hmm, I guess you're all ready for the next part. I just want to say that this was the 2nd hardest chapter to write because it's just so...well, you'll see plus I had lost the original part a long time ago from a disk error so this was what I could remember of it. I don't know if it was just as good as the original but people responded well to it. Well here it is.
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Part 11Two hours late. Miki hadn't shown up for work this morning. It wasn't like her to miss it. Phone calls to her apartment and cellphone were unanswered. The manager had asked all the futsal members of Morning Musume of her whereabouts but they didn't know where she went after practice last night. Even Yossi denied knowing where she went. Frustrated that she had to be absent on one of their busier days the manager went up to the person who knew her best.
"Miss Matsuura?" He called to her.
She was sitting in the cafeteria and he had interrupted her conversation with the other members of Nochiura Natsumi. She looked up at him, not expecting him to call on her.
"Yes?" She answered.
"Do you know where Fujimoto is? She's late and she's not answering her phone."
Aya found Miki's absence strange as well and began to call her up on her cellphone. Just as the others attempted earlier Miki wasn't picking up. Aya shook her head. "That's strange. I tried to call her last night and she didn't pick up either."
The manager sighed in defeat. Aya felt a bit guilty as if she had something to do with Miki's absence. She decided to help out. "Um, I've got nothing to do right now so I could go over to her apartment now and check on her if you like?" Aya suggested and then looked at her fellow group mates. "Is that ok?"
Nacchi and Maki nodded their heads, feeling concerned for Miki as well. The manager was greatly relieved and he told Aya that once she found Miki that a serious talk was waiting for her at the studio. Aya nodded assuring that the message would be delivered. She stood up from her chair and said her goodbyes to everyone as she hurried out of the studio. Nacchi and Maki looked on.
"It's so obvious now." Nacchi suspected.
"What is?" Maki asked while skimming through a magazine.
"She just made that excuse so she could see whoever she's seeing."
"Keita?" Maki stated the obvious again.
"No, I said it was someone else."
"Um, Miki?"
"Haha, you're funny, Gocchin. I'm sure she'll check on her but that's after she sees this
person."
"Eh? How do you know all these things, Abe-san?"
Nacchi pulled down Maki's magazine and looked at her. "I told you, I know these things. It's like instinct or something."
Maki stared off for a second and then a huge grin emerged from her face. "Ah ha! Is that why you left early the other day? You went off to see someone too, huh?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Sneaky, Abe-san. That's sneaky." Maki nudged her.
"
Mou, Gocchin! Leave me alone!" Nacchi pouted, taking Maki's magazine and popping her on the head with it.
*****
Aya stood outside Miki's apartment building. It had been a long time since she came over. Her heart beated nervously as she made her way inside. In the elevator she tried to think of what to say but her mind was blank. As it ascended higher to each floor the suspense was building up inside her. When the doors finally opened, her heart was now kicking inside her chest. Her shoes echoed in the quiet hallway and then she was there at the door. She didn't come over just to check on Miki, she also wanted to tell her how she really felt about her. Last night seemed like a wake up call, she thought. It had stopped her from doing something she might've regretted. She hesitated before finally knocking on the door. After several seconds Aya pulled out her spare key and opened the door herself. She hardly used it much since Miki was always at her place, or used to. She slowly peeked her head inside.
"Miki?" She called out. She stepped inside the dark and quiet apartment. Her foot tapped something and she looked down at it. It was a beer bottle and she spotted more around the place. She shook her head disappointingly not knowing how long the place had been left in disarray. She called out to Miki once again but there was no answer. She finally headed toward her room where she came upon an awkward sight.
"Miki?" She called once more. At first her mind did not register the scene before her. Miki was laying out on her bed face down with one arm hanging off the bed. Beside her on the nightstand Aya noticed bottles of pills with one of them spilled all over the nightstand and floor. Beside that appeared to be a crumpled note. Only one thing came to Aya's mind.
"No!" She gasped, holding her mouth to stifle a silent scream. She fell to her knees and was frozen in place. She couldn't believe what she saw. "No, no, no!" She shook her head violently, hoping it was just a dream.
What have you done? Her mind cried out. She wanted to go up to her but a force of fear kept her back, dreading to feel cold lifelessness. She balled herself on the floor and started crying.
