December 24th

Christmas Eve.

The evening grew colder and the lavender and orange sky was brushed with streaks of thin clouds, giving the setting sun more opportunities to shine brightly down at Shizume Crossing where Takahiro Shizuka strolled through, pulling a wheeled suitcase behind her while occupied on the phone for the moment, glancing into the windows of clothing stores and taking her time to reach her destination since it wasn't too far. The silver anchor shaped phone charm brushed against her gloved hand as she walked, often hitting the back of her ear with an ice cold touch that lingered for a while.

"De? When will I get my car back?"

The voice of Umetaro Zel, executive director and president of Rush Studios, was grim as he asked his question.

"It's the eve of Christmas and you're worrying about it now? My my, Umetaro-san, just take this time to spend it with your family, relax and recuperate for the next year when things become busy again." She replies, pausing at a cross light but it turns green immediately.

"The company vehicles are benefits to my employees as well as your Clansmen who are also under my care when you cannot tend to them, thus, it is important that it returns when things get busy again next year." Zel replies in a harsher tone, paraphrasing her words and using them against her but Shizuka wasn't intimidated.

"It'll turn up...eventually." She says.

"And if it doesn't?"

"Then just leave it be."

"Takahiro-san, I ask that you drop your careless attitude and take into account of the consequences of your actions, seeing that it is rather unprofessional. If the vehicle isn't returned to me in tact by the end of this week, you will take care of providing Rush Studios with a replacement..." While Zel spoke, Shizuka crosses the street when the light turns green and she has a grin formed on her lips.

"Hoo~" She purrs, which was the only thing she says until Zel speaks again.

"I mean it, Takahiro-"

"You'll get your vehicle, but isn't one's health far more important? Really, take it easy this break. I'll see you when it's over." She remarks, pulling her phone away from her ear and hovering her thumb over the End button.

"What? Takahairo-san that is no-" beep

She looks forward and continues on without putting her cell away and keeping it in her hand still. That day...it turns out as expected. Those people really did show up after I made a ruckus on the interstate, and now its under their hands, but to have the Blues investigate what happened instead of the local police...they really don't have anything better to do huh? She has a slight grin on her lips and stopped walking. Seems like we have something in common after all.

She looks up at the building next to her, having already reached her destination and reading the cursive words above its doors as she slips her silver cased phone into her coat pocket.

The Sunset Pearl.

She takes a moment to reminisce the good and bad times of her family's restaurant and home. She sees a sign near the closed doors which read of the dates they were going to be closed; early that day at four, tomorrow for Christmas and finally New Years eve. She wraps her fingers around the door handle, pushing her thumb down on the latch to open the doors, but they weren't locked, which didn't surprise her, since she was being expected. She enters the building and shuts the doors behind her, turning the lock and hearing it click.

The entrance was inspired by the night of a full moon, the carpet dark blue, the walls dabbed in different shades of blue and gray. Finally, the opened, arched doorway into the restaurant itself was painted white, just like the full moon. Off to the side of the door was a white oak podium with the words, "Please wait to be seated" etched in black on its front, which Shizuka and heads straight inside, the night entrance transitions into a large room with warmer colors of peach, pink, white and lavender, and the floors are marble white with hints of orange to give off the feel of clouds.

The restaurant was empty of customers, but the smell of panned fried vegetables and cooked beef lingered in the air. Her heels click loudly once she steps off the carpet and onto the marble. She sets her luggage to the side as she grabs a chair and drags it towards the front of the kitchen, settling down at the counter where people could watch the chefs cooking

First, she pulls out her trademark glass prism from her pocket, flicking it in the air and then setting it down on the counter and it makes a clack noise. She then takes a seat and crosses her legs, leaning her elbows on the top while linking her fingers together and closing her eyes, imagining the restaurant bustling with customers, the waiters and waitresses scurrying around with trays either full of dishes or drinks, maybe even empty. Flames burst from pans on the stoves as chefs toss vegetables around, others are decorating the dishes with sauces, spices or other ingredients. They then disappear and she finds herself in her apartment at Iris with the same marble white floors and the warm pomegranate glow and she opens her eyes once it projects in her mind.

"That place isn't the same as here is what you're thinking, huh?" A familiar voice speaks. "Even though it's replicated to look like home."

Shizuka chuckles, opening her eyes but keeping her gaze down and smirking.

"Hmph, that's right, Otouto (little brother)." She replies hearing the sound of a plate sliding on the counter and it appears in front of her. There was grilled medallions of beef tenderloins with shallot and red wine reduction, thyme, lemon and veal glacé, potato gratin, and finished with porcini and crimini mushrooms. A fine glass of wine was placed beside her plate as well as a neatly napkin with silver wear within it.

"Hoo~ Filet Mignon a la Bordelaise...now this is a very nice welcome home present." She picks up the glass of wine, swirling the liquid around and looking up with her usual grin at her brother, Takahiro Shinobu, who glared down at her with his arms folded over his chest, his usual stern expression on his face.

"Sou. (right)" He replies and she gives a smile to him, feeling happy. "But the main reason why I made it was so you don't mess around in the kitchen later and set something on fire...na? A-ne-ki?" His tone was full of mockery and he gives her an evil grin, eyes filled with ridicule and she felt as if an arrow had stabbed her heart, but she maintains a composed front, challenging him with a sneer of her own.

"Fu fu fu, hidoi." She laughs through gritted teeth.

