| Fan Fiction |
by biniBningPunkista
It took me a moment to deliberate whether to return the calls or not, then decided to let it pass just for tonight. Today was really a rough day, I went back to my apartment to think and not to head off confronting people through impulse.
I walked over to the pile of luggage I had during the trip to Taiwan which I wasn’t even able to fix up. I tried to busy myself with art work instead of cleaning my stuff since I wasn’t really good at it anyway. So I deliberately chose to clean up to pass time and as I was removing things from the suitcase I saw the gown that Jun loaned for me that time for the party. It was sitting there inside the suitcase, looking all sleek and beautiful. I forgot to give it back since I was too engrossed in my own drama that it completely got off my mind. My eyes gazed through the gown and then suddenly something struck me.
The ring that I found from the hotel… I had it in my purse.
I rummaged through the stack of clothes until I was able to feel for the purse underneath the suitcase. I took it out eagerly to check the contents… I felt for the inside; there was a lipstick, eye liner, mirror, several Taiwan coins and bills but no sign of the ring. Feeling discontented I dumped everything on the floor and checked again. None, there was no ring inside the purse.
There was no way that I could have…
Then suddenly I remembered how I could have lost it. The moment that I run out of the hotel’s function room, I dropped my purse accidentally. All the contents scattering on the floor and I never thought of the ring during that time, I was too pre-occupied with other things, like running out as soon as possible.
The floor touched my butt as I sat dejectedly. I knew that ring was not mine, I wanted to at least see it one last time before sending it back to the hotel in Taiwan for lost and found. For all I knew it must have been an important item for someone… only… I wished it was here right now to give me courage.
I sighed heavily and picked up the dress that Jun loaned to me then packed it in a paper bag. I might as well take the time to prepare the gown so I won’t forget to give it back tomorrow.
As I was carrying the bags to the closet the doorbell rang and stopped me on my tracks. Toma suddenly came into my mind.
Did Toma decide to come and see me? What do I say?
I quickly thought of things to say on how to start apologizing… but I was totally blanked out. I was empty of words to say and it made me feel a sense of panic. I tried to calm myself as I walked towards the door. Taking several deep breathes for precautionary purposes; I slowly opened the door to finally face him.
To my deep disappointment instead of relief, it wasn’t Toma but instead Matsumoto Jun.
“Not the person you were expecting?” Jun said with his eyebrows raised, noticing the abrupt change in my facial expression as soon as I saw him.
“It certainly wasn’t you.” I said outwardly.
“Can’t you at least say that you’re glad to see me? I did drive all the way here.” He said with a cheerful tone.
“I didn’t ask for your presence today, so what brings you here anyway?” I inquired.
“There are things I want to tell you, do you mind if I come in first?” He asked politely.
“Ano… sure, but my place is pretty messy.” I said with embarrassment for my sloppy apartment.
“Ah… just as I imagined.” Jun said teasingly.
I just smirked at him for mocking me. Then led him to the kitchen area; the only place in my apartment that has decent chairs. After serving him some drinks, in tetra packs which I use for convenience since I never really drink from bottles or rarely do any groceries and most of all I hate washing the dishes, Jun started talking about the internet posts.
Unfortunately it has already circulated around the net, and numerous rumors popped out one by one; all in different styles, but mostly, me turning out to be the bad guy. In the end, I am once again the brazen hussy of the century. Getting called like that by my fiancé’s mother wasn’t enough, I just had to be called like this by the stupid internet junkies in Japan too.
How great was that?
Jun looked solemnly at me before speaking.
“So what do you want to do?”
“What can I do? There’s nothing I can do about it right? NOTHING, It’s all done. I just wonder what my parents would think after they find the news.” I laughed bitterly to myself as I tried to imagine the pointless words that my father would tell me, the sincere ramblings my mother would say to comfort me and the taunts that my brothers would utter.
My household would be a chaos, that’s for sure but in truth though, that’s least of my problems… because what I wanted to know the most is what HE would think of me after finding out about the rumors.
“Jun thank you for telling me all this, but you didn’t really have to do it… Oh before I forget…” I walked over to the closet to retrieve the paper bag with the gown in it.
“Here’s the dress. Thank you for everything… but this needs to stop. I mean us seeing each other unnecessarily would need to stop. This would only garner more suspicions to your fans and if someone is following you here in my place… well that would be very annoying if someone would throw eggs on my door just because they think I’m dating you.” I laughed at Jun as I walked him over the door to bid him goodbye.
