Hiya everybody, you're probably surprised that the previous chapter was from 'Picture Perfect'. A lot of people wanted Sasame, so I decided to devote a fic to him. At first I just wanted to insert it in my other fic, but it would get confusing.

I hope you guys review this one, I promise to have a new chapter out at least every month, I just have to get through my last year of high school. Wish me luck!

A Song For My Beloved

Chapter 2: The Golden Cage

Masako had definitely picked the wrong time to schedule another press conference for this silver-haired singer. The whole incident with the B-movie actress was not his fault. It was she who had lunged forward and claimed his lips. And yes, he did mind.

Sasame already had a terrible headache. He loved Masako dearly, like a sister, but the way she was all over him for that 'publicity stunt' was way too much for him.

"Gimme a break, it was her who kissed me. I had no idea, she said she was just going to brush a piece of god-knows-what off my suit."

Masako slapped her forehead and moaned, "And you fell for that? I thought you graduated top of your class! Didn't Hayate ever tell you about how girls flirt with guys? What the hell did you two talk about that got you flushed like a tomato? Still, no matter who really kissed who, what the public thinks is that you and that shameless hussy are a couple. It's all over the news! I've got J-Pop Channel asking for exclusives on your dates and wedding! Man, for a goody-twoshoes type, you sure do know how to get in trouble…"

Sasame opened his mouth to protest but quickly snapped it shut when he remembered how harassed Masako had been when he had suddenly disappeared a week ago. He had come back, with the strangest expression on his face, as if he were drunk or intoxicated by some new drug. She had noted the loss of his precious necklace, the one that he had treasured since his childhood days. Masako felt sorry for him and tried to look for a similar one, only to give him a watch that was 'so him' after being smitten by it one productive shopping day. The details of the bus incident and how Hijima, her burly assistant and Yuichiro, Sasame's personal bodyguard had almost got themselves killed finding him came to her later…much later.

Even he was surprised at the way he was acting. He was the shy, quiet type, not one for the big entrances that his best friend reveled in. Hayate and Sasame were like yin and yang, exact opposites. They did have a few similarities, like attraction to light, drop-dead gorgeous looks, enchanting smiles…

Hayate was the adventurer, while Sasame usually went for the tried and tested things. He was more in touch with his feminine side, which usually made him irresistible to the ladies. They fawned over him, by the hundreds, something he still had to get used to. His silvery voice, melodious both at singing and speaking could reach out to any ear and create a utopia for the listener. It was not through looks but through talent that got him the title, 'Best Singer of the Year' in all the award shows. He was crowned the 'Prince of Dashing' and 'Most Wanted Bachelor' for say…about 5 years in a row, starting from his debut, the unbelievable beginning of the 'Silver Prince'. Royalty as he was, he preferred to get away from all the excitement, and his busy lifestyle was really killing him.

Hayate on the other hand was the 'bad boy', letting all the models fall head over heels in love with him. He loved his fast-paced lifestyle, full of parties and jammin'. Bloody mary was an unofficial girlfriend of his, and it was not uncommon to find Hayate in the city's most celebrated events. He was the most famous photographer of his age, and there was not a single person in the media world who didn't know about him.

Hayate worried about Sasame, for he knew that the sensitive best bud of his was already reaching his limit. He was surprised by his sudden disappearance a week ago, something he caught wind of when Masako started going ballistic. He worried about how he was taking things. Some bimbo had tried to kiss him (actually she succeeded) and Sasame was more than shocked by the whole incident. So he decided to do what any best friend usually did in times of crisis: come over for an unexpected visit.

Sasame was resting on a sofa in the VIP lounge of the Paradise Hotel where the conference was to be held. He heard some noises outside, so he decided to investigate. To his surprise, he found his bodyguard shoved up against the wall by a man he hadn't expected to see… Hayate…

"And so how was the blond bombshell? Did she have long, soft hair? Lips? And you know…"

Sasame blushed furiously at the barrage of questions his best friend was giving him.

"Come on, how can you not let her kiss you for more than a minute? You wasted such a perfect opportunity. I wish I were in your shoes at that moment." Hayate took a quick swig of his favorite bloody mary. The silver-haired singer pursed his lips and sighed softly, murmuring, "I wish you were…" Hayate let the glass he was holding slide off his fingers to rest onto the glass table. He took his best friend by the shoulders and shook him really hard. "Snap out of it. Sasame…" He let his friend's name die on his lips. Somehow he knew that Sasame was in no mood to try to think of the wonderful things that had happened to him throughout his entire five-year stint as an idol. "It just seems so empty, not worth everything…"

Sasame wondered if he had made the biggest mistake of his life when he had sent in his demo tape. He knew he had a great voice, yeah, Hayate sometimes used him as his own personal radio. He also had the looks, the girls from his home town had a hard time choosing between him and Hayate. He had the calm answers to the questions thrown at him by the press. He was unruffled by issues, until they slowly built up in the five years. He had to run, to escape from it all…then he found her… Who was that girl?

He found himself thinking of her again. Somehow, on his way to Hokkaido, he had dozed off and found himself seated next to a really peculiar girl. She drew his attention, like a moth to a flame. There was nothing special about her. Being in the business, he had been introduced to thousands much more elegant, model-like, sophisticated…yet he couldn't resist smiling at her. She seemed flustered, and he thought of introducing himself (actually a weird thought as he was a popular guy, and the only way he escaped the stares of the other passengers was the fact that they were all either too old or too young to recognize him). It was the first time, in five years, that he actually felt the need to say his name. Sasame liked that fact, her being naïve to him and his fame.

