Courting Cherries

You're a Big Girl Now

Disclaimer: You know the drill…and if not well, I feel very sorry for you. But I'd feel even sorrier for me if I got sued, so I don't own Hot Gimmick in any way shape or form. 'cries'

A/N: I'm very sorry for the long time in between updates, I know we have to keep this section of fan fiction going and I kind of disappeared for a while. But now I'm back, and hopefully I won't get seriously distracted this time. More ridiculous author notes at the bottom…and thanks so much to you guys who review.

This was not going exactly like Ryoki had thought it would and Hatsumi had no problem noticing that fact. He seemed rather irritated, probably because she had noticed Azusa's friends, and of course that had put a damper on things. Right now he was off to get them some drinks, and she was left to sit by herself.

Alone.

They'd only been here for about ten minutes, if Ryoki was really bent on staying here this was going to bee a long night.

She went back to her first thoughts after Ryoki had told her his idea of plans tonight. At first she had been a little skeptical, with good reason of course. After though, Hatsumi had started to think going out with him to a club would not have been that bad, maybe even fun. But here they were, and she was obviously wrong.

What was a thinking? I must be crazy for even thinking this particular activity would be enjoyable. What do normal people do at clubs, they talk and socialize, dance, drink. Neither of us are exactly good at those things, in-fact I think we are lacking.

"Hmm," Hatsumi made a rather defiant noise. I want to be able to do those things. Akane does, Shingou, Azusa… I should too. "We are going to have fun!" Hatsumi put up her fists triumphantly in declaration.

"What's gotten into you?" Ryoki asked, startling her. Hatsumi practically fell out of her seat, her moral boost being interrupted.

He set two drinks down, one in front of her and brought the other to his mouth, but first he shot her a weird look. Sometimes he just didn't understand her at all. He shook his head a little before sitting down, at least her mood seemed to have lightened up a little.

He had to admit, although he didn't show it, he was a little concerned about Azusa's friends too. If Hatsumi was already over it though, there was no cause for alarm.

"You got me a coke," came a little voice from across the table. Hatsumi sat there with a look that he could almost describe as…frustration?

"Yeah, I got you a coke, something wrong with that?" He raised and eyebrow at her, a little anger starting to seep into him.

"But you have a beer."

"What, you wanted an actual drink? I think you remember what happened last time."

Yeah, I remember what happened last time! You groped me while I was sleeping! Hatsumi thought, shoving her arms across her chest.

Ryoki caught the meaning of this little incident. She just wants to do what everyone else does. "Maybe if you're good I'll buy you a real drink later," he said with a small smile, Hatsumi looked cute when she pouted.

"Well aren't I lucky," she said sarcastically, still grumpy. Hey Wait! What does he think I am, a dog!

Ryoki watched her face from his spot at the table, the lights were dim but he could see her face perfectly. She was so odd sometimes; he stared at her as her facial expressions kept changing rapidly. He knew this meant she was having some crazy inner monologue thoughts. Yep, definitely a strange one, but I've known that for a while.

Hatsumi realized he was really staring at her about two minutes into her little inside rant. He looked content, coming from just being irritated a couple of minutes ago. She wasn't the only one who changed her emotions quickly.

"Do I have something on my face?"

"No, just one of your usual freakish expressions," he retorted back at her quickly.

Hatsumi knew he was teasing her in his own little way…she knew that he thought she was pretty. Well, she was almost sure he did. Couldn't he just say it? Be a gentleman, say something nice about me? Call me crazy, but a girl did like to be told these things once in a while. Oh well, for now she could wait.

"Azusa, please just go home and get some rest. You know I don't like how you stay out so much. You can stay here if you want to," Rina was practically begging him, as per usual.

Their relationship was an odd one. She was the older one, but she often did not feel like it. She was his manager, his make-shift older sister, and part-time babysitter. The last two jobs were the majority of what she often felt like she was doing, especially lately. Rina couldn't help but feel so strongly for him, she'd known him for years, watched him grow up. And now she was watching him crash and burn.

Most people wouldn't know it. He hid it well. Azusa had always been searching for secrets, searching for the man responsible for his precious mother's death. Now though, as he seemed to be discovering these secrets he was worse off then he ever was. It was ironic really. He was famous and rich having come up from off the street, but he hurt more now then ever.

