by Imari Jade
“It could be worse,” Satoshi reminded her. “You could be the publicist for Kazumi.”
“Yuck,” Cristal said. “I do not do girl groups.”
Satoshi patted her hand. “My offer of marriage still stands. That is going to be one adorable kid.”
The others had returned to the table and Cristal excused herself and went up to her room.
Satoshi wanted to accompany her, but she told him to stay and have fun with his friends. It felt like a big weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. But even she knew that she had an even bigger obstacle awaiting her. How does one tell a nineteen year old that he is going to be a father? Damn, she wished Shaundra was there so she could have a female to talk to. At least Shaundra had gone through something similar with the twins. Cristal looked at the clock once she had entered her room. She picked up her international phone and had the operator put her through to California. The phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Shaundra. This is Cristal. Can we talk?”
****
Kioshi lay awake in his bed upset after witnessing Cristal outside walking and holding hands with Satoshi. He knew they were just friends, but he still didn’t like it. She was his girl and he didn’t want someone else touching her. He had just come down to buy some water from the gift shop when he saw them leave the building. And he had spied on them while they walked even though he couldn’t hear the conversation. Cristal seemed upset about something and Satoshi was probably trying to console her. Why did she have to go to him? Did she not think he was old enough to handle or help her with her problems?
Being nineteen just pissed him off to no end. He didn’t know why he felt like this all of a sudden. Cristal and Satoshi had hung around together a long time before he ever came into the picture, but he felt something had changed with his lady since right before they left Osaka. He knew it had to do with Cristal’s health. If she was dying, he didn’t want to live either. No, that can’t be it. She wouldn’t be jet-setting with them around the world if that were true. He had noticed a change in her appearance though. Her hair was longer, her breasts were bigger and her ass was huge. True, he didn’t know that much about the female body except the important part between her legs, but even he was smart enough to know whatever was happening to her had nothing to do with her menstrual cycle. Could it be something so horrid for her to even discuss with him?
Kioshi sat up on the bed. No, he would not accept the fact that his beautiful Cristal might have cancer. Fate would not be so cruel as to take her out of his life so soon. And if it was true, he would stay by her side until the bitter end.
And it hurt him that she felt she couldn’t tell him, but she could confide in Satoshi. Why? Is it because she loved Satoshi more or because he was older? It just didn’t make sense to him.
Maybe he should just come right out and ask her. But he knew she would just continue to lie to him about it to spare his feelings. And she probably knew he would insist that she return to Osaka. They still had several weeks on this tour and he wondered if she would have the strength to continue the journey with them. Kioshi made a promise to himself to put her on a plane and send her back home at the first sign of trouble.
He yawned, suddenly feeling sleepy. Kioshi laid back and closed his eyes. Tomorrow they would be leaving for Barcelona. From then on he would watch Cristal very closely.
Chapter Nine
“What are you doing here?” Satoshi asked his old friend, Yi-jun Lee, when the man walked into the arena in Barcelona where Aomori was practicing.
“I came to see you guys,” Yi-jun answered.
“No, I mean in Spain?” Satoshi said. Yi-jun was South Korean and the two of them had been friends since they were kids. They grew up together in Washington, DC where their fathers served as ambassadors. Since then they had gone their separate ways. Yi-jun was now a famous actor and Satoshi was a singer. But, like now, their paths always crossed.
“I’ve been here for nearly a month, filming a movie,” Yi-jun answered. “Since you guys put your schedule on your website it was easy for me to track you down.”
It wasn’t that easy, Satoshi thought. Someone had to give him access to the building. If not, they would have every Tom, Dick, or Harry walking in and disturbing them.
The rest of the members of Aomori seemed just as surprised to see him. They came down off of the stage to greet him.
“You guys look good,” Yi-jun said.
“You do too,” Takumijo said. “I like the suit.”
Yi-jun wore a black suit, cut to fit his slender, yet muscular, movie-star body. Beneath it, he wore a white shirt, and a black and white striped tie. “Thanks. I picked it up on my last trip to Korea.” He looked around. “Where is Cristal?”
