Broken Fragments

Chapter 7: Reminiscing and the Troubling Eyes

"I'll do it!"

Kumoi-san and Chairman Muranishi turned to Hiroto, surprised of his barging in.

"I'll do it! I'll be Yuuhi's manager!" Hiroto proclaimed.

"H-Hiroto-kun…y-you don't have to do it," Chairman Muranishi awkwardly smiled.

"No, I want to do it!"

"Hiroto, you don't have to! We'll find her a manager in 3 days," Kumoi-san replied, her voice louder.

"Please," Hiroto said.

"Let me do it."

Hiroto's eyes were full of determination that it scared the chairman and his wife. They could tell that they wouldn't be able to compete with his determination, so they agreed, however, they had no idea what made him want to be the new idol's manager when the used-to-be idol said that he didn't want to get involved in show business anymore.

"Hiroto, will you be alright?" Seiji asked, concerned and surprised of the turn of events.

Hiroto nodded and gently smiled. He, too, didn't know why his heart wanted him to do it, but he hoped that it wasn't anything related to the late Kirari. He could tell that Seiji, Kumoi-san, and Chairman Muranishi were all worried about him, and he knew why.

Yuuhi Tsubasa, the girl that looked exactly like Kirari, was going to be under his care. Hiroto knew that was the reason why they were worried about him.

"So, do you want me to inform her myself?" Hiroto asked, pointing out the door.

"No, we'll do it. Meet us tomorrow at 7 in the morning," the chairman replied.

"Okay. Then, I'll excuse myself now."

"Wait!"

Kumoi-san interrupted Hiroto and Seiji's walking out of the chairman's room.

"Are you really sure about this, Hiroto?"

Hiroto thought about what Kumoi-san asked. It would be difficult for him, but he was aware that he needed to be stronger.

"Yes, ma'am," Hiroto smiled.

He closed the door after walking out with Seiji, leaving Kumoi-san and Chairman Muranishi behind with worried faces.

"Why did you call me here?" Yuuhi snobbishly asked, her arms crossed together.

"We found you a manager," Kumoi-san replied as if she wanted to slap the churlish idol in the face.

Yuuhi's face didn't show any happiness or surprise. Instead, she looked like she didn't believe what the glass-wearing lady said.

"Really?" Yuuhi asked in a tone of voice that expressed her doubt in what she heard.

"Come on in," declared the Chairman.

Yuuhi didn't waste her time to turn around to see the face of her so-called 'manager'. She waited until that person was close enough to look at, hearing only footsteps come closer.

"Good morning, Chairman Muranishi, Kumoi-san."

Yuuhi, recognizing the voice that she heard from the person entering the room, showed a small grin of satisfaction with a hint of sinister.

"This is your manager, Yuuhi-chan," Chairman Muranishi declared, motioning to the man standing beside her.

"I'll be in your care, Yuuhi," Hiroto sincerely bowed as she turned her body to look at him.

Yuuhi looked at him from head to toe as if it was their first time meeting. She, then, uncrossed her arms and bowed, too, putting on the side of her that she always showed Hiroto.

"No, I'll be in your care, Kazama-san," Yuuhi cheerfully smiled.

Kumoi-san's eyebrows arched, sensing something that wasn't right. She couldn't understand what it was for she didn't have enough proof, but inside, determination started building up without her controlling it.

"Get to work now, you two! There are a lot of things to do before Yuuhi-chan's official debut!" the chairman roared, putting on a more serious face.

"Then, we'll be excusing ourselves," Hiroto bowed with Yuuhi before leaving.

After they closed the door, the two walked down the hallway in silence. They entered the elevator and pushed the button that would take them to the floor where the lounge was located. Hiroto and Yuuhi didn't look at each other, turning the atmosphere into something more awkward. The elevator was so quiet that the only things you could hear were the catchy elevator music, and their heartbeats.

Yuuhi wasn't nervous around her new manager, actually keeping a cool state. Meanwhile, Hiroto's heart was beating faster than anything else in nervousness. He didn't know how to get rid of the awkward atmosphere lingering between them.

"You can still call me 'Hiroto'," he said after clearing his throat.

"But wouldn't we have to maintain a professional look?" Yuuhi asked as the elevator doors opened.

"O-oh! I…I'm sorry…I didn't know," Hiroto said, embarrassed.

Yuuhi opened the door of the lounge, which wasn't far from the elevator. When Hiroto walked in, he discovered that the place hadn't changed since he last saw it. Everything was still the same. The couch hadn't been replaced, the bar still had snacks and drinks, there was still a vending machine, and the coffee table was still there with the coasters that he would always use.

Hiroto explored around like a little kid looking at the displayed toys in a store. He looked for changes, spotting only a few while Yuuhi prepared some tea.

"Are you done looking around, Kazama-san?" Yuuhi asked, trying not to sound irritated.

"Oh, sorry. It's just…I haven't been here in a long time."

"I know."

Hiroto turned around from looking out the glass windows to face Yuuhi, who was elegantly sitting down on the couch, her legs crossed, while drinking her tea. Hiroto's eyes grew in surprise, remembering how Kirari sat at the same spot to write a song for her comeback concert.

He remembered that day when he still didn't remember Kirari because of the accident that caused him to lose his memories. Fubuki replaced them with false memories, also replacing Kirari. Hiroto acted coldly towards the poor idol, always making Kirari cry. That day, when he walked in after his rehearsals, Hiroto asked Kirari if she wanted a bottle of energy drink. Moments later on, something happened to the stressed, sickly girl that helped Hiroto realized what he felt towards her.

"Energy drink?" he asked, referring to Kirari.

Kirari heard his voice and realized that someone was inside with her. She was so focused into writing a song that she didn't realize Hiroto came in.

"M-me?" she asked, pointing to herself.

"There's some here, come get it," he said, opening the bottle for himself.

Kirari dropped her pencil and walked slowly to the refrigerator. Suddenly, her body started wobbling and she was no longer walking on a straight line. After taking another step, Kirari fell to the ground as she lost her consciousness.

Hiroto immediately dropped his drink to the floor, spilling its contents.

"Tsukishima! Tsukishima! Wake up!" he said, lifting her head up.

Hiroto got a closer look of Kirari, her face pale and her eyes with bags under them.

"Tsukishima! Wake up!" he called out, patting her cheeks to try and wake her up, but to no avail.

"Please," Hiroto worriedly muttered, clenching his fist.

"Wake up."

"If only I had remembered Kirari earlier, this all wouldn't have happened," Hiroto thought, still in a daze with his face showing sorrow and his fists clenched in anger.

Without his knowing, Yuuhi placed her cup of tea down on the coffee table and stood up to walk towards him. Out of nowhere, she slapped Hiroto's face, finally waking him up from his daydream, the sound echoing throughout the silent lounge.

"If you're going to be my manager, act like it! Don't just stand there and daydream about your past!" Yuuhi growled, her furious eyes looking straight into Hiroto's.

Yuuhi was trembling in anger, her fists clenched and her eyebrows arched. Hiroto, still in shock, couldn't move or feel the pain. What he was in shock about was the blue eyes that were staring him down. He noticed something he couldn't explain. He was aware that her eyes were showing anger, but he couldn't tell what else they were trying to portray.

"Yuuhi…what are your eyes trying to tell me?"