Balance: Chapter 31 Final

filmstrip-geraltKouta and Ryuu attend the premiere of Ryuu’s second film in Balance, Chapter 31, which is the final chapter of this story. Here’s an excerpt:

Kouta left the car first and then motioned to Ryuu. After taking a deep breath, Ryuu stepped out too. The already excited crowd became even louder. Kouta could feel Ryuu start to shrink away from the depth of the reaction. While Ryuu’s first movie had done well, its initial release hadn’t received the same attention. Ryuu looked at Kouta for support.

Thank you so much for reading!  I’ll be preparing this story for publication…

Balance: Chapter 29

Kouta and Ryuu share some salacious details about their past, in Balance, Chapter 29. Here’s a bit:

Ryuu pushed another pillow behind his head, as he stared off into space. Kouta became further intrigued. He wanted to know more about what was causing the expression on his lover’s face. Ryuu had a wide grin on his face, like he was reliving an extremely pleasant memory.

Balance: Chapter 27

Kouta and Ryuu wrestle with the increased media attention to their relationship in Balance, Chapter 27.  Here’s a bit:

They had stayed up late, arguing about some recent trouble with the tabloids. Well, Ryuu had considered it trouble; Kouta hadn’t. Ryuu continued to be more private, especially since he believed their relationship wasn’t widely accepted. Kouta, on the other hand, had stopped caring as much about those circumstances and sometimes liked to push boundaries. Two days ago, he’d kissed Ryuu while they were in public. They’d been returning from a movie and Ryuu had made a joke that had caused Kouta to laugh. Enamored by the charming expression on his lover’s face, Kouta hadn’t thought twice about pressing his mouth to Ryuu’s. Pictures of the moment had appeared in the entertainment news the following day.

Balance: Chapter 26

Kouta and Ryuu deal with the aftermath of meeting Alexis, Greg and Natasha in person in Balance, Chapter 26.  Here’s a bit:

Kouta stirred in the tortellini, as he thought about how to broach his next question. He was ambivalent, wondering if he should leave the day’s interactions alone for the time being. Ryuu had sounded overall pleased about what had happened and optimistic about what the future held. However, Kouta knew him well enough to see that some insecurities remained.

Balance: Chapter 24

Kouta begins to feel optimistic about rekindling his relationship with Ryuu in Balance, Chapter 24.  Here’s a bit:

Kouta smiled as he hung up the phone. He was waiting for Ryuu at their home. Ryuu had just called and told him that he was only a few minutes away. Kouta had heard his excitement through the phone. He’d eagerly been anticipating Ryuu’s arrival, as he nervously moved around the house, unsure what to do with all of his energy. He felt they were on the verge of a stronger relationship.

Balance: Chapter 23

Kouta reaches out to Ryuu again. However, he remains unsure how far he wants to go in Balance, Chapter 23. Here’s a bit:

After cleaning up the mess, they made sure that the pets were properly fed. When the immediate reason for Ryuu’s return was out of the way, Kouta shifted nervously from leg to leg. He didn’t know what to say. He went to the living room and settled on the couch. Ryuu followed, sitting across from him in an armchair. Kouta tapped a nervous rhythm on the arm of the couch, trying to get his thoughts together.

Balance: Chapter 22

Kouta and Ryuu have a brief encounter, which is a precursor to more, in Balance, Chapter 22.  Here’s a portion:

They ordered their food, having a quiet conversation about the weather, work, about everything but the most important issue. Often, Kouta locked eyes with Ryuu and so much raced through his mind. There were many things he wanted to say. He sensed Ryuu was feeling the same. This wasn’t the time or place. Yet that didn’t matter to Kouta. Right now, despite his confusion about our situation, being in Ryuu’s presence was enough.

Balance: Chapter 21

Kouta’s temper causes him to do something he regrets in Balance, Chapter 21. Here’s a portion:

As much as Kouta was looking forward to seeing Ryuu, he ended up being in a foul mood when he went to his lover. He had argued with Yosuke, since he’d been three weeks late in providing lyrics for several songs. His focus hadn’t been the same as usual and Yosuke had strongly reprimanded him. Kouta knew he’d been preoccupied over Ryuu’s situation with Alexis. However, he didn’t want to explain that to Yosuke. As his manager had demanded answers, Kouta had opted stubbornly to keep quiet. Unused to that amount of belligerence from Kouta, Yosuke had speculated that there was an issue involving Ryuu. After over a decade of managing Kouta, Yosuke could figure out what circumstances affected him the most. He’d told Kouta that he should stop having a private life if it was so difficult to control. Livid over the comment, Kouta had left Yosuke’s office, slamming his door.

Balance: Chapter 20

Kouta and Ryuu take their activities outside the house, in Balance, Chapter 20. Here’s a snippet:

Kouta bit his lip to keep from laughing at the circumstances. He didn’t know why Ryuu wouldn’t admit who was with him. Maybe he thought his employee would automatically guess why they were behind a locked door. It was too tempting not to exploit the situation.

Balance: Chapter 19

Balance, Chapter 19 is the calm before a major storm.  Here’s a snippet:

The object of Ryuu’s affection laughed and shook his head. Ryuu had returned home from the grocery store. He didn’t yet know Kouta was on the phone. At the moment he’d announced his sexual intentions, his mother was giving Kouta tips on making tortellini, one of Ryuu’s favorite dishes. Kouta had put on the speakerphone function, so his hands could be free, as he prepared the food and chatted with Mrs. Kobayashi. An unexpected outcome was Ryuu’s salacious request being broadcasted.