JPHiP Radio (20/200 @ 128 kbs)     Now playing: Toe - Goodbye (album version)

Author Topic: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (41/41 END) [WMatsui] - REPLIES  (Read 311295 times)

Offline Bukiyou Taiyou

  • Member+
  • Posts: 92
If only she could find a way to take her pain away, then she would gladly do it.

Since the very beginning, Churi has always been there for Jurina. As far as I remember, she's the first one to know Jurina's true feeling to Rena, even before Jurina's other best friend Mayu. She's very supportive and understands Jurina very well. I suddenly remember that moment when she kissed Jurina out of the blue in the early chapter of Heartbeat. I always wonder whether in a very short moment, Churi did have crush on Jurina at some point. Even at that time Jurina admitted that the kiss was very different. Well, in the later chapters, it's said that Churi was getting closer with Airi. But they're not in a relationship, right? Or maybe I missed something here? But I believe wholeheartedly that Churi won't take the current state of Jurina and Rena's relationship as a chance for her to get Jurina. She can't be that kind of person, right?

While Jurina could cry her heart out in front of Churi, she couldn't show her sadness in front of her mom. It must be very difficult for her to keep the conversation going with her mom, especially when Rena came as the subject.

“Things have changed between us,” Jurina made sure her voice stayed steady, but she could already feel her eyes moistening. “We’re not as close as we used to. I don’t think we’ll spend much time together in the future.”

I could feel my eyes moistening too. :k-sad:

The point of view of Churi is being very important because we were seeing the real state of Jurina.

I agree with Minamin-chan. Churi's point of view is important as well as Airi's. From Airi's point of view we could see how much Rena loves Jurina that she still kept the-forget-me-not flowers even long after it faded because it was from Jurina.

Well, it's not easy for Jurina and Rena. If only they could figure things out to make their relationship works...

Now that Rena would go to Tokyo for a new  drama, I don't know how WMatsui would meet again in the near future. My wild thoughts imagine that maybe in Tokyo Rena would meet someone that could give her advice? Someone that has an experience to handle similar problem?

To be honest I read this chapter twice. The first time I read it, it felt suffocating. But the second time, I could take it more lightly.

There shall be a way out. My faith in WMatsui still holds.

Thank you for the update, author-san.

Ps. This is a very trivial thing but from this chapter I just learned about Pino and I want to eat them now. :tntrm:



Offline Guacamoolee

  • Member+
  • Posts: 58
  • Silent reader
At first I thought this chapter would be less saddening than the previous chapter but actually IT'S NOT! T_T
Your work on presenting both Churi and Airi's pov is so impressive! I like that! And that makes this chapter worth reading. *hats off*
Au contraire, no words needed to explain both Matsui's real pov. :on speedy:
Maaaannnn... Not only you, Churi!!! If only I could find a way to take her pain away, then I would gladly do it too!!!!! Our poor baby J :'
If only she could find a way to take her pain away, then she would gladly do it.
And for me, the most heart-breaking scene in this chapter is this one:
After a little while, she slowly took a seat at the living room table, her fingers tracing absently the space where the flowers were previously placed. “Between the two of us, Jurina has always been the romantic. She constantly liked to shower me with affection and presents. I told her more than once that she didn’t need to do all those things, but she never listened. No one could stop Jurina once she had something inside her head.”
I can clearly picture it how Rena.... and her moistened dreamy eyes...... I just can't  :on speedy:

See you on the next chapter, S!

Offline sophcaro

  • Global Moderator
  • Member+
  • *
  • Posts: 312
  • Faithful WMatsui shipper
    • sophcaro
REPLIES TO COMMENTS


It seems that Rena is just as bad or worse than Jurina.

Well, yes.... She has to live with what she did (breaking J's heart/lying to her/hiding something from her), so in a sense, you can say she has it worse.

Since the very beginning, Churi has always been there for Jurina. As far as I remember, she's the first one to know Jurina's true feeling to Rena, even before Jurina's other best friend Mayu.

Actually, that's incorrect  :) Mayu discovers Jurina's feelings for Rena in chapter 8 of Heartbeat (after Jurina gets her heart broken at the hospital), when Churi only discovers the truth much later, in chapter 17 of Heartbeat. Churi knew something was going on with Jurina and that it was somehow related to Rena, but she had no idea about her true feelings until very late.

Well, in the later chapters, it's said that Churi was getting closer with Airi. But they're not in a relationship, right? Or maybe I missed something here?

Churi and Airi are not and never were in a relationship. They are only friends.

Now that Rena would go to Tokyo for a new  drama, I don't know how WMatsui would meet again in the near future. My wild thoughts imagine that maybe in Tokyo Rena would meet someone that could give her advice? Someone that has an experience to handle similar problem?

Rena will definitely meet someone during her shooting in Tokyo. Will this person give her advice/help? That remains to be seen...

I agree with Minami-chan. Churi's point of view is important as well as Airi's. From Airi's point of view we could see how much Rena loves Jurina that she still kept the-forget-me-not flowers even long after it faded because it was from Jurina.

And it's not only the flowers. There's also something else in her scene with Airi that shows her love for Jurina  ;)

Ps. This is a very trivial thing but from this chapter I just learned about Pino and I want to eat them now. :tntrm:

Actually, me too  :P (Profiteroles are very nice too!)

At first I thought this chapter would be less saddening than the previous chapter but actually IT'S NOT! T_T

Ah no... Too soon to stop being sad  :nervous

Your work on presenting both Churi and Airi's pov is so impressive! I like that! And that makes this chapter worth reading. *hats off*

I'm glad you appreciated both point of views  :)

Au contraire, no words needed to explain both Matsui's real pov. :on speedy:

On a lighter note... Let me tell you, I love that small French you used  XD

« Last Edit: May 29, 2017, 04:55:36 PM by sophcaro »
My WMatsui fanfics:

HEARTBEAT trilogy
- Heartbeat | Completed
- Partners | Completed
- Destiny | Completed

OTHER FANFICS
- Warriors | Ongoing
- Back in Time | Ongoing
- One Shot collection: Her Sun | Completed
- Fire and Water | On hiatus

Offline Minami-chan

  • Member+
  • Posts: 654
  • Still Love You
Jurina in 2nd position in preliminaries. We know that on the day of the SSK everything can change. But it is a very good thing.

Offline sophcaro

  • Global Moderator
  • Member+
  • *
  • Posts: 312
  • Faithful WMatsui shipper
    • sophcaro
Jurina in 2nd position in preliminaries. We know that on the day of the SSK everything can change. But it is a very good thing.

Unfortunately, I don't believe Jurina will reach her objective of becoming n°1 this year.

Jurina has many dedicated fans, but Mayu and Sasshi have even more. As long as those two participate to SSK, I don't believe Jurina will manage to go higher than the 3rd position. But who knows! This is only my personal opinion, maybe things will be different this year  :)
My WMatsui fanfics:

HEARTBEAT trilogy
- Heartbeat | Completed
- Partners | Completed
- Destiny | Completed

OTHER FANFICS
- Warriors | Ongoing
- Back in Time | Ongoing
- One Shot collection: Her Sun | Completed
- Fire and Water | On hiatus

Offline Minami-chan

  • Member+
  • Posts: 654
  • Still Love You
Jurina in 2nd position in preliminaries. We know that on the day of the SSK everything can change. But it is a very good thing.

Unfortunately, I don't believe Jurina will reach her objective of becoming n°1 this year.

Jurina has many dedicated fans, but Mayu and Sasshi have even more. As long as those two participate to SSK, I don't believe Jurina will manage to go higher than the 3rd position. But who knows! This is only my personal opinion, maybe things will be different this year  :)

Sadly, I think the same thing.

Offline sophcaro

  • Global Moderator
  • Member+
  • *
  • Posts: 312
  • Faithful WMatsui shipper
    • sophcaro
CHAPTER 24



As the car was finally arriving at destination after a short drive from the police station, detective Kaori Inoue looked out the window from the passenger seat to observe the vast expanse of water on her left. Despite the pleasant warm and sunny weather, there were very few people currently taking a stroll in this area. Another time, the view would have caught her off guard, considering it was always well frequented, even more during the week-end. However, on this Saturday morning, a brutal crime had managed to scare off the inhabitants of Tokyo.

“It’s so lively here during the week-end.” A masculine voice prompted Kaori to tilt her head right, her eyes falling on the young driver with shoulder-length, black hair. Noting his fingers gripping tightly the steering wheel, she knew her partner was feeling as similarly disturbed by this unexpected crime. “Why would anyone commit a crime in such a place?”

“I have no idea, Daisuke-san,” Kaori admitted her helplessness, diverting her attention to the group of policemen gathered around the corpse near the water. “I actually also come here often on the week-end. I can’t believe such a beautiful place turned into a crime scene.”

Kaori tied her long, black straight hair in a neat ponytail before stepping out of the car, both detectives walking towards the group of officers standing by the river bank. On her way, Kaori noted a crowd of people observing the scene from afar, and pointing their phones at the group of officers in the obvious intent of taking a good, memorable picture. Well, their curiosity was legitimate, Kaori figured. After all, it wasn’t every day you saw a dead body at Shinobazuno pond.

“Detective Nishimura. Detective Inoue.” One of the policemen stepped forward, and bowed in respect at their approach. “The body was found by a pedestrian. We haven’t moved or touched anything.”

