Flight 109 - Destination: First Love [Chapter 14]
AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, so, so sorry for the super late update. Holiday has just ended at my part of the world, so I guess I was preoccupied with a lot of stuff that is going on in my life and completely abandon this fic for a while. But good news is I am back now!
And I noticed that some people has added me as a friend :) Thank you for adding.
The story is inspired by yeppie. As usual, comments, inputs and criticisms are highly appreciated. And if you haven't read the previous chapter you can always refer to the master post.
The airplane icon marks the time of Jun and Minako's flight to the past 30-31 August 2013.
The cloud icon marks the past. Around the year of 2006.
The town icon marks the present time.
「CHAPTER 14: SURPRISES, SURPRISES」
She sits right in front of him, diligently sipping her now cold coffee every exactly 20 seconds. Even then, he still can tell that she is actually has taken off from here to million miles away. But he lets her be. He knows her too well, this girl in front of him.
He mumbles to her than he needs to go to the toilet for a bit. She doesn't seem like she heard him. So he just goes ahead.. He never takes a long time doing his business at the toilet anyway. She'll never notice.
But on his way back to her, she does notice him. She notices when he goes past a group of girls who are busy with their luggage, probably excited with their trip somewhere. He casually lowers down his baseball cap and goes completely unnoticed until he is right back to his seat in front of her.
"How did you do that?" She doesn't bother to cover up her awe. He doesn't even put up too much disguise. From various angles, he still is Ninomiya Kazunari. One and only.
Nino gives her a salute, admitting his own skills, "You can't?"
"I signed 5 signatures on my way out of the airport yesterday," She gives him a small smile. The first one in hours. Actually, the first one ever since Sakurai Sho left the cafe earlier.
"That's kinda shameful. If you can't hide your face, you can at least have learnt some tips from Jun-kun. People notice him all the time but few dares to even get nearer, let alone asks for an autograph," Nino decides that it is a good time to mention the forbidden name. He figures the risk is worth his curiousity of how she has coped so far.
But she doesn't disappoint. Kitashiro Rei just shrugs and scoffs, "He has his image and long legs to thank."
"Not his wardrobe, though," Nino adds sheepishly. "Or his eyebrows."
This time, she stares to an empty space at the table.
"I miss him a lot, Neen.." She suddenly blurts out. "I don't know if I acted fine in my movie, I don't think about it that much, nor do I care much either. My thoughts are filled with him and him only. I can't concentrate. I can't even deliver my lines right.. I just want to be done with it as quickly as possible and go back home to call him."
Nino reaches out for her hand to give it a light squeeze.
She continues to pour her feelings out, "I can't say this to him. I know I can't. He will be mad at me. He will break up with me again.. But then after everything, this happened.."
She finally looks up to Nino and meets his eyes, "It seems like, either way, I was bound to lose him, Neen."
"Why are you so sure?" He asks softly.
She almost laughs out loud, "How can't I be not sure? What Sho-kun said.. He hitted a nerve. I mean if I asked Jun that question, I know him, he would answer truthfully. Whether.."
"Whether he still keeps a place for Minako deep down inside?" Nino finishes the sentence she has been struggling to get out.
"I don't know whether I can accept that, Neen. I don't think.. I don't think I can.. And even without questioning it, I think I already know the answer to it," She closes her eyes, half wishing that by doing that it can ease up the stinging in her heart.
"Then don't."
"What?"
"I'd say, don't ask anything about her. Just pretend you don't know anything." He explains in a soft but firm voice. "You've got to let it go."
"Let what go?"
"Your curiousity. Your jealousy. Of whatever happens up there between him and Minako. You just have to accept, trust him. Trust him that when he has stepped a foot on the ground, you'd be the girl who is right in front of him to love and be loved in return. Possible betrayals and first loves be damned."
Rei tries to swallow that dose of Nino's logic slowly.
"Can you do that?" He asks in a low voice.
She nods.
Nino moves closer to her and gives her a casual one-arm hug. She puts her head on his shoulder.
"But what if he can't?"
Nino brushes a hand through her hair, caressing her, "That, you can trust me. If he can't, he'll tell you himself, you don't need to ask."
He pulls away from that hug and looks at her straight in watery eyes, "And if he does, you just have to remember that I'll always be here for you as a shoulder to cry on."
Then he grins wide, "And to teach you how to be a discreet celebrity in public."
---
Kitashiro Rei hates surprises. She always does. The rule applies to any kinds of surprises, good or bad.
There is this one time when her mother arranges a surprise birthday party when she was still studying in New York. It was her 10th birthday party.
Her mother and father have phoned her earlier in the morning to congratulate her, without mentioning that they will arrive by the time she's at school to bring cakes and presents to her class. To have a surprise celebration along with her friends. They always feel bad that they have to leave their little Rei all by herself, only with her favorite grandmother, because of their job.
That's the first time her own parents know the fact how she really hates surprises. The moment they appeared in front of her, unexpected, she ran away and hid behind a tree by the school ground. They spent hours looking out for her. By the time they did, her friends have all gone home.
They ended to have a quiet lunch just the three of them. It is what she likes best. Therefore, she forgave them for the surprise.
Later in her life, especially after deciding that she wants to be an actress, she can't avoid all those bad surprises. Bad surprises that contain rejection, failed audition and her scenes being cut. So as she grows up, knowing that she can't escape them anymore hiding behind the school's big tree, she manages to cope with surprises. Life is too full of them. She even does surprises once or twice to make other people who likes surprises to make them happy. It is just one of the things people do for love, you know?
But that doesn't mean she doesn't hate them anymore.
But when she has expected to welcome her own boyfriend with a smile as he walks hand in hand with his ex, she encounters the first surprise that she doesn't hate.
He walks out of the arrival door all by himself. Accompanied by a small luggage beside him. He looks tired but he smiles to her and spreads out his arms as she runs to him.
There's no girl or ex girlfriend in sight.
