A/N: I took this one when I watched a popular idol being interrogated by a television host, while his fans screamed his name inside the recording studio. Teehee :P
Chapter 7-Score One
"So, Ren, a lot of your fans are speculating, do you have a girlfriend now?" the popular female host of the late afternoon talk show Head's Up! Smiled widely in front of the camera before turning to face him. There was a chorus of giggles and laughter on the audiences' area, as a large group of female fans squealed their excitement seeing their idol just a few feet away from them.
Haruka stood in the sidelines of the set, holding Ren's mobile phone and a bottle of water. She took a sneak peek in front and was blinded momentarily by the bright lights all directed at the man sitting casually on the sofa, handsome face grinning sheepishly.
The medium-sized studio was filled to the brim with the crew and today's selected audience, most of them, fans of Ren Jinguuji, all sporting black shirts with his name emblazoned in front with rhinestones and sparkles. A few of them carried banners and flowers, stuff toys and other paraphernalia, with Ren's image printed on every available space imaginable.
She looked back over her shoulder and saw Aki talking to someone over the phone. He signaled to her that he would wait for them back at the dressing room and she nodded. The interview would be over in five minutes.
She turned back to look at Ren, sitting comfortably in front of the simpering TV host, looking fresh and dangerously handsome in his tailored black pants and light blue shirt, bringing out the color of his eyes. He seemed to be enjoying all the attention being showered to him by the host and his fans.
"Well.." Ren hesitated, giving the host a shy smile. "What made you think I have a girlfriend?" he leaned forward from where he was sitting. The camera began taking a close-up shot of him, his image projected in the large TV screens scattered all around the studio. A few girls swooned.
Yeah, who would date an arrogant bastard like him? Haruka thought to herself irritably. She gripped the bottle of water tightly as she saw the female host move closer, her short skirt hitching higher and higher, exposing her tanned legs in front of the whole world to see.
Haruka raised her eyebrows. Is that allowed in a daytime show? TV hosts wearing such scandalous skirts? She rolled her eyes. She should have brought a barf bag while she watched the show and waited.
"A lot of people are speculating, because you look more handsome these days. More relaxed. Is your next album coming along smoothly? Or is it really a girl who is inspiring you?" the female host fluttered her eyelashes coyly.
There was a collective sigh among the female audiences.
Haruka had to agree with the female host's observations. Ren looked more handsome lately. For the past few weeks since she started working for him, his guarded expression gradually relaxed as he began to focus on his album, while he mapped out the schedule of its release with his manager, Aki.
Since she started living in Tokyo, she settled in her new routine gradually. Almost two months have passed when she first arrived in this cosmopolitan city, where most of the people are as stylish as the people she is accustomed to back in Paris. Everything is fast-paced, from food, cars and TV shows, even music. The city looks more alive at night with its dozens of blinking lights, LED TV advertisements splashing in front of the tall buildings, as people walk to and fro their destination. Young people wearing colorful clothing, red-cheeked children in red coats. It was both dizzying and exhilarating for her.
She could not wait to start a new chapter in her life here. The feeling of finally coming home was not lost to her. It was the same feeling she had during the times when her parents was still alive, coming home from school and being greeted by the smell of coffee and her mother's butter cookies. It was the same when she breathed in the air of Tokyo.
And her mind is floating with all the possibilities that a new location has presented to her. She could not help but feel strangely happy in a new place. She wanted to laugh hysterically at herself for being such a sourpuss and coward. Many people would give their arm to be in her shoes now!
Except for the fact that her hands are tied with Ren. It's easier to deal with him when he is preoccupied with other things. Like his album and studio recordings, as Haruka found out. He could be a most demanding employer when he is on the creative stage of the album. He constantly keeps her on her feet, up and running about, fetching this and that. It was exhausting work, and by the time she trudged to her rented apartment, she can barely open her eyes to study her music sheets and try to rewrite her lost compositions.
Ren wakes up early in the morning to do his regular routines, except for weekends when he gets a bit of a lie-in for a half hour or so.
And everyday of the week, she would wake up early too, shower and dress, before going down to the bakeshop or café down the street to fetch his breakfast. By the time she lets herself in to his penthouse using her own access key, he has already work up a good sweat in his bare living room, wearing nothing but his jogging pants.
