Boy Meets Girl, Girl Meets Boy: A Love Story (Chapter 29)
second to the last chapter. its almost over so brace yourselves...
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Chapter Twenty Nine
"...Satoshi?!"
"Ohno-kun?!" I fake a gasp.
Ohno was standing in the middle of the street. He stumbled backwards and almost fell down, if only someone wasn't holding him up. The person who let him go caught him just in time before he fell down.
"Are we home yet?" His voice slurs the words. "Oka-chan, is that you? Tadaima~" He waves at us with a crooked smile.
"Ohno, that's not your mother." The guy whispers loudly. "Don't you recognize who that is?"
I step back with a glare. Okay, there is seriously something wrong with this picture. But what? I do a quick mental checklist to figure out what.
Operation Matchmaker by Hanari Furimoto (that's me)
1. Devise a plan to get Ohno Satoshi and Hiroyuta Emiko together.
2. Write down said plan on paper, in case I forget.
3. In case plan A fails, go to plan B. (Note: Always have a back-up plan if things fail).
4. Call for slaves wingmen reinforcements to help me out. (In other words, call Panda-kun, Aiba-chan and Princess Jun. Forget Nino. He's useless. Force them to help me out.)
5. Brief reinforcement on said plan and back-up plan. Make sure they understand everything. Ask if they have any suggestions, comments or ideas on how to improve plan.
6. Set up a schedule to execute said plan. Gather equipment and supplies needed for the operation, including disguises for reinforcements.
7. The group shall gather on the set date and time. We will re-check everything before proceeding with the plan.
8. Make sure there are no paparazzi hanging around. Nobody wants a scandal again (especially me).
9. Execute plan: Reinforcements will "kidnap" victim # 1 (Codename: Riida) by inviting him to eat out but secretly driving him to a designated location (Emiko's house, above the bakeshop where she works and lives) while the leader (me) will make sure victim # 2 (Codename: Emiko) is within sight. Once reinforcements arrive with victim # 1, they will convince him to serenade victim # 2, complete with acoustic music (courtesy of Aiba-chan). He will then ask for forgiveness after the performance. Victim # 2 will forgive him. They kiss, hug, get back together and live happily ever after. The end.
10. If all else fails, refer to plan B. Make sure plan B works! If not, carry out plan C, etc.
"Toshi-chan, are you...drunk??" Emiko yells in a stern voice.
I slap my face with a hand. He's drunk. That's what's wrong. Great. and I thought my plan was fool-proof...
"Emiko...chan?! Is that you?" He smiles and starts laughing. "Hey guys! It's Emiko-chan!" He pointed to Emiko. "What're you doing at my home? Did you come to visit me? Yehey!! Emiko-chan!!" He gave her a thumbs up and started jumping up and down.
She pulls her head back from the window and grabs the rock on the floor. She sticks her head out again with the rock. "Did you throw this rock??" When he didn't answer, she frowned. "Ohno-kun, why are you here? Minna, what's going on?"
"I'm here! I'm here...I'm here!" He lifts his arm, pointing his hand at Emiko. "I'm here because...mou...I don't know. Guys, why am I here again?" He turns to the three guys who suddenly appear behind him.
"You're here because you have something to say to Emiko?" Jun urged him. "Go on, say it!"
"Oh yes!" He turns back to her. "Call me...Sammy!" He says, to which the guys groan disapprovingly in unison, as he starts dancing around.
"That's it??" Emiko got so annoyed that she threw the rock at him. Thank God she missed, but only barely by an inch. Nonetheless, it slightly hit him, causing him to stop dancing and almost losing his balance.
This wasn't going as I had planned. Time to get this moving. I wave my arms furiously behind her, hoping the guys can see me. I give the signal for Aiba-chan to start playing the guitar, which thankfully, he catches and does so.
"Ne, Ohno-kun, why don't you sing a song instead?" Sho suggested. "You can sing your favorite song too!"
"Hounto? Yehey!!" Ohno's face lit up. He cleared his throat as Aiba-chan walked forward, playing his guitar. Ohno started singing "Pop Star" by Ken Hirai.
I lightly slapped my face as Aiba stopped playing his guitar. Aya... Everything would've been almost perfect, had it not been for him singing that song drunkenly.
Despite my disapproval, I couldn't help but laugh at him. It was actually pretty funny to watch him sing like that. I watched as Jun recorded the whole thing on his cell phone.
The song had ended but I was still clinging to Emiko, resting my chin against her shoulders. I had devised the plan where Ohno serenades her so he could win her back. It was the perfect plan but suddenly, I secretly wished it happened to me instead.
