Flowers
Chapter Nine
Edited: November 22, 2018
"What?"
Kagome couldn't believe what she had heard. Mimasaka wanted to spend the day with her? What on Earth? What was going on here? Didn't he remember their first encounter in the university section of Eitoku? She had openly rejected his dinning offer then. Didn't he understand that she didn't want anything to do with him?
Well, he should know the answer by now.
Kagome was ready to reply with a blunt response when something caught her eye. Exiting from the café was her best friend and co-worker Ayumi. Ayumi and she attended the same middle school together. Ayumi was the only friend she kept up with from school. Their friendship had been strained due to her travels through time, but whenever Kagome returned home to the present for a few days, Ayumi was always there, smiling and welcoming her back without question. Kagome swore she wouldn't have passed her final math exam without Ayumi's help. The girl was literally a godsend back during that particularly difficult time of her life, and even now it looked like she was sent out to help Kagome in her time of need.
Thank goodness, I'm saved!
She could feel the tears of joy beginning to line her eyes as Ayumi looked towards her… yet, when her eyes wandered towards Mimasaka, Kagome knew she had lost her saving grace.
"Oh, um, hello…" Ayumi blushed slightly while fiddling with her palms. "I, um, hope I wasn't interrupting anything. I came outside because I saw you from the window Kagome-chan, but I didn't know that someone else was here with you."
Kagome noticed the way Mimasaka had straightened himself up when first seeing Ayumi. Her eyes narrowed instinctively. This player better not think of trying anything with her friend!
"Good morning," Akira greeted her charmingly. He approached Ayumi calmly yet confidentially. With relative ease, he reached for her right hand, brought it up to his lips and placed a chaste kiss on the back of her palm. "It's wonderful to meet a friend of Higurashi-san's. My name is Akira Mimasaka, and it's a pleasure to meet you."
Ayumi was seeing stars. The man before her was even more beautiful than any celebrity she's seen on the cover of a magazine. She felt her ears and cheeks turn red. "O-Oh, umm, I-I… it's w-wonderful to m-meet you t-too. I-I'm A-Ayumi… K-Kagome-chan's f-f-friend."
Kagome rolled her eyes. Ayumi was long gone.
Once again, Mimasaka had found yet another woman to play with.
Like I'll let him sink his filthy paws into her though! Kagome was determined to protect Ayumi from Mimasaka. There's no way she would let him corrupt her. Ayumi was far too good for the likes of him!
"Back off, Mimasaka!" She sauntered forward and pulled Ayumi close towards her, making sure to stand in front of her friend. "Leave Ayumi-chan alone!"
Akira stifled a laugh. "Relax Higurashi-san, I mean her no harm."
Kagome narrowed her eyes and muttered. "Yeah right."
Akira clicked his tongue. He wasn't in the mood for an argument right now. If he wanted his plan to work, then he would Higurashi to cooperate with him.
"Ayumi-san, was it?" He spoke softly, catching her off guard. "It's such a lovely name for such a stunning young woman."
"Oh my." Ayumi blushed even more.
Kagome groaned. This was like watching a bad sitcom she wanted to turn off but couldn't.
"Uhh." She hung her head in shame.
"Tell me, Ayumi-san, Higurashi-san is supposed to be working right now, no?" Akira's cool voice snapped her back to reality. Kagome's head snapped right up when she heard Ayumi utter a meek yes.
"Well then," Akira rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Would it be safe if I had Higurashi-san spend the day with me instead?"
Ayumi's jaw dropped. "I-I'm afraid t-that's not possible. W-We need Kagome-chan to w-work—"
Akira intervened by reaching into his pocket, withdrawing his wallet and pulling out his credit card. "If I purchased enough food from the café, would that suffice in allowing Higurashi-san to take a small leave of absence to join me for the day?"
Ayumi stared at him, utterly dumbfounded as did Kagome.
"I, um, w-would suppose that's alright," Ayumi managed to whisper in a dream-like state.
Akira flashed her Ayumi a heartfelt smile. "Wonderful. I'll go make the purchases right now. Higurashi-san, I'll be right back. Ayumi-chan, it was an honour to meet you." With one last dazzling smile, Akira entered the café leaving Ayumi and Kagome outside.
As expected, Ayumi could barely contain herself. "Goodness Kagome-chan, where—how did you meet such a kind and considerate gentleman? Also, he's so handsome! Uh, after the day is done you have to tell me how it all went!"
Kagome stared at Ayumi in shock.
"I imagine you two will spend an amazing day together. Oh, think of all the possibilities." She clasped her hands together. Kagome almost swore she could see hearts forming in her friend's brown irises. "Maybe he'll treat you to lunch along the boardwalk where you'll both enjoy a wonderful stroll simply basking in each other's company. Oh, how romantic!"
