He's Beautiful

by sasaengandfab

They had grown up in an orphanage without parents, all with wishes for their future careers. With Tomoe leaving to America with a man in search of love and with Kanako leaving to pursue a career in music, Souichi had never felt so lonely. But what happens when Kanako gets hurt and needs surgery and Souichi needs to take her place? Based on the drama Ikemen Desu Ne.

3. Part 1-3

"Alright, alright. Go on. I'll stay out here."

He wanted to shake the black bag until it ruptured and everything fell out on the floor so he could step all over it. He knew he was acting childish, but he just couldn't stop hating every part of this twisted plan. Biting his lip and shoving his pride aside, he strode over to the restroom door, knocking on it quickly before opening and shutting it, turning the lock.

Setting the bag down on the floor under the sink, he placed his palms on the cold counter and sighed. This was going to be the life he lived from now on. Pretending who he was just to please the world. It was unfair; he wanted to be himself.

He wished nothing in this world had ever happened. He wished his mother had never left them when they were babies. He wished his father had never died. He wished Tomoe had never been gay. He wished he had never let Kanako join the music industry. Every single horrible thing that has ever occurred to him came back to haunt him in those very seconds.

"Can't believe I'm actually willingly doing this…"

Looking around at the dull red of the tiled wall, the dim lights, and the spotless mirror above the curved sink, he couldn't hate himself more. He had always loved the way he looked, had always loved his face and body and hair, but now he hated them. He hated them because he was showing them off surreptitiously. It wasn't he who the world would be impressed by from now on, but his sister. That just wasn't right.

"Ah, well… gotta do this shit sooner or later…"

Combing his fingers through his long hair, his eyes drifted back down to the bag on the floor. He didn't even want to look through it, but he knew he had to. Pursing his lips, he bent down to pick up the bag and dumped the contents onto the counter, crinkling the loud vinyl of the bag. Everything that Isogai had picked up for him came tumbling out, and he wanted to look away and never look back.

He gingerly picked up the fabric piece by piece, grimacing as he sorted them out; a set of white lace lingerie, skin-colored socks, white boots, some kind of a white top without sleeves, a white leather jacket, and a white lace skirt with white shorts underneath.

"Oh god…" Souichi scoffed and blessed himself. "Can't believe this…"

"Hey, Souichi-kun?" Isogai called from behind the door. "I left you with a wire brush, a hair band and a white bandana if you want to tie your hair up. Or if you can't do it by yourself, I could help you with it."

"Yeah, thanks." Souichi muttered loud enough for Isogai to hear him. "Not that I necessarily need your help." He had years of experience with doing the little girls' hair back at the orphanage, specifically Mika and his friend Kim. They always said he was good at caring for hair, and always wanted him to braid it or to deep condition it.

"Well, if you do, just say so."

Souichi scowled and walked over to both doors, making sure they were shut and locked tight, before returning in front of the mirror and stripping off his clothes.

He most certainly didn't want to put on the lingerie, especially since there was a skirt, but he didn't want to take chances and have an accidental slip. They looked small enough to hold everything in place…

He winced as he slid the panties up his legs where they stopped at his hips. They were tight, just as he expected, and he had to adjust himself to make sure everything was comfortable yet snug in the right places. He had to look away when slipping the straps of the bra past his shoulders; he didn't want to see himself doing such a thing.

"How do I… hold this up… never mind… not my problem…"

The shirt was strapless and was barely four or five inches long. He couldn't even call it a shirt. Experimenting with ways to slide the stretchy cotton on, he found it easiest to maneuver it up his legs and past his hips to his chest, experimentally pulling the fabric over the cups of the bra and adjusting it.

"How do people wear things this uncomfortable…"

"Pain is beauty, Souichi-kun. Don't worry, this is just for now. After tonight's party, I'll get you a stylist who will make sure to take your measurements and get you some clothes that are custom-fit."

Sighing, Souichi reached for the lace skirt. It was layered, which was good. The white shorts underneath looked just as short as those black ones he wore at the contract signing. On top of the shorts was an almost see-through layer of white cotton, and on top of that was the thick white lace. He put his pride aside and slid the skirt up his legs and over the underwear, making sure it fit properly and nothing was hanging out that shouldn't. The fabric went up past his belly button and stopped right under his rib cage, just two or three inches of skin exposed between the skirt and the top. The layers of the skirt stopped right below his butt, and he couldn't believe that he had actually accepted to do this.

Looking in the mirror, he felt so ashamed and naked. It wasn't cold in the room but he felt goosebumps rising on his skin. His fingers played with his mother's wedding ring on his ring finger. This was for Kanako, and for finding their mother. That was the only reason he agreed to this in the first place.

He reached down and pulled the socks onto his feet before pushing them into the shiny vinyl of the boots. They went above his knee and hugged his skin in ways he didn't want. They were heeled also which made everything that much worse; he could barely handle the sandals he had to wear at the contract signing. He wasn't ready to walk in fucking high heels.

Nearly getting his skin caught a few times, he zipped up the vinyl boots, pulling their hems to judge the flexibility. All that was left was the jacket, which he slipped over his arms, comfortable with the amount of clothing he was wearing. He definitely could've preferred being covered in different ways, but given the circumstances, this was good enough.

He picked up the brush and ran it through his long hair, making sure it was smooth and untangled. Taking a hold of the white hair band and placing it between his teeth, he took a handful of his hair and brushed it upwards, hoisting it into a high ponytail. He made sure it was neat and tidy before tying it with the band and brushing out his bangs with his fingers. He hadn't realized how much he was leaning over the countertop and how close his face was to the mirror. He really wished he could have glasses or something, something to help him see at least a little bit better.

Tying the bandana around the hair band, he found it looked strange from a couple angles, and changed the position of it at least four times. Somewhat satisfied at how cleanly he had dressed himself up, he tucked his male clothes into the black vinyl bag and unlocked the door.

Isogai was facing away from him but heart the opening and closing of the bathroom door. Turning, he let out a low breath, impressed by the sight of female Souichi.

"Don't stare at me like that. It's creepy." Souichi muttered, holding out the bag for Isogai to take.

"You really look like a nineteen-year-old woman. I think if I didn't know you were Kanako's brother, I would assume you were her sister, Souichi-kun."

"That doesn't exactly make me feel good about myself."

Isogai sighed. "Forgive me. But, this needs to happen, doesn't it? Maa, not much we can do… So, are you ready for your grand unveiling?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

---

It was dark out by the time the press conference had started, and the paparazzi were swarming the office. President Ito rushed to fix his suit in-between handshakes with different reporters. Some of them he recognized; Kim Suhee from the local news station, Minji Narita from the weather station, various street reporters that he'd greeted once or twice, Kora Saito from the national news station. Most of them were just low-paid journalist interns who were told to snap as many pictures as possible. Their main job was to find incriminating photos, something hardly noticeable by most people.

Souichi was nervous. No, nervous was an understatement. He felt physically unable to breathe. What if they knew he was a male at first sight? What if they saw what was under his skirt and took secret photos? What if some of the members knew he was a male already?

