Love So Sweet [an Ohno Satoshi love story] - Chapter 45
After his short but beautiful one week honeymoon, Sakurai Sho returned to Japan more lively and jovial than ever. Although he couldn’t disclose too much, his happiness in his marriage was apparent. A mountain-load of work had accumulated for him in that mere week hiatus, but he took charge of it cheerfully, strengthened.
Ohno Satoshi’s elbow injury was now healed as well. With two members back in action, Arashi resumed their group work as scheduled. Hearing the shrill round of applause, the five took a deep breath and confidently walked into the On-Air studio. All eyes were particularly glued onto Ohno and Sakurai, the latest subjects of gossip.
“I’m excited for our guest this week!” Sho started a little stiffly; he could sense some uncertainty in the air towards him and his new status. “We’ve all known him for a long time…”
The doors opened and in walked Kimura Takuya. Everyone in the audience squealed ecstatically, and the exclamations died down a good long moment after the iconic SMAP member sat down amongst Arashi. Even the Arashi members were a little nervous, hosting their influential dai-senpai. Even after all these years, Kimura was still considered one of the most successful Johnny’s to date. He smiled handsomely at everyone in the room.
This was part of Johnny-san’s strategy. Arashi was now “big” enough to be up at bat with SMAP. At the same time, Kimura was the best guest to have to ease Sho’s transition back into the spotlight as a married man. It was a message, a reminder to the fans that Kimura too had done the same thing thirteen years before; there was no reason to abandon Sho now.
For the first few moments, Arashi found themselves adjusting as a team to the changes in dynamic:
“Do you enjoy having kids? What do you do with them?” Nino asked. “I used to always play catch with my dad.”
“Well, they’re two girls, 12 and 10.” Kimura explained. “I hope that they will be somewhat athletic - the eldest is starting track and field…” He kept in mind what Johnny-san had requested for him to do: incorporate Sho’s new life. “What do you want to encourage your children in, Sakurai-kun? Do you even want kids?”
Sho froze, put on the spot. It wasn’t a theoretical question for him anymore.
“I’ve always wanted a big family.” Sho started. As he described his bashful hopes of the future with his mysterious spouse, and as Arashi joined in on the wistfulness, the envious audience was slowly pacified, even won over. It was evident how happy Sho was, and they couldn’t find it in their envious hearts to deny him that…
“What always made me curious was that, Kimura-san, you got married quite a while ago, but none of the other SMAP members followed suit.” Matsujun commented thoughtfully.
“Yes, you would think that they would!” Kimura nodded earnestly. “It surprises me how tightly they’re hanging onto their bachelorhood!” The audience laughed heartily. “Don’t you four feel pressured, now that Sakurai-kun’s taken the leap?”
There was nervous laughter, and everyone stared intently at Ohno, who had a deer in the headlights look. Aiba decided to save him by diverting the attention on himself.
“I can imagine us all as otou-sans, ne.” Aiba grinned.
“Who would want you as a dad?” Nino quipped.
“Oi, I would be a great one!”
“You would be the annoying type, the one that cheers too much.” Nino continued snidely. “Your kids will dread sports day every year…”
The uplifting summer sun shone in on the kitchen table where Ohno and Rina sat for brunch at his apartment. Although they’d only bought bentos from the local convenience store, they were enjoying them exceedingly. Ohno got up and walked to the fridge, looking for some more condiments, and started singing quietly under his breath. After a moment, Rina recognized the tune of Arashi’s “One Love.”
“Isn’t that an old song, Satoshi?” Rina asked, bemused.
“You know, the song used to annoy me, especially with those weird hand motions… but it’s grown on me lately.” he said with a gently nervous smile on his face. He eyed the delicate silver necklace around her collar that she still wore, the one that he’d made for her.
“Really, why?”
Ohno shrugged. He had to move around or else he’d keep fidgeting. “I’ll make some tea…”
The month was over, the movie score was written and recorded, and Rina flew back to New York. Ohno would miss her, even if she was coming back in three months.
