series update... :)
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, Chapter1, Chapter2, Chapter3, Chapter4, Chapter5, Chapter6, Chapter7, Chapter8, Chapter 9, Chapter10, Chapter11
Chapter 12: Family and Its Representatives…
“What are you doing here?” Jun exclaimed in amazement and amusement the moment Kame entered the living room of the Matsumoto mansion.
Kame groaned playfully. “I was told that there was a family engagement here, not a business meeting…” he said as he took in the sight of everyone in the room.
Other than Jun, Nanako, Shun, and Yuya were also there since Masayuki had called his only grandson, Yuri, up to his room for a surprise while Hiro and Nakai can be seen conversing by the pool.
“What are you doing here?” he asked Shun.
“I’ve got a special invite…” Shun replied with a grimace. “And it said I can not decline… Feels like it’s my last supper or something though…”
Kame chuckled and Jun smiled sympathetically at his friend while Nanako and Yuya shook their head and grinned. But the voice that came up next didn’t come from anyone of them. In fact, it came from behind Kame.
“Why do you all look like you’d rather be anywhere else but here?” Gussan asked with a chuckle as he walked through the door that, just moments ago, gave way to Kame.
-----
“I didn’t know you were back in Japan…” Jun chuckled his greeting to his uncle while Kame was engaged into a conversation by Nanako and Shun and Yuya resumed the one they started before Kame came in.
“I was never going to completely leave this country…” Gussan chuckled. “Just thought I’d go visit around… Which would be quite the opposite compared to you…” he told him pointedly. “I heard Nii-san had to drag you all the way home just so you could hold the post at MSMT…”
“Well, drag might be a bit of a stretch…” Jun admitted with a chuckle as he and Gussan stepped right in front of the tapestry that held the Matsumoto family tree. “I just happen to have found my comfort zone back in London when dad told me about everything… That was why I felt reluctant to come back…”
“Reluctant?” Nanako echoed, startling both men who weren’t aware that the woman had walked towards their direction, leaving Kame to join Shun and Yuya’s conversation. “You weren’t reluctant…. You were pretty adamant when you said no… But I guess things are bound to change if they still hadn’t…” she added meaningfully.
Jun shook his head in amazement of his sister-in-law but before he could reply, Gussan spoke up.
“Yeah, I heard about that…” he said in an amused voice. “A girl from MSMT right?”
“Not you too…” Jun groaned as he shook his head.
“What?!” Gussan chuckled. “Not because I’m out of the country does it mean I’m out of the loop…” he said. “Besides, Nii-san most probably knows about it already…”
“Yeah…” Nanako gasped, turning to face Gussan in worry (and as though Jun isn’t there) and asking “Do you think dad wouldn’t like her for Jun-chan?”
Throwing him a sideways glance and seeing him roll his eyes, Gussan chuckled. “Nah… He’ll most probably thank her for giving Jun a reason to stay…”
-----
What Shun termed as something ‘feeling like his last supper’, or technically speaking, lunch, turned out have a far lighter mood than they expected. Well, in their defense, they weren’t expecting that their lunch would be a barbeque at the garden too.
The presence of Gussan, Kame, Yuri, Yuya and Nanako made things a lot more lighter as compared to how business-like things would be if they’re not there.
But then, of course, business is in Masayuki’s blood and it’s virtually impossible that he sees Hiro, Jun, Shun, and even Nakai in just one area and not delve into it. Which is why when Yuya saw his father approaching the little group composed of him, Yuya, Jun and Shun, he immediately came up with a reason to leave. Business may be in Masayuki’s blood, and therefore in his and his brothers too, but he’s not yet prepared to be involved in it like his older brothers are.
“I’ve just received MSMT’s latest reports…” he said as he stepped next to them, turning around so that he wasn’t looking at the three men but at the rest of the family. Yuri and Gussan are playing with Gussan’s dog with Nanako and Nakai helping by the grill, and Kame and Yuya engaged in deep conversation with a topic that, if the serious Hiro would ever hear, he would not approve off (he still thinks that Yuya is too ‘young’).
“And I must say… I’m impressed… The company’s performance was a lot better than I expected…” he continued. When none of the three spoke a word and just stood there and smiled, he added “I think we can even have Shun-kun taking charge already…”
“Isn’t that a bit too soon?” Hiro asked curiously while Jun and Shun looked at each other in surprise. “I mean, the plan was for Shun-kun to take over after half a year at the earliest… And it’s still a couple of months premature…”
“I know…” Masayuki smiled. “But I think both he and the agency is ready for it… Right?” he said, turning to Shun with a proud smile. Both taken aback by the praise and the sudden question, Shun could do nothing else but smile awkwardly. It didn’t matter to Masayuki though as he continued “Besides, I think I have something else for Jun to take charge on…”
If Shun was silenced by Masayuki’s words, Jun, on the other hand, was roused, especially after that final statement.
“Dad… We had a deal remember?” he told his father with a smile but there’s no denying the seriousness in his voice.
“And so we did…” Masayuki simply smiled. “But from what I remember, and I remember it clearly, the deal was just about you staying in Japan because of business for one year… It was never specified that you’re going to spend that whole year with MSMT only… Besides, I’ve been hearing some things that says you might end up staying here longer after all…”
Jun gaped at his father, partly because he can not find a counter to the technicality his father found in the deal they had and partly because of what he says he heard. Before he could come up with the exact words to express his shock though, Nanako, who had been eyeing their group since she noticed her father-in-law joining them, joined in too.
