here it is... :)
Sep. 6th, 2010 11:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
angelshill I just saw the most jaw dropping, heart stopping and all together shocking proposal a Johnny's idol has ever made... and the funny thing is, it wasn't even delivered by someone who's off age! :)
it was Chinen's in one of his regular shows (School Kakumei, I think) to Hisamoto Masami, and maybe the fact that it was him who made it gave it a lot more impact because it was completely unexpected of him. I even didn't see where he was going at when he delivered his lines! And the fact that Hisamoto Masami is old enough to be his mother, or a young grandmother, gave it more impact... She was even quite speechless for a while! :D (Oh Chinen, you really are a Johnny...)
anyways...
TITLE: Baby Steps
CHARACTERS: Arashi members, NewS members, Horikita Maki, Inoue Mao, Oguri Shun, Ikuta Toma, and a whole horde of other Johnny's and female Japanese actresses
PAIRING: Yamashita Tomohisa/Horikita Maki; Matsumoto Jun/Inoue Mao; others
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
Prologue / Chapter1/ Chapter2/ Chapter3/ Chapter4/ Chapter5/ Chapter6/ Chapter7/ Chapter8/ Chapter8.5/ Chapter9
Chapter 10:
“You don’t have anymore shoots for tonight?” Yamapi started awkwardly as he and Nino sat at the waiting area of the lobby.
By the looks of it, Matsujun was saying the truth when he said that everyone in the jimusho knows about his situation which is why he didn’t bother asking. Likewise, Nino didn’t bother acknowledging what he does or does not know.
“No…” Nino answered as he started browsing through one of the magazines displayed on the glass table.
“Must be a tiring day… You’re not yet going home or anything?” he asked, trying to be nonchalant.
“No…”
‘Yeah… That would be too much to ask…’ Yamapi told himself, sighing.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want Nino there seeing as Nino is both his sempai and one of the few Johnnys who are in a serious (and ultimately, quiet) relationship. But having Nino there was like having both Toma and Ryo behind him, with Ryo giving of snarky remarks and Toma laughing his heart out. Nino could do both, and do it in his face while Maki is there. And the worst thing is he’s definitely going to give a blow by blow account of what’s going to happen to the others, the only ray of light being that he’s not going to reveal that information to anyone who’s not within Yamapi’s closest circle of friends.
“I thought you might need a cover…” Nino said as he continued perusing the magazine. “After all, it would be very suspicious if you’re suddenly seen with Maki-chan when you don’t have any work together. Jun-kun said he didn’t want Maki-chan’s problems increasing…”
Yamapi couldn’t help but smile. Maybe there is more than just one good thing about Nino being there, especially since he hadn’t thought of a possible cover for him picking Maki up.
“Where is Jun-kun?” he asked, not wanting to put too much attention to it while they were still in a public area. “It seems like his phone is off…”
“Probably out surfing…” Nino grinned. “His manager gave him the rest of the day off to celebrate…”
“Huh? Celebrate what?”
“You don’t know what today is?” Nino chuckled, finally looking at him.
“It’s Monday…”
“Yeah… The 30th of August…”
Yamapi frowned, what is there to August 30 that Matsujun would celebrate that Nino expects him to know.
“Shoot!” he exclaimed. “Today is his birthday!”
They’re not really the type of friends who’d be really extravagant when it comes to birthdays and the like. At most they’d have drinks when they have time but at the very least, they’d send birthday greetings, something he hadn’t even done.
Whipping out his phone, he tried dialing Matsujun’s number but it really was off. Turning to Nino, he asked,
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know…” shrugged Nino, now watching the people passing them by. “Haven’t been able to contact him since lunch…”
“Aren’t you worried?”
“No,” Nino said plainly before he chuckled. “Come on, he’s Matsumoto Jun. He can take care of himself. Plus if people don’t recognize his face, they’d recognize his eyebrows! Besides, Shun-kun said he has something planned for Jun-kun for this evening…”
“Ah…” Yamapi nodded to himself. He had allowed his gaze to wander around the floor for a while, searching for a topic to talk about until his eyes landed on Nino whose face suddenly lit up and his smile turning a bit mischievous once again.
Following his gaze, he saw Maki walking towards them.
“Good evening…” she greeted as he and Nino stood up. “Nino-kun, I thought you already left?”
“I was planning to, but Yamapi-kun here invited me to join you two for an early dinner…” Nino grinned, throwing a look at Yamapi, daring him to counter his statement.
Yamapi couldn’t do anything but smile when Maki turned to him questioningly. This is going to be a long night.
----------
The early dinner with Yamapi and Nino turned out to be a quite enjoyable one, especially since Nino’s presence made things a little less awkward between her and Yamapi. Yamapi drove (since Nino’s still not allowed) them to a popular yakiniku place near the Ikuta Studios. The conversation turned out to be light chat with friends.
Half-way through dinner, Maki’s phone suddenly rang, making her excuse herself to receive it when she saw that it’s Riko.
“Moshi, moshi Riko-chan…” she greeted after she entered the powder room and made sure that no one else was there.
