Call Me By My Name, 1/2
Title: Call Me By My Name
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Hosho Reiko/Kageyama (Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato De)
Summary: This December would see Kageyama on his best behavior. Kageyama behaving as a butler ought to. It would be a very nice break, Reiko was sure of it.
Notes/Warnings: For this year's je_holiday. No spoilers for anything past the original drama. Wow, is this the first non-NC-17 story I've written for these characters?! LOL!
Hosho Reiko was growing nervous. If they were going to make it to the airport in time, they had to leave in the next twenty minutes. However, the tree was still not to her satisfaction. When it came to holiday decorating Kageyama was no slouch, but he certainly could be stupid about the simplest of simple things.
Already that morning Reiko had found it necessary to yank a bunch of ornaments from where Kageyama had hung them, moving them to more prominent positions. The crystal goose figurine her cousin had given the family as a gift a few years back? Who cares? To the back of the tree it went. The handmade paper snowflake Reiko had made in school when she was eight? To the front where Papa could see it first thing.
It was the first day of December, a traditionally important day in the Hosho house. The countdown to Santa-san's arrival officially began, and the big Christmas tree went up in the sitting room. The smaller tree and lights went up in the dining room. The exterior of the house was fully decked out, and Reiko hung her stocking with care by the fireplace.
Papa and Mama usually came home in time for Christmas Eve, but this year was a special year. Papa and Mama had decided to spend the entire month of December in Japan for once, and Reiko was definitely looking forward to it. For one, she missed her parents. Even though work kept her busy, she could only count on the occasional video chat or phone call with Mama and Papa. Now they'd be here for weeks. And for two, if her Papa was home, it meant Kageyama would have to curb his tongue.
In Reiko's opinion, Kageyama had grown increasingly lax as her parents spent more time away from home. Without her Papa to supervise, Kageyama indulged himself, criticizing Reiko's intelligence and making all of his nitpicky little comments and conclusions about her cases. Conclusions Reiko would have eventually come to if he only shut his mouth for a moment or twenty.
This December would see Kageyama on his best behavior. Kageyama behaving as a butler ought to. It would be a very nice break, Reiko was sure of it.
With a sigh, Reiko put another ornament (a smiling photo of herself in high school holding a candy cane) in a better place just as Kageyama brought a stepladder into the sitting room. He granted her one of his condescending smiles. "I apologize if my ornament placement was not to your satisfaction, my lady."
She rolled her eyes. The man simply had no sense for these things. "Hurry up, would you? Everything has to be perfect before Papa enters the house."
"I have been informed that the outdoor arrangements have been completed," Kageyama explained. "We need only finish this tree here." He moved to the open cardboard box on the sofa, pulling out a gold sparkling star. "I'll just put this in place, and we can leave."
"Absolutely not," Reiko insisted with a stomp of her foot.
He glanced at the lit-up tree once more, then raised an eyebrow. "Have I forgotten something else?"
She moved forward, snatching the star from his fingers. "I'm the only one qualified to place the star. It's my job."
"Ah," Kageyama replied. "My apologies."
You should be sorry, Reiko thought. Hmmph. The mere idea of Kageyama placing the most important ornament. What would Santa think when he came by, seeing a Kageyama-decorated tree with its poorly thought-out ornament arrangement? Horrible!
Kageyama got the stepladder into place, standing close by as Reiko climbed up. It was a wide, gorgeous ten-foot tree. Fake on account of her mother's allergies, but that meant no needles to clean, which made things a bit easier. The tree had been in the family since Reiko was a child. As she climbed the ladder, she fondly remembered her former butler, Karasawa, standing by every year while she placed the star. Karasawa always knew where the ornaments went.
She set the star atop the faux pine branch that stuck out of the top of the tree while Kageyama held the ladder steady. She admired her work, seeing how perfectly the star completed the tree.
"It looks crooked."
She looked down, seeing Kageyama scrutinizing her. "It is not crooked. Perhaps you ought to get your eyes checked, Kageyama. I'll not have you driving me around if your corrective lenses aren't actually correct. What if you crash us into a wall?"
He stepped back, taking another look. She could tell he was still doubtful, but Reiko knew that Kageyama enjoyed being difficult. But the clock was ticking, and it was no short drive to Narita Airport. "Very well, my lady. If you are satisfied, then the decorating is complete."
"Of course I'm satisfied," she replied, holding tight to the ladder as she made her way down. Perhaps a little too satisfied and a little too preoccupied with that satisfaction, because she managed to slip at the ladder's halfway mark.
She let out a shriek, and the ladder wobbled as she tried to regain her footing but it only propelled her backwards. She shut her eyes, expecting the whole ladder to tip into the tree and ruin everything she'd worked so hard that day to accomplish while she herself cracked her head open. But she was instead surprised to feel warmth, such warmth. It was Kageyama, catching hold of her as she fell without missing a beat. Kageyama wrapping his arms around her and setting her safely on the floor, a look of grave concern in his eyes.
"Are you all right, my lady?"
She was clinging to him in her fright, but now that she was once more on solid, non-laddery ground she hurriedly pulled away from him, straightening the hem on her dress.
Her pulse was racing and her skin was hot, but there was a plane to meet. She turned her back on her butler, turned her back on how oddly thrilling it had felt to fall right into his protective arms. It was just Kageyama doing his job, keeping her safe. Kageyama who couldn't even hang an ornament properly. Kageyama who would probably follow up his "are you all right, my lady?" with a "now who needs their eyes checked?" comment.
Without looking back at the tree or the stepladder, Reiko headed for the hall and her coat. "Hurry up, Kageyama. We're going to be late!"
--
In the time it took to drive from Kunitachi to the airport, Inspector Kazamatsuri called her seven times. The first to ask where she was (it was her day off). The second to ask if she had filed a certain report (yes, she had filed it because he had been too lazy to do it himself). Calls three through six were questions regarding said report that he was supposed to know the answers to (Reiko suspected he was in a review meeting with their superiors). And call number seven involved a Sudoku puzzle he was stuck on.
If he called her again, she wouldn't know because she finally switched her phone off and shoved it to the very bottom of her bag. The limousine headed for the lot reserved for the private runway where the Hosho family plane would land. It was much quicker than dealing with the terminal, and she could already see the private jet with the Hosho Group crest heading off for its small hangar.
She and Kageyama headed for the private arrivals lounge, finding one other person waiting. He got to his feet, fixing Reiko with a smile immediately. She felt Kageyama step closer to her as the man approached. He was older than Kageyama, perhaps in his mid-thirties, with dark hair graying at the temples and a suit that fit him well but had seen better days. His eyes, however, seemed kind.
He held out his hand. "Hosho Reiko-san, I presume?"
Reiko was unaccustomed to shaking hands, holding hers out a bit shyly. The man reddened. "Ah, forgive me." Instead of giving hers a shake he took her hand and lifted it to his mouth, brushing a quick kiss to her knuckles. "Is that correct?"
It was then that Kageyama stepped forward. "Pardon me, but who are you?"
The man let Reiko's hand go, scratching at his head nervously. "Ah, I knew I was going to mess that up, sorry. Togashi Masahiko." He fumbled around inside his suit jacket, removing a business card and holding it out. It was Kageyama's hand that snatched it away, a bit ruder than Reiko felt was necessary. He then handed it to her.
Togashi Masahiko, the card read. Togashi Family Publishing.
"Your father asked me to come today," Togashi-san said, seeming to shrink under Kageyama's stare.
"I wasn't informed of any such meetings. I am Kageyama, the Hosho family butler," he said curtly, bowing to Togashi-san.
"Hosho-san called from the plane. He said..."
But then the door leading out to the private hangars opened, and Reiko's eyes were drawn from the two men at her side to the man and woman coming through the door. They were tanned and relaxed, having spent the last two months in Bali. Their flight crew followed them in with their bags.
"Reiko-chan!" her mother cried, and Reiko hurried forward, enveloped immediately in her parents' embrace. Kageyama bowed low to her father, and Togashi-san nervously mimicked the pose.
"The whole house is decorated and waiting," Reiko boasted. "Let's hurry home!"
Where her father usually did immediately as she wished, he instead patted her shoulder and turned her around. "Masahiko-kun, you made it."
The man stepped forward and shook hands with her father. "Reiko," her father said. "May I introduce Togashi Family Publishing's Togashi Masahiko."
Introductions were made again, and this time her father explained that the Hosho Group was currently in negotiations with Togashi Family Publishing to buy up their operations and add them to the Hosho Group's publishing division. Now the man's presence made more sense. Her father never went through any sort of merger or acquisition without having the company's president over for dinner at the house. Reiko was a little upset at the timing, however. Tonight was supposed to be her night with her parents, the three of them together at the dining table after so many weeks. She maintained a polite smile, though she saw a bit of sympathy in Kageyama's face as her father chatted merrily with Togashi-san.
The interest in Togashi-san's company was fairly recent. Her father had only just begun the process a week earlier, which certainly explained Kageyama's ignorance of the subject. The Hosho Group's publishing division alone was made up of several companies, so many that Reiko had lost count. But she could still see that Kageyama was upset with himself for not knowing every last thing about his master's business. Perhaps her insistence on Christmas decor perfection the past few days had kept him from reading a memo or two.
