“Akanishi-sama! Kamenashi-sama…is not with you. He’s with Aki…yet again.” Natsuki said looking at behind Jin to Kame who was sitting and chatting with Aki animatedly. Kame had always been her customer until this freak of a hostess popped up. Like she even deserved to be part of the industry. She just took up a waste of space, once she’d actually seen Aki spill Dom Perini on the table. Plus she could barely drink.

“Oh don’t sound so catty, you’re the number one here for a reason aren’t you? I have a new customer for you. He has some serious problems and issues so take care of the darling shall you? Need I say his case is top secret. So anything discussed between you two should stay that way.” He said with a raised eyebrow talking about a particular event that had happened when she’d just started out in the business.

Okay so she’d let one of her customer’s secrets spill but he’d gotten so much more popular as an actor because of her! Plus now she’d learnt her lesson.

“Hai, domo arigato Akanishi-sama.” She said bowing slowly as she made sure her long hair was set properly across her chest in a seductive way before straightening out her pretty yellow crepe dress and got ready to walk out to the booth where her customer was seated diamond studs in her ears evident as she walked with the wind blowing in her hair. She saw Jin glance back at a girl who was at the bar and Natsuki frowned. What was a girl doing here? Was she looking for a job?

Oh god no. Not more competition. It was hard as it was anyways holding onto her title of number one.

“Matsumoto Jun. This is Kato Natsuki. Natsuki-chan this is Jun-sama.” Jun stood up and nodded his head in acknowledgment. Natsuki found herself a little out of breath at the beauty of the man in front of her. It was almost feminine. “Take care of him will you? He has serious-“ but on a look from Jun Jin shut up and cracked a small smile as he patted Jun’s back and the proceeded to pat her own back with the same hand. “Good luck.” He whispered in her ears and Natsuki smiled as she nodded back.

“Excuse me.” She said politely and grinned widely in her charming manner that almost no man could deny. “I’m glad you chose me Matsumoto-sama.” She said bowing slowly as she took her seat beside him.

“Would you like anything to drink? Perhaps something to eat as well?” She asked politely watching Jin rush over to the girl who was sitting at the bar in her bright orange dress, which screamed for attention. Natsuki would have to remember to buy something of that-

“Shower me with compliments.” She heard her customer tell her suddenly and Natsuki couldn’t help but jump in her seat a little at the sound of his voice. It was rough, and pained. Oh well…sorry if he wanted to get Aki for a hostess too but he was stuck with her cause Aki was busy. Which in itself was a complete shock that she was customer-less and Aki was giggling away pouring wine!

“Um…pardon?” She asked a little shocked and she turned to look at his face and saw it was stony.

“Shower me with compliments. Isn’t that what you hostesses do? Lie your way into money? So come on do your job. If you do that I’ll order a Dom Peri. That should make your sales skyrocket neh?” He said leaning over the table and looking at her out of he corner of his eye. Wow she really wasn’t used to such straightforward clients.

“Um...I think you may have misconceived the idea of what a hostess is. We may compliment you on occasion yes but we also help you to relieve stress and solve problems with our-“

“Superior intelligences? Please spare me the details of how you guys are so entirely different from .” He said and Natsuki had to control herself greatly to not let her jaw drop in front of such a chauvinist! How she’d very much love to just smack him with her purse.

“Order the Dom Perini then shall I?” She said grinning widely as she held her hand up and saw Yuichi come over and nod with that utterly stupid smile of his.

“A Dom Perini for Matsumoto-san and I’ll have a glass of white wine. Arigato Nakamaru-san.” She said bowing her head lightly from her seat and Yuichi nodded and she could swear that she actually saw his eyes glaze over in admiration of her as usual. That idiot. He wasn’t supposed to look so into her at work. She was putting her job on the line as it was getting him this job. Not anyone could be come a kurofuku in a club as prominent as Dancing Petals. Not anyone who was so absolutely open about being completely in love with her anyways!

Idiot. She'd only done this because he'd become so darn pitiful as a struggling hip hop artist and she had faith in him so she'd pulled strings to get him this job which would free up his days so he could go to talent agencies. She didn't really like him but she loved his music which was mainly why she stayed with him. When he opened his mouth it was like an angel was singing to her and she was being relieved of being this almost hellish like woman who used men.

“I really really don’t like you. How is it that a girl like you got to be number one? Doesn’t look like you’re much good at anything.” Jun complained as he poked her shoulder in what seemed to her an attempt to annoy the crap out of her. Get her to crack and enjoy the results.

She turned her eyes away from Yuichi a little unwillingly as he walked away to get them drinks and looked to Jun with sweet eyes that only covered up the slightly pissed off look in her eyes.

