Up in heaven, Here on Earth by dytia

chapter 6: Lament of A Tainted Idol (Ooshige's Story)

Time is something I don't have. But then I didn't want to keep you waiting long. So, a short chapter to whet your appetite. :) There was not much on this part of Ooshige's life on the manga so I had more freedom to shape it according to what I had in mind but if ay of it clashes with the canon or became OOC, do kindly remind me. And I was a bit skewed by the manga time line, I am guessing that Ooshige was a teenage idol already by the time Mitsuki was born. Based on this assumption, I safely conclude that Ooshige met Wakaouji sensei about 16-7 years old? Ok get on with the story.

Ooshige watches Mitsuki as she prepares herself for the stage. Again, she was there to witness the birth of a true idol. The idol who is as pure as the first snow in autumn dusk, that she dreamt to be once years ago but she herself can't achieve.

There were some sacrifices. Some blood lost. Some love lost. Some innocence lost.

When she started out, Ooshige knew to make it an idol she has to make sacrifices. The first one was to sacrifice the one closest to her.

" Masami!!! No child of mine is raised to dress like a tramp prancing on stage to earn a living. You, young lady will finish high school."
" Oto-san, we are talking a once in a lifetime opportunity here. Manager Kuro said I was born to be an idol…"
" That man's a liar. Can't you see? He was only using you. I already check him up. He was a fraud!!"
" You what?! How dare you do that?" Ooshige's mom intervened. " He was only doing this to protect you."
" No, all he wants is to lock me up in a cage and throw away the key. I am 16 only once and I want to be an idol."

She was headstrong. She was determined. She doesn't care if it meant scrubbing the studio floors, being a maid to the studio guests or running senseless errands for the established idols who were way younger than her. She sacrificed her pride as Master Kuro promised her that she'll be an idol after all this. And she was so determined to make that happen. And she was more determined once she met him.

She met Wakaouji-sensei during one of Route L's studio recording session. She already knew Aoi-san at that time having done a few errands for him which she do gladly as Aoi-san was one of the few celebrities who actually treated her like a human instead of an invisible studio hand and at the same time, his wife also had treated her as family.

Flashback.. Kazuki telling the young Ooshige. " You were not the only one who had to sacrifice the person you love for something that you always dream."
" What was your dream, Kazuki-san?"
Kazuki were smiling wistfully at a far away Aoi-san, "To be the moon that shines his way."

At that moment, the young Ooshige knew what true love was. Every time she looks at Aoi-san and his wife, she wondered if she could ever find a true love like they have. But he wondered no more when he met him that day.

Young Takuto and Aoi were already inside the studio when she arrived there. Aoi-san saw her and immediately called her in. " Masami, we need an extra chorus back up vocals for this song, could you help us?"
She beamed , " Of course. But I have this parcel to send to Arai-san next door… I'll come back in a minute." Just as he turn around, she immediately ran smack into a tall, dark guy. Ooshige stumbled to the floor and the next thing she saw when she looks up was the heavenly vision of him. The prince of her dreams.

" Are you okay?" that man extended his hand but Ooshige was too embarrassed to take it. She immediately got up and darted straight outside without any word. She did not return to the studio. Later, she found out his name. Wakaouji.

Ouji-sama

" Ooshige-san.. Ooshige-san."
" Oo.. Mitsuki, are you finished? "
" Just a few audio run throughs and we finished. I saw you alone here looking tired so I thought that perhaps you want me to finish faster."
" No, just go ahead. I think I just need some fresh air. I'll wait for you outside."
" Okay."

Outside, Ooshige sat on a bench next to a young birch tree. The leaves were turning yellow. Autumn is coming.

" Ooshige-san.." A familiar voice came from behind her. Ooshige turned and to her surprise, she saw someone she never thought she'll see again.
" Meroko??!" Meroko nodded.

Keichi was watching them from afar. Meroko asked him to step aside.

" Ooshige is a dear old friend. She has a good heart. If she was truly Miyuki's mom, she must have a good reason for not raising the child herself."

After Meroko finished narrating Miyuki's life story, she hesitantly asked Ooshige, "What do you think I should do? Knowing the mother is alive."
Ooshige smiled, "Find the mother of course and convince her to take the child back."
Meroko took Ooshige's hands, "Then, would you take her back. Ooshige-san." Ooshige was startled by Meroko's answer.
"What are you saying? I am not the child's mother."
" I am not lying." Meroko handed her some papers. "She was your child. Your parents were the one who signed the release forms and in the orphanage books, stated that your father was the one who personally brought her in."
There were tears in Ooshige's eyes as anger, sadness and also disbelief surged inside of her forming an avalanche of emotions.

Flashback..

Kazuki found Ooshige crying in the studio all alone.
" Masami.. what is it?" Ooshige look up.."Kazuki-chan, I'm pregnant."

Another flashback..
Glasses were smashed. Angry words exchanged. Ooshige dragging her suitcases out shouting that she rather go to hell if they forces her to abort the child. Her father screamed back, "Then, go ahead and give birth to that spawn of the devil." Her mother was sobbing quietly telling them to stop fighting. At that time, she vowed to never return. She did turned her parents away once and now when she needed them, she was not surprised that they also turned her away.At the end of the day, I could not kill my child

She went to Kazuki for help. She, Aoi and Wakaouji helped her find a place to stay and helped her with the pregnancy. She was so embarrassed especially to Wakaouji-san.

" Wakaouji-san.. Gomen. I am such a burden to you."
" Dame da you. You are precious to me. To Aoi. To Kazuki. We would not leave you alone at times like this."
" Don't you want to know what had happen?"
" If you want to tell, I'd listen but if you don't want to, it's all right. I trusted you to decide wisely." Wakaouji-san bended down and kiss her on the forehead, " You know, I am going to a medical school soon."
" Ehh… Why?"
" Because of you.."
" Me?"
" Because of Aoi. Because of Kazuki."
" Oo… I don't understand."
" The three of you taught me that life is so precious. That's why I want to be the one who were able to protect it."
" Wakaouji-san.." This man is the most perfect person she ever met. That's why she could never tell him her feelings.I am forever tainted in his eye.

This child is the product of her ignorance and her naiveté. She finally was given a taste of stardom. Her album is out and she was drunk by the praises and worship. That was the time it happened.

She was coaxed into entertaining the bigwigs of the entertainment industry. Manager Kuro led her into this room and told her to be nice to them. They were many of them and they were drunk. The next day, she was naked on bed, sobbing.

Innocence was lost that day.

She felt so dirty. She grew distant and began neglecting her idol engagements and manager Kuro wanted her to sleep with more studio executives to compensate for that. She refused and then, Manager Kuro also ditched her and purposely send out negative comments and publicities to the press. That was the end of her idol dream. The start of her nightmare.

Crying as she tells her tale, she goes on saying that she had a huge fight with her parents that day. "There was an accident and I was bleeding so much I thought I was dying. The doctor had to do an operation to get the baby out but she was too small to survive. The doctor told me the baby died. My parents were there. They told me they already cremated the remains."
"So you never knew that she was still alive?" Ooshige shook her head.
" After that, Wakaouji-san helped me procure a job training new idols. Something away from the public eye. As time goes by, she grew to love her new job as one of the people behind the scene. But she shied away from Wakaouji-san.

I cannot love him any longer. I am dirty.

"Where is she now? Can you take me to her? "
"Are you sure?"
" Yes!!"
" She's with your parents. And your mother is now dying."

Next chapter: Will Ooshige agrees to return to her family? How will Miyuki react? To be continued.