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Author Topic: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (41/41 END) [WMatsui] - REPLIES  (Read 311143 times)

Offline sophcaro

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (7/?) [WMatsui] (07/08/16)
« Reply #460 on: August 10, 2016, 03:57:03 PM »
REPLIES TO COMMENTS


Dear lord, this is absolutely beautiful. The way you write is amazing and makes me want to read more. I also love how you portray both their characters here. Thank you for the update author-san.  :twothumbs

Hello new reader  :welcome
Thanks for reading and commenting. I'm glad you like it  :)

THAT FIRST PART OF THIS CHAPTER GAVE ME A LITTLE HEART ATTACK!! :shocked I thought Rena will leave Jurina for real, no this can't happen in parallel universe too. :smhid Thank God they were just practicing the drama script. :bow:

Sorry about the heart attack   :P BUT I did leave a hint in chapter 6 when I said Rena liked to rehearse her lines before going on set   ;)

You got me for a second :|
It's like proposal but not so proposal. I mean the ring is huge thing right?

I know I got you. I saw your reaction on Twitter  XD
The ring is indeed a big thing for Jurina  :thumbup Although she tried to disguise it as a birthday gift, it is of course a way for her to say she's really committed.

Just like everyone else here, I found the first paragraph quite shocking. What a twist! Apparently Rena is really serious about practicing her part. She didn’t forget to go through her lines one last time, even when Jurina was around. As expected from Matsui Rena!

Rena is a serious person when it comes to her work. Always  8)
And again, I left a small hint about it in the previous chapter  :P

I almost wear shades imagining this scene. Jurina can be so bright when she smiles!

She does have a beautiful, beaming smile. I think this scene with the little boy is one of my favorites of the chapter. It's cute and I believe very Jurina to act this way. You can't possibly resist to such a smile. Even Rena knows it  XD

Jurina has bought a pair of rings!
I can not believe that rena will ignore the meaning of the rings...

Do you mean: You think Rena ignores the meaning of the rings for Jurina? Or she doesn't? Not quite sure about that  :)

« Last Edit: April 03, 2017, 04:32:52 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

Offline Minami-chan

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (7/?) [WMatsui] (07/08/16)
« Reply #461 on: August 11, 2016, 12:12:00 AM »
Jurina has bought a pair of rings!
I can not believe that rena will ignore the meaning of the rings...
Do you mean: You think Rena ignores the meaning of the rings for Jurina? Or she doesn't? Not quite sure about that  :)

I just hope that Rena not ignore the significance of this rings.

Offline sophcaro

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (8/?) [WMatsui] (20/08/16)
« Reply #462 on: August 20, 2016, 07:09:04 PM »
CHAPTER 8



The melody of Kataomoi Finally came to an end and Jurina prepared herself for the final steps she was all too familiar with, executing the last move faultlessly. As the music died out and silence enveloped her she relaxed and caught her breath slightly, taking a peek at her reflection through the large mirrors of the dancing room. She had been dancing non-stop for a little more than an hour, and she could now feel beads of sweat rolling down her back underneath her short-sleeved blue tee-shirt.

Jurina cleared her throat, feeling her mouth starting to get a bit dry. The inclination to quench her thirst was becoming tempting, and she glanced briefly at the bottle of water waiting by her sports bag in a corner of the room. However, she tore her eyes away quickly from the sight, knowing rehearsal was not over yet. It was not the moment to make a pause. Her dancing partner and she - currently the only occupants of the room - still had a few more songs to rehearse together before calling it a day. That’s why she settled for simply adjusting her loose ponytail instead, and turned on her heels to select the next song.

Jurina retraced her steps back to the stereo and caught the setlist lying by its side between her fingers, going through it to discover which song they were supposed to rehearse next. Being the face of ASBee since 2010, SKE48 had naturally been asked to do a showcase for the launch of their newest pair of sneakers. The event was supposed to happen tomorrow afternoon, in the center of Nagoya. Albeit the fact the young Matsui already knew each one of those choreographies by heart, she wished to rehearse them one last time. For once, it wasn’t only her perfectionist side speaking. No, she also wished to make sure she was well synchronized with her dancing partner. The girl who had been appointed WCenter two weeks ago, when she returned from Kyoto: Akane Takayanagi.

Jurina’s eyes lit up when she read the name of the next song, knowing it was going to please her dancing partner. Oki Doki. The energetic song was one of Churi’s favorites. Without further ado, SKE’s ace pressed the corresponding number on the stereo, and went to place herself again at the right side of Churi. As predicted, a pleased expression soon plastered Churi’s face as the familiar music reverberated in the room. Their eyes met briefly through the mirror and they exchanged a smile, before getting back to the task at hand and moving along in rhythm with the joyful song.

To be honest, Jurina couldn’t have been happier with management’s decision to place Churi by her side. For so many years, Rena had been her eternal WCenter. The prospect of having someone else filling her shoes - after being used to the older Matsui’s constant presence by her side - had not reassured her in the least. Yes, she had in the past danced on a few occasions with another WCenter. It was not common, but it happened. But each time, the change of members was more than unsettling, and required evident adjustments.

That is why she felt really relieved when Churi was given Rena’s position. Not only was she going to dance alongside a dear friend, she knew she wouldn’t have to worry about her dancing. Of course, Jurina was aware that Churi would need to rehearse the songs in her new position, and a little time to fully adapt to it. But she was a fast learner. Not one minute did she doubt her friend’s ability to fill the position successfully.

Despite agreeing with management’s decision to place Churi at the front with her, Jurina was conscious nothing was eternal when positions were concerned. She didn’t want to get her hopes up and believe naively this situation was permanent. Somehow, she could tell this new combination was merely a test. Churi and her were friends and worked very well together, but none of those things mattered when it came to management’s decisions. Their sole and only concern was the image the WCenter was projecting. Did they choose a long time member - an obvious safe bet - in order not to shake things up for the audience after Rena’s recent departure? Or were they only buying themselves time to find the right girl who could replace the Nagoya princess permanently?

The senbatsu for SKE’s new single was going to be revealed at the end of the week. Jurina guessed she would get all her answers during the important announcement. If Churi was still named WCenter, then it meant management was betting on her and seriously considering making it a permanent thing. Was Churi going to be the one to fill Rena’s shoes? Management had not dropped a hint about it, even when she sneakily attempted once to get the coveted piece of information from SKE’s theater manager.

Yuasa Hiroshi remained as tight-mouthed as a clam.

Jurina had talked to Churi about it a few times, but the latter didn’t seem to mind either outcome. I really enjoy dancing by your side, the older girl had stated with enthusiasm when the subject was once broached over dinner. But if management chooses to replace me with another girl, then I’ll happily accept their decision.

The declaration had caught Jurina off guard. During the following seconds, she couldn’t help staring at her, studying her attentively as if to make sure she was saying the entire truth. Churi had uttered those words very casually, and she could tell by her relaxed expression that she was completely sincere. Somehow, it appeared Churi has no ambition whatsoever to be WCenter. Was it because of the pressure associated with such an important position?

Much as Jurina believed it could definitely be one of the reasons, another idea had progressively invaded her mind. What if Churi’s lack of ambition was motivated by a completely different reason? Until now, Jurina had kept quiet about it, and not shared her fears with her. A part of her was convinced her friend wouldn’t keep her in the dark about such an important matter. Surely, Churi would have informed her if she was contemplating leaving SKE48?







An hour and a few more songs later, they finally managed to reach the end of the setlist. Today’s fruitful rehearsal reinforced again Jurina’s deepest conviction that Churi was completely capable of assuming the role of WCenter. Jurina turned the stereo off and walked across the room, taking a seat near her sports bag and grabbing her precious bottle of water.

