When at last Soda had the opportunity to speak with Kazunari, he asked him with a small gleam in his eyes, "Was he still wearing his red fundoshi?"
"How would I know! We only talked."
"Come on, boss! Only talked - two hours closed up in the private lounge. What? Don't you trust me anymore?"
"We just talked, monkey!" Kazunari said merrily and smacked him on the head with his folded newspaper.
Yes, they had really just talked. But Kazunari felt happier than if they had fucked. That boy was sweet, clean, simple, and of a more than agreeable disposition. Desirable, for sure. So desirable that several times he felt the urge to touch him, caress him and hold him in his arms and kiss him. But he had not dared to do that. Enthralled, as if by a delicate rare flower, he feared ruining it. So, he contented himself with looking at him, admiring him and listening to him. They were meeting at 7:45 the following evening in front of the optician's shop. He would have liked to have met him even earlier, but unhappily couldn't. Even though he had said nothing to the boy, he hoped to be able to spend the entire evening with him.
He brought the contract to his mother. She took it without showing any emotion or any particular satisfaction. But, Kazunari could read her approval for his actions in her tone, and that was enough for him.
His mother, a woman stronger than a thousand men, had always been strong. All her drive and determination came out after his father had been killed in an ambush. Who killed him was never determined. Whoever it was, had done it in a such way that it had been impossible to determine the killers and even more difficult to ascertain who was behind it. The Oshimas? Perhaps. Or possibly the Abes, or... who knows? Everyone had attended the funeral and for surely the instigator behind the killers of Yamaguchi Noboru was there also. Everyone behaved impeccably, with an air suitable to the occasion and all had signed the condolence register and deposited envelopes with great sums of money in front of the deceased's portrait. All had bowed deeply and burned the ritual incense. All of them. One too many. And everyone waited for the fall of the Yamaguchi Family. At it's helm remained only the widow and the elder seventeen and half year old son.
Immediately after the funeral ceremony, the widow summoned all the most influential members of the group and gave a clear, direct simple speech: "If they think they brought us on our knees, they are gravely mistaken. Kazunari is too young, and the of two brothers of my late husband Noboru... one is much too impulsive and the other too hesitant. They would not be able to properly guide the family. Therefore I ask you to swear to me the fidelity you swore to my late husband until Kazunari becomes older and expert enough to assume his father's place, as you know was Noboru's will. United, we will continue and strengthen what Noboru was achieving when they stopped him."
One after the other they all spoke, mainly in favour of Michiko's proposal, until it came to Mr. Iwakura, the right hand of the late boss. He said that, of course, he understood and appreciated what "Madam" had said, but a woman couldn't guide the family with the energy and firmness needed. She would lose the men's respect and would not have been able to adequately restrain them. The most logical successor to Noboru was himself, Iwakura. To him they had to swear fidelity, certainly not to a woman. A woman! he added with a hint of scorn -- too easy to intimidate, to bend, to soften, to flatter and to court.
Others spoke. Most were more or less in favour of Michiko's proposal.
At that point Iwakura made a mistake. He interrupted the one who was speaking and, turning toward Michiko who sat at head of the table near him asked her: "What did you promise them to get them on your side? To bring them into your bed?"
As an answer, Michiko pulled out from her kimono her small mother of pearl encrusted gun and fired a single shot point blank between his eyes. Then looking at the others that had jumped to their feet, drily said, "Sit down."
Then, with glacial calm said. "Now. If you want me as your boss, make his body disappear. If you don't want me, call the police and have me arrested. I'm now going upstairs to my room. You decide. I expect one of you to call me back for the oath ceremony, or else for the police to knock at my door. There are no other alternatives." She placed her gun on the table and left. In less than an hour they called her for the oath. Iwakura's corpse had disappeared from the room and the blood had been perfectly cleaned away. The Yamaguchi family continued - more determined and stronger than ever. They were led by a woman of iron, Yamaguchi Michiko.
Kazunari was relaxing in the family bath when Tomoya entered. The boy washed his hands carefully and then climbed onto the wide wooden tub next to his brother. "Kazu-chan, tell me, how did you persuade that bastard Nakamura? You scared him to death, right?"
