Work Text:
NG studios stood as a beacon in the dense urban forest that was Tokyo. Aside from being the gleaming symbol of its namesake’s success, the tower represented a musical monopoly that had swept across Japan, not unlike a tsunami, over the past 12 years. The president, Tohma Seguchi, was well known for his ruthless and outright cut-throat way of doing business, becoming a mogul of success that many hard working employees of NG aspired to live up to. The president, Tohma Seguchi, was currently sitting in his office, a place where business was done, having a staring contest with his most valued asset’s plush bunny.
“Tohma is noooo fun~” The rabbit whined, flopping back and forth with each syllable, it’s vacant expression seeming to adopt an air of spoilt indignance.
“It doesn’t really matter what you think. When I say no, it means no-” The keyboardist paused, looking over the rabbit, to its owner “-And that goes for both of you.” His tone was curt, leaving no room for argument.
Ryuuichi Sakuma let out a long groan, placing Kumagoro on the couch beside him and slouched low in his seat. “Why not though? It’s not like it’d be hurting anybody.” The idol crossed his arms over his chest and let out a short huff, his gaze landing on a potted plant by the large mahogany doors to his friend’s office.
Tohma rolled his eyes at the singer’s antics. Years of working together had made him, for the most part, immune to Ryuuichi’s petty outbursts. Having been exposed to stardom at such a young age, it wasn’t a surprise that the lifestyle had all but spoiled him. “Pouting until you get your way won’t work on me Ryuuichi. You may have needled your way into that boy’s life, but that doesn’t mean Mika hasn’t taken notice.” He raised a finger, cutting off the singer with a flippant gesture “-And don't try to convince me those motives were at all innocent. I’ve known you long enough.” He narrowed his eyes, a curt frown forming on his usual smiling face. “Ryuuichi Sakuma doesn't play with toys he intends to share.” Tohma Seguchi’s eyes glinted menacingly, almost as if daring the singer to object.
Ryu shook his head, pulling at one of Kumagoro’s ears thoughtfully. He jiggled his foot, and anxious habit he seemed to have picked up over the last few years- Tohma assumed- due to the stresses of being one of Japan’s most popular idols. “Calling him a ‘toy’ is a pretty callous way to put it Tohma. What makes you think my intentions are so superficial.” The singer raised his eyes, meeting Tohma, a challenge the keyboardist didn’t hesitate to meet.
Tohma snorted. “I’ve never known to to act any other way Ryu, why would this be different?” He laced his fingers together, crossing his legs, and leaning back into the plush leather of his chair. “Besides, you and I both know that what Mika says goes.” He looked away, gazing out the floor length window beside the pair, at Tokyo’s dense metropolis. “She calls the shots in regards to that family, and she says ‘No.’”
Ryuuichi scowled. “So he doesn't get a say in this?”
Tohma’s stern scrutiny returned to Ryuichi. “No.” The two stared each other down, seconds ticking by as blue bore into brown. A moment of silence passed, casting the large office in an air of tension.
“Fine.” The singer stood up, grabbing his rabbit by the ear and pushing on the heavy wooden door. He paused, his palm resting on the cool wood, “But Tohma, you can tell Mika that I don’t have to play by her rules.” He looked back over his shoulder at his friend. “I only asked you first to be nice.” A sly grin crossed his features before being masked by Ryuuichi’s typical superficial smile “I always get what I want. You know that, silly!” He held the rabbit up, making it nod excessively before giving Tohma’s door a hard push, letting it swing aimlessly as he left.
Tohma sighed, swiveling his chair around to look out over the city below. “Trust me, it’s better for both of you if you stay out of this.” He pulled a flip phone out of his jacket pocket, opened it and selected a contact. “I spoke to him.” Hitting send, Tohma massaged his temples, he didn’t like getting in the middle of situations like this, but his hands were tied wherever Mika was concerned. Although he knew prompting Ryuuichi to back off would only spur him further, he had promised his wife that NG’s affiliations would stay out of her family’s life. As much as Tohma hated to admit it, his company had had a hand in more than a few of the Uesugi’s unfortunate incidents. The phone buzzed to life in his palm.
“Good. There are far more important things for him to focus on at the moment. I don’t want my little brother getting distracted by juvenile fantasies. He wastes enough time on this obsession as it is.”
