valentines day...
Feb. 14th, 2011 10:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
angelshillFirst of...
HAPPY VALENTINES!!!
it still is here and elsewhere in the world so... :)
and it is also the reason for this post... :)
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, Chapter7, Chapter8, Chapter 9,
Chapter 10: Hear Ye… Hear Ye…
When you don’t like what you’re going to hear but you still have to open listen, it probably means it’s going to have a big effect on your life… (Especially when it isn’t about work or school… :D)
“Why are you avoiding me?” Mao asked, her arms crossed in front of her chest and an eyebrow raised as she looked at her best friend.
It was already Wednesday evening and it’s the first time she and Toma saw each other since dropping her off at the office early Monday morning. He sent her messages like usual, of course, and he’d drop a call every now and then, but Mao had already decided to tell him personally. Not through the phone, a text message or email.
The other parts of her life were moving on nicely. Her professional life, work, is moving along just fine. The concept of the advertisement that would star Becky for the 164 Restaurant chain had already been approved by both the upper management and Nagano Hiroshi himself. Director Mabo had actually been handed the concept already and the production department had already created the necessary scripts and props for the shoot. Becky, in fact, had already started the preliminary shoot for the ad.
With regards to her suddenly colorful love life, it’s actually flowing along nicely too. Of course Jun didn’t cross the line between work and play while within the company’s time. But a master of flirtation, as Maki fondly calls him when he’s not around, doesn’t need that much time to be able to make advances. Mao would be lying if she said she doesn’t agree.
But with regards to Toma, things couldn’t ever be more opposite. She wouldn’t have been able to see him if she hadn’t decided to go to his apartment to drop off some of the bake macaroni she made after she called Toma to ask him over to her place and he said he’d be busy at work for the night.
“I am not avoiding you!” Toma exclaimed with the air of a kid trying to deny something even when he’s already caught red handed with his hand in the cookie jar.
“Oh really?” Mao exclaimed. “So being so busy all of a sudden is you not avoiding me?”
“My dear Mao-chan…” Toma started as he stood up to walk towards her, putting a patronizing arm over her shoulder. “I’m working, remember? It’s not my fault if it gets busy at work all of a sudden these past few days…”
With a raised eyebrow, Mao turned to him and said “You also said you were busy tonight… If you being busy meant sitting back on your couch and watching TV” indicating the scene Mao walked into when she entered his apartment “Then, yes… It is your fault…”
Toma withdrew his hand from her shoulders slowly and sheepishly as he smiled. “Well, the Giants have a game tonight… We decided to not work after all…” he reasoned.
Before Mao could magnify any one of the many loopholes in that statement alone, he added “What are you doing here anyway?”
Mao raised an eyebrow at him and nodded towards the paper bag she had deposited on the side table before crossing her arms over her chest earlier. “I thought I’d be a nice best friend and drop by to deliver some food so that my best friend would have something to eat when he goes home after work…” she replied. “Imagine my surprise when I saw that best friend in question, who was supposed to be at work, in his own living room, watching a baseball game…”
“This isn’t intentional!” Toma cried as he marched towards that paper bag and peeked inside. “Wow… this looks delicious… You haven’t made bake macaroni in a while, what made you make one now?” he asked, turning to her in hopes of getting past the issue that Mao seemed to be determined to pursue.
Mao sighed, knowing what Toma is doing but still, she decided to play along. “Because I thought a good bake mac would lure you out of the hiding place you’ve been in for the past couple of days… I told you, I needed to tell you something…”
Toma grinned as he turned to look at her. But when he spoke, it was as if he didn’t hear the last of her words. “Great! Let’s go eat then…” he exclaimed. “I’m suddenly realized that I am already starving…”
Mao groaned. “Toma…”
The dropping of the ‘kun’ and the fact that Mao said that in a slightly tired tone told Toma that Mao really was serious in whatever it is she’s trying to tell him. He sighed.
“Fine…” he said. “What is this something you’re trying to tell me?”
A small smile crept up Mao’s lips as she looked at her best friend and the resigned state he’s in. and then she said “About last Saturday…”
-----
“I don’t like him…” Toma said plainly after Mao finished telling him everything, or almost everything at least, that happened last Saturday, how things lead to things happening that Saturday, and what happened after while the two of them sat facing each other at the sofa.
Technically speaking, telling Toma wouldn’t have taken as long as it took, a little less than an hour actually, if not for the fact that Toma cut in on almost everything she said to give a reaction or a dry comment that would somehow lead to a bit of a discussion before she could continue with what she’s trying to say. It almost seemed to her that Toma’s doing his best to not yet hear what she’s actually going down to.
Mao tried her best to stop herself from rolling her eyes at his statement.
“Although I don’t, at all, feel surprised hearing that, why?” she asked. She and Toma were already seated at the sofa, facing each other, by that time.
”Because…” Toma exclaimed as if that was already reason enough for him not to like the guy.
When he didn’t say anything else a few seconds after that though, Mao chuckled. “Because is a word that starts the sentence that would give your reason, Toma-kun… Not the reason itself…” she told him.
Toma groaned exasperatedly. “I just don’t like the guy… There’s something about him I don’t like…”
Mao tried her best not to chuckle although she was already highly amused hearing him defend his belief that way.
“And why is that?” she asked, humoring him.
Toma’s face darkened but it wasn’t because of Mao or her questions. Mostly, it was because he looked like he was remembering the first time he saw the guy they’re talking about.
“He’s a playboy…” he replied darkly.
“You only met him once!” Mao exclaimed with a slight chuckle. “How would you know that he’s a playboy?”
Toma groaned. “Because I’m a guy Mao-chan, and I can sense these kinds of things… He’s a playboy and that means he’s bad news…”
“He actually kind of reminds me off you when I first met him…” Mao admitted cheekily. When Toma snorted at that, she added “What? You’re going to deny that you’re a playboy too?”
“I’m not going to deny anything because I really am not a playboy…” he replied with a slight frown. “It just so happens that none of my past relationships actually lasted…”
Mao smiled as she inched closer to him. “I’m not sure if that sounded better than being called a playboy or not…” she told him a matter-of-factly. Toma sighing at her words told her he, too, agreed.
“I’m telling you Mao-chan, that guy is trouble…” he sighed.
