Chapter 1: The Busy Life of Idols

"Mr. Kou, Mr. Kou! Over Here! Please, my job is relying on this interview."

"Yaten, we love you!"

"Don't go! Don't go! We still want autographs!"

This mob of people separating me from the guy holding my heart wasn't my only obstacle of the night. There was still the manager, the stylist, the backstage pass holders, and the event manager to pry him from too. We're never going to make our plane.

"Well, everyone it was a lovely day, but I really must go. I'm meeting my—" He was drowned out by the sound of his fans' squeals. I couldn't hear what exactly went on after that, but I did manage to see his manager whisper something in his ear which always means him having to do something extra. His manager knows we have to be somewhere. "Okay, okay. One interview. Three questions. That's it though. I need to find someone, five minutes ago actually."

I know a smile found its way to my face. He meant me of course; Yaten Kou looking for you is enough to make you smile for the rest of your life. Yaten never has to do much to make me smile; I think I've been smiling since we met except for that whole Galaxia fight thing of course. "So what are you going to be doing during you Christmas break? Something with your brothers or someone a little more special?" The reporter the manager picked from the crowd was a lady who seemed nice enough. I knew what the right answer was, but I was eager to hear what his actual answers would be. The Three Lights hardly ever told the truth in their interviews these days. They had more fans than ever, and anything that would give their fans insight to their personal lives was dangerous. He let out a small chuckle before he started his answer, "I'm getting away, going somewhere far off and isolated to enjoy the holiday with the people closest to me. You're down to one question though. That was technically two." He told the truth, but avoided details. The interviewer didn't skip a beat though, "But you didn't give me a real answer either, so we're counting it as one, unless you tell us who those people are in your next answer along with who this special person you're meeting after the interview is." The crowd fell silent now as I started to walk forward. If the interview was almost over, I had to get backstage soon. They all wanted to know who I was tonight, but he didn't want to tell them. Many people knew we were together of course. Seiya's reaction was probably the best; when Yaten told him, he knocked over his entire drum set, breaking their fish tank, and hugged me for ten minutes straight yelling about how he always knew I'd be sister. I don't know who squealed more: him or me. However, we all decided to avoid angry mobs that we wouldn't exactly open up about it to the general public, but they knew something was up.

"Alright, alright! I'm spending the holiday in a secluded mountain resort with my brothers and someone else whom we all love." I'll never know how he decides when to lie and when to tell the truth, but tonight he was telling the truth for some reason. If any of his fans showed up at our cabin though, he'd be sorry.

I was almost close to the stage by now, but it was getting harder to move around through the fans which is saying something for me. Girls were fixed on his every word knowing he wouldn't say their names, but praying he would anyway. He was beginning to answer his final question though and good thing because our plane was leaving in two hours. "As for the person I'm meeting uhh…" His voice trailed off a bit and the reporter jumped on it. "Is it safe to assume it's a she?" I didn't have to have my eyes glued on his face to see him roll his eyes or place that familiar smirk on his face. He replied with a simple "yes." And to him that also meant answering three questions. "Oh come on! No fair, Mr. Kou. I'm sure your fans are all curious now. Just give us a hint at least! What's her name? Is she pretty? Does she go to your school?"

There was a mini explosion of sound and movement in the group of girls surrounding the stage he was on. My years of chasing idols gave me enough experience to finally get a nice spot right in front, but I wasn't expecting being bumped forward. Yaten continued talking. "Okay, okay that's way more than three." Oh no. There had to be a clump of wires in front of me. There was nothing I could do; I was going to fall, right over the barricade too. "Her name is my little secret okay? She's my—Minako? Are you okay?" The next thing I knew he was there offering me a hand to help me up and didn't let it go. Every eye was on me now though. Normally I'd love the spotlight, but for some reason when it came to Yaten, I liked keeping everyone else out. I know in the past I tried to use all three of them to be in the media's circles, but now that I was actually with Yaten it was different. I wasn't with him because he was famous. I was with him because I love how he shines no matter what. I was able to know the real him. The side of him that no one else will see.

"Is she your Minako? Are you two dating? Yaten, can we have a word?" The reporter was definitely going to get a raise after she revealed this story. He squeezed my hand and started to whisper. "Are you okay? I know…I'm sorry; two hours though and we can forget all this. But now we have to um…fix this I guess. I wasn't just going to stand here without making sure my girlfriend was okay." A small murmur could be heard coming from the crowd. He raised his voice again addressing them now. "Yes this is Minako. The person I'm meeting after the CD signing. And with that, we're leaving. That was my third answer after all. Merry Christmas, everyone! See you when I get home!"

