Title: EVERYBODY'S GOT SOMETHING TO HIDE EXCEPT ME AND MY HONEYStarring: Yamashita Tomohisa & Mao Inoue and a lot of other famous people
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Love/comedy
Disclaimer: No I do not own Yamapi (though I wish and pray I do) and Mao. I am not whatsoever affiliated with JE either. It’s fiction. Look it up in the dictionary.
Chapters: ?
CHAPTER 4Mao was awoken by the ring of her mobile phone. The moment she felt that her nose was clogged she knew she was sick. She groaned in agony as she tried to reach for her phone with her eyes still closed. She felt hot. For sure she had a fever. She put her phone against her ear.
“He-llo…?” she said groggily, her voice scratched.
“You’re still asleep aren’t you?”
She batted her eyes open.
“Who’s this?” she croaked.
“Don’t ‘who’s this’ me!”
At that, she immediately knew who it was.
“Eh?!” she squealed and sat up. It was Jun, whom she hasn’t spoken to since forever.
“Don’t ‘Eh’ me either!”
“What’s up? You called all of a sudden you surprised me.”
“What’s with your voice?”
“I’m sick. I think.” she said, wondering why she suddenly felt so under the weather. Maybe she got pregnant by hanging out with Yamapi. She always thought playboys like him could get girls pregnant just by looking at their direction.
“You played in the rain last night didn’t you?”
“Eh? Why would I do that?”
She suddenly remembered what happened last night and found the cause, and felt a sense of relief to find out she wasn’t actually pregnant.
“Anyway. We’re inviting you to Arashi’s victory party for the success of the concerts that you never attended.”
“Ha? Nanni? I’ve been busy and the tickets are expensive!” she laughed.
“Eh, what’s with that attitude, of course it’s expensive, that’s a way to help a friend, to buy their tickets and watch their concerts!”
“When is the party?”
“Tomorrow at my house. All the Johnny’s are going to be there. Shun, Abe and Shota are going to be there as well.”
“Should I bring a gift?”
There was a pause.
“You really are a problem child aren’t you?” Jun said, laughing. She laughed along as well.
“You’re not supposed to ask the celebrator whether or not to bring a gift!” he added.
“Then, I’ll give you my photobook as my gift.” she joked.
“I think I already know your face too well to be looking at your photos, ne.” Jun taunted, having fun at teasing her. She cracked up and if he were there in front of her she would’ve hit his arm already. He hasn’t changed one bit.
“Hai, that’s all then.” he said after a round of snickering.
“Okay. I’ll be there.” she promised, even though she wasn’t sure she’d get well by tomorrow.
After they hung up she remembered she and Yamapi had another session. She got out of the bed, and felt as if her body is weighing her down. Her small dog, Hug, greeted her with a bark.
“Good morning, Hug-chan.” she said, stretching.
She felt cold and had to wrap herself with her blanket as she walked around her flat looking for her medicine. She sneezed and coughed multiple times in the process. Then she gave up when she couldn’t find any.
“I guess you’re going to have to take care of me Hug-chan.” she said weakly, petting her dog’s tiny head. Just then her phone rang. It said Yamapi (which she now changed to Pi-chan). She quickly picked it up.
“Pi-chan.” she said, her voice marked with exhaustion.
“Kawaii!” he immediately responded.
Sick as she was, she couldn’t help but smile.
“Gomen ne, but I have to cancel today’s session.”
“Eh? You’re sick aren’t you?”
“Yes. I easily get sick” she sniffed.
“Oh. Did you take medicine already?” he asked, his tone changing.
“No. I don’t think I have one here.” she replied, her voice almost inaudible. She got dizzier and dizzier by the second.
“Eh? Seriously? Aren’t you going to die without medicine?”
“I’ll be fine really.”
“Fine my ass, I’m on my way there. Stay put.” he said, then hung up.
She put down the phone, closed her eyes, and fell asleep. It was the only thing to keep her alive.
She blinked her eyes open when she heard a knock on the door. Hug-chan was barking like mad, it made her head ache more. She sat up slowly, an expression of pain on her face.
“Be quiet, Hug-chan.” she said demandingly as she dragged herself and her blanket to the door. Her hair was all in disarray and she looked haggard. When she opened it, Yamapi’s cellphone camera clicked on her face.
“Perfect.” Yamapi smiled.
“Eh?! Naaaaannnndeee…” she cried as he got in carrying a plastic bag. He showed her her picture and put his phone in front of her face.
“Kawaii, ne?” he said and she tried to grab it but he stretched his arm up high. She tried to jump and snatch the phone but failed.
“Stop jumping, you’re sick.”
“You’re horrible.” Mao made a face at him and gave up.
“Stop being cranky and drink your aspirin.” he said. Fishing out the pack of aspirins from the plastic bag. They sat at the dining table while he presented everything he bought.
“Nissin cup noodles…aspirins for colds, aspirins for cough, oh and chocolate.” he said, pulling out the items one by one as Mao watched.
“Chocolate?”
“In case the medicine tastes bad.”
Mao nodded. Yamapi held out his hand and put it on her right cheek. Mao blinked at him.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Feeling your temperature.” he said as if it was so obvious.
“Yeah but you’re supposed to put your hand here.” she corrected, putting his hand on her forehead.
“I know, I just like touching your big cheeks.” he said casually and opened a pack of aspirins.
