Author: merrow - G - English - Drama/Humor - Reviews: 37
Mika felt guilty about this. She shifted her photo bag for what must have been the thousandth time and wished the damn school bell would ring. Yakumo might do stuff like this all the time but she wasn't used to it. She ran over the plan in her mind one last time.
"Step one, wait for school bell to ring. Step two, walk up the street three blocks and then cross the street, take no longer than 10 minutes. Step three, locate Honda Tooru." Mika didn't even want to know how many times Sawatari must have followed that clueless girl to work to know how long it would take her to get to that particular street. "Step four, engage her in conversation and say the necessary lines." Sawatari had drilled her endlessly in the three days since they'd met with Tooru at the café. He insisted that the girl couldn't be left to make the decision on her own. Mika started as the school bell finally rang. "This is just a nudge." She told herself as she set off. "This is just a nudge in the right direction." She jogged quickly up the street trying to resist the temptation to go slow and miss the girl by 'accident'. "We're going to make her a star." Block one. "She'll be rich." Block two. "She'll be famous." Block three.
"Honda-san!"
Tooru turned around is surprise. She blinked as Mika came up to her out of breath and winded. "Honda-san! I thought it was you." The woman smiled down at her. "I was just coming back from an assignment for Spotted! and thought I saw a familiar face. Are you on your way to work?"
"Yes!" Tooru smiled, somewhat relieved. She'd been a little nervous ever since the meeting with Sawatari. She hadn't given him an answer yet and even though not much time had passed she'd been wondering if he'd try to make contact again. Kyou and Yuki had both insisted on walking her home from work these past few nights and she'd hardly been able to even go to the market unescorted. She appreciated their concern but their vigilance had started to make her feel jumpy on the few occasions when she had to be alone. She'd been almost certain that Sawatari was going to jump out at her as walked alone to work. It was almost a relief that she'd finally met again with someone from Rising Stars, inc. Now she didn't have to dread it anymore. Tamaguchi-san didn't make her feel as self-conscious as Sawatari-san did. And this meeting was just by coincidence, wasn't it?
"Do you mind if I walk with you a bit? I'm going the same way." Mika smiled and inwardly pleaded, "Please, please, please don't let her see through me." When the girl nodded happily she breathed a sigh of relief. "I feel like such a heel," the woman thought. Out loud she said, "So...given any thought to our offer?"
Tooru nodded. She had been thinking about it. A lot. Her head hurt with how much she'd been thinking about it. "I don't know what I should do."
Mika looked at the girl in surprise. Sawatari had said the girl would be straight forward, but really! Didn't she have any sense of self-preservation? She had to know that it was in Mika's best interest to persuade her to work for Rising Stars. "You shouldn't be telling me that!" she blurted then winced. Yakumo was going to kill her.
"Eh?" Tooru looked up at the women with wide eyes. Why shouldn't she say that?
Mika found herself lost in the soulful eyes looking up at her. "Yakumo," she thought, "forgive me, I can't do it." She's just a little girl. "Listen," she said aloud, "You can't be saying things like that to me. It's part of my job to tell you that you should take this job, even if it's not the best thing for you." The girl just blinked at her. "You have to decide what's best for you! When you figure that out, you'll know what you're supposed to do."
"Oh." The girl hung her head dejectedly then smiled at the photographer, "Thank you Tamaguchi-san for telling me. I'll try not to say things like that again." They walked in silence for a bit more. "Tamaguchi-san must enjoy her job very much."
"Usually." Mika agreed. "It can be very challenging. Every day is different."
"Is it very hard?"
The woman smiled down at the girl, "No, not really. Not the type of photography I do. I mostly do the candid shots for Spotted! I take pictures of people on the street, in malls or out shopping. In fact, I took that picture of you and your friends." Mika looked up at the sky. She watched the clouds for a moment before starting to talk again. "When I first became a photographer, I thought I'd be doing something more...artistic, more important. But I guess I grew up and settled. I don't suppose what I do is really that great. Anyone with a camera could do it. I guess I just wasn't talented enough..." Mika came to a stop when she realized the girl wasn't following along with her anymore.