While taking a few sips of her drink she quietly observed her friend who was focused on reading the setlist - obviously trying to imprint in her mind the order of the songs one last time - before leaving the sheet aside and joining her. As Jurina let her gaze wander over her body, she noted quickly that the physical effort had had exactly the same consequences on her friend. Indeed, her cheeks were now slightly tainted pink and the perspiration was showing on her exposed shoulders, her green tee-shirt even sticking to her body in a few places. Manifestly, they would both need a good shower after their intense - but effective - rehearsal.

Churi pulled on the zipper of her own sports bag and started rummaging through it, her face soon creasing into a frown. Jurina gave her a curious look at such a peculiar reaction. Now, Churi’s fingers were fumbling more franticly inside the bag, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out she was failing to find what she was desperately looking for. Jurina didn’t have to wait long to discover what it was, as the other member soon voiced her frustration. “I can’t believe it. I forgot my drink again.”

Jurina’s lips tugged into an amused smile. Wasn’t it the second time such an occurrence happened these last two weeks? It appeared the older girl was extremely distracted lately, and forgot things much more than usual. Now that she thought about it, the older girl even managed to forget her pajamas when she came to spend the night at her place three days ago. “Here, take mine. I know it’s not your beloved lemon juice, but it’s the best I can offer.”

Churi let out a small laugh when Jurina winked mischievously at her, and she took the bottle she was handing to her with gratitude. “Thank you. You’re a lifesaver.”

Jurina let her enjoy the refreshment in peace and leaned her back against the wall, fluttering her eyes close as she listened distractedly to the sound of her own heart slowing down. Soon, her thoughts drifted to Churi’s recent bad habit of forgetting things, admitting it didn’t seem as anecdotic as it should. Churi was never one to have her head in the clouds. Didn’t this change in her behavior start when she was appointed WCenter? What if the stressful position was at the origin of all this?

It could make complete sense. Much as Churi was doing her best to adjust as fast as possible, it had barely been two weeks. As WCenter, her workload had tremendously increased in this short amount of time. Longer days of work, more responsibilities, greater exposure… Being in the group for so many years, Churi was now obviously used to dealing with pressure. But being WCenter was not a small, anecdotic change, no matter how experienced you may be as an idol.

Jurina became unsettled when a certain question emerged in her head. A question she had kept at the back of her mind until now, but was now burning her lips. Jurina was seriously wondering if there wasn’t more to Churi’s distracted behavior than her new position. Her curiosity was pushing her to ask, but her fear of the answer was stopping her. What if she didn’t like what she was going to hear?

Jurina gazed at her friend, who was appreciating too much the sensation of the fresh liquid against her throat to notice her internal turmoil. When she saw Churi placing the bottle of water back on the floor, she made up her mind. She had had plenty of occasions to broach the subject, but had kept quiet until now. She couldn’t stay in the dark anymore. She had to know.

Jurina could feel her heart beating faster in anticipation when she opened her mouth to speak. And the apprehension was much obvious in her slightly quivering voice when she finally let out what had been nagging her for far too long. “Churi… you’re not planning on graduating?”

Two startled eyes looked back at her at once, and Jurina could tell she had rendered her friend totally speechless. In fact, she stayed completely still, her eyes glued on her in bewilderment. It took her a few, very long seconds to finally answer. “Why would you believe that?”

“It’s this thing you said once,” Jurina explained, the words coming to the forefront of her mind as she recalled each one of them vividly. “You said it didn’t matter if you didn’t stay WCenter. It made me think that maybe… you were considering leaving.”

Jurina paused, and she saw Churi’s eyes widening progressively in realization. She didn’t know if it was due to her own slight impatience to know more about it, but it surely felt the older girl kept quiet for an eternity. Was she mulling over in her head what she had just said? Or was she trying to find the best way to announce her imminent graduation without hurting her feelings too much?

Jurina had a hard time deciphering her expression. She didn’t look embarrassed in the least, which should have comforted her in the idea that maybe she was mistaken. However, her lasting silence didn’t help ease her worry. In that intent, she repeated again her initial question that still hadn’t gotten a clear answer. “Churi, are you going to-”

She didn’t have time to finish her sentence that Churi suddenly extended her arm, and took her hand. “You have nothing to fear,” Churi affirmed, looking straight into her eyes without wavering. “I have absolutely no intention on graduating.”

Jurina immediately released a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding. A reassuring smile grazed Churi’s lips and she responded to it, albeit a bit awkwardly. Even though her friend had just assured she got it all wrong, she still wished to make sure she was not hiding something from her. Churi was not planning on graduating in the near future. But it didn’t mean she wasn’t thinking about the eventuality.

“If the thought ever crosses your mind, I want you to tell me,” Jurina insisted, squeezing her hand lightly.

Churi was momentarily taken aback. She could tell by her tone that it was a very serious matter for the young ace. But she had just told her she got the wrong idea. So why was she looking at her as if she was afraid she was not completely sincere with her? Have she ever given her reason not to trust her in the past? No, Churi abhorred the idea of lying. Even more so when it came to a dear friend as Jurina. She surely felt very uncomfortable when she overheard the conversation between Airin and Rena, and learned that the latter hadn’t told Jurina yet about her decision to graduate.

She was very displeased when the older Matsui asked her to keep the revelation to herself. Oh yes, it had been very hard to keep such an important piece of information secret from Jurina for the following weeks. Pretending that everything was alright when facing a cheerful Jurina - who was in her own little bubble of happiness, and evidently far from imagining what the older Matsui was in fact planning behind her back - was one of the hardest things she ever had to do.

A few times, when she had had too much, she even almost spilled the beans. Rena’s graduation was going to hit Jurina hard; of this she was certain. And it was going to be way worse if she happened to be one of the last to know. Rena got lucky she was the one to overhear the news. What would have happened if it had been a staff member instead? He may not have been so considerate.

Wait. That was it. She just got the missing piece of the puzzle. Now she knew why Jurina was currently acting in such a way. Rena had never mentioned to Jurina her desire to leave the group. And her will to conceal this information for so long had had terrible consequences. Manifestly, Jurina didn’t want to see the past repeat itself.

Churi refused to let Jurina believe one second that she was capable of doing the same thing to her. Not only was it against her nature to lie, but she would never want her to relive such a painful experience. Especially when she witnessed with her very own eyes the deep sorrow Rena’s decision had caused SKE’s ace. How could she consider putting her through the same? No, she had to put an end to any last shred of doubt she may still have immediately. “I understand why you would think that, but you have to believe me. I would never keep something so important secret from you.”

“Alright.” Jurina nodded, now looking more at ease. “I believe you.”

Relief spread through Churi’s chest instantly, more than glad she managed to convince her successfully. She waited patiently in case the young girl needed to get a few more things off her chest, but SKE’s ace didn’t say anything after that. Churi took a quick look at the clock on the wall, discovering it was already 7 PM. A long day awaited them tomorrow, and they still needed to get rid of all the sweat they had accumulated during their almost 2-hour rehearsal.

In that intent she grabbed some fresh clothes from her bag and stood up, noticing her young friend mimicking her actions and following her closely as she headed tow ards the door. Just as she was about to turn the handle, she noted that Jurina was not behind her anymore. She turned around in confusion, noticing her standing a few feet away, and looking quiet pensive.

“I know it’s inevitable. Everyone graduates at one point or another. But it’s painful to see the people you care about leave one after another. Mariko, Rena… I don’t know what I would do if you left as well.”

