by Shawn Bailey
Luke bowed to the people at the table. “Yoroshiku Onegai Shimasu…it’s nice to meet you.” Tomahiko had taught him that greeting.
“Damn, he’s gorgeous,” the woman sitting next to Mikuni said.
“Where is my nephew?” Mikuni asked.
“He’s changing out of his costume, sir,” Luke answered.
Some of the entertainers were already present. Adam and his posse, Vizio, and Cinnamon had made it to the tables in the front of the club. Frankie and Gerard got pulled to the dance floor before they got a chance to sit down. Edward arrived with Noel. Mikuni’s people began to whisper amongst themselves. Edward was in a black suit that Giovanni had designed for him. It fit all those muscles. Noel stunned in navy and red.
“Ah, so that’s the guy that has tamed Edward Green,” Mikuni said.
Neither he nor Tory answered for fear that Mikuni might want to meet Noel. Mikuni laughed as if reading his mind. “Don’t worry, I won’t involve him. I know he didn’t break Edward and my nephew up.”
Luke let out a breath of relief. He and Nokie weren’t on the best of terms anymore, but he didn’t want anything to happen to him.
* * * *
“Who the hell was that?” Jonas asked Tomahiko, admiring the coat.
“Trouble with a capital T,” Akira answered. “Why did you accept the coat?”
“I couldn’t be a jerk in front of an audience filled with fans.”
Jonas ran his hand over the coat. “Is this real.”
Tomahiko nodded.
“PETA is going to have a fit.”
“Rikuro won’t care,” Tomahiko said. “You want to try it on?”
Jonas nodded. “Hell yes.” He wiggled into it. The coat was too big for him. “Oh my God, this feels sensational.” He took it off and handed it to Regina. “Make sure you take very good care of this.”
“I will,” the stylist said. She went into the other room so the young men could finish dressing and the hang up their costumes.
“Who is Rikuro?” Jonas asked.
“He’s a gorgeous Asian mafia boss who’s got a big hard-on for Tomahiko,” Daisuke answered as he put on his new suit.
“Oh,” Jonas said. “He’s hot for your body.”
All three members nodded.
“How do you feel about him?” Jonas asked.
“I hate him,” Tomahiko answered. “I want to push my hand through his chest and snatch his heart out and eat it.”
“Ooh,” Jonas said. “Remind me not to make you mad. So this guy is gay?”
“Yes,” Tomahiko answered. “He’s also dangerous. Do not under any circumstances get into a car with him or talk to him. The last time I did, I ended up kidnapped and chained to his bed.”
“Enough explaining,” Jonas said. “He’s a bad guy. You stay away from him, too. I wouldn’t want to see you with someone like that. We better hurry up and get to the ballroom.” The four of them left the dressing room.
* * * *
The young men of the hour finally arrived wearing the suits Gerard had designed for them. All three wore gray and black, but wore a cummerbund in black, red and gray, which were their group colors. Tomahiko had all of that lovely hair pulled back in a long plat. Akira and Daisuke looked equally handsome.
“Let me look at you guys,” Mikuni said. “Uncle is so proud of you three. Represent us well on the tour in America.”
Tomahiko winked at Luke. Luke’s body stirred with desire.
“Hmm, see something you like, Luke?” Mikuni asked him.
“Yes,” Luke answered honestly. “You guys were wonderful,” he told the members of Yukizumi.
“I liked the opening number best,” Tory said. “I don’t think the audience knew it was you guys under those ninja costumes.”
“Always leave them guessing,” Mikuni said. “They nearly gave me a heart attack the first time I saw them swinging from those big apparatuses. I bet their trainers are sorry now that they cut them from the competition.”
Luke smiled, remembering how Yukizumi had greeted them when they first arrived in Tokyo.
“I liked that song with Tomahiko dressed in white,” the woman next to Mikuni said.
“Yeah, me, too,” Luke said.
“It’s called ‘Shape of You,’ Uncle. I’ll show you the video later,” Tomahiko said.
