A/n: Thanks to all those who have reviewed this piece.
Chapter 25
"How do you know I am Makino Tsukushi?" asked Aikawa Anna.
"Simple. I'm Matsuoka Yuuki," answered Rainie Yang.
"Who else knew about this?" asked Anna.
"My manager," answered Rainie. "Anna, the reason I pass the information to you is not for you to stop doing what you like best,"
"Then for what?" asked Anna.
"There is the Most Promising Actress Award for the Japanese Film Festival, and my manager is thinking of using your secret to pull you out of the running," answered Rainie. "Personally, I don't want to do that."
"It would be beneficial for you to do that, I would get out of the way," replied Anna.
"It is not ethical, Makino-sempai, and besides I want to win that award by my own gain," said Rainie. "Personally, I'm not so sure if the both of us are going to be nominated. We are not acting in films, but dramas."
"Ah, I acted in a film, Ichigo Channel," reminded Anna. "If not because of my bloody father's insistence on me doing it by denying I am Makino Tsukushi, this trouble won't come."
"Hang on, Makino-sempai, you can still turn it around for your own benefit," said Rainie. "You can sell the fact that you don't want anything to do with the Makino Tsukushi image."
"Rainie, according to the clause in the agreement between my father and I, once the public knows I am Makino Tsukushi, Aikawa Anna must stop," explained Anna.
"Makino-sempai, if Aikawa Anna stops, Makino Tsukushi can take her place anytime," said Rainie.
Later that day...
Makino Mansion
Makino Atsuya was perusing the contract on his desk when his daughter, Makino Tsukushi entered the room without knocking.
"Kushi, what do you want?" he asked. "And you forgot to knock."
"Sorry, dad. There seems to be trouble," answered Tsukushi.
"What trouble?" asked her father.
"Someone else knows my secret and wants to expose it and strip away my popularity," answered Tsukushi.
"So, in that case, you can stop this rubbish and enter the business world," said her father happily.
"Daddy! I will enter the corporate world once I am ready. If you haven't noticed, I am in the business world, entertainment-wise." whined Tsukushi.
"All right, all right. You have my permission to tell your secret," sighed Mr. Makino.
Tsukushi's apartments
"Katie, my dad gave me the go ahead!" said Tsukushi happily.
"You do know that you stand the risk of losing everything, fame, popularity and the likes?" asked Katie.
Tsukushi nodded.
"There is a tv show where you are invited to sing with Boys, and after the revealing, we can put up a press conference," suggested Katie.
Tsukushi nodded.
"Perhaps you should tell Ashiya Kaze. I can see that you are quite close with him," said Katie.
"Katie, Ashiya Kaze hates rich people that do not work their ass off to be rich," Tsukushi reminded. "So, I better shut up and just tell the whole world without telling him."
"The tv show is next week, so you'd better be ready,"
The Press has already been invited to the press conference. The TV company has already arranged for everything. The producers and the director already knew what to expect, but they don't know what is going to happen, because Anna only said that she has something to announce. Only Rainie Yang and Katie knew what's going on, and they are staying mum about it.
TV Show
"Thanks to Boys who sang just now. Next up, is Aikawa Anna!" welcomed the host, Rainie Yang.
"Anna, you really look like Makino Tsukushi with that get up," teased Rainie.
Anna laughed, and instead of denying like she used to, she kept her mouth shut. With the long hair wig that she's wearing, and the glasses, she is no longer Anna, but Tsukushi.
"So, what are you going to sing today?" asked Rainie.
"My newest song, aptly titled, 'I'm Sorry'," answered Anna. "This song is dedicated to all my fans."
There's a lot of things,
That I should be sorry about,
There's a lot of things,
That I should be guilty about.
Please listen,
For what I've to Plea.
For I've did something wrong,
Something that makes me feel guilty.
I've lied so many times,
It's eating up my conscience.
I want to set things straight,
or my mind wouldn't function.
I'm sorry,
For all the things I did,
I'm sorry,
For all the lies I created.
I've tried to hide my real self,
but I couldn't do so anymore.
I need to get it out,
and be honest to everyone for once and evermore.
Please listen,
For what I've to plea.
Pleave forgive me,
for what I did wrong.
Please accept me,
for who I really am.
Please listen,
to my confession,
and I'm sorry,
for all the past deeds.
"For my real name is Makino Tsukushi."
Shouts were heard, and the studio was in a pandemonium. Anna had just confessed that she is Makino Tsukushi!
Rainie, who knew about this, immediately announced, "To know more about what Anna had just confessed about, stay tuned to the press conference, coming up next."
Press Conference
"Miss Makino, why did you choose Aikawa Anna as a pseudonym?"
"Miss Aikawa, why did you hide the fact that you are Makino Tsukushi?"
"Miss Aikawa, why did you deny that you are Makino Tsukushi when you are actually Makino Tsukushi?"
"Miss Aikawa, why confess now at the height of your career?"
