Magical Song, 2/3
MAGICAL SONG - PART TWO
The set at the TV Asahi studios was bustling when she got in the next day. She'd had a breathe-into-a-paper-bag kind of panic attack the night before, and Ohno had had to talk her down from it, but now that she was back at the studio, one among dozens of people, she didn't feel as frightened. At least she wasn't the one being filmed.
She and her ghostly roommate had figured that if she was really going to try pulling off some spiritual role, she had to look the part. She'd let her long hair out of its usual ponytail and curled it a bit. She wore a long green dress that reached her ankles and a rainbow colored hooded cloak from a party store. At least she could use the extra income from Aiba's management to pay for it.
Matsumoto found her first, seeming to hold back a shudder at her appearance. She'd been in jeans on their previous two meetings. "Good morning," he said as politely as he could. He brought her around the set, introducing her in quick succession to the director, a few producers, the scriptwriter, and a few members of the crew. Finally they ended up at the craft services table where Aiba was shoving sushi rolls into his mouth.
"Ah, Madame Becky!" he cried happily, rice spraying from his mouth and onto her cloak.
"Just Becky is fine," she said, inclining her head.
"I was hoping you could give me a quick reading before we film the first scene," he said, tugging her by the hand and pulling her closer. "Do you need my palm? Do I have to have Jun-kun run to Starbucks real quick?"
"I'm not running to Starbucks real quick," Matsumoto grumbled.
She didn't really do palm readings, but Matsumoto and Aiba were eyeing her with suspicion and hope respectfully. So she took Aiba's ridiculously sweaty palm in her hands, examining it quickly.
"Um, well here's your uh...your life line," she said, drawing her finger in a semi-circle. "See how it curves like that? It um...it's a good life line. You're full of vitality and enthusiasm."
"Great!" he said, his hand wiggling a bit in hers. "Is there a drama line?"
"A drama line?"
"Aiba-san, we'll be starting in just a minute!" one of the producers called.
He wiggled his fingers nervously. "Becky, can you tell me what my drama line says?"
There was no such thing, but if she told him there was and she told him convincingly, it would be enough, right? She poked at his thumb and took a deep breath. Ohno-kun had said that it would seem more realistic if she took deep breaths before making up answers.
"Aiba-san, we need you!" the producer shouted.
He was so close. Aiba was way too close to her. She could smell the sushi that he'd eaten. "It's...it's...your drama line is..."
Matsumoto started tugging on Aiba's arm. "Masaki, you're being rude to the staff!"
Aiba's voice dropped to a whisper as he looked deep into her eyes. "Becky, help me..."
She felt a shock go through her body then at the sound of his voice, and she released his hand with a gasp. "You'll have to work very hard, but in the end you'll feel a great sense of accomplishment," she blurted out.
He beamed from ear to ear. "Thanks, you're the best!" he cried, running off to the set and shouting apologies to everyone.
Her hand was positively shaking. And all because he'd sounded so desperate for her help. The way he'd looked at her had contributed, too. Something had happened, something she didn't understand about her magic, but the fortune had come racing out of her. Matsumoto patted her on the shoulder.
"Are you alright, Becky-san?" he asked.
She was still trembling. Had she been so convincing that she'd even convinced herself? "Yeah," she muttered, pulling her rainbow cloak around her. "Yes, I'm fine."
She stayed back while the staff introduced the actors and everyone clapped politely. "And now," the staff member said, gesturing to a woman Becky hadn't even noticed, "playing the role of Aiba-san's love interest Yamane Yuko, we have Yoshitaka Yuriko-san!"
Everyone clapped while the woman walked onto the set with a graceful air. But while everyone cheered for the actress, Becky felt her blood run cold. The woman was a few years younger than her if Becky had to guess, with jet black hair and a strange quirk to her lips. She approached Aiba and shook hands with him, and Becky could feel a headache starting.
Aiba-san's love interest Yamane Yuko. The accountant drama had a romantic storyline? She hung back behind Matsumoto, suddenly embarrassed at her body's strange reaction to this woman. Was she actually jealous? They were actors. They were playing parts! But the vision she'd had with Aiba the other day, and the way her body had just reacted during Aiba's palm reading...what did they mean?
She could have laughed at herself for behaving so stupidly. She barely knew Aiba. But then again, she thought, she was responsible for Aiba's well-being for the next three months. She supposed that she'd have to keep track of this Yoshitaka Yuriko as well. To ensure they worked well together for Aiba's sake.
Filming for the day went surprisingly smoothly. Becky mostly stayed back and out of the way, watching how relaxed Aiba seemed compared to how he'd been when Becky had first arrived. She hoped that she'd been able to help him even with that ridiculous palm reading.
After a few hours, she noticed that Aiba and his co-star were chatting easily. She watched them between takes, running through lines, joking and laughing. Becky felt her heart clench a bit, but it was irrational of her. Aiba was a comedian - he probably got along with anyone, and besides, it was best for him to get along with his co-star.
When filming wrapped for the day, Aiba found her again on his way back to the dressing rooms. "First day of filming complete!" he said cheerfully despite his long day. "And I'm sure I have you to thank. I think I only NG'ed two or three times. That's a record for me!"
"I'm happy to help," she said shyly.
"Location shooting tomorrow, though," he noted. "Dress warm, and Jun-kun will make sure the car's ready to pick you up. See you then!"
One day down, Becky thought, the better part of three months to go.
--
The first few weeks of filming went as best for Aiba-san as Becky could imagine. The first episode would be airing that night, and the set was abuzz with the reasons why it would probably be a success. Aiba and Yuriko-san had spent much of the week going on variety shows to promote the drama, and everyone had been talking about their interesting chemistry. His comedic charm and her quirky humor. That their characters' potential romance would be a definite reason to watch.
Becky had to admit there was something going on between the two of them. Even though it hadn't been so long, Aiba and Yuriko were acting like old friends. Sometimes when Aiba was filming scenes on his own or with other actors, Yuriko would show up with treats or with encouraging words, and Aiba would accept them just as gratefully as he accepted a coffee or palm reading from Becky.
Well, it made sense, Becky kept trying to tell herself. They had to get comfortable with each other now if they were going to have to hug or even kiss by episode eight or nine. But it seemed like Aiba's attention would be on Yuriko whenever she was in the room and Becky's presence seemed more than unnecessary. Yuriko was more of a coach than Becky seemed to be.
As filming wrapped for the day, Matsumoto found her sitting in the rear of the studio next to some light fixtures and cords that weren't being used. "Becky-san," Matsumoto said, not eyeing her as awkwardly as he had when they'd first started working together. He'd gotten used to the rainbow cloak at least. "Masaki was hoping you'd join us for dinner. We've booked a private table at one of his favorite restaurants so we can watch the premiere episode together."
"Me? He wants me to come?" she asked, stumbling to her feet and nearly tripping over a pile of wires. Aiba hadn't done much more than greet her that morning once he arrived on set - he hadn't even asked for a reading.
"We'll be leaving in a few minutes."
Matsumoto didn't wait for her answer, and within 10 minutes she was in a car with Matsumoto and Aiba en route to a restaurant in Shibuya, said to be famous for its fried chicken. The potential for a greasy, messy dinner, and Aiba seemed over the moon about it.
"I wonder if I'm going to look sexy on the screen," he mused, leaning back against the seat cushion lazily. "What do you foresee Becky?"
Becky was glad that it was dark inside the car. If anything, Aiba the serious drama actor had only become more attractive since she'd started coming to the set. He'd taken her advice to work hard, and he seemed far more diligent and thus attractive to her. And it didn't help that Ohno-kun liked to pry these sorts of details out of her every night over beers - he only made her more conscious of her growing attraction.
