Work Text:
Beginnings
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before reopening them. He was an imposing figure; tall with rakish good looks, that was somehow enhanced by the fact his gakuran wasn't fully buttoned to the top. His dark hair fell askew across his forehead, threatening to conceal the captivating dark gold eyes that reflected his annoyance with the situation he now faced. He was once again back in the same scenario; standing in front of a room full of his peers, being introduced as the new transfer student.
The faces were changed but it was still the same old routine. The girls with their eyes filled with glowing adoration, wishing and waiting for their chance to touch him, to wrap their arm around his, to brush their chests against him in hopes of gaining his interest.
He sighed, thinking to himself, Should I tell them that women hold no real interest for me?
The guys, noticing how handsome he was, were reining in their jealousy and trying to assess how much of an impediment he would be with their chances of attaining the girl of their dreams, or any girl for that matter. Most looked harmless and after a first glance, didn't seem impressed by the fact they had a new classmate and returned to whatever they had been doing. But there were a handful of them that were sending challenges with their glares, almost as if they knew who and what he was.
His thoughts were brought back to the present by the teacher requesting him to introduce himself. With a sigh he stated tersely, "Asami Ryuichi," and immediately strode toward an empty seat he spotted near the back, leaving the teacher annoyed with his lack of a more sociable response. But then, he had expected as much from this delinquent. He had read all the reports from the previous schools. Plus the amount of money that changed hands to enroll him here was substantial.
He muddled through the first part of the school day, realizing that this school was no better or worse than the last few he had attended. He spent much of the time in each class going over the schedules, seeing which days were earmarked for important exams. Those were the days he wouldn't miss; his self-tutored knowledge surpassed what they would be quizzing him on and he had no doubts that he would ace every class, even without showing up. For each class he had chosen a seat that was near a window, and spent the hours before lunch seeking out a hiding space on the campus grounds that he would use when he had to show up for a class or two.
Since it was the first day he decided to purchase lunch; he hadn't been in the mood to make himself presentable AND make a bento. The area they had moved him to was over 150 KM [~93 miles] from home; reasonably far away enough that he might not be recognized immediately. The apartment they had rented for him was more than adequate for a single person. The bodyguards were positioned inside the apartment and changed on regular shifts, allowing them not only to guard him but to keep personal tabs on exactly what he was doing in his spare time. They weren't capable or willing to make him breakfast or anything else for that matter; they were just around to protect him and hopefully to keep him out of trouble this time.
What he dreaded was lunchtime, knowing that they would all want to get to know him; to grill him for his personal information - whether he had a girlfriend, was he interested in sports, what kind of music did he prefer - all the usual high school bullshit. The exact thing he dreaded was unfolding before him as he entered the cafeteria. All eyes turned to him. Those that had asked him beforehand to join them at lunch were summarily rebuffed, earning him a bad reputation with most of them. The girls, however, wouldn't take no for an answer and continued to hound him as he gathered his food.
He had scanned the lunchroom for an acceptable seat as he entered and spotted one of his classmates, Kuroda Shinji, sitting by himself at a corner table. He had noticed him in the classroom because he had the same aloofness and bored air that he knew he radiated; so to see him eating by himself wasn’t surprising. There was a low gasp from several of the nearby classmates as he walked next to the young man and placed his tray on the table; evidently this was unexpected by the other students. This raised his curiosity - what kind of reputation did this Kuroda have? It just might be fun to find out; any kind of distraction from this farce of a school life was what he needed at this point.
Without asking permission to join the young man Asami sat down; Kuroda glanced up with a 'don't bother me' look then returned to eating his meal. The rest of the meal was done in complete silence, although both were sizing each other up through quick glimpses between bites. When the meal ended both placed their dishes and trash in the appropriate areas and left the room.
Ignoring the wave of murmurs that began to fill the air Asami followed behind Kuroda, curious to know where the young man spent his free time. He strode to the small bio-pond area used by the ecology and horticultural students. It was an area that Asami had mentally listed as a possible get-away. As Kuroda dropped to sit by one of the trees he sent an irritated glare Asami's way then barked, "What do you want? You've been watching me and now you're following me."
Paying no heed to the hostility in the tone Asami slid down beside him and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He held it toward Kuroda, asking, "Want one? I need one after this morning."
