Switch Chapter 14
The chatter amongst the din was astronomical. K sat trying to listen to Hoshi, Cho, Akio and Suzume talking about their latest purchases. Before they'd gone for dinner and drinks, they'd hit the shops in Shibuya. He was ashamed to admit it but he'd happily blown some cash on some pretty new things. A new pair of shoes—K concluded that he really had a thing for shoes—a great dress that looked like it was aimed to kill, a swimsuit and a new free loading P229 pistol. The girls thought he was the craziest chick they'd ever met, but they admitted they felt safe around their newest trigger happy girlfriend. They even said that he often reminded them of a man, which made K grin. Shoes were great, but he could never pass a gun shop without going in for at least a peek.
What could he say? Shopping with these women had been extremely fun! He could giggle and talk about girly things and no one so much as batted an eye.
But now they were seated in some cute posh place for dinner, music and happy talking voices filling the air. K sat sipping a beer while the others had some kind of pink frozen type drink in oversized martini glasses–all except Akio who kept hers alcohol free and was also cleaning house on the appetizers. K watched the pregnant woman with wide eyes. And he'd thought he had an appetite.
"Cho, I'm telling you that scarf was ten percent off just last week, you should go back and demand they give you the same price," exclaimed Akio.
Cho waved her friend off and said, "What's a few yen?
The other girls snorted and eyed a hot waiter. They all giggled.
"Whoever guesses that guy's age gets her next drink on me," dared Suzume, eyeing the cute waiter with buns of steel.
K glanced at the waiter and scoffed. Man, they were at it again. He listened to them as they all made their guess. K chuckled to himself and thought the waiter reminded him of Hiro. Funny, everything made him think of Hiro these days. Except Hiro had a much nicer ass, prettier face and his hair looked much softer.
"Claudia, go on, take a guess," offered Hoshi with a giggle.
"Yea, guess, Claudia…you've been so quiet since we got here," Akio admitted.
K looked at the waiter again carefully and said, "Twenty-two."
Cho called the waiter over and told him they all had a bet that they could guess his age. The waiter blushed and looked like he was a little put on the spot. He told them he was twenty-one.
"HA! You were so off Suzume…he was nowhere near twenty-six," cried Akio and laughed. The waiter left, looking awfully embarrassed.
"The only one whose guess was even close was Claudia. We suck," whined Hoshi and sipped her drink, pouting.
K grinned. Yay! He'd get a free beer. But he found himself still not able to get into the girly conversation that resumed. His mind was elsewhere…it was on Hiro. K couldn't understand why he thought of the man so much lately. All he wanted was to go home and be in his presence, feel those arms holding him close, those lips kissing his face. He sighed, barely listening to his friends.
"—wait, what do you mean with the 'waiter's hair is too long'? I think it's sexy," Akio sighed like she'd like nothing more than to play with the man's hair. "You just don't see many guys who can pull that off, you know?"
Hoshi rolled her eyes, "I think he looks like an Amazon, almost like a girl!"
Cho spluttered on her drink and K patted her back absentmindedly.
"Claudia, what's wrong? You don't seem like yourself all of a sudden. You were happy when we were shopping, weren't you?" Suzume wondered, taking notice of the change.
"Maybe it's that time of month," groaned Akio, whose own hormones were going crazy with pregnancy.
The unsettling feeling that all eyes were on him came over K. He looked at the four women and shrugged. Sadly enough, it actually is that time of the month, he thought dryly. Was that why he felt so moody? Was that why those pants he tried on earlier felt so gross and tight? He was so disappointed too because it started just after work. That meant no nookie tonight with Hiro. "Oh I had lots of fun shopping, you girls are the best," K declared happily, "It's not that…" he trailed off and tried to start again, "I've just been thinking…"
The four women looked at each other skeptically, "Aww, did you go on another one of those stupid blind dates?" Hoshi wondered, looking over at K concernedly.
"Man, if I had some guy pull that 'holier than thou' shit on me I would have smacked him with my purse," complained Cho over one of K's many blind date tales.
"And let's not forget the weirdo who had his morals all screwed up. Who thinks sex with a man is not sex. Um, like yeah…whatever," jeered Suzume.
K found himself grinning over their comments, "Yea, those dates really sucked. It's not about a blind date. I think I've just been a complete idiot."
"Hunnie, don't say that," Akio soothed and patted his arm, "Who made you feel like an idiot? I say we go find them, punch their lights out and feed them natto."
The group howled and cackled. Natto was one of the most notoriously disgusting foods in Japan. It was gooey and sticky like peanut butter but smelled decisively like excrement.
