Death Note: Bittersweet~Chapter 5

The next day, Yvonne woke up on the couch, in the living room. She stretched and yawned loudly. She wasn't a morning person. In fact, she was quite lazy and comfortable. She often preferred to be alone so that no one would judge her lifestyle. Her family was indeed rich but she wasn't famous. If it wasn't for the big IQ and that creativity of hers she would have ended up on the streets, maybe.

She didn't have any spare clothes and she didn't eat anything since she landed in Japan. She took a shower and dressed in the same clothes. She had to go shopping.

When she left her room, she completely forgot about the man in black and his resemblance to someone she knew. When she walked into the lobby, there was someone waiting for her. She raised an eyebrow but didn't move. The man walked right past her but, subtly, gave her a note.

She didn't even unfold it until she got a few miles away from the hotel. She sat on a bench in the busy Shinjuku and read it. There wasn't much, though. It was written just a room number.

"That's on the 22nd floor" She mumbled to herself. She sighed and placed the note back into her pocket. It was still too soon to make her appearance. She entered the first store and looked for clothes. However, she didn't have much time to look around because her phone started to ring. It was an unknown number.

"Hello. Miss Noeru?" Except the fact that he misspelled her name, Yvonne was still calm. "I'm sorry but the prisoner from cell number 9984 died this morning. You have to come and take his belongings. You are the only person he signed as relative." The whole world seemed to slow down. She stopped and hung up. It all seemed surreal. She knew he was going to die but she wasn't ready. It was too soon. She hoped she could actually find a way to save him.

"But his arrest wasn't made public, was it?" She whispered to herself. She was too shocked to think logically. The LA murder cases were indeed popular back then but…it hurt. It hurt deeper than she imagined. Also, it's been some time since she last felt such emotions.

Her shopping spree ended abruptly. In approximately 2 hours she finished buying clothes for a week and food. Her next stop was the jail. When she arrived there, the guardians were all busy with a few more people. It seemed Beyond wasn't the only one who died that night.

"Are you Miss Noeru?" She nodded to the young guardian. He smiled comfortably and gave her a box. It was pretty light. She also had to sign for it. "You are the girl who visited him yesterday. I'm sorry. He, and several prisoners, died last night of heart attacks. It must have been Kira." She narrowed her eyes at the guardian, making him smile nervously and shut up. She knew already how and who killed her supposedly best friend. "If it makes you feel better, he mentioned you while talking to himself. I'm sorry again for your loss." She sighed and left quickly. She was already sick of pity.

"Fool. Maybe I would have had come quicker if you would have called me." She sighed again and rubbed her eye. She was still sleepy.

That day, she didn't take the cab. She took the bus, which took a lot more. She also had to walk by foot to the hotel. While she was slowly making her way towards what was supposed to be her home for a few weeks, she didn't fail to notice a familiar face.

"Yagami…" She raised an eyebrow and stopped. She couldn't see very well the person he was talking to; that, until she moved a little. Yvonne could swear she had seen that woman before. She titled her head and furrowed her eyebrows, in order to catch a better sight of the woman. Her black her, her height, her clothes, it was all familiar. She gasped when she finally figured it out.

"Naomi Misora…she worked on LA Murder Cases!" She couldn't hear what they were talking about since she was on the other side of the road but she saw Light writing something on a tiny piece of paper and next thing she saw, Naomi Misora was getting further away with a look of depression and suicidal attempt.

Light didn't know Yvonne just found him out. He was joyfully living his accomplishment. However, the Shinigami felt her presence right away.

Hey Light. Look on your right.

He wasn't supposed to enter that game but he couldn't pass the chance.

Light did exactly what his companion informed him to and his platonic face changed drastically. He narrowed his eyes at her but kept his head held high. She just witnessed him acting as Kira and sending Raye Penber's fiancée to death.

She won't tell on you. Much like a Shinigami, she doesn't have the right to impose. She can just watch from side.

That didn't make any difference, though. Yvonne and Light were staring at each other with the same look. However, Yvonne smirked. Just before a car drove by and interrupted their staring contest, her eyes became bloody red. Light didn't move but when the car passed, she wasn't there anymore.

Death Note: Bittersweet~Chapter 3

"Who was that, Ryuk?" Light just got home from his encounter with that strange woman. The Shinigami started to laugh when he remembered. It was fun to watch them interact.

"I'm sorry Light but I made a deal with the Shinigami King. I can't talk about her" That quirked his interest. That meant she was not an ordinary human. There were many possibilities and little time to find out more information.

"Those eyes; her eyes were red. She has the Shinigami Eyes, am I right?" Ryuk chuckled but nodded nonetheless. "How can she have them? Did she make the deal with a Shinigami? Does she posses a Death Note?" The Shinigami stretched his head.

"Well, it is a little more complicated than that. All I can say is that she doesn't have a Death Note. At least not from what I know" Light scoffed. He still had so many questions about that Ivy. She was French yet she could speak Japanese without a problem.

"And what happens if you tell me? You're going to die?" It was supposed to be an insult, an irony but there was no laughter.

"Something like that, yes" Light mumbled something to himself and glared at his unwanted companion. That girl seemed so simple yet she was a mystery. Ryuk wasn't going to tell him so why bother? He was just going to continue what he started.