That day, Ohno logged onto Skype (his recent discovery and rare technological upgrade), hoping that Rina would sign on when he’d asked her to. Their filming break was short, and the time zone differences were confusing. Sure enough, she popped up on the screen. He laughed and waved at the young woman with a messy pony tail and baggy pajamas. It seemed like she was lying on her stomach in her bed.
“How’s filming going?” Rina asked sleepily.
“We’re about halfway done. I’m having a bit of trouble with the choreography though.” he said modestly.
“Ojii-san.” she smiled drowsily. “I bet you’re still the best dancer anyway.”
“… What time is it over there?”
“2 AM.” Rina murmured. She didn’t mind staying up late to get a chance to talk to him, though. “Ne, tell me about the PV concept.”
As Ohno explained the complicated special effects and lyrics, Rina couldn’t help but let her head nod and eyes droop - and then she was sound asleep. Ohno’s heart twinged as he stared at the grainy screen; she breathed slowly, peacefully, buried in a soft pillow. He wished he could fall asleep next to her every night. He wanted to hold her warm body against his in a tangle of sheets. Maybe forever wouldn’t be that scary.
“Sweet dreams, Rina.” he whispered with a smile before logging off.
After the release of Shiawase Na No Ni and its excellent reception, Rina found herself being offered so much work in Japan that after those previous shifting three years, she ended up back in Tokyo - perhaps for good. With all these redirections back to this place, she felt like fate was trying to tell her something.
This Friday had been a long one for Ohno. Earlier, he had been nearly had his eyebrow burned off by a hair stylist with a flat iron, posed for a borderline hentai photo shoot with an overly enthusiastic photographer, danced on Music Station without any mistakes through hot stage lights, screaming fans and a migraine, and filmed two mentally and physically draining variety shows in a row. A typical day of an idol, he supposed, but he was exhausted. Now it was late at night, and one of the only Friday nights Ohno had had free for months.
Outside his apartment, the rain beat drearily against the window. Inside was still chilly, even with the heater on. There was only one half-empty bottle of beer left in the fridge. He grumbled and shuffled back to the living room. Then he saw Rina, who was over for a house date, lazing on the couch and his discomfort quickly dissipated. He brought over a bowl of biscuits to the coffee table, and Rina spread the soft blanket over them both.
Rina had chosen the newest romantic drama release starring Tamaki Hiroshi - she was a big fan of (and even had a tiny crush on) the heart throb actor. It was a historical romance based in the 1970’s, where Tamaki’s character rises in the corporate ladder and as he gains more status, his parents urged him to marry higher up. But he refuses and through a series of events, marries his childhood sweetheart as he’d always promised.
Rina swooned over emotional scene after another, squealing with glee at the cuteness to the point of suffocating the pillow she had. Ohno was amused at her raising tension, and didn’t he really understand how it was that amazing. Why was it so exciting watching other people be romanced?
“Because they’re willing to risk everything to prove their love - looking ridiculous, being rejected… Soujiro there, he showed that she was worth everything to him…”
Then, the big proposal scene came, and Rina turned quiet, and her beaming grin to a wistful gaze. She didn’t say a word for the rest of the movie, instead sat there still and contemplatively. Ohno noticed her change in mood and was confused.
“That movie was kind of funny, ne?” he asked nonchalantly, hoping to lighten the mood. It didn’t. Rina’s lips pursed and she moved to the bookshelf, idly picking up and returning its contents.
“How so?”
“It was just kind of crazy, all he went through to win her back… No one I’ve ever known has put himself through that.” Not that he knew of, anyway; maybe they just never admitted it.
“Don’t see how it’s funny though…” Rina sighed in frustration - had he listened to anything she’d said earlier? But she was still young, right, just barely 24? Thinking about Satomi’s recent wedding and Michiyo’s fiancé, Rina shifted to the kitchen and, having to occupy her hands, she started silently doing the dishes. The harder-than-usual scrubbing was evidence of her annoyance, and Ohno realized he’d said something wrong.
