Chapter 207: His Idol

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Ren would be at a point in his life where he was comfortable enough to share his personal experience with a megastar.

"You're holding up pretty well," Yashiro teased as he eased the car to a halt, waiting for the light to turn green.

Ren sighed, staring absentmindedly out the window at everything and nothing. He missed her already and wondered if she was feeling just as listless. They had spent almost every moment of their days and nights together while they were in the States. The separation would take some getting used to again.

"Look there," Yashiro said, tapping his arm as they entered a busy street. "She's never too far away."

Ren's heart soared, staring at the jumbotron attached to the side of a shopping mall. It flashed through images of his gorgeous girlfriend showcasing the advertisement of Jenny Chang's luxury shoe brand she did before they left. He recognized the sexy pair of heels the designer had gifted her after the shoot. The still photographs Kyoko showed him were alive on the large screen with a subtle motion before freezing, captivating him until the light turned green. The mischievousness in her expression, one he knew so well, was enough to settle him, even if he had to share it with the world.

"Did you tell Kyoko about your plans today?" Yashiro asked as he continued to drive.

"I thought it would be a nice surprise."

Yashiro only shook his head and chuckled.

"About my request. Will you be able to manage it in such a short time? I'm sorry for asking that of you. It's above and beyond your duties as a manager."

"Are you kidding? I wish I could come along, but I get it," Yashiro said before he could reply. "And don't worry. I already took care of it," Yashiro grinned at Ren.

"You did? When?" Ren asked, impressed. Yashiro deserved the nickname Super Manager Kyoko had dubbed him.

"I woke up early this morning and had some time on my hands, so I went to the office first. I didn't want to disturb Kanae's sleep, especially after what happened when I got home. Although she'll probably be angry that I left early," Yashiro sighed.

Ren watched Yashiro visibly shudder, making him curious.

"Is Kotonami-san okay? What happened, if you don't mind me asking?" Ren expected Yashiro to brush him off if the details were too personal.

"Oh, Kanae is just fine," Yashiro grumbled. Ren's brows furrowed, giving his full attention to his friend.

"Did you guys fight?" He asked cautiously, unsure if his nosiness would be welcomed. Ren wanted to be a better friend to Yashiro. If that meant showing interest and concern when it counted, he would do his best not to hold back. Since the beginning, the man had always been there for him as a prime example of a true friend. It was beside the point that he was getting paid to keep him company. Ren had always feared getting close to another person since Rick; meeting Kyoko again had changed him and allowed him to open up to those closest to him.

Yashiro snorted, "That's putting it mildly. I have a few bruised ribs to prove it."

"Huh?" He asked dumbly, not sure if he heard Yashiro right.

"She attacked me," Yashiro spilled. "She thought I was an intruder and nearly took my head off with that katana Uesugi-dono gifted her when she was under his tutelage. Then the police came, and I was almost hauled off to jail again for breaking into my own home."

Oh my God! Ren quickly covered his mouth as a fit of laughter bubbled up from his chest that he tried to hide by coughing.

"Yeah, yeah, go ahead and laugh it up," Yashiro lamented.

Ren couldn't contain it anymore and laughed earnestly. Here he was jealous of Yashiro for getting home first, and the poor man had endured so much at the hands of his girlfriend. As expected of Kyoko's best friend. He recalled Kanae's threat to use her sword on him should he ever fuck up again and hurt Kyoko when they first made their relationship known. Ren could only imagine the pain his manager was in right now.

"I'm sorry," Ren gasped, trying to rein in his amusement.

"It is pretty funny," Yashiro admitted. "I'm equal parts embarrassed and proud that Kanae can take care of herself when I'm not around. I should be grateful that the blade was still sheathed; otherwise, you would have had to find yourself another manager."

"I am glad Kotonami-san was considerate. It would have been a terrible inconvenience trying to find another trustworthy manager," Ren declared after getting his laughter under control, making Yashiro snort in agreement.

