Rise of Katsuo

Story by fallen4fiction on SoFurry

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#7 of Rise of the Yokai

Having not slept properly for weeks since his 25th birthday, young Yuma - big fella with a big heart - slowly was more and more thinking he might go crazy! Unwilling to ask his authoritarian father for help, just as much as not wanting to ask for professional help, out of fear his father may find out, his problems weren't about to get any better either.

Yet... after once more having been partying a whole night, drunkenly following the creature's call, which had kept him awake for so long, he would have never expected how much this one decision may change his whole life for the better.


Rise of the Yokai - Shorts - Yuma

02.12.2016 - 7 a.m. - Kiyota residence - Yuma's bedroom

Awaking with a hearty yawn, stretching his arms thoroughly, Yuma tiredly glanced around his room.

"Stupid saber-tooth-lion-thing...!", He swore quietly, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Once more unable to get a proper nights sleep, as this strange saber-tooth lion kept stalking him, the young man went straight for his bathroom, taking a cold shower to wash the tiredness away, the creature had left him with.

Feeling refreshed and awake again, he went to brush his teeth, all the while thinking about the strange beast haunting him.

Being more muscular as some bodybuilder, he definitely was not stupid either. He had read a bit about dreams the last days, out of curiosity and what he came up with... was not that helpful.

Sure... he had more but enough personal issues because of... his interests... or the missing of said interests. He tormented himself for quite a while, as the young man had now, for quite a while, had thought about moving out from his dads... but said insisted on him staying at home, to study management, so he could take over the families economic empire.

Some more interpretations of dream reading suggested some problems with facing his own feelings, especially bravery and pride. Sure... Yuma kinda had troubled himself over not being able to speak up to his dad for quite some time... but why would his dreams be affected because of this JUST NOW? He had just turned 25... a quarter of a century lay behind him, so why would he suddenly get nightmares because of this, when he hadn't all those years before?

The young man was just as much sure he had no secret fear of lions, quite the contrary, he found those animals really amazing and awe-inspiring. He didn't have a fear of being swallowed up in a sandstorm either, at least not acutely, as the strange lion creature almost appeared in a giant sandstorm, reaching as far as the horizon.

Yuma didn't really have any insecurities considering how he led his life, at least he was rather sure he did pretty well and he didn't fear for... his fellow human's ignorance to hurt him in any way... probably?

"STUPI DEAM INERPETATION...!", The young man just cursed like that, as he spat out his mouthful of toothpaste, finishing cleaning his teeth with some floss, before going downstairs for breakfast.

"Morning son... hope you're ready for another long day?", His father greeted Yuma joyfully, as even if he was more strict as god sometimes... he wasn't to bad a guy in the end, "I know it's Friday and you probably looked forward to going clubbing, but mister Leroy has invited me to one of his fancy dinner parties and suggested you could maybe tag along, to get to know his daughter? She is supposed to be really pretty... and not to mention single!"

"Really dad? You know what they say about him, don't you? Using his daughter like she was some kind of pawn, trying to absorb any companies he can get his greedy hands on into his empire?", Yuma tried to argue, as to not have to mention, how the thought of marrying that Leroy's daughter kinda did not really tickle his fancy.

"You think? That's what they say about him at your school?", His father responded in thought's, finally agreeing in a quiet sigh, "Well... a lot of bright guys, from other rich tycoons over there, so... maybe y'all really are right?"

"Well... I in your place wouldn't risk being schemed from everything you have worked so hard for, all your life, just like that!"

"Hmm... good point... WELL... guess if he really plans on trying to scheme me, I at least should try to sell as high as possible!", Yuma's father finally concluded, like that allowing him to have his weekend to himself, like that asking instead, "SO... those supplementary classes you keep talking about, everything working out with you there? Would not want you to push yourself too hard after all. All this fitness training, extra classes and martial arts you're doing... wouldn't want you to overdo things, after all! You're a tough guy... but in the end, you are still but one man..."

Giving a quiet laugh, as he ate his breakfast - prepared by their servants - Yuma assured his dad everything worked out just fine... all too glad his father like that, at least didn't ask about the classes in more detail.

He did indeed take extra classes, besides the one his father had him take... but those weren't related to the path he had chosen for him at all!

Since a few years back, Yasei had found a certain fascination for video-game programming, especially for animations of movement and all the different methods in use for it.

Quite a while he was trying to teach himself and for a few years now, was studying it on the expansive private university, his father sent him to. He sure felt kinda bad, to more or less lie to his dad like that, as his dad paid for all of this, in the belief he was following his wishes, surely not at all expecting his son suddenly had developed something like his own ambitions!

Prepping for his day at university, the day proceeded to be not much different as any other day.

One class after the other in the morning, until the early afternoon, to get all the classes he had chosen for himself and as it was the last day of the week... he'd hurry home ASAP afterward, to get ready for his own version of 'a long evening'.

This week all more well-heeled students of his class - including himself of course - had pooled their money to rent out an entire club... one of the most popular clubs in town, to be precise.

"WU-HUH...!!! TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!", Honzo shouted through the entire club, empty except for the students of their class and a few friends and siblings they had invited... and the employees of course.

Honzo Ose... he was supposed to become the hire to a big industry tycoon... yet all he could do was getting drunk and bombing out with all the girls he tried to drunkenly tried to get off with.

"... and it has barely been two hours...!", Yu stated, sitting in one of the big, comfortable couches, in one of the booths.

"So what... you had plenty already too!", Aki - one of his girlfriends... one of the few ones who didn't want to hit on him all the time - said in an amused town, at the young man's light slur.

"SO WHAT... I'm still not as wasted as he is!", Yuma stated sulkily, pointing at their drunken classmate, "The barkey... the barkey... THE BARKEEPER... she already shot him down TWO TIMES... and he still is just about to get his third rejection!"

"Ha... I get it, sweetie... I get it...", Kiyoko - how Aki's name actually was - explained in an amused laugh petting the muscular male's shoulder gently... instead turning a bit more serious, as she changed the subject, "So... that video-game thing of yours... you really wanna do that?"

Quite opposite to sober Yuma, he now responded eagerly, even if still a bit reluctant: "Well... yeah...! It's really interesting stuff... and it's fun too... I think... so... yeah, of course I wanna do it!"

"You sure... I mean... you'd just have to inherit your old man's empire and you'd be a made man? Whereas if you really do that... straying from the way he laid out for you... he'd probably send you flying out right away, as soon as you tell him!"

"Well... can't be helped then...!", The muscular male responded in a spiteful tone, "It is what I want, so... if he denies me to do what my heart calls for, he is not my dad anymore!"

"HUH... harsh words big boy... you really that determined?", Aki inquired further, in a curious tone.

"Well... he tells me all the time 'A MAN HAS TO BE DETIRMAND AND DO WHAT HIS HARD TELLS HIM', so... can't spout that stuff and then demand to only go after it, when it is befitting of his needs!", Yu exclaimed determined, hitting the table top with his hand demonstratively.

"OKAY... I think you had enough sweetie...", Aki said like that, pushing his half-emptied drink away from him, adding as she looked at her drink, "... and so do I, too... probably... as I had just as much!"

Wanting to complain at first, he pulled his hand back upon his friend's word, stating still a bit sulky: "Fair enough... but don't you dare try and steal my food too!"

"Ehr... we are in a club sweetie... only food you'll get here is nuts!", The young women reminded Yu, pointing at the empty table in front of him.

"OW... yeah... right...", Yuma responded musingly, before out of the blue asking innocently, "Wanna go get some lobster? I'd kinda like some lobster now..."

"Well... it's 9:30 p.m. ... guess we could get to that lobster restaurant my ma likes if we really hurry...?", Kiyoko stated musingly, after checking her watch, "... but are you sure? I mean... we didn't rent the whole club for nothing after all?"

"Hm...", Yuma paused in thought, as he thought his sudden craving through once more, "NAH... they can have their fun here... as I'd really like some second dinner now. PLUS... it's our parent's money anyway! Really wasting it for nothing just once, won't do to big a harm."

"Well... if you insist... but your dad is paying!", The young woman said with a mischievous smile, before grabbing her friends arm and dragging him out of the club hurriedly, as to arrive at there destination in time.

02.12.2016 - 10:30 p.m. - a restaurant nearby

Having it not even made half the way to the lobster restaurant Aki had mentioned, they had changed their plans mere minutes later, as they passed by a restaurant with an all you can eat buffet.

Ordering a bottle of sake, to go along with the buffet, the two of them all too soon were completely wasted... even reaching the point, where they were just about to leave the restaurant without paying!

"HEY... brandy blossoms... I think you two may have forgotten something...!", They two of them were suddenly stopped, by a young man's voice.

A young man, having set on the table right next to theirs - Kiyoko more but once had drunkenly raved on about how cute he was - had followed them, throwing them a stern glare, as one of the restaurant's clerks insecurely watched the trio from a few feet away.

"What... fogotten?", Yuma responded drunkenly, examining the young man confusedly.

Their self-appointed chaperon was mere inches smaller than Yuma, what was a feat in and of its own... but was heightened even further, considering the guy was probably about two or three years younger as the muscular man.

"Yes? One usually pays for the food he devours, before leaving a restaurant?", The young man responded sarcastically, pointing over his shoulder, towards the nameplate of the establishment.

Aki busy with devouring the young man with her eyes, Yuma himself stared at the sign for almost a whole minute, before looking back at the young man... before finally realizing: "OH...! Thanks, man! I KNEW I had forgotten about SOMETHING!"

