Same Time Next Year [Part 1]
Title: Same Time Next Year [Part 1]
Author: maea_maie
Rating: Still unknown. It depends on how the story goes. *giggles*
Classification: 3 years after Hanadan Final.
Spoilers: A Lot of things could happen in just a day. What more in 3 years?
Warning: You might hate me after reading this because it’s more of an angsty fic. I also made Jun so impossible to deal with, but that kind of attitude is perhaps possible in Jun’s private moments. Who knows? He won’t show it in public could he?
Summary:
If Falling In love could cause this much pain, then I don’t want to fall in love again.
But the hard truth in life is that love comes unexpectedly, whether you choose to like it or not. Like how those romantics and poets define Love for centuries, without a cause or a reason, you would just fall… effortlessly.
The harder part is that I know, with all my heart and soul that I could only love one person. Whether It would be the past, the present or the future, It would only be him and him alone.
And the most hardest and the most painful thing of them all? He’s the man that could not be taken. By me or by anyone at all. I’ll fight fate, destiny or whatever you call it. I know that I did the right thing and I refuse to be fazed.
This has never been about me. Everything that I’ve done up until now, I just did it for him.
It’s all for him.
My love is sacrificial.
I guess this is how true Love should be.
Disclaimer: I want to own them, but of course I can’t. Isn’t that frustrating?
Note: The Maotsujun fic anonymeme is driving me insane! I already have the ideas but for some reason, I couldn’t just write it down even I bang my head countless of times at the table. LOL but this fic keeps on haunting me. When I’m in the toilet. when I go to sleep. While washing the dishes and even when I’m a having a verbal slashing competition with my brother. This have to be done I thought. And here it is. I Hope that I could write it in the way that I picture it to be. This is supposed to be a one shot. But this fic is too long for that so I have to put it into 2 or 3 parts.
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Inoue Mao distracts herself as she shouts “Kampai” and raises her mug of beer. Others follow suit, they also shout in reply and the clicking of mugs filled the spacious room.
The Hanadan cast were having a get together in an Izakaya somewhere downtown Chiba. After finishing the movie Hanadan Final, they all agreed that they should have a get together once a year. It did become a tradition. They’re doing it now for 3 straight years.
Mao’s senses scatter the 4 corners of the room. She’s aware of everything. Despite the loud laughter and chatter, she can also hear someone dialing its cell phone, someone rummaging their bag, a sneeze, a whisper, a cough.
Suddenly, her breath caught up in a whiz. This is a talent of her that she could never share with anyone. A Certain presence will come in the room. This is how deeply she’s connected with this person and she really hates it. It Drives her Insane. His presence would always alert her, and her defenses will be 1000 times harder. Whoever said that your habit will grow out with time is so wrong. In her situation, it just becomes much stronger than ever. So strong to the point of her now growing distress. A distress that she can't afford to have right now.
Finally, she holds on to her breath…
“Juuuuuun!” Oguri Shun stood up and happily hug his best friend. They don’t live next to each other anymore. Jun moved out of the apartment just last year and Oguri Shun’s Girlfriend Yamada Yu took his place. Surprise, surprise… Shun is so damn happy with the replacement. “I missssss youuuu.” Shun hug tighter while Jun wince in his unbreakable hold. “You are so not drunk Shun.”
“You are 2 hours late Jun. you should be punished!” Matsuda Shota lashes an invincible whip and made a comical whipping sound.
“ha!” David Ito san dramatically buried his face with his hands. “One more competition to fight with.”
“Is this how you repay me for all the customers that I brought you in your Ramen shop?” Jun sat at the chair across him.
Abe Tsuyoshi pours a beer for him. “After this we were planning to go to our usual karaoke place and he’s just worried because last year, he just managed to sing only to 1 song. He can’t able put his songs in because it was always full.”
“And someone just doesn’t pass the remote…” David’s eyes slits on Shun’s direction. His features accusing.
Shota laughed “It’s amazing how Shun manages to memorize 5 song numbers and would quickly put them in altogether…”
“... and If it’s already Shun’s turn to sing, he would absolutely sing the 5 songs straight even thou his throat is already killing him.” Abe continued laughing with Shota.
“It’s talent.” Shun sniff arrogantly.
“So selfless of you Shun kun.” Jun chuckled.
“Of course.” Shun raised an eyebrow at him as if daring him to say otherwise.
