The party was lively despite the days gradually growing colder, there were enough bonfires to keep everyone warm, and if not, the expensive booze certainly fooled everyone into thinking they were. No stranger to alcohol despite being underage she wasted no time in downing a few jello shots while saying hello to a few familiar faces. Despite moving straight into networking upon her arrival, Tsukiko kept her arm firmly hooked around the arm of her companion, Chase. It was true that the pink-haired idol was a lot of things, but one thing that she was not was shallow enough to forget her dear friend in the crowd.
Anyone else would likely have been a passing thought as soon as her peers from the music industry caught her eye. In her line of work, it was extremely important to network, even at functions such as the beach party. It came naturally to Tsukiko to work a room, but Chase was a valued friend, and he was high profile in his own right. Knowing that, Chase was still one of the few people in this world that she had no interest in using as a pawn to get a leg up in regards to her career. The thought may have crossed her mind when they first met, as she was a very fresh face to the celebrity scene, but as she got to know him all thoughts of using him to her advantage had vanished. He truly helped her through a really dark time, whether he was aware of just how much he changed her bleak worldview or not. She knew she was good at faking a smile, she'd spent a long time perfecting that art after all, but he also had an uncanny ability to see through such things. Not only that, he proved in the car that he could say extremely touching things effortlessly. Tsukiko wasn't sure where exactly they broke even in ability, but it kept her on her toes.
Just as she thought the two of them could tear away from her fellow pop idols for a peaceful moment to themselves, a Japanese pop idol grabbed her arm, a senior in the business, therefore her... senpai?
I think that is correct... The older girl invited them to join a game that all of the older idols were playing. Tsukiko wasnât interested but knew it was incredibly rude to decline an invitation from one's senior. The media always caught wind of such things, so with a sigh, Tsukiko smiled weakly to Chase,
âUp to a game?â She slowly joined the circle, still loosely holding his hand as the Japanese idols made room for them. Had Tsukiko known what the game would be, she might have been less inclined to keep Chase by her side.
âThe game is Suck and Blow, so I hardly believe I have to explain the rules,â the Japanese girl that invited them announced in English, then continued in Japanese,
âBe careful not to drop the playing card as you pass it.â She winked to the group, demonstrating how it is done with a girl beside of her. Tsukikoâs eyes widened a bit, realizing that if she or Chase dropped the card it was very likely they would kiss. Accident or not, that thought brought her quite a bit of anxiety. Theyâd never kissed before. On the cheek? Plenty of times, Tsukiko and Chase were both highly affectionate people, especially when partying. Still, regardless of how wild their adventures got, they never crossed the boundary, not once! Their relationship had always been innocent.
Was this karma finally catching up with her? What were the odds that the game would involve potentially kissing the person beside of you after her confusion earlier that day? Tsukiko assured herself once again that she only saw Chase as a friend, that wires had simply crossed and it would pass, but knowing how close their faces would be, watching as people passed the card, she felt as nervous as she was the day she lost her virginity to Mikoto. Taking a sharp breath in as the card grew ever closer, Tsukiko felt as though every ounce of experience, every drop of her confidence had been expelled from her body.
...Why? What the hell was wrong with her? She couldnât tell if she was feverish, after drinking it was futile to even try to guess. Still, she wasnât the type to back down, sheâd do this, she had to. Her reputation was on the line. Too many of her peers were playing. She was the youngest idol there. She couldnât lose face and she refused to insult Chase in front of them. He was great, but gossip would not care for fact, the truth was irrelevant to these people.
Truth... what exactly is the truth...? Tsukiko asked herself, unsure of her situation. Was she seriously starting to crush on Chase? As in... Chase, her best friend? Did this feel different because unlike the vast majority of the guys that she consorted with, Chase was genuinely a nice guy? Finally, it was their turn, Tsukiko accepting the card without issue from the guy before her, sucking it tightly to her lips as she turned her head to transfer it to Chase.
