Author's Note: Since the story is halfway finished already, I decided to update every other day.
Like I always say before, please do read and review. Thank you so much for doing so! :D
Chapter 9: Breaking Down
That evening, Alice could not sleep. The events that ensued earlier still shook her nerves. Her being face-to-face with Tamiko was the greatest achievement she could ever have as of now. Meeting the Devil Woman was already hard but staying in the house with the Despicable Guy still tested her resilience. With this, she went downstairs and eventually saw Ryo watching movies after she got on the floor itself. However, when she squinted, she saw that the movie was a romantic comedy.
Wow. Since when did Rooster Head get inclined with romance? Alice thought in wonder.
But she tried her best not to make a noise. However, her efforts were in vain when she slammed her head onto the wall as she tried to make a left turn. With this, the brunet model went towards her.
"Are you okay?" he asked while seeing the blonde who was massaging her head.
Alice looked to her right and was surprised with Ryo's concern for her. she suddenly felt her heart beating fast once again.
"Uh… Yeah. I'm fine. Thank you," Alice answered consequently, not minding the coldness of her tone.
"Do you need ice?" Ryo offered, trying to lessen the burden of the girl.
Alice shook her head quickly. "I'm okay, Ryo. I'm okay. Don't need to act like my knight in shining armor."
Ryo suddenly felt proud of her comment. He definitely wanted to be her knight in shining armor right now.
"Okay…" Ryo trailed off and suddenly remembered what happened at the studio. "Are you okay with what Tamiko called you?"
Alice raised an eyebrow because of his sudden gentleman attitude towards her. What?
Ryo cleared his throat in order to make himself clear to the blonde. "I mean, are you alright despite Tamiko just called you a bitch earlier?" he asked.
"Of course I'm fine!" Alice replied raucously with Ryo's odd way of being sweet towards her. "I've dealt with a lot of people like her and I just don't have to pretend that I'm not okay. I'm used to that kind of job, Ryo. Don't act as if you care about me being insulted. I'm not a typical person who just gets upset because of an insult. Because technically speaking, I know what I'm doing and why I'm doing this. If she belittles me then it's fine. It's nothing personal actually… only business."
Ryo sensed that Alice definitely changed because of him. She used to be a timid teenager when he met her and became friends with her. But now, she had totally gained a whole new attitude and confidence as well. He assumed that working in a graveyard duty in a publishing company must have taken its toll on the blonde and was now turning tables with her as well. But on top of them all, all those reasons started with him rejecting her just because he liked another.
"Okay," Ryo answered sheepishly. "Then why are you mad at me?"
"I'm not mad at you," Alice stated. "I'm trying to keep myself at a right distance. We're being professionals here, right?"
"I know but why are you making it so obvious?" Ryo asked, trying to figure out what was happening. "We're friends but why are you making it seem that we're not friends?"
Alice felt silent at that point. She wanted to put it in his face about the event years ago but she could not find a word to speak. Ryo looked at her in the eyes and held her shoulders.
"I'm doing my best to get through you again," Ryo said sincerely.
Wow. Who invented that line? Alice thought as she was looking into the sparkling blue eyes that matched hers.
"So please let me," Ryo completed. "Let me be your friend once again."
Ryo suddenly felt that his words hurt him. Why did he say that? Oh right. He wanted to be in a safe side with her.
It was Alice's turn to get shocked.
"Let me be your friend once again…"
And even in a matter of seconds, it took her so long for it to register. What if she said yes? What if she said no? Will everything change?
"I… I…" she trailed off.
Suddenly, Ryo placed his index finger on her lip. Alice did not know why he did that.
"Please let me."
Eventually, it was Alice's time to surrender. She decided to let him try. Let him try. When Ryo saw her breathe through her nose, he felt that it was the time he let her go.
"Okay…" Alice answered simply. "I'll let you be my friend. But not in front of Tamiko or also known as the Goddess of All Bitches and Devil Woman."
Alice began to think after she said those words. They were already said so she could not take it back.
