Cross the Floor by taketo

Thanks again for reviewing! Please read chap. 6 again, I made some minor changes at the end. Die Spitzie, Heather you're the best! Thank you!

Chapter 7

Aya's house.

Aya drained his teacup and waited for Ken to walk through the door. Ken's routine has been basically the same. He will be there but will only make his presence known when Aya had finished his breakfast. And like on cue, Ken appeared. "Ohayo Aya-san."

Aya rose and greeted Ken in his deep voice. "Ohayo, Hidaka."

"If you're ready, the car is already up front." Ken stood by the door politely as Aya came towards him, briefcase in hand. The same hand that held his yesterday.

"Hidaka, ." Aya paused to make sure no one was within hearing range. "About last night, thank you and let me know if you find out anything else."

"Hai Aya-san." Ken replied and his mind when back to a few hours ago when he met Yohji. He briefed his boss on what had happened since their last meeting and passed along another disk for Omi to work on.

Flashback.

"Take a look at this. Omi recovered this in the first disk you gave." Yohji handed the list of names.

Ken reached for the list and read it. "I don't know all of it but the ones I know are names of restaurants and clubs doubling as whore houses."

Taking the list back, Yohji said. "Right, I'll send people to check it out. Anything else?"

"Aya knows the truth now."

"How?" Yohji's sleepy eyes widen with surprise.

"He asked me if I know a guy who wears sweet smelling perfume."

Yohji smirked. "Tsuzuki!"

"Yeah, so I told him who Tsuzuki was."

"So what's the reaction?"

Ken kicked a pebble at his foot. "Shocked, disbelief. I took him to one of the mansions."

"What are you going to do now?" Yohji was referring to both Leo's plan and Aya.

"Play cool and let Leo make the first move. See how things go." Ken pushed his bangs away from his face.

End of flashback.

Fujimiya Inc's

The lift pinged and the metal doors slid smoothly to reveal the floor where Aya's office was. Hidaka Ken, bodyguard to Fujimiya Aya stepped out of the first and was followed by the head of Fujimiya Inc.

"Aya, ohayo!" Mitsui Leo greeted his boss cheerfully.

"Ohayo, Leo." Aya didn't bother to stop or slow down.

"Listen, ." Leo casually began. "I met some of the members of the board and they told me you 're a doing a great job with the company!" Leo patted his back heartily.

Wishing he could flinch away, Aya just gritted his teeth and said solemnly, "I'm just doing the best I can."

Leo laughed. "Well it's great! The clients still have faith in us! But you know Aya, it doesn't hurt if you socialized once in a while. All you do is work, work and work. I noticed that you receive tons of invitations but.."

"Hn." Aya entered his office and placed his briefcase on his table.

Undeterred by Aya's lack of response, Leo pressed on. "Just attend some of those functions. It will be great for you and the company. Maybe we can get more clients."

Aya raised one red brow. "I wasn't aware I've been transferred to the PR Dept."

"No, no of course not! That wasn't what I meant." Leo said quickly.

Aya sighed. He had enough. "Leo, I've got loads to do."

Nodding, Leo said. "Of course but think about what I said."

"Hn." Aya pretended to read something and only lifted his head when the door clicked behind Leo. Leo seemed genuinely worried, but after what Ken told him last night. Was Leo really involved in all that? There must be a way to check. The computer at home! Aya suddenly remember that his father spent hours at that computer. He will start there. There must be something there.

Just outside Aya's office.

Leo emerged from Aya's office and immediately searched for Ken.

He located Ken who was in his usual seat, and beckoned him over. "I'd like to have a word with you."

Ken nodded and quietly followed Leo but not before calling for his backup to take over his post.

*******************************************

Mitsui Leo's office.

"Have a seat, Hidaka." Leo gestured to the chairs.

"Thank you but I prefer to stand." Ken replied, staring straight at Leo.

"Fine, so. how is it like working for Aya?"

"It's alright."

"Hmmm.he is new at this, so I'm sure he asks a lot of questions." Leo kept a close watch on Ken's face.

"He has asked a few questions." Ken answered truthfully.

"What sort of questions?" Leo tried to keep his voice calm.

"About the building, which department was on which floor, things like that."

Ken replied nonchalantly.

Leo didn't say a word but instead kept studying Ken. It was like he was waiting for more info to come forth. But none came. "That's all?"