Laying her head on his shoulder, Mao stated “That’s what they all said when we first got together years ago… And we were younger then too…”
Toma groaned because that was true. And then he stopped short. With hurt eyes and furrowed eyebrows, he turned to the woman next to her and said “Why do you keep defending that guy? And why do you keep comparing it to what happened to us before? Are you saying you actually really like him?!”
Mao simply smiled.
-----
“I don’t see what’s with all the fuss actually…” Ryo shrugged before taking a sip off his beer bottle. He and Toma decided to go to Mystique the night after Mao and Toma’s big conversation, especially since Toma came in moody that morning and haven’t changed as the day progressed. They were at the top booth, the booth just below Kamenashi’s, the owner, office, which is their usual booth. “I mean, Mao-chan’s the same age as Erika so she’s 26 already… I think it’s about time she starts dating again… Erika and Maki-chan thinks so too…”
“Sure it is…” Toma groaned, downing the contents of his beer before grabbing a freshly opened one. “But why does it have to be that guy… I mean, there are lots of other men out there, why would she choose to go out with that guy?”
Ryo shrugged. “What’s your issue with the guy anyway?”
“There’s something about him I just don’t like…”
Ryo snorted. “Yeah right… Because the chance of you liking any guy who comes close to Mao-chan is really high at the moment…”
Toma chose not to respond to that sarcastic remark and with the right timing too since a few minutes later, the figures of Ohkura and Takki rose at the stairs, both having had a bit of fun with some of the ladies at the dance floor.
“What? You’re still sulking?” Ohkura exclaimed seeing Toma’s hunch.
Takki tsk-ed as he occupied the seat next to Toma.
“Toma-kun, a word from the wise… We good-looking and irresistible men of today’s generation don’t worry about women… Women worry about us…” he said with inexplicable self-confidence as he placed a condescending arm over Toma’s shoulders.
Before Toma could come up with a retort for that, seeing that Ohkura nodded and Ryo just smiled, Takki’s eyes darted towards the set of stairs he and Ohkura just ascended from and he exclaimed “And we are actually in the presence of a man who knows everything about that…”
The three other pairs of eyes in that booth looked towards that direction too and the sight that greeted them resulted to different reactions: Ohkura smiled, Ryo was confused, and Toma’s face grew darker.
Other than those reactions though, no one else could do or even say anything as a familiar male voice rose from behind them. That voice belonged to Kame and he exclaimed “I never thought I’d ever see you here on a week day, cousin…”
“You made me come here…” the new arrival pointed out, although there was a relaxed smile on his lips as Kame approached him.
Kame simply grinned as he stumped his cousin’s shoulder before turning to the other men there to serve the introductions.
“Guys, meet my cousin… Matsumoto Jun…”
-----
“Yeah, we’ve met….”
That was the brief response Toma gave after Kame introduced him and Ryo, seeing that both Takki and Ohkura have met the guy before. Takki, in fact, have crossed paths with him once or twice during his college days.
There was no smile on Toma’s lips when he said that, which is a stark contrast to the warm one that was on Ryo’s when he shook the guy’s hand. But to Toma’s credit though, he did try his best to hide the scowl on his face when he nodded at the guy, his best act of being civil considering the circumstances.
He stopped trying though the moment Jun and Kame went into the latter’s private office. What he didn’t know was that the two’s eyes where on him as they looked out of the one-way mirror that overlooks the whole of the bar from Kame’s office.
“Ikuta-kun doesn’t like you…” Kame stated his observation after a while.
“Yep…” Jun simply replied, prompting Kame to look at him in slight amazement.
“You know that he doesn’t like you?” he asked.
“Uh huh…” Jun nodded his head as he downed the contents of the whiskey glass Kame had handed him upon entry.
“You don’t seem annoyed…” Kame observed.
“No…”
“And you actually know why, in the first place…” Kame assumed. And then he chuckled. “Come to think of it, I think even I know the reason… A girl, right?”
“Not just any girl…” Jun replied. “Mao-chan…”
“Mao-chan?” Kame repeated.
“Yep…” Jun smiled. “The woman you saw me talking to when you dropped by MSMT to poke fun of me…”
“Wait…” Kame exclaimed as realization dawned on him. “Mao-chan is the name of the most important girl in Ikuta-kun’s life…”
“Yeah… She’s his best friend…” Jun replied.
“Not just any best friend…” Kame corrected. “Those two used to be a couple… Although that was years ago… When they were just teen-agers, I think…”
“Oh…” Jun exclaimed as he turned to look at Toma again. “That explains a lot…”
-----
“I don’t like you…” Toma simply stated when Jun joined him at the counter on the ground floor, after he was left by the others on his own at the top booth when even Takki managed to drag Ryo along to the dance floor seeing that Ohkura seemed to have his sight set on a particular girl in the club already.
“I guess you already know then…” Jun simply replied as he signaled the bartender for a bottle of beer.
“I don’t like you for Mao-chan…” Toma said bluntly, without even turning to look at the guy even once.
“I’d be more surprised if you said otherwise…” Jun replied.
Toma couldn’t sense a note of sarcasm in that, or any hint of belittling, which were, to say the least, some of the least he expected from the guy who he already knew to be exuding a great air of sef-confidence from the very first day he saw him. That statement sounded just like that, actually, a statement.
When Toma turned to look at him, Jun wasn’t even looking at him. He was looking thoughtfully at the bottle the bartender had handed him.
“I am not going to any length for you, or any of her friends, to like me…” Jun continued. “I’d rather that her friends and loved ones like me because they see that I am actually good for her, and not because I wooed myself into them accepting me…”
Toma almost wanted to groan hearing him say that. He didn’t need any reason to respect the guy; he needed more reasons for him to be able to hate the guy rightfully. But after hearing him say those words, what happened was more of the former than that of the latter. In fact, it’s almost as if the latter didn’t even happen at all.
It was actually one of the reasons why he liked Ryo for his cousin, because Ryo didn’t work his way into Erika’s heart with his help, despite the fact that they were in the same department in the university. Ryo worked in on his own and to a certain extent, he didn’t even bother with Toma until after he and Erika got together.
Before his and Jun’s conversation even ended, Toma came up with the realization that the guy had earned his respect, but that it still doesn’t change the fact that there’s something about him he doesn’t like.
“I’m not going to make it any easier for you…” he ended up telling the guy.
-----TBC-----
TITLE: Surely Someday: Just a Bit of Prodding
CHARACTERS: Oguri Shun, Yamada Yu, Matsumoto Jun (this chapter), Inoue Mao (this chapter)
PAIRING: Jun/Mao
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
Author's Notes: This is actually the first installment of my Surely Someday series...
