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CHAPTER EIGHT
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It was only 5 in the morning…but he was wide awake and staring at the ceiling. Jun had woken him up three hours ago with soft kisses on his face, telling him with such sad eyes that he had to leave for his movie shoot. Everything in him didn’t want to let Jun out of his arms, so he selfishly delayed him for ten minutes by simply refusing to kiss him properly. But in the end, Jun smilingly pressed a key into Sho’s hand, stole one last kiss and left. He brought the key to his line of sight now as Jun’s voice echoed in his head, “For you to see me anytime you like.” He buried his face in a pillow as a stupid grin began to spread, finding Jun’s scent on the pillowcase.

Here he was, in his lover’s apartment, lying naked on his bed with only a thin silk sheet covering his torso, smiling like an idiot. He felt like there’s nothing that could ruin this moment. Sitting in the silence, he stretched his arms and let his mind wander. Just as he was about to drift off to sleep again, a loud ring jolted him awake. Rolling his eyes, he forced himself to get out of bed, wrapping the sheet around his lower half to search for his phone. “Hello?” he answered, unable to get that annoyed tone out of his voice. “Sho-san? I’m sorry to be bothering you this early,” it was his manager on the other end and she sounded distressed.

“What is it?” he felt a strange prickle at the back of his neck, as if warning him of something bad about to happen. “It’s – it’s bad. A tabloid caught pictures of you and it’s creating quite a scandal,” she was flustered, he could tell. There were sounds of papers shuffling on the other end. News of scandal doesn’t faze him anymore: he has been an idol for almost a decade after all. “Calm down, I’m sure it’s just made up. If I’m innocent, there’s no need to get all worried,” he said, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. “The photos are of you entering an apartment…” she replied now. He could feel his blood turn cold: apartment? It can’t be Jun’s apartment, can it? But how could the tabloid have known this is Jun’s apartment…unless the concierge opened his mouth.

“Apartment?” he tried hard to keep calm, to tell himself that there’s no way they could’ve caught him entering this building and know he was with Jun. “Yes, the headline states that you spent the night there…engaged in…uh, activities,” his manager was stuttering now, sounding more nervous by the minute. He couldn’t ignore the knots forming in his abdomen either, but he didn’t want to worry himself for nothing. “This tabloid’s already on sale? Do the pictures have a clear shot of me?” he asked now. There were more paper-shuffling noises before a response, “I can tell your side profile but it’s somewhat obscured. There’s a photo of you here from your Junior days though…”

He had to see it for himself to be sure. “Alright, well, it’s just a tabloid; no one would believe it anyway. Relax, okay? I’m not doing any of those things,” he reassured her. “Y-Yes, well, I didn’t doubt you for a minute, Sho-san. I just thought I’d let you know about it, that’s all. I’m sorry for disrupting your sleep,” she apologized again. He had to laugh and told her its fine. They exchanged goodbyes and hung up.  Relief coursed through him now as he wiped the thin film of sweat off his forehead. That scared me… He had always been careful with his actions in public, knowing that he has more to lose than anyone else. Falling back onto the bed, he was sure that he’s not being paranoid. After all, he has to protect Jun too now.

Pushing himself out of bed after his heart had finally calm down, he decided to take that conversation as a wake up call. He couldn’t afford to be careless, even more so now when everything’s going well for him. Hopping into the shower, he found himself smiling as memories of last night flooded his thoughts. They didn’t speak a word of complaint about the other’s technique…truth be told, they didn’t speak much during the majority of the night. Chuckling to himself at the thought, he washed out his hair from the sweat (I sweated a lot last night). Curiosity made him take a sniff of Jun’s shampoo, feeling light-headed with the familiarity of the scent consisting of mint and a faint essence of lime.

Stepping out of the shower now, he wondered how he was going to go through the rest of the day without smiling like an idiot. He had places to visit and people to interview; he knew he had to retain a serious expression. But with last night’s scenes still playing in his head, he found that he smiling to himself again. “Sho, you have to get it together. What are you going to do if they find out what happened?” he asked himself, looking into a mirror. His reflection nodded at him, “You’re right. We can’t let anything happen to Jun. No one needs to know anything.” Grabbing his phone off the bed and the key Jun gave him, he took a deep breath and stepped out of the apartment.

When he was in the elevator, a thought occurred to him: how was he going to get past the concierge without looking suspicious? He spent the night here…alone with Jun and the concierge knows his face. No, no, just act normal. You’re innocent so there’s no need to hide anything. He straightened his back and walked out normally, ensuring that he give the man at the desk a short bow of the head before proceeding to head out the door. He was glad the concierge only smiled and nodded back instead of stopping him with questions. Pulling his jacket close, he decided to take a train to work. He couldn’t have asked their driver to pick him up at Jun’s apartment now, could he?

Noticing the crowd, he made a detour towards a newsstand and bought a newspaper, partly to catch up on the headlines and partly as a cover. It was then he noticed the tabloid magazine his manager had called him about. Picking it up, he saw the headlines in garish pink: “Sakurai Sho spotted entering unknown apartment. Could there be sex involved?” He was tempted to flip it open to see what the big deal was all about but the store clerk was eyeing him suspiciously. Putting it down again, he hurried into the train before the door closed.

It was only 9, so it was barely after rush hour. Sho could leisurely take up one seat near the door and read his newspaper. He caught up on several stories that he had been particularly interested in, keeping note of them to discuss with his co-workers in News Zero later. Finally, after twenty minutes, he alighted and headed towards the Jimusho office. As soon as he stepped through the door, someone called out his name: “Sakurai-san?” Turning, he spotted the receptionist, waving a piece of paper. “You’re needed in the conference room. Your manager told me to tell you as soon as you arrive,” she said, handing him the note. “Thanks,” he smiled, heading up. Frowning, he wondered what this could be about. He could only hope it has nothing to do with that scandal.

---

He fidgeted with a pen that was on the table, looking from one person to the next. “Why are you looking so nervous? Something wrong?” asked one of the men sitting across from him. He shook his head quickly, wondering what they were waiting for. They didn’t want to tell him what was going on. When he had entered, they had told him to sit down and that they had something very important to discuss.

But that was it. Nothing was being discussed and everyone was busy jotting down notes or reading through papers. Just as he was about to ask, the door swung open and someone walked in. “Jun-kun?” he frowned, seeing a familiar face. A part of him was so proud to see Jun looking partially dishevelled and tired, but still maintaining that professional air.

“Have a seat, Matsumoto-san, and we’ll get started,” said Sho’s manager now. He felt nervous for some reason. This really could have something to do with that scandal after all…could they have found out about us already? “What’s going on?” asked Jun in a low voice. Sho could only manage a shrug: he obviously didn’t know either.

“Now, I’m sorry for calling the both of you here especially with your busy schedules, but we’ve already decided,” said one of the men, who had introduced himself as Hasegawa. He braced himself for some bad news or other. But it never came. Instead, his manager placed two booklets in front of him and Jun. “Aishite-mo ii?” read Jun out loud. Sho was reading the same thing that was printed on the front of the booklet.

“What is this?” Jun asked now. “A drama. We’ve decided to take the both of you as the leading roles. Now, I’m sorry for not informing you about this earlier, but we were observing different people that we thought were suitable and you two matched perfectly to the characters,” replied Hasegawa. “We understand completely if you don’t wish to undertake this project with everything you’ve got going on already,” interjected the man seated beside Hasegawa: Murakami.