"Should I drive? Do you need to go to the hospital?" Ren checked his watch. It would make him late, but Yashiro's health came first.

"No, I'm okay. Google-sensei said… it's not a big deal," Yashiro explained, shifting in his seat. Ren noticed Yashiro's grimace as he tried to adjust himself in the seat. He didn't have to imagine how much pain the manager was enduring. It was something he was intimately familiar with in his past. Kuon was an excellent martial artist, but he was still human. Sometimes an opponent got lucky every once in a while, especially when there were many. He endured the result of those lucky hits, relying on drugstore remedies and lots of ice packs to ease his pain and not arouse suspicion. There was no reason for Yashiro to suffer today. The manager could easily stay in bed and ice his wounds to alleviate the swelling.

"Are you sure? You could go home and rest. I know how painful it can be," Ren continued, trying to convince his friend to take the day off.

Yashiro gripped the steering wheel tighter before speaking. "I'll be fine. I took some painkillers and found a cream at the pharmacy that could numb the area. I should be good."

"Okay, please rest when we arrive. I'll be fine on my own if you change your mind about leaving," Ren assured him.

At the main hub for Ryu, the news of Ren's return had to have spread like wildfire before they even entered the building. Many, mainly women, not presently engaged in their tasks were waiting to greet them as soon as they walked through the doors.

A familiar male voice penetrated through the excited shrills and drew Ren's attention toward his right.

"Ladies, ladies, let the man breathe. He's back now and won't be going anywhere soon, so pace yourselves. We want any of you beauties to end up sick," Kijima winked, making his way through the women crowding to greet Ren. The actor wrapped his arm around Ren's shoulders and squeezed in a side hug.

The squeals intensified as the two handsome men greeted each other familiarly. "And here I thought I would have all the beautiful women all to myself while you went off to become a big Hollywood star," Kijima said, walking along with Ren.

Ren politely nodded and greeted everyone they passed along the way as Kijima led him to a conference room where the director would be hosting the meeting.

"You know, with you coming back, I just lost out on 100,000 yen," Kijima informed him. "I bet against you coming back when you delayed your return. Aizome-san started freaking out. He even went so far as to have me and Murasame prepare to take over your role. If you didn't show up today, we would have battled to the death to determine who would get the lead."

"What the hell?" Ren cursed. He turned to Yashiro, "Did you know about this?"

"This is the first I'm hearing about it," Yashiro answered, displeased with the director's decision without first consulting the agency.

"No problem, you're here now," Kijima replied. "It wasn't something he publicized; he only told us to prepare as a fallback. You can't blame the man. The tabloids were out of control and had people panicking that you wouldn't return. I'm glad you're both back and in one piece. How is Kyoko-chan? Do you mind if I send her a message?"

Ren scoffed, "As if I can stop you even if I say no."

Kijima grinned cheekily. "You know me too well."

"If you send her something inappropriate, we will have a problem," Ren threatened.

"Easy, man. I know better than to make a move on your wifey. I'm quite fond of my pretty face," Kijima rubbed his jaw and chuckled.

A dopey smile spread across Ren's face, loving the fact that Kijima called her his wife.

"Here we are," he said, gesturing to an open door and walking into the meeting room. Inside, a few of the main characters of Ryu and their managers were already in the room. The director had yet to arrive. Ren asked Yashiro to sit and rest while he greeted the cast members present with a bow and took his seat.

They were having a friendly conversation with Kijima brazenly asking the questions no one present dared when Ren caught a blur of movement out of the corner of his eye as something suddenly slammed down on the table in front of him. The other people gasped and cursed at the sudden noise. His eyes flicked up immediately to the source and found a flustered Murasame Taira huffing and puffing in front of him.

"What…was…he… like?" his co-star panted out as if he had just run a marathon to get here. No greeting. No polite smile. Only intense sparkly eyes greeted Ren.