Isogai had led him back through the restroom to the door in the back right. He could see what felt like one hundred reporters gathered around the president, most of the reporters' attention focused on a white press table covered in a TN Entertainment cloth. Microphones were fixed on four parallel spots, wine glasses perched next to each one.

"Ah, Reporter Sho!" President Ito went up to a shorter, slightly fatter man with clear glasses. "How have you been?"

"Hm, absolutely starving for news like this!" Reporter Sho shook Ito's hand, adjusting the camera around his neck. "I can't believe that TNShi agreed to have a new member! And a female one at that!"

"Yeah, well, it took a lot of convincing on Tetsuhiro's end, but we pulled it off." Ito laughed, eyes slitting. "He's awfully stubborn when he wants to be."

"Whoa, I can't imagine the type of publicity that they'll get for this. A-And I hear she's the new visual? She'll be spreading the angelic message of the band?"

"Yes indeed, and we chose her out of hundreds of people based on her voice and looks! She's even more stunning than in pictures!"

"Wow, you saw her in person already?" Sho frowned, adjusting his glasses. "You're lucky. Maa, I wonder how tall she is. Ooh, and if she has a nice body~!"

"Hahaha, she's a real looker, trust me on that." Ito clapped the man on the back as his attention was drawn to the office double doors from the hallway, as the three members came in.

"Ah, they're here!" The press screamed excitedly, the rapid clicking of cameras ringing out in the air. Flashes went off like strobe lights as the members would raise their hands or turn their heads towards the reporters, flashing a small smile.

President Ito picked up a microphone from one of the stands on the press table, signaling to dim the lights, the light centering on the band conference table. Loud movement filled the empty round room as reporters scrambled into a mass of silent cameras.

"Ah, yes, welcome to our annual TNShi press conference here at the TN Entertainment office!" President Ito smiled and waved his arm towards the band table, where the members were sitting. "And here, today, we will introduce our newest member! Yes, our new member will share vocals with our lead vocalist, Morinaga Tetsuhiro here."

Tetsuhiro stood as the press began to clap and snap their cameras, straightening his white vest, pushing the sleeves of his white button-up to his elbows before holding up his hand in a subtle wave. He was wearing off-white jeans with white chains and white boots.

"All of the members," Ito continued, "have already met the new member at her admittance contract signing. Supporting her, we had our main guitarist and bassist, Ikeda Hiroto," Cameras clicked and shuttered once again as Hiroto stood and waved with a soft smile. He was wearing a white pullover with a white suit jacket and crisp white pants with white vinyl loafers. "And our drummer, Kimura Yamaguchi!" Yamaguchi stood, waving with a bright smile and bowing slightly, flipping his blonde hair. He was wearing a simple white suit with white wrist cuffs and a white hat. "And now… without keeping you waiting any longer… our newest member, Tatsumi Sandara!" Shifting of reporters once again clouded the silence as everyone drew their attention to the closed door on the wall beside the table. Souichi knew they wanted him to come out, he knew. He could hear the sudden silence and hear what President Ito was saying. He was supposed to push the button and watch the panels of the door slide open as hundreds of cameras clicked and flashed his way.

But he didn't want to.

This was the moment of truth, the moment where they would discover whether Souichi was a male in disguise or if they would buy the disguise and accept him as a woman. His heart was beating faster than he could blink, and swallowing did nothing to moisten his throat. What if everyone hated him? What if the members knew he was a fake? No… he was just being paranoid… he hadn't even had any real pictures taken of him yet.

The anxiety was too much. The fact that everyone was waiting for him to come out and it was his fault that their buttons were being pushed and they were getting impatient. He could see the other members' faces turn towards him through the tiny crack in the door. Suddenly his hair hurt, and he wanted to scratch his head and free his long hair. No, he had to do this.

He had to do this.

Could he really do this?

Turning, he looked at Isogai, who was busy smiling at him ever so softly and ushering him with his hand. He wanted the man to save him from this situation, but it was his fault he was in this situation in the first place.

Biting his lip, Souichi turned back to the closed door. He took a deep breath, feeling every muscle in his body tense, and raised his hand as his fingers swept across the cool plastic of the button.

Just press it. Press it and get it over with. Don't keep them waiting any longer.

"Why isn't anyone coming out?" The reporters murmured.

"Where is she?"

"Why isn't the door opening?"

President Ito laughed nervously and scratched his nape. Tetsuhiro simply smirked and turned his head, looking accomplished. He knew Sandara wouldn't be able to handle the limelight of life once she came across him.

Souichi couldn't take it anymore, and forced his fingers to push the plastic button. Immediately the panels slid open and the loud rapid clicking of cameras rose like screams of children.

The light was blinding and he wanted to hide now that he was completely exposed. He had nothing to hide behind anymore, and he couldn't move. He could see the other band members staring at him, and that made him feel all that much worse.

He felt… proud. He actually did it, and he was actually taking responsibility for everything that could happen. Taking a few steps forward, he stopped a couple of feet from the mass of reporters, giving them a small weary scowl as he absentmindedly fingered the silver band on his finger.

He couldn't believe he had done this. He couldn't believe they were buying it.

So this was what fame was like. Standing still and being photographed made you a big deal, and you really didn't have to do any real work. No… he still had to record with them… shit.

Yamaguchi's hand collided with Hiroto's arm, and the brunette looked at him. "Maa, when she's dressed up like that, she's so pretty!"

Hiroto chuckled. "Maybe so, but ye know that Tetsuhiro and I like men. Girls are a'right with me once in a while, but ya know how Tetsuhiro despises women."

"Yeah. I don't know why he doesn't tell his fan club that; he's got so many young girls gawking at him. Maa, it's probably just for publicity." Yamaguchi pouted. "Ah, she's so cute!"

Souichi glanced towards the table, noticing all three members staring intently at him and blushed, lips curling into a frown. Suddenly he didn't feel so proud.

Glancing at Tetsuhiro, Yamaguchi could see that the man was looking everywhere but at Sandara. He felt uneasy and awkward, being the only one really enjoying the meeting.

President Ito laughed loudly and walked up to Souichi, startling him. "Nice, nice! Wow, we're so grateful to have you join our company, Sandara!"

Souichi chuckled nervously. "T-thank… you." He tried to bite out with the most feminine voice he could muster.

"Come, sit down." Ito motioned to the conference table and patted the chair at the side of the table closest to him, next to where Tetsuhiro was.

Oh God.

Any seat but that one.

Unfortunately, he had no such luck as he was pushed towards the table, nearly falling in the boots, and awkwardly looked at the ground while sliding into the chair. He could hear the man next to him shifting uncomfortably in his chair as well.

At least he's calm about it.

Che, why am I getting so worked up?!

Souichi tried to focus on the President's pointless babbling to the press as he motioned to the members and talked about each of them separately.

He couldn't resist glancing out of the corner of his eye, peeking at the man with the black hair next to him. He regretted it when he saw that the man was looking at him as well, and felt self conscious that he could see through the disguise.

"You smell like men's shampoo." The man muttered aimlessly. Souichi could feel his heart stop.

"W-wha…?"