Kuroda nodded and took one, then accepted the light that Asami offered. They sat and smoked in silence for a few moments before Asami broke the silence.
"You strike me as a loner, just like me. What's your beef with the world?" He turned and focused his golden eyes on the other's deep brown ones.
Kuroda snickered before offering an answer to Asami's query. "Other than the fact that life isn't fair, what else is there? I think you know that; you're that Asami, aren't you? That's the reason why you've transferred in at this late date, right? What did you do this time to be moved to a new location?"
Asami smirked; at least one of the students knew who he was, although there were that few that seemed to recognize him in his homeroom class. He wouldn't have to instill on him why he preferred his privacy. He took a long drag on the cigarette before answering Kuroda. "I had a slight disagreement with one of the teachers. He wasn't being very fair to certain friends of mine and I let him know about it."
Kuroda nodded his understanding of the statement. "Is he out of the hospital yet?"
Asami just shrugged. He'd handled the problem the best way he knew how and considered the incident done and over with.
"So what's your story, Mr. Leave Me Alone?"
"My family is generations deep in the legal line, on both the prosecuting and defending sides. One of the distant uncles just successfully defended a well-known criminal and got him acquitted."
Asami turned to look at Kuroda. "Ah, so it was one of your relatives that got that bastard cleared of all charges. That case caused quite a stir in all the local papers. Even my family was astounded that he actually went free; they figured the lawyer was on the take. I can see why you aren't too popular with the rest of the students here if they know that you are somehow related to that fiasco."
Kuroda looked unimpressed. "If you think that was a ruckus you should have been in our house. We have relatives not speaking to each other, and threatening to kill him if he so much as sets one foot over the doorstep. Your family wasn't the only ones with the notion that he was crooked; most of us take the law seriously."
"Us, huh? So what are you doing here in such a common high school? Shouldn't you be in some elevator school, guaranteeing your acceptance into either Tokyo or Kyoto University?"
This time Kuroda actually laughed. "They tried but I wouldn't go. Daily they would personally escort me to the school and every time I'd slip out the back door within five minutes. In two weeks I knew every possible exit in the place. So they agreed that I could come to a regular high school. If I am going to put my full attention into studies at a major University for who knows how many years I want at least a short chance at having some fun."
He tamped out his cigarette on the ground and continued. "And yes, I'm already accepted to Kyoto Law; family alma mater and all that. Gods forbid I should suggest going elsewhere. But I could ask the same question of you. You're ranked very high in the mock exams from the local gossip. Why are you here?"
Asami smirked. "They didn't even try with the escalator schools, they knew better. And most of the elevator schools were offering to pay my family to keep me out. With the skirmishes that I've had lately even the regular schools want nothing to do with me. I've had my fill of tutors, and they are my only option other than regular high school. The money my family offered made them accept me, even with my bad reputation. And it looks like we're both headed to the same University. I'm already accepted to Kyoto also, Economics & Business track."
Kuroda turned and offered his hand to Asami. "It looks like we are destined to become schoolmates for the long run. The name is Shinji; pleased to make your acquaintance."
Asami took the offered hand and replied, "I think so too, Shinji. I'm Ryuichi. How long do you think it will take to piss off half the student body with our friendship?"
Shinji cocked his head in thought. "You've got the head start on me there. The whole female population will be on their toes around you, which will alienate the rest of the students, especially the guys. You've got the pick of the litter."
Ryuichi stood, brushing the loose grass from his slacks and crushing the cigarette butt under his shoe. "Don't bet on it - it's more the guys that have to look out, not the girls." He then headed toward the side entrance of the school.
Shinji followed him with his eyes, his mind still assimilating that last statement. Did he mean what he thought it meant? Shaking his head in confusion he too stood and moved toward the school entrance; the warning bell was about to sound for the next period.
It didn't take long for Ryuichi's normal routine to set in. His attendance was sketchy, but he never missed any of the exams necessary for graduation. He always aced the exams and when he did attend his attitude was that of intense boredom. The only time he looked forward to was when he and Shinji would sneak off to the biopond. The exams added another reason for some of the students' hostility and aggravation - he and Shinji had the highest grades in the class, acing all the subjects with perfect results. And their closeness seemed to deepen by the day, despite the total 180° divergence in their backgrounds.