“Dad…” she smiled, putting a hand on Masayuki’s arm as she looked at Masayuki in a way that only she could get away with, like she’s lecturing him. “I thought we agreed to not talk about business over this lunch…”
Masayuki smiled, but this time a bit sheepishly and apologetically. “Well, I was thinking of saying this after lunch but I have a very strong feeling that neither of these men” referring to Jun and Shun (and even Kame and Yuya for that matter) “would be around by that time…”
The duo present in question didn’t even bother to disagree as they stood there and smiled.
-----
“So technically speaking, you two weren’t really alone in his apartment?” Erika asked, butting into Mao’s narration of what really happened Friday night, in a café next to the mall early that afternoon.
It was actually the first time she, Maki, and Mao could really get together since before Jun picked Mao up for their date because neither girl thought it was a good idea to burst into Mao’s place after seeing her being dropped off by their boss (partly in fear that Toma’s newfound self-restraint would snap immediately and ruin the night for their friend). And also because Saturday night found them in different parts of Tokyo as Maki and Matsuoka filmed one of their newest commercials on location, Erika visited one of the companies whose account she’s handling for the company for a custom visit, and Mao found herself in her apartment, cleaning up (because neither Erika or Maki cleaned up before heading out of her apartment the night before).
“That’s what I just said…” Mao said before taking a sip of her latte. Over the brim of her cup though, she saw Maki and Erika sharing a pointed look while both heaving a sigh. “Why do you both look disappointed?!” she ended up chuckling.
“Because it would have been great if you two were alone there…” Maki chuckled mischievously. “I mean think about it… You, him… Alone… A lot could happen…”
“A lot…” Erika repeated, emphasizing on their point.
Feeling herself blushing at her friend’s insinuation, Mao gaped at them and exclaimed “You guys are nuts!”
“Oh come on…” Erika snorted. “It’s not impossible… Actually, if the possibility doesn’t exist then that’s impossible…”
“Well then, that wasn’t part of the itinerary…” Mao said instead.
“Oh, it soon will be…” Maki grinned. “If it still isn’t…”
Mao rolled her eyes and shook her head at how green her friend’s minds went.
Opting for a change of subject to one that does not involve her blood rushing to her head, she said “Where did you go Friday night anyway? I heard Erika-chan telling Toma-kun that she couldn’t get hold of you before you appeared at my apartment…”
“Yeah…” Erika seconded, forgetting that they were ganging up on Mao and turning to Maki questioningly. “I don’t remember you answering that question when I asked it Friday night…”
“You didn’t ask that question…” Maki shrugged, reaching for her own glass, choosing to react on Erika’s statement rather than to answer the question.
“I did!” Erika insisted. “I remember because I asked that when I followed you back into Mao’s apartment after you shouted at Toma-kun outside…”
“You shouted at Toma-kun?” Mao asked, half-amusedly and half in real concern, distracted by that piece of information. “Why?”
“He was just being a jerk… As usual…” Maki shrugged, looking away from them and into the mall. “Say… Let’s go shopping later…” she ended up saying.
When she turned back to her friends though, both Erika and Mao were looking very much apologetic and she groaned. “You both have somewhere to go, don’t you?” she said for them.
“Matsumoto-kun said he’d pick me up in a couple of hours…” Mao admitted sheepishly.
“Really?” Maki exclaimed. “Where are you two going?”
“I’m not sure…” Mao blushed.
“Matsumoto-san’s working fast huh?” Erika chided. “Anyway, I’m helping Ryo pick some groceries… I’m serious! That guy keeps on forgetting so many things! Even with a list… You can come with us though…” she offered as she turned back to her best friend. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind…”
“I would!” Maki exclaimed with a chuckle. “Please! I don’t have any plans of playing a third wheel…”
“Since when were you the third wheel?” Erika countered with a laugh. “If anything, my boyfriend would be playing that part… Ryo’s been complaining about that actually…” she told Maki.
Mao chuckled as Maki replied “True… But still… I’m going to pass this time around…”
“Are you sure?” Mao asked. “I can say I had to do something you know…”
“And put a halt into your suddenly progressing love life?!” Maki exclaimed. “No way… No… No… And no! Believe me… I can manage…”
-----
Both Erika and Mao believed that Maki really could manage on her own. She’s a strong woman after all. And they weren’t really the type of friends who can’t do anything without the other (despite any indication’s, such as them living just next to each other and working in one same company).
Too bad though because Maki didn’t believe herself this time.
Well, technically speaking, she did. But only at first.
She had decided to go window shopping on her own originally. But while her intention was to let her eyes wander, it was her mind that went wandering which is why she ended up finding herself in a park a few meters away from the mall after almost an hour.
Considering that it is a Sunday and that it’s getting late, the park was relatively empty, except for a few kids playing by the seesaw and some teen-agers who aren’t exactly there to play the same way the kids would.
Seeing an empty swing, she went straight to it and took a seat, using the force of her own feet to push her to a slow sway.
The scene in itself is already melancholic, even more so in Maki’s mental and emotional condition, her friend’s absence being not the cause though. But Maki didn’t really feel like crying.
Her tears are not yet threatening to fall at the very least.
She just sat there as memories she had hoped she’d have forgotten kept flashing to her.
And then she heard him, heard him before she saw him. And when she looked up, it was to her surprise to see him a few feet away from her, looking like he’s just passing by when he saw her. And it was his voice that actually tipped her over the edge, her tears catching up to each other as they raced out of her eyes.
And even before the first of those reached her chin, he was there, gathering her to his arms.
“Toma-kun…” she murmured his name.
-----
Toma didn’t really have anything in plan for his Sunday afternoon. After all, his usual companion during those days and time, Mao, had already informed him about said that ‘that’ guy had invited her out for that afternoon and it’s still way too early for him to go drinking or clubbing or pubbing, especially with his favorite companion, Ryo, for those kinds of activities is still with Erika for the time being.
