Monarchy of Roses

Chapter 11

Josh felt as though he were walking on air after the show as the group prepared to board their charter flight to Tokyo. The first show had few of the little jitters and mishaps of an opening night show as the performance went off smoothly, the audience listening intently. Josh had played mostly rhythm guitar or a few leads, with John encouraging him to take a few extra leads while adding some keyboards and doing backup vocals. He knew Nika was watching in the wings and this gave him an extra boost, just wanting to see her lovely blue eyes light up with delight.

"We saw you there, Josh. That's a great feeling, to know that your girl is watching", said Anthony.

Josh thought he heard a wistful note in the singer's voice. "Okay, I wouldn't know since the music I've made doesn't have many female fans", said Josh with a shrug.

"That's cool, there's a first time for everything", said Flea, clapping him on the back.

Josh saw Nika talking with John and waited until they were done. "Josh, you were trying to impress my daughter?", teased the older man.

"Perhaps, I never tried to impress a girl with music. But playing in front of the crowd was awesome, I just didn't want to let down the fans", he said.

"That's good to know", said John.

Josh smiled as he took Nika's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I was so concerned your Dad and your uncles would kick my ass, pardon my language. And I was playing for you, Nika. I've never done that before", he said, awkwardly adjusting the beanie covering his brown hair.

"Well, I've never dated anyone before so this makes us even", she said.

"Guys, you don't want to miss the flight", teased Clara as they both blushed guiltily.

Nika was pleasantly surprised when Josh sat down next to her on the plane, holding her hand and gently squeezing it. "I like being around you, Nika. I'm still riding adrenalin from the show, that's the greatest feeling in the world", he said.

"I've only played live at school recitals, I don't think that counts", she said ruefully.

"Really? You're a terrific player, you should try to find a jazz group to play in", he suggested.

"I don't like playing live, the other girls picked on me because of who Dad was and because I played in the school band", she said.

"They were just jealous, you have real talent. LA is full of dumb, shallow people, which is why I haven't dated anyone in a while. But I like you a lot, Nika Sophia Lacroix. And this is going to be a very interesting trip", he said with a crooked grin.

Before she could say anything, Josh leaned over and softly kissed her lips. This time she didn't have the urge to pull away, but instead relaxed into the kiss. "You're not scared, Nika. Trust me", he murmured.

Less than two hours later, the plane touched down in Tokyo as the bright lights of the city illuminated the night brightly as daytime. "Tokyo has some weird memories for me, that's where I left the band for the first time. But we've also played great shows here, the good experiences cancel out the bad ones", John mused aloud.

Normally Nika would have felt tired this late at night but she felt oddly energized and thought about watching some TV or reading when she reached her room. She unpacked a few things and tomorrow's outfit before putting on her pajamas and turning on the TV.

While watching Chushingara on the TV, Nika heard a knock on the door. To her surprise and more than a little delight, Josh stood on the other side with a bottle of sake. "I thought you'll like some company, I'm still keyed up from playing", he said.