Well, asami is in need of a drinking partner. He tried with aki a few times and it lead ...

Hmmm. I think Asami most envoys watching Aki get drunk, but I see your point. The problem with Fei is that they still have unresolved issues. It's hard to go drinking with someone who has been obsessed with you for years and still wants to kiss and kill you. It would be fun if they did though.

I'm torn between Kirishima and Kuroda. Kirishima would be a blast drunk, but I think he is too proper to let himself slip too far in front of his boss. I think Kuroda could keep up with Asami even if neither ever get to the " I love you guys" stage. I think Kuroda would go as far as singing karaoke, and Asami would first egg him on quietly, and then tell him he was embarrassing, at which point Kuroda would laugh. Only Aki could ever get Asami to sing though.

I beg to differ in terms of Fei being able to hold his liquor better... :D

http://www.mangago.me/read-manga/you_re_my_loveprize_in_viewfinder/mh/v04/c018/22/

He'd still be a fun drinking partner for Asami though, precisely because he's such a lightweight. Though personally, I wanna see Asami get drunk with Mikhail. :D

With that pic in mind, both asami & fei long do have that in common with alcohol and aki. Mikhail and asami drunk together, Omg, that will be priceless.

When Asami says drinking partner, he's not looking for someone to have fun or sing karaoke with. He means someone who can sit in a swanky bar and drink several rounds of hard liquor without it showing in their behavior. Someone who can drink and not get drunk.

I think you need to look outside the manga for someone to fit that bill. Misumi from Saezuru comes to mind. His sardonic personality would be a good fit with Asami.

No one I think, because Asami has to trust his drinking partner (someone who doesn't aim to kill him or get informations from him when Asami would be weakened by alcohol) and he must be relaxed to enjoy the time with his drinking partner. They must have common interests to be able to talk because they wouldn't stay mute all along. So I can think of just two persons we've met: Kuroda and Akihito.

The idea of Kirishima crossed my mind but it can't be him because he's too serious towards Asami and would always be tensed, as if he had to protect Asami all the time. We could see a glimpse of that when Aki and Asami took their meal on a restaurant of Bali. He was a little bit apart and on guard.

I think that Kuroda wouldn't perfectly fit either. When we saw him with Akihito, when he talked to him, he was harsh. And when he talked with Asami in Asami's home, he was judging Akihito and was ironic. He didn't understand Asami's feelings and the importance of Akihito for Asami. Kuroda was also "rewarded" with a gift, the gifts Asami is used to give to the people who are working for him. Kuroda isn't really part of Asami's private life. He's not totally a pawn either. I even can't see Kuroda as Asami's friend because of that scene in the warehouse.

When Kuroda was badly wounded, Asami didn't look at him but was immediately near Akihito, questionning him about his neck. Akihito even scolded him for that. And the scene where Akihito thinks about Kuroda and Sudou as the same people who "like to play the game chicken" around Asami (here: http://www.mangago.me/read-manga/you_re_my_loveprize_in_viewfinder/mh/v08/c050/6/) gave me another hint about Kuroda and Asami's relationship).

I think Akihito would be the guy who would fit the most. Asami trusts him and is relaxed with him. He likes talking with him and I think Akihito is one of the rare persons who can make Asami laugh or smile. Ayano Yamane said herself that time with Akihito can make Asami forget a tiring day. The only thing is that Akihito can't handle alcohol. To have Aki as his drinking partner, Asami must check that Akihito doesn't drink too much or too strong alcohol.

I think it is significant that we mostly see both Asami and Fei drinking alone--but that Asami does feel most secure drinking with Aki (though Aki can't handle it.

I have a different take on the gift. I think Asami pays his employees with money, and expects them to be loyal in exchange for the paycheck and Asami not erasing them. The only people I've seen Asami give gifts to are Aki and Kuroda. I don't think I've even seen Kirishma get a gift, and kirishima is a special employee. Also,this particular gift was personal, something Asami knew Kuroda would really love, and that Kuroda probably would not or could not get for himself. To me that speaks of a closer relationship.

