by Jade, Imari
Yori arrived at the security guard station right outside the Aomori compound. The guard recognized him and opened the gates. Yori drove forward until the farmhouse came into view. He sighed contently. No matter how far away he traveled, this place would always be home. Speaking of which, he’d better call his parents later and check on them. They still worried about him even though he hadn’t lived with them since he was a kid. And his father still tried to give him an allowance even though Yori tried to explain to him that his every need was being taken care of. His parents didn’t have to worry about him being destitute. He’d invested wisely and could live quite comfortably when he retired from Aomori.
Yori parked in his usual spot behind the farmhouse and walked to the front door. The aroma of yakimono, grilled fish, hit him in the nostrils as soon as he entered the foyer of the house. He heard voices coming from the dining room, reminding him of the old days. He entered.
“Good morning,” he said to everyone.
Everyone stopped talking and stared at him.
“It’s Yori,” the one named Izanagi said.
Yori remembered his name from the other day because he’d been the nicer, more curious of the three. Yori bowed.
“Good morning,” the rest of them said to him.
Satoshi and Takumijo sat on one side of the table while the three members of Distraction sat across from them.
“What are you doing here?” Takumijo asked.
“What do you think?” Yori said. “I’ve come to be fed by my most adoring maknae.”
Ichiro entered the dining room right on cue, wearing a navy blue apron with the words, Sexy Chef blazed across his chest in big white letters. “Have a seat and stop the flattery,” he said. “Breakfast is ready.”
“Let me wash up first,” Yori said, heading toward the door. “I’ll be back in a second.” He stepped out the dining room, walked to one of the downstairs bathrooms, and washed and dried his hands before returning to the dining room. Ichiro was just beginning to serve the meal and the one named Hiroyuki helped him.
This one didn’t talk much, he noted. But Hiroyuki’s eyes spoke volumes. They didn’t venture too far from Ichiro, which he’d noticed the other day too. Uh huh, a schoolboy crush. Well, he’d have to keep an eye on him before Ichiro or any of the others noticed. He shook his head. This was bound to turn out disturbing.
Yori sat down at the head of the table.
Ichiro outdid himself again serving a traditional Japanese breakfast starting with gohan—cooked rice, miso soup, and tsukemono—pickles. There was also the yakimono, which he’d smelled earlier.
Ichiro arranged the table, placing the bowls of rice to their left, and the bowls of miso soup to their right. Behind the bowls he placed each of the okazu…side dishes on its own individual plate. The last one, he placed to the center. The pickled vegetables were served on the side.
“Why are you placing the bowls like that?” Hiroyuki asked Ichiro.
Ichiro stopped serving and looked at him. “This is how we set a table in Japan.” He left the dining room with Hiroyuki close on his heels. They returned later with the tea. “I will teach you how to do it properly if you are willing to learn,” Ichiro told Hiroyuki.
The youth nodded. “Yes. It might come in handy in the future.”
Ichiro pointed to Kioshi. “He is the youngest…your maknae. Does he not make sure this is done properly every morning?”
Kioshi looked up and over toward them. “I am not a morning person, and I don’t cook for them.”
“Why not?” Ichiro asked.
“Because its woman’s work,” Kioshi answered.
A hush fell over the dining room.
“It is not woman’s work. It is part of a family duty. Each of you should contribute to the orderly upkeep of the family.”
Both Hiroyuki and Izanagi nodded in agreement.
Yori watched with fascination. Apparently, the youngest member was a little lazy and had a superior attitude to boot.
“I’ll take care of the songwriting,” Kioshi said. “And Hiroyuki can take care of our meals if he wants to, since he has an interest in learning how to cook.”
“I don’t mind,” Hiroyuki said. “I would be honored if Ichiro would instruct me on how to maintain a household.”
Yori groaned. This kid is smitten to death with Ichiro. It reminded him a lot of Takumijo. Maybe it was those big blue eyes.
“I will begin your lesson later,” Ichiro told him. “After breakfast and rehearsal.”
Hiroyuki sat down and Ichiro began pouring the tea. He stopped by Kioshi. “In the future, you must learn never to say something is woman’s work, especially if a woman is present. They do not like that.”
