Jukstapositioned

@Nekoii-desu: Thank you for reading, I am glad that you enjoyed the story. As for your question, Kazuya was referring to Father. It was an interesting journey, writing this story. I hope the next one will be a little less dramatic on my side and hopefully the story can come out smoothly. I think for the characters of this story, it is good that they still live on in the minds of the readers. I'm sure each reader will come up with a suitable alternative for their endings and how their lives will continue to entwine around one another. Thanks again!

After nine months of this story, it has finally come to an end. The last interlude/chapter was uploaded. I thought that it is only appropriate that I end the story with Kazuya; not only does it do justice to the main character of the story, but it certainly also brings the story to a complete circle, connecting it back to the very first chapter. The story was born of thoughts that I had; thoughts that all started with "what ifs". Admittantly, the plot came to me actually in the form of Chitose-Atsushi-Takahiro's arc. However, somehow, that idea did not appeal to me. So I extrapolated and thought about the future. Bit by bit, the story fell into place and you all know what happened after that. I want to say thank you to everyone who has read, clicked, and reviewed. Thank you for coming with onto this journey, and thank you for your patience in those months when I was less than active and definitely in the middle of my writer's block. It was a long and windy road, but we have seen the end. So, thank you very much! The side story that features Shuusei and Tanrin have been posted under the name "In the End". If anyone is remotely interested, please feel free to take a peek. @Gslinger: I like to think that it's good for there to be a concrete plot, but it is equally as important for characters to develop on their own as well. Sometimes, strong characters will drive the story forward as well. I'm sure Chitose will find his own happiness in his own way somewhere in this world. Thank you for the review! @Neko: I don't mind at all; in fact, I do believe I mentioned all of the mangas/animes that I have been inspired by in a later chapter and in the forum as well. I hope you will continue to read and enjoy and of course, find more differences than similiarities. Thank you for the review! @Nekoii-desu: Chitose is someone who has perhaps sacrificed a little bit more than others when it comes to his life. Although we can equate one's suffering to another's, circumstances and feelings always differ. He tried to play the joker but had the table turned on him. It was naive of him, but it was an important lesson for him. Ten years later, in the present time now, he would never make that same mistake again. It's unfortunate that he and Takahiro should have met under such circumstances; if they didn't, perhaps Kazuya wouldn't even had a chance at the owner's heart. But alas, that's what life brings and in the end, life always turns out unexpectedly. Thank you for the review!

