Author's Note: You may or may not have noticed that I've plugged in names of characters from other anime for minor things such as cameo appearances. Cookies to those who can name any of them, and a yummy pie for those who can name all of them! Teehee. This can become a game that runs through this story. :D
Thank you to xinusess (I AM SO SORRY FOR SPELLING YOUR NAME WRONG!) for telling me that the title of the article is a misleading. It was a very bad slip in logic; I didn't actually notice this :(. So my horribly lame excuse for this is that the media tends to exaggerate with tantalising headlines to draw in readers. I really don't think I can change it now, seeing as people have already read it with the misleading heading.
But I can explain the Kaede thing! Kaede could check his accounts, but she hasn't yet, because she has had no idea about this before the article came out. But I doubt that it would have been that expensive for her to question it; it's probably on par with Domyouji's usual spending habits...After all, he bought it from a commoner's shop ;P
Additional thanks to az09 for spotting my spelling mistakes! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Disclaimer: Hana Yori Dango does not belong to me! But the plot of this fanfic does.
Family Planning
By Onkiu
Chapter 8: The Procreation Sensation
DOMYOUJI HEIR ANNOUNCES BIRTH OF CHILD
Stocks rise to record highs
The Domyouji family is expected to have a new addition to their family, announced a Domyouji Enterprises spokeswoman this morning. Domyouji Tsukasa, heir to the Domyouji Enterprises, is expected to have a child with his childhood sweetheart, Makino Tsukushi. Although both are currently still students of Eitoku Academy, it has been rumoured that Miss Makino may give up study in order to care for the child full time.
What long term impact the child may have on the economy is still unknown. Following the announcement, Domyouji Enterprises stocks soared to a record high...
The rest of the article continued to analyse the impact that the birth announcement may have on the economy and stock market. Tsukushi didn't have the heart to keep reading this - there were far too many mistakes and it was only based on hearsay. For one thing, she was sure that she wasn't Domyouji's childhood sweetheart, and secondly, she had not even considered giving up study.
"What kind of crap is this!" yelled Domyouji. He scanned the other headlines, and to his horror, they were all about the same thing - the announcement of the 'birth' of his child.
DOMYOUJI STOCKS AT ALL TIME HIGH
BABY DOMYOUJI BOOMS ECONOMY
DOMYOUJI OVER THE MOON ABOUT BABY
"Damnit! Who announced it? If it's one of them, I swear I'm going to kill them!" yelled Domyouji, looking absolutely furious. His hunger now forgotten, he bought every one of the newspapers and magazines that had anything remotely about them. Now immobilised by the sheer volume of newspapers that they had just bought and the weight of the tummy that they had just acquired, they sat on the sidewalk, reading it. Domyouji didn't even complain when he had to make do with a commoner's hamburger that Tsukushi bought from a street vendor for him.
By the time that the chauffer had picked them up, they were nearly three quarters of the way through the reading material. Despite it being three hours since he first saw these articles, time did nothing to help subdue his anger. When he had arrived at Mimasaka's grand mansion, he was so livid that he stormed right past and ignored the butler who greeted him at the door. Fake tummy in one arm, Tsukushi and the newspapers in his other arm, he made a flashy and spectacular entrance to Mimasaka's living room, where the F3 had assembled due to Domyouji's summons.
"What's wrong, Tsukasa?" said Rui, totally unfazed by Domyouji's flashy and spectacular entrance. He was used to it; Domyouji had done it ever since he was a child when he demanded everyone's attention, and he knew that he was a master of the art of making a grand appearance.
"You know what's wrong!" yelled Domyouji. He threw the fake tummy (cushioned safely in a box) onto the floor, tossed Tsukushi onto the sofa, and waited for someone to ask him what was wrong.
"Hurry it up, man," said Nishikaido, yawning. "I had to cancel a date with one of my girlfriends because of your 'urgent crisis.' If you get it over and done with, I could still catch up with her."