“Hasegawa-san is the assistant director and Murakami-san is the writer for this drama,” explained his manager. Sho thought his heart was about to explode in his chest from his nervousness. All for just a drama? “Well, I have no problems doing a drama. My movies have already finished shooting and in the process of editing at the moment. I do have promotions to do in between everything else but it could work out,” Jun smiled as he opened up the script to the first page.

“What’s the story about?” asked Sho now, figuring he should at least be familiar with it first before undertaking it. “Unrequited love. The main character is in love with his best friend but always has trouble expressing it. He has the worst luck in the world though and there will always be something that gets in the way of him confessing,” explained Murakami.

“Love between men? That’s a first,” Jun nodded seriously. It was true: most television dramas stick to normal, heterosexual relationships between a male and female lead. “We’re experimenting with something different, as an approach to the popularity that ‘boy love’ manga has had through the years. It’s a taboo subject to be portrayed but it’s also reality. We’ll inject humour here and there as well to keep things light,” said Hasegawa, “What do you think?”

Sho glanced over at Jun who was looking back at him. “One more question: does this involve skinship at all at any part of the story?” Sho asked what they both were wondering. Hasegawa looked at Murakami now, like someone would when delivering bad news. “There’s only one scene that involves something like that, on the final episode. But nothing indecent,” Murakami spoke slowly at first, but that last line came out quickly as if afraid of being rejected.

Sho looked over at Jun again. “May we discuss this in private for a minute?” asked Jun, getting to his feet. Sho followed suit and they exited the conference room. “What do you think?” Jun asked. He had brought the script out with him and was frowning down at the pages. “I don’t know…risky?” Sho replied. “Mm, but no one knows about us and this might be a good opportunity to change our fans’ image of us being an ‘unlikely pair’. I think I’ll accept,” Jun smiled. “Then, if you’re accepting, I guess I’ll accept too,” Sho agreed.

“Are you sure it’s okay? I don’t want to jeopardize your newscaster career that you have going on right now. A boy love story might…put a dent in your credibility,” Jun looked down again at the script. “But I’m an idol first and foremost. Besides, I never turn down a job if I think I can handle it,” when he realized that Jun didn’t seem convinced, he tried again, “I’d like to work with just you for once. Even if it is a boy love story.”

Finally, Jun looked up at him with a smile. “Then I guess we’ll be working together, ne? Yoroshiku,” he joked. Sho laughed, slinging an arm across Jun’s shoulder as they headed back into the conference room. “We’ll be happy to take on the roles,” Sho said now. Hasegawa and Murakami’s faces lit up with joy: 180 turn from the glum, worried faces they had earlier. “We do have one small condition, though,” Jun spoke up, surprising even Sho.

“Name it, you can have anything,” they said in unison, eagerly. “No love triangle. It’s too common and people can predict it already,” Jun replied. The duo nodded and extended their hands out in excitement. “It’ll be a pleasure working with you two. Filming will start sometime next weekend. I’ll give your managers a call,” said Hasegawa, heading for the door now with Murakami following close behind. “Oh, I should give you a fair warning: there might be cameo appearances every now and again,” he said before the finally left.

They were finally left alone as his manager saw the both of them out. “Did you know about you being in the tabloids?” asked Jun now, still flicking through the script. “Mm, got a call about it this morning. Scared me though…” he stared at the table in front of him, feeling relieved that the meeting wasn’t about any scandal. “I got scared too. Someone mentioned it in the make-up room on set. I got a chance to look at the magazine though…turns out it was nothing at all. Still, if they had caught us together…” Jun trailed off.

"I know..." Sho nodded. He reached over slightly and squeezed Jun's hand as if to reassure him. Jun smiled and squeezed his fingers back before they released their hold. "Yoroshiku," they said in unison. After a pause, they replied, "Kochira koso," at the same time, making the other laugh. Aishite-mo ii... 'May I love you...' huh? 

---

Author's note: Okay, no smut this time XD;; Things are more or less back to normal for now...well, except the whole dorama idea :P I have to admit, the first part of the chapter was partially inspired by the whole 'Sho-scandal' scare. I just found it ironic that after I had posted the steamy previous chapter, a scandal story pops up XD Does that mean that if I write about a dorama, there'll be an actual drama with Sakumoto in it??? ( O w O ) Ah, the imaginations of a fangirl~~~ Enjoy this one, minna~ *chu*

WARNING: This chapter is NOT for minors. Don't say I didn't warn you.

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CHAPTER SEVEN
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He wasn’t sure if he was dreaming but a faint, delicious smell wafted to his nose. I can never remember dreams, so this must be real...I think. He tried to open his eyes, but they seemed unwilling to respond. Breathing in the smell again, his stomach grumbled. Finally, he managed to get his eyelids open to see a blurry cream-coloured ceiling. “Ugh...this feels worse than a hangover,” grumbled Sho, pressing a hand to his forehead. Everything seemed hazy yet strangely sharp at the same time. Allowing his vision to focus, he heard Jun’s voice from faraway, “I’m sorry if I woke you.” Sho waved a hand, squeezing his eyes shut but couldn’t find words to say as dizziness took over.

“Are you okay?” Jun’s voice sounded nearer now and when he opened his eyes almost painfully, he saw dark features creased into a concerned frown. “I’m fine. Just not used to waking up at odd times of the day like this, that’s all,” Sho tried to smile to convince Jun that he was fine, but it didn’t seem like it worked. “Here, drink this. It’ll get some of that tiredness out of you,” Jun handed him a glass of something, helping him to sit up. Sho took a sip and pulled away again almost immediately, “Ugh, bitter!” His face scrunched up in response to the drink attacking his tongue and nose. “It’s herbal tea. Just drink it,” Jun pushed. Defeated, he gulped down two mouthfuls and handed the glass back. He managed something incoherent while Jun headed back to the kitchen with a satisfied smile.

 He wasn’t sure if it was the tea or waking up to see Jun’s face looking at him with such concern, but he felt a strange force of energy now. Pushing to get himself up, he managed to wander over to the kitchen where Jun was busy cooking something. Glancing at his watch, it took everything in him not to yell out the time. I’ve been sleeping for almost seven hours straight! It was almost 8 in the evening and he wondered what Jun had been doing during the time he slept. “I’m sorry,” Sho felt he had to apologize. After all, this wasn’t his house and he felt rude for sleeping so long. He had intended to take just a short nap...

Jun laughed now, pointing to a bottle of oyster sauce with his elbow. “Pass me that, would you?” he said. Still feeling guilty, he handed the sauce to Jun without a word. “Its fine, Sho-san. You’ve been up for almost 48 hours, so it’s understandable that you’ll sleep like that. It’s nothing to feel apologetic or guilty for,” Jun glanced over his shoulder with a smile before returning to his cooking, “I know you said we’ll decide if we want to eat in or head out for dinner, but I figured we might as well eat here. After all, it’s not every day that I get to cook for you.” Sho could feel his ears burning in embarrassment: it sounded almost like something a wife would say.

“Y-Yeah, it smells great. I woke up because my stomach was grumbling...” he admitted, which made Jun laugh again. “I’ve drawn a bath so you can take one first, while I finish cooking and then we can eat. Would you like to watch TV or something while we have dinner?” asked Jun now. Sho shook his head, “Well, I don’t normally watch TV while eating, but if you want to catch up on a show or something, I have no problems with it.” Jun nodded with a short ‘mm’ before directing him to the bathroom. He felt strangely surreal now as he stripped out of his clothes and into a bathrobe in Jun’s immaculately clean bathroom decorated with white, black and gold, moving slowly almost as if he was still dreaming.

