Crimson White Rose: Part One

“Dammit!”

Jade eyes flashed in surprise as steaming hot coffee spilled onto long graceful hands. “Not my day, already” Yohji muttered softly, shaking the remainder of the spilled drink off his hands, sending brown droplets everywhere. He then began the task of filling up a second cup, more carefully this time.

*Why the hell do I have to work on a Saturday morning?!* Yohji thought bitterly as he stared down at the two coffees. *Don’t they realize a guy like me needs his beauty sleep? I mean, why couldn’t Aya do it? It's not like he has anything ELSE to do...*

“Hi!” said an overly friendly voice. Yohji glanced up to see a pair of blue eyes inches away from him. “Agh!” he jumped back startled, spilling coffee onto the tile floor.

“Oh! I’m *so* sorry!” said the giant blue eyes, which Yohji discovered were part of young girl who was the cashier of the convenience store. She batted her dark blue mascara crusted lashes at him and took the coffees from him, brushing a finger on his hand. “I haven’t seen you here before....But I only work on Saturdays.” She leaned over the counter closer to Yohji, giving him a flirty bright pink lipstick smile. She had dark rings under her eyes and Yohji assumed she had been partying the night before and hadn’t even bothered to wash her face before work. She played with the collar of her shirt, staring innocently (*cough*) at Yohji.

Yohji mentally groaned *Oh, God...If this isn’t fucking obvious...* “I’m not usually awake at this ungodly hour.” he said sharply

The girl blinked; confused “But it’s ten-thirty...” she started.

“I know! How can you people manage to get up this early!?!” he yelled at the girl, waving his arms for added effect.

She stared blankly at him, her eyes a little glazed. “Um..hai...here you go!” She quickly handed him his coffees. “Next please!!” she called frantically.

“But I haven’t even...” Yohji pointed at his wallet he had just pulled out of his back pocket.

“Uh..that’s ok! It’s on me! NEXT!”

*She was easy to get rid of.*

Yohji smirked and sauntered out of the convenience store and headed down the street towards the flower shop. *All the girls are off today, we’ll be mobbed...* he pouted *great...juuuuuuust peachy.*

He reached the shop just as Omi was running out. “Ohayou Yohji kun!” Omi called brightly, his blue eyes glittering as always.

*Ohayou my ass...*

“Hey....Omi...” Yohji drawled out slowly, attempting to sound HALF-awake. He was having a lot of trouble just keeping his eyes focused on the grinning boy.

Omi tilted his head and squinted at Yohji in the morning sun. “You know, this is the earliest I think I’ve ever seen you up!”

“I know...” he sighed and stared up at the sky, “GOD do I know!” Omi giggled and patted Yohji on the shoulder. Well you better get in there before Ken kills you, you know you were supposed to be in there at TEN.”

“Hai...hai!” he said exasperated. “You know I couldn’t manage that!! If it wasn’t for that project of yours I could still be asleep!”

Omi gave him a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry Yohji-kun but I would enjoy passing high school!” He stared out into the street. “It’s not like I want to spend my entire life doing...what I do..” Yohji saw Omi’s joyful expression crumbling.

“Oh?” he said with mock confusion, “But I thought you *liked* flowers! And with all those pretty girls...who needs an education!!” Omi’s face brightened a little. Yohji smiled and leaned down to his eye level, a smile playing across his lips . “And besides Omi, think about it...if *I* was able to graduate, I think you‘ll manage.” Omi laughed loudly and rewarded Yohji with a bright smile.

“Arigatou Yohji kun...I don’t know what I’d do without you guys...” He glanced down at his watch and his eyes bugged out of his head. “Shimattaaaaa! I gotta go!! See you Yohji!!” Omi slung his backpack on his shoulder and ran down the street. Yohji watched him go for a few moments and then headed inside.

***

“Finally!!” Chocolate eyes attempted to glare Yohji down; and quickly failed. “Have you looked at the clock lately?! We only have ten minutes until the shop opens and there’s no way this place is going to be ready by then!!”

Ken brushed his long bangs out of his eyes as he looked around at the dirty floor, the unarranged flowers, the incorrectly placed pots, didn’t he *tell* Omi how to put them?!? And the window display! This was just a nightmare!! Maybe if he and Yohji did two flower arrangements at once...I mean they had two arms..It couldn’t be that hard...

“Looks fine to me...” Yohji said lazily, glancing around. Ken goggled at him.

“But the window display! The window display!! And I still have TEN more arrangements to do!!” Ken cried, his voice growing more and more frantic as he waved at the flowers strewn about the floor.

