When Fuji Became an Echizen Chapter 3: The Echizen Family, a prince of tennis fanfic

WHEN FUJI BECAME AN ECHIZEN

Written by Playgirl Eugene and MoonExpressions

Author's Note : Well, so far the responses have been pretty good. Although we noticed that there were more reviews for the prologue compared to the first chapter. Anyway, this time, we'll try to show how the Fuji family came to accept Nanjirou. Remember that this story's gender is not all about romance and sex, no matter how hot that combination might be. It is about family and slices of life as well.

Standard Disclaimer: The original Prince of Tennis and all of the characters, including the original plot, belong solely to Konomi Takeshi-sensei. The both of us own nothing of it and we do not earn any profit from this. This disclaimer stands firm for the whole of the story. Furthermore, if we use any material that needs to be disclaimed, there will be individual credit where due.

Warning(s) : In the future, depending on the readers' request, this fic might contain excessive, uncensored sexual themes; including sex between males, masturbation, foul languages, and similar traits.

Summary : What will happen when the Fuji family become a part of the crazy Echizen family? Especially when you throw in a one-night stand, attraction, and the promise to dominate the "new" sibling.

Setting and Timeline: Unrelated to the original setting and timeline since this is technically an AU story.

Character Setting : Nanjirou is 43, Yoshiko is 49, Ryoma is 19, Fuji is 21, Yuuta is 20, Yumiko and Nanako are 30, and Ryoga is 25. The rest of the characters are to adapt to their age. For example, Tezuka and Oishi are also 21 because Fuji is 21 and so on.

Chapter Details : Note that Ryoga lives in a different district than Nanjirou and the rest of the family. They still all live in Kanto Prefecture and Tokyo, but in different district.

Chapter 02

"The Echizen Family"

When Yoshiko first, awkwardly, brought up the topic of her children's somewhat agreement of their joined hands in matrimony, Nanjirou told her to bring them over for a little get together so that they wouldn't be complete strangers by the time they become a 'family'. He had always wanted to meet and get to know them in person rather than just listening to Yoshiko's fond stories.

Maybe, just maybe, it was because he was growing older and felt even lonelier. He never had memories with his boys that he could share with Yoshiko between their laughs. Or maybe it was just because he wanted to meet those who made this solemn woman a child once more. He'd always remember the way her eyes lit each time.

Initially, Yoshiko was wary. Yuuta was still sulking and though the other two were mature enough to make out of some possible worst situations – especially judging by how 'hostile' Nanjioru described his condition – Yoshiko didn't think it was such a good idea. But Nanjirou had shrugged it off and said that it wouldn't be a problem, considering that both of his sons were never at home to cause any problem.

One moved out and the other went missing two years ago.

It sounded… sad.

Yoshiko always had her children close to her. Their bond was as strong as it could get, so she didn't really know how Nanjirou felt but sympathize with all the same with her best friend's condition. It was strange to think that she'd wed this man and be the 'mother' to his children. A few days ago, all of that seemed like a fleeting dream of nonsense and impossibilities.

Now, though, now everything was happening so fast that it seemed surreal. She also knew that she wasn't up meeting the Echizen boys either. It would be unnerving and she was both mentally and physically unprepared. She had only met the older one briefly but she had heard the stories from Nanjirou.

According to him, the older one was more straightforward. Ryoga had always been a little crude with his wordings, but overall, a softie at heart. His youngest, however, was a mass of sculpted black ice with no apparent emotion.

In the end, they arranged for Yoshiko and her three children and two grandchildren to come to the Echizen estate that weekend.

Yoshiko was even more nervous compared to her children, who kept on assuring her that nothing she was worrying over would happen. Yumiko even told her that she'd kept an eye on Yuuta, who protested in retaliation.

While Yuuta was not exactly doing anything much, Yoshiko knew her youngest son better than that. The youngest Fuji was young and thus, acted with impulse. She knew that one day he'd learn to accept her decision on his own. It was just that, the one day may not come fast enough. Like this weekend, for example. Yoshiko could only hope that her three beloved would be able to get along with Nanjirou's.

-:- -:- -:- -:- -:-

Yuuta didn't want to admit it, of course. He was a teen in his rebellious age, and he was filled with that hot-headed pride. Yuuta was set on not letting the man his mother was planning to marry to get close to him – not even an inch. He swore that no matter what, he'd not be taken in by him. But he really couldn't help it when his jaw dropped quite literally to the ground the moment they got out of the taxi.

The Echizen resident was a traditional looking Japanese mansion. He knew that his mother's soon-to-be-husband – and their soon-to-be-father, unfortunately – was quite well off, but he didn't really expect him to reside in one of the most expensive neighbourhoods in Tokyo and houses. His mother didn't elaborate that one detail when she told them about this man she was planning to marry.

"You didn't mention about this, okaa-san…"

"Aah…" Yoshiko nodded quietly, "I didn't want you to think that I'm marrying him for money, or because he offered to help us. Especially since—"

As his mother and sister talked about something in a hushed tone and his brother looking torn between frowning and admiring the house with an entrance hall that could fit almost their apartment, Shusuke was silently impressed. It seemed to him that his mother's soon-to-be husband was no joke.

Shusuke had taken the liberty to check up on it through the internet and some older magazines when his mother mentioned the man's name for the first time. Once quite an avid tennis player had the brunet knew of some prominent names in tennis. That name rang quite a bell and Shusuke couldn't help but felt curious.

It turned out that his hunch was correct.

Echizen Nanjirou was indeed a world-class athlete in the past, in a completely different league all on his own. He was hailed as a living legend and owned quite a notorious reputation with thirty nine consecutive win and clean record of no lost. The man himself was a living time bomb; most of the time no one knew what he was thinking off. Apparently, he vanished from the court almost twenty years ago for no apparent reason that shocked the public, the tennis world, and the media alike. As soon as his late wife passed on, to return to Japan and lived in solace with his two sons and nothing was heard from him ever again since.

Ironically, it was around the time the accident which took his father's life happened.

The only thing known was the fact that he had two sons; one was adopted though still blood related while the other was his biological son whose name and picture were not enclosed for privacy's sake. Before his first marriage, Echizen Nanjirou was quite the Don Juan. He had been roguishly handsome and charming that he left a long trail of broken-hearted women when he finally settled down after being tamed by a very beautiful, talented young lawyer in New York.

They were wealthy, well-off, and respected in the society.

Wow.

Did his mother even realize who she was marrying? How on earth did they get to know each other on the first place? Yoshiko always seemed to change the subject when it touched to how they got to know each other at first.

"Don't tell me that he lives alone in this house?" Yumiko's raised voice was overheard by her two brothers, who looked at them before staring at one another with a note of disbelief. It was hard to think that someone would live in a house this size all by himself; what kind of man was he?

It didn't take long for the Fuji siblings to receive their answers. The front gate was opened, revealing a brunet man in his middle forties, wearing a sleeveless shirt, black training pants, and a white napkin tied over his head.

For a few stunned minutes, they stared at the blinking man who was holding up the gate by one hand while holding a worn looking broom on the other hand. Needless to say, the first impression that one Echizen Nanjirou gave was quite particular.

City Hall

Tokyo, Japan

12.30 PM

"Yuuta, stop sulking." chided Yumiko as she straightened Yuuta's tie. Her slim fingers adeptly undoing and redoing the knot.

The addressed brunet merely frowned as he let Yumiko smoothen the wrinkles of his suit. He was pissed beyond words; not only that he was made to wear a suit, he never did agree to this wedding from the first place. Both of his older siblings were ganging up against him and God knew what it meant to have the two older Fuji teaming up. He didn't see why they all had to be present when his new 'father' so-called children had yet to show their faces or, in this case, attend the wedding. So, he settled for sulking.

"But it's so stuffy!"

"Don't be childish now. If Yusuke can sit still for twenty minutes, surely you do too." Yumiko shook her head. The youngest former Fuji was about to protest about being compared to a five-year old tyke when another voice cut in to shush him.

"Ssh! It's starting!" Yukimura whispered from the side, pressing a finger against his lips before turning back to the couple who was waiting for the reading.

"I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, Echizen Nanjirou, do take thee, Fuji Yoshiko, to be my lawful wedded wife." Nanjirou spoke of his vow firmly and slowly.

Yoshiko repeated the vow, "I call upon these persons here present to witness that I, Fuji Yoshiko, do take thee, Echizen Nanjirou, to be my lawful wedded husband."

It was followed by a ring-exchange; the rings were simple platinum band with a diamond sitting in the middle, nothing too fancy. Even Nanjirou was only wearing a simple black suit while Yoshiko wore a white gown to match his suit.

"A simple wedding is so much better than a dazzling one sometimes…." Yumiko said mostly to herself while pushing the thoughts of her own wedding, which hadn't been extravagant but modestly big, off of her mind. She had a duty today to hold out for Yoshiko's sake and she wouldn't be adding her problems to her mother's.

Shusuke heard her and could almost taste the bitterness in her words. He knew that weddings would remind her all too soon about that pathetic excuse of a husband seeing her divorce happened not so long ago. Shusuke was pulled out of his thoughts when the official nodded and formally proclaimed them as man and wife before the crowd burst with applause when Nanjirou leaned over and pressing a chaste kiss on the corner of Yoshiko's lips, sealing their vows. Yoshiko's eyes fluttered open as she smiled gently at her new husband, giving his hand a light squeeze of reassurance. It didn't escape her notice that Nanjirou was shaking slightly.

Somewhere from the front rows, Nanjirou's friends and some drinking buddies cat-called, causing Yoshiko to break her eye contact with Nanjirou and blush slightly. The ceremony was over just like that. It was a simple event, more for the protocol than anything religious, and witnessed only by their closest family and friends.

The newly-weds turned to the small crowd of thirty. There were some of Yoshiko's former colleagues, Yumiko and her children, Yuuta and his suspicious looking 'boyfriend' who kept shooting suggestive look to Yoshiko's older son and his pretty looking friend, and there were some of Shusuke's friends from campus – a cattish looking redhead, some mother hen with weird hairdo, a bubblegum blowing redhead, a boy with spiderlike hair, and finally a shy but bulky brunet – whereas the tensai himself was busy video recording the whole ceremony with his camcorder.