K laughed as well. "Now, that was just totally evil Akio."
Akio grinned, looking very satisfied, "Well yeah, but someone has our Claudia upset. Time to spill it girl, we're not letting you leave until you tell us what's wrong."
All the girls nodded with unswerving confirmation.
Sighing, K felt very grateful towards his new friends. Women were really something. Instead of getting you drunk to drown away your sorrows or worries, or slapping you on the back and telling you to suck it up like a man, they insisted they wanted to help. Maybe they could help, heck, he'd never been one to discuss his thoughts so openly before. He liked to work things out himself, but perhaps that was what he'd been doing wrong. "Well…I think I have feelings for someone. Someone I pushed away and basically laughed at when they told me that they loved me." K gulped down some beer and couldn't look the girls in the eye.
They all sat staring wide eyed at him for a moment. A few long seconds later they squealed with joy at the prospect of drama.
"Oh you didn't!" Suzume cried, "They must have felt horrible!"
K winced at that.
"But wait, you think you love them back now?" wondered Cho.
K nodded, "I think I might, yes."
A burst of astonished clatter came from the girls.
"How? What changed your mind? Oh, oh, oh, who is it?" squealed Hoshi.
Groaning, K wasn't sure if he should tell them or not. He didn't want to embarrass the man. But then, these women were his friend's right? He could tell them personal things without them judging him, right? "It's Hiroshi, but DON'T tell him, okay?" K demanded, blushing a little. Before he could continue, Hoshi, Suzume, Akio and Cho all gawked at him.
In unison they all went, "Oh my god!"
Cho smacked his arm in mock anger and said, "How could you not tell us something like this sooner? Claudia you vixen, it's evil keeping something like this a secret."
Once more the girls nodded in agreement.
K laughed, "Oh come on. He needs to be protected from the press and all that shit. Besides, I didn't realize I felt this way until just recently. I think of him all the time…"
The girls sighed dreamily. "You guys did it!" gasped Akio, "Details, details, you must tell us what he's like in bed."
K made a shocked face, "I don't just kiss and tell!" He laughed and looked embarrassed. "Well, he's really good downtown...if you get my drift." K smirked and sipped his beer smugly. His female company almost died in their seats. Haha, he just couldn't resist that one dirty detail.
"I'm SO jealous," Suzume whined. "I haven't met a guy once that could deliver the goods. No, they just want it to go straight to sex, which is terribly boring."
Everyone nodded, even K. They weren't half wrong, he thought deprecatingly. He knew what some men were like, but he felt he had to say something in defence for the rest of the male population, "But not all men. You just have to find the ones that like the honey." He giggled, feeling very naughty indeed.
His friends all squealed again.
"Ok, we're getting off topic here. So, what's gotten you into such deep thought? Because Hiro told you he loved you…" Another moment of girly chortling occurred, "…and you denied him?"
K sighed, "Sort of…but it was a different situation at the time. I thought it was only a crush, but maybe I was wrong. I hope I'm wrong because, after being with him for so long, sharing his apartment...I really learned something about him. He's like my best friend, he cares about me and I walked all over him. That's why I'm an idiot."
"You live with him? Wow Claudia, that's moving pretty fast, wouldn't you say?" Akio wondered.
"Again, it was a different situation. Long story, but I don't know. Maybe this is all sexual and I'm all wrong. Maybe I'm confusing love and lust," K spoke his mind out loud. Wow, he realized he was talking from his heart and he wasn't thinking twice. He also realized he was more concerned about Hiro at the moment, than worrying about changing back into a man. Follow his heart, eh? He grinned. "Look guys, I've got to go. I have to go tell Hiro how I feel right now. It can't wait!" he clamoured and got up from his seat. "You girls are the best! Here, let me pay for dinner and the drinks. You guys really helped me tonight, you're a girl's best friend," he gushed.
Resounding murmurs of 'aww's came from the girls and they all hugged their foreign girlfriend goodnight. "Hurry Claudia, don't let Hiro get away!" Cho ordered.
"Right. Use that gun of yours if you have to!" hollered Suzume as a joke.
The girls all giggled as he ran out of the restaurant and into the late night air. Outside, K took out his piece of paper with his itinerary on it. So far he had skydiving, blind dating, sex, shopping (girl style), and the message in the bottle, flower arranging, and now dinner with the girls checked off. Of course, some of those had been added later on, but he felt like he was putting a real dent in his mission. Nothing he did could be looked on as stupid or silly. How would he know what was great fun or just plain stupid if he didn't try them, right? Like the old man Sato Ryuu. Without him, K never would have thought to step foot into that flower shop, and Hoshi, Suzume, Cho and Akio, were people he never would have thought to befriend. Besides, they probably wouldn't have given him the time of day as a man.
