a really long post
Jan. 25th, 2011 08:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
angelshillshould have been posted earlier but i was going to be late for work so i'm just posting it now...
it's still in time though...
so...
to Arashi's resident rapper, newscaster and failboy...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHO-CHAN!
Hope to see you get married soon... :)
and so... as is my ritual... here's a couple of Sho birthday fics... :) and an update on a sho-centric story... :)
TITLE: Forcing The Caster's Hand
CHARACTERS: Ohno Satoshi, Sakurai Sho, Aiba Masaki, Ninomiya Kazunari, Matsumoto Jun, Horikita Maki, Ohkura Tadayoshi
PAIRING: Sho/Maki
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
Summary: Almost 30 but still helpless in the matters of the heart... That's one of Sho's unspoken tags...
But that's about to change... Especially since when most of Arashi, especially when it's 4/5ths of the group, sets their minds on something, they would achieve it... And their Mama-Sho's (inexistent) love life just caught their eyes...
“This is getting hopeless!” Nino grumbled as he entered the greenroom and found Ohno, Matsujun and Aiba there, Ohno and Aiba enjoying a game of janken while Jun read his newest script proposal next to them.
“What is?” Aiba asked, looking up to their gamer, a smile on his face.
“Not what, who!” Nino cried, his voice doused in utter exasperation that even Jun and Ohno looked at him in confusion.
Nino crowing about something is not an unusual thing, but Nino crowing about someone is. A person getting on Nino’s nerves is a rare scene, unless of course it’s a guy who might have defeated his record in his favorite game or a game creator missing a bug in a new game he had high hopes for.
“Who are you crowing about then?” Jun asked, his eyebrows already furrowed.
“Sho-kun!” Nino replied, dropping his bag on the table before stomping towards where the three present members of Arashi are seated.
“What’s wrong with Sho-chan?” Ohno asked, his face starting to show signs of worry.
Nino didn’t notice this though as his eyes glared, although to no one in particular, and he continued “Last night, just last night, he came across me at the canteen in Ikuta… It was already 8:00, I haven’t eaten lunch so of course I am hungry… And then there’s the fact that I’ve been shooting promotions for the whole day… I have the right get hungry… I have! So of course I ordered quite a lot to eat… But then Mama Sho-kun saw me and my food and decided to join me in my table to lecture me about the amount of food I’m taking in at night and that it wouldn’t be good for my body, or my metabolism or something ridiculous like that…”
“That’s Sho-chan…” Aiba chuckled.
“Yeah…” Jun shrugged. “It’s normal for him… You should have been used to it by now…” he added reasonably.
“His lecture lasted for over 50 minutes!” Nino exclaimed. “That left me only 10 minutes to take in any food I can before another four hours of shoot!”
“I’m sure you’re used to going through the day with an empty stomach…” Jun said dismissively, turning back to his script while Ohno simply smiled sympathetically at Nino. “You’d have enough practice with that with the amount of time you spend gaming…”
“And!” Nino continued as Jun hadn’t said a word. “I just walked past him at the corridor, thankfully he didn’t see me, and he was telling off one of the juniors because he saw a cup of ramen at the sink in the dressing room!”
“Wow…” Aiba chuckled. “Reminds you of old times huh, Nino!”
“It does!” Nino sighed dramatically before crashing at the small space between Jun and Ohno, making the younger one move in annoyance.
“Sho-kun needs to get laid!” he added seriously after a while.
When Aiba snickered, Ohno looked at Nino interestedly and Jun snorted and rolled his eyes, Nino continued “I am serious! At the very least, he needs to start dating! Someone needs to take his attention of me and everyone else, but mostly me…”
“Good luck with that…” Jun simply replied.
“Aren’t you the least bit concerned?” Nino asked, turning to Jun. “He’s almost 30! He’s getting ancient! And somehow, I feel like it’s our responsibility to find him his match, both as his group mates and his friends…”
“Hey…” Ohno pouted. “I’m 30… Does that mean I’m ancient?”
“Of course not…” Nino amended quickly, turning to their leader as Aiba chuckled. “You’re Kaibutsu-kun! You’re the next demon king… Of course you’re different… Sho-chan, on the other hand, doesn’t even have a hobby, except of course if you count going around and bugging people… I’m actually quite surprised he hadn’t bugged you…” he added as he turned to Jun.
“Well, unlike some people I know…” Jun replied, putting down his script as he looked at Nino pointedly. “I know to take care of myself to avoid the wrath of Mama Sho-chan… And while I don’t think that your idea is entirely outrageous, I do think that it’s ridiculous to just pick up a random girl and try to match her with Sho-chan and hope that cupid suddenly pulls his arrow and make him fall in love with her…”
“Why not! It’s not impossible!” Nino cried in desperation. But then, Aiba snickered next to Ohno. “What?”
“Well, we can’t just go with any random girl…” Aiba grinned.
“What do you mean by that?” Ohno asked, looking at him curiously the same way Nino and Jun turned to him.
“Are you saying that Sho-kun’s in love with someone already?” Jun asked.
“Might be…” Aiba shrugged.
“Who is this person?!” Nino demanded. “And why haven’t we heard about it?”
Aiba grinned but before he could say anything else, realization dawned on Jun’s face and he sighed. “Don’t tell me… It’s because he hadn’t really admitted it to himself, isn’t it?” he said.
“Right in one…” Aiba cheered. “At least that’s what I think…”
“Who are we talking about?!” Nino demanded, annoyed by the fact that Jun had caught on in something he hadn’t picked up yet.
“Horikita Maki-chan…” Aiba replied.
“Horikita Maki-chan?” Nino echoed. “When did this happen? Why haven’t I heard anything about this? When did you pick this up?” he asked Aiba before turning to Jun and repeating “When did you pick this up?”
“Sometime between Tokujo Kabachi and Ohoku…” Aiba supplied.
“What?!” Nino cried. “I was working with Maki-chan then too! Why was I the only one who didn’t pick up on it?!”
“I think it was because you were busy getting yourself laid…” Jun replied.
“I was filming Matsumoto Jun!” Nino glared.
“Yeah… That’s what I said…” Jun deadpanned, making Ohno and Aiba chuckle.
“So why haven’t you done anything about it?” Nino replied instead.
Jun sighed and rolled his eyes. “Tell me, would you want your group mates, even though you consider them as some of your closest friends, to start interfering with your love life?” he asked pointedly.
Nino stopped at that and thought. He was about to give in to Jun’s point when the door opened and in come the object of their conversation, the male one at least, looking like he hadn’t settled down enough from his anger yet.
“What are you guys doing all crammed in there?” he asked, seeing them all at the sofa.
“I wouldn’t…” Nino told Jun. “But in his case, I think it’s about time we make a move…”
Sho eyed them in confusion for a bit as Jun sighed his acceptance and even both Aiba and Ohno nodded. Then he declared “I don’t know what you guys are talking about but I think I don’t want to find out…”
-----
As it turns out, Sho did not like where things were going since it was directed to his love life.
“I don’t know what you guys are talking about!” Sho cried defiantly, turning his back to the four people who had eagerly ganged up on him the moment Jun started up the attack with a “We need to talk…” and Ohno adding “About your love life to be exact…”
“Admit it Sho-chan…” Aiba grinned. “We already know about it...”
“Yeah…” Nino admitted. “We’re not just sure if you’ve already admitted it to yourself…”
“You guys are nuts!” Sho cried, showing anger he doesn’t really feel, judging by the way he tried concealing the tint of red in his cheeks, something that no one else believed either. “Maki-chan is just a friend… She’s just a co-worker!”
There was a look of plain disbelief in everybody’s faces. But before anyone could openly express it, there was a knock on the door and in came one of the staff members announcing “They’re ready for you at the set…”
-----
“Fine!” Sho cried, both his hands up in the air. “I like her! Happy?!”
There was a wide smile in Jun’s face as Ohno handed Sho his cellphone. There were only three of them in the service van since both Aiba and Nino still had some shooting to do. Sho actually thought that they’ve given up on the topic they started at the greenroom on the accounts that Ohno and Jun had not spoken anything about it since they entered the van. But then Sho realized his phone, his most handy means of communication to his manager, is missing despite the fact that he can swear on his News Zero spot that he placed it in his bag before he went to the comfort the room before they left the greenroom that night. And it didn’t need a genius to know what it meant and what he had to do, or say, to get it back.
