"I guess you want to go?" Sumire looked at Nick.

"I don't want to go if you don't," Nick replied, smoothing her hair away from her face. "But let me say for the record that I really, really think it would be good for you to get out among people."

"Wow, two 'really's?" Sumire said. "I guess I kind of have to, then, don't I?"

"No, you don't," Nick said. "I mean what I said. I'm perfectly happy to go home with you and soak in the pool, watch a movie, whatever, you know that. You're the best company I've ever had in my life."

Sumire gave him a small smile of thanks.

"And us being in our rooms together would probably mean we could get to our--uh--activities sooner, too, which would be fine by me," Nick added with a lascivious grin. "So I'm definitely cool with skipping going out, you hear me?"

They had been spending a few minutes together at the end of every night kissing and cuddling, not really going any farther than before or doing anything more than Sumire was comfortable with. Nick could always tell when Sumire wanted to go farther, and when she wanted to stop, and Sumire was growing confident in the knowledge that she could move things along at whatever speed she wanted.

Sumire's smile grew, and Nick was tickled to see a little bit of a naughty tilt to hers as well, a bit of a suggestive lilt at the corner as she looked up at him.

"Look, it's not every day that we get an evening off," Nick said. "They've been working us like the hard-working Japanese they are, so you're entitled to spend this gift of time however you want. And I definitely want to spend my night off with you, so you decide, and let's get on with it."

Something had gone wrong with the electricity where they were shooting, and they'd had to cancel the night's filming, so a bunch of people were going out for dinner and drinking, and probably karaoke. Of course, Nick and Sumire, as stars of the movie, were invited with the director, producer, and other stars in the top tier group.

"How about if we go for a little while, and cut out early? Would that be okay?" Sumire asked.

"Fine," Nick agreed. So they got in the car and told Mino-chan the name of the place where everyone had agreed to meet. Some people were surprised that Nick and Sumire had agreed to come, because everyone knew how much they liked to keep to themselves. Many of the people who showed up were surprised that Sumire was with Nick, because everyone knew that she was the quiet one of the couple, and others were still surprised that they were a couple at all. After all, Nick was an internationally recognized playboy and model, a sex symbol and celebrity, while Sumire was very plain, quiet, completely unknown, an academic with no personality, no recognizability factor; in short, most people didn't know what he saw in her.

"And just so you know, I'm not singing," Sumire said with finality as they ducked under the noren, or traditional fabric curtains with slits that hung over the front entrance of the restaurant.

"Fine, whatever," Nick answered, patting her shoulder.

"Hey, Nick-san, Sumire-chan," they were hailed from a long table in the back corner of the room. Murakami-sensei, his wife, Tamaki-san, the assistant director, Reiko, a couple of the producers, Hiroyuki, who played Sumire' fiancé, the odious Kondo-san, and a few others were already there.

Nick waved, put an arm around Sumire and walked over to sit. He made a point of waiting to sit next to Murakami-sensei, and seating Sumire between himself and the director. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as they sat, noticing that she didn't remove her sweater despite the fact that it was very warm and steamy inside the place.

They'd already started eating and drinking, and a large tokkuri of sake appeared in front of Sumire and Nick as though by magic. Murakami-sensei poured out for them, encouraging them to drink, and they did, toasting and smiling as they drained their cups. Murakami-sensei immediately filled their cups again, and Sumire laughed, telling him that they were going to be drunk soon at this rate.

"That's okay, Sumire-chan," he answered in Japanese. "No work tonight, let's just drink and be happy, come on, come on," as he gestured for them to drink up.

Nick laughed and shook his head.

Their waitress asked Sumire to ask Nick if he would mind stepping out from the table for a photograph with her and the other waitresses, and of course he was fine with this, so everyone watched as he joined the four or five servers for a few pictures. At six foot three, he towered over them, and they were all so tickled to be in his presence that Sumire thought them adorable.

"Nick, kiss her on the cheek," she suggested, pointing at her own cheek. Nick kissed the closest one, and a collective gasp went up from the group of waitresses while the lucky one nearly swooned at her good fortune. Then they wanted a photo of the entire table, and of course everyone was happy to oblige. After that, the owner provided a round of drinks and some special appetizers of fresh fish on skewers on the house, and passed around a menu for everyone to sign, and the night turned into a party.

"See?" Nick said a while later, his arm around Sumire's shoulder. He leaned in to press a kiss on her temple. "Isn't this fun? Aren't you glad we came?"

And Sumire, who felt happy and safe between Nick and her very kind director, and his very nice wife on the other side of him, had to nod. She even pecked Nick's cheek back, which pleased him very much.

Just then the door to the place slid open with a rattling sound and Sachiko Burns stepped in with two of her girlfriends, and Sumire's smile slid off her face.

Nick saw her, too, and squeezed Sumire again.

"Not a big deal," he said into her ear. "She'll be at the other end of the table, anyway."

Sure enough, she went to sit with one of the producers, Patrick, who greeted her very warmly, and seemed to be expecting her.

"Are they a couple?" Sumire asked Nick.

"Looks like it," he answered with a shrug. "Who gives a shit?" He purposely looked away, encouraging Sumire to do so also.

"Sumire-chan, are you enjoying the filming?" Murakami-sensei asked in Japanese? "Is everything going well for you?"

She nodded, picking up a piece of sashimi with her chopsticks. "Yes, thank you so much for the opportunity," she responded with a slight bow of her head.

"I'm the grateful one," he assured her, patting her head. "I know you weren't happy about the 'soft condition' I imposed, but you did it anyway, and I'm very thankful for that, I want you to know."