"Miss Makino, what is your relationship with Nishikado Soujiro?"
"Miss Aikawa, what will happen after this confession?"
Those were the type of questions fired by the press during the press conference.
Anna calmly answered each and every one of them.
"Aikawa Anna is a commercial name created by Katie McDermott and my parents, Makino Atsuya, and Makino Akiko," answered Anna. "The reason why I did not use Makino Tsukushi as a commercial name because I want to gain my way up the ladder by becoming an unknown."
"Everybody knows the debutante and heiress, Makino Tsukushi. But I don't want that. I want the feeling of making my way to the top as a nobody. Hence, Aikawa Anna is born," continued Anna. "My dad even stopped my allowance and cancelled my credit cards when I first started out, unlke my mother and myself, he initially disapproves of me becoming an entertainer."
"I denied that I was who I am because I don't want people to associate Aikawa Anna with my Tsukushi persona. The reason for the confession is because I just don't want to lie anymore, and it is putting a strain between me and the one closest to me,"
"Yes, Nishikado Soujiro is my boyfriend. We started out at a wrong foot, he tried seducing me, and failed. Eventually he began to see me as a friend, and then, things worked out from there,"
"What will happen after this, hmm, if my father has his way, I will be placed in the Makino jet on the first flight to L.A., and forced to enter the corporate world, but if he doesn't has his way, I'm leaving it to the fans,"
"I'm Aikawa Anna thanks to the fans, my rise to fame was due to the fans, and I leave the fate of Aikawa Anna to the fans,"
"Thank you for coming to the press conference."
The F2 and Shigeru who watched the show and the press conference with Rui, Soujiro and Shizuka was stunned.
"Nishii! Your girlfriend is Aikawa Anna! Why didn't you tell me?" screeched Shizuka.
"I can't believe I have a crush on your girlfriend!" shuddered Tsukasa.
Instead of falling facedown to earth like she and her father predicted, copies of anything related to Aikawa Anna went sold out, and it seems as if she is gaining more fame.
The fans decided that they respect her decision to follow her dreams, even if getting a no-no from daddy. The fact that she was willing to work hard by starting out as a nobody moved some of the fans.
Commercially she is still known as Aikawa Anna, and not Makino Tsukushi. The tabloids, though, now refer her with the name that her doctor used, 'AnnaKushi'.
There are some fans who were not satisfied though, and wanted to topple Aikawa Anna from her current popularity, but they form only a minority.
For the first few months after her confession, Ashiya Kaze avoided her like a plague. It did not help that Soujiro will be always be present where she is present.
A few years later...
Tsukushi's 21st birthday bash
She has invited all her friends, from both her worlds. It became THE event of the year, after all, everybody who is anybody is present. There will surely be gossips being whispered, and most entertainment bloggers do not want to pass up the chance of getting a scoop.
The bash was carried out in the gardens of the Aikawa House. Everybody was socialising, building up and restoring networks.
Tsukushi was searching for Soujiro in the crowd, when suddenly...
"Hey look! There's a message in the clouds for you, Anna!" shouted Rainie Yang.
"What?" Tsukushi turned.
For the clouds said, "Please go to the rose garden,"
"The rose garden?" asked Tsukushi. "We are in the rose garden,"
"Look, Kushi, another message!" shouted Shizuka.
"Check out the fountain," said the message.
Tsukushi went to the fountain in the middle of the rose garden. Everybody's attention was divided between Tsukushi and the message in the clouds.
In the fountain, somebody placed a message in a bottle.
"Marry me, for our love is no longer in disguise" the message in the bottle said.
"Jirou, where are you?" asked Tsukushi.
Soujiro's voice can then be heard. For some reason, he is in the air.
"Makino Tsukushi / Aikawa Anna! I love you! Will you marry me?" he shouted.
"Jirou, get your ass down here this instant!" shouted Tsukushi.
"I won't land until you say yes!" shouted Jirou, who actually, has only a few minutes left in the air before landing.
Soujiro landed in front of the crowd, catcalls and whistles can be heard.
"Of course I am saying yes, you silly man!" teased Tsukushi before Soujiro captured her lips for a very passionate kiss.
The End
Omake
"Your son has already gone and asked the person of his dreams to marry him, when will you say yes and divorce your good for nothing husband for me?" asked Domyouji Tetsuya.
"Shut up! You will never receive a yes from me ever, Tetsuya!" answered Nishikado Oshin.
"Oshin, I am hurting from 22 years, and I know you are hurt deep inside, please, divorce your husband for me!" shouted Domyouji Tetsuya.
"Will you divorce Kaede?" asked Nishikado Oshin.
End Omake
A/n: There! Finished. I've started this in 2003, and only ended it in 2007. As for the omake, remember when Soujiro's mom never attended the Domyouji parties that much and she was in love with someone else during her youth but married who her family chose?
I'm not sure whether I will write their story. It is just something to ponder.