First of all, allow me to start this new chapter with an apology.
Yes, I know it's crazy to leave a story hanging around with no update for more than a year. I'm not gonna make excuses - I just lost my inspirations and I thought I could never finish this story.
But yeah, without any further ado, here we go...
Chapter VII: The Saplings
Yuya got home took out all the formal wears she got, laid them in the floor neatly and tried them all, one by one.
She just received a call from Kyo, and they are going for a business dinner to discuss the next steps of their collaboration. Kyo is proposing to go to Le Rouge, a fancy restaurant in a five-star hotel somewhere downtown, and had mockingly remind her to dress up ("I don't expect to see your ruggy look in a posh restaurant").
She had decided to wear this red number with plunging backline, until her brother Nozomu, who happened to walked passed her bedroom, suddenly stopped and said to her, "Hey, you're going on a date! Who's the lucky guy?"
Terrified by idea of looking as if she was going on a date with Kyo, she immediately took it off and went back to her collection to search for something serious. Finally, she decided to wear a little black dress with gold-colored high heels, completed with golden charm bracelets and matching black clutch bag. Perfect.
At five o'clock, Yuya believed that she was almost ready to go to the business dinner. She had taken a nice hot shower, had her hair done (she decided to let it loose, and had used a crimping iron to make it proper) and was doing her make-up at the moment. After this, she is going to take off this old denim shirt and boxer pants that she was wearing, and replace it with her chosen dress. She could already picture herself walking casually down the streets of Tokyo, with one of the most glamorous French restaurant as her destination.
Suddenly, someone knocked the door (it must be Nozomu, there's no one else in the house).
"Yes…?"
"Your date's here."
Yuya was going to apply her lipstick, but then took it away from her lips. "But I don't have a date. I'm going by myself." Like, seriously.
"But there's this guy downstairs, waiting for you. Why don't you come out and see him first."
Looking totally confused, she finished applying her lipstick and ran out of her room.
Could it possibly be…
But it couldn't be! That would be too… miraculous…
xxxXXXxxx
Yuya immediately rushed to the living room, where the so-called date was said to be in. When she slide the door open, she found this guy with messy strawberry-blonde hair, wearing a dark blue Adidas windbreaker, a black T-shirt, and jeans, sitting neatly on the tatami, watching the view outside the window.
"Akira!"
He turned his head to Yuya's direction, and gave a cheerful smile. "Yuya!"
"What a surprise…," said Yuya, sitting beside him. "What's going on? Did you come here all by yourself?"
"Yup," he answered. But then his smile faded as he realized that Yuya had her make-up on.
"Are you going somewhere? Is this a right time to visit?"
"Oh, umm… I'm going to a business dinner tonight at Le Rouge. With Kyo. But it's okay! I still have, like, half an hour," Yuya answered, waving her hands.
"Okay, I'm not going to take much time then… I'll just said it and leave," Akira said hastily.
"Please, what's going on?" Yuya asked. "Where were you yesterday?"
Akira sighed. "Well… that's it. Lotsa things happened."
Yuya's smile faded. She put her hand on Akira's shoulder. "Are you okay? I'm really worried for you…," she said.
"Umm… how about your girlfriend? Gosh, I'm so sorry for what happened…."
"Well. We broke up yesterday."
Yuya felt as if her heart was stabbed.
"Oh my God… Akira… I'm so sorry…."
Akira gave a sad smile, lifting his shoulders slowly. "It's alright. It's… inevitable."
"But… it wouldn't happened if it wasn't because of me!"
Yuya's voice had started to shake, and crystals had started to form in her eyes.
"No, no… Yuya, you see…," said Akira. He hesitated for a while, but then he put his hands on her shoulder. "It's not your fault. Seriously."
"How could you say so?"
Unable to contain it anymore, her tears broke and she started to cry, while Akira pulled her into his hug.
xxxXXXxxx
"Yuya, please listen."
Sniffs.
"Yuya…."
Akira let go of her and tried to managed eye contact with her, who has crying heavily. "Yuya. Listen up. I'm going to be honest here…."