“I’d rather not talk about my faults since this isn’t about me is it Matsumoto-sama.” She replied with ease pausing to touch the yellow clip in her hair to see if it was still in place.

“Please refrain from using that stupid family’s name to address me. It already wrecked my life thank you very much.” She brought her hand down in front of her face and looked to him with open and somewhat understanding eyes.

“Dare I say we’re making progress?” Natsuki couldn’t help but tease; he looked up at her with a confused expression on his face and shook his head.

“Are hostesses really supposed to say things like that?”

“Well…not really but I suppose you can be a special case neh Jun-sama?” She said teasing him and he glanced at her an idea in his head. Erika could become a hostess! Then he wouldn’t have to send her all the way to N-

He suddenly had an image of Erika throwing a glass of champagne on the customer’s face as he grabbed her thigh…maybe that wouldn’t be the best job for a man hater such as herself.

“Thanks for being so considerate Natsuki-chan.” He teased back albeit it was much weaker. He couldn’t bring himself to do much but really. He needed to so much. It was shocking the need to act like a complete girl. Or perhaps he wasn’t acting like a girl. Perhaps guys had the right to too and women had stole-

“So familiar already are we?” She questioned jokingly but the question he could see was truly present whether she was allowed to refer to him casually so soon.

“A very idiotic little girl once told me she didn’t believe in politeness.” He said as the bottle of Dom Perini hit the table and he nodded to the waiter who put it down. Jun would have not paid any attention the man but the fact that the man barely glanced at him caused Jun to turn back and give him a second glance. The boy was completely enamoured with the woman beside Jun. The ridiculous smile on his face and the wistful gaze on his face was enough. Jun grinned as he felt the strangest urge fall upon him.

He wanted to be to this man what Ryo was to him.

Without thinking much he grabbed Natsuki by the shoulders and pulled her into his side and Natsuki remained emotionless. Perhaps that was her way of reacting to him, as she seemed like she’d rather be spouting off some intelligent sounding comment or the other if she truly were not reacting to his sudden touch. Immediately as Natsuki’s side collided with his own Jun saw the man’s attention turn towards him. He smirked sadistically.

“Natsuki …I’m definitely assigning you as my hostess.” He said and suddenly Natsuki was surprised as she turned to Jun and nodded thankfully.

“Domo arigato Matsumot-”

“What did I say about that?” Jun said putting a sickeningly sweet smile on his face as he stared on at Natsuki feeling the heated gaze from the waiter on his back. If Ryo could fake it with Aya he sure as hell could fake it with a faker like a hostess, Natsuki probably wouldn’t mind all that much either. More business for her.

“Hai…Jun-sama. Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.” She said smiling brightly back at him. He realized why she was the number one hostess at that moment. With her wide spread doe eyes, bright smile, and somewhat deviant personality from the other plain hostesses she would be alluring to anyone. He turned to look at the waiter with a smirk of victory evident on his face, hell Jun threw in a smarmy wink too.

Jun was extremely pleased to see that the man was glaring at him like Jun was about to kill his mother.

“Nakamaru-kun…please continue on. The other customers are waiting for their drinks.” Jun saw a young man who wasn’t Jin come up to ‘Nakamaru’ and say. “Gomen nasaii for the interruption. Please continue on.” He said and Natsuki beamed widely at the man as if telling him she was fine with Jun who had his arms around her. He nodded and paused to examine the situation raising an eyebrow as if he was an expert at what was in front of him before leaving but not before giving Jun a wry smile.

Who stared back somewhat taken aback.

“So Natsuki how old are you?” Jun asked as if he really did care. FYI he totally didn’t.

Natsuki on the other hand got nervous at the question. Her age was a completely delicate thing. Most of her other customers hadn’t asked because they knew she’d diverted them from the topic when they’d asked her first. The problem was...she was the same age as Aki yes but she was already in university. Natsuki was probably one of the greatest child geniuses to hit the face of the earth in a very long time.

She’d graduated super early from school because she’d been that talented at learning that she’d started school at an almost scarily early age. “I’m around sixteen. But I have graduated from high school. I’m working on gaining enough money in the next two years to attend a good university. Through hostessing but I think with the love I’m starting to feel for this industry I may just stick with it. Enough about me Jun-sama…continue on with your story. If I’m going to be your designated hostess I should be at least able to somewhat comprehend what you talk about? And so far…to be brutally honest that hasn’t really happened.” She smirked widely and Jun lifted an eyebrow cockily. Natsuki could easily say that this would probably be her most interesting customer.

“Same age as me huh?” He let his teeth show in a flirtatious beam and Natsuki giggled.

