Somewhere Only We Know [a Ninomiya Kazunari love story] - Chapter 12, part 1
Somewhere Only We Know, Chapter 12, part 1
Pairing: Ninomiya Kazunari/OC
Rating: PG
Genre: Realistic romance, friendship, family
Disclaimer: I don’t own anything of Arashi or Johnny’s Entertainment! Sorry if I misuse some Japanese phrases.
Summary:
When you’ve been alone for so long, sometimes you forget that you’re lost. But if you one day brush across another hand grappling in the dark - if you dare to take it and hold on tight - you just might find the way out together. Love, in the end, is what saves us all; if you’re brave enough you’ll find it, and if you’re crazy enough it just might stay.
All previous chapters in the master post!
--------------
At twenty five years old, Yuri had finally begun to believe that she was beautiful. Not just pretty or sexy, but her internal self radiated outwards into an alluring aura that could not be recreated by makeup or computer retouching. So even though she loved being ‘beautified’ for her job, she tried to not let it change how she saw herself. The stylist finished curling the ends of her hair and left with a nod. Yuri leaned in and studied her transformation in the brightly lit mirror. It was fun now, to be ‘made up.’
Someone lurked behind her and had found another opportunity for a prank.
Yuri took out her phone, held it at arm’s length, and posed cheekily for a selca. Just as her thumb pressed the shutter button, a bizarre face popped up behind her like a meerkat and the camera flashed.
“Omae!” Yuri wheeled around in her seat, half chuckling at her co-star. After falling victim several times she realized it was actually fun to play along with his mischief.
Ninomiya Kazunari swiped the phone from her hand and cackled. “Photobomb, success!” Sneaking behind Yuri’s pretty smile was Nino’s amazingly ugly contortion. How did he get his face to do that? A few quick clicks later and he had set the photo as her cell’s wallpaper.
“Why would I want to look at that every day…?!”
Their first magazine photoshoot together was scheduled that morning. Nino plopped into the chair beside her and the stylists went to work. Yuri curiously watched as his own appearance was altered as well, into a more flawless version of himself.
“Nani?” the idol gently asked when he noticed her attention. “Ore wa kakkoi, deshou?”
The girl rolled her eyes. “All Johnnies are.”
Nino had decided to keep it a secret that he had heard her little ‘concert’ the other night. He noticed the Shiawase book resting in her lap.
“How far have you gotten in that?”
“I just finished the small part we filmed the other day.”
“Read it to me.” He closed his eyes as the makeup artist applied his foundation, but he liked listening to Yuri’s voice that way anyway.
She shyly obliged, once more opening up Nomura Kazuhide’s honest accounts. “Sometimes, you just know. Finally, you think to yourself. The answer to a clandestine question hits you, and it suddenly makes sense how the person beside you simply feels like home - although, you don’t quite know why.
“The entire drive back that night was painfully silent; all my words had escaped my brain as I was much too aware of Yukino’s presence so close to me in the passenger’s seat. To this day, I wonder what she was thinking of as she gazed out the window; I myself was going crazy. My stomach was swimming with all the dishes she had invented for me to try, which was fortunate, because it somewhat sank the butterflies that threatened to tickle me stupid.
“I dropped her off in front of her house and we parted with a simple wave. I gripped the steering wheel and when I saw her close the door, I raced home.
“With trembling hands, I turned the rotary numbers and held the heavy phone to my ear. I held my breath as the dial echoed three times; her voice came through. At that very moment I profusely thanked her late father for revolutionizing the telephone industry.
-- Moshi moshi?
-- Ahno, is this Yukino-san?, I asked hoarsely.
-- Yes… [After a pause, she added,] -- Eh, Nomura-san?
My chest soared; she recognized my voice. I tried to sound cooler.
-- Sorry for calling this late.
-- Not at all… What is it? Did I leave something in your car?
-- I forgot to ask earlier… [I made something up on the spot.] -- What d-do you think of… hamburgers?
