Chapter 07: Okinawa
Miroku stepped out in the cold windy weather with his entourage of Vie Ghoul following closely behind. The wind lapped at their shimmering manes, long gothic black coats billowing about them. The foursome wore black sunglasses as most of them were suffering from routine hangovers. With each nonchalant step they took, they passed one expensive vehicle after another upon either side of the expansive brick driveway. Feeling a subtle vibrating pulse upon his right thigh, Miroku stopped and pulled the device from his pocket. Dasuku, Shizuru and Kyora all stopped just behind him, forming a simple line.
Tapping the green button, he put the phone to his ear and answered disinterestedly. "Yes mother." As the elder ranted on and on about her concerns involving Reino's rude behavior, a long black stretch limousine pulled up in front of the group. Miroku looked to his band mates and nodded to them, permitting them to slide into the vehicle, leaving him to speak with his mother privately.
"Do you think they will be okay in Okinawa my dear?" Sakura's concerned voiced echoed from the receiver.
Miroku slipped his shades off and dropped his head as a spectacularly malicious grin spread across his sinfully delicious complexion. "I think Kyoko will find exactly what she needs in Okinawa, mother."
"I trust you dear. I know how close you and Kyoko-san have become. Thank you for being her friend."
"Please do not thank me for something so unnecessary. She is a very kind and lovely girl. I feel quite blessed to have had the opportunity," Miroku's grin only widened as he envisioned Kyoko in that sexy little lacy dress from the previous morning. "If anything, I believe this Okinawa trip will bring a radiantly glowing Kyoko home to us."
"Well when you called and suggested it so earnestly, I figured that it would be the perfect place indeed. After all, you know her better than anyone else."
Hearing the smile bracing his mother's lips, Miroku's heart blossomed. Oh mother dearest, you have no idea what I have in store for your obnoxious brat of a son. Very soon Reino will learn to realize the error of his ways, or he can sit in a dark corner and cry like the baby he is. As amusement warmed his soul, the singer chortled with satisfaction. "Look mother, I need to leave now for my business trip. But rest assured that Kyoko's happiness will bump into her very soon."
"Okay dear, have a safe trip. I hope you know that you're my favorite, just don't tell your father."
Miroku laughed and then said his good-byes to his mother. Tapping the red button, he slipped the phone into his pants pocket and then walked over to the limo. Sliding in, he closed the door behind him and leaned back comfortably into the leather seat. Unbuttoning the buttons of his coat, he looked over at Kyora. "Confirmations yet?"
"Yes, I paused it for you. Figured you wouldn't want to miss it," he replied with a deep, husky voice. Tapping a couple of buttons on the touch-screen remote, the small flat screen beside the minibar turned on. "It's from a couple of days ago." An image of the rising blonde singer was paused. Miroku nodded to his loyal comrade and watched as the sounds of the female anchorwoman filled the cabin.
"Looks like up and coming singing success, Fuwa Sho is making his first stop in Okinawa for the filming of his first music video. We caught the delicious Goth-rocker at his most recent concert and this is what he had to say about his new found achievements."
"Perfect," Miroku purred as images of an enraged Reino overwhelmed his mind.
Kyoko rested her arms along the glass railing of the large balcony and inhaled the salty scent of the ocean air. The waves collided into cold sands as dark clouds hung in the air overhead. A breeze wafted through the hanging branches of vibrant green trees. She closed her eyes and pictured being in Kyoto for the briefest moment, on a serene rainy day.
"Why are you out here?" Reino said as he stepped out onto the balcony, taking position beside her. Bringing a crystal glass to his lips, he drank greedily of the honeyed liquor. He glanced towards his wife and admired the way the wind danced through her tresses, blowing its length off her shoulders so it flowed out sensuously.
"I love this weather," Kyoko replied kindly as her eyes looked off in the distance. "I think Sakura-san knew that when she suggested this place." Kyoko looked over at her husband and froze. His stern lilac eyes bore into her with great intensity. Closing her lips together, she gulped uncomfortably. She watched as he drank the last remnants of his Scotch before placing the glass down along the balcony's edge, never once taking his eyes off her. Reino began to take steps closer to her. Instinctively Kyoko took steps back until she had nowhere left to go.
Reino approached her and placed his hands along the balcony on either side of her, bringing his face closer to Kyoko's. Lowering his eyes to her supple pink lips, his mouth parted blanketing her with his intoxicated breath. "Why do you look serious Kyoko?"
Opening her mouth to reply, she found that she had no answer. Everything about this unfamiliar man made her nervous. One minute he would look at her with affection-draped lust but then in another instant his fiery eyes would bath her in contempt. Now he was intimately near and her heart frantically slammed within her, entirely unsure of how to proceed.
"You looked beautiful yesterday," he continued lowering his voice, bringing his hands closer to the curves of her waist. "I'm sorry that I didn't get a chance to say that sooner."
Kyoko inhaled through her nose slowly, taking in the succulent scent of his cologne. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the unfamiliar feelings that tingled her spine and warmed her veins. "T-Thank you," she muttered a half a minute later.
"Do I really frighten you that much?" Reino asked brushing his lips across hers.
Kyoko shook her head, unable to verbalize the proper lie.
"Good." Lifting his hand, he wrapped his fingers around her neck and pulled her into a passionate kiss.