“I’ll try to remember that,” Kioshi said. “But the women I date don’t talk much. They’re too busy trying to please me.”
“Lord have mercy,” Ichiro said quickly, moving away from the little heartthrob. “Shaundra is going to love you.”
Yori tried to hide his smile. Shaundra was going to eat Kioshi for dinner with that attitude. He regained his composure just as Ichiro sat down at the table across from Hiroyuki.
“Itadakimasu…I humbly receive,” Ichiro said over his food.
“Itadakimasu,” all six other males repeated.
The dining room door opened and Cristal entered. “Who does a girl have to sleep with to get a decent breakfast?” she asked.
All seven guys sprang to their feet.
“What a pleasant surprise,” Ichiro said, hurrying over to her. “Please come in and sit down.”
“What are you doing here, Farmhouse Princess?” Takumijo asked as Ichiro walked Cristal over to the table.
Cristal stood behind an empty chair between Takumijo and Satoshi. “I’ve come to check on all seven of my charges and to get asagohan…breakfast.”
Everyone sat down after Ichiro left to get Cristal some food.
Yori watched everyone from his seat at the end of the table. Satoshi’s grumpiness had disappeared and he kept peering over at Cristal.
“Good morning,” he said to her. “This is a pleasant surprise.”
“Good morning to you, Mr. Hayashi. It has been a long time, hasn’t it?”
Their body language was a bit strained, but the heat still radiated from them.
“How are you guys this morning?” Cristal asked Distraction.
“We’re fine,” Izanagi answered for them. “Do you normally come to breakfast here?”
“No,” Cristal said. “Well, I haven’t for quite some time, but the smell of grilled fish led me here.”
Yori noticed her peer across at Kioshi.
“Good morning, Mr. Yamashita. What has you out of the bed so early? I thought you didn’t do mornings.”
The blond-haired youth raised his eyes and glared at her. “I didn’t have a choice. Saburo threatened to call you over if I didn’t get up.”
Cristal bit back a smile with Izanagi and Hiroyuki laughed. Private joke.
“And we wouldn’t want that to happen again, now would we?” Cristal asked him.
“The next time will certainly turn out differently,” Kioshi muttered.
“What is this all about?” Satoshi asked Cristal.
“Oh nothing. Just a private joke between me and Kioshi.”
Yori spotted a blush on Kioshi’s cheeks clear from where he sat. Oh, oh, a second schoolboy crush. Well, at least this one tried to keep it to himself. Hopefully, Izanagi was the sanest of the three.
Ichiro returned with Cristal’s food, said grace again, and they finally began to eat like one big happy family.
****
“Have a nice visit with your family,” Shaundra told Dae-Hyun as he prepared to leave for the airport.
“Are you sure you will be okay?” he asked.
“I’ll be fine,” Shaundra said. She’d never taken care of the twins herself since they’d been born, but she was sure she could handle them. “Go and have a nice time and say hello to the f
amily.”
“I wish you were coming with me,” Dae-Hyun said, looking down at her. “They want to meet you.”
“Maybe next time,” Shaundra said, trying not to look too deeply into those sexy brown eyes. “I’m looking forward to meeting them too.” She’d promised to accompany him to Korea for a short trip soon.
“I left the babies’ bottles chilling in the refrigerator,” he told her. “Ryoto likes his heated.”
“Ryoto likes his fresh from the cow,” Shaundra said, pointing to her breast.
She and Dae-Hyun were trying to wean the twins just in case Shaundra had to fly to the United States to talk to the director about making her book into a movie.
“He’s a smart kid,” Dae-Hyun said, bending and gently kissing her on the forehead. “And he has a beautiful mother.”
Shaundra pushed him away playfully. “Go on, you’re not making this any easier.”
Dae-Hyun straightened up and walked out the door.
Shaundra followed and stood on the porch while Dae-Hyun loaded his luggage into the truck of his car.
“I left the emergency numbers on the refrigerator,” he said once he straightened up again.
