Disclaimer I don't own any of the HYD characters nor the original plotline of HYD, but I certainly own this particular plot and all the characters I created for it...

Note : Lots of important things happening in this chapter for what is to come. More wounds to our favorite playboy's pride, though... I know it's cruel, but I actually enjoy making him suffer... :D I just realized that this fic is going to be long one – feel like I can really make interesting situations happen, there... :D

A few points to clear some unclear parts :

Sophie's family is rich, not nearly as rich as most kids who go to Eitoku, but her father is a successful businessman who is trying to implant a new branch of his biotechcompany in Japan. Think 700,000$ to 900,000$ a year if you absolutely need a figure.

Yes, Akira is being a fing playboy, just trying to seduce Sophie into his bed to take revenge – for the moment... That's why he deserves every bit of difficulty she makes. :D

I would like to thank : my kind reviewers SnuffyTheMonkey – again ;o) – and Kenny no.1 for liking Sophie and my story and for writing helpful/kind/motivating things. Hope you'll continue to enjoy my story !

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5- Friday afternoon - weather forecast : not stormy

Tsukushi and Sophie were laughing together on their way out. They had, to their great joy, discovered that they had some classes in common in their schedule, including Japanese literature on Friday afternoons. They had become friends so fast it was actually quite difficult to understand why and how even for them. After a bus ride, a lunch break and a Japanese literature class, they felt like they had known each other forever, and they were already sharing their personal experiences like old friends.

Since Tsukushi didn't work on Fridays, and since she didn't have to meet Tsukasa till later, in the early evening, she had decided to take the time to show Sophie a little around Tokyo, using the opportunity to proceed with their conversation. Indeed, the French girl had not had much time to visit her new town since she arrived in Japan. She hadn't wanted to miss too much of school, especially considering the extra work given by the fact that classes were taught in a language that she could understand and talk, but was still foreign to her. So the two girl were heading towards Eitoku's exit, planning to go and take the underground to Tokyo's city center, and hang out a while throughout the Imperial Palace Gardens.

All the while, they were continuing to chat like two old girlfriends.

"He really said that ?

- He did, confirmed Tsukushi with an indulgent smile at the recollection. But then again, it was his first attempt ever at seducing a girl...

- Boy, that is so lame and so cute at the same time, Sophie commented, amused and softened. Now he actually makes me think of some kind of giant walking Teddy Bear.

- Well, those adjectives often go together with him, Tsukushi remarked. And the analogy actually makes sense, she added with a brigth smile. He knows how to be adorable, when he wants to. But don't tell him to his face : he wants to appear strong and manly at all times..."

Tsukushi's expression while she was saying made Sophie smile.

"By the way, next Friday will be his birthday party at the mansion... Everyone is invited. Are you coming ?

- I don't know... I didn't think so. I mean, you're the only person I've befriended in this place. And I wouldn't want you to feel compelled to spend too much time with me at your boyfriend's birthday party...

- Let me worry about that, will you ? It would be very nice if you came : you wouldn't be the only oustider, most of them see me as such, you know. Besides, it could give you the possibility to meet some new people. You should really come, Sophie...

- Okay, then, I'll try. But I will need my mother's permission to go out first.

- Then it's settled ! You told me your parents wanted you to blend in Japan... This is a great occasion, concluded Tsukushi. And I swear, your being here will not be a burden for me – I don't have that many friends at Eitoku either, and those I have I treasure. Lots of other girls are somewhat annoyed by my dating Domyouji and befriending the F4 in general... After all, I'm just a 'commoner'.", she commented with a face.

The two young women were nearly at the highschool's gate now, and they still hadn't noticed the figure waiting, his back to the main pillar, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Anyway, I'm sure you're going to love the Imperial Palace Gardens. They're beautiful... and so peaceful !

- Sounds great... I'm so glad we're doing this !"

And then, a male voice disturbed their conversation.

"The Imperial Palace Gardens, huh? What better place to go for beautiful flowers like you?"

Instantly, Akira – he was the owner of that voice – gave himself a hard mental slap for the lame opening line he had just blurted out. He had gone over the scenario many times since morning, playing in his head the brilliant joke he would say, when he would meet her 'by chance' at the exit of the Academy after her classes.

He should not have blurted out this lousy used up line. Not in front of this particular girl, anyway. He tried not to snap anything to Tsukushi who was clearly trying her best not to burst out laughing. Then he heard Sophie muttering something to herself, something that he couldn't make sense of, a distinctive exasperated note in her voice.

