Disclaimer: Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise. Author owns nothing.
CHAPTER 9
11:56PM
The raven haired young director was sitting behind a glass bar counter as she chugged down the alcoholic beverage laid in front of her by the hardworking bartender. She was clad in black riding zipped up jacket matched with dark jeans and a pair of boots. The upbeat sound of club music around her fell into background as she got drowned in her thoughts. Emptying the content of cold beer in her hand, she signaled the bartender for another. A new one was immediately laid in front of her.
The bartender resumed with his task of serving the other patrons. The club was lively as usual which meant that business was doing great as well.
"What were you saying, Mai?" The raven haired young director asked over the loud club music, turning her attention to the orange haired manager who was sitting to her right. She took a sip of her beer before settling it on the counter.
"I asked if you are alright, Natsuki." The orange haired manager replied in a louder volume for her to be heard. The music was starting to get louder by the minute. "You seem to be out of it. We are here for more than half an hour already but you haven't move from that place." She continued as she sipped her cocktail. Putting down the beverage she resumed. "And you even ignored that gentleman who offered you a drink." She gestured towards the direction of the raven haired young director's left. Had the young director been in her usual self, she would have acted negatively on the advances made by the young man.
"Huh? What are you talking about, Mai?" The raven haired young director asked in confusion before turning to her left where a handsome young man was smiling at their direction. A glass of gin was held up towards them. "Jerk." She muttered before turning her back towards the grinning young man and faced her manager instead.
"He is just being friendly, Natsuki." The orange haired manager commented after smiling at the handsome young man behind the raven haired young director.
"And you are being too trusting, Mai." The raven haired young director retorted after gulping a huge volume of her cold beer. "He just wanted to get into someone's pants." She finished before leaning her left elbow on the bar counter and playing with the bottle of beer in her right hand.
"Not every man thinks like that, Natsuki." The orange haired manager replied with a frown on her face. Not liking the raven haired young director's negative perception about men.
"This is not the kind of place where you find stupid Prince Charming, Mai." The raven haired young director replied. "Look around you. Why do you think these people are here?" She gestured towards the wild crowd in the dance floor and the drunken patrons around them.
"They're here because they want to enjoy life and so are we, Natsuki." The orange haired manager replied before starting to get up from the bar stool. "Come on, Natsuki. Let's dance and enjoy the night!" She said merrily, grabbing the raven haired young director's hand and leading her to the dance floor.
"Mai, you're drunk." The raven haired young director commented as she reluctantly followed her manager's lead. "Just how many cocktails…" she glanced at the bar counter previously occupied by her manager and saw a number of glasses good enough to make the latter let loose. "tequilas have you taken?" She corrected herself, raising her voice as the sound of the music got louder the closer they got to the dance floor.
"I'm not drunk, Natsuki." The orange haired manager replied when they reached the dance floor. She leaned closer to the raven haired young director's ear before speaking. "Not yet." She added in her high volume voice before withdrawing herself and starting to sway to the beat of the music.
The club music got louder and the crowd surrounding them got wilder. Spectrum of lights danced to the rhythm of the music. Bodies were flushed together as sobriety started vanishing into thin air, leaving everyone for the time being.
"I'm sure you're so sober, Mai." The raven haired young director commented dryly, still rooted on the dance floor.
"Come on, let's dance!" The orange haired manager yelled as she kept on dancing. "You don't have taping until next week. Loosen up, Director." She said before throwing her hands around the raven haired young director's neck.
"Here I thought you don't swing my way, Mai." The raven haired young director arched an eyebrow at her manager.
"I don't but you are being a party pooper." The orange haired manager yelled as she kept moving her body. "Come…" She continued but was interrupted when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"Excuse me Miss Tokiha but Ms. SK is calling you." A handsome young man dressed in black attire held out an iPhone to the orange haired manager. The name of the caller was flashed on the screen.
"Who's the party pooper now?" The raven haired young director chuckled.
"Thank you, Kazuya-san." The orange haired manager retrieved the phone from her assistant, ignoring the young director's comment. "Natsuki, I need to take this call. Excuse me." She said before going to the direction of the exit and away from the loud crowd.
"What does Mom wants from her now?" The raven haired young director thought as she started leaving the dance floor. "Don't tell me Mai is still into that stupid assignment of playing cupid." She groaned, not liking the idea of it. Her thoughts were interrupted when she realized something. "Hey, I thought you're on indefinite leave?" She addressed the assistant walking beside her when they reached the bar counter again.
