Author's Note* Well, this is the next chapter! There was a bit of a language problem that I had to deal with, you know, with Sana travelling to New York and all. So I'm just gonna write as if there were no language problems..so in other words, Sana understands English perfectly. I dunno if this is what happens in the actual show, but hey, this is fanfic! Enjoy! *_*
Chap.2 - He's not Hayama..But he Is!
~:Kennedy International Airport:~
"REI-KUN!!!" I yell out. There seem to be millions of people milling about. I stand just outside the gate, from which I exited the airplane. I seemed to have lost my manager.. "Rei-kun, where are you?!"
"Hey little lady, are ya lost?"
I glance up and see a dark-skinned man, wearing a uniform with shiny buckles. He also wears a funny hat.
"My Rei-kun! He's lost his way!!" I wail.
The man laughs.
"Alright, come on over, we'll find him for ya." He speaks with a heavy New York accent. I wrinkle my nose at the accent. It makes his words sound dirty, dirty and bad. I remembered watching movies, all those thugs and gangs in New York. But when I look up at him, he smiles. It is a nice smile. Someone who is evil, couldn't smile like that. I glance around the busy airport, well..this was New York wasn't it? But I follow him, who knows what's happening to Rei...he could've been kidnapped, beaten, robbed.....
Suddenly, a blur of motion comes, knocks me over and stands directly in front of me.
"You keep your hands off Sana-chan you evil child-raper!!!"
"Rei-kun?"
Rei looks down, his face determined. He raised his fists, ready to fight.
"Don't worry, Sana-chan! I'll fight him, so you run! I'll protect you with my life!" He punched the air, "I'll do a super-combo knockout #3. Alright, one two three, and you run Sana-chan! You run and tell Asako that I love her! These are my last moments..." Rei looked serious, his face all scrunched up dramatically.
"Rei-kun...." I stand up, shaking out my skirt.
"Go Sana-chan! Live for me!!"
Rei turns dramatically and raises his fists.
The dark man raises an eye. He looks....amused. Rei turns red with the exertion of keeping his up his fierce look.
"C'mon, put em up! Put em up!" Rei punches at the man. The dark man dodges it easily. Then, he brings his hand down, hard, on Rei, causing him to collapse in a dead faint. I sigh, and grab Rei by the collar.
"Thankyou anyway." I smile at the man.
He grins,
"That your daddy?"
I shake my head fervently. "Rei-kun? Noooooooo!! He's my manager!"
The dark man nods. "I see." He grins, and his teeth are pearly white. "Well, I'm Arther Coyne." He sticks out a hand. I take it. He shakes me up and down, making my teeth rattle.
"I'm Sana Kurata! Child-star from Tokyo!" I shake his hand just as hard, this time making his teeth rattle. He laughs, it's a big burly laugh.
"Well, Sana Kurato, nice to meet ya." The whites of his eyes are very prominent on his dark skin. He tilts his head towards Rei, "You take care of that manager of yours."
I nod, "I will!"
With a firm hold of Rei, I march off. I think I will like New York.
We meet Asako by the gate. She had flown to New York a few days earlier. She is surprised to see me coming out of the gate, Rei being dragged along behind me. I lay him down on the ground.
"He was trying to fight." I explain. Asako, open-mouthed, nods speechlessly. Here in America, she is less known. No reporters and camera's follow her around. I look around, from the blank looks I get back from the people around me, I guess that no too many people here watch Kodocha. Its nice, I think, to be a normal kid here.
"C'mon, Sana-chan. I have a cab waiting."
Driving through New York, I get my first taste of America. It is somewhat dirty, though when I mention it, the driver in the front seat laughs.
"This is nothing, girly, you haven't even seen East Brooklyn!" He glances into the mirror, where I see him watching me. He is unshaven, with watery blue eyes.
I stare out the window quiet suddenly. I don't like the driver. He seems...suspicious. I remember that I have to go back to Tokyo for Hayama..for Mama, for everyone. My hand reaches down to my bag. I feel the cool plastic of Hayama's farewell gift to me. Perhaps I should call him. Oh, too late, we've reached the hotel.
~:Ritz-Carlton, NYC:~
The elevator goes up and up and up up UP! It seems forever. I press my nose against the glass wall and peer out. The city spreads out before me like a toy. I love height. I do a Komawari twirl.