As she embraces his warmth, she whispers her "I miss you". Matsumoto Jun returns that hug just as tight as if holding on to his dear life.
He doesn't return her "I miss you", but it is not a surprise for Rei. She has expected that.
But what she doesn't expect at all is that she can actually feel how his hands are trembling as he holds on to her.
Another surprise she doesn't know how to deal with.
---
Where's Ninomiya Kazunari?
Where the hell is Ninomiya Kazunari in this scene where two lovers finally embrace at the arrival gate of Narita airport?
The answer is, Nino has gone into hiding. Observing them from afar like an old good third wheel. It has been an easy job to disappear. Because the moment they can hear the announcement that Flight 109 from LA just landed, Rei is then simply not there anymore. She is so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she didn't realize as passengers start to come out of the arrival gate, Nino takes wider steps back.
Such a wider step back that he finally reaches outside behind the glass sliding doors. He decides to just take a cigarette break as he watches the youngest member of Arashi finally walks out and gives her a hug the girl truly needs all night long.
He is so preoccupied observing his two bestfriends hugging each other that he fails to realize someone is approaching him from behind.
That someone squeals in a low voice, as if it is possible, next to his left ear. Crying out "Ninoo!" as a devoted fangirl should be.
That fangirl is no other but Hanazono Minako.
She jumps lightly up and down as she laughs out loud, pointing her finger at him as if it is a gun, "Autograph or I'll scream!"
There aren't many people in this world that can make Ninomiya Kazunari gapes. Those few selected people would be; One, Ohno Satoshi with his consistent rejection over his invitations for eating out. Two, Matsumoto Jun himself with his, ehm, 'unique' fashion sense. And the third person would be Hanazono Minako.
How could she acted so chirpy when the last time they laid eyes on each other..
Actually, Nino can't remember when and how he met her for the last time. But he knows that they didn't part in good terms at all as he remembers his outburst when Jun decided to leave Arashi for this girl.
But the way she is acting now, Nino doesn't know whether he should be relieved, or annoyed.
"Don't look at me like that," She starts to look uncomfortable. Well, they used to be on friendly terms at some point of their lives, regardless of the brutal ending of that so called friendship.
"Hisashiburi, Minako-chan," He finally manages, giving her a light bow. Then he decides to add in a lighter mood, "Do you seriously want an autograph of mine?"
"I see that you haven't gotten over yourself yet," She gives him a light punch on his shoulder. Then she notices his cigarette, "And you haven't given it up. Are you planning to die soon?"
"Probably, if I think I have enough money already," He takes a small puff casually, which makes Minako gives him a hearty laugh.
"You don't change at all," She finally says with a smile.
"Neither do you.." He gives her a meaningful look.
She then throws a look to through the glass doors and notices Jun and Rei with entangled hands approaching to their direction.
"I guess I have to go now. Family is waiting," She reasons in a low voice, her eyes not leaving those entangling hands afar.
"I am still at the same number if you want to catch up," Nino doesn't know why he said it but he naturally did.
He wasn't the only one who is surprised by that invitation. Minako looks up to him and smile, welcoming the friendly gesture. She fishes out a card from her bag and give it to Nino.
"Here's mine," and before she finally turns away, she beckons at the heartbreaking couple once more, "Tell him that I am happy for him. She's a beautiful girl."
Sincerity. Nino doesn't feel any sarcasm or sadness in her voice. He can only hear sincerity.
How can she be able to do that, he can't help but wonder.
But as Nino tries to look deeper into her eyes, she already turns her back to him, making her way to the taxi stand.
"Minako-chan!"
She stops for a second, but she doesn't turn her body around. As if she doesn't want Nino to catch something.
Nino then approaches her slowly.
"You know, Sho-kun researched a bit after you left. He told me.. He told me that whales, or any mammals, are not scientifically proven to be able to cry," He casually states as he walks closer to her.
He can see clearly how her shoulders are shaking, but uncertain whether from laughing or crying.
But when she finally looks over her shoulders, smiling wide, he can finally see her teary eyes.
"Well then, Nino, please tell Sakurai Sho-san that tears aren't logical in the first place. I don't think it is something that you can explain through a Google search."
"It isn't. It's natural."
She winks, "Can't put it any better than you did."
Nino smiles sadly and pulls her into a hug. She welcomes that friendly hug and bury her face for a while on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry," she can hear him whisper softly to her ears.
When she finally pulls away, she shakes her head, as if telling him that it is not at all his fault. That it is meant to be this way.
And with that she finally gets into a taxi, without saying another word.
Nino watches as the taxi pulls away and wonders to himself why he always have the need to comfort his bandmate's heartbroken girls.
"Man, I need a girlfriend," is all that he can say to himself.
---
Matsumoto Jun has been very quiet throughout the drive from the airport. He sits at the front passenger's seat as Nino drives the three of them in his car.
Jun doesn't even comment at the messiness of the car interior. It seems like Nino has been living in that car, sleeps and eats. Usually, Jun would at least snicker at it, or noting that why his decision to buy bigger cars is more plausible than Nino's decision to buy small cars. And Nino will argue that cars are simply mirroring the owner's ego.
But that bickering doesn't happen this morning.
What happens is uncomfortable silence throughout the 40 minutes drive and that's a first.
Jun seemly finds the traffic of Tokyo more interesting than his more than a decade old bandmate and current girlfriend he hasn't seen for months.
Then Nino, feeling more and more out of his usual character, tries to soften that blow to Rei as he expresses his made-up curiousity in her Hollywood career.
"So just wondering, have you met Director Eastwood?"
Jun raises a thick eyebrow to him, finding the question rather ridiculous. Well, at least, Nino finally winning his attention from the traffic of Tokyo.
"Well, I do get invited to parties, but I didn't go. But my co-star have said that he encountered him.."
"At that party where you were invited but didn't attend?"
"Yeah."
"Always been a party animal, that Director Eastwood."
"Really?"
"Well, not really."
Okay. Weird, not necessarily an interesting conversation. But Nino thinks it is way much better than the 20 minutes of uncomfortable silence on the first half of their drive to Jun's place.