Fuck! He cursed, recognizing the gleam in the actor's eyes and the way his body hummed with excitement. Ren knew there was only one thing, or more precisely, one person, that could spur such a reaction from the usually "stoic" actor. Since the announcement of the project, Ren noticed that whenever he had to interact with Taira, the man acted a little more reserved than the rambunctious person he remembered on Tragic Marker. Taira's current behavior reminded him of that time.

"I'm sorry…" Ren began, feigning ignorance.

"Hizuri Kuu-sama," Taira chirped excitedly, rapping harshly on the table in front of Ren. He flicked his gaze down to look at the tabloid under Taira's hand. It was a two-page spread of the gala they attended in L.A., and occupying almost half of one page, was the group photo they took at the start of the night.

"Yashiro-san, you'll tell me right?" Taira huffed, turning his attention to the manager when Ren didn't answer quick enough. "Did you guys get to talk to him? What did he say? Is he as incredible in person as he is on screen? Did he…" Taira continued to rattle off questions excitedly without allowing neither Ren nor Yashiro to respond.

"Sheesh, Murasame, give the guys a break. They just returned," Kijima told him exasperatedly.

"Shush! I've been waiting patiently, and who knows when I'll have the chance again with our grueling schedule starting tomorrow," Murasame retorted and took a seat across from the pair.

"I know we got off to a bad start, Tsuruga-san, and I understand if you don't want to share your experience with someone like…"

"Hizuri-san was very warm," Ren blurted guiltily, cutting off Taira. All pairs of eyes in the room turned in his direction. "I mean… he has this strong aura, you know like you're in the presence of greatness," Ren continued. "He is someone with great skill and prestige, but he is very humble, unlike other celebrities that let success get to their heads. He doesn't look down on you, no matter your status in the industry, and offers meaningful advice when you have the chance to ask. He is someone I would like to aspire to be as a man first and an actor second. You picked a good one to be your idol, Murasame-san. He is truly one-of-a-kind."

Taira quietly gaped at him for a moment, then eventually whispered, "Aaawwweesome." The reverence in his voice was hard to miss in the quiet room.

Ren felt terrible for withholding the truth from this man again. Taira really wasn't a bad guy.

Except when he's ogling my girl! Then he's a piece of shit!

Ren respected him as an actor. Feigning indifference had never bothered him before. Ren Tsuruga had no relation to the Hizuris, so it was easy to ignore. Now that he was blurring his personas, little pockets of guilt were beginning to form.

To ease his conscience a bit, he gave into Taira's antics. Everything he told them about his father was his true feelings. He could have said more, so much more, but any more would have raised suspicion. This was the longest exchange he had ever had with Taira off-camera. Although the actor claimed to have gotten over his issues with Cain Heel, he was still wary of Ren. At least he used to be, until now.

"And he's an excellent cook," Yashiro contributed.

"H-h-he c-cooked for you guys?" Taira stuttered, turning his undivided attention to Yashiro, his face full of envy.

"Um, yesss," Yashiro replied uncomfortably and glanced at Ren.

He nodded slightly to Yashiro to give him the green light. It was no big deal to share that fact. Any questions that were deemed too personal could easily be deflected using Kyoko's close relationship with Kuu. After all, it wasn't a lie.

Taira slumped in his chair. "I heard his cooking skills are amazing, but you can never know the truth in show biz."

"It was very appetizing," Yashiro agreed. "Kyoko-chan even helped."

"K-K-Kyoko-s-san, h-helped Hizuri-sama?" Taira gulped. The poor guy looked like he was going to cry. A series of emotions passed over his face until he slumped in his seat, defeated.

The room grew quiet while everyone stared at Taira. Ren exchanged looks with Yashiro and Kijima, afraid that the revelation of Kyoko cooking with his idol might have broken him.

Ren's guilt intensified. Before he could think of any words that would put the man at ease, he broke the silence.

