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Author Topic: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (41/41 END) [WMatsui] - REPLIES  (Read 311068 times)

Offline Genkikid

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Now JuriRena have tried to be considerate of each other's line of business since they're not in the same group anymore

Offline genkingblack

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New face has been a big problem not only SKE but AKB too
Well kinda hard for fans to adapt with new face, not only WMatsui was huge thing

Well...... Are they sure that no one saw their 'kiss'  on outside?

For some reason i thought Rena was going to have bed scene  :lol:
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Offline Bukiyou Taiyou

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Poor Ayuka. It's nice that Jurina stayed by her side. No one knows better than Jurina when it comes to the burden as a new center.

Well...... Are they sure that no one saw their 'kiss'  on outside?

WHAT IF Shukan Bunshun saw them? :scared:
It's gonna be a disaster for both of Matsui, especially for their career.

Hours of chatting could simply never replace your girlfriend’s gentle kisses or her warm embrace.
It's not the first time they separated because of Rena's work. And Osaka is only a bit farther than Kyoto. I believe they'll survive. :farofflook:


Offline Minami-chan

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Great, new episode.
This quiet night I'll read it.

Offline Minami-chan

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Let's hope Jurina knows how to handle the distance well.

Offline Guacamoolee

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Another separation... Okay... Just like Jurina, I'm so not ready for this  :cry:
I wish Rena stayed a little longer  :gyaaah:

I don't know why but when I read this:
Jurina hummed lightly as she listened to the older girl whispering gentle, soothing words in her ear, trying to take the most of their last moment together.
A scene of two figures saying goodbye to each other in the middle of the cold winter always flashing in my mind and I instantly get so overwhelmed. It's not so sad but it's not a happy moment too... It's just... ugh... You know.... It's so hard to explain... Okay, I'll leave it to you  :gmon tears: 

Anyway, about Ayuka... I think management should give her more chances though we know things might not get easier easily. The group really needs a reformation. Letting another already famous member as center might not a good choice because mostly they're not young anymore and they might leave the group anytime. So why not start to prepare the future center for the group? And I still think that Ayuka will get through this rough time  :cool1:

Offline sophcaro

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CHAPTER 16



Osaka.

Rena lifted the curtain to take a curious peek outside, admiring the city from the view of her hotel room. When was the last time she had been to Osaka? Ah yes, a few years ago, Rena recalled progressively. It was a very distant memory, and she unfortunately didn’t have time to really visit the city, engrossed by her work as member of SKE. Would she this time be able to appreciate the city a little more? Or was she forever fated to only catch a glimpse of it through the window of a taxi?

In Kyoto, she certainly didn’t have the luxury of enjoying the wonders of Japan’s old capital, considering her time was mostly divided between her hotel room and the shooting location. Jurina’s unexpected visit during her birthday had been a real breath of fresh air. She wasn’t supposed to spend more than a month in Osaka, but she secretly hoped circumstances would allow her to have a little freer time.

The older Matsui turned on her heels, gazing back at the script waiting for her on the small table. Reducing the distance, she pulled a chair and took a seat, soon turning the first pages to review her notes carefully. In little less than an hour, she was expected in the director’s office to discuss a few matters regarding her role.

She hadn’t signed the contract yet, but it was only a formality. She wanted to be part of that project, and only a couple of things needed to be cleared before she could officially accept. After finishing going through the script one last time she diverted her attention to her phone, wondering what Jurina was up to this morning.

Grabbing the device, she texted her girlfriend to inform her of her imminent appointment with the movie director, and that she would tell her how it went afterwards. Once the message was sent she shut her phone, not wishing to take the risk of having it ring later during the important meeting.

Matsumoto-san was quite an enthusiastic 40 years old director, Rena discovered when she entered his office a while later. Indeed, she was barely seated that compliments came one after another, the man having evidently enjoyed very much her performance on Destiny. In fact, the director wasn’t shy in admitting that he immediately had her in mind when the script fell into his hands. Rena was more than surprised to hear that, but also felt deeply touched.

After that, they went over a few matters regarding the script, and the director quickly managed to put her at ease. Her mind was already made when she left his office, and she parted with the director. Not only had he kindly replied to all her questions and successfully managed to alleviate a few doubts she still had, she found the role truly interesting. She couldn’t think of one good reason to refuse it.

To be honest, she had missed acting these last four months. Of course, she had enjoyed spending time by Jurina’s side, and she didn’t regret her decision to stay in Nagoya. However, there was no denying she was truly at her happiest when she was in front of a camera. Shooting commercials, doing photoshoots or participating to television programs were activities she didn’t mind, but nothing was more exhilarating than putting herself into a character’s shoes. With that new role, she was able to demonstrate her talents again, even though she sensed no role would ever be able to match her previous great experience on the shooting of Destiny.

It was past noon when she took the direction of her hotel, her first instinct being to switch her phone on when she found herself in the taxi. She didn’t think too much of it when her previous message hadn’t received a reply yet, figuring Jurina must have been very busy all morning. She sent her a short text to inform her she would sign the contract tomorrow, and would give her more information once she would know more about the exact duration of the shooting.

