cute kid...
Jan. 7th, 2011 12:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
angelshillokay... so HNA might be my least favorite Arashi show at the moment...
but i just LOVE their Christmas VIP room segment!
first time that i enjoyed the segment mostly because of the guest and not because of what the boys did... :)
Ashida Mana is so cute! and so energetic... and so... cute!
i loved her energy...
and the way she speaks...
and i can't believe she's just 6! :)
and i love the way she squealed in happiness when she saw the cucumbers, and when she saw that they were heart-shaped, and then when she tasted them... :)
and i love how she ran towards the table when she saw the mics that was a replica of the mics in that anime!
she's just so cute!
and i kept on trying to rack my brain who she reminds me of, and then i recalled...
she kinda looks a tad bit like Rainie Yang (from Devil Beside Me)...
except that Mana's cuter... and a lot more energetic than Rainie... i think... ^_^V
her guesting in VIP kinda makes me wonder how the boys would be as dads... since she's literally young enough to be any of their kid...
but let's just say that i only saw two who may actually pass as fathers... :)
and i am totally not biased! :)
First, of course, there's Jun:)
who's name she forgot at first...
who really looked cute while playing with her...
and made her the cucumber dish... :)
and who was made to perform with her (along with Aiba--i knew they were gonna be chosen before they were chosen because of the characteristics...) with that anime song...
i just love how he interacted with her...
and how she automatically holds on to him during the unicycle part...
and i love how they looked while preparing the cucumber... like real father and daughter... :)
and then there's Sho...
who pouted when she said that she enjoyed her TSD appearance with Kapipara-san the most...
who would really look like her father...
because i think they have similarities...
and who had a very good interaction with her...
and i laughed at the part when he asked if she could eat pickled vegetables and she said "Hai! Eh..." and then "Hai! Nani?"
except that for some time, he sounded more like a newscaster or an interviewer and not a father...
but he'd still make a cute dad... :)
and then there's the brothers... :)
first, there's Aiba...
who was once again accused of having a mental-image of a 6 year old...
who looked at her very kindly... :)
who looked like her playmate...
who she ranked as middle class... LOL
but somehow, i still can't feel him to be much of her father...
because he feels more like a lovable and cuddly older brother than a father... :)
and then there's Nino...
who removed the confetti from her hair...
who defended her from Sho's pouting...
who should give off the feeling of being a dad already...
but still looks like just a brother...
and feels that way too...
the conniving older brother who'll pick on her whenever he likes but will defend her in the end anyways... :)
and then there's Oh-chan...
who had no direct (i mean just him and Mana) interaction...
who looked cute while saying yummy...
who looked neither like a father, or even a brother...
because he looked more like a grandfather...
so that's what he's gonna be... LOL
but like i said i enjoyed this segment more because of her, and not the boys... :)
anyway, on another news...
i bring you, a fic update... :)
TITLE: One Chance (Falling...)
CHARACTERS: Matsumoto Jun, Ikuta Toma, Inoue Mao, Horikita Maki, Toda Erika, Mizushima Hiro, Nishikido Ryo, Takaki Yuya, Sakamoto Masayuki (please proceed to cast list for more of the cast)
GENRE: AU
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
SUMMARY: She was waiting for a guy to sweep her off her feet. He was waiting for that girl he could sweep off hers... And then a new guy came to change the story... This is a story of falling in love, and realizing that you've fallen in love... Typical isn't it? Maybe... Maybe not...
Prologue, Chapter1, Chapter2, Chapter3, Chapter4, Chapter5, Chapter6,
Chapter 7: And So It Begins…
Mao couldn’t help but smile widely as she and Becky made their way out of the conference room to her workstation. Their brainstorming finally resulted to something fruitful, also known as something that both Aiba and Becky agreed on.
Because while both their (Aiba and Becky’s) presence made things interesting for their department, it also made things rather difficult, to coming up with a concept that both personalities would accept. Especially since both Becky and Aiba seemed to have taken to heart the will to oppose each other every chance they get.
But there are just some things that are impossible not to like, and they finally found one as a concept. Aiba had just actually asked her to pick up the proposal forms he dropped off to her station earlier that morning to process the proposal when Becky decided to tag along with her.
“But I really like the idea you know…” Becky was saying. “It’s rather refreshing, even compared to the other works I’ve done in the past…”
“Yeah…” Mao agreed. “It’s quite simple, but very heartwarming…”
Becky nodded with a sweet smile. But then her smile turned a little mischievous.
“Now that’s something that’s more than just heartwarming…” she exclaimed, her eyes trained on Mao’s workstation. “It’s making even me feel giddy…”
Mao’s eyebrows knitted as she followed her gaze, not knowing what the actress is talking about or what she’s referring to.
