That morning Megumi woke up in a large bed with thick white sheets and big cream puff pillows. She almost jumped out of her skin until she remembered the occurrences of the previous night and a strange calm settled over her, the sort of calm that comes before the storm. She wondered about Sano and how he doing after all that had happened between them. Did she make the right choice to leave?

But Megumi wasn't left to her thoughts long when there was a soft knocking on the door. "Megumi? You up yet?"

It was Hiko, and she was sitting in Hiko's guest bed, in Hiko's apartment. Was this proper? Was she allowed to spend the night at man's home right after a break up? The thought made her feel uncomfortable.

"Yes, just a minute!" Megumi called back as she quickly hoped out of bed in nothing but her underwear and threw on the plush white robe Hiko had lent her while her wet clothes were left in a pile on the floor.

Then Hiko slowly opened the door and beamed, "Good morning. And how did we sleep?"

"Good morning Hiko. I slept just fine thank you," she replied kindly, pulling the robe closer around her. "Uh Hiko, I just want to thank you again for looking after me like this. Especially after what happened last night."

But Hiko only shook his head, "No my dear, the pleasure is all mine. After all I couldn't exactly leave you out in the rain now could I?"

They laughed a moment.

"Now come on then!" said Hiko enthusiastically. "I have a surprise for you, so hurry up and get dressed."

"But my clothes are soaking wet!"

Hiko looked at the sopping wet heap on the floor and frowned, but then he had a fantastic light bulb. "Okay well you'll be able to find some dry clothes where we're going so how about…"

He walked out of the bedroom and opened the closet in the front hall and pulled out a long beige trench coat.

Megumi hesitated and started shaking her head, "No, you can't be serious! I'm not wearing that with only my knickers!"

"But come on, it won't be for very long and I promise to get you some clothes when we get there."

But she crossed her arms and pouted childishly at him. "Absolutely not."

Hiko sighed heavily and turned to put the coat back in its place in the closet, "Okay then, if you're afraid."

Megumi shot a poisonous look at him, "'Afraid' did you say?"

"Well its nothing to be ashamed of," shrugged Hiko, casually goading her. "Not everyone is cut out to walk around in a trench coat with nothing but their underwear. It's perfectly understandable that you can't go through with it."

She knew she was being provoked, but that didn't stop Megumi from playing the game. "It's not that I can't it's just I won't."

Hiko merely nodded with a sarcastic smile as he took a seat at his kitchen island and sipped his morning coffee. His silence only infuriated Megumi more, and she was determined to prove that she wasn't a coward. She marched over to the closet pulled out the coat and went to the bathroom to shower. She noticed the lingering moisture in the air and deduced that Hiko must have already bathed. So she took off what little she had on and let the hot water and thick steam engulf her.

As she put it one she felt the high quality of the fabric against her bare skin and as she tied the coat securely around her slender waist. The tailoring was flawless, even though it was a little big for her around the shoulders and sleeves as it was made for a man. But otherwise it was a beautiful piece.

Minutes after applying what little makeup she kept in her purse and clipping up her hair, Megumi emerged. Hiko was amused by how poised and confident she looked even though she knew he knew that only underwear was underneath his coat.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

She nodded and slipped into her heels, "So just where are you taking me?"

Hiko grinned as he opened the door for her, "I'll give you a hint, after I get you some clothes you're going to meet a lot of people and there's going to be a show."

"A show?" she asked as they made their way down the elevator. "What kind of show?"

"You'll see."

About half an hour later Hiko and Megumi got out of a cab and walked into a large white building with no windows from the back door. They were in the middle of downtown and there was a definite buzz around this building as people started to crowd outside the front entrance.

"Come on," encouraged Hiko as he took her by the hand. "I think you'll find out where we are as soon as we step inside."

Megumi only sighed nervously as he led her in. Suddenly they were consumed by the clamor of a large crowd in what seemed to be a humungous dressing room and blaring music to top it all off. Megumi stood there dazed and drunk with astonishment, then a tall lanky figure with wild hair and bold make up walked by and said hello to Hiko and winked. Then another and another, some shameless in their underwear and others in magnificent layers of cloth. Gradually it all became very clear; this wasn't just any show this was Shinta. This was a fashion show and here she was hiding in a man's trench coat in nothing but her knickers.

"I can't believe you brought me here wearing…well nothing!" hissed Megumi as she struggled to keep up with Hiko who moved so seamlessly through the thick crowd of towering models and staff.

"But isn't this the perfect place to get some clothes?" replied Hiko. Even Megumi couldn't deny that truth. "Now come on don't be too mad, I want to introduce you to some people once we find some clothes for you."

Hiko brought them to a less busy room that appeared to his office, scattered with documents, pictures and sketches. He looked around a bit, checking his drawers and underneath the desk but didn't seem to find what he was looking for. He then whipped out his cell phone and said a few muffled words and hung up. Then he checked one of the wall cabinets and pulled out a delicate package enveloped in white tissue paper. Hiko then handed it to Megumi who took it carefully with impression that she was receiving something much more than just clothes.

"What's this?" she asked in a hushed tone.

He smiled looking deeply into her gleaming eyes and back down toward the package. Megumi tenderly unfolded the paper. Her eyes widened at what was uncovered. She ever so carefully picked it up and held it up before her. It was a spectacular creation; a creamy silk empire dress with thin straps entwined with sparkling threads. There was simple golden brocade around the top with a sheer overlay decorated with tiny gold leaves. And there on the small inside label written in a refined script was Shinta

She held it there before them for a while marveling its beauty then clutched it close to her. "You know, you didn't need to go all out like this."

"But I wanted to… Oh," Hiko reached back into the cabinet and pulled out strappy gold heels with a matching purse and a simple geisha inspired hair piece decorated with amber. "Don't forget these."

Megumi took them too and smiled. But it wasn't her usual smile, something new was radiating through it. She wasn't smiling to seem alluring or sly; she was smiling because she was truly, honest to goodness happy. And it seemed so long since she smiled because she was happy.

A/N: Yes, yes I know its been a long while since I updated! And I'm not happy about it either so please try and understand. Well obvious school started so I wasn't too happy about that and was running around trying to get back into my habit of getting up and going to bed early without taking naps during the day. And I had to go tomy cousin'swedding yesterday so I had to get ready for that too. Oh and here's a interesting tidbit, the dress Megumi was giving was actually supposed to be the same one my cousin wore at her reception. It was really really pretty. So yes, my sincerest apologies and manners please, R&R. Merci!