Irrational Choices - chapter 3
Title: Irrational Choices - chapter 3
Pairing: Ryo, OC
Rating: pg-13
Disclaimer: I do not own any JE boys. Or anyone or anything for that matter.
Summary: When the person that matters most to you leaves you and returns after so many years, how do you cope?
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
“That would be all for the day. Minna-san, thank you for your hard work.”
She called out as she shook the hand of the photographer covering the photo shoot session.
“I would need the final version by Monday, Hiro-kun. Can you accomplish it by then?” she asked.
“Of course, Tomi-chan. As you wish.” Hiro Mizushima replied with a teasing voice. Her colleagues had settled on giving her a nickname, Tomi-chan. They claim that she was too young to be called by any formal name. She didn’t mind it. She doesn’t like too much formality in the first place.
“Thank you. I know I can always count on you.” She smiled back at him. Hiro Mizushima is one of the company’s resident photographers. He handles most of their major accounts, thanks to his creative insight.
She excused herself from the room and ascended the elevator. When the lift’s door was open, she was greeted with curt bows as she made her way to her office. She settled on her office chair and rummaged through the stacks of proposals in her desk. I have a lot of work to do again.It wasn’t really a complaint, she was actually very grateful that projects come pouring in for the company.
There was a knock on the door.
“Come in” she said, no longer looking up and half expecting her secretary to remind her of some meeting or phone call that would require her attention.
She only looked up when she saw a package on her front desk. Facing her was a handsome man, grinning at her while sipping his coffee.
“Jin!” she exclaimed. “What are you doing here? I thought you were still on leave!”
He chuckled at her reaction as he strode towards her and leaned on her table.
“Nice to see you too. Just came back. I was afraid you would starve to death if I go away for a long time.” He cocked his head towards the package in front of her. “Go ahead. I know you haven’t had breakfast yet. I bought your favorite.”
She did as she was told. Her eyes glowed in delight as she took out the contents.Banoffee pie. She quickly searched for a spoon and dug in to her favorite sweet craving. She smiled as she savored the smooth concoction of cream and the after taste of banana. She looked at the man who gave it to her and said, “You know me too well. Thank you.” He merely nodded in reply. She offered the pie to him but she knew he would decline. He doesn’t like sweets.
“Seriously, I don’t know why I keep giving you that when I know it’s bad for you. “ He pointed out as he took a tissue and wiped a cream from the corner of her mouth.
“Because you want me see me smile and gush over something as simple as food?” she replied in between mouthfuls.
He grinned. She knew she had hit the correct answer. Despite Jin’s cool exterior, he has a soft side for people that he cares for. She looked at him once more. Taking note how he had become her closest friend and confidante in a short amount of time. She had only known him for a couple of years but it felt as though it has been ages.
“What’s the agenda for today?” he asked as he flipped through her calendar.
“Let’s see…client meetings, photo shoot, project presentation, magazine interview…. Woah! You’re fully booked this day. Being one of the most influential women does have its perks.” He was teasing her.
“It does. You should try it some time. Although yours would probably go something like: Akanishi Jin - the most beautiful female-looking man to grace the planet.” She retorted. She often teased how his features were more feminine than most women, including hers.
Jin stuck out a tongue at her. “You are just jealous because I’m more beautiful than you.”
“Sadly, that’s true. But how can I be jealous when you are my extremely pretty girlfriend?” she said as she pinched his cheeks.
“Stop that. You know I don’t sway that way. Even with these fine features, I am still one heck of a man. Women all over the globe can vouch for that.” he was proud of his Casanova status.
She walked towards the couch at the center of her room and scowled at him.
“WHAT…E…VER.”
Jin sat beside her and spoke to her ear in a low voice, “When you are ready to give your precious chastity, let me know. I can prove it to you in so many, many pleasurable ways.”
She smacked his face with a pillow. “Why you sex-driven slut of a friend! Whatever happened to your rule of not dating and screwing friends??”
She continued smacking him with the pillow when she heard him laughing hard.
“I’m kidding! Ouch! I wouldn’t touch you even if you give the company to me. Stop that… hey!”
“So now you dare to insult me by declining me?! I am not one of those women who let you in on their pants so easily, Bakanishi!
He stopped laughing and looked deep into her eyes. He took both her hands to stop her from smacking him again. “You know I don’t mean it that way. Seriously, Yuri. You are the closest and by far, the longest, female friend that I have. I treasure our friendship more than any of my amazing one-night stands.”
She was on the verge of thwacking him again when he said. “I will not do anything to jeopardize our platonic relationship. You can be sure that your virginity is safe with me.”
He gave her a sly grin as she rolled his eyes at him.
“Seriously, you need some big smack on your head and make you realize that not every woman has the hots for you.”
“I am aware of that. They go by the genus of Tomioka Yuri-chan.” He gave her a cocky grin. She couldn’t help but smile at how childish they can be.