Some young women in the room got brave and came over and asked the members of Yukizumi to dance. Mikuni dismissed all of them. Tory sat at the table with Tomahiko’s uncle and Luke went over to join The Voices of Reason at another table.
“We have a big surprise for everyone,” one of the guys in the band said. “Introducing Mr. Frankie Kerry.”
Frankie appeared in a dark-gray suit and black shirt. He sang a medley of songs in Japanese. The last song was Marvin Gaye’s ‘Sexual Healing.” That had almost every female in the crowd at the edge of their seats. Those who knew the song sang right along with him.
“He is very good,” Tomahiko said to Luke.
“So are you,” Luke said. “Don’t forget that.”
Tomahiko smiled at him and Luke’s heart skipped a beat. It was starting to do that a lot whenever Tomahiko smiled at him.
“I wish we could dance together,” Tomahiko said.
“Later,” Luke promised him.
Tomahiko looked at him oddly.
Luke just smiled. He had arranged a separate celebration. They were going back to the red light district after the others went back to the hotel.
* * * *
Once again Luke found himself in Club Jacobi, the gay host club in Shinjuku with Tomahiko. Ed Sheeran’s ’Erazer’ was playing from the speakers. “I’m starting to love this song,” Luke said to him as they danced together.
“The entire album is incredible,” Tomahiko said.
“That’s the type of CD you need to record…love songs from the heart.”
“I’ve never been in love before, so that’s going to be hard to do,” Tomahiko confessed.
The song ended and they went back to their table while the D. J. spun B2ST’s ‘Dream Girl.’
“What about Edward Green? You were engaged to him.”
“Yes, I was engaged to him. But that wasn’t true love.”
Luke called a waiter over. “What would you like?”
“Red wine,” Tomahiko answered.
“Two glasses of red wine,” Luke told the waiter. The guy left. “What happened between you and Edward?”
“Several things,” Tomahiko answered. “Mainly family interference.”
“You mean Uncle Mikuni didn’t like him.”
“Yeah. Edward just didn’t fit in.”
“You mean because he’s an agent?”
Tomahiko nodded. “I think I was more drawn to his muscles and his squeaky clean image than anything else.”
“What broke you guys up?”
Tomahiko looked away. “I thought I told you that I cheated on him.”
“Yeah, I know that part,” Luke said. “Why?”
“I didn’t mean to, but my uncle ordered me to sleep with this other guy to get him to give him a liquor license.”
“You could have said no,” Luke replied.
“Yeah, I know. But I didn’t. That’s old water under the bridge now.”
“I supposed things got all messy between you and Edward after that.”
Tomahiko nodded. “He left me and went to South Korea. He hooked up with Ae-jong there.”
“I heard about that,” Luke said. “Now he’s with Noel Charles.”
“Keeping it in the family,” Tomahiko said.
“I’m not innocent either, Tommy. My dick made me do some pretty awful things.”
“Do you plan to do pretty awful things to me?” Tomahiko asked. He began singing Beyonce’s ‘Pretty Hurts” as it played in the lounge.
“That’s a girl’s song,” Luke said without answering his question.
“No difference,” Tomahiko said. “Don’t you find me nice to look at?”
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“No offense, but if I hadn’t seen your cock it would be hard to believe that you’re a guy,” Luke said honestly.
“No offense taken. I can’t help the way I look. Uncle says I look just like his mother when she was young. So he told me to use it to my advantage.”
“Instead he used it to take advantage of you,” Luke said. “Is that the first time you slept with some guy for him?”
Tomahiko shook his head and then lowered his face, embarrassed. “No.”
Luke lifted Tomahiko’s chin with his finger. “Then make it your last. Promise me that you won’t prostitute yourself just because you think you owe your uncle, or the organization, or Tory some misplaced loyalty.”
Tomahiko wiped a tear away. “This is a two-way situation, Luke. You have to promise me that you won’t cheat on me.”
Luke frowned. Could he only be with one guy? Maybe he could if the guy was Tomahiko. “I promise.”
“I promise, too,” Tomahiko said. He went back to singing the song.
The waiter finally returned with their drinks.
