Ghost
Haruka Nanami had managed to create a boy band consisting of all her friends, and that band was named STARISH. Which consisted of Cecil, Aijima, Otoya Ittoki, Tokiya Ichinose, Ren Jinguji, Masato Hijirikawa, Natsuki Shinomiya and of course, Syo Kurusu. She had become good friends with all seven of them and they had become popular among the fans.
It was shortly after lunch and Haruka was walking in the garden at the agency. She had been composing all morning and decided to take a small break. Haruka was enjoying her peaceful walk and taking in the smells of the different flowers around her.
"Nanami!" Syo shouted as he tried to catch up to her. Haruka turned to see Syo running towards her so she stopped walking.
"Syo-Kun, how are you today?" She asked once he approached her.
"Can we talk? He asked, his face obviously, red. Haruka was confused and taken aback by the sudden change in atmosphere. After a second of contemplation and slight panic, she nodded and gestured towards a bench. They walked over to it and sat down. He was quiet for a moment too long.
"S…Syo-kun?" She urged politely.
"Nanami… I… I like you!" He finally said it. Her eyes widened as she stared at him in shock "I have liked you for a while now. I don't know exactly when it was but I do know that my feelings are strong." He finished, falling silent again. Haruka didn't know what to say. She had to choose her words carefully for the sake of their careers.
"I… I don't feel the same way." She lied. She was just as enamored with him as he probably was with her but she couldn't jeopardize his career so that she could be happy. Syo's face fell as he looked at his feet. He was silent, still hoping that she was kidding. When she didn't say anything more he looked up, the same fiery motivation he always had but with a bit more sadness.
"You'll fall in love with me, you just have to spend more time with me. That's it. You may not think of me as a man, but I'll prove it to you. I'll prove that I can be a good boyfriend." He exclaimed.
"Syo-Kun…" She said hoping he would stop. If he did that, she would be forced to confess to him. He stood up and faced her.
"It's a deal." He held out his hand for her to shake. There was a sad smile on his face, but there was also determination in his eyes. Haruka looked at Syo's extended hand and then at his face. She decided what she was going to have to do was ignore him. She looked at his hand one more time and then stood up without shaking his hand or even making eye contact with him. She started walking away from him without saying another word. It's for his own good. She thought to herself as she walked away without looking back. Syo stood there for a minute after Haruka left, still smiling as tears started rolling down his cheeks. He wiped away his tears and straightened himself up. He wasn't giving up that easy. He backed away for the time being and was determined to prove to her that he would win her love. Haruka went back to her room and found Tomochika standing by her door.
"Haruka!" She said excitedly, hugging the pink haired composer.
"Tomo-Chan…" She replied sadly. Tomochika looked at her with concern.
"Lets talk." She said simply, turning towards the door and waiting for Haruka to open the door. Haruka opened the door and the two girls walked in. "Spill" Tomochika demanded as she sat on Haruka's bed.
"Syo-Kun confessed"
"What? It's about time!" Tomochika said excitedly, but quickly realizing that Haruka was not as thrilled as she should be. "What's the issue?" She asked feeling curious.
"The 'no love' rule" Haruka stated simply, with a sad look in her golden eyes. There was realization in her friends' eyes.
"What are you going to do about it then?"
"There's nothing I can do" Haruka sat down next to the red head and sighed. "We can't be together…"
Tomochika listened to her best friend talk about all the things she liked about Syo like she had done many times before. She listened to her speak sadly about how it would never come to anything while he was an idol. Maybe one day when he grew older and wasn't an idol anymore, then maybe they could be together. It was getting late so Tomochika said her good byes and wished Haruka luck with the whole thing.
Syo had been doing so much to try and get Haruka to fall in love with him and she had done everything she could to ignore him and give him the cold shoulder. Eventually she had to start talking to him but, she distanced herself and only spoke about the group and the new song that she was composing for them. She had stop composing individual songs for each member, unless Shining asked her to do it. Haruka was lost in thought, walking back down the hall of the dorms, heading to her room.
"Nanami!" Syo had called out after her. "Did Shining tell you about the new song you have to compose?" He said trying to not be ignored.
"No, he hasn't. Maybe he'll call me in for a meeting with him." She replied, keeping her professional voice. This didn't deter him.
"D…do you maybe want to hang out for a minute?" He asked. He was feeling nervous, but determined.
"I'm sorry Kurusu-San, I'm busy." She stated plainly. She had begun referring to him more formally recently as another way to push him away.
"Nanami…I wrote a song for you." He smiled, trying to ignore the stinging in his heart. "Will you listen to it?"
"As I said, I'm busy." She started to walk away. She wanted to be with him more than anything, but she could not let his career be ruined because of her selfishness. She decided it was time to step it up. She had to be mean. Am I ready for this? She asked herself. She stopped walking, giving Syo some hope. "You really should focus more on writing lyrics for the group. You can't afford to be selfish like this, Kurusu-San." She said without even turning around. After saying that she continued walking. He watched as she disappeared without even looking back at him. Syo was feeling a bit more defeated, but he still had some fight in him. Natsuki walked up and noticed he was looking a bit down.
"Syo-Chan, what's wrong?" He asked curiously.
"Nanami…" He sighed.
"Is she okay?" Natsuki was worried. Syo explained how he had confessed and she had rejected him and how he was trying everything he could to get her to fall in love with him. Natsuki listened carefully to his explanation.