On her way back to the hotel she noticed a few restaurants, and briefly considered going out for lunch. She had the entire afternoon free; there was no rush. In the end, she disregarded this idea, opting instead for simple room service in her quiet hotel room.

As soon as she closed the hotel room’s door and removed her coat, the sound of her phone ringing distracted her. Believing it was Jurina calling her back she immediately grabbed her phone, before realizing her prediction was all wrong by her best friend’s name flashing on the screen. The last time she had been in touch with Airi was last week, when they went out to a restaurant in Nagoya for a casual dinner between friends.

"Hi, Rena…" Airi’s voice sounded as soon as she picked up.

“Hello Airin,” Rena replied enthusiastically, making herself comfortable on the bed. “I’ve arrived yesterday evening in Osaka. The meeting with the director went very well. I’m signing the contract tomorrow.”

Rena expected her friend to congratulate her, but to her surprise her announcement was received with nothing but complete silence. The older Matsui frowned, wondering why her best friend was not saying anything. Now that she thought about it, she seemed a bit tense when she picked up a few seconds ago. “Airin? Are you alright?”

When her question didn’t receive any reply, the older Matsui immediately grew concerned, fearing her friend may have received some bad news recently. Had her contract with Weekly Shonen Jump not been renewed? For a little more than a year now, Airi had been drawing a weekly comic strip for the magazine, and it still hadn’t been confirmed whether they would renew her contract or not. 

Rena could see that her friend was a little stressed about it when they met at a restaurant last week. Airi enjoyed working on that comic strip, and it had been well received by readers. However, Rena was well aware nothing was set in stone when it came to this business. A change in the editorial line. A preference for another artist. No matter how hardworking you proved to be, you were never immune to a sudden replacement.

“I’m fine. I was calling to see how you were doing…” Airi’s hesitant voice finally broke the silence. “But now, I can see you still don’t know what happened.”

“I’m sorry?” Rena was more than confused by her friend’s enigmatic words. Until now, she believed the matter to be related to her friend’s work, but it appeared she had been completely off-track. Why was she asking her if she was fine? What was she supposed to know that she apparently ignored?

“Something… something happened this morning,” Airi started to explain, but couldn’t find the strength in her to continue. “I can’t believe I’m the one announcing you such a thing. It shouldn’t be me. It… It can’t be me.”

There was a pause at the end of the line, and Rena’s perplexity increased a notch. Just as she was about to her ask further explanations she received a double call, and noted her agent was trying to reach her. She pondered putting Airi on hold for a brief moment to discover what her agent wanted, before figuring out she probably wished to talk about the signing of the new contract, and therefore concluded their conversation could wait.

Airi, on the contrary, couldn’t. She was behaving way too oddly for her liking, and was manifestly on the verge of sharing something very important with her. Rena found herself torn between her wish to know more about it, and the fear it was something serious. When was the last time Airi had acted so nervous with her? Ah yes, when she confessed her feelings two years ago.

“You’re starting to scare me a little,” Rena admitted, when her friend remained desperately silent. Airi was one of the persons she trusted the most in this world, and she certainly had confided in her more than with anyone else. Whatever the issue may be, she shouldn’t be so afraid to tell her. “Tell me what happened.”

“Rena…” The older Matsui felt apprehensive when her friend uttered her name so hesitantly. She had not a clue what she was having so much difficulty to announce, but a little voice inside her head was starting to tell her it couldn’t be very good for Airi to be beating about the bush in such an unusual way. “This morning, an article about Jurina and you came out. Bunshun… they took pictures.”

Rena froze instantly. For Airi’s tone to be so serious, she deduced it couldn’t just be innocent pictures of them hanging out. Not only Jurina and her never held hands in public, they even less kissed out in the open. For them to be featured in the magazine famous for creating scandals, it had to be something more explicit.

Last evening’s incident came to the forefront of her mind, when she had parted ways with Jurina and the latter had kissed her out of impulse. The moment had been quickly forgotten and she had relaxed almost immediately, persuaded no one had witnessed such an intimate scene. Now, Airi’s words were making her fear a paparazzi may had taken advantage of the dark to hinder his presence and take compromising pictures.

“What… what do the pictures show?” Rena asked tentatively. Maybe it was wishful thinking on her behalf, but a part of her still somehow hoped they had only been caught embracing each other, and the pictures didn’t show more than a few kisses on the cheek.

“I wish I could tell you the pictures are blurry or that we don’t recognize you well but…” Airi’s discomfort was now very palpable across the phone, “both your faces are very clear. We see you kissing… intimately.”

Rena’s heart stopped. In the distance, she could vaguely hear her friend apologizing for bringing such bad news, but she was totally incapable of formulating a single word right now. Bunshun had just exposed them, and she was not naïve enough to believe they could get away with it easily. Even though it was too soon to know the extent of the damage done, there would be evident consequences.