She wished he would have just stopped, stopped trying to be a detective and figure things out. At least that's the advice she was giving him. But he never listened to her when it came to himself. And he wasn't listening to her now either.

"Don't worry about me Rina, I'll be fine. You know that sleep has never been my thing." He said as he flashed a smile. That smile that made him who the modeling world loved oh so much…

He smiled so much, but it was all just and act.

"You do have a shoot tomorrow, you know." Sometimes forcing work upon him often distracted him from the real world and into the one of make-up, fake people, and make-believe.

"I'll be there on time. I always am."

"Yeah, you are."

"So nothing to worry about you worry-wart," he patted her on the head, treating her like the inferior one. She hated that, but let it go.

"Where are you going, anyway?"

"Out with the guys, I'm meeting up with them at a club." Azusa walked away from her to pick up his jacket, turning to say goodbye before he left.

Be safe, she thought as he slipped out the door.

"I wanna dance."

Huh? Ryoki Tachibana wants to dance...I thought he had no problem handling his alcohol, but this new development puts a strike against him.

"You want to go dance…like that?" Hatsumi threw a look over to the dance floor. The pop music that played was fast and all the people moved like they knew exactly what they were doing. They might know, but I don't!

"No offense Ryoki, but you don't exactly seem like the kind of guy that can dance." Hatsumi ducked down, waiting for something blunt to be thrown at her.

"Oh really," Ryoki replied, cocky as ever. "Fine, I'll just go find someone who thinks I can." He stated simply. This will defiantly piss her off.

What! He's going to leave me alone!

"Ryoki…"

"What! Changed your mind? Are you going to dance or not?" Ryoki seemed serious, and that just made Hatsumi meeker.

"No," her reply was pitiful.

"Well, fine!" Ryoki got up out of his seat. He thought his little threat would have made her change her mind quickly, but she just propelled him further with her unexpected answer.

Hatsumi watched quietly from their small table as he stormed off, guns-a-blaz'in. And she thought things had a chance of going well.

She got up, pushed in her chair and went off to hide in the bathroom. No way I am going to go sit out there by myself like some reject. I can hide in there for a good half-an-hour. Maybe by then Ryoki will have calmed down some.

Okay, hiding in the bathroom would have been an excellent idea if that said bathroom hadn't had an attendant. She should have remembered that fact from the last time that she was here. Because of this attendant she'd only gotten about five minutes of actual hiding done.

The woman had started to stare at her, a weird-creepy look on her face, and Hatsumi had been out of there. The woman had probably not meant anything by it, but it stilled wigged Hatsumi out.

Now she was in the hallway by the bathrooms checking out some of the artwork placed on the walls, standing there attempting to be amused and interested as the time passed. How much longer could she keep this up? She had no clue, and knew she must have looked like some lost little lamb.

"Hey look, its Azusa's little friend!" Oh crap, a lion! Hatsumi turned around slowly, knowing exactly who was there. She didn't know any of their names, but she remembered what they had looked like. They were the guys she had first seen when she and Ryoki had arrived at the club.

"Your name is H-something, right?" One of them asked, hmm…they didn't seem to be as forceful as last time.

"Umm…y-yes, my name's Hatsumi." She stammered at the beginning, answering his question.

"Sorry we didn't remember your name, forgive us." The same man asked again, at least he was acting nice. The others nodded their heads in agreement, taking the opportunity they introduced themselves.

This was awkward to say the least, the guys who once tried to gang bang her were now so intent on introducing themselves. She now regretted not remembering their names either.

"We'll I'm Jin," the rather talkative one stated, "and this is Yoshi and Shinya. It's nice to bump into you again, we only got to hang out with you once or twice."

"Umm…y-yeah." Did these guys forget everything that happened with Azusa and I, not to mention that Ryoki stabbed one of their friends in the face? That one friend, although here earlier, seemed to be gone now.

"We should all have a drink together, what do you say Hatsumi?" Jin asked.

Oh, well that's a bad idea! I can practically see the flashing red lights!

"Yeah, Hatsu you should come hang out with us. I don't know what your doing over here by yourself."

Hatsumi turned to her side to see Azusa come over and put a hand on her shoulder, sending a 'don't mess with her look' to his friends.

"Azusa," Hatsumi managed to say before being taken by the hand and lead to a table by him. He sat down across from her, and it was suddenly just the two of them. Jin and the other two seemed to have drifted away on their walk to the table.

