"I love you!" I confessed, blushing furiously.
"I'm sorry. I don't feel the same towards you,"Ai replied with his usual deadpanned look.
I looked down solemnly, then looked up and forced a smile. "I knew that... I'm so sorry Elliot... I got carried away with how you look... You look exactly like him..." I started to weep a little.
"Don't cry... It's okay..." Ai said and wiped away my tears.
"Cut! Good job! We will have a break now," the director said.
I sighed and went to the snack bar to get a sandwich to eat.
"Are you tired Ai?" I asked Ai, also the one playing the male protagonist, Elliot.
"Not really," he replied. "You need to work on making your tears more natural."
"Yeah, I know. This is the first time I worked in a movie you know? I am still quiet new to this." I said in my defense.
"You have to practice more. How about we go through the lines in the next scene?" He asked.
"Sure," I replied as I took out the script.
"Can we at least... Still be friends?" I said in the most hopeful voice I could do.
"Sure, why not?" Ai said with a smile.
Even though I know it is all fake, I can't help but think that everything he did in each scene was real. Is this how a real professional is like?
"Hey, don't space out like that," Ai reprimanded.
"S-Sorry... I have to go to the washroom," I said and got up.
"Be quick. We have to be on set in 3 minutes," Ai replied. I nodded and headed to the washroom. I looked around the set. We were filming at a castle. Let me just say that it is a beautiful castle. The design was unique and the scenery had a calming effect on me. I guess it is alright to wake up to a place like this...
+++
~flashback~
AI'S POV
(A/N: YAY I FINALLY DO A POV FOR AI)
Yuriko is still sleeping. I don't blame her entirely because she stayed up last night memorizing the script, but she should be more disciplined.
I took my phone out and called Reiji to come over. He should be free today. He came over in a flash with this weird hyper grin plastered on his face.
"Ai-Ai! You finally called me! I was starting to think your phone was something you will never use!" Reiji cried and hugged me.
"Is it that weird that I never use my phone?" I asked my super hyper acquaintance.
"Yes! You and the rest of Quartet Night are so cold to me," he pouted.
"That's because you annoy us a lot," I replied bluntly.
"I do not. Anyways, what did you call me for and where's Yuriko?" He asked.
I pointed at the sleeping girl in bed and Reiji asked, "Don't you guys have to get to the set in an hour or so?"
"Yeah, I was hoping you drive us there since it's kind of hard to get her to the set," I replied.
"Why don't you wake her up?" He asked.
"She is a heavy sleeper and is very grouchy when woken up," I replied as I recalled the events that happened the last time I woke her up.
"I see, very well then," He replied and I piggy back Yuriko.
She didn't change her clothes last night and slept in her casual attire. That's one good thing,I won't have to change her clothes for her.
+++
YURIKO'S POV
My eyes fluttered open and the first thing I realized was the position I was sleeping with. I was sitting down with my head rested on a shoulder.
I looked up and felt my head getting hot when I saw whose shoulder it was that I was lying on. Then, I realized that I was in a car and Reiji was driving. The first that crossed my mind was...
ARE THEY KIDNAPPING ME TO SOMEWHERE?!
"Oh, you are finally awake," Ai said.
"Um, Ai..." I said slowly, trying to calm myself down.
"Yes?"
"Where the hell are you taking me?!" I shouted.
"You are hopeless. Look out the window, we are here," Ai replied.
I looked out and saw a garden of flowers.
So pretty!
There was a castle up ahead too. It looked so big and ancient and... familiar...
Did I see this castle before?
"That's where we will be filming," Ai replied my thoughts.
"Was I talking out loud?" I asked.
"Yes," Ai replied.
"I must be still tired..." I yawned and closed my eyes, but before I could sleep. I was hit by my head by a roll up paper.
"Ouch! What was that for?" I asked, pouting a bit.
"We are here."