I only said it so he would stop bugging me, Alice thought. But that won't change anything, will it?
When her mind drifted back to reality, she could see Ryo smiling.
"I promise, Alice…" Ryo answered.
"Make sure that I won't regret my answer, Akiyama," Alice replied crossly.
"I will!" Ryo jumped up and hugged Alice. The simple gesture made the blonde's heart pump in double.
"Okay!" Alice said as she attempted to drive herself off Ryo. Suddenly, she noticed that the movie was still playing. "Uh… Ryo? Are you finished with your movie?"
Ryo diverted his eyes to the television and realized that the movie was still playing. He laughed in embarrassment.
"Uh… Somehow…" Ryo replied with a laugh. "Wanna watch with me?"
"No," Alice replied and shook her head. "I've got things to do as of now. Where the hell are heading tomorrow?"
"Actually, we're going to meet my fellow models tomorrow," Ryo explained.
"Then presscon's on Thursday," Alice completed nonchalantly. And I'll have to meet Tamiko once again. Whatta life!
"And, just to make things clear… Those fellow models are guys…" Ryo warned.
"Then I'll start to find a love life in one of their personal models!" Alice replied with a smug laugh and started waltzing away.
Ryo only laughed but became nervous for himself. What if his friends got Alice's heart first? He decided that it would not happen because he needed to prove to Alice that he was the one worthy of her. But how?
The next day at nine in the morning, Alice woke up with a smile on her face. Why was she smiling? Because if Ryo can play the game, why cannot she?
You're going to get your own medicine, Akiyama! Alice thought with a devious smirk. Just you wait!
With this, she stepped out of her pale sheets and began plotting something inside her head.
Two can play this game! Alice thought.
However, her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Genji knocking on her door.
"Alice?! Are you still dreaming?" Genji hollered.
She eventually stood up and walked towards the door so she could open it. The blonde was surprised that the manager still managed to wake her up during mornings.
"Hey, Genji!" Alice greeted.
"I've got a lot of men for you to work out for later," Genji replied with a grin. "It's a whole fest full of guys in the studio."
"Really?" Alice replied while thinking secretly of her plan to be put in action. "That's nice!"
"Even if I'm rooting for you and my boss, I'm trying my best to drive him out of your mind for a second!" Genji replied humorously.
"Na-uh! I'm not going to be with Ryo anyway. He has a bitch for a girlfriend already!" Alice answered back sarcastically.
Genji laughed. Deep inside, he knew that the blonde still had the heart for Ryo. He was only trying to play Cupid since it was obvious that the two had something for each other given that the two had similar stories about each other. Yet, the two were harboring opposing forces around themselves. Alice was too stubborn to admit that she still likes him while Ryo was too afraid to tell him how he felt towards the girl because he was still guilty.
"So the bitch shall it be," Genji said and followed it with a laugh. "Come on. You've got some P.A. duties to do!"
Alice snorted and it reminded her of being Ryo's nanny once again. "Fine! I'm going!"
"That's my girl!" Genji referred the 'my' as a friend.
Meanwhile, the model was already awake and he was still thinking of what he would do later. Unfortunately, when he heard Alice squeal yesterday, he felt as if he got shattered into a million pieces. Was she interested in some guy other than him? Well, he thought of the possibilities. After she told him that she liked him and he rejected her, the blonde must have probably found another crush to settle with and he wanted that crush to be him once again.
What am I gonna do? Ryo thought as he looked at himself in the mirror. I'm only losing Alice in the process. I'm such a sore loser. I hired her to be my assistant yet I'm also leading her to other guys.
Somewhere in Shinjuku, Rika was working on the editing when she overheard some of her colleagues talking about something nearest her cubicle.
"Ugh! That Tamiko strikes again!" a young woman's voice exclaimed. Rika knew that the voice belonged to Mika Arashi.
"What?" another woman's voice exclaimed. This time, it was Mimi Tachikawa.
"You know my cousin Hanako Daisuke?" Mika asked.