As honey eyes met gorgeous oceanic eyes, the normally confident girl felt her heart pounding at her ribcage, threatening to burst right through. Leaning in she tried to focus on the card, everyone in the circle fading away...
Waking up with a start, Tsukiko could feel the cold sweat on her skin. The events from the night before having replayed in her dream. As her head was pounding like it was being continuously struck by a hammer, the idol quietly slipped out of her bed that Chase still occupied, rubbing her temples. What happened next? She couldn't even remember how they got home... Taking a drink from the glass on her nightstand she took the Tylenol beside it, smiling to herself. There was a second set prepared, and if she had to guess, Miyuki prepared them for the two Airdalen students. Putting her knuckles to her lips, Tsukiko was touched, nearly giggling at her uptight manager's display of kindness. She knew that he did not approve of the mischief that she got into, or that she let Chase spend the night, especially in her bed, but the fact that he extended his kindness to him regardless of his personal feelings warmed her heart.
Just a big softie, eh Miyuki-sama?
As Chase was still asleep, Tsukiko slipped away to take a shower. Discarding her new swimsuit and tossing into the hamper, the hot water felt so amazing on her skin that Tsukiko softly hummed. Once she had run out of hot water, Tsukiko slipped out and into her clothes, putting on a long, satin nightgown. She located Chase's school shirt on her way out of her personal bathroom, smiling to herself before slipping it on over her gown. She could smell coffee brewing, aware that he was not particularly fond of the stuff... but she couldn't thrive without it. Tiptoeing out of her room she sought out the intoxicating smell until she almost bumped straight into Miyuki,
"A-Ah, sorry Miyuki-sama." Tsukiko laughed, startled but glad that they managed to not spill from the tray in his hands. One tall glass of orange juice and a mug of coffee,
"I love you." the idol blurted out to her manager. He was obviously taken aback, but the idol simply took her coffee from the tray before taking a long desperate drink, humming again as caffeine fired up her senses. She was unaware of how much she flustered her manager, placing her coffee back on the tray. Taking it off of his hands, she took it to her room, placing it on the nightstand before crawling back in the bed with Chase.
Unintentionally, she took a moment to just take in his peaceful, sleeping form. With the light trickling in from the curtains, he looked practically angelic. Color surfacing to her cheeks, Tsukiko shook her head banishing those unwelcome thoughts, the mischevious girl finally leaning in, but blew on his left ear rather than waking him by shaking him awake, where was the fun in that?
"Wake up~" she practically sang. Her hair was in a high, messy ponytail and his shirt unbuttoned over her nightgown, but she wasn't concerned about the state of her attire. Chase had always been one of the few people that had seen Tsukiko without a full face of makeup and wearing designer clothes. She didn't feel like she had to doll up in front of him, she always felt safe when he was around... and that was absolutely terrifying.
When she first felt her shoulder claimed by an unknown source before she could make it close enough to Miyukiâs car to escape, Tsukikoâs panic was beyond belief. She ended up dropping her own bag in her moment of fear. She wasnât sure who would have ran toward her and grabbed her, but her fear turned to relief at the sight of a familiar pair of bright blue eyes. Her expression of terror morphed into one of pure joy, something that very rarely crossed her features genuinely.
It was confirmed that the person standing before her was truly him when he spoke her name without even bothering to use honorifics. Before she could move in to embrace him, he beat her to it. While she was tall for a girl her age, he had always been a bit taller. Due to her height Tsukiko had not been lifted off of her feet often, an embarrassing squeal of surprise escaping her before she could nullify it. Her composure as a confident and dominant person completely cracked as he spun her around,
âChase!â She scolded him, but couldnât stop herself from giggling, unable to keep a sternness to her tone.
