A/N: I was going to publish this story much later. But my friend and site user neha borkar left for the US of A a few days ago. This is a little tribute to you, Neha. I hope you read this there and remember your silly friend back here in India. :*
To my other readers, know that this is an AU story like My Beloved Monster. Please review if you like this chapter. Thanks. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own City Hunter or its characters, nor do I own the Dashboard Confessional song 'For You To Notice'.
FOR YOU TO NOTICE ME
Chapter 1
Ryo stared at his gun in bewilderment.
"No way! How could I lose with the odds of six to one?!"
"We did it! We did it, Arisa! We won!", Shinichi exclaimed.
Arisa's eyes were brimming with tears,
"Shinichi!"
Ryo sighed and turned, intending to give the couple their privacy.
"Damn. I lost"
He threw the necklace towards the two and walked onwards to Kaori, mulling over the sweet tête-à-tête between him and Arisa in the morning.
"We are leaving, Kaori", he announced.
Kaori smiled as he kept walking away,
"None of those rounds were live, were they?"
"What's that?", Ryo stopped to peer at her.
Kaori shrugged and looked at the sky,
"Nothing"
She put her arm in his and grinned,
"An occasional Cupid, aren't you?"
"Cut!"
The Director said and the behind the scene hustle-bustle resumed. Kaori quickly released Ryo's arm and looked into the direction of her assistant. Ryo said, as sincerely as he could,
"Nice work today, Miss Kaori"
She said without looking at him,
"Thanks. You too"
Her assistant came running to her with a glass of cool cucumber water. Kaori took the glass and began walking towards her powder room while her assistant followed close behind, praising her performance of today. Ryo rubbed the back of his head and smiled at Miss Kaori's retreating figure.
"She is way out of my league"
"Hey, Saeba-san", a girl from the crew stopped him, "Tell your agent to confirm the dates for next week. We are going to have Hideyuki-san and Umi-chan in that flashback and abduction episode"
"I will", he gave a little laugh, "Don't you feel awkward calling a big man like him Umi-chan?"
Asako winked,
"He doesn't mind being called that, you know"
Ryo nodded and smiled. The playboy Umibozu had struck a good one with Asako as well, it seemed.
"My agent is on leave for today but I will ask him to get in touch with you as soon as possible. Thanks, Asako"
"Thank you for the hard work today", she waved.
Ryo kept walking with his hands in his pocket, pausing for a few seconds in between to shake hands and exchange a 'Thank you for the hard work today'. He was about to sit on the vacant couch when the Executive Producer clapped him on the back.
"How are we doing today, TRP King?"
Ryo maintained a professional smile,
"We both know who deserves the credit for our record-breaking TRP"
"Oh yeah", the EP agreed, "I am telling you, man, she is on fire. The demand for her and the number of her fans is going through the roof!"
"She is that talented"
"And sexy", he laughed.
Ryo hid his discontent at the remark,
"That too"
"Well, I gotta go now. Thanks for the hard work today"
Ryo relaxed on the couch as soon as the EP left. His thoughts were full of his gorgeous co-star as always.
'Miss Kaori... talented, beautiful, perfect Miss Kaori. I would give anything for her to notice me'
Ryo Saeba was not only this young actor's screen name but also his original identity. For some artistic quirk, the writers of the show had decided to keep the original names of the cast. Before City Hunter, Ryo Saeba was a struggling stuntman with a handsome face. He could have climbed the career ladder sooner had he slept with any of all those rich people in the industry who wanted him. He chose to keep his dignity and found satisfaction in his dangerous work, despite of his financial situation. Then suddenly one day, with a stroke of good luck, a friend suggested that he audition for the main role in City Hunter. And they loved him! The producers, the test audience, and also the regular audience – they were wondering why this promising star had not seen the light of the camera all these days. Ryo believed he could not be happier than he was on signing the contract for the first season of the show. However, Lady Luck had only just started with him. Opposite him, cast as the City Hunter's partner was none other than the young heartthrob and diva of Japan – Kaori Makimura. On hearing the news, he had lain awake in bed all night at the thought of meeting her in person and working with her.
Miss Kaori's claim on fame was even more genuine than Ryo's. She had risen to the apex of stardom by acting in just two movies, which were both blockbusters. Japan had found its newest and prettiest idol. Her pictures and fans were everywhere. Her beauty along with her acting skills had maddened everyone in the movie-making and television industry. Her beauty...
Ryo reminisced about the very first episode they had shot together. No one on the set was able to concentrate that day because Kaori Makimura was doing scenes in her lingerie right in front of them. It took Ryo half an hour and five breathing exercises to get into character and perform well against Miss Makimura. He felt awkward at times to do the Eve teasing scenes with the actresses, and even more so with her. In episode 5, he had to rub his face against Miss Kaori's breasts for a scene. Ryo was so self-conscious and determined to not make her uncomfortable that the Director had yelled after the fifth take,
"Are you going to do this today, Saeba, or should we bring in a double?!"
Miss Kaori was as impassive as ever. He relished the Ryo-Kaori moments in the show as those were the only times she seemed to notice him. Well, in her defense, she did not notice anybody. Her schedule was tight. Her career was bright. No rational actor or actress would waste that precious time to get romantically involved in their personal life. Maybe she already had someone.
Because it was a day off, Ryo chose to go grocery shopping that day. He had large sunglasses and a GAP t-shirt on, but people still noticed him as the star of City Hunter. He had had to put down some item he was holding and give some fan an autograph, for twelve times in total. When he was at the cash counter, the store manager requested that Ryo take a picture with the staff. Even though he amiably posed with them, he could not help thinking about his stardom devoid past when these very people treated him as the poor university student he was. How things had changed.
"Ah, finally"
Ryo was sitting at his favourite spot in the city with a can of beer, after putting his groceries in the car. Where it would take an ordinary man 20 minutes to climb the hillock, Ryo did it in ten. It was a steep climb to that spot, but it was the perfect place to spend moments of leisure in. Sitting on the soft grass, one could gaze for hours at the giant metallic structures of Tokyo and the blue-green ocean beyond. Birds and beetles sang in perfect synchronization under the peach tree. The lack of any company helped him clear his mind and occupy his brain with any plans he had to make.
"Mmh. Nothing's better than this"
He sipped the cold beer and experienced its rich foam going down his throat, forming a pleasant pool in his stomach. He would let the taste linger in his mouth for the longest time before taking another sip. If Ryo were really the beloved City Hunter, his super reflexes would have warned him of the presence of a stranger four feet sideways behind him.
"Shoo"
The feminine voice made Ryo look around and then behind himself.
'There goes my day'
He looked ahead of him and put on the glasses again. There was something peculiar about that lady though. She was sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest; a white scarf wrapped around her head and sunglasses larger than Ryo's on her eyes. Her clothes and her mouth suggested that she was young.
"Hello", she said.
Ryo put on his best smile and prepared himself for another interaction with a fan. He removed his glasses, put the beer aside, turned to the stranger who had sat next to him, and his heart caught in his throat. Kaori Makimura had removed her glasses and scarf. She was smiling as he had never seen her smile before.
"Do you mind if I sit here?"