A/N: Many, many thanks for your encouraging words and lovely praises! :D they really made my week!
As for your favorite male characters, I hope I do them justice by incorporating the missing elements of their personality by way of how I perceive them to be. I tried to insert bits and pieces of how they act during the anime series, and fill in the gaps by imagining their characteristics and personalities in my head. :P
I don't want to give too much details away because the mystery of the guests' identity makes it so much more exciting!
So, here's the RAW Chapter 3. It's not as polished as I want, but I need to crash as soon as I posted this. Maybe tomorrow I will edit this, if I have the time. Pardon the grammar and spelling mistakes y'all!
Please enjoy the next chapter.. Now, on with the reading..
June 11, 2017 Updates: Special thanks to Aislynn Gemma Montgomery for the spelling and grammar checks. Please check out her profile and support her works.
Category: Uta No Prince Sama
Title: A Scarf, A Lace Garter and A Guessing Game
Chapter 3
in when she tested the keys with her fingertips. As soon as her hands touched the smooth ivory, all the pent-up feelings she never knew she had came coursing through her fingertips. For what seemed like the first time, she could finally let go of her emotions. Her fingers glided along the keys, pressing them by instinct, her sadness and anger combining, almost overwhelming her.
She lifted her hands and pounded again on the innocent piano. As she neared the tempestuous climax of the Appassionata, she felt like crying. All she wanted was to write music and bring joy to other people's lives. Make them experience the same calmness she had experienced when she saw Hayato-sama's beautiful face on the LED screen. Now that she can finally see her goal in the horizon, a new problem had arise: how to deal with her blossoming feelings for the opposite sex.
It was like being hit by a bolt of lightning. She had dreamed of having her own love story, as she listened to her grandmother's collection of Edith Piaf albums playing in her cherished gramophone, a relic from her Post-war home. She spend hours daydreaming in her room about a tall, dark handsome stranger to sweep her off her feet in some small alley, with Edith's lilting voice in the background.
Now she had an idea why her friend had called her up to meet with her and arrange this form of "entertainment". It was a test. A test to see how far will she remain oblivious to their objectives. A test on how she can competently handle this situation. A test that she is failing miserably.
Knowing her friend, no matter how discreet she had made the whole event, for sure, Tomo-chan would have invited those guests who are on familiar terms with her. It was embarrassing when she finally realized it, but how else can she be intimately exposed to strangers? No, Tomo-chan would make sure that she would only invite the men within their circle of friends. Allwho may have been hiding their interest on her one way or the other.
There is still so much she needed to learn about herself. She is barely out of her teens. She enrolled at Gakuen Saotome to test the waters with her ability to cope and stand with her own two feet. Her grandmother is not getting younger. She needed to know what to do with her life. Sure, she knows what her ultimate goal is. To write music, nothing else. It's as fundamental as needing oxygen to breathe.
How do I deal with this? She swayed to the music she was creating, wishing that she could disappear. Or crawl into some hole where she can stay there for the time being until she can figure things out. Who knew that blossoming love could be so much complicated? If she does not give heed to its call, she would never be as complete as she would have liked.
What would Tomo-chan do? She thought. Her friend is lucky. She has her family members to talk to when she needed advice. And she has plenty of experience to fall back on when she is in a difficult situation. One thing to describe Tomo-chan is that she is sharp. That is, she is wise to the ways of the world. She may look like a doll outside, but underneath her double-fringed lashes, she could see the sparkle of intelligence lighting up her eyes.
Whereas compare to her….. She is just Haruka Nanami. A simple provincial girl with a simple ambition. To make beautiful music.
Her hands stopped when she realized she had just keyed in the last notes of Beethoven's symphony. The ringing silence was too much for her to bear. It was like facing a cliff. You only get two choices: you take a step back or fall.
"You can cry if you want to.." A soft voice whispered on her left ear.
Haruka stilled herself. Her fourth visitor is already inside the room with her. How long is he standing near her?
"No need to be shy. If you need someone to listen, I am here" the pleasant, high-pitch voice continued. And he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder to give more emphasis on his words.
Without further ado, she burst into tears. She leaned forward, clutching herself in the middle, as she cried. There was no point holding it back. She just wanted to let it all out.