“I know. I saw them. Everything is going to be okay. I won’t let them gang up on me.”
Dae-Hyun opened the driver’s side door, leaned in, and started the engine to warm the car up. “I’ll be back right after New Year’s,” he said. “But call me back if you need me.”
“I will,” Shaundra said. But she wouldn’t because he deserved the time off. Dae-Hyun had been working very hard to see to her and the twins and she was sure he’d like to spend the holidays with family and friends. Harper had hired a babysitter for the night of Ichiro’s birthday bash so she didn’t have to worry about that.
Dae-Hyun waved again and climbed into his car.
Shaundra watched him drive away, feeling a bit like a wife watching her husband go away to war. She walked back inside the house to check on the babies. Both little angels were fast asleep. She walked to her office to get some work done. She was just about to print out her notes when her cell phone rang. “Hello?”
“Hello, baby.”
“Hey, Ich. How nice of you to call.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m about to start writing. The babies are asleep so I have a couple of free hours.”
“Is Dae-Hyun keeping an eye on them?”
“Not at the moment,” Shaundra said. “It’s just me and them for a while.”
“You’re alone with the babies?”
“Yes,” Shaundra answered.
Ichiro cleared his throat. “Do you want some company?”
She smiled. “Sure, come on over. I can spare a few minutes.”
“I won’t be shot at the gate, will I?”
“No, you now have an all access pass.”
“I’ll see you shortly,” he told her.
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll be waiting.”
Ichiro disconnected the call and Shaundra went back to her printing.
****
“Where are you going in such a hurry?” Satoshi asked Ichiro as he bounded down the stairs fixing his clothes. He stopped to check his hair in the mirror.
“Out,” Ichiro said. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”
“But we have a rehearsal.”
“I’ll be back on time,” Ichiro said, slipping his feet into his shoes. He darted out the door. If he told Satoshi that Shaundra was alone, Satoshi would beat him over to her. Nope, this time, he wasn’t going to let the cat out of the bag and spoil things.
Ichiro drove away from the compound like a maniac. He supposed he should stop for flowers or something. He didn’t want to arrive empty-handed. He drove to a nearby florist, got a bouquet of Baby Romantica roses, and then got back into the car. Moments later, the gates to Shaundra’s home opened and he drove through half expecting the big, hulking Korean to be waiting for him. Instead, he found the love of his life waiting for him on the porch, shivering from the cold.
Ichiro turned off the car, climbed out with the flowers in his hand, and ran up the stairs to her. “These are for you, my queen,” he said to her.
“Ooh, they’re lovely,” Shaundra said, sniffing them. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you,” Ichiro said, lifting her up into his arms.
She giggled. “Put me down. I’m too heavy.”
Ichiro carried her inside and Shaundra used her free hand to close the door.
“Are the babies asleep?” he asked.
She nodded. “Their bellies are full, and they should be out for a few hours.”
“Where’s your bedroom?”
Shaundra pointed to the stairs.
He carried her up in his arms without breaking a sweat.
****
“Where’s Ichiro?” Yori asked Satoshi when he arrived at the farmhouse for rehearsal.
“I don’t know, but he ran out of here like a bat out of hell,” Satoshi answered. “He said he’d be back on time.”
Takumijo came down the stairs dressed in athletic gear and ready to dance. “Let’s get this party started. Where’s Ichiro?”
“He’s not back yet,” Satoshi told him.
“Maybe you should call him,” Yori said, beginning to worry. Of the four, Ichiro was never late for rehearsal.
Satoshi was just about to pull out his cell phone when he heard a car pull up. “No need. He’s here.”
The door opened and Ichiro ran inside. He stopped dead in his tracks. “Hey, guys,” he said. He had the biggest smile on his face.
“Hey, Ich,” Yori said, walking over to him as Ichiro removed his coat. “Where have you been?”
“Out,” Ichiro said, still grinning from ear to ear. He hung up his coat.
“You have a hair out of place,” Yori told him, reaching up to adjust Ichiro’s dark locks. “And you have a bit of lipstick on your lips.” He used another finger to wipe the lipstick off. He sniffed Ichiro. “And you smell faintly of shame and sin.” He laughed and stepped back.
