Orange Moon

by Barbara Sheridan

  “I know. I wanted to.”

  Hideki smiled and let Toru gather him to his chest.

  They whispered declarations of love, and Hideki closed his eyes, confident that tomorrow he’d get this ridiculous mess straightened out.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The persistent ringing of the telephone pulled Toru from sleep. He reached over Hideki’s head and lifted the cordless phone. After checking the caller ID on the small LCD screen under the receiver, he answered it groggily.

  “Jun, what’s up?” He stifled a yawn.

  “I thought you’d be in bed still.” The guitarist sounded just as tired as Toru still felt.

  Toru sighed and sat up. “It was a long flight.”

  “And this media fiasco isn’t helping either, I’m sure.”

  Toru cursed. “Are they bothering you, too?”

  “No,” Jun replied. “Then again, even you’re not getting the worst of the deal. It’s Hideki-kun they keep bashing on the message boards.”

  “Bastards.” Toru climbed out of bed and peered through the blinds. Only a handful of paparazzi were outside, but they looked like sharks circling for prey. “He’s going to talk to them today, I think.”

  “Tell him not to bother.” Jun sighed. “They won’t listen until he’s been ‘humiliated’ enough. Bring him with you to the studio.”

  Oh, shit. That’s right -- the band was supposed to meet today to talk about the US trip and plan more foreign tour dates.

  “You forgot about the meeting today, didn’t you?” Jun snickered good-naturedly on the other end.

  “What would I do without you, mama-san?” Toru ribbed him back.

  Jun laughed. “Just get both your asses down here.”

  * * * * *

  Toru ignored Imai’s disdainful eye roll greeting as he and Hideki entered the small conference room at the record studio.

  “It took you long enough, To-chan,” Koji said with a grin.

  “I bet he had to get that wake-up fuck in,” Imai mumbled as he got up to get a cup of tea.

  Hideki moved to confront him, but Toru stopped him.

  Kyoru exhaled a too-loud sigh and dropped into the chair across the table from Toru. “Rumiko is out shopping nearby; perhaps Hideki-kun should join her.”

  “You little bastard --”

  Jun banged on the table then stepped in front of Toru before he could get to the drummer. “Enough, people!”

  “Fuck this,” Hideki said, snatching up his backpack. “I’ll see you later.”

  Toru followed, catching him at the door. “Don’t let those assholes get to you.”

  Hideki shook his head. “It’s all right. You have work to do and I have some things to take care of.”

  Toru smiled and touched his hand in parting. “I’ll wait here for you.”

  “Oh, how disgustingly sweet,” the drummer said when Toru returned.

  “What the fuck is your deal, Kyoru? Are you jealous?”

  “Hardly.”

  “Enough!” Jun shouted again. “We have important shit to discuss. Now let’s get it done.”

  Kyoru crumpled his empty foam cup and tossed it in the trashcan. “I want to go on the record that I oppose any band additions.”

  Toru stood, his palms pressed to the polished wood tabletop. “I formed this band, and I can fucking disband it, so don’t push me.”

  “Then just make sure you think with your head and not your dick!” Kyoru shot back.

  “Enough!” Jun ran his hands through his long hair. “Do we need to cancel this until tomorrow?”

  “No,” Toru said, sitting back down.

  “I stated my case; I’ll be good now,” Kyoru said doing the same.

  “The fact is we did great overseas.” Jun slid a folder across the table to Toru. Inside were sheets containing reviews that eager fans and a number of pleased members of the American press who’d been in attendance had already written.

  “The little mouth-to-mouth action on stage didn’t bother them?” Kyoru quipped.

  “It never has before.” Jun silenced him with a glare. “And they really liked it in the US.” That shut Kyoru up for sure.

  Toru skimmed over the reviews, a line from a fan catching his eye. Toru-chan and Hideki Sakae on stage together had to be one of the most romantic moments I’ve ever seen in a concert performance before. I love them!!! The last line had been underlined three times and set in boldface.

