A beautiful encounter: Chapter 7: Growing with the distance
Title: A Beautiful Encounter
Author: Hikari
Rating: AA
Classification: AU, Fluff, Romance
Disclaimer: Do not own mao or jun
Summary: It's about a love story that begin with a beautiful encounter in Spring this year...
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Earlier release:
Prologue : Our first encounter... Chapter 1: I want to see you again...
Chapter 2a: You captured me... Chapter 2b: You captured me...
Chapter 3: Always on my mind... Chapter 4: That's how much I like you...
Chapter 5: So this is love... Chapter 6: Love is...
The evening breeze was welcoming as they create light waves on Sumida River. The sunset view of Rainbow Bridge against the central Tokyo backdrop from Tokyo Decks was indeed magnificent. Children’s are seen running around playing with one another in a small playground ahead with their parents and pets sitting at nearby benches, chatting away happily while couples are seen strolling leisurely along the riverside with their pets.
Inoue Mao felt calm and peaceful as she sat at the small cozy café watching her surroundings with Hug-chan panting slightly beside her. Jun had told her about this place during their first date at the revolving restaurant. It was indeed a great place for pet owners to spend their days here.
It had been almost week since Jun had left for his business trip, and as promised, he had called her diligently every night and every morning; whispering his loving words to her; catching up with each other’s happenings in the day; just like he had never left. Deep down, she knew he was busy walking around in the hotel room, preparing for his day when he call her in the night, she knew he was excusing himself form the social dinner when he called her in the morning, she knew by heart that he was busy attending to matters, rushing and walking from place to place as they talk, but yet he made time for her. He didn’t make her felt that she was adding to his stress, but rather, he made her felt that having her on the line with him matter’s the most. There are times when she thought she should hang up, to give him more time and flexibility but he would just magically made her laugh and she will just hold on to it till the end… It was these little efforts that had touched her deeply, making her pray secretly that time would fly by faster for she had miss him terribly…
Mao was glad that things went well for him when things had not been going smoothly for her this week, there’s this one piece of design that she can’t seem to get it right, and she was stuck at her stage design for the fashion show. But thank god, she had finally manage to secure the team of models after burning a few midnight oils to run through piles of portfolios that her team send her; and early morning interviews to validate her selections. After the talent team finalized the models contract, they will be coming in for fittings next week.
Headache started a series of attack on her this morning when she stared at her stage sketch this morning, they are every where. Spread on her tables, the floor and… the waste basket. She was about to send the last piece flying in the three quarter full waste basket when she remembered what Jun had said to her before her left: “Don’t forget to rest…” That’s why she had taken the rest of the day off, and brought Hug-chan out for some fresh air.
And she is glad that she did, looking at the completed sketch before her; she let out a contented sigh. After a relaxing walk along the decks and a good meal at the bay-side restaurant, not only she regained her energy, but found her inspiration by observing how relaxed and happy they people around her are. In fact, relax is one of her main theme for the new line of executive attire she is designing.
“He’ll be backed soon neh…” Mao murmured softly as she massaged Hug’s collar affectionately…
Hug turned to her and suddenly jumped up from the chair, sniffing at the sketch on the table, tapping her paws on them.
“Wow baby, careful~ I spent the whole day on that… what do you want?” Mao quickly reached out for the sketch, afraid that Hug might have spoilt it, but she just continued to reach out to the table top by pushing herself up from the short hind legs.
“What it is baby? … You want my phone?” Mao was totally puzzled by her sudden behavior and suddenly it hit her.
“You want me to call Jun? Is that it?” Mao was laughing disbelievingly when Hug finally sat back down on her chair and wagged her tail at her. Seemingly pleased by what Mao had said to her.
“… but baby, it’s about 5am over there, he must be sleeping. Besides, you just talked to him this morning, neh?” Mao patted her pet adoringly while her little head dropped silently on her front paws. Sometimes, Mao had let Hug had the phone for a while when she bounced to her with puppy eyes seeking for attention when Mao was on a long conversation with Jun. Jun would called her name over the phone, making her excited and all perked up. Then she will either scurry off happily to play with her toys or lay quietly beside Mao.
“Aww… don’t give me that look, how about we sent him a message?” Switching her phone to camera mode, Mao took a picture of Hug and sent it to Jun, feeling her heart beat increase madly at the message she just type.
