Title: EVERYBODY’S GOT SOMETHING TO HIDE EXCEPT ME AND MY HONEYStarring: Yamashita Tomohisa and Inoue Mao and A LOT of other famous people
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Love/comedy
Disclaimer: No I don’t own Yamapi (though I wish and pray hard I do) or Mao. I am not whatsoever affiliated with JE either. It’s fiction. Look it up in the dictionary.
Chapters: ?
CHAPTER 10Mao wasn’t sure if she really slept soundly through the night. She was sure she was awake when she heard Yamapi talking discreetly on his phone and she didn’t know is she slept after that. It got her thinking after hearing him say the words photographers, Johnny, and quitting. She squirmed under his arms and opened her eyes to see that it was about to be morning. It was minutes before the actually sunrise. She looked at him, who was peacefully asleep. She searched under the covers for her clothes but she only found his shirt, so she slipped it on her. For no apparent reason, she crawled under the covers to get out of bed. She then reached the floor and got on all fours looking for the missing pieces of her clothes. After she was able to collect everything, she saw his phone lying on the floor. She opened it and looked for Akanishi’s number. She peered at Yamapi to make sure he was still asleep before copying Akanishi’s number to her phone.
“I knew something was wrong.” she whispered to herself after successfully saving it to her phone.
She sat on the floor, thinking about Yamapi. It was clear that he had a problem, and his problem was her problem too. Why didn’t he tell me something was wrong? she thought, biting her nails. She needed to know what was really happening, so she opened her phone and attempted to dial for Akanishi, but then…
“Oi.” Yamapi said, sitting up, with a massive bed head.
Mao covered her legs immediately, since she hasn’t really put on her clothes yet and was only wearing his big shirt.
“Don’t look!” she cried, covering herself.
Yamapi arched his eyebrows and peeked at her.
“I’ve seen you a lot more naked than that last night.” he pointed out, scowling.
“That was last night. What happens at night stays…in the night. Now close your eyes.”
“Why?”
“Just close them”
“Fine, fine.”
Yamapi closed his eyes obediently before she turned around and speedily put on her clothes piece by piece. When she was almost done, she turned to him to make sure he was still closing his eyes but when she did, he was looking at her, with his head tilting to the side.
“Aaaahh!” she yelled and threw a slipper at him, which he easily dodged.
“You pervert!” she snapped, after successfully pulling her shorts up.
Yamapi had to laugh as he got out of bed and walked towards her.
“Then you slept with a pervert last night.” he said, yawning.
“Pervert boyfriend.” she told him.
“What’s so wrong? I already know every inch of you too well, we did it twi—“
She put her hand over his mouth.
“Okay, enough.” she said.
“Last night was special. We celebrated all your favorite holidays together.” he said, putting his hands on her face.
“We didn’t celebrate Christmas.”
“Yes we did.”
“No we didn’t. We stopped at Valentines.”
“No, no. We celebrated Christmas after that. We celebrated it twice, if I remember correctly.” Yamapi said with a boyish grin and Mao hit his stomach.
“Merry Christmas.” he whispered and hugged her.
She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes.
“Pi…why did you bring me here and celebrate holidays? Is it because there’s a problem and you’re running away from it?”
“No.”
She fastened her arms around his waist tightly.
“I there’s a problem you’d tell me right? You won’t shoulder it all by yourself right?”
Yamapi nodded.
Mao prevented herself from shedding tears, because she knew he was lying.
They headed back early, because Yamapi wanted to meet with News and discuss something. Mao had a feeling she knew what it would be about. The whole car ride home she was unusually quiet and absent-minded. She was in the car with him, but her mind was elsewhere. She pretended to sleep too, but she was just really thinking of a way to help him deal with whatever it was that was troubling him. When they got back to the city, he dropped her off and told her he’d come by late at night. Yamapi noticed a couple of photographers lurking nearby again when he drove off. As he passed by them, he gave them the finger before speeding off. Mao sat in her living room and stayed still for a couple of minutes. She was still wearing his shirt, because he had insisted on her keeping it. She smelled it and it smelled exactly like him, it was as if he was wrapped around her. Se opened her phone and began pressing. She held it to her ear with a worried look on her face.