Summary: this is where everything started... this is where his 'other' hobby was born... when 2 hearts starts beating but the eyes wouldn't dare see... all they really just need is to be prodded along... :)
“You don’t look good…” Shun stated a matter-of-factly as he stepped within 3 meters of an eyes-closed Jun at the Hana Yori Dango Returns set.
“Thanks for that wonderful assessment…” Jun replied dryly without even opening his eyes. “It led me to a huge realization…”
Shun simply shrugged at the snappy reply as he took the seat next to the idol. He looked tired and out of sleep.
“How any hours of sleep have you been getting?” he asked, taking in the eye bags that’s already visible beneath his eyes. For a few seconds, he reveled at how good their make up artists actually are that those eye bags wouldn’t be revealed much on screen.
Jun opened his eyes and looked at him directly. “You are not my mother so don’t start thinking of mothering me…”
Shun chuckled. “Not much then…” he deduced. “You know you should seriously consider taking a break…” he told him. Jun simply snorted and went back to closing his eyes, Shun knew why.
Before he could say what was on his thoughts though, another person entered the room and greeted everyone there with a cheery “Hello! Good morning everyone!”
Before she could even finish that greeting, Mao had already bounded next to the two men and to greet them “Hi Jun-kun, Shun-kun!” with a sweet smile.
“Hello Mao-chan…” Shun replied with a chuckle. “You seem to be in a good mood today…”
“Of course I am…” Mao smiled at him before turning to face Jun, who hadn’t even given any sort of reaction or recognition to her greeting. “Oi, Mr. Idol! Why are you sleeping here again?! You better start getting some proper sleep you know…” she told Jun as she shoved his shoulders lightly.
If any other girl, heck, person, could have done that, it’s a perfect guarantee that Jun would get mad, or snap, or guarantee that a body part of that person would be red in the next few seconds. But while there was a scowl in his face when he opened his eyes, there’s no real threat in his words when he looked at Mao and said “Noisy!”
“No I’m not…” Mao replied cheekily. “It’s normal to have this kind of tension in the morning… What’s not normal is taking a nap when the day just started…”
After saying those words, she waved at the two men and turned around to leave. Right at that moment, one of the P.A.’s arrived to tell Jun that they’re ready for him at the make up trailer.
Shun could only sit there and watch as Jun pushed himself to a stand which is why he saw the ghost of a smile that was on Jun’s lips before he headed off to the direction the P.A. indicated, but not before a lingering gaze on the back of the woman that seems to be heading to her own green room too. Shun couldn’t help but smile.
“I don’t know why they don’t just do something about it already…” a voice suddenly said behind him.
Shun almost wanted to jump out of his seat the moment he heard those words. It is in his role to do the startling and sudden appearances, not to be at the receiving end of it. When he turned around to look at the source of the voice, he saw that it was Tonton, Abe Tsuyoshi, wearing already part of his costume for the day and standing a few feet behind him with a cup of coffee in his hands.
“Tonton!” Shun cried. “You surprised me… What time did you come in?”
Tonton chuckled as he walked closer to where he was seated before eventually occupying the seat that Jun vacated just moments ago. “I was already in before Jun-kun arrived…”
“Of course you would…” Shun chuckled. Tonton, after all, had been the earliest of all of them during Hana Yori Dango. That hadn’t changed even as Returns is nearing its end. “What was that thing you said earlier?”
“Nothing much…” Tonton replied before taking a sip off his coffee. “I’m just wondering why Jun-kun and Mao-chan still hadn’t done anything about those secret feelings they’re harboring for each other…”
After the look of slight surprise Shun simply gave the older actor after that statement, Tonton chuckled “What? Don’t tell me you didn’t see it too?”
“It’s not that I didn’t notice it…” Shun replied. “I just never thought it was actually that obvious already…”
If truth be told, it took Shun quite a long time to finally notice that there’s something else entirely between the two leads of their drama. While their onscreen chemistry had always been explosive since the first season, their offscreen one is entirely something else. Jun and Mao had always loved discussing, but it wasn’t the type of discussion Shun had always seen his co-Gokusen-alumna-now-best friend be involved in like script and acting discussions. But the banter between the two was more than that.
For quite some time, Shun assumed that whatever it was that was between Jun and Mao was just some sort of friendly brother-sister thing. After all, he didn’t have any sort of comparison to begin with. His previous project with Jun was practically all men with the exception of Nakama Yukie who’s senior enough for Jun not to banter with her just like that.
But that opinion of his changed when he noticed the lingering looks and furtive glances the other would give while the other was looking away.
“Jun is an idol after all…” Shun shrugged. “A Johnny at that, he’s already subject to much more restrictions as compared to the normal idols out there… Plus there’s his group to consider too… Arashi’s been gaining steady noise over the past couple of years…”
“Love wouldn’t be stopped by profession…” Tonton simply said. “Besides, considering how well received their onscreen love team is, I’d be willing to bet that their fans would accept their relationship a lot easier than they would the others…”
Shun thought for a while after hearing that. One of the things he’d always admired in the guy was the fact that Abe Tsuyoshi could speak plain truths, that he could speak with a completely objective point of view. Basically being considered an outsider during the time he first entered the Hanadan set, Tonton had always had that ability to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, to see from an outsider’s point of view. Even after all these years, that ability hasn’t changed.
And just after seconds of thinking, Shun couldn’t help but admit the logic behind those words.
“You know, I think you’re actually right…” he smiled.
“Too bad though…” Tonton sighed. “Jun-kun isn’t likely to make any move considering how serious he is with his job and Mao-chan’s not the type to confess her feelings, even if it is very obvious already…”
Shun could only smile more. “That could be arranged…”
-----
“Remind me again why I thought this was a good idea…” Jun sighed as he helped Shun into Yu’s passenger side seat.
It was nearing midnight already after quite a successful day of shooting some of their last scenes. Shun suggested that they go out for meals together, all five of them (since the staff were all quite busy with editing and stuff). That meal, however, ended up with a drinking party when both Shun and Shota, and even Mao to a certain extent expressed their wish of taking in some liquor. Jun didn’t oppose, being an able drinker himself.
“Because Mao-chan said so…” Shun replied cheekily.