Most importantly, it is my obligation to give thanks to my inspiration for this story. Even though things are different now than how they used to be, I will never forget the lovely years that we've spent together. This thread will be used for everything concerning the story that cannot be included in a chapter post. I hope to interact with anyone and everyone via these forums and hope to get to know new people and old people better. In the End is a story that exists in the same universe as my other story "Heaven Far Away" and there will be at least a couple of characters making cameos. It can be read as a complete stand alone. This introductory post will also explain some of the terms and concepts that will be seen throughout the story. Please check back here for reference as this will be updated as the story is updated and the plot evolves. Yakuza This describes a group of people who share the same beliefs and interests and are willing to say and act following said beliefs and interests. A yakuza clan can consists of hundreds and thousands of members spanning one region or multiple regions. Usually, a yakuza clan consists mostly of males, but female presence is not unthinkable. In a yakuza clan, loyalty is highly favored and betrayal is punishable by death only. Those of lower ranks must listen to people who have more power than them, any disconcordance is to be discussed in private and not to be made a public matter. One can only join a yakuza clan if a member is wiling to recommand him or her. They will have to go through a series of tests to determine whether they are fitful to join the clan or not. Once you've decided to join a clan, turning coat is considered betrayal regardless of whether the clan has accepted you or not; and betrayal is punishable by death only. Each yakuza clan has its own name, usually taken after the family name of the founder of the clan. Each clan also has its own symbol and it is a requirement for all clan members to have a tattoo of said symbol on their body. The bigger the tattoo, the higher one's status is within the clan. The process of tattooing is called irezumi, it is done by bamboo sticks with ink and inserted beneath the skin via hand work as opposed to a tattoo gun. This process is often painful (no pain killer is allowed) and time consuming depending on the size of the tattoo. Positions Kumicho: The kumicho is the reigning leader of a clan. He is usually someone chosen by the previous kumicho and had been trained to take over the clan. However, it is not uncommon for a yakuza clan to start because someone won the kumicho seat via a fight. The kumicho is to be respected and protected at all times. The words of a kumicho are law, and disobeying the kumicho results in severe punishment; depending on the degree, it can often lead to death. The kumicho is to make all decisions regarding the clan, he holds power over all members of the clan and is expected to act in the clan's best interest. He is not only a general in military affairs, but also a boss in administrative issues, and a spiritual leader who inspires and motivates his clan. The kumicho is to set an example of the clan's motto by his words and actions together. Saiko komon: The senor advisor to the yakuza clan. He usually deals with all administrative matters of the clan; it can range from paper work to signing treaties with other clans and business partners. The saiko komon is the kumicho's right arm, and he is to work together with the kumicho to stregthen the clan's allies and support. He is usually well versed in decorums and is a convincing orator. Sometimes, the saiko komon is also looked to for strategies when it comes to feuds between clans. The saiko komon's position is of the same status as the wakagashira's. Wakagashira: The first lieutenant of the yakuza clan. Unlike the saiko komon, the wakagashira deals with all military aspects of the clan. He is the general and the leader of the troops if there is need for such measures. He is expected to be the best fighter and specializes in a particular style and weapon. He is to lead all charges and is expected to behave in a manner that is beneficial to all members: mainly to win fights and maintain the lowest number of casualty possible. Every order given to the wakagashira comes directly from the kumicho himself and he is expected to act according to the kumicho's wishes; at the same time, he is expected to protect the kumicho with his life. The wakagashira's position is of the same status as the saiko komon's. Shateigashira: The second lieutenant of the yakuza clan. He is expected to work for the wakagashira and assist him in all his endeavours. The shateigashira is expected to lead the men if and when the wakagashira is unable to. His duties are similar to that of the wakagashira's, but he does not hold as much sway over the men as the shateigashira. Character Stats: Please check back here once in a while as this list will be updated with more information. Morishita Shuusei Male, 27 Violet eyes Number one host at Red Velvet Currently suffering from a severe health problem Tattoos: Dragon on his right arm, phoenix on his shoulder blades, shooting stars on his left arm, scorpio on his left arm and a butterfly (both tattoo and a carving) on his chest. Hirokin Tanrin Alias: Kirin Male, 24 Black hair, brown eyes Kumicho of Hirokin-kai Yoozan Sumi Male, 57 Saiko komon of Hirokin-kai Black swan tattoo on his left arm Mayuzumi Ootori Male, 24 Wakagashira of Hirokin-kai Black swan tattoo on his back Osatami Ryusuke Male, 17 Blonde hair, amber eyes Shateigashira of Hirokin-kai Only male heir of the Osatami-gumi, a lineage that has died out Osatami Eriko Female, 22 Older sister of Osatami Ryusuke Dark brown hair, amber eyes Konbayoshi Atsushi Male, 45 Head of the Konbayoshi family Owner of Opiate TBA Todou Chitose Male, 16 TBA Shigeki Akatsuki/Subaru Male, 38 Red hair, green eyes Isamutama Yoshitaro TBA Kondou Shinya Alias: Dictator Male, 25 Black hair, brown eyes Assassin Takashi Akira Male, 20 Brown hair, green eyes Saved by Kirin Hayasaka Yasuka Onwer of Red Velvet Male, 42 Light brown hair, blue eyes TBA Tanaka Hiroshi Bartender of Red Velvet Male, 30 Black hair, green eyes TBA

