Chapter 139: Fashion Muse

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, daddy Kuu will protect his little girl.

Kyoko took another deep breath, steadying herself as she waited for her car's turn to pull up to the circular driveway. She had half a mind to get out and start walking. The exercise and the cool air would benefit her right about now but she feared to make a spectacle of herself. She doubted people in this area walked on the side of the road in six-inch stilettos and designer dresses. She awkwardly withdrew her phone from her small clutch and nervously texted Fuji of her impending arrival. She would have to apologize to him properly for being late once they met up.

She smiled fondly at the memory of watching the videos with Kuu as they ate their dinner. They had lost track of time watching Kuon as a baby. Seeing him in photos was one thing but watching him animated as a child nearly stole her breath away, literally. Some of the videos Kuu showed her had her gasping for air because she couldn't stop laughing. The most notable one was when Kuu was changing his dirty diaper. Kyoko would have found it unbelievable if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes. The trajectory of the stream he released as soon as the cold air hit him had to be a record. Poor Kuu was an unexpected victim. It was adorable how the young parents coped with that catastrophe. She couldn't wait to tease Kuon about it later.

They realized their mistake when Kuu received a call from the guard at the gate to inform him that the car he ordered was on its way up. Kyoko flew into super Okami mode and cleared their dishes. Kuu told her to leave it but she refused. It took but a few minutes to load the handy dishwasher with everything. After the kitchen looked decent again, they retreated to their respective rooms to finish dressing.

Kyoko undressed and put on the sheer tights first. She was careful to take this process slow to keep from ruining them. Once they were on, she snatched up the dress she had laying on the bed. The material was so thick and heavy that leaving it like that didn't cause a single wrinkle. In theory, she knew how the dress was supposed to look from the picture on the mannequin that accompanied it but looking at it closer made her go hmm.

It took some trial and error but Kyoko finally made it to the point where she was ready to zip up the dress. She already had to stop twice. The first time was when she realized she needed to put on her shoes first otherwise it would be nearly impossible afterward and the second was when she forgot to put on the black suede glove.

Kyoko panicked as the glove made it difficult to zip up the back of her dress. Kuon wasn't here to save her. She broke out in a cold sweat and contorted to get it up. "Fuck," she swore under her breath with more English expletives erupting through her clenched teeth. She bit the fingertip of the glove and yanked it off. She tugged again, shook and shimmied without tripping over her heels until she finally managed to close the dress. Exhausted, she plopped down on her vanity stool and used the bound script nearby to fan herself.

Kyoko glanced at her reflection in the mirror and grimaced once she was cool again. She picked up her brush and dusted powder on her face to minimize the shine then stood to go into the enormous closet. On her way, she picked up the discarded glove on the floor and placed it next to the black suede clutch that Fuji provided to go with the dress. The gold on the enclosure and the crystals in the R'Mandy logo complemented it well.

She stood before the standing mirror in her closet and admired her reflection. The asymmetrical shape of the dress was unlike anything Kyoko had ever worn thus far. It was strapless but the left shoulder of her dress stuck out from her body a foot and then slimmed down at her hip. The right side did the opposite. It was tight at the bodice and the skirt stuck out from her hip another foot. The print was bold with vertical stripes of deep greens, oranges, blacks, and creams. In the pattern of the material, Kyoko could make out at least three Tigers with the green colors giving off the illusion that they were roaming through a jungle. On the left side of the dress, the words "Fashion" and "Fierce" were embroidered in Kanji.

She lingered in front of the mirror striking poses that would best show off the dress. Fuji would surely appreciate her effort. The urgent knock on the door made her realize she was wasting time.

"Come in," she called loudly and hurried into the other room to gather her stuff.

"Hey sweetie, I was just checking if you needed any help since you were taking a while," Kuu offered, popping his head in.

"Wow!" They exclaimed in unison when they saw each other and then laughed. Kuu's hair was now black and slicked back into a low ponytail. He had put his jacket and tie on and looked every bit the scary bodyguard.