And to put more strangeness to the conversation, Jun is finally showing his interest.
He looks over his shoulder to give Rei a look, "Why didn't you go to the parties?"
Rei lets out a nervous laugh, "I think I mentioned it to you. We had a skype date."
"Did we?"
"Yeah.."
"I would have understand if you explain the circumstances," Jun transfers his glance from Rei to the road in front of him.
"Well, I don't feel like cancelling our date for a party.."
"But you should have done that," His voice is low but firm. "It's important to be sociable to the important people in Hollywood when you have the chance."
Nino can't see Rei's expression from the rearview mirror, but he can feel that Jun has strike something inside here just by feeling the atmosphere.
"Ah, don't be too hard on her. Shooting must have been too exhausting already, right, Rei-chan? And there will be other parties," Nino decides to give her a way out of the dense tension.
"Yeah, of course," She tries to sound chirpy, but no matter how good she is as an actress, the shakiness in her voice still can be heard.
And Jun is back to his brooding and silent stance. But then his cellphone rings.
"Moshi moshi," Jun answers. "What's up?"
He listens to what the caller has to say, "Well, I just arrived in Tokyo actually... Los Angeles. Long story."
"Tonight?" He questions the caller as he steals a glance to the backseat. "Well, maybe. I'll let you know."
"Yeah. Sure. Bye."
And then he hangs up.
"What's tonight?" Rei's voice has an edge to it that she tries to cover.
"Hanging out with Shun-kun," Jun slips his cellphone back to his pocket.
"Oh.."
"I didn't say I would go," Jun softens his tone.
"But you sounds like you wanted to go," Rei can't help but not to point it out.
"The guy is being pushy."
"You can go if you want. Don't make me become some kind of a burden to you."
"I didn't say I want to go!"
"Well, you should. You know, being sociable with the important people.."
Jun is just about to open his mouth to return in spite, but when he looks over his shoulder, he can see the girl was in the verge of tears.
He closes his mouth and retreat.
Back to the uncomfortable silence again.
"I can go in Jun-kun's place," Nino tries to break it again. "I am very well suited to fill in the place of Matsumoto Jun in one of the most loved pairing Japan's entertainment world. You know? Matsumoto Jun and Oguri Shun. Ninomiya Kazunari and Oguri Shun. Not so bad, huh?"
To no avail. Both Jun and Rei don't even seem to have heard him.
Nino thinks that he might be losing his touch in comedy.
---
"Tadaima," Jun mumbles as he opens his apartment door for Nino and Rei, not expecting any replies. It is just a habit of his.
To his surprise, a chirpy male voice replies, "Okaeri, Matsujun!"
"Eh?" Jun blinks. "Aiba? What are you doing here?"
He then takes the chance to look around. His apartment is.. Well, it is a lot messier than usual. A lot messier than the level that he can tolerate. Dirty dishes are piling on the sink. Ohno Satoshi is snoring on his sofa bed. Empty cans of beer are standing on every space that's available; on the kitchen counter, coffee table and on the desk just beside where Jun's iMac is.
Lastly, Aiba Masaki is taking a large gulp of a not-so-empty can by the kitchen counter.
Jun narrows his eyes at the sight, "Don't tell me you guys were partying here like some high school kids when their parents are away."
"It was just a small slumber party, Matsujun," Aiba casually waves a hand.
"So you spent the night here? How did you get in?" He turns to Rei who is just standing behind him. He knows that only one other person has the key to this private chamber.
"Ah, gomen," She smiles nervously, as if they haven't been dating for more than a year, "I should have told you on the way. I was.. Well, I was.. I guess I was lonely so I.." She doesn't know how to explain the situation that has made them spent the night.
"So you invited 3 guys to sleep over?" Jun can't help to not hide the edge of his voice.
But Nino has had enough, "Look, Jun-kun, I drove Rei here after picking her up at the airport. And then I don't feel right staying here just the two of us so I invited Masaki and Satoshi. It's really no big deal and I thought that you wouldn't mind."
He stresses his tone at 'thought' and 'mind'.
Jun sighs, he knows he overreacts, but something has been bothering him and he can't really pinpoint on what it is.
"I don't. It just caught me by surprise," He mumbles as he put his bag on top of the kitchen counter.
"We didn't plan to spend the night. But I guess we lost track of time," Nino softens his voice hearing his apology.
Rei tries to hide her smile instead. Actually, Jun's small outburst kinda makes her a bit happy. He sounds as if he doesn't approve her spending the night with the members. As if he is jealous. She wishes that he is jealous. Because that means..
"Eh, Jun-kun, you're home?" Ohno Satoshi's sleepy voice disrupts her thoughts.
"A couple of minutes delay that can always be expected from our Riida," Nino snickers just behind Rei and it gives her a reason to release her previously hidden smile.
"Eh, what time is it?" Ohno suddenly straigthens up. He takes a glance at his watch and his eyes widen.
Then, he stands up, "Oh, shit!"
"Seems like he is late," Aiba tries to guess.
Ohno looks around as if trying to figure out what to do first. Then he storms to a door.
It is the laundry room.
"Oh-chan," Nino tries to call him. But the eldest member doesn't budge. Instead he rushes to open another door and finally find the restroom.
Jun raises his eyebrows in amusement. Nino shakes his head and Aiba lets out a giggle along with Rei.
Give it to Ohno Satoshi to the thing that Nino has been trying to do for the last 2 hours and failed miserably. He has succeeded to break the tension just by being himself.
When he finally comes out of the restroom, Aiba offers to him, "You need a ride?"
"Yeah. I can't believe my manager didn't give me a call," Ohno mumbles as he tries to find his cellphone by the sofa bed. When he finally does, "Oh, he did."
"We should go, then," Aiba stands up. "Come. I'll be your driver for today."
"I think I should go, too," Nino finds the opportunity to make his exit as well.
