before i go to sleep
Sep. 17th, 2010 12:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
I thought i would only be able to post this when i get up tomorrow morning (technically later since it's midnight here already) but they say that there's no better time than the present, right?
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/ Chapter10/ Chapter 11
Chapter 12
“Maki-chan can manage on her own you know…” Meisa scowled when Keiko ended the phone call and beamed to the group.
Erika had gathered them all in her apartment after an interesting phone call he received from Kame that had Matsujun, Shun, and Toma in the background. Luckily, both Meisa and Mao were already on their way home from their shooting obligations when they received her message and Keiko had most of the day off.
Kame had just sent in another message saying that Yamapi might already have Maki home seeing as Sho told them the two had left the club a little over 30 minutes ago when Keiko made that call.
“Of course she can…” Keiko grinned as she sat next to Mao on the sofa. “I just wanted to help things along… You have to admit, Yamapi-kun is being a bit slow with things…”
“Yeah!” Erika grinned as she placed a bowl of popcorn on the center table. “I was thinking of borrowing Kame-kun’s name for a while and giving it to Yamapi-kun!”
“What?!” came the collective confused reaction from the rest of the group, making Erika frown.
“Kame! You know, Kame as in turtle… Turtles being slow!” she groaned. “Urgh! You guys can be slow sometimes too you know…”
Meisa snorted. “No, you’re just weird.”
Erika stuck out her tongue at Meisa who scowled back. Keiko and Mao caught each other’s eye and shook their heads, seeing how childish these two can get sometimes, especially opposite each other.
“What makes you so sure Yamashita-kun really loves Maki-chan anyway?” Meisa asked, turning back to Keiko.
Keiko grinned. “Just trust me on this… He loves Maki-chan…”
“Yeah…” Mao agreed. “They seem to think that too…”
“They?” asked Erika.
“Jun and the others…” Mao shrugged. “I guess that’s why they’re trying to push things along… They did orchestrate the things that happened earlier this night… Up until Kei-chan here decided to do a bit of pushing of her own…”
“Yeah…” Erika nodded, smiling. “I find it really sweet and cute…”
“If it works…” Meisa countered. “You said it yourself, Yamashita-kun is slow.”
“You’re such a ray of sunshine in this issue you know…” Keiko said sarcastically.
“Someone had to do it…” Meisa smirked. “It wouldn’t be fun if everyone’s on Yamashita-kun’s side anyway…”
“Well, it’s not really Yamapi-kun’s side…” Mao amended. “I think it’s more of the side where love would prevail…”
Meisa raised an amused eyebrow while both Keiko and Erika turned to Mao with mischievous smiles.
“Speaking of love, I heard that Jun-kun went missing around the same time you were out of reach on the 30th…” said Meisa. “You were together weren’t you?”
Mao blushed at the mischievous and accusing stares the others were throwing at her but she didn’t look down.
“So what if we were? It’s not a bad thing you know…” she pouted defiantly.
“You mean you two are getting back together?” Erika asked excitedly.
Mao simply smiled. “We’re getting there…”
----------
When Maki first woke up, she was confused to find herself in bed when the last thing she remembered is deciding to take a nap in Yamapi’s car. Taking a glance at her wall clock, she saw that it was already a few minutes before 2:00.
Still confused on what had happened, she got up to change into a more comfortable set of clothes. She was just putting on a loose shirt when she noticed the faint light coming from her living room from where her bedroom door stood slightly ajar. It didn’t scare her, knowing that the apartment complex is a very secure location, but it did startle her.
Slowly, she walked to her door and pushed it fully open. Considering that she wasn’t even making a guess on what she’d see there, she felt her heart skip a beat when she saw what was emitting the light.
It was from an opened cellphone held out by the outstretched hand of a sleeping Yamapi on her sofa.
For a moment, she felt she couldn’t breathe, feeling her heart well up with all sorts of emotions. And then she felt like she wanted to cry. Slowly, she walked towards his sleeping form, noticing how his lips were slightly opened. Reaching out to take his phone, she saw that it was opened on a gaming application he must have been playing to pass the time by.
She couldn’t help but smile as he helped him into a more comfortable position in her sofa. Leaving for a while to grab a fresh blanket, she covered him with it. While doing so, she couldn’t help but observe the features of the man she knew she shouldn’t have loved.
