Between Reality and Lies : Chapter 6
“Ne Jin, how’s Maki-chan doing?” asked Junno as he tries to sort out the things he needs for their latest project. “I think she’s doing ok,” replied the other one.
“You think? Why? Isn’t she pestering you lately?” his friend asked again, which Jin gladly explained
“The last time I saw her was when she marched over to my place almost tear my door down and plans to murder me, and when was that? 2 months ago.”
“And why is that?” Yuichi got curious so he joined the conversation
“Have you forgotten already?” retorted by the person in question. So he relates once again what happened.
FLASH BACK
‘It’s now or never’ Jin pondered, so he cleared his throat and with a huge smile on his face he uttered “Rosa-san...”
When the girl heard her name she glance at Jin with a huge smile on her face and shyly asked “yes Jin?”
“You know, I like you…” Jin started and he noticed a starry look on her eyes, which quickly disappear when she heard him say “just like Maki-chan.”
“What do you mean? I don’t seem to understand.” her voice broke as if she’s about to cry. Jin felt uncomfortable coz the last thing he wants to witness is a girl crying in front of him.
But he had to be honest, right? So he quickly said “you know as a friend. I hope we can remain as friends.”
When Rosa didn’t say anything, he seizes the opportunity to say what’s really on his mind “As much as I want to… I think it will never gonna work. I’m Sorry, I have to go.”
With that, he got their bill, stood up and head towards the door without casting a glance at her.
END FLASHBACK
“YOU DID WHAT!” Exclaimed Yuichi can’t believe that his friend can be this heartless. “How could you do such thing to her?!”
“HEY! DON’T BITE MY HEAD OFF OK!” shout Jin “I can’t lead her on forever right?”
“And you’re telling me, I’m the insensitive one?” tease Junno that earns a death glare from his two friends.
Nakamaru was about to comment with what his friend just said, when they heard a voice from the doorway.
“BOYS, ARE YOU PLANNING TO DISCUSS YOUR LOVELIFE ALL THROUGH OUT THE DAY? COZ IF THAT’S THE CASE, I COULD JOIN YOU AND I’LL SHARE MY STORIES ALSO?”
They all froze coz they know to whom that voice belongs, Kitagawa Johnny san, their boss.
With that, they scramble to go to their own desk and start their day.
-----
“Knock, knock” a voice disrupt Kazuya’s wandering mind.
“Tat-chan” what are you doing here? How did you get in?” he asked glancing up from his position on the couch.
“Of course I have my own key silly. Remember?” Tatsuya laugh as he settle down next to the young man “and to answer you question why I’m here, I cooked lunch so I decided to give you some”
“Really… How sweet! ” Then as if he remember something he frown at Ueda “I’m a big boy, I can manage” crossing his arms on his chest.
But the older boy ignored this remark and said, “I know you idiot! But I still insist. After all you’re my baby and the most important person in my life”
Kazuya laugh at this “Tat-chan that’s so sappy!” Then he hugs him and mumbling a word of thanks.
“Oh, before I forget, I’ll have an appointment today so I can’t keep you company.” Ueda inform him.
“Will Koki be with you?” Kazuya asked, to which Ueda answered yes. “Ok, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine” he assured.
“I know. But sometimes I can’t help but to worry about you” This earns a light punch and a laugh from Kame “You’re such a mother-hen!”
“EH! A MOTHER HEN?! That’s it!” Tatsuya jump on the boy besides him and start tickling that release hysteric laughter from Kazuya.
“STOP! STOP!” Plead the laughing boy. “NO! Not before you take back what you’ve said” threaten Ueda. “Ok ok! You win! You’re not a mother-hen” and this made Ueda to stop.
Then Kazuya run to his room and shout “You’re just a worrywart mother hen” then slam the door shut as he saw a pillow flying his way…
-----
‘I have to do this now’ Jin said to himself as he stands outside a convenient store in the busy street of Shibuya
‘Everyday I stop by this shop, trying to get a glimpse of the person who doesn’t even know I exist. I’m so pathetic’ he continued his monologue as he save enough guts.
After a few more minutes of battling with his sense of right and wrong, he finally stepped inside the store and walked towards the cashier.
“Good morning” he greeted the person in charge. She glanced at him and smiled “good morning sir is there something I can do for you?”
Jin hesitates for quite sometime then he spoke “I’m looking for your staff assigned here on the cashier area?”
She thinks for a few moments then as if she remembered something she answered “oh you mean the person who works here during this hour?”