Churi distinguished the pain flashing in her eyes. Her friend was obviously having bad memories. Quite probably recalling the events that surrounded Rena’s graduation. Hearing her voice so fragile - and seeing the tears springing to her eyes - was truly a painful sight. Graduation was such a delicate subject for Jurina. This last month, she had witnessed the emotion shimmering in her eyes each time a journalist mentioned Rena’s recent graduation.

For now, Jurina seemed to be handling her departure fine. And she could tell being WCenter at her side was easing slightly the pressure constantly upon her shoulders. But the least reminder of Rena’s departure was enough to place her into a dark place again. Churi hated when journalists reminded her of the fateful event. They were only doing their job; Churi tried to convince herself. But at the same time, she couldn’t help finding the question very insensitive. 

The atmosphere had suddenly become quite heavy around them, and Churi knew she needed to put an end to it immediately. Without further ado she reduced the distance and pulled her into her arms, embracing her tightly. “Listen to me. I’m not going anywhere.”

Jurina hummed lightly in reaction, and Churi stroked her hair gently to try and soothe her. Rena’s post graduation was a tricky period. SKE’s ace was feeling much better now, but a little voice inside Churi’s head warned her that anything could turn the tide at any moment. No matter how strong Jurina tried to act, the truth was she had depended so long on Rena, her WCenter whom she wrongly believed eternal.

Rena wasn’t by her side anymore in the group, and Churi didn’t have the pretention to believe she could ever replace her. Would she still be choosen WCenter in a week when the senbatsu will be selected? Churi had not a single clue. However, one thing was for certain. No matter who management was going to choose, no one would ever be capable of really filling the void Rena had left behind.

Because Rena Matsui was unique, and irreplaceable in Jurina’s heart. 





TO BE CONTINUED
« Last Edit: December 13, 2017, 02:55:56 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

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (8/?) [WMatsui] (20/08/16)
« Reply #463 on: August 21, 2016, 01:31:42 PM »
Oh wow.. It's all about JuriChuri. I kinda expected that you'd bring up a little about Jurina's stay in Kyoto in this chapter. Before you spoiled us about the first paragraph, I was almost sure you'd start the chapter in a train station where Rena would send Jurina off.  :on lol:


SKE’s ace was feeling much better now, but a little voice inside Churi’s head warned her that anything could turn the tide at any moment.

What will happen next? Could she see premonition of what's coming about WMatsui's relationship? :dunno:
But I believe as long as Churi stands by her side, Jurina will be alright.

Anyway, thank you for keep writing, Author-san. I appreciate it :)
« Last Edit: August 21, 2016, 02:54:03 PM by Bukiyou Taiyou »

Offline Genkikid

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (8/?) [WMatsui] (20/08/16)
« Reply #464 on: August 21, 2016, 04:26:04 PM »
I know it's a little bit out of the story. But everytime you describe Jurina as "SKE's ace" , not "one of SKE's aces" anymore, it kind of make me sad reminding me Rena won't be in the group anymore. It's not that I'm complaining on the story. It just touch my little heart everytime I read this story

Offline sophcaro

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (8/?) [WMatsui] (20/08/16)
« Reply #465 on: August 21, 2016, 06:38:34 PM »
REPLIES TO COMMENTS


Oh wow.. It's all about JuriChuri. I kinda expected that you'd bring up a little about Jurina's stay in Kyoto in this chapter.

I already spent 4 chapters on the 'WMatsui Kyoto arc', so I didn't see the point of mentionning it again, or what else I could possibly add about it  :)

And yes, it's JuriChuri, because we're back on Jurina's side in Nagoya. There will be some JuriChuri again in next chapter, and another member of the group will also get some attention  ;)


Before you spoiled us about the first paragraph, I was almost sure you'd start the chapter in a train station where Rena would send Jurina off. 

I already wrote a 'train station' scene in chapter 1 of Destiny, when Rena left Nagoya for Kyoto, and Jurina came with her to the train station. That's why I chose not to write the same scene here, as I felt it would have been too redundant  :)

I know it's a little bit out of the story. But everytime you describe Jurina as "SKE's ace" , not "one of SKE's aces" anymore, it kind of make me sad reminding me Rena won't be in the group anymore. It's not that I'm complaining on the story. It just touch my little heart everytime I read this story

I don't think I ever used the term 'ace' to describe Rena... because technically, only Jurina is SKE's ace. But I still get what you're trying to say ;)
« Last Edit: April 03, 2017, 04:33:10 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 (8/?) [WMatsui] (20/08/16)
« Reply #466 on: August 22, 2016, 11:19:10 PM »
I really like Churi.

Offline sophcaro

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (9/?) [WMatsui] (24/08/16)
« Reply #467 on: August 24, 2016, 12:33:44 AM »
Author's note: I know I published chapter 8 only a few days ago but I won't be able to publish a new chapter next week, so I decided to exceptionally advance the publication.

As usual, likes/comments are deeply appreciated and motivate the writer :)




CHAPTER 9



Tension was always palpable in the air when the senbatsu for SKE’s next single was about to be announced. And this Thursday afternoon, the atmosphere was even a little heavier than usual in the dancing room. One minute ago, the SKE members were still chatting between them quite casually, but you could now hear a pin drop as SKE’s theater manager Yuasa Hiroshi suddenly entered the place, followed by a few staff members. Now, all eyes were glued on the silent, bearded man standing in the middle of the room and facing them, not a single girl daring to make the slightest move or noise.

Of course, members were all too familiar with SKE’s theater manager by now. He had been at their side for many years, and even gotten very close to some girls during that amount of time. It was not uncommon to see a few members speak with him freely, or the man joke around with them. Yuasa Hiroshi had bonded with many girls, and it was obvious a lot of them were quite attached to him.

However, no matter how well they knew him or spoke with their manager quite regularly, the atmosphere was always solemn when such an important announcement was about to be made. Would girls keep their previous position or move to the back? Or, even worse, get out of the senbatsu? No one felt safe. No matter how long a member had been in the group or how experienced she was, every girl was conscious that nothing was ever set in stone.

Unfortunately, efforts were not always truly appreciated, and management’s decisions were mostly subjective. What motivated management to place a girl in particular in the senbatsu instead of another? There was no way to tell. In fact, apart from Jurina’s central position that no one really believed had chances of being shaken, nothing was guaranteed when it came to the composition of the senbatsu.

That’s why this particular moment was highly anticipated, as well as feared. In a few seconds, the names of the girls chosen for the senbatsu would be announced. This short but crucial moment was going to shape their future for the next months to come.

“I’m now going to announce the senbatsu for SKE’s next single,” Yuasa declared in a composed and steady voice. “Please listen attentively.”

Names came one after another. Sometimes, you could see the happiness showing a little on a girl’s face when her name was called, but there was no overreaction of joy. There never was during such a solemn moment. There was no doubt that once the staff would be gone,  members would finally express their feelings more genuinely. However, now was not the time, and everyone was cleverly keeping their emotions in check.

Jurina was caught off guard when Churi was the sixteenth name to be called. The senbatsu was composed of 18 members, and the fact her name had already been called only meant one thing: she was not WCenter with her anymore. Jurina felt a knot in a stomach. Albeit the fact she knew all along she shouldn’t get her hopes up and had to prepare herself for the eventuality, it was still a hard blow.

Loosing Rena had been so hard to accept, that Churi’s presence by her side had been of not insignificant help. Jurina couldn’t help feeling slightly destabilized by the news. Who did management choose to replace her? The young ace searched Yuasa’s eyes for an explanation, trying to understand why Churi had been removed from the position. Until now, she assumed her role to the perfection. Of course, she didn’t get any answer from Yuasa’s stoic face.