"This is what's wrong!" Domyouji had left the best for last. He dropped the stack of newspapers that were still in his arms most dramatically onto Mimasaka's coffee table so that it gave a loud thud when it did so. Even for such a durable rosewood coffee table, it gave a slight groan and bent a bit under its weight.
"Hmm? What's this?" Mimasaka picked up an article. "'Domyouji Tsukasa, the young heir to Domyouji enterprises, is soon to become a father, announced a Domyouji family spokesperson this morning. Friends close to the family have reported the young heir to be over the moon about becoming a father. A source close to the family, who did not wish to be named-'"
"Okay, own up." snapped Domyouji. "Which of you announced it?"
"I didn't do it," chorused Rui, Mimasaka and Nishikaido simultaneously.
"One of you did," whispered Domyouji dangerously, cracking his knuckles in a fashion that obviously meant he will beat them all up if no one was willing to take the blame.
"Tsukasa, it says 'announced by a Domyouji family spokesperson'," said Rui reasonably. "Do we look like Domyouji family spokespersons?"
"Use your brain, genius," said Nishikaido. "Would we want your mother to find out so quickly and start her investigations, when we haven't polished off our plan yet?"
"Who else knows about Makino's supposed pregnancy and has the power to get a Domyouji family spokesperson to release a media statement?" said Mimasaka. "Apart from you, I don't think anyone else fits the criteria..."
"Yes, there is! Damnit, I know who did it!"
"Who?" said Tsukushi. "It's not-"
"It is," said Domyouji, "Damnit, it's sister! She did it! The only one from the Domyouji family who knows all this, apart from me, is sister!"
"Wow, good job, Einstein," said Nishikaido sarcastically. He was fairly hurt that his dear friend Tsukasa would think that he would stoop this low. "Glad to see your powers of deduction and logic are still working, after seventeen years in hibernation."
"Look at it - it all fits," said Mimasaka reasonably. "For one thing, she doesn't know that we don't want your mother finding this out too quickly, and she thinks she's doing you a favour by releasing a media statement."
"I'm going home," announced Domyouji suddenly.
"What? Already? Man, I sure wasted my time for your stupid 'crisis'," said Nishikaido. "Why are you going so soon?"
"I have something to discuss with my dear sister." He pointed at the box that he had thrown onto the floor in his tantrum. "That box over there contains the fake tummy. Can you hide it somewhere, Akira?"
"Mammy's cottage," said Mimasaka happily. "Woops, I mean, mother's cottage."
Tsukushi was about to burst out laughing at Mimasaka's sudden lapse in suaveness when Domyouji grabbed her hand and dragged her back to the limousine. They had barely stayed at Mimasaka's estate - only a mere five minutes - before they left again.
Tsukushi couldn't help but blush when he held her hand. It was so warm and assuring; yet, even as his girlfriend, she was acutely aware of the fact that she had barely held his hand - something that every normal couple did. Perhaps they weren't quite a normal couple after all; it wasn't as if everyone had a powerful woman pursuing and interfering in their affairs.
In their short ride home in the car, Domyouji had kept muttering curses under his breath. He was pretty livid - he had scared the chauffer into driving over the speed limit, and when he arrived home, he had charged straight into the foyer, screaming, "WHERE IS SHE!"
"Where's who?"
Tama had appeared out of nowhere - possibly out of the shadows of one of the many corridors leading out of the foyer. In any case, it made Domyouji and Tsukushi jump.
"That stupid woman!" Tama wasn't sure if he was answering her question, or if he was calling her a stupid woman for scaring him.
"He means Tsubaki-san," interpreted Tsukushi.
"Young master," sniggered Tama, slowly hobbling around. "If you're looking for the young miss, she's in the lounge room in the west wing."
"Let's go," muttered Domyouji, grabbing Tsukushi's hand again and leading her through a maze of corridors and rooms in fast strides. They finally arrived at the room which Tsukushi assumed was the living room in the west wing, and Domyouji burst through the doors in a glorious display of anger.
Tsubaki put down her tea cup in a calm fashion and looked up at them quizzically.