"I'm sure lots of people will fall in love with...your character," she said quietly. "I can see them rooting for you."
"That's good to hear," Aiba cheered.
They were escorted to the private table in the rear of the restaurant, and a TV was wheeled in. Matsumoto shunned the greasy food while Aiba tore into it with abandon. The long hours of filming were taking a toll on him and he'd lost some weight - he ate whenever he had a spare moment, and he'd been eating a lot of junk food. And it didn't help that Yuriko-san brought him cupcakes nearly every day.
Becky nibbled on some chicken as the drama got started. The storyline was, as expected, kind of dull - she didn't understand why someone would write an entire manga about accountants, much less make a drama adaptation of it. The Japanese entertainment industry was clearly running out of interesting ideas. But she had to admit that Aiba's character was charming, even as the man himself was sucking grease off of his fingers noisily beside her at the table.
The door to the private room slid open, and Aiba looked up with a huge smile. "Yuriko-chan, you made it!"
Matsumoto scooted over so Yoshitaka Yuriko could slide into the booth next to Aiba. Becky suddenly felt self-conscious, seeing the fresh-faced and beautiful actress get comfortable while she was sitting there with a napkin for a bib and a chicken wing in her hand. "Hello, Yoshitaka-san, the drama's really good," she said kindly, gently setting the wing on her plate and reaching for her glass of water instead.
To Becky's surprise though, the usually cheerful actress completely ignored her and wrapped her hand around Aiba's wrist. "Oh Aiba-kun, you started the show without me!" Yuriko complained, looking rather disappointed in him.
Becky slunk down further in her seat as Aiba blushed. "But the show's broadcasted at a certain time, it's not like I can control it."
The two actors sat rather close together while Matsumoto made phone calls about Aiba's schedule for the coming week and Becky sat alone and pretty much ignored. She sipped her water uncomfortably, trying to watch the TV even as Aiba and his co-star talked noisily about bizarre things like having humans as pets and the pros and cons of long underwear. The two of them were the weirdest people she'd ever met.
They kept talking as soon as the drama ended and the TV switched to the next show, and Becky decided she'd had enough. She got to her feet, setting her napkin down on the table. "It's getting late, so I better get back."
Matsumoto had gone out into the hall for another phone call, and Yuriko-san was laughing as Aiba made two chicken legs do a bizarre dance on the tablecloth. Neither of them acted like they'd heard her.
She bowed humbly. "Well, thank you for the meal," she said, picking up her purse. "I'll see you on set tomorrow."
She waited a few moments for either of them to acknowledge her, and when they didn't she left in a huff. Jealousy had never really become her, and as she walked home in her distressed condition, several street lights popped and exploded, showering sparks down onto the pavement.
--
After that night at the restaurant, odd things started to happen on the set. The drama had received astonishing ratings of 21%, and everyone seemed to be in an excitable mood. Maybe that explained why Aiba had misplaced his script three times in as many days. Maybe that explained why he'd gone through filming with toilet paper stuck to his shoe for an hour before anyone noticed.
But the last thing Becky needed was for Aiba to land himself in trouble. He was still working very hard at his acting, but at the expense of his common sense. She decided to use what magic spells she could actually count on to help him, even if they weren't as powerful as something any other witch could do. And since they were so lacking in power, Sakurai Sho from the Bureau of Magical Concealment had given his begrudging approval.
Becky brewed Aiba special coffee that she'd cast a mild calming charm on - it still sat on the craft services table in its thermos. Aiba had instead gone for the hot cocoa Yuriko-san had brought for the actors and staff. She'd also baked him a cake with memory charms in the batter and rainbow sprinkles in the frosting - it too sat neglected, although one of the AD's had tried a piece and showered her with praise.
She was starting to feel unnecessary and unwanted, and yet the paychecks were still coming in without fail, and Matsumoto ensured that the car was ready to pick her up every day Aiba had filming.
They were just about to shoot a new scene in the studio, and the director was giving Aiba and the other actors some last minute instructions. Becky watched, almost happy because Yuriko-san's character wasn't in this scene. It was rude to think so, but it wasn't as though Yuriko was as nice as she appeared. The actress watched the filming from her nice vantage point at the scriptwriter's side.
The director called "Action!" and the scene began. The actors went through their dialogue skillfully, and Becky could see everyone watching Aiba-san happily. He wasn't the most amazing actor, but he'd seemed to have this magnetic pull ever since the first day of filming. All the critics and TV watchers were talking about it. Even Yokoyama had teased his comedy partner about it on a late night show the previous night.
So everyone's attention was on Aiba as the camera rolled, and that's when Becky noticed the scraping noise. She got out of her chair in the rear of the studio and approached quietly, trying to determine where the sound had come from. Her eyes were drawn upward to the catwalk far above the set - one of the light fixtures had come loose and was just about to fall.
She didn't want to interrupt the filming. She wouldn't dare! Not when she was already kind of a nobody on set. But it made the scraping noise again, and nobody seemed to hear it! It detached with a squeak, and the trajectory was obvious. It would land on Aiba-san's head if she didn't do anything. She had never been skilled with objects in motion, but she felt the same electric shock course through her just as it had when she'd read Aiba's non-existent drama line on his palm.
Every bit of her father's magical blood seemed to come to her aid, and she directed the light fixture away mid-fall with a fast swish of her wrist, and it crashed into the wall of the set, knocking it down with the force of her magic. There was a panic, and the actors stopped abruptly.
"Cut! Cut!" the director screeched. "Is everyone okay?"
Becky hurried forward to make sure Aiba was fine, but she was too late.
Yoshitaka Yuriko was already out of her seat, having knocked Aiba down to the ground and was shielding his long, lanky frame as best she could with her thin, petite one. "Aiba-kun!" Yuriko-san was crying, and everyone burst into applause.
"That light could have killed him!" the staff were saying. "She saved his life!" "Yuriko-san moved Aiba out of danger."
Yuriko blushed, her arm wrapped around her co-star's middle as she helped him up. "I didn't think. I just acted. I did what my heart told me to do."
Everyone let out a collective "awwwwww" that made Becky want to puke.
She stood there in the background as all the staff rushed forward to help the stars off the set. Matsumoto came over to her side. "Becky-san, are you alright?"
She watched Yuriko soak up all the praise as they left for the dressing rooms. The staff were already on their way up to the catwalk or down on the set floor examining how the light had knocked the wall down.
"Yes," she said through gritted teeth. "Yes, I'm just fine."
--
"Was I supposed to let it fall on his head?" she screeched, thumping her fist on the table.
Sakurai Sho sat across from her, adding some milk to the coffee she'd brewed for him. The situation was serious enough to warrant a house call from the Bureau of Magical Concealment. Ohno sat watching the both of them, sipping a can of really fancy beer Becky had angrily bought him with Aiba's money after her terrible day.
Sakurai looked at her over the top of his glasses. "Becky-san, I don't recall granting permission for you to use magic of that caliber while in Aiba-san's employ. The little charms, fine, but that was high level."
"It wasn't high level," she shot back. "You just mean it was high level for someone like me."
The wizard sipped his drink. "We already have people in place. The police will discover that the light fell straight down from a different part of the catwalk. There's no law of physics that could have explained what you did, so we're covering for you."
"Well, thank you very much. I'm sorry my life-saving tactics were such a nuisance for you."
Ohno set down his beer. "She only did it to help Aiba-san," her roommate pointed out.
Sakurai nodded. "The drama's great, Aiba-san's great, I know, but you could have kept the light floating and moved it safely and quietly onto the catwalk. Such a dramatic gesture is reckless. Please be more careful or I may have to rescind your privileges."
"I'll rescind your privileges," she replied.
