Umi returned to Tokyo tower alone that evening. She took the train home, while riding her cell phone goes off playing her newest ring tone, Love Paradise by Kelly Chen. She quickly answers it.

"Hello who is this?"


"Umi, This is Shuro Kano, your agent remember?"

"Oh yeah, I might be a bit late for our meeting tonight."

"Never mind that Umi, I'm coming over for dinner at your place okay? You parents already know."

"Anything else you want to let me know?"

"Oh yeah you have a photo shoot at 7am, be at the Clamp studio by 6:30am. "

"Okay sounds good. See you tonight."

"Ciao girl."

Umi hung up her cell phone and got off the train once it had arrived at her stop. 'I wonder why Kano is coming over. A bit suspicious from the looks of it. I just can't help but feel guilty for all I've put Clef through.' She sighed as she wanted through the gates of her gated community.

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The moment Umi opened the door to her manor her mother greeted her with a disgusted face, she immediately started to lecture her daughter, "Umi, go upstairs and change, our guest are arriving soon. How can they see you in such a mess? Imagine what the Kerozakas and Kano would say? The Kerozakas are bring an old acquaintance that you might know, their only son Kouji Kerozaka."

Umi was tired enough already so she didn't bother to fight back instead she bowed once her mother was done yelling. Then she walked up the spiral marble staircase and into her room.

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Umi sat on her blue silken sheeted canopy bed, brushing her long light blue hair. She had changed out of her causal outfit from earlier in the day and now into something more traditional. She wore a blue Kimono, patterned with white roses and a blue fan embedded with a golden phoenix. 'Kouji? Why do I have a feeling I sense a disaster coming?'

Flash back

Two years ago at the nation fencing met, Umi was in her fencing uniform and had her hair tied up. She was discussing strategies for the final round with her teammates until a boy around her age with lust blonde hair and deep jade colored eyes approached her.

"I'm Kouji Kerozaka, I believe we're both be facing each other in the final round," he said to her coldly.

" Okay nice to meet you, I'm Umi Ryuuzaki and it will be a pleasure to face you later on. Good luck," Umi tried to be friendly.

"More like a honor for you than me, isn't it obvious that I'm going to win? My school won the flag last year and from the looks of it you're probably just another rich girl amateur. You'll be the one needing the luck," he laughed. Umi glared heavily at him but held back the urge to bitch slap him.

"Hey you're pretty cute, why don't you just give up? I don't want a cutie like you to get hurt or completely humiliated today. Then again you could be a lot hotter if those twins of yours weren't so flat," he snickers and reaches his hands out to touch them but Umi angrily slaps them away.

"Hentai," she muttered angrily. Her glare deepen on him.

Before Kouji could respond to the comment, they were interrupted by the announcements.

"Ryuuzaki vs. Kerozaka, will the fencers please take their places?"

Both opponents arrived at the fencing field, they bowed to each other and the signal to start was given the match started. Their swords clashed several times but neither would give in. They moved at each other like a dance but in disgust of each other rather than love. Finally Umi scored a point when she noticed a opening and she felt the adrenaline rush through her body.

Neither of them held back. Kouji relentlessly charged at every opening he noticed but Umi was quick to noticed and block his blows. She had converted her anger towards him into determination energy for victory rather than blinding rage.

When time ran out both opponents were exhausted. They bowed to each other and stared at the scores

"Winner Ryuuzaki," the announcer stated. With that Umi's school was presented with the flag of honor and her teammates ran on to the fencing field to congratulate her.

Before Kouji brushed his hair to the side of his face in shame and muttered into Umi's ear, "You only won by luck." Then he vanished into the crowd.

End flashback

There is a knock on the door and snaps Umi out of her thoughts. She gets off her bed and opens it to find the very tan maid standing outside.

"Mesia?"

"Miss Umi, the Master and Madame would are awaiting you downstairs."

"Thanks for letting me know."