Nanjirou couldn't help the small twinge of sadness at seeing the absence of his own sons. He knew that it was a chance he took when he couldn't summon enough guts to break the news to the boys. He realized that he didn't even know Ryoma's address in America though he did send out an invitation for Ryoga.

As Yumiko and some older women approached Yoshiko to offer some congratulations, he glanced around and caught sight of someone at the door. He blinked in disbelief.

Was that… his son?

When he blinked again, however, he found no one at the door. His heart immediately sank; he shouldn't have hoped. He thought he saw his older son because he was hoping that at least one of his family members would be here.

He felt a gentle squeeze on his hand, one which brought him out of his thoughts. Gazing down, he noticed that the small woman on his arm was offering him a tentative, sympathetic smile. She was probably aware of the dilemma he was facing. He smiled back. Seeing his spouse, he couldn't help feeling a little better. He was not alone – Yoshiko and her family were now his family too.

Kikumaru bounced as he hugged Fuji, congratulating him. "Nya, now that the both of your parents are married, you're going to be an Echizen ne, Fujiko?" Kikumaru grinned widely, before he paused and then started to pout. "Mou…! But! But! It's going to be so hard calling with any other name than Fujiko! Can I just keep calling you that?" Kikumaru whined; jumping on his left leg and fisting both of his hands.

Shusuke and Yukimura chuckled at the redhead's antics while Kirihara commented something about it that caused the redhead to accuse him of being a 'meanie'. Afterward, they had a little photo taking session done by the members of Todai's very own photography club.

"Smile for the camera!" Shusuke instructed as he fiddled with his camera, taking several pictures to commemorate the occasion. He took several of Nanjirou and Yoshiko, the two of them with Yumiko and her children, Nanjirou with a reluctant Yuuta, Yoshiko with the children, and several other that even included his friends.

However, he didn't take a picture of all of them together – knowing that it would hurt his new father when he realized that the photo had strangers in it, but not his own sons. Briefly, Fuji wondered how Echizen Nanjirou's sons were really like.

-:- -:- -:- -:- -:-

The ceremony was followed by a small, private dinner party at a fancy restaurant Nanjirou booked. Yoshiko had told him that he didn't have to, but he insisted, wanting his second and last wedding to be something a bit more special. When he kidnapped Rinko and eloped with her to Florida against Rinko's parents wishes, it was only them, the official, and Ryoga's biological parents who stood as witness. It took Rinko's parents twelve years to accept Nanjirou as their son-in-law. Now that both of them had passed away, Nanjirou thought they would be rolling in their graves by the fact that he had remarried. Now that he thought about it, his first marriage wasn't given consent by his parents-in-law; his second wasn't given consent by his sons. Some vindictive mistress up there must have thought this was amusing.

He was slightly tipsy when Shusuke and Yoshiko decided to help pull him out of the car. Yumiko took the steer when she saw the state of her father was in; really, men and sake just couldn't sit together nice and quietly. She had seen how Nanjirou's friends tried to chug down a grand total of five bottle of rice wine down her step-father's throat.

Nanjirou was singing something outrageous that they had been singing in the reception, Yuuta was carrying a sleeping Akiko whereas Yumiko was leading a sleepy Yusuke by hand. Yoshiko was chiding Nanjirou about drinking so much; pouring his wine for almost twelve years taught her that Nanjirou wasn't all that good with liquor.

"Who told you to drink so much?" Yoshiko thought that she was taking up the role as this man's wife easier than she thought if they started it this way.

Nanjirou's reply was incoherent and slurred. Yoshiko opened her mouth to say something else when another voice interrupted them.

"Oyaji."

They all turned to see a handsome, a very handsome man, who was crossing his arms while leaning against the sleek glaring red roofless Baby Band. He was wearing a tight button-up shirt and a pair of faded jeans that fit him like glove. With his sleeves rolled up casually and a sunshade perched on his straight nose, despite the frown marring the full lips, he was devastatingly attractive.

Shusuke, with his vast interest in photography, couldn't help but appreciate the sight. Yumiko was certainly amused, being a woman and all. Even though she was a mother of two now, her feminine instinct could still appreciate a good-looking man. The most surprising thing was Yuuta who had his jaw unhinged.

Yoshiko though, looked utterly worried as a wide-eyed Nanjirou, suddenly sobered up quite considerably as if he had a bucket of ice water drenched on him – probably it was how he felt like at the moment – wobbly tried to straighten his body and fisted a hand to prepare himself.

"Ryoga…"

"Who?" Yuuta whispered to no one in particular.

"Nanjirou's older son." Yoshiko was the one who answered her youngest, all the while not taking her eyes of the raven haired young man.

"Eh?!" exclaimed a shocked looking Yuuta. Clearly, he was surprised that the gorgeous looking man was going to be – or rather, was – his older brother.

"Oyaji," he growled lowly, his deep and rumbling voice dangerous but manly. "What's the meaning of this?"

"It's just it, Ryoga." Nanjirou wetted his suddenly dry lips, "I'm married."

"Fuck that. I don't even get a wind of this." he snarled. Even through the tinted shades, they could feel the penetrating gaze behind it. Shusuke started to feel curious of what the colour of the man's eyes. "Chibisuke doesn't know about this, does he?" Ryoga slowly spoke; his eyes never wavered away from the man that was his father in all but blood. Shusuke could see his attempt of staying calm from the slight trembling of his clenched fist.

Nanjirou averted his eyes purposely as a grim look settled on his slightly worn out face, "… No."

"You do know what will happen when he does, don't you?" Ryoga voiced out a bit impatiently, snarling a little now.

Nanjirou tensed but nodded just the same.

"And?"

"… I wouldn't have changed my mind even then."

Ryoga gave him a levelled glare, as if he was trying to really look at his father for the first time since so long. "Well, it's your own choice, really." Ryoga lamented cynically, shaking his head, "I guess we were never much of a family for you to actually drop some words about getting married."

"Ryoga, I'm just—"

Then suddenly, Ryoga let out a bitter laugh and stepped back. He levelled his gaze with Nanjirou's, both almost seemed to communicate wordlessly before Ryoga moved faster than anyone could blink and swung his right fist square against Nanjirou's jaw, causing the brunet man to stumble back with the force of it. Yoshiko and Yumiko gave a simultaneous gasps, clasping hands over their mouths, Shusuke merely raised an eyebrow, while Yuuta was sputtering in surprise.

Ryoga straightened and lowered his fist, as he threw a cold glare at Nanjirou, who was pushing himself off the ground. "That's for being an idiot, oyaji." he said, tugging one hand on his own waist. "When chibisuke finds out about this," the younger of the two men grimaced, "don't say that I didn't warn you."

"Ryoga-san…" murmured Yoshiko slowly, as she greeted him a bit reservedly. She remembered their first encounter, which wasn't the best of meetings. What he had said that day still hung in the air in her case.

Ryoga didn't say anything for a long time as he stared from Yoshiko to Nanjirou and back again. He didn't say anything else as his hand raised and pushed itself through his hair. A loud sigh was heard as his stare went intently directly to Yoshiko, as he looked her over for flaws, for a motive, anything. But there was nothing.

His old man was just too old to be running for woman with a child older than his own. What was he thinking? Was he actually that lonely?

Then again, this woman didn't look all that dangerous nor did she look like she was in for the money. Much. Better yet, she looked like the nervous girlfriend who was about to be presented to her boyfriend's parents. The irony of the situations would've made him doubled over with laughter on another occasion.

Ryoga had always considered himself a decent judge on people's character and this situation wasn't any different. He knew that outward appearance could be deceptive, but his instinct told him otherwise. He did not feel that kind of 'love' between the woman and his father. Ryoga went through women in his life like Ryoma through his designer wardrobe and it was enough for him to pick on any signal quite deftly.

He was feeling rather mixed up; angry, confused, disappointed. Everything was jumbled up. If his father had married some dynamite, redheaded Brazilian model with a nice rack would be a hell lot easier to figure out than this. The woman before him must have been quite pretty in her younger days – not quite the head-turning kind of beauty like his mother's – but more of her 'inner strength' and 'strong will' that reflected in her sincere brown eyes and gentle, determined visage that attracted others. She looked even older than his father. She had three children. She wasn't even his father's type.

"Ryoga, listen to me—"

"This isn't the way out, oyaji." Ryoga slowly spoke, willing himself to focus from the stream of thoughts inside his head. "If this is your scheme to get the chibisuke and I a new mom, it's a bit late don't you think?"

Nanjirou looked as if he was slapped. "I just thought—"

"Whatever your reason is, oyaji, let me tell you that I won't oppose it but I'm not going to back it up either." Ryoga turned and softly added, "I only have one mother, and she's dead."

Yoshiko felt her heart dropped at his words.

"Yoshiko-san," Ryoga called, startling Yoshiko in the process. Shusuke's first instinct was to jump into his mother's protection in case Ryoga had no qualm to hit a woman like he had his father.

But now that he got a closer look at Ryoga, he was reminded of something from about a year ago. His supposed step-brother somewhat resembled a young teen he met at a party Yukimura had invited him to. It was a fling in a drunken stupor and for a moment, his heart leapt to his throat when thinking that Ryoga might be that boy. But no—that boy had been different. Yes, Shusuke was positive the one he met that night wasn't Echizen Ryoga, but no doubt they looked somewhat similar.

'Or maybe you're still pining away from that one night.' Fuji thought to himself, lost in his reminiscence for a few private seconds, 'How miserable. Knowing that I might never forget it just makes it even more unbearable while I don't even know his name.'

The only thing he remembered in his drunken stupor was a blur of sharp pleasure and the heady scent of sex – black rose, and a name – whose, he didn't know.

"H, hai…?" Yoshiko answered quietly.

Ryoga levelled her with a golden gaze, "I've nothing against you." he stated almost mechanically, "Nor do I dislike you in anyway. I don't even know you. But you're my old man's new wife, and although it's stupid, there's nothing I can do about it. So I guess—" he paused, throwing one last glare at Nanjirou, "—see you around."

Yoshiko slowly blinked and nodded, a bit unsure if she had heard it right. Ryoga, for sure, wasn't accepting her nor was he telling her that he'd be willing to try. But at least, she knew that he didn't detest her presence so much if he was willing to see her. And for now, that was enough. Ryoga gave a tense nod to Yoshiko and her children before slipping back into his car and drove away from sight.

