Chapter 34: Heartbroken
*meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow*
Nao continues meowing non-stop and keeps walking around the whole apartment.
"Oi Nao, stop meowing already and stay still would ya!"
*meow meow meow meow*
"You're too excited! Cut that out already!"
Nao continues to go around the living room with his tail wagging left and right.
"Sigh. Sometimes I dunno if you're a cat or a dog. Rukawa, where you at?"
"I'm in the kitchen!"
"What the hell are ya doin' there? I thought you already cooked for breakfast?!"
"I did! But I was thinking that maybe Emi might want some more food since she eats a lot and it's been a while since I last cooked for her and all—"
"Such a doting manager, aren't ya?"
"Shut it, Kurosaki or else I'll add more vegetables."
"Okay, okay, I'm leavin' ya alone to your cooking. Oi Nao, come here and take these to the laundry basket; help me out with cleaning around here a little."
*meooow*
Ranmaru gives Nao a few clothes and he drags them away to the laundry basket beside the toilet room.
"Alright, it's 8:00am so she's gonna be here in about thirty minutes. Hmm there's nothin' left to clean up, I think. Everythin' is spick and span."
*THUD*
*meow meow meow*
"Ugh. Did ya fall inside the laundry basket again, Nao?"
*meow meow meow*
"I'm comin', I'm comin'."
*meow meow*
"Alright, just keep meowing so that I can find you in there. Geez, be more careful. It's hard to find ya when the basket is loaded. Gotcha; there you are." As Ranmaru takes out Nao from the laundry basket, the doorbell rings.
*ding dong ding dong*
"Oh crap!" Ranmaru gets startled and suddenly drops Nao who falls back into the depths of the laundry basket.
"Eh?! Could that be Emi?! I thought she's coming at 8:30am?! It's only 8:12am!" Madoka says in a panicked shout from the kitchen.
"I-I dunno!" Ranmaru shouts back.
"Well go and check! I've got French toast and sausages cooking in my pan! I'm not letting them burn in my watch!"
"Fine! I'll answer the door! Just give me a sec." Ranmaru says as he's digging in the laundry basket for Nao.
*ding dong ding dong*
*meow*
"Found ya!"
Nao tilts his head to the side and looks at him with big cute eyes while wagging his tail slowly.
"Hngh. You…You're just too adorable sometimes."
*meowww*
He releases Nao on the floor. "Go on ya free brother."
Nao immediately runs towards the front door and starts meowing non-stop again. Ranmaru immediately follows after him to the door.
"Wait for me!" Madoka shouts as she hurries with her cooking.
"But you just told me a while ago to answer the door already!" Ranmaru says.
"Just humour me, okay?! I'm excited too!"
Madoka finishes up after a few minutes and rushes to the door, still wearing an apron.
*meow meow meow*
"Open the door! Open the door, Kurosaki!"
"I'm opening it! I'm opening it! Stop rushing me so hard!"
Ranmaru opens the door and—
"Good morning, is this where Kurosaki-san lives? I have a package for him."
"…"
"…"
"…"
Madoka angrily hits Ranmaru with her elbow.
"Ouch! Uh, yeah. I'm Kurosaki."
"Ah, splendid! Good morning, sir. Please sign here."
"Here ya go."
"Thank you, sir." The delivery man turns around and starts walking away.
"Oi, what about the package?"
Ranmaru was about to go after the delivery man until someone jumps out from the the side of the front door.
"Ta-dah~ Package received, yeah?"
"Emi!" Madoka happily says.
*MEOWWWWWW*
Nao jumps towards Emi and lands on her face.
"Ack!"
Nao then scrambles to get on her head and then moves down to her shoulder.
*meeeooowwwww*
He purrs as he rubs his cheek against Emi's. He then moves down and slips into her arms.
*meoooowwwwww*
"Hmm." Emi holds him up and looks at him in the eyes. "Nao."
Nao's eyes widen in joy and start to purr louder. Emi hugs him in return.
"Emi." Madoka calls out with a smile. "Welcome home."
Ranmaru smiles. "Welcome home, Emi. It's great to see ya."
Everything was going well until Emi collapsed on the spot. The three who were excited to see her were suddenly thrown into chaos as they all panicked, shocked and unaware of what to do.
"E-Emi?! K-Kurosaki! Is she dead?! Should I call an ambulance or the funeral home?!"
"What?! Hell no! She isn't dead, damn it! She's just unconscious; I told you about this remember?!"
*meeeeeoooow*
Nao keeps poking Emi's face with his small paws.
*meow meow meow meow meow*
Left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right.
"I guess we had an impact on her."
*WHACK*
"Ouch! That hurt, Rukawa! What did ya do that for?!"
"Don't you dare insert a deadpan joke or pun in this situation! Help me get her up to her bed; we can't let her sleep here on the floor!"
"Of course we won't let her sleep here!" Ranmaru crosses his arms. "You didn't have to hit me that hard." He grumbles.
*meow*
Ranmaru picks up Emi while Madoka picks up Emi's things. Nao decides to help by pulling the shoe that fell off of Emi's right foot; he proudly carries it into the apartment, following behind Ranmaru.
"Nghh…?" I can't move.
I open my eyes and the first thing I see is Madoka on front of me, sleeping soundly on the bed with her glasses still on; she's drooling hahaha. In my arms, Nao is sleeping while looking like a dead cat on its back; his right paw is holding my chin. Cute; he's like a stuffed toy.
"Hnghh…" Ranmaru groans a little.
I turn my head a little to look behind me and I see Ranmaru who is also asleep. His arm was the heavy thing wrapped around me which gently pulls me closer to him in his sleep. His chin rests on my head as I'm stuck in his embrace.
"I think…I need to pee but urgh I'll savor this moment. Besides, they might wake up." I say quietly to myself.
"That big smile on your face is really weird."
"Eh?" I look over my shoulder and see Ranmaru awake. "I thought you were sleeping."
"Meh, I faked it; I woke up a little earlier than you did."
"Why didn't you get out of bed then? Weren't ya bored with everyone else asleep?"
"Not really. I have a cute and soft kid to hug and watch so how could I get bored?"
"Kid? I'm not a kid!" I pout.
"Whatever." He says happily.
He places his head on my shoulder and lets his cheek touch mine. I can feel my skin growing warmer the longer he stays like that.
"Getting shy?" He chuckles.
"S-Shut up, monkey!"
"Sigh. Here I thought that this was going to be the chance that you'd forget about callin' me a monkey. I guess you can't have it all."
"Ha, ha, very funny. Idiot monkey."
"Shut up, idiot kid. You're grounded." He swiftly lands a small kiss on the side of my neck and traps me in his arms.
"…Sly bastard. Let go of me. I need to go to the toilet."
"No."
"Let me go."
"Nope, not happening."
"Seriously?! What if I end up peeing here?! That ain't gonna be good!"
