The Light of my Life

Simple Machinations

That night almost everyone would sleep soundly. Illyana had a bit of a rough night after the call with her mother. The menacing woman insisted on talking with her for over an hour. It was difficult to stay awake so late as she was used to the schedule table Tamotsu made for her. It was exceptionally troublesome that he had been her mother's topic of choice. By the end of the call she was about ready to tell the woman to do what she wanted. 

It wasn't as if she could stop her if she tried. 

But when she remembered what it was she had just gone through with Tamotsu and Liu she realized she couldn't just give in. She was becoming closer with him and anything her mother did could put a stake into that. She eventually told her mother not to interfere with her life. 

This shocked Lilitu. Illyana never talked back before! It was that boy influencing her, she knew it. 

Illyana was worried, making getting a good night's sleep difficult. 

 ~**********~ 

Morning soon arrived. After breakfast Tamotsu prepared the car while Illyana got dressed. Liu made his way towards the car, moving to lean in the window as Tamotsu made minute checks to the mirrors, seat, and radio. He wanted to make sure he was ready to go the moment Illyana was outside. Wasting time would only pull them down and ruin his schedule. He's even timed into her schedule at least an hour, collectively, of traffic for the day. He desperately tried to ignore Liu as his blood brother leaned himself in on the open window, watching his precise movements. Slowly turning his eyes up toward Liu, Tamotsu would sit back in his seat and sigh. 

"What?" His voice was gruff, curt. "I'm not in the mood for your questions, especially if grandfather sent you."

Liu cleared his throat, turning his head to cough into his hand. "Now, now Tamotan~! You wound me! I am not only here at the behest of grandfather. I wished to offer Illyana well for her show. But you are right in assuming grandfather sends me with a message!"

Tamotsu placed both of his hands on the car's steering wheel, fingers gripping its surface tightly as he willed away a desire to hurt the young man. Tamotsu slowly turned his gaze back to the young man, awaiting his words. Adjusting his collar Liu would tug at the cloth to fan away the heat wrought upon him by Tamotsu's harsh glare.

"Well, you see, he wanted to make sure you were ready for tomorrow. We will be meeting with--"

"I'm canceling." Tamotsu interrupted Liu.

"W-what?! But Tamotan! He was expecting you -- the buyer, he..." Liu couldn't quite figure out how to engage with Tamotsu's sensibilities. 

The man had none! He was not strongly interested in the family business unless he could somehow get it to pertain to Illyana's health. But then an idea struck him! Why hadn't he thought of this before?! It was so simple, Tamotsu was simple. And simple creatures survived on little!

"Well, you see he's the one that owns that bit of real estate you were interested in on Hawaii." Liu's words managed to grab his attention. "He'd be more than willing to part with it if you meet him, just this once! He is eager to see the one who had thought up such a plan."

He did like that place. "You're just assuming that --" Tamotsu wouldn't be so foolish as to believe someone would give up such a piece of property to a colleague he's never met.

"No!" Liu stopped his train of thought. "He said so directly. If he met you he would be willing to discuss a deal. Because when this is all said and done he will no longer need a place there!"

"It would be nice to have property there. I like this place and all..." Tamotsu glanced to the side, his mind drifting into old thoughts. "But the memories here aren't worth it."

As Tamotsu talked with Liu, Illyana made her way out of the manor, clutching her tote to her chest. She was excited for today. It would be her first runway show since recovering and she had been practicing and keeping to her diet as best she could. Tamotsu was strict about what she ate, but he never restricted what she ate, only how many bad things she tried to snack on. Onigiri were great, but eating them for all portions of your daily meal probably didn't provide the right amount of nutrients, no matter how much she said pickled plums were fruit. She hurried down the steps, taking notice of the car idling on the gravel. As she drew closer she would hear Tamotsu as he spoke to Liu about purchasing this property in Hawaii. 