"Becky, that doesn't make any sense," Ohno said.
"Don't take his side, dead guy!"
Ohno and Sakurai exchanged a worried glance. Great. Just what she needed. Sakurai as a babysitter for her job and Ohno as a babysitter at home. Didn't anyone care that she'd performed the strongest magic of her entire life in order to save a man from getting smushed by a light fixture?
There was a knock at the door then, and the three of them froze. Well, to be fair, two of them froze - Ohno and his beer popped out of the room to hide somewhere else in the apartment.
"Becky?" came the voice from the outside. "Becky, are you home? It's me, Aiba Masaki!"
Sho shook his head. "You're not here," he mouthed.
"But I am here!" she mouthed right back.
"You've caused enough trouble today!" Sakurai mouthed again.
She tugged him to his feet, yanking on his tie. "Just a moment, Aiba-san!" She opened up her closet door, hearing Sakurai's pathetic squeak as she shoved his stuck-up magical behind inside it and slammed the door.
Okay, she was definitely going to be in trouble for that, but she'd deal with that later. For right now, she had Japan's newest heartthrob actor knocking on her door. She glanced in the mirror quickly - hair in pigtails, pink pajamas covered in hearts...she didn't look like a fortune teller at all. She hurriedly grabbed a snow globe her parents had bought for her on their last trip to England and tried to look aloof and mystical as she pushed the door open.
"Aiba-san," she said in her spookiest voice. "I saw you coming...in my crystal ball."
He stared at the snow globe briefly, clad in a puffy vest, plaid button down, and jeans. He looked blissfully normal, not like the flashy man on the set that every girl in the country wanted to date. It was the blissfully normal part that Becky was sadly most attracted to. "Oh really? That's cool. I'm sorry to bother you though."
She allowed him to enter. "Ah, but I saw you coming. I..." She looked at the table, noticing her mug of coffee and the one that Sakurai had been drinking. "I...made you some coffee."
"Well, that was very nice of you."
They sat down across from one another. Becky could imagine Ohno quietly sipping his expensive beer in the bathroom, Sakurai fuming in the closet. She couldn't bear the thought of Aiba-san discovering that she had two other men in her apartment presently, a dead one and a wizard to boot.
"Oh, you put milk in it. You know me so well, Becky," Aiba said cheerfully, sipping right out of the cup Sakurai had been drinking from. She hoped the wizard wasn't the type to backwash.
She sipped her coffee nervously, the snow globe with Stonehenge inside sitting on the table between them. "So you came to ask me something."
"I did," he admitted, setting down the drink. "I mean, I know that you're contracted to help me with my professional development. So Jun-kun doesn't know I'm here. I mean, he thinks I'm at pilates or something, I forget what he had in his planner so I can't stay too long."
"I see."
"I just...I feel like I'm ready to take this big step. I don't know what's come over me. Sometimes I feel like there's this fog covering my vision and other times there's this ridiculous clarity. And today's one of those foggy times, and I know I have to do this. I don't know why, I can't even explain it. But I have to go through with it, every part of me is saying I have to."
She shook the snow globe and let the little flakes settle around mini-Stonehenge. "Well, just tell me what's troubling you, and I'll give you my honest prediction. No charge."
He smiled, and her chest tightened. He hadn't looked at her like that for weeks now. She thought of her silly vision, of the way his arms had felt around her. The way his kiss had made her feel. Her heart pounded as he stared into her eyes. She remembered how strongly she'd fought to save his life that day and all the effort she'd put into the coffee and cake. It was hopeless to deny it any longer. She was falling in love with Aiba Masaki for real, wasn't she?
He looked down at his coffee cup. "Becky, I'm thinking of asking Yuriko-chan to be my girlfriend. I mean, to go out with me in hopes of becoming my girlfriend," he said shyly. "Do you...do you see that going well for me? I mean, I know that we're both busy with the drama, but I feel like there's something between her and me, especially after what happened today. Can you see it in your crystal ball? Do you need to see my palm?"
She couldn't breathe. "Aiba-san..."
"I'm sorry, I know this is sudden, and you're doing your very best to help me with the drama. I know we haven't chatted much lately, I'm really sorry about that. So I mean, if it's too much to ask..."
She looked down, seeing the last of the snowflakes falling around Stonehenge. Becky couldn't see the future, not really. But she knew exactly how to make Aiba-san happy. She'd worked so hard for the past few weeks to really get to know him. If she thought about the job he'd hired her to do, the answer was ridiculously obvious.
"Aiba-san," she said, hiding her shaking hands in her lap so he couldn't see them. "I can see that you and Yuriko-san will have a bright future together. I don't need my crystal ball for that."
He got to his feet and let out an excited yelp. "Oh really? Really really? Oh Becky, it has to be true if you say so! Thank you! Thank you so much...I...I could scream, you know? You're the best, Becky, the absolute best. I should go, I have so much to think about. I mean, how am I going to ask? What if the paparazzi find out? Jun-kun's going to kill me, but it'll totally be worth it!"
He was utterly giddy, and she stumbled to her feet, escorting him to the door. "Well, the future is always being written," she said quietly, "but I think you'll will write an amazing one together."
Aiba slipped his shoes back on and embraced her right there in the entryway. His arms felt just the way they had in her vision. Maybe even better. He was warm and perfect and in that split second, he was hers.
But then he was opening the door and heading out into the night. "Becky, thank you!"
The door shut and she slid down the wall to the floor in a confused, jealous heap. Why had she told him that? He trusted her, and she could have told him anything. That Yuriko-san didn't like him that way, don't bother. That Yuriko-san had a sexually transmitted disease, don't bother. That Yuriko-san was a lesbian, don't bother. All those options and she'd decided to tell him just what he wanted to hear, the same way she had when he'd visited her shop for the first time.
She heard her closet door open and a few moments later, Sakurai-san was looming over her. He crouched down and handed her his handkerchief. She hadn't even realized she'd started to cry.
"You should quit," he said gently, far kinder than he'd been before. "You really should quit, you know. It'll just hurt more if you stay."
"I promised him. Three months, I promised him," she replied, dabbing at her eyes. The feeling of Sakurai's handkerchief was already calming her down - the thing had to be laced with some sort of powerful but soothing charm.
"Well, the Bureau is watching you. I can't keep covering up your messes," he said, getting back to his feet. He opened the door and looked back at her. "And if you ever shove me into a closet again, I will turn your nose into a pig's snout."
She giggled half-heartedly as the door closed, leaning back against the wall and tossing the helpful handkerchief away. Ohno popped into view, standing beside her like a silent guardian as she let herself sob.
--
Another month passed, and filming continued at its grueling pace. The tabloids had only just discovered Aiba and Yuriko's whirlwind romance on the set of their drama, and it boosted the ratings. No other drama in their timeslot had managed to keep ratings over 20%, and the show was performing better each week despite universal agreement that it wasn't very interesting.
The country was obsessed with the will they-won't they of Aiba and Yuriko's characters, and nobody knew that better than Becky. Whenever she had a free day, she opened her shop in Akasaka and dealt with The Amazing Nino's pestering. He had been a Yuriko fan for years, and he was livid at the thought of a romance between his darling and "that stupid comedian."
But there really wasn't much Becky could say in complaint. Sure, Yuriko had been nothing but rude to her on set, but what did that matter? Who was Becky but just some weirdo Aiba kept around the set? So the cast and crew universally adored her, eating all the cupcakes she brought every single day. Becky wondered if the things were laced with cocaine.
