[Fanfic] Like We Used To (Chapter One)
TITLE: Like We Used To
LENGTH: Chaptered
CHARACTERS: Sakurai Sho X Original Character, Arashi
GENRE: Romance
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY: A girl trying to run away from the sheltered world she lived in, a guy who successfully made a name throughout the nation. She is struggling to prove herself to everyone while he has already earned their respect. What will happen when two people whose life is so alike met again after many years? Will she finally be able to find comfort in his arms and live the life she has wanted for so long?
CHAPTER ONE
If she can find one thing that makes her happy about her comeback in this place, it’s definitely the Sakura in full bloom.
As she admires the beautiful view of Ginza in her hotel suite, a small smile drew across her lips. Even if she’s living now in New York City for seven years, she grew up in this place. She had her own share of fun and pain along with people who are very close to her heart. It wasn’t easy growing up in this side of town. Well, at least for those few kids whose parents are big politicians, democrats and law-makers. Unfortunately, for her, she’s one of them.
Nakagawa Aki, twenty-eight years old, her father, the Minister of Internal Affairs and her mother, CEO of the leading telecommunications company in the country. Good to the ears, right? You’re probably saying that she’s living the life everyone dreams to have, but for her it’s the life she doesn’t want at all. Growing up being pressured by such successful parents wasn’t easy for a free-spirited person she is.
“Nee-chan!” She heard a familiar voice from the door. She smiled seeing who that person is.
“Rina-chan!” she exclaimed as she hurriedly approach her younger sister for a hug. “You’ve grown so much!” she said as she squished her sister’s face playfully. Seven years sure changed a lot.
“Of course I am!” the younger sister pouted, “I’m getting married already, remember?” she smiled.
How would she forget that fact, she came back for that. Two months ago, a phone call at 3 in the morning woke her up and seeing that the number is coming from Japan, she thought it was something alarming or important only to find out that her sister is getting married. Her younger sister, four years younger than her.
“Yes you are. How dare you do that before me, huh?” Aki raised an eyebrow, her sister exploded in laughter.
“Tell me, Nee-chan. How can you even get a boyfriend when all you care about is your job?” Rina sat at the edge of the bed, turning on the television. “If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t even dare to take a leave from your work.” It was Rina’s turn to raise an eyebrow.
Well, it’s quite true though. Her job has kept her away from meeting a potential boyfriend, she has become somewhat an anti-social, much different from her life in Tokyo.
“I choose for it to be that way.” She answered almost inaudibly. The truth is she wants to prove something to her father, which is to be successful without his help, without his name being dragged on in every job interview she goes to.
“You don’t have to be so hard on yourself, you can take a break from it sometimes, you know.” Rina motioned for her to sit with her. “And besides, you already proved a lot.”
“I don’t think so. I disappointed him so much by quitting law school and not telling him until one year later.” She shook her head, a faint smile was visible on her face. “No matter what I do, I think Otou-san will never forgive me for that.”
“Is that the reason why you don’t want to stay in our house?” Rina asked with a worried expression.
“I just don’t want any complications when it comes to him. I don’t want to argue anymore, I won’t win anyway.” She answered, sadness is visible in her eyes.
“It’s been seven years. I think he’ll try to hear you out already.” Rina tried to cheer her up.
“You think so?” Aki is not convinced by the idea. “I’m sure he’ll try to ignore me on your wedding, I’m betting on it.” She frowned, she knows that her relationship with her father will never be the same anymore. “So how is the bride-to-be feeling, huh?” she tried changing the topic.
“It’s fun! And nerve-wracking, ne!” Rina enthusiastically answered, she figured that her sister doesn’t want to talk about the rift she had with their father, so she tried to take her mind away by telling stories about her and her husband-to-be.
“He seems to be like one of Otou-san’s kouhais he brings home for dinner back in the days. It’s scary!” Aki joked hearing that he comes from a political family and slowly getting his way in to the messy political world. “You wanted to be like Oka-san, huh?” she smirked. Their parents met through an elite party, back then, their father is still a newbie in politics.
“And you, Onee-san, what kind of wife would you like to be?” Rina asked, “An idol’s wife, perhaps?” she pursed her lips to stop the growing smile on her face. She pointed to the TV screen, Aki saw a man in suit, a serious expression is seen all over his face, earnestly covering the news.
“Newscaster, huh?” Aki asked, she can’t help but smile. “And all this time I thought he’s busy singing and dancing wearing those horrible outfits.” Both sisters exploded in laughter with that comment.
“Do you remember when we first came to watch them perform with those transparent outfits?” Rina asked, still laughing. Aki nodded and laughed even more. “He almost chased us all over the TV station when we started teasing him!”
“Oh gosh, Sho-chan and his temper.” Aki said, still a little breathless from all the laughing.
“He’s better now though.” Rina looked at her sister. “No more eye glaring and eyebrow raising stuff.”
“You still see him?” Aki curiously asked.
“Every once in a while. He sometimes accompanies his mom in social gatherings and parties.”
“He has time for that?” Aki asked. “The last time I check he’s too busy to even have time for anyone.” Rina sensed the sudden sadness in her sister’s face.
Rina carefully tried to think of reply. “He has changed, you know.”
Aki didn’t say anything other than a single nod. Many of her fondest memories of this place are probably spent with Sakurai Sho. From kindergarten to college, they are inseparable. They know each other so well, their friendship can’t be compared with anyone else. Well, maybe not anymore. Since she left, she never heard from him. She distanced herself from everyone even from her best friend. She changed a lot in the past seven years and maybe he is too.
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