The first time she saw him like that, she almost backed out of the apartment, embarrassed by what she saw. She couldn't help but admire this sculpted body, toned muscles rippling with energy. She took a surreptitious swallow, as she stared at his magnificent body. She could feel her pulse jump as she compared his physique with the Greek marble statues she always sees at the Louvre during those long hours of appreciating art.
He gave a short laugh at her embarrassment, shrugged and urged her to come in and ignore what he is doing.
"I'm very sorry for my filthy state." He had said politely to her, by way of his good morning, rolling up the exercise mat and storing it in the utility room right beside the open kitchen.
Feeling her cheeks burning, she nodded, not looking at him in the eye. She was holding the morning's newspaper, tucked under her arm, a bag of hot croissants, two paper cups of coffee and tea, and her satchel. He had requested her to start work that morning, and she wanted to be early. She did not know he wakes up at the same time as she. She made a mental note to wake up earlier so that she need not disturb him on his daily morning exercise.
Dumping the food on the counter between them, she took the paper cups of steaming coffee and tea and removed them from the cardboard carrier.
"It's okay, Sir" she answered. Today, she resolved not to call him by his given name. Sir is more appropriate, given that he is her employer. And it helps to define the boundaries between them if they keep their distance on a professional level. As long as he doesn't catch her staring at his face and body like a shameless pervert, she would be fine. No problem. Goddammit! This is so not right. She thought to herself, averting her gaze again. He'd better not catch her drooling at him.
He frowned. "You can call me Ren." He grabbed the half-filled bottle of isotonic drink from the island counter, before sitting down on one of the counter stools.
She frowned, too. "That wouldn't be right." Honestly! Can't he see that she's trying her best to be professional? This is work, after all!
"And as your employer, our first order of the day is how to address each other. I will call you, Haruka, you can call me, Ren. How is that?" he said, in challenging tone.
She bit her tongue to prevent herself from retorting. He can be so irritating sometimes. "Fine, Ren it is."
He nodded his acknowledgement. "Haruka." He took the bag of baked goods sitting between them and got a croissant out. "Now that we have established how to call each other, let's get down to business. Your duties." He gave her a teasing wink, trying to lighten the mood.
She gave a grimace and braced herself for the barrage of works she needed to do for him. She took out a small notepad she prepared the night before and uncapped her pen. She heard him cough and looked up trying not to glare at him.
"Your regular duties will mostly focus on handling my monthly bills, fetch and deliver and manage correspondences." He coughed again. "You will need to pay off my credit card bills, utility and membership fees, etc. etc. Drop off and pick-up my dry cleaning." He began to tick off his fingers as he stated her work one by one. "You must arrange for a housecleaner to come twice a week. You may need to arrange for them to do your apartment too, should you wish it, put it on my tab with them. Pick up my mail at my mailbox at the first level of the building, answer a few of my regular correspondences."
He glance back at her, "You don't know how to drive yet, am I right?"
She nodded without a word.
He sighed. "Then, I guess you must come with me at all times then, except for when you need to go out on your own. I will arrange for a regular driver to come and collect you. And under no circumstances you will go out on your own without consulting my manager, and me or Aki. If you need to go out, make some advance arrangements with the driver. I am responsible for your well-being, after all."
Was it her imagination, or did she saw something gleam in his eyes? She inclined her head towards him, furtively trying to get a closer look without being too obvious. "Fine."
"I may need you to be ready for activities that may require us to go out of town. You will be paid overtime work for this, of course. Invitation to do mall tours and small concerts to prefectures, music video shoots." His voice trailed off.
She nodded. She can deal with that. Piece of cake.
"I may not have mentioned everything, but by the by, I will need your full cooperation and understanding that once the creation of my next album comes into full swing, I may be unreasonable with my demands. Indulge me, I can be frustrating at those critical times."
She raised her eyebrows in suspicion. "Demands? Such as?"
"Oh. The usual." He said airily, "If I need company for certain nights when I'm in the mood to go out of town to relax, watch movies or see the opera or a concert. Dinner at the restaurant or a short break in between recording sessions. You will need to make yourself available immediately." He watched her mouth drop open.
"That's..That's unacceptable!" she said outraged. "I'm a paid employee! Not some host from a host club!"
"You can list them down as overtime work. Be sure to count the number of hours that I exceed your regular work period. With the amount I will have to pay you, I'm sure you've got no room to complain." He said, staring at her intently, challenging her to say otherwise.
"How much?" she countered, gritting her teeth. She could not help asking the amount he is ready to pay her.
