[Fanfic] We'll Always Have Paris - Chapter Fourteen: The Men In Between
Another update! I'm faster this time and it's also longer than the last one. :)
This is unbeta-ed so tell me if there are any errors and mistakes. Comments, suggestions, reactions and criticisms are gladly welcomed. Happy reading! :)
Disclaimer: I am no way related to Arashi, Johnny's Entertainment or the Japanese Imperial Family. All names and events pertaining to any member of the Imperial family are fictional.
Chapter Fourteen: The Men in Between
“We’ll explain later.” Jun finally speaks after what felt like a long and awkward silence. “We need to go and see Sho-kun right now. We need to talk to him.” He quickly said and dialed Sho’s number on his phone, making the situation more suspicious for Nino. As for Ohno, he remained unconcerned as he continued eating.
Aiba stayed quiet, fidgeting nervously beside a very anxious and impatient Jun because Sho is not answering his phone.
“Damn it! He’s not answering his phone!” Jun grumbled irritably before shoving his phone back to his pocket. “I’ll go see him there.” He announces and this time, he finally got Ohno’s attention. “Are you coming with me, Aiba-chan?”
Nino and Ohno looked at each other questionably while Aiba is back to his consciousness. “I can’t. I have another schedule.” Aiba answered.
“I don’t have anything for the rest of the day.” Nino informed Jun. “Want me to come with you? In return, explain everything to me in the car because every minute gone by is getting more and more intriguing.”
Jun briefly looked at Aiba before speaking. “Fine. Now let’s go.” He agreed as he strides of the room.
“So you’re going to leave me alone in the dark?” Ohno complained with a raised eyebrow.
“Aiba-chan will tell you everything.” Jun yelled from behind before disappearing from their sight.
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“What?! Sophie is a princess?!” Nino’s voice echoed in the car. “Are you kidding me?!” He ceases to believe that everything he just heard is real.
“Why would I go with all the trouble of finding Sho-kun in that sea of spectators if I’m just pulling out a prank?” Jun pointed out. “I saw what I saw on that television and that small research I did is enough proof to say that she is indeed a princess.” He accelerated the car as soon as the stop light turned green.
Nino smashed his hands on his cheeks in disbelief. “Okay, let’s say that’s she’s really a princess-”
“Which she really is.” Jun reiterated.
“Why do you want to involve yourself and let Sho-chan to know everything from you? Isn’t it better to stay away and let them fix this on their own?” Nino pointed out. “After all, this is their own personal issue.”
Nino has big point there, this is quite troubling for Jun’s part, stressing over someone else’s love life but on top of all these secrets and lies he found today, he remembered one letter he received a few months ago.
‘…I will not come back to Sho’s life again.’ ‘…I asked you and the rest of the guys to make him happy. Make him forget everything about me.’ ‘…I need to let Sho live his life without me.’
It’s been seven months since he read that letter but those words still resounds in his ears like it’s just yesterday. He feels obligated to do what she says, to make him forget and move on. With Sho keeping his mouth shut about what happened between them, it’s hard for Jun to do what he needs to do. Unexpectedly, Sho returned home rather calm. He smiles, he laughs, he still talks nonstop but it’s not the same as before, something is missing and Jun thinks it’s the complete happiness that he left in Paris.
With recent unexpected events happening with her family, Jun finds his tasks even harder to accomplish, especially now that they are in the same country.
Does Sophie still remain firm with her decision to let go of Sho? Did anything happen in between the time after she wrote that letter to the time Sho left Paris? Does Jun need to continue with his mission? Questions fill his mind as he zoom his car in the highway.
“Are you listening, Jun-kun?” Nino took his attention off his recent worries.
“Yeah.” Jun replied nonchalantly. “Are we near?” He asked, seeing that there’s a throng of people and a heavy traffic heading their way.
“Looks like it.” Nino answered. “So… will you ever answer my question?” He went back to Jun again.
Jun totally forget the question as he wrinkles his forehead. “What was that again?”
Nino rolled his eyes. “Why are you doing this for Sho-chan?”
“Let’s just say that I’m doing someone a favor… And I accepted it because I feel guilty for being judgmental towards her.” Jun answered but Nino is not convinced.