"You look amazing, Dad!"

"Tut-tut," He said wagging his finger at her. "Once we reach those stairs I am no longer, Dad."

Kyoko nodded as the familiar feelings from the time when she played young Kuon alongside this amazing actor filled her with excitement. This time around Kuu would be playing the role.

"I am Vlad, your hired bodyguard for ze night. I am Russian immigrant zat left ze motherland to chase ze American dream. I have vife and daughter here."

Kyoko's jaw dropped at his accent and the overall change of his aura. She wasn't familiar with what a Russian sounded like but she was impressed with Kuu's ability to slip right into the role.

He quirked his lips into a smile returning to his true self. "What do you think? Convincing? Julie has taught me enough Russian for me to pass as a native should someone try to converse with me. I hope Vlad's intimidating presence is enough to deter anyone from engaging me."

Kyoko's face drooped. "I'm sorry for dragging you out like this. You can't even enjoy yourself because it's...it's like you're working. How could I possibly treat The Kuu Hizuri in such a shameless fashion? Oh my God! If fans find out that you've been regulated to nothing more than a mere servant...ahhh! I don't know what they'll do to me! I think you should stay! I can go on my own!"

"Not a chance, honey! You are stuck with this Daddy-o! There's no way I'm letting you go to a function like this on your own so unless you don't want to go to work, I suggest WE," he emphasized we by pointing his finger back and forth between them, "get going," he told her sternly and glanced at his watch.

Kyoko pursed her lips and considered arguing her point again. Kuu's stone face made her swallow whatever she was going to say to convince him otherwise. There was no way she couldn't go. Fuji was expecting her. It was obvious that Kuu was serious about not letting her go alone either. She sighed and gave in. Hizuri men were so stubborn.

"Could you help me with this?" Kyoko asked, holding up the glove. She held out her right hand while Kuu slipped it on.

"Where's the other one?" he asked, holding out his hand for it.

"There's just the one."

He frowned and looked closely at her dress. "So your other arm is...?" He asked, confused.

"Stuck like this," she finished. It was a lovely dress but the left side that jutted out was designed as a sleeve. A sleeve that would leave her arm hanging at her side. She could barely move it an inch.

"Oh boy, sometimes I don't understand fashion. This reminds me of a dress that Julie couldn't walk in. She needed the aid of crutches to hop to the center of the runway and once she was there she unzipped the bottom of the dress so she could walk properly. It was unbelievable! Like, why didn't they just make her wear it like that in the first place! I remember the fashion police raving about the ingeniousness of the design. It baffled me."

Kyoko giggled. It did sound more cumbersome than not having the mobility of one arm. She would have to ask Julie about the dress later. She might even have pictures of it.

"Do you have everything? I, well Vlad, told Kevin we would be out soon."

"I think I do," she replied. Kuu held the door open and swept his arm out for her to go first. She took several steps forward then hesitated and turned just as he closed the door to the room.

"Do I look alright?" She asked anxiously. She was representing R'Mandy tonight and didn't want to embarrass Fuji with her shortcomings. The heels made her taller and the short dress gave the illusion that she had legs for days as Kuon liked to say but she was still unsure that she could pass as a model.

"You look wonderful, sweetie." He smiled warmly at her. She returned his smile as his words put her at ease. She was reminded of what Kuon told her about his parents and that song.

...

"We're the fourth car now, Ms. Kyoko. Thanks again for choosing our company tonight," Kevin said from the driver's seat breaking through her thoughts. It was nice of Kuu to have hired him again. He probably now had a loyal fan for life.

"You're welcome and thank you for your excellent service. I would have been much later if it was anyone else driving," she praised.

"And thank you for the autograph. My wife is going to flip when she finds out I drove for you tonight." Kevin turned his head to the passenger seat. "Thank you, Vlad, for bringing it to my attention."

