The next morning went by as it usually did. No one scolded him during breakfast. That must mean, then, that no one had discovered his "escape."

Yukifumi went to school in a decidedly good mood. The day seemed to be smiling at him.

He was happy.

With a start, he realized what he had just said. Happy. He tested out the word on his tongue. Why, has he been unhappy for so long that he could not recognize happiness anymore?

Classes passed by quickly and soon he was out on the school grounds and was just fishing his car keys from his pocket when a new sound met his ears. One that's foreign in parking lots, anyway. The sound of strumming of an acoustic guitar.

He turned to look for the sound and found it right by his own car. Yukifumi was shocked to see the guitarist sitting on the hood of his Mercedes.

"Ookouchi Sakuya!"

Strum. "Good day, prince." As though it was totally ordinary to be sitting atop other people's hoods all the time.

Despite the rudeness of the younger man's behavior, Yukifumi had to fight back a smile. Suddenly his outrageousness was funny.

"Well, are you here to show me some more of your musical skills?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Heh. Something like that." And the "professional" proceeded to play a lively piece (C no Binetsu). Yukifumi tapped his foot against the pavement in time with the beat of the music. His skills were genuine. But who would have expected such a sensitive soul in the young rebel's character?

"Yo, prince, what're you up to today?" Sakuya asked over his playing.

"Nothing, really. Why?" Tap-tap-tap…

"…Just wanna show you something. You up for it?"

"Sure, why not?"

Sakuya held out a hand. Yukifumi looked down at it, then back to Sakuya's face. "Yes?"

"Gimme your keys, duh," Sakuya said impatiently.

"Excuse me?" Surprise has limited him to uttering one, two words at a time. "Huh?" would have conveyed his feelings better, but that would've been too short and impolite.

"You said you want to come with me. Then I'm taking you there."

"Simply put, you're driving my car."

"Yeah. What, you want to ride on my bike instead? You're very welcome to."

"No, no, no, not that." He sighed in defeat. "All right, here." He handed him his keys. "Now do it right."

Sakuya shrugged and got in the driver's side; Yukifumi sat on the passenger's seat.

Throughout the drive, Yukifumi remained silent, thinking, "Why did I agree so quickly? I seem to be losing a few hundred brain cells whenever I'm around this guy." Still he was curious to see where Sakuya was taking him.

To his surprise, he found himself outside a…

"North Hotel?" he blurted out. Why did Ookouchi Sakuya bring him to a hotel? His thoughts were a riot at the moment as he tried to decipher the other's actions.

"Come on," Sakuya said, jumping out. Yukifumi followed, speechless.

"Good evening, Sakuya-san," the man standing by the door said in greeting. Sakuya nodded coolly and continued past him.

'Okay, so he's well-known around here. Does that mean he's here often?' Despite himself, Yukifumi couldn't help feeling perplexed with his discoveries.

"Follow me." Sakuya led him further into the room until they reached the recreation section. A number of people sat drinking, chatting, and apparently having a good time. As soon as they entered, a chorus of hello's greeted them. Well, Sakuya, anyway.

"Hey, how're you?"

"We've been waiting for hours!"

"Yo Sakuya, play us something."

A lady went over to them. She seemed to have drunk a little too much wine since she was tipsy on her feet. Her arm went around Sakuya's neck as she said, quite sultrily, "Hun, how come you're not coming here as often as before? I have been very lonely…" Yukifumi caught the smell of wine on her breath and, feeling repulsed, stepped back.

"Been busy, you know," Sakuya replied smoothly. He gave the lady an engaging smile.

Drunk Lady pouted. "You found someone else?" She glanced at Yukifumi. "Don't tell me—him?"

Sakuya's eyes gleamed. "Nah. I just wanted to take him here."

"Not for the night, I hope." Drunk Lady hiccupped. Then to Yukifumi's horror, her hand snaked down Sakuya's neck, over his chest, down the waistband of his pants…

"Stop!" he cried, alarmed. His head was spinning and his face felt hot. Why did Ookouchi Sakuya take him to such kind of a place with such kind of people? Was this what he wanted to show him?

Sakuya and Drunk Lady turned to him. Sakuya smirked while Drunk Lady blinked heavily made-up eyes at him. "Yeah, boy, you want something?"

Yukifumi's face flamed up. "I…I…" Great, he was stammering.

