DATE : June 03 DAY : Monday TIME : 8:35 p.m.
* We've started to move those ugly pots to the auction room . I really don't see why anyone would want to pay a helluva lot of money for that junk . They all look alike to me , all dusty and gothic . Anyway , everything's fine around here . What about you ? * Schuldich watched the men lugging around the heavy clay pots , and at the same time , engaging Ken in a mental conversation .
* Nothing suspicious so far .* There was a sigh . * I'm bored AND I'm hungry .* There was a pause . * I wanna grab some of those food .* Ken was grumpy , obviously the brunette couldn't stand watching and waiting and wanted some action . or at least , something to eat .
* Aww. poor Kenken . Me ? I wanna do something else rather than eat right now .* Schuldich allowed a tinge of sexiness creep into his voice .
Ken blanched . * Hentai !*
* What ? I didn't say anything . You've got a dirty mind luv .*
There was a faraway sound in Ken's voice as he said * It's starting to rain outside .*
* I know koi . But I bet it won't take long . The weather forecast didn't say anything about a storm .*
* It's not like you ever watch the news , Schu .*
* Yeah , yeah . If there's no action there , why don't you drop by here ? Nagi and Farf are lousy company right now .*
* Brad's gonna bust my ass if I did that . sugoi ! I see chocolate éclairs ! Oishi !*
Schuldich could almost see him beaming happily .
* Yosh ! I'm going to grab those éclairs whether Brad likes it or not !*
Suddenly , Schuldich noticed a flurry of activity coming from the movers . " Hey ! What's going on there ?!" He yelled , annoyed at the distraction .
" Nothing sir ."
He moved back , but continued to watch them suspiciously .
* Some of these people are idiots , koi . I won't be surprised if a whole army of military get inside the building . They wouldn't even notice - or be able to tell the difference .*
* Wow ! Soufflé !*
* Are you even listening to me ?!*
* You said . you wanted something to drink ?* Came the tentative reply.
Schuldich snorted and shook his head to himself * Not even close * He said , partly annoyed that Ken was paying more attention to the buffet than to him and mostly amused at his voracious appetite . Ken could eat a ton and not even weigh an ounce heavier .
* Gotta go , Schu . Brad's calling me . I think Mr. Castelli's here . You take care of those antiques !*
- - -
DATE : June 03 DAY : Monday TIME : 8:55 p.m.
A long black limousine glided smoothly in front of the building's entrance and a number of doors sprang open to reveal six armed men dressed in uniform black suits . They preceded a tall , regal man in his mid 50's , with thick salt and pepper hair and a forbidding demeanor . He carried himself like a soldier and barked orders in every direction , sending men flying everywhere to do his bidding .
Nodding once to Crawford and Ken , he surveyed the area with a critical eye and nodded shortly to confirm his satisfaction .
By that time , the florists and most of the caterers had already departed and only the few who will serve as waiters had remained .
Castelli dismissed his personal guards to wait in the lobby , where all armed men were restricted to - with the exception of Schwarz . He had circulated throughout the first floor and then proceeded to the auction room to examine the goods .
- - -
Aya watched the occupants of the room from his vantage point in the darkened corridor at the top of the stairs . He had already removed his previous costume and had changed into a waiter's outfit of black and white , discarding the heavy pads , which might restrict his movements in case of an emergency and stuffed them carefully in the ventilation shaft where it would be unrecognizable and of no use once everything went according to plan . He had only maintained the wig and the mustache and reapplied some of the make - up . He knew Crawford would be too busy now to take notice in the slight changes in his appearance , and Ken would flippantly dismiss it as one of the glitches of his fleeting memory . Besides , he didn't even notice them as both he and Omi passed through the entrance . did he ?
The truth was , they didn't expect him to be there ; it had been only a few months since he disappeared and they expected that he would not be included in Schwarz's missions until at least a year of training . What were they going to do ? And if the opportunity presented itself - would they do it ?
The main target was now walking to the lobby to greet his first distinguished guest - the mayor , and ushered him inside . The precognitive , Crawford , was immediately at his side , a picture of supreme confidence . His attention though , was caught by a handsome young brunette flanking the American , and a sharp pain lanced his heart so deeply that it was almost palpable . He closed his eyes briefly .
* Ken .*
He couldn't believe that he , of all people , had joined the Schwarz willingly .
Now he understood why Ken had run away from him a few weeks before . because he was no longer Weiß . he had switched sides .
Aya could never forgive him for betraying them , he would never forget how much suffering he had caused , nor will he ever he ever stop loving him . because to do so was to betray his own heart .