“Jurina,” Rena whispered, widening her eyes when she realized in terror the terrible repercussions on her career as an idol. Whatever the possible consequences may be on her own career, she wasn’t an idol anymore. Yes, she was still viewed as a former idol in the eyes of many, and her fan basis was mainly composed of people who followed her when she was still a member of SKE. However, her official status had nevertheless changed when she graduated. If she wanted to date anyone, she was – technically - completely free to do so.

Jurina, on the contrary, was not. 

“I’m sorry, but I have to hang up,” Rena said, now fearing that if Airi had heard about the pictures, then the younger girl had been informed about it too. She needed to get in touch with her, and fast. “I need to contact Jurina.”

"I understand,” Airi replied slowly. “I’m very sorry to be the one announcing you this. I thought you already knew, that’s why I was calling you. I wanted to see how you were doing.”

“I know, and please stop apologizing. You did nothing wrong,” Rena tried to reassure her, sensing her friend was still feeling embarrassed and a little guilty about it. “I’ll talk to you soon. I promise.”

As soon as they hang up, Rena tried to compose herself as best as she could to think about her next move with a clear head. She knew she needed to call Jurina, but she was still having difficulty accepting what had happened. For two years, they had been very careful in public, and made sure only a few selected friends knew about the true nature of their relationship.

A few times, she had feared of losing Jurina’s affection, especially when she took the decision to graduate and the younger girl had not taken it very well. But being discovered? Never did the thought really cross her mind. They were cautious, very cautious. And one small, stupid mistake had been enough to turn their lives upside down.

“Wait. I was followed…” Rena murmured, now coming to a sudden realization. In Kyoto, Bunshun had taken pictures of Yosuke and her, using the pretext of an innocent dinner between colleagues to spread the foolish rumor that they were dating. At the time, she hadn’t been really concerned by it, and successfully put an end to the false rumor through a brief tweet. 

Much as the matter was quickly forgotten, it appeared the magazine had refused to concede defeat. After Kyoto, they had kept targeting her, in search of a juicy scoop. This time, Rena had the bad feeling the issue wouldn’t be solved so easily. If pictures were really as explicit as Airi indicated, then she had no idea how she was going to pass it as a simple, friendly encounter with the ace of SKE.

The last thing Rena wanted was to see the object of the scandal, but she knew she had no choice if she wished to assess the situation properly. She realized how truly severe it was when she accessed her Twitter account, and saw it flooded with hundreds of messages. Rumor. Pictures. Jurina. Those were the words that were repeated the most as she scrolled down. After reading a few of them, she discovered opinion seemed divided, between those who believed it was a false rumor, and others questioning the nature of her relationship with the younger Matsui.

After a little while she couldn’t take it anymore, refusing to read any longer people debating her private life with such ease, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Remembering her primary objective, she went in search of the infamous pictures, finding them unfortunately quite easily. She felt more than apprehensive when she slid down her screen to access them, completely discouraged when she realized Airi had not exaggerated. Not only you could recognize their faces despite the obscurity, they were seen kissing on one of the pictures.

Taking a better look at the pictures, she tried to figure out from where the paparazzi could possibly have taken them, before quickly giving up. Why did it matter anyway? The harm was already done. Three pictures had been taken, and one of them was definitely not innocent. Rena was conscious she would need at some point to elaborate a strategy regarding the best way to address the scandal, but she was currently incapable of clear thinking. 

The pictures vanished from her screen as she exited her Twitter account, and decided to call Jurina next. After dialing her number, she pressed the phone against her ear, still completely in the dark whether Jurina knew of the article or not. If not, then it would be very tricky to announce such a terrible thing on the phone. If she already knew, then she would have to reassure her enough to make sure her girlfriend didn’t give in to panic and take any rash decision. 

Rena waited, but the younger girl never picked up. For an instant, she thought about leaving a message about it on the voicemail, before quickly thinking against it. She needed to talk to her verbally. That’s why she opted instead for a simple, brief message, asking her calmly to call her back.

As she placed the phone onto her lap, she realized there was another important issue she needed to deal with. Tomorrow, she was supposed to sign the contract, and was expected on the shooting location at the end of the week. In the light of the recent events, the older Matsui knew she needed the reconsider her plans. 

Whether Jurina was already aware of the article or not, one thing was certain; she couldn’t let her deal with the consequences alone. SKE was already going through a rough path, and there was no doubt those pictures were not going to improve the group’s situation in the least. It wasn’t Jurina who was targeted by the magazine in the first place, but she was now involved just as much.

Staying in Osaka for a month and keep on with the shooting as originally planned was now unconceivable. Rena knew she would need to inform her agent about her sudden change of plans, but decided it could wait a few more hours. Rena stood up from the bed, walking decidedly towards her suitcase. It didn’t take very long to gather the few things scattered around the room, and she closed her suitcase once she was done. Right now, she had one goal in mind, and that was catching the next Shinkansen leaving for Nagoya.







