my hobby is writing...
I finally have enough confidence that i think i like how i started this story, or at least i can continue with how i started this storyline...
the long since promised Jun/Mao series fic i've said i'd make since Baby Steps...
it's my first AU fic though, so i might be a bit rusty... :) and i do hope it's all right since i went through at least 4 other versions of this introduction before i settled with this... :)
TITLE: One Chance (Falling...)
CHARACTERS: Matsumoto Jun, Ikuta Toma, Inoue Mao, Horikita Maki, Toda Erika, Mizushima Hiro, Nishikido Ryo, Takaki Yuya, Sakamoto Masayuki (please proceed to cast list for more of the cast)
GENRE: AU
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
SUMMARY: She was waiting for a guy to sweep her off her feet. He was waiting for that girl he could sweep off hers... And then a new guy came to change the story... This is a story of falling in love, and realizing that you've fallen in love... Typical isn't it? Maybe... Maybe not...
Prologue
“Yosh! We’re here…” Toma announced as he pulled the car to a stop in front of the MSMT building, smiling at Erika seated beside him first before turning to the two girls riding at the back. “7:58… See, I told you I’d get you here before 8:00!”
“You should…” Maki said as she opened her side’s door. “Since you almost ran that red light…”
“That was a yellow, Horikitty!” Toma insisted, turning to look at the girl behind Erika who’s just about to exit his car. “And shouldn’t you be thankful right now?”
“I’m thankful all right... That we’re all still alive…” she said, turning to give him a playful smirk before fully getting out of the car.
“Thanks cousin…”Erika chuckled, turning to him before she followed her best friend out.
“You’re not going to be late for work, are you?” Mao asked from behind him, making him turn around.
“Oh, they’re used to that already…” he chuckled, winking at her. “Of course not! Come on, Mao-chan… You know what you’re best friend can do…”
“Yeah…” Mao chuckled, reaching out to pat him by the cheeks. “Including speeding… Slow down a bit, will you…”
“We’ll see…” he simply chuckled as he watched her move out and close the door. With a small wave to the three, he kicked the engine into high gear to leave the premises.
“Remind me again why he had to drive us here…” Maki said as they waited for his car to be out of sight before turning around to enter the building where all three of them work, the MSMT Advertising Agency, one of the premier ad companies in Japan and part of the prestigious Matsumoto Group of Companies.
For three friends who live closely together and work in the same company, the three of them had decided to ride to work in just one car.
“Let me see…” Erika started. “Ryo borrowed my car since his car is at the shop just like yours, and Mao-chan here is still too chicken to get her driver’s license, thus, she has no car…”
“Hey…” Mao pouted indignantly as they entered the building.
Erika simply chuckled as she continued “And dear cousin Toma drove us here because he found out that Mao-chan didn’t have a ride… Speaking of which, what’s the real score between you and my cousin anyway?”
“Wait, you and Toma-kun are back together?” Maki exclaimed, turning to face Mao. “I thought you woke up from that nightmare already?!”
“What are you talking about?!” Mao chuckled, shaking her head. “Toma-kun and I are just best friends. That’s all we’ve been since college, come on…”
“Really?” Erika asked, disbelief written all over her face. “Because I haven’t seen that guy treat any one of his passing girlfriends the same way he treats you…”
“That’s because I am his best friend, not his girlfriend…” Mao said. “And I can’t believe this is still an issue… We’ve broken up like 7-8 years ago already…”
“But you still haven’t had a boyfriend since him, right?” asked Maki. “I’ve known you since college and I’ve never seen you even go out on a solo date…”
“Look who’s talking!” Mao cried, turning to Maki with a wide grin. “You haven’t had a boyfriend since you broke up with that jerk you dated back in college! What’s his name again?”
“Tomohisa…” Maki replied, rolling her eyes as she pushed the up button for the elevator. “And please, let’s not talk about him. I’d long since forgotten that he was even part of my life… The point is, at least I still date whereas you wouldn’t even go out with any other guy other than Toma-kun if we won’t make you…”
“She’s right…” Erika agreed, the three of them gladly stepping in on a thankfully empty elevator. “What gives?”
“Maybe I just haven’t found him yet…” Mao shrugged as they waited for the door to open on their respective floors. While they all work for the same company, they belong to different departments: Mao works at the Creative Department, Maki in Production, and Erika in Accounts Services.
“Come on Mao-chan…” Maki exclaimed, shaking her head. “Please don’t tell me you’re still waiting for that guy who’d sweep you off your feet…”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“This isn’t a fairy tale Mao-chan…” said Erika. “You may have to wait forever for that to happen…”
Mao simply smiled. “Let’s hope not…”
-----
“Since when did my younger brother become an early morning person?” Hiro chuckled, the moment he stepped out of the balcony into the vicinity of the outdoor pool of the Matsumoto mansion.
Jun laughed, stopping midway in his intended lap to turn around and face his older brother smiling at him, clad in a crisp business attire with a coffee cup in hand.
“Since my older brother started drinking coffee…” he replied, a huge grin on his lips as he waded to where Hiro is standing.
