The man who stood in the doorway was around 5,8 and was resting his back against the door frame. His body was rather lean, a tight black set of sportswear, a shirt and trunks that upon closer inspection showed well-worked muscles, especially in the lower areas of his body, the abdominals and his currently present bare flesh displayed the muscles that composed of the legs. These especially were arduously trained and anyone could tell that with just a glance. His choice of footwear was a pair of black rubber boots with a single yellow stripe on each that starts at the front and rides up the middle. Continuing the black trend his face had a mask covering the lower half, with white fangs drawn on it, resembling the jaws of a hound. Finally, Yugai’s eye met a ruby red pair glaring at him with crackling coldness. There was a hardness to them and overall they are quite narrow adding to the pressure they exert, to top it off a vertical cut scar hung over the right eye. His hair was fair long held up spiky though a fair bit of it fell down the right side of his face and just like the rest of his style it was raven black.

“You look like a ninja.” The words fell out of Yugai’s head without thought. It only takes a second for those cold red eyes to sharpen into spears forged from the fires of contempt. The man took two large steps that rumbled the earth and stopped directly in front of Yugai, standing about an inch taller but there was enough difference for Kentarou to bore into the younger and shorter man’s skull with just a flash of his face. Even with the mask obscuring his facial expressions, everyone in the room could see from the glare in his eyes that he was scowling with his fangs under the blanket of shadow. It would be obvious to anyone who saw him at that moment.

“Lesson one.” The air is torn to shreds. A heavy and thick black boot with laces landed on Yugai’s left shoulder, a mere hair’s breadth away from his neck before he could even blink. “Don’t, ever, and I mean, ever, call me that again.” The younger man nodded, not showing fear but understanding. It took Kentarou aback for a moment and he lets out a “tch” with his teeth before he drew back his leg and lowered it to rest again. “That kick was faster than Raimon’s jabs. That’s incredible.” Yugai’s face and body did not show it but he had been filled with excitement from watching the threat bring its blade fraught with danger to him. A need to challenge began to spread seeds in his heart, waiting to bloom into battle.

“Urgh. Just my luck.” Kentarou turned around and sighed. “Actually, no, you’re less of a pain than the others. It’ll just take a while for me to get used to your style of antics. Fen, you got those stains out of my clothes yet?” The beautician sighed and headed through another door on the opposite side and came back with a jacket and trousers made of light blue denim, it’s still dark and wet with water. “Why can’t you just ask Aramis or my brother to take the stains out? Why do you always have to be stubborn!” Kentarou’s eye flashed again with annoyance but then softened with an apology. “...I can’t. My pride stops me every time. I know I’m a nuisance like this, and I’m sorry for the inconvenience. I’ll make it up to you later.” Fen groaned and handed the slightly dripping pile into his arms.

His cold stare suddenly came alive with a flicker of flame. The room began to heat up gradually, his gaze practically bore a hole into the clothes he held in his arms. Something travelled from his boot, then up the length of his right leg and then his torso, until it rested on his left shoulder. It was a small coal-black lizard with prominent paint like red spots across its body, though it had a relatively long tail that bore no spots at all. It opened its eyes and revealed two large fluorescent green spheres that locked onto Yugai. It opened its jaws to speak and let out a calm and dignified voice that was pleasant to the ears. “You are Yugai? Hakuro’s new Disciple… hm. Interesting. I didn’t think he’d take someone like you under his wings. I am Salamandra, Juro’s Mystic. It’s very nice to make your acquaintance. He is a bit rough at first, but under all that black armour he’s a real softie.” The hot glare smoulders over to the talkative salamander, one of anger that had been tempered over many years, and was resisted with a similar tolerance. The green eyes closed as if the creature, having said its piece, decided to sleep.

“Uh, thank you! It’s a pleasure to meet you! I’m Izumi Yugai!” A courteous bow was the quickfire response. A bead of sweat dropped off everyone’s brows. Yugai’s eyes darted to the pile of clothes. The dripping had stopped. Their colour was now completely bright from top to bottom, not a single hint of water remained. It had dried in mere seconds and as it did, Kentarou’s eyes relaxed and glimmered with a touch of gentleness. “By the way, you just called him Juro, I thought his name was Kentarou?” The man in question sighed in disgust as an amused giggle came from a couch. “Oh? Hunny? You don’t even know about that and you’re joining us? Hosts usually have an alias when working. Giving out your real name in a nightlife business can be quite dangerous you know. So, what usually happens with hosts such as ourselves, we make a new name, usually as a reference to an anime. So, Hibari isn’t my real name. It’s Kazama Kohaku, but while we’re out here, remember to use our stage names. Isn’t it cool though? It makes us feel like rock stars! By the by, Juro he is ranked second among us.”

Yugai blinked twice before his lips twisted up into a wide and innocent smile brimming and overflowing with joy. “Oh, so his name is Juro… Yeah! It is cool! Rockstars! I’m a rockstar! I should think up a cool name! A nice reference that also captures who I am. Hm…” Kentarou’s eyes filled up with disgust and Hibari continued her giggling while Fen looked tired of it all. “Hmmmmmmmmm!” Yugai was thinking very hard but he couldn’t decide, there are plenty of amazing namesakes he could model himself after, but then it struck him like a bolt from the blue. “Are you a scorpion?” The words of Raimon Vivas when they fought. “Oh. He meant this.” Yugai conjured the silver talon over his left index finger, it had only been a day but it was now coming to him naturally. “Yeah. I guess this does make me like him. He’s got some good taste. Alright! My name as a host will be Milo!” He pointed his outstretched finger to the lights above which bounced off the sharp metal like the rays of the sun. Hibari applauded with a smile and Kentarou rolled his eyes.

