The next morning as she walked by the store, Ken was out sweeping the sidewalk. He stopped her with a hello, and handed her the perfect red rose he had tucked into his apron pocket. "Have a good day, Brianna-chan." He turned and disappeared into the store.
The morning after that, Omi was outside, heading out the door to school. He bounced by, pressing a quietly pink rosebud into her hand. "Smile, Brianna-chan!" He tore off down the street, as though he was late.
The day after that, to Brianna's great surprise, it was Aya who was outside the store. Without a word, he stopped her with one hand on her shoulder, and tucked a delicate blue rose just in bloom behind her ear. A tiny smile graced his lips, but he was silent as he turned away.
The next morning, she didn't get to go by the store, because of another early-morning meeting in Shinjuku. When she returned to her office at lunchtime, Brianna found another spray of roses on her desk, next to the silver ones. The bouquet was made up of blue, pink, red, and silver roses, with only a touch of baby's breath. She leaned in to smell their heavy perfume as her fingers searched for the card. She finally found it propped up against the back of the vase. "Please have dinner with us again. Yohji, Aya, Ken, and Omi." She tucked the card into her day-timer with the other one, and sat down in her chair to admire the roses. Now I have their roses at work and at home, balancing between my desk and my nightstand. These four men seem to make quite a statement. Brianna grinned, then looked up at the knock on her door. Her boss walked in at that moment and stopped in the doorway, surprised.
"I'm sorry to come in like this, but Mereii is on her lunch break, I believe." A slight man, dressed in an expensive tailored suit, Sarisho Takedo was distinguished in a way that implied old money. "Brianna-san, where did you get all of these lovely flowers?" He sat down in the other chair in the office when she gestured it was all right.
"I made some friends who live near my apartment. They have a flower shop, and they seem intent on sending all of their stock my way." Her laughter was a carefree sound that she hadn't heard in a long time. Sarisho's austere features made his smile all the more welcome, and he almost grinned at the young woman's happiness.
"I am glad that you are not regretting your move to Japan. It is always nice to make friends in new places, especially women that you can talk to." He leaned back a little in his chair, relaxing.
"Women? But –" Brianna stopped, unsure of how to finish that statement.
"You said that you met some women who run a flower shop, ne?" He tilted his head to one side, and she had a brief flash of Yohji doing the same thing. Yohji looks better doing that.
"My new friends are male, Sarisho-san. They run the 'Kitten's House' flower shop just down the street from my apartment building."
"I see." Sarisho's expression tightened a little, just for a second, making her think she had imagined it. His body tensed slightly. "Be careful, Brianna-san. We don't want anything to happen to our best graphic designer! But I just stopped in to see how you were settling in. I should be going so that you can get back to work." He rose, and Brianna stood; they bowed slightly to one another, and then he left.
Around six that evening, just after Mereii went home, Brianna heard a noise in the outer room. She froze, holding her breath, as a cold surge of panic filled her heart. The cleaners shouldn't be in until at least nine or ten…Maybe Mereii forgot something? Or… The doorknob started to slowly turn and the door open. Her eyes slid shut, heart beating faster with fear. It wasn't until the quiet "Jo-chan?" that she managed to open her eyes. Yohji stood just inside the doorway, a concerned frown crossing his perfect features. "I'm stupid, I'm sorry, I didn't even think that I might scare you. I called out, but you must not have been able to hear me. Are you all right?" Damnit. I should have thought before I barged in here. He crossed the room quickly, kneeling and brushing the hair out of Brianna's face. His eyes behind his sunglasses searched her features, as though he could reassure himself that she was all right just by looking at her.
"I'm ok now. I…I'm glad that it was you." She hesitantly touched his shoulder, and he tugged her into his arms, wrapping himself around the trembling girl, comforting her with the feel of his strong body. She cuddled into him, breathing in his spicy cologne, wanting to feel protected. Finally, though, he lifted both of them to their feet.
"You're coming home with me. Dinner will be ready by the time we get there." Startled, she watched while he gathered up papers and laptop and stuffed everything into her bag. It didn't seem that there was any choice, as he dragged Brianna out to the street and back to his apartment.
Dinner was a mix of dishes, as each one of the guys had made something different. There was a lot of laughter, and even Aya loosened up enough to talk. They demanded to know if she liked the flowers that they had sent, and they all had smug grins on their faces when she admitted that she loved the arrangement. "I never realized just how nice those colors could look together; it's not a very traditional design."
"Omitchi decided it would work. He's the best of us when it comes to unusual ideas." Yohji grinned as the younger man blushed.