Shinji was starting to pick up some of his bad habits, especially skipping classes, and the Kuroda family was getting concerned. There were also reports from the school principal that he was often with Asami Ryuichi, and they knew who he was. They knew no good could come of camaraderie between those two and decided to confront him after dinner about his recent change of behavior.
As Shinji moved to leave the dining table his father told him to sit back down, that they have a few things to discuss with him. He looked from his father to his mother and sensed that he was not going to like whatever it was they were going to lecture him about. Both his parents were lawyers, one for prosecution and the other for defense, and they had decades of experience beating down the opposition. He had little chance of winning his case, whatever it would be. He sighed and sat back down, awaiting his sentencing.
His father was quick and to the point. "We've been getting reports from the school that you haven't been attending all of your classes for the past month. This has got to stop. Although you are already accepted to Kyoto, it doesn't mean that you can be so lax about your education. This is to stop immediately, do you understand? Your future rests on your education."
A small fire erupted within Shinji. He wasn't going to let them belittle him for something so trivial. "My grades are still at the top, and attendance is not as compulsory in the last year as it is in the previous years. I go to school, attend the classes I need, and still have perfect grades. My attending every class will not enhance anything since, as you say, I am already accepted to Kyoto. I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill; as long as there is no change in my grades you have little to complain about."
Once again he started to leave the table, albeit in a much angrier mood.
His mother stopped him this time. "Sit down. The principal reported that you have become quite friendly with Asami Ryuichi. I don't think that I have to remind you exactly who he is. This is not a respectable association for someone of your class. Rising in the ranks as a lawyer means that you must choose friends and companions very carefully, and Asami Ryuichi is not one that will add to your prestige as a lawyer. Your father and I have spent years dealing with others of his ilk, and your connections with him will do nothing to enhance your reputation. If anything it will be the reverse."
Shinji felt the fire flare through his veins.
"Have you even met Ryuichi? Where do you get off categorizing him as unworthy? Yes, his family is a bit on the shady side but he has been nothing but another teenage boy to me. We don't talk about legalizing the underworld. He's someone I can talk to about things important to people my age. We don't talk business - we talk about the latest gossip going around the school, the latest movie hit, where to get the sharpest clothes, the newest music, who's got our eye romantically, things like that."
Shinji stopped for a moment to get himself under control. His hands were shaking violently and his breathing was hitched. "His family is different. It's not like being a Kuroda; where just having the name makes you a lawyer. But sometimes I wonder, if I hadn't been so steeped in law from my first lucid moments, would I have such a love for the legal system? I've eaten, breathed, and slept with the legal profession; it's in my blood. Have I ever been given a chance to even consider another vocation? What if I had decided that I wanted to be a train engineer? Could you have accepted that? I doubt it. You can't see past the fact that I have to follow in your footsteps. If you keep this up I'll quit school and won't be able to attend Kyoto."
Swallowing the bile that crept up his throat he added, "You've had your say. Now excuse me, I have homework to do."
Shinji then left the table, shoving the chair hard enough to tip it over, and stormed up the steps. After slamming the door to his room and locking it Shinji flopped onto his bed and dialed Ryuichi. But Ryuichi didn't answer. At the moment he was dealing with his own family about the same problem, their camaraderie, only with a different slant to the issue.
When Ryuichi arrived back at his apartment that evening he was surprised to find his parents waiting. All sorts of alarms were ringing in his head as they announced that they were taking him out to dinner. It was the middle of the week and they never bothered him unless it was the weekend, and usually with plenty of warning.
Excusing himself he went to ready himself for a dinner in probably the most exclusive restaurant that his parents could find in this town. They never missed an occasion to flaunt their wealth. He wasn't about to wear the gakuran any longer than he had to; the uniform was itchy and uncomfortable. And if they had 'something to discuss' then he wanted to be as comfortable as he could. He picked out a plain sports jacket and coordinating slacks. Although he didn't really want to he wore a dress shirt and tie; if he didn't that would be the first item of discussion. Their discussions could be quite taxing on his nerves. Who knew what they had to talk about this time. Probably something trivial that would bore him silly.
As he thought they went to the finest restaurant they could find; in the newly built 4-star hotel that was the highpoint of the town. They even went so far as to hire a private room. The warning bells were getting louder.