~end of flashback~
+++
I took my phone out and plugged my earphones into it and in my ears. Then I played 'Mune no Kodou' by Mikaze Ai and sang to it
Mune no Kodou
futo mune o sagasu hidari no hou o
kimi to onaji 'NANIKA' shiru tame ni
demo nani mo... doko o sagaseba BOKU no
oto wa naru no...?
oshiete hoshii
tokei no hari ga toki o kizamu neiro ni
shitto o chotto shitanda
tookunai mirai motto kirei ni natta
kimi ga ukanda kara
sugata, katachi ga nireba niteiru hodo ni
jikan no ZURE wa nijinda
gomakasu youni
kokoro o ongaku ni yudaneteita
demo kimi wa itsudatta ka okotte sa
hisshi ni hisshi ni namida o koraete
'dakedo, dakedo suki aete yokatta' to
inochi no ori no tessaku goshi demo
'te wa tsunageru yo' to
kimi ga hohoemu to BOKU mo waraeru
kimi ga naita hi ni BOKU mo naku
'daisuki' o... uta ni gakufu ni PIANO ni
kakinagutte
semete ima o seiippai
ikiru koto o BARĀDO ni kaete
kuchidzukeyou
kanashimi yorokobi subete wakeai
Say Love
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Suddenly searching my chest on the left side
To understand that same "something" as you
But there's nothing... No matter where I search, will it
Become my sound...?
I want you to tell me
The hands of the clock marking the passage of time,
I was a little jealous of the sound
Becoming even more beautiful in the not-so-distant future,
You're floating
That figure, as your appearance becomes similar enough to compare,
Time was slipping away
As if tricked into it,
I gave up my heart to the music
But you were angry at some time or another
Frantically, desperately fighting back tears
Saying "But still... But still, I'm glad we're able to love each other"
Even if we overcame the bars of the cage of life
By saying "Take my hand"
You smile and it makes me smile, too
When you cried, I also weep
"I love you"... In the song on the sheet music on the piano,
Scribbling the words
At least for now, it's the best I can do
Changing living into a ballad,
We'll kiss
Sorrow and joy, sharing it all
Say love
"Hey, that song is Mune no Kodou by Mikaze Ai, right?" an ecstatic voice disturbed my singing.
I looked up and saw a dark hair girl standing in front of me. She is probably another of Ai's fangirls. I decided to play along and nod.
"I love that song! Actually, scratch that. I love all of Ai's songs!" She squealed and continued to fangirl about awesome things about Ai. I smiled as she continued on and on about Ai, but then her tone changed when she said this.
"I can't believe he chose just a plain looking girl as his girlfriend!"
"Ai has a girlfriend?" I asked, slightly shocked.
"You don't know?" she asked. "I thought everybody knew."
I shook my head.
"Well, she was walking with Ai and the rest of Quartet Night in their last live. I heard she recently debuted or something," she replied.
That's me...
"Yuriko! You are late!" a voice shouted at me.
I turned around and saw Ai standing at the end of the hallway.
"Oh my god..." The fangirl gasped, her face full of shock. "I heard that Ai was on the set today, but I never thought I run into him..."
"Yuriko, who is this?" He asked and walked over.
"Just another fan of yours, Ai," I replied.
"I see. Nice to meet you," he replied and held his hand out to shake hers. The fangirl was blushing alot from the excitement, It's not everyday that you get to meet your idol up in person. She's one lucky girl, but aren't I even more lucky? I have known Ai for most of his life.
"I'm your biggest fan!" She squealed.
Good, she's so excited that she never noticed that Ai knows me.
"Oh? Okay. Yuriko, we have to hurry," he replied bluntly, then turned his attention to me.
I could feel the burning glare from the fangirl on me, it sent shivers down my spine. But, I decided to shrug it off. After all, such things are normal to me.
"Break's over?" I asked.
"Yes, I was worried you fell asleep somewhere so I came to find you," he replied.
"Hey! That's mean! I would never! Wait, you were worried?" I replied and gasped slightly.
Isn't worry an emotion?
"Is there something wrong with that?" He asked.
"Not at all. Let's go," I told him.
"Wait! How do you guys know each other?" the fangirl asked, fuming with frustration over Ai's ignorance of her.
"We are friends," I replied.