"Tomo, you have to learn that all the time you cannot use fear to obtain everything. On the contrary, at times it is self defeating. Look at the animals, for example the cat. If you speak to him in a threatening voice, but leave him an escape path, he may look at you with fear, but then obeys. However if you attack, leaving him no route to escape, he will jump on you and scratch you, even though he knows perfectly well that you are the stronger one. You must never put someone in the situation of not having an honourable way out if you want to tame him. You have to show that you are the stronger, but then leave him to decide by himself whether or not to submit. Then you can obtain what you want with great ease. You, Tomo, are a dear boy and I like you a lot, but you have to learn to be less impulsive, less passionate. Otherwise you risk underestimating your opponent, and the dangerousness of weak people."
"Yes, yes, all right, but how did you act with Nakamura? Did you show him the dynamite as you said?"
Kazunari sneered recalling the scene, "No, a much more simple way. That would have been my second card to play, if the first one didn't work. I only did some digging into Mister Nakamura's private life before going to meet him. That's why our mother charged me."
"So, did you discover compromising things? What? Did you blackmail him?" the boy asked with cunning eyes.
"No, not exactly. Sure, I made him understand that I knew things about him that very few people know, but I didn't blackmail him with those things. A blackmailed man may surrender from the first moment, but then he becomes a dangerous enemy, especially if he has the means that Nakamura has combined with the backing of people like the Oshimas. No, I simply informed him that one third of the Directors that had nominated him are in our hands and we will soon control a second third. That means that at the next election, if he was our man, he would certainly be elected again. That it would be good for us to have a man of his expertise at the head of the Matsuda, and we would have absolutely no interest in a change if he was our ally. Then, based on some particulars of his private life, I suggested I could have him get, as a thank you for his signature on the contract, something he desired, had in fact dreamed of for a long time..."
"What? tell me, what?" Tomoya asked in curiosity.
"You see, mister Nakamura is, sexually a masochist. He loves being tied up, whipped, lashed and constrained to please his woman in the most humiliating way. But in his dreams there is one woman in particular who had been unreachable for him. A woman that is faithful and devoted to us, and who on my request said she was ready to do as he liked with him..."
"Who's she? Do I know her?"
"Everybody knows her: she is Sasaki Rumiko."
"The actress? And she is willing to..."
"I called her before meeting Nakamura. For us, yes, she was ready. Moreover, Nakamura is rich and isn't at all an ugly man. It was her decision whether or not to play the game in bed. She accepted. Then I just asked Nakamura to allow me to make a telephone call. I called her and then passed the receiver to him. He was just about pissing himself just hearing her voice on the phone -- the blameless mister Nakamura. He was as red as a beet and stammered excitedly. When he hung up the telephone, I placed the contract copies in front of him. He just looked at me and asked, 'You give me your word of honour?' 'Of course,' I said. He pulled out his golden fountain pen and signed, without batting an eyelid. Then, to help him understand he had made the right choice, I took my cellular and gave an order to my men to remove the explosive filled truck from the underground parking lot. Nakamura understood."
"And now he is the lover of Sasaki?"
"Yes Tomoya, they met yesterday evening in the apartment we furnished expressly for them as a present for the contract. So, you see, quite without menacing, without blackmailing, without threatening, the tough Nakamura is now our man, body and soul. And now, in less than one year the Matsuda will be completely ours, while maintaining the peace with the Oshimas and the others."
The Oshimas. The father of Oshima Yoshiki, Yoshio, and the father of Yamaguchi Noboru, Naiki, have been friends when young. The two families were allies. But Naiki had stolen Yoshio's woman and had married her. That was the beginning of the hostility between the two families. Over the years several skirmishes and outright wars burst out, at times for senseless reasons. The same Kazunari had been the involuntary cause of one of them.
He was twenty years old when he met Hayato, an eighteen years old boy in a gay bar. They liked each other very much at once. Hayato was in Kazunari's car, when it was suggested that they go to swim and make love at the sea, under the moonlight. The two boys had started to disrobe on the beach, looking at each other with growing desire, when Hayato noticed the shadows of Kazunari men on watch not so far away.
"There are other people." said the boy a little worried.
"They are just my body guards, they will not bother us. On the contrary, they will keep away any passers by. Come..."