“Hello?” the voice on the other line said.
“Akanishi-san. This is Inoue Mao. I don’t know if Pi mentioned—“
“Yeah Pi mentioned you. In fact you’re all he talks about.”
She paused and smiled softly.
“Sorry. Are you busy?” she asked.
“No…why?”
“I need to talk to you. It’s about Yamapi. It’s kind of important.”
“Wait, is this about his ex girlfriends, because I only know 6 of them I have no idea about the—“
“No, no. It’s something else.”
“Oh. Okay then. I guess I can meet you.”
“Right. Don’t tell Pi about this.”
“Got it.”
They decided to meet where she and Yamapi first studied together, in the mini park near the TBS building. Akanishi would be the answer to Mao’s questions and he was the key to the solution of their plight. Mao arrived first, and Akanishi, who is rarely on time when it comes to meetings, only came after a good five minutes after the allotted time. He hot out of his car looking either tired or hung over, but it didn’t matter which, since he’s always both. It was their first meeting, so they exchanged polite greetings and bowed courteously.
“Thank you for coming.” she said as they sat at a mushroom table.
“No problem. What is this about?”
Mao decided not to beat around the bush and be straight to the point.
“We’ve been found out right, Yamapi and I? Johnny-san found out and he wants him to stop seeing me right?”
Akanishi didn’t want to be blunt, but he had no choice but to be honest with his beast friend’s girlfriend.
“Yeah. That’s about right.”
“Yamapi wants to go against his wishes. Truth be told, I don’t want to give in either. His personal life has nothing to do with his career.”
“The rule does suck, and the system is a bit harsh but I guess it’s also for our own good. Look, Mao-chan, I am not against you or your relationship with Pi. I’ve never seen him this happy and….weird. But HE is a scary place. In JE, we have to make certain sacrifices. We can’t just act as we please, because we are under a microscope. People are scrutinizing us and we to live up to the image they have for us.”
Mao fiddled with her fingers and shifted in her seat.
“What happens if…if he defies Johnny? What will happen if he continues to be with me even though the whole world already knows?”
“I don’t really know, but I’m sure it will not be good. The least I can say is that there’s a possibility there will be mass suicide. If Pi ever decides to quit JE…” his voice trailed off, as if he was afraid to continue his sentence.
Mao looked at him, waiting for a flicker of hope in his next words. But it seemed as if the more he talked, the more she lost hope.
“Pi can’t quit. At least we can’t let him. He’s been in JE for most of his life, I mean, it’s his home. It’s our home. That home made him and he can’t just abandon it. If he leaves, he has nowhere else to go.”
Mao cast her gaze down. Which would Yamapi choose to leave: his home for most of his life that made him big, or her, whom he only knew for a couple of months. The question sounded ridiculous in her head, she wanted to cry and laugh at the same time.
“Of course he won’t leave. I won’t let him either.” she said quietly. She wasn’t a selfish person, she didn’t want him to ruin his career for her.
“Mao-chan. Please understand that I’m not trying to keep him away from you. I personally want you two to get married someday. Someday. But as for now, the two of you are vulnerable to the media. You are one of the most respected actresses today and Pi is considered as a demigod in the whole country. Now that some sleazy tabloid reporters know, this thing is going to blow up soon if you two continue to be seen together.”
Mao smiled at him, but he could tell through her eyes that smile wasn’t a happy one.
“You are a good friend. I’m glad Pi has someone like you, who is very concerned about him. Thank you, Akanishi-san.” she said feebly.
“Uhm…what’re you going to do now?”
“I guess I’m going to do what’s good for everybody.”
Akanishi looked at her, knowing what she was implying.
“And by that, you also mean nobody gets hurt in the end right?” he asked, worried about her and his best friend.
“Sacrifices always involve pain, ne?” she said, rather casually, covering up the pain that was slowly building up inside her chest.
Akanishi showed a small assuring smile.
“You two will go far. It would be like pausing a CD. If you can put everything on pause now and wait for the perfect time, in the future, you can press play and continue where you left off.” he said, trying to draw a silver lining for her.
She let out a tiny laugh. Akanishi had never heard the saddest laugh in his life until now.
