The Arrangement
Chapter 2: Introducing Your Fiancé
Takashi was standing in his room staring at several suits on the bed in front of him, his mother had told him to pick out a nice suit for the dinner party they were having in a few hours. And at that party he would be meeting the girl his parents wanted him to marry.
That is if he could pick out a stupid suit in time. Not that he was nervous no, not at all. He just wanted to make a good impression, yeah that was all. Another 20 minutes had passed and Takashi hadn't moved from staring at his clothes, when a maid walked by.
The maid had known Takashi all her life as her mother had been a maid to the Morinozuka household as well. She was treated just like a member of the family here as they had all watched her grow and she only worked as a maid during the summer.
"Mori-sempai? What are you doing?"
"Ah, nothing Akio." She set down the laundry she had been carrying and walked over to look at the spread out clothes as well.
"Hmmm, here how about this?" Akio picked out a pair of black slacks, a red button up shirt, a black suit jacket with a black tie. She held them out to Takashi and he took them nodding. Then she turned to rummage through the basket and pulled out a pair of black socks.
"Here, and you can wear those nice dress shoes from Prague." Once again he nodded his thanks. "Good luck with tonight, Mori-sempai."
"Yeah." Akio smiled and grabbed her basket and left.
Unfortunately Toushi wasn't having such a good time with her clothes, or hair, or make-up. Arisu Tanaka was the Nakamura family stylist. She was an elderly woman who despite her age has kept up with the day's currant fashion. And while Toushi likes her fashion sense she and her mother don't see eye to eye on that particular topic and her mother is the one who gives the stylist her instructions for how Toushi gets dressed for events.
"Ugh! Do I really have to wear this?" The young heiress was standing in front of a mirror wearing a floor-length dress that had an under-dress of purple with a pink piece over it, this part came a little above the neckline of purple but didn't connect across her chest instead came to a sculpted point at the sides of either breast. Just under her chest were a gray silk ribbon and the rest of the pink part hung down to about her ankles except a slit all the way up to her knees. The purple hung all the way to the floor and pooled around it.
The first problem was that she hated long dresses. And the color pink. Actually the only thing she remotely liked about it was that it was, on second thought there wasn't anything she liked, she even hated that it was strapless because it made her self-conscious. With a sigh she resigned herself to her fate.
"Just don't mess my hair up to badly." Arisu just patted her shoulder sadly and sat her down in a chair.
It took about an hour to twist and tease her hair into the style her mother had chosen, which in both their opinions was ugly. Her hair sat in a sort of boxy bun on top of her head which was held in place with a long pin with a row of metal flowers across it. On either side of her face was a single curl that hung down. Her part was left side and that side had two pale pink bow clips, one right under the other.
"Well here, just this pink lipstick and some mascara, annnnd Tada!" With another sigh Toushi stood up and slipped her feet into same pink flats just when her mother walked in.
"Ah good job Arisu, she looks perfect." Kyoko was practically glowing so it was all the two of them could to smile back. "Come on sweetheart we have to go or we'll be late." With a last helpless look over her shoulder at the elderly stylist the young girl was whisked off.
Takashi was standing in the dining room watching his mother fuss over the table setting. The Nakamura's were suppose to be there any minute and he was just as nervous as his mother but he was better at hiding it. Then there was the sound of a car pulling in the driveway and suddenly Takashi's stomach twisted itself into knots.
"Mother, I have to use the bathroom." Kazumi looked shocked for a moment before a look of comprehension dawned on her face.
"Sigh, fine but hurry, hurry!" Immediately he left the room for the closest bathroom, where he stared at himself in the mirror. His clothes were pressed and crisp, his hair was still messy but there really wasn't any other way that it looked good. Satisfied with his appearance Takashi took a calming breath and walked back down the hall.
He paused with his hand on the door-handle and firmly reminded himself, "I am a Host."
The car ride had been nerve racking, nobody spoke and that just made her anxiety rise, but it was over all too soon and they were pulling into the Morinozuka estate's driveway. They rang the doorbell which was immediately answered by Hisoka Morinozuka-san himself
"Ah welcome, welcome come in. Make yourselves at home." The two men shook hands and Hisoka kissed Kyoko's hand before turning towards Toushi.
"Aha! Little Toushi Nakamura, how wonderful to see you again." My manners acted on their own, completely forgetting how nervous I was
"Hello Morinozuka-san, thank-you so much for inviting us." I smiled at him. He laughed,
"Oh no, Hisoka is just fine no need to be that formal."
"Of course not Hisoka-san. Where is Miss Kazumi?"
"She's waiting in the dining room, this way everybody." He led us through a few hallways until we came to the dining room. "Well lets go met my wife and son." Everyone else looked so calm but I'm sure they all heard the furious pounding of my heart. However when the door was open only Miss Kazumi was there, and she greeted us all with hugs.
"Don't worry Takashi just had to go to the bathroom, he'll be right back. Everyone please take a seat." I was ushered to my seat by a waiter and just as the adults began some small talk the door creaked open.
"I am a host. I can do this." Finally I pushed open the door with a slight creak, interrupting the small conversation. My eyes slide over the faces of my parents and Ichirou-san and his wife Miss Kyoko. Then I saw the last person in the room, and my brain completely shut down. She's beautiful that's all there is to it, while her hairstyle might not be that attractive it still looked like the softest thing in the world. And her eyes, my goodness her eyes were simply breath taking and I was only at a distance.