"I think Tamaguchi-san's photos are very special!" Tooru clutched the handle of her schoolbag tightly and her whole body leaned a little forward as if the rush of words coming out of her were forcing her forward. "Candid photos can be very important! Mother's photo isn't very artistic, or important, she's not dressed up or made up. But every time I see her picture I feel better. Tamaguchi-san's photo of Hana-chan and Uo-chan is very important to me too. When I look at that photo I can see how exciting and kind and funny Uo-chan is. And I can see how elegant and sweet and special Hana-chan is. I think it's very important to take those kinds of photos. I think that to be able to take those kinds of photos is a very special gift. I think you have to be able to see the good things in people to be able to take special photos like that. I don't think many people can do that." Tooru beamed at the young woman. "I think that Tamaguchi-san must be very talented!"
Mika sighed and closed her eyes. "Thank you for saying that Honda-san." Damn Yakumo to hell. She smiled down at the girl as they started walking again, "Why don't you tell me what you've been thinking about our offer and I'll help you figure it out? I'll pretend for a while I don't work for Rising Stars. And call me Mika, 'Tamaguchi-san' makes me feel old."
Tooru smiled; there was something about Mika that she liked. "Ok, Mika-san!" She put a finger up to her lips. Where to begin? And how much could she say?
"Part of the reason you're not sure is because of the Soumas, isn't it?" Mika asked shrewdly. She frowned inside when she saw the girl start guiltily. Damn Yakumo! How did he know just what questions to ask? The woman was trying not to go along with his plan, but it was like she was being conspired against. At this point she really wanted to help the girl figure out what was best for her. But it seemed only by repeating the lines Yakumo had scripted to convince her to join up would help her get the necessary information. "We tried to find out about them when we were trying to find out about you. They're a pretty secretive family. Are they worried about the media attention?" Tooru nodded. "I'm not going to lie. If you become popular, we might not be able to keep the media away from your private life." Mika's mouth twisted in a triumphant smile. *That* hadn't been in Yakumo's script.
"I don't think I'd be very popular." Tooru protested, blushing. "There's nothing special about me."
Mika had seen enough false modesty in her career to know that Tooru wasn't disassembling. She really meant it. "Hey, you shouldn't think like that. Everyone has something special about them." Mika looked at the girl seriously. "Tooru, what I'm going to say to you right now, I really mean it. I'm not lying or trying to flatter you. Do you promise me that you'll believe I mean what I say?" Tooru nodded. "Tooru, you are a very special girl. You're pretty and nice and people like you."
Tooru's face flamed bright red. "B-but I-"
Mika smiled. "I'm not finished. I've met a lot of pretty girls. I've met a lot of nice girls. I've met a lot of girls that people can't help liking. A lot of those girls I've taken pictures of. Some became really famous for it." She shrugged, "Most didn't. But they all believed in themselves enough to try. You should believe in yourself more. If you don't want to do this because there are other things in your life you want to do more or something like that, that's fine. But if the only reason is because you think you're not special, well then that's just stupid. Never mind what I say," Mika said when she saw the girl's mouth start to open in protest. "Didn't you hear what your own friends said? 'Special.' 'Unique.' That's what they called you, the people who know you best. And they obviously care a lot about you, all of them, or why did they come along? Don't you trust them?"
Tooru pinked again and couldn't help but smile happily. "Yuki-kun, Kyou-kun, Hana-chan and Uo-chan, I trust them very much." She blinked and looked up in surprise, they'd come to her building already?
Mika looked up at the building and then at her watch. "We still have a few minutes." She turned to face the girl. Damn Yakumo. He was right. This girl should be working for them. Not for any of his reasons, but because she deserved this chance to be rich, to be famous, to be a star. There were too many people out there that didn't deserve it who had gotten it. "So ok, I'm guessing the big reason you haven't decided yet is because you thought you weren't special enough for the job." Tooru nodded feeling a bit overwhelmed.
"Well, just forget about that part for now. It's not your job to decide that, it's ours. If we say you're special enough then you are, ok?" The girl nodded obediently. "So if that's out of the way, what's left? The Soumas?" the girl nodded again. "Did they specifically tell you not to do this? That's not very fair to you."
"Oh no! Shigure-san said they'd manage if it was what I wanted to do. They are very fair to me, I'm such a burden to them." Tooru blushed and looked down, "I live in a house with a roof because of them."