“Actually I’ve noticed he’s been troubled lately. He didn’t tell me about Johnny or the pictures or anything. He’s been facing this alone without telling me. I have to end this for him. He’s been pressured enough.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“If he’s at stake, I’ll do anything.”
He looked at her in admiration. No wonder Yamapi was so head over heels for her, he thought.
“I’m sorry this has to happen to you.” he said consolably.
“It has to happen sooner or later, ne. Akanishi-san, honto arigatou for being here. I’m going to be able to save him now.” she said, half-laughing. They stood up and shook hands.
“Mao-chan. Thank you. Please take care.” he said sincerely.
Her lips curled into a smile, a beautiful yet heartbreaking smile. Mao got into her car and went back home, where she curled up in her bed for a long time. Yesterday she was blissful. They both were. It seemed as if they were going to stay like that forever but as it turned out, their happiness would be short-lived, just like Yamapi said about his curse. She didn’t realize that she’s been in bed for the whole day thinking about him and how she would tell him. She hasn’t eaten lunch (and after she realized it was dark already) and dinner as well. You can do this, Mao, she told herself. You’re an actress, you’re a pro, you can do this. She already promised herself she would not cry—it would only make her feel worse. She practiced the scene in her head over and over again and tried to control the tears. She wasn’t doing such a good job at that. She made a mental list of Yamapi’s negatives, like, he’s kind of a pervert, that he’s cranky in the morning and that he pinches her a lot. It was so that she wouldn’t get too depressed at the idea of losing him. But no matter how hard she tried to make the list long, she was still pained and if possible, grew more and more depressed. She looked in the mirror and fixed her hair.
“Do it for Pi-chan.” she said aloud, trying to cheer herself up. Just then, a knock came on the door. She braced herself and went to get it.
“Whoa. You look pale.” Yamapi said to her as she opened the door. She quickly touched her face and fanned herself.
“Really? I must’ve overslept or something.”
Yamapi touched her forehead, and the warmth of his hand on her skin made it harder for her than it already is.
“I have to go to the bathroom. Sit down, we have to talk.” she said then sprinted to the bathroom. She turned on the faucet and splashed water on her face sloppily.
“Daijoubu, daijoubu. It will be just like taking off a band-aid. Quick and painful.” she told herself, blinking away the water and the tears that came too early.
She rubbed a towel on her face viciously and went out. He was seated at the dining table, and she slowly walked towards him. She had to start acting now.
“Pi-chan.” she said as she sat with him.
“Nanni?”
“Uhm… my manager called today. And it looks like she found out about us. Someone had told her, and she asked me if it was true…and I said yes.” she began, sounding calm and nonchalant. Yamapi listened intently.
“And she said that, even though she is not against it, she advises me that it’s not a good idea to be dating co-stars now at this point in my career, because as it turns out…I’m one of the most eligible actresses today. So…I should live up to that title.” she paused for a moment, trying to recall the next line that she had practiced in her head.
“You are also in the same situation as me, ne. So the two of us are clearly a disaster waiting to happen. It dawned on me this afternoon while I thought about what my manager said, that I think it’s good for us to…break up.” she finally said the main line, but she felt as if the hard part was yet to come. Yamapi stared and blinked.
“Nanni?” he simply asked.
“Break up.”
Yamapi scoffed at her but she remained timid, showing no signs that she was joking.
“Are you serious?”
“I thought about it the whole day. You aren’t allowed to date and I am strictly advised to focus on my career just like you, and I’m a pro, Pi. I think the right thing to do is put our careers first more than anything. What we have now…an wait—“
Yamapi got up from his seat and held her face.
“Mao-chan, you’re joking ne? You’re trying to put a mean prank on me because I didn’t close my eyes while you were getting dressed, ne?”
Mao closed her eyes and felt the tears coming. She had to keep calm and maintain her pace.
“Pi, I’m sorry for this outburst. But actually I’ve been contemplating about this for a while now—“
“What’re you saying?! Are you trying to fool me?”
“No!”
“What’re you trying to do?”
“I’m trying to save us.”
“Save? From who? From what?”
Mao stood up and faced him.
“I know we’ve been found out. And I know Johnny probably already knows too. Things are going to get worse of we don’t end this.”
