Hey guys! Sorry for my longish absence - I actually had to have carpal tunnel surgery, so my left hand was out of commission for a while. It's still healing, and having two young kids does not help the healing process work, so typing for long periods of time actually gets really achy really fast.

Thank you for your patience. I hope this semi-long chapter makes up for it!

Enjoy!

Serena leaned outside of the small restaurant, the broken wooden door tapping against the frame as the wind blew through the narrow alleyway. She informed Darien to meet her here at 7:00, and it was now 7:10. She grumbled; she may not be the most attentive person, but she was hardly late to her events. At least, not anymore. Getting your ass chewed out and your hard work ripped up in front you is one quick and efficient way to get you on the straightened, punctual path.

"You weren't kidding, were you?" a voice echoed down an alley, startling Serena to look up from her watch. Darien was at the end of the alleyway, a look of disgust and confusion etched on his entitled face. She smirked; it was quite the nice contrast seeing the rich playboy standing in an alleyway about to eat at one of the cheapest restaurants in Tokyo. The sight alone of him in his expensive denim, tailored shirt and black loafers in this shabby area was worth accepting the invitation.

"Darien, I never joke about food," Serena replied as she urged him to make his way down into the shadows. She watched as he hesitated, but soon made his way to her. "This is the ultimate gem of Tokyo," she announced as she grabbed the worn brass handle to the wooden screen door, holding it wide for him to follow her in. Her heart warmed at the sight of the restaurant: the old, faded subway tiles of the walls, the small, wobbly tables, the single pane of glass separating the counter from the food, and the ripped vinyl of the barstools.

"You can't be fucking serious," he muttered as she walked further in. Turning her head, she watched as he judged the interior, a look of repugnance sprawled across his beautiful features. She shook her head.

"Oh, I'm serious, Darien. You can't always judge a book by its cover," she knowingly said before pulling out a stool. Directionally, she patted the top of it. "Come on now, it won't bite," she taunted. Hesitantly, he made his way over, inspecting the seat before slipping onto the seat. He looked wary of resting his arms or hands on the countertop, to which she rolled her eyes.

"God, Darien, you'd think you've never seen a sushi restaurant before," she said as she rolled her eyes to his resistance.

"Oh, I have been, just one not this," he paused, "dated."

"Décor doesn't make the place, you know. It's all about the quality, the taste, the experience of the meal you are paying for," Serena retorted.

"Yes, but ambiance makes for the environment you are dining in, which plays a big factor in the experience of your meal," he countered. She rolled her eyes again.

"You're telling me you could have the best shrimp roll you've ever tasted, but if it was 500 yen and in this place, it couldn't compare to one that was 1800 yen in a black and chrome decorated restaurant? Please," she argued. "Besides," she added as a graying-haired man walked out from behind a fabric blue and cream curtain, "Sakaya-sama here is licensed to prepare fugu," she smiled wickedly. "And that, my dear Darien, is what is on the menu tonight."

"Oh Hell no," he said. "I am not having Fugu Sashi prepared here. Are you nuts?!" he exclaimed, pushing back from his seat in protest.

"Fine," she said, irritation glistening in her words, "but I am. Have a tuna roll if it'll make you feel better." She turned her attention to the sushi chef. "How are you today, Sakaya-sama?"

"Old," he gruffly replied. She snickered.

"But still the brilliant chef, right?" she cheerfully replied. He grunted again.

"Always," he said before he busied himself making Fugu Sashi. "Darien, you do the chances of a person dying from eating Fugu are rather low," she said as she watched the chef make hers. "Kind of like skydiving. I mean, the risk is always there and all, but isn't it worth it when you get to bite into this amazingly delicious cut? I mean, Sakaya-sama here gets it so thin you can see the chrysanthemum on the plate crystal clear."

She watched as Darien registered what she was saying, a frown affixed on his gorgeous lips, clearly battling the present thought in his mind. "Fine," he finally replied. "I'll try it, but you're going first. I'm not dying on your account."

"Fine," she agreed, watching him again as he slowly took his seat again. There was a lull of silence for a moment, but Darien soon made conversation.

"How did you even find this place?" he asked. "I mean, it's not exactly in the best seen area."