He had made her a little dizzy, so even after she was on her own two feet she held onto his arms,
âYou scared me! I didnât know you were a student here. Wait, does that mean weâre classmates?â She couldnât quite stick to one trail of thought but ended her openly voiced thoughts as she asked as the pieces began to fall together. How did she not notice that? She was excited to finally see him again. While they only were able to hang out briefly amongst their respective travels, they had spent a lot of time together when they could. Chase, despite his extreme good looks was one of the only guys she had never hit on. Though now that she was looking him over... he had gotten taller.
Her right hand measured their height difference. He nearly had half a foot on her now, her gold eyes widening a bit in surprise,
âYouâve gotten taller since I last saw you.â She suddenly felt small as she had to tilt her head up to look at him now. It forced her to accept that he wasnât exactly the middle school boy she remembered.
Too caught up in reminiscing, Miyuki interjected their reunion by clearing his throat loudly,
âMust I remind the both of you that just because paparazzi hasnât located you yet, does not mean itâs safe to embrace each other out in the open like this. Please get into the car if you wish to continue this... whatever it is you are.â He sighed in displeasure. Miyuki was never able to control Tsukiko, and she had snuck out to see Chase several times in the past. For a long time Miyuki was under the impression that they were romantically involved but he soon figured out they were close friends. Not that he understood how they had become so close in such brief and scattered encounters.
âWant to go on a date with me?â Tsukiko chimed playfully, but it wasnât the seductive playfulness she used when attempting to trap a guy in her web, she had dropped her façade and was genuinely excited. Though her offer of a âdateâ wasnât in the literal romantic sense, she didnât clarify either,
âThereâs this beach party tonight I was invited to and I hadnât chose my plus one yet~ We can go shopping for our swimsuits!â she let out the hook, knowing that he was as big of a fan of a good time as she was and adored shopping. There were perks to knowing oneâs target and she was confident that she knew him well enough to reel him in. She wasnât sure how much their friendship would change now that they attended the same school, but for now, she was just happy to see him and wanted to enjoy his company.
Tsukiko slid into the back seat of the car, leaving enough room for him to join her if he felt so inclined,
âOr did you get boring while I was away?â She threw out a small teasing challenge, quirking her brow. She didnât actually mean it, simply trying to provoke a reaction out of him. While she wouldnât admit it, part of the reason that she wanted him to go because she was actually very wary of beach or pool parties. She couldnât swim, a fact she had managed to hide from public knowledge. Plus there would be bikinis and underage drinking. If someone saw her alone and decided to throw her in the water it could end badly. Besides, Chase had grown into a very attractive guy. She was thrilled to have him as a friend, but she didnât mind having him as arm candy for the night either. In the end the choice was his and she would respect it, even if she was subtly dying to spend some time woth him to catch up. This was exactly the boost she didnât know she needed, but now that he was in her sights, she wanted to monopolize him at least for the night. It wasnât often that she offered to pay for one of her âdatesâ, in fact, now that she thought about it she never had. That was information she planned to keep to herself. It didnât mean anything, they were simply two friends who had grown up in a lot of ways. What had it been... a year? Two? It was far time that they caught up and to her, a beach party felt like the perfect setting considering she met him on the beach in the first place. It just felt too perfectly timed. In all honesty it was just a party she was invited to in order to bolster her almost nonexistent Japanese popularity, she needed to be seen mingling amongst Japanese celebrities.
Charm: +1 to Chase
Popularity: +1 to Chase
While it was a little presumptuous, Tsukiko didnât suspect Chase would say no. She had to stress to herself that he could possibly have other plans. It wasn't something she was used to where the tall blond male was concerned, but it seemed that many things had changed and besides, running into each other this time was completely by accident, like a strange twist of fate. Miyuki often preached to Tsukiko to never assume anything, but she was hoping that Chase would accept her offer nonetheless. While she could rely on Miyuki to keep her safe at the party if she REALLY needed someone, she did not wish to do so if it was avoidable. While he wasnât entirely a buzzkill, he always ended up acting like one whenever her wellbeing was concerned.