Mao almost chokes from her beer when Jun finally look at her direction with a penetrating gaze.
“Hello.”
With just one word, she felt herself becoming fragile and vulnerable again. Hearing his voice this up-close… not on radio… not on TV… how she misses it so much. She thought that she could handle this. She thought that she could get thru this. But damn her heart! Why is it jumping so much?
‘Be still my heart.’ She pleaded. But it was absolutely hopeless. Seeing him again, she’s just falling all over again.
Like a movie, she can see it clearly at the back of her mind. The past that will always be in her heart.
Jun, his back at her, singing Love so sweet while wearing her pink apron with laces and a drawing of a pig in the center. Making dinner at her kitchen while stirring the food with the accompaniment of his butt swaying to the tune of his song.
Jun scolding her for not bringing an umbrella as he dry her hair with his towel.
Jun wearing her favorite yellow smiley T-shirt and her white headband while helping her on cleaning her house. Her T-shirt is too tight for him but he never did care about that. She remembered him saying that she always smells of strawberries, and wearing her T-shirt is also as close to hugging her. They recall David san call it as a 'Mao attack.' Whenever David san sniffs a strawberry scent somewhere, he will automatically move his head and search for it. The F4 laughed and just couldn't agree more.
Jun going to her house whenever something happens to him. His happiness, sadness, excitement and victory, He always wants her to be the very first one to know. He will hug her tight If something good came up, He will lay his head on her lap whenever he’s dead tired and would just simply want to seek strength from her, He will just come and surprise her by kissing her forehead whenever he misses her, and in the worst time, they will lay in bed and she will let Jun cry in her arms.
Jun…
Her Wonderful Jun…
Mao felt her mouth dried and just manage to reply with a tight smile.
‘Here we go… the biggest performance in my life.’ Acting indifferent even thou it’s exactly the opposite of what she really feels. Pretending that she doesn’t love this person who always brings out the best of her. The One who always make her everything alright even thou the world around her is so detest to it. The Center of her Universe. The Love of her Life.
“Why Are you late Anyway?” Shun put his hands on his hips. Like a father ready to scold his son.
“I sent Marika Home. I went to her Piano Concert and I drove a long way from Kyoto to here.” He answered quietly.
Marika Achilles. Half Japanese, half French and half Italian. He’s been rumored dating her but he never denies it, or neither admits it. She’s a popular Pianist from a distinguished family of Arts. She does ballet, painting, photography and sometimes even model for magazines and TV commercials. She’s a classic example of a princess coming out straight from the fairytale books. A perfect match for Matsumoto Jun, the perfect prince himself.
Ouji.
Mao felt her heart constrict. Once upon a time, that endearment is only for her alone. But now, even in the magazines, newspaper or TV, It’s always Jun the Prince and Marika the Princess. And it saddens her that Jun’s fans accepted it just as easily. Really quite oppose to her. But how can you really protest to someone as perfect as Marika?
People in the table just gave their “ahs” but no one dares to prolong the discussion. They show faces of dismay. Even thou they never admitted their relationship before; the Hanadan Family still knows it. Who won’t be more frustrated than them? They are the witnesses, they saw everything. They saw the adoring gazes, the lingering smiles, the magic and impact they have whenever they’re together. The chemistry within the chemistry. Which ever side you look at, it’s impossible not to think of them as a couple. The Hanadan family has been secretly supporting them too. But now that they parted ways and the distance between them is quite obvious, they just don’t know how to take it. Even up to now, the Hanadan family still wants them to be together. To them, they are the fitted role for the prince and princess in Japan.
She stops dead as she recognize Oda Kazumasa’s Tashika no koto.
Mao frantically digs on to her bag. How can she be so careless? She forgot to change her ring tone.
It was her and Jun’s song. She hopes against hope that Jun didn’t hear it because of the noisy background.
“Yes?” Mao answered and pauses. “Oh! Okada kun?” It’s Masaki Okada. Mao’s co -star in her movie ‘Boku no Hatsukoi wo Kimi ni Sasagu’ 3 years ago. He’s never been discreet on his admiration for her and she never gets tired on turning him down. They met again just recently and he asked for her phone number again like the old times. But this time, she oblige since they have something important to talk about. He just finished his shooting and they have to meet right now.