"You've got to be kidding me!" Even though Ayumi was one of her dearest friends, Kagome couldn't contain herself. "I'd rather roast in hell before I let something like that happen."
"But Kagome-chan," Ayumi gasped. "He's such a gentleman."
Kagome snorted. As if Mimasaka even knew the definition of what constituted a gentleman.
"Kagome-chan," Ayumi sighed, shaking her head at her friend's behaviour.
"Ayumi-chan, listen to me, I—"
"All finished." Akira answered as he exited the café. "Ayumi-san, there will be someone stopping by shortly to pick up the food I've purchased. I trust that's alright?"
"Oh, of course, Mimasaka-san," she laughed gleefully. "Thank you for patronage." She bowed in respect to which Kagome shuddered. Akira merely arched a brow in Kagome's direction.
"Higurashi-san, if we may." He walked towards her and offered his arm. Kagome eyed the ligament as though it was a piece of radioactive waste, and made no move to accept his kindness.
Ayumi noticed the stare and did what any good friend would do. She grabbed Kagome by the arm and forcefully had her grasp onto Akira's awaiting arm.
"Ayumi-chan!" gasped Kagome in utter shock.
"Don't forget your purse," Ayumi teased her friend with a laugh as she bent down to pick it up.
"I don't mind holding onto it," Akira suggested as he took it from Ayumi's trembling hands. "Thank you for picking it up, Ayumi-san." Gracefully and effortlessly, he slid the purse over his left shoulder.
Ayumi blushed, once more fiddling with her hands. "I-It was no trouble. I hope you both have a w-wonderful time." With a laugh to seal the deal, Ayumi walked back inside the café, the door shutting behind her.
Leaving no time to waste, Akira led Kagome towards his awaiting limo and had his driver open the door for her. "After you, beautiful," he whispered rather sensually into her ear.
Kagome shot him an irritated look, one that holds both a mixture of revulsion and scorn. Akira chortled much to her shock, but she entered the limo with little else to say.
"Thank you." She nodded to the driver. He tipped his head in acknowledgment as Akira entered shortly behind her. When seeing the door shut, Kagome took that opportunity to slide as far down the comfortable seating as possible.
"Really, Higurashi-san, you're going to move that far away from me." Akira sighed in discontent.
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Can I please have my purse back?" She held out her hands expectantly.
Akira looked at her in disapproval. "Fine, since you asked so kindly for it." He passed the small bag back towards her, which she held onto for dear life.
Akira let out a mirthless laugh. "Higurashi-san, you have nothing to worry about. Your bag holds nothing of interest or value to me."
Kagome again rolled her eyes. "Well, that makes me feel so much better."
The air was then silent between them as neither one said anything. Kagome took those few minutes to get herself into a more comfortable position and remove her name tag from her blouse. She slid the piece of plastic back into her bag and zipped it up tightly. She then took the time to survey her newfound surroundings and found herself feeling uncomfortable already. As expected, the interior was filled with top of the line entertainment. She noticed there were several televisions sets mounted to the sides of the vehicle. There also looked to be a fully stocked wine bar with its own mini fridge. Not forgetting the seating, Kagome assumed the upholstery was some sort of expensive material.
Probably something even more expensive than leather. She didn't let her thoughts linger on the state of the limo's luxuriousness for long though; not that she could with the way Mimasaka was staring at her.
"Is there something on my face, Mimasaka-san?" Blunt and to the point, Kagome was hoping to put an end to this excursionright now.
"No, Higurashi-san, there isn't. Also, would you please stop calling me by my surname? I have a first name you know."
She responded by huffing at a piece of hair that fell in front of her eyes. "Mimasaka-san, I don't feel comfortable calling you by your first name." She could feel Akira's eyes on her while she continued. "I hardly know you, so it doesn't seem right for me to call you by your first name."
Akira heaved a sigh which partially irked Kagome. "Higurashi-san, would you be okay if I called you by your first name?"
The question surprised Kagome. She hadn't expected that Mimasaka would ask for her permission. It was a tad surprising, to say the least, and it definitely caught her off guard.
Well, since he's not being such a jerk about it, I suppose this indulgence would be fine.
"Yes, Mimasaka-san, you can call me by my first name."
Upon acquiring a positive response, Mimasaka nodded accordingly. "Thank you, Kagome-san." It was the first time she heard Akira call her by her first name. It was odd—and it kind of scared her—but it didn't bother her as much as she thought it would.
