under the bustle of the city 2

At the farmer's market, Elise turns off her phone and heads to where her brother asked her to meet. She shakes her head and sighs deeply at his inattentiveness towards their mother that would make their mother cry if she knew. She walks steadily but soon her attention is captured by a honey selling stall ran by an old couple who warmly greet her. Holding her hat, she nods. She then looks through the honey selection and gasps in delight at the varied flavors, "I didn't know honey can be made out of plants?"

"Would you like to try some miss?" the old woman gestures to some honey sticks of different colors.

On the other side of The Grove, the brother who is waiting diligently for his sister but is stood up for honey worriedly looks at the direction of the farmer's market and is hesitant about wether to stay put or go meet her. A tall man with average features and dressed casually walks over to him. He addresses the brother respectfully, "capo."

The brother's hesitant gaze is swept away replaced by burning hazel eyes that sweep over the man. The man shudders. In an almost inaudible whisper, he informs the brother, "La signora asks where you and la signorina are"

The brother walks over to a young woman sitting idly on the benches near a small decorated pond. The tall man follows closely. The brother sits down next to the young woman. Taking her hand in his, he smiles warmly and with a playful wink. He whispers in her ear, "tell my mother to send someone else." The young woman crinkles her eyebrows and looks at the tall man. She walks over to him and pulls down his next whispering in his ear, "go recieve your punishment."

The tall man looks at the brother and then looks over at the young woman almost pleading. She motions over two other men nearby. These man saunter over as if surprised at meeting the tall man. They haul him over with great laughter spouting nonsense and how they should go get some drinks. The young woman returns to the brother sitting playfully on his lap. The brother holds her waist and closes in on her ear. He says coldly "dirigente, take better reign of your subordinates." She looks at him tenderly, but the warmth does not reach her eyes which show a flustered look. She whispers, "I apologize Capo. La signora sent over some of her people."

He caresses her neck playing particularly with a mortal vein. He whispers with a veiled threat "is my mother the Capo or am I?"

The young woman responds with a bit of hoarseness, "you are."

He smiles at her lovingly, "good. Now stay in the background." He takes out his cellphone from his back pocket as the young women melts into the crowd. The brother returns to wait for his sister while at the same time dialing his mother. His mother picks up. He sighs as he remarks, "you didn't have to send people over."

His mother over the phone starts a barrage of complaints. He mutes her calls and waits a minute. Seeing that it is about time, he unmutes the call. He notifies her about his plans, "Little Elise wanted to shop, so I accompanied her. You know she has been skimming over new recipes to surprise you." At that moment, the sister who was thrown under the bus sneezes. Their mother asks warmly as if her previous irritation was never there, "is that true David Emilio Soleil?"

Easperated, he calmly responds, "yes. We will be home soon. Dress up nicely."

"oh! My bambini are so cute!" she squeals in delight. David hangs up just in time to so a bright floral dress and big bright hat on a young girl among the crowd. The girl skips over hugging David's arm. He smiles at her, "Elise."

Elise puts on her game face as she goes over her plan to maximize the time spent at each shop as she tugs over David to the directory. David looks down at her brilliant smiling face and his face twitches. Before his eventual exhaustion at the hands of his sister, he suggests they head to the concierge of the parking lot to drop off her bags which he takes from her arms leaving no room for objection. After dropping of her bags, they head to various shops. On their tour of almost all the shopping centers, Elise drags her brother to Dominique Ansel Bakery for some snacks and her mother's favorite cake. David takes the snacks refusing to let Elise stuff herself on snacks and instead takes her to the Blue Ribbon for sushi. Elise pouts all the way there until David orders her favorite and assures that he will be footing the bill. At the bar not far away from the a group of young men are laughing boisterously and teasing a asian looking young man at the center. David sweeps his eyes over them. He returns his attention to his petulant sister who is whining about dessert. Back at the bar, the asian young man furrows his brows at his brothers' teasing. He runs his diamond piercing on his left ear. "Shut up" he rebukes his brothers.

His brothers continue their teasing, "come on! show us your American wife!"

"Is she pretty?"

"She must be if he hasn't shown us her pictures"

The young man's friends continue to banter and tease him. One of the young man's friends who is a bit told drunk, slurs and prods him, "Ren~ tells us."

The young man looks this friend piercingly and walk over to him towering over him. Another friend sees things are not right, and quickly tries to remedy the situation, "he means Katsumi. Katsumi, it's okay if you don't want to show us your bride, but are you really marrying her?" Katsumi sneers at them, but returns to his seat. Like the first man called him. Katsumi is as beautiful as a water lily much to his dismay. His skin as soft and supple. Excitement or minimal exercise make him blush pink making him look tender. Despite his looks, anyone acquainted with Katsumi's family or him would never dare mention his second name. Katsumi returns to his seat and responds, "she is just a candidate. Marrying her would be beneficial for business on this side of the sea." Another friend speaks up, "Still, marrying a foreigner is no good."

Katsumi glances at said friend, "business comes first." He takes a sip of his drink. Another friend asks out of curiosity, "so what is her name? what family does she belong to?"

Katsumi smirks at them, "you really want to know?" All his friends nod their heads. Katsumi beckons them to come closer as he spits out one name, "ra Catrina."

All of them gasp and look away, not knowing what to say or how to react. All of a sudden a slight tremor runs through the restaurant. People look up but then dismiss it and continue with their meals. "That gave us goosebumps Katsumi" says the peacekeeper of their group trying to be playful. The reat laugh awkwardly or without passion. They continue to drink without much banter. The brave one from their group speaks up, " do you guys think she is pretty?" The group looks at him dumbfounded. This brave person with glazed eyes looks at them and questions, "what?"

"no one has ever seen her. At least, there is none of alive that have."

another remarks, "are you saying our big bro, is going to a black widow's den?"

Another follows up, "even if that is the case, who do you think our big bro Katsumi is?"

the person in question glances at his friends with exhaustion. He stands up saying, "I have to go."

His friends look at him with pity. Just as Katsumi exists Blue Ribbon, another tremor runs through The Grove shaking everything to point many fall down or duck down for cover.