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angelshilli will be very honest when i say that i wasn't really planning on posting this yet....
but i went online about half an hour ago and saw something that made me want to post it already...
yay!
Mao-chan and Arashi together for Kohaku!!!
honestly, i wasn't really expecting it even though i had this tiny ray of hope that it may happen, considering the fact that last year's female host was chosen more because of the popularity and success of the drama she starred in as compared to her musical inclinations (though she is good there too)...
but yay!!!
here's hoping that Kohaku would be a success as always... :)
this is a reunion of sorts...
MaoxArashi (she was the lead in some of Arashi's hits--start of the Arashi boom! era)
MaoxSho (probably the most forgotten reunion since it's rarely remembered that they once co-starred together in that drama with Kimura Takuya--???-- i think)
MaoxNino (the husband and wife reunion--although the onscreen union was admittedly very short)
and of course...
the MaoxJun reunion! (HANADAN ftw!)
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, Chapter20, Chapter21,
Chapter22, Chapter23, Chapter24
Chapter 25: A (Wo)man’s Intuition
Mao wasn’t conscious of it but she actually did hold her breathe as she waited for Meisa to tell her the words. But the words the woman muttered were quiet different from what she expected.
“Jun and I decided to stay in London unless there’s something or someone here in Japan worth staying for,” Meisa said seriously. “It was just me until Jun said he’s staying in London for that reason too. I guess I’m flying solo in London after this.”
“But Jun-kun is returning to London,” Mao pointed out despite herself. “That’s what you’ve been telling me, that Jun-kun is returning to London after he leaves MSMT.”
“I said was,” Meisa replied looking at her closely before she smiled in amusement. “Did you know that Jun has a house here in Japan?” the woman continued.
For the moment, Mao forgot about the pain she was feeling as confusion filled her in. “His pad, you mean?” she ended up saying in her confusion.
“No, I meant a house,” Meisa replied. “This house.”
With her feelings being in turmoil for most of the car ride, Mao didn’t even notice where Nakai was driving them until then. They were by the beach on the outskirts of Tokyo and to her left was one of the most beautiful houses she had ever seen.
It was big, not huge, but big, and it looked really comfortable, peaceful.
“I’m sketchy about the other stuff but I know the house was his mother’s. Jun officially inherited it when he turned 18 but he picked the house since he was 12,” Meisa said.
“I don’t get it,” Mao finally cut in as she pried her eyes away from the house. “What does this have to do with you saying that Jun-kun is no longer going to London when he’s still leaving MSMT?”
“Jun had never used this house, ever,” Meisa said. “But Nakai-san here told me that he had asked it cleaned and prepped up. He wouldn’t be doing that if he is leaving. Jun found a reason to stay.”
“And you’re okay with that?” Mao asked, her eyebrows furrowed. Nothing was making sense to her anymore.
Meisa looked at her for a while before the woman smiled. “You know, I’ve said this one too many times in the past with no one really believing me, but this time, I’m really hoping that you will. There’s nothing between me and Jun.”
-----
“You look like there’s something you want to say, Nakai-san,” Meisa said to her right as the car headed away from Mao’s place. They’ve just dropped the woman by her house after their drive to Jun’s house.
She had noticed it early on actually, even when they were still on their way to Jun’s beachside property, the guy really wanted to say something but for some reason, most probably out of respect to her affinity to the Matsumoto family and not simply because of her position in the company, the guy hadn’t said a thing.
Nakai looked at her quickly but turned to the road again. He didn’t say anything but he didn’t say she was wrong either.
“Come on, Nakai-san,” Meisa prompted. “Speak your mind, I don’t usually bite.”
Even Nakai grinned at that before he shook his head.
“I just wanted to ask why you did it,” Nakai grinned.
“The house?” Meisa started. “I told Mao-chan because she had to know. I know Jun will tell her about it eventually but if she doesn’t find out that Jun’s staying now, it might be a little too late. But I’m guessing that’s not exactly what you’re referring to,” she continued.
Nakai smiled. “I was referring to what happened to the before part. It was, well, rather cruel, if I may be so bold,” the guy said. “Sadistic.”
“I guess I was being mean,” Meisa admitted with a sigh, knowing what the guy meant.
She had noticed early on that Mao looked hurt the moment she started talking about Jun. In fact, even when they were still heading to MG Towers, she had already noticed how much Mao didn’t want to be in the same car with her, and she knew why. But she still continued as if she hadn’t seen it.
“Jun promised me that he’d be returning to London the day he came here on Matsumoto-san’s request. He promised me he’d be back,” she continued. “I wanted to make sure that Mao-chan was worth him before I let him go back on his word.”
Nakai didn’t say anything immediately and so did Meisa.