"Emiko, I...gomen!" He got down on his knees. "Hounto ni gomen! I was wrong!! Please forgive me!!"
"You're drunk." She says. Her face was blank but I could see she was trying hard not to smile.
He looks up at her. There were tears in his eyes. His nose was fast becoming runny. "YOU!" He points at her. "Do you know how hard it is for me?? I can't seem to get you out of my mind. Everywhere I turn, there you are. I can't even think straight anymore because all I can think of is you!!" He wipes his nose and sniffs. "My mother told me you were just like all the other girls, trying to comfort and reassure me that you were after my money and that you were gonna be my downfall. I told her she was wrong, that you weren't like that. Tell me, is she right? Are you like that?" When she didn't say anything to defend herself, he looked down at the ground. "Maybe she was right..."
Emiko pulled her head back from the window and ran out of the room. I took her place and stuck my head out the window. "You bakas!!" I yelled. "He's drunk!! That wasn't part of the plan!!"
"Hey!" Matsumoto crosses his arms against his chest. "You told us to get him here by any means necessary! No one said anything about what state he was in!"
I rolled my eyes. Well, that was true. I just didn't expect or foresee that he was gonna be drunk... "By the way, you guys are paying for that." I point at the glassless window as Sho-kun helped Ohno up. (Note: next time, make sure that the plan has an insurance policy in case of accidents or emergencies).
I stuck my head back in and ran after Emiko. I dashed down 2 flights of stairs and almost bumped into her on the way out. "What are you waiting for? Your prince is waiting outside!"
She turns back, shaking her head. "No! What am I gonna say? I don't know what to do next!"
I catch her arm and turn her back towards the door. "Forget talking. Just go out there and face him! The rest will come naturally."
She tried to resist but I blocked her path. She frowned at me but it didn't work. She had no choice but to open the door.
Her hand shook as she turned the knob. She pushed the door forward, taking one step forward. After that, everything else happened just like it was a scene out of a movie (you know, in slow motion and stuff).
She stepped out onto the street, the wind blowing her hair back. She stood as she stared at Ohno-kun, who was standing in the middle of the street.
Ohno opens his mouth but no words come out. Emiko bites her lips as tears start to well up in her eyes.
"Tadaima..." Ohno's voice was soft, cracking and faltering.
"Okaeri." Emiko closed her eyes for a moment. She walked slowly towards him. She stopped in front of him, wrapping her arms around him.
After a few moments, he finally wrapped his arms around her, his eyes closed and tears streaming down his face.
I stood next to Sho, Aiba-chan and Hime-kun and watched as the two lovebirds kissed and made up. Tears escaped my eyes as a huge sigh of relief washed over me. Kami-sama, arigatou!
A hand pats my shoulder and I look up to find Aiba-chan wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I slid an arm around his waist, pulling him closer into a hug, resting my head against his chest.
"Jun, are you...crying?" Sho leaned forward and turned to Jun.
"No! What makes you think that?" He wipes his red eyes. "I just got something in my eye, that's all."
"Jun-kun, it's okay to cry!" Aiba-chan wraps an arm around him and pulls him closer. "Come on, everyone! Group hug!!"
"Awww..." I threw my free arm around Jun and we squeezed ourselves into a hug. Sho just stood back, laughing at us.
"Feel better?" Aiba-chan asks as we all let go. I nod as we turn around to watch the lovers again.
Ohno wobbles as soon as Emiko lets him go. He closes his eyes and suddenly drops to the floor.
"Ohno!" Sho yells.
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"How is he? Is he gonna be okay?" I asked as Sho closed the door behind him.
"He's fine. He just passed out, that's all. Nothing like a couple of hours of sleep to burn it off. He'll have a bad hangover in the morning though..."
I open my mouth to say something but Jun covers my mouth before I could. "Stop right there. I know what you're gonna say so let me be first. Its not our fault. He was already drunk when we found him." He drops his hand.
"Drunk? You mean alone?"
"Well...not exactly..." Aiba-chan clicks his tongue as he avoids my gaze. "He says he was drinking with Nino when we found him."
"Okay, so let me get this straight - He was drunk when you found him and he was with Nino??" Jesus Christ. I should have known. Knowing Nino, he probably kept the beer coming.
"That just about sums it up." Jun nods.
"There's something else...." Aiba-chan murmurs.
"What?"
He doesn't answer. Instead, he turns to Jun, who turns his head to the left. My eyes follow their gazes and fall on Sho.
Sho glares at them. "Hey! Don't look at me! It was your idea!"
I looked back at each of them as they went down for a staring match. It was then that I realized something was completely off.
"Guys," I said carefully. "Where's Nino?"