It wasn’t that she didn’t find him attractive. Kami-sama knows that there were times when her heart did a back flip whenever Jin looked extra amazing or when he pouts his lips when he was utterly frustrated with something. He was gorgeous and he’s well aware of it. She didn’t want to feed his already inflated ego by complimenting his looks. It would achieve nothing except for more teasing from him. Besides, as Jin puts it, they have made the word “platonic” possible between them. And knowing Jin’s womanizing reputation, it was indeed extremely rare.
Yet she understands where Jin is coming from. She feels that Jin desperately needs a friend. Someone who would accept him for just how he is, not how he looks. She too had been judged by her accomplishments, not how she is as a person. That is why she would like to be that person who can just be his friend and nothing else. She too treasures their relationship to even dare cross the border and start an unrequited love with this man. She knew all too well the hazards of falling for a very good friend.
The phone rang.
She stood up to answer it.
“Moshi moshi”
“Tomi-chan, you have a meeting with Russ-K in 30 minutes. The company representatives have already called. They are on their way.” she heard her secretary, Ren said.
“Hai. Arigatou Ren-chan!” she exclaimed. Ren Watanabe had been with her since the company was established. She was also more of Yuri’s sister that constantly reminds her and takes care of her.
She heard Ren chuckle over the receiver. “You seem to be extra cheerful today. Is it because Jin is back?” She also loves to tease her relationship with Jin.
She pouted although she knew Ren couldn’t see. “Ren-chan….I AM always cheerful! I don’t want to draw negativity into me or to the company.” It was true. It has been her policy to always smile no matter how hard things might get.
“Hai. Hai. Wakatta. Have to go.” Ren said as Yuri heard another phone ring. She was very lucky indeed to have great staffs.
She turned her attention to Jin who is now reading the emails from her Blackberry.
“Found anything interesting?” She asked him. It no longer bothered her to have Jin rummaging her phone. It mostly contained business emails anyway.
“None. The clients that I am wooing at the moment haven’t responded yet. But they will come around. I’m sure of it.” He returned the Blackberry to her. Jin also handles project biddings. Clients, women and men alike, seem to succumb to Jin’s persistence. (Personally, she believes he is using his sex appeal to get the bid) Jin has a way of convincing people that is different form hers. She pays attention to details, Jin tends to see more of the bigger picture. They compliment each other in that way, since most of the time they have to brainstorm for big clients.
“I’m sure they will. You have been gifted with the power of persuasion after all.” She assured him. “I have a meeting later with Russ-K. Wasn’t it supposed to be your client?” She remembered that it was under Jin and was transferred to her.
“It can’t be helped. The client requested it. I guess they want to work with an influential icon rather than average me.” He said trying to sound hurt.
She rolled her eyes. She was about to comment when Jin continued.
“I can’t blame them though. You are one of the best. Any company would be honored to work with you. And you! Don’t be surprised with the attention. You deserve it.” He said as he touched the tip of her nose. She can’t help but smile at what he said.
Kuroi Shiroi Promotions is a product of her hard work. And it all began five years ago…
She had just started out in college, losing a part of her just before the commencement of the semester. She was starting a new chapter in her life - alone. She had never felt more terrified. Yet she had no one to turn to. The man who had been her pillar of strength had left, leaving her desolate and weak. It was the hardest thing in her life she had to go through. She had no one to talk to, no one to share her experiences with and no one to ask help from. She felt unsure of herself. She remembered crying every night in her sleep. Calling out his name, asking him to come back and pleading with all her might. But in all her dreams, he did not look back, he continued on towards his path.
She buried herself with school work and extra-curricular activities. Lack of anything to do only causes her to grieve about what she had lost. She continued on no matter how difficult it was for her to do it alone. She took up Business simply because it offered the most liberty she could get. All her life, she excelled in what she does. With that, people felt the need to meddle in, to make her live a life they thought was successful. Taking up Law and Medicine meant she had to be a lawyer and doctor all her life. At least Business would allow her to try out different fields. She understands that they want to help, but somehow, she felt as though she was living a pre-determined life. It was only her best friend who truly understood her, who encouraged her to be what she wants to be and not minding what other people think.
Although she topped all her classes in college, she developed a fondness for a certain subject - Marketing and Advertising. She loves how her creativity is constantly being challenged and how advertising as a whole can influence people. Her enjoyment was evidenced when her projects won awards from the National Advertising Congress. It was then that she realized that she found her life’s work. Despite being a freshman with only a few awards to boast, despite having people telling her she was too ambitious and young to compete with the big players, despite having only a few trusted friends to join her, she established Kuroi Shiroi Promotions.
It hadn’t turned out immediately as a success. Though she had prepared herself for failure, losing was nevertheless a humbling experience for her. She strived hard, pleading with clients, juggling school and her work to achieve her dream of making Kuroi Shiroi a formidable name in the Marketing industry. It had been a tough five years. Most of the friends that had helped established the company withdrew. They did not believe in Kuroi Shiroi as she did. And yet in the process, she was able to meet other brilliant people like Ren Watanabe, Hiro Mizushima, Jin Akanishi and many others. She had helped make small industry players gain brand recognition. The campaigns were so popular that little kids sing the ads’ jingles; the young crowd tagged the brands as the cool ones; and housewives and salary men found themselves buying and actually liking the products. It didn’t take long before Kuroi Shiroi also won bids from giant companies. And the rest they say is history.
