Senri isn't sure if he has some kind of Fairy Godmother to thank, or maybe he'd finally made enough wishes on stars, but he'd finally found a lead on his family - it came when he was approached one evening after a show, asked by a rather elegant gentleman if he recognized a face in a picture. The truth was that Senri didn't, not really - the woman that was captured in the image was a stranger to him, even if he couldn't help but find something familiar about her eyes. Yet the gentleman continued to speak, and had told him what he had wanted to hear for fifteen years: 'I believe you might be her son.'
Not that he got to meet her after that.
No, it was a vaguely unsettling car ride later - sandwiched between his upperclassmen who insisted on chaperoning him and his best friends who were able to settle his furiously beating heart. He was taken to a mansion outside of Tokyo that stole his breath away and scrutinized by the staff, and he was only just barely able to breathe when they concurred with the initial appraisal - he might be the one that they were looking for, and just in time.
Senri didn't realize what that meant until later - when he was told that there was a chance that he might be the heir to a wealthy estate, however the current heads of the family were not his direct parents. No, they were even harder to find than their son. Instead he was told by his grandfather that he was suddenly needed by his family to enter the pool of eligible candidates to woo the Suoh heir, who was beginning to look for someone to be his betrothed.
And that's approximately where the fairytale stopped.
After all, that's how Senri was left right here, deposited in this moment as he waits in a private room at a five-star restaurant that would normally take a near calendar year to get a reservation for. He waits at the table and tries to refrain from moping. No one had told him anything about the young man that he was meeting - only that there was some family drama on his end too, so perhaps they could find something to commiserate on, and that there were times that his priorities seemed a bit... odd.
So that's how Senri finds himself waiting for his likely fiancé-to-be, painting the picture of some awkward, oily-faced 18-year-old space cadet that he's supposed to schmooze.
[Tamaki's life was fairytale, too, but more in the realm of one of those that didn't exactly have happily ever after in sight. It's been about three years now since he left Paris and left his mother behind and started the rigorous process of learning all about his father's family and the company he would soon become heir to...if he played his cards right.
Truthfully, Tamaki's not sure how badly he wishes to be the Suoh heir but he knows he's "fortunate" in the way that he's the only child his father ever had. Suoh Enterprises is a big, sprawling company and the family's worth millions. He could have everything he ever wanted in the way that money can buy, and he's always lived a life of luxury, so what was one mansion to another?
As the Suoh heir grew older and finished high school he found himself under strict orders and attempts to squash his flights of fancy, rules set in place and guidelines to follow. The head of the Suoh family, his grandmother, still had him on probation and kept a close watch on him.
It shouldn't have surprised him that it was her idea to set up an arrangement for him, nor should it have surprised him to hear he was suddenly being groomed to search for a betrothed. In a way, Tamaki wasn't even sure how he felt about something like that. Marriage, of course, was something he wanted. He liked the idea of having someone to partner with, someone to create a family with, and someone to call his own. He'd always thought he'd find that person on his own, but as time went on he came to realize he wasn't allowed to have a choice. Resigned, he found himself nodding along as family heads and business partners spoke of the best possible matches for the young Suoh prince.
In the weeks that followed, Tamaki found himself wining and dining with several beautiful girls from affluent families all of whom tried to capture the young man's attention. While he was great at playing the part, he always left those dates feeling somewhat empty and dissatisfied, aware that he was causing distress in the family but unsure how much time he had left to continue stalling. He knew there were plenty of candidates to be called upon, and he figured eventually the right one would come along. Rich girls were a dime a dozen, and while plenty of them were proper and poised there was always a hint of ugliness in their hearts that he couldn't look past.
In theory, Tamaki always assumed he would marry a beautiful young lady and maybe live happily ever after. But in a political and business game where there's always something greater to be gained than personal happiness, things like gender were no longer an issue. He had heard brief stories of the boy he was supposed to meet with this evening and truthfully he found himself a little nervous. It was easy to woo and flatter young ladies with a bat of his lashes and a sleight of hand. There was also the very "friendly" reminder that the family he would be aligning with had the potential to bolster the Suoh name and shareholdings.
That morning, Tamaki had the idle thought to cancel entirely but he was on a tight schedule. Clothes were picked out for him, his hair was styled for him, his itinerary was scheduled for him and all he had to do was make sure this boy liked him enough to agree to this arrangement. As far as he knew, this boy had his own share of troubles and an interesting story to tell and that alone was intriguing. As he arrived at the restaurant and took the elevator up to the top floor to enter the private dining room, he took a breath and braced himself. With his chin up, he opens the door and enters the room.