Everyone lingered at the table after dinner until Ken yelped and bolted out the door, calling that he was late for practice. Omi saw the look of puzzlement and explained that Ken coached a children's soccer team. After his abrupt departure, the party broke up. Aya wished her a good night as he headed for his room, and Omi settled into the living room with his laptop.
Suddenly alone with Yohji, Brianna brought dishes to the sink, running water and putting in soap. She was up to her elbows in suds when Yohji slid his arms around her, tugging back a little to lean her against his body. He was tall enough that he had to bend down a little to press kisses against Brianna's neck. Her hands stilled in the soapy water, as she went limp against him, rocked by how quickly he was able to make heat explode through her.
His hands were gentle as he held her close, and tilted her chin enough to capture her lips in a kiss. It was powerful and demanding and gentle and rough all at once. Brianna groped for the dishtowel, and dried her hands so that she could turn and run shaking fingers through his hair and across his shoulders. The silk of his shirt slid across his muscular frame, and the warm scent of his cologne filled her senses. Don't let go. Not yet. Let me stay here a little longer… But he pulled away and searched her face with his piercing green gaze, for once not hidden behind dark lenses. "I'm not scaring you, am I?"
"No…no, I don't think it's possible for you to scare me." She blushed again, and ducked her head a little. Yohji laughed, low and deep, and he brushed a kiss across her temple. He hugged her tightly.
"I'm sorry…You were just so pretty, standing there with your hands all full of soapsuds, your hair tumbling down your back, and I just wanted to taste you." He stepped back and ran his fingers through his hair. His shirt rode up a little higher on his stomach, and Brianna could see each muscle. "I'd better take you home."
"Let me finish the dishes? You guys made dinner, it's the least that I can do." She turned back to the sink and started washing the dishes. Yohji's breath grew ragged as he watched her. She was so busy listening to see if he would touch her again, that she unthinkingly shoved her hair out of her face with wet, soapy hands. Water dripped down her silk shirt, and Yohji sighed. Brianna turned to look at him. He was watching her intently, and a glance that she couldn't resist confirmed what his problem was. His jeans were very tight, after all. She blushed a little, and redirected her attention to the towel she'd grabbed, blotting the water off of the expensive blouse.
"You're trying to torment me, aren't you, jo-chan?" Brianna stared at him, not sure what he was talking about. He pushed the chair out of his way and stalked towards her. "Unless you want to spend the night, you're going home right now, dishes be damned."
"Oh." She breathed in quickly, a little shaky. I can see the desire in his eyes…As though he wants to eat me up. I've never seen a man look at me like that…as though I'm everything he wanted. Her voice was quiet as she dried her hands. "Maybe I'd better get home now then."
Yohji nodded, and invited Omi along for the walk. They left Brianna at her door, and the only way she knew that Yohji was serious about wanting her was from the longing glance that he threw over his shoulder as he left.
"Yohji. You let her go." Omi stared up at the older man in shock as they walked back to the flower shop. He giggled as his teammate cursed.
"Is that so hard to believe, Omitchi? I do have some control over myself. And she…well, she's an innocent." He lit a cigarette and took a long drag. He stopped to look up at the stars as he exhaled the fragrant smoke. "She's…"
"Different." Omi's voice was suddenly serious, and his normally painful cheerfulness was subsumed by a look of pain-filled longing.
"Yes. I don't want to strip that from her. Nothing that pure can stay pure around us. I don't want the stain of blood to wash off onto her brilliant white light." Yohji crushed the cigarette stub in his hand and tossed it in a nearby trashcan.
"That's why we should let her go." Omi sighed and started walking again. He didn't stop, even when he heard his friend whisper longingly into the night.
"I wish we didn't have to."
Brianna's steps slowed as she reached the flower shop on her way home. As usual, there were girls six deep around the door. I shouldn't stop. I should go home and do my work. She found herself sliding through the crowd and into the shop. She stood uncertainly by the roses, not looking around.
"Brianna-chan? Is that you?" Ken touched her arm and she looked up. He was cradling a pot of flowers in his other arm, and his smile was huge. "What are you doing here?"
"I – I was just walking home, and thought I'd stop in." She smiled at him a little, and his grin grew. He tucked the pot of flowers onto one of the shelves, and took her hand, towing her through the store to the cash register.
"Oi, Omi, look who's here." Ken jerked a thumb behind him at Brianna, and the younger man's eyes lit up.
"Brianna-chan! How are you?" Omi came around the counter and leaned towards her as if to hug her. She smiled and hugged him tightly.
