Rent a Girlfriend: Problems in Paradise (Short Story) Part 1
Characters:
Kazuya Kinoshita
Chizuru Mizuhara
Mami Nanami
Ruka Sarashina
Sumi Sakurasawa
Nagomi Kinoshita
Yoshiaki Kibe
Shun Kuribayashi
Sayuri Ichinose
The Morning: First Real Problem
Awakening to the sound of his Smartphone Alarm Clock going off, Chizuru tightened her grip onto the warm body that she was using mostly as a pillow. Not wanting him to get up or leave her. They had been a real couple for just over a month now and started to sleep together a week ago. She had come to really love sleeping with her Boyfriend at night and did not like it when he was not there in bed with her. She felt lonely without him there spending the nights either at her Apartment or his. What amazed her was that she no longer slept as soundly as when he was there. So she did not want him to leave yet. But she knew he had Morning Class and would have to get up soon. While she didn't have a Morning Class. Though she did have an Audition at Noon to go to. An Audition that she had a 90% guaranteed chance of getting. That is if the Director did not have another one of his quirky ideas that did not match her. Everyone that knew this certain Director knew he had those moments of quirkiness. "Uhm...Chizuru...I need to get up." Kazuya said interrupting her morning thoughts and she tightened her grip more on him.
"No...Don't wanna let you go." Chizuru said childishly in refusal and Kazuya exhaled with a sigh.
"I have Class in about an hour and I can't miss this one." Kazuya said and reluctantly Chizuru slowly let him loose. He slipped out of bed and reached for his clothes. She watched him dress and when he was done. He leaned down and kissed her. "I should be back around 10 to see you off for your...Audition." He told her and she pecked him on the lips for good measure.
"How about coming with me for this one...Miss Yaoyorozu...My Manager still wants to meet you?" Chizuru asked and Kazuya shrugged.
"Sure as long as you don't think I will get in the way." Kazuya replied and then after one more kiss he left. She laid there for several minutes and then got up herself. Pulling on her underwear and then a shirt and Sweatpants. That was another thing they did. They both slept naked with each other.
"Since I am awake now...I might as well do laundry." Chizuru muttered going to get her laundry basket. Picking up her keys by the door. "Might as well do his too." She said heading to his Apartment and using the Spar key he had given her. She went into his Apartment. She wrinkled her nose. "Well not as messy as it used to be...But he did clean up some." She dumped his Laundry into her Basket and was about to leave when something on his table caught her eye. A Job Application Form. Picking it up, her eyes widened and she inhaled sharply. Taking it with her, she left his Apartment. "He has a lot of explaining to do!" She growled heading down to the Laundry Room.
When Kazuya got home, he found the note on his door directing him to come to Chizuru's Apartment immediately. He swallowed heavily and wondered what he had done now. He could tell he was in some type of trouble since the entire note was written in great big bold letters. It took him a couple of moments to screw up enough gumption and courage for him to slowly open the door to find her sitting in her Chair glaring at him menacingly. "You want to explain...This?" She asked sternly and he took a good look at what she held out in her right hand.
"Oh that...That is just an Application..." Kazuya was about to finish but Chizuru cut him off.
"To be...To join...To become a Police Officer." Chizuru said and then Kazuya saw it. Small tears running down her cheeks and he was a little confused on why she was so upset.
"Uhm...Yeah. I was thinking about it...Remember that Job Fair...A Recruiter for the Tokyo Police Department said I had the right qualifications if I was interested." Kazuya said still wondering why she was so upset. She stood and walked over in front of him. Then he really saw the tears flowing down her cheeks.
"Kazuya...I...I am not...against you...wanting to...do this...But...I...I almost lost you once. When you almost drowned." Chizuru sobbed heavily as she talked and she closed her eyes. "I do not...I do not think I could...Handle worrying that...You could be hurt or killed. I do not want to lose you." She reopened her eyes and the tears ran more heavily down her face. Kazuya now understood why she was so upset. He nodded and slowly put his arms around her pulling her against him. She accepted the hug and pushed her face into his right side of his chest.
"I am so sorry Chizuru...I did not think and I should have told you." Kazuya said and could not believe that he had messed up that badly. "Go ahead and tear that up...Oh and if you checked...I never signed it or put my seal on it." He told her and she turned her head she raised it up to look at the Application. Seeing that he hadn't. So without hesitation she tore it into small pieces and dropped it on the floor. Then slipped her arms around him and pulled him tightly against her. After a few moments.
"You know...That was our first...well it wasn't a fight...Let's say...Disagreement." Chizuru said and smiled slightly.
