Shelf #009

Later that night, inside of one huge, stylish yet traditional house on a neighborhood near Portobello, a happy couple were busy preparing for the night. Tonight was finally the birthday of their longtime best friend's sister. It was also more of like another weekly reunion among best friends since childhood, and one of the favorite things they love to do was having dinner on this house every Friday evenings. Although, they had to admit, one of them was such, as Kuu mentioned, the most hardworking yet worst cook in the world.

Max, a tall, slim man was on the kitchen tonight, almost done with his job. He already wore something good for the celebration, though he had the sleeves pushed back to his elbows, and worn an apron on him. He grabbed a bottle of red wine and poured some on a wine glass.

"He's bringing a girl, Bella dear?" he asked.

Bella, who was across the other room, was busy covering her present with a shining, birthday wrapper. Though beautiful, it was kind of a sorry sight to see her on a wheelchair at such young age. She spoke a bit louder.

"Miracles do happen," she said, quickly pulled the scotch tape to the black holder's cutter.

Setting down the glass, Max took a knife from a drawer and started slicing the strawberries.

"Mmm, does the girl have a name?"

"He wouldn't say."

Max noticed an odd smell. He turned his head to see the oven seemed to be smoking a little.

"OH– shit! What is going in there?!"

He rushed to open the oven, and there it was. His precious, guinea fowl, the best kind ever bought, was now a bit blackish in color. Why tonight? He followed the recipe book down to a T.

Then the bell rings.

"Oh, God."

What a bad timing. Max shot out of the kitchen. At the corridor of their house, Max headed for the door impatiently. He opened it and turned back, without ever looking at Kuu and Julie standing there.

"Come on in. Vague food crisis."

Kuu and Julie looked at each other, and moved along the corridor to the living room, where Bella was there. She seemed to be doing something. Her voice called out.

"Hiya ––!" she said, pushing the wheels to meet her friend. "Sorry –– the guinea fowl is proving to be more complicated than expected.

She saw Kuu entering the room. "He's cooking quinea fowl?" he asked.

"Don't even ask, Kuu-san."

Then Julie appeared behind him, smiling brightly at Bella with such soft, singing voice.

"Hi," she said.

Bella smiled back and bowed. "Hi. Oh, good Kami-sama –– you're the spitting image of. . ."

"Bella –– this is Julienna. . Julie."

"Right."

There was an awkward pause, and Max rose from his stove position.

"Okay. Crisis over," he said, slamming the big mitten on the counter. The smoke was finally gone from the oven, but through the hallway from here, Kuu's sharp eyes could make out that identifiable black object on a large, silver platter complete with decorative vegetables.

"Yo, Max. This is Julie."

Max walked through the arc and into the living room, seeing a beautiful woman standing beside Kuu.

"Hello, Julie, ahm. . ."

This close and he finally recognized her –– the word just fell out.

"Scott. . . Have some wine, dear."

"Thank you," said Julie.

They heard another doorbell rang. Max excused himself and went back to the corridor. He opened the door and there was the birthday girl, Kuu's beloved little sister in her late twenties. Or so.

It was Honey. Having worn a real party dress, she was as tall and slim with big eyes the color of skies as Kuu, looked naturally funky, and moreover –– cool. Her red dress was her latest design, as she made it herself from the old gown she had back in a high school play. It was short on the front, which revealed her slender, flawless, long asset, and behind was long just enough to touch the ground. She added few swirling glitters on one side of her waist that flaunted her curves, and wrapped a soft chiffon shawl on her shoulders. But the hair was –– in a word –– wow. . . Her long blonde hair was cut pixie short for this special occasion, and some hair at the top back of her head was spiked in all directions. Gold chandelier earrings glittered in her ears. The final touch was her gorgeous red wedge.

"Honey bunch! Hi," greeted Max with a smile. She took a moment and did a little pose.

"Hahaha, yes looking gorgeous and perfect. Happy Birthday!"

She kissed Max's cheek and they head back along the corridor.

"Is Kuu Onii-sama here?" her musical voice spoke.

"Which was what I'm about to tell you," he said. "Look– Hon-chan, your brother has brought this amazing girl, and ahm. . ."

Too bad they reached the living room.