"Kuroya Shampoo, Collection 13, scent number 5." The man tapped his pen on the table and stared at the President. "Women don't normally smell that way."

Souichi didn't understand how he hadn't passed out yet. Whispering in response, he came up with, "A… ha… a… th-that's… I was… with my boyfriend before this." Oh God that went on the list for the absolute gayest thing he never thought he would say. He thanked himself for speaking so lowly; the President's loud voice drowned out his stupidity. What if one of the reporters heard and started asking him for interviews with his so-called "boyfriend"? This was just one giant mouse trap after another.

"I'm sure you were." The man mumbled, tapping the pen on the point repeatedly. "Next time, if you're going to make an appearance at a press conference, make sure you're presentable."

Souichi frowned, giving a sideways glare towards the man. Right… he had to use feminine toiletries from now on. Now he understood why Isogai said not to bring any of his things. God, if only he wasn't so stupid. If only his sister wasn't such a good singer and actually decided to focus on university.

"She has been in training for almost a year, and with such little professional help, she has managed to beat 450 other trainees to become our new member!" President Ito rambled as he paced back and forth in front of the conference table, clearly delighted with the intrigued flashing of every camera in the room. "She will, initially do back-up vocals while Tetsuhiro does lead, and will perhaps learn back-up piano as well."

Souichi could hear the man shift next to him. Tetsuhiro, was that his name? Not a very threatening name… why does he try to act all tough with me?

"As the agency President," Ito stopped pacing, "I request this of you. Please, take care of us. We work very hard to ensure that we will be putting out wonderful music for you all to hear. We had initially decided to accept a fourth male member, but after a little consideration, we decided to sweeten our music style up by adding a female. As she is new, please try to refrain from taking candid pictures of our newest member; it'll make her frightened." He didn't know why he even said that; it was a reporter's job to take candid pictures.

More voices and camera clicks invaded the air once again, the sound seeming to never end. After having spent his entire life in a quiet building, Souichi wanted to cover his ears. The sound was louder than anything he had experienced before, even louder than a few noisy children. He hesitantly reached for his hair and played with his bangs, suddenly stopping when he saw Tetsuhiro's face turn towards him.

What's that expression for?

"Alright, please finish up taking your pictures and we will head out. Feel free to join us at the congratulatory welcome party at 9 PM down at the Wall Street House. We look forward to pleasing you with our music! A-ha!"

Souichi was antsy. He wanted to leave and leave now. When he noticed the other members pushing out their chairs, he realized that was his signal to leave, and clumsily pushed out his chair and stood. He dusted himself off, trying to play his embarrassment off, and practically skipped to the restroom.

"Hey, Sandara!" President Ito called out, stopping Souichi, who slowly turned around. "Where are you going? Aren't you going to your own congratulatory party?"

"Eh… ah… b-bathroom first!" He stuttered in his feminine voice, knocking on the panels for Isogai to open them. He could feel the members staring awkwardly at him, and when he decided that he wasn't going to get any response, he ran to the double doors and out into the hallway.

"That was way too close…" He whispered to himself, smacking the side of his head. "God dammit, why do I of all people have to go through this?"

"Because you're the only sibling that closely resembles Kanako-chan."

The voice scared him half to death, and with a loud yelp he nearly fell backwards, catching sight of Isogai smirking right behind him. The bright light of the lit hallway made him feel naked, and he scrambled to stand up and pull his jacket over himself.

"I can't believe you got me to do this!" Souichi whispered, glaring at him. "And what for anyway? They hate me already. How is this supposed to be fun or whatever you think it is?"

"Maa, Souichi-kun. It's only been a couple of hours. You need to get used to it." Isogai grinned and stuck his hands in his trouser pockets. "Don't tell me you don't want a drink or two down at the club? I'll even pay for it~."

Souichi frowned. "Drinking is a sin."

"Aw, come on, you can't even have fun now that you're finally out of that convent?" Isogai's arm was around his shoulders before he could even register it happening, and his face pinked. "I told you to trust me, didn't I? I'm covering you this whole way."

"I don't care."

"Mmm, don't pout~!"

They walked slowly towards the rear office entrance, where the restroom was. Souichi wasn't in the mood to talk; why would he want to have a full conversation in this situation anyway? He hated fucking everybody and everything right about now.

"All we have to do is get you fixed up just a tiny bit and I'll drive you over there in my van. Yes?" Isogai stopped and bent down to look at Souichi's face.

"Are you kidding? I have to keep this stupid get-up on for another three hours?"

Isogai laughed. "Come on, Souichi-kun. Don't have bad thoughts like that. The alcohol will take away your pain registration. Trust me."

"You may damn well be the sickest man I have ever met." His response was low and monotone. "Get me some alcohol already. I want to forget this night."

Just as he spoke, the other three members came flooding out of the restroom entrance, causing him to jump back.

"Oh, Sandara!" Yamaguchi ran up to Souichi and took his hand. He had never come in contact with another man like this, and he couldn't even move. He could feel his blood pressure spiking, as the hatred grew more and more. "You were so pretty out there! Aw, you'll look so good as our visual~~!"

"Ye, she will." Hiroto agreed with a smirk.

Tetsuhiro cocked his head and inhaled. "Hopefully she'll rid herself of her manly scent before she gets drunk."

Oh the nerve this man had.

"Maa, Tetsuhiro, that's not nice!" Yamaguchi smacked him on the bicep. "Sandara didn't do anything to you. She probably just got some cologne on her. Leave her alone."

Smirking, Tetsuhiro met Souichi's eyes and stared into them, causing the man-in-disguise to blush. It was a taunting, destructive stare, something that had made him famous in the past. When their faces had been put on band merchandise and polls had been spread around their fan clubs, the one asset that they cherished most about him was his eyes and his stare.

"Well," Tetsuhiro laughed dryly, leaning in towards Souichi's face. "If she decides to get drunk, I'm sure that won't necessarily be the case anymore." Souichi could smell the expensive manly cologne invading his personal space, and he flinched. Tetsuhiro didn't say anything else before walking out of the curved hallway, the other members following suit.

Souichi's heart wouldn't stop beating so fast. That man had gotten so treacherously close to him, and Isogai had simply stood back to watch! What if the man pushed him against the wall at that very moment and had taken advantage of him? He cursed himself for forgetting to hide his pocketknife somewhere in the skirt; he had left it in the black vinyl bag with his regular clothes. He wished he still had it on him so he could show these men that he wasn't something that could be pushed around like a toy.

He wasn't scared; being scared of a man? That wasn't him. He was nervous that they knew who we was just at first glance. Thankfully they didn't seem to, which was good. At least this plan was working. He wanted Kanako to be recovered already and to come back so he could leave. He had enough money to go to America and visit Tomoe and study, but he was stuck here.

"Come on, Souichi." Isogai tugged on his arms once they were alone. "We have a few hours until the party. Wanna check out the house?"

---

By the time the van had pulled back up in front of the sidewalk, Souichi had changed into his regular clothes in the back seat – although he had to keep the bra and panties on. This day just kept on forgiving, didn't it?