She looked at the framed magazine clipping on the wall, with her as the cover. The caption read ‘The Creative Genius of a Young Woman.’ People had taken interest on her as well. For the young people, she was a role model, reminding them that age and poverty is not a deterrent for succeeding. For the women, she was an inspiration that women can decide for their own, live their life however they want it and break through the glass ceiling. Knowing all these urges her to strive harder and improve her craft.
She looked back at Jin and earnestly said. “Thank you. I will always be grateful for everything.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Konnichiwa Manager Iwasaki! I am Tomioko Yuri. I will be handling the Russ-K ad campaign as you have requested. Yoroshiku.” She extended her hand in front of the Marketing and Promotions Head of Russ-K. Although of Japanese lineage, Iwasaki Minoru was born and raised in Hawaii. He preferred American ways of introduction and handling business than traditional Japanese ones.
“Konnichiwa Tomioko-san. We have heard a lot about you.” The old man replied. He gave her a warm smile and also shook her hand.
“I do hope they are good ones.“ She smiled back.
The man laughed heartily in reply. “They are.”
Manager Iwasaki was with his assistant, Iwase and another man named Koyama Keichiro. She on the other hand has Ren to take down notes. They were also briefly introduced together before proceeding to take their seats in the meeting room.
“The agenda for today will be the discussion of the ad details for Russ-K. I understand Manager Akanishi had already presented the ad to the Board earlier this month. Therefore, we will be focusing on how we would be carrying out the campaign.”
She said as she flipped through the folder that contains the project details.
“The endorser for this ad has not been identified during the presentation. I believe at that time you were still in the process of deliberating which celebrity would better represent the Russ-K clothing brand. By this time, has there been a definite decision on who would be the endorser?” She queried. She had heard from Jin that Russ-K took the time in determining the company’s spoke person.
“We have. And we were very fortunate that he agreed to take over this campaign despite his reputation of being equally picky with his endorsements. Although he did request one thing - for the president herself to handle the promotional activities.” Manager Iwasaki beamed at her and continued.
“Thank you for agreeing to this. We understand that you also have a lot of companies to handle. And please do not think that we are undermining Manager Akanashi’s capacity. He is also brilliant. It just so happened to be our endorser’s only condition. I believe he may be a fan of yours.” She can see hints of mischief in his eyes.
“Daijoubu. It’s a small request from a very important client like Russ-K., though I doubt that I am a fan of any celebrity. And don’t worry; I can assure you that Manager Akanishi did not take offense. ” It was true. Jin was an equally busy man. When Russ-K made the request, Jin temporarily had the free time to go on a much needed vacation. That is why she was absolutely certain that Jin didn’t take offense at all.
“May I know who the celebrity is, or shall it remain to be a big secret until the photoshoot?” The men chuckled at her attempt to humor them. Kuroi Shiroi also hasn’t been informed who the spokesperson is. They wanted to bask in the media speculation until the ad campaign is released.
“Of course. You are considered an insider after all. We wanted someone who already has a sound fashion judgment and who exudes confidence and a bit of sexuality.”
“We chose the international singer, songwriter and guitarist… Nishikido Ryo….”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Nishikido Ryo
She felt as though she had been pushed into the freezing sea. She suddenly found it hard to breathe. She can feel her facial muscles refusing to relax, yet the stiffness of her actions was evident only to her.
She could hear Manager Iwasaki continuously talking, but she couldn’t quite grasp anything. Could this be real? After all this years, are they supposed to meet now?
Her head was spinning. She looked up when Manager Iwasaki said that the man with him was Nishikido Ryo’s manager.
The man named Koyama Keichiro spoke up. “Gomenasai. He wanted to be in this meeting but we have just landed earlier this morning. I thought it would be better if Nishikido-san could get some rest first. ” He gave her a smile, as though asking her to understand. But try as she might, she couldn’t. She couldn’t comprehend why he was here now. It was he who requested that she spearhead this campaign. What was he trying to do? Was he so heartless as to hurt her again when she had already moved on?
She gave Koyama a faint smile. A part of her wanted to get out of the room and cancel the contract all together. It was irrational, but she doesn’t think she was strong enough to handle a blow from her past. Nobody from her company knew that she had once been good friends with the celebrity Nishikido Ryo. Nobody knew that he had discarded her and their relationship. Nobody ever has to know. But now, even that is being threatened to be exposed.
She looked down, pretending to busy herself with the details of the contract.
She heard a faint knock on the door. It opened and in came a figure.
“Konnichiwa. I’m sorry I‘m late.”
That voice.
She stopped dead in what she was doing. She would recognize that deep and breathy voice anywhere. The voice that comforted her before, the same voice that haunted her dreams not too long ago.
