Fic ~ Where Arashi Embrace... Adversity
Its chapter 04 and scandal hits Arashi! What exactly have the tabloids exposed and how does Arashi deal with it? How will Aiba react to the news when he finds out and how will Sakurai explain? It’s all revealed here! ….Wow~ I can’t believe how far into the story we already are….Just six chapters and the epilogue to go.
Title: Spiral (Chapter 04 ~ Sacrosanct)
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance/Angst
Pairing: Sakurai/Aiba
Word Count: 2,600
Type: Multi-Chapter/Series
Summary: In times of crisis, already strained friendships are tested. But Arashi know when it’s time to pull together as a team. And during hardships, some of the most ordinary places can become sanctuaries.
Progress:
Prologue - Ouroborus - HERE
Chapter 01 - Parallels - HERE
Chapter 02 - Tempest - HERE
Chapter 03 - Philos - HERE
Disclaimer: I don’t own Arashi. I’m just using them to entertain myself. (Just like Jonny) ¬_¬ Neither did I come up with the basic concept of this story; I have simply written it at the request of jenny_desu. I took your idea babe, and I ran with it!
Spiral
Chapter 04 ~ Sacrosanct
He studied the pictures with a sort of morbid fascination. The images were not the grainy black and white shots so often seen in tabloids and all too easy to fake. They were high quality photographs that displayed their subjects in perfect detail.
The three pictures all showed essentially the same scene: The first shot revealed Sakurai Sho entering a restaurant accompanied by an unknown young woman. The second depicted Sakurai Sho holding the door to the private dining room for that same woman. And finally, there was a slightly rushed shot of the pair getting into the same car as they left.
Sat in the backseat of his own vehicle as his manager drove him to the studio, Aiba could not tear his eyes from the sensationalist magazine. He had not been able to bring himself to read the actual story past the first paragraph. Instead he examined the features of the mystery woman in great detail, as if he wanted to engrave her likeness upon his memory.
With almost an almost clinical detachment, Masaki concluded that she looked happy to be with Sakurai. He did not look closely at the man in the images; he did not want to know if Sho had been as pleased to be in her company. He knew it was childish and meaningless to think about such things, but still, he could not help it.
Ever since his manager had turned up at his door that morning, over an hour early and clutching a copy of the damning tabloid, Aiba’s mind had shunned all rational thought. Masaki had not heard his manager as he had tried to explain the situation. The pounding of his heart and the rush of blood ringing in his ears had deafened the Idol to all but his own racing mind.
Frantically, Aiba had demanded to go straight to the studio, despite the relatively early hour. He could not explain exactly why he felt the need to leave right away. He was acting on impulse and half-formed thoughts. He knew it was too soon for any of the other members to be there, but that did not matter: The other member would be there - sooner or later.
It was a place where all his friends gathered frequently. It was a place where the five men came together and supported each other. The studio was magic to him and the familiar greenroom was safe. Even if he was alone for an hour, he would be secure and he would be there when his friends arrived. Deep down, he knew he needed the other men to protect him from his own dark thoughts.
When Aiba finally came to his refuge, he entered gratefully. What he found caused him to momentarily doubt his judgment. Someone else had gotten there before him and claimed sanctuary in the greenroom. Hunched forlornly on the couch with his head in his hands, Sho did not stir at Aiba’s intrusion.
Locked as he had been in his own heartbreak, Masaki had not considered how Sakurai might feel. He should not have been surprised that, as the man at the centre of the scandal, Sakurai would also seek refuge in this place. Seeing him now, however, silent and broken, the empathetic young man ached for him. It hurt to see the man he loved so defeated and Aiba desperately wanted to flee from that pain.
But the tall man could not run away. Aiba could not abandon his friend just when Sho needed a friend most. Although it hurt that he could not be the lover that the other man wanted, he knew he had to be the comrade that he needed.
Stepping slowly closer towards the despondent form of his friend, Masaki spoke gently. “Sho-chan…?”
Sakurai’s only response was to sigh and bury his head further into his hands. Aiba decided to put his own feelings aside and carefully lowered himself to sit next to the silent man. “Sho-chan,” He coaxed softly, his arm reaching out to rest supportively upon Sakurai’s slumped shoulder. “Are you alright?”
“…You’re early.” His toneless reply was muffled by his hands and he made no move to meet Aiba’s concerned gaze.
“You too.” The tall man counted quietly. He leant towards the older man, trying to catch his eye and squeezing his shoulder reassuringly.
Finally, Sho lifted his head and sat up. The sudden action forced Aiba to pull away, but he studied Sakurai’s expression closely. Yet the caster did not look to his friend; he fell back against the cushions and raised his face to the ceiling. “You saw the pictures.” He stated it as fact; he did not need to ask. Staring blankly into the middle distance, the older man sighed. “I’ve been here since eight.”