"Alright, Souichi-kun. You're free to explore the whole house." Isogai looked in the mirror at Souichi's eyes. "All of the clothes and accessories and makeup you should need, shall you choose to use them, are in the group closet as well as the main bathroom pantry. Each bedroom has its own fully-functional bathroom, since you'll probably be stiff about privacy. The members are already in the house, so please keep it in mind to act like a female."

"Whatever." Souichi mumbled, blushing slightly. "But how will I know which bedroom is mine?"

"Hm…" Isogai exhaled. "Well, I'm sure one of the members will show you, yes?"

"Show me?" He growled out. That didn't sound pleasant in the least. God knows what those men wanted to show him.

Isogai laughed and closed his eyes. "Maa, Souichi-kun. You're playing them off as horrible people."

"Because they are horrible people."

"Eh, not really." Isogai shrugged. "I've known Tetsuhiro since he was a child, and they were all practically childhood best friends." Turning halfway around in the driver's seat, he faced Souichi. "Let me tell you a little bit of a story. When this whole band thing took off in the beginning, the boys had just come out of training at the age of 17. Tetsuhiro and Hiroto had been extremely close friends, and Yamaguchi had been accepted as a drummer about a month and a half after they named the band. Tetsuhiro was a charming, eccentric young man, but has a very serious parent complex. He never had a father; not really sure why. His birth date was completely unknown, so he goes by a fake birthday to make the world happy. It's rumored that only he and his mother, who nobody knows except him, know his birthday."

His mother… who nobody knows?

Yeah, that definitely sounded familiar.

He didn't even want to look at the man whom he had hated since they first laid eyes, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of obligation towards him. This Tetsuhiro person hated the world, but Souichi knew that feeling more than well enough. He had hated the world for years when his siblings left him, because it felt like every single family member he had was gone. Growing up without a mother or a father was a scar that took a long time to heal, but eventually it did. Even so, the sudden mentions of his mother coming into play with Kanako's career seemed to dig at the old wound, and he could feel it bleeding ever so slowly.

"So, what I'm trying to say," Isogai waved his hand as he spoke, "is that, even though they act like they're the most perfect things in the world, they're really not."

"That's not really any of my business…" Souichi muttered, picking up the bag from the seat and opening the door, climbing out of the car and stopping when Isogai rolled down his window.

"If you're going to live with them, it'll become your business." Isogai smiled. "Now, once you find your bedroom, please hide your real clothes somewhere safe. I can talk with the stylist and they'll get you all-new sleep clothes. Don't worry, we'll make sure you like them, but they can't be too masculine. You understand?"

Souichi shrugged. "Do I really have a choice here?"

"Don't think of it that way, Souichi-kun. Even though you're here without any obligation, we at least want you to somewhat enjoy it. Okay?"

"I really doubt that's going to happen."

Isogai sighed. "I can't force you to enjoy it, either. Well, I've already given you all the advice I could possibly give somebody in this case. The dorm building is the one past that gate, next door to the office building. It should be pretty obvious how to get into the house, but if you by some chance get lost, all you have to do is walk up the stairs, go across the wooden porch and enter the sliding glass doors. The living room should be right there, and the members will probably be either sitting down or eating in the kitchen. Please don't be afraid of them. You know you can always contact me if there's a problem, though. And I will do my best to get it sorted out for you. Okay? And the key to open the gate is in your bag. Good luck, Souichi-kun." He turned the keys in the ignition to start the engine back up, listening to the loud rev of the van's engine, when Souichi stopped him.

"Wait!" Souichi wailed suddenly, trying to shove his hand down on the rising glass window. The movement of the window paused as he spoke. "How are they getting to the party?" He motioned to the gold gate of the dorm building. "What if they ask me to go with them? What if they try to take advantage of me in the back of their vehicle?!"

The mind of this man, Isogai thought as he shook his head.

"Maa, just tell them that you're nervous about being so near them this early into your career and that your agent volunteered to drive you and take you home. Alright? I'll pick you up at 9 PM, and please be dressed nicely. Enjoy the party, Souichi-kun." And with that, he slowly pulled out of the parking slot and drove off.

Staring at where the van had been, Souichi found himself unable to move for a few seconds. His mind decided to work when it started to get cold outside and the sky had just dipped to a violet color. Looking down at the black vinyl bag in his hands, he noticed that Isogai had placed his satchel in the side of the bag, and his eyes wandered to the gold gate of the dorm building. He had to do this. He was about to do this.

He couldn't do this.

Staring for a few more seconds, he noticed what looked to be two lines of people sitting along the sidewalk just outside the gate. Why didn't I notice them before? Were they always there?

He hid the bag behind his rear and stepped up the wide sidewalk, taking step by step down the concrete. The people seemed to be talking amongst themselves, like they hadn't noticed his presence. Weren't they cold? It wasn't a cold month, but it was evening.

It's late… why aren't they at home? Who are these people? If they've been here for a while, aren't they hungry?

He shook his head and kept walking, taking deep breaths. What if they recognized him? What if they were people he knew? What if the press pictures had already been uploaded and they recognized him as Sandara?

Looking closer, he noticed it to be a group of maybe twenty teenage girls on each side of the sidewalk, kneeling and chatting with paper charm sticks in their hands. What the…?

He began to pass the line of girls when they began to draw their attention to him, and it made his chest tighten. Don't notice me, don't notice me, don't notice me, don'tnoticemedon'tnoticemedon'tnoticeme.

"Hey, Miss," Someone called out to him, stopping the mutters of the other girls and he slowly turned around, nearly forgetting that he was still in female costume. A young female had stood up, one as tall as him with a thin shapely body and ginger plaid jeans with a white shirt. She had long curly brown hair and a big hair bow with plastic painted wings on her back. "Are you lost?"

"Uh…" Souichi murmured, trying to raise the pitch of his voice so they wouldn't grow suspicious. "I-I'm… just…"

"What are you doing here at this time? You're not in the fan club; I've never seen you around any of the candid hunts."

Candid hunts? "I just… I was…"

"Wait…" She peered at him, dark eyes narrowing.

Shit, she knows who I am. No, no, no, no, no. She can't know who I am!

"Y-yes?" Souichi asked innocently.

"Are you," She wagged her finger by his face, attracting the attention of other girls around them, "the new merchandise manager?"

…Merchandise manager?

"Ah... y-yes! I was just… on my way inside." Souichi nodded and closed his fist around the strings of the bag behind his back, causing the vinyl to crinkle. He mentally cringed, wishing they didn't hear that.

"Huh? What's that?" The girl mumbled, pointing to the bag. She suddenly gasped. "Is it the new collection of visual T-shirts?!"

The rest of the girls suddenly stood up and scattered around him, making him feel claustrophobic. Loud yelling started to erupt, hyper and frantic cries cutting through the silence of night. Panicking, he ran to the gate and hurriedly dug around in the bag for the key, trying to get away from the excited shrieks of teenage girls. He felt his fingers brush against cold metal and practically thrust his arm out.

Clumsily sliding the key in the lock, he pushed the gate open and closed it behind him, locking it back up. The girls banged on the loud, rattling metal of the gate as he fled to the stairs.