"Hi guys!" Honey called out. But just as she entered, she suddenly stopped open-mouthed with surprise. She couldn't believe her eyes. She saw Julie. Her favorite actress and model in the world. Alive and breathing in front of her. Standing beside her dear brother.

"OH HOLY FUCK!"

The sight was just priceless for Honey on her birthday tonight.

"Hun –– this is Julie. Julie – this is Honey. . . She's my baby sister."

"Hiya," greeted Julie with bright smile. Her eyes twinkle. Honey's starstruck eyes mirrored exactly Kuu's during their first meeting at the bookshop.

"Oh Kami-sama, this is just one of those key moments in life, when it's possible you can be really, really genuinely cool –– and I'm going to fail a hundred percent. I absolutely and totally and utterly adore you, so much! And I think you're the most beautiful woman in the whole world, and more importantly I– I genuinely believed and have believed for some time now that. . That we can be best friends. What do you think?"

Julie stood there really and utterly flattered. For someone as this girl was the only person in the world who had honestly told her such wonderful, straightforward words that she might not have heard of in all her years since working in entertainment business and fashion industry. The girl's dream might come true, she thought. She liked the girl right away. And she looked so stylish! She loved her dress to bits!

"Ahm. . I think that sounds –– you know –– lucky me," Julie said, flashing again her wonderful, warm smile. "You look really wonderful tonight, Honey-san. Happy birthday."

She handed her a small present. Honey took it brightly.

"Ooooh. . You gave me a present. Thank you so much, Julie. . We're best friends already. Or maybe I should call you, Julie-Oneesan? Ooooooh marry Kuu! Marry Kuu! My beloved brother is just an amazing person –– he'll love you much! He's a really incredible nice guy and then we can be sisters!"

The rest in the living room all snorted in soft giggles.

"Ahm, I'll think about it. . ."

At that moment, Julie's eyes met Kuu's. . . Oblivious to the rest who were present. Max, Bella and Honey knew it. No need to say anything. Kuu looked at his younger sister and gave her a tight bear hug.

"Happy birthday to you, sissy," he said. He gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. "Love you much, gorgeous."

Honey giggled happily and kissed his cheek back.

"Mm thanks! I love you too Onii-sama!"

Watching them, Julie felt a heartwarming sibling love with close ties. Then the doorbell rang again for the third time.

"That'll be Lory," Max said.

He quickly headed out into the corridor to the front door. He opened it, and there was young Lory.

About a few years older than Kuu, tall, handsome, though amazingly he still looked young. There was a slight thin beard above his lip, and he looked quite worn out. His hair was frayed in almost all directions, Max hardly thought of how the heck he travelled all the way here. The tie was taken out, with a few top buttons left open, though he still wore his black suit. He carried a big present in his hand and a suitcase in the other.

"Hello Lory-san," Max greeted. He closed the door behind his friend. "Doing great?"

"Bad. I'm sorry I'm so late," he said groggily. "Bollocksed up again at work, I fear. Millions down the drain. Can't believe the train's still packed tonight. I wish I had a first class car on my own someday, don't ya think? Or a private plane to take me anywhere!"

"Good. You're still energtic to that dream since. . . first grade," Max said.

They finally entered the room. It seemed Lory didn't notice anything very special present. His eyes met Kuu first.

"Ah– so great to see you again, Cus," Lory said, meeting Kuu's hug and patted his back.

"Hi, Cus. Nice to see you too," said Kuu. Lory held Kuu at an arm's length. Julie can tell Kuu might have the sharpness of his eyes just as this man. Must have ran in the family. Lory eyed Kuu from head to foot.

"Damn. We just met last week and now you got taller!"

Kuu pointed his hand at the woman standing as silent as a cat beside him. She smiled at Lory. He picked a handful of round chocolate nibbles from a bowl and threw some in his mouth.

"Lory –– this is Julie."

It seemed it needed a thousand smacks to the head because Lory obviously never recognized her. He just bowed, still chewing–

"Hello, Julie. Delighted to meet you."

– and just turned to Honey.

"Little Honey Bunny – Happy birthday to you!" Lory greeted in sing-song. He handed her the present. "It's a hat. You don't have to wear it or anything."

"Oooh thanks, Cus!" Honey said, taking the big gift.

A minute or two later, all of them were standing at the waiting room, drinking wine before dinner. Lory and Julie on their own at the couch, while Kuu was at the kichen helping Max.