Jun snorted. “You guys are disgusting…” he told his best friend instead. “Being picked up by your present and prospective girl friends because you’re all so drunk to go home on your own…”
Because other than Shun being picked up by Yu, Shota was picked up, to Jun’s slight surprise, by non other than Toda Erika. Abe, on the other hand, was smart enough not to exceed his alcohol limits and was even smarter to leave before the other two could drink their hearts out. Mao, it appears, wasn’t as drunk as Shun and Shota too, as evidenced by how she still managed to stand on her own feet and not sway as she waited for Jun; they’ve all agreed that it’s far too dangerous for her to go home on her own despite her apparent un-drunkenness.
“I can’t believe my best friend was out-drunk by a girl!” Jun exclaimed.
Shun simply smiled, obviously unaffected by Jun’s words because of the effects of the alcohol, or something else. “Have fun Jun-chan…” he even said as he wiggled his eyebrows at him and Mao.
Jun could somehow feel his ears growing warm at Shun’s insinuations. Making sure that he’d still somehow hit his best friend without causing serious injuries to him, he closed the door to hit his arm before turning to Yu and said “I’m really sorry about this…”
Yu smiled. “No problems Matsumoto-kun… And don’t worry about this guy… I’ll make sure he gets what he’s due…”
Jun nodded at the woman appreciatively before stepping back to allow her car to speed off. And then he turned to the smiling Mao next to the hood of his car.
“Let’s go Mao-chan?”
Mao simply smiled. When Jun headed towards the driver’s side, (the passenger side’s door being opened already) Mao, too, turned to enter the car, but Jun couldn’t help but notice that she seemed to have to hold on the hood of his car as support as she headed in.
-----
“You’re unusually quiet…” Jun started just a couple of minutes into their ride to her place. Mao had yet to speak a single word, let alone phrase or sentence as she usually just lets out whether they’re alone or not. She had her head leaned on her side’s window as her eyes focused on the road.
When she turned her eyes towards him, Jun saw that it was unfocused for a moment. He chuckled.
“You’re actually, really, seriously drunk, aren’t you?” he asked in a slightly amused voice.
“Pfft… Of course not…” Mao replied, her hand reaching out to hit him on the shoulder in a supposed to be light jab but what turned out to be a slightly stronger one. “Why would I be drunk? I’m Makino Tsukushi, the tough weed, after all…”
Jun shook his head a bit and smiled. “You are so drunk…” he simply stated.
“No, I’m not…” Mao objected. And then she stopped. “Okay, maybe a bit…” she admitted after a moment’s deep thought.
This caused Jun to suddenly burst out laughing as he turned towards the street that has Mao’s apartment. He’s aware of Mao’s address already.
Mao pouted hearing his laughter. “It’s not funny you know, I just didn’t expect that that bottle Shun-kun opened was that strong…”
“You were going shot for shot against Shota-kun earlier…” Jun pointed out, shaking his head a bit. “So I thought your alcohol tolerance was high…”
“It is…” Mao sighed, her eyes dangerously fluttering close. “That alcohol was higher though…”
Jun chuckled. “So why were you pretending like you’re all good earlier?” he asked because even after Shota and Shun admitted, despite their best efforts not to, that they’re drunk, Mao maintained that she was all right.
“Because I didn’t want the others to see…” Mao replied.
“Why are you letting me see it now?” Jun asked before he could stop himself, Mao’s apartment building being just in sight already.
“Because you’re you…” Mao simply stated. “You wouldn’t make fun of me… Not really… Besides, you’re different…”
Jun could only swallow after hearing those words. There are actually a lot of meanings behind those words, some light, some relatively deep but it hit Jun pretty hard as he felt all the lingering effects of the alcohol he had taken in earlier be wiped away from his system. Everything seemed to be clearer, louder, even the beating of his own heart. He ended up not talking until he parked in front of Mao’s building.
“We’re here…” he managed to announce without his voice breaking or croaking but when he turned to Mao, he saw that her eyes were still closed. She appeared to have fallen asleep.
He couldn’t help but smile as his eyes lingered on her face for a while. He can’t say that he loves the woman, that would be too much or too early to be said for the time being. But it wasn’t just plain like or admiration either. There was something different about her, he’d long since acknowledged that. But he also knew that it’s not like there’s anything he can do about it, with everything else being considered.
After leaning over to remove her seatbelt, he moved out to open the door next to her before coaxing her out of the car.
Mao hadn’t opened her eyes even as she did what he told her resulting that she practically stumbled out of the car instead of just stepping out and that she ended up leaning on his chest. Jun couldn’t help but look down as his arms held onto her for her not to fall. It was at this point that she opened her eyes.
She had no cheeky comment when she saw him looking at her though, instead, she exclaimed “You know, you really have beautiful eyes…”
“I know that…” Jun managed to reply dryly though his heart is about to beat its way out of his chest.
Mao chuckled as she straightened up, her balance a whole lot better. “Of course you do… But I’ve always loved your eyes…” she said. “Too bad though…”
Jun couldn’t come up with anything to say when he heard her first words but her last two stirred him.
“What’s too bad?”
“That I’m not the type who confesses…” Mao shrugged as she started her way to the door. After a couple of steps, Jun caught up to stop her from falling to her side even though she looked like she might be able to manage it on her own. “If I was the aggressive type of girl, I would probably have asked you out on a date with me…” she continued conversationally the moment she felt Jun next to him. “But I’m not… I am different…”
“Yeah… you are…” Jun could only reply as a small smile crept its way to his lips.
-----
There was a noticeable difference in the interaction between the two Hana Yori Dango leads when shooting started the afternoon after. It was different from their usual banter but it wasn’t that huge of a leap either.
And when Jun’s hands were noticeably much more comfortably resting over the back of Mao’s chair and Mao started poking him on his sides and they would end up smiling and laughing about something only the two of them knew, Shun, Shota, and Tonton caught each other’s eyes and they all smiled.
It wasn’t really part of Shun’s plans that they, well, he and Shota, got really and actually drunk the night before to somehow shove Jun and Mao towards the right direction. The plan was that Mao, or even Jun if they’re able to manage it, would be slightly drunker than the rest of them to help their tongues let loose. But while it seemed that the one that wasn’t part of the plan happened while the part that was in the plan didn’t, the end results was still the same thing.
And Shun knew that he, or anyone else, no longer needs to prod the two towards the right direction. They’re both heading there on their own already.