She smiled. "I've been coming here since college. I accidentally found it one day when I was cutting through the alleyway to get from work back to University. I was starving and wasn't making a lot of money at the time, so I came in to grab the cheapest meal I could get. I gave him 500 yen and I had a plate of fresh sushi sliced up and placed in front of me. I kid you not, he gave me a white tuna roll, a unagi roll, and a California roll. Turns out, he sells his sushi super cheap. And not only is it cheap, but it's the best I have ever had in my life. Nowhere compares to this place."

"So why isn't he, you know, 'on the map?' Famous by you if you're such a good columnist?" Darien asked.

"He won't let me," Serena pouted. "I told him I could easily triple his business, but he doesn't want it."

"Damn customers coming in at all times, I don't need 'em," he mumbled loud enough for them to hear. "Ruins my shows." Soon thereafter, the clatter of the places were the next noises heard in the restaurant, the Fugu Sashi laid beautifully in the shape of a flower, and Darien's tuna roll sliced and laid out alongside gentle dollops of wasabi and thinly sliced ginger. Serena's mouth watered as she stared at her meal, clapped her hands together and exclaimed "itadakimasu!" before grasping her chopsticks. She looked at Darien, who was staring at her in bewilderment.

"Don't be so dramatic, Darien," she said as she clasped the thin piece of blowfish in between her chopsticks, the translucent meat slowly making its way up to her mouth. Separating her lips, she popped the meat into her mouth and took a tender bite, savoring its very subtle and clean, not tough in any way, nor rubbery or chewy. The fish taste was very mild, the texture smooth and uniform. She took in a deep breath; the taste was sublime.

Part of her contemplated pretending to fake her own death, or pretend to hold her breath to scare the shit out of him. But for poor Sakaya-sama's sake, she opted to not terrify the wits out of him. He would probably have a damn heart attack. Instead, she stretched out her limbs, took in a deep, over-exaggerated breath, and rested her arms behind her head. "Yes, now THAT is amazing." She tossed a sly grin over at Darien, who looked like he just let out the largest inhale of his life. Sure, Fugu was poisonous, and there was always a risk she could die from eating it, but she trusted Sakaya-sama.

"You can breathe now," she said as she clasped another piece of meat between her chopsticks. "I'm not going to die. And if I was… I mean, to die by food? I could move on to the Heavens knowing my tombstone said 'the food lover was killed by the very thing she loved the most in this world.' Kind of ironic, you know? Almost like my lover murdering me, but it was my dinner instead," she rambled as she wiggled her eyebrows, popping the fragile piece of fish in her mouth.

"Amazing," Darien finally said as he began to show signs of life. "I can't believe you're not dead."

"You got to believe in the power of love, Darien, and in my case, I love Fugu Sashi," she replied as she continued to savor her dish. He inched in closer to her, eyeing her dish, his eyes staring down in sudden interest.

"So, how good is it?" he inquired, eyeing her plate. His reply from her was a piece of meat shoved in his mouth, none too kindly to say the least.

"You tell me," she replied. At first, his eyes widened in bewilderment that she so boldly shoved potential deadly food in her mouth. But once the initial shock wore off and the flavor exploded on his tongue, he began to gingerly chew the meat, the flavor soft and inviting, magnificent and addicting.

"Unbelievable," he muttered once he swallowed. She was completely right. Sitting in this dump of a restaurant, its dated and dirty appearance completely uninviting, he just tasted the best sushi he ever experienced in his life. "You're ridiculous. You don't just shove food into someone's mouth! What if I was allergic? What if it was a bad piece? What if I didn't want any and was just asking!" He paused, her face stoic as he calmed down. "Give me more," he commanded, grabbing his chopsticks and reaching over to her plate.

"Get lost, tuna roll boy," she retorted. "This bad boy is mine!"

"Oh no, you can't let me taste that and not have any more!"

"Oh yes I can!"

"Come on!"

"Nope!"

"Seriously?"

She smirked. "Of course I'm not serious. Here," she offered as she scooped up some of the cuts, dropping them on his plate. In response, though, she snatched one of his tuna roll slices, popping it into her mouth. "Mmm. So good," she said before she turned her attention back to her meal.