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this is like...the 3rd version of this chapter. took me a little longer to write and a little more to decide which one i think was the best. and, um....that's it.
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Chapter Twenty Nine
"...Satoshi?!"
"Ohno-kun?!" I fake a gasp.
Ohno was standing in the middle of the street. He stumbled backwards and almost fell down, if only someone wasn't holding him up. The person who let him go caught him just in time before he fell down.
"Are we home yet?" His voice slurs the words. "Oka-chan, is that you? Tadaima~" He waves at us with a crooked smile.
"Ohno, that's not your mother." The guy whispers loudly. "Don't you recognize who that is?"
I step back with a glare. Okay, there is seriously something wrong with this picture. But what? I do a quick mental checklist to figure out what.
Operation Matchmaker by Hanari Furimoto (that's me)
1. Devise a plan to get Ohno Satoshi and Hiroyuta Emiko together.
2. Write down said plan on paper, in case I forget.
3. In case plan A fails, go to plan B. (Note: Always have a back-up plan if things fail).
4. Call for slaves wingmen reinforcements to help me out. (In other words, call Panda-kun, Aiba-chan and Princess Jun. Forget Nino. He's useless. Force them to help me out.)
5. Brief reinforcement on said plan and back-up plan. Make sure they understand everything. Ask if they have any suggestions, comments or ideas on how to improve plan.
6. Set up a schedule to execute said plan. Gather equipment and supplies needed for the operation, including disguises for reinforcements.
7. The group shall gather on the set date and time. We will re-check everything before proceeding with the plan.
8. Make sure there are no paparazzi hanging around. Nobody wants a scandal again (especially me).
9. Execute plan: Reinforcements will "kidnap" victim # 1 (Codename: Riida) by inviting him to eat out but secretly driving him to a designated location (Emiko's house, above the bakeshop where she works and lives) while the leader (me) will make sure victim # 2 (Codename: Emiko) is within sight. Once reinforcements arrive with victim # 1, they will convince him to serenade victim # 2, complete with acoustic music (courtesy of Aiba-chan). He will then ask for forgiveness after the performance. Victim # 2 will forgive him. They kiss, hug, get back together and live happily ever after. The end.
10. If all else fails, refer to plan B. Make sure plan B works! If not, carry out plan C, etc.
"Toshi-chan, are you...drunk??" Emiko yells in a stern voice.
I slap my face with a hand. He's drunk. That's what's wrong. Great. and I thought my plan was fool-proof...
"Emiko...chan?! Is that you?" He smiles and starts laughing. "Hey guys! It's Emiko-chan!" He pointed to Emiko. "What're you doing at my home? Did you come to visit me? Yehey!! Emiko-chan!!" He gave her a thumbs up and started jumping up and down.
She pulls her head back from the window and grabs the rock on the floor. She sticks her head out again with the rock. "Did you throw this rock??" When he didn't answer, she frowned. "Ohno-kun, why are you here? Minna, what's going on?"
"I'm here! I'm here...I'm here!" He lifts his arm, pointing his hand at Emiko. "I'm here because...mou...I don't know. Guys, why am I here again?" He turns to the three guys who suddenly appear behind him.
"You're here because you have something to say to Emiko?" Jun urged him. "Go on, say it!"
"Oh yes!" He turns back to her. "Call me...Sammy!" He says, to which the guys groan disapprovingly in unison, as he starts dancing around.
"That's it??" Emiko got so annoyed that she threw the rock at him. Thank God she missed, but only barely by an inch. Nonetheless, it slightly hit him, causing him to stop dancing and almost losing his balance.
This wasn't going as I had planned. Time to get this moving. I wave my arms furiously behind her, hoping the guys can see me. I give the signal for Aiba-chan to start playing the guitar, which thankfully, he catches and does so.
"Ne, Ohno-kun, why don't you sing a song instead?" Sho suggested. "You can sing your favorite song too!"
"Hounto? Yehey!!" Ohno's face lit up. He cleared his throat as Aiba-chan walked forward, playing his guitar. Ohno started singing "Pop Star" by Ken Hirai.
I lightly slapped my face as Aiba stopped playing his guitar. Aya... Everything would've been almost perfect, had it not been for him singing that song drunkenly.
Despite my disapproval, I couldn't help but laugh at him. It was actually pretty funny to watch him sing like that. I watched as Jun recorded the whole thing on his cell phone.
The song had ended but I was still clinging to Emiko, resting my chin against her shoulders. I had devised the plan where Ohno serenades her so he could win her back. It was the perfect plan but suddenly, I secretly wished it happened to me instead.
"Emiko, I...gomen!" He got down on his knees. "Hounto ni gomen! I was wrong!! Please forgive me!!"