Sakuya stepped back from Drunk Lady and flicked his bangs back from his eyes. "Well, I've got a song to get ready for. See ya."

"Mmm."

He walked to the front of the room and into a door at the side. Yukifumi followed. Once they were inside the room, Yukifumi turned to him and whispered harshly, "Why did you bring me here? Was this what you wanted to show me: groping females with dirty mouths?"

Sakuya didn't say anything so Yukifumi continued, "I don't even want to know why you're so popular here. Ookouchi Sakuya," his eyes clouded over and he spoke more softly, "Is this the kind of lifestyle you have?" He couldn't explain the sadness and disappointment he felt.

"Don't you start talking to me like that," Sakuya said coldly. Yukifumi saw the familiar look Sakuya wore in school: hard and arrogant. It was a look that said, "Don't mess with me." Yukifumi returned the look with a stubborn glint in his eye.

"You are not to order me around," he retorted. "You shouldn't have brought me here in the first place."

"Why, is this place too low for your standards, prince?" Sakuya sneered.

"Now, listen—"

"Sakuya-san, you're up," a man poked his head in, cutting Yukifumi short.

"Yeah, yeah," Sakuya replied, not taking his eyes off the taller boy in front of him.

Yukifumi clenched his fists and muttered, "I'm leaving." He swiftly turned his back.

"Leaving me stranded, I suppose," Sakuya said, placing his hands on his hips mockingly. "Just the kind of treatment I'd expect from someone as spoiled as you are."

Yukifumi flinched but still he walked out the door. He started walking to the main exit at the far side of the next room, thinking, "I'm not planning to leave him. I just need to get out, away from him." But he stopped midway when he heard the first notes of the piece he heard Sakuya play in the park.

His heart racing, he didn't dare turn around.

"Nemuru kimi no madogoshi ni sora ga
Yaseta tsuki o asa yake ni tokasu

Riyuu mo naku toki ha nagare
Kimi hitori o otona ni suru yo

Hareta shuumatsu ha umi made aruite
Arashi no yoru ni ha BEDDO de jareatta ne

Yume no kakera sae sagasenai boku ga
Kimi no tame ni ima nani ga dekirundarou?
...Dakishimeru hoka ni

Natsu no koi ni yakedo shita mune ha
Fuyu no mae ni yasashisa o nedaru

Ara kezuri na ai ha itsumo
Kimi no egao yuuutsu ni suru yo

Deai no binetsu futari ha kagayaki
Kiss o bara maite hoshikuzu atsumeta ne
Mahou ga togirete odorenai boku ha
Kimi no tame ni ima nani ga dekirundarou?
...Dakishimeru hoka ni"

He was singing. Ookouchi Sakuya was singing. The words seemed to be aimed at him. He was challenging him.

Slowly, Yukifumi turned, and there was Ookouchi Sakuya at the front of the room, seated behind a piano and singing into the microphone. But those were minor details. What really drew him in was the way Sakuya sang. He hasn't taken his eyes off Yukifumi, as though he was really singing for him.

The song ended there. All around him, people were applauding. They were congratulating Sakuya on his new song. Sakuya smiled at them as he stood up. He went into the side room again and returned a minute later. Yukifumi was nowhere to be found.

He walked out of the hotel, ignoring both men and women's invitations for him to stay.

"You said you were leaving," he said to Yukifumi who was standing outside, leaning on his car.

"I thought I was, too," Yukifumi admitted. "But I guess someone wanted me to stay."

"Oh,yeah? And who might that someone be?"

"Myself." Yukifumi looked up. "Ookouchi Sakuya, I guess I must apologize. I was beyond rude. I have no excuses for my words a while ago."

Sakuya remained silent; Yukifumi studied his feet.

"You asked me before if that was the kind of lifestyle I had," Sakuya spoke. "My answer is no. I was merely doing my job."

"Job? You mean you work here?"

"Yeah, just got my pay." He patted the pocket of his jacket. "You want to eat something? My treat."

Instantly, Yukifumi felt relaxed. That explained his popularity. And also why he called himself a professional.

"So that's what you wanted to show me," he mused aloud. "Your workplace, is it? It isn't too low for my standards at all. In fact," he smiled, "I think it's…cool." He stumbled over the rarely used word.

Sakuya gave a self-satisfied smirk. "Now let's go grab some dinner!"