"Tsugoi!" Stepping out of the subway terminal, Jun looked with amazement at the never-ending columns of skyscrapers that stretched along the streets of Manhattan. "So many tall buildings! I wonder if Tokyo is like this?"

"Well, minus the earthquakes," Kazuya commented. Her face fell and he realized that mentioning earthquakes had caused her to think about her deceased family members. "Jun, gomen! I didn't mean to bring that up!"

"It's okay." Taking his hand, she led him down Park Avenue. "Such beautiful apartments," she remarked. "And it's so busy!"

"Well, how about we find a hotel?"

"Sounds good," she agreed.

The last six months for them had been a leisurely romp through Europe and Kazuya had suggested that they go to the US next. An international martial arts tournament was to take place at Madison Square Garden in one week and though the title of champion was alluring, the $100,000 cash prize was no less so. Upset after his draw with the American, Paul Phoenix, Kazuya vowed to win this event. He had half hoped that Paul would enter the competition as well, but the word in the fighter's grapevine was that he was being detained in Thailand after he and his friends had instigated a bar brawl.

Walking in with Jun, he went to the concierge desk and requested a room for two. After much prodding, Jun had convinced him to create a bank account for his winning so that they wouldn't have to carry large amounts of cash with them all the time. Pulling out his bank card, Kazuya paid for the room and handed his belongings to the bellhop. When they'd gotten settled, he said," I have to go and register for the competition. Do you want to come with or stay here?"

"I'll come with. Not much for me to do here without you."

"Great! Here." He handed her their room key. "You hold onto that."

"Hai," she said with a mock salute.

After a few botched attempts at navigating the subway system, they finally made it to the registration site. There was a long line of contenders waiting to sign up for the tournament and Kazuya took his place in one of the queues. Motioning to some benches that were close by, he told her, "Hey, you can go sit if you want. This might take a while."

"Okay." Making her way to the benches, she sat down and began to people watch, occasionally stopping to wave to Kazuya, who would shoot her a small smile as he waited for his turn.

"Is this seat taken?"

Jun looked up to see a young Asian man with long hair tied back in a ponytail looking at her. "No…English," she said, trying to use what few words she knew. The stranger said something else, and she wasn't sure but it sounded like Chinese. Shaking her head again, she was surprised when he said, "Are you Japanese?" in Japanese.

"Yes! Are you Japanese as well?"

He laughed pleasantly. "No, actually I'm Chinese. Lei Wu Long. Nice to meet you." He held out his hand.

Shaking it politely, she asked, "If you're Chinese, why do you know Japanese?"

Looking at the seat beside her, he grinned and said, "Well, before I answer your question, do you mind if I sit?"

"What? Oh, of course!" She moved over so that he could join her.

"I just started working in Interpol this year in Hong Kong, and my supervisor is a Chinese woman who happens to be married to a Japanese Anosetsukan fighter. They're both amazing martial artists and he comes by to see her after work sometimes. She's fluent so she taught me a little here and there."

Jun looked around. "Are they entering too?"

He smiled again. "No, they only recently got married and they're sort of settling into domestic bliss. Besides, they're pretty well known in all the major fighting circles so I don't think they feel much in the way of a need to prove anything."

"Interpol, huh? Any specific branch?"

"Well, not yet, but I'm hoping to join the illegal animal smuggling division," he speculated.

"You like animals?"

"Oh yeah, love 'em. Hopefully I can help the ones that are being bought and sold illegally." Jun was about to ask him another question when she noticed Kazuya staring daggers at Lei. Looking in the direction of her gaze, Lei saw it too. "You know that guy?"

"Yeah, he's my boyfriend." Hoping that Kazuya wouldn't overreact, she added, "He can be a little…ah…overprotective at times."

"Pretty girl like you, can't really blame him," he quipped with a roguish wink.

