Chapter 1: Reunited at Last

7:00pm

"Presenting, Kurata Sana!" boomed the Emcee.

I walked up to the carpet, getting ready to go forth. "Never walk to fast or too slow." That's what Asako-san says anyway. It was the premiere of my third movie, and I was as excited as it is humanly possible to be. I was itching to break out in song, but Rei-kun says that is not appropriate behavior for a young girl of foruteen. Especially one that is an actress. Besides, I left NoriNori at home.

I am Kurata Sana, fourteen years old, second year at Jinbo Middle School. (When I go anyway.) I began my acting career as a child, but took it to higher heights when I was thirteen. I was trying to distract myself. My best friend Fuka and my love Hayama started going out, and it hit me so bad that I was in bed for three days. Unfortunately, I was on location for a movie at the time, so it complicated things greatly.

They broke up a while back, but the hurt is still there. We get awkward even though it was so long ago. Me and Hayama, that is. Fuka-chan begged my forgiveness forever ago, and we're still friends. Afterwards, I started working more. I tried hard to forget, but even now it's hard. Because I still love him.

"I haven't seen him in a while… I wonder how he's doing?" I thought to myself.

I took a deep breath and put my foot on the carpet.

---

7:00 pm

I had always loved her.

( -- )

( 3 )

V V Babbit says: That's Hayama Akito. He's a hard-headed karate master who has known Sana-chan since elementary.

"But that… that… Kamura, I bet she's happy…" I muttered to no one.

I knew that she was at a premiere that night. If I decided to go see her, she wouldn't be able to escape. Sana… has been avoiding me. I talked to Tsuyoshi and Aya-chan, and they say that she still loves me, but is afraid of rejection. At that moment I felt a want, no, a need to see her and fix everything between us. I needed to hear the truth from her, rather than Tsuyoshi and Aya-chan.

"She's probably thrown into the public by now." I thought. I glanced at my watch. "Or not." I said aloud, bolting out the door.

"Wait! Aki—" I heard my sister Natsumi yell as I left.

---

7:08 p.m.

I began to walk down the carpet. I was feeling dizzy, probably cause I was obsessing over him for the first time in a long time. And it takes a while to get down there when you're answering questions left and right and signing autographs. And the camera flashes, don't even start me on the camera flashes. I felt great, but confused. I sure was thinking a lot for walking down a carpet. Totally giving in to the fans' wants isn't hard, just act smiley and happy and they squeal "KAWAII!!!"

---

7:08 p.m.

I ran as fast as I possibly could, possibly the fastest I've ever run. I felt awful, and curious. I wanted to see her, but then I didn't want to see her. When I arrived, I saw that she was already walking on the carpet. She was beautiful. She had her hair down, which looks less little-kiddish on her. She was wearing this blue shiny dress. But my heart sank, Kamura was on the carpet too. Not that his being there had anything to do with what I did next. I bolted forward, trying to press through the guards. They started to push me off. In desperation I yelled, "SANA!!"

---

7:13 p.m.

Over all the noise, I heard my name called. By him. But it couldn't be him.

---

7:13 p.m.

I glared, "SANA!!" I yelled.

---

7:14 p.m.

But there it was again. I turned. And it was him! He looked furiously tired, like he'd just run a lot. He was wearing one of those shirts that wasn't buttoned up all the way, which is something of his trademark. I love it when he does that, it made me want to squeal. It was just like how I used to feel about Rei-kun and his sunglasses, although I haven't been as strict with those lately. Hayama-kun… he looked passionate, you could see it in those chocolate brown eyes, but there was something else. Something like… desperation.

Or maybe he really needed to speak with me but four guards were holding him back.

"Hayama-kun…" I whispered.

He broke through the guards and ran to me. He looked over his shoulder and groaned with a pained look on his face. The guards grabbed his arm, his face shadowed.

"No!" I said, "he's with me."

The guards let go of his arm, and stepped back.

"Hayama-kun, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Sana.." he started. I glared, he's not supposed to call me by my first name, until I say. Although, deep inside, I really like it. My lips perked into a half-smile, desperately trying to hide my excitement.

"I really should have told you this, a long, long time ago. And you can't avoid me here…I…" Hayama-kun said.

"Yes?" I questioned, I am such a ditz I had no idea what would happen next.

"…need to know the truth from you. From your mouth. I can't take Aya-chan, and Tsuyoshi's words anymore. Because…" he took a deep breath "I love you. I always have, and I'm sorry but-" he was cut off by me and the paparazzi's flashing cameras. We had completely forgotten the atmosphere. Regardless of this fact, I progressed to do what is said below.

"Hayama!!!" I cried, I threw my arms around him. "I love you!" We were oblivious to the cameras going off.

And then, it was a bit later… than last time. But it happened. Last time, it was on our middle birthday party on Christmas Eve.

( -- )

( 3 ) Babbit says: They kissed!!

V V

He kissed me. I kissed him. We kissed eachother. No one really knows which. It was wonderful, just your average "peck" but I was on Cloud Nine. Afterwards, I grabbed his hand and we sprinted into the theatre. When we got inside, we moved to the side.

"Hayama-kun…" I started.

"No." He frowned. I had no idea why, what had I done? "Drop the honorifics. My name is Akito."

"Ok!" I said gleefully. "A-ki-to." I said. "Akito… out there? We…"

"Be my girlfriend?" He asked.

---

Sana will never know the courage it took to say those words. I really wanted to ask if she would stay with me forever or marry me or something but age restrictions apply. And I'd hate to have Sengoku-sensei on my back again. I held my breath.

"Of course!" she said, hugging me. She could be quite forceful. I timidly hugged her back. She was wearing a bra that night.

---

7:21 p.m.

I know. All that took maybe seven minutes. So we made our way into the theatre, where we watched the movie. Hay- I mean, Akito glaring back at Naozumi-kun. I understand why, Naozumi-kun plays my ex in the movie. Awkward….

"What will the magazines say tomorrow morning?" I thought to myself.