Kaori looked down to the body, having a bad feeling about this when she noted the white plastic bag covering the victim’s head. At first, she believed the killer may have tried to dispose of the body by throwing him into the lake, but she knew her theory was incorrect when the victim – that she deduced had to be a young male in his late twenties - was completely dry from head to toe.

“He wasn’t killed here,” Kaori stated with assurance after studying carefully his clothes. Not only was the victim barefoot, he was wearing a white tee-shirt along with a pair of blue pajama shorts. “I think he was attacked in his sleep, then brought here by the killer.”

“Why would the killer bother to carry his body all the way here?” Detective Nishimura uttered in perplexity. “Why place it here, out in the open?”

“Maybe he wanted us to find the victim,” Kaori offered. “Everyone knows this place is crowded, especially on the week-end. He knew we would find the body quickly and very easily.”

“So this could have been… staged?” Detective Nishimura glanced down at the plastic bag closed around the victim’s neck with a string. “What do you think. Death by suffocation?”

Kaori kneeled by the victim’s side and observed attentively the region around the victim’s neck. When she had first seen the body, she had drawn the exact same conclusions as her partner, but after careful observation, she distinguished a neat cut a few millimeters wide and ten centimeters long just below the plastic bag.

“Can you see this?” She pointed at the blunt cut. “The killer slit his throat with great precision. He knew exactly what he was doing.”

Kaori looked up to the victim’s face again. Unfortunately, it was impossible to distinguish his features properly, considering it was completely covered in cuts and bruises. Were those marks provoked post-mortem? It was too early to say yet but one thing was for sure: the victim was in pretty bad shape. Considering there were no papers on him, Kaori hoped his DNA would give them some information about the victim’s identity.

Just as Kaori was about to stand up, her attention was suddenly caught by a brown mark on the inside of his left wrist. A small birthmark that resembled slightly the letter O, and strangely looked familiar. Too familiar.

“Heita-kun.” A sharp gasp escaped Kaori’s lips in horror.

“You know him?!” The male detective exclaimed in surprise. “His face is brutally marked. You could mistake him with someone else.”

“No, it’s him.” Kaori’s voice trembled. “His name is Suzuki Heita. I could recognize this particular birthmark everywhere.”

Vaguely, Kaori registered in the background her partner inquiring about the nature of her relationship with the victim but she was frozen in place, incapable of adding another single word. Right in front of her eyes, was laying someone she knew very well. Someone she had deeply cared about at one point of her life.

Heita Suzuki.

Heita wasn’t just her childhood friend; they had also both entered the police academy at the age of eighteen in the hope of fulfilling their long-time dream of becoming detectives. Unfortunately, things hadn’t gone as expected for Heita as, only four months after enrolling, a severe knee injury had forced him to leave the academy, incapable of continuing the demanding physical training.

This major setback had affected him terribly, and caused irreparable damage on his emotional and mental health. Their budding romantic relationship didn’t survive. Little by little, his depression drew them apart, and Kaori never heard about him ever again during all those years.

Until today.

Kaori tore her eyes away from the gruesome sight, not having the force nor the will to resist when her partner seized her gently by the waist to help her get up on her feet. The female detective had already seen a few dead bodies in her short career, but never had she been confronted with the death of someone she had cared so much about. When her partner kindly suggested to walk back to the car she didn’t protest, although not before taking one last peek at the large inscription on the white tee-shirt. Two red capital letters, that had been handwritten by the killer.

I K

Two letters that awfully sounded like her own initials.







Rena shivered in displeasure as the cold wind hit her face. She had just finished shooting an important scene of her new drama, the crucial moment when her character – a rising, female detective – discovered in complete shock the dead body of a past lover in the crowded area of Shinobazuno pond. The first body of a long series of crimes in Tokyo, the killer following each and single time the same modus operandi, all victims being strangely connected to the female detective’s own past…

The actress still had another scene to shoot at Shinobazuno pond before moving to the next shooting location – this time, an indoor scene at the police station - but was for now waiting patiently for the staff to get their equipment prepared. In the drama, the weather was supposed to be sunny and warm, but the reality was different. Yes, the sun was currently shining over her head, yet the weather was awfully windy and admittedly a little chilly this Friday morning of early June.

Oh no, it was not the moment to get sick. Without further ado, Rena seized the large, black coat resting behind her on the folding chair, and covered her shoulders with it.

“Are you alright, Rena-san?” A male, gentle voice suddenly sounded on her left, and inquired in concern.

Rena tilted her head towards the other actor sitting on the folding chair by her side, and smiled at him with gratitude. “I’m fine. Thank you, Yosuke-san.”

“I think I’m going to follow your example.” The twenty-seven-year-old actor wrapped himself up in his down, warm jacket. “At least, we’re lucky it hasn’t rained yet. The weather forecast for today didn’t sound so promising.”

Rena observed quietly her co-star who was trying to brush his hair back in place, a little amused when all these attempts proved much fruitless as the wind kept stubbornly on blowing his fringe across his eyes. “Maybe you should ask the hairdresser to help you with this.”

Yosuke laughed softly, finally conceding defeat when his hair refused to obey to his command and the wind didn’t prove to be his greatest ally. “I think it’s best. Maybe I shouldn’t have let my hair grow so much either.”

Both actors shared a knowing smile, Rena realizing once again how unbelievably fortunate she had been to be paired with him out of all possible choices of actors. The last time she had crossed path with Yosuke Masada was almost a year ago, when they both had worked on the critically acclaimed historical drama Destiny.

At first, she had been a little startled when her agent had informed her she would be sharing the screen alongside the actor again. There were so many young talented actors in Japan. What were the odds they would both have the chance to act together again, and moreover be offered the leading roles of this drama?

It had now been two weeks since the shooting had started in Tokyo, and more than a few times, she was reminded of why she had already enjoyed so much working with him on Destiny. Not only was he remarkably professional – always arriving in advance for his scenes and never forgetting his lines once the cameras were rolling – he was profoundly gifted and always succeeded in making each scene flow naturally. At every given opportunity, the staff and crew adored to praise their chemistry on screen. It didn’t surprise her in the least; she had already heard such compliments during the shooting of Destiny.

When the director sometimes invited them to review on the monitor a scene they had just finished shooting, she was forced to admit they weren’t lying. If there was one personality trait she and Yosuke shared in common, it was their hardworking nature. Constantly, they thrived to excel and were determined to miss nothing pass. They agreed on a great many things and, if something was not completely to their liking during a scene, they never hesitated to share with one another their concerns, and to discuss on the best way to improve it.

Supported and surrounded by an undoubtedly qualified staff and crew, Rena trusted her co-star completely, and wasn’t worried one instant about the good execution of this shooting.

“Today is Friday.” Yosuke’s voice broke up the comfortable silence and startled the actress from her thoughts. “I hope you’ll come to have dinner with us tonight?”

Rena shifted in her seat and avoided his expectant gaze in unease. Last Friday too, she had also been confronted with the same question from the actor, an offer that she had politely declined. It was the cast and crew’s little ritual: each Friday evening, they would go out to a restaurant to loosen up after a long week of work. During the shooting of Destiny, she had willingly agreed to follow it, enjoying those pleasant evenings spent in the company of her two other co-stars, Yosuke Masada and Sayuri Kaneko.

So why was she so reluctant to renew with the tradition this time? Maybe because she wasn’t in the best state of mind lately for any social gathering. Enjoyment and high spirits were prominent during those times, and she refused to force herself to pretend or fake emotions when her mind was simply not at it. And, of course, it was out of the question to let her dark, melancholic mood transpire in the presence of others. Even less in front of staff members and co-workers.

“Rena-san…” her interlocutor murmured hesitantly. “Are you alright? I know it’s been almost a year since the last time we met but since the beginning of this shooting, I can’t shake the feeling that something has changed.”

“Changed?” Rena glanced back at him in bewilderment. “What do you mean? In my acting?”

“No, not your acting,” Yosuke reassured her immediately. “I just sometimes have the impression that something is on your mind; especially when I watch you leaving set at the end of the day. I used to think it was work-related, but…”

Yosuke paused, and looked away in embarrassment. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I asked that. It’s none of my business; please forget what I just said.”

Taken aback by her interlocutor’s perspicacity, Rena didn’t know what to reply for a little while. Yosuke was entirely right. During the day, she focused all her attention on her work, but the familiar face of a girl she still deeply loved never failed to submerge her mind as soon as the cameras were off. Could her perfect mask have possibly slipped a few times without her realizing it? Could others also have noticed what he had just described?

“It’s true. Many things have changed in my life since the last time we met,” Rena confessed. Her co-star was a kind and thoughtful person, and she was touched by his sincere concern for her. Nevertheless, there were certain things she wasn’t ready to share about herself. It wasn’t a problem of trust; but of boundaries she wasn’t willing to cross. “That’s why I’m afraid I wouldn’t be very good company tonight.”

“I understand.” Yosuke nodded, and Rena didn’t fail to detect the small, perceptible disappointment in his voice. “If you ever change your mind, you know where to find us. Same restaurant as last week.”

“Thank you.” A faint smile moved to Rena’s lips, grateful when he didn’t insist. “I can’t promise anything, but I’ll think about it.”







When the shooting ended a little after 6 PM and the minivan left Rena in front of her hotel, she soon remembered Yosuke’s suggestion. These last two weeks, she had on a few occasions settled down alone at a table of the hotel restaurant, but had mostly spent her dinners in her comfortable hotel room, watching television or listening to music on her iPhone. Maybe she could afford to make a small change tonight, Rena figured as she entered the elevator leading upstairs to her room. Maybe the distraction would do her some good.