She doesn’t want to look up and face him - not now, not ever. Yet she knew she had to put up a façade. She cannot let him know that she was weak and broken after what he did. She had already stooped down low enough in the past. She refused to demoralize herself any further.
With a deep breath, she looked up to meet his gaze.
She felt like she was looking into a dream, an illusion made by the heavens. Standing before her was her ex-best friend, looking dazzling even with simple clothes. He was no longer the boy who had just hit puberty. He was a man in every essence of the word.
He looked at her with brooding eyes. It carried so much emotion - hints of despair, of longing, of pain. She felt she was being put under a spell.
Do something! Say something! Don’t let him have the satisfaction of knowing you are still affected by his mere presence. Her mind was screaming all these things to her.
Slowly, she stood up and bowed. “Hajimemashite. Tomioko Yuri-des. It is nice to finally meet you.”
She can see the shock in his face at her greeting. What was he expecting? For her to throw her arms around him and tell him how much she missed him? Yes, that is definitely something that a man of his ego would anticipate.
She forced herself to smile at him. She had already decided to keep up with the act. She was certain that she would no longer allow him to break her heart and her spirit.
But it wasn’t him who spoke up but his manager.
“Ryo-chan! What are you doing here? I thought I made it clear that it’s ok to not be in this meeting.” Koyama looked at him confused and worried.
“I know. And I insist to be here. This is very important for me.” Ryo said without taking his eyes off her.
It was Manager Iwasaki’s turn to speak. “We are very happy you feel that way regarding this endorsement Nishikido-san.”
Somehow she felt that he wasn’t talking about Russ-K at all. With all the strength she can muster, she started the act.
“In that case, would you like to take a seat as we discuss the details?” she offered the seat beside his manager. He took his gaze off her and walked towards the chair.
When he was seated, she spoke up again. “Well, shall we begin?”
She signaled Ren to dim the lights and she proceeded with her presentation.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A full hour had passed. They had gone through each detail, discussed the people involved, the theme for each photo shoot, the timing and location of each and the date when the commercial will be shown to the Board. There were interesting queries and suggestions from Manager Iwasaki, a proof of his capacity as a Marketing manager.
During all that time she could feel a steady and hot gaze coming from the latecomer. It felt as though he never took his eyes off her, watching her every move as she presented. But she wasn’t entirely sure. The room was dark, save for the light coming from the projector.
When she had finished and the lights were back on, Manager Iwasaki likewise stood up and congratulated her.” Omedotou Tomioka-san! I was impressed with the way your company planned this one out. I am sure that this will be a huge success.” He said as he held out his hand.
She shook his hand and said, “We do hope so. We will be doing our best. Should there be any questions, feel free to ask.”
“I have none. But perhaps our endorser does.” He looked towards where the young man was sitting, who was looking very intently at them.
Koyama stood up “The details were clear. We would be doing our best. Yoroshiku.” He bowed politely, to which the celebrity only nodded in reply.
“Well, in that case, we need to get going. I need to report this to the upper management as well. Thank you for your time Tomioka-san. ”
“Hai. Arigatou.”
The manager and his assistant walked towards the door, followed by Ren who ushered them out.
She scooped the materials in front of her when she heard a voice speak up.
“Ano...”
She looked back to see that Nishikido was already behind her. As if on cue, she saw his manager patted him on the back and went out for the door. They were now alone in the conference room. The atmosphere was uncomfortable, she felt like it was suffocating her, making it very hard to breathe.
She waited for him to speak up.
But nothing happened. He just looked at her and the floor and back at her again.
When after a full minute had passed and it was apparent that he wouldn’t say anything, she moved towards the door.
He caught her arm as her hands were on the doorknob.
“We …. We need to talk….”
Her head was screaming with endless thoughts. Well that’s great really! Except that we are five years late in talking. Why should I listen to you now? I told you I would forget about you. Even though it was painful, I managed to pull through. Who gave you the right to come back and try to destroy my life again?
But she knew she can’t let him know how she feels. He had discarded her once, when she thought she was an important part of him. Why would her thoughts matter to him now?
“Of course. I understand you have concerns regarding the commercial. Have it scheduled with my assistant Ren.”
She gave him the most convincing smile she could muster and turned her back away from him.
“Yuri-chan….”
Nobody had called her by her given name since he went away, save for her family. She preferred to be called Tomi-chan. She felt that to be called by her given name only brings back memories with him. He no longer deserves that sense of familiarity. He should know that by now.
Without looking back, she said in a low voice, “Let me just clarify one thing. You may be a celebrity, but we are not acquainted with each other. Do NOT call me by my first name.”
With that, she opened the door and went out.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A/N: As usual, my updates are very long. Gomenasai. My fingers just kept on typing. LOL. And I was supposed to cut this into two chapters, but I don’t want to keep you hanging. So, yeah, Jin is here. Surprise!? And Hiro Mizushima too (though he isn’t a Johnny). I think the role suited him. Tell me what you think, ok? ^_^
Pairing: Ryo, OC
Rating: pg-13
Disclaimer: I do not own any JE boys. Or anyone or anything for that matter.
