AN: I'll be honest and admit I don't have any clue where this is going, but somehow I managed to write another chapter for you all. It seems like this had a good run so the least I can do is try to finish it.
Naoto walked through the banquet hall trying to find the most appropriate word to describe what she was feeling. She could list a few that might've fit the bill, but finding the perfect word was turning out to be quite the challenge.
"What's wrong?" Rise asked as they stood by one of the empty tables. Naoto's face was a mix of both discomfort and deep thought. "You okay?"
Numbing.
That was the word Naoto decided. She turned to Rise and nodded uncertainly. Within a few short minutes, they stalked through the party saying little more than the occasional hello to various aquaintances of Rise. To Naoto, everything had gone by like a blur. She smiled politely and greeted every one of Rise's acquaintances, every introduction coming with a handful of questions.
Of course, those questions asked leaned towards a more...romantic approach for both of them.
"Naoto?" Rise asked again, this time leaning a little closer than before.
"I'm fine. Just a bit overwhelmed."
Naoto took a quick glance around to reorient herself. The lights were dimmed to create a nightclub sort of atmosphere for Kanami Mashita's official debut. Left and right people talked with glasses of champagne in their hands. There seemed to be no shortage of alcohol or food anywhere.
"I know it's a lot to take in." Rise thanked one of the waiters passing by and took a glass of champagne for herself. "But you'll get used to it."
"I hope not," Naoto muttered under her breath. Being under the limelight was Rise's forte, not hers. She watched the starlet down half of the glass quickly and shot her a stare.
"What?" Rise crooked an eyebrow.
"Do you think it's a good idea to be drinking? I still remember your very low tolerance for alcohol." Naoto took the glass from Rise, stepping back a few paces from the starlet's reach.
"I know how much I can tolerate, Naoto-kun." Rise crossed her arms matter o' factly. "And it's champagne, not a margarita."
"It's a special event. In any case it's best not to take any chances." Naoto tactically placed the half empty glass onto the waiter's platter just as he passed by. Rise immediately stalked up to her furious and upset.
"Really?"
"I only have your best interest in mind."
"You're supposed be my escort," Rise began. "Not my chaperone."
Naoto said nothing for a long minute. For a moment Rise looked both very earnest and terribly young. She turned away and reminded herself they were the same age. But even so, the difference between their mentalities seemed worlds apart.
"You're lucky you're cute. If you hadn't dressed up so nicely I don't know what I would've done to you by now." Rise looked over her shoulder to find her manager close by.
She took Naoto by the hand and began leading them towards his direction. As they walked through the hall, Naoto's eyes roamed Rise's backside unintentionally. The dress she wore was a dark black, the material hugging every curve on her petite body perfectly. Naoto felt her heartbeat quicken and for once in the entire night, she didn't feel so numb.
"Rise-chan, there you are."
Naoto released her hand moments before they came across a tall middle aged man.
"Yeah, sorry. We just got here." Rise linked her arm into Naoto's and shot her manager a small smile.
The man seemed to study Naoto very closely before lowering his glass of champagne and facing her directly. "And this is...?"
"Naoto Shirogane," Naoto answered cordially and extended her hand. The man shook it very briskly with a sincere smile. He wore a pair of dark framed glasses, his short brown hair combed neatly to match with his well tailored suit. He looked different tonight, though Naoto was quite certain this was the same man she had met during her first encounter with Rise several months back.
"Nice to meet you Naoto. I'm Rise's manager Minoru Inoue."
"We met once, when Rise was somewhat inebriated," Naoto recalled.
"Ah, yes. You're right. That was some time ago."
Rise shied away.
"I did suggest that Rise look over other possible escorts, but you will do just fine. Now tell me, what is your line of work young man?"
"I'm a private detective at Tokyo PD." Naoto decided to address her gender later. Her attire did make her look more like man.
Minoru raised an eyebrow skeptically but said nothing more.