And with all the preoccupation about the show's romance, nobody seemed to be paying much mind to Aiba himself - well, Aiba the actor and star got plenty of attention, but Aiba the person was having a rough time. Even though he was eating the cupcakes Yuriko brought and was obviously head over heels for his co-star, he was still losing weight and had dark circles under his eyes. His makeup artist and Jun were constantly chiding him for not looking after his health.
Becky tried to help. She made him lunch with health charms worked into the rice every single day and brewed him relaxing teas and coffees. But he never seemed to see them even with the time she'd spent wrapping them up and decorating the thermoses. It was difficult to get close to him because he either had a staff member around him or Yuriko herself hanging off him, doting on him like he was her pet.
It was frustrating. Didn't anyone want to actually help Aiba? He was clearly stressed out, but he would never complain. He wasn't the type to do that. After all, she was the one who'd told him to work hard.
Today was a big day on location. They were filming in Yokohama with the big ferris wheel behind them at dusk - Aiba's character and Yuriko's character were finally going to kiss for the first time. Not that the actors themselves weren't practicing non-stop when the cameras weren't rolling. Becky had inadvertently destroyed half a dozen pieces of mechanical equipment with her jealousy-induced magical outbursts, though thankfully nobody had seemed to figure that out. She could imagine Sakurai's displeasure, but she didn't much care.
The actors wouldn't be needed for another few minutes as the crew got the lights and recording equipment ready while other staff did their best to keep the area roped off. Rabid fans had been hanging around lately in hopes of seeing the scenes before they made it to the air. Becky hung back with the costume truck. She'd felt so useless for so long that the head of costuming seemed to take pity on her and had her patch up some of the minor characters' clothes from time to time.
The truck was empty, and Becky headed inside. Yuriko's character was a rich girl falling in love with the poor but earnest accountant Aiba. All of her clothes were designer, and Becky couldn't help looking at the well-tailored business suits and form-fitting dresses Yuriko got to wear. She was just glancing at one of the Prada bags her character carried around when she heard people at the door - definitely Aiba and Yuriko's voices.
A smart person would have stayed right there, greeting the stars with a smile. Becky, however, was not always smart. Yuriko already disliked her and would probably be furious that Becky, a nobody, an unwanted presence, was daring to snoop around (even though she had permission). She instead ducked down behind an overloaded bin of men's shoes.
"Masaki-kun, don't you love me?" Yuriko was asking in her matter-of-fact voice, and Becky realized right away that this wasn't a conversation she wanted to overhear. She peered over the top of a pair of brown Oxfords to see them in the doorway.
Aiba didn't look right considering that he would be filming in ten minutes. He looked almost in a daze, and Yuriko's grasp on his arm seemed rather tight. "Hmm, what's that?" he asked, none of the usual cheer in his voice.
"Do you love me?" she asked him again, staring into his eyes. "You do, don't you?"
He blinked a few times. "Huh?"
Yuriko sighed. "You're such an idiot," she said, and Becky couldn't see because of a costume rack, but it seemed like Yuriko had pulled something out of her bag. "Here, eat this. You love my cupcakes, right? Just like you love me?"
"Cupcakes," Aiba muttered in the same depressed voice. But as soon as he swallowed the sweet treat, there was an instant change. The color returned to his face a bit, and he looked down at his co-star with love in his eyes. "Your cupcakes are the best, Yuriko-chan."
"Mmm, they're good huh?" She shoved another one toward his mouth, smearing chocolate everywhere. "Eat the whole thing, Masaki-kun."
They kissed then - not the kiss of a drama program on television, but the kiss of people who looked like they were devouring each other's faces. Complete with heavy breathing and noisy moaning. Becky didn't know if she had ever been more disturbed in her life. And that counted the time when she'd accidentally caught ghost Ohno watching porn with his pants off.
Yuriko took out a handkerchief from her bag, licking it and dabbing the chocolate from their faces. "That's my good boy," she said. "Come on, we have to get to makeup."
"I love you so much, Yuriko-chan," Aiba said, and they kissed again before departing for the makeup trailer.
Becky got up slowly, wondering what the hell she'd just seen. Had she just figured it out? The reason for Aiba's strange health issues? There really was something in those cupcakes, but how in the hell could she prove it? If Aiba really was in some kind of danger from his bizarre co-star, then it was on her to protect him.
--
She didn't like following people. It wasn't in her nature to stalk, but Aiba Masaki's livelihood was at stake here. She'd tried to broach the topic with Matsumoto after filming had ended that day, but the man had been overwhelmed - dozens of magazines and news shows were constantly calling to have some sort of interview with Aiba. Matsumoto simply didn't have time to help her, and what was she supposed to say? Yuriko was feeding Aiba magically poisoned cupcakes?
Becky didn't know more than a few basic hexes, but whatever was in those cupcakes had to be fairly advanced. If it was able to alter Aiba's behavior and make him love her, it had to be some complex magic. But she couldn't go to Sakurai without solid proof that Yuriko was up to no good. Yuriko was, after all, the most popular actress in the country right now, and Becky would just come across as some jealous fan.
She waited outside the restaurant for a few moments. Yuriko and Aiba were celebrating their first month together and their television kiss, and as soon as they were seated it was time to act. She hurried off, heading to the nearest subway stop. Being in the car with the driver every day was a quick way to find out where people lived, and she'd managed to get Yuriko's address.
The apartment building had security and cameras, but that wasn't anything that The Amazing Nino's Jacket of Invisibility couldn't handle. It had been reckless for her to ask him for it and risk Sakurai's wrath, seeing as how the jacket was laced with forbidden spells that made the wearer invisible. Though she had a different motive in breaking into Yuriko's place, the promise of stealing something for Nino had been all the payment required.
She made it through the door and took the stairs up through the fancy building to her apartment. It took a few tries, but she managed to magic the door open. Becky took a deep breath. It was wrong, she knew. But what Yuriko was doing to Aiba was even worse, right?
She flipped on the light switch, finding the world's most normal looking apartment within. Becky frowned, tiptoeing through the rooms. She managed to find a spare sock on the floor, slipping it into her pocket as a creepy memento for The Amazing Nino. Browsing through Yuriko's cabinets and refrigerator yielded nothing out of the ordinary. Sugar, flour, eggs. Nothing that looked tampered with, nothing that set off that bad feeling in Becky's head that she'd sensed the first time they'd met.
An hour passed, and she'd found nothing. No black magic shrine, no cursed items, no Aiba Masaki voodoo doll. Aiba and Yuriko were probably wrapping up their dinner, and here she was, breaking and entering with nothing to show for it. Maybe she was just a jealous and terrible person. She slipped back out of the apartment, thoroughly ashamed.
When she got home, Ohno had no judgment regarding her behavior. There was really no time for it since he dragged her to the TV with all his ghostly strength. "Becky, you won't believe this!"
There, being broadcasted live, was a press conference, and Becky dropped The Amazing Nino's magical jacket on the floor in surprise as soon as she read the caption on the screen:
Japan's golden couple announces a sudden engagement! Aiba Masaki and Yoshitaka Yuriko to wed!
She saw Yuriko wiggling her hand and a glimmering diamond sparkling. The photographers immediately started snapping photos while the gathered reporters clapped.
"He just asked me to marry him during dinner tonight, and we wanted you all to know right away!" Yuriko exclaimed happily while Aiba stood at her side, beaming ear to ear.
"No," Becky murmured, "no, they can't possibly..."
"Haven't they only been going out for a month?" Ohno murmured behind her.
The camera zoomed in on Yuriko's smiling face. "And we owe it all to our matchmaker. She's been snooping and sneaking around, but all to make this possible. We wouldn't be this happy without you, Becky!"
Aiba grinned his dumb, hypnotized-by-cupcakes grin. "Thanks Becky!"
Ohno cried out in surprise as Becky's rage caused the TV to catch fire before her.