“Damn, Kenken...do I need to get out the tranquillizer gun?” Yohji said calmly as he placed the coffees on the table. “Look I even got you a cup of coffee...” he looked over at the hyperventilating Ken, “though I don’t think you’ll be needing it...”

Ken considered going to get his claws and murdering Yohji right on the spot but then sighed in defeat and plopped down next to Yohji as he grabbed one of the Styrofoam cups . He took a gulp and gagged as the liquid fire burnt his tongue.

“Etaaaaaaaai!!” Ken squawked, sticking his tongue out and waving cool air on it with his hands. “Dammit Yohji! You dint tell meh that thuh cohee was haat!” Ken yelled at Yohji; his tongue still hanging out. “Well, I would have assumed you knew that coffee WAS hot.” Yohji replied, his eyes narrowing. It was too early for him to put up with this kind of crap.

It seemed it was too early for Ken too. “Well EXCUSE me, I was too busy thinking about the work we have to do to make up for your lazy ass! Oh, wait, I mean the work *I* have to do since you never do ANYTHING!” Ken stomped over to a one of the unfinished arrangements he had been working on and placed all his concentration on the purple tulips, planning on giving the silent treatment to Yohji the rest of the day.

“If I’m such a damn lazy ass then why did you make me wake up so Goddamn early to *help* you out?” Yohji said quietly, trying to control the growing anger that developed inside of him.

“Look at the clock Yohji! It’s almost ELEVEN! Unlike *you* most of the world wakes up before noon! And I don’t know, maybe I was hoping that by some miracle you’d lend me a hand! Christ Yohji! Do you care about ANYTHING?!” Ken snapped his mouth shut.

*Why am I so angry? This isn’t like me. I mean it‘s not that big of a deal...*

But it already had become one. Yohji had already shot up in his chair and was stalking towards Ken, his eyes like green ice.

***

*I’m gonna kill that ba-ACK!*

*Oh fuck! He’s gonna-ACK!*

In the next moment, Yohji had slipped on a pile of pink carnations...

*Ouch...definitely not one of my more graceful moments.*

.......only to fall face first at Ken’s feet

*fuck!*

He swept his honey locks behind his ears, preparing to hear Ken burst into laughter, he was too humiliated to even look at him. Too angry...too...sad..he didn‘t understand why Ken‘s words were affecting him this way. He felt a sharp pain in his hands and saw that they had landed on a pile of white roses. He turned around his palms to see the thorns had cut him several times, and small droplets of blood were slowly falling from his hands. He suddenly felt like crying.

*What the hell is wrong with me? Get up Yohji...*

Suddenly another hand took his. Yohji slowly glanced up to see Ken’s leaning toward him, his chocolate eyes filled with concern.

“Gomen ne Yohji...I didn’t mean...” Ken bit his lip. *I’m such an ass...* Ken thought angrily to himself. *His hands...they’re covered in blood. And it’s my fault.*

“Did you really mean what you said?” a low voice broke Ken from his thoughts.

“Nani?”

“What you said...” Green eyes peered into his, “ that I care for nothing?”

Ken was taken aback. He blinked several times “I..I’m sorry..I..I..didn’t mean...”

Yohji grabbed the collar of Ken‘s shirt and yanked his face only millimeters from his own. Ken gasped sharply when he saw Yohji’s eyes, narrowed into small slits, and glaring straight at him. He squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for a punch right in the nose. He waited a few moments until he cracked open an eye to see Yohji still glaring. *If looks could kill....*

“I care about a lot of things.” Yohji growled.

*What the hell am I doing?*

~What I want to do...~ In a flash his lips were on Ken’s. Ken’s eyes widened in shock but in moments slowly began to close and when Yohji released his grasp on Ken’s collar, he didn’t budge.

*Why can’t I move...move dammit!* Ken urged himself. But instead of moving, he found himself parting his lips...

*HENTAAAAAAIIIIII!*

~Oh, just shut up~

The kiss intensified until Ken was jerked back into reality when he felt something wet against his face, besides Yohji‘s soft...full...

*HIDAKA!!!*

~OK! OK!!! Never let me have any fun...~

He pulled away from Yohji to see that the long elegant hands that had swept so gently across his cheek were still bleeding.

“Yo-tan...we should really get that bandaged...” Ken said softly, staring down at the blood running from the gashes. He snorted, “To think a flower could cause this much pain...”

Yohji replied with utter silence.

