A/N » I'm taking so long to reach the part about the Ball. Sorry, I'm just so longwinded. ^^

Disclaimer » Hana Yori Dango does not belong to me. It never will belong to me. It never has belonged to me. ^^

Generation Y

Chapter 5 » Grand Hyatt and Yaoda

Misao dropped dead on her bed as soon as she stepped into her bedroom. Lessons at Eitoku today were just too tiring for her. During Chemistry, they had to mix all sorts of funny chemicals together. She had to pair up with Ryuki and he got them into a mini explosion. Thank goodness they were wearing goggles. Then during English Literature, Ryuki sat beside her again. He accidentally flipped her desk over as he stood up to get out of the classroom. Again, thank goodness she was at the toilet at that time.

Misao stared at the Mashimaro clock on her dressing table. The time states 4pm. She could have an afternoon rest and then wake up a few hours later to get ready for the Ball. Takizawa would be fetching her at 7pm. 3 hours from now; all she needed to do was sleep.

Her thoughts suddenly drifted to how odd Takizawa looked as soon as Misao slipped in her words. Shaking her head to free herself from thoughts, she fell asleep.

"Misao sama, wake up. It's already 6pm." Keiko Miyuki, a maid of the house, said. She gently shook Misao from slumber.

"Thank you Miyuki." Said Misao drowsily.

Misao climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom for a nice warm shower. As usual, lighted candles filled the bathroom. Scents of lavenders, cherry blossoms and even chrysanthemums were mixed together to form a really unique fragrance. Misao took off her shirt and stepped into the bathtub.

After a relaxing bath, she styled her hair skillfully in front of the full size mirror. "Perfect" she said.

She danced to her wardrobe and carefully selected some of her nicest and most elegant dresses. Finally, she decided on a baby blue dress complete with a sapphire necklace the shape of a heart. She choose a pair of baby blue glass slippers to compliment her dress and necklace.

"I feel so blue today. From top to the bottom it's blue. Wonder if anyone will misinterpret that? Haha." Misao smiled to herself.

By the time she was ready, Takizawa had already arrived at the gates of the Ikina Mansion.

"Misao sama, I'm please to inform you that your date has arrived. Yuii sama has left earlier with Shono sama." Miyuki said.

"Thank you very much Miyuki."

Misao walked down the stairs in grace. As Yafumi opened the door for her, she gasped at the sight in front of her.

Takizawa… he looks… dashing… a sight of him I've never seen… Misao gaped at him.

She came to her senses when Takizawa took her hand.

"Misao you look stunning tonight. Not that you only look beautiful tonight, you are always beautiful." Takizawa blushed.

Upon hearing that compliment, Misao's face turned even redder than a tomato. Misao slipped into the car and waited for Takizawa to start driving.

"You hear music from the band BLUE too?" asked Misao as soon as she heard the band's cd being played on the car's stereo system.

"Yah. You too? We do have a bit of common interest after all." Smiled Takizawa.

At the Grand Hyatt

"Saota, don't you think Ikina and Takizawa make a cute couple? One talks so much, the other talks moderately. A nice balance." Ryuki said. He was busy helping himself to the champagne on the clothed table.

"I don't care. What they do and how they look together or whatever is none of my business. All I need to do now is make sure Yaoda signs the deal with Hatakaru after tonight." Said Saota coldly.

"Oh yah. Your stepfather got you Yaoda Ella as your date. By the way, where's she?" asked Ryuki.

"I'm picking her up at 7.30 later." Saota answered. His mind went back to the scene when his father had died.

Flashback

"Ah Saota. Daddy's going to get your ball. You wait here." Said Saota's biological father, Hatakaru Shota.

Shota signaled to his chauffeur to get the ball.

"Now where is my chauffeur? Oh right, he went to buy me a cup of cappuccino. I might as well take the ball myself." Said Shota.

Shota got out of his Benz and walked to the middle of the road.

BEEP BEEP BEEP!!!

"Arghh!" shouted Shota.

Saota turned just in time to see the car run over his father. The body was flunked a few meters away. There were lots of passers-by who stopped to watch. Saota ran over to his father's limp body. Sirens from the ambulance could be heard. Saota managed to get one last look at the face of his father. A face that will never be seen again, ever.

End of Flashback

"Saota you all right?" asked Ryuki. 

Saota turned his head around. He had always blamed himself for the death of his father. If he hadn't wanted to take the ball back so badly, his father wouldn't have died, and his mother wouldn't have remarried a monster.

"I'm fine Ryuki. I'm going to get Yaoda now. Have a nice time here. Bye." Replied Saota. He reached up to his neck and clutched his necklace tightly, and walked away from the party.

"All right! We're finally here! Looks like there seem to be quite a number of important people. I think your cousins are here too. Oh my god! Is that Doumyouji Tsubaki!!! You've got to introduce me to her Takizawa! She's my idol!" shouted Misao like a five-year-old child.

"No hurry. We have the whole night. Tsubaki's scary; I don't want to go near her. Let's go meet Ryuki, Nishirou and Saota first." Takizawa didn't dare look at Tsubaki. He remembered the last time he visited the Doumyouji house, Tsubaki was scolding her brother and they were fighting with each other, literally punching and kicking.

"Hatakaru san!" shouted Misao.

Saota turned to look at the person calling him. Before him stood a lady like he's never seen. Elegant, refined looking, pretty.

Misao… Thought Saota.