The ride back to the house was a little more awkward than usual. Reiko didn't feel comfortable telling her parents about work with a stranger in the car, and most of the chatter occurred between her father and Togashi-san. Her mother gave her a sympathetic look, and she assumed the poor woman had spent the entire plane ride from Bali to Japan hearing about this business deal. Once her father had an acquisition in mind, it was all he talked about. Reiko preferred it when she was all he talked about.
She caught Kageyama's eye in the rearview mirror, seeing his gentle smile, and she suddenly felt a bit better.
--
Thankfully upon arriving at the house, her father's attention returned to its proper place. "Reiko-chan, you have outdone yourself this year."
Between the small herd of real, live reindeer walking the Hosho family grounds and the snow machine in the rear gardens, the estate already looked like Christmas. Kageyama parked and held the door, and Reiko could see pure shock in Togashi-san's face as he exited the limo and took in the lights adorning the exterior of the house.
Reiko held her papa's arm as they headed inside, Kageyama swiftly ordering other staff about to bring in the master and mistress' things and to ensure dinner was ready for four. As Reiko had planned, the house smelled lightly of gingerbread and oranges, earning additional praise from her father.
Soon it was time for dinner, and Reiko happily relinquished her seat at the head of the table to her father, sitting at his left-hand side and her mother to the right. While it was most proper for Togashi-san to have a seat opposite her father at the other end of the table, somehow her father and mother had insisted that their guest be seated at Reiko's left.
She felt slightly self-conscious as the stranger took up knife and fork at her side, praising the house and the decorations and Reiko herself in a short amount of time. While Reiko expected such praise as a matter of courtesy, hearing it was another matter. With her parents away and work taking so much of her time, praise and compliments had become a rarity indeed. There was always Kazamatsuri-san treating her like his servant, spouting off his nonsense notions about their cases. There was always Kageyama, who withheld his praises like someone taunting a dog by holding a bone just out of reach. It had been some time since Reiko had been able to sit back and soak up flattering remarks, and she found herself much out of practice.
It didn't help that Kageyama, standing carefully out of her father's eyesight, allowed his nose to twitch in amusement at every remark coming from Togashi-san's mouth. "My lady Reiko, you are truly stunning to behold." Twitch. "How fortunate I am to sit beside a true lady tonight." Twitch.
Reiko, of course, was no fool. She suspected that Togashi-san's attentiveness to her was not entirely genuine. She noticed her father's smiles growing wider and wider the more Togashi-san complimented her. Hosho Seitaro had always considered Reiko to be his grandest achievement, and a man set to do business with her father would do well to compliment his daughter. But maybe, just maybe, there was an ounce of truth to the compliments. Perhaps this man did find her stunning to behold.
As dinner went on and her father and Togashi-san spoke more about business, their guest revealed that Togashi Family Publishing had been operating since the turn of the twentieth century and he was proud to lead them. But independent companies were harder to manage these days, especially in publishing. With the Hosho Group's backing, his family's business would continue. His employees would be able to continue working and could support their families. He spoke plainly, passionately, and earnestly about his company. He took pride in his company as her father took in his. Reiko was certain this deal would go through.
It was when Kageyama brought out the dessert cart with her father's favorite cake that her mother went a step beyond her usual bounds.
"Togashi-san, are you married?"
Kageyama set down a plate of cake for her father, and Reiko noticed the slightest stiffness in his movements. Since Togashi-san had enjoyed a sampling from the Hosho family's wine cellar, he was not as uncomfortable with the question.
"I'm not," he said, dabbing at his mouth with his napkin.
Her mother accepted her plate of cake with a nod for Kageyama and a smile for her guest. "Perhaps you could bring Reiko-chan out for a bit of fun. She works hard and could probably use a break."
"That sounds like a great idea!" her father chimed in, patting her on the hand.
"I'd be honored," Togashi-san replied.
"How about it?" her mother pressed on, looking between Reiko and their guest. "Reiko, when's your next day off?"
"Mother," Reiko said, feeling all the eyes in the room on her and not for reasons that she preferred.
She looked down, seeing the flash of Kageyama's hand and the sleeve of his jacket as her plate of cake (drizzled with raspberry sauce just the way she liked it) arrived. She'd been an heiress her entire life, a prize for any suitor, but her parents had never once tried to arrange or force anything. And that's what this was. A business deal and maybe more. Her parents' eyes had been sparkling and shining for Togashi-san all evening. With a month home in Japan away from their usual beach bliss, they needed another distraction, and their daughter's single status was it.
Not that Togashi-san was ugly or anything. He was a little older, certainly, but he seemed kind. He had a narrow, but handsome face with a pointed chin. He loved his work as Reiko loved her own (despite its Kazamatsuri-shaped difficulties). What was the harm?
"Would you like some raspberry sauce for your cake, sir?" Kageyama suddenly asked their guest, startling Reiko out of her thoughts. He was standing between Reiko and Togashi-san, grip firm on the spoon and sauce boat.
Togashi leaned forward, peeking around Kageyama to look at her. "Yes, please."
--
Kageyama had been tasked with driving Togashi-san to his home in Ota Ward. She was finally able to chat alone with her parents, telling them about the cases she'd been working on. She was careful to talk up her own achievements and victories while politely acknowledging Kageyama's contributions. She knew her parents were wary about her career, but they never once told her to quit. They usually seemed rather pleased to know Kageyama was following her around and assisting, even though Reiko had been through the police academy and could take care of herself, thank you very much.
Her parents were tired from their long day of travel, even in the luxury of the Hosho family jet. They took one last adoring look at the tree Reiko had decorated ("Totally perfect!" her father had declared, finding nothing remotely crooked about the star at the top) before heading up to bed.
She sat alone in the sitting room, turning out the other lights and relaxing in the soft, warm glow of the tree's lights. The day certainly had not gone exactly to plan, but her parents were home and now Reiko was one day closer to Santa's arrival and his bounty of gifts.
Kageyama came in a short time later, heading over to unplug the tree and turn off the magic for the night. "Wait," she called out in the darkness. He jumped, steadying himself against one of the side tables, and Reiko laughed.
"My lady, you startled me!"
She grinned. Spooking Kageyama was a rare accomplishment. "I'm sorry," she said, not that she sounded apologetic at all.
He dutifully left the tree lit up, moving to stand beside the couch where she was reclined, hugging a throw pillow. "I spoke with the master earlier, and he has requested waffles for tomorrow's breakfast. Shall I have anything else prepared for you, my lady?"
She fussed at him, batting him away with her hand. "Sit down and enjoy the tree."
He obeyed, taking a seat in the chair opposite the couch.
She hugged the pillow tighter. "Waffles will be fine. With extra whipped cream for mine and no extra for Papa. He needs to be careful with his sweets, doctor's orders."
They sat quietly for several moments, Reiko taking in the rainbow colors of the lights as they wrapped around from the thick base of the tree to its golden topper. Kageyama usually waited for her prompting to begin speaking, but she heard him rustle around in the pocket of his jacket.
"I have another card from Togashi-san," Kageyama noted quietly. "He has written his phone number and said if you are interested in meeting up for a coffee that he would enjoy it very much."
"He said that?"
"Yes."
"He said that to you?"
"Is the method of his communication displeasing to you?"
"Never mind, I don't know what I'm saying. I'm tired."
She squeezed the pillow, trying to ignore her strange feelings. The stepladder had been removed from the sitting room while she and Kageyama had gone to the airport, but she was preoccupied with what had happened on it earlier. Falling and then Kageyama so close, so unlike his usual polite, expected distance. His arms tight around her for what had only been seconds. Compared with Togashi-san's exaggerated dinner time flattery and her parents' meddling, Kageyama's impromptu rescue seemed all the more exciting. And genuine.
But why on earth did it excite her at all? It was Kageyama, whose job it was to keep her from falling off ladders. Whose job it was to escort her, serve her cake. Bring her business cards with the phone number of a potential date on them.
A date. How long had it been since Reiko had been on a proper date? Maybe that was the reason for her odd feelings. She'd been asked out a handful of times in the police academy, but fearing their discovery of who she truly was, she'd turned them down. No dates since university, then, and none of them had been princes or heirs apparent. So many had only been interested in one thing - not her beauty and charm, but her father's money.
Wallowing was unbecoming of the heiress to the Hosho Group, so Reiko stopped her internal whining. She got to her feet, holding out her hand for the card. Kageyama handed it over, his fingers cool against her own. "Maybe I'll give him a call, maybe I won't," she decided. "But tomorrow it's back to work. I expect my breakfast to be right on time, Kageyama."
He nodded, getting to his feet and heading to unplug the tree. "With extra whipped cream, my lady."
--
With her job, Reiko had an earlier start than her parents. They were just sitting down to breakfast when Kageyama had to excuse himself in order to drive her. Her father gave her a wink and told her to catch a dozen criminals and call it a day.
Well, upon her arrival at the Kunitachi station, she found that there weren't twelve criminals to catch. Not even half a dozen. It wasn't always a murder mystery, or even a mystery. Kunitachi had been surprisingly well-behaved the past few months. There'd only been two unexplained deaths in the whole of November, and Kageyama had been deprived of a chance to flex his crime-solving muscles. Their evening chats revolved more around what he'd served her for dinner and around Reiko's paperwork on smaller, easily-solved cases.