She wasn’t opposed to falling in-love. In fact, she’s very much willing to have Cupid shoot his arrow to her heart. But she never hoped to fall for him or someone of his kind. Falling in love with an idol, a Johnny’s idol especially, spelled Trouble with a capital “T”, something she neither wanted nor needed, especially in her profession. She was already aware of the fact that she could never be as public as the normal people she sees on the streets when she enters a relationship, but she knew that it would only get worst when it’s with a Johnny. She had wanted to experience at least once the feeling of a normal woman enjoying a normal day with the one she loves. She knew it was impossible now.
She told the girls that she didn’t know when she actually fell for Yamapi when they asked her that time and that was the truth but she realized early on that she was in danger of falling for Yamashita Tomohisa. She noticed the signs when she saw herself getting very excited going to the shooting location whenever they’re going to have a scene together. She realized how she had felt absurdly happy of being able to co-star with him again after Nobuta wo Produce. She saw all that during the Kurosagi series filming. The falling-in-love realization part happened somewhere between then and the movie.
But it wasn’t as if she just let that all happen. In fact, she tried her best to stop those emotions. Somehow, she just could never win against her own heart no matter how hard she tried. It would always skip a beat whenever Yamapi would turn to her and wink, or smile, or do those silly things he does behind the scenes.
Her worst fear was confirmed when she saw him again during the cast meeting of the Kurosagi movie and felt her heart beat erratically at the sight of him.
She allowed her hand to touch his face, caressing his eyes. She had always loved his eyes, its expressiveness. It’s like it has its own charm. Her hands moved down to the side of his nose, his cheeks. When her hands reached his lips, she immediately withdrew, involuntarily recalling how those lips had kissed her that night. She would never wish that night away even if things wouldn’t work out the way she wanted it.
With a smile, she allowed her thumb to feel his lower lip.
“Good night Pi-tan…” she whispered before she went back to her own room.
----------
The sounds of the oil crackling merrily stirred Yamapi from his deep slumber. When he opened his eyes, it took him some time to recall the events that led to him sleeping on a sofa he’s not familiar with in a room he did not immediately recognized.
Recalling everything from the previous night, he immediately sat up only to be confused when a blanket fell off to his legs. He couldn’t remember getting one, especially since he has no idea where to find one.
He was still wondering how it got there when he stretched to his full height after folding the blanket, the sound of cooking luring him to the kitchen. The scene that greeted him the moment he stepped into the kitchen was something he hadn’t expected that it overwhelmed him so much he had to stop on his tracks.
Maki, now changed into her house clothes with an apron over it, humming happily as she made breakfast.
As if feeling his presence, she turned around and greeted him with a huge smile, “Oh, good morning Tomo-kun! I’m sorry, did I wake you?”
Yamapi couldn’t help but smile as he simply shook his head, not really sure if he could make a comprehensive reply for that. The mere fact that she called him Tomo again is enough to make him smile. But the scene they’re in is enough to touch his heart. It was as if everything is going to be worth it if it meant he could have this kind of experience with her for the rest of their lives.
----------
“You look peaceful…” Ryo smirked the moment Yamapi stepped next to him as he grabbed his water bottle.
Yamapi simply smiled. Not even Ryo can goad him out of the good mood he’s been in since he woke up that morning.
Breakfast with Maki had been a fun experience. They talked about a lot of random things from the weather, to her next projects, to his works, to Mao and Jun’s relationship and to a whole lot of other stuff. When they finished eating the dishes she prepared, he helped her clean up and wash the dishes.
Truth be told, he hadn’t done anything like that, or anywhere near that, before. He had always thought that stuff like that should only be done by a man with a special woman and that made him smile. Maki is a special woman and he had just spent some precious moments with her.
“Scratch that, it’s not just peaceful…” Ryo continued when he didn’t say a word. “You’re glowing!”
Those last two words plus Ryo’s gagging sounds made Yamapi laugh as he moved to shove the shorter idol playfully.
Ryo simply laughed, allowing himself to step back a couple before he said “Seriously, what happened last night? You looked murderous when you left the green room yesterday.”
“Hearing that from someone who looks psychotic 80% of the time, I must have really looked bad last night…” Yamapi chuckled.
“You did!” Ryo laughed. “You looked like you were about ready to murder whoever was on the other line last night. You’re seriously scaring the wits out of everyone here you know… I heard Koyama-kun convincing the other three to practice more just now because he was afraid the calm you were showing earlier was the calm before the storm…”
“You scare everyone here too…” Yamapi countered. “And you do it all the time…”
“At least I’m consistent,” Ryo grinned. “In your case, no one could say if you’re going to smile or snap. Where’d you go to last night, anyway?”
