Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Hot Gimmick series or it's characters. This is my first fic, so please be kind. Grammar sucks, so I don't use it. Read the story, ignore punctuation. Though these characters are not mine, the story is, I'd appreciate it if it stayed that way. Lastly, I love yaoi, those that don't shouldn't read this fic.

Chapter 1

Winter had past. Spring now warred with the last vestiges of frost that covered the ground. The sun was

setting slowly in a stunning display of reds and purples casting it's rosy hues across a down turned face.

Azusa Odagiri checked his watch for what seemed to be the twentieth time in the last ten minutes. His

sigh was long suffering, his gaze darted between the glowing face of his watch and the resounding silence

of his cell.

He scuffed his foot through the frost at his feet, making idle designs in the cold.

"Shit…"

He was waiting to meet a friend. Well, in truth, more than a friend in his mind.

Azusa's gaze shifted to the sky, barely noticing the grace of the sunset that blazed there, lost in thoughts

that he had shuffling in his head for months.

It had been a year since the dust had settled, since the final confrontation, and reconciliations.

Hatsumi and Ryoki are together, going strong despite the war of wills that erupted from time to time.

A smirk passed his lips at this, Hatsumi had grown more confident over the last year, sure enough in her

relationship that she had become quite the force to be reckoned with. Ryoki put up a brave front

though, and still liked to believe that Hatsumi was his pet….nothing ever really changed at the core.

The sun continued to sink lower and still the damned phone hadn't rung. He issued another impatient

sigh and glanced at his watch once more.

Footsteps crunched to a stop behind him and a bouncy voice drilled into his ear.

'Azusa!"

Azusa ducked his head and turned his gaze to his unwanted intruder.

Akane Narita was dressed for the cold, her bight eyes greeted him warmly and her breath puffed in tiny

clouds that disappeared in the air between them. Her hand was clasped behind her, grasping tightly to her

boyfriend, Subaru.

Azusa bent over to look Akane in the eye… "Hello Akane-chan," His gaze darted behind her.

"Hello Subaru, what brings you two lovebirds out tonight?"

Subaru stepped to stand beside his girlfriend and bowed slightly, smiling an embarrassed smile.

Akane however was much more poised.

"Subaru and I are going a double date with Hatsumi and Ryoki. I can't imagine what is taking so long,

Hatsumi was ready an hour ag…."

Akane was interrupted by fierce bickering, as the couple in question appeared around the corner. Their

heated debate didn't cease and the trio stared on in confusion.

Hatsumi's voice carried a hint of agitation, though her words worked to defuse the conversation, before it

became a full out war.

"Really Ryoki I don't see what the big deal is…"

"Hatsumi, I told you that I didn't want you to speak to that guy ever again, you are my girlfriend,

remember?"

Hatsumi stopped and tucked her hair behind her ear, before turning a soft gaze to the taller man at her

side.

"Ryoki, Shinogu is my brother. What's past is past. You know that I love you right?"

Her eyes were liquid, the sunset cast an ethereal light in their depths. Ryoki immediately softened and

gave in grudgingly, but not without striving for the last word.

"I just don't see what you could have been talking about for the last hour…."

Hatsumi kicked Ryoki in the ankle. She grunted her disgust and continued to walk as he rubbed his

injury.

"Really, I rarely ever get to talk to him. He lives so far away and works so much, I worry ab…ah, Azusa!"

They finally joined them and Hatsumi's eyes softened when they encountered her childhood friend.

Azusa couldn't help but smile back, this girl had saved him many times, and he always had a soft spot for

her.

Ryoki approached behind her and placed his arm around her shoulders possessively , aiming a curt nod of

greeting in Azusa's direction. Azusa eyed him coolly, but acknowledged him and shifted his attention

back to Hatsumi.

"Well girlie, I could hear you two arguing as soon as the door opened….nothing really changes does it?"

A wide smile parted her lips and she rolled her eyes heavenward.

"This dolt, he gets upset over the silliest things."

Azusa nodded in agreement, Ryoki glared at them, clearly disliking the idea of the pair sharing the same

view on anything. Azusa paused a moment and looked at his watch again.

"Hatsumi, did I hear you mention speaking to Shinogu?"

Hatsumi nodded and began a tirade, outlining the beginning of their argument, she didn't notice the

shadows that passed his eyes, or the way he glanced at his watch three more times in the course of their

conversation.

The loud ring of a cell phone broke the steady stream of babble that poured from Hatsumi's lips, startling

everyone within a three mile radius.

"Azusa, is that your phone?" Hatsumi still looked startled but slightly amused.

"Is it really that impossible to hear? "

Azusa didn't answer that, how could he say that he lived in such fear of missing these precious calls that

he always had his phone on him, and the volume up. Instead he looked at the number that flashed across

the screen and quickly answered, his voice softening. Hatsumi picked up the change in him immediately,

even though the others seemed blissfully unaware. He spoke softly, his voice catching on words that

could have been considered the most gentle she had ever heard him speak.

The others were already in deep conversation of their own and didn't notice Azusa's wistful half smile

and they didn't hear him hang up.

"Someone special Azusa?"

He glanced at her quickly and then back down at the silent phone, another ghost smile skittering across

his lips.

"Yeah, you could say that…someone special."