They pulled up to the apartment about an hour later. It was actually only a short drive from Hana-chan's house, and within walking distance of Shigure's, but the car had taken a long and circuitous route to throw off the few paparazzi that'd had tried to follow. Tooru paused outside only briefly, taking in the tall building. It was new enough that the white stone was still sparkling white and the windows were spotless. Starting on the third floor were balconies stretching across the front of bright new metal. Shido put a hand to the small of her back, propelling her forward before she could absorb any more.
"Please, Miz Honda," he said, his voice deep and emotionless. "This area is not secure."
"Yes sir." Tooru said letting herself be led to the elevators. She glanced around, her heart beating fast in anticipation. Somewhere in this building, Yuki, Shigure and Kyou were waiting for her. It'd been over a week since she'd seen them, longer then she'd been without them for over a year. She'd missed them terribly.
Sawatari punched the up button, and flipped open his cellphone. "You don't have to be so polite to them, they're your employees. Old Shido's not used to be being called "Sir" are you, Shido?"
Shido looked at Sawatari. He didn't answer and Sawatari shifted uncomfortably. "No Sir." Shido said finally.
Sawatari rolled his eyes. "Had to think about it? Jeeze." He refocused on his phone, punching a quick dial number and pausing while it rang. "It's me. She's here; we're on our way up. I don't think we were followed, but it's only a matter of time." He didn't give the person on the other end a chance to respond. "See you in a few, elevator's here." The three of them shuffled in. Sawatari looked at Tooru. "You'll be on a middle floor, floor five." He punched the button. "There are only three apartments on that floor and the other two are un-rented so you'll have it to yourself."
"That sounds kind of lonely." Tooru mused softly.
"But safe." Sawatari said. "If you don't like it complain to the Sohmas. They're the ones who picked it out."
The bell dinged and Harada hit the hold door button before stepping out into the hallway, holding up his hand to keep the others from exiting. He looked both ways. "I've got a party of three outside her apartment. Sawatari-san, please verify identities."
Sawatari ducked his head out of the elevator. "That's them; the Sohmas." He walked down the hall towards them. "You guys got the keys? Get inside!"
"All clear." Harada nodded to Shido, and Shido gestured for Tooru to step in front of him. Harada walked in front of her and she tried craning around his broad back for a glimpse of Kyou, Yuki or Shigure, but couldn't see.
It wasn't until she got to the door that Harada finally stepped aside to let her in the open door that she saw them. "Shigure-san! Kyou-kun! Yuki-kun!" She cried and dropped her bags by the door.
Sawatari watched her rush at them, noting with curiosity that while the Sohmas looked excited they all had matching looks of panic underneath their happy exterior. Tooru stopped just before she reached them, as if holding herself back, before thrusting her hands out at them.
Shigure grasped her hands, grinning and relaxing. "Oh, my lovely little flower, my bride, we've missed you so! Quick, while we have time, let's run off together so we will never be apart again!"
Shido and Harada tensed, each taking a matching half step forward.
"Shigure." Yuki sighed. "Your jokes aren't funny." He stepped forward and held out his hands. "But we have missed you, very much, Honda-san." Tooru turned to him and slid her fingers from Shigure's to grip Yuki's.
"Yuki-kun," She looked at Shigure. "Shigure-san, I've missed you both so much! And Kyou-kun!" She turned to him with a sunny smile, but didn't reach for him, knowing he wouldn't want to show that kind of public display of affection.
I would've thought she'd throw her arms around them from the way they've all been whining about being apart. Holding hands is kind of a reserved greeting, isn't it? Sawatari thought. "Let's get down to business, shall we?"
"Aren't we still waiting for your employer, Watanuki-san?" Yuki glared at Sawatari. His hands gripped Tooru's tightly. This was so wrong, it was all so wrong. He took a deep breath and smiled at Tooru. "Why don't we show you the apartment first?" He let one hand drop, but kept tight hold of the other. "We can start with the kitchen." He pulled her towards a doorway.
Kyou trailed after them, wishing he could have a moment alone to tell her he'd missed her too. "I went grocery shopping." He muttered as they walked into the kitchen.
"Kyou-kun did?" Tooru said looking over her shoulder at him. "Thank you, that must have been a lot of work."
"It wasn't anything." He said blushing. "I just did it when I did ours." He opened up the little fridge. "See, you got vegetables and milk, and butter." He looked up at her. "And I bought tea and rice-"
"She doesn't need a complete inventory, baka neko!" Yuki said, squeezing her hand to draw her attention back. "But I did bring you some cabbage from the secret base."
"The cabbage is ready to harvest already?" Tooru said, feeling like she'd been gone for months.
"Aya and I," Shigure said, hanging from the doorway, "bought you a complete kitchen set. So my little flower should have everything she needs to cook, I think. Neither of us cook much, so if you are missing anything, please let me know."
"Oh, that's too much!" Tooru said, finally dropping Yuki's hand to peek in the drawers and cupboards. There was shiny new flatware and fine chopstick sets in the drawers and bright new pots and pans waiting to be used in the lower cabinets. The cupboards above the stove were packed with food and another held a dishes and bowls. "These are so cute!" Tooru held up the plates. They weren't just plain dishes, they were painted with abstract versions of the zodiac.
"Kagura-chan picked those out." Shigure smiled. "It's a setting of twelve."
"Thirteen." Kyou muttered, "She painted one setting herself." His ears burned, knowing that nestled among the professionally painted plates there was a clumsy orange cat plate.
"I'll pay Shigure-san and Ayame-san back." Tooru said her hands shaking as she put the plates back. "And Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun too. And please tell Kagura-chan thank you." It was all too much.
"Don't worry about such things." Shigure said, resting his hand on the crown of her head. "We had fun picking everything out. And when Tooru-chan comes home she can bring all this with her. Think of it as a loan... or a dowry!" Shigure grinned. "If we're going to get married my Tooru-chan should have a fine dowry!"
"Quit talking like an idiot!" Kyou blustered. He looked at Tooru. "Both of you. Quit talking about paying us back, that's just dumb!"
"O-okay." Tooru said, tears pricking. All this arguing and joking made her feel both at home and homesick all at once.
"This is only a small part of the apartment." Shigure said, ignoring Kyou. "Don't you want to see the balcony?"
"Balcony?" Tooru said, "Oh yes! Mother and I had a balcony, but it was very small and old so we were afraid to be on it." She followed him out across the living room to the large sliding door.
"You don't have to worry about that with this one!" Yuki smiled. "See. And Nii-san even found you some furniture if you want to sit out here."
Tooru looked at the padded lawn chairs. "They're very pretty. Yuki-kun will tell Ayame-san that I like them very much?"
Kyou flopped down in one of the chairs, his face twisted up in a scowl. "At least this place faces east. There's lots of sun. That's one thing they did right." Tooru sat down on the edge of the same chair and looked up at the sky, feeling the warmth of the sun. It would be a perfect place to nap in the sun. If Kyou could be on the chair next to her, she'd like it almost as much as the roof at home.
Kyou was thinking it'd be nice if she'd lay back. Ayame had bought wide long chairs, plenty of room for two people.
"I will." Yuki shifted uncomfortably. "And um...Also..." He gestured to a small shelf along the side, out of the direct sunlight. "I thought Honda-san might like these." The shelf held a long rectangular container with budding plants inside.
Tooru walked over. "Oh, it's like my own secret base!" She ran her fingers over the lip of the container. There were little stakes next to each plant explaining their care.
"They should grow pretty quickly." Yuki said as he watched her examine the instructions. "They're herbs, I left a book inside on how to prepare and dry them so you can use them in cooking. And of course, I can help Honda-san with them, when I come visit." He gestured to the other side. "And there are some flowers too, where there is a little more sun.
"Yuki-kun will visit?" Tooru smiled brighter at the thought. "And Kyou-kun and Shigure-san?" She asked looking over at her shoulder at Kyou.
"We'll all come." Shigure grinned from the doorway.