The two of them completed their meals in minimal dialogue, enjoying the savory dinner. When it came time to pay, the two of them bickered some more, finally settling on paying for their own meals as to not further receive some irritating looks from the sushi chef. Pushing open the little wooden door, Serena exited out of the restaurant and took in a greedy inhale. "Man, that was so good," she announced as she stretched her limbs. "Aren't you glad you listened to me?" she added, looking over at Darien. He ran his fingers through his bangs, the ebony strands untangling against his long, tan fingers.

"Fine, meatball head, I'll give it to you; the place was good," he conceited. She scoffed.

"Meatball head? I take you out for divine, world class sushi and you're still calling me meatball head?" she gawked. "You're so infuriating!" she declared as she stomped down the alleyway. He threw his head back and laughed while following closely behind.

"Did you think I would forget about that?" he asked, a wicked grin across his face. She rolled her eyes, but they quickly narrowed as began walking over to his vehicle she hadn't seen before. She pursed her lips, briefly taking in the sleek, sexy demeanor of the jet black Infiniti hugging the curb. Her eyebrow raised in response as he opened is passenger door, motioning for her to get in.

"Where are we going?" she inquired, her feet still planted in the same spot.

"To show you that you, too, can't judge a book by its cover, no matter what kind of place it is," he challenged. Moderately intrigued, she made her way to the car and slipped onto the inky black leather of the passenger's seat. Once again, she took to admiring the car, its interior every bit as luxurious as she imagined. In a flash, he was in the driver's seat, bringing the engine to life as he pressed the dial on the dash.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked again as he merged into traffic. His lips twitched into a sly grin, followed by silence. "Fine, don't tell me," she said as she crossed her arms before looking out at traffic. As much as she pretended to be annoyed by his act, she was moderately impressed. For being an affluent snob, which she so presumptuously dubbed him, he was actually kind of fun to be around. About ten minutes later, they pulled up in front what appeared to be an old factory. She could already feel her judgmental tendencies brewing when they pulled into the side lot, immediately noticing the lot of expensive and luxury vehicles safely guarded by a parking attendant. Darien slipped the car into the parking spot and opened his door, Serena following suit. Closing the door, she opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off.

"No judging," he said as he pointed his finger at her. She pressed her mouth into a firm line before letting out a groan of frustration. "That's the deal. I went to your sushi place, so let's go."

"Fine," she said, the tone coming out like a four year old throwing a temper tantrum. She followed closely behind him, the two entering the repurposed building. Serena observed the interior, noticing that the place was converted into a multi-purpose venue. The interior was modern, filled with glass panels, steel and exposed ceilings, but also kept the integrity of the history of the building by leaving the worn brick exposed and adding some wooden touches. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a hand on the small of her back, steering her to turn to her left. It was a bar, she quickly noted, that Darien had brought her to, and one that was every ounce of predictable that she expected. She inwardly sighed; it was always the same: renovated building, trendy set-up. As they walked in, she followed the waitress up the metal stairs to a second level, then to a small round booth that would only fit two or three comfortably. Probably so they could squeeze in as many tables as possible, she quickly assumed, only to notice that there was ample space between each table, and ones of various sizing throughout the floor. Okay, maybe not. But still way too trendy.

The waitress, who was expectantly dressed all in black, handed them both black printed cardstock with a metallic silver print. Serena raised her eyebrow to Darien, who was skimming the drink menu. Her eyes glanced at the paper, which was slightly difficult to read with the ambiance of the bar, but she eventually decided on something unique. "A melon mule," she requested when the waitress, a typical slender, long haired, winged-liner young woman, turned to her.

"Will that be all?" she asked with a final scribble on her paper, her eyes fluttering back to Darien.

"An order of your assorted petit fours, please," he amended. Serena looked over at him, a little surprised, but he just smiled coyly.

"Excellent choice, sir. I will be back with your drinks shortly," she said as she dismissed herself, her heels clicking against the wooden floors.

Serena looked back over at Darien and found herself annoyed the amusement on his face. "Okay, so care to explain to me what is so great about this place?" His response was another mischievous smile. "So far, I'm unimpressed."

"I expected nothing less," he replied as he propped up his elbows and rested his chin delicately on his folded hands. "Normally, my dates are more appreciative when I bring them here. It's extremely difficult to get in to."