Letting out a despondent sigh, she leaned her back heavily against the elevator panel. Press conferences, interviews: as part of her job, she had had to attend a few of those lately to promote her new drama. However, she had carefully made sure to stay away from non-mandatory events. This evening, as the prospect of joining the cast and crew at the restaurant definitely didn’t sound appealing at all, she realized she wasn’t mentally ready yet to participate in those kinds of social gatherings.

Rena felt slightly guilty for letting her co-star down - especially when he looked so hopeful after telling him she would sincerely consider it – but she was going to have to pass for now.







Much as she was not disposed to spend the evening in the presence of co-workers, she nevertheless decided on the next day to make a small infringement to her daily routine and have dinner outside of the hotel. Not wishing to have to walk too far, she opted for a small place that didn’t look like much from the outside, less than ten minutes away from the hotel. She wasn’t looking for any type of food in particular; she just wanted to spend a peaceful, undisturbed evening in a quiet and cozy restaurant.

The food was tasty and the staff discrete, yet her mind was anything but at rest. Now and then, her fingers would play absent-mindedly with her necklace, her thoughts drifting far too frequently towards a certain beloved twenty years old ace. Before leaving Nagoya, Airi had mentioned the change of scenery may enable her to take her mind off things, and she had deeply hoped her best friend would be right.

Ultimately, it had only been wishful thinking.

Not only was she consumed with guilt - incapable of forgetting or even less forgiving herself for what she had said and done that fateful day of early April - she had never felt so empty inside. These last two years, she had relished Jurina’s constant presence in her life and by her side. Her voice. Her smile. Her touch. She was missing her so badly. Where was she? What was she doing? Was she alright? Many questions piled up in her head; questions that remained desperately unanswered.

Rena had been sitting at the table for almost an hour – her meal already finished - when she noticed the many emptied Sapporo beers lining in front of her. It definitely wasn’t the first time she consumed alcohol, but she always made sure to drink in moderation. Tonight, she knew she had gotten carried away when she felt even more miserable than when she first entered the restaurant. Getting drunk was never her objective in the first place; she had just naively hoped the beverage would enable her to forget about her sorrow for at least one evening.

It wasn’t too much to ask, was it?

The problem was, it had done the exact opposite.

Not wishing to let the male waiter witness her current fragile emotional state, she wiped away discretely a solitary tear sliding down her cheek when he had his back turned. Staring in despair at the content of her half empty glass, pain began gnawing at her chest. Was she forever doomed to live with a heavy weight on her conscience? Would she ever be able to fill that void within her again?

“Rena-san?”

Rena came back to her senses and looked up when she caught the sound of a voice addressing her. When she noticed a familiar silhouette standing a few feet away, her eyes widened in stupefaction. “Y-Yosuke-san? What are you doing here?”

“What a surprise to see you here.” Yosuke approached her table. “I sometimes come here to take some takeaway, they make the best takoyaki.”

Rena noted the plastic bag with the restaurant’s label in his right hand, the actor’s smile vanishing when his eyes fell on the content of her table, more specifically on the empty bottles of beers. She tensed and avoided his gaze, now feeling awfully embarrassed at the terrible sight she was offering. Her first instinct was to try and justify herself and assure him it definitely wasn’t what he was thinking. But how could she manage to make herself convincing enough when, not only wasn’t she exactly feeling at her best right now, the evidence was laying just in front of his eyes?

Rena knew she would never manage to erase what he had just seen; it was already too late for that. However, she could still attempt to distract him from the view and try to make the situation slightly less awkward for both of them. Composing herself a little, she looked up to him with a tentative smile. “It was my first time coming here. I was about to leave… soon.”

“You were?” Yosuke diverted his attention from the remnants of her meal to glance back at her in anticipation. “Then, why don’t we walk back to the hotel together?”

“I…” Rena trailed off. Somehow, she had hoped her words would satisfy the actor’s curiosity, putting an end to their unpredictable meeting and prompting him to leave. And now, he was offering to accompany her back to the hotel? Wouldn’t he, on the contrary, want to turn on his heels and pretend he hadn’t seen anything?

“Please.” Rena was caught off guard when Yosuke placed a warm hand upon her shoulder. “Let me walk you back to the hotel.”

Rena was startled by the tenderness and concern in his eyes. The true reason behind his proposal suddenly appeared a little clearer, and she found herself torn between two conflicted emotions. A part of her was still feeling ashamed to have been caught in such a compromising situation in front of him, yet another was moved by the actor’s benevolent care and appreciative of his non-judgmental attitude.

Slowly raising herself from the chair, she realized his presence was far from unwelcomed after all when her feet proved to be a little unsteady.







What could possibly have pushed Rena Matsui, one of the most collected people he had ever met in his life, to drink so much tonight?

Those worried thoughts crossed Yosuke’s head more than once when they both left the restaurant and moved towards the direction of their hotel. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to have lost all her senses yet, as she proved to be coherent enough when they exchanged a few words on the way back. Nevertheless, he kept a cautious eye on her, worried by her sometimes slightly unbalanced steps.

When, a little while later, they arrived in front of her hotel room, he was more than reluctant to leave her alone. The actress may have thanked him politely for walking her back to her room, the way she was having difficulty sliding her keycard inside the lock didn’t go unnoticed. Yosuke reached for her hand, and wrapped his fingers gently around hers. “Let me do it.”

The actress didn’t oppose any resistance, letting him take the keycard from her hand to unlock the door. “I’m sorry.” A faint whisper left her lips. “I’m sorry you had to see me like this.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Yosuke said softly. “Are you going to be alright?”

Receiving a small nod in reply, he stepped aside to let her move inside the room. Just as the door was closing behind him progressively, it suddenly paused halfway through, Rena’s bothered expression appearing through the partially opened door. “No, I’m not fine…”

Yosuke gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ll stay with you for a little while.”

Yosuke tried not to look around the room when he followed her inside, not feeling entirely comfortable with the idea of invading her privacy. As soon as she was seated on the corner of the bed upon his demand, he went for the mini-bar in search of something adequate for her to drink. The unease crossing her features when he presented her a small bottle of orange juice he had fetched, taught him she definitely didn’t enjoy showing such a vulnerable side in front of him.

No, Rena Matsui wasn’t as flawless as the image she always tried to project in public, whether in front of the staff and crew or in magazines. More than anything, he wanted to reassure her that she had nothing to fear from him: her secret was perfectly safe. After all, she was a human being like anyone else: she could afford to make small mistakes. His respect for her would not diminish after today because of what he had accidently witnessed.

And, right now, his only objective was to be present for her during that difficult moment she was going through.

“Why don’t we watch something on the television?” Yosuke offered. Somehow, he didn’t want to take the risk of her falling asleep yet when she remained quite intoxicated.

“Alright,” Rena agreed. “You can choose the program.”

Yosuke seized the remote control, caught off guard when he suddenly felt trembling fingers encircling his hand. “Thank you, Yosuke-san.”

Yosuke glanced back at her, startled when he noticed her watery eyes. Wishing to comfort her a little, he caressed her hair hesitantly but tenderly. “You don’t have to thank me. You’ll be fine. Go and lay down.”

Rena nodded and went to rest her back against the headboard while he moved a chair near the bed, close enough to keep an eye on her in case she needed assistance. When, more than an hour later, the ending titles appeared on the screen, he glanced back at her in curiosity when he didn’t detect any movement on the bed. Her closed eyelids informed him that she had unexpectedly fallen asleep, and the sound of her calm and steady breathing reassured him instantly.

His presence wasn’t required any longer.

Standing up from his chair, he pulled the blanket over her still fully-clothed form, careful to be gentle enough not to wake her up in the process. After that, he observed her for a few more seconds, startled when he suddenly distinguished a tear rolling down her cheek. Saddened by the unexpected sight, he momentarily wondered what she could currently be thinking about. But would he ever discover the origin of her sorrow? The actress was and had always been awfully secretive.

Before switching the light off and leaving the room, he paused on the doorstep and glanced in her direction one last time, hoping for her torment not to last. Tears simply didn’t suit such a beautiful and kind person as Rena Matsui.







TO BE CONTINUED

« Last Edit: December 12, 2017, 04:10:07 AM by sophcaro »
My WMatsui fanfics:

HEARTBEAT trilogy
- Heartbeat | Completed
- Partners | Completed
- Destiny | Completed

OTHER FANFICS
- Warriors | Ongoing
- Back in Time | Ongoing
- One Shot collection: Her Sun | Completed
- Fire and Water | On hiatus

Offline Bukiyou Taiyou

  • Member+
  • Posts: 92
Oh wow! I super like the spin-off about Detective Kaori!

Kaori tied her long, black straight hair in a neat ponytail before stepping out of the car, [...]

I would love to watch the drama with Rena as a cool yet cute detective!  :heart:

[...] Two red capital letters, that had been handwritten by the killer.

I K

Two letters that awfully sounded like her own initials.

Even the cliffhanger ending made me gasp. :stoned: I'm glad you included this spin off about Detective Kaori and Daisuke. It's refreshing. (I actually craved for more, though I know it might be impossible since you need to focus on Destiny.)

And oh, it's impossible not to like Yosuke knowing how sweet, thoughtful, and sincere he is to Rena. In Destiny drama, I like the character of Yoshiaki but now I'm certain that I also like Yosuke hehe...

Anyway, Yosuke taking the drunk Rena back to her hotel is yabai! What if it would make a juicy headline for Bunshun? Jurina would definitely read it. She would be devastated more than before.