She laughed at the odd question, and I soaked in its melody. Instead of calling me stupid, she answered, -- I’ve never had one, actually. Why do you ask?
The chapter ended right there. Nino sat still, absorbing the imagery while the stylist praised Yuri on her enunciation and captivating tone.
-------
A studio assistant approached Yuri. “Sumimasen, Shimada-san…”
“Hai?” she sat up straight.
“There is a woman at the entrance looking for you. She says she is your old friend.”
“Eh, who?”
“I think her name was Hye Soo.”
Yuri’s breath stopped in her lungs. “K-Kai Hye Soo?!”
“I’m assuming so. Should I bring her in?”
“Yes, please!”
Nino had never seen Yuri so restless before. Who was this significant person? From the name, she must have been Korean.
Before long, the assistant returned with a female no older than 30 years old. Stunning, tall, and dressed in a sleek pencil skirt, a chic voluminous blouse, and stilettos, she carried herself with the true confidence of a woman. She immediately locked eyes with Yuri, and a tender smile dawned on her face.
credit: fuckyeahkahi on Tumblr
“Annyeong, Yuri ah.” she murmured slowly, as if she had wanted to say that for quite some time.
As if she had seen a ghost, Yuri stared with round, disbelieving eyes. Her mouth trembled and her fists clenched at her sides. Once more in front of her was someone she had once admired, respected, and cared for more than anyone else. But she had unsympathetically cut herself from Yuri's life. It had taken years for Yuri to realize that it had been the best thing for her to do.
“Oremanida.” Long time no see.
She burst forth from her seat and rushed into the older woman’s arms. “E-eonni…!”
Slightly shocked, Hye Soo patted her back softly. “Shhh, it’s alright. Let’s go talk for a minute.” In accented Japanese she bowed to Nino and the stylists, “Sumimasen,” and ushered Yuri to a private corner.
----
Yuri recovered her senses and sniffled, “Wh-what are you doing here?!” That was the first of many questions she had never had answered.
“I’m working as a fashion publicist now. Our company is currently negotiating with Comme des Garçons, so I’m here on a business trip. We were just overseeing a photoshoot next door, and I overheard that my dongsaeng of all people was here - so I had to come say hello.” Hye Soo sighed and hugged her former band mate once more for good measure. “It’s been years, ne.”
“Almost four, I think.” Yuri calculated.
“… Mianhae.” Sorry. “I know it’s very startling, showing up out of the blue.”
Yuri said nothing and quickly wiped away her tears. Despite all the hurt that her former leader had brought, she had to admit - she had missed her terribly.
Hye Soo leaned in considerately. She knew that had a lot of explaining to do, but that would take time. “Yuri ah, I’ve been keeping up with your work, though. I was happy that you decided to move to Japan. Isn’t it good to come back to where you grew up? There will be a lot of opportunities for you here. What is this photoshoot you’re doing?”
“I’m acting in a film, actually. My co-star and I are posing for Nikkei Entertainment magazine.”
Hye Soo’s expression brightened. “Chincha?! Chukha hae! The minute you land and you’re already becoming a big star.” she clapped. “I wouldn’t expect any less. After all, you were always our go-getter.”
“I got lucky, I guess.”
The woman worded carefully, “My flight back to Seoul is late tonight… What do you say we spend the day together?”
Yuri looked up with a sudden brightness. Just like in the old days. “I would love to.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Hye Soo pulled the younger one to her unsteady feet. “Let’s not keep the others waiting, now.”
-----
The set up of the shoot was sporty and urban, with props like bicycles and traffic lights. Styled in designer hoodies and flashy sneakers, the two actors played off of each other underneath the bright lights as the photographer snapped away.
Ninomiya noticed how much of a change Yuri seemed to have undergone after seeing her old friend again. It was as if the girl had found a piece of her former self from more carefree days; a truer self without all the thick armor she had cultivated. Maybe it was the flattering trick of illumination and the expert makeup, but he thought that she shone.