The older members then all head to the door after each giving Jun a high-five, except for Nino who's giving him a light tap on his shoulder.
"Thanks, guys," Rei plasters a big smile on her face as she catches Aiba's worried glance at her. "Thanks a lot."
"Yeah, thanks for keeping her company," Jun also smiles a little to bid them goodbye.
And when the door is finally closed behind the trio, Jun and Rei are finally alone all by themselves in that one messy apartment.
As if she can fix their awkward state of relationship by doing it, Rei starts to clean up the empty cans of beer.
Jun watches her with a sad look, "It's okay. I'll do it later," he knows how she dislikes cleaning up.
"No, no, it's okay," Rei refuses to look at his eyes. From the tone of his voice, she knows that it is not the look that won't give her any surprises.
"Look, Rei," Jun takes a deep breath, "I kinda need to talk to you.."
"No!" She suddenly exclaims, stopping throwing empty cans to the trash can altogether.
It surprises Jun. He furrows his eyebrows to her.
"I mean," she tries to recover, putting her hands inside her jeans pocket, "you must be tired. Don't you want to shower or something first?"
They just look into each other eyes for a good one minute. Trying to read what the other is thinking. Then Jun nods a couple of times.
"Yeah. Okay."
It is also the first time Rei gets a good look at his face, "You have dark circles under your eyes. Didn't get a good sleep on the plane?"
Jun shakes his head. She walks closer to him.
Jun closes his eyes and support his head with a hand.
Rei smiles at that familiar gesture. When she is close enough, she wraps her arms around his waist and puts her own head on his shoulder.
"So just rest for a while?"
"Hmm.."
Jun gives her head a light pat. Her warmth seeps into him.
She looks up to him and stares into his eyes. His chocolate tired eyes has been having this dark look ever since he arrived at the airport. That dark look is now softening up and that makes her smile.
She gives him a light peck on the lips.
And then she looks up into his eyes again. They scrunch up as he smiles to her.
She gives him another light kiss, a second longer. The smile disappears and his dark eyes return.
He furrows his eyebrows as he also gives her a small peck on her lips.
That small peck is all that she needs. As her heart soars, she kisses him again, more passionately this time. He hesitates for a bit, but as the sweet taste of her lips overwhelms him, he starts to return it slowly.
She parts her lips, requesting his tongue to plunge in. He understands and obliges to the request. She deepens the kiss again, ignoring the cold taste of his lips. She has enough warmth and love for the two of them. And Jun tries. He tries to kiss her harder, pushing himself to surrender to her as his hands finding their way to her hair.
She clings to him, her body aching, wanting him. She arcs her back, her body is against him and demands to be closer. Her heart gives loud thumps as she realizes how much she has been missing him.
Then something hits him as he pulls back all of a sudden.
"Rei.." His voice is hoarse and he closes his eyes. She can't find her breath to voice her reply.
"Rei, I.." He starts again but Rei puts a finger in front of those lips.
"Sshh.." she hushes in between her attempts at catching her breath.
"Don't you miss me?" She nervously asks in a soft voice, almost pleading, as she drowns her face in his nape.
She can feel his arms pull her tighter. But he doesn't answer her yet. She patiently waits.
"You don't?" she asks again, almost in a whisper.
He pushes her away to be able to look her in the eye and give her a small smile.
"Of course, I do," He finally answers.
Then he stands up from the kitchen stool, pushing her farther from him, "I'll take a shower first, 'kay?"
She nods and smiles back to him.
He opens the zipper of his backpack and pulls out his overnight kit. And with that he heads to the bathroom.
Rei takes his previous position by the kitchen stool and exhales. The kiss still clouds her mind. It made her happy that he returns her kisses, but she tries to shrug off the thought that something is off. Really off.
In the background she can hear the running water. She closes her eyes for a bit, hoping that the familiar sound can wipe away the heaviness that has been refusing to left her all day.
She unconsciously has been avoiding the truth. She unconsciously ignores that heaviness ever since Jun wraps his arms around her at the airport. She unconsciously tries her best to do the exact thing Nino advised her to do. To let it go. If swallowing all these heaviness would make him stay with her, then so be it.
She doesn't need the cold truth.
Her gaze falls on his slightly opened backpack by the counter. A deep red velvet box is peeking from inside.
Curiousity kicks in and at first she tries to ignore it. What is it that Nino said? Let curiousity and jealousy go. Right?
But she fails to let this one go and a hand obliges that forbidden need. She fishes out that velvet box and opens it slowly. A white-gold ring with a small elegant diamond that shines beautifully under the top light is looking back at her.
She picks the beauty up and reads the carving underneath;
「愛してる」
Jun
She gasps. Her mouth parts slightly and forms a small 'o'.
"Aishiteru.." She whispers the word.
Is this ring meant to be for her? It gotta be, right? There's no way he can make a carved ring up there in the sky. He must have bought and have it made before he went to LA and that means he meant to give it to her when he..
Just in time, Jun opens the bathroom door to disrupt her thoughts. The water is still dripping from his hair to his chest. A blue towel covering him from the waist down.
He casually glances at her from the bedroom as he brushes another blue towel to his hair. Then he sees the ring in her hands and he freezes. His hands fall to his sides.
She catches his chocolate eyes that she cannot be able to read.
And then a bright smile appears across her face. The brightest one she has ever experienced in her life. All heaviness and jealousy disappears completely. She is now the happiest girl in the world.
She jumps from her seat with the ring and throws herself right at him. He is still wet, but she doesn't care. She just wants to hold him and to never let him go.
"Yes.." She whispers to him. Her voice is cracking and beautiful tears roll down her cheek, She doesn't even bother to wipe them away. They are happy tears.
"Yes!" Louder this time around, echoing to the apartment's walls.
Jun slowly wraps his weakened arms around her waist, burying his face into her hair.
Her feet bounces into light jumps as she tightens their hug.
The ring in her hand shines brightly that it blinds her sight, oblivious to the darkened eyes Jun is hiding as he stares blankly to his opened backpack that still sits by the kitchen counter.
