"I can assure you that he's the best. We will have no problem dealing with him. I already agreed with him on the price."
Anne nodded, a small smile tugging her lips.
"That's good to hear. Tell me Hojo, how did you know about that man?"
The young man smiled, sitting on the comfortable couch in front of her desk. He stared at her for a few seconds, smiling proudly.
"A friend of mine told me about him. He is very cold and cruel. He won't find any difficulty in his mission. He has done it millions of time before. You should have seen him Anne. He's a monster hiding behind a man."
Anne nodded again, leaning back on her chair, her arms crossed in front of her.
"Excellent. But we must be careful Hojo. Do you trust him enough?"
"It's not a matter of trust, Anne." Hojo answered. "The important factor is the job he was assigned to do, and he will do it perfectly, and that, I trust."
The businesswoman laughed before she got up from her seat, inching towards the little bar in the corner.
"Would you like something to drink?" she asked him as she grabbed two glasses. "In such cases, celebration is necessary. There are so many things to celebrate Hojo, so many things…"
Hojo shook his head negatively and watched her as she poured the drink to herself. She then turned around and looked at him.
"I have never imagined you capable of hiring a hit man Hojo. I must confess that you have surprised me." She finally said, a small smirk gracing her features. Her eyes never left his as she took a small gulp from her drink. "But again, I have never imagined myself capable of doing the things I have done since my daughter's death. Let us say that we both surprised each other. And we will soon surprise Naraku and Taisho."
The businessman sitting in front of her laughed along with her.
"They are so occupied in their personal lives that they won't even notice what's going on until it is too late, Anne. And about our dear Mercedes, let me tell you that this Tiger guy is really really scary, you see…"
"Tiger?" she exclaimed, her eyes suddenly wide, the glass she was holding trembling between her fingers like a leaf in the wind. Hojo looked at her, a little taken back by her sudden outburst.
"Yes, do you know him?" he asked, curiosity making its way into his system. Anne's reaction was clearly unpredictable. The older woman carefully placed her drink back on the bar and ran a hand through her hair, her eyes scanning everything around her as if she was facing a lethal danger.
"No…" she hesitantly answered, her brows furrowed in what looked as concern."It's just…something silly." She mumbled her eyes still unfocused.
Hojo got up, feeling some sort of tension.
"Then why were you so surprised when I told you his name? Please Anne, if you're hiding something; tell me, it could be valuable…"
She looked at him, concern in her eyes. She rubbed her hands together, trying to ease the tension coursing through her body, making her shiver.
"This…This Tiger, how old is he?" she finally asked, her voice broken and low.
Hojo stared at her in surprise. She was clearly scared. No, scared was an underestimation of the state the strong woman in front of him was in. She was terrified, traumatized. But the question was why? Did she know him? And if she did, why was she so scared?
"Why would it matter?" he finally asked, looking at her in suspicion. She shook her head.
"Just tell me, how old is he?" she practically begged, still looking at him. Hojo shrugged, his brows furrowing in concentration.
"I don't know, maybe twenty two, twenty three, not older I guess."
She bit her bottom lip, her expression darkening a little.
"Tell me more about him." She barely whispered her face paler than usual. Hojo gulped, feeling suddenly nervous. Were they in danger? Did he get involved with the wrong man?
"He's tall, he has black hair, blue eyes, he's not so bad looking either, and from what I heard, he used to be rich but Naraku ruined his family and now he's a hired criminal…"
"Cancel the job!" Anne suddenly shouted, moving towards her desk in quick strides. Hojo stared in shock as she grabbed her phone. "Call him and cancel the job right now!" she yelled again, yanking her phone open and tossing it towards a stunned Hojo. "Now!"
"Why?" he asked, getting up, frustration building inside of him. He needed to know why the normally cold woman was acting as if she was weak. "What's wrong with you? Don't you want Mercedes out of our way? Or are you scared now that we're finally so near?"
"You're such a fool!" she exclaimed, looking at him. "Why didn't you consult me before choosing him?"
"What's wrong with him?" Hojo yelled back, feeling nervous all of sudden. "What's this mistake that I have done by choosing him?"
Anne collapsed on her seat, feeling suddenly old and tired. She took a deep breath and replied in a much calmer voice.
"He knew Kagome…" she finally whispered, her voice ragged and pitiful. Hojo looked at her, stunned by her confession. Silence stretched between the two before he was finally able to reply.
"He knew her? How?"
Anne laughed bitterly, shaking her head as if to clear the unwanted memories of her daughter.
"My daughter loved him."
"She loved him?" Hojo wondered, his head shaking negatively. "That's impossible. She would never love something like him, a monster, a disgrace…"
"But she did…" Anne replied. "She loved him in her own innocent way until she found out that he was no other than Tiger. The feared criminal, the ruthless killer, the monster… And if Tiger sees Mercedes, he will soon notice the stunning similarity between the two. And this scares me a lot."