The orange haired manager's assistant had submitted his resignation letter but the manager refused to accept. She instead offered him an indefinite leave. He can take as much vacation as he wanted and be back to working with the orange haired manager when he will change his mind.
"Yeah, I am." The handsome assistant answered after signaling the bartender for a drink and settling on the bar stool to the raven haired young director's left. "Miss Tokiha called me earlier this evening. She said you might need a driver for tonight." He said glancing at the director to his right.
"She does but not me. I can drive just fine." The raven haired young director said as if insulted. She signaled the bartender for another drink.
"Thanks." The handsome assistant nodded at the bartender before sipping a little from his drink, not really wanting to get drunk. "I don't think Ms. Tokiha is that wasted." He said before glancing at the director to his right and turning his bar stool to face the crowd. "But that lady will surely be if she continues doing that." He gestured his beer towards a direction on the second floor of the bar.
The young director grabbed her beer from the counter before following the assistant's line of sight. "Huh?" She asked before turning her own bar stool for better look. She took a sip from her beer before looking up.
The second floor of the bar housed some tables and plushy couches for those people who wanted to be seated with their friends or colleagues. The lighting was better and the atmosphere was less wild compared to that of the level below it. Attendees carrying drinks on silver platters can be seen roaming around. It was quite an exclusive place compared to the first floor of the bar. The first floor was for those who preferred to either dance the night out or just simply stay behind bar counters and drown themselves in alcohol.
Occupying one of the tables were three gorgeous and beautiful young ladies in their early twenties. These ladies happened to be celebrities. Bars were one of the places that they considered to be a peaceful and safe haven no matter how ironic it seemed. True, it was a loud place but when alcohol took control of everyone's system, societal status will never matter at all. They can mingle with anyone, celebrity or not. In that place, they can let loose without worrying about annoying avid fans or nosy paparazzi chasing after them although the latter always lingered almost everywhere. Those paparazzi were at least discreet and less aggressive since the bar owner herself made sure to limit their access knowing that some of her patrons were celebrities.
"Look what we have here, Anh" A beautiful woman who was actually a Hollywood singer and model commented, looking at the woman to her right. Amusement was evident on her voice as she glanced at her cousin who was chugging down glasses of tequila. A glass of wine was held in her right hand as she titled the glass, not really in for drinking.
"You really should not be bringing her here, Sara." A Japanese young actress said coldly, shaking her head in disapproval to the woman in front of her.
"Oh, come on, Anh. Don't you think it's time for our little Shi-chan to know how great life is?" The Hollywood singer/model replied as she continued watching her cousin.
"You know that she can't handle this much alcohol, Sara. She's not you." The Japanese young actress looked straight into the eyes of her cousin who was sitting opposite her.
"That's why we're here, Anh." The Hollywood singer/model replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"You mean that's why I'm here. Sara Gallagher, let me just remind you how wasted you two got last time we came here." The Japanese young actress said, reminiscing the time when she had to drag her cousins out of the bar since the two can't even keep their grounds nor manage to get home by themselves.
"Don't you miss me, Anh? I only come here every once in a while. I just want to bond with you two." The Hollywood singer/model flashed her cousin a smile before taking a sip of her wine.
"I'm sure you do, Sara. Just make sure her manager won't see her face printed on the headlines of every Japan's newspaper tomorrow." The Japanese actress said, gesturing at her cousin who kept on chugging down tequila.
"Or be flashed on every shitty celebrity channels." A husky voice came from the direction of their cousin's back, making the two young ladies turned their attention to the figure behind their cousin who stiffened but smirked afterwards.
"NK?" The Hollywood singer/model asked, recognizing the figure. "Why are you here? I thought you're in Hawaii." She further inquired, mild surprise evident in her voice.
"I was. Aren't you supposed to be in Paris, Sara? I thought you have a concert there." The raven haired young director asked the singer whom she knew because the latter happened to be one of the talents of SEARRS Entertainment Corporation. The same company where she was working.
"Ah, y-yes?" The Hollywood singer answered unsurely, glancing at her cousin who shot her a questioning gaze. "It will be three days from now and my flight will be first thing in the morning." She answered defensively at her cousin's unvoiced question.
"And you came here to get wasted before your flight, Sara?" The Japanese actress interjected, looking at her cousin with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, by the way. NK, this is my cousin Anh." The Hollywood singer/model introduced her cousin who was sitting opposite her, avoiding said cousin's question. "Anh, this is NK." She said, looking at the Hollywood director.