His boarding pass from Flight 109 stares right back at him from that opened backpack.
Continue to Chapter 15
And I noticed that some people has added me as a friend :) Thank you for adding.
The story is inspired by yeppie. As usual, comments, inputs and criticisms are highly appreciated. And if you haven't read the previous chapter you can always refer to the master post.
The airplane icon marks the time of Jun and Minako's flight to the past 30-31 August 2013.
The cloud icon marks the past. Around the year of 2006.
The town icon marks the present time.
「CHAPTER 14: SURPRISES, SURPRISES」
She sits right in front of him, diligently sipping her now cold coffee every exactly 20 seconds. Even then, he still can tell that she is actually has taken off from here to million miles away. But he lets her be. He knows her too well, this girl in front of him.
He mumbles to her than he needs to go to the toilet for a bit. She doesn't seem like she heard him. So he just goes ahead.. He never takes a long time doing his business at the toilet anyway. She'll never notice.
But on his way back to her, she does notice him. She notices when he goes past a group of girls who are busy with their luggage, probably excited with their trip somewhere. He casually lowers down his baseball cap and goes completely unnoticed until he is right back to his seat in front of her.
"How did you do that?" She doesn't bother to cover up her awe. He doesn't even put up too much disguise. From various angles, he still is Ninomiya Kazunari. One and only.
Nino gives her a salute, admitting his own skills, "You can't?"
"I signed 5 signatures on my way out of the airport yesterday," She gives him a small smile. The first one in hours. Actually, the first one ever since Sakurai Sho left the cafe earlier.
"That's kinda shameful. If you can't hide your face, you can at least have learnt some tips from Jun-kun. People notice him all the time but few dares to even get nearer, let alone asks for an autograph," Nino decides that it is a good time to mention the forbidden name. He figures the risk is worth his curiousity of how she has coped so far.
But she doesn't disappoint. Kitashiro Rei just shrugs and scoffs, "He has his image and long legs to thank."
"Not his wardrobe, though," Nino adds sheepishly. "Or his eyebrows."
This time, she stares to an empty space at the table.
"I miss him a lot, Neen.." She suddenly blurts out. "I don't know if I acted fine in my movie, I don't think about it that much, nor do I care much either. My thoughts are filled with him and him only. I can't concentrate. I can't even deliver my lines right.. I just want to be done with it as quickly as possible and go back home to call him."
Nino reaches out for her hand to give it a light squeeze.
She continues to pour her feelings out, "I can't say this to him. I know I can't. He will be mad at me. He will break up with me again.. But then after everything, this happened.."
She finally looks up to Nino and meets his eyes, "It seems like, either way, I was bound to lose him, Neen."
"Why are you so sure?" He asks softly.
She almost laughs out loud, "How can't I be not sure? What Sho-kun said.. He hitted a nerve. I mean if I asked Jun that question, I know him, he would answer truthfully. Whether.."
"Whether he still keeps a place for Minako deep down inside?" Nino finishes the sentence she has been struggling to get out.
"I don't know whether I can accept that, Neen. I don't think.. I don't think I can.. And even without questioning it, I think I already know the answer to it," She closes her eyes, half wishing that by doing that it can ease up the stinging in her heart.
"Then don't."
"What?"
"I'd say, don't ask anything about her. Just pretend you don't know anything." He explains in a soft but firm voice. "You've got to let it go."
"Let what go?"
"Your curiousity. Your jealousy. Of whatever happens up there between him and Minako. You just have to accept, trust him. Trust him that when he has stepped a foot on the ground, you'd be the girl who is right in front of him to love and be loved in return. Possible betrayals and first loves be damned."
Rei tries to swallow that dose of Nino's logic slowly.
"Can you do that?" He asks in a low voice.
She nods.
Nino moves closer to her and gives her a casual one-arm hug. She puts her head on his shoulder.
"But what if he can't?"
Nino brushes a hand through her hair, caressing her, "That, you can trust me. If he can't, he'll tell you himself, you don't need to ask."
He pulls away from that hug and looks at her straight in watery eyes, "And if he does, you just have to remember that I'll always be here for you as a shoulder to cry on."
Then he grins wide, "And to teach you how to be a discreet celebrity in public."
---
Kitashiro Rei hates surprises. She always does. The rule applies to any kinds of surprises, good or bad.
There is this one time when her mother arranges a surprise birthday party when she was still studying in New York. It was her 10th birthday party.
Her mother and father have phoned her earlier in the morning to congratulate her, without mentioning that they will arrive by the time she's at school to bring cakes and presents to her class. To have a surprise celebration along with her friends. They always feel bad that they have to leave their little Rei all by herself, only with her favorite grandmother, because of their job.
That's the first time her own parents know the fact how she really hates surprises. The moment they appeared in front of her, unexpected, she ran away and hid behind a tree by the school ground. They spent hours looking out for her. By the time they did, her friends have all gone home.
They ended to have a quiet lunch just the three of them. It is what she likes best. Therefore, she forgave them for the surprise.
Later in her life, especially after deciding that she wants to be an actress, she can't avoid all those bad surprises. Bad surprises that contain rejection, failed audition and her scenes being cut. So as she grows up, knowing that she can't escape them anymore hiding behind the school's big tree, she manages to cope with surprises. Life is too full of them. She even does surprises once or twice to make other people who likes surprises to make them happy. It is just one of the things people do for love, you know?
But that doesn't mean she doesn't hate them anymore.
But when she has expected to welcome her own boyfriend with a smile as he walks hand in hand with his ex, she encounters the first surprise that she doesn't hate.
He walks out of the arrival door all by himself. Accompanied by a small luggage beside him. He looks tired but he smiles to her and spreads out his arms as she runs to him.
There's no girl or ex girlfriend in sight.
As she embraces his warmth, she whispers her "I miss you". Matsumoto Jun returns that hug just as tight as if holding on to his dear life.
He doesn't return her "I miss you", but it is not a surprise for Rei. She has expected that.
