"This is Ryoma. How may I help you?"

Xander took a deep breath before responding, "Yes, hello, Mr. Hoshido. This is Xander Nohr, following up on your email a few minutes ago."

"Oh, yes, Mr. Nohr! I'm glad to hear back from you," Ryoma said.

The time between response email and phone call hadn't been long enough for Xander to completely process a plan but he did have an idea for how to at least give himself some extra time. "Before we go forward with the photoshoot, I'd like to gain a better understanding of you personally to make sure you can be trusted."

"Right, I understand."

"I will be in Los Angeles this weekend spending time with family. Perhaps after that, we could meet somewhere for dinner?"

"Los Angeles? Well, we could just-" There was a pause as Ryoma caught himself and considered what he was offering. "I live in Pasadena. Would you be interested in joining my siblings and I for dinner Sunday evening?"

Xander considered this. It would certainly give him the chance to get to know Ryoma personally. But that would give him hardly twenty-four hours of preparation. Despite himself, he responded, "That sounds fine."

"Oh, great! I'll email you the details, alright?"

"Very well. I'll see you Sunday. Good night." Xander cringed as he hung up. What had he gotten himself into…?

…

"He actually went through with it?" Takumi asked, mouth agape.

"I'm as surprised as you are," Ryoma replied. He was smiling proudly, waving a piece of paper with the information he and Xander had discussed the night before scribbled upon it, as his siblings gathered to hear the exciting news he had.

"Th-That's amazing, big brother!" Sakura said, standing to give Ryoma a hug.

"I also, errr… invited over to our house for a preliminary meeting," Ryoma added, gauging Hinoka's reaction. "He'll be by tomorrow night."

"This is a great opportunity, Ryoma!" Hinoka said cheerfully, much to his relief, as she put a hand on his shoulder. "One of the youngest and most successful businessmen in the country is coming over so you can do an exclusive photoshoot with him. I can hardly believe it." She paused. "I hope you realize you're on bathroom cleaning duty to prepare for him to come over." Ryoma scowled.

…

"Mr. Nohr?" the gray-haired man called as he knocked on the front door.

"Shut it, Laslow!" his companion, a young woman with cotton candy-colored hair pulled into messy twintails, whispered angrily. "Mr. Xander specifically said no one can know he's here. You want someone to hear you shouting?"

Laslow took a deep breath. "Mr. Leo Nohr? Are you there?"

The door soon opened, revealing a very confused Camilla. "Laslow? Peri? Why are you here?"

"Ah, Miss Camilla!" Laslow greeted, his signature charming smile quickly appearing on his face. "Fancy meeting you here."

Camilla rolled her eyes. "It is my house, Laslow. But enough of your childish games. Answer my question, if you please."

"We need to speak with your brother!" Peri responded quickly.

Camilla squinted. "Which one?"

Laslow and Peri shared an anxious glance. "Err… Leo, apparently," Laslow answered with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I see," the eldest Nohrian woman responded, accompanied by a teasing smile. "Well, unfortunately, Leo isn't home-"

"Camilla!" came Xander's shout from beyond the threshold. "Let them in!"

Camilla sighed, disappointed. "Spoilsport. Come along, you two." She stepped out of the way, allowing Xander's flustered assistants to enter, Laslow glancing over his shoulder for any signs of a camera watching. "Leo is upstairs in his room," she directed sarcastically.

"Thank you, madam," Laslow said, bowing and kissing her hand. Camilla and Peri rolled their eyes.

…

"You did what?!" both assistants gasped simultaneously when Xander broke the news, though their tones were clearly different.

"I hired a photographer to do an article on me," Xander repeated.

Laslow shook his head. "Call him back. Cancel it. You can't go through with this."

"No, no!" Peri interrupted, smacking her hand over Laslow's mouth. "I like this! Everyone gets to know the real Mr. Xander! Good idea!"

Laslow tried to move his companion's hand away from his mouth to little avail, though he did eventually manage to move it enough to say, "Nohr Industries thrives on the mystery! Every tabloid, magazine, and gossip website speculates daily on the face behind the financial giant. Once you've spoiled that, the buzz is dead!"

"That's not true," Peri said, moving her hand to her hip. "Mr. Xander is a genius. Everyone loves his products. And once they find out he's charming and handsome, too, they'll love it even more!"

"We'll be just like everyone else. We haven't had any real competition for a decade. Who knows how we'll fare when we're not unique?"

"You're just a pessimist, Laslow."

