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angelshillsorry, i forgot to post it here...
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, Chapter10, Chapter11, Chapter12, Chapter13, Chapter14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter17,Chapter 18
Chapter 19: Unexpected
The couple’s entry in the studio caused quite a stir in the people already gathered inside, particularly the ones who knew the recent history those two share, including Mao, Maki and Director Matsuoka.
To begin with, Becky’s entry alone would be enough to cause a reaction, what with her latest endeavors, including a studio album, continue to be as successful as it is, something that isn’t really that easy to achieve for someone who performs solo.
A lot of entertainment industry people had dubbed her the biggest solo talent in all of Japan in years.
But in that studio, those facts are already a given. The bigger issue was that she had just entered the studio next to their very own, Aiba Masaki.
There was nothing intimate about their appearance, there was a respective distance between them. And while the two of them are talking (and seemingly not quarreling, which is a rarity in itself), it looked like it was nothing too personal, but it didn’t look like business too. And when Becky chuckled at something Aiba said and Aiba ended up smiling seeing her like that, Maki, Mao, and Director Matsuoka couldn’t help but look at one another knowingly and in amusement.
And when the two had finally approached them, after reeling in surprise at the sight of them already there, Aiba finally noticed the look they were sharing and exclaimed
“What?!”
-----
“If it’s true that you two are really not yet together, then I would be asking you why by now,” Mao chuckled playfully as she and Aiba headed towards the back of the room where a few seats were prepared, close enough for observers but far enough for them not to be hindrances to the set.
The rest of the room was already buzzing with activity as Director Mabo’s staff and crew did last minute adjustments and revisions to the set while Director Mabo, himself, and Becky had a last minute discussion.
What she just said could already be considered going a bit overboard. After all, the topic is quite personal and Aiba is, in fact, her boss. But Aiba has been the blushing, stuttering, and totally incoherent boss since he realized that Mao and Maki could be thinking the exact same thing that Director Mabo had just exclaimed. Actually, both he and Becky were quiet speechless at first before they both ended up exclaiming in protest just seconds from the other.
“We were actually friends before, you know!” Aiba exclaimed in exasperation, a statement Mao didn’t bother to question or contest, considering that Mabo had already oriented her and Maki of the story behind the amusing pair.
It turns out that Mabo knew quiet well the history of the Aiba Masaki-Becky relationship.
Apparently, Aiba and Becky met in primary school and became friends, really close friends. They were so close that they reached the point where their friends had started joking them to one another. Things slowly but progressively got worst and things got awkward especially when everybody assumed that they really are together already.
That situation caused them to put space between their friendship, physically, emotionally, and mentally, a space that grew when they entered high school. It didn’t also help that some of his friends weren’t in good terms with hers and vice versa. Soon enough, they found themselves once again pitted to the other, but this time, no longer as a couple, but as opponents, two forces quite similar to one another but walking two different paths.
And they both ended up continuing that kind of a relationship because, according to Mabo, it’d be quite difficult to bring back the relationship the two of them once had.
“You guys are unbelievable!” Aiba continued to exclaim when Mao still had not said a word. “You guys complain that I’m not being professional when I’m not in good terms with her, now that we’re okay with each other, you still think of something else!”
“You can’t blame us,” Mao stated reasonably. “There’s something undeniable there. And you two do look really good together.”
Aiba sighed and shook his head in defeat. That sigh turned into a sly grin though as he ended up saying “Oh really? And speaking of two people who obviously have ‘something’ there, what happened to you and Matsumoto Jun-san?”
“Ah… I…” Mao started, startled at the sudden turn of topic as she felt her cheeks slowly heating up. She had already known that the rest of the occupants of the MSMT building knew of Jun’s courting of her but there’s still something embarrassing about being asked about it outright, especially by her direct boss.
“Oh right!” Aiba gasped. “Your ex-boyfriend-turned-friend is also courting you now, isn’t he?”
“How did you know that?” Mao gasped, her eyes large in surprise as she looked at the guy.