"Whheee! Rei-kun! Look! I love heights!" I dance over to the glass and press my face against it. Rei looks slightly green. I chuckle to myself. "Hehehehe..Hayama couldn't take this!" I grab out my camera, a sneaky grin on my face. "I'll take it back to him!" Already, I think of going home.
This is where we'll be staying for most of the time. The penthouse apartment on the top 42nd floor! It has 3 bedrooms, 4 baths a small kitchen and a lot of TV's! The set for shooting the movie is in the basement of the hotel. Its all very convenient, see?
Asako and Rei take the first room ^_^ I take the one next to it, and Naozumi, who also flew out here with Asako, takes the third room. Naozumi greets me in the apartment.
"Naozumi-kun!" I shout, dropping my bags to Rei. He grins.
"Sana-chan! Do you like America?" He asks earnestly. I make a face,
"Its smelly."
He laughs.
"Sana-chan, you are so funny.." He gazes up at me with his purple-blue eyes. It makes me feel uncomfortable, that unwavering gaze. I know what it is that makes me squirm, that look of adoration. I don't want it from Naozumi! My smile warily. Naozumi's great, but..he can get a bit annoying sometimes. I mean, its like having a 24 hour fan that just won't shut about how great you are! He's very flattering, which is good, and he's certainly very good looking. All my girlfriends tell me that I should go out with him, I mean, he's a star, and I'm a star..what's preventing it? Hmm...I think I'm gonna go sleep for a bit.
~:Set of the Movie, Ritz-Carleton Hotel:~
"He promised me! He..he said so himself!!" I exclaim, clutching the necklace in my hand. Tears sting my eyes. Asako stands across from me, her eyes dark.
"He is gone."
"No!" I shriek, tears pouring down my face. "No! He said he loved me! He promised he'd be there! He loves me!!" I shout, my voice resonates.
"He's gone, I'm sorry." Asako put her arm around me. I shudder and press away from her. The necklace is ripped off my neck.
"He promised!!" I cry loudly, and reach my hands out to the heavens.
"Cut! Take! Good work!" The director calls. I grin and relax. Asako comes towards me and helps me up off the ground.
The movie is called "Heart Calls" and is a big production by a Hollywood director. Its about a japanese girl, Meika, who falls in love with an American boy, Colin, who is played by Naozumi. His blue eyes and light hair makes him look more American than ever. Asako plays my older sister, who mistrusts Meika's relationship with Colin. It is, all in all, a teen angst movie.
"Lunch break." The director calls, then heads towards me. He smiles at me. His name, is Peter Roddenburg, and his wild pale hair, bright green eyes and tall, broad shoulders, makes him resemble some sort of bright-eyed giant.
"Good job, Kurata." His eyes crinkle at the corners.
"Thankyou Roddy." I grin. He had insisted on my calling him his childhood nickname. He nods at Asako. "Enjoy your lunch ladies."
I smile and head off to find the food table.
Everything in America seems to be in huge portions...that's more or less the first thing that I noticed!
"Sana-chan, that was really good! You make Meiko so sad." Naozumi appeared at my shoulder. I grin, while shoving some of this turkey sandwich into my mouth.
"Thanks, Nao-kun!" I turn and look at him. He's dressed for his next take, in normal jeans and t-shirt. His light hair is spiked up with gel, and light makeup accents his blue eyes. I suddenly realize how very well, Naozumi fits into this country. While everyone in Japan has dark hair and dark eyes, Naozumi seemed the opposite of everything. And now here, many had the pale hair and eyes that Naozumi possessed. I wondered what he must be thinking, here in a place that he..well, physically fit in so much better. He's regarding me chew on my sandwich with interest.
"I've never seen someone devour an entire sandwich so quickly." He explained matter-of-factly. I glanced down at my half-gone sandwhich and shrug.
"Its good. Lets go, I need fresh air."
We walk off the set, onto the hotel grounds. Wind that a movie is being filmed in the hotel has drifted to other guests of the hotel. Excited fans and spectators line the hallways. They start screaming when Naozumi appears.
"Nao! Nao! Naozumi!" They shout, and wave their hands, which are holding papers. They scream his name over and over. I glance at Naozumi, surprised. I had not expected him to be so popular in America. We quickly duck into the elevator, which takes us down to the lobby.
"Naozumi-kun, I didn't think you were so popular in America."
"Oh them," He waved his hand, "they're nothing. They just heard about hte movie from the lobby and came up to see a 'real star' you know?"