"If you were able to hold it in from the moment you woke up until now, then a couple more minutes shouldn't be a problem for you. You think I didn't hear ya?"
"I think I want to kill you now."
"If you do that, poor Nao is gonna be an orphan. That's gonna be sad."
"…I hate you."
"I love ya too."
Nao starts to twist and turn in his sleep. He then wakes up and the moment he sees me, his tail starts to sway from left to right.
*meeeowwww*
"Hehe. Aren't ya a happy little fella?" I ask him.
He starts to purr.
"Hnnn…Noisy cat…" Half awake, Madoka suddenly lifts her arm and instead of patting Nao, she ends up patting my head instead. "So noisy…Shut up already, Nao. Emi is coming home soon. Hnnn."
"Madoka, I'm not Nao. Stop that. My hair is getting messed up. Oi, wake up." I take Nao's paws and use them to poke her face several times.
"Hnnn…So from being an idol manager, I've become a cat punching bag? Hnghh…I need…a raise…and more vacation time…damn it."
I chuckle.
"Hey Ran."
"Ran? Where did that nickname come from?"
"Dunno. I just felt like calling you that. I feel like I've heard someone call you something like that."
"Ya probably be talkin' about Reiji callin' me Ranran." Ranmaru grumbles to himself.
"Did you say something?"
"Nah, nothing."
"Anyway, this is my room isn't it?"
"You can tell?"
"The way the stuff in here is arranged tells me it's my room."
"It is. We kept everythin' the same way you left them."
"Just like Auntie and the girls; they kept my room as is back at her place."
"How was your time over at your aunt's?"
"It was fun and there was a lot of delicious food."
"Anything else?" He asks in a curious tone.
"I remembered some stuff but…" I pause for a moment. "I forgot them the next day." The sadness in my tone came out pretty hard; I didn't expect to sound that sad.
"So it's true." His tone was neutral but it had an aftertaste of sadness. "Your aunt told me about it over the phone."
"She told you just in case it happens again, am I right?"
He didn't say anything after I asked that question.
"Ran, I have something to tell you." I say with a serious tone.
"And that is?"
"…I have to go to the toilet. Please release me. I need to pee."
"Denied."
"I'm serious. I'm reallllly serious this time; I really need to pee!"
"I'm not listening."
"Damn you! I ain't joking! I HAVE TO PEE DAMN IT."
I start to struggle against his hug but I'm not having any luck getting out of it.
"Kurosaki Ranmaru, don't make me hurt you!"
He chuckles. "You wouldn't—
"IDIOT!" I elbow him straight in the stomach; he releases me and holds his damn stomach in pain.
"ACK!"
"S-Stupid, Ranmaru!"
I immediately sit up and put Nao on his face.
*meow?*
"Do that again and I'll hit you even harder! I-Idiot!" I rush to the toilet and angrily lock the door as I can finally pee in peace.
Madoka wakes up and sleepily sits up while fixing her glasses. "What did I miss?" She asks Ranmaru and Nao sleepily.
*meow*
"Kurosaki, are you alright? You look constipated."
"I'm not constipated; just in pain." He says in a pained voice as he contemplates on his actions and life.
*meow*
"Hm. You look like a squishy eye mask, Nao."
*meow*
Madoka gets out of the bed. "I'm going to go reheat the food. I expect you all at the table in a few."
"Yes ma'am." Ranmaru says. "Urgh. Just give me some minutes to recover."
"Hmph. Proceed." Madoka fixes her glasses. "Come Nao, give me a helping paw."
*meooowww*
Nao gets up and follows Madoka to the kitchen.
"Dude, she's asking a cat to help her prepare food. Is she alright in the head?" I ask Ran.
"WHHAAA! WHERE'D YOU COME FROM?!"
"Me? From the toilet, duh. I went to pee, remember? Are you getting alzheimer's?"
"That was way too fast."
"Well, it all came out like a faucet in one go."
"Okay, okay, stop. Just stop talking."
I suddenly put my hands on his face and with a deadpan tone, I told him, "I didn't wash my hands."
"WHAT?! GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME."
I laugh at his reaction. "That was just a joke hehe."
He sighs deeply. "Come here, ya troublemaker!"
He puts his arms around my waist and pulls me down towards him on the bed.
"Wha! Let go of me, pervert! Let go of me!"
The bedroom door suddenly bursts open and Madoka, wearing a pink apron and wielding one frying pan and a knife, steps inside angrily with Nao hissing beside her by her feet.
"EMI, ARE YOU OKAY?! I HEARD YOU SAY THERE'S A PERVERT! I'M HERE TO KILL THE SCUMBAG!"
*MEOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW*
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
Madoka mellows down. "Oh…It's just Kurosaki. Sigh." She turns around with a deep sigh. "You two get freshened up; the food is almost ready. I'll see you two at the table."
*meo…w*
Nao follows Madoka out of the room with his ears flopped down.
"…They really wanted to hurt someone, huh?" I hesitantly say.
"I'd understand Rukawa but Nao too? Since when did that lil' guy become blood thirsty too? Maybe those two are hanging out too often that they're rubbing off on each other."
"That's kinda cool."
"What."
"What."
"Madoka…this is…"
"I was with her at the kitchen the whole time but I never realized…that she cooked this much food." Ranmaru says as he stares at every single dish that's conquered the whole dinning table. "Are we even gonna finish all this within the week?"
"Oh come on, the two of you eat a lot so I'm sure we can clear all of these before they expire." Madoka says with confidence.
*meowww*
"We're going to turn fat this way." I say sarcastically.
"With the amount of energy ya always put out, I don't think you'll ever get fat." Ran says.
We all sit down on the table and I reach out for a nice big juicy chicken leg when Madoka suddenly taps my hand.
"Don't eat yet. We've got something for you, Emi."
She takes out a small gift box from under the table and places it on front of me. Ran then suddenly pops some party poppers from behind me and I find myself suddenly covered in confetti. Nao stands on his hind legs and then starts dancing.
"Welcome back!" Were the words that they both said to me. It's so warm. The feeling I get from these three is so warm and gentle that I feel like my heart will explode in joy.
"You guys are really funny. I feel like it's my birthday already hahaha."
"If it was your birthday, we would be heading out somewhere for a good vacation." Ran says.
"I would have filed a leave if I must." Madoka says with determination.
I chuckle and start to open the little gift box that they gave me.
"We didn't have enough time to go shopping properly so that's what we were able to find. I hope you'll like it, Emi." Madoka says.
"Oh come on, the thought counts more than the item itself. I'm just happy to know that you guys got me something hehe."
Inside the small box was a guitar pick. It's colored green but not just ordinary green—it's neon green. There's a cat that looks like Nao drawn on it in a simplified style with the color red. Written on the center of the pick in silver color was 'Longing'. On the back, there's a skull drawing in red ink; I think this is Ran's handwriting.
"This guitar pick has good taste."