One arrangement had them facing each other, each with one leg propped up to showcase their shoes. Yuri began to gasp cheesily at the camera, and Nino couldn’t contain his amusement and bowed his head down in a snicker. She sure was having fun.
“Ninomiya-san, please give a more controlled smile! Your face is turning blurry.” the photographer called.
The second was of the co-stars riding on a shiny little motor scooter. They donned goofy helmets. Nino took the handlebars and Yuri sat right behind him. She had always wanted to learn how to ride one, she muttered to herself. Her hands naturally clung to Nino’s waist for support, and he looked behind happily. This instant was captured and immediately decided as the cover photo of the magazine.
“Charming! Dynamic!”
Image credit for the above two pics: popseoul
For the final picture, they simply stood side by side in front of a white screen and were told to hold hands. They locked eyes and nodded. As if their fingers already knew the distance, they naturally reached out and interlaced. Yuri’s body warmed; her hand fit comfortably in his smooth but slightly calloused one. It felt like just the right size to hold. She smiled prettily at the camera and hid her fluttering heart. Nino as well fought the urge to rub her soft palm with his thumb just because he wondered what it would feel like. He didn’t want to let go.
“Ah, you two really look like a couple! The readers will go crazy!”
credit: soompi
Like the older sister that she had always been to Yuri, Hye Soo quietly observed from the background as a silent pillar of support. She remembered all the fun they had had being glamorous and girly in their Jolie days. They had learned to pose together, do their makeup and hair by themselves, and perfected the jump shot together. But this was a different atmosphere, and Yuri had grown up. Hye Soo smirked as she witnessed the man named Ninomiya cock his head and look down at Yuri with soft chocolate eyes, then back up at the camera when he remembered himself. If Hye Soo was not mistaken, there was a curious chemistry between those two.
-----------------
Part 2 here! Nino doesn't have a lot of pictures with girls so... I went with an Ara photoshoot instead.
Pairing: Ninomiya Kazunari/OC
Rating: PG
Genre: Realistic romance, friendship, family
Disclaimer: I don’t own anything of Arashi or Johnny’s Entertainment! Sorry if I misuse some Japanese phrases.
Summary:
When you’ve been alone for so long, sometimes you forget that you’re lost. But if you one day brush across another hand grappling in the dark - if you dare to take it and hold on tight - you just might find the way out together. Love, in the end, is what saves us all; if you’re brave enough you’ll find it, and if you’re crazy enough it just might stay.
All previous chapters in the master post!
--------------
At twenty five years old, Yuri had finally begun to believe that she was beautiful. Not just pretty or sexy, but her internal self radiated outwards into an alluring aura that could not be recreated by makeup or computer retouching. So even though she loved being ‘beautified’ for her job, she tried to not let it change how she saw herself. The stylist finished curling the ends of her hair and left with a nod. Yuri leaned in and studied her transformation in the brightly lit mirror. It was fun now, to be ‘made up.’
Someone lurked behind her and had found another opportunity for a prank.
Yuri took out her phone, held it at arm’s length, and posed cheekily for a selca. Just as her thumb pressed the shutter button, a bizarre face popped up behind her like a meerkat and the camera flashed.
“Omae!” Yuri wheeled around in her seat, half chuckling at her co-star. After falling victim several times she realized it was actually fun to play along with his mischief.
Ninomiya Kazunari swiped the phone from her hand and cackled. “Photobomb, success!” Sneaking behind Yuri’s pretty smile was Nino’s amazingly ugly contortion. How did he get his face to do that? A few quick clicks later and he had set the photo as her cell’s wallpaper.
“Why would I want to look at that every day…?!”
Their first magazine photoshoot together was scheduled that morning. Nino plopped into the chair beside her and the stylists went to work. Yuri curiously watched as his own appearance was altered as well, into a more flawless version of himself.