  Toru smiled to himself then slid the folder to the center of the table.

  “Awwww,” Koji said with a chuckle.

  Toru gave him a look, but then smiled because he knew the redhead meant no disrespect; it was just his jovial nature. He waited for the other two to get snarky, but they didn’t, and soon he became caught up in the talk of the famous American band who wanted them to join them on a six month tour of the US and Canada.

  “You missed it, To-chan, but the indie label guys want to release our CD as soon as they can get it pressed because the support was so strong in LA. We sold more merchandise than the last big act they had at that theater. And the fans who couldn't get a ticket were lined up three-deep out front to try and get a listen.”

  Imai nodded. “And Ryu-san said he’d call his contact at Atlantic to try and get us a better deal, since we only signed with the small company to do the one CD as a test run.”

  “It will be good for us,” Toru said, his thoughts drifting to Hideki.

  He frowned. What would happen to his lover’s career -- his dreams? How could Toru be content pursuing his own music if Hideki wasn’t happy as well?

  A wad of crumpled up paper struck him on the side of his head. Toru looked up at Koji’s grinning face. “We asked what you thought about flying back to the US at the end of the week to meet the indie label’s CEO.”

  “They want to meet us?”

  Jun nodded. “In the flesh -- to set up some press and promo functions before the CD’s release date.”

  “This is happening so fast, guys.” Toru leaned back in the chair and rested his hands on the top of his head.

  “That’s how it is,” Imai chipped in. “And we better move fast enough to keep up with it, or we’ll lose the momentum.”

  “We all need to be there, Toru. It’s important for the band’s future.” Jun said the words softly, but his meaning was very loud and clear.

  Toru had no right to fuck this up for them. They’d all worked their asses off for ten long years to get this international break, and he had no right to risk it, no matter what.

  “I’ll be there.”

  * * * * *

  Hideki pulled up to the light and glanced around the intersection.

  “Finally lost you creeps,” he muttered. After storming out of the studio, he’d stopped at a gas station to fill up the tank and three of those cutthroat photographers had almost jumped him at the pump.

  But he’d lost them in mid-day traffic. Now, it was just a matter of getting to his apartment building to pick up his things without being spotted. He looked around again to make sure no one had noticed him at the stoplight.

  “What the hell?” Hideki’s jaw dropped open. Across the street, there was a four-story office building with a billboard that, up until now, had featured him doing an ad for a cell phone company. The giant-sized photo of his likeness was gone -- and two men were busy putting up a replacement advertisement with Yuki.

  Car horns beeped behind him, and he proceeded through the intersection. The bastards. He hoped they were happy. Yuki was sure to thrive on the spotlight and kiss everyone’s ass to perfection. Fuck them. He didn’t need Nippon Entertainment and their connections. He had talent. He could get by on his own.

  It was unusual to see Takeda-kun’s pick-up missing from the parking spot near the entrance to his lower level apartment. He probably found somewhere else to keep it since he had Hideki’s belongings in the back of the truck. Hideki rang the bell, and it took an awfully long time before Takeda’s wife answered.

  “Is
Tak-kun here? I’ve come to get the things he was holding for me.”

  She glanced nervously over her shoulder but shook her head. “He’s not here. I don’t’ know where he is, I’m sorry.”

  She tried to shut the door, but Hideki stopped it with his hand. “You must know where he put my belongings. I told him I would come today to pick them up.”

  “Sorry. No. I can’t help you.”

  She shut the door, nearly crushing Hideki’s hand. He rang again, then began pounding when she refused to answer a second time. “Shit!” Hideki gave the door a final pound, then looked out to the parking lot when he heard the sound of a truck. It was a tow truck, preparing to take his car away!

  “What the fuck are you doing? That’s mine!”

  The man watching the driver shoved repossession papers into Hideki’s hand. Fucking Kutani had done it again. At least he’d gotten the few belongings he still owned moved into Toru’s place for safekeeping. If he didn’t have his guitars and the music he’d written, he wouldn’t be able to tolerate this bullshit.

