The Light of my Life

Seeing His Heart

Ah! Illyana couldn't believe what she just heard! She wanted to pinch herself, but people would start looking at her weirdly. More so than they already did. Though it was not super clear  even to her sharp Vampir ears and between shifting her focus to greet fans and sign merchandise she heard it! Some of it! He had called Liu while he was at work! It was the cutest thing! Were these the kinds of things couples did? There was a sense of jealousy that boiled in her chest thinking about their close relationship. She didn't want to admit to herself that she had a crush on Tamotsu, but every time he was around her she felt her heart race and she felt warm and cozy! She's read in Fairy Tales that love is something that makes you feel warm, toasty and overall makes your dreams come true! While her dreams hadn't yet come true Tamotsu was fighting really hard for her. That was why she had to relinquish the feelings in her heart. He was not just her manager but, she hoped, a friend too. Friends couldn't, shouldn't, have feelings like this about their friends, especially if they already have a partner!

Like many of the women in the Blood Moon Agency, Illyana fell into the torrent of rumors about Liu and Tamotsu's relationship. It was hard to get a read on Tamotsu's off-putting personality as he only ever focused on work, but when Liu came to the department he was vibrant and full of energy. His poetic speech flowed with an articulate flair known only of poets of old and his manner of dress was sleek and always of traditional Chinese robes. His face was like that of a pure maiden and his heart sang of one as well as Liu was not shy about regaling the agency office hens of his conquests concerning Tamotsu. The men have been to the Himeji Castle, the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, and the Hakone onsen! They were well known romantic getaways within the island.

If not for Liu's stories the office gossip would have quickly pegged Tamotsu for being an unromantic guy. They both dressed well and appeared to have good occupations so they were quite the catch, but always the bride's maid it seemed as the two were already in an unbreakable relationship. If the women could only be the fly on their wall. Some knew of the mansion Tamotsu owned, hearing he had come from some prestigious family, and shared it with Liu. The two were attended to by an elderly butler who has been seen gardening and delivering groceries. Far be it for any of them to realize Tamotsu is perhaps the most aggressively heterosexual individual in their midst. But getting to know the person beneath that workaholic Tamotsu was nigh impossible. Something kept him a bright and too distant star for anyone to reach, let alone understand.

No Tamotsu was a man of culture. He has seen things of the world that few have ever gotten the chance to. He was an artisan, often painting in his workshop in deep concentration, or making works of art with wood. A connoisseur of music and an expert of all things in puzzles and board games. It was why he found events like this droll. But it seems things were about to get exciting sooner than he hoped. Without breaking his gaze from the crowd Tamotsu would motion his hand discreetly, adjusting his vest. "Flush them out Dilwyn." He murmured into the communications device.

Dilwyn nodded and stepped back before disappearing into the mass of people.

~Blood Moon Agency

Back at the studio Shuno was nursing a red face with an ice pack after he got a little too personal with one of the models during a photoshoot. The manager had been called in to deal with the man. Standing beside the dejected photographer was a young woman who looked exceptionally young. She looked about fifteen, small, nearly nonexistent breasts, and a short bob haircut of voluminous black hair. She wore a professional dress suit with her hands currently crossed in front of her, her nose in the air.

"We've told you time and time again to keep your hands to yourself, Watari." She scolded with a soft, almost inaudible tone of voice.

Shunso sighed. "It was an accident I swear! I was taking apart my gear and I saw some dust from the equipment on her."

"On her ass, Watari?" The woman scolded as he sucked a tooth in dismissal. "What are we going to do with you?" She sighed. "Your skill is unmatched but we can't have another sexual harassment complaint."

"But--"

"No butts! Or legs! Or waists! Or breasts! Watari, this is your last--!!"

~blip blip~

The manager retrieved her phone from her back pocket as Shunso sulked. The injured pervert peered up at the woman, as he was sitting on the ground, ice pack still to his cheek. Curling his brow as the woman, called Hibiki Chishi, or just Chi-chan to most here, seems to have forgotten all about him and became busy with her phone.