But what she doesn't expect at all is that she can actually feel how his hands are trembling as he holds on to her.
Another surprise she doesn't know how to deal with.
---
Where's Ninomiya Kazunari?
Where the hell is Ninomiya Kazunari in this scene where two lovers finally embrace at the arrival gate of Narita airport?
The answer is, Nino has gone into hiding. Observing them from afar like an old good third wheel. It has been an easy job to disappear. Because the moment they can hear the announcement that Flight 109 from LA just landed, Rei is then simply not there anymore. She is so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she didn't realize as passengers start to come out of the arrival gate, Nino takes wider steps back.
Such a wider step back that he finally reaches outside behind the glass sliding doors. He decides to just take a cigarette break as he watches the youngest member of Arashi finally walks out and gives her a hug the girl truly needs all night long.
He is so preoccupied observing his two bestfriends hugging each other that he fails to realize someone is approaching him from behind.
That someone squeals in a low voice, as if it is possible, next to his left ear. Crying out "Ninoo!" as a devoted fangirl should be.
That fangirl is no other but Hanazono Minako.
She jumps lightly up and down as she laughs out loud, pointing her finger at him as if it is a gun, "Autograph or I'll scream!"
There aren't many people in this world that can make Ninomiya Kazunari gapes. Those few selected people would be; One, Ohno Satoshi with his consistent rejection over his invitations for eating out. Two, Matsumoto Jun himself with his, ehm, 'unique' fashion sense. And the third person would be Hanazono Minako.
How could she acted so chirpy when the last time they laid eyes on each other..
Actually, Nino can't remember when and how he met her for the last time. But he knows that they didn't part in good terms at all as he remembers his outburst when Jun decided to leave Arashi for this girl.
But the way she is acting now, Nino doesn't know whether he should be relieved, or annoyed.
"Don't look at me like that," She starts to look uncomfortable. Well, they used to be on friendly terms at some point of their lives, regardless of the brutal ending of that so called friendship.
"Hisashiburi, Minako-chan," He finally manages, giving her a light bow. Then he decides to add in a lighter mood, "Do you seriously want an autograph of mine?"
"I see that you haven't gotten over yourself yet," She gives him a light punch on his shoulder. Then she notices his cigarette, "And you haven't given it up. Are you planning to die soon?"
"Probably, if I think I have enough money already," He takes a small puff casually, which makes Minako gives him a hearty laugh.
"You don't change at all," She finally says with a smile.
"Neither do you.." He gives her a meaningful look.
She then throws a look to through the glass doors and notices Jun and Rei with entangled hands approaching to their direction.
"I guess I have to go now. Family is waiting," She reasons in a low voice, her eyes not leaving those entangling hands afar.
"I am still at the same number if you want to catch up," Nino doesn't know why he said it but he naturally did.
He wasn't the only one who is surprised by that invitation. Minako looks up to him and smile, welcoming the friendly gesture. She fishes out a card from her bag and give it to Nino.
"Here's mine," and before she finally turns away, she beckons at the heartbreaking couple once more, "Tell him that I am happy for him. She's a beautiful girl."
Sincerity. Nino doesn't feel any sarcasm or sadness in her voice. He can only hear sincerity.
How can she be able to do that, he can't help but wonder.
But as Nino tries to look deeper into her eyes, she already turns her back to him, making her way to the taxi stand.
"Minako-chan!"
She stops for a second, but she doesn't turn her body around. As if she doesn't want Nino to catch something.
Nino then approaches her slowly.
"You know, Sho-kun researched a bit after you left. He told me.. He told me that whales, or any mammals, are not scientifically proven to be able to cry," He casually states as he walks closer to her.
He can see clearly how her shoulders are shaking, but uncertain whether from laughing or crying.
But when she finally looks over her shoulders, smiling wide, he can finally see her teary eyes.
"Well then, Nino, please tell Sakurai Sho-san that tears aren't logical in the first place. I don't think it is something that you can explain through a Google search."
"It isn't. It's natural."
She winks, "Can't put it any better than you did."
Nino smiles sadly and pulls her into a hug. She welcomes that friendly hug and bury her face for a while on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry," she can hear him whisper softly to her ears.
When she finally pulls away, she shakes her head, as if telling him that it is not at all his fault. That it is meant to be this way.
And with that she finally gets into a taxi, without saying another word.
Nino watches as the taxi pulls away and wonders to himself why he always have the need to comfort his bandmate's heartbroken girls.
"Man, I need a girlfriend," is all that he can say to himself.
---
Matsumoto Jun has been very quiet throughout the drive from the airport. He sits at the front passenger's seat as Nino drives the three of them in his car.
Jun doesn't even comment at the messiness of the car interior. It seems like Nino has been living in that car, sleeps and eats. Usually, Jun would at least snicker at it, or noting that why his decision to buy bigger cars is more plausible than Nino's decision to buy small cars. And Nino will argue that cars are simply mirroring the owner's ego.
But that bickering doesn't happen this morning.
What happens is uncomfortable silence throughout the 40 minutes drive and that's a first.
Jun seemly finds the traffic of Tokyo more interesting than his more than a decade old bandmate and current girlfriend he hasn't seen for months.
Then Nino, feeling more and more out of his usual character, tries to soften that blow to Rei as he expresses his made-up curiousity in her Hollywood career.
"So just wondering, have you met Director Eastwood?"
Jun raises a thick eyebrow to him, finding the question rather ridiculous. Well, at least, Nino finally winning his attention from the traffic of Tokyo.
"Well, I do get invited to parties, but I didn't go. But my co-star have said that he encountered him.."
"At that party where you were invited but didn't attend?"
"Yeah."
"Always been a party animal, that Director Eastwood."
"Really?"
"Well, not really."
Okay. Weird, not necessarily an interesting conversation. But Nino thinks it is way much better than the 20 minutes of uncomfortable silence on the first half of their drive to Jun's place.
And to put more strangeness to the conversation, Jun is finally showing his interest.