"You're drunk." She says. Her face was blank but I could see she was trying hard not to smile.
He looks up at her. There were tears in his eyes. His nose was fast becoming runny. "YOU!" He points at her. "Do you know how hard it is for me?? I can't seem to get you out of my mind. Everywhere I turn, there you are. I can't even think straight anymore because all I can think of is you!!" He wipes his nose and sniffs. "My mother told me you were just like all the other girls, trying to comfort and reassure me that you were after my money and that you were gonna be my downfall. I told her she was wrong, that you weren't like that. Tell me, is she right? Are you like that?" When she didn't say anything to defend herself, he looked down at the ground. "Maybe she was right..."
Emiko pulled her head back from the window and ran out of the room. I took her place and stuck my head out the window. "You bakas!!" I yelled. "He's drunk!! That wasn't part of the plan!!"
"Hey!" Matsumoto crosses his arms against his chest. "You told us to get him here by any means necessary! No one said anything about what state he was in!"
I rolled my eyes. Well, that was true. I just didn't expect or foresee that he was gonna be drunk... "By the way, you guys are paying for that." I point at the glassless window as Sho-kun helped Ohno up. (Note: next time, make sure that the plan has an insurance policy in case of accidents or emergencies).
I stuck my head back in and ran after Emiko. I dashed down 2 flights of stairs and almost bumped into her on the way out. "What are you waiting for? Your prince is waiting outside!"
She turns back, shaking her head. "No! What am I gonna say? I don't know what to do next!"
I catch her arm and turn her back towards the door. "Forget talking. Just go out there and face him! The rest will come naturally."
She tried to resist but I blocked her path. She frowned at me but it didn't work. She had no choice but to open the door.
Her hand shook as she turned the knob. She pushed the door forward, taking one step forward. After that, everything else happened just like it was a scene out of a movie (you know, in slow motion and stuff).
She stepped out onto the street, the wind blowing her hair back. She stood as she stared at Ohno-kun, who was standing in the middle of the street.
Ohno opens his mouth but no words come out. Emiko bites her lips as tears start to well up in her eyes.
"Tadaima..." Ohno's voice was soft, cracking and faltering.
"Okaeri." Emiko closed her eyes for a moment. She walked slowly towards him. She stopped in front of him, wrapping her arms around him.
After a few moments, he finally wrapped his arms around her, his eyes closed and tears streaming down his face.
I stood next to Sho, Aiba-chan and Hime-kun and watched as the two lovebirds kissed and made up. Tears escaped my eyes as a huge sigh of relief washed over me. Kami-sama, arigatou!
A hand pats my shoulder and I look up to find Aiba-chan wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I slid an arm around his waist, pulling him closer into a hug, resting my head against his chest.
"Jun, are you...crying?" Sho leaned forward and turned to Jun.
"No! What makes you think that?" He wipes his red eyes. "I just got something in my eye, that's all."
"Jun-kun, it's okay to cry!" Aiba-chan wraps an arm around him and pulls him closer. "Come on, everyone! Group hug!!"
"Awww..." I threw my free arm around Jun and we squeezed ourselves into a hug. Sho just stood back, laughing at us.
"Feel better?" Aiba-chan asks as we all let go. I nod as we turn around to watch the lovers again.
Ohno wobbles as soon as Emiko lets him go. He closes his eyes and suddenly drops to the floor.
"Ohno!" Sho yells.
===========
"How is he? Is he gonna be okay?" I asked as Sho closed the door behind him.
"He's fine. He just passed out, that's all. Nothing like a couple of hours of sleep to burn it off. He'll have a bad hangover in the morning though..."
I open my mouth to say something but Jun covers my mouth before I could. "Stop right there. I know what you're gonna say so let me be first. Its not our fault. He was already drunk when we found him." He drops his hand.
"Drunk? You mean alone?"
"Well...not exactly..." Aiba-chan clicks his tongue as he avoids my gaze. "He says he was drinking with Nino when we found him."
"Okay, so let me get this straight - He was drunk when you found him and he was with Nino??" Jesus Christ. I should have known. Knowing Nino, he probably kept the beer coming.
"That just about sums it up." Jun nods.
"There's something else...." Aiba-chan murmurs.
"What?"
He doesn't answer. Instead, he turns to Jun, who turns his head to the left. My eyes follow their gazes and fall on Sho.
Sho glares at them. "Hey! Don't look at me! It was your idea!"
I looked back at each of them as they went down for a staring match. It was then that I realized something was completely off.
"Guys," I said carefully. "Where's Nino?"
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this is like...the 3rd version of this chapter. took me a little longer to write and a little more to decide which one i think was the best. and, um....that's it.
----------