Previously: Kai and Hilary speak more about their game plan. Hilary finds a dress for her first night with Kai's family. Because of a bit of an overdramatic reaction on Hilary's part, Kai has set his mind to...an unexpected request.

The benefits of a good friend (is that you can pay them to do things)

"A kiss?" I stutter out. I'm still trying to remove myself from his vicinity. The atmosphere in the room is heavy and thick. I'm suffocating.

"Don't misunderstand," Kai says. Thankfully, he relents his hold, giving me the room I so desperately want. "It's not something I'm especially excited about. However, if my family even gets the faintest idea that this is not a legitimate relationship, they'll be out for blood."

"But," I protest, "you're a private person. Won't they just think that you don't engage in PDA?"

"There will be occasions where I'll need to hold you close or even kiss you, and if you look at me then like you're looking at me now, then we might as well not even try."

I can see he's being sincere. He's not using his authority to tip the scales in his favor or manipulate me into doing something I don't want to do. He's honestly focused on the appearance of our engagement.

"Okay, okay." I give in to his reasoning with a sigh. "But you shouldn't just walk up and grab me. Even under normal circumstances, I would be upset about that."

Kai waits in silence, undisturbed by my complaint.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea. It had somehow never crossed my mind that our pretending would need to progress past what it has been. "We can't just jump straight into kissing though,"

He smirks. "You need to warm up?"

"Not like that," I warn. He's only teasing but I don't want him tthinking about how I function in intimate moments. "I mean, we should build up to kissing. Start by holding hands or something."

Kai sighs, nodding with apathetic acceptance. He holds out his hand, waiting for me to take it. It's not natural and feels exceedingly like a performance. But I guess that's why we have to do this.

I reach out a wrap my much smaller hand around his. Kai's fingers close over mine. It feels too warm. I'm aware of every movement, every twitch. Our attached hands swing between us.

"Now what?"

I look at him. I'm not entirely sure what to do next. "I suppose we stay like this until it feels natural? Or comfortable?"

"Hmm." He glances around the room, bored. Eventually, he looks back at me. "So, you're a cupper, huh?"

"A what?"

Kai lifts our joined hands. "You cup,"

I shrug, clueless to what he means.

"There's the cup handhold, like this." Then Kai adjusted his hand moving to twine his fingers between mine. "And then there's the intertwine."

"I didn't know they had names," I say. Now not only am I aware of every movement but just how small my hand is. "So, I guess you're a...intertwine guy?"

He shrugs indifferently, but his sly grin says yes.

I need to find a way to distract myself. I can't just keep standing here staring at our hands, hoping it somehow gets better. "Let's walk."

"Walk?"

"Yes," I mutter, rejoicing at my own genius. "Walk so that we get used to the feeling and don't bump into each other."

Kai takes a step, pulling on our link so that I fall into step with him. Being at his side, surprisingly, isn't any easier. Now I'm just aware of everything. Every movement, his height, the heat of his hand.

"You found a dress?"

"Hmm?" I have to turn at a new angle to look up at him. I'm momentarily distracted to see him looking back. We turn in front of the TV, walking across the living room to the wall of windows. "Right. Yes. It is Mariah approved."

"That's good. Perhaps I should have sent you shopping with Mariah instead of Spencer today."

I smile at the fond memory. "I don't mind Spencer's company."

"He doesn't mind yours," Kai answers. "He normally only tolerates driving others around. He seems almost at ease when I send him to you."

"Yeah?" It's exciting to know that I'm not the only one enjoying the friendship.

Kai smirks again, but it's not as severe. More like a crooked smile. We fall into a strained silence again, turning about the room.

Thinking about Spencer reminds me of what he said at the dinner party. "Oh, I have something to tell you!"

"What's that?"