Masaki shifted his own position to sit sideways on the sofa with his legs drawn up and loosely tucked under himself. With one arm braced against the back of the seat and resting his chin on his elbow, the lithe Idol examined Sho’s profile. “Is it bad?” He asked at length. He was scared for the older man and felt completely useless. He wanted to reach out and embrace him; to tell the rapper that everything would be fine, but he did not dare.
Sakurai was silent for long seconds before he finally shook his head and replied: “Not really.” He explained, a touch of bitterness creeping into his voice. “It was the middle of the day and we were in plain sight; there really isn’t much of a story except that I had lunch with a woman.”
As relieved as Masaki was to know that his friend was not in any trouble with work, he was still hurting for himself. “So…” Biting his bottom lip Aiba wished Sho would just look at him. “You’re not in any trouble with the agency?”
In a fit of frustration, Sakurai jumped to his feet and stormed across the room. Picking up a copy of the tabloid he had obviously thrown to the floor earlier, he leafed through its pages. Finding the incriminating article he returned to stand over his stunned friend. “Look at this-” Thrusting the magazine under Aiba’s nose, the caster continued indignantly. “See the person in the background? The woman whose face has been blurred out? That’s not just another customer who got into the shot. It’s my mother.”
“Eh!?” The seated man looked up from the picture to regard his friend. “Then the woman you’re with….?”
Having released some of his tension in his angry march across the room, Sakurai felt calmer. Lowering himself to the couch, he sat more normally. “She’s one of my mothers’ former students.”
For a few brief moments, Aiba allowed himself to hope that everything would be alright. “I see, so you’re not dating her.” He realised how relieved he felt, but was careful not to let it show through in his voice.
When Sakurai finally met his eye, however, the younger man learned of his mistake. “No. My mother came along just in case something like this did happen.” He explained. The stoic, fixed expression he wore with his next words, knotted Masaki’s stomach. “It was a date, Aiba-chan. When I didn’t show up the other day.… I was with her.”
Mentally, Aiba reeled. Deep down, the moment he had seen the pictures, he had known this. Yet, hearing Sho state it so plainly was like a kick in the gut. Wanting nothing more than to collapse in on himself and weep, Masaki held himself completely motionless. It was then that he remembered his promise to Matsumoto.
Aiba had sworn to the younger man that he would be strong and remain a friend to Sho. He had vowed that he would not allow his private life to affect his work. And he had pledged to himself that he would not oppose the decision made by the man he loved; even if that decision was to love someone else.
The shaken young man struggled to keep himself together. For the sake of their longstanding friendship, he believed the best thing he could do was to support Sho in this. Still, it was not easy and it took him a long time to find enough strength to speak. “That’s…. I mean, I-I kind of figured that out for myself.” He said at last. He conjured up a weak smile that he was sure fooled no one.
Aiba’s reaction, however, confused Sakurai. He had expected the other man to be angry with him; he would have welcomed his ire, in fact, or Masaki’s indignant recriminations. He had been prepared for anything but what he saw as Aiba’s apparent indifference to the breakup.
He would have been less hurt if the tall man had raged and thrown punches at him. As it was, Sho began to question whether their relationship had ever meant as much to Masaki. He wondered if Aiba had simply considered their situation convenient. He hated the fact that their time together had left the younger man so seemingly unaffected. But he despised himself more for thinking that way.
It was not that he wanted Aiba to suffer; quite the opposite, in fact. Sho had always been prepared to do anything to protect the bright-eyed Idol from harm. Yet, the part of himself that still loved Masaki fiercely, wanted some sign that the young man had taken their relationship seriously. He needed proof that his presence in Aiba’s life had held some significance.
It was hypocritical and Sho knew that, but his heart did not seem to care. He had told Aiba that he had mistaken friendship for love and lied. Selfish though it was, he could not bear the thought that the tall man had done the same in truth.
Sakurai was pulled from his private reprieve by the breathy sounds of Masaki’s voice breaking the extended silence. “You know….” He began looking at the tabloid pictures closely, his voice pitched in tones of reassurance. “She’s very pretty; you look good together.”
“What?” The caster asked more sharply than he had intended. He did not want to be told by the man he loved that he looked better in the company of someone else.
Masaki recoiled slightly. Eyes wide, he hurried to make himself clear. “Ah, I mean…. Uh, because she isn’t flashy, you know?” He rambled anxiously, his volume decreasing with each word. “She looks ordinarily pretty; normal… nice. S-she… suits you.” He finished at length, his voice trailing away into an uneasy silence.
Sakurai could take it no longer. In one swift motion he tore the magazine from the young mans grasp and tossed it aside. And while the man remained frozen in shock, Sho pulled Aiba to him. He embraced him fiercely; locking his arms around the tall mans neck. Wordless and desperate, he breathed in the familiar scent of Aiba’s shampoo and bathed in his comfortable warmth. He never wanted to let go.