"Hey Hatakaru! Where are you going! Takizawa's still in the car. He's so slow, like a tortoise. Haha. See you later. Ciao!" smiled Misao.

"I'm going to pick up my date. Enjoy yourself tonight." Replied Saota. He's heart was beating a little wildly.

Takizawa stepped out of his car, grabbed Misao's hand and ran before she could even finish her conversation with Saota.

"What's your problem? Tsubaki spotted you? Can't we just walk? Besides, I was talking to Hatakaru before you rudely interrupted us!  Misao felt fiery.

"Nothing. I just want to go up quick." Replied Takizawa nonchalantly.

I didn't want you so near Saota. I'm jealous ok? I don't know about your feelings, but I'm plain jealous. I'm sorry if I've done anything to make you angry. Thought Takizawa. He blushed as he answered Misao.

"Stop going red! I'm not scolding you! You do that again and I'm not going to talk to you for the rest of your life, I swear!" Misao joked. All the same, she couldn't help but blush even more than Takizawa after his intense staring.

Yaoda Mansion

"Onee san! Hatakaru san is here!" shouted Yaoda Ayumi to her sister Ella.

"How many times have I told you not to shout and act gentle Ayumi?" Ella lectured her sister.

"Come on. You don't have to act like that in front of me! We all know you want to have a I'm-a-smart-pretty-and-eligible-woman image in front of the Hatakaru's, especially Hatakaru Saota. I'm your sister, you can't hide anything from me." Grinned Ayumi.

Ayumi remembered her sister's rivals, especially her strongest one, Ikina Misao.

Ikina Misao always topped the class no matter what; she was best in studies, sports, and even in creativity. Ella always came in second. Their fathers, Ikina Len and Yaoda Maki were rival companies. They have been fighting with each other on the market ever since the companies first got set up. After Ikina Len found out that his daughter is studying in the same school as her sister, he transferred Ikina Misao to Eitoku straightaway.

"What do you mean, eh Ayumi? Dad's dying to know about your date with Hidetoshi, and I have excess to your little secret…" said Ella with a smirk on her face. Threatening, her best line of defense.

"Don't you dare! Hatakaru san's waiting for you. Just go!" Ayumi was fuming mad her sister should bring that up. Her date started well with Hidetoshi, until Hidetoshi tried to touch her at her breasts. Ayumi slapped him hard. Luckily Hidetoshi didn't report that matter to his father, or else the Yaoda Corporation may lose one of their biggest partnerships.

Yaoda Ella walked out of the house with as much grace as a swan. She had learnt her etiquette well as a child. She looked extremely confident. Saota could tell she was a beauty. He's actually starting to feel a little glad that his stepfather had arranged Yaoda Ella to be his date.

"Hi Hatakaru san. Are you ready?" asked Ella.

"Yea." Saota replied nonchalantly.

Ella looked a little confused. Her charm had always work. But Saota was an exception, he didn't feel the least bit excited when she said his name.

He's going to be a tough guy. Thought Ella. I've always loved challenges anyway.

Back at Grand Hyatt

"Oh my god! There's so much food! What a huge variety to choose from! Chinese, Italian, American, Japanese, Indian, Malay, Eurasian, Korean! Everything! It's like the whole world has been represented by food here!" Misao's eyes lit up at the very sight of delicious food.

Not that she has been starved, or that she rarely sees food, but she's a food addict. Wherever she goes, she must try at least ten types of food from that country.

"You really eat a lot do you?" said Ryuki annoyingly. He knew he was risking his life by saying that sentence, but he simply can't resist the temptation to call Misao a pig.

"Are you implying that I'm a pig? Well if you are, at least I keep my figure! I'm surely far more athletic and faster than you!" said Misao.

"You know the Fettuccine is so popular that you will have to wait for a refill soon?" said Takizawa, unaware of the heated argument between Ryuki and Misao.

"It's mine!" shouted Misao to Ryuki and vice versa.

But before they could even lay their hands on the delicious Fettuccine, Nishirou slipped past the both of them and popped the last of it into his mouth.

"Arghh Nishirou!" screamed Ryuki.

"I'm going to the kitchen." Announced Misao playfully.

"No your not! I'm keeping you far away from foods if that's the first thing I do!" shouted Ryuki. Obviously, he's very concern when it comes to placing Misao beside his food source.

"Oh yeah? Try me." Replied Misao. She took her first step towards the kitchen and felt a tight grasp on her left hand.

"Even if it kills me, you're not going anywhere near the kitchen." Said Ryuki.

"I've never seen Ryuki so serious before, have you Takizawa?" smiled Nishirou.

Takizawa felt a little weird. He badly wanted to replace Ryuki's hand with his. He envied Ryuki being able to just grab Misao's hands without any questioning. Just a while ago when he took her hands to bring her away from Saota, she already lectured him, now she isn't even doing anything to Ryuki. Deep in his heart, he's terribly jealous.

"Huh? Oh. Erm no. Guess there's a first for everything." Takizawa tried to fake a smile. He didn't want anybody to suspect a thing.

"How long do you think it will take for Saota to arrive with Yaoda Ella?" asked Takizawa.

Misao stopped struggling against Ryuki's grip.

"Yaoda…" mumbled Misao.

"Did you just say Yaoda Ella?" continued Misao.

F3 turned to look at her.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next » more will be revealed about Misao and Yaoda Ells in the next chapter! But Exams may delay it a bit. Be patient, and R+R!!! ^^ Haha.