Thank you for the update, Sophcaro. Thank you for still being a faithful WMatsui shipper.  :luvuluvu:

Offline Genkikid

  • ecchi
  • Member+
  • Posts: 389
Everytime you include rena meeting a guy, it always give me bad feeling that somewhere bunshun will take  photos of them, especially this time a guy get in her room

Offline Minami-chan

  • Member+
  • Posts: 654
  • Still Love You
Thank you very much for this new chapter focused on Rena.

As they see the boy leaving the room of Rena new scandal mounted.

Although I suspect that this instead of being a negative scandal, it will be a positive scandal.

Offline Guacamoolee

  • Member+
  • Posts: 58
  • Silent reader
The idea of Rena accepted the role as a detective is good! Though it'll be better is she were paired with Jurina. Let's just save this idea for the future. lol :sweatdrop:

Another heart-breaking scene of Rena's break down and I'm kind of getting used to this kind of scene now :cry:
I'm so glad that she met Yosuke and I'm so glad that it's Yosuke. Although, just like the other readers, the tendency to think that they might be caught by Bunshun is  high, for me it could have been worse if it wasn't him. I mean... If they both were accused dating, they could just say that they are work mate, since they've been working in the same project, right? I think it doesn't sound weird if we just walking casually with our work mate, but... it's not them to worry about if Bunshun got the news. What if Jurina assume that Rena left her for this Yosuke guy???? She might be hurt and hate Rena even more which is I hope it won't happen.

Above all, I think Rena really needs a friend that she can trust right now (other than Furuyanagi), someone who will sincerely look after her when her bestfriends are not around and I don't know why I trust this Yosuke. But let's see~ hehehe

Keep up the good work, S!
Cheerio~

Offline sophcaro

  • Global Moderator
  • Member+
  • *
  • Posts: 312
  • Faithful WMatsui shipper
    • sophcaro
CHAPTER 25



Kaori jolted awake at the sound of someone knocking on the door with insistence. Letting out a small groan in displeasure, she forced her eyes open, immediately bothered by the strong morning light inundating her small apartment of Tokyo. The female detective instantly placed her hand in front of her eyes, wondering why on earth she had forgotten to close her curtains before going to sleep.

“Kaori, are you alright?” A masculine, familiar voice sounded across the door.

Kaori massaged her temples. Not only had her partner woken her up abruptly in her sleep, she had an inexplicable painful headache. Slowly straightening up in bed, she frowned a little when she discovered she wasn’t wearing her pajamas as expected, but was still in her work uniform. This morning couldn’t have felt anymore strange.

What… happened? Kaori took a seat on the side of the bed with difficulty, trying desperately to clear her foggy mind and put the pieces back together. When she looked up and noticed the empty bottles of beer laying on the coffee table, that’s when she recalled absolutely everything.

Last evening, the police had discovered another body a few minutes away from Tokyo University, at Sanshiro Pond. It was now the third victim by the serial killer familiarly known as the ‘Pond Killer’, a nickname journalists had been swift to assign him after his first victim was discovered in stupor in the crowded area of Shinobazuno Pond.

Three victims in only two months.

Three healthy young men all connected to the female detective’s past love life.

After this third death, Kaori’s sanity was starting to hang by a frayed thread.

“I’m… I’m coming,” Kaori mumbled. Getting up on her feet, she walked towards the coffee table with slightly unbalanced steps, not wishing to let her visitor witness what kind of activity she had participated into after work. Clearing the mess on the coffee table as best as she could, she slipped the empty bottles in the bin underneath the sink, before turning towards the front door.

Kaori adjusted her hair and her clothes, even though she feared she wouldn’t be able to fool very much the person currently waiting behind the door. Letting out a heavy sigh, she approached the entrance, mustering her best smile when she opened. “Daisuke, hi. What are you doing here?”

“Kaori.” The male detective scanned her from head to toe. “It’s past 10 am. I tried to call you on your cell several times, but you didn’t reply.”

“You… You did?” Kaori blinked in confusion, having no memory whatsoever of hearing her phone ringing. “I’m sorry. I must have muted the sound before going to sleep.”

“Have you been… drinking?” Daisuke asked in concern.

Kaori avoided his questioning gaze in unease. Sometimes, she really wished her partner wasn’t so straightforward. “Just give me ten minutes to take a quick shower, and I’ll follow you to the police station.”

Kaori opened the door wider to let him inside and, just as she was about to turn on her heels to join the bathroom, felt a hand catching her forearm. “I know you’re affected by this new death, but you can’t let yourself get carried away.”

“And what am I supposed to do?!” Kaori snapped. “Three people have died in two months! Men I knew intimately!”

Daisuke stayed quiet for a little while, slightly taken aback by her uncharacteristic outburst. “I know it’s hard. I really do.” He caressed her arm softly. “But you can’t give up. Not now.”

“I’m… sorry,” Kaori stammered, feeling embarrassed for having raised her voice in such a rude way. Her partner was only trying to be nice and helpful, but the truth was, this impossible case was starting to drive her mad and making her loose her temper more easily than usual.

“Don’t worry about it.” Daisuke gave her a reassuring smile.

Kaori returned it weakly, soon wincing at the strong pain in her head. Knowing she definitely needed to do something about those headaches before going to work, she apologized briefly, and moved towards the bathroom. Opening the medicine cabinet above the sink, she spotted the necessary pills on the middle shelf and retrieved them.

Kaori slipped a green pill inside her mouth and turned the tap on, leaning forward to drink some water. God, she was feeling so thirsty. She really shouldn’t have drunk so much yesterday. Straightening up, she stole a peek at herself through the mirror, her terrible appearance discouraging her instantly: she looked like a mess. Feeling a new presence by her side, she gave a brief side glance to her right, noting her partner standing quietly on the doorstep.

Leaning on the sink, she let out a small, dejected sigh. “I know how the others are looking at me at the police station. I can feel them whispering behind my back. They think I have something to do with all those murders. Everyone does.”

“I don’t,” the male detective protested immediately. “They are all wrong, and we’re going to prove it by catching the killer.”

Kaori let out a small, bitter laugh at her partner’s obstinacy. “Catch him? And how are we going to do that? We don’t even have a single clue about his identity.”

“We need to check the last murder scene. He must have left some evidence. He can’t be infallible. Soon or later, he’ll make a mistake.” Daisuke affirmed with assurance.

Kaori tilted her head in his direction at his confident tone. Another time, she would have appreciated his utmost dedication to a case, but nothing he could say right now managed to lift her spirits. After the discovery of the first body at Shinobazuno Pond, no one had been more motivated than her to catch the killer. However, the news of the second victim had affected her tremendously. Her connection to the first victim wasn’t a mere coincidence as she initially believed. Not when she also happened to know the second and third victims perfectly.

For a completely unknown reason, she was being targeted. Targeted by a sick mind who was killing one by one all the men she had been involved with at one point in her life.

Tears gathered in Kaori’s eyes in despair. “What if he came after you? Maybe we should stop seeing each other. I would never be able to forgive myself if something… If something happened to you too.”

Daisuke moved forward, and pulled her gently into his arms. “No, Kaori. I’m not going anywhere. We will go through this. Together.”

A few tears slid down Kaori’s cheeks, and she casually leaned her head on his shoulder. “I don’t know what to do… I just don’t know what to do anymore.”

“Kaori, we’ll catch him,” Daisuke repeated, cupping her cheek and pressing a soft, loving kiss to her lips. “I promise you that we will.”

Kaori knew her lover’s faith to be sincere, but she simply couldn’t manage to share it. The police had already swept carefully each crime scene for evidence without success. They had both interrogated every single person who could have possibly witnessed something the days of the murders, to no avail. They had scrupulously investigated the criminals she had arrested in the past, and could have held a vendetta against her.

All leads had been complete dead ends.


 




Rena took a seat in the dressing room to finish adjusting her appearance. Another day of shooting had just ended in Tokyo, and the drama was progressively but surely nearing its end. In approximatively two weeks, she would be shooting the final episode in which the identity of the mysterious ‘Pond Killer’ would be revealed, marking her progressive return to Nagoya. Right now, the dressing room was currently empty, and the actress took time to check herself in the mirror.

She had already changed into more casual clothes and removed her makeup, but she knew she still needed to do something important before leaving the room. Slipping her hand in her backpack, she retrieved a small red square box that she placed on the small table in front of her. Opening it delicately, she gazed at the familiar piece of jewelry inside. Her fingertips encircled carefully the precious silver ring hanging from the necklace, and she couldn’t help reading once again the inscription written inside.

Forever yours, J

Rena already knew the sentence by heart, but she still felt a rush of emotions surging through her. The beautiful declaration of love never failed to touch her heart, and a smile gradually moved to her lips as her thoughts led her back unconsciously to that sunny day of July in Kyoto. That Sunday afternoon when she and Jurina had taken a refreshing stroll in the Maruyama Park, and Jurina had caught her by complete surprise by offering her that meaningful ring.

Realizing that she was getting caught in the past – something that seemed to happen far too frequently lately – Rena tore her eyes away from the cherished ring, and detached the necklace to place it around her neck. It was a little ritual she had been following diligently every day since her separation with Jurina. Albeit the fact she could never make the ring apparent or wear the necklace during shootings or photoshoots, she never forgot to put it back on as soon as she had the chance.

