Chapter three

Yuichi sat on her bed as she looked at her closet door where she had hung the outfit that Tatsuya had bought for her a few days ago. She was tired from just looking at it, reminding her of the epic shopping trip that Tatsuya had dragged her on. Yuichi really needed to find Tatsuya a shopping buddy, preferably not her.

But she had to admit that the dress, that reminded her of Cinderella, was very beautiful. Tatsuya’s party was actually a masked ball. Tatsuya had been planning it for three months(but hadn’t mentioned it to her until that day) and at least 60 people were attending!! In her hands was the blue mask that she would wear tonight to hide her identity.

Twirling the mask she wondered if she was really going to this thing. Yuichi was pretty sure that she wouldn’t know anyone there, but she had promised Tatsuya she would come. Getting up she walks out her room and down the hallway to the bathroom to take a shower. After her quick yet thorough shower she walked back to her room snuggly wrapped in a warm red bathrobe.

The dress, a beautiful royal blue ball gown that fluffed out around her feet, was strapless and fitted around the waist. Yuichi’s eyes had bulged out of her eye sockets when she saw the price, $600 dollars. Yet no amount of whining and flat out throwing a temper tantrum would stopped Tatsuya from buying the dress for her. She loved her best friend but she went WAY overboard sometimes.

But she admitted when she looked in the mirror, after putting the dress on, that the color was gorgeous on her. She just wished she was born with her mother’s nose instead of her father’s. Why did her little brother Jun have her nose and she had their father’s? Shaking her head so the thoughts would dissipated from her brain she focused on her facial features that she loved. Sitting at her vanity table her father had built for her she began the second stage of getting ready.

Scattering her limited supply of makeup that she only pulled out for special occasions, she carefully applied her makeup. Concealer under her eyes and over any blemishes that were healing, then the foundation, smoothing out her skin tone, bringing order to it. Next, the eye shadow, a little luminance’s purple that contrasted well with the deep blue of the dress, careful not to make it too thick and deep in color. Next the mascara, then the blush and finally the lipstick with a shiny lip gloss over her beautiful full lips. She loved her lips, she liked to think that they were ‘kissable lips’. Yuichi smirked at that thought since she hadn’t even experienced her first kiss and she was almost 18.

At that moment there was a knock at her door.

“Come in” Yuichi called out. The door opened to reveal her father. “Hey Dad! Are you done with work?” Her father owned a welding shop/factory. Even though it was the Christmas Holiday and all his workers were on vacation her father still had work to do, like balancing the books and putting in orders for the next year.

Yuichi father, Kenji Nakamaru, sat at the end of her bed. He watched as she began to take down the heated rollers from her hair. Staring at his daughter he realized that she indeed looked like a princess from a fairy tale. He tried not to sigh. When had his little girl turned into a woman, and how had he not realized it?

“Yes, I’m done. Although I need you to look over the numbers for me.”

Yuichi turned to her father. She was a wiz when it came to math and accounting. She was pretty sure that when she went to college she would major in business. “Okay, tomorrow, ne?” She paused, “Why are you looking at me like that daddy?”

“Just wondering when you turned into a woman and I not know about it.”

Yuichi smiled widely. “Daddy…I don’t become a woman until I turn 20 right? So, I’m still you’re little hime, okay?”

Kenji gets up and walks to stand behind her, placing his large strong hands on her shoulders. Leaning down until their heads were side by side, they looked at each other in the vanity mirror.

“No matter how old you get, you will always be my little girl... Your mother would be so proud of you.”

Yuichi’s mother had passed away from complications to giving birth to her younger brother when she was ten years old.  She picked up the picture frame that held her mother’s picture and smiled at the picture of her and her mother when she was six years old.

“I miss her. She would be helping me to get ready now if she was here.” She puts the frame back in its place. There was a tinge of sadness in her voice. No matter how many days went by the pain of missing her mother was still very fresh in her heart.

“I’m sure that she is excited for you. You look stunning.”

At that moment, the door bell rung, signaling that the car had arrived to take her to Tatsuya’.  Looking over at the clock it read 8pm. The ball started at 9pm until 1pm.

“Guess it’s time to go.” Yuichi picked up the mask that matched her dress while Kenji helped his daughter stand. Then picking up her shoes that were still in the box he led her downstairs. Her little brother Kenjiro was at the foot of the stairs, waiting.

“WOW!!” Kenjiro said, with all the wonder a seven year old could muster. “Nee-chan, you look beautiful! Let’s take a picture!! Dad I’ll get the camera” and off he went.

When she reached the foot of the stairs she ruffled his hair when he came back. Her brother was excited to take picture of her and in a matter of five minutes it felt as if she had taken a hundred of them. Kenjiro loved his Nee-chan very much, after all she was the only mother he had ever known and he got super excited when Yuichi took time out to do stuff for herself.

“Okay. I think that enough picture taking Kenjiro.” Kenji said saving his daughter.

Yuichi sighed in relief, “Thanks, Ken-kun. Was that the driver?”

“Hai!!”

“Remember, Yuichi. Come home by 1 pm.” Her father reminded her.

“But dad…”

“1pm. A lady never stays out too late. I’ve already extended your curfew from 12 to 1”

“Okay.” To be honest she wasn’t all that upset. It wasn’t like anything exciting was going to happen to her tonight.