TO BE CONTINUED
« Last Edit: December 13, 2017, 03:09:36 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 Minami-chan

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I think you just cause me a heart attack.
What an unexpected twist to the story.
Of course I did not imagine something so high, when you commented that things were going to complicate for them.

Offline Genkikid

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (16/?) [WMatsui] (30/01/2017)
« Reply #528 on: February 01, 2017, 01:43:58 AM »
The worst possibility development I've been thinking after reading the previous chapter really happen  :banghead:

Offline Bukiyou Taiyou

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (16/?) [WMatsui] (30/01/2017)
« Reply #529 on: February 02, 2017, 12:27:46 PM »
I kinda expected about Shunkan Bunshun with the kissing picts, but it's still giving me a heavy breathing. :stoned: :shock:

It's suspenseful. Like...something really serious would happen, it can affect Rena and especially Jurina.

I don't know how Jurina would cope with the situation.  :fainted:

I'm not worried about Rena, she could manage it herself. Though I think she puts her career at stake as an actress.
I mean, she would probably reject the latest project in Osaka because of the scandal. And it's not good in this business.
It's also nice to see Airin again. It's been a while. I don't like the idea that Rena lost contact with her only bestfriend. :farofflook:

Anyway, nice chapter, author-san! I like it! Can't wait for the next chapter since I have some questions on my mind.

Ps. Regarding to the scandal, somewhere some WMatsui shippers made toast while raising their glasses and said, "We've known it all along!"  :glasses:

Offline Guacamoolee

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (16/?) [WMatsui] (30/01/2017)
« Reply #530 on: February 05, 2017, 06:06:07 AM »
I wish it was real  :on drink:

Offline sophcaro

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (16/?) [WMatsui] (30/01/2017)
« Reply #531 on: February 13, 2017, 08:03:45 PM »
REPLIES TO COMMENTS


I think you just cause me a heart attack.
What an unexpected twist to the story.
Of course I did not imagine something so high, when you commented that things were going to complicate for them.

The worst possibility development I've been thinking after reading the previous chapter really happen  :banghead:

I kinda expected about Shunkan Bunshun with the kissing picts, but it's still giving me a heavy breathing. :stoned: :shock:

Sorry :nervous Yeah, I left a few hints things were going to get tough soon. The fact that Rena was already followed in chapter 10 while in Kyoto was a small hint of what was coming up, and the ending of chapter 15 finished sealing the deal...

I'm not worried about Rena, she could manage it herself. Though I think she puts her career at stake as an actress.
I mean, she would probably reject the latest project in Osaka because of the scandal. And it's not good in this business.

Rena has already decided to reject the movie role in Osaka, that's why she's coming back to Nagoya, and is planning on announcing her agent her change of plans.

It's suspenseful. Like...something really serious would happen, it can affect Rena and especially Jurina.
I don't know how Jurina would cope with the situation.  :fainted:
I'm not worried about Rena, she could manage it herself.

Well, personality-wise, they are both different, so it's obvious they are not going to react the same way to the situation. Concerning their careers, I think we can say Jurina's career is more at risk right now? Though we don't know how Rena's agency is going to react either... So a few questions are still left unanswered!

« Last Edit: April 03, 2017, 03:04:29 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

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (16/?) [WMatsui] (30/01/2017)
« Reply #532 on: February 13, 2017, 11:17:05 PM »
Sometimes a scandal has not gone so badly.
You just have to look at Sasshi's case. That was like putting together the scandals of all girls and releasing them in the form of a bomb. Her agency knew how to handle the theme and the times and instead of sinking her career, she became on the "Super Idol" she is now.
Everything will depend on the agencies, explanations and intelligent that are all that are around.

Offline sophcaro

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (16/?) [WMatsui] (30/01/2017)
« Reply #533 on: February 21, 2017, 06:09:15 PM »
CHAPTER 17



When Rena arrived in Nagoya a little while later and stepped out of the Nozomi, she grew more than concerned when she checked her phone again, and Jurina still hadn’t replied to her message or even tried to call her back. While moving towards the taxi line she decided to take advantage of the fact she was not on the train anymore to call her again, startled when it didn’t even ring a single time, but fell directly on the voicemail.

Even if the younger girl had been busy all morning, she surely had time to check her messages during pauses. She always did. A little voice inside her head was telling her this unusual lack of response couldn’t be a good sign. It was the middle of the afternoon; the possibility that Jurina had not heard of the pictures by now was very low. Could it be the reason why she has shut her phone? To not be bothered with unsolicited phone calls?

It only took half an hour for Rena to reach her apartment, and she leaned her back against the front door once she was safely inside. She let her gaze wander around her apartment mind-absently, its peacefulness a sharp contrast with her own restlessness. Since she left Osaka, the knot in her stomach had simply refused to leave her. After a little while, she removed her coat and her shoes, before deciding to empty her suitcase.

