97. Disbelief

440 Words

Satsuki glanced into the mirror in her dressing room, mussing with her hair. It lay a bit too flat to her liking, having been pinned up under Kagome's wig all morning. She sighed resignedly, this was as good as it was going to get.

It's just a lunch, she told herself firmly, trying to quell the nervousness.

Satsuki steeled herself and stepped out of her dressing room. Ken was waiting, leaning against a wall opposite to her door.

"Ready?" he asked, walking over to her and offering her his arm like a proper gentleman. She quirked her brow and hesitated a moment, but then took his arm, allowing him to lead her away. They left the studio together.

"What's that all about?" Taiki asked curiously, his eyebrows hiking into his wild bangs in surprise as his eyes followed the retreating couple.

"Beats me," Mitsuo blurted in confused awe. "Ken-san isn't even filming today."

Narita had another job, a movie of some sort, and he was now dividing his time between the two projects. He shouldn't even be at the studio today, Mitsuo would have thought that the movie would take his full attention and monopolise his time.

"I'd say it seems like they're going out to have lunch together," Izumi said dryly as she came to stand next to her boyfriend and gave him a quick peck on the cheek by a way of greeting.

"Well it kinda looks like it," Taiki ceded, his tone doubtful. "But putting it like that makes it sound like a date, and those were Ken and Satsuki walking off together."

"So?" Izumi challenged. "Ken-san has never been furtive about his intentions," the actress shrugged.

"I suppose he finally managed to wear Satsuki down," Mitsuo pondered aloud, and shook his head in disbelief.

"I'm not too surprised by that, he seemed rather determined to catch her," Izumi said lightly, wrapping her arms around Mitsuo. "Anyway, Taiki, you have no time to be worrying about Satsuki and Ken."

"I know," the actor said. "I've made preparations; everything should be ready for Friday."

"What's on Friday?" Mitsuo asked curiously.

"Noriko-chan's birthday," Izumi replied.

"Oh," Mitsuo nodded. "Big plans?"

"Very big," Taiki muttered cryptically. "I just hope everything will go well."

"It will," Izumi said reassuringly. "I put in a good word for you."

"I don't think she's angry at me," Taiki said hesitantly. "And she hadn't tried to avoid me either or anything, but she just feels a bit distant."

"She wants to believe you, but she can't help feeling doubts," Izumi said. "But don't worry, it will turn out alright."

"I hope you're right," Taiki sighed.