“Nani?” the idol gently asked when he noticed her attention. “Ore wa kakkoi, deshou?”
The girl rolled her eyes. “All Johnnies are.”
Nino had decided to keep it a secret that he had heard her little ‘concert’ the other night. He noticed the Shiawase book resting in her lap.
“How far have you gotten in that?”
“I just finished the small part we filmed the other day.”
“Read it to me.” He closed his eyes as the makeup artist applied his foundation, but he liked listening to Yuri’s voice that way anyway.
She shyly obliged, once more opening up Nomura Kazuhide’s honest accounts. “Sometimes, you just know. Finally, you think to yourself. The answer to a clandestine question hits you, and it suddenly makes sense how the person beside you simply feels like home - although, you don’t quite know why.
“The entire drive back that night was painfully silent; all my words had escaped my brain as I was much too aware of Yukino’s presence so close to me in the passenger’s seat. To this day, I wonder what she was thinking of as she gazed out the window; I myself was going crazy. My stomach was swimming with all the dishes she had invented for me to try, which was fortunate, because it somewhat sank the butterflies that threatened to tickle me stupid.
“I dropped her off in front of her house and we parted with a simple wave. I gripped the steering wheel and when I saw her close the door, I raced home.
“With trembling hands, I turned the rotary numbers and held the heavy phone to my ear. I held my breath as the dial echoed three times; her voice came through. At that very moment I profusely thanked her late father for revolutionizing the telephone industry.
-- Moshi moshi?
-- Ahno, is this Yukino-san?, I asked hoarsely.
-- Yes… [After a pause, she added,] -- Eh, Nomura-san?
My chest soared; she recognized my voice. I tried to sound cooler.
-- Sorry for calling this late.
-- Not at all… What is it? Did I leave something in your car?
-- I forgot to ask earlier… [I made something up on the spot.] -- What d-do you think of… hamburgers?
She laughed at the odd question, and I soaked in its melody. Instead of calling me stupid, she answered, -- I’ve never had one, actually. Why do you ask?
The chapter ended right there. Nino sat still, absorbing the imagery while the stylist praised Yuri on her enunciation and captivating tone.
-------
A studio assistant approached Yuri. “Sumimasen, Shimada-san…”
“Hai?” she sat up straight.
“There is a woman at the entrance looking for you. She says she is your old friend.”
“Eh, who?”
“I think her name was Hye Soo.”
Yuri’s breath stopped in her lungs. “K-Kai Hye Soo?!”
“I’m assuming so. Should I bring her in?”
“Yes, please!”
Nino had never seen Yuri so restless before. Who was this significant person? From the name, she must have been Korean.
Before long, the assistant returned with a female no older than 30 years old. Stunning, tall, and dressed in a sleek pencil skirt, a chic voluminous blouse, and stilettos, she carried herself with the true confidence of a woman. She immediately locked eyes with Yuri, and a tender smile dawned on her face.
credit: fuckyeahkahi on Tumblr
“Annyeong, Yuri ah.” she murmured slowly, as if she had wanted to say that for quite some time.
As if she had seen a ghost, Yuri stared with round, disbelieving eyes. Her mouth trembled and her fists clenched at her sides. Once more in front of her was someone she had once admired, respected, and cared for more than anyone else. But she had unsympathetically cut herself from Yuri's life. It had taken years for Yuri to realize that it had been the best thing for her to do.
“Oremanida.” Long time no see.
She burst forth from her seat and rushed into the older woman’s arms. “E-eonni…!”
Slightly shocked, Hye Soo patted her back softly. “Shhh, it’s alright. Let’s go talk for a minute.” In accented Japanese she bowed to Nino and the stylists, “Sumimasen,” and ushered Yuri to a private corner.
----
Yuri recovered her senses and sniffled, “Wh-what are you doing here?!” That was the first of many questions she had never had answered.