The song ended and Tomahiko raised his glass for a toast. “To new beginnings.”
Luke clank glasses with him. His heart did that double-thud thing like something magical had passed between them. Mikuni Akiyama has a nephew-issue with Tomahiko. In Japanese anime that meant he was over-possessive and protective. He bet Tomahiko hated being treated like a pampered princess. Things were going to change when Tomahiko got away from Mikuni and on American soil. Luke would make sure of that.
Chapter Eight
“Ladies and gentlemen, Yukizumi,” the announcer said.
Luke stood backstage at the early morning news show and watched Tomahiko, Akira, and Daisuke perform their new single ‘Different Strokes’, from their upcoming CD by the same name. It was the song written for them by Jonas Kerry. The reviews from last night’s concert were still pouring in and the Tokyo fans were raving about the return of the most beloved singing group.
Afterward, Yukizumi joined Jai Honda on stage. Luke was asked to come out, too. The host welcomed them to the show and back to the entertainment world. The show was in Japanese so Tomahiko acted as translator for Luke, plus the words on the teleprompter were in English, too.
“Can you gentlemen introduce yourselves,” Jai asked.
“I’m Daisuke Abe.”
“Akira Maki.”
“Tomahiko Akiyama.”
“Luke Austin.”
“It’s been years since you guys have been on my show,” the older Japanese guy said. “What have you been up to?”
Tomahiko acted as unofficial spokesman. “We’ve been reinventing the wheel,” he said. “We were getting older and younger groups were coming on the scene, so we decided to take a much-needed break. Now we’re back with a new sound, a new manager, Mr. Luke Austin, and a new entertainment group.”
Luke waved at the audience.
Jai looked surprised. “You’re no longer with Kobayashi Music?”
Tomahiko shook his head. “Not exactly. Mr. Kobayashi sold our contract to Tory Albertson of Albertson Entertainment, an American-based company. Mr. Kobayashi will still manage us while we’re in Asia, but our new boss will guide our careers overseas.”
“The record you performed has a more edgy sound to it than your old music. Do you have new writers, too?”
“Yes, that particular song was written by a wonderful songwriter Jonas Kerry from the R&B group, The Kerrys.”
The members of the audience squealed at the mention of Jonas’s name.
“His younger brother Frankie Kerry wrote the next song we’re going to perform for you guys.”
More shouts from the audience.
The group left Luke and Jai.
“Performing ‘Guarding your Heart’ live on television for the first time, ladies and gentlemen, Yukizumi.”
The fellows were already in place in front of the mics when the cameras panned over in their direction. The music began to play and Daisuke took the lead singing the soulful ballad Frankie had composed. The people in the audience applauded when the song ended.
“Yukizumi will be touring with The Kerrys, Voices of Reason, Noel Charles, and many other wonderful groups,” the host said. “They’ll be performing in Hong Kong, Thailand and in Taiwan, Singapore, and Bangkok before moving on to Seoul, South Korea.”
The audience continued to clap as Luke and Yukizumi left the stage.
“You guys were great,” Luke said. “Now I better get you back to the compound to change into some fun clothing because we’re all going to Disneyland.”
“Wow, we haven’t been there in years!” Daisuke said excitedly.
“That’s because we’re almost thirty,” Tomahiko reminded him. “I can’t wait to ride the coaster.” He turned to Luke. “Will you ride with me?”
“Afraid?” Luke asked.
Tommy nodded. “Yeah.”
“Then yeah,” Luke said.
Luke knew a line when he heard one.
“I can’t wait to see what new exhibits they have,” Daisuke said.
“Is Cinnamon coming with us?” Akira asked.
“Yes, the ladies are coming, too,” Luke answered.
Ki met them out front in the black van. They went to the compound so Yukizumi could change, and then they all went to the hotel to have breakfast with Adam and the others.