...the dining room's lovely, at least, well lit and decorated and he's used to this kind of treatment so that hardly registers. He's wearing a white suit with a light blue shirt that brings out the color of his eyes, blond hair perfectly arranged and a small flower pinned to the lapel of his jacket that matches the shirt. There's a moment's pause as he lingers, looking at Senri curiously before there's a light, charming smile.]
You must be Nito-san. [Is he allowed to call him Senri? Good question, but he'll find out Later.]
[Senri was neatly sipping his water, because the truth is that he can't order tea or get any appetizers until his dinner partner is here. Even as far as basic etiquette went, he knew that? But the worst possible thing would be to have a dry throat when meeting someone for the first time, so he helped himself to some of the water provided at the table.
And then when a gorgeous young man, rather than some trust fund unkept babbling baby, walks in the door - Senri swallows. Hard.
He might have to clear his throat slightly when he rises to his feet to meet him - ] Excuse me...
[please save him.
But he's a little surprised - this is what he gets for not having enough time or chance to do research beforehand? Did his 'family' - given that they were still so new that it was hard for him to call them that - want to sabotage him by letting him place his foot directly in his mouth?
Well, it's fine. He's excellent at improvising.
. . . which includes taking a second to seeming glance past Tamaki's shoulder, making sure that there's no frumpy handler following him or trying to oversee their meeting. He's still learning the ways of rich people, but he wouldn't put it past them.
But given that for the time being, he finds no one -
His expression softens into a smile.]
... Senri is fine, if it's alright with you. 'Nito' makes me feel like I'm being talked to by a director or a teacher. But - only if it suits you, Suoh-kun.
[Just because Senri's general strategy is to be forward doesn't mean that it's alright with everyone else.]
[There's a brief look of alarm as Senri clears his throat, but it disappears when the younger boy's on his feet. Luckily for them, they're alone. The family had decided that Tamaki could handle this on his own, but should it go poorly the idea of having a handler follow him was probably on the table.
He hated that idea very much.
Instead, it's just beautiful and poised Tamaki, perfectly composed until he's close enough to Senri. Once he is, he reaches forward for one of the boy's hands, holding it in his own for a moment before lifting it and bending his head just enough to kiss the back of said-hand. All women must be treated as princesses, and while he thinks perhaps a handshake would have been more appropriate...that would make it feel too much like a business arrangement instead.]
Tamaki. [A very gentle correction, but if he's going to call him Senri he'd rather they both be on first name basis.] It's a pleasure to meet you, Senri. I hope you're hungry. I've heard today's special is specially prepared for us. Shall we have a seat?
[For approximately half a second, Senri allows himself to be enchanted.
The gesture of having someone kiss his hand is adorable - something that he'd only seen on TV. More than that, he'd always assumed that he would be the one who would be the one executing the gesture, rather than the one receiving it. The surprise manages to tickle him pink, and the sheepish, almost shy laugh that leaves him is genuine and real.
... unlike the words that come from Tamaki - or rather, they're probably genuine, but they're distant. Possibly rehearsed, or executed many times. He'd heard that the Suoh heir had already been entertaining a number of dates and possible partners, which would make sense for why he seems so comfortable in this arrangement.
Internally, Senri can't help but think that the world of the rich truly is different from what he could've imagined.]
Of course. [He'll answer easily, squeezing Tamaki's hands gently even if he's not entirely sure it's appropriate before pulling his own back.] I'd say I'm pretty hungry - famished, I guess?
[If he was going to try to fit in with the fancy upper crust, he would've opted for 'famished' initially.
But he doesn't think that'd quite work to his advantage with a young prince who's probably endured plenty of that. He won't go out of his way to be uncultured or impolite... but Senri can't help but think that the novelty of something semi-casual might be the smarter move.]
[Unfortunately it's true. Despite the fact that the words are genuine and that he means them every time, they're words he's said to others before and what he's supposed to do. He's played this part well for quite some time now, the charming prince who can woo anyone with a glance or two. Pulling out his best tricks should work in this instance, he thinks. It would explain quite a bit.
Nevertheless Senri squeezes his hands and for a moment the spell's broken. His eyes widen a little and though he wants to hold onto Senri's hand he lets it slip between his fingers as he gives him a surprised, curious look. It's why there's a beat before he speaks, a light laugh of his own before he bows his head.]