“Where are you right now?”
“At a yakiniku place near Ikuta Studios…” she answered, she had already told Riko about the talk between her and Yamapi.
“You two are eating in public?!” Riko asked, panicking.
“No, no…” Maki amended quickly. “We’re with Ninomiya-kun… I think this might even be Ninomiya-kun’s idea.”
“Oh, that’s fine then…” Riko said, sighing. “I just called to inform you that the upper management is scheduling a talk with us on the 2nd.”
“Do they know?” asked Maki, worried. She wasn’t planning on hiding her situation from her company but she’d hoped that some of the things surrounding her situation would be settled first before she meets them.
“I’m not sure…” Riko admitted. “No one’s giving any hints… But Nanba-kun did warn me that their management might go in contact with the bosses.”
Maki’s eyes grew wide. She’s not afraid of standing by her decision even if her and Yamapi’s do over would not succeed. What she was afraid off though is her management making her completely quit the industry because of her situation and the scandal that would accompany it. It’s not because she wouldn’t be able to support herself outside the entertainment industry that she’s afraid of it but she loves what she is doing and she’s enjoying it. If they’d make her quit, she wouldn’t know what to do.
“Maki-chan, don’t worry about it…” said Riko when she hadn’t said anything. “I’m sure everything is going to be fine… There’s no point worrying about something until it actually happens… Besides, you’ve got all of us around you for you…”
Maki smiled. Her friends would be there for her.
----------
“Is everything all right?” Yamapi asked when Maki rejoined them at their table five minutes later.
“Huh?” she asked, slightly distracted.
“You seem a bit pale… Are you okay?” he asked, concerned.
“Oh no… I’m fine…” Maki said, smiling at him. There was something heartwarming about the way she smiled at him.
“Anyway…” said Nino, clearing his throat and effectively attracting their attention. “I’m thinking you should both come to our final day at the Kokuritsu… It would be fun, and I heard from Jun-kun that Shun-kun is going to be there too…”
“That would be great!” she cheered. “Mao-chan’s coming too?”
“I don’t think so…” Nino said. “She has some shooting or something she can’t get out of… But I think Jun-kun’s reserved her for the Tokyo Dome concert anyway… So, you’re coming?”
“I’d love to…” Maki smiled. “I heard your concerts are always fun…” Just then, both Maki and Nino turned to Yamapi questioningly seeing as he hadn’t spoken yet.
“That’s on the fourth, right?” he asked. When Nino nodded, he groaned. “I can’t. NewS has a rehearsal ‘til late that night… I won’t be able to make it…”
He can tell that there was something resembling disappointment in Maki’s eyes the moment he said that, making him feel a bit more disappointed than he already is. But what made it curious was that Nino looked more disappointed than the two of them.
“That’s too bad…” he sighed before lightening up and turning to Maki. “You’re absolutely coming though, right?”
Yamapi saw that Maki casted him a look first before turning to Nino and saying. “I wouldn’t miss it…”
----------
“Are you sure everything is alright?” Yamapi asked as he and Maki walked to her apartment door. The dinner with Nino was a lot more successful than he expected. The fact that his sempai made him pay for everything is no longer new but Nino being a lot less snarky than usual is.
But as much as Maki tried to be normal throughout the rest of the dinner, Yamapi noticed that she looked a lot less composed after that phone call. She was even much more unnaturally quiet during the car ride to her place, her eyes focused on the outside.
“Yeah… Why do you keep on asking?” Maki asked as she rummaged through her bag for her keys.
“Because you look different ever since that phone call…” Yamapi said. “Anything you’d want to share?”
Maki paused momentarily, taken aback by what he said before she turned her attention to the door, saying “It’s nothing I can’t handle…”
Yamapi sighed, stopping her hand as she extended her arm which held her key.
“Since we’re starting over, I need you to trust me…” he said, taking her key. “Is this something I should know?”
Maki looked straight into his eyes before she sighed. “Riko-chan just told me that my upper management had just set up a meeting…”
Yamapi swallowed. He knew how nervous he was when he was waiting for the minutes to tick by just before his own meeting with the upper management; he could imagine what’s going on within Maki at the moment.
“Are you scared?” he asked warily.
Maki made a sad smile before she sighed. “A bit…” she admitted. “But I can handle this… I have to…”
Yamapi had this overwhelming urge to reach out and hug her when she said that, like he wanted to reassure her or something but he held himself back.
Instead, he reached to open the door with her key, saying “You’re not alone you know…”
Maki simply smiled.
----------
“Oi! Will you settle down?!” Ryo growled as he watched Yamapi pacing at their green room while on break from concert rehearsals.
The rest of NewS were taking a well needed rest lounging in the green room (or eating, in Massu’s case) but Ryo always takes it as a chance to grab a nap. He hadn’t really had enough rest lately, what with all the activities he has on his own and with his two groups. Unfortunately, he can’t really take a nap when their leader kept on pacing right in front of him.
“Huh?” said Yamapi, looking confused as the rest of NewS turned to him. “What?”
