taken I look I'll get those up to you.
Well the date begins tomorrow, and who really thinks its all going to go right?
Hilda
xxx