âHow can I refuse?â
Eh? The way he smirked at her offer and accepted the invite made her blush, one of the few times she had ever in Chaseâs presence. Tsukiko felt the familiar warmth rush through her, unaware that her cheeks were flushed. Her lips curled up, a huge smile capturing her features. It wasn't the kind of smile she practiced for photos, the Duchenne marker noticeable, something that was not present in her photos as Mae Seung Jin. It was impossible to stop it though. She wasn't conservative like her parents or the rest of the Kitogawa family, far from it. While Koreanâs and the Japanese were not typically open to expressing emotion in excess, her time in other countries had molded her into a bold young woman and a liberal. As Chase seemed to pause before fully sliding into the car, Tsukiko tilted her head as she looked up at him, baffled by his half-in and half-out position.
âI promise as your honored plus one, we'll have the time of our lives tonight.â
For a moment Tsukiko was shaken by his sincerity, her already flushed cheeks further darkening, but shook it off. It had simply been too long. Nearly two years... a lot had changed and she couldn't help seeing him a bit differently. He had grown in a lot of ways, and while he was still recognizable as the boy she spent every moment she could with when they wound up in the same cities, it was impossible to ignore how he had grown up. As he called someone, Tsukiko brushed a hand through her hair. Leaving it down meant she had to fuss with it more to keep it presentable.
âOh Anzu, gomen ne. I am spending time with a good friend so I will not require travel arrangements today. Please take care of the house in my absence. Arigatou. I will see you tomorrow.â
Avoiding listening in was unavoidable as they were next to each other. He doesn't plan to go home? Does that mean he wanted to stay the night with me at Miyukiâs place or... does he have plans with someone else later? It was difficult to contain her jealousy that was daring to flare up at the thought, even though they had never been romantic with one another, she didn't like to share. As childish and illogical as it was, Tsukiko was like a stubborn child refusing to share her toys. If he wanted to stay, she'd definitely open her home to him. While they had stayed with one another when they were younger the prospect of doing so now made her a bit nervous as memories of her most recent tryst with one Miyamoto, Kazuki. While she knew nothing would happen between herself and her dear friend, it was impossible to see him as just the young boy she remembered. Even as she felt herself grow a bit nervous, Tsukiko refused to turn him away. He was her only cherished friend, however, so Tsukiko shoved her thoughts into a little box and refused to acknowledge them any further. Humoring it would only breathe life into what she was feeling and she was certain it was not something she should explore. They were friends. He was the only one she had, she was just confused, it would fade after she adjusted to all of the changes. ...It has to...
âEverything has been taken care of on my end.â
It took Tsukiko a moment to adjust as she settled her gaze back on her best friend. His eyes had always been her favorite feature of the Hawaiian. Blue. It was not a color she often saw in Korea, at least where eyes were concerned. Brown, like her own, was the norm, âLovely, Iâve always enjoyed having you all to myself.â Tsukiko laughed, only half joking. The pinkette was a very possessive person, whenever she had company of the male variety she truly wanted their undivided attention as much as possible.
âTell me, what have I missed?â
Upon feeling their shoulders come into contact, Tsukikoâs eyes widened just a bit. She wasnât too surprised though as Chase often stayed close during a conversation, âWell... I began a music career, I am working on my second album, the first outside of Korea and this time in Japanese as I moved to Japan. I made Miyuki-sama agree to let me stay a year so my studies are not affected.â Tsukiko explained before blinking a few times rapidly, realizing that sheâd rambled on quite a bit. Her hand then fell to his knee, giving it a soft squeeze despite the racing of her heart. It wasnât the first time sheâd done this, they were so close in their younger years and neither of them were afraid of affection, âGomen ne~ I didnât mean to make it all about me. How have you been, Aein? [Korean for: Sweetheart, couple, lover]â Tsukiko asked, turning the conversation to him. This was something she often did after the loss of Mikoto, talking about herself was not something Tsukiko particularly enjoyed, but she humored Chase a bit more than others. He knew her story about her dead ex-boyfriend. One time a younger, inadvisably drunk Tsukiko had confessed everything she was denying sober, every detail she denied.
