A/N: This is a one-shot from the 'Transformation of a White Tiger' universe. You might not understand the changes in timeline unless you have read the epilogue. I deliberately left Ryu and Hayato's relationship open all the way to the end of 'Transformation of a White Tiger'; because I'm not sure if everyone will be happy with the ending I have in store for them. Anyway, to all you curious kitties, enjoy the story!

Warning: Implied YAOI (Ryu/Hayato)

Ryu shuffled nervously as he stood outside Hayato's apartment. He felt totally ridiculous about his current state of appearance.

A week after his talk with Ren, he had, indeed went back to ask his mentor about how to approach his best friend. And the resulting advice he got was… this.

He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

Hayato had just finished cleaning up his storage closet when he heard a loud knock. 'Who is it?' He wondered.

He opened the door and was absolutely, jaw-droppingly and breathtakingly floored. The Prince was standing outside his door – groomed hair, white suit, sparkling nails and all.

"Hey, my name's Ryu. What's yours?"

Hayato just stared at him in shocked stupor.

Ryu crossed his fingers and prayed that Ren actually knew what he was doing when he gave Ryu this advice; and stepped forward to kiss Hayato.

The feeling of the Prince's warm lips pressed against his own felt like a fairy tale coming to life for Hayato. He figured that if he was dreaming, he might as well take the opportunity to satisfy his curiosity. He did something that he had always wanted to do since he was six. He raised his hand to touch the sleek golden brown hair on the Prince's head. It was as soft and fine as he had imagined it to be.

"Are you real?" He asked dumbly. It was like his brain had reverted to the same age as when he first met the Prince.

The Prince smiled at him. "I think so."

That was all the convincing Hayato needed. He immediately pulled Ryu in and shut the door; kissing him passionately against the back of the door.

Ryu responded willingly; marvelling in Hayato's reaction and mentally sending his mentor a thank you card. Slowly, he steered Hayato towards the couch. Hayato pulled Ryu on top of him without breaking the kiss.

They made out for over an hour like a pair of pre-puberty teenagers, but neither man seemed to mind. For the first time in their lives, both of them felt like they were perfectly whole. The moment their lips met, the whole world had ceased to exist altogether. All that mattered was that they were with each other.

Finally running out of breath, their lips broke apart; although they still held each other in a tight embrace.

"My Prince." Hayato murmured, tracing his fingers along Ryu's face.

Ryu gazed at him contemplatively. "Why do you call me that?" He asked.

"Why did you come dressed like that, then?" Hayato asked in confusion. 'Have I misunderstood the situation?' A stab of panic coursed through him.

"Ren asked me to." Ryu replied.

Hayato snorted but relaxed a little on the inside. He had not misunderstood Ryu's intention then. 'I should have known. That sly shrewd!'

"Do you remember what you said when I opened the door?" Hayato asked hopefully.

This time, Ryu smiled. "It was the same thing I said to you on the playground 20 years ago."

Hayato was overjoyed that Ryu still remembered. "Do you remember what you were wearing then?"

Ryu shook his head. "Of course not. I remember what you were wearing, though. And I must say your look today is very similar to what you were wearing that day."

Hayato looked down at the old t-shirt and shorts that he had put on for cleaning purposes. Some of the dirt from the storage closet had stuck to his clothes as well. He did resemble the dirty ragamuffin that he was when they first met. He smiled. "I don't remember what I was wearing that day either; but you were wearing the exact same thing you are wearing now." He reached out to caress the snowy white lapels on Ryu's jacket. "You looked like a prince then – you still do." He amended.

Ryu scoffed softly. "Me? A prince? Does this make you my fair princess then?" He teased gently.

Hayato nuzzled Ryu's white suit dreamily. "I knew that someday my prince will come." He joked back; and then let loose an admiring sigh. "You're so beautiful, Ryu."

Ryu raised an eyebrow. "Have you seen yourself in the mirror, Hayato? You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen; even back when I first laid eyes on you on the playground. The way you were running around was so pure and carefree; I thought that you were a little woodland sprite." He smiled. "A very dirty but beautiful sprite." He wiped a patch of grime off Hayato's face.

Hayato returned the smile happily. It felt so surreal, being here like this with Ryu. It was his deepest, innermost, most sacred dream coming true. "Is this what I think it is, Ryu?"

