BLCD: Slaver’s Series Vol. 2: Slaver’s Lover Zenpen (Morikawa Toshiyuki x Sakurai Takahiro)

Title:
Slaver’s Series Vol. 2: Slaver’s Lover Zenpen
スレイヴァーズ ラヴァ（前編） (2005/03/20)

Pairing:
Morikawa Toshiyuki x Sakurai Takahiro
森川智之 x 櫻井孝宏

Rating: Recommended for angst, fiesty uke and people who like master-slave relationships. (Warnings: non-con but I think this will encourage even more people to pick up this cd LOL~)

Detailed summary: (Spoilers galore~ but I think it doesn’t really matter here :3 )
Continuing from the previous volume, Slaver’s Kiss, Slaver’s Lover novel is split into two volumes of drama CDs. The first part, Zenpen will be summarised below.

A month and a half has passed since Kurahashi Shuuichi 倉橋柊一 (Sakurai Takahiro) lost everything he has to his former servant, Takanari Saeki 冴木鷹成 (Morikawa Toshiyuki) and became his sex slave.

Unable to forgive himself for indirectly causing Saeki’s injury, Shuuichi chooses to continue the master-slave relationship with him. Shuuichi also begins to realise that Saeki has ambitious plans for Kurahashi Company and wants to know and be part of what Saeki wants to achieve. He also believes that his father wants him to gain working experience within the company and that is why Saeki was chosen to head the company instead.

With Saeki’s permission, Shuuichi begins to work in the operations department alongside Hayase Yoshihiro 早瀬義弘 (Kamiya Hiroshi), a capable executive headhunted by Saeki. He would assist him and other colleagues in that department with overseas business development..

While having dinner at a restaurant, Saeki tells Shuuichi that he wants him to be part of the group of executives in charge of pitching for an important project tendered by Stanley Corporation in a month’s time. Shuuichi is glad to be given the challenge. Saeki reveals his desire to secure the full contract that is meant to be split among several companies, as it is a chance for them to become a top company. Shuuichi cannot help but express his admiration for him and wishes in his heart that working together can change their current strained relationship.

They run into Takashima, Shuuichi’s father’s friend who is the head of Takashima Company. Saeki later reveals his suspicions about Takashima’s intentions as he is photographed to be in a secret meeting with Shuuichi’s uncle and an employee from Stanley Corporation. As Takashima’s company is their greatest competitor for the project, Saeki suspects that they may be plotting something against them. He wants to assign a bodyguard for Shuuichi to ensure his safety. Puzzled at why a bodyguard is necessary, Saeki explains that as the descendant of Kurahashi, he is pivotal in getting support for the Kurahashi Company. His uncle too has no intention of protecting him or the company and only wants him like a trophy. He tells Shuuichi to trust in him if he really wants to atone his guilt for causing his injury. Moved by the look in Saeki’s eyes, Shuuichi is reminded of the night when they were locked together at campus and the warmth that he had in his eyes then. However he knows that they will never be able to go back to the past again…

The team of executives presents an initial project proposal but it is rejected by Saeki. Shuuichi provides an alternative suggestion and Saeki wants him to lead the team instead to develop another proposal. Saeki announces that he will take responsibility if the costs exceed the company budget and Shuuichi notices that all the employees, regardless of their age, give him their full attention. Shuuichi believes that his father has probably made the right decision and also thinks that his choice to stay with Saeki is no longer motivated by guilt but rather by his need to validate the man’s ability with his own eyes.

Hayase offers his support for Shuuichi if he needs any advice for the project. On the other hand, Supervisor Tsukui 津久井 (Hirakawa Daisuke) questions Shuuichi about the necessity to pitch for the whole project, putting Saeki’s health and the company’s interests at risk. It makes Shuuichi wonder if Saeki is actually happy with his life right now, having to shoulder so many responsibilities at his young age…

Saeki receives information from Takada 高田 (Majima Jyunji) that a spy has infiltrated their company and is supplying information to Takashima Company and spreading rumors at work. The company lawyer, Wakamiya 若宮法顕 (Horiuchi Kenyuu) suggests that they wait for the right time and accumulate more evidence before luring the spy out. Saeki wants to secure the contract and protect the company from his enemies. He is resolved to do whatever it takes to protect Shuuichi after discovering Shuuichi’s uncle’s ulterior motives while working overtime at the company in the past. Although Saeki’s intention is to protect Shuuichi from these lustful men, he realises he loves and desires for him. Thus he has been planning since high school to gain control of the company so that he is in the position to best protect Shuuichi.

