Chapter Four – News
Sakura opened the door to Yue's office, her jacket and purse in hand. She opened her mouth but froze before she could say her traditional goodbye. Yue was half way to the door, "You coming?" She asked as she looked at the coat and briefcase in his hand. His computer wasn't humming like usual, which indicated that it was turned off, but nonetheless she looked to the desk and saw that the mouse and the keypad were neatly set back, the way Yue put them once he was finished using them.
Yue nodded shortly, a small smile gracing his features. "Yes, I am, I have a dinner…" He paused looking for the right word to use. "Date." He breathed out quirking an eyebrow towards Sakura almost as though he was asking for approval of his vocabulary.
"Oh is that right." She smiled, more than approving not only about the word, but also the fact that he was leaving work on time instead of leaving at unearthly late hours. "Who are you going with? Or is it a group of people?" Sakura closed the door behind her as Yue walked past her adding his gratitude for the polite gesture.
A small blush crept up his fair skin making Sakura smile inwardly, she knew who it was that was accompanying her boss this evening even though he hadn't yet said anything. "Tor- Mr Avalon." His face turned a deeper shade of pink that had the younger girl smiling despite the fact that she was trying to seem neutral about the shared piece of information.
"I believe that my brother would most certainly prefer if you called him Tori, not Mr Avalon. Don't you agree, Sir?" Sakura smiled. He nodded after thinking about what Tori would say if he ever heard him call him so formally.
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Tori stood up as he saw the white-haired business youth approach the table. "Hi, did you get here ok?" he pulled the chair and Yue sat down as he nodded his answer. A small blush caressed his cheeks as he took his sit and then looked at Tori as he took his own. "Yeah, I'm sorry about the inconvenience, it's just that the only good restaurants in the city seem so superficial and hectic at times, I wanted to have a nice meal. Is that alright with you?" Tori mumbled quickly as he looked at Yue uncertainty written all over his face. Yue smiled, Tori relaxed.
Yue smiled as he saw the darker man stumble with his explanation, it was nice to know that he wasn't the only one that was nervous. He looked around the table at the space given. They were under the stars, the table rather secluded and private compared to the other tables that he saw from the small café that sat by the river bank. He noticed that the river had a small rippling waterfall that fell almost silently as it made it southward, the water glimmering in the moonlight. Their table had a closer more exclusive view of the flawless view that was the main attraction that came with the small café.
"It looks beautiful." Yue provided with another smile, he looked at Tori who let out a quick breath of relief and wondered if there was more to the taller man's nervousness that he was letting on.
The night went on as the two ordered their food and a bottle of Champaign in ice, they spoke about little things as they ate and flirted once the alcohol had eased their nerves enough, and once they finished they stood from the table and began a slow entrancing walk along the river bank.
"I have always been the quiet one in the family, Kero would mock me when we were younger; he would call me invisible and ghostly because no one could even hear me breathe." Yue giggled, he smiled inwardly liking the fact that he could speak so freely without feeling low or ashamed, truth be told he was surprised that he was getting into so much detail but what surprised him more was that he didn't feel so bitter about the mocking and lonely childhood that he had. "Father always tried to bring me out of 'my shell' but I suppose I just didn't want to get hurt like I saw so many people get hurt when they lost a loved one. I even pushed him away, but mother was there to let him know that I appreciated it and that maybe someday I would come around. I know he knew it too. He just didn't want me to see me so sad. Now I regret not trying harder. Now if I smile, he won't see it." Yue looked away, focusing his gaze upon the moving water. Tori had stopped and Yue turned around to see the reason. He was looking out towards the sky over the tree tops of the other side of the river. Yue followed his gaze but only met the velvety midnight sky with the little glowing jewels that hanged unmoving. "Why won't your father see you smile?"
Tori turned around in time to see Yue's face turn into a sadness that he had never though possible. "I couldn't possibly face my father now that I've failed so miserably. It would have been ok if I failed the gross profit, if I failed in the business as a manager but I failed the employees, the people, and when Father comes back, he will be so disappointed even ifhe won't show it. Even if I had reason to smile, I won't be able to smile for him. I failed." Yue could feel the tears threatening to spill; they clouded his vision, making him jump when he felt Tori lift his chin up so that he could be face to face.