Realization was slow to hit him: this was his first time being with Jun together in his apartment, alone. Normally, there would be Aiba and Nino and Captain, but this time...it was just him and Jun. His heart was pounding hard against his chest as his imagination ran wild with what might happen if they get too drunk or he loses control or... The hot water against his skin reminded him that no matter what happens, Jun was still his group member. No matter what, he can’t afford to have awkwardness grow between them. And he will not be responsible for ruining Jun’s career. He just wouldn’t be able to face himself if anything like that happens.

Dunking his face into the water, he scrubbed his cheeks with the palms of his hands, as if he was trying to get that reminder to stick in his head. Pulling his face out of the water again, he breathed a deep sigh. Things couldn’t be more complicated. I thought things like this only happen in manga or movies... But at the very least, he was happy. All the girls who rejected him before he became famous, all the girls that wanted him after he became famous...none of that even mattered when Jun loves him. Jun loves me... the thought made him grin like an idiot again. Despite not being able to say it upfront, just the thought made him feel like he could face anything.

Pulling himself out of the tub, he felt rejuvenated with that reminder solidifying itself in his head. No matter what happens, I’m staying by his side.

----

Dressed and refreshed, he headed out into the living area to see Jun pouring two glasses of red wine. Offering one to him with a silent smile, Sho could only accept the beverage with a meek nod of the head. He felt strangely spoilt by the younger man, though he won’t say it. Helping with the dishes, they settled to having their meal in front of the TV where Jun said he wanted to catch up on a drama that he had been watching. “A drama? Do you normally watch dramas at home?” asked Sho, more curious than anything else, receiving a short chuckle as a response. “Yes, is it that strange? I’ve been keeping up with various dramas. Call it ‘studying’,” grinned Jun, taking a seat beside him and turning the TV on.

Sho looked down at the plates of freshly-cooked food: salad with a light dressing, warm slices of bread smothered with garlic butter and the main dish, Fettuccini Romano ala Fratelli. As he placed some pasta onto a plate for Jun, he heard a familiar line, “Taiyo-sensei!” Shocked, he looked up to see none other than himself on screen. “W-What…?” he started but Jun was fixated on the story, movingly only slightly to sip his wine. He could feel his cheeks burn: Jun was watching his old drama, Yoiko no Mikata which was shot a few years ago back in 2003. Handing a plate over, Jun finally turned and smiled, dark eyes glittering. Sho could only smile back, but it still felt unnerving to hear himself on TV.

Focusing on the food in front of him instead, he kept his head down as he stared at the pasta swirling amidst sauce. It was undeniably delicious the moment it touched his tongue, but knowing that Jun was so focused on watching the drama, he didn’t exclaim, “Umai!” like he usually would to avoid startling his group member. However, each bite he took was tender and full of flavour. “You’ve been quiet, something wrong with the food?” a voice startled him, making him look up with his mouth half-full. Shaking his head quickly, he chewed and swallowed before answering, “No, there’s nothing wrong with the food! It’s delicious! Maximum!” Jun’s laugh told him he was overreacting again, “Just asking, you looked like you were really concentrating on your plate.”

“Ah…well…” was all Sho could manage but Jun turned his attention back to the screen. They finished off their meal just as the episode reached its climax now, the screen showing a little boy with tears in his eyes. Sho slowly swirled and sipped his wine, feeling slightly more comfortable watching himself act, though he could be partially lulled by his full stomach and the drink. Normally, he doesn’t watch his own dramas because he feels his acting skills are mediocre and awkward, so this is a new experience for him. Movement at the corner of his eye caught his attention and turning, he saw Jun wiping his face. Setting his glass down quickly, he grabbed Jun’s shoulder to see the younger man crying.

“W-What’s…?” Sho started but realized that he was so moved by the drama’s story that he cried. He wiped his tears quickly and almost embarrassedly as the credits started to roll and their song ‘Tomadoinagara’ echoed through the living room. “I-I’m sorry…” Jun apologized as he quickly got to his feet to switch the TV off and started clearing dishes. Before Sho could react, Jun sped off toward the kitchen with the stacked plates and glasses. Despite his heart beating rapidly in his chest, Sho actually felt calm as he counted to ten. Then slowly, he got up from the couch and almost sauntering, he approached Jun who was standing in front of the sink with the water going at full blast.

Without a word, Sho gently wrapped his arms around Jun’s waist, pressing his hands flat against the front of Jun’s sweater and leaned his cheek against Jun’s warm shoulder. He could feel the other man’s body trembling slightly but still he didn’t say anything. “S-Sho…” whispered Jun, as the room finally grew silent after he turned the tap off. “Yes, Jun?” he replied, still holding onto him. “I-I didn’t mean to…” Jun started but trailed off. Releasing Jun long enough to turn him around, Sho smiled as he saw Jun’s face wet with his tears. “Didn’t mean to what? We all know you cry easily anyway…how long have we known each other?” asked Sho, pulling a thumb gently across Jun’s cheek.

“I-I know but…” Jun started, but again, he ended up trailing off as his eyes strayed to the floor. “Hey, it’s not like we’ve just met or anything, right? There’s really no reason for me to think any less of you,” said Sho, tilting Jun’s face to make their eyes meet. Finally, Jun smiled as he pressed his forehead to Sho’s almost gratefully. “Thank God it’s you,” he said with a hint of relief. “That’s my line,” Sho replied as he brushed his lips against Jun’s. The familiar thrill ran up his spine, while Jun’s hand ran through the back of his hair. He could feel his skin prickle with goosebumps as Jun’s mouth travelled down his chin and leave a hot trail down his neck.

“J-Jun…” he managed to gasp, tilting his head to the side to give him easier access. When he stopped, Sho saw Jun’s eyes were full of curiosity mixed with seduction. Without another word, Jun grabbed his wrist and led him through the house and into his bedroom. Before Sho barely had time to admire the décor, Jun turned and kissed him again, this time hard as he pressed Sho against the back of the closed door. His hands roamed all over Jun’s warm skin underneath that sweater, while Jun’s was busy unbuttoning his shirt. “Wait, wait…” Sho interrupted making them stop. “Something wrong?” asked Jun, looking slightly hurt.

“I don’t really know how to ask this without sounding weird but…have you…ever done…?” Sho gestured to the two of them. Slowly, Jun shook his head, the fear that he had been keeping silent finally surfacing. He released his hold on Sho and wandered over to a chair, where he buried his face in his hands. “No…I mean…I have but…not with…” his sentences came out broken as he tried to scrabble for words. Sho sighed, though there was a hint of a smile, “Me neither. So I’d like to make a suggestion if that’s okay?” The other man merely waited for him to continue on. Sho smiled just a little wider as he slowly walked over to Jun. “Let’s take this slow, okay?”

Jun’s worried face turned into a smile as he nodded, hands returning to unbuttoning the rest of Sho’s shirt. “You still have this on? I thought you’ve removed it already?” asked Jun, fingers caressing Sho’s belly button stud. “Only for our photo sessions with magazines. I still wear it underneath my clothes,” he replied, feeling a sudden shiver brush up his spine as Jun’s tongue flicked the stud. “I’ve always thought it was sexy,” said Jun, looking up with a grin. Despite feeling unnerved at this new experience, Sho felt strangely calm…almost intoxicated by the situation. At this moment, his mind is only processing what his eyes are seeing: his body the one that’s doing all the moving.

