Yume de Ii Kara (Because it's Good to Dream) [a Sakurai Sho love story] Chapter 27, part 2
Yume de Ii Kara Chapter 27, part 2
Pairing: Sakurai Sho/OC, Arashi/non-Johnny's females
Rating: PG
Genre: Realistic romance, friendship, family
Disclaimer: I don't own any of Arashi, or anything of Johnny's Entertainment. And sorry if I've misused any Japanese phrases.
Summary:
What can you do when you fall in love with someone that is out of your reach, someone as distant and brilliant as the stars? Can one dare to dream? Singer, dancer, actor, newscaster, model. Idol, to put it simply. But behind Sakurai Sho’s public image is a sincere, dorky, passionate man. Few people get to see a real glimpse of the person behind the lights, except for what he chooses to display.
Friends, sure, but love? That’s impossible, according to the intelligent, beautiful and humble Kaori, a medical school student who doesn’t realize how much she can accomplish. But maybe, just maybe, she’s exactly what Sakurai Sho needs.
All previous chapters in the master post!
Part 1
---------------------
All the brightly decorated store fronts and cheery faces made it clear that Christmas was just around the corner. Kaori’s cousin Ayaka had come all the way to the big city to shop; Chiharu tagged along as well. This was the first day in a long time that Kaori had taken to enjoy herself: finding perfect gifts for her family, indulging in dessert, buying new shoes, feeling beautiful and carefree - like a woman, like her age. The trio traipsed along Omotesando Hills to the jingles playing overhead, shopping bags swinging from their arms.
A large and oddly silent crowd had curiously gathered around one stretch of sidewalk. The three women came closer to see what the commotion was, but the throng was so thick that they couldn’t catch a glimpse of the source.
“Sumimasen, what’s going on here?” Kaori asked one of the spectators.
“It’s Arashi’s Sakurai Sho!” the woman hissed ecstatically.
credit: Tokyohive
Both Kaori and Ayaka nearly died on the spot, though for very different reasons. Despite Kaori’s dismay, Ayaka dragged her companions through the mass with a fangirl’s zeal to the front of the line. Indeed there was Sho in the flesh, surrounded by lights and cameras and crew. He gave off a strong, switch-on demeanor and was seemingly unphased by the onlookers. A makeup artist fixed his hair so that it flipped over his eye in just the right way. Action was called and Sho gave the camera a perfect smile as he gracefully walked forward. The crowd quietly shifted along behind the boundaries, quite in rapture.
”Yabai, hountou da, doshio?! Kakkoi!” Ayaka kept squealing under her breath as she sneakily snapped away with her camera phone.
Unexpected pangs began to overwhelm Kaori’s chest. “Ayaka, I - I’m going to go over to that store, okay? You can stay if you want.” she gulped, ducking away in a panic. He was getting closer.
“Kaori, nande?! Why would you not want to watch this?!”
The whisper of Kaori’s name somehow perked the ears of the idol; he stopped mid-sentence and automatically turned from the camera. Kaori and Sho locked eyes for what felt like an excruciating minute. His features softened and eyes glistened as he took in that precious face. He wanted more than anything to run and pull her into his arms, but he stood still. The director immediately yelled “-Cut!”
credit: ninui on Tumblr
Sho quickly blinked and bowed. “Gomen nasai! I’ll try that again.” Fully aware of the weight of fan scrutiny on him and the disaster of betraying himself, he looked determinedly forward as if he had not seen her. His face expertly smoothed itself out as he waited again for his cue.
That split second was enough to make Kaori want to cry. Knowing this full well, Chiharu gently pulled Kaori and Ayaka away. “Come, that’s enough…”
Chiharu ignored Ayaka’s avid protests, only studied her friend in concern. Kaori’s earlier smile had completely slid from her face. It was as if her silence and bowed head was the only thing keeping her from either crying or snapping at Ayaka to be quiet.