"It might be hard for a while." Sawatari said sourly from behind him, trying to crane around to keep Tooru in sight. "It won't take long for the paparazzi to find this place, and they'll surround the entrances." He reminded them.
Shigure ignored him. "Ne, ne, did you know Tooru-chan? There isn't anyone else on this floor."
"Yes, Sawatari-san told me." Tooru looked down at her fingers, thinking it would make for quiet nights. She shuddered remembering the crowd around Hana-chan's house, she guessed this would be better. But no matter what their intentions it would be too risky for the Sohmas to come and visit.
"Did he also tell you there is a passage from the fifth floor of this building to the roof of the building next door?" Shigure grinned at her puzzled look. "The buildings are owned by the same people and the maintenance crews use it to travel between them. We have special permission to use it as we see fit." He dangled a key off his forefinger. "So can Tooru-chan."
Tooru cupped her hands and Shigure dropped the key into it. "It's not a well known passage, even among the staff. And those who knew about it have... conveniently forgotten it."
She looked up at him, catching the emphasis on "forgotten." She glanced at Sawatari. "So... if we keep it a secret from Paparazzi-san then everyone can come visit?" Tooru made a promise to make Hatori a spectacular dinner as soon as she could.
"That's going to be a security issue." Sawatari frowned. "Harada, go check it out." He stepped around Shigure to grab the key from Tooru's hand.
"It's safe." Kyou said, standing up abruptly, blocking him. "No one knows about it but us. It's a secret."
"Nothing is a secret in showbiz kid, nothing." Sawatari looked at them all, pinning each with a stare. "Not for long. Harada and Shido have to know the layout of that passage if they're going to keep you safe."
"Now you kids be nice to Yakumo. He's just trying to keep our little investment safe and sound, something I'm sure we all want."
Sawatari turned away from a bristling Kyou. "Mr. Watanuki!" He glared at Shido and Harada, standing a few steps behind Watanuki, "Sir, I didn't hear you come in."
"These fine gentlemen did." The man smiled, inclining his head towards the brooding guards. He grinned, making himself look younger then his reported thirtysome-odd years. "They even made me show ID!"
"They did?" Sawatari was obviously struggling to keep an even expression.
Watanuki walked around, looking at the traditional low table, prettily inlaid, in the center of the living room and the rich cushions scattered around it with an exacting eye. "I'm glad they did." He looked back up at Sawatari, Tooru and her friends clustered in the doorway behind him. "They shouldn't just be letting anyone in because they drop my name, right?" He gave his disarming smile again. "But I'm being rude. Honda-san, I presume... this is a pleasure that has waited too long."
He stepped forward and grasped her hands. "You are even prettier then your pictures."
The Sohmas exchanged glances. Shigure stepped forward, placing a hand on Tooru's shoulders. "Sohmas Shigure." He introduced himself. "I hear that it's your interest that has caused all this fuss around our Tooru-chan."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that." Watanuki said. "It's more Tooru-chan's charm that really caught people's interest, isn't it? I just made sure that people had the chance to see that charm you where hiding away."
"Honda-san wasn't hiding." Yuki frowned, "She was just trying her best to reach her own goals."
Tooru looked at Yuki. It was so strange to hear people talking about you as if you weren't there. He was so upset on her behalf. Watanuki still had hold of her hands, but he looked placidly at Yuki.
"You're making it hard for Honda-san." One of Yuki's hands was a fist at his side, but he gestured angrily with the other. "Don't you know how hard she's worked? All she wanted was a chance to keep her promise, and she was doing so well. She was so close; we only have another year till graduation! Now you've made it harder for your own selfish reasons!"
Tooru blinked rapidly, her eyes tearing up. She honestly thought no one had noticed. She'd been working hard for a long time, and it wasn't as if the people around her weren't appreciative, but she's honestly thought they didn't know how hard it was. But really they'd known and been supporting her all this time.
"Yes, it is selfish of me." Watanuki said looking back at Tooru. "But you'll have to forgive me, my dear. I'm a businessman, and a very good one. You're a perfect girl next door, you see, and I don't see how this will interfere with your goals at all."
"How can you say that?" Kyou made a sweeping motion with his hand. "She hasn't been able to go to school for two weeks!"
Watanuki didn't get mad, didn't take offense and didn't let go of her hands. He kept his gaze on her. "But we'll get you caught up, right quick. You've got your friends to help you too." He cocked head. "Don't you want to get this all over with?"
"What do you mean?" Shigure asked.
"Let's sit down and talk." Watanuki pulled her towards the table, seating her on one plush cushion.
Sawatari sat behind him, and the bodyguards behind him. Shigure sat behind Tooru, Yuki and Kyou sat on either side o her.
"Do you know the average shelf life of your typical idol?" Watanuki asked.
He was still looking steadily at her, so Tooru shook her head.
"Six months to a year, less if she gets married or has a baby." Watanuki waved a hand. "Oh, it's different in overseas markets, or if you're dealing with a real talent. But generally a nice girl on the Japanese idol market lasts for about a year before the public gets distracted." He wagged a finger back and forth. "And do you know how long it generally takes to get a girl to the stage where she can debut? Years, years of work for a couple of months of profit."
"But we've got a rare opportunity with you, Tooru-chan." Watanuki smiled. "The minute your picture hit the magazine we had a reaction, and I was just sure we'd see something special if we could get you into a studio. When we got you back for the article we had rave reviews, and you just enchanted the staff. That's the real judge there, you know. They see models and actresses all the time, but they all really liked you. And I just knew if we could get the public to see what they did you'd really take off."
"But, if she doesn't want to-" Yuki started.
"Wants and needs are two different things." Watanuki said. "Rising Stars needs another idol now. Toudou's time is coming to an end, and the ones we have in training aren't ready yet. I could debut one of them now, but they'd last a couple months, tops, and their chance would be over. These are girl's who really want to make this their life's work."
"I don't see how Rising Stars' needs are any concern of our Tooru-kun's." Shigure said matching Watanuki's blandness.
"I understand that." Watanuki smiled. "But they are my concerns, and it is important to let you know where I am coming from. Our idols fund most of our business, should we fall behind Rising Stars could become a "Falling Star" rapidly."
"So you're saying that you won't leave Honda-san alone because you need to use her until one of your own idols are ready?" Yuki asked incredulously. "And she is supposed to just go along with that?"
"Tooru-chan, what do you want to do after High School?" Watanuki asked, ignoring him.
"After?" Tooru blinked.
"Have you thought about it? From your interviews, all it said was "start working." What kind of work were you thinking of doing?"
"Um... office maybe...?" Tooru mumbled. She didn't want to think that far into the future. All her mother had wanted for her was to finish high school. She'd made that her main focus, it was scary to think about what was going to happen when that was over.
Watanuki patted her hand. "So you don't have a dream."
"Well, I mean..." Tooru stammered. No one had ever put it that way.
"What does it matter if she knows now? How many people know what they want to do at seventeen!?" Kyou yelled. "She's fine not knowing!"
"What kind of people? The children who work for me know. They're working hard right now trying to make their dreams come true." Watanuki kept his gaze on Tooru. "If Tooru-chan comes to work for us, maybe one or two of them will get a little closer. We've made promises that Tooru-chan will be able to achieve her goal. She'll continue to go to school. You'll graduate, and you'll be helping people."
"I will?" Tooru said. Her fingers twisted together. She'd thought her decision only effected herself and the Sohmas. Now it seemed there were even more people who were waiting on her decision.
"You'll be helping all of Rising Stars. Won't you give us a little of your time?" Watanuki asked.
"Before she says yes or no," Shigure broke in, "we'd like to discuss the terms of the contract you sent over with Tooru-chan so she knows what she's signing up for."
Watanuki nodded. "That sounds reasonable." He looked at Sawatari. "You take the boys out into the hallway and check out that passageway. I'll go out on that lovely balcony."
