you for cheating on her, you're on your own."
Satoshi laughed. "You sure are."
Yori called for the waitress, who'd been shyly peeping at them from behind a counter. Luckily, she wasn't one of those fans who gushed and screamed just because she was in the presence of a celebrity idol. It was bad enough fans were gawking at them from outside. Apparently, someone had found out that they were dining out.
"Yes, Mr. Morioka."
"We would like to settle our bill," Yori told her.
She gazed over at Ichiro. "You have lovely eyes."
Ichiro blushed and looked away.
"Don't mind him," Satoshi told her. "Ichiro is shy."
"And gorgeous." She giggled and went off to get the bill.
"You are too old for blushing," Satoshi told Ichiro. "Learn to take a compliment."
The waitress returned.
"My treat," Satoshi told them. "Since this may be Yori's last meal."
"Funny," Yori replied. "I can't wait until this situation is reversed."
Satoshi paid the waitress and she went away starry-eyed and smiling.
"That won't be for a very long time. I have no immediate marriage plans."
He rose and called for the guards. They hurried over to escort them out of the restaurant.
Yori and Ichiro rose and followed them through the restaurant, past the other diners who had stopped eating to watch them leave. The wait staff waved good-bye courteously. Everyone in the place knew who they were, but were smart enough not to beg for autographs.
Unfortunately, the crowd of fans outside was not so generous. They lunged toward Ichiro, but the guards held them back.
"I love Ichiro," one of them screamed. This set off a round of giggles and shouts.
Poor Ichiro looked like he was about to jump out of his skin.
"Let's sign a couple of autographs and get this over with," Satoshi suggested.
The fans squealed, pushing toward him. Takumijo was usually the crowd favorite, but lately, Satoshi's popularity had been quickly soaring off the charts. Ichiro's too. A girl pushed a stuffed animal at Ichiro. He accepted it, bowed to her and quickly ducked behind Satoshi.
"He's so shy," someone shouted. "I just love him."
An older woman pushed an autograph book at him. Yori took it, asked her name, and wrote some meaningless drivel onto it.
The woman thanked him and pulled a younger girl off with her.
After satisfying all the fans, the guards pushed the singers into the waiting limousine. Ichiro climbed into his seat and put the stuffed animal in the seat next to him while he buttoned his seatbelt.
Yori and Satoshi got into their seats and buckled up just as Kenshin pulled away from the curb. The van with their security followed.
Satoshi picked this opportunity to toy with Ichiro. "You certainly were popular with the fans today. I think I actually saw you smile at a couple of cute girls."
Ichiro's cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Satoshi reached over and played with Ichiro's hair. "They love you and those baby blue eyes. I think I'm jealous, Yori. Our baby is discovering girls and using that alluring smile of his to hypnotize them into giving him gifts."
Yori agreed. "Yes, before we know it, he will be coming to us for advice on dating."
The pink in Ichiro's cheeks turned beet red. "Stop teasing. The fans were just being generous with me since Takumijo wasn't there."
Satoshi released Ichiro's hair and settled back in his seat. "I don't think so. They were very much coming on to you. After all, you are a gorgeous and desirable young man."
Yori agreed with him again. "Maybe we need to go out more often without that fan-hogging Takumijo. Who knows, Ichiro might meet the future Mrs. Yoshida soon if this keeps up."
Satoshi disagreed with him. "I think Ichiro has already found the future Mrs. Yoshida."
Ichiro lifted both hands to his face to hide behind.
"Ah, come on, we're not blind. We know you like Ms. Morrison."
"I do not," Ichiro said from behind his hands. "She is a nice lady who I like to talk to."
Satoshi wouldn't let it go, even though Yori shook his head and rolled his eyes at him to get him to stop. "You never wanted to talk to any other women before. What is it about her that brings out your voice?"
Ichiro lowered his hands. "She smells like sunshine, and I get this funny feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever she's around."
"Ooh," Satoshi teased. "That's lust. Do you hear that, Yori? Ichiro is hot in the pants for Shaundra."
"Stop teasing him, Satoshi. We've been in that position before a time or two."
"But