Without You is How I Disappear - Chapter 4 (Part 1)
Title: Without You is How I Disappear
Authors: superhero0008, carboncastel, cascadingmerrygoround @ Tumblr
Pairing: Akame, MaruDa, RyoDa (plus others)
Rating: NC-17
Genre: AU, Romance, Drama, Smut
Disclaimer: We own no one in this fic except some minor OC. We own the plot.
Summary: World of Johnny’s Entertainment is burning with glitz and glamour. At the very top is Crimson Glory, the famous pop duo made up of the incredibly charismatic Kamenashi Kazuya and the enthralling Ueda Tatsuya. They are alike in that they follow where their hearts take them. Akanishi Jin is a solo artist who just recently debuted, slowly working his way to the top. Nishikido Ryo is an actor, and he goes for what he wants. Nakamaru Yuichi is the agency’s official photographer, and he’s happy with what he has. And Johnny Kitagawa. He doesn't make it easy for any of them. Well, except for his favorites, Shirota Yuu and Taguchi Junnosuke, and most especially, Kamenashi. What is true and what is false in this industry of illusions? What will they hold onto and what should they let go of?
A/N: Sorry for the late update! But this one's super exciting… for all pairings! *wink wink* Enjoy! -carboncastel
Without You is How I Disappear
Chapter 4 (Part 1)
Nakamaru Yuichi stifled a yawn as he walked out of the elevator. He had expected last night’s photoshoot to take long (it involved certain tricks with the lighting), but really, he didn’t expect that it would take 5 hours more than what had been agreed upon. Although he was grateful that the number of work opportunities for him was increasing, he wished that unexpected late nights like this wouldn’t occur so often in the future.
It was 3am now, and Tatsuya was sure to be deep asleep in his bed. He would be tired as well, since he had also worked late the night before. Well, they’d have a few hours together at least, and, if Nakamaru was able to wake up in time, he’d probably make Tatsuya breakfast or something.
Nakamaru took his key and turned the lock. Although the photographer had his own apartment, early in their relationship, he was the one to go to Tatsuya’s place most of the time. It was a convenient arrangement, since the idol wasn’t as free to go where he wanted for fear of being recognized. After a month, Tatsuya had decided to give Nakamaru his own key to the apartment to come and go as he pleased.
The photographer opened the door and crossed the dark living room as quietly as possible. He climbed the stairs, making his way to the bathroom down the hall from Tatsuya’s bedroom. He was going to take a quick shower then get into bed beside his partner for a few hours of much needed rest.
However, as he reached the top of the stairs, he heard an odd muffled sound. It sounded like it came from the open bathroom door. And yet there was no light turned on.
He heard the sound again, and was convinced this time that it was indeed a moan. It sounded like someone in pain, Nakamaru noted with concern. Perhaps Tatsuya was not feeling well?
From outside, Nakamaru flicked a switch, and instantly the dark bathroom was flooded with light. What the photographer saw shocked him to the very core.
In front of him was, of all people, Nishikido Ryo, hunched over the sink.
“Ouch!” Ryo hissed, shielding his eyes from the sudden light. “What the fuck-is that you, Ueda?”
Nakamaru felt like he’d been punched in the gut. He put a hand on the doorframe, steadying himself, willing himself to keep calm. Surely this wasn’t what it looked like. It couldn’t be.
Ryo blinked several times, trying to clear his vision. He had a terrible hangover, a colossal headache, and his eyes were extremely sensitive to light. When Ryo was finally able to make out a vague hazy form, he stepped back in alarm, knocking over a glass placed on the side of the sink. The crystal glass fell to the floor with a loud crash.
“Fuck,” Ryo swore under his breath.
oOo
Ueda sat up bolt upright, awakened from his sleep at the sudden noise. He jumped out of bed and hurriedly took a look outside his door in the direction of the commotion.
Across the hall, Nakamaru met his eyes. The photographer’s face was blank, strangely devoid of any emotion.
The photographer shifted his gaze back onto Ryo and crossed his arms. The actor returned his gaze defiantly, unabashed.
“Get out, Nishikido,” said Nakamaru in the calm tone he always had, and yet the photographer’s eyes flickered over Ryo in a look of disdain.
The actor didn’t move for a moment, contemplating his options. Then, Ryo decided to comply, slipping past without another word and going down the stairs. Neither of them moved until they heard the sound of Ryo closing the door to the apartment behind him.