"Ahh.." I look out the glass elevator, and see the city passing by. "I see."
But then, I'm even more shocked to see the crowds of fans pressing in the hotel lobby and entranceway. Armed guards blockade the entrance to keep the herd of fans from tramping into the beautiful hotel lobby. The fans begin to scream when they see Naozumi.
"Quite the popular guy," I observe dryly. He just blushes and ducks into a quiet corner of the lobby, blocked from the view of the public.
"My manager, he made me do this American campaign before I left Tokyo. It was a magazine thing, so that my face would be posted on everything." He strugged, "I guess it worked."
"I suppose it did." I reply. I don't' know what to think. Naozumi, so popular here in America. Its...its an odd notion. In Japan, I am the child star, the most popular. Naozumi is popular there too, but not so much. And here, I am unknown, just some Japanese child actor, while Naozumi is the newest rave. I look over at him, and a hand inadvertently reaches up to grasp a strand of his pale hair.
"You have hair and eyes like them." I comment. He looks into my eyes,
"I am one half them." But the Japanese seems so little in him. Barely visible in his American features.
"One half who?" A new voice asks.
I jump a mile in the air.
I turn menacingly, and find a boy looking sulkily at me. His eyes are rebellious, and his chin is set in a stubborn frown. Naozumi's eyes scan the new boy up and down.
"One half none of your business." He replies smoothly, then his eyes narrow. "Who are you? This place is restricted."
The boy just shrugs and looks at me.
My heart had stopped. The name was just on my lips, about to be said. At first glance, I could've sworn that He stood before me. A blonde-haired, green-eyed version of him. They had that same rebellious air about them, the same stubborn chin, the same infuriating glance. I stare at him. His eyes raise and look into mine. They are as depreciating and scornful as his were.
"What's wrong with her?" He turns to Naozumi. Naozumi looks at my shocked expression.
"What's wrong Sana?" He asks, my English name.
I shake my head slowly, my thoughts untwirling themselves. I blink several times, and memorize the other boy's every feature. How could someone so identical to Hayama exist? They really were very similar.
"I...I just.." I suddenly cannot be there. I cannot have that constant reminder of Hayama before me. He was probably just some fan or guest in the hotel that had wandered into the wrong area. I grab Naozumi's hand and race out of there.
"San--" He's cut off, as he's dragged along behind me.
I finally pause, back in the elevator. It climbs slowly. I bend double, gasping for breath. Naozumi is also trying to catch his breath. He looks at me, bewildered.
"What the hell?"
I just wave the question away, "I had to use the washroom." I explain. How can I admit that the real reason, was because I just couldn't be reminded of Hayama? It sounded ridiculous, even in my own mind. Hayama didn't even like me! And I wasn't supposed to like him! Naozumi's eyes widen.
"Just that?"
"Yup." I fix him with a glare. "A girl's washroom breaks are very important, you see.." I'm about to launch into a whole lecture, but Naozumi stops me quickly, blushing bright red.
"I see I see, Sana-chan!" He turns away, and motions for me to go and do whatever I will. Barely hiding my smile, I duck into a washroom.
It is spacious, several stalls along the wall. I lean against the sink, and regard my features in the mirror. We have been in New York, filming, almost two weeks now. Two weeks that have seemed like an instant. I had thought that it would be a long, slow time. But, it was the opposite. Everythign was so new, so alien. Even the people were different, more things to see and do.
For once in my life, I was the different one. I stared at my dark eyes in the mirror, my brown hair. I felt...so different. In my pocket, lay Hayama's gift to me. It had never parted from my company very far, but I also hadn't really thought of it much either. The thougth made me flush with guilt. I should probably call him.
Pressing the digits, I brought the phone up and listened to the ringing. It rings a long time before someone picks up.
"Hello?"
"Hi!" I exclaim, happiness flooding through me. "Hayama?"
"Kurata!!" His voice rises in surprise, then he yawns. "Kurata, its 3 a.m."
I glance at my watch, then realize the time difference.
"Oh I'm sorry! I forgot!" I exclaim. "I'll call later, Bye!"
"Wait wait!" Hayama says impatiently, he seems annoyed. But then, is there ever a situation where he isn't annoyed? "Might as well, I'm up anyways."
"Its okay, Hayama.."
"No, just, I'm up." He says. There is a silence, and my fingers play with the faucets. The water come automatically when my hand brushes under the tap.
"So.." He says softly, "How is the movie?"