"YOU STUPID WOMAN!" he began, "Why the hell did you-"
"Watch who're you're calling stupid!" yelled Tsubaki, flaring up and punching him. How she got up from her seat and within punching distance of Domyouji was beyond Tsukushi.
"I'm sorry, sister!" said Tsukushi, as if it were her fault that they were arguing. She felt that she hadn't restrained him.
"Don't be, Tsukushi - this kid needs some sense belted into him."
"Sister-" gasped Domyouji from underneath her foot. Tsubaki was now stepping on his head. "Why did you - " He was going to ask her why she had publicised the birth announcement in general, but decided to chastise her for other reasons. "- announce the birth announcement to rival tabloids as well!"
"That's none of your business," she snapped. "I believe that it's better for everyone to share in this wonderful news rather than to keep it within Domyouji Media Holdings."
"Domyouji Media Holdings?" said Tsukushi, as if she didn't expect Domyouji Enterprises to have expanded into media.
"Oh yes. I'm the head of Domyouji Media. We own magazines like Margaret; but our media division is only a small proportion of Domyouji Enterprise," said Tsubaki nonchalantly, waving her hand as if it were no big deal.
Small proportion? thought Tsukushi. Don't they control seventy percent of the media in the country?
Tsukushi was totally blown by the fact that Tsubaki would even call it small.
"For your information, Tsukasa," continued Tsubaki, ignoring Domyouji's cries of pain, "I've arranged for you two to get an interview in our Parenting Today magazine. So before you start calling me a traitor, think about how I'm giving this most exclusive interview to one of our own magazines. Getting the rival tabloids hyped up is one thing; using them to promote this exclusive interview is another. Is that alright with you, Tsukushi dear?"
"Um.." began Tsukushi. She wasn't really sure if she wanted to do this interview at all.
But Tsubaki wasn't listening again. Her hands were clasped together, and she had this dreamy look on her face. She had forgotten that she was still stepping on her younger brother. "Isn't this so wonderful? I think it's time for my little Tsukushi to be making her debut to the public as a future member of the Domyouji family..."
The fact that Tsukushi wasn't even married to Tsukasa seemed to have escaped her.
"... it was so hard deciding which magazine to feature Tsukushi first. Should it be a fashion magazine, a teen celebrity magazine, or a parenting magazine?" Tsubaki sighed dramatically to herself. "It would determine her reputation; so I decided on the parenting magazine to be safe - to have Tsukushi be a young model parent rather than have her be the feature of gossip..."
"Sister!" snapped Domyouji. "Are you done yet? You're still stepping on me!"
"Oh, right," Tsubaki removed her foot off his head, and returned to reality from her dreams of priming Tsukushi to be a member of the Domyouji family that was always under the attention of the media. "Anyway, the interview is at 1 pm tomorrow, on the 27th floor of the Domyouji Media complex. You're expected; just ask for the editor - his name is Laguna Loire."
Once again, Tsukushi found herself being shoved around by other people though Tsubaki had meant for it to be good. She was standing in the reception area of the Parenting Today office, waiting for the editor to come and greet them. Domyouji had simply introduced himself as Tsukasa and the receptionist had run screaming for the editor.
The editor - Laguna Loire - returned shortly afterwards with a very dramatic looking lady behind him.
"Mr. Domyouji! I must say I'm very excited to finally have the pleasure of meeting the heir to Domyouji Enterprises. My name is Laguna Loire," he said, grabbing Domyouji's hand and shaking it so violently that Tsukushi was surprised it didn't fall off, "And this is Rita Sukita, who will be interviewing you today. She is -"
"Charmed to meet you, absolutely charmed," said Rita, shoving Laguna out of her way as she grabbed Domyouji's hand and shook it vigorously. "Ah, and the lovely missus too. How do you do?" Without waiting for Tsukushi's answer or for her to correct the fact that she wasn't Domyouji's missus, she proceeded to grab Tsukushi's hand and shook it hard as well. "Please, come this way."