----
Whop… whop… whop… All the men around the dojou stared at the young woman who mercilessly struck out with lighting fast limbs, spinning again and again with expert form and without signs of tiring. They warily kept their distance - she was clearly angry and frankly stronger than she looked. She took a running start, jumped with a cry and knocked the heavy kickstand straight to the ground with a hefty thud. Kaori wiped the sweat from her brow and caught her ragged breath there on the gym floor. Action was the only thing keeping him off her mind.
“-- Sensei is amazing!”
She squinted up at a man around her age who grinned down at her annoyingly. He seemed familiar…
“Sammiya Takeo desu.” he continued. “The baseball player. You treated my heart condition earlier this year.”
“Sou, sou! Ohisashiburi desu!” she remembered. She took the strong hand he offered and stood up calmly. “What have you been up to nowadays?”
“Mm, I somehow found a nice office job that doesn’t stress out my heart. It’s not too bad, actually. I took up karate to stay active though.”
“Good for you! You look well.” She was glad to see he had proactively moved forward, and most of all that he was healthy.
“Are you a regular here, sensei? You’re like a - a professional. Sort of kowai.”
Kaori chuckled wryly. “No, I just come here sometimes to… de-stress.”
Sammiya put his hands on his hips. “What’s stressing you out?”
Who was he to pry? His unapologetic gaze was both uncomfortable and flattering. “Just personal stuff.”
Sammiya smiled. “Are you finished here? Let me take you to my favorite food truck. It’s bound to cheer you up.”
She raised her brows - not him too. “Sammiya-san, I don’t…”
He put up his hands in defense. “I’m not asking for a date! I’m just a friend asking a friend.”
So, the unlikely pair sat on a ledge in the December cold, digging into piping hot sweet potatoes sold by a street cart. Still in her grimy gym clothes underneath her jacket, Kaori savored the fluffy snack and dangled her legs idly. She hadn’t acted so unrefined since middle school; it was refreshing.
“Dou desu ka?” Sammiya asked.
“Oishi!”
“See sensei, you’re already smiling.” he grinned through a mouthful of potato.
“Just call me Kureha, please.” Sammiya was pretty much a stranger, but it felt so comforting just to be treated with intention.
“When I was kicked out of baseball, I came here to eat a lot… Not only is it cheap, it tastes like home.”
“Do you miss it - baseball?”
“Oh, I definitely do.”
“You don’t seem to show it.”
He shrugged. “It’s gotten easier with time. I still get the urge to go out and play when it’s nice outside, and I watch my old team on television and cheer them on. It sounds kind of sad, true. But I’ve been doing well for myself. I know that at least with the skills I have left, I’ll be able to share baseball with my kids, and that’s something to look forward to. I’ll actually have time to have kids… you know?”
“Sou…”
“Enough about me.” Sammiya leaned back casually. “What about you? Something seems to be weighing on your mind.”
“You like to challenge people, don’t you?”
“And you, Kureha-san, like to avoid vulnerability.”
She pursed her lips; he was right. “It’s stupid…”
“If you’re anything, ‘stupid’ absolutely isn’t on the list.”
It hurt - in a strange, nauseous way - to verbalize it. All her vague explanations felt like rambles, but Sammiya was patient. “I’ve always hated the idea of relying on someone. He was the one person who made me feel like I didn’t always have to be strong. Basically, he - he was the one, I think, if that even exists. But… he was also the one who let me go.”
“Baka…”
“Eh?”
“Him - that guy’s an idiot.” Sammiya muttered. “He didn’t know just what he had.”
Kaori shook her head. “No, he has the world at his disposal. I wasn’t too much a part of it.”
“Is that what YOU think, or what HE thinks?”
“Well…”
“Exactly. Like you said before, we’re the same age, so I’ll be blunt - even though I’ve only spoken to you a handful of times, I already know that you’re ten times more sincere, level-headed and smarter than half the girls I’ve ever met. There’s no way that someone would not notice that, especially if you opened up to him. Whether he would show his appreciation is another thing.”
“So…?”