"Yeah, vain women are usually like that," she replied while rolling her eyes. "It sounds like you spend a great deal of time entertaining a bunch of self-obsessed bimbos."

Darien laughed; "I've met my fair share," he acknowledged. "It's really amazing what some women will do to get a guy with money and devilishly good looks to pay attention to you."

"Please, you're not that good looking," she huffed. He chuckled again. "And I certainly have no interest in your looks or your money," she added.

"I know," he replied perceptively. Their drinks arrived, clinking against the table, as well as a small square dish with six dainty, expertly frosted cakes. "This is why I wanted to bring you here," he said as he motioned to the treats on the plate in front of them. "While this place is your run-of-the-mill typical trendy bar, it also has a well renowned bakery."

Serena was quite surprised. "Really? I've never heard of this place before."

"I'm not surprised, given your obvious distain for places like this." Serena's eyes trailed as Darien picked up one of the treats, dipped in a white coating with a light pink, crisscrossed, hand-drizzle. His hand inched closer to hers, and she found herself allured by the intimacy of the gesture. Her lips parted as the treat approached her mouth, and took a bite. Instantly, her tastebuds were exploding with the flavors of strawberry shortcake, the light and fluffy texture complementing the whipped frosting and real strawberries that were in the center. For such a small treat, it packed a burst of fresh – certainly not imitated – strawberries and cream. As she savored the treat, she closed her eyes before she let out a sigh of content, ultimately admitting that the treat was absolutely divine. "Good?" Darien asked, to which Serena vigorously nodded.

"I'm impressed," Serena amended. "That was out of this world. What are the other flavors?"

Darien smiled. "The yellow with the swirl of cream is Limoncello, and the other one is amaretto," he said as he pointed at the two additional flavors.

"My god," she said as she reached for the hazelnut, admiring the layering and the ability to top the treat with such delicate swirls of chocolate buttercream and chopped nuts. She bit into the treat, the flavor of hazelnut overpowering her senses as she chewed at the delicate and spongy cake. "How did you find this place?" she asked.

"Ami," he replied. "Her best friend is the head baker here; Yaten Kou. They met at culinary school."

"Amazing," she replied. "Seems that Ami knows some friends in high places."

"Indeed," Darien agreed. "So, while this place may be just another trendy bar on the outside, it had a vision to service creative cocktails and elegant desserts to their patrons. I think it's a unique concept, no?"

Serena paused, but no sooner did she begin nodding her head. "You are not wrong," she said reaching for the handle of her drink. Bringing the copper mug to her lips, she took in a greedy sip of the drink, the flavors of melon vodka, ginger beer, and cantaloupe swirling in her mouth. Placing her mug back on the table, she began to think about her misgivings to places like this – ones that followed the trends – and her quick dismissal of their offerings. As much as she hated admitting it, perhaps Darien was right after all; just because the décor was trendy didn't mean the chefs were automatically going to be terrible. "And I hate admitting when I'm wrong," she added.

"So do I," he agreed as he brought his drink to his lips.

She smiled. "So, we do have something in common," she said as she raised her glass to him. He reciprocated, the glasses clinking in apology for each other's original misgivings. She smiled as she sipped at her drink while the conversation flowed between the two of them for the next few hours. Serena quickly found herself falling again for Darien's matching wit, intelligence, and his smoky, alluring navy eyes. When it was evident that it was time to conclude the evening, she found herself disappointed that it was time to settle the bill. Making a reach for her purse, she grabbed her wallet, but he quickly passed his card over to the waitress before she could make an attempt to offer him any sort of money.

"Let me give you something for the bill," she offered as she pulled out a few paper bills.

"Honestly, it's fine. I appreciate the act of you at least reaching for your wallet, I must say," he teased. Had it been earlier in the evening, Serena probably would have told him to go to Hell, but since spending time with him, she found herself giggling like a schoolgirl. Upon that realization, she abruptly stopped and cleared her throat in embarrassment.