"Body guards? But, who are you?" the boy asked.
"Yamaguchi Kazunari." the other quietly answered.
"Yamaguchi? You are a Yamaguchi?" the boy asked with wide eyes, then started to dress again.
"What are you doing? What's wrong?" an astounded Kazunari asked, trying to stop him from dressing.
"Stop, let me go! I'll never have sex with a Yamaguchi. Not me! Let me go immediately!" the boy said raising his voice.
"But why? What's wrong, now?"
"I'm an Oshima man. Imagine if I fucked with you! Let me go, get your dirty hands off of me!"
"Listen, who cares about our tiffs? I like you and you like me, you said so. Undress, come on. Let's enjoy this in peace."
"Let me GO! I would rather geld myself than sleep with you!"
Kazunari tried to make him reconsider, tried to stop him. He liked that boy and didn't want to let him go, but the other began screaming and they started to fight on the sand. Kazunari's men rushed to help him, but didn't intervene when they saw that their boss was holding the boy still and was easily undressing him. On the contrary, once having understood that the boy was tied to the Oshimas, they started to incite Kazunari to fuck him hard, with lewd and colourful expressions.
Kazunari was excited and couldn't care less about the others. He just wanted to have that boy, to enjoy him. When he was about to penetrate him, Hayato succeeded in wriggling free and escaped. The others immediately grasped him and held him still, constraining him in position so that Kazunari could again come on him.
"Hayato, you would not accept me with grace. You offended us. So, now, remember that all the Yamaguchis will always fuck in the ass all the Oshimas, however and whenever they feel like it." he said in rage and, grasping his hair, put the tip of his turgid rod between the boy's widened buttocks and gave a strong shove and sank into him, thrusting all of his column inside the warm channel.
Hayato jerked, but didn't emit a single wail. When Kazunari started to fuck him he felt a kind of wild pleasure, Hayato answered each pelvic thrust of the other with an insult hissed in a low but clear voice. In the end Kazunari, yelling out his own pleasure, came inside the boy amid the laughter and lascivious jests of his men. They left the boy on the sand and went away.
Two days later the Oshimas killed one of the men that held down Hayato on the shore, and left on him a note stating "just the first". The friends of the dead man then, killed a man of the Oshimas. A second man of the beach group was found dead with the note "the second."
At this point the Yamaguchis men got the idea of finding Hayato and gelding him. Kazunari didn't agree and forbade them to even touch Hayato. But a few days later the young man was found dead on the beach and gelded. Kazunari's men swore that they didn't do it, that it wasn't their work.
The Oshimas killed three Yamaguchi men. At that point Michiko could see what was happening, and wondered why. She understood that if she didn't do something, that it could be the start of a real war. The first thing she wanted to know from her son what really happened, in detail. Then she took her car, with just the driver, and went to meet Oshima Yoshiki, and faced him:
"Our families became enemies because of a sex story and once again, because of a sex story a war is beginning. We have to prevent that, we have to stop this absurd massacre game. And you had better agree, Yoshiki. In the end we will win and you will be annihilated. Oh, sure, we will also lose a lot of good men, and then, most likely, a third family will take the place we will not be able to defend. Is that what you want?"
"Aren't you a bit bold to ask me to stop after your son started all this by raping the son of one of my men?"
"Yoshiki, cone on! Rape is a strong word for what happened, don't you agree? That boy went to cruise in a gay bar, for sure he wasn't a sweet little virgin. And everybody saw him coming out from there happy and merry, half embraced with my son. He wasn't kidnapped, abducted by force."
"But then on the beach..."
"The boys understood who they were and hostility rose. If they didn't know about each other, they would have fucked without any problem, just reciprocal enjoyment, right?"
Yoshiki nodded yes giggling. But said: "But the boy has been gelded and killed in a ferocious way."
"Yoshiki, my men swore they didn't do that. And I believe my men. Because they know perfectly well that while I can forgive even a big mistake, I'll punish with death anybody lying to me."
"But then?"
"Do you think that amongst yours there may be somebody wanting this war? Or perhaps it is exactly a third family wanting to grasp what remains if we kill each other in a war? Would you play that game?"