Max walked through the arc from the kitchen and placed the first remaining prepared dishes at the center of the dining table, where Kuu was lightning tall candles.

"So. You haven't slept with her, have you?" Max asked right away.

"That is such a cheap question, Max and the answer is, of course, no comment," Kuu said, lighting another tall candle.

"'No comment' means 'yes'."

"No, it doesn't."

Max placed the last dish on the other side of the table. "Do you ever masturbate?"

Kuu breathe a sigh. "Definitely no comment."

"You see –– it means 'yes'," Max said, and hurried back to the kitchen. He grabbed a bucket of ice with two wine bottles on it.

At the waiting room, Lory and Julie were busy having a conversation while Bella and Honey talked about Honey's newly designed clothes she had made.

Lory took a sip of his wine. "So tell me, Julie. . . What do you do?"

Julie was very calm, holding a wine glass. "I'm an actress."

"Mm. . Splendid. I'm actually in the stock-market, so not really similar fields, though I have done some amateur stuff –– P.G Wodehouse, you know –– farce, all that. 'Ooh – careful there, vicar." Always imagined it's such a pretty tough job, though, acting. I mean, the wages are a scandal, aren't they?"

"Well, they can be," Julie said, nodding to that. It's quite true.

"I see friends from university –– clever chaps –– they're scraping by on seven, eight thousand a year. It's a really no life. What sort of acting do you do?"

Julie smiled at Lory. She took a little sip of white wine. "Films mainly. I also modeled on runways. Got a few endorsements here in Japan."

"Oh splendid. Fabulous. Well done. How's the pay in movies?" he asked, taking a sip first before continuing. "I mean, the last film you did, what did you get paid?"

"Fifteen million dollars."

"Oh. And the runway?"

"Eighteen million pounds recently."

"Right. Right. So that's. . . uhm, fairly good. Really great. Fabulous. On the high side. . . Have you tried the nuts? They're good."

Max appeared on the archway, without his apron now.

"Right –– I think we're ready, guys. Let's go."

They all stood up and moved into the kitchen. Julie turned to Bella.

"Uhm. . . I wonder if you could tell me where the. . .?" she asked. Bella got that.

"Oh, yeah. It's just down the corridor on the right–"

"–Oh I'll show you," said Honey.

Then a moment's silence filled the air as the close friends waited for the two women to leave. They did, and then in a split second the others all turned to Kuu right away.

Bella pulled Kuu and Max. Lory came closer. She whispered as soft as a hissing snake. "Quickly, quickly –– talk very quickly. Come closer you! Kuu! What the hell are you doing here with Julienna Scott?!"

"Julienna Scott?" Lory asked, then his eyes were about to pop out in sudden realization. His voice had gone loud across the room.

"JULIE SCOTT–?!"

"–Yes! Sssssshhh– !"

He tried hard to keep his voice low.

"–The big movie star–?!"

"–YES! SSSSSHHH–!"

"–That runway queen–?!"

"–YES! SSSSHH-!"

This time Lory finally smacked his forehead. "Oh Kami-sama. Kami-sama. Goddy God!"

The horror of his remembered conversation with her slowly unfolded before him.

"No–no. . Oh no Lory, what did you tell her?" Max said.

Honey re-entered, tried to keep her composure while trying not to laugh.

"I don't believe it. I actually walked into the loo with her," she whispered, keeping a straight face. "I was still talking about God knows what and she started unbuttoning her jeans. . . She had to ask me to leave."

"Did you actually know who the heck she was?" Lory asked in a whisper. Bella and Honey hit him on the sides at the same time.

"Of course I did, Cus. But you didn't –– He didn't!"

"I don't know what got into me okay? It just came out of me. She's too unreal to be talking to me, face to face. I can't believe I actually told her how much Kira-kun and Matsushima-san earned! And I told her the nuts tasted good!"

All of them tried to keep their laughter really soft and low. They had to hold onto the stitch on their sides and cover their mouths with both hands.

Who would expect something so special like this? Who would have thought that tonight, the biggest, most famous film star, the top supermodel and most beautiful woman in the world would casually come into their house with Kuu and celebrate a birthday party with them?

Even Kuu could hardly believe all of this that happened to him. . .

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