Here's the next chapter! Probably I'll edit it if I have time
This chapter is mainly just setting the stage for what happens later in the story so some parts you may find them random now. The reason why I like to write this more is mainly because there's more characters so it has more flavour and I try to make this seem a detective-fic (I hope it does seem like one) crossed with H!P romance. So it is more interesting and challenging to write
Enjoy!
F.Y.I
Chapter 2
Mysterious Spectrum
6 December (1.23pm)
After Sayumi’s fateful accident, everyone continued to play the treasure hunt as though nothing happened. Even though 2 hours had passed since the accident, no one had managed to find the ‘treasure’. The seniors, who had told the juniors earlier that they could only gather in the dining area for lunch provided that someone found the treasure, were becoming increasingly bored. Natsumi poked Kei on the cheeks and inquired, “Why do they take so long? I thought someone of Fujimoto caliber would have found the treasure in less than an hour.”
Kei laughed, tickled Natsumi’s tummy and replied, “Well, I guess she didn’t even try.”
*********
In the doorway, Risa and Ai searched for the treasure in vain and in silence. Ai glanced at the girl beside her and asked, “Gaki-san, you’re sweating quite a bit. Do you want a tissue?” With that, she offered her a tissue. Risa shook her head and continued the search rather intently.
********
“Junjun, why did you choose to join Morning Musume?” Aika asked. The pair was in the study room treasure-hunting.
Junjun stared at the hiragana and katakana in the encyclopedia book in her hands that she couldn’t understand. “I love MM all along. Now I’m happy to be part of it. Though at times, I feel that I don’t quite fit in here.”
Now Aika’s eyes were fixated on her partner. “Why?”
Junjun pointed to the words in the book that she was holding with tears welling up in her eyes. “I don’t understand half of what is written inside. I just feel-”
Aika placed her hands on Junjun’s shoulders. “I can teach you. Don’t be bothered by these. It doesn’t matter. Not at all.” Junjun nodded and leaned on the girl beside her.
**********
In the toilet alone, Rika sat on the edge of the empty dry bathtub and wondered, “Is that new Chinese girl still waiting outside? This game is so stupid and meaningless. I’m being mean to her but why should I care? No one cares for me here! Just let her wait for as long as she wants. I need to plan…why can’t I think of anything? Yossie, why aren’t you here?” Tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably as loneliness overwhelmed her.
*********
In a bedroom in the villa, Miki was sitting on the bed reading a story book which she found under the pillow. Eri, her partner, stood beside the window and gazed at the clear blue sky. She clenched her fists, turned to face Miki and asked, “Uh, when are we going to find the treasure?”
Without looking at Eri, Miki answered, “Keep quiet. This story is getting interesting.”
“Are you reaching the end?”
“Half-way through.”
“Don’t you feel hungry? Let’s just hurry up and find the treasure.”
Miki nodded but did not move. After some time, Miki said, “Eri, read the clues to me.”
Can’t you read for yourself? Am I your servant? How does Aya stand working with her? Eri took out the crumbled piece of paper and read, “Inside of something that lies inside the bungalow has magical powers to move 12 girls. Time and patience is needed to find such enlightenment. Eventually, you will find out what Morning Musume is all about from it.”
“It sounds so Kei-style. Too fairytale-like to my liking.”
“It sounds incredible. Do you have any ideas?”
“I think it’s this book. ‘Inside of something’ refers to the content of the book and it is certainly a moving book. I mean if I get touched by it, all of you should be. It took me about an hour plus to read this so that explains ‘time’ and ‘patience’. As to what MM is all about, I don’t think it is the book itself but the searching process that shows what MM is about.”
“Ok, let’s go since you already know the answer.”
“Wait. Let me finish this.”
Eri frowned but didn’t rebuke her although she would like to. She turned to face the sky again and allowed her thoughts to wander.
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6 December (2.30pm)
“Finally it’s lunch! I’m so hungry!” Kusumi exclaimed as she neared the dining table.
“It’s sushi! I love sushi!” Sayumi cheered.
Mari shook her head. “Hey you girls were slacking around after Sayu’s accident while the rest went to find the treasure. At least you should thank the person who made this lunch possible.”