Ichiro pushed past him. “Laugh if you want, but I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time. I’ll meet you guys in the studio.” He bounded up the stairs like a teen.
“What’s up with him?” Satoshi asked as Yori led them down the hall toward the studio.
“He’s just returning from a conjugal visit,” Yori explained. “He’s reeking of cougar.”
Satoshi’s moan echoed throughout the farmhouse.
****
Ichiro joined them a half hour later, hair still damp from the shower, and donning comfortable workout clothes.
Satoshi eased over toward him. “What have you done?”
Ichiro pushed him away. “I’ve done a man’s work,”
Yori chuckled. “Yes, I guess you did. How did you manage to get around that Korean brick wall?”
“By using my stealth skills,” Ichiro answered.
“He wasn’t there, was he?” Takumijo asked.
Ichiro shook his head. “No, not while I was there. I can say I left my lovely wife sleeping soundly with my precious sons.”
“Is she still alone?” Yori asked.
“Move and I’ll break your legs,” Ichiro threatened.
Yori smiled sheepishly.
The three members positioned themselves on the dance floor while Takumijo searched for the music.
“Those little monsters cleaned the floor with us the other day,” Takumijo said.
“To be fair, they are younger than us,” Ichiro said.
“Just because we’re not eighteen doesn’t mean we’re dead,” Takumijo told them. “Now let’s do this like we used to.” He put on music and joined them on the floor. “One, two, three, hit it.”
They began to dance. An hour later, they were seated or sprawled on their backs on the floor, breathing hard.
“We are so out of shape,” Takumijo said. “Damn, how can this be? We just came off tour. Did we look this bad on stage?”<
br />
“Speak for yourself, old dude,” Satoshi said. “I can still shake a hip.”
“Or break a hip,” Yori said.
Ichiro groaned the loudest. “Sex before dancing is not a good idea.”
Takumijo chuckled weakly. “Yeah. Maybe we should give up sex until after your birthday bash.”
Ichiro and Yori groaned at the suggestion.
“No problem,” Satoshi said, hopping to his feet and doing the Moonwalk.
“You’re still able to dance because you’ve been celibate,” Takumijo told him. “You should not be tired like the rest of us.”
“I’m tired mentally,” Satoshi said. “It takes a lot of energy to think.”
“That kid Kioshi has some smooth moves, though,” Takumijo said. “His hips are lethal.” He sighed. “He kind of reminds me of me in my younger days.”
“And he has a personality like Satoshi in his younger days,” Ichiro said.
“When did you change?” Yori asked Satoshi. “I think I can speak for all of us, you’re not the same Satoshi. You don’t date or leave this house unless you have to.”
“A couple of years ago,” Satoshi answered, thumbing through the records, “after you guys got married. I suddenly found myself alone and dateless.” He put on a record. It was Michael Jackson’s “Rock with You.” He began to dance.
The others crawled to their feet and joined in.
“Yes, I remember this,” Takumijo said, swaying from left to right.
Yori did a spin and joined him with the swaying. Moments later, they fell into routine and danced to the song like they used to.
They weren’t breathing quite as hard this time when they finished.
“So do you think Distraction has a chance of making it as idols?” Takumijo asked Yori.
“Yes. I’m wishing them all the success in the world. And I will bow out gracefully when it’s our turn to retire.”
Ichiro agreed. “The sooner the better.”
****
Cristal looked over the copy of the artwork the printer had done for her. A picture of Aomori sat to the left of the poster with Distraction on the right. She checked the copy for spelling errors. Perfect. Next she looked over the ads for Ichiro’s birthday bash. Those were perfect too. Now, the programs. The entire show would last about two and a half hours. Cristal looked over the names, making sure all they were spelled correctly. She looked down at the bottom. Special surprise guests. That would be her and Shaundra. They’d been sneaking away to practice every chance they got and had even started practicing with the orchestra. She looked for Distraction. Their names were spelled correctly too. “Mrs. Cristal Yamashita.” Cristal shook her head. “What am I saying?”