For the first three minutes, no one said anything – not even Yuuta – until Nanjirou turned and started to speak. "Well, folks, that's Ryoga anyway… the older one." Nanjirou shrugged with a humourless chuckle, rubbing and adjusting his sore jaw. He suspected that it was misallocated, considering that Ryoga never held back when it came to punching sense into anyone for that matter.

"What the hell was that…? He just came in and sucker punched you like that and –" Yuuta flabbergasted.

Nanjirou grimaced, "Ryoga was always the more… physical one. But the good thing about it is that after he punched, he doesn't hold anything else inside."

"But still…" Yuuta mumbled as his cheeks flushed red.

Judging from the shade of red spilt across his cheeks, Shusuke knew his sweet little brother had indeed grew up. Although Yuuta had remained naïve and childish most of the time, Shusuke couldn't help but feel a little lonely with the prospect of his growing baby brother someday not needing him any longer. He knew what commodity was hot and had the decency to feel flustered when he seen one, a perfectly hormonal thing to do by a teenager in puberty.

Thus it made Shusuke wonder how he ended up head over heels over that octopus, Miyuki or something, out of anything else. It was a hidden wonder, Shusuke thought. Shusuke was still trying relentlessly to break them up – without Yuuta knowing it, of course. Yuuta might be a little oblivious and naïve, but Shusuke was not. He caught how Yuuta's suspicious boyfriend was eyeing on Yukimura like the teal haired male was some kind of meat and he didn't like it one bit. One thing, Yukimura was his best friend and the other thing; he was not supposed to hurt his little brother – not when you were dealing with a Fuji.

Shusuke was brought back to the present situation when he heard Yoshiko's voice breaking his sadistic thoughts.

"You didn't tell him?" Yoshiko asked as she caressed the bruise carefully, thinking of compressing it later.

"Can't,"

Yoshiko had a disapproving frown, but otherwise nodded in understanding. She knew of the problematic relationship between father and sons and couldn't blame it on Nanjirou for not being able to brave it on his own.

"What about your other son?" at Nanjirou's expression, Yoshiko's frown deepened, "But, I thought you said that Ryoga is the most… worrisome."

"He is." Nanjirou muttered quietly, "Ryoga is too temperamental and brash, that's why I said it's worrisome – amazing really that he only punched me once. Well, I'm glad he's against hitting women and children," he paused, "At least know I know that he'd cool down after this."

"What about your younger son?"

"That's the problem," Nanjirou spoke gloomily.

"Eh?"

"The other one," the brunet man started slowly, remembering the cold eyes of his younger son, "he simply doesn't feel at all."

-:- -:- -:- -:- -:-

Echizen Residence

Tokyo, Japan

Five days after the wedding

Yoshiko had been worrying all day, pacing around that it made even Yumiko twitched and told her to sit and calm down. Somehow, the last Echizen she had yet to meet made her nervous. The entertainment news all over was talking about the supermodel's speculations over his love-life and the movie offers he rejected, and the latest one, was about his sudden return to Japan.

"Don't you think we should pick him up? I mean, it's better if someone picked him up, right?" Yoshiko asked her husband unsurely.

She had found out surprisingly from Nanjiroh and the television, not too long ago, about who the youngest Echizen was. She dreaded the fact that she knew next to nothing about her new husband's family. After all, she never knew her husband used to be a professional tennis player until Shusuke mentioned it the other day. She only knew that Nanjirou loved playing tennis – how she missed that after eleven years of friendship, she didn't know. Nanjirou could be tight-lipped when he wanted to be. She didn't know Ryoga was a prominent figure in the trade of branded sport merchandises in this part of Japan, nor the fact that the youngest was a world famous model.

"I doubted that we'll get out once we get in if it concerns the brat," Nanjiroh merely said as he turned back to the television which was broadcasting a live report about the chaos at the airport as they waited for 'Snow'. It looked like a crowd of ants; some even set up camps and slept outside the airport building.

Yoshiko's lips frowned, "Do you even know the time of his arrival?"

"Don't bother." Nanjirou replied calmly as he breathed smoke through his nostril quietly, "Not even the newscast knows. He'll get here when he gets here."

Yoshiko nodded tightly and returned her eyes to the television.

Grand Hill Apartment

Roppongi, Tokyo

10.45 AM

Ryoga tossed his jacket onto the sofa as he followed suit and practically collapsed onto the sofa as well. He groaned as he stretched lazily and stared out to his new neighbourhood. Roppongi wasn't a bad place. It was just considered a place where you had to have a lot of money even to live in. But he liked it here despite what it might do to drain his account dry. It was close to Shibuya's and Roppongi's nightlife; modernized with western buildings, and overall comfortable for his type of living. It wasn't that far from where his new family was now living either. They had moved in to be with his old man and now occupying that old house in Aoyama, which was in the same ward as he was living in despite the different district.

Despite that, getting along – or at least, pretending to – with his 'new' family wasn't as troubling as how he was going to break the news to his so-not-cute little brother who practically 'ran away' from home years ago that he now had a new mother and siblings. Ryoma was never someone who was easy to communicate with; one could never guess how he'd react to something. His temper was something to be wary of, yet sometimes, he simply didn't give a damn at all.

'Then again, it's not my fault you decided to cut ties with oyaji and me back then, you insufferable brat!' Ryoga thought silently as he rolled to a more favourable position on his sofa.

Though he never discussed it with Nanjirou, Ryoga sometimes worried about the headstrong brat that found a passion in modelling and decided to go back to the States to pursue that dream. His father seemed to share the same sentiment, but you could never tell with an Echizen.

He hadn't mentioned it to anyone when he had gone online to check on the brat. He wasn't the least bit surprised that the brat was successful. After all, he himself looked very handsome as well and Ryoma simply had their mother's – their real mother's – look. Takeuchi Rinko was once a heartthrob after all.

Ryoga remembered the time when Ryoma was still in his elementary school. He was so adorable and effeminate with his big eyes and small nose; the boys couldn't leave him alone. Kids always teased the one they liked. Ryoma, knowing that he was a boy, took it in a whole different meaning. He assumed that they hated him for some reason and retaliated by sucker-punching them. Nanjirou was called numerous times to the teacher's office. But he merely laughed it off before ruffling Ryoma's hair, saying something about 'boys will be boys', causing the teacher to pull her hair in frustration.

No, the surprising part was the fact that Ryoma debuted overseas underneath the alias of 'Snow', and underneath that info – he was listed as Takeuchi Ryou.

That was the main reason he hadn't wanted to show their old man Ryoma's awards and success. It was a cover and a way to break from 'Echizen Nanjirou' the professional player who quit tennis in order to raise his sons, but their old man wouldn't see it that way. He'd be hurt that Ryoma wanted to known as his own person and not as his 'spawn' so badly, he had gone under their mother's last name.

"Eh…" Ryoga uttered turning his head to stare at the photo his new 'sister' had decided to set on his side table the other day. He admitted it had been a while since he'd seen his old man face light with happiness as it had been the day that picture was taken at the wedding. The old man's face was still tired, but that dark shadow on his eyes had lessen somewhat.

That was one of the biggest reasons he went through with the wedding without complaining about his father's age and the fact that he didn't need a mother, not after living without one for so long. The lines of worry and age worn gaze when his father looked at the woman who was now his mother, he remembered that day clearly.

Flashback – Echizen Residence

Tokyo, Japan

A few weeks earlier (several days after Yoshiko's first visit to the Echizen Residence)

"Baka oyaji!" Ryoga muttered aloud as he noted how the front door was practically open and inviting thieves into the house, "How dare he go out and leave the door open!" Ryoga continued to rant as he ran a hand tiredly through his hair, ruffling it silently. He went to close the door when he saw his father walking in with thin brunette woman. Nanjirou seemed startled when his eyes rest on him.

"Ryoga…"

Ryoga narrowed his eyes and threw a blatantly suspicious look upon both of them. "Who is she?" Ryoga said noting that his father's uneasiness was as apparent as the time he had tried to ask if he had had any contact with Ryoma. He told them to go and talk into the kitchen as he noted the woman shut the front door and donned Ryoma's old slippers as she excused herself quietly for entering and followed in tow.

Walking into the kitchen, Ryoga went in search of his orange juice while he waited for one or the other to speak. He was a tolerating man, never one to jump into conclusions and all. To his disappointment, his father merely opened and closed his mouth about a minimum of half a dozen times as he tried to find words and the woman beside him was no better as she fidgeted with sleeve and couldn't look up from where she fixated her stare on the ground.

"Well?" Ryoga coaxed, "What is it that I should know about with the two of you?"

"You see, Ryoga…" Nanjiroh started hesitantly, "This here is Yoshiko—I mean, Fuji Yoshiko and she's—"

"It's nice to meet you, Yoshiko-san." Ryoga said instead cutting his father off to stare at the woman next to his father. He was a bit surprised when she introduced herself quickly with a few stutters as well before cowering again. "So, who is Yoshiko-san, oyaji?" the younger Echizen asked in a deceptively polite tone as he sipped on his orange juice.

"We're just close friends," Nanjiroh said quickly almost making the whole sentence seems as if it was one word rather than ten.

"Uh-huh," Ryoga muttered slowly, "Close friends." he repeated.

Nanjirou gave a small nod.

"… How close?"

"Not… like that. Not really…" Nanjirou mumbled, his eyes darting towards anywhere but his son's inquisitive look, "She's just someone I knew from Daishoku. You know, that restaurant down the block that I often went to—and we've been friends for, like, ages! And we shared some sake together but that's about it. I swear, Ryoga we didn't—"

"I see." Ryoga interrupted again, seeing Nanjirou getting more and more flustered. Something else was going on and he knew it. His old man wasn't telling him something and unlike his tight-lipped otouto, his old man rambled when he was lying. "… Oyaji, is there something you want to tell me?"

Nanjirou paled slightly and his reaction fuelled Ryoga's suspicion. "Something that you're not telling me?"

"I, uh… well, we… umm—" the older man threw a withering look at Yoshiko, who returned the stare and simply touched his arm as if telling him wordlessly that it was alright.

