Antonio returned back from a meeting with Hikaru. He met a maid and Kenji In the kitchen.
"Has she come out since?" Antonio asks in concern.
"No sir she's been in her room since morning" The maid replied.
Antonio sighs in exhaustion. "And she hasn't had anything to eat since then" Kenji said.
"I'll be right back" Antonio said as he made his way to Melissa's room.
He knocks gently on the door.
"Melissa are you all right?" He asked but there was no reply. He knocks again.
"Melissa answer me or else I'll break down this door" He said in fury.
"I'm... I'm here" Melissa weakly replied. "Well why haven't you had anything to eat since?" Antonio asked.
"Cuz I'm not hungry" She replied. "Is this because of yesterday? I told you that was nothing to worry yourself about" Antonio said.
"I'm fine sir" Melissa said.
"Open the door"
"There's no need for you to come inside. I'm fine honestly"
Antonio clenched his fists. "Open the goddamn door Melissa or I'll do it myself"
Melissa hesitated for a minute but she opened the door anyways because she knew he would break down the door.
Antonio looks at her, his heart ached for some reason seeing her like that. Seeing her so vulnerable and weak hurts him.
"You look tired and weak. Are you alright? Did you sleep well last night?" He asked
Melissa fell silent, she knew she couldn't tell him the truth. She couldn't tell him that she stayed up all night whipping herself as punishment for hurting someone yesterday.
"I had a nightmare, nothing serious" She said "Nothing serious?"
"Yeah" Melissa replied. Antonio sighs as he leans on the door.
"You could have come to me last night" Antonio said.
"Uhh.. I didn't want to disturb you" Melissa said.
"What will I do with you?..... Come downstairs for dinner. We are waiting for you" Antonio said
"W... We?" Melissa asked in confusion. "Yes we. Everyone is waiting for you" Antonio said softly.
"No, I can't be there"
"Why not?" Antonio asks in confusion.
"You don't seem to understand.... I hurt him... I can't... I can't face him" Melissa said.
"Hey look at me, he's fine okay? if anything he wants to apologize to you so let's go downstairs"
"Right now?' Melissa asked. "Yes right now.... when do you want to go"
"I don't know if we can do it some other time" Melissa said in fear.
"Melissa get downstairs now"
Melissa could only follow him silently downstairs.
She met Hikaru and Kenji already seated in the kitchen.
"G... Good evening" Melissa said. "Come join us for dinner" Hikaru said.
Melissa looks at Antonio, who sat down and picked up his chopstick.
"Aoi made tamagoyaki since you didn't have breakfast this morning... She also made karaage, tempura, miso soup, okonomiyaki and uden" Kenji said.
"Why are you reciting our dinner like a restaurant's menu?" Hikaru asked.
"Come have a seat and eat" Kenji said as he ignored Hikaru.
Melissa sits beside Antonio. She looks at the food before her, she has never eaten japanese delicacies.
Antonio placed a piece of tamagoyaki on her plate. "Have a tamagoyaki" Antonio said.
"Isn't this an omelette?" Melissa asked.
"Yes, Tamagoyaki is a type of Japanese omelette made by rolling together several layers of fried beaten eggs. It is often prepared in a rectangular omelette pan called a makiyakinabe or tamagoyaki. The word "tamago" means egg in Japanese, and the word "yaki" means to be cooked over direct heat." Hikaru said.
"Itadakimasu" Everyone said except Melissa who looks at them in confusion.
As if sensing the tension, Antonio leans close to her ear and whispered. "It means thanks for the food"
"I see" She said. "Do you have plans tomorrow Hikaru?" Kenji asked.
"Yes, Antonio and I will be going to visit Sakura tomorrow" Hikaru said.
"Aiya are you getting another tattoo? Your body is not a canvas" Kenji said.
Hikaru laughs out loud. "It's not for me but for Antonio" He replied.
Melissa looks at Antonio. "You're getting a tattoo?"
