For a host, the ability to choose your face is a must.

No matter the situation, you are required to read those around you and put on the one face that will endear you to the crowd. Playing the flirty type? Put on a charming smile and give a laugh. Playing the tsundere? Scowl and blush on cue.

Not one part of your body can be read wrong if you want to be anything more than another face in the crowd of pretty boys. The best could feel like tearing their hair out, like they're facing the most annoying clinging woman on the planet, and still pretend you were her one and only.

Koji was the best.

"Are you sure you have to go?" The woman pouted. Her hands clung to Koji's arm, body curled against his side. "It feels like you just got here, Naoki-kun!"

Of course I have to go. You didn't even pay the reservation fee. You just happened to be here when I caught a break between meetings. Plus, you're annoying.

Koji offered a smile he knew would send blood rushing to her cheeks. "I'm sorry. Come again and I'd be happy to entertain you for as long as you'd like."

As long as you actually reserve me.

"Okay," she replied, tone sullen. A heartbeat later she offered a hesitant, doe-eyed smile. "Do you work tomorrow, Naoki-kun?"

"Unfortunately not," he replied with a overly dramatic sigh. "I'll miss all of you ladies, but I have a three day break." He paused, turning his grin into a playful one. "A face this beautiful requires beauty sleep, you know."

If anything, the woman only seemed to cling to him even stronger than before. At least the adoration in her expression and the way she leaned towards him told Koji he'd probably be getting yet another regular as soon as she decided to actually fork out the money for a reservation.

"Then get lots of it, Naoki-kun!" she urged. "You're that beautiful."

Rather than grimace, he simply smiled. "But I'm nothing compared to you, hime-sama."

A number of minutes and cheesy lines later, Koji managed to detangle himself from the woman's arms and all but fled across the room. He loved his job and all but... some of the woman were entirely too clingy for his tastes. As if he were able to read Koji's mind, the club manager chuckled as Koji approached.

"One more group tonight," he reassured Koji. "Then you're off. Think you can smile a little bit longer?"

"Would I be number one if I couldn't?" Koji challenged.

"Fair enough. Table three reserved you and Ren for the night. He'll be over as soon as he sees of his other guests. See if you can get them to order something nice, looks like they've already had a... few drinks."

Koji nodded, turning his gaze to the group settled at table three. He recognized a few of the ladies as regulars of his. As he watching, yet two more moved to join the growing group.

"Mizuno-san! Just because you're our designated chaperone doesn't mean you have to be so stoic!"

The one he assumed to be "Mizuno-san," the lone male among several women, stood looking just as uncomfortable with the situation as one could be. Koji's lips turned upwards at the sight.

Perhaps this evening won't be as annoying as I thought...

The duo reached the table and the woman seized Mizuno's hand, shoving it in the air.

"Mizuno-san is here!" she trilled. "And he needs to lighten up."

This prompted a series of giggles from their companions; Mizuno only sighing and taking a seat next to his companion when she dropped down on the couches. Koji moved forward at the sight. It would seem the time to make his entrance had arrived.

"Welcome back ladies," he called. "Oh, and gentleman, I see."

The gentleman in question gave little reaction, almost looking bored when his gaze met Koji's. Strike one, Koji noted mentally. As if to make the matter worse, Mizuno instantly dropped his gaze to the phone in his lap and began typing away at the keys.

Maybe that should make it two strikes in one...

He wasn't one to be thrown off by such a matter, it wasn't the first time Koji had had an uninterested third party get dragged into the club. Koji greeted each of the ladies with as much enthusiasm as he might a princess. The moment Ren arrived, however, he turned his attention back to the severely out-of-place Mizuno as he settled his back against the table, body angled towards the person in question. Koji's job was to engage all of the customers, interested or not.

"I don't believe I've seen your face here before," Koji observed with an award-winning smile. "I'm Naoki, and you, handsome sir, are...?"

"... Mizuno Yoshio," he replied, lowering his phone.

One point for my end, Koji gloated mentally. Then just barely checked a sigh as the phone buzzed and Yoshio's eyes instantly dropped back to the device. Annnd, minus one point.

"That must be quite the pretty girl on the other end of that phone for you to be ignoring me," he said, a teasing edge being added to his still present smile.

"I apologize." Yoshio made a show of putting the phone down, going as far as to place it in his suit jacket. "I hadn't heard from my younger brother all day, and I wanted to make sure I knew what he was doing for the night."

As excuses went, that was a pretty decent one.

"Ah, a younger brother. I suppose I can forgive you, then," Koji joked. "So, what brings a handsome young man like yourself come to a host club? I mean, I have nothing against men, you just don't strike me as the type."

He ended the question with a smile, amusement flickering through him when Yoshio's lips twitched as if they might soon show a scowl.

"I'm essentially their chauffeur," Yoshio explained, making a subtle, sweeping gesture to indicate those with him. "Which is why I'm not drinking."

"A shame," Koji relied. "I would have loved the chance to join you for a drink. You seem like the sort who loosens up rather quickly." Koji paused, mentally frowning. That comment could have been an insult dealt by anyone else, and not near as charming as he usually managed to be. Oh, well, he was rather certain Yoshio wouldn't be returning anyways. "Still, if you mustn't, you mustn't.

"Not really," Yoshio replied, Koji easily assuming it must have been in response to the drinking question. "I've been told I'm... just unpleasant when drunk. That's part of the reason I even agreed to this, because I wouldn't be expected to drink."

That only wanted Koji want to drink with him more.

"That's a shame. Myself, I'm a wonderful drinker," Koji announced.

It wasn't far from the truth given that it took a horrible amount to get him drunk. He'd built a tolerance over the years. Plus, there was the fact that the most he could get at the host club, even on his heaviest drinking nights, was tipsy. None of those around him had even seen the man drunk despite how often it happened.