"I'm a realist."

"Oh, yeah? Well, you're also a big-"

Xander raised his hand, silencing the bickering pair immediately. Laslow and Peri had been his trusted companions for years thanks largely to the differing opinions they provided; however, after so long of having such arguments, they quickly learned not to go beyond Xander's first warning. The duo stared anxiously as Xander moved his hand to his chin thoughtfully.

"I'll keep both of your advice in mind," he said finally. "The decision isn't final… yet. I'm meeting him at his house for dinner tomorrow night. I would appreciate it if you accompanied me."

Peri's eyes lit up. "Ooooh! Yay, that sounds fun!"

"If you will it, sir," Laslow replied. "Uh, are we still planning on keeping a low profile on our way there?"

"Of course," Xander answered. "I'm bringing Elise, too. If I change my mind, we'll pass it off as a meeting between her and Mr. Hoshido." He walked over to the nearby desk and sat down. "Elise's driver will be over with the limo at 6:30 tomorrow. Be here at least fifteen minutes before that." Understanding they were dismissed, Laslow and Peri scurried away.

Once they were gone, Xander propped his head on his fists, deep in thought. There was one hole with his plan. Finally, he took a deep breath, pulled out his phone, and dialed a number. "Is Effie there? … Yes, this is Xander Nohr. I'd like to follow up on my offer from yesterday…"

…

"Remind me again why you're forcing me to come grocery shopping with you," Hinoka questioned, following Ryoma with her arms crossed like a pouting child.

"Because I like having you around to talk to," Ryoma responded with a cheeky grin as he grabbed something off the top shelf.

Hinoka rolled her eyes. "Sure, whatever. What's the real reason?"

"You can help me pick out the right ingredients."

"Spaghetti. Fire. Try again."

"I need your help carrying everything."

Hinoka gestured to Ryoma's towering, muscular figure, then to her own comparatively scrawny one.

"You made me clean the bathroom alone."

"That's fair." They continued to walk in silence for a brief time, giving Ryoma the chance to think about the upcoming evening. Getting the exclusive chance to reveal the secrets of Nohr Industries to the general public could make his career. But if the dinner didn't go well, that chance would be lost. There was a lot of pressure riding on this.

His train of thought was broken when Hinoka suddenly said, "Oh my gosh! Oboro, is that you?" Ryoma's eyes flew to where Hinoka was looking and landed on the blue-haired girl she was speaking to. Sure enough, it was Oboro, one of Takumi's friends from high school.

"Wow! Hinoka, hi!" The boy Oboro was standing with followed her over as she hugged Hinoka. Ryoma watched awkwardly. "You remember Hinata, right?"

"Of course! Wow, I almost didn't recognize you!" Another one of Takumi's friends. As almost perfect opposites, Oboro and Hinata made quite the pair: Oboro was short and thin while Hinata was tall and muscular (though still fairly small next to Ryoma). Oboro was calm and refined while Hinata was energetic and careless. Oboro was fashionable while Hinata probably hadn't washed the tank top and torn jeans he was wearing in days.

"It's good to see you again, Mr. Hoshido," Hinata said, stopping Ryoma's train of thought once again.

"You too," Ryoma replied with a friendly smile. "I haven't seen either of you since… Takumi's junior year, I guess. Are you still keeping in touch?"

Oboro frowned. "Uh, not really," Hinata remarked with a sheepish smile. "Just been so busy with college, you know?"

"Of course," Hinoka replied, nodding. "It's your freshman year, you must be swamped! So where are you two going to college?"

Ryoma just smiled and nodded politely as Hinoka, Oboro, and Hinata continued to talk up a storm. His thoughts, of course, drifted back to his upcoming dinner with Mr. Nohr. During their initial email chain, Xander had included some ground rules - all windows must be covered with blinds and/or dark curtains, anything discussed during dinner is private, and no one besides Ryoma, his three siblings, and Xander's entourage could be present for dinner - as well as what he liked to eat. It made sense that Xander was being so picky since he was a rich, young businessman who had lived his entire life privately up to this point. Ryoma honestly expected him to be pickier than he was.

"Well, we'd better get back to shopping," Oboro finally said.

"Right, of course," Hinoka replied. "It was great seeing you two again! I'll let Takumi know you said hi."

"Heh, uh… thanks," Hinata said with a nervous chuckle before he and Oboro disappeared.

Ryoma watched them go. "Did they seem… strange to you?"