“A little…” Jun replied. “I’m happy you finally admitted it… Though not of the fact that you haven’t done anything about it…”
“Oh please…” Sho sighed in exasperation. “I’m fine with what I have… And I don’t have to do anything about it…”
“Yeah right…” Jun snorted. “You’re pushing everybody off their wits end… And we think it has something to do with your love life… The lack of development in it to be exact…”
Sho’s jaws dropped as Ohno nodded approvingly next to him.
“I can’t believe I thought you guys are my friends…” Sho ended up saying, sensing the determination in Jun’s voice and in Ohno’s face.
“Of course we are…” Ohno replied, placing a comforting arm on Sho’s shoulder. “We’re just trying to help you…”
Sho knew that, but it still did not change the fact that he felt pressured of the fact that he has now admitted his feelings towards his former co-star to two of his group mates, who would eventually tell the others the first opportunity they get.
“You hid my phone!” he cried.
“Well, be glad it was just that…” Jun replied. “Nino was thinking of doing something with your laptop… Aiba actually agreed …”
Sho’s hands immediately flew to his bag to check that his laptop is still safely inside. Nino and Aiba agreeing on something is a scary thought, especially when it’s a prank.
“They haven’t touched it yet…” Ohno supplied helpfully. “But they would have if you still haven’t admitted it... Jun-chan and I thought that we could try something else first…”
Sho gaped at their eldest for a couple of minutes before he turned around and looked out the window. He still hated the fact that the two had to blackmail him for anything, let alone with regards to his love life, but he is still thankful. His phone might be an important means of communication but his laptop would be his most important lifeline to the world.
-----
“You lied to me!” Sho gritted through his teeth the moment he stepped out of the van after Nino and into a shooting set that featured one of their kouhais, a Kanjani8 member to be specific.
“I didn’t…” Nino chuckled as he nodded appreciatively at the staff who made way for them after recognizing who they were. “I told you I had to return Hina’s Tupperware…”
“But I thought you meant to Murakami-kun himself!” Sho replied. “You didn’t say that you were giving it to Ohkura-kun!”
“Well, that’s you’re fault then for assuming things…” Nino laughed. “I never said anything… Besides, I don’t see what you’re fussing about…”
Sho snorted, knowing that Nino knew what it’s all about. Ohkura Tadayoshi, after all, had just started shooting a new drama that just happens to pit him with no one else but Horikita Maki and it had to be that particular set that Nino dragged him too. And by the looks of it, the two of them, Ohkura and Maki, are currently rehearsing for their next scene.
“Sakurai-kun! Ninomiya-kun!” Ohkura exclaimed, getting to his feet the moment he saw them. “What are you doing here?”
Nino smiled as Maki, too, stood up the moment they were close enough to not be in shouting distance. “I figured I should give you this…” he said, showing Ohkura the wrapped package in his hands. “I think it’s about time the legendary story of Hina’s Tupperware comes to an end…”
Ohkura chuckled as Nino handed it to him. “So this is Hina’s Tupperware huh?”
“Yep…” Nino grinned. “I was going to return it to him personally but Sho-kun and I were in the vicinity so he thought it’d be better if I just hand it to you…” he swiftly lied before turning to Maki with a smile. “Hello Maki-chan…”
“Hello Ninomiya-kun, Sho-kun…” Maki smiled, she and Ohkura oblivious to Sho controlling the urge to strangle Nino there and then.
“It’s been a while Maki-chan …” Sho smiled, his irritation at his group mate not getting the best of his better manners. He’s not sure though if the sudden increase of his heartbeat at Maki’s smile to him didn’t show as he turned to Ohkura to nod in acknowledgement.
Next to him, he could feel Nino trying hard not to snicker.
-----
“Congratulations!” Aiba cheered as he ran into Sho and hugged him in pure joy. Nino had just announced to the rest of the group in the greenroom of what he had successfully marionette-d Sho to during that brief visit to Ohkura and Maki’s set. “I knew things were bound to change the moment you admitted your real feelings for Maki-chan!”
Sho could do nothing else but groan as Ohno nodded his congratulations too.
He didn’t actually know how it happened. Ohkura, the respectful kouhai, had invited them to sit down. Sho knew that he was just being courteous with that invitation and that they should already be leaving so that the two could prepare. But Nino had something else in mind as he gave in to the invitation and sat down to chat for a bit. This is why Sho found himself seated, opposite Maki, in the closest proximity they had since the shoot for Tokujo ended.
And then one thing led to another and the next thing he knew, Nino had somehow wormed out of Maki the fact that she had a shoot at the same studio where Sho shoots for News Zero and then he, Nino, was inviting her to have coffee with him, Sho, since they were in the same studio
He didn’t realize what had happened though, he was too busy trying to stop the erratic beating of his own heart, until Maki turned to him, smiled and said “Sure, if Sho-kun doesn’t mind…”
“I hate you…” he simply told Nino the moment Aiba let him go.
Nino grinned. “I love you too, Sho-chan…” he replied as Jun reached over to shake Nino’s hand.
-----
“It’s been nice talking to you like this again Sho-kun…” Maki smiled as the two of them stood up. Maki needed to be in the set of her next shoot in the next 10 minutes and Sho had to prepare for his Zero segment too.
“Yeah…” Sho smiled as he helped her into her coat.
Their brief date, although Sho still feels his ears growing hot every time that word enters his head, had just concluded successfully, despite the fact the Sho felt so nervous about not saying the right things or doing the right moves that he almost backed out minutes before the time Nino set for the two of them to meet.
It turns out that he needn’t have worried that much since the conversation flowed out smoothly and that they were actually smiling and chuckling about 5 minutes into their coffee. He didn’t even feel a tad bit uptight, mainly because Maki always had a smile on her face.
“Maybe we could do this again sometime…” she suddenly said and Sho stopped for a split second in the act of putting on his own jacket. “If you want to that is…” she continued, maybe noticing his momentary pause. “And without Ninomiya-kun pushing you towards it…”
Suddenly, there was a block in his throat which he had to clear before he replied “I’d love that…”
That block returned immediately though as he saw Maki beam at his reply and it stayed there as they made their way out of the door.
They were almost already there when Sho found his voice again and he said without another thought “Maki-chan, can I call you?”
It was Maki’s turn to stop momentarily and Sho almost thought that she would say no. But when she looked at him, she was smiling. “Sure, if you manage to get hold of my number…”
Sho smiled too. It wasn’t a no, or a most probably not. It wasn’t even a barrier. It was just a simple challenge to test how interested he really is.
“That can be arranged…” he replied as he pushed open the door for her.
After all, he’s had the original misfortune of having friends who’ve become really close to her during the times they’ve worked with each other, unlike him who’d been a bit too scared of taking things further than just as co-workers. That misfortune had just turned to fortune though as he could force anyone of them to give him her number.
He was still smiling as his head started flipping through names. Nino and Jun would be a bit more difficult, since they’d be demanding an explanation, or worse, an exchange for that information. Shun could be difficult too, owing to Jun’s personal influence on his best friend. But then there’s Toma and Yamapi. Nino and Jun might be closer to those guys but it still does not negate his being a sempai to those two.
And there’s no other time that Sho appreciated being a sempai more than he does now.
-----END-----
that's Shomaki... :)
on to the next... :)
TITLE: Hide and Seek (Or Vice Versa)
CHARACTERS: Ohno Satoshi, Sakurai Sho, Aiba Masaki, Ninomiya Kazunari, Matsumoto Jun, Fukada Kyoko
PAIRING: Sho/Kyoko
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
Summary: Thou shall not hide things from your friends. especially if your name is Sakurai Sho and you're hiding it from a guy named Aiba.. Because Aiba Masaki will not be denied any inofrmation... and he'll go to any length, and pull three other guys along, to find it out for himself...
“Where is Sho-kun?” Aiba asked the moment he entered their greenroom and saw only Nino and Ohno inside.
“He left…” Nino shrugged, his eyes fixed to his console while Ohno continued to daze off.