“Your fever’s high. Better drink one of these now.” he said, handing her the aspirin, but stopped midway suddenly.
“Have you eaten already?” he asked.
“Mao slowly shook her head.
“I don’t really have an appetite right now.” she said.
“You have to eat something. You can’t drink an aspirin with an empty stomach.” he said, taking the Nissin cup noodles and getting up. Mao got up with him and they prepared the instant noodles together. Hug-chan kept barking at them.
“You have a cute dog. What’s his name?” Yamapi asked while pouring hot water into the cups.
“Hug-chan.”
“He keeps barking at us.”
“It’s because he’s jealous.”
At that, Yamapi he smiled, thinking the dog had a reason to be jealous.
Normally, when Yamapi was in a girl’s house, he’d be doing
different things. This was his first time preparing noodles for a sick girl who he wasn’t even dating. When the noodles were ready, they sat down at the table again and ate together.
“Don’t you have anyone else to take care of you?’ Yamapi asked while chewing.
“My parents are away. Most of my friends are busy. I have no boyfriend, so I take care of myself.” she said, her nose a bright shade of red. Yamapi found it endearing.
“Don’t you have an agenda or itinerary today?” Mao asked, sipping her soup noisily.
“I’m going to rehearse later with News. But for now I’ll be your nurse.” he said perkily.
After their meal, he gave her the aspirin for her to drink and after she did, he pat her head as f she was a kid. Mao then curled up in the couch like a kitten, feeling drowsy.
“I’m sorry if I fall asleep.” she said, yawning.
Yamapi placed a cold compress on her forehead and she shuddered.
“Sleep all you want.” he said, sitting on the chair beside the couch.
Mao had already closed her eyes but was still awake.
“Pi-chan?” she murmured.
Kawaii, he thought.
“Yes?”
“Are you going to Jun-kun’s party?”
“Yes.”
Then she was silent for a while.
“Pi-chan…” she said once more.
It never gets old for him.
“Yes?”
“Sing for me.”
“Eh? Embarrassing!”
“Please…?”
A pretty girl like Mao, Yamapi just couldn’t refuse.
“Alright.” he said. He couldn’t think of a good song so he picked one of his own.
“Daite! Daite! Daite senorita—“
“A low-key song.” she simply said, cutting him off.
“Oh. Right.” he mumbled and mulled over which song to sing as he sat on the floor, in front of Mao. He only picked the first song that came to his mind, so this time he sang his ballad version of Peach. Mao smiled with her eyes closed. He went on until his weird rendition of the song ended. If his version were recorded, it would top the Oricon charts.
He looked at Mao’s sleeping face in adoration. He wanted to pinch her cheeks badly then and there but didn’t dare.
“Kawaii~” he whispered as he looked at her closely, his face only inches from hers.
He turned his back to her and sat with his legs spread on the floor. He heaved a heavy sigh.
“If only it were that easy to date you. I could, I want to, but I’m scared that the happiness it would bring me and you would be short-lived and fleeting.” he paused, then sighed once more. His tone voice was different…discreet and confidential.
“I’ve been with many girls. I could’ve sworn I’ve fallen in love at certain times, but it didn’t matter, because it never lasted. No one lasted. It’s mostly because of me. There’s too much hurly-burly and bluster in my life and it drives them away. They can’t take it. I’m always being watched like a fish in a bowl, always being scrutinized and if I get involved with someone, they also feel that pressure. Maybe that’s why Johnny’s aren’t allowed to date, ne?” he said, as if telling a tragic story. He turned to her and admired every curve of her face. He rested his chin on the pillow that cradled her head.
“Don’t go, Mao-chan…okay? Don’t go like the others did. Maybe I have a curse. A curse that the girls I date will eventually leave. So I can’t date you right now. But even if I can’t date you, I can still like you right? You’d be my friend whom I have a huge crush on, and you won’t leave, because you’re just a friend, not a girl I’m dating. Stay until we figure out how to break the curse. If you could do that, stay and wait as my friend, then that would be great. For now, I want to enjoy your company, so promise me, ne? Promise you’d stay.” he said in a low, hushed tone. He looked at her lips but had to restrain himself. Friends, he reminded himself. Platonic friends. Just then, breaking the moment, his phone rang in his pocket. He flinched in surprise and dug for it before it woke up Mao.
“Hello?” he whispered.
“Pi. We’re about to start. Are you on your way?”
It was Ryo. Damn, he forgot about the rehearsal.
“Yes, I’m on my way.” he breathed.
“Why’re you whispering?”
Yamapi looked at Mao cautiously and made up an excuse.
“I…I’m scared.”
“Heh?”
“I’m on my way, it won’t take long. Bye.” Yamapi said and hung up before Ryo grilled him with questions.
Meanwhile, Ryo looked at his phone with a what-the-hell-was-that kind of face but then smiled wryly.
“He’s probably in bed with her.” he said to himself.
Yamapi carefully stood up from the floor and bent down to say goodbye to the sleeping Mao.
“Bye-bye Mao-chan. Get well and call me when you wake up. Ja ne.” he whispered, then stole a kiss on her cheek.
“Kawaii~” he squeaked quietly, then tiptoed his way to the door. He waved goodbye to Hug-chan before exiting and closing the door.
Just when the door closed, Mao slowly opened her eyes.
--END OF FOURTH CHAPTER--