'But what was? I haven't seen oyaji that freaked out since chibisuke told him he was going to go out on a date six years ago.'

Ryoga heaved a heavy breath and placed his orange juice down at the counter before raising his hand to message his temple. "Look, oyaji…" he started, "I'm not chibisuke, okay? Now, if you'd just tell me what is it, I won't –"

Suddenly, his phone went off, startling the three. Ryoga fished out his phone, noticing how Nanjirou took the chance to inhale some breaths he seemed to be missing for the last minute. After Ryoga finished his phone call, which turned out to be from one of his colleagues, he turned to the two older people of the room and sighed. "I've got some urgent matters to deal with," Ryoga said, downing on his orange juice before hurling it right into the bin not a few feet away, "If you ever have the balls to spill the bean, oyaji, you know where to call."

With that and a curt nod to Yoshiko, Ryoga was gone out the door.

– End Flashback

It turned out that the call never did come. He had learnt the marriage from the written invitation Nanjirou had sent him. Of course, he was furious. He considered barging into the City Hall and punching the daylight out of his father, hoping for him to gain some form of intelligence and sanity. He entertained a lot of possibilities, but in the end, after venting some steam on some furniture, he calmed down. He'd see how it goes first. It was too late to change anything about the marriage now and what he could do was only to watch and only then he'd be able to decide.

Ryoga sighed as he stood and stretched once more before looking out the window of his apartment on the sixteenth floor. The news had told him that Ryoma left New York late last night for Japan. That meant he would be here soon, and that meant he'd have to pull some fast strings if he was to save his old man's sorry arse.

Todai Photography Club

Tokyo Daigaku

10.45 PM

"Takeuchi Ryou, huh?" Mitsuru chuckled, "Well, it's the dream of every living photographer worthy of his camera to have him now. He didn't become a first-class model in two years just because a pretty face after all."

He and Yukimura were sitting together at the club house as they waited for their afternoon classes, going through some glossed black photo albums of a certain golden eyed model. Yukimura gazed at the beautifully taken pictures. Certainly, the photographer was talented. The way he captured his subject's most eye-catching features, the way he made the light that fell on them looked smooth and warm, and the abstractness of each pictures was telling a story of its own. The teal haired young man smiled as he raised his face, "Indeed. He certainly is beautiful."

Mitsuru grinned before standing up and walked toward the shelf. Slowly threading and taking out a book from the upper shelf, he walked back to Yukimura while bringing a rather thick looking photo book. "Out of all of his photo albums though, this is the one I like the most."

"Hnn?"

Mitsuru handed the black glossed album over to Yukimura. The album cover was simple; cursive silver writings and a thin frame against the flawless black surface.

"It's his first nude collection; Sense-U-ality."

Yukimura blinked. He had seen many of Takeuchi Ryou's pictures and had heard about his nude collections, but never thought of actually seeing one. Unlike most pornographic nude album, his was pure art. His first, particularly, was a rare limited edition and cost quite a sum. Somehow, he didn't find it surprising that Tezuka Mitsuru possessed it – considering how well he manipulated Atobe Keigo after all.

As he went through the pictures, he had to admit that the young male was not holding back anything in his poses. The photographer's skill had allowed him to capture every angle beautifully without exposing complete nudity, thus enhancing the allure of the unknown. There was something about the model that was completely in control.

"I never thought that such a high-class model would also do nude pictures," Yukimura muttered quietly, "Although these are very beautiful, but still wouldn't his reputation…?"

"Ah, no actually." Mitsuru shook his head, "There are a quite few objections and disapproval initially. The press, the public. After all, he debuted as a teen model and they said he should've maintained that 'clean' image."

Yukimura nodded, prompting Mitsuru to continue.

"But a model's life is like that—a fleeting glamour, an inconsistent thing. If you don't take chances, you'd never go anywhere." Mitsuru continued as he laced his fingers together, "Humans are like that. And people like him couldn't stop changing, or else, the public would soon become bored and would be quick to abandon him."

Mitsuru took his seat once more as he continued to talk, "If he didn't do this, the public would've found him as simply another model and eventually left him," the glasses wearing young man tapped on his chin, "I must say though, he is rather extreme at times. Everyone was shocked when he suddenly stated that he'd launch his first nude album. And yes, what a hit it was. He was the highest paying supermodel of that year, with the earning of a brilliant forty-two million dollars."

Yukimura slowly traced the smooth glossed surface with his fingers, "He's like a… succubus."

The senior raised an eyebrow, "Incubus, you mean?

"No, a succubus." Yukimura affirmed with a smile, "And he seems dangerous."

JFK International Airport

New York, America

09.45 PM

Ryoma mentally murdered Atobe for the thousandths time as he sat deceptively patient next to the Monkey King in the VIP waiting room and ignored the eyes that followed his every movement and gawked at him.

They could've taken Atobe private jet, but no. The monkey-king himself wanted publicity even on the way home. But that wasn't one of the worst parts. The fact that he had to sit next to him, who was currently on the phone with 'someone of great importance' as the monkey-king himself stated was even more disturbing since Ryoma heard him 'flirt'.

Turning back stare at the night sky across the wall sized window panel, Ryoma sighed and thought of something that hadn't crossed his mind in a long time. He wondered how his old man and Ryoga were doing after all this time.

Opening his Vertu Ascent Ti Ferrari Rosso, he strolled down to a section he rarely used and dialled his brother's cell phone, hoping that he hadn't changed it. He was going home now. He really couldn't believe that he was going to go back – after two years of no contact and suddenly he was returning home.

A meow to the side made Ryoma glance down. Karupin, being the smart feline he was, was already sulking. Perhaps he was sensing that he was about to board another plane and Karupin hated planes like he did baths. Ryoma didn't like the latter, but he petted him sympathetically for the former and glared at his so-called boss.

"… Seriously, Monkey King, if Karupin gets sick for being put up at the garage, I'm going to make your balls as earbobs." he said, ignoring Atobe's follow-up splutter.

Grand Hill Apartment

Roppongi, Tokyo

11.00 PM

"Who the hell…." Ryoga uttered as he checked his cell phone only to see a number he didn't recognize. A bit curious, he picked up anyways.

"Took you long enough."

"Who the hell – chibisuke?" Ryoga asked in disbelief. His eyes widening comically as the annoyed voice connected to the face.

"Who else?"

"Well, how am I supposed to expect a call from someone who hasn't shown any sign of living since the day he walked out the door to New York?" Ryoga complained sitting heavily on his own sofa. He hadn't even thought of how to break it to the boy yet and the chance already presented itself.

"Well, unlike oyaji and you, I was busy conquering the world and hearts of all men and women around the world."

"Well, let me tell you this, Mr. I'm-so-famous-I-don't-have-time-to-drop-a-message-to-my-fucking-family'…" Ryoga growled with a scowl. Seeing that there wasn't any other way to tell him but to use the way he was most comfortable with – the Echizen way. "While you were screwing some good lays, drowning in dirty dollars, and posing nude, I moved out."

"Big news." Ryoma said with dripping sarcasm.

"It is," Ryoma paused, licking on his suddenly dry lips, before blurting out the rest of the words quickly, "Because dad needs his space with a new wife and new set of kids you know." Ryoga said casually landing the final blow. He counted mentally to ten before the other side of the line finally reacted.

"… What?"

His otouto's hiss was quiet but the venom it in did not go undetected.

"Yup! You heard me right, chibisuke. Oyaji got hitched, and now you and I have one fucking big happy family of a new mom, two brothers, a hot looking sister, and have been upgraded a whole level to 'uncles' for two little tots." Ryoga summarized with a chuckle.

Then, there was silence. Ryoga entertained the thought that the almighty youngest Echizen might have fainted, or was at least shocked into a dumb silence. He was disappointed though, when the clear and sharp voice came through the line again – a little irritated but not shaken the least.

"… Why wasn't I informed?"

"Well, thanks to some idiot who forgot that he got a family in Japan who didn't bother to leave any contact details or address, he couldn't be reached through phone calls at all since the office had quoted, 'no clue Takeuchi-san has a brother, good day'. It was like their freaking answering machines or something…"

"My manager was… paranoid. I was kidnapped by a stalker who claimed to be my brother a year back."

It took Ryoga a few second to digest it before he let out a hysteric, "… Kidnapped?!"

Before his brother got into another brother-complex mode, Ryoma interrupted him, "Long story," he brushed off casually, "Anyway, I don't want to stay at a hotel. The media will be swarming all over the place. And I sure as hell unwilling to accept Monkey King's 'oh-so-generous' offer… he'd never shut up." the younger boy listed, "Do you have anywhere?"

"Well, for one thing, you can crash at my place for the time being, chibisuke." momentarily forgetting about the kidnapping part, Ryoga shrugged carelessly, "So when do you touch down?"

"Tomorrow afternoon. My boarding time by 10 NY time; do some math. I'll call you when I arrived. We'll meet you at the café near my old school."

"Aa. Catch you later, then." Ryoga said before hanging up. It seemed their new dear mother might be getting more than she bargained for.

First Class

Boeing 878 Dreamliner

Five hours into the flight

Takeuchi Ryou, the Snow, was pissed. He couldn't smoke; he couldn't drink – no thanks to a certain monkey who didn't seem to get that he was not a baby and certainly not his baby. And he couldn't do anything and he was bored. Nothing good came out of an Echizen bored. Ryoma's get-down-and-dirty side wanted to do something to help him relieve some stress.

And just as he thought that, the Italian flight attendant walked by and smiled seductively. Ryoma immediately approved of those deep chocolate eyes. The fine dark haired specimen male nodded his head in the direction of the galley on the plane. Ryoma arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at the hot gaze eyeing him up, noticed how the man flicked his tongue to lick his lips as he took in the telling bulge at the front of the his pants. Coming to a decision, he returned the smile with a sexy smirk got up to follow.

This could prove to be a very pleasurable distraction; Atobe's babying be damned.

Tokyo Narita International Airport

Tokyo, Japan

01.20 PM

"Snow-san, please give some comments!"

"Kyaaaah! Sleep with me, Snow!"

"Snow, look this way! Please look this way!"

"Marry me, Snow!"

"Have a child with me!"