“What’s wrong with you?!” Ryo said, still growling. Normally, he’d be a lot more patient with this particular group mate of his considering his situation but lack of sleep and rest makes him a lot grumpier than usual. “You’ve looked distracted from the moment we started!”
Yamapi looked like he wanted growl back at him but he noticed the same time he did that everyone else were looking at the two of them in concern (and alarm). Instead, he sighed and sat next to him.
Ryo closed his eyes and breathed a couple of times deeply in an attempt to calm himself when Yamapi simply sat there.
“Maki-chan’s in a meeting with her management right now…” Yamapi suddenly said quietly.
Ryo opened one eye and peeked at him. Yamapi wasn’t looking at him, he wasn’t looking at anyone for that matter. He had his head down and his hands kept playing with his bracelet, a sure sign that he’s nervous.
“So?”
“So I’m worried!” Yamapi said, turning to look at him as though he had just said something unbelievable. “She wasn’t really sounding all that confident when I talked to her earlier this morning even if she was saying she is…”
“So you’re in contact regularly now huh?” Ryo said, fighting to hide the grin that was threatening to emerge. “The rumors are true…”
“What rumors?” Yamapi asked, straightening up.
“Nothing…” Ryo shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant although he wanted to laugh out loud at how Yamapi suddenly looked panicked. “Just something about you and Maki being seen eating together…”
Yamapi visibly calmed down. “We were with Ninomiya-kun…”
“So I heard… In fact, that point is being emphasized…”
“Yeah… So?” Yamapi said defensively.
“Nothing…” Ryo said, shaking his head. “You were saying?”
Yamapi sighed. “I talked to Nanba-kun, he said the big bosses might have been in contact with her bosses… I would’ve wanted to be in that meeting with her…”
Ryo, being in a much lighter mood than five minutes ago, turned to face Yamapi fully and asked “Why would that be?”
“She’s pregnant. I’m the father. That’s why she’s in that meeting…”
“And that’s all there is to it?” Ryo challenged.
“What other reason should there be?” Yamapi asked.
It was at this point that Ryo could no longer help it, he burst out laughing attracting everyone’s attention once again.
“What’s so funny?!”
“You are!” he blurted out, patting Yamapi’s shoulder condescendingly. “You have a very big problem Yamashita Tomohisa.”
“Don’t you think I know that already?!” Yamapi growled in irritation.
“No... I’m not talking about that … I’m talking about you… You’re your biggest problem!” Ryo said laughing as he stood up. Before Yamapi could reply or react though, he left the room, knowing that Yamapi wouldn’t be following him.
It was better that way. They’ve all agreed that it’d be more important for Yamapi to realize the things that are already painfully clear to them that he still seem not to understand himself. Chances are, he might just actually blurt things to him just to finish this whole dilemma so he could get some rest.
He never really doubted it when all the rest were saying that Yamapi is subconsciously in love with Maki. But if ever he did, what just happened erased all of it completely.
----------
Yamapi couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Ryo leaving the room after telling him that. He would have wanted to follow him out and demand that he explain what he just said but he knew from experience that Ryo wouldn’t fess up.
Besides, he just had a similar conversation with Kame, albeit sans all the laughing in his face part, when the two of them went out for a drink last night. Kame didn’t explain any of his words either, which kind of infuriated him since he was in a confessing mood.
He had been confused of himself ever since Maki closed the door behind him when he walked her to her apartment the other night.
When he saw how worried Maki was, even while she was pretending she could handle it, he wanted to grab her, hug her and tell her that everything would be fine. When he saw how Maki simply smiled when said that she wasn’t alone, he had this overwhelming urge of making her know that he is one of those people who would be there for her. He wanted her to smile, not only that customary smile of hers, or that friendly smile. He felt like he wanted her to smile for him.
That, out of everything that had recently occurred, so many things having occurred at that(one of which Maki calling him Yamashita-kun now, instead of san), confused him the most. He can’t recall having felt that way in the past and he told Kame all that.
But all Kame said was “Please stop proving to us and the whole world that you and Bakanishi have more things in common than what we already know…”
He asked him to explain that but Kame simply shook his head and said he has to find out himself. Ryo had just delivered to him his own version of that line.
Neither set of words helped though. He still remained confused. And on top of that, he really wanted to see Maki, to find how the meeting ended. Not that he could, not tonight anyway. Most of Japan would already be asleep by the time he finishes his work tonight.
----------
“Did that really just happen?” Maki asked as she and Riko entered her apartment. Their grueling 3 hour meeting had just ended and she still could not believe what she was told.
Most of the first 2 hours were consumed with the senior vice president reviewing everything that connects her to the company, from her contract to her projects, to her accomplishments, to what the company had done with and for her. She also reviewed all the company policies and the like that made Maki’s heart beat a lot faster than usual, making it the longest two hours of her life.
But when it was the company president’s turn to talk, everything stood still, including her heart.
“They’re allowing me to stay? They’re really allowing me to stay?” she said, still in disbelief.
“Of course they are…” Riko smiled. “Why, what were you expecting?”
“Something along the lines of them making me quit permanently…” Maki admitted, crashing on her sofa.