“I’m working as a fashion publicist now. Our company is currently negotiating with Comme des Garçons, so I’m here on a business trip. We were just overseeing a photoshoot next door, and I overheard that my dongsaeng of all people was here - so I had to come say hello.” Hye Soo sighed and hugged her former band mate once more for good measure. “It’s been years, ne.”
“Almost four, I think.” Yuri calculated.
“… Mianhae.” Sorry. “I know it’s very startling, showing up out of the blue.”
Yuri said nothing and quickly wiped away her tears. Despite all the hurt that her former leader had brought, she had to admit - she had missed her terribly.
Hye Soo leaned in considerately. She knew that had a lot of explaining to do, but that would take time. “Yuri ah, I’ve been keeping up with your work, though. I was happy that you decided to move to Japan. Isn’t it good to come back to where you grew up? There will be a lot of opportunities for you here. What is this photoshoot you’re doing?”
“I’m acting in a film, actually. My co-star and I are posing for Nikkei Entertainment magazine.”
Hye Soo’s expression brightened. “Chincha?! Chukha hae! The minute you land and you’re already becoming a big star.” she clapped. “I wouldn’t expect any less. After all, you were always our go-getter.”
“I got lucky, I guess.”
The woman worded carefully, “My flight back to Seoul is late tonight… What do you say we spend the day together?”
Yuri looked up with a sudden brightness. Just like in the old days. “I would love to.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Hye Soo pulled the younger one to her unsteady feet. “Let’s not keep the others waiting, now.”
-----
The set up of the shoot was sporty and urban, with props like bicycles and traffic lights. Styled in designer hoodies and flashy sneakers, the two actors played off of each other underneath the bright lights as the photographer snapped away.
Ninomiya noticed how much of a change Yuri seemed to have undergone after seeing her old friend again. It was as if the girl had found a piece of her former self from more carefree days; a truer self without all the thick armor she had cultivated. Maybe it was the flattering trick of illumination and the expert makeup, but he thought that she shone.
One arrangement had them facing each other, each with one leg propped up to showcase their shoes. Yuri began to gasp cheesily at the camera, and Nino couldn’t contain his amusement and bowed his head down in a snicker. She sure was having fun.
“Ninomiya-san, please give a more controlled smile! Your face is turning blurry.” the photographer called.
The second was of the co-stars riding on a shiny little motor scooter. They donned goofy helmets. Nino took the handlebars and Yuri sat right behind him. She had always wanted to learn how to ride one, she muttered to herself. Her hands naturally clung to Nino’s waist for support, and he looked behind happily. This instant was captured and immediately decided as the cover photo of the magazine.
“Charming! Dynamic!”
Image credit for the above two pics: popseoul
For the final picture, they simply stood side by side in front of a white screen and were told to hold hands. They locked eyes and nodded. As if their fingers already knew the distance, they naturally reached out and interlaced. Yuri’s body warmed; her hand fit comfortably in his smooth but slightly calloused one. It felt like just the right size to hold. She smiled prettily at the camera and hid her fluttering heart. Nino as well fought the urge to rub her soft palm with his thumb just because he wondered what it would feel like. He didn’t want to let go.
“Ah, you two really look like a couple! The readers will go crazy!”
credit: soompi
Like the older sister that she had always been to Yuri, Hye Soo quietly observed from the background as a silent pillar of support. She remembered all the fun they had had being glamorous and girly in their Jolie days. They had learned to pose together, do their makeup and hair by themselves, and perfected the jump shot together. But this was a different atmosphere, and Yuri had grown up. Hye Soo smirked as she witnessed the man named Ninomiya cock his head and look down at Yuri with soft chocolate eyes, then back up at the camera when he remembered himself. If Hye Soo was not mistaken, there was a curious chemistry between those two.
-----------------
Part 2 here! Nino doesn't have a lot of pictures with girls so... I went with an Ara photoshoot instead.