"Your cousin told us about what happened with your grandfather's house." Mika said gently. "It was very nice of the Souma's to give you a place to stay." Yakumo hadn't been able to find out exactly about how she'd come to live with the Souma's. From what they'd been able to find out around school, she hadn't been close to Yuki Souma before she'd moved in with him. And the other Souma boy hadn't even been at that school yet. They couldn't see how she could have even met the older Souma. But suddenly without anyone's knowledge, even her own family, she'd been living with the three guys. It was still a secret to most of the school. Somehow the Soumas had agreed to take a girl who was almost completely unknown to them into their house and lives. Mika hadn't understood how people could take a complete stranger under their roof before. Just having met with this girl for a few times and she could see how it could be possible. "Is it really okay to keep depending on them that way? I mean, you're not going to be with them forever right?" Mika felt sick using Yakumo's lines against her, especially when she saw the surprised sad look on Tooru's face. The girl really hadn't thought about it at all. "It won't be long till you're out of school. Your grades aren't good enough for college. I'm sure the Souma boys have plans for their future." Mika watched the words sink into the girl and once again damned Yakumo for knowing people so very well. "What are your plans for the future?" The young woman looked up a the building, "Are you going to clean floors for the rest of your life?" She looked sideways out of the corner of her eye at the girl, "Planning to become a bride maybe?" The girl blushed and shook her head. So it wasn't that way with the Soumas? Well couldn't be too sure of that. Those three had all been very protective. And that pretty boy...people just don't look at other people that way when they don't care about them. "Then why *not* try this? At least think about it that way for a change." Mika made a show of looking at her watch. "Well...I don't want to make you late for work. Better call Yakumo before the end of the week whatever you decide or he'll be after you again. He can be really persistent." Mika smiled and turned to go, "Bye now!"
"Mika-san!" The photographer looked over her shoulder at Tooru. She was smiling radiantly at her. "Thank you very much!"
"I didn't do anything!" Mika protested.
Tooru shook her head. "Mika-san cared enough to explain to me." She smiled again and bowed deep. "Thank you very much!" She turned and ran into work.
Mika felt sick. I did the right thing, she reminded herself. She deserves this chance. "Then why," she said aloud as she turned to walk to the café where she and Yakumo were supposed to meet, "do I feel like such a heel?"
* * *
Though she worked as hard as ever, the women at Tooru's job could tell her mind was far away. She was clumsier than usual and didn't seem as eager and happy go lucky as she usually did. She'd never been one to chitchat while they were working, but she generally smiled and nodded along as the others talked. Tonight she seemed to be in another world.
'Is it really okay to keep depending on them that way?'
Tooru looked at the stack of toilet paper in front of her and mechanically added another to the pile.
'I'm sure the Souma boys have plans for their future.'
Tooru tried to picture Yuki and Kyou all grown up. What would they look like? She pinked a little. They would be very handsome. Yuki would look like his older brother Ayame she guessed. It didn't take too much imagination to picture Ayame with short, gray-black hair and purple eyes. She could almost picture what Yuki would look like, elegant, commanding. Would he be a salaryman? She couldn't quite picture him in a suit and tie riding the train to work. The morning commute with its packed trains would probably be very dangerous for a member of Juunishi. Now that she thought of it, all the older Juunishi had jobs that didn't require much contact with people. Hatori-san probably had the most in his work as a doctor, but they were almost all family members. Ayame-san, as the owner of the store, probably had very little direct contact with the customers, Mine seemed to handle most of that. Mit-chan was the only person that Shigure was required to see for his job. She wondered if they were ever lonely. Yuki would also probably have to find a job that was safe for him. Perhaps he could sell plants and open a nursery. Somehow it was much easier to picture Yuki in a smock among growing things, though she suspected the people at school would be surprised at such an image. Either way, he'd probably go on to college first. Yuki wasn't only good in his studies he seemed to enjoy them.
Kyou-kun would probably do something with martial arts. Perhaps he would work with his Shishou in the Dojo? That might not be possible, she thought once she'd gone through it a bit more in her mind. There were more males than females in most martial arts classes, but that didn't mean there weren't any. There was a lot of touching in that kind of class. It might not be safe for him. Kyou was good in his classes as well; he could go on to college if he wanted to. Tooru smiled at the thought. Kyou was definitely more suited to physical pursuits. If he couldn't be a martial arts instructor, what then? Kyou was good at many things she reminded herself, he was good with his hands and he liked heights. Perhaps he would become a construction worker. Tooru smiled at the thought as she placed the last roll of paper on top of the pyramid.