Isogai was right when he described the house's structure to him. It was huge and winded and brown, with a long Z-shaped flight of stairs which were lined with wooden rails. The stairs were wide and flat, which led to a small rectangular wooden porch, lined with the same wooden rails and decorated with a tall potted tree wrapped with a full-circular bench and a white sunshade table by the stairs. Stepping onto the porch, he noticed a large white dog lying on the bench, gazing at him with lidded eyes as its paws played with its collar.

Hm… I've never had a pet before…

He clenched his fingers as he walked towards the sliding glass door, reaching to knock on it but then pausing in mid-air. He felt stupid; it was a sliding door.

He pushed it open, peering inside. The two members who had talked to him at the contract signing were sitting on the floor of the colorful living room and watching television. As he closed the door behind him, the bag brushed against the glass, crinkling loudly and drawing the members' attention.

"Ah, Sandara!" Yamaguchi scrambled to stand up. "You're home!" He ran over to Souichi, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "So? How did you like your first contract signing?"

"Eh… it was… alright…" Souichi struggled with making his voice higher.

The brunette came and pried the blonde off of Souichi. "Maa, don't be so nervous. We're not going to hurt ya in any way."

"It's not that…" Souichi laughed dryly.

"Hm?" Yamaguchi cocked his head, ruffling his blonde hair. "Oh, are you afraid that because you're female that we'll try and move on you?"

The pink that spread across Souichi's cheeks was enough of an answer for him.

Hiroto laughed softly. "Ohya, ye won't have to worry about that, Sandara. As a member-to-member secret, Tetsuhiro and I are both into men."

Yeah, because that totally makes me feel better.

"Ah… I'm just…" Souichi stuttered and opened and closed his mouth aimlessly, trying not to get annoyed and shout at them to leave him alone. "I'm just a bit uneasy. All this fame is so new to me."

"Woah," Yama put his hands on his hips. "I know that feeling. You know, when we did our first variety show, I remember standing there like an idiot because I had stage fright! I couldn't even do any of the activities! God, that was so embarrassing. I didn't even want to look at what Candid Camera had done to it."

"Yeah, he was never the brightest member." Hiroto grinned, earning a smack on his shoulder. "Anyway, d'ya need anything Sandara? We won't bother ye that much if that's what you want."

"Uh…" Souichi glanced over at the staircase, hoping to give them an idea.

"Ah, you want a tour of the house?" Yama pointed behind him to the stairs, earning a small nod from Souichi.

"A-ah, I'd rather you just… describe to me where everything is." Souichi said, forcing a smile on his lips.

"Oh… okay." Yamaguchi's lips twitched as he tried to smile as well. "Well, this is the kitchen and eating area," he pointed to the large kitchen with monochrome furniture and a wrap-around counter. At the edge of the counter closest to the dining room was an island countertop with stools sitting underneath it. "Then here are the stairs which – obviously – lead to the upper floor." Souichi's eyes ran across the L-shaped brown staircase behind the living room. "Next to the staircase to the left here is the hallway." He pointed to a hallway to the left of the stairs, one that looked like it spawned in all different directions. "Now down that hall is the group closet, which is where we keep all of our band clothing. If you have anything to put in there, please do so in your own time. The bathroom is down that hall all the way to the right, it's practically underneath the stairs, and up those stairs are the bedrooms." Yama instructed with his hands, smiling when he was finished. "Do you need anything else?"

"Woah, ya sure talk a lot." Hiroto joshed, laughing.

"Maa, she asked for a vocal tour!"

Souichi laughed nervously. "N-no thanks. So… which one is my bedroom?"

"Hm… is the one at the corner of the hallway empty? You know which one I mean, right?" Yama looked at Hiroto, who nodded hesitantly.

"I think so."

"Then that one will be your room from now on, Sandara~! It's right as you walk up the stairs, it's a brown door at the corner of a hallway. Can't miss it!"

"G-great, thank you." Souichi practically hid his face in his hair as he made his way up the stairs. God, he was so awkward at talking to men. If he was going to stay here, he needed to get over it. He hoped this was all just a very bad dream, but the more he tried to force himself to wake up, the more that reality pressed down on him.

Right… need to put my stuff away in my bedroom and get dressed for the party.

"Oh, and try not to bother Tetsuhiro!" Yamaguchi called out once Souichi was halfway up the stairs. "He loves his privacy, and… well… doesn't necessarily like women. Maa, he doesn't really like people in general."

Yeah, because I couldn't see that myself.

"And if ya need anything," Hiroto grinned, "ye can always come ask us. We'd be more than happy to help ya get adjusted to anything here. Please, don't find us intimidating or scary. We're not bad people."

"A-alright."

Hurrying up the rest of the stairs, Souichi let his hand glide over the smooth railing as he turned the corner, face-to-face with a door a few feet from him where the hallway turned right. It had to be the bedroom that Yamaguchi told him about, the one that would be his.

Double checking that nobody was staring at him in the corridors, he gingerly knocked at the door, pressing his ear against it for a response before turning the knob and pushing it open. It was small, but that was okay. The bedrooms at the orphanage were very small and the ceilings were very low. Immediately past the door were steps that wound around the area of the doorway. The right half of the bedroom was on a round platform, with a brown wooden bed with cream sheets and cream pillows and a thick comforter. On the right wall next to the platform was a glass door; that must be the bathroom. The left half of the bedroom looked like a small study area, with a dresser and a wicker chest and a vanity with a mirror. The ceiling in the left side of the room was lower than the right side, but that was okay. He was used to having to hunch over in bedrooms.

Reaching into the black bag, he pulled out the satchel and flipped the top open. Everything was still right where he had left it, which meant Isogai hadn't touched them like he promised. Looks like he's trying to earn my trust.

This was so wrong on so many levels. How in the world did Isogai expect Souichi's "best-friend-band-members" to not find out and know that he wasn't a real woman? What would happen if they did find out? Would they tell the press and get Souichi kicked out? Would he have to shower with them? No… they wouldn't allow co-ed showering… would they?

Shaking his head and pushing his thoughts aside, he pulled his clothing out of the satchel and placed them in the very bottom drawer of the dresser. He pulled out his family picture and ran his thumb over the frame, feeling a twinge of abandonment go through him. He really was alone here, surrounded by strange men and with nobody to trust. He didn't have his siblings, he didn't have the children near him; he was lonely. Who was he supposed to talk to? He missed tutoring everyone. This wasn't him; this wasn't what he wanted to do with his life. He wanted to be a tutor and get a job and earn enough money to enroll in university, but instead he was here, pretending to be his sister who wanted to be a singer. It seemed like life really was unfair, like it wanted everything but for Souichi to be happy.

"Damn freak…" Souichi mumbled. "Who in their right mind… thinks this is a good idea."

He pushed his money bank atop the dresser, placing it in the middle so it wouldn't accidentally fall off and shatter. Pulling out Mika's drawing, he held the slightly crumpled paper between his fingers, eyes scanning across the crayon marks. He missed Mika most of all. She had acted like Souichi's sister when Kanako wasn't around, and he had grown closer to her than any of the other orphans.