"The movie's good!" I say, smiling. I close my eyes, and I can just picture him, curled up on his window seat, staring out. The phone cradled next to his head. "I play a girl named Meika in the movie, who falls in love with an American boy. Its fun. Although..I don't think I'm supposed to be happy in the movie at all."
"Hmm.. So, who plays the American?" Hayama asks.
"Oh you know, Naozumi."
"What?!" Hayama's voice registers surprise.
"Naozumi.."
"I heard, Kurata. Why?"
"Why what?" My eyes narrow in annoyance. Hayama's not making sense again.
"Why is pretty boy playing an American! I thought he's Japanese."
"His name's Naozumi, and he's one-half American. He looks like them, Hayama. He really fits in here."
Hayama coughed in the phone and said something about someone staying in America for good. I couldn't really decipher the words.
"Excuse me?" I ask.
"Nothing. So..where are you staying?"
"In a hotel. Its really cool. Our room are just above the set, so we really don't have to go far! Its really nice."
"Oh..neat." Hayama's voice suddenly sounds tired.
"How is everyone?"
"Good. Very good. Tsuyoshi got mad today, this other guy tried to hit on Aya-chan. I just chopped him, it was okay." Hayama explained.
I laugh slightly, then start on a reply. I'm interuppted by a sudden pounding on the washroom door that reminds me that Naozumi is waiting for me.
"Who's that?" Hayama asks.
"Oh thats Nao..." I trail off. I'm aware that Hayama doesn't like Naozumi. But its too late.
"Pretty boy?" Hayama asks, his voice neutral.
"Yeah.."
"Okay, I'll..uhh..bye." He says. The phone clicks shut, and the dial tone sounds in my ear.
"Bye, Hayama." I say softly. "I miss you too."
~:Set of 'Heart Calls':~
"Cut! Take, alright! We're outta here!" The director calls out.
I slump down from the position I'm in. We've just finished shooting a scene where Meika is first meeting Colin. Naozumi, who plays Colin, takes long gulps from a bottle of spring water. His manager is patting him on the back.
"Phew! Its hot!" I wave a hand over my face. The heat has been stifling lately, that with the constant thought of the going-ons at home, make me restless and uncomfortable.
"Sana-chan!" Rei appears at my side, waving a fan in my face. Asako sighs and drags him away.
"We're going to dinner Sana-chan! There's food up there already for you." Asako calls dragging Rei away. Rei was protesting,
"But my little Sana-chan will be kidnapped! I have to protect her! How can I leave her alone at a time like this?!"
I don't reply, as Asako leaves with Rei in tow. It is their secret anniversary of their relationship. It was a secret because if word got out that they were dating, well, hell would turn loose. I turn away and trudge up towards the suite. Naozumi has disappeared with his manager. I'm already in the elevator before I realize that I'd left my script that I was supposed to look over on the set. With a sigh, I turn and head back down.
The lights have been turned off, and I grope around the wall to find the switch. I almost scream when I hear the voice behind me.
"Is this what you're looking for?" Its a deep voice, but not quite that of a man's yet. I turn quickly, and my I'm speechless as I look directly into the bright green eyes of the boy from the lobby. The one that was the splitting image of Hayama. How could they look so damnably alike? Even thougth one was American, and the other Japanese, their air of confidence and easy look of annoyance that seemed to flicker were so unlike, it was uncanny.
"Oh!" I exclaim, then grab the script that he holds in his hand. "Yes! That's mine!" I back away slightly from him. Then grin, "I"m Sana Kurata." I hold out my hand.
He looks away, and ignores my outstretched hand. I retract it, feeling more than a little silly now. He's looking majorly annoyed, a look that I know only too well. The likeness to Hayama pains.
"What's your name?" I ask.
"Mr.Potato." He replies.
"Oh really? That's..." I trail off when I realize that he's making a fool of me.
"Hey!!" I glare at him suddenly, "That's not real!"
"...." He just looks at me, his expression stony. He's turning away to leave. I grab his shirt, and pull.
"Hey! I'm not done yet!"
"Don't be stupid." He says, his voice soft yet deadly. His green eyes are like slits, and they shine poison and anger. Shrugging off my hand, he melts away into the darkness. I grip my script, and can only stare open-mouthed. Why is he so mad?
*Author's Note* Please R and R! This chapter was a bit boring, I know, but it'll get better! I promise! Please bear with me!