Chapter Four:

Foreign to Foreigners

Read First:

Hey, everyone. I don't own Companions of the Night's characters, etc, disclaimer. I do own Sho, just in this fan fic. though. There are billions of Shos everywhere, I think. I got the name Sho from 'Moon Child' (a great movie by the way, but I don't own those rights either). But what made me chose Sho's name was the actor—Gackt. Ever heard of him? I love him…so I based Sho off of him. I can picture my Sho vocalizing Gackt's song of 'Lust for Blood'. Listen to it on It's a good song, but it's in Japanese!

In 'Moon Child', Gackt plays a vampire! More coincidences?

When Kerry awoke, she shuttered. Her head shot up, out of bed, as the happenings of last night groggily dawned on her. Where's Sho? she wondered, scanning the room. Wait a minute, Kerry observed, Where am I? She was in a hotel room, obviously by the layout of her immediate vicinity: a bed, double doors to another room, open bathroom door in the little hall to her right, bay window directly in front of the queen bed. A night stand with a note…note on the night stand…Kerry rolled over on the bed, pulling thick blankets and sheets along with her. She grabbed the note, and read it slowly to comprehend it as she rubbed her eyes.

Kerry,

I wasn't sure when humans wake up, so I left you here. I paid for the suite for the next week or so, doesn't matter. I'm in the suite joined to yours. Buy room service, don't leave. I don't assume you'd be able to find your route back, so DON'T leave. Understood? To get room service press the first three buttons in sequence, alright. Order whatever you like. Also, I got the keys to your car, don't do anything you'd regret later. And for goodness sakes, DON'T open the door to my suite's bedroom, I'm sure you know why. The image is engraved in your memory, though I'm sure my mangled body will look a lot prettier than Regina's. Stay in the suite!

---SHO

After deciphering his very sloppy handwriting, Kerry decided her plans.

Why should she have to stay cooped up in a suite just because of Sho? He'll be fine on his own. So, Kerry released herself from the pile of covers, and stretched. Stifling a yawn, she picked up a package lying at the end of her bed. She ripped off the top, mildly curious, and peeked inside. Some clothing was folded inside with tags still tangling off, and another note.

Kerry, don't stay in the same clothes. That's gross.

---SHO

Kerry despised his condescending attitude toward her. Who made him boss? Well, there is the fangs, years of experience, and threats he just made on the note before. Aside from all that, Kerry abruptly darted for the shower, brushed her teeth quickly, pulled on some clothing, pulled off the tags and stickers, and swiped the suite keys and blank envelope off the nightstand by her bed. She took a tour of the other rooms in her delightfully large suite, and departed after a glance at the time. The digital clock by her bedside gleamed 2:30 p.m. Kerry concluded that she had slept most of the day away though she didn't feel the effects of sleep. She had roughly two hours based on her experience with Michel. He had woken up around 4:30, hadn't he? Kerry closed the smooth, heavy door behind her.

What did Sho think she was? Stupid? "I assume you won't be able to find your way back, she mumbled, mocking Sho. Not until fifteen minutes later did she realize, Sho was right! She regretted whole-heartedly leaving her suite. Kerry sat in the lobby of a gigantic hotel, elaborately decorated, but with one major issue. The directions, signs, and room numbers were all in Japanese characters! Kerry didn't know any Japanese which was her downfall when asking the front desk clerk for help. The young lady clerk manning the front desk, smiling pleasantly, asked her numerous questions. Kerry, not understanding a word of it, waved her hand in a dismissing gesture and strode away. She explored the lobby, stared at the strange characters on the signs, and viewed the décor of the lobby. It was beautifully decorated with interior foundations and plants hinting life in the very modern hotel. Far beyond the standards of American hotels. She curled up in an overstuffed chair, avoiding eye contact with the Japanese people streaming through the lobby entrance. (In Japan, 99.9 are Japanese and .1 are foreigners as far as population. So, they would gawk at Kerry.) She occupied herself by staring at her watch which gave her the wrong time, she noticed. After some time, Sho found her after sunset. He lounged against the back of her chair, escaping her notice.

"I told you." he teased, glaring at her behind dark sunglasses.

"Sorry" Kerry apologized, smiling innocently, "I didn't realize." Michel wandered back into her mind again…renewing her interest in this expedition.

"Where's Michel?" questioned Kerry, as she relaxed in the comfortable chair.

"That's why I have you. Michel disappeared, though he has to be here in Japan."

"WHAT?"

"He's missing, gone into hiding. He told me he'd stay in Japan for a little longer so it would be easier to escape once the heat dies down. I need to find him. You need to find him. It will be a lot less difficult to use you to find Michel for me."