“Picked Maki-chan up and drove her home… She went to Arashi’s concert…”
“I heard…” Ryo said. “And I read that she went out to eat with Sho-kun after too, except that Cyzo’s reporting that they went to some gay bar or something…”
Yamapi chuckled, shaking his head. Halfway through their meal, Riko had called Maki to inform her of the article Cyzo had posted about her again, this time about her hanging out with Sho while Nanba sent him a message. Riko said not to worry about it and Maki simply laughed it off. He’s no longer sure on how to react to Cyzo, especially when they always release an almost spot on article that always misses the point.
“Cyzo’s half right again…” he shrugged. “But it was a club, not a bar…”
“Ooh…” exclaimed Ryo, wearing a mischievous grin. “So that’s why you looked angry last night! PapaPi got worried…”
Yamapi felt himself blushing. “Will you stop calling me that! You’re just like Toma…” he said.
The moment those words left his lips, he almost wish he hadn’t since Ryo is known to do things he’s told not to do by his colleagues just to annoy them. He was right about that when Ryo said
“Why, is that term reserved for Maki-chan only or is there any other name you want to be called with?”
Yamapi simply shook his head and walked to one of the seats available there. Ryo, who is obviously in his annoying mood, followed him.
“So, what’s with the glowing look, Papa Pi, what happened last night after you drove Maki-chan home?”
“Nothing…” Yamapi denied. He was just about to say that he went straight home when he remembered that Matsujun and Shun went out drinking last night and since he rarely would not join them, he opted for that alibi instead. “I went to see Jun and the others…’ he said.
He wasn’t planning on lying, but he didn’t want them to know that he spent the night at Maki’s. He didn’t expect Ryo to burst out laughing at his statement though.
“Liar!” Ryo cried, clutching his sides as he roared in laughter. “I was with them till 3:00 in the morning and you never showed up! Something happened last night that you didn’t want your friends to know, didn’t it?!”
Yamapi blushed, both for being caught lying and for the insinuation behind Ryo’s words.
“Of course not. Maki-chan went straight to sleep…” he defended himself.
“And what were you doing while Maki-chan was sleeping, hmm?” Ryo smirked. “What did Papa Pi do?”
“I went to the sofa and slept!” Yamapi cried. “I was told I shouldn’t leave her all alone at night…”
Ryo turned to him, his face wiped clean of all the laughing and smirking he’d done earlier. He simply looked at him deeply for about half a minute or so before he burst out laughing again.
“Oh this is priceless!’ he cried in between chuckles. “Toma would have a field day when he finds out that you’re claiming to have gone to where Jun was drinking last night when he didn’t even see you!”
“Toma was there?” he asked.
“Yup!” Ryo answered, his chuckles starting to mellow down. “And Kame too… Looks like i’ve got a very interesting piece of information to share to the guys later…”
Yamapi could only sigh. It would be too much to ask Ryo not to tell the others since he knew that if he asks, Ryo would gladly shout it to the heavens. But he didn’t let it bother him, not when he still had that warm feeling he first felt when he walked into the kitchen and saw Maki there. He didn’t bother telling Ryo that it was Keiko who made him stay there too. All he knows is that he liked what he is feeling.
What he didn’t know was that Ryo knew where he was last night already even before he asked. The girls gathered in Erika’s place had made contact to the boys group a little after Keiko’s phone call. The two groups had reached some sort of consensus with regards to the issue between him and Maki.
----------
Yamapi couldn’t help but groan. For someone who is considered to be one of Johnny Jimusho’s more capable actors, he sure is getting bad at lying recently. Not that it’s entirely a bad thing and not that he’s an exceptionally good liar in the past either, but his recent inability to make a good (and ultimately believable) denial had resulted to the others finding out things he would have loved them not to know, for the moment at least.
Just like right now. He was just preparing to leave the location for his CM shoot when his phone suddenly rang, it was Matsujun. He was calling to tell him that their daisempai, Higashiyama, is inviting them to go for karaoke tonight.
He told him he couldn’t go since he has work engagements scheduled early for tomorrow. Unlike the last time he tried lying to Ryo, Matsujun, thankfully, didn’t laugh to his face. He snorted though and said
“Try another reason Pi, I know you have a free day tomorrow.”
In his own defense, there’s no way that Yamapi would have known that Matsujun is aware of NewS pre-concert customs.