She opens the front door and walks to the car that is at the end of the walkway. Her father and brother watching her enter into the car.

“Nee-Chan…hope you meet your Prince Charming tonight like Cinderella.”

Yuichi turned back and waved, she couldn’t help smiling she loved that little brother of her’s. That was a sweet wish after all.

***

Koki rode his bike on the outlaying roads that lead from metro Tokyo to the posh suburban neighborhoods where the wealthy chose to live. The cool night air wheezed by them as he and Kame-chan rode his bike to the Ueda residence. They had left a little late which was why Koki was pushing it on the pedal.

Thankfully a short time later they were pulling up at the Ueda residence just as the catering van was pulling up also.

“Thank goodness.” Kazuya said as they followed the van through the gates of the estate entrance “you know how I hate being late.”

Yes, Koki was well aware of her perfectionist tendencies even in the smallest things.

Pulling up next to the van Kame and Koki greeted the caterer Ueto-san and her daughter Aya-chan. With them was also the other two waiters that would be working with them tonight.

“So far, so good.” Mrs. Ueto said. They began to unload the van at the kitchen entrance. With all of them helping it only took a matter of 10 minutes to get everything inside.

At that moment, when everything was just about organized the stunning Tatsuya walked into the room to talk with Mrs. Ueto.

“I was starting to worry!! Thank goodness you’re here.” Tatsuya said a look of worry in her eyes. She was dress in a elaborately done up gown that clearly cost in the thousands. Instead of looking like the princess that she knew she was, she looked like a empress. There was no doubt that she was the main attraction of this shindig.

“Gomensai” Ms. Ueto bows “the traffic was pretty heavy, but we are all set and ready to get started circulating the food as soon as the guests arrive”

“Well, the guests should be..” It was at that moment that a deeply handsome man entered into the kitchen, apparently looking for someone. He eyes were a magnetic black that matched his equally dark deep black locks. His aura was one that clearly announced that he was a hard to please type of guy but when his eyes landed on Tatsuya his smile was gentle and softened his features.

“Ryo!!” Tatsuya face broke out into a smile. She walked over to Ryo hugging him tightly. “I’m glad you were able to make it. Have people started arriving?”

Ryo looked at Tatsuya, “Yes, that’s why I’m here. We need to greet them. Is everything set here?”

Tatsuya looked over at Mrs. Ueto who gave a assuring nod that it was, “It appears so, then lets go.” And with that the couple leave.  Everyone released a pent up breath, relieved that there had been no blood shed since they had arrived slightly late.

“Chop-chop everybody. Look alive. Hurry and change into your outfits we need to start circulating the food.”

The servers had to wear plain but tasteful black suits. Even Kame had to wear one but it couldn’t hide the fact that she was a female. She had tied her hair into a semi messy ponytail. Looking in the mirror provided she didn’t think that she looked half bad.

She looked over at Koki who was tying the tie to the suit; She smiled to her self she knew how much Koki hated to wear suits and ties, even though he was extremely handsome in them.

“So how do I look?” Koki asked turning to Kazuya. “I feel so uncomfortable in this.”

“You look like a 12 year old at his first dance. All awkward.” She couldn’t help it, she had to .

Aya came around the corner and stopped. “Woah, the two of you look so cool.” Aya was an acquaintance of Kazuya.

“Aya? Who was that guy? Do you know?” Kazuya asked about Ryo.

“Aya frowned slightly. “That was Nishikido Ryo. He is the son of a business partner of Lady Tatsuya’s father.”

“Lady Tatsuya?” Koki asked raising his eyebrows.

“Yeah, Lady or would you rather call her Hime?” Aya laughed. “Ueda Tatsuya is the exceedingly spoiled daughter of the Ueda family. She is the only child of a multi millionaire that knows no shame. She and Ryo, rumour has it, have been dating for two months, a business arrangement between their fathers.”

“From the way Ueda lit up when he came in the room it may be a love match for her.” Kazuya observed.

“Don’t you go to Seiko with her?” Aya asked Kazuya

Seiko High School was the private all-girls school that Kazuya transferred to a few months before.

“Yeah, but I don’t travel in those circles, yet even at Seiko she is treated like Royalty.”

“Well, that’s what money can buy. Ryo, I knew he looked familiar; he is my senpai from Horikoshi High.” Koki said.

“Okay what is all this chatter!! Go circulate!”  Mrs. Ueto commanded.

“Hai!!” both Koki and Kazuya answered. They put on the required masks on their faces then each grabbed a food heavy tray Koki pushed the door open and out into the ballroom dance floor they went to float among the well to do  of Tokyo society this New Year’s Eve.

TBC...

Preview of Chapter Four....

Yuichi was nervous as she walked into the ball room. She was pretty sure that she wouldn't know anyone there. She would just stand againist the wall like she usually would. She was making her way to bar when she inadvertly ran into one of the waiters.

"Sorry, Miss. Are you okay?" Thankfully the tray was empty that he had in his hands. She tittered off balence in her heels. Seeing that she was about to fall he reached out and grabbed her around the waist sending a wave of warm through her body. Her cheeks became hot. She looked into his eyes and she could have sworn she had seen them before...