CHAPTER 41: MADNESS AT THE HOTEL.
(Isa's voice)
I was about reaching the end of my dream when I heard how somebody knocked on the door.
"Isa…" A female voice said whispering. "Hey, time to wake your mate up."
"Hummm….?" I said opening my eyes to look at the owner of the voice with Shin still crouched against me. "Oh, Hi Lillian. Sorry, you are right. Shin… Shin wake up…"
He moaned something before slowly opening his eyes.
"He has changed not the slightest, has he?" Lillian whispered me back.
"No, not much." I said. "C'mon Shin. You have to get in your bedroom before anyone else notices you are missing."
"Oh, ok." He said waking up then and sitting to get up. "So you take me to my room?"
"Lillian will take you while I get ready for… facing some business before the rest of you waking up."
(Ren's voice)
"Ren!" Someone said knocking on my door. "Ren, open the door!"
I stood up and went to open the door to see an angry Takumi with the rest at my door.
"I told you he was not death." Naoki said. "Just over-slept."
"I was worried." Reira said.
"It's ok. I just over-slept." I said.
"Get ready now or we will have problems." Takumi said. "I told you yesterday to stay here and sleep. Where did you go?"
"Nowhere, I just stayed here yet I was hung on the phone for a while."
"From now on you are going to be taken away the phone in the nights." Takumi said about throwing it to the wall. "And you'll better not get out of here if you want me not to kick your silly ass."
"Really?" I asked. "I mean… I will not do it again."
Why should I when I was now so near my love. So now was not needed that way of communication in the nights.
"So, what do we have to do today?" I asked.
"A radio program with another band." Takumi said. "Maybe a local one. We have not being told, just were called two days ago to be told that it will be five minutes later cause of another band being also invited."
"Oh, I've heard it's a girls' band." Naoki said happy.
"How are you going to know it when not even Narita knows it?" Takumi said.
"I sometimes think he is just thinking with his male hormones." I recognised as I ended getting dressed. "Ok, shall we move?"
"First let's call for the help." Takumi said. "What was the name…?"
Anyway, when we reached the lobby, we saw something that rang me a bell.
"Excuse us." Narita told the girl wearing green top with black trousers that was laying a the receptionist counter as she wrote something down speaking through one of the earphone-microphone I saw Isa use the two times we were there. "Do you know if our vehicle is ready yet?"
She just raised a finger to show us to wait a second.
"Yes, I said you had to send someone to pick us up… Don't know, maybe Jack or Polly… Is J. free then?... Well, send him then… Ok, thanks… Sure, I'll give them a call right now so we will be there on time… Thanks." She added before turning to face us. "So, you asked about a vehicle?"
"Yes, we have to wait for our personal one to come and pick us up." Narita said.
"Ok… any name? Taxi? Bus?"
"Can we ask for a limousine, please?" Naoki said.
"Shut up, blondie." Takumi said.
"No, no." Narita said to the girl. "It was something from Virxin Records."
She then nodded and said a phone number through the microphone.
"Hey, Jacqueline, could you put me through with Benjamin?" She said. "No, no. It's ok; we have a guest here waiting for something… Ok, I'll wait… Hi, Benji… Ha ha. No, I came back for business… Sure, I'll sign you one. Sorry, but we have Trapnest here that are asking about a vehicle you seem to send them… Already gone?... Ok, thanks, I'm telling them then… Thanks! You are always so nice!!... Ha ha ha, ok. I'll tell Mark about it, yes… Bye." She said apparently hanging down as she lifted the microphone towards the ceiling. "The bus's left some time ago so it must be about arriving."
"Didn't you were told when did it arrived or what?!" Takumi said angry. "What kind of service you give then!!"
"Ehem." A man said arriving. "Anything wrong Miss?"
"No, Mr. Ichinoise is about nervous because their buss didn't arrive on time." She said. "There's no need of you here, I will deal with this, thanks Robbie."
"Ok, Miss." He said.
"Excuse me Takumi but I'm not working here." She said. "I've just cover Dean while he was out at the toilet. I'm sure he could have informed you better than me about it."
"So you don't even work here!" Takumi said still angry. "What kind of security they have here that allow working on another place to outside people?"
"Ah, but I'm not outsider." She said. "And if you don't stop shouting like that, sir, I'm afraid I will have to ask you to politely leave this hotel."