"I think I know why Mom is calling, Mai. Someone's on the run again." The raven haired young director thought before offering her hand to the Japanese young actress for a handshake. "It's NK. Nice to meet you." She said as she stepped closer, making her stand beside the tawny haired superstar who was silently staring at the tequila in her right hand.
"Anh. Nice to meet you, too." The Japanese young actress took the offered hand and smiled at the young director. She glanced at her cousin, who halted in her drinking, before releasing the young director's hand.
"And this is my other cousin. Shizuru." The Hollywood singer/model gestured to her right where the tawny haired superstar was. "Shizuru, this is NK." She continued, gesturing at the young director. "I think she's out of it." She commented when her cousin did not move a muscle.
"I know her, Sara. We're working on a project." The raven haired young director said, looking at the tawny haired superstar in front of her.
"What does Director Kruger know about me?" The tawny haired superstar commented before grabbing another glass of tequila, making her two cousins turned their attention to her.
But before she can empty the glass of its content, the Hollywood director grabbed the glass from her hand and set it aside. "I know that you had enough and I'm taking you out of here, Ms. Viola." She said, lowering herself to look straight into the superstar's crimson orbs. "And you are coming with me." she commanded sternly.
"What I do is none of Director Kruger's business. We are not doing any taping. Director Kruger must know when business hours are over or did she perhaps forget?" The tawny haired superstar retorted as she signaled an attendee for another drink. She wasn't disappointed when the attendee immediately started to approach her.
The Hollywood director straightened up when the attendee was only a few steps away from reaching the tawny haired superstar's spot. "Stay where you are." She commanded coldly to the attendee who froze on his spot.
"Don't mind her." The tawny haired superstar dismissed the Hollywood director.
"I am sorry, Madam. But I have to do my job." The attendee approached his patron and started offering the drink.
The tawny haired superstar reached for the drink but before her hand could touch the glass, the swiveling plushy chair that she was occupying was abruptly turned ninety degrees to her right. Making her faced the young director.
The Hollywood director placed her arms on both sides of the backrest of the club's plushy chair, entrapping the tawny haired superstar. She looked straight into crimson orbs before speaking. "As long as I am your director, I am not letting you get wasted. I don't want to waste my effort in creating a movie that will surely turned into a flopped just because its main cast's reputation is crap. Now, pull yourself together and do everyone involved in the project a favor. Stop committing a career suicide." She whispered in her husky voice, putting emphasis on her last sentence.
"My career is none of Director Kruger's concern. I will appreciate if Director Kruger will move aside." The tawny haired superstar answered coldly.
"Where's your car key?" The Hollywood director asked, ignoring the woman's glaring crimson orbs.
"It's in her purse." The Hollywood singer/model interjected after remaining silent as the events unfold before her. "Here." She said, tossing the item to the young director who caught it just in time after straightening up.
"Thanks, Sara." The Hollywood director said, looking at the tawny haired superstar who took the opportunity to stand up.
"No, problem. Drive safely." The Hollywood singer/model said after taking a sip of her wine, dismissing her Japanese actress cousin's questioning glare.
"I am driving her back." She announced to the two women who were silent the whole time. Her emerald orbs were looking at the tawny haired superstar's retreating back. She breathed a sigh before turning on her heels but paused when she remembered something. "I think Ms. Tokiha is looking for you, Sara." She finished before proceeding to follow the tawny haired superstar who was traversing the crowd.
"What!? She's here!?" The Hollywood singer/model shrieked in panic as she started looking around her. Putting down her cup of wine.
"Yes, I am here, Ms. Gallagher." The orange haired manager emerged out of nowhere. "I just had a phone call with Ms. SK a couple of minutes ago. I believe we have something to discuss." She continued, looking at the carefree talent.
"Y-yeah. It's about my flight to Paris this morning. Yeah. I need to go there a few days before the day of the concert for rehearsal." The Hollywood singer spurted out words in fast speed.
The head of the Talent Management Team was friendly but the woman usually shifted into a totally different persona when work was involved. She was strict with adherence to schedules and made sure that every talent was doing what was expected of them.
"I believe you ladies have a lot of important things to discuss. If you won't mind, I'll go ahead." The Japanese actress said, looking at the orange haired manager. "Do well in your concert, Sara." She said. This time she was looking at her cousin.
"Traitor." The Hollywood singer/model thought as she looked at her cousin who started moving out of her spot.
The Japanese actress smiled at the orange haired manager before speaking. "It's good to see you again, Tokiha-san. I'll be on my way."