“I’ve always had coffee since I turned 20…” Hiro chuckled, offering him a hand to pull him up when he reached the edge. “You were just never awake early enough to see me drink one…”
Jun laughed, taking his brother’s offered hand. “Well, after you and dad decided to send me to London, it was either I wake up early or I don’t eat until lunch, it’s a pretty simple choice, really…”
“Looks like London did change you…” Hiro smiled, nodding as he dried himself off. “It did you good…”
“What are you doing here anyway?” Jun asked, changing topics. “If you’re hoping to catch either dad or Yuyan, you’re a couple minutes too late…”
“I was hoping I’d see you actually…” Hiro replied. “Especially since you weren’t here last night when I returned to Tokyo…”
“Oh, Kame heard I was back so he invited me to Mystique…” he laughed, recalling how their cousin had ever so proudly showed him the club he owned at Azabu. “And it wasn’t my fault that you were nowhere near Tokyo when I arrived last Friday…”
“Yeah… I had to finish up some things with MSMT before I leave the company…” Hiro sighed. “Hopefully the deal get’s closed before the hand off ceremony this Wednesday…”
“Oh yeah, congratulations about that…” Jun said. “When are you officially taking over Gussan’s position anyway?”
“By the end of the week…” Hiro smiled. “I can’t believe Gussan retired… He’s only 50…”
“I can’t believe he only resigned now…” Jun smiled back. “As far as I know, he was never really the type to be tied down to an office… He’d rather go out there and ski or surf… Unlike you my dear brother, who seems to have embraced work wholeheartedly…”
“Well, some of us has to…” Hiro chuckled. “Anyway, speaking of work, I want you to stop by MSMT later this afternoon…”
“Why?”
“Because I want to show you something first…” Hiro smiled, draining the contents of his cup before setting it on the table there. “Besides, the wife has demanded that you have dinner at my house tonight…”
Jun laughed as Hiro turned around to head to the living room. “How’s Nanako-chan anyway?”
“Furious at me since she heard that you’ve been in Tokyo for a couple of days now and yet you haven’t shown your face to her…” Hiro sighed before shaking his head and chuckling. “Which is why you better show up this afternoon so that her anger would be directed to where it actually is due…”
“Not likely…” Jun gloated. “Your wife loves me too much for her to get angry at me…”
“Whatever…” Hiro chuckled, shaking his head as he entered the living room. “Be at MSMT before 5!” he added with a small wave without turning around before he was completely out of sight.
-----
prologue is up! for past fics: masterpost!
readers? comments and critics are welcome and really loved... :)
the long since promised Jun/Mao series fic i've said i'd make since Baby Steps...
it's my first AU fic though, so i might be a bit rusty... :) and i do hope it's all right since i went through at least 4 other versions of this introduction before i settled with this... :)
TITLE: One Chance (Falling...)
CHARACTERS: Matsumoto Jun, Ikuta Toma, Inoue Mao, Horikita Maki, Toda Erika, Mizushima Hiro, Nishikido Ryo, Takaki Yuya, Sakamoto Masayuki (please proceed to cast list for more of the cast)
GENRE: AU
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
SUMMARY: She was waiting for a guy to sweep her off her feet. He was waiting for that girl he could sweep off hers... And then a new guy came to change the story... This is a story of falling in love, and realizing that you've fallen in love... Typical isn't it? Maybe... Maybe not...
Prologue
“Yosh! We’re here…” Toma announced as he pulled the car to a stop in front of the MSMT building, smiling at Erika seated beside him first before turning to the two girls riding at the back. “7:58… See, I told you I’d get you here before 8:00!”
“You should…” Maki said as she opened her side’s door. “Since you almost ran that red light…”
“That was a yellow, Horikitty!” Toma insisted, turning to look at the girl behind Erika who’s just about to exit his car. “And shouldn’t you be thankful right now?”
“I’m thankful all right... That we’re all still alive…” she said, turning to give him a playful smirk before fully getting out of the car.
“Thanks cousin…”Erika chuckled, turning to him before she followed her best friend out.
“You’re not going to be late for work, are you?” Mao asked from behind him, making him turn around.
“Oh, they’re used to that already…” he chuckled, winking at her. “Of course not! Come on, Mao-chan… You know what you’re best friend can do…”
“Yeah…” Mao chuckled, reaching out to pat him by the cheeks. “Including speeding… Slow down a bit, will you…”
“We’ll see…” he simply chuckled as he watched her move out and close the door. With a small wave to the three, he kicked the engine into high gear to leave the premises.
“Remind me again why he had to drive us here…” Maki said as they waited for his car to be out of sight before turning around to enter the building where all three of them work, the MSMT Advertising Agency, one of the premier ad companies in Japan and part of the prestigious Matsumoto Group of Companies.
For three friends who live closely together and work in the same company, the three of them had decided to ride to work in just one car.
“Let me see…” Erika started. “Ryo borrowed my car since his car is at the shop just like yours, and Mao-chan here is still too chicken to get her driver’s license, thus, she has no car…”
“Hey…” Mao pouted indignantly as they entered the building.