Walking back inside the shop, with a happy little smile, he paid the clerk already waiting for him, a whole 10 000 yen* for their meal, not even considering, how one normally gets some change when paying a bill.

As the clerk addressed Yuma about this, he just gave a dismissive wave of his hand, after a quick thought, pointing at the young men declaring: "Jus give it to him, if you don wan it..."

Their 'chaperon' just rejecting the idea hastily, he paid his food, before hurriedly following the drunken duo... after apologizing bout a dozen of times, for the two drunks behavior, even though he didn't even know them.

"HEY... wait up you two!", He like that shouted after them, as he caught up to them, explaining as he pointed over his shoulder to an apartment building close by, "I live in that building, just over their and... even if it may sound crazy now, would you maybe like to stay for the night at my house? You two seem to be rather nice fellas, so... case you two live a bit further away, I kinda wouldn't want you too to get hit by a car, considering the condition you two are in."

"COGNITION?", Yuma responded drunkenly, mixing up the words, but not it's meaning, as he gave the man quite a resentful glare.

The young man just giving an annoyed sigh lifted one finger, slightly waving it in front of Yuma's face, as he asked: "OKAY... tell me how many fingers I'm lifting up and I take back my words immediately!"

"My dad told me, a real man never goes back on his...", The muscular man began to retort... only for the younger one to interrupt him utterly unimpressed.

"HOW MANY FINGERS...?"

"Ehr... how many... finers... wow... that's a hart one... EHR... one-two-three-four... eight-nine... thirteen..."

Stopping the movement of his finger, the younger man sternly explained, as he showed his single finger to the drunken man: "ONE... it was only ONE finger... so... as I said... how is it? You from farther away and if so, what about my little offer? I promise I won't bite or sell your organs on the black market, should you worry about that..."

"You want to sell my...-"

"- ... Oh, we'd love to sweetie!", Kiyoko interrupted her friend eagerly, straight out grabbing the strangers arm, snuggling up to his broad shoulder shamelessly.

"Ehr... okay... your girlfriend seems to be in on the idea... what about you?"

"OH... she's not MY girlfriend... she is only A girlfriend...!", Yuma explained hastily, before the young man brought him back on topic, as he was just about to tell him a whole story, about Aki was not his girlfriend, but just a friend, "OH... yeah... sure... I guess... woudn wan to ge hit by a ca afer all!"

Declaring this topic settled, the young man guided the two of them to his apartment, hastily apologizing a few steps later, in realization: "My names Yasei, by the way... Yasei Shinkai! ... sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier."

"Ow... NAH... it's quite alright sweetie... after all, we were busy with... aser things...!", Aki responded eagerly, putting Yuma of with a dismissive gesture, as to prohibit him from talking, "My names Kiyoko Akaga... but my friends call me Aki... and this is Yuma!"

Yuma just sulkily mumbling to himself, that 'he had thought he was the only one she called sweetie', as the drunken, black-haired woman - but a few months younger as Yuma himself - kept on flirting with the stranger... telling him he may call her Aki too... almost forcing herself upon the poor guy!

02.12.2016 - 10:40 p.m. - the appartmentblock, housing Yasei's home

Arriving at the young man's home a few minutes later, Aki stated in awe, as she inspected the apartment: "WOW... that's quite an apartment... not really that big... our guestrooms put together are bigger... but this... for a single guy, not rich... it's not too shabby!"

"Yeah... thanks... I guess?", Yasei responded as he put his keys in a little bowl, "I guess... it's not much, but it's mine, yes?"

Kiyoko agreeing eagerly, the young man just gave a shy grin, as he walked further into his apartment. Stopping in front of an open door, leading into his living room, he explained pointing in the direction opposite to this door: "Back there is my bedroom... and my bath too, it directly adjoined to my bedroom. SO... make yourselves at home. ... and please don't puke into my bed... I freshly made it just yesterday...!"

"But... where do you wan to..."

"OH... I just sleep on the couch, as you two probably may be more comfortable sharing a bed with each other, instead of trying to share the couch...", Yasei responded before Yuma had even ended his question, "Plus... bathroom is right next door, so... knock yourselves out...!"

Giving his female friend a confused look, Aki just shrugged her shoulders explaining with a drunken giggle: "I don't mind... might be funny... like a slummer party...!"

Like that hogging Yasei's bedroom, they both went to bed right away... Aki falling asleep just as she said 'she'd undress right away', as Yuma... at least made it into the bathroom... suddenly deciding the bathtub would be an excellent place to sleep.

Like that weirdly, finally getting a few hours of undisturbed sleep, he nevertheless still found himself caught in the roaring sandstorm, he found himself in so many of his last nights.

"OKAY... so what... what do you want from me!", He this time finally shouted against the defining winds angrily, "What do you FUCKING WANT FROM ME! HUH...! Freaking over-sized pussy-cat! If you want anything from me, come and get..."

Suddenly being thrown to the ground, by the angry lion-creature, which had haunted his dreams for so long, all it said was, obviously angry and annoyed: "Just finally head my fucking call, you stupid blockhead! ... and now WAKE UP, GOD DAMN IT!"

Jumping awake with a panicked gasp, Yuma scanned his surroundings irritatedly, before again remembering how this young stranger... Yasei had invited them to stay at his house overnight, as to not get hit by a car in their drunken state.

"Nice guy...", He mumbled to himself drunkenly, with a quiet laugh... before his attention swiftly averted to the bathroom door.

"Following his call... he says... fine god damn it... HUH... he said that too... god damn it...", Yuma mumbled to himself, as he quietly sneaked out of the bathroom, carefully making his way out of the bedroom, to quietly disappear through the front door.

Following the disappearance of her friend slightly irritated, Aki spoke to herself in surprise: "Well... dat was nod quite what I was wayding for... but well... here we go...!"

Having faked sleep for almost an hour now, as she had awoken but one hour after drunkenly falling asleep, but had heard Yuma moving about in the bathroom. Now finally sure her muscular buddy would not come in the way of her plans, she giggled to herself drunkenly.

"Finally... now cute liddl Yasei is all mine...!", She mumbled to herself quietly, as she got rid of her remaining clothes, as she had at least managed to get rid of her shoes and jacket, before quietly sneaking into their hosts living room.

Groggily but steadily, not too mention as slow as possible, as to not wake her host, Kiyoko sneaked into the small - in her eyes tiny - living room, she gave almost a sadistic little giggle, as she saw the young man sleeping on the couch.

"Miney... miney... mine... all mine...!", She mumbled to herself, with a crazy little giggle... until she reached the couch way earlier as expected, falling down on the couch head first.

Landing with her face right in the young man's lap, Aki gave a silly little giggle, as the young man did sleep through her sudden, unscheduled assault.

Giving a quiet little grumble he even fully turned on his back now, brushing his cock - hidden under his blanket - right up against the young woman's face.

"Oh... you shouldn't have...", Kiyoko thanked him drunkenly, petting his member through his blanket, "... but now... rise and shine, mommy has a lot of plans with you, sweetie!"

Mumbling something among his sleep, as Aki slowly removed the blanket from the young men, she just said drunkenly, with quiet laughter: "Shh... shh... it's all just a dream... a dream about to become REALLY awesome!"

The young man just babbling something, what she understood as approval, Yasei sank back into his sleep, the black haired female uttering slightly surprised: "WOW... and I thought Yuma was a heavy sleeper... ALL THE BETTER FOR ME... hi-hi...!"

Still grinning silly, as she freed the young mans surprisingly long member, from the confines of his under ware, Aki gave a happy little giggle once more.

"OH... this is gonna be SO GUT...!", The young woman frolicked drunkenly, as she gently stroked the young man's member too it's full size.

Giving a little moan, as she finally saw Yasei's member in his full glory, she slowly let her hand wander between her legs, gently starting to massage her clit, as she started working the young man's cock with her mouth.

Playfully licking his glans, teasingly sucking his tip with her mouth, she gave low moans, as gentle waves of pleasure coursed through her body, under her own teasing of herself. Slowly letting the hot man-flesh of her host slide into her mouth, Aki slowly started shoving two of her fingers inside her pussy, as she continued to tease her clit with her thumb.

Doing little more but groaning in his sleep, the young woman slowly got gutsier... shoving the dick of her host deep down her throat, as she pleasured herself. Slowly becoming all shaky-legged, Kiyoko finally let Yasei's cock slip free from her mouth, as she pulled her finger out of her dripping pussy.

"Well... wouldn't want to en dis too early, do we...?", Aki whispered in a low moan, as she slowly climbed over the sleeping man, obviously enjoying what she saw.

Yuma was almost the definition of 'being ripped'... but this young man... he indeed was a sight for sore eyes himself, too! No mountain of muscles like Yuma was, but still... buff enough to easily make most women's mouth water.

"Well then... come here and give mommy a kiss...!", She finally whispered in Yasei's ear sensually, before tenderly pressing her mouth against his.

After a quick check dead-certain, the young man was asleep, she continued tenderly kissing his lips, nibbling on them playfully... until he suddenly sleepily returned her kiss.

"OH...? Such a naughty boy you are...!", Aki commented in a sultry tone, again returning too gently responding to the sleepy kiss of Yasei.

Finally declaring it to be time for his treat, she broke away from her sloppy kiss, having the man sleepily reach out for her, yet seconds later falling back in his deep sleep. Gently putting her hand on his chest, as he wanted to turn, giving a quiet giggle, as she quietly stated: "UH-UH-UH... wouldn't want to cut our little playtime short now, would we?"

Giving an inaudible growl, before laying still once more, Aki gave a big, eager smile as she reached behind her, too align Yasei's cock, with her dripping wet pussy. Slowly letting the young man's hard member sink into her pussy, she gave a savoring moan, as he slowly spread her innermost flesh apart.