She had met the orange haired manager as the latter frequent Japan and the scene before her was not something out of the ordinary.
"Please do so. I don't want to hold you any longer." The orange haired manager smiled back before continuing. "I am sure Ms. Gallagher will do well in her concert, Anh-san and she will not miss her pre-concert rehearsals." She added, her eyes were glued at the Hollywood singer/model who seemed to have shrunken in her seat.
"Uh. Uh." The Hollywood singer/model thought before reaching for her glass of wine and gulping its entire content in an attempt to prepare herself for a long talk that awaited her. "Here we go again."
The raven haired young director was silently following the tawny haired superstar as the latter continued traversing the crowd. The superstar was wearing a black dress matched with high heeled stilettos. The plunging neckline of the black dress did nothing in hiding much of her flesh. It also did not help that such dress' length was a good inches above her knees, exposing her long flawless legs to any perverts around. Her tawny mane though did its job perfectly fine in hiding her exposed back since the dress design flaunted its wearer's back flesh.
"Hey, that's not the exit's way." The raven haired young director grabbed the superstar's right wrist with her free right hand when the latter started going to the direction of the dance floor.
"I didn't say anything about going out, Director. You must be hearing something." The tawny haired superstar retorted before swatting the director's hand away and proceeding to the dance floor.
The raven haired young director was left staring at the superstar's back. She released a sigh before tailing again the superstar. Upon reaching the crowded dance floor, she found herself surrounded by people whose sobriety was long gone. Mixtures of perfumes, alcohol, smoke, and sweat attacked her nose. The loud club music was deafening her. Her emerald orbs never left the tawny haired superstar as the latter blend in with the crowd but her vision was blocked when a woman in her mid twenty threw her arms around her neck and started dancing, pulling her closer.
"Hey, wanna go somewhere private?" The woman asked suggestively as she inched her lips closer to the raven haired young director's left ear before nipping it. "I can show you heaven." She said, looking straight at the director's emerald orbs while biting her lower lip.
The raven haired young director held the woman's neck, her emerald orbs were still glued at the owner of crimson ones who was watching their interaction while dancing to the beat of the music. She inched closer to the woman's face and saw an emotion flickered on the tawny haired superstar's face but was immediately blocked by a man who danced dangerously closer to the said superstar. Making the latter uncomfortable with the sudden invasion of private space. She instead inched closer to the woman's right ear before whispering in her husky voice. "I think one of heaven's angels is in trouble, honey. Some other time maybe." She finished before abruptly withdrawing herself from the woman and going to the superstar's direction.
Her knuckles turned white upon seeing the man's wandering hands were starting to touch the tawny haired superstar's body. The latter was obviously trying to avoid the advances but was failing miserably as the man became aggressive and flushed his body to the superstar's, leaving no space between them.
"Hey, pal. I think you're hitting on the wrong woman." The raven haired young director said calmly behind the man.
"I don't think so, man. She doesn't seem taken nor does she mind." The drunken man said, ignoring the raven haired young director behind him whose husky voice he mistakenly took to be that of a man.
"I don't share the same opinion, pal." The raven haired young director said before grabbing the man's right shoulder and turning him around harshly.
"Who the hell cares about your opinion!?" The man yelled but was surprised when his jaw was met by a strong fist, making him fall to the ground. "Hey, what the fuck is your problem!?" He yelled, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Perverted man like you! Idiot." The raven haired young director yelled back as her blood boiled in agitation and fury.
She didn't know what was happening to her but the moment she saw how uncomfortable the tawny haired superstar looked a few moments ago, her mind cried for bloodshed. How she wish she could beat the hell out of the perverted man but she can't do that without attracting unnecessary attention to the tawny haired superstar which will surely not help the latter's reputation.
The crowd halted in their movements and stared down at the fallen man who immediately stood up and left the dance floor, trying to save her ego. It didn't help that he found himself sprawled on the ground from taking a single blow from a woman no less.
Turning her back from the man, she discarded her black zipped up riding jacket and wrapped it around the superstar's shoulders. "Are you alright?" She asked as she gently held the woman's shoulders and lowered her head since she was a good inches taller than the latter. She looked straight into those crimson orbs. Her face was inches apart from the superstar's. The superstar just looked down, finding the floor more interesting. The young director sighed before straightening up. She wrapped her left arm around the superstar's body and pulled the latter closer to her. Her right hand held the woman's head and guided it to her left shoulder. Burying it therein and hiding the latter's face from the inquisitive eyes that may take interest. "I'm taking you out of here, okay?" She informed as her emerald orbs glanced at the crowd that started to carry on with their previous activities. The club music had shifted from upbeat to a slow one thus, the dance floor became less crowded except for a few couples who started dancing to the slow and mellow sound.