Nakamaru strode past Ueda who was standing at the door and entered the bedroom. The idol gazed after him, a little bit apprehensive. Ueda had intended to call Nakamaru to tell him that he was taking the actor to his apartment, but as soon as he’d arrived home and dumped Nishikido on the couch, he’d had fallen asleep straightaway.
Taking all of this into consideration, the situation looked really bad. But surely Nakamaru would understand?
“What was that man doing here?” asked Nakamaru, pacing the bedroom agitatedly.
“I found him hanging around the Jimusho last night when I was going home,” Ueda began. “He was really drunk and couldn’t go home by himself.”
“So you brought him here?” Nakamaru stopped pacing now and looked at Ueda, crossing his arms.
Something in the older man’s clipped tone irritated Ueda. The idol was dead tired and the last thing he needed was his boyfriend interrogating him like he was some kind of criminal.
“I couldn’t just leave him there, could I?” said Ueda.
“You could’ve called a cab.”
“Yes, but,” replied Ueda with as much patience he could muster. “ - he wouldn’t tell me where he lived.”
“… So you just happened to see him, and you had absolutely no choice but to bring him to your house. In the middle of the night.” Nakamaru’s voice had risen now, and was practically shouting, “Do you expect me to believe that?!”
Ueda narrowed his eyes, offended that Nakamaru refused to believe him.
“I told you the truth,” said Ueda coldly. “Anyway, can we stop talking now? I’m exhausted and I want to get back to sleep.”
Ueda turned and walked toward his bed, but Nakamaru put his right hand on the idol’s shoulder, preventing him from moving any further.
“I don’t believe a word that you said,” said Nakamaru heatedly. “Were you with him last night? Did anything happen between you?!”
Ueda tried to shrug off the photographer’s hand, and said, “I don’t have time for this.”
“Don’t lie to me, Tatsuya!” Nakamaru shouted angrily.
Incensed, the idol whirled around and gripped Nakamaru’s arm tightly, almost painfully.
“What, are you accusing me of cheating on you?” Ueda demanded, narrowing his eyes. “Is that how low you think of me?”
They glared at each other, unmoving.
“Ah, but then, after all you have a history of boyfriends who two-time you,” Ueda knew that he was being cruel but he continued speaking. “Like that last one... Oh, who was it again? That Tego - ”
Suddenly, Nakamaru grabbed Ueda by the collar and pinned him to the bedroom wall. His usually calm face was twisted now in an expression of absolute fury.
“Don’t,” said Nakamaru through gritted teeth. “Don’t you dare!”
Ueda was momentarily surprised at this rare display of anger from his partner. He had never seen Nakamaru so angry before. It scared him a little, but he also felt a strange vicious pleasure in being able to wound the other man - Nakamaru had been the first one to throw accusations at Ueda after all.
Besides, the idol thought resentfully, why was Nakamaru still so affected by the mention of that person?
“And you,” said Ueda, meeting Nakamaru’s glare with an icy look, “Don’t you dare compare me to that slutty ex of yours.”
The idol then put his arms around the other man’s neck and kissed him full on the lips. Nakamaru started to pull back, but Ueda tightened his hold. The photographer still resisted even as Ueda began to force bruising kisses upon his lips.
Ueda reversed their positions, and it was now him pinning Nakamaru to the wall. The taller man struggled, but Ueda was stronger and held him in place. Ueda pressed kisses to the side of Nakamaru’s neck, and then started to grind his hips against him, earning a strangled gasp from the other man. Ueda then brought a hand in between them, palming Nakamaru through his slacks, increasing the friction between them. The older man threw his head back, trying, but failing to suppress a moan.
Then, Nakamaru put both hands on Ueda’s shoulders, pushing the idol off of him with a great effort. Ueda staggered backwards from the force of the push, caught completely off guard. Nakamaru’s mind was in a haze, but he knew somehow that things were escalating in the wrong way. This was not how they were. This was not how he made love with Tatsuya.
Yet, Nakamaru couldn’t stop himself as he captured Ueda’s lips again, and they resumed kissing hungrily, desperately. The photographer then began to aggressively force Ueda backwards, until they fell down together on the bed, with Nakamaru on top of Ueda.
Anger, lust and desire collided in a fiery riot of emotions as they tore away each other’s clothes and pressed their naked bodies together.