Uttering a quiet moan, as she had hilted the young man in her wet depths, Aki ground her swollen pussy-lips over the young man's crotch. Biting her lips in relish, as she slowly stroke her hands down the young man's muscular body, she kinda felt tempted to touch Yuma like that too... after all his abs surely would be even harder... even more defined!

In the end, however, more than happy with what she got herself, she licked her lips in anticipation, putting her arms on his chest, as to support herself, as she slowly started to ride Yasei.

"Bet you'll have some... really nice dreams today... pretty boy...", Kiyoko commented, in a lustful moan, while the young man's cock massaged her deepest depth, in the best possible ways.

Moving all the way along her host's member, before hilting him deep inside of her once more, she slowly rode the long member of the young man, eliciting an eager moan, whenever he penetrated her to the deepest depths of her body.

Slowly sitting herself up, as she rode Yasei in increasing speed, she finally sat up straight above him, panting ever so slightly, as she absentmindedly started to pleasure herself. The hard member inside of her, having her moan silently, as she started riding him once more, in an even faster speed, as she worked the fleshy little nub of her clit, with her adept finger.

Grabbing one of her breasts with the other hand, she started to knead it gently as she worked her clit with the other hand... the sound of her wet folds, slapping against Yasei's balls quietly echoing through the little room.

Riding the young man below her, panting heavily as she thrust Yasei's cock deep down her sensitive depth, it's tip hitting her cervix more but once. Reveling in the sensations as long as she possibly could, it did not take the young man too much longer, until he came deep inside of her, with a sleepy grunt.

Hilting the young man deep inside of her, as she feverishly worked her clit, to get herself this little bit over the edge herself too. Coming with an audible moan... Yasei suddenly did really awaken in the end...!

Sleepily mumbling something along the line of 'what the heck', Kiyoko hastily put a finger on his lips, explaining with a hushing sound: "SHH... it's alright sweetie... it's but a really vivid dream...!"

"Aki...?", He asked sleep drunken, pinching his eyes as to perceive whatever the hell was going on, through the thick fog, induced by his drowsy state.

"Oh... don't worry pretty boy...", Kiyoko stated in a soothing voice, gently petting the young man's chest, "... trust me... this all is but a really vivid... really strange dream...!"

Giving the black haired woman a last skeptical glare, Yasei sleepily lay his head back on his pillow, falling back asleep within a mere minute.

"Well... glad dat worked... an glad I still rememered what vivif meant...!", Aki mumbled to herself drunkenly... needing a few seconds, until the world had stopped shaking, before stating with a devilish grin, "NOW... where were we...?"

at the same time - at the big park nearby

Like the lion-beast had asked him to, following it's call, Yuma more but once had flinched away of the ghostly image of the creature, suddenly appearing in pathways, with a really angry glare, as to tell him 'NOT THAT WAY... idiot'.

Following this... subtle instructions, he finally lashed out at one of them... the ghostly lion dissipating into thin air, as Yuma scolded said remaining thin air: "ALL RIGHT... all right... I got it... not that way... gee...!"

Following the directions of the lion, he finally found himself at a big park... with a small hill in it. Finding a track, which was glowing like some sort of bioluminescent paint, leading right into the park and up the hill, Yuma gave a quiet, foolish giggle as he stated: "Huh... pretty... why not doing so in the first place?"

Following up the path, he soon found himself eye too eye with the strange lion-creature once more.

"Took you long enough...", He mumbled dryly... looking at the young man wide-eyed as he walked straight towards him... more or less straight, reaching out for another punch, "Hey... what are you... HEY... STOP IT...!"

"STUPID CAT!", Yuma finally shouted at him, punching the feline right in the face, stopping his triad as he realized his mistake, "Stop that shit and... finally... show yourself... EHR... oopsie?"

Turning his head back to the human, the lion shouted angrily: "GOD DAMN IT! What was that for? THAT FREAKING HURT, damn it!"

"Ehr... well... I... saw you so ofen... in my dreams... and on my way here... all ghosty and stuff... and... I thought you too, were just one of those..."

"YOU SERIOUS? You drunk or what...?"

Lifting his hand with two fingers, just a few inches apart, Yuma gave the lion a stupid little grin, explaining: "Jus a lil..."

"HEY... that wasn't nice... like at all!", An outraged voice suddenly called out from a little further away.

Looking at the source of the voice Yasei found... a dog? With horns? ... and a lion-like mane???

"Well... as I said..."

"Don't you want to apologize? You hit him after all... as all he did was just waiting for you?", The female - going by its voice - scolded the young man, interrupting him unfazed, glaring daggers at him, for hitting the feline.

"... and you are...?"

"Sorry... but I'm afraid this is none of your concern...!" - "Pardon?" - "You are not my handler, so I won't tell you anything... beside scolding you for hitting my brother for no reason, that is...!", The bitch explained sternly, Yuma thus hesitantly apologizing.

"I didn't hear you...!", The canine stated upon his mumbled excuse, still glaring at him sternly.

"I'M SORRY, Lion... okay?", Yuma like that repeated, looking at the female once more, as if to check if he did alright this time... just to find her utterly ignoring him now.

"Well... seems like she's happy...", The feline mumbled to himself like that, with a quick look to his sister, before suddenly shouting at Yuma, "THIS IS WHERE IT'S AT!"

Snapping out of his trance, shaking his head in surprise Yuma returned his attention to the lion, stating with a dumb giggle: "Oh... yeah... almost forgot... HI, lion...!"

Rolling his eyes, the beast just stated dryly: "It's Katsuo!"

"Kasuo?"

"No... Katsuo!"

"Katou?"

"KATSUO GODDAMNIT! Stop twisting letters!"

"OH... Katsuo... okay!", The young man stated in another dumb, little laugh, before letting himself fall down too the ground, sitting in front of the creature, too finally ask sternly, even if drunkenly, "An my name is Yuma... an I wanna know why you are stealing my slip!"

"Pardon? Your slip?"

"NO... my SLEEP! I wanna seep... but then you suddenly appear! Lookin ad me as if you wanna eat me or sumsin!", Yuma explained looking at the feline sulkily.

"OH... yeah... that! Well... I'm a Yokai... probably what you may call a guardian-lion... or guard-lion, if you're lazy... and you're my handler...!"

"You're handler...? What am I supposed to handle? Bringing food? Can you call a sevice for dat?"

"Ehr... well firstly...", Katsuo raised a paw, moving the four toes on it, before slapping it in Yumas face, "AND NO... I don't want you to handle anything for me! You are my chosen handler... my chosen master bluntly said..!"

"OH... your master... huh...?"

"So...?", The feline pressed on, on the matter.

"Sorry... what were we talking about?"

"OH GOD DAMN IT! Get serious man!"

"Sirius? Like dead Sirius?"

"... should what I know about your era be correct... and you are hoaxing me with some dumb pun... I'LL TEAR YOUR FACE OFF!", Katsuo started out calmly, only to almost roar at his chosen handler in his last words.

"Okay... okay... gee... so... what were we talking about?"

"YOU... my master... chosen... more or less your destiny?"

"OW... I'm supposed to be your master? ... but why, I don't even like you!"

"You little... ASAMI! Why don't we switch?", The guard-lion finally turned to his sister annoyed, earning but a dry 'NOPE... not been chosen for me... you take care of him', without the female even giving a second thought on it.

Giving an annoyed growl, the feline stepped closer to the young man, explaining calmly, yet pretty much out of patience: "OKAY... listen to me Yuma... I am a guardian lion... a Yokai summoned by an ancient spell, about to bring reckoning upon this world, having been rediscovered and evoked a few years ago. You understand that?"

"Uh-huh...", Yuma responded, looking at him in a mesmerized... yet kinda derpy way, as he listened to the lion's explanation.

"GOOD... the one who had cast it may have summoned one of the most powerful, terrifying Yokai there is, to do his bidding, to do GOD KNOWS what... and the same spell has summoned Yokai like me and my sister... to bond with humans, chosen as our partners by the spell to... well, probably bring balance back to the world, or something like that!"

"Ehr... okay... but what if I don't want to?"

"ARGH... god damn it Yuma...", Katsuo cursed, grinding his teeth in frustration, before once more taking a deep breath to explain, "You don't have to do anything... it's just: You have been chosen to be my handler... my master... MY PARTNER! Just free me and you can do whatever you please with me!"

"But I still don't like you... how should I even know I want to be your friend?"

"Well I... I...", Giving an annoyed growl, Katsuo once more tried to exchange his partner, for Asami's... just too be shot down just as quick as with his earlier try, "Come on... just... maybe just give it a try? Magic able to summon flesh and blood demons... spiritual entities, choose you to be my handler... my partner! This isn't just some kindergarten 'wanna be my best-est friend' crap... a handler and his Yokai... are supposed to be more or less like one entity... meant to complete each other... one balancing the weaknesses of the other and vise versa. A handlers pact is supposed to be a connection... deeper even than bonds between real siblings!"

"HM... don't know if I buy that...", Yuma stated skeptically, looking at the feline, with his head tilted to the side, before finally agreeing, "Well... okay?"

"What the... wait-wait-wait-wait... you said okay?"

"Yeah...", The young man confirmed, with an impassive shrug of his shoulders, "I kinda always wanted to have a brother... and a pet of my own... and one of those sweet wrestling outfits...?" - "WHAT???" - "SO... if you promise to be nice, you can come with me if you'd like?"

"WHAT? I just need to be nice?"