“Eventually, he’ll realize what he’s lost. And if he’s a real man, he’ll do something about it. Until then, just be happy because you’re amazing.”
Pairing: Sakurai Sho/OC, Arashi/non-Johnny's females
Rating: PG
Genre: Realistic romance, friendship, family
Disclaimer: I don't own any of Arashi, or anything of Johnny's Entertainment. And sorry if I've misused any Japanese phrases.
Summary:
What can you do when you fall in love with someone that is out of your reach, someone as distant and brilliant as the stars? Can one dare to dream? Singer, dancer, actor, newscaster, model. Idol, to put it simply. But behind Sakurai Sho’s public image is a sincere, dorky, passionate man. Few people get to see a real glimpse of the person behind the lights, except for what he chooses to display.
Friends, sure, but love? That’s impossible, according to the intelligent, beautiful and humble Kaori, a medical school student who doesn’t realize how much she can accomplish. But maybe, just maybe, she’s exactly what Sakurai Sho needs.
All previous chapters in the master post!
Part 1
---------------------
All the brightly decorated store fronts and cheery faces made it clear that Christmas was just around the corner. Kaori’s cousin Ayaka had come all the way to the big city to shop; Chiharu tagged along as well. This was the first day in a long time that Kaori had taken to enjoy herself: finding perfect gifts for her family, indulging in dessert, buying new shoes, feeling beautiful and carefree - like a woman, like her age. The trio traipsed along Omotesando Hills to the jingles playing overhead, shopping bags swinging from their arms.
A large and oddly silent crowd had curiously gathered around one stretch of sidewalk. The three women came closer to see what the commotion was, but the throng was so thick that they couldn’t catch a glimpse of the source.
“Sumimasen, what’s going on here?” Kaori asked one of the spectators.
“It’s Arashi’s Sakurai Sho!” the woman hissed ecstatically.
credit: Tokyohive
Both Kaori and Ayaka nearly died on the spot, though for very different reasons. Despite Kaori’s dismay, Ayaka dragged her companions through the mass with a fangirl’s zeal to the front of the line. Indeed there was Sho in the flesh, surrounded by lights and cameras and crew. He gave off a strong, switch-on demeanor and was seemingly unphased by the onlookers. A makeup artist fixed his hair so that it flipped over his eye in just the right way. Action was called and Sho gave the camera a perfect smile as he gracefully walked forward. The crowd quietly shifted along behind the boundaries, quite in rapture.
”Yabai, hountou da, doshio?! Kakkoi!” Ayaka kept squealing under her breath as she sneakily snapped away with her camera phone.
Unexpected pangs began to overwhelm Kaori’s chest. “Ayaka, I - I’m going to go over to that store, okay? You can stay if you want.” she gulped, ducking away in a panic. He was getting closer.
“Kaori, nande?! Why would you not want to watch this?!”
The whisper of Kaori’s name somehow perked the ears of the idol; he stopped mid-sentence and automatically turned from the camera. Kaori and Sho locked eyes for what felt like an excruciating minute. His features softened and eyes glistened as he took in that precious face. He wanted more than anything to run and pull her into his arms, but he stood still. The director immediately yelled “-Cut!”
credit: ninui on Tumblr
Sho quickly blinked and bowed. “Gomen nasai! I’ll try that again.” Fully aware of the weight of fan scrutiny on him and the disaster of betraying himself, he looked determinedly forward as if he had not seen her. His face expertly smoothed itself out as he waited again for his cue.
That split second was enough to make Kaori want to cry. Knowing this full well, Chiharu gently pulled Kaori and Ayaka away. “Come, that’s enough…”
Chiharu ignored Ayaka’s avid protests, only studied her friend in concern. Kaori’s earlier smile had completely slid from her face. It was as if her silence and bowed head was the only thing keeping her from either crying or snapping at Ayaka to be quiet.