I come to a stop, causing Kai to stop as well. He waits patiently while I find my words. "I'm not on vacation," I start. "I actually quit. So, you won't have to call and negotiate my contract. I don't have one anymore." If I wasn't already so familiar with his expressionless visage, his lack of reaction would have me doubting if he'd even heard me.

"Why'd you quit? I thought you wanted to make sure you had a job after this."

I have to look away while I relate my experience. Now that I know I have his attention, his stare isn't expressionless but invasive, the kind that sees right through people. I feel utterly pathetic. "They promoted someone else; someone who's only worked there for six months. When I asked, they said no one liked me and therefore, wouldn't respect me as a manager."

Kai doesn't say anything in reply and I'm left fighting off my own turmoil at the memory.

"I guess this might make you rethink the plan. It should. I can't even convince my co-workers I know what I'm doing. What chance do I stand against your family?"

"I would like to say I feel bad for you, but I don't." Kai answers. His words hold no sympathy. In fact, they sound pleased.

"Um, thanks?" I try to pull my hand away. I wasn't looking for him to comfort me. Still, he doesn't need to be so overjoyed with my loss.

His grip tightens. "It only means that now you're available to work for me after this. Which is what I wanted all along. I'm even more confident in my chance to keep you around."

"You still want to hire me?"

Kai rolls his eyes. "If Boris can't see the sharp tool in front of him because it's not shiny enough for his liking, that's his problem. Even better if it's to my benefit."

"I see." That's a lie. I don't see what Kai sees. At the moment, I don't feel much like a sharp tool. More like a dull spade.

Now that that's out of the way, we can carry on with our walk. He pulls lightly and I fall in line with him, still thinking about his words. We've made it to the fireplace and have almost completed a lap.

"Comfortable yet?" He whispers close to my ear.

I jerk back. "Well, I was before you startled me."

I'm close enough to catch the deep chuckle. We come to a stop where we began, facing each other again.

"What's next?"

That's a good question. "I don't know." Normally, I don't try to shove a whole relationship of intimate moments into a single night. What is the next step in terms of physical affection?

"How about a dance?" Kai asks. He pulls me closer by the waist – when did his hands get there? - and I'm startled by the closeness.

"Okay," I say, swaying as he takes a step. We're not really dancing, just moving in a small circle around his living room. As I get used to the feeling, my hands travel to his shoulders and then stretch up to his neck. "Should I actually be learning a dance or something?"

"We can get you lessons if you'd like," he responds.

"I don't want to embarrass you." I laugh softly. "I can be clumsy."

"Hilary, we're not trying to hide who you are or change you. You are who you are, and whoever that is, I'll convince them that it's you I've chosen."

"Oh."

"So, just focus on keeping them away from the fact that we're not actually in love. Everything else is fine."

"Right." I sigh. That actually seems more feasible. "I can do that."

"Good. You seem more comfortable now."

"Yeah, I guess," I say, lost in the sway of our steps.

"So," he stops moving, "are we ready to move on to less comfortable."

He means kissing. My heart thumps.

"Just something to become familiar to each other," he promises.

"Yeah, okay," I bob my head, trying to hype myself up. "If that's what the job calls for."

I have to remember this is a job. This isn't real. Kai Hiwatari does not want to kiss me just to kiss me. He wants to make sure I don't ruin his chances at literal freedom from a loveless marriage.

Oh, god. There so much riding on this.

His hands rise from my waist to face, his thumbs gently resting on my cheeks and tilting so that I'm looking up. I don't know what to do with my hands. Should I move them to his chest? His shoulders? My gaze bounces between his eyes and his lips as he moves in.

My head jerks back involuntarily.

"Hold still," he says, bringing my head forward. I'm forced closer and to brace myself, I move my hands so they rest on his sides, almost like a hug.

I have to take a deep breath and exhale before I can speak again. "Yeah. I know. You were just getting close."

"That's usually how people kiss."

"Obviously," I reply, rolling my eyes. I roll my shoulders to try and loosen up, working out some of the nerves. "Okay, try again."