Knowing Ai, he who is oblivious to what kind situation I might get place in if he says something insensitive. I could get actually kidnapped! Or murdered.... Or tortured... Or worse... Oh god, I don't even want to think about the consequences.
"You are? Wait! That means you are Ai's girlfriend! Now that I am remembering how that girl look like, she looks exactly like you!" she exclaimed.
"Girlfriend?" Ai asked, confused. "I don't have a girlfriend. I feel like such relationships are nothing more than a disturbance."
"Ai and I are just friends, nothing more. I guess rumors are just like that..." I sighed. "Ai was assigned as my sensei to teach me about being an idol. He is also close friend of mine since we were kids."
"Is that the case? It must be tiresome to get such rumors, right?" She asked.
I nodded and replied, "Glad you understand."
"Then, why don't you ask your boss to change to another sensei? And why don't you guys stop being so close?" She asked, her aura was getting darker and darker every moment.
+++
"Elliot! Please listen to me! You can't kill him! He is your father!" I exclaimed.
"But... He killed my brother..." Ai said with this blank expression on his face.
"But... He is your father!" I protested.
"Why are you siding with that monster! He killed the person you love!" Ai shouted in anger.
I didn't reply, I just looked down and acted deep in thought, then replied, "Because... I don't want to see you in despair if you another of your loved one dies!"
"Love? What's that? I've never felt any of such emotion."
"Love is..." I replied and inched closer to him, our lips almost touching, just like the script.
Aargh! I can't do it!
I pulled back and faced the director asking him if I can have some time before doing it.
A kiss.
It was written in the script.
I can't do it... After all... It's my first kiss...
The director sighed and nodded.
I sighed and went out for fresh air.
+++
I looked at the script and read the lines. "Love is... (Elizabeth closes in on Elliot and lightly kisses him) Something like this...."
Why can't I do it?
"Then, why don't you ask your boss to change to another sensei? And why don't you guys stop being so close?"
I can't stop thinking about what she said too... Maybe I am afraid of what the media would say if I kiss him?
"What's wrong? You seemed pretty in it earlier, why didn't you kiss me?" Ai asked.
"W-Well... Kissing someone is like... Saying I love you..." I replied.
"Exactly, it's Elizabeth saying she loves Elliot... Though I don't really understand what love is..." Ai replied.
"Exactly that! It's Elizabeth doing it... But I am acting as her..."
"Hmph, what a scaredy cat. If you can't do it, I shall fill in for you!" a voice suggested from behind. It was the fangirl from behind. Before I could stop her, she was already on her way to the director.
"Wait!" I shouted and chased after her. She was already next to the director, beaming happily.
"I don't think Yuriko can do this scene, can I fill in for her?" She asked the director.
"Hmm... We do have to wrap up after this scene... If she doesn't do the scene in less than an hour, we will have to take a longer time filming... I don't see why not..." The director replied.
"Wait! I never said I wouldn't do it!" I protested.
"So you will do it?" The fangirl asked, glaring at me.
"Y-Yes, I will..." I replied.
"All right then. Sorry Yumi, but please go back to what you were doing," the director said and Yumi, the fangirl, stormed off with smoke coming out of her ears.
I sighed.
I got too panicked over the fact Ai might be kissing someone... Now what have I gotten myself into?
+++
"Action!"
I gulped and started to say my lines and Ai said his. Then, it got to that part.
"Love? What's that? I've never felt any of such emotion."
"Love is..." I replied and inched closer to him, our lips almost touching. With all my might, I kissed him.
Wait! WHAT?! I was supposed to kiss him lightly! Like a peck! Do I have to do that again? Oh wait! I am supposed to pull back!
I pull back and got back into my character and continued, "Something like this..."
"That felt... Nice..." Ai replied. "Can we do it again?"
"Um... S-Sure..." I replied and lean in to kiss him again. This time I did right and Ai kiss back.
He was right. It felt nice... But something felt wrong... We aren't in love.
I love Ai, but he does not love me back...
I pulled back and whispered, "I love you..."
Ai...