Riko chuckled. “Yeah, I thought that too… But come on, it’s not like they could just go and pick some random girl to take your place, you’re Horikita Maki…”
Maki couldn’t help but smile at that praise. “But you said the Johnny’s Jimusho had made contact already…”
“Maybe the meeting went really great… I’m not really sure…” Riko shrugged.
“How great could it have been?” Maki asked. “I mean, it’s common knowledge that Johnny Kitagawa-san is quite strict with this kind of issues, especially with one as active as Yamashita-kun.”
“Everyone knows Johnny Kitagawa-san’s way of thinking is really weird sometimes…” Riko laughed. “Don’t let it bother you though, it might be bad for the child… Besides, I’m pretty sure you’re happy with the decision…”
“Of course I am!” Maki smiled. “I just couldn’t believe that it was the decision they came up with…”
The management said that she could take a break when her doctor sees it fit and she could come back after, with the company’s full support.
Riko simply smiled. “Anyway, how are things between you and Yamashita-san?”
Maki gave a small smile and shrugged. Yamapi had in fact sent her an encouraging message just before she went to the meeting. “He seems to be trying…”
“And you’re happy about it…” Riko stated.
Maki only smiled. She wouldn’t deny that.
----------
“He’s irritated again…” murmured Shige.
“He’s not irritated, he’s just agitated…” Tegoshi murmured back.
“Doesn’t that mean the same thing?” Masuda asked.
“No… Irritated means he’s annoyed, but he doesn’t seem like it…” Tegoshi explained. “He seems nervous…”
“I guess I better talk to him then…” Koyama volunteered.
Before Koyama could advance though, three pairs of hands reached out to hold him back, all three murmuring frantic “NO!”’s.
The four of NewS were standing together near the water table during their 15 minute water break from rehearsals when they noticed Yamapi close by pacing near the door with a very serious expression, Ryo had just crashed on one of the staff chairs and seemed dead-tired to the world, or at least to notice anything.
Yamapi heard all of it actually but he pretended not to notice. He’s attention is focused on the fact that Maki isn’t picking up his calls or replying to any of his messages.
He knew for a fact that the Arashi concert Maki had attended had already ended over an hour and a half ago. He had wanted to call her and ask if it’d be all right if he drops by her place after their rehearsal, since they’ve decided to end the rehearsals earlier than usual. He hadn’t actually seen her after that day he met with Kame and he’s quite anxious, for some reason, to see her again.
He had been calling her though, checking up on her once in a while, which is why he now knew her management’s decision despite the fact that they haven’t seen each other yet. He’s also been sending, through Nanba, fruit baskets to her place.
When Maki still did not answer after his fifth try, he decided to call Shun instead since Shun had said he’d be with Maki all through out the concert.
When his call was picked up though, it wasn’t Shun.
“What’s up Yamapi?” came Matsujun’s voice.
“Jun-kun?” he asked. “You’re with Shun-kun?”
“Most probably…” he heard Matsujun laugh. “We’re at a bar in Azabu… Want to come?”
“You went drinking?!” he blurted out, his voice increasing.
“Oi! Is that the proper tone to use on a sempai, especially one whose birthday you have forgotten?!” Matsujun lectured.
Yamapi blanched a bit, realizing that he had just raised his voice on a sempai.
“I’m sorry about that…” he said. “And I’m sorry I didn’t get to greet you on your birthday. But in all fairness, your phone was off when I was trying to contact you… Besides, I sent you a message…”
Hearing Matsujun laugh on the other line, he breathed freely again.
“Is Maki-chan with you? She isn’t answering my calls…” he asked, immediately.
“No…” Matsujun replied. “We wouldn’t go drinking if we’re with her now, would we? Sho-kun invited her out to dinner.”
Yamapi’s eyes widened. “Alone?!”
“I’m not quite sure…” Matsujun said.
“Where’s Shun-kun?!” he suddenly growled, unable to control himself. “He promised he’d take care of Maki-chan!”
“It’s Sho-kun… She wouldn’t be in trouble…” came the reply. “What’s all the fuss?”
“Nothing…” he answered, trying to keep his temper in check. “Do you know where they went?”
“No.”
Yamapi was about to ask if he could have Sho’s number when Matsujun suddenly said “I’ve got to go, my phone is ringing…” and ended the call.
He ended up pocketing his phone in annoyance.
He knew that Matsujun was right when he said that Maki wouldn’t be in trouble because it is Sho and Sho is responsible. He told himself that. But it didn’t really help. In fact, the fact that she is with Sakurai Sho seemed to make him more worried when it shouldn’t.
Turning to his group mates, he saw all of them (except Ryo who still had his eyes closed) pretending to have not heard him at all through out that phone call.
“Resume practice!” he barked, feeling a bit conscious of himself, before he stormed to the stage.