“Would you listen to yourself? Whatever happened to that ‘I don’t want to go’ and ‘Stay by my side always’? Were they all lies?”
No, they were the real more than you’ll ever know, she thought.
“Are they lies?” he repeated.
“Yes, they were lies.” she replied, looking away.
“What else weren’t true? When you said you liked me, that wasn’t true either?”
“That was true. But things have happened and we have to think rationally.”
Yamapi grabbed her wrists and held them tight.
“Do you love me?” he asked.
God, no, please not that question, she thought. Tears began flowing uncontrollably and it streamed down like waterfalls on her cheeks. She didn’t look at him.
“No I don’t.” she whimpered, averting her eyes away from his.
“You’re lying. You’re just saying that to make it easier for me to let go of you but I’m not letting go.”
“No, Pi, I’m not lying.” she simpered, but she knows she was. It was the biggest lie she’s ever told to anybody face to face.
“Yes you are!”
She tried to break free from his grip.
“No, let me go!” she retorted.
He grabbed her into a tight embrace. So tight it was enough to cut off her blood circulation.
“No I’m never letting go.” he said, not understanding everything. His face was hot and his hands were ice cold. Mao sobbed harder in his embrace, though she didn’t hug him back. It wouldn’t make things easier. She tried to compose herself and get back to acting.
“I lied about Koichi.” she said flatly, blinded by the remaining tears on her eyelashes.
Yamapi slowly loosened his hug but still held on to her. Mao looked at him straight in the eye this time, even though it was extremely painstaking.
“When he confessed to me I realized I like him too. I was confused at first and tried to ignore it. But now it’s clear to me.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I figured being with him would be less of a hassle. And pressure-free—“
“Please don’t say things like that.”
“Pi. These past few weeks were great. But we have to grow up and open our eyes. Maybe we’re not really meant to be together.”
Yamapi rubbed his face and ran his fingers violently through his hair.
“Is this what you really want? To hurt me?”
“No, Pi, I don’t mean to hurt you.”
Mao went to her room to retrieve something form her drawer and took it to him—it was the lavender flower that Koichi had given her.
“See this? This is the flower Koichi gave me when he confessed. If it didn’t mean anything to me I wouldn’t keep it.” she said, showing the flower on her palm.
Yamapi took one look at it then sat at where he had seated a while ago. Mo followed him and stood in front him. He looked up at her, before burying his face on her stomach and hugging her waist.
“Even after you’ve said all those things I still don’t want to let you go.” he said, restraining himself from crying.
I don’t want to either, she thought, tears coming out again. She gently slid his arms off her waist and pulled him up.
“You have to go now.” she said through hot, stinging tears.
She realized he had tears streaming down his face as well, and it made her chest want to burst with pain. He held her face again, and slowly leaned in, until their lips touched. He kissed her as tears continued to roll down, but right before she was tempted to kiss him back, she stopped him.
“No, Pi.” she whispered, controlling herself from blubbering. She held his hand and led him to the door.
“Goodbye.” she said, and saying that one simple word made her want to crumble and die.
She opened the door as he slowly walked out, but not letting go of her hand. She tried to pull it back.
“Please. Go home.” she said between sobs. By this time, she was hysterically weeping.
She pulled her hand back, and closed the door and locked it. She buried her wet face into her hands, slid to the floor and cried as quietly as she could. Yamapi stayed on the spot where she had left him at the other side of the door, immobile. He leaned his head on the door.
“I know you can hear me so listen up. Don’t try to be the hero. If you think that you’re saving me for doing this, you’re wrong. I know you were forced to do this.—“
Mao continued to wail silently, hugging her legs on the floor.
“—If you don’t know how much I care about you, how much I think about you then you don’t know anything. By doing this, you’re throwing away the best damn thing that ever happened to me!” he yelled, hitting the door hard with his fist.
Mao closed her eyes and leaned against the door, all curled up.
“You’ll see what a big mistake this is.” he said darkly and marched off.
She heard his footsteps fading away, and even until he left, she continued to cry. She was weak, dazed and lightheaded all at the same time from everything, and all she could do was cry. She even cried herself to sleep that night, hugging his shirt like a safety blanket.
--END OF TENTH CHAPTER--
