Flight 109 - Destination: First Love [Chapter 15]
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As always, SUPER SORRY for the SUPER LATE update. I don't have RL business in my defense right now. All I can say is inspiration for this chapter hasn't visited me until today. I don't want to update hastily and regret it later after I posted it. I really wish I can tell this story the best way I can. So I guess I am kinda being nitpicky in the ways to structurized this particular chapter. I hope you all can understand :) I dedicated this chapter to mikaa22 who has been posting two updates of her fic so fast when I've promised her I will update after she updated XD I hope she enjoyed this chap as this is my way of saying sorry for breaking my promise to update after one update :)
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 journey to the past that happened earlier in this fic. 30-31 August 2013.
The cloud icon marks the past. Around the year of 2006.
The town icon marks the present time.
「CHAPTER 15: A MAN, TWO WOMEN AND A LULLABY」
The man swears he can hear the airplane's wings slices through the clouds, orchestrating every swishing moments he has little left with the girl in his arms. He can feel her clutching to him tighter. The pilot has just announced that they are now at descent and will land on the ground shortly in Narita Airport, Tokyo.
There aren't any words uttered between the two star-crossed lovers after hearing that. No words can exactly describe how they really feel. The man can only hold her tighter and the woman drowns herself deeper into that long last embrace.
The man doesn't even dare to kiss her. He is afraid he will not be able to control himself if he does that. He is sure that he will not be able to let go if he does that.
The woman understands completely his silent words. All energy has been drained from her body anyway, she's been wondering whether her knees will be able to support her to walk out of this plane as it is now.
She can feel his fingers slip into hers, scrubbing every inch of the skin of her hands as if he is memorizing every touch. He wants to remember how her skin feels. He buries his face in her hair, memorizing every smell. He wants to remember the soft strawberry smell on each strand of her hair.
Her chest tightens but she refuses to cry. This is one of the most beautiful moment in her life and she doesn't want to ruin it with ugly tears. She can cry later in her room. She can cry later on her brother's shoulders. She can cry later for forever. But not now. Now is the moment to cherish him. It is their last chance to be able to cherish each other.
Tears just have to wait for a short while.
She wishes she can record this on camera and watch it again and again endlessly every night for the rest of her life. So she can relive this moment again and again. It has enough beauty for a lifetime.
The man has a much simpler wish. He remembers an anime his sister made him watch a long time ago. He never admits to anyone that he follows the Sailor Moon series, but he used to be hooked to them. He especially likes a Sailor Soldier, that is Sailor Pluto and her ability to travel through time, which is very cool. And he remembers a particular episode where Sailor Pluto is actually have the ability she can use only once and costs her life. It is the ability to stop the time.
The man will give anything he has right now to make Sailor Pluto sacrifice herself for him right now instead of for Sailor Moon or the world. Or humankind.
What world is worth saving if this kind of love does not exist?
As the dark thoughts clouds his mind, the plane gives a slight jerk to wake him up. He opens his eyes and the dark clouds that moments ago surrounded the plane, hiding the scorching bright sunlight behind them, have vanished.
And it is a vast clear light blue sky as far as his eyes can see through the elipse shape window right next to him.
As if the man can hear the woman's smile, he turns to her. She has opened her previously closed beautiful eyes. Not to enjoy the nature of this cruel world, but to look back at his chocolate eyes. And she does smile brightly. As bright as the scorching sun.
The man records that smile both in his head and heart so that he can always remember everytime he is feeling down. That smile can chases away anything. That smile always wins over him.
The woman closes her eyes again, still smiling, and her hands circle his waist again. She again hides her smile as she snuggles to his chest. The most perfect place to be. There's no place more comfortable than this one as his scent envelopes her.
A soft voice escapes from her. But her lips does not move. But the man can hear her sings. A humming soothing voice. A tune that never fails to put babies to sleep.
A lullaby.
