Chapter Six:
"Please tell me you're kidding." She sighed in exasperation, gently rubbing her fingers over her temples. "Now is really not the best time. Can't you convince him to come another time?"
Hikaru leaned against the counter, watching her with curious eyes as a flustered looking Renge argued with the person on the other end of the line. His brow was raised, a light smirk on the edge of his lips. She paced back and forth, her lips puckered and her brow furrowed in irritation before she finally noticed him watching her. She rolled her eyes at his smug expression before turning her back on him and leaning against the counter.
"But I already have company." She practically groaned. "I don't think right now is the right time for him to come and check up on me."
She listened with disinterest to whoever was on the other end of the phone, mouthing the words my mother to the boy beside her.
"Fine. I understand. When does he arrive?" Her eyes widened. "Tomorrow? You can't be serious!" Again, silence as she listened to whatever demands her mother was placing upon her. "Fine. I'll make sure the guest room is ready for him. Yes. I know. I love you, too, Mama."
When she finally hung up the phone, Hikaru could practically see the way she sank against the counter. She seemed to become even smaller than she normally was. "Nice chat?" He asked, grasping her abandoned cup of coffee and taking a long sip from it.
"My father will be here tomorrow," she moaned, placing her head in her hands as she shook it back and forth. "This is awful."
"And here I thought your father was a nice guy." Hikaru teased her playfully.
She shot him an agitated glance from the space between her fingers. "He is a nice guy. That's the problem. I can almost promise you he's going to think this," she gestured back and forth between them. "Is more than it is. Not only that, but I'm of age. Do you know how annoying it is to hear my father constantly talking about eligible suitors? Like I'm some gift to be given away." She scoffed, rolling her eyes dramatically.
"Ah." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Would you rather I go back and stay at Tamaki's place?"
Renge shook her head almost violently. "I would never ask you to leave. Especially not with everything that's going on."
She didn't have to say it; Hikaru knew exactly what she meant. Especially not since your brother is dead. Inwardly he flinched.
"I'll just have to think of a way to handle my father." She groaned again.
"We could just let him believe what he wants to believe," Hikaru shrugged as if it were nothing. "I mean from what you're saying it doesn't sound like there's much we can do to convince him otherwise, anyway."
"What exactly are you offering?" She asked, narrowing her eyes and looking at him suspiciously. It was seldom that Hikaru was nice and the offer seemed too kind for the boy she had grown so fond of.
"I can pretend to be your boyfriend if it gets your father off your case," he shrugged again, finally taking note of her incredulous expression. He rolled his eyes at her, pushing himself off the counter to walk away from her. "Don't act like I'm killing you here." He huffed. "If you don't like the idea we won't do it."
She reached out, her hand wrapping around his wrist in an attempt to stop him from leaving. "No. I think that could work. It would definitely get him off my back for a little while." Her voice was softer than normal, kinder. It wasn't the same sad kindness most of his friends used when pussyfooting around him lately. This was a genuine kindness he hadn't heard since before. "Thank you." She spoke, pushing herself up on her tiptoes and kissing his cheek gently before skipping off amid babbles of needing new clothes and having to get someone to prepare the guest room.
Xxx The Next Day xxX
"Papa!" Renge cried happily, practically running down the front steps of her elaborate home before she threw herself into the arms of a much older and semi-shocked looking man.
His shock quickly melted into a mix of admiration and adoration as he wrapped his arms around the small girl now clinging to him. "Hello, my darling." He grinned, pressing a loving kiss to the top of her head. "I trust Japan has been treating you well?"
"Oh yes, Papa." She smiled, stepping back and clasping her hands behind her back. "I've been keeping myself very busy lately."
"Have you made any decisions regarding your future yet? Are you almost ready to return to France? Your Mama misses you terribly." He spoke, smiling sweetly and expectantly down upon her. From his spot in the doorway, Hikaru could almost feel the father's love for his small and overly energetic daughter.
"I miss her, too. I'll be sure to visit soon but I don't have any plans to return to France yet. Japan has been too good to me." She wasn't lying. All of the friends she had made and all of the people who had become her Japanese family had changed her. Originally she had moved to Japan in an attempt to get Kyoya Ootori to love her… now she remained because of the people who had loved her instead.
"Too good, it seems." Her father chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled. "Let's go inside and you can tell me all about the opportunities that Japan has offered you to steal your heart away from Paris."
"Before we do that," She grasped at his arm gently, stopping him before he could turn towards the entrance to her home. "There's something I need to tell you." She took a deep breath, holding her hand out to where Hikaru was still leaning against the door jam.
They had discussed his introduction at length and Hikaru was more than willing to follow her instructions. Playing the part gave him an escape from the lie he had been living since Kaoru's death. He was glad to have a distraction. He moved with gracefully fluid motions, descending her front steps until he stood beside her, taking her hand in one of his and wrapping the other lovingly around her slender waist.
"Papa, this is Hikaru Hitachiin. My boyfriend." She breathed, watching as her father's features flickered between amusement and confusion.
"Your boyfriend?" He asked, still keeping his kind smile upon his lips. "You never mentioned a boyfriend in any of your calls or letters, Renge?"
She nodded, though beneath the soft touch of his hand Hikaru could feel her slight trembling. She was nervous. "I wasn't sure what we were yet," she chuckled and her voice held all the strength he was used to hearing from her. How often had she been nervous or trembling that he had never noticed?
"I see." Her father's gaze flickered to Hikaru's, his smile warming. "It's a pleasure to meet you, young man."
Hikaru took his hand as the older man offered it and shook firmly. "The pleasure is all mine, sir."
"So you're the reason Renge refuses to move back home, huh?"
"Guilty. Though I've told her I'd gladly fly to France to see her any time she wanted me too." He smirked, earning himself an elbow to the ribcage from the small girl still tucked in the circle of his arm. Talking about France had not been on the detailed list of topics he was allowed to speak of with her father.
"That's quite an expensive trip." It was obvious now what her father was insinuating. He wanted to know if Hikaru could afford to date Renge. He was searching to see if Hikaru was of the same upbringing as his daughter.
"I'm the only heir to the Hitachiin fortune now." He kept his face impassive, ignoring the wave of pain that rattled through him as again Kaoru's expressionless face flashed before his eyes.
"Ah, yes. I remember reading about your accident. I'm so sorry for your loss." The smile was replaced with the look of pity Hikaru was far too used to by this point.
"Thank you, sir."
"Let's go inside." Renge interrupted, giving Hikaru's hand a reassuring squeeze as she changed the subject.
His eyes fell to hers, a look of gratitude passing between them.
"The cook is preparing an amazing meal for dinner tonight and Hikaru and I thought you might like to go down to the local park with us tonight. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom." She continued, gesturing for her father to lead the way into their home. Once her father had stepped far enough away, she met Hikaru's gaze again. "Are you okay?" She asked.
Hikaru smirked, masking his pain. "Of course, darling." He pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, well aware her father could still hear them. But as his lips fell to her cheek, a warmth spread through him unlike anything he had felt since his brother's funeral.
Author's Note:
I am so sorry for the delay in chapters. I've been moving into a new place and classes started today on top of the fact that I have two weddings and a good friend visiting me in the next month and a half. I'll try to get back to my weekly updates soon!
The next few chapters will be Renge's father's visit.
All my love;
Kaasuten