"Sshhh.." the voice said again. And this time, he sat down beside her and hugged her reassuringly. She did not protest when he moved closer to her. It felt good to be in his arms. Whoever he is. And she like the way he smelled. Fresh apples and orange blossom. It reminded her of her grandmother's garden in spring, when everything is in bloom and alive.
He patted her head and began to kiss her hair. It was such a sweet gesture from him that she started to calm down. Her shoulders continued to shake from her silent cries.
It took a few seconds more before she could clear her throat and breathe easy. "You smelled like apples" she said, her voice cracking. "I like it."
He emitted a low rumble of laughter. "I like it too. It reminds you of spring, am I right? And apple pies with lots of cinnamon."
"And warm summer nights where the grass smells amazing." She said.
She felt him nod his head.
"brand new kimonos and polished wood"
"grilled fish and summer sweet tomatoes"
They both laughed.
Haruka looked up, wishing she could see him. Half-relieved that she could not, too. He would only see her swollen, red eyes.
She opened her lips slightly, anticipating his kiss.
And kiss he did.
It was brief. His lips soft and sweet, like he had just eaten candy, and she could still taste it. The kiss did not last long, nevertheless, it felt like it holds much hope and promise.
Thank you, she thought. " I am sorry, I took up your precious time."
He placed a finger on her lips to silence her. "I would never complain spending what little time is allotted when I am with you." And with that, he stood up, gave her shoulder another reassuring squeeze and left.
Haruka, listened to her beating heart when silence reigned once again. Everything feels good after a good cry. All that suppressed tension is gone, followed by a euphoric feeling of being a new person.
She ran a hand through her hair, taming her locks with her fingers. She re-adjusted the ribbon tying her hair. She wished she could have the time to check her face in the mirror, make herself look a bit more proper.
I am ready.. she said to herself, as the door to the lounge area opened, and her next visitor came in.
Now this is really interesting, Tomo-chan perked up on her seat, when Louis opened the door and let her fourth guest in. He was wearing jeans, a light blue, long-sleeved shirt with a hood and a white scarf around his neck. His slightly longish hair, smoothed by a bit of hair gel. He strode towards her with a genuine smile perched on his lips.
He nodded as he sat down beside her and accepted the cup of tea she had offered to him.
"Better send tea to Haruka too. She's probably thirsty after all that crying she did." He said as he sipped from the cup.
Tomo-chan's eyes widen. Haruka cried? She nodded, glanced at Louis who was busy gathering used cups and he nodded at her silent request. Then she turned her attention back to him, eager to observe her fourth guest.
"You're probably wondering why I am here. Considering I said no to you when you first broached the idea to me several days ago." He settled himself more comfortably on the sofa. He casually ran a hand through his hair.
She almost forgot about it. He was one of the last persons she called. She was correct in her assumptions that he is the least of the persons who is interested with her friend, other than for friendly reasons. But she called him up a few days later to see whether he changed his mind about her strange request. She was expecting he would turn her down again, but to her surprise, he finally agreed.
Why did he change his mind? Tomo-chan studied him earnestly, as he continued to sip his tea. Does it mean he likes Haruka after all?
As if reading her mind, he gave her a quirky half-smile. "I like Haruka." He said simply, as an opening salvo. "She's cute and very nice. A breath of refreshing air."
She nodded her agreement. So far, so good.
"However, I do not like her enough to be my girlfriend" he paused for effect, "yet."
"Huh?" Why am I not surprise there? "Why do you say that?" She is curious. She suddenly uncrossed her legs and sat up, listening attentively.
"My reasons are purely practical." He said as he placed the teacup on the table, before clasping his hands and leaned forward. She could smell his apple scent, wafting in her direction.
"One, we both needed to focus on our careers. As a member of STARISH, I think it's perfectly reasonable to take advantage of opportunities coming our way. A relationship will just complicate things."
He has a point there.
"Second, I may be off the line here, but I'm getting the impression that Haruka still needs to mature. I myself still need to undergo a few changes. I think we both need a bit of time to grow more." He paused again, sipping the tea.
Excellent opinion. I never knew you had it in you. Tomo-chan tried to hold back her smile.