But when she caught sight of that foreign object in her workstation, she felt too much blood rush up to her face as her heart started to thump loudly. She didn’t even notice that Becky had removed her gaze at that object and is now eyeing her interestedly. For a few moments, there’s nothing she could see other than that object taped to her computer monitor.
A single long-stemmed blood red rose taped to her monitor, to be exact.
-----
She never gets flowers.
That’s what’s been running through Mao’s mind the rest of the day as her eyes continued to dart to the rose she had earlier removed from the monitor and placed atop her keyboard.
Well, it wasn’t technically true. Toma had given her flowers before, when he escorted her to their prom and stuff like that. But she never received any flowers quite like that. Toma had never really been a flower type of guy, even to the girl friends he had after her. He’d always said he’d rather do than give.
She’d always admired that sentiment of his, and agreed with it too. After all, she believed that actions speak louder than words (or flowers, in that case). But there’s just something about the flower and how it was given that seems to be enticing her senses, exciting her to a certain degree, arousing her curiosity, especially since the rose had no note, or sign, or anything attached to it.
And since their whole department, who occupied that part of their floor, was at the conference room the whole morning, she couldn’t ask anyone who could have dropped it. She only knows that it must have come from, or delivered by, at least, someone in the company considering how stringent the security in the building is.
Her thoughts are still on that mysterious sender when she clocked out for the day.
“Who sent you?” she couldn’t resist asking the flower she had in her hand as she waited for the elevator door to open.
“Me…” a male voice suddenly replied following the faint ringing of the bell that signals the opening of the elevator door, making her jump.
When she looked up, she was rather unsurprised to see the lone occupant of that elevator.
‘Why do I keep on meeting him in this elevator?!’ she silently asked herself as she forced her heart to start beating normally again after it started beating quite erratically the moment she heard Jun’s voice.
“Coming in, Mao-chan?” he asked with a smile, his hand stretched to keep the door open when Mao hadn’t said a word, or made a move after a couple of seconds.
“O-oh yeah…” she stuttered, entering the enclosed space quickly and positioning herself at one of the corners, to be as far away from him as possible as she fought off a blush that’s threatening to break out.
Jun simply smiled as he released the door, allowing it to close. It was only until they started moving that he addressed her again.
“I see that you liked the rose… Well, I hope you liked it at least…”
“Yeah, I d--“ she started absentmindedly, her eyes still focused on the red petals when she caught up with what he said. With her eyes wide, she turned to look at him. “Wait, what?!”
When Jun just continued smiling, his head angled a bit as he looked at her, the blush that she was able to fight off earlier returned in full force along with the sudden realization.
“You gave me this?!”
“Yeah… I did…” Jun nodded.
Earlier, she wanted to find out who gave her the rose to undo her confusion, but now that there’s the guy claiming to have sent her the flower in front of her, a claim she can not make herself disbelieve by the way, she only felt more confused.
“Why?” she asked him, her eyebrows knitted.
“Why do you think?” Jun asked, a small smile playing in his lips as he took a step closer to her.
She flattened herself on the wall as she tried to avert her eyes from his, she was right the first time when she thought he has dazzling eyes. She felt a bit uneasy with the decrease of space between the two of them. She wasn’t scared of him though, just nervous, and there seemed to be some sort of anticipation coupled with that nervous feeling she had.
“I…” she started. “I don’t know what to think…” she claimed although it wasn’t technically the truth.
“Of course you do…” Jun replied, his smile widening as he took one step closer.
“No, I don’t…” she replied. There’s still a wide enough space between the two of them to fit one extremely fat person, or at least two thin ones, but she could feel her heart jumping to her throat.
“Okay…” he replied, chuckling lightly, maintaining that space between them. “It’s my first step to asking you out on a date…” he said.
“Why?”
“Well, since you declined my first invitation, I thought I’d take another route…” he smiled.
“I thought you said that that invitation was friendly?” she asked suspiciously.
“No…” Jun chuckled. “I specifically remember just saying I don’t have that many female friends…”
“That was what you were implying…” Mao felt compelled to point out as she tried to ignore the loud thudding of her heart.
“Okay… Let’s just say then that I’m changing tactics…” he answered smoothly. “I’m asking you straight out for a date…”
Mao frowned. “Why?”
“What do you mean why?” Jun asked, looking at her in a mix of slight confusion and amusement.
“Why are you asking me out?”
“Why do you think?” he asked back before he shook his head endearingly. “Okay… This isn’t a re-run of our earlier conversation… I like you, plain and simple… That’s why I’m asking you out…”
Mao gasped. “Why?”