He looks over his shoulder to give Rei a look, "Why didn't you go to the parties?"
Rei lets out a nervous laugh, "I think I mentioned it to you. We had a skype date."
"Did we?"
"Yeah.."
"I would have understand if you explain the circumstances," Jun transfers his glance from Rei to the road in front of him.
"Well, I don't feel like cancelling our date for a party.."
"But you should have done that," His voice is low but firm. "It's important to be sociable to the important people in Hollywood when you have the chance."
Nino can't see Rei's expression from the rearview mirror, but he can feel that Jun has strike something inside here just by feeling the atmosphere.
"Ah, don't be too hard on her. Shooting must have been too exhausting already, right, Rei-chan? And there will be other parties," Nino decides to give her a way out of the dense tension.
"Yeah, of course," She tries to sound chirpy, but no matter how good she is as an actress, the shakiness in her voice still can be heard.
And Jun is back to his brooding and silent stance. But then his cellphone rings.
"Moshi moshi," Jun answers. "What's up?"
He listens to what the caller has to say, "Well, I just arrived in Tokyo actually... Los Angeles. Long story."
"Tonight?" He questions the caller as he steals a glance to the backseat. "Well, maybe. I'll let you know."
"Yeah. Sure. Bye."
And then he hangs up.
"What's tonight?" Rei's voice has an edge to it that she tries to cover.
"Hanging out with Shun-kun," Jun slips his cellphone back to his pocket.
"Oh.."
"I didn't say I would go," Jun softens his tone.
"But you sounds like you wanted to go," Rei can't help but not to point it out.
"The guy is being pushy."
"You can go if you want. Don't make me become some kind of a burden to you."
"I didn't say I want to go!"
"Well, you should. You know, being sociable with the important people.."
Jun is just about to open his mouth to return in spite, but when he looks over his shoulder, he can see the girl was in the verge of tears.
He closes his mouth and retreat.
Back to the uncomfortable silence again.
"I can go in Jun-kun's place," Nino tries to break it again. "I am very well suited to fill in the place of Matsumoto Jun in one of the most loved pairing Japan's entertainment world. You know? Matsumoto Jun and Oguri Shun. Ninomiya Kazunari and Oguri Shun. Not so bad, huh?"
To no avail. Both Jun and Rei don't even seem to have heard him.
Nino thinks that he might be losing his touch in comedy.
---
"Tadaima," Jun mumbles as he opens his apartment door for Nino and Rei, not expecting any replies. It is just a habit of his.
To his surprise, a chirpy male voice replies, "Okaeri, Matsujun!"
"Eh?" Jun blinks. "Aiba? What are you doing here?"
He then takes the chance to look around. His apartment is.. Well, it is a lot messier than usual. A lot messier than the level that he can tolerate. Dirty dishes are piling on the sink. Ohno Satoshi is snoring on his sofa bed. Empty cans of beer are standing on every space that's available; on the kitchen counter, coffee table and on the desk just beside where Jun's iMac is.
Lastly, Aiba Masaki is taking a large gulp of a not-so-empty can by the kitchen counter.
Jun narrows his eyes at the sight, "Don't tell me you guys were partying here like some high school kids when their parents are away."
"It was just a small slumber party, Matsujun," Aiba casually waves a hand.
"So you spent the night here? How did you get in?" He turns to Rei who is just standing behind him. He knows that only one other person has the key to this private chamber.
"Ah, gomen," She smiles nervously, as if they haven't been dating for more than a year, "I should have told you on the way. I was.. Well, I was.. I guess I was lonely so I.." She doesn't know how to explain the situation that has made them spent the night.
"So you invited 3 guys to sleep over?" Jun can't help to not hide the edge of his voice.
But Nino has had enough, "Look, Jun-kun, I drove Rei here after picking her up at the airport. And then I don't feel right staying here just the two of us so I invited Masaki and Satoshi. It's really no big deal and I thought that you wouldn't mind."
He stresses his tone at 'thought' and 'mind'.
Jun sighs, he knows he overreacts, but something has been bothering him and he can't really pinpoint on what it is.
"I don't. It just caught me by surprise," He mumbles as he put his bag on top of the kitchen counter.
"We didn't plan to spend the night. But I guess we lost track of time," Nino softens his voice hearing his apology.
Rei tries to hide her smile instead. Actually, Jun's small outburst kinda makes her a bit happy. He sounds as if he doesn't approve her spending the night with the members. As if he is jealous. She wishes that he is jealous. Because that means..
"Eh, Jun-kun, you're home?" Ohno Satoshi's sleepy voice disrupts her thoughts.
"A couple of minutes delay that can always be expected from our Riida," Nino snickers just behind Rei and it gives her a reason to release her previously hidden smile.
"Eh, what time is it?" Ohno suddenly straigthens up. He takes a glance at his watch and his eyes widen.
Then, he stands up, "Oh, shit!"
"Seems like he is late," Aiba tries to guess.
Ohno looks around as if trying to figure out what to do first. Then he storms to a door.
It is the laundry room.
"Oh-chan," Nino tries to call him. But the eldest member doesn't budge. Instead he rushes to open another door and finally find the restroom.
Jun raises his eyebrows in amusement. Nino shakes his head and Aiba lets out a giggle along with Rei.
Give it to Ohno Satoshi to the thing that Nino has been trying to do for the last 2 hours and failed miserably. He has succeeded to break the tension just by being himself.
When he finally comes out of the restroom, Aiba offers to him, "You need a ride?"
"Yeah. I can't believe my manager didn't give me a call," Ohno mumbles as he tries to find his cellphone by the sofa bed. When he finally does, "Oh, he did."
"We should go, then," Aiba stands up. "Come. I'll be your driver for today."
"I think I should go, too," Nino finds the opportunity to make his exit as well.
The older members then all head to the door after each giving Jun a high-five, except for Nino who's giving him a light tap on his shoulder.
"Thanks, guys," Rei plasters a big smile on her face as she catches Aiba's worried glance at her. "Thanks a lot."