After all... he'd be a piss poor ghoul if human alcohol could get him plastered.

"So, Yoshio-kun," Koji continued a heartbeat later, locking all these thoughts away. "Tell me more about yourself. If we can't have a drink to loosen you up, you'll just have to be loose tongued on your own."

He gave a light smile to accompany his words, as if to take the slight sting from them. He was nothing if not professional. Still, the almost surprised look he got from his coworker wasn't lost on him. He would no doubt hear questions about his behavior later. After all, Koji was supposed to play Naoki, the charming prince character. Prince types didn't usually poke fun at their guests.

Either way, the more important matter was how Yoshio took the whole thing. As it was, Yoshio's expression seemed to be thoughtful rather than insulted.

"What do you want to know?" he asked.

Koji pretended to muse the matter over, making a shower of it as he moved so he was fully sitting on the table, placing his cheek on his palm.

"What to ask... oh, I know," he announced, dropping his hand from his cheek so he could drop a fist into it. "What's your type? That's the most important question in this situation, isn't it?"

"Type?" Yoshio's expression appeared surprised for a split second before settling back into the even expression he'd been wearing for the majority of the evening. "I don't know if you'd call it a specific type... I suppose someone who's flexible- and I don't mean physically," he narrowed his eyes at Koji, prompting a laugh from the man himself, "... non-judgemental would be nice."

"Non-judgmental, eh?" Koji asked. He bit back a joke about the "flexible" part. He doubted Yoshio would appreciate the words. "That's easily a host's best quality, you know," he paused, making a show of his teasing smile before continuing. "Anything else? That can't be it. I doubt you're the sort to only look for one thing in a person."

Yoshio furrowed his brow as Koji spoke. In the short silence that followed, Koji giving Yoshio time for a properly considered response, Yoshio leaned back and crossed his legs. He even went as far as to settle his elbow against the armrest, knuckles against his cheek.

"... someone hardy," he decided. "Resolute. The willowy, flighty sort don't appeal to me. Looks don't' particularly matter." He paused, seeming to consider something. "Someone who can match my temper."

Yoshio nodded as he finished speaking, as if finalizing his thoughts. Koji braced his hands against the table, leaning back as he rolled the declaration over in his mind.

"Well, that's more like it," he said aloud. "Looks don't matter? What about gender?"

"I wouldn't know," Yoshio admitted. "I've never been attracted to a man, but I've only ever been interested in a few women, so I suppose I may just not have met the right person yet."

"That might be it," Koji mused, Yoshio's eyes flickering to the side as he spoke. "Although I have to say, your description fits me pretty well." Here he paused and turned on one of his best, charming smiles. "Looks like you lucked out in your choice of host."

He was rather put out by the fact that Yoshio's attention seemed to focus on whatever he'd spotted rather than Koji's charm. It was frustrating to say the least. Koji'd thought that he'd gotten ahold of his attention rather well. Was he interested in another host?

Koji followed Yoshio's line-of-sight. The only person of note that Koji spotted, a particularly drunk-looking woman glaring in their direction excluded, was the other host, Ren. Well, he was a popular one. He and Koji were constantly switching back and forth for the number one position, although Koji usually managed to hold onto the title longer than Ren.

"If you want, I can request a swap," Koji offered, his thoughts only taking a matter of seconds. After all, his preferences aside it was his job to make sure the customers were pleased with their selection. "You're technically reserving both of us."

As Koji spoke, he pulled himself off of the table and dropped himself into the seat next to Yoshio. Perhaps moving closer would help him better hold the man's attention.

"I don't really have a preference," Yoshio said, not bothering to look in Koji's direction. "I'm not a customer, like I said. None of you have to pay me any mind if you don't want to. I'd be fine just sitting here by myself."

"Ah... but see, I can't just leave you alone. After all, the owner would probably go off on me if I did," Koji replied, a teasing edge touching his smile. "Not that I want to leave you alone, anyways. You're making for a nice break from the routine."

Koji's gaze returned to where Yoshio was looking. His words told Koji that it wasn't Ren that held Yoshio's attention. If not him, then...

Oh, perhaps it was the woman.

Koji faintly recognized her as the one that Yoshio had entered with. She also happened to be one of his more infatuated regulars. What was her name...? Ah, right. Kimi.

Currently, she sat near Ren who was skillfully balancing her and the other ladies with the usual talk and schmoozing. The entire time Koji's eyes rested on her, however, she didn't spare Ren a single glance. Rather, she'd turned in her seat so that she could better observe Yoshio and himself. It was her hands that held the most important aspect; she held not a glass, but a bottle of Koji recognized to be one of their pricier champagnes. Her gray eyes were rimmed with red and reflecting what Koji soon recognized as some form of anger.

Oh.

Was Kimi jealous? That was easily fixed.

"I see," Koji mused, then raised his voice. "Kimi-chan, you're welcome to join us if you want~!"

He wasn't all that interested in keeping the company of a drunk regular, but the boss would kill him if Koji knowingly let a lady continue to make such a face.

Kimi's attention instantly snapped to Koji. Then, without even a word to Ren, she darted from her seat and practically dove into the small space left between Yoshio and himself. As if to put the distance between them that Koji wished he could ask for-- as he didn't particularly like how close Kimi'd settled herself-- Yoshio abandoned his seat to take the one Kimi had vacated. When Koji caught the man's eye, Yoshio shrugged as if to say, "you did this to yourself."

Koji almost regretted having called to her.

Still, work was work. That in mind, he turned his smile up ten notches and set about satisfying the much-easier-to-handle Kimi.