The second interlude has been posted, this time, it will finally be told from Chitose's point of view. It actually turned out to be longer than Takahiro's, but only by a little bit. I feel as if there have been so many little things that I've omitted from his life. However, if I were to jot down every little detail, I would never finish with his life. So here is a succinct version and the most important version. Just one last interlude and the story will finally be tied up to a finish. I want to thank everyone's support on this long journey and to please stay with me for one last chapter. On a side note, I did begin the side story that I had been talking about. I suspect that it should be uploaded within the hour. If you are interested, please do take a breath's moment and glance at it. Thank you. @Gslinger: Chitose is a complicated character whom I can go on and on about, but there is always something called restriction and the limit of my own selfish need to perfect this story prevent pages of him being poured out. This newly posted interlude should give the readers near everything they need to know about Chitose to connect with him, allow him to take you on this journey in his shoes and so many things will seem so different. Thank you for the review. @Nekoii-desu: I hope you are still breathing. *laugh* Takahiro and Chitose perhaps met under the most unfortunate of circumstances but they both understand the need to fight and struggle. Always between the two of them, there has been this unspoken bond of mutual respect and pity and care. At the same time, there has always been unspoken words, feelings, and unasked questions that lead to much distrust and misunderstanding. Reading from Takahiro's point of view, there were things about Chitose that he could never understand or hope to ever know. At the same time, reading from Chitose's point of view will clarify those concerns and at the same time experience all the uncertainties and insecurities that Chitose has gone through as well. Thank you for the review and I hope this interlude will offer you some closure.

The first (of three) interlude has been posted, it is finally time to look at the story from Konbayoshi Takahiro's point of view. I apologize for the delay, but the chapter took longer than expected as it turned out to be longer than I originally thought it would be. It is labeled as part one because, in my opinion, it's only his point of view, thus, half of the story. By combining and thinking of part one and part two (the next interlude), perhaps a more complete picture can be understood. @Gslinger: I'm sure many people aren't happy with what was given as a finale, including Chitose himself, but such is life, there has to be sacrifices made. Some people have to make more than others. I have no doubt that Chitose and Kain will at least get along civilly with one another. It's ten long yeas, practically anything is possible in such a long time. I do not plan on touching on them with any more detail than the details of this story will grant them. Though I am working on a side story, of some sort, that somewhat parallels with this one. It will feature Shuusei and Tanrin, who were introduced very briefly in a previous chapter. Thank you for your review! @Nekoii-desu: Kazuya certainly has more guts than he would let on. You know what they say, when forced 'till the very end, one is capable of inhuman strength. The owner has more issues that he needs to work out himself, given his history and past, it is harder for him to open up. He's also quite a bit older than Kazuya, there certainly are more things for him to consider as opposed to on Kazuya's end. I think they have shared a kiss in an earlier chapter. My memory is a little foggy, but I do remember it was somewhere in the wine cellar perhaps? And like you said, Kazuya is young, so it is only fair for him to work from the bottom up. I am sure that given time, if he's still around in Opiate, he will be able to reach a higher standing. At the same time, when this "honey moon" period dies down and the two of them get down to more practical matters, returning to school would be something that will be taken into serious consideration. Kazuya is not even twenty, so his future is still very much undetermined. There is a whole life for them to live out. However, like I mentioned to Gslinger, I will not go into more details on the future than what the next two chapters can grant. I will, instead, go back in time a little and focus on Shuusei and Tanrin instead. Although the connection is weak, the cast of these two stories will certainly be involved one way or another. For Chitose, perhaps there never will be a satisfactory ending for him. They say that one's first love is the hardest to forget, and he is a highly sentimental person, despite his words and actions. At the same time, I cannot think of a person who is fitful for him, and therefore, he will enjoy an open ending for everyone's imagination to give him a proper rest. Thank you for the review!

Chapter twenty two has just been posted, and I apologize for the wait. Three interludes follow to close up this story, I fear they may be longer than expected but hopefully will answer all the questions that one might have. @Nekoii-desu: Usually, the client will ask the host of interest in private about an exclusive. If the host turns it down, then there is no more to speak about. If the host agrees, then it is generally a done deal. The rest is just formality and arranging the price and dates. The host is looked to for professionalism and once the host agrees, then as a business exchange, he should not be allowed to change his mind unless a dire reason arises. Opiate (unlike Red Velvet, mentioned briefly in the last chapter) thrives on the professionalism, experience and regal procedure of client and host interactions. If this had happened in Red Velvet, there wouldn't have been such a fuss. Kazuya really should have thought about it a little bit more before agreeing, I concur with you. Then again, I suppose the difference between Kazuya and just about everyone else at Opiate is the fact that he does things dictated by his heart when everyone else is more inclined towards calcuations and weighing their options. Thank you for the review! Gslinger: May I say that having a crush on Chitose is a rather dangerous thing? I would think that his endless amount of calculations and scheming will catch up to him sooner or later. However, I am very flattered that you have taken such a liking towards Chitose. Thank you for the review!