“She’s back at the hotel,” Satoshi said.
“I’m surprised she’s not here with you guys.”
“No, she’s spending time with Distraction,” Satoshi told him.
“Oh, the chibi-tans. I’ve been following their music. They’re good.”
Chibi was a Japanese slang word meaning short person or small child. Satoshi didn’t think the members of Distraction would appreciate being called that.
“You should see them dance,” Ichiro said. “They put us old guys to shame.”
“Speak for yourself,” Takumijo said. “I can still dance circles around them.”
Yi-jun chuckled. “You guys aren’t old. How’s Shaundra, Ich?”
Ichiro shrugged. “She’s in California with the boys. A company is turning one of her books into a movie.”
“What? And they didn’t cast me in the lead part?” Yi-jun teased. He looked back at Satoshi. “Did you bring Akemi with you?”
Satoshi shook his head. “No, sorry. Her father wouldn’t allow her to come.” Yi-jun looked disappointed. Oh, well, he guessed his old friend better find some other woman to warm his bed with while he was in Barcelona. They were friends, but Yi-jun had no problem dating their women.
“What are you guys doing tonight?” Yi-jun asked them.
“I have no plans except hanging around the hotel. Why?” Satoshi asked.
“Do you want to come to a party?”
Satoshi looked at his friends.
They all nodded.
“Good,” Yi-jun said. He pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to Satoshi. “This is where it is going to be. No kiddies allowed.”
Satoshi supposed he meant Distraction, even though the legal drinking age in Barcelona was eighteen.
“It’s in an area called Old Town, very trendy and a hot spot for tourists,” Yi-jun told them. “Bring Cristal and any other adults you losers want to. Let’s show the good citizens of Barcelona how to party.” He paused. “I have to get back to work. I’ll see you guys tonight.” He walked out of the door.
Satoshi looked down at the card again. Why did he have the feeling that this would only lead to trouble?
“I find it amazing that he always shows up just about everywhere we go,” Yori said. “It’s like he has a low-jack on your ass.”
“It’s no different than Osamu showing up,” Satoshi said. “We can’t help it if we have friends.”
“I have friends,” Yori said.
“Name one,” Satoshi challenged.
“You,” Yori answered. “Now let’s get our asses back to rehearsing. We have to rock this place tomorrow night and I don’t want to look bad.”
Satoshi and the others climbed back on stage. Even if he missed a step there was no way Yori could look bad. He always looked together no matter what he did. No one could even tell that he just went through a divorce just days before they left Osaka. Maybe they might meet some beautiful ladies at the party tonight. But they couldn’t stay out late because Masaaki would kick their behinds.
****
Cristal was totally surprised when her cell phone ring and found Yi-jun on the other end. She was busy in a meeting with Saburo and Distraction. She excused herself and walked out of the room. “What are you doi
ng in Barcelona?”
“I’m making a movie,” Yi-jun said. “I’m only going to be here until tomorrow and I’d like to see you. I ran into Aomori earlier and invited them to a party tonight. You come too.”
“I don’t know,” Cristal said. “I haven’t been feeling well.”
“Ah, come on. You don’t have to stay late, and I would really like to see you.”
“I’ll see,” Cristal said. They spoke for a few more minutes and then they hung up. Cristal re-entered the room. “I’m sorry about that. It was Yi-jun Lee.”
“The actor?” Hiroyuki asked.
Cristal nodded. “He’s in town filming a movie and wants to see me.”
“No,” Kioshi said. “You are not well.”
Cristal scowled at him. “I’m feeling okay, and Aomori will be there.”
“At the moment,” her pint-sized lover said, “you should rest and not hang out with a bunch of guys.”
Oh, so this is what it’s all about. He’s not worried about my health, just my reputation. The others in the room just sat and listened quietly. “I’m a grown woman, Ki, and these guys are my friends. They won’t let anything happen to me.”