Rena waited patiently for Jurina to get back to her, but her name never flashed on her Smartphone once. As the hours passed, she considered finding out about the group’s current location, in order to meet Jurina after one of her jobs. However, she brushed away the thought quite fast, realizing it wouldn’t be very wise to be seen together in public after the recent release of the controversial pictures. It would only add fuel to the fire.

At 8 PM, and with still no news from her girlfriend, Rena knew she couldn’t stay idle anymore. Given that she systematically fell on Jurina’s voicemail each time she tried to reach her, she realized she had to find another way to get in touch with her. One name came swiftly to her mind when she searched who could possibly be aware of SKE’s ace whereabouts, and she grabbed her phone to send a short text to Akane. Somehow, she had a good feeling the latter would provide her with the information she needed.

Her instinct didn’t betray her. Only a few minutes passed before she heard her phone beeping, and she gave her undivided attention to the text she had received from Jurina’s friend. Hi, Rena. Jurina is staying at my place tonight.

Rena processed the revelation. It definitely wasn’t the first time Jurina had a sleepover at Akane’s place – she had done it plenty of times in the past – but Rena was conscious it couldn’t be a mere coincidence for Jurina to choose to sleep at her friend’s apartment that evening in particular. Now, no doubt was possible; Jurina was definitely aware of the article.

Rena swallowed back a lump in her throat, fearing her girlfriend was not in a good emotional state right now. More than anything, she was relieved she was not going through this difficult time alone, but had her trusted friend Akane by her side right now. However, now that she had discovered Jurina’s specific location, she categorically refused to let another hour pass without seeing her.







“R-Rena?” Churi blurted out in surprise when she rang at Akane’s apartment a little while later, and the latter opened the door. “Jurina told me you were shooting a movie in Osaka. I had no idea you were back in Nagoya…”

Ah yes, that’s right, Rena realized when she noted Akane’s very confused expression. When she sent Jurina the short message asking to call her back, she still hadn’t taken such decision yet. And after that, she unfortunately never managed to reach the other girl. “Hi Akane,” Rena inclined her head slightly, now feeling slightly guilty for not announcing her arrival beforehand. “I’m sorry for coming uninvited, but… can I see Jurina?”

“Of course,” Akane nodded and opened the door wider, taking a step aside. “Come in.”

Rena’s eyes wandered briefly around the apartment she was discovering for the first time. Even though she had never visited the other SKE member before, Jurina had one day communicated Akane’s address, and she was thankful for the fact their apartments were not very far from each other. However, she didn’t take time to really study the place in detail. Unfortunately, she wasn’t here for a friendly visit, but was in search of a certain someone who didn’t appear to be present right now. Intrigued, she focused her attention back on Akane. “I’m sorry but… where is Jurina?”

“Ah.” Akane turned around slightly, motioning a door a bit further away on the left. “She’s resting in my bedroom. But before you go and see her, I have to warn you. She’s not… well.”

Akane’s statement was not that surprising considering the circumstances, but her concern nevertheless grew a notch at her words. Now, she really dreaded what she was going to discover behind that door. How badly had Jurina reacted to the news?

“Thank you for being here for her,” Rena said in all honesty, putting her fears momentarily at the back of her head to show her gratitude towards her host.

“Jurina is my friend.” The other girl shook her head lightly. “I will always be present whenever she needs me.”

A smile moved to Rena’s lips, her words only serving in reinforcing what she already knew regarding Akane’s personality. When it came to Jurina, she was truly a trusted and dedicated friend. Without her consent, her eyes soon flickered over to the shut door behind Akane’s shoulder, and she didn’t wait any longer when Akane invited her to go and see Jurina.

Tentatively, she opened the bedroom door slowly, her feet pausing on the floor when she stepped inside, and her eyes needed a few seconds to adjust to the obscurity greeting her. Apart from the light of a small bedside lamp table, the room was plunged into darkness. Once she was able to discern things better around her, her attention got drawn to a form laying on the bed. For an instant, the older Matsui wondered if the younger girl hadn’t fallen asleep, considering she was completely still underneath the blanket.

Wishing to assess it for herself she walked towards the bed carefully, her predictions ending up being all wrong when the mattress started shifting at the sound of her approach, and two eyes glanced back at her in incredulity. “R-Rena? What… what are you doing in Nagoya?”

The older Matsui took a seat on the side of the bed but didn’t reply straight away, her heart sinking at the painful view offered to her. Despite the partial darkness, she could distinguish easily her girlfriend’s puffy eyes through the dim light, evident proof that those last few hours had definitely not been easy on the member’s emotional state. How long had she been crying? Had her good friend Akane been here to comfort her or had she stubbornly tried to remain strong and hidden her tears from others?

When Jurina straightened up on the bed Rena didn’t think twice, and pulled her into a hug. The embrace was returned immediately, and Rena didn’t miss the feeling of Jurina’s fingers clutching the back of her vest.

“I left Osaka as soon as I heard the news. I had to see you,” Rena explained, caressing her back gently. “Didn’t you get my message? Why did you shut your phone all day?”