“Well we’re well matched then neh? At least you didn’t get a woman older than you.”

“I have a thing for older women you know?” He tried to irk her with this response but Natsuki simply nodded understandingly letting her body almost relax into his in a method that could be perceived as professional and her hand lie on his knee in such a manner that it almost wasn’t there.

“Well it’s a good thing I’m as smart as one then neh?” She teased and Jun looked at the girl with curiosity. Well...at least she could keep up with his bickering and ing.

Maybe she wasn’t as useless as she looked.

After all he’d need a dealer after Erika left for America. It helped that this one didn’t look like she might be his sister either.

And yeah he enjoyed the flirting a little too. Especially after being with ‘You’re-my-bestfriend!’ Aya and Mao.
“Dom Peri?” Natsuki grinned widely. Yes! Another customer captured before Aki. That’s right biatch. There was a reason she was number one and the reason was because all she needed was one meeting with a customer to make him her customer.

And Jun hadn’t taken much time at all even though he was more hostile and closed off than her other customers. All he needed was someone to tell him he was worth it. Which was kind of shocking. Natsuki coming from such a poor heritage could only imagine what kind of sixteen-year-old boy would have been able to come to hostess club and have the hostesses fawn over him.

He had to be rich obviously, and had to have incredibly low self-esteem, but Jun seemed like he was really only the former. She’d have fun figuring out this customer of hers.

-------------------------
“Okaa-san…stop doing that.” Ryo muttered as he saw his mother start cutting the onions and put them into the mixture for the food she was making for Ryo. It was so odd for him to eat like this. How did Shun live like this on a regular basis? So normal.

Ryo was almost feeling allergic to it.

God he already sounded like a big brat.

“I will cook a beautiful home cooked meal! My son has come back from America after three years. You really think I’m going to be stingy on the food? Is Koyama-kun coming over for dinner as well?” His mother inquired and Ryo shrugged as he slacked around the house. It was good being at home in his sweats though; he rarely got this pleasure in New York. Here where no one knew him except for a select few he felt safe from the press’ judging eyes.

“So tell me why my darling little boy came home so suddenly?”

“I wanted to let you meet your darling little daughter-in-law.” Immediately he heard his mother stop cutting the onions.

Ryo didn’t know quite know the degree of the love his mother felt for her sons. In fact so much that even the mention of her darling sons getting married got her off on a rampage.
“Ahh Ryo, my darling little baby. You don’t need to get married now do you?” She said turning around with a smile on her face as she started chopping the onions again and Ryo lent his head on the table where he waited patiently for home cooked food noticing that this time the knife hit the cutting board perhaps a little harder.

“I’m not going to get married now mom. I just plan to. To this girl. Since I barely meet you anyways I thought you might as well meet her now. I promise you you’ll love her.” It was true. Everyone loved Aya...problem was Ryo’s mom tended to be anti-everyone and anti-Ryo’s dad...who was usually everyone in Ryo’s eyes.

Yes...it could get a little confusing in this family scenario.

“I’m not going to marry this girl mom and I know she’s not the daughter-in-law you want…but I’m bringing her home because I seriously care for her and we’re in a deep relationship. You’ll love Maki I promise.” The words her other son Shun had said were ringing her head as she shook her head at Ryo That Maki had influenced Shun to do things he’d never done with anyone before she was quite sure.

Plus the Maki chick was ruining chances for her baby boy to get married to her best friend’s baby girl. The Oguri mother definitely didn’t approve of Horikita Maki…or the Horikitas in general now that she thought of it.

“Mom…I live with her now anyways. I actually have been living with her for a very long time. Right now she’s staying at the Ritz because-“

“Are you telling me you’re talking about that weird little girl you got caught almost-“ Here the mother stopped feeling rather odd discussing this with her beautiful little son. She poured the onions into the pan and immediately started turning them about and let them sizzle in the heat letting out hisses as water released from them.

“Yes Mom…but I’m not a e. We’re only apart in age by like…five years. That’s nothing. Dad and you were apart by at least like…ten years.”

“And look at how well we turned out Ryo. I’m telling you don’t make the same mistake, as your father and me. Don’t get married not at such a young age. Wait at least till your thirty and with such a erted girl too. Ready to you know what with you at such a young age. It’s disgusting.”

“I plan not to and I’d rather love it if you didn’t insult her too much actually. Okaa-san I really really love you but I kind of love her a little bit more neh?” He said seriously looking at his mother who shook her head wildly in disapproval as the doorbell rung and Ryo thanked the lord this conversation had ended.