"Third, I don't want to waste my time pursuing Haruka if she is confused with her feelings. It's not that I'm a jerk or I am too lazy to pursue her seriously, but there is no point harboring feelings for her, if she actually fancies someone other than me, you know what I mean?" he paused. " I value her friendship more. It's good to establish that fact. What she may be feeling might be puppy love, or the stirrings of first love. It might help her a bit if she will learn more from her mistakes if ever this first love is doomed to fail. Hell, it might even help her career if she experienced some hardships. It will give more fire to her soul and make her stronger. Powerful music is inspired by people who experience hardships."
Tomo-chan is now smiling. What amazing perception, this guy has. I'm definitely rooting for him, if my first candidate for Haruka's heart fails.
But then, he interrupted her thoughts. "However, let's not get carried away with what I said earlier. If, and only if, I managed to learn that it would be me that she might fall for completely, I would forget that crap I said earlier and I give you my assurances that she won't be unhappy when she is with me." He finished.
"I can do some positive changes with myself for her sake. You have my word on that, Tomo-chan." His face now look serious.
She nodded, relieved. What a great guy he turned out to be! She had to admit that he's a surprising contender for her friend.
He stood up and bowed low. Then he waved his hand goodbye before he strode out of the room.
Haru-chan, I swear to God, after this experiment, I will help you take this next step, Tomo-chan said to herself as she stood up to study the view outside the large frameless, plate glass windows dominating one side of the room.
Haruka listened silently as her next visitor approached her. His footsteps are measured, very, very quiet. She wondered who the next guest is, trying to recall if any of her male friends walk like him. Jinguuji-san? Hirijikawa-kun? Or… she felt herself getting hot, when Ichinose-kun's beautiful face flashed through her mind. After all, Ichinose was actually Hayato in disguise. The Hayato, her favorite idol whose singing she would always look forward to when she is listening on the radio.
"Are you thinking of someone else or that reddish cheeks is a sign of your anticipation for me?" an arrogant-sounding voice spoke near her ear. She was startled, when she lost track of where she is, daydreaming about Hayato, when there is a stranger in the room with her.
He blew her ear softly, sending delicious shivers along her arms. "Are you ready for the ride of your life?" he whispered devilishly.
Without waiting for her reply, he hauled her up from the piano bench, placing his arm under her derrière and lifting her easily. She felt her foot leave the floor, her fingers automatically clutching whatever her hands can hold. This time, she grabbed hold of his soft, silky shirt, feeling hard muscles underneath.
He sat her on something hard and smooth, and she realized she was sitting on top of the grand piano, her backside sliding smoothly against the polished wood, legs dangling. Her upper thighs were left open, and her guest took advantage of the space by stepping in between them. Now, she was almost cradling him.
He moved closer to her, felt him leaning in, before sliding his arm on her waist and whispered " Now what do you think are we going to do, Haruka?"
"K-kiss?" she answered, excitement mounting. Her heart thumping madly, she shyly ran her hands from his front shirt, up to his shoulders, silently appreciating his toned muscles. Judging from the way he was standing in front of her, he is probably a foot taller than her.
"Then we're going for a spin, Haruka" He whispered, nibbling her earlobes. He cradled her neck, pushing it sideways, until his mouth touched the skin between her shoulder and neck. He gently bit, making her gasp with pleasure, before he started to lick the skin, easing the pressure. His hand held her tightly at the waist, while his other hand reached under her skirt. As soon as he found the lace garter, he gave a short chuckle before tugging the lace down a bit. "I see you are open for something more licentious."
"Oh." She gasped. His mouth traveling further down her neck, kissing the hollow between her breasts. He continued to lavish generous licks on her soft skin, easing the cloth sideways until he had exposed her nipples, jutting proudly in the open air, stiff as a board.
Taking one nipple in his mouth, he flicked his tongue over it, eliciting another gasp from her.
"Tell me you like it." He whispered over her nipple.
"I…..I…..I like it." She gave a moan. Why is he torturing her like this?
He began to concentrate on her breast, licking and sucking, until she was sure he left a mark on it with his name. No one has never lavished enough attention on her breast like him!
While he was doing delicious things on her chest, he lifted her skirts up, exposing her lower body. She felt cold air fanning her bare stomach, the sensation tickling her. Hooking her right leg under his arm, he held on to her knee, touching her inner thighs.
Is he going to kiss me down there? Haruka thought, hazily. She was drowning in a million sensations as he expertly touched, lick and apply pressure in the right places. The heat of his kisses and hands is mindblowing.