Erika simply chuckled as she continued “And dear cousin Toma drove us here because he found out that Mao-chan didn’t have a ride… Speaking of which, what’s the real score between you and my cousin anyway?”
“Wait, you and Toma-kun are back together?” Maki exclaimed, turning to face Mao. “I thought you woke up from that nightmare already?!”
“What are you talking about?!” Mao chuckled, shaking her head. “Toma-kun and I are just best friends. That’s all we’ve been since college, come on…”
“Really?” Erika asked, disbelief written all over her face. “Because I haven’t seen that guy treat any one of his passing girlfriends the same way he treats you…”
“That’s because I am his best friend, not his girlfriend…” Mao said. “And I can’t believe this is still an issue… We’ve broken up like 7-8 years ago already…”
“But you still haven’t had a boyfriend since him, right?” asked Maki. “I’ve known you since college and I’ve never seen you even go out on a solo date…”
“Look who’s talking!” Mao cried, turning to Maki with a wide grin. “You haven’t had a boyfriend since you broke up with that jerk you dated back in college! What’s his name again?”
“Tomohisa…” Maki replied, rolling her eyes as she pushed the up button for the elevator. “And please, let’s not talk about him. I’d long since forgotten that he was even part of my life… The point is, at least I still date whereas you wouldn’t even go out with any other guy other than Toma-kun if we won’t make you…”
“She’s right…” Erika agreed, the three of them gladly stepping in on a thankfully empty elevator. “What gives?”
“Maybe I just haven’t found him yet…” Mao shrugged as they waited for the door to open on their respective floors. While they all work for the same company, they belong to different departments: Mao works at the Creative Department, Maki in Production, and Erika in Accounts Services.
“Come on Mao-chan…” Maki exclaimed, shaking her head. “Please don’t tell me you’re still waiting for that guy who’d sweep you off your feet…”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“This isn’t a fairy tale Mao-chan…” said Erika. “You may have to wait forever for that to happen…”
Mao simply smiled. “Let’s hope not…”
-----
“Since when did my younger brother become an early morning person?” Hiro chuckled, the moment he stepped out of the balcony into the vicinity of the outdoor pool of the Matsumoto mansion.
Jun laughed, stopping midway in his intended lap to turn around and face his older brother smiling at him, clad in a crisp business attire with a coffee cup in hand.
“Since my older brother started drinking coffee…” he replied, a huge grin on his lips as he waded to where Hiro is standing.
“I’ve always had coffee since I turned 20…” Hiro chuckled, offering him a hand to pull him up when he reached the edge. “You were just never awake early enough to see me drink one…”
Jun laughed, taking his brother’s offered hand. “Well, after you and dad decided to send me to London, it was either I wake up early or I don’t eat until lunch, it’s a pretty simple choice, really…”
“Looks like London did change you…” Hiro smiled, nodding as he dried himself off. “It did you good…”
“What are you doing here anyway?” Jun asked, changing topics. “If you’re hoping to catch either dad or Yuyan, you’re a couple minutes too late…”
“I was hoping I’d see you actually…” Hiro replied. “Especially since you weren’t here last night when I returned to Tokyo…”
“Oh, Kame heard I was back so he invited me to Mystique…” he laughed, recalling how their cousin had ever so proudly showed him the club he owned at Azabu. “And it wasn’t my fault that you were nowhere near Tokyo when I arrived last Friday…”
“Yeah… I had to finish up some things with MSMT before I leave the company…” Hiro sighed. “Hopefully the deal get’s closed before the hand off ceremony this Wednesday…”
“Oh yeah, congratulations about that…” Jun said. “When are you officially taking over Gussan’s position anyway?”
“By the end of the week…” Hiro smiled. “I can’t believe Gussan retired… He’s only 50…”
“I can’t believe he only resigned now…” Jun smiled back. “As far as I know, he was never really the type to be tied down to an office… He’d rather go out there and ski or surf… Unlike you my dear brother, who seems to have embraced work wholeheartedly…”
“Well, some of us has to…” Hiro chuckled. “Anyway, speaking of work, I want you to stop by MSMT later this afternoon…”
“Why?”
“Because I want to show you something first…” Hiro smiled, draining the contents of his cup before setting it on the table there. “Besides, the wife has demanded that you have dinner at my house tonight…”
Jun laughed as Hiro turned around to head to the living room. “How’s Nanako-chan anyway?”
“Furious at me since she heard that you’ve been in Tokyo for a couple of days now and yet you haven’t shown your face to her…” Hiro sighed before shaking his head and chuckling. “Which is why you better show up this afternoon so that her anger would be directed to where it actually is due…”
“Not likely…” Jun gloated. “Your wife loves me too much for her to get angry at me…”
“Whatever…” Hiro chuckled, shaking his head as he entered the living room. “Be at MSMT before 5!” he added with a small wave without turning around before he was completely out of sight.
-----
prologue is up! for past fics: masterpost!
readers? comments and critics are welcome and really loved... :)