"You'd be surprised how smart and strong Naoto really is." Rise winked at the Detective Prince, hinting the incident at the bar some time ago.
"I see. Well, I know better than to judge a book by its cover." Rise's manager smiled at Naoto warmly. His cell phone going off interrupted their small talk and Inoue suddenly had to excuse himself from the two of them.
"Hey, Naoto-kun I'm going to use the restroom so I'll be right back."
As Rise disappeared into the halls, Naoto didn't have any other choice but to attempt to look preoccupied. She walked over to where some of the finger food was and took a piece of what looked like fancy fish. As she glanced to her side, she couldn't help but feel out of place. The people, the music, the crowd, she knew absolutely no one in the showbiz industry. She didn't even know what this Kanami Mashita girl looked like.
Naoto took a glass of champagne for herself and took a generous sip. Surely Rise didn't intend on staying the entire night, did she? Naoto turned around on her heel when suddenly someone to her side collided with her. Something warm and wet splayed over her shirt and she immediately backed away.
"O-Oh, I'm so sorry!"
Naoto looked down at her shirt, now sullied by the champagne stain. Quickly she took some of the closest napkins to pat herself dry.
"Wow, I mean. O-Oh dear, what have I done?"
Naoto took a moment to stop and look at the girl speaking. Apparently she felt so obliged to help with the mess that she began patting her dry with one of the napkins herself. Naoto quickly took her hand and stopped her. Having her personal space invaded by a stranger felt a little odd.
"It's quite alright. I can take care of the rest myself."
"Of course you can. Silly me," the girl said laughing awkwardly to break the tense atmosphere. It did very little to help with the current situation.
Naoto loosened her tie and unbuttoned the collar of her shirt. The champagne was starting to stick to her skin. This wasn't something she'd prepared for.
"I'm so sorry. I really didn't mean to get you wet. It's all my fault, I'll take the blame!"
Naoto shook her head. "It's not your fault. It was an accident."
"I'm so sorry," the girl said bowing her head. She was starting to make a scene and some of the people around them began staring. Naoto placed her hands on the girl's shoulders, forcing their eyes to meet.
"It's fine, really." Naoto formed a sheepish smile. "It's nothing a quick toss into the laundry can't fix."
"But your suit-"
"-Will be fine as long as Rise is okay with me leaving early," Naoto finished.
"Rise?" The girl asked in confusion. Her eyes brightened at the sound of hearing that name. "You don't mean Rise Kujikawa, do you?"
Naoto nodded. The girl's eyes flew wide open but she was unable to speak for a good second or two.
"Oh, hey, there you are," Rise said and gently set her hand on Naoto's shoulder. She quickly recognized the accident on her dress shirt and sighed. "What happened?"
"It was an accident," Naoto confessed. The girl who had been with her stepped forward as if in shocked awe.
"Oh my god. Rise-senpai, you came!"
Rise smiled warmly at the girl. "Of course. It's great to see you, Kanami."
"Wait, so if you came with Rise-senpai then..." Kanami pointed at Naoto and drew an imaginary line connecting her to Rise. Her eyes widened as the sudden realization. "You're her date?"
"Uh...Date wouldn't be the best term to describe it," Naoto began.
"So boyfriend?" Kanami offered.
Naoto blushed and Rise smiled at the suggestion. "Er...no."
"Friends with benefits?"
Rise couldn't hide back the smile forming on her lips. She held a hand over her mouth to silence herself.
Naoto grimaced. She couldn't believe how easily people jumped to that conclusion. "Escort," she said finally, not wanting Kanami to offer any more ludicrous titles.
"Oh," Kanami said. "Well, duh. It is a party."
Naoto offered out her hand to Kanami. "In any case, I don't remember introducing myself properly. I'm Naoto Shirogane, I work as a detective for the Tokyo PD."
"Naoto, nice to meet you. I'm Kanami Mashita." She smiled and looked over to Rise and leaned into her ear. "Rise-senpai, I didn't think you were into detectives."