Summary: When the person that matters most to you leaves you and returns after so many years, how do you cope?
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
“That would be all for the day. Minna-san, thank you for your hard work.”
She called out as she shook the hand of the photographer covering the photo shoot session.
“I would need the final version by Monday, Hiro-kun. Can you accomplish it by then?” she asked.
“Of course, Tomi-chan. As you wish.” Hiro Mizushima replied with a teasing voice. Her colleagues had settled on giving her a nickname, Tomi-chan. They claim that she was too young to be called by any formal name. She didn’t mind it. She doesn’t like too much formality in the first place.
“Thank you. I know I can always count on you.” She smiled back at him. Hiro Mizushima is one of the company’s resident photographers. He handles most of their major accounts, thanks to his creative insight.
She excused herself from the room and ascended the elevator. When the lift’s door was open, she was greeted with curt bows as she made her way to her office. She settled on her office chair and rummaged through the stacks of proposals in her desk. I have a lot of work to do again.It wasn’t really a complaint, she was actually very grateful that projects come pouring in for the company.
There was a knock on the door.
“Come in” she said, no longer looking up and half expecting her secretary to remind her of some meeting or phone call that would require her attention.
She only looked up when she saw a package on her front desk. Facing her was a handsome man, grinning at her while sipping his coffee.
“Jin!” she exclaimed. “What are you doing here? I thought you were still on leave!”
He chuckled at her reaction as he strode towards her and leaned on her table.
“Nice to see you too. Just came back. I was afraid you would starve to death if I go away for a long time.” He cocked his head towards the package in front of her. “Go ahead. I know you haven’t had breakfast yet. I bought your favorite.”
She did as she was told. Her eyes glowed in delight as she took out the contents.Banoffee pie. She quickly searched for a spoon and dug in to her favorite sweet craving. She smiled as she savored the smooth concoction of cream and the after taste of banana. She looked at the man who gave it to her and said, “You know me too well. Thank you.” He merely nodded in reply. She offered the pie to him but she knew he would decline. He doesn’t like sweets.
“Seriously, I don’t know why I keep giving you that when I know it’s bad for you. “ He pointed out as he took a tissue and wiped a cream from the corner of her mouth.
“Because you want me see me smile and gush over something as simple as food?” she replied in between mouthfuls.
He grinned. She knew she had hit the correct answer. Despite Jin’s cool exterior, he has a soft side for people that he cares for. She looked at him once more. Taking note how he had become her closest friend and confidante in a short amount of time. She had only known him for a couple of years but it felt as though it has been ages.
“What’s the agenda for today?” he asked as he flipped through her calendar.
“Let’s see…client meetings, photo shoot, project presentation, magazine interview…. Woah! You’re fully booked this day. Being one of the most influential women does have its perks.” He was teasing her.
“It does. You should try it some time. Although yours would probably go something like: Akanishi Jin - the most beautiful female-looking man to grace the planet.” She retorted. She often teased how his features were more feminine than most women, including hers.
Jin stuck out a tongue at her. “You are just jealous because I’m more beautiful than you.”
“Sadly, that’s true. But how can I be jealous when you are my extremely pretty girlfriend?” she said as she pinched his cheeks.
“Stop that. You know I don’t sway that way. Even with these fine features, I am still one heck of a man. Women all over the globe can vouch for that.” he was proud of his Casanova status.
She walked towards the couch at the center of her room and scowled at him.
“WHAT…E…VER.”
Jin sat beside her and spoke to her ear in a low voice, “When you are ready to give your precious chastity, let me know. I can prove it to you in so many, many pleasurable ways.”
She smacked his face with a pillow. “Why you sex-driven slut of a friend! Whatever happened to your rule of not dating and screwing friends??”
She continued smacking him with the pillow when she heard him laughing hard.
“I’m kidding! Ouch! I wouldn’t touch you even if you give the company to me. Stop that… hey!”
“So now you dare to insult me by declining me?! I am not one of those women who let you in on their pants so easily, Bakanishi!
He stopped laughing and looked deep into her eyes. He took both her hands to stop her from smacking him again. “You know I don’t mean it that way. Seriously, Yuri. You are the closest and by far, the longest, female friend that I have. I treasure our friendship more than any of my amazing one-night stands.”
She was on the verge of thwacking him again when he said. “I will not do anything to jeopardize our platonic relationship. You can be sure that your virginity is safe with me.”
He gave her a sly grin as she rolled his eyes at him.
“Seriously, you need some big smack on your head and make you realize that not every woman has the hots for you.”
“I am aware of that. They go by the genus of Tomioka Yuri-chan.” He gave her a cocky grin. She couldn’t help but smile at how childish they can be.