PART THREE
The set at the TV Asahi studios was bustling when she got in the next day. She'd had a breathe-into-a-paper-bag kind of panic attack the night before, and Ohno had had to talk her down from it, but now that she was back at the studio, one among dozens of people, she didn't feel as frightened. At least she wasn't the one being filmed.
She and her ghostly roommate had figured that if she was really going to try pulling off some spiritual role, she had to look the part. She'd let her long hair out of its usual ponytail and curled it a bit. She wore a long green dress that reached her ankles and a rainbow colored hooded cloak from a party store. At least she could use the extra income from Aiba's management to pay for it.
Matsumoto found her first, seeming to hold back a shudder at her appearance. She'd been in jeans on their previous two meetings. "Good morning," he said as politely as he could. He brought her around the set, introducing her in quick succession to the director, a few producers, the scriptwriter, and a few members of the crew. Finally they ended up at the craft services table where Aiba was shoving sushi rolls into his mouth.
"Ah, Madame Becky!" he cried happily, rice spraying from his mouth and onto her cloak.
"Just Becky is fine," she said, inclining her head.
"I was hoping you could give me a quick reading before we film the first scene," he said, tugging her by the hand and pulling her closer. "Do you need my palm? Do I have to have Jun-kun run to Starbucks real quick?"
"I'm not running to Starbucks real quick," Matsumoto grumbled.
She didn't really do palm readings, but Matsumoto and Aiba were eyeing her with suspicion and hope respectfully. So she took Aiba's ridiculously sweaty palm in her hands, examining it quickly.
"Um, well here's your uh...your life line," she said, drawing her finger in a semi-circle. "See how it curves like that? It um...it's a good life line. You're full of vitality and enthusiasm."
"Great!" he said, his hand wiggling a bit in hers. "Is there a drama line?"
"A drama line?"
"Aiba-san, we'll be starting in just a minute!" one of the producers called.
He wiggled his fingers nervously. "Becky, can you tell me what my drama line says?"
There was no such thing, but if she told him there was and she told him convincingly, it would be enough, right? She poked at his thumb and took a deep breath. Ohno-kun had said that it would seem more realistic if she took deep breaths before making up answers.
"Aiba-san, we need you!" the producer shouted.
He was so close. Aiba was way too close to her. She could smell the sushi that he'd eaten. "It's...it's...your drama line is..."
Matsumoto started tugging on Aiba's arm. "Masaki, you're being rude to the staff!"
Aiba's voice dropped to a whisper as he looked deep into her eyes. "Becky, help me..."
She felt a shock go through her body then at the sound of his voice, and she released his hand with a gasp. "You'll have to work very hard, but in the end you'll feel a great sense of accomplishment," she blurted out.
He beamed from ear to ear. "Thanks, you're the best!" he cried, running off to the set and shouting apologies to everyone.
Her hand was positively shaking. And all because he'd sounded so desperate for her help. The way he'd looked at her had contributed, too. Something had happened, something she didn't understand about her magic, but the fortune had come racing out of her. Matsumoto patted her on the shoulder.
"Are you alright, Becky-san?" he asked.
She was still trembling. Had she been so convincing that she'd even convinced herself? "Yeah," she muttered, pulling her rainbow cloak around her. "Yes, I'm fine."
She stayed back while the staff introduced the actors and everyone clapped politely. "And now," the staff member said, gesturing to a woman Becky hadn't even noticed, "playing the role of Aiba-san's love interest Yamane Yuko, we have Yoshitaka Yuriko-san!"
Everyone clapped while the woman walked onto the set with a graceful air. But while everyone cheered for the actress, Becky felt her blood run cold. The woman was a few years younger than her if Becky had to guess, with jet black hair and a strange quirk to her lips. She approached Aiba and shook hands with him, and Becky could feel a headache starting.
Aiba-san's love interest Yamane Yuko. The accountant drama had a romantic storyline? She hung back behind Matsumoto, suddenly embarrassed at her body's strange reaction to this woman. Was she actually jealous? They were actors. They were playing parts! But the vision she'd had with Aiba the other day, and the way her body had just reacted during Aiba's palm reading...what did they mean?
She could have laughed at herself for behaving so stupidly. She barely knew Aiba. But then again, she thought, she was responsible for Aiba's well-being for the next three months. She supposed that she'd have to keep track of this Yoshitaka Yuriko as well. To ensure they worked well together for Aiba's sake.
Filming for the day went surprisingly smoothly. Becky mostly stayed back and out of the way, watching how relaxed Aiba seemed compared to how he'd been when Becky had first arrived. She hoped that she'd been able to help him even with that ridiculous palm reading.
After a few hours, she noticed that Aiba and his co-star were chatting easily. She watched them between takes, running through lines, joking and laughing. Becky felt her heart clench a bit, but it was irrational of her. Aiba was a comedian - he probably got along with anyone, and besides, it was best for him to get along with his co-star.
When filming wrapped for the day, Aiba found her again on his way back to the dressing rooms. "First day of filming complete!" he said cheerfully despite his long day. "And I'm sure I have you to thank. I think I only NG'ed two or three times. That's a record for me!"
"I'm happy to help," she said shyly.
"Location shooting tomorrow, though," he noted. "Dress warm, and Jun-kun will make sure the car's ready to pick you up. See you then!"
One day down, Becky thought, the better part of three months to go.
--
The first few weeks of filming went as best for Aiba-san as Becky could imagine. The first episode would be airing that night, and the set was abuzz with the reasons why it would probably be a success. Aiba and Yuriko-san had spent much of the week going on variety shows to promote the drama, and everyone had been talking about their interesting chemistry. His comedic charm and her quirky humor. That their characters' potential romance would be a definite reason to watch.
Becky had to admit there was something going on between the two of them. Even though it hadn't been so long, Aiba and Yuriko were acting like old friends. Sometimes when Aiba was filming scenes on his own or with other actors, Yuriko would show up with treats or with encouraging words, and Aiba would accept them just as gratefully as he accepted a coffee or palm reading from Becky.
Well, it made sense, Becky kept trying to tell herself. They had to get comfortable with each other now if they were going to have to hug or even kiss by episode eight or nine. But it seemed like Aiba's attention would be on Yuriko whenever she was in the room and Becky's presence seemed more than unnecessary. Yuriko was more of a coach than Becky seemed to be.
As filming wrapped for the day, Matsumoto found her sitting in the rear of the studio next to some light fixtures and cords that weren't being used. "Becky-san," Matsumoto said, not eyeing her as awkwardly as he had when they'd first started working together. He'd gotten used to the rainbow cloak at least. "Masaki was hoping you'd join us for dinner. We've booked a private table at one of his favorite restaurants so we can watch the premiere episode together."
"Me? He wants me to come?" she asked, stumbling to her feet and nearly tripping over a pile of wires. Aiba hadn't done much more than greet her that morning once he arrived on set - he hadn't even asked for a reading.
"We'll be leaving in a few minutes."
Matsumoto didn't wait for her answer, and within 10 minutes she was in a car with Matsumoto and Aiba en route to a restaurant in Shibuya, said to be famous for its fried chicken. The potential for a greasy, messy dinner, and Aiba seemed over the moon about it.
"I wonder if I'm going to look sexy on the screen," he mused, leaning back against the seat cushion lazily. "What do you foresee Becky?"
Becky was glad that it was dark inside the car. If anything, Aiba the serious drama actor had only become more attractive since she'd started coming to the set. He'd taken her advice to work hard, and he seemed far more diligent and thus attractive to her. And it didn't help that Ohno-kun liked to pry these sorts of details out of her every night over beers - he only made her more conscious of her growing attraction.