“Tatsuya…” the older man breathed, as he brought down a hand between them to encircle Ueda’s length. The idol groaned and bucked against Nakamaru’s hand demandingly.
Amidst the waves of raw physical pleasure, Ueda’s emotions clashed together in a tight knot in his chest. He wasn’t even sure what he was feeling now, even as he clutched at the other man’s chest, moaning and gasping incoherently into Nakamaru’s shoulder. As he approached his climax, Ueda was unexpectedly invaded with vague feelings of guilt. Why? Was it because of Ryo? Ueda pushed those thoughts in the back of his mind as he trailed a hand down Nakamaru’s abdomen.
Nakamaru bit back a groan as Ueda began to stroke him firmly. They were both very close. Nakamaru brought his lips to Ueda’s for another openmouthed kiss. The idol came first, moaning into Nakamaru’s mouth even as he continued to stroke the other so that Nakamaru came soon after.
Nakamaru collapsed on top of Tatsuya, breathing heavily. Carefully, he turned himself over to lie down on his back beside the idol.
“Tatsuya…” said Nakamaru in a hoarse whisper.
Ueda turned his head and looked into his partner’s gentle yet troubled eyes. They stared at each other for a quiet moment with their heavy breathing as the only sound. Nakamaru’s brow was furrowed in a hurt expression, a silent question in his dark eyes.
“I’m not like that, Yuichi…” quietly said Ueda, turning on his side and bringing his face closer to the other man’s.
“I promise, there’s nothing going on between Nishikido and me,” Ueda pressed a kiss to Nakamaru’s brow, reassuring his partner. And yet, it was as if Ueda were reassuring himself as well. Nothing had happened with Ryo the night before, but it had made Ueda think about his own feelings. The scary thing was: Ueda wasn’t at all sure what he felt for the actor.
oOo
Kame arrived at the Jimusho early in the morning in a rather good mood. The security guard greeted him as he passed by, and Kame may have greeted the guard back more brightly than was strictly necessary. Well, whatever, Kame was feeling happy and that was that.
He hurried into the elevator, getting inside just before it was about to close. Kame punched in the number to the floor of the PV shoot.
“Kamenashi-san,” and Kame turned around to see a tall young man in the elevator with him.
“Shirota-san, good morning,” Kame greeted back politely, only vaguely familiar with the model-turned-singer who was a new talent of the agency.
“You seem to be in a good mood,” Shirota Yuu observed, giving him a lopsided smile. “Anything nice happen recently?”
It was an arguably innocent question, yet Kame thought that it somehow didn’t sound right. He didn’t really know Shirota very well and were only acquaintances that came across each other once in a while in the Jimusho. Why was Shirota displaying a sudden interest in Kame?
“Nothing much,” said Kame lightly. “Work has been going well.”
“Is that so?” Shirota replied, nodding. “I’ve been told you’re very dedicated to your work.”
Kame smiled awkwardly at the compliment - was it even a compliment? Kame couldn’t be sure.
“But then, you strike me as the type who works hard, but plays hard too,” and Shirota, to Kame’s surprise, winked at him conspiratorially. “I’d watch out if I were you.”
Kame didn’t bother to hide his irritation now and openly glared at the taller man. Whatever Shirota was driving at, he had crossed the line.
“What exactly are you talking about, Shirota-san?” asked Kame, his tone unmistakably angry.
Unfazed, Shirota shrugged. “I was telling you to watch out for paparazzi, of course. They’re always lurking about in unexpected places.”
“If there’s anything I hate more than paparazzi following me around, Shirota-san,” Kame began firmly. “It’s people sticking their nose into my private life.”
Kame stepped off the elevator as soon as the doors opened and walked off heatedly, effectively taking the bad mood with him to the set. Kame was a bit surprised but not unaccustomed to finding Ueda in a similar temper, and Kame couldn’t care less that their combined uneasy disposition made for a tense atmosphere on the last day of the PV shoot. Nishikido was huddled in a corner, quiet and looking sullen, and if Kame’s guess was correct, he and Ueda seemed to be avoiding each other.
Much to the staff’s relief, filming went rather peaceful aside from a moment when Kame snapped and told Ryo off for being absentminded. Everyone was at the edge of their seats (or on their toes if they were standing) lest a full-scale fight ensued, but Ryo relented, merely bowing in apology and promising to do better.
“Kazuya.”