Kioshi didn’t respond, but continued to scowl at her.
Men, even young ones, could be so frustrating. Cristal decided to change the conversation and went back to the topic they were discussing before her phone rang. “Mr. Niigata thinks it’s time you guys cut another CD and start making personal appearances.”
“That sounds like an excellent idea,” Saburo said. “They can begin working on some new songs immediately.”
“I think we need more television exposure,” Hiroyuki said.
“More fan-meetings,” Izanagi added. “I like those.”
“That’s because you like meeting all those girls,” Hiroyuki said.
Izanagi nodded. “And what’s wrong with that? I’m a healthy male and it’s time I find a woman and settle down into a serious relationship.”
Everyone looked at him because they knew he liked to play the field.
“What? I’m not getting any younger,” Izanagi said.
Cristal smiled. Both he and Hiroyuki would be celebrating their 21st birthday in a month. She was planning a big celebration for them when they returned to Osaka. Of course, they didn’t know any of this and it had been hard just trying to keep this a secret. But first they had to get through their concerts. She didn’t tell them that the boss had already booked them for a tour of the United States next year. She would let Keiichi tell them.
Kioshi, she noticed, had grown silent and wouldn’t look at her. Cristal appreciated his concern, but she was a big girl and capable of making her own decisions. She wanted to see Yi-jun since she hadn’t seen him since Christmas and she could use a little time away from the hotel. “That’s all I have,” she said. “What about you, Saburo?”
“No, I’m good,” Saburo said. “It’s almost time for dinner and I’m thinking about taking Distraction out to see some of the town later.”
“That’s sounds like an excellent idea,” Cristal said. “See that they stay out of trouble.” She rose from her seat again. Food didn’t sound like such a bad idea. Her appetite had returned and there was a bakery in the hotel that she was just dying to try.
Distraction and Saburo rose too and they left the business center.
Cristal’s mouth watered as they got near the little shop. She stopped just outside of it and gazed into the window.
Izanagi had made his way over to her and looked into the window too. “Would you like some?”
Cristal nodded. She had her eye on a piece of chocolate cake sprinkled in almonds.
“My treat.” Izanagi pulled her inside. The rest of the guys followed.
The clerk came over to the counter. She and Izanagi ordered first. Hiroyuki wanted pie. Kioshi and Saburo passed.
Kioshi pulled out his wallet. “I will pay for my woman’s desserts.”
Izanagi stopped smiling and nodded in agreement.
Cristal frowned. So arrogant. But she was still going to the party and he wasn’t going to stop her. “Thank you,” Cristal said when the clerk handed her the bag. Of course, this wasn’t dinner and she planned to eat with everyone else in the hotel restaurant later when Aomori returned to the hotel.
After a couple of hours, everyone met up later in the restaurant.
Kioshi still wasn’t talking to her, or anyone else for that matter.
“Yi-jun is in town,” Satoshi said to her.
“Yeah, he telephoned me earlier and invited me to join you fellows tonight.”
“I don’t really know if that’s wise,” Satoshi said. “You need to rest.”
Cristal frowned. It didn’t make matters any better that Kioshi was staring at them. He was sitting far enough away that he couldn’t overhear their conversation.
“What’s wrong with him?” Satoshi asked.
“Growing pains,” Cristal said. “He doesn’t want me to go, either.”
“But you’re planning to go anyway, aren’t you, because you don’t want a man to boss you around?”
Cristal nodded. “You know me so well.”
“I can’t stop you, but no drinking.” Since finding out about her pregnancy, Satoshi had been treating her preciously and watching over her. “No drinking. And let me know if you get tired and I’ll bring you back to the hotel.”
“What if you guys are having too much fun?” Cristal asked.
“Your safety is my utmost priority,” Satoshi said.
The waitress came for their order, ending the conversation.
Cristal was famished. She had devoured the cake she had earlier, but for some reason it didn’t seem to fill her up. She ordered feijoada—a stew made with beans, beef, and pork. It was served with rice and sausage.