A lovely lullaby. Even though there aren't any babies to lull. There's only a first love that has been awaken in its deep slumber. And it needs to fall alseep again. As soon as possible. Life has to go on.
The man closes his eyes again even though he can't shut away all the lights seeping through his eyelids. Her voice soothes him. All weight on his shoulders vanishes. Even for just a short while, he feels at peace.
He feels at peace with all the love that surrounds him.
The man pulls her closer, his arms around her shoulders. His fingers find the strands of her long jet black hair and they entangle them around, wrapping his index fingers with the soft curls they are creating.
As the plane finally touches the solid ground, either the man nor the woman aware of it. Arms still around each other. Eyes are still at close.
Until the lullaby finally comes to a final end.
They have been lying there side by side for hours, concentrating at the ceiling as if it is the most interesting thing to see. As if it contains the unanswered mysteries of their relationship and they can be able to answer them, if they stare at the ceilings long enough. But, of course, it isn't the case at all.
They haven't said a word to each other for a good one hour even though both eyes are still wide open.
The woman does not dare to talk or to come closer, let alone touch the man. She can sense the uneasy aura after the silent not-so-much-of-a-proposal earlier that night the man has been sending through the air. She even almost blurt out her well intention to sleep on the couch outside. But she decides against it in the last minute because it will just make the tension awkward.
As if it is not awkward enough already.
Does he really intend the ring for her? He said so in that letter before she went to Hollywood, right?
But if that man who has written so in that letter has been the same man lying beside her right now, he would be all over her by now. Kissing her as if there's no tomorrow. Making love to each other, making up for the painstaking three months away from each other.
They only have less than a week with each other. Then it will be more months away from each other again.
The woman misses that man. The same man who is now physically right beside her, but she knows deep down inside he is no longer the same man. He is right there but she still misses him dearly. She wishes more than anything that the man will come back soon. She just needs to be more patient. More patient.
She lifts up her left hand and stares at the diamond that sits on one of her fingers. Yes. She believes the man will come back soon. He just has to come back. They were so perfect with each other.
The man who lies on the other side of the bed, his side of the bed, still doesn't move an inch. Even though he sees her at the corner of his eyes, communicating with an eternal diamond instead of the man who supposedly gave it to her. Well, he did not actually give it to her thought he did intend it to be for her. He already had that ring for months already, waiting for the right moment to actually give it to this woman. But the right moment never came. As if the ring has been dying to be seen and be admired for its beauty by a woman, it finds its own way into his ex and now to the woman beside him.
It doesn't make sense how a soulless ring can make such a trouble.
The man remembers the man who bought that ring. He bought it himself, nitpicking for the perfect design, arguing with himself about whether the time has finally come. The man then realize how much he has been hesitating about the ring.
But now that the ring suddenly finds its own way out of his backpack once more, the man swears that the ring is evil. It belongs in the land of Mordor. It doesn't have the power to make the owner invisible or become psychologically disturbed, but it certainly has a great power to make situations worse. Awkward. Breaks people's hearts. Putting people on the spot. Making a man who bought the damn ring clueless of what he has to do next.
He also remembers the man he was when he bought that ring. Was the man happy? Didn't the man truly love this woman who's lying right beside him? Wasn't he really planned to propose to her? Wasn't he just waiting for the moment he reaches the age of 30 and he will have his freedom to marry this woman? Where did that man go? And did that man forgotten about the woman he loved 7 years ago?
Or this silent man now just has been asleep all this time and now he finally awakens? Isn't it what the lullaby is about? To make this man who cannot utter any words beside the woman he supposedly to be in love with falls asleep again?
He still can hear that soothing lullaby. He still can see the smile that reflects the sunlight.
The man tries once more to close his eyes. He knows the reason why this man falls asleep 7 years ago.
Life is too painful to live in while he is wide awake.
He shuts his eyes tighter, wishing slumber will come sooner.