K walked down the street with a serious sense of accomplishment. He definitely wasn't wasting his time, moping in his office, bored and with no life to speak of. Now, as a woman he was truly enjoying his life. For a moment he wondered if dying had been a good thing after all. He felt happier now than he had a few months ago as K the man. And now he was going to race home, the home which was Hiro's, and declare how much he cared about him—loved him. K could have skipped down the street with just how incredible he felt with this revelation. But why hadn't he seen it all before?
"Because you are a nimrod that was too wrapped up in your own 'problems' to notice," K barked to himself and chuckled. Yeah, he'd been so stupid, he thought. When Hiro came to him at the office he was only a shell of what he was now. K realized he'd become a little bitter and closed everyone off from himself back then. He had literally forgotten how to enjoy life, enjoy love. K remembered the kiss Hiro had pressed to his lips after his declaration. It had felt so good even then, but he had been too far gone to consider it. Who was the first person he'd run to? Hiro. Who was the person he told all his troubles too? Hiro. Who was the person who listened, the person who jumped out of a plane for him without complaint? Hiro.
"I hope you're home Hiro," K said out loud in thought.
"That's only if you get home to your lover boy," a voice sneered.
K spun around, or rather was jarred by force as some ruffian grabbed his arm. He hadn't realized it, but while he was in deep thought he'd walked into a shady part of town. The man tried to grab his purse and K kicked the guy in the shins. The man grunted in pain and K tried to reach for his new gun. But the man was pretty quick and belted him right across the face. K lost his balance and landed on his rump. He rubbed his cheek and snarled, "You're going to pay for that!" at the mugger.
"Whatever, bitch," drawled the mugger and produced a knife, "Get up and go down that alley." The man waved the knife threateningly.
Like fuck, K thought and hiked up his skirt so he could round house the knife out of the mugger's hand. A metallic clanking sounded as the knife tumbled over the pavement. Once more K reached for his new gun, but was grabbed by his hair and the gun fell out of his purse in the struggle. Shit! "Look, just take the money and fuck off!" K swore at his attacker.
"Nah, that'll be payment after I take what I want from you," the man sneered as he yanked harder on the mass of blonde hair in his hand.
K was completely at a loss, the pain from the hair-pulling was excruciating, but he didn't cry or scream. Instead he struggled like banshee, wishing he had his manly strength. He had to get out of this! He'd dealt with those thugs at that bar, so he could do it now too. Just as the man let go of his hair, to run a slimy paw over his breasts, something long and hard smacked the attackers head. He went down like a ton of bricks. K looked up and saw his rescuer, just some regular guy that offered his hand, the other holding a two by four.
"You looked like you were in trouble. Come on, let's get you out of here," the man said. Hesitant, K took the man's hand and let himself be led out of the dark laneway. "I found this on the sidewalk," the man said, thrusting a purse and a shopping bag at K.
K took the handbag and his purchases, thanking the guy. He went to retrieve his gun and cursed at himself for being so slow. The man eyed the weapon precariously but said nothing as he called the police. "Thanks again," K muttered, feeling a little humiliated and relieved all at once.
"More people need to step up and lend a hand now days, don't you think?" the man spoke in a deviant voice.
"Oh, for sure. People have to stop being such pussies," K gave his insight in such tasteful fashion.
The man gave him a look and then chuckled, "My name is Daiki. After the cops come, do you need a ride home?"
"Would you mind? Its not far from here," K told him. He just wanted to go home.
"Of course I don't mind. For a pretty girl like you, it'll be the best drive home all week," Daiki said and opened the door for K who gazed at him doubtfully. "I'm not hitting on you or anything, just paying a compliment," he laughed and showed K his wedding band. "Married for ten years, I wouldn't destroy that for the world."
Relieved once more at the sight of the band, K grinned. He really didn't need to set himself up with another pervert tonight, he thought. Daiki insisted they wait for the police, and they arrived pretty quickly. K pointed down the alleyway where the mugger lay still unconscious. The cops filled out their report and threw the attacker into their car. They told K that they may come to question him some more the following day. K nodded and when he was allowed to leave he got into the car and gave directions to Daiki where to drop him off.