"Zis, no problem," Vlad responded shrugging. Kyoko thought Kuu was going to give himself away the moment he raised the volume when her song came over the speakers. Kyoko's face burned as she recalled what happened in the car ride over.

"Wow, Vlad. I'm seeing you in a whole new light," Kevin told him. "I didn't peg you for a man to like this kind of music."

"Vhat? It's catchy song. You did good job singing, Miss," Vlad complimented.

"Wait, hold up, hold up. Ms. Kyoko…?" he said looking at her in the rearview mirror. Kyoko blushed. "Oh my lord," he cried in disbelief after it sank in. "This singer's name is Kyoko. Your name is Kyoko. Is this for real? Are you punking me right now Vlad? Is he punking me, Ms. Kyoko?"

Vlad humphed. "Vlad always speaks ze truth!"

Kyoko had to turn her head before she started laughing. Kuu was indeed a talented actor. It was amazing to watch his improvisation pull himself out of this NG.

"I must be doing something right because heaven is smiling down on me ever since I met you, Ms. Kyoko. I can once again end my night on a high note. If you don't mind may I have your autograph? My wife loves your song."

Vlad grunted in the seat beside him. "I mean my wife and I are huge fans of your song," Kevin clarified.

The conversation in the luxury SUV continued between Kyoko and Kevin regarding her future music career while Vlad listened.

The thumping of music and the colored strobe lights she could see rising into the sky caught Kyoko's attention as the car crept up the driveway. She couldn't determine if this place was a club or a private residence. They had passed several large mansions on the way in but they were few and far between. She noted that people here liked their space. She stared at the few people milling about the entrance just beyond the large water fountain. They were all dressed fashionably so Kyoko wouldn't look out of place. She assumed the people with the cameras were paparazzi and suddenly felt nervous again.

"Time to go," Vlad announced and put on his sunglasses then opened his door.

"Thank you for the ride, Kevin. We'll see you in an hour or so?" She said quickly to the driver. Vlad opened the back door and held his hand out for her.

"I'll be here. You have my cell if you need me sooner," the driver promised.

Kyoko thanked him again and became confused as to how to take Vlad's outstretched hand since she only had the one free. Vlad took her clutch and put it in his jacket pocket then helped her out. She was relieved by the thought that no one here knew her, therefore, they wouldn't be interested in her. That reprieve lasted a whole twenty seconds as she walked up the paved path toward the water fountain with Vlad on her heels. It was weird having him walking behind her but she supposed it came with the role. An aggressive photographer approached her and began snapping pictures so Vlad went to work.

"Don't come closer! I don't want to have to crack skull," Vlad warned.

The photographer looked shocked but obeyed the warning. Kyoko was so glad she didn't come alone, just getting inside was proving overwhelming.

"Can you tell me your name? And who you are wearing?" Kyoko looked completely confused. She glanced around her to see if anyone was near her and then pointed to herself. Me? She mouthed.

"Yes, you're a model, right? Who is the designer of your dress?"

"Oh," she said, quickly recovering. She looked over at her bodyguard who gave her a curt nod. This was work.

"I'm wearing R'Mandy," she said with pride and struck one of the poses she had practiced earlier to best highlight the silhouette of the dress. Several more of the photographers gathered around and began taking pictures of her as well.

"And your name?" Another photographer asked.

"Kyoko," she exclaimed over their camera shutters and demands to look this way. Eventually, Vlad ushered her toward the security personnel guarding the front door.

"Are all work functions here conducted like this one?" Kyoko whispered to her bodyguard.

Kuu leaned down breaking character, "In these kinds of circles, yes. But most are not on this grand of a scale. It might be because of fashion week."

"Name?" Asked the intimidating muscular man at the door.

"Kyoko with Fujiwara Hiroshi of R'Mandy and he's my plus one," she said gesturing to her undercover bodyguard. She wasn't sure what name Fuji used.