But slumber fails him this time even though the lullaby he heard hours ago still rings in his ears. Instead of lulling him to sleep, it tears his heart with every note it sings.
All of a sudden he is gasping for air. The man can't take it anymore and he pulls himself up all of a sudden out of the bed. He rushes to the bathroom and closes the door behind him.
And he finally lets go. Heartbreaking sobs finally break through his control. He puts his hand over his mouth as a last attempt to hold it back.
That desperate attempt fails miserably.
The woman who still sits on her side of the bed can only stare at the closed bathroom door. She hears those sobs. She puts both his hands over her ears, but she still can hear them. She throws herself to the bed again, buries her face and presses a pillow over her head as a last attempt refusing to hear his sobs.
That desperate attempt also fails miserably.
The man doesn't let go of Hanazono Minako's hand as they walk away from the aircraft through the boarding stairs. He walks in a slow pace and as the other passengers walk passed them, catching a glimpse at his overly familiar face, Minako starts to feel uncomfortable.
She tries to pull his hand to walk faster. She tries to pull her hand away but his grip just becomes tighter.
"Jun.." She tries to call out to him, trying to bring reason back to him, "People are staring."
But he ignores her. He walks in the same pace, gripping her hand tighter, as if he didn't hear her. As if this is the most natural thing to do.
Minako doesn't give up easily, though. Or else Minako wouldn't be Minako.
"Jun!" She starts to raise her voice, "Don't be so careless!"
But Jun just laughs softly, "Don't be careless? Coming from Hanazono Minako-san?"
"You know what I mean," She tones it down a bit. She can't help but smile. She always loves the way he laughs that way, teasing her that way. Her heart skips a beat as if is the most natural thing to do.
He pulls her to join him on the travellator. As they are not walking anymore and just let the travellator moves them through the long way to immigration, they are now facing each other.
Farther down the way, a more crowded part of the airport awaits them.
Minako stares at their entangling hands.
"You shouldn't be seen with me like this," but she doesn't have the heart to pull her hand away even though Jun's grip has loosened. She adds with a soft laugh as she moves her stare to his eyes, "Your face is too recognizable."
As their eyes met, she completely melts under that deep chocolate stare as she always does. He may appears calm and collected, but his eyes can never lie. Not to her.
And his eyes are pleading.
And all of sudden, he pulls her tight and buries his face in her neck and hair.
"Hide me, then," he whispers to her hoarsely. "Just hide me forever."
Minako surrenders and lets him snuggle closer to her. The gesture works. Nobody else notices the super idol embracing his ex on the moving travellator. And they just drown in their own world for a while. As if there's no one else.
Minako blinks back her tears, "I did, right? We did hide."
She pulls away and join their foreheads to meet each other, "It didn't work out, though."
Jun takes both of her hands into his and brushes his nose to hers, "It didn't work out because you left. We can try again. This time, don't you dare leaving me again."
Minako can't help but smile at his words, "What if I do?"
"I'll hunt you down."
She laughs, she can't believe herself she still can laugh at moments like this. "You didn't chase after me at that time."
"I was immature back then. A mere silly boy."
"And now you've become a man?"
"Uhm. And you should be my woman."
His tone is half-teasing her but his still pleading eyes tells her that he is dead serious about this.
"Jun.."
She can't finish what she's trying to say when the travellator they are riding on has ended and they must walk a couple of steps to another one. Jun guides her to the next travellator, still not letting her go.
He lifts up her hands in his, "Remember that silly boy? He was very much in love back then he didn't know how to deal with it."
"And the man in front of me now?"
"Still very much in love."
He is just about to kiss her when Minako blurts out in a cracked voice, "But, Jun, you have moved on.."
Jun shakes his head again and again.
"Jun.." She tries to be firmer, "Life has went on.."
"No.." Jun keeps shaking his head.
Minako cups his face in her hands to stop it, "Look at me.."