Hatsumi realized that must have been on purpose. Azusa didn't want them to cause any trouble for me.

"Thanks." Hatsumi smiled at him and he nodded and waved her off with his hand.

"It wasn't anything. Forget it. I feel like I kind of owe you that, you know?" He had a drink in his other hand that he took a swig from it before speaking to her again. "So why are you here by yourself, you're smart enough after everything that's happened to know that coming here alone, especially this late, is not the best idea."

"I wasn't here alone."

"Oh, I've been watching your for twenty minutes and-" He stopped realizing the information he had just given to her.

He's been watching me? Hatsumi brushed the thought aside and finished her explanation. "I came with Ryoki."

Azusa's faced changed but it was not an emotion that Hatsumi recognized. She could tell though, that Azusa would have been happier with the answer that she had come alone.

"Well, we should find him and get you back to him," Azusa moved to get up and Hatsumi followed.

Well she had killed any hopes of having a conversation with him. Too bad, she had wanted to find out how he was doing. She had reconnected with him the last time they had been together shopping, and she wanted to attempt to reconcile any friendship they may have had.

It seemed like right now though, Azusa had other plans on his mind. "I haven't seen him tonight but he must be around here somewhere. Why exactly did you guys split up, anyway?"

"Well…he wanted to dance," she offered, it wasn't much of an explanation.

"Ryoki wanted to dance. Wow! That's funny, but still doesn't tell me why you aren't with him now." He looked over to her, and she looked up meeting his eyes. What was it about him…after everything that's happened I still feel like I can tell him anything.

"I don't know how, and I didn't want to look like an idiot," Hatsumi confessed.

Azusa laughed a little, "I don't think that you would be that bad."

"I don't know where he could have went…the club isn't that big," Hatsumi sighed. They had been looking for a half an hour and they still hadn't found Ryoki.

"Maybe he left," Azusa offered up.

Hatsumi frowned. Well its not like he hasn't just left me alone before, but she still didn't want to think that. The reality though was proving that Azusa's guess might be right.

"Its alright, I'll take you home. Its late anyway." Azusa took her shoulder and motioned for them to start walking towards the exit.

As they left the club Hatsumi noticed the ridiculously long line was no longer, only a couple people stood outside probably waiting for a ride. "Oh wait, what about your friends?"

"I met them here, they came separately. I brought my car with me, " he said fishing out his keys from his pockets.

"Oh."

They walked around to the back and Hatsumi noticed a couple cars left, one of them Azusa's. Probably the most expensive one, she thought. Azusa then lead her to his car, although Hatsumi knew nothing about them she could defiantly say it was sleek and smooth. Most defiantly rather expensive, it was a nice little yellow number with two black stripes down the middle. It really fit his personality.

The ride back to the apartment complex was quiet, only small snippets of conversation here and there. Azusa could guess though that this was probably because Hatsumi was rather tired. She wasn't exactly the kind of girl who stayed up and partied all night. No. That was her sister.

"Were here," he spoke softly, turning off the engine and waiting till she got out to lock the car.

They took the elevator up from the underground parking lot, up to the floor where Hatsumi lived. She thought it was rather strange he didn't just go back to his own apartment, but he probably wanted to make sure she got in alright. Unlike someone else she knew.

Oh no! Hatsumi thought.

Azusa caught her panicked look and asked what was wrong.

"I left me key with Ryoki because I didn't have and pockets on my skirt!" I can't get into my apartment!

Hatsumi was on the verge of a nuclear meltdown, but Azusa seemed as calm as ever. "It's alright. You can stay at my place and sneak back to your apartment in the morning before anyone even gets up."

Hatsumi took a moment to ponder his offer. Part of her was screaming bad idea, but another part was telling her that she really didn't want to spend another night up on the roof steps. Cause that turned out so well last time…

"A-alright," she said, as she watched Azusa push the button so the elevator would go back down to his floor.

A/N: I have been suffering from HG withdrawal! The new book was supposed to come out on May 15th and now its June 30th. So they pushed back the date. Meanines! I have the book on order to be shipped to my house as soon as it comes, but jeez it really sucks. I mean I can only re-read 1-8 so many times before I want more. I think the reason they pushed the date though, was because they needed to make more…which is good because more people want the book…so ahh…this predicament is seriously causing me angst and the ability to not make sense. Damn you VIZ!