I close my eyes just before our lips collide softly, resting on each other for just a moment before he pulls back.

I begin to think that was it and feel stupid for making such a big deal about it. So now we've had our first kiss and the next one won't come as a surprise. I open my eyes just to see him coming back in and quickly move back into place to meet him.

Our lips close around each other, tenderly pulling before retracting. He doesn't move all the way back this time. Our foreheads rest together, his nose bumping mine lightly. There's no surge of passion that usually accompanies the first kiss. It's just a connecting of lips, though I can't deny that my heart is pounding.

I try not to move, allowing Kai to lead. This is his show, after all. I'm just an actor. But I want to. I want to move back and look at him, see his eyes and see how he feels. I can't. I can't make an emotional attachment to this moment. I must mentally stay in this space.

He's rotating, coming back in at a different angle. There's a bit more vigor in this one, his inhale is sharp as he pulls my bottom lip between his. It's not forceful. If I wanted to pull away, I could. He'd let me go.

But I stay.

It lasts a moment longer before he steps away completely, dropping his hands so that I'm forced to support myself. After a moment, I'm able to open my eyes again and see him.

His unreadable poker-face is back and I have no idea what he's thinking.

I bit my lips. They're still buzzing from the pressure.

"Good." Is all he says. "We'll keep working on it, but I think we'll be okay."

Keep working on it? How often does he foresee us needing to kiss in front of people?

"I'm tired," I say. "I'm going to call it a night if there's nothing else we can do."

There's a strange spark behind his eyes, but it's put away with a strange, sardonic grin. "Have a good night. In case I don't see you in the morning, dinner starts at eight. I'll pick you up by seven-thirty."

I nod once and then turn and all but run to my room. I shut the door firmly, leaning my forehead on the solid wood.

The next morning, I debate on seeing Kai before he leaves. I can pretend that I slept in and see him when he comes to get me. I don't allow myself to do this. I need to keep to a routine so that everything stays normal between us.

I walk out of the room, freshly showered and dressed in one of the outfits I picked up yesterday, and find Kai sitting in the same spot as the day before. He sips his coffee and no longer seems surprised to see me.

"Good morning, Kai," I say cheerfully, smiling as I go to the coffee maker and pour myself a cup. "What your plan for the day?"

Kai looks at me with steely eyes. "Meetings, the usual. I'm sending Mariah over to help you prepare for tonight. I'll -"

"Pick me up at seven-thirty," I answer. "See, I was paying attention."

His expression is mocking. "Good job, but what I was going to say was that I'll pick you up from your place. You're having furniture delivered today, remember."

"Oh, right." Well, now I feel dumb.

"Also, you'll be receiving a call from my private accountant. He's set up that account for you, which I'll be paying into each month this goes on. You'll get access to it after it's all over. It won't matter what it looks like then."

I nod. I've been turning my cell phone off when I don't need it to avoid phone calls from certain family members. "I need to stop by my apartment to pick up a few more things. By the way, what is going to happen to my stuff while I'm living in the condo? And my apartment? I have a lease, you know."

Kai shrugs. "I'd get rid of all of it -" he holds up a hand at my readiness to protest, "- but if you want to put it in storage, I suppose we can do that, too."

I relax, momentarily appeased by his answer. "There's one other thing," I say. I want to get this out before I lose my confidence. "I think we should put a limit on how many kisses we have in front of your family."

"Why?"

"Well, that way we make sure they really count. That it's really important, and not just because."

"Why?"

"Because..." I trail off, trying to come up with another reason to explain. I shake my head, realizing he'll never agree with me no matter what I say. "I think three is enough."

"Hardly," he scoffs.

"Just how much kissing do you think we'll be doing?"

"Ten."

"That's more than once a month!"

"I don't hear you negotiating," he says, "Going once,"

"Four,"

"Seven."

"Four and a half,"

"What's half a kiss?"