"It depends. Do you want it to be what you think it is, Hayato?"

"I've never wanted anything so bad in my entire life."

"I'm going to take a leaf out of my very wise mentor's book and say – all you ever need to do is ask, Hayato."

"Mmm. Your mentor does have a good book, Ryu. I especially like the page with the white suit on it."

"I'm glad you approve, Hayato. I like the book too." Ryu ran his fingers through Hayato's hair. "Life has a way of coming one full circle, doesn't it?" He commented after a while.

"Hmm." Hayato nodded in agreement. "But it's a circle that I am exceptionally thankful for."

"I know we haven't even gone on our first date, but I think I love you already, Yabuki Hayato."

"I hope you make up your mind soon, Odagiri Ryu; because you're already 20 years behind."

"I've decided to run for the next election." Ryu announced.

Hayato nodded. He already had a feeling that Ryu would make that decision. "That's great, Ryu. I'll vote for you." He gave a brief grin and a thumbs-up.

Ryu sat down beside Hayato on the bed. "You know what this means, don't you?"

Hayato gave a sad smile as he rested his head against Ryu's. "I know."

"Will you still stand by me, even if no one in the world can know? Not even our family and friends, except for a trusted few?"

Hayato heaved a sigh and turned Ryu's head so that he could look straight into his eyes. "Odagiri Ryu, ever since that time I found out that I had mistakenly cast you out of my life; I swore to myself that I will forever, ever, ever stand by your side. And I always will, Ryu; even if you have to marry a trophy wife and have two kids and a dog."

Ryu smiled and kissed him. "Let's not go that far. Maybe a fling here and there to keep the rumours at bay; but never a wife, Hayato. Not for as long as you will have me, I promise."

Hayato smirked. "Then you'll never marry, Ryu-chan."

"So be it, Hayato-kun."

"Ryu-baby, you said he's your high school friend? That means both of you are the same age, right?" Ryu's date batted her eyelashes at him nauseatingly.

They were attending Tsucchi's wedding. Ryu had decided that it was time for another 'love interest sighting' for the paparazzi. He was certain that at least one of Tsucchi's colleagues from the news station would report the 'sighting'. "Yes, dear. We're of the same age."

"And you're not eager to get married anytime soon, Ryu-baby?"

"Perhaps soon, dear. Perhaps soon." Ryu replied noncommittally.

"Oh, isn't that the new Most Eligible Bachelor?" His date squealed in excitement.

Ryu felt his heart rejoice as well. "Hayato." He greeted distantly, subtly checking out the busty blond hanging on Hayato's arm. Oh, how he would love to pry that bitch's gold-digging fingers off his little sprite's arm!

"Ryu." Hayato replied with equal politeness.

"Dear," Ryu addressed his date. He had forgotten her name 5 minutes after she told him. "This is CFO Yabuki Hayato. He was my best friend in high school."

"Nice to meet you, Yabuki-san. I'm Mei." She simpered in a sickly sweet tone. "I have heard so much about you."

Ryu and Hayato exchanged a look. Hayato smiled at her warmly. "Nice to meet you too. You mean from Ryu? I'm flattered."

"Ah," She faltered. "No, not from Ryu-baby. But you appear in newspapers and magazines quite a lot, don't you, Yabuki-san?"

'Ryu-baby? Come off it, you little slut. You just met him three days ago!' Hayato gave a vague smile. "Oh, where are my manners? Kayla, this is MP Odagiri Ryu. He's my former classmate. And this is his girlfriend Mei."

"Nice to meet you, MP Odagiri." Hayato's date responded, all the while glaring daggers at Ryu's date; as if to say 'this one is mine, back off!'

Ryu's date ignored her death glares. "Hey, what a coincidence! I think the two of you are wearing matching suits!" She observed. Ryu was wearing a black suit with a striped vest; whereas Hayato was wearing a striped suit with a black vest.

"Really? I haven't noticed." Ryu commented innocently. 'Of course I did. We were wearing the right suits this morning; before we tore it off each other and had the most mind-blowing sex in the history of mankind. We mistakenly put on each other's vest as we got dressed, but decided to leave it as it is. Too bad you'll never know.'