Jun chuckled. “Will you stop asking why…” he said at the same time his phone started ringing.
“I can’t help it…” she admitted as she chuckled too. Seeing that he’s not even making a move to answer his phone, she asked “Aren’t you going to answer that?”
“Well, you haven’t answered my question yet so, no…” he smiled.
Mao laughed. “Why do you seem insistent on this?” she asked.
“I just don’t seem insistent, I really am…” he replied over his ringing tone. “And I told you already, I like you…”
Mao took a fleeting look at the floor indicator. They’re already at the 2nd floor. She smiled.
“Okay…” she suddenly nodded, turning to Jun. “On Saturday, 6:00…”
Jun smiled as his already dazzling eyes seemed to dance. “I’ll pick you up then…”
“Sure…” she smiled. “You better answer that call…” she added, nodding towards his pocket.
The moment he pulled out his phone, the elevator door opened to the ground floor.
“Bye then… “she said, stepping out.
“Hey…” he cried but it was a tad bit too late, she was already out the door.
She smiled as she turned around walking backwards waving at him.
“I’ll take your word for Saturday…” he told her in amusement.
“Sure…” she simply smiled before turning around and walking away.
Behind her and just stepping out of the elevator, Jun had pressed the answer button.
“Yeah?” he asked immediately, a small smile still playing on his lips as he walked on leisurely. But then he stopped short, his smile getting wiped away as a serious expression took its place. “Why?”
He stood there, listening to what the person on the other line had to say, before he nodded curtly.
“Okay, I’ll be there really soon…” he said before ending the call and pocketing his cellphone and then he headed towards the door.
-----
“What’s with the rose?” Toma asked as they cruised the streets away from the MSMT building.
“What?” Mao asked distractedly, tearing her gaze away from the window to look at her best friend.
“I said what’s with the rose?” Toma repeated. “And why do you look so happy?”
“I am?” Mao asked in amazement, glancing quickly at her reflection on the side mirror. True enough, there was a small smile on her lips that she didn’t know she had on, and a rosy tint on her cheeks, most probably an aftermath of her blushing earlier.
Shaking her head a bit in hopes to return it to normal, she said “Oh, I’m just happy because we finally came up with a good proposal for our next project…”
“Really?” Toma asked, his voice with a hint of doubt. “And the rose?”
“Oh… It’s Aiba-chan’s present for us since he’s so happy too…” she quickly lied.
She knew, from the way Toma’s eyebrows raised, that he is in doubt of what she said but she thought it’s better than how he’d react if she actually told him the truth.
As her eyes went out to the streets again, she found herself smiling again. And she actually feels giddy, remembering what happened just minutes earlier. That’s when she realized what just happened.
She was never really the type who’d go all giddy over one guy. Well, she might have, in the past, with Toma most probably, but that was years ago, way back when she wasn’t even close to being off age. But in the recent years, even during college, she can’t recall a single moment she felt giddy over guy, no matter how outrageously sweet or charming he is.
‘There’s something different about him…’ she just ended up telling herself as she let her fingers play with the stem of the rose he gave her.
-----
“What’s up Nii-san?” Jun asked the moment he entered the Matsumoto mansion and spotted Hiro seated at the living room, perusing one of the magazines set there.
Hiro looked up and sighed in relief. “Nakai-san called you too then? Good, I thought I was the only one summoned here…”
“Yeah…” Jun admitted, taking a seat on the couch adjacent to where Hiro was seated. “He wouldn’t tell me what’s going on though… He just said that dad wants me here tonight…”
“He told me the same thing…”
“Do you know why?”
Hiro chuckled. “This is dad where talking about… I don’t think there’s anyone who knows what he’s thinking about other than himself…”
Jun sighed but he agreed. Matsumoto Masayuki’s eccentricity had, after all, contributed largely to why he’s one of the hardest to catch up to CEOs in the country. Because no one really knows what’s going on inside his head.
“Have you seen him yet?” he asked his older brother instead, his eyes darting towards the grand staircase that leads to the rooms.
“Nope…” Hiro replied. “He’s taking his time doing whatever it is he’s doing… And I’m fine with that at the moment… Because I’ve heard some things I want to discuss with you…”
“Let me guess, from Shun-kun?” he asked with a sigh, knowing what “things” he’d be referring to.
He’s expecting him to look at him sternly or seriously and to start lecturing him about professionalism and separating work from play but when he looked at Hiro, he’s wearing a small smile.
“And Kame…” Hiro replied. “It’s real then? You’re interested in one of the girls in MSMT? Inoue Mao-chan, in particular from what I heard…”
“You know her?” Jun simply asked.