"I can't denied the fact that… well, me and Tokito got into a fight because of… what we did. When you hugged me in my place."
Her sobbing went even louder.
"And yes, we can't blame her for thinking what she thought. It's natural. But, you see…."
He put his hands around her face. "I just want you to know that I didn't blame you for it, and I don't want you to blame yourself."
Yuya tried to wipe her tears away. "Why?"
"I mean, what happened to my relationship with her… It's just inevitable," Akira sighed. "I just can't stop that from happening. I don't know how to explain it to her. But you… I'm not going to put you to blame. For by the time, you were doing the right thing, to help me."
"I helped you?"
"Of course!" Akira answered cheerfully. "Don't you remember how terrible I was? But because of all that you did, I felt much better. And I got to see my issues in a much better perspectives. You know, the one with Hotaru going out of jail."
Yuya took a deep breath, still refusing to look at him in the eyes. "So… you're not mad at me?"
"Yuya, because of what we did, I do lost something important in my life," Akira answered, wiping the tears that flowed down her cheek. "But in the other hand, I also gained something really important. So I'm not going to be mad at you."
Yuya looked confused. "But what is this something?"
Akira smiled. "I've made up with Hotaru."
Yuya's eyes widened. "You did!"
"Yes! Went up to his place today…," he fixed his sitting position. "Was too drunk to even remember me. But I told him anyway about how I felt about him going to jail. I also told him that I've said many bad things about him… then I apologized. And we're good."
"Seriously?"
"Did you know that when the party started later that afternoon, I was waiting outside of his apartment?"
"You did! So why didn't you join us!"
"I chose not to, 'cuz I was going to talk about something serious, and I might ruin the party mood, so…," Akira answered.
Yuya took a deep breath. "I'm glad you did."
"Yeah. Could never done it without you," he said, smiling.
Yuya reached out her hand to pat his shoulder, and it stayed there for a few moments. With tears still running down her cheek, Yuya gave her proud smile to the guy, who replied by massaging the hand on his shoulder gently.
Until suddenly her gaze fell into a clock hanging on the wall.
"Oh my God!"
"What! What's going on!" Akira yelled, looking around.
"I'm late!" Yuya answered, getting up hastily. "I should be going already!"
"Seriously? Oh God… I'm sorry…," Akira said, with this guilty look in his face.
Yuya put her hands on her cheek. "I haven't change! And my make-up! Oh… this is bad…."
Amidst her panic, she started to ran around the room, as if not knowing what to do ("Oh my God! What should I do! I can't walk that fast, I was planning to do it slowly!"), while Akira just stood there, watching her running around with a thinking look.
"I'll take you there."
Yuya froze. "Seriously?"
"Yes! Le Rouge, right? It's not that far from where I live. And I can go fast, I assure you."
Yuya took a deep breath, looking much relieved. "Oh… thank you very much. But what are we going to go by? Do you bring your car?"
xxxXXXxxx
In less than an hour, Shiina Yuya found herself clutching tightly and helplessly to Akira's waist while he rode his bicycle in an unbelievable, almost god-like speed.
"Do you do this all the time!" Yuya yelled, trying to get her voice heard amidst the speed.
"Yes!" Akira answered. "You know, the whole green-lifestyle thingy!" he was smiling cheerfully when he said this.
"Good for you…."
"Excuse me!"
"Good for you, Akira! You know, to be ecologically friendly!"
"Thanks!"
It was not that Yuya opposed the idea of environmentalism, really. Or even the idea of riding a bicycle. It was just that she never expected to do it while going to the most glamorous restaurant in town, which equal to her wearing a fancy dress with full make-up on. Completed with those heels.
She had been struggling to make sure that her dress does not reveal more than it should, while her other hand tried hard to hang on to her partner. Apart from that, Akira also insisted that she should be the one who uses the helmet, which is a threat to her then super sleek hair. And she just cannot bear thinking about her make-up, all messed up by the speed of the wind. And her heels, which felt very uncomfortable for her feet. Boo-hoohoo.