How could she do that? How could she leave me like that? She felt something inside her just died right now, like a big gaping hole in her chest. "Miki..." She blubbered. Her other half was gone. She was gone and it's all her fault.
What now? Her mind asked.
"What now?" She asked her mind. She looked at the little white pills on the floor. She didn't want to but her hand seemed to have a mind of its own as it gathered several pills into her palm. She looked at them and they were almost as pale as her hand. She dreaded the next thing. Why must she follow the fate like that of the familar star-crossed lovers when they had never been together?
Maybe in the next world. She thought as she lifted her hand toward her mouth. She closed her eyes and opened her hand, letting the pills fall to the floor. Then she screamed.
"I can't!" She mumbled between sobs. "Not this way!"
Suddenly a noise had interrupted her cries. She looked up and saw Miki stirring in her sleep. She grunted and turned over on to her back. Her body fidgeted slightly and she fell back asleep. Aya looked up dumbstrucked.
Wha-What is this? Aya approached Miki's bedside. She watched her chest slowly rise and fall, the sign of breathing. Aya sighed.
Sleeping? She thought as she cried tears of relief. She took her hand in hers and it felt warm. She sighed once more.
Oh Miki, don't scare me like that. Aya felt Miki's hand squeezing hers as she shifted in her sleep again. Aya attempted to wake her up.
"Miki? Miki?" She whispered.
"Whatever! Just follow the instructions!" Miki spoke from her sleep.
"Miki? It's me, Aya."
"Ayaya?" She mumbled. She opened her eyes slowly though they were still heavy with fatigue. She smiled weakly at Aya. "You are so beautiful when you cry. But...don't...cry." She closed her eyes and fell asleep again.
Aya managed to crack a smile through her tear stained face, relieved that Miki was okay. Still she didn't understand the scene that laid before her. Did Miki really tried to kill herself? Did she have something to do with it?
"Are you cold?" Sleeping Miki interrupted Aya's thoughts. She took her arms and hugged herself and giggled. "There, now it's warm."
Aya giggled back. Making gestures in her sleep was common of Miki to do. She remembered those words Miki had said to her. It was a few years ago when Aya came to visit her in Hokkaido. Cramped in that single bed together, Miki suggested they should hold each other to keep warm and Aya agreed. However, she realized that it was during the summer that she came to visit. "You sneak." Aya sneered at the sleeping Miki, but that didn't matter. She had almost forgotten why she was at Miki's apartment till a phone call came to remind her.
"Hello?" She answered her cellphone. "Oh yeah, she was sleeping." She slowly crept away, trying not to disturb Miki as she exited the room and went into the living room.
Miki tossed in her sleep a few more times till her body couldn't sleep anymore. She suddenly opened her eyes. Bright light pierced her still tired eyes and somehow she felt that something wasn't right. She turned her head to look at her clock and realized she was more than two hours late for work.
"Oh, damn!" She cursed as she shot up in bed, but a pang on her side stopped her. She moved slowly till she was sitting up in bed. Her back still ached from her injury and the painkillers she took for it didn't seem to work but it sure did knocked her out. She stretched out her body and let her head drop, her long hair falling over her face. She really didn't want to go to work and face everyone plus she knew a scolding would be waiting for her as well. As she was about to lay down again she thought she heard a faint noise coming from the living room.
"Huh? I didn't turn on the TV last night." She was certained. As she stepped on to the floor she felt what seemed like pebbles under her feet. She looked down and saw the mess of pills all over the floor. The memo about futsal practice laid crumpled on the floor as well. "What happened here?" She wondered. She must've gestured in her sleep as always, she figured, and knocked over the bottle. From the look of it it appeared to look like a suicide scene and if someone had walked in they might've thought the wrong thing.
Miki stood up unsteadily at first then staggered her way into the living room. The noise became a voice and the voice sounded familar to her. When she found the source of it Miki nearly jumped back as if she saw a ghost.
"A-Aya?" She stuttered.
Aya looked up and was surprised to see Miki as well. "Oh, Miki!" she gasped. "Yeah, she's awake now. Hold on." She placed her cellphone on the coffee table, leaving the caller on hold. She then made a dash toward Miki and threw her arms around her neck. "Oh god, Miki. Don't scare me like that." She said, her voice muffled against Miki's shoulder.
