Here and Waiting"Otsukare!"
The smile stayed on as long as it was needed, fading away as soon as she stepped into the back of the set. The cold mask snapped back on in record time, even as she wordlessly took the water bottle from her waiting manager.
"Takahashi, you have an hour of free time before we have to head to the charity gala." Moriya, the long-suffering woman who had been assigned to her full-time since her big breakthrough into prime time drama, was also the most professional person Ai had ever had the pleasure of working with. In addition to being efficient, the manager knew exactly when to leave her alone.
"Un, that's enough time then." Ai was nothing if not civil to her manager. Having worked with the woman for the past 6 months, they had learned to get along.
Moriya was perplexed. Her client, one Takahashi Ai, was a thoroughgoing professional, which made
her job a great deal easier since the young star was not as difficult as others she had worked with. Hardworking, serious, and unlikely to get into trouble, it left Moriya free of additional concerns. Takahashi was the perfect (or rather, reformed) celebrity.
What didn't make sense though was how unusually dedicated, or one could even say obsessive, over something she was. Even as Ai was heading back to the dressing room with Moriya trotting at her side, she was already flipping through a clear folder with an intent expression on her face.
Detective reports, Moriya knew. For as long as she had been in charge of managing one Takahashi Ai, the actress had been searching for someone. According to the rumor mill, it most likely had to do with a certain young idol named Tanaka Reina.
The rumor mill was never kind to the famous, particular not the internal rumor mill. What did get out to the public was usually watered down in comparison. Moriya had heard all sorts of interesting things about Takahashi before, but after being assigned to her, she found that they were mostly untrue.
What
was true though, was her charge's intense drive to track one Tanaka Reina down. Moriya had also heard of the girl, naturally. Since that two-bit gossip magazine released candid shots of the girl drinking at a bar 8 months ago, there was no doubt that Tanaka had to go on suspension. The same article claimed that Takahashi was there as well, but the shots that supposedly had her in them were blurred and not very good, so the agency was able to refute the claims.
Moriya did not know the truth behind the matter, but then again it was not important for her to do so. Once swept under the carpet, the truth was not important. Truth, in this industry, was completely relative. Whatever the public did not know was, by default, "not true". As long as nothing could be proven and no one gets caught, they were free to do as they wished, within reason.
Tanaka had the misfortune to be caught, and thus had to be suspended. A pity too, since she was only a year away from the legal age. From her sources, she learned that the girl had taken leave to go on an extended vacation until things calmed down. The public had a short memory, and she would be able to come back with a relatively fresh start after having been suitably "punished" by staying off the radar for a suitable length of time.
Had Moriya not been Takahashi's manager, that would have been the extent of her knowledge of what happened to Tanaka. Apparently, the girl had not only vanished from the entertainment world, but also from Tokyo itself.
Moriya was not surprised to know that Takahashi and Tanaka were close; the inside news had been that the two were engaged in a clandestine relationship at the time. It was never confirmed, given the uncertain nature of the industry, but judging from what she knew now, Moriya wouldn't be surprised if those rumors
had been true.
Ai devoted every moment of her spare time to finding Reina. In between breaks for filming, photoshoots and even in transit between locations for events, Ai would always be looking through the data her hired investigators brought to her. No matter how fruitless the search appeared to be, she persevered.
When Moriya had asked her, early on in their working relationship, why she worked so hard to look for Tanaka, Ai simply smiled sadly and said.
"Because I have something very important to tell her."
Moriya shook her head and sighed. Takahashi was stubborn. Even though it has been so long, she could not give up. Glancing down at the carefully marked schedule planner in her hands, the meticulous manager went about her own work in supporting the busy Takahashi Ai.
Not only because she had to, but because the girl really needed it.
~*~*~
Ai sighed. She did not want to be here. Not at a stuffy event where she would be just another pretty decoration on display. Her time could be better used in other ways.
Had that fussy manager of hers not insisted on her attendance, and personally made sure that she
did show up, Ai would probably already be cooped up in her own apartment by now.
As if sensing herself being referenced, Moriya glanced over to the sulky Ai, who instantly put on her most obediently angelic expression. The bespectacled manager looked suspicious for a moment, but said nothing.
Reina, where are you? Not for the first time that day, Ai found her thoughts drifting in that direction even as she mechanically mingled with the socialites at the event. It seemed like there never was a moment where her mind was not on Reina, especially for the last 8 months during their enforced separation.
