Moments in Time"I...I want you to stay with me. Don't go. I...I need you."
Her voice quavered towards the end, the last syllable prematurely terminated with a gulp that swallowed tears. Her eyes were already red-rimmed, her hands wrung together in distress.
"Takahashi, you have got to look like you mean it."
The stern voice cut through the scene, and Ai winced at the slap of papers on the table. Her acting coach was a good man, though firm. They had spent the better part of the morning working on those lines. This was her first real role in a television drama, which was somewhat different from the plays she had been participating in. Granted, she was not the main character, but having a decent supporting role was a good start, nevertheless.
"The camera will zoom in on your face, so expression is very important." He was speaking again, and Ai tuned back in, paying rapt attention to his words.
"You've got the voice down, but you need just a bit more..." He tapped his cheek with a finger, expertly arranging his features into one of anguish. Ai nodded intently, thinking about how best to replicate the same effort.
"We'll stop here for now. Work on it some more Takahashi. You've got potential, but if you don't practice, you won't get anywhere."
Ai nodded, bowing automatically. "Hai."
"Try putting yourself more into the situation. It might help." A rare flash of a smile appeared on her usually stern coach's face. He patted her a little distantly on the shoulder, unused to showing any kind of affection for his students, before walking away. Ai smiled behind him. The old man might be a harsh teacher, but he was as good as his word, and Ai always took him seriously, knowing that she needed everything he could impart.
Picking up her copy of the script, Ai glanced through it again, determined to get into her character's head as much as possible. One chance look at the clock almost made her drop everything in panic, when she realized that she had to get to her next destination soon.
As if to exacerbate the situation, her phone trilled, marking another mad scramble for it. Ai conversed quickly with her manager, promising to be downstairs as quickly as humanly possible even as she shoved all her belongings into her bag.
She made it down in about two minutes flat, which was still about 2 minutes too slow for her fussy manager, but the man was a slavedriver and she was used to getting scolded. Bowing her head and apologizing, Ai let the words flow over and into her, accepting whatever that came.
She had a CM to film, with a bunch of younger girls. Outdoor filming always had more factors to take into consideration, with everything from moving people and equipment around, to making sure that the place was suitable for their purposes. Ai did not envy those who did the grunt work. All she had to do was show up and follow instructions. Life was a lot less complicated that way.
The ride was not particularly long, but it did give her enough time to flip through her script again. Mercifully, her devilspawn of a manager had stopped terrorizing her, instead switching targets to whatever helpless victim on the phone. Practice helped Ai tune out the annoying drone, her mind completely focused on the material.
Vulnerable, afraid, desperate... Ai closed her eyes, trying to place herself into her character's shoes as her coach had suggested.
Afraid of being alone, wanting, needing...A half-forgotten image surfaced in her mind, making her shudder, her script slipping out of suddenly loose fingers. They fell on her lap, then were pinned there by suddenly taut hands. Ai set her jaw stubbornly, grinding her molars together to keep from crying. Already, her eyes were red again. It was at times like these that Ai really didn't appreciate her ability to cry easily.
"Takahashi! Takahashi! Are you listening to me?"
Ai had never been more grateful for her evil manager's nagging than at that precise moment. Straightening, she delivered an acting performance her coach would have been proud of, her outward calm masking the roiling emotions underneath.
I promised myself I won't cry over him again."Yes I understand."
I won't. I won't.~*~*~
Reina prodded at the tall parfait in front of her, wondering exactly where to start from. She had already taken a photo when it first arrived at the table, and now came the fun part: actually eating it.
Her companion was less interested in his dessert, choosing to discreetly follow attractive girls with his eyes. This Reina knew, even though his eyes were hidden behind sunglasses. It was something guys did, and Fuji in particular was notorious for it. The fact that he was in between girlfriends at the moment practically made his wandering gaze all the more active.
It was just the two of them at the cafe, given that the rest of the gang could only meet up later. Besides, Reina owed Fuji a dessert. A lot of desserts, actually, since it was
his birthday she had inadvertently forgotten.
"Or you could just introduce me to one of the pretty girls at your agency." Fuji had suggested earlier, prompting a low growl from Reina, and they had gone on to argue the point again, as always.
It probably didn't help that Fuji had seen the current wallpaper of her phone: a two shot of her and Ai together. Just a single remark about how he would
love to get to know Ai better had sparked an immediate argument that almost had Reina spitting nails. She knew what Fuji meant, of course. Of their entire group, Fuji could be considered the only true "bad boy", since the rest of them just had that image for sure. Fuji was the real thing, but he never touched those within his group. He
did have some ethics.
"So tell me about this girl." While Reina had been poking idly at her slowly melting parfait, the older boy had sneakily swiped her phone off her side of the table, and was staring at the wallpaper again. Reina glared at him, holding out one hand for the phone.
"Give it back. Now." Fuji seemed unaffected. Given how he had actually taught her the glare, his immunity was justified. Thumbing through the photo album, he wolf whistled at some of the pictures, though none were
that raunchy...well, maybe
some might have been fodder for a very male imagination. Reina felt her cheeks burn as she half stood, flailing to try and get her phone back.
