Chapter 16:
Sayuri stretched her arms out in front of her as she tried to bite back a yawn. The final piece had finished and everyone was beginning to make their way out of the theatre. She wasn't really yawning because she had found the performance boring, far from it really, but who wouldn't get tired sitting in one place for two hours?
She turned in her seat to smile up at Kyoya, who had already stood and was cleaning his glasses, still blissfully unaware of the stains on his lips, which only served to widen her smile. He finally finished and offered his hand to help her up, which she took gladly. "I believe you promised me dinner my lady." He mentioned as a uniformed man opened up the door out of the box for them.
"Um…sir." The man motioned to his lips.
Kyoya blinked in confusion before raising a finger to his own lips and grimaced at what he felt. "Perhaps we should freshen up first." He grumbled as he made his way to the men's bathroom, attempting to ignore Sayuri's giggles.
Once the couple had applied more lipstick and got rid of some respectively, they rejoined in the lobby where again they were forced to mingle among the crowd.
The wife of one of Nitta Corp's business associates couldn't help on commenting on how 'adorable' they looked together, and when they would be announcing the birth of some new heirs!
Thankfully they managed to get away from her with vague answers and well wishing as well as plying her with more champagne (not that she hadn't had enough already).
They finally got to their limo and she told him where to drive when Kyoya raised an eyebrow and smiled, "So how many 'heirs' will we be producing Sayuri-san?" he asked cheekily.
Bright red, Sayuri stuttered, "H-how s-should I know? I can't believe she asked that… How can you?"
He simply chuckled and said, "Relax, if that's all it takes to get you flustered I may have to prepare you for worse."
Pursing her lips in annoyance she crossed her arms and asked, "And what would I need to be prepared for?"
Pushing up his glasses in thought he offered, "Scandals, surprise press conferences, intense parental interviews, peer pressure, you name it. You are no longer simply the heir to Nitta Corp Sayuri, but also the fiancée of an Ootori. And if I have my way, the future wife of the Ootori heir."
She tilted her head as she rested it in her hand, observing him for a moment. "Alright I'll give you that. But Kyoya-senpai… You're not the heir yet. Is there anything I can do to help you?" she asked sincerely.
He blinked at her earnestness before letting out a light chuckle. "Thank you Sayuri-san. But for the moment what you are doing is just fine."
"Hmm…" She murmured as she stared out her window listlessly.
Kyoya didn't know what to make of that so just shrugged it off and waited out the silence until they arrived at their destination.
"Ah, I should have known." He commented as he stepped out in front of the restaurant known only as 'N'.
Sayuri smirked, "Oh don't pretend, I know full well you did know. Besides, how could I not take my fiancée, on our first date no less, to Nitta Corp's most famous and most delectable restaurant in Japan?"
"Oh no, I was positive we'd be dining on foot at one of those charming commoner's noodle carts." He flashed a Host smile at her as he held the door open for her.
Her eyebrow twitched but she refrained from commenting on the little 'joke', instead talking to the man at the stand and saying simply, "Nitta, table for two."
"Of course Nitta-sama, right this way." He bowed as he personally escorted them to not to one of the few tables available on the floor, but in the back where there was an elevator that took them up to the second floor of the restaurant. This floor was a lot darker and relied mainly on candle light from real candles scattered on the tables and lamps. There were far fewer tables as well and the chairs looked substantially more comfortable with a view of the city to boot. This was due to the two walls made entirely of glass, but not your standard glass. This was tailored for the rich and famous, so one can only see out, and not in. Safe from the peering eyes of fans, paparazzi, or even snipers heaven forbid, thanks to the bullet proof second layer of glass.
The man attempted to draw out a chair for Sayuri, but was stopped when he saw a flash of glare on Kyoya's glasses, and so left it up to him before taking out a note pad and pen. "How may I serve you?"
Sayuri thought for a moment before deciding, "I'll have my usual platter with a tall glass of your best iced tea."