She was jealous, not of Mao but of Jun because Jun had found his reason to stay when she still hadn’t. She was jealous because it looks like Jun could finally be truly happy. But she’s glad for him of course, always.
“So, was she worth it?” Nakai voiced out after a while and they both knew Meisa didn’t really need to answer but she still did because she wanted to.
“Well, let’s just say that when I leave Japan alone, I’m pretty sure I’d be back in Japan at least one more time,” she replied. “For Jun’s wedding.”
-----
She had been home for hours already but Mao hadn’t really done anything much yet. The t.v. was on a show she couldn’t understand while her dinner lay cold on the table. She didn’t have any energy or appetite left for her to do more than sit back on her sofa and stare at the television.
Her car ride with Meisa was some kind of a roller coaster ride for her emotions and even then, hours after the woman and Nakai dropped her off at her place, she still hadn’t recovered from it. In fact, she’s still pretty much confused. She can’t even explain what exactly happened.
All she knows is that Meisa insists that there’s nothing going on between her and Jun. Meisa also believes that Jun leaving MSMT didn’t mean him going back to London and that that stand had something to do with the beach house Meisa and Nakai had driven her to. It was literally just a drive by because they never stopped at all.
And since Meisa did also mention that promise she and Jun made about returning to Japan for good, Mao thinks that Meisa is pointing out that Jun has found his reason to stay.
‘Am I that reason?’ the voice in her head asked
She wanted to say ‘Yes!’, she wanted to believe that it is a ‘Yes!’ but she couldn’t help but feel unsure. Sure Jun is courting her and Meisa said that there’s nothing special between her and Jun but with her insecurities kicking in, she couldn’t help but ask why Jun would pick her when he could have had Meisa.
After a few minutes more of pondering on that question and being a masochist, Mao suddenly pushed herself to her feet. She was already out of her apartment before she even knew that she was leaving.
-----
When she left her apartment, Mao didn’t know where exactly she was going. She just wanted to leave her apartment. Her body just wanted to do something, her mind was actually floating.
But they say that when a person’s mind is floating, the body instinctively goes to a place where she feels comfortable the most. For Mao though, it wasn’t a ‘where’ but a ‘who’ because she found herself entering the hospital where Toma is confined.
She didn’t even realize that she was there up until she pushed open Toma’s private room and hear the guy exclaim in surprise.
“Mao-chan!”
-----
Toma watched as Mao blinked furiously and Toma knew from experience that it was Mao’s way of tuning her brain properly. He used to see that kind of expression on her when her mind had been floating and she was forcing herself to suddenly think straight. He knew, even without asking that Mao had headed there without her even knowing.
“Are you all right?” he asked as he pushed himself to a seat. “What’s going on?”
He watched Mao blink a couple of times more before she shook her head slightly and fully entered the room.
“Where’s Erika-chan?” Mao asked instead. “She was supposed to be here with you, right?”
Toma knew that it was just Mao trying to tiptoe around a delicate situation or question which is why he chose to humor her a bit.
“It’s Ryo-kun’s birthday this weekend and I know that she’s planning a surprise for him so I sent her home to do it,” he said. When Mao looked like she was just about to question what he did, he added immediately “I can take care of myself already, I feel about 95% okay and there are the nurses and doctors here. In a couple of days, I’d already be discharged anyway so it was no big deal.”
Mao sighed and Toma knew that it was because of exasperation. He almost grinned.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” Mao asked.
“I am,” Toma guaranteed. “But you’re not. What’s going on here? Something bad happened?”
“H-How?” Mao stuttered.
Toma chuckled. “A lot of things had changed over the past few months but some things remain the same. I still know you,” he told Mao. “I still can say when something is bothering you or not. And right now, something is bothering you.”
He watched Mao simply stare at him in slight disbelief before she finally sighed.
“I’m confused,” the woman finally stated.
-----
Toma sat there as he listened to Mao share her story, her confusion. He sat there listening to her telling him her feelings of what is happening to her, about Jun. And as he sat there, he realized and saw that Mao was talking to him as Toma, her best friend, nothing more and nothing less. And he couldn’t help but smile, a little bitterly but still generally happy.
And that smile stopped Mao mid-sentence when she saw it.
“Why are you smiling?” she asked.
Toma didn’t answer her immediately. He simply looked at her as he took in the whole of her face. In his mind and heart, he was weighing things. It didn’t take him long to analyze things.
Before Mao could end up repeating her question he said “This is your way of telling me you’ve already made your choice, isn’t it?”
“What?” Mao exclaimed, obviously taken aback before worry filled her face. “No, no. That’s not-!“
“It is,” Toma cut in. “You wouldn’t be telling me all of this if even a tiny part of you is considering me as a suitor. I’m your best friend, through and through. I was and still am.”