"So what are you going to talk about with Kyo!" asked Akira, slightly turning his head to Yuya's direction.
"As usual, the… CAREFUL!" she yelled when Akira almost hit an old lady passing by. "…the Project…."
"That's great! So it's not going to stop, right! That's a great news…."
"Yes, of course…."
"But who picked the place!"
"Sorry?"
"Who picked the place! Was it you?"
"Of course it was Kyo…."
"Really! That's unusual…."
Yuya tried to keep a strand of hair away from her face. "Unusual! Why?"
"Yeah! It's unusual, you know…," Akira answered. Somehow, though she cannot see it, Yuya got the impression that he was smiling confidently when he said it. "Anyway, do you know that…."
Now she could only wished that Akira would stop talking amidst the speed and the loud noises.
xxxXXXxxx
"Isn't this great? We manage to get here on time!"
They were already in front of Le Rouge, which located in a posh, old building from the early 20th century, right in the middle of the city. Akira was still on his bicycle, playing around with his helmet, smiling gladly with the fact that he had managed to drop Yuya in this place in a record- breaking time. Meanwhile, Yuya was leaning herself to the restaurant's large window, trying hard not to vomit. And yes, her hair was messy.
"Yes… umm… that's… very great…," Yuya muttered, her steps were wobbly when she tried to walk.
Akira smiled. "So, you better get going. It's almost seven. Kyo hates tardiness."
"Oh. Right. Um…."
Before she realized it, Yuya was already standing closely to Akira. She was massaging her own hands, but a little smile started to grow on her face. "Thanks for the ride, Akira."
"No problem," Akira answered. He pointed to Yuya's hair. "Uh… sorry for that."
"It's alright, I'll just fix it before I got inside…," Yuya replied, combing her hair with her fingers.
Akira took a deep breath, and prepared himself to go. "Okay. Good luck for the date!"
Eeek!
"It's not a date!"
"Yeah, right. Pigs fly, Yuya! Pigs fly."
With a smile, the blonde guy started to ride his bicycle, leaving Yuya to get irritated by his comments.
xxxXXXxxx
Yuya had fixed her hair, and was finally able to walk into the restaurant with her dignity on.
As soon as she opened the door, she was greeted warmly by a waitress ("Good evening, Ma'am.") and my, how she enjoyed the feeling. Classical music was in the air, and as she walked on, guided by the waitress, her gaze fell into the sight of well-respected ladies and gentlemen, all dressed up to the nines, enjoying plates of foie gras, while a waiter was standing nearby, offering them the best of their champagne collection.
She was just thinking about how beautiful those wine-colored curtains are when they finally arrived at the corner of the restaurant, on a table for two near the window. And Yuya's gaze fell to the direction of the man who sat there.
He was wearing black suit and tie, but something in him gave him an aura of a certain kind of rebelliousness, like those of a rock star. Perhaps it was because even though he dressed up neatly, his hair was still a bit messy, and his skin color gave an air of mystery on him. While Yuya stood there, watched him silently, he was gazing out of the window, supporting his head with his hand, watching the view of the sleepless city with a pensive mood.
He finally turned his head into her direction, and there was these scarlet glints on his eyes when he did.
Yuya had read tons of novels on vampires, and had seen how the creatures had always been described as a seductive beauty. Perhaps this is what those authors are talking about.
"Oh. Dogface. I'm glad you came," he said, with this infamous smirk on his face.
"Yes, thank you for the invitation. But please, no Dogfaces. It's inappropriate," Yuya replied, while the waitress pulled a chair for her to sit on.
"Whatever, that's not what we are going to talk about here," Kyo muttered, waving his hand.
Soon, the menu was given to Yuya and she could not be any happier when she read those lists of culinary masterpieces. Oh… they have escargots! I'm so going to try it…
"One escargot for me, please…," Yuya asked the waitress politely.
"No."
With an angry look, she slapped the menu shut. "Excuse me?"
