The night had past rather restlessly for Saffron. She had been struggling with nightmares over her upcoming chance to prove herself to her family. Her dreams plagued her with scenarios of failure to the point where she was ostracized by the people she cared about. In the end she surrendered to the fact that she wasn't going to achieve restful sleep. She got out of bed and dressed in a sweater and pants to take a walk around the hotel.
It was quiet in the hallways of the hotel as most people were asleep. Silently she crept her way toward the elevators so she could head down to the lobby. Her slim finger pressed the button while she stood in front of the gleaming metal doors. After a quick wait, a ding sounded before a set slid open revealing the small box. Light steps carried her inside before she turned around to select the L button for the main floor of the building.
Soft music played overhead as she made her decent through the shaft passing through the lower floors. When it stopped at the lobby the ding sounded again before the door slid open. The lobby was lit up while the receptionist sat at their desk with a book in their hands. It was some sort of romance novel based on the shirtless Fabio on the front. The woman barely gave her a passing glance as Saffron walked past her to the front entrance of the hotel.
When she stepped outside the brisk night air blew through her causing her to wrap her arms around herself. She was glad she decided to grab her fuzzy blue sweater to wear. With a moment to look at her surrounding she decided to head toward the right since the path was better lit than the left. While she could handle herself in a dangerous situation, she was smart enough to know better than go looking for trouble. Especially in the dead of night while on a class trip to a foreign country.
Besides, she had to prove herself with her first job for the family business, getting into trouble would only ruin her worth in her father's eyes. Not to mention the fact that she would have to call her sisters to come bail her out. Sage would be disappointed in her while Rose would never let her hear the end of it. No thank you! She thought with a shake of her head as she walked on the illuminated street.
For the most part it was quiet with the only sounds belonging to the local fauna. On occasion she would pass a bar or late-night business that had people inside. It was peaceful. Just her, the night air, and her legs pumping with the effort of her steps. Her pace was set at a decent gait between slow and power walking. Enough to make her feel awake with the exercise but refreshed in case she needed to fight.
Though when she got near the street corner her ears picked up on a new sound. There were footsteps coming from behind her. The foot falls weren't heavy, but they were faster than hers. The person must have been lightweight with a bit of a pause between each step. From the sounds of it the person was probably some degree taller than her. The important question was were they following her or just out for a walk.
She made her way further down the street before she turned to look at a display in a nearby shop window. Her hands slid into her pockets like she was trying to warm them up from the chilly air. However, she was really reaching for the sets of brass knuckles hidden within her pockets. When she was getting dressed to head out, she didn't want to leave without some form of insurance.
While she was good at martial arts there was always the possibility that she would be outnumbered. Besides, it never hurt to be ready to fight dirty if she had to depending on the situation. As she stood there, she kept her ear trained on the steps as they approached. In her head she was counting the seconds until they would be on her. Her hands gripped the cool metal of her insurance policy in her pocket.
In a matter of seconds, the person had closed the distance between them. It was like time had stopped as the rest of the sounds of the night disappeared from around her. Even the breeze had stopped blowing in the moment as her breath blew out evenly through her nostrils. When the steps had reached the point behind her they stopped promptly. It felt like agony to her as she waited the eternity for the person to make their first move.
Just when her patience had about run out a hand touched her shoulder softly, "What are you doing out her Saffron?" The voice was low and familiar as she looked at the owners reflection in the dark window. Him, she thought to herself with an eyeroll before whipping around to face him. "Me? Speak for yourself. What the fuck are you doing out here Nagamatsu?" she said in a standoffish tone.
He looked at her with his large brown eyes that reminded her of a puppy. She really hated the way that they made her feel bad for snapping at him, though she'd never admit it. "I had been returning messages from my parents when I heard noises in the hallway. I decided to take a peek out the door and saw you heading for the elevators. You seemed like you had a rough night, so I wanted to check on you. By the time I had got dressed and caught up you were on your way out the main door of the hotel," he responded honestly.