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“Oh, Kentarou! What’s your name from there’s a ton of Kentarous!” Kentarou started to get himself dressed in his newly dry clothes, first he put on his jeans on top of his black shorts, and then threw the denim jacket on but did not put in place the large golden buttons on the right side, leaving it open and thus still exposed the tight black shirt that helped show off his body. “...I don’t tell people what it’s from until I trust them. It’s also embarrassing if they put two and two together too quickly. Let’s leave it at that. If you earn my respect, I’ll tell you.” For once, his voice seemed not to have any animosity. “Okay! I’ll wait!” Yugai’s eye beamed with confidence and anticipation. Kentarou’s eyes made a fast look of dismay. “Gah, you’re like a puppy or a kitten! Dammit!” He seemed embarrassed all of a sudden and forced himself to look away. “Oh! That’s quite a compliment coming from him. Kentarou has a big soft spot for animals.” Hibari’s voice chimed in. She was enjoying this scene quite a bit. “Oh shut up you cockatoo! C’mon! Follow me already, I don’t have all day!” With that Kentarou stormed out of the room while Yugai followed him with a blissful expression of joy. “It’s nice to hear people like me!” Fen coughed red at that. Yes, a puppy indeed.

Kentarou marched forward trying not to look behind him. He was losing his cool, the hyperactive Yugai was breaking his usual rigid demeanour rather easily. It wasn’t hard to shield up against women but for a grown man to be acting this way caught him off-guard. He stopped in front of an elevator and pulled out a red key card and tapped it against an IC reader. The doors of the lift opened with a calming ding and revealed a golden interior. “Wow!” Yugai’s eye shined at the sight. Kentarou let out a heavy sigh as he realised that the boy will act this way to everything and he would have to put up with it. He stepped into it followed by his new apprentice. The elevator seemed to have no buttons besides a large white one with G written in ruby red.

Yugai tilted his head in confusion and Kentarou decided to squash the curiosity before it could leap out of his mouth. “The elevator goes to a room depending on the keycard you use. The top four hosts have personalised chambers to have more private sessions with VIP clientele. So there’s no need to have any buttons besides the ground floor one, which is technically just the main hall since the actual ground floor would be the aquarium.” The elevator descended as they talked. “Wait, the top four? So it’s kind of like you guys are the Four Heavenly Kings!” Kentarou could only grimace as the phrase hit his eardrums. “It’s so overplayed to use that… but Kyouma made it our moniker anyway and everyone started using it. Guh.” Calming music played a merry tune. Kentarou inhales as he finds more words to silence his energetic partner.

“I’m also going to cut off the next question that you’ll have when this elevator stops. Yes. It’s bigger on the inside than on the outside. It’s magic.” The lift stops the doors open with a ding and revealed a room filled with red and golden colours decorating a gigantic floor that stretched on as far as he could see. Kentarou walked out and breathed in relief. To him, this place was close to a home away from home even if he used it for work. Red couches with golden rests adorned the space. Black tables filled the space between them. There were even several fridges by them and a few stacked bookshelves in each corner. He saw that there were several boomboxes and karaoke machines to the east as well. “Oh, though I will have parties here on a rare occasion, which is why I have so many seats. The floor was made of mostly white mosaic mixed with calming blue. Yugai cautiously advanced as he looked at this one room that seemed to be bigger than the whole building outside. His heart began to pound like a child visiting Disneyland for the first time. There was literal magic in this place, in the walls, the floor, and the air.

“I’ve been waiting for you. It took you over two hours to get ready. True warriors need not fawn over their appearances so much, but I guess in your case it cannot be helped. I’ll consider it a personal challenge.” Hakuro walked casually towards his Disciple and then with one bounce fell on Yugai’s right shoulder and took his usual spot for himself yet again. “Salamandra, I’ve heard good things about you.” The lizard opened its eyes again to greet the cat. “Likewise. I’m honoured to be in your presence.” The head of the salamander lowers to submit honour to his fellow Mystic. “I’m surprised. Fire Form Mystics such as yourself are usually a lot more aggressive or flamboyant. You’re nothing like that darned bird.” A burst of wheezing laughter comes from the lizard. “I’ll take that as a compliment. He is a troublesome one even by our standards, that I will agree upon, but please do not tell him that.” The cat closed its eyes, raised its front right paw and licked it twice before lowing it back down. “I will not. I’d rather not see the fool again if I can help it but knowing fate, he cannot be avoided. Okay then, it’s time for your pupil to teach mine.”

Yugai slammed his right fist into his chest. “Alright! Make me a man’s man! Oh, wait, uh a ladies man! A playboy ladykiller! I’m up for any challenge!” Kentarou exhaled in disbelief again but mustered the strength to respond seriously. “Alright. Lesson one. Make sure the girl gets a horrible first impression of you.” Yugai stumbled back and his eye shut open and closed rapidly like the shutter of a camera belonging to an excited amateur photographer. “You heard me. When you study under me, you copy my style. This is how I do things. Keep up, newbie.” There it was. A smile in his eyes. It was his turn to have some fun.