Maybe was she being too sentimentalist; or maybe did she need to feel that - in a certain way - Jurina had not completely left her side. Regardless, that special ring reminded her of so many fond memories. Happy moments with Jurina that – unexpectedly - always managed to make her smile even during the darkest times.

 





When Rena opened the door and stepped outside the dressing room, she wasn’t surprised in the least to notice Yosuke standing a bit further away in the corridor. Her male co-star had his back leaned slightly against the wall behind him – his attention monopolized by the cell in his hands - but he instantly glanced up her way when he heard sounds of footsteps. As soon as their eyes met they exchanged a smile, Rena noting that the actor was playing at Fire Emblem Heroes when she approached.

“Winning?” she asked, looking down in interest at the screen of his black iPhone 7. It was a game her co-star had been pretty much engrossed into these last few weeks. His enthusiasm about the tactical RPG was a feeling very familiar to her. It was the same reaction she harbored when she played one of her favorite games on her 3DS. However, she had neglected her console these past two months, somehow not feeling really in the mood for the activity.

“If only.” Yosuke sighed dejectedly, showing in frustration the GAME OVER message appearing in big red letters on the screen. “Legion is impossible to beat in Infernal mode.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Rena sympathized with him. “I wish I could help… but you know I’m not very good at that game.”

“It’s fine, I’ll try again later. I won’t give up.” Yosuke quit the game and placed the device back inside his black vest pocket. “Anyway… what do you think about a Korean restaurant? I spotted one fifteen minutes away from here.”

“A Korean restaurant?” Rena pondered over his offer. If truth be told, it wasn’t a type of food she normally ate, but she figured a little change wouldn’t hurt. Besides, she could sense by the actor’s somewhat expectant look that he was looking forward to it, and she saw no good reason to object. “Hm. Why not?”

A wide smile spread across Yosuke’s features. “Follow me.”







It had already been two weeks since the scene Yosuke had accidentally witnessed that evening in the restaurant and – even if Rena still felt deeply ashamed to have been caught in such an unusual moment of weakness – they never mentioned it ever again. Nevertheless, that memorable incident had taught her that she definitely needed to be more cautious, and it could have been worse if the actor had not intervened in time.

What would have happened if she hadn’t been able to stop herself from drowning her sorrows with alcohol, and a paparazzi had caught her walking back to her hotel in a heavenly drunken state? She didn’t even want to imagine the devastating repercussions it could have had on her image and her career.

After that day, she realized her emotional state was even more fragile than she had anticipated, and it was much wiser to avoid going out alone to a restaurant for the time being. Taking the risk of repeating such a mistake was obviously out of the question. She badly needed a distraction, Rena figured, and Yosuke’s previous suggestions progressively came back to the forefront of her mind.

Not ready to participate in big social events yet, she nevertheless approached her male co-star one evening after a day of shooting, and suggested him to have dinner just the two of them. Even though he looked mildly surprised at first, he accepted without hesitation, and they spent the evening in a restaurant that both suited their liking.

It was now the fourth time they were going out, and Rena had to admit she appreciated highly those precious hours spent in the presence of her co-star. Their casual conversations and the pleasant company made her evenings pass by faster, enabling her to successfully and thankfully forget about her grief for a little while, her melancholic side vanishing equally when she was with Yosuke.

“It’s here.” Rena paused in her steps when – a little while later - the actor suddenly grabbed her arm and stopped them in front of a restaurant. “It’s the place I was talking about.”

Rena read the white letters above the wooden door, Tonchang Ueno, before taking a curious peek inside the restaurant through the window panes. The place was actually not very big, but there were only few clients currently eating. After all, it was the middle of the week, and still a little early.

The actress was conscious of Yosuke’s fingers still surrounding her arm, yet she didn’t attempt to put some distance between them, not feeling in the slightest bothered by the gesture. Lately, Yosuke had been acting a little friendlier with her. The shy person she had met at the beginning of the shooting of Destiny was a far distant memory, and their unexpected reunion on this new drama had brought them even more close. Now, the actor didn’t hesitate to initiate simple physical contact, whether on set or during leisure times when they joined their hotel or went out to eat.

Rena felt comfortable enough around him, and it wasn’t uncommon for her to act similarly in an informal way. If truth be told, she had quickly felt a connection to Yosuke, even back then when they worked together on Destiny. Calling him a friend didn’t sound appropriate, as she didn’t believe their relationship to have developed to such a high level, yet she couldn’t deny the fact she had ceased viewing him as a mere co-worker a long time ago.

Working on such an important drama implied long days of shootings, and you could easily become bored and lonely, especially while waiting for your turn between takes. Rena couldn’t feel luckier to have someone by her side that – not only she worked incredibly well with – she sincerely managed to get along with.

“It looks nice,” Rena confirmed with a smile, after noticing that her co-star was still kindly waiting for her approval to enter the restaurant. “Let’s eat here.”

 



 

“Do you think we’ll end up together?”

Rena’s hand stilled, the Kimchi she had barely placed between her chopsticks almost escaping her when she heard the strange question falling from Yosuke’s lips. Composing herself a little, she carefully made sure the food was completely secured again, before gazing confusingly at the actor eating opposite her. “I’m… sorry?”

“I’m talking about Kaori and Daisuke,” he clarified, slightly amused by her reaction. “Do you think they will stay together?”

“Oh… that.” Rena relaxed instantly. “I have no idea. The plot is so unpredictable and the director hasn’t given me the final script yet.”

“I wish they did,” Yosuke stated, placing nonchalantly two other pieces of meat on the grill between them. “I think they deserve a happy ending; especially after everything Kaori has been through.”

“We still know nothing about the identity of the killer,” Rena reminded him. “What if Daisuke was guilty? What if you were the killer?”

Yosuke’s mouth tugged into an amused smile at her challenging tone, not failing to distinguish the evident teasing behind her words. “I’m sure he’s not. I can tell he truly cares about her.” He shook his head in determination. “It has to be someone else; someone in Kaori’s background. What about her mentor, Azuma-san? She confides a lot in him; and he knew all the previous victims.”

Rena took a moment to think about his theory, recognizing that – even though she didn’t truthfully believe that character in particular to be the killer – it wasn’t completely senseless. “Maybe you’re right. We’ll have to wait the end of the drama to know for sure.”

Yosuke nodded in agreement and they continued to eat, Rena admitting to herself that her co-star had made an excellent choice by bringing them to this Korean restaurant. The food was nice and tasty, and the place quiet enough not to be disturbed. Since they had entered the place, they had engaged in casual talks, but never invaded each other’s privacy with very personal questions. Amongst all his personality traits, it was one of those she appreciated the most.

Two weeks ago, when he had stumbled upon her in the restaurant and discovered the dangerous direction her evening was taking, he hadn’t tried to pry either, instead walking her back to the hotel and very nicely taking care of her. Up to that day, she still felt utterly grateful for his attention and discretion.

“You know, when I think about Destiny…” Yosuke trailed off.

Rena looked up in curiosity at the mention of the drama they had previously shot together, wondering what could be crossing the actor’s mind right now as he looked quite pensive. In fact, he even put down his chopsticks and avoided her gaze, almost as if he was a little hesitant to continue with his train of thoughts.

“Maybe you’ll think it’s silly but…” He chuckled nervously. “I always believed Yoshiaki and Arisa made a nice couple and would end up together. I was a little disappointed when it didn’t happen.”

Rena didn’t know exactly what to say. It had now been almost a year since the shooting of the drama, and she definitely didn’t recall the actor conveying such thoughts at the time. Why did he suddenly feel the need to bring it up? But most of all; what kind of reply was he expecting from her? Once she accepted a role, she never put in question the director’s decisions and even less intervened in the writing process. Her personal opinion was irrelevant; her job was merely to follow the director’s directives and portray the character as accurately as described on the paper.

“She cared sincerely about Yoshiaki,” Rena started, trying to remember better Arisa’s motivations. Arisa had been nothing but a fascinating character to play, but so complex and occasionally even a little challenging to understand. Notably her extreme devotion to Nobunaga – her first, lost love - and persistent refusal to put the past behind. “Yoshiaki was a good person,” she conceded. “But Arisa remained haunted by the memory of her first love. She just… couldn’t forget about him.”

Rena’s eyes widened slightly, this conversation unpredictably making her aware of a certain irony. On the set of Destiny, she had been obliged to address the director and question him once in a while, not always entirely grasping her character’s choices. In hindsight, Arisa’s reasons appeared much less illogical, in particular when she found uncanny resemblances with her own personal life.


 


 

It was her last week of shooting in Tokyo. Already, Rena was feeling a little nostalgic, knowing she was going to miss filling the shoes of this strong yet so tormented female detective. Kaori had been through so many moments of hardship since the beginning of the TV show, but she was thankfully about to reach her objective. In only two episodes, the mysterious identity of the ‘Pond Killer’ was finally going to be revealed to the audience. 

This morning, Rena was reviewing with assiduity her lines for today’s episode, walking across her hotel room as she was reciting out loud a few dialogues. Pausing in her steps, she looked up from the text and checked her watch, taking in she still had a little time ahead of her until she would need to leave and join the set. Feeling contended enough with her careful rereading, she closed the script and approached the table, her eyes soon falling on another script on the table.

The script of the final episode.