The silence of the room was deafening. He didn't hear any laughter, he didn't hear anybody shouting his name from down the hall, he didn't hear anybody calling him down for breakfast, and he didn't hear anybody asking him to tutor them after church. It was too quiet for him to call it peaceful.

When he noticed his vision growing blurrier than it was already, he leaned onto his bed and covered his face and held his hands over his eyes to try and keep the tears from falling. It wasn't like it really mattered, because they just wouldn't quit coming. He didn't even want to stop himself from crying; he felt like this was hell. If there was a right and wrong place to go to when you died, this was the wrong. Why him of all people? Why was his sister the rebellious one in his family and didn't want to listen to anybody and do her own thing? Why couldn't she just listen to Souichi and attend university here in Japan? Why didn't she listen to her agent when he advised her to take it easy? Why was he here suffering now because she couldn't listen? Why?

He wished the Misses were here. Every time he cried over something, no matter what it was, they would wait until the other orphans were fed and then they would bring Souichi some rice porridge and hot chamomile tea to help lull him into a peaceful sleep. Every time he awoke the morning after, he was completely at ease. He was special to them, and he loved having a family like that.

There was nobody like that here. There were no angels coming down the dimly lit hall, bringing him a bowl of steaming porridge and a mug of chamomile tea. There was nothing here to qualm the aching in his chest. Only now did the real weight of his loneliness and stupidity weigh down on him, and it hurt.

"Why the hell am I crying…" He muttered, wiping under his eyes with his thumb. I can't let them find me like this. They'll… they'll try to comfort me or something and find out that I'm a male under my clothing.

Standing up, he tossed the black vinyl bag into the corner beside his bed and strode out of the bedroom, shutting the door tight behind him. He instantly regretted it when he was met with Tetsuhiro's eyes just a few feet from him, the man holding a bottle of water to his lips.

"What are you doing?" Tetsuhiro asked monotonously.

"Moving in," Souichi mumbled softly, switching to his higher voice.

Dark green eyes narrowed at Souichi. "Why is your face puffy?"

"Uh…" Souichi stammered, refusing to admit that he had cried. "None of your business."

"Never mind, then. I don't want to hear it."

Asshole.

Tetsuhiro made a sound that resembled a scoff and a laugh. "So the others thought it would be a good idea to make your room a mere ten feet from mine?"

"Huh?" Souichi cocked his head, trying to hide his growing annoyance. If he didn't have to act respectively, he was sure that he'd have knocked his man down by now. "A mere ten feet?"

Tetsuhiro jutted his chin to Souichi's left, and the man followed his imaginary path and noticed the brown door in the corner there. That must be his room.

"Don't touch it." Tetsuhiro growled out as if he could read Souichi's mind. "I don't want anybody near my room. Especially not you. Women are disgusting creatures." The last part he whispered under his breath before tilting the bottle back into his lips and strolling past Souichi into his bedroom. The loud bang of the door startled the blonde and his body jumped. Stingy.

He could at least be a little nicer since I'm supposed to be a woman. I know that Yama said that he hates women, but even so, I really did nothing to him.

Turning his eyes away, Souichi made his way back down the stairs into the living room. Yama and Hiroto were still there, watching some type of a variety show.

"Hey, Sandara!" Yama called out when Souichi was at the bottom of the stairs, waving his hand.

Souichi lifted his hand a little and turned and walked down the hall. The closet was around here somewhere… right?

The walls of the hallway were silvery and metallic, enough so that he could see his reflection in them. He did look like himself, minus the fake female parts. He would feel so much more comfortable about this whole thing if he could always go outside in clothes like this.

He was really anxious to meet the stylist. Of course, he didn't want them to touch him anywhere; he hated when people touched him. However, since Isogai told him that he'd have custom-made clothing, wouldn't the stylist have to obviously know that he wasn't a woman? At least he would feel a little more comfortable having somebody to talk to about all this. He hoped the stylist was a woman, because if it was a male he would slit Isogai's throat during the night. He couldn't handle this many men around him; he needed a woman to break the choking crowd.

Coming to the end of the hall, he noticed a set of wooden double doors with brass bar handles. Pulling them open, he stared at the large, wide, square hall closet.

"Jesus, is this place big enough? Not even the bedrooms were this big…"

Everything was stored away so neatly and carefully; the shelves wrapped around the left and right sides of the room, from top to bottom. On the wall opposite the door was a small yet wide rectangular indentation, clothes wrapped in plastic coverings hanging from the bar inside. The indentation stretched from wall to wall, and Souichi was sure it was nearly double his height. On the shelves on the side walls were hundreds of shoes; sneakers, boots, loafers, heels, sandals, things that Souichi guessed they had bought ahead of time. He didn't even want to think of wearing them.

Coming out of the closet and closing the double doors, he turned and continued on down the path that the hallway made. He remembered that Yamaguchi hadn't told him about this part of the house, but maybe he just forgot.

He squinted, trying to make his vision as clear as possible, when he noticed a white door at the end of the hall curve.

"Huh?" He whispered to himself, biting down on his lip and looking around to make sure nobody was near him. "What's this room?"

Gently turning the door handle, he peered inside. It wasn't a bedroom, or a bathroom, or any kind of normal room. There were a few steps leading down from the door onto a small platform. The walls were curved and white, and there was a large, black piano perched in the very middle of the room.

It was shiny and beautiful, and Souichi had the urge to run his fingers across it. It was smooth and cold, something he'd never felt on the pads of his fingers before.

He gazed around at the pillars circling the round room. "I wish I could have a bedroom at this end of the house. I'd prefer to be as separated from them as possible. Maa, Isogai doesn't want me to be isolate. He wants me to get along with them. Che, like that'll happen."

They're men, and men are despicable creatures.

He remembered Tetsuhiro's words to him upstairs: Especially not you. Women are disgusting creatures.

"Well that makes two of us…" Souichi mumbled, turning and going back up the stairs and out of the room.

Hm… I've seen the living room, kitchen, hall closet, my bedroom… the piano room… what about their bedrooms? I should probably ask permission first.

Wait… ask permission? For what?! I'm living here now, so I should have free range of this house!

Keeping his lips screwed tight, he hurried back up the living room stairs, ignoring greetings from Hiroto and Yama. He wanted to know what the entire house looked like, because now it was as much his house as it was theirs.

He was respectful enough to know not to touch anything that wasn't his; he was never one to steal. The Misses had raised him to respect other people and their belongings, and that stealing was one of the biggest sins of all. Being so religious all of his childhood, he knew nothing but how to cling to his sinless rope. God had given him life for a reason, and that reason was not to steal and be a bad person. Sure, he had always had a bit of a temper and a pretty sour mouth, and had even stabbed a few people in his life in self-defense, but he would never purposely dirty himself in these ways.

I'm damn sure that cross-dressing has to be written down as a sin in the Bible somewhere. Fucking sick people.

Getting too curious, his socked feet tip-toed down the hall to Tetsuhiro's bedroom. Why was the man so touchy about everything regarding himself? He was touchy about Souichi looking at his bedroom; what was so important that he didn't want anybody near it?