As for the warehouse, I think Asami would step over his own mother's body to see Aki first if Asami thought Aki was hurt. Aki was standing right by Kuroda, so Asami could see Kuroda was being treated. Of course Asami was going to go to Aki . Aki did tell Asmai to pay attention to Asami's "friend" , but Kuroda said he was fine and Asami agreed Kuroda looked okay. I think they have a bit of a bro code going on. Kuroda isn't Asami's lover, so Asami isn't going to rush over and hold Kuroda's hand. It doesn't mean they are not old friends (or maybe even half brothers or brothers who have a different last name for some reason--I'm not giving up on that possibility until the story says it definitely isn't so).

People have different ways of expressing concern for friends and even family--especially snarky people who don't like gushy emotional scenes. For example, I love my sister. If someone shot at her, I'd push her down and see if I could shoot back (assuming I somehow had a gun or whatever). However, once the danger was past, I might tease her about it--even if she were being treated for wounds (as long as she looked okay). She would expect it. Of course, we both remember my grandma making jokes and affectionately teasing people even from her death bed, so maybe we're just screwed up. All I'm saying is that if my sister were okay but on a stretcher being prepped to go to the hospital, and Asami or Johnny Depp or my current lover were standing by her with a bandage on the neck, I'd stop to coo over the hottie, and my sister would completely understand.

Aoe Renji From Love Mode. they both are in committed relationships, with some what complicated backgrounds, both can hold their drink. Takaba and his partner may even get along, there may be a chance for business talk between them. They are similar in some ways, but different to spar verbally with each other.

I don't think you can ignore, though, the context in which that gift is given. It's right when Kuroda is talking about the fact that Asami has to deal with greedy people. "I'm worried that your senses are decreasing." It's at that moment that Asami pulls out the gift and says "They will obey my orders as long as they think they'll gain something in return." That's significant. That's Asami making a point. At some level, Kuroda has been bought, like everyone else. Asami is subtly reinforcing that point for both of them. To Akihito, already jealous, it might sound like a friendly exchange, but it's not entirely. It's delicate business.

I noticed that too. In my view, Asami is teasing Kuroda by giving him the gift at that time (it was a bit ironic on purpose) but the gift was an unexpected surprise. Look at Kuroda's expression on the last panel:

http://www.mangago.me/read-manga/you_re_my_loveprize_in_viewfinder/mh/v07/c043/8/

Kuroda's eyes are wide, his eyebrows are raised and he is caught off guard. Kuroda was not expecting this. This is not a payment. Then look at the next page:

http://www.mangago.me/read-manga/you_re_my_loveprize_in_viewfinder/mh/v07/c043/9/

Kuroda gasps when he sees what it is--and then he blushes and says '"You still remembered."

This could indicate ex-lover (perhaps better than my brother-complex theory), but I don't think that is actually the case, despite the blush. Look at the smile and how Kuroda holds the book close to his chest. Kuroda is touched, but he is not staring at Asami the way Fei does. I think a good friend or younger half-brother who idolizes his Niisan could react like that too. I know that this last part is speculation, but there is nothing that makes it impossible, and it fits so far. Besides, I don't think Asami would get an ex-lover such a personal and meaningful gift while Asami is with Aki.

Asami admits it took effort to get that book, but that he wanted to please Kuroda. It's not the same as buying Kuroda off or paying Kuruda. This is personal.

Aki then describes the tone as, "warm and friendly" and notes it isn't just a business relationship. Aki wonders why they are working together, whether Kuroda is being used or whether Kuroda is getting something, but then Aki acknowledge that Asami and Kuroda speak as equals.

*Speculation warning* It is entirely possible that Kuroda is a younger half-brother who idolized Asami growing up and protects Asami's interest for personal reasons. Imagine if they grew up in a family that taught them to be the way they both are, but that Kuroda was always secretly trying to please his big brother. It would explain why Kuroda treats Aki the way he does, and the way Kuroda and Asami interact. It is not the only possible explanation--you could throw a "Notice me sempai" past in there too, but so far I think the younger half-brother theory fits.