“We aren’t done with this just yet Ryo. We’ll talk about this on the dining table. I’m clearing this up. Both you and your brother should be done with your stupid flings now. You have to get serious about your careers and your roles as leaders of the next generation of our company.” She said wiping her hands with a cloth and going over to the front door and opened it staring at the sight with a smile on her face. She loved the two as if they were children from her own womb.

“You’re dating Erika.” Mao said to her brother absolutely unwilling to let him go tonight without agreeing to her plans for him and her best friend.

“No I’m not.”

“Yes you are.”

“No I’m not.” Koyama retaliated with ferocity that almost made Mao decide to just shut up but instead she grinned widely nodding at her next words.

“No you’re not.”

“No I’m not.” Koyama said understanding her moves so well. Mao was predictable in that sense when it came to bickering.

“WHAT THE! The reverse psychology is supposed to work. ARRGGH YOU ARE SUCH AN IDIOT KOYAMA! Ahh obaa-chan! I haven’t seen you in so long!” Mao jumped onto her aunt with happiness and the Oguri mother relented her strong stance and hugged the girl back with happiness. Mao had gotten even prettier than the last time she’d seen her, going to school with Shun the mother had to wonder how Shun could even think of dating anyone else?

As Mao moved away from her the Oguri mother opened her arms wider to welcome her son into her arms.

“Hey y lady!” Koyama said grabbing onto his aunt tightly and she ruffled his hair.

“Oi she’s my mom! Get away ert.” Koyama heard Ryo say and grinned widely and stuck his tongue out as the Oguri mom shook her head.

“Hey shexy ladi!” She could remember five year old Koyama saying to her while Mao would hit him over the head. She could hardly believe the two were twins. They looked nothing like each other now. With Koyama’s died carrot top hair and Mao’s chestnut locks and made up eyes while Koyama wore shades over his...there was a vast difference now.

“So when’s Shun coming? I thought for sure he would be coming when you came, Mao-chan.” She said and Mao followed her into the kitchen as Koyama took his place beside Ryo to watch the females slog over the kitchen.

“Shun said he’d come later and that he was busy with someone. Ohh I brought some daifuku for dessert obaa-chan. So what are you making?”

“Nothing special just some Hirayachi.”

“As expected from an Okinawa native neh?” Mao said immediately grabbing the apron that was left on the hook near the kitchen door as the doorbell rung again. Mao grinned as she bounded towards the door already knowing who it was. There was only one person left for the dinner tonight. Mao’s mother wouldn’t be making it because of work.
“Shun!” She said opening the door widely and grinning.

Shun hated himself for loving the way she looked in the apron he’d often see his mother wear. She looked almost too casual but even so she struck him. “Tadaima.”

“Okaeri.” He wished he could do this on an almost daily basis. Come home to Mao’s grinning face wrapped in an apron and maybe in his imagination smears of flour or sugar or something sweet he could kiss off. “Come on in come on in. We’re all family after all aren’t we?” Mao said leaving the way to let him walk in and Shun immediately shook himself out of the daze. His thoughts were pushed aside as he entered and saw the one person he had known he would see but hadn’t expected him here tonight.

“Ryo-nii!” He squeaked and immediately ran towards his brother and jumped on him as Ryo started laughing at his younger brother when he felt the weight collide with his own.

“Oi Shun! I know you love me but men should be more manly…are you crying?!” He said hearing his brother’s sniffles and immediately broke down into laughter as he patted his back.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been home lately neh? Stuff has gotten really rough in New York and I’ve had to stay there for so long but I’m back now for a whole week.” Ryo said as they parted and Shun shook his head and whacked his brother over the head.

“You don’t even call home idiot!” Shun suddenly realized that he’d gotten a little taller than his brother.

“Oi..I’m taller than you.” Shun said staring at the space of air at his eye level and then slowly moving his eyes lower to look at his shorter brother with a smug smarmy smile on his face.

“Don’t get arrogant man. I’m still far ahead of you maturity wise.” Ryo said as he looked at his brother. He looked less…inhibited now. He’d always noticed that Shun had a problem with being open about things. Though now it looked like his brother wasn’t so much of a nerd and was more social. He was really exuding the aura that Ryo often gave off in New York.

“Oi Ryo-nii, Shun, back off and make way for the chef will you?” Mao said as she pushed the two apart and made room for herself.

“You mean make room for the girl who’s just going to set the table and is just wearing my mother’s apron to make a mess of it later when she’s sit down to eat because she has no manners?” Shun finished finally grinning as Mao’s face contorted into fake fury and she folded her fists before opening them and smiling sweetly again.

