AN: So I ended up with 2 titles for this chapter because I couldn't decide between them. Since they each capture the spirit of it, I used them both. Also sorry for all the notations, but there was so much great stuff I borrowed from or referenced and wanted to give credit.
So she finally figured it out. Hmmmm, I wonder what she's going to do next?
Over 100 views again last week! Thank you all again for the reviews, follows, and favorites!
Disclaimer: I do not own KWMS. All honor and glory to Hiro Fujiwara-san! Nor do I own any other fairy tales or stories.
Chapter 15 – True Lies, James Cameron, 1994 or What Lies Beneath, Robert Zemeckis, 2000
Back in her room, her thoughts were in a tizzy. Her mind was running in circles. Misaki was so confused. It was him. It was really him! Her brain had finally realized what her heart had instantly recognized.
She knew what Gerard and Igarashi were up to at the earlier meeting. Was that why he had sought her out? Was he part of their plan? Then why wasn't he at the meeting? During her years in business, she had become quite proficient at reading people's true intentions. Nevertheless, he was as enigmatic and hard to read as she remembered.
Why all the aliases and subterfuge? Was it just a game? Did it have something to do with his family situation? If they were so concerned, why did they bring him along? It did not make sense.
Was he just playing with her? Then why were the kisses so passionate, so intense, almost needy? She had felt his heart beating just as rapidly as hers did. And there were, she mentally kicked herself, too many opportunities where he had the advantage and didn't take it.
Could she trust him? Was there someone else in his life? Was she just a temporary distraction for him? She saw how other women looked at him and had to admit the years had been kind to him. He had transformed into a handsome specimen of a man. That scrawny body was now full of well-defined muscles. He was a tall drink of water. Gone were the crazy hair and the nerd glasses. She could get lost for days in those emerald eyes. It was funny how she had never noticed them before, but those atrocious glasses had hid them well. Yet despite the fact he was dripping with good looks, he was still the same perverted alien stalker.
She finally admitted to herself what she wasn't able to in high school. She had fallen for him, again.
She steeled herself for the coming battle. Two could play the game. Tonight she would get the answers, one way or another. She was either going to kiss him or kick him, or probably both.
Richard ushered Gerard and Tora into his temporary office and shut the door.
"Well boys, how was the meeting? Did you make any progress?"
They both started to talk at the same time. To hear them speak, Misaki was head-over-heels for them with little hearts in her eyes.
"Ex-cellent." He touched the fingertips of his long, bony, old man hands together. (1) "I'm happy to hear that especially after the last few disastrous attempts."
"It's not my fault she just disappeared during the cruise. It was as if she had fallen overboard or something," grumbled Gerard.
"Tonight you will capitalize on your success this afternoon and seal the deal. I don't have to remind you how important this is for our companies." Richard stood, with his hands clasped behind his back, and slowly stalked around the room.
"Acquiring AWA Consulting Group would be a huge win. Just think of their client lists. We would have access to all that insider data. It would be simple to crush our competitors and dominate our allies. And the easiest way is through that girl. Get her to fall for you and it's a done deal." His eyes glinted maliciously. The only thing missing was an evil "Muahahaha".
Gerard and Tora looked like two hyenas eyeing a wounded antelope.
"Now go get ready for tonight. And make sure your brother doesn't leave his room. We don't need any distractions."
Usui had been rushing around all day. He seemed inordinately busy running tedious errands. They didn't suspect his nocturnal escapades, did they? It was doubtful. Even combined, Gerard and Igarashi did not possess the brainpower to realize what he had been up to. Now he was being pulled into an unscheduled briefing with Gerard.
"So Bob," Gerard sneered, handing him a huge stack of documents. "I'm going to need you to re-write these business proposals. Then review the financial statements and write up a report. I need these first thing tomorrow morning."
"Not a problem. So about tonight's event?" Usui was as nonchalant as ever.
"Well, if you get all your work done, I guess you can join us." Gerard faked a look of pity, "Oh no, I just remembered, yours wasn't packed, sorry, not sorry. Guess you don't get to go after all." He chuckled as he walked away. "We'll stop by your room to say hi before we go down."
So that was how they were going to play it. Usui smirked to himself as he quickly formulated a plan. He took the pile over to his desk and waited. As Gerard, Igarashi, and his grandfather left, he made sure to sneeze and cough loudly. He tried not to smile as Igarashi glanced his way. Step one accomplished.
Usui grabbed the mountain of busy work and hastened to his room. He picked up his room phone and dialed 3469. An annoyed voice answered "Whaddaya want?"
After agreeing to meet in an hour, Usui got down to business. Steps two and three were underway. Fifty minutes later, he cautiously poked his head out of his door and looked down the hallway. The coast was clear. He stealthily made his way to room 3469 and knocked on the door. It opened. "Right on time."
Excitement flooded through the resort. Tonight was the most anticipated event of the conference. It was the annual costume ball. What had started as just something to occupy the attendees had morphed into a beloved tradition. The costumes seemed to grow more elaborate every year seeing how rich people could not resist showing off. This year's theme was heroes and villains. The grand ballroom was decked out and awaiting the arrival of the revelers.
Misaki adjusted the bodice of her long sleeved, floor-length, body-hugging black dress. The plunging neckline ran down to her mid-torso. She was hesitant about going braless, but the "Boob Tape" helped keep the girls nice and perky while preventing any wardrobe malfunctions.
"Don't you think this is a bit much?" She stared at her newfound cleavage in the mirror.
"No," Aoi stated flatly. "This is conservative next to Elvira, (2) the true vampire queen."
He was busy piling her hair into a messy beehive.
"Anyway, you've got to be more vamp and less scary demon."
She shot him a killer glare.
"Yeah, that's what you shouldn't do."
