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The Target
Part 1

"Guys!  I'm home!"

Touma called out to his friends as he ushered his guest to move along.  Not long after that, Ryo, Seiji, Shin, Shuu and Nasuti filled the living room, welcoming Touma back from Osaka.  They were rather taken aback by the other person standing next to Touma.

A handsome guy with sandy blond hair and dark blue eyes beheld them.  The guy smiled as Touma introduced him to them.

"Guys!  I have something to tell you all.  This is Haruka Tenoh and he's my boyfriend."

Just like that.  Ryo and Shuu suddenly having trouble with breathing, Shin and Nasuti struggled to regain composure while Seiji just stared.  Touma smiled as he slid his hands to clasp with Haruka's hand, which was also smiling.

"You mean to say that you two are gays?"

Shuu blurted.  The rest was too shocked to even manage to think of simple coherent thoughts.  Touma Hashiba is a gay?  Unbelievable!  Touma nodded vigorously as Haruka continued to smile.  Confirmed.  It is true!

"Yup Shuu.  'Ahm a gay!"
"Touma...How...Why...What..."
"It's simple Seiji.  I saw him and I saw myself.  And because of that, I had fallen in love with him.  Haruka and I are officially a couple!"
"But when did all this happened?"
"Well, it's a long story Nasuti...Okay, okay!  Don't give me that look!  It was after a family reunion dinner and I went for a little walk and that's when I bumped into him and we hit it off right away!"
"You mean to say you met him on the street?"
"Yes Shin.  Ain't love beautiful?"
"'Scuse me but I think I need to get some air."

Ryo said and quickly darted out of the living room.  Shuu followed by Shin and then Nasuti with Seiji also finally leave the room to go and get some air.  The news of their friend being gay and had brought home his lover is not really the most usual thing.

After they had all leave the room, Haruka looked at Touma and raised a slender eyebrow.

"I see what you mean Touma.  The target is really something."
"Told you so.  And I want to make that particular target mine!"
"Very ambitious my dear Touma.  Very ambitious indeed."
"Of course Haruka.  I am a Hashiba."
"True...True...But how are you going to get that particular target to notice you?"
"Don't worry!  As long as you're here, the plan will go on smoothly.  And before you know it, I've already won!"
"Don't say something you're not ready for it Touma."
"Haruka...You wound me.  Don't ya have faith in me?"
"Faith?  Well...Maybe a tad bit of it."
"Only a tad bit of it?  Come on Haruka!  I need you in this!  Ya gotta help me!"
"Jeez!  Stop with the whining already wills ya?  I'm already here so that must've mean that I agree to *help* you?"
"Oh yeah...Forgot..."
"You can be such a pain in the ass sometimes."
"Hey!  I'm your *lover*!  Remember?"
"Yeah, yeah sure!  Whatever!"
"Love ya Haruka."
"Ya do?"
"Of course I do.  You're my cousin dammit!"
"Oh yeah...Forgot..."

The chat ended when Seiji entered the room again, finally controlling his composure at such a short time.  He looked at the two men who were now smiling rather idiotically at him.

"So what are your plans Touma?"
"Dunno.  But one things for sure is that I want Haruka here with me."
"But here?  Are you sure Nasuti is going to let that happen?"
"Er...Don't worry!  Who wouldn't love Haruka?"

Seiji looked decidedly uncomfortable.  The fact that his best friend is a gay and there was his boyfriend standing next to him is not his usual cup of tea.  Something he never even thought of.  Until now.

"Yup!  Who wouldn't?"
"Haruka, don't be rude!"
"Am not being rude!  I'm just being true!"
"Haruka...Never mind.  Oh yeah, you still haven't got to know each other ne?  Well, this is Seiji Date. Seiji, this is Haruka Tenoh."
"How'd you do?  Haruka."
"Fine.  Seiji."
"Great!  Now where are the others?"
"They still haven't recovered yet.  Too shocked for it."
"Oops...Gomen!  Didn't mean to spring it out so suddenly."
"Well, the way you introduce us as being lovers *was* a bit too open."
"But that's just the way I am, right Seiji?"
"Have to agree.  Touma's quite blatant about most things.  This happens to be one of those `most things`."
"Is it?  Looks like there's a lot I need to learn about you honey."
"Honey?"
"Yup!  Hehehe...It's what Haruka love usually refer to me."
"Love?"
"That's what Touma always call me."
"Oh...Didn't know that.  This is the first time I've heard er...gay couples have pet names for each other."
"Well, it's about time you learn Seiji."
"Shut up Touma.  Don't be a smartass!"
"Hey!  I'm smart but without the `ass` word behind it."
"His ego is so intolerable sometimes."
"Says the flirt."
"Flirt?"
"Yup!  He's a flirt.  Kinda like you love."
"Like me?"
"Like him?"
"Yup!  Haruka here likes to flirt ne.  Difference is, he likes to flirt with guys.  So hard to keep his hands down."
"Hey!  You're ruining my reputation in front of a future candidate!"
"Me?  Future candidate?"
"He's just joking.  Right?"
"Maybe I'm not...Okay, okay!  The truth is, I always go for the weird ones.  Like Touma here.  He's the first guy I know who has blue hair and still remain sexy.  Unlike some blue-haired girl I know..."
"Touma?  Sexy?"
"Of course Seiji!  Never underestimate me."
"Who's sexy?"

