AN: So updates. Yeah. Remember how I mentioned consistency? I'm bad at that. It hasn't even been two days :x But I decided not to sit on the chapter and just post it. Which means I doubt you'll get another one till next week now but you might find occasionally you get a few chapters in a row. Depends how excited I get and when my days off are. Also Nariko's back (Akihito's mother from my fic A Mutual Affair) I forgot to mention that in the last chapter where Akihito spoke with her on the phone.

Akihito wasn't quite sure how he got here. It was all a blur of thoughts running in circles while he tried to wrap his head around the whole I have found my soulmate thing. So now he was sitting in some fancy restaurant in Ginza with a menu open in front of him getting a late lunch with his soulmate, holy fuck. He had been told to order whatever he would like off the menu but every time he looked at the prices he felt a little faint. One meal for two here would pay for his rent for a week! Between his dithering over the prices and his brain flittering off to freak out over recent events he hadn't even begun to decide what he wanted to order when a waiter showed up asking if they were ready. Akihito floundered slightly but the menu was taken out of his hands by the man sitting across from him who proceeded to smoothly order a list of things that he barely registered. Amused golden eyes turned back to him and a smirk appeared.

"You seemed to be having some trouble so I got a few different things to try."

"Ah, thank you. I've never been somewhere like this," Akihito gave a nervous laugh. "I'm pretty sure what you just ordered could pay my rent for a week." Asami just chuckled.

"Now Akihito," the way this man said his name sounded so good it should be a sin, "You seemed rather shocked when I told you my name, have you heard of me by chance?"

Akihito paused and weighed up what he should say. This man was his soulmate after all, he should be honest. As far as all the rumours went, he didn't seem so bad in person. The gossip around the station made the man sitting in front of him out to be some sort of demon.

"I've heard your name before," He spoke slowly, picking his words. "I'm a photographer and do lots of different freelance jobs for cash but I'm mainly a criminal photographer." He glanced up into the intense gaze of the other man, trying to gauge a reaction but nothing changed in his expression. Akihito took a deep breath and continued on. "I've been warned away from anything to do with your name, too dangerous apparently. I did try and chase down a couple of tip offs that had your name attached. I was curious to see what everyone was so afraid of but both turned out to be fake and if I don't get a scoop, I don't get paid. My curiosity wasn't worth not being able to eat for a week so I left it alone after that."

"Interesting." Before anymore could be said the food arrived. The waiter put down a few different dishes on their table along with a bottle of wine after filling up their glasses. He vanished off after a small bow and a polite 'please enjoy your meal'.

Akihito stared at the food in front of them, mouth watering. It looked and smelt amazing. He honestly didn't know where to begin. He was probably supposed to hold back and eat politely seeing as where they were but he wasn't sure that he would be able to hold back once he got started. He wasn't even aware that he had been ogling the food until a chuckle interrupted his thoughts.

"Help yourself, you don't have to hold back."

"Thanks for the meal!"

While they ate, or more accurately while Akihito ate and Asami watched him in amusement, Asami would ask the odd question and between mouthfuls Akihito chattered away about his life, work, friends and family. The businessman seemed surprisingly intrigued by Akihito's animation and enthusiasm over even the most mundane things.

"Seeing as you are a photographer, I assume you are going to need a new camera?"

"Ah, yeah, at some point. I have an older model I can use in the meantime. They aren't cheap unfortunately," Akihito grimaced. "It's a shame, I got this one for such a bargain. It performs so well too! Well, it did." He sighed and stretched as the waiter came over to remove the empty plates.

"Ahh, that food was good!" Asami gave a small smile.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Now if you aren't in a hurry, I have one more place I would like to go with you." Asami signalled for the waiter to come back and handed over fancy looking black and silver card to pay. A few minutes later the waiter came back, Asami signed the little piece of paper and then they were heading out of the restaurant.

"So, where to?"

"Your camera store."

"What?"

"You need a new camera yes?"

"Yeah, but I don't have the money right now-"

"That's fine. I'll pay for it."

"What?" Asami looked at him in amusement.

"I said, I'll pay for it."

"No."

"Excuse me?" The businessman seemed genuinely surprised.