He gave her a haunting smile before mentioning an eye-popping amount of money for her salary plus overtime compensation.
"Are you insane?" she said in indignation. Is he trying to buy her? Did he lie to her after all? "This deal sounds too fishy!" she dropped her pen with a clatter.
He gave her a puzzled look, pretending not to understand what she is trying to say.
"Well, you promised me my work will be nothing like this!" she said in an accusing tone, eyes flashing dangerously.
"Like what?" he asked innocently.
"Damned you! What are we talking about then!"
"Watch your mouth, Mon cher! I won't tolerate swear words." Ren warned. "You agreed to this deal."
"Yes, but nothing suspicious like this!" she repeated throwing her hands up in the air.
"Before you go jumping to conclusions and raging your anger towards me" Ren held up his hands in mock surrender, "have you any idea that personal assistants for people like me get all sorts of unusual job descriptions? Do you know much is the going rate for a PA of a musician?" he asked.
Haruka opened her mouth to answer, and immediately closed it. How much is the monthly salary of a personal assistant? She honestly doesn't know. She cursed herself for being inadequately prepared for this conversation. She spent the last two days familiarizing herself within the area where they live, often walking to and down the side streets and memorizing all the stores and nearby amenities.
Placing both of her palms down the marble counter top, she paused before answering. "I've no idea."
He gave a chuckle. "Thought so." He drained the contents of his isotonic drink. "Well, that's the regular rate of an inexperienced personal assistant like you. You can check it out with my manager once you've meet him." He shrugged.
She fidgeted in her seat. There is still something wrong with the picture he is trying to paint for her. So she said, "You bet I will." She threatened, seething with anger.
"I'm not buying your soul or anything" he emphasized his sentence with a quotation mark by way of his fingers. "This is our business deal. You've probably watched too much soap operas where a man makes indecent proposals to a girl and succeeds in seducing her."
"No." she answered vehemently, a sense of foreboding crackling in the air. "He supposedly makes an indecent proposal to the girl, and the girl ends up falling for him." She said bitterly. "But the guy is not interested in the love offered by the girl." She had seen too many of her friends turn into totally different people when they are broken hearted. She doesn't want to experience her first love like that. Why is she so prickly with money matters when she is dealing with him? What the hell is wrong with her? Other people will jump at the chance to work for him. Money or no money involved. He saved her not once, but twice. He's not such a bad guy. He's only got a few kinks on his personality that needed to be ironed out.
"A deal is a deal. I fulfilled your list of requirements. You will need to fulfill mine." He stressed. "If you are having problems with your compensation, I can make things more worthwhile for you." And he named a revised sum of money for her to consider. "You can take it or leave it, Haruka. Your choice." He waited for her to make decision.
Haruka almost fell off her seat with what he was offering. She could not believe it. The amount he mentioned was more than triple of a regular office employee's salary. A year of working with him can pay off a couple of year's worth of semesters in her choice of school. "Are you really sure about this?" she asked uncertainly. Why was he so adamant that she accepts his offer? There must be something for him too, wasn't it?
"Positive." He nodded.
She looked at him straight in the eye. He seemed to be enjoying himself with the turn of their conversation. Damned it! He's deliberately making her decision difficult. She chewed her bottom lip, thinking. A year. A year would suffice. After that, she would leave. He maybe as handsome as hell, but he's a horrible man underneath, but she needed the money. And she needs to be practical.
"Fine." She said wearily, suddenly drained of energy. She will meet him halfway. She watched him nod his approval before he slung a white cotton towel over his shoulder and left the room, whistling to himself, unperturbed at the murderous look she threw his way. As soon as he slammed his bedroom door shut with a ringing sound, she banged her fist on the counter in defeat.
Haruka listened carefully, as all eyes turn to the man sitting on the couch.
"The truth is.." Ren said, voice turning soft, calculated to make him look more heart melting, "the truth is, there is someone I'm interested with."
There were loud gasps from both the female host and audience. They were all hanging on to his every word with pure rapture, it was almost too much.
And for a split-second, he seemed to be looking straight at her, his eyes holding her gaze, before breaking off to look back again at the female host in front of him. Haruka raised her eyebrows at him, confused.
"I don't believe it!" the female host said, clearly trying to disguise the disappoint and hope in her voice. She looked older than Ren by a few years, give or take. "Who?"