Aiba chuckled. “I may be a guy but I hear things too, you know, especially when it’s about my people,” he smirked. “And I also heard that the guy is very good-looking too! Must be a big problem, isn’t it, making a choice?”
Before Mao could reply, another female voice piped up from behind them.
“Oh, she’s already made a choice.”
“Oh, is that right, Maki-chan?” Aiba exclaimed, turning around to see a smiling Maki right behind them, her hands filled with a bunch of papers she wasn’t holding earlier.
“Yeah,” Maki said, with a smile before turning to Mao pointedly and saying “But she still hadn’t told us yet, for some reason or the other.”
“I told you, you’ll soon know!” Mao exclaimed, her blush deepening.
“See?”
“So why are you still not sharing your pick?” Aiba asked.
“Because I want him to be the first to know…”
-----
“Don’t tell me that it’s my pick again this time,” Mao asked playfully as she entered Jun’s car.
It was early that Saturday morning and it was the first time he and Jun had seen each other that week. It wasn’t that long of a wait though since it had been a pretty busy week for her too, what with Shun landing a few new projects for them and their launching of the commercials starring Becky. Throughout that time, she’d exchanged messages with Jun, calls or emails. It was through those mediums that he asked her out that morning. When she asked for their destination, he simply said “Wear something you’re comfortable in.”
“Oh no…” Jun smiled. “I already have something very specific in mind.”
They both fell into some sort of comfortable silence as Jun started the car. Just some sort because Mao could feel her heart pounding almost out of her chest. After that day out with Toma, she had already, to a certain extent, understood her feelings and after careful deliberations, she had already made her choice.
Despite that though, she still had no idea on how to tell her pick that he is the one.
“You haven’t been to MSMT lately?” Mao started after a while, in an attempt to start a conversation that would soon lead to her admission.
“Yeah,” Jun sighed. “I’ve been very busy lately at MG Towers. I couldn’t drop the work dad gave me there. Besides, I thought it’d be a good training for Shun-kun back at MSMT.”
“Training?” Mao asked.
“Yeah,” said Jun, turning to Mao briefly before returning his eyes to the road. “I told you about it before, didn’t I? I’m leaving MSMT to Shun-kun sooner or later.”
“Oh!” Mao exclaimed, the throbbing of her heart dampening a bit because of what she heard. “I thought it’d be more of the latter than the sooner.”
Jun smiled a bit and shrugged, as if to say ‘That’s how it is’ but when he noticed the serious look already painted in Mao’s face, he joked “Hey! Lighten up. It’s not going to be tomorrow immediately, you know. Or is this your way of telling me you’re going to miss me when I leave MSMT?”
Mao felt heat surging to her cheeks the moment she heard what he said. She knew he was just joking but she knew the undeniable truth behind that joke. She also saw the opportunity to finally say that which she wanted to say.
“A-About that… uhm… I…” she started stammering as her heart started to beat faster and faster again. But whatever she’s planning to say next was cut short when her phone suddenly rang.
In a hurry, she rummaged through her bag for her phone to find that it was a phone call from Ryo. This worried her. She knew that Ryo was with Erika and that Erika knew she was going on a date with Jun, she also knew that Erika wouldn’t consent on disrupting that unless there’s something really big or bad or both that had just happened.
Looking apologetically at Jun who nodded and signaled that she should take the call, she raised the phone to her ears and pressed the answer button.
“Hello, Ryo-kun?”
There wasn’t any pleasantries, no preliminaries, no warnings. What Ryo told her was direct, very straight-forward.
“What?!” Mao could only exclaim in horror and shock after Ryo said his piece.
-----
“What happened?” Jun asked Ryo discreetly.
They were at the corridors of the hospital, the place Jun and Mao directly headed to after Jun managed to calm Mao down enough for her to tell him what the phone call was all about.
“I’m still not sure myself,” Ryo admitted.
The two men were a little further away from where the girls, who were all huddled together, were seated by the couch nearest the door marked “NO ENTRY”. Maki and Erika were already there when Jun and Mao arrived, with Ryo leaning by the wall opposite them. The two girls immediately stood up and hugged an already crying Mao before they all crashed to the couch again.