It wasn’t that she didn’t find him attractive. Kami-sama knows that there were times when her heart did a back flip whenever Jin looked extra amazing or when he pouts his lips when he was utterly frustrated with something. He was gorgeous and he’s well aware of it. She didn’t want to feed his already inflated ego by complimenting his looks. It would achieve nothing except for more teasing from him. Besides, as Jin puts it, they have made the word “platonic” possible between them. And knowing Jin’s womanizing reputation, it was indeed extremely rare.
Yet she understands where Jin is coming from. She feels that Jin desperately needs a friend. Someone who would accept him for just how he is, not how he looks. She too had been judged by her accomplishments, not how she is as a person. That is why she would like to be that person who can just be his friend and nothing else. She too treasures their relationship to even dare cross the border and start an unrequited love with this man. She knew all too well the hazards of falling for a very good friend.
The phone rang.
She stood up to answer it.
“Moshi moshi”
“Tomi-chan, you have a meeting with Russ-K in 30 minutes. The company representatives have already called. They are on their way.” she heard her secretary, Ren said.
“Hai. Arigatou Ren-chan!” she exclaimed. Ren Watanabe had been with her since the company was established. She was also more of Yuri’s sister that constantly reminds her and takes care of her.
She heard Ren chuckle over the receiver. “You seem to be extra cheerful today. Is it because Jin is back?” She also loves to tease her relationship with Jin.
She pouted although she knew Ren couldn’t see. “Ren-chan….I AM always cheerful! I don’t want to draw negativity into me or to the company.” It was true. It has been her policy to always smile no matter how hard things might get.
“Hai. Hai. Wakatta. Have to go.” Ren said as Yuri heard another phone ring. She was very lucky indeed to have great staffs.
She turned her attention to Jin who is now reading the emails from her Blackberry.
“Found anything interesting?” She asked him. It no longer bothered her to have Jin rummaging her phone. It mostly contained business emails anyway.
“None. The clients that I am wooing at the moment haven’t responded yet. But they will come around. I’m sure of it.” He returned the Blackberry to her. Jin also handles project biddings. Clients, women and men alike, seem to succumb to Jin’s persistence. (Personally, she believes he is using his sex appeal to get the bid) Jin has a way of convincing people that is different form hers. She pays attention to details, Jin tends to see more of the bigger picture. They compliment each other in that way, since most of the time they have to brainstorm for big clients.
“I’m sure they will. You have been gifted with the power of persuasion after all.” She assured him. “I have a meeting later with Russ-K. Wasn’t it supposed to be your client?” She remembered that it was under Jin and was transferred to her.
“It can’t be helped. The client requested it. I guess they want to work with an influential icon rather than average me.” He said trying to sound hurt.
She rolled her eyes. She was about to comment when Jin continued.
“I can’t blame them though. You are one of the best. Any company would be honored to work with you. And you! Don’t be surprised with the attention. You deserve it.” He said as he touched the tip of her nose. She can’t help but smile at what he said.
Kuroi Shiroi Promotions is a product of her hard work. And it all began five years ago…
She had just started out in college, losing a part of her just before the commencement of the semester. She was starting a new chapter in her life - alone. She had never felt more terrified. Yet she had no one to turn to. The man who had been her pillar of strength had left, leaving her desolate and weak. It was the hardest thing in her life she had to go through. She had no one to talk to, no one to share her experiences with and no one to ask help from. She felt unsure of herself. She remembered crying every night in her sleep. Calling out his name, asking him to come back and pleading with all her might. But in all her dreams, he did not look back, he continued on towards his path.
She buried herself with school work and extra-curricular activities. Lack of anything to do only causes her to grieve about what she had lost. She continued on no matter how difficult it was for her to do it alone. She took up Business simply because it offered the most liberty she could get. All her life, she excelled in what she does. With that, people felt the need to meddle in, to make her live a life they thought was successful. Taking up Law and Medicine meant she had to be a lawyer and doctor all her life. At least Business would allow her to try out different fields. She understands that they want to help, but somehow, she felt as though she was living a pre-determined life. It was only her best friend who truly understood her, who encouraged her to be what she wants to be and not minding what other people think.
Although she topped all her classes in college, she developed a fondness for a certain subject - Marketing and Advertising. She loves how her creativity is constantly being challenged and how advertising as a whole can influence people. Her enjoyment was evidenced when her projects won awards from the National Advertising Congress. It was then that she realized that she found her life’s work. Despite being a freshman with only a few awards to boast, despite having people telling her she was too ambitious and young to compete with the big players, despite having only a few trusted friends to join her, she established Kuroi Shiroi Promotions.
It hadn’t turned out immediately as a success. Though she had prepared herself for failure, losing was nevertheless a humbling experience for her. She strived hard, pleading with clients, juggling school and her work to achieve her dream of making Kuroi Shiroi a formidable name in the Marketing industry. It had been a tough five years. Most of the friends that had helped established the company withdrew. They did not believe in Kuroi Shiroi as she did. And yet in the process, she was able to meet other brilliant people like Ren Watanabe, Hiro Mizushima, Jin Akanishi and many others. She had helped make small industry players gain brand recognition. The campaigns were so popular that little kids sing the ads’ jingles; the young crowd tagged the brands as the cool ones; and housewives and salary men found themselves buying and actually liking the products. It didn’t take long before Kuroi Shiroi also won bids from giant companies. And the rest they say is history.