"Wait, wait, wait, you haven't seen the best part yet!" Ran says enthusiastically like a little kid.
He rushes over to the light switch with a big grin and turns off the lights. The guitar pick starts to glow in the darkness.
"Isn't it cool?! It glows in the dark! The bright green color is pretty good too; it's bright as hell!"
I start to laugh.
"W-What are you laughing for?"
"You sound so enthusiastic that you were like a little kid hahahaha!"
"…Tch!"
"I gotta admit though, this is pretty cool and it's something I can use. Thanks, guys." I put the guitar pick back into its small box and put it aside. I then pick up a fork and raise it in the air happily. "Now let's start eating!"
The three of them cheer and soon after we started attacking the food on the table one by one. As we ate, Madoka and Ran tell me stories about me and the crazy stuff I pulled off and about what was I like. It's interesting to hear their stories 'cause sometimes I feel like they're not talking about me at all but about someone else. I mean, I know they're describing and saying things about me but their 'me' is like someone else—someone who's not this me. Hngh…I know that I'm not very different from who I was based on everyone's chitchat and all but I just can't help but feel like—I'm filling in someone else's shoes; not mine. I guess something like a stranger in my own life, huh?
"Oi." Ran lightly bumps my arm with his. "You alright? You look like you're spacin' out a bit."
"I'm okay. Maybe I'm just taking in so much right now that it's frying my brain haha."
"Gotta keep your energy up, kid." He pokes my forehead playfully. "We ain't gonna let you get a second of rest while you're here."
"That reminds me." Madoka then suddenly pulls out something from her pocket. "I was able to secure three tickets for the new action movie starring Hyuga Ryuya and Kurusu Syo; it was hard to buy tickets since it's the premier week! I thought I wouldn't be able to get them!"
"Seriously?! I wanted to see this movie!" I happily stare at the tickets. "BLESS YOU, MADOKA-SAMA."
She smiles proudly. "When there's a will, there's a way. The movie is going to start at 5pm so we should leave the apartment around 3:30pm so that we'll have time to buy some food and drinks when we reach the cinema."
"Are we going by car or are we takin' the train?"
"By car; I don't want to risk being late by taking the train."
"Ohh nice nice."
"Don't forget to put on a good disguise; you've got more fans now than ever before so if they recognize you while we're out there then it's going to be a big problem."
"And a big race to get outta there." Ran remarks.
"I'm gonna remember that." I think for a moment. "Having to go out wearing a disguise all the time makes me miss the time when I wasn't as popular or you know—a nobody haha."
"I can relate to ya. Ever since I became an idol, going out to eat became really difficult all of a sudden and when I have to buy some guitar strings, I always gotta prepare a disguise for a five to ten minute errand like that. Urgh."
"I bet ya don't relate, Madoka."
"I relate to a certain degree. Especially during the times I'm assigned to an idol or any other kind of talent, I experience the trouble of avoiding fans and stalkers."
"When you're alone though, you don't get bothered yeah?"
"Hmm, just a little."
"Eh?"
"I was pretty popular back in the day. Well my fame was just for a short while compared to you both."
"Ohhhhh what's your story? I wanna know!"
"This is the first time I've heard of this. I'm pretty interested too." Ran says.
Madoka fixes her glasses. "My father is actually a known person in the world of judo so it wasn't surprising for him to make me learn judo. I started back when I was a little child and continued as I got older. I joined several contests and tournaments; I won almost every single one."
"That's amazing." My eyes sparkle in admiration for her.
"So I had fans, boys and girls, because of my judo skills back in the day. I stopped halfway thru my university days because I simply got bored from winning all the time and I had to concentrate on my studies."
"That was such a practical ending; I'm amazed because people usually quit because of some over the top reason or some trauma or something haha. What did you study in university, Madoka?"
"What do you two think?"
"You studied education. You could totally pass as a teacher." Ran says. "You got the look and the talk. Damn, I'd fail your class in the first week if you were ever my teacher…"
"I didn't study education."
"Hmm you studied…Economics! Oh, oh, oh, maybe it was Medicine! Uh, Law?"
"No. I actually studied Business and Literature."
"You studied two courses?"
"Yes, I did. When I told my father that I was retiring from the judo world, he said he'll let me retire if I took business in university and so I agreed. What he didn't know though was that I was able to convince the university admin to allow me to take up two courses at the same time; all I had to do was to balance my subjects per term and to keep my grades up. In the end, I was successful and graduated with honors."
I start clapping. "That's soooo amazing! You really have a great brain in there! You're so awesome, Madoka!"
"Why did ya take up literature?" Ran asks her.
"Is it because you're a bookworm?" I ask.
"I'm actually into reading literature because it makes me think about the people who wrote it, the lifestyle during the period the piece was made, the emotions that the piece is trying to convey—these things interest me a lot. It's like studying history, sociology, and other subjects in one go. It's like I'm reading the reflections of life from several different angles; it never bores me. I haven't been able to read as much as I used to though since I'm always busy with work but when I find time, I read the ebooks that I purchase online in my phone or laptop."
"That sounds so soft for someone like you, Madoka haha." I say jokingly.
She pouts and crosses her arms.
"Urgh…There's so much food left…"
"Hm? You're getting full already?" Ran asks.
"Yeah."
"Haha. That's not like you; you'd usually still be attacking the food at a time like this."
"I guess so hahaha but I really can't go on." I smile wryly.
He pats my head. "No problem. Let's wrap these up and put them in the fridge. You can take the leftovers with ya when you go back to your agency."
"That's a good idea. I can munch on them in my room; I have a small fridge in my dormitory room at the agency."
"That's good." He looks at me for a moment in silence.
"What're you staring for?"
"Dunno if it's just me but you look like ya lost weight compared to the last time I saw ya."
"Eh? It's probably just your imagination. C'mon let's get the food wrapped so that we can play haha."
"Fine, fine, fine, don't rush so much. We've got the whole day."
I stick out my tongue at him. "Bleh! A day may seem long but it can finish in a blink of an eye, monkey!" I quickly pick up some of the plates of food and rush into the kitchen where Madoka has already started wrapping some of the food.
"Oi! I ain't a monkey!" Ran says annoyed.
The giggles of Emi and Eika can be heard.
*meow*
Nao jumps onto Ran's shoulder and hangs there happily while swinging his tail left and right.
What did we do after wrapping up the food and clearing the dishes? We spent most of the time just hanging out at the living room doing and talking about whatever came to mind. From jamming to songs to playing video games to listening to their stories to me telling them about how I've been—we just made sure that we're having some quality time while I'm still here.
Quality time that I hope I won't forget.
*meow meow meow*
Nao circles around my legs.
"What's up, Nao?"
He then jumps to the side table beside the sofa and taps the clock with his paw over and over again.
*meow meow meow*
"Eh?! It's almost 3pm already?"