The young model frowned; the airport was too crowded for his taste. The chaotic, almost claustrophobic sensations made his head throbbed painfully. Even after being a model for almost two years, he still couldn't get himself comfortable with the crowds.

Not to mention that his muscles were still heavy and sated because of the sex and blowjob he had earlier from that fine steward. Ryoma had been inducted to the mile high club for about a year now and he knew better than to face the public with mussed hair and tousled clothes and the particular afterglow that just screamed that he had just gotten a good laid with no apparent care about the turbulence. The attractive Italian had pocketed his phone number into Ryoma's pocket sometime earlier, and though Ryoma knew that they would never go anywhere, it never hurt to have a pretty lay.

"It seems like you attracted half of the female population in Tokyo and almost as many males," Yoshida commented with quiet amusement.

"I thought you made sure that no one will know about my going back to Japan?!" the young model hissed, obviously pissed off judging by the scowl prettily marring his pale face. The golden eyes, usually so cold and indifferent, were smouldering with blatant displeasure.

"I did!" Yoshida shot back in self-defence, "Atobe-san was the one who declared both of your return to Japan. He thought that at least his return should be befitting of his status! He said and I quote 'Ore-sama shall not receive the same treatment as those plebeians!' or something like that…" Yoshida emphasized with a hand on his hip while the other was jabbing at some random direction, an almost perfect imitation of the diva's demanding body language although he faltered at the last.

Ryoma glared him for the last time before he clucked his tongue, "Che! Stupid monkey king… and his equally stupid whims…"

"Oh, by the way, one of your fans apparently wants you to autograph her breasts." Yoshida tapped on his chin thoughtfully, "Personally, I think it's quite large. Double C, or was it D-cup?"

"Not interested." Ryoma muttered with a scowl, "Just because I'm bi, it doesn't mean that I'm that low."

Chuckling, Yoshida caught sign of one of his assistants waving from the direction of the main entrance through the rabid crowds that was barely controllable by the security guards and lines, "This way, Snow…" Yoshida guided both the model and the multi-billionaire to the black van that awaited them in the front.

Ryoma scowled even deeper, especially when another infuriating voice joined him.

"Smile, brat! We are the kings of the day!" Atobe said joining Ryoma long, quick strides to the front of the airport before circling an arm around the slim model.

"Why don't you? It's your welcome, not mine." Ryoma said in his usual nonchalant attitude as he brushed off Atobe.

"Why, you ungrateful little brat…." Atobe hissed through a professional smile, his twitch visible as he glared the younger male, "After all I've done for you—"

"I never asked for this," Ryoma snapped quietly, rolling his eyes heavenward. "Otherwise, hurry up. I have other things to deal with, unlike you."

Atobe scowled but decided to be the mature one, "Talking about other things, you best not forget that you have a photo shoot at Todai in a couple hours. Where shall ore-sama pick you up?" Atobe asked walking through the doors that guards opened for them and into the van with Ryoma. Atobe almost commented on being treated as a commoner being stuffed into a van when he was so used to limos – no thanks to the limo service being messed up because they touched down an hour late – when Ryoma started to speak and cut off that train of thoughts and his tone attracted his attention.

"At my old house," Ryoma said a bit crossly, "Apparently my old man got hitched a few days ago and naturally, I have to do a little meet-and-greet session."

The diva raised an eyebrow at his expression, not even hearing it from him before but didn't comment on it. "Ore-sama shall come for you around three then?" Atobe asked, while glancing at his Rolex.

"Sure," Ryoma merely uttered as Yoshida rattled off his schedule on the other side.

"… so really you have roughly about… umm, two days off before we pick up full speed again?" Yoshida finished off, titling his head to one side.

"Whatever."

He was used to travelling extensively and living on a tight schedule so jet lag was never a problem anymore. It was the fact that what was waiting for him that made him tired and irritably.

-:- -:- -:- -:- -:-

"You look well," Ryoga said glancing at his younger brother from the corner of his eye as the younger climbed into his car before he drove them to the Aoyama district where they spent the latter half of their childhood and teenage years.

His bratty little brother was evidently taller – reaching an almost decent five feet ten from his previous five feet four though he was still tiny compared to Ryoga's bulkier body, compact muscles, and six feet two feet build – more toned, more androgynous, and definitely paler. Ryoga faintly wondered how long had it been since he touched a racquet. His hair was longer and touching his shoulders. The way he dressed also changed even more dramatically from two years ago.

He was wearing a loose, white cashmere Prada's V-neck sweater and dark low-slung tight denim that clung to his figure. His four hundred thousand worth of Dolce & Gabbana tinted glasses were steady over his narrow, slim nose. His left ear had a Sterling Silver intricately designed cuff on the upper lobe; there were two piercing marks on the right ear and a single mark on the left. A black leather choker was around his elegant neck and there was a twin Native American black braided charms he wore around his slender left wrist.

The black lacquered nails, the stark contrast of black, smooth tattoo on his neck beneath the left ear which was somewhat obscured by his hair, and the small black rose tattoo peeking from his right hipbone didn't miss Ryoga's attention.

'Nice.' Ryoga thought as he saw the black rose tattoo.

He never knew that his brother could be so… devilish. There was something gothic and sullen about this new Ryoma. Hard to believe that it was the same big-eyed, chubby toddler that used to cling on to him like a lost puppy.

"Hn, more or less." Ryoma shrugged, caressing a sleepy Karupin sleeping in his arms. "… Tell me more about… them."

"Well, you may rest your holler if you're thinking this woman married old man for the dough." Ryoga said through a sigh. "Something's up and they're not telling why. Nothing big though, that's for sure. But she's all right."

"How well do you know her?" Ryoma asked blandly.

"I met her twice." Ryoga spoke as he slowed to a stop at a red light, "The first time was pretty awkward since dad introduced her as a 'friend', or so he said. I was rather freaked out when I finally registered the fact that she wasn't a young, bouncy female."

Ryoma ignored Ryoga's last comment, "And the second?" the younger male raised a delicate eyebrow at his brother, a gesture to annoy that he had copied and mastered from a certain Monkey King just to annoy him.

"When he went and did the deed." Ryoga said with a sardonic smirk, "I seriously thought he wasn't going to do it. But then again, he's an Echizen."

"Hn." Ryoma merely hummed as he turned his gaze back to the pedestrians outside.

"Otherwise," Ryoga said continuing, "We have an older sister with two kids, who happens to be in the midst of divorce from a supposedly bastard of a husband, and two brothers. Both younger than me, but older than you."

Ryoma blinked before turning back to Ryoga, "Fuck… that means—"

"Yup, chibisuke!" Ryoga grinned slyly, "You're still the baby in the family."

"Go and die." Ryoma said crossly in English to his brother who seemed to find immense pleasure in teasing him. They had not met up for quite a while now, but you got to give it to Ryoga for making it easy between them.

"After you, chibisuke, after you." Ryoga finished with a manly chuckle, "The older boy attends Todai, arts major. The other one started last spring. Said that he got sick and hospitalized for almost a year because of an accident and got delayed."

"So?" Ryoma muttered disinterestedly.

"They must be pretty smart, right?"

Ryoma gave him a look, "You went there too, dumbass."

"Which is why they're smart because moi was its alumni," Ryoga said smugly as he pulled up into the familiar driveway, "Anyway, speaking about studies, I heard from the news that you almost got dropped out of your university because you never appeared in classes? And to think that you used to be hailed as the prodigy child—"

"Just shut the hell up and drive," Ryoma said crossly as he crossed his arms.

"Touché," Ryoga snickered, 'I guess it's a sensitive subject?'

-:- -:- -:- -:- -:-

When they arrived at the Echizen residence, a pang of nostalgia washed over Ryoma for a minute. He faintly wondered if the old tennis court was still there.

"Well, when compared to that seventy-six million dollars penthouse in New York that Atobe gave you for your birthday slash early Christmas present and the three other apartments and penthouse you bought, being back here must be boring, huh?"

Ryoma merely scoffed, "Not another word, Ryoga."

"But your other homes are so nice. The one in Malibu is my personal favourite," Ryoga sighed with mock longing, "Must have cost you quite some fortune, eh? If you sum it up, including your frozen assets and all, your fortune is reaching almost half a billion, isn't it?" his brother whistled lowly, "Your going international was a nice move, bro. You struck millions over night and even ranked twelve the richest under twenty in America and still on the running,"

"Mada mada dane," Ryoma sighed, knowing that his brother was taunting for a reaction and decided not to grant him the satisfaction of it.

"By the way, your car is a killer. I fell in love at first sight!" his brother grinned.

"That also came from saru-sama." Ryoma rolled his eyes, "Said it matches his eyes. He's the only living human being who bought an Aston Martin just because it matches his eyes,"

"And he gave it to you, why?" Ryoga scrunched his eyebrows; it definitely sounded like Atobe Keigo, the cousin of a college friend of his who he met on more than a few campus occasions before.

"So that I will not forget His Highness' generosity,"

"Typical."

Ryoma snorted, "Idiot,"

The two brothers walked towards the door and stopped just in front of it. For a while, neither said anything.

"Ready, little bro?" Ryoga asked in English, grinning at Ryoma's obvious discomfort.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Ryoma said with a sigh as his brother rung the buzzer, taking his time to look around him – noting the changes and the lingering of what was similar to that of his memories. Damn, he was getting all sentimental. He needed to kick someone, preferably Atobe Keigo.

"Yes?"

"It's me, Ryoga."

The door was quickly opened and it revealed a smiling woman who turn startled when she realized that there was someone else with him. Ryoma looked up, while still stroking Karupin's fur as the cat nuzzled his arm, and locked his gaze with Yoshiko.

"Umm, Ryoga, is this…?" Yoshiko gasped softly; clapping a hand against her mouth as realization dawned upon her. Even without Ryoga saying it, the uncanny resemblance of his and his father and brother was almost too evident. True that compared to the older males of the Echizen, he was more delicate and fair. But an Echizen male and his eyes couldn't be mistaken for anything else.

Ryoga nodded and stepped to the left, "This is Ryoma, Yoshiko-san." the male Echizen introduced before turning back to his brother, "Ryoma, our new mother."

"Fu-Echizen Yoshiko, desu…" Yoshiko stammered, completely lost on how to act at the sudden introduction.