She looked at the framed magazine clipping on the wall, with her as the cover. The caption read ‘The Creative Genius of a Young Woman.’ People had taken interest on her as well. For the young people, she was a role model, reminding them that age and poverty is not a deterrent for succeeding. For the women, she was an inspiration that women can decide for their own, live their life however they want it and break through the glass ceiling. Knowing all these urges her to strive harder and improve her craft.
She looked back at Jin and earnestly said. “Thank you. I will always be grateful for everything.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Konnichiwa Manager Iwasaki! I am Tomioko Yuri. I will be handling the Russ-K ad campaign as you have requested. Yoroshiku.” She extended her hand in front of the Marketing and Promotions Head of Russ-K. Although of Japanese lineage, Iwasaki Minoru was born and raised in Hawaii. He preferred American ways of introduction and handling business than traditional Japanese ones.
“Konnichiwa Tomioko-san. We have heard a lot about you.” The old man replied. He gave her a warm smile and also shook her hand.
“I do hope they are good ones.“ She smiled back.
The man laughed heartily in reply. “They are.”
Manager Iwasaki was with his assistant, Iwase and another man named Koyama Keichiro. She on the other hand has Ren to take down notes. They were also briefly introduced together before proceeding to take their seats in the meeting room.
“The agenda for today will be the discussion of the ad details for Russ-K. I understand Manager Akanishi had already presented the ad to the Board earlier this month. Therefore, we will be focusing on how we would be carrying out the campaign.”
She said as she flipped through the folder that contains the project details.
“The endorser for this ad has not been identified during the presentation. I believe at that time you were still in the process of deliberating which celebrity would better represent the Russ-K clothing brand. By this time, has there been a definite decision on who would be the endorser?” She queried. She had heard from Jin that Russ-K took the time in determining the company’s spoke person.
“We have. And we were very fortunate that he agreed to take over this campaign despite his reputation of being equally picky with his endorsements. Although he did request one thing - for the president herself to handle the promotional activities.” Manager Iwasaki beamed at her and continued.
“Thank you for agreeing to this. We understand that you also have a lot of companies to handle. And please do not think that we are undermining Manager Akanashi’s capacity. He is also brilliant. It just so happened to be our endorser’s only condition. I believe he may be a fan of yours.” She can see hints of mischief in his eyes.
“Daijoubu. It’s a small request from a very important client like Russ-K., though I doubt that I am a fan of any celebrity. And don’t worry; I can assure you that Manager Akanishi did not take offense. ” It was true. Jin was an equally busy man. When Russ-K made the request, Jin temporarily had the free time to go on a much needed vacation. That is why she was absolutely certain that Jin didn’t take offense at all.
“May I know who the celebrity is, or shall it remain to be a big secret until the photoshoot?” The men chuckled at her attempt to humor them. Kuroi Shiroi also hasn’t been informed who the spokesperson is. They wanted to bask in the media speculation until the ad campaign is released.
“Of course. You are considered an insider after all. We wanted someone who already has a sound fashion judgment and who exudes confidence and a bit of sexuality.”
“We chose the international singer, songwriter and guitarist… Nishikido Ryo….”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Nishikido Ryo
She felt as though she had been pushed into the freezing sea. She suddenly found it hard to breathe. She can feel her facial muscles refusing to relax, yet the stiffness of her actions was evident only to her.
She could hear Manager Iwasaki continuously talking, but she couldn’t quite grasp anything. Could this be real? After all this years, are they supposed to meet now?
Her head was spinning. She looked up when Manager Iwasaki said that the man with him was Nishikido Ryo’s manager.
The man named Koyama Keichiro spoke up. “Gomenasai. He wanted to be in this meeting but we have just landed earlier this morning. I thought it would be better if Nishikido-san could get some rest first. ” He gave her a smile, as though asking her to understand. But try as she might, she couldn’t. She couldn’t comprehend why he was here now. It was he who requested that she spearhead this campaign. What was he trying to do? Was he so heartless as to hurt her again when she had already moved on?
She gave Koyama a faint smile. A part of her wanted to get out of the room and cancel the contract all together. It was irrational, but she doesn’t think she was strong enough to handle a blow from her past. Nobody from her company knew that she had once been good friends with the celebrity Nishikido Ryo. Nobody knew that he had discarded her and their relationship. Nobody ever has to know. But now, even that is being threatened to be exposed.
She looked down, pretending to busy herself with the details of the contract.
She heard a faint knock on the door. It opened and in came a figure.
“Konnichiwa. I’m sorry I‘m late.”
That voice.
She stopped dead in what she was doing. She would recognize that deep and breathy voice anywhere. The voice that comforted her before, the same voice that haunted her dreams not too long ago.