“And that someone is Sophie.” Nino fills in between the lines and Jun nods his head once. “I still don’t get it. If you’re doing her a favor what does it have to do with Sho-chan needing to find everything from you?”
Jun taps his fingers in the steering wheel. Everything in that letter should remain between him and Sophie and he choose the wrong partner today because Nino is such a nosy meddler. There are no hiding secrets when you’re with Ninomiya Kazunari, he has this power of intuition and most of the time, his intuitions are on the spot.
“Sophie doesn’t want to go back to Sho-kun’s life anymore, well at least, that’s what she told me.” Jun spilled the beans on that letter. He can’t find an exit from Nino and besides, Yana knows everything on that letter anyway.
“What?!” Nino widened his eyes. “Can you please explain from the start?”
“On the airport before we left Paris, she secretly handed me a letter. She was saying sorry and all that but at the end of the letter, she said that she’s willing to let go of Sho-kun because she doesn’t want to take everything away from him. She only wants him to be happy and she’s not capable of that happiness. She asked me to make him forget everything about her, she even asked if I can introduce a girl to him so that he can move on.” Jun paused and looked at Nino’s dazzled expression, from the looks of it, this is too much for him to handle. “Back then, I thought that her reason for doing such thing is because she felt guilty for taking him away from Arashi and the fans. But now, I realized that maybe she had a deeper reason.”
“And that is?” Nino asked.
“Her life is too complicated for him. Maybe she doesn’t want him to handle such pressure from her family… And to answer your question, I’m doing this because I don’t want him to feel miserable finding out everything by himself. He still holds on to her even though he refuse let it show. Maybe he still loves her as much as before, maybe even bigger than before. I don’t want him to get hurt after he finds out that the only girl he loved this much is actually a keeping a big secret from him. And he’s so close to finding it out as we speak.”
Nino stares into the busy street in front of him. He never expected that Jun and Aiba’s suspiciousness will lead into this big revelation.
“Okay, now that you confessed about that letter from Sophie’s side, it’s about time you hear Sho-chan’s side.” Nino looked at him with serious eyes and he feels that this will not end with his revelations. There’s more to this than what he expected. “And you’ll hear it right now… From me.” Nino looked at the busy traffic in front of them. “We still have time.”
*Five months ago* April 2012
He hates unplanned night outs, he absolutely hates it and he constantly reminds his friends to not call him anymore whenever they are going in an impromptu night out but being the annoying lot his friends are, they would intentionally raid his apartment and would not surrender until he goes with them.
And now, Ninomiya Kazunari irritably enters this crowded club in Roppongi, the overly loud music is hurting his earsdrums and the drunk bunch of young people from the entrance doesn’t help to lighten up his mood.
“Since when did you opt for this kind of place?” He shouted loud enough for his friend, Yuji, to hear. “You know, you’re too old for dancing and getting wasted with this bunch of teenagers pretending to be of legal age.”
“Not my idea, man.” Yuji replied as loud. “Kenta is smitten to this young girl and she frequents this place. He’s stalking.” He smirked as he moves his body to the beat.
“And why does he need us?” Nino asked, annoyed.
Yuji turned around to Nino and taps his shoulders. “Come on, Nino! He needs moral support from his friends!” He enthusiastically said before striding off to the dance floor.
Nino is left in his spot, shaking his head. He’ll just finish one drink and he’ll escape this place without his friends’ knowledge. He can’t stand the noise and the cramped place.
He went straight to an empty chair in the middle of the bar and quickly ordered a drink. A few minutes later, the bartender hesitantly approaches him.
“Ninomiya-san?” The bartender asked unsurely.
“Yes?” He replied just as uncertain.
“Uhmmm… By any chance, did you go here with Sakurai Sho-san?” The bartender asked and he didn’t realized how embarrassing that question is after he dropped it.
“No.” Nino answered indifferently. “Why are you asking?”
“Ah, is that so?” The bartender scratched his head. “He’s been here since two hours ago and I think he really needs to go home, he already finished a bottle of whiskey and he’s still drinking.” He pointed out to the far end of the bar and Nino saw a man dropping his head down on the counter with a glass in his hand.