"I'm fine. How are you guys?" She smiled at the two of them. Ken was leaning on the counter beside her, and Omi was still at her side. They were both smiling like the sun had just come out after a rainstorm.
"We're fine. Yohji and Aya are going to be mad that they missed your visit." Ken laughed, turning the heads of many of the girls in the shop.
Omi giggled. "You'll have to come and see them tomorrow. Then they won't be cranky."
"Ok. I'll stop in again tomorrow then, on my way home." She looked at her watch. "I should get going. I have an early meeting tomorrow to show some of my new art." She smiled a good bye at the two of them, and started walking out.
"Oi, Brianna-chan!" Ken raced up to her on the sidewalk and caught her around the waist. "Have a good meeting tomorrow, ok?" He slid a silver rosebud behind her ear and smiled. "It matches your eyes." He hugged her quickly and disappeared back into the shop, ignoring the angry eyes of the fangirls. Brianna blushed, walking quickly away.
The next afternoon, she stopped in to see Yohji and Aya. Yohji was stocking one of the cases when she came in, and she startled him when she touched his shoulder. "Brianna-chan, you came back!" His charming smile graced his eyes as well as his lips, as pure pleasure radiated off of him. He hugged her tightly, brushing a quick kiss over her hair.
"I wouldn't want you guys arguing over my visits. Besides, I like seeing you at work." She wouldn't look at him as she spoke, but she was smiling. Just then, Aya walked out of the back and spotted her. "Aya-kun! How are you?" Yohji let her go, smiling as the usually icy demeanor of the redhead softened perceptibly.
"Brianna-chan." His lips almost tweaked in a smile, and his purple eyes weren't angry. He held his hand out to the girl, and she shook it. She grinned to herself to notice that he was wearing the black shirt still. Thank heaven. I don't think I could stop myself from saying something if he was wearing orange. "Are you staying for dinner?"
Brianna didn't know what to say. Dinner? He's inviting me to stay for dinner? But…No, I don't want to make a nuisance of myself. She shook her head. "I was just stopping by to say hello."
Yohji draped himself over her shoulder. "You should stay. Omitchi is cooking tonight, so it should be pretty good."
"Oh, no, I wouldn't want to intrude." She raised her hands and tried to step away from Yohji.
"It's not a problem. Aya's just cranky cause Aya-chan is away at school right now, and so there's no peacekeeper."
"Aya-chan?" Confused, she looked back and forth between the two men.
"My little sister." Aya did smile then.
"You have the same name?" Brianna hiked the strap of her laptop case higher on her shoulder. Strange. Oh, this offer is so much more tempting than my empty apartment. I can't justify doing it, though. I shouldn't let myself get used to being around them. I…I don't want to get hurt again – I seem to set myself up for falls.
"It's complicated." Aya shrugged. Yohji shrugged and looked apologetic.
"I see…but still, I shouldn't stay much longer. I have a ton of work to do." The lie rolled off of her tongue as she tilted her head, trying to look sincere. "But I'll stop in again soon."
Over the next week Brianna found herself stopping in at the flower shop every day after work.On Sunday, she gave in to her desire and decided to bring her sketchpad with her, hoping to work in the shop instead of her apartment. The horde in the store was even larger than normal, and it took her a couple of minutes to work her way inside. All four boys were working, and she caught Omi's eye first. "Omi-chan? Is it all right if I camp out in the corner and work?"
"Of course, Brianna-chan. We'd love to have you here." He installed her on a stool behind the cash register and left her with Ken. While she worked, she chatted with Ken, and then Omi when he took over checking people out. Aya and Yohji stopped by the counter often to make comments.
The fangirls started getting jealous of the attention. A short brown-haired girl remarked to her friends, "Why is she getting so much special treatment? I've never seen her in here before."
"That girl's been in every day this week. You've had your club after school. All the guys seem to know her really well."
"How dare she try to get close to them? She's not even that pretty."
"It's not fair, letting her stay even though she's not buying anything. We get yelled at all the time for that."
Aya heard the girls, and his glare silenced them. "Brianna-chan is special. You will leave her alone, or you will leave and not come back." His voice was calm and even; he didn't yell, or get mad, he just looked at them. She caught her breath at his completely serious tone. Aya wants me around? He defended me…I didn't think he'd do that. He…protected me. She watched him, her eyes wide with surprise, but he didn't say anything to her, or even look at her.
After that, the girls left Brianna alone. No one wanted to be exiled from watching the men work.