On the other side, Yvonne didn't go to the hotel. She had other business to attend to. She got off the bus at the next station and took a taxi. Her next stop was rather far by foot. She was indeed tired and the last encounter was interesting enough. She met Kira without even trying. It went pretty well. She tried so hard to act nicely that her checks still hurt. Next, she had to pay a visit to an old friend.

When the taxi stopped, the driver looked confused. She smiled reassuringly and paid him. She was very small next to the intimidating entrance. She walked in without much fuss. The guardians were a little skeptical to let her go but they couldn't keep her out either.

"This is his cell" The guard gave her a kind smile and pushed the door open. "If there is any problem, please call out." She blinked. There was no nod, no smile, nothing. She wasn't a person that would show feelings. She didn't have a poker face either. She just looked normal and maybe a little parallel to what was happening around her.

She walked slowly into the dark room. It was small but it had a bed and a toilet. The door closed loudly behind her. It was so dark that she couldn't trace him in the room. Luckily, his eyes were pretty much enlightening his figure.

"Look who came to visit" He snickered and walked towards her. His moves were so slow; it felt a lot like he was watching his prey. However, Yvonne was blank. Her figure was lost into darkness. She caught his hand and in just a few seconds, she had him pinned on his bed.

"That's how you welcome your guests?" The man continued to snicker. It wasn't amusing and the force she applied on his body wasn't a joke either yet he was already accustomed to that.

"I didn't think you'd come and visit. The chances for that to happen were under 50%." She chuckled and bent over him.

"Don't be a smartass. You knew very well that I would come, eventually." He scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Does it feel like a déjà vu?" She started to chuckle darkly. In just a flash, she had her hand around his neck, ready to apply enough pressure to suffocate him.

"Don't push your luck, Beyond" Even if his position was the one of a victim, he started to genuinely laugh.

"You won't kill me. I trust you." She raised an eyebrow and titled her head. She leaned even closer to him.

"Trust is a big word for what you have done in the past" He rolled his eyes and pushed her aside, easily. She wasn't a threat; at least not in that moment.

"I've been caught and sent to prison. Even more surprisingly is that I've been transferred to a Japanese prison. I thought you might have had something to do with it but you don't live in Japan." 

She got off him and sat normally on what was supposed to be his bed.

"You think L has something to do with it. I don't know what happened after you got into jail. You practically signed up for it from the beginning." Beyond scoffed lightly and positioned himself weirdly on the bed.

"What do you know, then?" She raised an eyebrow and bit her lip.

"L, probably, sent you to Japan for his own selfish reasons. You two are very much alike in that domain."Beyond narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm pretty sure he already got involved into the Kira case. Maybe he wants your help"

"I'm going to die pretty soon. I'm not stupid, Kaira. The only way I could be saved is if you make another deal and we both know there are slim chances for that to happen." He was a lucid and brilliant genius. Adding to that, he was born with Shingami Eyes. Beyond Birthday could've ended up as either a savior or a murderer. He chose none. However, Yvonne tensed up. It had been some time since she was called that name.

"I don't want to see you die. I can't guarantee for your life, Beyond. You are not a murderer because you killed people who were supposed to die already on the same dates. However, you're a childish prick who had always been blinded by hubris." Beyond didn't look offended at all. He chuckled, instead.

"Look who speaks about hubris and childishness. You use big words for a past like yours. Or maybe you have forgotten who you are?" She glared at him and growled.

"You practically just wanted to show how smart you are, you wanted to commit suicide in the end but someone caught you just in time. You are in prison not because you are seriously dangerous but because you were blinded by superiority issues. If you could have just accepted L as the greatest detective you wouldn't have craved to become the greatest criminal" He didn't want to hear her telling him about his failures even if, in the end, she was right.

"What about this Kira? What do you know about him? Did you analyze him yet?" He was ironic. He really couldn't accept the truth. He was childish and he hated to lose. That was exactly what happened 2 years ago.

"This Kira is not a serial killer. It's just a kid looking for justice in the world. He saw none so he decided to make it on his own. He doesn't know the length of trouble he will get into"

"Then what? Do you want to guide him? Why not give him some advi-ow" She hit him in the head pretty hard. It annoyed him so he got up quickly and hovered over her. She was expressionless. 

"You're lying to yourself, D. You came here for a new life, didn't you? You wanted to be the justice. Are you going to let that kid do your work?" She blinked a few times and started to laugh.

She pushed him away and patted his head. It did annoy him but he also gave in to her hand, like a puppy. He was a criminal, a dangerous one, yet in front of her, he was fun and playful.

"I was cruel and bloodthirsty once. That's why I was able to get closer to you at Wammy's and even befriend you. We shared the same eyes, the same blood lust but you are human and I am not. That's the difference between you and me." He rolled his eyes again but there was something else too. He was getting annoyed and unstable.

"You got accustomed easily with everyone at Wammy's. However, you never showed your true potential. Were you afraid that you will become one of us? Or was L's fault? You were quite close, weren't you?" She hit him again in the leg, making him fall down.

"I still wonder how you softened me up enough to befriend me." She sighed and scratched her check. 