* Is it possible to love and hate at the same time ? If so , I would rather love . or hate because feeling both for the same person is tearing me apart .*
Aya managed to tear his eyes away from the sight that caused his heart to constrict and force himself to concentrate on the task at hand .
He slipped through the growing crowd and made a beeline for the auction room . He paused and glanced around to see if anyone was watching and ducked into the unoccupied section floor where guests were unlikely to approach until the time of the bidding . As to be expected , the place was empty , and all the activity was taking place behind the curtains .
The place was exactly as the layout had described it . Because photographs of the interior of the building had been prohibited , the only basis they had was that of sketches and depictions . It in fact resembled a medium sized theater with longs rows and columns of chairs arching around a large stage . A thick slab of marble raised the podium and the background was that of the thick velvet draperies suspended from forty feet above .
He quickly planted the small explosives on the side of the podium , the pillars and under strategically planned seats . The bombs were miniature enough to be concealed easily and not be detected but the small amounts of nitroglycerine could cause an explosion large enough to destabilize the base of the structure and send the whole 65 floors of the building to come crashing down to the ground in a pile of rubble and debris .
The bombs were remote controlled , programmed to respond to a certain frequency and to ensure no accidental detonations , it required the simultaneous detonations of all three controls for them to explode .
Satisfied that he had successfully attached the explosives , he moved cautiously stole outside . He had barely taken several steps when he bumped into someone .
"That's restricted area . No one's supposed to go there until the bidding starts ." A familiar voice
said .
Aya froze and turned slowly , his heart thumping wildly , threatening to jump out of his chest and shatter into a million tiny pieces . He was aware of the underlying suspicion in Ken's speech . He tried to find his voice . " I was trying to find the men's room ." He said , pitching his voice higher and using a foreign twang in accenting his syllables . He was glad to know that he sounded more confident than he felt .
Ken didn't seem to believe him for a moment but after moment pointed to a partially open door at the far end of the hall before walking towards it himself . Aya followed him , his eyes glinting dully under the bright lights .
The brunette went straight to the faucet and after removing the black sweatband , splashed water haphazardly on his face . Tiny droplets of clear water flew into his clothes , and dripped freely from his chestnut bangs .
Aya momentarily pictured him after a game . Ken would duck his head under a running faucet , then he would shake his head vigorously like a rain - soaked puppy and send beads of cold water in every direction . just as he did at that moment . Aya snapped out of his reverie when the freezing water splattered into his uniform .
When Ken saw Aya staring at him on the mirror , he grinned apologetically and straightened up to face him . " Gomen ."
Aya nodded coldly and turned away , seeking the obscurity that the row of cubicles offered . He heard a soft scuffle and the sound of the door opening , and despite himself , he pivoted and followed his former lover to the auction room where he had walked just a few minutes earlier .
- - -
Schuldich jerked his head suddenly , sharp gray eyes roving the scene . He was wearing a dark scowl which did not doubt that he was in one of his sudden moods .
" What's wrong ?" Nagi asked impassively , keeping an eye on the movers whom Farfarello was insistently scaring with his constant threats .
" I can hear them ." The redhead said abruptly .
" Hear who ?" Nagi turned to gaze at him with a sudden interest .
" Weiß ." Schuldich hissed before tearing through the sea of humanity .
- - -
There was a temporary lull .
Aya had reported that he had already attached the explosives where they should be .
Yohji had said that there was nothing out of the ordinary .
And Omi was left with nothing to do inside the dark room but wait and ponder .
The twin giant generators hummed loudly beside him and he could feel the heat exuding from them . He didn't mind though . The room was cold , and it was actually comforting .
* What is Ken-kun doing here ? Why is he with Schwarz ?* Omi sighed in despair and hugged his knees closer , the light from his laptop screen illuminating his boyish face .
* He doesn't belong there . he's Siberian . He belongs with us . No . Ken- kun couldn't be doing this by himself . He would never agree to do anything that could possibly hurt other people . I know he wouldn't ! They must have done something . Schuldich must have done something to him ! *
Omi licked his lips nervously . He would never , ever have believed it if he hadn't seen with his own two eyes .
It was long before he realized that a solitary tear had made its way down his cheek .
- - -
Yohji flicked another cigarette into the fountain and observed as the tiny glowing embers extinguished as soon as it hit the surface . The ash spread quickly , tinting the crystal water with its dirt . Like a plague , he thought wryly . It's ironic how you can relate trivial details to the complexities of life . Hazel eyes wandered across the room , absently scanning the sea of indistinguishable faces . The men in attendance seemed to be quite normal people . Some were portly , or thin , lanky or bulky . Others were stern-faced , jovial or derogatory . The present mix of people was hardly the kind you'd expect to be a secret organization of drug lords , arms dealers and crime kings , but then , expect the unexpected . That's what he used to say .