"YEAH... cause you were really mean so far...!", Yuma confirmed, earning a 'he has a point there' from Asami.

"Well... her... sure... if that is your wish... I'll be nice?", Katsuo declared slightly confused.

"OKAY...!", The young man like that declared happily, out of nowhere hugging the feline, pulling him close to his chest... almost breaking the giant feline's ribs, going after his complaint.

"Oh... sowwy... didn't want to urt you...!", Yuma responded drunkenly, flashing in and out from drunken, to more or less clear moments, like on a whim, "So... what we wanna do then?"

"Well... ehr... all you need to do is break the chain binding me..."

"WOW... dats really pretty...!", The young man suddenly burst out, upon this declaration... suddenly having walked over to Asami, admiring the ruby red chain, binding her to her own statue.

"ER-HUM... I'm over here...!", Katsuo stated dryly, as his future handler, was just chit-chatting with his sister, about how pretty the chain was, forcefully binding her here, until her chosen handler found the graze to free her.

"OH... yeah... of course... sorry... it's just... IT IS really pretty!"

Looking over to his sister skeptically Katsuo agreed hesitantly, before sternly guiding his to-be handler back on topic: "THAT CHAIN... the orange one..." - "You don't think it's more like beige...?" - "FOCUS... please? You think you can tear it apart?"

Yuma looked at the crystal-like chain with narrowed eyes, before stating in utter, drunken alcohol induced confidence: "SURE... jus wash me...!"

Gripping the chain between two hands, he moved them in a jerky fashion, as to tear the chain apart... his hands forcefully scrapping over the crystalline chain parts, tearing his palms clean open.

"HA... see... it's done!", The young man stated happily... the chain still intact, as Katsuo pointed at his hands in a hesitant motion, "Huh? What is it... OH SHIT... MY HANDS!!!"

Almost panicking like an infant, seeing blood for his first time, it took quite a bit of encouragement of Katsuo, for the young man to realize how the wound did indeed look more gruesome as it really was.

"Just try to focus on what you want to do... why you want to do it... and all should be... how do you say nowadays? All will be hunky-dory!"

Blowing at his hurt hands, like a little kit may do, Yuma stated sulkily: "Easier said than done! Why don't you try...!"

Grinding his teeth once more in frustration, he earned a dry statement of his sister, how 'he would break his teeth like this, one day', before he finally explained calmly, with the last ounce of patience he could muster: "Those exist for the sole purpose of keeping us were we are, I could try for centuries, without getting any results at all. So please... give it another try... give it your all, once more, you'll surely be easily able to break it... after all, you wouldn't be my chosen handler, if you couldn't."

Almost shyly agreeing to try again, he wound a bit of chain around each of his hands, before closing his eyes for a while... before ripping the chain apart like it was nothing!

"How in all...", Katsuo shouted in disbelief, as Yuma tore through the chain like butter, from one second to the other.

"Well... I promised you, you can come with me, as long as you're being nice... that and I really want to get back to that Yasei fellas place, to finally get some sleep without you keeping me awake... wait... didn't you look different earlier?", Yuma stated dryly... before in utter confusion realizing how the earlier giant lion, had turned into a more or less ordinary cat.

"Yeah... that is my animal form... kinda the form for walking among you humans, as no one but other handlers can see our Yokai forms...", The feline explained almost bored, pushing the now way oversized, crystalline chain collar off of his neck.

Kicking the old chain away with his hind legs, like it was some old trash, Katsuo looked up at his handler, asking in slight curiosity: "So... were we going then?"

"Bye Asami... sorry, we can't take you along...", Yuma meanwhile was excusing himself overly exaggerated, shaking the canine's paw, which just looked at him in utter confusion.

"Why would you be sorry? ... and why would you want to be taking me along? You're not my chosen master, so don't worry, just go along and have fun with Katsuo! ... OH... but if you want you can promise to take good care of my brother?", The female responded innocently, her head slightly cocked, as she looked up at the big, muscular human.

"Well... okay... maybe we see you later then? Who knows... maybe I and your partner can be friends, as you and Katsuo and you are siblings... wait... wasn't their one you too many?"

Responding in but a quiet giggle, Asami shooed the young man away, as she saw her brother grinding his teeth again in frustration.

"Well... okay... bye-bye...!", Yuma like that bid his goodbye once more, before going back to his new partner, asking, "So... where to now?"

"Ehr... you're asking me?", The feline asked in utter confusion, before giving a quiet sigh, thinking back on what Yuma had said as he had broken his chain, finally asking musingly, "Didn't you say something about returning to some Yasei guy, to get some sleep, which I apparently depraved you from, by calling out to you all these days?"

"OH... yeah... let's return to Yasei's! He's a really great fella... you'd surely like him, but... no...sorry, you may have to wait outside one last day... after all, we don't know if he is allowed to have pets!", Yuma responded musingly, as he already started walking back, out of the park.

"WHAT? OUTSIDE? I won't stay here any longer, that's for sure!"

"NO... no-no-no-no . . . wait, no... what?"

"You talked about me staying here for another night!"

"OH... no... no... I just meant in front of the apartment building, where Yasei lives... Aki and I will pick you up the other day then, before going home!"

"OH... okay... I think I can live with that..."

Following his master to the house of this Yasei person, he skeptically looked up the front of the building.

"SO... I am to wait here? Till sunrise? ... and you promise you'll come to pick me up here?", Katsuo finally asked skeptically, earning an eager nod from his master.

"Uh-huh... but you really have to stay HERE an not run off... or else I may foged about you when I am sober...!"

"THAT could happen?", The feline stated in utter disbelieve, his master just explaining, it wouldn't be the first time for him. Katsuo thus just uttered a heavy sigh, sitting down right where he stood, before finally asking: "Like this okay for you, brandy blossom?"

Nodding eagerly, the young man waved the cat goodbye, promising him once more to come an get him as soon as he was all rested up... before waving Katsuo goodbye once more, reminding him he would definitely come and get him later.

"Yeah... yeah... I get it... now go and get that sleep I OH SO deprived you of...", The Yokai finally stated with a roll of his eyes, as Yuma was about to repeat this circle he had started once more.

"Okay... bye-bye, my big, pretty kitty cat!", Yuma like that bid his farewells once more, actually having his feline companion avoiding his eyes bashfully.

"Just go... before I decide to follow you after all."

"OH... okay... well... goodbye, my big tom cat.", The young man once more stated drunkenly, before finally entering the apartment building.

After searching all the doors for 'Yasei Shinkai' about twice, he finally found the right door, fiddling with the keys he had borrowed, by flat-out taking all the keys his host was keeping in his little bowl for it.

"No... not that one either...", He mumbled to himself groggily, until he finally found the right key, "HA... new I had all o em...!"

Entering the apartment like that once more, he carefully dropped the keys back in there bowl, even counting all of them, as to not accidentally having lost one.

"Two... Three... Four... YES... should be all of em... and now where was I supposed to sleep... OH right... the bathtub...", He mumbled to himself drunkenly, doubting his memories for not even a heartbeat.

"HEY... booze-hounds... time to wake up! ... and coming from me that REALLY means it's time to wake up!", Yuma and Kiyoko were woken the other day, by an enthusiastic shout of Yasei's.

Awaking with some seriously vicious headache, Yuma carefully massaged his temples, in utter disbelieve mumbling to himself: "So he seriously made me sleep in the bathtub? Or... no... that can't be right... can it?"

Inspecting himself in the mirror, he slowly started to remember the last night.

"So what... that been another dream...", Yuma mumbled to himself, as he splashed some water in his face, "... or another dream? ... but on the other hand... I had no weird dreams about Katsuo in a sandstorm, waiting for me, so... wait? KATSUO? So did that really happen?"

With an audible huff, turning around to finally leave their young hosts apartment... he instead found him in the apartment's little hallway, waiting for them... an apron around his neck?

Not able to suppress a burst of laughter, Yasei shot him a deadly glare asking: "WHAT'S SO FUNNY? Never seen a guy with a chefs apron? ... or are you just missing some silly shit like 'kiss the cook' written on it!"

At that moment almost feeling like a little kid, in front of the younger man, Yuma just reflexively responded with a sheepish: "Sorry sir..."

"Yeah... you better are! Didn't prepare breakfast for free just for fun after all!"

"WHAT... you made breakfast?" - "Damn right I did..." - "On your own?" - "That's what I was saying, yeah?" - "So... you made like... everything yourself? You can cook? Like actually cooking? No ready-made food?"

Finally just rolling his eyes annoyed, he turned around, returning to the kitchen, stating as he finished setting the table for breakfast: "Pretty damn right... that's what I was implying! Everything made by yours truly... except for the things that would take days to prepare on your own, those of course even I buy ready made!"

"Oh... okay...", The older male responded in disbelief, especially as he saw what the younger man had prepared.

"UH... well, that's hot... I always loved myself a man that could cook!", Aki stated stepping up behind Yuma seconds later, inspecting what their host had prepared for dinner herself too.

A fried egg on rice, fried pork with some ginger and miso soup... all still warm and steamy.

"Well... happy to hear...?", Yasei responded slightly confused upon the compliment, as he invited them to come closer.

Aki like that eagerly eating the food the young man had prepared, Yuma himself was more skeptical at first... until he realized almost upon the first bite, Yasei to be an almost better cook than their housemaids, specifically hired for the said task.

"Wow... that's awesome... where did you learn to cook like that?"

"Well... you sure are aware, how there are things called recipes, yeah? And the rest was all about trial and error and self-teaching.", Yasei stated nonchalantly, yet obviously rather proud about his accomplishment.