"How do you dare?!" He shouted as he was held by me that stepped in the middle.
"Takumi, she is the boss." Narita whispered at his ear.
"Beep!" She said elbowing at the counter. "Miss Okanzaki, Junior owner of the hotel. Nice to meet you." She added taking her hand out to shake it smiling with us all.
Her presentation made us all a bit confused while I recognised Isa that was now wearing smart robes.
"Isa?" Naoki asked. "Wow, you are… different."
"While I'm on public I have to keep my image of perfect co-heir of the Okanzaki Hotel Empire." She added while the receptionist came and bowed to excuse so she shook her head to tell him there was nothing to forgive and she walked out of the counter to meet us. "By the way, shall I recommend you to have some breakfast while you wait for the bus to arrive?"
"Miss Okanzaki." The receptionist said. "But the record house said they would arrive just on time."
"Yes, but there's about an hour since there to here and latest news I got was there was a huge jam at the centre so they will have to take it or the way through Park Avenue. In any way, they will be here on about ten to twenty minutes so they have enough time for a coffee cup and maybe some toasts."
"We would be really honoured if you sat with us." Narita told her still not realising on who she was.
"I would love to but I'm afraid you would not enjoy the slightest as I have to speak with other two people before having a fast coffee and maybe a toast." She said.
"You sit with us, please." I said holding her hand.
"If she has to work then that she must do." Takumi said.
We had breakfast without her but she promised to have dinner with us tonight if she could.
However when we went out because the waitress serving us said our bus had arrived, she was there still chatting about something with a man.
"Hey, Miss Okanzaki." Takumi said. "Tell the rest of your band we are not going to give the media up so easily."
"Oops, so I must suppose you have recognised me?" She said joking then.
"After seeing the portrait at the relaxing room…" Takumi said. "Sure."
"Then I suggest you to keep your mouth close about that connection, please." She said bowing. "We don't want me to be connected to the band being the tycoon daughter."
Then Naoki began shouting in joy and so did Reira, but Shin and Nobu came down with part of their staff. Then I held her hand and attracted her to me.
"So you have dinner with us tonight then, dear?" I asked her.
"Just if I can, promise." She answered me winking once.
As I knew Nobu was looking I kissed her there and then and she nearly slapped my face.
"In the future I'd rather you didn't do that on public, especially here where everything is recorded and my father still wants me to get married to a noble man." She said coldly before bowing and leaving to join her partners.
(Shin's voice)
"I can't believe he has…" I told Isa as we went to have some breakfast.
"Nor do I." Isa said. "I told him not to do such here because everything is recorded and I will have to do miracles to prevent it being seen by my dad."
"Anyway, what was the point on it?" I added.
"You know Ren can be a bit childish sometimes." Yasu said. "I think he was trying to mark her as his for Nobu to know."
"I still don't see the point on that." She answered while she looked at Nobu that was still choosing between the croissants or the muffins. "Why should he have to do it? I'm dating him, not Nobu."
"Think about it." Yasu said. "Ren is a man, his wife disappeared after divorcing from him, and now he has another one, her ex-boyfriend is nearer her than what he can be at the moment cause they work together and he works apart. Can't you see what is behind all?"
"Man, if my girl was like that I would be jealous." Shin said.
"Well, I can see he is jealous, but you can't ask me to understand that cause for me it's nonsense." Isa said. "If I'm with him, I'm with him. Now I can just see Nobu as a friend and band mate, nothing more than that."
(Nobu's voice)
"If I'm with him, I'm with him. Now I can just see Nobu as a friend and band mate, nothing more than that." Isa said while I arrived.
"Well… I think things are not as easy as that." Shin said. "Ren is a man and men want certain things, with a lack of that then we go a bit jealous without reason and…"
"If he wants that then he should have to work harder on it instead of… just acting so childish." She added making all of us cough a bit.
"Can we drop it, please?" I asked. "We are having breakfast."
"You are having breakfast." She said when her mobile phone began ringing. "I'm working. I'll see you at the lobby later." She added before leaving.
"I think she works too much." Shin said.
"We should do something." Yasu said seeing her leave. "She's just came out of the hospital and she should try not to put herself into stress so soon."
"Maybe we should give a hand." I said. "Do some of the calls, appointments… something."
