Downtown Tokyo

Grand Hyatt Tokyo Hotel~

Tanaka Industries Annual New Year’s Eve Ball

Today has been a hectic day…yet it was only just beginning…

Koki’s plans had been to spend some time with Maria at some point before getting dressed and leaving for the ball. However, much to Koki’s dismay it was that wish was never granted. Koki and Yoshiro were so tied up dealing with unexpected work-related fires that they couldn’t go home to even change. They had to send a secretary to pick up their tuxes from their maid, Hana, and change at the office later.  

The invitation-only event was scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. and it was shaping up to be another major social event for the city of Tokyo and Tanaka Industries. Everyone who considered himself or herself “someone” went to extremes in order to secure tickets to this event. Politicians, scions of Industries, old money families, actors, and even musicians may have sold their first born or their soul to the devil in order to RSVP for this event. Therefore, it was no surprise that the rented venue was swarmed by vans upon vans of media conglomerates and paparazzi there to document who was there and more important to some, who was not.

               Just the thought of how big the event really is causes Koki to feel a little feel hot under the collar. The interior of the hotel was meticulous and elegantly decorated with only the best floral arrangements, fabrics, and crystal. No detail was too small and everything was planned to perfection. As Koki completed a final inspection of the Grand Hyatt Tokyo Hotel ballroom, he began to relax; the new party planning firm that Koki had convinced his father to hire had outdone themselves. Turning to Kireina, the party planner, “This is perfect Kireina-san. So far this has exceeded my expectations.Arigato.” Koki bowed slightly in gratitude that one large hurdle had been cleared. Kireina smalled in pleasure, extremely glad that her crew of staff members were able to pull of this event, which happened to be one of their biggest events to date. A lot was riding on this event not just for Koki Tanaka but for Kireina Kato as well. 

As Koki excused him self from Kireina-san he felt his phone vibrating inside his tuxedo coat. Pulling out his Tanaka brand phone he sees a text message from father but none from Maria. 

“Will you stop looking at your phone? People will start to think that you don’t want to be here.” Koki looks up from his phone to see the scowling face of his personal secretary Taisuke Fujigawa. Koki just gave him his standard annoyed expression, that if anyone unfamiliar with Koki and his personality would send them running from him. Taisuke, quite used to Koki’s less than intimidating looks in his opinion, just ignored the glare. “I am sure that she is on her way. To be honest I am anxious to meet the woman who has your nose wide open.”

“Ha…ha…my nose is not that open.” Koki denies only half heartily. Koki knew that was a lie; A very BIG lie. Nevertheless, for the sake of keeping his standard issued manhood card he had to at least protest the accurate description of his current disposition. At Taisuke raised an eyebrow, Koki just signed further annoyed that his friend/secretary wanted to call him out on his halfhearted lie and amended his previous statement. “Okay, so it’s true. My nose is wide open, just wait until you meet her then you will understand why.”

Satisfied with that admission, Taisuke clapped his boss and his best friend on the back causing Koki to roll his shoulders to relieve the sting between his shoulders. At times Taisuke forgots how heavy handed he can be Koki thinks.

“And if I agree with your assessment of her goddess-like virtues, will she have any friends that she can hook me up with. I am tired of going to events like this alone.”  Taisuke continues. Koki rolls his eyes at that question knowing that Taisuke did not need any help in that area, what so ever. Taisuke is one of those annoying beautiful people that are effortless graceful in speech, manner, and movement. With his looks borderline feminine, he managed to have women and men young and old fawn all over him. It was no wonder that for a long while that almost everyone at the company at one point thought that Taisuke was gay. That misconception was due to his looks, gentle disposition and it hadn’t helped that he stayed to himself a lot at the beginning or that he had some habits that some people would consider feminine and thus very gay. It had been a rouse, Taisuke was the biggest playboy that walked the island of Japan. Taisuke had a huge black book that put the legendary Casanova Don Juan to shame. If Taisuke came to the ball, or any event for that matter, unattached it is because he wanted to be alone not because he had to. Even now standing next to Koki in a very relaxed posture Taisuke eluded class and .

            “Once Maria finds out you’re a man- I think she will think twice about letting any of her friends near you,” Koki answered as they made their way towards Yoshiro and the other executive officers that had arrived to greet the bulk of the guests that would be arriving in the next hour. Even though this event was to be a night of relaxation and celebration there would be the talk of shop and Koki was no exception. “Taisuke, have you come up with any information on the project 1065?”  

            “I have, but it can wait until we get back to work. Anyway, there are some things that are bothering me about the information that I found and I don’t want to tell you what I know until I clear it up.”

            “Fair enough. And since you won’t be of any more use to me tonight let me talk to Father and The Board then I am calling my fiancé.” With that said, Koki walked away without a backward glance.

            “You are such a punk. I sure hate that you turned in your player card, .” Taisuke ribbed. Koki as discreetly as he can flips him off.

