Song: "Razzle Dazzle" from the movie "Chicago" (awesome movie, imo)
Usual disclaimer applies to both, song and story.
Give 'em the old razzle dazzle
Razzle Dazzle 'em
Give 'em an act with lots of flash in it
And the reaction will be passionate
Give 'em the old hocus pocus
Bead and feather 'em
How can they see with sequins in their eyes?
While I was waiting for a traffic light to change, I remembered I had no real suit for such an occasion. Obviously it was time for a stop at Asami's once again. I already meant to turn on the indicator to drive straight over before I got the idea that it might be better to check if she was at home yet. Reaching for my mobile on the co-driver seat I found the damn thing dead. The traffic light finally changed and I drove on to my own apartment.
As soon as I got home I called Asami.
"Hanoda speaking" it came over the line after the tenth ring.
"Asami-chan! Finally! I already feared you weren't at home." I exclaimed when I finally heard the anticipated voice. From the other end of the line my greeting answered with a groan.
"Haru-chan." She sounded not very pleased. "I've been in the shower. Don't tell me you're calling because you need something."
"Okay, then I'll just hang up again." I replied. I didn't hang up though. I knew I would get her with that line, else Asami would spend the rest of the day mulling over the thought what I could have wanted. All these years she never once left me hanging in the air, she was just too good to do so.
An annoyed sigh blew at my ear. "Fine Haruka, what do you want?" she asked. "But this better be important and quick because I have a date tonight."
"What a coincidence!" I couldn't help but do a Chesire-cat grin although she couldn't see it over the phone. "I've got a kind of date, too and I need a suit to go in."
"Why a suit, Haru-chan?" she asked puzzled. I knew I had her then, curiosity would get the better of her. "Dry your hair Asami, I'll tell you when I'm over." I looked on my watch. "Say in ten to fifteen minutes."
"What?!" she shouted "Wait a minute, when did I agree?"
"Oh, you did, just indirectly" I pointed out and hung up before she could launch another round of protests.
Exactly thirteen minutes later I rang at Asami's door. She opened and let me in with a curt greeting. Her hair was still tousled and half wet, limply hanging over her shoulders and she was only wearing tiny shorts and a tank top. I felt a bit like intruding for a second, which I guess was true, as I had left her little choice, but then again we were friends so it was somehow okay to me. I followed her into her bedroom and flopped down on the bed, while she continued blow-drying her hair.
"Why the hell do you need a suit for a date?" she started the inquiry as I didn't say anything.
"Well..." let I roll it from my tongue and stretched luxuriously while watching her curious expression in the mirror. I loved playing those little games with her from time to time, having her ask for it, then feeding her the information bit by bit. "My boss asked me to accompany her to a dinner party this evening." I gave her the first dainty.
"When did you start to hit on girls, Haruka? You never struck me like that type" She asked me jokingly. Apparently she took it for a jest.
Normally we would have continued like that for longer, with my grin growing all the wider and Asami getting all the more annoyed at my childish behaviour. Usually it would go on like that. But today I decided to end it here before I got into the game too much, for we both obviously didn't have that much time at hand and I needed to get some explaining done if I wanted a suit from her.
"It wasn't a joke, Asami." I said in a serious voice. „And I do not hit on her." It never crossed my mind to, but I can't blame Asami. For an outsider the sudden invitation must look like I had something going on.
"Look;" I said before my friend was going to insinuate God knows what. "It's only a matter of business. The guy she was actually going with has cancelled the event this afternoon and now Kaiou-san needs a man to show up with her. So she asked me to accompany her."
"Fine, but haven't been you forgetting something?" Asami tartly asked.
I knew what was about to come, so I didn't bother to reply. And Asami proved me right.
"You are not a man, Haruka." She pointed the redundant fact out.
I just huffed. "Listen, I told you several times they mistook me for man when I first showed up in their office."
"Yeah, and you never felt the need to clarify that little detail in all those months." Asami snarled.
I glared at her back. Why should I?" I have much more possibilities and liberties on how to handle my job as a man."
"But it's not right! You're lying to them!" She stamped her foot on the floor. It was quite a funny picture Asami was giving, clad in a baby blue top and skimpy shorts with a Barbie pink towel draped around her shoulders, the hairbrush dangling in her still half wet hair and below all was the constant humming of the blow-dryer. I would have laughed at the sheer comedy of the scene, but I was starting to get annoyed. Hadn't we held that conversation already? Two times, three times, several times?
