Chapter Ten:
.
.
Leon stood next to Chikara on the train en route to pick up supplies for painting the porch and fixing the garden. He tried to focus on what Chikara told him about the importance of environmentally friendly paint, but his thoughts were on Sora. He nodded his head at the appropriate times, but spoke little.
They were in the paint aisle in the store and Chikara wrote down notes on the color he wanted mixed. "You care for her, don't you?"
"Of course, I care, Monsieur Naegino. Sora is my partner," Leon answered, unnerved by the sudden question. "With her, I was able to accomplish the promise I made my dying sister."
"I may not have seen all your performances, but I have seen the way you looked at Sora on stage. No one is that good of an actor," Chikara stated. He strolled through the outdoor nursery to look over the shrubbery and flowers. "And I have seen the way you are with her under our roof. Midori told me of the obvious affection between you two at the park. She and Yume left to give you privacy."
Leon rubbed his left palm over his right fist anxiously. He had thought Midori's departure was rather abrupt. "It hardly matters, considering she chose to accept a date with that martial artist right in front of me."
"Ah, so you are upset," Chikara murmured He smiled as he picked up a potted lily plant. "Kei has been trying to gain Sora's attentions for years. I find it rather suspect that she only now accepted his invitation after bringing you to our home."
"I more invited myself," Leon explained. "I wanted to train with Sora for a showcase in the fall and the prospect of remaining with the company while she was here revolted me."
"She could have easy refused your request," Chikara said. "Just as she gently refused the attentions of that pleasant Ken."
"You know about Ken?" Leon asked.
"We may have only visited Sora twice at Kaleido Stage, but both times he followed her around like a devoted puppy." Chikara set the pot back down and crouched over a more vibrant display of orange flowers.
"How will we transport all these plants and paints to the house on the train?" Leon asked. Chikara had written down several plants and bags of soil on his list.
Chikara chuckled. "That would be impossible. This store delivers. I'm only here to make my order and then you and I are going to the aquarium."
"The aquarium?" Leon imagined Kei holding Sora's hand and pointing out seahorses behind thick glass walls. Such a scene angered him beyond reason and he could feel tension headache developing at the back of his skull. He felt the phone Chikara loaned him vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out to read the text. It was a picture of Sora waving in front of a display of seahorses. The coincidence was too much.
Chikara glanced over to see the screen and clucked his tongue. "I'll speak with the manager about my order and then we'll head there directly."
"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Leon hedged. "Won't it be better if we work on the porch and garden? Sora might appreciate some privacy."
Chikara glared up at Leon, his dark eyes unreadable. "You don't strike me as a coward, Oswald-san."
Leon's spine stiffened at the accusation. As a Frenchman living in America, he was annoyed by the common misbelief that the French were fearful and lacked the will to fight. The brilliant military emperors Napoleon and Charlemagne were Frenchmen! "I am no coward."
"Then do not argue with your elders," Chikara answered humorlessly. "Life is too short to squander it on uncertainty. I like you, Oswald-san and I like how you care for Sora. I cannot stand by and allow you let my beloved daughter slip through your fingers."
Leon bowed his head. "I will accompany you, Monsieur Naegino." A faint smile crossed his lips. "Let us put an end to Sora's would-be suitor."
.
.
OoO
.
.
It felt like returning to home. Kaleido Stage was busy with activity. Sets were built, exercises were performed, and skits were learned. Anna Heart had an assembly of clowns practicing ridiculous stunts. Rosetta Passel waved to Sara Dupont as she hurried inside the trapeze training area.
May Wong stood over Ken Robbins as he worked on the frame for a spinning device pointing out imperfections whenever she spotted them.
"It's almost as if we never left," Layla murmured in Yuri's ear as he walked alongside her towards Kalos' office. They had called Kalos the day before to announce their intention to visit his circus. After Yuri assured him that he had no intention of buying him out or sabotaging his current works, Kalos agreed to meet them at his office. It was clear that Kalos didn't trust Yuri, but his affection for Layla often outweighed his better judgement.
"There are differences," Yuri argued. "New faces everywhere and the absence of many others. Do you remember the old Stage Manager? Travis certainly was a talented old man."
"I think he would still be here if his arthritis hadn't become so painful," Layla said. She remembered the old man fondly. He often told stories of his grandchildren and their troublesome antics. He was one of the few members of the stage that treated Layla like a normal person, not like a star. She had appreciated his honestly.