Instead of being happy for Tamotsu, Illyana found herself feeling bitter. Tamotsu had every right to move anywhere he wanted, but he didn't just belong to himself anymore. He meant a lot to other people and was greatly involved in their lives. If he left her side she wasn't sure she would be able to survive. That meant she couldn't hesitate anymore. Pushing forward she would call out.

"Momo!"

Tamotsu flinched and glared up at Liu who had pursed his lips and looked away. Lowering his eyes he would sit back. Considering Illyana didn't rebuff him because of his hobby, he would suppose she earned herself a boon. He exhaled and shook his head. Turning to look towards Illyana who, instead of climbing into the back as usual, moved to seat herself in the passenger side. Liu arched a brow and eyed Tamotsu who casually flipped him off, hand hidden out of view from the young woman.

"Lily, you're sitting up front today?" He would ask, scratching the side of his cheek with the hand previously flipping Liu off. 

"Does it make you uncomfortable?" She didn't want to invade his space in the process of being more assertive, but --

"No, no! It was just different. Don't feel you have to keep me company after last night. We're still fine, right?" He hoped. 

"Of course! I just wanted to sit next to Momo. It makes it easier to see his face when I talk to him." She'd profess.

"O-oh." He would stammer, pointing at his phone. "Well time's almost up. Let's get going. We have a long ride, but you had breakfast and your lunch is packed." He looked to Liu, who by this point was smirking, and would huff. "And you, tell grandfather, fine. I'll text the details of the time I have tomorrow, but only then. My time is non-negotiable."

"Hai, hai!" Liu said with a cheeky smirk, only to be shoved back by Tamotsu before he raised the window, backing up to make a U-turn in order to make his way out of the driveway. Liu would bid them farewells, waving his hand until they were out of sight. Tamotsu was getting himself an obscene number of texts from Silvia, the woman demanding he answer her. He could see the messages pop up on his lock screen, eye twitching as each message became more and more demanding.

"Is your sister on her period today?" Tamotsu had not meant to say that out loud, but Silvia was trying his patience. 

"N-no, I don't think so, why?" She looked over to his phone taking note of the messages. "Oh." 

Tamotsu reached over to the phone and pressed the call button. 

~beep beep~

~beep beep~

With a click the other line would finally pick up. Before the person on the other line could even speak Tamotsu spoke up.

"Why do I have to blare your voice at nine in the morning through my car speaker while I am having a lovely drive with Illyana to work?!" He'd nearly sped up, but managed to keep to the limit, tempering his frustrations.

"My, my, someone has a stick up their ass so early in the morning -- Lily~ are you really there?!" Silvia quickly became distracted when she realized what Tamotsu had said. "My darling sister~!"

Illyana was quiet a moment but would speak up. "You should hurry up and tell Momo what he wants to know nee-san, we are getting on the highway soon and your messaging is distracting." She warned, looking to Tamotsu.

He mouthed a 'thank you' before rolling his eyes.

"Oh alright..." Silvia relented. "I just received some problematic information. I had only told your dear 'Momo' here to only pretend to be dating. What is this that he's taking you to live with him now?"

"We had no choice nee-san...." Illyana pouted. "My place was overrun."

"You could have come and stayed with nee-san~♥" Silvia was a bit too attached to her younger sibling. "Besides that, your mother looks to be catching a fit because it somehow got out that you are engaged to Tamotsu. As unbelievable as that man being married is."

While listening Tamotsu would mouth curses, praying that Silvia would wake up and find her bed covered in crumbs, making her late to a meeting. 

"M-me?! Married!?" To Tamotsu?!

"Alright, enough Silvia." Tamotsu snapped. "Don't fill Lily with worries. We are going to the convention center to prepare for the show. Get over there before us and set up her things or else Lily will be a joke. I need everything for tonight's show to be perfect."

"Hai, hai~" Silvia sighed. "So grumpy. As if I'll forget anything for Lily~ Goodbye Lily~ Good luc--~"

~blip~

Tamotsu hung up the call and sighed. "Let's get through today first...." That was all he needed for now, and about ten cups of coffee.