She doesn’t want to look up and face him - not now, not ever. Yet she knew she had to put up a façade. She cannot let him know that she was weak and broken after what he did. She had already stooped down low enough in the past. She refused to demoralize herself any further.
With a deep breath, she looked up to meet his gaze.
She felt like she was looking into a dream, an illusion made by the heavens. Standing before her was her ex-best friend, looking dazzling even with simple clothes. He was no longer the boy who had just hit puberty. He was a man in every essence of the word.
He looked at her with brooding eyes. It carried so much emotion - hints of despair, of longing, of pain. She felt she was being put under a spell.
Do something! Say something! Don’t let him have the satisfaction of knowing you are still affected by his mere presence. Her mind was screaming all these things to her.
Slowly, she stood up and bowed. “Hajimemashite. Tomioko Yuri-des. It is nice to finally meet you.”
She can see the shock in his face at her greeting. What was he expecting? For her to throw her arms around him and tell him how much she missed him? Yes, that is definitely something that a man of his ego would anticipate.
She forced herself to smile at him. She had already decided to keep up with the act. She was certain that she would no longer allow him to break her heart and her spirit.
But it wasn’t him who spoke up but his manager.
“Ryo-chan! What are you doing here? I thought I made it clear that it’s ok to not be in this meeting.” Koyama looked at him confused and worried.
“I know. And I insist to be here. This is very important for me.” Ryo said without taking his eyes off her.
It was Manager Iwasaki’s turn to speak. “We are very happy you feel that way regarding this endorsement Nishikido-san.”
Somehow she felt that he wasn’t talking about Russ-K at all. With all the strength she can muster, she started the act.
“In that case, would you like to take a seat as we discuss the details?” she offered the seat beside his manager. He took his gaze off her and walked towards the chair.
When he was seated, she spoke up again. “Well, shall we begin?”
She signaled Ren to dim the lights and she proceeded with her presentation.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A full hour had passed. They had gone through each detail, discussed the people involved, the theme for each photo shoot, the timing and location of each and the date when the commercial will be shown to the Board. There were interesting queries and suggestions from Manager Iwasaki, a proof of his capacity as a Marketing manager.
During all that time she could feel a steady and hot gaze coming from the latecomer. It felt as though he never took his eyes off her, watching her every move as she presented. But she wasn’t entirely sure. The room was dark, save for the light coming from the projector.
When she had finished and the lights were back on, Manager Iwasaki likewise stood up and congratulated her.” Omedotou Tomioka-san! I was impressed with the way your company planned this one out. I am sure that this will be a huge success.” He said as he held out his hand.
She shook his hand and said, “We do hope so. We will be doing our best. Should there be any questions, feel free to ask.”
“I have none. But perhaps our endorser does.” He looked towards where the young man was sitting, who was looking very intently at them.
Koyama stood up “The details were clear. We would be doing our best. Yoroshiku.” He bowed politely, to which the celebrity only nodded in reply.
“Well, in that case, we need to get going. I need to report this to the upper management as well. Thank you for your time Tomioka-san. ”
“Hai. Arigatou.”
The manager and his assistant walked towards the door, followed by Ren who ushered them out.
She scooped the materials in front of her when she heard a voice speak up.
“Ano...”
She looked back to see that Nishikido was already behind her. As if on cue, she saw his manager patted him on the back and went out for the door. They were now alone in the conference room. The atmosphere was uncomfortable, she felt like it was suffocating her, making it very hard to breathe.
She waited for him to speak up.
But nothing happened. He just looked at her and the floor and back at her again.
When after a full minute had passed and it was apparent that he wouldn’t say anything, she moved towards the door.
He caught her arm as her hands were on the doorknob.
“We …. We need to talk….”
Her head was screaming with endless thoughts. Well that’s great really! Except that we are five years late in talking. Why should I listen to you now? I told you I would forget about you. Even though it was painful, I managed to pull through. Who gave you the right to come back and try to destroy my life again?
But she knew she can’t let him know how she feels. He had discarded her once, when she thought she was an important part of him. Why would her thoughts matter to him now?
“Of course. I understand you have concerns regarding the commercial. Have it scheduled with my assistant Ren.”
She gave him the most convincing smile she could muster and turned her back away from him.
“Yuri-chan….”
Nobody had called her by her given name since he went away, save for her family. She preferred to be called Tomi-chan. She felt that to be called by her given name only brings back memories with him. He no longer deserves that sense of familiarity. He should know that by now.
Without looking back, she said in a low voice, “Let me just clarify one thing. You may be a celebrity, but we are not acquainted with each other. Do NOT call me by my first name.”
With that, she opened the door and went out.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A/N: As usual, my updates are very long. Gomenasai. My fingers just kept on typing. LOL. And I was supposed to cut this into two chapters, but I don’t want to keep you hanging. So, yeah, Jin is here. Surprise!? And Hiro Mizushima too (though he isn’t a Johnny). I think the role suited him. Tell me what you think, ok? ^_^