My Funny, Lost Valentine
By
Chibijem
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters herein and am making no financial gain from this work of fiction.
Nanami Haruka was making her way down a thoroughfare of the shopping center; as was her normal problem, she was hopelessly lost. She had easily found the exclusive shop where she had purchased a Valentine's Day gift for Ichinose Tokiya. The love of her life had been carrying the same bag for years and it was showing its age. She had mentioned it to him and his reply had been "I have had this since I started out as Hayato…." She knew he would not venture out and purchase a new one as his schedule lately had been very full and he did not relish spending his free time shopping. She clutched the bag and looked about for any hint as to where she was.
"Haruka?"
Starish's composer turned and saw her former roommate and now popular television personality striding towards her. "Oh, Tomo-chan." She smiled in relief.
The red-head stopped in front of her friend and tilted her head. "Lost again?" She asked with a teasing smile.
The shorter female blushed and nodded. "I thought I knew where I was; I was just going to run in and pick this up." She motioned to the shopping bag she held. "I must have made a wrong turn when I left the store." She admitted.
Shibuya Tomochika laughed softly. "You must have." She hooked arms with Haruka. "Come on."
"Arigato." The musical prodigy said in relief.
"How did you get here?"
"I took a cab from my last meeting." Haruka answered.
"You mean Starish let you come alone?" The red head looked over the rims of her sunglasses in astonishment.
"They are all busy."
"Hmmmm, wait until Tokiya hears about this." Tomo-chan chided.
"Hai." The founder of the group's normally cheery disposition faded. "I'm worried about him."
When her celebrity friend lifted an eyebrow in question, she went on. "He is working too hard-again."
"From what I hear, they all are." Tomochika went on to list what all the members of Starish were currently working on. "And I hear they are starting work on new music too."
Haruka nodded. "I've been coming up with ideas in between meetings and other composing jobs." She now had become a very in demand composer for films and television which she had begun to pursue with the encouragement of all the members of Starish, Tsukumiya-sensei and even Shining Saotome had chimed in his support.
"Then Tokiya is not the only one working too hard."
"We've all been busy. Just the nature of this business." Haruka repeated the oft noted phrase.
"Just make sure you and Tokiya get some rest when you can." They continued walking towards the exit. "What have you got there, anyways?" Tomochika gestured to the bag her best friend carried.
"Tokiya's Valentine's Day gift. I already have chocolates cooling at home but I wanted to get him something else too." As the two made themselves comfortable in the back of a taxi, Haruka pulled the leather bag out of the gift box. "The one he's been carrying is starting to show its age, so I thought…..I just hope…"
"He's going to love it." Tomochika reached out to run her hand over the dark leather. "It's beautiful, Haruka."
"Tokiya is always so hard to buy for and when I ask, he always says he doesn't need or want anything." Haruka confessed. "Even when I told him I thought his bag was getting old…."
"Men! What would they do without us?" Tomo-chan asked with a giggle.
Starish's composer joined in the humor, "Probably eat lots of junk food, dress in old, ratty clothes and never be on time for anything."
The television star wrapped an arm around her former roommate. "Probably. Luckily for everyone, we all have people who look out for us."
By the time the duo reached the television studio, they had caught up with everything going on in their lives and made a promise to get everyone together for dinner. As they made their way through the hallways, Haruka heard the voices of Jinguji Ren, Hijirikawa Masato, Ittoki Otoya and Kotobuki Reiji. When she followed Tomo-chan around a corner she came face to chest with Starish's saxophonist.
"Ah, Kohitsuji-chan. I never knew…." The group's resident lady's man teased, loosely wrapping his arms around their composer.
"Jinguji-san!"
"Don't be mean, Ren-Ren." Quartet Night's maracas loving member rebuked as he pulled Haruka away from the tall musician. "Daijobu desu ka, Kouhai-chan?"
