Ota pulled me along the streets, when we ran past the hotel, I knew we're probably going to his studio. Maybe he had a new creation to show me?

Then, someone suddenly yelled: "Ota Kisaki!"

He stopped in his tracks, and had an exasperated look on his face before returning to his public image and smiled at the reporter who called out.

"Kuboyama, right?" he asked.

This reporter had a very cheap-looking face, actually--gossipy. He looked like someone who would make up a fake news just to gain more readers. He had a pen over his left ear. And his very first sentence left me wide-mouthed:

"Mr. Kisaki, what're you doing with a teenage girl? Is this your fan? Or do you prefer much younger girls now?" he asked shamelessly, without any signs of embarrassment, then continued: "If I recall correctly, seventeen years ago that commoner girlfriend of yours suddenly disappeared? Did she went to seek comfort from another man?"

He hasn't even spoken for ten seconds and I already wanna slug him across the face.

"I can't believe a common-looking woman like her wouldn't be satisfied with you, though. Did something happen between you two? Did she run off with another more popular celebrity, perhaps?" He bombed questions at Ota without taking a break.

"I'm sorry, but those questions are all personal--" Ota started, but the reporter then casts his eyes on me, looked me up and down curiously and asked again.

"Then did you avert your taste to young girls?"

Does he think Ota's trying to--me??

"Surely she's lucky to be with you Mr. Kisaki, but it's going too far to do that to a girl." he added to his fallacy.

This guy is seriously the biggest asshole I've ever met!!!

"No, we don't have those kinds of relationships." Ota said calmly, but I can tell his blood is boiling as well.

Suddenly, the reporter's eyes lit up as he realizes something, "she looks like you.... Mr. Kisaki could you possibly have a illegitimate daughter?!"

"You sure are nosy. And the answer to that is no." I finally couldn't help it and said to him.

"It's part of the job description. Then why--"

"Eeeekk! It's Reiko Takatsuka!" I turn and there was that famous actress just walking out of Tres Spades, only a short distance away from her limo.

Of course this is a big opportunity, Kuboyama quickly rushed over and fixed all of his attention onto her.

"Now's our chance." I said as we slipped past him and into the penthouse elevator. In the end, I didn't get to see whatever Ota wanted to show me earlier, because of the distraction we had to go back to the penthouse, where reporters can't get in.

So...this guy made me skip half a day of school for nothing?

The day went by...

Personally I like going outside, new environments give me fresh ideas. So here I am now, in a park that I've never really been to before. Some kids are over there playing in the sandbox while I'm here sitting on a swing. In habit, I reached out two fingers to measure, and start picturing it on paper--

"Hey." I hear a voice to my left and turn to find that boy on the swing next to me. His name is Beau, right? Although I do remember, I ask anyway for the sake of my pride, "you are?"

"Beau Yume." he said and looked at me with those dark emerald eyes of his. Oh of course I remember you!

It was awkward for two seconds, but then he started talking and soon the conversation started. After I begin to relax, he asked, as if it has been on his mind the entire time, "I heard from someone that you just broke up with Naoki?"

I didn't quite remember until I flash back about that guy I dumped in the school yard--which Ota saw--oh so that's his name. Then I reply, "hardly actually. We weren't even dating."

"But you had dinner together twice, those are dates, right?" he said, slightly surprised.

"That's not a date," I say, "you either have fun or lust in a date." He then mumbled something, but I didn't bother to try to listen.

Our swings began to swing back and forth from the breeze that passed by.

"I bet I can go higher than you." he said as he started swinging for real. I giggle, "you're on." and also push off the ground.

~*~*~*~*

As I gather all my stuff and prepare to leave the classroom since school has ended for today, I sigh. We're having a school festival this weekend, and guess what. There's a karaoke contest. And what's worse, I have the highest votes of attending.

My perfectly normal life has been stirred ever since I've set foot in that hotel. Because of Ota's sudden appearance yesterday, people are starting to flow rumours that I'm related to him. More evidence is that we. have. the. same. surname.

