'sorry I was outta touch last night. C u in the evening'

I texted Hikaru while holding up my head with the other hand. It's times in the mornings like this that I'm bored. I don't have any online classes today and my job doesn't start until six p.m.

Currently sitting in a café by the windows on high seats, I let the salmon colored dress flow to my ankles. Baba had somehow gotten me this, even though I wear dresses as rare as rainfall in deserts, I didn't have a choice then. Ota had helped me with combing through my hair, letting it down naturally chest-length. With a salmon-sequenced hairband over my long bangs that's tucked behind my right ear to go with the dress and heels. I still remember Eisuke, Baba and... Soryu's face when Ota was done with me. It was priceless yet hilarious. Ota's a frickin genius.

My three-inch heels stuck through the foot rest on the high stool, my legs angled naturally showing off their slenderness. The natural curls in my hair made me look--never thought I'd use this word on myself--cute.

So boooooored! I yelled in my mind. My right hand clutched onto my phone as my left held up my head, trying not to fall asleep. There's no way I'd feel comfortable in the hotel penthouse, so here I am.

And now that I've actually found my dad.... My brain started steering so I sat back up straight. What am I gonna do? Maybe I should spend some time with him first....

"Yo. Goin' through a train'a thoughts?" my head flipped to someone suddenly taking a seat beside me. From his expression, it looks like he's hitting on me, but don't they usually say 'you alone?' or something like that? 

"Are you sure you want to be here?" I ask him with a raised eyebrow, "I'm waiting for my boyfriend, he's gonna be here any minute now."

That is what I usually say to let other guys back off. I'm not in a mood to put up with some player who only knows how to sweet talk right now.

"You don't have a boyfriend." He stated. I looked him in the eye, he doesn't show any waver. "I've been watching you for a while now. No girl waiting for her boyfriend will have that bored attitude you showed."

That caught my interest. The thought of 'stalker' didn't occur to me. I can feel the edges of my lips curl up into a small smirk of interest as my eyebrows raised a bit up as well. But he wasn't completely right, I do have a 'boyfriend', I'm just not waiting for him right now.

"Watching me?" I'm sure he caught the glimpse of hint in my eyes saying that I'd like to keep talking.

And so we did.

"The name's Daryl." he smiled at my intent to keep the conversation flowing. His single dimple showed.

"Yui." I gave out my name right after. It's not like I get the hots for this guy, it's just that I'm really bored. And since he's not like every other guy, it won't hurt to have a little one-time talk. I'll probably be forgetting him tomorrow.

I like how he doesn't start off with asking personal questions, like 'where do you go to school' or stuff like that; he doesn't ask why I'm here alone and bored; he doesn't ask for my number straight away.

"Well. How's life?" he meant it as a casual question as he set a cup of smoothie in front of me. My favorite strawberry mango and orange. He bought it for me and I gladly took it up. Come on, who doesn't like free smoothies?

"Twisted." I summed everything up while taking my first sip. He nodded slightly, peering at my face while I look out the window. To my surprise he didn't ask anything else of the subject.

Our never-ending conversation was cut when a clear tone rang through the air. My eyes fell to his pocket, where the sound came from, his phone was probably ringing.

"Ah. Excuse me." He picked up, then his eyes widened slightly as he glanced at his wrist watch, "You did? I mean—of course! I'll be right there!"

"A million apologies, I've missed something I shouldn't have." He smiled apologetically at me, slipped off his seat.

"No problem. I should be getting going as well." I got off my seat at the same time. It's four thirty, I could make it there a bit before dinner. I barely had anything for lunch over my distracting conversation with Daryl.

"Hope I'll see you around soon." He went out the café first. See me around? I don't think so, I only know his first name. I push open the glass doors and head towards the bar I work at.

By the time I entered, it was ten to five and Hikaru was already there, sitting on one of the stools. He turned to me when he felt my presence, but almost forgot to swallow as he set his gaze on me.