In unison, they yelled, “Thank you Mikitty!”
Miki didn’t respond and proceeded towards the table in silence. Mari moved towards Miki and whispered, “Fujimoto-”
“Cut the crap. Let’s tuck in,” Miki snapped. Mari shot her a look of disgust before walking away.
Risa leapt towards the table and asked, “Mikitty! You’re so smart to find the treasure! How did you manage to dissect the clues? Thanks so much!”
“Shut up and start eating,” Miki said coldly and proceeded to grab a sushi and headed towards a corner of the room.
Ai who was now beside Risa commented, “Mikitty is so intelligent. MM needs someone as smart as her to lead.”
Risa hugged Ai and whispered into her ears, “Have more confidence in yourself. I’m sure you will make a good leader.”
“Sure?” Tears welled up in Ai’s eyes as she asked.
“Yes.”
Eri tapped Ai on the shoulders and interrupted, “Actually she isn’t that smart. She just wanted to take a short nap and when she laid her head on the pillow, she felt some unevenness on the pillow. Then she found the book under the pillow and started reading it.”
Ai twisted her lips. “But still, she could relate the clues to the book in hand.”
“What I mean is-”
“I know what you mean, Eririn. Thanks. You’re unlike yourself today. Is it because of her?”
Eri retorted, “No, nothing to do with her!”
“Okay, okay, just asking.”
“Excuse me,” Rika said as she pushed her way to the dining table.
“Rika, what happened to you? We went about the whole place calling the girls in for lunch but we couldn’t find you. We only found Linlin alone,” Risa said in a concerned voice.
“Oh, I was in the restroom,” Rika replied coldly.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Rika took a sushi and left towards an empty corner of the room.
“Another one unlike herself,” Ai commented after Rika moved away from the table.
*********
At the side dining table whereby desserts were available for self-service, Junjun and Aika were eating mango pudding and laughing. “Junjun, it’s so weird that we’re eating desserts when everyone else is eating sushi!”
“I love mango pudding so I’m scared that it will run out later.”
Aika laughed. “I can see that.” She then inched towards Junjun and wiped the milk from the top of her lips off with her fingers.
Junjun laughed. “I guess I shouldn’t eat so much pudding for HaroMoni.”
“Junjun, can I speak to you for a moment?” Yuko interrupted their conversation. Junjun nodded and smiled at Aika before she followed Yuko out of the room.
When they were alone, Yuko commented, “I can see that Aika and you are quite close.” Junjun smiled and nodded in an attempt to hide her fear for the older girl. “What do you think about her?”
“She’s a nice friend. I can talk to her at ease and I’m happy to be with her.”
“Nice friend?”
“Yes, she’s nice.”
“No, I mean she’s just a friend to you?” Junjun nodded. “You were staring at her just now when she went to take her pudding.”
“But we were together so it’s natural for me to look at her-”
“If she’s Linlin or Sayu, will you stare that much?” Junjun remained silent. “Admit it, you don’t treat her like a friend. Friends don’t stare or talk or laugh the way the 2 of you do.”
Perplexed, Junjun asked, “But if we are not, what are we?”
“You like her,” Yuko paused to allow the effects of her words to sink in. “You like her the way someone likes a girl. You like her in the way a lover does.” Junjun’s eyes widened. “You’re not the 1st one to feel this way towards another MM member so fret not. Come on, get back in before she starts to miss you. If you can find a chance today, tell her how you feel and I guarantee that you will instantly become a lot happier as a MM member. Trust my words.”
As Junjun made her way back to the dining room, she thought about what Yuko had said. She smiled to herself.
“Yuko, don’t tell me you went about polluting another girl’s mind again,” Kaori said in a disapproving tone after Junjun entered the room.
“When did you come?”
“I heard everything already.”
“Oh well, I’m just helping them.”
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6 December (3.12pm)
The girls were still in the dining room enjoying their lunch when the doorbell rang. Before long, there was a knock on the door and when the door swung open seconds later, everyone in the room was shocked to see her. Mari, who was beside her, murmured “Mysterious” and started to hum THE Manpower audibly.
(*mysterious*
this is quite an easy guess
)
Topic: F.Y.I 29 - Recurring Moments (Read 124360 times)