What will he think…
Jun woke up by the third sound of the alarm, feeling refreshed. He always had the problem of waking up on the dot, but not for this trip at all. Every morning he woke up happily and automatically reached out for his phone from the bedside table.
He was wide awake when he saw what was waiting for him in the message box. A picture of Hug staring at him with his puppy eyes, but what made him melt was the simple little caption on top of the picture - “I miss you”.
Albeit he had called her everyday, sharing his happenings and catching up with hers, Mao had never once said those words to him… in fact neither did he. Everything had been happening so fast between them. However he had felt the logging whenever the other end had gone silence and he would just flopped back down on his bed, or lean on the wall and hold on to the phone, hoping that he was right next to her.
That feeling was especially strong last night when she sounded a bit down after telling him about her mind block. Despite that, she had been cheering and getting excited about his happenings in New York; she sounded so proud when she recited the local news featuring his impactful appearance in the International Photography Convention. He knew by heart that she is giving her best every day; she is trying to be strong and be devoted in supporting him. All these little gestures and signals just added on to his aching feeling of wanting to hold her in his arms.
Jun took a quick shower to clear his mind and changed into his last set of formal attire in the wardrobe. All the hangers are emptied except for his long jacket for tomorrow’s flight. He looked at his neatly packed luggage by the side and broke into a big grin, one more day and he is going back… Never in his life would he imagine he would be feeling eager to leave New York City, it is after all his favorite place.
This is really crazy but… more than anything else… I…
Pressing on his speed dial, he had swiftly placed the phone between his ears and his shoulder.
“Good evening… how’s my hime today?”
“Jun~ Today was just great! I took a day off and went to Odaiba… it’s really beautiful. I got my inspiration back! And guess what? I managed to complete the stage design~ Haha. I’m so happy. Can’t wait to show it to you, I hope your team can make the backdrop I had in mind…”
“That’s great! Well done~ Show them to me when I’m back and we will find ways to make it happen.” Jun laughed heartedly as he run his fingers over his hair, checking on his reflection at the mirror. His hime is taking his advice and getting back on track. Arranging his tie lightly he then bend over to the dressing table to retrieve his watch, and clasped them easily on his wrist.
“Ok. How about you? Did you… sleep well?”
“Hmm… I had a dream… is that counted as slept well?”
Hearing all the movements from the background as they talk, Mao closed her eyes, trying to imagine how handsome he must have looked in his ties and suits. She had always found him as very suave whenever he is in suits and ties.
“Hmm… that depends on what’s the dream about neh…” he can hear her giggled sweetly over the other end, sending light fluffy touches to his heart.
“Make a guess?” Fully dressed, Jun smiled to himself as he sat down comfortably by the coffee table, checking the time - 8:20, there’s still time for him to continue the chat before he is required at the seminar.
“Hmm… let me see… you won a prize? You…”
Jun laughed and laughed with all her weird guessing, with the images of her cute blushing face flashing in his mind whenever he teased her.
Locking his room, Jun proceeded to the lift with a big smile on his face, while Mao protested that there’s no hint given.
“Okok, I’ll give you a hint, it starts with G…” Jun chuckled as he stepped into the lobby.
“Hmm… G… grandmother? You dream of your grandmother???”
He nearly skipped his step with the sound of that, her infectious laughter came chiming in his ears, laughing softly, he looked around at the grand interior of The Roosevelt; he had an idea.
“Spare me hime… let me give you another hint, it’s in front of your dressing table.”
“Eh? My dressing table???” He can hear her squealing over excitedly with some light rustling sound behind.
He gave courteous nod to the other invited guest for the forum who was waiting for him at the convention hall entrance, and lowered his voice on the phone.
“Mao, I got to go, I’ll call you again later, ok?”
“Hmm? Ok.. But you…”
“The answer is looking right at you, silly. Sweet dreams girlfriend and I miss you too.”
I said it.
Jun tried hard to hide his giddy smile as he shut his phone and slipped it into his pocket. He quickly joined the group only to find him self blushing lightly as Todd Gray and Steven Meisel gave him a knowing smile.
Inoue Mao remained rooted in front of her dressing table.
What did he just said?
“I miss you too.”
Starring into a reflection of a girl grinning, Mao found herself floating on cloud nine as she danced in her room, flopping on her bed, with a big smiled plastered on her face. In her mind, she can still hear his last whisper to her before the phone went off… she let out a few giggles and bury her face in her pillows when she remembered that final little hint he gave her.
That baka…
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