"How? If Michel doesn't want to be found—" Kerry contradicted, as Sho shushed her as hotel guest showed attentiveness after her outburst.

"Listen, He's hiding from other vampires. They are tracking him because of you. Only Michel and I have seen you, so you should change your name while you're here. If I exploit you on one of my television interviews or such, then Michel will come out being the only other one to know you. Some vampire hunters might recognize your face, but that will just lead them to believe I'm a vampire. I have bodyguards for that."

Kerry listened, thinking he had this well planned out, then blurted, "Did you know Michel was missing when you abducted me?"

"Abducted?" he asked, looking at Kerry incredulously waiting for her to take it back. Kerry only made a sleeping gesture indicating when he had made her fall asleep.

"I hardly call that abducting!" he objected.

"Taking me against my will."

"I didn't hear a word out of you the whole time. How was I supposed to know that you'd change your mind about loving and following Michel?" he demanded, slightly angry.Kerry was startled and her own irritation broke out.

"I didn't change my mind!" she argued.

"Then stop complaining about it!" he hissed, thoroughly pissed.

"Why are you wearing sunglasses at night, Sho?"

"Disguise. I'm less conspicuous without my blue eyes showing."

"Won't it just draw more attention? It's still lit pretty well out there." She observed, pointing to the bay window with its curtains drawn back.

He slowly drew the sunglasses away from his face as he scanned the room. No sooner had he abandoned the glasses, then a swarm of people started to surround them. As far as Kerry could see, none of them were vampires…that's odd. The crowd kept expanding, and everyone was bombarding Sho with questions, photographs, and autographs. Kerry observed while Sho smiled, shook hands, and answered questions that she couldn't understand. Some thirty minutes later, Sho stopped the façade of interviewers and fans to make an announcement to the media. He gripped Kerry's arm, holding tight as he pulled her forcefully out of the nearby chair. He hugged her to his side and faced the myriad faces with a mischievous facial expression.

"Everyone, Id like you meet my fiancé, Kairi." Kerry paled, but quickly red tint swept across her face when she noted the crowd's reaction. The fans either showed signs of excitement or extreme hatred. The camera clicked and red light indicators blinked in their direction. Her eyes had difficulty staying open due to the blinding light. Sho looked down at Kerry when she flinched as a camera shot her face with excessive light. He smiled, and pulled her towards him, covering her eyes with his shoulder.

"Please, don't scare my fiancé away!" he joked lightly, waving goodbyes to the clingy audience that threatened to stalk him out of the lobby if the security hadn't shown up. When they were out of the lobby, Kerry fumed knowing that Michel was sure not to miss that exploit. Sho's fiancé? What would he think? Sho giggled while trying to hide his laugh with his hand. He let Kerry go when she yanked his arms off her waist, and stomped noisily beside him.

"That went well. Michel won't miss that. That is sure to make the newspaper at least." Sho reassured her, glancing at her sideways through a practiced impassive mask that was remarkable close to Michel's expression though Sho didn't have the subdued amusement that Michel contained. Kerry sighed, and desperately forced her mind off Michel. When would she see him, she pondered, wishing sooner rather than later….Would he even care enough to find me?

Sho looked on at her internal struggles with a bewildered look, and vaguely condemned her as love struck with Michel. Walking down a busy street with a reformed mob trailing Sho, Kerry declined on Sho's offer to hold hands for the observant crowd. Even Kerry could hear the nervous excitement emitting from them—at least most of them. Kerry glared at the teenage girls bring up the lead as they gossiped about her.

"Sssh, maybe they have already broken up!" conspired the dyed blonde, short teen to her best friend eyeing Sho's figure from a distance behind.

"Maybe…Do you think? I haven't seen them kiss or even hold hands. She doesn't look too happy or even fond of him. How long will it last?" the dark brunette with big lips whispered excitedly as she bet on three days against her friends offer. The blonde next to her scowled in Kerry's direction and bet twenty thousand yen (about $200) on the relationship ending in the next two hours without the evidence of fondness between them.

"If they really don't like each other, why would Sho lie?"

"She's probably marrying him for the money…gold-digger…" the blonde explained watching Kerry warily for a reaction, she knew Kerry was well within hearing range. Heat rose from Kerry's cheeks, but only from anger this time. Sho glanced between Kerry's face swollen with rage and the teenagers' eager stares with interest. Leaning toward Kerry, he whispered.