“Thank you.” Nino said to the bartender before approaching Sho.
“Sho-chan?” Nino called and Sho turned around to see who that might be.
His eyes are red and most likely because of tears, his whole face is also flushed red because of the alcohol and he stinks of it too.
“Nino?” Sho was surprised to see him there, judging by how his eyebrows curled up in confusion. “What are you doing here?”
“Doesn’t matter, let’s get you home.” Nino grabs him by the arm and started dragging him away.
“What?” Sho said. “Wait, let me pay first.” He gets his wallet from his back pocket and hands it to Nino to make him pay.
Once Nino successfully drags a very heavy, drunk and half asleep Sho outside his car, he check for the keys inside Sho’s pocket and pushed him inside.
“I’m sorry.” Sho laughs from his seat. “I just miss her so much. I badly wanted to see her. Did you know that I almost booked a flight to Paris?” He laughs again, louder this time. “I’m just a click away from booking it but my conscience won me over. I’m not leaving Arashi again. So I resulted to the nearest place with alcohol with hopes that it can make me forget at least for tonight. But it didn’t. I still miss her badly. Her face is all I see wherever I look… I’m sorry if I’m being like this, you don’t need to see this.” He slouched back to the car seat and his eyes slowly closed in.
Nino felt bad for Sho, he was never this desperate with love and what’s worst, he can’t show what really feels in front of them. Whenever all five of them are together, Sho always gives them his best self, the almost perfect and admirable Sakurai Sho. Who would have known that he actually feels something heavy inside his heart and he can’t release it to anyone but himself.
“What happened in Paris, Sho-chan?” Nino softly said. “You know that you can come to me.”
“Sophie needs to grow and realize her dreams... I am a big hindrance to that.” Sho’s voice is cracking up with tears. “We needed to separate because right now, time is not on our side. She got a scholarship for law school in America and she’s going there for four years. I understand, of course. She’s a big dreamer and I wanted her to fulfill everything she wanted. But I never thought it would be this hard and painful. I want to see her so badly, hear her voice and hug her in my arms.”
“Why don’t you call her?” Nino asked. “I mean, there should be a way for you to communicate, right?”
Sho smiled faintly and shakes his head. “We decided to separate for good until the right time comes.”
“You mean, until she finishes from law school?” Nino tried to confirm.
Sho nods his head. “It’s what’s best. I’m just going to be distraction from her studies and law school is twice as hard as university. She needed to concentrate.”
“It must be hard for you?”
“You have no idea.” Sho cradled the back of his head. “It’s hard waking up alone every morning and when I go to work I pretend to be okay. But I know that one day, Sophie and I will reunite again, all these suffering will come to an end.” He tried to smile beneath the evident sadness in his eyes.
“You really love her, do you?” Nino asked the obvious.
“I do. I really do.” Sho answered. “In fact, before I left Paris, I bought a ring and proposed to her.”
“You proposed?” Nino repeated. “You proposed and then you separated?”
“I know it sounds crazy but that time and even right now that’s exactly what I feel.”
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“He proposed to Sophie?!” Jun almost jumps out from his car with what he heard. “He proposed to the Princess of this country and he doesn’t have the slightest idea!”
“I know that’s shocking but don’t you get it, Jun-kun?” Nino tried pointing out his reason for telling him that drunken night he had with Sho. “Sophie didn’t let go of Sho-chan like what she told you on that letter. She accepted the proposal and she promised him that she will find him after she becomes a lawyer. You’re doing this so-called favor for nothing.”
It’s now time for Jun to stare blankly into the street.
“We need to get Sho-kun out of there as fast as we can.” Jun quickly turned left into a narrow street and accelerates the car towards a vacant lot. “I have a feeling that Sho-kun will leave this wake even more devastated and miserable more than anyone else in that family.”
* I have a questions guys and I can't find any answer from Google. Haha! Does anyone know when did Nino left for Hollywood to film Iwo Jima? I know it's in early 2006? Am I right? But what's the exact month and what month did he went back to Japan? Also, he went to Cannes, right? And Berlin Film Festival? Do you know when was that? Thank you in advance! :D