(AISAGA filming set)
The members of M0rning Musume in groups of 2 and 3 were chatting while waiting for the filming of the promotional video of their latest single, a staff went around filming with a handycam in hope of capturing some funny moments which would then be shown on TV as ‘behind the scenes’ screen shots. As usual Tsuji and Kago were creating havoc and bringing laughter and sometimes headaches to their seniors with their ingenious acts of mischief. However, not everyone was having fun, someone in particular was sitting solemnly in a corner as she watched two of her friends flirted in front of a camera…
“watashi otoko da ze” (I'm a guy)
“watashi otoko da ze” Ishikawa mimicked
“chigau, anta wa onna deshou?” (wrong, you're supposed to be a girl)
“watashi otoko da ze” Ishikawa continued speaking into the camera
“kanojo boshuu chuu… please apply here…” (looking for girlfriends...)
“Then what about me?” Ishikawa protested
“Don’t listen to her.” Yoshizawa looked straight into the camera and said “she’s just a friend.”
“Yossi… I thought we’re always lovelove together?” Ishikawa pulled Yoshizawa’s arm and sulked.
“Oh, mine…” Yoshizawa looked lovingly at Ishikawa and decided to give her a hug, drawing screams of delight from her…
…at one corner, Gotou felt a tight grip in her chest…
After hours in the stuffy studio, the filming finally came to an end.
“So my ‘boyfriend’ want to accompany me after work? Let’s go shopping?” Ishikawa asked.
“Eh…” Yoshizawa looked around the studio, hoping to catch a glimpse of Gotou.
“Come on, you already turned me down yesterday, running off even though we had a date.”
Yoshizawa was hesitating and her eyes scanned through the studio “Where actually is Gotchan?” she wondered.
“I don’t care, let’s go!” Ishikawa pulled Yoshizawa by her hand and dragged her out of the studio. Without any choice, Yoshizawa followed reluctantly.
(somewhere in the city)
“Isn’t this dress nice? Should I buy it?”
Yoshizawa gave a slight nod.
“Wanna get one for yourself too?”
“No way! It’s too pink for me… besides I think no one can look as good as you in pink.” Yoshizawa joked.
“Really?”
Yoshizawa nodded again.
“Oh… that’s so sweet of you.” Ishikawa smiled ‘but on second thoughts, I don’t think I am buying it and I think we should leave this place now…”
“nande? hoshikunai?” (why? don't want it?)
“no… but you look around us, I think we’re being recognized already.”
Ishikawa was right, a few shoppers had noticed the two celebrities and had been scrutinizing the unsuspecting youngsters.
“kowai… naa~~”
“Let’s go then…” Ishikawa let out a giggle.
Together, holding hands, both girls left the shop briskly. As they stepped into the main street, they consciously pulled their hat down and adjusted their shades, surely they would not want to be recognized again.
“Looks like it’s getting harder for us to walk the streets freely…” Ishikawa complained.
“Well… I think it’s a small price you gotta pay in exchange for fame…”
“But even famous people need their space and freedom…”
“Life’s like that ain’t it? You gain something, you’ll lose something. Heaven’s fair…”
“You think there’ll be a day we will get mobbed by our fans?”
“Haha! Rika-chan, I think you think too far, we’re not Hamasaki Ayumi you know~” Yoshizawa retorted.
“NANI YO!” Ishikawa raised her voice.
Sensing that Ishikawa was unhappy with her blunt remark, Yoshizawa tried to change their chatting topic “by the way, have you packed your luggage for the Sydney trip?”
Ishikawa remained quiet.
“mou… mou…” Yoshizawa softened her stand “If one day, you will get mobbed, you know I’ll always be there to protect and shield you, right?”
“Don’t worry, your service won’t be required, I WON’T get mobbed since I am NOT Hamasaki Ayumi!”
Yoshizawa rolled up her eyes, she hated situations like this. Sometimes Ishikawa was quite sensitive and she read too much into casual comments, and then it would become a chore to talk to her because every words had to be filtered through the mind before it could come out of the mouth. And whenever things turned out this way, Yoshizawa would just stop talking altogether.
Tension built up in the air as both girls proceed aimlessly down the shopping streets. Yoshizawa tried to appear nonchalant with deliberate acts of paying more attention to passer-bys than on Ishikawa, which further pissed Ishikawa.
A few more minutes of silence went by… Yoshizawa could not take it anymore, she knew Ishikawa was very obstinate, whenever they had conflicts; she was always the one who had to give in.
An idea suddenly hit Yoshizawa, she took a few quick steps forward, got in front of Ishikawa and started to imitate the actions of a bodyguard trying to protect her client from an imaginary mobbing crowd.
“Back off, back off~” Yoshizawa shoved her hand in the air.
Ishikawa broke into laughter “Haha, Yossi… hazukashii yo…people are staring.” (it's embarassing)
“maa ii deshou~ as long as it can make you smile. I can do it again if you want me to…”
“no! haha… I’m sorry, I was being petty just now.” Ishikawa apologized
“daijoubu da yo.” Yoshizawa smiled. (it's alright)
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Gotou checked her keitai… for the umpteen times…nope… there were no messages for her… her keitai was as quiet as the street. She had left early just now. When the filming ended, she headed straight for the gakuya, grabbed her stuffs and walked out of the building, she wanted to avoid someone yet now how she longed to hear from that someone, it was ironic.
“Why am I thinking of her?” when Gotou asked herself this, scenes of Yoshizawa and Ishikawa teasing in front of the camera floated up in her mind and she felt the similar gripping pain in her chest again.
“Am I being jealous?” Gotou was confused… “Why do I feel jealous? Have I fallen in love? No… it’s so weird…”
Gotou’s head was throbbing, this question had been bothering her for sometime now. When did it start, how? Gotou could not remember, she only knew that whenever she was with Yoshizawa, she felt happy, she enjoyed talking to Yoshizawa, she enjoyed listening to Yoshizawa and even when they were doing nothing, as long as they were together, she felt blissful.
“Maybe good friends behave like that…” Gotou tried explaining to herself “I cared for her as a friend, not because I like her…”
Gotou stopped in her track, she knew she could not lie to herself anymore… there she was, carrying a bag of bagels… unconsiously, she had routinely walked into a bakery and bought them while she was deep in thoughts…and bagels are Yoshizawa’s favourites …
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