The man scanned his tablet then nodded to his companion to open the door. Kyoko turned sideways to accommodate her dress through the threshold but the guard stopped Vlad. The deadly glare that Vlad gave him sent Kyoko's mini battalion of grudges into a tizzy. She gulped. It was so much like Kuon's. She prayed to all the Gods he didn't get in a fight before they got inside. It would be her fault if Kuu were exposed here.

"Weapons?" The security guard asked tersely, recognizing someone in a similar profession. He picked up the security wand from a nearby table and waved it over Vlad's body. He stood insulted by the insinuation but lifted his arms begrudgingly when asked to do so. Kyoko frowned. Why didn't they do that to her? They were singling him out like a common criminal. Of course, he looked suspiciously like a member of a mafia but that was beside the point. She took a step toward them, ready to protest when Kuu winked at her.

"Real men use fists," Vlad told the man in a threatening tone. Kyoko groaned internally and fought the urge to smack her forehead. She was reminded of a time when she once had an older brother that had the propensity to antagonize those around him. She had to hand it to the security guard for his bravery. He held his ground and did his job.

"Kyoko-chan!" A voice called out to her from inside. Kyoko turned to see Fuji striding in from a pair of open French double doors on the other side of the seating area where several pretty people merrily conversed. The main party seemed to be taking place outside. She stepped into the foyer and out of the way. Rather than meet Fuji halfway, she waited for the designer to come to her since Vlad was still tied up with security. Kyoko focused on the designer as he approached. She thought he looked nice in a slim fitting plaid coffee-colored suit with a black turtleneck. Kyoko felt several pairs of eyes turn to her once Fuji caught up but did her best to ignore them.

"You look fanntaaaabuuuulousss! I love what you've done with your hair and makeup," he gushed while taking her free hand into his and holding her aloft to gaze at her outfit. "I am such a fabulous designer. I love when I'm right," he said twirling her around. "This dress is perfect on you. What do you think? How does it feel? Itchy? Awkward? Don't lie to me! I can take the criticism...give it to me straight."

Kyoko stifled her giggle since the designer looked silly floundering around in his suit and gesturing as if he was ready to take a punch to the face.

"Are you drunk?" She asked, eyeing the designer. His face was quite flush.

"No, jeez. I only had one glass of the punch. Stay away from it by the way. You're still underage. Oh my God! You're still underage! Why did I ask you to come here without Ren?!" He smacked his forehead. "Did your friend come?" He asked brightly, looking around frantically.

"Well, no, but I do have someone with me," she said, turning back toward the entrance. He was gone and in his place were a pair of beautiful blonde bombshells that reminded her of a glamour barbie doll she once admired as a child.

"I am Vlad, ze bodyguard," came a deep heavily accented voice from behind Fuji startling them both. Where did he come from?

"Bodyguard?!" Fuji gasped. Kyoko smiled sheepishly.

"Well, my friend was busy so Vlad came instead. I hope you don't mind but it was the only way to get Ren to not cancel his plans. Takarada-san trusts him very much." Kyoko didn't even feel ashamed for using Lory's name because technically it was true. He trusted Kuu.

"Oh, this is even better. His sole job is to watch out for you tonight. These shindigs could get a little dramatic sometimes. Everyone becomes a diva after a few free drinks. Come on, let's show you off and find Sousuke."

Kyoko winced at Fuji's choice of words. She would have to make it up to Kuu later. Fuji took her gloved hand and wrapped it over his arm as they walked. While they walked, Kyoko gave him her honest opinion on the dress. She admitted that her one gripe, a small one, was the left sleeve. It made her feel vulnerable on that side.

Kyoko openly gaped at the decor within the mansion, especially the enormous chandelier dripping with thousands of crystals. The sound of her heels clicking against the floor caught her attention and admired the beautiful spiral design beneath her feet.

"Rumor has it," Fuji whispered, "that bling you see in the tile is real precious stones."