“The police are not yet sure,” Ryo continued. “All they know is that Toma-kun crashing into that truck was not an accident.”
“The other driver hit him on purpose?” Jun asked.
“No, I don’t think so,” Ryo replied. “I heard that there were some marks on Toma-kun’s car suggesting that it was pushed. Frankly, it still isn’t clear to me yet.”
“Why was he out so late, and on a Saturday even?” Jun asked. “It didn’t sound like he was on a party or something.” Jun had, after all, already been told of the general location of the accident and knew from personal knowledge that there were no clubs, hotels, or drinking spots there.
“Our company is developing a piece of land there,” Ryo explained. “It was a brand new project and he was the second in command. Apparently, he and their team lead stayed there all night, looking over the plans. I just called their team lead and he said that Toma-kun was very much awake when he left earlier, which is why he was allowed to drive in the first place.”
“What happened after though is anyone’s guess,” he continued with a sigh.
“I see,” Jun simply nodded as he let his eyes wander to where the girls are. Mao’s head is on Maki’s shoulder, her arms reaching out to Erika’s, with one hand each interlinked, as all their eyes focused on the door to the emergency room. Neither Toma nor any other doctor had appeared from that door ever since Ryo and Erika arrived, and neither have they seen any indication that could say there’s good news.
“By the way,” Ryo said as his own eyes focused on the girls too. “Considering that you and Toma-kun are now rivals for Mao-chan now, I want to thank you for bringing her here, even though it’s for Toma-kun. It’s just that I’ve always known these girls to be stronger when they’re together, especially during times like this.”
“No problem,” Jun said.
He had planned to bring Mao to the beach house that day, which is why he was so utterly excited when he picked her up from her apartment. Everything was already planned and his plan was supposed to be set in motion.
But he knew that there are some things that are much more important than others. It just so happen that what he had planned is less important than the issue they’re facing now.
“I know this is where she should be.”
-----
and tht was chapter 19!!!
thoughts anyone? :):):)
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, Chapter10, Chapter11, Chapter12, Chapter13, Chapter14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter17,Chapter 18
Chapter 19: Unexpected
The couple’s entry in the studio caused quite a stir in the people already gathered inside, particularly the ones who knew the recent history those two share, including Mao, Maki and Director Matsuoka.
To begin with, Becky’s entry alone would be enough to cause a reaction, what with her latest endeavors, including a studio album, continue to be as successful as it is, something that isn’t really that easy to achieve for someone who performs solo.
A lot of entertainment industry people had dubbed her the biggest solo talent in all of Japan in years.
But in that studio, those facts are already a given. The bigger issue was that she had just entered the studio next to their very own, Aiba Masaki.
There was nothing intimate about their appearance, there was a respective distance between them. And while the two of them are talking (and seemingly not quarreling, which is a rarity in itself), it looked like it was nothing too personal, but it didn’t look like business too. And when Becky chuckled at something Aiba said and Aiba ended up smiling seeing her like that, Maki, Mao, and Director Matsuoka couldn’t help but look at one another knowingly and in amusement.
And when the two had finally approached them, after reeling in surprise at the sight of them already there, Aiba finally noticed the look they were sharing and exclaimed
“What?!”
-----
“If it’s true that you two are really not yet together, then I would be asking you why by now,” Mao chuckled playfully as she and Aiba headed towards the back of the room where a few seats were prepared, close enough for observers but far enough for them not to be hindrances to the set.
The rest of the room was already buzzing with activity as Director Mabo’s staff and crew did last minute adjustments and revisions to the set while Director Mabo, himself, and Becky had a last minute discussion.
What she just said could already be considered going a bit overboard. After all, the topic is quite personal and Aiba is, in fact, her boss. But Aiba has been the blushing, stuttering, and totally incoherent boss since he realized that Mao and Maki could be thinking the exact same thing that Director Mabo had just exclaimed. Actually, both he and Becky were quiet speechless at first before they both ended up exclaiming in protest just seconds from the other.
“We were actually friends before, you know!” Aiba exclaimed in exasperation, a statement Mao didn’t bother to question or contest, considering that Mabo had already oriented her and Maki of the story behind the amusing pair.