He didn’t hear Ryo chuckling when he opened his eyes and stretched, saying “Now he’s irritated!”
so that's chapter 10! :) anyway, can someone please tell me NewS schedule for their upcoming concert tour? the date plus the location please... or link me to a page with the schedule or something... i kind of need it... please? thanks! :)
as always, critics and comments are loved...
it was Chinen's in one of his regular shows (School Kakumei, I think) to Hisamoto Masami, and maybe the fact that it was him who made it gave it a lot more impact because it was completely unexpected of him. I even didn't see where he was going at when he delivered his lines! And the fact that Hisamoto Masami is old enough to be his mother, or a young grandmother, gave it more impact... She was even quite speechless for a while! :D (Oh Chinen, you really are a Johnny...)
anyways...
TITLE: Baby Steps
CHARACTERS: Arashi members, NewS members, Horikita Maki, Inoue Mao, Oguri Shun, Ikuta Toma, and a whole horde of other Johnny's and female Japanese actresses
PAIRING: Yamashita Tomohisa/Horikita Maki; Matsumoto Jun/Inoue Mao; others
RATINGS: PG
DISCLAIMER: The only thing i own in this story is the plot...
Prologue / Chapter1/ Chapter2/ Chapter3/ Chapter4/ Chapter5/ Chapter6/ Chapter7/ Chapter8/ Chapter8.5/ Chapter9
Chapter 10:
“You don’t have anymore shoots for tonight?” Yamapi started awkwardly as he and Nino sat at the waiting area of the lobby.
By the looks of it, Matsujun was saying the truth when he said that everyone in the jimusho knows about his situation which is why he didn’t bother asking. Likewise, Nino didn’t bother acknowledging what he does or does not know.
“No…” Nino answered as he started browsing through one of the magazines displayed on the glass table.
“Must be a tiring day… You’re not yet going home or anything?” he asked, trying to be nonchalant.
“No…”
‘Yeah… That would be too much to ask…’ Yamapi told himself, sighing.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want Nino there seeing as Nino is both his sempai and one of the few Johnnys who are in a serious (and ultimately, quiet) relationship. But having Nino there was like having both Toma and Ryo behind him, with Ryo giving of snarky remarks and Toma laughing his heart out. Nino could do both, and do it in his face while Maki is there. And the worst thing is he’s definitely going to give a blow by blow account of what’s going to happen to the others, the only ray of light being that he’s not going to reveal that information to anyone who’s not within Yamapi’s closest circle of friends.
“I thought you might need a cover…” Nino said as he continued perusing the magazine. “After all, it would be very suspicious if you’re suddenly seen with Maki-chan when you don’t have any work together. Jun-kun said he didn’t want Maki-chan’s problems increasing…”
Yamapi couldn’t help but smile. Maybe there is more than just one good thing about Nino being there, especially since he hadn’t thought of a possible cover for him picking Maki up.
“Where is Jun-kun?” he asked, not wanting to put too much attention to it while they were still in a public area. “It seems like his phone is off…”
“Probably out surfing…” Nino grinned. “His manager gave him the rest of the day off to celebrate…”
“Huh? Celebrate what?”
“You don’t know what today is?” Nino chuckled, finally looking at him.
“It’s Monday…”
“Yeah… The 30th of August…”
Yamapi frowned, what is there to August 30 that Matsujun would celebrate that Nino expects him to know.
“Shoot!” he exclaimed. “Today is his birthday!”
They’re not really the type of friends who’d be really extravagant when it comes to birthdays and the like. At most they’d have drinks when they have time but at the very least, they’d send birthday greetings, something he hadn’t even done.
Whipping out his phone, he tried dialing Matsujun’s number but it really was off. Turning to Nino, he asked,
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know…” shrugged Nino, now watching the people passing them by. “Haven’t been able to contact him since lunch…”
“Aren’t you worried?”
“No,” Nino said plainly before he chuckled. “Come on, he’s Matsumoto Jun. He can take care of himself. Plus if people don’t recognize his face, they’d recognize his eyebrows! Besides, Shun-kun said he has something planned for Jun-kun for this evening…”
“Ah…” Yamapi nodded to himself. He had allowed his gaze to wander around the floor for a while, searching for a topic to talk about until his eyes landed on Nino whose face suddenly lit up and his smile turning a bit mischievous once again.
Following his gaze, he saw Maki walking towards them.
“Good evening…” she greeted as he and Nino stood up. “Nino-kun, I thought you already left?”
“I was planning to, but Yamapi-kun here invited me to join you two for an early dinner…” Nino grinned, throwing a look at Yamapi, daring him to counter his statement.
Yamapi couldn’t do anything but smile when Maki turned to him questioningly. This is going to be a long night.
----------
The early dinner with Yamapi and Nino turned out to be a quite enjoyable one, especially since Nino’s presence made things a little less awkward between her and Yamapi. Yamapi drove (since Nino’s still not allowed) them to a popular yakiniku place near the Ikuta Studios. The conversation turned out to be light chat with friends.
Half-way through dinner, Maki’s phone suddenly rang, making her excuse herself to receive it when she saw that it’s Riko.
“Moshi, moshi Riko-chan…” she greeted after she entered the powder room and made sure that no one else was there.
“Where are you right now?”
“At a yakiniku place near Ikuta Studios…” she answered, she had already told Riko about the talk between her and Yamapi.