“Left?” Aiba repeated. “How long ago?”
“I don’t know…” Nino replied dismissively.
“This is important Nino!” Aiba cried, his voice slowly getting hysterical. “I need to know if Sho-chan just left like a minute ago, or five minutes or half an hour!”
The mere fact that Aiba’s voice was getting hysterical should have been enough to catch Nino’s attention, but the added fact that he was almost shouting in his hysterics not only made Nino pause his game and look at the older idol in a mix of concern and confusion but to also snap Ohno out of his reverie to turn to him in concern.
Before any of the two could reply though, the door opened and in came their youngest member.
“What’s going on?” he asked, making Aiba turn towards the door. “Why are you shouting?” the youngest idol in the room asked, addressing Aiba.
“I wasn’t shouting…” Aiba sighed, his voice considerably lower. “I was just asking Nino and Ohchan where Sho-chan is…”
“He was so shouting!” Nino cried, like a little child complaining to a form of authority about something his brother may or may not have done.
“I wasn’t!” Aiba insisted. “Nino’s not answering my question!” he told Jun with his own version of a pout.
Jun’s eyes travelled from Nino and Aiba and the two different versions of pouts presented to him. And then his eyes caught Ohno’s confused but resigned ones and he sighed.
“I am not having this conversation with you two…” he declared as he headed for the sofa. “If you two need someone to play Mama, go run after Sho-chan… I just passed by him by the elevator…”
“You mean he’s still here?” Aiba asked, his eyes brightening, the last couple of minutes already forgotten in his eyes.
Nino knew this too as he ended up chuckling. But that chuckle turned into an interested grin when his eyes caught sight of Aiba’s back as the older idol turned around to head to the door, especially since Aiba did not head out when he reached his destination. He simply peered through a small gap he opened.
“What is that Aiba-chan?” he asked, standing up quickly to head towards the taller idol’s direction.
The object in question is actually a backpack. And while it isn’t unusual for Aiba to use backpacks to work, it is unusual to see him a backpack as big as the one he’s using. And it also looked quite full too, judging by the way it is bulging.
“What is what?” Aiba asked as he stood up, suddenly trying to look innocent although the attempt did not cross over that well, as he turned around, moving the backpack out of Nino’s reach.
“Those things stuffed in your backpack…” Jun supplied as he and Ohno stood up to follow Nino’s footsteps.
Before Aiba knew it, the three had already surrounded him and Ohno managed to open the bag.
“Cool…” their eldest grinned as he extracted a pair of binoculars from the bag and Aiba could only sigh as Jun and Nino looked in too and saw everything he had in there.
“The last time I checked…” Jun started as Nino poked around the stuff in there that included a couple of disguises, a detailed map of Tokyo, and a digital camera. “You are to play a bartender for your next role, not an amateur spy…”
“Why do you have all of these?” Nino asked. “And what does Sho-chan have to do with any of these?”
The three pairs of eyes trained on Aiba told him that resistance is futile which is why he ended up sighing and admitting “If I tell you guys, you have to help me out…”
-----
“Can you remind me again why I’m doing this?” Jun grumbled as he lowered the cap over his head in further effort to conceal himself.
He’s behind the steering wheel of Aiba’s car, with Aiba next to him and Ohno and Nino at the back, right outside a 24 hour convenience store, waiting in the dark for the slightly disguised idol/news caster to come out.
“Because as the one who loves Arashi the most, you are duty-bound to be where most of us are… And because you too want to find out who is Sho-kun dating…” Nino grinned as he leaned over from the back to grab the binoculars from Aiba’s hands to take a look for himself. “And because this is fun!”
Jun snorted. Of course Nino would consider it fun. Anything that would potentially put any of them in slight, and not so slight, discomfort would make Nino consider it as fun. And spying on Sho definitely counts under that category.
Aiba had said that there had been something strange with Sho for a while already, something that they can neither agree to or deny. His mood had been relatively better, even compared to recent years, and he looked absolutely happy.
But while those kinds of differences could be attributed to a lot of different things, Aiba had come up with the conclusion that the reason behind those changes is Sho falling or has fallen in love.
“This is exactly what happened to Jun-kun a couple of years ago!” he had insisted when neither Nino nor Jun agreed with his train of thought (Ohno’s reaction was passive). And then he proceeded to listing out certain circumstances that’s supposed to support his assumption.
Like the fact that didn’t go out drinking with him in the past year as often as he usually did, or the fact that Sho wouldn’t reply that readily to his messages, and even to the reality that Sho had admitted to them that he had finally moved out of his parent’s house. But while they were able to trump all of these instances with reasonable answers like he’s been busy with his shooting, or he’s tired, or even the fact that he’s grown up.
But there was something he said that they couldn’t give a possible answer to.
“His apartment was really clean when I got there! There were stuff toys on the sofa! AND there was a deliciously cooked dish in the kitchen!”
That statement, if anything else, convinced them that there was something weird going on. After all, Sho’s a better drawer than he is as a cook.
And Jun could do nothing else but sigh as the hooded figure of the man they’ve been following for almost half an hour came out.
-----
Sho had this weird feeling that he was being followed as he maneuvered his car to the underground parking lot of one of Tokyo’s shooting studios. He’s had that weird feeling ever since he left the studio they were shooting VS Arashi at after the quite lengthy discussion he ended up having with his manager.
But he knew nothing of detecting who and who isn’t following him. He only knew of the art of hiding, which he immediately did the moment he had that sudden feeling. The only recurring thought inside his head was that “I hope it’s not the guys…”
He’s already aware that Aiba, at the very least, had started being quite curious of what he’s doing during his private time lately. It all started when Aiba went with him to his apartment because he forgot that book on wines he’s been asking from him as research material. For some reason, something the guy saw in the apartment poked Aiba’s curiosity.
The younger idol hadn’t asked him about it straight out though, thankfully, but he’s bound to in the future, especially since he’s avoided his (not so) subtle questioning so far.
It’s not that he wanted to hide from him, or them to be specific. He just wants to keep it, her actually, to himself. And it wasn’t even for the fear that the others wouldn’t accept his choice of a girlfriend because they would like her, not only because they know her relatively well too, but because they’d respect his choice.
It’s because he wanted to keep Kyoko away from the others for a while.
It actually took him a while to admit his real feelings to his Yatterman co-star. And it actually took him a couple of Domoto jokes, particularly Koichi saying during Higashiyama’s marriage celebration in response to Tsuyoshi’s “It’s about time Koichi-kun finds a girl for himself” the words “I’ve always thought Kyoko-chan is beautiful…”
Maybe because Sho knew that Koichi is very appealing, or that she works with the older Johnny in a regular basis, or simply because Sho just needed a little scare and a little push because the next thing he knew, he had startled the girl quite a bit when he suddenly invited her out for dinner.
It was a decision he didn’t mull over for long, something he hadn’t done in a while, but he doesn’t regret it. He and Kyoko had been exclusively dating for a while before being officially together for about two months now.
He still hadn’t told the others though. He knew what’s bound to happen when he finally does because it happened to Jun when he finally and officially introduced Mao as his girlfriend a couple of years back. For one thing, the others would insist on meeting up with them, her mostly, for dinner and stuff like that. He didn’t want that. He didn’t want to share the time he could spend with her with anyone else, not even (or most especially) his group mates (the prospect of embarrassment of what they’re capable of revealing to her about him is too huge to ignore).
But he knew that he has to tell the guys sooner or later. He was leaning towards later when he suddenly spotted a lean female figure wearing jeans and a blue hoodie coming out of the elevator. And a he felt the corner of his lips moving upward. He could recognize that figure even at a very far and dark distance, his increased heartbeat told him so.
Without further ado, or worry that someone is following him, he got out of his car and moved to the passenger’s side to open the door for her. She entered quite quickly but before bestowing him a sweet smile.
“You waited long?” Kyoko asked with a smile the moment he sat behind the steering wheel, the hood already down to reveal to him her slightly tousled hair.
She still looked great to him though, perfect, especially with the knowledge that the smile she has on her lips is only for him.