When Jin nods his head, the girl replied “I’m sorry sir but the staff you’re referring to is no longer working here” suddenly he felt an overwhelming pain deep inside…
‘I’ve wasted so much time’ he wordlessly cried but doesn’t give up easily. He looked again to the female staff and asked for the last time before he leaves.
“I know this is uncalled for but can you please give me the name of your staff?” and to his dismay she answered “sorry sir but I don’t know the name. But I know the family name. Is that fine with you?”
“It’s alright” Jin insisted “I just want to know”. So she nods and spoke “we call that person by the name of…”
“JIN!” Someone screamed
Then suddenly Jin’s back to the present, he look around to see who just yell his name. And he saw their receptionist Reiko, hands on her hips and shaking her head.
“Hey Reiko san” he greeted the annoyed person at their door, “what can I do for you?”
“Someone’s looking for you, Junno chan and Yuichi chan” trying to gain her composure back. “She’s been waiting at the lounge area for 10 minutes already coz you’re too busy daydreaming there, I’ll bring her here” she huffed then turned around to bring the said girl
“Who could that be?” he wonder as his two friends entered the room carrying the props which they’ve used for the presentation to their client earlier.
“What just Reiko san said?” asked Yuichi as he laid the things on his desk “she said a girl’s looking for us” Jin answered. Junno stare at the doorway to see who could that be.
Then after a few minutes the said receptionist came back and trailing behind her is a pouting and almost irate Kazuya.
They waited for her to step out of the room and close the door behind her before Junno set out an uncontrollable laugh.
“Not funny!” protest by the new comer. “When I approached her earlier and looked for you guy she started calling me miss. I tried to correct her but she doesn’t listen at all”
“Really? Maybe she really thinks you’re a girl” console Nakamaru, which earns another complain from the young man.
“A girl! DO I LOOK LIKE A GIRL?! Tell me, is there a girl who has an adam’s apple and flat chested? Tell me!” Kazuya demand growing more frustrated by the moment.
“It’s your looks” commented Jin who’s been observing Kamenashi the moment he entered the room.
This was answered with an infuriated stare “my looks? What’s wrong with my looks?
A-KA-NI-SHI- SAN?!”
This was gladly answered “Let’s see… First, look at your body frame... It’s quite girly. And even you’re wearing male’s clothes; it still doesn’t look manly enough.”
He continues his commentary without waiting for a response from the furious man in front of him.
“Next, your question about the chest, well you look like a girl whose body is not yet fully develop. And lastly, about the adam’s apple thing, it’s not that big so it’s not that noticeable.”
By the time Akanishi finished his explanation, Kamenashi was so sure he wanted to knock off that person.
Noticing the ugly shade of red on the young man’s face Yuichi decided to break the commotion before his friend finds himself in the emergency room for broken bones, fractured skull or worst a full body bandage like a mummy.
“By the way Kame-chan, what brings you here?” asked Nakamaru. This diverted the attention of the angry Kazuya.
He looked at Yuichi and replied “I would just like to invite you guys to have dinner or something”
“Oh, where’s Tatsuya san and my idiot friend Koki?” the oldest boy asked
“They have some commitments to attend right now”
“I see”
“So will you come with me? I could wait for you guys to finish your work then we’ll go” Kazuya insisted
Yuichi look at Junno before answering “Thank you Kame-chan for your invitation but I’m afraid that Junno and I can’t go today. We still need to finish our presentation, I’m sorry.” He apologized
Kame’s face fell upon hearing this and about to say its okay and goodbye when Junno immediately addressed him “Jin can come with you!”
Jin’s eyes went wide when he heard this. He don’t want to go anywhere, he just want to go straight home. He glares at the person who compromised him but Junno just give him a big and too obvious wink.
Kazuya gave Jin a doubtful look, as if sensing that the boy don’t really want to go with him.
Then to cap-off Jin’s dilemma Yuichi added “actually, you and Jin can go already. No need to wait.” Jin shakes his head violently at the back of Kamenashi, giving his friend his most deadly glare.
But when he heard the younger boy said “really?” he instantly stop what he’s doing because at that exact moment Kazuya looked his way again.
Knowing his friends already made up their mind and he knows they’ll pester him again and again if he doesn’t go, Jin sighed and responds “yes, its okay” then he went to his desk and grabbed his things.
“ENJOY!” the two boys called out as Jin and Kazuya made their way to the door. And when he glanced at them they have a very huge smile on their faces.
And in his head a silent holler was heard once again ‘WHY ME!! Those guys will pay for this I promise! ’
Then he saw that his companion was looking at him “Akanishi san, are you sure you want to accompany me?”
This was automatically answered by “Of course! Why not?!” Then his brain immediately spelled B-A-K-A!