"So, you decided to follow me? Wow. Total stalker behavior," she said with an unamused tone. He opened his mouth like he was going to object before closing it into a sheepish grin, "Yeah, kinda." His right hand rubbed the back of his head nervously at realizing she had a point. After a moment, his eyes were trained on her again, filled with worry, "Are you OK?"
"Geez! Can't a girl just go out for some damn fresh air!?" she practically growled. She didn't care for the way that he always seemed to show up wherever she was. It was getting on her last nerve because she had to take care of business soon. If he followed me there, he could put himself in serious danger. Not that I care, she quickly thought when she realized that she was worried for his safety.
"It's awfully chilly out to go this far from the hotel for fresh air," he pointed out as he pulled his jacket tighter around his slim frame. She wanted to snap at him and argue but seeing him shiver slightly took the wind out of her sails. A sigh escaped her lips because she knew there was no way she was going to get him to head back without her. With resignation she turned and walked past him toward the direction of their lodgings.
He watched after her for a moment in mild confusion before she spoke, "Come on." Damn he really is like a puppy. A puppy I never wanted to follow me around with those cute sad eyes… Urg! She moved her fingers through her hair on her scalp in aggravation at her own thoughts. "Fucking Rose is getting to me," she mumbled under her breath.
"What was that?" he asked her as he rushed to catch up to her side. "So, what did your parents talk to you about?" she asked changing the subject on him. "Uhh…" he made a disheartened noise that turned into a sigh. "Nothing good. Gotcha," she said with a nod. That sure made him clam up quick, she thought with a glance in his direction. He was staring down at his feet silently with a somber expression on his face.
It actually managed to make her feel bad for him as she pictured him with drooping ears and a tail tucked between his legs. "Sorry. Forget I even asked, OK?" she said in a surprisingly kind tone. As they walked silence fell between them for several moments before he spoke up. "You're definitely not OK. You actually sounded sincere in your apology," he joked.
His hand rose up to her forehead as he checked her for a fever. She slapped his hand away with an annoyed frown, "Touch me again and you'll find out just how fine I am." She turned her head to glare at him and found his usual smile back on his face. Though this time he was laughing and seemed genuinely happy. He wasn't completely cheered up from the thought of his parent's disappointment in him. However, she was defiantly helping him feel more like an actual person instead of an actor or puppet.
When they had made it back to the entrance of the hotel, he stopped to look at her. "What now?" she asked before looking up at his face. He had a serious mixed with hopeful expression on his face. "Will you come with me to dinner tomorrow evening?" he asked her. She looked at him as if he had lost his damn mind, "I don't do dates." Her words were blunt as she shot him down immediately.
"Not a date, just as friends. I'd like to get to know you more," he said with his hands raised to show that he didn't mean any harm. She looked at him while thinking about the prospect. It would give me a chance to pump him for information about his family's business. Maybe find out something useful that I can relay to my father for future expansions to our holdings.
After a moment of serious contemplation, she decided to agree to join him. "As long as it isn't a date, I suppose I can humor you," she told him. "Definitely not a date," he said while crossing his heart with his hand. She watched him do something so ridiculously childish while forcing herself not to smile. "I can't help but notice you didn't say you promise," she said.
She had walked past him to the doors and pulled one open to enter the hotel lobby. He followed her inside while replying, "I thought the action spoke for itself." His words were innocent enough but inside he knew he didn't say it on purpose. He was hoping that she would eventually come around to his side. Nagamatsu was already hopelessly smitten with her despite the fact that she came across as cold.
In the short time that he had known her, he had almost completely forgotten about the fact that he was already engaged by his parents. Almost. Thanks to them reminding him during their little text chat earlier. On their way back upstairs via the elevators his right hand found its way into his pocket of his trousers. Inside was his cell phone that seemed to weigh as much as a large stone after talking to his parents.
A frown slid onto his face as his eyes dulled from the recollection of their disapproval of his choice to leave. While he was lucky, they didn't seem like dragging him back by force for the moment, their words felt like daggers in his chest. The weight of their anger made him feel dead inside all over again until he looked at Saffron in the reflection of the metal door.