The only thing I have seen so far that goes against my half-brother theory is the fact that Kuroda is always having to push his glasses back up his nose. I think anyone in Asami's family could afford glasses that fit--maybe even contacts. However, it could just be something Kuroda does with his hands, the way Asami smokes. I'm keeping my theory until the story shows me something that rules it out.

If this was the story of Asami and Kuroda, maybe. But it's not. It's the story of Asami and Akihito and so I think we need to run this piece of it through the storytelling test.

Yamane-sensei is a very good storyteller working with economy within a very tight structure. Whatever she includes is for a purpose. So logically, what would be the purpose of this scene, of the gift in the story of Asami and Akihito, which is the story she's telling? What job does this scene perform?

IMO, if you look at it that way, the scene does not exist to tell you more about what a great guy Kuroda is and what a nice little relationship he has with Asami. It tells you that everyone can be bought. Why is this important in the story of Asami and Akihito? Because it speaks to Akihito's doubts about his own worth to Asami. Even someone close enough to Asami to call him by his first name accepts bribes.

Because that's what that book is. Think back to Kuroda's conversation with Akihito when he mentioned Akihito's rescue from Hong Kong and how it wasn't necessarily a bad thing for Asami to owe him favors. A brother who only wanted to please an older brother wouldn't think in those terms. This is a smart man on the make, a civil servant using his office for his own gain. He may admire Asami, but he's also more than willing to use him. Asami is also a smart man and he knows it, which is why the gift comes out when it does. It serves no other logical purpose story-wise.

Akihito's assessment of their relationship is too suspect. He's an unreliable and biased witness in this case.

Although this is the story of Aki and Asami, there have been subplots, such as Asami and Fei. Giving other characters back-story does not detract from the main arc. I think there is a purpose for Kuroda at this time, and it goes beyond the idea that cops and officials may be corrupt (we've known that since the first story).

I agree with your opinion of the mangaka, but I disagree with your conclusion about the purpose of the gift. Both Asami and Kuruda say some Machiavellian things (and they both seem to live by those rules to an extent). Perhaps it is because of this philosophy that Asami does not like to admit weakness or indulge in gushy emotions. Asami will say things to Aki such as "I just don't like others touching my things" and "You don't have that kind of value", when in fact, Asami is completely Aki-whipped. Asami surprises Kuroda with a meaningful gift while making a statement about people thinking they will get something as a way of teasing Kuroda ,even as the actions betray a different feeling than the words.

Why would Aki witness this? I can't pretend to know the mangaka's intent, but as a reader, I see a logical purpose in Aki questioning this relationship just as Aki comes to terms with his own relationship with Asami. Remember that Aki is the "yang" or the sunny side of this couple, and Aki is just accepting the fact that Asami completes Aki, and that Asami has a bit of a light inside in the darkness. Does it make sense to have Aki learn that "Anyone can be bought" at this time? Maybe, but I don't think that's the point. It's too dark for Aki. Also, it does not match the questions in Aki's mind at the time. I think it makes more sense for Aki to witness that as Aki begins to change how Aki looks at Asami, so that Aki can entertain the idea that Asami also has a good side, and that what Asami says may not be as important as what Asami does. To me, that lesson fits more with the current story arc.

I accept that you think the book is a bribe. Personally, I think it is a sincere token of affection, but it is a matter of interpretation.

As for saying it is good to have Asami owe Kuroda a favor, that made me wonder too. However, remember that with the likes of Asami and Kuroda, we should not necessarily take what they say at face value. We should watch how they act. What if they do not want people to know of their connection, be it friendship or family? What if they both have Machiavellian outlook, due to family background or education, and Kuroda will say things to explain his connection to Asami in a way that misleads anyone who doesn't know how deeply they go back? This would also explain why neither Kuroda nor Asami really clarify the relationship, and why Kuruda assures Aki that Aki has nothing to worry about.

Besides, it makes perfect sense in terms of story progression. Aki has moved in and acknowledged the relationship--now its time to meet the family. I am not saying the speculation has to be true--simply that it would make sense if it is.

I think Asami says that because Akihito cannot hold his liquor. Asami should hang out with Kou and Takato since they can out drink Akihito (see New Year's extra) and they can give Asami new dirt to tease Akihito about.