"What about the time that I...There are so many times you were...Let's say annoyed with me?" Kazuya asked smiling as well and Chizuru chuckled.
"Those don't count...We were not a couple then and I kind of liked it when you...Annoyed me. It gave me a thrill to be upset with you. I also a couple of times got to punish you for annoying me." Chizuru said and they both thought of the three times that she had kicked or hit him for doing something that she felt that he needed to be corrected for.
"You were not thinking about punishing me for that...were you?" Kazuya asked and Chizuru smile turned into a smirk. Then she let out a slow exhaled breath and looked over at the clock.
"I got to go soon...But I am really liking this." Chizuru said not really wanting to have him let her go or let go of him.
"You still want me to come with you...I could stay here and try to come up with some way to get you to forgive me of upsetting you." Kazuya suggested and Chizuru shook her head.
"No. I want you to come with me. Maybe after you my Boyfriend will take me somewhere and then beg my forgiveness." Chizuru said and with a lot of regret, released him as he let go of her. Going into the bathroom, she used a cold washcloth to cut down the puffiness in her eyes and then reapplied her make-up. Then the two left so that they could walk to where the Audition was being held just under a mile away. Kazuya had suggested taking a Cab, but she needed time to recover from her being upset. Feeling that the walk there would be a good way to do that.
The Audition and a Huge Surprise:
What Chizuru was auditioning for was for one of the Main Protagonist Roles. There were actually three Protagonists. One of them was a Middle Aged Woman's Part. The Second one was for a Woman in her Mid Twenties and the Part that Chizuru was going for was that of a Woman in her early Twenties. The TV Sitcom Series was mostly based upon the Three Women and their weird interactions at Work. Since all three Protagonists were Married. Their Husbands would only have minor roles and only be seen perhaps once or twice every couple of Episodes. She was not sure about that part of the Role. Especially due to she only wanted to kiss or hug one Man and that Man being her Boyfriend. So she knew that might be a problem later on. Right now though she wanted that Role. Saying her lines against one of the Playwrights that was playing her Husband. She tried her best to imagine that the older Man was Kazuya and it actually worked.
"That was not bad...Miss Ichonise...Not bad at all. Though I did notice you had some trouble in the beginning." The Director said and then looked up from his notebook. Where he had been taking notes. "Can you tell me how you changed to...You got a lot better then in the beginning. I would like to know how you did that?" He asked and Chizuru shrugged.
"Well Sir...I simply imagined that Mister Shoto was my Boyfriend Kazuya. The important part of that line is something I tell him almost all the time. That I love him." Chizuru told the Director who gave a soft laugh.
"Is this Kazuya happen to be another Actor?" The Producer asked and Chizuru shook her head.
"No. He isn't." Chizuru said with a smile. "Though he does help me rehearse my Lines." She told the two older men and they both smiled.
"Could we perhaps meet your Boyfriend Kazuya...Is he here?" The Director asked and Chizuru looked at them somewhat confused. She nodded and gestured towards the Door.
"Yes he is right out there waiting for me." Chizuru said and the two smiled again this time wider. Not understanding what was going on and figuring the Director and Producer were being Quirky. She went out to bring her Boyfriend in.
"What do you think Tsingi?" The Director asked the Producer while Chizuru was out of the room.
"I see what you are thinking and...Yes it might work. There would not be any hesitation or forced interaction. It worked before and it could work now." Tsingi Hashiba said and thought about how some Actors and Actresses just could not really make it appear that they even liked each other. "What do you think Kazuma?"
"The problem would be he is not an Actor. But we could work around that. Say a little tutoring and maybe keep his lines short and to the point." Kazuma Souma said and before they could discuss it further Chizuru returned with Kazuya. The two older men looked him over.
"Just a normal looking guy." Tsingi said and Chizuru glared at the Producer. The older man quickly put up his hands. "Sorry Miss Chizuru...I am not being rude...But perhaps that is what we could use." Both Chizuru and Kazuya were utterly confused and before they could ask.
"See both me and Tsingi are considering is that...we believe that to keep the dynamic of the Kyoka Ashida Character and her Husband Izumi Midorya real or appear to be real." Kazuma said with a huge smile. "That we use your real Boyfriend. That way you do not have to pretend to...Have feelings for him. We want real emotions."
"What are you...I do not understand what is going on?" Kazuya asked but Chizuru understood almost immediately.
"I think I do...They want you to...Be my Husband on the Series." Chizuru said and both older men nodded.
"Are you...Insane. I am not an Actor...Chizuru is...I am just her Boyfriend...I work at a Karoake Cafe and...and...I have no idea how to be an...Actor. Just ask Chizuru...When I help her with her lines...I really suck." Kazuya stammered towards the two men and Chizuru found it kind of cute. She smiled over at him warmly. Both men noticed and smiled broadly.