"He hardly speaks." Ken said simply.

Leo nodded. That's true, Aya was like that. Doesn't say much but still..

Arggh. Leo shrugged of the thought. Maybe he didn't see Tsuzuki. Manx was being overly suspicious!

"Mitsui-san?" Ken looked questioningly at Leo when the older man remained silent.

"What? Oh yes, yes you can go Hidaka." Leo dismissed Ken with a flick of his hand.

Bowing slightly, Ken turned to leave.

***************************************

Aya's office.

Aya opened his door. "Hidaka.? Where's Hidaka?" Aya asked Manx when he saw another bodyguard was occupying Ken's usual seat.

Looking up from her pile of things to type, Manx said. "Leo needed his help about something. Do you need something?"

Shaking his head, Aya said. "No, I'm just going down to the warehouse."

Turning to Ken's replacement, he said. "Come on, get off that fat arse of yours!"

Just as Aya and his bodyguard entered the lift to go downstairs, Ken reached Aya's office. Immediately he noticed the vacant chair. "Where's Matsumoto?" Ken demanded to a startled Manx.

"What? Really Hidaka, you gave me a shock!" Manx placed a hand over her chest.

Knowing that the secretary was fond of being over dramatic, Ken repeated his question. "Where's Matsumoto?"

Manx sighed loudly and put a hurt expression on her face. "Really some people! He's gone down to the warehouse with the boss."

"What?! Why the hell didn't you say so?!" Ken shouted at Manx before running off to the lifts.

"Damn!" Ken muttered to himself. "Why did he have to go there? And knowing him, he probably went there alone with Matsumoto!"

******************************

Fujimiya Inc. warehouse.

Aya listened as his foreman explained about how they do things in that particular part of the warehouse. The foreman was a good deal shorter and because of the noise in the warehouse, Aya had to bend really low to hear what the foreman was saying.

Ken reached the warehouse and questioned the first person he saw about the whereabouts of his boss. The staff pointed to a section deep inside the warehouse. Ken thanked him and rushed off. When he got there, he found Matsumoto first. Matsumoto had a pair of shades on and was leaning against some crates.

"What the hell are you doing?" Ken hissed at Matsumoto. "You're supposed to be guarding the boss, not standing here doing nothing! Enough, break is over. Patrol the warehouse, inside and outside. Start with the outside!"

Matsumoto mumbled at apology and quickly went about the task assigned to him. Ken just glared at him and he practically ran out of the warehouse. A quiet chuckle made Ken whirl around. It was Aya.

"You know, ." Aya's face was placid but his eyes were dancing with mirth.

"You know what the kids at school would call you if you were a teacher?"

"No, what?" Ken was still annoyed at Matsumoto.

"The mean one."

Ken just snorted and said nothing.

"So, what did Leo want?" Aya changed the subject.

"Just wanted to know what's it like to work for you and if you asked anything." Ken replied, glaring at workers who were looking their way.

"And?" Aya had seen enough of the warehouse and was heading for the exit.

"I just said that you asked about the building, how to get around it, basic things." Ken was relieved that they were leaving the warehouse. Too many places for a person to hide.

"Did he believe you?"

"I looked at him straight in the eye when I answered all his questions but Leo's not dumb. He believed me but he knows sooner or later you will know everything."

Aya sighed. "Sooner than he expected. If I didn't step out of my office at that time.what do we do now? Have you found out what Leo's plans are for me?"

"No, not yet and for now we do nothing." Ken held the heavy glass door

open for Aya. " We wait for Leo to make the next move."

"Okay..oh Hidaka? Do you've a good suit?" Aya turned around, one hand on the upper half of the door handle, brushing lightly against Ken's which was holding the lower half.

Not exactly pulling away in a hurry, Ken said. "I do, why?"

"Take it out, we're going to a party tonight! I'm ordered by Leo to socialize!"

Aya released the door handle.

Ken frowned. "Who's party? I'll have to call them up and ask about the security lay out.."

Aya shook his head. "No need Hidaka. I'm just gonna stay for a while and leave. I'm not fond of parties myself."

"Still."

"It's just Sakai-san's eldest daughter's birthday. It will be fine!" Aya reassured his worried bodyguard.

********************************************

Sakai-san's daughter birthday party.