“Toma,” Mao started as if weighing her words. “I, I don’t know what to say…”
Toma grinned. “You know exactly what you’re going to say, you just don’t want to say it because you don’t want me get hurt.”
When Mao smiled a little painfully at him, he continued “I’m also guessing you’ve made the unconscious decision quite some time back, you just didn’t realize it. Or maybe, you realized it but just didn’t say it.”
Still, Mao said nothing but she did smile, a bit more openly this time.
“Does he know?” he asked.
Mao shook her head. “I didn’t have the chance to tell him.”
“Then what the hell are you waiting for?” Toma chuckled, much to Mao’s surprised. “When you have something you want to tell a person, say it before you lose your chance.”
“Because I’m afraid,” Mao admitted and Toma knew how big that fear for Mao is. After all, of all the years he’d known Mao, he woman would never tell him anything about fear, unless she really can’t fight that fear off.
He didn’t cut in though, knowing that Mao needed to say what she had bottled up inside. He knew instinctively that the woman hadn’t even told Erika or Maki what she’s going to tell him now.
“Why would he choose me?” Mao said. “Why would he pick me when he could have gone for her? She’s exquisite! Strikingly beautiful! Elegant! Attractive! While I’m just… Me.”
“And that’s exactly why he should choose you, why he did choose you,” Toma said as he gripped Mao’s hand, making her look into his eyes. “You’re beautiful, Mao-chan. You’ve always been and you always are and don’t allow yourself to ever think otherwise. You’re a strong woman so don’t you ever doubt yourself. Okay?”
Mao didn’t say anything after that but Toma could point out the exact moment the fear in the woman’s eyes was gone, or at least lessened. He saw the very moment Mao’s lips curved to a smile.
“Do you think I have enough in me to tell him?” she asked, her smile slightly shy.
Toma chuckled. “You had enough guts to tell me all of these so I’d say you do,” he told her. “Go for it.”
Mao grinned as she suddenly pulled him in for a hug. Toma gladly accepted that hug and he knew at that moment that he had completely let go of any romantic feelings for her. She was just Mao, his best friend.
“Can you tell me one more thing?” Mao asked into their embrace.
“Name it,” Toma replied.
“What’s going on between you and Maki-chan?” Mao asked as she ended the embrace, much to his surprise. “I have this weird feeling that something is going on between the two of you that you’re not telling.”
He ended up chuckling, choosing not to actually speak out.
“Mao-chan, don’t start,” he told her. It was the safest answer. It wasn’t a lie but he it wasn’t anything concrete yet. He needed to work things out first before he tells Mao anything.
-----
That talk with Toma helped Mao a great deal to calm herself, allowing her to analyze and consider things. It even helped her boost her confidence a bit.
But it turned out that the boost wasn’t enough when she was heading towards her workstation after lunch and saw Jun standing there. She knew instinctively that the man was waiting for her but her heart started pumping so heavily that she decided she wasn’t prepared to face the man yet. It was rather fortunate for her that Jun received a phone call not long after Mao had to find herself a good hiding place to avoid the guy, causing him to leave but not before taping a red rose to her monitor with a note on it.
Mao waited a few more seconds after he left before she emerged from her hiding place and took the rose and the note attached to it.
“You’re avoiding me? We need to talk. Love, Jun.”
Love. She felt her heart elate as her heartbeat slowed down to an excited but a more manageable thump. They do need to talk but Mao’s going to push at back as far as she could. Why?
Because she’s still not sure if her heart can handle a good, long talk with Jun after everything that happened.
-----
Mao thought he had already left the building.
She overheard Shun’s secretary telling her friend that the two bosses had already left to attend some huge meeting at the MG Towers and that the two are unlikely going to return to the building. That information had calmed Mao a great deal, thinking that she had successfully avoided Jun, at least for the day.
That was what she thought.
But the moment the elevator door opened when she was just heading home, she realized how wrong that thought was.
“Coming in Mao-chan?” Jun asked as he held the door open when Mao still hadn’t entered. When she remained motionless, he added “Come on, I won’t bite.”
-----TBC-----
and since i haven't written on one other particular story for like... ages...
here's an update to... CHASE! :)
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, Chapter2, Chapter3, Chapter4
“You mean she likes him?” Shii exclaimed for what’s possibly the fifth time that evening, Sho having told them the reason behind him calling Shii and Jun out on a Saturday night for drinks when they usually hang-out during Sundays.
The reason, to put it simply, is that Meisa had just told him that she’s going on that all important second date with Narimiya that afternoon. She’s probably there already, in fact. And Sho just couldn’t understand what that bit of information is making him feel.
“How many times are you going to repeat it?!” Sho retorted before taking in a long swig of his beer. “Are you just rubbing it in?!”