“You two are eating in public?!” Riko asked, panicking.
“No, no…” Maki amended quickly. “We’re with Ninomiya-kun… I think this might even be Ninomiya-kun’s idea.”
“Oh, that’s fine then…” Riko said, sighing. “I just called to inform you that the upper management is scheduling a talk with us on the 2nd.”
“Do they know?” asked Maki, worried. She wasn’t planning on hiding her situation from her company but she’d hoped that some of the things surrounding her situation would be settled first before she meets them.
“I’m not sure…” Riko admitted. “No one’s giving any hints… But Nanba-kun did warn me that their management might go in contact with the bosses.”
Maki’s eyes grew wide. She’s not afraid of standing by her decision even if her and Yamapi’s do over would not succeed. What she was afraid off though is her management making her completely quit the industry because of her situation and the scandal that would accompany it. It’s not because she wouldn’t be able to support herself outside the entertainment industry that she’s afraid of it but she loves what she is doing and she’s enjoying it. If they’d make her quit, she wouldn’t know what to do.
“Maki-chan, don’t worry about it…” said Riko when she hadn’t said anything. “I’m sure everything is going to be fine… There’s no point worrying about something until it actually happens… Besides, you’ve got all of us around you for you…”
Maki smiled. Her friends would be there for her.
----------
“Is everything all right?” Yamapi asked when Maki rejoined them at their table five minutes later.
“Huh?” she asked, slightly distracted.
“You seem a bit pale… Are you okay?” he asked, concerned.
“Oh no… I’m fine…” Maki said, smiling at him. There was something heartwarming about the way she smiled at him.
“Anyway…” said Nino, clearing his throat and effectively attracting their attention. “I’m thinking you should both come to our final day at the Kokuritsu… It would be fun, and I heard from Jun-kun that Shun-kun is going to be there too…”
“That would be great!” she cheered. “Mao-chan’s coming too?”
“I don’t think so…” Nino said. “She has some shooting or something she can’t get out of… But I think Jun-kun’s reserved her for the Tokyo Dome concert anyway… So, you’re coming?”
“I’d love to…” Maki smiled. “I heard your concerts are always fun…” Just then, both Maki and Nino turned to Yamapi questioningly seeing as he hadn’t spoken yet.
“That’s on the fourth, right?” he asked. When Nino nodded, he groaned. “I can’t. NewS has a rehearsal ‘til late that night… I won’t be able to make it…”
He can tell that there was something resembling disappointment in Maki’s eyes the moment he said that, making him feel a bit more disappointed than he already is. But what made it curious was that Nino looked more disappointed than the two of them.
“That’s too bad…” he sighed before lightening up and turning to Maki. “You’re absolutely coming though, right?”
Yamapi saw that Maki casted him a look first before turning to Nino and saying. “I wouldn’t miss it…”
----------
“Are you sure everything is alright?” Yamapi asked as he and Maki walked to her apartment door. The dinner with Nino was a lot more successful than he expected. The fact that his sempai made him pay for everything is no longer new but Nino being a lot less snarky than usual is.
But as much as Maki tried to be normal throughout the rest of the dinner, Yamapi noticed that she looked a lot less composed after that phone call. She was even much more unnaturally quiet during the car ride to her place, her eyes focused on the outside.
“Yeah… Why do you keep on asking?” Maki asked as she rummaged through her bag for her keys.
“Because you look different ever since that phone call…” Yamapi said. “Anything you’d want to share?”
Maki paused momentarily, taken aback by what he said before she turned her attention to the door, saying “It’s nothing I can’t handle…”
Yamapi sighed, stopping her hand as she extended her arm which held her key.
“Since we’re starting over, I need you to trust me…” he said, taking her key. “Is this something I should know?”
Maki looked straight into his eyes before she sighed. “Riko-chan just told me that my upper management had just set up a meeting…”
Yamapi swallowed. He knew how nervous he was when he was waiting for the minutes to tick by just before his own meeting with the upper management; he could imagine what’s going on within Maki at the moment.
“Are you scared?” he asked warily.
Maki made a sad smile before she sighed. “A bit…” she admitted. “But I can handle this… I have to…”
Yamapi had this overwhelming urge to reach out and hug her when she said that, like he wanted to reassure her or something but he held himself back.
Instead, he reached to open the door with her key, saying “You’re not alone you know…”
Maki simply smiled.
----------
“Oi! Will you settle down?!” Ryo growled as he watched Yamapi pacing at their green room while on break from concert rehearsals.
The rest of NewS were taking a well needed rest lounging in the green room (or eating, in Massu’s case) but Ryo always takes it as a chance to grab a nap. He hadn’t really had enough rest lately, what with all the activities he has on his own and with his two groups. Unfortunately, he can’t really take a nap when their leader kept on pacing right in front of him.
“Huh?” said Yamapi, looking confused as the rest of NewS turned to him. “What?”
“What’s wrong with you?!” Ryo said, still growling. Normally, he’d be a lot more patient with this particular group mate of his considering his situation but lack of sleep and rest makes him a lot grumpier than usual. “You’ve looked distracted from the moment we started!”