"I'm so jealous of Kyoko-san, right now," Taira mumbled. In a flash, he perked up and smiled. "But I'm glad it's true and she was able to experience that level of awesome. It's one more thing we both have in common with Hizuri-sama."

"You like to cook, Murasame-san?" Yashiro asked, quickly latching onto his good mood and keeping up the friendly banter.

"Well, I'm probably nowhere near the skill level of my idol, but I do like to make my meals when I have the time. One day, I hope to be good enough to join Hizuri-sama on a celebrity food show."

"Wow, I would never have guessed it," Yashiro nodded.

"I cooked growing up. I had to take care of my younger sister while our parents were…at work," Taira swallowed deeply. "I didn't want to keep feeding her junk, so I learned to cook."

Taira's excuse about his parents gave Ren the feeling that there was more to the story. Of course, he couldn't be a hypocrite and wonder what skeletons his co-star had in his closet, so he pushed those useless thoughts out of his mind.

"Your sister is lucky to have you," Ren added, thinking inappropriate thoughts about his little sister. He shook his head with a small smile. The taboo relationship between Cain and Setsu could never be used to compare another sibling pair.

Speaking of inappropriate, Kijima just had to open his mouth. "So, how old is your sister by the way?"

"Don't even fucking think about her, you perverted bastard!" Taira huffed, making Kijima laugh hysterically.

There he is! Ren chuckled. The old Taira was back, getting riled up.

"It was a joke," Kijima defended, holding up his hands and ducking out of the way before Taira could grab him.

The director and his assistants walked in at that precise moment to allow Kijima to live another day.

"Children, children, settle down," the Director sighed, walking to his seat at the head of the table.

Everyone in the room stood and greeted him with a bow, including Yashiro. Ren heard the soft hiss expelled from his manager's lips as he bent at his waist to pay his respects. Knowing how stubborn his friend was, all Ren could do was give him a knowing look. The man should be resting.

"Okay," the director smiled as he took his seat and fiddled with some papers. An assistant went around the room, handing out copies to everyone. "Thank you all for coming," Director Aizome addressed the room. His eyes roamed around until they landed on Ren.

"Welcome back, Tsuruga-san. It's good to see your safe return."

"I apologize for any inconvenience my absence has caused," Ren replied, standing to bow deeply to the director.

"Nonsense, we had planned for your absence and worked efficiently around it. I hope you viewed the pilot episode while abroad."

"I did," Ren nodded. "Congratulations on the ratings, sir."

"I couldn't have done it without a stellar cast and crew," Aizome replied. Ren and the others in the room all agreed. A lot of people were involved in making Ryu a success. He respected Aizome for recognizing everyone's hard work.

The director sighed, leaning back into his chair. "Having such a positive response only makes our jobs harder. I will need everyone's best efforts to continue to exceed the audience's expectations with each episode."

Everyone in the room responded enthusiastically to the director's request. They were all excited to make this show a huge success.

After everyone settled down, the director continued to discuss the next steps. Because of Ren's hectic schedule, to get back on track, it was decided that his time today would be dedicated to preparing for filming tomorrow. He had fighting choreography to learn, stunts to nail down, and script readings. Rehearsals with the extra cast would be held early in the morning before filming.

"Now the pilot episode was a success, targeting our intended audience, the ladies," Aizome chuckled and had Kijima nodding enthusiastically. "We all know they are the Queens of the remote control. If they have a significant other, they will have no choice but to sit and watch the program. The next episode will be a bang…literally," Aizome joked. "It's time to get the poor saps hooked, so they will be just as eager to watch the show."

Based on the pre-screening feedback, the epic gun battle in the heart of Tokyo between rival syndicates would air next. Eighty percent of the episode's duration would consist of this action scene alone. The die-hard action flick buffs that complained about the lack of explosions in the pilot episode would get their wish. They were in for a real treat. The director and the screenwriters made sure to balance out the drama and the action with every follow-on episode.