"I'm sure lots of people will fall in love with...your character," she said quietly. "I can see them rooting for you."
"That's good to hear," Aiba cheered.
They were escorted to the private table in the rear of the restaurant, and a TV was wheeled in. Matsumoto shunned the greasy food while Aiba tore into it with abandon. The long hours of filming were taking a toll on him and he'd lost some weight - he ate whenever he had a spare moment, and he'd been eating a lot of junk food. And it didn't help that Yuriko-san brought him cupcakes nearly every day.
Becky nibbled on some chicken as the drama got started. The storyline was, as expected, kind of dull - she didn't understand why someone would write an entire manga about accountants, much less make a drama adaptation of it. The Japanese entertainment industry was clearly running out of interesting ideas. But she had to admit that Aiba's character was charming, even as the man himself was sucking grease off of his fingers noisily beside her at the table.
The door to the private room slid open, and Aiba looked up with a huge smile. "Yuriko-chan, you made it!"
Matsumoto scooted over so Yoshitaka Yuriko could slide into the booth next to Aiba. Becky suddenly felt self-conscious, seeing the fresh-faced and beautiful actress get comfortable while she was sitting there with a napkin for a bib and a chicken wing in her hand. "Hello, Yoshitaka-san, the drama's really good," she said kindly, gently setting the wing on her plate and reaching for her glass of water instead.
To Becky's surprise though, the usually cheerful actress completely ignored her and wrapped her hand around Aiba's wrist. "Oh Aiba-kun, you started the show without me!" Yuriko complained, looking rather disappointed in him.
Becky slunk down further in her seat as Aiba blushed. "But the show's broadcasted at a certain time, it's not like I can control it."
The two actors sat rather close together while Matsumoto made phone calls about Aiba's schedule for the coming week and Becky sat alone and pretty much ignored. She sipped her water uncomfortably, trying to watch the TV even as Aiba and his co-star talked noisily about bizarre things like having humans as pets and the pros and cons of long underwear. The two of them were the weirdest people she'd ever met.
They kept talking as soon as the drama ended and the TV switched to the next show, and Becky decided she'd had enough. She got to her feet, setting her napkin down on the table. "It's getting late, so I better get back."
Matsumoto had gone out into the hall for another phone call, and Yuriko-san was laughing as Aiba made two chicken legs do a bizarre dance on the tablecloth. Neither of them acted like they'd heard her.
She bowed humbly. "Well, thank you for the meal," she said, picking up her purse. "I'll see you on set tomorrow."
She waited a few moments for either of them to acknowledge her, and when they didn't she left in a huff. Jealousy had never really become her, and as she walked home in her distressed condition, several street lights popped and exploded, showering sparks down onto the pavement.
--
After that night at the restaurant, odd things started to happen on the set. The drama had received astonishing ratings of 21%, and everyone seemed to be in an excitable mood. Maybe that explained why Aiba had misplaced his script three times in as many days. Maybe that explained why he'd gone through filming with toilet paper stuck to his shoe for an hour before anyone noticed.
But the last thing Becky needed was for Aiba to land himself in trouble. He was still working very hard at his acting, but at the expense of his common sense. She decided to use what magic spells she could actually count on to help him, even if they weren't as powerful as something any other witch could do. And since they were so lacking in power, Sakurai Sho from the Bureau of Magical Concealment had given his begrudging approval.
Becky brewed Aiba special coffee that she'd cast a mild calming charm on - it still sat on the craft services table in its thermos. Aiba had instead gone for the hot cocoa Yuriko-san had brought for the actors and staff. She'd also baked him a cake with memory charms in the batter and rainbow sprinkles in the frosting - it too sat neglected, although one of the AD's had tried a piece and showered her with praise.
She was starting to feel unnecessary and unwanted, and yet the paychecks were still coming in without fail, and Matsumoto ensured that the car was ready to pick her up every day Aiba had filming.
They were just about to shoot a new scene in the studio, and the director was giving Aiba and the other actors some last minute instructions. Becky watched, almost happy because Yuriko-san's character wasn't in this scene. It was rude to think so, but it wasn't as though Yuriko was as nice as she appeared. The actress watched the filming from her nice vantage point at the scriptwriter's side.
The director called "Action!" and the scene began. The actors went through their dialogue skillfully, and Becky could see everyone watching Aiba-san happily. He wasn't the most amazing actor, but he'd seemed to have this magnetic pull ever since the first day of filming. All the critics and TV watchers were talking about it. Even Yokoyama had teased his comedy partner about it on a late night show the previous night.
So everyone's attention was on Aiba as the camera rolled, and that's when Becky noticed the scraping noise. She got out of her chair in the rear of the studio and approached quietly, trying to determine where the sound had come from. Her eyes were drawn upward to the catwalk far above the set - one of the light fixtures had come loose and was just about to fall.
She didn't want to interrupt the filming. She wouldn't dare! Not when she was already kind of a nobody on set. But it made the scraping noise again, and nobody seemed to hear it! It detached with a squeak, and the trajectory was obvious. It would land on Aiba-san's head if she didn't do anything. She had never been skilled with objects in motion, but she felt the same electric shock course through her just as it had when she'd read Aiba's non-existent drama line on his palm.
Every bit of her father's magical blood seemed to come to her aid, and she directed the light fixture away mid-fall with a fast swish of her wrist, and it crashed into the wall of the set, knocking it down with the force of her magic. There was a panic, and the actors stopped abruptly.
"Cut! Cut!" the director screeched. "Is everyone okay?"
Becky hurried forward to make sure Aiba was fine, but she was too late.
Yoshitaka Yuriko was already out of her seat, having knocked Aiba down to the ground and was shielding his long, lanky frame as best she could with her thin, petite one. "Aiba-kun!" Yuriko-san was crying, and everyone burst into applause.
"That light could have killed him!" the staff were saying. "She saved his life!" "Yuriko-san moved Aiba out of danger."
Yuriko blushed, her arm wrapped around her co-star's middle as she helped him up. "I didn't think. I just acted. I did what my heart told me to do."
Everyone let out a collective "awwwwww" that made Becky want to puke.
She stood there in the background as all the staff rushed forward to help the stars off the set. Matsumoto came over to her side. "Becky-san, are you alright?"
She watched Yuriko soak up all the praise as they left for the dressing rooms. The staff were already on their way up to the catwalk or down on the set floor examining how the light had knocked the wall down.
"Yes," she said through gritted teeth. "Yes, I'm just fine."
--
"Was I supposed to let it fall on his head?" she screeched, thumping her fist on the table.
Sakurai Sho sat across from her, adding some milk to the coffee she'd brewed for him. The situation was serious enough to warrant a house call from the Bureau of Magical Concealment. Ohno sat watching the both of them, sipping a can of really fancy beer Becky had angrily bought him with Aiba's money after her terrible day.
Sakurai looked at her over the top of his glasses. "Becky-san, I don't recall granting permission for you to use magic of that caliber while in Aiba-san's employ. The little charms, fine, but that was high level."
"It wasn't high level," she shot back. "You just mean it was high level for someone like me."
The wizard sipped his drink. "We already have people in place. The police will discover that the light fell straight down from a different part of the catwalk. There's no law of physics that could have explained what you did, so we're covering for you."
"Well, thank you very much. I'm sorry my life-saving tactics were such a nuisance for you."
Ohno set down his beer. "She only did it to help Aiba-san," her roommate pointed out.
Sakurai nodded. "The drama's great, Aiba-san's great, I know, but you could have kept the light floating and moved it safely and quietly onto the catwalk. Such a dramatic gesture is reckless. Please be more careful or I may have to rescind your privileges."
"I'll rescind your privileges," she replied.
