A/N The long awaited chapter! Completed when I should be studying for my finals. But who likes to do that? Hope you enjoy.

Act 34

"Excuse me ladies, but I have to borrow Mr. Takahashi for a moment," interrupted Chris as he grabbed Ryosuke's arm and led him away. "Man you sure are popular. This is the fifth time I've had to pull you away from those people."

"Thanks," replied Ryosuke. "I didn't think it would be like this."

"It was a big shock for our team the first time too," replied Kyle as he and Jason joined them. "Even though we had raced before, our standings weren't high enough to be invited. Jason was the only one that had the connections to get into this place before. This Gala is more like a get together of the players and their families so that they can show off all their new cloths.

"Business gets done too," added Jason. "From the outside, its actually quite fun to watch, especially the action around Aki."

Ryosuke scanned the crowd looking for the female driver and quickly spotted her. Her dress, although simple, was quite elegant on her slim figure. However it was the crowd surrounding her that was the most noticeable. She was only talking to a single man wearing large glasses, yet the people around her were covertly watching the exchange. As soon as the man stepped away from Aki another slipped into his place while another in the crowd went to interrogate the man who just left.

"The guy in glasses is a programmer out of America. He actually has some interesting ideas to improve the computer systems in some of the new models that are coming out," Jason commented. "He probably doesn't realize who Aki is but she expressed some interest and now the vultures are checking him out. He might have a business deal by the end of the night. Ah looks like one of the sponsors are trying to set Aki up with their kid…..and there's my cue to bail her out," Jason said as Aki flicked her fingers in their direction. "I'll see you guys later."

Ryosuke watched as Jason sidled up next to Aki and manoeuvred the conversation to a local restaurant of all things. A few minutes later Aki was able to excuse herself and made her way over to him. "Please tell me its almost over," she sighed. Ryosuke smiled as he watched a classical band set up in the corner of the room. Just as they were finishing, he stepped in front of Aki and bowed.

"Would you join me for this dance?"

"What? What dance?" asked Aki confused. Looking around she soon spotted the sextet and turning back to Ryosuke, she blushed and reached out for his hand. "Sure."

Chris smiled as the two made their way out onto the dance floor. Out of all the people here, they looked the most elegant and sophisticated. Although, he knew Aki had no training in formal dance styles, her natural balance and grace couple with that of Ryosuke allowed the two to practically glide across the floor. Vicky sidled up beside him. "Man they are so cute together," she gushed. Chris just smiled knowingly. The two Dark Horizons members watched the pair enjoy themselves for another twenty minutes before they slowed to take a break. Suddenly Chris saw Aki tense and try to back away from the dance floor. She almost made it when a voice boomed out her name from another part of the room. Ryosuke looked behind him and saw a tall man approaching. He had dark curly hair and was wearing an expensive Armani suit.

"It's okay Ryosuke, I'll handle this," Aki said before stepping between the two men. "Mr. Warrenton, what are you doing here?"

"Come on Aki, you know me well enough to call me Mark. As for why I'm here, well I heard you were coming and so I had to stop by," he said pulling her into his arms. "Besides, I've come to see if you are finished playing with the masses and have rethought my offer."

Aki glared at Mark, and quickly removed herself from his grasp. "You're drunk," she said with disgust smelling the liquor on his breath. "And you're making a scene."

"Am not. Come dance with me, I'll prove it," Mark replied grabbing her wrist.

Ryosuke narrowed his eyes in anger. "I'm afraid we haven't been introduced yet," he interrupted, "I'm Ryosuke Takahashi."

"Stay out of this," Aki hissed at him while breaking the hold on her arm.

"Marcus Warrenton the Fourth," he stated snidely looking at Ryosuke. "So Aki, this is who you're spending time with now?" he snorted. "Please. He is so middle-class."

"At least I know how to act in public unlike certain gentlemen," Ryosuke retorted.

"Ryosuke shut up," Aki snapped. "As for you Warrenton, if you come near me again, I will leak to the tabloids a story of your indiscretion five years ago."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me."