The director discussed a few more topics before dismissing everyone but Ren. When all that remained was Ren and Yashiro, the director's countenance turned serious.

"The producers and sponsors have asked me to get you to reconsider a love interest in the drama. The fans are adamant about wanting to see Akira being taken care of by the love of his life and living happily ever after once his mission is over. Do you have any room to compromise?"

Ren opened his mouth to decline immediately, but Aizome held up his hand. "I don't need an answer now. We already have the next three episodes in final edits, so you have time to decide. They are willing to accept any of your terms to make it happen."

He didn't need time, he wouldn't change his mind. The binding contract was in place to avoid such issues.

Yashiro grabbed his forearm, stopping him from responding. "Director Aizome, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Yes," Aizome nodded. "He has free reign to choose his partner. Rumor has it, you're dating a very talented actress," Aizome winked at Ren.

Ren's eyes widened in understanding. If what the director just said was the truth, he had the power to choose.

"The writers have already been hard at work drafting separate plot lines on the off chance that you will agree. You will have final approval on these changes."

Ren's jaw almost hit the floor. He couldn't believe they were giving him so much power over the script.

"Please think on it," the director said as he stood up to leave. "Also, don't worry. The terms of your original contract will remain in place."

Yashiro squealed the moment the door shut behind the director, scaring the daylights out of Ren.

"If Kyoko doesn't have the schedule for it, then I refuse. I leave it to you, Yukihito."

"Linh-san and I will figure it out. Go do your job," Yashiro assured him.

Ren collected his documents and left his Super Manager to pull off a miracle. If anyone could make it happen, it would be him.

Meanwhile in the Big Apple

Tadashi came out of the bathroom attached to his office, showered and shaved, fiddling with the cuffs of his crisp dress shirt.

"Much better," Mya smiled as she glanced over his appearance from his seating area.

"Do I pass your inspection? I don't look like a hobo anymore," Tadashi teased.

"Okay, maybe hobo was a bit harsh," his former assistant admitted. "But you can't refute that you did look like one of those brokers on Wall Street that just lost millions of their clients' money playing the stock market." Tadashi winced. He had encountered some of them before so he understood the reference.

"Let me get a picture," she said, pulling out her cellphone. "I owe Ky…I mean Mrs. Choi an update, remember?"

Tadashi sighed. While he held still so she could take the picture, he thought about what happened after he hung up with Kyoko and Kuon.

After firing apologetic texts to his daughter, Tadashi appeased Mya with some insider pictures that his daughter had shared with him to make it up to her. He didn't mind indulging her, she gave him another excuse to show off his daughter.

The intercom on his desk phone buzzed, interrupting his show and tell with Mya. He stood and answered it.

"Yes?" He asked after pressing the button.

"Sir, Mrs. Choi, and Josh have arrived. She wishes to see you," his assistant informed him.

"Shit!" He cursed while Mya burst out laughing. Tadashi scowled at his friend's enjoyment of his predicament. He couldn't appear in front of Mrs. Choi in his current state.

"Oh, you're in trouble now," she teased.

"A little help please?" He pleaded as he stuffed his unruly shirt into the waistband of his wrinkled trousers, attempting to look presentable.

"Sir?" The assistant's nervous voice drew his attention again. No doubt, Mrs. Choi was intimidating him.

"I'm finishing up a meeting. Give me five minutes, then send them in."

"Yes, sir," his assistant replied, relieved.

"You could just say no to her," Mya teased him. Tadashi doubted he could find anyone on earth that could say no to Mrs. Choi.

"Not helping," he muttered irritatedly.

"Fine," she rolled her eyes and dragged him toward the bathroom, then turned on the faucet.

"Wash your face," she ordered. Tadashi splashed water on his face, flinching at his reflection in the mirror. No wonder Kyoko was worried; he looked terrible.

While he dried his face, Mya wet her hands and dragged her fingers through his hair to try and tame it.

