Heaven Far Away

Chapter Seventeen - Belonging

Kazuya woke up to an empty room the morning after that hectic evening, and when he finally had the chance to explore every corner, he concluded that Bakusui never made it back that night. The newly appointed host had no idea what the urgent message was all about and with the mood he was in that night, Kazuya couldn’t care less if the world ended that evening. However, since he was still breathing and the club is still open to the public, he can deduce that the message was something else other than apocalypse. Ever since that evening, he hasn’t seen the owner in almost a week. There was a whispered rumour going around the club that a client passed away, but Kazuya never quite caught the details of it.

He committed to mind the embarrassment he felt that evening when Chitose took away his client. This week, he’s worked harder than he could ever imagine. Every evening, he was the first one down and last one to come back up. During the day, he would sleep as much as he could to make sure that all his expressions were fresh throughout the night. With such a life style, it was a wonder how he’s even managed to catch glimpses of other hosts here and there.

And a week later, when he was finally able to get up at breakfast time in this club, it was no hard decision for Kazuya to dress himself and go downstairs for food with at least a host or two. He missed communicating with people, and besides, since the restaurant is close to the front door, maybe he’ll even catch a glimpse of the owner coming in or out. In Opiate, with their unconventional working hours, breakfast usually meant some time between two and three in the afternoon. Of course, lunch would be the usual dinner time, and dinner would be somewhere around midnight. It was like there was a time zone of their own inside Opiate.

World of their own.

Entering the threshold of the restaurant, he saw Ren’s animated gestures before he could see Ren’s face. A smile was lifted on his lips –despite what happened before, he supposed he should thank Ren for sending him down to the specialty room on the owner’s birthday- and he walked closer quickly.

“Then I got off the elevator and saw Chitose-san standing in front of his room, looking distressed and what-not.” Ren was in the middle of his tale when Kazuya drew near. The table of hosts all looked up at him before Gen shifted inwards and freed up a space for Kazuya to sit. “So of course, I approached him to inquire if something is wrong.”

“Wait.” Takumi interjected with his usual mild tone, looking at Ren with a light curious look in his gaze. “Why were you going to senpai’s room in the first place?”

Gen and Kazuya simultaneously turned their eyes on Ren as well, and Kazuya fancied that he saw a dust of red over Ren’s cheeks. The number two’s eyes widened for a split second before he rolled his eyes at Takumi and waved the question away. “That’s not the important part! Anyways! So… yeah, Chitose-san said that he was with a client, but this client apparently wanted to indulge in BDSM that evening. The more surprising part is, the client is a masochist.” He paused for effect before carrying on. “Of course, Chitose-san was not quite sure whether he could handle a whip and other toys well enough to satisfy the client’s level of masochism.”

“So you offered to help him.”

“Of course.” Ren replied without hesitance, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“How chivalrous of you.” Gen commented lightly while sipping on his tea.

Ren merely glanced over at him but said nothing in regards to that. It was obvious that the number two host was more keen on finishing up his story. “So~ I went in, the client was already tied up and gagged. Let me tell you something, for someone who claims he’s not very familiar with being an S Chitose-san did a good job tying the client up. Anyways! So, of course Chitose-san was there the entire time while we worked on the client, and bam! In the middle of whips and other things, he stops moving. At first, we thought he passed out, but then… “ He trailed off and shrugged. “You guys know the rest of the story.”

“What’s the client’s name?” Kazuya chirped up quickly, he saw Gen open his mouth and wanted to satisfy his own curiosity before Gen ruined Ren’s mood.

“…. Mukai something or other.”

Suddenly, as if a bomb detonated itself inside Kazuya’s head and he could only stare at Ren in shock. Mukai. The man who Chitose had stolen from him. Just his luck that this man would turn out dead later on, huh? If he had been with the client, would he have then had to deal with Mukai possibly dying on him during BDSM as well? A violent shudder ripped through him and jolted him out of his own thoughts.

“So basically, you could not control the strength of your whipping and killed a client.” Gen concluded nonchalantly with a most unimpressed look on his face.

“You little…”

“Actually,” a new voice interrupted and all of them turned to look up at Chitose, who had erected himself by their booth side since who knows when “the client died of a heart attack. It looked like it was too much excitement for his heart to take for one evening.” He sighed and shook his head slowly. Kazuya wondered how he managed to make every little gesture into a graceful dance. “I tried to warn him that it wouldn’t be good, but he was too stubborn to listen to a mere host.”