"I am your woman and I will always be your woman. But this is the reality, Jun. You.. You have her now."
Her voice quivers but it doesn't stop her. She looks straight into his eyes with her watery ones, "I am your past. As you are mine."
"But I love you.."
"I know.. I do too.."
"I want you.."
"I do want you too.. I want you so bad.."
Jun takes her hands that carress his cheeks and closes in for a kiss. She hesitates and try to pull herself away but Jun doesn't give up so easily and wraps one arm around her waist with one hand behind her neck and pulls her tighter.
She can't escape any longer and surrenders as his soft lips touches hers.
This particular kiss is not passionate. Nor it is a romantic one like the ones live at the end of every romantic movies or any love stories. His lips coaxes hers gently but hard. Loving but trembling. Hands gripping each other as strong as they can, clutching each other for support. It is the most beautiful kiss any of them ever experience wth anyone as the travellator brings them closer and closer to the end.
It is a kiss that says a goodbye.
An unwanted goodbye.
Slowly the crowded real world comes back to life around them as they finally pull away to look into each other's eyes once more. People pass by them on that near ending travellator, families walk to the other direction with arms around each other and some would stop by for coffee on their own ways to the boarding gates.
Announcements can be heard through the speakers. Huge billboards of Jun with the other Arashi boys promoting various products are smiling wide at them.
Minako smiles back, "See? I won't miss you. You're everywhere."
"Don't go.." He pleads to her once more. A tear he has been trying to hold back rolls down his cheek.
Minako takes care of it immediately. She wipes it away with her thumb.
"Don't cry. You should be happy. She's waiting for you.." She then adds another sincere smile, "Make her happy. And I'll be happy, too."
As she grabs her carry on bag, that's the time she realizes that her hands are shaking as the weight is being put on her shoulders. She has never felt this heavy before. She takes a deep breath and pulls herself away from Jun.
But she suddenly stops when Jun pulls her hand firmly one last time.
And she hears him say;
"I've said it. I'll hunt you down this time."
Minako lets out a small laugh and look over her shoulders, "Scary.."
"I will."
"You won't, Jun."
He finally lets go of her hand. "You won't," She repeats, "Because if we are truly meant to be, you won't need to. Or else we're just repeating history."
The travellator ends. And so is their story.
"But.. Thank you.." She tries to utter the final words.. "I.." The words refuse to come out.
Jun just looks at her with a grim expression. He will not help her saying goodbye. He doesn't want to say goodbye.
"I am happy that I get the chance to see you and be with you once more after all this time even for just a while.." She finally be able to choke out. Along with some tears that she can't hold back anymore.
She wipes it away immediately with the back of her hand and she bows to him.
"Sayonara."
And without even once looking back over her shoulders, Minako walks away from her past. Leaving Jun there standing, not moving. Staring at her back, memorizing every move to carve them inside his heart.
Somewhere within the crowd, he stilll can hear her sings that lullaby.
He does not hear all the chattering voices around him from the other travellers. All he can hear is still her lullaby, lulling their love to sleep.
As her figure disappears, Jun takes a step. And then another.
Unconciously, he hums that lullaby to himself in a quivering voice at first. But as he gets nearer to the immigration, he hears his own voice gets louder and louder singing her lullaby.
He finally stops the humming when he sees Kitashiro Rei waiting for him at the arrival gate.
And with that, their love story ends.
When Matsumoto Jun after a couple of hours finally opens the bathroom door back to the bedroom he shares with Kitashiro Rei, he doesn't find her on her side of the bed.
The bed has been made as if it has never been slept on.
And as he casts his eyes to the corner of the room where her luggage has been, it is not there anymore.
"Rei-chan.." He tries to call her.
But he only hears the echo of his own voice as a reply.
He enters the living room. He enters every room of his apartment.
It is all the same. Everything is back to the way he has left the apartment before he went to LA a few days ago.
Clean, neat and silent.