He pressed his lips on her knees, kissing and licking his way slowly up. She kept writhing on top of the piano, moaning, clutching his soft hair as he made his way towards the center of her.
Are you really ready for this, Haruka? The voice inside her head was like a douse of ice water down her back. She opened her eyes, seeing the fine fabrics of her silk blindfold. And he was almost near her nether regions.
"Stop! Stop!" She said, suddenly grabbing his shirt collar, stopping him. She could not bear the exquisite pleasure he was bestowing on her, but anymore of this, and she might loose control.
"Hmmm?" He stood up straight and ran a hand through her hair. "My exquisite Haruka is not yet ready to play?" he purred. Like a cat growling in heat, Haruka thought.
She nodded. Not today. In future, yes. But not today. This was just like the scene with her third visitor. They were both persuasive in their seduction of hands and mouth. But this guy. He is more forceful. She is a little bit afraid of him.
His next words made her froze.
"What if I don't stop?" he said, pulling her hair, forcing her to move closer to him. " A few more minutes of seduction and you are mine." He leaned in, kissing her roughly on the lips.
He was strong, and she could not help but yield. Biting her lower lip, she tasted some blood, as he pushed his tongue in her mouth. His hand, massaging her upper thighs, trying to tame her. His fingers reached under her, cupping her backside and squeezing hard. Her protesting hands, suddenly pulling him roughly, demanding more from him.
Despite his insistent display of male dominance, Haruka could not resist responding to him. She was surprised to find herself responding to such animalistic behavior. The smell his raw sex appeal is potent and dangerous.
She felt herself being lowered on her back. He continued to ravage her mouth, while his hands continued his exploration of her. Her bunched up skirts around her waist, her stomach still exposed. He ran a hand on her stomach, fingering her navel, before hovering his hand above her cotton panties. Her damp panties is proof enough on how arouse she is.
Take me! Take me! Her mind seemed to scream for release.
"No! Please." She pulled her mouth from him, gasping for breath, trying to keep her wits about her. "Please..Please..please.." she pleaded.
He moaned. " o close, Haruka. So close." He said gruffly.
"Not here, please. I can't" she clutched at his soft hair, trying her hard to stop him.
He did not pull her cotton panties down, instead, he kissed the top of her covered mound, before grinding his teeth against it, wanting to take a bite on the forbidden fruit. A few seconds passed before he stopped, but for her, it seemed like an eternity.
Haruka felt his hand gently tugged her up, and she shifted from her lying position and sat up. She heard him give a deep sigh and held her waist. He rested the top of his head under her chin as they both breathed heavily. She could feel her heart racing frantically, and she was sure he could hear it too. Her face all red and sweaty from the heat of their bodies.
She pulled away from him slightly, cupping his face. He was reluctant to raise his head up at first, but he finally lifted his chin to receive her kiss.
She could smell her lavender scented panties on his nose and mouth. She could even smell the faint smell of her feminine at the very center of his lips. She skimmed her tongue across his lower mouth, pulling him closer to deepen their kiss. He responded, somewhat unwillingly, before he gently bit her lip again to stop her. "Enough" he whispered. "Anymore of this and you will regret it. You got lucky this first time. I cannot guarantee the second time"
She understands this. And she was grateful. Very, very grateful. "Thank you." She answered back, nuzzling her nose against his nose. Thank goodness. Another unexpected situation averted.
"You had better make the next time is worth the wait" he said warningly, his voice gruff with emotion "Or else, you mind find yourself in deep waters."
She nodded, a bit meekly, anything to pacify him. "I promise" she said.
Tomo-chan clutched the small case she was holding, frequently checking the time in her watch, feeling uneasy. The 20-minute time limit she had imposed is probably too long for her fifth guest, and she wants the time limit to expire soon. Whatever possessed her in the first place to let him in the room in the first place is beyond her understanding.
I must have been drunk when I called him, she muttered to herself.
There was a soft knock on the door and she jumped up, startled. Louis, quietly opened the door and ushered the next guest in. She breathed a sigh of relief after seeing him standing there, still as a statue. So far, so good.
She studied him discreetly, not wanting to show him how nervous she was around him. This is actually the first time she will talk to him in that strange state.
He can be a real hot-looker with intense eyes like his, she thought, nodding at him and gestured for him to come closer. He has such an imposing height, visibly dwarfing her in size. And to think she is actually a couple of inches taller than her friend.