Adam thanked everyone for a great concert last night. “The reviews have been rolling in and all of you have been commended on your performances. Yukizumi, you guys really floored me with that ninja act,” Adam said. “I loved the new songs, but that ‘MotownPhilly’ was spectacular. Tory loved it, too. He flew out this morning, going back to New Orleans, but he wanted me to tell you guys that he expects you in the recording studio soon and he wants your three new songs turned into videos, so be prepared to be very busy.”
The others in the dining room clapped for their new members.
Adam continued his meeting. “Noel, what are we going to do with all the flowers you’ve been receiving all morning? Several came with marriage proposals.”
Noel blushed. “See if the hotel can use them as decorations and we can send the others to the local hospitals.”
“And the marriage proposals?” Adam asked.
“Sorry, I can’t do anything about those,” Noel said. “We can send all of those stuffed animals Gerard’s been receiving to the children’s ward.”
“Hey, not all of them,” Gerard said, pretending to pout. “I have to share some of them with Kalen, and there are a few I like.”
The others laughed.
Adam turned his attention on Kalen. “Hey, Kalen.”
“Hey, Uncle Adam.”
“Guess where we’re going today?”
“Where?” Kalen asked as he looked up from his waffles.
“Disneyland,” Adam answered.
Kalen’s smile broadened. “Really?”
“Yes, you deserve a break. Mr. Neil said you are doing very well with your studies.”
“He’s teaching me about Asian empires,” Kalen said.
“He’s five,” Adam said to the nanny/tutor.
“It’s his idea,” Neil said in defense of his teaching. “He loves going to the temples and learning about the dynasties. I hope you can afford Yale or Harvard, because that’s where I think he might be heading.”
“Me?” Adam said. “He already makes more money than all of us. I don’t have my own designer label.”
“Awe, poor baby,” Giovanni said. “I’ll design a line just for you. I will name it the Adam Montgomery Collection.”
“Thanks,” Adam said.
“Can I have ice cream today?” Kalen asked.
“Yes,” Adam answered.
Anyone who knew Kalen knew it was his favorite dessert.
Kalen poked his tongue at Frankie. “None for you.”
Frankie recently discovered he was lactose intolerant like Noel. He tickled Kalen and the child squealed with lau
ghter.
For some reason Luke liked the sound. When he looked up he saw Tomahiko watching him.
“The buses should be here soon,” Adam said. “So if anyone needs to change now is the time to put on some comfortable clothing, rub in some sun block, and put on hats and sunglasses.” Adam ended the meeting and breakfast continued.
After breakfast everyone went outside. Adam did a head count. The only people missing were Vizio and their manager Harley, because they were participating in a charity golf tournament. Harley’s wife Ellen had opted to stay behind at the hotel because she claimed amusement parks tired her out. Angel Jenkins wasn’t attending either because she wasn’t feeling well. So her and her manager decided to stay behind, too.
“Jonas, will you go on the haunted mansion ride with me?” Kalen asked his older brother as they got comfortable on the same bus as Noel and his two groups.
“Yes, but you’re going to have to protect me because I’m scared.”
“Can I come, too?” Neil asked.
“Yes,” Kalen answered. “You can sit next to Frankie and hold his hand if he gets scared.”
Neil chuckled weakly. Luke had figured it out a long time ago that Neil had a crush on Frankie. He didn’t think Adam knew, but the five-year-old wasn’t stupid.
“Okay,” Neil said happily.
Adam also wasn’t deaf. “I’ll protect Frankie, Kalen. You just make sure the monsters don’t eat your teacher because I know nothing about Asian civilizations.”
Frankie didn’t comment. Frankie probably thought that Adam would give in and marry him if he pouted. Luke had known Adam a long time and no one pushed Adam around, especially not a bottom. If Frankie didn’t watch it, he would run Adam into the arms of some willing uke. Luke frowned. No, that sounded more like him.
The driver pulled out of the hotel parking lot and headed for the one hundred and fifteen-acre theme park in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan. Luke had done his homework. He couldn’t wait to ride on Space Mountain. He felt a head resting on his shoulder. Tomahiko had fallen asleep as soon as the bus hit the highway. Poor baby must be tired. Maybe Luke shouldn’t have kept him out so late last night. He decided to let him sleep.