“I…” Jurina’s voice was small and hesitant when it sounded against her ear, “When I listened to your message, I was still very busy with work. I was going to call you back later once I would have more free time, but then I heard about the article and I was completely… I couldn’t even…”

“I understand,” Rena interrupted her gently when the other girl was beginning to have difficulty formulating coherent sentences. It was not hard to guess the younger girl was probably reliving the moment as she was speaking, and Rena couldn’t imagine how hard it must have been for her to keep doing her job with a smile on her face after the terrible news.

“I-I can’t believe this is happening,” Jurina spoke up after a little while, and the tremble in her voice taught her the younger girl was evidently still in a very fragile emotional state. “W-Why us? Why now?”

Rena tightened her hold when she could sense the other girl was letting her emotions out, and now on the verge of tears. More than anything, she wanted to reassure her that everything was going to be alright, but she couldn’t bring herself to give her false hopes. Not only didn’t she have answers to those questions, she wasn’t naïve enough to believe there wouldn’t be consequences after the release of the article.

“We have no other choice but to wait…” Rena confessed painfully, not liking one bit being so powerless. Unfortunately, it was completely out of their hands, and it was still too soon to know the impact the article was going to have on both their careers.

“What if they ask me to graduate?” Jurina’s voice suddenly pitched up in despair.

Jurina’s question didn’t come from left field: she knew it was one of her deepest fears. Jurina loved SKE with all of her heart; she had given so much to the group since its creation in 2008. If their producer came to such a drastic decision, there was no doubt it would devastate her completely. Having the ace of SKE forced to graduate prematurely due to scandal reasons would also evidently tarnish the group’s image, and fragilize its situation even more. If such a thing happened, Jurina would never forgive herself.

Rena was no fortune teller; she had no idea what decision management would take in the light of the recent compromising pictures. However, even though Jurina’s fears were legitimate, her pragmatic side was telling her management wouldn’t go to such length as asking Jurina to leave. Of course, this article was not a small issue you could sweep under the carpet discreetly. However, one thing was certain: as leading figure, Jurina was essential to SKE. Losing her right now would be a real blow, and maybe even sign the end of the group’s existence.

Was management really ready to take such a huge risk?

Rena disentangled herself from her girlfriend’s embrace, reading her dismay when they looked into each other’s eyes. Reaching for her hand she laced their fingers together, trying to sound as reassuring as possible when she replied. “I don’t know what decision our producer will take, but I don’t think they will ask you to graduate. I really don’t.”

Jurina shook her head in disagreement. “How can you be so optimistic… Did you see the pictures? They won’t ignore them.”

“No, they won’t…” Rena admitted, the truth impossible to deny. “But this is business and they can’t afford to let you go.”

Rena felt Jurina’s fingers slipping away from her grasp, and she watched her in concern when the latter averted her gaze. By her desperate look, she knew she had unfortunately failed to convince her. Right now, Jurina was too scared of being expelled from the group to contemplate any other positive outcome. But could she really blame her for that?

“This… this is all my fault,” Jurina’s voice quivered. “If I hadn’t kissed you… none of this would have happened.”

“Jurina…” Rena shook her head, catching her hand and giving it a light squeeze when she noticed tears forming in her eyes. “Don’t say that. You’re not responsible.”

“Of course I am,” came Jurina’s stubborn reply, glancing back at her at once. “I was stupid and put us both in danger. What if you’re forced to change agency because of me? What if it affects your acting career? What if-”

“Please stop,” Rena cut her off, refusing to hear any longer her girlfriend putting all the blame on herself. Extending her arm, she brushed away the tears now sliding down her cheeks, her voice full of determination when she continued. “I’m calling my agent tomorrow to refuse the role in Osaka. If Grick doesn’t want me anymore, I’m sure she won’t wait very long to inform me about it. If that’s the case, then I’ll just have to find another agency.”

“You’re not doing the shooting?!” Jurina stared back at her in shock. “Don’t do that, Rena. If you refuse that role-”

Rena pressed a finger against her lips hurriedly. “I know there may be consequences on my career because of the pictures, but it’s not something I have any control over. Whatever the consequences may be, I will deal with them. But there’s one thing I won’t change my mind about: I’m not letting you deal with this situation alone. We’ve been together for two years, and I love you. You are more important than a simple job.”

Jurina’s lips were not very cooperative when she leaned forward to kiss her, and it was easy to guess the younger girl didn’t approve of her decision. To be honest, she half expected her to insist when she pulled away, but the latter had a somewhat resigned look on her face when their eyes met. “You can be so stubborn sometimes.”

The affirmation made Rena smile. “Look who’s talking. Jurina Matsui, the most stubborn person I’ve ever met in my entire life.”

A smile inadvertently fell on Jurina’s lips and she pulled the older girl towards her, capturing her lips into a tender kiss. “I love you too, Rena. I love you so much…”

Rena tangled her fingers in Jurina’s hair when the latter leaned her head against her shoulder and they remained in that position for a while, relishing quietly the presence of the other. As the minutes passed, Rena could tell the younger girl had calmed down considerably, and she came to believe maybe consequences wouldn’t be so bad after all.