"Um, you're welcome?" Kagome was eager to get the conversation moving beyond this issue. She might as well jump straight into the approaching bullet and ask the obvious. "Mimasaka-san, why am I spending the day with you?" Her eyes narrowed once more as studied the older man before her. Just what were his intentions with her? What did he want that had to involve her?
Akira caught her oddball gaze and merely chuckled softly. "Kagome-san, worry not. It's nothing bad. I only want to spend some time with you. I'd like to get to know you better… You seem like such an interesting individual."
If the number of pauses in the sentences wasn't a dead giveaway, then the way Mimasaka uttered the word "interesting" had to denote some form of curiosity.
This piqued Kagome's interest.
"Mimasaka-san, what do you mean by that?"
Truthfully, Akira answered. "I'm not exactly sure, Kagome-san."
A dumbfounded look crossed Kagome's face. Just as she was about to retort, Akira beat her to the punch. "You're different from other women I've meet… That's what I meant when I said you're interesting, Kagome-san. I do want to learn more about you, and I think that spending some time together would be the best way to do that."
His logic was simple enough in that regard, but Kagome still felt rather uncomfortable by the whole thing. She's heard things about the Mimasaka family—namely their reputation for being involved with the underground world and the yakuza—and Akira's affiliation with the F4, and his reputation as a womanizer didn't help matters whatsoever.
Kagome sucked on her bottom lip, unsure of how to respond.
Another set of minutes then passed. Kagome, entirely lost in her thoughts, was unaware of their current surroundings or even when the limo came to a stop. If it weren't for Akira waving a hand in front of her face to catch her attention, Kagome would have continued to sit quietly in the back of the limo absorbed in her passing opinions.
"Kagome-san, we've arrived at our first destination."
She blinked, stunned, but silently followed Akira out of the car.
It was then that she noticed the store name: Chanel. Her eyes widened by a tenfold. She looked to the right of the store and noticed another major designer name lining the shop windows and front door Prada; to the left, it was the same, there was another designer store. The entire surrounding area was encompassed by nothing except upper class, designer shops.
Kagome felt her knees begin to tremble.
What did Mimasaka have in mind by bringing her here?
"Kagome-san, come. Let's go inside." Instantly, Akira noticed how uncomfortable Kagome seemed in her newfound surroundings. He assumed this was the first time she had even ventured into such a richer area before. He tried to conceal his amusement.
"There's nothing to be nervous about. We're just going inside for a few minutes." Without giving her a chance to reply, Mimasaka entwined their hands together and with little ease led her inside the store.
Immediately, upon entering, they were greeted by several workers, who flashed them warm yet overly cosmetically smiles. Kagome noticed how they surveyed Mimasaka in obvious delight while they surveyed her in utter disdain.
No doubt they're wondering why someone like me is in a store like this with someone like him.
To be honest, Kagome was wondering the same thing. Mimasaka yet had to explain his reasoning for bringing her into the Chanel shop. He merely provided her with a basic reasoning for their outing together, but that still wasn't enough for Kagome.
He barely glossed the surface of his true intentions, she thought while she listened to him speak with some of the workers. He's hiding something, and I want to know what it is.
"Mimasaka-san, you're interested in making some purchases?" A younger woman, one who looked to be in her late twenties, asked while she stood regally before Akira.
Kagome noticed the way the women—no everyone in the entire store seemed to be treating Akira like he was some sort of god.
It was downright pathetic.
"Yes, my companion is in need of some new clothes." With this, Akira tugged on her hand, which she noticed he was still holding onto! The jerk!
"Tell me, have any new selections arrived."
"Oh, of course." Several workers replied. "We have many new items in stock."
Akira smiled accordingly. "Wonderful. Well then, please bring them out."
With that, the workers scattered like flies. Kagome watched in silence as some wandered towards the shoes while others headed towards what she assumed to be the storehouse. Already she was feeling overwhelmed.
She didn't know how to respond, let alone react to this. All of this was so sudden and unexpected. Suffice to say, being taken by surprise was far too simple a way to describe it. Luckily, though, it seemed like Akira knew exactly what to do.
"Kagome-san, tell me, what colours do you prefer?"
Kagome looked up to him and noticed how he was smiling softly at her. She could also feel the way his thumb was brushing up and down her hand—no doubt, a meek way of trying to reassure her and help her stay calm.
"M-Mimasaka-san..." She wanted to push him away, to yell and scream and storm out of the store. Yet, for reasons unknown to her, Kagome found herself unable to.
"Red… that's always been a nice colour."
"Red?" he repeated softly. "Are there any other colours you like?"
Kagome shook her head. Red, for more reasons than one, had become her favourite colour, and one that would always remind her of precious times.