Kyoko gasped. Surely no one would put such valuable gems into their floor, would they? She tried not to think about it as she made sure not to step on a single one of them.

Once outside, Kyoko's eyes shined brightly at the pretty garden party before her. There were white linen-covered tables strewn about the yard with full flower arrangements at each one. Strings of lights and lanterns were used to illuminate the area. There were tables of food and drink stations on different sides while servers walked around with platters of champagne flutes and hors d'oeuvres. All the guests were also beautifully dressed and matched the atmosphere. They were stopped half a dozen times while Fuji introduced her as his muse and showed off the dress to other designers, fashion magazine editors, and photographers. No one spoke to her beyond the usual pleasantries of introductions and the occasional, how are you enjoying LA? which was fine by her. Those questions were easy to answer.

They found Sousuke in conversation with another man. His back was to them and if she didn't know better she would have thought Ren made it tonight. After a cursory glance from behind, the man appeared to have similar dimensions to her boyfriend before he started eating a more balanced meal.

"There she is," Sousuke said loudly talking over the music once he noticed them. The man he was talking to turned on his heel and smiled. Kyoko smiled politely and bowed to Sousuke and the man. The stranger was tall, fit, with dark wavy hair that he wore effortlessly messy, grayish-blue eyes, full sensual lips, and a strong jaw. Any other woman on the planet would have thought this man was gorgeous but Kyoko was unmoved. Everyone else paled in comparison to Kuon.

"Noah, it's good to see you again. I'm sorry about this year." Fuji exclaimed, reverting to English. He gave the man a quick handshake.

"No worries. I was picked up by another designer," Noah responded in accented English that Kyoko could only guess as Scottish...or was it Irish? She heard both while working at the Ryokan but was embarrassed to say she could never tell the difference.

"Hi, I'm Noah," he said with a lopsided grin. "You must be Fuji's muse that I heard so much about."

Kyoko bowed politely again and introduced herself. "Hello, I'm Kyoko but I'm still on the fence about being his muse."

"Of course you are darling," Fuji said squeezing her with one arm. "Or at least you are one half of my muse but then again you are the reason the other half happened."

"So Tsuruga finally decided to participate this time around. How did you manage that?" Noah asked suspiciously.

"I didn't do a thing. He agreed on his own accord. Kyoko will vouch for me. Right, Kyoko?" Fuji said innocently.

Kyoko hummed and narrowed her eyes at the designer. Even this person that knew Ren before she did had his suspicions and Fuji's response was fishy.

"Yes, Ren did decide to come here on his own." It was the truth but she had a nagging suspicion that there was more to it.

"Kyoko? Fuji? Can I get either of you a bevvy?" Noah asked politely.

"That's slang for a drink," Fuji whispered to her. "I'll have sparkling water, thank you," he answered.

"And for you Kyoko? Champagne? Punch?" he asked, moving closer to hear her clearly over the music. "I'll have…" Kyoko began.

"Zere's no need for you to get drink," Vlad interrupted stepping up beside Kyoko. Kyoko shivered from the chill radiating off of him. His gaze held Noah's and gave Kyoko the impression of one that promised a slow and torturous death if he did not step away. Noah must have felt it because he immediately went on the offensive.

"Look, man. I don't know who you are or wh-"

"Sorry, he's my bodyguard. This is Vlad. He takes his job very seriously," Kyoko said with a small bow.

"Bodyguard?!" Sousuke and Noah exclaimed.

"Ren wanted to ensure her safety tonight," Fuji said by way of explanation. Sousuke nodded in understanding but Noah looked confused.

"Why would Tsuru...oh, I see. Are you two dating?"

Kyoko nodded.

"Well, that's one way to ensure no one gets near your pretty little girlfriend when you aren't around," Noah said with a laugh. Kyoko's grudges begged to hurt this clueless pretty boy.