Masaki, completely immobilised by the unexpected action, held himself very still. He was obviously surprised and uncomfortable with Sho’s sudden embrace. After some time with Sakurai just clinging to him, however, the younger man finally reacted. Awkwardly, he patted Sakurai’s back where he could reach. “Ah… Sh-Sho-chan? Um… It’s OK. You d-don’t have to worry.” As he spoke his words of reassurance, his own voice gradually became more firm. “I’ll support your relationship; I’m your friend, right?”
Slowly, silently, the rapper released the man. It took every bit of willpower he possessed to nod and force a single word from his tight throat. “Friends.” He agreed, feeling sick to his stomach. Sakurai had never before known that Aiba’s kindness could feel so cruel.
In an effort to collect his thoughts, he excused himself quickly and took refuge in the bathroom. Locked away in the privacy of the stall, Sakurai allowed his tears to fall soundlessly down his cheeks. He wept for everything he had given up and for what he thought he never had in the first place. It was a long time before he felt strong enough to face Aiba once more and return to the greenroom.
When he did emerge, he saw that they were no longer alone. Ninomiya and Matsumoto now occupied the space on either side of the tallest man. The young gamer was idly shuffling a deck of cards and greeted Sakurai with a nod of acknowledgement when he saw the man.
“’Morning.” He addressed the caster casually.
Sho returned the salutation, deeply relieved that he and Aiba would not be alone. “You guys came early too?”
Jun looked up from the comic he had borrowed from Ninomiya and shrugged. “I guess we just felt like getting an early start.” He answered.
For the first time that day, Sakurai felt himself smile with genuine feeling. Even after everything he had done, the other members did not hold it against him. And as much as he railed against Masaki’s friendship, he still treasured it greatly along with the rest of the group. They did not need to explain the real reason they had arrived early; Sho knew.
Feeling lighter, he grinned at the group gathered on the couch. “It’s not a big deal, you know.” He assured them, referring to the supposed scandal.
Ninomiya rolled his eyes. “We know.” He scoffed. “We read the story.”
Matsumoto laughed. “What story?” He asked rhetorically. Clearing his throat he quoted the tabloid dramatically.
“‘Arashi’s Sakurai Sho was seen dining this weekend at a family restaurant in the company of a mystery woman. They were served in a private dinning room where they remained hidden for nearly three hours before finally emerging and leaving in the same vehicle.’”
“Who the hell cares?” Kazunari muttered in disgust. “That’s all the detail they have, and that’s just the opening paragraph. The rest just talks about the staff being surprised to see you, geez…”
“Besides,” Jun added with a smirk. “It’s not exactly a reputable publication.”
Sho laughed. “That’s true. They edited the pictures so that my mothers face couldn’t be seen.”
The two youngest men unintentionally did a double-take and chorused each other at the same time. “Your mother!?”
Relaxed in the company of his friends, Sakurai settled down to tell them the real story. He did not say, however, that it really had been a date.
Ohno Satoshi appeared at his normal time, apparently unconcerned, and made no mention of the tabloid at all. The younger members could only assume that their leader was not aware of the fictional scandal and they chose not to enlighten him. It was only later, after filming was finished and the group returned to the greenroom, that Ohno proved them wrong.
“Oh, that’s right…” The older man exclaimed abruptly while he shrugged on his jacket. “Sho-kun, where did you go to have dinner with your mother?”
“Huh?” Sakurai paused in the act of tying his laces to stare at the older man. “What are you talking about?”
“Which restaurant did you go to with your mother?” Ohno rephrased his question.
Sho blinked in confusion. “How do you know I had dinner with my mother?”
“I saw the tabloid.” He replied simply.
“Leader….” The caster responded carefully. “The article didn’t mention my mother.”
“I know, but she was with you, right? I saw the pictures.”
“W-wait, what…? Satoshi-kun, how could you tell? They blurred my mothers’ image.” For one fleeting moment, Sakurai wondered if Ohno Satoshi thought his mother was a young twenty-something woman with chemically lightened hair.
“I noticed that.” The older man replied as if the photographic tampering meant nothing to him or his artistic eye. “…I wonder why?”
The rest of the group were laughing so hard as they left that Ohno never did get an answer to his question.
To be continued…
Chapter 05: HERE
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See, even under all the angst and misery, all the members of Arashi can still have fun together. And sorry if I scared anyone with the “scandal” …. I was totally just copped out on that one, sorry. XD
Anyway, we’re one third of the way through the story! And just to let you know in advance, Chapters five, six, seven and 8 all take place on the same day, so there must be some sort of high drama coming right? ^_~
Next update on: Tuesday 18th August. If you want to keep track of this story and its progress, check out my post [ HERE] I’ll keep it updated with any new information.
Comments, criticisms, opinions and ideas are all welcome! ♥