The messiness left out by Rei and Arashi members are nowhere to be found.
There's nothing else. No letter. No empty beer cans.
Even his trash cans are empty.
Only one telltale left on the kitchen counter becomes a proof that all this happened for real and was not just one hell of a dream.
It is that evil ring.
Continue to Chapter 16
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 journey to the past that happened earlier in this fic. 30-31 August 2013.
The cloud icon marks the past. Around the year of 2006.
The town icon marks the present time.
「CHAPTER 15: A MAN, TWO WOMEN AND A LULLABY」
The man swears he can hear the airplane's wings slices through the clouds, orchestrating every swishing moments he has little left with the girl in his arms. He can feel her clutching to him tighter. The pilot has just announced that they are now at descent and will land on the ground shortly in Narita Airport, Tokyo.
There aren't any words uttered between the two star-crossed lovers after hearing that. No words can exactly describe how they really feel. The man can only hold her tighter and the woman drowns herself deeper into that long last embrace.
The man doesn't even dare to kiss her. He is afraid he will not be able to control himself if he does that. He is sure that he will not be able to let go if he does that.
The woman understands completely his silent words. All energy has been drained from her body anyway, she's been wondering whether her knees will be able to support her to walk out of this plane as it is now.
She can feel his fingers slip into hers, scrubbing every inch of the skin of her hands as if he is memorizing every touch. He wants to remember how her skin feels. He buries his face in her hair, memorizing every smell. He wants to remember the soft strawberry smell on each strand of her hair.
Her chest tightens but she refuses to cry. This is one of the most beautiful moment in her life and she doesn't want to ruin it with ugly tears. She can cry later in her room. She can cry later on her brother's shoulders. She can cry later for forever. But not now. Now is the moment to cherish him. It is their last chance to be able to cherish each other.
Tears just have to wait for a short while.
She wishes she can record this on camera and watch it again and again endlessly every night for the rest of her life. So she can relive this moment again and again. It has enough beauty for a lifetime.
The man has a much simpler wish. He remembers an anime his sister made him watch a long time ago. He never admits to anyone that he follows the Sailor Moon series, but he used to be hooked to them. He especially likes a Sailor Soldier, that is Sailor Pluto and her ability to travel through time, which is very cool. And he remembers a particular episode where Sailor Pluto is actually have the ability she can use only once and costs her life. It is the ability to stop the time.
The man will give anything he has right now to make Sailor Pluto sacrifice herself for him right now instead of for Sailor Moon or the world. Or humankind.
What world is worth saving if this kind of love does not exist?
As the dark thoughts clouds his mind, the plane gives a slight jerk to wake him up. He opens his eyes and the dark clouds that moments ago surrounded the plane, hiding the scorching bright sunlight behind them, have vanished.
And it is a vast clear light blue sky as far as his eyes can see through the elipse shape window right next to him.
As if the man can hear the woman's smile, he turns to her. She has opened her previously closed beautiful eyes. Not to enjoy the nature of this cruel world, but to look back at his chocolate eyes. And she does smile brightly. As bright as the scorching sun.
The man records that smile both in his head and heart so that he can always remember everytime he is feeling down. That smile can chases away anything. That smile always wins over him.
The woman closes her eyes again, still smiling, and her hands circle his waist again. She again hides her smile as she snuggles to his chest. The most perfect place to be. There's no place more comfortable than this one as his scent envelopes her.
A soft voice escapes from her. But her lips does not move. But the man can hear her sings. A humming soothing voice. A tune that never fails to put babies to sleep.
A lullaby.
Click to viewA lovely lullaby. Even though there aren't any babies to lull. There's only a first love that has been awaken in its deep slumber. And it needs to fall alseep again. As soon as possible. Life has to go on.
The man closes his eyes again even though he can't shut away all the lights seeping through his eyelids. Her voice soothes him. All weight on his shoulders vanishes. Even for just a short while, he feels at peace.