“I’ve worked with those people for years…” Hiro laughed. “So yes, I know her… But you’re not answering the question… So you do?”
“Why are you interested?” he asked back, chuckling himself.
“Because I’m your older brother…” Hiro replied reasonably. “And I need to know what my younger brother’s up to… Besides, Nanako has been preparing wedding dress designs for your future bride for over a year already… We’re all excited…”
Jun snorted. “You’re weird…”
“No…” suddenly came a voice from the door from where their youngest, Yuya, just entered. “He’s a Matsumoto, which may actually just mean exactly that… What’re my Nii-sans doing back home?”
“Where have you been?” Hiro asked instead as Yuya deposited his bag on the table. “I know for a fact that your class finished hours ago…”
“Yeah…” Yuya laughed, grabbing an apple from the fruits that adorned the center table and taking a bite from it. “Because someone my age would go straight home after school… What are you two doing here?”
“Dad…” Jun said as he chuckled at their youngest brother’s reply to Hiro’s question.
“Oh…” Yuya shrugged, his head turning towards the grand staircase to avoid Hiro’s continued stern look. And then his jaw dropped and the apple piece he had in his mouth fell to the floor.
Following his gaze, Jun understood why. Descending on the floor is their father, wearing a different form of formal outfit from the usual ones he wears at the office. It was a pure black tuxedo tail package, complete with white bowties and what seems to be a silver-handled cane.
He looked, well, he didn’t look funny. But he looked different. And slightly weird.
“What’s with the outfit dad?” Jun heard Hiro ask, his tone guarded, as if he hadn’t decided yet on the proper reaction to what they’re seeing.
“I’m going to a musical…” Masayuki declared with pride the moment he stepped off the stairs. “Your father had been invited to an exclusive Japanese presentation of the Mask of Zorro…”
“Okay…” said Hiro. “So we’re called here because?”
Masayuki beamed before he announced “My invitation is for two so I’m taking one of you with me!”
Jun’s jaw dropped as he, Hiro and Yuya looked at each other. He can’t help but agree with what Yuya said earlier, Matsumoto seemed to be synonymous with weirdness. Their father is a prime example of that if it was the only reason they were called there that night.
“Wait…” Hiro exclaimed, recovering from shock first as their father joined them by the table. “You mean you summoned us here just so you can choose who you’re going to take to a musical with you?”
“It’s not just any musical my son…” Masayuki smiled. “It’s a broadway musical for the Mask of Zorro… And I heard that the lead actor for this one is Sakamoto Masayuki… You remember him Jun? He was the one in the Lion King musical I took you to years ago…”
Jun did remember that play, mainly because he was forced and blackmailed to go with and for something he can no longer recall. The lead guy had a strong, beautiful voice but it still isn’t enough to entice him to go.
“Oh yeah…” he nodded. “Yeah, I remember him… But I think I have to pass this time dad…” he added quickly. “You know, give chance to my brothers…”
“I’d love to dad, but I can’t…” Hiro said quickly, following his lead. “I uhm… I promised Yuri I’d help him with his assignment tonight…”
Jun couldn’t help but grin when he, along with Hiro and Masayuki, all looked at Yuya expectedly.
“Huh? Me?” Yuya cried.
“Glad to hear you volunteer!” Masayuki cried before Yuya could say anything else. “Oh, wait, I left the invitation at the library…” he said before turning around to retrieve it.
There was a stricken look in Yuya’s face when Masayuki was out of sight or earshot.
“Why me?” he implored.
Jun caught Hiro’s eyes before they both laughed and said “Because you’re the youngest…”
-----TBC-----
and that's chapter 7...
how was it?
thoughts?
take it to the comment box...
p.s. sakamoto really is zorro... :)
comments are really appreaciated... :)
but i just LOVE their Christmas VIP room segment!
first time that i enjoyed the segment mostly because of the guest and not because of what the boys did... :)
Ashida Mana is so cute! and so energetic... and so... cute!
i loved her energy...
and the way she speaks...
and i can't believe she's just 6! :)
and i love the way she squealed in happiness when she saw the cucumbers, and when she saw that they were heart-shaped, and then when she tasted them... :)
and i love how she ran towards the table when she saw the mics that was a replica of the mics in that anime!
she's just so cute!
and i kept on trying to rack my brain who she reminds me of, and then i recalled...
she kinda looks a tad bit like Rainie Yang (from Devil Beside Me)...
except that Mana's cuter... and a lot more energetic than Rainie... i think... ^_^V
her guesting in VIP kinda makes me wonder how the boys would be as dads... since she's literally young enough to be any of their kid...
but let's just say that i only saw two who may actually pass as fathers... :)
and i am totally not biased! :)
First, of course, there's Jun:)
who's name she forgot at first...