Tooru felt like her world was in a whirl. She looked up at Shigure, Yuki and Kyou as they resettled themselves around the table. She listened as Yuki and Shigure explained the terms, most of which Yuki had told her before over the phone at Hana's. She'd be away for a while, the term of the contract would be six months, the Sohmas had contracted a lawyer and an accountant on her behalf who would supervise all shoots and assignments to make sure they were to her benefit.
"You can still say no." Kyou broke in suddenly. "This apartment, it's yours either way. You don't have to."
Tooru closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She wanted to say no. She wanted to just go back to school and no ever bother with any of this again. But Watanuki didn't seem like he was going to go away. And no one was saying it, but if she didn't sign... he might do something to expose the Sohmas, without even knowing what he was exposing. Plus... if she took the job, she'd be helping. She'd be helping the Sohmas, and Uo-chan would be able to model without guilt, and those girls who wanted to be idols at Rising Stars would still have their chance... It was the right thing to do.
Kyou watched her with a sinking heart. When she opened her eyes she had her "determined face" on.
"I want to." Tooru nodded, "Well, that is to say, I don't mind." Her face crumpled a little, "I want to go home and this probably will be the quickest way. And I'll be helping people."
Shigure patted her hand. "I'll tell Watanuki." He stood up; looking defeated and resigned. "Ah, but I almost forgot." He reached into his yukata sleeve. "If Tooru-chan should need us, for any reason, at any time, she can use this." He pulled out a slim cellphone, and laying it on the table.
Yuki sat up straight. "We all have one, and I put our numbers in." He pulled out his phone. "See, if Honda-san want to dial us, she just push this button and select me, Shigure or the Baka Neko."
"This must be so expensive!" Tooru gasped, not touching it.
"Not really," Kyou mumbled, pulling out his phone and fiddling with it. "We got one of those family plans."
"So phone calls between us are free." Yuki assured her. "So Honda-san shouldn't hesitate to call. There is a text messaging too." He looked a little sheepish, "Honda-san doesn't mind if I message or call, does she?"
Tooru shook her head. "No, I'd like it if Yuki-kun would!" She'd wondered if their phone calls would stop, she was so happy that they wouldn't.
Shigure grinned and hooked his thumbs in his yukata belt, grinning. "There is a camera phone on there too, so if you see any pretty girls, be sure to send me pictures!"
"Shigure!" Yuki threw a pillow at him. "Stop being so useless!"
"I'm going, I'm going." Shigure said walking towards the balcony door.
"Will Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun stay for dinner tonight?" Tooru asked hopefully. "I could make udon... or-"
"We can't tonight." Kyou interrupted, not looking at her. "Shigure said we had to leave before the press conference, just in case."
"Maybe tomorrow." Yuki said. "I miss Honda-san's cooking."
"Sorry for not being good at cooking. At least I don't kill people when I cook." Kyou shot.
Tooru giggled. "I'll look forward to cooking again. Hanajima-san was very kind, but I didn't get many opportunities to cook while I was there. What would Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun like me to make?"
"Fish." Kyou said.
"Udon." Yuki said at the same time.
They glared at each other.
"So what did you kids decide?" Sawatari asked letting himself back into the apartment.
"Maybe Fish or Udon." Tooru answered.
"What?" Sawatari looked down at her as Shido and Harada walked in behind him.
"She's going to sign." Watanuki said coming in. "I'll leave you to prep her for the press conference, and I'll go get things started at the office."
Sawatari clapped his hands together. "Finally! Let's make things happen! Sir, I'll walk you to the door." The agent pulled out his phone. "I'm thinking that girl we head-hunted from Pretty Picture Productions would be a good assistant for Tooru-chan."
"Excellent idea." Watanuki said pleasantly as he exited the apartment. Sawatari glanced behind them and closed the door.
"Let me get the elevator." He jogged ahead and punched the button. "Er, Sir... I have to say, I had no idea we were so low on talent. Isn't Blythe just about ready to debut? And what about that one with the attitude-"
"Sawatari, you're good, but you're still learning." Watanuki said straightening his suit sleeves. "That girl will obviously bend over backwards for her friends... and just about any body else she sees in trouble. You've used the threat against her friends, but you didn't give her any carrot." The elevator dinged open and Watanuki stepped in.
"Carrot?" Sawatari asked holding the door open.
"The only incentive you gave for her to join was to make money and protect her friends. We got to make her think that she'll be helping people and herself too. Kid's got no idea what she wants to do with herself either." He looked at Sawatari. "Play that up. Make her want this. Make her think she can't do anything but this." He grinned at his employee. "I have every confidence in you. I think our relationship with Tooru-chan will be a long one." He waved cheerily to Sawatari as the agent let the doors close.
::0::0::
Tooru fiddled with her collar while she waited to go down into the sea of waiting reporters. Sawatari was on his phone and Harada and Shido shared portions of a newspaper. She looked over her note card, trying to memorize the simple statement. Sawatari had promised her she only had to say what was on the card and he'd answer all other questions.
"We have breaking news on Entertainment Scoop, for those of you following new idol Tooru-chan." Tooru looked at the TV set biting her lip. A pretty announcer was standing outside the apartment building steps Tooru had walked up just a few hours ago. "We've been given word that she's recently signed a lease for an apartment here and in just a few moments she'll be breaking her self-imposed sequester to give a press conference." The announcer gestured to the crowd of reporters outside. "There is quite crowd waiting to see what Tooru-chan has to say."
"Oh, don't do that sweetie!" Tooru tore her eyes away from the tv set. A young woman reached out and daubed at her lips with a brush. "You'll mess up your makeup."
"Sorry Hiromi-san." Tooru said, letting her fix the makeup she'd just chewed off. She wanted to rub her eyes. Her whole face felt caked with makeup and mascara. Hiromi, who Sawatari had brought over after the Sohmas had left, was going to be her personal assistant. Tooru didn't know what one of those did, but when Sawatari had found out that Tooru didn't own or know how to put on makeup, Hiromi's first task had been to lend Tooru hers and do her up. She'd brought over the outfit Tooru was wearing too, Sawatari had told her to bring it from wardrobe. It looked a lot like Yuki's dress from the class café and Tooru wasn't used to wearing anything with this many frills or layers. The sweater over the dress was adorable but warm.
Hiromi finished fixing Tooru's makeup and used the mirror compact in her hand to check her own. Her whole image was polished and trendy. She wore bright makeup and a stylish bob haircut and an expensive, smart looking suit and mini skirt completed her look.
Tooru yelped when the pocket of her dress vibrated and then started an insistent beeping. Shido and Harada both dropped their papers and stood and Sawatari glanced her way. Tooru fumbled in her pocket. "The phone! It's...beeping!" She said helplessly.
"It means you have a text." Hiromi said, sounding amused. She pushed her hair behind her ear, wrist glittering with bracelets and rings. "Haven't you ever had a cellphone before?" Tooru shook her head and Hiromi took it from her. "Here, see you push here and you can read it."
Sawatari went back to his phone and Harada and Shido settled back into their seats.
Tooru took the phone back and looked at the display. "Baka Neko." She read. Yuki must've been the one to program the phone contacts. It was a message from Kyou! Her brow wrinkled. She couldn't make sense of what it read. "I think maybe this is broken." She said in disappointment. "I can only read one word. There are letters missing in the rest."
Hiromi glanced at the display. "Say it out loud to yourself, it will make sense then. Who ever it is is using txt-speak."
"R U Scared." Tooru said then smiled, "Are you scared?"
"That's right!" Hiromi grinned. She could see why everyone liked this girl. She was so... nice.
"Um... Hiromi-san... how do I...?" Tooru asked hesitantly.
"Answer? Like this," She took Tooru's phone and showed her. "The easiest way is to use your thumbs." Tooru took it back. "Don't bite your lip!" Hiromi reminded.
Tooru stopped biting her lip and concentrated on her phone. Y-E-S, she painfully spelled out.
"Now pushsend." Hiromi said.