"Are you ready?" Yuri asked, taking Layla's hand and ascending the stairs to Kalos' office. "We can always turn around, pick any city, and I can start up your own circus."
"No." Layla firmly shook her head. She entwined her fingers with Yuri's and squeezed his hand in comfort. "It must be Kalos Eido."
"Here goes." Yuri winked at her and then knocked on the frame of Kalos' open door. "Knock, knock. Can we talk?"
Kalos glanced at his wristwatch. "You're a little early, but that works." He waved them inside. "It's good to see you, Layla. I admit, I was surprised to hear you were coming all the way out here. How are things going in New York?"
Layla grimaced and let go of Yuri's hand. "They could be better."
Kalos sat at his desk and gestured towards the two seats across from him. "Make yourselves comfortable. What did you want to talk about?"
"We're aware that Sora and Leon didn't renew their contracts," Yuri said. "How are you planning to keep your audience?"
Kalos lips thinned, he braced his elbows on his desk, and leaned forward. "We have plenty of talent on our roster."
"I realize that," Layla said, smiling brightly, and sitting across from Kalos. "The reason I'm here, I saw Sora in New York on her way to Japan. She reminded me of why I love performing and I was hoping, that you would consider a performance of Alice in Wonderland."
"Alice in Wonderland?" Kalos arched an eyebrow. "Aren't you a little mature for that role?"
"We were thinking of a new take on Into the Looking Glass. In the new movie there is an implied romance between the older Alice and the Mad Hatter. We would like to work together with you to make such a show happen," Yuri explained.
"We plan to open our next performance in two weeks," Kalos said. He leaned back in his seat and rubbed his jaw. "Though, we could brainstorm and see if this is plausible for the fall."
"My contract on Broadway is still in effect, but the fall would work perfectly!" Layla smiled broadly. She reached across the desk and grabbed Kalos hand. "Thank you so much, Kalos!"
"I doubt if the show will last longer than another week," Yuri stated bluntly. Layla's cheeks burned in embarrassment.
"That bad?" Kalos asked.
Layla nodded.
"This isn't some ploy to shut down the circus?" Kalos asked, his eyes narrowed suspiciously at Yuri. "Because your recent history doesn't lend me to trust you much."
"I can stay here and work on the script," Yuri said. "This show is important to Layla and her happiness is more important to me than old vendettas." He closed his eyes and sighed deeply calming himself. "I realize my father's death wasn't the fault of Kaleido Star. If I truly believed that, I wouldn't have followed in his footsteps and become an acrobat."
"I assume you'd like to be Alice and you the Hatter?" Kalos asked, indicating them each in turn. "You'll have to audition."
Layla smiled, standing from the chair. "I wouldn't have it any other way." She turned towards Yuri. "We should get out of Kalos' hair. He's busy."
"No hurry," Kalos protested. "Why don't you two stay the afternoon? You can observe the other performers and see the changes to the circus. We made a great deal of profit during Swan Lake." He smiled fondly. "I owe a great deal to my Kaleido Stars and I'll be happy to have you both back."
.
.
OoO
.
.
Sora traced her fingers along the thick plexiglas of the koi fish tank. She enjoyed watching koi, but it felt like she was cheating watching them this way. They should be free to roam the ponds near temples and small streams.
"Koi are rather stupid creatures," Kei said. "A goldfish has a three second memory."
A flash of irritation shot through Sora at Kei's insult to her favorite fish. Leon was often rude, but he would have been more careful of his comments, especially to a woman he was dating. "You speak as if they are the same. Koi were bred from the carp here in Japan nearly two hundred years ago. Goldfish are much smaller and originate from China," Sora corrected.
"Ha," Kei said, running his fingers through his dark hair. "I suppose you read one of the placards here for that interesting tidbit."
"Koi also live longer," Sora continued. "And if you interbreed a koi with a goldfish, their offspring are always sterile."
"Like a mule," Kei mused. "Come," he said, taking her wrist. "The dolphin show will start soon. If we hurry, we'll have time for Shark Hall."