"Do you have something for L? I'm sure you had enough time to write a lot of things in here" Beyond Birthday was a man who knew how to hold grudges and the one he had on the detective was enough for a lifetime. However, he did give her a letter.

"Any last request from me?" He didn't expect what came next.

She kissed him. It came out of nowhere. He couldn't really push her away. She was the only person he ever had close to a friend. The kiss was a symbol for both of them. It meant their friendship but also their goodbyes. They were both lucid and smart people. They both knew that Kira was going to find out about Beyond too. It was all a matter of time.

With one last peck on the cheek, Yvonne turned her back on him and signaled for the guard to come and open the door. She gave one last look over her shoulder and winked.

"See you later, BB." It wasn't funny but he started to laugh loudly. She left him laughing like a maniac.

Music to the Ears (Kana Nishino)

I am obsessed with her songs. Well, these two albums at least. There are songs about love and friendship. I know that her voice is a little annoyong at times because she has a high pitched tone but it's fine. The instrumental parts definitely make up for that.

I don't know how famous she is in Japan but she is good. I don't really know many Japanese female singers so feel free to inform me :)

A Million Lights

“They left us alone” Indeed, after they shared life stories and joked around, Mizuki left with Chris and so, the two subjects remained all alone in front of the restaurant. “That little-“ Nao stopped swearing at his friend when he realized there was no petite figure next to him any more. She started to walk towards the park where the blind date started.

“So your name is Anna.” They were the only souls on that path, walking beside each other, lost into the surroundings. “Nana-Anna- nice word game. Who would have thought I had such a big impact on your life” He continued, trying to liven up the mood. He wasn’t that type of guy who could keep his mouth shut and truthfully, she wasn’t either. They had so much to tell each other and it seems as if there wasn’t enough time. Thinking that they may not meet again after that night, she chose to take the initiative.

“Actually, I never thought I will be haunted by a guy I met coincidentally one day for 4 years.” Even if she spoke easily, the impact on him was huge. He stopped and frowned. The place the two faced each other more seriously just happened to be a small decorative bridge from the central park.

 “Fate is seriously messing with me” She whispered, seeing the situation she was into and where it was taking place.

“I didn’t tell you to give up on anything” He started again while walking closer to her. She didn’t react. “You asked me what happens when you change the reason to keep living. I was foolish when I told you to give yourself into the wind and let yourself be taken by it. It takes you nowhere” Anna’s eyes were staring into Nao’s soul, he could feel it. Her green orbs were reading him like an open book.

“Nao,” His head was bent since her stare was too much to bear. “I’ve been asked what I will do when I will meet you again. Everyone knew for sure that it was inevitable, everyone except me. I was scared to meet you again, I was scared how big of an impact you will have on me this time,” She slowly closed the distance between them. When she was right in front of him, she turned to the left and let herself be submerged into the scenery.

“I-“She interrupted him instantly.

“I don’t regret anything. I don’t regret meeting you, sleeping with you, listening to you. That day was the best day of my life. I tried to convince myself that it wasn’t like that. We were complete strangers; complete opposites and we knew it was the beginning of the end.” She sighed and bit her lips, trying to find the right way to explain her feelings. “It wasn’t what you said that haunted me, it was you” In that moment, Nao’s head raised instantly. He realized she moved her green orbs on him. He couldn’t read her; that fact certainly didn’t change. But, he was intrigued by her point of view over that one day.

“I want you to know…I-“He wasn’t sure if he could voice his thoughts as well as her but he knew he had to show her. He leaned towards her, his eyes never leaving hers. She didn’t move, which he took a sign to continue. Their lips touched and they both felt the attraction, the blood rushing through their veins, the electricity slipping from one body to the other. It was intense but at the same time, it wasn’t.

They remained looking into each other’s eyes in silence. It looked beautiful from the outside. Their bodies were illuminated by the buildings around the park and the place itself was romantic. But, looking closer, they were two people who didn’t know what they wanted from themselves and from the other. They weren’t in love but fate just didn’t want to give up.

The Date

“I guess you look acceptable…” Mizuki eyed Anna from head to toe from the second she came into view. She wore a black sleeveless dress, complimenting her long legs and her collarbone. Over it she had a thin shawl. She had a light touch of grey and dark blue make-upt which highlighted her eyes. Also, since she wasn’t a fan of high heels, she chose a pair of long black boots with shorter heels. She didn’t look as fancy as Mizuki wanted but she was pretty.

“I wasn’t going to dress for a wedding. From your voice mails I realized you will do that but here you are, wearing pants, high heels and a sleeveless shirt.” The older woman scoffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Anna smirked and playfully pushed her friend.

“I got a call from Chris before you came. He said your partner had a few problems to take care of so they may be a little late” Anna rolled her eyes and scoffed. The motion didn’t go unnoticed by Mizuki who slapped her friend’s arm.

“Anyway, Takeshi called me yesterday. He wants us to hang out like old days”

“I know. I also know that won’t happen soon because of our schedules.” Mizuki nodded sadly. It was mostly her fault because she was the busy surgeon. It was hard enough to have that night off and she didn’t know when she will have another chance at freedom.