"Hai, Kotobuki-senpai," she replied, smiling into Reiji's gray eyes. "I didn't know you were all going to still be here." She said, looking for her tall lover.
"Icchi could not make it, he called saying filming had run over." The earring clad singer explained.
Otoya, seeing their founder's dejection, stepped forward. "Our segment ran a bit over as well," he explained.
"Which is now why we are behind schedule." Masato added with a smile for their founder. "What are you doing here?"
"I found her in the shopping arcade," Tomo-chan began. "She was…"
"Hopelessly lost." The members of Starish and Reiji finished in unison, ending on a sigh.
"Minna-san," Haruka said in a soft voice.
"What are we to do with you, Lady?" Ren asked reaching out to clasp one slender shoulder.
"Not to mention what will Toki say?" Reiji said, tilting his hat back on his head.
"I think maybe we should put a tracking device on her." Tomo-chan injected with a giggle.
"I am not that bad." Haruka argued. "I am getting better," she offered when she saw the skeptical looks on her friends' faces. She sighed. "Just don't tell Tokiya."
After saying their goodbyes to Tomochika and a promise to call to schedule dinner together Haruka left with the men in her life.
Several hours later, Haruka let herself into the home she shared with Tokiya. She had been delayed by late afternoon meetings and had traded text messages with her love letting him know she would not make it home for dinner and that her meetings were running overtime. The unofficial leader of the group she had founded had replied that the filming on the drama he was working on was running late as well and telling her he hoped to be home not too late. "Tokiya? Tadaima." she called out seeing the lights were on in the living room. Receiving no answer, she tiptoed into the room and smiled to herself: her lover had fallen asleep, sitting on the couch, script slipping off his lap and his glasses slipping down his straight nose. After carefully and quietly setting her bags down she crossed to the vocalist. "Anata?" she whispered, gently reaching out to remove the eyewear and setting them aside. She smiled when he roused slightly. "You're overworking again." She reproached, running her fingers through slightly damp, raven hair, smiling into steely blue eyes.
"I can say the same," Tokiya replied, voice husky with sleep. "Okaeri nasai."
"How long have you been home? Long enough to shower," Haruka observed.
"About an hour," he replied as he stretched his lanky body. "Gomen ne for missing dinner with you. Have you eaten?"
"My last meeting turned into a working dinner." She admitted. She cuddled into his side as her partner in life and love wrapped his strong arms around her. "How was your day?"
"Long and tedious." He pressed a kiss to her head. "Tomorrow will be even longer."
"What? Why?" Concern in the composer's voice.
"Kamio-san has informed the director and producer she is expecting her first child." Tokiya told his saving grace of the lead actress's condition.
"When is she due?"
"About four months."
"She must be excited."
"Hai, but her doctors have already warned her about working too far into her pregnancy. Which is why I have a revised shooting schedule." Tokiya reached out and took a sheath of papers from the coffee table.
Haruka took them and made a quick study of the changed dates and times. She frowned. "This looks terrible!"
"The producer wants to complete the filming on Kamio-san's scenes before she really starts to show and since the majority of mine are with her…." Tokiya let the thought hang. Seeing how disturbed Haruka was, he went on. "Look at it this way: I will be finished sooner with this new timeline."
"Hai," Starish's founding member agreed. "But in what condition will you be in?! This," she rattled the papers she held between them. "Hardly gives you any time for sleeping."
"I can handle it."
"Like you did when we were still at the Academy and you were finishing Hayato's obligations?"
"Koiishi," Tokiya had to look up since his lady love had suddenly gotten to her tiny feet. "It's only for a short while, then I will be done."
Haruka sighed, closed her eyes and nodded. "I still don't have to like this ludicrous schedule."
"I am not so happy with it either but there was no other way around circumstances." The singer stood and took the composer into his strong arms. "And after filming is finished, I promise to rest and take it easy." He pressed a kiss into silky, orange curls.