"Kerry, you're not convincing anyone. Do you really want to see Michel? Or would you rather he not know you're here? Keep it up and our fake marriage will be media history." He warned, keeping his face charming and polite for the fans present, looking like he was whispering in his lover's ear. Kerry momentarily mental mulled over how much she wanted to see Michel. Was it enough to feign being Sho's fiancé? With a nod of her head, she decided. Michel was worth her life…and in Sho's case, her martial status. She put on an overly zealous smile and clasped onto Sho's arm discreetly signaling with her head the gossiping teenagers in the front who were now eyeing her enviously.

"I hate this, really. Michel is worth it though. Those girls. You see them?" she whispered in his ear as he leaned in to hear her humanly to avoid suspicion and the chance of her saying things too loudly. He smiled, revealing his incisors quickly, responding innocently shocked, "You want her to lose ¥20000?"

Kerry smiled readily, almost spiteful towards the girls while Sho remained amused. Kerry linked hands with Sho, covering her frown swiftly. Pains went up her arm at the feel of such cold skin. She averted her eyes to the lamps flickering on at a nearby stand. The lanterns revolving slowly on the breeze, swaying lightly. Lamps lit the whole street soon against the darkened blue sky, not unusual in a pedestrian dominated avenue where foot traffic thudded against the gravelly road. The stalking crowd had seemingly no end which was starting to bother Kerry.

"Sho, who are you?" she asked incredulously, gawking at the sea of faces behind them hungering for their attention.

Sho laughed. "For now, I'm Sho." He looked out at his crowd, sighing, as Kerry swore she saw a glimmer in his eyes that made her heart crash. His eyes…look haunted, tortured…full of sorrow and suffering. As she walked, she found herself wishing Michel hadn't adopted that peculiar eye expression from the years he was a vampire. Before that sorrowful appearance remained permanent, Sho suddenly scowled, and turned on his heals then put distance between him and the crowd. Apparently his misconceptions on how eager and obsessed his fans were shown now as they gained more speed, bridging his attempts at running away.

"SHO! SHO! Get back here!" huffed a woman in her early twenties, well dressed and emitting professionalism from her gait towards them. She clamored over fans as she made her way. She waved her hands in the air for Sho to see while grasping a clipboard and her ear piece connecting to her phone on her belt hoop. Averting his eyes to ignore her, his head lulled towards the ground and stared at Kerry's through doleful eyes. Kerry didn't get a chance to ask. The woman stopped before them, panting with her hands on her knees. Sho, seeing no escape, straight his composure to a more inviting stance.

"Sho, you know you shouldn't make unplanned public appearances like this" she scolded coldly; then she noticed Kerry still gripped Sho's arm. "Who's this foreigner?" She waited for Sho's answer impatiently while Sho hesitantly picked his words.

"She's my fiancé, Kairi. Kairi, meet Aiko—my manager." The manager's immediate reaction chilled Kerry's bones. Aiko's almond eyes squinted in repressed anger and shock while her fist clinched and teeth gritted while her face frowned, flashing fangs. Gripping Sho's arm very tightly while her shoulders tremored once, Kerry wondered, wide-eyed, who she really was. Surely, she wasn't just his manger? Not with that response. However, Sho didn't seem to have any emotion in him. He was just waiting until she spoke.

"Sho? Your fiancé?" she inquired curtly. Sho nodded and put his hand over Kerry's trembling one. After a few minutes of voiceless conversation between him and the manger, Sho broke the silence.

"She knows, Aiko. I'll explain later. Just make sure all this publicity is on the media. I want it everywhere." He clarified just as cameramen bombarded Aiko. Aiko removed her displeasure, and gracefully confronted them.

"You alright, Kerry?" Sho asked quietly, concerned as he tapped his hand gently against hers and she nodded briefly. Aiko reluctantly let the men pass with the camera equipment, crossing her arms in disapproval of them. Camera tripods fenced them in while shunning the crowds out for which Kerry was thankful for. Speechless as Sho argued with one of the cameramen's' directors in fluent Japanese, Kerry pulled on his sleeve as the disagreement subtly heated up.

"Sho? Sho? What does he want?" she questioned as her curiosity peaked. Sho smiled, but wasn't looking at her. He eyed the surrounding people and distant crowd with suspicion. "They want us to kiss on camera..." With that, Sho eyes locked hers in place, trying to gauge her reaction. What was the big deal? Kerry thought. Cued by Kerry's opinion, Sho hushed her so he could explain.

"Kerry, we have…limits, no wrong word……rules. For me to kiss you, when Michel has already claimed you as his…well, it would be wrong. I don't want a vampire feud over such a small thing…" Kerry shrugged, indifferent. "Kerry, the cameramen will refuse to film us if we don't though. If we do, it'll will be on the news." Oh…he asking my permission, how polite….weird though…Kerry mentally stuttered.