"Tch. Hurry and eat before it gets cold, taku." He growls, pulling a stool up and sitting down in front of her. He was slightly turned away with his right arm resting on the counter. Before tapping away on his PDA he notices his sister's glass prism on the table top, glowering at its presence. Tch, still obsessing over shiny stuff. Is she a crow or something? While he returned to his device, Shizuka takes a bite of the beef, a burst of intense flavor fills her mouth and she feels warm with satisfaction.

It's been several months since they last saw each other. Both busy with their own lives with Shizuka running Iris and her Clan, and Shinobu tending to his studies as well as the helping with the restaurant.

"I've applied for Le Cordon Bleu..." He speaks and Shizuka looks at him, pausing in the middle of taking another fork-full of beef and mushrooms and she sets it down.

"That prestigious cooking school?" She replies sipping her wine and wiping her lips with a napkin, then glancing back at him as he sets his PDA down.

"Yeah..."

"Eeh~ It'll be hard to get into to..."

"You think I don't know that? It's the best school in the region and the only way to challenge myself further with cooking." He grips his hand into a fist while Shizuka empties her wine glass.

"Go for it then. As long as you keep up your grades, study enough and pass the entrance exam then you're gold." She gestures the empty glass at him and he reaches under the counter, pulling out a bottle of wine, unscrewing it and pouring her another glass.

"So cliché." He mutters, clicking his tongue and Shizuka frowns at him

"What else do you want me to say? It'll all be cliché anyways, like, 'do your best my dear little brother', or 'I know you'll get into that school' ne? Ne?" She asks with emphasis towards the end, setting her wine down and picking up her fork to resume eating, waiting for her brother's answer, noticing he doesn't reply at first as he looks at his PDA, then he opens his mouth to speak

"Gross. Forget about it then." He huffs seeming disgusted with the kindness from his sister, but Shizuka wasn't fooled by his tsundere personality, knowing he was just hiding his gratitude for her support.

It's good he has plans after high school. Le Cordon Bleu, huh...the best French and Japanese school in the Kanto region. She glances at his PDA for a short moment while she chews, the screen bright white but she could see him scrolling down an endless page of just words, and she though he was probably reading an e-book. Ah that's right...there's that to talk to him about too. She then sis back while swallowing and lifting her chin, shifting her narrowed eyes to the back of his head.

"Shinobu." Her voice was low and his thumb pauses on the screen, hearing her call him by his actual name meant she had something serious to talk about, but he didn't budge. "I got a call from someone through my personal cell a few days ago...you didn't happen to give my number to anyone did you?"

Her question piqued his interest since he was aware who she was talking about and turns to look at her.

"Ah, so Ijuin-sensei really was serious in trying to get in contact with you." He grins evilly while Shizuka looked at him sternly, hiding her shock.

"Sensei?" She questions.

"Heh? He didn't tell you when he called? God, you adults are weird." He grumbles, brushing a hand through his hair and sighing. "Your ex teaches English at my school and I have him third period."

"What happened to the previous teacher?" She asks.

"He's at Ashinaka High School now."

Shizuka was quiet while Shinobu continued his explanation.

"Ijuin just started teaching this year and he's really strict on everyone, especially to us third-years. Talk about high expectations, so, I think he's tough on us because he knows I'm your little brother so congrats, you managed to ruin the last year of my high school life, baka Aneki." Shinobu claps his hands and stands up. "Encore encore." He adds, his tone sounded bored as well as his expression and Shizuka bows her head while extending her arms out to the sides as if she was on stage in front of a crowd.

"Oh, you're welcome, and thank you very much." She teases her brother back and he scowls at her when she reverts back to her usual sitting position "But don't assume things like that. It's unhealthy."

A 'hmph' was his only response, sitting back down and crossing his arms, and Shizuka continues eating. "Na, Aneki, did you two meet up yet?" He asks after a pause.

"Not yet. He did call me about meeting on New Years, but I'm spending that with you, mom and dad." She sighs, "I'm trying to get a date in though." She scoops the remnants of her meal into a small pile and shovels them onto her fork for a final bite.

As expected, she's never bothered with confronting people...even with those who broke her trust. Shinobu thought. She's gonna want to get it over with as soon as possible and get some questions answered. Even I have some suspicions on what that guy's up to, but it's between them so it's not really my problem really; however, he didn't seem to change from what I remember him being like

"Which reminds me, why did you give him my number? You had the choice of refusing." She jabs her fork towards him but he doesn't flinch and blinks once before answering.

"He said he had some things he wanted to talk to you about, so that's why I gave it to him."

"Heeh? I have three phones you know? You could have given him the business one."

"Pff, he doesn't know about that, besides I think you can handle whatever he throws at you. You weren't the one who ran away anyways." He stands up, taking the empty plate with him and heading to the sink to wash it.

Shizuka doesn't comment and finishes off her wine, then linking her fingers together, setting her hands on top of the counter, and narrowing her eyes as she contemplated on something. After Shinobu rinsed off the plate and sets it out to dry, he heads over to the refrigerator and pulls out a jug of water, grabbing a cup from underneath an island and returning to his seat with Shizuka, pouring water into her once glass of wine and then pouring himself some.

"Mah mah..." She sighs, bringing the rim to her lips, "It's gonna be another long year."

"Tell me about it." Shinobu adds as he takes a drink of his water.