"Regardless of that...I have always thought to have a really good interpersonal dynamic between say a Husband and Wife Characters...Then there should be some actual emotional ties between them." Izumi said and Tsingi nodded with approval. "They do not have to fake it...When they tell each other that they love each other. Or when they kiss. There is no hesitation...No reluctance...It looks natural and that is what makes such a scene more believable." Kazuya had to admit that did sound reasonable.
"Can I ask you something?" Kazuya asked and both men nodded. "If...If I do not do this...Are you still going to give Chizuru the part?" The Men did not answer and that gave Kazuya his answer. "I will do it...I will do it just because I want Chizuru to fulfil her dream and become an Actress. It is the most important thing to her. So I will do it." He said and Chizuru frowned at him.
"Kazuya you are wrong about that...Becoming an Actress is important to me. But you are the most important thing to me now...Acting comes second. So if you do not want to do this...Then I am not going to ask you to." Chizuru stated and Kazuya smiled at her.
"It is alright Chizuru...As long as you help me with the lines...It should be fine. Besides it would actually give us something to do together." Kazuya said and Chizuru smiled again. After that the two men talked about the Money each would get per Episode and suggested that Kazuya use Chizuru's Manager to make up a Contract.
Another Problem Arises:
Sitting in front of his Laptop, Kibe could not concentrate on any of the Sites that he maintained and managed. For the past year. His hope was that at some point Chizuru would break up with Kazuya. Then he found out that Chizuru had been a Rental and Kazuya had rented her to pretend to be his Girlfriend. To make even more frustrating to him a month ago. Chizuru and Kazuya became a Real Couple. He could not stop thinking about Chizuru. How beautiful she was. How refined she was. How incredible she was. How she was far too good for Kazuya. "Face facts...I am jealous and I am in love with Chizuru." He said to himself. Knowing that he had fallen for her almost the moment that he had met her. Hoping the entire year that she would dump Kazuya and he could possibly ask her out. Become her Boyfriend. He knew right from the start if that did happen his friendship with Kazuya would be over. "I can't do this anymore...I have to...I want her to dump Kazuya and be my Girlfriend." He stood and closed down his Laptop. "First though I think I might seek some advise." With that he contacted Kuri, Shinbo and, Kawanaka. Asking them all if he could talk to them before Morning Classes today and not to tell Kazuya.
His Three Friends and Confidants listened as Kibe laid out what he was wanting to do. How he wanted to basically take Chizuru Mizuhara away from Kazuya. "Are you out of your Fricken Mind?" Kuri asked finally. "You are talking about...Kazuya will hate you...Even after she turns you down...If he finds out...He will hate you for even trying!" His long time friend said and Kibe inhaled softly.
"Shinbo...Kawanaka...What do you think?" Kibe asked turning towards them. They both scowled at him.
"You were there when she made that announcement...When she told us who she was and what she was. Also how she had fallen for Kazuya and wanted to be his Real Girlfriend and that...She is in love with him you idiot." Shinbo stated shaking her head negatively. "All that is going to do is upset Kazuya and her."
"I agree with Kuri and Shinbo in this. Kibe you can't do that. You can't even try to do that. You have to know she is going to turn you down...And like Kuri said...Kazuya is going to hate you for trying to take Chizuru away from him." Kawanaka added and Kibe clenched his hands into fists.
"I do not care...I have to try. I can't...I can't keep thinking about this...I have wanted to be with her almost the moment I met her and I was hoping that in time she...she would dump Kazuya and I would have my chance." Kibe said in desperation. "I know Kazuya probably will hate me...I do not care anymore. I have to know if...even if it is a slim chance...That she will...I have to try." He had come to them for advice and what he actually thought was that they would give him some on how to win Chizuru over. Not be completely dead set against him even trying.
"I think you should." Mami said as she stepped closer from where she had been. The four of them looked over at her as she approached. None of them had seen her standing off to one side clearly able to overhear the whole conversation. "After all...Kazuya lied to us all...As did Chizuru...But not as badly as Kazuya did. That just proves that you should not feel bad if Chizuru does pick you over him. Since he was not really acting like a friend when he lied to you." She smiled broadly.
"Yes he did and you are right...He was not acting like a friend." Kibe said in agreement and made his decision regardless on what the others said or thought. He was going to ask Chizuru to dump Kazuya and become his Girlfriend.
"Wait Kibe...You are only agreeing with Mami because she is telling you exactly what you want to hear. But think about it... You have been Kazuya's friend since Grade School. If you do this...You will be throwing away that friendship." Kuri advised and Kibe looked over at him.