“You have to say, he’s got reason to be surprised,” Jun reasoned with a mysterious smile on his lips and a spark in his eye. “After all, rarely had Mei-chan been really interested in a guy these past few years… With her career and you in her life, she already had her hands full.”
“Funny,” Sho snorted, taking another swig of his bottle, making Jun and Shii caught each other’s eye knowingly.
“So, you’re saying we’re here waiting out again for Mei-chan’s SOS?” Shii asked, his voice sounding curious but the wink he gave Jun says otherwise.
And true enough, when Sho simply snorted, Shii and Jun shared a smirk before Shii said “Ah! But why would you? Mei-chan already said that she’s interested in the guy. It’s therefore highly not likely for her to send the bat signal tonight, or any future nights for that matter, considering that you said she said she liked him.”
Sho looked at his two friends who were both looking at him quite innocently before he snorted once more and shook his head. He didn’t need for them to talk to know that the innocence they’re showing is purely just for that, a show.
“I am not taking the bait,” he simply told the two.
“Ah, Mei-chan’s interested in a guy,” Shii told Jun in a singsong voice, ignoring what Sho just said, almost like a senior talking about his junior with pride. “I wasn’t expecting time to fly by this fast.”
“Yeah,” said Jun, mimicking Shii’s tone as they both threw Sho furtive glances. “I wasn’t expecting it this soon too. Although, I have to say, I’m not entirely sure what to feel right now.”
“Really?” Shii asked with the air of great surprise, turning his body fully towards Jun when in truth, it’s Sho, who’s seated between the two of them, he’s looking at.
”What do you mean?”
“Nothing much,” Jun shrugged before throwing Sho a pointed look. “I mean, as her friend, I should be happy for her, right?”
“Right!” Shii jumped in, nodding patronizingly. “You should. I mean, a good friend would be happy with the development of that part of her life and shouldn’t be dragging his other friends along because he’s moody. A good friend would happy! ”
The sigh Jun released would have been entirely believable if not for the small smile that rose to his lips for a few seconds as he and Shii both saw how Sho started gritting his teeth.
“But…” Jun continued.
“But what?” Shi prompted.
“But somehow, it feels weird that she found that happiness in someone else and not with me.”
Shii gasped. “Are you saying you like her?” he exclaimed, his eyes wide open but is trained at Sho and not at Jun.
“Am I?” Jun asked back, his eyes on Sho too.
Sho needn’t look around to see those pairs of eyes on him. He could feel their stares. He knew the moment they started that conversation that they were doing it for him, or as him. For a lot of reasons too.
But he didn’t look at his friends. He just stared at his glass before drinking it all in just one gulp.
-----
There was a smile on Meisa’s lips as she made way through the hallway leading towards her apartment. Nari had just dropped her off, their date having just ended.
It was a simple dinner, a lot more simple than the first one they shared. But in more ways than one was this one more relaxing than the first one. Maybe because the first one started awkwardly when Nari ordered a dish, curry, she can never eat, and this time he knew better. Or maybe it’s because the previous one was “the” first date and it is a date destined to be awkward and weird even when they’re practically adults now and no longer teens. Whatever the reason was, it still was different from the first one.
The talk they shared wasn’t intruding. Nari made sure that the conversation stayed on mutual and safe grounds, like work, hobbies, and the like. They had a bit too much fun talking about what could have happened between Aiba and Becky by now, considering that the two had gone on a European trip for their honeymoon, and speculating on whether or not Becky would be pregnant by the time they come back in about a week. To a certain point, they even talked about the weather, but that was mainly because it started drizzling outside when they were half-way through their meal. She was almost about to feel afraid when the drizzle started turning into rain just before they finished eating. But thankfully, while the rain did strengthen, some things that would usually come in with the rain didn’t occur.
Still, it did affect their plans. Nari was thinking the two of them could share a walk after dinner but considering the rain, they had to change plans. They just decided to call it a night and maybe rightfully so because the rain looked like it had no plan of stopping. In fact, when Nari was driving her back to her apartment, it started raining a bit too hard that Meisa insisted that he needn’t walk her to her door.
He didn’t have to get wet, after all. Not that Meisa got really wet with that quick run she had to do from Nari’s car towards the sheltered walkway to her apartment. In fact, other than the water droplets clinging to her coat and hair, it was as if she wasn’t wet.
The same can not be said for the guy currently sitting outside her apartment door, with his hands holding his head as he looked down and looking very much worse for wear as droplets of water dripped from his clothes and hair.
“Sho?!” Meisa exclaimed.
----- TBC-----
how was it???