Then it happened. His bodyguard Yuichiro and Hijima had found him. They swerved in front of the bus to stop it, and had called for him so he could come out on his own. That had made the bus slightly a dangerous place to be in, and he caught the girl in his arms, preventing a nasty meeting with the floor. She was shaken, and Sasame felt the urgent need to comfort her. He wiped away the tear that had left her eye.

"Sasame!" The call was a bitter jolt of reality, which he chose to ignore. The girl pressed his hand to her soft cheek and closed her eyes. He reveled in the feeling, her touch was like that of a butterfly. He wanted to press her closer to himself, to assure him that she was not a dream or a figment of his imagination. But they were coming, and he wanted her to be free of the consequences their meeting might bring. He started to go back, to a place that held no trace of home for him. His last glimpse of her was of the girl slightly wavering in the aisle, as if the wind was caressing her whole body like a lily in the breeze. Her lips were parted slightly, making her breathing slightly heard. He couldn't resist. He bent down and planted his lips onto her forehead, whispering to her, "We'll meet again."

Opening his eyes, Sasame found a glass of cold water pressed onto his forehead. "You seem to have knocked yourself out there buddy. You never did like my drinks did you?" Hayate stood up, and stretched his arms, making the jacket he was wearing ride up his shoulders. "Well, my work here is done. I've gotten you drunk, and at least that had made you forget a bit. You seem to have had a pleasant dream there. You were smiling for the whole 30 minutes you were out."

He held his warm hand to Sasame's smooth cheek. "I'll drop by again okay? Be good." Hayate snorted at the thought, making him think whether that last sentence had been meant for himself. Sasame gave him a wan smile and tugged at his blazer. Hayate grinned at him, then sauntered off to find the doorway and 'apologize' to the bodyguard he had left snoring outside the room.

He knew that his best friend was keeping something from him. It had happened during that time he had disappeared; whatever it was, he was grateful for it. At least Sasame was kept occupied. He did not need to think of any other scandals brought upon him and his career. He didn't deserve it, to be gossiped about with such horrifically blown-up issues. Be good Sasame, hang in there bud.

Sasame only managed to utter a sleepy goodbye before dozing off again. He was used to Hayate coming and going… He loved how his best friend managed to make things a lot more interesting for him. Even if almost always it involved getting him drunk. Scratch that, make it always… The alcohol had the same effect on him as it always did during his adolescent years: it knocked the living daylights out of him. It gave him a little time to think, recharge, and get things back in order. Whenever he felt like life was a big spinning vortex, Hayate always came to make things right again. Either that or bloody marys really had medicinal properties as the flippant bachelor had always claimed.

"USOOO!! You have got to be kidding! Me?! Substitute for you at that press conference?" Himeno had no idea who that singer at the press conference was but she knew that he was really, REALLY famous. And here, Satomi was asking her to cover it for her because she had to go meet her boyfriend's parents on that same night.

"Onegai, Himeno-chan… I really need to make a good impression. I can't back out on this one, I've already called off this meeting three times. Kami, what would they think of me if I refuse this again?" Satomi clasped Himeno's hands in hers and gave her those irresistible puppy-dog eyes she had.

Himeno bowed her head in defeat and sighed. "Mou, if only you didn't risk your butt getting me that SMAP assignment…" Her friend nodded her head eagerly, having just remembered that debt the pink-haired freelance writer owed her. About months ago, her friend had gotten an exclusive with the popular singing group that had taken Japan by storm. She gave it to Himeno, who at that time had no job or money to pay for her rent. She had no family to support her, and all her friends were in Osaka. After the SMAP coverage, she was able to get a better flat and offers started pouring in. She became a regular contributor to Tokyo Talk magazine, which sustained her lifestyle.

She sat down on her designated chair, in a room swarmed by other journalists and photographers. One of them even had the cheek to ask to borrow her camera, her only camera in the world. She fanned herself with her hand, as the room grew slightly warm from all the people inside. She squinted at the banner with a small part of the actor's face put on it: his eyes. Somehow they seemed familiar but she pushed that thought to the back of her head. Himeno stared at them, wondering what the rest of him would look like. The name on the banner read, "Sasame..." She liked that name; it made her think of tranquility.

After the bus incident she had taken to wearing the necklace. It tinkled as she moved slightly, calming her and giving her some sense of security. Himeno felt a little guilty; she almost didn't want to meet the owner of the necklace just for the sake of keeping it. "But he was there… and he wasn't a dream…" she softly murmured to herself. It was at that single moment when she had locked eyes with him that she realized how much she desperately needed that dream. He had swept her off her feet into fairyland, and the fact that she willingly submitted herself definitely didn't help her in deciding whether he was or was not what she needed in her weird life. Himeno wanted to meet him so much and give the precious necklace back to him in person. She wanted to confirm that strange sensation she got from their previous encounter. Maybe, just maybe, he could be the one for me...

The room suddenly buzzed with excitement as the press conference finally started. Himeno quickly brought herself back to her business of recording whatever the singer said, and trying in vain to take pictures of him over the hoarde of men taller than her. They all settled down and took their seats after the short, cute little manager hollered at them to be seated throughout the whole event. Himeno was left standing and her mouth formed a perfect 'o' when she finally saw the singer named Sasame. Wispy silver locks, piercing purple eyes, lean and slender frame...and most of all, the shy, innocent grin.

It was the man she had met on the bus to Hokkaido.

to be continued...

Hello people! Took me quite a while. I've been so busy and it's my final two weeks of academics. Yahoo! Then it'll just be grad practice...then...FREEDOM!!! I already passed my entrance examinations (yes, all of them) and I decided to celebrate by finishing this chapter. Whew! The only review I got was about fnishing Picture Perfect first. Sorry, it ain't going to happen. After one more chapter of this (or if something good happens), I'll update Picture Perfect.

Please review! Thankies, signing off...