There was really no need for her to ask them to follow her. She had pretty much grabbed their arms and marched them aggressively down the corridor and towards a smaller room. However, before they entered, she had stuck her head into an office and called out, "Bozo. Get the cameras ready."
Once inside, they were seated comfortably into armchairs around a coffee table. The receptionist brought coffee in and Rita Sukita began her attack.
"Now, you wouldn't mind if I recorded this interview? I wouldn't want to miss any of this exclusive, mind-blowing stuff."
"Uh, well -" began Tsukushi, but Rita Sukita pressed the record button anyway. She pulled out a notepad and a pen.
"Okay. So, to begin - introduce a little about yourselves to me; a side of you that the public wouldn't know of. Actually, let's make it more interesting. Introduce each other to me."
Tsukushi felt flustered. She wasn't really used to these types of situations; in fact, this was the first time she was being interviewed.
"Well," began Domyouji smoothly. He was used to this; after all, he had been under the spotlight ever since birth. "It was love at first sight -"
I bet it was for you, thought Tsukushi. I certainly felt otherwise...
"- for her, that is. She fell head over heels for my handsome self from the moment she set her eyes on me. Of course, I only thought of her as a commoner."
"WHAT?" gasped Tsukushi. "That's a load of bull. As a matter of fact, from the moment we met, he had always been abusing me. I hated him. I absolutely hated him. He was the one who stalked me first, and he made my life a living hell. As if I would fall in love with such a monster."
At least I'm telling the truth.
Rita Sukita merely raised her eyebrows at the two contradictory statements. "Do continue."
"But, after a while, her cute antics won my heart over. I always had a soft spot for her in my heart."
"After we met, he kept bullying me more and more and set the whole school's rabid groupies on me."
Tsukushi was getting rather annoyed at the load of tripe Domyouji was making up that placed him in such a positive light. It sounded more like how he reacted to her rather than how she reacted to him.
"Well, how very interesting that the two parties should have such different perspectives. Beauty surely is in the eyes of the beholder," said Rita Sukita, scribbling furiously into her notepad. "Now, how about you describe each other? Like I said, introduce each other to me."
"Makino had always been in love with me. I mean, who wouldn't be? Although it was her one sided love at first, slowly, but surely, I returned the love. Makino may be a crude commoner who doesn't know when to shut her mouth sometimes, but she sure pulls off spectacular martial arts moves. She's courageous, unpretentious and protective of her friends, but while she is crude on the outside, her inside is gold. She's nothing like the other girls I know; they're absolutely crude, inside and out."
Tsukushi was surprised by his sudden change of tact, but wasn't about to let the fact that he had distorted the truth go so easily.
"Domyouji was the one who fell in love with me first - I absolutely hated him. He was a great big bullying git who thought that money would allow him do anything; even control the school. Even the teachers had to submit to his and his cronies' whims. I mean, what kind of stuffed up school is controlled by four students rather than the teachers? But while he may have some violent tendencies, be a bit selfish, can't use complex phrases correctly and enjoys using his power, status and money to bully people, he is also defends those he cares about. But only those he cares about."
Tsukushi was starting to feel a more satisfied with her revenge.
"Oh, very interesting indeed. Now, what are your thoughts on parenthood? A challenge? A hindrance perhaps? Especially to you - your future as the head of Domyouji Enterprises is at stake if you choose to father a child rather than take over the helm." Rita Sukita's pen hovered dangerously on the notepad.
Tsukushi was rather tempted to say, "Child? What child? It was all LIES!" but bit her tongue.
"I would never allow my baby to have a deprived childhood being raised by a cranny."
"He means a nanny," added Tsukushi helpfully. "As you can see, money cannot really buy you vocabulary."
"My childhood was like that, I certainly do not want my child going through what I had to. He will be raised only by his mother and father."
"I see. Now, do you two plan to have a traditional marriage, to strengthen your bonds of love as a family? Or as a hip, young, postmodern couple, do you think that love goes beyond the borders - oh, please do excuse my pun - of an A4 certificate?"