"C'est pas vrai... Mais quel crétin!" (Translation for those who do not understand French : "I can't believe this... What a moron !")

He had to fix this, right now, and make a better impression before she left for the week-end. "Wake-up, Akira! Think !", he told himself. Instead of staying dumb again, he chose to ask.

"What did you just say? It sounded...

- It was French, for 'what a poet !', she answered with a smile that didn't leave any doubt about the faithfulness of her translation.

- I'm sure it was, he said – trying to seem like he thought the whole situation was very funny. Sorry for the cheesy line, though... I was trying to find a way to get your attention when I spotted you, by chance."

There, he had managed to slip smoothly that he had not meant to meet her here.

"You wanted my attention ?

- Well, I wanted to talk to you, yes. Ask you if you would like to have dinner some time... with me, I mean."

Akira waited for her answer. Well done, he congratulated himself mentally. Tsukushi was still behind Sophie, hiding the best she could the smile that was winning her lips. The French young woman was trying to determine for certain the meaning of Akira's last sentence, not feeling sure she had grasped it correctly.

"Did you just ask me out ?

- Yes, I did. I would love to treat you to dinner one of those days... And I won't 'gorgeous' you again, I promise, he added to show he felt cool about the whole 'public slapping in the school Library' thing. There's this really nice restaurant that opened last month on...

- Wait, she interrupted with a puzzled expression on her face. Wait a minute... Akira. What exactly did I do or say to make you believe I'd appreciate to spend an entire evening alone with you ?... Was it the slap ? Did it upset your brain, somehow ? Or is it a weird custom I was never taught about ?"

She seemed genuinely puzzled. "I have to use this", reflected Akira. He breathed in, the time to find an answer that would make some sense.

"I just feel I have to make it up to you, especially since you felt that I acted like a jerk, yesterday."

Sophie raised both her eyebrows questioningly. She turned towards Tsukushi, saw that her new friend was trying too hard to suppress a laughter to be useful, so she turned back to Akira. His request had surprised her too much for her to even feel annoyed. She gathered all the good manners and the calm she could find inside her, and then she answered.

"You're forgiven... I guess. No need for the dinner, then. Thank you for the proposition, but my parents wouldn't want me out late at night all the time when it's not the vacations, you know. Sorry."

She paused, and turning once more towards her companion, she finished with more energy.

"I hope you'll have a nice week-end... If you will excuse us, now, Tsukushi and I were leaving. We wouldn't want to miss the next train to the center. Bye !"

She said all this with a bright smile that he had trouble to make sense of. She then began to walk away, Tsukushi quickly following her, after a silent shrug to Akira.

The young Mimasaka could not believe what had just happened. And for the second time in two days! He had acted like an idiot in front of this girl once again, had let her leave on her own terms, dismissing him as a common nuisance. This could not be happening! Not to him. Where did all his confidence and ease go when he needed them ?

"'The Imperial Palace Gardens, huh? What better place to go for beautiful flowers like you?'"

Could he have come up with something even more stupid that this had sounded ? The more he thought of it, the more he failed to believe it was all that he had found to say. He knew how to chat women up : he had invented the concept of chatting women up... And what was it she had muttered in French to herself as a comment? 'Cepavray maykelcretin'?... He didn't doubt for moment that it had nothing to do with him being a poet. He massaged his temples with his hands.

Why were her reactions always so different from what he expected them to be ? For a moment, he wondered about that. Was it a French thing? He would have to ask Rui about that. Rui had lived in France for a while, after all, when Shizuka had moved there to pursue her modeling career. He would know... Yes, Rui would definitely be able to help. He nodded to himself, proud of his discovery. "I have to call Rui."

But right now, he still felt like enjoying his night, and making the best of what was left of the day. He took his cell phone from his breast pocket, and dialed a number.

"Hey, Nishikado. Where are you now ?... Okay... And they are already with you ? Great !"

He would have all the time he needed to find a new plan to seduce this French puzzle of a girl later. Not like she was going anywhere – not now, at least. She had just moved to Tokyo, after all.

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I'm SO enjoying the demise of the womanizer... Sorry, I know I have to make him stronger to keep in character, and I will - later.

For the moment, let's say he's still in a post traumatic ttage from the slap and from the realization that a girl could be immune to his charm. He's going to fight back – but his oponent won't give in that easily.

As always, feel free to tell me if anything is amiss in there. I hope you enjoyed !