Chapter twenty-one has been added, chapter twenty-two will be the unofficial end of this story. The three interludes that follow will offiically close up this story. I hope to get the next chapter up soon! The interlude will take more consideration and certainly will be the last stroke of my pens, I hope you will all look forward to the ending of this. Nekoii-desu: It is certainly unbelievable that Konbayoshi could buy into such a ridiculous idea that Chitose and Kazuya could be remotely interested in one another. However, I suppose it's because Konbayoshi has always trusted Chitose that he sees no reason for the number one to lie to him right now. Everything should be cleared up very shortly! As someone commented after reading this story, the relationship between Konbayoshi and Kazuya are extremely frustrating and I am inclined to agree with her. If it wasn't so frustrating, there might not be a story at all. *laugh* I hope to have the next chapters up as soon as possible! Thank you for the review! Gslinger: It would certainly make things a lot easier for me if the three of them could be true and honest and straight forward. Of course, none of them wants to admit their weakness and so this has to be drawn out. The idea of a three person relationship is certainly possible, but with these three, I fear it will never be possible. All three are too possessive to be able to share with another person. If it had been another three, perhaps such a triangle would have worked out just fine. Alas, their greatest strengths also become their greatest weaknesses. Thank you for the review!

Chapter twenty has been added, let us all cross our fingers for me please and hope that the progress keeps up! Almost at the end, I'm rather excited and nostalgic at the same time.

Chapter nineteen replies: @Gslinger: Ah yes, I do have a thing for intricate and complex relationships that are not just "I love him" or "I hate him". Although, you are right; untangling this will require some effort and these last couple of chapters are giving me more trouble than I thought. It's always not the most opportune moment for something or not the correct wording for another. Hopefully, this will become easier along the way. Thank you for the review, I will try my hardest to not drag on the wait! Nekoii-desu: I do believe that Chitose is perhaps the most unfortunate character of this story; despite his almost flawless character, there really isn't anyone truly for him. Perhaps it's better to have faults? *laughs* Even I don't know. Kazuya and Konbayoshi will both have to take a step forward for anything to work, in my opinion. Right now, perhaps both are tied down by already existing insecurities, Chitose's own card playing in the midst of all this certainly is giving them more to think about. Sometimes, I wonder if Chitose is doing more bad than good or the other way around. When it comes to exclusives, there is a hefty price. It will depend on the individual host; booking Chitose for one evening would cost very differently than booking Kazuya for one evening. So, say booking the host for one evening is x dollars, that will be x dollars times 365 days and then by ten years. Then, there will be exclusive fees, which can go anywhere from 10% to 50% of the total host fee depending on the client. When on exlusive, the client will then also have to take care of the host's necessities; like food, water, lodgings, clothes, etc. So, it is quite a handful of money when it comes to putting a host on exclusive. You read my mind with Shuusei and Tanrin; I am thinking of doing another story for them, but it's still in the early works, therefore, I will have to debate on that some more. I am certain that we will see more of Shuusei and Tanrin in this story as the story closes out. Thank you for the review! Maggie: Thank you for the review, I will try my best to get the next chapters up as soon as possible!

Chapter nineteen has been added. This progress is more like the pace I am used to. I hope this success can be continued!