"No, miss, cancel that escargot. We'll have… two fillet mignon and the soup of the day…," Kyo muttered, while the waitress wrote down everything that he said.
"Kyo, I'm having that escargot…."
He did not answered. Instead, he shot a look at the waitress and asked, "Do you have Shiraz? Good, I'll have one."
Then the waitress left without giving Yuya a chance to ask for her escargots, leaving her enraged with the fact that she would not be on her side in this never-ending battle with the devil in suit.
"Why can't I have the food that I want?"
Kyo stared at her with this disgusted look. "Those slimy mollusks? You gotta be kidding…."
Yuya waved her hands angrily. "Look, it's not about me wanting to eat them, okay?"
Kyo laughed. "Yeah, right."
"Kyo, I know you invited me, but at least I had my chance to pick my own food? I know you're such a control-freak, but please… you don't have to control that much…."
As Yuya bombarded him with her protests, about how he would never listened to other people's needs and opinion, Kyo bowed his beautiful head down. He shook it slowly, his hand was on his forehead, and he suddenly lifted up his head and said, "Look, can we just stop this kinda conversation? It's boring and my grandma even sounds better than you now…."
Yuya almost grab her glass of water to punish him for being so obnoxious, but, hey, was she hallucinating when she saw sadness in his eyes when he said it?
As if he was really saddened by her words. As if he did not see her as an ass, but more like… he did not feel comfortable having fights with her.
But surely Kyo, of The Shiseitens, the rock-star-slash-ambitious-businessman, does not have time to be sad over a girl like her?
"Um… okay. Let's just start… the business talk, okay?" Yuya asked, clumsily.
He nodded slowly, still looking unlike himself. "Good. Thanks."
The soup was then delivered to their table, and Yuya was relieved to realize that the sight of soup bowls being put on the table made a really good distraction for both of them. She can finally reboot and began another conversation.
"So… how's the band? What are you guys planning to do now?"
Kyo gave away his infamous smile. "Well, we've finally to continued the tour, starting ASAP. Next two months would be the latest. And we're going to do it with a bang."
"A bang?" Yuya suddenly thought of science class and how the universe was started.
"Like… a secret gig, TV appearance or a surprise visit to fans. Something shocking, big, something that'll attract media attention," Kyo answered. There was this strange fire in his eyes as he speaks. "And while the viewers are still dazed by our sudden appearances… we're going to tell the world that we're back. And better than ever."
Yuya tried to weighed in the idea in her mind. "Hm… something shocking, huh… like streaking down the streets of Shibuya?"
"Streaking… that would be great," Kyo muttered.
Yuya stared in horror at the thought of informing Akira about this idea.
"And that's where YOU come in!"
Yuya actually moved a few inches apart with her chair.
"I'm not taking part in a streak!" she yelled.
"Easy, Dogface, nobody wants to see you naked either!"
Yuya breathed a sigh of relief, and pulled her chair back.
"What I'm trying to say is…," Kyo had began his sermon again. "As soon as our plans started to become real… you're going to start working. Write the book again."
He gave a satisfied smile. "That would be a perfect conclusion to this never-ending surprises from us to the fans."
Yuya nodded. "Cool. I'm going to start working then. Anyway, should I include Hotaru's arrests in it?"
"Sure. Nothing's better than an insider's look," Kyo answered, nodding gracefully. "Anyway, please, help yourself."
He then picked up a spoon and began eating.
Yuya was enjoying her bowl of hot soup until suddenly she felt herself being flashed with camera lights.
Her spoon was soon dropped. "Could you please stop that, Kyo?"
She lifted up her head, expecting to find Kyo playing around with his Blackberry, taking pictures of her devouring her dinner. But she found him staring at her dumbly, his eyebrows raised. "Stop what?"
Another flash of light appeared. This time, Yuya saw that it actually came from her side. She turned her head, and almost swallowed her own face at the sight that appeared outside the window.
Paparazzi were everywhere.
They had their camera on, completed with their huge, long lens, that reminds Yuya of an ant-eating creature. Some of them carried microphones, and were banging the window, as if they would get to interview Kyo by doing so.