She blushed at his statement and it was not unnoticed by Kazuya whose glare only darkened further. Trying to maintain control over his temper, he continued to wait until it was his turn to register and when he had finished signing up, he promptly stormed over to where Jun was seated. "I'm done. Let's get out of here," he muttered irritably.

"Oh, Kazuya, this is Lei Wu Long, another contestant," she introduced.

"Nice to meet you," Lei grinned, again holding out his hand.

He is attracted to her and she seems to be enjoying his attentions.

Ignoring his greeting, Kazuya pulled Jun to her feet. "We're going."

"Hey man, ease up. Don't be so rough with her," Lei said with concern.

He wants to take her for his own, away from you, and she would willingly go, don't you see?

Letting go of her arm, Kazuya walked up to him and Lei could have sworn that he heard him growl. "This is none of your business. Stay away from her," he warned. He left the bewildered man where he stood, dragging Jun behind him.

"Kazuya, really!" Exasperated, she pulled her arm out of his hand. "What was that about?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," he accused angrily.

Oh here we go again, she thought. "He was just being friendly."

"Didn't look that way to me." Scowling, he demanded, "Why were you even talking with him in the first place?"

"He just wanted to sit and I thought it was interesting that a Chinese person spoke Japanese, that's all!"

"I'm sure he wanted to do more than just sit," he said sourly.

Trying to calm him down, Jun put a hand on his shoulder. "Kazuya, I think you might be overreacting just a little."

Not saying anything, Kazuya kept silent the whole train ride back to the hotel. When they got to their room, he hugged her and simply said, "I'm sorry if I was too rough with you."

This wasn't the first incidence of his becoming unreasonably jealous. In the last half year, any man who showed Jun even the slightest shred of interest ran the risk of being the target of Kazuya's hair trigger temper. Sometimes she even felt that he blamed her for their attentions. Afterwards, he always apologized, but every time it happened, it made her extremely uneasy. Not wanting to make a big deal out of it, she hugged him affectionately and gave him a kiss. "That's okay." His face relaxed into an easygoing smile that was a stark contrast to the threatening expression it had replaced only moments before.

"Hungry?" he asked brightly.

"Sure. Wanna get room service?" She flopped onto the bed, happy that his mood had improved.

Nodding, he picked up the phone and ordered dinner. When they'd finished their meal, Jun lay back on the bed and held her stomach. "I am stuffed," she said heavily.

"Me too." He jokingly pushed on her tummy, causing her to groan uncomfortably.

"Hey, cut it out! You'll make me puke!"

Rolling over on his side, he propped up himself up on one elbow and asked, "So what do you want to do tonight?"

"Nothing specific." She kissed his cheek. "What do you want to do tonight?"

"Well, it has been over 48 hours."

"Uh-oh." One look at his face and she knew exactly what it was that he wanted. "Kazuya, I'm really full…" she said weakly.

Inching towards her, he began pulling her towards him. "You don't have to do anything."

"Would it matter if I said no?"

He smiled impishly at her. "Not really."

After a few hours of enthusiastic lovemaking, Jun passed out, a satisfied smile on her lips. Not quite sleepy yet, Kazuya watched her as she slept next to him and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders.

This can only end badly. She will betray you.

"No she won't," he muttered irritably. "No one asked you."

She has done this so many times, in so many different countries. Do you really think that she is as innocent as she claims? She knows how to attract a man's attention. She thrives on it.

Frowning, Kazuya argued, "No, she's not like that. She's always told me that she cares about me and only me."

To keep you unsuspecting and under control, and like a fool you believe her. You choose to be blind to what is so obvious.

"Yamiro!" Kazuya put both hands over his ears, trying desperately to block out the insidious voice in his head.

"Kazuya, are you okay?" Jun's sleepy voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Yeah, fine. Go back to sleep." Grabbing a discman and some headphones, he turned up the music to its maximum volume and put the ear buds on. The music was annoyingly loud, but at least the demon's voice was overpowered by the noise.


tsugoi: amazing

gomen: sorry

yamiro: stop (imperative)