"A little," Hinoka answered. "I wonder…"

"Wonder what?"

"Nothing. What's next on the list?"

…

This was the third time Xander had redone his tie. Not that he could help it. He was horribly anxious for this meeting. What if he decided against doing the photoshoot and Ryoma spilled his secrets anyway? Sure, he could sue, but that would only confirm everything to the general public. What if he did do the photoshoot and Laslow was right? Could this destroy the company he had been building for ten years?

"You're panicking," Camilla noted calmly, her reflection appearing next to his in the mirror. "Take a deep breath." Xander sighed frustratedly but didn't stop her when she took over tying his tie. "What are you so concerned about, anyway?"

"Nothing," he insisted. "I'm fine."

Camilla rolled her eyes, though she knew better than to try to push the issue. Once Xander had put up the wall, there was no breaking it down. "There," she said, making the final adjustment to the tie. "Handsome as always. You'll be great."

"Thank you, Camilla," Xander said.

She smiled. "That's what I'm here for."

Their moment was interrupted by a knock at the door. "That must be Laslow and Peri," Xander remarked. "Would you let them in, please? Without the interrogation, preferably."

"Fine," Camilla replied. "They're so fun to tease, though. Always so serious."

"Serious? Laslow and Peri?" Xander almost laughed.

"Well, maybe that's the wrong word. But you know what I mean." Before she opened the door, Camilla took a second to appreciate the fact that Xander was actually smiling. She knew once Laslow and Peri were inside he would be back to business mode. And sure enough, as soon as the door was opened, his smile vanished as he rounded the corner to avoid being spotted.

"Miss Camilla! We meet again." Laslow actually bowed upon greeting her. Camilla had to admit, his flirtations were flattering, even though she knew he flirted with every woman he met. "You're looking lovely as usual."

She chose not to reward him with a response. "Elise and Mr. Johnson are still getting ready. Come in, have a seat." Once the door was closed behind them, Xander emerged from hiding.

"Wow! You look great, Mr. Xander!" Peri remarked.

"Quite dashing, indeed," Laslow agreed.

"Thank you," Xander replied. "Now, are we clear on what is happening tonight?"

Peri nodded eagerly. "Miss Elise's limo will be here in fifteen minutes. Me, you, Laslow, and Miss Elise take the limo to Mr. Ryoma's house."

Laslow added, "During dinner, Peri and I will make small talk with Mr. Hoshido and his siblings to try and learn more about them and whether Mr. Hoshido's interest is entirely professional or not. If he tries to ask a question about you, we will skillfully change the subject unless you signal us otherwise."

"Looks like everything will go exactly to your script," Camilla remarked with a roll of the eyes as she retreated upstairs to help Elise.

"Very good," Xander replied to Laslow and Peri, ignoring his sister. "But there is one other thing. We will also be joined by Elise's agent, Effie."

Laslow cocked an eyebrow. "Sir, not to question you, but do you really want to add another variable to this plan? And if she's joining us for dinner, that means you're revealing your identity to her."

"No, actually, it doesn't." Xander took a deep breath and prepared for Laslow's reaction. "She already knows."

"What?" His eyes were wide now. "How? And for how long? It could already be leaked to the press-"

"It was a necessity for coming home to see my family," Xander interrupted, causing the gray-haired man to lean back, cross his arms, and pout. "Elise trusts her. And… so do I."

Peri gasped and her eye twinkled but she didn't say anything, even when Xander and Laslow looked at her in confusion. Fortunately for her, before they could question her any further, Elise appeared at the top of the stairs. "I'm readyyyyy!" she chirped, twirling her dress. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful," "Wonderful!" "Pretty!" "Gorgeous, of course," came the responses. Elise acted embarrassed, even though she loved the attention.

A knock on the door signaled that Arthur and Effie had arrived. Xander hurriedly applied his disguise and they were gone. "Have a good time," Camilla called after them.

"We will!" Elise replied. "Bye, big sister!"

Camilla smiled fondly as they disappeared into the limo. Once they were out of sight, she closed the door and made her way to the couch to take a seat. Leo wandered downstairs in a vest and grabbed his shoes.

"Where are you going all dressed up?" Camilla asked as he tied them. Of course, she realized that this was hardly "dressed up" for Leo. The boy didn't know the definition of casual.

"Odin and Niles wanted to catch up while I'm in town," Leo replied. "I'll be back later tonight."

