Chapter 4
Starlight forced Keiko to wear a light green, knee length sundress. The back dipped low to the middle of her back. The green dress set off her eyes. She wore the silver lace up heels that practically matched all her dresses. A silver locket hung around her neck and two bracelets made just like the chain to the locket, hung on her right wrist. Her long black hair was bound in a bun, secured with chopsticks.
Starlight herself wore a blue, mid-thigh in length strapless dress. She also sported a thin, knitted shawl of a soft white cotton. Her heels were two inches and also white. A clip on each side of her head held back a little of her curly red hair. Her hazel green eyes sparkled with mischief and the jewelry she wore limited to a single bracelet on one wrist and a choker with a sapphire stone dangling in the hollow if her throat.
"Well are you ready?" Starlight half demanded from the other side of the bathroom door. Keiko had locked herself in when she put her make up on.
"Do I really have to go?" Keiko asked softly, though loud enough for her friend to hear.
"Yes. I told them that we'd both be there. And besides Trowa was anxious when I told him you were going to be there. I can't disappoint them, now can I?" Starlight retorted.
Sighing Keiko replied, "No." She then turned the lock and stepped out of the bathroom.
"You look gorgeous. Now come on." Starlight emphasized, grabbing her friend's arm.
They took Starlight's car, in which they drove to a small restaurant that served Italian.
"Well we're here." Starlight announced, the engine stopping, "I wonder if the guys are here yet."
They entered the restaurant where Starlight asked the cashier if he had seen two men with Trowa and Duo's descriptions.
"Yes, I have. Right this way." He said taking up two menus and leading them away. The table was near the back of the restaurant and to Keiko's slight surprise the two young men were already there and had also ordered drinks for themselves.
"Hey, hey, you're here now!" Duo grinned, catching sight of the women. He and his silent partner rose from their seats to help their dates into their own chairs.
Once they were all seated, Starlight beside Duo and Keiko beside Trowa, the waiter left with an order for the assassin's drinks.
"So how did y'all's day go?" Duo asked, making conversation.
"Long and uneventful." Starlight replied punctuating with a yawn and a wave of hand.
Trowa looked at Keiko when the Japanese women did not reply.
"And you Syria? How did your day go?" Trowa softly asked.
Keiko looked into Trowa's visible deep green eye and replied, "Nothing happened really. I'm only Ms. Relena's bodyguard and nothing has required my skills as of yet." She added.
Duo's eyes grew wide, "I didn't know Relena hired you as a bodyguard." He said, totally surprised.
It was Keiko and Starlight's turn to be surprised. Keiko knew enough about Relena to know that the blonde ex-target would not keep something like that from her friends.
Keiko glanced at her best friend, who slightly shrugged, then looked at Duo and Trowa.
"Yes I am. I'm greatly surprised you did not know." She admitted.
"A bodyguard hmm...That would explain you excellent reflexes." Trowa said.
Keiko's cheeks had a touch of pink and she said, "I trained with some...specialists."
"What kind of 'specialists'?" Duo asked.
At that moment a waiter came to take their orders; Keiko was safe for the moment at least. When the waiter left with their orders and had placed the girls' drinks before them, Duo looked as if he were going to repeat his question. But Starlight must've kicked him or something for Duo jerked his head to look at the Irish woman. He shut his mouth, but picked up his drink and took a long sip.
Keiko sipped at her wine and felt Trowa's gaze on her. She looked up at him carefully schooling a blank face. He was studying her features; he knew she was deliberately evading Duo's question and keeping secrets.
After they finished their dinner about an hour or so later Starlight was debating whether or not leaving Keiko all alone with Trowa. She decided not, Keiko would get very angry with her, and it was a death wish to have the most dangerous assassin very angry with you. So instead she announced,
"Well I had such a pleasant time we should do it again sometime."
They walked out together after paying; Trowa walked Keiko to Starlight's car as Duo was escorted to his own car. Trowa picked Keiko's hand up and lightly kissed her knuckles. Keiko flushed but didn't take her hand back. Then he looked into her green eyes and said,
"Thank you for coming tonight. We really should do it again sometime."
"Maybe we should. How about this Saturday? Ms. Relena gave me the night off." She suggested, even surprising herself. She couldn't believe she actually asked the incredibly handsome man out. She hid her surprise but also noticed that she wasn't the only one surprised at her suggestion.
"Okay, where and exactly what time?" he replied.
"I don't know...Maybe we can go to the movies...or something." Keiko stumbled over her words.
"A movie is fine. We can decide which one when we get there." Trowa replied.
"Good. I guess I'll see you later." Keiko said.
"Bye for now." Trowa replied, placing another kiss on her knuckles. He turned and walked away to his own car, which was a small truck. He drove off as soon as his engine started. Keiko let herself into her friend's car, knowing Starlight would take awhile to get herself to the car. It also gave her a little time to think. She was glad that the discussion about the people she trained with did not get too informative. She'd eventually tell them, but not until she was used to the idea that her ex-target whom was now under her protection, knew who Syria Styee really was.
It was a full twenty minutes before Starlight joined Keiko in the car.
"So, finally decided to grace me with your presence?" Keiko teased lightly.
"Oh please, you're always graced with my oh-so-loveable presence." Starlight said with a grin.
"Oh-so-loveable my foot." Keiko retorted. Starlight snorted and pulled out of the restaurant's parking lot. The redhead assassin dropped her friend off at her own apartment and then met back up with Duo for the night.
TBC