Not that Reiko was complaining. Not everything had to be so complex. It was about justice and ensuring it was served. While catching a murderer was a true accomplishment, there really wasn't anything bad about putting a thief behind bars. Reiko took pride in keeping Kunitachi safe from thieves and murderers and angry plotters alike.
She also took pride in seeing Kageyama's gloomy face when he was once again denied the opportunity to show off.
At her desk that day and the day after and then the day after that, Reiko handled her reports and suspect interviews with skill and determination. She handled Kazamatsuri-san's blustering and blundering with patience. Her work life was normal as could be. But over those three days Togashi-san's card and phone number sat in her wallet, awaiting some sort of response. At dinner each night her father had other business ventures to discuss and fortunately the topic of Togashi-san did not come up. Nor did her mother press her, as she was now preoccupied with organizing a holiday luncheon for one of her charities.
Curiosity finally got the best of her. Curiosity and the reminder that she hadn't been on a date in years. After dinner she excused herself and headed for her room, pulling out her phone and the card. While Togashi-san had been polite and hadn't forced the issue, Reiko still felt odd being the one to call and begin the whole process properly. She wasn't used to being on this side of the equation, the pursuer and not the pursued.
Togashi-san answered on the second ring and thankfully took over from there. Instead of coffee, he made the leap and asked her to dinner at a restaurant in Daikanyama. Reiko paused to consider the offer. She rarely missed dinners at home on account of how delicious they were. Kageyama, and Karasawa before him, always presented them to her perfectly. Even when she pulled a long night at the station, Kageyama was always there to offer a late meal at home or to bundle it up and bring it to her in person, sneaking around so nobody saw him. It almost felt like an insult to skip out on it, but she shook her head. How silly. Kageyama wouldn't mind if she missed one meal. And he had her parents to account for either way, which had added to his duties considerably this month. She would be doing him a favor.
"I can have Kageyama drop me off," she said cheerfully.
"Oh no, please allow me to pick you up myself."
Reiko paused again. To spurn a meal and an escorted ride in one fell swoop? Oh Reiko, he's your butler. It's his job to do those things and do them well. It was a testament to Kageyama's excellent service that she was hesitant, and that was all there was to it.
"Very well. My next day off is Saturday. Come at 7:00 PM."
"I look forward to speaking with you again, my lady."
"You may call me by my name, if you wish."
"Of course. Reiko-san then. I will see you Saturday."
She stared at her phone for a few moments after the call ended, gathering her resolve. She headed back downstairs, just in time to find Kageyama pouring coffee for her parents in the sitting room.
"Papa, Togashi Masahiko-san is taking me to dinner on Saturday night. I thought you'd like to be aware of it, considering your arrangements with him."
Her parents exchanged what could only be described as a gleeful look. Her mother turned a page in the novel she was reading, smiling warmly. "I'm sure it'll be a lovely time, Reiko."
She turned, hoping to address Kageyama and inform him that she wouldn't require his assistance on Saturday, but he had his back to her, adding sugar to her mother's coffee cup. He was taking far longer than it seemed to require, but neither of her parents noticed.
Reiko stood her ground anyhow, turning up her nose. "Togashi-san is picking me up at 7:00. Kageyama, see to it that the dress I set out tonight is back from the dry cleaners in time."
He still didn't look directly at her, bringing the coffee cup and saucer over to her mother. "Of course, my lady," he said in reply. "I'll take it in first thing tomorrow."
She almost wanted to scream "why won't you look at me?" but how on earth would her parents react? They only knew a Reiko who was sweet and charming and diligent, not a scold. And was Kageyama pouting about this? She was free to date as she wished. She simply hadn't done so since he'd been in her family's employ, but surely the concept of his lady seeing a man wasn't so foreign to him. One day she'd get married, for goodness sake. He'd definitely have to get used to that!
By now he was busying himself with some of the Christmas figurines she'd laid out on the mantelpiece, straightening things he probably saw as crooked but weren't. She fumed, appalled at his lack of attention or interest in her life. Perhaps he would only take an interest if he knew that her date was a murderer, and he could swoop in to explain all the details of the man's crimes.
She bid her parents a good night, receiving smiles. She bid Kageyama a good night, and he continued straightening figurines, acknowledging her only with a nod of his head. Reiko found herself slamming her bedroom door upon her return upstairs. She perused her closet in a huff, looking for the perfect dress and draping it over the chair at her vanity table for Kageyama to bring in the following day.
Reiko went to bed slightly confused and mostly angry, drifting off to sleep with the sight of Kageyama's back in her mind, dreaming of him refusing to turn around ever again.
--
As Saturday drew nearer, Reiko's panic about her date rose. She was perfectly socially competent at her job, at speaking with other detectives and with the forensics team and with witnesses or suspects. She was perfectly well-adjusted at home, with the staff and with the person she spent most of her time with, Kageyama. But Togashi-san was in a wholly different category. She couldn't exactly talk crime in Kunitachi with him. What would he care about petty theft or arguments between neighbors?
She recalled again that she hadn't been on a real date since university and most of those had been with a group. Where Reiko had seen through their greed, their indifference to who she was other than her father's daughter. Fools, all of them. So while she hated to admit it, this was a topic she had very little practical knowledge of.
With her status and job, she was lacking in constant female friends. She met up with her schoolmates on occasion, but she was too embarrassed to admit her failure in the dating scene. And it wasn't failure, not really! It was...inexperience. Her career had simply come first. And speaking of her career, she definitely didn't need people at work speculating about her love life or lack thereof. She couldn't speak to the women she worked with - the two she saw day in and day out spent most of their time fawning over Kazamatsuri-san and his pompous stupidity, so what did they really know about men anyhow?
On Friday, she and Kazamatsuri-san were investigating a robbery at a convenience store, scrutinizing footage from the store cameras. As they left, Reiko hauling a bag of store tape copies while Inspector Kazamatsuri carried only his car keys, she spotted the magazine rack near the front of the store. She told him that she'd meet up with him back at the station.
As soon as he was gone, tearing away in his poorly-built, gas-guzzling Kazamatsuri Motors convertible, she went through the women's magazines, desperate for answers. She bit her lip, going from magazine to magazine. It was all a bit beyond the basics Reiko required. "You've got him...now keep him!" "101 dishes to keep his stomach full and his heart all yours!" "The best new techniques that'll drive him wild!"
She blushed, shoving the magazines back in the rack.
By the time she was home that evening, her dress was back from the dry cleaners and her parents had gone out for dinner with some of the board members of the Hosho Group. That left her alone at the head of the dining room table as Kageyama wheeled in the dinner cart.
He set a bowl of soup before her, reaching for the corkscrew to open a bottle of red wine. With her parents at home and no murders to solve, Kageyama seemed almost distant. There was none of his usual teasing, little of his usual good humor. He picked her up and drove her to work diligently as always, but he bordered on cold.
"Tonight is a pan-seared veal chop with a thyme au jus and asparagus in a balsamic butter sauce," he explained just as the cork popped from the wine bottle. "I hope it will be to your liking, my lady."
She brought her soup spoon to her lips, savoring the first taste. If the soup was anything to go on, the main course would be divine. "I am certain it will be very good, Kageyama."
He poured a glass for her, setting it before her and standing by. For months now it had just been the two of them in this dining room every night, Reiko grumbling over cases and Kageyama waiting for just the right cue to say something condescending. This evening she had nothing case-wise to grumble over, and her attempts to chat about the weather and then about the Christmas list her father assured her was already in Santa's hands received only short, polite responses. Who was this robot in Kageyama's tuxedo and where had her sharp-tongued butler gone?
When he brought around a small dish of lemon sorbet for dessert and didn't even speak, Reiko decided she'd finally had it.
She smacked her hands on the tablecloth, nearly toppling her wine glass. Her parents weren't here, so she could behave as she wished, ladylike or no.
"Alright, Kageyama, who robbed the convenience store?"
"My lady?"
She looked at him, narrowing her eyes as he finally looked her way, his face confused by her sudden outburst. "You heard me," she snapped at him. "I know you were hiding somewhere, skulking about. So who robbed the store?"
"I would have to view the tape to confirm my suspicions," he replied, using his finger to push his glasses up his nose. "But given the lack of witnesses, the time of the incident, and the general shiftiness of the manager, I'd say the manager himself is the thief and hopes to get away with it by playing the victim. It is my theory that he's been skimming for months to fulfill a debt of some kind. A secretive repositioning of the in-store cameras should reveal his deceitful ways if he tries it again."
She crossed her arms, foregoing proper posture to sulk. "You know all that. You've got all that figured out, huh?"
"It was pretty obvious..."
"Kageyama, I need you to date me."
He was midway through arranging her finished plates on the dinner tray, and he nearly dropped one. "I'm sorry?"
"Not for real," she said, knowing very well that he'd heard her question perfectly. The convenience store tack had only been to loosen his tongue (though most likely he was right). "I have this dinner tomorrow, and it has been quite some time since I've been in this situation so I'd appreciate your cooperation. You read your manga and things, you know what to say and what to do, I'm sure. We'll practice, you and I, so that I can be a most charming companion tomorrow night."
