LOVE IS OURS

Kaede Rukawa

He was his boss,

He was his lover.

Akira Sendoh

I was his maid,

I was his lover.

After Sakuragi pulled the trigger, everyone's immediately pulled out their gun and pointing at it each other. No ones here at mansion was scared to die. They found this war like games action. Shit of mafia life.

"That's enough!" Mitsui suddenly appear, and shouted at Kaede, then directed his gaze at Sawakita. "Eiji Sawakita, you motherfucker. What the hell are you doing? And what the fuck of hell both of you want to kill each other?"

If only Mitsui hadn't stopped that time, Kaede clan would have had Sawakita in the nuts already. Sawakita just laughed, like he found the situation is funny.

"Hahaha. Get him out of here, Mitsui. Rukawa giving me a fucking headache. And that applies to all your people, too. And don't ever fucking step foot on my ground again, or you won't like what I do to the next time."

"You're the one who is fucking coward. What the hell you involved Akira with this fucking mess?" Kaede yelled at Sawakita again. Then, he came to me and pulled my wrist.

"Kaede, let me go. I want to give him a piece of my fist," I kept saying.

"Sendoh Akira, right? That's enough. You're save now." It was Mitsui.

I was so mad and frustrated. I really want to kicked Sawakita. I looked at Kaede, and he looked at me back. His eyes was saying something like I should stop this.

"Who's said this is settled already? Rukawa, let's make the deal. Let's fight like real gentlemen. In the boxing ring. If you win, I swear I would never get involved your boyfriend to our problems again. But, if I was the winning, your boyfriend is mine." Sawakita challenge Kaede.

"In your fucking dreams." Kaede glared at him.

"Why? Are you scared? If you really loved your boyfriend. Win for him." Sawakita smirk and looked between me and Kaede.

"Take that challenge, Rukawa. And for you, Sawakita, kept your fucking promises if Rukawa win this." Mitsui stood between Kaede and Sawakita.

"I take the challenged." Kaede said. And then he turn to me, hold my hands, and say something that makes me surprised. "I am willing to die for him. He's so precious to me."

"So the deal was sealed." Sawakita clapped his hands.

"Kaede--"

Kaede shook his head. "I promise. And I ask you to trust in me. Don't be worried. Just trust me. Will you promise me that much?"

I looked at Kaede and saw sincerity in his eyes. My lover, Kaede, the mafia ruler of all Kanagawa. He'd ask me to trust him. He'd ask me not to be worried about him. But I was already worried about what he was going to do. But I also trusted him.

I hug him and my lips traveled to the shell of his ear, and I whispered. "I trust you, Kaede." And I kissed him as my act of promise.

I eyed my lover, Kaede Rukawa, who was up in the boxing ring, fists poised in a fighting position. He was half nude, wearing only boxing boxers that showed off his perfectly white pale skin. Kaede was mine. He belonged to me and only I was allowed to ogle his body. But clearly, I was too worried for his safety to even think straight; the thought of him being injured scared the shit out of me.

Who in their right mind had decided to battle out for supremacy using a fist-fight as the ultimate criteria? Was this a mafia thing I wasn't aware of? Maybe one of their rules between interclan rivalry?

I grew pale, thinking of all the possible outcomes that might transpire during this event tonight? Either Kaede came out battered, looking black and blue, with a severely bruised ago, or he'd come out victorious, winning my freedom as a bonus. Whatever it was, I was worried shitless.

I was literally spewing in my gut because Kaede's opponent wasn't some lame lanky dude like those high school boys I saw fight behind the school gate after class, or like Fujima and Maki who just merely fought with Kaede for the sake of practice. No, his opponent this time was asking for the kill. Big broad shoulders, cascaded colorful phoenix tattoo covering the whole expanse of his back, and eyes so fierce he could literally kill people with one look. Kaede this time had met his one true opponent, Eiji Sawakita, the qualified head clan of the Sawakita mafia group.

"You look like so worried," Miyagi said, his eyes also fixed on the two opponents in the boxing ring. "Don't stress out. Rukawa will win for sure."

"He's never seen people fighting like this," Mitsui said quietly.