"It's like when I kiss you on your cheek or something."

"There's no way cheek kisses are included in this," Kai waves his hand dismissively. "A kiss on the cheek is something you do for a greeting. Cheek kisses are unlimited."

"Fine then, four."

Kai laughs. At least he seems humored by my tactics and not irritated. "Six. Final offer."

Well, it's not ten. "Six it is."

He holds out his hand. "Deal,"

"Deal," I say shaking it. "But only really important moments."

"How will I know if you consider it to be important enough?"

I hide my smile behind my coffee cup. "You'll know, trust me." That's a lie. Because I won't even know. I doubt I'll ever think it's important enough for him to kiss me in front of his family. However, a deal is a deal.

Before he leaves, Kai hands me a key card for his elevator and says that he'll arrange movers to pack up my stuff tomorrow and store it. I'll need to get what I need today or it's gone for six months.

Mariah seeming materializes out of nowhere a bit later. I apologize profusely, feeling bad that she is being paid to hang out with me. She waves me off as we walk down to the garage. We're without Spencer today. Instead, we're driving around in her little coup. It's cute – all white with hot pink accents and I smile at how very Mariah it is.

She talks a mile a minute as I point directions to my apartment. There are still a few hours before the furniture gets delivered and then I'll have to prepare for the dinner.

"Giancarlo and Olivier?" I ask dubiously when she tells me that they'll be doing my hair and make-up and last-minute wardrobe adjustments.

"Yeah, they often work together, especially for Kai."

"Dresses up a lot of girls, does he?"

She side-eyes me. "Nope, you're the only one in recent history."

I wonder what she considers recent, but decide not to inquire further. It'll only get me in trouble.

Once again, my apartment feels like another world when we step inside. Like it's been years and not days since I've spent time here. As I look around, I start to see what Kai must have seen. The kitchen counter has chips at the edges and there's a strange warping on the floor where I suspect the previous tenant overwatered a plant. Everything is crowded together and it feels like there's barely enough space for one person to breathe.

Has it only taken me under seventy-two hours to adjust to a life of luxury? Look how superficial I am turning out to be.

Mariah glances around. "There's stuff here you want to save?"

I give her an empty, unamused look. I can have those thoughts, not her. "It's not perfect, but it's mine. There's some value in that."

"I suppose,"

"Just help me pack some stuff."

We load the items I'll need into a few suitcases, along with some personal items that I want to take with me to the condo. I try to be selective, picking items that won't stand out too much but that will remind me of who I am so I don't get lost. One thing I make sure to grab is a picture of me and all three of my cousins. It's from a family vacation after my first year of college and it was the only time I think all four of us actually enjoyed each other's company.

Once we get everything shoved into her small car and narrowly miss an encounter with Daichi who I see watching us from the corner, we head to the condo. The whole experience is dreamlike as we drive away from my neighborhood.

Mariah whistles when we get into the unit. "Wow, haven't been here for a while. Takes me back."

I start. "Yeah?"

"Rei was so happy when he got his new place," she places both hands on the kitchen countertop like she has a spiritual connection to it or something.

"I don't know. I think this place is nice."

"You could say that," She says, leaving the kitchen to walk out on the balcony. "This was his first big buy, you know. I always suspected that's why he never got rid of it – keeping it as some sort of trophy. Now I think he's probably always thinking lightyears ahead of us. He knew he'd need it again."

I leaning against the railing with her, looking at the city that she called his little kingdom. "Why'd he live so far away? Rick said his family owns the building he's in now."

"When Kai's grandfather was still president, he was there a lot. Now that he's taken a step back, he spends more time at the estate."

"Kai didn't want to live around his grandfather?"

Mariah turns to me and blinks. She's not as good at Kai at hiding her thoughts and I can see her sifting through the information, picking and choosing what to say. The intercom rings and Mariah immediately goes to show me how to unlock the door from the inside to let the delivery people in.