Yamapi looked like he wanted growl back at him but he noticed the same time he did that everyone else were looking at the two of them in concern (and alarm). Instead, he sighed and sat next to him.
Ryo closed his eyes and breathed a couple of times deeply in an attempt to calm himself when Yamapi simply sat there.
“Maki-chan’s in a meeting with her management right now…” Yamapi suddenly said quietly.
Ryo opened one eye and peeked at him. Yamapi wasn’t looking at him, he wasn’t looking at anyone for that matter. He had his head down and his hands kept playing with his bracelet, a sure sign that he’s nervous.
“So?”
“So I’m worried!” Yamapi said, turning to look at him as though he had just said something unbelievable. “She wasn’t really sounding all that confident when I talked to her earlier this morning even if she was saying she is…”
“So you’re in contact regularly now huh?” Ryo said, fighting to hide the grin that was threatening to emerge. “The rumors are true…”
“What rumors?” Yamapi asked, straightening up.
“Nothing…” Ryo shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant although he wanted to laugh out loud at how Yamapi suddenly looked panicked. “Just something about you and Maki being seen eating together…”
Yamapi visibly calmed down. “We were with Ninomiya-kun…”
“So I heard… In fact, that point is being emphasized…”
“Yeah… So?” Yamapi said defensively.
“Nothing…” Ryo said, shaking his head. “You were saying?”
Yamapi sighed. “I talked to Nanba-kun, he said the big bosses might have been in contact with her bosses… I would’ve wanted to be in that meeting with her…”
Ryo, being in a much lighter mood than five minutes ago, turned to face Yamapi fully and asked “Why would that be?”
“She’s pregnant. I’m the father. That’s why she’s in that meeting…”
“And that’s all there is to it?” Ryo challenged.
“What other reason should there be?” Yamapi asked.
It was at this point that Ryo could no longer help it, he burst out laughing attracting everyone’s attention once again.
“What’s so funny?!”
“You are!” he blurted out, patting Yamapi’s shoulder condescendingly. “You have a very big problem Yamashita Tomohisa.”
“Don’t you think I know that already?!” Yamapi growled in irritation.
“No... I’m not talking about that … I’m talking about you… You’re your biggest problem!” Ryo said laughing as he stood up. Before Yamapi could reply or react though, he left the room, knowing that Yamapi wouldn’t be following him.
It was better that way. They’ve all agreed that it’d be more important for Yamapi to realize the things that are already painfully clear to them that he still seem not to understand himself. Chances are, he might just actually blurt things to him just to finish this whole dilemma so he could get some rest.
He never really doubted it when all the rest were saying that Yamapi is subconsciously in love with Maki. But if ever he did, what just happened erased all of it completely.
----------
Yamapi couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Ryo leaving the room after telling him that. He would have wanted to follow him out and demand that he explain what he just said but he knew from experience that Ryo wouldn’t fess up.
Besides, he just had a similar conversation with Kame, albeit sans all the laughing in his face part, when the two of them went out for a drink last night. Kame didn’t explain any of his words either, which kind of infuriated him since he was in a confessing mood.
He had been confused of himself ever since Maki closed the door behind him when he walked her to her apartment the other night.
When he saw how worried Maki was, even while she was pretending she could handle it, he wanted to grab her, hug her and tell her that everything would be fine. When he saw how Maki simply smiled when said that she wasn’t alone, he had this overwhelming urge of making her know that he is one of those people who would be there for her. He wanted her to smile, not only that customary smile of hers, or that friendly smile. He felt like he wanted her to smile for him.
That, out of everything that had recently occurred, so many things having occurred at that(one of which Maki calling him Yamashita-kun now, instead of san), confused him the most. He can’t recall having felt that way in the past and he told Kame all that.
But all Kame said was “Please stop proving to us and the whole world that you and Bakanishi have more things in common than what we already know…”
He asked him to explain that but Kame simply shook his head and said he has to find out himself. Ryo had just delivered to him his own version of that line.
Neither set of words helped though. He still remained confused. And on top of that, he really wanted to see Maki, to find how the meeting ended. Not that he could, not tonight anyway. Most of Japan would already be asleep by the time he finishes his work tonight.
----------
“Did that really just happen?” Maki asked as she and Riko entered her apartment. Their grueling 3 hour meeting had just ended and she still could not believe what she was told.
Most of the first 2 hours were consumed with the senior vice president reviewing everything that connects her to the company, from her contract to her projects, to her accomplishments, to what the company had done with and for her. She also reviewed all the company policies and the like that made Maki’s heart beat a lot faster than usual, making it the longest two hours of her life.
But when it was the company president’s turn to talk, everything stood still, including her heart.
“They’re allowing me to stay? They’re really allowing me to stay?” she said, still in disbelief.
“Of course they are…” Riko smiled. “Why, what were you expecting?”
“Something along the lines of them making me quit permanently…” Maki admitted, crashing on her sofa.