Ever since they were allowed to stage their own concert tour as a group, they’ve always made sure that the day prior to the first concert of the tour would be allotted as a free day for everyone. For one thing, they’ve all agreed that once the tour starts, it would take first priority over everything else which would normally mean no rest at all for them. That day before the first concert serves as their one big rest day.
It was actually originally done for Ryo’s case, who’s working as a NewS member, a Kanjani8 member and a solo actor but they’ve decided to implement it for everyone too. And since tomorrow is the 14th of September, Nanba had cleared his schedule for him.
Normally, he’d be spending the night before that rest day out with friends and simply sleep late into the morning and lounge around the rest of the day. His rest day is practically and quite literally a free day when he occasionally bugs (or is being bugged) by his friends (mostly Jin, anyway).
But this time, he’s doing something different. He had already called and checked with Maki’s manager and fortunately, with Nanba’s help, Riko had agreed to clear Maki’s schedule for tomorrow without telling her about it. He had been thinking of what to do during that rest day ever since he stepped out of Maki’s apartment that morning. He felt like he wanted to spend the day with her.
“Well…” Matsujun chuckled from the other line when he still did not say anything. “Looks like you’ve got something big planned tomorrow… Good luck then… Don’t mess up…”
Yamapi still had been able to say anything even after Matsujun had said goodbye and ended the call. Originally, it was because he couldn’t think of another alibi to make up for the one he just blew but after Matsujun said those words, he was just taken aback.
Why did Matsujun sound like he had an idea on what he’s planning for tomorrow?
----------
“Yep… He isn’t coming…” Matsujun announced to the room at large the moment he closed his phone.
“Told you!” Toma exclaimed without talking his eyes away from the TV monitor.
The staff members had mindfully placed a TV monitor in the green room they’re using for the shoot of Dear Snow’s PV. He, Nino and Ohno had already done with their parts and are lounging at the greenroom when Toma barged in to deliver their daisempai’s invitation, they were waiting for Sho and Aiba to finish with their parts. Not soon after, Toma challenged Nino to a game.
“I wonder what he’s planning though…” Matsujun sighed, taking a seat next to Ohno who had been watching the game with mild interest. “Nanba-kun said he had cleared Yamapi’s schedule for tomorrow already…”
“Hiro-kun?” asked Toma, turning to look at Matsujun which ultimately cost him a life, making him groan and Nino cackle merrily.
“Nanba-kun!” Matsujun repeated. “As in his manager… Why and how would Hiro-kun clear Pi’s schedule?”
“Sorry… A bit distracted here…” Toma murmured as he went back to their game. A couple of seconds later, he groaned out loud, Nino had just won.
“I told you! You can’t beat me…” Nino cheered.
“Jun is distracting me!” Toma complained with a smile before he turned to Matsujun and explained, “I always tend to connect the name Nanba to Hiro-kun’s character. I even still call him Nanba-sempai sometimes… Besides, Hiro-kun told me that Pi had asked him what kind of place is ideal to take a special woman to that would make her feel comfortable…”
“So, Yamapi-kun’s making his own moves already huh?” Nino smirked. “Good for him… he’s not that hopeless after all…”
“Here’s hoping…” Matsujun sighed. Personally speaking, he’d be really happy once Yamapi and Maki finally irons everything out. “I’m wondering where he’d take her though…”
“Chiba maybe…” Toma answered. “He may take her to his hometown.”
“Why there?” asked Matsujun. “What could the two of them possibly do in Chiba?”
Toma shrugged, “Well never know…”
Just then Ohno spoke up and said “Maybe they could go fishing!”
----------
Yamapi couldn’t help but shiver a little, it wasn’t only due to cold but also because of his erratic nerves. He can’t really help but feel nervous as he made his way to her apartment door at 5:00 in the morning. He had asked Riko to tell Maki that her first appointment for the day would be at 6:00 to guarantee that she’d already be awake by 5:00.
He had already made sure that everything is prepared in his car. For once in his life, he wanted everything to run smoothly. He wanted this day to be perfect.
Closing his eyes, he had taken a couple of deep breaths before he reached out and opened the door. He didn’t need to ring the doorbell, he had somehow convinced Maki to giving him a spare key.
He wasn’t really sure why, but when Maki handed her that key, he felt so good, despite the fact that he was the one who convinced her to do that in the first place.