who really looked cute while playing with her...
and made her the cucumber dish... :)
and who was made to perform with her (along with Aiba--i knew they were gonna be chosen before they were chosen because of the characteristics...) with that anime song...
i just love how he interacted with her...
and how she automatically holds on to him during the unicycle part...
and i love how they looked while preparing the cucumber... like real father and daughter... :)
and then there's Sho...
who pouted when she said that she enjoyed her TSD appearance with Kapipara-san the most...
who would really look like her father...
because i think they have similarities...
and who had a very good interaction with her...
and i laughed at the part when he asked if she could eat pickled vegetables and she said "Hai! Eh..." and then "Hai! Nani?"
except that for some time, he sounded more like a newscaster or an interviewer and not a father...
but he'd still make a cute dad... :)
and then there's the brothers... :)
first, there's Aiba...
who was once again accused of having a mental-image of a 6 year old...
who looked at her very kindly... :)
who looked like her playmate...
who she ranked as middle class... LOL
but somehow, i still can't feel him to be much of her father...
because he feels more like a lovable and cuddly older brother than a father... :)
and then there's Nino...
who removed the confetti from her hair...
who defended her from Sho's pouting...
who should give off the feeling of being a dad already...
but still looks like just a brother...
and feels that way too...
the conniving older brother who'll pick on her whenever he likes but will defend her in the end anyways... :)
and then there's Oh-chan...
who had no direct (i mean just him and Mana) interaction...
who looked cute while saying yummy...
who looked neither like a father, or even a brother...
because he looked more like a grandfather...
so that's what he's gonna be... LOL
but like i said i enjoyed this segment more because of her, and not the boys... :)
anyway, on another news...
i bring you, a fic update... :)
TITLE: One Chance (Falling...)
CHARACTERS: Matsumoto Jun, Ikuta Toma, Inoue Mao, Horikita Maki, Toda Erika, Mizushima Hiro, Nishikido Ryo, Takaki Yuya, Sakamoto Masayuki (please proceed to cast list for more of the cast)
GENRE: AU
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
SUMMARY: She was waiting for a guy to sweep her off her feet. He was waiting for that girl he could sweep off hers... And then a new guy came to change the story... This is a story of falling in love, and realizing that you've fallen in love... Typical isn't it? Maybe... Maybe not...
Prologue, Chapter1, Chapter2, Chapter3, Chapter4, Chapter5, Chapter6,
Chapter 7: And So It Begins…
Mao couldn’t help but smile widely as she and Becky made their way out of the conference room to her workstation. Their brainstorming finally resulted to something fruitful, also known as something that both Aiba and Becky agreed on.
Because while both their (Aiba and Becky’s) presence made things interesting for their department, it also made things rather difficult, to coming up with a concept that both personalities would accept. Especially since both Becky and Aiba seemed to have taken to heart the will to oppose each other every chance they get.
But there are just some things that are impossible not to like, and they finally found one as a concept. Aiba had just actually asked her to pick up the proposal forms he dropped off to her station earlier that morning to process the proposal when Becky decided to tag along with her.
“But I really like the idea you know…” Becky was saying. “It’s rather refreshing, even compared to the other works I’ve done in the past…”
“Yeah…” Mao agreed. “It’s quite simple, but very heartwarming…”
Becky nodded with a sweet smile. But then her smile turned a little mischievous.
“Now that’s something that’s more than just heartwarming…” she exclaimed, her eyes trained on Mao’s workstation. “It’s making even me feel giddy…”
Mao’s eyebrows knitted as she followed her gaze, not knowing what the actress is talking about or what she’s referring to.
But when she caught sight of that foreign object in her workstation, she felt too much blood rush up to her face as her heart started to thump loudly. She didn’t even notice that Becky had removed her gaze at that object and is now eyeing her interestedly. For a few moments, there’s nothing she could see other than that object taped to her computer monitor.
A single long-stemmed blood red rose taped to her monitor, to be exact.
-----
She never gets flowers.
That’s what’s been running through Mao’s mind the rest of the day as her eyes continued to dart to the rose she had earlier removed from the monitor and placed atop her keyboard.
Well, it wasn’t technically true. Toma had given her flowers before, when he escorted her to their prom and stuff like that. But she never received any flowers quite like that. Toma had never really been a flower type of guy, even to the girl friends he had after her. He’d always said he’d rather do than give.
She’d always admired that sentiment of his, and agreed with it too. After all, she believed that actions speak louder than words (or flowers, in that case). But there’s just something about the flower and how it was given that seems to be enticing her senses, exciting her to a certain degree, arousing her curiosity, especially since the rose had no note, or sign, or anything attached to it.