“Shun stop making my brother feel left out too eh? I didn’t hug him for nearly as long as you hugged Ryo. Mr. I am so unmanly I feel the need to cry and have puffy eyes just because my brother came home sob sob.” Mao grimaced slightly as she stared at her over acting brother who was pretending to be depressed. It seemed almost as if she’d described him instead of Shun.

“Oi, Koyama?! You came too? I knew Aya and Ryo were here for sure but!” Before Koyama knew it he felt Shun lunge on him. The Oguri mom stared on at her four kids playing with each other happily. She wished moments like these could last forever between the four of them.

Which was exactly why she wasn’t going to let any girl walk in and wreck her family. Not Horikita Maki and especially not that 's daughter.
------------------------------------------------------------

“Erika.”

“Erika.”

“ERIKA!”

“Oi Yamapi don’t shout so loudly. You’ll hurt her ears.” Toma said looking at the little Erika who was staring at the ground with blank eyes.

“I’ve never seen her so…quiet when she’s not being shy.” Yamapi said looking at the girl closely. What on earth was wrong with her?

“I think she’s gone through shock or something.” Maki said tilting her head sideways.

“Who asked you?” Yamapi ed. He was angry at the thought that she’d left with Toma even after he hadn’t left with them. It was like a rule to go back with the people you came with.

“No one I was expressing my opinion. Am I not even allowed such a leisure anymore?” She said with just as much fervour. She was mad that he’d let her leave last night. She didn’t remember much but he remembered his look as he rubbed up like a filthy hormonal teenage boy against Megumi.

It was disgusting. HE was disgusting!

“Guys…beep off.” Erika said suddenly her head shooting up with anger evident in her eyes and Yamapi, Toma and Maki’s jaws all dropped to the floor as they stared at the previously innocent girl.

“DID ERIKA-CHAN JUST SWEAR?!” Toma freaked.

“OH MY LORD THE SHY GIRL WHO DOESN’T DO ANYTHING JUST DID SOMETHING REMOTELY DEVIANT!” Yamapi shouted in shock.

“OH-M-J!” Maki yelped.

“WHAT THE IS THAT?” Yamapi yelled absolutely apalled at Maki’s choice of words. It was too stupid a thought to continue to exist.

In actuality all he wanted to do was pick a fight with her.

“IT’S OMG IN FRENCH!”

“THAT MAKES NO SENSE.”

“WILL THE TWO OF YOU SHUT UP?!” Toma yelled at Maki and Yamapi who looked down at the floor in shame as they grinned cheekily at Toma, who shook his head at their apparent childish-ness

“I’m not kidding you guys. I’m not in the mood for this utterly lame humour.”

“You’re lying. You love us.” Maki said sitting down beside Erika who had been curled up in the form she was in right now for the longest time. When she’d first come into the room she’d heard Erika crying and tried to talk to her but after being unable to she’d called in for backup.

She’d only found Toma and Yamapi hanging with each other as usual.

“SuSuSuSukiiiiiSuSuSuSukiiiii. Je veux sukiiii.” A phone rung somewhere and Yamapi glanced at Toma with raised eyebrows.

“That’s your ringtone?” Yamapi asked staring at the phone, which was lighting up in Toma’s pocket with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s not!”

“If it’s not why is it coming from your phone?” Maki questioned smiling at the prospect of Toma having such a lame ringtone.

“Oh shut up you two. This’ll be two seconds Erika-chan and then you have to tell us what’s wrong all right?” Toma said patting Erika’s head like an older brother would. He’d known her for the longest after all but even so Erika moved back from his touch. She hadn’t been able to talk to any guys, not even Toma-kun. That was the reason she’d lost Kamenashi-sama wasn’t it?

Ahhh she was so pissed off right now. Not at Haruka but at herself. After all it wasn’t Haruka’s fault that Kamenashi-sama had picked her.

But maybe if Erika had been more…on the offence about her affections she could have been the one in the picture. She looked at the drawer where she’d hidden it. The moment she’d been unable to sleep at night she’d raced for it and grabbed and shoved it into her drawer. She found it so horrible to believe that someone would throw a picture like that away like that.

A picture that had probably meant so much once upon a time was cast away like it meant absolutely nothing to either party involved.

Disgusting behaviour. How dare they treat love this way!
She felt a small pat on her back and flicked her head upwards to find herself staring into Yamapi’s calm, cool stare.

“Erika-chan,” He spoke slowly as if talking to a child.

“Hai,” She asked inquisitively…why was she being talked to in this way?

“Erika-chan the poor little chest of drawers did absolutely nothing to you. Let it go…let it be free from your wrath.” He and Erika could see Maki trying to hold her own hand back which had a mind of it’s own to go whack Yamapi across the head. This was stalled as Toma walked back into the room. She sighed quietly and leant back into her bed. There was nothing doing. Her friends were completely involved in their own lives. She couldn’t expect them to even start to try understanding her…even she admitted she was far too complex an enigma for anyone to get!

