“Do you realize, darling, you’ve completely ruined my masterpiece, yes?” Mr. Tachibana said, eyeing Sakura with a dark look.
Sakura nodded. “I really, sincerely apologize, Mr. Tachibana. I’ll pay for the repairs.”
The designer just gave her a look and then laughed loudly, almost insanely. “Darling, are you kidding me? Not just anybody can fix this! Only I can fix this because it is my masterpiece and I don’t want anyone to ruin it, again!”
Sakura jumped a little in her seat at the exclamation. Jane, who was sitting on the sofa beside Sosuke, jumped as well.
Sosuke said in Japanese to Mr. Tachibana, “Tachibana-sensei, you’re frightening her. If you must know, she’s Mr. Princeton’s adoptive daughter.”
Mr. Tachibana widened his eyes at Sosuke with a questioning look. “What?” he replied in Japanese.
“Yes, or haven’t you seen how the Princeton brothers were chasing after her backstage on Saturday night after the show?”
“Really? Yes, but I thought they were chasing her because she was stealing your aunt’s necklace and my gown.”
Sosuke couldn’t help himself and laughed, which drew Jane’s undivided attention. She was in awe of his laughter and simply stared at him with delight. She also loved the way he spoke Japanese, and she couldn’t stop herself from gazing at him.
Sakura could only understood a little Japanese, so she couldn’t quite make out what Sosuke was talking about. Though, she did know it was something to do with the Princeton brothers.
When Sosuke managed to calm down, he said, “She’s their missing sister, and that night was literally the first time they’ve seen her since a year ago.”
Mr. Tachibana turned his eyes to Sakura and looked at her closely, as if he were scrutinizing her. Sakura blinked, wondering why he was staring at her the way he was all of a sudden.
“Then why did she run away from them?” he asked Sosuke.
That was, of course, a very obvious statement, and to be honest, Sosuke hadn’t a clue as to why, either. For that, they’d had to ask Sakura herself. But of course, none of them was going to do that.
When Sosuke looked up at Mr. Tachibana again, he saw the glint within the man’s dark-brown eyes and thought, Shit! The man was up to something. Sosuke panicked and was about to ask when Mr. Tachibana said to Sakura, “Do you think, darling, that I have time to fix that ruined gown when I need time to design more beautiful gowns that could sell in the hundreds of thousands?”
When Sakura was about to utter something, he stopped her and continued, shaking his head adamantly. “And even if I do, do you know how much I’d charge you to fix my own gown?”
Sakura held her breath because she knew he was going to tell her any moment now.
Mr. Tachibana took a deep sigh and said, “At least eighty thousand US dollars, darling.”
Sakura hung her mouth open, quite shocked.
Jane shot up. “Eighty thousand? Who has that type of money to pay you to fix your own gown, Mr. Tachibana?”
Mr. Tachibana raised his brows at Jane and said arrogantly, “Well, my dear, that gown alone took me at least three years to design. On the market and with my label on it, it’d cost at least nine hundred thousand.”
Sakura swallowed at this news. Sosuke didn’t like the sound of that and said in Japanese, “Tachibana-sensei, what are you up to?”
Mr. Tachibana gave Sosuke a grin before turning his attention to Sakura. “If you don’t have money to pay, how about paying me by becoming my model?”
At this proposal, Sakura’s brows shot up. “Your model?”
Jane said, “Mr. Tachibana, you’re not thinking of casting Sakura as your female model for the upcoming photo shoot in Hawaii, are you?”
With Mr. Tachibana’s grin, Jane continued. “But I thought you already have the females cast. Akira is one of them, right?”
“Yes,” Mr. Tachibana said. “But I need a female main.” He turned to Sakura. “And you’re perfect, darling. Besides, you have no choice in the matter. Either model for me or pay the eighty thousand.”
“Sakura,” Jane said. “I saw the casting file. Tara and Alaina are models as well.”
Sakura straightened her spine at this and said, “I’ll do the modeling, Mr. Tachibana.”
“Ah, marvelous,” Mr. Tachibana shrieked with delight. He rushed over the table, came around to Sakura, hauled her into his arms, and hugged her tight. “Thank you, darling. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” When he finally released her, he instructed, “Now, Ms. Ruka and Jane will be preparing the photo shoot, and Jane will brief you on the process.”
Sakura nodded and before she could ask the question that was burning in her mind, Mr. Tachibana hugged her tightly again. When he let her go, Sakura said, “However, I will have to ask Lady Suzuki first before going off to Hawaii.”
“Don’t worry, Sakura,” Sosuke said from behind. “Oba-chan and I will be going as well. It was decided a month ago when Akira agreed to model for Tachibana-sensei.”
“Oh,” Sakura replied.