Yoshiki was convinced. So the war stopped as soon as had started. One week later two men of the Segawa family were found on the same beach, gelded and killed exactly as it had been done to Hayato. Then nobody heard any more on the subject
Kazunari had been extremely shocked by the bloody epilogue of that night on the beach and after that he was always extremely prudent in his encounters and relations. He went to pray at Hayato's grave and asked him for forgiveness because, even though he had not wanted it, he had indirectly caused the death of the poor boy for a stupid fuck, initially dictated by desire and then by pride -- a bad beast, pride.
Kazunari told all that to Tomoya, who listened with extreme attention without interrupting his brother's tale.
"Do you now understand why we all would like you to be less impulsive? You are a remarkable boy, Tomo. You can really become an exceptional man, if only you'd learn to control yourself, as I, myself had to learn. At the beginning it seems difficult, but it isn't."
"You had to learn to control yourself?" Tomoya asked with an unbelieving look.
"Yes. I was a lot alike you, as a teenager. Probably this is why you are my favourite brother. I wanted everything, and I wanted it immediately. But life taught me the value of patience. And the sense of limits. We Yamaguchi at times can feel almighty, but it is not true. We are powerful, but not omnipotent. And that power is to be used with balance, or it slips out like water between the fingers. You know, like when you play golf, you have to use the right club, the right strength at the right angle, or you risk appearing less skilled than your caddy."
"Kazu-chan, can I ask you something else?"
"What?"
"You ever had a girl?"
"No, I'm not interested in them, you know that."
"But how did you know you preferred men?"
"I have always liked men since when I was a small child."
"And your first man?"
"I was fourteen. He was your age, a fisherman in Komatsujima. He didn't notice me. He thought he was alone. He untied his fundoshi and started to wank himself. I had known for a while that I liked men and that one was really a beautiful male. I was looking at him with fascination, and got an incredible hard on. So, naked with my tool straight in front of me, without thinking about it, I just walked in front of him. He stopped for a moment in surprise, but then, seeing my condition, started to wank again and smiled at me and gestured for me to come closer. Then he asked me to suck him."
"And you?"
"I knelt between his strong thighs and did what he asked me. And I loved it. And then we made love. He had me lean against his boat and took me..."
"Did you like him?"
"Him? I thought he was too beautiful. And, he did know how to do it. I also liked feeling filled by his beautiful cock. So I went back to meet him all during our vacation, every day."
"I was seven years old, at that time. But I nearly remember Komatsujima. Where did you meet to make love?"
"After that first time on the beach he brought me to the boat depot where he had his room and futon so we could fuck as long as we liked, without haste. But you? You want to know about me, but tell nothing about yourself..."
"Me? My first time was last year. With the lift girl at our bank. She wasn't a virgin. But I liked it a lot. Even though at first I was embarrassed, I was afraid I wasn't able to do it properly, you see. When I understood she liked me, I waited for her at the end of her shift. She took me to a love hotel. At first she gave me head, then... we did all the rest."
"Do you have a girl, now?"
"No, not a steady one. And, do you have a special boy?"
"Not a boyfriend, for the moment. But there is one I like very much..."
"That is Ken, right?"
"No, not him. But you know about Ken and me? Did he tell you?"
"No, he didn't, but I understand. He likes you a lot. And, you him."
"Yes, that's right, but there is nothing really serious between us. We just enjoy sex together, that's all. Anyway Ken has a really nice body and he is likeable... and skilled in bed."
"Do I know the other one? The one you like a lot?"
"No. He is an University freshman. So beautiful. But, I don't even know if he is gay or not. Possibly not. And also if he was, I don't know if physically he would like me."
"Of that I'd have no doubt, you are incredibly handsome. If he is gay, I would be surprised if he doesn't like you. And even if he is not gay, who knows, he can always say yes... I know boys who don't disdain to do it at times also with other males..." Tomoya said to his brother with a smile.
"I'll know tonight. I intend to ask him. But I would like it to be... not just for one, or a few times."
"Good. Let me know, later. We shared confidences and I'd like it if we could continue to do so... only if you want to, of course. I, sometimes... I feel the need to talk of sex and love with somebody."
Kazunari smiled to his brother, ruffled his hair in an affectionate gesture and left the tub of warm water, to enter the one with cold water and then to dry off and go out.