“Oh, I heard your book gets adapted into a movie. I also heard some hot actors will play in it.” She moved her eyebrows up and down, having what Anna would have called ‘starry eyes’.  “Call me if you scratch your knee on the set.” She nudged the younger woman. Anna started to laugh. Why would she scratch her knee on the set? She was practically just watching everything roll and give adjustments when needed.

While starting to get caught into her own world, Mizuki caught sight of the two awaited men. She inspected them from afar. There was a guy who looked to be around her age with light brown hair, styled in a certain way, dressed quite fashionably and his friend who wasn’t dressed to impress but didn’t look bad either. He was taller than the first one and he seemed to be 100% Japanese. She figured that probably the fashionable one was her date while the one who didn’t seem to have put much effort into his looks was his friend.

“Anna” She whispered when she saw how close they were. Since the brunette didn’t respond, and was actually facing other way, Mizuki pinched her. When she turned, the Japanese woman pointed with her head towards the two males. For a moment Anna didn’t seem very interested but when the boys stopped in front of them, she felt how her breath had just been taken away. Her eyes widened a little and for a second she stared intently at him. Faster than she imagined, she turned her eyes away and tried to avoid looking at him.

On the other side, the taller man got equally surprised. His eyes didn’t widen but he gasped, even though it was unnoticeable. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She looked different, grown up actually, but she had the same wandering green eyes, the same petite figure and the same superior demeanour around her.

“Sorry we were late. This guy here had to run off somewhere just a few hours before the date. He returned right on time, though.” Mizuki was already swiped off by her date. That man seemed perfect from every angle and he had a boyish smile planted on his face. “By the way,” His eyes traveled to Anna who was trying really hard to keep her eyes on the younger male. “I’m Chris, 25 years old bachelor” He bowed cutely and smiled towards the unknown person. “This is my friend, Nao.” He nudged his friend, even though the reaction was very small. “He’s a great photographer; even got awards for his projects!” The sentence was obviously addressed to Anna because he was going to be her date and had to look impressive.

“I’m Mizuki, awesome surgeon” She also bowed towards both guys, politely. “This is Anna. She’s also a great writer.” Anna smiled nervously to Chris but as fast as it came, it disappeared.   

The way to the restaurant was horrible and awkward for both subjects. When he wasn’t stealing glances at her, she would. When Mizuki or Chris would try getting them to talk about random subjects, they would respond fast and with limited words. Chris was mostly talking with Mizuki and was walking besides her, so Anna and Nao were the ones left behind, walking in synch. They didn’t utter a word the whole time and even after arriving at the restaurant, they would be silent. Even though she tried not to care, Nao’s stares were very strong. He would watch her do anything, even ignoring him.  For him, seeing her again meant more than she would have thought.

“So, Anna” Chris saw how awkward his friend was acting and he was surprised he didn’t take the initiative yet, like he would had on other dates. He was silent and would watch the petite woman intently. He had never seen Nao like that so he wanted to know what was so special about that mere writer. “I heard from Mizuki that you actually finished business and management. How come you ended up as a writer?” Anna’s eyes didn’t move nor sparkle. She didn’t care at that moment about Mizuki or Mizuki’s date. The only important thought she had was how cruel life just became for her.

“I made a deal with my parents when I was young. As long as I will give a shot they will support me through a business career. However,” Her eyes slowly travelled to Nao, who surprisingly had his head bent down, his eyes set on his uninteresting and empty plate. “Throughout years I realized I lost my will to inherit the family business so I gave up.” Chris nodded, analyzing in his head the new acquired information.

“And what about your relationship now? I mean, with your parents.”  Anna chuckled and started to play with the fork, making circles on the napkin.

“I gave up on the life of young and rich. I took it from the bottom, like everyone else. The only income was working part time, back then. Now, I am a full time writer and my life stabilized.” She didn’t take her eyes from the napkin. It wasn’t a sad story; it wasn’t like she didn’t know what she was getting into. She didn’t want that rich bachelor’s pity. She was a grown up adult who had every right to do anything she wanted as long as it was for her own good.  

However, even if in her point of view, she was pretty accomplished with the path she chose, Nao wasn’t. He lived that kind of life before, where he would walk aimlessly, looking for a job or for a reason to keep going. He knew she was rich from her attitude but it seemed as if she kept that superiority even after 4 years. Truthfully, he blamed himself. They met when she wasn’t sure what she should do in life and he just nudged her towards a choice that practically ruined her.

“But it’s fine. The first year was difficult, I won’t lie,” She chuckled while remembering how many silly mistakes she used to make. However, that wasn't the climax of her feelings. “I was all alone…” She mumbled, trying to sound as soft as possible so no one would be able to hear.

“What about Nao-kun?” Mizuki was trying her best to keep the conversation going or at least make the two talk with each other. It wasn't going very well. Nao was either shy or not interested whatsoever in Anna. She came to the assumption that maybe they were completely different and didn't like each other at all. With all these thoughts running through her head, in the moment Nao started to talk Mizuki could swear she wanted to slap both subjects hard.

“I started as a freelancer but now I have stable connections. As a photographer I'm always on the run.” He smiled, annoyingly cutely, at Mizuki and continued. “I met a lot of different people and I can’t say I am able to stay somewhere more than a few weeks.”

