December 23rd
Ace and Yoshio return to Iris without being notice from the others after their outing. Before, Ace had texted Yayoi if Shizuka was at Headquarters and she replies: Yes, she is getting ready right now, so be careful not to get caught. They then discuss how things will turn out at the party and their plan commences.
Yoshio goes his separate way once inside Iris, returning to his bedroom to clean himself up and make it to Tres Spades in time, while Ace unpacks some of his belongings at his place and relaxes, taking his time until he would have to start dressing up.
It wasn't long until Bellavance Orlando shows up. He was waiting in the foyer at Iris for Yayoi, who he had asked to attend the party with him earlier that month. He was wearing a simple navy blue tuxedo with gold and silver button cuffs and chains, the jacket having coat tails, and a turquoise long tie, contrasting his usual french-like attire. His hair was left in a long, low ponytail, the tie was a navy blue ribbon with a dark gold charm in the shape of the Iridescent clan's insignia.
He felt a little nervous but excited at the same time as he adjusted his tie and glanced at his gift bag, which held both a present for Yayoi and his assigned persons'.
Meanwhile, Yayoi rushed out of her apartment after slipping on her black pumps, and heading to Shizuka's room. She was wearing a chiffon midnight blue and turquoise bodycon dress with an overlapping v-neckline and thick straps. She wore long silver earrings and there was a matching bracelet on her right wrist; her hair was let down and loose, wearing more makeup than usual for the night.
Once she enters through Shizuka's office, she hears her humming her favorite song in her room.
"Shizuka?"
"Hai~" She answers and Yayoi opens the door to her room, finding different dresses and shoes scattered across Shizuka's bed and chairs, and she furrows her eyebrows, walking to the dressing room to see her wearing a white towel around her body and she was applying makeup.
"Y-you're not dressed yet?!" Yayoi asks, concerned and feeling a little panicked inside.
"What? You can't rush art." Shizuka answers as she finishes applying mascara and looking over at her, "Wow, you look great!" She smiles, but Yayoi wasn't feeling up to be complimented by her and sighs, feeling a little worried for Ace and his plans.
"Thank you...but seriously Shizuka, you had all day you know?" Yayoi's voice was a little harsh and she sees Shizuka looking down at the counter, her expression blank.
"Yes, but there were things to take care of." She replies, looking back up at her reflection.
"Like what? I know you went to Tres Spades to drop some things off, so what else did you do?" Yayoi questions, leaning against the door frame.
"I went to see Kondo Yuriko."
Yayoi was surprised, blinking at Shizuka and recalling the mangaka who was sick with a mild flu.
"Really? I remember Ayana-san bringing her here sometime after you left to Shizume City. Is she doing alright? I haven't found the time to pay a visit to her after the day we picked her up from Rush."
"Yes, she's still recovering though but she should be fine soon according to her mother. I'm glad you contacted her. She's a kind woman."
"I think so too...yare yare (Good greif), being a mangaka really is a lot of work...poor thing." Yayoi places the palm of her hand against her cheek, feeling a little worried but reassured. "Anyways, I just wanted to check up on you before heading out, please don't be too late."
"Right." Shizuka answers, fixing her bangs and Yayoi leaves the room, taking out her PDA to inform Ace of the situation.
He was in his apartment browsing the web when he receives the message, his eyebrow twitches when he reads it. Guess I'll have to wait a bit longer. It's like she already knows something's up so I'll have to be careful. He thought and texts Yayoi back. Asahina will have to message me when she shows up at the party then. Mataku.
Downstairs, Yayoi had just slipped on her jacket and walks out from the elevator, heading to the foyer, seeing Kamiya Tsukina and Suzuki Nanako exiting the building at the last moment. Sitting in a lounge chair was Orlando, who hears her approach and stands up with a charming smile and Yayoi holds back from blushing, clearing her throat when she got closer to him.
"You look wonderful." He holds his hand out to her, eyeing her dazzlingly and she presses her lips together, taking his hand in hers.
"Thank you." She replies and he grins happily.
"Saa, ikimashou... (Come now, lets go...)"
"Well, that's the last of them." Hashimoto Marina claps her hands together to rid of dust after she sets a box on the carpet floor, then placing them on her hips and scanning the living room of their new apartment at Iris Corporation, or what she could now call, Headquarters, since she is officially an Iridescent Clansman, bearing the mark as proof.
Her sister, Tomoka, walks into the room and sets down a laundry basket full of clothes and other items, straightening herself and and stretching her back.
"Yeah, I'm glad." She grunts, feeling her shoulders popping.
