You're Beautiful: Chapter 3
A Solution
Karin looked up at the nurse who had knocked on the door. The nurse entered and started fixing up Ken’s shots. Karin gave her a faint smile than continued changing the flowers in the table Vase next to the bed, where her brother lay staring at the ceiling. Ken had opened his eyes just two days after his first surgery had finished, and the first thing he had seen was his sister’s head, as she clung to him tearfully at the sight of his awakening. Despite his luck at the ‘early wake’, as the doctors were putting it, he still couldn’t move too much, nor could he talk. All he ever did was grunt and move his arms gently. What made him feel better however was that his fingers were working completely fine, and it allowed him to grasp his sister’s hand tightly every time she dozed off by- his side.
“You look so tall...” Karin smiled putting a hand on Ken’s head who grunted something that sounded oddly like “You too...”
Karin’s smile widened. Despite the heavily bandaged face, his visible eyes showed clearly that he was smiling at her.
They kept staring at each other for a bit before another nurse interrupted them by knocking on the door.
“Karin san...there are some visitors here to see you...”
Karin looked at her.
“But, I don’t know anyone in the city. Is it my teacher?”
“Ie...actually they are here for Ken san...should I let them in?”
Karin stared at Ken whose eyes stared back at her perplexed.
She looked up at the nurse and nodded.
The nurse went out and soon returned with two people at the door. One of them was a curly haired bespectacled man whose jaw dropped at the sight of the patient. And the other was an extremely fashionably dressed lady (who clearly looked out of place in that room). She gasped loudly and clasped her hands over her mouth.
Karin stared at them than back at Ken, who had raised his head a few centimetres to get a good look at his visitors. When he saw them however, he was just as shocked to see them, and his eyes went very wide.
“SUUZUUUUZUUU SANN!!!”
Ken moaned some undetectable words from under his bandaged mouth.
“Inoue kun...what...what...” the man entered and stared horrifically at Ken’s condition. The woman stayed rooted at the door.
“Nande...Nande? Ken....who are they....?” Karin asked turning her head from one face to another.
“SUZUUUU SANN!!!!!” Ken moaned again grasping Karin’s hand tightly and shaking it as hard as he could.
Karin stared at him.
“Suzu what?” she asked confused and leaned closer.
“SUZUUZUU SANNN!!!!!” Ken moaned louder now pulling Karin closer to himself and literally staring in despair at the man who had now collapsed on the couch in the room.
“Okay wait...who are you people? Why are you making him so ...oh Ken stop moving!” Karin cried holding Ken down. He couldn’t move much, but he was trying desperately to do so.
“Inoue san...calm down. Just relax...” the lady came forward and stared at Ken, who was now tired of struggling with his sister and lay still.
The lady came up to Karin and held out a hand.
“Nina Ito dess...call me Nina, and he...” she pointed at the man now staring at the floor in disbelief and tugging at his curls in utter shock... “That’s Suzuki san...we’re represent Johnny’s Associates...”
“Wait...it was their interview you were rushing for??...” Karin turned around at Ken who nodded vigorously only to hurt his neck and moan in pain.
Karin placed a comforting arm on her brother than turned to face Nina. “But then...he missed the interview...so...why are you here?”
Suzuki sighed.
“It’s not that simple...”
He cleaned his spectacles and placed them back on, and looked up at her.
“Inoue kun signed a contract with us...which was costing the company millions of yen...he needs to report to my superiors by this Saturday. If not, than our company is going to be at a very severe loss...and...well...it was my responsibility to get him there...” he added hopelessly, now with his eyes fixed on Ken.
“You can’t expect him to report in three days?” Karin stared at him disbelief.
“The doctors said that this will take at least 3 months..I mean i know he’s showing signs of fast recovery but STILL!”
Suzuki san sighed and nodded. “I know...it was an accident...”
“Can’t you find anyone else?”
“We can’t..” Nina broke in grabbing a hold of Karin’s hands gently.
“Why?” Karin looked at her.