“I hope to see you on better circumstances Jun, then we might start over as well. Hopefully next time, you’re the one needing my help and not the other way around.” I smiled warmly at him.
That’s when I noticed that all this time Jun has been looking at me weirdly.
“Mao… I sincerely like you.” Jun said loudly outside the doorway.
I stood there in front of him stunned, but not surprised. I am not a dense woman, but it never occurred to me that he would actually say this to me when he knew he will never stand a chance.
Jun and I were just a foot apart, we looked intently into each other’s eyes both of us in deep thought but then he swiftly covered this space and quickly had his face just inches away from me, his lips closing on mine. His eyes fluttered to close when my reflexes were awakened.
My right palm met his lips instead. This made him opened his eyes in surprise… full of questions along with it.
“I… I’m sorry Jun, because I am in love with someone else. Even a super actor like you couldn’t come between me and him.” I tried saying it in a light tone as much as I can.
A small smile crept on Jun’s lips, and he nodded at me.
“I think I understand now. Why you always tried to push me away back in Taiwan, that whatever I did… you never did seem to think highly of it.” He shook his head disbelieving the reality that was presented to him earlier.
“We can still be friends.” I suggested to him in a small voice.
“Yeah, friends… that’s a line in every drama that never really works out.” Jun scratched his head.
“Bye Jun.” I reminded him before he changed his mind.
He gave me one last look… then suddenly hugged me before I could react. We both nodded at each other one last time before he walked away from my apartment. As I watched him leave, my heart felt lighter than it ever has for these past few days.
I guess I really did love Toma enough to let myself reject a guy like Jun… the only question remaining is how do I apologize to Toma?
Pride was one of my bad qualities, I was never used to saying I’m sorry. I am indeed a very spoiled brat.
My head turned towards the street where Jun’s car just took off and saw a man standing alone by the side walk looking directly at me. It was too dark already that all I could make out is the person’s profile. Then a car passed by and lighted the man’s figure, which immediately caught my attention.
Toma.
I stood there in the doorway truly stunned this time.
How long has he been watching?
My foot moved on impulse as Toma moved to walk away from me, turning around slowly like he wanted to stay but opted to leave. On impulse, I got out of the apartment with my barefoot hitting the pavement and I started to run. Little stones were pricking my foot, but I don’t care… I had to talk to him.
“Toma!!!” I shouted as my hands dropped on my knees, he was way too far for me to follow on my bare feet.
He stopped on his tracks the moment he heard my voice, while I stood several meters away from him… racking my brain on what to say. Slowly Toma turned to face my direction.
We looked intently at one another… then he quickly walked over to my side and enveloped me in a tight hug. His arms covered my whole body, he smelled good… it felt like it has been a very long time since I felt like this in his arms.
“Okaeri.” I said softly as I returned the hug.
“Tadaima.” He replied as his hands grazed gently through my hair.
Toma released me from his hug and looked at me in an arm’s length, gazing at me from head to toe, his eyes stopping at my feet. Then his face broke into an amused smile.
“You’re bare footed. I never imagined that you would allow yourself to walk bare footed.” He chuckled.
“You we’re going to walk away from me. I had no time to wear my slippers.” I exclaimed, pouting at him.
“I guess I was going to walk away ne? I wonder what I would have done if you didn’t run to me right now.” Toma said quietly.
“The rumors aren’t real if you heard about them.” I said instead to remove any ideas he has in his head about the rumor between me and Jun.
“I see. I guess I just needed to hear it from you, judging from the distance I was looking at, I would think you guys were really dating.” He said earnestly.
“You saw?” I asked bewildered, then as he nodded in response.
“Did he really kiss you?” Toma asked, calculating my answer.
I let the silence hang as his facial expression changed to one that was full of anxiety.
“My palm got in the way just in time. Save.” I said casually as I showed him the hand that stopped Jun’s kiss.
“I’m glad.” Toma said.
“So am I.” I said before hugging him once more.
~To be continued~
This is purely a fan-fiction.
------------------notes------------------
Here’s something about this chapter, honestly it has been sitting in my computer for quite some time now, but I have a good reason why I didn’t post it at once. I had an alternate ending for this chapter… but chose to post this one because I figured that the story would probably take a drastic turn I have chosen the latter. I’ll try to post that alternate ending some other time…when the whole fic is done and I’ll let you decide what you think about it. Just tell me if you still want to check it out. ^_^v