Double-checking that nobody was around, he gingerly took hold of the silver globe handle and turned it ever so slowly. He knew Tetsuhiro was in his room at the moment, so he didn't want to startle him. Wait, what? Why the hell did he have to listen to anything this man said? This was as much his house now as it was theirs.

Peering inside, he noticed that the main room was empty, meaning he wasn't here. Had he just disappeared? Good, it gave Souichi the opportunity to snoop around. What was so important that he had to threaten Souichi to not go near his room?

He closed the door behind him softly and gazed around. He was on a small stack of stairs that led down to the main floor. The bedroom was enormous, nearly four times the size of his. The right and left sections of the room were circular, linking together with a few feet of silver wooden flooring. The left section of the room was on a platform and held a queen-sized bed with silver comforters and pillows. In the right section was a silver desk, miscellaneous disks and papers scattered among the top. There was a tall shelf full of CDs and disks in the lower right corner and a door on the right wall. That door must've been his private bathroom. Among all of the walls were portraits of the man and framed and signed pictures of him in a recording studio. Wow, could he be more of a narcissist?

On the right wall was also an electric fireplace and a flat television, a low black shelf full of DVDs under the television. Certain parts of the room had rugs, like under the bed and under the desk. He had never seen such an amazing room in his life; he had always been used to bedrooms having pull-string bedside lamps and small beds with brown blankets and wicker chests and burlap curtains.

Souichi held his breath and tip-toed down the few steps, gingerly walking over to the desk. It was silver and metallic and smooth and absolutely spotless. There wasn't a single paper out of place, not a single pen out of the pencil holder. He ran his fingers along the top of the desk, leaning over a bit. He noticed that there was a silver lamp at the edge of the desk, with a sharply angled neck and a smooth head.

"Why did he tell me not to come in here?" Souichi murmured to himself. "I wish I could have this bedroom."

Suddenly he heard loud footsteps outside the door, and he could feel his heart stop. Tetsuhiro was coming in. He was going to see Souichi and yell at him and hit him, all things Souichi could use to blackmail the man's bad attitude with.

How the hell did he get back in the hallway? He was just in the bedroom!

He panicked as he heard the doorknob being turned, and his head snapped around for a hiding place. Beside the bed, under the desk, in the corner…

The bathroom.

Sprinting across the room as silently as his socked feet would allow, he swung open the glass bathroom door and closed it, heart pounding in his chest. He heard the door click shut and footsteps descend on the stairs; had he heard him?

Tetsuhiro sipped his water, ruffling his hair slightly. Maa, he had wanted a haircut for a while now. He liked having it this length, but it annoyed him too often. An inch or two off wouldn't hurt anybody.

Setting the water bottle down on his desk, he sighed to himself. Why was life punishing him now? He hated people, why would he want more around him? Especially a woman. He had hated women ever since he was little, ever since he had known he was gay. All of the females in his school would make fun of him for being gay and would tease him and treat him like he didn't have his own two hands. His parents were never any better; they shunned him for years once they found out. It was the reason he hated people; everyone always hated him, so he was returning the favor.

Why the hell did Yamaguchi think it would be a good idea to invite a female into this household? I knew that kid didn't have any brains…

Sandara was annoying; she had waltzed her way into Tetsuhiro's band and made instant friends with Yamaguchi and Hiroto, and just assumed that everything would be peaches and cream. Didn't she have any sense? Didn't she know that it took him years to become this famous? And here she was just having fame handed to her on a silver platter? Women were selfish creatures, always thinking they were better than everybody else. He couldn't stand even being around them. They were clingy, they were rude, they were snobby, they were self-indulged, and they cared about nothing but how they looked.

He had been in love; of course he had. It was what had fueled him to become famous. But that love had ended abruptly, because of a female. He never dated much, simply because everyone frowned upon him for being gay. He had fallen too hard for the one person that actually wanted to spend time with him, and it had ended because the other had fallen for a girl. A stupid, brown-haired, high school girl. He remembered the object of his first love becoming famous, and that was what inspired him to become famous himself. He hoped that being adored by so many people would make his first love regret leaving him.

"I don't want to go to the party tonight," Tetsuhiro mumbled to himself. "Too many drunken women trying to rub up on me." He cocked his head and laughed at himself. "Especially Sandara. Maa, who does she think she is? Thinking she's good enough as to have an attitude with me."

The bathroom was tiny and long, Souichi noted, and made up of chestnut stone floor and tile, a black granite counter with a white sink, a white tub, a black wrap-around shower, and a white bidet. Where was he supposed to hide? In the half-walled shower? In the in-ground tub? No, he would definitely be seen there. In the corner next to the granite counter?

He could hear the man talking but couldn't make out what he was saying. Did he know Souichi was in here?

Looking around, his eyes fell upon the bidet. Psh, he even has a bidet? Fucking homo. Only gay people need to use those.

Where was he supposed to hide?

He could hear the man's voice growing closer; what was he supposed to do? Was he coming?

"What do I do?" Souichi whimpered to himself, biting on his sleeve. Why was he here acting like a frightened schoolgirl? This was ridiculous. There had to be another way out.

The window? No, it was too high and he would definitely make noise trying to open the damn thing. Dammit, Isogai…

"What do I do… where do I go…"

Tetsuhiro sat in his desk chair and wheeled himself in. He needed to write; it helped him relieve stress. He wrote his best songs when he was stressed, simply because all the emotion would come pouring out of him. Hah, now it would be really funny if Sandara could sing the songs he wrote. He remembered at their last band showcase, he had previously recovered from tonsillitis, and the agency president had told him to lip sing at the showcase. That wasn't what someone as professional as him would do; he simply wouldn't allow it. He had hated cheating since he was in school, hated everyone who had cheated in their friendships with him, had hated his first love for cheating in their relationship.

The song had been hard on him, and with his newly-recovered throat, it was a pretty large struggle. After the showcase, that was when President Ito and Yamaguchi had announced to him that they were getting a new band member - a back-up singer named Sandara.

He had been in a poor mood since, hating the idea of having to be around a female. He despised them, and he knew that Yamaguchi knew it as well. So why was the boy so stupid? Why did he want to put Tetsuhiro through this? Why?

He wanted to focus on writing, but he couldn't. Something was bothering him, but he didn't know what. Had something changed in the room?

Looking up, his eyes fell on the silver lamp. He cocked his head, staring at it intently. For the best lighting to help him see best, he had always kept the lamp at an angle of 73 degrees, so why did it look like it was at 68 degrees…?

Lamps didn't just move on their own. Something just wasn't right. Someone must've touched it. Someone must've been here. But who would come in here? Hiroto and Yama were watching television, and even they knew better than to touch Tetsuhiro's belongings. Sandara was in her room…

Sandara.

He stood abruptly, causing the desk chair to wheel backwards loudly.

The noise startled Souichi, and he jerked back, frantic to find a place to hide. He knew; Tetsuhiro knew he was in here.

"What do I do?" Souichi whispered, biting his lip. Why was he in this situation? Why? Why couldn't he just mind his own business? Why couldn't he just listen?

Because they're men.

He could see the man's shadow coming closer to the door, and he nearly tripped over his feet as he fell on the bidet. Steadying himself with his hands, he noticed the door swing open as Tetsuhiro's figure stepped into the tiled room.