The twins take a look at their empty new home, which was much nicer than the apartments they were staying at before. Marina and Tomoka were told by Yayoi that the room hasn't been filled in by anyone for a long time, so everything was still new and intact. The walls are a sage color with the ceiling left white. The living room was combined with a small kitchen, both sharing the maple wood flooring. The cabinets and shelves in the kitchen are white as well and the two islands in the area had light gray granite tops with striped, light brown sides.
They didn't have a lot of furniture to bring in from their former place either. A simple coffee table, a couple desks, chairs and bean bags. Nothing bulky since they couldn't afford couches or anything fancy at the moment.
"Hmm, did we grab the box with our cups and dishes?" Marina asks, digging through other boxes and baskets.
"I think so, just look around..." Tomoka responds, bringing a box to her bedroom, but Marina still couldn't find the box, despite having everything laying around in the living room.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang, alarming her and she heads to the door, glancing through the eye hole and seeing Iida Raeno.
"Who is it?" Tomoka calls from the other room.
"It's Iida-san." She answers, unlocking the door and opening it to greet Raeno, who, along with Wakaba Yuu, had helped the twins with moving in earlier that day. It was at then she noticed that he was wearing dressier clothes from the last time they meet, wearing a slate gray suit jacket over a black and white plaid-striped sweater, underneath that was a white collared dress shirt with a tucked silver tie, only showing the knot. His dress pants were a darker gray and his Oxford shoes were leather black. To finish off, his hair wasn't as messy as it usually is and well kept. She suddenly remembered about the Christmas party happening at the renowned Tres Spades Hotel and Casino.
"Hello." She speaks, nodding her head to him and he does the same. She sees that he was holding a small box in his hands.
"Hey there, Hashimoto-san. You left this on the floor of Wakaba's car and I thought you might need it." He says.
"Oh, thank you so much. I was just looking for a box with our cups in them..." She says, motioning at the box and he hands it over to her.
"There you go. Wakaba could've came by herself but she's a bit busy with the whole party going on and I wasn't really doing anything other than waiting for her to finish up...which reminds me, are you sure you two aren't going to come? It's a chance to meet other Clansmen and we can all ride in her car together." He asks but Marina just shakes her head.
"It's fine, maybe another time..um..it was a bit sudden when Takahiro-san asked when we met with her." Marina rejects his offer thinking how she and Tomoka didn't have anything nice to wear anyways and didn't want to bother digging through clothes.
"Well, I figured...then I hope you two have a safe and happy break. If you need anything you know who to call." He grins and Marina smiles back, nodding her head and he walks away, waving a hand.
Marina shuts the door and turns to the kitchen, placing the box on the counter and preparing to open it until Tomoka calls from her room.
"Hey, I found the cups and dishes. I got it mixed up with something else so it should be by the table."
"H-Huh? But then...what did Iida-san give me?" Marina asks aloud, seeing her sister walking out from her bedroom before opening the box, finding assortments of candy bars and other goods. There was a white card on top of everything and she picks it up.
"Eh? What is that?" Tomoka asks, joining Marina in the kitchen and leaning on the counter across from her. Marina then opens the card reading a message of welcoming to the Iridescent Clan, signed by several people and she assumed were other Clansmen.
"Not as many people as I thought there would be." Marina comments, handing the card over to Tomoka and she looks over it. Marina then carefully dumps out the box, spilling the candy bars and goods on the counter to review all of it.
"Kamiya Tsukina, Suzuki Nanako, Shirakura Kanae, Iida Raeno, Wakaba Yuu, Ohmiya Yoshio, Kazuyoshi Riku, Ozaki Mamoru, Kurihara Saeko, Ito Yukina..." Tomoka reads aloud the names as Marina sorts through the candy into two piles, familiar with the brands and pauses after hearing Yukina's hand.
"...Ito Yukina sounds familiar..." She says and Tomoka sets the card down, looking at her.
"She's the artist for Healing Elegance, remember? I have some of her books." Tomoka asks with a straight-face, as if she wasn't surprised her older sister had forgotten.
"What? Seriously?" Marina was surprised but Tomoka just sighs, unconvinced of her sisters reaction, knowing she wasn't really a big fan of Ito Yukina's works.
"Yeah...well anyways, it's nice that everyone sent this for us." Tomoka changes the subject and pics up a small chocolate bar and unwraps it.
"Yeah. I think so too...I think we'll get along with everyone. This will be nice." Marina gives a gentle smile, picking up a chocolate bar and looking at Tomoka, who nods in agreement silently.