Rise suppressed a smile. "What can I say, I'm into the brooding, mysterious type."
Naoto pretended not to hear their little conversation on the side. She looked off to the dance floor and listened to the raging music instead.
"Hey, so I'll see you later then," Rise said to Kanami.
The three of them waved their goodbyes for the night as Kanami left to entertain her other potential sponsors. Rise looked out into the room and took Naoto's hand with hers.
"Come on, let 's dance."
"I don't think that's a good idea," Naoto said. She looked down at their hands and slowly took hers back.
"One dance won't kill you."
"My shirt's wet. I think I should hail a cab and go home."
"One dance, Naoto. Then we can leave."
"I don't dance," Naoto lied.
"Yes you do. Everyone knows how to dance."
"Not everyone," Naoto corrected.
"Could you just do this for me, please?" Rise pressed both hands on the lapels of Naoto's suit. She tried her best puppy pout at the Detective Prince. It never failed to do the job.
Naoto looked at Rise indifferently. "No."
"Please?"
"Rise, this isn't up for debate."
"I'll tell the newspapers you're my new boyfriend if you don't."
"What?"
Rise gestured to a man from a distance who looked like a seasoned journalist. Naoto shot her daggers.
"You wouldn't."
Rise tried to take up the challenge. She took a step in the man's direction. Naoto grabbed her by the wrist.
"One dance. Only one."
Rise gave Naoto a slow, dangerous smile. She turned around and took Naoto by the hand, dragging her through the sea of people on the dance floor. They passed by several famous celebrities in the crowd, a variety of actors, actresses and singers. Naoto was too caught up in the atmosphere to remember any of their faces clearly. Rise guided Naoto into the heart of the floor and spun on her heel. Naoto tried to look composed with all that was happening around them. The music blared through their bodies, drifting in pulsing waves into the room, into the people. Rise grabbed Naoto's hands and set them on her waist, her arms winding around the detective's neck.
"Just sway," Rise instructed into Naoto's ear. She closed her eyes and moved blindly to the rhythm and the beats.
Naoto comprehended as much and swayed gently. When she caught a steady pace Rise lolled her head to the left and right.
"Good, just like that," Rise said with a smile. She turned around and pressed her hips against Naoto's moving in the same fluid motion.
More people had shuffled in and Naoto unwittingly moved closer to Rise. Rays of luminescent lights hovered above the sea of heads, flashing multicolored streams in different directions. She brought her focus to Rise and held her by the waist, not quite sure what to do with her hands. Rise swayed against her with her whole body, grinding in a rhythmic sensual beat. Naoto found her lips growing dry, sweat trickling down the back of her neck from all the accumulated body heat. The champagne had stuck to her skin underneath her shirt causing a slight discomfort whenever she moved.
Rise tilted her head to the side. Naoto let out a breath under Rise's shoulder, warm air coming into contact with her skin. Slowly, she closed her eyes and fell to the guidance of her body, freeing herself of her inner thoughts. Rise moved against Naoto harder, forcing the detective's hands to trail between her thighs, exploring with her nimble fingers. She arched into Naoto and sighed, craving more of her featherlight touches.
Naoto spun Rise around until they were facing each other, bringing her close. She didn't know what had overcome her to do that, but Rise looked amused by her action. She flashed Naoto a sultry smile and pressed her ears to her lips.
"Come on, let's go."
Naoto followed in Rise's, escaping the mass of people. She took a long breath to clear her head and continued following Rise until they reached the doors.
"Shouldn't we say goodbye to Inoue-san or Kanami?" Naoto asked and looked back.
"Nope," Rise said. "Never say goodbye when you're leaving a party. That way you could leave a mystery in your place."
They walked out of the building and into the cold Winter evening. Rise hailed their car and slid into the black leather seats.
"See, that wasn't so bad."
"I managed to survive somehow."
"Everyone liked you. They kept asking questions about us."
"Us?" Naoto asked quirking an eyebrow.