"Yoroshiku," Ryoma said, shifting Karupin and reaching out for her hand only to find her bowing customarily polite at him.

"Been abroad too long ne?" Ryoga teased as he ushered Yoshiko inside and stepping in after her. Ryoma merely threw him a dry glare before bending down to put Karupin to the ground. At the once familiar surroundings, the cat immediately leaped and began his own retour around the house. Ryoma stared blankly around him, ignoring Yoshiko and her nervous stance.

"He's a kitten behind the scowl," Ryoga bent to whisper to Yoshiko slightly seeing as she was more than slightly nervous to meet the youngest Echizen.

A relieved smile broke out on her face as Yoshiko took that into account. He actually wasn't all that intimidating. On second thought, both weren't as bad as she anticipated. They were both polite to her and if they didn't accept her, they definitely didn't hold it against her.

"Yumiko, Yusuke, and Akiko are inside." Yoshiko informed quietly.

"The boys are still at school, then?"

"Aa," Yoshiko said with another smile, "Yuuta should be home soon enough though."

"Oh." Ryoga merely answered slipping his shoes off and into the slippers waiting. Ryoma on the other hand, who had became used to living abroad, felt a bit reserved about the changes in the house. It was clear that it was more homely now with a woman's touch in it and the getabako was also more crowded with slippers and shoes of all kinds, colours, and sizes.

He must have been daydreaming because Yoshiko looked at him and softly called him, "Umm, anou Ryoma-san?"

Ryoma snapped out of his reverie and addressed Yoshiko, "… Ah," he paused before he spoke again, "Is the old man around?"

"Old man?" Yoshiko took a few seconds to digest the question, "O, oh! If it is your father you're looking for, he's this way…" Yoshiko lifted a hand towards the living room off to the left awkwardly.

"Doumo…" Ryoma merely replied as he knocked his boots off and slipped into a pair of slippers. When he walked in to the living room though, he saw a beautiful brunette woman who was sitting on the sofa while reading an interior magazine looked up and greeted his older brother with a smile.

"Ryoga-san!"

"Yumiko," Ryoga greeted politely with a brief nod, before his face broke into a smile when two a brunet girl with dark eyes and black haired boy with hazel eyes abandoned their crayons and came running towards him. "Munchkins!" he grinned wolfishly as he ruffled hair of both kids that came to a stop in front of him with toothy grins. Yusuke pouted as he tried to fix the hair his uncle tousled while Akiko giggling.

Yumiko shook her head at their antics and noticing the presence of a stranger. She stood up and walked toward the two raven haired male and Ryoga took the initiative to introduce them to one another.

"Yumiko, this is Ryoma-san." Yoshiko said taking the initiative to introduce Ryoma.

"It's… nice meeting you…" Yumiko said in almost wonderment at the striking young man who she was sure the height of every female's sexually desired partner. His androgynous look could also sent rampaging hormones southward on males with 0.01 percent of gayness in them. He was very good looking, if not one of the most beautiful looking guys she'd ever met. In a way, his attractiveness was different from that of the older Echizens, who were ruggedly handsome, but he was certainly something else.

Yumiko had been quite a fan of his since his first appearance, at the time never once thinking about the possibilities of ending up as her sister, and was quite shocked when her mother had mentioned it to her.

In person, Takeuchi Ryou was every inch a perfect and intimidating black ice sculpture, befitting of his nickname. And he was even more gorgeous up-close.

"Pleasure," Ryoma nodded his head slightly, maintaining a nonchalant front.

Yumiko though, not the slightest offended by his rather distant attitude, offered a smile. After all, what could she say? The young boy didn't even know that his father was married until last night and today he was introduced to the supposedly new 'family members'. Of course he'd be awkward. And the 'Snow' was nicknamed such not only for his fair complexion but also for his temper.

"I must say, otou-san…" Yumiko said to Nanjirou had come to stand nervously behind her, "You have quite a head-turning gene in your blood." she said with a mischievous smile on her red lips at the sight of the two brothers that stood side by side.

"I'd like to think so." Nanjirou said stepping forward for the dreaded moment with his youngest. They stared at each other as the rest of the occupants in the room held his breath. Ryoma gave a blank face as Nanjirou gulped and forced out, "It's been a while. How have you been –?"

"Fine," Ryoma said briskly to his father as if they were no more than distant strangers. No one in the room missed how Ryoma gave his father the cold shoulder but decided not to comment on it – Ryoga, because he knew his little brother's temper; the others, because Nanjirou already told him about their hostile relationship.

Ryoma decided to focus on anything but his father, so instead he returned to his so-called 'observation' of his new mother and sister. True that the woman his father married seemed calm and homely, unlike the modern and materialistic illustrative women or a jaded widow. So far, she only looked and acted like a housewife and Ryoma thought he could at least tolerate and ignore her even if he didn't accept her. The concept of a 'mother' was far too foreign for him.

The other female addition to his family however, was a slightly different type. Surely, she appeared to be worn and the lines of stress were prominent on her face. But traces of youthful beauty were left lingering on her person; her mischievous hazel eyes and knowing smiles amused Ryoma. Yoshiko did most of the talking as she introduced the rest of her children, "Since my sons aren't home, these are them…" Yoshiko said through the slight lapse of talk touching a photo hanging in the hall.

"Hnn," Ryoma said, diverting his attention away from his father to the picture of the wedding he didn't appear at but he did commit the two boys Yoshiko pointed out to his memory.

"The younger one is Yuuta and that's Shusuke." She pointed to their respective pictures, "They're one year apart from each other."

"Yet still older than the baby." Ryoga teased ignoring the deadly glare that Ryoma shot at him.

"They aren't that much older than you, Ryoma-san." Yoshiko said with a smile. Shusuke's only twenty-one and Yuuta's only twenty."

"Hee," Ryoma nodded, before dropping his eyes to two little something standing near his legs while looking at him with awe.

Yusuke looked awe-struck, "Wow… you're so pretty, nee-chan!"

Ryoma immediately twitched, and sported some heavy veins when he heard Ryoga snickering loudly from the back, making a mental note to kick him later where it hurt. Yumiko looked torn between smiling and scolding her son whereas Yoshiko was taken aback by Yusuke's bluntness. Akiko was already yelling at her brother.

"Yusuke is an idiot!" the girl said, sticking out her tongue like the child she was, "This onii-chan is a boy!"

"No! She's a girl!" Yusuke shot back stubbornly, much to Ryoga's delight and Ryoma's irritation, "She's gotta be a girl! She's so pretty!"

Yumiko interrupted the small boy before he could say anything more damaging while suppressing a laugh. "Yusuke! I want you to apologize right now, young man!"

"Eeh? But why?" whined Yusuke with a pout, innocently oblivious.

"Because!" Yumiko paused, looking as if unsure how to explain it to her young son so that he could understand, "Because Ryoma-niisan is a boy, like you. Do you like it when someone calls you a girl?"

Yusuke seemed to take in his mother's words before quickly shook his head and then turned to his new uncle while tugging on his jeans, "I'm sorry…" the boy said quietly.

Ryoma didn't say anything, but he did raise his hand and awkwardly ruffled Yusuke's hair. He wondered briefly how Ryoga made it seem so easy with his bigger hands. Yusuke seemed to be okay about it though, judging by the bright smile on his face.

"Ne, ne! Pick me up!" Yusuke said taking the initiative to acquaint himself further with Ryoma before his sister could.

"No fair!" Akiko said with a pout.

With a small smirk, Ryoma bent and swooped both up on each arms making them squeal in delight. Despite his look of utter model-glory thin of one-hundred and thirty pounds, he was deceptively strong.

"Children!" Yumiko chided her kids slightly, "Ryoma-niisan just got back for New York, he's too tired to play!"

Ryoga twitched. Yumiko addressed him as 'Ryoga-jiichan' in front of her children. But she used 'Ryoma-niisan' for his brat of a little brother. It was so unfair; he was not even that old.

"Oh, that's right!" Yoshiko said with a startle that she had forgotten about her new youngest son's long trip home, "Would you like to rest or bathe first, Ryoma-san?"

"I think I'll bathe first," Ryoma said politely, as he humoured the children. "I have a photo shoot in another hour or two so I better get ready for that."

"They're overworking you," Yoshiko said with a tiny frown now. "You just got back and already you have work."

Ryoma blinked and this time, raised his face to Yoshiko. He didn't say anything, but inwardly he felt weird hearing someone say that. For two years now he had been living alone and everything was managed by his manager and Yoshida and for someone of his popularity, it was rare for him to even get some decent sleep, let alone getting acquainted with the word 'overwork'.

Yoshiko, as if catching herself ranting at Ryoma's reaction, or the lack thereof, smiled sheepishly and flushed slightly, "So… anoo, s-should I prepare a room for you here tonight, Ryoma-san?" the woman added as if unsure.

Ryoma stared at the woman curiously, unnerving her. And as he opened his mouth to speak, his older brother who was standing behind him, beat him to it.

"Don't bother, Yoshiko-san." Ryoga interrupted while ignoring the glare thrown his way, not wanting to give Ryoma any chance to brush it off given the younger teen's crass personality who couldn't get along with people as easily as him.

"He'll be crashing my place tonight, Yoshiko-san."

"Oh, I-I see…" Yoshiko sighed, slightly dejected with a relieved hint in it. Ryoga supposed that not everyone could communicate with his brother without getting a nerve fried. Ryoma could be that overbearing at times. When Yoshiko didn't see though, Ryoma kicked his leg backward and knocked Ryoga in the shin painfully. Ryoga bit his lips and whimpered, glaring at the raven haired model with a 'what was that for' look, returned with a blank 'just because' look.

Yusuke reached forward and clapped both of his small hands against Ryoma's cheeks. He and his supposed 'uncle' then engaged in a small staring contest before Yusuke started to try and take off Ryoma's sunglasses. Ryoga saw it and grimaced as he leaned to an amused Yumiko who would soon lose any of the said amusement as Ryoga leaned in to whisper right next to her ear.

"You know, that sunglasses of his cost almost four hundred grand US dollars."