Kioshi looked at her again when all the food arrived.
Cristal just ignored him and ate all of her meal. After dinner she told Satoshi she was going up to her room for a nap and asked him for a wakeup call around eight so she could get ready for the party.
Kioshi didn’t even bother to follow her to her room. He just went directly to his to get ready for his outing with Saburo.
Cristal put her dessert she had gotten from the restaurant on a table in her room, removed her clothing and showered. She lay across her bed finally and shut her eyes. Two hours later, Satoshi called her room and woke her up and told her to get dressed because they would be leaving at nine.
Cristal tried Kioshi’s number, but her calls went straight to voice mail. She left him a message that she was going out with Aomori and would see him later. She dressed and went down to the lobby where not only Aomori but Terrie and Kenshin waited for her.
“Let’s ride,” Takumijo said.
Once again, she was the only female in the bunch.
****
“Why aren’t you with your woman?” Hiroyuki asked Kioshi when he joined them in the hotel swimming pool that evening. “I thought you planned to take her out tonight.”
Kioshi had a sad expression on his face. “She had other plans.”
“Oh, you mean she joined Aomori tonight even after you told her not to?” Izanagi teased.
Kioshi sank down into the water. “Yeah.”
“I guess we know who wears the pants in the relationship,” Izanagi said.
Kioshi slapped the water hard sending it splashing all over Izanagi. “That’s not funny, dude. Sometimes Cristal treats me like a kid.”
Izanagi shook the water from his hair. “Sorry. I know how hard you’ve been working to get her to change her mind about you. But she’s with Aomori and those guys won’t let anything happen to her, especially Satoshi.”
Kioshi frowned. That’s what he was afraid of. One of his fears was that Cristal would stop loving him and go back to Satoshi. His second fear was that she would leave him and go off with Yi-jun Lee whom she’d had a torrid love affair with several years ago. He stopped thinking and swam a lap around the
pool. It was late and they were the only ones there. Kioshi was glad for this because he didn’t feel like being bothered by strangers.
Hiroyuki and Izanagi raced each other to the wall and back.
After his third lap, Kioshi climbed out of the pool, wrapped his beach towel around him and got a soda out of the ice chest. When he had problems, only something cold helped him think. He watched his friends continue to swim and play like a couple of kids, while he couldn’t get his mind off of seeing Cristal and Satoshi together the other night before they left Madrid. He couldn’t understand how she could still be Satoshi’s friend after what he did to her last year. Cristal hadn’t told him about the attack. Kioshi just happened to overhear Takumijo telling Terrie about it. He didn’t know how Cristal could be so forgiving. He knew he couldn’t. Maybe Cristal was still in love with Satoshi. But if she was, why was she still sleeping with him? Although he loved Cristal dearly, he would gladly step aside so she could be happy. He wouldn’t though if Cristal was interested in Yi-jun Lee. That guy rubbed him the wrong way and he’d heard rumors about the actor being a notorious womanizer.
Kioshi finished his drink and decided to get back into the pool. He swam another couple of laps. There was nothing he could do about his current situation at the moment, but he intended to have a long talk with Cristal about their relationship as soon as he got her alone again. Kioshi got back out of the water. “I’m going to my room,” he said to his friends.
“See you later, dude,” Izanagi said to him.
Kioshi dressed before attempting to leave the pool room. The last thing he wanted to do was run into some starry-eyed fan while he was dressed in his swimming trunks. He walked out and headed toward the lobby. There were only a few people walking around—mostly the hotel employees who worked the late night shift. He pushed the button for the elevator and stepped in when it arrived. He rode up to his floor. The bodyguards were still posted. Kioshi waved to them. The guys waved back. He entered his room, noticing a pair of high-heel shoes near the door. Kioshi removed his beach slippers and walked through the suite. The television was on in his room and he knew he had turned it off before he went down to swim. He found Cristal asleep in his bed. He smiled. Maybe she had more sense than he gave her credit for.