Ritsu blushed. "Yeah, they thought you were my boyfriend. Inoue-san especially."
Naoto coughed to the side.
"I wouldn't be surprised if we make the front page tomorrow. After all, we did leave without saying goodbye," Rise said. A wicked glint flashed in her eyes. "They'll have so much fun talking about us. Can't you hear them already? Did Rise Kujikawa just leave with her dashing young escort? Are they seeing each other...surely not...but of course they are-"
"We're not," Naoto said with finality.
"Relax, Naoto-kun." Rise laughed.
"I didn't ask for any of this publicity." Naoto pressed a hand to her head and leaned by the window.
"At least with me it'll be good gossip."
Naoto fell silent for the remainder of the car ride. When they reached home she shed her coat and loosened her tie on the way to their room. She really needed to take a shower. The champagne still clung to her skin like honey.
"Um Naoto-kun, could you help me with this?" Rise asked, turning around.
"Of course." Naoto ran her hand down the length of Rise's black dress and pulled the concealed zipper down. It fell open to both sides, easily slipping off her shoulders. Rise let the fabric fall to ground and stepped out of it. Naoto stared at her lithe form and found herself speechless at Rise's choice of risqué underwear.
"It helps hide the lines," Rise said. She stepped closer and used both hands to untie her bun in front of Naoto. All at once her brown unruly hair fell to both sides in voluminous waves.
"W-What?"
"The underwear," Rise pointed out. "You look at it as though you've never seen them before."
Naoto's face turned scarlet. That was because she hadn't. She'd never seen such bold choice in underwear her entire life. Naoto pulled off her tie and began walking towards the bathroom briskly. Whatever Rise would have to say would have to wait until after her shower. She made quick work of the buttons on her shirt and tossed them into the laundry hamper. When she started on her pants the door creaked open and closed shut. She stopped what she was doing immediately.
Rise leaned against the door frame and watched Naoto with her hands on her pants. She looked her up and down as if to inspect every inch of her for the first time.
"What do you think you're doing?" Naoto asked. She still had her muscle shirt and pants on and wasn't planning on taking either of them off while Rise was around.
"Watching you undress."
"Obviously," Naoto deadpanned.
"Well, take off the rest," Rise demanded.
"Not on my life."
Rise stalked up to Naoto and set the palm of her hand on the detective's chest. "Want me to do it for you?"
"No thank you."
Naoto took a closer look at Rise. She didn't look the slightest bit intoxicated.
"Come on. It's not fair you get to see me in a g-string," Rise said while putting her hands on her hips.
Naoto stepped back, but Rise took the belt in her pants and held her still. Naoto took Rise's wrist and gave her a silent warning with her eyes.
"What? We're roommates now. This is perfectly normal."
Naoto stopped to reevaluate the meaning of "normal." Ever since Rise stepped into her life, into her home, it was anything but normal.
"Even if we are roommates, I'd appreciate some privacy," Naoto said sternly. She released Rise's hand and opened the bathroom door for her to exit. Rise showed herself out but not before meeting Naoto's eyes for a few seconds. Without another word she stepped out and Naoto locked it shut. As the water began running onto the bathroom tiles Naoto couldn't help but wonder one distressing thought.
Maybe this was a bad idea after all.
The office hummed with the steady sound of the printers and machines, Naoto watching the brilliant red laser recede as she lifted up the panel to copy another sheet of paper. To her left she sensed several of her coworkers passing by, shooting her questionable looks. After escorting Rise Kujikawa last night, word had spread of their relationship quickly in the workplace.
Naoto glanced at the newspaper by the side of the copy machine and lifted it up to see. There in large bold letters she read, "Rising Idol Rise Kujikawa leaves with Unknown Bachelor after Party." She set the newspaper down and glanced up at the handful of younger men looking her way.
