[multi-chap] You think You know Me - Chap.8
Title: You think You know Me
Author: Saana-chan (meXD)
Pairing: Sakuraiba (main)
Special starring:Tackey
Rating: my usual PG - NC-17
Genre: humor, angst, fluff, romance
Summary: Sho thought being an idol’s manager can’t be that hard. All you have to do is arranging schedules and keep everything in order. That was till he was assigned to be the manager of one Aiba Masaki…
Disc.: last time I checked I was just a poor fangirl while Sho and Aiba belonged to each other XD
Note: changed the ages, in this Tackey, Ohno and Jun are older than the others…
Previous episodes:
Prologue Chapter 1: In which the journey of two starts Chapter 2: In which Sho tries to work this out Chapter 3: In which Aiba gets confused… by Sho… or Nino? Chapter 4: In which past’s revealing Chapter 5: In which things get only more twisted... Chapter 6: In which everyone’s confused Chapter 7: In which he falls…
Chapter 8: In which he gets hurt… and mad…
Was it an eternity or just five minutes? Sho had no idea but suddenly he felt as all the strength, anger, frustration, everything leaves his body and he fall on his knees.
“Oh my… what did I do?...” he murmured agitated and buried his face in his palms.
He was in trouble. A big one. Not because his feelings for Aiba were fake. No, he accepted that already that he fell for that stubborn boy hard. No, it was because Aiba should’ve never known about it. He should’ve not been so weak to say it. Cause Aiba sure didn’t feel the same - well, that slap in his face made it quite obvious that he want as much as nothing from him. But now… he can’t be his manager anymore. Not like this. That was just not professional and probably Aiba wouldn’t want that either. Both of them would be just awkward next to each other again.
Even Sho never wanted to be an idol’s manager, ever since he clarified his own feelings he wanted nothing more but to be able to stay by Aiba’s side. To support him, help him in everything. And love him from afar… But that was impossible after what he just did…
His ringing phone jerked Sho from his self-pity.
“Sakurai desu” he said after pressing the green button.
“Yo, Sakurai manager-san!” Nino’s cheerful voice said from the other end. “Would you mind if I pick up Aiba-chan today? We planned to have a little hang-out on my place tonight…”
“Oh, in that case… I guess, that’s okay… He must be at…” Sho started slightly confused but Nino cut in:
“Thanks a lot, manager-san!” he chirped and hand up on him in the next minute.
Sho couldn’t help but wonder whether Nino calls him ‘manager-san’ all the time to mock him or because he was respecting him... Then he quickly shook his head, it wasn’t actually important now! Still he was grateful for him to spare him - them - the pain to be enclosed in his car for the whole car ride to the company’s apartment complex. Slowly the manager got up and dragged himself out of Aiba’s green room to pack his own stuff and go home as well…
Next morning when his alarm clock went off Sho groaned protesting but slowly dragged his body in sitting position in his bed. He reached for his mobile and after a few seconds of hesitation he dialed a number. ‘You decided it already, now you can't back down, Sakurai!’ he scolded himself for his obscurity.
“Ohayou gozaimasu, Tackey-sempai!” he said when the other party answered his call. “I’m sorry for bothering you this early but…” he started, his voice still somehow uncertain.
“It’s okay, Sakurai-kun. What is it? You sound weird…” the elder assistant said concerned.
“It’s… some urgent, personal business came up that I have to take care of. The sooner the better. Therefore I need a few days maybe a week off if that’s solvable…” Sho said after taking a deep breath.
“Okay, I can do that for you. I’ll look after Aiba-chan for the time being. Take your time but… are you okay, Sakurai-kun?” Tackey asked truly concerned since it wasn’t like Sho to ask such a favor so suddenly.
“Yeah, I’m fine!” Sho said quickly. “Jya, yoroshiku onegaishimasu, sempai!” he added then hung up to avoid further questioning.
He felt kind of guilty for causing worry and trouble to Tackey though he was always so nice to him and helped a lot already…
“It will be better this way…” he murmured to himself to steel his heart then got up to start the day.
There was a lot to do…
“Ohayou, Aiba-chan!”
Aiba stopped abruptly and starred at the man who was leaning to the can, obviously waiting for him. It was almost a week - five days, ten hours and twenty one minutes, to be true, not that he was counting… - since Sho kissed him out of a blue and confessed. It was exactly five days, ten hours and nearly twenty two minutes since he didn’t see his manager at all - but who cares?!
“Ohayou, Tackey” he said finally and started to walk again then quickly hopped in the can which immediately departed to the shooting location.