Yuya could not never get herself used to this sight.
"Kyo! They...," she yelled.
"Sssh! Pretend you dont see them," Kyo whispered, continued on enjoying his bowl of soup. "Once you look at their directions, they're gonna get heated up."
"But...!"
"Yuya!" Kyo yelled. "It's me that they're after. Not you."
Yuya shut her mouth up, still looking as if she was going to cry.
"So chill! Okay?" Kyo said, picking up his spoon.
But his words did not managed to calm her down. So he lifted up his hand, called a waiter, and asked, "Can I speak to the manager?"
The next hour, Yuya found herself walking in a seemingly endless maze of kitchen wares and hotel laundry.
The situation outside of the restaurant did not get any better; she and Kyo had to finish their dinner in a hurry, because the number of paparazzi outside are getting bigger. They bang the windows loudly, yelling, asking for interview ("Kyo! Is this your new girlfriend?"), and the other guests in the restaurant are starting to get disturbed they began to leave one by one. Before the worst happened, Kyo finally called for the restaurant's manager, and they finally managed to be escorted out of the restaurant –through the back door.
"Here we are…," said the restaurant manager, opening up an emergency door, and Yuya felt cold wind blowing to her face. It seems like the back door lead directly to the parking lot. "Take care of yourself, Mr. Kyo. And you too, Miss."
"Thanks, " Kyo muttered, patting the manager's shoulders. "Let's go," he pulled Yuya's hand and off they ran across the parking lot, looking for Kyo's black Mercedes jeep.
"Gosh! They just wouldn't stop, would they?"
Yuya pressed her hands against the car's window, amazed at the measures the paparazzi took to get their pictures. Outside she could see motorbikes swooping by, its rider managed to take a picture or two amidst the speed. One motorbike slipped and its rider was actually hitting the asphalt now. Yuya clasped her cheeks with her hands. "Oh my God! Should we stop!"
"Let them be!" Kyo replied. He had to struggle to focus on his driving, while a paparazzi outside continued to take his pictures with blinding flashlight. "Their own risk… we've nothing to do with that…"
The traffic lights suddenly turned red, and Kyo muttered swear words as he had to stop his car. The motorbikes all stopped around his car –one paparazzi actually stood in front his car, blocking his way – and the flashlights are so bright it was almost like daylight.
Kyo shook his head. Yuya gave an understanding smile.
She lifted her hand to touch his shoulder to comfort him, but fearing how the paparazzi might react, she hesitated and pull her hand away. "I feel you. It's never easy, isn't it?"
"Part of the package," Kyo sighed. He quickly made a move as the traffic turned green, and honking loudly to the paparazzi who were blocking his way.
As the car continued to speed up, Yuya finally managed to say the thing that had been on her mind. "I'm actually amazed with how… how well you deal with them."
Kyo smirked. "Why? You expect me to go gaga and shot them with AK-47?"
"Exactly!" Yuya inched away from her chair, her excitement returned. "When they found out that we left the restaurant through the back door, I thought we gonna end up spending the night in jail like Hotaru!"
Kyo laughed so hard that Yuya was able to see his throat. "Geez Dogface, your imagination is wild! You should write a novel!"
Embarrassed, this time Yuya managed to laugh together with him.
"Well, all that matters is that…," Kyo continued, after his laughter had fade away. "They get what they want, yes they may. But I'd also get what I want."
Yuya's smile faded. "Eh? I don't get it."
The car slowed down as it reached another traffic light. "Well… it means, sometimes I just don't care!"
Another round of flashlights started to appear around them as the car stopped. Kyo turned his head into Yuya's direction. "You know how I am. When I want it, I go for it. No matter how weird it is."
Yuya felt a strange jolt in her stomach.
"And I know you want it as well," Kyo whispered. Yuya suddenly realized that his head was a bit closer to hers.
"Eh?"
"Never mind them," Kyo whispered, and ended the conversation with a long deep kiss.
It was the first time Yuya ever had a kiss under the blinding lights of publicity.