The way her purple hair fell loosely around her shoulders framing her pale face. Her strong confident blue eyes that hid her emotions so well while somehow showing them freely at the same time. It was complex and confusing to him but also wonderful. Sure, she could be brash and cruel, but it was so refreshing. Nagamatsu was tired of the fake people around him that were only out for themselves. Exhausted by the masks that they all wore and made him wear day in and day out.
She didn't expect anything of him and when he was with her, he could actually be himself. Myself… as if I even know who that is anymore. I've been the person other people want for so long that I don't even know who the real Nagamatsu is. Hell… I barely know what I even want. All I know is I want to be on this trip and around her. He thought to himself while stealing a glance at the girl beside him.
All too quickly the elevator dinged its arrival on their floor before the doors opened. In no time at all she was out of the small encloser and walking her toward her door. So badly he wanted to reach out and stop her. To steal just a few more minutes with her before he had to go back to his own room. A room filled with his so-called friends. A room of lies and loneliness.
His hand was rising up to grab her own when he stopped himself. He'd been selfish enough for one day. He needed to let her get some sleep before they had to get up for their educational portion of their trip. He was about to move on to his own door when she stopped him. "This dinner… is it formal or casual?" she asked him softly. "Casual but nice I would say," he replied after thinking about it for a moment.
There was no way she would be comfortable going to some super fancy place. Sure, she would go but I would be an ass for making her go to something like that. She'd probably feel more at home with something casual and relaxed, like her. He thought with a nod before hearing her door open and close behind him. That was when he looked at his own room ahead of him.
An impending sense of dread filled his chest as the frown returned. With a sigh he pushed the door open, a single thought crossed his mind as he stepped over the threshold. On to the next scene. His usual mask of the amazing Nagamatsu took over his face when he entered. It seemed that everyone was still sleeping when he returned to his cot to lay down.
In the girls room Saffron locked their door before stripping out of her sweater. The room was dark other than the light that seeped in through the blinds of the window. She had made her way to her own cot when a voice spoke up in the darkened room, "Did you enjoy your walk?" She climbed into bed before looking toward the source of the voice. "At first. Though I'm surprised you're up," she said.
"Dad called. They're moving up the timetable to the day after tomorrow. Are you sure you're ready for this? If not, I can handle it," Sage informed her. Three days sooner… Saffron thought to herself as her stomach turned slightly from the reminder of her bad dreams. "Nah, I can do this. It's time I prove myself to everyone," she said with confidence. She hoped her voice wouldn't betray her concern and mild fear.
After a pause between them Sage spoke up again, "We better get some sleep. The teachers will be expecting us up and ready to learn in a few hours." Saffron didn't answer as she laid in her bed staring off at the ceiling. Her body needed sleep, but she knew that she was most likely going to be haunted by nightmares thanks to her anxiety. She normally didn't suffer from such issues but proving herself to everyone was a big deal to her.
This was something she wanted so badly that she'd been pestering her father for it. Now that she finally got the chance, she didn't want to think about what would happen if she failed. Her dad loved his family, especially his daughters, but he was still a shrewd businessman. As well as a respected member of the mafia hierarchy. There's been more than one when people stopped showing up after disappointing him.
She suppressed a shiver at the thought of becoming one of them. It brought back the memories of the time she snuck out of her room to surprise him during work. Saffron had stumbled upon the sight of him beating his former best friend to death. A man she had called uncle from the time she could talk. He had failed on a deal and lost valuable assets to the family and paid the price.
Eventually the tired state of her body won out against her nerves and her eyes grew heavy. So much so that they slid closed as her mind drifted off to a dreamless slumber. One that she hadn't even realized she had gotten until she was startled awake by banging on the door. The loud thuds of a fist hitting the wooden door jolted her awake on her cot with a start.