"Of course we are getting married!" snapped Domyouji. "It's a sacred and symbolic matter; it marks Makino as my princess, and I as her prince. It's so the whole world will know that we belong to each other - without it, there is nothing to bind us together."
The interview continued with Rita Sukita asking them questions pertaining to how they plan to raise their child - perhaps like Domyouji's lifestyle? Or like the child's mother's - a survivalist living? Tsukushi gave them a vague answer that went something like she would make sure that the child would understand both.
It was then that Rita Sukita asked a question that Tsukushi had not expected at all.
"Rumour has it that you were a former porn star under the pseudonym of 'Busty Barbie.' Could you please elaborate on that?"
"What the - !" said Tsukushi. Damn you, Rui!
"No, she isn't!" snapped Domyouji heatedly, as if he were the one who was the former porn star, as if he were the one who was called 'Busty Barbie.' "I would never have interest in those kinds of women! Don't you DARE insult me like this. The next time you say something stupid like this, I'm going to strangle you."
Rita Sukita looked very surprised at Domyouji's defense over a rumour that didn't even concern him.
"She was, in fact, an astronaut," continued Domyouji heatedly. "NOT a porn star."
Tsukushi wondered how on earth he thought of that one to 'correct' her former occupation as a porn star. It was totally random and illogical. Even Rita was on the verge of asking if Tsukushi really had been an astronaut, but chose to accept that as fact instead.
"For your information, morons," finished Domyouji in a triumphant manner. "Does it look like Makino has much of a bust to be warranted as 'busty'?"
Tsukushi felt as if she had been slammed by a truck.
On and on the interview went, more and more questions about babies, love, the effect the child would have on the economy, but mostly, the relationship between Domyouji and her. She guessed that was what most readers wanted to know.
Finally, Bozo, the photographer came, and Rita Sukita ordered them around, arranging them in different positions for a shoot. She had said that it would be for the front cover, and that there were going to be different poses for the photos accompanying the text. Most of them involved them in some kind of intimate hug - Domyouji had his arms wrapped around her; they had their arms around each other's waists while Domyouji shielded her protectively; one even had him giving her a piggy-back.
Finally, to Tsukushi's delight, they were finished. Rita Sukita wrapped up her notes, shook their hands, cried out dramatically at how exciting it was to be able to have the chance to interview them, lamented the fact that it could not have been longer, and how she hoped to be able to interview them again in the future. Before Rita Sukita could lament anymore, they had bade farewell to her and to the editor, and managed to escape the stuffiness of the office.
Interviews were so daunting. Tsukushi never wanted to do one again.
To her surprise, Eitoku had once again erupted in a fresh wave of gossip and speculation about her relationship with Domyouji. She wasn't really sure why; don't they get tired of talking about them? There was nothing new anymore; haven't they had enough about the supposed baby?
It was later in the day, during mathematics class, when she found out the reason behind this new wave of interest. Every Eitoku student, none of which were parents nor of parenting age, were reading the latest issue of Parenting Today.
As she copied down notes for equations, Domyouji had once again burst in through the door (as he was used to doing these days) and disrupted the class - without getting into trouble, of course. Her teacher put down his notes as he and the class gazed admiringly at the head honcho of the F4.
"Ma-ki-nooooooooo!" he said in a sing-song voice, ignoring the whole class as it erupted into little squeals of "Domyouji!" (Mimasaka had taught him to be a bit more romantic by not to barking out "Makino" as if it were a command.) "Look at this!"
With that, he shoved everyone out of his way (not that he needed to, they had parted for him like the Red Sea), and wrapped his arms around Tsukushi from behind her. He held up the magazine that he had brought in to her face.
"What the hell?" cried Tsukushi. To sum it up in one word, she was simply blown by the Parenting Today magazine that Domyouji was now waving in front of her face. On the front cover was the gigantic headline - Makino Tsukushi - THE PROCREATION SENSATION. Accompanying it was the picture of her and Domyouji wrapped around each other, her hands around his neck and his around her waist.