"Thank you," she squeaked out as she replaced the cash in her wallet. The waitress passed Darien back his card and his copy of the receipt, Serena's eyes bulging as he passed her a crisp 10,000 yen bill like it was a 1,000. Slipping out of the booth, they made their way down the stairway, out of the entrance, and back out into the night's sky. A slightly cooler night than lately, Serena rubbed at her bare arms, wishing she had a jacket as the air nipped at her. The chill quickly subsided though when she noticed that Darien was a mere couple of inches away from her. Tilting her head up, she looked up at him, her breathing slowed as he smiled back down at her.

"That was fun," he huskily said, the deep tones in his voice tugging at something deep in her.

"It was," she agreed, a sensual smile spreading across her face.

"We should do that again," he suggested as he moved closer to her, willingly invading the small amount of space left between them.

"Yeah," she agreed once more, intoxicated by his cologne, the spicy, musky scent invading her nostrils as he moved in closer to her. She could feel her heart racing, her hands sweating, her breath quickening as he motioned to close the final gap between them in bewitchingly slow movements. Unable to contain herself any further, she went in the last ten percent, lifting up to her tiptoes and pressing her lips against his. She could feel him startle at first, but no sooner did he place his hands on her hips did she feel herself melt into him. His mouth was so warm, the caress of his lips softer than she could have imagined. He tasted cautiously with his tongue, and Serena opened her mouth with a low moan. He tasted like cake and brandy, a lethal concoction, as she wrapped her arms around him, unwilling and unwanting to let this moment end. His hands left her hips and encircled them instead, pressing her petite frame into his own, his tongue dancing with hers, greedily tasting each other.

It wasn't until a drop of rain hit her cheek did she come out of her trance, but when a handful of sprinkles dropped on them did they finally pull apart. Serena licked her lips, fighting for her breath as she looked at the ravishing man, but the rain on her bare arms quickly interrupted her desirable thoughts. He grabbed her hand and quickly ushered her to his car, shielding her from the unwelcomed change in weather, before joining her in the vehicle as he slid in to his own spot. They looked at one another, a similar hunger reflecting in his eyes, the heat between them radiating as she fought to take control of the situation. It had been too long since she was intimate with a guy, they just had a great evening, and he was an expert kisser! She bit her lip, trying to decide if she should kiss him again, but as her mind warred with herself, she felt his hand slide up her cheek and turn her towards him.

"Let me take you home," he said, "because if I kiss you again, I don't know if I'll be able to stop."

"Okay," she said softly, not exactly sure if she wanted him to stop. His hand stayed frozen on her cheek for a few moments, but eventually moved as he turned the car on. Backing out of his parking spot, he made his way down the rain-coated street, following the directions she was giving him as they made her way to her apartment. Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up in front of her building, the unimpressive gray and white building beckoning her to come inside. She sighed, not really wanting to have the evening end.

"Thank you for tonight," she said as she looked at him, his their once-styled bangs hanging in his face. He smiled, the gleam of white from his teeth peeking through his lips, and she found herself fixated on them again.

"No, thank you," he said. "I had fun." Another silent moment passed, to which Serena turned to open her door. However, as she went to pull at the door handle, she felt her other arm being tugged at, twisting her body over the center counsel and into another feverish kiss, only in the warmth and confined setting of his car. She whimpered as he ran his fingers through her hair, tiling her head further into him as he feverishly kissed her once more. They broke apart, their panting fogging up the window, as she tried to decide what to do next.

Invite him up, Serena. Invite him up. You want this. He wants this. You're consenting adults. You can do this. Why are you hesitating?

"So," she struggled to say as she looked at her purse, which she was clutching on to dear life.

GIRL, WHY THE FUCK YOU HESITATING?

"Can I see you tomorrow?" he asked. She nodded.

Girl, what are you doing?

"Text me?"

You fucking serious? He wants you. Look at his dick, it's fully outlined in those pants, girl. Come on.

"Definitely."

WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME? I DON'T WANT TO WAIT.

"I'll talk to you soon, then." Opening the door, she stepped out into the dampened atmosphere, then closed the door. The car drove off into the night, turning at the next left, before it was completely out of sight. She sighed as she blew a sexually frustrated breath into her bangs, begrudgingly walking into the lobby of her apartment.

You prude.

Yay for SxD finally breaking onto the scene! Hope you guys enjoyed :D

I'll be back soon with more!

Love, MU