Due to their conversation, Tsukiko didnât even note that they were in motion, and meanwhile, Miyuki drowning the teens out as best he could despite his protective nature where Tsukiko was involved. While he wasnât especially fond of ANY male that came close to the K-pop idol in his charge. He was expected to take care of her in this country that was so foreign to her. She hadnât been to Japan in many years, but it was Miyukiâs home. Heâd lived there a majority of his life. As her, manager it was natural to want to protect her but he also watched her grow. He found her when she was quite young, molded her into the young lady she had become, he couldnât help seeing her as his own daughter. He couldnât toss aside his instinct to protect her.
As they made it to a shopping center, Miyuki sighed, handing each of them a beanie cap and sunglasses, âIn and out, understood? Donât dawdle. As both of you are aware pictures are quite damning. Please exercise caution for both of your reputations, but Mae Seung Jin, unfortunately, has much more to lose as a woman.â The dark haired man sighed, obviously frustrated by the double standards and high expectations of idols in Asian culture. It wasnât fair but it was a cruel reality nonetheless.
As his hand returned to the bed, Tsukiko took a quiet breath in. It made it a bit easier to think, she didn't blame Chase for the situation, hell, she didn't even blame herself. It was a party, things got out of hand, it was bound to happen sometime. Honestly, it was a huge surprise that it never had in the past, it was probably a miracle or just dumb luck, but the fact was that it
did happen last night and she was unable to forget it. She could remember a lot of issues in their friendship over the years. Insecure partners that didn't understand their special brand of friendship, paparazzi drama, running from the police after a wild party, and each had their own personal issues with family and the like, but they always got through it. Nothing they had been through together had been nearly this tough for her to navigate. She felt like she was grasping at straws, and she was terrified of losing her best friend, well, her only friend. She wasn't an easy person to get along with given how she held a general hatred toward other girls, how she had to be the center of attention with guys, Tsukiko was a handful that most wouldn't want to touch with a ten-foot pole. While she was a generous spender when it came to her paramours, she was pretty needy in regards to affection and attention, starved for it really.
It was a problem, her behavior, it was risky, she knew that. Tsukiko wasn't entirely proud of herself for how she behaved, but it filled a void she couldn't address, one that was too painful to admit she even had. Rather than talking about it, healing, Tsukiko chose to drown it out with parties, with guys, even if none of it ever lasted, even if she wasn't interested in the guy at all aside from him being a distraction from her pain. It wasn't healthy, but it was working, more or less. She didn't have to face the real issue as long as she kept her loneliness well fed. However, this time, it wasn't simple. If things got too real, if she felt herself even remotely catching feelings, Tsukiko would drop a guy just as fast as she plucked them out of a crowd and she felt no remorse doing it. Chase wasn't someone she could simply discard like that. Even if she could, she wouldn't be able to move on about her day as if nothing happened. She would feel guilty, and in all honesty, she didn't want to do it.
This was hard on Chase as well, Tsukiko knew that. He was a people pleaser, he always put others first, to a fault, she often would scold him for it, but it never changed anything. It was who Chase was, and honestly, it was part of the reason he was so difficult, why he was such a threat to her version of the status quo.
He's...always been too nice. Like... No! Don't think about him. You can't. Tsukiko harshly reprimanded herself as her thoughts dared to veer to her relationship with Makoto. While Chase was his own person, the two boys were both insanely kind, understanding, warm. Makoto wasn't ridiculously attractive like Chase, she'd met him before her time as an idol, but they had that much in common. Enough to trip her up like this, to dredge up the painful memories and trauma that kept her from ever having a meaningful relationship, meaningful friendships, or anything worth true value really.