This is why he ended up just walking around the streets of Tokyo, because he’d rather do that than stay alone in his apartment, that house he bought still had not been fully furnished. And that’s when he saw her by the swing at that park.
There was something different about Maki in that swing. She wasn’t her usual tough character. She looked lonely and gloomy.
He didn’t expect her to start crying the moment she saw him though. But when he did, he knew exactly what to do.
He hugged her, and rubbed her at the back and supported her while she looked as though her legs might give in any moment now.
And he knew exactly when she regained herself; when Maki’s cries slowed down into sobs and slight hiccups and her weight he’s supporting was decreased. Still, he did not remove that embrace.
“Are you okay now?” he asked even.
Still sniffing, she asked “Why are you so nice all of a sudden?”
“I’m always nice…” he chuckled, loosening the embrace a bit as he felt her loosening her hold on him too.
When Maki pushed her torso from him, his hands still on her waist and hers on his shoulders, to look at him in disbelief, he added with a chuckle “Believe me, if I thought riling you would help, I would tease you to death…”
Maki’s eyes narrowed momentarily at her before she chuckled and hit him lightly at his arm before hugging him again. This time, a lot less dejected as she did moments ago.
-----TBC-----
TITLE: Fake Fairytale
CHARACTERS: Yamashita Tomohisa, Kitagawa Keiko, Nishikido Ryo, Ikuta Toma, Kamenashi Kazuya, Akanishi Jin, Matsumoto Jun
PAIRING: Yamapi/Keiko
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
Summary: More than friends but less than lovers... Same feelings but not one heart... Some say it's love, some say it's a game... Both lost, all fail... Because MU is nothing but a fake fairytale...
Chapter Summary: Looking at things from his point of view...
Chapter1
The sound of male voices closing in on Yamapi told him that his group mates were coming in near. The sound of the opening of the door told him that one of them, Masuda most probably, just pushed open the door towards the greenroom where he is. The subsequent closing of the door and the silence that followed told him that his group mates had retreated at the sight of him lying on the sofa, his eyes closed, and his face set in a serious tone.
That was not a regular occurrence though, although it almost seemed like a ritual at that point, that the rest of the group would retreat to another place, mostly the cafeteria, when they see him like that. It didn’t actually start that long ago. About a week and 3 days sound about right.
Yep, that’s it. 10 days.
10 days that the rest of NewS lived in fear of their lives, and Koyama with the added fear that NewS might end up being considered the scary idol group, something that doesn’t fit any of their characters, other than Ryo. Because for those 10 days, Yamapi had been in his worst mood. Ever.
It was worse than how his mood was when Uchi was first exposed drinking underage, and then Kusano, and even when Johnny told them that NewS would have to be put into hiatus. It was, well, just almost, as worse as Ryo’s worst mood.
Those 10 days started the day after he went clubbing with Jin, Kame, Ryo and Toma and saw Keiko there. The day after he and Keiko had that confrontation at her apartment. And it also has been 10 days since he’s had any contact whatsoever with the woman.
He had sent her messages during the first 2 days, at least 5 per day, but those messages remains to be unanswered to this day. By the 4th day though, he stopped trying although he couldn’t remove the tiny ray of hope in his heart that by the next time his phone would ring, it would be Keiko sending him a message.
He didn’t really know what exactly happened. Maybe, to a certain extent, he deserves part of the anger that Keiko showed that night, but not all of it. He couldn’t even understand where everything she told him came from.
He was saying the truth when he said he thought they were all right. Prior to that encounter, they really were just fine. The last time they saw each other before that, Keiko even told him about her impending visit to her hometown and that maybe, he’d like to come over again.
It looks like that’s not going to happen now though. And he couldn’t help but sigh.
That’s when a sudden voice floated in the air that startled him so much he opened his eyes and sat upright hastily. He thought he was alone in the room.
“Will you stop sighing?” came Ryo’s familiar drawl. “It’s polluting the air…”
“What the heck are you doing here Nishikido Ryo!” he growled seeing his group mate sitting like normal on one of the chairs by the table.
“Sitting…” Ryo simply said, without even bothering to look up from the magazine he was perusing. “Last time I checked, this was the NewS greenroom, not the Yamashita Tomohisa greenroom… Or has the last 10 days of constant fear prompted our manager to give you this greenroom for your own?”
The mere fact that Ryo can sit there and say that with a deadpanned expression already irritated Yamapi, even more that there was logic in what he said. But he wasn’t prepared yet to admit that to the guy.
“Whatever…” he said instead.
For a few minutes, there was silence between the two as Yamapi continued to fume and Ryo continued flipping through his magazine. One reason why he didn’t like seeing Ryo in there alone with him was that he knew that Ryo is perfectly capable of getting in his nerves without even trying. And his silence and nonchalant actions is completely disturbing him.
“Where’s the others?” he asked to break the silence.
“Where’d you expect?” Ryo asked back. “You think anyone of those guys would like to stay in a closed room with you with that attitude?”
“You’re here…” Yamapi said reasonably.
Ryo snorted as he finally looked up at his magazine and looked at him, his face expressionless, and said “You really think I’m supposed to be afraid of a copycat? I originated the scary character in this greenroom… You can’t even manage to pull off playing Mr. Moody if your life depended on it…”
“Oh really?” Yamapi asked, mirroring one of Ryo’s more usual scowls almost perfectly. “Which part?”
Ryo raised an eyebrow, recognizing the face Yamapi had just adapted. And then he snorted, throwing the magazine on the table like a Frisbee. “The part where I never let my personal problems getting in the way of how I interact with my group mates…” he said plainly.
Yamapi was just about to open his mouth to dispute that argument but he stopped before he could especially because the look in Ryo’s eyes told him that they both know that the older idol just stated a fact.