He half carried, half dragged me behind the curtains and into his dressing room with his manager right behind us fuming. "You may as well just tell everyone her life story. Minako's going to be as famous as Sailor V by morning, Mr. Kou." I bit my lip to try not to laugh at the irony. "Why did you have to fall so close to the stage Miss Mina? This is going to be really hard to fix. You have to jet now, girlie, anyways. The backstage pass holders aren't going to be happy seeing you especially after what may have well been Yaten's love confession. You Lights are a handful and just throw in your love interests and we may as well have a reality show already. And I thought Seiya was hard to handle. Minako, next time just-" The glare Yaten was giving him shut up him quickly enough.

"It's your job to fix our mistakes right? I trust you'll fix this one, and I'll give you a bonus to make sure you do. She stays, by the way. Now send in the backstage pass holders so I can leave. I have somewhere to be, remember? Seiya and Taiki are already there enjoying the snow. I've been stuck here hosting this mall opening and signing CD's all day because you said I had to be more approachable. You didn't say anything about giving up my vacation." It was clear Yaten had enough of the idol thing for now though. The manager left speechless, so now his attention was strictly on me.

As always he was impossible to read. "You, look nice. Maybe a bit underdressed for snow though. I hope you brought something warmer to change into on the plane. Then again you should probably change before so you don't fall down. By the way…" His tone changed to a strict one. "Didn't I tell you not to do that?"

I blinked in confusion. "Do what?"

"Hurt yourself. You probably haven't even noticed yet, but you're knee is bleeding." He was right. I never stopped to take in my own damage. There was a rip in my leggings where a tiny scrape could be seen. Red was beginning to stain the areas that weren't ripped.

"Oh, well don't worry Mr. Pop Star, I promise I didn't do it for you. Maybe if you didn't have so many fans though, I wouldn't have been pushed, and then I wouldn't have fallen! So this is clearly your fault!" I stuck my tongue out at him and caught a smile flicker over his face before he wiped it of emotion again.

"You can't blame me for your clumsiness, so don't try." He smoothed his hair back, and before I could react there was a knock on the door. "Come in."

The people who were about to enter were the envy of everyone else who was left outside. Three random groups of people were chosen throughout the day as they entered the mall and were rewarded with a pass that would allow them to meet with Yaten for ten minutes after the event was over. I was utterly shocked though to see the people. There was a small family made up of a mother, a father, and a seven year old girl, a group of two guys who didn't look very happy to be there at all, and two twins with long brown hair who looked about my age along with their grandmother. Great, no crazy fangirls tonight. I just sat on the couch and smiled at everyone. Ten minutes turned into a half hour though, and I stopped paying attention.

I guess I heard a door close, but I didn't really notice. I didn't really remember anything until I jumped when Yaten put an arm over my shoulder. "Oh! Sorry, I guess I spaced out or something. What time is it? Are the backstage pass people already gone? Your stylist and that event guy better get here soon. We're going to be so late. They know we have to go! Do you think the plane will wait because you're so famous? I mean you're first class! The only first class person, besides me, on the flight. They couldn't forget us right? Where are the—" I had to stop talking. When someone's lips are pressed as hard against yours as Yaten's were against mine at the moment, nothing else really matters. Where were we going again? Oh, I didn't even care anymore. My heart was fluttering and my mind was fuzzy. Suddenly I was breathing again though. He had pulled away. Now I was just staring into two green eyes and melting over a playful smirk.

"Are you done?" Yaten sat there staring with his face inches from mine with that same playful smirk. So maybe talking a little too much is actually a good thing…

"So if I say no, I get kissed again?"

"I guess so. I don't think I know how to get you to be quiet any other way."

"Then no." He didn't miss a beat on this one and kissed me before I could even shut my eyes.

"Mr. Kou! Oh—um excuse me. I guess we're supposed to knock." The event planner, Yaten's manager, and his stylist had all entered the room without either of us knowing. "So the rumors are true. You do have a girlfriend. A pretty one at that…" My cheeks were burning. I wonder if this is how Rei feels all the time. I guess I should speak up though to prevent the awkward silence.

"Thank you sir. I'm Minako. Yaten's…uh—"

"Girlfriend. Actually everyone we have to go. It was a nice day, and I hope it was a successful one for you. I don't think I'll be needing anything else from you all tonight. Oh, and I know you talked about some sort of payment with my manager. Please send half of the sum to the orphanage on Main Street and the rest to my manager. I promised you a bonus right? Have a good night. Come on Mina, we have a flight to catch." Yaten grabbed my hand and entwined his fingers with mine.

We passed a few cars left in the parking before we got to his. The tiny green sports car almost screamed Yaten. Seiya bought it for him as an early birthday present a week ago. I was just hoping it was as fast as they said it was. We had to be there by 11:30pm and it was already…11? "Yaten! Our plane leaves in thirty minutes!"

"What? No way, it's only…okay hop in. Your bags are in the trunk already with mine. You ready?" I nodded my head and hopped into the passenger seat, and we sped off. Finally we were on our way.