One Chance only has 3 chapters to go....
and this post is a proof that i'm not abandoning The Chase! :D:D:D
reviews are really loved!!
but i went online about half an hour ago and saw something that made me want to post it already...
yay!
Mao-chan and Arashi together for Kohaku!!!
honestly, i wasn't really expecting it even though i had this tiny ray of hope that it may happen, considering the fact that last year's female host was chosen more because of the popularity and success of the drama she starred in as compared to her musical inclinations (though she is good there too)...
but yay!!!
here's hoping that Kohaku would be a success as always... :)
this is a reunion of sorts...
MaoxArashi (she was the lead in some of Arashi's hits--start of the Arashi boom! era)
MaoxSho (probably the most forgotten reunion since it's rarely remembered that they once co-starred together in that drama with Kimura Takuya--???-- i think)
MaoxNino (the husband and wife reunion--although the onscreen union was admittedly very short)
and of course...
the MaoxJun reunion! (HANADAN ftw!)
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, Chapter20, Chapter21,
Chapter22, Chapter23, Chapter24
Chapter 25: A (Wo)man’s Intuition
Mao wasn’t conscious of it but she actually did hold her breathe as she waited for Meisa to tell her the words. But the words the woman muttered were quiet different from what she expected.
“Jun and I decided to stay in London unless there’s something or someone here in Japan worth staying for,” Meisa said seriously. “It was just me until Jun said he’s staying in London for that reason too. I guess I’m flying solo in London after this.”
“But Jun-kun is returning to London,” Mao pointed out despite herself. “That’s what you’ve been telling me, that Jun-kun is returning to London after he leaves MSMT.”
“I said was,” Meisa replied looking at her closely before she smiled in amusement. “Did you know that Jun has a house here in Japan?” the woman continued.
For the moment, Mao forgot about the pain she was feeling as confusion filled her in. “His pad, you mean?” she ended up saying in her confusion.
“No, I meant a house,” Meisa replied. “This house.”
With her feelings being in turmoil for most of the car ride, Mao didn’t even notice where Nakai was driving them until then. They were by the beach on the outskirts of Tokyo and to her left was one of the most beautiful houses she had ever seen.
It was big, not huge, but big, and it looked really comfortable, peaceful.
“I’m sketchy about the other stuff but I know the house was his mother’s. Jun officially inherited it when he turned 18 but he picked the house since he was 12,” Meisa said.
“I don’t get it,” Mao finally cut in as she pried her eyes away from the house. “What does this have to do with you saying that Jun-kun is no longer going to London when he’s still leaving MSMT?”
“Jun had never used this house, ever,” Meisa said. “But Nakai-san here told me that he had asked it cleaned and prepped up. He wouldn’t be doing that if he is leaving. Jun found a reason to stay.”
“And you’re okay with that?” Mao asked, her eyebrows furrowed. Nothing was making sense to her anymore.
Meisa looked at her for a while before the woman smiled. “You know, I’ve said this one too many times in the past with no one really believing me, but this time, I’m really hoping that you will. There’s nothing between me and Jun.”
-----
“You look like there’s something you want to say, Nakai-san,” Meisa said to her right as the car headed away from Mao’s place. They’ve just dropped the woman by her house after their drive to Jun’s house.
She had noticed it early on actually, even when they were still on their way to Jun’s beachside property, the guy really wanted to say something but for some reason, most probably out of respect to her affinity to the Matsumoto family and not simply because of her position in the company, the guy hadn’t said a thing.
Nakai looked at her quickly but turned to the road again. He didn’t say anything but he didn’t say she was wrong either.
“Come on, Nakai-san,” Meisa prompted. “Speak your mind, I don’t usually bite.”
Even Nakai grinned at that before he shook his head.
“I just wanted to ask why you did it,” Nakai grinned.
“The house?” Meisa started. “I told Mao-chan because she had to know. I know Jun will tell her about it eventually but if she doesn’t find out that Jun’s staying now, it might be a little too late. But I’m guessing that’s not exactly what you’re referring to,” she continued.
Nakai smiled. “I was referring to what happened to the before part. It was, well, rather cruel, if I may be so bold,” the guy said. “Sadistic.”
“I guess I was being mean,” Meisa admitted with a sigh, knowing what the guy meant.
She had noticed early on that Mao looked hurt the moment she started talking about Jun. In fact, even when they were still heading to MG Towers, she had already noticed how much Mao didn’t want to be in the same car with her, and she knew why. But she still continued as if she hadn’t seen it.
“Jun promised me that he’d be returning to London the day he came here on Matsumoto-san’s request. He promised me he’d be back,” she continued. “I wanted to make sure that Mao-chan was worth him before I let him go back on his word.”
Nakai didn’t say anything immediately and so did Meisa.