"The master would most certainly not approve of this scenario," he said a bit sharply, attempting to shut her down.
"The master is not at home this evening," she shot back. "So right now I am in charge here."
Reiko got to her feet before Kageyama could even assist with her chair. She abandoned the dining room and headed for the sitting room. By the time the confused butler had caught up with her she was pushing around chairs and an end table, arranging it to appear like a more intimate dining set-up than her own dining room allowed for.
"There," she said as he entered the room, gesturing at her arrangement. "We'll practice here."
"My lady..."
"I have instructed Togashi-san to call me by my name. You will do the same."
"I will not," Kageyama argued, tugging on his jacket and looking rather uncomfortable. "It is unthinkable and disrespectful to you."
She put her hands on her hips. "You are disrespectful to me all the time, Kageyama!"
He frowned at her, weighing the situation before him. Her father would not be home for hours, so what did it matter? And it was just practice so she didn't come across as overly formal or informal with Togashi-san. She didn't dare say anything that might compromise his business deal with the Hosho Group. She had to be more perfect than usual, couldn't Kageyama see her dilemma?
She sat down in the chair, gesturing for him to sit opposite her. "You are the only person who can help me," she pleaded, a bit ashamed at the truth of it. "Please?"
In seconds he'd seated himself, looking a bit less annoyed. "Very well. If I can be of help to you..."
"Good." She scrutinized him a bit, the proper way he was seated with his hands in his lap, the seriousness of his expression. He wouldn't be much fun on a date. Did Kageyama even date? "Remove your glasses. Then you will remind me less of who you are."
"My lady..."
She scowled at him. "Kageyama, do as I say."
He took his glasses off and set them aside, meeting her eyes again. It was odd, but she hardly ever saw him without them. There was no denying that Kageyama was handsome (at least until he began speaking and ruined the effect entirely), but without his glasses he seemed almost a different man. The glasses gave him a sharp, calculating air. Without them, his eyes were more noticeable, a calm brown. The balance of his face was totally different, softer even. He was...he was...
"My lady, perhaps during your meal you and Togashi-san could talk about his business more? About the books he is publishing?"
She blinked, catching herself before her staring grew awkward. "Yes, yes, that's a good idea. Books are a safe subject."
"And you could follow up with mention of some of your favorites from the library here," Kageyama continued.
"Very well, excellent," she said, already feeling more comfortable. She had ideas now, ways of easing into a relaxed conversation with Togashi-san. "What have you been reading lately?" she asked, tilting her head and attempting to look enthralled.
Kageyama's acting needed some work, because the first thing he began chattering about was some new manga about a magical girl and her friends and their various powers. Before he could explain what the fourth and newest member of the magical girl squad contributed, Reiko interrupted.
"I highly doubt Togashi-san is going to talk about manga."
"My lady, I can only speak to what I know..."
"Call me by my name."
He frowned at her once more. "How often do you expect him to address you by name during the meal?"
"I don't know," she protested. "I just want to hear you say it."
No longer hidden behind his wire frames, she saw Kageyama's eyes widen at her comment, and she realized how her words may have sounded. She was so used to "my lady" from him and the staff and "Hosho-kun" at the station that her actual name seemed almost foreign, an intimate pair of syllables she usually only heard from her parents these days. Asking it of Kageyama, who was forbidden to use it because of his station, was rather cruel.
She refused to apologize, clearing her throat. "Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. This is only a first date."
Kageyama visibly relaxed at being let off the hook. They spoke instead about books for another hour until their pretend date was interrupted. It was her father asking to be picked up earlier than arranged since he had just organized a round of golf with an early start the following morning. Reiko frowned at the swift end to her rehearsal. She'd been chatting about her favorite books in the library, and Kageyama seemed to instinctively know what they were before she said them. The flow of their conversation had been so comfortable she'd almost forgotten that he was playing a role at her insistence.
Before he left, Kageyama found her where he'd left her in the sitting room to take her father's call. He was back in his glasses and his coat, pulling on his gloves.
"I'm sure you and Togashi-san will have no trouble finding something to talk about," he said, looking over in her direction. "Is there anything else you need before I go?"
She wanted to continue their conversation. Not as Reiko and Togashi-san, but as Reiko and Kageyama. She wanted to know what else he knew about her reading preferences and how he knew them so well. Instead she turned up her nose. "Go on, don't be late picking up Papa. If he has an early tee time, he'll need plenty of rest."
"Of course. Good night," Kageyama said, inclining his head before departing.
--
It had been strange to sit in the front seat of a car. She was used to the comforts the limousine afforded her, especially the ability to take a nap as needed. But Reiko was as far from a nap as she could get. Togashi-san had been a real gentleman, coming into the house to exchange pleasantries with her parents before escorting her to the car. He'd held her door and adjusted the car's temperature to her liking. Although he was the president of his company, Togashi-san drove a small sedan. Perhaps he lived simply. With the Hosho Group's backing his situation would definitely improve, Reiko was certain of it.
Their dinner took place at a charming, but simple restaurant in Daikanyama specializing in hotpot offerings. Perfect for the chilly weather, although she had definitely overdressed for the occasion, spying other customers in more casual clothes, even jeans. But the food was excellent, and Togashi-san eagerly took her up on a conversation about books. Unlike Kageyama and his manga, Togashi Family Publishing focused mainly on technical manuals. Reiko could barely understand the topics, but Togashi-san was so passionate about his business that she didn't mind that much.
Everything went far more smoothly than Reiko had anticipated. At least until the bill arrived. The waiter looked embarrassed when he returned with Togashi-san's credit card in hand. He lowered his voice, sounding apologetic as he told Togashi-san his card had been declined. Reiko looked away, not wanting to see Togashi-san's shamed face. She heard him rustle through his wallet, murmuring to himself as he handed over another card. This one was accepted, and the dinner ended on a strange note. How poorly off was Togashi Family Publishing that its president could barely afford to treat someone to a meal?
They were fairly quiet on the drive back from the center of Tokyo to Kunitachi. All she could think to talk about was herself, and did Togashi-san really need a reminder of her wealth and privilege? He asked her how the reindeer were doing on the estate, and she was pleased with the topic. The reindeer were the absolute cutest, she informed him. Perhaps on par with Santa's own team.
"Santa huh?" Togashi-san asked, sounding amused as they pulled into the driveway.
"What's so funny about Santa-san?" Reiko asked. "He'll find our house easily. With the reindeer and all the lights. Papa has assured me of it."
Her companion chuckled to himself. "You are a very cute person, Reiko-san."
She wasn't sure if he was being complimentary or patronizing so she said nothing in reply as Togashi-san turned off the car and came around to open the door. But before she could step out, he was leaning against the car, barring her exit.
"Would you see me again? Barring my inconvenience at dinner, I had a nice time with you. Let me take you out again."
She blushed at his closeness. Reiko wasn't certain what she felt for Togashi-san. He was nice, but she wasn't all that attracted to him. And it wasn't because his credit card had been declined; she wasn't that shallow of course. She didn't want to be rude, and she didn't want to insult him. Once the deal with her father was confirmed, perhaps she could ask to remain friends. But for now, she would agree. If anything, it would give her more practice for dating in the future. When she found someone that made her stomach twist and turn with nervous delight rather than someone who sounded so cynical about Santa Claus.
"Sure," she replied. "Let's set something up again sometime."
"Well, how about on Christmas Eve?" he asked, still not budging from his place beside the car.
Her stomach twisted and turned, and not in the way she hoped. Not only was it a very romantic day, but if she was out and about late on Christmas Eve...
"I'm sure that will be fine," she said anyhow as he took her hand and helped her from the car.
"Great, I look forward to it."
He leaned over and surprised her by pressing a quick kiss to her cheek just as the front door opened. Kageyama was there, bowing, and she stepped aside. She was getting the impression that Togashi-san liked her a great deal more than she liked him, and her cheeks burned at the sight of Kageyama waiting for her. Togashi-san waved to him, and he inclined his head. Kageyama had clearly seen what had just happened. Would he tell Papa? What did he think?
"Well, good night!"
And like that Togashi-san was in the car, turning the engine back on. Reiko clutched her handbag, shivering a bit in the cold as she walked to the door. Kageyama's face was rather blank. She expected some sort of tease or a joke, but he offered neither.
"Welcome home, my lady," he said, standing aside to let her in.
"He's asked me to see him on Christmas Eve," she said as he shut the door behind her.
Kageyama said nothing, twisting the locks. She stood there in her coat, inhaling and exhaling the soothing gingerbread-orange combination. Wasn't he going to say something? It was Christmas Eve after all. When he turned around, he seemed surprised that she was still standing there, that she hadn't shoved her coat at him to put away.
"Is something the matter?" he asked.
She hesitated, trying to act as though nothing was amiss. "Oh, it's just...I've always been so busy on Christmas Eve. Police work. School. Parties with my parents. I can't recall going on a Christmas date before."
He waited for her.
"Reiko?" came her father's voice from the library. "Reiko, have you come home, sweetheart?"
She lowered her voice, patting Kageyama's sleeve. "I will need more practice. I'm counting on you, Kageyama," she said quietly before turning her back and calling out to her father.