Diffidently, he shuffled up beside her at the sink. She kept her eyes down on the soapy metal pans.
“Come Rina, I’ll do them. You go relax.” he insisted gently.
“Why?”
“… Because I want to take care of you.” he said bluntly. “Go on.”
She had no reply to that, except by simply squeezing his hand. In the corner of the living room sat a bunch of sharp tools and wire scraps, and the chaos looked like he’d done some metalwork recently.
“What’s your next metal project now, Satoshi?” She remembered that amazing lightbulb tree he’d made - what had he done with it, she wondered?
Ohno kept facing forward so she wouldn’t see the big smirk come across his face. “Oh you know, just… experimenting.” he shrugged.
credit: jesychan
… Arashi’s first live concert of the year, the summer of 2013, had just ended. After these 14 years, the group was still as beloved as ever. Enormous Kokuritsu Stadium had finally been emptied of its last fan, and a few dedicated staff wandered here and there backstage to tidy up for the next day’s performance. Waiting for the five men to be done changing so that she could say her goodnights and osukaresama’s, Rina hung around the extensive slick stage with an odd sense of déjà vu - it felt like she was back at their concert four years before, except this time she was there to stay. The surrounding sea of tens of thousands of seats awed her even in its silence.
“Sugoi, ne? I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.”
Rina turned around to see the speaker, Ohno, now showered and in his everyday clothes, makeup free, damp hair - this was reality, the man she still loved because of and despite and apart from the surreal whirlwind of stardom. He sat down beside her at the edge of the stage; they dangled their feet down idly.
“You always amaze me with your performances, Satoshi.” Rina murmured. “… What does it feel like?” None of her orchestra recitals had ever been close to this scale, and her music didn’t induce dancing and cheering. An Arashi concert was a singular experience.
He smiled and gazed out towards the hazy night sky, never totally dark because of the city lights. “I can show you, sort of.”
There was a stray microphone left on a micstand; he tapped it lightly, and a thud could be heard throughout the whole stadium. In the middle of the dimmed, colorful stage lights, he gave her the microphone and pulled her up by the hand.
“Sing something.” he prompted.
Rina’s eyes grew wide. “Majide? Th-this isn’t karaoke!”
“Go on! I know you can, you always sing in the car.”
She sighed, and while half-frowning, half-grinning at him, she started humming the words to the first song that came to mind, BoA’s “Sweet Impact.” It was crazy, hearing her voice projected and echoed throughout the dark expanse. After a bit, she got more into the beat and started moving along. Ohno somehow knew the steps to the peppy melody out of the myriad of his performance knowledge, and they danced in sync.
Their little routine was over, and while Rina was a bit short of breath, Ohno wasn’t phased at all. He stood in front of her put his hands gently over her eyes.
“Now, imagine the roar of applause and cheers flooding in, shiny pen lights and uchiwas all waving for you, fans chanting your name…” he whispered. “All the people supporting you - behind you, beside you, all around… No matter how much your heart pounds, or the sweat runs down your face or your throat hurts, you just can’t stop going. Feel it?”
Rina smiled appreciatively. “Subarashi…”
“And - I don’t want us to ever stop either.”
“Eh? Stop what?”
He took his hands away. “Open your eyes.”
The sight before her eyes made her heart skip a beat - he held a little square black box in his hands. She looked up at him in shock, and back down at the box in disbelief. She couldn’t speak.
“Rina, you’re the anchor in my life… I love you… And if - if you feel the same…” Slowly, he got down on one knee and revealed a little silver ring shaped like a winding branch, with a mother of pearl flower mounted with a single brilliant diamond. It glittered in the soft lights.