Kame was having a water break when he heard a quiet but seductive voice behind him and turned to see his fellow Johnny’s talent - boyfriend, Kame corrected himself - standing there, looking all happy. Akanishi as “boyfriend” would take some time to get used to. Kame failed to match Jin’s cheerful mood, though.
“What do you want?”
“What - I just dropped by - what do you mean - ” Jin stuttered, confused with the cold treatment.
“I’ll just meet you later when we’re done here.”
And Kame walked off to chat with his makeup artist, leaving Jin standing in the middle of the swarm of crewmen jostling back and forth, not one of them sparing him a smile. He stood there awhile, looking lost. Finally, Akanishi spotted his friend and hurried over to Ryo’s side.
“Dude! Nice to see you!” Jin said, elbowing the actor playfully.
“As if you’re here to see me,” Ryo scoffed and walked off just as well.
Jin stared after him for a bit and then scanned the set for something to get busy with. He wandered over to the corner that was reserved for the computers, all the while becoming more annoyed because what the hell is up with everyone?
“Ah, Akanishi-san,” Nakamaru, the photographer, bowed when he noticed Jin beside him.
“Finally, a decent greeting!” Jin bowed back enthusiastically, smiling. “Everyone’s been mistreating me.”
Nakamaru laughed at the remark.
“Yes, well, people seem to be in a bad mood today,” he replied, turning pensive for a moment before smiling, “Good thing my work is all done, and I don’t have to deal with all that ill feeling.”
Jin laughed, enjoying the easy atmosphere between the two of them. Their conversation carried on until they got around to talking about Kame and Ryo’s little tiff earlier.
“Well, Nishikido might have deserved it. He looks like he has a bad hang over,” Nakamaru said, his gaze now fixed on the images on his computer screen. “Quite unprofessional to go to work like that, isn’t it?”
“Well, why not? A guy can have fun sometimes,” Jin replied vaguely.
“He can, but not at the expense of others,” Nakamaru said with a bit of gravel in his tone, and Jin chose not to reply anymore, lest they get into an argument as well. The photographer seemed to be a nice person, and Jin didn’t want to antagonize his new acquaintance.
After a few minutes of silence, Jin clapped Nakamaru on the shoulder and said goodbye, checking his watch if his break from recording was over yet.
oOo
Part 2
Authors: superhero0008, carboncastel, cascadingmerrygoround @ Tumblr
Pairing: Akame, MaruDa, RyoDa (plus others)
Rating: NC-17
Genre: AU, Romance, Drama, Smut
Disclaimer: We own no one in this fic except some minor OC. We own the plot.
Summary: World of Johnny’s Entertainment is burning with glitz and glamour. At the very top is Crimson Glory, the famous pop duo made up of the incredibly charismatic Kamenashi Kazuya and the enthralling Ueda Tatsuya. They are alike in that they follow where their hearts take them. Akanishi Jin is a solo artist who just recently debuted, slowly working his way to the top. Nishikido Ryo is an actor, and he goes for what he wants. Nakamaru Yuichi is the agency’s official photographer, and he’s happy with what he has. And Johnny Kitagawa. He doesn't make it easy for any of them. Well, except for his favorites, Shirota Yuu and Taguchi Junnosuke, and most especially, Kamenashi. What is true and what is false in this industry of illusions? What will they hold onto and what should they let go of?
A/N: Sorry for the late update! But this one's super exciting… for all pairings! *wink wink* Enjoy! -carboncastel
Without You is How I Disappear
Chapter 4 (Part 1)
Nakamaru Yuichi stifled a yawn as he walked out of the elevator. He had expected last night’s photoshoot to take long (it involved certain tricks with the lighting), but really, he didn’t expect that it would take 5 hours more than what had been agreed upon. Although he was grateful that the number of work opportunities for him was increasing, he wished that unexpected late nights like this wouldn’t occur so often in the future.
It was 3am now, and Tatsuya was sure to be deep asleep in his bed. He would be tired as well, since he had also worked late the night before. Well, they’d have a few hours together at least, and, if Nakamaru was able to wake up in time, he’d probably make Tatsuya breakfast or something.
Nakamaru took his key and turned the lock. Although the photographer had his own apartment, early in their relationship, he was the one to go to Tatsuya’s place most of the time. It was a convenient arrangement, since the idol wasn’t as free to go where he wanted for fear of being recognized. After a month, Tatsuya had decided to give Nakamaru his own key to the apartment to come and go as he pleased.