"She is not going to let us help with that." Shin said shaking his head softly. "Don't offend but you two don't know English so well so as to keep on such chats with the workers here, and she will never allow me helping with that."
"Then make her leave that to our boss and staff." I said.
"She has left nearly all the work to our staff." Yasu said.
"But the record house here prefers to deal with her or when she is there." Gimpei said sighing. "However you look at it, she is from here and it's normal they want her to be there to help with the language matters and being the middle point between both sides."
(Isa's voice)
"I said no!" I shouted to the phone where I was now calling. "Once again… I don't want you to call me mistress there, or even suggest I have anything to do with the heads of the record house."
"Miss, your car will be here on five minutes." Robert said putting his head through the door.
"Thanks Robert." I said. "No, I was talking to a mate… The car will be soon here, so... just remember what I told you about treating us and specially me… No! No different treat from them and no MISSTRESS or MADAM calling me!!"
Then I hung down.
"Bad time?" Robert White asked me.
"Yes, it's always bad time when I'm the tycoon woman…" I said to then sigh. "I'll go to the kitchen to have a pill for the head ache." I added standing up and taking out the staff head's earphones with the microphone and the dial to call people.
"Cassidy, Eve, if you can hear me please call the customers on the 6, to 12 A to please get to the entrance cause the car will arrive on… 4 minutes 37 seconds now to the entrance."
"Ok, Isa." They said at once.
"Isa, I think the white haired matches you better than the hunk on Evelyn's wing." Josie said.
"How can you say such thing?!" A voice said. "Mr. Honjo is just so hunk!"
"But such a man is just intolerable for master's point of view." A male voice said.
"Yeah, the bald man would be much finer for her." Another one said.
"Hey, can't you just stop gossiping and do what I asked you to, please?" I said when I got in the kitchen by the service's door.
"Hello miss." Kostos said smiling when I got in the kitchen.
"Hey sis!" Eddy added handing me the pills. "Here you are."
"Thanks, Eddy." I said smiling and taking the water glass he was handing me and taking the pill. "I hate to work as a powerful business woman…" I added when the acid and sour taste of the pill reached my brain leaving the glass at the dishwasher.
"Well, someone has to do it, as I think all of us prefer it's you." Andreas said smiling.
I then smiled while Eve got in the kitchen.
"The coffee has been ended and Isa, your mates has left for the lobby." She told me turning after getting more bread for the toaster band. "Headache again?"
"If you were to deal with everyone at once you would also have. I wonder why I just have those here." I said.
"Hey, Isa." Dean from the lobby said. "Your beautiful cart is here for looking for you, dear."
"Coming!" I said. "Lillian, I'm using the way 1A, 2B and then the short cut, are they clean?"
"If you don't mind the little roach party at the shortcut they are clean." She answered. "I've tried to take care of them but they seem to… keep on wanting to party."
"Why don't you try calling a roach killer?" I added joking as I ran to the staff corridor area that was the fastest way to move there. "Ah, to the tailors, my 'Ladybird' to the lobby, please. If you don't mind."
"Just on the way." The girl from the tailors said. "And I must say your little 'Spring rose' is missing you."
"Not again please." I said.
"Why don't you like wearing pink?" Another voice said.
"Pink?!" Lillian said. "You have something pink out of the room?"
"Yes, I have and no, I hate that dress." I said changing from corridor to corridor. "My dad must be mad when he bought it. May, I'll meet you at the lobby lift."
"Ok, how are things?" I asked May when I went out of the short cut into the lift to the lobby.
"Your car is at the street corner… right now." She said. "Your dress is now down and the guys will be getting on as soon as the car comes."
"Fine, fine." I said.
"Isa, is everything right?" She asked me as the doors opened.
"Yes, everything is ok." I said rubbing my chest. "I'm just a bit… tired, that's all. Ah! Guys, thanks for waiting. My things, thanks."
"Are you taking things with you?" Nobu asked raising an eyebrow.
"Ah, you mean the clothes." I said. "I can't met anyone with dirty robes. Anyway, I'm changing at the car so don't worry."
(Takumi's voice)
"I can't believe it!" I said angry. "They just can't treat us as if we were beginners!!"
"But here we are just beginning to get in the market, Takumi." Reira said. "It's normal we are just treated like that."
"No!" I said still angry while the car was parked out of the hotel. "That's not ok because we are not!!"