She tried to collect her thoughts, thinking of a good opening greeting for him, when he interrupted her concentration by saying, "Best 20 minutes of my life in that room"
Huh? She whirled around to face him. "What do you mean?"
He crossed the room with a few long strides, stood directly in front of her, his face inches from hers. There were shadows beneath his unfathomable eyes, giving her the impression of being watched by cunning predator. He looked magnificent in his dove-grey silk shirt and black pants. His disheveled hair a perfect frame in his sharp-looking face.
"I mean," he continued, "I intend to experience that again." He smiled in that devil-may-care attitude of his.
She blinked, her unease growing. Bad decision, Tomochika. She could not even utter a word to counter what he had just said.
He gave a chuckle. "Relax, Tomo-chan. I am not gonna eat your friend." He paused, smirked and then added, "yet"
She raised her eyebrows at him warningly. "I included you in this experiment so that you can have your chance to discover how you feel about Haruka. But it seems like, I may have made a mistake with you." She said carefully. How disappointing..
He banged his fist, and the fine china rattled. She jumped, heart pounding.
"Is that how you think of me?" he said very, very quietly. The nerve of this girl! Some friend she is, exposing her bestfriend to the wolves. All in the name of teaching her how to deal with the opposite sex.
She went red with guilt and shame. Surprisingly, he is the only one who can really make her feel like she is some mean girl with just one sentence. " I only want the best for her." She explained indignantly. It's true, I have to make sure she would be taken care of. I love her like a sister!
"And you think this is fair to both of us? You subjecting her to a rude awakening of her feminine charms? And forcing me to take advantage of her vulnerable state? Knowing how I can be when I am in a disquieting mood?" he shook his head in disbelief.
I was this close doing something she might regret later, he thought to himself, closing his eyes, feeling his heart ache. Beautiful Haruka, sitting on top of the piano, lovely legs dangling like some fruit from a tree, tempting him to damnation. She smelled deliciously, an exotic fruit ripe for a picking. And indeed, he thought wryly, opening his eyes again and stared back at the cunning female in front of him, the author of this crazy experiment, what a delicious fruit she promised to be judging by the dampness she left behind on my pants. He mentally pictured the faint stain on his pants' crotch which she left behind, and found himself hardening. It took all of his self-control not to take her right then and there. Had she not pleaded in that seductive voice of hers..
But her common sense prevailed. And along with her unwavering faith that he will not push her into doing something she is not ready for, his admiration and love for her had reach into unprecedented heights. He had loved her the moment she declared what she believed about him. Blindly. She was foolishly naïve. But he was thankful for that. No other person had done that for him.
"I believe that is mine?" he said, eyeing the small case Tomo-chika was holding. "I've been looking for it everywhere."
She handed it to him.
"I may have some issues with myself that you find somewhat disturbing," he said, gripping the case tightly, "but I will never, ever hurt Haruka. She is the only light in my shadowy existence. There is nothing in this world that would make me give up that light." He turned his back on her, his faint scent of spicy perfume, clinging to the air, enhancing his seductive aura of danger.
"Do you really meant what you said?" she called out to him as he neared the door and his hand hovered on the doorknob. "About not ever hurting Haruka? Shall I take your word on it?"
He did not turn, instead, he gripped the doorknob and twisted it open. As he stepped out onto the threshold, he gave a salute without looking back and closed the door firmly behind him.
He has the ability to absorb all the energy in the room, Tomo-chan thought, as she sat back down on her chair, deep in thought. That's five down.
A/N: Five guests, five interviews. Can't wait for the remaining? *Teehee* Made any more progress with your guesses yet?
Who do you think should Haruka choose? I'm currently leaning towards the 3rd "perverted" guest.. hahaha.. but who knows? It might change once I finally completed all of Tomo-chan's guests.
BTW, I will be posting a new Uta no Prince Sama Fanfic soon. It will be about a pairing between Haruka and one of the STARISH members in an alternate time setting. I hope you guys watch out for it. I've been mulling its plot setting for over 4 days now. My hands are itching to write it soon, but I needed to get this Chapter 3 out of the way first.
Go on… press the review button. You know you want to root for your favorite male character. :P Your reviews help keep my brain juices flowing. :D