Another line of thought perforated his mind , and because of the lack of things to do , his mind drifted back to a former comrade , who , coincidentally , just emerged from the men's room .
* Who would've guessed that he , of all people would sell out on us ? And all the while I thought he'd be the last to bail . after all , he had the best intentions of all of us .* Yohji rubbed his aching temples .
* Aya did it for revenge ; and money . I did it to vent my anger . and Omi , the kid wanted redemption . but Ken ? He wanted to help people . He wanted to end the suffering . That's a bit nobler than most things , isn't it ? * He snorted to himself and lit another cigarette , cupping his palm around the flame as the end of the stick started to glow a fiery red . * Of course I wouldn't know what noble is .* He added bitterly to himself .
Like an unmoving effigy , he watched the brunette saunter away and was surprised to see Aya following the former through the doors that led to the room where the auction was to be held . A sudden notion gripped him , but it was quickly dismissed . * Aya would never do it . It would jeopardize the mission . or would he ? *
- - -
Schuldich ploughed through the tide of faceless men with the urgency of a desperate man . His lip turned up in a furious snarl . He was looking for the Weiß , and most importantly , for Ken . He had to find him before one of them could even try to talk to him . Goddamn it !
He looked around , searching for that familiar face that had grown dear to him in so short a time .
Ken didn't answer his calls , his mind block was solidly erected and even Schuldich couldn't find a way around it . Either he was too busy , or he was deliberately avoiding Schuldich .
He tried to justify Ken's inability to reply to his summons , conjuring up even the most ludicrous reasons , after all , it was Ken in question , and Ken was never beyond anything nonsensical .
In under all circumstances , he had to reach him before that stolid bastard , Abyssinian , could ever come near him , or anyone of the three , for that matter to convince him to come with them . or force him . He wouldn't put it past them they were Weiß after all , and in his dictionary , it meant that they were up to no good .
Schuldich scowled in disdain .
Ken was nowhere in sight .
- - -
YAAAAY !!! * Dances around * I'm pretty happy with this chapter ! It's kinda cute . Lol !!! Action soon !!!!
* We've started to move those ugly pots to the auction room . I really don't see why anyone would want to pay a helluva lot of money for that junk . They all look alike to me , all dusty and gothic . Anyway , everything's fine around here . What about you ? * Schuldich watched the men lugging around the heavy clay pots , and at the same time , engaging Ken in a mental conversation .
* Nothing suspicious so far .* There was a sigh . * I'm bored AND I'm hungry .* There was a pause . * I wanna grab some of those food .* Ken was grumpy , obviously the brunette couldn't stand watching and waiting and wanted some action . or at least , something to eat .
* Aww. poor Kenken . Me ? I wanna do something else rather than eat right now .* Schuldich allowed a tinge of sexiness creep into his voice .
Ken blanched . * Hentai !*
* What ? I didn't say anything . You've got a dirty mind luv .*
There was a faraway sound in Ken's voice as he said * It's starting to rain outside .*
* I know koi . But I bet it won't take long . The weather forecast didn't say anything about a storm .*
* It's not like you ever watch the news , Schu .*
* Yeah , yeah . If there's no action there , why don't you drop by here ? Nagi and Farf are lousy company right now .*
* Brad's gonna bust my ass if I did that . sugoi ! I see chocolate éclairs ! Oishi !*
Schuldich could almost see him beaming happily .
* Yosh ! I'm going to grab those éclairs whether Brad likes it or not !*
Suddenly , Schuldich noticed a flurry of activity coming from the movers . " Hey ! What's going on there ?!" He yelled , annoyed at the distraction .
" Nothing sir ."
He moved back , but continued to watch them suspiciously .
* Some of these people are idiots , koi . I won't be surprised if a whole army of military get inside the building . They wouldn't even notice - or be able to tell the difference .*
* Wow ! Soufflé !*
* Are you even listening to me ?!*
* You said . you wanted something to drink ?* Came the tentative reply.
Schuldich snorted and shook his head to himself * Not even close * He said , partly annoyed that Ken was paying more attention to the buffet than to him and mostly amused at his voracious appetite . Ken could eat a ton and not even weigh an ounce heavier .
* Gotta go , Schu . Brad's calling me . I think Mr. Castelli's here . You take care of those antiques !*
- - -
DATE : June 03 DAY : Monday TIME : 8:55 p.m.