-----
yeah for a full out junxmao post... lol... like that's new for me... :)
how was the stories? like it or not?
comments and critics are really loved... :)
HAPPY VALENTINES!!!
it still is here and elsewhere in the world so... :)
and it is also the reason for this post... :)
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, Chapter7, Chapter8, Chapter 9,
Chapter 10: Hear Ye… Hear Ye…
When you don’t like what you’re going to hear but you still have to open listen, it probably means it’s going to have a big effect on your life… (Especially when it isn’t about work or school… :D)
“Why are you avoiding me?” Mao asked, her arms crossed in front of her chest and an eyebrow raised as she looked at her best friend.
It was already Wednesday evening and it’s the first time she and Toma saw each other since dropping her off at the office early Monday morning. He sent her messages like usual, of course, and he’d drop a call every now and then, but Mao had already decided to tell him personally. Not through the phone, a text message or email.
The other parts of her life were moving on nicely. Her professional life, work, is moving along just fine. The concept of the advertisement that would star Becky for the 164 Restaurant chain had already been approved by both the upper management and Nagano Hiroshi himself. Director Mabo had actually been handed the concept already and the production department had already created the necessary scripts and props for the shoot. Becky, in fact, had already started the preliminary shoot for the ad.
With regards to her suddenly colorful love life, it’s actually flowing along nicely too. Of course Jun didn’t cross the line between work and play while within the company’s time. But a master of flirtation, as Maki fondly calls him when he’s not around, doesn’t need that much time to be able to make advances. Mao would be lying if she said she doesn’t agree.
But with regards to Toma, things couldn’t ever be more opposite. She wouldn’t have been able to see him if she hadn’t decided to go to his apartment to drop off some of the bake macaroni she made after she called Toma to ask him over to her place and he said he’d be busy at work for the night.
“I am not avoiding you!” Toma exclaimed with the air of a kid trying to deny something even when he’s already caught red handed with his hand in the cookie jar.
“Oh really?” Mao exclaimed. “So being so busy all of a sudden is you not avoiding me?”
“My dear Mao-chan…” Toma started as he stood up to walk towards her, putting a patronizing arm over her shoulder. “I’m working, remember? It’s not my fault if it gets busy at work all of a sudden these past few days…”
With a raised eyebrow, Mao turned to him and said “You also said you were busy tonight… If you being busy meant sitting back on your couch and watching TV” indicating the scene Mao walked into when she entered his apartment “Then, yes… It is your fault…”
Toma withdrew his hand from her shoulders slowly and sheepishly as he smiled. “Well, the Giants have a game tonight… We decided to not work after all…” he reasoned.
Before Mao could magnify any one of the many loopholes in that statement alone, he added “What are you doing here anyway?”
Mao raised an eyebrow at him and nodded towards the paper bag she had deposited on the side table before crossing her arms over her chest earlier. “I thought I’d be a nice best friend and drop by to deliver some food so that my best friend would have something to eat when he goes home after work…” she replied. “Imagine my surprise when I saw that best friend in question, who was supposed to be at work, in his own living room, watching a baseball game…”
“This isn’t intentional!” Toma cried as he marched towards that paper bag and peeked inside. “Wow… this looks delicious… You haven’t made bake macaroni in a while, what made you make one now?” he asked, turning to her in hopes of getting past the issue that Mao seemed to be determined to pursue.
Mao sighed, knowing what Toma is doing but still, she decided to play along. “Because I thought a good bake mac would lure you out of the hiding place you’ve been in for the past couple of days… I told you, I needed to tell you something…”
Toma grinned as he turned to look at her. But when he spoke, it was as if he didn’t hear the last of her words. “Great! Let’s go eat then…” he exclaimed. “I’m suddenly realized that I am already starving…”
Mao groaned. “Toma…”
The dropping of the ‘kun’ and the fact that Mao said that in a slightly tired tone told Toma that Mao really was serious in whatever it is she’s trying to tell him. He sighed.
“Fine…” he said. “What is this something you’re trying to tell me?”
A small smile crept up Mao’s lips as she looked at her best friend and the resigned state he’s in. and then she said “About last Saturday…”
-----
“I don’t like him…” Toma said plainly after Mao finished telling him everything, or almost everything at least, that happened last Saturday, how things lead to things happening that Saturday, and what happened after while the two of them sat facing each other at the sofa.
Technically speaking, telling Toma wouldn’t have taken as long as it took, a little less than an hour actually, if not for the fact that Toma cut in on almost everything she said to give a reaction or a dry comment that would somehow lead to a bit of a discussion before she could continue with what she’s trying to say. It almost seemed to her that Toma’s doing his best to not yet hear what she’s actually going down to.
Mao tried her best to stop herself from rolling her eyes at his statement.
“Although I don’t, at all, feel surprised hearing that, why?” she asked. She and Toma were already seated at the sofa, facing each other, by that time.
”Because…” Toma exclaimed as if that was already reason enough for him not to like the guy.
When he didn’t say anything else a few seconds after that though, Mao chuckled. “Because is a word that starts the sentence that would give your reason, Toma-kun… Not the reason itself…” she told him.
Toma groaned exasperatedly. “I just don’t like the guy… There’s something about him I don’t like…”
Mao tried her best not to chuckle although she was already highly amused hearing him defend his belief that way.
“And why is that?” she asked, humoring him.
Toma’s face darkened but it wasn’t because of Mao or her questions. Mostly, it was because he looked like he was remembering the first time he saw the guy they’re talking about.
“He’s a playboy…” he replied darkly.
“You only met him once!” Mao exclaimed with a slight chuckle. “How would you know that he’s a playboy?”
Toma groaned. “Because I’m a guy Mao-chan, and I can sense these kinds of things… He’s a playboy and that means he’s bad news…”
“He actually kind of reminds me off you when I first met him…” Mao admitted cheekily. When Toma snorted at that, she added “What? You’re going to deny that you’re a playboy too?”
“I’m not going to deny anything because I really am not a playboy…” he replied with a slight frown. “It just so happens that none of my past relationships actually lasted…”
Mao smiled as she inched closer to him. “I’m not sure if that sounded better than being called a playboy or not…” she told him a matter-of-factly. Toma sighing at her words told her he, too, agreed.
“I’m telling you Mao-chan, that guy is trouble…” he sighed.
Laying her head on his shoulder, Mao stated “That’s what they all said when we first got together years ago… And we were younger then too…”
Toma groaned because that was true. And then he stopped short. With hurt eyes and furrowed eyebrows, he turned to the woman next to her and said “Why do you keep defending that guy? And why do you keep comparing it to what happened to us before? Are you saying you actually really like him?!”