He sighed his admission.
Ryo shook his head and tsk-ed as he got on his feet and faced him.
“I have to point out that I don’t just give in that easily too…” he said. “But in this case, I’m glad that you did… What’s her name?”
Yamapi’s ears suddenly perked as his heartbeat started beating faster at the insinuation of what Ryo just said. It wasn’t that he intends to hide his relationship, or whatever it is he has, with Keiko, he’s just not yet ready to tell his group mates yet, not even the one who’s presumably the closest to him out of the other 5. He wanted to keep whatever they had private for a while.
“What makes you think this is about a ‘her’?” he ended up challenging.
“Because I’m leaving this room this very moment if it’s otherwise…” Ryo said, taking one step back from him as he looked at him from head to toe as if assessing if he’s gay or not.
Yamapi’s eyes flashed at the insinuation. “I am not gay!” he cried.
“Says you…” said Ryo, still looking at him suspiciously.
Yamapi opened his mouth to scream. He’s not gay. How could he possibly be when he’s getting almost as scary as Ryo because of a woman? But he ended up sighing. Looking down at his shoes, he said “Keiko…”
“Who?” Ryo prompted, stepping closer to him. “What name did you just say?”
Yamapi knew that Ryo heard him even before he looked up and confirmed that knowledge with the sudden mischievous sparkle visible in Ryo’s eyes.
“You heard me…”
“You’re not me…” Ryo simply replied. “How would you know what I heard or not?”
Yamapi opened his mouth to argue but for the third time in that very limited span of time, he ended up sighing before he repeated in a louder voice “Keiko…”
“Keiko?” Ryo repeated. “As in Kitagawa Keiko? Your former co-star Kitagawa Keiko?”
“Yes!” Yamapi cried in relief. “Her…”
“What about her?” Ryo asked.
Yamapi looked into his group mate’s eyes. There was no internal debate on whether or not he should tell his group mate about it. That already has been decided the moment he told him her name. That momentary silence was actually more an internal struggle on how to start telling him what happened.
“We’re dating… Sort of…” he started, and the minute those words left his lips, the rest followed suit until he ended up telling the guy the whole story.
-----
“So you’re telling me that you’re all moody these past few days because Keiko-san isn’t returning any of your messages or calls?” Ryo asked after Yamapi finished his story.
“I think that was what I just said…” Yamapi replied sarcastically.
Ryo didn’t even put any notice on that bit of sarcasm as he pointed out “And you think being cranky to the rest of us would help you solve your problems with her?”
Yamapi knew that already, that the anger he’s showing his group mates could, in no way, be able to help out in his situation. He just needed to vent out his feelings. But hearing it being pointed out that way, in Ryo’s usually sarcastic drawl, it seemed to hit him much stronger.
When he sighed his acceptance, Ryo grinned and shook his head patronizingly at him.
“Well, before anything else, let me just say that I can’t believe I am having this conversation with you… Jin, I would expect, but not you…” he started. “Especially because I would have thought you’d know what to do by now…”
Yamapi scoffed at that and shook his head. “Of course I know what to do…” he said. “I need to talk to her…”
“Yeah… That’s step 2… Maybe even step 3… What’s the first step?”
“What first step are you talking about?” Yamapi growled.
Ryo chuckled as he flopped next to him on the sofa. “What do you think started all of these anyway?” he asked.
“Well, that’s why I have to talk to her, don’t I?” he replied sarcastically. “Because I don’t know…”
“Well, I do…” Ryo replied smugly.
“And why and how in hell would you know?” Yamapi challenged.
“Because I’m an outsider who sees your situation in a clearer view unlike the skewed one you have adopted…” Ryo told Yamapi. “That and because I’m older, smarter, and infinitely much more aware than you seem to be…”
Yamapi rolled his eyes and shook his head, seriously doubting why he’s even waiting for the guy to finish what he’s saying or for hoping he might be able to help him.
“Whatever…” Yamapi chose to reply as he rolled his eyes.
“She wants clearance…”
“What?!”
That’s when Ryo burst out chuckling. “Wow… You’ve been playing and been painted Mr. Romantic for quite a long while that I almost forgot that you’re not even romantic at all…”
“Just say what you’ve got to say Ryo-kun…” Yamapi sighed.
“She wants, needs, to know what or how you two actually are…” Ryo started. “She needs you to clear out the things between the two of you…”
“What makes you say that that is what she wants?” Yamapi asked.
Ryo snorted. “I would have thought it was obvious… Well, it should be obvious especially since she practically said it… But I understand that you missed it, after all, you were wallowing in your own sorrow to even notice her pain…”
Yamapi realized, just after those words left Ryo’s mouth, that his group mate was right, that that was what practically one of the things Keiko shouted at him that night.
“Why does she women have the need to disturb something good in the first place?” he sighed.
Ryo shook his head. “Don’t ask me… I’m not a woman…” he replied sarcastically.
The look that Yamapi gave his group mate was that of exhaustion. “I can’t believe I’m having this conversation with you out of all people…”
“You don’t really have much of a choice…” Ryo laughed. “Toma’s still angry at you for forcing him to go out that night then leaving him with me and Kame to deal with a drunk Jin and it’s completely illogical for you to start bothering Kame in their greenroom when his plate is as full as it is. And you have to admit, I’m a lot more of a help than your best pal, Jin…”
Yamapi simply snorted but it was mostly due to the lack of reply he has prepared for that statement, especially since it’s all true. The other parts was because he was busy digesting everything else Ryo said, the meaningful ones at least, with regards to his relationship with Keiko.