Kyoko's eyes hardened and a cold smile crept on her lips. "Yes, I'm young and still learning how to survive in this industry. I never know what sort of seedy people would try to take advantage of my naïveté." Her countenance changed to a warmer one, "I trust Vlad with my life."

Vlad replied to her in Russian and told her it meant Thank you very much.

"Please stay with Mr. Fuji. I vill get drinks."

Kyoko looked after him as he headed to the nearest bar. A photographer invited by the host to cover the party came around and took some pictures of their little group. Fuji made sure Kyoko was picture-perfect front and center. It was at this time that Kyoko felt the hair on her nape prickle. It was dull but she could just make out a familiar creepy feeling. It was gone as quickly as it came by the time the photographer left.

Vlad returned walking carefully holding two glasses of sparkling water. Kyoko frowned when he didn't appear to have anything for himself. She walked toward him to help so he could go back and get something for himself.

A man bumped into him, making the water slosh onto Kyoko's dress. Kyoko gasped as the cold water hit her skin. The dress itself was so thick it could have been waterproof.

The man that hit him laughed mockingly. "Watch where you're going next time buddy!" He sneered at Vlad. Vlad handed the glasses to a woman nearby and stalked after the man while Kyoko tried to brush away the beads of water on her dress. Kyoko forgot about the dress and rushed forward to intervene when Vlad grabbed the rude man by the lapel of his jacket.

"No, sorry! No, excuse me! You ruin dress. You pay for replacement," Vlad said in a low threatening voice. He dragged the man over to Kyoko by his arm with little effort.

"Hey, buddy what the fuck's your problem! Let me go," the belligerent man yelled trying to shake Vlad off him. It was a good thing the music was loud enough to drown out their little confrontation. It surprised Kyoko that so little people were paying attention to them. It gave her the impression that they were used to such behavior.

Kyoko could tell the man was drunk and needed to act quickly to deescalate the situation. She put her hand gently over Vlad's arm.

"It's okay, Vlad. Its fine. Thank goodness it was just water. It would be awful if we had to make him sell a kidney on the black market to recoup the loss of the dress. It doesn't look like he has ten thousand cash to cover it," Kyoko said, playing along with the scene.

"No, kidney won't be enough. Maybe we take heart too."

Kyoko nodded in agreement. "You're right, he was very rude."

"What? Why?" The blood drained from the guy's face and he began shaking like a leaf. "She just said it wasn't ruined! I have cash! I'll pay the dry cleaning bill…" The guy reached in his back pocket and fumbled with his wallet. He pulled out a couple of hundred dollar bills and held it up. "Please just let me go," he begged. He looked pitiful as tears pricked his eyes.

"Not bad." Vlad tilted his head to Kyoko. She shrugged her shoulders. "A simple sorry would have sufficed but I'll let it go this time." He took the money out of the man's hand then pulled him closer to his face. "Get out of my sight. Make sure you don't drive and get home safely. Here call this number, zey will take you home."

The guy froze and looked at Vlad strangely once he let him go. Vlad placed the card in his hand.

"Go on," Vlad said shooing the man away. He scrambled into the crowd and disappeared. Kyoko nearly laughed. Did they just get away with that?

They returned to the bar to get some napkins for her dress and replacement water since Vlad forgot who he made hold his drinks. While they were waiting for the bartender Kyoko had that odd sensation creep over her again. She anxiously looked at each person nearby to figure out who was giving her this weird vibe. Perhaps she was overly sensitive tonight because even her grudges were keeping a low profile.

"Sorry about that," Kuu whispered. "I could have gotten you in a lot of trouble. Kuon would have been disappointed with me. He'll still be disappointed in me once he finds out. And I can't believe I took that man's money."

Kyoko shook off the feeling and smiled at the hard looking mafia man next to her. If she could see his eyes he would probably have a wounded puppy expression right now. How could he see with those sunglasses on anyway?

"Sometimes characters have a mind of their own," she assured him. Kuu laughed then reached in his pocket when his phone buzzed.

