They're late.
Six months, he noted as he peered down at his watch. Six months since the higher-ups had reassigned her, putting her under new management—a new producer. The man checked his watch again in agitation and returned his gaze to the nearby entrance as he waited.
Following her change in management, Kaede Takagaki had continued her rapid ascent as an idol. Performances, commercials, interviews, guest appearances—her name seemed to be everywhere nowadays, it seemed. The promotion and release of her newest single, Koi Kaze, caused her popularity to soar even further. With such a busy schedule and himself working hard on a new project, it shouldn't have been surprising that they hadn't even seen each other in passing since then. Yet despite this, he couldn't help but feel a wave of disappointment wash over him at this thought.
He shook his head and cleared his mind. Now more than ever, there was no time to be dwelling on the past. After months of careful planning and selection, the new project he'd been assigned to lead was almost ready to take its next step forward. Uzuki Shimamura, Rin Shibuya, and Mio Honda—the last three pieces of the puzzle had been found, setting the stage for the studio's newest program: the Cinderella Project. He glanced down at his watch for what seemed to be the hundredth time in the last fifteen minutes. Still not here yet. Perhaps something happened to them? He had just begun to consider leaving his position to seek out the newly minted idols himself when he caught a flash of olive green hair.
"Good morning."
The blood in his veins froze, and suddenly his resolve to set aside the past was shattered.
"It's nice to meet you, Producer. My name is Kaede Takagaki, and while I may be new to this business, I look forward to working with you."
"Still won't eat kyuuri? Fufufu, you might look big and scary on the outside but you're really still just a kid inside aren't you? Another round of drinks, please!"
"I've never been fond of telling others what I'm thinking. But I think I'll be fine with telling you this one thing. Thank you for everything, Producer."
"When you chose me, I was truly happy. I've said it before and I'll say it as many times as I must. Producer, thank you for everything. I'll be by your side, from now until the very end."
Like a floodgate flung open, in an instant everything he'd been struggling to ignore came surging to the forefront of his mind. The mischief in her eye after a round of drinks, the twinkling laughter as they talk late into the night, the hurricane of cheesy puns he'll never admit he loves to hear—
The pattering of feet as she flees the meeting room. The furious tirade against the president and his decision as she downs drink after drink. The impassioned threats to leave the idol industry—anything to stay with him.
The anguished sobbing of a heartbroken girl.
And as quickly as the floodgates opened, so too was it slammed shut.
"My heart is closed by the wind, holding these uncountable tears and these unspeakable words. These swaying emotions mislead me, I'm looking for you, I just want to see you, only you."
"Good morning," he replied quietly. He bowed his head slightly, trying with all his might to keep his voice level and his face neutral. He couldn't afford to let this happen again. As much as he wanted to do something—anything at all—he had to remain focused. Objective. Detached.
Kaede Takagaki, the rising star in the idol world, had become too big a name to risk getting caught in such a scandal. A producer had to keep a keen eye on the big picture at all times and lead his idols to success. To pick up where they left off, to continue what they'd had—neither could afford to jeopardize their careers in such a way.
Yet as she passed him his mask of neutrality crumbled for the briefest of moments, and blue and green met black. Beyond those eyes laid an edge of determination and steel, and in that second he understood everything behind her gaze. One year, five years—time was of little concern. She would wait as long as it took for him to come back to her. Kaede Takagaki had not yet given up on him.
"I want to see you. But until that day comes I'll keep thinking about you, so I won't lose to anyone else. I want to be forever by your side."
Notes: If it's not clear (like most of my creative ventures, writing this was spontaneous and largely un-edited), this was based off a brief scene in CG's second episode, a quick ten-second scene where Kaede greets the Producer. I took ideas from canis minor, an iM S doujinshi I loved, and decided to run from there.
My experience with iMAS amounts to the 2011 adaptation, some CG image songs, and translated manga (official and fan-made) I stumble upon. As such, my understanding of certain key concepts or characterization may be flawed. I'd love to know whether I was on-target or not.