"I know that. But I have to...And Mami is right. He lied to us...To me...So if it comes down to it...It will be his fault that our Friendship will be over." Kibe said and Kuri knew it was pointless to even try to convince him anymore. Kibe was dead set on trying. He looked over at Shinbo and Kawanaka and could tell that they both also were done trying to convince Kibe to be reasonable.
"I give up and I hope you can live with the consequences." Kuri walked away and after a few moments Shinbo and Kawanaka did as well. Then Mami left and Kibe made plans to talk to Chizuru alone as soon as possible. Which involved him going to Kazuya's Apartment Building and waiting for Kazuya to leave. While Chizuru remained. Figuring if he waited outside his chance would come sooner or later.
Chuckling with delight, Mami gleefully believed that she finally would set things right. She hoped that Kibe could take Chizuru away from Kazuya and then Kazuya would once more be miserable. At most Kazuya would lose a long time friend and that would most likely upset him. She wanted him to suffer and as much as she tried to torment him. It just never seemed to work out the way she wanted. In her mind. He was a loser. A pathetic loser that she wanted to be heartbroken the entire year after she had broken up with him. It would have filled her with delight seeing him be miserable for that long. But instead he first made her believe that he had moved on and then to find out that his so called Girlfriend was a Rental. It annoyed her to no end. Especially now because he really was with Chizuru and they were a real couple. "Why should he be happy? When I am so miserable." She whispered with scorn. Thinking of her own relationship and how much she really hated her Boyfriend. She walked towards Kazuya's Apartment wanting to watch the upcoming theatrics from a distance. Just close enough to see it and not be seen.
When Kibe arrived, he sent a Text to Kazuya asking to meet with him at the Main Quad. Stating it was important. He then waited in seclusion behind a dumpster and within moments he saw Kazuya leave. He smiled when he noticed that Chizuru was indeed there. So after a few more moments he made his way up to Kazuya's door and pushed the Buzzer. He felt a little nervous. But was sure he could convince Chizuru to dump Kazuya and be his Girlfriend. When the door opened, she looked out at him somewhat surprised and confused. "Didn't you just contact Kazuya and ask him to meet you in the Main Quad?"
"Yes...I actually wanted to talk to you...Alone." Kibe said and reaffirmed his resolve. Standing there before her. He began to feel reluctant. But he shook it off and decided to just say it. "Chizuru...I...I have fallen in love with you and...And I want you to dump Kazuya and date me and become my Girlfriend. I fell for you right from the day I met you...And have waited all this time for..." She held up her right hand towards him.
"Stop! There is no way I would ever dump Kazuya. I love him with all my heart...I want to be with him forever. So do you even realize...Kazuya would be extremely upset if he found out that you...are doing this." Chizuru said to him and Kibe inhaled deeply.
"I already considered that and I do not care. All I know is that...I can't stop thinking about you and...I know I can convince you to..." Kibe was going to continue and tell her all the reasons why he had fallen for her. But she shook her head.
"NO! Stop it! I do not want to hear your deluded reasons why you think you have fallen for me. It won't change my mind or my heart. Now leave before Kazuya comes back...And do not ever ask me again." With that Chizuru shut the door almost right in Kibe's face. He stood there for several moments. He then rang the buzzer again. He needed to get her to listen to his reasons. So that he could whittle down her own resolve until she agreed to dump Kazuya. "GO AWAY KIBE! I AM NOT GOING TO OPEN THE DOOR AND I DO NOT WANT TO TALK TO YOU ANYMORE!" She said from the closed door and Kibe was tempted to kick the door down and make her listen to him. But as he was about to. He looked over towards the steps to see Kazuya coming towards him. He was not prepared for the other to suddenly slug him. Knocking him down onto the balcony. Kazuya glared down at him.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!" Kazuya yelled clenching both of his fists in front of him. "KURI TOLD ME WHAT YOU...WHAT YOU ARE DOING! ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE!" He asked and Kibe slowly rose getting to his feet. Barely feeling the pain from getting hit on the right side of his face. He lowered his gaze down towards the floor of the balcony.
"Sorry man...I had to...try. You don't understand how long and how much I have thought about her. So...I had to try." Kibe said and before he could explain. Kazuya lowered his raised fists and moved towards his door.
"Get out of here before I do something...Just get out of here." Kazuya used his key and opened his door. Once he was inside he shut it and Kibe was left alone on the balcony. After a few more moments, he slowly left. Inside Kazuya hugged Chizuru who he could tell was extremely upset. He was too. But in a totally different way.