“Jurina will be the center,” Yuasa announced next, to no one surprise. Jurina gave him a small nod in recognition, while still hanging upon his lips. At this point, everyone in the room was very curious to discover who had been deemed fit to replace Churi. And no one could have foreseen the name falling from his lips. “Ayuka Kamimura will be WCenter.”

A few girls let out a shocked gasp. No one dared to speak, but surprise was manifest on all faces. The manager was already turning on his heels, but all eyes were still set on him after the incredible announcement. A 12-year-old kenkyuusei had been made WCenter? How was that possible? Yuasa never elaborated, not that anyone expected him to. In seven years, management never felt the need to justify their decisions.

The theater manager who had rendered all members completely speechless didn’t add a single word, and left the room with the other staff members a few seconds later. Usually, members would start relaxing as soon as he would have passed the door, but you could tell the girls were still processing the news when the door closed behind him. Some exchanged a few silent, startled looks between them, as if wondering if they had not just imagined the whole thing.







Ayuka Kamimura.

Jurina truly had no idea who Yuasa was going to announce as WCenter earlier on. When she discovered Churi was not WCenter anymore, her mind tried to come up with a potential, believable candidate. That name never made her list. The dancing room was now mostly empty, except for a few girls who were finishing congratulating the poor girl who looked like she was still not grasping entirely the situation.

Jurina saw Churi approaching the young kenkyuusei and congratulating her, and the honesty in her voice confirmed that her friend truly didn’t mind the changeover. Ayuka nodded silently, but the embarrassment was obvious in her eyes. Manifestly, the shy girl felt very bad taking over her position, no matter how nice and encouraging Churi’s words proved to be.

Churi left the room after that, leaving both the young Matsui and the new appointed WCenter deliberately alone. Jurina felt Ayuka’s expectant eyes on her, and she reflected upon what to say. This was definitely a lot to take for such a young girl, and she needed to choose her words carefully. Somehow, she could tell the girl who - she had discovered really looked up to her - was going to pay real attention to anything she was going to say.

Ayuka was not any random kenkyuusei. These last months, Jurina had worked often with the group of kenkyuusei, helping them rehearse SKE48’s choreographies. She had spent more time with Ayuka than with any other girl. In fact, the time she got very angry at her for missing a move was still imprinted in her mind. She still felt bad about the way she acted with her, but the 12-year-old girl never held it against her. 

After that, Ayuka’s dancing had improved greatly. Jurina couldn’t be more proud of her when she watched from backstage her Oki Doki performance during Rena’s graduation concert. Her efforts had paid off. Not only Ayuka had filled her gaps successfully, she was now the best dancer amongst all the kenkyuusei.

Many things crossed Jurina’s mind as she gazed at the quiet Ayuka. Congratulating her, was one of them. Reassuring her that everything was going to be alright, was another. But none of those ideas appealed to her. All members who had approached the young girl after the announcement had stated approximately the same thing. It was the polite thing to say; Jurina was well aware of that. However, she refused to settle for such uncreative words.

“Ayuka,” Jurina started, still struggling to find the adequate words. Now that she was standing right in front of her, she could see the emotion shimmering in her eyes. The emotion her initial shock had completely overshadowed until now. Was it because it was finally hitting the young kenkyuusei that her future was never going to be the same after today? Or was she letting her emotions out because they were the two alone in the room right now?

Jurina didn’t know what had triggered Ayuka’s sudden reaction. The shy girl who hadn’t talked since the announcement, was now on the verge of tears. The young Matsui held her shoulders, and gave her a warm smile she hoped would reach her. “You’re not alone, Ayuka. From now on, I’m never going to leave your side.”

Jurina didn’t have to wait long to see the first tears rolling down her cheeks. The young girl still looked somewhat hesitant about what to say or do and Jurina pulled her into her arms gently, hearing her sobbing increasing as she rested her head against her shoulder tentatively. Jurina felt the body pressed against her trembling slightly, and she patted the back of her head to try and soothe her.

Yes, Ayuka was still very young, and it was going to take her some time to adjust fully to her new position in the group. But Jurina was only a year younger than her when she became the ace of SKE48. There were definitely many moments of hardships the first years; but she thankfully didn’t have to go through them alone. Just as she had Rena by her side all those years, it was now her turn to support her new WCenter.







It took a few seconds for Jurina to find the spare key inside her bag and once her fingers finally encountered it she entered the quiet apartment, closing the front door behind her carefully. Switching the light on, she took in the familiarity of the place. How many times had she stayed at Rena’s apartment lately? It was hard to tell, but a sleepy smile moved to her lips as she let her gaze wander around the place in appreciation. She liked the older Matsui’s apartment: welcoming and cosy, it was big enough for two people and the neighbourhood was nothing but calm and nice. But most of all, she felt less lonely here in the absence of her girlfriend.

In fact, the idea of sleeping at Rena’s place had crossed her mind during the second week of Rena’s stay in Kyoto, and the latter had immediately agreed to her request. Stay as long as you want, Rena had even stated across the phone in reply. Despite the kind invitation, Jurina didn’t feel comfortable enough occupying the older girl’s apartment every day.

Jurina placed her shoes in the hallway, feeling her steps getting more heavy as she made her way inside the apartment. Between her own solo activities, and helping her new young WCenter, she had had a very long week. In fact, she had felt the lack of energy kicking for the first time today during the rehearsal with Ayuka. Did the young girl notice she was not in tip-top condition? If she did, then she was too polite to say anything. The 12-year-old girl had listened carefully to her advice and followed each one of her instructions obediently all day.

Jurina felt her stomach grumbling, which was not a surprise after such a long day. In addition, she only had a quick, light lunch, not willing to take too long a pause in the middle of their rehearsal. Her feet led her to the kitchen, and she was all too aware she didn’t have the strength to prepare an elaborate meal. She was so tired, she was already struggling to stand on her feet.

She opened the fridge in curiosity, surprised when she discovered there were no leftovers. It took a few seconds for realization to hit her. That’s right. Yes, she had stayed at Rena’s apartment the previous night too, but she didn’t eat there as she went to a restaurant with Churi. At that point, Jurina knew she had to be utterly exhausted to have forgotten all about that. As she closed the door, she pondered over going to the conbini around the street corner to buy some food. She blinked to fight to stay awake, and quickly thought the better of it. Now, it was the second time a yawn escaped her lips since she entered Rena’s apartment.

“Alright, let’s see what’s in there,” Jurina murmured absent-mindedly as she opened the first cupboard without thinking. Pasta. Plenty of it. A smile grazed Jurina’s lips in satisfaction as she believed to have finally found what she was going to eat tonight, and she extended her arm to take the first packet within reach. She quickly retracted her hand as she read the inscription. Spiciness level 5. A light groan escaped her lips in frustration. Wrong cupboard. It was the one stashed with Rena’s favourite spicy pasta. She closed the door immediately.

Thankfully, she had better luck with the second cupboard. She double-checked the pasta label to be absolutely sure it was not spicy, but she knew it was highly unlikely. Rena was a very organized person, and the possibility of her misplacing a packet of pasta was very low. Sure enough, the label indicated it was safe for her sensitive palate. Jurina took a packet, while making a mental note to ask Rena why she believed it was a good idea to place the cupboard full of spicy food right next to the safe one. Under normal circumstances she would not have mixed up the cupboards but tonight her extreme fatigue was not her best ally. Nevertheless, there had to be a logic to Rena’s way of thinking which her tired mind failed to understand.