A few girls had been involved in scandals these last years, and management seemed more and more lenient over the years when dealing with those tricky cases. Rena believed it strongly when she previously claimed they wouldn’t ask Jurina to graduate. Not only was she the figurehead of SKE, there was no denying she was also one of the members the producer liked the most.

Noise coming from the kitchen suddenly caught Rena’s attention, reminding her of Akane’s presence in the apartment, and of the late hour. “Have you eaten yet?”

“No…” Jurina’s admission didn’t really surprise her. “I haven’t been able to eat a single thing since…”

Rena pulled away and stood up from the bed, giving her hand a light tug. “Let’s go and eat something.”

At first, her offer was met with resistance as the younger girl simply didn’t bulge from the bed, until a second more firm pulling of her hand managed to do the trick, and Jurina followed her quite reluctantly outside the bedroom.







The following day, it was almost noon when Rena decided to finally call her agent back. Until now, she had ignored deliberately the message the older woman had left on her voicemail, deciding it was fundamental to meet and have a talk with Jurina before anything else. After dinner, she had left Jurina behind at Akane’s apartment, both agreeing it wouldn’t be wise for the younger girl to come back with her to her place.

When Rena took a seat on the sofa and grabbed her phone, she decided to carefully review one last time in her head what she was going to announce her agent, before making the call.

“Hello, Rena,” the familiar voice sounded a few seconds later on the other side of the line. “Have you arrived well in Nagoya?”

“Yes, yesterday afternoon,” the young actress replied, noting her interlocutor’s calm and polite tone. Under other circumstances, she wouldn’t have think anything of it but today, it caught her slightly off guard. If she didn’t know any better, she could easily think her agent was still completely in the dark, and the news of the article had not reached her yet. “I was calling to inform you I’m not going to sign the contract. I’m really sorry for the inconvenience.”

There was no reply, and the older Matsui held her breath in anticipation, unsure how the older woman was going to receive the news. Until now, she had always supported her decisions, even when she unexpectedly told her she wanted to stay in Nagoya for a few months at the end of the shooting of Destiny.

But this was an unforeseen situation: never had she changed her mind at the last minute, just before the signing of a contract. Rena was a decisive person: once her mind was made, she never moved backwards. Much as it certainly didn’t please her to backtrack in such an unprofessional way, she didn’t see any other option.

“I spoke on the phone with the director earlier on,” her agent said at last. “He reaffirmed his deep wish to have you as leading actress of his movie. I really think you should accept the role.”

Rena processed the piece of information, reading behind the lines easily. Indirectly, her agent was informing her that - even though the director was definitely aware of the article - he was choosing not to pay attention to the rumors. A part of her definitely felt bad for letting him down, especially when he was still relying on her so much.

However, much as mulled it over in her head, she couldn’t think of any alternative. Of course, she could always visit Jurina on the week-end, as both cities were only one hour away by train. Much as it definitely was a possibility, she quickly brushed it away. Once she would have signed the contract, there would be no turning back. If something serious happened to Jurina while she was away, she would be bind by her contract and completely stuck in Osaka.

To be honest, it wasn’t the sole reason why she was refusing the role. Since the article got released, she had difficulty focusing on anything else. Given the fact the shooting was supposed to start at the end of the week, she seriously feared she would have a hard time doing her job properly when her mind was not at it.

The director had picked her because he had admired her work on Destiny. As a result, she owed him exactly the same: a flawless performance. No middle ground was conceivable and even less acceptable. If she was incapable to give her everything in that role, then another actress had to replace her.

“I’m truly sorry…” Rena acknowledged her agent’s attempt to make her change her mind, and couldn’t hold it against her. After all, she was doing exactly the job required from an agent: guide their clients, and make sure they took the best decisions when it came to their professional career. “I will call the director in person to apologize.”

“I just don’t want you to regret it later. The agency is supporting you no matter what, but… as your agent, I wouldn’t advise you to stay in Nagoya right now. I know Jurina and you are close, but I think it would be best to put some distance with her. At least, until things have settled down a little.”

Close.

Rena didn’t know what to think when her agent used that very neutral word to describe her relationship with the other girl. Oh no, she definitely never told her agent they were both romantically involved. That was a piece of information she had carefully kept to herself all this time, firmly convinced her private life was no one’s business. In fact, the younger girl had very rarely been a subject of topic these last years, except on a professional level when they were supposed to do a job together.

Did her agent believe the conclusions drawn by the article, and supported by the compromising pictures? Or did she, like a certain part of her fanbase, disregard them as ridiculous rumors? The older Matsui had not a clue, but she had no intention of asking. Nevertheless, one piece of information surely didn’t escape her keen hearing. Despite the article, it appeared her agency had decided to keep on supporting her.

She had been mentally prepared to change agency if needed, and the knowledge she wouldn’t have to go through such trouble relieved her. Somehow, this positive outcome made her hope the article might not have too many repercussions on her actress career after all.