While they set up the furniture and stage it to look like a magazine, I unpack my suitcases, and Mariah leaves to get food.

"Your kitchen is completely empty and I will never hear the end of it if I let you starve. Are you allergic to anything?"

"Just evil overlords," I joking, thinking of Spencer's comment and my previous employer.

Mariah stares at me in confusion. "What?"

I wave her off, still laughing to myself.

She returns over an hour later with bags and bags, somehow convincing one of the delivery men to help her carry all of them up. I sit and watch in awe as she organizes my kitchen. Not only did she buy food, but also utensils and kitchen hardware. When I complain that I could have gotten the stuff from my own kitchen, she swats me with one of those things people use to spread frosting on a cake. As if I'd ever use need it.

After the men finish and leave, Mariah prepares a quick lunch for us.

"I can take care of myself, you know," I say as she chases me out of the kitchen and back to my barstool at the small island. "I have for many years before Kai."

"Relax and just let me help you,"

Earlier than I think necessary, Giancarlo arrives with his two assistances. Mariah is not helpful at all as they strip me and put me through another shower, despite my repeated claims that I showered that morning. These girls really get on my nerves.

I use only the products they tell me to use, and then when I get out, they wrap me in a comfy robe and sit me in a chair, where Gian sets to work on my hair. First drying it and then giving it a trim. I'm uncomfortable letting him mess around, not even asking what I would like, but when he's done, I have to admit I look better than ever.

"You have nice hair," he says, looking at me in the mirror. "Good color and thick. Really good for someone to grab on to."

"What does that mean?" I say, arching my brow and daring him to clarify. Deep inside, I burn with embarrassment, thinking about everything his comment implies.

He laughs richly. Clearly, this is the reaction he wanted and I wonder if he knows what Kai and I have planned or if he's just teasing.

He then begins on my face. Brush after brush, little daps here and there. I look where he tells me to, trying to hold as still as possible. As a distraction, I play with the ring on my left hand. Mariah watches from the doorway. I can see her pleased face in the mirror when I look in that direction.

When the doorbell rings, she leaves to answer it.

"Gian!" The designer from yesterday calls as he comes in.

"Olivier," he replies. "Let's see your work of art!"

Giancarlo leaves my side to examine the dress. "It's even more beautiful than you said, Olivier. You've outdone yourself, as always."

"Nothing less," Olivier smirks. "Now, let's see your masterpiece."

Olivier and Giancarlo stand in front of me, examining my face as though they were looking at a painting.

"You can do so much with so little, Gian," Olivier says, tilting my chin this way and that. After his comment, I swat his hand away, wishing for that frosting thing Mariah had earlier.

"Yes, but your dress!" Giancarlo kisses his fingertips. "That will be the show stopper."

"If you two are done buttering each other up, I'm sure Hilary would like to get out of her seat." Mariah chimes in. I smile gratefully at her interruption, as her voice leaves no room for arguments, and the two finish what they are doing.

The assistants help me step into the dress and zip it up for me. It fits even better than yesterday and once I look in the mirror, I don't know what to think.

That is a different girl. That is not Hilary Tachibana.

I touch my cheek to see if I'm real. Mariah appears behind me, laughing at my amazement.

"That's all you," she says. Then she shrugs, "Just enhanced a little."

"I don't look like myself," I whisper.

"You look like a Hiwatari."

Her words send a shock down my spine and I step back from the mirror. Can I really pull this off? Mariah seems confident, but then it's not her job to convince people that she's caught the attention of a man who has said he has no room in his life for love.

I step out into the room to allow the artists to see their work. They're busy talking to each other as Giancarlo packs his supplies, but once I open the door, they stop.

"The dress is lovely," Giancarlo says. "She's a vision."

"The dress is just a dress. The hair and make-up really sell it," Olivier replies.

I roll my eyes, reluctantly flattered that they're happy. "Yes, you've both done a marvelous job turning me into someone I'm not."