-----TBC-----
how was it? comments are really loved... :)
still participating in arashi_on 's fundraiser...
offered product: fanfic
length: your decision
pairing: your choice (any JExgirl--japanese actress/model/talent/singer)
if you're interested, PM me... :)
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, Chapter1, Chapter2, Chapter3, Chapter4, Chapter5, Chapter6, Chapter7, Chapter8, Chapter 9, Chapter10, Chapter11
Chapter 12: Family and Its Representatives…
“What are you doing here?” Jun exclaimed in amazement and amusement the moment Kame entered the living room of the Matsumoto mansion.
Kame groaned playfully. “I was told that there was a family engagement here, not a business meeting…” he said as he took in the sight of everyone in the room.
Other than Jun, Nanako, Shun, and Yuya were also there since Masayuki had called his only grandson, Yuri, up to his room for a surprise while Hiro and Nakai can be seen conversing by the pool.
“What are you doing here?” he asked Shun.
“I’ve got a special invite…” Shun replied with a grimace. “And it said I can not decline… Feels like it’s my last supper or something though…”
Kame chuckled and Jun smiled sympathetically at his friend while Nanako and Yuya shook their head and grinned. But the voice that came up next didn’t come from anyone of them. In fact, it came from behind Kame.
“Why do you all look like you’d rather be anywhere else but here?” Gussan asked with a chuckle as he walked through the door that, just moments ago, gave way to Kame.
-----
“I didn’t know you were back in Japan…” Jun chuckled his greeting to his uncle while Kame was engaged into a conversation by Nanako and Shun and Yuya resumed the one they started before Kame came in.
“I was never going to completely leave this country…” Gussan chuckled. “Just thought I’d go visit around… Which would be quite the opposite compared to you…” he told him pointedly. “I heard Nii-san had to drag you all the way home just so you could hold the post at MSMT…”
“Well, drag might be a bit of a stretch…” Jun admitted with a chuckle as he and Gussan stepped right in front of the tapestry that held the Matsumoto family tree. “I just happen to have found my comfort zone back in London when dad told me about everything… That was why I felt reluctant to come back…”
“Reluctant?” Nanako echoed, startling both men who weren’t aware that the woman had walked towards their direction, leaving Kame to join Shun and Yuya’s conversation. “You weren’t reluctant…. You were pretty adamant when you said no… But I guess things are bound to change if they still hadn’t…” she added meaningfully.
Jun shook his head in amazement of his sister-in-law but before he could reply, Gussan spoke up.
“Yeah, I heard about that…” he said in an amused voice. “A girl from MSMT right?”
“Not you too…” Jun groaned as he shook his head.
“What?!” Gussan chuckled. “Not because I’m out of the country does it mean I’m out of the loop…” he said. “Besides, Nii-san most probably knows about it already…”
“Yeah…” Nanako gasped, turning to face Gussan in worry (and as though Jun isn’t there) and asking “Do you think dad wouldn’t like her for Jun-chan?”
Throwing him a sideways glance and seeing him roll his eyes, Gussan chuckled. “Nah… He’ll most probably thank her for giving Jun a reason to stay…”
-----
What Shun termed as something ‘feeling like his last supper’, or technically speaking, lunch, turned out have a far lighter mood than they expected. Well, in their defense, they weren’t expecting that their lunch would be a barbeque at the garden too.
The presence of Gussan, Kame, Yuri, Yuya and Nanako made things a lot more lighter as compared to how business-like things would be if they’re not there.
But then, of course, business is in Masayuki’s blood and it’s virtually impossible that he sees Hiro, Jun, Shun, and even Nakai in just one area and not delve into it. Which is why when Yuya saw his father approaching the little group composed of him, Yuya, Jun and Shun, he immediately came up with a reason to leave. Business may be in Masayuki’s blood, and therefore in his and his brothers too, but he’s not yet prepared to be involved in it like his older brothers are.
“I’ve just received MSMT’s latest reports…” he said as he stepped next to them, turning around so that he wasn’t looking at the three men but at the rest of the family. Yuri and Gussan are playing with Gussan’s dog with Nanako and Nakai helping by the grill, and Kame and Yuya engaged in deep conversation with a topic that, if the serious Hiro would ever hear, he would not approve off (he still thinks that Yuya is too ‘young’).
“And I must say… I’m impressed… The company’s performance was a lot better than I expected…” he continued. When none of the three spoke a word and just stood there and smiled, he added “I think we can even have Shun-kun taking charge already…”
“Isn’t that a bit too soon?” Hiro asked curiously while Jun and Shun looked at each other in surprise. “I mean, the plan was for Shun-kun to take over after half a year at the earliest… And it’s still a couple of months premature…”
“I know…” Masayuki smiled. “But I think both he and the agency is ready for it… Right?” he said, turning to Shun with a proud smile. Both taken aback by the praise and the sudden question, Shun could do nothing else but smile awkwardly. It didn’t matter to Masayuki though as he continued “Besides, I think I have something else for Jun to take charge on…”
If Shun was silenced by Masayuki’s words, Jun, on the other hand, was roused, especially after that final statement.
“Dad… We had a deal remember?” he told his father with a smile but there’s no denying the seriousness in his voice.
“And so we did…” Masayuki simply smiled. “But from what I remember, and I remember it clearly, the deal was just about you staying in Japan because of business for one year… It was never specified that you’re going to spend that whole year with MSMT only… Besides, I’ve been hearing some things that says you might end up staying here longer after all…”
Jun gaped at his father, partly because he can not find a counter to the technicality his father found in the deal they had and partly because of what he says he heard. Before he could come up with the exact words to express his shock though, Nanako, who had been eyeing their group since she noticed her father-in-law joining them, joined in too.