"I'm...sorry?" Miki replied though she didn't know what she did to make Aya say that. She was a bit skeptic, wondering if Aya was really there with her, hoping those pills had not given her weird side effects. Aya's arms around her neck felt real, Miki thought. She took her own arms and wrapped them around Aya's waist.
It is real! Miki realized. Aya pulled away, teary eyed and sniffing.
"Why are you crying?" Miki asked her.
"You didn't show up for work this morning so I came to check on you and I just...I just thought something horrible had happened."
Miki then remembered the mess back in her room and figured Aya had thought she tried to kill herself. She sighed, slightly smirking. "You thought I was-? Aya, I would never ever do that." She assured her and suddenly felt Aya holding her tighter.
"I just didn't know what to think." Aya sobbed. "I haven't seen you in awhile. I was so worried about you. I thought I lost you just now."
"I'm sorry I scared you." Miki whispered. She felt so happy feeling Aya's warm embrace, she didn't want it to end.
Aya smiled. She took Miki's hands in hers, feeling her warm slender fingers. "I have something I want to say."
Miki looked at her and listened.
"Mikitty..." She merely whispered.
Mikitty? Miki repeated in her head. It has been a long time since she's been called that. The way Aya said it made her heart stir.
"Mikitty, I love you." Aya confessed.
"Eh?" Miki huffed, completely taken aback by Aya's words. "Is this a dream?" She denied until she felt Aya's lips touching hers. Now she didn't know what to believe.
"It's not a dream, Miki." Aya confirmed to her.
Miki took her hand and brushed it lightly against Aya's white cheek, tracing her jawline with her fingers. It was soft and smooth. Her touch sent a surge of electricity through Aya's body as her eyes burned into Miki's, making her weak inside. Then Miki felt like she lost control of herself.
"Oh, Aya." Miki sighed, pushing Aya against the nearest wall. Their lips hovered over each others as they breathed each other's breath. Aya eagerly waited for Miki to return her kiss but Miki couldn't bring herself to do it. The painful memory of last night still haunted her. She wouldn't dare let her sinned lips touch Aya's, instead she turned around and apologized.
"I'm sorry. I can't." She said remorsefully.
"What's wrong?" Aya wondered, slightly disappointed.
"What about Keita?" Miki covered up.
Aya just shook her head. "I don't care about him."
Miki was relieved to hear that but something still troubled her mind. "But..." She started. "Why does Tsunku want you to stay away from me?"
Aya's face dropped and she didn't look at Miki. "I'm sorry. He just noticed how close we've gotten and he didn't want us to get involved."
Miki scoffed. "Why does he care? It's none of his business."
"He said it would ruin my image and eventually, my career."
"Your career?" Miki emphasized.
"I mean with me being important to Hello Project and all."
"So wait, you knew I loved you all this time?" Miki asked.
Aya nodded apologetically.
"And you didn't say anything?"
"I didn't know what to do! I wish I never agreed to it. I just felt trapped." Aya explained but Miki was occupied by her own thoughts.
"So I had no reason to be afraid to tell you all this time?" Miki asked herself. "I could've just told you back then the moment I felt something for you?"
"Miki-"
"And then we could've been together right now? If only I had said something back then maybe you would-"
"Miki!" Aya interrupted.
Miki snapped out of it and looked up at Aya. Her heart suddenly sank right then.
"Miki, I'm sorry." Aya apologized.
Miki turned around, trying to hide her pain. She hated showing weakness, especially in front of Aya. "How could you do that to me?" She mumbled.
"Miki, I'm so sorry. I was just torn between two things, the two things I really care about. But I've realized now that I made a huge mistake. I wish I could take it all back and start over again. I wish this never had happened. Please, forgive me." Aya bowed her head to her. "I really do love you." She whispered.
Miki turned around and saw Aya bowing before her. "Say it again." She said.
Aya looked up, "What?"
"Say it again." Miki repeated.
"I really do love you, Miki."
Those words melted her inside. She couldn't get mad at Aya, not after hearing those words coming from her mouth. Anything she said could weaken Miki in an instant. She looked at Aya and their eyes met once again. "It's ok." Miki mumbled though she was still hurt by what Aya did to her. But for Aya, Miki would forgive her for anything, or so she thought. She was too distracted by the fact that Aya wanted to be hers, finally.
