"Ne, Pi-chan, how would you like to be my best man?" Six heads spun in attention towards Tackey. Allie was either playing deaf or she wasn't surprised at all with the question when she leaned in to reach for the jar of jam.

"B-best man?" I parroted stupidly. Until the stupid plane our family owns arrive, I'm stuck here in the dining room where my beloved exchange affectionate glances with my childhood friend while they were discussing their wedding. It was nauseating really.

"Yeah. It will mean so much to me." He smiled and I looked around the room, silently asking for help.

"Won't it be proper to get Imai-senpai as your best man? I mean, he's your best friend, right?" Shige heaved a nervous laugh. He was referring to Tackey and Tsubasa's other half, Imai Tsubasa. I was lucky enough to have friends like them. I wonder how I would take it if I was all alone facing this catastrophe.

"Hai. But I've known Pi-chan since we were in diapers and he's a good friend too. Not to mention he and Allie are very close." At this point, I was starting to speculate that he indeed knew something and that he was trying to punish me for something I didn't do. How can I tell him that I don't want anything to do with their wedding? Much less be the ing best man!

"I think it was too early to discuss it, sweetheart. You have to tell my parents first, remember?" Allie laughed.

"Of course." Tackey agreed and that was the time when the 'devil personified' decided to join us for breakfast.

"Ohayo gozaimasu!" She chirped and flopped herself onto a chair beside me. This is the worst breakfast that I've ever had.

"Ohayo." Tackey answered politely. "You must be Naya, Allie's best friend?" The 'devil' looked at him like she noticed him for the first time.

"Yes. The very one."

Allie took over. "Tackey, this is Naya, Naya, Tackey." Naya circled the table and stopped beside Tackey. She deliberately examined him from head to toe and that I swore he was starting to perspire. Good manners really was foreign to this creature. I wonder how she and Allie got along when our manager was the most diplomatic person I've known so far.

"Natania Araneta desu, hajimemae." She extended a hand and Tackey stood up to shake it. And in a blink of an eye, Tackey was lying on the marbled floor, Naya's high heel was pressing on his neck.

"Natania!" Allie screamed.

"Now, this is just a preview of what you're going to get in case you hurt Allison AGAIN. Do you hear me?" She said cooly like her best friend didn't say anything. She removed her foot from Tackey's neck and helped him up. He was as pale as paper as well as the rest of us. The first time we met her, we already knew she's a force to be reckoned with. But still!

"Easy, I didn't hurt him. Yet." She smiled like cheshire cat and occupied her seat again like nothing happened." Allie shook her head and helped Tackey back to his seat.

"You little imp!" Allie hissed.

"What? I just want him to know what he's getting himself into." She eyed Tackey. "I will turn your pretty little face into something you, yourself, won't be able to recognize if anything bad happens to Allie. Are we clear?"

"Hai." He replied readily. And was he trembling? I wanted to laugh out loud! I think I am starting to like the devil. Not.

"Good. And you." She turned to me and gave me a long creepy stare like she was able to read my mind or something. "Can you pass the apple cobbler please?" She said after a long moment and I handed her the large pie dish wordlessly. What's up with this woman? She freaks the hell out of me!

"You should apologize now." Allie said and then the litany in that alien laguage that only them understand.

"Chotto! Chotto matte kudasai!" I yelled in frustration and the room fell silent. "Language sensitivity please. You've been speaking into that alien tongue of yours that we can't keep up. It's rude, in case you don't know."

"It's German and you don't have to know what we're talking about." Allie snapped.

"Well, I demand to!" I retorted and found myself under Naya's glare.

"I can't believe you're trying to ruin my vacation and you're very rude to my friends too!" Allie turned to her best friend again like I didn't say anything but this time in a language we all understand but their voices drifted when they both went upstairs to continue their banter, forgetting about us all.

*****************************************************************************

"Ms. Arison, they are waiting for you at the conference hall." My assistant informed me when I arrived. It was the scheduled press conference for NewS's concert tour.

"Arigatou gozaimasu. Please hold all my calls." I was required to be there and answer some of the questions the guys might find too awkward. It was one of the tasks that I hated but I really can't do anything about it as it's part of my job. I straightened the invisible creases of my black wraparound dress and heaved a heavy sigh before going straight to the conference hall.

Half of the media people that we were expecting were already there but the long table set up in front a makeshift stage was vacant. The guys must be on the dressing room still. I padded to the conference room and found the rest of them except from Pi. I knocked on the open door and Koyama immediately put his shirt on.