"We should prepare to head out then. I'm going to take a bath. What about you two?" Madoka says.
"I'm going to take a bath when we get back from the movie; I'd be nice to have a nice warm bath before sleeping hehe."
"Alright, what about you Kurosaki?"
"I guess I'll bathe later too."
"Okay. "
Madoka goes off to prepare and leaves me and Ran at the living room. Nao comes over to me and lies down on his back on my lap. I grab hold of his two paws and move it around; he's so cute.
"You're such a good lil' boy, aren't ya? You're so cute too."
*meowww*
I chuckle as Nao starts to wriggle around on my lap. He's just too cute; I wish I could bring him back with me to the dorm but he might not be allowed inside. Would it work if I hide him inside my bag? But then I can't leave him locked up in my room all day when I'm at work…
*meow*
I look up and see Ran sulking as he's looking at me.
"What's wrong with you?"
He says nothing but his eyebrows burrow a little more.
"I can't understand ya if ya ain't gonna say something."
"Hmph." He looks at Nao with an envious expression.
*meooow*
"Don't tell me that you're jealous of Nao?"
"…No."
I chuckle a little.
"…It's not funny."
He's such a cool looking guy but he has such an adorable side; it makes me want to spoil him like a kid.
"You're jealous, aren't ya?" I say as I hug Nao in my arms.
"Hmph."
I get off of the sofa and sit beside him on the floor; I dunno why he's sitting on the floor but okay.
"Ran."
He doesn't look at me and doesn't respond.
"Ran. Raaaaaannnn."
He still doesn't turn his head. He's acting like a spoiled child haha.
"Fine. If you won't talk to me then talk to Nao." I hold up Nao and come up with a voice that I thought would fit him. "Nyaaa~ Ranmaruuu, why you no talk to Emi?" I make Nao's paw poke Ran's cheek. "Don't be such a sad boi. Don't be so jealous of me since Emi loves me more than you~"
"Hmph."
I end up chuckling because he crosses his arms right after I said that hahaha. He's definitely jealous. Hmm, let's rattle him a little bit more. Hihihihi this is fun.
"It's okay, Ranmaruuu. I'll take care of Emi for youuu. I'll make sure to make her happy no matter where she goes. I'll also make sure to be by her side wherever and whenever~ I'll also make sure to give her lots of hugs and kisses everyday so that she won't feel sad!"
*meeeeoooowww*
Nao then starts purring as he rubs his face on my cheek.
Ran then suddenly finally looks at my way and then takes Nao away and traps him inside his shirt.
"Hah?! What're you doing to Na—"
"Listen here! I'll be the one to take care of you and to make you happy! I'm gonna work hard and make sure that we'll be fine each day! I'll be there for you too in both the hard and good times and I'll make sure that you're loved everyday! That's why I—"
He stops midway his speech and looks away in embarrassment; he covers half of his face with his hand. His face gets flushed and so does mine.
God damn that sounded like a proposal. My heart is beating too fast! This guy…can really be a handful!
"Hey Ran, look at me."
"N-No way."
"I already know you're embarrassed so just look at me."
"N-No."
"P-Please?!" my voice cracks in embarrassment. Urgh I sounded lame.
He hesitates for a moment but eventually looks at me. His face is flushed; it's so cute. I feel like I've seen him like this before but I can't remember.
"Ranmaru, I know. I believe in you. I believe in your words." I lean towards him and kiss him. "I love you too."
He caresses my cheek and looks at me with such gentle eyes; it's making my heart beat even louder. "I love you too, Emi. A whole lot. So much." He kisses me back and places my head against his chest. I can hear his heart beating loudly and his warmth is soothing.
"Ran…will you still love me even if I can't be the same Emi you first knew?"
He becomes surprised with my question and hugs me tighter. "Of course I will. I will still love you even if you won't remember the past or even if you aren't the same as before. When I tell you that I love you, it's for the 'you' who is in the present."
"Then…" I look up at him. "What if I forget stuff again? What if I forget everyone again?"
"Then I'll make sure that you'll remember me and everyone else again." He says confidently. "And I'll still love you just as much as I do now or even more."
I'm touched by his words that my eyes feel like they're gonna cry but of course I won't! I won't cry! "Thanks." I say warmly with a smile.
I don't know if he's noticed or if anyone has but I've been growing more insecure about some things and been worrying about stuff because of my memory loss. I haven't said anything or much about it since I don't talk about it often but it really really does bother me. Just like now, the idea that I might not be like the Emi they know makes me feel uneasy and worry. And what if I can't relate with the things they tell me about what we've done or experienced before? It makes me feel left out. It makes me feel like I'm not me or that I'm a different person from the one they tell me about; it's unsettling.
"We better prepare to head out; it's already 3pm." He says.
"Ah, time really does fly. I'll go get ready."
"Sure."
He releases me and off I go to get changed in my room.
*meowww meow meow*
Nao starts to struggle inside Ranmaru's shirt.
"Whoops, I forgot that you're still in there." He lifts up his shirt and Nao is set free.
*meow*
"Oi. If ever I propose to Emi in the future, are ya gonna approve?"
Nao looks at him for a moment in silence.
"Well? Is it a yes or a no?"
Nao tilts his head a little and lifts his tail and ears.
*meooow*
"I'll take that as a yes."
*meow*
"Don't worry lil' guy, I'll take care of you too. I guess you'll be our lil' baby haha."
Madoka parks her car in the mall's parking lot and we get off.
"Thank god it wasn't traffic." I say.
"True. If it was traffic, we'd arrive too close to the time that the movie starts."
"So what do you guys want to buy to eat while watching the movie?" Ran asks.
"I want a large sized iced tea and some potato balls with cheese inside! The biggest serving size! I like eating a lot of them!"
"Alright, alright. What about you, Rukawa?"
"You're going ahead to buy the food? I'll have a large hot coffee with no sugar and one medium popcorn."
"What flavor for the popcorn?"
"Caramel."
"Got it. You two go on ahead and line up for the three of us."
"I wanna go with you to buy food!" I say. "I wanna see what else they have at the food stalls."
"You two go ahead and get the food. I'll line up for us." Madoka says.
"Oh, oh, oh, look. They have twisty fries! Oh, there's milkshake too! Ah, candy!"
"Hold up, hold up, you're only getting your potato munchies and iced tea. You got that?"
"Huhuhu. Yes, papa."
"I'm not your old man!"
While Ran and I are lined up at one of the food stalls, I spot two children who seem to be lost; they look like they're looking for their mother or father.
"Hey Ran, I'll be back. You go on and get the food, okay?"
"Whoa, where are you goin'?"
I point at the two children in the distance.
"Ah, I see. You sure you're gonna help them?"
"Yeah. I want to."
"Take care then. Come back right after and help me carry the food."
"Yes!"
I go over to the two children. They're both girls and they're holding hands; probably so that they won't get separated.