The photographer opened the door and crossed the dark living room as quietly as possible. He climbed the stairs, making his way to the bathroom down the hall from Tatsuya’s bedroom. He was going to take a quick shower then get into bed beside his partner for a few hours of much needed rest.
However, as he reached the top of the stairs, he heard an odd muffled sound. It sounded like it came from the open bathroom door. And yet there was no light turned on.
He heard the sound again, and was convinced this time that it was indeed a moan. It sounded like someone in pain, Nakamaru noted with concern. Perhaps Tatsuya was not feeling well?
From outside, Nakamaru flicked a switch, and instantly the dark bathroom was flooded with light. What the photographer saw shocked him to the very core.
In front of him was, of all people, Nishikido Ryo, hunched over the sink.
“Ouch!” Ryo hissed, shielding his eyes from the sudden light. “What the fuck-is that you, Ueda?”
Nakamaru felt like he’d been punched in the gut. He put a hand on the doorframe, steadying himself, willing himself to keep calm. Surely this wasn’t what it looked like. It couldn’t be.
Ryo blinked several times, trying to clear his vision. He had a terrible hangover, a colossal headache, and his eyes were extremely sensitive to light. When Ryo was finally able to make out a vague hazy form, he stepped back in alarm, knocking over a glass placed on the side of the sink. The crystal glass fell to the floor with a loud crash.
“Fuck,” Ryo swore under his breath.
oOo
Ueda sat up bolt upright, awakened from his sleep at the sudden noise. He jumped out of bed and hurriedly took a look outside his door in the direction of the commotion.
Across the hall, Nakamaru met his eyes. The photographer’s face was blank, strangely devoid of any emotion.
The photographer shifted his gaze back onto Ryo and crossed his arms. The actor returned his gaze defiantly, unabashed.
“Get out, Nishikido,” said Nakamaru in the calm tone he always had, and yet the photographer’s eyes flickered over Ryo in a look of disdain.
The actor didn’t move for a moment, contemplating his options. Then, Ryo decided to comply, slipping past without another word and going down the stairs. Neither of them moved until they heard the sound of Ryo closing the door to the apartment behind him.
Nakamaru strode past Ueda who was standing at the door and entered the bedroom. The idol gazed after him, a little bit apprehensive. Ueda had intended to call Nakamaru to tell him that he was taking the actor to his apartment, but as soon as he’d arrived home and dumped Nishikido on the couch, he’d had fallen asleep straightaway.
Taking all of this into consideration, the situation looked really bad. But surely Nakamaru would understand?
“What was that man doing here?” asked Nakamaru, pacing the bedroom agitatedly.
“I found him hanging around the Jimusho last night when I was going home,” Ueda began. “He was really drunk and couldn’t go home by himself.”
“So you brought him here?” Nakamaru stopped pacing now and looked at Ueda, crossing his arms.
Something in the older man’s clipped tone irritated Ueda. The idol was dead tired and the last thing he needed was his boyfriend interrogating him like he was some kind of criminal.
“I couldn’t just leave him there, could I?” said Ueda.
“You could’ve called a cab.”
“Yes, but,” replied Ueda with as much patience he could muster. “ - he wouldn’t tell me where he lived.”
“… So you just happened to see him, and you had absolutely no choice but to bring him to your house. In the middle of the night.” Nakamaru’s voice had risen now, and was practically shouting, “Do you expect me to believe that?!”
Ueda narrowed his eyes, offended that Nakamaru refused to believe him.
“I told you the truth,” said Ueda coldly. “Anyway, can we stop talking now? I’m exhausted and I want to get back to sleep.”
Ueda turned and walked toward his bed, but Nakamaru put his right hand on the idol’s shoulder, preventing him from moving any further.
“I don’t believe a word that you said,” said Nakamaru heatedly. “Were you with him last night? Did anything happen between you?!”
Ueda tried to shrug off the photographer’s hand, and said, “I don’t have time for this.”
“Don’t lie to me, Tatsuya!” Nakamaru shouted angrily.
Incensed, the idol whirled around and gripped Nakamaru’s arm tightly, almost painfully.
“What, are you accusing me of cheating on you?” Ueda demanded, narrowing his eyes. “Is that how low you think of me?”
They glared at each other, unmoving.