"Uh-huh. What's with her? Was she Tamiko's assistant?" Mimi asked curiously.
"According to Hana, Tamiko threw fits of anger towards the employees in the studio," Mika replied. "She told me that a certain Alice McCoy was Tamiko's latest target!"
Rika felt her hands becoming cold. She suddenly became worried for her friend because of what she heard.
"What do you mean?" Mimi asked again. "Alice was Sir Ryo's assistant and she's so kind!"
"Yeah! There's no problem with being kind but it looks like every woman Ryo hooks up with, Tamiko is setting her eyes for them," Mika answered.
Rika eventually stood up and walked towards her door. She could see that her two subordinates were talking directly about the scandalous and female model.
"I don't know if it's true but I'm afraid for Ryo's assistant," Mika continued. "According to Hana, she seemed to be Ryo's type of girl and Tamiko's getting suspicious about it."
Rika now confirmed that the rumors were true. She decided to show up at least for now.
"It seemed to me that something fishy's going on in the showbiz," Rika declared, surprising the two young women. "Why ought bringing Tams up?"
"Gosh, if only you know, Ma'am Rika! The insults have nearly reached the headlines if it wasn't for Ma'am Nina who was there to always cover Tamiko up!" Mika replied. "I pity much my cousin so much! How could she have tolerated a such bad behavior in span of two years?!"
"I don't know. Probably your cousin's heart is as hard as ice," Rika explained.
"Oh no, Ma'am! I still remember what you said to Tamiko! You go, Ma'am!" Mimi replied with a cheer.
"That's nothing. In fact, she had always behaved inappropriately at all times," Rika answered. "What would've happened if the reigning supermodel returns here in the country?"
"Surely she's got nothing against her!" Mimi answered proudly. "Long live Dara Matsui!"
"How about we feature her in a magazine column?" Mika suggested.
"Even it would be true, that would still be classified as libel and we really couldn't do that or we're going to be forced to close Vanity Shinjuku," Rika answered politely. "But enough about Tamiko, alright? Speaking of, what did you also do with Ryo, Mimi?"
"Oh, he's so hot!" Mimi exclaimed dreamily. "His words were inspiring and he's so hot!"
Rika only smacked her forehead in disgust. What would be the other thing that she'd tell me?
Back at the Akiyama residence, Alice was getting ready with herself. She was sporting a red V-neck and short-sleeved dress. Oddly enough, she was surprised with herself because she had been wearing a lot of dark-colored dresses at many occasions. But for today, the requirement of wearing a dress was very crucial especially with her job just like this.
She was busy combing her hair when she heard the door open and saw Genji who was now clad in a black long-sleeved button shirt and a pair of jeans.
"Hey, Alice!" Genji smiled. "How's everything?"
"I'm doing well!" Alice answered as she continued combing her hair. "Was the big boss awake already?"
"Yes, he is awake," Genji answered. "He seems uneasy because you're going to meet his friends."
This caused Alice to laugh raucously at this point.
"Him? Uneasy? Wow!" she exclaimed. "What was the thing he's afraid of, Genji? That I resign from him?"
"Some sort of… or… just like that," Genji continued. "At any rate, he's afraid to lose a very patient and nice assistant just like you."
"Don't pull my leg, Genji!" Alice snorted.
"I'm just having assumptions, Alice!" Genji replied good-naturedly.
With that, Alice turned to look at herself in the mirror. For her, she definitely had changed. The old timid and shy Alice was gone. Now, a confident and smart Alice was already in her persona. Nothing more would make her feel more intimidated once again.
You made me like this… Alice thought while secretly referring to the blue-eyed young man.
"Alright… Seeing that you are still busy beautifying yourself, I'm gonna leave!" Genji replied.
After combing her hair for another moment, Alice finally stopped.
"No, wait!" Alice said and eventually picked her white shoulder bag from the table. "I'm going to leave my room as well."
"Alright," Genji replied as the blonde followed him and closed the door.