Ken glanced up to see jade eyes riveted on him. His mouth was still slightly open from their well, uh, *you know* Ken blushed slightly at the thought of what had happened moments before. Yohji looked at him expectantly, as if waiting for Ken to say something.

“Erm...”

***

The door to the shop swung open. A group of girls hurried in and looked around eagerly finally locating their targets lying on the floor. They all gasped at the smashed flowers, bleeding hands, and a blood smeared face. All of the girls ran over to help the florists but one stayed back.

*This doesn’t look right...* the girl thought as she peered at the two men who were being helped off of the floor with clear blue gray eyes. She stared thoughtfully at the path of the destroyed carnations...Yohji’s bloody hands, and the stripes of blood across Ken’s face. Her eyes fell down at her feet to see a pure white rose, stained with small droplets of brilliant crimson. She slowly bent down and picked up the strangely beautiful flower.

*This....*

She gazed at it blankly, hoping it would provide some answers....suddenly a strange thought popped in her head. She jerked her head upward and looked at the two who were being tended to by her new friends.

*No way!!!*

She tilted her head and peered at the two men.

*Do you think? I guess I shouldn’t tell them...they’d be heartbroken...*

***

“Oh, Yohji are you hurt?”

“Do you need any help walking?”

“I heard massages help you when you’re injured!!”

*Massages!? Give me a break...* “Now li-” Yohji started but paused when he saw a girl standing back from the others that made his breath catch in his throat.

She stood silently by the window, her outline being framed in the morning light. Her wavy platinum hair fell down to her waist and almost glowed in the sun. But what got him most were her eyes. She looked only about seventeen, but her eyes, they seemed so knowing..wait, knowing?!?

*You know don’t you?* he thought as he peered into the blue gray pools.

It almost seemed like she had heard him as she lifted up the white rose colored with his drops of blood and pointed it at Yohji, and then at Ken, arching an eyebrow.

*Shit! She knows!! She knows!!* Yohji resisted the urge to sob and run out of the room screaming.

“So...” Yohji, said as casually as possible to the other girls, never breaking eye contact with the eerie girl. “Who’s your cute friend?” Jealousy flashed across all the girls’ faces as they glanced back at their companion.

“Oh, she’s new at school.” said a girl with hazel eyes he had seen several times before at the shop, screaming out Omi’s name and glomping on him any chance she got. “ She just moved here a couple days ago. We thought we’d show her our after school hang out!”

The girl continued to stand in silence. *You’d think I’d discovered Aya’s twin...*

He stood up and walked over to her. He smiled charmingly down at her. “So, you got a name?”

“Chloe.” she stared up at him suspiciously. *What’s he trying to pull?* she thought to herself. *They told me he was the biggest ladies man in Tokyo, I guess I better be careful...* She lifted the rose up under his nose. “I think this belongs to you...” she glanced over at Ken, who was staring intently at the two of them. “...and him.”

Yohji laughed loudly.

*Oh fuck...this is bad. Shoot me now..* The other girls stared at them with confused expressions, though some looked near the point of killing Chloe for not treating the godly Yohji with the proper respect. *Ok, how do I handle this? Think Kudou!* He promptly decided to charm the girl to death...no woman had ever survived that! And anyways, he wasn’t gay! He loved women! And this was a damned pretty one! He smirked, pleased with himself. He’d have this little problem solved and behind him in no time.

He pinned the girl to the spot with his most smoldering look and slowly kissed the rose, handing it back to her and winking. “I don’t need it, a beautiful girl like you should have it. I‘m Yohji by the way.” He put his hand on her shoulder and smiled softly. Everyone (including Ken) behind him gasped. They all knew Yohji loved flirting but...well geez he was being REALLY obvious about it at the moment.

***

*What the hell happened to ‘all girls over eighteen?!’*

Ken glared at Yohji who was flirting outrageously with the girl he had met oh..what..TWO SECONDS AGO?!?! And Christ, hadn’t he been kissing *him* about two MINUTES ago?! And what was this?! Kissing the rose?! How corny was that?! Ken slumped down and controlled the urge to throw a flower pot at the back of Yohji’s head. He glanced over at the other girls standing next to him, most of their mouths hanging open in shock.

“Remind me never to bring HER here again!” One girl whispered bitterly to another.

“I know!” the other whispered back. “How can she be flirting with him like that! What a skank!”

*But she’s not even speaking to him...* Ken observed, Chloe seemed to be almost analyzing Yohji, ignoring how much closer Yohji got to her, and his hands running though her platinum waves. *Wow....I’ve never seen him have to try this hard! Any other girl would have already melted into some kind of puddle by now...*

Ken stared on at the revolting display. He pouted and crossed his arms.