“No…” he replied. Then he changed he scrunched his forehead a bit as if in deep thought before saying with a slightly mischievous grin “Yeah, I did… For this…” as he leaned towards her for a deep, searing kiss.
-----
“He’s kissing her!” Aiba cheered, his eyes wide and his lips in a wide grin as he pushed the binoculars deeper into his eyes. “Sho-chan is kissing Fukada Kyoko-chan!”
“We can see it Aiba-chan…” Jun replied, choosing to palm his face instead of hitting the back of the head of the idol next to him. From behind them, Nino and Ohno had their heads over the seats to be able to watch clearly because while Sho chose to park at a more secluded space, Jun also managed to find a spot hides them but still gives them direct and clear view of the front of Sho’s car.
“But he’s kissing her!” Aiba repeated, finally removing the binoculars off his eyes as he turned to the other three.
“Yeah…” Nino snorted. “What were you expecting them to do? Play janken?”
“But this is a good sign!” Aiba grinned. “Sho-chan is finally dating!”
“Yeah…” Ohno agreed with a smile. “Why hadn’t he introduced us formally though?” he asked.
Jun rolled his eyes. “Because he’s smarter than I was…” he said as he backed the car away.
“Wait, we’re leaving?” Nino asked.
“We’re not all perverts Nino…” Aiba grinned as Jun and Ohno actually chuckled.
“This isn’t about perversion…” Nino replied in an effort to clear his name. “I just thought you guys would want to confront him now while he’s with her… Caught in the act and all that…”
“We’ll, I’d prefer it if it’s not that kind of act…” Jun snorted. “And I would rather confront Sho in a situation where he is not going to confront me back…”
Ohno nodded. “Yeah… Sho-chan’s going to have a lot of questions too in any case…”
Everyone in that car knew that for a fact. But when Jun and Nino caught each other’s eye, there was a determined (and mischievous) look in both their faces.
“Not after he answers all of our questions first…”
-----THE END-----
that's ShoxFukuda...
and the update...
TITLE: The Chase
CHARACTERS: Sakurai Sho, Kuroki Meisa, Matsumoto Jun, Aiba Masaki, Becky, Inoue Mao, Tsukamoto Takashi, Narimiya Hiroshi, +others (TBD)
PAIRING: Sho/Meisa
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
AUTHOR'S NOTE: this was one of the stories i posted last year as one of my possible stories... i just changed th background of the story so as not to make it not sound like a rehash of one of my other ongoings... :)
Chapter1,
“Oh please… Don’t start blaming me for your utter inability to keep a woman for more than a month…” Meisa snorted.
“Of course I can’t stay long with those girls…” Sho grinned. “They aren’t you…” he added as he looked straight into her eyes.
They caught each others gaze for a while, both challenging. And it could have, would have lasted longer too, if not for someone else in their little group clearing his or her throat, attracting both their attention.
And sure enough, when they turned around to face the others, all eyes were on them, Jun, Shii and Mao watching them (not so) innocently and extremely interestedly.
“You know…” Mao started, pointing her fork towards Sho and Meisa’s direction.”You both make a really nice pair...”
“Don’t start with the intrigues about us, Mao-chan…” Meisa chuckled, shaking her head. “Because that ‘us’ is never going to happen…”
“Ouch!” Sho cried, his hand landing over his left chest, feigning a hurt look as he pouted at Meisa as the other men in the table started laughing in expense. Mao ended up chuckling too when Meisa simply smiled at Sho dismissively.
“I’m highly amused by the fact that other girls would swoon at Sho-kun’s slightest and lightest sweet words and actions but Mei-chan simply dismisses his most romantic words…” Shii told Jun.
Jun laughed. “That tends to happen when the girl knows all the tricks in that guy’s book… Right, Mei-chan?”
“Right…” Meisa nodded before turning towards Sho and adding “And also if the guy has no effect on her whatsoever…”
As Jun and Shii snickered at her response, Sho raised an eyebrow at her as he leaned over, their bodies almost touching. “Are you sure I don’t have an effect on you?” he asked challengingly.
Before Meisa could respond though, or even for that moment to last longer than a couple of seconds, a figure suddenly bounded to their table.
“Am I seeing what I am seeing?” Aiba asked in surprise as he joined their table. “Are you two the next in line to get married?”
“Oh please…” Meisa sighed, shaking her head, as Sho straightened up to grin at his newly married friend.
“You heard her…” he shrugged as if agreeing with Meisa. But then he added with a groan “She wouldn’t accept me up to now…”
“That sounded almost believable!” Becky exclaimed as she joined their table, their hands automatically linking as Aiba pulled to hug her from behind.
“So, how does it feel being married?” Shii asked.
“Blissful…” Aiba replied quickly but then Becky chuckled and amended “We’re still quite caught in the midst of everything so we’ll tell you when we finally settle down…”
“Of course…” Sho amended.
“Fair warning though…” Jun grinned. “Living with Aiba might take a lot of getting used to…”
“Hey!” Aiba cried, pouting at his best friend but then Mao nodded and added “So please have a lot of patience…”
Becky chuckled though. “That can be arranged…” she smiled as she looked up at her husband’s face and smiled endearingly.
Aiba ended up smiling endearingly at her before turning to the table, to Jun and Mao in particular, and saying “I thought you’re my best friend! And you’re my cousin! You shouldn’t be putting me down!” he pouted.
“What?” Mao asked very innocently. “I’m just saying the truth…”
“Besides, you two are already married…” Sho agreed as the rest of them chuckled. “That’s already an inseparable relationship…”
“Funny Sho-chan…” Aiba pouted, although there’s no sign of real pain or offense anywhere in there especially since he ended up smiling. “Speaking of inseparable relationships, when are you two getting together?” he asked, addressing Sho and Meisa.
Before either of the two could respond though, Becky exclaimed, her eyes wide as she smiled at the two “No kidding! You two are getting together?”
“Of course not…” Meisa exclaimed as Sho simply shrugged, signifying that he’s going with whatever Meisa is saying.
“Oh!” Becky replied, her shoulders dropping very slightly before she bounded up again and exclaimed “Then it wouldn’t be an issue if I introduce Mei-chan to someone, right Sho-kun? He said he actually knows you two…”
“Who?”
-----
“Narimiya Hiroki…” Sho said before raising the whiskey glass to his lips and draining its contents.
He was already at the open bar of the reception where he and the guys went straight to after Becky pulled Meisa and Mao towards the guy Becky was referring to who turned out to be her second cousin.
“You know him?” Shii asked as the three of them continued watching Meisa and Mao talking with the guy a few feet away from them, Aiba and Becky having moved on to talk to their other guests.
“Yeah…” Sho shrugged. “We were schoolmates in high school for about a year or two… And then he transferred out…”
“He’s pretty good-looking…” Jun observed, taking in the tall figure of the guy. “And he looks nice… And he seems pretty interested in Mei-chan…”
True enough, while the guy isn’t ignoring Mao and all, he’s actually treating the girls nicely as far as they can see, there was something different with the look he’s giving Meisa. It wasn’t desire, or lust, which they usually see in other men’s eyes, prompting them to go into action, but something a bit more wholesome, like admiration.
“I think he’s had a crush on Mei-chan before…” Sho said dismissively, truning around to face the bar instead of the three. “But it’s not like he’s the only one…”
“You mean those two had a past?” Shii asked, turning around and raising an eyebrow at Sho.
“No…” Sho snorted. “I think she actually ignored his existence back then…”
“She’s noticing him now…” Jun chuckled, nodding towards the trio’s direction, prompting the other two to look too.
Just as they did, Mao had excused herself before heading towards the buffet table, more specifically the dessert area, leaving the two behind. But Mao’s departure didn’t make the situation awkward at all. Meisa was actually laughing and smiling at something he said.
“She looks like she’s enjoying herself…” Shii observed.
“So she is…” Sho simply said.
Shii snorted as Jun asked Sho “And you’re not affected?”
Sho met the eyes of his two friends before he snorted and shook his head, a smug grin on his lips. “The relationship between me and Mei-chan is complex… You guys wouldn’t understand…”
“Yeah right…” Jun replied as Shii noted “Yeah, it’s so complex that even you two don’t seem to understand it…”
-----TBC-----
so how was (any or all of) it?
like it or not?
let me know... :)
comments and critics are really loved... :)
it's still in time though...
so...
to Arashi's resident rapper, newscaster and failboy...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHO-CHAN!