It turns out that Mabo knew quiet well the history of the Aiba Masaki-Becky relationship.
Apparently, Aiba and Becky met in primary school and became friends, really close friends. They were so close that they reached the point where their friends had started joking them to one another. Things slowly but progressively got worst and things got awkward especially when everybody assumed that they really are together already.
That situation caused them to put space between their friendship, physically, emotionally, and mentally, a space that grew when they entered high school. It didn’t also help that some of his friends weren’t in good terms with hers and vice versa. Soon enough, they found themselves once again pitted to the other, but this time, no longer as a couple, but as opponents, two forces quite similar to one another but walking two different paths.
And they both ended up continuing that kind of a relationship because, according to Mabo, it’d be quite difficult to bring back the relationship the two of them once had.
“You guys are unbelievable!” Aiba continued to exclaim when Mao still had not said a word. “You guys complain that I’m not being professional when I’m not in good terms with her, now that we’re okay with each other, you still think of something else!”
“You can’t blame us,” Mao stated reasonably. “There’s something undeniable there. And you two do look really good together.”
Aiba sighed and shook his head in defeat. That sigh turned into a sly grin though as he ended up saying “Oh really? And speaking of two people who obviously have ‘something’ there, what happened to you and Matsumoto Jun-san?”
“Ah… I…” Mao started, startled at the sudden turn of topic as she felt her cheeks slowly heating up. She had already known that the rest of the occupants of the MSMT building knew of Jun’s courting of her but there’s still something embarrassing about being asked about it outright, especially by her direct boss.
“Oh right!” Aiba gasped. “Your ex-boyfriend-turned-friend is also courting you now, isn’t he?”
“How did you know that?” Mao gasped, her eyes large in surprise as she looked at the guy.
Aiba chuckled. “I may be a guy but I hear things too, you know, especially when it’s about my people,” he smirked. “And I also heard that the guy is very good-looking too! Must be a big problem, isn’t it, making a choice?”
Before Mao could reply, another female voice piped up from behind them.
“Oh, she’s already made a choice.”
“Oh, is that right, Maki-chan?” Aiba exclaimed, turning around to see a smiling Maki right behind them, her hands filled with a bunch of papers she wasn’t holding earlier.
“Yeah,” Maki said, with a smile before turning to Mao pointedly and saying “But she still hadn’t told us yet, for some reason or the other.”
“I told you, you’ll soon know!” Mao exclaimed, her blush deepening.
“See?”
“So why are you still not sharing your pick?” Aiba asked.
“Because I want him to be the first to know…”
-----
“Don’t tell me that it’s my pick again this time,” Mao asked playfully as she entered Jun’s car.
It was early that Saturday morning and it was the first time he and Jun had seen each other that week. It wasn’t that long of a wait though since it had been a pretty busy week for her too, what with Shun landing a few new projects for them and their launching of the commercials starring Becky. Throughout that time, she’d exchanged messages with Jun, calls or emails. It was through those mediums that he asked her out that morning. When she asked for their destination, he simply said “Wear something you’re comfortable in.”
“Oh no…” Jun smiled. “I already have something very specific in mind.”
They both fell into some sort of comfortable silence as Jun started the car. Just some sort because Mao could feel her heart pounding almost out of her chest. After that day out with Toma, she had already, to a certain extent, understood her feelings and after careful deliberations, she had already made her choice.
Despite that though, she still had no idea on how to tell her pick that he is the one.
“You haven’t been to MSMT lately?” Mao started after a while, in an attempt to start a conversation that would soon lead to her admission.
“Yeah,” Jun sighed. “I’ve been very busy lately at MG Towers. I couldn’t drop the work dad gave me there. Besides, I thought it’d be a good training for Shun-kun back at MSMT.”
“Training?” Mao asked.
“Yeah,” said Jun, turning to Mao briefly before returning his eyes to the road. “I told you about it before, didn’t I? I’m leaving MSMT to Shun-kun sooner or later.”