“Dad…” she smiled, putting a hand on Masayuki’s arm as she looked at Masayuki in a way that only she could get away with, like she’s lecturing him. “I thought we agreed to not talk about business over this lunch…”
Masayuki smiled, but this time a bit sheepishly and apologetically. “Well, I was thinking of saying this after lunch but I have a very strong feeling that neither of these men” referring to Jun and Shun (and even Kame and Yuya for that matter) “would be around by that time…”
The duo present in question didn’t even bother to disagree as they stood there and smiled.
-----
“So technically speaking, you two weren’t really alone in his apartment?” Erika asked, butting into Mao’s narration of what really happened Friday night, in a café next to the mall early that afternoon.
It was actually the first time she, Maki, and Mao could really get together since before Jun picked Mao up for their date because neither girl thought it was a good idea to burst into Mao’s place after seeing her being dropped off by their boss (partly in fear that Toma’s newfound self-restraint would snap immediately and ruin the night for their friend). And also because Saturday night found them in different parts of Tokyo as Maki and Matsuoka filmed one of their newest commercials on location, Erika visited one of the companies whose account she’s handling for the company for a custom visit, and Mao found herself in her apartment, cleaning up (because neither Erika or Maki cleaned up before heading out of her apartment the night before).
“That’s what I just said…” Mao said before taking a sip of her latte. Over the brim of her cup though, she saw Maki and Erika sharing a pointed look while both heaving a sigh. “Why do you both look disappointed?!” she ended up chuckling.
“Because it would have been great if you two were alone there…” Maki chuckled mischievously. “I mean think about it… You, him… Alone… A lot could happen…”
“A lot…” Erika repeated, emphasizing on their point.
Feeling herself blushing at her friend’s insinuation, Mao gaped at them and exclaimed “You guys are nuts!”
“Oh come on…” Erika snorted. “It’s not impossible… Actually, if the possibility doesn’t exist then that’s impossible…”
“Well then, that wasn’t part of the itinerary…” Mao said instead.
“Oh, it soon will be…” Maki grinned. “If it still isn’t…”
Mao rolled her eyes and shook her head at how green her friend’s minds went.
Opting for a change of subject to one that does not involve her blood rushing to her head, she said “Where did you go Friday night anyway? I heard Erika-chan telling Toma-kun that she couldn’t get hold of you before you appeared at my apartment…”
“Yeah…” Erika seconded, forgetting that they were ganging up on Mao and turning to Maki questioningly. “I don’t remember you answering that question when I asked it Friday night…”
“You didn’t ask that question…” Maki shrugged, reaching for her own glass, choosing to react on Erika’s statement rather than to answer the question.
“I did!” Erika insisted. “I remember because I asked that when I followed you back into Mao’s apartment after you shouted at Toma-kun outside…”
“You shouted at Toma-kun?” Mao asked, half-amusedly and half in real concern, distracted by that piece of information. “Why?”
“He was just being a jerk… As usual…” Maki shrugged, looking away from them and into the mall. “Say… Let’s go shopping later…” she ended up saying.
When she turned back to her friends though, both Erika and Mao were looking very much apologetic and she groaned. “You both have somewhere to go, don’t you?” she said for them.
“Matsumoto-kun said he’d pick me up in a couple of hours…” Mao admitted sheepishly.
“Really?” Maki exclaimed. “Where are you two going?”
“I’m not sure…” Mao blushed.
“Matsumoto-san’s working fast huh?” Erika chided. “Anyway, I’m helping Ryo pick some groceries… I’m serious! That guy keeps on forgetting so many things! Even with a list… You can come with us though…” she offered as she turned back to her best friend. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind…”
“I would!” Maki exclaimed with a chuckle. “Please! I don’t have any plans of playing a third wheel…”
“Since when were you the third wheel?” Erika countered with a laugh. “If anything, my boyfriend would be playing that part… Ryo’s been complaining about that actually…” she told Maki.
Mao chuckled as Maki replied “True… But still… I’m going to pass this time around…”
“Are you sure?” Mao asked. “I can say I had to do something you know…”
“And put a halt into your suddenly progressing love life?!” Maki exclaimed. “No way… No… No… And no! Believe me… I can manage…”
-----
Both Erika and Mao believed that Maki really could manage on her own. She’s a strong woman after all. And they weren’t really the type of friends who can’t do anything without the other (despite any indication’s, such as them living just next to each other and working in one same company).
Too bad though because Maki didn’t believe herself this time.
Well, technically speaking, she did. But only at first.
She had decided to go window shopping on her own originally. But while her intention was to let her eyes wander, it was her mind that went wandering which is why she ended up finding herself in a park a few meters away from the mall after almost an hour.
Considering that it is a Sunday and that it’s getting late, the park was relatively empty, except for a few kids playing by the seesaw and some teen-agers who aren’t exactly there to play the same way the kids would.
Seeing an empty swing, she went straight to it and took a seat, using the force of her own feet to push her to a slow sway.
The scene in itself is already melancholic, even more so in Maki’s mental and emotional condition, her friend’s absence being not the cause though. But Maki didn’t really feel like crying.
Her tears are not yet threatening to fall at the very least.
She just sat there as memories she had hoped she’d have forgotten kept flashing to her.
And then she heard him, heard him before she saw him. And when she looked up, it was to her surprise to see him a few feet away from her, looking like he’s just passing by when he saw her. And it was his voice that actually tipped her over the edge, her tears catching up to each other as they raced out of her eyes.
And even before the first of those reached her chin, he was there, gathering her to his arms.
“Toma-kun…” she murmured his name.
-----
Toma didn’t really have anything in plan for his Sunday afternoon. After all, his usual companion during those days and time, Mao, had already informed him about said that ‘that’ guy had invited her out for that afternoon and it’s still way too early for him to go drinking or clubbing or pubbing, especially with his favorite companion, Ryo, for those kinds of activities is still with Erika for the time being.