They all turned to see whom the voice belonged to.  It was Ryo.  Touma and Haruka just shrugged it off while Seiji had the most interesting kind of faces ever mustered by any human beings he had ever encountered on the face of the earth.

"Nothing Ryo.  Nothing at all..."
"Oh, okay.  Well...What were you all talking about then?"

The three of them looked at each other and finally silent agreement had been reiterated between the three.  Ryo must not know what had happened.  He might suffer massive hyperventilation after hearing the weird conversation the three of them had gone through.

"Nothing."

The three of them replied.  Ryo stared at them for a moment and finally shrugged too.  Must be a secret of some sort.  Or else they would have told him.  The others began to fill the room as they had finally get they're breathing right.  Time to face the music.  In this case, time to face the *happy* couples.

"Uh...So...What are you going to do now Touma?"

Nasuti countered, trying to look calm.  It's hard though.  Haruka is *really* handsome!  She could not help but ogled at him.  He smiled a smile akin to a smile of a movie star.  Yup, very attractive!

"Dunno Nasuti.  I was hoping you could let Haruka stay here with me.  I mean I can't bear being apart from him and well...Please Nasuti!  Please let him stay?  I'll do anything just so you can let him stay."

Touma blatantly begged her.  This is her house.  It's all up to her now.  The other's looked at her, anticipating her answer.  Will she or will she not let this Haruka guy stay or kick both Touma and his boyfriend out of the house?

"Er...Gee...I don't know what to say Touma..."
"Please say yes!  *Please*?"
"I don't know Touma.  I mean what about the guys?"

She looked at the others.  She certainly wouldn't want to be in this situation alone.  'If I go down, you all will come with me too!'  She telegraphed each and every one of the other four guys.  Shin looked guilty, Shuu looked undecided, and Ryo looked worried while Seiji just shrugged.

"Up to you Nasuti.  I mean this *is* your house.  We have nothing to say about all this."

Seiji answered her, ignoring her surprised look and saving his friends from making the big decision.  Touma looked at her with the saddest, sappiest, droopiest eyes that Nasuti had ever seen.  Who could refuse that puppy-eye look?  Especially by Touma?

"Okay, okay!  He can stay, he can stay.  One thing I want to know though.  How old are you?"
"My age?  23 years old."
"23?  University student or working?"
"Er...both."
"Both?"
"Nasuti!  Why do you sound like my Mom?"
"You mean you brought him to your Mom already?"
"Yup!  And she's okay with it."
"Well, if you want me to let him stay here, you have to let me ask him so as to make things less complicated."
"Meaning if I'm working you could ask for rental fee?"
"Yes!  I mean NO!  I just want to know that's all.  Hehehe..."

Haruka grinned; he understood what she meant.  If it were he, he would do the same thing too.

"Don't worry er...Nasuti?  I'll pay for my staying here just so I could be near my Touma honey."
"Good!  Er...Honey?"
"Touma's pet name."
"How did you know that Seiji?"
"Please don't ask."

Touma snickered as he looked at Seiji's face.  If the guys knew what they were talking about...Heh, they'll freaked out!

"So...How much am I supposed to pay so I could stay here?"
"Er...This was all kind of sudden and... Well...I need to know what's your job first."
"Okay, I'm a racer."
"A what?"
"A racer.  A professional racer.  A professional Formula-One racer for the Ferrarri-McLaren Team in Italy."

The others stared dumbly at Haruka.  A racer?  Whoa!  Kewl!