“ I've seen that…” Anna’s mumble didn't go unnoticed by Nao. His attention was concentrated on her the whole time. He didn't care what Mizuki thought about him as long as afterwards, he could talk with Anna.

“Nao is-how can I explain it- very difficult.” Chris continued, using his hands to describe his friend. He was very suggestive. “He tried to have relationships before, or at least I tried to get him to, but he’s always completely parallel.” The defendant chuckled softly, trying to make it all go away by shaking his head. It didn't work. Chris started to establish Nao’s past relationships which were a nightmare for him but Anna found it quite funny. She would laugh and would actually show more than one facial expression.

“At least you’re enjoying yourself…” This time, he mumbled, while shifting in his seat. He didn't seem to care if she heard, moreover, the complaint was towards her and it didn't go unnoticed. She laughed it off as if nothing happened, but for the first time that night, her eyes sparkled.

Fate

On her way back home, Anna started to question the business she got herself into. She didn't know if she was ready for another ‘one day’ experience and the last time she felt her heart beating faster than normally, she realized it was nothing but an affair. On the other side, she couldn't resist the temptation of the offered chance. She may as well enjoy the time with a man, since she hadn't been around an unknown acquaintance for so long. It was somewhat exciting and she couldn't keep her lips from curving slightly into a grimace.

“In the end, how bad can it get?” She whispered into the wind.

The bright light of the next morning got through the curtains inside the silent apartment, and woke the small brunette up from her slumber. She opened one eye, blinded by the brightness of the sun rays. It was uncommon for her to wake in such an environment since London’s sky was usually occupied with big, fluffy and dark clouds.

After groggily getting out of the bed and doing her morning routine, Anna walked into the kitchen, one hand rubbing her tummy while one hand was going through her already messy hair. She was ready to open the fridge when she heard her phone ringing loudly from the living room.  She didn't feel like walking a few steps towards the coffee table, the distance seemed too long in that moment, so she ignored the continuously ringing and opened the fridge. When she closed the door, she had the cartoon of milk held into the right hand; the left one was hardly stretching its fingers enough for the pack of cheese, bacon and eggs while between her teeth was hardly held the pack of cookies.

The ringing did stop at one point but it started to beep crazily signalling a few new voice mails. All of them were from Mizuki, telling her friend to dress normally but at the same time to be formal because they were going to meet people with high standards. She rolled her eyes at each detail Mizuki started to speak about and each voice mail had something added to the last. At some point, after finishing her breakfast, her phone rang again. Anna was annoyed by how her nice morning turned into announcements over announcements. She was sick of hearing how to dress and how to act, what to say and when to shut up. She was a grown up 25 years old woman, she knew what she had to do. She grabbed the phone and without looking at the caller ID, she responded.

“I don’t want to hear any more about how you want me to behave. Can’t you just worry about yourself?” The tone she used was calm but sounded very strict and cold. The person on the other side frowned.

“Did I say something yesterday?” The caller wasn't Mizuki which meant Anna just embarrassed herself. She didn't speak for a few seconds, taking the time to actually realize who she was talking with. It was her manager.

“ I'm sorry. I thought it’s someone else. I'm really sorry I snapped at you, Sato san.” The man didn't seem very affected by her apology but then, he didn't really get mad.

“Whatever” His response didn't scare or worry the woman. She seemed to calm down and breathe in deeply so she could focus on the conversation at hand. “Today it would be really nice if you could come and meet the staff. They are working on a plan to start working on the movie and I'm sure you will want to be there.”

“Is it optional? Do I really need to come?”

“Yes.” The answer of the manager was short and objective and that was how the conversation continued. He gave her instructions where to go and hung up in a hurry. She groaned, already feeling tired and fell on the couch.

The day progressed weird, in her point of view. She dressed and even read a few passages in the book that she pointed with red. Those were details which had to be included into the movie no matter what.

When she arrived at the studios, there was so much going on, so many people running from one side to the other that she could swear she was back in London at the publishing company. She slipped through the numerous busy humans and hardly reached a door when someone pulled her behind a curtain. From the moment she had been crushed into a tight hug, she knew who kidnapped her.

“Takeshi… we've seen each other a few days ago. I know you miss me but I can’t breathe” The man sighed, discovered. He let her go and messed her hair.

Looking around, she realized he probably pulled her into one of the changing rooms. It had clothes scattered everywhere as well as make up kits and four big tables where the make-up artists and hairstylists were doing their jobs.    

“So I guess you aren't a hotshot designer yet” Takeshi smiled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. He had a purpose in life but he enjoyed meeting and talking to famous people too, even though he was just a mere designer for television shows. “Does that mean you are part of the staff I have to meet today?” He raised an eyebrow, a little uncertain. He was indeed working on the set but he was more surprised that she actually took the time to visit.

“I am. You will meet a lot of people, you know. The hairstylists, the camera men, the light men, the director, the producer, etcetera, etcetera.” At his last words, he made a sign with his hand. She wasn't interested to meet the workers but she was curious to meet the actors and the director personally.

For the few hours she spent walking around with Takeshi, she indeed met a lot of people he knew but she also met, quite coincidentally, the director.