"Becky, that doesn't make any sense," Ohno said.
"Don't take his side, dead guy!"
Ohno and Sakurai exchanged a worried glance. Great. Just what she needed. Sakurai as a babysitter for her job and Ohno as a babysitter at home. Didn't anyone care that she'd performed the strongest magic of her entire life in order to save a man from getting smushed by a light fixture?
There was a knock at the door then, and the three of them froze. Well, to be fair, two of them froze - Ohno and his beer popped out of the room to hide somewhere else in the apartment.
"Becky?" came the voice from the outside. "Becky, are you home? It's me, Aiba Masaki!"
Sho shook his head. "You're not here," he mouthed.
"But I am here!" she mouthed right back.
"You've caused enough trouble today!" Sakurai mouthed again.
She tugged him to his feet, yanking on his tie. "Just a moment, Aiba-san!" She opened up her closet door, hearing Sakurai's pathetic squeak as she shoved his stuck-up magical behind inside it and slammed the door.
Okay, she was definitely going to be in trouble for that, but she'd deal with that later. For right now, she had Japan's newest heartthrob actor knocking on her door. She glanced in the mirror quickly - hair in pigtails, pink pajamas covered in hearts...she didn't look like a fortune teller at all. She hurriedly grabbed a snow globe her parents had bought for her on their last trip to England and tried to look aloof and mystical as she pushed the door open.
"Aiba-san," she said in her spookiest voice. "I saw you coming...in my crystal ball."
He stared at the snow globe briefly, clad in a puffy vest, plaid button down, and jeans. He looked blissfully normal, not like the flashy man on the set that every girl in the country wanted to date. It was the blissfully normal part that Becky was sadly most attracted to. "Oh really? That's cool. I'm sorry to bother you though."
She allowed him to enter. "Ah, but I saw you coming. I..." She looked at the table, noticing her mug of coffee and the one that Sakurai had been drinking. "I...made you some coffee."
"Well, that was very nice of you."
They sat down across from one another. Becky could imagine Ohno quietly sipping his expensive beer in the bathroom, Sakurai fuming in the closet. She couldn't bear the thought of Aiba-san discovering that she had two other men in her apartment presently, a dead one and a wizard to boot.
"Oh, you put milk in it. You know me so well, Becky," Aiba said cheerfully, sipping right out of the cup Sakurai had been drinking from. She hoped the wizard wasn't the type to backwash.
She sipped her coffee nervously, the snow globe with Stonehenge inside sitting on the table between them. "So you came to ask me something."
"I did," he admitted, setting down the drink. "I mean, I know that you're contracted to help me with my professional development. So Jun-kun doesn't know I'm here. I mean, he thinks I'm at pilates or something, I forget what he had in his planner so I can't stay too long."
"I see."
"I just...I feel like I'm ready to take this big step. I don't know what's come over me. Sometimes I feel like there's this fog covering my vision and other times there's this ridiculous clarity. And today's one of those foggy times, and I know I have to do this. I don't know why, I can't even explain it. But I have to go through with it, every part of me is saying I have to."
She shook the snow globe and let the little flakes settle around mini-Stonehenge. "Well, just tell me what's troubling you, and I'll give you my honest prediction. No charge."
He smiled, and her chest tightened. He hadn't looked at her like that for weeks now. She thought of her silly vision, of the way his arms had felt around her. The way his kiss had made her feel. Her heart pounded as he stared into her eyes. She remembered how strongly she'd fought to save his life that day and all the effort she'd put into the coffee and cake. It was hopeless to deny it any longer. She was falling in love with Aiba Masaki for real, wasn't she?
He looked down at his coffee cup. "Becky, I'm thinking of asking Yuriko-chan to be my girlfriend. I mean, to go out with me in hopes of becoming my girlfriend," he said shyly. "Do you...do you see that going well for me? I mean, I know that we're both busy with the drama, but I feel like there's something between her and me, especially after what happened today. Can you see it in your crystal ball? Do you need to see my palm?"
She couldn't breathe. "Aiba-san..."
"I'm sorry, I know this is sudden, and you're doing your very best to help me with the drama. I know we haven't chatted much lately, I'm really sorry about that. So I mean, if it's too much to ask..."
She looked down, seeing the last of the snowflakes falling around Stonehenge. Becky couldn't see the future, not really. But she knew exactly how to make Aiba-san happy. She'd worked so hard for the past few weeks to really get to know him. If she thought about the job he'd hired her to do, the answer was ridiculously obvious.
"Aiba-san," she said, hiding her shaking hands in her lap so he couldn't see them. "I can see that you and Yuriko-san will have a bright future together. I don't need my crystal ball for that."
He got to his feet and let out an excited yelp. "Oh really? Really really? Oh Becky, it has to be true if you say so! Thank you! Thank you so much...I...I could scream, you know? You're the best, Becky, the absolute best. I should go, I have so much to think about. I mean, how am I going to ask? What if the paparazzi find out? Jun-kun's going to kill me, but it'll totally be worth it!"
He was utterly giddy, and she stumbled to her feet, escorting him to the door. "Well, the future is always being written," she said quietly, "but I think you'll will write an amazing one together."
Aiba slipped his shoes back on and embraced her right there in the entryway. His arms felt just the way they had in her vision. Maybe even better. He was warm and perfect and in that split second, he was hers.
But then he was opening the door and heading out into the night. "Becky, thank you!"
The door shut and she slid down the wall to the floor in a confused, jealous heap. Why had she told him that? He trusted her, and she could have told him anything. That Yuriko-san didn't like him that way, don't bother. That Yuriko-san had a sexually transmitted disease, don't bother. That Yuriko-san was a lesbian, don't bother. All those options and she'd decided to tell him just what he wanted to hear, the same way she had when he'd visited her shop for the first time.
She heard her closet door open and a few moments later, Sakurai-san was looming over her. He crouched down and handed her his handkerchief. She hadn't even realized she'd started to cry.
"You should quit," he said gently, far kinder than he'd been before. "You really should quit, you know. It'll just hurt more if you stay."
"I promised him. Three months, I promised him," she replied, dabbing at her eyes. The feeling of Sakurai's handkerchief was already calming her down - the thing had to be laced with some sort of powerful but soothing charm.
"Well, the Bureau is watching you. I can't keep covering up your messes," he said, getting back to his feet. He opened the door and looked back at her. "And if you ever shove me into a closet again, I will turn your nose into a pig's snout."
She giggled half-heartedly as the door closed, leaning back against the wall and tossing the helpful handkerchief away. Ohno popped into view, standing beside her like a silent guardian as she let herself sob.
--
Another month passed, and filming continued at its grueling pace. The tabloids had only just discovered Aiba and Yuriko's whirlwind romance on the set of their drama, and it boosted the ratings. No other drama in their timeslot had managed to keep ratings over 20%, and the show was performing better each week despite universal agreement that it wasn't very interesting.
The country was obsessed with the will they-won't they of Aiba and Yuriko's characters, and nobody knew that better than Becky. Whenever she had a free day, she opened her shop in Akasaka and dealt with The Amazing Nino's pestering. He had been a Yuriko fan for years, and he was livid at the thought of a romance between his darling and "that stupid comedian."
But there really wasn't much Becky could say in complaint. Sure, Yuriko had been nothing but rude to her on set, but what did that matter? Who was Becky but just some weirdo Aiba kept around the set? So the cast and crew universally adored her, eating all the cupcakes she brought every single day. Becky wondered if the things were laced with cocaine.
And with all the preoccupation about the show's romance, nobody seemed to be paying much mind to Aiba himself - well, Aiba the actor and star got plenty of attention, but Aiba the person was having a rough time. Even though he was eating the cupcakes Yuriko brought and was obviously head over heels for his co-star, he was still losing weight and had dark circles under his eyes. His makeup artist and Jun were constantly chiding him for not looking after his health.