Umi walked down the blue hallway hanged with portraits and down the spiral marble staircase. Finally into the traditional Japanese styled dinning room. She bowed when she entered and took her place besides her parents.

Mesia led the guest in. Both parties bowed and took a seat on the mats around the dinning table. The Ryuuzaki's guests consisted of five people. Three were member of the Kerozaka family and the two women appeared to be talent agents, one of them happens to be Shuro and the other women was a old colleague named Hoshi Hirono. Everyone was dressed in Kimonos and Yukata.

Umi avoided Kouji's eyes the first half of the dinner and remained quiet. Though she had noticed he was physically more mature, a more masculine body and a few inches taller. He had indeed become very handsome.

Kouji finally broke the silence between the two, 'Umi, you've become more beautiful since we last met." He noticed how her body had started to shape itself and her height.

"Thank you," she said a constant expression. She had grown used to such flattering thanks to her modeling career.

"Umi, don't be so modest!" Mrs.Ryuuzaki smiled. She looked at Mrs.Kerozaka, "Our Umi is a model! She is a cover girl and a raising star in the modeling industry!"

"Really?' Mrs. Kerozaka responded in a pretty impressed tone. "Well our Kouji is a raising star in the acting world!"

Shuro cleared her throat. "That reminds me, shall we discuss the reason for this dinner?"

"Indeed we should," Mr. Ryuuzaki nodded in agreement.

"Well this is a family matter and a career issue," Mr. Kerozaka stated.

"You see this will effect both the Ryuuzaki and Kerozaka company. Plus our both our agencies. We would like to pull a publicity stun," Hoshi said with a deep look.

"What kind?" Umi asked with a suspicious look.

"We'd like you both to act publicly that you're dating. You see the media loves the pretty cover girl look and the sweet pretty actor look, but we want to build a bigger public image. With this publicity both your reputation will increase. You see the fans love the private life of celebrities, so once you two are dating the more they'll want to find out about you two." Hoshi stated while sipping her cup of Jasmine tea.

"WHAT!" both Umi and Kouji blurted out at the same time.

Mrs. Ryuuzaki smiled and said "Of course it will be honorable. We would like to announce you two are engaged."

"Your both kidding right?" Kouji pleaded and stared at his parents, "Right mother and father?" but his parents just shook their heads.

Umi sighed heavily, 'I saw this coming but not with Kouji.' "Is there a way to break this engagement?" she asked desperately.

"Well if both families find a reason to such as both of you find love or find a way to honor the family such as decide to take on the family business or find a reason why this arranged marriage be annulled," Mr. Kerozaka said sharply.

Mrs. Ryuuzaki's deep blue eyes met Umi's eyes. "Umi, honey we're not trying to put pressure on you, we just want you to release what is on the stake here."

"She is right, if both our company were joined by your marriage we would be the most powerful company in Japan," Mr. Ryuuzaki said sharply.

"But this a chance to bust both your career and you both should take advantage or else opportunity will just leave." Shuro pleaded in her high voice.

"Fine," Kouji and Umi both agreed.

Kouji stood up and announced, "Even with this marriage thing, it won't stop me from being me. "

He glared at this parents, "You can't stop me from loving her."

His parents shook their heads in disgrace, "We'll talk more about her later," his father groaned.

Dinner the rest of the night became nothing but discussion about politics and business. Neither Kouji nor Umi had a interest in that type of discussion, so they both remained silent.

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After the quest had left, Umi went straight to bed. She laid there for hours unable to fall asleep but drown in thoughts and emotions. Her main focus was her engagement.

'Who do I talk to that would understand?'

'I can't call anyone from school, they're all out of country. I don't want to be burden on Fuu or Hikaru, they're love life is perfect and I shouldn't screw it up for them.'

'Ascot would be furious and Clef, I've caused him enough trouble. I don't want to go back Cephiro, I have no one there for me and its not like I want anyone there for me. Ascot loves me but I can't return his feeling.'

She closed her eyes and saw the exhausted guru, then Selece fading away. Umi sighed and whispered, 'Clef.'