The director had handed it over to her two days ago, but she still hadn’t read it. It wasn’t that she wasn’t interested in the killer’s identity – quite the contrary – but she had voluntarily left it aside, not wishing to take the risk of having the discovery affecting her acting in any way. Somehow, she highly suspected the murderer to be someone she was familiar with. Maybe even a person from her close entourage…

As Rena placed her script back on the table, her fingers trailed across the other untouched script, knowing she could now afford to satisfy her curiosity. Pulling the chair, she took a seat at the table and turned the first page, her eyes falling in interest on the text. For the following minutes, her attention was entirely monopolized by the script, a gasp escaping her lips in shock when she finally got the answer she was searching on page 10.

“Wait. He was right.” Rena couldn’t believe her eyes. Out of all the potential suspects, she would never have expected this character’s betrayal. “The killer really is…”

She didn’t have time to complete her sentence that she got distracted by the sound of her cellphone beeping. Tearing her eyes away from the script, she stole a curious peek at the device placed on the table. Realizing that she had just received a text from her agent, she gave her undivided attention to it, and read the few lines written in the message.

Hello Rena.

Something came up this morning. Please open the following link. You can reach me at any time if you want to discuss on the best way to deal with this situation.


Rena arched an eyebrow at her agent’s enigmatic words, wondering what kind of situation she could possibly be referring to. Not waiting any longer, she opened the web link in curiosity, but froze instantly when she saw the article charging on her phone.

The stars of Destiny have been rekindling the flame on the set of their new drama

A very catchy and daring title written in large letters, followed by many stolen pictures of she and Yosuke in the streets of Tokyo.

It took her all the self-restraint in the world not to scream.

This couldn’t be happening. Not again.

Anger boiled up inside her as she went through the article, appalled by the shameful and ridiculous rumors Bunshun Shunkan wasn’t afraid to spread about an allegedly romantic relationship between them. Considering the nature of the stolen pictures accompanying the article, she deduced the paparazzi must have been following her for weeks, maybe even since the beginning of the shooting.

“Why do they do that?” Rena fulminated and closed the webpage hurriedly, refusing to read another single line of this tissue of lies. “Why can’t they leave me in peace?!”

Her exasperation gave way progressively to a greater sense of powerlessness, wondering how on earth she was going to deal with this article. The last time the tabloid had spread false rumors about she and Yosuke, it was during the shooting of Destiny. A short tweet denying categorically any involvement with her male partner had been enough to solve the issue, but she was getting so tired of all this.

Exhausted to constantly have to justify herself.

Yes, she was aware that she was a public figure, and that her popularity as an actress had grown tremendously this past year. But why was she targeted, out of all people? Why was the tabloid always so interested in her private life? First, they had made twice false assumptions about the nature of her relationship with Yosuke. Then, they had taken pictures of she and Jurina near her apartment...

At the latest thought, Rena’s heart immediately started hammering inside her chest, realizing in stupor the terrible consequences this article was going to have on her. If she had discovered that article, then there was no doubt Jurina was soon going to learn about it too, if it wasn’t already the case. And, this time, she wouldn’t be so inclined to brush away swiftly those rumors as she had the first time.

“She’ll believe it…” Rena’s voice quivered in despair. “She’ll think… She’ll think it’s all true.”

Rena grabbed her phone with haste and started typing quickly a message to her agent, informing her about her decision. She couldn’t wait and let things drag on. She needed to release a public statement about the article, and fast. She refused to let those awful lies hurt Jurina; not when she had already caused her so much pain. What if she came to falsely believe it was precisely the reason why she had broken up with her? Because she had developed feelings for someone else?

Her fingers stopped typing abruptly right in the middle of her sentence, all of sudden fearing the futility of her action. Even if she denied everything, a little voice inside her head was telling her there was a high risk Jurina would disregard her official statement and deep down still believe every single word written in that article. Convince herself that she was solely attempting to preserve her image by making that kind of declaration.

Their relationship had ended two months ago; nothing was preventing her anymore from believing in those dating rumors. Regardless, Rena refused to come back on her decision or lose hope, and she resumed typing her text. If her words had even the slightest chance of reaching Jurina, then she needed to try.







TO BE CONTINUED

« Last Edit: December 12, 2017, 03:29:02 PM by sophcaro »
My WMatsui fanfics:

HEARTBEAT trilogy
- Heartbeat | Completed
- Partners | Completed
- Destiny | Completed

OTHER FANFICS
- Warriors | Ongoing
- Back in Time | Ongoing
- One Shot collection: Her Sun | Completed
- Fire and Water | On hiatus

Offline Genkikid

  • ecchi
  • Member+
  • Posts: 389
Bunshun!!!!  :angry: :angry: :angry: :scolding: :scolding: :temper:

Offline Guacamoolee

  • Member+
  • Posts: 58
  • Silent reader
I
MISS
JURINA
:(

Offline Bukiyou Taiyou

  • Member+
  • Posts: 92
It actually surprised me that you continued Kaori's story. I thought you would write it in just one chapter. I think I suspect someone as the killer.  :glasses: I'm usually right. If I'm not right, it means I'm wrong.

Quote from: sophcaro
“Kaori, we’ll catch him,” Daisuke repeated, cupping her cheek and pressing a soft, loving kiss to her lips. “I promise you that we will.”

Sooo...Yosuke kissed Rena again??  :shock:

Much as I like Yosuke, Rena only belongs to Jurinaaa...

Quote from: sophcaro

Lately, Yosuke had been acting a little friendlier with her. The shy person she had met at the beginning of the shooting of Destiny was a far distant memory, and their unexpected reunion on this new drama had brought them even more close. Now, the actor didn’t hesitate to initiate simple physical contact, whether on set or during leisure times when they joined their hotel or went out to eat.

I think I'm now sure that he has feelings to Rena. Like, 98.4% sure.  :cool1:

And thanks that you finally revealed the ending of Destiny. Too bad Arisa didn't end up with Yoshiaki. Poor him...
To be honest, between Nobu and Yoshiaki, I'm more fond of Yoshiaki.
I don't know Nobu's character. He seemed distance to me, compared to his rival. Maybe because you wrote about Yoshiaki more than him.

About Bunshun, I somehow knew something would likely happen. Some other readers could also feel what's coming.
But I think it has an advantage for Rena. People would forget about her scandal with Jurina!
That's good actually. She doesn't need to explain about her relationship with Jurina. The recent news did the job.

Sooo...all Rena needs to do is talking to Jurina; explain the situation. Jurina's mood would change from  :on cloudeye:   to  :on gay:

Jurina deserves an explanation. And they both deserve a happy ending.

I rest my case.

« Last Edit: June 22, 2017, 05:41:16 PM by Bukiyou Taiyou »

Offline Minami-chan

  • Member+
  • Posts: 654
  • Still Love You
Always Bushu creating rumors to the artists.
But it seems that they chase Rena too much. Are they also following Jurina?
2 months ... will Jurina be okay? I'm worried about her.

Offline Guacamoolee

  • Member+
  • Posts: 58
  • Silent reader
But I think it has an advantage for Rena. People would forget about her scandal with Jurina!
That's good actually. She doesn't need to explain about her relationship with Jurina. The recent news did the job.

I'm agree with Bukiyou Taiyou that the recent issue might erase people's memory about wmatsui's past scandal.

BUT

It won't make things get easier with their relationship.

I don't think it can be this EASY

Sooo...all Rena needs to do is talking to Jurina; explain the situation. Jurina's mood would change from  :on cloudeye:   to  :on gay:

Jurina deserves an explanation. And they both deserve a happy ending.

Jurina is so damn deserves an explanation from the very beginning but Rena never bother telling her the truth. I'm sure it will need an extra effort to talk to Jurina again let alone explain everything. Just to remember that Jurina is badly hurt (well, both of them are) but the lack of explanation why did this all happen makes her hurt even more. I don't think she will trust Rena easily this time. Sorry....

Offline genkingblack

  • not hiatus/abandon my fics but really have no time to write.
  • ecchi
  • Member+
  • Posts: 306
  • タマです
    • genkingblack
Just have a time to catch up what i've missed  :depressed:

I dislike the idea hurting Jurina again and again :> she doesn't deserve that *sigh
I am literally strain myself not to strangle Rena :scolding:

about the latest scandal, i wish Rena won't go to see Jurina and explain what happened.
Because no matter what Rena says, it doesn't change the fact that Rena was the one broke up with Jurina.
why would she explain? Cause it doesn't matter anymore.

Can I just ship Jurina and Churi here?  :on hobo:
My Projects :
GenkingBlack's Vault [OS/Short Stories] Last update 4-Apr-17
Brave Enough On Going Last update 16-Mar-17
Love is Serious, When War is Involved   Hiatus Last Update 12-Mar-17
Heartsmith | On Going Last Update 19-Oct-17
Hidden Vault | Perv Section

Offline sophcaro

  • Global Moderator
  • Member+
  • *
  • Posts: 312
  • Faithful WMatsui shipper
    • sophcaro
I want to thank everyone who leave a 'thank you' or take time to comment on each chapter. Your feedback is deeply appreciated, and plays a crucial role in my motivation to keep on writing, and publish regular updates.




REPLIES TO COMMENTS


Bunshun!!!!  :angry: :angry: :angry: :scolding: :scolding: :temper:

Yes, your prediction was correct. Bunshun Shunkan seems to believe Rena is still a juicy subject for a scoop.

I
MISS
JURINA
:(

I miss her too! I promise we'll see her again soon.

Always Bunshun creating rumors to the artists.
But it seems that they chase Rena too much. Are they also following Jurina?

Bunshun is following Rena. I'm afraid her growing popularity as an actress and great exposure in the medias has drawn attention.

