Disclaimer: I do not own Sunrise or any of its creations.

Three Wishes or You

Chapter 8

Nimara

"Reito?" I stared at him for several moments. His charming smile, neatly cut hair, and disarming chocolate eyes had barely changed since I last saw him. There he stood in an expensive suit with a briefcase at his side.

"Good afternoon," he spoke smoothly with a raised eyebrow then with a brighter smile.

"Good afternoon! Please come in and have a seat," I said smiling and taking his hand. I had not seen him for almost two years and joy began to fill me. Reito, being my former agent, hit a hard rock in his career when I decided to retire from acting. Last I heard of him was that he was in the United States grooming two up and coming young stars.

He bowed as he entered, taking his shoes off and looking around my sitting room. He finally rested his eyes above my shoulder.

"I didn't know you already had company. I didn't see a car out front," he said with a polite smile.

"W-who?" My brain seemed to falter on me as I wondered if he was talking about Natsuki or not. I was not sure if she could be seen by other people and I had never asked! Natsuki was never present when I taught Rin lessons in etiquette.

I turned around to see Natsuki smirking behind me. I nearly managed to get out lamely, "Her?"

Reito moved past me to extend his hand to Natsuki. "Really Shizuru, have more tact. Being a flutter head doesn't suit you."

I pursed my lips, slightly insulted, and watched as Natsuki did not return the handshake but bowed deeply instead. Reito did not seem offended at all, keeping his smile perfectly in place.

"Reito Kanzaki, my dear."

"Natsuki. It is nice to meet you, Mr. Kanzaki. I actually live with Shizuru." Reito turned quickly on me with a bit of surprise in his eyes. I did my best to come up with some sort of answer but failed to. I could see Natsuki beaming behind him, amusing herself at my expense.

"Well, Shizuru, it looks like you and I have a lot of catching up to do. Love what you did to the place though."

He gestured to the decorations I had begun to put up. Many I had dug out from the boxes that Natsuki and I opened over a week ago. They really did bring a new sense of life into the house. The last time Reito was here, the house was almost as devoid of life as I was.

"Thank you. How have you been? How is the United States?"

Reito took a seat on the couch and Natsuki sprawled herself casually in the loveseat, looking over him with an intent gaze. It looked like he was more in the mood to ask me questions. In all honesty, I had not been doing much more than what he expected from me these last two years.

"The US is an interesting place. Business works differently there. A little more cutthroat, you can say. I've been working with young Japanese talents in the United States and Canada. It's hard work but there is a growing demand for Asian actors and actresses."

"Have you been successful?"

"If you're asking if I have met anyone as talented as you, no," he smiled knowingly.

"That's not what I meant!" My face began to heat. I always had a secret competitive streak and he knew it. During the time he worked as my agent, he was careful to keep me humble as well as let me know that I truly was a rising celebrity.

"I have been successful. I have a few young women who have a firm footing in the industry and as long as they continue to work hard, they will achieve their goals," He replied. He took a glance at Natsuki who look calm and interested in the conversation. My dear friend, Reito, was too curious for his own good sometimes, "Really, enough about me, how've you been?"

There was a question behind the question. He wanted to know more about Natsuki and more about the months I had spent in solitude. From the short beginning of our conversation I could tell he was acting more proper than he would usually with me. At first I thought it was because we had not seen each other for years but then I quickly realized that he was trying to figure out Natsuki's relationship to me. He was clearly trying to work out how much Natsuki knew about me. Natsuki seemed to grasp the same idea and she stood, catching both of our attention. The smallest of breezes passed over Reito and me and thankfully he did not take notice.

"Could you excuse me? I have a few things I need to look into, if you don't mind, Mr. Kanzaki."

Reito bowed his head with another smile, "No not at all Natsuki, please go ahead."

I watched her go down the hall and into the kitchen before I looked back at Reito. I sighed heavily with a smile and I could see his shoulders loosen and his eyes soften.

"I've been well," I started. 'Well' was an understatement as well as the tip of the iceberg when it came to how my life had changed.