With a soaring heart, she nearly knocked him down with a teary, passionate kiss. “Yes, Satoshi, of course…”
from: Astley Clarke of London
credit: swirlylollipops
-------------------------------------------
Hehe, finallyyy :D Hope you all like it!
credit: lancee-ism
Ohno Satoshi’s elbow injury was now healed as well. With two members back in action, Arashi resumed their group work as scheduled. Hearing the shrill round of applause, the five took a deep breath and confidently walked into the On-Air studio. All eyes were particularly glued onto Ohno and Sakurai, the latest subjects of gossip.
“I’m excited for our guest this week!” Sho started a little stiffly; he could sense some uncertainty in the air towards him and his new status. “We’ve all known him for a long time…”
The doors opened and in walked Kimura Takuya. Everyone in the audience squealed ecstatically, and the exclamations died down a good long moment after the iconic SMAP member sat down amongst Arashi. Even the Arashi members were a little nervous, hosting their influential dai-senpai. Even after all these years, Kimura was still considered one of the most successful Johnny’s to date. He smiled handsomely at everyone in the room.
This was part of Johnny-san’s strategy. Arashi was now “big” enough to be up at bat with SMAP. At the same time, Kimura was the best guest to have to ease Sho’s transition back into the spotlight as a married man. It was a message, a reminder to the fans that Kimura too had done the same thing thirteen years before; there was no reason to abandon Sho now.
For the first few moments, Arashi found themselves adjusting as a team to the changes in dynamic:
“Do you enjoy having kids? What do you do with them?” Nino asked. “I used to always play catch with my dad.”
“Well, they’re two girls, 12 and 10.” Kimura explained. “I hope that they will be somewhat athletic - the eldest is starting track and field…” He kept in mind what Johnny-san had requested for him to do: incorporate Sho’s new life. “What do you want to encourage your children in, Sakurai-kun? Do you even want kids?”
Sho froze, put on the spot. It wasn’t a theoretical question for him anymore.
“I’ve always wanted a big family.” Sho started. As he described his bashful hopes of the future with his mysterious spouse, and as Arashi joined in on the wistfulness, the envious audience was slowly pacified, even won over. It was evident how happy Sho was, and they couldn’t find it in their envious hearts to deny him that…
“What always made me curious was that, Kimura-san, you got married quite a while ago, but none of the other SMAP members followed suit.” Matsujun commented thoughtfully.
“Yes, you would think that they would!” Kimura nodded earnestly. “It surprises me how tightly they’re hanging onto their bachelorhood!” The audience laughed heartily. “Don’t you four feel pressured, now that Sakurai-kun’s taken the leap?”
There was nervous laughter, and everyone stared intently at Ohno, who had a deer in the headlights look. Aiba decided to save him by diverting the attention on himself.
“I can imagine us all as otou-sans, ne.” Aiba grinned.
“Who would want you as a dad?” Nino quipped.
“Oi, I would be a great one!”
“You would be the annoying type, the one that cheers too much.” Nino continued snidely. “Your kids will dread sports day every year…”
The uplifting summer sun shone in on the kitchen table where Ohno and Rina sat for brunch at his apartment. Although they’d only bought bentos from the local convenience store, they were enjoying them exceedingly. Ohno got up and walked to the fridge, looking for some more condiments, and started singing quietly under his breath. After a moment, Rina recognized the tune of Arashi’s “One Love.”
“Isn’t that an old song, Satoshi?” Rina asked, bemused.
“You know, the song used to annoy me, especially with those weird hand motions… but it’s grown on me lately.” he said with a gently nervous smile on his face. He eyed the delicate silver necklace around her collar that she still wore, the one that he’d made for her.
“Really, why?”
Ohno shrugged. He had to move around or else he’d keep fidgeting. “I’ll make some tea…”
The month was over, the movie score was written and recorded, and Rina flew back to New York. Ohno would miss her, even if she was coming back in three months.