"Come on Asami, Kaiou-san asked me for a simple favour and I agreed. Might give me some credit in the future."
She had her back to me again, blowing her hair. I saw in the mirror that she perched on eyebrow up at my sentence. "Don't give me that look. I can see you." I told her. "And now stop making such a fuss about it, other people do much worse things than going to a dinner party."
Asami seemed to be finished with her hair as she nestled it up in a loose bun. Before she started pacing the room in search of her outfit however she shot me clearly disapproving look. "That is no excuse for you." she flatly remarked.
She was really good at getting me angry, though I knew shouting would get me nowhere. Instead I resorted to being understanding. "Listen Asami, I'm sorry for showing up here at such short notice, but we already had that talk before and you promised to help me. So please give me a suit or a dinner jacket now. Then I'll leave and you can get ready for your date."
She had been buttoning her shirt and was about to put her skirt on next. Now she laid it aside and sat down on the bed beside me. Lightly stroking my short blond hair, she said, "Haru-chan", her voice much more calm now. "I'm just worried about you."
Instinctly I leaned against her warmth. "I know." I said. I should be grateful for a friend like Asami, who always had time for me, who cared so much about my well-being. "But I also know what I am doing, believe me."
For a moment we just sat there in silence without either of us moving. Then she suddenly got up her warmth disappearing from my side, leaving me to flop back down being deprived of my backup.
"What colour would you prefer?" Asami asked me while vanishing into the next room.
My face would have shown her a grateful smile if she had been here to see me. "Kaiou-san said her dress would be 'simply black'." I quoted. "Just give me something matching."
The noises of hangers being shuffled about came from the next room. After a minute Asami emerged again, presenting me black two-piece and a burgundy shirt with matching tie. I sat up and scrutinized the ensemble.
"What do you think, is it okay? Do you like it?" she asked and held the clothes out to me. Averting my gaze form the ensemble I beamed at her. Taking the clothes out of her hands and placing them on the bed, I hugged her fiercely. "It's perfect Asami! Thanks a lot!" I cried out and spun her around once. She smiled at my joyous outburst. As I set her down on the ground again she patted my head and giggled. "What would you ever do without me, Haru-chan?"
"Don't know, but since I do have you, it doesn't matter." I laughed back. Asami rolled her eyes.
"Fine, fine, but now get going, I really need to get ready now." she shoved me away and retrieved her skirt to dress. I picked up the clothes she had given me. Just about to open the door, I stopped once again and turned back to Asami. "Call me tomorrow." I said. "I wanna know how your date went." She grinned at me. "Same here, be sure I'll do." "Alright. Bye then." I waved to her but she didn't notice as she had her eyes already fixed on the stockings she was carefully rolling up her thighs. I left the bedroom, crossed the living room swiftly and exited the apartment.
Down on the street I stored the suit on the backseat of my car. It definitely had its point having your best friend in the fashion scene. At first I was sceptical if Asami would manage to build up her own clothes' store, but it had been her dream and she had put her every energy in it as well as a lot of money from her parents. Now it was running quite well and she had even designed some clothes herself and sold them. My plus was that Asami also always kept some new pieces at her apartment, to tinker with the cut or colours. Today that clearly saved my neck.
One and a half hour later I checked my appearance one last time in the mirror. Satisfied with my looks, I adjusted my tie a little, then picked up my keys, wallet, mobile, of course, and the note Kaiou-san had scribbled the address upon. The elevator quickly took me down to the underground garage and soon the growl of the engine resounded through the air, then my wheels whirled around, taking me off to the gallery in over in Koutou.
I was to meet up with her at the entrance. Kaiou-san had told me to come directly to the party, politely declining my offer to pick her up. Maybe, I mused while driving through the streets of Tokyo, she didn't want a subordinate she barely knew to know her address, so that I could not stalk her if she ever were to fire me. I grinned. As if I ever would do such a thing, I found my time far too precious to waste it on dwelling on the past. But whatever reasons she had, I didn't matter to me. Offering her a ride had simply been an act of courtesy to me and she was free to reject it. I regarded this evening as nothing but an elaboration of my role now. So I went to play my part.