@Nekoii-desu: Thank you, I will add you back on LJ promptly. Ren indeed is a simple character after all. I like to imagine that these hosts come from all sorts of walks of life, and not everyone is as calculative as Chitose or Bakusui. Ren is just your average guy, a next door neighbour and that senpai in school. I'm sure every single one of us have met someone like him. I suppose he serves as a contrast to the shades of grey other characters carry in this story. I'm sure someone like Ren will find his own happiness sooner or later, but where or whom he finds it in, that is certainly still up in the air. The next character will appear in the next chapter, which I actually have typed up. I think inspiration is coming back slowly. *knocks on wood* I will edit it and it shall be up very soon. Thank you for the review. Gslinger: I think you are right. After all, the known and the usual are so much easier. Ren is making way for himself and I imagine someone like him doesn't belong in a host club after all. He's almost too innocent and too honest for the darker aspects of Opiate. However, only time will tell, I suppose. Thank you for the review!

Interlude Four has just been posted; it focuses on Ren. Once again, I apologize for the extreme lag as I am still battling my writer's block. This thing sucks and I have so many ideas as well. With the passing of this interlude, we are officially in the last little stretch of this story. I hope to make these last few chapters as interesting as I possibly can! Due to the fact that I am in my writer's block, I have actively tried to work against it. And since I've been a long time Livejournal user, I've decided to start a Livejournal account dedicated to my writings. Provided that no stories will be posted on that Livejournal account, it will be more like musings and rants going along with the stories that I work on. If you have a Livejournal account and would like to add me, please visit here: http://bygonewind.livejournal.com/profile @Gslinger: I think somewhere, Kazuya looks at Chitose as a rival but as a confidante as well. He doesn't have many friends and Chitose is so contradicting to him that he cannot help but hate him and revere him at the same time. Chitose's own actions will seem contradicting in the future, I am sure, but it is certainly all towards a more grand goal! ^^ Thank you for the review! @Nekoii-desu: Oh it indeed is a delcaration of war, isn't it? *laugh* And yet, with these people involved, I fear their war may lack in the artilleries and gore. The owner is coming to terms with his own feelings as well, but surely he is getting there a little slower than Kazuya. Chitose has his own thoughts and feelings that I hope to explore deeper within the confines of this story as well. As for Kain, ah, we certainly won't see the last of him. I daresay that he may be the literal turning point of this story at the very end. I do hope to introduce a new character briefly as well and see how the readers will take him. Allow me to quote you and say, let the fight begin then! A different sort of fighting, certainly more elegant, in my opinion. *laugh* Thank you for reading and reviewing.

1 --> Chapter eighteen has been posted. I apologize for the long delay, but the writer's block is still not gone. You would find it pathetic how long it took me to even start on this chapter. Needless to say, this is certainly not one of my better chapters and I apologize for that in advance. I don't know when the next chapter will come out, so I ask for your patience again. Thank you! 2 ---> @Nekoii-desu: Careful, there is no need to trip. *laughs* I think it's only fair that Kazuya gets to experience what a host is truly like since he's worked so hard to get to this stage. Such a thing, in my opinion, is certainly unavoidable. The owner will certainly need to get his head straight around these issues as well and comes to his senses soon. I think this story is reaching the end soon, if my plots do not get messed somewhere along the way. Chitose will certainly no longer sit around and in fact, in chapter eighteen, he is going to take his first steps as well. I hope the story will turn a little bit more interesting from here on. A lot more things being connectd and characters finally making their last little push. How is your ear? Mine was infected when I tried for the fourth hole. ; I hope yours is coming along just fine! Good luck to you too with the job hunting, it's ridiculously hard. *laughs* I think I was a little unprepared for this. World Cup was rather surprising, Netherlands in my opinion at least. Hahah. All the seed teams were out rather early. What can I say, it's the appeal of such an event! 3 ---> @GSlinger: Thank you for your continued support! Although I am not completely over the block, I want to say I can see some light at the end of the tunnel. So I will crawl towards it with gusto and hopefully come back soon with another chapter! I'm sorry for the wait!

Chapter Seventeen Replies: @Gslinger: Only members are allowed to enter the club, those who are seeking membership must set up an appointment with the owner, manager, trainer and with the last option available, Chitose. Kain's background should be given a little bit more attention to in the coming chapters. If my writer's block ever gets better. ;; Job search is still showing no fruits, I hope yours is coming along smoothly! Thank you for the review!