That day, Ohno logged onto Skype (his recent discovery and rare technological upgrade), hoping that Rina would sign on when he’d asked her to. Their filming break was short, and the time zone differences were confusing. Sure enough, she popped up on the screen. He laughed and waved at the young woman with a messy pony tail and baggy pajamas. It seemed like she was lying on her stomach in her bed.
“How’s filming going?” Rina asked sleepily.
“We’re about halfway done. I’m having a bit of trouble with the choreography though.” he said modestly.
“Ojii-san.” she smiled drowsily. “I bet you’re still the best dancer anyway.”
“… What time is it over there?”
“2 AM.” Rina murmured. She didn’t mind staying up late to get a chance to talk to him, though. “Ne, tell me about the PV concept.”
As Ohno explained the complicated special effects and lyrics, Rina couldn’t help but let her head nod and eyes droop - and then she was sound asleep. Ohno’s heart twinged as he stared at the grainy screen; she breathed slowly, peacefully, buried in a soft pillow. He wished he could fall asleep next to her every night. He wanted to hold her warm body against his in a tangle of sheets. Maybe forever wouldn’t be that scary.
“Sweet dreams, Rina.” he whispered with a smile before logging off.
After the release of Shiawase Na No Ni and its excellent reception, Rina found herself being offered so much work in Japan that after those previous shifting three years, she ended up back in Tokyo - perhaps for good. With all these redirections back to this place, she felt like fate was trying to tell her something.
This Friday had been a long one for Ohno. Earlier, he had been nearly had his eyebrow burned off by a hair stylist with a flat iron, posed for a borderline hentai photo shoot with an overly enthusiastic photographer, danced on Music Station without any mistakes through hot stage lights, screaming fans and a migraine, and filmed two mentally and physically draining variety shows in a row. A typical day of an idol, he supposed, but he was exhausted. Now it was late at night, and one of the only Friday nights Ohno had had free for months.
Outside his apartment, the rain beat drearily against the window. Inside was still chilly, even with the heater on. There was only one half-empty bottle of beer left in the fridge. He grumbled and shuffled back to the living room. Then he saw Rina, who was over for a house date, lazing on the couch and his discomfort quickly dissipated. He brought over a bowl of biscuits to the coffee table, and Rina spread the soft blanket over them both.
Rina had chosen the newest romantic drama release starring Tamaki Hiroshi - she was a big fan of (and even had a tiny crush on) the heart throb actor. It was a historical romance based in the 1970’s, where Tamaki’s character rises in the corporate ladder and as he gains more status, his parents urged him to marry higher up. But he refuses and through a series of events, marries his childhood sweetheart as he’d always promised.
Rina swooned over emotional scene after another, squealing with glee at the cuteness to the point of suffocating the pillow she had. Ohno was amused at her raising tension, and didn’t he really understand how it was that amazing. Why was it so exciting watching other people be romanced?
“Because they’re willing to risk everything to prove their love - looking ridiculous, being rejected… Soujiro there, he showed that she was worth everything to him…”
Then, the big proposal scene came, and Rina turned quiet, and her beaming grin to a wistful gaze. She didn’t say a word for the rest of the movie, instead sat there still and contemplatively. Ohno noticed her change in mood and was confused.
“That movie was kind of funny, ne?” he asked nonchalantly, hoping to lighten the mood. It didn’t. Rina’s lips pursed and she moved to the bookshelf, idly picking up and returning its contents.
“How so?”
“It was just kind of crazy, all he went through to win her back… No one I’ve ever known has put himself through that.” Not that he knew of, anyway; maybe they just never admitted it.
“Don’t see how it’s funny though…” Rina sighed in frustration - had he listened to anything she’d said earlier? But she was still young, right, just barely 24? Thinking about Satomi’s recent wedding and Michiyo’s fiancé, Rina shifted to the kitchen and, having to occupy her hands, she started silently doing the dishes. The harder-than-usual scrubbing was evidence of her annoyance, and Ohno realized he’d said something wrong.