“You have to be Anna! I'm so happy to meet you!” He bowed, politely but somehow she couldn't She had the upper hand because she wrote the plot of his movie and that made her feel superior. “ I'm sorry but our principle actors have been held by their early schedules and couldn't make it.” The curiosity she held until then disappeared fast. She didn't care about anything but the actors. She wanted to know more about their personalities and chemistry. It was a must to have the right chemistry between them, like she had with that man.

"Then, how will I be able to see how they interact?" The older man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He knew how important her word was for his movie since she could retreat her approval any time. That would have made everything troublesome. He also saw how she didn't hold any spark into her eyes, which made him directly think how unimpressed she was. It was just too bad that the principle actors couldn't make it and she didn't know what her role was any more.

"Firstly, there are a few things we have to discuss regarding the script. Watanabe-san has a few questions for you and I'm sure they will degenerate into a whole process. I wanted you to get familiar with everything but we'll just have to start with the hard things." He smiled, that time with more confidence and formality. He was going to be a hard man to handle, she was sure of that.

For about three hours, the director and scriptwriter looked over Anna’s notes and came to the conclusion that she should participate to every meeting held. Her ideas were more realistic than the original script so the director chose to let her make changes where they were needed. It was already six o'clock when she finished her schedule and panicked when she realized she was expected to meet Mizuki in an hour. She pushed the corrected script into the small bag and rushed out the door.

Fate is quite surprising because when she stepped outside the studio, a pair of masculine red converses walked out of the same place. They passed each other but nothing happened. They were so engrossed into their own thoughts that the world around them wasn’t important. They had just one purpose: to meet their friends for a double blind date. 

Bittersweet

For almost half of that day, the work she had went smoothly. She didn’t take any break so she could finish faster. She behaved as nice and natural as she could and she was rewarded with different praises or even gifts. What surprised her even more were the readers themselves. They were young. Their words got her thinking a lot…

“I really like Taka-kun but it’s clear he should have made a move right then!”

“Anna-sama, why did you make Taka-kun and Nana-chan think so much about their relationship?”

“Because of this book, I got the courage to ask out the girl I like”

“Thank you for making me feel secure. Now I believe somewhere out there is my own Taka-kun!”

Those kind of small lines made her think deeper about her own life and about her own destiny. She might have changed and helped some youngsters but she might have also destroyed chances and relationships. It was a bitter sweet love story; it was a bitter sweet life she was living but most importantly, that bitter sweet emotion of love left her before it could blossom.

“Excuse me?” She looked up for her next fan but instead of a young girl or a young boy she met a pair of brown eyes which she hadn't seen in 3 years. “Can I get a hug with your autograph?” Anna chuckled and placed the marker on the table. She was ready to give her old friend a hug but Sato-san grabbed one of her hands.

“ I'm sorry but if you give this customer a hug you may have to give one to all of them” He whispered loud enough for her ears only. She got freaked out at the thought of having to raise so much and nodded towards her manager.

“ I'm sorry but I can’t right now. However” She signed the book and on the left corner she wrote down her phone number. “Can you call me around 6 o'clock?  I'm pretty sure that’s when the event will close up. We can talk then about anything you want.” The woman nodded and while on her way to the door, she made a peace sign. Anna chuckled happily and continued with her schedule.

Later that day, she couldn't feel her right hand. She signed about 100 books in total and even though she sat down the whole time, her butt was feeling sore. While she was waiting for her agent to finish up the program, she massaged her sore neck. For a moment she forgot about her old friend and everything she wanted was to go home and sleep. When she was imagining the whole scenario of the relaxation she could have, her phone rang.

“Good morning sunshine! It’s past 6, I'm sorry I took so long!” Her friend’ voice was really loud and on the background was also noise from the cars.

“Mizuki…I thought you may take a few days to actually call” The old party girl scoffed into the phone and yelled for someone to move faster.

“I had to get out for a few groceries and now that my brother came and freed me, I was wondering if you could come and have a cup of tea with me” Anna started to laugh, though it didn't sound too noisy or too pitched. However, since her voice was nasal, it did sound funny.

“ I'm pretty sure that in your language ‘tea’ is the word for ‘alcohol’ and you’re not wondering if I can come, you’re instructing me. That’s been already decided.”   

“You know me too well; move to the bar right now.” The younger woman smiled, even though Sato-san was the only one who could notice. She agreed to meet Mizuki at some random place she decided upon and left anything else in the hands of her tired manager.

Unfortunately, the bar Mizuki instructed Anna to go was in Shibuya. The good news was that it was placed somewhere in a quieter part of it. It was fairly easy to spot the small brunette. She was the only person drinking shot after shot without looking the bit affected. Anna chuckled silently and sat next to her friend.

“Ah, Anna-chan!” She took the time to hug her younger friend but started to drink right after she let go.  “It’s been such a long time. I can’t believe you left me hanging.”

“I didn't.  I told you about my departure 6 months before I actually left. I sent you emails and even called you once. You didn't pick up the phone and you didn't respond.” Anna raised one eyebrow, somehow waiting for an irrational response from her friend. Surprisingly, Mizuki shrugged innocently.