Chapter seventeen is up. I sincerely apologize about the delay, it seems that I'm hitting a writer's block, this last chapter alone took me so many tries, it's seriously not even funny. I ask for your utmost patience as I work around this and hope to have the next chapter out as soon as possible! Thank you! Random thought of the day: World Cup is so not good for my sleep, but the games are way too exciting to miss!

I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! ^^ Chitose certainly has enough evil to spread for the rest of the cast. *laughs* As for using children, I cannot say anymore than I have already said. For the purpose of this fiction, I can introduce such situations. However, in real life, I wouldn't know anyone who has or will trade away their children for their own safety. That situation will certainly be more evident to those who are in such a business or if there is such a business at all. It certainly warrants more research, as I'm sure it's a global phenomneon and not just limited to certain parts of the world or certain class of people.

Interlude Three Replies @Gslinger: Mm, although the review is no longer there, I still see it in my inbox, how strange. *laughs* I wouldn't know whether giving away children is something people do often, but for the sake of this story, I suppose it does happen regularly. Although I wouldn't say the parents give their children away but more like abandon their children. For example, Koki's case would be his family is sinking in debts. So the loan sharks kidnap Koki and tell the family to prepare certain amount of money for Koki's return. Of course, the family cannot gather that amount of money, so Koki will just have to be sacrificed in that sense. I hope that makes more sense for you. Thanks for reading! neokii-desu: *laughs* Indeed, Atsushi is not the nicest one around for sure. As for Koki, the short chapter does him no justice. I think, anyone who is capable of winning Bakusui's heart deserves more than one little chapter. XD Koki and Chitose are similar indeed, I think there was a little twist of fate tossed in there. After all, it could have easily been Chitose in Koki's shoes, then... would these things all happen? Although Koki and Chitose are similar, Bakusui is right in the sense that Koki would not be capable of calculating evil, but Chitose is not afraid to let that side take over at all. As for the people who have died of heart attacks, Koki's heart attack was an excuse, and so was Mukai's. The only one who truly did die of a heart attack is Atsushi. But that's for the future and I digress. *laughs* Bakusui lost Koki in that room, literally. While Chitose lost Takahiro in that room, metaphorically speaking. Although, Chitose probably lost Takahiro when Kazuya and the owner first met. It's unfortunate in that sense, but without that, we wouldn't have a story here. *laughs* So, perhaps it's not so unfortunate after all. The rest of the story should continue on and resolves this thing between Konbayoshi and Kazuya, return the spot light back onto the main character kind of thing. *laughs* Thank you for reading!

Interlude three is up, this interlude will focus on Bakusui Eiji. *laugh* I think this must be my fastest update as of yet. There is something good about raining for many days in a row. At least it keeps me inside.

Chapter Sixteen Replies: @Nekoii-desu: You're quite close on figuring out who Koki is, the details will certainly be given in the next chapter! ^^ Chitose was certainly born into the wrong body, imagine if he was born into Konbayoshi or Bakusui's body, ah, it would certainly make much more sense. *laughs* However, I suppose this makes him all the more deceptive. As for the heart attack, the truth is, there really wasn't a heart attack. When using the whip, if not used correctly or used in excessive, it may cause excessive bleeding or accidentally damage organs if a blow strikes too deep. A heart attack was just an excuse that was used to cover up that part. As I am planning out the details of each chapter right now, I hope what happened with Mukai will be written in detail either in Ren's interlude or in Chitose's interlude. Kazuya is just too innocent, in my opinion. He may like to think that he's the master at deception or whatever, but truthfully, he's still too young. *laughs* Perhaps with more season, he will turn out to be like Chitose? Although that is quite a scary thought. Bian Lian has been translated into "Mask Changing" because of the technique. However, I was hoping for "Face changing" in the sense that one has many faces/masks that one can wear. And I do speak Mandarin. ^^ Thank you for the review!