“I’m really thankful for your guidance,” Rena replied in all honesty. Until now, her agent had always given her sound advice, and she was definitely grateful for that. For nothing in the world, she would want to replace her. But in that case in particular, she had no choice but to go against her wishes. “I was truly looking forward to working with Matsumoto-san, but I have to decline that role.”

After those last words, Rena didn’t hear her agent insisting again. Whether she agreed with her final decision or not the older woman kept her thoughts to herself carefully, and they hang up a few seconds later. Rena let out a small sigh in relief, glad the matter was finally over. It had not been an easy announcement to make, but she was convinced it was the right thing to do.

While she was resting on the sofa Rena started feeling the effects of her very short night, and she had to blink a few times to try hard to stay awake. No, she had not slept a lot the previous night…

After placing her phone on the coffee table, she laid down, deciding to take a small nap. Staring mind-absently at the ceiling of her living room, it didn’t take long before her thoughts drifted to Jurina and - as her eyelids closed progressively – hoped deep down she would also soon receive reassuring news.






It was the sound of her phone beeping that woke her up. Given the fact she was still feeling terribly sleepy when she opened her eyes tentatively, she figured she mustn’t have slept a lot. A fact that got confirmed when she realized it was still broad daylight, and the time on the clock in her living room indicated it was the beginning of the afternoon.

Once her eyes got accustomed to the light better, she extended her arm towards the table to reach for her phone, a little frustrated by the unwilling disturbance. Why didn’t she mute the sound on her phone earlier on? She was sleeping so well. All negative thoughts vanished when she realized it was a text from Jurina, and she straightened up on the sofa to read it.

When she read the three little words written in her message, her heart stopped.

They suspended me.






TO BE CONTINUED
« Last Edit: December 13, 2017, 03:11:28 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 Minami-chan

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (16/?) [WMatsui] (30/01/2017)
« Reply #534 on: February 22, 2017, 12:09:40 AM »


They suspended me.



 :fainted: :fainted: :fainted:
 :err: :err: :err:
 :frustrated: :frustrated: :frustrated:

Suspend her?
But are they idiots? What are they thinking?
Please, if Miichan hunted her out of an guy's house to spend the night!
How can they suspend the last remaining of the Golden Age of AKB! (Not counting Mayu and Yukirin)

Offline Genkikid

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (17/?) [WMatsui] (21/02/2017)
« Reply #535 on: February 22, 2017, 08:48:27 AM »
 :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Offline thepiedoctor

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (17/?) [WMatsui] (21/02/2017)
« Reply #536 on: February 24, 2017, 10:33:55 AM »
Why suspend her? The group is in such a delicate situation already.  :?

Offline Guacamoolee

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (17/?) [WMatsui] (21/02/2017)
« Reply #537 on: February 25, 2017, 01:35:03 PM »
Jurina must be feel so guilty about the news. I kinda expected her to blame herself :nervous and it's not too hard to imagine how broken she is :cry: sometimes I wanna give this kid a pat on her back but I know she'll be happier if Rena were the one who did that xD
Thankfully our older Matsui is always there to help her through the rough time. Our typical cool headed Rena. I'm not surprise with the way she reacted to the news.
Somehow I can feel it how Rena is the biggest support for Jurina. even in real life too. several years ago. but she left her.okay.enough.please stop.

Management suspended Jurina is NONSENSE! But it's still better than if she had to transfer to another sister group like they did when they found out about Sasshi's scandal. Because I can't even imagine if Jurina were transferred to JKT48 :mon mischief:

Offline Bukiyou Taiyou

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (17/?) [WMatsui] (21/02/2017)
« Reply #538 on: February 27, 2017, 02:18:44 PM »
WHAT :shock:

The management was bold enough to suspend the CENTER of the group. I could practically hear the SKE48 ship is sinking.
The good news is...Jurina could spend more time with Rena?
Or it could be worse. Jurina wouldn't want to meet Rena until the chaos is over.  :err:
I understand that Jurina put the blame on herself. She is always a responsible person; it's her nature.
I love how Rena could take the problem calmly; at least in front of Jurina. That's exactly what Jurina needed at the moment.
Let's not forget that Churi also played a good role as her friend.
I kinda wondered what Churi was doing when both Matsui were in a room of her apartment.  :on lol:

*in a very dramatic voice* Is destiny against them now? Will both Matsui survive the storm?

Ps. For a very personal reason, I don't mind if Jurina is transferred to JKT48.
Because I can't even imagine if Jurina were transferred to JKT48 :mon mischief:

Pps. Thanks for the update, author-san

Offline genkingblack

  • not hiatus/abandon my fics but really have no time to write.
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    • genkingblack
Hello there, it's been a while since my last comment.
Looks like i missed quite lot chapter

Look! My hunch was right  :lol:
Now i am getting worried again, in real life of course they won't touch Jurina if she is really having scandal.

Let's see how those two cope with this problem.

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
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