18

I was watching an awarding in TV with Mama when Min ho arrived.

“Mama!” called Min ho running to mama; he seemed to be a child clinging to his mother.

“Oi, Miho!” she looked at me. “So it’s true, you’re really here?”

I nodded. “I’m here for almost a week.”

“That’s long; I wonder why nobody informs me?” Min ho complained.

“Eun hye didn’t inform you?” asked Mama.

Min ho frowned with his eyebrows. “She informed me about your arrival but not about Miho’s stay here”

“If you came here earlier, you’ll find it out” said Mama.

“It’s because I’d been busy in sports, you know” Min ho replied defensively. “But if you like, I can live here with you Mama” Min ho offered giving a glance to me.

“No!” Mama answered frankly.

“What do you mean no, don’t you miss me?” he asked as if he was being bullied.

“Finish first your high school, then you can return here” Mama responded.

That was the time Min ho stopped from talking.

“By the way, how’s Hitomi?” asked Mama.

Min ho looked at me quickly.

I smiled. I know he was thinking for what would I feel, but I was confident Mama didn’t have any bad intention for asking.

“She’s doing fine, I heard she is about to finish Origami.” Min ho answered.

“No love life at all?” Mama inquired.

“Well, according to some rumor, she dates a popular shonen mangaka” said Min ho.

“Ah, good to hear that, right Miho?” Mama turned to me. Actually it didn’t matter to me but I answered yes.

“Now, let me give good news” Mama started as she took the new issue of Ishida magazine “Take a look…” she offered the magazine to us.

We’re about to open it -but my attention took by the show on TV. It was announced that Jun Omori won the best actor award while Sho Sakurai got the title of best supporting actor.

 “Kyaaahh!!!” I yelled with matching jumping. I was really happy for both Jun and Sho. “Mama, they won, they won!” I cried, but the two didn’t give any reaction. “Why? Aren’t you happy for them?”

Mama just smiled, she expected the result of the awarding. Same as Min ho who had his focus on the magazine.

“I smell a big celebration for this; maybe I should call Sho and Jun to congratulate them!” I suggested, with a smile flashing on my face.

 “Yes, we need to celebrate” Min ho agreed. “This is a double celebration” he said showing the magazine to me.

“That is…” I found my self loss of words.

“Yes Miho, that’s your Black sheep manga” said Mama assuring to me that what I was seeing was real “Congratulation for having your debut!” Mama smiled.

“Wow, Miho… congratulation!!!” Min ho hugged me.

I remained unmoved. Till now I couldn’t believe that my manga had been published.

“Eun hye is supposed to inform you but I told her to give me the privilege, so now, are you happy?” asked mama.

Min ho breaking from the hug asked the same question.

I was still speechless, tears started to fall from my eyes.

“Mama, she’s crying” said Min ho.

Mama smiled and hold my shoulders “This is just the start Miho” she said. “Your dream of becoming a popular mangaka will be followed.”

I wiped my tears. “Arigatou mama” I said “but my dream is not just to be popular. I wanted to make manga that will inspire many people, just like the manga you made”

Mama nodded. She was happy to hear that from me.

A minute later, I received a call from Ushio.

“Omedetou!!!” Ushio greeted as he sang. He told me that he had read my manga five times; he even showed it to his classmates.

Next to Ushio was Miss Eun hye. As usual, our conversation was formal.

“You are now part of my company” she said.

After 30 minutes, I receivde another call, it was from Sho.

“Congratulation Miho!” said Sho. “I just saw your manga, I’m really happy for you!”

“Thank you Sho, I really appreciate it. By the way I also want to congratulate you for winning the best supporting actor award.”

“So you watched the awarding?”

“Of course!” I answered. Suddenly I changed my tone “Ah, Sho is Jun with you?” I asked since I really miss him. I actually didn’t receive any call from him.

“He has interview by this moment.” Sho answered.

Hearing that made me helpless, since mama took me I didn’t see Jun or hear his voice. Thanks to my schooling, partime job and manga that made me busy and at the same time helped me to cope my craving for Jun.

*

I was in the garden doing some sketch when I felt someone was coming from my back, when I turned to see it, I found Jun. I was about to stand up and ran to hug him when I realized he wasn’t Jun. I didn’t know how but I just felt that he was Shinji and I was right.