Replies to Chapter Sixteen @Gslinger: *laughs* I am glad that I was able to suprise you. Although Chitose did it for his own reasons, but shouldn't Kazuya breathe a sigh of relief as Chitose did push him away from a horrible client? >> I guess not. *laughs* I hope Bakusui's interlude will clear up this patch of land a little bit more and explain why Chitose did what he did. As for the owner and Kazuya, I fear their turmoil will continue for a little bit longer at least. But at least there are improvments, even if tiny ones! Thank you for the review! And you're really fast! o_o I was so surprised!

Chapter sixteen has just been posted up. Although some things may be confusing in there, the following chapater will explan it in more detail, so I ask for your patience. The chapter title "Bian Lian" can be searched for on youtube. It's a traditional Chinese technique that involves the rapid changing of masks in the duration of a split second's time. Maybe that will make more sense when the chapter was read. The next chapter will be Bakusui's interlude. The plot bunnies have quieted down, so I'm going to have to take time and work out the details of their droppings. Maybe in the near future, the fruits of such labours will finally see light! XD

*laughs* I'll keep your idea in mind, most definitely! You never know when it will come in handy. Thank you! And you're quite right about plot bunnies, I'm going to have to chase them down or get someone to work them out with me to get rid of this sleeping problem for sure.

Chapter Fifteen Replies: @Nekoii-desu: Yes, the owner is finally capable of some brain as well! I am more proud of him than you can imagine. *laughs* I do believe this is a big step forward and hopefully there wouldn't be three billion small steps backwards in the future to negate this improvement. The next chapter is going to lead into Bakusui's interlude, so it will contain some bits and pieces of information that will seem rather confusing. However, the interlude should be able to explain all that. I am very glad to keep your fangirl heart alive! ^^ As for that other plot, I have jotted down things, but I'm going to let it take its shape and spread its wings a little bit more. So far, I see a very general outline of the story, but the details are not filling in properly yet. So it will certainly take some more time; if not a lot more. I didn't know this board controlled for emoticons. *laughs* That's rather amusing to see actually. How many did you have originally? Thank you for the review! @Gslinger: Chitose seducing Kazuya, now that's a scene I will have to wrap my head around as well. *laughs* Although it may not be specifically with Kazuya, I do foresee some sort of a scene where Chitose may use his abilities to gain what he wants. Where that comes into play, I've yet to be able to pen down. But a different sort of action, Chitose will certainly be able to provide in the very near future. I actually quit that job of mine after about 3.5 days of working. *laughs* It just wasn't the right thing for me to do, so now, I am back to job hunting. Who knows why I can't sleep. @_@ I will have to resort to naps if this continues up. But it's really quite hot over here that I don't even want to nap. Thank you for the review and the concern!

Chapter fifteen has just been posted, hope you all enjoy! ^^ Just a few nights ago, I had this sudden realization that another plot was running through my head. So after jotting down the basics, I wonder if that enthusiasm will continue to persist after I've finished with this story. Random thought of the day: I'm so tired. @_@ I've not been able to sleep well these past few days, I blame it on my parents who insist that I wake up before noon. >>

Chapter Fourteen Replies: @Nekoii-desu: Don't the two of them just drive you insane?! I know, I feel the same way as well. But on the other hand, the story would be way too short if they got together after one night of steamy sex. There are still too many issues, and the most important one is certainly the lack of communication between Konbayoshi and Kazuya. Also, the assumptions are killing them as well. Sooner or later, I swear these two will communicate better! Chitose's interlude will come at the very end of this story, sorry, you'll have to keep on guessing and aniticipating. The next interlude will feature Bakusui, and that should give more of an insight on Chitose's past. For now, enjoy the tension cause I want to see what arises out of it as well! XD Thanks for reading! @Gslinger: Chitose's evil intentions will become more obvious throughout the story, I'm sure of it. It won't be directed just at Kazuya, but at just about everyone else. However, by the end of the story, maybe one can go back and slowly chew upon those intentions and see whether they were truly evil or not. That family idea is very interesting! XDD If there is ever a parody, that'll be top on my list! Though I am debating about writing another story that's kinda like the prelude to this one? Though I fear that might get a little repetitive, so... >> And I'm telling you, the only reason why I'm slaving over a job is so that I can have money to buy things. >> Thank you for reading!