"If that's what you think we did," Giancarlo says as he comes up to adjust my hair, "then you never saw yourself clearly to begin with. You'll have to work that out with a therapist. Dresses and makeup can only do so much."

"But I heard retail therapy works wonders," I pretend to whine.

"True, but it's very expensive. It's so much cheaper just to see a therapist."

The four of them leave and by seven, I'm sitting ramrod straight, trying not to wrinkle or smudge anything they've created. Mariah is chowing down on the noodles she made and I stare at her in wonder. It's been hours since I've eaten lunch but I'm too nervous to ask for anything.

At seven-thirty on the dot, my doorbell rings. I stand up immediately and Mariah tells me to wait. She skips to my door while I smooth everything down and grab the matching clutch that Olivier left me.

"What's the password?" She asks when she opens the door.

"Move, I don't have time for games."

Mariah makes a buzzard sound. "Actually, it's that you'll have her home by midnight." She laughs as she swings the door open fully.

Kai is standing there in a black and white suit. The cut is impeccable. Other than that time he wore a tux, I've never seen him look so much like a dream.

I take a deep breath. "Hi," I wave. Am I blushing? I feel like I'm blushing.

"Hello?" he replies.

Mariah is standing by the door, smiling so big I'm sure she could swallow the moon if she tried. Her eyes dart between us.

"Um," I start when I get close enough. "Thanks for spending the day with me."

"It's was fun, we'll do it again," she nods. "I'll lock up. You two have fun, but not too much. This is a family dinner after all."

I give her a small smile before turning to my companion for the night. Kai shuts the door behind us. It does feel slightly like he's picked me up for a date and I have to work to put those feelings away. This is business.

"Good day at work?"

"Fine."

Well, okay. That covers all my small talk. We get downstairs where Spencer is waiting by the car door for us. When he sees, he opens the door so that we can get in.

"Very nice," I hear him comment in passing and I grin.

In the car, with the dim lights, I'm able to think more clearly. Turning to Kai, his face shrouded in shadows from the tinted window, I start, "We should strategize. Who's the most important person tonight."

"Definitely my grandfather. He's the most upset at this turn of events and will be looking for any hole in our relationship that he can use to tear us apart."

"Sounds like a lovely old man," I laugh. "I'm great with old people. Anyone else?"

"Kay, though she prefers to be called Doctor."

"Even by family?"

"Especially by family."

"That's weird. What kind of doctor is she even?"

Kai scowls as he thinks about his family. "She's a geneticist. Specializes in gene mutations."

"And what makes her dangerous?"

"She's just annoying. Likes to create problems. She doesn't believe in love either, so she'll be hard to convince that this isn't just some ploy to get more power."

"What about your parents."

There's a deep pause where his energy shifts. Kai, who was previously engaged in our conversation, mentally takes a step back. "They won't be there." He says, ending that line of thought.

"Okay," I draw out. "Anyone else I should be on guard against?"

He shakes his head. "All of them. They're all backstabbing, conniving looters anyway. Even the ones you think you can trust because they're nice are under somebody's thumb. Just remember that: you can't trust any of them."

"But I can trust you, right?" I joke.

He turns to me. It's difficult to see him, save for the road lamps coming through the tinted windows. Instead of answering my question, he covers the hand I have resting on the seat between us with his own. "You look nice tonight," he says. "I didn't say anything earlier."

I don't know what that's supposed to mean, but I have little time to consider it because we pull to a stop in a long, rounded driveway. Even from inside the car, I can tell that the house before us is massive.

Kai turns to the window. "The first battle of a long war is about to begin," he looks back at me. "Are you ready?"

Ohhhh, so a kiss and getting ready for dinner. Much thanks and graditude to everyone who spends their time reading this, and thank you to everyone who comments. I love hearing from you all and hope you're doing well and staying safe.

Until next time - Konix