"Why?" Hojo mumbled his voice weak. Anne's eyes met his and what he saw made him all the guilt that was already eating him from the inside resurfaces.
"Because he loved her, too."
"That's excellent!" The director yelled. "Good job everyone."
Kagome and Rubin signed in relief as they made their way towards the nearest table to the stage. Rubin collapsed on the chair, wiping away the beads of sweat that had gathered on his forehead. He took a deep breath.
"Tired?" Kagome asked, looking at him. He nodded and watched as the club was opened to the public.
"Are you still angry with me?" she asked again, still looking at him.
"I am not mad at you Mercedes, just frustrated. Let us not talk about this okay? We finally finished the shooting and I need to relax."
Mercedes nodded silently, scanning her surroundings with her eyes. She soon spotted a man heading towards them.
"Great!" Rubin murmured, "Can't have five minutes break now can I?" he then stood up and smiled.
"Mr. Black, what an honor!" the singer exclaimed, motioning for the journalist to sit down. Once seated, the older man looked at Mercedes.
"You were incredible tonight, now I am fully aware why Rubin chose you for Princess of my Heart."
"Thank you, I am honored that your opinion is so high in me."
The journalist nodded before taking a small recorder and pressing the play button.
"So Rubin…" he immediately started, knowing of the impatience character of the star."Tell me, now that the shooting is over, what do you intend to do?"
Rubin smiled, reaching for his discarded drink.
"I don't know. I have not thought of that before. My whole concentration was on the production of princess of my heart. But don't worry; my agenda will soon be fully booked."
"I see, and what about you Mercedes, what do you intend to do, now that you have starred the video clip of a hit song?"
Kagome nodded, smiling.
"I don't know. We'll see."
"Rubin, what about your personal life? You always told us that you were fully dedicated to your work but there are several affairs in your life that prove your words wrong. For instance, everyone wants to know about you and Karla."
Rubin's face darkened in anger.
"I will not comment on this subject."
"What about you and Mercedes? There are photos of you and her kissing. What about that?"
"Please…" Kagome started, "we do not wish to discuss that."
The journalist shook his head negatively.
"Rubin, don't you think that your fans have the right to know about your personal life?"
Rubin rolled his eyes. Old tactics to make him talk.
"I love my fans and I am sure that they love me back. They love my songs, my voice, and my music; however, I would like to keep my personal life as personal as I can."
"What about your relationship with Mr. Taisho?" Black countered, studying Rubin's reactions. "It was known that the famous businessman Taisho held a romantic relationship with the model Karla. In addition, Taisho is your manager: you slept with Karla while she was still in relationship with him. Hasn't that affected your relationship?"
"My relationship with Taisho is a business relationship. As a businessman, Taisho knows how to separate business from pleasure."
Black smiled maliciously. It was time to provoke the star furthermore.
"And do you Rubin? Do you separate business from pleasure? Every model you filmed with was somehow involved romantically with you. Is it one of the reasons to choose your heroine?"
"No comment." Rubin cut him, his face serious and contracted.
"Miss Mercedes, is it true that for a short period of time, you were Mr. Taisho's personal secretary?"
Kagome who was silently watching the interview was surprised by the question. For a few moments she evaluated her answer before nodding.
"Yes, I was."
"But you quit, is that true?"
"Yes, it's true." She replied before feeling the urge to justify. The look on the journalist face made her assume the worst. "I did not really find myself in the world of business so I decided to quit this job and do something that would be more entertaining.
"Isn't it a coincidence that your boss was the one to manage this video clip? What did you think when you knew that a man who has won several awards as a businessman has become a manager for a singer?"
Kagome looked at Rubin, feeling suddenly uneasy with all these questions. The young star caught her look.
"Mr. Black…"he started, smiling at the journalist, "I am sorry, but Mercedes and I are really tired. We have spent the whole day shooting and we are completely spent. Can we postpone this interview? We'll talk more about everything when we return home."
The journalist didn't argue. In fact, he already had all what he wanted. Once he left, Rubin took a big gulp of his drink.
"That asshole. He knows how to push my buttons. But I was serious when I said that I was really tired Mercedes. It was not easy to lift you over and over again, and to hear that director yell 'cut' over and over again. I can't feel my shoulder anymore."
Kagome giggled, remembering how he would either lift her wrong or too early, or in a way that didn't seem adequate for the director's point of view and perspective.
"I swear that he wanted me dead." Rubin continued, standing up. "Come on; let's go back to the hotel."
Mercedes looked at him for a few moments before shaking her head negatively.
"No, you go. I will stay here a little bit. I am not sleepy."