~~~~~
i'm a bit sleepy now though since this had been a very long and tiring day so any typos and errors will be corrected when i wake up... :) just woke up and did a bit of editing... (i told you i was sleepy! :D)
as always... comments and critics are welcomed and loved... :)
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/ Chapter10/ Chapter 11
Chapter 12
“Maki-chan can manage on her own you know…” Meisa scowled when Keiko ended the phone call and beamed to the group.
Erika had gathered them all in her apartment after an interesting phone call he received from Kame that had Matsujun, Shun, and Toma in the background. Luckily, both Meisa and Mao were already on their way home from their shooting obligations when they received her message and Keiko had most of the day off.
Kame had just sent in another message saying that Yamapi might already have Maki home seeing as Sho told them the two had left the club a little over 30 minutes ago when Keiko made that call.
“Of course she can…” Keiko grinned as she sat next to Mao on the sofa. “I just wanted to help things along… You have to admit, Yamapi-kun is being a bit slow with things…”
“Yeah!” Erika grinned as she placed a bowl of popcorn on the center table. “I was thinking of borrowing Kame-kun’s name for a while and giving it to Yamapi-kun!”
“What?!” came the collective confused reaction from the rest of the group, making Erika frown.
“Kame! You know, Kame as in turtle… Turtles being slow!” she groaned. “Urgh! You guys can be slow sometimes too you know…”
Meisa snorted. “No, you’re just weird.”
Erika stuck out her tongue at Meisa who scowled back. Keiko and Mao caught each other’s eye and shook their heads, seeing how childish these two can get sometimes, especially opposite each other.
“What makes you so sure Yamashita-kun really loves Maki-chan anyway?” Meisa asked, turning back to Keiko.
Keiko grinned. “Just trust me on this… He loves Maki-chan…”
“Yeah…” Mao agreed. “They seem to think that too…”
“They?” asked Erika.
“Jun and the others…” Mao shrugged. “I guess that’s why they’re trying to push things along… They did orchestrate the things that happened earlier this night… Up until Kei-chan here decided to do a bit of pushing of her own…”
“Yeah…” Erika nodded, smiling. “I find it really sweet and cute…”
“If it works…” Meisa countered. “You said it yourself, Yamashita-kun is slow.”
“You’re such a ray of sunshine in this issue you know…” Keiko said sarcastically.
“Someone had to do it…” Meisa smirked. “It wouldn’t be fun if everyone’s on Yamashita-kun’s side anyway…”
“Well, it’s not really Yamapi-kun’s side…” Mao amended. “I think it’s more of the side where love would prevail…”
Meisa raised an amused eyebrow while both Keiko and Erika turned to Mao with mischievous smiles.
“Speaking of love, I heard that Jun-kun went missing around the same time you were out of reach on the 30th…” said Meisa. “You were together weren’t you?”
Mao blushed at the mischievous and accusing stares the others were throwing at her but she didn’t look down.
“So what if we were? It’s not a bad thing you know…” she pouted defiantly.
“You mean you two are getting back together?” Erika asked excitedly.
Mao simply smiled. “We’re getting there…”
----------
When Maki first woke up, she was confused to find herself in bed when the last thing she remembered is deciding to take a nap in Yamapi’s car. Taking a glance at her wall clock, she saw that it was already a few minutes before 2:00.
Still confused on what had happened, she got up to change into a more comfortable set of clothes. She was just putting on a loose shirt when she noticed the faint light coming from her living room from where her bedroom door stood slightly ajar. It didn’t scare her, knowing that the apartment complex is a very secure location, but it did startle her.
Slowly, she walked to her door and pushed it fully open. Considering that she wasn’t even making a guess on what she’d see there, she felt her heart skip a beat when she saw what was emitting the light.
It was from an opened cellphone held out by the outstretched hand of a sleeping Yamapi on her sofa.
For a moment, she felt she couldn’t breathe, feeling her heart well up with all sorts of emotions. And then she felt like she wanted to cry. Slowly, she walked towards his sleeping form, noticing how his lips were slightly opened. Reaching out to take his phone, she saw that it was opened on a gaming application he must have been playing to pass the time by.
She couldn’t help but smile as he helped him into a more comfortable position in her sofa. Leaving for a while to grab a fresh blanket, she covered him with it. While doing so, she couldn’t help but observe the features of the man she knew she shouldn’t have loved.