Trust me, lady; you don't want to get involve with him, she thought to herself. She suddenly lost the interest to continue watching. Who cares if he is interested with someone? She turned away from the scene and looked around. Most of the staff is too busy finishing the taping of the program. Maybe she should wait for him in the changing room? But then, Aki left instructions to wait for him, before he drowns from all the girls wanting to ambush him with requests for photos and autographs once the show wraps up. So she turned back again to watch him.
Ren smiled mysteriously. "If I told you, it won't be a secret anymore." He gave a teasing laugh, as all the females in the audience sighed in frustration, racking their minds on which the mysterious girl is that caught their idol's attention.
The female host smiled and said something amusing, before plugging to promote his first album and DVD copy of his first concert. Then she thanked Ren and the audience for attending the show before bowing her goodbyes.
As soon as the last notes of the closing song had finished, scores of female fans had barricaded themselves around Ren, who stood up to receive their requests graciously, uncapping his pen to sign autographs and pose for photos, while the female host, dropping her fake nice manners, loudly complained that they are being too pushy.
"Uh, excuse me, Ren. We need to be at the recording studio in 40 minutes" Haruka interrupted as politely as she could, after letting a couple of twin girls take their photos with him, female host still fuming in the background, shooting annoyed looks at her.
"Oh, but Ren, you promised we could have a nice chat after this." The female host said, stepping in front of Haruka in an attempt to block her, whipping her long, curls across her face. She was tempted to shove the simpering woman flat on the ground.
"I'm sorry, Mika-san." He smiled at her warmly, "I will need to meet with my album's producers after this." He gave Haruka a grin and took the bottled water and his mobile phone from her. "We don't want to let the producers wait, am I right?"
She nodded.
Mika-san turned around to glare at her, hiding her expression from Ren. "I see. Well then. Run along now." And she left in a huff, heels clicking angrily against the tiled floor.
They made their way back to his changing room, with Haruka following close behind him. Around them, people greeted him and congratulated him on a good taping show. A few crewmembers also stopped to ask him for an autograph for their wives, daughters and girlfriends which he happily obliged.
They headed right to one corner towards his dressing room. Placing his hands on the doorknob, he suddenly turned to face her, making her jump in surprise at his sudden action.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he inquired, moving closer to her, scrutinizing her expression.
"Like what?" she asked, taking a step back, cheeks red with guilt. She was annoyed at all the attention he always gets from the people surrounding him, especially the women. And she was equally annoyed that he seemed to be enjoying it all. Just watching him charm everyone on the set, he looked like a cat that ate the canary. Why is it that she was the only one making an attempt to be impervious to his charms?
Are you really impervious to him? A voice inside her head mocked her. Maybe you are jealous, yes?
Shut up! She scolded herself.
"Well?" Ren prompted, his face still close to hers. "Care to answer my question?"
He was studying her face closely. Too close for her own good.
"No." she said, and pushed him away so that she can enter the room first.
The sooner she finishes this gig, the better. She can't wait to go back home and start mapping out her future in music school. Maybe she should buy a calendar and star crossing out the dates with a red felt-tip pen. Counting the days might make time go faster.
oOoOoOo
Ren revved up the engine of his car and stepped hard on the gas pedal. The car purred smoothly, as he drove down the road, Macy Gray's raspy voice playing on the car's sound system.
He glanced at the passenger sitting beside him. Wearing dark blue jeans and a white shirt, Haruka looked as fresh as she was in the morning. Her face was devoid of make-up, opting only for some lip gloss slathered on her lips. Her skin looks amazingly dewy, not at all oily, like some women he knew after a day's hard work. He longed to touch her cheeks and smell the fragrance of her hair, feel her breath against his lips.
The last thought made him harden in an instant, and he shifted on his seat uncomfortably.
He was won with her professionalism, always up and about in the morning, ready with his mail, breakfast and schedule that she painstakingly take notes of, often comparing it with Aki's schedule. If she is unsure of something, she doesn't hesitate to verify the information needed. After a couple of months of working for him, she bought a serviceable laptop that she can utilize on her work, often ready with the vital information they might need: printed street maps for unfamiliar places they needed to go, or come up with information on personalities and industry players and movers that they meet along as they put together his album. She is becoming adept with her handy skills, saving her time by applying for online banking systems to pay off his bills and membership fees, even going so far as methodically going through his whole wardrobe to categorize the items he would need for which meeting he is supposed to attend for the day and organizing his dry cleaning schedule. On occasions that he needed to stay home and concentrate on his lyrics and melodies, she has found a gourmet chef that regularly delivers home-cooked meals right at his doorstep. She kept his kitchen well stocked with items he can easily digest: fruit juices, ready to eat vegetable salads, protein shakes, etc., etc.