"I know, and I understand why you asked," Sumire answered. Even though she knew it was unfair, sexist, and wrong on so many levels, not to mention illegal, she also knew that he was from a different generation, a different culture, and a different world, and none of those things would have any meaning to him. Why bother to try to make a point he would never understand?

"You saved the movie, you saved me," Murakami-san declared.

"He's drunk," his wife, the ever-patient Tamaki-san told Sumire with a smile.

Soon after, the singing started, and everyone was pretty good, just because, for some reason, most Japanese people could carry a tune.

Of course, her co-star, Hiroyuki, was incredible when he took the mic, simply because he was a pop star before he ever became an actor. He sang an absolutely gorgeous song, made popular by the Japanese band Anzen Chitai in the 80s called Aoi Hitomi No Eris, and, not surprisingly, he knocked it out of the park. It was one of the most beautiful songs Sumire had ever heard, and hearing Hiroyuki sing it live was an incredible experience.

https://youtu.be/M3apvSceLLk

AN: I'm pasting this down here as well as in the chapter header, simply because I think this song is so beautiful. Please give it a listen. This man's voice should be declared a national treasure.

Next to her, she could feel Nick watching her watch her co-star sing.

"Dude, are you falling in love with the guy?" he asked, giving her a nudge.

"Maybe just a little," she joked with a tiny nod. "I mean, can you blame me?" She gestured toward where Hiroyuki was finishing the song. "Jesus, he's incredible, isn't he?"

Nick licked his lips, shaking his head, which made Sumire smile.

When Hiroyuki finished to thunderous applause and cheering, Nick surprised her, and probably a few other people, by volunteering to go next. He went under the table and over to the small stage to take the mic, smiling his million dollar smile at everyone, turning the charm all the way on.

Wow.

"I'm going to do two songs, okay?" he asked the crowd. "Two?" He held up two fingers, and the drunken patrons of the establishment roared their approval as Murakami-sensei and Hiro, who was sitting next to Sumire now that Nick was onstage, smiled at her. She shook her head back at both of them.

He walked over to the machine and punched in the numbers for his first song, and immediately the room was filled with the familiar bass hook of One Direction's mega hit, "What Makes You Beautiful."

Oh my god.

https://youtu.be/QJO3ROT-A4E

Nick looked right at Sumire and began singing as he bopped all over the tiny stage, working the whole space as he sang his heart out.

And what do you know?

Nick was good.

Of course he had charisma, he was used to being in front of a camera, being able to move and selling himself, after all, but in addition he had charm, and what was more, he could really sing.

Baby you light up my world like nobody else
The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed
But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell
You don't know, oh oh
You don't know you're beautiful

Sumire wanted to sink into the floor with embarrassment, and she knew that everyone could tell she was blushing, even in the darkly lit establishment. She also couldn't help the smile that wouldn't leave her face as she watched Nick work the stage.

Thankfully, it was a short song, and soon the room erupted into hollering and applause, like it had for Hiro, as everyone called out suggestions for the second song. Many people were looking over at Sumire, too, as it was obvious that he was singing to her.

"Okay, minasan, everyone, second song, we're going to slow things down a bit, here we go," Nick declared, punching in the second set of numbers.

Sumire noticed that even the people behind the sushi bar had come out to watch Nick sing. She made eye contact with him and shook her head slightly. He raised an eyebrow at her, then closed his eyes as the music, in sensuous 3/4 time, started.

Right on cue, Nick began, his voice perfect, deep and low.

Wise men say only fools rush in
But I can't help falling love with you

Dear lord, could anything be any sexier than this?

Sumire kept her eyes locked on him, blinking so she wouldn't cry, which shocked her.

She never cried.

Again, Nick sang directly to Sumire, looking only at her. This time he hardly moved, even putting the mic in its stand and holding it with both hands.

Where in the world had he learned to sing like this?

She happened once to look around the room, and she saw Sachiko Burns looking at Nick with naked yearning, hands gripping the back of her chair so hard her knuckles were white.

The entire place was silent for a beat after he sang the last note, then, like before, there was an explosion of noise, but this time it was only applause, like they were at an actual concert, not a karaoke bar.

Nick smiled, bowed, thanked everyone, and leapt lightly off the stage to return to his place by Sumire. Everyone clapped him on the back as he passed, congratulating him.

He sat down and kissed Sumire on the cheek with a smug smile. Sumire felt a little self-conscious about the kiss, and saw that Sachiko was watching them, undisguised jealousy on her lovely face, contorting it into something ugly. She knew that there was nothing she could do about it, however.

She turned to Nick.

"So, Mr. Full of Secrets, where in the world did you learn to sing like that? Hm?"

He grinned at her, proud of the compliment. "St. Cecilia's Church Choir in Brooklyn," he said. "Six years of it when I was a kid. Not bad, right?"

"Are you kidding? You could be a professional," Sumire replied. "Absolutely incredible."

She sat back against the wall, and Nick leaned back with her, his arm around her. Far from being bothered by this, Sumire realized she liked it, it felt--nice.

"Nick?"

He was turned away from her, saying something to Hiro.

"Nick?"

He finished what he was saying and turned to face her.

"Yeah?"

"Can we go?"

"You want to go?"

She nodded, putting her hand on his leg and giving it a squeeze.

Nick looked down at her hand and looked back at her face, a new awareness in his eyes.

"Sure, Mimi-chan. Let's just square up and we can go."

He took out his wallet and leaned toward Murakami-sensei, who shook his head vigorously and made a loud noise of negation. "No, no," he insisted. "Tonight movie studio pay."

Eventually Nick put away his wallet. "Okay, fine," he said with a smile. "On the studio works for me." He turned to Sumire. "Let's go, Cucumber."

She rose, they said good night to everyone, and walked out, ducking under the noren and looking for Mino-chan.