Disclaimer: As everyone knows, I do not own the characters from Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flowers. However, I do own Neko, my OC. (Yay! I own something! Mine! Don't touch!) It's still not worth suing me; I am but a humble fan.
Thank you, Kamio-sensei!
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AN: This is completely AU. Not canon! Things are different--deal with it! Don't like, don't read!
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Tea and Saké
A Hana Yori Dango FanFic
By Janice Rips
Chapter 3: Dinner Guests
Tsukushi, Kazuya and Neko had a shared free period one afternoon, and decided to take advantage of the pleasant spring weather and hang out in the courtyard.
"This school is so insular," Neko observed. "How did a couple of normal people like you end up here?"
"My parents forced me to go here," Tsukushi answered. "They're hoping I'll 'marry up'."
"Well, you don't get much more 'up' than Doumyouji-san," Neko said dryly.
"Yes, but at what cost to my sanity?" Tsukushi replied, and the three of them giggled.
"What about you, Kazuya? I mean, obviously you have wealth, but it doesn't seem like you grew up that way."
"You're right. My family were farmers. When my folks sold the farm and went into business, I transferred here. Actually, I grew up with Tsukushi-chan," he explained. "We went to public school together through middle school. Yuki, too," he added. "But how about you, Neko? Why are you here?"
Neko looked a little evasive. "I'm in Japan because I was finishing up my apprenticeship with my grandfather. I spent middle school and my first year of high school in immersion school. I think I ended up here because Nishikado-sama recommended it to Grandfather, although I'm not sure why, since his grandson never attends classes," she noted with a grimace.
"So this isn't what you're used to, either," Tsukushi commented.
"I guess I'm used to it now, but I grew up on military bases around the world until I was 7. Then, when my parents won the lottery, my dad retired from the military and devoted his life to making my mom's dream a reality, so we traveled a lot then, too."
"Sounds exciting!" Kazuya exclaimed.
"Maybe from the outside. The truth is, I changed schools so often, it was hard to make friends, especially places like here, where I look so different from everyone else. And with my dad away looking for new acquisitions so often, and my mom running the winery and brewery, I spent most of my time under the care of a governess."
"That sounds lonely," Tsukushi said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, kinda... Still, how can I be lonely with friends like you?" Neko beamed. "And my parents have promised I can finish high school here, so I won't be moving again anytime soon. Say, why don't you come over for dinner tonight? I'd love to have the company, and we can sample some of the wines my parents make!"
"I'm supposed to work after school," Tsukushi sighed wistfully.
"So, what time do you finish? We could make it a late supper, since there's no school tomorrow. Please say you'll come."
"Hey, does that invitation include us?" said a voice behind her. Neko turned. The voice belonged to Soujiro, and the rest of the F4 were with him.
"Um, sure, if you like. So long as it isn't the entire school. I'm not prepared to deal with that again yet."
"No problem. Hey, working class virgin, shall we pick you up on the way?" he asked Tsukushi.
"Would you please stop calling me that???" she fumed. "Fine. I get done at 7."
"Is Yuki working today, too? Bring her with you," Neko offered. Tsukushi nodded.
Tsukasa had an uncomfortable, embarrassed look on his face, like a child who really wants something, but is afraid to ask. "What is it, Doumyouji?" Neko asked, "Is something wrong?"
"Ah... well... my sister just cam in from L.A., and I promised I'd have dinner with her this evening."
"Tsubaki's in town?" Akira asked excitedly. "How long is she staying?"
"Tsukasa, you should bring her along!" added Soujiro.
"Neko, is that okay with you?" Rui asked. "It's not too much of an imposition?"
"Of course it's okay," Neko replied, "if she doesn't mind. I mean, she just got in, and I'd understand if she'd rather not. We can do this some other time."
"Don't worry," Tsukushi laughed, "She'd love to meet you. Tsubaki is... an experience."
"Yeah, my folks should have named her 'Tsunami' instead," Tsukasa chuckled.
"Okay, then. It's settled. I'll see you all a little after 7 pm."