Reina had disappeared that day, when the office had summoned her on short notice. When Ai showed up at the office to look for her, all she had received were vague answers and thinly veiled evasions. Attempts to contact Reina were also futile, and upon returning to Reina's apartment, she found nothing. Literally nothing, because there were signs of hasty packing done, leaving the place mostly bare.
When the scandal broke officially, that was how Ai found out that Reina was being suspended. What she didn't understand though, was why Reina was avoiding
her as well. There had been no word, no note, not even a single mail about anything at all.
Despairing, she had thrown herself into her work, in between hiring people to look for the missing girl. It only took a month to confirm one thing: Reina had left Tokyo. As to where she was headed, no one knew.
It took almost two months before Ai let the fact sink in: Reina had
left her. It had been so difficult to deal with, and Ai almost broke down from it all as she withdrew into work even more intensely than before. Any semblance of a social life vanished, and she even cut her hair again, back to boyishly short levels, without permission. Her then manager nearly had a coronary at that.
Months flew by and now here she was, hair growing out again for the movie she was going to appear in. Her desire to find Reina had not faded even after all this time, and neither did the pain of separation feel any less intense. She still cried herself to sleep every night.
Eyes scanning the crowd idly, Ai felt herself sink further into boredom when she saw something that nearly made her drop the glass she was holding.
Reina. No, it couldn't be. She had to be hallucinating. Ai rubbed at her eyes, heedless of the fact that she was ruining her makeup. That was the least of her problems at the moment.
Why would Reina be here?
If it's Reina, that is. Ai corrected herself. Drifting closer, Ai tried to track down where that phantom had gone.
"Takahashi, is something wrong?" Moriya again. The woman had eyes like a hawk, despite the glasses. Without preamble, Ai asked quickly.
"What's this event for again?" Moriya raised one eyebrow, but answered anyway.
"Fundraising to build a new facility for disabled children." Without pause, Ai continued.
"What's the guest list like?"
Like any thoroughly professional manager, Moriya knew the facts.
"Talents like you who are scheduled to perform later, potential investors and donors, government representatives, some architects..."
Architect. The word clicked in her mind for some reason. Reina's parents were architects, and were often out of the country. Reina herself had grown up with her grandparents because of it.
It was slim, unverified, and pure conjecture. But Ai wanted to believe that Reina could possibly be here. Because she needed to believe.
"Thanks." Her reply was terse, and she was off again. Her hapless manager stared after her, wondering what exactly was going on.
~*~*~
She has to be here, she absolutely has to be here. Ai repeated that mantra to herself, as if by sheer dint of repetition it would come true. Was she delusional? Possibly. The last 8 months had already worn her thin, mentally and emotionally.
Cold logic told her nothing could be so convenient, her inner pessimism rearing its ugly head. It was hard battling it, and it certainly felt like a losing battle...
Until she saw her.
Chibi optimistic Ai trampled all over her emo and pessmistic counterpart, prancing about in a tribal dance celebrating her victory within Ai's head. The real Ai however, stood there in shock.
She's there, she's really there. Ai could cry right now. She wanted to run over and hug the younger girl, kiss her senseless right there and then, and to hell with everyone else present.
But she didn't. She just stood there.
Shock mostly, and fear. She was afraid. How would she go about approaching someone who had most certainly left her? She didn't even know if Reina felt the same anymore.
If she doesn't love me anymore...Ai didn't know what to do. What
would she do? There was a terrifying blank beyond that possibility.
Reina moved, and their eyes met. Even after all this time, a familiar electricity ran between them, just like old times. Ai felt a surge of hope, even as she saw Reina's shock at seeing her.
Ai could not help but notice how pale Reina was, even with the distance. No matter how pale though, Ai still found her beautiful. She wanted to be close to her again.
The shock in Reina's eyes turned to blankness, as Reina quite deliberately turned away from her. Ai's throat tightened, blinking away the tears that came suddenly at this subtle rejection.
Ai couldn't breathe, retreating into a corner to try and calm down, but still maintaining line of sight with her quarry. Indecision filled her again, as she wondered how best to approach the girl.
Even if Reina rejected her, even if Reina didn't want her anymore, Ai needed to tell her.
Those three words, so long left overdue.
It was about time she said it to her.
============================================
Part 1 of the ending. Next part will be the long awaited ending...
that I've actually written but won't post yet just to torture you guys! --> THIS IS FEN'S IDEA BLAME HER!
I'm ebil. :3
Topic: Nanchatte Renai [25/7 - Bonus Ending: Full Circle] (Read 63979 times)