She was jealous, not of Mao but of Jun because Jun had found his reason to stay when she still hadn’t. She was jealous because it looks like Jun could finally be truly happy. But she’s glad for him of course, always.
“So, was she worth it?” Nakai voiced out after a while and they both knew Meisa didn’t really need to answer but she still did because she wanted to.
“Well, let’s just say that when I leave Japan alone, I’m pretty sure I’d be back in Japan at least one more time,” she replied. “For Jun’s wedding.”
-----
She had been home for hours already but Mao hadn’t really done anything much yet. The t.v. was on a show she couldn’t understand while her dinner lay cold on the table. She didn’t have any energy or appetite left for her to do more than sit back on her sofa and stare at the television.
Her car ride with Meisa was some kind of a roller coaster ride for her emotions and even then, hours after the woman and Nakai dropped her off at her place, she still hadn’t recovered from it. In fact, she’s still pretty much confused. She can’t even explain what exactly happened.
All she knows is that Meisa insists that there’s nothing going on between her and Jun. Meisa also believes that Jun leaving MSMT didn’t mean him going back to London and that that stand had something to do with the beach house Meisa and Nakai had driven her to. It was literally just a drive by because they never stopped at all.
And since Meisa did also mention that promise she and Jun made about returning to Japan for good, Mao thinks that Meisa is pointing out that Jun has found his reason to stay.
‘Am I that reason?’ the voice in her head asked
She wanted to say ‘Yes!’, she wanted to believe that it is a ‘Yes!’ but she couldn’t help but feel unsure. Sure Jun is courting her and Meisa said that there’s nothing special between her and Jun but with her insecurities kicking in, she couldn’t help but ask why Jun would pick her when he could have had Meisa.
After a few minutes more of pondering on that question and being a masochist, Mao suddenly pushed herself to her feet. She was already out of her apartment before she even knew that she was leaving.
-----
When she left her apartment, Mao didn’t know where exactly she was going. She just wanted to leave her apartment. Her body just wanted to do something, her mind was actually floating.
But they say that when a person’s mind is floating, the body instinctively goes to a place where she feels comfortable the most. For Mao though, it wasn’t a ‘where’ but a ‘who’ because she found herself entering the hospital where Toma is confined.
She didn’t even realize that she was there up until she pushed open Toma’s private room and hear the guy exclaim in surprise.
“Mao-chan!”
-----
Toma watched as Mao blinked furiously and Toma knew from experience that it was Mao’s way of tuning her brain properly. He used to see that kind of expression on her when her mind had been floating and she was forcing herself to suddenly think straight. He knew, even without asking that Mao had headed there without her even knowing.
“Are you all right?” he asked as he pushed himself to a seat. “What’s going on?”
He watched Mao blink a couple of times more before she shook her head slightly and fully entered the room.
“Where’s Erika-chan?” Mao asked instead. “She was supposed to be here with you, right?”
Toma knew that it was just Mao trying to tiptoe around a delicate situation or question which is why he chose to humor her a bit.
“It’s Ryo-kun’s birthday this weekend and I know that she’s planning a surprise for him so I sent her home to do it,” he said. When Mao looked like she was just about to question what he did, he added immediately “I can take care of myself already, I feel about 95% okay and there are the nurses and doctors here. In a couple of days, I’d already be discharged anyway so it was no big deal.”
Mao sighed and Toma knew that it was because of exasperation. He almost grinned.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” Mao asked.
“I am,” Toma guaranteed. “But you’re not. What’s going on here? Something bad happened?”
“H-How?” Mao stuttered.
Toma chuckled. “A lot of things had changed over the past few months but some things remain the same. I still know you,” he told Mao. “I still can say when something is bothering you or not. And right now, something is bothering you.”
He watched Mao simply stare at him in slight disbelief before she finally sighed.
“I’m confused,” the woman finally stated.
-----
Toma sat there as he listened to Mao share her story, her confusion. He sat there listening to her telling him her feelings of what is happening to her, about Jun. And as he sat there, he realized and saw that Mao was talking to him as Toma, her best friend, nothing more and nothing less. And he couldn’t help but smile, a little bitterly but still generally happy.
And that smile stopped Mao mid-sentence when she saw it.
“Why are you smiling?” she asked.
Toma didn’t answer her immediately. He simply looked at her as he took in the whole of her face. In his mind and heart, he was weighing things. It didn’t take him long to analyze things.
Before Mao could end up repeating her question he said “This is your way of telling me you’ve already made your choice, isn’t it?”
“What?” Mao exclaimed, obviously taken aback before worry filled her face. “No, no. That’s not-!“
“It is,” Toma cut in. “You wouldn’t be telling me all of this if even a tiny part of you is considering me as a suitor. I’m your best friend, through and through. I was and still am.”