Then we'll have our meal brought to us immediately. [With that, he's moving to also pull out Senri's chair and make sure he's settled before rounding the table, seating himself across from him. It's a picture perfect set-up and it would seem he's perfectly trained if it weren't for the fact he tries to rest his elbows on the table to prop up his head before realizing that's maybe not becoming of him. His hands smoothly slide down to rest on the arms of his chair.]
Until then! [He snaps his fingers though and the sound of a kitchen staff at work can soon be heard.] Tell me more about yourself?
[The question's polite, but it's a simple test as well.]
no subject
Senri isn't sure if he has some kind of Fairy Godmother to thank, or maybe he'd finally made enough wishes on stars, but he'd finally found a lead on his family - it came when he was approached one evening after a show, asked by a rather elegant gentleman if he recognized a face in a picture. The truth was that Senri didn't, not really - the woman that was captured in the image was a stranger to him, even if he couldn't help but find something familiar about her eyes. Yet the gentleman continued to speak, and had told him what he had wanted to hear for fifteen years: 'I believe you might be her son.'
Not that he got to meet her after that.
No, it was a vaguely unsettling car ride later - sandwiched between his upperclassmen who insisted on chaperoning him and his best friends who were able to settle his furiously beating heart. He was taken to a mansion outside of Tokyo that stole his breath away and scrutinized by the staff, and he was only just barely able to breathe when they concurred with the initial appraisal - he might be the one that they were looking for, and just in time.
Senri didn't realize what that meant until later - when he was told that there was a chance that he might be the heir to a wealthy estate, however the current heads of the family were not his direct parents. No, they were even harder to find than their son. Instead he was told by his grandfather that he was suddenly needed by his family to enter the pool of eligible candidates to woo the Suoh heir, who was beginning to look for someone to be his betrothed.
And that's approximately where the fairytale stopped.
After all, that's how Senri was left right here, deposited in this moment as he waits in a private room at a five-star restaurant that would normally take a near calendar year to get a reservation for. He waits at the table and tries to refrain from moping. No one had told him anything about the young man that he was meeting - only that there was some family drama on his end too, so perhaps they could find something to commiserate on, and that there were times that his priorities seemed a bit... odd.
So that's how Senri finds himself waiting for his likely fiancé-to-be, painting the picture of some awkward, oily-faced 18-year-old space cadet that he's supposed to schmooze.
Eugh.]
no subject
Truthfully, Tamaki's not sure how badly he wishes to be the Suoh heir but he knows he's "fortunate" in the way that he's the only child his father ever had. Suoh Enterprises is a big, sprawling company and the family's worth millions. He could have everything he ever wanted in the way that money can buy, and he's always lived a life of luxury, so what was one mansion to another?
As the Suoh heir grew older and finished high school he found himself under strict orders and attempts to squash his flights of fancy, rules set in place and guidelines to follow. The head of the Suoh family, his grandmother, still had him on probation and kept a close watch on him.
It shouldn't have surprised him that it was her idea to set up an arrangement for him, nor should it have surprised him to hear he was suddenly being groomed to search for a betrothed. In a way, Tamaki wasn't even sure how he felt about something like that. Marriage, of course, was something he wanted. He liked the idea of having someone to partner with, someone to create a family with, and someone to call his own. He'd always thought he'd find that person on his own, but as time went on he came to realize he wasn't allowed to have a choice. Resigned, he found himself nodding along as family heads and business partners spoke of the best possible matches for the young Suoh prince.
In the weeks that followed, Tamaki found himself wining and dining with several beautiful girls from affluent families all of whom tried to capture the young man's attention. While he was great at playing the part, he always left those dates feeling somewhat empty and dissatisfied, aware that he was causing distress in the family but unsure how much time he had left to continue stalling. He knew there were plenty of candidates to be called upon, and he figured eventually the right one would come along. Rich girls were a dime a dozen, and while plenty of them were proper and poised there was always a hint of ugliness in their hearts that he couldn't look past.
In theory, Tamaki always assumed he would marry a beautiful young lady and maybe live happily ever after. But in a political and business game where there's always something greater to be gained than personal happiness, things like gender were no longer an issue. He had heard brief stories of the boy he was supposed to meet with this evening and truthfully he found himself a little nervous. It was easy to woo and flatter young ladies with a bat of his lashes and a sleight of hand. There was also the very "friendly" reminder that the family he would be aligning with had the potential to bolster the Suoh name and shareholdings.