"Yeah, thanks for keeping her company," Jun also smiles a little to bid them goodbye.
And when the door is finally closed behind the trio, Jun and Rei are finally alone all by themselves in that one messy apartment.
As if she can fix their awkward state of relationship by doing it, Rei starts to clean up the empty cans of beer.
Jun watches her with a sad look, "It's okay. I'll do it later," he knows how she dislikes cleaning up.
"No, no, it's okay," Rei refuses to look at his eyes. From the tone of his voice, she knows that it is not the look that won't give her any surprises.
"Look, Rei," Jun takes a deep breath, "I kinda need to talk to you.."
"No!" She suddenly exclaims, stopping throwing empty cans to the trash can altogether.
It surprises Jun. He furrows his eyebrows to her.
"I mean," she tries to recover, putting her hands inside her jeans pocket, "you must be tired. Don't you want to shower or something first?"
They just look into each other eyes for a good one minute. Trying to read what the other is thinking. Then Jun nods a couple of times.
"Yeah. Okay."
It is also the first time Rei gets a good look at his face, "You have dark circles under your eyes. Didn't get a good sleep on the plane?"
Jun shakes his head. She walks closer to him.
Jun closes his eyes and support his head with a hand.
Rei smiles at that familiar gesture. When she is close enough, she wraps her arms around his waist and puts her own head on his shoulder.
"So just rest for a while?"
"Hmm.."
Jun gives her head a light pat. Her warmth seeps into him.
She looks up to him and stares into his eyes. His chocolate tired eyes has been having this dark look ever since he arrived at the airport. That dark look is now softening up and that makes her smile.
She gives him a light peck on the lips.
And then she looks up into his eyes again. They scrunch up as he smiles to her.
She gives him another light kiss, a second longer. The smile disappears and his dark eyes return.
He furrows his eyebrows as he also gives her a small peck on her lips.
That small peck is all that she needs. As her heart soars, she kisses him again, more passionately this time. He hesitates for a bit, but as the sweet taste of her lips overwhelms him, he starts to return it slowly.
She parts her lips, requesting his tongue to plunge in. He understands and obliges to the request. She deepens the kiss again, ignoring the cold taste of his lips. She has enough warmth and love for the two of them. And Jun tries. He tries to kiss her harder, pushing himself to surrender to her as his hands finding their way to her hair.
She clings to him, her body aching, wanting him. She arcs her back, her body is against him and demands to be closer. Her heart gives loud thumps as she realizes how much she has been missing him.
Then something hits him as he pulls back all of a sudden.
"Rei.." His voice is hoarse and he closes his eyes. She can't find her breath to voice her reply.
"Rei, I.." He starts again but Rei puts a finger in front of those lips.
"Sshh.." she hushes in between her attempts at catching her breath.
"Don't you miss me?" She nervously asks in a soft voice, almost pleading, as she drowns her face in his nape.
She can feel his arms pull her tighter. But he doesn't answer her yet. She patiently waits.
"You don't?" she asks again, almost in a whisper.
He pushes her away to be able to look her in the eye and give her a small smile.
"Of course, I do," He finally answers.
Then he stands up from the kitchen stool, pushing her farther from him, "I'll take a shower first, 'kay?"
She nods and smiles back to him.
He opens the zipper of his backpack and pulls out his overnight kit. And with that he heads to the bathroom.
Rei takes his previous position by the kitchen stool and exhales. The kiss still clouds her mind. It made her happy that he returns her kisses, but she tries to shrug off the thought that something is off. Really off.
In the background she can hear the running water. She closes her eyes for a bit, hoping that the familiar sound can wipe away the heaviness that has been refusing to left her all day.
She unconsciously has been avoiding the truth. She unconsciously ignores that heaviness ever since Jun wraps his arms around her at the airport. She unconsciously tries her best to do the exact thing Nino advised her to do. To let it go. If swallowing all these heaviness would make him stay with her, then so be it.
She doesn't need the cold truth.
Her gaze falls on his slightly opened backpack by the counter. A deep red velvet box is peeking from inside.
Curiousity kicks in and at first she tries to ignore it. What is it that Nino said? Let curiousity and jealousy go. Right?
But she fails to let this one go and a hand obliges that forbidden need. She fishes out that velvet box and opens it slowly. A white-gold ring with a small elegant diamond that shines beautifully under the top light is looking back at her.
She picks the beauty up and reads the carving underneath;
「愛してる」
Jun
She gasps. Her mouth parts slightly and forms a small 'o'.
"Aishiteru.." She whispers the word.
Is this ring meant to be for her? It gotta be, right? There's no way he can make a carved ring up there in the sky. He must have bought and have it made before he went to LA and that means he meant to give it to her when he..
Just in time, Jun opens the bathroom door to disrupt her thoughts. The water is still dripping from his hair to his chest. A blue towel covering him from the waist down.
He casually glances at her from the bedroom as he brushes another blue towel to his hair. Then he sees the ring in her hands and he freezes. His hands fall to his sides.
She catches his chocolate eyes that she cannot be able to read.
And then a bright smile appears across her face. The brightest one she has ever experienced in her life. All heaviness and jealousy disappears completely. She is now the happiest girl in the world.
She jumps from her seat with the ring and throws herself right at him. He is still wet, but she doesn't care. She just wants to hold him and to never let him go.
"Yes.." She whispers to him. Her voice is cracking and beautiful tears roll down her cheek, She doesn't even bother to wipe them away. They are happy tears.
"Yes!" Louder this time around, echoing to the apartment's walls.
Jun slowly wraps his weakened arms around her waist, burying his face into her hair.
Her feet bounces into light jumps as she tightens their hug.
The ring in her hand shines brightly that it blinds her sight, oblivious to the darkened eyes Jun is hiding as he stares blankly to his opened backpack that still sits by the kitchen counter.
His boarding pass from Flight 109 stares right back at him from that opened backpack.
Continue to Chapter 15