His guests obviously enjoying their food way more than excepted, their host himself, finally stated thoughtfully, pointing in Aki's direction, with his chopsticks: "You know what... I had the weirdest dream tonight... and about you too boot!"

Swallowing up on her food, Kiyoko coughed audibly as she said innocently: "Oh really... what... was it about...?"

"Well... it was really weird... I was sleeping... on my couch, as I had left my bad to you guys... and in the middle of the night, you suddenly came in... all naked and... -"

"- ... HOLY CRAP! Why didn't you say it was already way past 11 p.m.?!", Yuma suddenly interrupted Yasei, as he by chance had a look at their host's clock in the kitchen.

"What...? That's my normal wake-up time on weekends?"

"OH GOD DAMN IT... my dad is gonna flip!"

"What... you still living at your dad's?", Yasei stated in utter disbelief, before averting his eyes to Aki, asking skeptically, "So... you still living with your parents, too?"

"Ehr... well... THANKS FOR THE FOOD... really good... loved the fried egg... but we gotta go now!", Kiyoko like that used the chance too hastily flee the scene.

Yuma no matter the fear of his father scolding him, originally had planned on finishing his food first... yet like that, just was more or less dragged along by his female friend. Hastily thanking Yasei for the food himself too, he was almost getting thrown out the door by Aki, mere seconds later.

The young man confusedly following his two guests, to see them off, got from that point on nothing more but a glimpse of their backs... before Kiyoko suddenly stuck her head through the door one last time explaining: "It's not very polite imagining women you just met naked in your dreams... try to refrain from that in the future... BYE-BYE!"

Looking at the door - being closed mere seconds later - in confusion, he finally just gave a shrug of his shoulders, assessing as he returned to his breakfast: "So it was a dream after all... WELL... what else should I have expected?"

Guessing to never see those two rich kids ever again anyways, he like that discarded the thought, of his dream being more but a dream... sure... as if the first attractive, drunk woman, he more or less by accident invited over, would rape him in his sleep!

Finally coming to a stop a few blocks later - Katsuo sticking to their heals, as soon as they had left the building - Yuma finally turned around to Aki with a stern glare, asking in a scolding tone: "Did you do it again?"

"What... what should I have done again... I don't know what you're... -"

"- WHENEVER we were staying over at somebodies house, after some party, you went and fucked him in his sleep, all groggy like you were!"

"HEY... not true! . . . I only do that with the cute guys... the cute and nice ones..."

"ARGH... god damn, Aki... how is it I can't let your drunken ass out of my sight for even one second?", Yuma asked with an annoyed growl, "Just can be glad all of them somehow believe their own 'it was just a dream' reasoning... somehow!"

"So what... can't say them boys don't get a hell of a good time out of it..."

Rolling his eyes in another annoyed growl... the young man finally noticed the big Maine Coon cat following them. He looked at it narrow-eyed, in a slight fit of confusion for a few seconds, before he realized: "OH... hey there guy... there you are... come here, my boy..."

Looking at the young man for a few seconds, the cat trotted over to him, literally jumping straight into his arms.

"Hey there buddy...", Yuma greeted, petting it hesitantly at first, but then more eagerly, as she did not complain.

"Wow... were did she come from... she is drop dead gorgeous for sure... but still...?", Kiyoko asked in surprise, as the feline let herself be picked up by her friend, just like that.

The tom hissing at the woman angrily, before the young man could even realize, he explained seconds later, in realization: "It's a he... the cat's a tom...! Where I found him... well... as you may have noticed, before screwing this poor guy in his sleep..." - "OH... I'm pretty sure he was rather happy with what he got...!" - "... I stepped out once more, for a bit... and during this little evening stroll, I met him!"

"So... you're taking him in? ... just like that? As far as we know it could have rabies!"

The tom growling at her quietly upon these words, Yuma repeated: "It's a tom... a male... and he is not a thing!", As the feline yet again gave a quiet growl, it took the young man until he realized what his problem was, "AND I'M PRETTY SURE Katsuo does not have any weird diseases or whatnot!"

"Yeah sure... keep saying that... cause that's what they all say... until there 'FUWWY BABY' rips her throat out in their sleep!", Aki responded with a demonstrative roll of her eyes, earning another angry growl from Katsuo, considering her stupid baby-talk towards him.

"I'd love to...", The feline was about to mumble in a quiet growl, Yuma barely able to grab his hand around his snout, pushing it shut hastily before Kiyoko realized how the cat was just about to talk to her... threaten her nonetheless.

"Yeah... guess your right... I'll have him looked at first thing on Monday!", The young man like that proclaimed hastily before his female friend could realize his cat talking after all.

"Well... knock yourself out... but I won't visit your funeral in case he does maul you, that one's for sure. ... and... KATSUO? What's that stupid name? Some weird mishmash for 'cat you are'?"

Suppressing another growl the feline instead climbed on his master's shoulders, front paws on one side, back paws on the other, his long tail hanging over Yumas chest, like a fancy scarf, before inconspicuously whispering in Yumas ear.

"WELL... I have you know... the name Katsuo can be roughly translated to 'victorious child'... so don't try dissing my kitty cat...!", The young man explained, after his partner's heads-up... earning an annoyed growl from the feline, as his master called him 'his kitty cat' in front of the woman, he sure as hell did not like one bit.

"Oh...? Well good for him... he won't get anywhere with that with me... no matter how VICTORIOUS he may be... and did the cat just talk to you?"

"WHAT... NO WAY... a cat talking... where do you think we are? In some Doctor Doolittle movie...?"

The young woman giving up upon this comment, they walked the rest of their way in quiet, before calling their parent's drivers, to pick them up in front of the club they had rented the other day.

Arriving at home a while later, Yuma was almost for half an hour busy to explain where he was, what he did, where he found that cat he called his own now and what took most of the said time: why in all worlds his father should allow a cat in his house!

Winning this little ensuing debate with flying colors, yet with a whole cartload of conditions and requirements... he held true to his own conditions pretty sternly, to Katsuo's surprise.

His master had told him he'd consider this handler thing, the feline had proposed if he was nice... and he indeed did not only remember this condition, but he also enforced it rather strictly too.

For weeks Yuma didn't even want to hear a word about it indeed just testing Katsuo... how much he stayed true to his promise, probing his character and personality... yet just as much really treating him like family too.

His master showed him around their home in full detail the first day... showed him his whole neighborhood on the following days and all the places he liked to go - as far as he was allowed too, considering his companion was a cat - on the other days.

Yuma took him even on literal field trips on his free weekends, introducing him to all his friends, showing him all sights he could just think of and more.

It was not in the least what Katsuo had expected, or even hoped for... yet he still would have lied, did he say he did not enjoy the whole thing... very much so at that! The feline had thought... expected... EVERYTHING... everything but THAT. He was no... weapon... or tool... or pet of his master's... instead the feline slowly indeed did become, well... FRIENDS with his human partner.

Almost two weeks into their coexistence, Katsuo excitedly asked Yuma, as he returned from his day at university: "HEY... Yuma... can we go on an excursion to this mountain sight again... the one we were to last weekend?"

"OH...? Well, you certainly are excited, big guy...", The young man greeted his partner with a quiet laugh, petting him affectionately, "... and here I thought you had said, quote: WELL... it was quite alright... but nothing THAT SPECIAL...?"

"Well... yeah... it was... but... it was pretty fun too... going on a trip into the mountains... with you...", The feline admitted hesitantly, "... AND I am an earth elemental after all..." - "I thought you had said your magic would be based upon sand?" - "SAME DIFFERENCE... so . . . can we...?"

"Hm... you know what, I have to learn quite a bit... but we can rent a cottage in Yakushima. Then we can make little trips to the mountainside and if you'd like, you yourself can prowl around on your own, while I'm studying?", Yuma proposed, not mentioning he would have to cancel an appointment with some classmates... but if Katsuo really was supposed to become closer then a brother to him, he deserved some pampering once in a while.

"WOW... really... you'd do that... just for me?", Katsuo asked in slight disbelief, obviously all too wary of this offer.

"Yeah... why not? You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"Well... maybe... sounds like it could be fun... only me and you, for a whole weekend."

"Hm... now that you mention it... only me and you... they'd probably label me as 'the strange guy, going on holidays with his cat'... but... NAH... I think I could deal with that, as long I'd make your day, like that."

"Well... yeah... sure...", The feline responded hesitantly, before hastily asking, "YES... please, could we go there?"

Responding in a quiet laugh, Yuma explained: "Sure... as long as it's not too annoying for you when I am learning half of the time?"

"NO... no... as long as I am with you I am fine...!", Katsuo responded hastily, in a surprising fit of honesty.

"Well... okay! Yakushima it is then!"

"REALLY?"

"Sure... gotta deplete the remains of this months allowance for it... but I spent most of that for me or school anyways... so I think a little treat for both of us shouldn't hurt nobody, yeah?"

Katsuo for the rest of the afternoon surprisingly energetic, Yuma prepared all his textbooks he'd need, to take along and enlighten his father about his plans, so they already were ready to go.

His father was surprisingly compliant too, stating 'he wouldn't mind, after all, he couldn't come up with too many ideas, as long as `that cat´ was his only companion', before already shooing the young man out of the room.

"Than get going already... so you and your furry companion may arrive there before sundown.", His father explained, Yuma oh to eagerly, with a joyful thanks towards his father... not hearing his father's quiet words to himself, as he had left the room, "Well... why complain... since he brought this cat home, he's as joyful as he hadn't been since his mother died. But... well, YUKI... be a dear and bring me some coffee, as well as today's paperwork... can't stay idle all day, after all, can I?"

