Two Months Later:

Inez was apprehensive as the airplane was about to land. She wasn't sad about missing the last week of classes, or even leaving for a year. She didn't mesh well with the Ivy league The only person she would miss, Margaret, would be going to Ecuador for a year anyways.

Margaret had been her saving grace her since 5th grade, when they met. They were both new students that fall, and had been clumped together, and had been inseparable ever since. It was Margaret who funded their trip from Detroit to Connecticut saying that she wanted to have a road trip, but Inez really knew that Margaret wanted to make sure she got a chance to take the scholarship exam.

Margaret also took the exam, but heroically stood up in the middle of the exam and exclaimed: "Fuck this, I'm out." And walked out of the room.

Inez squirmed uncomfortably again, in her new clothes. For the plane ride she had dark blue matchstick jeans, gray flats, a feldgrau gray cardigan and a black v-neck tee. She was never one to dress poorly, but she never dressed nicely. Her wardrobe of J-Crew and other relatively upscale brands was not comforting, but she did appreciate them and trusted that it would make a better impression on her host family. The clothes definitely complimented her body though, she noticed. She was not a pencil thin girl, she had curves, but she was tall so it evened out nicely. Dressing nicely somehow made her dark, long, curly, pulled back into a bun hair style look classy and the dress complimented her ivory skin, rather than making her look pale and sick like her band t-shirts did. The only that was hidden, in the only feminine vanity you would likely see her admit, was her bright blue eyes were diminished in the luminosity a bit. Someone would really have to be looking to notice their brilliance.

It was upon the insistence of Dr. Assad, Professor Assad's wife, that she get an entirely new wardrobe. She wasn't subtle about it either,

"You dress poorly, and you'll be staying with rich people."

"Oh…"
"Come on, get in the car, we're going shopping."

"But…I have class, now."

"I know. I arranged for your T.A. to cover for you." Only later did Inez learn that Dr. Assad paid her T.A. to say she was there, even though it was a class that didn't take attendance, but then, she just sighed and got into the passenger side of the car.

Her grandson, Billy, sat in the backseat. He was four and was visiting his grandma for the day while his mother had a mental health day.

"We're going to make you look pretty!" He exclaimed, with a slightly sadistic ring to it.

Inez just turned around and smiled uncomfortably. Billy was strapped to his car seat, but something about it just seemed that it was there for a decoration, not a safety device.

At the department store, she learned of Mori, and how they were trying to hook the two of them up.

Dr. Assad had given her a particularly slutty business suit to try on, as she came stumbling out of the dressing room, Dr. Assad weighed the outfit.

"I wonder if the heels are tall enough, Mori is pretty tall and we want him to see your cleavage."

"Wha-?"

"If you give her taller heels, I could probably see up her skirt Grandma!" Billy exclaimed, bending backwards to give it a shot.

"Ah! No, you're four!"

"I'm just thinking maybe if Mori had bent over…maybe." He pouted.

"Who is Mori? Why does he need to see my privates?" Inez suddenly demanded.

"Well aren't we getting snippy?" Dr. Assad replied in her 'I'm a Yale Doctor' voice she used usually on special occasions only.

"Mori is the Grandson of the man who is funding your Oriental adventure, missy."

"You mean Professor Assad's BFF's grandson-"

"BFFE." Dr. Assad and Billy interjected in unison.

"BFFE's grandson," Inez corrected, "and you're trying to hook me up with him?"

Dr. Assad and Billy looked at each other.

"Well, see that the Assad and Morinozuka sperm count has been surprisingly Y-chromosome exclusive," Dr. Assad began to explain, "there have been no females born to either side and Tamman and his BFFE have always dreamed of tying the families together through matrimony…and since there are no girls and you are like a daughter to us – "

"Am I being sent to Japan to be betrothed?!"

"In essence." Billy muttered.

"Don't feel pressured though! It's just a pipe dream of theirs, even though you two would be increeedible for each other! You're both so broody and mysterious and angry looking."

Inez furrowed her eyes, "I resent that."

"See!" Dr. Assad squealed, pulling Billy into a giant hug, "wouldn't Mori just look so cute standing behind her looking indifferent?!"

Inez looked defeated, but decided that she wasn't really surprised by the secret intention, that she was getting a free trip to Japan, and at least she knew before hand that they wanted her to get together with a guy named Mori.

She just sighed and only minimally interfered with the outfits Dr. Assad and Billy picked out for her, she just wanted to make sure certain body parts were adequately covered.