Mixed Up Love

Prologue: The Opposite Sides of the Same Coin and Those in Between

By Nanako

Miyagi Ryota shifted in his chair uncomfortably. It has been over an hour since the press conference ended, but somehow the tense atmosphere inside the president's office hadn't improved at all.

It wasn't in his personality to just sit and wait, but he couldn't possibly say no to an emergency meeting (since the press conference took up the time for their meeting), which the president personally arranged for them all. Among all the 4 occupants of the said room, only Miyagi, the head of security, was not a major in both economics and law - therefore making all the others patient people, whilst Miyagi isn't. His forte was in the security department and he was very useful there indeed. And in his long years in the service, he had learned to stretch his patience to its very limits.

But still, waiting for over an hour for a president, who has been in seclusion in the securely locked adjoining room, - and not showing signs of showing up any time soon- was wearing the patience of a man who didn't have much patience to begin with.

Miyagi sighed. This was really wearing him out.

But, just as he thought the president wouldn't come out from the adjoining room, the locked door opened. And contrary to the way it was closed roughly an hour ago (it was obviously slammed shut), the door was opened rather slowly and calmly. And out of it emerged a man who looked too young to be the president of a whole country.

Fujima Kenji, the 25 year old president, sat down calmly and smiled at the other 4 leaders of the government.

Miyagi saw Jin Souichiro, the head of the Department of Finance (DoF), cringe at the smile. Everyone knew the difference between the president's near identical strained smile and normal smile. And this smile was waaay different from his normal smile. It was a bona fide strained one.

After a few more minutes of wasted silence, one person gathered the courage to break the ice, even with the president's current condition.

"Mr. President, I certainly hope you didn't take the opposing government party's comments about the results of the recent surveys too seriously. I am very sure you are leading, as your campaign is going on smoothly and the media has confirmed that you are leading according to the recent polls performed by the National Business Club," Sendoh Akira, the presidential spokesman, said, flashing the president his confident smile.

Fujima, then, lost the control he had been preparing for the last hour during his time of seclusion in the adjoining room. He slammed his fist on the table. "How dare that Maki Shinichi and the rest of his scumbag colleagues say that they are leading in the election race?! LEADING?! I hope I don't see that ass during my campaign or I might just punch him in the face! That no good....argh!" Fujima yelled in exasperation, the part of his brain which was responsible for putting curses together had just shut down completely.

"Feeling better?" Rukawa Kaede, the presidential adviser asked.

Miyagi always looked up to the guy, although he would rather die than admit that to him. A few years younger than Miyagi, Rukawa Kaede is one of the people who understood Fujima best. And that is a pretty hard thing to do, since the president was very unpredictable, at least in Miyagi's point of view.

Fujima nodded his head slowly, before looking up and giving them a tired smile. "I'm sorry, I was just tired and the pressure of the upcoming elections is really getting to me."

"We understand that very well sir," Sendoh said, as the rest of the room's occupants - who weren't as relaxed as Sendoh and Rukawa, so that would leave Miyagi and Jin - visibly relaxed in their seats.

Fujima massaged his temple. "Alright, let's get this thing rolling." He turned to Miyagi. "Are you done with your report?"

"Yes sir."

"Let me see it."

"At once sir." Miyagi fished out his report and handed the papers to the president.

Fujima took the papers and laid them out on the table. He put on his reading glasses and began reading them silently. After a few minutes of silent reading, he sighed and ran his hand through his brown hair. "How are the preparations?"

"The protest is scheduled tomorrow afternoon a few hours before you leave for your campaign sir," Miyagi said. "I already mobilized my men in order to secure the area. So you have nothing to worry about sir."

"Good." Fujima looked at Jin this time. "How about your department?"

"Everything's going fine sir," Jin said, handing some papers to Fujima. "Here's my official report."

Fujima read the document as Jin continued, "The foreign leaders and investors seem very pleased with the current peace and order of our country. We may finally see a break from the economic crisis."

"Finally, some good news..." Fujima put the papers down and gave them back to Miyagi and Jin. "Hand these to my secretary in order to have them filed." He looked at his watch before addressing them again. "Let's call it a night gentlemen. See you again tomorrow morning for the beginning the last two weeks of our election campaign."

Fujima was tired, it has been a long day and the issues bombarding him and his administration were multiplying like roaches in the kitchen. But a short call from his secretary reminded him that he had one last appointment for the day.

So there he was in another conference room, waiting for an old friend.

And his friend did not disappoint him, because the ever punctual president of the National Business Club, as well as the vice president, entered the conference room according to his appointment time.

Fujima stood up to shake their hands. "Good evening Toru, Kogure."

Hanagata Toru and Kogure Kiminobu, the president and vice president of the National Business Club, respectively, accepted the handshake.

"Good evening to you too Mr. President," Hanagata and Kogure greeted as the three took their seats.

"So...what brings the two of you here at this late hour?"

Kogure opened his briefcase and handed a folder to Fujima.

"Inside are the results of the recent survey we conducted recently," Hanagata explained. "With our support you would win without question."