This is why he ended up just walking around the streets of Tokyo, because he’d rather do that than stay alone in his apartment, that house he bought still had not been fully furnished. And that’s when he saw her by the swing at that park.
There was something different about Maki in that swing. She wasn’t her usual tough character. She looked lonely and gloomy.
He didn’t expect her to start crying the moment she saw him though. But when he did, he knew exactly what to do.
He hugged her, and rubbed her at the back and supported her while she looked as though her legs might give in any moment now.
And he knew exactly when she regained herself; when Maki’s cries slowed down into sobs and slight hiccups and her weight he’s supporting was decreased. Still, he did not remove that embrace.
“Are you okay now?” he asked even.
Still sniffing, she asked “Why are you so nice all of a sudden?”
“I’m always nice…” he chuckled, loosening the embrace a bit as he felt her loosening her hold on him too.
When Maki pushed her torso from him, his hands still on her waist and hers on his shoulders, to look at him in disbelief, he added with a chuckle “Believe me, if I thought riling you would help, I would tease you to death…”
Maki’s eyes narrowed momentarily at her before she chuckled and hit him lightly at his arm before hugging him again. This time, a lot less dejected as she did moments ago.
-----TBC-----
TITLE: Fake Fairytale
CHARACTERS: Yamashita Tomohisa, Kitagawa Keiko, Nishikido Ryo, Ikuta Toma, Kamenashi Kazuya, Akanishi Jin, Matsumoto Jun
PAIRING: Yamapi/Keiko
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
Summary: More than friends but less than lovers... Same feelings but not one heart... Some say it's love, some say it's a game... Both lost, all fail... Because MU is nothing but a fake fairytale...
Chapter Summary: Looking at things from his point of view...
Chapter1
The sound of male voices closing in on Yamapi told him that his group mates were coming in near. The sound of the opening of the door told him that one of them, Masuda most probably, just pushed open the door towards the greenroom where he is. The subsequent closing of the door and the silence that followed told him that his group mates had retreated at the sight of him lying on the sofa, his eyes closed, and his face set in a serious tone.
That was not a regular occurrence though, although it almost seemed like a ritual at that point, that the rest of the group would retreat to another place, mostly the cafeteria, when they see him like that. It didn’t actually start that long ago. About a week and 3 days sound about right.
Yep, that’s it. 10 days.
10 days that the rest of NewS lived in fear of their lives, and Koyama with the added fear that NewS might end up being considered the scary idol group, something that doesn’t fit any of their characters, other than Ryo. Because for those 10 days, Yamapi had been in his worst mood. Ever.
It was worse than how his mood was when Uchi was first exposed drinking underage, and then Kusano, and even when Johnny told them that NewS would have to be put into hiatus. It was, well, just almost, as worse as Ryo’s worst mood.
Those 10 days started the day after he went clubbing with Jin, Kame, Ryo and Toma and saw Keiko there. The day after he and Keiko had that confrontation at her apartment. And it also has been 10 days since he’s had any contact whatsoever with the woman.
He had sent her messages during the first 2 days, at least 5 per day, but those messages remains to be unanswered to this day. By the 4th day though, he stopped trying although he couldn’t remove the tiny ray of hope in his heart that by the next time his phone would ring, it would be Keiko sending him a message.
He didn’t really know what exactly happened. Maybe, to a certain extent, he deserves part of the anger that Keiko showed that night, but not all of it. He couldn’t even understand where everything she told him came from.
He was saying the truth when he said he thought they were all right. Prior to that encounter, they really were just fine. The last time they saw each other before that, Keiko even told him about her impending visit to her hometown and that maybe, he’d like to come over again.
It looks like that’s not going to happen now though. And he couldn’t help but sigh.
That’s when a sudden voice floated in the air that startled him so much he opened his eyes and sat upright hastily. He thought he was alone in the room.
“Will you stop sighing?” came Ryo’s familiar drawl. “It’s polluting the air…”
“What the heck are you doing here Nishikido Ryo!” he growled seeing his group mate sitting like normal on one of the chairs by the table.
“Sitting…” Ryo simply said, without even bothering to look up from the magazine he was perusing. “Last time I checked, this was the NewS greenroom, not the Yamashita Tomohisa greenroom… Or has the last 10 days of constant fear prompted our manager to give you this greenroom for your own?”
The mere fact that Ryo can sit there and say that with a deadpanned expression already irritated Yamapi, even more that there was logic in what he said. But he wasn’t prepared yet to admit that to the guy.
“Whatever…” he said instead.
For a few minutes, there was silence between the two as Yamapi continued to fume and Ryo continued flipping through his magazine. One reason why he didn’t like seeing Ryo in there alone with him was that he knew that Ryo is perfectly capable of getting in his nerves without even trying. And his silence and nonchalant actions is completely disturbing him.
“Where’s the others?” he asked to break the silence.
“Where’d you expect?” Ryo asked back. “You think anyone of those guys would like to stay in a closed room with you with that attitude?”
“You’re here…” Yamapi said reasonably.
Ryo snorted as he finally looked up at his magazine and looked at him, his face expressionless, and said “You really think I’m supposed to be afraid of a copycat? I originated the scary character in this greenroom… You can’t even manage to pull off playing Mr. Moody if your life depended on it…”
“Oh really?” Yamapi asked, mirroring one of Ryo’s more usual scowls almost perfectly. “Which part?”
Ryo raised an eyebrow, recognizing the face Yamapi had just adapted. And then he snorted, throwing the magazine on the table like a Frisbee. “The part where I never let my personal problems getting in the way of how I interact with my group mates…” he said plainly.