“Toma,” Mao started as if weighing her words. “I, I don’t know what to say…”
Toma grinned. “You know exactly what you’re going to say, you just don’t want to say it because you don’t want me get hurt.”
When Mao smiled a little painfully at him, he continued “I’m also guessing you’ve made the unconscious decision quite some time back, you just didn’t realize it. Or maybe, you realized it but just didn’t say it.”
Still, Mao said nothing but she did smile, a bit more openly this time.
“Does he know?” he asked.
Mao shook her head. “I didn’t have the chance to tell him.”
“Then what the hell are you waiting for?” Toma chuckled, much to Mao’s surprised. “When you have something you want to tell a person, say it before you lose your chance.”
“Because I’m afraid,” Mao admitted and Toma knew how big that fear for Mao is. After all, of all the years he’d known Mao, he woman would never tell him anything about fear, unless she really can’t fight that fear off.
He didn’t cut in though, knowing that Mao needed to say what she had bottled up inside. He knew instinctively that the woman hadn’t even told Erika or Maki what she’s going to tell him now.
“Why would he choose me?” Mao said. “Why would he pick me when he could have gone for her? She’s exquisite! Strikingly beautiful! Elegant! Attractive! While I’m just… Me.”
“And that’s exactly why he should choose you, why he did choose you,” Toma said as he gripped Mao’s hand, making her look into his eyes. “You’re beautiful, Mao-chan. You’ve always been and you always are and don’t allow yourself to ever think otherwise. You’re a strong woman so don’t you ever doubt yourself. Okay?”
Mao didn’t say anything after that but Toma could point out the exact moment the fear in the woman’s eyes was gone, or at least lessened. He saw the very moment Mao’s lips curved to a smile.
“Do you think I have enough in me to tell him?” she asked, her smile slightly shy.
Toma chuckled. “You had enough guts to tell me all of these so I’d say you do,” he told her. “Go for it.”
Mao grinned as she suddenly pulled him in for a hug. Toma gladly accepted that hug and he knew at that moment that he had completely let go of any romantic feelings for her. She was just Mao, his best friend.
“Can you tell me one more thing?” Mao asked into their embrace.
“Name it,” Toma replied.
“What’s going on between you and Maki-chan?” Mao asked as she ended the embrace, much to his surprise. “I have this weird feeling that something is going on between the two of you that you’re not telling.”
He ended up chuckling, choosing not to actually speak out.
“Mao-chan, don’t start,” he told her. It was the safest answer. It wasn’t a lie but he it wasn’t anything concrete yet. He needed to work things out first before he tells Mao anything.
-----
That talk with Toma helped Mao a great deal to calm herself, allowing her to analyze and consider things. It even helped her boost her confidence a bit.
But it turned out that the boost wasn’t enough when she was heading towards her workstation after lunch and saw Jun standing there. She knew instinctively that the man was waiting for her but her heart started pumping so heavily that she decided she wasn’t prepared to face the man yet. It was rather fortunate for her that Jun received a phone call not long after Mao had to find herself a good hiding place to avoid the guy, causing him to leave but not before taping a red rose to her monitor with a note on it.
Mao waited a few more seconds after he left before she emerged from her hiding place and took the rose and the note attached to it.
“You’re avoiding me? We need to talk. Love, Jun.”
Love. She felt her heart elate as her heartbeat slowed down to an excited but a more manageable thump. They do need to talk but Mao’s going to push at back as far as she could. Why?
Because she’s still not sure if her heart can handle a good, long talk with Jun after everything that happened.
-----
Mao thought he had already left the building.
She overheard Shun’s secretary telling her friend that the two bosses had already left to attend some huge meeting at the MG Towers and that the two are unlikely going to return to the building. That information had calmed Mao a great deal, thinking that she had successfully avoided Jun, at least for the day.
That was what she thought.
But the moment the elevator door opened when she was just heading home, she realized how wrong that thought was.
“Coming in Mao-chan?” Jun asked as he held the door open when Mao still hadn’t entered. When she remained motionless, he added “Come on, I won’t bite.”
-----TBC-----
and since i haven't written on one other particular story for like... ages...
here's an update to... CHASE! :)
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, Chapter2, Chapter3, Chapter4
“You mean she likes him?” Shii exclaimed for what’s possibly the fifth time that evening, Sho having told them the reason behind him calling Shii and Jun out on a Saturday night for drinks when they usually hang-out during Sundays.
The reason, to put it simply, is that Meisa had just told him that she’s going on that all important second date with Narimiya that afternoon. She’s probably there already, in fact. And Sho just couldn’t understand what that bit of information is making him feel.
“How many times are you going to repeat it?!” Sho retorted before taking in a long swig of his beer. “Are you just rubbing it in?!”