  He watched his car fade into the distance and sat on one of the large rocks in the small garden area, wondering if he should call Toru to give him a lift. He decided against it and put on his sunglasses, then made his way to the nearest bank, taking as many less traveled side-streets as he could. He withdrew some cash from the ATM, surprised they hadn’t found a way to tap his personal account, then headed downtown to the corporate offices of Nippon.

  He got no farther than two feet into the lobby before security escorted him out. Neither Kutani nor Ikeda’s secretaries would put his calls through. He had no doubt they would next block his number entirely. Hideki stalked across the wide sidewalk and looked up toward the top floor where the executive offices were. “Fuck you all!”

  He didn’t even care that a reporter captured the entire moment on film and videotape.

  * * * * *

  Toru was in a very good mood when the meeting with the guys broke up. He hung around the studio for an extra hour and tried calling Hideki’s phone but got no answer, so he headed back home. His quick steps faltered when he saw Hideki sitting in front of the apartment door, knees bent, head resting on his folded arms. An empty wine bottle was on the floor beside him.

  “What the hell happened?”

  Hideki looked up, his warm brown eyes hard with a mixture of pain and fury. “I got fucked over, and not in the nice way.”

  “Why didn’t you call me?” Toru asked, reaching past him to unlock the apartment door.

  Hideki held out his phone. “Apparently, the company decided that since I no longer represent their product, they needed to cut off my service without giving me a chance to pay to keep connected.”

  “Bastards.” Toru held out his hand to help Hideki up. “I didn’t see the car outside. Where did you park?”

  Hideki kicked his shoes off inside the door then went and dropped onto the sofa. “I didn’t. It was repossessed because Nippon holds the lease. And the remainder of my clothes and CDs and other personal belongings were apparently thrown out anyway.”

  “Shit,” Toru spat. Kutani and the rest of Nippon Entertainment were going out of their fucking way to make this as rough on Hideki as possible.

  Looking toward the sofa as he slipped out of his jacket, Toru watched Hideki turn to face the back of the leather couch with a dejected sigh. His lover was having a seriously messed up day, and this was only the start of it. Nippon wasn’t going to give up until they’d destroyed Hideki’s spirit along with his career.

  “That’s less you have to worry about lugging over at least.” Toru smiled, though Hideki wasn’t looking. Moving into the living room, Toru sat down on the edge of the sofa by his lover’s waist. “I was going to ask you to stay here with me.”

  Hideki turned back around, scooting back into the leather seat to give Toru more room. “At least until I can figure out what the hell I’m going to do.” Hideki chewed on his lower lip.

  Toru reached over and brushed the hair out of Hideki’s eyes. “Well, I meant that I want you to move in with me.” He leaned down and kissed his lover’s shoulder before giving a small frown. “Unless I’m rushing things ...”

  Hideki traced his index finger across Toru’s full lower lip and squirmed when Toru sucked his finger inside, teasing it with his tongue as he’d teased his cock so wonderfully.

  “Of course I’ll stay. I only wish it wasn’t partly because I have no place else to go.”

  “That’s not why I’m asking.”

  “I know,” Hideki said softly. He leaned in and drew Toru into a kiss, submitting completely to the older man’s expertise until his own passion became too much. He broke away, moved off the sofa, and led Toru to the bedroom. He stripped his lover, letting his hands and mouth show just how much he cared. Playfully, he pushed Toru back onto the bed, then climbed over him to search in the nightstand drawer for the small bottle of lubricant. “I want to feel you this time. In me.”

  “You’re sure?”

  Hideki nodded. “I know you won’t hurt me.

  “I won’t,” Toru promised, “but there will be some pain at first because you’ve never done it.”

  Hideki nodded again and kissed Toru deeply.

  As Hideki knew he would, Toru took him with exquisite care, using his fingers to stretch and prod and touch the sensitive places deep inside until Hideki was afraid he’d come from that alone. He begged Toru to fuck him, but Toru held back, taunting him with his touch and lips and tongue until, when he turned Hideki a bit onto his side and positioned himself behind him, the younger man fairly impaled himself on Toru’s waiting cock.