“Ah, but then, after all you have a history of boyfriends who two-time you,” Ueda knew that he was being cruel but he continued speaking. “Like that last one... Oh, who was it again? That Tego - ”
Suddenly, Nakamaru grabbed Ueda by the collar and pinned him to the bedroom wall. His usually calm face was twisted now in an expression of absolute fury.
“Don’t,” said Nakamaru through gritted teeth. “Don’t you dare!”
Ueda was momentarily surprised at this rare display of anger from his partner. He had never seen Nakamaru so angry before. It scared him a little, but he also felt a strange vicious pleasure in being able to wound the other man - Nakamaru had been the first one to throw accusations at Ueda after all.
Besides, the idol thought resentfully, why was Nakamaru still so affected by the mention of that person?
“And you,” said Ueda, meeting Nakamaru’s glare with an icy look, “Don’t you dare compare me to that slutty ex of yours.”
The idol then put his arms around the other man’s neck and kissed him full on the lips. Nakamaru started to pull back, but Ueda tightened his hold. The photographer still resisted even as Ueda began to force bruising kisses upon his lips.
Ueda reversed their positions, and it was now him pinning Nakamaru to the wall. The taller man struggled, but Ueda was stronger and held him in place. Ueda pressed kisses to the side of Nakamaru’s neck, and then started to grind his hips against him, earning a strangled gasp from the other man. Ueda then brought a hand in between them, palming Nakamaru through his slacks, increasing the friction between them. The older man threw his head back, trying, but failing to suppress a moan.
Then, Nakamaru put both hands on Ueda’s shoulders, pushing the idol off of him with a great effort. Ueda staggered backwards from the force of the push, caught completely off guard. Nakamaru’s mind was in a haze, but he knew somehow that things were escalating in the wrong way. This was not how they were. This was not how he made love with Tatsuya.
Yet, Nakamaru couldn’t stop himself as he captured Ueda’s lips again, and they resumed kissing hungrily, desperately. The photographer then began to aggressively force Ueda backwards, until they fell down together on the bed, with Nakamaru on top of Ueda.
Anger, lust and desire collided in a fiery riot of emotions as they tore away each other’s clothes and pressed their naked bodies together.
“Tatsuya…” the older man breathed, as he brought down a hand between them to encircle Ueda’s length. The idol groaned and bucked against Nakamaru’s hand demandingly.
Amidst the waves of raw physical pleasure, Ueda’s emotions clashed together in a tight knot in his chest. He wasn’t even sure what he was feeling now, even as he clutched at the other man’s chest, moaning and gasping incoherently into Nakamaru’s shoulder. As he approached his climax, Ueda was unexpectedly invaded with vague feelings of guilt. Why? Was it because of Ryo? Ueda pushed those thoughts in the back of his mind as he trailed a hand down Nakamaru’s abdomen.
Nakamaru bit back a groan as Ueda began to stroke him firmly. They were both very close. Nakamaru brought his lips to Ueda’s for another openmouthed kiss. The idol came first, moaning into Nakamaru’s mouth even as he continued to stroke the other so that Nakamaru came soon after.
Nakamaru collapsed on top of Tatsuya, breathing heavily. Carefully, he turned himself over to lie down on his back beside the idol.
“Tatsuya…” said Nakamaru in a hoarse whisper.
Ueda turned his head and looked into his partner’s gentle yet troubled eyes. They stared at each other for a quiet moment with their heavy breathing as the only sound. Nakamaru’s brow was furrowed in a hurt expression, a silent question in his dark eyes.
“I’m not like that, Yuichi…” quietly said Ueda, turning on his side and bringing his face closer to the other man’s.
“I promise, there’s nothing going on between Nishikido and me,” Ueda pressed a kiss to Nakamaru’s brow, reassuring his partner. And yet, it was as if Ueda were reassuring himself as well. Nothing had happened with Ryo the night before, but it had made Ueda think about his own feelings. The scary thing was: Ueda wasn’t at all sure what he felt for the actor.
oOo
Kame arrived at the Jimusho early in the morning in a rather good mood. The security guard greeted him as he passed by, and Kame may have greeted the guard back more brightly than was strictly necessary. Well, whatever, Kame was feeling happy and that was that.
He hurried into the elevator, getting inside just before it was about to close. Kame punched in the number to the floor of the PV shoot.
“Kamenashi-san,” and Kame turned around to see a tall young man in the elevator with him.
