Chapter 2

Squinting at the map gripped against the steering wheel Van kept glancing up at the road as he tried to figure out where he was going. With a frustrated grumble he crumpled the already worn map and threw it into the passenger seat.

What Van didn't get, in his infinite wisdom, was why this pop-princess wanted him to meet him in the middle of no-where Asturia.

Sure, technically, it was her manager Yukari Uchida who requested this strange location but deep down Van suspected it had to do with a star who wanted to be a major pain and have people cater to her pointless whims. He'd heard the celebrity gossip whenever he wasn't fast enough to leave the house when Merle was in the mood for sharing the knowledge. From the sound of it they were all the same: spoiled, selfish, and used to getting their ways.

He also suspected they suffered from some sort of mental or personality disorder which made them crave the spotlight and attention.

Cranking the volume Van shrugged his shoulders dismissing those depressing thoughts about his future employer and let his eyes take in the surroundings in hopes something would give him a clue where this park would be located.

'Father must be pissed,' Van mused with a grim sense of satisfaction (figuring he was already on a depressing train of thought). 'Like I care…'

Van Slanzar de Fanel, twenty-four years old. Second son born to Goau and Varie Fanel, the upper class couple who had it all plus some. He had everything one could wish for at his fingertips with the world at his feet.

But this didn't make him happy.

Perhaps it was the fact his parents were hardly ever there, either emotionally or physically. Maybe, even, it was the fact he never had to really work for anything in life. He had money, power, good looks, and a fast-track career available to him with his family if he just followed the destiny set forth for him at his birth. Van knew people would kill to have it as easy as he had had it in life but…

Something wasn't there.

Running his hand through his unruly hair Van gave himself a mental shake. 'This is no good,' he mentally berated himself. 'Get in an even fouler mood before you meet you future employer. Smart thinking, Vanie boy.'

Down the road Van finally spotted the sign for the park where Yukari had requested Van meet up with them. Putting on his blinker Van turned his old mustang into the parking lot and pulled up to the lone car. Taking a deep breath Van closed his eyes and gave himself a small encouraging mental slap then opened the door into the mid-morning sunshine.

Looking around Van was slightly disgruntled to discover that this park, like all the surrounding countryside, was pretty must full of nothing. Perhaps, he mused, this whole job was an elaborate ruse to get him in the middle of no-where, drug him, and drag him away to chain him to the desk at his families company.

"Van Fanel?" a voice called approaching. Turning, Van saw a petite red-head jogging quickly towards him, her eyes hidden behind sunglasses, but her face held two clear emotions: worry and elation.

"Sorry about asking you to come out to the boonies," the red-head apologized. "Hitomi likes her morning runs and this seems to be the best place to keep the paparazzi from taking photographs of it."

"Ah," Van stated simply. "You must be Yukari."

"Guilty," she smiled as she reached into her jean pockets and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "You don't mind, do you?" Van shook his head as Yukari pulled out a cigarette and lit up. "I seriously quit last week but I need a smoke to calm my nerves for how pissed Hitomi is going to be when she realizes who you are."

Turning, Yukari started to head in the direction she came from and looked at Van's quirked brow. "I guess I should phrase that different. Not who you are but what you are." Taking a long drag as they walked Yukari looked up at the raven-haired man. "First off, I'm sorry if she freaks out. Hitomi is normally the mellowest, friendly, and caring individual you could ever meet. Meeting her you would not believe she spent her life in the spotlight where, frankly, some shady stuff happens behind the scene."

"Go on," Van prompted as Yukari and him continued their stroll. Nervously she flicked her cigarette butt to the ground and pulled out another and lit it.

"Without going into too much detail which, if you work with us for awhile, I am sure you will hear about eventually, Hitomi got emancipated when she was fifteen. That said she has some major control issues due to what was going on before that happened. She is also the friendliest and sometimes most naive person you will ever meet and thinks she doesn't need a bodyguard."

"Ruhm showed me her information and why you requested a bodyguard," Van said as he ran his hand through his hair. Yukari's nervous energy was making him wonder, again, what he had gotten into. "The letters and such seem downright creepy and she'd have to be an idiot to think all those threats are just idle ones."

Taking a long drag of her cigarette Yukari paused as the field was within sight and the faint figure of a honey-blonde female was seen running around it. Exhaling slowly, Yukari dropped it and ground it beneath her heel before grabbing perfume out of her bag and spraying herself down. "Sorry, she'd be mad knowing I smoked after she was with me and encouraging me to quit."

"You are avoiding answering me."

"No, I'm not avoiding, I'm delaying." With a sigh she started forward again, this time slower. "Partially we keep that stuff away from Hitomi but she is aware of the danger. Remember, control issues from when her parents were her managers and I think part of her wants to be close to her fans. Remember, naïve and friendly with potentially no sense of self-preservation."

For a minute Van and Yukari both just watched the sandy-blonde running around the field, both lost in their thoughts. Finally with a deep sigh that spoke volumes of how much trouble Yukari knew she would be in, she cupped her hands around her mouth and called out to Hitomi.

From the field Hitomi heard her name being called and stopped. Leaning forward, Hitomi rested her hands against her upper thigh, panting heavily. Looking at her watch as sweat dripped down her brow Hitomi raised an eyebrow. She was only thirty minutes into her usual hour long run. What was the deal? Standing, Hitomi ran her hands through her sweaty locks and looked in the direction the voice came from and her heart gave a start. Who was that with Yukari?