Chitose’s presence stirred a different pot of soup for each person. Ren was surprised and almost embarrassed at Chitose’s presence and could only nod his head with each statement that Chitose spoke. Gen looked at him without much interest, as he did with most people these days. He was still undecided about this number one. To Kazuya, he felt like he had to say something to Chitose but he did not know what. Thank you for taking that client away? Or fuck you for stealing his client –his first real client- that evening? Takumi remained silent but not without a smile. There were thoughts of his own on this matter and many other matters, but he was not without sense to speak rashly.

“So I must say,” Chitose continued on, smile sweet and words sweeter “I am very thankful for Ren-kun’s presence that evening. Without him, I certainly wouldn’t have known what to do.”

Ren lifted a hand and waved away the words of gratitude with an awkward clearing of his throat before grinning up at the number one. “Will you be joining us?”

“No, I apologize. The owner and I will be attending Mukai-sama’s funeral today. So we will have to leave in a short while. Do enjoy your meal though.”

Can I got too? Kazuya wanted to ask but quickly bit his tongue, he was in no position to be making such requests. He was no longer a trainee who could ask for the sake of training. Now, he was just one of the many hosts who sat on the same level.

Second rate.

“Ah, I see. Well then, don’t forget what you promised me!” Ren beamed with confidence and Chitose replied with a slow nod of his own. That served as the end of conversation for Chitose before he would bow and take his leave. Who could ever imagine the Chitose that few have been able to witness?

“What did senpai promise you?” Takumi asked lightly.

“Ah,” here Ren cleared his throat awkwardly again “he kept on saying that he wanted to thank me, so I told him to go out with me somewhere in the near future if he truly wanted to repay me or something like that.”

“I see how this is. If it had been anyone else in Chitose-san’s position that evening, you wouldn’t have helped. However, because you’ve always had a secret agenda towards the number one, that’s why you jumped at the opportunity.” Gen nodded with his hands cupped around his tea. “Playing low, very interesting.”

“Would it kill you to keep your mouth shut?!”

Ren… and…

Kazuya looked to be the only one truly surprised at the table, or the only one unable to conceal his emotions. Breakfast seemed to have been sprinkled with a plethora of foreign tastes; there was the bitterness of bread that could be Kazuya’s grudge against Chitose. Then, there was the sweet of boiled eggs that seemed to have been the after effect of not having been the one who could have potentially dealt with a dead client. Truly, it was better to leave such things to ranked hosts.

He wondered, in the future, if he does get a rank… will such things fall on his shoulders as well? Then, who will be the Chitose of that time and age?

The day was like any other day, yet when truth has been discovered, it always manages to leave a bigger impact than previously thought. That evening, even when he was sitting at the bar with a glass of unknown drink, it was the illusion of Mukai next to him that had him startled again and again. It shouldn’t matter to him! But… it had been so close. So when someone finally slid up to the stool next to his, Kazuya restrained the flinch and turned to look over.

It was the pale blonde of this client’s hair that caught his attention. So pale that it was almost white. Kazuya did not realize that he was starring until said pale blonde turned his head and looked at Kazuya directly. “Can I help you?”

Quickly, Kazuya blinked and shook his head, averting his gaze before putting on a smile. “I apologize; I did not mean to stare. Please, allow me to make it up to you.”

Stranger looked at him carefully and lifted an eyebrow. He watched that pale blonde hair slide when he tilted his head. “And how do you propose to make it up to me?”

Adult banter, adult conversation, these are things that he had been trained for.

“Anything that would please you, sir. Is there a preferred way for me to address you?”

“Kain. You can call me Kain.”

Just Kain? No demanding suffix? Kazuya questioned silently but nodded in agreement, it was not his place to question a client’s preferences. “What brings you to the club tonight, Kain?”

“What every man wants,” Kain nodded his thanks when the bartender returned with his drink and was finally able to turn his body to face Kazuya properly “I just want the same, and then some.”

My, what confidence. Kazuya quickly looked the other over, noting Kain to be… what, around thirty years of age? He may not know exactly what Kain’s background is, but to be able to step into this club and have a casual conversation with a host, it already meant that Kain’s income was at least in the six digits, if not more.

“We cater to each client’s personal taste here, Kain. So, please, do share with me a detailed plan of what it means to give you more.”

Here, the client paused and took his time to drink from his cup. Kazuya watched how the ice clinked together and Kain’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. This man was brimming, no… overflowing with confidence and Kazuya was curious as to where such confidence came from.

“Tell me about this club.” Finally, client spoke again. “How do the proceedings go here?”

“Well, every client comes in through different venues, but at the end of the night, I suppose they all find a host to their liking and proceed with their ideal evening. Is there a particular host you are looking for? Should I ask the bartender to offer you the menu?” Of course, not a menu of drinks, but a menu of bodies.

“What will I find on this menu?”

“A list of hosts who are available. Their prices and their ranks.”