Hope to see you get married soon... :)
and so... as is my ritual... here's a couple of Sho birthday fics... :) and an update on a sho-centric story... :)
TITLE: Forcing The Caster's Hand
CHARACTERS: Ohno Satoshi, Sakurai Sho, Aiba Masaki, Ninomiya Kazunari, Matsumoto Jun, Horikita Maki, Ohkura Tadayoshi
PAIRING: Sho/Maki
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
Summary: Almost 30 but still helpless in the matters of the heart... That's one of Sho's unspoken tags...
But that's about to change... Especially since when most of Arashi, especially when it's 4/5ths of the group, sets their minds on something, they would achieve it... And their Mama-Sho's (inexistent) love life just caught their eyes...
“This is getting hopeless!” Nino grumbled as he entered the greenroom and found Ohno, Matsujun and Aiba there, Ohno and Aiba enjoying a game of janken while Jun read his newest script proposal next to them.
“What is?” Aiba asked, looking up to their gamer, a smile on his face.
“Not what, who!” Nino cried, his voice doused in utter exasperation that even Jun and Ohno looked at him in confusion.
Nino crowing about something is not an unusual thing, but Nino crowing about someone is. A person getting on Nino’s nerves is a rare scene, unless of course it’s a guy who might have defeated his record in his favorite game or a game creator missing a bug in a new game he had high hopes for.
“Who are you crowing about then?” Jun asked, his eyebrows already furrowed.
“Sho-kun!” Nino replied, dropping his bag on the table before stomping towards where the three present members of Arashi are seated.
“What’s wrong with Sho-chan?” Ohno asked, his face starting to show signs of worry.
Nino didn’t notice this though as his eyes glared, although to no one in particular, and he continued “Last night, just last night, he came across me at the canteen in Ikuta… It was already 8:00, I haven’t eaten lunch so of course I am hungry… And then there’s the fact that I’ve been shooting promotions for the whole day… I have the right get hungry… I have! So of course I ordered quite a lot to eat… But then Mama Sho-kun saw me and my food and decided to join me in my table to lecture me about the amount of food I’m taking in at night and that it wouldn’t be good for my body, or my metabolism or something ridiculous like that…”
“That’s Sho-chan…” Aiba chuckled.
“Yeah…” Jun shrugged. “It’s normal for him… You should have been used to it by now…” he added reasonably.
“His lecture lasted for over 50 minutes!” Nino exclaimed. “That left me only 10 minutes to take in any food I can before another four hours of shoot!”
“I’m sure you’re used to going through the day with an empty stomach…” Jun said dismissively, turning back to his script while Ohno simply smiled sympathetically at Nino. “You’d have enough practice with that with the amount of time you spend gaming…”
“And!” Nino continued as Jun hadn’t said a word. “I just walked past him at the corridor, thankfully he didn’t see me, and he was telling off one of the juniors because he saw a cup of ramen at the sink in the dressing room!”
“Wow…” Aiba chuckled. “Reminds you of old times huh, Nino!”
“It does!” Nino sighed dramatically before crashing at the small space between Jun and Ohno, making the younger one move in annoyance.
“Sho-kun needs to get laid!” he added seriously after a while.
When Aiba snickered, Ohno looked at Nino interestedly and Jun snorted and rolled his eyes, Nino continued “I am serious! At the very least, he needs to start dating! Someone needs to take his attention of me and everyone else, but mostly me…”
“Good luck with that…” Jun simply replied.
“Aren’t you the least bit concerned?” Nino asked, turning to Jun. “He’s almost 30! He’s getting ancient! And somehow, I feel like it’s our responsibility to find him his match, both as his group mates and his friends…”
“Hey…” Ohno pouted. “I’m 30… Does that mean I’m ancient?”
“Of course not…” Nino amended quickly, turning to their leader as Aiba chuckled. “You’re Kaibutsu-kun! You’re the next demon king… Of course you’re different… Sho-chan, on the other hand, doesn’t even have a hobby, except of course if you count going around and bugging people… I’m actually quite surprised he hadn’t bugged you…” he added as he turned to Jun.
“Well, unlike some people I know…” Jun replied, putting down his script as he looked at Nino pointedly. “I know to take care of myself to avoid the wrath of Mama Sho-chan… And while I don’t think that your idea is entirely outrageous, I do think that it’s ridiculous to just pick up a random girl and try to match her with Sho-chan and hope that cupid suddenly pulls his arrow and make him fall in love with her…”
“Why not! It’s not impossible!” Nino cried in desperation. But then, Aiba snickered next to Ohno. “What?”
“Well, we can’t just go with any random girl…” Aiba grinned.
“What do you mean by that?” Ohno asked, looking at him curiously the same way Nino and Jun turned to him.
“Are you saying that Sho-kun’s in love with someone already?” Jun asked.
“Might be…” Aiba shrugged.
“Who is this person?!” Nino demanded. “And why haven’t we heard about it?”
Aiba grinned but before he could say anything else, realization dawned on Jun’s face and he sighed. “Don’t tell me… It’s because he hadn’t really admitted it to himself, isn’t it?” he said.
“Right in one…” Aiba cheered. “At least that’s what I think…”
“Who are we talking about?!” Nino demanded, annoyed by the fact that Jun had caught on in something he hadn’t picked up yet.
“Horikita Maki-chan…” Aiba replied.
“Horikita Maki-chan?” Nino echoed. “When did this happen? Why haven’t I heard anything about this? When did you pick this up?” he asked Aiba before turning to Jun and repeating “When did you pick this up?”
“Sometime between Tokujo Kabachi and Ohoku…” Aiba supplied.
“What?!” Nino cried. “I was working with Maki-chan then too! Why was I the only one who didn’t pick up on it?!”
“I think it was because you were busy getting yourself laid…” Jun replied.
“I was filming Matsumoto Jun!” Nino glared.
“Yeah… That’s what I said…” Jun deadpanned, making Ohno and Aiba chuckle.
“So why haven’t you done anything about it?” Nino replied instead.
Jun sighed and rolled his eyes. “Tell me, would you want your group mates, even though you consider them as some of your closest friends, to start interfering with your love life?” he asked pointedly.
Nino stopped at that and thought. He was about to give in to Jun’s point when the door opened and in come the object of their conversation, the male one at least, looking like he hadn’t settled down enough from his anger yet.
“What are you guys doing all crammed in there?” he asked, seeing them all at the sofa.
“I wouldn’t…” Nino told Jun. “But in his case, I think it’s about time we make a move…”
Sho eyed them in confusion for a bit as Jun sighed his acceptance and even both Aiba and Ohno nodded. Then he declared “I don’t know what you guys are talking about but I think I don’t want to find out…”
-----
As it turns out, Sho did not like where things were going since it was directed to his love life.
“I don’t know what you guys are talking about!” Sho cried defiantly, turning his back to the four people who had eagerly ganged up on him the moment Jun started up the attack with a “We need to talk…” and Ohno adding “About your love life to be exact…”
“Admit it Sho-chan…” Aiba grinned. “We already know about it...”
“Yeah…” Nino admitted. “We’re not just sure if you’ve already admitted it to yourself…”
“You guys are nuts!” Sho cried, showing anger he doesn’t really feel, judging by the way he tried concealing the tint of red in his cheeks, something that no one else believed either. “Maki-chan is just a friend… She’s just a co-worker!”
There was a look of plain disbelief in everybody’s faces. But before anyone could openly express it, there was a knock on the door and in came one of the staff members announcing “They’re ready for you at the set…”
-----
“Fine!” Sho cried, both his hands up in the air. “I like her! Happy?!”
There was a wide smile in Jun’s face as Ohno handed Sho his cellphone. There were only three of them in the service van since both Aiba and Nino still had some shooting to do. Sho actually thought that they’ve given up on the topic they started at the greenroom on the accounts that Ohno and Jun had not spoken anything about it since they entered the van. But then Sho realized his phone, his most handy means of communication to his manager, is missing despite the fact that he can swear on his News Zero spot that he placed it in his bag before he went to the comfort the room before they left the greenroom that night. And it didn’t need a genius to know what it meant and what he had to do, or say, to get it back.