"Looks like our guy took us up on that ride. I just confirmed with Kevin that he's good to take him home and take the rest of the night off. I'll find us another ride home." Kuu put his phone back in his pocket and returned to character when the bartender came to take their order. She made sure he got a drink too.

When they returned to Fuji, Noah was already gone. Fuji pulled her off to the side. "Are you okay? What was that all about? Are you sure that man is a legit bodyguard?"

"I'm fine! Takarada-san trusts him. His biggest peeve is bad manners especially when it comes to the mistreatment of women."

"Okay, I'll buy that. Come on let's go make some more rounds. There's a lot of networking to be done tonight and I need some pictures of you in that dress."

Fuji introduced Kyoko to the Italian designer hosting tonight's party. She had a lot of constructive feedback for Fuji regarding the dress. Fuji thought the night was a total success after hearing from one of the top designer's he always admired. They just had one last thing to do before calling it quits.

While they walked through the throngs of guests, Kyoko felt like she was being watched. With the dim lighting in this area and the many people surrounding her, she couldn't find anything suspicious. She followed Fuji and Sousuke to the edge of the expansive garden where mini spotlights highlighted several large trees. She stared at the oak tree closest to her trying to figure out why the light was shining on it. Did the homeowners know something she didn't? Were they providing light to little magical creatures that dwelled in this area? Maybe fairies were living in the tree?

With instruction from Fuji, Kyoko found herself standing under the large oak tree using its spotlight as her lighting while Sousuke took pictures of her.

"Vlad, please get in the back there. It'll add a bit of mystery."

And so the work night ended with a model posing in a garden with her bodyguard.

Cedric flipped a page of the script he had sitting on the table next to him and took a bite out of his cherry pie. He knew he shouldn't eat sweet things this late at night but he couldn't just sit here nursing a cup of coffee. That was rude. He had enjoyed breakfast with his grandfather here and decided to give the dessert a try after a long night of filming.

In actuality, he stopped in just to avoid going home. The tasty dessert was a bonus. The waitress came around and refilled his mug with coffee without him asking. The business was slow at this hour so she was extra attentive. There were only three other people aside from him in the diner. He made it a point to sit in the back corner. This location hid him from other patrons but allowed him the advantage of seeing who walked in.

"Thank you, Elaine," he said smiling at the waitress.

"No problem handsome. Just holler when you're ready for that slice of pumpkin pie."

"Will do," he said, taking a sip of his hot coffee and returning to his reading.

Out of habit, he glanced at the door when he heard the bells jingle. He stared at the vaguely familiar petite Japanese girl who stepped inside first. She was dressed up but dwarfed in what Cedric knew to be a man's jacket. His heart leaped at the prospect. What were the odds of meeting her here in a place like this? A blonde Amazonian woman followed in behind her. Cedric immediately snatched up the script and held it up in front of him. He pulled down on his cap to make sure it was low on his brow.

One of Cedric's worst fears was realized when none other than Kuu Hizuri stepped inside behind his wife. His presence had him itching to duck out the back door. There was only one problem with that plan; there was no exit on this side of the room. When the dark-headed Japanese man walked in last, Cedric knew for certain the girl was Kyoko.

What a small world! He wondered why the Japanese couple was with the Hizuris then remembered that Kuu was half Japanese. Of course, he would reach out to talented individuals from his homeland. The Hizuris had always been warm and welcoming like that.

"Come on, sweetie," Julie said, guiding Kyoko in his direction. "The bathroom is this way." Cedric kept his papers shielding his face as they passed.

"Another late night, Kuu?" Elaine asked, greeting the actor.

"All in a day's work. How is your shift going, beautiful?"

"Better now," she flirted back. "Does Julienna know she married a charmer?" The older waitress teased.

"It's what she finds most endearing about me."

Elaine cackled at his response. "What do you think? Dinner or Dessert or both."

"What do you say, Ren? Are you hungry?"