“Well, we basically need to find a junior member for an already established band. Most of the other juniors were either not ready to debut, too young, or already in their pre planned groups. Your brother here...is exceptional at what he does, and seemed like the best candidate out of all of them. And we also needed somebody who could quickly catch people’s affection, someone who was socially bold and funny....”
“Why would you need someone to capture affection?” Karin asked curiously, at which both Suzuki san and Nina exchanged uncomfortable looks.
“Well....it’s a long story, but somebody who knows how to blend in...It’s him...” Nina sighed tilting towards Ken who was listening to everything apprehensively without even blinking.
“He signed the contract and....well, it was a good opportunity for him too. A good boost by his senpai celebs...good for his publicity and all...”
Karin looked around helplessly and Ken, thinking about the mess he was in. She felt like telling these people to go away, to leave him alone. He was in so much pain and here they were talking about the great opportunity he had missed out on. The room remained silent as everyone watched Karin digesting this messy situation. After several seconds, she looked up at Nina.
“Nina san...I really think you should go. I mean, it’s your company’s problem. Just terminate that contract...and find someone else. Anyone...but he’s not available...”
Suzuki san stood up and sighed. “I suppose you’re right...he does look in so much pain. I mean, he’s crying...”
Karin whirled around and leaned towards her brother’s face. His eyes were moist, and his bandaged face was soaked wet.
“Ken?! Ken...does it hurt? Should I call the nurse? Where does it hurt?” Karin asked hysterically as Nina stared in concern and even Suzuki san came up to his bed.
“Inoue...daijobu?” he asked holding his arm.
Ken simply blinked down more tears and grabbed his sister’s hand.
“Does your body hurt?”
He shook his head gently still crying.
Karin stared. In a soft motion, Ken pushed his left arm slowly and placed it over his heart.
“His chest hurts?” Nina asked worriedly.
“No...” Karin stared realising. “I think his heart does...he must’ve really wanted this job...right?” she asked Ken who nodded, still crying.
“Come on Ken, don’t cry, you’re extremely talented! You’ll be fine on your own debut later. You don’t need this...” Suzuki san said
sympathetically patting his shoulder.
Ken whimpered.
Karin looked up at Suzuki san as Nina gently patted Ken’s head.
“There must be something you can do for him! Is there any way he resumes this contract in 3 months time or something?”
“I’m afraid not...his contract was for 6 months... starting this Saturday. And to think they all agreed on him too; saw his pictures and demos and everything. I can see why he’s upset to lose it, not everyone gets this lucky...” he replied staring at Karin’s distraught face.
“Unless...” Nina said suddenly looking up thoughtfully at Suzuki.
“Unless what?” Suzuki asked, and Karin and Ken both looked at her breathlessly.
“Unless we find someone that looks like him for the first three months...then he resumes the next three months...we keep our money...he keeps his contract...everybody’s happy...” she said staring at all of them.
“Ehhhh?” Karin asked, looking equally as puzzled as Ken. Suzuki however got the idea, for he looked as if he had just won a pot of gold.
“You...” he asked now pointing at Karin who stared back.
“What?”
“You’re his twin right...?” Suzuki asked again, looking mad with excitement. Ken’s eyes went wide and he fixed his gaze at Karin, in the exact same manner the other two were staring at her.
“What? What?”” Karin said looking extremely nervous now that everyone in the room was looking at her.
“Karin...would you do anything to help your brother keep this contract?”
Karin stared at Nina than at Ken who seemed to be nodding anxiously behind her.
“Yeahhh of course...” Karin replied reluctantly staring at her brother’s excited nods.
“Well...you know if we cut your hair, you might look like him...In fact you definitely will. Your faces are very VERY similar...”
“Urrrr.... but I’m a girl...” Karin stared now backing off against the wall.
“Karin...we can fix that. “ Nina smiled widely. Karin stared at everyone’s excited faces, Including her brother's who looked as if he could leap with madness.
“What are you saying?!” she asked again nervously, now completely cornered by both Nina and Suzuki.
Suzuki san approached her and grabbed her hands.
“Take his place...”