I crouch down to their level and ask, "Are you two lost?"
The girl with long hair nods and says, "We got separated from mommy."
"Where is mama? Where did she go?" The girl with short hair asks sadly.
"I don't know where your mama is but I'm sure she is just within the area. How about we go to the police box over there? Your mama might be there asking the nice policemen for help. So what do you guys think?"
The two little girls look at each other and nod.
"Okay, we'll go to the police box with you. Mama might be there." The long haired girl says.
The two little girls put up a brave front and hold my hands as we go over to the police box.
"Excuse me, I saw these two little girls in the crowd by themselves. They were separated from their mother."
"Akane! Yasuko! I've been looking for the two of you!" a lady who was talking to one of the policemen says.
"Mama!" The two little girls run over to their mother and hug her tightly.
The mother comes over to me and holds my hands. "Thank you very much for helping them. We were separated in the crowd when the flow of people changed. I was so worried about them and was afraid that some bad person might take them away. Thank you very much! Thank you!"
"I-It was nothing, ma'am. I hope it won't happen again. Please take care."
"Akane, Yasuko, say thank you to the nice lady."
"Thank you very much, onee-san." The girl with long hair says.
"Thank you for helping us." The girl with short hair says.
"Thank you once again. We'll be leaving now. You take care as well, young lady." The mother says before she leaves with her two daughters holding her hands by her side.
"…Yasuko…Akane." I take hold of my head as it starts to hurt a little.
"Are you alright, ma'am?" One of the policemen asks me.
"I'm alright. It's just a mild headache. Excuse me, I'll leave now."
"Thank you for your help." The policeman says as I leave.
"…" I take some steps away from the police box and find myself stopping on my feet. I just stared at the ground. "…."
"Oi." Someone says to me.
"W-Whaaa!" A sudden cold sensation on my cheek wakes me up from my trance. I look up and see Ranmaru holding a lot of food in his arms. He hands me the iced tea that he placed against my cheek.
"You seemed zoned out. Did something happen to the two little girls that you helped?"
"Ah, nothing special happened. I was able to take them to the police box and coincidentally their mother was there so everything's okay."
"That's good."
"The girls' names."
"Hm?"
"The two little girls—their names were Akane and Yasuko."
"…"
"I've read about Yasuko from my diaries from my room at Auntie's house and I've heard stories of her but who is Akane? I feel like I know someone whose name was Akane."
"…"
"When I hear that name, it makes me just as sad when I hear Yasuko's name. Is she someone I hurt in the past or someone who had hurt me?"
Ran's expression becomes sad.
"No, you didn't hurt Akane and she didn't hurt you either. She was good friend of ours. You don't remember her at all?"
I shake my head. "I really don't."
"I see. Let's sit over there for a moment before we head to the cinema."
We take a seat at an empty bench. He lets out a deep sigh and look up at the sky. "Akane was a good kid. She was too good for this world if ya ask me."
"Where is she now?"
"She's gone up to heaven. The little kid died."
"…What?"
"She was a kid that you befriended in a hospital named Kurushima Hospital. She was a child that was staying in the children's section of the cancer ward."
"She had cancer…like Yasuko."
"Yes, she had cancer and just like Yasuko, she died…"
"…"
"You two were close; close enough to be mistaken as sisters. You're also friends with the other children in the cancer ward but Akane was the one you were closest to."
"How are the other children?"
"They're doing well and still alive."
"When…When did Akane die?"
He pauses for a moment. "On the night of your first live concert under Shining Agency—the night that you lost your contract under the agency and went missing."
"Huh?"
"You abandoned your concert so that you could go to Akane's side at the hospital when she called for you when she was in pain. You were by her side when she was still alive that night. You stayed with her until she stopped breathin'. She died with you by her side."
My head starts to hurt again. "Urgh." Fragments of my memories start to flash rapidly before my eyes. The backstage of that concert, Shining Saotome, the phone call, the hospital, Akane, the sound of the heart monitor, Akane's parents, and many more. They're all coming back to me rapidly.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm f-fine. I think I just remembered some stuff because of what you said."
"If you're feeling tired or anything, we can head back home ya know. Screw the movie; your health is more important."
"It's okay, it's okay, I can stay. I want to watch the movie with you and Madoka."
"You sure?"
I nod at him with a smile.
"If you say so. Here, you bring half of these."
"Roger that!"
"C'mon, let's go; Rukawa might get impatient haha."
"If she does become impatient, we'll be in trouble haha."
The movie starts and I'm sitting in between Ran and Madoka. The movie is really great! So many action scenes that just keep the tension up and the special effects really are something! I really feel like the fires and explosions are real! Uh, maybe they're real but it makes it look like it's not planned or scripted and all. Ah! What a plot twist! Oh! That's awesome!
Before we knew it, the movie finishes and the credits roll on the screen.
"That. Movie. Was. Awesome!" I say with raised arms as Ran, Madoka, and I walk towards the parking lot.
"I've seen a lot of action movies but this one was really different—it beats the other movies in a landslide!" Madoka says.
"Ryuya really out done himself this time and Syo really has improved a lot especially in the action scenes." Ran says. "I can't wait for a sequel if it gets one."
We continue to talk enthusiastically about the movie but when we got nearer to the parking lot, my head started to feel really light and my body started to feel heavy. My vision starts to warp and blur and in a panic, I hold out my hand and take hold of Ran's jacket.
"Ran." I weakly call out to him before my vision becomes dark and find myself falling into unconsciousness.
"Emi!" Madoka shouts in surprise.
Fortunately, Ranmaru was able to catch Emi before she hits the cement floor. "Emi! Oi! Wake up! Are you okay?!" He puts his hand on front of her mouth and nose and feels her breath. "She's breathing. I think this is what her aunt was talking about."
"Her fainting episodes?"
"Yeah. She probably fainted from recovering some of her memories."
"If that's the case then when she wakes up, she'll…"
"She might have more of her memories…or like what happened at her aunt's place—she might not remember everything or anything."
Madoka sighs. "As long as she is in good health, then that is all that matters to me. Let's get her home and tuck her in."
Ranmaru carries Emi into the car and upon reaching the apartment he puts her on her bed. Madoka changes her clothes and tucks her to bed.
"She's in bed, sound asleep. Are you going to sleep by her side tonight?"
Ranmaru nods.
"Then I'll leave her to you, Kurosaki. Please tell me what happens after she wakes up; I'd like to know if she…"
"Yeah."
*meow*
Madoka picks up Nao. "Come on now, Nao. Let's go sleep in my room. You can't go inside Emi's room because she needs to rest. You can play with her tomorrow morning before she gets picked up by her current manager."
*meow*
"Rukawa, do you think she'll remember everything after waking up? Do you think she'll get her memories back one day?"
"I don't know. I want to believe that she will retain her memories and remember the rest but I don't want to have too high of a hope; it would hurt far too much if she ends up forgetting or not remembering. I'd really like for her to recall her memories, I really do. I hope to hear her call me 'Mana' again soon."