“Erika-chan…are you depressed?” Toma asked slowly sitting down in front of her. He’d never been particularly close to her but he’d always been able to reach out to her. After all he’d saved her from bullying back in the day too. He really was the knight in shining armor on a white horse type of guy.

He would have really been perfect for her seeing as how she was ‘damsel-in-distress-in-pink-outfit’ girl.

“Of course she isn’t! Erika wouldn’t be depressed. She’s only sixteen and-“

“A little.” Erika said softly interrupting Maki. Maki didn’t bother continuing with her words as she turned her head sideways to look at Erika as if trying to find the root cause of it just by looking onto the surface of Erika. She almost scoffed. There would be nothing on the surface and why would there be? This was the face, the look she showed the world neh? She wouldn’t scar it. She would be asking for unwanted attention if she did that.

“Why?” Toma asked softly and looked to Maki and Pi as if they were interrupting him. Maki looked at him with her jaw falling to the floor. Her friend! Toma couldn’t possibly be insinuating that she had to get out of the room when her best friend and roommate was quite possibly depressed for god knows what reason and spend the time outside waiting with the jackass!

She’d much rather be in here with Toma and Erika, even if it may depress her as well.

“Oi you two…get the hell out. She doesn’t seem to really like you anyways Yamapi.” Toma grumbled as he stared at the wordless Erika.

“Eri-chan likes me! I’m sure she likes me! Eri-chan! Eri-chan! You like me neh neh NEH?!” Yamapi continued yelling even after he’d been shoved out of the door by Toma. He kept banging against it for at least two minutes before the door finally opened.

But instead of being let in Maki was tossed into his arms roughly.

“Oi! What’s this?!” He yelped childishly pushing Maki off himself as if she was a disgusting creature with some form of cooties.

She probably was, about seven years ago.

“Yeah yeah…I didn’t really want to be out here with you either so just shut your mouth and wait with me. I’m not leaving till Toma comes out and tells me what on earth is wrong with my bes- HEY! ARE YOU LEAVING ME ALONE OUT HERE?!” Maki yelled as she saw Yamapi turn around from the end of the hallway and nod.
“There’s no real reason for me to stay is there? Plus knowing you you'll try and molest me again and Toma’ll show up later seeing that and start slapping you cause no one but him can actually molest me. Plus I don't know Erika that well to stay out and care about what happens next. She’s a sweet girl sure but…heh. You know what I mean.”

JACK ! Maki couldn’t help but shout in her head.

“Fine go…go crawl away like the pathetic dirt bag you are. No wonder you had no friends that you had to leave the only place you’d lived in for most of your life to come here because they all got so annoyed of you after spending 16 years with you. Now you’re planning to annoy us all in an even shorter time aren’t you?!” She yelled out to his back as he stopped and turned back around to look at her for a couple of seconds before heading back out away from her again.

“Ja ne Maki-chan!” Pi said grinning widely blowing kisses at Maki. Truth was if he stayed beside her any longer he'd probably end up throttling her for what he'd seen when she'd been with Shun that night, for leaving him along with Megumi last night. For everything god. Most of those things had been his fault but it didn't stop him from wanting to throttle her for walking away from him.

Argh aggravating son of a – oh god she really hadn’t been restraining herself lately. Maki’d been getting rowdier and if she wasn’t careful she may be nicknamed the new Fujisawa Ema of the school. Maki shuddered involuntarily; she didn’t want to be regarded as that girl was. Poor Mao had completely wrecked her reputation.

However she wasn’t interested in Fujisawa Ema’s horribly y life right now.

All she cared about was thinking of new ways for the jackass Yamapi to get the hell out of her heart completely so she could set it on a nicer, more deserving of it, guy, preferably someone who hadn’t just started dating her best friends.

“So what’s up Rika?” Toma asked laying his back down on the bed flat so that he could relax a bit. That call had tensed him up. He wasn’t ready for such a big assignment.

Especially not while he was still in school. He’d tried to convince the agency that he couldn’t possibly take it on but they denied any of his excuses.

Someone of her caliber- acting with her would definetely mean lots of preparation and he'd want to practice and practice...hell he was even thinking of asking Koyama for advice.

“Kamenashi-sama’s actually dating someone for once. Not just messing about. It’s pissed me off majorly. I never get pissed off! NEVER TOMA!” She shrieked and silenced herself again. She didn’t talk like this to him. She was like this when she was with that complete utter shame of a stable boy.