At the ground floor, Ryo was waiting for his manager and his assistant. However, as he was waiting, he received a call. He saw that an unknown number flashed in the screen and placed his phone in his ear.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Ryo!"
Ryo did not have to waste a moment in recognizing the voice. He was glad to hear Kazu's voice once again.
"Hey, Kazu!" Ryo greeted. "I'm so glad to hear from you once again! But how did you get my number?"
"You're crazy! Rika, remember?" Kazu exclaimed.
"Oh, right! So what made you call? Unless you want me to meet another girl that I don't like…" Ryo answered sarcastically.
"Are you an idiot? Rika has been pleading me to ask your free time because she wants to organize a night out with all of the tamers! And since I haven't heard from you for so long, I decided to call you!"
"Wow, Kazu! I never knew you're so cheesy with these things!" Ryo teased.
"She also told me that you have Alice for a personal assistant so that'll be easy for us to contact each other!"
"Yeah…" Ryo replied and blushed at the mention of the name.
"So just give me your free time and I'll text the soon-to-be Mrs. Wong," Kazu replied from the other line.
"Alright! But wait! Rika's getting married?!" Ryo asked, very surprised.
"You're idiot! I'm actually joking but you do know that Rika is Henry's girlfriend, right?" Kazu laughed. "Oh well! But actually, it's Takato and Jeri who's getting married first!"
"I'm not surprised," Ryo replied with a laugh. "Anyway, thanks for your efforts in contacting me. You're the best."
"Anytime! Oh and don't forget! Can I have an autograph from you when we meet again?! God, I'm so happy that I have a model for a friend!"
"Oh. You'll surely do have!" Ryo replied obligingly. "Anyway, I need to go since I'm going somewhere with Alice and my manager."
"Okay! Bye!"
With this, Ryo hung up the phone. He smiled to himself after remembering that he also had supporters on the side. He heard several footsteps walking towards him and he saw Genji and Alice. When he saw Alice, his jaw literally dropped. He was stunned by her beauty, her svelte figure and unfazing fierceness inside her.
"Wow!" Ryo commented as he saw Alice. "You look ravishing, Alice!"
Alice only gave a sly smile as she noticed Ryo's reaction.
"Come on, Ryo! Let's go!" Genji urged the young man who was still struck by the blonde's new look.
Compared to yesterday, Alice looked more gorgeous today. Yet, Ryo still liked the way his friend dress herself: smart and simple.
The trio walked towards the garage and saw the sleek black car once again. For Alice, she felt sorry for Genji for driving so much whenever Ryo had photoshoots and press conferences. But Genji already insisted yesterday that he was doing a part of his job. And again, they hopped inside the car with Genji sitting on the driver's seat, Alice on the seat beside the driver's seat and Ryo on the passenger seat.
~ No one else comes close to you
No one makes me feel the way you do
You're so special girl, to me
And you'll always be, eternally
Everytime I hold you near
You always say the words I love to hear
Girl with just a touch, you can do so much
No one else comes close ~
Eventually, when Genji drove the car outside, Alice went out for a minute so she could close the gate of the garage. But being with a model seemed to be different this time because everything in the house only needed a lock. When everything was settled already, she closed both of the gates and returned to the car once again.
"Is everything A-okay?" Genji asked as the blonde hopped inside the car.
"Yes. Let's go!" Alice answered.
Eventually, the three were making their way towards their destination.
While on the trip, Alice was thinking of what she just did yesterday. She had just let Ryo become her friend once again yet. And, she could not stop thinking about him.
Why? Alice thought as she let her mind wander off.
~ Quit playin' games with my heart (with my heart)
Before you tear us apart (my heart)
Quit playin' games with my heart
I should've known from the start
You know you've gotta stop (from my heart)
You're tearin' us apart (my heart, my heart)
Quit playin' games with my heart ~
Somehow, her mind had been full of Backstreet Boys songs that could easily relate with her troubles for now.
~ Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a heartache
Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say
I want it that way ~
Meanwhile, Ryo was thinking about Alice. He also used the similar thing: relating his life with a song as well.
~ Lookin' back on the things I've done
I was tryin' to be someone
I played my part, kept you in the dark
Now let me show you the shape of my heart ~
I wish there was something! Ryo thought as he played with his phone.
As he was opening it, he went to the gallery part of his phone. There was a small picture of Alice in a side view position that he captured when she was busy with her phone yesterday. Even her picture was in a side view one, he was still smitten with it. But he could not use it as wallpaper because of the fact that Genji might tease him for his obvious crush on her.
Meanwhile, Alice's phone also rang. When she opened the screen, she found that the caller was Jun Kazama. She felt shocked because she was riding in a same auto as Ryo and a guy called her.
"H-Hello?" Alice said.
"Hey, Alice! It's me, Jun!" Jun exclaimed from the other line.
"Oh! Hi, Jun!" Alice replied but she suddenly had a plan. Hmm…
"So, when are you free? I missed you, you know? I missed you ever since you left the house."
"I missed you too. But I'm with my boss right now," Alice answered.
"Oh… How's everything? Is he beating you with lots of work?"
"Hmm… Not really… But I can assure you that I'm perfectly in one piece here," Alice answered.
However, Ryo's ears became glued to their conversation. Unfortunately, he assumed that Alice was talking to someone else.
"Why don't we go out sometime? My treat!" Jun suggested.
"Maybe some other time," Alice answered. "I'm still piled up with all the works here. I'll call you when you need me, okay?"
"Okay! See you!"
"See you!" Alice exclaimed.
When the blonde hung up the phone, Ryo snorted. He felt his face fire up with jealousy as well.
"Who's that?" Ryo asked sharply. Who's that guy?
At the tone of his voice, Alice could see that Ryo was getting jealous. Then she had an idea.
"Why should I tell you?" Alice asked, facing her employer with a wild smirk in her face.
Ryo felt as if he was engaged in a debate with Alice.
"May I at least know who that guy is?" Ryo insisted. He wanted to know who Alice's newest guy in her life.
Alice let out a low laugh but with an obvious evidence on sarcasm hinted in it.
"Oh him? His name's Jun. He used to be my best friend in the office," Alice answered, giving a good description of her friend who adopted her a week ago.
"How long were you best friends?" Ryo asked seriously.
"College days, my dear sir!" Alice answered politely. "He was also my colleague in the editing department!"
Ryo suddenly felt sure that there was nothing between her and his assistant. He could not even take a minute pretending that everything was fine, which definitely was not.
"Why did you ask them, Sir?" Alice asked, wondering if she had offended her boss at some small way.
"Nothing," Ryo answered. "Just pretend that I've said nothing."
The two people in front of the passenger seat wore shocked looks. As they returned to their normal lives, Genji could generalize that Ryo was fallen into the heart of Alice while Alice still needed to decipher the odd behavior of employer.
However, before they could say something, they arrived already at the venue. Ryo could see the efforts of his friend in setting up the entire venue for the models and personal assistant's day.
"Come on, guys!" Ryo answered as he was busy letting out his things in the car. "We're here already!"
"Uhm. I couldn't even understand why you're yelling in front of a five-star hotel!" Alice said to her employer very casually and nicely, in her opinion.
"As if you two can hear me, you know?" Ryo asked with a smile.
"Whatever!" Alice answered. Dufus.
Eventually, the car arrived at its destination and Genji pulled it to a stop. Alice could see that they were already in a huge pathway and in front as well of a hotel. She and Ryo alighted simultaneously. After they did so, Alice dropped her handkerchief on the pavement and Ryo rushed in to help her pick it up. But when she picked up the handkerchief, Alice and Ryo accidentally locked eyes with each other.
What the heck? Alice thought as she got lost into the blue eyes of her former crush and the person she was trying to detest.
She's so beautiful, Ryo thought as he saw Alice's eyes once again. I wish we can be like this.