"You haven't failed, and you won't fail, in fact exactly the opposite you have succeeded in more than many ways, from what Sakura has told me about your workforce, they are treated more like royalty than employees, your business is going extremely well even as the threats and misleading have been thrown at you over and over again… and to add to your success you have managed to make me, your rival, take pleasure in you all the more." Yue's eyes opened wider and wider as Tori spoke, the taller man barely blinking as he uttered word after word. "Besides even if your father didn't see you smile. I'm sure he will feel it in his heart. Parents are funny like that." He laughed a rich smooth laughter, like lasting ripples that took form in the motionless water. Yue blushed at the sound that escaped the other man, touching his heart in ways he never knew was possible, he thought of what it would be like to laugh as such, to be that free… from one's own demons.
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"Hi Julian." The young woman called out as she extended her hand before she reached the young man that stood up to take her handshake.
"Hey, how are you? Long time no see." He smiled as he helped her into her chair and then took his own on the opposite side of the circular table.
"I'm alright, well in fact I am more than ok, have you seen Tori lately, he is in cloud nine," she waived a finely manicured hand as she smiled sweetly at the young waitress that had approached them with two simple menus. "Oh God, I love this place, it's so nice to just get away from 'high society'" she smiled as she opened the menu and scanned it briefly, already knowing what she wanted to order.
"Yeah, I know you like it too Sakura which is why I asked you to come here. And to your previous question, yes I have noticed the change in Tori, not only has he got his business partner back he also has a new friend, although I don't know who she may be, I hear that she is a stunner, apparently turns a couple of heads, both male and female." He laughed gently as he looked at the brunette that was watching him amusingly.
"Oh you are such a dear Julian… well this is true about Tori's new love interest but I believe you are mistaken about who it is." She giggle lightly as the dark green eyes darted from the menu they had been absorbing just moments earlier.
"Really, how so?" Julian asked more worried that he had been misinformed, than what Sakura's answer would be.
"Well, for one it is not a woman but a man that has stolen our dear Tori's heart, and the beautiful young man that turns heads from both genders is no one less than the most beautiful man I know, my boss Mr Yue Reed. But of course neither of them realise any of this yet, but they already spend so much time together that I am sure they will put two and two together and get-"
"Five?" Julian lifted an eyebrow in question. Some time between that small exchange, they had ordered and the waitress was currently leaving with their menus.
Sakura frowned, "How did you figure that" She enquired her voice polite, but her eyes were saying something entirely different. "What are you trying to imply Star?" So sue her she was defensive too. Julian looked away from her face knowing that her eyes where promising painful torture.
"Oh nothing bad Sakura, its just that I don't want you to expect too much too soon, for all I know you could be right and they will set each other straight and take it as it comes but there are things to consider, like they are both men, they may not feel all that comfortable with that fact - in the beginning." He put up his hands in defence, the brunette ready to throw daggers in his direction, "there is also the businesses that they are both responsible for, there are expectations, there are obligations that cannot be ignore, their relationship could be very fragile with the little time they have together and they are rivals… how the hell does that work, they cannot put each other first, they have a responsibility to their business, to their employees, to their customers and to thousands of more people; they cannot compromise their position only because they love each other, all I am saying is be careful." Julian argued quickly ignoring the pained look that crossed the young woman's face.
"You know, you were the last person I thought would come up with the pessimistic reasoning." She bowed her head knowing that there was some truth in Julian's words but refusing to believe that it was all true and even if it were all true, there was always a solution, there was always a possible positive outcome… there had to be. She smiled bitterly. They are strong.
"On a happier note, they have found each other and if those problems do come along, I actually believe that they can get through them without too much heartache; and at the end of that tunnel, they would be better off and they will be stronger… together." Julian smiled as he lifted Sakura's chin up. "Smile, the sun is shinning and your brother is in love… even if he doesn't know it… yet." Sakura's smile widened as she looked at the green eyes that sparkled with mirth. "Now eat, otherwise I'm going to eat that delicious looking burger for you."