Driving past the gallery in search for a parking spot, I shot a quick glance out of the window, to check if she was already waiting for me. She wasn't there yet. A bit of my nervousness faded, at least I wasn't late. I found a parking spot in a smaller side street five minutes away from the gallery. I checked my appearance in the rear-view mirror one last time, adjusted my tie and took a deep breath. Despite how cool and composed I might act, the truth was I was really nervous. It was one thing pretending to be a man in the company, were nobody regarded one another closely. When you did your work properly, nobody cared that much about your personality or your personal life. But at a party like this, it was all about seeing and, more important, being seen. It was more risky, but I had to admit more exciting. Maybe this was the reason I was actually doing it. I liked the felling thrill fluttering in my stomach, next to my fear, the temptation of trying how convincing I could play the imposter.
'You'll do fine.' I assured myself. 'Your chest is moderately flat beneath that shirt, you wear a perfect fitting suit, and look very handsome, no one will find out.'
I smirked at the thought of someone pointing at me and saying "It's a woman." I would laugh at it, if I wouldn't be there with my boss. If she found out the guy her father employed was a girl, it'd be pretty embarrassing to explain. "Nah, it won't happen." I said aloud, for no particular reason just before turning round the corner and into the street where the gallery was situated, twenty metres up the road. Now Kaiou-san was there, standing next to the entrance stairs, looking around. While I walked up to her, I took in her appearance which really was something to behold. Her dress, as she had said, was black. It had no glitter or frills to make it look extravagant, but it fitted her body perfectly, complementing her beautiful figure. The dress was fastened around her neck, showing a chastely framing her décolleté before smoothly flowing down over her hips and coming to a rest over on around her knees. Shortly my gaze wandered to her shoes. She wore matching black sandals, which slightly increased her height, without making her seem arrogant or intimidating. Her slender shoulders were left bare and her ocean blue locks caressed them whenever she turned her head left or right. I bet every man would at least turn his head after Kaiou Michiru once tonight. Then she caught sight of me. A small smile flickered up on her face, and I quickly walked up to her.
"I hope I haven't kept you waiting for long, Kaiou-san." I said politely, when I had almost reached her.
"No, not at all." She was still smiling. "I just arrived a few minutes ago."
I don't know why I did it then. Maybe I was just intoxicated by our "costumes"; I couldn't tell, but when I made the last step towards her, I gallantly took her hand, bent my head down, placing a light kiss on her white hand.
Looking up, I met Kaiou-san's surprised face, which easily floated back to the polite smiling features she showed at the office. "Quite the gentleman tonight, Tenou-san."
"Always." I grinned, taking her arm and leading her inside. By now my stride was returning and I began to feel rather excitement than nervousness for this little event.
As we walked through the entrance hall, Kaiou-san already nodded to two or three men standing around with their drinks. They nodded back and watched her up and down when she walked past them.
"Excuse me Kaiou-san, but did you notice those elderly men had their eyes all over you?" I asked her quietly when we had passed them.
She only laughed at my question. "Of course they had, they always have, and if you've seen them with their wives once you will know why."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude about acquaintances of yours." I felt a bit embarrassed. After all, she had been invited to the party, it should have been clear to me that she knew the other guests.
'Way to go Haruka.'
Yet Kaiou-san didn't seem to mind my comment. She simply laughed it off. "Oh no, no problem. They're not really acquaintances, I never spoke to them actually. I've just seen them on a lot of parties already."
We left the entrance hall and their occupants behind us and move into the gallery. Soon the rooms filled with people, strolling about, sipping their drinks while chatting and laughing exaggeratingly loud over bad jokes.
I had gone for a waiter to get Kaiou-san a drink, and when I found her again three halls onward, she was standing with a group of elderly ladies. Maybe they were the wives, married to the men she had greeted at our arrival, I thought for a moment. If they were they didn't look as bad as I had imagined them after her comment. In my opinion they only wore a bit too much glittery fabric for their age.
Glasses in hand, I went over to them and handed my boss her champagne with a smile. What I had not expected were the women to gush about me as soon as I turned my head to them.
"Michiru-san, is this young man your date?!"
"Don't tell me you're here with this handsome fellow?!"
"My, you certainly must know how to get them."
