Chapter 10

Maria, Lory and Kyoko, including all of the department heads, were amazed and the raven-haired girl's reaction to the phone test. Kyoko couldn't help but wonder what exactly was being said to her through the mock phone call, but it had to be good.

Lory looked over at her after the girls had exited the stage. "Curious?" He smirked and handed her a blindingly pink phone and hit send. She sat and listened for a moment with furrowed brow. This was horrible. How could he think it was a good idea to use something like this? She sighed a little sadly and gave the phone back to Lory. "Otou-san... Why would you put them through something like this? It's horrible. I don't even know what I would do in a situation like that. Knowing that the one I loved threw me away to be with other women and then came back when no one else would take him. As if I were his last choice. I would like to think that the man I loved would always keep me first in his heart. What if you have caused one of those girls to have to relive that pain over again? I'm very disappointed. Something like this is very hurtful." She shook her head, took Maria's little hand and walked out.

He really hadn't thought of anything like that. He felt a little ashamed of it now that it had been brought to light. Now he was rethinking everything about the next part of the test. What if one of the very talented young women in the next room had family problems or, a very painful childhood? What if they had no family life at all?

He slumped in his seat and sighed.

"Something wrong Boss?" Sawara-san asked a little concerned.

Lory sighed. "I'm having second thoughts about the next test. Something very important has been pointed out and I think I may need to rethink some of my methods." He stood up. "I'll be right back. I think I need a little air to clear my head."

Clear his mind indeed. He really hadn't looked at the Romance portion of the test from a female's perspective. The only thing he had thought of was how wonderful it would be to a woman if her wayward man had come back to her after his epiphany of love, but that was a man's view of it. Now that he thought of it, if a woman did that to a man, it would be very hurtful. He decided to put himself in her shoes. Had his late wife of 20 years left him instead, then came back after gallivanting around with so many men, then told him that she'd been rejected so she was finally coming home... how would he feel? He sighed. "I suppose I would feel like..." He swallowed a little ashamed and nervous. "I would feel like I was her last choice. Like I was the last thing that she wanted and came back because she didn't have any other choices. Like I was literally the last man on Earth... Ouch, that would be very painful."

He sat on the bench outside and hung his head wondering how many of those beautiful, talented young woman had to relive something like that and fought it back to impress him. He wondered if there were any orphans in the group and dreaded the next phase even more. Perhaps this could still be salvaged. He nodded his head at the idea. Maybe it could work. It would show their true inner talents if they could do something that was honestly, completely against their nature, and still be convincing enough to act it out.

Kanae Kotonami was instantly horrified at her own response. She knew what all of the other young women auditioning knew. She knew what all of Tokyo knew, Lory Takarada was a love crazed eccentric and the words that came out of her mouth went against everything he believed in and displayed to the world through his company. What he had told her after his initial reaction, stunned and mystified everyone in the auditorium, including his own employees.

"Kotonami-san, having this strong an opinion on this particular subject, would you please portray Flora for us in your own way?" He really hoped that she did well, all of the others were dishonest about what they thought. Each and every one until this point had disingenuously told the panel what they thought they wanted to hear. She was the first one to be honest about her own feelings. He saw potential in her. "You may have a few moments if needed."

She shook her head shakily, still recovering from the initial shock. "That won't be necessary Sir." She told him shocking him even more. This girl was quick on her feet. Another attribute he was looking for. He wondered exactly how she would do. Would she be able to act Flora, a girl who valued her family ties even after what they had put her through, with the love and empathy that the script had required?

When all was said and done, Lory had not been disappointed. Kanae Kotonami had a great deal of potential. Although, she did need polishing before allowing her to debut. Perhaps he could put her in that new section he was creating to prepare new talents and with Kyoko's curious views on this selection process, maybe he needed to put her there too. Not that he didn't somewhat agree with her, but it was the tone of voice she had used that peaked his curiosity. He wondered if she was still harboring a few caustic feelings from those old scars of hers.

The phone call hit a nerve. She didn't want to think of how Sho had treated her back in Kyoto or, how those girls had nearly killed her because of him. Once she heard that male voice saying those things, it set her off so much, she had to struggle to keep from burning the little device to a cinder. The words brought back so many bad memories that she had not discussed with anyone, not Lory, not her father, not Maria and not Kuon; although, Kuon just instinctively already knew of some of it and chose to leave the sensitive subject alone.

After leaving Maria in the playroom, she decided to clear her angry mind by strolling (not stomping, definitely not stomping) down to LA Hearts via the stairwell, to pick up lunch and drinks for the pair. Not paying a bit of attention, except for the task of clearing her mind and trying to prevent her true nature from shining through, she had slipped on a little patch on the steps and started to fall, only to be caught by a long, muscular, masculine arm that snaked around her tiny waist and pulled her into a familiar comforting scent.

A familiar chuckle caressed her ears and soft lips sent chill-bumps over her body as they grazed her neck with his words and breath. "You should be more careful, Kyoko." He whispered so that only she could hear, then righted her on her feet. "Are you okay?" He smiled.

She blushed prettily and nodded. She was still feeling the wooziness caused by his touch and scent. She was fighting the urge to leap into his arms and ravage his lips. She had been thinking of him and a lot of other things these past eight months. Emails, texts and phone calls just hadn't been cutting it and with all of the new knowledge she had acquired along with unfettered access to the internet, she had learned more than she would openly admit to even her own father. Not that she was a pervert or, anything like that, she was just curious and when one question was sated in her mind, another popped up, then one thing led to another and she was learning about things that would have made a sailor blush. Needless to say, maturity was force-bloomed and now he was dancing through her imagination with all of that lovely information and adding to it. She almost couldn't look at him without blushing fiercely and physically reacting in very unwanted ways that were more easily hidden by the fairer sex. To put it bluntly, she would have left snail trails had she not been wearing panties.

Fortunately or, unfortunately he was fighting his own war of bodily reactions when her natural saffron scent took on a more musky tone. His mind was clouded and it took everything within him to prevent the natural animalistic urge to throw her over his shoulder, carry her to the nearest broom closet and have his way with her.

He smiled sexily at her and in a smooth purr asked. "So, when did you get back?"

Yashiro blushed at the tone and stepped away. He had decided to just observe and keep others from interrupting.

"I landed in Tokyo last night." Her molten gold eyes shimmered and she gave him a small sexy little smirk, not realizing the effect she was having on him as she fidgeted nervously, still thinking of all of the delicious things running around in her mind.

He took her hand and ran his fingers gently over the beautiful, unique little ring that he had put there so many months ago and smiled at the fact she was still wearing it. "You still wear it?"

She smiled softly and he felt her free, small hand gently pull the necklace she had made for him from his shirt, brushing his skin as she did so. A shiver ran through his body at the accidental contact. "You're wearing yours?"

He nodded. "I hardly ever take it off." He smiled softly as he righted her on her feet.

She shook her head. "I haven't either."

He felt his heart leap. Did she actually realize what he intended when he slipped it on her finger? "Would you join me for dinner tonight?" His throat felt a little nervous and tight.

She nodded shakily. "I think I would like that."

"Where should I pick you up?" He felt the tension leave, to be replaced by another type, with her answer as she gave him the address to her new apartment and a convenient time for them both.

If one could see into the minds of the pair, one would witness the male doing back-flips and various acrobatics to celebrate his success. One would also witness the female twirling, spinning, throwing in a Grand Jeté and a couple of pirouette in celebration. The little encounter had definitely brought up the spirits of both. It felt like a piece of their hearts that had been missing, had been returned.