“A little…” Jun replied. “I’m happy you finally admitted it… Though not of the fact that you haven’t done anything about it…”
“Oh please…” Sho sighed in exasperation. “I’m fine with what I have… And I don’t have to do anything about it…”
“Yeah right…” Jun snorted. “You’re pushing everybody off their wits end… And we think it has something to do with your love life… The lack of development in it to be exact…”
Sho’s jaws dropped as Ohno nodded approvingly next to him.
“I can’t believe I thought you guys are my friends…” Sho ended up saying, sensing the determination in Jun’s voice and in Ohno’s face.
“Of course we are…” Ohno replied, placing a comforting arm on Sho’s shoulder. “We’re just trying to help you…”
Sho knew that, but it still did not change the fact that he felt pressured of the fact that he has now admitted his feelings towards his former co-star to two of his group mates, who would eventually tell the others the first opportunity they get.
“You hid my phone!” he cried.
“Well, be glad it was just that…” Jun replied. “Nino was thinking of doing something with your laptop… Aiba actually agreed …”
Sho’s hands immediately flew to his bag to check that his laptop is still safely inside. Nino and Aiba agreeing on something is a scary thought, especially when it’s a prank.
“They haven’t touched it yet…” Ohno supplied helpfully. “But they would have if you still haven’t admitted it... Jun-chan and I thought that we could try something else first…”
Sho gaped at their eldest for a couple of minutes before he turned around and looked out the window. He still hated the fact that the two had to blackmail him for anything, let alone with regards to his love life, but he is still thankful. His phone might be an important means of communication but his laptop would be his most important lifeline to the world.
-----
“You lied to me!” Sho gritted through his teeth the moment he stepped out of the van after Nino and into a shooting set that featured one of their kouhais, a Kanjani8 member to be specific.
“I didn’t…” Nino chuckled as he nodded appreciatively at the staff who made way for them after recognizing who they were. “I told you I had to return Hina’s Tupperware…”
“But I thought you meant to Murakami-kun himself!” Sho replied. “You didn’t say that you were giving it to Ohkura-kun!”
“Well, that’s you’re fault then for assuming things…” Nino laughed. “I never said anything… Besides, I don’t see what you’re fussing about…”
Sho snorted, knowing that Nino knew what it’s all about. Ohkura Tadayoshi, after all, had just started shooting a new drama that just happens to pit him with no one else but Horikita Maki and it had to be that particular set that Nino dragged him too. And by the looks of it, the two of them, Ohkura and Maki, are currently rehearsing for their next scene.
“Sakurai-kun! Ninomiya-kun!” Ohkura exclaimed, getting to his feet the moment he saw them. “What are you doing here?”
Nino smiled as Maki, too, stood up the moment they were close enough to not be in shouting distance. “I figured I should give you this…” he said, showing Ohkura the wrapped package in his hands. “I think it’s about time the legendary story of Hina’s Tupperware comes to an end…”
Ohkura chuckled as Nino handed it to him. “So this is Hina’s Tupperware huh?”
“Yep…” Nino grinned. “I was going to return it to him personally but Sho-kun and I were in the vicinity so he thought it’d be better if I just hand it to you…” he swiftly lied before turning to Maki with a smile. “Hello Maki-chan…”
“Hello Ninomiya-kun, Sho-kun…” Maki smiled, she and Ohkura oblivious to Sho controlling the urge to strangle Nino there and then.
“It’s been a while Maki-chan …” Sho smiled, his irritation at his group mate not getting the best of his better manners. He’s not sure though if the sudden increase of his heartbeat at Maki’s smile to him didn’t show as he turned to Ohkura to nod in acknowledgement.
Next to him, he could feel Nino trying hard not to snicker.
-----
“Congratulations!” Aiba cheered as he ran into Sho and hugged him in pure joy. Nino had just announced to the rest of the group in the greenroom of what he had successfully marionette-d Sho to during that brief visit to Ohkura and Maki’s set. “I knew things were bound to change the moment you admitted your real feelings for Maki-chan!”
Sho could do nothing else but groan as Ohno nodded his congratulations too.
He didn’t actually know how it happened. Ohkura, the respectful kouhai, had invited them to sit down. Sho knew that he was just being courteous with that invitation and that they should already be leaving so that the two could prepare. But Nino had something else in mind as he gave in to the invitation and sat down to chat for a bit. This is why Sho found himself seated, opposite Maki, in the closest proximity they had since the shoot for Tokujo ended.
And then one thing led to another and the next thing he knew, Nino had somehow wormed out of Maki the fact that she had a shoot at the same studio where Sho shoots for News Zero and then he, Nino, was inviting her to have coffee with him, Sho, since they were in the same studio
He didn’t realize what had happened though, he was too busy trying to stop the erratic beating of his own heart, until Maki turned to him, smiled and said “Sure, if Sho-kun doesn’t mind…”
“I hate you…” he simply told Nino the moment Aiba let him go.
Nino grinned. “I love you too, Sho-chan…” he replied as Jun reached over to shake Nino’s hand.
-----
“It’s been nice talking to you like this again Sho-kun…” Maki smiled as the two of them stood up. Maki needed to be in the set of her next shoot in the next 10 minutes and Sho had to prepare for his Zero segment too.
“Yeah…” Sho smiled as he helped her into her coat.
Their brief date, although Sho still feels his ears growing hot every time that word enters his head, had just concluded successfully, despite the fact the Sho felt so nervous about not saying the right things or doing the right moves that he almost backed out minutes before the time Nino set for the two of them to meet.
It turns out that he needn’t have worried that much since the conversation flowed out smoothly and that they were actually smiling and chuckling about 5 minutes into their coffee. He didn’t even feel a tad bit uptight, mainly because Maki always had a smile on her face.
“Maybe we could do this again sometime…” she suddenly said and Sho stopped for a split second in the act of putting on his own jacket. “If you want to that is…” she continued, maybe noticing his momentary pause. “And without Ninomiya-kun pushing you towards it…”
Suddenly, there was a block in his throat which he had to clear before he replied “I’d love that…”
That block returned immediately though as he saw Maki beam at his reply and it stayed there as they made their way out of the door.
They were almost already there when Sho found his voice again and he said without another thought “Maki-chan, can I call you?”
It was Maki’s turn to stop momentarily and Sho almost thought that she would say no. But when she looked at him, she was smiling. “Sure, if you manage to get hold of my number…”
Sho smiled too. It wasn’t a no, or a most probably not. It wasn’t even a barrier. It was just a simple challenge to test how interested he really is.
“That can be arranged…” he replied as he pushed open the door for her.
After all, he’s had the original misfortune of having friends who’ve become really close to her during the times they’ve worked with each other, unlike him who’d been a bit too scared of taking things further than just as co-workers. That misfortune had just turned to fortune though as he could force anyone of them to give him her number.
He was still smiling as his head started flipping through names. Nino and Jun would be a bit more difficult, since they’d be demanding an explanation, or worse, an exchange for that information. Shun could be difficult too, owing to Jun’s personal influence on his best friend. But then there’s Toma and Yamapi. Nino and Jun might be closer to those guys but it still does not negate his being a sempai to those two.
And there’s no other time that Sho appreciated being a sempai more than he does now.
-----END-----
that's Shomaki... :)
on to the next... :)
TITLE: Hide and Seek (Or Vice Versa)
CHARACTERS: Ohno Satoshi, Sakurai Sho, Aiba Masaki, Ninomiya Kazunari, Matsumoto Jun, Fukada Kyoko
PAIRING: Sho/Kyoko
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
Summary: Thou shall not hide things from your friends. especially if your name is Sakurai Sho and you're hiding it from a guy named Aiba.. Because Aiba Masaki will not be denied any inofrmation... and he'll go to any length, and pull three other guys along, to find it out for himself...
“Where is Sho-kun?” Aiba asked the moment he entered their greenroom and saw only Nino and Ohno inside.
“He left…” Nino shrugged, his eyes fixed to his console while Ohno continued to daze off.
“Left?” Aiba repeated. “How long ago?”