"And eat properly?" The question asked against a broad chest.
Tokiya laughed softly, "And eat properly," he agreed. "What did you have for dinner?"
"They had something sent in."
"That didn't answer my question." Starish's unofficial leader pulled back and lifted a long finger to his lady's chin to lift her much loved face to his gaze. He lifted an elegant eyebrow. "Hmmmmm?"
"I was too busy taking notes and writing down ideas to eat much." Haruka finally confessed.
He exhaled softly, "Good thing I brought home some leftovers from the food the film company arranged for." Tokiya said, gently pulling Haruka behind him as he guided them to the kitchen.
As the couple were settling into bed that night, they discussed the group members' various schedules. "Are we still meeting for Jinguji's birthday?" Tokiya asked, arranging his pillows.
"Hai, just a small gathering. With everyone so busy trying to complete individual projects before taking up Starish's banner, we all agreed to make it small, not to mention who knows what Jinguji-san has planned on his own. It is Valentine's day after all." Haruka replied, resting against her lover, her back against his broad chest.
"True." Tokiya placed a warm kiss where Haruka's shoulder met her neck. "I think he and Shibuya-san have a thing going."
Haruka turned her head, shock in her sunny eyes, "Nani?! Thing?! Are you serious?!"
"Hai, Hijirikawa and Otoya mentioned catching him on his phone with her."
"Are they certain it was Tomo-chan?"
"Otoya said he caught a quick glance of her picture on Jinguji's phone." Tokiya related.
Haruka thought for a minute, "I suppose it would make sense," she mused. "They always seemed to be on the same wave length, even at the Academy."
"They will find their way." Tokiya assured her. "We did."
"Hai, we did." Haruka lifted her head to meet warm lips in a fervent and passionate kiss.
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On Valentine's Day afternoon, Tokiya was just finishing filming a scene when he caught sight of a member of the production crew striding towards the set, followed by a frazzled looking Nanami Haruka. His head dropped as he let out a gentle laugh. "Lost again?" He asked as his lover came to stand before him. He reached out a finger to run down a rosy cheek.
"Hai," Haruka answered, her blush becoming more prominent.
"Arigato, Hiroshi-san." The tall vocalist said to the young man who had escorted Starish's founding member to him.
"Arigato," Haruka added, bowing. She turned to her partner, "Are you done?"
"I think so," Tokiya replied, taking her hand and ushering her through the film crew moving about the set. He sat her in his chair. "Do not move. I'm going to check with the director; I will be right back." He told her sternly, not wanting her to get lost again.
"I'll be waiting." Haruka gazed at her lover as he strode away. She loved just watching Tokiya move; his tall figure moving through crowds with confidence, his strength in every movement. As soon as he was out of view, she turned her study to what was happening around the film set. She had been on many before but always found it an interesting experience. She forgot to stay put as one of the crew dropped several sets of papers and she went to help gather them. She then followed the young girl to an office where she deposited her burden. Leaving the room, she stood stock still, realizing she had no idea where she was. He is going to be so worried, she thought as she started walking back to where she thought she had come from. Minutes later, she asked a passing cameraman for directions back to the correct set. The man finally giving up, personally guided her back to a frantic Tokiya.
"Honto no gomen nasai, anata," she began.
Tokiya nodded gratefully to the man and took Haruka's slim shoulders in his large, loving hands. "I thought I told you…."
"Hai, you did and I was. But a lady dropped her papers and I went to help and then…." Her voice grew softer as she went on.
Tokiya pulled her against him, "I am just glad you are alright. There are a lot of visitors to the studios today."
"I am not helpless or…" Haruka countered.
"Or hopeless. Hai, you are. You are my funny, lost valentine." Tokiya finished with a smile. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to his no-sense-of-direction love's soft lips. "Aishteru."
FIN
Author's Note: I know this is late, but real life intruded. I hope you enjoyed it just the same. Thank you reading.