Tooru pushed send and waited. She gasped when the phone vibrated in her phone and started chirping again. She pushed the button Hiromi had showed her and looked at the display. "Don't B." She read out loud. Before she'd finished another message had come through, beeping insistently. "Stupid." She smiled, she could just imagine Kyou looking at her out of one eye and telling her that.
"Here." Hiromi said, "let me see your phone." She took it pushed at a series of buttons in rapid succession unhampered by her long manicured nails. "There, now it won't beep. It'll will just vibrate when you get a message, so only you'll know." She glanced at her contacts. "Let me add myself and Sawatari in here... also you should change your aliases for your friends."
"Aliases?" Tooru asked.
"Guaranteed someone's going to peek at your contacts to see who you've got in there." Hiromi said as she programmed herself in, "If you're lucky it will just be company gossip, if you're not someone's going to sell it to the newspapers. Use code names, like the one who's messaging you now. That way even if they go and look into your past they probably won't be able to figure out who it is. Here," She got the phone to the right screen, "You can edit them."
Tooru took the phone back and thought for a moment. She carefully typed in "Dog" for Shigure and "Mouse" for Yuki. The phone started buzzing before she'd finished.
"Oh, I forgot to answer!" Tooru said and pushed the button to read his message, easily getting the hang of translating the text-speak and hearing his voice in her head.
"Are you okay?"
Tooru typed back carefully, "Yes, thank you."
"It's time." Sawatari said. "Put away your phone."
"Here, type g-2-g and t-t-y-l." Hiromi suggested."It means "Got to go" and "Talk to you later.""
Tooru obediently typed it it in, hoping that Kyou would understand what it meant. She was about to put it away when she decided to quickly type one last message. "thank u." She mouthed. "not scared."
She turned off the phone, pocketed it, and tried to make that true by holding up her head as she followed Sawatari and Harada out the door. Shido and Hiromi followed her. Tooru's stomach was fluttering and she looked at her card again.
"Okay," Sawatari said. "We've got a podium set up at the top of the stairs. You and I will be going straight to that. I'll say something to quiet down the crowd and then you say what we've rehearsed. There will be questions, but I'll field them. Don't say anything else."
"Yes." Tooru agreed.
The elevator doors dinged and Tooru stepped out. Rising Stars had more black-suited bodyguards keeping the paparazzi back and there were even a couple of police cars and officers stationed around the outside. The minute they came near the door cameras started flashing and the crowd volume doubled. It sounded like a roar to Tooru.
"Up to the podium." Sawatari repeated, steering her towards it. "Remember what to say?"
"No." Tooru gasped , fumbling for her card. She thought she knew everything that was on there, but now it had all flown out of her head.
"Tooru-chan! Tooru-chan!" One reporter shouted. "Why the new apartment? Are you on bad terms with your family?"
"Are you dropping out of school?" Another called. "Your school has reported you being absent for the past two weeks and doesn't know when you'll return."
"Hey, now!" Sawatari said into the microphones on the podium. "Tooru-chan will be giving a short statement and then we'll be take questions." He pushed her up on the small box they'd put to make her level with the mikes. "Go on." He whispered.
Tooru looked out at the crowd and the flashing cameras. She tried to look at her card but the flashes were blinding her. "Umm... um... could maybe..." she said and stopped when the echoing mikes reflected her voice back at her.
"Keep going." Sawatari said harshly in her ear.
Tooru glanced at him and swallowed. She cast fleeting looks at Harada and Shido standing strong behind her and Hiromi. The perky assistant gave her a thumbs up. Tooru swallowed again, and opened her mouth. "Th-" Lights flashed again and she held up a hand, blinked. "Um... could...please... Could photographer-san and everyone please stop taking p-pictures?" She held up her card and said, "Sawatari-san said to read this, but the flashes are making it hard to see."
There was a ripple of laughter in the crowed and the photo flashes actually died down. A video cam photographer angled his camera and light mount to point downward, trying to get a peek of the card.
Tooru smiled up at him, misunderstanding his move. "Thank you, that makes it much easier to read!" There was another ripple of laughter. "Um... um..." Tooru said nervously biting her lip. "Oh, I'm sorry Hiromi-san!" She said covering her mouth. The crowd laughed again. "Hiromi-san told me not to ruin my makeup." She explained.
Sawatari covered his eyes as the crowd roared with laughter
Tooru's face burned. She looked at the handwritten card and began to read, her tone was stilted and unsure. "Thank you everyone for supporting me." She took a deep breath. "Because everyone has encouraged me so much I have decided to make by debut with the company that discovered me, Rising Stars." Tooru looked up at the crowd and then back at her card. She looked up again. "I'm sorry, I lost my place..." The crowd laughed and she frantically tried to figure out where she left off.
"Oh, there..." She said in a normal tone, and then continued with her stilted reading. "I know a lot of people are curious why I didn't want to debut before." She took another deep breath, this is where Sawatari had cleverly wrapped lies around the truth. "I never wanted to be famous, or saw myself as someone important. I didn't think that I would be good enough. Also," She glanced at the audience wondering if they'd believe any of this. "I had promised my mother that I would finish high school. I didn't think I would be able to manage both. I was living with my grandfather and aunt, but Rising Stars has moved me to this apartment to protect their privacy. This next week I will be appearing on several TV shows and then will be returning to school while Rising Stars ne...ne..." She stumbled not able to read the word, it had gotten smudged from her handling. She looked up at Sawatari and whispered, right into the microphone, "What is this word?"
"Negotiate."He muttered as the crowd roared with laughter. He'd thought the hard part was over now, but obviously things were never going to be easy working with her.
Tooru smiled nervously at the crowd, "Rising Stars will negotiate my next role." She looked out at the crowd waiting for more. She glanced at her card, there wasn't anything else written on it. "The end?" she ad-libbed nervously.
The crowd laughed and pressed forward shouting out questions.
"Tooru-chan, you said "role." Do you plan to take up acting?"
"What tv program will your first appearance be on?"
"Do you plan to release a full album to go along with your promotional single?"
"Tooru-chan, your dress is very pretty." A woman reporter said, managing to get past the first line of security and thrusting her mike in Tooru's face. "What designer is it?"
Tooru blinked and looked down at herself. "I don't know. Sawatari-san gave it to me because he said my clothes weren't good enough." She fumbled at her collar, trying to feel for a tag while the crowd laughed.
"Who is Sawatari-san?" A voice shouted.
"Sawatari-san is my manager from Rising Stars." Tooru said looking up at him. Sawatari was about to step forward to speak when Tooru continued. "And Hiromi-san is my assistant...she did my makeup!" Tooru said. She looked up to the silent shadows standing at each elbow. "And this is Harada-san and Shido-san, my bodyguards. Except for Sawatari-san we all just met today."
"I'm sure they're all fascinated." Sawatari said, making the crowd laugh. He stepped forward and gently nudged Tooru to the side. "But I think you'll be more interested to learn about what we have in store for Tooru-chan."
The reporters shouted out questions and Sawatari handled them effortlessly and with good humor. Yes, Tooru was entertaining offers to appear on tv and perhaps even movies. Yes, Tooru was considering releasing an album or having a concert. Yes, Tooru would be doing more photo shoots for sure. It seemed like every question was yes.
Tooru had the feeling she was going to be very busy. She felt exhausted at the thought of it all.
"Is Tooru-chan going to be returning to school?"
"Yes!" Tooru shouted automatically.
"As you can tell, Tooru-chan is very passionate about her schooling." Sawatari said with a dry chuckle. "But we'll need the public's help on this one. Tooru-chan's school feels that her fame might be distracting to the other students in school and all of you-" He pointed a teasing finger at the crowd, "waiting outside there every day are making it even more difficult for her. Rising Stars promises to make Tooru available so we ask if you would consider the Kaibara High School grounds off limits. Plus, additional security will be placed there at the expense of Rising Stars to enforce the no trespassing rules."
The crowd muttered, the first sign of dissent they'd had. Tooru looked out at them and tugged on Sawatari's sleeve. "May I say something?" She asked. He tried to brush her off but the cameras started flashing.