I can't sing for my life and I know it. How can I embarrass myself in front of the whole school?

♪~ Hm? I walk down the hallway and I hear distant sounds of music. It's a half hour after school ended, most people are goners by now. As I near the music room, there's a beautiful melody of the piano. When I'm just a door away, I can hear faint singing from someone.

Getting on my tiptoes, I peer through the window. And I see Beau on the piano stool, his fingers dancing across the keyboard. Tossing back his hair once in a while, he looked really cool like that. His rhythm is perfect. I think as I tap to his beat. Suddenly, the door opened. When'd the music even stop?! I fell in since I was leaning onto the door.

"Whoa!" I hear shouting before I fell into warm arms. I look up and lock eyes once again with those pair of dark emerald pupils.

"You really are clumsy." he remarked, but doesn't show any signs of letting me go. I push on his chest to back away, but he just held me back and whispered in my ear, "Were you listening?"

I'm weak to breaths against my ear! My hand flew to cover my ear and I feel myself shrink back as he let go. Then I realized we weren't alone.

"I've never seen the goddess blush!" one of the boys said excitedly. I touch the back of my hand to my cheek, it was really warm. There were two other guys with Beau in the room, probably his friends.

"She was probably mesmerized by how well I played." Beau said with a smirk playing on his perfect lips. The other two both laughed.

"Can you do it again?" I ask in such a small voice even I didn't recognize myself, "that piece?"

He had a slightly surprised look on his face before he went back to the piano, and I follow. That's why I was so attracted to this one, mom used to play it all the time for me for ten years. Mom knew some basic piano, and she played the outline of this piece. But how Beau is playing right now is far more beautiful and complicated.

"Well, I think I deserve a reward for playing for you...." he said with a naughty smile.

Oh you're not gettin' the best of me. My dominant nature doesn't let him make me blush again like a helpless fan girl. I lean forward and land a kiss on his cheek. I hear "oooh"s behind me.

He looked more taken aback than I thought. "What? You asked for it." I say. Then suddenly remember that karoke thing again and can't help but to let out a sigh. My mood switches dramatically sometimes, probably because my mind is too much of a wonderland.

"Oh, by the way. Are you ready for the school festival?" one of the boys asked.

"Actually, I'm just trying to get out of karoke night right now." I reply honestly.

"What? Do you have stage fright?" the other boy asked. I shook my head.

"Then you must be tone deaf." Beau said. I can tell he meant it as a joke, but he's right. When I showed no reaction, the expressions of all three boys' stiffen as Beau says attentively, "you're...tone deaf?"

I bite my lip and start fidgeting as I nod slowly. Are they gonna tell? I don't want the whole grade knowing this....It's kinda embarrassing....

"Don't worry! Your secret's safe with us, right guys?" Beau suddenly says energetically, and the other two nod with him and smile. I look at their goofy grins and can't help but to giggle myself.

"Good, you finally laughed." Beau mumbled with a relieved expression. I can feel my face warm up again. I desperately fight it down.

"Hey, it's already six!" my gaze fell to the clock in the classroom and I rush to the door. Before I turned the door knob, I smile true-heartedly and say to him, "thanks, Beau. You played beautifully."

~~

"So then I said..."

Understandably, I had another 'dinner meeting' tonight. But this guy is as boring as a phone book.

Beau's conversations are always interesting, even if I've only talked to him twice. But this guy's boring me out the second he opened his mouth. Why am i even thinking about that guy? I feel an uncomfortable feeling rush through me. What is this? It's totally unfamiliar to me. The dinner continued with me just focusing on the food.

Hmm...why do I have a feeling that I'm cheating on someone when I'm really not?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yay two updates within a 24-hours!
Why? (I know this is Ota's route but in Eisuke's words:)
Eisuke: "I'm feeling generous right now, so I'll give you a reward instead of a punishment."

(☆_☆)
THX FOR READING!
-Lillie

Published: February, 2015

Edited: May 19, 2016