“Life…” Anna got taken back by that kind of answer but it didn't surprise her fully. In the time she hadn't seen Mizuki, she found out things about her from her younger brother, Kazuki. It seemed that the fun girl she once met transformed into an extraordinary surgeon and forgot completely what the word ‘fun’ meant.

“You do know I talked with Kazuki and he told me about your affairs and whatnot, right?” She couldn't respond to Anna since she was just sipping continuously from her glass of alcohol but instead, she just waved chaotically.  “You don’t have time to go out because you are an important asset to the hospital; you don’t have time for a relationship and not even one guy you went out with could understand your schedule” She sighed and hung her head. “It is really life or we are just getting too old for these things?” Mizuki rolled her eyes and told the bartender to give her another glass of whatever alcohol she was infecting her body.

“Actually, I have a date tomorrow. I met this guy through an international friend. He’s half Japanese and half American. I just know he works in business and his father own a chain of hotels throughout the whole world. He has a few in Japan too.” She sighed and placed her head on the barstool.  

“ Shouldn't you be hyperactive right now? That’s not an easy prey and you found it easily.” She closed her eyes and sighed.

“I should but he’s not going to come alone.” Anna leaned closer to hear her explanation better. Mizuki didn't seem drunk but she wast talking in a way you couldn't be sure. “He said he has a friend who, in his point of view, needs a little help regarding his romantic life. He told me to bring someone but that’s impossible! My friends are all ta-“Her eyes widened and glanced to the empty glass in front of her. “Or maybe not…” She mumbled to herself. In the next second, Mizuki transited from being depressive and sorry for her own self into a happy and optimistic bubble. She started to giggle while she started to rub her hands together. Anna found herself in a corner where she couldn't escape no more.

“You want me to come, don’t you?” Mizuki nodded happily while smiling widely. Anna titled her head to one side and smiled cutely, which didn't happen in a long time. “You want me to get this other guy with romantic issues so you can have an amazing date with yours.” She nodded again, containing the same expression. Anna shook her head and sighed. “Count me out” Mizuki was ready to nod again but registered fast the response she got.

“Come on! How hard can it be! Chris told me so many things about his friend and how lost in the Universe he is. Who knows, you may actually like him! Come on, come on, come on, come-“

“I already know you won’t stop until I agree” Mizuki nodded with pleading eyes. “I guess it won’t hurt” The older woman was so excited that she jumped on her younger friend and hugged her tightly, repeating for a while how thankful she was and how great it will be.

Signing Event

As if he didn't have enough courage to boss her when they just met after 3 years, he waltzed inside her apartment as if he just entered his own house. He walked towards the couch and jumped on it, placing his hand behind his head.

“It still feels like College.” She rolled her eyes and moved his feet, which were dangling from one side of the couch. “Seriously! I missed hanging around your apartment.” He continued, getting into a normal position. “Remember? Back then it was just you, me and Mizuki and we had an amazing time! I was the hotshot designer, you were the lazy and misunderstood English beauty and Mizuki was the party girl! We were awesome…ah memories…” He started to rub his chin, making different noises.

Anna chuckled and patted his head.

“It’s ok. I'm sure we can still have fun. We’re still young.”

 Her words didn't seem to affect Takeshi in any way. He was that one type of man who never really cared about what was happening around him as long as it didn't concern his being. Takeshi didn't change much mentally. He was the same 24 years old fashion rookie who wanted to surpass his mother’s name. He made his purpose clear even from the first time they met. She could still remember how enthusiastic and positive he was. However, as she looked at him closer, physically he did change a lot. He became taller, his eyes seemed to hold much more experience than she would have expected, his hair colour changed from the rebellious blonde to serious and stylish black. Everything about his appearance changed. He had definitely grown up well.  

“Are you still lost in Anna’s World?” She blinked. The transition from her own thoughts to reality took a few seconds, making her look either really perplexed either dumb. However, Takeshi knew well enough whom he was dealing with. In his eyes, Anna could have done a lot more than she left it out. There wasn't just one time he asked her to pose for him or become a model altogether. She never liked fame. All she ever wanted was to feel accomplished and find happiness.  She was such a simple person and he wondered when she had changed.

“Is it nice there?” She raised an eyebrow and made a small questioning noise. He laughed and pinched her cheek, which obviously annoyed her. “You’re such a child. I'm really curious what you've done these past years.” He took his hands back and changed his position so he could feel more comfortable. “ I'm ready to listen.” She scoffed and shook her head but she knew she could trust him and so she started to tell him everything…everything except some little detail.

The next day, when she woke up, she realized that Takeshi’s visit livened up her mood and the whole apartment. Trying to think positively, she picked a short, summer dress; put a long and thin brown sweater over it; grabbed a pair of high heels, surprisingly and for the hair, she simply made a small bun, leaving her bangs loose. She actually looked very pretty and the thin make up gave her a fresh appearance. She was definitely ready to sign books for the entire day.

When she arrived at the specific place, which was a book store from a near Mall, there was absolutely no one.

“Please, tell me the number of people got cut into half” She prayed silently. That didn't work because Sato san walked to her with a bright and full of fulfilment smile. She was doomed and there was no way out of the new world she was dragged into.