"Fine." To the audience he said, "Tooru-chan wishes to talk to you directly in this matter."
Tooru stepped back in front of the microphones and looked at the crowd nervously. "I'm not a very good student." Tooru said nervously. "I thought once that I would stop going to school and start working. But Mother said that it was her wish that I would finish because school was important, not just because of the classes but the people you meet there." Tooru looked down. "Mother is gone now, and I vowed that I would finish school. If reporter-san and photographer-san keep coming to school..." She started to sniffle. She'd not only have lost her home she'd have broken her most important promise too.
Sawatari made a big show of whipping out his handkerchief to dry her eyes. "As you can see this is a very important point with Tooru-chan and the main reason she had been debating against debuting. All true fans of Tooru-chan will respect her wishes." He turned to Harada and Shido, "Take her inside. Go with her." He said to Hiromi. This was working out just fine. Tooru had presented a great image to work with, sweet, funny, and vulnerable. He turned to the mike to field the last of the questions.
::0::0::
"I'm sorry." Tooru said as they go into the elevator. "I ruined my makeup."
"Don't worry about it." Hiromi said sympathetically. "You did very well."
"Everyone laughed at me." Tooru said.
"They were laughing with you." Hiromi corrected. "They thought you were joking."
"But I wasn't." Tooru said, confused. She followed Harada and Shido out of the elevator.
"They didn't know that though." Hiromi said with a smile, pushing her towards the apartment door. "Don't worry about it. Let's wash that stuff off, it probably itches like the devil right now."
Shido and Harada paced around the apartment, checking the windows and rooms before letting Tooru enter. Hiromi explained it was because there was such a fuss downstairs, but it seemed unnecessary to her. After she washed her face Hiromi sat down with a couple of catalogs and the two men returned to their newspapers and left Tooru to her own devices.
With nothing left to do, Tooru wandered through the rest of the apartment. She found she had a small washer and dryer hidden away in a clever closet behind the kitchen and that the bathroom had a lovely wooden tub and was stocked with strawberry scented soaps and shampoo. There was a small guest room across the hall from her bedroom. It was spare and sparsely decorated and had two single beds. It was where the bodyguards were going to stay.
Her bedroom had a huge bed, as big as her one at home, dominating the center of the room. There was a closet on the opposite wall and on one side of the bed a desk and the other a small night table. A large window looked out onto the street. She peeked outside the curtains and could see there was still a mass of people downstairs. She looked up at the sky, she couldn't see it, but the sky was peachy orange with the starting sunset.
She sat down on the bed, the coverlet a rosy pink was soft and silky. Ayame must have picked it out, she thought idly smoothing it with her hands, it was so elegant. There were huge pillows with ruffly edges. The corners of the room were hung with valences of frothy fabric that trailed to the floor. It was a room fit for a princess. Tooru curled up on the bed, wishing more then anything she could trade this room for her room back at Shigure's house.
She scooted up to lay her head on the pillows, sliding her hands underneath. Her fingers brushed against something hard. Sitting up she reached underneath and pulled out a slim picture book. Tales of the Zodiac she read. She opened it up and recognized Shigure's handwriting immediately.
"Some bedtime tales till you're back home." She read out loud and smiled. She opened the book, it was beautifully illustrated. She traced over the animals marching up to the mountain with her fingers and felt very homesick. She tucked it back under her pillow and curled up.
"Knock, knock." Hiromi stood in the doorway, her jacket slung over her arm.
"Hiromi-san?" Tooru said, sitting up and glancing at the clock. It was later then she'd thought.
"Sawatari called. The press conference is over and he's heading right back to the office to take calls."
"Calls?" Tooru repeated.
"There will be newspapers, magazines and stations calling for fact-checking." Hiromi explained. "And right now your schedule is wide open, so he'll be figuring out where you'll be appearing. We do have one appointment tomorrow morning at eleven, so I'll be by around nine to help you dress and get ready. Sawatari will fax me a full copy of any other appointments he's gotten you then. Plan for a busy day." She looked at her watch. "Do you want me to order you something for dinner before I go?"
"Oh, no, thank you... I'll make something." Tooru said, sliding off the bed. "What would Hiromi-san like?"
"Thanks for the offer." Hiromi smiled. There weren't many idols, even the new ones, who'd offer to cook for their assistant. "But I've got a date tonight."
"Oh." Tooru said. So it was going to be just her, and the two bodyguards.
"I'll see you tomorrow then!" Hiromi smiled. "Oh, I found your phone charger out in the living room. Don't forget to charge it before you go to sleep. Call me if you need anything." Hiromi waved and made her escape guiltily. The poor girl looked terrified.
"I will." Tooru said, pulling her phone out. She'd forgotten to turn on her phone after the press conference. She turned it over in her hands as she followed Hiromi out.
"You boys be nice to Tooru-chan." Hiromi said as she sailed past Shido and Harada. They turned to look at Tooru as the front door closed behind Hiromi.
At least they aren't wearing sunglasses anymore, she thought as she stared back a them. They weren't quite as intimidating without them. "Um... I'm going to start dinner." Tooru said, and dashed into the kitchen.
She leaned against the counter, taking a deep breath. She looked at her hand. She was still clutching the cellphone tightly. She turned it back on.
Almost immediately it vibrated in her hand. She opened it up and frowned at the display. There were a couple symbols at the bottom. One she knew meant she had a text message (more than one) but she didn't know what the other was but it had a number next to it too.
She looked at the text messages.
Baka Neko: "R U OK?"
Baka Neko: "R U There?"
Baka Neko: "R U Ok?"
Baka Neko: "Stupid, txt me."
Tooru giggled. The messages were about ten minutes apart. She could almost imagine him angrily punching the keys.
She bit her lip as she wrote a reply. "Sorry. Phone off. Am Ok." she typed and pushed send. "U Ok?" She typed after a minute.
The phone vibrated immediately. "Stupid. Leave phone on."
"Will." Tooru typed back, starting to get the hang of it. "Eat yet?"
"Yes, you?"
"No. Cook now." Tooru typed in.
"Good. TTYL."
T-T-Y-L... Tooru typed and then looked at the other symbol. She wondered if she selected it like the text message icon if it would tell her what it was.
"Missed calls!" She read. There were three, all from Yuki. "Oh no!" She cried, louder then she realized.
"Miz Honda?" Harada asked looming in the doorway. "Is something wrong? Did you hurt yourself?"
"Missed calls!" Tooru repeated holding her phone out to him. "From Yuki-kun!"
"Er." Harada said, looking confused. "Didn't he leave a message?"
"How can you tell?" Tooru looked at the phone again and then handed it to the tall man.
"This number here, he left messages. You just have to push this hear and it will dial the voice mail."
"Thank you Harada-san!" Tooru said, taking the phone back. She followed the directions to listen to the messages. He turned to leave. "Oh, what would Harada-san like for dinner?"
"Dinner?" Harada repeated, surprise evident. "Shido was going to go buy some bentos."
"Oh, no." Tooru said quickly. "We have plenty of food here. Does Harada-san like pork cutlets?"
"Yes?" He said uncertainly.
"If Shido-san likes them too, that's what I'll make for dinner." She heard Yuki's voice start speaking and concentrated on her phone. Harada left to ask if Shido liked pork cutlets.
"Honda-san, we saw you on TV. Honda-san looked upset. Please call me back when you get a chance."
The pleasant woman's voice of the voice mail instructed her to save the message and listen to the next one.
"I wasn't sure if Honda-san knew how to work her phone. I left the manual in the bedside table, and the charger is in the living room." There was a pause. "If Honda-san needs anything at all, please call."
Tooru didn't wait this time to be told and quickly went on to the next.
"I hope I'm not bothering Honda-san, but I have to confess I'm worried. Please call me to let me know Honda-san is okay... I'll be up late... as usual."
"Harada-san!" Tooru called. "How do I make a call?"