“So if I want the number one in the club?”

Everyone is fucking looking for the number one, aren’t they?

“Unfortunately, the number one’s slots are quite filled, so you will have to book an appointment with him.”

“And you? What rank are you?”

Stick through the heart, Kazuya almost choked on air but managed a composed smile and tossed his hair out. “Please don’t let ranks fool you, sir. I am young and fresh after all.” In other words, not ranked as of yet. In other other words, he hasn’t even had his first proper client yet.

“Is that so.” And how is he supposed to reply to such a conversation ender like that? Kazuya was just about to bring up another topic of possible interest when the blue eyed client spoke again. “I hear this club offers exclusives, know anything about that?”

“Ah…” Momentarily caught off his guard, Kazuya paused and quickly regained his sense. “Yes, we do offer exclusives. It is to be arranged with the host of your choice and the owner.” The last word left a bitter taste in his mouth and Kazuya glanced down unconsciously, what is the owner doing right now?

The more cynical part of him wanted to ask: who is the owner doing right now?

“I see.”

And so, allow them to settle in silence. Each to their own thoughts for the moment being. Kazuya took a sip of his alcohol quickly, hoping that it will wash away these thoughts that should not have surfaced in the first place.

“Shall we move to somewhere more private?”

So when Kazuya looked up again, Kain was already on his feet and looking down at Kazuya calmly. Although he’s practiced for this in front of his mirror, but when it’s finally presented to him in real life, his mind blanked and Kazuya could only manage a smile and a nod before rising as well. His heart thudded in his chest as he led Kain up the stairs towards the elevator.

This was business, transaction and exchange of goods.

When the elevator doors opened up, he was greeted with Chitose’s face once again. Oh come on, what are the chances of this?! He merely nodded and brushed past the number one without a word, it was rude, but he was in no state to mind. Inside the elevator, he looked at Kain, wondering if this client will also be taken away by Chitose as well.

Must you take away everything I have?

Instead, Chitose merely looked back at Kazuya before bowing towards the client and walked away. It would be useless to deny that Kain’s eyes certainly did linger after the number one for a moment longer before he stepped in to join Kazuya. One matter settled, but the trip up to Kazuya’s room did nothing for his nerves. Their polishes shoes passed the hallway and paused in front of his door where Kazuya’s hand shook but still unlocked and pushed it open.

So this will be the end?

Tomorrow, when he wakes, fantasy world would finally have come to an end.

“Please come in, Kain.”

And with a nod, the client entered without falter in his steps. Why would he, right? When that door swung shut, Kazuya knew that tonight, would be the first of many many more nights like this throughout the years.


[Konbayoshi’s Office]


Chitose originally had no intentions of coming up here, but what he witnessed as he exited the elevator left a deeper impact on him than he thought possible. So pushing the door open after a quiet knock, he was satisfied to find that Konbayoshi was still sitting behind his desk and working.

Always working.

“Is something wrong?” The owner glanced up at him in between signing one paper and picking up the next.

“The client.” Chitose started, walking deeper into the room and sat down on the leather sofa properly. “The client who bought Kazuya’s initiation evening, has he decided to come collect his charge yet?”

A visible jolt, even if small, Chitose still saw it in the owner’s form. It was for a split second and then Konbayoshi was back to normal, as if it never happened. “No, he has not. Apparently, the business trip is taking longer than he previously thought.”

Really now.

If Konbayoshi was not busy looking down at his work, he certainly would not have missed the unimpressed look on Chitose’s face.

“Is that so.” Tilting his head, he watched the other’s face intently. “And here I thought that Kazuya was just going back to his room with his initiation client. Are you not going to stop him?”

“… why would I? He is a host now.” Finally, the owner sighed and stopped the mindless action of signing on the dotted lines, clearly having no attention for this any longer. Agitated, but he would not let it show. A game of masks between the two of them, Chitose wanted to question whether Konbayoshi really thinks he has a chance.

“But isn’t it rather rude? After all, the initiation evening was so that our valued members could get first picks. If after all that hassle, he still cannot be guaranteed a first choice, then why should he continue to support us, right?”

“There is no rule against a host servicing other clients.”

“And you, Hiro-chan? Can you sit with the knowledge that Kazuya is in bed with another man?”

“This is an absurd conversation. I’m going to take a shower.” And so, the pen was tossed down before Chitose could even reply. Konbayoshi walked –even though Chitose wanted to say that it was more like running away- into his bedroom to disappear around the corner.

In this office that is composed of the colors black and white, his yellow kimono offered the only contrast. Exhaled as a sigh, Chitose shook his head at the other’s unbelievable amount of self denial. “Are you really going to make me…”

To be continued...