02.01.2017 - 04:56 a.m. - cottage in Yakushima

Arriving at their destination barely before sundown, the first thing Yuma did, after getting set with his textbooks, was ordering some pizza... whereas he only remembered as he already had ordered...

"You okay with all the fat... cheese... condiments and what not?", He asked Katsuo in realization, earning but a dismissive huff in response.

"I'm a Yokai... a ghost... a demon if you so will... I think I can handle some 'fat, cheese condiments and what not'...", The feline just responded unimpressed, flicking through one of his master's textbooks lazily, "So... why are you learning all that? As far as I am concerned that's all baloney!"

"Yeah... because YOU do not understand...!", Yuma explained in a dismissive huff, grabbing the book from under the felines paws and taping the felines head with it, earning a sulky growl.

"SO... this handler thing of yours... what are we supposed to do about it?", The young man finally asked as he sat down on the bed in the small cottage, asking what Katsuo had waited for what felt like years.

"REALLY? You want to talk about it now?", The feline asked skeptical, almost as if he was assuming it some weird joke of his master's.

"Well... yeah...! I told you I'd think about it if you were nicer and... well, even though you didn't behave too much differently, you really became somewhat of a friend to me already so... hit me!"

"Well... seriously... ehr... well, there are kinda three parts to the handler pact. First condition is a blood-pact, second a ... kind of sacrifice and third a catalyst for our elemental magic, whereas all of them are more or less freely interchangeable... there's no special sequence you have to follow. The catalyst though has no effect, as long as you did not make a pact and a sacrifice."

"Ehr... okay-okay-okay... so... could we work it out one at a time anyway? Because I am not really into overly complicated things, to be honest..."

"... and that programming stuff of yours...?"

"It has all a certain system behind it... understand the code's system and all functions used with it and you understand all the programming."

"HUH... well... if you say so... in that case: give me your hand!"

Looking at the feline skeptically himself now, his eyes went wide, as Katsuo took his Yokai form, commenting as if it were his last words: "OH... I knew this was a bad idea!"

The guard-lion merely rolling his eyes, gave Yumas palm a quick scratch, before scratching his own paw pad, before putting it out towards his master's hand.

"OH... so that's what you meant... like blood brotherhood!"

Giving a quick nod, he gestured his master, with his outstretched paw to hurry, who finally just gave a short sigh - after a quick look at his palm, before putting it atop of Katsuo's big paw. Giving a low his, as the fresh cut touched the feline's paw, the young man looked at the guard-lion confusedly for a bit, before finally pulling his hand back to himself.

"SO... that all...?", He finally asked, looking at the Yokai and his hand skeptically, before he went searching for a first aid kit.

`Yeah... that one is done for now...!´, Katsuo responded, sounding rather... satisfied, almost happy.

Yuma almost felt like he was waiting for him to find some present he had hidden... or as if he had planed some kind of prank, just waiting for it to go off.

Finally returning with the first aid kit, he asked skeptically: "So... what's up with you all of a sudden...?"

`Oh... nothing...´, The guard-lion responded innocently, still talking to his master solely in his mind.

"You sound like you are up to some kind of prank or whatnot... so what is it?", He asked as he was about to start bandaging his hand.

`Don't you want to disinfect it first... like... to be sure?´

"Well... ehr... no... I'm pretty sure there won't happen anything... with just this little cut...", The young man responded evasively.

`OH...? You sure you're not just scared... scared it would hurt?´

"WHAT...? NO...!", Yuma responded sheepishly... until finally giving a low growl.

Taking the bottle with the disinfectant, he straight out poured a big shot of the liquid on his hand, reacting with an audible his in pain... as he responded: "SO... you happy now kitty!"

Just shrugging his shoulders, he watched his master wrap his hand in bandages, before nonchalantly putting out his own paw, as for him to clean that too.

"Oh... you a big boy now, HUH?"

`If that's what you want to call it...´

"Well... fine... but don't complain afterward...", Yuma just responded, pouring a big shot off the liquid over the feline's paw, the big lion jumping bag about three feet, in a surprised yelp.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?! Some kind of acid? YOU WANNA KILL ME?", Katsuo shouted at his handler, the young man but now realizing what had been going on, as the feline spoke to him normally again.

"HOLY CRAP... you were talking to me t... telepathically!", Yuma shouted out looking at the Yokai in utter disbelief... the feline himself still looking at him utterly huffy.

"Took you long enough...", The guard-lion responded sulkily, as he started to lick his wounded paw pad... just to stop it right away, a look of utter disgust on his face as he proclaimed, "YUK... tastes awful... so it really is acid! YOU CRAZY HUMAN?"

Responding in a quiet laugh, the young man retorted: "SO... you want to play the big man, but are just as wussy as me?"

"Not wussy! Just... you tried to kill me so..."

"YEAH... sure... death by disinfecting agent! So... done complaining and ready to continue on with that handler thing?", Yasei responded with a roll of his eyes, earning a sulky growl of his partner.

"So... a catalyst would be our next target...", Katsuo responded, giving his master a sore glare.

"A catalyst... so... what that supposed to be?"

"An item... to channel our magic... as I told you. To allow usage of the element, binding me into this world, we need some item, older than 250 years... something about developing a soul and what not.", The feline explained disinterested, "SO... you wouldn't happen to have something like that?"

"Well... an item... my mother... she... she had that kimono..."

"A kimono?! It's supposed to be used as a weapon... except you want to like... play mage?"

"Well... it is in our family for like five or six generations... but if it is supposed to be some kind of weapon... I'm a martial artist anyway, so... I could just make it into some bandages like used in boxing.", Yuma explained, only slightly conflicted about more or less dismantling the century-old item.

"Well... if you say so... so... the sacrifice. You have but two choices: sacrificing some parts of your body, or... mate with me!"

Looking at his to-be partner in utter disbelief, before his face suddenly became devoid of any expression. The feline did want this... didn't he? Probably more than anything, going by what he had told him those last days.

"You're serious about that, aren't you? So... a sacrifice? You wanna gnaw my foot off, or something like that? Why sacrificing some body part anyway... or what's even more moronic: WHY FUCKING EACH OTHER?", The young man like that finally asked in utter confusion.

"Well... can't get anything for nothing, can you? Especially when talking power... the greater the power, the greater the sacrifice required, yeah? That's why a sacrifice, like offering up one of your toes, for example, would only make for most fundamental a pact... whereas bigger sacrifices... more dire sacrifices give a more powerful bond. Considering the sex... well... sharing one's bodies allows sharing one's bodies . . . I guess?"

"What... sharing... to share... what the?"

"Well... did I already mention, about how all I know about that magic-mambo-jumbo is more or less magically implanted?", The feline just asked, as if he'd answer everything, with but this question.

"hm... let me think about it... no... no, I don't think you ever did."

"Well... now I did... so... what do you say?"

"Ehr... I don't wanna sacrifice any of my body parts, so...", Yuma explained calmly, before suddenly bursting out in rage, "BUT I'M NOT GAY!"

"Yeah... you sure about that? Cause as far as I know you were pretty insistent, this smoking hot chick, I hate..." - "WAIT-WAIT-WAIT-WAIT-WAIT... you don't like Aki?" - "Well... DUH... she hates to love us felines... calls me drop-dead gorgeous one second, just to go on about how I could give you rabies and whatnot, in the next one. SO... you insisted for her not to be 'your girlfriend'... and pretty hard at that. You really think a straight man would be this obsessed about that?"

"That is BECAUSE SHE IS!", The young man exclaimed enthusiastically... before suddenly going silent, as he had no clue how to continue.

"So... all those letters you got... all those presents... every one of them hidden away... like you didn't want to accept them, yet you still kept every single one of em... even those from almost a decade past.", Katsuo summarized calmly, before explaining with a quiet laugh, "Oh... you must be a real romanticist... or as gay as a unicorn dancing on a rainbow..."

"HEY... that... I just kept them because... well... it would be right-out rude to just throw them away...", Yuma once more tried to excuse himself, Katsuo just continued on without even blinking an eye.

"So what... you hadn't opened even one of them...-"

"- ... WAIT A SECOND... how do you even...?"

"Well... I had a lot of spare time, while you were at this university of yours and I had to do something..."

"SO YOU SNOOPED THROUGH MY STAFF?!"

"Kinda... what should I have done instead? Play with cat toys... scratch up your furniture... poop under your bed?"

"WHAT... no!", Yuma responded outraged, before giving a heavy sigh, "OKAY... know what? FINE... we can discuss that... sexual interest thing, later..."

"You got to face the truth about yourself eventually if you wanna be happy with yourself..."

Yuma just rolled his eyes at Katsuo's apparent love of interrupting him, instead disappearing into the bedroom as he explained: "Whatever... let's just get it over with..."

"Wai... wha... get it over...-", Katsuo uttered confused, following his master slowly... being stopped mid-sentence by Yuma's jeans landing on his head, like he was some drying rack.

"WHAT THE...", The feline mumbled muffled below the fabric, shaking it off of his head, with an annoyed growl... just too look at his master wide-eyed, as he got a look at Yuma again.

His jaw dropping on the sight in front of him, he did not get out a single word, as he almost expected to see fly a purple pig right through the room.

Yumas underpants lay a few steps away from him, his sweatshirt a few steps further away... and his socks but one step away from the two-men bed.

"What the heck... I didn't expect you to take your 'get it over with' THAT serious...", Katsuo finally asked baffled, looking at his master crouching on the bed... his front body laying on the bed almost like he was dead, as he raised his rear, almost like a needy bitch.