"What can I say?" Hayato grinned. "Great minds think alike, after all. Did you get that vest at Armani too, Ryu?" 'Impossible, all my suits are tailor-made.'

"Ah, yes, I shop there often. Well, I won't keep you, Hayato and Kayla. Have a great time!"

"Thanks, Ryu. And you too, Mei."

Hayato walked through the specially constructed conjoining door that connected Ryu and his apartment units together. To an external observer, however, they were just neighbours who lived next to each other. They even entered and exited their apartments using separate doors and at different times. You never know when the paparazzi might be hiding outside, after all.

Ryu was watching some political commentary on TV. Hayato flopped down on the couch, using Ryu's lap as his pillow.

Ryu reached out to play with Hayato's messy hair. "How was your date?"

"Disastrous. You know what I did?"

"What?"

"I yelled your name when I came."

Ryu snorted. "How did you explain that?"

"I convinced her that I said 'you' in English, and that it's a popular habit that I picked up when I was in America. But because of that, she made me teach her how to speak English for her stupid job interview next week." Hayato rolled his eyes with barely concealed contempt.

Ryu snickered. "You brought it upon yourself. Guess what I did?"

"What?"

"In the heat of the moment, I forgot who I was with; so I stuck a finger into her ass. She slapped me and walked out."

Hayato laughed and kissed his lover's cheek. "At least you were spared sleeping with her."

Ryu agreed. That was always the hardest part; forcing themselves to bed other people when all they wanted was each other. "Mmm. Well, I must say that it left me quite unsatisfied though, CEO Yabuki."

"Mmm, we can't have that now, can we, Senator Odagiri? I must fulfil my duty to the country after all."

"Oh yes. And this time, you can scream my name as many times as you want."

"Don't worry, Senator. You know I will."

"Minister Odagiri." Hayato bowed his head in greeting.

"Yabuki-san. What brings you to Parliament today?"

"I am here as one of the representatives from the Financial Institutions' Association to observe the tabling of the New Economic Plan. It seems that our professional opinions are being sought by Parliament after the recent financial crisis. I must say that I'm looking forward to hear your department's submissions, Minister." Hayato said with a smile. 'That I spent the whole of last night drafting for you, you lazy pig. Next time don't have sex if you can't stay awake afterwards!'

"Ah, I assure you that you would not be disappointed. I have full confidence that they will fit very well into the overarching objectives of the NEP." Ryu replied politely. 'I have full confidence in you, actually; you're a lifesaver.'

"Perhaps you may be so kind to join me for a meal after the tabling session, Minister? I do have a few really good suggestions to run pass you."

"Of course, Yabuki-san. I'm always happy to listen to your suggestions."

"Prime Minister Odagiri, congratulations on your re-election for the third term running."

"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen and members of the press. Indeed, I could not have achieved this without all your support. Of course, I must take this opportunity to extend my sincerest gratitude to my campaign manager, Takuya Reita, along with everyone else on my campaigning team for their tireless effort and admirable team spirit. Not forgetting also a token of appreciation to all my generous sponsors who have chosen to place their faith in me."

"Prime Minister, is it true that Japan's largest conglomerate, the Red Lion Group of Companies, has been the primary sponsor of your campaign ever since your first election as a Member of Parliament?"

"Yes, that is true. Now that you mention it, I do think that CEO Yabuki Hayato deserves a special mention for his invaluable contribution to my cause. Thank you so much, Yabuki-san. I could not have done it without you." 'I hope you're listening, my little sprite.'

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO TOUCH THAT, YOU LITTLE BITCH!"

"Why not, Hayato-darling? You said that it's a family ring. I just wanted to take a look. If you marry me, maybe someday it will be passed on to our son as well." The girl hinted at him shamelessly. "Really, Hayato-darling, isn't it time for you to start thinking about settling down—"

"LEAVE. NOW."

"What, what did I do?!" She asked in bewilderment.

"You touched something I expressly told you not to touch. Now leave."

Hayato sat on the floor with his back against the door after he had slammed it in the bitch's face. There was a glistening tear in his eye as he held the ring up close to read the tiny engraving on its inside.

'The Prince and the Sprite – 3 April 1991 til forever.'

A/N: Slightly bittersweet ending, but I hope you guys like it nonetheless! :) Thanks again for your support throughout this entire 'Transformation' journey!