She is quick thinking, quiet and stubborn to the core. Even Aki, who initially opposed his hiring of her, due to the fact that she's got potential to make it on her own, begrudgingly admitted that things are going very smoothly for both of them since Haruka took charge of other items he could not take care of.
And thanks to her efficiency, he can concentrate more on his work, he can relax whenever he needs one, given his schedule is not as chaotic as it was before, and his health is even better than ever because of the healthy foods she wisely keeps for him in the kitchen. In short, she has effectively run his household with the ease of an army general.
He could not help but smile to himself. She settled on her routine easily, like it was second nature to her.
The only thing that's been bugging him is that he still has a long way to go with her. He made little progress on his attempt to seduce her. She has always been adamant on keeping their relationship to a professional level. Despite making several attempts to surprise her by going somewhere special, she always seemed to guess his intention, thereby limiting their time alone with each other as much as possible. Elusive like a doe, and he is becoming frustrated with it lately. It's been three months and his plan has yet to come to fruition. He dislikes taking cold showers to cool off.
So today, he seized the rare opportunity of catching her off-guard. While she concentrated on Aki's instruction, as he reeled off his schedule in meeting potential directors for his music videos, he chimed in the days that he needed to keep free. She kept nodding methodically at both him and Aki, and as soon as his manager was out of earshot, and while she scribbled down on what things she needed to prepare, he decided to go for it. He moved close to her and sprang his question, "We are going out tonight to celebrate, yes?"
She nodded without thinking, chewing the cap of her pen, as she reviewed what she wrote. It took her a few moments to realize what she has just done, and she snapped her head up to meet his eyes with horror, as he grinned there like a Cheshire cat.
"Be ready at 7pm tonight" then he stood up and sauntered over to Aki, as they went inside the office of the production company's president, giving her no chance to rebut her permission.
"Where are we going?" she asked in an annoyed voice, buckling her seatbelt.
"I figured we both needed a break, so I booked a nice dinner for us."
She gave a sigh and continued to stare out of the window. "I'd rather stay home and study my music sheets and read my books. Besides, I'm not even dressed for a dinner. I just thought we're going to just grab a bite at one of the downtown diners or something." She eyed his black tailored pants and dark blue, long-sleeved shirt and blazer before looking down at her own outfit.
"Indulge me, mon cher" he smiled sadly at her. "Is it so hard to accept a dinner date with me, when all I want is to thank you properly for all the help you've given?"
She looked up at him with her liquid-gold eyes studying him before her face went red with embarrassment. "I'm sorry. It's just that, I find this whole thing awkward. This seems like a date, and I usually make it a point not to go out on dates with someone I barely know" She bit her lip, unsure of what else to say.
"You know my full name. You know my bank details, and you're holding most of my credit cards. Isn't that enough not to classify me as a stranger? I don't usually give my bank account information to someone I don't know." he said teasingly, surprised that she had let her guard down easily tonight and gave an honest answer. She's usually evasive. Maybe she is warming up to him now.
She let out a snort. "Every woman dreams of learning their man's bank details. It might be handy for their shopping sprees. Oh wait," she winked, "I am doing that now. I shop your home necessities for you. Would you object if I shop for my own clothes, then?" she stopped, surprised at her remark.
They both laughed. Ren, feeling giddy with happiness was struck with a sudden inspiration. Checking his watch, he figured he still have time to do a small detour. And the dinner he had reserved can wait. Besides, tonight is such a perfect night. The sky is clear and bright. It's now or never.
"Haruka," he said seriously, interrupting her. "Would you do me a favor?"
oOoOoOo
A/N: Damn! I suck at making lighthearted and funny conversations. I need to work on this pronto!
Any guesses on what Ren's favor is? The best guess will get a free wish at the wishing fountain near my home (luck for the coming new year..hehehe)
Anyway, I wish to elaborate more on Masato Hirijikawa. So for fans of Masato out there, you're in luck! My next chapter is purely his POV. So I hope you enjoy the elaborate set-up I made for him.
How about leaving a nice review for this chapter? I know I suck bigtime on this, so don't be too cruel.. sniffles