“Erika…honey please. This is getting to be a bit pathetic.” Toma spoke softly as he stared at her doe like eyes, which clearly said what she was thinking. ‘I know that but I can’t help the feelings of absolute love I feel for the dude!’

“Why don’t you just tell him? Get him to cheat on his girlfriend or something now. Recently the whole other woman thing has gotten very accepted. You know…hate on the man instead of the woman who was so y she made the man cheat thing?” Toma said waving his legs above the bed. It was amazing how different the two parts of the room were. Maki’s upper part was absolutely tidy and neat and not at all as childish looking as Erika’s princess side of the room. She even had those big lace curtains that Toma had always been tempted to wrap around himself before he went to sleep. He wondered if they felt like Maki would around him-

“Hahaaa so funny. Really hilarious. You should become a comedian Toma not an actor. You’re in the wrong line of work. Would you cheat on Mao?” Erika asked pointedly and Toma found himself wanting to say in a heartbeat.

But of course he kept his mouth shut because in the end Erika reported to none other than his girlfriend. No matter how many layers of family were between Erika and himself and Erika and Mao.

“Absolutely not. Guess you’re right. Well…try someone else out. You don’t know! Maybe you’ll find something you weren’t expecting to find?” He encouraged. He should have known that it had something to do with that stupid player Kamenashi. He’d hated Kamenashi since the moment he’d stepped into the school and had to call him senpai. With his lax attitude, his forever tired looking face and somewhat stoic cold personality and stench of alcohol around him Toma hated what he represented. The lack of control…the thing that occurred when you became a delinquent.

“I can’t try someone else. I love Kamenashi-sama.” She grumbled under her breath.

“Well…” Toma looked at her with unsure eyes. He wasn’t sure how to tell this girl that she and Kame would probably never get together. Kamenashi just didn’t do girls like Erika. It was widely known. He did girls like Megumi, who he would completely actually do, except for the fact that they were estranged siblings and hated each other with a passion that shocked most people.

“Sometimes it’s not always about loving you know?” He finished finally. He was quite sure he only loved one girl but that didn’t mean that there wouldn’t be more than one girl who was able to make his heart beat. He loved Maki for sure, but Mao was the one with him because he enjoyed being with Mao and he’d had enough of trailing after a girl who hadn’t even given him a second look in that sense since two years ago.

“It’s not always about love? Toma-kun…you do remember who you’re talking to right? I think maybe Megumi-chan’s gotten to your head.” Erika said rolling her eyes.

“Erika…if you don’t want me to help you get over Kamenashi-kun then you can just say so and I’ll leave.” Toma said sweetly as he turned around not waiting for her answer.

“Is there a way to get over him?” She mumbled softly and Toma lifted an eyebrow. She was being rather unusual and unlike her today but perhaps that would be for the best. She had to move on.

“There’s a way to get over anyone. Even the most perfect person for you…the one who can make you forget everything when they’re in front of you. At least I believe in it.” Toma said grinning widely as he sat down beside Erika again and grasped her hand and Erika immediately pulled it back and shoved it beneath the warm comforter over her legs.

“No touching. You’re Mao’s boyfriend…and I can barely handle boys being close to me you know this.” She said narrowing her eyes as Maki re-entered the room with eyebrows raised.

“No touching? Toma-kun the ert!” She yelped delightedly as she started upstairs towards her section of the room.

“Oi! Who said you could come in…and I’m- I mean- Erika, she- I’m not a ert!” He finished finally through his stuttering and fumbling. Erika giggled at him beneath her pink comforter as he got up off her bed and started towards Maki trying to explain to her but Maki just laughed in his face and covered her chest up jokingly as Toma blushed a beet red and started walking away from Maki…but Erika suddenly saw something odd that she wasn’t sure she had ever noticed before.

Maki grabbed onto Toma’s hand and pulled him back. Erika blinked quickly as if to make sure that was really what Maki had done. She gulped slowly.

“Did you help Erika at all oh useless actor of mine?” She put her arm on his shoulder and looked up at him with such eyes that Erika had to take a moment to glance at them seriously. It was the type of eyes that said I just want to talk to you. She pulled her hand back down to interlace her fingers with his and leaned back before pulling herself forward again and continuing in the swaying motion.

“Haha so funny. I make more money in one commercial than there is in your entire trustfund you know that Maki-chan? Haha…not useless at all and I guess it’s up to Erika to decide whether I helped her or not neh?” He said pretending to act cool as Maki didn’t let go of his hand but pulled him along to Erika’s side who was staring at them as if they had both suddenly grown appalling body parts on the top of their arms.