Yumiko immediately jumped to take Yusuke away from Ryoma's hand just before the boy lifted the sunglasses and sent it to its doom on the floor. She started to scold the confused toddler for being impolite before throwing apologetic looks on her youngest step-sibling. Ryoma blinked, raised an eyebrow, and then used his now free hand to push the sunglasses to tug on top of his head. Akiko continued to play with his hair gleefully while sitting on his other arm.

Yumiko managed to tear her children from the model fifteen minutes later, in spite of the pouting and baby tantrum they had going on. Before taking his bath, Ryoma decided to go to his old room on the second floor – or what used to be his bedroom. Ryoma nearly dropped his sling bag when he saw what used to be his sleek white zen haven had been turned into an orange kiddie world. His previously marble white room, with handsome glossy black furniture, white wardrobe, and plush white rug, along with the expensive red platform bed with his soft black mattress had all been replaced.

It wasn't that the room itself was badly made. No, the decoration was tasteful and cute. The soft brown wall was combined with warm orange and red, with white ceiling and flooring. There was two children bed with white sheets and red headboard, a small bedside desk between them while a small shelf of orange was above them. The cupboard was orange and big beside the bookshelf strategically made with smaller drawers on the lower part. There was a long, off white table used as a double study desk with two red chairs and red drawers. Overall, it was a very nice room.

But still.

Yuuta didn't understand the huge fuss people made sometimes. He had been trying to talk to Mizuki about a date earlier but he was overly distracted about something else like the rest of the population. He kept on and on talking about 'Snow' and 'Snow' and did he mention 'Snow'?

By the time Mizuki made him repeat it for the fourth time, he had been highly irritated, and asked for the sake of his own mind, who the heck was 'Snow'. Of course that didn't earn him understanding from anybody as the looked at him as if he's been living under a rock the entire time. Even Mizuki stared at Yuuta like he had just grown an extra nose on his forehead. And Yuuta then realized he made the wrong move because then everyone else started to swoon like mass dunderheads.

"—the most gorgeous thing that walked on two legs—"

"—my future husband—"

"—so hot and sexy and—"

"—wanna bend him down on a table—"

The gushing love and everything else finally provoked him, on the way home from school that day to stop by a store and grab a magazine with 'Snow' on the cover.

Unlocking the gate with his key, Yuuta nudged the magazine page to the next page as he examined 'Snow's' photo shoot. The photo ranged from a melancholic, gothic ambience of black and grey to softer colours. His poses were sensual, provocative, and dripped with sexual confidence.

Well, he had to admit the guy was like a walking sex-god, literally. But really, he somehow resembled his new father a bit and his new brother although it mostly extended to the colouring and that particular aura about him that commanded immediate attention at first sight.

Reaching for the doorknob as he struggled to balance the magazine he was examining, his book bag, keys and cell phone, he realized he hadn't unlocked the front door yet. "Damn!" Yuuta uttered as he tried to fish his keys off his finger without dropping anything. After the third unsuccessful try, Yuuta gave up and knocked on the door instead. Readjusting the items he juggled, he heard the door open.

"Need help?"

"Sure—" Yuuta said distractedly, looking up to see the half-naked sex-god himself with tousled damp hair, rivulets of water slowly trailing down the flawless skin, and a black towel wrapped low around his middle only – almost a perfect parody of the picture he was staring at just a second ago.

Forgetting everything else but the surprise in front of him, Yuuta's book bag finally slid off his shoulders which tipped the magazine from where it sat on his arms and caused the avalanche of everything Yuuta had been holding. Yuuta reddened at seeing the very being that got everyone in the miles radius fanning themselves and at the thought of the embarrassing first impression he'd just given him.

"Ara… he's so into you, he dropped everything, otouto." Ryoga said peeking from the living room.

"T-that's not true!" Yuuta defended hotly before his eyes drifted downward to what Ryoma and Ryoga's gaze was on more than him.

Right in front of all three of them was centre page of Ryoma sprawled naked on his stomach with only a thin, white sheet hiding his lower middle from prying gazes. His black rose tattoo was peeking teasingly, while his eyes were looking upward at the camera rather sharply from a high angle in a completely white room of transparent veils and fluffy pillows. The other page was a picture where dazed looking Ryoma was lying on the black ceramic floor while his lower body was leaned against a velvet couch – one knee bent artistically. The thin sheets was the only thing covering his modesty as he titled his head upside down to the camera with one hand against his forehead and the other limped on the floor.

"That's, uh—it-it's not like that!" Yuuta announced scrambling before all else to close the magazine and shove it deep into his book bag. Ryoma was amused to see how a human could turn so red. It reminded him of the boiled crab in Hokkaido Yoshida once brought him to eat.

"Then how is it?" Ryoga asked slyly while wriggling a gleeful eyebrow, knowing he had caught Yuuta red-handed. Hell, the boy's reaction was so similar to how they first met and it gave Ryoga the unambiguous understanding that he was definitely into his own sex and not the fairer side.

"I was—I was reading a section in it, a-and…" Yuuta stammered his oh-so-convincing lie as he busied himself by picking up the rest of the stuff he dropped to avoid eye contact with both Ryoga and Ryoma. Actually, he was hoping for the earth to crack so he could just bury himself in it. This was so embarrassing – in front of him was probably the most worshipped under twenty of the century and he was making a complete idiot out of himself not a second into the meeting.

"Oh, really?" Ryoga was not convinced obviously, "Like the—"

"Leave him alone." Ryoma cut in briskly, using that 'you're being childish' tone as he began to walk to the room he had left his clothes in.

"Spoil my fun, why don't you?" the older male rolled his eyes heaven ward.

"Oh, my! Ryoma-san!" Yoshiko, who heard and came down to see all the commotion, gasped as she clasped a hand against her mouth. Her cheeks were slightly flushed as she took in how her supposedly youngest son was parading around almost naked. "You're going to catch a cold walking around like that…"

Ryoma gave a curt nod, faintly thinking that it had been a while since anyone ever said something like that to him but quickly recovered. He simply turned and left a gaping Yuuta in his wake as he went back the kitchen where he was lounging while his Florida apple juice when the doorbell rang. It was his habit when he was in America and he was not about to change it.

"Oi, chibisuke! Wear some clothes!" Ryoga yelled from the front door where he was entertaining himself by watching Yuuta, "Not everyone appreciates your parading around naked—"

"Where's the brat?"

Ryoga stopped short and turned to a familiar voice speaking only to find Atobe Keigo standing there in his expensive Hermes and Armani, whereas behind him was a really handsome Bugatti Veyron. Honestly, Ryoga rolled his eyes, these guys and their cars.

Atobe raised an eyebrow. "Ryoga."

"Why, if it isn't the King himself. I supposed that I should be grateful that Your Highness has graced me with his presence?" Ryoga shrugged, mirroring Atobe's gesture while looking at Atobe who stood behind Yuuta, who was gaping all over again at the sight of the handsome diva dressed smartly and stylishly, screaming money and power in his every move. What was it with today and handsome blokes?

"Of course, plebeian." Atobe snorted as he impatiently added, "Now, where's my brat?"

Ryoga twitched at the my part, "Chibisuke went to get dressed."

Atobe's steely eyes slowly went down to a flushed Yuuta before shooting up to a small woman in her forties standing beside the tall and toned Ryoga.

"Oh, and this is—" Yoshiko bowed to Atobe before turning inquisitively to Ryoga.

"Ryoma's money." Ryoga said with a straight face, not taking his eyes off Atobe.

"Excuse me?" Yoshiko repeated with a confused face.

"His boss." Ryoga clarified with a twist of his lips upward in seemingly a smile of some sort, "He just got back, Atobe. And he got barely one hour… and a half—"

"—which is plenty of time when compared at with the rest of his schedule for someone of his calibre." Atobe interrupted smoothly, "Besides, he'll have nothing to do for the next two days. At least, not until his photographer from Milan arrived."

"Sou ka…" Ryoga appeared to be in some thoughts when he broke into a mischievous grin, "I never thought I'd live to see the day that the great Atobe Keigo plays chauffeur for my otouto." Ryoga said amusedly as he leaned casually against the wall while crossing his arms by his chest, ignoring the technicality that it was Kabaji, Atobe's personal man in the waiting who actually drove the car as usual when Atobe was not being escorted by his chauffeur.

"I need the car for… other stuff." Atobe pointed out.

"Other stuff?" Ryoga repeated, "How eloquent, saru. Tell me, does it have something to do with glasses-wearing brunets?"

Atobe threw the Echizen's oldest son a glare, earning him an amused chuckle.

"You kids these days… can't wait to get into other people's pants, huh?" Ryoga said examining Atobe's slightly eccentric style.

"At least I have pants to get into." Atobe arrogantly used a hand to push his hair back.

"Are you saying I don't get any these days?" Ryoga asked with the quirk of his brow just enough to look unquestionably handsome yet poised.

"Try climbing into mine someday." Atobe merely challenged.

Ryoga merely let out a laugh, "I'll take that as an invitation to your bedroom."

"Which I'd rather not have happening anytime soon," Ryoma interrupted with his appearance while pushing back his damp bangs with his hand, and although he managed to preserve his trademark poker face, he did feel slightly disturbed inside at the thought of his brother and his boss rolling around in silk sheets on a bed that could probably fit five to six grown people. Their ego would destroy the world and God save the population.

"I'm leaving." Ryoma called out for the rest of everyone else's sake and pushed his glasses back and tugged one end of his headset to his right ear, slipping the sleekly glossed red and black slim iPod onto his pocket.

Yuuta stared at Ryoma, as the model yawned slightly. Even his yawn looked sexy, his mind added involuntarily.

Earlier on, Ryoma had changed into a pair of casual jeans and loose, black sleeveless shirt topped by a pricey looking an unzipped parachute hoodie that was slightly big on him that it dropped from his shoulders to reveal the lines of his neck and skin. He thought little that what he wore revealed more than it hid. Yuuta blushed when he caught himself ogling the model.

"Have a good one," Yumiko called out as Ryoma followed Atobe out the door.

"Don't work too hard!" Yoshiko called after as well.

The four of them watched as Ryoma followed Atobe to the car, all the way tossing insults and taunts like Sunday Frisbees and biting each other's head verbally.

It took Yuuta another one minute before he realized that a world class model had just shown up at his house, dripping wet and half nude. "Nee, okaa-san… where are they going and why was he here? Isn't he… you know, some big shot model in America?" Yuuta said as he hugged his stuff to his chest.