Yamapi was just about to open his mouth to dispute that argument but he stopped before he could especially because the look in Ryo’s eyes told him that they both know that the older idol just stated a fact.
He sighed his admission.
Ryo shook his head and tsk-ed as he got on his feet and faced him.
“I have to point out that I don’t just give in that easily too…” he said. “But in this case, I’m glad that you did… What’s her name?”
Yamapi’s ears suddenly perked as his heartbeat started beating faster at the insinuation of what Ryo just said. It wasn’t that he intends to hide his relationship, or whatever it is he has, with Keiko, he’s just not yet ready to tell his group mates yet, not even the one who’s presumably the closest to him out of the other 5. He wanted to keep whatever they had private for a while.
“What makes you think this is about a ‘her’?” he ended up challenging.
“Because I’m leaving this room this very moment if it’s otherwise…” Ryo said, taking one step back from him as he looked at him from head to toe as if assessing if he’s gay or not.
Yamapi’s eyes flashed at the insinuation. “I am not gay!” he cried.
“Says you…” said Ryo, still looking at him suspiciously.
Yamapi opened his mouth to scream. He’s not gay. How could he possibly be when he’s getting almost as scary as Ryo because of a woman? But he ended up sighing. Looking down at his shoes, he said “Keiko…”
“Who?” Ryo prompted, stepping closer to him. “What name did you just say?”
Yamapi knew that Ryo heard him even before he looked up and confirmed that knowledge with the sudden mischievous sparkle visible in Ryo’s eyes.
“You heard me…”
“You’re not me…” Ryo simply replied. “How would you know what I heard or not?”
Yamapi opened his mouth to argue but for the third time in that very limited span of time, he ended up sighing before he repeated in a louder voice “Keiko…”
“Keiko?” Ryo repeated. “As in Kitagawa Keiko? Your former co-star Kitagawa Keiko?”
“Yes!” Yamapi cried in relief. “Her…”
“What about her?” Ryo asked.
Yamapi looked into his group mate’s eyes. There was no internal debate on whether or not he should tell his group mate about it. That already has been decided the moment he told him her name. That momentary silence was actually more an internal struggle on how to start telling him what happened.
“We’re dating… Sort of…” he started, and the minute those words left his lips, the rest followed suit until he ended up telling the guy the whole story.
-----
“So you’re telling me that you’re all moody these past few days because Keiko-san isn’t returning any of your messages or calls?” Ryo asked after Yamapi finished his story.
“I think that was what I just said…” Yamapi replied sarcastically.
Ryo didn’t even put any notice on that bit of sarcasm as he pointed out “And you think being cranky to the rest of us would help you solve your problems with her?”
Yamapi knew that already, that the anger he’s showing his group mates could, in no way, be able to help out in his situation. He just needed to vent out his feelings. But hearing it being pointed out that way, in Ryo’s usually sarcastic drawl, it seemed to hit him much stronger.
When he sighed his acceptance, Ryo grinned and shook his head patronizingly at him.
“Well, before anything else, let me just say that I can’t believe I am having this conversation with you… Jin, I would expect, but not you…” he started. “Especially because I would have thought you’d know what to do by now…”
Yamapi scoffed at that and shook his head. “Of course I know what to do…” he said. “I need to talk to her…”
“Yeah… That’s step 2… Maybe even step 3… What’s the first step?”
“What first step are you talking about?” Yamapi growled.
Ryo chuckled as he flopped next to him on the sofa. “What do you think started all of these anyway?” he asked.
“Well, that’s why I have to talk to her, don’t I?” he replied sarcastically. “Because I don’t know…”
“Well, I do…” Ryo replied smugly.
“And why and how in hell would you know?” Yamapi challenged.
“Because I’m an outsider who sees your situation in a clearer view unlike the skewed one you have adopted…” Ryo told Yamapi. “That and because I’m older, smarter, and infinitely much more aware than you seem to be…”
Yamapi rolled his eyes and shook his head, seriously doubting why he’s even waiting for the guy to finish what he’s saying or for hoping he might be able to help him.
“Whatever…” Yamapi chose to reply as he rolled his eyes.
“She wants clearance…”
“What?!”
That’s when Ryo burst out chuckling. “Wow… You’ve been playing and been painted Mr. Romantic for quite a long while that I almost forgot that you’re not even romantic at all…”
“Just say what you’ve got to say Ryo-kun…” Yamapi sighed.
“She wants, needs, to know what or how you two actually are…” Ryo started. “She needs you to clear out the things between the two of you…”
“What makes you say that that is what she wants?” Yamapi asked.
Ryo snorted. “I would have thought it was obvious… Well, it should be obvious especially since she practically said it… But I understand that you missed it, after all, you were wallowing in your own sorrow to even notice her pain…”
Yamapi realized, just after those words left Ryo’s mouth, that his group mate was right, that that was what practically one of the things Keiko shouted at him that night.
“Why does she women have the need to disturb something good in the first place?” he sighed.
Ryo shook his head. “Don’t ask me… I’m not a woman…” he replied sarcastically.
The look that Yamapi gave his group mate was that of exhaustion. “I can’t believe I’m having this conversation with you out of all people…”
“You don’t really have much of a choice…” Ryo laughed. “Toma’s still angry at you for forcing him to go out that night then leaving him with me and Kame to deal with a drunk Jin and it’s completely illogical for you to start bothering Kame in their greenroom when his plate is as full as it is. And you have to admit, I’m a lot more of a help than your best pal, Jin…”
Yamapi simply snorted but it was mostly due to the lack of reply he has prepared for that statement, especially since it’s all true. The other parts was because he was busy digesting everything else Ryo said, the meaningful ones at least, with regards to his relationship with Keiko.
-----TBC-----
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