And since their whole department, who occupied that part of their floor, was at the conference room the whole morning, she couldn’t ask anyone who could have dropped it. She only knows that it must have come from, or delivered by, at least, someone in the company considering how stringent the security in the building is.
Her thoughts are still on that mysterious sender when she clocked out for the day.
“Who sent you?” she couldn’t resist asking the flower she had in her hand as she waited for the elevator door to open.
“Me…” a male voice suddenly replied following the faint ringing of the bell that signals the opening of the elevator door, making her jump.
When she looked up, she was rather unsurprised to see the lone occupant of that elevator.
‘Why do I keep on meeting him in this elevator?!’ she silently asked herself as she forced her heart to start beating normally again after it started beating quite erratically the moment she heard Jun’s voice.
“Coming in, Mao-chan?” he asked with a smile, his hand stretched to keep the door open when Mao hadn’t said a word, or made a move after a couple of seconds.
“O-oh yeah…” she stuttered, entering the enclosed space quickly and positioning herself at one of the corners, to be as far away from him as possible as she fought off a blush that’s threatening to break out.
Jun simply smiled as he released the door, allowing it to close. It was only until they started moving that he addressed her again.
“I see that you liked the rose… Well, I hope you liked it at least…”
“Yeah, I d--“ she started absentmindedly, her eyes still focused on the red petals when she caught up with what he said. With her eyes wide, she turned to look at him. “Wait, what?!”
When Jun just continued smiling, his head angled a bit as he looked at her, the blush that she was able to fight off earlier returned in full force along with the sudden realization.
“You gave me this?!”
“Yeah… I did…” Jun nodded.
Earlier, she wanted to find out who gave her the rose to undo her confusion, but now that there’s the guy claiming to have sent her the flower in front of her, a claim she can not make herself disbelieve by the way, she only felt more confused.
“Why?” she asked him, her eyebrows knitted.
“Why do you think?” Jun asked, a small smile playing in his lips as he took a step closer to her.
She flattened herself on the wall as she tried to avert her eyes from his, she was right the first time when she thought he has dazzling eyes. She felt a bit uneasy with the decrease of space between the two of them. She wasn’t scared of him though, just nervous, and there seemed to be some sort of anticipation coupled with that nervous feeling she had.
“I…” she started. “I don’t know what to think…” she claimed although it wasn’t technically the truth.
“Of course you do…” Jun replied, his smile widening as he took one step closer.
“No, I don’t…” she replied. There’s still a wide enough space between the two of them to fit one extremely fat person, or at least two thin ones, but she could feel her heart jumping to her throat.
“Okay…” he replied, chuckling lightly, maintaining that space between them. “It’s my first step to asking you out on a date…” he said.
“Why?”
“Well, since you declined my first invitation, I thought I’d take another route…” he smiled.
“I thought you said that that invitation was friendly?” she asked suspiciously.
“No…” Jun chuckled. “I specifically remember just saying I don’t have that many female friends…”
“That was what you were implying…” Mao felt compelled to point out as she tried to ignore the loud thudding of her heart.
“Okay… Let’s just say then that I’m changing tactics…” he answered smoothly. “I’m asking you straight out for a date…”
Mao frowned. “Why?”
“What do you mean why?” Jun asked, looking at her in a mix of slight confusion and amusement.
“Why are you asking me out?”
“Why do you think?” he asked back before he shook his head endearingly. “Okay… This isn’t a re-run of our earlier conversation… I like you, plain and simple… That’s why I’m asking you out…”
Mao gasped. “Why?”
Jun chuckled. “Will you stop asking why…” he said at the same time his phone started ringing.
“I can’t help it…” she admitted as she chuckled too. Seeing that he’s not even making a move to answer his phone, she asked “Aren’t you going to answer that?”
“Well, you haven’t answered my question yet so, no…” he smiled.
Mao laughed. “Why do you seem insistent on this?” she asked.
“I just don’t seem insistent, I really am…” he replied over his ringing tone. “And I told you already, I like you…”
Mao took a fleeting look at the floor indicator. They’re already at the 2nd floor. She smiled.
“Okay…” she suddenly nodded, turning to Jun. “On Saturday, 6:00…”
Jun smiled as his already dazzling eyes seemed to dance. “I’ll pick you up then…”
“Sure…” she smiled. “You better answer that call…” she added, nodding towards his pocket.
The moment he pulled out his phone, the elevator door opened to the ground floor.
“Bye then… “she said, stepping out.
“Hey…” he cried but it was a tad bit too late, she was already out the door.
She smiled as she turned around walking backwards waving at him.
“I’ll take your word for Saturday…” he told her in amusement.