"Oh, that was your other brother, Ryoma, who just got back from New York a few hours ago and he has a photo shoot somewhere." Yoshiko said with a small smile.

"Oh."

…

"Snow is my brother!" Yuuta asked in shock, looking pale and faint, dropping everything all together again.

"Yup! And don't cum in your pants now," Ryoga, who had been waiting for the inevitable reaction, grinned while patting his younger brother on the shoulder in mock sympathy, "You're not that excited, aren't you?"

"Aa—am not!" Yuuta yelled with a blush that contradicted his statement.

Tokyo Daigaku

Tokyo, Japan

03.15 PM (continuation of the photo session from the first chapter)

A chorus of gasps and excited squeals broke from all around.

"… Someone failed to tell me I'd have to bare myself for some odd thirty people." Ryoma merely said to Mitsuru without a single change of expression. Inwardly, he was having the pleasurable, evil image of shaving Atobe's hair bald, again.

"Oh, don't worry about it! Of course, you can keep your underwear on?" Mitsuru said with a straight face.

Ryoma in turn looked blankly at him and replied. "… I go by commando."

That earned another bout of squealing. Mitsuru had this starry look in his eyes like a sugar-high kid inside a candy store and Ryoma suddenly had a really bad feeling. Seeing no way of escape, he reached for his top button – earning anticipating gasps – when Atobe appeared on the doorway with Kabaji on his tow as usual, attracting attentions.

"Brat! I'm gonna step out for a bit so be good."

"Why don't you be good and competent for once and tell me the details before signing me up, you stupid monkey! And I'm telling Yoshida about this!" Ryoma snapped as he tossed the jacket. Yoshida might be Atobe's 'underling', but when it came to Ryoma, he had full authority over him and always got mad when Atobe abused his right as Ryoma's boss for his personal gain.

"Che! It's not like you've never been nude in front of people before! And don't you dare tell him!" Atobe returned with a slight frown and raised eyebrow, "I'll be back in two hours to pick you up. Just two hours and I'll buy you that car you want."

Ryoma noted the lingering tone of persuasion and stubbornness. He knew at that minute that these two hours might decide Atobe Keigo's whole love-life – and sex-life – and Ryoma entertained the thought of ruining it before he decided to give in. Atobe seemed serious about this one after all.

"Whatever," Ryoma muttered as he took off his sleeveless under shirt – revealing a smooth and hairless chest, elegant shoulders, long and wiry arms, smooth washboard abs and flat belly, down to the jutting bones of his slim waist.

Everyone heard the other take a sharp breath of wonder as each skimmed the flawlessness of being before them. It took all of the people some great deal of self-control not to reach out and touch the nicely worked arms and curvy waist. They held their breath as Ryoma started to unbutton his jeans and two actually fainted while hoping that he'd take everything off, when quite suddenly the spell was broken when it seemed the god recognized someone and walked forward. Despite the fact that everyone was crossing their own fingers, wanting to be the one to catch the model's attention, he went and stopped before Yukimura Seiichi and looked at him curiously.

Yukimura slowly blinked, startled and was lost at what to do. He knew that he became the centre of attention now that the Snow himself was standing before him and staring at him as if he was some kind of rare species. To be honest, it was kind of rude. But then again, the model who stood around his height was simply too attractive to be missed when one could see him this close.

"… You're Gen's pretty boy, aren't you?"

Yukimura blinked again at the blunt statement and could only nod dumbly, not really registering his words.

Ryoma's lips slowly curled into a smirk, "Well, then don't mind if I do—"

Suddenly, to everyone's shock, the model pulled the back of Yukimura's neck and dragged his face forward before pressing his lips fully against the startled frozen teal haired male and Shusuke felt his stomach lurch with jealousy whereas Mitsuru didn't waste other second snapping away pictures with a huge grin on his face, thinking how it had just made his day. His eyes held mirth that rivalled the squealing Kikumaru's.

Yukimura's widened eyes slid shut as he felt his knees weakened considerably that he had to lean his weight against the model as he moaned quietly when Ryoma expertly and unabashedly played his mouth and worked his skilful tongue down his throat while not caring about their audience and then suddenly pulled away – a trail of saliva connecting their wet lips – and offered the flushing and panting Yukimura a sexy smirk. Yukimura's thoughts were scattered; where did he learn to kiss like that? It was illegal to kiss that good and it sure sent more than a few people aroused.

"Well, I guess coming back to Japan isn't such a bad idea, after all."

For the first time in his life, Shusuke felt jealous of Yukimura as Ryoma caressed his best friend's cheek, fantasizing it was him in his stead.

What was it about this young model that attracted him so?

End's Note: Well, that's that for now, folks. And in case that you're wondering, Ryoma's glasses 'Dolce & Gabbana DG2027B' does cost $383,609 and right now is the most spendy sunglasses. Why did Ryoma spend a fortune on it? Well, just because he could, we guess. Anyway, we'll tell you later!

By the way, if you're curious about the rooms and all, there are links to the picture in our profile.

Responses:

Kat_sakura -- Most likely the fun will begin very soon. Although the theme of love forever… we're not sure it can actually, ya know, fit. But the good part is coming fast. (Moon : "Right, Eugene?") (Gene : thumbs up and grinned).

henriette -- It's just a few months from their parents' marriage. Sorry if it's a little confusing, we'll try to make it a bit easier to understand. (Moon : "I honestly didn't know if that was a cry of sadness that we didn't show a naked Ryoma or a cry of please don't show a naked Ryoma!" XD) (Gene : "Oh, oh! I vote for the first!")

tsub4ki -- Yuuta is just being the silly little brat he is about a change in pace but he's coming around slowly. ^^ And yes, we really wanted to showcase Nanjirou's nervousness and Ryoma's apathy in this matter. Well, as for the 'someone'… you'll just have to wait and see! XD (Gene and Moon : "We're evil! Kyaa!")

MysteriousEyez -- If there's anything we love more than writing, it's receiving encouraging reviews that express the desire to see more. We had to do a lot of planning to even get this far so it's rewarding to see reviews. And be rest assured that we will do everything to make it worth your time.

ElementalFoxGoddess -- Well… we don't know who is going to top yet. It's something we haven't discussed, or at the point of time being, trying to figure out.

Lapis Rane -- Definitely right on that account, how they deal with that is up ahead.

alaine -- We haven't decided on the seme-uke thing. And ah, sorry about that! We do want to keep all of you on your toes.

bru -- Thank you for the review!

Shinigami Rachi -- Oh, my God! Your review is adorable!

Firey Chronicles -- Truth be told, we don't know if it's going to stay 'T' for now. (Moon : "But mostly likely that we'll might move it up, ne Eugene?) (Gene : "Yeah, because I just know it there's going to be some hot, steamy 'M' scenes.")

primaaryet -- Euh, we hope that it meets your expectation. They met when Ryoma's nude.

Oshizu -- Thanks for the review!

wuzzgoinon -- Isn't that what makes Thrill thrive? The dirty scenes and catchy cat and mouse games they always go through! (Moon : "As for my own fics It's coming along soon…. and yours Eugene?") (Gene : "… Umm… oops? He, he… I'm trying… really, I am." ^^)

nicki-gurl -- On behalf of the both of us, we are thrilled that you were not disappointed because we hope this chapter didn't disappoint you either. (Gene : "And, yeah… to be honest, I never thought that one day, I'll be working with Moon. I mean, I'm a fan of her works and it seemed a little impossible when I read The Risks We Take.") Uh-huh, the whole point of the story is about the irony of their situation. We planned to make each character flawed and humane. As for the summary of dominance, umm…we'll get to that soon. We hope.

afallenheart -- After you! Review, please?

Heart -- Your review was really encouraging and we both know we have a support team behind us at all times but sometimes it's discouraging to receive little to no reviews for a chapter we had to think up, write and post. Nonetheless, we are honoured to have a wandering sheep from LJ reading our story. Please review?

who-8-mai-rice -- A bit off topic, but your name is awesome! XD We just loves it when people point out what they like because we get an insight on what people like. That and it help our ego ROFL (Gene : pops Moon's big head)

Sweet3 -- Glad to meet your liking! Please continue to support us!

o0Shira0o -- We remember you! You're in-depth reviews always make me smile. We're glad we were accurate on such parts because we had to really put ourselves in those shoes to try to get the best point of view for the story. We're also hoping the Thrill community will revive with the new series running now so please do continue to support our story with an occasional review. We will do our utmost best at answering our reviewers and have a knit relationship with all of you as well. As for the Imperial Pair, well… we're both fans of that as well. Hope to see you around? (Moon : hails Gene for answering first chapter's reviews practically by herself)

L'uke-chan – Yup, sadly real life is taxing and it's Gene's and my baby story that hasn't even bloomed to its full potential yet. XD

-X-Nefertiri-X- -- We could've broken it into shorter chapters, but then you'd all be more impatient to see what happened next each time something big happened, right?

Eleanor Rigby -- And we're about to dish it out too! So don't miss it!

MARYLOVER -- You're forgiven ^^ Just because I feel I've neglected all the readers as well by not updating more often. (Moon: "Now whose gonna forgive me?") (Gene : "Second that!") Anyways, Fuji has connections. Yukimura for one, (cough) Tezuka (cough) as another. It's more like his friends have it and he was dragged along with it. Besides Yoshiko's name, there's next to nothing on her in the real series so we had to make her up even if we have to change her age while at it. The important thing about Yoshiko was to make her human and not a weak willed woman or a goddess. About the 'voice'… (Moon : grins "Are you sure about that?") (Gene : "Never takes thing at face value though… tee-hee!") The Echizen's will have to have their family talk some other time but it will come although it will be slow because for now, the tension lay dormant. And yes, many people forget we do this as a side hobby, not as a real paying job so it may become a burden to try to keep up with demand but we will always make sure were enjoying what we write and post when we feel like it.

ohlordies -- Here you go then! But it's not finished though. Keep tabs for the next chapter!

oOoAriakeoOo -- And here comes the update! (Gene : "The description could do with a bit more flair, I think. And as for the Ryoma, well… you can say that our twisted ideas sometimes went over the cloud and he's the product of it?")

DxLee -- Please remember to review as well!