He feels at peace with all the love that surrounds him.
The man pulls her closer, his arms around her shoulders. His fingers find the strands of her long jet black hair and they entangle them around, wrapping his index fingers with the soft curls they are creating.
As the plane finally touches the solid ground, either the man nor the woman aware of it. Arms still around each other. Eyes are still at close.
Until the lullaby finally comes to a final end.
They have been lying there side by side for hours, concentrating at the ceiling as if it is the most interesting thing to see. As if it contains the unanswered mysteries of their relationship and they can be able to answer them, if they stare at the ceilings long enough. But, of course, it isn't the case at all.
They haven't said a word to each other for a good one hour even though both eyes are still wide open.
The woman does not dare to talk or to come closer, let alone touch the man. She can sense the uneasy aura after the silent not-so-much-of-a-proposal earlier that night the man has been sending through the air. She even almost blurt out her well intention to sleep on the couch outside. But she decides against it in the last minute because it will just make the tension awkward.
As if it is not awkward enough already.
Does he really intend the ring for her? He said so in that letter before she went to Hollywood, right?
But if that man who has written so in that letter has been the same man lying beside her right now, he would be all over her by now. Kissing her as if there's no tomorrow. Making love to each other, making up for the painstaking three months away from each other.
They only have less than a week with each other. Then it will be more months away from each other again.
The woman misses that man. The same man who is now physically right beside her, but she knows deep down inside he is no longer the same man. He is right there but she still misses him dearly. She wishes more than anything that the man will come back soon. She just needs to be more patient. More patient.
She lifts up her left hand and stares at the diamond that sits on one of her fingers. Yes. She believes the man will come back soon. He just has to come back. They were so perfect with each other.
The man who lies on the other side of the bed, his side of the bed, still doesn't move an inch. Even though he sees her at the corner of his eyes, communicating with an eternal diamond instead of the man who supposedly gave it to her. Well, he did not actually give it to her thought he did intend it to be for her. He already had that ring for months already, waiting for the right moment to actually give it to this woman. But the right moment never came. As if the ring has been dying to be seen and be admired for its beauty by a woman, it finds its own way into his ex and now to the woman beside him.
It doesn't make sense how a soulless ring can make such a trouble.
The man remembers the man who bought that ring. He bought it himself, nitpicking for the perfect design, arguing with himself about whether the time has finally come. The man then realize how much he has been hesitating about the ring.
But now that the ring suddenly finds its own way out of his backpack once more, the man swears that the ring is evil. It belongs in the land of Mordor. It doesn't have the power to make the owner invisible or become psychologically disturbed, but it certainly has a great power to make situations worse. Awkward. Breaks people's hearts. Putting people on the spot. Making a man who bought the damn ring clueless of what he has to do next.
He also remembers the man he was when he bought that ring. Was the man happy? Didn't the man truly love this woman who's lying right beside him? Wasn't he really planned to propose to her? Wasn't he just waiting for the moment he reaches the age of 30 and he will have his freedom to marry this woman? Where did that man go? And did that man forgotten about the woman he loved 7 years ago?
Or this silent man now just has been asleep all this time and now he finally awakens? Isn't it what the lullaby is about? To make this man who cannot utter any words beside the woman he supposedly to be in love with falls asleep again?
He still can hear that soothing lullaby. He still can see the smile that reflects the sunlight.
The man tries once more to close his eyes. He knows the reason why this man falls asleep 7 years ago.
Life is too painful to live in while he is wide awake.
He shuts his eyes tighter, wishing slumber will come sooner.
But slumber fails him this time even though the lullaby he heard hours ago still rings in his ears. Instead of lulling him to sleep, it tears his heart with every note it sings.
All of a sudden he is gasping for air. The man can't take it anymore and he pulls himself up all of a sudden out of the bed. He rushes to the bathroom and closes the door behind him.