"You shouldn't be going to this kind of place." She continued when she did not receive any response. "It's not good for someone who is claustrophobic." She said as she loosened her hold on the superstar who stiffened upon hearing that. "I didn't know. I am sor…" she started but was halted by a very familiar voice behind her.
"I am taking it from here, Director Kruger." The blonde manager said as she emerged from the crowd with the spectacled brown haired producer in tow.
The raven haired young director released the superstar from her arms and faced the new comers. "Yeah." She said shortly as she distanced herself.
"We are grateful for your assistance, Director Kruger." The spectacled brown haired producer bowed to the young director before facing the superstar.
The two women just came in when they noticed the commotion and the familiar figure that they were searching for.
"I am taking you home, Viola." The blonde manager spoke to the tawny haired superstar, making sure that she emphasized a word.
"I am afraid we have a flight to catch, Shizuru-san." The spectacled brown haired producer said as she approached the tawny haired superstar who reluctantly joined them.
"Let's go. We don't have much time." The blonde manager announced before turning on her heels.
"If you will excuse us we will be on our way, Director Kruger." The spectacled brown haired producer said before turning her back. The tawny haired superstar was walking beside her.
"Ms. Viola." The raven haired young director called out. Effectively halting the superstar from walking further. Taking it as her cue, she approached the woman. "Your purse." She offered the item which was taken. She felt something weird at the pit of her stomach at the slightest contact that their hands made in split second but preferred to ignore it.
"Ookini." The tawny haired superstar replied before turning on her heels and following her manager and producer.
The raven haired young director was once again left staring at the retreating back of the superstar. "Ookini you say…" she muttered after a couple of seconds when the three women were finally out of her sight.
The young director was going to the direction of the bar's exit when she noticed her manager was descending down the stair with the Hollywood singer/model in tow.
"Natsuki, I am accompanying Sara to Paris this morning. I'll be back after her concert. Will you be alright by yourself." The orange haired manager informed her when the two finally reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Mom's order." The raven haired young director stated as a matter-of-factly.
"Yeah." The orange haired manager confirmed. "I am sorry, Natsuki."
"I can tour you around Japan if you want NK." The handsome assistant suggested after emerging from the back of the raven haired young director's direction.
"Why does everyone love popping out of nowhere today?" The raven haired young director thought dryly. She left the assistant when she recognized who the latter was referring to a few minutes ago. "It's fine. I think I'll just go back to New York. Taping will not resume until next week. I have a lot of time on hand 'til then." She said looking at the assistant beside her before she remembered something. "Don't you have an upcoming wedding to prepare for, Kazuya?" she asked the assistant.
"Yeah." The assistant nodded her head in agreement. The phone he held in his hand suddenly rang. He looked at the screen to see who the caller was and a smile graced his handsome face. "Speaking of." He said flashing the phone's screen to the raven haired young director. "It's my cue. Just call me if you change your mind, NK." He faced his superior before speaking. "Miss Tokiha, I'll be on my way. Have a safe trip, Madam."
"Thank you, Kazuya-san." The orange haired manager replied to her assistant who nodded at her and went on his way.
The three women proceeded to the bar's exit. After a couple of minutes, they finally reached the parking area.
The orange haired manager faced the raven haired young director who was now straddling her Ducati bike. "See you then, Natsuki." She said before adding a reminder. "Don't fool around."
"Yeah." The raven haired young director answered before putting her helmet on and flipping the visor down. "Take care, you two." She said in her muffled husky voice before roaring the bike to life and revving out of the parking area, leaving the two women behind.
"Let's go, Sara. We have concert rehearsals to catch." The orange haired manager announced as she retrieved her phone and dialed a number.
Author's notes: Due to author's busy schedules and deadlines that must be met, readers must be advised that updates will not be available as prompt and frequent as they wish. Author would like to emphasize that writing is just author's past time hubby. Author admits being inexperienced in the field of story writing. Faulty grammar is expected as no objective third party is proofreading this story. Facts stated herein may not be a hundred percent accurate. This is just a product of author's imagination thus, exaggerations and things beyond the realm of reality is expected to be encountered in this fanfiction.
Author would like to extend his/her gratefulness for the reviews be they constructive criticisms or compliments. To the readers who posted reviews, rest assured that author has read them.