Biting her lip Hitomi hesitantly started towards the pair, unsure who the tall dark stranger was and what exactly he was doing there. She hated that, whoever he was, he was seeing her all sweaty and gross. If this was some new contract or deal Yukari was trying to work there is a thing called a time and a place.

The closer Hitomi got the more she stared at the mysterious stranger. He was gorgeous! He unruly raven locks hung over his maroon eyes. His skin was tanned to perfection that made his lean frame all the more appealing to look at.

Oh boy did Hitomi loath Yukari right now. To bring such a hot guy out here to meet Hitomi when she looked like this?!

Noticing Hitomi's stare the stranger quirked a sarcastic brow, obviously amused by Hitomi's questioning and appraising looks. She felt like he could read her like a book and probably assumed he knew all about her just because she was a celebrity and the gossip rags printed stuff about her.

Humph.

"Hitomi," Yukari smiled, stepping forward as she passed Hitomi a white towel she pulled from her bag. "There is, obviously, someone who I want you to meet."

Taking the towel to make herself semi-presentable, Hitomi ran it over her face before looking at the stranger and back to Yukari. Looking at her manager and friend Hitomi sensed the girl was… nervous. More nervous and fidgety then she had been on the car ride here.

"Hitomi, this is Van Fanel. Van, this is Hitomi Kanzaki."

Smiling, Hitomi wiped her hands on the towel one last time before extending her hand to Van. "Very nice to meet you."

A startled look appeared on the raven-haired man's face before it was quickly replaced by a look of mild interest as he took her hand. "Nice to meet you as well, Ms. Kanzaki."

"Hitomi, please," she corrected as she grasped his hand warmly. After the appropriate length of time propriety dictates for a handshake was met, they dropped hands and Hitomi smiled at Van again. "I'm awfully sorry you have to meet me when I'm all sweaty and smelly. Had I known Yukari was having someone come out here in the middle of no-where---" pausing, Hitomi sharply turned to Yukari. "Why did you have him come out here? This is miles from anything."

A smirk appeared on Van's face as he looked at the red-head who looked full-on panicked now that Hitomi realized it wasn't just a casual meet-up. Instead of looking at the emerald-eyed pop-star Yukari shifted her focus to taking Hitomi's towel and fiddling with her bag. Anything to avoid looking Hitomi in the eye.

"Promise me you won't be mad?" Yukari pleaded still unable to look Hitomi in the eye.

"I will promise no such thing," exclaimed Hitomi, alarmed. Who was this guy who now looked amused? "Why did you have Mr. Fanel come out here to meet me? Who is he?"

"Seriously amused," Van muttered under his breath as he tried to keep in his breath. The blonde's gaze flickered over to him before turning back to Yukari.

"Yukari," her voice growled in warning as she advanced on the girl in question. "You've been nervous about this all day! Who is he?"

Throwing her hands in the air Yukari let out a huge sigh of exasperation. "Fine! Whatever! I've been bugging you forever that this was necessary so I had to go behind your back to do it since you wouldn't listen!"

"What are you talking about?" yelled Hitomi, panicked.

"He's a bodyguard, Hitomi!" shouted Yukari as her anger (in self defense) got the better of her.

Van watched as varying emotions played out on Hitomi's face when Yukari finally let the news slip. They ranged from anger, hurt, betrayal, embarrassment, and then full on rage.

"You went behind my back and got a BODYGUARD!" screamed Hitomi, ignoring Van completely. "How could you Yukari! You know my feelings about it!"

"Yes, your feelings about it! Just because you don't feel comfortable having a bodyguard doesn't mean you don't need one Hitomi! You're a really popular pop-star Hitomi Kanzaki! That by default makes you a target for stalkers and all sorts of creepy stuff!"

In response Hitomi simply glared at the red-head. "As your boss I say no bodyguard."

"As your manager and friend I say you have no choice in the matter. The paperwork is signed, sealed, and delivered and Van is now your bodyguard."

Her face turned red in anger Hitomi looked from Yukari to Van and back again before she turned heel and ran back to the field and kept going. This action caused Van to be slightly alarmed. Was he supposed to, I don't know, go after her? Beside him Yukari swore before bursting into laughter making Van conclude that yes, she was insane.

"She is such a brat sometimes," Yukari chuckled as she watched Hitomi vanish from sight. "Very mature!" she screamed out in the field for Hitomi to hear before turning back to Van. "Sorry about that. I knew she'd be pissed."

"Should we be concerned and, I don't know, go after her?" questioned Van as his gaze shifted to where the green-eyed woman vanished.

"No," smiled Yukari as she pulled out another cigarette. "As you know from the drive here we are in the middle of no-where so she has no no-where to go. Oh yeah, and I also have the car keys."

Smiling, Yukari sat down on the grass and took a long drag before looking up at Van. "Get comfortable. This will probably be awhile." With a shrug Van sat down beside her and wondered for perhaps the millionth time what he had gotten himself into.

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A/N: Happy April Fool's Day! Another chapter. I don't know if the joke is on you or what. *grin* March was a fairly hectic month and looks like the beginning of April will be as well but here is to another month and hopefully more chapters of both stories!

Thanks to the beautiful M for beta reading after two days of me texting her saying "Come on, I know you have no life, sign online and beta read for me." I realize you have a life, M, unlike myself. Also, how-do you like-these hyphens?

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Escaflowne. I hardly own my own sanity.