There were a few speculations circulating in the office, some saying maybe they were just friends, others suggesting a deeper, romantic connection between the two. Anything seemed possible after seeing the photo of the two of them leaving the party together, hand in hand with Rise taking the lead and Naoto in her wake. Naoto hardly remembered a camera flash at the moment. Apparently the photographer hadn't been too far to miss it. She tossed it into the trash and returned to work, reminding herself that there were far more important matters right now than a showbiz scandal.
When her copies were finished, Naoto strode past the younger men drawing a few more curious stares her way. She paid them no heed and turned to her desk, a frown plastered on her face when Touko lifted the same newspaper at her direction.
"So I see last night was a hit."
Naoto placed the copies by her desk and slid them neatly into a manila folder. Touko flipped the newspaper open and skimmed through the article.
"From actors to singers, Rise Kujikawa never loses her touch when it comes to finding a new beau. Who is this unknown bachelor? A friend? A boyfriend? A boytoy?"
Naoto confiscated the newspaper and read it for herself, her eyes diligently reading through the paragraph of gossip and hear say.
"Boy toy? What does that even mean?"
Touko laughed and shook her head.
"Forget I even asked," Naoto said and leaned against her desk.
"So what's the deal between you two anyways? Give it to me straight."
"That's the thing. There's absolutely nothing between us."
"Oh really?" Touko lifted up the newspaper and pointed at the photo. "Then how do you explain this?"
"That's just a photo."
"Yeah, exactly. A photo of you two holding hands walking out together. We both know you don't do that. You've hardly held my hand."
"It was a spur of the moment," Naoto defended. "And what does it matter if we left together? We live in the same house."
"Is she really just your roommate, Naoto?"
"Of course."
"Nothing more?"
Naoto crossed her arms. She was certain there was nothing between them, but last night she couldn't quite say the same for Rise. She acted odder than the usual, more persistent with her advances.
"Does she like you?"
"I don't know," Naoto said. "She has been acting a little off, especially late last night."
"Last night?" Touko asked, raising an eyebrow. "What happened?"
"Nothing," Naoto lied. She couldn't afford to bring Touko into her mess of a life. Naoto rubbed her forehead.
"Well, whatever it is you should get it sorted out. Before it gets worse." Touko hopped off the seat and shooed off the rest of their nosy male officemates around Naoto's workspace. She left the newspaper on the seat as a memento.
Naoto looked down at the photo of Rise and her that night. Carefully, she took the paper and set it by her desk.
There was absolutely nothing between them. Right?
Rise landed the finishing pose for her new dance number and held it there for a second. Her dance instructor crossed his arms as if to judge the routine as a whole. A small smile crept up his face as he clapped his hands together.
"That'll do."
Rise let out a breath and relaxed onto the studio bench. She took up her bottle of water and pressed it to her forehead. Her dance instructor gave her a towelette to use.
"Thanks," Rise said and wiped her face dry with the towelette.
"You were good today, Rise-chan," he said. "Just not great. Something on your mind?"
Rise looked off to the side and stared at her reflection in the mirror. "You can say that."
"Wanna talk about it?"
Rise leaned back and closed her eyes. She let the air conditioning cool her down for a second.
"Is it about that boy at the party?"
"You can always read me like an open book, Coach."
Coach took a seat beside Rise and propped his leg over the other. He was a tall gorgeous fellow with bright orange hair, dark brown eyes, topped off with purple eyeshadow and fabulous red lipstick. He dressed in only the boldest of clothing sporting a multicolored collar shirt and clean white pants.
"You bet I do, hun. A teacher knows these sorts of things. It shows when you practice." Coach pointed to the dance floor. "You can't hide anything when you put yourself on my stage."
Rise gave him a weak smile. "It's Naoto-kun."
"Naoto? Is that his name, the one in the photo?"
Rise nodded. She'd seen most of the articles all over the newspapers and internet. Naoto made a quick name for herself in just one night.
"He looks like a good kid, a handsome one at that too."
"Yeah," Rise agreed. "Naoto's a detective."
Coach's eyes widened. "He is?"