Part Two
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Hosho Reiko/Kageyama (Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato De)
Summary: This December would see Kageyama on his best behavior. Kageyama behaving as a butler ought to. It would be a very nice break, Reiko was sure of it.
Notes/Warnings: For this year's je_holiday. No spoilers for anything past the original drama. Wow, is this the first non-NC-17 story I've written for these characters?! LOL!
Hosho Reiko was growing nervous. If they were going to make it to the airport in time, they had to leave in the next twenty minutes. However, the tree was still not to her satisfaction. When it came to holiday decorating Kageyama was no slouch, but he certainly could be stupid about the simplest of simple things.
Already that morning Reiko had found it necessary to yank a bunch of ornaments from where Kageyama had hung them, moving them to more prominent positions. The crystal goose figurine her cousin had given the family as a gift a few years back? Who cares? To the back of the tree it went. The handmade paper snowflake Reiko had made in school when she was eight? To the front where Papa could see it first thing.
It was the first day of December, a traditionally important day in the Hosho house. The countdown to Santa-san's arrival officially began, and the big Christmas tree went up in the sitting room. The smaller tree and lights went up in the dining room. The exterior of the house was fully decked out, and Reiko hung her stocking with care by the fireplace.
Papa and Mama usually came home in time for Christmas Eve, but this year was a special year. Papa and Mama had decided to spend the entire month of December in Japan for once, and Reiko was definitely looking forward to it. For one, she missed her parents. Even though work kept her busy, she could only count on the occasional video chat or phone call with Mama and Papa. Now they'd be here for weeks. And for two, if her Papa was home, it meant Kageyama would have to curb his tongue.
In Reiko's opinion, Kageyama had grown increasingly lax as her parents spent more time away from home. Without her Papa to supervise, Kageyama indulged himself, criticizing Reiko's intelligence and making all of his nitpicky little comments and conclusions about her cases. Conclusions Reiko would have eventually come to if he only shut his mouth for a moment or twenty.
This December would see Kageyama on his best behavior. Kageyama behaving as a butler ought to. It would be a very nice break, Reiko was sure of it.
With a sigh, Reiko put another ornament (a smiling photo of herself in high school holding a candy cane) in a better place just as Kageyama brought a stepladder into the sitting room. He granted her one of his condescending smiles. "I apologize if my ornament placement was not to your satisfaction, my lady."
She rolled her eyes. The man simply had no sense for these things. "Hurry up, would you? Everything has to be perfect before Papa enters the house."
"I have been informed that the outdoor arrangements have been completed," Kageyama explained. "We need only finish this tree here." He moved to the open cardboard box on the sofa, pulling out a gold sparkling star. "I'll just put this in place, and we can leave."
"Absolutely not," Reiko insisted with a stomp of her foot.
He glanced at the lit-up tree once more, then raised an eyebrow. "Have I forgotten something else?"
She moved forward, snatching the star from his fingers. "I'm the only one qualified to place the star. It's my job."
"Ah," Kageyama replied. "My apologies."
You should be sorry, Reiko thought. Hmmph. The mere idea of Kageyama placing the most important ornament. What would Santa think when he came by, seeing a Kageyama-decorated tree with its poorly thought-out ornament arrangement? Horrible!
Kageyama got the stepladder into place, standing close by as Reiko climbed up. It was a wide, gorgeous ten-foot tree. Fake on account of her mother's allergies, but that meant no needles to clean, which made things a bit easier. The tree had been in the family since Reiko was a child. As she climbed the ladder, she fondly remembered her former butler, Karasawa, standing by every year while she placed the star. Karasawa always knew where the ornaments went.
She set the star atop the faux pine branch that stuck out of the top of the tree while Kageyama held the ladder steady. She admired her work, seeing how perfectly the star completed the tree.
"It looks crooked."
She looked down, seeing Kageyama scrutinizing her. "It is not crooked. Perhaps you ought to get your eyes checked, Kageyama. I'll not have you driving me around if your corrective lenses aren't actually correct. What if you crash us into a wall?"
He stepped back, taking another look. She could tell he was still doubtful, but Reiko knew that Kageyama enjoyed being difficult. But the clock was ticking, and it was no short drive to Narita Airport. "Very well, my lady. If you are satisfied, then the decorating is complete."
"Of course I'm satisfied," she replied, holding tight to the ladder as she made her way down. Perhaps a little too satisfied and a little too preoccupied with that satisfaction, because she managed to slip at the ladder's halfway mark.
She let out a shriek, and the ladder wobbled as she tried to regain her footing but it only propelled her backwards. She shut her eyes, expecting the whole ladder to tip into the tree and ruin everything she'd worked so hard that day to accomplish while she herself cracked her head open. But she was instead surprised to feel warmth, such warmth. It was Kageyama, catching hold of her as she fell without missing a beat. Kageyama wrapping his arms around her and setting her safely on the floor, a look of grave concern in his eyes.
"Are you all right, my lady?"
She was clinging to him in her fright, but now that she was once more on solid, non-laddery ground she hurriedly pulled away from him, straightening the hem on her dress.
Her pulse was racing and her skin was hot, but there was a plane to meet. She turned her back on her butler, turned her back on how oddly thrilling it had felt to fall right into his protective arms. It was just Kageyama doing his job, keeping her safe. Kageyama who couldn't even hang an ornament properly. Kageyama who would probably follow up his "are you all right, my lady?" with a "now who needs their eyes checked?" comment.
Without looking back at the tree or the stepladder, Reiko headed for the hall and her coat. "Hurry up, Kageyama. We're going to be late!"
--
In the time it took to drive from Kunitachi to the airport, Inspector Kazamatsuri called her seven times. The first to ask where she was (it was her day off). The second to ask if she had filed a certain report (yes, she had filed it because he had been too lazy to do it himself). Calls three through six were questions regarding said report that he was supposed to know the answers to (Reiko suspected he was in a review meeting with their superiors). And call number seven involved a Sudoku puzzle he was stuck on.
If he called her again, she wouldn't know because she finally switched her phone off and shoved it to the very bottom of her bag. The limousine headed for the lot reserved for the private runway where the Hosho family plane would land. It was much quicker than dealing with the terminal, and she could already see the private jet with the Hosho Group crest heading off for its small hangar.
She and Kageyama headed for the private arrivals lounge, finding one other person waiting. He got to his feet, fixing Reiko with a smile immediately. She felt Kageyama step closer to her as the man approached. He was older than Kageyama, perhaps in his mid-thirties, with dark hair graying at the temples and a suit that fit him well but had seen better days. His eyes, however, seemed kind.
He held out his hand. "Hosho Reiko-san, I presume?"
Reiko was unaccustomed to shaking hands, holding hers out a bit shyly. The man reddened. "Ah, forgive me." Instead of giving hers a shake he took her hand and lifted it to his mouth, brushing a quick kiss to her knuckles. "Is that correct?"
It was then that Kageyama stepped forward. "Pardon me, but who are you?"
The man let Reiko's hand go, scratching at his head nervously. "Ah, I knew I was going to mess that up, sorry. Togashi Masahiko." He fumbled around inside his suit jacket, removing a business card and holding it out. It was Kageyama's hand that snatched it away, a bit ruder than Reiko felt was necessary. He then handed it to her.
Togashi Masahiko, the card read. Togashi Family Publishing.
"Your father asked me to come today," Togashi-san said, seeming to shrink under Kageyama's stare.
"I wasn't informed of any such meetings. I am Kageyama, the Hosho family butler," he said curtly, bowing to Togashi-san.
"Hosho-san called from the plane. He said..."
But then the door leading out to the private hangars opened, and Reiko's eyes were drawn from the two men at her side to the man and woman coming through the door. They were tanned and relaxed, having spent the last two months in Bali. Their flight crew followed them in with their bags.
"Reiko-chan!" her mother cried, and Reiko hurried forward, enveloped immediately in her parents' embrace. Kageyama bowed low to her father, and Togashi-san nervously mimicked the pose.
"The whole house is decorated and waiting," Reiko boasted. "Let's hurry home!"
Where her father usually did immediately as she wished, he instead patted her shoulder and turned her around. "Masahiko-kun, you made it."
The man stepped forward and shook hands with her father. "Reiko," her father said. "May I introduce Togashi Family Publishing's Togashi Masahiko."
Introductions were made again, and this time her father explained that the Hosho Group was currently in negotiations with Togashi Family Publishing to buy up their operations and add them to the Hosho Group's publishing division. Now the man's presence made more sense. Her father never went through any sort of merger or acquisition without having the company's president over for dinner at the house. Reiko was a little upset at the timing, however. Tonight was supposed to be her night with her parents, the three of them together at the dining table after so many weeks. She maintained a polite smile, though she saw a bit of sympathy in Kageyama's face as her father chatted merrily with Togashi-san.
The interest in Togashi-san's company was fairly recent. Her father had only just begun the process a week earlier, which certainly explained Kageyama's ignorance of the subject. The Hosho Group's publishing division alone was made up of several companies, so many that Reiko had lost count. But she could still see that Kageyama was upset with himself for not knowing every last thing about his master's business. Perhaps her insistence on Christmas decor perfection the past few days had kept him from reading a memo or two.