Sooo...Yosuke kissed Rena again??  :shock:

Much as I like Yosuke, Rena only belongs to Jurinaaa...

Yes, Yosuke kissed Rena again. Good thing it's only acting, right?   :nervous

I think I'm now sure that he has feelings to Rena. Like, 98.4% sure.  :cool1:

I won't confirm or deny anything. Readers are free to interpret things as they wish.  :yep:

And thanks that you finally revealed the ending of Destiny. Too bad Arisa didn't end up with Yoshiaki. Poor him...
To be honest, between Nobu and Yoshiaki, I'm more fond of Yoshiaki.
I don't know Nobu's character. He seemed distance to me, compared to his rival. Maybe because you wrote about Yoshiaki more than him.

Some readers preferred Nobunaga, others Yoshiaki. I like that diversity in opinions!
I always had the intention of divulging the ending of the drama Destiny, I was only waiting for the right moment. That said, I still purposely left out a few elements about the ending  ;)

About Bunshun, I somehow knew something would likely happen. Some other readers could also feel what's coming.
But I think it has an advantage for Rena. People would forget about her scandal with Jurina!
That's good actually. She doesn't need to explain about her relationship with Jurina. The recent news did the job.

This new article clearly shows Bunshun Shunkan remains interested in Rena's private life and doesn't seem ready to let go yet. It's not a small anecdotic fact that can be ignored.


I'm agree with Bukiyou Taiyou that the recent issue might erase people's memory about wmatsui's past scandal.

This new article will definitely help people forget about the previous WMatsui scandal, but it doesn't change the fact Bunshun Shunkan is still lurking around the corner.

I am literally strain myself not to strangle Rena :scolding:

Maybe the paparazzi should be the ones to be strangled instead? They are the ones messing up with their lives.   :thumbdown:

about the latest scandal, i wish Rena won't go to see Jurina and explain what happened.
Because no matter what Rena says, it doesn't change the fact that Rena was the one broke up with Jurina.
why would she explain? Cause it doesn't matter anymore.

I see no reason why Rena would go and see Jurina in person, for the sole purpose of explaining that the rumors are not true. It wouldn't make sense at all for her to do that  :? However, it doesn't mean she's not a sensitive person, and the fact is she still loves Jurina. In that sense, that public statement is her way of trying to reach Jurina and hopefully prevent her from hurting any more by believing in those false rumors.

Can I just ship Jurina and Churi here? 

In this trilogy, I wanted Jurina and Rena to have strong and faithful friendships. That's precisely what Churi and Airi are to them: dedicated and trusted friends they can always count on not matter what.
« Last Edit: June 29, 2017, 05:44:12 PM by sophcaro »
My WMatsui fanfics:

HEARTBEAT trilogy
- Heartbeat | Completed
- Partners | Completed
- Destiny | Completed

OTHER FANFICS
- Warriors | Ongoing
- Back in Time | Ongoing
- One Shot collection: Her Sun | Completed
- Fire and Water | On hiatus

Offline sophcaro

  • Global Moderator
  • Member+
  • *
  • Posts: 312
  • Faithful WMatsui shipper
    • sophcaro
CHAPTER 26



A despondent sigh escaped Jurina’s lips when she sneezed and coughed for the umptieth time this morning. The whole SKE group was currently getting prepared in the dressing room for a handshake session in Nagoya, and she was far from being in top form. One thing was for certain; she always looked forward to meeting her fans and relished those privileged moments of interactions with them. However, something was telling her she was not going to fully meet their expectations today if her health didn’t show swiftly signs of improvements.

This last month, she had felt the lack of energy kicking. Not only did she feel exhausted after a long day of work, she dreaded the possibility of having caught a cold during her last photoshoot by the sea at Yumigahama beach. Because of the high level of humidity, Summer never was a season she favored the best, affecting her medical condition each and single year. It was a tricky period, one that required of her to be incredibly cautious, even more than during the rest of the year.

A part of her was still hopeful it wasn’t as bad as it looked and it may only be an allergic reaction to the weather, as it generally occurred to be. However, she had unexpectedly woken up this morning with a bad headache, watery eyes and a sore throat. At those symptoms, she hadn’t hesitated to take medicine before leaving home, praying it would solve the issue. She had a meaningful event to attend, and the idea of cancelling even one single slot was unconceivable. 

People were expecting her. Fans who had bought tickets months in advance, and waited eagerly for this moment to arrive. Letting them down was out of the question. She could rest tonight at home once it was over, after greeting properly each fan waiting in line outside. They had made the effort of coming all this way to meet her: she owed it to them to be present.

“Jurina… Are you alright?”

Jurina snapped out of her daze at the sound of a feminine voice addressing her. Across the mirror, she distinguished Churi’s silhouette approaching and she pushed her concerns at the back of her head, sending her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, it’s only the season. It’s the same thing every year. I’m used to it. It will pass.”

Her friend didn’t seem utterly convinced, as she gave her a preoccupied look when she took a seat by her side to study her. Starting to feel a little awkward under Churi’s intense scrutiny, Jurina averted her gaze to focus her attention on something else, and decided instead to check her clothes. This morning, she had opted for a casual blue, short-sleeved tee-shirt, along with a light brown pair of shorts.

A perfect outfit for a scorching Summer.

“You seem a little hot…” Churi murmured, after pressing her palm against Jurina’s forehead. “Are you sure you don’t have a fever? Maybe you should see a doctor today.”

“A doctor? Today?!” Jurina exclaimed, staring back at her in incredulity. “We have a handshake event, remember? You want me to cancel it and disappoint all my fans?”

“Of course not,” Churi replied carefully. “But we both know how demanding and tiring such days can be. If you’re not feeling well-”

“Hey…” Jurina cut her off, extending her arm to give her knee a gentle patting. “Stop worrying. I’m fine.”

“You can’t ask me that,” Churi protested softly. “You’re my friend; I care about you. I’ll never stop worrying.”

Jurina’s chest warmed up, moved by Churi’s affectionate words. Her compassionate side had always been appreciated, and even more welcomed during difficult times. Frankly, she didn’t know how she would have overcome those last two months without Churi’s precious and comforting presence. After her devastating breakup with the girl who meant the world to her, she had been a total mess, desperately seeking a shoulder to lean on, and someone to cry her heart out.

She couldn’t have wished for a more loyal friend than Churi, and she would remain forever grateful for her unfailing support. The pain caused by the separation had not subsided yet, and her heart inevitably ached when Rena’s image flowed her mind, and she was reminded of what she had lost. Nevertheless, Jurina was under the strong impression that her friend was being irrationally overprotective lately - watching her every move like a hawk - and never failing to voice her disapproval if she skipped a meal, or did longer days of work. 

It was already hard enough hearing her fans and the staff mentioning - way too frequently for her liking - her recent loss of weight and her drawn features…

“You don’t need to smother me each time I sneeze,” Jurina joked, choosing to play the card of humor in the hope it would distract her and ease her worries. “I turned twenty in March; I’m officially an adult now.”

“I know you are,” Churi conceded with a smile. “You’re an adult, even though you can still act quite childish some days…”

“Just admit it.” Jurina gave her a lopsided grin. “You love that side of me.”

Churi let out a laugh. “And flirty too. How could I forget that?”

Jurina was relieved when her tactic seemed to have bored its fruits and the mood had shifted positively between them, her friend now looking more appeased. Believing the matter to be over, Jurina diverted her attention to the mirror in front of her. Her features turned serious as she paid a closer look to her appearance, realizing she would need to add a little more makeup if she wished to cover better those awful bags under her eyes.

“Please,” Churi’s small, hesitant voice unexpectedly broke the silence. “Promise me you’ll go and see a doctor tomorrow if you don’t feel any better.”

Jurina tilted her head towards her, caught off guard by the request. She was confident to have successfully convinced her friend there was nothing to be concerned about, but it appeared her previous words hadn’t had the desired effect. This morning, Jurina sensed the other member would never drop the subject unless she had obtained the answer she wanted. “Alright…” she relented. “I promise.”







Jurina was conscious the medication hadn’t worked as well as she anticipated when the handshake session began, and most of her previous symptoms had unfortunately not disappeared. With a heavy head and a troublesome headache that showed no intention of vanishing, she was nevertheless determined to put on a brave face, and greeted as cheerfully as possible each and single one of her fans. At first, the trick seemed to work as she managed to go through the first slot without too much difficulty.

The following one, however, proved to be more challenging.

The second slot had barely started that she began sweating abnormally, making her fear the current heat in the exhibition hall of Port Messe may not be the sole explanation for her growing discomfort. A few times, when her legs demonstrated sign of weakness and refused to fully support her frail body any longer, she took a seat to rest, but never more than a few minutes to not trouble her fans unnecessarily.

Being one of the most popular members, all her slots had sold out weeks in advance, and there was a long waiting line of fans impatient to share a few words with her. Despite all the signs indicating she badly needed to take a pause, she refused to come to such a decision yet. In nine years, it was not the first time she did a handshake session while not being completely physically fit. It surely never stopped her from conducting the handshakes until the very end…

“Hi.” She wrapped her hands gently around the next approaching fan, a young man in his twenties with black, short hair and wearing proudly a blue tee-shirt at the effigy of SKE’s ace. “Thank you for coming all this way despite the hot weather!”

“Jurina-san, I’m so happy to see you.” A broad smile plastered the male fan’s face in undeniable enthusiasm, his features nevertheless soon growing a little concerned. “Jurina-san… Are you sick? You don’t look well.”