Camilla nodded. "Have fun." And with that, she had the house to herself. She smiled calmly and leaned back, propping her feet up on the table and sighing deeply. She retained this position for a brief moment before remarking, "This is terribly boring." As she stood up and grabbed her coat, she dialed a number on her phone. "Hi, Corrin? Are you home?"

…

Ryoma was running around the house like a chicken with his head cut off as Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura watched from the table. He was muttering things to himself about the various tasks that still needed to be completed.

"Sh-should we help?" Sakura asked anxiously as Ryoma made another pass through the dining room, grabbing the comb he had laid down on just his last trip through.

"I think we'd get run over," Takumi replied.

Hinoka shook her head and stood up, grabbing Ryoma by the shoulder as he returned to the kitchen and forcing him to stop. "Calm down. Stressing out is just going to make you forget something."

"How am I supposed to not stress?" he asked, wiping sweat from his brow. "The macaroni isn't done cooking yet and I haven't even started on the potatoes. I have to find at least three more chairs to fit around the table. The floor needs swept again already. My hair is a mess. And he'll be here in less than thirty minutes."

"You're also not wearing any pants," Takumi added. Ryoma looked down and groaned.

"It'll be fine. You go get dressed. Takumi can finish dinner."

"What?!"

Hinoka smacked him, not looking away from Ryoma, and continued nonchalantly, "Sakura and I will handle cleaning and get the table set. Everything will be ready by the time Mr. Nohr gets here, I promise."

Ryoma took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright. Thanks."

"No problem," Hinoka replied as he disappeared up the stairs.

"How am I supposed to finish cooking?" Takumi questioned angrily.

Hinoka rolled her eyes. "It's macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes. How hard can it be?"

"You set spaghetti on fire."

"Good point. Google it."

…

Every's breathing hitched when the doorbell rang. Ryoma dove for a mirror and began smoothing wrinkles in his outfit and brushing his hair down again. Sakura's face turned red as she shifted her weight back and forth on her feet. "Is someone going to get the door?" Takumi questioned. Hinoka shoved him towards the door before disappearing into the kitchen. He scowled, took a moment to smooth his own wrinkly clothes, then opened the door.

"Hello," Effie greeted politely as Xander had asked her to. "I'm Elise Nohr's agent. Thank you for having us over." Takumi cocked an eyebrow as his eyes scanned the group. None of them looked like Leo's older brother.

"Uh, yeah, no problem," he stuttered, mentally smacking himself for that terrible response. "Come in, have a seat. The food is almost ready."

Once he closed the door behind them, Takumi practically ran to the table, grabbing Sakura's wrist along the way, and took his seat. Xander began to remove his disguise as Ryoma rounded the corner.

"Hello, I'm Ryoma," he said, offering his hand. "Thank you for coming over." He waited to see who would step forward to shake his hand, his eyes falling on Xander. Instead, Laslow stepped forward.

"Laslow," he said. "Mr. Nohr's assistant. This is my colleague, Peri; Mr. Nohr's younger sister, Elise; and Effie, Elise's agent."

"It's nice to meet you," Ryoma said. "I suppose this is Mr. Nohr, then?" he asked, offering his hand directly to Xander. Xander hesitated but accepted the handshake.

"That's me," he said, an awkward smile appearing. "It's good to meet you in person."

Laslow watched this uncomfortable exchange before moving towards the table. "Are these your siblings?"

"Ah, yes," Ryoma replied, following the gray-haired man. "This is my younger brother, Takumi, and my younger sister, Sakura. Hinoka is in the kitchen finishing up." He cleared his throat. "Hinoka?"

The woman in question slowly rounded the corner. "Hi," she said, shaking Laslow's hand. "It's nice to meet all of-" Her voice cracked when she saw Xander. Xander's eyes went wide. Laslow and Peri both looked concerned.

"Big brother?" Elise whispered, tugging on his sleeve. "Is something wrong?"

Xander took a deep breath, tugged on his tie, then stepped over to Hinoka. "Miss Hinoka. Long time, no see."

dun dun dunnnnn

Excited to expand the cast! Once we get out of Ryoma and Xander's oh-so important introductions, I'll give Hinoka, Takumi, Sakura, Camilla, Leo, and Elise some more focus. We probably won't see Hinata or Oboro again until then. Corrin will, of course, be a little more involved with everyone's life. The other retainers and some other characters will also be popping up later.

Oh, yeah, and that cliffhanger. That's a thing, too. More information on that relationship next time.

Let me know what you think - leave a review! Thanks!