He went on his knees in front of the still-sitting Jun and kissed him again, hands slowly travelling up into his sweater to caress his curved hips, moving up his waist, around his back before reaching his nipples. “Cold?” Sho teased as he swiped a thumb across one. “Mean,” retorted Jun though smiling as he nuzzled Sho’s neck. Before long, they moved over to Jun’s double bed with its black (I think it was black) silk covering. They took their sweet time, uncaring about whether it was the ‘right technique’ or not as they explored each other’s bodies. “Do you always sleep in pyjamas when you’re at home?” Sho asked, running his hand across the sheets.

Jun, who was wearing only his boxers and dimming down the lights, turned with a grin, “No…I usually don’t wear anything.” Sho had to bite his lip as he muffled a groan: the image of Jun lying here naked every night was so vivid in his head that it was almost painful. He was only in his boxers too, partially covered by a thin layer of silk, though it really wasn’t hiding anything…not to Jun at least. Getting fully under the covers, Jun smiled, “Let me do it first, okay?” Sho really couldn’t argue; after all, he wasn’t really sure what he was doing anyway. Leaning his head back against the pillows, he laid still and let Jun’s hands explore, feeling his spine shiver as the warmth travelled toward the area covered by his boxers.

He could feel the silk caress him as Jun removed the only article of clothing he had left before a firm grip took hold of him. “C-Careful…” he stuttered, worried that this sensation might make him lose control. “Don’t worry,” Jun’s voice reassured him. It was dark enough for him to barely make out Jun’s outline, huddled underneath the silk but because the sheets were covering his lower half, he couldn’t see what Jun was doing. Merely feel. A soft groan escaped his lips now as he could feel Jun’s fingers stroking him gently. “Jun…” he whispered, his fingers scrunching the sheets under him as he tried to maintain control.

There was no stopping it though as he felt a sudden warm and moist sensation underneath those sheets. His breath was coming out in short gasps in amidst moans now as he found that he couldn’t take it any longer. “J-Jun!” his voice echoed through the room as his back arched and his eyes squeezed shut. When the pressure had lessened, he lay flat on his back, out of breath and sweating. He didn’t know when Jun emerged from under the sheets but his hardly-comprehending mind saw the outline of a grin on his face. “That was good?” he asked. Sho wanted to answer, but found that he couldn’t form words. Good is the last word I’d use. But Jun didn’t take any offense in Sho’s silence at all; rather, it seemed he was satisfied with it.

The night wore on as they took turns, feeling a sense of wonder and not to mention closeness they would’ve never had if they were just friends. They caressed and explored, teasing and kissing every inch of each other, making the other writhe and cry out in ecstasy. They lost all knowledge of time being in the darkness. Despite him being non-poetic in any sense, if he was to describe this moment, the term ‘celebration of the senses’ comes to mind. There was no pretence, no expectations…just simply being. They were lying in each other’s arms now, breathless. Jun was on his chest while he draped one arm around the younger man’s shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Sho had to ask, finally able to form something coherent. “More than okay, obviously,” came Jun’s cheeky response. A short silence ensued before Jun spoke again, “Can I ask you something?” Sho frowned in the dark, his fingers tracing little circles on Jun’s arm, “Of course. You can ask me anything.” Again, a short moment of silence. It was almost as if Jun was trying to find the right words to ask. “D-Do you…feel weirded out by this?” the question finally came. Even though Jun sounded unsure, Sho didn’t feel surprised by the question. “What do you mean by ‘weirded out’?” he responded with his own question.

“Well…you know…not being with a woman,” Jun’s voice sounded vulnerable, almost afraid. Sho hugged him closer, trying to reassure him, “Of course not. I was the one who told you I liked you, remember? If you ask me, that’s weird in society’s eyes already.” Jun wrapped his arm around Sho’s waist, nuzzling his nose against Sho’s chest. “I know…but…what if – what if they find out about…us?” It was then that Sho realized: Jun was trying really hard to voice out his fears. He had assumed all this time that Jun was okay with this, with their relationship, but he never thought that his lover would have it much harder than himself.

“Jun…look at me,” he said now, making Jun look up at him. Despite it being dark, Sho could still see him and caressed the side of Jun’s face gently. “I’m not leaving. This isn’t a one-time thing. I’m serious about how I feel about you and we’ll decide what happens in its own time, okay? I fear just as much as you but there’s no need for you to hide it. If you feel that something’s not okay, just tell me. That’s what I’m here for,” Sho had to reassure him. After all, they were doing something that might jeopardize the both of them, not to mention their group and their families.

“Okay…” Jun said, pressing his cheek to Sho’s hand, “I’ll try to be more open with how I feel about this.” Sho smiled as Jun went back to lying on his chest, “Good.” While they were entertaining their own thoughts, Jun spoke again, “Can I ask another question?” Sho, who was about to drift off to sleep, managed a response, “Hm?” Jun looked up at him, one hand on his stomach, “Who’s the girl in this relationship then?” That made Sho laugh as he launched a tickling attack on Jun. “W-What are you doing – stop! No, don’t --!” Jun protested in amidst laughter. When Sho finally ceased, he was hovering on top of Jun with a smile on his face. “We’ll take turns, deal?” he replied, making Jun laugh. “Fine…I still think you’d be the better girl though,” replied Jun. Sho retorted by attacking him with kisses now, while Jun could only helplessly laugh.

When they were out of breath again, Sho pressed his forehead to Jun’s. “Jun…” he started, feeling a lump form in his throat. “Yes?” Jun replied. “I…I love you.” There, I’ve finally said it. The one word I thought I’d never say. There was a moment of silence and Sho thought Jun fell asleep or something but when he pulled away slightly, he saw the tears glittering in Jun’s dark eyes. “I love you too, Sho,” he replied, his voice soft. His heart swelled as he kissed Jun; a long, deep kiss that solidified everything he felt for the other man.

I love you, Jun…so very much.

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Author's notes: Okay, first of all, gomen. I haven't updated my Vox in ages and I blame the shoutbox over at Arashian. I've found myself chatting to other Arashi fans and I've been addicted to the thing. If u wanna join me to chat, you can go here, it's a temporary chatroom I set up while the shoutbox is down. Anyone can enter, so come and join me! ^^ (Note: you need Java to get it working) Secondly, gomen yet again. This isn't a chapter for minors (you had been warned way earlier) and this solidifies the warning. Of course, I'm not the type of author to be too graphic since I like my readers to 'fill-in-the-blank' themselves, but this chapter's dangerous any way I look at it ^^;; Third, I hope you enjoy this particularly long chapter...especially for the new and old Sakumoto fans ;D When Sho said, "There I said it. The one word I thought I'd never say." The 'one word' I meant is when the Japanese say 'Aishiteru' just so you know, ne? Yosh, I'll update with more once my Muse strikes again! Sarada-bar~ (if you've watched AnS with Kyain, you'll know this joke :P)

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CHAPTER SIX
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He buried his head in his hands, feeling the tiredness sink in. It was close to 5 in the morning and he was still at work. Who else would be up at this ungodly hour? Looking back up again, he could see the staff sleeping in their chairs, some with papers covering their faces, others with their caps. Leaning his head back, he tried to relax. Finally, this is the day. “Sho-san, will you be needing me for anything else tonight?” asked his manager, who had insisted on staying with him. “I’m fine, you should go home and rest,” he smiled. “Alright. Good night, Sho-san. Good luck,” she tried hard to give him a bright smile, but he knew just how drained she was. He managed a smile back and watched her leave.