“Shirota-san, good morning,” Kame greeted back politely, only vaguely familiar with the model-turned-singer who was a new talent of the agency.
“You seem to be in a good mood,” Shirota Yuu observed, giving him a lopsided smile. “Anything nice happen recently?”
It was an arguably innocent question, yet Kame thought that it somehow didn’t sound right. He didn’t really know Shirota very well and were only acquaintances that came across each other once in a while in the Jimusho. Why was Shirota displaying a sudden interest in Kame?
“Nothing much,” said Kame lightly. “Work has been going well.”
“Is that so?” Shirota replied, nodding. “I’ve been told you’re very dedicated to your work.”
Kame smiled awkwardly at the compliment - was it even a compliment? Kame couldn’t be sure.
“But then, you strike me as the type who works hard, but plays hard too,” and Shirota, to Kame’s surprise, winked at him conspiratorially. “I’d watch out if I were you.”
Kame didn’t bother to hide his irritation now and openly glared at the taller man. Whatever Shirota was driving at, he had crossed the line.
“What exactly are you talking about, Shirota-san?” asked Kame, his tone unmistakably angry.
Unfazed, Shirota shrugged. “I was telling you to watch out for paparazzi, of course. They’re always lurking about in unexpected places.”
“If there’s anything I hate more than paparazzi following me around, Shirota-san,” Kame began firmly. “It’s people sticking their nose into my private life.”
Kame stepped off the elevator as soon as the doors opened and walked off heatedly, effectively taking the bad mood with him to the set. Kame was a bit surprised but not unaccustomed to finding Ueda in a similar temper, and Kame couldn’t care less that their combined uneasy disposition made for a tense atmosphere on the last day of the PV shoot. Nishikido was huddled in a corner, quiet and looking sullen, and if Kame’s guess was correct, he and Ueda seemed to be avoiding each other.
Much to the staff’s relief, filming went rather peaceful aside from a moment when Kame snapped and told Ryo off for being absentminded. Everyone was at the edge of their seats (or on their toes if they were standing) lest a full-scale fight ensued, but Ryo relented, merely bowing in apology and promising to do better.
“Kazuya.”
Kame was having a water break when he heard a quiet but seductive voice behind him and turned to see his fellow Johnny’s talent - boyfriend, Kame corrected himself - standing there, looking all happy. Akanishi as “boyfriend” would take some time to get used to. Kame failed to match Jin’s cheerful mood, though.
“What do you want?”
“What - I just dropped by - what do you mean - ” Jin stuttered, confused with the cold treatment.
“I’ll just meet you later when we’re done here.”
And Kame walked off to chat with his makeup artist, leaving Jin standing in the middle of the swarm of crewmen jostling back and forth, not one of them sparing him a smile. He stood there awhile, looking lost. Finally, Akanishi spotted his friend and hurried over to Ryo’s side.
“Dude! Nice to see you!” Jin said, elbowing the actor playfully.
“As if you’re here to see me,” Ryo scoffed and walked off just as well.
Jin stared after him for a bit and then scanned the set for something to get busy with. He wandered over to the corner that was reserved for the computers, all the while becoming more annoyed because what the hell is up with everyone?
“Ah, Akanishi-san,” Nakamaru, the photographer, bowed when he noticed Jin beside him.
“Finally, a decent greeting!” Jin bowed back enthusiastically, smiling. “Everyone’s been mistreating me.”
Nakamaru laughed at the remark.
“Yes, well, people seem to be in a bad mood today,” he replied, turning pensive for a moment before smiling, “Good thing my work is all done, and I don’t have to deal with all that ill feeling.”
Jin laughed, enjoying the easy atmosphere between the two of them. Their conversation carried on until they got around to talking about Kame and Ryo’s little tiff earlier.
“Well, Nishikido might have deserved it. He looks like he has a bad hang over,” Nakamaru said, his gaze now fixed on the images on his computer screen. “Quite unprofessional to go to work like that, isn’t it?”
“Well, why not? A guy can have fun sometimes,” Jin replied vaguely.
“He can, but not at the expense of others,” Nakamaru said with a bit of gravel in his tone, and Jin chose not to reply anymore, lest they get into an argument as well. The photographer seemed to be a nice person, and Jin didn’t want to antagonize his new acquaintance.
After a few minutes of silence, Jin clapped Nakamaru on the shoulder and said goodbye, checking his watch if his break from recording was over yet.
oOo
Part 2