Becky tried to help. She made him lunch with health charms worked into the rice every single day and brewed him relaxing teas and coffees. But he never seemed to see them even with the time she'd spent wrapping them up and decorating the thermoses. It was difficult to get close to him because he either had a staff member around him or Yuriko herself hanging off him, doting on him like he was her pet.
It was frustrating. Didn't anyone want to actually help Aiba? He was clearly stressed out, but he would never complain. He wasn't the type to do that. After all, she was the one who'd told him to work hard.
Today was a big day on location. They were filming in Yokohama with the big ferris wheel behind them at dusk - Aiba's character and Yuriko's character were finally going to kiss for the first time. Not that the actors themselves weren't practicing non-stop when the cameras weren't rolling. Becky had inadvertently destroyed half a dozen pieces of mechanical equipment with her jealousy-induced magical outbursts, though thankfully nobody had seemed to figure that out. She could imagine Sakurai's displeasure, but she didn't much care.
The actors wouldn't be needed for another few minutes as the crew got the lights and recording equipment ready while other staff did their best to keep the area roped off. Rabid fans had been hanging around lately in hopes of seeing the scenes before they made it to the air. Becky hung back with the costume truck. She'd felt so useless for so long that the head of costuming seemed to take pity on her and had her patch up some of the minor characters' clothes from time to time.
The truck was empty, and Becky headed inside. Yuriko's character was a rich girl falling in love with the poor but earnest accountant Aiba. All of her clothes were designer, and Becky couldn't help looking at the well-tailored business suits and form-fitting dresses Yuriko got to wear. She was just glancing at one of the Prada bags her character carried around when she heard people at the door - definitely Aiba and Yuriko's voices.
A smart person would have stayed right there, greeting the stars with a smile. Becky, however, was not always smart. Yuriko already disliked her and would probably be furious that Becky, a nobody, an unwanted presence, was daring to snoop around (even though she had permission). She instead ducked down behind an overloaded bin of men's shoes.
"Masaki-kun, don't you love me?" Yuriko was asking in her matter-of-fact voice, and Becky realized right away that this wasn't a conversation she wanted to overhear. She peered over the top of a pair of brown Oxfords to see them in the doorway.
Aiba didn't look right considering that he would be filming in ten minutes. He looked almost in a daze, and Yuriko's grasp on his arm seemed rather tight. "Hmm, what's that?" he asked, none of the usual cheer in his voice.
"Do you love me?" she asked him again, staring into his eyes. "You do, don't you?"
He blinked a few times. "Huh?"
Yuriko sighed. "You're such an idiot," she said, and Becky couldn't see because of a costume rack, but it seemed like Yuriko had pulled something out of her bag. "Here, eat this. You love my cupcakes, right? Just like you love me?"
"Cupcakes," Aiba muttered in the same depressed voice. But as soon as he swallowed the sweet treat, there was an instant change. The color returned to his face a bit, and he looked down at his co-star with love in his eyes. "Your cupcakes are the best, Yuriko-chan."
"Mmm, they're good huh?" She shoved another one toward his mouth, smearing chocolate everywhere. "Eat the whole thing, Masaki-kun."
They kissed then - not the kiss of a drama program on television, but the kiss of people who looked like they were devouring each other's faces. Complete with heavy breathing and noisy moaning. Becky didn't know if she had ever been more disturbed in her life. And that counted the time when she'd accidentally caught ghost Ohno watching porn with his pants off.
Yuriko took out a handkerchief from her bag, licking it and dabbing the chocolate from their faces. "That's my good boy," she said. "Come on, we have to get to makeup."
"I love you so much, Yuriko-chan," Aiba said, and they kissed again before departing for the makeup trailer.
Becky got up slowly, wondering what the hell she'd just seen. Had she just figured it out? The reason for Aiba's strange health issues? There really was something in those cupcakes, but how in the hell could she prove it? If Aiba really was in some kind of danger from his bizarre co-star, then it was on her to protect him.
--
She didn't like following people. It wasn't in her nature to stalk, but Aiba Masaki's livelihood was at stake here. She'd tried to broach the topic with Matsumoto after filming had ended that day, but the man had been overwhelmed - dozens of magazines and news shows were constantly calling to have some sort of interview with Aiba. Matsumoto simply didn't have time to help her, and what was she supposed to say? Yuriko was feeding Aiba magically poisoned cupcakes?
Becky didn't know more than a few basic hexes, but whatever was in those cupcakes had to be fairly advanced. If it was able to alter Aiba's behavior and make him love her, it had to be some complex magic. But she couldn't go to Sakurai without solid proof that Yuriko was up to no good. Yuriko was, after all, the most popular actress in the country right now, and Becky would just come across as some jealous fan.
She waited outside the restaurant for a few moments. Yuriko and Aiba were celebrating their first month together and their television kiss, and as soon as they were seated it was time to act. She hurried off, heading to the nearest subway stop. Being in the car with the driver every day was a quick way to find out where people lived, and she'd managed to get Yuriko's address.
The apartment building had security and cameras, but that wasn't anything that The Amazing Nino's Jacket of Invisibility couldn't handle. It had been reckless for her to ask him for it and risk Sakurai's wrath, seeing as how the jacket was laced with forbidden spells that made the wearer invisible. Though she had a different motive in breaking into Yuriko's place, the promise of stealing something for Nino had been all the payment required.
She made it through the door and took the stairs up through the fancy building to her apartment. It took a few tries, but she managed to magic the door open. Becky took a deep breath. It was wrong, she knew. But what Yuriko was doing to Aiba was even worse, right?
She flipped on the light switch, finding the world's most normal looking apartment within. Becky frowned, tiptoeing through the rooms. She managed to find a spare sock on the floor, slipping it into her pocket as a creepy memento for The Amazing Nino. Browsing through Yuriko's cabinets and refrigerator yielded nothing out of the ordinary. Sugar, flour, eggs. Nothing that looked tampered with, nothing that set off that bad feeling in Becky's head that she'd sensed the first time they'd met.
An hour passed, and she'd found nothing. No black magic shrine, no cursed items, no Aiba Masaki voodoo doll. Aiba and Yuriko were probably wrapping up their dinner, and here she was, breaking and entering with nothing to show for it. Maybe she was just a jealous and terrible person. She slipped back out of the apartment, thoroughly ashamed.
When she got home, Ohno had no judgment regarding her behavior. There was really no time for it since he dragged her to the TV with all his ghostly strength. "Becky, you won't believe this!"
There, being broadcasted live, was a press conference, and Becky dropped The Amazing Nino's magical jacket on the floor in surprise as soon as she read the caption on the screen:
Japan's golden couple announces a sudden engagement! Aiba Masaki and Yoshitaka Yuriko to wed!
She saw Yuriko wiggling her hand and a glimmering diamond sparkling. The photographers immediately started snapping photos while the gathered reporters clapped.
"He just asked me to marry him during dinner tonight, and we wanted you all to know right away!" Yuriko exclaimed happily while Aiba stood at her side, beaming ear to ear.
"No," Becky murmured, "no, they can't possibly..."
"Haven't they only been going out for a month?" Ohno murmured behind her.
The camera zoomed in on Yuriko's smiling face. "And we owe it all to our matchmaker. She's been snooping and sneaking around, but all to make this possible. We wouldn't be this happy without you, Becky!"
Aiba grinned his dumb, hypnotized-by-cupcakes grin. "Thanks Becky!"
Ohno cried out in surprise as Becky's rage caused the TV to catch fire before her.
PART THREE