"Gomen ne," I smiled awkwardly. "Where's Pi-chan? We're about to start in five minutes." I asked calmly.

"He's on his way." Ryo replied.

"Gomen, gomen!" Pi dashed into the dressing room, panting. He threw his carryall aside and started to undress. He didn't even notice that I was there.

"Chotto, chotto!" I panicked. "Let me step out, bakajanai!" I can still hear their laughter meters away. Pi was really acting weird these days. He wasn't the annoying Pi anymore and I was starting to think that he was avoiding me. But then, why would he do that? Maybe it was my fault. Since we came back to Japan, I've been spending time with Tackey's family. His mother apologized to me and I was glad that there's seem to be hope for us after all.

The presscon was about to commence, I took my usual spot in the middle of the table while each half occupied the seats on either side of me. The emcee greeted the press and some avid fans that turned up. JE's largest conference hall seem too small at that moment.

After the introduction and short video presentation, the question and answer portion came. The fans, expecially the women, gave ear-splitting squeals that I almost flinched.

"Yamaa-san," One of the reporters tried to get Pi's attention and he succeeded. "How's your relationship with Keiko-san?" He was referring to Pi's leading lady from Buzzer Beat, his latest drama. Then the SCREAM again.

I watched as Pi's face turned up into an awkward smile. Could it be that they're together? Why didn't he tell me? It was agreed that I will allow romantic relationships among them but they would have to be honest with me so I can do precautionary measures.

"Kitagawa-san and I are very good friends. She's nice to work with and very professional. I learned one or two things from her even if I was technically her senpai." He replied in a polite tone.

There were a few pertinent questions and the rest were rumours about each of their love lives and then I was asked about their other projects. We were about to wrap the presscon up when there's this reporter that rose his hand. I didn't particularly like him because he was known for making unnecessary gossips about the artistes. He stood up to ask Ryo a question.

"Nishikido-san, how's your drama Orthros no Inu doing?" He asked and I relaxed in my seat. I thought he was about to ask an aggravating question again.

"It was fantastic. Having to work with one of my seniors here in JE, Tackey-kun, was really cool and refreshing. Plus the storyline was great." Ryo gave his trademark grin and the fan girls went crazy again.

"Since you mentioned it, can I ask Ms. Arison a question?" He turned to me and I froze in my seat.

"S-sure." Nobody could have known about my relationship with Tackey, right? We were very careful about it. We even had to take separate planes back to Japan.

"What can you say about the rumour that you've been using your family's influence to book the best projects for your talents? And that Nishikido-san was not supposed to be in Orthros no Inu but Ikuta-san?" I could feel the heat creeping up to my face when the room suddenly fell silent. I also felt Ryo stiffen beside me. I swallowed repeatedly so I won't give this reporter a lashing. I counted silently from one to ten to calm myself.

"My family has got nothing to do with my work and all the projects that my talents have, they got it because of their skills and not because of anything else. As with regard to Ryo-chan getting the part that's supposed to be for Ikuta-san, I don't know anything about it. You may have to ask the producers of the show for that. But the rating of Orthros was skyrocketting, proof enough that they made the right choice." I let out a fake smile. It was the start of chaos. Everyone wanted to throw me a question and the emcee can't pacify the media.

"Ms. Arison! What family influence was he talking about? Is your family part owner of JE?!"

"Or are you Mr. Johnny Kitagawa's daughter?!"

"Do you have a grudge against Ikuta Toma?"

The emcee was wise enough to end the presscon but it sure had created a ruckus in the Japanese entertainment world. I wanted to die at that moment.

But before we're able to exit the conference hall, the same reporter spoke, "Ms. Arison, how true that your mother was the former Firipin (Philippine) ambassador to Japan? And that until now, she maintains a good friendship with the Prime Minister?" My eyes widened in horror as my feet stopped moving. I was frozen in my spot for a while. I turned to the crowd once again.

"Y-yes. That's true."

"Then with that kind of connection, you surely are the best machinery NewS could have." He commented with a snort.

"Stop making things up!" Pi yelled and dragged me backstage, the rest of the group were trailing behind. My tears were threatening to fall.

"Sumimasen." I left them, my steps deliberate. I only have one destination in mind at that moment.

****************************************************************************

A/N: One chapter to go!:) Please make me happy and leave a comment please:) Arigatou gozaimasu!