Mika’s words were clear and concise. Tohma understood her concern, Tatsuha in no way had ever tried to hide his blatant obsession with Ryuuichi. He knew any kind of reciprocation would lead to disastrous results. Tatsuha was far to young, and Ryuuichi was far too… Ryu. Tohma sighed, typing out one last message before returning to his work. “What happens now is out of my hands, my love.”
His phone buzzed quickly in response. “I know. I love you Tohma, thank you.”
A rare, genuine, smile flickered across the keyboardist’s features as he read the brief message. He shut the phone, pocketing it carefully before grabbing a stack of files off of the top of his desk, it was going to be a long night.
-
Music blared through a pair of wired headphones, the foam protectors doing nothing to inhibit the sound from leaking out and playing faintly throughout the small room.
Hone the lips
That were made to deceive
Nonsensical theories gather again
In a foolish predilection
I'm at my wits' end
Rescue me quickly-
Tatsuha Uesugi sat at his desk, foot tapping absently to the beat as he stared absently at some unfinished equations, hand resting against his cheek, mind elsewhere.
Can't get enough In the beautiful midnight
Don't let me down I continue running
One more night Who's the one that can't escape?
I don't want to know that truth-
“TATSUHA!” All of a sudden, the teen’s headphones were yanked off roughly, breaking Tatsuha’s decidedly counterproductive concentration.
“Owwww, what the heck what do you want?” Tatsuha rubbed his ear dramatically, eyes landing on his father as he rolled his chair around to find the source of his interruption.
His father scowled down at him, hans on his hips, gripping his headphones tightly. “I told you, no music. You’re studying for Final Examinations, now is not the time to be distracted.”
Tatsuha let out a long groan, leaning back in his chair and swivelling from side to side dramatically. “I told you beforrreee, I study better when I’m listening to music.” He lied, sitting up and making a fruitless grab for his headphones.
His father took a step back, frown deepening impossibly. “You have yet to prove that to me.” He pocketed the set. “You can have this back once Finals are over.”
Letting out an exasperated cry, Tatsuha spun his chair in a full circle. “Awe come onnn, I’m doing my homework it’s right here!!” He waved vaguely to the pile of papers on his desk, scattered in an unorganized heap.
“My youngest son thinks he can shirk his responsibility to listen to mindless pop music all day.” Mr. Uesugi lamented. “When will you forget this foolish obsession?” He gestured to Tatsuha’s walls, plastered high with Nittle Grasper posters and fan paraphernalia, the majority of which were solo pictures of Ryuuichi Sakuma.
“Nittle Grasper isn’t mindless!” Tatsuha retorted hotly, a scowl setting itself onto the teen’s face. “Their music is deep and emotional! How could you say that?” He gestured wildly around his room. “What makes you think their music is pointless? Have you even met Sakuma-san?”
His father’s face grew stony at Tatsuha’s rebuttal, his brief meeting with the childish singer echoing faintly in his memory. “Yes Tatsuha. Yes I have, and that is exactly why.” Tatsuha’s baffled expression was all he saw before closing the door with finality and leaving to finish his duties throughout the temple.
Gaping at his doorway, the teen stared, baffled by his father’s hasty exit. It shouldn't be a surprise, Tatsuha reasoned, that his father had met Ryuuichi at some point. Tohma Seguchi was, after all, married to his sister, although he hadn’t ever seen the Idol at the temple himself, he had always wondered if the two had crossed paths. Aside from their brief, and rather strange, visit to the zoo, Tatsuha hadn’t even seen Ryuuichi at bigger gatherings between the two families. Much to his dismay, his idol had all but actively avoided him since the start of Tohma’s union to Mika. Tatsuha let out another dramatic moan, sliding off of his chair and onto the cool floor of his bedroom. Now he didn’t even have Nittle Grasper’s music to help him through his final exam period. “How am I supposed to study nowwww?” He asked the frozen faces of the band plastered around his room. None of them responded, obviously. After a terse moment of silence for the confiscated headphones, Tatsuha picked himself up off the floor and returned to his workspace. It would be okay, he reasoned with himself. Just one more week of this and then he’d be free to spend his time however he wanted.
He just had to get through finals.