She grabbed the magazine off him, and quickly flicked to the cover story.
While there were pictures of her and Domyouji hugging each other in various positions, it was not that, but the story, that really caught her attention. Particular snippets had caught her attention; it seemed to her that because her and Domyouji's statements contradicted each other, Rita Sukita had compromised by making up her own enticing version of events. She probably didn't even use the interview notes.
Domyouji Tsukasa and Makino Tsukushi, Japan's hottest young couple, have made headlines across the country with the announcement of the birth of their baby. Their relationship has been one marred with rumours and speculations; of fights between high ranking members of society over Miss Makino such as the incident between Akamasu Seinosuke and Domyouji Tsukasa; of their very disjunct social classes. Rita Sukita talks to them and founds out more about the real couple beneath the gossip - their love, their relationship, and their child.
Domyouji Tsukasa and Makino Tsukushi had been childhood sweethearts, separated from each other after her father failed to raise enough for his family to live on in the city and so had to move into the countryside. But, before they parted, they had made a promise to meet each other again when they were older - at Eitoku Academy
Tsukushi couldn't help but wonder if Rita Sukita was reading too much Love Hina.
Domyouji was a sweet, kind and caring gentleman who immediately noticed Makino's warmth and friendliness on her return to Eitoku. He immediately pursued her, and a great bond formed between them. Friendship gave way to love; it was a match made in heaven.
Nishikaido and Mimasaka found the untruth in the article particularly amusing, and they made no qualms about it - they had made it a habit to wave it in front of her during lunch and to quote statements from it - particularly how Domyouji was sweet, kind and caring, and that they were a match made in heaven. Domyouji himself was pretty pleased at how the perspective was placed on their relationship.
It was when the announcement of Makino's pregnancy that set their love in stone. They made a promise to each other to raise the child properly, without any care from nannies that Domyouji's wealth could afford him.
Tsukushi couldn't bear to read it anymore; by now, even Hanazawa Rui had burst into fits of laughter, tears rolling down his eyes as Mimasaka screamed out "Match made in heaven!" and Nishikaido sang a song sounding something like "Childhood sweethearts."
She slammed her hands down on their table and snapped, "Quit it."
"Sorry, Makino," laughed Mimasaka, "But aren't you supposed to be more warm and friendly?"
"C'mon, man, leave her alone," said Rui seriously. "She's Tsukasa's childhood sweetheart."
"Whatever," sighed Tsukushi, rolling her eyes. If even Hanazawa Rui were to find this funny, surely, it was the end of the world. "I'm leaving - I can't stand this anymore. Bye."
"Hey, Makino, where're you going?" cried Domyouji, surprised that she would be annoyed at the article.
She ignored him, grabbed her bag and stormed off out of the cafeteria. No more did she want to hear of this sugary nonsense. The students parted for her as they did for Domyouji; it seemed to her that some of them actually believed that the article was true, that they were indeed childhood sweethearts. She thought that they would have known better, given their history of him bullying her - surely, they would know that it wasn't love at first sight?
She made it out of the front gate and stormed out the street; some students were already leaving school because they had no afternoon classes.
Suddenly, a car pulled up next to her. It looked like Domyouji's car - yet, it couldn't've been. He was inside the cafeteria; perhaps he had called them here?
In a swift movement, three men came out and suddenly grabbed her. Tsukushi screamed and struggled, in the process dropping her bag on the floor as she writhed and kicked, bit and punched.
"Help! Get off me, you -"
But one of the men had pulled a handkerchief out and pushed it in her face. Slowly, but surely, she felt herself sinking into unconsciousness...
The three men quickly grabbed her and shoved her inside the car, and then, they sped off.
Next Chapter: Tsukushi - kidnapped! OH NOES! Who kidnapped her? Shigeru? Domyouji Tsukasa? Domyouji Kaede? LORD VOLDEMORT?
Haha. I wonder who Rita Sukita is based off...