It was only 8.45 PM when Jurina ventured into the living room in search of an occupation. Rena was not going to call until her dinner was over, so she still had roughly two hours to wait. Her attention was drawn to a familiar shelf on the left of the television, where she had a few of her own things placed. DVDs, games, magazines… She had an abundance of choices but somehow, nothing really appealed to her as she went through them.

She turned on her heels and glanced around, her eyes soon falling on Rena’s collection of DVDs on the opposite side of the room. Albeit the fact she had once or twice taken a brief look at it when she happened to visit Rena, she had always cautiously avoided taking anything. After all, she was well aware her tastes didn’t quite match those of the older Matsui. What prompted her to check it more thoroughly this time? Jurina didn’t know where her sudden rush of courage came from, yet she still went through the first shelf in curiosity.

Animated TV shows and movies, carefully aligned and ordered alphabetically. Jurina didn’t count, but considering how many there were and how large the shelf was, she figured there had to be at least fifty of them. Now, she knew why the older Matsui never got bored when she sometimes took a day off, and decided to spend the entire day at her place. She had enough to watch for at least six months.

Jurina decided to check the second shelf, hoping she would have better luck with this one. She quickly realized she had it all wrong. Documentaries about trains. Recent trains, old ones. Japanese trains mostly, but also British, French and German. Rena was clearly a lover of tank engines; her impressive collection spoke for itself. When Jurina finally arrived at the end of the shelf, it was still about trains. Jurina never knew so many movies revolved around trains. How on earth did the older girl manage to find all this? Sometimes, Rena’s consuming passion for trains scared her a little.

Jurina took a step back, knowing she was certainly not going to watch anything on this shelf. Her wish was to try and stay awake until Rena called, and the risk of falling asleep in front of a documentary was far too high. The young Matsui eyed the third and last shelf hesitantly, now starting to wonder if it wasn’t best to choose instead something out of her personal collection. That notion in mind, she still decided to check the last shelf.

This time, there was more diversity. Concerts, movies, TV shows… Jurina could tell it was the shelf Rena used to place things that didn’t belong to any of the first categories. Jurina knew she stood more chance of finding something here that suited her taste, and she soon stopped in front of a particular Blu-ray. The title definitely rang a bell, and she took it off the shelf to take a better look at it. The Sound of Music. She was positively sure she had heard about this movie before… but where? That’s right! It was the present Churi had given the older Matsui for her 24th birthday. The Blu-ray was not in its blister anymore, evident sign the older girl had already watched it once. Maybe even a few times, considering Rena’s undying love for old - and especially foreign - musicals.

Jurina frowned slightly when she discovered the back cover didn’t say much about the content of the movie. All she could see, was a woman with short blond hair singing, surrounded by six children. And a few pictures obviously extracted from the movie completed the decoration of the bottom cover. Could she decide to watch a movie with so little information at her disposal? Now that she thought about it, didn’t Churi also mention watching it? Yes, now she remembered it vividly. Apparently it was so good, she even managed to lose track of time.

Jurina didn’t have a lot of knowledge about foreign musicals, but if both girls managed to enjoy it, why couldn’t she? Her mind made up, Jurina retraced her steps back to the television with the movie secured in hand, and placed it in the Blu-ray player. As she made herself comfortable in Rena’s black, leather sofa, she checked the time on her Smartphone. The movie lasted a little less than two hours, so she should be able to finish in time before Rena’s call.

Her attention was drawn to the screen when she heard the same woman from the cover walking and singing out in the open in an European beautiful scenery; endless forests and mountains. Jurina acknowledged the qualities of the movie; from its photography to the main actress’s flawless singing skills, but she quickly discovered she shouldn’t have opted for the subtitled version. Indeed, she kept blinking to try and follow the text, her eyes closing a few times without her consent.

“I’m not going to fall asleep,” Jurina muttered, trying to focus as best as she could on the screen despite her increasing fatigue. She seized the remote control to turn the volume up a little in the hope that it would keep her awake, but her attention got suddenly caught by a certain magazine laying on the coffee table. On the front cover was a picture of Rena standing beside her co-star from Destiny, Yosuke Masada.

The magazine was all too familiar to Jurina as she had bought it herself a week ago in the intent of reading it. Unfortunately, she had gotten far too busy since Ayuka was appointed WCenter, and the magazine had been left untouched. The movie was still playing in the background but the young Matsui decided not to pay attention to it for now, placing the remote control back on the table to take the magazine.

She turned the first pages to reach the desired section, the face of the older Matsui soon coming into view. Why is Destiny so successful? was written in large, red bold letters on the top of the first page. There were a few pictures extracted from the drama, a quick summary of the latest episodes, and an analysis of the drama’s success underneath. Finally, an interview of both actors completed the 6-page article.

Jurina skipped the summary part, not wishing to be spoiled. She had been so engrossed in her work lately, that she hadn’t had time to follow Rena’s drama. When she missed one episode she made herself the promise to watch it as soon as she would have a little free time, but the moment never arrived. Instead, she missed another, then a third. At that point, Jurina knew she would have a hard time catching up, especially when her schedule was not getting any lighter as the days went by. That’s why she opted for leaving it aside, and watch all the episodes in a row once the drama would be over.

Jurina already knew the older Matsui enjoyed very much working on this historical drama, and it definitely transpired during the interview. The actress only had good words to say about the plot and the director. Jurina knew she wasn’t being merely polite, but meant each one of them sincerely. Moreover, her good relationship with her male co-star was obvious during the cross-interview. They complimented the other easily, and Jurina could tell by the casual tone employed that they were comfortable with each other.

You look so happy. Jurina mused as she watched the pictures taken of both actors during the interview, and accompanying the article. Rena had a genuine smile on her lips, and was even laughing a little on the second. Her happiness was so infectious that a small, tired smile progressively moved to Jurina’s lips. It broadened when she noticed a small detail she had completely missed until now.

On the first picture Rena was sitting on a chair next to her co-star, her right hand raised in the air as she was obviously trying to explain something to the interviewer, while her left was resting casually on her thigh. The picture was not very large, but Jurina certainly didn’t miss this time the familiar silver ring on her left index.





TO BE CONTINUED

« Last Edit: December 13, 2017, 02:56:54 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

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (9/?) [WMatsui] (24/08/16)
« Reply #468 on: August 24, 2016, 06:24:41 PM »
I really enjoyed this chapter, especially the second part when Jurina came to Rena's apartment.  :on gay: Although Rena wasn't there in person, I could feel her presence from Jurina's thoughts. It was a bit lonely but sweet. And you finished the chapter nicely by mentioning the silver ring. Excuse me while I'm trying to calm down my poor too-happy WMatsui shipper heart.  :on speedy:

Anyway, you updated fast! Thank you! I seriously thought you'd continue more about JuriChuri in this chapter, but you didn't. Honestly I also thought Ayuka Kamimura was your other original character (her name didn't ring a bell) like Yosuke and Sayuri, until I googled and I found that she's really SKE kenkyuusei. ^^" I believe Jurina will be a good senpai. She learned from her senpai(s). I like that Churi also has a big heart. She encouraged Ayuka even though her WCenter position is replaced by her. Nice move, Churi!