Aya smiled. She wrapped her arms around Miki's waist and squeezed her. Suddenly Miki's moment of happiness was shattered by the surging pain running up and down her back. She grunted in pain.
"What's wrong?" Aya asked.
"It's nothing. Just a futsal injury." Miki huffed as she cautiously backed away from Aya.
"Aww, you're hurt? Let me see." Aya began to lift Miki's shirt but before Miki could stop her the blank look on Aya's face told her it was too late. Aya stood there dumbfounded at what she discovered.
"Oh, I see." Aya painfully whispered. "You're already seeing someone?"
Miki shook her head.
"Heh, who am I kidding? I guess I should've said something a long time ago." Aya fluttered her doey eyes, fighting away the tears that were beginning to form. "It's my loss, huh? I'm too late, ne? Maybe I should've just..."
Miki couldn't hold it in anymore, she thought she could let this slide but the pain was eating her up inside. She suddenly felt the growing rage inside her and released the caged beast.
"Shut up!" Miki growled. "This is all your fault!"
Miki's outburst made Aya jump back a little as Miki continued to lash out at her.
"You knew all this time and you let me make a fool of myself? Do you know how long I kept this inside? Huh?! Crying, hurting, losing sleep over it, wondering if you ever felt the same way! And then crying, hurting, and losing sleep some more because I thought I could never have you!"
Aya opened her mouth but nothing came out but then she managed to choke out, "My career..."
"Your what?" Miki shook her head in disbelief. "Come on, Aya, you can do so much better than this company. All this wouldn't have happened if you had just said something."
"I did that for us!" Aya defended, "What if it was us on that Friday magazine? We'd be doomed for sure. I was only trying to help us."
Miki let out a sarcastic laugh. "Pssh, I don't believe that. You did it for yourself. You always cared about yourself and you only. You know, you can have everything in the whole world because you're
Ayaya."
A huge silence fell between them and tensions became thick. Aya could not believe what Miki was saying to her but now she realized she was right. She couldn't look at Miki's face but she could feel Miki's eyes burning into her.
"I don't ask for much." Miki continued. "So why can't you just let me have this? You're all I've got, you know that? You're the only reason why I'm still here in this company. Everything I had has been taken away from me. But, I guess that doesn't mean anything to you either, huh? You're just a spoiled princess, you know that?"
Aya didn't respond. Her jaw slowly began to tense and tighten.
"Maybe I should address you princess from now on. Is that better? And I'm just a poor little pawn for you to mess with." Miki mocked. "Is that what you wanted, Princess Ayaya? Is everything to your liking, Princess Ayaya? Isn't this what you wanted, Princess--"
"Shut up!" Aya yelled and slapped Miki across her face. Shock, followed by another silence ensued. Aya looked at her hand and couldn't believe what she had just done. She looked at Miki who was totally caught off guard by it. She reached out that same hand to Miki. "Miki, I'm sor-"
"Don't touch me!" Miki growled, rubbing away the warm sensation from her face. "Get out! I don't want to see you ever again!"
"But Miki-"
"Get out! You don't love me! You don't-" Miki ran back into her room and locked the door. Aya went after her.
"Miki!" Aya cried, banging on the door. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do that."
"Just...go." Replied a weak and pained voice behind the door. "Leave me alone."
Aya could hear Miki bawling through the door and then felt her own tears coming. She had never seen Miki so hurt like that and she was the one who caused it. Seeing that there was nothing else she could do to fix anything, Aya backed away and proceeded to let herself out of Miki's apartment. As she headed into the living room she remembered her cellphone and noticed it was still on.
"Oh, no!" She cried as she picked it up. "Hello? Hello?" But there was no response. She looked at the screen and noticed the caller had hung up awhile ago. She dreaded if the caller had heard any of the argument between Miki and her. She gathered her things and headed toward the door. She turned around for one last look, hoping Miki would come out of her room, but she didn't. Aya closed the door and walked down the hall back toward the elevator. She swore she heard a muffled scream just now but she didn't dare to turn around. She couldn't go back. Never again.
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what's that sound? hearts breaking? hehe I mean, awwww....
Topic: Milestone: A Reluctant Idol (complete) (Read 27707 times)