The man seemed startled that Souichi was there, or maybe it was just the loud noise of the porcelain bidet. Their eyes met and Souichi was sure he would faint any second.

"W-what?" He managed to squeak out.

"What are you doing?" Tetsuhiro's voice was deep and monotonous as usual. He looked guarded, like he was ready to defend himself if Souichi made any sudden moves.

"I…" Souichi mumbled, trying to rack his brain for an answer. "I… I just…"

"Didn't I tell you not to come into my room?" Tetsuhiro raised his voice, making Souichi's temper flare. "Huh?"

"Hey, this is everybody's house!" Souichi was shocked that he had managed to spit out a full sentence. "You were being stingy and not giving me a tour like Yamaguchi and Hiroto did."

"They did?"

"Yes! They did!"

"So…" Tetsuhiro crossed his arms. "You decide that instead of bugging Yama and Hiroto, you come bug me?"

Oh.

"I can bug whoever I want. I live here too, you know."

"Right." Tetsuhiro smirked. "You live here now. And if I can recall, Yamaguchi assigned you a bedroom, but this is not that room. So you may live in this house, but you do not live here."

"This is as much my house as it is yours!" Souichi narrowed his eyes and slapped his hand down on the bidet. He suddenly wished he hadn't when he heard a mechanical beep. What the…?

He wasn't left wondering for long when a stream of cold water burst from the bidet, striking him on the butt. He yelped loudly, body jerking from the seat. Fucking homo toys and their sensitive buttons!

The water was freezing, and it was coming in one thin, strong jet, so he couldn't stop it no matter how much he tried. Every shot of the icy water caused him to yelp and cover his face. Why the fuck was Tetsuhiro just standing there and watching Souichi make a fool of himself? Why wasn't he helping? He knew how to turn this homo toilet off, so why wasn't he helping?

"S-stop!" Souichi yelped out, trying to block the stream of water. "Please stop it!" The floor had grown increasingly wet from the constant spray and he suddenly slipped, landing on his butt. "Ouch…"

This was humiliating. This had to be payment for something, but what had he done? He hated everything about this damn house, hated every damn person in it.

Scrambling to get up, his wet sleeves reached for the buttons on the bidet, as he tried to avoid the jet of water currently hitting him in the face. Pressing random buttons didn't seem to help; in fact, it made it worse. The water suddenly grew boiling hot, and he yelped loudly in pain. His skin burned; when would this end? When would Tetsuhiro fucking intervene and turn this thing off?

"P-please stop! Wait a minute!" He gasped out, hands shielding his face. He started coughing, water going into his lungs as he tried to breathe normally.

Tetsuhiro sighed from the doorway. "Has it been thirty seconds?"

Souichi registered his words but couldn't form a coherent reply. He was too caught up in the constant temperature changes of the water; at first, he would be freezing, and next his skin would be burning. Who the hell even used these things?

"T-turn it off!"

Suddenly the water stopped, and his lungs thanked him when he could breathe safely again without choking on toilet water. God, how he wanted to beat the shit out of the man next to him. He couldn't even fucking help?

"What is wrong with you?!" Souichi looked up, blonde hair dripping onto the floor. "Ah, my clothes are soaked… fucking moron…"

"Do you normally shower with a bidet?" Was the only thing Tetsuhiro said. How fucking rude.

"Shut the fuck up!" Souichi growled, trying to wring out his long hair.

Tetsuhiro stuck his tongue in his cheek. "I don't appreciate that tone of voice. You should come and kneel and apologize, like a woman should. Or are you too conceited to do so?"

He couldn't believe the gall this man had. Fine, he wanted an apology? He wanted to act like a jackass? Souichi could play that game.

Getting up, Souichi kept his hands clasped and walked over to the man, stopping a few feet in front of him. He could play the innocent card if he wanted to. Nobody made a fool of him. Nobody.

"I'm really sorry that I came in here without your permission." Souichi said with the sweetest voice he could muster. Ugh, gag me with a large spoon. "I'm really sorry." He bowed, wet hair flying with the motions of his body, causing Tetsuhiro's shirt to get wet.

"Hey!" Tetsuhiro barked out. "What are you doing?!"

"Apologizing." Souichi said flatly. "Like you wanted. Or are you too much of a dick to understand?"

Tetsuhiro sighed exasperatedly, crossing his arms. It looked like he was holding back on hitting Souichi. "Clearly we need to set some house rules, because people like you can't control their actions or their tongue. So I'll explain how things work around here, and I'll only say it once, so listen carefully. First, don't touch me or put your hands on me without my permission. I cannot stand when people touch me, especially nosy little girls like you. Second, don't come into my room without my permission. I especially can't stand when people intrude on the privacy of my own bedroom so suddenly. This is my room, used for the purpose of my privacy, and you have your own room and your own privacy to worry about. If you feel so obliged as to shower or brush your teeth with a bidet, kindly do such revolting acts in the comfort of your own room. Third, don't touch my things without my permission. If my things are moved even in the slightest, it drives me mad. I can't stand fingerprint marks on anything, and I especially can't stand having my things crumpled or mussed because you can't mind your own business. Fourth, I hate women. I have always hated women. Get that through your tiny, illiterate brain. It most certainly wasn't my idea to have you join this group, but I am not about to disappoint my millions of fans because I cannot handle a little nineteen-year-old whore. I am not here to please you, and you are not here to please me. Do you understand?"

Touchy. Souichi wanted to punch him hard and refuse to do anything to please this asshole of a man, but he had to be good. It was in his sister's contract.

"Yes." He murmured with narrowed hazel eyes. His fingers twitched with the urge to just have his knuckles collide with the man's face.

"Then if you understand me," Tetsuhiro knelt down and opened one of the sink cabinet doors, pulling out a plush white towel. "Wrap up your bidet-showered body and get out of my room. You're getting the floor wet and I'm going to have to clean it, and I certainly don't need the floor mats getting moldy." He thrust the towel into Souichi's chest, causing the blonde to jerk slightly.

Souichi took the towel in his own hands and wrapped it around himself, happy to finally have warmth from his icy soaked clothes. Ugh, he definitely needed a thorough shower before even thinking about going to a party.

"Fine." Souichi muttered, gingerly stepping out of the bathroom and leaving the bedroom.

Tetsuhiro sighed, pulling out another towel to mop up the soaked floor. "Damn woman… making a mess of my bathroom… and now my clothes are all wet." He looked down at the dark splotches on his hooded pullover. He wasn't about to be carried around like a woman's purse. He had gone through that emotional pain only once, and would make sure it happened only once. Women were manipulative creatures; that much he had learned over the years. Sandara was trying to manipulate him to get him to act nicely to her. Che, as if he would fall for that.

His heart had hardened over time, and when he started the band with his childhood friend Hiroto, they had a small fling at the time of their debut. It didn't last, and they called it off between friends, and remained friends ever since. Tetsuhiro's heart was soft back then; it fell easily. He wanted to love again, but he didn't want to be rejected again the way he was. He wouldn't go through something like that twice; he would make sure of it.