"I hate you for having thick hair," she grumbled.

"Ouch!" Tadashi hissed when she tugged on his hair a little too harshly.

"Sorry," she responded, giving up and searching for a comb he kept in the vanity. Tadashi hummed, not buying her lame apology.

"There! It's the best I can do, but seriously, you need a shower," Mya warned, throwing the comb down after pulling it through his hair a few times. "You look like a hobo."

"I need a new jacket," he retorted after finding his current one rumpled on the couch. He rushed to his closet and cursed again. It was empty, having gone through all the extra suits he kept in the office. Only some workout clothes remained. The brilliant idea to pretend he was going to the gym struck him a second too late when there was a knock at the door. Shit!

His assistant opened the door slowly, and an impeccable-looking Mrs. Choi came charging through the threshold. Tadashi observed that there wasn't a hair out of place or a single wrinkle in her uniform top. Even though she was the owner of a successful business, Mrs. Choi was a notorious micromanager when it was necessary. Her family and employees appreciated her for it. To them, it showed how much she cared.

Her intense black eyes bore into him as she took in his outfit and then tsked disapprovingly.

"Hello, Mrs. Choi. It's so good to see you," Tadashi greeted the older woman with a warm smile and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek.

Mrs. Choi tsked stubbornly again, not liking the formal way he addressed her, but she lifted her cheek, all the same, to receive her greeting. Tadashi had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at the proud and stubborn woman. Those that were familiar with her personality knew she was nothing but soft on the inside.

"Hey, Josh," Tadashi greeted her grandson as he followed her in carrying several garment bags. He was a little older than Kyoko in his second year at NYU.

"Hey Boss, how's it going? It looks like you're in desperate need of these," he chuckled, gesturing with the bags. "I'll just put them away."

"Thanks, Josh, you're a lifesaver. It was a long night." Tadashi moved to open the closet door and gave the kid a handshake after he deposited the suits in the closet while Mya greeted his grandmother.

"Tadashi, Mrs. Choi brought us delicious homemade food," Mya beamed, inhaling the contents of the paper bag in her hands.

Tadashi chuckled but couldn't blame his friend. Mrs. Choi's family recipes were out of this world. Even the five-star restaurants in Seoul couldn't compare to her cooking.

"Thank you, Mrs. Choi," Tadashi replied warmly. "I'm going to miss your home cooking."

"Ahh, so the rumors are true. You're leaving," she replied sadly.

"Yes, I recently found out I left behind a daughter in Japan. I want to be near her…be the father she deserves. I can't change the past, but I hope I can do better in the future."

"Good. You are a good man for taking responsibility. So you will be living in Japan?" Mrs. Choi questioned.

"Yes, I'll be moving before Christmas. It's my daughter's birthday."

"Ouch, your daughter was born on Christmas Day," Josh commented. "That sucks!...Ow!" He hissed as his grandmother not so discreetly pinched his forearm, making everyone laugh. "I'm sorry, Grandma!" The old lady glared at her grandson.

"So you still have a couple of months," Mrs. Choi stated, and Tadashi nodded.

"Will you be working over there? You're too young to retire," Mrs. Choi chided.

"I will be scaling back my responsibilities, but I plan on working with the main branch."

"Good, good," she nodded at his plans. Tadashi watched the gears spinning in her clever mind, processing her thoughts. She may have been old, but her mind was still sharp.

"I have a proposal," she finally spoke, her eyes flashing with excitement.

Tadashi had known the Korean woman for over fifteen years since they started an unexpected business venture. Mrs. Choi always scolded and fed him like he was part of her family on the rare occasions he dropped in for a visit. He came across the hardworking woman, her husband, and son (Josh's father) running a humble dry-cleaning business in Chinatown. Tadashi instantly saw it as a lucrative investment after realizing the amount he spent weekly getting his suits dry-cleaned. It wasn't a high-yielding return on investment, but he couldn't stop himself from getting involved after learning their backstory.