----
Whop… whop… whop… All the men around the dojou stared at the young woman who mercilessly struck out with lighting fast limbs, spinning again and again with expert form and without signs of tiring. They warily kept their distance - she was clearly angry and frankly stronger than she looked. She took a running start, jumped with a cry and knocked the heavy kickstand straight to the ground with a hefty thud. Kaori wiped the sweat from her brow and caught her ragged breath there on the gym floor. Action was the only thing keeping him off her mind.
“-- Sensei is amazing!”
She squinted up at a man around her age who grinned down at her annoyingly. He seemed familiar…
“Sammiya Takeo desu.” he continued. “The baseball player. You treated my heart condition earlier this year.”
“Sou, sou! Ohisashiburi desu!” she remembered. She took the strong hand he offered and stood up calmly. “What have you been up to nowadays?”
“Mm, I somehow found a nice office job that doesn’t stress out my heart. It’s not too bad, actually. I took up karate to stay active though.”
“Good for you! You look well.” She was glad to see he had proactively moved forward, and most of all that he was healthy.
“Are you a regular here, sensei? You’re like a - a professional. Sort of kowai.”
Kaori chuckled wryly. “No, I just come here sometimes to… de-stress.”
Sammiya put his hands on his hips. “What’s stressing you out?”
Who was he to pry? His unapologetic gaze was both uncomfortable and flattering. “Just personal stuff.”
Sammiya smiled. “Are you finished here? Let me take you to my favorite food truck. It’s bound to cheer you up.”
She raised her brows - not him too. “Sammiya-san, I don’t…”
He put up his hands in defense. “I’m not asking for a date! I’m just a friend asking a friend.”
So, the unlikely pair sat on a ledge in the December cold, digging into piping hot sweet potatoes sold by a street cart. Still in her grimy gym clothes underneath her jacket, Kaori savored the fluffy snack and dangled her legs idly. She hadn’t acted so unrefined since middle school; it was refreshing.
“Dou desu ka?” Sammiya asked.
“Oishi!”
“See sensei, you’re already smiling.” he grinned through a mouthful of potato.
“Just call me Kureha, please.” Sammiya was pretty much a stranger, but it felt so comforting just to be treated with intention.
“When I was kicked out of baseball, I came here to eat a lot… Not only is it cheap, it tastes like home.”
“Do you miss it - baseball?”
“Oh, I definitely do.”
“You don’t seem to show it.”
He shrugged. “It’s gotten easier with time. I still get the urge to go out and play when it’s nice outside, and I watch my old team on television and cheer them on. It sounds kind of sad, true. But I’ve been doing well for myself. I know that at least with the skills I have left, I’ll be able to share baseball with my kids, and that’s something to look forward to. I’ll actually have time to have kids… you know?”
“Sou…”
“Enough about me.” Sammiya leaned back casually. “What about you? Something seems to be weighing on your mind.”
“You like to challenge people, don’t you?”
“And you, Kureha-san, like to avoid vulnerability.”
She pursed her lips; he was right. “It’s stupid…”
“If you’re anything, ‘stupid’ absolutely isn’t on the list.”
It hurt - in a strange, nauseous way - to verbalize it. All her vague explanations felt like rambles, but Sammiya was patient. “I’ve always hated the idea of relying on someone. He was the one person who made me feel like I didn’t always have to be strong. Basically, he - he was the one, I think, if that even exists. But… he was also the one who let me go.”
“Baka…”
“Eh?”
“Him - that guy’s an idiot.” Sammiya muttered. “He didn’t know just what he had.”
Kaori shook her head. “No, he has the world at his disposal. I wasn’t too much a part of it.”
“Is that what YOU think, or what HE thinks?”
“Well…”
“Exactly. Like you said before, we’re the same age, so I’ll be blunt - even though I’ve only spoken to you a handful of times, I already know that you’re ten times more sincere, level-headed and smarter than half the girls I’ve ever met. There’s no way that someone would not notice that, especially if you opened up to him. Whether he would show his appreciation is another thing.”
“So…?”
“Eventually, he’ll realize what he’s lost. And if he’s a real man, he’ll do something about it. Until then, just be happy because you’re amazing.”