“I don’t know…” Nino replied dismissively.
“This is important Nino!” Aiba cried, his voice slowly getting hysterical. “I need to know if Sho-chan just left like a minute ago, or five minutes or half an hour!”
The mere fact that Aiba’s voice was getting hysterical should have been enough to catch Nino’s attention, but the added fact that he was almost shouting in his hysterics not only made Nino pause his game and look at the older idol in a mix of concern and confusion but to also snap Ohno out of his reverie to turn to him in concern.
Before any of the two could reply though, the door opened and in came their youngest member.
“What’s going on?” he asked, making Aiba turn towards the door. “Why are you shouting?” the youngest idol in the room asked, addressing Aiba.
“I wasn’t shouting…” Aiba sighed, his voice considerably lower. “I was just asking Nino and Ohchan where Sho-chan is…”
“He was so shouting!” Nino cried, like a little child complaining to a form of authority about something his brother may or may not have done.
“I wasn’t!” Aiba insisted. “Nino’s not answering my question!” he told Jun with his own version of a pout.
Jun’s eyes travelled from Nino and Aiba and the two different versions of pouts presented to him. And then his eyes caught Ohno’s confused but resigned ones and he sighed.
“I am not having this conversation with you two…” he declared as he headed for the sofa. “If you two need someone to play Mama, go run after Sho-chan… I just passed by him by the elevator…”
“You mean he’s still here?” Aiba asked, his eyes brightening, the last couple of minutes already forgotten in his eyes.
Nino knew this too as he ended up chuckling. But that chuckle turned into an interested grin when his eyes caught sight of Aiba’s back as the older idol turned around to head to the door, especially since Aiba did not head out when he reached his destination. He simply peered through a small gap he opened.
“What is that Aiba-chan?” he asked, standing up quickly to head towards the taller idol’s direction.
The object in question is actually a backpack. And while it isn’t unusual for Aiba to use backpacks to work, it is unusual to see him a backpack as big as the one he’s using. And it also looked quite full too, judging by the way it is bulging.
“What is what?” Aiba asked as he stood up, suddenly trying to look innocent although the attempt did not cross over that well, as he turned around, moving the backpack out of Nino’s reach.
“Those things stuffed in your backpack…” Jun supplied as he and Ohno stood up to follow Nino’s footsteps.
Before Aiba knew it, the three had already surrounded him and Ohno managed to open the bag.
“Cool…” their eldest grinned as he extracted a pair of binoculars from the bag and Aiba could only sigh as Jun and Nino looked in too and saw everything he had in there.
“The last time I checked…” Jun started as Nino poked around the stuff in there that included a couple of disguises, a detailed map of Tokyo, and a digital camera. “You are to play a bartender for your next role, not an amateur spy…”
“Why do you have all of these?” Nino asked. “And what does Sho-chan have to do with any of these?”
The three pairs of eyes trained on Aiba told him that resistance is futile which is why he ended up sighing and admitting “If I tell you guys, you have to help me out…”
-----
“Can you remind me again why I’m doing this?” Jun grumbled as he lowered the cap over his head in further effort to conceal himself.
He’s behind the steering wheel of Aiba’s car, with Aiba next to him and Ohno and Nino at the back, right outside a 24 hour convenience store, waiting in the dark for the slightly disguised idol/news caster to come out.
“Because as the one who loves Arashi the most, you are duty-bound to be where most of us are… And because you too want to find out who is Sho-kun dating…” Nino grinned as he leaned over from the back to grab the binoculars from Aiba’s hands to take a look for himself. “And because this is fun!”
Jun snorted. Of course Nino would consider it fun. Anything that would potentially put any of them in slight, and not so slight, discomfort would make Nino consider it as fun. And spying on Sho definitely counts under that category.
Aiba had said that there had been something strange with Sho for a while already, something that they can neither agree to or deny. His mood had been relatively better, even compared to recent years, and he looked absolutely happy.
But while those kinds of differences could be attributed to a lot of different things, Aiba had come up with the conclusion that the reason behind those changes is Sho falling or has fallen in love.
“This is exactly what happened to Jun-kun a couple of years ago!” he had insisted when neither Nino nor Jun agreed with his train of thought (Ohno’s reaction was passive). And then he proceeded to listing out certain circumstances that’s supposed to support his assumption.
Like the fact that didn’t go out drinking with him in the past year as often as he usually did, or the fact that Sho wouldn’t reply that readily to his messages, and even to the reality that Sho had admitted to them that he had finally moved out of his parent’s house. But while they were able to trump all of these instances with reasonable answers like he’s been busy with his shooting, or he’s tired, or even the fact that he’s grown up.
But there was something he said that they couldn’t give a possible answer to.
“His apartment was really clean when I got there! There were stuff toys on the sofa! AND there was a deliciously cooked dish in the kitchen!”
That statement, if anything else, convinced them that there was something weird going on. After all, Sho’s a better drawer than he is as a cook.
And Jun could do nothing else but sigh as the hooded figure of the man they’ve been following for almost half an hour came out.
-----
Sho had this weird feeling that he was being followed as he maneuvered his car to the underground parking lot of one of Tokyo’s shooting studios. He’s had that weird feeling ever since he left the studio they were shooting VS Arashi at after the quite lengthy discussion he ended up having with his manager.
But he knew nothing of detecting who and who isn’t following him. He only knew of the art of hiding, which he immediately did the moment he had that sudden feeling. The only recurring thought inside his head was that “I hope it’s not the guys…”
He’s already aware that Aiba, at the very least, had started being quite curious of what he’s doing during his private time lately. It all started when Aiba went with him to his apartment because he forgot that book on wines he’s been asking from him as research material. For some reason, something the guy saw in the apartment poked Aiba’s curiosity.
The younger idol hadn’t asked him about it straight out though, thankfully, but he’s bound to in the future, especially since he’s avoided his (not so) subtle questioning so far.
It’s not that he wanted to hide from him, or them to be specific. He just wants to keep it, her actually, to himself. And it wasn’t even for the fear that the others wouldn’t accept his choice of a girlfriend because they would like her, not only because they know her relatively well too, but because they’d respect his choice.
It’s because he wanted to keep Kyoko away from the others for a while.
It actually took him a while to admit his real feelings to his Yatterman co-star. And it actually took him a couple of Domoto jokes, particularly Koichi saying during Higashiyama’s marriage celebration in response to Tsuyoshi’s “It’s about time Koichi-kun finds a girl for himself” the words “I’ve always thought Kyoko-chan is beautiful…”
Maybe because Sho knew that Koichi is very appealing, or that she works with the older Johnny in a regular basis, or simply because Sho just needed a little scare and a little push because the next thing he knew, he had startled the girl quite a bit when he suddenly invited her out for dinner.
It was a decision he didn’t mull over for long, something he hadn’t done in a while, but he doesn’t regret it. He and Kyoko had been exclusively dating for a while before being officially together for about two months now.
He still hadn’t told the others though. He knew what’s bound to happen when he finally does because it happened to Jun when he finally and officially introduced Mao as his girlfriend a couple of years back. For one thing, the others would insist on meeting up with them, her mostly, for dinner and stuff like that. He didn’t want that. He didn’t want to share the time he could spend with her with anyone else, not even (or most especially) his group mates (the prospect of embarrassment of what they’re capable of revealing to her about him is too huge to ignore).
But he knew that he has to tell the guys sooner or later. He was leaning towards later when he suddenly spotted a lean female figure wearing jeans and a blue hoodie coming out of the elevator. And a he felt the corner of his lips moving upward. He could recognize that figure even at a very far and dark distance, his increased heartbeat told him so.
Without further ado, or worry that someone is following him, he got out of his car and moved to the passenger’s side to open the door for her. She entered quite quickly but before bestowing him a sweet smile.
“You waited long?” Kyoko asked with a smile the moment he sat behind the steering wheel, the hood already down to reveal to him her slightly tousled hair.
She still looked great to him though, perfect, especially with the knowledge that the smile she has on her lips is only for him.
“No…” he replied. Then he changed he scrunched his forehead a bit as if in deep thought before saying with a slightly mischievous grin “Yeah, I did… For this…” as he leaned towards her for a deep, searing kiss.