Ps. Can we have actual Rena for the next chapter? :hee:
« Last Edit: August 24, 2016, 06:30:02 PM by Bukiyou Taiyou »

Offline Genkikid

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (9/?) [WMatsui] (24/08/16)
« Reply #469 on: August 24, 2016, 06:41:27 PM »
I really enjoyed this chapter, especially the second part when Jurina came to Rena's apartment.  :on gay: Although Rena wasn't there in person, I could feel her presence from Jurina's thoughts. It was a bit lonely but sweet. And you finished the chapter nicely by mentioning the silver ring. Excuse me while I'm trying to calm down my poor too-happy WMatsui shipper heart.  :on speedy:

Anyway, you updated fast! Thank you! I seriously thought you'd continue more about JuriChuri in this chapter, but you didn't. Honestly I also thought Ayuka Kamimura was your other original character (her name didn't ring a bell) like Yosuke and Sayuri, until I googled and I found that she's really SKE kenkyuusei. ^^" I believe Jurina will be a good senpai. She learned from her senpai(s). I like that Churi also has a big heart. She encouraged Ayuka even though her WCenter position is replaced by her. Nice move, Churi!

Ps. Can we have actual Rena for the next chapter? :hee:

Agree with everything Bukiyou Taiyou-san is saying. Can't help I can't  stop smiling when you mention the silver ring

Offline Minami-chan

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (9/?) [WMatsui] (24/08/16)
« Reply #470 on: August 25, 2016, 01:41:42 AM »


On the first picture Rena was sitting on a chair next to her co-star, her right hand raised in the air as she was obviously trying to explain something to the interviewer, while her left was resting casually on her thigh. The picture was not very large, but Jurina certainly didn’t miss this time the familiar silver ring on her left index.




 :ptam-glow: :ptam-glow:

Offline Guacamoolee

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (9/?) [WMatsui] (24/08/16)
« Reply #471 on: August 27, 2016, 06:23:47 PM »
S-chan! It's been a while!  :D
Here I have some words for you~

Firstly, It's kinda hard to accept that "Wmatsui Kyoto Arc" had to come to an end..... for a while. I was expecting more :lol:

Secondly, from all the series you've written (from Heartbeat to Destiny), I conclude that you've been watching these girls for a long time. May I know how long have you been following them? Because I think nobody could write this perfect if they weren't really a fan. It seems that you know them in person. I wonder if these girls character is based on their real character. :hee:

Thirdly, I'm also curious why'd you choose Ayuka as WCenter? Why not Goto Rara to make it more realistic? Is there any reason for that? :? I'm sure that Ayuka is not just a random name that flashing on your mind while you were planning the storyline. I know she's a genki kid and senpais love her and she's still sooooo young. Ayuka and Honoka are my favorite kenkyuuseis so far though and I'm so happy that you mentioned her in this story.

Fourthly, I can imagine how such a neat person Rena is. I can imagine her room is so well organized. Have you ever visited her room?  :tama-laff:

Finally, thanks for the good work as always....  :thumbsup The story is getting more interesting! I can't wait until the next chapter, but I'll still keep waiting tho~ :panic: please come back soon~ :panic:
I'm sorry for the questions. I hope you don't mind to answer, but it's okay not to answer too. Curiosity gets the best of me  :mon sweat:

See you on the next chapter!!!
 :mon thumb:

Offline sophcaro

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (9/?) [WMatsui] (24/08/16)
« Reply #472 on: August 28, 2016, 01:11:28 PM »
REPLIES TO COMMENTS


Ps. Can we have actual Rena for the next chapter? :hee:

Rena or WMatsui? :P I can't say, you'll have to wait and see   :grin:

Firstly, It's kinda hard to accept that "Wmatsui Kyoto Arc" had to come to an end..... for a while. I was expecting more :lol:

This "Kyoto arc" wasn't even supposed to be so long in the first place  :nervous... and the plot needs to move forward at some point, right? 

Quote
Secondly, from all the series you've written (from Heartbeat to Destiny), I conclude that you've been watching these girls for a long time. May I know how long have you been following them? Because I think nobody could write this perfect if they weren't really a fan. It seems that you know them in person. I wonder if these girls character is based on their real character. :hee:

I haven't been following them for that long, in fact. However, when I get real passionate about something, I make sure to know as much as possible. That's why it feels like I have a lot of knowledge, because I did a lot of catching up when I got into SKE/AKB in mid-2014  ;)

Of course I don't know them in person, but I try to stay as true to their original characters as possible!

 
Quote
Thirdly, I'm also curious why'd you choose Ayuka as WCenter? Why not Goto Rara to make it more realistic? Is there any reason for that? :? I'm sure that Ayuka is not just a random name that flashing on your mind while you were planning the storyline. I know she's a genki kid and senpais love her and she's still sooooo young. Ayuka and Honoka are my favorite kenkyuuseis so far though and I'm so happy that you mentioned her in this story.

When I imagined the plot for this trilogy, Goto Rara was still a simple kenkyuusei. My plot is so set in stone, that I can't make drastic changes to it. That's why I chose not to include Rara in it when she became so important IRL afterwards, because it would have shaken up my plot too much.

Why Ayuka then? I chose her because she's the youngest kenkyuusei, and I wanted to draw a parallel with the original WCenter (Rena/Jurina) in terms of age at the creation of SKE. I was also hoping the name Ayuka would ring a bell to readers, as I introduced her already in chapters 20 and 22 of Partners  :)


Quote
I'm sorry for the questions. I hope you don't mind to answer, but it's okay not to answer too. Curiosity gets the best of me  :mon sweat:

I'm always happy to answer questions when I'm able to answer.  Spoilers are a bit tricky so I avoid answering, but your questions were perfectly safe :thumbup
« Last Edit: April 03, 2017, 04:33:25 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 Bukiyou Taiyou

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (9/?) [WMatsui] (24/08/16)
« Reply #473 on: September 01, 2016, 07:09:01 PM »
Hi author-san, a little bird just told me that yesterday was the second anniversary of Heartbeat.  :hee: Happy birthday, Heartbeat trilogy! Happy second anniversary in fanfic universe, author-san. Thank you for the fanfics. Keep writing!  :onioncheer:


Ps. Please try to update once a week  :on gay:
Pps. Please update Warriors soon, too

Offline sophcaro

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (9/?) [WMatsui] (24/08/16)
« Reply #474 on: September 02, 2016, 02:18:20 PM »
You're right!  :) I published the prologue of Heartbeat on August 31, 2014.

Time flies! Two years is a long time, but I don't regret going on such a journey.

I'll try to finish my trilogy before reaching my third year anniversary  :P

PS: I'm afraid once a week is a bit too ambitious  XD
PPS: As soon as Destiny will be over, I'll resume Warriors ;)
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 (9/?) [WMatsui] (24/08/16)
« Reply #475 on: September 02, 2016, 07:58:56 PM »
Happy Anniversary Sophcaro!
I started to follow this fanfiction quite some time and I really like what these continuing.
Thank you very much!

pd: Also awaiting the continuation of Warrios

Offline sophcaro

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (10/?) [WMatsui] (13/09/16)
« Reply #476 on: September 13, 2016, 04:32:08 PM »
CHAPTER 10



Towards the end of her career as an idol, Rena made a few drastic changes concerning her image. Refusing to pose in lingerie or swimsuits anymore was probably one of the best decisions she had ever made. Never once since she joined SKE48 had she felt comfortable doing such photoshoots, but had nevertheless accepted obediently all those years. It was part of her job; the older Matsui kept repeating to herself. It was what was expected of her. Idols had little to say when it came to their career; their agency decided everything on their behalf. That’s why she couldn’t be more thankful when her bold request to stop posing for such embarrassing photos ended up being accepted. The photoshoot she did with Jurina for Bomb in late 2015 – and only agreed to do to please the younger girl - was the very last time she had to remove her clothes for a photographer.