"It wasn't your fault. You know how... parties can be."Nodding ever so slightly, Tsukiko agreed. Parties were their own entity, and it was unpredictable what turn a party would take. They were volatile, and they quickly got out of control in the wrong hands, or the right ones, depending on one's perception and tastes. As she saw his facial features tighten, Tsukiko noted he was still struggling with his hangover. This was horrible timing, the conversation should have happened later, when they were both prepared, less hungover, but it had already begun. Shutting it down now, it didn't feel like an option, she wasn't sure what would happen to them... but it also felt like it would do them no service to not be at one hundred percent.
"I was the one who made the first move and if you say... sorry then.."He's going to apologize... it isn't his fault either though. It was impossible circumstances! This is a mess... Tsukiko thought to herself, torn from her thoughts as he grew ever closer, much like the night before. Her body froze, her heart beating so hard she thought it might explode if their lips did happen to make contact. Wetting her lips, her breath hitched again in her nerves. The thought of kissing again wasn't unpleasant, she wanted to do it as well. Chase wasn't alone in that regard, as much as real intimacy terrified her she wanted the same thing, but she knew she shouldn't. Couldn't. It would only make things messier, make her relationship with Chase harder, it would complicate her friendship in ways she didn't feel she was ready for. She wasn't girlfriend material for a nice guy like Chase, she would only hurt him. She wasn't equipped to be a 'good' girlfriend. He was too good for her in every way. Still, logic was not in the room, so Tsukiko closed her eyes. She was the farthest thing from a model of self-control. She was impulsive, selfish, childish, so it came as a relief when Chase shut the moment down, as she didn't have the discipline to do so herself, or the heart. The last thing she wanted to do was reject him in such a delicate moment, but it felt like either choice would damage things. If she pursued this with him, she would undoubtedly hurt him, she was no good, a flirt and a tease. She enjoyed attention of men far too much, she was hardly ever faithful to her 'boyfriends' after Makoto, purposefully choosing bad boys because it was easier to do as she liked. They seldom cared what she did, and if they did, it was for their pride or reputation, not because they genuinely cared for her. Chase...he cared too much, too deeply... and she would surely make mistakes that would rip him apart. She would ruin it. It was the only thing she knew how to do.
"Don't be sorry, Tsukiko.. okay?"
The hug was too reassuring, Tsukiko felt unsanctioned tears sliding down her cheeks. The girl seldom cried, but she was so relieved, and his embrace was too comforting, her emotions got the best of her. She was sorry, regardless of his reassurance that she had done nothing wrong. He was too good, too nice. She didn't deserve him, even as a friend. How in the world did she get so lucky to have such a person in her life? Even as a friend, she felt unworthy of the person holding her. As much as she wanted to say something, to reassure him too, there was a knot in her throat. She couldn't get words out through her tears, so she simply returned his embrace, her long slender fingers releasing the sheets to wrap her arms around him. With one in his hair and the other shoulder blade, Tsukiko clung on tightly, as if he might fade away if she let up even a little.
"It was a lot of pressure but it's over now. We'll be okay. I'm here for you."Biting her bottom lip and releasing it, Tsukiko let out a weak laugh,
"Me too." she agreed. It was scary, they'd pushed beyond her comfort zone, but she couldn't let go of him. He was too important. She knew she wasn't being fair. She had kissed back that night, hadn't tried to shut it down... She had been feeling a kind of way for some time but lied to herself that it was normal.
I'm the worst... how could I catch feelings... He deserves a lot better. Tsukiko reminded herself. She ruined one amazing guy, she wasn't going to let herself destroy another one,
"O-Oh, we should go back to the mall. I have some shopping to do for my Kris Kringle, and well, Christmas in general. The bathroom is over there. I'll grab you something to wear." Tsukiko stammered, trying to get them out of the current atmosphere. If they were among people again, perhaps they could start putting what happened behind them that much quicker.
RPG