-----
“He’s kissing her!” Aiba cheered, his eyes wide and his lips in a wide grin as he pushed the binoculars deeper into his eyes. “Sho-chan is kissing Fukada Kyoko-chan!”
“We can see it Aiba-chan…” Jun replied, choosing to palm his face instead of hitting the back of the head of the idol next to him. From behind them, Nino and Ohno had their heads over the seats to be able to watch clearly because while Sho chose to park at a more secluded space, Jun also managed to find a spot hides them but still gives them direct and clear view of the front of Sho’s car.
“But he’s kissing her!” Aiba repeated, finally removing the binoculars off his eyes as he turned to the other three.
“Yeah…” Nino snorted. “What were you expecting them to do? Play janken?”
“But this is a good sign!” Aiba grinned. “Sho-chan is finally dating!”
“Yeah…” Ohno agreed with a smile. “Why hadn’t he introduced us formally though?” he asked.
Jun rolled his eyes. “Because he’s smarter than I was…” he said as he backed the car away.
“Wait, we’re leaving?” Nino asked.
“We’re not all perverts Nino…” Aiba grinned as Jun and Ohno actually chuckled.
“This isn’t about perversion…” Nino replied in an effort to clear his name. “I just thought you guys would want to confront him now while he’s with her… Caught in the act and all that…”
“We’ll, I’d prefer it if it’s not that kind of act…” Jun snorted. “And I would rather confront Sho in a situation where he is not going to confront me back…”
Ohno nodded. “Yeah… Sho-chan’s going to have a lot of questions too in any case…”
Everyone in that car knew that for a fact. But when Jun and Nino caught each other’s eye, there was a determined (and mischievous) look in both their faces.
“Not after he answers all of our questions first…”
-----THE END-----
that's ShoxFukuda...
and the update...
TITLE: The Chase
CHARACTERS: Sakurai Sho, Kuroki Meisa, Matsumoto Jun, Aiba Masaki, Becky, Inoue Mao, Tsukamoto Takashi, Narimiya Hiroshi, +others (TBD)
PAIRING: Sho/Meisa
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
AUTHOR'S NOTE: this was one of the stories i posted last year as one of my possible stories... i just changed th background of the story so as not to make it not sound like a rehash of one of my other ongoings... :)
Chapter1,
“Oh please… Don’t start blaming me for your utter inability to keep a woman for more than a month…” Meisa snorted.
“Of course I can’t stay long with those girls…” Sho grinned. “They aren’t you…” he added as he looked straight into her eyes.
They caught each others gaze for a while, both challenging. And it could have, would have lasted longer too, if not for someone else in their little group clearing his or her throat, attracting both their attention.
And sure enough, when they turned around to face the others, all eyes were on them, Jun, Shii and Mao watching them (not so) innocently and extremely interestedly.
“You know…” Mao started, pointing her fork towards Sho and Meisa’s direction.”You both make a really nice pair...”
“Don’t start with the intrigues about us, Mao-chan…” Meisa chuckled, shaking her head. “Because that ‘us’ is never going to happen…”
“Ouch!” Sho cried, his hand landing over his left chest, feigning a hurt look as he pouted at Meisa as the other men in the table started laughing in expense. Mao ended up chuckling too when Meisa simply smiled at Sho dismissively.
“I’m highly amused by the fact that other girls would swoon at Sho-kun’s slightest and lightest sweet words and actions but Mei-chan simply dismisses his most romantic words…” Shii told Jun.
Jun laughed. “That tends to happen when the girl knows all the tricks in that guy’s book… Right, Mei-chan?”
“Right…” Meisa nodded before turning towards Sho and adding “And also if the guy has no effect on her whatsoever…”
As Jun and Shii snickered at her response, Sho raised an eyebrow at her as he leaned over, their bodies almost touching. “Are you sure I don’t have an effect on you?” he asked challengingly.
Before Meisa could respond though, or even for that moment to last longer than a couple of seconds, a figure suddenly bounded to their table.
“Am I seeing what I am seeing?” Aiba asked in surprise as he joined their table. “Are you two the next in line to get married?”
“Oh please…” Meisa sighed, shaking her head, as Sho straightened up to grin at his newly married friend.
“You heard her…” he shrugged as if agreeing with Meisa. But then he added with a groan “She wouldn’t accept me up to now…”
“That sounded almost believable!” Becky exclaimed as she joined their table, their hands automatically linking as Aiba pulled to hug her from behind.
“So, how does it feel being married?” Shii asked.
“Blissful…” Aiba replied quickly but then Becky chuckled and amended “We’re still quite caught in the midst of everything so we’ll tell you when we finally settle down…”
“Of course…” Sho amended.
“Fair warning though…” Jun grinned. “Living with Aiba might take a lot of getting used to…”
“Hey!” Aiba cried, pouting at his best friend but then Mao nodded and added “So please have a lot of patience…”
Becky chuckled though. “That can be arranged…” she smiled as she looked up at her husband’s face and smiled endearingly.
Aiba ended up smiling endearingly at her before turning to the table, to Jun and Mao in particular, and saying “I thought you’re my best friend! And you’re my cousin! You shouldn’t be putting me down!” he pouted.
“What?” Mao asked very innocently. “I’m just saying the truth…”
“Besides, you two are already married…” Sho agreed as the rest of them chuckled. “That’s already an inseparable relationship…”
“Funny Sho-chan…” Aiba pouted, although there’s no sign of real pain or offense anywhere in there especially since he ended up smiling. “Speaking of inseparable relationships, when are you two getting together?” he asked, addressing Sho and Meisa.
Before either of the two could respond though, Becky exclaimed, her eyes wide as she smiled at the two “No kidding! You two are getting together?”
“Of course not…” Meisa exclaimed as Sho simply shrugged, signifying that he’s going with whatever Meisa is saying.
“Oh!” Becky replied, her shoulders dropping very slightly before she bounded up again and exclaimed “Then it wouldn’t be an issue if I introduce Mei-chan to someone, right Sho-kun? He said he actually knows you two…”
“Who?”
-----
“Narimiya Hiroki…” Sho said before raising the whiskey glass to his lips and draining its contents.
He was already at the open bar of the reception where he and the guys went straight to after Becky pulled Meisa and Mao towards the guy Becky was referring to who turned out to be her second cousin.
“You know him?” Shii asked as the three of them continued watching Meisa and Mao talking with the guy a few feet away from them, Aiba and Becky having moved on to talk to their other guests.
“Yeah…” Sho shrugged. “We were schoolmates in high school for about a year or two… And then he transferred out…”
“He’s pretty good-looking…” Jun observed, taking in the tall figure of the guy. “And he looks nice… And he seems pretty interested in Mei-chan…”
True enough, while the guy isn’t ignoring Mao and all, he’s actually treating the girls nicely as far as they can see, there was something different with the look he’s giving Meisa. It wasn’t desire, or lust, which they usually see in other men’s eyes, prompting them to go into action, but something a bit more wholesome, like admiration.
“I think he’s had a crush on Mei-chan before…” Sho said dismissively, truning around to face the bar instead of the three. “But it’s not like he’s the only one…”
“You mean those two had a past?” Shii asked, turning around and raising an eyebrow at Sho.
“No…” Sho snorted. “I think she actually ignored his existence back then…”
“She’s noticing him now…” Jun chuckled, nodding towards the trio’s direction, prompting the other two to look too.
Just as they did, Mao had excused herself before heading towards the buffet table, more specifically the dessert area, leaving the two behind. But Mao’s departure didn’t make the situation awkward at all. Meisa was actually laughing and smiling at something he said.
“She looks like she’s enjoying herself…” Shii observed.
“So she is…” Sho simply said.
Shii snorted as Jun asked Sho “And you’re not affected?”
Sho met the eyes of his two friends before he snorted and shook his head, a smug grin on his lips. “The relationship between me and Mei-chan is complex… You guys wouldn’t understand…”
“Yeah right…” Jun replied as Shii noted “Yeah, it’s so complex that even you two don’t seem to understand it…”
-----TBC-----
so how was (any or all of) it?
like it or not?
let me know... :)
comments and critics are really loved... :)