"You would think I would get used to...That." Chizuru said into his chest and Kazuya looked at her puzzled. "You would not believe how many different Men have...Confessed to me ever since I...Well when I was a Rental. Most of them were like Kibe...Believing because I was acting like their Girlfriend. That I had actual feelings for them." She then smirked. "Though you were about the same...Only difference is that about the same time you fell for me...I fell for you." They had discussed that once and discovered that they both had fallen about the same time. For her it was right after he had jumped off the Ferry to save her. For him it was when he had returned home from the same trip. "If I only had not denied my feelings for him...Everything would not have been so...Difficult." She whispered slightly annoyed at herself.
"What should I do about Kibe? He is a Moron and an Idiot and I doubt that he really fell for you. It is just like me...Never had a Girlfriend. I do not count Mami. So I think he just imagines he has fallen for you." Kazuya asked and Chizuru shook her head rubbing her face against his shirt.
"Talk to him...Convince him that...He is just lonely and he could just be fixated on me...for some weird reason. That way...Maybe you can work it out with him. I know you really do not want to loose him as a friend." Chizuru suggested and Kazuya agreed.
Outside Mami waited until Kibe was far out of sight then she came out of concealment. Nothing of what she had hoped or expected happened. Though she really doubted that Chizuru would dump Kazuya and then get involved with Kibe and become his Girlfriend. She figured that Kuri and the two Girls were right on the Money. That Kibe did not have a chance taking Chizuru away from Kazuya. "Still if it gives Kazuya and Chizuru some grief then it was well worth the effort." She muttered as she walked away smiling.
Keeping a Friend:
Kibe was surprised when he received a Text asking him to meet Kazuya at the Park. So when he arrived he first suspected that Kazuya would attack and beat him up. Instead his friend was idly sitting on a Park Bench waiting for him. "Sit!" He ordered and Kibe slowly sat down.
"Listen...I am so sorry about...I just could not stop thinking...I know I...I am scum." Kibe said lowering his gaze down at the ground. He was not ready for Kazuya to chuckle.
"Dude it is alright...Now if Chizuru actually dumped me or you tried to do something inappropriate towards her. Then I probably would have beaten the living shit out of you." Kazuya said and Kibe sighed with relief. "Still it was a huge Cock Move you pulled. What the fuck were you thinking? You had to know...Come on Kibe...Do you even realize how hard it was for Chizuru to confess to me and then tell everyone the entire truth? For her that was the most difficult thing she ever had to deal with. Other then having her Grandmother...Pass on." He asked and Kibe slowly nodded.
"I know and I am sorry. I would apologize to Chizuru too...But I think it best I stay away from her for a while." Kibe said and Kazuya shook his head.
"Let me ask you something. You know how Chizuru job was being a Rental Girlfriend...Until she quit a month ago." Kazuya inquired and Kibe nodded. "Could you have handled knowing that Chizuru had dated several dozen men? Sure nothing happened with them. But could you really handle having the Girl you love dating other men. That is what I had to deal with and not...Well do something stupid." He did not mention that he had once. When he believed Umi was trying to take advantage of her. "So could you?" Kibe shook his head.
"No. I guess I couldn't deal with it." Kibe admitted and Kazuya chuckled again.
"So that should tell you that you are not really in love with Chizuru. I say that because...Even though I was hopelessly in love with her when she was a Rental...I did not want to be a burden upon her." Kazuya smiled and again chuckled. "Oh she knew from way back how I felt about her and she basically felt the same. Because of that it was just as hard on her. She told me that it killed her inside because she believed she was cheating on me. Even though we were not really together."
"She loves you without any reluctance or hesitation...Doesn't she?" Kibe asked him sullenly and Kazuya nodded.
"I feel the same about her. I love her with all my heart. So it really hurt me when you tried to...That was the dumbest thing you ever did you Idiot!" Kazuya stated and Kibe once more felt like utter shit.
"Does that mean you and her probably will never split up?" Kibe asked and Kazuya chuckled once more.
"That is exactly what it means...Especially since...I...I am going to ask her to Marry me." Kazuya said and then stood. "That is actually something I planned on doing as soon as...Well I got to see my Grans first and get a certain item." What could Kibe think or say. He smiled and looked over at his friend.
"Then you better get going. Otherwise..." Kibe smirked. "I might have to try again to take her away from you." He said but the tone of his voice indicated that he was not being serious.
"You are such and idiot." Kazuya then left and as he walked away. He sent a text to his Grandmother asking to stop by for a quick visit. Then he sent one to Chizuru asking if she would like to go to Dinner Tonight and that he had something he wanted to talk to her about.
The End.