She finishes the phone call with a swift goodbye and quickly starts to gather her things. “I’m very sorry guys but I need to go.”
“What?” Shun Protested. “but Jun just came!” As If that reason would change her mind. That reason alone would want her to go outside and run as fast as she could.
“It’s Only 12:35 Mao! Did your boyfriend give you a curfew or something?” Shota’s voice laces with disapproval. She didn’t even bother to correct him at the boyfriend thing. Okada and her? That’s absurd! How can she Love again? That’s way impossible.
“Shotan, it’s just something that I have to do. You know that I won’t do this if it’s really not important.” Mao reprimanded gently. She tries to suppress the growing irritation since she knows that the guys just meant well. Adding up that they’re already drunk, and they haven’t reached the karaoke yet for that matter. A lot of bodies will be found lying in the floor later. This already happened a lot of times before and she’s somewhat a little thankful that she has the excuse to escape now. She always ends up dragging Shun for some reason. She’s the smallest among them all, but why do they always leave that big log to her? But Jun… even thou already drunk his self, he would still look out for her. The ending were always Jun and her supporting Shun in each side. Sometimes, she thought that perhaps the staff leaves Shun to her because they know that Jun will be there and will not leave her all by herself.
With all this on going conversation, Jun was just quietly leaning on his chair with the most unfathomable expression.
“But you haven’t sung your song yet!” David san shook his mug full of beer in protest, spilling some at Shota and Shun’s direction. Both jumps up in surprise and also both loudly groan in unison. A groan like a Lion in pain. Abe stomps his feet in hysterical laughter. “I want my revenge! I need to defeat you first!” Mao won last year’s karaoke contest.
Mao made the customary bow. “I’m very, very sorry.”
Shun made a ‘tsk’ sound. “This is just a Once a year meeting you know.”
Mao just apologetically smiled. Guilt prominent on her face.
“Now, now guys… let Mao-chan go. We don’t want her to get in trouble don’t we?” The ever kind Abe saves her. Years passed by yet he’s still the same. He’s still the gentleman that they all adore.
“Arigato Tonton.”
Shun waves his hands in defeat. “I Hope that you won’t get some sleep today because you chose someone else over us.”
“I would actually worry on who will carry you in your house this time. I Hope no Yankees will kick your almost dead body later.” Mao teased.
“Ha-ha” Shun sarcastically laughed.
Usually, she will hug each one of them. But this time, she can’t wait to get out of the room as soon as possible.
As she exchange goodbyes with everyone, Kaga Mariko san who plays as Kaede Domyoji catches up to her on her way out.
“Mao-chan, are you escaping?”
Yes she is.
“No, don’t be silly okachang. I have no reason to escape.”
Mariko san looks at her as if weighting if she’s really telling the truth.
Mao took the old woman’s hands and covers it with her own hands.
“I know what you’re thinking okachang. Please trust me. I know what I’m doing.”
“You’re not the cheerful Mao anymore.” Mariko san said sadly. “You may be a good actress but you could never fool me. And it all started because of that incident.”
That Incident…
The incident that changed her life forever.
She shook her head to shake off the sadness that’s starting to creep in her heart.
She just hugs the old woman in reply.
“I Believe in Happy Ending.” Mariko san breaks the hug and touches her cheeks. “You deserve it more than what you credit yourself for.”
She just shook her head and waves her goodbye. No talks could change her mind.
She climbs into her car and leans her head at the head rest in emotional exhaustion. His proximity is definitely nerve wrecking as always. How long has it been since she’s that close to Jun? 1 year or so she calculated. The Entertainment world is so small that she just can’t avoid him all the time. She did try but Jun is not helping at all. He didn’t even made an effort to avoid her. He would even look at her from the distance, not even trying to hide it from anyone at all.
“Oh Jun…” She sighs in helplessness.
When she was about to turn the car keys on, the door on her side suddenly opened.
“Move.” The voice is strong, tight and steady.
“Jun!” Her eyes widen in surprise. She can’t move in shock.
Jun drew his face closer to her “Help me here Mao if you don’t want me to start a commotion. You damn well know that I don’t care about exposure.”
To be continued...
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Excess Note:
* An izakaya|居酒屋 is a type of Japanese drinking establishment which also serves food to accompany the drinks.
* Okachang is an affectionate endearment to Okasan or mother.
* Kampai means cheers