*I can’t take this anymore!*

“We get the hint Yohji!” he said loudly. “You’re interested in her. So hurry up and ask her out before we proceed in vomiting all over the floor.”

Yohji turned back to Ken and pain flashed quickly across his eyes, but was quickly replaced by a relaxed look. He laughed softly and turned back to Chloe.

“He’s right...maybe we should take this..elsewhere..” he said, putting extra emphasis on the last word. The girls’ eyes widened in surprise.

*Finally! A reaction!* He bent down to the girls eye level. “How about you go out with me tonight?”

“I thought you had a date!” Ken blurted out, “Don’t you always have a date?!” Yohji could almost see little flames coming from Ken’s eyes. He shrugged.

“I’ll cancel. I found someone better,” He looked at the clock. “So, why don’t you let me take you home, and I’ll come back to get you at eight?”

“B-But I didn’t even say...” the girl said, glancing over at Ken with a worried expression. She shook Yohji’s hand off of her shoulder and glanced over at the other girls. “and m-my friends...”

“Forget it.” one said coldly. They glared at her, jealousy in all their eyes. “It’s not like we’d want to walk with you anyways.” Chloe’s eyes widened in shock as she felt like a knife was stabbed through her stomach.

“OK then! Let’s go!” Yohji swung his arm around the girl and led her out of the shop.

“But you still have to work Yohji!!! You can’t leave me here on a Saturday! I won’t be able to handle it by myself!” Already more girls were coming in, staring at the interesting spectacle, Ken and Yohji still with blood on their hands and faces as Yohji dragged an unknown girl towards the entrance with him.

Yohji stopped and turned over to Ken, his eyes hard. “Why don’t you just go call Aya...I’m sure you’d like working with him more anyways.” he left Ken standing there with his mouth hanging open as he dragged Chloe out of the shop.

They had walked/stumbled a few blocks towards Yohji’s car when Chloe finally wriggled out of Yohji’s firm grasp and stopped him.

“What are you doing!?” she cried at him, “*I* don’t remember agreeing to go out with you! And how could you leave that other guy at the shop by himself after...” she waved the rose at him. “And now my friends hate me because they all worship you or something! Though I can’t see why! You’re so damn pushy! What are you trying to pull anyways!? Don’t you understand!? I *know*!”

Yohji’s eyes widened at the outburst from the girl. *Not quite as quiet as I thought..* He blinked innocently at her, “What are you talking about?” He ran a long finger down the girls pale cheek. He heard her gasp softly. “Are you trying to tell me that you have a date already?” he whispered, his face filled with disappointment.

“N-no..B-but...” Her eyes suddenly narrowed and she swatted his hand away. They walked in silence for a few moments.

“I just don’t understand you. “ Yohji peered down at her as he opened the door to his car. “What am I doing wrong? Do you refuse to be nice to me?”

Chloe bit her lip as her mind filled with doubt. *Well..maybe..I just imagined it? But I mean I could just feel it...maybe...maybe he’s in denial!! If I go with him tonight, I could at least talk to him about it I guess, that other guy seemed so upset..I hope he’s ok...* She looked up at Yohji and gave him her first smile. *Alright, let’s get this over with...I can act just as well as he can! He‘s pretty cute anyways..*

“All right Yohji san...I’ll go.”

Yohji genuinely smiled *Hell yeah! She fell for it! I hope she’ll get my mind off of...him...*

“Yosh! Let’s get going so you have time to get ready?” he hopped into the driver’s seat.

She raised a pale blonde eyebrow. “Where are we going?”

“Clubbing!”

Blue gray eyes widened “But I’m not even eighteen until next month! Don’t you need to be twenty-one to get into those?”

Yohji winked at her. “With me..you won’t need to worry about that.”

***

Ken jerked his head up from the cash register as he heard a car horn. He looked up to see Yohji and *her* blaze past. He pouted and glared outside, ignoring the girls swarming around him.

*How could he do this to me!? We’re completely mobbed...I can’t do this by myself! And..well..what was that? He just..*kissed* him and then suddenly he falls for some girl who just randomly walks into the shop!* He wished he could just have a minute alone with him to talk about how he felt...Honestly he had never thought about Yohji in that way, well because he was such a damn huge womanizer he never would have believed...