And he finally lets go. Heartbreaking sobs finally break through his control. He puts his hand over his mouth as a last attempt to hold it back.
That desperate attempt fails miserably.
The woman who still sits on her side of the bed can only stare at the closed bathroom door. She hears those sobs. She puts both his hands over her ears, but she still can hear them. She throws herself to the bed again, buries her face and presses a pillow over her head as a last attempt refusing to hear his sobs.
That desperate attempt also fails miserably.
The man doesn't let go of Hanazono Minako's hand as they walk away from the aircraft through the boarding stairs. He walks in a slow pace and as the other passengers walk passed them, catching a glimpse at his overly familiar face, Minako starts to feel uncomfortable.
She tries to pull his hand to walk faster. She tries to pull her hand away but his grip just becomes tighter.
"Jun.." She tries to call out to him, trying to bring reason back to him, "People are staring."
But he ignores her. He walks in the same pace, gripping her hand tighter, as if he didn't hear her. As if this is the most natural thing to do.
Minako doesn't give up easily, though. Or else Minako wouldn't be Minako.
"Jun!" She starts to raise her voice, "Don't be so careless!"
But Jun just laughs softly, "Don't be careless? Coming from Hanazono Minako-san?"
"You know what I mean," She tones it down a bit. She can't help but smile. She always loves the way he laughs that way, teasing her that way. Her heart skips a beat as if is the most natural thing to do.
He pulls her to join him on the travellator. As they are not walking anymore and just let the travellator moves them through the long way to immigration, they are now facing each other.
Farther down the way, a more crowded part of the airport awaits them.
Minako stares at their entangling hands.
"You shouldn't be seen with me like this," but she doesn't have the heart to pull her hand away even though Jun's grip has loosened. She adds with a soft laugh as she moves her stare to his eyes, "Your face is too recognizable."
As their eyes met, she completely melts under that deep chocolate stare as she always does. He may appears calm and collected, but his eyes can never lie. Not to her.
And his eyes are pleading.
And all of sudden, he pulls her tight and buries his face in her neck and hair.
"Hide me, then," he whispers to her hoarsely. "Just hide me forever."
Minako surrenders and lets him snuggle closer to her. The gesture works. Nobody else notices the super idol embracing his ex on the moving travellator. And they just drown in their own world for a while. As if there's no one else.
Minako blinks back her tears, "I did, right? We did hide."
She pulls away and join their foreheads to meet each other, "It didn't work out, though."
Jun takes both of her hands into his and brushes his nose to hers, "It didn't work out because you left. We can try again. This time, don't you dare leaving me again."
Minako can't help but smile at his words, "What if I do?"
"I'll hunt you down."
She laughs, she can't believe herself she still can laugh at moments like this. "You didn't chase after me at that time."
"I was immature back then. A mere silly boy."
"And now you've become a man?"
"Uhm. And you should be my woman."
His tone is half-teasing her but his still pleading eyes tells her that he is dead serious about this.
"Jun.."
She can't finish what she's trying to say when the travellator they are riding on has ended and they must walk a couple of steps to another one. Jun guides her to the next travellator, still not letting her go.
He lifts up her hands in his, "Remember that silly boy? He was very much in love back then he didn't know how to deal with it."
"And the man in front of me now?"
"Still very much in love."
He is just about to kiss her when Minako blurts out in a cracked voice, "But, Jun, you have moved on.."
Jun shakes his head again and again.
"Jun.." She tries to be firmer, "Life has went on.."
"No.." Jun keeps shaking his head.
Minako cups his face in her hands to stop it, "Look at me.."
"I am your woman and I will always be your woman. But this is the reality, Jun. You.. You have her now."
Her voice quivers but it doesn't stop her. She looks straight into his eyes with her watery ones, "I am your past. As you are mine."
"But I love you.."
"I know.. I do too.."
"I want you.."
"I do want you too.. I want you so bad.."