“Oh!” Mao exclaimed, the throbbing of her heart dampening a bit because of what she heard. “I thought it’d be more of the latter than the sooner.”
Jun smiled a bit and shrugged, as if to say ‘That’s how it is’ but when he noticed the serious look already painted in Mao’s face, he joked “Hey! Lighten up. It’s not going to be tomorrow immediately, you know. Or is this your way of telling me you’re going to miss me when I leave MSMT?”
Mao felt heat surging to her cheeks the moment she heard what he said. She knew he was just joking but she knew the undeniable truth behind that joke. She also saw the opportunity to finally say that which she wanted to say.
“A-About that… uhm… I…” she started stammering as her heart started to beat faster and faster again. But whatever she’s planning to say next was cut short when her phone suddenly rang.
In a hurry, she rummaged through her bag for her phone to find that it was a phone call from Ryo. This worried her. She knew that Ryo was with Erika and that Erika knew she was going on a date with Jun, she also knew that Erika wouldn’t consent on disrupting that unless there’s something really big or bad or both that had just happened.
Looking apologetically at Jun who nodded and signaled that she should take the call, she raised the phone to her ears and pressed the answer button.
“Hello, Ryo-kun?”
There wasn’t any pleasantries, no preliminaries, no warnings. What Ryo told her was direct, very straight-forward.
“What?!” Mao could only exclaim in horror and shock after Ryo said his piece.
-----
“What happened?” Jun asked Ryo discreetly.
They were at the corridors of the hospital, the place Jun and Mao directly headed to after Jun managed to calm Mao down enough for her to tell him what the phone call was all about.
“I’m still not sure myself,” Ryo admitted.
The two men were a little further away from where the girls, who were all huddled together, were seated by the couch nearest the door marked “NO ENTRY”. Maki and Erika were already there when Jun and Mao arrived, with Ryo leaning by the wall opposite them. The two girls immediately stood up and hugged an already crying Mao before they all crashed to the couch again.
“The police are not yet sure,” Ryo continued. “All they know is that Toma-kun crashing into that truck was not an accident.”
“The other driver hit him on purpose?” Jun asked.
“No, I don’t think so,” Ryo replied. “I heard that there were some marks on Toma-kun’s car suggesting that it was pushed. Frankly, it still isn’t clear to me yet.”
“Why was he out so late, and on a Saturday even?” Jun asked. “It didn’t sound like he was on a party or something.” Jun had, after all, already been told of the general location of the accident and knew from personal knowledge that there were no clubs, hotels, or drinking spots there.
“Our company is developing a piece of land there,” Ryo explained. “It was a brand new project and he was the second in command. Apparently, he and their team lead stayed there all night, looking over the plans. I just called their team lead and he said that Toma-kun was very much awake when he left earlier, which is why he was allowed to drive in the first place.”
“What happened after though is anyone’s guess,” he continued with a sigh.
“I see,” Jun simply nodded as he let his eyes wander to where the girls are. Mao’s head is on Maki’s shoulder, her arms reaching out to Erika’s, with one hand each interlinked, as all their eyes focused on the door to the emergency room. Neither Toma nor any other doctor had appeared from that door ever since Ryo and Erika arrived, and neither have they seen any indication that could say there’s good news.
“By the way,” Ryo said as his own eyes focused on the girls too. “Considering that you and Toma-kun are now rivals for Mao-chan now, I want to thank you for bringing her here, even though it’s for Toma-kun. It’s just that I’ve always known these girls to be stronger when they’re together, especially during times like this.”
“No problem,” Jun said.
He had planned to bring Mao to the beach house that day, which is why he was so utterly excited when he picked her up from her apartment. Everything was already planned and his plan was supposed to be set in motion.
But he knew that there are some things that are much more important than others. It just so happen that what he had planned is less important than the issue they’re facing now.
“I know this is where she should be.”
-----
and tht was chapter 19!!!
thoughts anyone? :):):)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2011-08-25 04:37 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-08-25 10:16 am (UTC)Hope there will bemore toma - maki next time. Erm. I love the two of them!
(no subject)
Date: 2011-08-29 03:34 am (UTC)