"I guess I could tell that. It's nice to see the change in you. I was afraid you were still…" His voice trailed off and his eyes clouded with sympathy. His heart still went out to me after all this time and I was grateful. He wanted to know I was truly fine and I could see his eyes search mine for any lies.

"I was. For a very long time, I was dead. What you see is fairly recent," I motioned to my newly decorated room.

"Regardless, I'm glad I saw you smile when you opened that door. A smile to charm all of Japan. So is little Natsuki the reason for the smile?"

I smirked when I saw the teasing glint in his eye. Sometimes I could call him my male counterpart for as devious as his mind could be. "You could say she is. She lives here with me and keeps me company. We are friends."

"Friends," he returned my smirk.

"Friends," I smiled innocently. His baritone laugh filled the room. "So was this all just a house visit to an old friend? Or I am correct to assume that you're up to something?" I folded my hands in my lap and continued.

"You say it like it is a bad thing, Shizuru! I am back in Japan for an indeterminable amount of time though."

"Sounds interesting. What is Japan offering you?"

He scooted closer to me and his face became that of a serious business man just like the many times he reprimanded me for my sometimes wild behavior as a young actress.

"I received a call from Maruyama about helping him employ actors and actresses for his newest movie."

"Maruyama? Akira Maruyama? Congratulations! He has to be one of the biggest director-screenwriters in Asian media. I'm really happy for you. This is what you always dreamed of."

He pulled my hand into his lap and leaned back just a bit with a whimsical look. "This movie idea is already being reviewed by critics as something that may go down as a classic for our century."

"That's great. Let me know if you need any help with it. I may have disappeared off the face of the planet for some time but I still have generous favors I can call upon."

"Shizuru," he squeezed my hands firmly in his. I looked up at him questioningly. There was something more than just Maruyama.

"Shizuru, Maruyama wants you to play the female lead."

"Pardon…?"

I digested the information with a polite but weak smile on my face. Had he just said…that I was a prospect female lead for one of the leading directors on this side of the world?

He tapped my chin with his finger to remind me that my mouth was slightly open. I swallowed and searched his eyes for any signs that he was joking.

"Maruyama called me while I was in America. He wanted me to find you and bring you to him. I know I'm no longer your agent but I would gladly return by your side as one."

"Of all the people, Reito, why me? There is plenty of talent out there!" This was a once in a million chance of a lifetime that I was not sure I truly deserved. I could hardly believe what my ears were hearing.

"Do you think he does not know that, princess? Maruyama auditioned many women ranging from raw talent to the most experienced actresses. Less than a handful has been able to grasp the role he is presenting. Then, he remembered you, Shizuru. He remembered seeing your auditions, your rehearsals, and your enthusiasm for acting. Without a doubt he knows you have the most potential and talent out there and he wants you to fill this role."

"If not even the most experienced of actresses could nail the spot…," I trailed off and then looked at him firmly. "I know I'm good, Reito. I'm excellent, but this is pure exaggeration and blind trust in my skills as an actress."

"You'd have to audition like the rest of them, but he thinks you can do it. I asked him all the same questions but he was adamant on trying you for the spot. He says the role was practically made for someone like you. He has faith in you, Shizuru. Faith in a woman who has not even touched a script for two years."

He cupped my face in his hands. I pulled away just a bit thinking his hands were cold but in actuality my face was flushed from the news. He laughed and squeezed my face in a way that he knew would annoy me. He may be in his mid-thirties and only a good ten years older than me but he loved to treat me like a child.

"He told me that he wasn't going to take 'No' for an answer from you. Even if he had to come to this place himself and make you read the script, he would. This could be one of the greatest resurrections of an acting career in the history of Japan. If you wish to never act again, then declining him would be the final nail to the coffin. So, Shizuru, what do you think about your future? How long are you going to stay here day after day and wonder what could have been?"

"I will take it up Akira Maruyama's offer and I will not fail," I said sternly.

I narrowed my eyes at him. There was hardly a need for his lecture and he knew it. I may have forgotten it over the years, but performing was food for my soul. Just the thought of being able to act again had ignited my passion and desire. It flowed through out my body and I noticed I had become dizzy with the excitement it brought. It was overwhelming. It was like a miracle to feel like this again.