After putting the finishing touches on hair and makeup, Aoi excused himself to finish changing into his costume. Misaki continued to preen in front of the mirror. She really looked like a sexpot. It was just as well. More ammunition to work with. And work it she would. She would play her game tonight and get those answers one way or another.
Aoi appeared a few minutes later, edging her out of her spot in front of the mirror. His wide-brimmed, feathered hat bumping her beehive.
"Uh, nice outfit, so which one of the three musketeers are you?" She had to admit he was quite dashing in the red, frilly costume of a nobleman from the days of yore, complete with mask and fake sword.
Aoi snorted haughtily, "I am not a musketeer. They were 150 years earlier and did not wear red, nor eye masks. I am the infamous Scarlet Pimpernel. (3) And here I thought you were well-read."
Leave it to Aoi and his degree in art history and literature to design everyone's costumes around fabulous, yet obscure characters.
"Well," she giggled taking his arm. "Shall we head to the ball, my Scarlet Pimpernel?"
"But of course, you weird woman," he replied. "Your wish is my command, my Vampire Queen."
Usui lurked in the shadows of a back hallway, waiting for the ballroom to fill a bit before making his entrance. It was silly of Gerard to make that last minute work request to try to keep him occupied all night. One glance through the mound of documents and he realized it was work he had completed earlier in the day that had not yet been looked over. Leave it to Gerard to just grab the first thing he found. At least it made things simpler. No need to worry about anything else tonight. Glancing at his watch, he smirked to himself. Step 3 should be complete any moment now. Too bad he could not be there in person to watch it unfold.
Richard paced back and forth angrily. In his rage, he picked up a decorative vase and hurled it across the room. Fortunately, a certain blond-haired butler deftly caught it before any damage was done.
"What is the meaning of this…this…costume?" The last word dripped with his disdain.
"But Grandfather, you look dashing," refuted Gerard. "You are a very popular British character from an American superhero show."
Richard glowered at him, wire-rimmed spectacles glinting dangerously. "I was supposed to be King Richard the third."
A knock sounded on the door. As Cedric passed by to answer it, Gerard pleaded in a whisper, "Find a crown!"
Tora came in, nonchalantly strolling into a bizarre scene. The old man was stomping about wearing a garish jacket emblazoned with the union jack and tight white pants, all the while muttering to himself and brandishing a gold cane with a large fake ruby on top. Cedric and the other servants were tearing through boxes and bags, obviously searching for something, while Gerard stood in the middle looking back and forth between the various parties as if spectating a ping-pong match.
Clearing his throat, Tora finally caught Gerard's attention.
"Great costume Tiger-kun!" A childish grin spread across Gerard's face. "You are William Shakespeare?"
"Nice one Gerry." Chuckling evilly, he bared his fangs. "No, I'm the debonair vampire Lestat, as played by Tom Cruise." (4)
Gerard's face was blank for moment, and then a look of recognition dawned. "Ah! He's the actor from that race car movie." (5) Tora nodded in agreement. "And I loved him as that news anchor. (6) So funny!"
Tora did a mental face-palm. He knew Gerard wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but it was a bit much confusing the hunky heart-throb with a zany comedian. (7)
Cedric reappeared and produced a plastic crown out of thin air. Richard immediately sat down, impatiently tapping his foot while it was affixed to his head. Tora pulled Gerard aside.
"Uh, who is he supposed to be?"
"Why King Mad Mod of course! The British mentor of the Teen Titans." (8) Gerard glanced at his watch. "We should head out now. We will need to stop by and see how Bob is doing on the way down."
Moments later the trio arrived at Usui's door. Gerard knocked loudly and called in a singsong voice, "Oh, Ba-ob, we're here." No one answered, but some distant shuffling inside was heard.
Behind the door, a complicated series of contraptions, ala Rube Goldberg, came to life. Usui had rigged up a sophisticated answering machine. His laptop began playing a recording.
Gerard knocked and called again, a bit louder. "Hey Bob, open up."
This time a fit of coughing was heard from behind the door followed by a weak voice. "Who is it?" (9)
Richard grew impatient and rapped on the door with his cane. "Boy! You know very well who it is. Open the door this instant!"
More coughing and a sneeze was heard. The weak voice continued, "I'm sorry but I'm feeling a bit under the weather and wouldn't want you to catch anything."
Tora spoke up, "He did look tired and was coughing when we left earlier."
Gerard and Richard exchanged skeptical looks. Something was off, Takumi never got sick. He must be faking it, hoping to fool them to get out of the work assignments.
"You will open this door at once or we will break it down!" Richard's face was the identical shade as the ruby on his cane.
"Ok, if you insist. Hold on a second," came from inside. The click of the lock being withdrawn was heard. Suddenly loud retching, followed by splashes hitting the floor, sounded at the door.
Instinctively, the three jumped back as if in danger of being splattered by vomit.
"Uh, on second thought, don't open the door. Just go lie down. We'll talk in the morning."
Looks like it would be Usui Takumi's night off.
1 – "The Simpsons", animated TV series, Mike B. Anderson, et. al., 1989
2 – "Elvira: Mistress of the Dark", US movie, James Signorelli, 1988
3 – "The Scarlet Pimpernel", play and novel, Baroness Orczy, 1903 and 1905
4 – "Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles", US movie, Neil Jordan, 1994
5 – "Days of Thunder", US movie, Tony Scott, 1990; "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby", US movie, Adam McKay, 2006
6 – "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy", US movie Adam McKay 2004
7 – Gerard is confusing Tom Cruise and Will Ferrell
8 – "Teen Titans, Episode 10: Mad Mod", animated TV series, Ciro Nieli, 2003
9 – "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", US movie, John Hughes, 1986