"Very well, if you're going to play like that. I will speak with you another time, mademoiselle," Mark said bowing in front of Aki before storming off.

"Thank you very much for your help Ryosuke," Aki said coldly. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to speak with my team."

Ryosuke couldn't say anything as Aki walked away from him in anger. He didn't go after her, in fact he couldn't. He had no idea what just happened. How could he go from having one of the best moments of his life to Aki angry with him in the course of a few minutes? It was like his race with Takumi, everything was going according to plan until she blindsided him with an unexpected move. Somehow he made a mistake and for the life of him he couldn't figure out when.

"Gggahh! Of all the stubborn….."

"I take it that you couldn't figure out what the problem was?" Keisuke asked Alex the next day. Then he sighed. "Well if Aki won't tell you and Ryosuke won't tell me, how are we supposed to get them to work this out? Are you sure she didn't tell you anything?"

"Summing it up, she told me that it was nothing except that Mark guy getting on her nerves and that she's not angry or anything and Ryosuke didn't do anything so not to concern him with it, whatever it is, and that if I didn't stop butting in I'd be sorry. All this of course meaning, that it is something, the Mark guy has nothing to do with it, she is so lying about being angry and Ryosuke has something to do with it. And of course that if I continued asking her how she was doing that I'd wind up paying for food for the twins for the next month, among other things."

"Maybe Chris could try," Keisuke suggested.

"Oh hell no!" Chris shouted. "I am not getting involved. I mean I commend you guys in your efforts but getting entangled in this little domestic dispute is not the smartest move. I mean, Alex come on. You know how Aki gets when stuff like this happens. She goes all self righteous on us and it takes ages for her to come out of it."

"Yeah but normally we know what put her there in the first place," commented Alex. "I mean last night she was happily dancing with Ryosuke and then some dickhead comes by suddenly she's all pissed and practically orders us home. So I figure Ryosuke got all jealous or something, but that doesn't tell me why Aki's angry with Ryosuke. It just doesn't make sense."

"Actually it makes perfect sense, you two just don't have the right perspective," replied Chris. "Aki was just being a little too American."

/Could it be that simple/ Keisuke thought walking into his house. /I mean what Chris said sort of makes sense, but I just can't seem to see my brother misreading the situation like that. Maybe I should see if he has any other theories. I mean Alex and I might have the same problem later so it'd be good to have his view on things./ Keisuke knocked on the door before walking into his brother's room.

"Keisuke, if this is about Aki, I am not discussing it," Ryosuke stated without turning away from his computer.

"Actually this is about Alex." Ryosuke stopped typing and turned to face Keisuke with a raised eyebrow. "I mean, she is different from any of the other girls I've been out with. She doesn't care that I'm rich and she doesn't just sit back and let me make all the choices when we go out. But there are these times when we're out that something I do will make her look at me weird. Almost like she wants to ask what the hell I'm doing."

"Like when?"

"Most obviously when I go to open doors or pull out her chair when we go to a restaurant. She just looks at me strangely and to tell you the truth it's making me nervous."

Ryosuke smiled. "You don't have to worry, Keisuke. It's just a cultural difference. She grew up in a society that focussed so heavily on feminine equality that the mannerisms we have here are either considered a little old fashioned or as a means of insulting their pride. Alex seems to be pretty accommodating about that sort of thing. The only thing you'll have to remember is if you're in a situation where she decides to take charge, you should just let her……..shit. I said I didn't want to talk about Aki," Ryosuke glared at his brother.

"Hey bro, you were the one who brought her into the conversation. I was talking about Alex," Keisuke grinned. "But thanks for the input anyway. And since you've figured out the problem with Aki I think you should giver her a call."

Ryosuke watched as Keisuke left his room with a smug smile still on his face. /Alex has been a bad influence on him/ Ryosuke thought staring at the phone. /He's gotten way too sneaky for his own good. But he did have a point. I should apologize to Aki. The fact that our teams are collaborating over our personal lives is not a good sign./ Picking up the phone, Ryosuke dialled Aki's number. "Aki, it's Ryosuke. We need to talk."

To be continued …….