Uncertain how to react to this sudden outburst, I kept silent, waiting for Kaiou-san to answer the ladies' gibber. What should I have told them anyway?
"Hello, my name's Tenou Haruka. I'm here as a replacement for her actual date, because the guy had better things to do"?
No, certainly not.
While I tried my best to suppress a grin, Kaiou-san remained unmoved by their outburst and introduced me.
"This is Tenou Haruka, a promising young programmer at our company."
There was a shallow sighing as I, in my best performance of manners, bowed in turn to each of the three ladies. Then one of them asked. "Say Michiru, what about Kazuki, didn't you say you were coming with him tonight."
If she was annoyed by the question, she didn't let it on. I watched her face, curious how she reacted to the question. But Kaiou-san was a professional on the stage. Just as in her office this afternoon, neither her face nor her voice displayed any of the emotion she had shown on the phone.
"Oh you know Kazuki; he's always the busy man. He's overseas to sort out some trouble his company branch. Sure, it came a of a bit last notice, but I know how it can be. So I decided I'd give Tenou-san a chance to meet the right people he might need if he keeps up his excellent work."
Although I grew up with a father who was up to every trick for his company, it still fascinated me how people in the executive suite could lie so effortlessly and convincingly. It was one of the reasons why I hadn't wanted anything to do with my fathers company.
It was interesting, being part of such a social gathering without being known by most of the other participants. Here, unlike at home in Nagoya, nobody knew my father and in consequence me personally. I was new to them and if they didn't see me standing at Kaiou-sans side, they didn't bother to pay attention to me. I liked watching the guests, studying the way they talked, how they underlined it with gestures to leave more of an impact. And I was still amused whenever my boss introduced me to business associates as her new protégé, regardless of the fact that we were more or less the same age.
Yet after three hours it had become boring. My cheeks twinged from the constant smile I had forced upon them and I couldn't drink anymore, unless I would have wanted to walk back to my apartment. Kaiou-san, as I looked about, however was still immersed in a serious looking discussion with one of the ladies she had introduced me to first, a tall black-haired man and his wife who was clinging onto his arm and nodding emphatically after each of his sentences.
I sighed. This could still take a while. I hoped it to soon be over. Even the works of art didn't catch my interest. Not that I didn't care for art, I liked art quite a bit actually, but the pieces displayed in the gallery that evening were the type of modern art which were of no expression. What, I had asked myself, was the meaning behind a blank spot on a white wall entitled "the nothing"?
Of course, I knew, the artist called it criticism on the deteriorating social structures of society or something like that. I hadn't really listened to the haughty looking woman who had seemed to think I needed an explanation of the piece. Where was the emotion, the story behind such a minimalistic, expressionless thing?
While I still pondered this question, in spite of other things to do, all of the sudden Kaiou-san appeared in front of me. "Tenou-san, I think it's getting rather late. Shall we leave?"
It was not a question, but an order, even if her voice was as polite and even as ever, but I didn't mind. Leaving was what I had been looking forward to now. So I only said "Of course", offering her my arm and left the still buzzing mass behind.
We stepped outside the building into the fresh night air and when I was going to offer to drive her home, a silver car held in front of the entrance. Probably the same car in which she had arrived earlier. She let go of my arm and turned to me.
"Thank you very much for coming with me tonight, Tenou-san. I'm glad you could make it."
"It was pleasure", I replied and she smiled at me. I might have imagined it, but it seemed to be a smile, a little more true than the ones she had displayed to the business people inside. When she was already halfway down the steps, she halted once again. "One more thing, I would appreciate it this could be kept between us. I have no need for gossip."
I nodded. Having got my affirmation she descended, got into the waiting car and drove off. I stood on the stairs for a bit longer, watching the rear lights disappear around the corner before walking in the opposite direction where I had parked.
It hadn't been a bad evening, I thought while pulling my tie loose.
A good performance.
So, finally I got this chapter finished. I'm sorry, really sorry it took so awfully long, but I was stuck in the middle with a writer's block. I just couldn't decide whether to let something happen between them or not. In the end I opted against it, I prefer to build it up slowly. Maybe next time when they go out together something might occur. I hope you will all stay with me till then. As always reviews are very welcome.
The next chapter, whenever it'll get up here, will probably be a flashback, a bit of background on Haruka's family.
CU
leaf