She wasn’t opposed to falling in-love. In fact, she’s very much willing to have Cupid shoot his arrow to her heart. But she never hoped to fall for him or someone of his kind. Falling in love with an idol, a Johnny’s idol especially, spelled Trouble with a capital “T”, something she neither wanted nor needed, especially in her profession. She was already aware of the fact that she could never be as public as the normal people she sees on the streets when she enters a relationship, but she knew that it would only get worst when it’s with a Johnny. She had wanted to experience at least once the feeling of a normal woman enjoying a normal day with the one she loves. She knew it was impossible now.
She told the girls that she didn’t know when she actually fell for Yamapi when they asked her that time and that was the truth but she realized early on that she was in danger of falling for Yamashita Tomohisa. She noticed the signs when she saw herself getting very excited going to the shooting location whenever they’re going to have a scene together. She realized how she had felt absurdly happy of being able to co-star with him again after Nobuta wo Produce. She saw all that during the Kurosagi series filming. The falling-in-love realization part happened somewhere between then and the movie.
But it wasn’t as if she just let that all happen. In fact, she tried her best to stop those emotions. Somehow, she just could never win against her own heart no matter how hard she tried. It would always skip a beat whenever Yamapi would turn to her and wink, or smile, or do those silly things he does behind the scenes.
Her worst fear was confirmed when she saw him again during the cast meeting of the Kurosagi movie and felt her heart beat erratically at the sight of him.
She allowed her hand to touch his face, caressing his eyes. She had always loved his eyes, its expressiveness. It’s like it has its own charm. Her hands moved down to the side of his nose, his cheeks. When her hands reached his lips, she immediately withdrew, involuntarily recalling how those lips had kissed her that night. She would never wish that night away even if things wouldn’t work out the way she wanted it.
With a smile, she allowed her thumb to feel his lower lip.
“Good night Pi-tan…” she whispered before she went back to her own room.
----------
The sounds of the oil crackling merrily stirred Yamapi from his deep slumber. When he opened his eyes, it took him some time to recall the events that led to him sleeping on a sofa he’s not familiar with in a room he did not immediately recognized.
Recalling everything from the previous night, he immediately sat up only to be confused when a blanket fell off to his legs. He couldn’t remember getting one, especially since he has no idea where to find one.
He was still wondering how it got there when he stretched to his full height after folding the blanket, the sound of cooking luring him to the kitchen. The scene that greeted him the moment he stepped into the kitchen was something he hadn’t expected that it overwhelmed him so much he had to stop on his tracks.
Maki, now changed into her house clothes with an apron over it, humming happily as she made breakfast.
As if feeling his presence, she turned around and greeted him with a huge smile, “Oh, good morning Tomo-kun! I’m sorry, did I wake you?”
Yamapi couldn’t help but smile as he simply shook his head, not really sure if he could make a comprehensive reply for that. The mere fact that she called him Tomo again is enough to make him smile. But the scene they’re in is enough to touch his heart. It was as if everything is going to be worth it if it meant he could have this kind of experience with her for the rest of their lives.
----------
“You look peaceful…” Ryo smirked the moment Yamapi stepped next to him as he grabbed his water bottle.
Yamapi simply smiled. Not even Ryo can goad him out of the good mood he’s been in since he woke up that morning.
Breakfast with Maki had been a fun experience. They talked about a lot of random things from the weather, to her next projects, to his works, to Mao and Jun’s relationship and to a whole lot of other stuff. When they finished eating the dishes she prepared, he helped her clean up and wash the dishes.
Truth be told, he hadn’t done anything like that, or anywhere near that, before. He had always thought that stuff like that should only be done by a man with a special woman and that made him smile. Maki is a special woman and he had just spent some precious moments with her.
“Scratch that, it’s not just peaceful…” Ryo continued when he didn’t say a word. “You’re glowing!”
Those last two words plus Ryo’s gagging sounds made Yamapi laugh as he moved to shove the shorter idol playfully.
Ryo simply laughed, allowing himself to step back a couple before he said “Seriously, what happened last night? You looked murderous when you left the green room yesterday.”
“Hearing that from someone who looks psychotic 80% of the time, I must have really looked bad last night…” Yamapi chuckled.
“You did!” Ryo laughed. “You looked like you were about ready to murder whoever was on the other line last night. You’re seriously scaring the wits out of everyone here you know… I heard Koyama-kun convincing the other three to practice more just now because he was afraid the calm you were showing earlier was the calm before the storm…”
“You scare everyone here too…” Yamapi countered. “And you do it all the time…”
“At least I’m consistent,” Ryo grinned. “In your case, no one could say if you’re going to smile or snap. Where’d you go to last night, anyway?”
