The Light of my Life

Unseen Gossip

Illyana, in the meantime, worked on trying on a few outfits. She was excited for the chance to go over to Tamotsu's house. She wondered what kind of home it was. She had never been outside of Tokyo. Being born there she has had a fairly robust exposure to other cultures being that Tokyo was a financial capital with businesses and people from all over the world. After picking out a few clothes she would head to the register. At the front there was a small display with cute phone charms. Setting her items on the counter she would lean down to look at them more closely. They were different fairy tale monsters! There was a bat with angry looking fangs and red eyes! There was a big orc looking monster with curling horns and a snowball with a straw snow hat. She saw a wolf with a big mouth full of teeth and a rabbit wearing a decorative kanzashi! They were all so cute! Her phone was already inundated with charms, but she had noticed that Tamotsu's phone distinctly lacked one.

She wasn't going to spend too long picking. There was one that reminded her of Tamotsu and it was perfect! "I'd like to get this as well!" Running her hand through the trinkets they would chime as they clattered against one another.

She carefully picked out the one she chose and handed it to the cashier. Nodding the cashier would proceed to ring up the items.

"Oh," a feminine voice from behind Illyana would call. "That's so cute. It's that for your boyfriend?"

Illyana blushed. "Y-yeah. It kind of reminds me of him--" Illyana turned to face the figure only to be surprised when she saw her older sister. "Mika-nee!"

The green-eyed woman held up her hand and smiled. "Hi hi!" The woman appeared to be wearing a long, sleeveless dress whose train was nearly dragging on the ground. It was a bright summer gold and over her shoulders she wore a thin, white colored, jean jacket. She had white hair that was full of bouncing curls and a big white ribbon that held back the left side of the springy spirals. Green eyes seemed to glitter as her cat-like slit pupils seemed to dilate slightly and focus on the disguised woman in front of her.

Shaking her head, Illyana took a step back. "W-what are you doing out here?"

Mika blinked, her cheeks pinching up in a happy smile. "Shopping of course! Doesn't this place have the cutest stuff?!"

"Ah." Illyana nodded. "They do. Mo-- Tamotsu brought me here."

Mika put her hand to her mouth and giggled. "I noticed. It's hard to miss that grumpy boy at the entrance. But you said boyfriend~ ah did you actually ask him?!" She moved to take her sister's hand in hers, a woman who lived for the tea.

"Ah, well you see..." When Illyana purchased her outfits she walked with her sister around the boutique while the woman shopped. She explained to her the situation.

"I see..." Mika stood in front of the boutique mirror, posing with tops. "Silvia-nee sure is a bully."

"Huh?" Illyana blinked, hugging her bag to her chest. "Why do you say that?"

Mika pressed her finger to her chin, leaning her head back slightly. "Well don't you think Tamotan's boyfriend would be upset? Silvia-nee seems to pick on him a lot."

"What? I mean... Tamotsu said it was okay...." Lily didn't think it was awful since Tamotsu had wholeheartedly agreed!

"Well you're his boss, but even still. She makes him deal with a lot of stuff. Remember that time she had to help chichiu-e and made him pick you and your mother up from the airport?"

Illyana winced. "That... that was a one time thing." Her mother had made a bad impression with Tamotsu. He was a bit distant for a while after that meeting. She was glad he had said he was just exhausted from it and not mad with her.

"Oya, well what about the time she made it his responsibility to deal with that one stalker you had? That was nee-san's responsibility."

"Ah, Tamotsu didn't mind helping me." But even still he was exceptionally protective after and requested she text him whenever she was going somewhere so he would know in the case of an emergency. It was a long week. It had taken a while to convince him to just let her text when she arrived safe.

"Sure, sure. Who doesn't want to see my little sister somewhere safe?" Except Mika felt Tamotsu was a control freak. "What about the times nee-san made him deliver that heavy pack of documents to the Jade Ring president? Not warning him about that man's temper?" The Chinese man was quite large and looked like a gangster to Mika.

"But..."

"...or when she made him answer her calls when she decided to go out on an impromptu dinner with a client instead of getting a secretary to do it?"

"I know, but--"

"...or when she made him buy her those antique dishes at the market with the company card and it got stolen and they had to track down the purchases to cancel them after canceling the card."

"Mika-nee!" Illyana tried to keep her temper even. "Okay! Silvia-nee is a bully, but Tamotsu is fine! In fact he invited me over!"

"Oh?" Mika leaned in, interest flashing in her eyes.

~snap~

Mika and Illyana winced as the sound popped behind Mika. The two would slowly turn and see Tamotsu standing there, his phone snapped closed and a dour expression on his face. His lip curled slightly before he smiled.

Tamotsu narrowed his eyes, turning his head slightly as his chocolate brown gaze focused on Mika's figure. "If it isn't Mika-san. Aren't you lovely today...?"

Mika shrugged and shuffled to hide herself behind Illyana. "See what I mean? So gwumpy." She whispered, not so softly, to her younger sister.

"Shhh...Mika-nee!" Illyana tried to keep things peaceful.

Tamotsu sneered, offering a mocking smile to the lavishly dressed female. "Charming." His tone was flat. "Listen, Liu is cleaning the house so we should get going. I need to stop by the supermarket to pick up ingredients for dinner."

Illyana nodded. "Of course! What are you making for dinner?!"

Tamotsu stepped aside, letting Illyana pass. He glared in Mika's direction, the woman spitting out her tongue. Standing with his back straight the man would follow his client out.

"Haven't decided my dear. But I'm curious: what were you and your sister talking about?" Tamotsu was calm, trying to maintain his calm facade.

"Oh! We were talking about how Silvia-nee was sometimes not very considerate towards you... it really is a shame you two don't get along..."

His expression softened as he smiled warmly at Lily. "Thank you for your concern Lily, but my dear it isn't a problem. I will never get along with your sister because she's a louse. You, on the other hand, are an adorable and charming young lady. I much rather work for you. So don't be the least bit concerned. This is a personal issue between your sister and I. It isn't something I'd blame you for. Not any of it." If anything Illyana was the only reason he was able to keep his patience and degree of professionalism intact.

The purchases were placed in the back seat with Illyana. Tamotsu entered the driver's side, he looked back as the young woman strapped herself into her seat belt.

"Hey, Lily--" Tamotsu's gentle voice called her attention to him. "I--"

When she looked up he found himself hesitating with his words. The man was usually articulate and capable of directly saying what was on his mind while being careful not to be disrespectful towards the other party. It was a skill necessary for a manager, a man raised by a father who was a hard working salaryman.

"I'm sorry if I'm embarrassing. I know I am a bit of a workaholic, but honestly it's to make sure you reach your dream. I really do believe in you. If you believe anything about me, I hope that's one of them."

Lily felt her heart twist. She sometimes had her doubts, not of Tamotsu, but of the reasons he continued to stay by her side despite her shortcomings. He was earnest and it wasn't something she could soon forget. She owed him a great deal and hardly had a way to pay it back. She would try though, little by little, to return to him that gracefulness he has shown her.

She would smile and shake her head. "No, you aren't embarrassing." She chuckled. "At least not for that. It is embarrassing that you seem to work harder than me. Sometimes I feel like a disappointment and honestly I just want you to be proud of me."

"Lily, I am proud of you. You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for." He nodded and  settled back, starting his car. "You're doing a great job. I'm here to support you." He glanced up into the rear view mirror.

Lily would smile and nod, understanding his words.

Soon the pair were back in the car and making their way to Kamakura.