Track 1: Snow Globe
The cycle wore on, hours after hours, and then days and weeks. Auditions, shoots, and interviews. It was a relentless schedule that never ceased.
Kiku Honda's anxiety and weariness became undeniably obvious. He showed up to the studio everyday at 9 am on the dot, his shirt ironed perfectly and his eyes sagging with dark bags. His neat, dark hair was tinged with grey. He smiled at Mei politely, a strained expression.
Mei was not ignorant of her manager's conditions. Her hands clenched in guilt. She was aware that her conditions and situations had taken their toll on the hard working young man. She returned his smile cordially.
"Good morning, Mr. Honda."
She wouldn't blame him, honestly, if he decided that the role of manager was too much for him to handle. He was a first-time manager, after all. She understood the stress and never-ending schedule that her career entailed. Honda wasn't the only person coming to the studio with dark bags under his eyes; the other person hid her distress well under layers of makeup.
Mei knew that he could easily ask for a referral to another branch of NAE, or even out of the company. He could be back in his homeland of Japan, surrounded by his people and a quiet office, where rude and critical directors didn't exist. He could be at home with a nice cup of coffee and his laptop at night, instead of catching a taxi in the rain with because his car had broken down on the way back from a show.
He could very easily walk right out of her life. Mei knew that. And he had no reason not to.
Her chest tightened at the thought of him suffering because of her. Yet at the same time, a voice in her mind was begging Kiku Honda not to leave her alone. When was the last time she had someone to trust? When was the last time she had depended so much on a single person?
Without her noticing it, he had become someone integral to her own life. Mei realized she struggled to imagine going through her day's work without Kiku Honda at her side, offering steadfast encouragements and reminders when her brain felt like a frayed rope after a long day, quietly sliding her a lunch box when she forgot to pack a meal, waiting for her at her door when she found herself rushing half an hour late.
Mei was suddenly afraid to think of what everything would be like without him.
.
She grabbed her guitar and left the studio. It was lunch break, and a warm day. The shade under a tree buzzed with cicadas. Mei sat down and picked at the strings of the guitar.
But she wasn't the star he had to orbit around like a moon, trapped and tethered. She told herself that it wouldn't matter to her, whoever her manager was. They would do their job, and she would do hers. It was up to Kiku Honda to do what he deemed the best for himself; he was in no way obliged to stay with her. If he left her, she would always find a way manage. Mei strummed the guitar and started to sing.
Inside my snow globe
Sky's all clear, bright and sunny
Can you hear me cry?
Outside this glassy globe
You smile at me
Can you hear me cry?
Inside my snow globe,
The birds sing, flowers bloom
Can you hear me cry?
The glass reflects your eyes
You look at me when no one else bothers to
You smile when everyone else turns away
Can you see me
Inside my snow globe?
I think you see me
I think you hear me
So then
Don't leave me
All alone
Inside my glassy snow globe
Something wet fell onto the glossy surface of the guitar. She touched her face to find it wet with tears.
Mei laughed as more droplets slipped onto the guitar. She covered her face.
She would be alright. By herself. That was how it had always been, from the time when her aunt took her into that small apartment and put away the newspaper nervously when Mei tried to grab at it.
The guitar was slippery wet. She pushed it away from her and buried her face within her sleeves.
From behind her, Mei heard the scuffle of a pair of feet. She looked up in alarm, but there was no one there. She was alone.
.
.
.
A/N: This chapter is a bit short, but enjoy and let us know what you think!
The song Mei sings is written by inspriation99 and is called "Snow Globe", the title of this arc :)