Ken stood in a corner and discreetly watched the scene in front of him. It may be an 18-year old girl's birthday party but half of the guests were her father's age and friends. But nevertheless, the birthday girl had her own group of friends and they were having fun. They were dancing to J-pop songs belted out by a band.

Ken smiled at the teenagers' dancing styles before his eyes wandered back to his boss. Aya was constantly surrounded by people, he was never left alone.

Although Ken wasn't standing that close to Aya, Ken could tell that everyone wanted a piece of Aya. Their body language was the main indicator. He's the main catch tonight. Some were flirting with him and some were trying to butter him up. Was this part of Leo's plan to seduce Aya to the other side? Letting power get to his head?

Judging from the bored look in Aya's eyes, Ken knew Aya had had enough and decided it was time to rescue his boss. Expertly and politely, he waded through the sea of people and only stopped when he was at Aya's elbow.

Ken took a second to appreciate how well Aya wore the suit, how his jacket fitted nicely around his shoulders before he made his presence known.

"Yes?" Aya let the man who was talking finish his sentence before

he acknowledged Ken.

"I'm so sorry, Fujimiya-san but there's an important phone call for you."

Ken handed his own mobile to Aya.

Excusing himself, Aya took the phone and headed for a quiet corner to take his 'call'. To continue with the farce, he mumbled something into the phone before handing it back to Ken. He then looked for the host, Sakai-san and expressed his regrets of having to leave early. Sakai-san bowed. Thanked Aya for coming and said that he understood that Aya was a busy man. Aya returned the bow and left the party that was in full swing.

Inside Aya's new Nissan. (the old one was thrashed in an accident).

"Thank you, Hidaka." Aya said once the car took to the main road.

"It's part of my job, Aya-san." Ken replied from the front. It was Kuryu's night off, so Ken doubled as chauffeur.

"Hai, I wasn't sure how much longer I could stand listening to those sycophants. All of them coming almost all at once!" Aya said with disgust shining in his eyes.

Ken glanced up and caught the look through the review mirror. Smiling, he said. "They are all like that and I think it has something to do with Leo's plan."

"Which is?" Aya leaned forward, pale fingers gripping the front seat's headrest.

"To let the power get to your head, seduce you to the other side. He has known you since you were a child and probably knows you won't agree to prostitution, porn and gambling." Ken flipped on the indicators and made a right turn.

"Let the power get to me?"

"Yeah, that's why he's urging you to be more sociable, that's why you've been receiving all those invitations. And speaking about invitation, Aya-san you'll be officiating the Kimisawa hospital's new wing tomorrow. It will be at an open air area and I don't think

5 bodyguards are enough."

Aya closed his eyes. Ken has been bugging him about this for days now.

"It's enough, Hidaka. I'm just going to officiate a bloody hospital wing not a bank! I'm going to shut my eyes, wake me up when we reach home."

Ken opened his mouth to protest but he knew once Aya made up his mind,

he won't change it. Looks like he and the other 5 bodyguards will have to be more alert than ever tomorrow.

Leo's residence.

The phone only managed to ring once before Leo snatched it off the cradle. "How did it go?"

"Mitsui-san, is that boy made out of steel and ice? He has hardly any expression on his face. It was like talking to a wall. Sure, he gave appropriate and polite answers but that was about it!" Sakai-san reported to Leo.

Leo's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, 'that was about it'?"

Sakai-san sighed. "He has left the party."

"What?! Why didn't you persuade him to stay?" Leo demanded.

Sakai-san sighed again. "He had an urgent call and had to leave."

"Damn it!" Leo slammed the phone down. Angrily, he pushed all the things on the table in front of him, papers, letters and pens went flying all over the place. "No worries, I still have a lot of ammunition left. I've other tricks up my sleeve."

****************************************

Next morning, Aya's office.

Aya came through the door and stopped in his tracks. There was a girl sitting at Manx's desk and she was busy typing something.

When it was clear she was so preoccupied with her task, Aya rapped the edge of the desk lightly. The girl's head shot up and she immediately rose from her chair, the bells of her bracelets ringing as she moved her hands. "Fujimiya-san, ohayo!" she cooed.

"Ohayo. You seem to know me but you are.?" Aya stared down at her.

The girl giggled and smiled widely before answering. "I'm Adachi Numie,

a clerk from downstairs. Manx on leave, so I'm here temporarily until she come back." Adachi smiled again and flipped a lock of blonde hair from her forehead.

End of 7