Mao simply smiled.
-----
“I don’t see what’s with all the fuss actually…” Ryo shrugged before taking a sip off his beer bottle. He and Toma decided to go to Mystique the night after Mao and Toma’s big conversation, especially since Toma came in moody that morning and haven’t changed as the day progressed. They were at the top booth, the booth just below Kamenashi’s, the owner, office, which is their usual booth. “I mean, Mao-chan’s the same age as Erika so she’s 26 already… I think it’s about time she starts dating again… Erika and Maki-chan thinks so too…”
“Sure it is…” Toma groaned, downing the contents of his beer before grabbing a freshly opened one. “But why does it have to be that guy… I mean, there are lots of other men out there, why would she choose to go out with that guy?”
Ryo shrugged. “What’s your issue with the guy anyway?”
“There’s something about him I just don’t like…”
Ryo snorted. “Yeah right… Because the chance of you liking any guy who comes close to Mao-chan is really high at the moment…”
Toma chose not to respond to that sarcastic remark and with the right timing too since a few minutes later, the figures of Ohkura and Takki rose at the stairs, both having had a bit of fun with some of the ladies at the dance floor.
“What? You’re still sulking?” Ohkura exclaimed seeing Toma’s hunch.
Takki tsk-ed as he occupied the seat next to Toma.
“Toma-kun, a word from the wise… We good-looking and irresistible men of today’s generation don’t worry about women… Women worry about us…” he said with inexplicable self-confidence as he placed a condescending arm over Toma’s shoulders.
Before Toma could come up with a retort for that, seeing that Ohkura nodded and Ryo just smiled, Takki’s eyes darted towards the set of stairs he and Ohkura just ascended from and he exclaimed “And we are actually in the presence of a man who knows everything about that…”
The three other pairs of eyes in that booth looked towards that direction too and the sight that greeted them resulted to different reactions: Ohkura smiled, Ryo was confused, and Toma’s face grew darker.
Other than those reactions though, no one else could do or even say anything as a familiar male voice rose from behind them. That voice belonged to Kame and he exclaimed “I never thought I’d ever see you here on a week day, cousin…”
“You made me come here…” the new arrival pointed out, although there was a relaxed smile on his lips as Kame approached him.
Kame simply grinned as he stumped his cousin’s shoulder before turning to the other men there to serve the introductions.
“Guys, meet my cousin… Matsumoto Jun…”
-----
“Yeah, we’ve met….”
That was the brief response Toma gave after Kame introduced him and Ryo, seeing that both Takki and Ohkura have met the guy before. Takki, in fact, have crossed paths with him once or twice during his college days.
There was no smile on Toma’s lips when he said that, which is a stark contrast to the warm one that was on Ryo’s when he shook the guy’s hand. But to Toma’s credit though, he did try his best to hide the scowl on his face when he nodded at the guy, his best act of being civil considering the circumstances.
He stopped trying though the moment Jun and Kame went into the latter’s private office. What he didn’t know was that the two’s eyes where on him as they looked out of the one-way mirror that overlooks the whole of the bar from Kame’s office.
“Ikuta-kun doesn’t like you…” Kame stated his observation after a while.
“Yep…” Jun simply replied, prompting Kame to look at him in slight amazement.
“You know that he doesn’t like you?” he asked.
“Uh huh…” Jun nodded his head as he downed the contents of the whiskey glass Kame had handed him upon entry.
“You don’t seem annoyed…” Kame observed.
“No…”
“And you actually know why, in the first place…” Kame assumed. And then he chuckled. “Come to think of it, I think even I know the reason… A girl, right?”
“Not just any girl…” Jun replied. “Mao-chan…”
“Mao-chan?” Kame repeated.
“Yep…” Jun smiled. “The woman you saw me talking to when you dropped by MSMT to poke fun of me…”
“Wait…” Kame exclaimed as realization dawned on him. “Mao-chan is the name of the most important girl in Ikuta-kun’s life…”
“Yeah… She’s his best friend…” Jun replied.
“Not just any best friend…” Kame corrected. “Those two used to be a couple… Although that was years ago… When they were just teen-agers, I think…”
“Oh…” Jun exclaimed as he turned to look at Toma again. “That explains a lot…”
-----
“I don’t like you…” Toma simply stated when Jun joined him at the counter on the ground floor, after he was left by the others on his own at the top booth when even Takki managed to drag Ryo along to the dance floor seeing that Ohkura seemed to have his sight set on a particular girl in the club already.
“I guess you already know then…” Jun simply replied as he signaled the bartender for a bottle of beer.
“I don’t like you for Mao-chan…” Toma said bluntly, without even turning to look at the guy even once.
“I’d be more surprised if you said otherwise…” Jun replied.
Toma couldn’t sense a note of sarcasm in that, or any hint of belittling, which were, to say the least, some of the least he expected from the guy who he already knew to be exuding a great air of sef-confidence from the very first day he saw him. That statement sounded just like that, actually, a statement.
When Toma turned to look at him, Jun wasn’t even looking at him. He was looking thoughtfully at the bottle the bartender had handed him.
“I am not going to any length for you, or any of her friends, to like me…” Jun continued. “I’d rather that her friends and loved ones like me because they see that I am actually good for her, and not because I wooed myself into them accepting me…”
Toma almost wanted to groan hearing him say that. He didn’t need any reason to respect the guy; he needed more reasons for him to be able to hate the guy rightfully. But after hearing him say those words, what happened was more of the former than that of the latter. In fact, it’s almost as if the latter didn’t even happen at all.
It was actually one of the reasons why he liked Ryo for his cousin, because Ryo didn’t work his way into Erika’s heart with his help, despite the fact that they were in the same department in the university. Ryo worked in on his own and to a certain extent, he didn’t even bother with Toma until after he and Erika got together.
Before his and Jun’s conversation even ended, Toma came up with the realization that the guy had earned his respect, but that it still doesn’t change the fact that there’s something about him he doesn’t like.
“I’m not going to make it any easier for you…” he ended up telling the guy.
-----TBC-----
TITLE: Surely Someday: Just a Bit of Prodding
CHARACTERS: Oguri Shun, Yamada Yu, Matsumoto Jun (this chapter), Inoue Mao (this chapter)
PAIRING: Jun/Mao
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
Author's Notes: This is actually the first installment of my Surely Someday series...