With a big sigh, he pulled out his phone to send a text message: “Still at the studio. I'm so tired, but there's no time to rest...I hope I'm not disrupting your sleep. I know how grumpy you can get when you're awakened for no reason. :)” Hitting ‘send’, he leaned his tired head back, feeling the fluorescent light burning his eyes. How he wished to be at home right now...or in Jun’s arms and sleeping with him. Shaking his head from such thoughts, he forced himself to focus. I don’t have time to be thinking like that. In only a few hours, they were going to make the big announcement in the morning news, and he has to be prepared for it.

Suddenly, his phone beeped, indicating an incoming message. “Don't push yourself too hard. You'll need energy for later. I'm up, revising lines,” there was a long space before a short sentence at the end, “I miss you.”  That made him smile like an idiot. Pressing a number on his speed dial, he decided to call instead. “Moshi moshi?” answered Jun’s deep voice on the other end. “Ah, moshi mosh, am I bothering your line revision?” asked Sho, heading out of the room in case he woke his staff up. “No, if the phone didn’t just ring, I would’ve fallen asleep. What are you doing still at the studio?” asked Jun now. “Mm, it’s the launching date today so I have to get things ready in time for the morning news’ announcement. Isn’t it a little late to be revising lines? What time do you have to be on set?” asked Sho, checking the clock again. It was 5:15 in the morning.

“Mm, actually, I woke up at 5 to go over my lines again. I have to be on location at 6 since make-up takes at least an hour before shooting. Are you sure you’ll be okay? Do you have any other work later?” Jun’s voice had a note of concern, making him smile. “Yeah, but that’s normal. I can probably sneak in a few minutes of sleep here and there. Don’t worry, I’ll be okay. Well, I should let you get back to your lines. I’ll see you later okay?” Sho didn’t want to stay on the phone too long, with his work nagging at him. “Alright, take care of yourself there. I don’t want you collapsing from exhaustion, ne? Ja, mata ne, Sho-san,” said Jun. “Mm, mata. Oh, and Jun?” Sho swallowed before he replied, “I miss you too.” Jun gave a short chuckle before they exchanged goodbyes.

It felt amazing to him that it had already been almost a month since that night in Tokyo Tower, but everything remained the same, except his relationship with Jun was getting much more comfortable. He found that because of their youngest member’s sensitivity, Sho can talk about anything and Jun would pay him every ounce of attention. They had fought once due to differences of opinion, but then things were okay again. It occurred to him then, after their first fight that he couldn’t possibly have the same relationship with someone else the way he has with Jun. Any other person would argue with him and refuse to apologize because of pride or something irrelevant like that, but Jun was courageous enough to fight with him, and after only ten minutes, was able to see eye-to-eye with him again, accepting his own opinion as well as Sho’s mutually.

He respected Jun a whole lot more now that they were honest with each other. Despite the other members knowing, they still felt like they should continue addressing each other with the occasional honorific, although there were times when they just call each other by name. Heading back into the recording room, he grabbed tapes and mixes, giving them a listen while he let the others continue their sleep. Making small notes here and there, he felt happier after speaking to Jun, despite the time. Once he was done listening, he finished off his ‘thank you’ note and proceeded to clean everything up. Suddenly, one of the staff members stirred. “Oh, Sho-kun, I’m sorry. I fell asleep while you were still awake! Ah, we should get moving, it’s almost time for the announcement!” Ken, the audio engineer started to panic, but Sho just smiled.

“What are you worried about? We’ve finished everything. There were just a few minor details left to figure out, but other than that, everything’s settled. Besides, I’m pretty happy with what we already have,” Sho chuckled. “Ah, but...you’re right. Are there still changes you’d like to make?” asked Ken now. “Yep, I’ve written them right here. You can choose which you’d like to change, but this is just my own input. Okay, I need to head out to get ready for my interview. Are you going to be okay in handling this?” he asked, grabbing his bag and getting to his feet. “Are you kidding? Just leave it to me. I’ll get it done to your specifications, Sho-kun. Good luck for that interview, ne?” Ken gave him a small salute as Sho nodded, thanking him for his hard work and heading out of the studio.

He had only an hour to get to the TV studio and get ready. I hope my nervousness doesn’t get the best of me today...

---

“Right, let’s welcome a very special guest today: Arashi’s Sakurai Sho!” announced Hatori, the host for the morning show. Fixing his sleeve, he went out with as bright of a smile as he could muster, knowing he must look like hell. “Good morning. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu,” he bowed to the hosts. The problem for this particular show is that they told him it’ll be live on air, so he can’t screw anything up and has to be constantly alert. “Actually, Sakurai-san has been rather busy lately, haven’t you?” asked Hatori now, jumping straight into the interview. “Yes, I’ve been travelling to cover stories for News Zero and keeping up with Arashi’s members when it comes to work,” he answered. They asked him all sorts of things about News Zero and what made him decide to become a newscaster. “Well, I wanted to do something that no one from our Jimusho has done and since I’m interested in the news, I thought this would be the right path to take. I didn’t think they’d consider me seriously, but I’m glad they did,” Sho answered.

“You see? This is the reason why I love Arashi. Every member has their own special talent and are not afraid to show it,” said Hatori to his co-hosts. The ladies laughed while Sho could only manage a grin. It was known to him and the rest of his members that Hatori Shinichi was a big fan of theirs and often gets excited when they’re called for an interview. Hatori was speaking to him now, “You’re doing something else right now that no one in amongst your group members have done, aren’t you?” It was his cue for his big announcement: “Yes, I’m releasing a solo album on my birthday.” He had to grin as soon as the words came tumbling out of his mouth. The reactions on their faces was priceless.

“A solo album? Eh, so does that mean you’re removing yourself from Arashi?” asked a shocked Hatori. “No, no, no, of course not, Hatori-san. I’ve been experimenting with my own style and tastes in music, which have only been heard by my listeners on my radio show. Since I had enough to fill an album, I thought I’d release it. It’s still under our label, JStorm and there’s really no reason for me to go solo completely,” he explained. There was relief all around and he could see it even on some of the staff’s faces. “That was a shock. I thought Arashi was going to split up,” Hatori breathed a (slightly dramatic) sigh of relief. “Sakurai-san, what’s the title of your upcoming album?” asked one of the female co-hosts. Sho smiled as he held up the completed CD with album art proudly, “It’s called Just Sho, or JS for short, and it’ll be released on the 25^th of January, which happens to be my 26^th birthday.”

Just Sho: album art

2 comments

If he had to choose a word to describe their expressions, the term ‘marvel’ comes immediately to mind. They were simply marvelling at the CD as they passed it from one host to the other before it was returned to him. He could hear one of the tracks being played in the background. “Happy birthday in advance,” they bowed to him before Hatori continued, “You’re the main rapper of Arashi, so you are into hip-hop and rap type of music, right?” He returned their bow with a wide smile. “Thank you. Yes, I like all sorts of styles, since each one is distinct, but I find rap the most interesting style to sing,” he replied. “Ah, because you can trip over words and such, right? Have you ever tripped up when you rap? Or accidentally bitten your tongue?” asked Hatori now, while the studio laughs. “Actually, I have on many occasions. Rapping is harder than most people think, even though I write most of the rap lyrics myself. That’s the reason why I need to practice my rap part a lot,” Sho smiled.

The ladies asked Sho to teach Hatori a rap or two now, making him laugh. “I’m not sure whether he’s up to it.” Hatori shook his head, ready and willing to try his hand at rapping. “Okay, but it’s not going to be easy. I have a lyric card for Sakura Sake here and I’d like Hatori-san to sing this part,” Sho pointed out his rap that’s written on the card. As the show went for a short commercial, the ladies watched as he taught Hatori the rhythm and lyrics while the staff play the music in the background. “This is hard,” said the host as his co-stars laughed. Finally, the show returned on air. “Right, now it’s time to watch Hatori-san perform. Hatori-san, if you please!” said one of the ladies.