It didn't help that he was tall...and she was short. It was far too easy to hold the phone out of her already limited reach. Frustrated, Reina acted on instinct, grabbing the glass of water next to her and splashing it directly into his face. Fuji spluttered, and Reina took the chance to scramble over and retrieve her phone.
"Damn, girl, that's harsh." Fuji dried his face on his sleeve, giving her a narrow look. Reina sulked, jabbing her spoon more violently into her dessert while her phone rested safely on her lap.
"You two look pretty cozy." Reina looked up confrontationally.
"So? We're friends."
Fuji quirked his lips. "Nothing wrong with that. I've just never seen you being this comfortable with another girl though."
Reina hid a smile at that. She had known Fuji for the longest among her friends. He had been a senior, still was, and they had met in detention the first time. They had ended up in an argument the first time they spoke too, but somehow it had never become truly acrimonious. Fuji would never have hit a girl, and Reina still didn't have claws at that point.
Instead, they had settled into a strange kind of friendship, with a surprising amount of candor between them. Reina could say anything, and Fuji wouldn't care either way, and vice versa. They argued, but it was more for the fun of it than anything else. Fuji was the big brother Reina never had, and Fuji was protective over his baby sister, never letting anyone else other than him bully her.
Still, it was true that Reina had never had many female friends. She was comfortable hanging out with boys, and had no patience with most girls her age. Then again, most other girls had been intimidated by her seemingly yankii exterior. Ai had been an anomaly, probably because she was such an enigma. Reina liked things that pricked her interest. Ai certainly did well enough in that department.
"Ai is...different." Reina said after a long pause. "She's funny, and kind of weird, but really kind inside."
"Not to mention really pretty." Fuji added, scratching at his chin. He pretended to duck in case Reina decided to throw more water at him, but Reina only stuck her tongue out at him.
"She is..." Reina agreed slowly, starting to spoon her dissolving parfait into her mouth. "She's talented, capable, and works harder than anyone else."
"Sounds like she should be your rival." Fuji commented, looking out of the window when some girl in a mini skirt waltzed by. "Woo, check that out."
Reina rolled her eyes. She stirred the liquid at the bottom of the dish with her spoon, thinking.
"She should be, but she isn't, somehow." The
tink of the metal against the glass dish made Reina stop poking around so vigorously, instead transferring her attention up to look into Fuji's amused gaze.
"You like her." Her spoon rattled against the glass quite violently. The older boy chuckled.
"I meant you admire her. I know you though. You would want to surpass her. You wouldn't be Tanaka Reina otherwise."
Reina swallowed nervously, glancing regretfully at the glass of water she had emptied into Fuji's face earlier. Her reaction had been a little extreme, if only for a moment. She could only hope that Fuji hadn't noticed, or if he did, that he would keep his mouth shut about it.
Making a humming sound of agreement, Reina went back to staring at her dessert, or whatever was left of it. Wanting to be the best? Of course she dd. It had somehow not occurred to her in all this time that being the best meant having to surpass Ai. At the back of her mind she had been aware of the fact, but things were complicated at best where Ai was concerned. She would do anything to succeed, but if she had to hurt Ai...?
Then again, Ai had always supported her whenever she did well, never showing any jealousy on her part. Somehow, Reina had grown to take that kindness for granted, as if Ai would always be there, cheering her on. The thought that Ai would be displeased by her success, maybe even leave her, was strangely unsettling. Reina knew she would stop at nothing to be the best though, such was her drive to succeed. No matter the price...?
Feeling more confused than ever, it was a blessing when her cell phone suddenly vibrated in her lap, the flashing screen indicating an incoming mail. Reina's worries faded into the background as she read the simple words.
Seeing Reina smile to herself, Fuji raised an eyebrow. He was somehow not very surprised when informed that she would only hang out with them only for the rest of the afternoon, having to leave early to meet someone for dinner.
Reina could barely contain her excitement at getting to see Ai again. It had been over a week since that last dinner outing, and they had both been busy since. She didn't know how Ai knew that she had a day off today, but Reina was past caring.
She was going to see Ai again today.
~*~*~
The filming had taken half the afternoon, but Ai had fun with her juniors. They had been a tad nervous around her right at first, but Ai smiled a lot and talked about random things to put them at ease, and soon they were chattering like birds around her.
Now it was over, and her manager was nowhere to be seen. Ai had already changed back to her own clothes, and was reading the message her manager had left her with a frown. He had had to head back to the office first, and told her to make her own way back. There was just a meeting she was supposed to attend there, before her work day would be over.
Cheap jerk. Ai grumbled to herself. It would take at least an hour by train. Oh well, that was what her DS was for. The weather was finally starting to warm up, which was a blessing in itself. At least she wouldn't have to brave the cold just to get back.
The walk to the station was by-and-large uneventful, though Ai was in no hurry. She had about 2 hours to spare before the meeting. The transit wouldn't take that long, so she could afford to take her time.
The streets were not particularly packed, given that it was still only 3pm. Ambling at her own pace, Ai was not really looking for anything in particular, until something sparkled as she walked past, making her pause and track back to stare.