Rena was aware she would need to make further choices regarding her new career as an actress. What would she agree to do for a director? What would be her limits? Now that she wasn’t an idol anymore and not tied to a certain set of rules, she clearly had more room for manoeuvre when it came to professional decisions. Her agent was always present to advise her when she needed it but in the end, she had the final word when it came to her career.

Rena never felt at ease showing too much skin, so it came naturally to her to refuse shooting any love scene on screen. It was written in black and white in her contract that the actress would never remove her clothes in front of a camera. But what about other intimate moments, such as kissing or holding a partner on screen tenderly?

If truth be told, the older Matsui did think about it thoroughly before making a decision. Never before had she done a kissing scene on screen, so it was an important matter not to take lightly. However, the prospect of shooting such a scene didn’t bother her as much as she would have believed. It was a scene from everyday life, but you didn’t see it very often on Japanese television. When you rarely saw such a scene on screen it always remained quite chaste, and the intimate gestures were limited.

That’s why when she signed her contract for Destiny, she didn’t stipulate being against doing kissing scenes. When she joined the set of Destiny in Kyoto, the director always made a point of giving the scripts to his actors gradually, so they did not know much in advance about what was going to happen in the drama. Until now, the only intimate gesture she had been requested to do was a lingering kiss on the cheek. And it was only a short moment between her character Arisa and her childhood friend and lover, Nobunaga.

After that, there had been no other scenes between Nobunaga and Arisa, but the latter progressively grew closer to her host, Yoshiaki. So maybe she shouldn’t have been surprised when she received the script this morning of late August, and read she would have to do a kissing scene with Yosuke. As predicted, it was going to be a chaste kiss on the lips and the male actor would be doing most of the job; from initiating the kiss to small, intimate gestures.

After spending so much time together and appreciating the presence of the other clearly more than what they would have at first anticipated, the relationship between both characters was moving to the next level. Arisa had progressively been swayed by Yoshiaki’s kindness and fallen for him, even though her heart still had not completely forgotten Nobunaga. Would this episode put an end to any hope of seeing the woman reunited with her past lover?

The director was keeping the secret ingeniously. However, Rena could sense viewers should expect a few twists and turns. From the start, the script had been anything but predictable; that’s partly why she had accepted to be the lead actress for this drama. Not only was she privileged to work on beautiful sets and with wonderful cast and crew, she simply couldn’t guess how the story was going to end. Somehow, this mystery the director was adroitly cultivating had quite a fascinating effect on her.

“Are you ready, Rena-san?” Rena looked up from the script in her hand at the sound of the masculine, somewhat hesitant voice. Her eyes fell on Yosuke clad in his usual black kimono and she gave him a smile, putting the sheet aside to move towards him.

They were currently standing in the middle of Yoshiaki’s study, a quiet place that suited well the erudite son of the shogun. However, they were far from being the sole occupants of the room: the crew and cameras were surrounding them, making last minute preparation to shoot the important scene of the day: the kissing scene. It was the first real moment of intimacy between both characters. There would be no trick to make the kiss look real; no clever angle from the camera or use of lights to deceive the viewer into believing it was a real kiss when in fact it was not. No, not this time. The script indicated clearly they had to kiss for real.

It was supposed to be a nice moment between both characters; it was the first time they would express their feelings for each other overtly. However, much as Rena was feeling slightly nervous about the scene, she could tell by Yosuke’s lasting silence and the way he was now purposely avoiding her gaze that he was definitely feeling more apprehensive than her.

Just as her, Yosuke was an introvert. They got along very well, and never before today she saw him acting so nervous in her presence. Somehow, seeing the other actor apprehending the scene even more than her managed to relax her slightly. Rena knew she wouldn’t have to do much during the scene; her role was merely to follow his lead. The pressure was resting on Yosuke’s shoulders, and it was obvious he was much aware of that fact.

“It’s your first kissing scene too?” the older Matsui asked gently as they were standing close to each other, waiting patiently for the crew to get ready. The tension was palpable between them, and she wished to try and alleviate it. It was decisive if they wanted the scene to be a success.

“Yes,” the actor confessed as he gazed back at her with a small, shy smile. “To be honest, I didn’t believe I would be feeling so nervous right now when I read the script earlier on. After all, it’s just acting and I’ve doing this job for the past 4 years.”

“I understand.” Rena nodded, admitting her own nervousness had grown a notch when she arrived on set an hour ago. At first, when she received the script, she believed she would manage to go through such an intimate scene quite easily, but soon realized it wouldn’t be as simple as she thought when she found herself on set. Somehow, she wondered if it wouldn’t have been easier to shoot such an intimate scene with an actor only passing through, and not someone she had spent so much time with this last month and a half.

From her peripheral vision Rena noticed Sayuri standing just behind the crew and looking at them, and she smiled in amusement when the young actress raised her thumbs up as a sign of encouragement. A small giggle sounded next to her, and Rena could tell the 21-year-old girl’s gesture – along with her goofy expression – had not gone unnoticed by Yosuke, and even managed to relax him a little judging by his reaction.

Sayuri’s constant positive energy and cheerfulness on set often reminded her of Jurina, and she was grateful of it today once again. Both actors really needed the distraction right now.

The director suddenly warned them about the imminent beginning of the shooting, and Rena tore her eyes away from the younger actress to take position. The cameras started rolling and she fell into Arisa’s shoes instantly, reciting her lines. A small exchange between both characters followed, until the moment of the kiss arrived.

Yoshiaki was somewhat hesitant to kiss Arisa. It was not because he didn’t like her: it had now been established a few episodes ago that he harboured romantic feelings for his bride-to-be. The son of the shogun was finding himself torn because he was not entirely convinced Arisa still didn’t have feelings for her past lover. As a result, there was a possibility she would deny his affection, and push him away.

Nevertheless, he took his chances and leaned forward, noting the slight surprise flashing through Arisa’s small brown orbs at his action. His lips were approaching very slowly, in order to give enough time to Arisa to fully proceed what was happening, and let her manifest her disapproval if she desired. However, she never showed any sign of objection, her eyes even fluttering close progressively. It was all the encouragement he needed to wrap his arms around her waist gently, and connect their lips in a chaste kiss.







“Do you think Rena-san is dating Masada-san?”

Jurina had just entered the dressing room of TBS to get prepared for the recording of a television show, and she froze when she heard the question falling casually from the lips of team E member Rara Goto. She looked up in astonishment from the phone she had been playing with on her way here to stare in bewilderment at the 16-year old girl sitting at a table with a few other members.

What?

Jurina didn’t know how long she stood there motionless, but the improbable declaration kept rolling over in her head again and again, trying to understand why on earth the young member would believe something was going on between Rena and her co-star from Destiny. Where would she get such a ridiculous idea?

Since the older Matsui had left the group, Rena’s name was rarely pronounced in her presence. Jurina knew most girls were doing it for her sake, not wishing to rub it in by reminding her of her absence. Everyone was aware SKE’s ace had had a hard time accepting Rena’s graduation, and was still somewhat adjusting to the consequences of her departure. Jurina was grateful for their sensitivity, especially the first days that followed Rena’s leaving. Much as she was now getting used to her absence it had indeed been very hard at first, her eyes searching from habit the older girl in each room she entered.

Those moments were now gone, but members still were very careful around her, guessing Rena was still somewhat a touchy subject. If truth be told, Jurina was now mostly fine hearing the older Matsui mentioned in conversations, but she certainly didn’t expect her name being associated with the other actor in such a way. It made no sense whatsoever to her.