"I can't leave you here on your own. Come on, let's go." Rubin insisted, extending his hand towards her. Again, she refused.
"Please, I want to be alone tonight. I just want to think. Please Rubin, I always go clubbing on my own. Just go."
The star sighed heavily. He knew that he would not be able to change her mind even if he wanted to.
"Fine, just be careful okay."
Kagome smiled, looking up at him.
"Okay daddy."
He snorted, flashing his trademark smile that would make any girl go weak in the knees. She simply laughed, watching him make his way towards between the crowds. Once he was out of site, her smile disappeared, her eyes growing tired. Naraku had tried to speak to her earlier but she refused even to acknowledge his presence.
He simply told her that he was going back home and that he was expecting her to follow him as soon as she finishes shooting the video clip. As if she would ever go back to him, that monster. She didn't even want to know why he was in such a hurry to go back, probably another illegal business he had to tend for, that asshole.
However, as much as she hated to confess, she didn't hate him. She didn't. It was stupid and naïve of her part not to, but she couldn't bring herself to detest the man that was like her older brother for the past three years. She sighed heavily, her eyes scanning the crowd. They were dancing, singing, laughing, and having fun. Why was her life so different, so dark, so miserable, so…
Her thoughts were cut when her eyes met those of a man dressed in black sitting at the table across from her, dark, mysterious…dangerous. She knew he was watching her; he has been for the last three hours. He was sitting there, at the exact same spot, staring at her, and what intrigued her was the fact that he was totally consumed by the darkness to the point that she couldn't see him.
Her eyes stilled on his. Maybe as Kagome she would have shied away but as Mercedes she would simply stare back, challenge him into dropping his gaze before she did. And then he leaned forward, his dark strands falling on his face, shielding his eyes from view. She stared more intensely, trying as much as she could to discern his features. Why was he so familiar? His hand came up and removed his hair out of his face.
His eyes clashed with hers, blue like the sea, his handsome face cold and uncaring, unlike the raging beat of the music, staring deeply into her own. Mesmerizing, terrible and exciting in the same time, she could easily be intimidated by such a stare, such harshness; however, the familiarity was becoming more apparent, her heart thundering now into a rhythm that she had forgotten years ago…
He stood up, his eyes never leaving hers, the coldness behind his stare freezing her bones, making her blood decelerate in her veins and causing cold sweat to course in her back. He was tall, muscular, strong and familiar, way too familiar. He moved towards her like a predator and she found herself unable to move. Her hands clenched together, her mind willing her body to calm down, the fear rushing through her. It can't be.
Soon he was standing next to her, their eyes still locked. The music became calmer, the rhythm of dancing slowing to a romantic song, however, her heart hammered in her ears. In one swift movement, he dropped on the chair next to her, his drink still in his hand. His lips curled in a small smirk that made her eyes widen.
"You are an excellent actress." He finally said his voice deep and rough, angelic and malicious in the same time: a deadly combination. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, for the first time since three years breaking the contact at first. He has won. She then opened them again and found him still staring at her.
"I have wanted to meet you Mercedes, you see, I am a huge fan of yours."
He smiled, but his smile didn't reach his eyes and Kagome had the odd feeling that it was painted.
"I hope that I am not disturbing you with my presence."
She gulped, her eyes traveling his face. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Her eyes suddenly landed on his right hand. Her heart clenched when she saw the traces of an erased tattoo. Her eyes flew to his, and for the first time, she saw doubt in their cold depths as he withdrew his hand under the table, as if it was burned by her gaze.
Her lips parted and for a few seconds she couldn't get it out.
"T…Tiger?" she whispered, and she knew that he heard her when his eyes widened.
They stared at each other in silence, both of them studying the other's reaction. Tiger's hands clenched on the table then unclenched.
"How do you know my name?" he whispered dangerously low, his eyes regaining their cold nature. Kagome gulped, still staring at him. Slowly, she got up, but was stopped when his hand grabbed hers, bringing her back in her sitting position. She flinched, looking away from him.
"Kagome?" he whispered again, uncertainty laced in his voice. She moved her hand away but he caught it, squeezing it roughly. "You cannot be Kagome, she died." He replied as if answering his own question.
Their eyes met again and this time he looked deeper.
"Let me go." She cut him, again trying to withdraw her hand and again failing. "I don't know what your intentions are but I will tell you this, leave."
His eyes widened his grip on her tightening to the point of hurting her.
"What have you become Kagome?" he murmured, staring at her in disgust. "I have never imagined meeting you again…and meeting you like this…god, you're so different…I didn't recognize you…I…"
"Let me go or I will scream. I don't know what you want, but stay away from me…" and this time, she freed her hand from his. Quickly, she made her way out of the club, leaving him behind, staring at the now empty seat. He could not hurt her. He could never hurt her.