'What are your plans for the future?'
What *were* her plans for the future? When she'd moved into the tent way back then, she'd known that she'd be on her own soon. That she had to be independent like her mother had been. She'd resolved to use the construction on her grandfather's house as an opportunity to learn to stand on her own. She'd barely lasted a week. She wouldn't be able to support herself on the money she made here, not unless she went full time. She had been offered a position if she wanted it and she'd always assumed she'd take it when she left school. She glanced at the ladies gossiping over their brooms. Did she really want to do this for the rest of her life? It wasn't that she minded the work. She didn't mind cleaning and housework. Or rather, it was the one thing she knew she could do well. That gave her a feeling of satisfaction, knowing that she could do it and it would be done right. What else could she do? She was a good cook, but the things she made where every-day homey fare. It wasn't the kind of thing she could get a job at a restaurant for. She could sew a little, but mostly hemming and repairs. Tooru sighed, really she wasn't much good outside of the house.
Tooru picked up a mop and began pushing it around the hallway. Even with all of Mika's encouragement, she still didn't think that much could come out of working for Rising Stars. Sooner or later they'd realize that she was just a normal girl. But maybe she should try it...just to see...Shigure had said the Souma's would manage. Tooru shook her head. But what if they couldn't? What if someone found out? She couldn't let them be risked like that, not because of her.
* * *
The way he saw it, there was no way he'd get the girl to agree unless he got the boys to give permission. Sawatari leaned against the wall and tried not to look menacing but the dark look on his face was making it hard. He was sure Tooru would have agreed already if it hadn't been for the Soumas. He wished he could find out what they wanted to keep so quiet. He'd done a lot of digging, but the closer you got to the main house the less there was to find. It was like trying to grasp sand it just kept slipping through his fingers. The most he'd been able to find was that all the boys around Tooru were somehow important inside the family. Even distant relatives knew of them, knew they were somehow connected to the family head, and that they were special. They received special treatment and honors; even the youngest boy had a bank account in his own name. Their families where elevated to "inside" status at their birth, even if they were unimportant before hand. They seemed to be able to call on the influence of the huge Souma family at need. But until recently they had taken very little initiative to take advantage of that special treatment.
But then, about a year ago, Honda Tooru somehow came to be living with Shigure and Yuki. Shortly afterwards, after a four month absence from school, Kyou managed to transfer mid-term into the same school and class and also began living with the author. Apparently, the school had made a special exception on his behalf. It was obvious the Soumas had influenced the school to take him on. His grades certainly hadn't warranted it, and he'd been know to get in trouble more than once at his old school. He was not the type that was normally granted such leniency. At the beginning of the next term Hatsuharu and Momiji transferred in, going out of their way to be in the same school. It was driving him nuts, what made them so special that they were so honored by their family? There was some secret that united them. Did Tooru know it? Is that why she was living with them? Had she blackmailed them into giving her a place to stay?
Sawatari had to bite back a bit of hysterical laughter. Now he was just being ridiculous. Having met her only a few times he could tell that Tooru was not a person capable of anything like that. And besides that, it was obvious that the Souma's all cared too much for her to be using them that way. But if he could just find out their secret...he'd have something to convince them to let her do it. He was tempted to try to fake it, to claim he knew something. But the thought of cool violet eyes staring through him over a teacup made him dismiss the idea. No way he'd be able to get away with it.
The sound of footsteps made him look up. Yuki and Kyou were walking down the street. Sawatari checked his watch. It was still a while before Tooru would be getting out of work. They'd been coming earlier and earlier to come pick her up. No doubt, he thought, to prevent me from ambushing her again. As if I'd try the same trick twice. Mika had done well earlier, now the rest was up to him. He straightened and waited for them to get a bit closer, his quick eyes noting all details. The two boys were walking up the street in silence, steadfastly not looking at each other. Sawatari's eyebrow twitched up. So it was true what he'd heard around the schoolyard. Yuki and Kyou didn't get a long. That could definitely be used.