"Wow." I had to get closer to see them better, and I immediately made my way over to her. She looked a bit stunned that I was making a beeline towards her, but who wouldn't? I stopped when I reach the table as she was on the other side and I was close enough to see the sparkle in her eyes. Then I heard my name, as if from very far away and with great difficultly I tried to focus on it.
"Takashi?" oh, I was my mother.
"Hn." She giggled
"Come now Takashi, mind your manners and introduce yourself to our guests." I turned toward the Nakamura's and held out my hand.
"Hello Ichirou-san." We shook hands and then I extended it towards the lady.
"Miss Kyoko, welcome." And with a brief kiss to the back of her hand I walked to the other side of the table and held it out to the beauty before me.
"You must be Toushi Nakamura." Oh please, oh please be her. She smiled at me,
"Yes I am, and you must be Takashi Morinozuka." I don't think I've ever liked hearing my own name quite so much as when she said it. Without even thinking about it I bent over and pressed my lips against her cheek,
"Yes, I am."
The door creaked open to reveal a young man in a black suit with a red button up shirt; my favorite colors have never looked as good as they did at that very moment. But I think he could have been wearing a yellow duck costume and still looked amazing. His features were very refined and his hair looked awesome all over the place and I had a sudden urge to touch his silky locks for myself. And he was so tall; I would barely reach his chest.
But none of that mattered when he finally looked at me, my heart which had been going a million miles an hour just a moment ago had completely stopped. I was entranced by his gaze, it was so intense and he was looking right at me. I hardly even noticed he had moved until he was standing right in front of me. Unfortunately the moment was broken when his mother told him to introduce himself and while he greeted my parents I tried to calm down.
"Relax, he's just a normal guy no need to get all excited." But it was all for not, because when he turned towards me I forgot how to breathe all over again. Never before had I been so glad that I had manners hardwired into my head. When he extended his hand towards me I reacted instinctively and placed my hand in his.
"You must be Toushi Nakamura." He knows my name; this is the best thing ever.
"Yes I am, and you must be Takashi Morinozuka" Oh please, oh please be him. At that moment he bent down towards me and pressed his lips against my cheek. And my god his lips were so soft and warm.
"Yes, I am."
After Takashi's lips left her cheeks a pink blush rose to Toushi's cheeks.
"A pleasure to meet you Takashi-san." He raised an eyebrow at her a replied,
"The pleasure is mine, Miss Toushi." The two's parents were all beaming as Takashi took his seat and dinner was served. After the first few bites a conversation was once again started among the adults.
"So Hisoka-san how's that new business deal with-"but neither teenager was listening; Takashi was trying very hard not to stare at Toushi while she was trying her hardest to sneak looks at him without anyone noticing. The meal was finish without another word from both teens, and the group moved into the sitting room. It was Hisoka, who spoke first,
"Now Takashi, Toushi I'm sure you don't want to listen to us old folk ramble on any longer, so Takashi why don't you take Toushi on a tour of the garden?" The boy nodded at his father and stood up as did Toushi.
The pair walked down several hallways in silence until they reach a glass door which opened into a lovely garden.
"Wow this is so beautiful." Nervousness forgotten Toushi gushed over the different color roses and willow trees. "You're so lucky, Takashi-san this is so much prettier than our garden at home." He stared at her for a moment before nodding,
"Come this way." Takashi grabbed the girl's hand gently before leading her down a side path, the end of the path opened into small pool. It was about ten feet by 20; it wasn't a swimming pool but a sort of reflection pond. Growing atop it was bunches and bunches of pink water lilies but in the spaces with anything on them the surface of the water was as still as glass. And the thing that made it so breathtaking was how those open parts reflected the stars. It looked as if the pool really was filled with twinkling lights.
"Oh wow, it's gorgeous." Toushi was amazed by the image before her. While Takashi was entranced by another sight, from the moment they had entered this part of the garden he had had eyes only for her.
"Yes, it is." Toushi turned to look at him a slight frown on her lips and her brow furrowed,
"Takashi-san, what are we going to do about our parents, um arrangement?" she blushed as she finished her sentence, as it was rather awkward. Takashi stared at her for a moment before,
"I don't know." He paused then realized that Toushi was expecting more. "I don't know you very well, and I can't say that I want to marry you." She looked a bit put out by Takashi's seemingly cold words.
"But, I can't say that I wouldn't want to marry you." He glanced at her. "why don't we just see where this goes."
"Yeah, I would like that." The boy gently took her hand and began leading her back indoors.
"I think are parents who like to know this." Toushi gave a small smile and nod which Takashi mirrored.
"Well this is excellent news you two." Takashi' mother was quite pleased that the two of them didn't hate each other. The other adults were nodding in agreement. With a clap of his hands Ichirou stood,
"Well it's getting late, come Kyoko, Toushi. Thank you Hisoka-san, we'll see you all at the cocktail party next week yes?"
"Of course." Was the response of the other man, "It was lovely to see you all. Goodnight." As everyone exchanged good-byes the teen gave each other soft smiles before parting.
Back in the Nakamura's car Toushi's mother turned toward her daughter,
"Well dear, what did you think of Takashi?" the girl paused for a moment, raising her fingers to her cheek.
"He was, nice."
After waving the Nakamura family out the door Hisoka and Kazumi turned to their son,
"Did you like her Takashi?" Instead of answering the boy turned away, walking to his room. But in his head he thought,
"She was, nice."