Theme: #1 - Hazel Eyes
Rating: R
Pairings: Adam Hayakawa/Aurora (Reed) Freewill
Warnings: Language, Het.

Notes: Written for the 30_Hugs LJ Community
Summary: Aurora Reed has always been an impulsive young woman. Deciding to leave the life of riches behind, she volunteers to become an English teacher in Japan over the summer. But everything changes when she meets the enigmatic young man and fellow teacher, Adam Hayakawa. Can two stubborn minds finally come to love and respect one another? Only time will tell.

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Chapter One: Aurora

Theme #1: Hazel Eyes

“Daddy said it was okay.”

It almost always started that way - a spark-of-the-moment idea that Aurora Reed would have before waltzing into her father’s office to regale him with it. Once she had decided she would become a maid since she admired portly Mrs. Lyman – the chief housekeeper of the mansion – as a little girl. Daddy, had of course, been mortified by the idea, but she was his precious angel and couldn’t refuse those bright hazel eyes which sparkled with excitement and anticipation.

For a week, she had dressed up in her own maid outfit, complete with an apron and feather duster. She had made her bed, cleaned some furniture and even served tea to some of father’s important guests. However, the maid phase had worn out quickly…only because she had fallen in love with her horse-riding coach and wanted to become a stable girl. By the time she was sixteen, Aurora had gone through enough career changes to last anyone a lifetime.

So it came as no real surprise when she had burst into Dr. Reed’s office on the eve of her twenty-first birthday to announce loudly.

“I want to become a volunteer teacher, daddy!”

Dr. Reed, a handsome man in his late forties with thick but premature gray hair, had barely lifted his head from the papers on his table as he replied absently. “That’s wonderful, sweetheart.”

“I get to volunteer for three months at an elementary school in Japan,” she continued, hardly minding that her father was barely paying attention anyway. She rocked back and forth on her heels, her waist-length brunette hair swinging gently against her cheeks and forehead as she moved. “I want to change my name and become a whole new person, daddy. What do you think?”

“That’s sweet, dear.” He adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, his brows furrowing with thought as he eyed the recommendations for a new wing at the hospital named after his grandfather. Since his wife passed away at the birth of Aurora, he had buried himself in work, refusing to engage in casual affairs although they were no shortage of women who were willing to be his bed or life partners. He was rich, handsome and most importantly a doctor – a surgeon general to be exact and such a title was enough to make any gold-digging woman salivate at the chance to be with him. However, he had Aurora, the only reminder to the most beautiful and amazing woman he had ever met.

He had fallen in love with Mare Ruthford the moment their eyes met across the crowded ballroom. He was just a young up and coming doctor, she the daughter to one of the wealthiest men in the country. He had to blame it on her eyes – those breathtaking hazel depths that had sucked him in and held him prisoner. They could light up a room whenever she laughed and whenever she got upset, they would darken into a hue of golden brown that was almost hypnotizing. Aurora had inherited her mother’s eyes and whenever he stared into them, Paul Reed knew that no other woman was necessary in his life.

“Daddy!” she whined, now seeking his undivided attention.

“That’s fine, honey,” he said, finally lifting his head to pin her with a warm smile. “You just do what you want to do, okay?”

She clapped her hands in delight and leaned over the large desk to wrap her arms around his neck in a hug which had him laughing softly. “How much money will you need, sweetie?”

“Money?” she asked incredulously as she pulled away gently. “I told you it’s a volunteer job. One of those…” She waved her hands. “…charity type thingies. I will only go with about a thousand…”

“Are you sure that’s going to be enough for a trip overseas?” he asked in concern. “You’re going to need a whole lot more than…”

“I’ll be fine, dad!” she said, straightening up and brushing her hands down her white t-shirt with the words ‘Spoiled’ written in hot pink across it. “Geez, I’m not ten years old anymore.”

“I’m sorry,” he began, really realizing now that his baby girl was finally becoming a woman. It was a bit humbling and still scary at the same time. If he wasn’t careful, she’d be bringing a man home soon with a ring on her finger. He didn’t think he was quite ready for that yet. “But at least let me give you some money…as a gift,” he added quickly as she scowled.

“Fine, fine, do whatever you want,” she said, shrugging lightly. “However, I have to get packing soon. My flight leaves this weekend.”

“This weekend?! Why so soon?!”

“Because they need the teachers quickly, daddy,” she defended with a huff. She wasn’t about to tell him that she had just come to the decision yesterday. “I’ll go take my shots, get my travel documents ready and then…”

“Aren’t you going to use the jet?” he asked in a small voice and suddenly wished he hadn’t because she snorted in exasperation.

“Don’t you get it yet, daddy? I’m going poor, okay? I don’t need anyone knowing that I’m the daughter of the famous surgeon-general Paul Reed. I’m doing this for credibility. Oh, and I’m going to change my name to Aurora Freewill.”

Paul felt ill. “What’s wrong with your current last name…forget I asked.”

She chuckled and leaned close to place a soft kiss on his nose. “Don’t worry too much about me, daddy. I’ve traveled overseas on my own before…”

“But with bodyguards and friends…”

“…and this time, I think its best I go out on my own and experience the world where there are no limits. I’m going to become the best teacher ever and I’m going to make you so proud of me.”