Fujima studied the graphs and figures in the survey and agreed. Indeed, if it weren't for the support of the business sector, he would be in very deep shit.

He closed the folder. "Thank you for your continual support gentlemen."

Hanagata turned to Kogure. "Kiminobu, you can go ahead. I need to talk with the president about some personal matters."

A knowing smile spread across Kogure's features as he nodded. He closed his briefcase and excused himself before leaving the room completely, locking the door behind him as he left.

Hanagata turned back to Fujima with a warm smile on his face. "So how's everything going Kenji?"

Fujima slumped down on his chair and cast a tired look to Hanagata. "What does it look like Toru? The press really knows how to bug busy people."

"I know..." Hanagata stood up and went behind Fujima. "And I know just what you need." He placed both his palms on Fujima's shoulder and began kneading the tense muscles.

"Ohh...Toru..." Fujima moaned, relaxing in his friend's hands. "You have the best timing, you know that?"

Hanagata just smiled as he continued with the massage. "No more meetings for today?" he asked as his hands began treading lower.

Fujima shook his head. "You're the last one in the list...because I need to leave early tomorrow...Oh gods Toru...you always press the right buttons when you give me a massage..."

"Of course..." Hanagata whispered as he gave one final squeeze before leaning down and dropping a chaste kiss on Fujima's forehead. "Feeling any better?"

Fujima smiled and nodded. "Much better Toru. It's as if my body forgot its tiredness."

"But since you have an early day tomorrow... I don't think you're fit to do even one round."

Fujima laughed and playfully punched Hanagata's arm. "How come every time you come here, all you think about is getting into my pants hm?"

"Because you're too perfect to be true," Hanagata replied. "And I can't stop thinking about you."

Fujima shook his head. "And to think I haven't agreed to be your boyfriend yet."

"No pressure Kenji. I told you to take your time thinking about my proposal."

Fujima smiled at Hanagata and held his hand in both of his. "I AM thinking about it Toru. But being the president of a whole country doesn't give me much free time to think about stuff like this, especially with the press buzzing around like flies because of the elections."

Hanagata shook his head and replied, "Don't worry about it, I can wait..." He kissed Fujima's hand and stood up. "I'd better be on my way and give you some well deserved rest."

"You're not staying?"

"If I stay, neither of us will be getting enough sleep," Hanagata replied, laughing as he approached the door. "Get some rest Kenji."

Maki smiled as he read the report of his campaign manager, Koshino Hiroaki. He put the papers down on his desk and shook his head. "You love messing up their heads don't you Koshino?"

"I'm just doing my job sir."

"And part of that is messing up the heads of the other party?"

"That IS part of the job description the last time I checked sir," Koshino replied with a hearty smile on his face. "I need to make sure you win the upcoming elections."

"And you're doing a fine job," Maki commended. "But Fujima's party isn't that simple to beat, I'm sure they're already making plans to step up their campaign..."Then Maki changed the subject. "How are the preparations for tomorrow?"

Koshino pulled out a piece of paper from the folder in his hand and gave it to Maki, who read it thoroughly. "All we know is that the president is leaving tomorrow to continue his campaign, a few hours after the farmers begin their protest. So we also need to step up our campaign, whether or not we know their destination."

"We're leaving at almost the same time as the president?"

"I'm afraid that is the only option for tomorrow sir. Your interview ends approximately 30 minutes before departure, so we can't leave earlier than that. Making it an hour after would be wasting our time."

"I agree...We can't possibly waste anymore time. We need to buy as many hearts as we can before the election comes." Maki leaned down on his chair, a tired expression on his face. "What are the odds of Fujima's party going to the same destination as we are?" He just HAD to ask that.

"The chances are very slim sir," Koshino answered surely.

"That's good to hear." Maki picked up the papers on his desk and gave them to Koshino. "Please give these to Jean, then you can go home."

"Consider it done sir." Koshino took the papers and bid Maki goodnight before leaving his office to give the papers to Maki's secretary.

Hanagata stepped out of the elevator with a very huge smile on his face.

"Did he say yes already?"

Hanagata stopped in his tracks and looked at Kogure, who was leaning against a huge pillar in the lobby. "I thought I told you to go ahead?"

"I want first takings of any news or gossip concerning your current obsession."

"It's not obsession Kiminobu."

Kogure just shook his head as the two continued their walk through the lobby. "So, did he?"

"He's still thinking about it," Hanagata replied, still with that big smile on his face.

A look of confusion crossed Kogure's features before he slowed down to a complete stop. "Then what are you so happy about?"

Hanagata stopped walking and looked into Kogiure's eyes. "Because there's no way he won't say no. He owes us his position, and he's more innocent and gullible than he seems to be."

This time Kogure smiled too. "You have him wrapped around your little finger huh?"

"Did you expect less?"

Kogure gave Hanagata a pat on the back, "You are such a dirty, scheming, conniving bastard, you know that?"

Hanagata raised an eyebrow at his friend. "Is that a compliment from someone who fits in the same criteria of 'dirty, scheming, conniving bastard'?"

"Of course it is. And I don't expect anything less of you my friend," Kogure said, glasses glinting as they made their way out of the building.

End of Prologue