He met Jun at 7:45 in front of the optician shop. The boy was dressed in a casual but elegant outfit. Since the day of their first encounter, Jun thought about Kazunari all the time. He found him likeable, and even better, fascinating. But more than that, one thing had struck him in his encounter with the young man, while Kazunari was holding him still up there, during the earthquake, even while a victim of panic, Jun, had clearly perceived the young man's erection pressing against his body and this at once caused a strong erection of his own as well.
He thought for a long time about that. The other one was excited because he had him in his arms, and he got a hard on feeling the turgid member of the man. If two males became so aroused just touching each other it could mean just one thing... And after Kazunari's insistence of buying him new glasses and of remaining with him and wanting to see him again combined with the way the young man looked at him while talking together...he wondered if....
Jun had prepared himself very carefully for their meeting and hoped that after collecting his glasses Kazunari would invite him to spend the evening together and then, afterwards, also the night... Jun got a hard on at that thought and was aware that it was his first time to be aroused just thinking about a person. The fact that the other was also a male didn't give him any problem. He was simply glad to feel desired, to feel desire.
In his mind the sexual act remained a background detail. He loved Kazunari as a person for his personality. He felt he was strong, virile but warm, tender and kind... and he was captivated by that. He didn't explicitly fantasize having sex with him, but just about being in those arms, being embraced, feeling protected and desired while wrapped in those strong arms and legs. He was aware that if it was to really happen, it would be carried farther, to physical intercourse, to making love, but that didn't worry him. That possibility remained in the background, as something concrete but secondary. In his mind there was just that warm, sweet, strong, intimate embrace... and the pleasure of feeling again that erection he had provoked.
"How are you, Jun!" Kazunari merrily greeted him.
"Fine, and you? I like the suit you're wearing today, Kazunari." the boy said smiling to him, prey of a slight emotion.
"And you look very elegant Jun. Let's go fetch your glasses. They will close soon."
They entered the shop. Jun put them on. "Oh, I can again see clearly, now. How light they are, and beautiful. Thank you, Kazu." the boy said smiling to him and timidly studying his expression after hearing himself talk in that affectionate and intimate way.
Kazunari smiled, happily: "They fit you nicely."
"You did spend lot of money for them."
"With deep pleasure. Listen, do you have any free time tonight?"
"Yes," the boy immediately answered, happy.
"I thought we could go for supper at the Teppoya. Do you like the kaiseki kitchen?"
"To the Teppoya? It's a dream!"
"Let's go, then." Kazunari said merrily, taking him lightly by the elbow and guiding him towards his custom car.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Soda in the other car. He had explained his program for the evening to his attendant, but had ordered him not to let the boy notice him. They went to the restaurant. He had booked the internal room on the garden. Soft lights, the sound of a small water fall and of a shakuhachi played in the shadows.
A girl in kimono served the meal. They ate, again talking small talk and looking at each other rather shyly. Kazunari had never felt so deeply stirred by the mere presence of a boy he liked. It was a new, nice, sweet emotion. He felt the desire to embrace and caress him, but he restrained himself, not so much because of the discreet presence of the waitress coming and going with the various courses, but above all because of fearing to break the spell.
"Jun-chan?"
"Yes?"
"I feel so good, near you."
"Me too, Kazu. You are a splendid person. I'm so happy I met you."
"Really? Thank you. I hope that this evening marks the start of a very special friendship."
"Thanks to you. And not only for offering me all that, but for offering me your time and your friendship."
Kazunari leaned out a hand and put it lightly on the boy's hand and caressed it while looking into his eyes. Jun lowered his eyes, lightly quivering at that soft contact.
"I like you, Jun. I like you very much."
"I like you too, Kazu-chan." Jun, moved, answered with a low voice. Unable to find the courage to look his companion in his eyes, he fixed his glance on the hand caressing his own hand.
"Would you like to come with me to my place? I'd like to spend the whole night with you, if you can. Would you please remain with me tonight?"
"I have... I just have to call home, to let them know I'll not be back until tomorrow... or they'll worry..."
Kazunari lend him his cellular. The boy took it and dialled.