Sora allowed Kei to lead her throughout the aquarium. She wondered if Leon was enjoying his day with her parents and sister. She felt a twinge of sadness knowing she wasn't there with them. As she stared at the sand tiger shark, she couldn't help but imagine what Leon would say while looking at the terrifying creature. He'd probably mutter something in French and then demand to challenge the shark to a duel. A smile flitted across her lips as she visualized Leon punching the shark in the nose and knocking it senseless.
Kei glanced down at his watch. "We'll come back here if you want, but we need to hurry for the show now."
As Sora followed him outside towards the dolphin's show, she had the suspicious feeling of being watched. She looked over her shoulder and caught a wisp of silver. Her heart clenched in her chest, wondering if it was Leon, but it was simply an older woman with long silvery hair.
"Are you okay?" Kei asked, his brow creased in concern. He pointed towards the bench. "After you."
Sora sat down and stared towards the water. "I just thought I saw someone I recognized." She pulled her phone out of her purse, snapped a picture of the dolphins entering the aquatic stage, and sent it to Leon. He hadn't responded to her previous text and she tried to ignore the disappointment at that. However, he was probably busy working on the yard with her family.
.
.
OoO
.
.
"What do you mean, you're going to leave me here?" Leon kept his voice calm, but inside he was a whirlwind of panic.
"You have your ticket to the aquarium and your metropass. What you do from this point is up to you," Chikara said. He held his hand up in a gesture of goodbye and walked away.
Leon could have followed after him, but he decided to not waste his ticket. He couldn't read kanji, but it was easy enough to wander the halls of the aquarium. His interest rose upon reaching the shark area. He felt akin to the other guests, staring through the glass barrier at the magnificent and terrifying jaws of the sharks swimming around him.
He heard Sora's voice and ducked further down the hall out of sight.
Two minutes later, his phone vibrated with a text message. He smiled at the sight of Sora with dolphins in the background. He tucked the phone back into his pocket and started to search for the outdoor show.
When he reached the arena, he found Sora and Kei near the front in the splash zone. He kept a wary distance and choose a section far behind them. The dolphins did impressive tricks of acrobatics, but Leon could hardly enjoy it. The sound of Sora's joyful laughter made him happy, but her proximity to Kei pissed him off. The combination led to him feeling rather anxious and irritable.
After the show ended, he stayed while Sora and Kei went back inside the aquarium. His phone buzzed with a text for Sora of the food she was having at the cafeteria. "For a date, you certainly are messaging me pretty often," he murmured.
She sent a text shortly afterwards. 'How does the garden look?'
Leon's thumb hovered over the phone's keyboard. Should he lie or send her a message of where he was at?
The bleachers around him began to fill up again as the start of the Sea Lion show was about to begin. He waited until the animals and their trainers were on stage, snapped a picture, and then sent it back to Sora.
His phone buzzed immediately. 'You're at the aquarium?'
Leon chose not to answer and turned his attention to the performance. While watching the sea lions, he was reminded of Jonathan. Sora had rescued the baby seal before Leon joined Kaleido Stage, convincing Kalos to give the animal a home within the circus.
He smiled to himself. It was doubtful that Sora would be able to resist watching the adorable sea lions. They were certainly social creatures! Their flippers looked more akin to feet from his vantage point and they seemed quite comfortable both in and out of water.
One of the mammals performed an acrobatic feat of great height and Leon found himself cheering with the rest of the audience, enthralled by the playful creatures.
.
.
OoO
.
.
"Is everything okay?" Kei asked. He looked across the table at her in the aquarium's cafeteria.
Sora tucked her phone into her purse and forced a smile. "Yes. How's your drink?"
Kei lifted his bottle of Ramune soda. "Delicious."
"I didn't realize there was a show for sea lions." Sora began to pick at her napkin. "I had a pet seal back at Kaleido Stage, but I've never seen a sea lion up close."
"They're basically the same," Kei said, his voice tinged with impatience.
His tone concerned Sora. She would have thought that since they were at an aquarium that Kei would have been interested to know she had a seal. "Sea lions use their flippers like legs and walk on the ground, seals slide on their bellies. It's really hard to confuse one for the other."
Sora was sorely tempted to join Leon at the Sea Lion Show and see the creatures up close. Jonathan, like most seals, was a solitary animal. She was interested to see how the social sea lions would work together. "Maybe we can see the later performance?"
"I was thinking we'd leave here soon," Kei said.
