The calm during the storm

Making our way back to my hotel, Chika and I headed up to my room. If this were yesterday, I wouldn't even be dreaming of this moment, but today, not only had our relationship gone from affinity level 2 to affinity level max, we were also soaking wet and needed to dry off.

"My showers will be much faster now that I don't have any hair to was," Chika giggled as we reached my room.

"Just hand me a towel before you start undressing," I chuckled as I unlocked the door.

A towel was honestly all I needed as I could just change into some dry clothes while Chika was in the shower, which is what I did. Once Chika was done, she emerged in a bathrobe and plopped on the bed next to me, smiling.

"And are you not going to shower?"

"I mean, I dried off and changed..."

"You smell like rain, but for tonight, that's fine. I like the smell of the rain," Chika smiled as we began to snuggle. "So what exactly was your life like growing up, in the religious sense given you come from two, by the sounds of it, very religious families?"

"Surprisingly, not as religious as you might think. Though my dad married my mom, the condition my bubbi, grandmother on my mom's side, put forth was that the children be raised Jewish. Didn't have to be conservatively Jewish like my mom was raised as, but Jewish enough for her to be satisfied. As for what it amounted to, surprisingly not much. Just a Bar Mitzvah, celebrating holidays, attending services, and keeping some kosher. For me, that means no pork."

"You don't eat pork?"

"Never have, probably never will."

"Lots of cuisine here has pork in it."

"But there's also plenty that doesn't. Don't worry though. If Bubbi were to meet you, she'd never push you to adhere to kosher. Just to support me, celebrate Hanukkah, and bear some great grandchildren that she can see get bar or bat mitzvahed."

"That doesn't sound too overbearing."

"I agree, though sadly just having some Jewish lineage even if you never do anything Jewish your whole life is a trial in of itself. There were plenty of times I wanted to just go full Mormon, but even if I did, wouldn't change the fact that by Jewish law, I would always be considered Jewish."

"It's honestly hard for me to grasp why simply being Jewish makes people hate you."

"I'd like to know that to, but in this world, people discriminate simply because of how you look, and with faith having such prominence in this world, it's natural the many faiths that make it up will discriminate against each other, that's pretty much most of human history in a nutshell. It's depressing, but sadly reality."

"Really makes me feel innocent given I've never been exposed to that sort of thing."

"Though I imagine you've had your fair share of hardships due to your status. As a fan of yours, I've heard of some of the so-called "scandals" the tabloids have tried to spin on you, and they make my blood boil, especially that one where they tried to frame it as you snorting cocaine. I have no idea how the hell so many people latched onto it and began hurling hate your way, but I'm already aware of how illogical the world can be."

Chika warmly smiled and hugged me tighter. "I wish I knew why that tabloid went that route too, but I know not the motives of the girl running it. Perhaps it's because she's a child that she thinks childishly beyond adult comprehension."

"A child?"

"Well, she certainly looks like a child, but I think she's much older than her looks suggest. All I know about her is that she hails from the powerful Usagi family, a family here that has built up massive wealth thanks to their political dynasty. Ruma Mill appears to be the pet project of that Usagi girl, which she runs along with her appropriately named servant, Kasuga."

The tone in Chika's voice when she said Kasuga's name suggested there was probably something deeper, yet I decided not to ask.

"Perhaps it's because my image has been built up as a good, kind, woman that they want to trip me up in order to rake in clout. I'm only able to guess what might go on in their minds. Now on that note, we do need to discuss some important things now that we've fallen for each other."

"Our actions in public, right?"

"That's my Zane-kun. We'll need to keep things a secret, at least until Basketball Babes is airing. The last thing I'd want is for your new lease on life to be cancelled due to jealous fans complaining about me dating you."

"But I thought contracts were already signed."

"If the public perception around you is bad, the corporates might feel it'll be safer to just cancel the anime and settle for just the novel. I've seen more projects get cancelled for one reason or another than you might think."

It seems now I'm the one who's too innocent. I thought everything would be dandy with contracts signed, but I guess there's more to the film world than written contracts.

"Then lets formulate our plans tonight, take into account any and all possibilities."

"Putting that writer's brain to use. Alright, let's do it."

$$$

Lounging in my onsie bunny pajamas while seated in my chair, I drooled at what was playing across my screen. Kasuga really is the best spy you could ask for. It's been weeks yet that mini camera she installed in the hotel lobby is still working just fine. Oh, and the footage it gifted me tonight. Subject Doe, and some baldo. Couldn't get a good look at the front, but it appeared to be a girl. Or maybe it's just a crossdresser. Don't matter cuz I'm makin' a fine mountain outta it anyway.