"Yo!" Sawatari said genially and stepped into their path. Kyou jumped and stepped back defensively. Yuki paused and ice seemed to gather around him, his back stiffening. "Bet you can guess why I'm here." No use to pretend at this point. The two boys just stared back and him warily. "I still haven't heard from To-" he corrected himself at a warning icy look from Yuki, "Honda-san and I was wondering what the hold up was."
"Honda-san hasn't made her decision yet." Yuki stated coldly.
"Oh, please." Sawatari let his pleasant mask drop. His face lost most of its animation and became fox-like and cool. He'd thought long and hard about this. He couldn't bluff them, he couldn't threaten them...this way, though risky, might be the only way. "You mean you haven't convinced her not to do it yet. But, she's thinking about it, isn't she? And that scares the pants off you."
Yuki's eyes widened and Kyou's hackles went up. This Sawatari was the one they suspected existed all along behind his polite encouraging mask. As usual, Yuki recovered first. "What do you mean by that? We are merely looking out for Honda-san's best interests."
"Let's cut to the chase." Sawatari waved a dismissing hand. "It would be in her best interest to take our job and you know it. She'd be paid more, have to work less, and be at least a little bit famous. By now I'm sure you know the company I work for is legit. That editor chick would have told you that contract is pretty standard." Sawatari jabbed a finger at the two boys, "But for some reason you Souma's don't want her to do it. I don't pretend to know why. But that's pretty god dammed selfish of you if you ask me."
"What the hell do you know about it?" Kyou bristled; the barb had struck its mark in both boys.
"I know what I see. I see an impressionable teenage girl, eager to please, being held back from being something really special for no good reason." Sawatari crossed his arms, "I see her good nature being taken advantage of. You won't even let her *try*." He said accusingly. His eyes narrowed as he watched the two boys in front of him. The red haired boy was flushed and looked like he might strike out. The other boy had gone completely still and rigid. He was hitting close to home. "I see you guys trying to keep her dependent on you."
"Honda-san isn't dependant on us. She is free to do as she pleases." Yuki could tell that his words had lost their previous conviction.
"Right." Sawatari drawled out the word sarcastically. "I found out from that little brat at her aunt's house that she wasn't welcome there. And you know as well as I that the money she makes at that job of hers is a joke. She couldn't support herself on it if she wasn't living with you guys. Maybe, if she quit school, she'd be able to do it, but you know how important that is to her. She's got a promise to her dead mom about it doesn't she?" Sawatari jammed his hands in is pockets. "So instead she lives with you, scrapes up what money she can by working herself ragged and still just barely manages to take care of her expenses. And because of the person she is, when a golden opportunity like this one comes along, instead of thinking of herself she's more concerned about the wants of others. What I can't figure out is, why you let her?" Sawatari found himself suddenly angry. For real angry, not just assuming an angry mask to persuade them, it surprised him and he almost lost what he was going to say. Almost. "Do you enjoy seeing her struggle? Do you like that she has to depend on you? Or is it that you're just so selfish you don't want to share her with anyone else?" Both boys went scarlet and Sawatari knew he'd hit his mark. "Jeeze, think about her for once! I know you Souma's have money, you two probably don't even have to think about working or worrying what you're going to do with your lives. But what about her? She may feel strongly about school but her grades aren't good enough to get her to college. Is she going to be doing this kind of menial work for the rest of her life?" He gestured to the building Tooru worked in. He'd have to wrap this up; she'd be getting off work soon. "It's not even as if it's a sure thing. It's one magazine article! It could flop, but you don't even want her to even attempt it. At 'worst' she might have a steady job doing easy work for more money than she's making now. Or, she could just get a little extra money now and be able to say she had her picture in a magazine. But you guys don't want to take the chance that she'll succeed. Or is it that you don't think she could do it? Do you really think that little of her?"
"Bastard! You have no idea what you're talking about!" Kyou moved forward as if to throw a punch. Yuki intercepted him knocking the cat back he kept his focus on Sawatari.
"We know Honda-san's worth." He said coldly. "She'll be coming out soon. I think it's time you left. She'll inform you of her decision when she's ready."
"You mean when you're ready?" Sawatari put his hands up, "Fine. Fine. I'm going." He stalked off using the darkness to hide a triumphant smile. He'd put a bee in their bonnet for sure. Now he just had to see if things would shake out like he expected.