“I don’t?” Jurina exclaimed, feigning ignorance. “Don’t worry, it’s only because of the season. I’m fine!”

“Oh… okay.” The male fan was swayed easily by his oshi’s charming smile. “I wanted to ask… Is it true what the article is saying about Rena-san?”

Jurina stiffened at the unpredictable mention of the graduated member. This morning, she had discussed various topics with her fans, but the older Matsui had never been a subject of conversation. Until now. “What are you talking about?” she asked, a mix of confusion and curiosity filling her voice.

“Ah, you still don’t know.” The fan’s eyes lit up in realization. “Bunshun published an article a few minutes ago. It says-”

Unfortunately, the male fan didn’t have the opportunity to explain further that the guard had moved forward and grabbed his arm, clear sign that the five seconds were over and his time was up. Having no choice but to abide to the rule, the fan opened his mouth to say goodbye, but Jurina intervened. “No, wait. Let him finish.”

The guard, who was about to drag the male fan away, stilled at once, casting Jurina a startled look at the unexpected interruption. Without a protest, he retracted his fingers and took a step back, enabling the SKE member to bring her full attention back to the fan. “Bunshun released an article about Rena?” She repeated, unease spreading through her chest. Experience had taught her the tabloid enjoyed intruding into people’s personal lives, and hearing the infamous name being associated with the young actress troubled her. “What does it say?”

“They took pictures of Rena-san with Yosuke-san in Tokyo.” The fan, who was pleased to have earned a few more seconds with his favorite member, didn’t wait to reveal. “The article says they are dating.”

Jurina widened her eyes, unconsciously loosening her grip around the fan’s hands. Processing the words he had uttered, her instincts were screaming at her not to trust any of it. After all, it wasn’t the first time Bunshun created fake scandals. On the shooting of Destiny, they had already used the excuse of a simple dinner between colleagues to spread the false rumor that they were dating. But it was more than a year ago… Why on earth was Bunshun coming up with this same silly story again?

Back then, Rena hadn’t waited to deny any involvement with the male star, her short but unambiguous tweet thankfully putting an end to the foolish rumors. That’s why it made no sense whatsoever for the tabloid to target both actors again. Unless…

“What… What kind of pictures?” Jurina couldn’t help asking, a shred of doubt sweeping through her. She and Rena had broken up two months ago, and the latter never made a secret her good relationship with her Destiny partner. Not only the actress always had flattering words to say about him when they chatted on LINE, their chemistry transpired on every media they appeared together, whether press conferences, TV shows or magazines interviews.

“They weren’t kissing but… they seemed really close,” the fan answered, a little uncertain to continue when he noticed a flash of apprehension in the idol’s eyes. “I don’t know if it’s true, that’s why I wanted to ask your opinion about it.”

The guard, who had kept quiet until now, stepped forward again, and Jurina didn’t oppose any resistance this time when he pulled them apart. Already, the next fan in line was approaching but Jurina was far too distracted, incapable of getting out of her head the information she had received. Right now, and against her better judgment, she wanted nothing more but to get her hands on that article and see the pictures.

Attest for herself if something was indeed going on between Rena and Yosuke.

“I need to take a break,” Jurina whispered to herself when a shiver ran through her body. Burying her burning forehead in one hand, she clutched the railing before her for support with the other. Against all hope, her health was not improving in the least as the morning was going by. Worse, it was now asking her all the effort in the world to remain standing still on her feet without wobbling.

“I will make a short pause,” she repeated decidedly, loud enough for the guard to catch it, before shooting the next fan in line an embarrassed, apologetic look. “I’m so sorry… please wait for me.”

Taking an unstable step back, she turned around and began walking towards the direction of the rest area. The following seconds went by like a flash. From her left, she noticed her manager drawing close, vaguely registering the latter inquiring what was wrong. She never had the chance to reply. Feeling her strength failing her, her eyes shut without her consent as she collapsed on the floor.







Jurina blinked her eyes in an effort to wake up. Slowly and progressively, her sight adjusted better to her surroundings, heaving out a discouraged sigh when she took in the white, aseptic room surrounding her. No matter how many times she had ended at the hospital those last nine years, she still couldn’t manage to get used to the place, loathing coming here as much as the first day. Being stuck here, lying in a bed too narrow and firm, and wearing nothing more but a thin and irritating blue hospital gown, only served to remind her of the fragile nature of her health. 

A weak body that, annoyingly, seemed to take some malicious delight in constantly failing her when she needed it the most.

Jurina stared helplessly at the ceiling above her head, before distractingly casting a glance at the square window on her left. It was getting dark outside, the partial obscurity indicating her that she had slept most of the afternoon. Taking a nap never was her intention in the first place, but her fatigue had gotten the best of her, succumbing to her heavy eyelids after the nurse had entered her room to remove the lunch tray.

If truth be told, she continued to feel extremely sleepy. Keeping her eyes open proved to be a complicated task, and her numbed muscles didn’t seem ready for any kind of effort. Yet, she refused to listen to her body’s wishes, aware she would have real trouble finding sleep tonight otherwise. Reaching for the bedside table on her right, her fingers encountered a familiar rectangular device, pushing the middle button to raise the head end of the bed. Once at adequate height, her cellphone lying on the corner caught her attention and she took a curious look at it, horrified when she discovered how many new messages she had received.

Scrolling through them, she made a mental note to reply later to the work-related messages, lingering on the personal ones. Amongst the vast quantity of messages from SKE members wishing her a quick recovery, she noted a few from Mayu, Mariko and Churi, as well as her mother. Carefully placing the device back on the table, she couldn’t help feeling a tinge of disappointment at the absence of message from a certain person, until realizing it was foolish and senseless of her to expect a message from Rena. In two months, the other girl hadn’t contacted her once. Why would she come out of her silence now?

Not wishing to dwell on the painful reality as it inevitably brought out her melancholic side, she tried to focus on positive thoughts, and to rejoice at the notion that Churi would be visiting her in an hour. For two days straight, she had been glued to this bed, fighting a strenuous battle against the fever that had struck her without warning during handshake. Crammed with antibiotics, her body temperature had now thankfully dropped, her cold equally almost a bad souvenir. However, it would be presumptuous to affirm she had already fully recuperated.

Yesterday, when the doctor had paid her a visit, he had manifested his desire to keep her at the hospital for at least two more days, concerned about the results of her blood analysis and the low levels of iron in her blood. Jurina would always remember the stern look on Churi’s face when she came to hear about the doctor’s predictable diagnostic.

Anemia.

Jurina had accepted her friend’s scolding without complaining, not having the will and even less the strength to contradict her. Even though her pride prevented her from admitting it out loud, she knew deep down her friend was perfectly right: she hadn’t taken good care of herself lately. Persuading the doctor to discharge her from hospital didn’t even cross her mind; she guessed he would be reluctant to agree anyway considering her medical history. Even if she was aware of the countless problems her absence was causing, she wasn’t in position of winning this battle.

These last two months, she had buried herself in her work, not counting her hours and never refusing extra workload. It appeared she had pushed her body to its limits once again and it was requesting a necessary respite. In the past, she ignored him easily when he dared making such bold demands. As the ace of SKE, she couldn’t afford to rest or take a break. The weight of her responsibilities was too great; people had placed so much faith in her. But, more than anything, she wanted to reflect the perfect image of an idol: professional, hard-working, and not afraid of outdoing herself to deliver the best performances and satisfy the audience.

Maybe had she reached a higher level of maturity, enabling her to ultimately learn from her past mistakes. Or maybe was she solely too physically and mentally exhausted to protest this time. Nevermind the reason prevailing, she didn’t oppose any resistance to the doctor’s wishes, and agreed to stay under medical surveillance for a little while longer.

Looking up to the television hanging from the wall opposite her, Jurina grabbed the remote control from the bedside table, in the hope the activity would successfully keep her awake. As she was about to switch the television on, her attention was caught by the sound of light footsteps approaching in the corridor, and stopping in front of her door. Believing she had a new visitor, Jurina revised her plans and waited in anticipation for the person to manifest herself, but was perplexed when the door didn’t open as she predicted.

For an instant, she wondered if maybe the newcomer had gotten the wrong room number and was progressively realizing their mistake, leading them to shortly turn on their heels. The stranger’s odd behavior, who was neither entering or drawing away, but standing immobile on the opposite side of the door, began to unsettle her. Settling down the remote control on the bedsheet, Jurina straightened up and spoke up. “Who’s here?”

Her intervention produced the anticipated result as the door slid opened, revealing a feminine silhouette that made her heart stop.   

A beautiful slightly pale face she could recognize easily anywhere, even amongst the densest crowd. Long, black shiny hair that fell down her chest, and covered a short-sleeved red summer blouse. But, most of all, gentle small brown eyes that kept on haunting her days even after two, long months of separation. Jurina was frozen in place as her new visitor approached, asking herself if her imagination was not playing tricks on her mind, and this improbable scene was not in fact a mirage.

Because there was no way Rena could have just walked in her hospital room.




TO BE CONTINUED
« Last Edit: December 12, 2017, 03:30:52 PM by sophcaro »
My WMatsui fanfics:

HEARTBEAT trilogy
- Heartbeat | Completed
- Partners | Completed
- Destiny | Completed

OTHER FANFICS
- Warriors | Ongoing
- Back in Time | Ongoing
- One Shot collection: Her Sun | Completed
- Fire and Water | On hiatus

JPHiP Radio (20/200 @ 128 kbs)     Now playing: Toe - Goodbye (album version)