"I just…I just want her to love me." He finished, wiping away his tears.
"What did you think would happen? Haru-Chan didn't want to ruin the bond and friendship you two had and then you went and pursued her romantically. Syo-Chan… The no love rule is still instated. You know this. She knows this. We all know this." He explained as gently and as friendly as he could. "Give her a break Syo-Chan" Natsuki said. He was being really understanding and gentle with Syo's emotions. Syo nodded.
"You're right Natsuki" He mumbled. "I just can't give up though" He added.
"Can't or won't?" He asked. Syo looked up as the question was thrown at him.
"Wont" He said as he stood up and ran out the door. He went and searched for Haruka. He found her walking out of the practice room and he reached out to grab her hand to stop her from walking away. She was surprised by Syo's sudden move. He was out of breath after running around looking for her.
"Sy….You" she said frowning as she caught herself before calling him by his first name. She was still trying to push him away.
"Nanami, I love you" he stated plainly after catching his breath. He looked her straight in the eyes waiting for a response. Haruka was taken aback by his bluntness. She was mad. She loved him too but she hadn't mentally prepared herself for her mean rejection. She took a deep breath, turning around to face him.
"Stop." She started. "You are starting to get really annoying and I just want to get my work done. You and I are never going to happen. I don't like you and I was just being polite because we work together." She lied. She had gotten good at lying to him. If only the no love rule was not instated.
"Na…nami" Syo whispered as he fell to his knees.
Haruka huffed and turned on her heel walking away from him coldly. She walked to her dorm without looking back. She closed the door to her room and cried. She wanted so badly to hold his hand and be able to call him hers, but the rule stood in the way. Meanwhile Syo was convinced that she was being mean for the sake of his career so he went to Shining's office.
"Kurusu" Shining said looking up from his computer. What can I do for you?" Shining asked.
"Lift the rule. I love Nanami and I want to be with her. If you don't lift it, I'll leave the agency so that I can love her freely" He said. Syo was angry, he would do what it took to be with her. Shining looked at him and was rather annoyed.
"Climb from the bottom floor of the agency to the top and I'll consider it. Now leave my office" he sighed, going back to his work. Syo was afraid of heights but if that's what it took he would do it. He went to the ground floor and started making his way up with no protective gear and he just started climbing. When he reached the window to Shining's office, Shining looked surprised. Natsuki was worried and the rest of STARISH was horrified that he was up so high.
"I'll show you how much I love you Nanami" Syo muttered as he continued climbing. Haruka got word of what Syo was doing and she got worried that she had been too harsh. She ran out where everyone was watching Syo climb. "Syo-Kun" She shouted trying to get his attention. He looked down and smiled seeing her there. Syo had reached the top of the agency and felt proud.
"We can be together now, Nanami" He shouted back.
"Come down, Syo-Kun please" She shouted back. He did just that. Everyone watched in shock as Syo came back down. Haruka ran over to him.
"Do you love me now?" He asked.
"Don't ever pull something like that again." She cried hugging him. Shining came out looked at her and at Syo then walked back inside. This was an invitation for them to go to his office. Once there, Shining spoke.
"It's lifted…but only because he had the courage to actually go through with it." He explained. "You may leave" he said. Haruka turned to Syo and smiled. She grabbed his hand and walked out. They walked to the garden in which he had confessed.
"I'm sorry I was so mean to you… it's just that I didn't want to ruin STARISH by being selfish, you understand right, Syo-Kun" She smiled leaning on him. He nodded.
"I love you Nanami" He said.
"I love you too" She blushed.
They went on to do everything together for a few weeks. The STARISH members all seemed to be upset and would look at Haruka sadly.
"Hey, Syo-kun, do you know why they're sad?" She asked her boyfriend one afternoon.
"It's probably because of that death that happened a few weeks ago. I think the funeral is tomorrow." He shrugged as he looked at her with the same sad look the rest of the group did.
"Whose death? She asked. She was afraid of the answer. She felt something was wrong as soon as she asked. Haruka didn't want to know anymore but by the time she had decided she didn't want to know, it was too late.
"Mine" he said looking at her with tears streaming down his face.
"Syo….Kun" She replied. She laughed nervously at first. "That's not funny. You're right here" she said reaching out to touch him and not feeling anything.
"Are you sure about that?" He asked. Syo began getting more and more transparent as the seconds ticked by.
"You can't be dead. I finally have you and it's impossible. I won't accept it." She was panicking now, her eyes wide in disbelief and the tears streaming down her face.
"Remember Nanami. What happened that day? What actually happened?" He asked calmly. She closed her eyes and remembered what happened before her eyes shot open again.
"You fell…you fell from the top of the building and died in my arms" she whispered. "They tried to tell me and I pushed them away. The rule wasn't actually lifted…he just said that to let me grieve" She continued. Syo watched as Haruka broke down. "I was selfish and now you're gone" she cried. Otoya heard her talking to herself and ran to her aid.
"I love you Nanami" Syo said before completely fading away.
"Nanami! Nanami! It's okay. I'm right here." Otoya hugged her.
"He's gone. I was selfish and now he's gone. It won't be the same without him. I'm sorry" she cried uncontrollably in Otoyas arms. She wasn't apologizing to him though. Haruka was apologizing to Syo. Because of her, he was gone. If only she had just accepted him, this never would've happened "He's gone" she repeated. "He's gone."