"You just select the name." Harada said. He was standing with Shido not far from the kitchen. "And push send."
"Thank you!" Tooru said, looking at her phone. She selected "Mouse" and her thumb hovered over the send button. "Oh, does Shido-san like pork cutlets?"
"Yes, but Miz Honda-" Shido started.
"Good!" Tooru smiled. "Dinner will be ready in just a little while." She walked back into the kitchen to pull out the fixings. She hit send on the phone and held it to her ear as she started dinner.
"Honda-san?" Yuki sounded breathless.
"Yes!" Tooru said, so happy to hear his voice. "Sorry I didn't call Yuki-kun sooner, but I forgot to turn on phone-san."
"Honda-san should keep it on from now on." Yuki said. "Did you have any trouble working it?"
"No, Hiromi-san and Harada-san helped me. And I think now I know the important parts." She knew how to keep in touch with Kyou and Yuki that was all that mattered.
Honda-san's assistant and bodyguard?" Yuki asked.
"Yes," Tooru said, taking out some eggs and breading. Kyou really had bought everything. "Now I know how to hear my voice mail and check my text messages and how to call Yuki-kun."
"It sounds like Honda-san has learned a lot." Tooru could hear the smile in his voice.
"I was so happy," Tooru said suddenly, "to see Yuki-kun and everyone today."
"I was glad too..." Yuki said, "To see Honda-san. I've missed her very much. But now we'll be able to see each other much more often. And it won't be long till Honda-san comes home now."
"Did Yuki-kun eat?" Tooru asked, thinking he probably had if Kyou had.
"Yes, did Honda-san?"
"Not yet, I've just started making dinner." Tooru said. "Pork cutlets."
"Oh, I should let Honda-san go then." Yuki said reluctantly.
Tooru was finding it difficult to manage breading the cutlets with only one hand but didn't want to stop talking to him. She bit her lip.
"Honda-san," Yuki started hesitantly. "knows that I am up late most evenings?"
"Yes." Tooru nodded.
"Then please don't hesitate to call, even if it's late. Because it's a cellphone, it won't bother anyone." Yuki said in a rush.
Tooru smiled happily on the phone. "Then maybe... I'll call Yuki-kun later."
"Please do." Yuki said. "For any reason at all."
"I will." Tooru promised. "Yuki-kun can call me too."
"Okay." Yuki said and then added awkwardly. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye." Tooru said and hung up the phone. She pressed it to her cheek and closed her eyes for a minute, gathering herself together. She'd never had a cellphone before, she'd never had the need. Now she was starting to see the appeal. With just a few button pushes she could be connected with the people she missed most. It wasn't as good as being home, but it was an improvement.
"Miz Honda?"
Tooru turned and slipped the phone into her pocket. "Yes, Shido-san?"
"Um, Harada and I were talking and we think it's best if we just go buy our dinner. It don't feel right you cookin' for us."
"But why?" Tooru said. "There is have plenty of food." She shook her head. "The cutlets are already breaded, they'll go to waste now if they aren't cooked. And I was going to make a salad."
Shido just stared at her. "But-"
"Shido-san doesn't like salad? I could make miso..." Tooru interrupted.
"No, uh, salad is fine." Shido said, his shoulders slumping a little.
Tooru pasted a smile on to cover her discomfort. "I'm going to make some tea. Would Shido-san like some?"
"Yes, um, thank you." Shido sounded confused.
"Why doesn't Shido-san sit down and I'll bring it out?"
Shido scratched at his head, glanced at her again and left. Tooru sighed. She didn't know how she'd be able to fall asleep tonight with them in the room next to hers.
She made tea and brought it out to the other room. Harada seemed surprised when she put down a cup for him. He glanced at Shido who shrugged and thanked her for his tea.
"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes." Tooru smiled.
Tooru hummed to herself while she made dinner, trying not to feel self-conscious in the new kitchen with two strange men sitting in the living room. When everything was ready she picked out some place settings. She debated on which plate to use for herself and finally decided to choose at random with her eyes closed. She ended up using the rabbit plate, and she brought out the boar and the monkey to be used by Harada and Shido.
"Dinner's ready." She said forcing cheer into her voice. Shido put his paper aside and stood, looking awkward as he loomed in the background. Harada took Shido's paper and his and put them on the low cabinet against the wall. They waited for her to finish setting the table and bring the food out before sitting.
Tooru served them in awkward silence. "Um..." she said, feeling strange breaking the silence. "Would Shido-san or Harada-san like more tea?"
"No, thank you." Shido and Harada chorused.
Tooru took a few bites of her cutlets. She wished she had a few more seasonings but she thought it had turned out pretty well. She wondered what Kyou, Yuki and Shigure had had for dinner. Neither had said, so it was probably takeout. She peeked at the bodyguards. Shido was more then halfway through his meal, but Harada was picking away at it slowly.
"Is it good?" Tooru asked. "Doesn't Harada-san like it?"
Harada's head whipped up and he glanced at Shido. "No, er, I mean, it's good."
"If Harada-san would like something else, I can make that." Tooru offered. "There are eggs, chicken-"
"No, it's fine." Harada repeated. "I, er, just eat slow."
"Listen, Miz Honda." Shido interrupted, setting down his chopsticks. "Maybe now would be a good time to discuss what you expect of us, and what we expect from you."
"Expect?" Tooru repeated.
"Yes." Shido nodded. "Technically, Rising Stars is our employer. But for the next few months Miz Honda, you'll be our boss. It's best to get the ground rules laid now so there ain't any misunderstandings."
Tooru nodded slowly. "What do Shido-san and Harada-san expect from me?"
"Well, our job is to protect you." Shido said, "So we expect you, Miz Honda, to help by doing what we say."
Tooru nodded again. "Okay."
Shido and Harada exchanged glances. "Okay?" Shido repeated. This is where most celebrities started protesting.
Shido glanced at Harada, "Good. Then, number one, if we say to get down or get back do it right away. You have to let us get between you and whoever might be a danger."
"But what if Shido-san gets hurt?" Tooru asked looking distressed.
"That's my job." Shido said.
"But I don't want Shido-san to get hurt! Or Harada-san!" Tooru protested.
"If you listen to us," Harada said, "hopefully no one will get hurt, Miz Honda. But if it has to be you or us, it should be us."
"But why?" Tooru said waving her hands. "I'm nobody important-"
"You are now, Miz Honda." Shido said."If you get hurt, your fans will be sad."
"And we'll be fired." Harada said dourly. "And if you've got a job, you'll be inconveniencing a lot of people. Right now you're a tool of Rising Stars and it's our job to make sure you don't break." He picked at his food as if it offended him.
Tooru looked down at her plate. She didn't think she'd ever get used to thinking of herself as someone important, but even less liked the idea of herself as a tool. That sounded so cold.
"So, er," Shido said, shooting a dirty look at Harada, "Miz Honda, you'll listen to us when we tell you not to go somewhere or let us go first or give you directions like that?"
"Yes." Tooru said nodding. She put her chopsticks down. She wasn't hungry anymore.
"Okay." Shido nodded. "So what does Miz Honda expect from us?"
"From Shido-san and Harada-san?" Tooru said looking up.
"Like, if there's certain things you want us to do, or not do." Shido said.
"Um..." Tooru thought. "I.. can't think of anything."
"If you do, just tell us." Shido said. He glanced at her plate. "You should finish your dinner."
Tooru picked up her chopsticks and started eating again, even though she had no appetite. "Oh," She said looking up. "I know... Harada-san and Shido-san should tell me what they like to eat so I know what to make." Tooru said.
"Miz Honda, you really don't have to do that-" Shido started.
"I've always cooked." Tooru said. "For Mother and I, and Shigure-san and Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun." She waved a hand through the air. "If it's just me, I wouldn't know what to make."
"You'll probably be to busy to cook." Harada said. "Sawatari isn't going to give you time to relax after making things so hard on him."
Tooru blinked and looked at Shido. He shrugged. "He did tell us to expect long days in the start. So, really, Miz Honda shouldn't worry about feeding us. We'll manage on our own."