"Unfortunately" Antonio replied. "Why?" Melissa asked.
"We made a bet and he lost. The punishment states that the loser gets a tattoo that would cover he's entire body" Hikaru said.
"What's with you and bets?" Melissa asked Antonio. "It's not a big deal... Besides you said you like a guy with tattoos"
"This is different" Melissa said. "How is this different?" Antonio asked
Melissa opens her mouth and closed it. She opens it again but no word could come out. This is the first time she didn't have a comeback.
{Antonio 1-- Melissa 0}
"Anyways you'd accompany Kenji tomorrow for a shopping spree" Hikaru said.
"That isn't necessary.... I don't need that"
"Nonsense.... Kenji would be going for a movie shoot, he'll take you along" Antonio said.
"I don't need a babysitter" Melissa said. Antonio smirks.
"You are a foreigner in their country. Besides I'll give you my card, you can get whatever you need" Antonio said.
"I'm not a child you can bribe with money and shiny things" Melissa said pouting.
"If it's because of what happened yesterday.... I'm sorry.... For attacking you. I know I shouldn't have taken lots of alcohol when the director insisted.... I know I should have asked questions before charging at you" Kenji said
"This isn't because of you" Melissa said awkwardly. {Liar!!!} Antonio thought to himself.
"So will you accompany me to the filming set tomorrow?" Kenji asked.
"Alright" Melissa replied in defeat.
Kenji screams in excitement. "Behave" Hikaru scolded.
"I promise you won't regret this" Kenji said.
{I already am}
"Antonio have you figured out what tattoo you'll be getting?" Hikaru asked.
"Not really. Whatever she does is fine with me"
"You can't just get a random tattoo. Tattoo is more than just a drawing.... It's an art that expresses the person's emotions" Melissa said.
"You must really love tattoos" Hikaru said.
"Yeah... They're beautiful, especially the ones that are being colored with vibrant colors" Melissa said.
"Why don't you get one for yourself?" Kenji asked.
"I haven't thought about it before... I can only admire but I can never think about getting another one" Melissa said.
"Another one?" Antonio asked. Melissa placed both her palms on her mouth.
"Forget I said anything" She said. "Ohhh now I'm curious.... What tattoos do you have?" Kenji asked.
"I suggest we eat before the food gets cold" Melissa said.
"Come on... Spill" Kenji said. Melissa sighs.
"It's a drawing of a butterfly..... It signifies freedom" She said.
"Can I see it?" Kenji asked. Hikaru slapped him on the head.
"You can't go spouting rubbish like that"
"I wanna see" Kenji whines like a child.
"It's on my back" Melissa replied. Antonio couldn't help but look at her back.
"What are your suggestions for Antonio?" Hikaru asked as he closed Kenji's mouth.
"... Well if he wants a tattoo that screams dominance then I suggest a huge dragon hovering above a village. There should be skeletons screaming in horror...." Melissa said.
Hikaru nods in understanding. "I'll keep that in mind" He said.
The next morning Melissa was awoken by a knock on the door.
"Ma'am.... Master Kenji wants to know what time you'd be up" A maid said from outside.
"Why?" Melissa asked sleepily. "You're to accompany him to the movie set" She replied.
"Ugh... I'll be down in a minute" Melissa said. "Alright" The maid left to inform Kenji.
Melissa toss and turns uncomfortably. She groans in anger.
She showered and went downstairs to find Kenji scrolling through his phone.
"Good morning" Melissa said. "Morning... I was beginning to think you were dead when you didn't come down"
"Where's..."
Kenji cuts her off. "They left pretty early this morning"
"Oh" Melissa said. "Okay. So would you be having breakfast here or when we arrive on set?" Kenji asked.
"I'll eat when we get there" She said. "Very well.... The car is waiting"
Melissa and Kenji got to the set.
He led her to a chair. "Stay here, I need to get changed. If you need anything don't hesitate to tell my assistant"
"Alright" Melissa said. Kenji went to change into his costume.