Sho stood to the side as the stage was cleared for Hatori’s ‘rap debut’. The song came on and he held tightly to the lyric card, waiting for his cue before jumping straight in: ““Migi e narae” kara fumidasu kono ippo wo, Utta ten ga – ahh!” he messed up the rhythm causing the studio to laugh. “This is so difficult, ne?” said Hatori now, “I actually bit my tongue!” The studio laughed again as Sho patted him on the shoulder, “It’s not bad for a first-timer.” Soon, they wrapped up the interview and the show, thanking him for his appearance and hard work. He promptly did the same as they walked him out of the studio set. “You can be sure I’ll buy a copy of this too. Rap is interesting, isn’t it?” said Hatori now as the staff removed his microphone.

“It is once you get used to the rhythm of the song and technical stuff like that. If my kind of music suits your taste, Hatori-san, please by all means purchase a copy. I’ll be happy to sign it for you as well,” Sho bowed to him before he thanked the staff once again. His driver was waiting to whisk him off to another show on the other side of the city. Breathing a sigh of relief, he leaned his head back as the van started to move. Knowing that it’ll take them about two hours to get to the next studio, Sho closed his eyes in hopes of sneaking in a few minutes of sleep. It was hardly past ten but his eyes hurt from the sunlight. Just as he was about to drift off, his phone vibrated against his leg. “Hai, Sakurai desu,” he answered without bothering to look at the number on the screen, his voice dragged out like he was hung over.

“Sho-san, how did it go?” said a familiar voice. “Oh, Jun! Ah, it was fine. I made the announcement without screwing up,” he perked up slightly. It was always nice to hear Jun’s deep voice in his ear, no matter what time of the day it is. “I’m glad. Where are you now?” he asked. Sho rubbed his eyes as he looked around, “Somewhere near the University of Tokyo. I’m on my way to do another show, but I’m just happy that this one would be pre-recorded for a later airing time.” Jun chuckled in his ear, “Otsukaresama deshita.” He had to smile, he never knew such simple words that he hears every day would have so much meaning when it came from someone he loved. “Still a long way to go for your shooting?” he asked. “Mm, we’re just about wrapping up for the day. Tomorrow’s shoot will be at 3,” Jun sounded regretful.

“3? Like 3 in the morning?” asked Sho with a frown. “Yeah...the director wants the right lighting at dawn so with all the setting up and make-up, it’ll have to be 3 in the morning,” said Jun, “But the good news is, I’m free for the rest of the day. Would you like to have dinner with me?” Again, Sho grinned widely. “Sure. I’ll see you at your place, is that alright? We can decide later if we want to eat in or go somewhere,” he said. Jun agreed and they hung up. With the call giving him a burst of energy, he was glad to find that he was nearing the studio now.

Through a whirlwind of hours, he was relieved to hear his manager say, “That’s all for today, Sho-san.” He wanted to jump for joy, but tiredness kept him from doing anything except smiling. Practically pushing himself back into the van, he told the driver to drop him off near Tokyo Dome, saying that he’ll make his way home from there. “Are you sure? You look tired and you might collapse in the middle of the street,” said the driver now. Sho smiled as he shook his head, “It’s alright. I have an appointment with a friend anyway, so it’s fine. Without another word, he was driven toward the place he requested. His eyes felt heavy and sore, but his heart was beating in his chest so hard, it was keeping him awake.

“Thanks, I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said to the driver and got out. Tokyo Dome was almost deserted, save a few people walking around in the bleak January weather, hurrying to get to someplace warmer. Without another thought, he walked, heading past shops and buildings towards Koishikawa Shokubutsu-en, the botanical garden near Jun’s apartment building. His steps grow somewhat anxious as he drew near to the tall, dark-glassed building that was reflecting the gold sunlight, making his eyes sting. He wondered why he felt self-conscious when he’s just visiting his band member’s place, but if the paparazzi or the media were to find out...

Pulling his cap lower over his eyes, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and headed up to Jun’s apartment. Nodding to the guard at the front entrance, he made a beeline to the elevators. Since Arashi have been here countless times for New Year’s and birthday celebrations and get-well-soon visits, the guard knew him well enough not to stop him or issue him a visitor’s pass. Reaching the 14^th floor, he breathed a sigh as he stepped out onto the lush carpeted hallway. Despite them leading separate lives, Jun was one of the first to live out on his own, making him the most independent out of the five of them in terms of not living with his family.

He stood in front of Apartment 14J, which Sho finds amusing every time he sees the plaque on the door. Jun had scouted an apartment for himself with specific criteria, exhausting even the real estate consultant. Finally, he was happy with this one and he proudly invited the other four for a housewarming party. They laughed at the fact that his door bore his initial, saying that if he wanted to be found out by his stalkers, it would be easy to guess which apartment he stayed in. Sho smiled as he stared at the black-painted door with its golden handle. Somehow just seeing the door itself made him feel warm. “Sho? I’m sorry, I didn’t think you’d be early. You didn’t have to wait at the door.” Turning, Sho smiled to see Jun walking down the hallway, dressed in black from head to toe.

“It’s alright, I figured it’d be safer up here anyway instead of hanging around the lobby,” he replied. Jun removed his sunglasses and opened the door, letting Sho enter. “Sorry for intruding,” said Sho politely as he took off his shoes and slipped into Jun’s comfortable house slippers. “You look like hell,” commented Jun, shutting the door. He couldn’t come up with a good retort, so merely smiled as he collapsed onto a nearby couch. “I feel like hell too...does that sentence even make sense?” Sho laughed as he rubbed his throbbing temples slowly with his fingers. “It’s still early, you know. You can use my room to sleep if you want,” offered Jun. Sho smiled, tempted by the offer, but all his bones felt like lead.

“Nope, here’s where I fell, here’s where I’ll lie down, if it’s alright with you,” he replied. Jun’s expression was gentle and understanding as he headed toward the bedroom and came back with a fluffy pillow for Sho’s head. “Mm...smells like you,” Sho slurred, breathing into the pillow. Within seconds, he drifted off to sleep. With a smiling sigh, Jun unwrapped his scarf and coat before proceeding to hang up his own. “You’re almost like a baby sometimes, Sho...” he whispered, softly pushing away stray hair from Sho’s forehead. It was one of those rare moments that they could be together and be themselves.

Normally, they’d have their separate jobs and everything, seeing each other when Arashi has a collaborative work, like Shukudai-kun or a concert. But with his movies lining up and Sho’s album release plus his News Zero work, it was difficult to see each other on a more personal level. Jun had never talked about his point of view much to anyone, afraid of what they’d think or express, knowing that he has some pretty straightforward friends. Nino had made fun of him once after they confessed to liking each other after the year-end Countdown, but Sho had just laughed it off. He, on the other hand, was hurt but chose not to say anything. He hadn’t told Sho about it either.

More than anything in the world, he was afraid. Everything he’s experiencing was new, so he doesn’t know what steps to take. Sure, he’s been taught how to love women and cherish them because he grew up being close to his mother and sister the most. But here he is, in love with a man, and he’s always at a loss. How does one go about loving a man when you’re a man yourself? Is it the same as loving a woman? Or should he treat Sho as a woman just for the sake of gaining perspective? He didn’t know and there was no one to answer him.