What? Oh right. I'm still in a flowy salmon dress with matching accessories making me look cute. It definitely isn't my usual style. I can feel the matching earrings tugging down my earlobes because they're so damn heavy!

"Whoa." Is all he managed to breathe out before I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Like what you see?" sarcastic me is back as I sit down next to him, wanting to order a quick meal here. I can't skip dinner when I've hardly had anything for lunch.

"What happened?" he was still eyeing me up and down as I called for a waiter. Well, the world-famous artist that I never knew of happened.

"What would you like—" a girl who also works part-time here widened her eyes at me, "Yui?! Oh my gosh you look stunning! Were you and Hikaru on a date?!"

My finger twisted my hair as I look away, smiling. Making it look like I was shy to admit. Well I hope so, 'cause I'm not exactly the best actress known to Japan, but I can muster something as easy as this. Lying isn't one of my biggest assets, since most of the times I suck at it, I do try my best when I can. 

"Squee! I'm so envious of your relationship!" she squealed lightly.

"Thanks... um, can you get me today's special?"

"Of course! I'll leave you love birds alone." She winked meaningfully before scooting away.

"You said you were bad at lying? Doesn't seem so to me." Hikaru remarked as he took another sip of his beer. He's underage, that's true. But this is why this is his favorite hang out, they won't report. Adding the fact that he's careful with alcohol intake before driving, he's never been caught.

I finished my food and changed, then went to my work, mostly waitressing but sometimes mixing a drink or two.

I left my hair down, and the hairband and earrings. Once in a while I caught some guys staring at me. Just to avoid trouble, I let Hikaru kiss me on the cheek.

~~

"You're late." Eisuke stormed in his deep, cold voice as soon as I step into the penthouse lounge.

"I don't believe there was a time limit." I gave him a side glare, it was only ten thirty. "Plus, I came back as soon as I finished."

"Finished what?" Ota asked, he was just looking up from a mini sketchbook.

"Work." I say simply, "I work part time at a bar."

"Huh? Don't you need to go to school or anything? What about your parents? Oh god I've just remembered about your parents!" Baba started questioning himself to panic. It also left a pang in my chest. Mom... how's she doing right now?

All the other guys had 'oh-right' expressions on their faces. I roll my eyes. These men will not be good fathers.

"Don't you need to go back to your home?" Soryu, out of the blue, asked. His voice always seems to startle me, and I can't even look him in the eye. 

"Or are you a runaway?" Eisuke suspected. My features clenched as I look away. He's kind of right.

"Your father and mother must be very worried..." Baba started to say something. But I only heard the first sentence. My mother is probably weary right now, but my father doesn't even know he has me even though he's sitting right in front of me. My eyes lifted to Kishi's, he was staring at me intently. He's probably the only other person who knows Soryu is my father.

"Her mother must be sure as hell worried." Kishi made a side comment, he was alarming me.

"Just...  don't worry about it. I know what I'm doing." I snap and they finally shut up.

"Fine." Soryu stood up, "I have a guest coming two days later. You'll need to behave."

"Oh, Mei Ling's coming again?" Baba asked with a grin, "it's been such a long time."

That name sounded familiar. I rack my brain.

"Yes, she is. Only this time, she's just here to visit Japan and pull the connections of the Bell Crickets closer with the Ice Dragons." Soryu explained. Then it hit me. Oh my god, I'm meeting one of mom's old friends.

"Now. It's eleven. You should go to bed." He said, more like commanded.

"What about you?" I ask over my shoulder as I walk past him, concern was naturally shown to him from me since he's you-know-who.

"I have some paperwork I need to finish first." He simply replied before waving me off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Umm late update, yes. Particular reason? No. Just a shortage of ideas and me being a lazy bone for a few days XP and plus we have a bit of dance rehearsal for a school project. Also a history test that I know nothing about in three days~~

Thnx for reading!

—Lillie

Edited: May 28, 2016