"And which tea would you like Nitta-sama?" the waiter asked hesitantly.
She simply raised an eyebrow and repeated, "Your best."
He then nodded and turned to Kyoya who was still reading the menu. Seeing his hesitation (albeit brief), Sayuri interjected, "Do you mind fish senpai? We have a wonderfully spicy platter with salmon, rice and vegetables."
He flashed her his best Hosting smile and replied, "If that's what you think is best Sayuri-san. This is your family's restaurant after all."
She simply chuckled and told the waiter, "He'll have that then."
"And what shall you drink sir?" The waiter inquired.
"Whatever wine goes best with the dish." He dismissed.
"Of course. Excuse me while I prepare your orders." The uniformed man bowed before retreating to the elevator once again.
Sayuri raised an eyebrow and stated, "I never took you for a wine man senpai."
"I do enjoy it when it comes to fine dishes. They simply compliment them. And I'd prefer if you'd refrain from calling me 'senpai', especially since we are not at school, and we have a little closer relationship than a usual senpai and underclassman." He smirked ever so slightly.
"Hm, if you prefer Kyoya-se-sa- er san." She stumbled lamely and directed her eyes away in embarrassment, instead fingering her ring.
He did not comment her stumbling on the new honorific to his name, instead simply glanced around him at the fellow patrons of the secret second level of N. To him, there was simply a pause in conversation, but to Sayuri, it was the longest most awkward stretch of silence ever. It didn't help that she had almost no idea what she was supposed to be doing. She'd never been on a date before, though once at a family/company outing, a business associate's son escorted her.
Thankfully she was saved by their waiter returning with a cart. He placed before Sayuri one long rectangular plate with an assortment of sushi, but mostly rolls of ikura (raw salmon eggs over white rice and wrapped in seaweed), with a side of miso soup. In front of Kyoya, he set a platter of fish that had a spicy orange tinge to it that had a sauce drizzled over it accompanied by a stir fry of rice and veggies. Then the man placed a wine glass and poured a white wine for him, fresh from a bucket of ice. Finally he put some ice into a tall straight glass and cut a lemon, spritzing a little of its juice over the ice before pouring a clear light green liquid from a pitcher over the ice and then to complete the drink, wedged a lemon circle on the edge of the glass.
"Your tea Nitta-sama." He set it to her right and bowed before standing back, obviously waiting on an opinion.
She ran her finger around its edge and smiled at the tune it made before lifting it up and taking a whiff from its edge. Then, slowly sipping it, she considered the taste even after the liquid had left her mouth, contemplating the aftertaste. There was not one.
Smiling in satisfaction, Sayuri nodded to the waiter, who then smiled nervously. "The 'summer afternoon tea' is it not? My mother did quite well with the lemon not actually in the tea and the sugar she used was just right to take the edge off. It makes one forget that it's actually fall… Thank you. That will be all for now."
Once the man had left Kyoya couldn't help but comment as he picked up his chopsticks, "And here I thought I knew everything about you Sayuri-san. A tea connoisseur as well?"
She simply smiled as she balanced her own set of utensils in her hand and replied, "I believe we've already proven you don't know me as well as you'd like to think Kyoya-san. But as for tea, yes, I have to be. Nitta Corp got its first start as a tea house and we still are the main supplier of tea houses in Japan. In fact we just closed a partnership with Starbucks in launching a new chain of cafés, starting in this country. Café Diem, we decided to call it. Starbucks agrees to sell our tea products at its cafés and we promise to do the same with their coffee in ours. Once we get a good start, we'll be launching in other countries."
"Impressive. Though I really shouldn't be surprised with Hatsumomo-sama leading. Even my father has spoken of her potent managing and administrative abilities. And I can see that you take after her much." He raised his glass in tribute before taking a sip.
She forced a smile and replied simply, "You give me too much credit."
Their conversation continued on through their meal and they were mulling over if they wanted dessert or not when suddenly a high pitched shriek rang through the room, turning heads.