“Sure…” she simply smiled before turning around and walking away.
Behind her and just stepping out of the elevator, Jun had pressed the answer button.
“Yeah?” he asked immediately, a small smile still playing on his lips as he walked on leisurely. But then he stopped short, his smile getting wiped away as a serious expression took its place. “Why?”
He stood there, listening to what the person on the other line had to say, before he nodded curtly.
“Okay, I’ll be there really soon…” he said before ending the call and pocketing his cellphone and then he headed towards the door.
-----
“What’s with the rose?” Toma asked as they cruised the streets away from the MSMT building.
“What?” Mao asked distractedly, tearing her gaze away from the window to look at her best friend.
“I said what’s with the rose?” Toma repeated. “And why do you look so happy?”
“I am?” Mao asked in amazement, glancing quickly at her reflection on the side mirror. True enough, there was a small smile on her lips that she didn’t know she had on, and a rosy tint on her cheeks, most probably an aftermath of her blushing earlier.
Shaking her head a bit in hopes to return it to normal, she said “Oh, I’m just happy because we finally came up with a good proposal for our next project…”
“Really?” Toma asked, his voice with a hint of doubt. “And the rose?”
“Oh… It’s Aiba-chan’s present for us since he’s so happy too…” she quickly lied.
She knew, from the way Toma’s eyebrows raised, that he is in doubt of what she said but she thought it’s better than how he’d react if she actually told him the truth.
As her eyes went out to the streets again, she found herself smiling again. And she actually feels giddy, remembering what happened just minutes earlier. That’s when she realized what just happened.
She was never really the type who’d go all giddy over one guy. Well, she might have, in the past, with Toma most probably, but that was years ago, way back when she wasn’t even close to being off age. But in the recent years, even during college, she can’t recall a single moment she felt giddy over guy, no matter how outrageously sweet or charming he is.
‘There’s something different about him…’ she just ended up telling herself as she let her fingers play with the stem of the rose he gave her.
-----
“What’s up Nii-san?” Jun asked the moment he entered the Matsumoto mansion and spotted Hiro seated at the living room, perusing one of the magazines set there.
Hiro looked up and sighed in relief. “Nakai-san called you too then? Good, I thought I was the only one summoned here…”
“Yeah…” Jun admitted, taking a seat on the couch adjacent to where Hiro was seated. “He wouldn’t tell me what’s going on though… He just said that dad wants me here tonight…”
“He told me the same thing…”
“Do you know why?”
Hiro chuckled. “This is dad where talking about… I don’t think there’s anyone who knows what he’s thinking about other than himself…”
Jun sighed but he agreed. Matsumoto Masayuki’s eccentricity had, after all, contributed largely to why he’s one of the hardest to catch up to CEOs in the country. Because no one really knows what’s going on inside his head.
“Have you seen him yet?” he asked his older brother instead, his eyes darting towards the grand staircase that leads to the rooms.
“Nope…” Hiro replied. “He’s taking his time doing whatever it is he’s doing… And I’m fine with that at the moment… Because I’ve heard some things I want to discuss with you…”
“Let me guess, from Shun-kun?” he asked with a sigh, knowing what “things” he’d be referring to.
He’s expecting him to look at him sternly or seriously and to start lecturing him about professionalism and separating work from play but when he looked at Hiro, he’s wearing a small smile.
“And Kame…” Hiro replied. “It’s real then? You’re interested in one of the girls in MSMT? Inoue Mao-chan, in particular from what I heard…”
“You know her?” Jun simply asked.
“I’ve worked with those people for years…” Hiro laughed. “So yes, I know her… But you’re not answering the question… So you do?”
“Why are you interested?” he asked back, chuckling himself.
“Because I’m your older brother…” Hiro replied reasonably. “And I need to know what my younger brother’s up to… Besides, Nanako has been preparing wedding dress designs for your future bride for over a year already… We’re all excited…”
Jun snorted. “You’re weird…”
“No…” suddenly came a voice from the door from where their youngest, Yuya, just entered. “He’s a Matsumoto, which may actually just mean exactly that… What’re my Nii-sans doing back home?”
“Where have you been?” Hiro asked instead as Yuya deposited his bag on the table. “I know for a fact that your class finished hours ago…”
“Yeah…” Yuya laughed, grabbing an apple from the fruits that adorned the center table and taking a bite from it. “Because someone my age would go straight home after school… What are you two doing here?”
“Dad…” Jun said as he chuckled at their youngest brother’s reply to Hiro’s question.
“Oh…” Yuya shrugged, his head turning towards the grand staircase to avoid Hiro’s continued stern look. And then his jaw dropped and the apple piece he had in his mouth fell to the floor.