Summary: this is where everything started... this is where his 'other' hobby was born... when 2 hearts starts beating but the eyes wouldn't dare see... all they really just need is to be prodded along... :)
“You don’t look good…” Shun stated a matter-of-factly as he stepped within 3 meters of an eyes-closed Jun at the Hana Yori Dango Returns set.
“Thanks for that wonderful assessment…” Jun replied dryly without even opening his eyes. “It led me to a huge realization…”
Shun simply shrugged at the snappy reply as he took the seat next to the idol. He looked tired and out of sleep.
“How any hours of sleep have you been getting?” he asked, taking in the eye bags that’s already visible beneath his eyes. For a few seconds, he reveled at how good their make up artists actually are that those eye bags wouldn’t be revealed much on screen.
Jun opened his eyes and looked at him directly. “You are not my mother so don’t start thinking of mothering me…”
Shun chuckled. “Not much then…” he deduced. “You know you should seriously consider taking a break…” he told him. Jun simply snorted and went back to closing his eyes, Shun knew why.
Before he could say what was on his thoughts though, another person entered the room and greeted everyone there with a cheery “Hello! Good morning everyone!”
Before she could even finish that greeting, Mao had already bounded next to the two men and to greet them “Hi Jun-kun, Shun-kun!” with a sweet smile.
“Hello Mao-chan…” Shun replied with a chuckle. “You seem to be in a good mood today…”
“Of course I am…” Mao smiled at him before turning to face Jun, who hadn’t even given any sort of reaction or recognition to her greeting. “Oi, Mr. Idol! Why are you sleeping here again?! You better start getting some proper sleep you know…” she told Jun as she shoved his shoulders lightly.
If any other girl, heck, person, could have done that, it’s a perfect guarantee that Jun would get mad, or snap, or guarantee that a body part of that person would be red in the next few seconds. But while there was a scowl in his face when he opened his eyes, there’s no real threat in his words when he looked at Mao and said “Noisy!”
“No I’m not…” Mao replied cheekily. “It’s normal to have this kind of tension in the morning… What’s not normal is taking a nap when the day just started…”
After saying those words, she waved at the two men and turned around to leave. Right at that moment, one of the P.A.’s arrived to tell Jun that they’re ready for him at the make up trailer.
Shun could only sit there and watch as Jun pushed himself to a stand which is why he saw the ghost of a smile that was on Jun’s lips before he headed off to the direction the P.A. indicated, but not before a lingering gaze on the back of the woman that seems to be heading to her own green room too. Shun couldn’t help but smile.
“I don’t know why they don’t just do something about it already…” a voice suddenly said behind him.
Shun almost wanted to jump out of his seat the moment he heard those words. It is in his role to do the startling and sudden appearances, not to be at the receiving end of it. When he turned around to look at the source of the voice, he saw that it was Tonton, Abe Tsuyoshi, wearing already part of his costume for the day and standing a few feet behind him with a cup of coffee in his hands.
“Tonton!” Shun cried. “You surprised me… What time did you come in?”
Tonton chuckled as he walked closer to where he was seated before eventually occupying the seat that Jun vacated just moments ago. “I was already in before Jun-kun arrived…”
“Of course you would…” Shun chuckled. Tonton, after all, had been the earliest of all of them during Hana Yori Dango. That hadn’t changed even as Returns is nearing its end. “What was that thing you said earlier?”
“Nothing much…” Tonton replied before taking a sip off his coffee. “I’m just wondering why Jun-kun and Mao-chan still hadn’t done anything about those secret feelings they’re harboring for each other…”
After the look of slight surprise Shun simply gave the older actor after that statement, Tonton chuckled “What? Don’t tell me you didn’t see it too?”
“It’s not that I didn’t notice it…” Shun replied. “I just never thought it was actually that obvious already…”
If truth be told, it took Shun quite a long time to finally notice that there’s something else entirely between the two leads of their drama. While their onscreen chemistry had always been explosive since the first season, their offscreen one is entirely something else. Jun and Mao had always loved discussing, but it wasn’t the type of discussion Shun had always seen his co-Gokusen-alumna-now-best friend be involved in like script and acting discussions. But the banter between the two was more than that.
For quite some time, Shun assumed that whatever it was that was between Jun and Mao was just some sort of friendly brother-sister thing. After all, he didn’t have any sort of comparison to begin with. His previous project with Jun was practically all men with the exception of Nakama Yukie who’s senior enough for Jun not to banter with her just like that.
But that opinion of his changed when he noticed the lingering looks and furtive glances the other would give while the other was looking away.
“Jun is an idol after all…” Shun shrugged. “A Johnny at that, he’s already subject to much more restrictions as compared to the normal idols out there… Plus there’s his group to consider too… Arashi’s been gaining steady noise over the past couple of years…”
“Love wouldn’t be stopped by profession…” Tonton simply said. “Besides, considering how well received their onscreen love team is, I’d be willing to bet that their fans would accept their relationship a lot easier than they would the others…”
Shun thought for a while after hearing that. One of the things he’d always admired in the guy was the fact that Abe Tsuyoshi could speak plain truths, that he could speak with a completely objective point of view. Basically being considered an outsider during the time he first entered the Hanadan set, Tonton had always had that ability to take a step back and look at the bigger picture, to see from an outsider’s point of view. Even after all these years, that ability hasn’t changed.
And just after seconds of thinking, Shun couldn’t help but admit the logic behind those words.
“You know, I think you’re actually right…” he smiled.
“Too bad though…” Tonton sighed. “Jun-kun isn’t likely to make any move considering how serious he is with his job and Mao-chan’s not the type to confess her feelings, even if it is very obvious already…”
Shun could only smile more. “That could be arranged…”
-----
“Remind me again why I thought this was a good idea…” Jun sighed as he helped Shun into Yu’s passenger side seat.
It was nearing midnight already after quite a successful day of shooting some of their last scenes. Shun suggested that they go out for meals together, all five of them (since the staff were all quite busy with editing and stuff). That meal, however, ended up with a drinking party when both Shun and Shota, and even Mao to a certain extent expressed their wish of taking in some liquor. Jun didn’t oppose, being an able drinker himself.
“Because Mao-chan said so…” Shun replied cheekily.