Riko chuckled. “Yeah, I thought that too… But come on, it’s not like they could just go and pick some random girl to take your place, you’re Horikita Maki…”
Maki couldn’t help but smile at that praise. “But you said the Johnny’s Jimusho had made contact already…”
“Maybe the meeting went really great… I’m not really sure…” Riko shrugged.
“How great could it have been?” Maki asked. “I mean, it’s common knowledge that Johnny Kitagawa-san is quite strict with this kind of issues, especially with one as active as Yamashita-kun.”
“Everyone knows Johnny Kitagawa-san’s way of thinking is really weird sometimes…” Riko laughed. “Don’t let it bother you though, it might be bad for the child… Besides, I’m pretty sure you’re happy with the decision…”
“Of course I am!” Maki smiled. “I just couldn’t believe that it was the decision they came up with…”
The management said that she could take a break when her doctor sees it fit and she could come back after, with the company’s full support.
Riko simply smiled. “Anyway, how are things between you and Yamashita-san?”
Maki gave a small smile and shrugged. Yamapi had in fact sent her an encouraging message just before she went to the meeting. “He seems to be trying…”
“And you’re happy about it…” Riko stated.
Maki only smiled. She wouldn’t deny that.
----------
“He’s irritated again…” murmured Shige.
“He’s not irritated, he’s just agitated…” Tegoshi murmured back.
“Doesn’t that mean the same thing?” Masuda asked.
“No… Irritated means he’s annoyed, but he doesn’t seem like it…” Tegoshi explained. “He seems nervous…”
“I guess I better talk to him then…” Koyama volunteered.
Before Koyama could advance though, three pairs of hands reached out to hold him back, all three murmuring frantic “NO!”’s.
The four of NewS were standing together near the water table during their 15 minute water break from rehearsals when they noticed Yamapi close by pacing near the door with a very serious expression, Ryo had just crashed on one of the staff chairs and seemed dead-tired to the world, or at least to notice anything.
Yamapi heard all of it actually but he pretended not to notice. He’s attention is focused on the fact that Maki isn’t picking up his calls or replying to any of his messages.
He knew for a fact that the Arashi concert Maki had attended had already ended over an hour and a half ago. He had wanted to call her and ask if it’d be all right if he drops by her place after their rehearsal, since they’ve decided to end the rehearsals earlier than usual. He hadn’t actually seen her after that day he met with Kame and he’s quite anxious, for some reason, to see her again.
He had been calling her though, checking up on her once in a while, which is why he now knew her management’s decision despite the fact that they haven’t seen each other yet. He’s also been sending, through Nanba, fruit baskets to her place.
When Maki still did not answer after his fifth try, he decided to call Shun instead since Shun had said he’d be with Maki all through out the concert.
When his call was picked up though, it wasn’t Shun.
“What’s up Yamapi?” came Matsujun’s voice.
“Jun-kun?” he asked. “You’re with Shun-kun?”
“Most probably…” he heard Matsujun laugh. “We’re at a bar in Azabu… Want to come?”
“You went drinking?!” he blurted out, his voice increasing.
“Oi! Is that the proper tone to use on a sempai, especially one whose birthday you have forgotten?!” Matsujun lectured.
Yamapi blanched a bit, realizing that he had just raised his voice on a sempai.
“I’m sorry about that…” he said. “And I’m sorry I didn’t get to greet you on your birthday. But in all fairness, your phone was off when I was trying to contact you… Besides, I sent you a message…”
Hearing Matsujun laugh on the other line, he breathed freely again.
“Is Maki-chan with you? She isn’t answering my calls…” he asked, immediately.
“No…” Matsujun replied. “We wouldn’t go drinking if we’re with her now, would we? Sho-kun invited her out to dinner.”
Yamapi’s eyes widened. “Alone?!”
“I’m not quite sure…” Matsujun said.
“Where’s Shun-kun?!” he suddenly growled, unable to control himself. “He promised he’d take care of Maki-chan!”
“It’s Sho-kun… She wouldn’t be in trouble…” came the reply. “What’s all the fuss?”
“Nothing…” he answered, trying to keep his temper in check. “Do you know where they went?”
“No.”
Yamapi was about to ask if he could have Sho’s number when Matsujun suddenly said “I’ve got to go, my phone is ringing…” and ended the call.
He ended up pocketing his phone in annoyance.
He knew that Matsujun was right when he said that Maki wouldn’t be in trouble because it is Sho and Sho is responsible. He told himself that. But it didn’t really help. In fact, the fact that she is with Sakurai Sho seemed to make him more worried when it shouldn’t.
Turning to his group mates, he saw all of them (except Ryo who still had his eyes closed) pretending to have not heard him at all through out that phone call.
“Resume practice!” he barked, feeling a bit conscious of himself, before he stormed to the stage.
He didn’t hear Ryo chuckling when he opened his eyes and stretched, saying “Now he’s irritated!”
so that's chapter 10! :) anyway, can someone please tell me NewS schedule for their upcoming concert tour? the date plus the location please... or link me to a page with the schedule or something... i kind of need it... please? thanks! :)
as always, critics and comments are loved...