The ride back to the house was a little more awkward than usual. Reiko didn't feel comfortable telling her parents about work with a stranger in the car, and most of the chatter occurred between her father and Togashi-san. Her mother gave her a sympathetic look, and she assumed the poor woman had spent the entire plane ride from Bali to Japan hearing about this business deal. Once her father had an acquisition in mind, it was all he talked about. Reiko preferred it when she was all he talked about.
She caught Kageyama's eye in the rearview mirror, seeing his gentle smile, and she suddenly felt a bit better.
--
Thankfully upon arriving at the house, her father's attention returned to its proper place. "Reiko-chan, you have outdone yourself this year."
Between the small herd of real, live reindeer walking the Hosho family grounds and the snow machine in the rear gardens, the estate already looked like Christmas. Kageyama parked and held the door, and Reiko could see pure shock in Togashi-san's face as he exited the limo and took in the lights adorning the exterior of the house.
Reiko held her papa's arm as they headed inside, Kageyama swiftly ordering other staff about to bring in the master and mistress' things and to ensure dinner was ready for four. As Reiko had planned, the house smelled lightly of gingerbread and oranges, earning additional praise from her father.
Soon it was time for dinner, and Reiko happily relinquished her seat at the head of the table to her father, sitting at his left-hand side and her mother to the right. While it was most proper for Togashi-san to have a seat opposite her father at the other end of the table, somehow her father and mother had insisted that their guest be seated at Reiko's left.
She felt slightly self-conscious as the stranger took up knife and fork at her side, praising the house and the decorations and Reiko herself in a short amount of time. While Reiko expected such praise as a matter of courtesy, hearing it was another matter. With her parents away and work taking so much of her time, praise and compliments had become a rarity indeed. There was always Kazamatsuri-san treating her like his servant, spouting off his nonsense notions about their cases. There was always Kageyama, who withheld his praises like someone taunting a dog by holding a bone just out of reach. It had been some time since Reiko had been able to sit back and soak up flattering remarks, and she found herself much out of practice.
It didn't help that Kageyama, standing carefully out of her father's eyesight, allowed his nose to twitch in amusement at every remark coming from Togashi-san's mouth. "My lady Reiko, you are truly stunning to behold." Twitch. "How fortunate I am to sit beside a true lady tonight." Twitch.
Reiko, of course, was no fool. She suspected that Togashi-san's attentiveness to her was not entirely genuine. She noticed her father's smiles growing wider and wider the more Togashi-san complimented her. Hosho Seitaro had always considered Reiko to be his grandest achievement, and a man set to do business with her father would do well to compliment his daughter. But maybe, just maybe, there was an ounce of truth to the compliments. Perhaps this man did find her stunning to behold.
As dinner went on and her father and Togashi-san spoke more about business, their guest revealed that Togashi Family Publishing had been operating since the turn of the twentieth century and he was proud to lead them. But independent companies were harder to manage these days, especially in publishing. With the Hosho Group's backing, his family's business would continue. His employees would be able to continue working and could support their families. He spoke plainly, passionately, and earnestly about his company. He took pride in his company as her father took in his. Reiko was certain this deal would go through.
It was when Kageyama brought out the dessert cart with her father's favorite cake that her mother went a step beyond her usual bounds.
"Togashi-san, are you married?"
Kageyama set down a plate of cake for her father, and Reiko noticed the slightest stiffness in his movements. Since Togashi-san had enjoyed a sampling from the Hosho family's wine cellar, he was not as uncomfortable with the question.
"I'm not," he said, dabbing at his mouth with his napkin.
Her mother accepted her plate of cake with a nod for Kageyama and a smile for her guest. "Perhaps you could bring Reiko-chan out for a bit of fun. She works hard and could probably use a break."
"That sounds like a great idea!" her father chimed in, patting her on the hand.
"I'd be honored," Togashi-san replied.
"How about it?" her mother pressed on, looking between Reiko and their guest. "Reiko, when's your next day off?"
"Mother," Reiko said, feeling all the eyes in the room on her and not for reasons that she preferred.
She looked down, seeing the flash of Kageyama's hand and the sleeve of his jacket as her plate of cake (drizzled with raspberry sauce just the way she liked it) arrived. She'd been an heiress her entire life, a prize for any suitor, but her parents had never once tried to arrange or force anything. And that's what this was. A business deal and maybe more. Her parents' eyes had been sparkling and shining for Togashi-san all evening. With a month home in Japan away from their usual beach bliss, they needed another distraction, and their daughter's single status was it.
Not that Togashi-san was ugly or anything. He was a little older, certainly, but he seemed kind. He had a narrow, but handsome face with a pointed chin. He loved his work as Reiko loved her own (despite its Kazamatsuri-shaped difficulties). What was the harm?
"Would you like some raspberry sauce for your cake, sir?" Kageyama suddenly asked their guest, startling Reiko out of her thoughts. He was standing between Reiko and Togashi-san, grip firm on the spoon and sauce boat.
Togashi leaned forward, peeking around Kageyama to look at her. "Yes, please."
--
Kageyama had been tasked with driving Togashi-san to his home in Ota Ward. She was finally able to chat alone with her parents, telling them about the cases she'd been working on. She was careful to talk up her own achievements and victories while politely acknowledging Kageyama's contributions. She knew her parents were wary about her career, but they never once told her to quit. They usually seemed rather pleased to know Kageyama was following her around and assisting, even though Reiko had been through the police academy and could take care of herself, thank you very much.
Her parents were tired from their long day of travel, even in the luxury of the Hosho family jet. They took one last adoring look at the tree Reiko had decorated ("Totally perfect!" her father had declared, finding nothing remotely crooked about the star at the top) before heading up to bed.
She sat alone in the sitting room, turning out the other lights and relaxing in the soft, warm glow of the tree's lights. The day certainly had not gone exactly to plan, but her parents were home and now Reiko was one day closer to Santa's arrival and his bounty of gifts.
Kageyama came in a short time later, heading over to unplug the tree and turn off the magic for the night. "Wait," she called out in the darkness. He jumped, steadying himself against one of the side tables, and Reiko laughed.
"My lady, you startled me!"
She grinned. Spooking Kageyama was a rare accomplishment. "I'm sorry," she said, not that she sounded apologetic at all.
He dutifully left the tree lit up, moving to stand beside the couch where she was reclined, hugging a throw pillow. "I spoke with the master earlier, and he has requested waffles for tomorrow's breakfast. Shall I have anything else prepared for you, my lady?"
She fussed at him, batting him away with her hand. "Sit down and enjoy the tree."
He obeyed, taking a seat in the chair opposite the couch.
She hugged the pillow tighter. "Waffles will be fine. With extra whipped cream for mine and no extra for Papa. He needs to be careful with his sweets, doctor's orders."
They sat quietly for several moments, Reiko taking in the rainbow colors of the lights as they wrapped around from the thick base of the tree to its golden topper. Kageyama usually waited for her prompting to begin speaking, but she heard him rustle around in the pocket of his jacket.
"I have another card from Togashi-san," Kageyama noted quietly. "He has written his phone number and said if you are interested in meeting up for a coffee that he would enjoy it very much."
"He said that?"
"Yes."
"He said that to you?"
"Is the method of his communication displeasing to you?"
"Never mind, I don't know what I'm saying. I'm tired."
She squeezed the pillow, trying to ignore her strange feelings. The stepladder had been removed from the sitting room while she and Kageyama had gone to the airport, but she was preoccupied with what had happened on it earlier. Falling and then Kageyama so close, so unlike his usual polite, expected distance. His arms tight around her for what had only been seconds. Compared with Togashi-san's exaggerated dinner time flattery and her parents' meddling, Kageyama's impromptu rescue seemed all the more exciting. And genuine.
But why on earth did it excite her at all? It was Kageyama, whose job it was to keep her from falling off ladders. Whose job it was to escort her, serve her cake. Bring her business cards with the phone number of a potential date on them.
A date. How long had it been since Reiko had been on a proper date? Maybe that was the reason for her odd feelings. She'd been asked out a handful of times in the police academy, but fearing their discovery of who she truly was, she'd turned them down. No dates since university, then, and none of them had been princes or heirs apparent. So many had only been interested in one thing - not her beauty and charm, but her father's money.
Wallowing was unbecoming of the heiress to the Hosho Group, so Reiko stopped her internal whining. She got to her feet, holding out her hand for the card. Kageyama handed it over, his fingers cool against her own. "Maybe I'll give him a call, maybe I won't," she decided. "But tomorrow it's back to work. I expect my breakfast to be right on time, Kageyama."
He nodded, getting to his feet and heading to unplug the tree. "With extra whipped cream, my lady."
--
With her job, Reiko had an earlier start than her parents. They were just sitting down to breakfast when Kageyama had to excuse himself in order to drive her. Her father gave her a wink and told her to catch a dozen criminals and call it a day.
Well, upon her arrival at the Kunitachi station, she found that there weren't twelve criminals to catch. Not even half a dozen. It wasn't always a murder mystery, or even a mystery. Kunitachi had been surprisingly well-behaved the past few months. There'd only been two unexplained deaths in the whole of November, and Kageyama had been deprived of a chance to flex his crime-solving muscles. Their evening chats revolved more around what he'd served her for dinner and around Reiko's paperwork on smaller, easily-solved cases.