  “Take it slowly.”

  “I’m fine,” Hideki groaned, pushing back until Toru was buried to the hilt in his hot body. “Please fuck me, To-chan. I need you.”

  Toru happily obliged, coming quickly from the tightness of Hideki’s body, and Hideki soon followed, crying out his name as Toru stroked his cock in time to his thrusts.

  They lay entwined, neither wanting to lose the closeness, and when Toru’s erection began to fade, he gathered Hideki closer and kissed his perspiring shoulder. “I have to go out of town with the band next week. Out of the country, actually.”

  “What?” Hideki rolled over to face him. Droplets of sweat still beaded on the bridge of his nose, inviting Toru to wipe them away with his fingertips.

  “It’s another business trip in America,” Toru replied. The crushed look on Hideki’s face instantly made Toru regret he’d said anything at all. Their peaceful moment to just enjoy the comfort of each other’s bodies was being ruined.

  “For how long?” Hideki asked, probably not even realizing he pouted as he spoke.

  “Only a week.” Toru stroked the younger man’s flushed cheeks, rubbed his shoulders.

  “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

  “I just found out this afternoon. I was more worried about you.” Toru frowned. “It never crossed my mind to say anything before now.”

  Hideki sighed and sat up, wrapping his arms around his bent knees. He pulled away when Toru tried to rub his back. “Don’t. I’m not some little kid you have to pacify.”

  “I never said you were.”

  “I know.” Hideki sighed again. “So, should I hang out with Jun’s wife and help her buy diapers or something while you’re gone?”

  Frowning, Toru sat up. “Now, you are acting like a kid.”

  Hideki shot him a cold look and climbed off the bed. “I’m gonna get a shower.”

  “I’ll make us something to eat.”

  “Whatever.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Toru listened to the water running in the shower, and moved the stir-fried noodles around his plate as he waited in the kitchen for Hideki to finish up.

  Some of his post-sex appetite had been spoiled, not so much by what was said in the bedroom, but because of all the words not exchanged. Of course Hideki would feel like shit because of what was going on with his for
mer managers, but now Toru had another worry. Would Hideki eventually come to resent him as the cause of all this trouble?

  His lover padded out into the kitchen dressed in a light, loose-fitting shirt and nothing more. Hideki winced as he sat on the barstool next to Toru, the soreness in his body making itself known, no doubt.

  Toru knew that a deep massage to the lower back area would go a long way toward easing some of the aches in the younger man’s body, but hesitated to suggest anything else after the way Hideki had pulled away earlier.

  Hideki spooned some of the rice and noodles onto a plate but mostly just pushed it around with his chopsticks. “I’m sorry. I was acting like some brat kid.”

  “No --”

  “Yes.” Hideki sipped the glass of wine Toru poured for him. “I think I’ll call my aunt. With my cousin married now, she has an extra room.”

  Toru breathed a quiet sigh, remembering how his mother seemed to have bullied her sister at the wedding. “I want you to stay here, Hideki. I love you.”

  Hideki offered a halfhearted smile. “I know. I love you, too. A hell of a lot, but I don’t want you to feel I’m clinging to you, trying to live off your success because I’m a washout now.” Toru reached for his hand. He pulled it away.

  “This is just temporary. Once those assholes get their rocks off by jerking you around, you’ll be back to work in no time. You’ll be signed to a label. I can help you with that.”

  “No. That’s exactly what I don’t want.” Hideki ate a bit of the food and finished his wine. “When do you leave?”

  “Day after tomorrow.”

  “Do you have a lot to do to get ready?”

  Toru shook his head and poured them another drink. “Not really. We took care of most of the arrangements today.”

  “That’s good.” Hideki sipped his wine and rested an elbow on the table. Toru was left to interpret the meaning of his tone.

  “You could come with us,” he offered, realizing that was another mistake as soon as he’d said it.