Jun snorted. “You guys are disgusting…” he told his best friend instead. “Being picked up by your present and prospective girl friends because you’re all so drunk to go home on your own…”
Because other than Shun being picked up by Yu, Shota was picked up, to Jun’s slight surprise, by non other than Toda Erika. Abe, on the other hand, was smart enough not to exceed his alcohol limits and was even smarter to leave before the other two could drink their hearts out. Mao, it appears, wasn’t as drunk as Shun and Shota too, as evidenced by how she still managed to stand on her own feet and not sway as she waited for Jun; they’ve all agreed that it’s far too dangerous for her to go home on her own despite her apparent un-drunkenness.
“I can’t believe my best friend was out-drunk by a girl!” Jun exclaimed.
Shun simply smiled, obviously unaffected by Jun’s words because of the effects of the alcohol, or something else. “Have fun Jun-chan…” he even said as he wiggled his eyebrows at him and Mao.
Jun could somehow feel his ears growing warm at Shun’s insinuations. Making sure that he’d still somehow hit his best friend without causing serious injuries to him, he closed the door to hit his arm before turning to Yu and said “I’m really sorry about this…”
Yu smiled. “No problems Matsumoto-kun… And don’t worry about this guy… I’ll make sure he gets what he’s due…”
Jun nodded at the woman appreciatively before stepping back to allow her car to speed off. And then he turned to the smiling Mao next to the hood of his car.
“Let’s go Mao-chan?”
Mao simply smiled. When Jun headed towards the driver’s side, (the passenger side’s door being opened already) Mao, too, turned to enter the car, but Jun couldn’t help but notice that she seemed to have to hold on the hood of his car as support as she headed in.
-----
“You’re unusually quiet…” Jun started just a couple of minutes into their ride to her place. Mao had yet to speak a single word, let alone phrase or sentence as she usually just lets out whether they’re alone or not. She had her head leaned on her side’s window as her eyes focused on the road.
When she turned her eyes towards him, Jun saw that it was unfocused for a moment. He chuckled.
“You’re actually, really, seriously drunk, aren’t you?” he asked in a slightly amused voice.
“Pfft… Of course not…” Mao replied, her hand reaching out to hit him on the shoulder in a supposed to be light jab but what turned out to be a slightly stronger one. “Why would I be drunk? I’m Makino Tsukushi, the tough weed, after all…”
Jun shook his head a bit and smiled. “You are so drunk…” he simply stated.
“No, I’m not…” Mao objected. And then she stopped. “Okay, maybe a bit…” she admitted after a moment’s deep thought.
This caused Jun to suddenly burst out laughing as he turned towards the street that has Mao’s apartment. He’s aware of Mao’s address already.
Mao pouted hearing his laughter. “It’s not funny you know, I just didn’t expect that that bottle Shun-kun opened was that strong…”
“You were going shot for shot against Shota-kun earlier…” Jun pointed out, shaking his head a bit. “So I thought your alcohol tolerance was high…”
“It is…” Mao sighed, her eyes dangerously fluttering close. “That alcohol was higher though…”
Jun chuckled. “So why were you pretending like you’re all good earlier?” he asked because even after Shota and Shun admitted, despite their best efforts not to, that they’re drunk, Mao maintained that she was all right.
“Because I didn’t want the others to see…” Mao replied.
“Why are you letting me see it now?” Jun asked before he could stop himself, Mao’s apartment building being just in sight already.
“Because you’re you…” Mao simply stated. “You wouldn’t make fun of me… Not really… Besides, you’re different…”
Jun could only swallow after hearing those words. There are actually a lot of meanings behind those words, some light, some relatively deep but it hit Jun pretty hard as he felt all the lingering effects of the alcohol he had taken in earlier be wiped away from his system. Everything seemed to be clearer, louder, even the beating of his own heart. He ended up not talking until he parked in front of Mao’s building.
“We’re here…” he managed to announce without his voice breaking or croaking but when he turned to Mao, he saw that her eyes were still closed. She appeared to have fallen asleep.
He couldn’t help but smile as his eyes lingered on her face for a while. He can’t say that he loves the woman, that would be too much or too early to be said for the time being. But it wasn’t just plain like or admiration either. There was something different about her, he’d long since acknowledged that. But he also knew that it’s not like there’s anything he can do about it, with everything else being considered.
After leaning over to remove her seatbelt, he moved out to open the door next to her before coaxing her out of the car.
Mao hadn’t opened her eyes even as she did what he told her resulting that she practically stumbled out of the car instead of just stepping out and that she ended up leaning on his chest. Jun couldn’t help but look down as his arms held onto her for her not to fall. It was at this point that she opened her eyes.
She had no cheeky comment when she saw him looking at her though, instead, she exclaimed “You know, you really have beautiful eyes…”
“I know that…” Jun managed to reply dryly though his heart is about to beat its way out of his chest.
Mao chuckled as she straightened up, her balance a whole lot better. “Of course you do… But I’ve always loved your eyes…” she said. “Too bad though…”
Jun couldn’t come up with anything to say when he heard her first words but her last two stirred him.
“What’s too bad?”
“That I’m not the type who confesses…” Mao shrugged as she started her way to the door. After a couple of steps, Jun caught up to stop her from falling to her side even though she looked like she might be able to manage it on her own. “If I was the aggressive type of girl, I would probably have asked you out on a date with me…” she continued conversationally the moment she felt Jun next to him. “But I’m not… I am different…”
“Yeah… you are…” Jun could only reply as a small smile crept its way to his lips.
-----
There was a noticeable difference in the interaction between the two Hana Yori Dango leads when shooting started the afternoon after. It was different from their usual banter but it wasn’t that huge of a leap either.
And when Jun’s hands were noticeably much more comfortably resting over the back of Mao’s chair and Mao started poking him on his sides and they would end up smiling and laughing about something only the two of them knew, Shun, Shota, and Tonton caught each other’s eyes and they all smiled.
It wasn’t really part of Shun’s plans that they, well, he and Shota, got really and actually drunk the night before to somehow shove Jun and Mao towards the right direction. The plan was that Mao, or even Jun if they’re able to manage it, would be slightly drunker than the rest of them to help their tongues let loose. But while it seemed that the one that wasn’t part of the plan happened while the part that was in the plan didn’t, the end results was still the same thing.
And Shun knew that he, or anyone else, no longer needs to prod the two towards the right direction. They’re both heading there on their own already.
-----
yeah for a full out junxmao post... lol... like that's new for me... :)
how was the stories? like it or not?
comments and critics are really loved... :)