Not that Reiko was complaining. Not everything had to be so complex. It was about justice and ensuring it was served. While catching a murderer was a true accomplishment, there really wasn't anything bad about putting a thief behind bars. Reiko took pride in keeping Kunitachi safe from thieves and murderers and angry plotters alike.
She also took pride in seeing Kageyama's gloomy face when he was once again denied the opportunity to show off.
At her desk that day and the day after and then the day after that, Reiko handled her reports and suspect interviews with skill and determination. She handled Kazamatsuri-san's blustering and blundering with patience. Her work life was normal as could be. But over those three days Togashi-san's card and phone number sat in her wallet, awaiting some sort of response. At dinner each night her father had other business ventures to discuss and fortunately the topic of Togashi-san did not come up. Nor did her mother press her, as she was now preoccupied with organizing a holiday luncheon for one of her charities.
Curiosity finally got the best of her. Curiosity and the reminder that she hadn't been on a date in years. After dinner she excused herself and headed for her room, pulling out her phone and the card. While Togashi-san had been polite and hadn't forced the issue, Reiko still felt odd being the one to call and begin the whole process properly. She wasn't used to being on this side of the equation, the pursuer and not the pursued.
Togashi-san answered on the second ring and thankfully took over from there. Instead of coffee, he made the leap and asked her to dinner at a restaurant in Daikanyama. Reiko paused to consider the offer. She rarely missed dinners at home on account of how delicious they were. Kageyama, and Karasawa before him, always presented them to her perfectly. Even when she pulled a long night at the station, Kageyama was always there to offer a late meal at home or to bundle it up and bring it to her in person, sneaking around so nobody saw him. It almost felt like an insult to skip out on it, but she shook her head. How silly. Kageyama wouldn't mind if she missed one meal. And he had her parents to account for either way, which had added to his duties considerably this month. She would be doing him a favor.
"I can have Kageyama drop me off," she said cheerfully.
"Oh no, please allow me to pick you up myself."
Reiko paused again. To spurn a meal and an escorted ride in one fell swoop? Oh Reiko, he's your butler. It's his job to do those things and do them well. It was a testament to Kageyama's excellent service that she was hesitant, and that was all there was to it.
"Very well. My next day off is Saturday. Come at 7:00 PM."
"I look forward to speaking with you again, my lady."
"You may call me by my name, if you wish."
"Of course. Reiko-san then. I will see you Saturday."
She stared at her phone for a few moments after the call ended, gathering her resolve. She headed back downstairs, just in time to find Kageyama pouring coffee for her parents in the sitting room.
"Papa, Togashi Masahiko-san is taking me to dinner on Saturday night. I thought you'd like to be aware of it, considering your arrangements with him."
Her parents exchanged what could only be described as a gleeful look. Her mother turned a page in the novel she was reading, smiling warmly. "I'm sure it'll be a lovely time, Reiko."
She turned, hoping to address Kageyama and inform him that she wouldn't require his assistance on Saturday, but he had his back to her, adding sugar to her mother's coffee cup. He was taking far longer than it seemed to require, but neither of her parents noticed.
Reiko stood her ground anyhow, turning up her nose. "Togashi-san is picking me up at 7:00. Kageyama, see to it that the dress I set out tonight is back from the dry cleaners in time."
He still didn't look directly at her, bringing the coffee cup and saucer over to her mother. "Of course, my lady," he said in reply. "I'll take it in first thing tomorrow."
She almost wanted to scream "why won't you look at me?" but how on earth would her parents react? They only knew a Reiko who was sweet and charming and diligent, not a scold. And was Kageyama pouting about this? She was free to date as she wished. She simply hadn't done so since he'd been in her family's employ, but surely the concept of his lady seeing a man wasn't so foreign to him. One day she'd get married, for goodness sake. He'd definitely have to get used to that!
By now he was busying himself with some of the Christmas figurines she'd laid out on the mantelpiece, straightening things he probably saw as crooked but weren't. She fumed, appalled at his lack of attention or interest in her life. Perhaps he would only take an interest if he knew that her date was a murderer, and he could swoop in to explain all the details of the man's crimes.
She bid her parents a good night, receiving smiles. She bid Kageyama a good night, and he continued straightening figurines, acknowledging her only with a nod of his head. Reiko found herself slamming her bedroom door upon her return upstairs. She perused her closet in a huff, looking for the perfect dress and draping it over the chair at her vanity table for Kageyama to bring in the following day.
Reiko went to bed slightly confused and mostly angry, drifting off to sleep with the sight of Kageyama's back in her mind, dreaming of him refusing to turn around ever again.
--
As Saturday drew nearer, Reiko's panic about her date rose. She was perfectly socially competent at her job, at speaking with other detectives and with the forensics team and with witnesses or suspects. She was perfectly well-adjusted at home, with the staff and with the person she spent most of her time with, Kageyama. But Togashi-san was in a wholly different category. She couldn't exactly talk crime in Kunitachi with him. What would he care about petty theft or arguments between neighbors?
She recalled again that she hadn't been on a real date since university and most of those had been with a group. Where Reiko had seen through their greed, their indifference to who she was other than her father's daughter. Fools, all of them. So while she hated to admit it, this was a topic she had very little practical knowledge of.
With her status and job, she was lacking in constant female friends. She met up with her schoolmates on occasion, but she was too embarrassed to admit her failure in the dating scene. And it wasn't failure, not really! It was...inexperience. Her career had simply come first. And speaking of her career, she definitely didn't need people at work speculating about her love life or lack thereof. She couldn't speak to the women she worked with - the two she saw day in and day out spent most of their time fawning over Kazamatsuri-san and his pompous stupidity, so what did they really know about men anyhow?
On Friday, she and Kazamatsuri-san were investigating a robbery at a convenience store, scrutinizing footage from the store cameras. As they left, Reiko hauling a bag of store tape copies while Inspector Kazamatsuri carried only his car keys, she spotted the magazine rack near the front of the store. She told him that she'd meet up with him back at the station.
As soon as he was gone, tearing away in his poorly-built, gas-guzzling Kazamatsuri Motors convertible, she went through the women's magazines, desperate for answers. She bit her lip, going from magazine to magazine. It was all a bit beyond the basics Reiko required. "You've got him...now keep him!" "101 dishes to keep his stomach full and his heart all yours!" "The best new techniques that'll drive him wild!"
She blushed, shoving the magazines back in the rack.
By the time she was home that evening, her dress was back from the dry cleaners and her parents had gone out for dinner with some of the board members of the Hosho Group. That left her alone at the head of the dining room table as Kageyama wheeled in the dinner cart.
He set a bowl of soup before her, reaching for the corkscrew to open a bottle of red wine. With her parents at home and no murders to solve, Kageyama seemed almost distant. There was none of his usual teasing, little of his usual good humor. He picked her up and drove her to work diligently as always, but he bordered on cold.
"Tonight is a pan-seared veal chop with a thyme au jus and asparagus in a balsamic butter sauce," he explained just as the cork popped from the wine bottle. "I hope it will be to your liking, my lady."
She brought her soup spoon to her lips, savoring the first taste. If the soup was anything to go on, the main course would be divine. "I am certain it will be very good, Kageyama."
He poured a glass for her, setting it before her and standing by. For months now it had just been the two of them in this dining room every night, Reiko grumbling over cases and Kageyama waiting for just the right cue to say something condescending. This evening she had nothing case-wise to grumble over, and her attempts to chat about the weather and then about the Christmas list her father assured her was already in Santa's hands received only short, polite responses. Who was this robot in Kageyama's tuxedo and where had her sharp-tongued butler gone?
When he brought around a small dish of lemon sorbet for dessert and didn't even speak, Reiko decided she'd finally had it.
She smacked her hands on the tablecloth, nearly toppling her wine glass. Her parents weren't here, so she could behave as she wished, ladylike or no.
"Alright, Kageyama, who robbed the convenience store?"
"My lady?"
She looked at him, narrowing her eyes as he finally looked her way, his face confused by her sudden outburst. "You heard me," she snapped at him. "I know you were hiding somewhere, skulking about. So who robbed the store?"
"I would have to view the tape to confirm my suspicions," he replied, using his finger to push his glasses up his nose. "But given the lack of witnesses, the time of the incident, and the general shiftiness of the manager, I'd say the manager himself is the thief and hopes to get away with it by playing the victim. It is my theory that he's been skimming for months to fulfill a debt of some kind. A secretive repositioning of the in-store cameras should reveal his deceitful ways if he tries it again."
She crossed her arms, foregoing proper posture to sulk. "You know all that. You've got all that figured out, huh?"
"It was pretty obvious..."
"Kageyama, I need you to date me."
He was midway through arranging her finished plates on the dinner tray, and he nearly dropped one. "I'm sorry?"
"Not for real," she said, knowing very well that he'd heard her question perfectly. The convenience store tack had only been to loosen his tongue (though most likely he was right). "I have this dinner tomorrow, and it has been quite some time since I've been in this situation so I'd appreciate your cooperation. You read your manga and things, you know what to say and what to do, I'm sure. We'll practice, you and I, so that I can be a most charming companion tomorrow night."