SHINING LIKE A STAR! Kyoko turned her face as she broke from the kiss. Sliding away from his close confine, she quickly walked over to the small glass end table in the corner and grabbed her phone, silencing the ringer. "I'm sorry," she apologized without bothering to look back at her husband. "I need to take this," she added as she stepped back into the bedroom.
Sliding the green bar across the screen, she answered happily. "Perfect timing!"
"Don't tell me you were about to have sex?" Miroku teased.
"Don't make me smack you," Kyoko joked in return, eliciting laughter. "So what's up?"
"I really am very sorry to disturb you beautiful, but I need a very big favor." He asked as his voice became serious.
"Of course anything," Kyoko replied.
"If I texted you an address, could you go there and pick up a package for me?"
"A package?"
"Yes. There are contracts that I promised my father I was going to pick up a couple of weeks ago. Silly me forgot and now the deadline is fast approaching."
Kyoko grabbed her maroon scarf off the bed and wrapped it tightly around her neck. Then she looked over at the balcony and found Reino tapping away on his own device. Sighing heavily, she walked over to the door and escaped quickly. "Why are you having me do it? Wouldn't it make more sense to have Reino pick them up?"
Laughter echoed from her phone. "You are joking right?"
"Uh, not really?" Kyoko replied feeling left out of the loop.
"I am sorry my dear, but that punk brat is quite unreliable when it comes to anything pertaining to father. In fact, Reino is more likely to sabotage dealings for father then too assist him. If you do this for me, I will owe you a very big favor."
"Oh no," Kyoko said sweetly. "You don't have to owe me anything. I don't mind doing things for you Miroku. You're always so kind to me." She skipped down the myriad floors of stairs dexterously.
"We could very well debate this all weekend. Let's do this. If you ever need anything please ask right away. If not, then no worries."
Kyoko giggled. "If that's your wish." She pushed out of the front door to the large estate, feeling relief at last. As she strolled down the streets basking in the glum weather, Kyoko felt genuinely happy.
"Look Kyoko," this time his voice sounded utterly desperate. "If something goes wrong, I want you to call me right away. Do not bother calling Reino or my parents, just call me. I am the only one who can help you. Okay?"
Sensing the caution in his tone, she stopped walking and looked down at the cold, grey cement. "You're scaring me. This isn't some sort of Yakuza thing, is it?"
Miroku laughed wholeheartedly. "No my god woman. Just call it a hunch."
Kyoko giggled and relaxed. "Okay, shoot me that address. I could use the fresh air anyway."
A beautiful woman dressed in a simple white pantsuit adjusted the headset. She then smiled to the set assistant and took the offered brown clipboard. Pulling the black pen from behind her ear, she began to check off everything that had already been completed. The wind lapped at her bare neck, sending a few strands of brown hair loose from its tight bun. The escapee strands wrapped around her glasses, but it didn't seem to slow her down one bit.
"Is he ready yet?" A masculine voice asked attracting her attention from the board in her hands. The mad had a head of black hair that was messily raked back. Eyes were shadowed with black sunglasses and his attire was a casual attempt at professionalism. But that was just his style.
She looked up at the tall man and smiled beautifully. "I'm sorry Seishi-san he is not quite ready yet. Give him another five minutes."
The director shrugged. He glanced to the expensive gold watch dangling from his right wrist before addressing her again. "No worries. We are actually ahead by a bit, so he can take his time if he likes."
The woman nodded to him as he walked off. Looking down, she checked off one final thing just as her phone beeped twice. She reached into her back pocket and grabbed it. Tapping the new text message, she smiled and nodded her head in acknowledgement. Her perfectly manicured fingers quickly danced across the touch-keyboard as she composed a reply. After hitting send, she returned the phone to its appropriate pocket.
"Pardon me, Aki-san?" A young man's voice addressed her as he lightly tapped her shoulder. She looked up and smiled at him, making him blush lightly. Pulling his hand back, he pushed his glasses up upon his nose before speaking again. "There is a woman here. She said she is here on behalf of Ryusaki Miroku?"
"I swear that man has impeccable timing," Aki mumbled. Handing the clipboard to the young guy, she glanced at her white watch and smiled. "Okay, take me to her." The duo walked through three or four large tents that were set up on the beach. Stopping fifteen feet from the young lady, Aki turned to the man and nodded her thanks. She began walking up to her raven-haired beauty, but froze when someone else beat her to it.
Kyoko admired the vast grey-blue ocean, inhaling and exhaling the cold air. Shivers ran down her spine as the chill of the winter weather washed over her. Looking down, she cursed herself for not wearing tights beneath her skinny leg jeans. Tightening the light pink wool coat around her a bit tighter, she closed her eyes and relished the atmosphere.
"Kyoko?"
Her eyes shot open as the familiar voice filled her ears. Hearing her growing pulse thumping against her eardrums, Kyoko felt her throat tighten frantically. Fingers painfully tightened around the soft fabric of her jacket as she slowly turned around. It can't be. Please don't let it be. She hoped and prayed. When she lifted her eyes to the man before her, her jaw dropped as all air left her lungs.
"Oh my god, Kyoko…" He repeated as he took a couple of steps closer to her. Seeing her retreat from him, he stopped and furrowed his brows with sadness. "Don't you recognize me?"
"S-Sho…" she whispered as hot tears dripped from wide ochre eyes. "Shotaro."