Halfway through the meal his mother started the conversation.
"We've gotten reports that although you grades are top notch your attendance is not. You really should attend regularly. It will not look good on your record that gets sent to Kyoto. Their students are very conscientious about their attendance; it reflects well on their future positions."
Ryuichi was trying not to squirm; it was going to be a long evening. He had figured that his attendance would come up in this family talk. "I know Mother, but this is the last chance I have to enjoy my teens. Once I get to Kyoto I do realize that things will have to change, and I will buckle down. But for now I've been accepted to Kyoto, I have my grades secured, and I'm taking time out to breathe. I haven't done anything rash lately that would cause concern so just let it ride, OK?"
His mother let out an aggravated sigh. "That really is no reason to brush off your attendance, but whatever." After a slight pause she added, "Have you made any friends in school?"
Ryuichi heard the insinuation in that question. Evidently whatever this was about had to do with someone at the school, and he had the sinking feeling it was Shinji. He had visited the apartment several times so the guards knew who he was; they would have relayed the information to his parents. They probably wanted to hear all the details and pass judgment on this odd occurrence since he rarely had any kind of positive association with his previous schoolmates.
His father took over the conversation at that point. "We hear that you are quite close with Kuroda Shinji. We understand that he's the only son of the local Kuroda family, the one with a long lineage pedigree of prestigious lawyers."
A barrier of control rose in Ryuichi's mind. What are they up to?
His father smiled shiftily. "I know that it's a future consideration, but do you think you can swing him to our cause? Maybe get in good with his family and have them become the legal representatives for the Asami family? Well, if not them, I mean, if you use enough persuasion now he might find it logical to be on our side. Once you take over you will need legal services that you can depend on, and once he graduates I could make room for him. You know, have him helping out a friend's family in their time of crisis?"
All shreds of control vanished.
His father never saw the right fist flying to connect with his jaw.
Grabbing his jacket he pulled his father out of the chair. "You are not using me to bind someone to do your bidding! He is a friend and I don't take kindly to your trying to use him for your benefit. Hell, you don't even know if he'll be a decent lawyer or not and you're laying out his future for him! It's bad enough that his family insists he follow the law profession! You know that I'll defend my friends from any sort of interference, no matter who initiates it. He's my friend so leave him alone; leave us both alone!"
Shoving his father back into his chair he headed for the door. As he was leaving he could see his mother rush over to check on whatever damage he had done. There must have been some since his fist hurt terribly and traces of blood marked his knuckles, not that he cared. He deserved it for comments like that. He pushed past the guards that were filing into the room and disappeared into the darkness of the night.
He'd been walking for about an hour, trying to calm down. He wound up in the local playground and sat on one of the swings, swaying slowly back and forth. He knew it was rare for him to find someone he could call a friend, and Shinji was just that - a friend. They shared a lot in common, despite their backgrounds. You'd think that his parents would be happy that he'd finally found someone he could confide in, but no. They wanted to use him to their advantage. The more he thought about it the angrier he got, and the more he realized that they really didn't have any friends, just acquaintances that they used for their own personal purposes.
He wanted to talk to Shinji so he took his phone out of his pocket, only to find that there was a message from Shinji waiting. All it said was, 'We need to talk.'
Rather than phone Shinji he sent a text back, 'At the playground, can you get out?'
Ten minutes later Shinji was seated in the swing next to him, looking quite angry.
"What's up?"
After giving him the once over Ryuichi replied, "I should ask you that; you look like hell. What happened?"
Shaking his head he replied, "My parents have decided, despite not knowing you or ever having met you, that you are a bad influence on me and I'm not to associate with you. You are bad for my future reputation.
Laughing, Ryuichi turned to Shinji. "I just went round with my Father and decked him. He wants me to recruit you as our future lawyer!"
The two boys locked gazes and started to laugh. The more they laughed the better they felt and they began to swing, faster and higher as their laughter rose.
Finally their energy wound down and they stopped to talk.
"You're my friend and I won't let them stop me from seeing you."
"The same thing here. You're the first real friend I've had and I'm not going to lose you to our parents' pettiness."
"And we'll wait and see if I want to become your lawyer. Not your father's lawyer, only you."
Both laughed as they shook hands on their determined friendship that would last well into their futures.