Her blue eyes were wide as she frantically scanned the room before lunging for the hidden gun. Rose and Sage were awoken as well and sat up in bed confused before a voice called out from the hallway. "It's time to get up ladies! Breakfast will be ready downstairs in fifteen minutes. Get dressed and meet in the dining area for food before we set off to todays historical site for class," a teacher called out.
Rose rushed to get to the bathroom first before any of the others as she needed time to get ready. Sage on the other hand got up before grabbing her clothes to change in the room. Saffron released her hold on the gun hidden under the bed before laying back down with a groan. She was far from ready to deal with this crap so early in the morning. The teachers could be heard making their rounds through the hallway to wake up the students.
If they weren't the only ones on this floor, she was sure other guests would have complained about the racket. Especially since it was followed by the cacophony of teens getting up and ready for the day while fighting over the bathrooms. She pulled her pillow over her head in refusal to get up. However, some articles of clothes were tossed onto her stomach as well as her hairbrush.
"Come on. It's time to get up lazy bones," Sage told her as she finished getting ready. Her sister was always the fastest of the three to get ready because she was efficient and didn't screw around. "I hate how you are such a morning person," Saffron groaned while sitting up. "You could be too if you didn't go out at odd hours of the night," she replied matter-of-factly.
While Saffron lumbered up from the bed to get ready Sage when over to the bathroom to knock on the door. "Hurry up Rose or we'll leave you behind again," she warned their vainer sister. "Hold on would you! One of us has to look decent for the boys and I know you two won't bother," she called out while doing her makeup. Saffron rolled her eyes before heading toward the door when she was dressed.
Other than the group of teens being tired from their jetlag the morning went rather smoothly. They visited some old American outpost from the Vietnam war that was turned into a museum. After they followed the tour a worksheet was handed out for them to break into groups and fill out. She went with her sisters to give herself a break from her admirer until their dinner plans.
She was way too tired to deal with him that morning and needed some space. When the students were done, they were filed onto a bus and herded to their hotel for lunch. Afterwards they had the rest of the day to themselves since everyone was still adjusting to the new time zone. Saffron took the opportunity to be the first one back to their room.
Her bed was calling for her like a siren song and she had no intention of ignoring it. She was so tired she didn't even bother changing out of her outfit before laying down. It wasn't long after her head sunk into her soft pillow that her tired eyes slid closed once more. She barely even managed to set an alarm for a few hours later to wake her up for dinner.
A loud tone could be heard through the haze of her dream causing her to stir. She had slept like the dead after setting her alarm and groaned at the intrusion to her unconscious state. From under the blanket that was pulled up in front of her face she forced her eyes open. They were caked in sleep making them a bit crusty. She sat up while rubbing her eyes to clear them of the obstruction.
All the while her free hand roamed the bed and floor around her searching for the source of the obnoxious sound. When her hand found the slim metal of the smart phone near her pillow, she picked it up. Her eyes squinted while glaring at the screen that was lit up asking if she wanted to snooze or disarm. She pressed the button to turn it off so that the blaring racket would cease.
As much as she wanted to toss her phone to the side and lay back down, she promised to go to dinner. She may be a lot of things but one this she did do was keep her word. Her sisters were nowhere to be found in the room when she stood up from her cot to get ready. Saffron assumed they would have left a message if it were something important knowing Sage.
She shrugged it off before going into the bathroom to get ready. Her outfit was still clean other than the fact that it was wrinkled from her sleeping in it. She smoothed it out with her hands so that her long sleeve shirt was smooth. Her skirt has twisted so she straightened it back out around her waist and legs. Her teeth needed a quick brush after her nap because her mouth tasted nasty while feeling tacky from a bit of dry mouth.
A quick rinse in spit she was ready. Well… All except for the rats nest on the top of her head. She had left her hair down while she slept because of her exhaustion causing her hair to be full of tangles. Her left hand reached for her hairbrush that was sitting on the counter with her set of toiletries. Armed with her weapon of choice she was ready to battle with the beast's mane.