“Anna-san! I'm so pleased to see you. I hope you had the time to think everything over yesterday. I'm sorry if I threw you too fast into your new schedule but it had to be done.”

 What irritated her the most in that moment was how sorrowful he actually looked. He had a kind smile plastered on his face and his eyes seemed as sincere as possible. He wasn't putting on an act. He was genuinely worried for her and that itself changed Anna’s impression of him. He was young and he clearly wasn't married because he spent too much time on details. The light in which she started to see him was better and that meant the relationship between the two had chances to get also better.

“Oh!” The surprised sound he made was what brought her back to being attentive. “There are already a few customers coming! I'm so excited! This is actually the first time I organize a signing event!” He turned to her and bowed. “Let’s have a great day and work together nicely!” For a moment she felt sad but when she sat at the table and people started to come with such happy faces, her demeanour became the exactly opposite. She realized that she was the cause for those happy feelings, for those smiles and she felt proud.

Famous vs Anonymous

A few hours later and a few new phone calls later, she found herself in front of a restaurant across Tokyo Tower. The view was beautiful but her mood dropped in the moment she placed her foot inside the tiny building. It wasn't hard to figure who she was supposed to meet since he was the only man in a business suit, waving and smiling brightly at her. The table was placed on the more private area of the restaurant meant for the rich and busy.

“It’s really nice to meet you in person. I hope I didn't ask much.” She bowed politely and sat down. The smile her new agent had was very creepy. She wondered how he could put up such face for so long. “Let’s take it from the very first beginning.” She nodded and watched as he got up and bowed down to her. It felt a little overwhelming. “Hello, my name is Sato Yuji and I will be your new agent. Please take care of me.”

For a few seconds, she couldn't move or talk. Her eyes were wide truthfully, she was speechless. The man, Sato-san, sat back down and placed his hands on the table, business like.

“Now, Anna san, I would be delighted if we could work well together. Your schedule, in fact, isn’t as busy as Kitagawa san or Matsumoto san’s. However,” He took a break and grabbed an agenda from his bag. “You are the author of Lovers in Tokyo which soon will be adapted into a movie. You have many Japanese fans even if you may not believe it”

At the heavy word ‘fans’ Anna could feel how her heart started to beat faster and a little of her individuality dropped. Fans meant there would be people on the street who were most likely to recognize her and intrude in her personal space. She never wanted popularity and she was afraid of being idolized. She wanted to be an anonymous but surely enough that was not going to happen.

“And what am I expected to do?” Sato san chuckled and opened his agenda at one special page.

“There is a book signing tomorrow morning in Ginza. Prepare yourself because there are about 100 or more people planned to come” When she heard the number of people who were supposed to arrive for her, she gulped. It wasn't like she wasn't grateful but there were so many people.

“It will take ages to sign all of their books…” She mumbled, though it was loud enough for the agent to hear. He smiled and patted the page. She looked where he placed his finger and gasped.

“Why am I supposed to go there? Aren't this kind of promotions for the actors?”

On that page was written the name Shinjuku, a place in centre of Tokyo where most people go for shopping or different activities; that wasn't what surprised her.

“I will have to talk about my book and about my expectations in front of wanderers and an interviewer…” She continued. That indeed was one step ahead towards her famous life. She didn't expect that when she heard how praised her book was. 

“Yes. I heard you are a woman of words. I'm sure you will impress everyone.” She bit her lower lip and sighed. She wasn't sure about anything she had to do.

After she left the restaurant, and also a very cheerful Sato san, behind, she wandered the streets until she found herself back at the bridge where she first met Nao. She walked at a very slow pace towards the same place she stood 4 years earlier. She placed her hands on the railing, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The memories she tried to ignore for those years have surfaced.  

She opened her eyes when she heard a faint click. For a moment she expected to see him but instead, there was a married couple making pictures. She took the time to watch them, a small and melancholic smile curving on her lips. It was all so bittersweet.

“Excuse me,” She blinked a few times and got out of the trance she was deeply submerged. “Can you please take a picture of me and my wife?” It was the man she was earlier watching. He wanted a picture with his wife near the water. She smiled and nodded.

“Say cheese!” She tried to make the couple laugh and liven up the whole mood. She wasn't sure if she wanted the two to be happy or if she was simply trying to convince herself that one day she will also have the chance to do that.

On the path back home, she was deeply entranced by her selfishness. She wanted someone but at the same time, she didn't want just anyone.  Also, she had a stable stereotype of her ideal man and she knew well there was just one man that could surpass it. At those thoughts, she shook her head. It wasn't healthy to think like that. It wasn't healthy to even think about him.

“It’s all so wrong” She mumbled and grabbed a hand through her black hair.

“What’s wrong?” She opened her eyes widely and looked towards where she heard the manly voice.

“Takeshi” She whispered. That was definitely a surprise. The man, who didn't look a year older than her, was standing in front of the apartment building, his hands placed deep into his pants’ pockets. He titled his head to the left and smiled boyishly.

“Well? Are you going to give me a hug and say how much you missed me or I may as well leave?” She chuckled and did exactly as she was told. When he felt her tiny hands wrapping around his slender body, he loosened up and returned the gesture. “You still didn't tell me how much you-“

“Shut up” He chuckled and ruffled her hair.