"I said no. Look, I understand you have money and all but I've just met you and I can look after myself. I know you're my soulmate and all but that doesn't mean you owe me anything," Akihito shrugged uncomfortably. "I'm going to use my old camera for a bit and save up for a new one. Although I did appreciate the lunch, you didn't have to do that." Asami was still staring at him with wide eyes.

"What's with that look? Do people normally come and try and leech money off you?" he snorted when he got no answer. "Man, you need better friends. As I said, I can look after myself, its fine, I don't want a hand out." Asami seemed to come back to himself and narrowed his eyes at Akihito.

"We are going to the camera shop and I am buying you a new camera."

"What part of 'I don't want your money' did you not understand?" Asami growled and started to slowly stalk towards the photographer. He suddenly seemed far more intimidating and more along the lines of the whispered rumours he remembered hearing at the police station.

"You are my soulmate. I look after my things-"

"I'm not a-!" Akihito tried to protested but Asami talked over him, he was now standing only a few scant centimetres away and a deadly aura was rolling off him in waves.

"And I'm not about to let my soulmate go without something when I can help it. You need a camera for work so it's important and as such we are going to get you a new one. Do I make myself clear?" Akihito huffed.

"You aren't used to people telling you no, are you?" Golden eyes glared at him.

"Fine! Just this once. Don't you even think about babying me with stuff later." Akihito tried to match the glare but he didn't think he could pull it off quite so well and sure enough it didn't seem to have an effect on the businessman. He grumbled as they walked towards the store. Why on earth did he end up with this man as his soulmate?

VFVFVFVFVFVFVF

Akihito walked into his little run-down apartment and carefully sat his new camera and lenses on the coffee table and threw himself onto the couch. He buried his face into the cushion and groaned. He had accepted the offer of a ride home without much thought and had just been dropped off home in a limo. A limousine of all things. Seriously who rides around in one of those like it's nothing? The trip to the flash camera store had started out fine with Akihito dragging Asami around the store exclaiming over all the things and pointing out all the useful accessories that he would like one day. What he hadn't realised was that Asami had snagged one of the employees and they were taking note of what things he was pointing out. He had been ogling the latest models of cameras on display when Asami called him over to the register. Akihito gaped at all the things spread out over the counter that were being scanned and packaged. He had turned to Asami rather alarmed and had opened his mouth to question what he was doing when the businessman's phone started to ring. He passed over the same credit card as earlier and excused himself to step outside to take the call. Akihito had turned to plead with the sales assistant.

"So, I don't need all this. Whiles he's out we can put some of this back." The assistant just laughed.

"Sorry man, I listen to the person with the credit card," He whistled. "Especially when they have one of these babies. Don't see a card like this very often. If it were me I wouldn't say anything. Seriously just let daddy buy you your stuff."

"He's not my dad!"

"Who is he then?" Akihito looked away and fidgeted a little. The whole thing still seemed so surreal to him.

"He's my soulmate."

"Damn dude! You got lucky! I'd kill to have that kinda money thrown at me. But anyway, just keep your mouth shut and let your sugar daddy treat you. You seriously don't know how lucky you are." Akihito choked at the sugar daddy comment but before he could protest further the man himself came back and so Akihito ended up with more camera equipment than he ever imagined himself owning. He just couldn't get over the events today. Broke his camera, found his soulmate, got more than just a new camera and then a ride home in a limo. He groaned again. Now that he was by himself and able to collect his thoughts he realised that all day he had been the one doing all the talking and while he knew the name and face of his soulmate, he didn't know anything about the man himself. The rumours were clearly exaggerated as the man had seem civil enough except for when Akihito had tried to tell him no, then he got a glimpse of a very intimidating persona. Otherwise he just seemed to have that small smirk and amused glint in his eyes. The deep baritone of his voice would catch him off guard nearly every time and he would feel little shivers travel down his spine. He just didn't really know what to make of the man. Or of the whole soulmate thing. Great, so this person was 'meant' for him. His perfect counterpart. But in what way? There was nothing that told him how they fit together, nothing gave a hint as to what this all meant. He knew that was how it worked but it seemed far harder now that he was faced with so many questions.

When he had spoken with those he knew who had found their soulmates, they all seemed have come to the conclusion about how they fit together fairly quickly. But he honestly felt like everything was still a mystery. He had enjoyed their lunch together and Asami had seem genuinely interested in what he was saying. But the man himself said so little and Akihito felt like tearing his hair out in frustration.