It took her several minutes of struggle and grunting in mild pain occasionally for her to tame it. It was a good thing she started at the bottom of her hair or it would have been much more painful. Some of the knots were so deep that they took several passes of the brush to get out. When her hair was brushed out, she put it up in a high ponytail, so it fell down her back.
She looked at herself in the mirror and found herself acceptable to go out in public. When she exited the bathroom there was a knock on her rooms main door. It must have been Nagamatsu to pick her up for their dinner plans that evening. On her way to answer it she grabbed her bag, cellphone, and room key. With a sigh she put a smile on her face and opened the door to meet him.
"Evening," he said with a smile on his face. His eyes focused on her crystal blue ones as he backed away from the door. He offered her his arm to escort her to the restaurant for their meal. "So where are you taking me anyway?" she asked as she walked through the doorway. It closed behind her as she pulled it shut, ignoring his offered arm to instead walk for herself.
"It's a place that I've heard of from people in show business that have done work here. A place where three fourths of their profits per meal go to saving endangered flora around the world. They offer a dining experience in a peaceful setting with many of the plants they save on display as decoration. I figured it would be a nice place to eat and chat while doing some good for the world in the process," he explained as they walked toward the elevators.
"Sounds interesting. Hopefully, the food is good," she said as her stomach grumbled in agreement. "We have to take a taxi to get there since it's a bit too far to walk to," he informed her. "That's fine. I don't feel up to walking right now anyway. Did you already call for a taxi to pick us up?" she asked. He nodded his head in response as his phone started ringing.
He didn't want to be rude to his guest, but he needed to at least see if it was important. When he pulled his phone out of his pocket he looked down at the screen. A picture of his fiancé popped up as well as her name. The picture was one that she had taken with him for a publicity stunt. Her smile was so fake that he could see the annoyance hidden in her eyes.
He stared at it for a moment too long prompting Saffron to speak up, "You need to get that?" His focus was brought back to the present and he clicked the red decline button on the screen. "No. It's not important. I can call them back later to see what they wanted to tell me," he responded while trying to hide his dejected tone. She didn't respond as she stared at him knowing whoever it was had bothered him.
They made their way out of the lobby toward the street and found a cab awaiting their arrival. Nagamatsu opened the door for her so that she could make her way inside the car first. "How chivalrous," she joked with exaggerated sarcasm. When she was seated, he closed the door, careful of her limbs before moving to the other side to climb inside next to her.
He instructed the driver to take them to Botanical Dining, before leaning back in the seat. The man behind the wheel nodded and took off down the roads of the city toward their destination. Some weird form of tribal music was playing through the speakers of the cab. They could hear it even though it was turned down low because they didn't speak much on the way.
When they arrived at their destination the cabbie tallied up their fare for Nagamatsu to pay. Before they got out of the car, they overheard him comment quietly about them, "Ah. Young love is so awkward at first." Nagamatsu smiled at his words while Saffron fought the urge to slug him. Instead she opted to grind her teeth in silent frustration. We are not lovers! She growled at him in her own head.
The pair made their way up the few steps to the entrance of the restaurant. The outside was lined with ferns and exotic ivies that weren't native to the country. There were even different types of blossoms in full bloom for people to ogle at. All of the plants made it look more like a florist shop than it did a place to dine. Nagamatsu got to the door and held it open for her to enter first.
"You know this isn't a date. You can stop trying to woo me," she said with a pointed look at him. "I'm not trying to. I was raised to be a gentleman is all," he replied casually. She rolled her eyes but accepted his chivalry as a courtesy to him. When they stepped inside the amount of plants reduced a bit but not by much. They still lined the walls and ceilings giving the place an earthy smell mixed with the aroma of food cooking.
There was pop music playing in the background as they were greeted by the hostess. "Hello and welcome to our humble establishment. A table for two this evening?" she said kindly. She was older than them, maybe in her thirties. "Yes, thank you," he told her as she smiled at the pair. After grabbing a few menus, she led them further into the restaurant to a small table at the right side.
She placed their menus on the table and left them to get situated before the waiter came to service them. Saffron beat him to her chair before he could pull it out for her and took her seat. She preferred to be strong and independent without a male to tend to her like she was frail. He didn't argue and sat down across from her to open his menu to peruse the selection.