Following his gaze, Jun understood why. Descending on the floor is their father, wearing a different form of formal outfit from the usual ones he wears at the office. It was a pure black tuxedo tail package, complete with white bowties and what seems to be a silver-handled cane.
He looked, well, he didn’t look funny. But he looked different. And slightly weird.
“What’s with the outfit dad?” Jun heard Hiro ask, his tone guarded, as if he hadn’t decided yet on the proper reaction to what they’re seeing.
“I’m going to a musical…” Masayuki declared with pride the moment he stepped off the stairs. “Your father had been invited to an exclusive Japanese presentation of the Mask of Zorro…”
“Okay…” said Hiro. “So we’re called here because?”
Masayuki beamed before he announced “My invitation is for two so I’m taking one of you with me!”
Jun’s jaw dropped as he, Hiro and Yuya looked at each other. He can’t help but agree with what Yuya said earlier, Matsumoto seemed to be synonymous with weirdness. Their father is a prime example of that if it was the only reason they were called there that night.
“Wait…” Hiro exclaimed, recovering from shock first as their father joined them by the table. “You mean you summoned us here just so you can choose who you’re going to take to a musical with you?”
“It’s not just any musical my son…” Masayuki smiled. “It’s a broadway musical for the Mask of Zorro… And I heard that the lead actor for this one is Sakamoto Masayuki… You remember him Jun? He was the one in the Lion King musical I took you to years ago…”
Jun did remember that play, mainly because he was forced and blackmailed to go with and for something he can no longer recall. The lead guy had a strong, beautiful voice but it still isn’t enough to entice him to go.
“Oh yeah…” he nodded. “Yeah, I remember him… But I think I have to pass this time dad…” he added quickly. “You know, give chance to my brothers…”
“I’d love to dad, but I can’t…” Hiro said quickly, following his lead. “I uhm… I promised Yuri I’d help him with his assignment tonight…”
Jun couldn’t help but grin when he, along with Hiro and Masayuki, all looked at Yuya expectedly.
“Huh? Me?” Yuya cried.
“Glad to hear you volunteer!” Masayuki cried before Yuya could say anything else. “Oh, wait, I left the invitation at the library…” he said before turning around to retrieve it.
There was a stricken look in Yuya’s face when Masayuki was out of sight or earshot.
“Why me?” he implored.
Jun caught Hiro’s eyes before they both laughed and said “Because you’re the youngest…”
-----TBC-----
and that's chapter 7...
how was it?
thoughts?
take it to the comment box...
p.s. sakamoto really is zorro... :)
comments are really appreaciated... :)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-06 04:23 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-06 04:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 01:27 am (UTC)i hate it when my computer gets viruses...
it almost always costs me a whole day of just cleaning it up... :)
hope you liked the update... :)
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-06 05:06 pm (UTC)and they finally go on a date!! Can't wait to read about that <33
Looking forward to the next chapter!
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 01:28 am (UTC)thanks for reading and commenting... :)
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-06 05:08 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 01:29 am (UTC)hope you liked the update...
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-06 05:33 pm (UTC)The date! The date! The date! The date! The date! The date! The date! The date! The date! The date! The date! The date! The date! The date! The date! The date! woo!
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 01:30 am (UTC)hope it doesn't disappoint though... especially since i haven't visualized it yet... LOL
thanks for reading and commenting... :)
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 12:19 am (UTC)hahaha!
i love the brother's reasoning... "because you're the youngest" i say that everytime too~
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 01:31 am (UTC)and yeah, i've heard that reasoning a million times... :)
thanks for reading and commenting... :)
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 02:27 am (UTC)cant wait..
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 04:33 am (UTC)thanks for reading and commenting... :)
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 03:27 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 04:34 am (UTC)thanks for reading and commenting... :)
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 04:06 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 04:35 am (UTC)and what's a player if he doesn't know how to make his moves... :D
thanks for reading and commenting.. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 08:48 am (UTC)and jun and mao are finally going on a date!!! i'm so looking forward for it... please update soon...
btw can i just ask how many chapters left for this story?
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-07 09:26 am (UTC)and yeah, they are...
i don't know when i'll be able to update though...
and to be honest, i'm not sure how long this would go... most probably around the same length for Baby Steps which is 20 chaps... coz there are still a lot of things i want to happen in the story... :)
i do hope people don't get turned off by the possible number of chapters...
thanks for reading and commenting...
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-08 11:41 pm (UTC)Second, I liked this chapter. No more beating around the bush, huh? I'm looking forward to their date. :D
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-09 12:45 pm (UTC)second... you and me both...:)
thanks for reading and commenting... :)