As they were walking out the door, Mr. Tachibana said to Sosuke, “And what about you, Sosuke-kun? Have you decided yet if you’d like to model for me?” At this, Mr. Tachibana glanced briefly at Sakura and back again at Sosuke.
“I’d be terrible at it, but yes, I’ll do it,” he said with a grin.
Jane blinked. “You’re going to be one of the male models?”
Mr. Tachibana laughed merrily. Once he managed to stop, he said, “Real business billionaire, darling. I want real, young, hot business billionaires.”
Jane couldn’t deny the fact that Sosuke was indeed a billionaire, young, and hot. In fact, he’d burn the pages of the magazine with his hotness. But it was going to be a lot of hard work for Jane because she didn’t know whether she could handle ogling at the handsome Asian man while he posed in expensive suits and, yes, shirtless on the beach. She’d die for sure.
Once Sakura managed to escape another of Mr. Tachibana’s suffocating hugs, she turned to Sosuke and said, “Thank you so much for the ride, Sosuke. We can take the taxi home from here.”
Sosuke grinned as he said, “No problem at all. Please get in, Sakura. I did promise Oba-chan to take you home.”
“Get in, Sakura,” Jane said, nudging her friend toward the back door. “The man offers.”
“All right.” Sakura chuckled.
It was half past six when they arrived at the gallery, which was now closed. Sakura instructed Sosuke to take Jane home and then thanked him again for the ride. She watched the car leave, with Jane opting to sit in the front seat instead of the back. She noted the grin on Jane’s face and knew the woman had a crush on Sosuke.
As she unlocked the door and then walked into the gallery, she wondered if she should play Cupid and match Sosuke and Jane.
Toby greeted her the moment she was on the second floor where their living area was located. She picked the dog up and stroked him lovingly. Her nose twitched, and she frowned.
“You smell different, Toby.” She cocked her head to one side and sniffed again. “Colognes?” As she came around the corner and walked past the living area, she paused. Again, she smelled cologne. Expensive ones. There was a mixture of them. She frowned at this as she came into the kitchen. “Ned? Did we have visitors?”
Ned looked up from his spot at the stove. “Yes, a few boys.”
“Boys?” Sakura put her bag down on the dining table and taking a seat. “That explains the colognes I smell in the living room.”
“You can smell them?” Ned asked curiously. At Sakura’s nod, he said, “I can’t.”
Sakura laughed. “Your sense of taste and smell are getting worse, darling.”
Ned raised a brow and shot back, “And you’re losing your sense, my dear.”
Sakura didn’t reply, and Ned continued as he stirred his Bolognese sauce. “Did you know one can smell her soulmate from a distance? And after he’s gone, she can still smell his scent wherever he’s been?”
Sakura raised her brows and laughed. “What nonsense is this, Ned?”
Ned returned his attention to his sauce and hummed.
“I’m going to shower.” She grabbed her bag and headed to the door.
“Don’t be too long. Dinner will be ready in a minute,” Ned said over his shoulder.
“Okay.” Then she was gone.
It was just before midnight when Ned poked his head in Sakura’s bedroom door to tell her he’d be out early the next morning, and he saw her packing up.
“What are you doing?” he asked curiously.
“I’m moving. Oh shit! I forgot to tell you, Ned. I’ve been so busy today and got a bit tired during dinner.”
Ned came into the room and folded his arms across his chest. Whatever she was going to tell, he wasn’t going to like it.
“Do you remember the necklace?”
“Yes?”
“Lady Suzuki offered me a job in replacement to paying her…”
“Yes, go on,” Ned said.
“I’m going to be her personal companion slash assistant. I won’t get paid, but—”
“Good, that’s good. I don’t doubt it’ll cost at least a couple hundred thousand to replace that pink diamond.”
Sakura chuckled. “Yeah. So I’m starting tomorrow.”
“Yes, good. I’m happy it worked out for you. So where is this apartment?”
Sakura clamped her mouth shut. She returned to her drawer and took out clothes instead.
“Sakura? Are you planning to keep the whereabouts of the apartment from me?”
Sakura closed her eyes and sighed. “Oh, Ned. Please understand that I can’t tell you. I mean, what if the brothers found out you live here with me. What if they interrogate you about me and my address? It’d be easier for you not to know.”
Ned thought it was too late about the brothers and their interrogation now. He straightened and headed out the door. “Just text me your new address when you’re ready to tell me. And don’t you dare avoid my phone calls, understand?”
Sakura sighed with relief. She couldn’t help herself and ran up to him and hugged him tight. “Thank you, Ned dear, for understanding.”
He kissed her on the forehead and said, “Don’t thank me just yet, you stubborn darling. Now I’m off to bed. Got to be up early next morning for a business trip.”
Sakura unwrapped her arms from him. “Good night, Ned dear.”
“Good night, Sakura. Sleep well,” he said and left her.