I was wedged between Kaede's two best friend. Mitsui was on my left, and Miyagi was on my right, while Fujima and Maki were seated on either side of them. We five sat wedged together in this underground garage, with dark dingy light hanging from the ceiling, the perfect platform to get bashed tonight. Opposite from us sat the Sawakita clan.

I put on a brave face. Because the outcome of my life would depend on this battle tonight.

How shitty of my lives had been. I were just some random boys who were minding my own business when fate took a turn for the worse, I'm being sold to mafia leaders while my father and sister had disappeared into the unknown. At least my mafia man loved me. What about Eiji Sawakita, though? He looked like the type of person who was not to be reckoned with.

I was uncomfortable with the way Sawakita treated me. Where Kaede had treated me with nothing but stark kindness, providing me with a roof over my head and endless delicious food to feed my stomach, before announcing that he would like to take me as his lover, and now endearing me with all facets of life. With Sawakita, on the other hand, must have suffered a different fate.

The discomfort I felt not only radiated from my chest, the physical pain at seeing my own lover about to get bashed to a pulp by his equally strong opponent, but also from the physical discomfort of my seat.

"Can you both move a bit?" I directed my questions at the two gentlemen on either side of me. "I'm feeling a bit squashed with you two wedged so close to me like that."

"No can do," Miyagi explained, slinging his hand over my shoulder in his attempt to relax me. "Rukawa had strictly told us to take care of you. If anything happens to you, we'll be dead meat."

"Mmm." Mitsui added, if you could call the sound he made an answer.

"I have feeling he treats you, Miyagi, like his underlings rather than his friends. How did you guys become friends, anyway?"

"Long story, spike boy," Miyagi spoke. "We will explain to you some other time. But us four--"

Suddenly sounds of collapse to be hearing. All of us immediately stop our chatted and look at the boxing ring. Sawakita fell down and rubbed his jaw. Then, he stand up again for continuing.

"Looks like your pretty boy have a chance to win." Miyagi grinned. "Oh yeah, where was I again?"

I was going to answer Miyagi when Mitsui beat me to it. "Us four."

"Oh, yeah, us four." Miyagi nodded and started his story again. "People in the underground world like to call us the bachelor billionaire. Not that Sawakita or Rukawa is a bachelor anymore. And Mitsui, I say he's going to be a bachelor forever, unless he found his first love again. But it can't be, because he's lover is on heaven now."

"Fuck off. Don't bring my business into this conversation." Mitsui decided at that point to intervene, since I was sure he didn't like to be called out, especially for something to do with his personal love life. I got a feeling he didn't like to disclose his private life much. And if I knew better, I'd make sure never to utter that subject again, especially in front of him. He looked like he had some history going on there.

"Alright, dude. That's cool." Miyagi backed off, not in the least bit affected by Mitsui's harsh tone.

I had no idea what kind of language they used as friends, but to my ears, they were quite harsh. But what did I know? I was innocent guy until being thrusted into the world of underground mafia by Kaede.

"Now where was I again?" Miyagi said, scratching his head in irritation. "Shit, being in this dark garage is playing with my brain cells. I keep forgetting what we're talking about."

"About Kaede and Sawakita being friends, or was it something else?" I reminded him.

"Oh, right. No. No. Rukawa and Sawakita are not had relationship. Unlike you and him." And Miyagi decided at that moment to dis close all their private matters to me. He just rambled on and on. "And no, I'm the ones who is straight here. Now, my standard is more like Mistui secretary, Ayako. Now when can I get to see her, Mitsui? Can you arrange a date for us?"

"Miyagi." Mitsui reprimanded the man. "Get back to the subject. Now is not the time to talk about your lust life."

"Hahaha," Miyagi chuckled again, like it was their everyday conversation. These people were beyond my comprehension. They weren't normal people who conversed in normal manners. They were something else entirely. "Don't mind Mitsui. He's always a party pooper. Since his boyfriend was called by god some years back, he's never been the same again."

"Miyagi, I'm warning you for the last time. If you carry on talking about my private life, let's battle it out in that boxing ring."

"Alright. Calm your panties. I will never win against you anyway. And for the record, it's my love life. Not lust life."

