Iku was shocked. In the years that she had known Shibasaki, her friend had never once given any hint of uncontrolled emotion. It was one of her great strengths as she accumulated intelligence and strategized behind the scenes. She had always been professional, calculating, and composed even in times of great crisis. And yet, here she was… sobbing uncontrollably on the floor of a bathroom stall on a night where she should have been having the time of her life.

"What do you mean your parents aren't going to come to your wedding?" Iku asked in disbelief. Asako had never spoken much of her parents. Iku understood that they were hard on their daughter and had high expectations of her as a child. Apart from that, there really wasn't much she knew. She had never met them. She assumed that their family met occasionally for holidays, but Asako was private about such things.

"Do they disapprove of Tezuka?" Iku asked when her friend gave no immediate reply. Iku couldn't fathom any family disliking Tezuka. He was handsome, intelligent, respected, and came from one of the most influential families in Japan. Most parents would be thrilled at their daughter finding such a man. Asako took another long drink of the bottle nearby and winced as though she disliked the taste.

"They refuse to meet Hikaru," Asako snorted. "They know he is from a good, successful, wealthy family but that doesn't matter to them." Asako replied.

"How can that be? His family is famous! His brother has been the voice of the Library. His father is the chairman…"

"That only makes it worse." Shibasaki groaned. She looked up at Iku and her smudged mascara highlighted the misery in her eyes. A sorrow appeared that had never revealed itself behind her many protective walls.

"Why does it make it worse?" Iku asked tentatively.

Asako paused. Had Iku not been the closest friend that Shibasaki had, she may never have said another word. It probably didn't hurt that she was becoming slightly drunk. "My father is a key member of the MBC."