53. Aftermath

420 Words

Satsuki had been excited about the interview. It was great, to have been chosen to be featured in such a popular column! Her agent had been pleased as well, saying it was a good thing to make herself more known to the audience.

She had loved every single moment of it.

Save for that one.

Glancing at the printed words next to her smiling picture, her cheeks flushed in the memory of that moment.

The reporter had smiled at her and leaned forward in his chair.

"Now, Yukino-san, the other day I happened to see you at this one café, with none other but Narita Ken. You two seem to have been getting along rather well. What is your relationship like, Yukino-san? Are Narita-san's bachelor-days finally numbered?"

She had totally blanked out at that. For long, stretching moments she had only been able to stare at the reporter in horror.

"Narita-san has been very kind all along, even to a newbie actress like me," a mocking voice sounded over Satsuki's shoulder, reading the line out from the printed column. "I greatly admire his professionalism."

Satsuki turned to glare at the grinning Mitsuo.

The boyish actor shook his head.

"What's all that about, Satsuki? I thought you hated Ken-san's guts!"

"Shut up!" Satsuki snapped, her irritation rising. "Even if I did, I couldn't go and blurt that out to the reporters now, could I?" She crossed her arms and turned away from Mitsuo.

Seriously, even though they were close friends, his teasing really got on her nerves.

"Hoo, what's this?" Mitsuo snickered gleefully. "'Even if I did'? Have you had a change of heart by any chance? Did Ken-san finally manage to woo you?"

Satsuki didn't deign him an answer.

"You know, I think he must have. Why else would you have gone on that date with him at that café?"

"You're reading way too much into this!" Satsuki huffed. "You stupid dog!" she added, smacking Mitsuo with the rolled-up magazine.

"Owww, what the hell, wench!"

"For your information, I simply happened to bump into Narita that day, okay? That's all there is!"

"Really?" Mitsuo grumbled, frowning. He has noticed the way Ken-san stared at Satsuki when he thought no one was looking. Whatever his friend was insisting, Mitsuo thought that in Ken-san's opinion there was a lot more to it.

"Yes." Satsuki said in full confidence before stalking off.

Still, somehow the uneasy feeling inside was much less confident about the answer she had blandly given to shut Mitsuo up.