"Whatever," Mitsui scoffed, his eyes still focused on the front arena. A little later he added, "Sawakita is also part of the bachelor billionaires. We were all friends, but Rukawa and Sawakita are the only two who never seemed to get along."

"Yeah, that's what they called frenemy, always at each other's throat since the time they first met a few years back." Miyagi finally managed to finish his story.

"How so?" I asked, interested in their life story, almost forgetting about my own lover who was busy for the fight. Hearing this story, I was able to understand that this fight would not result in a life or death situation, just maybe a little bruise to the ego here and there. "What happened between them?"

"Just some shit about land ownership and territorial rights," Miyagi explained. "Rukawa was put in charge of the Kanagawa areas. Sawakita in Akita. What I don't understand is, their old men were best friends, but when it came to their sons, they fight like cats and dogs."

"Oh, this is something I didn't know," I said, chewing my own lip. Because clearly this was privileged information and maybe as Kaede lover, I didn't get granted access yet. Somehow it made me feel a little sad that I just didn't understand Kaede better. I wanted to know him more, understand him more. Because that's what lovers were supposed to be like--caring for and understanding eact other.

Miyagi seemed to sense my sullen mood. He wrapped his arm over my shoulders again and comforted me. "Don't be sad. Rukawa always has a reason for everything. Maybe he never wants to talk about his dark past."

"Dark past? Kaede has a dark past?" I asked.

"You got that right, spiky boy," Miyagi said. "Your Kaede has a past. A very dark one too, so dark, it's literally a black hole. So don't go digging into it."

"Stop, Miyagi." Mitsui's reprimanded him. "Rukawa is not half bad. Everyone has a history. And we all thrive from it."

"Exactly. Just like Mitsui." Miyagi leaned close and whispered into my ear. "You know Mitsui grew up in the slum of Japan, Sendoh?"

"Really?" I whispered back, perked up by this knowledge.

Mitsui just gave off this aloof cold vibe where newcomers found it hard to approach him. He held this absolute power over everyone, including me, that I found it hard to believe he was a kid who grew up in the slum of Japan.

"No talking about my past," Mitsui issued his warning.

Miyagi only laughed. "Hahaha. We are only joking. Sorry, Mitsui. Like Mitsui, Rukawa's past is like all of us. Nothing less than shit crazy. But that's why people fear us in the underground world. Except maybe for that dude over there."

And my eyes zoomed back to Eiji Sawakita and Kaede. I held my breath, my eyes so focused on the sight before me, that when the first hit happened, it literally knocked the breath out of my lungs. Stupid Sawakita aimed the punch at Kaede face, and I was already choking back tears until I couldn't control it anymore; and silent tears streamed down my face. It was too painful to watch.

I didn't want this happen. I never wanted to see Kaede hurt. I'd rather died.

"Akira. Come here." Kaede's deep baritone whipped me out of my delirium, and I automatically pushed to my feet, walking toward him. He fisted his hand behind my head, and tugging me in so fast. I was spinning from the impact.

"Why the fuck are you crying?" he chided before sealing his lips over mine. We kissed in front of everyone. I felt his tongue probe in my mouth, his minty breath and that special taste that belonged only to him. Forgotten was our surroundings, all my sensation was solely focused on Kaede and his kisses, coaxing me to stop crying, silently asking me to be strong.

When he pulled back, I finally remembered to breath again and out came the first question burning my in heart. "Kaede, do you really have to fight?"

"If you're worried about whether I'm going to die, don't. Now stop crying, doaho. You are not women." He wiped my tears and kissed my forehead. His breath an inch away from my ear, he whispered, "I'll make sure you get your freedom out of here. I promise."

I wrap my arms around his back for hug him. "I love you, Kaede. Please don't get hurt."

"Love you, too. My doaho." He gave me his signature side his favorite words, and I knew at that moment that everything was going to be okay. Tonight, Kaede would come out victorious. And I would earn my freedom.

Thank you so much for who's liking this story. I appreciate a lot. I'm sorry because taking so long for give an update. I hope you'll still enjoying this story. I love you all. - Lots of love, Rivella.

Oh... Happy birthday to our handsome Sendoh Akira! And happy Valentine's Day!