Erika obviously not taking the cue to answer his question just sat there with her eyes wide with fright staring at the two of them as if they were mad. What kind of fire were they trying to ignite within Mao? She’d kill them all for sure at this rate of touching! Why wasn’t Toma pulling back! What the hell? Were all men so addicted to women touching them?! EVEN IN SPOTS LIKE THOSE?! God it didn't take much to pull back from a hand hold neh?!

“Erika…did Toma-kun help you? Or is he absolutely useless with no hope for a future?” She said grinning teasingly at Toma as he glared down at her and hit her on the back of her head.

“Changed so much since last night haven’t you? Yesterday you were all. Ohhh Toma-kun’s the best! He saved me from falling down on the ground in a crumbly pile and lifted me up in his arms like a prince!” Toma back and Maki rolled her eyes and held on tighter to his arms pulling him closer to her and Erika yelped a bit.

“You know you enjoyed being my knight in shining armour.” She flirted and Erika immediately gasped. Oh no she didn’t. Girls only said knight in shining armour when they were being completely serious about someone. Or at least that was what girls in her shojo mangas were like!

“Erika-chan daijobu?”

“Uh…ha-hai. Could you guys leave me now? So I can get some sleep?” She fumbled with her alarm clock pretending to set an alarm when in fact her brain was in a frenzy trying to forget what she'd seen.

“It’s nine o’clock.” Toma said confused raising an eyebrow. He didn't mind being alone with Maki at all but Erika was acting rather suspicious as if she had something to hide.

Toma wanted to know what it was that was irking her.

“Well…I’m so tired I-grrrrrrrrrr.” She made the oddest sound as she fell on the bed pretending to be asleep. All she knew was she was going to pretend she didn’t see what she had seen and if she fell asleep maybe she’d wake up and find out that what she’d seen was a dream.

At least that was how it worked in her dreams.

If only it had worked. The moment she tried to dream it came effortlessly, the fake scenes and interactions she was starting to remember of Toma and Maki. Their emotions had never been voiced of course but now it was becoming more and more apparent. Toma giving up his jacket to Maki on a cold rainy day. Toma lifting her up in the air when she won the award for last years highest overall mark in Foreign Languages. Toma almost always thinking twice before speaking properly to Maki.

It looked like a one sided love in her head but today it was much more than that. It seemed almost reciprocated...which just further emphasized the fact that perhaps Maki and Toma were unknowingly starting to fall in love with each other. In a way she had never seen in anyone but herself. With Mao the affection from Toma was so easy, because it was so unromantic in a sense.

But with Maki Erika could see the way Toma fawned over her. The way he wanted to just hold her in his arms and cherish her, thank her for the ability to do that.

If only…if only Kame-sama could do that for her. Sure he’d almost kissed her but how many girls had he actually almost kissed? Probably a small number since she expected he succeeded in kissing a lot of them.

She was almost glad now that Shota and her butler had interrupted them that evening. She didn’t want to be another notch on his board. She’d wanted to be the one. The one he kept away from the notches and fell asleep with. The one he didn’t chase out in the morning, or perhaps even at night.
She wanted to be completely his.

But she wanted him to be completely hers as well.

Perhaps that was why they would never work.

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A/N: Okayyy soo that's all the Yamaki and Tomaki I could fit in this chapter for you guys gomen nasaii T.T It seems like Pi's starting to be one sided neh? Poor guy and it was all Maki's fault he started to like her in the first place too.

This has gotten a lot set up for the future chapters so this chapter was very important guys! Can we guess who Toma's new co-star is going to be? =D I've mentioned her in the story before. I don't know if I mentioned that she was an actress in the story though.

Thanks to my lovely commenters: yulyachen13, Zing, Lillyrain, Christine, Calliope, nadskyblue91, twinkle05, anddd biniBningPunkista!!!

Comments on this chapter are also greatly appreciated =D

And without further ado....

THE ACTOR'S CONFERENCE!

Yamapi: Holy crap. How long has it been since one of these things?

Mao: Hella long. We have such a lazy author.

Toma: Yeah I kno- ahhh wait no don't cut off the conference-

Previews (cause my characters were being evil to me)

“So does my dearest Mao-chan know she’s rooming with a guy?”

“And you’re truly saying you hate this woman?”

“It wasn’t Megumi was it?”

“Well? Don’t I deserve an explanation? Come on spit it out.”

“As much as I’m flattered Aya thank you I don’t really know what you want me to say. I thought you two made this trip so you could boink without people there finding out about it.”

“You sure you want to know darling little brother?”

“Almost as much as I want to know about you and Ryo.”

Thanks for reading and remember to comment to get your winglin cookies =D

Love Lillith =D