"Crazy isn't it? Who would've thought."
"Well, he has been on your mind. So what's got you all wound up you can't focus properly?" Coach gave her a look. "Don't tell me you're dating him."
"No, nothing like that, Rise said. "We're friends. Just friends."
Coach quirked an eyebrow and studied Rise very closely. The brightness in the room only amplified the faint blush playing along Rise's cheeks.
"I mean, I want to be more than friends. It's just...difficult." Rise twined her hands together.
Coach nodded. "You see, that's the thing about men. All men. They aren't smart enough to figure it out on their own." Coach looked down at Rise and took her hand gently with his. "If you have feelings for him then just tell him. You'd be surprised how much easier it will be."
"Thanks, Coach," Rise said with a smile in her words. She let go of his hand and started for her belongings. It wasn't late yet, but she wanted to beat Naoto back home for tonight.
"Good luck, hun," Coach said as she waved him off and exited the studio. If she could leave now she'd be there in the next twenty minutes.
"Rise-san?"
Rise turned around to find her manager Inoue heading her way. She stopped by the elevator and waited for him to meet her.
"I wanted to talk to you before you left. Do you have a minute?"
"Of course."
"It's regarding your escort from last night, Naoto Shirogane. I don't think you should get involved with him."
Rise tried to understand what Inoue was saying but she was too lost to comprehend a single word. "What do you mean?"
"I mean he's not in the showbiz industry. I don't think seeing him would benefit your marketing sales."
"I don't see how me dating Naoto would negatively impact my sales," Rise said earnestly.
"It's not just your sales, Rise-san. He's a detective, a law enforcing officer," Inoue pressed. "You need to think about your career first, especially since Kanami is a potential contender to your title."
Rise heaved a breath. "Inoue-san, Naoto and I aren't in a relationship. We're just friends."
Inoue nodded. "I'm just saying this for your own benefit. It's hard not to speculate when it's all over the media."
Rise adjusted the bag on her shoulder and pressed the elevator button. The moment it opened she stepped into it. Inoue didn't stop her when she walked in.
"Just give it some thought," Inoue-san said before the doors finally slid shut.
Naoto hadn't come up with anything to recite over the last hour. It was a little challenging to put the right words into what she wanted to say.
What did she want to say in the first place?
Naoto rubbed her head and sat on the farthest edge of the couch. It shouldn't be this difficult, kicking Rise out of her own apartment. And yet she felt an uneasy tug at her chest at the mere thought of it all. She clutched onto her shirt and grimaced, not fond of the new sensation. She shook her head, took deep breaths. The feeling subsided for the moment.
"It's not like I'll miss her..." Naoto said out loud. "I mean, I barely know her."
Slowly, Naoto rose from her seat and leaned against the wall overlooking the city. She watched the view from a distance, playing spectator over the mindless citizens of Tokyo. Winter had only gotten colder and a light coat of snow had begun to sprinkle over the city. It looked beautiful, so beautiful Naoto placed her hand on the glass window. She breathed against it, feeling the icy air sink into her fingertips.
She wondered if Rise had dressed warmly on her way home tonight.
Naoto wrenched her hand away from the window. It left the slightest imprint of her hand's silhouette.
"Why? Why do I care so much about you? Even when I don't try."
Naoto let out a heavy breath. From where she was standing she heard the door knob begin to rustle. She rushed to open the lock and turned the door to find Rise standing in front of her. Rise's hair was covered in some snowfall and her cheeks and lips were pink from the cold. She didn't dress properly for the change in weather and she was still shivering with her bag slung over her shoulder.
Naoto barred the door slightly with her body and looked at her. Her heart did a little lap in her chest. She summed up the courage to say something.
"Rise-san, I need to talk to you."
Rise marched up to Naoto and looked her straight in the eye. There was something in her eyes, a sort of determination that Naoto couldn't properly describe. She took Naoto's cheeks into her hands and did what she hadn't expected her to do.
Rise kissed her.