Jun takes her hands that carress his cheeks and closes in for a kiss. She hesitates and try to pull herself away but Jun doesn't give up so easily and wraps one arm around her waist with one hand behind her neck and pulls her tighter.
She can't escape any longer and surrenders as his soft lips touches hers.
This particular kiss is not passionate. Nor it is a romantic one like the ones live at the end of every romantic movies or any love stories. His lips coaxes hers gently but hard. Loving but trembling. Hands gripping each other as strong as they can, clutching each other for support. It is the most beautiful kiss any of them ever experience wth anyone as the travellator brings them closer and closer to the end.
It is a kiss that says a goodbye.
An unwanted goodbye.
Slowly the crowded real world comes back to life around them as they finally pull away to look into each other's eyes once more. People pass by them on that near ending travellator, families walk to the other direction with arms around each other and some would stop by for coffee on their own ways to the boarding gates.
Announcements can be heard through the speakers. Huge billboards of Jun with the other Arashi boys promoting various products are smiling wide at them.
Minako smiles back, "See? I won't miss you. You're everywhere."
"Don't go.." He pleads to her once more. A tear he has been trying to hold back rolls down his cheek.
Minako takes care of it immediately. She wipes it away with her thumb.
"Don't cry. You should be happy. She's waiting for you.." She then adds another sincere smile, "Make her happy. And I'll be happy, too."
As she grabs her carry on bag, that's the time she realizes that her hands are shaking as the weight is being put on her shoulders. She has never felt this heavy before. She takes a deep breath and pulls herself away from Jun.
But she suddenly stops when Jun pulls her hand firmly one last time.
And she hears him say;
"I've said it. I'll hunt you down this time."
Minako lets out a small laugh and look over her shoulders, "Scary.."
"I will."
"You won't, Jun."
He finally lets go of her hand. "You won't," She repeats, "Because if we are truly meant to be, you won't need to. Or else we're just repeating history."
The travellator ends. And so is their story.
"But.. Thank you.." She tries to utter the final words.. "I.." The words refuse to come out.
Jun just looks at her with a grim expression. He will not help her saying goodbye. He doesn't want to say goodbye.
"I am happy that I get the chance to see you and be with you once more after all this time even for just a while.." She finally be able to choke out. Along with some tears that she can't hold back anymore.
She wipes it away immediately with the back of her hand and she bows to him.
"Sayonara."
And without even once looking back over her shoulders, Minako walks away from her past. Leaving Jun there standing, not moving. Staring at her back, memorizing every move to carve them inside his heart.
Somewhere within the crowd, he stilll can hear her sings that lullaby.
He does not hear all the chattering voices around him from the other travellers. All he can hear is still her lullaby, lulling their love to sleep.
As her figure disappears, Jun takes a step. And then another.
Unconciously, he hums that lullaby to himself in a quivering voice at first. But as he gets nearer to the immigration, he hears his own voice gets louder and louder singing her lullaby.
He finally stops the humming when he sees Kitashiro Rei waiting for him at the arrival gate.
And with that, their love story ends.
When Matsumoto Jun after a couple of hours finally opens the bathroom door back to the bedroom he shares with Kitashiro Rei, he doesn't find her on her side of the bed.
The bed has been made as if it has never been slept on.
And as he casts his eyes to the corner of the room where her luggage has been, it is not there anymore.
"Rei-chan.." He tries to call her.
But he only hears the echo of his own voice as a reply.
He enters the living room. He enters every room of his apartment.
It is all the same. Everything is back to the way he has left the apartment before he went to LA a few days ago.
Clean, neat and silent.
The messiness left out by Rei and Arashi members are nowhere to be found.
There's nothing else. No letter. No empty beer cans.
Even his trash cans are empty.
Only one telltale left on the kitchen counter becomes a proof that all this happened for real and was not just one hell of a dream.
It is that evil ring.
Continue to Chapter 16