“Ah, you’re talking about the kiss?” Ryoha who was sitting next to Rara jumped in the conversation, and Jurina now noticed a magazine placed in front of Rara that they were both looking at in interest.

Jurina frowned. What were they talking about? What kiss? The girls still hadn’t noticed her presence yet and she moved forward, more than eager to understand what they were referring to. Her phone almost slipped between her fingers when she took a look over their shoulders, and saw in shock a picture of Yosuke kissing Rena. Well, to be more accurate, of Yoshiaki kissing Arisa. The clothes they were wearing were a clear indication it was a picture extracted from a scene of Rena’s drama.

Jurina had been speaking with Rena every day on LINE, and the latter never told her she shot a kissing scene with the male actor. Why did she keep such an information from her? Jurina couldn’t ignore the unease filling her chest progressively. Her eyes were glued on the picture, seeing clearly the lips of both actors touching. It looked like a chaste kiss, but how far did it really go? As she had not caught up with Rena’s drama recently, there was no way to tell.

“Yes, the kiss,” Rara continued, Jurina diverting her attention from the page to look back at her. “But not only that. Have you seen the latest pictures in Bunshun? It seemed they were on a date.”

This time, Jurina couldn’t stay quiet any longer. The kiss between Arisa and Yoshiaki was very unpleasant to look at – and the thought that Rena had not seen fit to warn her beforehand disturbing – but the sudden mention of the magazine famous for revealing scandals didn’t appease her in the least. What else happened recently that she ignored? “What pictures?”

The two girls that had been engrossed in their conversation jumped at the sound of her voice, and turned in surprise to face SKE’s ace, finally noticing her presence. Jurina could tell all the members present at the table were now looking at her in curiosity, evidently wondering why she had suddenly interjected in such an uncharacteristic way.

Jurina ignored the unwanted attention, her eyes set firmly on Rara who wasn’t uttering a single word anymore. Willing to get an answer as soon as possible Jurina repeated her question, this time on a softer tone. “What pictures, Rara?”

The young team E member looked hesitant, but ended up complying to SKE’s ace request by showing her an article on her phone. Jurina took a peek at it – a bit apprehensive – and saw a stolen picture of Rena and Yosuke as they were leaving a restaurant. It was quite dark, but Jurina had no difficulty recognizing both actors of Destiny. They are doing nothing wrong, Jurina mused in confusion, wondering why the magazine would jump to such conclusions.

Indeed, the article was starting with a bold title written in large letters: “The stars of Destiny on a date!” But Jurina knew it was completely ridiculous, even more when she discovered the pictures had been taken last Friday night. Rena always went out to a restaurant with her two co-stars at the end of the week. Jurina knew it all too well as the older Matsui had warned her about it, and as a consequence connected on LINE later than usual on that particular day.

For a moment, Jurina found herself a bit confused by Sayuri’s absence on the pictures. Indeed, the young actress was not on any picture taken by the paparazzi. However, she refused to delve on it too much, figuring there had to be a good reason she was not aware of for her absence that particular evening.

Jurina didn’t say anything, but relief spread through her chest when she took a seat at the table. Why did she let Rara’s words get to her head in the first place? It should have been obvious from the start it was just a big misunderstanding. However, she soon realized the other members didn’t interpret those pictures the same way she did, and were believing the magazine’s ridiculous conclusions. Indeed, Ryoha spoke up in a shy, hesitant voice a few seconds later.

“What if… they knew each other before the shooting of Destiny? They always seemed close to me during interviews and press conferences.”

The question was directed at Rara, but Jurina didn’t miss Ryoha’s eyes falling on her briefly. The table had fallen silent all of a sudden, and SKE’s ace could tell everyone was truly thinking about her words. Jurina was completely stunned by her supposition, understanding perfectly well what she was trying to imply. As incredible as it may seem, Ryoha was clearly suggesting Rena could have decided to graduate because she was secretly dating Yosuke Masada. And, to her surprise, no one at the table was taking Rena’s defence.

It’s not true! Jurina wanted to retort to the scandalous assumption. How can you possibly believe Rena would leave the group for such reasons? She can’t be dating that actor because… she’s already with someone else!

The words were threatening to leave her lips, but Jurina was conscious she couldn’t say any of that; even less the last part. Somehow, she feared members would not find her objective if she defended Rena so fervently. Albeit the fact no one at the table knew they were in a romantic relationship, no one ignored she had always cared a lot about the older Matsui. And it was out of the question to divulge the fact Rena and her were a couple. Until now, only a few people knew the truth: Churi, Airi, Mayu, Yuki and Mariko. Jurina trusted them completely, and knew they would keep the information to themselves. But telling other members was taking the risk of seeing the news getting out.

Jurina was terribly torn. On one hand, she refused to let the other members believe the lies this magazine was spreading but on another, she was afraid her words would only partly manage to convince them. Much as Bunshun very often gave false information, the magazine had also more than once revealed real scandals. No matter what she would say, members would still have an ounce of doubt because of that précised reason. What could she do? She was back to the wall.

“I’m sure it’s not true,” Ayuka’s small murmur suddenly broke the heavy silence that had enveloped the room. “Rena-san loved SKE with all her heart, but she always wanted to be an actress. I really believe that’s the only reason why she left the group: to pursue her dreams.”

Jurina found herself speechless, not one moment believing the 12-year-old member would be the one to defend Rena. A smile moved to her lips, and her eyes met those of her WCenter’s when Ayuka tilted her head in her direction. Jurina could sense the young girl was feeling somewhat embarrassed to have spoken up in such a way in front of everyone, but she truly couldn’t be more thankful than she did.

Jurina could tell Ayuka’s words had had an impact on the members surrounding her, as she saw a few girls nodding in agreement. After that, no one broached the subject again. A staff member entered the room shortly after to warn everyone it was time to get prepared for the television show, and the girls started to get changed.

Jurina stayed mostly quiet the whole time, her mind somehow refusing to forget the conversation that had just occurred and the discoveries she made. Why on earth did Bunshun suddenly decide to meddle in Rena’s private life? Until now, the older Matsui had been spared and never appeared on the pages of the infamous magazine. Jurina couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling that the magazine wouldn’t just let it go like that.

The false scandal left aside, something else was truly bothering her. She still couldn’t fathom why Rena had not said a word about the kissing scene she shot with the male actor. Would she be doing more of those in the future? They talked about their work on a daily basis; surely Rena couldn’t believe it was a small detail not worth mentioning to her?





TO BE CONTINUED
« Last Edit: December 13, 2017, 02:58:05 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 Genkikid

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Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (10/?) [WMatsui] (13/09/16)
« Reply #477 on: September 13, 2016, 05:58:17 PM »
I think, that thinking pattern of Jurina is the reason why Rena didn't tell her about the kissing scene. Jurina easily feel unsecure when it concern Rena.

Offline Minami-chan

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  • Posts: 654
  • Still Love You
Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (10/?) [WMatsui] (13/09/16)
« Reply #478 on: September 13, 2016, 10:45:11 PM »
Rena sure didn't say anything, because she hasn't had time.
I hope that doesn't affect Jurina.

Offline sophcaro

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  • Posts: 312
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    • sophcaro
Re: Heartbeat (20/20) + Partners (23/23) + Destiny (10/?) [WMatsui] (13/09/16)
« Reply #479 on: September 14, 2016, 12:23:30 PM »
Rena sure didn't say anything, because she hasn't had time.
I hope that doesn't affect Jurina.

When Jurina sees the picture in the magazine the episode has just been aired, which means it had been shot a little while ago now. Rena had time to tell her  ;)
« Last Edit: September 14, 2016, 12:28:37 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

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