As always Tackey chatted light heartedly though Aiba wasn’t paying attention to him at all. Rather his thoughts were busy with one particular chipmunk-faced manager of his.
He just couldn’t figure it out where the hell did he disappear. First he came out of the blue, none noted him before hand that he’ll gat a new manager or anything then they even dare to dump a rookie on him… He couldn’t help but wonder if this was the part of Johnny’s tactic since he already freaked out the most experienced managers who the company could get. But whatever the reason was, deep down in his heart Aiba had to admit that it worked… Yet now Sho was nowhere to be found. Right now when…
Fear sank into Aiba’s heart as the thought crossed his mind.
‘Can it be that now his job is done he just leaves me behind without telling anything? After what he did… what he said?’
Unconsciously he raised his hand and clutched his fingers onto his shirt just above his heart as if the motion could sooth the aching there. He didn’t notice that Tackey went silent minutes ago and was watching him intently. Not that he would’ve cared about it even if he notices. Suddenly Aiba grabbed his bag and dug it through to dins his mobile then started texting impatiently when it was in his hand.
“We’re here, Aiba-chan” Tackey spoke up suddenly when the van stopped interrupting the young idol’s typing.
“Just a minute…” Aiba mumbled without turning his gaze from the phone’s screen.
“I’m sorry, Aiba-chan, but we don’t have a minute. You’re late already from the photo shoot. You still have to change, get your hair and make-up done” Tackey said firmly.
“Mou, wakatta!” Aiba snapped glaring at the older man then grabbing his stuff he burst out of the van and stomped into the studio going straight to his dressing room with a ‘don’t you dare talking to me’ expression on his face…
The photo shoot was longer than all the other shoots added together. Well, at least in Aiba’s eyes. When he changed into the third outfit he wondered if he has to change this much at all the photo shoots or it’s just for today. ‘I’ll never accept shooting for clothing brand ever again!’ he cursed mentally and strolled out shutting the dressing room’s door roughly on his way back to the set…
When they were finally finished it was only mid-afternoon but to Aiba’s liking it was way too late. Still it seemed lady luck didn’t totally abandon him. As he headed back to the dressing room to get into his normal clothes he heard Tackey’s phone ringing behind him. Soon he followed the young idol into the dressing room.
“Aiba-chan! Today’s interview was cancelled just now. The reporter fell ill suddenly. You’re free for the rest of the day” he said. “If you hurry, I can drop you off at the apartment on my way to my meeting with Johnny-san” the older man added.
Aiba needed all his will-power to hold back the triumphant smile that wanted to spread on his face at the news.
“It’s okay, Tackey. I can take the train or a taxi. I’m not a kid anymore if that slipped your attention” he said joking and flashed his most innocent smile to him.
At first Tackey didn’t seem to be convinced moreover he looked at Aiba suspiciously. But - to Aiba’s luck - he didn’t have the time to bottom his suspicions. He was already late from that meeting and it was well-known fact that Johnny hates when he has to wait…
“Alright then. Be careful on the way and go straight home!” he warned the younger man strictly.
“Yes, mommy!” Aiba singsonged as an answer and smiled at him some more.
Tackey nodded to him at this - ignoring his mocking on purpose - and left. The innocent, obedient expression disappeared from Aiba’s face as if it was wiped of in the minute Tackey was out of the room.
“Go home my ass…” Aiba mumbled after he was sure that the older man was out of earshot then checked once more the message he got during the shooting…
Aiba got off the train and looked at the map on his phone’s screen before started to walk toward his destination. It took him twenty minutes or so - not counting the time he frittered away when he turned wrong at a crossing - but finally he arrived there.
‘Does he really live here?’ he thought as he walked up the staircase. The apartment building wasn’t actually run-down but obviously needed an extensive renovation… A frown appeared on Aiba’s face at the sight but quickly shook his head the get rid of the annoyance and focus his mind on the task before him. ‘You’re not here to look around!’ he reminded himself and pressed the doorbell when he found the correct apartment. Then pressed it again and again till he finally heard the faint ‘I’m coming!’ from the other side of the door.
“Hai! What c… Aiba-san!” Sho gasped when he saw the boy standing on his doorstep.
“Yo!”
A/N: okay, it took a bit long again but I was on vacation. Now I'm back home and the update is here! Aiba took some action. Yay! \(^o^)/ Though it's ended with cliffhanger... gomen, ne? I'll post the next soon ;)
PS: Get well soon, our beloved Aiba-chan! We knows you're strong but rest enough so you can come back to us with full energy, ne? (^-^) We all love you and praying for your health!