Hiro had just parked his bike in the spot designated for his apartment, from a night out with Shuichi. Well, they hadn't gone anywhere special, they'd only spent a few hours at Yuki's house. Actually, Hiro had decided to let Shuichi know about the upcoming trip to Las Vegas. In many ways Hiro was very excited about it. But Shuichi had gone bug eyed and immediately questioned about Yuki. The rest of the evening Hiro had to listen to Shuichi begging Yuki to come along. Hiro wasn't sure, but the writer looked a little worried about Shuichi going all the way to Vegas alone. At least something's changed in the last three years, Hiro thought happily. He would be happy for Shuichi if he could bring along his boyfriend, maybe he'd ask K about it when he got home.
Here was home, Hiro thought with a happy gait in his step. He was about to put his key in the main front door, when he saw a car parked in front. Hiding from view he spied when he saw that unmistakeable blonde head. It was K, in a car with another guy. Hiro's eyebrows stitched together when he noticed K's head disappear below the window and looked to be bobbing up and down. UGH! Hiro stared like he'd been shot through the heart and had yet to feel the life draining from his wound. Feeling almost sick he couldn't watch anymore of this and dashed upstairs to his apartment.
An unnatural fury took over Hiro and he punched at the wall, leaving an imprint of his fist. "K…I give up!" he screamed, feeling hot tears threatening to spill from behind his lids. He started packing all of K's things in his travelling bag.
"Oh man, I'm really clumsy tonight, when you hit that speed bump my lipstick jumped right out of my bag," K groaned as he stretched and reached around Daiki's feet near the gas pedal. Manicured fingers groped around until he found his shimmer autumn frost coloured lipstick. "I'd leave it, but I just bought it and well, you know, heh," K muttered, "OH, found it!" He held up the lipstick like a glow stick. He opened the passenger door, "Thanks so much for helping me out and dropping me off. Oh, here, I have something if you'd like," K dug in his purse for his business card. "Call me at my office and I'll hook you up with Bad Luck concert tickets…you know, take the wife. She'll love it," K assured.
Daiki took the business card and looked it over, "Wow, you're the band manager of Bad Luck. Haha, it's a small world, eh? I might take you up on those concert tickets one day. Have a safe night now, okay, Claudia. Stay away from dark alleys at night," he advised.
K gave his hero a salute and hurried inside the apartment building. Feeling a whirlwind of emotions over everything that had happened during the night, K was SO glad to be home. He opened the door only to have his duffle bag dropped at his feet. Then he looked up to see a very irate Hiroshi. Hiro was emanating so much anger that K stepped back. "What's wrong Hiro?" he asked worriedly.
"I want you to leave," Hiro said with forced calm. "I give up K, just get out."
Stunned and not quite understanding, K asked, "What do you mean? Did I do something wrong?" Discombobulation permeated K's words and he frowned worriedly at Hiro.
"No, you didn't do anything wrong. I'm the one that was wrong…I can't do this anymore. I'm so stupid," Hiro groaned angrily and forced those threatening tears to stay back.
"But I have something to tell you Hiro…"
"I don't care! Stop fucking with me!" Hiro yelled, pausing for a moment to take a long breath. "Just leave me alone, okay?" he said calmly but eerily, turning and walking to his room, slamming the door behind him.
K stood utterly dumbfounded. Hurt, shocked, and completely abandoned. What had come over Hiro? Was he drunk? He looked over the apartment and noticed that all of his belongings had been packed away. Tears welled in his eyes. Didn't Hiro love him anymore? Bah! He'd been fooling himself tonight. Hiro didn't really want him, just like he'd first thought. It was all just a crush and now he was disgusted with him.
Thoughts buzzed through K's head, but every new thought made less sense than the previous. He had no idea what had induced Hiro's erratic and uncharacteristic behaviour—but he'd leave, that was fine. He wouldn't stay where he wasn't wanted. Obviously something had angered the guitarist. Damn this! K picked up his duffle bag and left quietly. How could he force an angry Hiro to listen to him? K thought he'd only embarrass himself now if he told Hiro how he felt about him. What a joke, K decided, and sighed as if his heart was breaking in two. Hrmph, he'd let sex cloud his mind. But... If that was true, why did he feel so horribly shattered?
"I was just beginning to realize…how much I love you Hiro," K mumbled and hailed a taxi.
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A/N: Before Las Vegas I had to cause some trouble for Hiro and K. K needed to realize how he loves Hiro but now this big misunderstanding. After the next chapter I take the gang Las Vegas and yes Yuki will be coming along as well as Nittle Grasper. From some of your comments, yes I like K much better as a man myself, he's becoming much to girly--this chapter really doesn't help his case lol. But more of the less girly K will be coming soon! Thanks you guys for your lovely comments. I hope you continue to enjoy. Much love!