Akira clicked his tongue and nodded. "Fair enough. That's a good start for now."
With that, hell—or Kagome's version of it—was unleashed. Upon hearing Akira instruct the saleswomen to bring out any red garments, she was flocked by dresses of different lengths and styles, blouses, sweaters, turtlenecks, jackets, pants, and skirts, all of which were different shades, tones, and ranges of red. But it didn't stop there; no the workers even brought out different kinds of shoes. There were red flats, kitten-heeled shoes, high heels and more. Kagome couldn't forget the jewelry either. There were earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and belts. It all wound up being so much red, that she thought she'd even up seeing red by the time this shopping expenditure was over.
It was all so overwhelming and blurry that Kagome barely remembered being ushered into the fitting rooms to try on the outfits being assembled for her. Yet, what she vividly remembered was seeing Mimasaka sitting in the center of the change rooms to watch as she exited from the rooms to model the outfits.
Obviously, for the sake of commission and pleasing Mimasaka, the workers complemented Kagome each time she stepped out of the change rooms with an outfit on that cost more than four months worth of her rent. But it was Akira's reactions that really resonated with her. That first time she emerged from the fitting rooms wearing a simple knee length, v-neck red dress with matching heels, she swore she saw Mimasaka sit up straighter in his plush seat as he watched her survey herself in the mirror.
She can recall feeling his eyes on her throughout each outfit she tried on, and every time it did nothing to appease her growing irritation.
Inwardly, she was cursing Mimasaka throughout each change of clothes. Kagome, by all means, was out of her comfort zone and felt beyond ill whenever she caught sight of the clothes price tags.
There's no way Mama or Grandfather would ever spend this much money on clothes. It was ridiculous to see how much money people like Mimasaka wasted on clothes and other brand name items, simply for the sake of the name stapled onto the piece.
With each and every alteration, Kagome longed even more for her simple café uniform, even if she disliked the skirt she had to wear.
However, it seemed like her version of hell was just about finished. Thank goodness. With the final outfit on and ready for inspection, Kagome had to exit the change room and once more subject herself to Mimasaka's critical gaze, and the inspection of the haughty staff.
She gulped before reaching for the door handle, turning it and walking out.
Instantly, the reaction she anticipated the most was the most surprised.
Kagome, confused, kept her gaze downwards as she walked towards the mirror to study herself. She heard the high heels clack with each step she took which did nothing to alleviate her concern.
When first looking in the mirror, she didn't even recognize the girl who stood before her. Everything she originally embodied when first entering the store was gone. The workers had gone above and beyond in transforming her. From her face to her hair to her clothes, everything about her essentially screamed rich and haute couture. Commencing with the bright red jacket that hugged her frame vivaciously to the surprisingly comfortable crème coloured dress she sported underneath, Kagome looked like the kind of woman Mimasaka would associate it. The red belt and matching six-inch red heels helped to complete the ensemble. In terms of accessories, two workers had literally jumped on her when she exited the change rooms to slip on a ruby red necklace and matching earrings. They also latched on a rather elaborate watch to her left wrist and, slid on some twinkling rings to her fingers. The creme coloured purse was the final touch to complete the outfit.
The work the staff even did her hair and makeup. Armed with a large assortment of products and supplies, the team working in the back had styled her hair into an ornate braid that elegantly fell down her backside while her face was covered in expensive makeup.
The total cost of the outfit was beyond Kagome, but it seemed like that issue Mimasaka couldn't care less about. He seemed beyond pleased by the last outfit Kagome currently sported.
She watched as he got up, his smile wider than anyone he had ever seen, and walked towards.
"This is the one." He nodded approvingly towards the staff while he reached for Kagome's hand.
Kagome shot a scowl in his direction which he merely seemed to ignore. "What about my uniform?" She hissed, catching his attention.
With a cheerful tone, he responded, "Kagome-san, don't worry about it. I had the staff neatly package it away. It's safely stowed away in my limo, along with your other belongings."
Kagome was pleased that her uniform hadn't been thrown away, but another part of her was beyond pissed by how Mimasaka had made that decision all on his own accord. Partially spiteful, she dug her newly coated red nails into his hand. The reaction was instant. Mimasaka, though still holding onto her hand, cringed slightly and shot her an irritated look.
Kagome merely smiled and batted her eyelashes innocently. "What's wrong, Mimasaka-san?"
Akira opened his mouth about ready to let out a retort when he suddenly seemed to change his mind. Saying nothing to Kagome, but simply speaking with the staff once more, he told them to charge the bill to his account, and then began to lead Kagome towards the shop's exit.