That morning, Tamaki had the idle thought to cancel entirely but he was on a tight schedule. Clothes were picked out for him, his hair was styled for him, his itinerary was scheduled for him and all he had to do was make sure this boy liked him enough to agree to this arrangement. As far as he knew, this boy had his own share of troubles and an interesting story to tell and that alone was intriguing. As he arrived at the restaurant and took the elevator up to the top floor to enter the private dining room, he took a breath and braced himself. With his chin up, he opens the door and enters the room.
...the dining room's lovely, at least, well lit and decorated and he's used to this kind of treatment so that hardly registers. He's wearing a white suit with a light blue shirt that brings out the color of his eyes, blond hair perfectly arranged and a small flower pinned to the lapel of his jacket that matches the shirt. There's a moment's pause as he lingers, looking at Senri curiously before there's a light, charming smile.]
You must be Nito-san. [Is he allowed to call him Senri? Good question, but he'll find out Later.]
no subject
And then when a gorgeous young man, rather than some trust fund unkept babbling baby, walks in the door - Senri swallows. Hard.
He might have to clear his throat slightly when he rises to his feet to meet him - ] Excuse me...
[please save him.
But he's a little surprised - this is what he gets for not having enough time or chance to do research beforehand? Did his 'family' - given that they were still so new that it was hard for him to call them that - want to sabotage him by letting him place his foot directly in his mouth?
Well, it's fine. He's excellent at improvising.
. . . which includes taking a second to seeming glance past Tamaki's shoulder, making sure that there's no frumpy handler following him or trying to oversee their meeting. He's still learning the ways of rich people, but he wouldn't put it past them.
But given that for the time being, he finds no one -
His expression softens into a smile.]
... Senri is fine, if it's alright with you. 'Nito' makes me feel like I'm being talked to by a director or a teacher. But - only if it suits you, Suoh-kun.
[Just because Senri's general strategy is to be forward doesn't mean that it's alright with everyone else.]
no subject
He hated that idea very much.
Instead, it's just beautiful and poised Tamaki, perfectly composed until he's close enough to Senri. Once he is, he reaches forward for one of the boy's hands, holding it in his own for a moment before lifting it and bending his head just enough to kiss the back of said-hand. All women must be treated as princesses, and while he thinks perhaps a handshake would have been more appropriate...that would make it feel too much like a business arrangement instead.]
Tamaki. [A very gentle correction, but if he's going to call him Senri he'd rather they both be on first name basis.] It's a pleasure to meet you, Senri. I hope you're hungry. I've heard today's special is specially prepared for us. Shall we have a seat?
no subject
The gesture of having someone kiss his hand is adorable - something that he'd only seen on TV. More than that, he'd always assumed that he would be the one who would be the one executing the gesture, rather than the one receiving it. The surprise manages to tickle him pink, and the sheepish, almost shy laugh that leaves him is genuine and real.
... unlike the words that come from Tamaki - or rather, they're probably genuine, but they're distant. Possibly rehearsed, or executed many times. He'd heard that the Suoh heir had already been entertaining a number of dates and possible partners, which would make sense for why he seems so comfortable in this arrangement.
Internally, Senri can't help but think that the world of the rich truly is different from what he could've imagined.]
Of course. [He'll answer easily, squeezing Tamaki's hands gently even if he's not entirely sure it's appropriate before pulling his own back.] I'd say I'm pretty hungry - famished, I guess?
[If he was going to try to fit in with the fancy upper crust, he would've opted for 'famished' initially.
But he doesn't think that'd quite work to his advantage with a young prince who's probably endured plenty of that. He won't go out of his way to be uncultured or impolite... but Senri can't help but think that the novelty of something semi-casual might be the smarter move.]
no subject
Nevertheless Senri squeezes his hands and for a moment the spell's broken. His eyes widen a little and though he wants to hold onto Senri's hand he lets it slip between his fingers as he gives him a surprised, curious look. It's why there's a beat before he speaks, a light laugh of his own before he bows his head.]
Then we'll have our meal brought to us immediately. [With that, he's moving to also pull out Senri's chair and make sure he's settled before rounding the table, seating himself across from him. It's a picture perfect set-up and it would seem he's perfectly trained if it weren't for the fact he tries to rest his elbows on the table to prop up his head before realizing that's maybe not becoming of him. His hands smoothly slide down to rest on the arms of his chair.]
Until then! [He snaps his fingers though and the sound of a kitchen staff at work can soon be heard.] Tell me more about yourself?
[The question's polite, but it's a simple test as well.]