"Wha yu lookin ad...", The young man mumbled, arms stretched out towards his feet limply, cheek pressed down on his pillow, as he kept his rear raised for his feral partner.

"Well... if you're sure about that...", Katsuo started... yet was abruptly interrupted by an angry growl of his master, "Okay... but don't you say I did force you or anything..."

Earning but another annoyed growl, the feline started trotting towards the big bed... in the comparatively small room. In an almost prancing manner, stepping over the pants, socks and sweatshirt of his master until he jumped on the inviting bed.

His front paws on the mattress, his hind paws still on the floor - for now - he stared at his master's behind for a few seconds, licking his jabs hungrily as he inspected his, in this position, already slightly spread butt-cheeks.

Yuma meanwhile seamed almost panicked after all, in the end, as he looked back at the feline. Yet still... as he had agreed to this... he didn't dare to even as much as flinch.

Giving his master a quick glance, Katsuo like that finally gave a quiet laugh, before he finally gave the young man's behind a long lick. The rough tongue of the more or less hybrid, let an oh too clear shiver run through Yuma's entire body.

Katsuo's rough, yet at the same time kinda soft tongue, licking over his balls and back entrance the young man couldn't quite keep up his 'just do it' demeanor, grabbing his pillow between both hands as he buried his face in it.

His master's quiet moans slightly muffled through the pillow, the feline gave his ass a few more long licks, as to at least prepare his master a little bit... before he finally jumped completely up on the bed. Placing himself atop of his master, like a wild lion would do with a lioness in heat, the Yokai gave a last quiet laugh.

"So... I presume you really wanna do it just like that...?", Katsuo asked in a teasing tone, his master just throwing an angry glare over his shoulder.

"One more word... and I bite those tom dong right off of you!"

"Well... that's one precise answer...", The guard-lion stated in a still teasing tone, yet still kinda believing his master right on the spot... considering his threat.

In a needy growl starting to hump his master, his tip hitting his butt four times - kinda on every wrong side possible - the feline finally hit his target, his spiky dick burying itself deep in the human's ass.

Yuma uttering an audible hiss, in response to the rather forceful intrusion, the feline barely stated 'he had tried to warn him'... yet still, kept himself buried up his master's ass for a few seconds. Tenderly licking the human's neck, as he left him some to adjust... his master indeed seemed to relax, under the tender licks of his partner.

Feeling the rough fur of the feline on his ass, Yuma gave a quiet sigh, as he slowly adjusted to the dick up his ass. Even though the guard-lion's body was kinda rough like sand all over, he still was kinda warm... like warm desert sand.

Uttering a low, quiet sigh, Yuma turned his head to the side... huddling up against his pillow, before he exclaimed in another sigh: "Well... guess this isn't too bad... as long as you do good... I guess?"

"OH... I will my master...", Katsuo retorted in a quiet moan, his 'my master' not even an ounce sarcastic this time.

Slowly starting to hump him in earnest, the young man slowly started panting heavier... feeling the weight of the powerful feline right atop of his body, his dick buried deep down his ass. Kneading his partner's dick as he fucked him, as he clenched around his member sporadically, Yuma had to say... he seemed kinda small, but that was just how felines were, probably... small and spiky?

"OH... even saying this is your first time... you are quite good a bitch!", The feline finally explained in a low moan, slamming home hard as he spoke.

"Well... then go on... do me... like...", Yuma started, yet stopped in a heavy gulp, before continuing shyly after all, "... do me like the bitch I am!"

"OH... someone felling gutsy? Well in that case... gladly... my master...!", Katsuo like that stated in a lustful moan, starting to hump the young man below him in earnest, earning a surprised 'OH SHIT' in response.

Panting heavily, as he clearly could feel the spiked member of his partner scrape over his very innards... feeling like being fucked with some razor wire... while at the same time finding himself unable to deny feeling some kind of satisfaction.

Slowly starting to enjoy the mix of pain and satisfaction Yuma like that started pushing back against the feline's more and more rigorous rutting, having Katsuo's balls bump his rear. Uttering uncontrolled sounds of low hisses and quiet groans, the young man in the end indeed started enjoying himself.

Ferociously humping his master, as the young man's reactions had him more than invigorated, it took Katsuo little longer but a few seconds until he came buried deep inside of his master.

The feline panting heavily, as he lay atop of his master, it took Yuma but a few seconds until he asked in slight disbelief: "Seriously? That's all there is to it?"

"What? You mean for that bonding... well, yes... I guess, why?"

"Ehr... well, how should I put it... it was not that handler pact I was talking about...", The young man responded hesitantly... almost fearing the feline would jump at his throat at any second now.

"What... not the... HEY... DO YOU WANT TO SAY I CAME TO QUICKLY!?!", Katsuo at first asked, still confusedly... until he finally realized.

"NO... I mean... YES... no... I mean... kinda?", Yuma tried explaining himself, now he himself, highly confused... confused about how to explain himself, "I mean... when watching porn... it takes quite a while long...-"

"- I AM A FREAKING FELINE... no human porn-star! What do you expect?! ME humping you for like half an hour, or something? Feline come quick, but on the other hand, mate even more often!!!"

"EHR... why do I feel like I awakened something I rather would not have...?", The young handler finally asked in a slightly panicked tone... gulping heavily as he saw the feral grin of his feline partner.

"GUESS...!!!"

About four hours later both, feline and human, lay on the two-man bed... both panting heavily. Having been badgered through everything the feline was able to come up with, considering gay sex... and not too mention gay sex with a feline, Yuma finally asked utterly exhausted: "So... was that really necessaries? That last thing I mean?"

"Well... I thought you liked it... -", Katsuo started confused but was interrupted by his master right away, without even having said anything 'sensitive'.

"- ... NO... bad kitty! Don't mention it ever again...!"

"... but I thought... -"

"- ... like NEVER...EVER... again!!!"

"Okay... I'll never.... -"

"- ... NOT. A. WORD...!", Yuma interrupted preemptively, earning a low mewl from his partner.

Turning cat again in a gust of sand, Katsuo looked at his master, a questioning look on his face, Yuma just shooting a glare out of narrowed eyes, the tom responding in a questioning look: "Not a word?"

"YES...!"

"... and what about Pizza?"

"NO...! No... wait... like... dinner?"

"Well... duh...?"

Caught by surprise, the young man looked at the big cat in confusion, finally shaking his head as he said: "Well... sure, why not? ... ehr... we talked about the 'can Yokai get sick from any kind of spices'... already, didn't we?"

Rolling his eyes, the feline just responded dryly: "YES... trice... AT LEAST... no problems there, so I'd like to advise you, to get that grub coming, or I'll nibble on you instead...!"

"WHAT... again?", Yuma said in shock, before hastily putting on his clothes, covering all those scratch marks and bite marks, his partner had left him with, before hastily going to get his phone and thus some pizza.

Following this evening, Katsuo more but once forced him in more of those sexual encounters... whereas Yuma in retaliation took his companion out for more but one several hour-long walks.

Barely managing to get in a few hours of learning, not to mention, barely an hour of real sleep, their two-day trip was more or less over before he could even really realize it.

Sore in more but one way, Yuma like that let himself sink on the couch once more, as he was finished with cleaning up their cottage, finally asking: "SO... as that is done... what was that all about?"

"WHAT? Cleaning...? I thought you said that is because you... well, have too?"

"NO...!", The young man responded in an exhausted sigh, "The sex...! . . . and don't say for fun... not after all the trouble you took, in taking me through all that trouble, too get me to agree on how all that really was kinda fun."

"Ehr... well, for the pact?"

"SO... that supposed to bring any benefit?", Yuma asked after a short, thoughtful break, looking at the feline skeptically.

"Well... how are your experiences with meditation?"

"EHR... well... you know...?"

"None?"

"NOPE... none at all!"

Giving a quiet sigh, Katsuo took his Yokai form, before jumping on the couch, looking at him intensively... before he suddenly knocked the young man out, with a brutal sweep of his paw!

Only feeling the sharp sting of pain in his head, Yuma felt close to nothing else... before he woke back up a few minutes later... searching the room confusedly... before searching it once more, in quite a bit of panic now!

`You won't find anything there...´, The young handler finally heard Yumas voice in his head, responding highly annoyed: "WHAT THE HECK...? Knocking me out, just to hide away like a little cub???"

`Well... not really...?´, The Yokai responded dryly... before the young man suddenly found himself in utter darkness... only able to see himself and Katsuo, suddenly appearing in front of him again.

"WHAT THE...", The young man asked confused... finding himself literally float in nothingness, as the guard-lion looked at him stock-still... until he rolled his eyes annoyed.

"THAT THE... is your mind blockhead...!", The feline finally explained dryly, pictures of Yuma's time with the feline so far, just as much as pictures of the time Katsuo had waited with his sister, at the shrine... JUST AS MUCH as all kinds of memories of Yumas past, suddenly flashing through... well, his mind apparently.

Concentrating on all he could perceive after all, in what he had thought eternal darkness so far, Yuma now virtually explored the infinite space all around him.

"Us... in this forms... standing in this infinite space of darkness is just because of you... well, wanting to perceive it like that."

"Seriously... but... you said this is my mind... so... we are like, merged now?"

"Yes, we are... and would I put you back in control, you wouldn't only have... well, me riding for a passenger in your mind... but would... probably be about three times as strong as you'd be otherwise."

Looking back at Katsuo, Yuma had a rather unsure look on his face, before finally explaining: "Well... in that case... keep it... THIS, I mean!"

"Beg your pardon?"

"All this... magic stuff! As... well... I assume that's what this is? Magic...? I mean... after all... two beings of flesh and blood... merging, even if only in spirit...?", Yuma carefully tried to explain himself, not sure if his partner would understand.