"You'll still love her even if she doesn't remember, Rukawa?"
"Yes, of course. She may not be the Emi I knew from the start or that she might not remember the times we've all spent together but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like her anymore. She's still my friend no matter what. I'm pretty sure Nao feels the same way."
*meeeow*
Ranmaru lets out a small smile. "Good night, Rukawa."
"Good night."
*meowww*
"Good night to ya too, lil' buddy. Get some good rest tonight, Nao."
Ranmaru enters Emi's room and with utmost caution, gently lies down beside Emi on her bed. He gently brushes Emi's hair to the side away from her face and before closing his eyes he takes one good look at her with a small worried smile.
"Good night, Emi." He says softly.
He fixes Emi's blanket and puts his arm around her.
"Goodnight and sweet dreams." He says softly before closing his eyes.
The sunlight enters the room and I feel its warmth on my cheeks; the curtain wasn't closed properly. When I opened my eyes, Ranmaru as there on front of me; he's still asleep. He probably got on my bed after I've already fallen asleep—
Wait. When did I go to sleep last night? Yesterday…what did we do?
A small soft gasp escapes my mouth but thankfully it doesn't wake up Ranmaru. I slip out of his grasp and head for the toilet room; I lock myself inside and placed my head on my hands.
"This can't be happening again." My trembling voice says. "No way. Now I feel like I've forgotten about a lot more things than before. What's wrong with me?"
As I sat there inside the toilet room, I started to feel something trickle down my face. At first it was just two then three then five then…
"Hnngh…Emi." I move my hand around where Emi's head should be to pat her but my hand ends up holding her pillow. "…?"
I open my eyes and see that she isn't by my side; she's not inside the room.
Where did she go?
I stretch my body after getting up and let out a long yawn.
She probably went to the toilet or she's at the kitchen.
I head out to the hallway and notice that the toilet room's door is closed; she might be inside.
*knock knock*
"Emi, are ya in there?"
"…"
*knock knock*
"Emi?"
I can hear Ranmaru from the other side of the door. I quickly wipe my tears away with my hands and take a deep breath.
"Yeah, I'm in here. Just let me poop in peace!"
"Alright then." He says. I think he walked away.
I open the door and Ranmaru was there leaning by the wall in the hallway with his arms crossed; he waited for me to go out. Damn it.
"Good morning to ya, poop head." He says jokingly.
"Screw you." I stick my tongue out to him.
"Are you feeling better?"
"I feel fine."
"Good. I guess the movie didn't tire you out."
Movie? What movie? "I-I guess so! I'm full of energy today!" I let out an awkward laugh, trying to cover my cluelessness.
"So what did you think of the movie? Ryuya did a really great job, didn't he?"
"Ah yes! He sure performed great as always! His action movies never let anyone down when it comes to quality and production!"
"Even the other cast members did a great job, yeah?"
"Y-Yes! The stuntmen were amazing; they really kept the tension in the action scenes."
"And?"
"…And?"
"Is tht all you have to say about the movie?"
"Y-Yeah…?"
"What was your favorite scene?"
"U-Uhm, when Ryuya took on the final boss…?"
He says nothing for a moment.
Crap. He probably gets it now.
He looks at me seriously. "You don't remember about yesterday, do you?"
I look away from him.
"Emi. Come on, tell me. Do you remember anything or not?" He asks with genuine concern.
"I-I don't. I don't remember anything about yesterday."
"…" He says nothing again.
I hate it when he does that; I can't tell what he's thinkin' with that blank face of his.
"Emi."
"Y-Yes?" That startled me; he suddenly spoke.
"Come here." He opens his arms towards me.
I reluctantly get closer to him and hug him; he hugs me back in return.
"Just take it one step at a time." He says.
"I know. Stop telling me that. I know!"
"You'll be fine. Everything will be fine, 'kay?"
"Yes, yes, yes, I know. Shut up already, Ranmaru. You're—you're such an idiot and can ya stop sleeping without a shirt on?! Wear a shirt when you go to sleep!"
"No way! It's more comfortable to sleep without a shirt on; I ain't listening to that request. You never complained before!"
"W-Well I'm complaining now!"
"Nu-uh. I ain't wearing a shirt to sleep. It's way cooler without one and the shirt's a bother."
"Don't ya feel cold sleeping like that?!"
"That's what the blanket's for, idiot. Besides, I've got you by my side at night."
"…Pervert." I jokingly push him away and head for the kitchen. I can hear him laugh behind me. Grrr.
Madoka was already awake; she's preparing breakfast. Nao is lying on his back on the floor next to Madoka's feet. He's playing by himself while he's waiting for breakfast. How cute.
"Mornin', Madoka."
"Good morning, Emi. You're still in pajamas?"
"I'll change laterrrrrr."
"You should get rid of that habit."
"I will—in the distant future hahaha."
Madoka just gives in with a short sigh. "Go ahead and take a seat at the dining table; I'm just reheating the food from yesterday since we had a lot of leftovers."
"Ah, okay."
Nao suddenly gets up and approaches me.
*Meooowwwww*
He's purring a lot as he circles my feet. I pick him up and put his nose against mine.
"A good morning to you too, lil' fella. Did ya sleep well, Nao?"
*meooow*
He swings his tail left and right so he's most likely in a good mood.
"While waiting for breakfast, let's go play and watch T.V. a little, yeah?"
*meow*
As Emi and Nao play, Ranmaru enters the kitchen after getting changed.
Madoka sees him and asks quietly, "So, what's the result?"
Ranmaru shakes his head a little. "She doesn't remember about what happened yesterday."
Madoka's shoulders slump a little in disappointment; she then takes a quick glance at Emi and then looks back at Ranmaru. "I don't want to sound pessimistic but what if she'll be like this always? I'm worried that this may bother her if it happens again."
"Shhh. Don't say that. Don't say anything like that when she's around; I don't want that seed of doubt growing any bigger inside her. She cried over it a while ago; I didn't see her actually cry but I could tell because her eyes were kinda red and a little sore plus her voice trembled for a moment."
"Poor thing. I wish we could do something to help her."
"We are. We're helping her by being with her—by being by her side and not treating her any different from the way we used to. Like I asked before, will you still love her even if she doesn't recover her memories and becomes different from the Emi we used to know? You said that you'll still love her and that is exactly what we're going to do and going to make her feel."
Madoka smirks. "You really have a good head on your shoulders from time to time, Kurosaki."
"Hah? 'From time to time'? Oi, what do you mean by that?!"
"Alright kids, it's time to eat! Get yourselves seated at the dining table and let's eat!"
*meow*
"Yes, yes, I've got your cat food ready Nao."
*meooow*
Nao immediately sits by his bowl that is positioned beside the dining table; he sits patiently while looking at his food. The moment that everyone was seated at the dining table, Madoka signals him to start eating to which he happily begins.