“You have to say, he’s got reason to be surprised,” Jun reasoned with a mysterious smile on his lips and a spark in his eye. “After all, rarely had Mei-chan been really interested in a guy these past few years… With her career and you in her life, she already had her hands full.”
“Funny,” Sho snorted, taking another swig of his bottle, making Jun and Shii caught each other’s eye knowingly.
“So, you’re saying we’re here waiting out again for Mei-chan’s SOS?” Shii asked, his voice sounding curious but the wink he gave Jun says otherwise.
And true enough, when Sho simply snorted, Shii and Jun shared a smirk before Shii said “Ah! But why would you? Mei-chan already said that she’s interested in the guy. It’s therefore highly not likely for her to send the bat signal tonight, or any future nights for that matter, considering that you said she said she liked him.”
Sho looked at his two friends who were both looking at him quite innocently before he snorted once more and shook his head. He didn’t need for them to talk to know that the innocence they’re showing is purely just for that, a show.
“I am not taking the bait,” he simply told the two.
“Ah, Mei-chan’s interested in a guy,” Shii told Jun in a singsong voice, ignoring what Sho just said, almost like a senior talking about his junior with pride. “I wasn’t expecting time to fly by this fast.”
“Yeah,” said Jun, mimicking Shii’s tone as they both threw Sho furtive glances. “I wasn’t expecting it this soon too. Although, I have to say, I’m not entirely sure what to feel right now.”
“Really?” Shii asked with the air of great surprise, turning his body fully towards Jun when in truth, it’s Sho, who’s seated between the two of them, he’s looking at.
”What do you mean?”
“Nothing much,” Jun shrugged before throwing Sho a pointed look. “I mean, as her friend, I should be happy for her, right?”
“Right!” Shii jumped in, nodding patronizingly. “You should. I mean, a good friend would be happy with the development of that part of her life and shouldn’t be dragging his other friends along because he’s moody. A good friend would happy! ”
The sigh Jun released would have been entirely believable if not for the small smile that rose to his lips for a few seconds as he and Shii both saw how Sho started gritting his teeth.
“But…” Jun continued.
“But what?” Shi prompted.
“But somehow, it feels weird that she found that happiness in someone else and not with me.”
Shii gasped. “Are you saying you like her?” he exclaimed, his eyes wide open but is trained at Sho and not at Jun.
“Am I?” Jun asked back, his eyes on Sho too.
Sho needn’t look around to see those pairs of eyes on him. He could feel their stares. He knew the moment they started that conversation that they were doing it for him, or as him. For a lot of reasons too.
But he didn’t look at his friends. He just stared at his glass before drinking it all in just one gulp.
-----
There was a smile on Meisa’s lips as she made way through the hallway leading towards her apartment. Nari had just dropped her off, their date having just ended.
It was a simple dinner, a lot more simple than the first one they shared. But in more ways than one was this one more relaxing than the first one. Maybe because the first one started awkwardly when Nari ordered a dish, curry, she can never eat, and this time he knew better. Or maybe it’s because the previous one was “the” first date and it is a date destined to be awkward and weird even when they’re practically adults now and no longer teens. Whatever the reason was, it still was different from the first one.
The talk they shared wasn’t intruding. Nari made sure that the conversation stayed on mutual and safe grounds, like work, hobbies, and the like. They had a bit too much fun talking about what could have happened between Aiba and Becky by now, considering that the two had gone on a European trip for their honeymoon, and speculating on whether or not Becky would be pregnant by the time they come back in about a week. To a certain point, they even talked about the weather, but that was mainly because it started drizzling outside when they were half-way through their meal. She was almost about to feel afraid when the drizzle started turning into rain just before they finished eating. But thankfully, while the rain did strengthen, some things that would usually come in with the rain didn’t occur.
Still, it did affect their plans. Nari was thinking the two of them could share a walk after dinner but considering the rain, they had to change plans. They just decided to call it a night and maybe rightfully so because the rain looked like it had no plan of stopping. In fact, when Nari was driving her back to her apartment, it started raining a bit too hard that Meisa insisted that he needn’t walk her to her door.
He didn’t have to get wet, after all. Not that Meisa got really wet with that quick run she had to do from Nari’s car towards the sheltered walkway to her apartment. In fact, other than the water droplets clinging to her coat and hair, it was as if she wasn’t wet.
The same can not be said for the guy currently sitting outside her apartment door, with his hands holding his head as he looked down and looking very much worse for wear as droplets of water dripped from his clothes and hair.
“Sho?!” Meisa exclaimed.
----- TBC-----
how was it???
One Chance only has 3 chapters to go....
and this post is a proof that i'm not abandoning The Chase! :D:D:D
reviews are really loved!!