"WHAT... keep all this... the magic... you realize you are talking...", Not finishing the sentence, Katsuo finally looked at his master with a smug smile, as he explained, "So you think you are too dense to understand all of this?"

"NO! . . . I mean... kind of? As I guess I do have to admit... I probably would really be too simpleminded for this... but maybe you can... well, teach me some times later?"

Looking at the human skeptical, Katsuo gave a quiet sigh, before explaining with a quiet laugh: "Well... I sure can. You are my master, after all, I do whatever you ask of me..."

"Sure... cause your behavior has proven just that quite a few times...", Yuma proclaimed sarcastically, looking at his partner skeptically.

Katsuo's reaction... was to his utter surprise not at all what his master had expected it to be! He expected rage... anger... the feline being offended as hell... yet, well he was offended, but not quite as he expected.

"NO...! That is just who I am...! Should need be I would fight any- and everyone... sacrifice my life should need be... even fight yourself, should you be dumb enough to bring yourself to risk.", The feline retorted in an offended, pretty much resentful tone.

"Well... yes... WHAT?! No...!", Yuma responded hastily, suddenly finding himself in an utter loss for words.

"What, what...?", Katsuo responded dryly, looking at his master with narrowed eyes, "You thought I was but some punk, didn't you? Acknowledge it... we both know... and should you lie to me... well, you'd be the same kind of asshole you think me to be..."

"WHAT? NO! I... well... you are... kind of rough around the edges... and... I don't know..."

"What?! Rude... self-centered... a control freak?", The feline suggested, looking sore... yet still he did not seem really angry.

"Well... yes... kinda, but... you are...-"

"Don't make excuses...", The feline interrupted him dryly, before explaining in a heavy sigh, "PLUS... You are kind of right... I love to get the last word... call the shots... and obviously, I AM 'rough around the edges'... but you still can believe me one thing... ONE THING, for dead certain: I would never betray you... never lie to you... never do anything to harm you... I AM YOUR PARTNER! Believe me... that's the one thing you can believe in whenever...!"

"Well... okay, but I..."

"NO...! Just remember my words and... well... just trust me, is all I ask for. Considering my flaws... say what you want, you can't really insult or even slander me... well, not as long as you don't really want to, that is... if you catch my thrift.", Katsuo explained calmly, before adding in a quiet snort, "Furthermore: I am a Yokai... technically I am... well... both flesh and blood... but at the same time not... magic, as you have deduced."

Looking at the feline in confusion... he suddenly found himself in the 'real world' again.

`Just don't sweat it, big guy... I am kind of a realist... I know I'm kind of a jerk sometimes... but... well, just believe me I don't mean bad and all should be fine.´, Yuma just heard Katsuo's voice in his mind, as to conclude this conversation.

"Well... if you say so... whereas... OKAY, I guess I can believe you, as I guess you sometimes REALLY are kinda sweet.", The young man finally backed down from this dialogue, earning a quiet laugh from the Yokai.

Quickly discovering all changes their merge brought, it took them months to discover how to undo their merge. Katsuo meanwhile learning about their magic more or less overnight, while Yuma... he was barely able to get there merge in check, yet he in exchange doubled his efforts on his training and studies.

Coming next April, the young man finished his studies, even performing better in his programming studies, than in his 'original studies'. Like that, it was finally time for... well, what he had feared for the longest time...!

"YOU WANT WHAT?!", His father stated in utter disbelief, upon his son's revelation, "You went through all that studying, just to go work for some petty video game company?"

"Well... it was what had caught my interest for years now...!", Yuma explained himself, encouraged by Katsuo, invisible to his father, "Not to mention: Seiji... would make way better a new CEO, not to mention... he is putting his very heart and soul in this company of yours, whereas I... my only motivation would be some lukewarm 'have to keep daddies company running'..."

"YUMA LEO KIYOTA... where did you pick up that way of talking to your dad?", The older man finally responded surprised, yet seemingly kinda curious as well, "On the other hand... never mind that! You did all that studying for this... programmer thing, while at the same time finishing this business and management classes?"

"Well... yes, this is what I wanted for a long time now and... well... I didn't want to disappoint you, so... I did both and learned what I wanted to learn on the side.", The young man explained, after a quick look to his fathers left... where Katsuo had placed himself, neither visible nor audible for the older man.

Looking at his son, old Kiyota seemed too want to vent another comment... before suddenly uttering a heavy sigh. Out of nowhere, the older man suddenly sat down on a nearby lounge suit, drawing his checkbook, explaining as he wrote down some numbers and his signature: "OKAY... I never would have gone and been disappointed or angry with you, would you have just told me... -" "- BUT... -" "NO...! Don't interrupt! I may be strict but... here!"

He ripped the check he had written out the book, handing it over to his son explaining: "WELL... maybe I am a little disappointed... and a little angry too, but...", With another sigh, he cut off that string of words, instead explaining, "You want to do this... okay, I don't want to be one of those bull-crap fathers, forcing themselves upon their children. SO... this is for you... take it, but THIS... is all the assistance you'll get from me, for starting that 'solo gig' of yours."

Looking at the 15 000 000 yen** check Yuma stated in disbelief: "SO... you are okay with me doing this? Just like that?"

"I may be strict... but I'm not an a-hole. You worked hard for it... much harder as you would have to, so: you have my blessing. As long as you keep doing your best, I won't complain..."

"What... just like that... well, as you seem in that good a mood...", The young man wanted to explain... wrapping up all his revelations he had on hold at once... but was stopped in the nick of time, by his partner.

Pushing him back a few steps, he hastily explained: "NO... no-no-no-no... not all the terror at once! BABY STEPS... getting him to get comfortable with this Konda guy is start enough...!"

`HEY...! I am not only suggesting him because he is gay too... he loves the company... and why should I do it, only to make my dad happy, when there actually is someone ACTUALLY caring about the welfare of the company?´, Yuma telepathically explained, outraged to his partner, before once again talking 'normally' to his father: "WELL... thanks for your trust dad... I won't disappoint you!"

"I sure hope so, cause: GENTLEMAN... clean out my son's room! He wishes to move out first thing tomorrow!", His father ordered their servants, earning a surprised gasp of his son, "What...? You wanted this, so this is my condition: work hard for it and you won't ever hear me complaining about your life-choices again!"

Looking at his father in utter disbelief, Yuma stated dumbfounded: "Well... keep that promise and this wouldn't be to bad a deal...", earning a quiet laugh from his father... before averting his attention to his partner, as he stormed off, "COME... let's quickly go and search for a place to stay... and some kind of bus maybe, should we have to sleep outside."

"WAIT A SECOND... we? Who are you talking too..."

Those last words, were but barely audible to Yuma, as he stormed off to his room... needing more but one reminder by Katsuo, as not to look for the priciest apartment he could find.

Another couple of month later and about 350 000 yen*** of his 'final allowance' remaining, Yuma finally had reached what he had worked so hard for, for this past years. He had gotten a job in a small, but successful video-game company... and his father had not complained in the slightest so far... even though he had burned through this last allowance of his quite fast.

Still not quite at odds with his sexuality though, he had managed like... two times to get himself to visit a 'gay bar'... yet most of the times kept fleeing them after five minutes tops. Not really concerned with this fact in the end... as Katsuo kept pushing him into pushing himself to visit 'those kinds of establishments'... yet he surprisingly also kept encouraging him, not to torment himself about it.

Like that, he instead now was looking forward to his first day at his new job. He had a lot of rather... small jobs to begin with... bit of break-in time... bit time to get to know the place and people... and of course, quite a few errands to run.

It took barely three hours until he ran in one very particular task. Yuma was tasked with getting some data, a superior had looked through and now needed to be returned to there own department.

Barely finding his way in time... he found himself face-to-face with quite a surprise. He was told, said 'superior' was actually working but a few years longer here, yet had already earned quite a reputation, for the devotion he put into his work.

"AH... so you are the newbie they said, they would send to get the... wait a second...?", The employee he was sent too asked, Yuma feeling a clear shiver run down his spine, as he recognized the voice, "Don't I know you?"

The young handler looked his 'superior' over in a mild fit of panic... especially as Yasei looked at him with quite a judgmental look on his face.

"Well... yes... I'm sorry I... -"

"You are sorry... why are you sorry?", Yasei interrupted him, with quiet laughter, as he handed him the USB-drive Yuma had been ordered to get, before adding slightly sarcastically, "I just hope you're keeping partying and work separated properly?"

"EHR... well... sure... I... I gotta run... thank you!", The young 'muscle-man' hastily excused himself, mumbling to himself sarcastically, quietly speaking to Katsuo while leaving, "Oh... looks like this is gonna be R E A L L Y fun...!"

"Yes... I bet it will!", He heard Yasei's voice... especially reminded of how he indeed had not been out of hearing distance, as he heard a few quiet laughs, from some of the other co-workers.

Almost fleeing the scene, he almost feared about his time here turning into a living hell . . . yet gladly it didn't turn out as bad as he feared... quite the opposite actually.

He and Yasei had become best friend's over the course of a few months afterwards . . . and their bonds would grow even stronger yet, as time would show.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

PHEW... it's finally done (bit of a 'writer's block' thing going on)

but now Yuma and Katsuo's backstory is finally done too, so... hope ya all enjoy it and look forward for more X3

* 10 000 yen ~ 91 $ ~ 80 €

** 15 000 000 yen ~ 135 000 $ ~ 120 000 €

*** 350 000 yen ~ 3100 $ ~ 2750 €