"Order anything you like. It's on me since I asked you to come," he said with a charming smile. "OK," she said without even looking up at him. She decided she would have a glass of milk tea and a grilled chicken wrap. By the time their waiter had arrived she was ready and placed her full order. Nagamatsu was easy as he just ordered curry and a water for his meal.
The waiter nodded after writing down their food to give to the chefs in the kitchen. They were left alone to talk about themselves in peace while they waited. "So, you heard about this place from other actors?" she asked starting the conversation in a way that steered it toward his professional life. "It was from family friends and actors at my parent's company. They have more travel experience than I have to be honest," he replied.
"I thought your parents acted and modeled I didn't realize they were owners of a company as well," she said with her attention focused on this information. "It's something that they started when I was younger to help get me into the acting world. Though it isn't as popular as some of the huge names in the business, yet it is growing in renown. They've even garnered contracts with some big names in the world of movies and television," he said.
At this time, the waiter returned with their drinks and an appetizer on the house. It was some sort of dumplings folded to look like blossoms made of pink dough. "They must have a rigorous hiring process to ensure they get the best talent out there," she mused while picking up one of the dumplings with her chopsticks. "My parents did recruit some of the best managers and directors out there. So, it is fair to say their hiring techniques are a bit shrewd. They mainly want the best and they don't like to settle for anything less than near perfection," he said with a sigh.
"I definitely wouldn't be hired then," she joked after she finished chewing her food. "You should try these dumplings they're really good. They have a fruity scent but a savory flavor." He looked down at them before picking one up with his chopsticks and sniffed it. The smell reminded him of a berry smoothie he had back in the states. He took a bite and savored the taste of spiced pork with bits of cabbage and carrots.
There was an aftertaste of strawberries left in his mouth, possibly from the dough. "It definitely is an interesting take of food. I love the irony in the fact that they save endangered plants while serving more common ones for people to consume," Saffron noted with a chuckle. "I figured that would be interesting to you when I picked it. Anyway, enough about my work let's talk about you," he tried to change the subject.
"We talk about me so much I'd rather talk more about the exciting life of a famous actor. You said you don't get to travel much. How come?" she asked. He felt his phone start vibrating in his pocket because he had turned the ringer off before they left the cab. He chose to ignore it since he figured it was probably her trying to reach him again if not his parents or manager. None of the above he really wanted to talk to right now.
Instead he would much rather focus his attention on the beautiful and interesting girl in front of him. "My parents would rather build up my career in more notable circles before letting me leave the nest. Though my agent has plans for me to start branching out in the next year or so. I even have some contracts lined up with countries on the western side of the world for adds and appearances in shows.
This is supposed to lead to me getting offers to audition for movies with directors in foreign films," he told her. She knew her father had ties to filming companies in Paris as well as China and Japan. It could be useful for them to get an actor whose family is as well-known as Nagamatsu's involved in some of their works. "That would be a big move in your career, right?" she asked curiously.
"It sounds like after this trip you are going to be far to busy for school or even a social life for that matter," she accessed. He grabbed her hand that was sitting on the table and held it with his own warm one. "Exactly which is why I have to enjoy every moment of my life now before I'm too busy to live it properly," he said passionately. His sudden burst of emotion caught her off guard and left her breathless without anything to say.
Thankfully, their waiter returned to their table just in time to save her. He placed their plates on the table before taking away the empty appetizer dish. When he left, she turned her focus on her meal to avoid making eye contact. Her hand that he had grabbed hold of was still warm from his touch and left tingling. She'd gotten some information out of him that could prove useful if she figured out how to apply it properly.
For the rest of dinner, they only made small talk about random things. She had trouble focusing on the conversation fully because her mind was still on the warmth of her hand. His hand had been so soft around hers and gentle. It was a warmth she didn't know from anyone other than Sage. Growing up wasn't always glamour and sunshine like it was for most other kids.