“Picked Maki-chan up and drove her home… She went to Arashi’s concert…”
“I heard…” Ryo said. “And I read that she went out to eat with Sho-kun after too, except that Cyzo’s reporting that they went to some gay bar or something…”
Yamapi chuckled, shaking his head. Halfway through their meal, Riko had called Maki to inform her of the article Cyzo had posted about her again, this time about her hanging out with Sho while Nanba sent him a message. Riko said not to worry about it and Maki simply laughed it off. He’s no longer sure on how to react to Cyzo, especially when they always release an almost spot on article that always misses the point.
“Cyzo’s half right again…” he shrugged. “But it was a club, not a bar…”
“Ooh…” exclaimed Ryo, wearing a mischievous grin. “So that’s why you looked angry last night! PapaPi got worried…”
Yamapi felt himself blushing. “Will you stop calling me that! You’re just like Toma…” he said.
The moment those words left his lips, he almost wish he hadn’t since Ryo is known to do things he’s told not to do by his colleagues just to annoy them. He was right about that when Ryo said
“Why, is that term reserved for Maki-chan only or is there any other name you want to be called with?”
Yamapi simply shook his head and walked to one of the seats available there. Ryo, who is obviously in his annoying mood, followed him.
“So, what’s with the glowing look, Papa Pi, what happened last night after you drove Maki-chan home?”
“Nothing…” Yamapi denied. He was just about to say that he went straight home when he remembered that Matsujun and Shun went out drinking last night and since he rarely would not join them, he opted for that alibi instead. “I went to see Jun and the others…’ he said.
He wasn’t planning on lying, but he didn’t want them to know that he spent the night at Maki’s. He didn’t expect Ryo to burst out laughing at his statement though.
“Liar!” Ryo cried, clutching his sides as he roared in laughter. “I was with them till 3:00 in the morning and you never showed up! Something happened last night that you didn’t want your friends to know, didn’t it?!”
Yamapi blushed, both for being caught lying and for the insinuation behind Ryo’s words.
“Of course not. Maki-chan went straight to sleep…” he defended himself.
“And what were you doing while Maki-chan was sleeping, hmm?” Ryo smirked. “What did Papa Pi do?”
“I went to the sofa and slept!” Yamapi cried. “I was told I shouldn’t leave her all alone at night…”
Ryo turned to him, his face wiped clean of all the laughing and smirking he’d done earlier. He simply looked at him deeply for about half a minute or so before he burst out laughing again.
“Oh this is priceless!’ he cried in between chuckles. “Toma would have a field day when he finds out that you’re claiming to have gone to where Jun was drinking last night when he didn’t even see you!”
“Toma was there?” he asked.
“Yup!” Ryo answered, his chuckles starting to mellow down. “And Kame too… Looks like i’ve got a very interesting piece of information to share to the guys later…”
Yamapi could only sigh. It would be too much to ask Ryo not to tell the others since he knew that if he asks, Ryo would gladly shout it to the heavens. But he didn’t let it bother him, not when he still had that warm feeling he first felt when he walked into the kitchen and saw Maki there. He didn’t bother telling Ryo that it was Keiko who made him stay there too. All he knows is that he liked what he is feeling.
What he didn’t know was that Ryo knew where he was last night already even before he asked. The girls gathered in Erika’s place had made contact to the boys group a little after Keiko’s phone call. The two groups had reached some sort of consensus with regards to the issue between him and Maki.
----------
Yamapi couldn’t help but groan. For someone who is considered to be one of Johnny Jimusho’s more capable actors, he sure is getting bad at lying recently. Not that it’s entirely a bad thing and not that he’s an exceptionally good liar in the past either, but his recent inability to make a good (and ultimately believable) denial had resulted to the others finding out things he would have loved them not to know, for the moment at least.
Just like right now. He was just preparing to leave the location for his CM shoot when his phone suddenly rang, it was Matsujun. He was calling to tell him that their daisempai, Higashiyama, is inviting them to go for karaoke tonight.
He told him he couldn’t go since he has work engagements scheduled early for tomorrow. Unlike the last time he tried lying to Ryo, Matsujun, thankfully, didn’t laugh to his face. He snorted though and said
“Try another reason Pi, I know you have a free day tomorrow.”
In his own defense, there’s no way that Yamapi would have known that Matsujun is aware of NewS pre-concert customs.