Melissa sat down watching the play. The movie was in Japanese, luckily Melissa understands japanese to some extent.
Kenji played the role of the protagonist named Akito who dated someone for six years only to find out that he's married with four children.
He felt heartbroken when his wife came to threaten him.
He tried to move on from his past so he traveled abroad and came back to Japan a successful philanthropist who bought his ex's company.
"Alright... The next scene is the confrontation of the wife. Koharu are you ready?" The director asked the villainess.
"Yes director" She said. "Kenji.. get ready" He said.
"Sure thing" Kenji said. "Places people.... Quiet on set. We begin in three, two, one... Action!!"
"So you are the maggot Osamu has been messing around with...."
"Tsumugi.... I didn't know he was married" Kenji said.
Koharu lifts his chin forcing him to look at her.
"How dare you speak my name with that filthy mouth of yours? You have no idea who you've messed with" Koharu said.
"Why am I the only one suffering for our mistakes? Osamu is much to blame for this..... Why are you torturing me for his sins?"
"Torture? This isn't the definition of torture. I'll make you feel the pain I felt for six fucking years!!!" Koharu said.
She pulls out a knife and hits it on the chair, but close to his thighs creating the illusion of him being stabbed. Kenji screams in pain as he begs her to stop.
Melissa stood up from her chair and went to the bathroom. She didn't know why but that scene brought back dark memories.
She found a sink and a tap just few feet away from the set.
She splashed water on her face. "Take deep breaths... Nothing's going to happen" She whispered to herself.
"A foreigner? Who brought a stray dog here?" A man asked in Japanese.
Melissa didn't bother looking behind her besides this stranger isn't worth it.
Melissa wiped her hands on her dress. "A stray with no sense of etiquette" He said again.
"Melissa!!!" Kenji yells as he made his way towards her. "I've been looking everywhere for you" He said.
"Are you done?" Melissa asked him. "Yeah... The director doesn't need me for another scene until tomorrow" Kenji said.
"That's good....." Was all Melissa could say.
"Did you enjoy my acting skills?" Kenji asked in excitement waiting anxiously for her reply.
"You're talented" Melissa replied calmly.
"Talented my ass... You got that role because you're fucking a Yakuza" The man sneers.
"Itsuki... What do you want?" Kenji asked in Japanese.
"I'm just wondering why you could cheat just to get to the top" Itsuki said.
"I got this role fair and square"
Itsuki laughs but it was hallow.
"Do you think that just because your Yakuza is by your side means you're safe? I will make sure your reputation is destroyed to the extent that he won't see anything in you that's worth protecting" Itsuki said.
"Anata ga mesu no yō ni nakigotowoiu no o kiku no wa mō unzarida." Melissa said.
"What did you just call me?" Itsuki asked.
"I called you a whiny bitch. I didn't stutter when I said it"
Kenji holds her hand. "He's not worth it"
"There's one thing I hate and that's bulling... You're here bitching about how he got a role he clearly worked hard to get. Unlike you who wants everything to be handed over to him.... That sickens me" Melissa said.
"How dare you?" Itsuki asked.
"When I first arrived you called me a stray which I didn't react to but I will not stand here and watch you insult my friend just because you have mummy issues..."
"Now if you'd excuse us we have more important things to attend to. You see unlike you, we're actually important and useful to other people" Melissa said.
"You guys are both prostitutes who would sell their body for money" Itsuki said.
{Again with that word. I really hate that word so fucking much}
She punched Itsuki across the face causing him to stumble backwards. Melissa crutched down.
"Big talk for a guy who got his pride broken by a lady. The next time you use such a word on us again.... I swear I will fuck up your entire bloodline" Melissa said manically.
Itsuki could only gulp in fear.
"Such a waste of investment for a clown like you... If I ever notice you hurting him or as much as glance his way, your career is over... Understood?" Melissa asked.
Itsuki nods. "Good, now scram".