"But, we've not seen everything yet!"
"Surely you don't care that much about the performance of some animals?"
"I'm a circus performer, Kei," Sora said quietly. "I've worked with a seal before. I would be very much interested in seeing the performance."
Kei sipped from his bottle. "Go ahead then." He waved his hand towards the hall that led towards the outdoor aquaria show. "I'll wait here."
"Are you sure?" Sora asked. She pushed her chair away from the table. "I'll just go watch it for a few minutes." When he didn't answer, but focused on his own cell phone, Sora didn't waste anymore time. She hurried towards the show, pausing at the ramp up the bleachers for a moment to spot her partner.
Leon waved towards her and Sora ran up the rows of bleachers to sit beside him. She watched the show just in time to see the sea lions do a trick of jumping through various hoops. The crowd cheered around her, including Leon. It was nice seeing him enthusiastic.
"What are you doing here?" Sora whispered.
"Your father suggested I enjoy the aquarium," Leon whispered back. "He dropped me off here about an hour ago."
They focused on the show, clapping and cheering along with the rest of the audience.
"Shouldn't you be getting back to your date?"
Sora frowned. She had promised Kei she would only stay a few minutes, but she was in no hurry to return to the cafeteria. At one point, she would have considered Kei a good friend. Now, things were awkward. He kept trying to take her hand and she kept finding excuses to move her hand just out of reach.
Before she knew it, the show was over. "Come with me," Sora said, taking Leon's hand.
He looked down at her in surprise.
"What is going on?" Kei stood at the base of the mostly empty bleachers. His hands were fisted at his sides and his face was flushed with anger. "I leave you alone for a few minutes and you find him?"
"Dad dropped Leon off here," Sora said, jerking her hand out of Leon's. "It was an unexpected surprise to see him watching the Sea Lion Show. I simply lost track of time."
Kei didn't seem to hear Sora. His hard, gray gaze was focused on Leon. "You couldn't let her out of your sight for a few hours?" He strode up the stairs until he was on the row right below them.
"I don't know you. Why would you think for a minute that I would trust her with you?" Leon challenged.
Kei's eyes narrowed and he jabbed Leon in the jaw with an unexpected punch.
Leon staggered back and rubbed his jaw. He used his superior height and shoved Kei in the chest. The martial artist stumbled back slightly, but easily repositioned his weight. He started for a round-house kick, but Sora recognized the move, and blocked his leg.
It was a defensive maneuver that Kei had taught her three years ago.
"I think it's safe to say this date is over," Sora said coldly. "I really would have liked if you both could have gotten along, but if I have to chose between the two of you." She looked between them, her expression carefully neutral. "I will always choose my partner."
Kei's eyes grew wide in rage and Sora softened her expression. She smiled at him sadly. "I chose to become a circus performer, Kei. I had hoped that we could have resumed our friendship, but I think you want something from me that I cannot give."
"He is a foreigner," Kei warned in Japanese. "He cannot possibly respect our ways. You're making another mistake, Sora. But, this time, I won't be there to pick up the pieces."
Sora was annoyed at Kei's belittling and sexist attitude. "While I appreciate your concern, I can pick up my own pieces."
Kei snorted and turned his back on them as he walked away.
"Are you okay?" Leon opened his jaw and it cracked loudly. His chin was bright red and was already starting to bruise.
Sora brushed her fingers gently over his bruised face and cringed. "Let's get some ice on that and then head home." There was still time to work on the garden and frankly, the aquarium had lost some of its appeal.
The thought that kept running through her mind was that Leon and Kei had exchanged blows over her! She detested violence, but part of her felt a little smug about having two handsome men fight over her.
They made their way towards the cafeteria. The cashier at the counter gave them a cup full of ice to lay over Leon's injured jaw.
"I have a request, Sora," Leon said.
"Hm?"
"Will you consider going on a date with me?"
Sora's lips twitched into a smile. The sight of the normally impeccably calm Leon looking nervous and holding a paper cup to his jaw warmed her heart. She stood on her tiptoes and leaned against him to press a chaste kiss to his uninjured cheek. "I'm pretty sure we're already on one, Leon."
.
.
.
A/N: Thanks for your support on this story! Shotgunhero has been a real treasure as my beta! I will be taking a short hiatus, but hope to have the next portion of the story up soon!