She gathered her plates together. "When I have time then, I'll cook. Please let me know if anything I make isn't to your taste. Please excuse me, I'm going to take a bath and go to bed."
"Goodnight Miz Honda." Shido said, standing. "Um. Why don't you leave the plates in the kitchen, Harada and I will wash them to thank you for the meal."
"Thank you." Tooru said, keeping her eyes down as she escaped.
::0::0::
Tooru really wanted to take a long relaxing bath, but the thought of the two strange men somewhere in the apartment made her rush. She changed into her pajamas and a robe and dashed between the bathroom and her room.
She curled up on the bed. She was exhausted but so nervous and wrought up she didn't think she'd be able to sleep. She closed her eyes and tried to picture being home in her own bed with the only people outside her doors being Sohmas who saw her as herself and not a tool.
Her phone started buzzing on the top of the bedside table and she sat up eagerly. She flipped open the phone to see a new text message from Kyou.
"Are you sleeping?" She read to herself, automatically translating the text-speak into regular speech.
"No." Tooru typed. "Trying."
"Sorry."
"No." Tooru typed back quickly, afraid he'd stop texting her. "Can't sleep."
"Go outside. Look at stars." Kyou typed after a long pause.
Tooru bit her lip, glancing at the door. She didn't think the bodyguards had gone to bed yet. "Where are you?" She typed in text-speak.
"Roof. Lots of stars." Kyou replied. "Go see."
Tooru closed her eyes, she really wanted to see it while laying next to him. "Going." She typed. But looking at them while he looked at the same sky would have to do for now.
"Miz Honda?" Shido sat alone in the living room, reading a book this time. Harada must have been sleeping or in the bathroom. "Do you need something?"
"No, just... the balcony..." Tooru said gesturing to the door.
Shido glanced at the door. "It's probably cold out there, you should put your coat on if you're going to be out there a while."
"Okay," Tooru said quickly running and putting on her coat over the jacket. "Thank you Shido-san." She hurried out onto the porch and laid back on one of the wide chairs. She looked at the phone. "I'm here." She typed.
"Look up." Kyou typed. "Bright tonight."
Tooru looked up at the stars. The sky was a crystal midnight blue, she couldn't see a single cloud. There were lights on the outside of the apartments that dimmed the sky some, but even despite them the stars were brilliant. "Yes." She typed... then after a moment of awkward deliberation. "Can I call Kyou-kun?"
There was a long pause and Tooru wondered if she'd overstepped her bounds. Then the phone buzzed in her hand.
"Okay."
Tooru selected his alias off the list and pressed dial, her heart thudding.
"Hello?" Kyou's voice sounded strange and distant.
"Hello!" Tooru said quickly.
There was silence while both tried to figure out what to say.
"Are you wearing your coat?" Kyou asked finally. "You can't afford to get sick right now."
"Yes, Shido-san told me to put it on before I went outside." Tooru said smiling, imagining him looking at her with that annoyed and concerned look on his face. "Does Kyou-kun have his on."
"I've got my sweatshirt on." Kyou said. "I'm warm enough." He paused for a moment and then said angrily. "Why can't you sleep?"
Tooru started to shake her head, and then remembered he couldn't see her. "I'm tired, but-" She couldn't put the discomfort she was feeling into words.
"New place." Kyou said. "A new bed and those two creepy guys, huh?"
"Yes." Tooru said with relief. "But Shido-san and Harada-san are very nice." Or at least, they didn't seem to mean to be intimidating and mean.
"Yeah right." Kyou said. "You can kick them out if you want, any time. Did the rat tell you that? If you want, you can break the contract and just kick everyone out."
"Yes," Tooru nodded. Yuki had explained that to her.
"Just so you know," Kyou said, "that you can. Are you laying down?"
"Yes." Tooru said, looking up at the sky.
"Good." Kyou said the anger in his voice fading a little. "You sure you're okay? You... you looked really upset earlier, on TV."
"Kyou-kun was watching?" Tooru asked.
"Of course!" Kyou spat. "If they say you're going to be on of course I'm going to watch." Kyou seemed to realized what he'd said. "Don't get the wrong idea, we were all watching! The Rat turned the TV on and the stupid Dog even recorded it. It wasn't because I was so interested, but it's not like I could avoid it."
"I understand." Tooru said, feeling warmed that she really wasn't alone as she had felt then. "But, this maybe selfish... but would Kyou-kun mind..." Tooru started hesitantly.
"Mind what?" Kyou asked.
"Would Kyou-kun please keep watching me?" Tooru said in a rush. "It wouldn't feel so lonely or scary if I knew that Kyou-kun was watching too." She curled up on her side clutching the phone to her ear. She was afraid she was going to start crying and she knew how Kyou hated that. "It's only, when camera-san is pointed at me it feels like there are just strangers looking at me. But if I know Kyou-kun is...it's-" She stopped before she fell apart. She was so tired, but she was afraid to sleep because then it would start all over again tomorrow.
"Don't be stupid." Kyou said. "It's not like I'll be able avoid seeing you on TV living in this house." He added in a grumble, "Besides, there isn't anything else on that's any better to watch." He paused again. "Are you crying? You better not be crying."
"No," Tooru said, wiping the one tear that had managed to fight its way out. "I'm not."
"Good." Kyou said. "'Cause it would be really stupid. I don't want to see you on TV with bloodshot eyes looking like a moron."
Tooru yawned. "I won't." Tooru said. "I promise."
"You getting tired?" Kyou asked, hearing the tension leave her voice. "You should go to bed."
"A little bit." Tooru said, yawning again. It was so good to hear his voice. She didn't want to lose this connection just yet. "I was really glad to see Kyou-kun today."
"Mmm." Kyou said noncommittally.
"Will Kyou-kun come over to visit soon?" Tooru asked.
"Sure." Kyou said, a little too quickly. "Why wouldn't I? Don't expect me to come with that Rat though."
"I won't..." Tooru said, knowing when not to fight. "Maybe Kyou-kun could come over tomorrow, after school."
"Maybe." Kyou said, sitting up and feeling his heart speed up.
"Hiromi-san said I had an appointment in the morning." Tooru explained. "But after that I don't know, Hiromi-san said Sawatari-san would fax her a schedule."
"When you know..." Kyou said, trying not to sound to eager. "Just text me."
"Where did Kyou-kun learn to text?" Tooru asked, "Hiromi-san had to show me."
"Did she read-" Kyou started his face burning.
"No, Hiromi-san just showed me how." Tooru said. "And told me what T-T-Y-L and G-2-G meant. But how did Kyou know?"
"Who doesn't know that kind of thing?" Kyou said. "Besides, when I lived with Shishou I had a phone. He got me one for when he'd go on trips and might need to get in touch with him... but he's a total airhead. He kept forgetting to renew our plan."
Tooru giggled. Imagining the fight that must've caused between them.
"So... " Kyou said uncomfortably, "I can keep texting? It's easier then calling... I mean, you can do it when you can't be on the phone."
"Yes," Tooru said, "I'd like that, whenever Kyou-kun wants. Kyou-kun's text made me feel much better earlier."
"Whatever." Kyou said. "Anyway, you should go to bed, it's getting late."
"So should Kyou-kun." Tooru said. "He has school tomorrow."
"Goodnight." Kyou said, not really wanting to hang up.
"Goodnight." Tooru said, thinking that now she could really sleep.
They both breathed into the phone for a minute, waiting for the other to hang up.
"See you tomorrow." Kyou said finally and hung up.
Tooru closed her phone and looked up at the stars. She didn't want to go inside and lose this relaxed feeling. Tooru closed her eyes and breathed in the cool night air. She decided it wouldn't be a horrible thing to keep looking at the stars for just a little bit longer. She'd only had a short time to laze around the house between her weekend shoot for Suitcase Travels and the furor after the airing of the program, but she'd gotten used to being able to lay next to Kyou on the roof, both in the sun and in the night under the stars. She couldn't get comfortable on this lawn chair, she wanted to prop her head against his tummy and hear him digest the dinner she'd cooked for him. She wanted to feel cool tile under her feet and feel the heat he gave off.