"This is a lot of food."
"Then eat a lot, Emi. You need to eat more to have lots of energy!" Madoka says.
I take some of the food and feel as if I've seen them before or that I've eaten them before.
"Tastes good!"
"Oi, don't talk with your mouth food. Ya ain't a little kid." Ranmaru says.
"Hmph. Cut me some slack, old man."
"I'm not old!"
We got to eat peacefully and it felt a little weird; the atmosphere was too calm. This kind of peace is making me kinda anxious—it feels unnatural and it makes me feel like I'm being isolated somehow. I know it might just be me but the more I wake up each day, I get this feeling that there's a wall that's getting taller and taller each time and the taller it becomes then the more I feel estranged from everyone. The distance I feel with everyone becomes farther and farther; everything and everyone becomes out of reach.
After cleaning up, I lie down on the sofa.
"You'll get fat if ya lie down after eating, kid." Ranmaru says as he sits down on the side of the sofa.
"Why are you such a nagger? Has Madoka's motherhood rubbed off on ya too much? Huhu. I no longer have a boyfriend—he's become my fourth mother. Woe is me!"
"Idiot!" Ranmaru ruffles my hair as Nao squeezes himself between me and Ranmaru and lies down like a pillow.
"Emi, do you know what this is?"
He shows me a small box.
"Hmm." I shake my head. "What's that?"
"It's for you; it's a gift from me and Madoka."
*meow*
Nao looks at him.
"And Nao."
*meow*
Satisfied, Nao purrs.
"Oh! A gift! What is it?!"
"Go ahead, open it."
I open the little box and find a guitar pick. "Whoa! This is cool!"
"You like it?"
"Yeah! Definitely. This is such a nice neon green color! Isn't this cat design actually Nao? That's so cute!"
"Check it out when the lights are off; it glows in the dark."
"Really? That is so cool." I take the guitar pick out of the box and look at its back. "This is a cute drawing; you drew it?"
"Yup. Cute, ain't it? Haha."
I lean my head on his shoulder. "It's really cute. Thanks." Somehow, this feels familiar. Maybe they gave me this before? Maybe yesterday? And I forgot about it…
I hold the guitar pick tightly in my hand; it feels warm and yet slightly cold.
Time passes by and the next thing I knew was that it was time for me to go; it was time to say goodbye to these three for now. I hope I can get some time off to spend more time with them again; I'd like that.
"Emi, your manager has arrived; he's waiting outside." Madoka says. "Do you need help with your things?"
"Nah, it's okay. I travelled light hehe; it's just one bag."
*meooowwww meoooow meow meeeooowwww*
Nao refuses to have me let go of him; he keeps squirming around as I hold him in my arms like a baby.
"I have to go, Nao. I can't take you with me to the agency; my manager says that pets aren't allowed in the agency's dorm."
*meow meow meow meow meow*
"You're starting to sound like a human baby complaining to me."
*meeowwww meow meow meow meoooow*
"Come on, Nao. Emi has to go back; come here." Ranmaru picks up Nao and it upsets the little guy. Nao starts to meow louder the farther he gets taken away from me. Poor lil' guy; it makes me wanna stay longer...if only I could.
I pat his head. "Nao, don't worry. I'll come back again. We'll meet again. This ain't the last time we'll see or be with each other so endure a lil' 'cause I'm gonna be doin' the same, yeah? I'll miss you too so I'm gonna do my best so that I can meet you again. Be a good boy while I'm gone, okay? Don't stress out Madoka too much or else ya won't have someone to buy ya those premium treats from the pet store."
*meow*
Nao starts to calm down as I continue to pat his head.
"Emi, take care. Make sure that you eat more and sleep more. Don't sleep while your hair is wet or else you'll become sick. When you're on your own or alone, make sure to have your phone with you so that you could call for help if anything happens. Don't forget to wear your disguises when going out! It will be big trouble if you get recognized by the public or worse—the paparazzi! Oh, and don't fall asleep without changing into your house clothes first and make sure to wash your face—"
"Yes, mom. I know." I say jokingly.
"See you again soon, Emi."
I nod. "Yeah, see ya around."
Madoka hugs me and it was warm and gentle; she really feels like a mom or like a big sister.
"Ranmaru." I look at him. "I'm going."
"Yeah, you are."
"You're going to miss me."
"Hell of course; it's hard to not miss an idiot like you."
"See ya around too."
"See ya. You take care." He leans down a little and gives me a gentle soft kiss. "Until next time."
"Until next time."
"I love you."
"So do I."
I go into my manager's car. I couldn't take my eyes off of my apartment and the three who live there—the three who are closest to me. I wave my hand at them and they wave back. I didn't take my eyes off of them even when the car started to move; I kept my eyes on them until I was already too far away to see them.
"Nakahara-san, did you have a good time?" My manager asks.
"I sure did. I'm glad I was able to have some time off."
"The next time you'd like to spend time with them, I'll try to ask for a longer duration of time; I'll do what I can."
"Thanks, I'd appreciate that."
"I personally thought that you deserved more time but the president wouldn't allow you to be off for a longer time since you are already almost done with your next album; he wanted you to finish it as soon as possible. I'm sorry."
"It's alright. That old man Otori is hard to haggle with; Shining Agency is definitely more flexible than Raging Entertainment."
"I see."
"Oh look! Emi-chan is back!" Nagi says.
"W-Welcome back, E-Emi...neesan" Shion says happily. He's so cute; he looks like a little kid with sparkling eyes. I end up unconsciously patting his head. Such a good boy.
Nagi gets jealous; he takes my other hand and puts it on his head.
"So how was your free time, Emi-chan? Had fun?" Van asks.
"Sure did. I had lots of fun and got to catch up with many people."
"It's good to be able to spend time with friends and family." Kira says. "I'm very sure that they were all happy to see you."
"Some of them were too happy." I chuckle.
"I hope that father will give you a longer rest period next time though." Eiji says. "I'm sorry."
"Hey now, it's not your fault. You've got nothing to say sorry for, Eiji."
I look around and notice that Eiichi is not around.
"Where did your four eyed brother go?"
"He's with father. They're talking about business matters as usual." He smiles wryly.
"He has it rough too, yeah? How's the job with Starish by the way? You guys doing well with the duo units?"
"The quality of the songs has been good." Eiji says.
"It's been fun. I didn't expect it to be fun at first." Yamato says.
"That's good to hear. Alright, see ya guys later."
"Where are you going? What are you going to do?" Shion asks timidly.
"Heading up to the practice rooms. I have to work hard to finish my next album on time hehe. The old man wants it done soon."
"You'll start working so much just after returning?" Kira asks in surprise. "Shouldn't you take it easy for a while?"
"Man, you've been working like a machine. Ya scare me sometimes." Yamato says. "You sure you're human?"