"I can go for some coffee, Mr. Hizuri. I had a big dinner tonight. I'm not very hungry," Ren responded politely.

"Okay, looks like it will just be a dessert night," He told Elaine.

"Anything to drink?"

"Four coffees, please."

"Can you make one of those a hot chocolate with whip cream on top?" Ren asked, correcting the order.

"You got it," Elaine said and busied herself with their drinks behind the counter.

"This place has the best pie," Kuu said sliding into an empty booth.

"Do they have chocolate cake too?" The Japanese actor asked.

"You bet!"

Cedric cocked a brow at the request for cake. He didn't peg Ren as a guy with a sweet tooth.

He ducked again when the ladies came out of the bathroom and slid in the booth next to their respective men.

"Mr. Hizuri said they serve chocolate cake here. Do you want a slice?" He heard Ren ask Kyoko.

Hah! Of course, stupid me. It would be for her.

"How about we just get two of everything? Who knows when you'll ever get another chance," Kuu suggested. There were protests by the Japanese couple but Kuu placed the order anyway.

He wanted to say hi to his friends… coworkers… acquaintances… whatever they thought of him but held back nervously. It was the older couple that kept him rooted in his chair. He didn't know how to face them, not after what he did. They were the parents of a boy whose life he fucked up. He managed to avoid them all these years and yet here they were with people he knew from another country. Was this fate? He still didn't know if he was ready to confront them. Now that he thought about it, their paths had never once crossed for work. He was grateful to whatever God made that possible.

Rumors were surrounding them and their son at the beginning. At the time he was still so full of himself that he didn't care. He got away being there that night and that's all that mattered to him back then. After a year or so, their son's existence eventually faded and everyone moved on with their lives.

Cedric's heart thumped loudly in his chest. The overwhelming urge to out himself to that guy's parents was stronger than ever tonight. It took all his willpower to stamp down that desire. This was hardly the time or the place. Not when his father had his mind set on the younger couple. Anything Cedric said now could destroy that business relationship before it even began and ruin whatever small friendship he had developed with them if they ever found out about his disturbing past. Instead, he sipped his coffee and finished up his cherry pie while hiding behind his script.

From his vantage point, he had a clear view of the older couple since they faced him. Kyoko was telling an animated story with Kuu adding in his own words to clarify a point. It was interesting to see the young Japanese couple acting so informally with the older couple. The old feelings of envy took root in his gut while listening to the warm laughter and easy conversation flowing from their table. With the age differences, they looked like a happy family. That was another reason why Cedric used to loathe the guy. He was jealous of the relationship he had with his parents. It used to make him wonder what it would be like if his father was as easy going like Kuu or if his mother was successful like Julienna. Would he have had less bitterness in his heart?

Cedric suddenly felt exhausted. He wanted to go home even if nothing was waiting for him there. Forgetting his pumpkin pie, he put cash on the table to cover his bill and a generous tip. He adjusted his baseball cap and popped up his jacket collar. The feeble disguise would have to do. Now he just needed the right timing. He was subjected to the happy banter for five more minutes before Elaine went into the kitchen. This was his chance. He stood quickly but casually walked to the front door to not arouse suspicion. He angled his face away from the couples when he passed by.

Outside he breathed a sigh of relief. He took one last look into the diner and saw Elaine placing several plates on the table. He couldn't help the smile that played on his lips at the sight of their happiness. Cedric knew what he needed to do even if the result could ruin his career. He just had to find the courage.

AN: Phew...boy did I have a hard time finding a stopping point. Thanks for always sticking with me! I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you guys thought of Vlad's dialogue. I tried to write how I heard him speaking in my mind so it was not meant to offend anyone. ;)

I'd like to thank quite-a riot for putting it in my head to find some way for this daddy-daughter duo to extort money out of someone at this party. I took it too far. XD

Thank you for always reading and I appreciated all the reviews from the last chapter. Your love fuels my soul.

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^