“Umm...Ken san?” a high voice broke him from his thoughts. “Could I have my change please?” He blinked several times and looked down to see a bright-eyed ten-year-old holding a bouquet of daises. “ I need to get back before my kaachan comes home! She’ll be so happy!” Ken smiled at the little girl, who had somehow pulled him out of his bad mood. He quickly gathered the change and handed it to her.

“I hope your kaachan likes it...they’re very beautiful! You’re a nice kid to do that for your mommy.” The girl giggled and nodded

“Arigatou!” she turned and scampered out of the store. She almost ran into yet another huge group of girls that entered the store.

*Oh God...kill me now...* Ken looked around at all the girls...He couldn’t handle this!! It was time. He had to do it!

He picked up the phone and called Aya’s number.

“Nani?” Came a cold voice from the other line. Ken could hear a television set in the background. *Good, he’s not doing anything!*

“Um..Aya san? It’s Ken...” he started.

“Ken. What do you want?”

“Uh..well I’ve been kinda of abandoned to watch the shop by myself, and its really mobbed... so I was wondering if maybe you could um...help me?” Ken said meekly, as couple girls shrieked in the background for added effect.

The other line was silent for a moment. Then a soft sigh. “Fine..I’ll come.”

“Arigatou!” Ken cried into the phone, “I owe you one!!”

“Aa. But I think I’ll kill that lazy ass Yohji on my way in.”

“Oh well he’s off busy with some girl.” Ken spat out angrily.

Violet eyes looked at the phone curiously, noting the change in Ken’s voice, but didn’t ask questions. It’s not like he cared what was eating Ken anyway. He got upset too much.

“Oh...I’ll be down in about ten minutes.”

“Ok! Thanks again Aya!” Aya heard some more screams and then a click as Ken hung up.

“Damn Yohji...”

***

Yohji and Chloe pulled up to an upscale high rise apartment complex.

“Whoa! This is where you live?” Yohji hopped out and stared up at massive white stone building. “Which one is yours?”

Chloe climbed out of the car and pointed at the large penthouse on top. “There.” Yohji’s eyes almost bugged out of his head.

“Do you live there with your parents? They must be rich!!” She shook her head.

“No, I don’t live with my parents. I just moved in with my brother and a few of his friends.”

“A few of his BILLIONAIRE friends??”

She giggled “ No...they just have..important..jobs.” she said mysteriously. She turned towards Yohji. “Well I guess I better go up being as I only have oh..nine hours to get ready.” she winked at him. He chuckled quietly and started walking back to his car.

“Yeah...Ken’s gonna kill me when I get back, but I guess I should.” he turned back to her, “Eight right?”

“Right.” she smiled. “Ja ne! Yohji kun!” She waved and ran into the building.

“Ja..” Yohji said softly after her. *She gets more mysterious by the minute..* He thought as he climbed into his car.

*** Chloe hopped out of the elevator and headed into the penthouse.

“Hey Chloe!” A man with long bright orange hair and bright emerald eyes greeted her. He looked around. “Where are all you’re friends?”

Hey eyes turned gray as she looked down at her feet. “I don’t really have any, anymore.” she said quietly, blushing.

He stared at her curiously. “What happened? You turning into Nagi?” His eyes drifted down to the strange rose she held in her pale hands. “And where’d you get that?”

She sighed. “No..there was this guy at some flower shop where the girls all go to drool over the florists there and he asked me out. So now they hate me. But I think that the one who asked me out did it as a cover up...’cause I think he’s umm...you know..gay.”

Schuderich’s eyes grew larger and larger during Chloe’s story. “Uh..Could you give me the name of this florist??”

She gazed curiously at him. “Yohji...why??”

Chloe thought she would have to reinsert Schuderich’s eyes back in their sockets when he suddenly burst out laughing.

“What?! What?!” she cried angrily at the man in tears before her. “I don’t see what’s so funny!!!”

“C-could you tell me the name of the other one..that you think he’s with!?!” Schuderich scooted closer to Chloe.

“Uh..I think he said Ken or someth-” Chloe stopped when he burst into another fit of laughter.

“Will you tell me what's so damn funny?!” she cried.

“Well..you know WeiB?”

“Of course I do...that’s all you guys talk about.”

“Well there’s half of WeiB...right there” He wiped the tears from his eyes, grinning broadly.

Chloe’s mouth dropped open. “Really?! You mean I’m going clubbing with a WeiB member?!!”

Schuderich nodded. “That’s got the hots for another one of ‘em!!” He smiled goofily as he turned and ran into the apartment.

“HEY FARFIE!!! I WIN THE BET!!!”

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