"You're such a workaholic, Emi." Nagi says. "You'll get stressed out too much and will start to have a bad complexion. That won't be cute!"
"Maybe you should just rest for now, Emi-chan. Going back to work immediately seems too much." Van says with worry.
"I kinda have to really get back to work. I don't wanna miss the deadline given to me after all."
"When is your deadline?" Kira asks in curiosity.
"Hmm…Today is…So that means…My deadline is the day after tomorrow." I say indifferently with a smile.
"What?!" Nagi is genuinely surprised. "How much progress have you done so far?"
"It's about forty to fifty percent finished. Not bad considering I had a slump in the beginning."
"You're going to complete an album within two days? Is that possible considering you have a lot left to work on it?!" Kira's face shows some concern mixed with being displeased.
"Whoa there, I think that's too close for comfort! Two days? You outta have an extension for that deadline!" Yamato says. "Have ya even filmed the music video for the main track song?!"
"Hmm, I did finish the main song of the album so I guess we could record it already and then shoot for the music video tomorrow while I continue making the other songs." I almost completely forgot about the music video bonus for the special edition of the album. I guess I can make time for that.
"Emi, that's not enough time. You still have to finish writing the rest of the songs and then record them. You'll also have to take photos for the cover of the album and additional photoshoots for the promotional items. You can't possibly finish all that in two days!" Eiji says. "Let's go ask for an extension for your deadline!"
"It's okay, guys. I've got this. Trust me! I never failed to deliver when I set my mind to it, right?"
They all become surprised by my remark.
"Hey now, little missy. I know you're really talented and skilled but even this is too much. Even if you can do it, the management shouldn't be letting you do something like that. They should have allotted more time for you to work on that album. Your health and well-being should be the priority." Van crosses his arms with a frown. "You should postpone your album's release date."
"…If I do that then I might have to say goodbye to everyone again." I said those words in a soft mumble.
"What?"
"Hm? I didn't say anything." I smile at them for a moment. "Well, see ya guys after two days!" I say those words playfully before running straight for the elevator whose doors were about to close.
"Wha—Come back here, Emi!" Van says in surprise.
"She slipped thru like a slippery fish." Nagi says with a short sigh. "She pulled one on us."
"I am worried." Kira says.
"We all are." Eiji says. "We're all increasingly getting worried to the point that an unsettling feeling is building up quickly inside."
"Shouldn't we do something?" Shion asks.
"What can we do? The old man is already putting us in a tight spot too. Isn't that why Eiichi has been talking with the old man more often?" Yamato says.
"That's a good question. Just like her, our hands are tied too." Van says.
"Hmm. This is impressive, Ms. Koemi Nakahara." Raging Otori puts down the physical copy of my new album on his desk gently. "You finished the album just as you promised."
"I'm a woman of my word. Didn't I tell you that?"
"This is very good. We'll start producing copies of it immediately and it will be on store shelves three days from now."
"Alright. My job is done for the meantime."
"I'm positive that this album will become a hit so don't be surprised if there will suddenly be an influx of interviews and personal appearances."
"I won't be surprised at all. That's to be expected as always." I turn around and take a few steps towards the door.
"Hm? You seem to be in a rush to leave. Do you have an appointment to catch?"
"Nah, it's nothing."
"Anyway, good job and good luck on your other projects. You may go."
"Roger that."
I exit Raging Otori's office and make my way back into my room. The moment I get inside, I end up lying on my bed.
"I'm tired." Those words escaped my mouth effortlessly.
I close my eyes for a moment and almost immediately fell asleep.
That day, I didn't wake up until night time came. I felt a little refreshed from the long rest but that moment of relief was short lived. Three days later, my album hit the stores and as expected it became number one in the music charts. Interviews came one after the other and so did my appearances in television and events. My schedule shifted gears fast—really fast. Normally I would be able to cope with this but the work load and pressure here in Raging Entertainment is just really different—it's heavy. Shining Agency and Raging Entertainment both have their pros and cons but based on my experiences, Raging Entertainment is working me to the core of my bones. At least I got to rest or take it down a notch back in Shining Agency…though it was mainly my fault for working too hard. Sigh. I'm a livin' idiot, ain't I?
In television and in the radio, all I could hear was the name of my album and its songs over and over again—'Heartbroken: Lost Once More'
"It seems we have met a formidable force in the industry. Isn't that right, Mr. Kurosaaaaki?"
"Tch. Well if ya didn't let go of her in the first place then she would be making hits on your side of the industry. Are ya gettin' bitter, old man?"
"Now, now, Ms. Nakahara and I had an agreement. There's no point in feeling any negative emotions at this point. It was a fair bet."
"Whatever. So what did ya call me here for?"
Saotome suddenly grins. "Mr. Kurosaki, I have a task for you."
"And?"
"I want you to match up against Raging Entertainment's Ms. Nakahara."
"What?! Are ya kiddin' me?!"
"In the industry, you are the only one who is capable of keeping up with Ms. Nakahara as evident during her time here in Shining Agency. I'm pretty sure that you can also surpass her if you put your time and effort to it."
"So you want me to be her rival in the industry? That's a pretty tall order. That woman ain't an easy person to go up against."
"A task that youuuuuu can definitely accomplish. So that's that, Mr. Kuuuuuuuuurosaki. You may go."
"What if I don't wanna do what you're asking me to do?"
"Then, I will have to ask other talents to do the task; perhaps several of them would be up to the task of rivaling Ms. Nakahara. Nooooowwwww I wonder what will happen if several talents would take the challenge of going against Ms. Nakahara? It would be quite tiring on her end of things, wouldn't it? Instead of battling against one individual talent, she would have to continuously go against several talents one after the other and perhaps all together at some cases. Surely she'll be tired out; they'll make her run for sure."
"…You." Ranmaru clenches his fist. He raises his fist into the air and then slams it with full force onto Saotome's desk; it leaves a deep dent which almost became a hole. "You're a sly one, aren't ya?!" Ranmaru tries his best to contain his anger with a smile but it cracks a little. "I'll do it! Tch! So you better not ask other talents to do it or I'm breaking more than a leg on you."
"Excellent! I look forward to the near future then!" Saotome laughs loudly as a cloud of smoke suddenly appears and fills up the room. Once the smoke clears, Saotome was gone.
Ranmaru resigns himself onto one of the chairs in the office. He sighs deeply and closes his eyes as he puts his head on his hands. "Things can't get any worse, can they?" He lets out a short scream of anger. "Just forget I asked that. It ain't fun to test fate." He gets up and leaves the office; in his head, he starts to think slowly but surely some songs that he could use. Whether he wants to or not, he has to.
He thought to himself that maybe he could try being Emi's rival so that he could help her slow down the pace of things; they could compromise the time and release date of their songs. That's one way to look at things.
"Urgh. Things are just in a big mess now. So, what are our options? Things are looking pretty dark from here on out."