"Dad? It's Jun. I won't be home tonight, I'm staying downtown. Yes, of course. Sure. Yes. Don't worry. All right. Bye bye." said and returned the phone to Kazunari saying, "It's ok."
"There's No problem, is there?" Kazunari asked studying the boy's expression.
"No, no problem."
"They are used to that? I mean, do you often sleep out?"
"No, this is my first time, but they didn't raise any objections. I'm nineteen, now."
"The first time?" Kazunari asked curiously.
"At the latest I was home on the last train, when going out to drink with my friends. Before two 'o clock I was in my bed."
"So, are you coming with me."
"Yes."
Kazunari vas happy. Jun was also. They went to Kazunari's pied a terre. Kazunari gave him the grand tour and then back in the living room he offered the boy a drink.
"It's nice, here. I wouldn't have guessed that in such a modern residence it would be in such a traditional style. I love it."
"I really love the traditional style."
"Me too. But where do you sleep?"
"In that room. It is the most quiet. Did you notice the writing on the tokonoma's scroll? I chose it expressly, hoping you would be coming here, tonight."
"For me? I'm sorry, I didn't read it."
"Come then. It is drawn from the Makura-no-Soshi."
They went back into the other room. Jun admired the writing. Kazunari embraced him from behind, pulling him against his body and kissed him on the neck. Jun quivered, closed his eyes and threw his head back onto Kazunari's shoulder, turning his face towards him. Kazunari kissed him on the mouth. Then, reaching out his hand, pushed a button on the nearby wall. Silently the closet door glided into the wall and a wide, square, low mattress glided out. The young man drew Jun onto it. He laid on him kissing him on the mouth and starting to unbutton his shirt.
"No, please..." the boy whispered turning his head to the side and trying to stop the other's hands.
Kazunari tried to continue to undress him, but without really forcing him.
"No, please. Wait." Jun said again, his eyes closed, with a low voice.
"I desire you, Jun. I want to make love with you. Please, don't reject me, I like you too much."
"I... I've never done it, before." the boy whispered.
"I won't hurt you, believe me."
"I know... but... shut off the light, first. I'm ashamed."
Kazunari smiled and drew a silent sigh of relief. He turned off the lights, pulled off his jacket and shirt and went back to the low bed. He again lay on the boy who welcomed him with an embrace. He kissed Jun and started again to caress and slowly undress him.
"Your first time with a man?" he asked softly.
"My first time with anyone." Jun murmured caressing Kazunari's wide back, while Kazunari pulled off the boy's singlet. Then he bent to open Jun's belt and fly. The boy arched his pelvis facilitating the young man to pull down his trousers.
"You are wearing your red fundoshi..." Kazunari said while excitedly unknotting it.
"How can you know it is red? It's dark, here."
"I saw you the day before yesterday, at the beach. You were so beautiful and sexy in your bright red fundoshi. I desired you at once, but I never dreamed that I would meet you again, or that I'd have you here with me only two days after..."
"That's why you were aroused during the earthquake?"
"You noticed it?" Kazunari asked him while he continued to caress and kiss the fresh boy's body as he finished undressing himself.
"Yes. And that's why I started to desire you too."
"Nobody, never ever, attracted me as you do, do you know that?" Kazunari murmured emotionally as he, embraced him tightly and again kissed him intimately with passion and tenderness.
Tenderness; this was the new component that Kazunari felt while making love to Jun. A growing desire and a growing tenderness. What an abysmal difference from the other boys! Even the physical desire was transfigured. They made love quietly for a long time with gentle passion and kissed for long moments as they caressed each other all over. They brushed against each other with passion until they reached the peak of pleasure in unison. Strongly embraced, at last they relaxed on the mattress fully sated, panting and happy.
Kazunari felt the boy's body relaxing in his arms as he slid into a sweet sleep. He lightly kissed the boy on the forehead. Jun emitted a short sigh of contentment and murmured, with a low voice quite sleepily, but clear, "I love you, Kazu-chan. I love you. Why didn't you take me? I desired it..."
"The first time could be painful and I didn't want to hurt you. Do you want to be my boyfriend, Jun? Do you want to be mine, forever?"
"Yes, I want it. But next time, you will take me, won't you?"
"Yes..."
"Tomorrow morning. Promise?"
"Promise, beloved one..."