For a moment, Paul felt his heart skip a beat at the look on his daughter’s face. He was staring at Mare all over again. It was Mare, standing in their first apartment together, those hazel eyes lighting up with excitement as she walked around the empty space already designing the rooms in her mind. Before he could stop himself, he rose to his feet and wrapped his arms around his daughter’s waist, knowing that there might come a time when she’d deny him the little pleasure.

“I’m already so proud of you,” he whispered softly, smiling into her brown locks as he felt the spirit of his wife looking upon them with pride. “We’re both so very proud of you.”

So engrossed was he in his musings that he failed to notice Aurora stiffen a little at the last statement. For although, she loved a mother she had never seen in person, she always carried the little seed of guilt that she was the one responsible for her death.

__

As expected, Tony didn’t take the news so well.

“What do you mean you’re going to Japan for three months? Why the hell didn’t you tell me?!”

She eyed the array of business suits spread out on her bed, wondering just how many she ought to pack as her boyfriend’s (soon to be ex with the way things were going) voice continued to screech over the speaker phone.

Hmm….should she take the black suit or the blue one? Blue was back in season, so…

“I know you’re still there, Aurora! Answer me, goddamn it!”

“I’m going to be a volunteer English teacher,” she snapped in reply, her patience beginning to wear thin. “Jesus, you sound like a girl with the way you scream…”

“Teach?!” He laughed and she grit her teeth in irritation. “You can’t teach! You just got out of college a few weeks ago…and even then you didn’t study for education!”

“Yes, I did, you just weren’t paying attention,” she replied. Deciding on the blue suit, she threw it into her already bulging suitcase and then stood back with a wince. She had planned to go poor, hadn’t she? Why did she need all this extra stuff? She groaned and began to pull out the unnecessary items, sniffling softly as she wished each one a fond farewell.

“So you’re just going to go to Japan without telling me?”

“I was going to tell you…”

“When?! On the fucking flight?!”

“Maybe…” She wailed inwardly as she put aside a slinky black evening gown. Not that she was going to need it for anything over there anyway.

“I don’t believe you. I don’t fucking believe you! What the hell are you thinking, Aurora? You can’t just up and leave like that…!”

“Yes, I can and I am, Tony. Oh, and by the way, it’s over between us.”

“WHAT?!”

“You heard me!” She snapped the suitcase closed….and then had to sit on it, since it wouldn’t cooperate with her. As she bounced up and down, she glared at the black object on the bedside table. “You don’t think I haven’t heard about you sleeping around with Paris, do you? You fucking bastard!”

“Listen, Aurora that was a mistake…!”

“Oh yeah? Well, mistake this!” She made a rude farting sound on the phone before switching it off and promptly unplugging the cord from the wall.

She felt a huge weight fall off her shoulders as she held the black wire in her hand and she realized with a small sense of victory that she was beginning to take more charge in her life. Clinging to Tony and the illusions of being in the company of the most handsome guy in the city wasn’t going to cut it anymore. She refused to be taken for a fool any longer. She walked towards the large mirror and stared at her reflection. People said she was beautiful, gorgeous, and that she ought to be a model. Bleh, modeling was for skinny, drug-addicted wannabes and she didn’t want to be a part of that world. She stared at the thick flowing locks that cascaded down her shoulders; her forehead felt too wide…her eyes…

(Just like your mother…beautiful hazel eyes…)

…she blinked, perhaps hoping they’d disappear or something. But no they were still there…still the same color and would always be that way…unless she decided to get contacts. Her nose was too cute – a button nose, Mrs. Lyman had called it. Her mouth was too wide, full and pink. She captured the lower lip between her teeth and made a face. She tried to make herself look ugly but failed somehow. She was slender in build although she silently wished she had more boobs like that slut, Paris. But she was proud of her figure anyway. And besides, she didn’t need to look like a cheap whore to be noticed. She was doing just fine right now.

(Or maybe you’re just popular because of your family name.)

She frowned and puffed out her chest proudly. “No, people like me because of me.”

(So if they do…why would Tony cheat on you repeatedly? Why would those girls only show up when you have a party? How come no one asks you about how you feel after a long day or why you’re so sad?)

“Who says I’m sad? I’m the luckiest girl in the world and I’m going to another country to…to…”

(To run away.)

“…to become the greatest teacher in the world.”

Nodding firmly in response to her pep-talk, she eyed her bedroom warily. It was too pink, too girly, too…not ‘grown up’ enough. She couldn’t believe she had been living in this place for so long. She knew without a doubt that this trip was definitely the best idea she had come up with yet. She didn’t know what awaited her in Japan but she was sure she was going to prove to everyone that she was finally becoming a woman.

“My name is Aurora Freewill,” she whispered to her reflection as she reached for the scissors on the dresser. She held up her hair in a ponytail and contemplated it for a moment. “And I am about to start a whole new life.”

The snipping sound filled the heavy silence as she closed her eyes and felt the wisps of hair fall upon her shoulders. When she opened them again, she gasped at how different she looked with the shorter style. It was now simply at shoulder length and if it weren’t for the bright hazel eyes which stared back at her in the mirror, she would have thought she was someone else entirely.

With a soft laugh, she wrapped her arms around her waist and hugged herself gently.

One step down…a million more to go.