Meanwhile, Genji alighted and saw what just occurred to him.
"Lovebirds!" he teased as he walked towards them.
When they heard the taunt, both seemed to return from their trance and shook their heads.
"Hmph!" Alice mumbled under her breath.
Ryo decided to go first to check if anything was clear. When he ran back, he immediately grabbed Alice by the arm and ran.
"Ryo? What the hell are you doing?" Alice asked because the young man had been holding her tightly. She could run in heels but being dragged by the model was far too much.
"Just you wait," Ryo answered with a smile.
They stopped in the middle of the hallway. Alice could see that Ryo was actually attending a party with his friends. Suddenly, a model saw her companion and smiled. For Alice, the young man seemed to resemble Jun but nothing compared to Ryo as well.
"Hi, Akiyama! Who's that?" the spiky-haired young man asked him.
"Oh?" Ryo asked and noticed Alice with him. "Uh, she's my best friend, Tans."
The other model looked at the blonde from head to toe. He smiled in a friendly way.
"Hi. I'm Itano Okazuma," the young man said as he offered to shake Alice's hand.
"Uh, hi?" Alice asked with uncertainty because she did not know what to do for now because the young man in front of her was totally awesome. "I-I'm Alice McCoy."
"Pleased to meet you! you're cute!" the model praised her. "Are you sure you're not a model or something?"
"Eheh… I am sure," Alice answered sheepishly.
"Come on! Join us!" the young man urged them. "So can you, Ryo!"
Ryo only went with Alice because he wanted to protect her from his friends. Some of them were even worse heartbreakers in the history of Shinjuku and he did not want to hurt his friend anymore.
Meanwhile, as she was going with Ryo, Alice realized that she had seen so many guys. But one particular young man caught her fancy and she had a hunch that she knew this one before. But when he turned around, she did not see it coming.
"Ryo!" the young man said.
And unfortunate of all unfortunates, it was Davis Motomiya, the now richest guy in Shinjuku and the one who bought their company before.
FUCK! Alice thought as she saw the young man.
"Hey, Alice!" Davis added. "Long time no see!"
Uh… Yeah… Alice thought. why did I underestimate him? He is a friend of Ryo because he's a rich guy.
"Yeah… Hi…" Alice replied timidly.
Ryo was even more confused. "Wait! You two know each other?" he asked the two.
"Who wouldn't know him if he's the one who bought the place where I used to work?" Alice countered.
Ryo scratched his head. So that must be the reason why Davis did not want to make his new company public.
"Okay," Ryo replied.
"It's not all," Davis added. "Alice used to be my girlfriend in college."
This caused Alice to get her eyes widened and Ryo's defensive look appeared.
"Since when?" Alice and Ryo asked.
When the two recited in unison, the two felt embarrassed.
"Don't you remember, Alice? You and me used to be the campus royalties?" Davis asked with a smirk.
In his fucking dreams, Alice thought. "Uh… Can you refresh my memory? I've certainly got amnesia after graduation."
Ryo then decided to step up for Alice. "Well… my friend… I don't know if you're telling the truth but it looks like Alice doesn't know anything or remember…"
Alice was surprised with what Ryo just told her. Well, now she was indebted to him because he saved her from an embarrassment that she would face whenever Davis was around. At this point in time, Davis was embarrassed and silently walked away.
"I'm glad that's over," Ryo replied as he was totally gone. "Who knows on what he'll do to you!"
"I… I… I thank you for what you did," Alice answered. "He's really crazy and nuts!"
Ryo smiled since Alice had finally removed the anger in her systems already.
"You're welcome!" Ryo answered and smiled. "Why don't we just enjoy ourselves today? No Tamiko… no shoots? Just us."
Alice's face slowly turned into a smile. Is he doing this for real? Or is it just my fantasy?
"Just ignore everything, okay?" Ryo asked as he held her hand.
Unfortunately, Alice could not contain the blush that she was having because Ryo had held her hand. She decided to trust Ryo for now before anything happens worse further.