Shuuichi works late into the night to prepare the proposal. He asks if Saeki planned for him to take on important projects like these right from the beginning. He realises that his prevous tasks included documenting and sorting client information. His business namecards and seal were also available immediately when he transferred to the operations department. Although Saeki refuses to admit to anything, Shuuichi is appreciative and wonders quietly if there is anything he can do for Saeki to give him happiness.

The project proposal is accepted and Hayase warns Shuuichi to be careful about the spy and information leakage. Later on, Saeki reveals to Shuuichi that they discovered another information leak in another department. Shuuichi criticises their underhanded ways and says he is proud to follow Saeki who is the man his father selected. In reply, Saeki says he too is despicable and wants Shuuichi to stop pushing him onto the cross. Shuuichi sees the pain in his eyes but he does not understand what Saeki meant when he said that.

The night before an important meeting, Saeki asks Shuuichi to return to their mansion first as he still has some work to attend to. Shuuichi leaves the office but he feels that Saeki seems strange lately. He decides to turn back and hopes he can share Saeki’s burden.

At the office, he sees Supervisor Tsukui wielding a knife against Saeki, Wakamiya and Takada. Their conversation reveals that Tsukui is the spy planted by Takashima. Tsukui’s wife used to work under Hayashi, an employee who was part of the group within the company that plotted against Saeki. Tsukui threatens to spill the beans about Saeki if he calls the police. However, Saeki says that he only kept some information from Shuiichi’s father and denies committing any crimes that can land him in jail. Shuuichi gasps at the revelation. Tsukui says that Shuuichi’s father planned to have him succeed the company eventually and asked Hayashi to act as his guardian. However, Saeki altered the official documents in order take over the company. Saeki counters Tsukui’s accusations and says that if he had not done it, the company would have fallen into the wrong hands. Wakamiya agrees and as they take Tsukui away, he hopes that Shuuichi can understand that it is for the sake of protecting the company that called for the drastic measure.

Shuuichi cannot believe what he just heard. He wants Saeki to deny it but the man confesses to what he did to ensure that he is the only person who will take over the company. It is all for the sake of having Shuuichi in his possession. Devastated by the truth and confused by his emotions of admiration towards Saeki, the many times he protected him from danger and the realisation that Saeki seems to be hiding his pain beneath his cold exterior, Shuuichi does not know what to feel anymore. He wants to know the reason behind the pain in Saeki’s eyes but he can no longer be Saeki’s slave.

However Saeki tells Shuuichi that he is only a slave in his own mind because no matter how many times his body is taken, Shuuichi has never once allowed his heart to be conquered. In despair, Saeki forces himself onto Shuuichi…

Comments:
Slaver’s Lover is volume two of a five-part series by novelist Katoh Elena (華藤えれな).

Detailed summary… gah~ tsukareta.. OTL. I planned to write the summary for both CDs, Zenpen and Kouhen together since they are continuous but… I guess I’ll save the next CD in the next review cos this is too long.

I think the story is ok… chugging along and there’s nothing too exciting (except for the sex lol~). However, it does give us a better picture of what Saeki needed to do to attain his goal. It also reveals that Shuuichi is a capable person too but very emotional and naive. His emphathy for Saeki will be his downfall :3 The seiyuus did a fantastic job in conveying the roller-coaster emotions Saeki and Shuuichi feel whenever they go into despair/cold/angst mode.

Saeki did say some moving lines in the drama but maybe… cliched? It works for me tho’ lol~ and opps… seems that both were said during sex scenes ^^;;

Saeki: If I knew this injury can bind you to me, then I’m willing to take any number of shots to do so.

And at the last track during the angsty-H.

Saeki: You are mine… Please say you belong to me!

There are two sex scenes in the drama and both are G.R.E.A.T. The seiyuus and their chemistry is fabulous. Very realistic sound effects and some dirty talking to help you visualise what is going on. Slavers series definitely has some of the best non-cons I’ve heard in BL dramas cds. Sakupyon’s angsty uke moans in this series is a classic already <3 Morimori’s seme is relatively loud too, so people who likes noisy semes will enjoy it too.

Another thing I like about the drama is the use of well-composed background music to heighten the atmosphere of the drama. Anyway, until then… the next review for Slaver’s Lover Kouhen.

Catalog: INCD-2219

Related drama cds: Slaver’s Kiss, Slaver’s Lover (Kouhen), Freezing Eye, and Slaver’s Nude