A long black limousine glided smoothly in front of the building's entrance and a number of doors sprang open to reveal six armed men dressed in uniform black suits . They preceded a tall , regal man in his mid 50's , with thick salt and pepper hair and a forbidding demeanor . He carried himself like a soldier and barked orders in every direction , sending men flying everywhere to do his bidding .
Nodding once to Crawford and Ken , he surveyed the area with a critical eye and nodded shortly to confirm his satisfaction .
By that time , the florists and most of the caterers had already departed and only the few who will serve as waiters had remained .
Castelli dismissed his personal guards to wait in the lobby , where all armed men were restricted to - with the exception of Schwarz . He had circulated throughout the first floor and then proceeded to the auction room to examine the goods .
- - -
Aya watched the occupants of the room from his vantage point in the darkened corridor at the top of the stairs . He had already removed his previous costume and had changed into a waiter's outfit of black and white , discarding the heavy pads , which might restrict his movements in case of an emergency and stuffed them carefully in the ventilation shaft where it would be unrecognizable and of no use once everything went according to plan . He had only maintained the wig and the mustache and reapplied some of the make - up . He knew Crawford would be too busy now to take notice in the slight changes in his appearance , and Ken would flippantly dismiss it as one of the glitches of his fleeting memory . Besides , he didn't even notice them as both he and Omi passed through the entrance . did he ?
The truth was , they didn't expect him to be there ; it had been only a few months since he disappeared and they expected that he would not be included in Schwarz's missions until at least a year of training . What were they going to do ? And if the opportunity presented itself - would they do it ?
The main target was now walking to the lobby to greet his first distinguished guest - the mayor , and ushered him inside . The precognitive , Crawford , was immediately at his side , a picture of supreme confidence . His attention though , was caught by a handsome young brunette flanking the American , and a sharp pain lanced his heart so deeply that it was almost palpable . He closed his eyes briefly .
* Ken .*
He couldn't believe that he , of all people , had joined the Schwarz willingly .
Now he understood why Ken had run away from him a few weeks before . because he was no longer Weiß . he had switched sides .
Aya could never forgive him for betraying them , he would never forget how much suffering he had caused , nor will he ever he ever stop loving him . because to do so was to betray his own heart .
* Is it possible to love and hate at the same time ? If so , I would rather love . or hate because feeling both for the same person is tearing me apart .*
Aya managed to tear his eyes away from the sight that caused his heart to constrict and force himself to concentrate on the task at hand .
He slipped through the growing crowd and made a beeline for the auction room . He paused and glanced around to see if anyone was watching and ducked into the unoccupied section floor where guests were unlikely to approach until the time of the bidding . As to be expected , the place was empty , and all the activity was taking place behind the curtains .
The place was exactly as the layout had described it . Because photographs of the interior of the building had been prohibited , the only basis they had was that of sketches and depictions . It in fact resembled a medium sized theater with longs rows and columns of chairs arching around a large stage . A thick slab of marble raised the podium and the background was that of the thick velvet draperies suspended from forty feet above .
He quickly planted the small explosives on the side of the podium , the pillars and under strategically planned seats . The bombs were miniature enough to be concealed easily and not be detected but the small amounts of nitroglycerine could cause an explosion large enough to destabilize the base of the structure and send the whole 65 floors of the building to come crashing down to the ground in a pile of rubble and debris .
The bombs were remote controlled , programmed to respond to a certain frequency and to ensure no accidental detonations , it required the simultaneous detonations of all three controls for them to explode .
Satisfied that he had successfully attached the explosives , he moved cautiously stole outside . He had barely taken several steps when he bumped into someone .
"That's restricted area . No one's supposed to go there until the bidding starts ." A familiar voice
said .
Aya froze and turned slowly , his heart thumping wildly , threatening to jump out of his chest and shatter into a million tiny pieces . He was aware of the underlying suspicion in Ken's speech . He tried to find his voice . " I was trying to find the men's room ." He said , pitching his voice higher and using a foreign twang in accenting his syllables . He was glad to know that he sounded more confident than he felt .
Ken didn't seem to believe him for a moment but after moment pointed to a partially open door at the far end of the hall before walking towards it himself . Aya followed him , his eyes glinting dully under the bright lights .
The brunette went straight to the faucet and after removing the black sweatband , splashed water haphazardly on his face . Tiny droplets of clear water flew into his clothes , and dripped freely from his chestnut bangs .
Aya momentarily pictured him after a game . Ken would duck his head under a running faucet , then he would shake his head vigorously like a rain - soaked puppy and send beads of cold water in every direction . just as he did at that moment . Aya snapped out of his reverie when the freezing water splattered into his uniform .