Diffidently, he shuffled up beside her at the sink. She kept her eyes down on the soapy metal pans.
“Come Rina, I’ll do them. You go relax.” he insisted gently.
“Why?”
“… Because I want to take care of you.” he said bluntly. “Go on.”
She had no reply to that, except by simply squeezing his hand. In the corner of the living room sat a bunch of sharp tools and wire scraps, and the chaos looked like he’d done some metalwork recently.
“What’s your next metal project now, Satoshi?” She remembered that amazing lightbulb tree he’d made - what had he done with it, she wondered?
Ohno kept facing forward so she wouldn’t see the big smirk come across his face. “Oh you know, just… experimenting.” he shrugged.
credit: jesychan
… Arashi’s first live concert of the year, the summer of 2013, had just ended. After these 14 years, the group was still as beloved as ever. Enormous Kokuritsu Stadium had finally been emptied of its last fan, and a few dedicated staff wandered here and there backstage to tidy up for the next day’s performance. Waiting for the five men to be done changing so that she could say her goodnights and osukaresama’s, Rina hung around the extensive slick stage with an odd sense of déjà vu - it felt like she was back at their concert four years before, except this time she was there to stay. The surrounding sea of tens of thousands of seats awed her even in its silence.
“Sugoi, ne? I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.”
Rina turned around to see the speaker, Ohno, now showered and in his everyday clothes, makeup free, damp hair - this was reality, the man she still loved because of and despite and apart from the surreal whirlwind of stardom. He sat down beside her at the edge of the stage; they dangled their feet down idly.
“You always amaze me with your performances, Satoshi.” Rina murmured. “… What does it feel like?” None of her orchestra recitals had ever been close to this scale, and her music didn’t induce dancing and cheering. An Arashi concert was a singular experience.
He smiled and gazed out towards the hazy night sky, never totally dark because of the city lights. “I can show you, sort of.”
There was a stray microphone left on a micstand; he tapped it lightly, and a thud could be heard throughout the whole stadium. In the middle of the dimmed, colorful stage lights, he gave her the microphone and pulled her up by the hand.
“Sing something.” he prompted.
Rina’s eyes grew wide. “Majide? Th-this isn’t karaoke!”
“Go on! I know you can, you always sing in the car.”
She sighed, and while half-frowning, half-grinning at him, she started humming the words to the first song that came to mind, BoA’s “Sweet Impact.” It was crazy, hearing her voice projected and echoed throughout the dark expanse. After a bit, she got more into the beat and started moving along. Ohno somehow knew the steps to the peppy melody out of the myriad of his performance knowledge, and they danced in sync.
Their little routine was over, and while Rina was a bit short of breath, Ohno wasn’t phased at all. He stood in front of her put his hands gently over her eyes.
“Now, imagine the roar of applause and cheers flooding in, shiny pen lights and uchiwas all waving for you, fans chanting your name…” he whispered. “All the people supporting you - behind you, beside you, all around… No matter how much your heart pounds, or the sweat runs down your face or your throat hurts, you just can’t stop going. Feel it?”
Rina smiled appreciatively. “Subarashi…”
“And - I don’t want us to ever stop either.”
“Eh? Stop what?”
He took his hands away. “Open your eyes.”
The sight before her eyes made her heart skip a beat - he held a little square black box in his hands. She looked up at him in shock, and back down at the box in disbelief. She couldn’t speak.
“Rina, you’re the anchor in my life… I love you… And if - if you feel the same…” Slowly, he got down on one knee and revealed a little silver ring shaped like a winding branch, with a mother of pearl flower mounted with a single brilliant diamond. It glittered in the soft lights.
With a soaring heart, she nearly knocked him down with a teary, passionate kiss. “Yes, Satoshi, of course…”
from: Astley Clarke of London
credit: swirlylollipops
-------------------------------------------
Hehe, finallyyy :D Hope you all like it!
credit: lancee-ism