Side businesses were something he pursued apart from his booming career at Rising Sun to acquire assets quickly. Tadashi had known that he wanted to begin building his portfolio, not because he was greedy, but because he enjoyed the thrill of watching his projects thrive. Investing as a silent partner in the small family business allowed the Choi's to update their facility and increase their throughput while maintaining their ethics without sacrificing quality.

Slowly and steadily, with their profits and Tadashi's support, they expanded their business over the years to include many locations dotted throughout New York, New Jersey, and the Pacific Northwest. Conveniently, one was located a few blocks from his office after Tadashi identified the large volume of Power Suits working in the area. It was the busiest of their locations due to the high demand for quick turnaround and convenient delivery. The perks of being the boss meant free high-priority dry cleaning services at his disposal. He, okay Mya, had sent his soiled suits out not long ago for cleaning and were now being returned within a few hours.

While Tadashi and Mya ate the food Mrs. Choi prepared, he prodded her for some details on her proposal. The family wanted to expand internationally, preferably to South Korea, where the Choi's still had family living. Tadashi relocating to Japan would be the perfect opportunity to begin their move overseas. He was well versed in the Japanese business world, their laws, and any of the bureaucratic red tapes they would have to navigate. From his point of view, it was a good idea, and…it would give him a small connection to the place he used to live.

Mrs. Choi's visit made him realize that there were a few good things about New York City that he was leaving behind. It was business, but it wasn't all work. Maybe someday he could bring Kyoko and Ren for a visit. That idea made him think twice about selling his apartment.

"Tadashi!" Mya exclaimed, bringing him back to the present.

"Ugh, yeah," he blinked, giving her his full attention.

"Do you want to put these on?" Mya asked, holding up the matching suit jacket and a silk jacquard tie in blue.

"You know, you don't have to do this anymore. You're the boss now," Tadashi teased, taking the garments off her hands.

"Old habits," she grinned and took a seat in front of his desk, flipping through the file he was up all night preparing.

He laid the jacket across the back of the leather sofa and focused on putting on his tie. After years of practice, it only took him seconds to make a perfect knot. Tadashi took his seat across from Mya and smiled at her.

"It looks like you finished your homework," Mya smiled as she continued to flip through the pages without making eye contact.

"Have you told her yet?" Mya asked, placing the file on Tadashi's desk.

"I thought I'd make it a birthday surprise," Tadashi beamed. Mya could only shake her head and laugh.

"Fatherhood has really changed you, my friend. I'm happy for you."

"Thank you, Mya. I couldn't have come so far without you," he replied truthfully. To lighten the mood, he said, "It's going to take me some time getting used to not having you nag me all day," he chuckled.

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes. "Just for that, I promise to give you a courtesy nagging once a week."

The buzzing of his intercom ended their teasing.

"Sir, Mr. Takarada and Ms. Kensington have arrived," his assistant's voice bellowed into his office.

"Thank you, please send them in," he replied smoothly. Tadashi flipped on his business tycoon switch and was prepared to meet his guests.

"Yes, sir!"

"Show time," he told Mya, standing from his seat to smooth out his suit. A brisk knock on the door told him they had arrived.

"Come in," Tadashi announced as he headed toward the door with Mya on his heels.

"Mr. Takarada," Tadashi greeted, moving toward the Japanese man and shaking his hand.

"Koki, please, Mr. Morimoto. Mr. Takarada is my father. Plus, we're practically family."

Tadashi laughed. "Then I'll appreciate the same courtesy. Our daughters are, after all, sisters."

AN: What are these two Daddies up to? Thanks for sticking with me! I didn't realize I had dragged my ass on this chapter until the spoilers for the new chapter came out this month. I hope to never commit such a travesty again. Next time please, hit me. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.

Thanks for always reading and the reviews of the last chapter. I HEART you all!

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^