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Neko waited for her guests in a small sitting room with comfortable buff leather couches and Navajo rugs on the walls. Simon, her major domo, brought her guests in, and Tsukasa introduced Neko to his sister, Tsubaki. The two of them hit it off immediately, chatting amiably about the L.A. music scene and shopping on Rodeo Drive. A server circled the room, offering flutes of sparkling amber liquid, golden as the sun. Neko offered a toast, "To my new friends! Thank you all for coming to my home!"
As soon as everyone sipped their wine, a babble of conversation broke out. "Ooh, this is nice!" "Not exactly what I was expecting, though." "What is this?" "Is this an Asti?" "Neko, where is your folks' vineyard?"
Neko laughed merrily. "We don't own any vineyards. There aren't any grapes in anything my family produces."
Only Rui looked unsurprised. Akira looked at Neko quizzically. "No grapes? In any of your wines? Why not?"
"Because if I'm to inherit the business someday, I need to be familiar with our entire line," she explained.
"Forgive me for being slow on the uptake, but I'm afraid I still don't understand."
"It's the same reason I always bring lunch to school instead of buying. I have a severe allergy to grapes," she clarified.
A look of understanding passed among her guests, then Soujiro asked, "Then what, exactly, are we drinking?"
"It's one of our special floral series. That's our sparkling dandelion wine," she said with an amused grin at their astonished faces.
"Wait a second... you gave us wine made from weeds?!?" Tsukasa exclaimed.
Neko put her hands on her hips and skewered him with her green gaze. "Excuse me, Doumyouji Tsukasa, but do you mean to tell me that you, of all people, do not understand the inherent value of a weed?" She winked at Tsukushi, who was standing there with her arms crossed and was obviously trying to maintain a stern countenance, despite the laughter bubbling inside her.
Tsukasa turned red as a beet. "Oh! Uh... er... no, of course... that is... I didn't mean it that way..." he stammered.
"Besides," Neko continued as though he hadn't spoken, "the question really isn't 'What's in it?', it's 'Do you like it?'"
"Um... yeah, it's pretty good," he admitted, amidst the laughter of his friends.
In high spirits, the group trooped into the dining room. Tsukushi hung back, pulling Tsubaki aside. "So, Tsubaki-san, what do you think of our Kitten?"
"Kitten? Oh, Neko-chan, right. She certainly is something. I don't think I've ever seen anyone put my brother in his place quite like that."
"Neither have I. She certainly has a knack for it," Tsukushi replied.
"Tsukushi-chan, you're not worried, are you?" Tsubaki asked, concerned.
Tsukushi laughed. "Honestly? I'm not. I have no doubts about Doumyouji, and I really don't think she's interested in him in that way. No," she smiled, "I think she just gets a kick out of teasing him. It's like watching a cat bait a large dog."
"They go at it like siblings," Tsubaki observed fondly.
"That's it exactly!" Tsukushi agreed, "But more like twins than an older/younger dynamic. They even look a lot alike."
"Hmm, you're right. You say she's half-Japanese?" Tsubaki inquired.
"Uhuh. Her mother's side of the family is Yanagizaké."
"Really? That's out in Kumamoto. What's she doing in Tokyo?" Tsubaki asked, startled.
"Apparently, her grandfather and Soujiro's are old friends. It was on his recommendation that her parents sent her to Eitoku," Tsukushi explained.
"Is that so? Hmm..." Tsubaki mused.
"Hey, are you two gonna yap all night, or are you gonna come eat?" Tsukasa poked his head in from the dining room.
Tsukushi's face lit up. "We'll eat!!!" she answered enthusiastically, and dragged Tsubaki to the table.
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AN: I'm finally beginning to feel human again. And even though I've gotten no feedback thus far, I will bravely plug along. Things will definitely get interesting, starting next chapter, promise.
Tanpopo is the Japanese name for dandelion. It was also the name of a wonderfully authentic little hole-in-the-wall ramen restaurant in the town where I went to college. It's gone now, which is a real shame. I still think of it whenever dandelions are in season. Now I'm craving soy sauce eggs (kind of like tea eggs or 100-year-old eggs). There's a good recipe by Ming Tsai on Food Network, but I want somebody to make them for me. I'm such a spoiled brat. Bye-bye!