"What's up?" Shunso pushed to stand, peering over the smaller woman's shoulder.

Chishi had no problem with his closeness as, despite the look of youth, she was Shunso's senpai and had trained him from day one and has known him since middle school.

"It looks like Sahar-sama's jet is arriving at the Tokyo International airport. I'll have to arrange for him to be picked up."

Shunso tilted his head. "This early? I thought he was going to be in Honolulu for another week?" The man thought about it. "Does it have anything to do with that rumor?"

Chishi stopped her work for a moment and slowly looked back towards Shunso. "What rumor?"

The man lowered the ice pack before reaching into the back of his jean pocket where he pulled out a folded magazine, handing it to the manager. She snatched the magazine from his hand, eyes now focused on the article. Her heart sank.

"I-is this --?" She looked back to Shunso who dug his pinky finger into his ear dismissively. "Ah..." Chishi felt her strength leave her for a moment. "R-right. Of course Mori-kun knows. So Silvia-sama knows too?" She watched as Shunso's gaze left hers confirming her worst nightmare. "What a mess. Why am I just finding out about it?"

Shunso shrugged. "Seems they only managed to block most of the noise about it only until this morning. I saw it when it hit the message boards. It was already a firestorm." They weren't going to be able to suppress the news for long.

The woman sighed deeply. "We need to get downtown. Illyana-san is having a signing and with Mori-kun on the job I don't want to imagine what sleights he's going to invent to vent his frustrations with. That damn yandere. Come on Shu!" She hurriedly turned on her heel to leave with Shunso following after in quick step, being sure to grab his camera of course.

~Downtown Tokyo

The crowd was getting excited as the last stretch of the signing was starting. Illyana was offered a microphone and stood as she would be taking questions from the audience concerning the new anime. Taking the offered mic she stood, bowing her head politely. She was really feeling like a princess with all this attention. It made her heart race. This would be her chance to change her image to something a little better! She wasn't some devil in prada, after all.

"Out of my way~!" The freckled man, who was starting to feel the tension of being shoved in the swell of people, began to elbow patrons in order to keep his camera safe.

'Hey!' Someone in the crowd complained.

Getting annoyed the fresh-faced photographer moved to rush forward only to find the white-haired wall that was Dilwyn's body standing in his way. The two men had a silent standoff. The Bodyguard was a trained martial artist but who was this punk of a paparazzi photographer? The man smirked.

"I won't be underestimated. I'm the one that took the only known photo of Sasquatch after all!" He boasted.

Before Dilwyn could reach out to grab him the smaller male rushed towards him haphazardly, which caused the bodyguard to hesitate and pull his arm back to guard. The man, armed with his camera still, dropped to the ground and slid under Dilwyn's legs as his body began to shift and contort. Several insect-like legs manifested from beneath his clothing as his body seemed to lengthen as he took the shape of his true form of an omukade, a type of centipede youkai. Dilwyn bristled.

"I hate bugs..." He pressed his comms, moving to stomp his foot down, but it was too late.

The insect had slithered out from his reach, leaving behind naught but a small crater where Dilwyn's foot hit into the sidewalk.

"Guys, photographer's a youkai! Move!" He quickly turned and tried to push his way back to the front of the crowd.

The other guards joined him in trying to tighten security in the front by carefully pushing back the crowd. In the front Illyana stood on a small stand to help her be seen by the crowd, ready to answer questions, but before the young woman could call on anyone the evasive insect was able to weave through the tightly packed bodies and make it passed the guards before he pushed up on his 'tail', arching his massive body as he held his camera in his carapace covered limbs, the camera to his face.

"Smile Miss Alukah~!" The centipede demon hissed as his mandibles clacked, drawing down to loom over Lily.

Before the centipede was able to draw too close Tamotsu slid forward, putting himself between the paparazzi member and Lily.

"Oh," Tamotsu groaned softly. "I've been having a bad day too... you'll do for now..." He grinned darkly as he held up his right hand which looked to be some sort of monstrous beast's claw; the limb had russet colored fur with black finger tips with deadly looking silver-colored claws.