Ever since they were allowed to stage their own concert tour as a group, they’ve always made sure that the day prior to the first concert of the tour would be allotted as a free day for everyone. For one thing, they’ve all agreed that once the tour starts, it would take first priority over everything else which would normally mean no rest at all for them. That day before the first concert serves as their one big rest day.
It was actually originally done for Ryo’s case, who’s working as a NewS member, a Kanjani8 member and a solo actor but they’ve decided to implement it for everyone too. And since tomorrow is the 14th of September, Nanba had cleared his schedule for him.
Normally, he’d be spending the night before that rest day out with friends and simply sleep late into the morning and lounge around the rest of the day. His rest day is practically and quite literally a free day when he occasionally bugs (or is being bugged) by his friends (mostly Jin, anyway).
But this time, he’s doing something different. He had already called and checked with Maki’s manager and fortunately, with Nanba’s help, Riko had agreed to clear Maki’s schedule for tomorrow without telling her about it. He had been thinking of what to do during that rest day ever since he stepped out of Maki’s apartment that morning. He felt like he wanted to spend the day with her.
“Well…” Matsujun chuckled from the other line when he still did not say anything. “Looks like you’ve got something big planned tomorrow… Good luck then… Don’t mess up…”
Yamapi still had been able to say anything even after Matsujun had said goodbye and ended the call. Originally, it was because he couldn’t think of another alibi to make up for the one he just blew but after Matsujun said those words, he was just taken aback.
Why did Matsujun sound like he had an idea on what he’s planning for tomorrow?
----------
“Yep… He isn’t coming…” Matsujun announced to the room at large the moment he closed his phone.
“Told you!” Toma exclaimed without talking his eyes away from the TV monitor.
The staff members had mindfully placed a TV monitor in the green room they’re using for the shoot of Dear Snow’s PV. He, Nino and Ohno had already done with their parts and are lounging at the greenroom when Toma barged in to deliver their daisempai’s invitation, they were waiting for Sho and Aiba to finish with their parts. Not soon after, Toma challenged Nino to a game.
“I wonder what he’s planning though…” Matsujun sighed, taking a seat next to Ohno who had been watching the game with mild interest. “Nanba-kun said he had cleared Yamapi’s schedule for tomorrow already…”
“Hiro-kun?” asked Toma, turning to look at Matsujun which ultimately cost him a life, making him groan and Nino cackle merrily.
“Nanba-kun!” Matsujun repeated. “As in his manager… Why and how would Hiro-kun clear Pi’s schedule?”
“Sorry… A bit distracted here…” Toma murmured as he went back to their game. A couple of seconds later, he groaned out loud, Nino had just won.
“I told you! You can’t beat me…” Nino cheered.
“Jun is distracting me!” Toma complained with a smile before he turned to Matsujun and explained, “I always tend to connect the name Nanba to Hiro-kun’s character. I even still call him Nanba-sempai sometimes… Besides, Hiro-kun told me that Pi had asked him what kind of place is ideal to take a special woman to that would make her feel comfortable…”
“So, Yamapi-kun’s making his own moves already huh?” Nino smirked. “Good for him… he’s not that hopeless after all…”
“Here’s hoping…” Matsujun sighed. Personally speaking, he’d be really happy once Yamapi and Maki finally irons everything out. “I’m wondering where he’d take her though…”
“Chiba maybe…” Toma answered. “He may take her to his hometown.”
“Why there?” asked Matsujun. “What could the two of them possibly do in Chiba?”
Toma shrugged, “Well never know…”
Just then Ohno spoke up and said “Maybe they could go fishing!”
----------
Yamapi couldn’t help but shiver a little, it wasn’t only due to cold but also because of his erratic nerves. He can’t really help but feel nervous as he made his way to her apartment door at 5:00 in the morning. He had asked Riko to tell Maki that her first appointment for the day would be at 6:00 to guarantee that she’d already be awake by 5:00.
He had already made sure that everything is prepared in his car. For once in his life, he wanted everything to run smoothly. He wanted this day to be perfect.
Closing his eyes, he had taken a couple of deep breaths before he reached out and opened the door. He didn’t need to ring the doorbell, he had somehow convinced Maki to giving him a spare key.
He wasn’t really sure why, but when Maki handed her that key, he felt so good, despite the fact that he was the one who convinced her to do that in the first place.
~~~~~
as always... comments and critics are welcomed and loved... :)