"You mean you drive fast cars and get surrounded by busty women and get lots of money and everything but still get attracted to skinny Touma here?"
"Yes."
"SHUU!!!"
"Kewl!"
"Wow!"
"Amazing!"
"Whoa!"
"A racer?  In Italy?  Cool!  Okay, now that's settled, that would be 25 000 yen a month.  Pay in cash, no credits."
"WHAT?"
"It's okay honey.  It's just a small sum."
"You are just so cool love."
"Anything to be near to my Touma honey."
"Oh love!  That is *so* sweet!"

They both execute the most open French kiss ever seen by all the occupants of the house.

"Er...Nasuti, you sure you want them here?  I mean...Well, look!"
"Ryo, I know what I'm doing okay.  Besides, they *are* lovers.  This is normal."
"Normal to them.  *Not* to us!"
"Ryo's right Nasuti.  I mean I'm not up to see them do that in front of me *every* day you know.  I might lose my appetite every time they do that!"
"Yeah and I'm not really comfortable about all this too you know."
"*I* should be the one complaining about all this!  Touma's my best friend *and* roommate.  Where am I going to sleep tonight?  I'm the victim here!"
"Oh yeah.  We grieve for you man."
"SHUU!!!"

The others whispered to each other while giving a wary look at the two *lovers* who are still engaged in that kiss of theirs.  Meanwhile, the two er...Lovers were also having a little discussion of their own, telepathically...

~God Touma!  I *don't* flirt with guys!  I *only* flirt with girls!~
~Ara?  I need to say something right?  That's the first thing that came in mind.~
~*Ara*?  You're beginning to sound like Michiru.~
~Are you two still together?~
~For the time being, I'm engaged to kissing my cousin and pretending to be his gay lover when the true fact is I'd rather be kissing a woman who happens to *not* be my cousin.  But to answer your question...Yeah, we're still together.~
~Took you long enough.~
~Just shut the fuck up will ya!~

They broke the kiss and smiled an exaggerated smile at each other while the others quickly stop having their conference. The former two stared dumbly at the latter five who also did likewise.  Finally, Shin took the initiative to ask some questions, just so he could break the stony ice that silence had made.

"Er...So...Where are you two going to er...Sleep?"
"Yeah Honey.  Where are we going to sleep?"
"Well...This'd be kinda hard..."

He trailed as he looked at Seiji.  The blond looked at him back.  Uncomprehending.

"Come on Seiji!  I mean, me and Haruka need our own space you know!"
"Then where the Hell am I going to sleep tonight?"
"Er...Nasuti's place?"

That answer had earned Touma a barraged of punches from Nasuti and...Hehehe...Ryo.

"I don't care Touma!  That's my room too you know!  I'm not budging!"
"Then where are we going to sleep tonight?  Nasuti?"
"What?  Don't look at me like that Touma.  I have nothing to say about this."
"What about you three share a room?"
"NO!!!"
"Shin, think logically for a while.  Would you want to share a room with a couple such as they?"

Seiji pointed towards Touma and Haruka, who looked innocently back at him.

"Er...No?"
"*Exactly*!"
"What!  You think you're the only one here who has a reason?  Haruka and me can sometimes get kinda...Er...You know!  We're the ones that *really* need the room!"

Haruka tried her very best not to hit her cousin on the head.  Lame.  Really, truly lame.  She could have done even better than that!

"Like I said earlier Touma, *I don't care*!  Why don't you two take the guest room."
"The guest room!  What do you think we are?  *Guests*!"
"Can I give a suggestion?"

They all looked at Shuu.  Dumbstruck.  Well...All except for Haruka that is.

"What is it Shuu?  It better be good."
"Jeez guys!  It is just *so* easy!  Why don't you two move into Jun's room?  I mean, the kid no longer stays here since he found his parents and the room *is* vacant.  That way, you all don't have to argue about who should have the room."

Again, they were awestruck.  This is *Shuu Rei Fuan*?  Amazing!  Truly amazing!

"Great Scott!  You have just redeemed yourself Shuu!"
"Yeah!  I'll never ridicule you again my friend!
"Never thought...Never thought..."
"That was a good one Shuu!"
"Good?  That was *the* best idea I've ever heard!"
"Am I missing something here?"
 

To be ever so woefully continued...

Wonder who the Hell is this particular target?  Should I or should I not tell?  Nah...I'm being mean.  No tell!  Anyway, please tell me how bad or...er...well is it though.  I hunger for your response dear readers!  Yeesh!  I sounded corny!  Anyway, I'm waiting for anything from you all.  Criticism or flames, ideas or anything at all!

CleoG.