When Ken saw Aya staring at him on the mirror , he grinned apologetically and straightened up to face him . " Gomen ."
Aya nodded coldly and turned away , seeking the obscurity that the row of cubicles offered . He heard a soft scuffle and the sound of the door opening , and despite himself , he pivoted and followed his former lover to the auction room where he had walked just a few minutes earlier .
- - -
Schuldich jerked his head suddenly , sharp gray eyes roving the scene . He was wearing a dark scowl which did not doubt that he was in one of his sudden moods .
" What's wrong ?" Nagi asked impassively , keeping an eye on the movers whom Farfarello was insistently scaring with his constant threats .
" I can hear them ." The redhead said abruptly .
" Hear who ?" Nagi turned to gaze at him with a sudden interest .
" Weiß ." Schuldich hissed before tearing through the sea of humanity .
- - -
There was a temporary lull .
Aya had reported that he had already attached the explosives where they should be .
Yohji had said that there was nothing out of the ordinary .
And Omi was left with nothing to do inside the dark room but wait and ponder .
The twin giant generators hummed loudly beside him and he could feel the heat exuding from them . He didn't mind though . The room was cold , and it was actually comforting .
* What is Ken-kun doing here ? Why is he with Schwarz ?* Omi sighed in despair and hugged his knees closer , the light from his laptop screen illuminating his boyish face .
* He doesn't belong there . he's Siberian . He belongs with us . No . Ken- kun couldn't be doing this by himself . He would never agree to do anything that could possibly hurt other people . I know he wouldn't ! They must have done something . Schuldich must have done something to him ! *
Omi licked his lips nervously . He would never , ever have believed it if he hadn't seen with his own two eyes .
It was long before he realized that a solitary tear had made its way down his cheek .
- - -
Yohji flicked another cigarette into the fountain and observed as the tiny glowing embers extinguished as soon as it hit the surface . The ash spread quickly , tinting the crystal water with its dirt . Like a plague , he thought wryly . It's ironic how you can relate trivial details to the complexities of life . Hazel eyes wandered across the room , absently scanning the sea of indistinguishable faces . The men in attendance seemed to be quite normal people . Some were portly , or thin , lanky or bulky . Others were stern-faced , jovial or derogatory . The present mix of people was hardly the kind you'd expect to be a secret organization of drug lords , arms dealers and crime kings , but then , expect the unexpected . That's what he used to say .
Another line of thought perforated his mind , and because of the lack of things to do , his mind drifted back to a former comrade , who , coincidentally , just emerged from the men's room .
* Who would've guessed that he , of all people would sell out on us ? And all the while I thought he'd be the last to bail . after all , he had the best intentions of all of us .* Yohji rubbed his aching temples .
* Aya did it for revenge ; and money . I did it to vent my anger . and Omi , the kid wanted redemption . but Ken ? He wanted to help people . He wanted to end the suffering . That's a bit nobler than most things , isn't it ? * He snorted to himself and lit another cigarette , cupping his palm around the flame as the end of the stick started to glow a fiery red . * Of course I wouldn't know what noble is .* He added bitterly to himself .
Like an unmoving effigy , he watched the brunette saunter away and was surprised to see Aya following the former through the doors that led to the room where the auction was to be held . A sudden notion gripped him , but it was quickly dismissed . * Aya would never do it . It would jeopardize the mission . or would he ? *
- - -
Schuldich ploughed through the tide of faceless men with the urgency of a desperate man . His lip turned up in a furious snarl . He was looking for the Weiß , and most importantly , for Ken . He had to find him before one of them could even try to talk to him . Goddamn it !
He looked around , searching for that familiar face that had grown dear to him in so short a time .
Ken didn't answer his calls , his mind block was solidly erected and even Schuldich couldn't find a way around it . Either he was too busy , or he was deliberately avoiding Schuldich .
He tried to justify Ken's inability to reply to his summons , conjuring up even the most ludicrous reasons , after all , it was Ken in question , and Ken was never beyond anything nonsensical .
In under all circumstances , he had to reach him before that stolid bastard , Abyssinian , could ever come near him , or anyone of the three , for that matter to convince him to come with them . or force him . He wouldn't put it past them they were Weiß after all , and in his dictionary , it meant that they were up to no good .
Schuldich scowled in disdain .
Ken was nowhere in sight .
- - -
YAAAAY !!! * Dances around * I'm pretty happy with this chapter ! It's kinda cute . Lol !!! Action soon !!!!