$%

Maria looked at herself in the full-length mirror. She was so nervous. It was obvious how important this night was going to be, for Koki, for his parents, and lastly for herself. The Tanaka clan was essentially introducing her not just to the company but to society as a whole as the future wife of the 2nd heir apparent in the Yoshiro Tanaka family line. She did not want to screw this up. Bad first impressions were hard to come back from in her personal experience. Her mind went back to the conversation she and Koki’s mother Ai had had earlier this afternoon.

It was around 2 pm and Ai, Maria, and Kazuya had just finished a delicious and filling lunch. Just as they were making their way to the formal living room the doorbell rung. The quick and efficient head maid, Hana, rushed to answer the door. Maria was curious as to who it could be.

            “I think that will be the masseurs, and makeup artists I requested to come over,” Ai announced with glee. “We girls are in for a treat!”

            “Seriously! I’ve never been to a masseuse before.” Kazu admitted as her eyes glowed with excitement.”

            Me either. There is something about a strange person massaging me that kind of freaks me out. Maria thought to herself, but she thought it wise not to say anything since her mother-in-law went to such lengths to do this.

            “I always have one as a treat before I get ready for the event. It helps me relax. Maria, I hope you enjoy this it will be our first Mother-Daughter spa day! I am so excited! Tonight is going to be fun but this will be a very important night for both you and Koki.”

            Maria’s heart melted in her chest. Ai had so graciously accepted her into her family and has embraced her as a daughter of the Tanaka family; such acceptance was overwhelming to Maria who for most of her life had been shut out of her own family for things that she had no control over. It felt like she finally had a mother.

            Ai came over and gently grabbed Maria’s hands.

               “Maria, I know what I am about to say will put some pressure on you but as your mother I must be honest with you. Tonight is the first step of many that you and Koki will face together. You are a Gaikoku hito, Foreigner, and a black one at that. And despite that NOT being an issue with either Yoshiro or myself, other Japanese will be very upset that you are not native Japanese. That you are to marry into one of the wealthier families of Japan. I say this so you will not unprepared for the whispers and sneers. Oh, for tonight, they will nice and kind as that is the Japanese way that we treat our guests but be prepared and you have family with you tonight and always.

               “That right, Jin and I are here for you to.” Kazuya chimes in.

               Hana enters the room with the five females in bright crisp uniforms in tow behind her. “Madam, the masseuses and the makeup artists have arrived.” Hana announces showing the workers to the room where they were to work.

               “Yea! Let’s get started.” Ai proclaims. The spa experience was fabulous and the women had quite a bit of fun and laughter but Maria ponder Ai’s warning and what she could expect.

            10:30 p.m.

Taking another deep breath, she exited the empty bathroom at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo Hotel. When she and Kazuya had arrived, it was quiet. The Paparazzi had missed their arrival to the event since they had arrived an hour and a half after the official start of the event. Kazuya had immediately made her entrance into the main banquet hall to find her husband. Maria without being there to witness it knew that Kazuya had stopped the show. She knew to expect nothing less from her.

Now it was Maria’s turn. If only I could get my heart to stop pumping so hard. Maria thought as she walked down the corridor. Her Christian Serrano gem encrusted shoes, reminiscent of Cinderella clicked against the Italian tile floor. Before long, she came to heavy tall thick oak doors. Before she could pull the doors open, a hand tapped her delicate shoulders. Turning she came face to face with Koki.

Koki’s eyes widen further at the full effect that her gorgeousness up close and personal. After a few minutes of staring Koki managed an awe-filled, “Wow…”

“Is that a good or bad wow?” Maria asked still a little self-conscious, although the look of lust and desire mixed with a large dose of love went a long way to calm her nerves.

“That was a stunned, we need to live right now so I can your brains out wow, an I don’t care that Mom and Dad said we could not have before we are married wow, we can go get married right now wow.”

“Okay then,” Maria laughs feeling a blush raise up her neck to her face. Koki definitely had a way with words. The sound of running footsteps coming towards them distracted their attention from one another and towards the unexpected sound.

“I’m so sorry Tanaka-san, but I needed to go to the bathroom and no one was around…” The young man looked super nervous to be caught away from his post.

“It’s fine Asada-san. That is your name, right? The new guy in the mailroom?”

Homura Asada’s eyes widen, clearly surprised that someone in upper management knew who he was. Moreover, that he knew what department he worked in.

“Hai…”

            “It’s fine. Just get into place so this flawless jewel of a woman and I can finally make our grand entrance.” Koki said. Once Asada moved into place, Koki turned towards the only woman that had held his heart so completely and offered his elbow. Maria shakily took it and Koki lovely wrapped his other hand around hers quietly offering his calm strength. Maria body relaxed and she smiled gratefully to Koki. Oh, how she loved this man. “Are you sweetheart?”

            “As ready as I can ever be.”

            “Asada, you may open the doors.

Tokyo Skyline

THE CAST

Maria

Koki Tanaka

Ai Tanaka (Actress Miki Maya)

Yoshiro Tanaka (Actor Aikawa Show)

Taisuke Fujigawa