Frustrated and confused, he was glad that seeing Sho's face just silences all the questions, even for a brief instant. He was sleeping soundly, unaware of how Jun was intently staring at him. Getting up now, he decided to think up something for lunch and maybe even read a book or two.

He's sure he'll come up with the answers in his own time, just like he always does...

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Author's notes: Ugh...it's almost 3 am (again! >.<) but I had to post this up since it's been wayyyy overdue and I can't hold it off anymore ^^; Just fleshing out the story a bit more, and delving further into their relationship. Don't worry, I'm turning it up a notch in the next chapters, so stay tuned, ne? Anyway, the album art is fake obviously, but it was fun to do. I used photo manipulation a bit, changed the colour of his jacket and put a cap on his head. I did the graffiti on my own as well, so please, don't steal or use it for your own work etc etc. It's not good anyway, so why bother stealing it? I'm rambling. Right. I'll reply to your comments/criticism (if there are any) when the sun comes up ^^; Oyasumi~

EDIT: I forgot to explain about the title of the album. Gomen, my brain's not functioning too well at the moment. Anyway, it took me ages to figure out the perfect name for Sho's fake solo album, but I loved 'Just Sho' because a) it simplifies the 'solo' bit, b) it uses his name and c) which is the most important reason: the short form of Just Sho is JS and it stands for JunSho, so yep, now you know. And double yep, I have no idea how my brain functions, but that's how it goes. Right, there's something else I need to post up, but I'll do it tomorrow...or...later rather. Gnight!

lol, got this from dunadan~

MAO’S FRONT GATE, NAKANO

7: 04 P.M.

“It’s an automated gate,” Sho pointed out. “I know, genius. We were here earlier, remember? Alright, open sesame,” Nino pressed a button and the gates swung open easily. Hurrying through, Nino immediately closed the gates again, wary that there might be sensors or a security lock that might trip an alarm. “Okay, we’re going to split up right?” asked Sho, speaking in a harsh whisper. “Yeah, you’re heading for the back door, I’m going through the balcony on the second floor,” Nino gestured to their entry points.

“Tell me again why we’re not going through the front door?” Sho pointed to the front door, warmly lit with a yellow glow. “Because, most people guard their front doors the most. That’s where all their alarms are concentrated because thieves usually go for the direct approach. You know, ‘with guns blazing’ or whatever. But we, my friend, are spies, so we’re going for the more ‘graceful’ approach, okay?” said Nino. Sho had to smile: “You just want to go climbing, don’t you?” Nino grinned back, “Yeah, I love the thrill.”

Soon they split up, Sho heading for the back door while Nino climbed his way to the balcony by means of a wooden trellis and a small, but sturdy hook. “Okay, I’m at the back door, but it’s locked as expected,” Sho relayed his situation through a communication device. “Yeah, I figured. I love this girl though,” Nino commented. “Oh, and why would you love someone who you won’t even mention her name?” asked Sho as he tried to peek inside. “Well, for starters, her locks are centralized by a digital mechanism, which means I can do this,” as soon as Nino paused, the back door unlocked itself, making it easy for Sho to just walk in. “Secondly, she didn’t lock her balcony door. I’m in,” he could practically hear the wide grin in his teammate’s voice.

“Okay, just tell me where I need to plant these ‘flowers’ of yours,” said Sho. Nino began to instruct him towards various places around the kitchen and living room, setting up cameras and listening devices at almost every angle. “Do you think she’s on her way home right this minute?” asked Nino as Sho was installing a camera that overlooks the front door. “You just love doing that, don’t you? Scaring me senseless,” Sho had to ask. He could feel the slow creep of fear that Nino’s statement had a ring of truth to it. “Just asking...because I think I hear the gate,” at that, Sho’s blood turned cold: he heard the distinct sound of the gate too.

“Better hide,” suggested Nino. Quickly, he made his way up the stairs, figuring that the second floor would have less chances of him getting caught. Just as soon as he ducked behind a corner at the top of the stairway, the front door swung open and the lobby light coming on. “I’m home,” he could hear her softly greeting the (supposedly) empty house. Kicking off her shoes, she shut the door and slipped into her slippers before padding over to the living room. After a few minutes, he heard the soft sounds of the TV coming from downstairs.

He had to find Nino and get out of here. Not daring to speak, he headed straight for the end of the dark hall, right into the first door. “Well now, fancy meeting you here,” he heard a voice as soon as he shut the door. “Shh,” Sho’s heart was pounding in his chest as he chided Nino for using such a loud voice. “Relax, would you? Did you finish installing the stuff downstairs?” his team member asked. “Yeah, just in time too. What about you?” Sho asked, his voice hardly above a whisper. “Yep, all except one...a camera overlooking her bed. I was halfway done installing it when I heard the gates,” Nino didn’t seem as scared as he was, but underneath, Sho knew he was just as anxious of getting caught.

“Ah, a spy’s worst nightmare,” Nino commented with a scratch of his head. “Come on, we’ve got to finish installing that camera and get out of here,” opening the door, they headed out, almost tiptoeing across the carpeted landing. Keeping their ears open for any sounds of her movement, they headed into the bedroom, leaving the door slightly ajar in case she came upstairs. “Hurry up,” said Sho as he stood guard while Nino finished installing the camera. A few excruciating minutes past but Nino wasn’t quite done yet. Finally, to Sho’s relief, Nino whispered, “Okay, let’s go.”

They headed for the balcony but somehow, Sho’s foot got caught on something, toppling down a heavy wooden trinket box from her dresser. It landed onto the floor with a loud thud before Sho could catch it. Suddenly, he was aware that it was all too quiet. “Go, go!” said Nino in a harsh whisper as he pushed Sho out the balcony door. It was a long drop down and there wasn’t enough time to climb. They could hear her now, “I-Is there someone there?” Swinging one leg over the banister, Sho was ready to make a jump for it. “I’m armed! Come out and show yourself!” they heard her say as she stood at the bedroom door.

Her curtain fluttered in the night breeze, but there was no sound. “Now what?” Nino whispered before a voice from inside caught their attention. “Aw, how did you get lost in here? Okay, don’t be scared, I’ll let you out,” they heard her say. Sho dared to take a peek just a little before ducking his head down again as he spotted her coming out onto the balcony. “There you go. Go on, fly away now,” they watched as she released a bird into the sky before heading back inside and shutting the door firmly. They breathed a sigh of relief as they glanced at each other. “I’m not sure about you but my arms are dying from hanging like this,” said Nino.

They were clinging by the edge of their fingers on the balcony, having run out of time to hide. Before they had the chance to jump down, she had come out so they had been stuck there for a good five minutes. On Nino’s count, they released their hold and landed onto the grass, just a little roughly. “Now what?” Sho whispered, just loud enough for his teammate to hear. Nino was hurrying towards the high wall now where a mass of ivy was growing. “You mean we’re going to...” asked Sho again, but Nino was halfway clambering up.

“No way,” Sho shook his head, but followed anyway, knowing that there’s no other option. “You’re free to go through the front gate if you don’t like this,” said Nino as he reached the top of the wall. Helping Sho up, they glanced outside the property before jumping down, landing safely without any incidents. “Come on, we’ve got to get back,” said Sho now, crossing the street and heading straight back to their apartment.

---

HIDEOUT, 7^TH FLOOR, apartment complex

7:37 p.m.