The light went out in the living room, and Tooru blinked a little in the sudden darkness before her eyes adjusted to the dim outside lights. Shido must have forgotten she was out here and gone to bed himself. She looked at the cellphone display, it was past eleven. She slid to the edge of the chair and reluctantly prepared herself to go back in the apartment. She stood and was about to go inside when a little flash of white caught her eye.
Along the other side of the balcony, next to a smaller upright chair, was the small collection of flowering plants Yuki had given her. On the far right, next to the wall, one of the flowers was in full bloom.
Moon flowers, she thought breaking into a smile. She knew he'd still be up, even if it was late, so she quickly dialed Yuki's number.
"Hello?" He sounded surprised. "Honda-san?"
"Yuki-kun!" Tooru said, "Moonflowers!"
"Honda-san discovered them already?" Yuki said. He thought she'd forgotten saying she'd call,or had fallen asleep. "I thought that Honda-san might not see them for a couple nights. They don't bloom until late."
"I'm glad I found them." Tooru said sitting in the chair and stroking the blossom. It was like the book under the pillows, a little piece of home hidden away for her to find. "Thank you so much."
"Honda-san is up late..." Yuki brushed off the thank you. "Can't Honda-san sleep?"
"I will soon." Tooru said, feeling drowsy. "Yuki-kun should sleep soon too." She wondered if the plant would die if she brought it into her room. She'd like to fall asleep looking at the flowers. "Yuki-kun has school tomorrow."
"I know. I'm just going over some notes for Honda-san." Yuki smiled,he could hear her biting back her yawns. "Maybe tomorrow, after Honda-san is done with her work, I could bring some of your schoolwork over. Honda-san should get caught up before coming back to school." He put his pen down, and closed his books.
"Oh yes!" Tooru gave a sleepy nod. "I'd like that a lot." She wondered if she should tell him that Kyou was planning to visit tomorrow too. She decided not to, afraid they'd fight and she'd miss seeing one of them. "I'll call Yuki-kun as soon as I'm done."
"How was Honda-san's dinner?" Yuki asked, knowing he should tell her to go to bed but wanting to hear her voice for just a little longer. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
Tooru frowned. "It was good," she said.
Yuki frowned. "Did something bad happen?" She sounded... wrong.
"No." Tooru said. "Yuki-kun, why would someone try to hurt me?"
"Hurt you?!" Yuki stood up. "What does Honda-san mean?"
Tooru bit her lip, now she'd worried him and she hadn't meant to do that. "I mean, Shido-san and Harada-san explained at dinner what they expected of me." Tooru started. "Shido-san said that I had to do what they said because people might hurt me, and Harada-san said it was their job to keep me safe because I was a tool of Rising Stars now and they had to make sure I didn't break. But why would someone want to hurt me?"
"Honda-san is not a tool." Yuki said vehemently. "She's not something just to be used. Don't believe him! He's wrong!"
"I'm not?" Tooru said, unexpectedly finding herself tearing up. Don't cry, she thought to herself. Kyou will see it in the pictures.
"Of course not!" Yuki said, louder then he intended. His knuckles were tight on the receiver. He knew how it felt to be called that, and to feel like you had no purpose other then to be used and thrown away. "Honda-san, he just said that to make you feel like you had to listen to him."
"But I do have to listen to him." Tooru said, "Shido-san said that if I didn't people could get hurt. I don't want anyone to get hurt, not Harada-san or Shido-san either."
Yuki paced in circles. "Honda-san, that's true... Now that you're well known there are people who might want to hurt you... people who are jealous, or sick, or people who don't mean any harm but are just in the wrong place. Like the crowds when you left Hanajima-san's. Do you understand?"
Tooru nodded, remembering how scary the press of the crowd had been.
"Honda-san?" Yuki sounded worried and Tooru realized he couldn't see her nodding at the phone.
She felt the distance between them keenly as she said "Yes, I understand."
"So you should do what the bodyguards tell you, but Honda-san," Yuki said, sound like he was trying very hard to stay calm. "remember that they are the tools. Honda-san is supposed to be using them to keep herself safe." He paused. "I'm sure Harada-san doesn't like feeling like a tool either, that's probably why he said that to Honda-san."
"To make himself feel better?" Tooru asked. She didn't like thinking of the men as tools either. She didn't like the thought that it was someone's job to get hurt. She sighed, all of this was making her head ache. "I wish I didn't have to have bodyguards."
"I wish Honda-san didn't either." Yuki said. "But they are Honda-san's shields now, when I can't be there to help protect her." He blushed furiously once he realized what he said. For the first time he was glad she couldn't see his face. In for a penny, he thought, in for a pound. "I wish I could be there to help protect Honda-san."
Tooru smiled. "Yuki-kun is helping."
"I don't see how." Yuki said, his frustration evident.
"Anytime I don't understand something," Tooru explained. "Yuki-kun explains it to me. Then I feel much better."
"Honda-san does?" Yuki asked.
"Yes, much better." And she was feeling better. She still wished she didn't have to worry about people getting hurt on her behalf. But she could understand now how someone who's job it was to be a shield, a tool, might start seeing everyone else as tools too. And she knew that wasn't true, because Yuki never lied. "If I have more questions, can I call Yuki-kun?" She asked.
Yuki's chest puffed out in pride at being asked. "Of course, Honda-san can call me anytime."
"I can't call Yuki-kun while he's in school." Tooru laughed sleepily. "Cellphones aren't allowed."
"But Honda-san can still call." Yuki said. "If I can't answer right away Honda-san can leave me a message."
"On voice mail." Tooru said, tucking her legs up underneath her and tucking her coat to block out the rising damp in the air. She reached out to stroke the bell-shaped moonflower. "Oh, that's good... now I won't have worry about forgetting before I get a chance to talk to Yuki-kun." She closed her eyes and thought about how his eyes glowed in the dark that night he'd first shown her the night blooming flowers. She almost felt that if he looked hard enough he might be able to see her from Shigure's house.
Yuki smiled, she was sounding much more like her nonsensical self. He glanced at the clock and frowned. "Honda-san, it's past midnight.Honda-san should be in bed."
"Yuki-kun too." Tooru said drowsily.
"I'll promise to go to bed if Honda-san does." Yuki said, smiling at her sleepy relaxed tone. She sounded like she might drift off while they were talking.
"O-" Tooru was interrupted by a huge yawn. "Kay."
"Goodnight Honda-san. Sleep well." Yuki said.
"Goodnight, Yuki-kun." Tooru could hardly keep her eyes open. She was so glad that she had the cellphone. For the first time in weeks she'd been able to look at the stars with Kyou and talk to Yuki before she went to bed. "Sleep well." She mumbled.
Yuki chuckled. "Go to bed Honda-san." He said and hung up the phone.
"Okay." Tooru said, and promptly fell asleep right there, hunched in her chair with the phone pressed into her cheek.
::0::0::
Author's note: Well I like this chapter a lot better then the last one. What do you guys think? And I think in the next one I'll even be able to get some of the humor back in it! I'm doing pretty well with my "Two updates each" for my stories for National Novel Writing Month, if I can squeeze out a Discoveries chapter in the next six days I'm going
consider it met. (Even though technically Full Course was updated at the very end of October and only once this month, it's still less than a month since it'd been updated.) I'll try to keep up with it!
Unfortunately, I'm not getting any of my alerts from so I don't know when people leave me a review. I'm a total attention glutton, so they really make my day when I get one. So instead, I've been refreshing the "reviews" page every day to see if I get any more..
I just wanted to let everyone know that even if I don't reply, or don't mention you at the end of a chapter, they really, really mean a lot to me and I've realized it even more now that don't get them just randomly emailed to me. So thank you, people who take the time to review. You really make my day every time you do.