It was a modest little shop, with a variety of jewellery on display. It was obviously not a "high-end" kind of place, but Ai was never much concerned about little things like that. Her attention had been caught by a pair of dangling earrings, shaped like a cat. The worked silver sheen was quite exquisite, but what drew Ai were the eyes, gleaming with a mix of yellow, orange and brown. It felt strangely alive, curled around a deep violet gem.
"May I help you?" The clerk was prompt, her plump face friendly. Ai didn't take her eyes off the earrings.
"Can I have a look at that?" She pointed, and the clerk retrieved them, explaining to her what the gems were. Topaz for the eyes, and sapphire for the main gem. Ai barely heard half of what was going on, only nodding absently as the clerk continued her explanation.
"Topaz is said to augment creative energy, and sapphires have always been a symbol of prosperity. Did you know they are birthstones too? Topaz is the birthstone for November, and sapphire for September..."
"I'll take it." Ai said suddenly. It seemed somehow right. She hadn't even looked at the price, but felt like this was worth spending on. Looking at it reminded her of Reina somehow. Perhaps it was the cat, with its lively eyes.
Ai barely noticed half of what was going on as she paid for her purchase, walking out with the box held close. She wanted to show that to Reina. That had been her first thought when she saw the cat. Reina would appreciate the humor, not to mention the delicate beauty of the earrings.
Reina. Ai tapped her card as she passed the fare gate, entering the station. She hadn't seen her in a while. A quick check revealed that the younger girl had a day off. Getting Reina's schedule hadn't been too difficult. Insufferable though her manager might be, the man was resourceful, and he didn't ask strange questions.
Her fingers were already sending the message before her mind caught up to the action, and Ai pressed 'send' with a wry grin, hoping that Reina would have time to meet up with her for dinner after her meeting was done.
The reply came almost instantly, her phone jumping in her hands. Reina's reply was amusing as ever, and it brought a smile to her lips as she put the phone away, careful to set it to silent as she boarded the train.
You want me to go back to the office on my off day?! ｀ﾛ ´
Maa, if it's Ai, I'll go. :3"Such a cute child..." Ai murmured to herself, leaning back in the seat.
She looked forward to meeting Reina later.
~*~*~
Reina tossed a bottle of oolong tea between her hands, pacing around the lobby while wondering if she should just go up and look for Ai. She had ditched her friends earlier, much to the displeasure of some of the latecomers, but Fuji had shooed her off before anyone else could protest.
Looks like I owe him another one. Reina thought wryly. She was here a little too early. It was only 5.30pm, and Ai would not be done until 6. Reina looked around. Perhaps she could sneak up and surprise Ai upstairs. Like wait outside the room until she came out. The idea appealed to her, and she was about to move when she realized she didn't know which room Ai was in, or even what floor.
Well I can't just ask her, it'd ruin the surprise. Reina pondered for a moment, then decided to ask someone. She wasn't exactly thrilled about talking to Ai's Manager-from-Hell, but he was the best source of information she had. The most direct too.
Or I could just ask other people...might take longer but less stressful. Reina weighed her options. She wanted to have enough time to surprise Ai, so speed was the way to go. Screwing up her courage, Reina dialled a number.
Ten minutes later, a much hassled Reina managed to weasel the information she needed out of that annoying man. Boy, Ai wasn't exaggerating in the least when she said that he was bad. Reina didn't think anyone could go on and on without taking a breath for so long. She looked at the empty bottle in her hand, and decided she could use another drink. She thought she might as well grab an orange juice for Ai while she was at it, and strode off to the only machine in the building that sold both.
As luck would have it, Reina got the last orange juice in the machine. If there hadn't been any left, she would have had to walk to the next block to get it. Giving thanks for her good fortune, Reina started off for the 7th floor, where Ai was.
She would love to see Ai's face when she surprised her.
~*~*~
It was 5.40pm and the meeting had ended early. Ai dawdled as the other two left first, leaving her alone in the room. Taking her time, she emptied the contents of her bag in order to rearrange them. It was a mess inside.
She was due to meet Reina downstairs at 6pm, and had plenty of time. Taking advantage of the reflective glass on one side of the room, Ai doublechecked her hair and makeup. An idol had to have some awareness of their outward appearance. Or so the two stuffy suits had told her earlier. Given a choice, Ai wouldn't really give a damn about how she looked normally, as long as she looked alright for work. As it was, she supposed she had to respect their point of view.
That and, Reina would probably scold her for being careless with herself again. A smile curved her lips at the thought of the spunky young girl. Reina was incredibly self-possessed and confident, carrying herself with the air of one born to showbiz. Ai envied that, even as she admired it. It was part of what drew her to the younger girl. Ai wished she could project even half of that boundless confidence Reina seemed to have.
The door clicked behind her, and Ai turned, wondering who it was. Her smile froze when she did. The intruder smiled back.
The door closed.
=========================================================
Time is killing us~ Killing us softly~^Lol nonsensical lyrics. Or not so?
Time matters.
Topic: Destiny Love [16/02 - In My Own Time] (Read 82902 times)