 “Phew, made it,” said Nino now as he practically fell through the door. “That was close,” said Sho, shutting the door quickly and kicking his shoes off. “That was less than graceful, more like it,” retorted Nino now as he took up a seat in front of his laptop. Sho sat nearby, leaning his head against the wall, feeling relief and tiredness intermingling in him. Suddenly, Nino’s voice caught his attention: “Hmm...We’ve got a problem.” Sho looked up, surprised, “What happened? The cameras don’t work?” Nino shook his head before he pointed to the screen.

Peering closer, Sho noticed that it was Nino's message inbox. There was a message from Aiba, Headquarters and...the last message made him frown. The sender was anonymous and when he asked, Nino shook his head, indicating he doesn’t know who the message is from. It simply read, “That was too close.” Sho casted a hunted glance around the room. Everything was as they left it and he had remembered the position of each object in case of disturbance. “You can’t trace this?” he asked now, his voice hinting his worry. “Mm, I can try, but the likeliness of a result is slim. I’ll check it through the system just in case. In the meantime, maybe its better you keep watch,” Nino replied, setting his computer to trace down the sender.

He seemed surprisingly unworried about the nature of the message, but personally, Sho couldn’t be too overconfident. At the same time, Nino started up the surveillance system inside of Mao’s house. A separate monitor showed various views and they could see her moving around the kitchen, possibly making dinner. Hooking up a set of headphones, Nino officially started his mission, while Sho decided to check around the area for anything suspicious. “Any luck?” he asked Nino now, lowering his binoculars. He had stationed himself near the window, searching the streets for any sign of activity. “Not much, the system’s still running, but I can’t get a lock. Do you think it’s one of our own? Or should we be alert of an enemy who’s already aware of our movements?” Nino replied, tweaking cameras and audio.

“Whoever it is, we should be aware anyway. If it’s an enemy, we’ll just beat the crap out of them. If it’s one of our own, we’ll catch him, demand to know why he’s disrupting our mission...and then beat the crap out of him,” Sho grinned, tossing a chocolate bar in Nino’s direction. Catching it without looking up, his partner only smiled. Sho had to wonder if the anonymous sender had turned their sights to Aiba who’s heading this way, completely unaware. As much as he wanted to call his teammate to ensure that he’s fine, he decided to wait for Nino’s response first. He couldn’t help feeling anxious as he stood there, fidgeting with his binoculars. There were no signs of anything unusual out there, but slight paranoia made him turn at the slightest movement.

“Found it,” Nino announced with satisfaction, “It’s local and it’s from a wireless network. Seems as though I can track his exact location because he used a remote frequency. One second here...” typing quickly, a small blip appeared on their digital map. “That’s where he is?” asked Sho, pointing to the red dot. “Yeah...seems like he’s right here in this building,” Nino looked up to see his partner’s face grinning wildly. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Sho asked. Nino had to sigh as he removed his headphones, “Let’s just do this nicely. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves, okay?” As Sho quickly got about getting ready, he told Nino to send Aiba a message, stating that they’ll be ‘investigating a potential spy.’

Armed with only a handheld club made for policemen and a small tracking device, Nino followed as Sho led them out the door and up the stairs, treading carefully in case of traps or cameras. On the ninth floor, two floors above their own hideout, they were directed down a dark hallway. The device indicated that they were really close now. Finally, they reached it. Straining their ears, there was only silence. With a quick nod, Sho braced his body to break the door down but just as soon as his shoulder was about to connect, it swung open.

“Oh, hey guys,” said the person inside as he crashed to the floor. “What the – it’s just you guys,” Nino had to roll his eyes as he entered through the open doorway while Sho rubbed his head from the pain of his fall. “Don’t sound so surprised,” said Yamashita Tomohisa, or better known as Yamapi, their junior who was nonchalantly chewing on an apple. “Well, I had a hunch really,” he landed onto a couch as Sakurai glared at him. “What do you mean ‘you had a hunch’?” His teammate shrugged as he pointed to one side of the room. There at the dining table was a mass of screws and parts with Nishikado Ryo sitting there, tinkering what appears to be a small bird. “It was that bird that you tripped on in the girl’s room. I saw it before she came up the stairs, and thought it looked familiar. Turns out my hunch was right,” he smiled as Sho burst out, “At least, tell me it was a hunch earlier, damn it!”

They laughed at him while Ryo looked up from his tinkering as if he had just realized they were there. “Oh, hi there, that was really close back there, you know. She would’ve found you out as soon as she looked down,” he said. It was him that sent the bird, that much was obvious now but it made Sho wonder how he knew that they were bound to screw up. “I’m not a mind reader,” said Ryo now, “We were told to keep an eye on you by HQ so when you guys went in, we knew you had started your mission already, but when the gates opened, we had to do something to help.” He seemed like a mind reader to Sho, but none of them chose not to say anything. “Why would HQ ask you two to keep an eye on us? Are they expecting us to fail or something?” asked Sho now, obviously defensive.

“No, we’re here as just a backup team while we’re waiting for our own target. Us having hideouts in the same building was just coincidence,” shrugged Yamapi now, flipping through what looked like a manual. According to Nino’s personal database on all the agents of their headquarters, Ryo and Yamapi form the best intelligence gathering team with the former being a mechanics expert and the latter, computers. Ryo had been the one to design the creepy-crawlies shaped listening devices. It was obvious to Sho that the one who had sent the anonymous message was Yamapi.

“Shouldn’t you be heading back to keep an eye on the girl?” asked Ryo now, setting his mechanical bird down. It looked amazingly real with fluidity in its movements. Even its feathers looked real. “Yeah, and Masaki should be arriving any minute. We’ll see you guys,” Sho headed for the door first, before Nino followed him. “Oh, by the way, Ryo,” he stopped at the door as Ryo looked up at him, “The bugs work great."

Ryo only grinned as he gave a small salute towards Sho in reply.

---

Author's notes: Been a while since I've updated on anything, so figured I'd post this up. Gomen, bluebambi-chan~ I know I said I was going to wait a while before I post an update, but I sort of needed to get it moving along ^^; Anyway, the second part of Agent Sho's POV. I'm not imagining them being all cool and perfect like James Bond so they'll be slightly bumbling and they'll have their mistakes but still being experts in their field. Not much to say about this particular chapter, but Ohmiya fans should look forward to the next update ;3 Comments are food to my inspiration~

lol, i like polls, don't you, folks? Nothing fancy this time, just want to know where the majority of you Arashi fans are from~ Even though this poll is for everyone, please don't vote if you're not an Arashi fandom member <.< I assume most humans haven't lost their sense of civility...yet...

Do comment below and tell me exactly which part of the world you're from. It's easy to say 'Asia' but that's like the largest continent in the world, so you might wanna narrow it down, ne? ^^

Yoroshiku~ :D

Since it's after Arashi's new single release (yesterday for me, it's the 21st here) and the start of Ohno's Freestyle exhibition (today 21st, yay~ Oh-chan kakoii~), it reminds me that we're almost at the end of February ne? Since February is supposedly the rabu rabu month (every month is rabu rabu month for me so I won't know anything bout this X3;) I though I'd set all fangirls hearts on fire, nya? Yosh, ikou ka?

Mazu wa, the (in)famous kiss! (can't believe they counted it too lol)

*dodges bullets, bricks, rotten vegetables and other miscellaneous flying items* ^^; right, the next one would be a great big hug (and...horse heads?):

Another huggle here and we have to love them for it yo~ (Wee~ there's a dose of Toma-chan too ^___^)

It wouldn't be complete without someone groping someone now would it? XD;

And because I support pairings~

And because we rarely see this, ne?