"Oh, my baby Shizuru. There is no need to cry," he said with a smile. I was surprised to feel the prick of tears at the side of my eyes. I wiped them away hastily.

"I'm not crying," I gritted out.

"Tears are words that the heart cannot express," he chuckled into my ear and held me. I laughed shakily and held on to him, not worrying about letting a few tears drop onto his expensive suit. He still smelled the same way he always did, like cigarettes, cologne, and much-too-expensive Armani. He only partly understood my tears and happiness. It was not just the chance to perform again, but how everything had begun to shift in my life.

Natsuki. I sighed into his suit thinking about her and wishing that I could hold her and show her my happiness as well. I doubted I could readily accept the proposition at hand if I had not come to terms with Yukino's death. She once told me that I could have done this without her help but I knew there was a great chance that I would not have been able to. Without a doubt she was the most beautiful thing in my life and I would not exchange her for anything.

I pulled away from Reito with a soft smile but then placed my arms around him again. My happiness was just too great. He placed a kiss on my forehead and glanced discreetly down at his watch.

"Shizuru, I have to go, I'm afraid," he stood and I stood with him, brushing off my clothing. I let my lips form a pout of disappointment. He ran his hand through his hair with a tired smile. "I came here very well expecting to be sent away. I truly believed you would have not been able to accept Maruyama's proposition. I had faith in you though, Shizuru. I knew you were strong enough to pull through, I just did not know when."

I nodded, understanding what he meant. "Thank you for coming, Reito."

He waggled his briefcase around. "Paperwork and such will be prepared for you then. Maybe even a phone call from Maruyama himself. I suggest though, you send him a letter or set up a meeting to thank him for the opportunity. There are a lot of things to be done! I hope you've rested yourself well."

I escorted him to the door and we shared in another hug. He seemed almost as excited as I was. The parting was unwelcomed but I knew I would see him again soon and we could continue to catch up on the months of separation. His last words made me laugh as he walked down the cobblestone steps.

"Can you believe I'm going to work for one of the greatest Japanese Idols of all time? We'll get together for lunch soon, Princess!"

I closed the door after watching him get into his car and drive away. I made my way to the kitchen, eager to tell Natsuki everything. She was already sitting at the table, flipping through a magazine. When I came in she set the magazine down and stood.

Emerald eyes sparkled and I felt a warm pressure encompass my body. "Congratulations, Zuru."

On the table sat a hot cup of tea and a small bowl of raspberries waiting for me.

A/N [September 16, 2010]: All previous chapters have been re-edited for your pleasure. Next chapter coming soon.

A/N [Original]: You know what surprises me most? That…you readers are from aaaaallll over the world, apparently. I was kinda surprised when I first started I've Had Enough and to see clicks coming in from like…the smallest countries ever! Even for those of you that have reviewed, I'm getting reviews from the Philippines and Germany :D. It's super cool. I love the internet.

So, for my darling readers I have posted this a bit early. It's basically a really long scene so I didn't feel comfortable putting it with the next chapter (some of you know what's going to happen next ;D). While this chapter isn't full of great ShizNatness it's absolutely necessary and I hope you guys enjoyed the visit from Reito all the same. With all your responses from last chapter, I was thinking about putting someone like Nao in instead. I never meant the previous chapter to be such a cliffhanger (though it really wasn't). Next chapter is a real treat and I hope to see you all there!

Replies to my reviewers who have yet to get accounts teehee:

Jules- ;D Hey hey, guess what? FAST UPDATE FTW! As a pre-finals gift, I'm hoping to send the next chapter out next week.

- LOG IN YOU NUUBBB. ;D Ah winter always makes me more active so be prepared for more updates my dear.

dragonkyuubi10- Thank you for your thoughtful review. :D It was funny to read. Hope you're doing well and enjoyed this chapter.

YAH!MI- :D Glad to be back. Thanks for the support!

Thank you everyone!

-Nimara