"The master would most certainly not approve of this scenario," he said a bit sharply, attempting to shut her down.
"The master is not at home this evening," she shot back. "So right now I am in charge here."
Reiko got to her feet before Kageyama could even assist with her chair. She abandoned the dining room and headed for the sitting room. By the time the confused butler had caught up with her she was pushing around chairs and an end table, arranging it to appear like a more intimate dining set-up than her own dining room allowed for.
"There," she said as he entered the room, gesturing at her arrangement. "We'll practice here."
"My lady..."
"I have instructed Togashi-san to call me by my name. You will do the same."
"I will not," Kageyama argued, tugging on his jacket and looking rather uncomfortable. "It is unthinkable and disrespectful to you."
She put her hands on her hips. "You are disrespectful to me all the time, Kageyama!"
He frowned at her, weighing the situation before him. Her father would not be home for hours, so what did it matter? And it was just practice so she didn't come across as overly formal or informal with Togashi-san. She didn't dare say anything that might compromise his business deal with the Hosho Group. She had to be more perfect than usual, couldn't Kageyama see her dilemma?
She sat down in the chair, gesturing for him to sit opposite her. "You are the only person who can help me," she pleaded, a bit ashamed at the truth of it. "Please?"
In seconds he'd seated himself, looking a bit less annoyed. "Very well. If I can be of help to you..."
"Good." She scrutinized him a bit, the proper way he was seated with his hands in his lap, the seriousness of his expression. He wouldn't be much fun on a date. Did Kageyama even date? "Remove your glasses. Then you will remind me less of who you are."
"My lady..."
She scowled at him. "Kageyama, do as I say."
He took his glasses off and set them aside, meeting her eyes again. It was odd, but she hardly ever saw him without them. There was no denying that Kageyama was handsome (at least until he began speaking and ruined the effect entirely), but without his glasses he seemed almost a different man. The glasses gave him a sharp, calculating air. Without them, his eyes were more noticeable, a calm brown. The balance of his face was totally different, softer even. He was...he was...
"My lady, perhaps during your meal you and Togashi-san could talk about his business more? About the books he is publishing?"
She blinked, catching herself before her staring grew awkward. "Yes, yes, that's a good idea. Books are a safe subject."
"And you could follow up with mention of some of your favorites from the library here," Kageyama continued.
"Very well, excellent," she said, already feeling more comfortable. She had ideas now, ways of easing into a relaxed conversation with Togashi-san. "What have you been reading lately?" she asked, tilting her head and attempting to look enthralled.
Kageyama's acting needed some work, because the first thing he began chattering about was some new manga about a magical girl and her friends and their various powers. Before he could explain what the fourth and newest member of the magical girl squad contributed, Reiko interrupted.
"I highly doubt Togashi-san is going to talk about manga."
"My lady, I can only speak to what I know..."
"Call me by my name."
He frowned at her once more. "How often do you expect him to address you by name during the meal?"
"I don't know," she protested. "I just want to hear you say it."
No longer hidden behind his wire frames, she saw Kageyama's eyes widen at her comment, and she realized how her words may have sounded. She was so used to "my lady" from him and the staff and "Hosho-kun" at the station that her actual name seemed almost foreign, an intimate pair of syllables she usually only heard from her parents these days. Asking it of Kageyama, who was forbidden to use it because of his station, was rather cruel.
She refused to apologize, clearing her throat. "Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself. This is only a first date."
Kageyama visibly relaxed at being let off the hook. They spoke instead about books for another hour until their pretend date was interrupted. It was her father asking to be picked up earlier than arranged since he had just organized a round of golf with an early start the following morning. Reiko frowned at the swift end to her rehearsal. She'd been chatting about her favorite books in the library, and Kageyama seemed to instinctively know what they were before she said them. The flow of their conversation had been so comfortable she'd almost forgotten that he was playing a role at her insistence.
Before he left, Kageyama found her where he'd left her in the sitting room to take her father's call. He was back in his glasses and his coat, pulling on his gloves.
"I'm sure you and Togashi-san will have no trouble finding something to talk about," he said, looking over in her direction. "Is there anything else you need before I go?"
She wanted to continue their conversation. Not as Reiko and Togashi-san, but as Reiko and Kageyama. She wanted to know what else he knew about her reading preferences and how he knew them so well. Instead she turned up her nose. "Go on, don't be late picking up Papa. If he has an early tee time, he'll need plenty of rest."
"Of course. Good night," Kageyama said, inclining his head before departing.
--
It had been strange to sit in the front seat of a car. She was used to the comforts the limousine afforded her, especially the ability to take a nap as needed. But Reiko was as far from a nap as she could get. Togashi-san had been a real gentleman, coming into the house to exchange pleasantries with her parents before escorting her to the car. He'd held her door and adjusted the car's temperature to her liking. Although he was the president of his company, Togashi-san drove a small sedan. Perhaps he lived simply. With the Hosho Group's backing his situation would definitely improve, Reiko was certain of it.
Their dinner took place at a charming, but simple restaurant in Daikanyama specializing in hotpot offerings. Perfect for the chilly weather, although she had definitely overdressed for the occasion, spying other customers in more casual clothes, even jeans. But the food was excellent, and Togashi-san eagerly took her up on a conversation about books. Unlike Kageyama and his manga, Togashi Family Publishing focused mainly on technical manuals. Reiko could barely understand the topics, but Togashi-san was so passionate about his business that she didn't mind that much.
Everything went far more smoothly than Reiko had anticipated. At least until the bill arrived. The waiter looked embarrassed when he returned with Togashi-san's credit card in hand. He lowered his voice, sounding apologetic as he told Togashi-san his card had been declined. Reiko looked away, not wanting to see Togashi-san's shamed face. She heard him rustle through his wallet, murmuring to himself as he handed over another card. This one was accepted, and the dinner ended on a strange note. How poorly off was Togashi Family Publishing that its president could barely afford to treat someone to a meal?
They were fairly quiet on the drive back from the center of Tokyo to Kunitachi. All she could think to talk about was herself, and did Togashi-san really need a reminder of her wealth and privilege? He asked her how the reindeer were doing on the estate, and she was pleased with the topic. The reindeer were the absolute cutest, she informed him. Perhaps on par with Santa's own team.
"Santa huh?" Togashi-san asked, sounding amused as they pulled into the driveway.
"What's so funny about Santa-san?" Reiko asked. "He'll find our house easily. With the reindeer and all the lights. Papa has assured me of it."
Her companion chuckled to himself. "You are a very cute person, Reiko-san."
She wasn't sure if he was being complimentary or patronizing so she said nothing in reply as Togashi-san turned off the car and came around to open the door. But before she could step out, he was leaning against the car, barring her exit.
"Would you see me again? Barring my inconvenience at dinner, I had a nice time with you. Let me take you out again."
She blushed at his closeness. Reiko wasn't certain what she felt for Togashi-san. He was nice, but she wasn't all that attracted to him. And it wasn't because his credit card had been declined; she wasn't that shallow of course. She didn't want to be rude, and she didn't want to insult him. Once the deal with her father was confirmed, perhaps she could ask to remain friends. But for now, she would agree. If anything, it would give her more practice for dating in the future. When she found someone that made her stomach twist and turn with nervous delight rather than someone who sounded so cynical about Santa Claus.
"Sure," she replied. "Let's set something up again sometime."
"Well, how about on Christmas Eve?" he asked, still not budging from his place beside the car.
Her stomach twisted and turned, and not in the way she hoped. Not only was it a very romantic day, but if she was out and about late on Christmas Eve...
"I'm sure that will be fine," she said anyhow as he took her hand and helped her from the car.
"Great, I look forward to it."
He leaned over and surprised her by pressing a quick kiss to her cheek just as the front door opened. Kageyama was there, bowing, and she stepped aside. She was getting the impression that Togashi-san liked her a great deal more than she liked him, and her cheeks burned at the sight of Kageyama waiting for her. Togashi-san waved to him, and he inclined his head. Kageyama had clearly seen what had just happened. Would he tell Papa? What did he think?
"Well, good night!"
And like that Togashi-san was in the car, turning the engine back on. Reiko clutched her handbag, shivering a bit in the cold as she walked to the door. Kageyama's face was rather blank. She expected some sort of tease or a joke, but he offered neither.
"Welcome home, my lady," he said, standing aside to let her in.
"He's asked me to see him on Christmas Eve," she said as he shut the door behind her.
Kageyama said nothing, twisting the locks. She stood there in her coat, inhaling and exhaling the soothing gingerbread-orange combination. Wasn't he going to say something? It was Christmas Eve after all. When he turned around, he seemed surprised that she was still standing there, that she hadn't shoved her coat at him to put away.
"Is something the matter?" he asked.
She hesitated, trying to act as though nothing was amiss. "Oh, it's just...I've always been so busy on Christmas Eve. Police work. School. Parties with my parents. I can't recall going on a Christmas date before."
He waited for her.
"Reiko?" came her father's voice from the library. "Reiko, have you come home, sweetheart?"
She lowered her voice, patting Kageyama's sleeve. "I will need more practice. I'm counting on you, Kageyama," she said quietly before turning her back and calling out to her father.
Part Two