"Takumi, you should calm up." Narita told me. "Don't know, go up to your room, have a shower, rest a bit and come back for dinner peacefully, right?"
"Hum… She says she will try to be down on time." Ren said. "Eight o'clock, isn't it?"
"Who?" I said angry. "Another press member trying to lower us even more?"
"No, Isa." He said.
That was true; I nearly forgot she was having dinner with us if she could. Obviously she could otherwise she would not have told Ren by messaging in the phone.
"Tell her she doesn't need to come." I told him more calmed.
"If it was for me, the dinner would be just she and me." He answered me softly while he typed a new message. "But I think she promised Narita so…"
I did what Narita had suggested me. I go up to my bedroom, had a long bath that relaxed me and I got ready for dinner. When I went down she was still not there so I asked Ren.
"She said she was nearly done, so maybe she will be 5 minutes delayed." Ren told us.
No, it was not 5 it was 9 nearly 10 minutes on delay.
"Ren, it's 10 minutes on delay already." I said bothered. "Where the hell has she gone?!"
"I hope you are not speaking of me." Suddenly a soft voice said back me. "I'm sorry about the delay, I had a call while I was having a shower and I had to recall answering when I ended."
"It's ok, milady." Narita said taking the chair back to allow her sitting. "Women's courtesy delay is at ten minutes at Tokyo."
"Here is for 15 minutes." She said smiling and laying her napkin at her lap with a soft movement. "Oh, you have still not ordered… I'm sorry about my delay."
"Stop acting." I said. "We know you are not like that."
"I think Mr. Ichinoise is still angry because I got certain gap at the TV programs before he could. Local fame."
"That's… glorious?" Narita said still a bit confused.
"Narita." Ren said. "I suppose you have not recognised our lady here as Trapnest singer, our friend Isa."
"Is it so?" He asked. "Wow! I mean… you really look as a princess now!"
"Well, despite on what I can look like being who I really am, I'm also this person." She said smiling. "But I'm kindda unconnected to my father or brother right now." She added smiling while we ordered. "I've grew up in this ambient and I'm perfectly capable of behaving as a good lady should."
"Hey, wait!" Ren said when he realised she had not been take order. "You have still not ordered Isa."
"You should tell them off for having forgotten asking you what you wanted." I said ironical.
"No need of." She said smiling with her hands at her lap. "They don't need to ask as they know what to serve me."
It was amazing; during all the dinner she behaved as a really good educated lady from the royalty or nobility. All of us, even Reira, were astonished at that change and some important business men came to say hello to her that answered with politely and brightness.
When the dinner ended we went to the hotel's bar and then we met Gaia's directives there too. Narita and our bosses began chatting with them and soon Reira and Naoki left while Ren held Isa's hand that didn't lost a single word from them giving her point of view from time to time.
Ren ended by feeling sleepy and so showed his eyes, more closed while time went past.
"Ren, you should go up and rest a bit." Narita told him. "Tomorrow you have recording of an interview."
"Oh, sure." He said.
"I should go bed too." She said. "Yet the chat is really interesting."
"Maybe we could…" Ren began.
"Ren, to your bedroom, now." I told him seeing through his words what he really meant. "And alone."
"Hey, you are not my dad." Ren said, then as he saw me serious he thought it twice. "Ok, ok. I'm leaving. Good night men, lady…"
"Night." All of us said.
"Good night Mr. Honjo." The red haired said smiling.
She stayed a bit longer and soon she also left. When I left I went to Ren's bedroom to make sure he was there.
"Hum… I see she is not here." I said.
"No, she saw something and left." Ren said.
"Good, she is a cleverer woman than I thought." I said. "Good night."
(Isa's voice)
It was true I left soon. I just went to Ren's bedroom to say goodnight and kiss him for a while. However, when I knocked on his door and he opened me to pull me in I saw his nose was a bit red and a little blood was going out of his nostril.
"Ren, you are nose bleeding." I told him. "Oh, no." I added when I realised why he was like that. "Hand it to me, dear."
"Don't know what…?" He began saying.
"The cocaine, hand it all." I asked him taking a bag from his back pocket. "No drugs while we are going out, ok? It makes me frighten to thing you could…"
"Hey, I'm ok." He said hugging me to comfort me. "Don't worry…"
We then kissed and after a while I went out of the room buttoning the neck of my dress smiling after having left him sleeping there.