He remembered what he had been taught in school about soulmates; "Each and every person on this earth has a soulmate destined for them. Unfortunately most people don't find this other person. There are a lot of people on this planet to try and sort through to find just one single person and lots of things can happen in the meantime. People die every day, at all ages. Each time someone dies, someone else has lost a soulmate. But those that are lucky enough to find this other person, finds someone who fills a missing part of themselves. Soulmates are broadly described as being one of two types, platonic or romantic but don't be fooled, that kind of bond is hard to define in such simple terms. The beauty of human nature is that the missing part is different for everyone. The very meaning behind soulmate is different for everyone and one of the great joys is finding out what that person is to you."

But it didn't help. He had no idea where to begin to sort out his emotions about this man. He couldn't see them being platonic soulmates. Just a friend for a man like that? He wondered if Asami even had friends. Real friends, not people after his money. He wasn't too sure judging on the reaction he had gotten when he tried to turn down the gift. But that left a soulmate in the romantic terms and Akihito wasn't too sure about that either. Sure, the businessman was very attractive and that voice sounded like sin but that didn't mean that much, did it? Why was this all so hard?

He was interrupted from his thoughts by his ringtone for the second time that day. He reluctantly pulled out his phone and checked the caller ID. Okaasan again? Slightly worried that something might have happened to warrant a second call on the same day, Akihito picked up.

"Okaasan? Is everything alright?" He was greeted by an excited squeal.

"Aki! I have the best news! You remember old Tamura-san from next door? She found her soulmate today! There's this new older couple that moved in nearby and the wife joined Tamura-san's knitting club and that's how they found each other. I'm so excited for them! They both are married with kids and grandkids and it looks as though they will be thick as thieves and getting into all sorts of mischief together. She said they clicked right away and immediately knew they were platonic soulmates once they realised." Akihito winced when his mother squealed again. As she chattered on for a bit, Akihito let his mind wander. How come they got it so easy? How come they knew straight away and Akihito was stuck here with more questions than answers?

"Aki dear?" He was jolted back out of his thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay? You're very quiet." He let out a breath.

"Ah, I'm just a bit distracted is all. It's been a crazy day."

"Oh? Did something happen after my call earlier? Oh! Did you find your soulmate maybe?" Nariko said teasingly. Akihito didn't reply, he couldn't even form the words.

"Aki?" When she got no response, Nariko squealed. "You did, didn't you! See, I told you that you would forget to tell me when it happened! I'm so excited for you, Aki! You have to tell me everything! How did you meet? What are they like? Oh, are they male or female?"

"Male. He's… older. I didn't ask him his age actually. He's a businessman, although he didn't tell me exactly what he does it seems like he's done pretty well for himself considering where he took me out for lunch." Another squeal sounded out through the phone speaker.

"What's his name? Oh! What does he look like? Is he handsome? Do you think he's going to be a romantic partner or a platonic one?" Akihito could barely keep up with the onslaught of questions, his mother was talking so fast in her excitement.

"His name's Asami Ryuichi and he seems fairly attractive," he said tentatively. "But I don't know yet. Honestly I have no idea what to make of this whole thing."

"Tell me how you met!" Akihito proceed to explain about the fight, broken camera, lunch and finally the trip to the camera store.

"Okaasan, I don't know what to do. The stuff he brought for me could cover all my expenses for at least 6 months! He wouldn't take no for an answer when I told him I didn't need him to do that. He went on about how he wasn't going to let his soulmate go without if he could help it but I tried to tell him I had another camera I could use and he still wouldn't listen!"

"Oh that's so sweet!"

"No it's not, he wouldn't listen to me!"

"Maybe he just wanted to buy something for someone who would actually appreciate the gift?" Akihito groaned.

"I don't know what to make of this whole thing, I just got dropped off home in a limo. I mean, who rides around in a limo?! I just… I just don't know what to do."

"It's okay darling, don't stress so much. You're both clearly coming from very different backgrounds but you have all the time in the world to figure things out. You'll have to bring him to visit sometime!"

Akihito tried to imagine that tall, intimidating man standing in his parent's sleepy suburb surrounded by clucking old ladies and groaned. Why was this happening to him?