“Hello!” I greeted with smiles but Shinji was in bad mood, there was fire in his eyes.

“Are you hungry, I have cake here” I offered, but he remained serious.  I wondered what made him acted this way.

Suddenly he began to talk.

“I lost my six girlfriends” he started.

As I remembered this guy was a playboy.

“I lost them because of you.” Shinji continued.

I arched my eyebrows. “What is this guy talking? I wonder why he is putting the blame on me”

“Yes, you are the reason, because you did that to Maggie!”

 “Are you talking about the girl with you the first time we met, I thought her name is Maria?”

“Is that Maria?” Shinji doubted “Anyway, she’s not my girlfriend anymore; even my other girlfriends broke up with me because they were thinking that you are my girlfriend”

“That’s not a problem; just tell them I’m Jun’s girlfriend.” I advised.

“Do you think they will believe me if I say that you’re the girl friend of that super idol?”

That question made me wonder. Somehow Shinji had a point. “Well, then I’m sorry. That time, I really didn’t realize that you’re not Jun. Please forgive me”

“I will, if you give me a favor!” Shinji said, with a grin.

I started to feel danger. “W-what favor?” I asked nervously.

“Well, you miss my twin brother, right?” he asked getting closer.

I nodded.

“Good, so that won’t be a problem” he added as he hold my chin.

“H-hey…” I grumbled.

“Just imagine that I’m Jun, and then you’ll be comfortable doing it!”

‘”NO!” I shouted pushing Shinji away.
            “What the matter with you?” asked Shinji “Don’t tell me, you don’t do it yet?”

I turned red. I supposed to answer yes, but I didn’t know how to explain.

“So I’m right?” Shinji confirmed.

 “..So what? What important is we love each other” I insisted.

Shinji smirked. “What do you think my brother, a monk? Tsk tsk, poor Shinyoji…”

Shinji’s face became strange. I didn’t get what he meant.

“Anyway, would you mind practicing it with me?” he teased.

“No!” I moved away, but he continued teasing.

Tension was stating to arise when he arrived.

“What’s going on here?” It was Jun.

“Jun!” I cried, running to him.

Jun accepted my hug. “Hey Shinji, are you bullying my girlfriend?” he asked glaring to Shinji.

Shinji smirked “Of course not! I’m just comforting her”

“Comforting?”

“Yes, right Miho?” He looked at me as if I would defend him to Jun, but I didn’t.

Jun gave him an eye which made him gulped.

“Looks like you need privacy, so may you excuse me” said Shinji leaving hurriedly.

*

“Still the same” said Jun after his brother left.

“Hey Jun…” I called looking at him. I wanted to ask why he came here just now.

“I heard about your manga, congratulation!” he said, but that was not the word I wanted to hear. I wanted his explanation why he made me miss him.

“You’re so mean, why do you always make me miss you so badly?” I asked.

“Did I really do that?” he asked back innocently.

“Yes you do!” I insisted.

“If you really miss me, prove it, kiss me” he said.

I raised an eyebrow “No! As a punishment, I won’t do that!”

“What?”

Perhaps, I wanted to show Jun how badly I feel, but this turned away when he stared at me. His eyes were hypnotizing, his lips was inviting. Once we touched our lips, all of my anger vanished. His kiss was a drug.

“I’m sorry for making you wait” Jun said.

“Jun, are you here to get me?” I asked.

“Why, didn’t you like being here?”

“Not really. Everybody here is good, but I want to be by your side. I missing you”

Jun smiled. “I also miss you, don’t worry, we’ll go home.”

When I heard that, I felt so much gladness. Shortly we bid our goodbye to mama, but she disagreed.

“No! I won’t allow you to get Miho, we have agreement right, that you can only get her if you’ll decide to marry her”

“After her graduation” said Jun.

“Pardon?” asked mama

Jun repeated “I said after Miho’s high school graduation, I’ll marry her.”

Jun’s words were a melody to my ear. I didn’t expect him to say that.

His declaration convinced mama to let me go.

*

We headed back to Jun’s condo unit. It was only a week but it made me miss the place.

“What happened here?” I complained when I saw the mess in the kitchen.

“I tried to cook this morning, but it didn’t work” said Jun.

I frowned starting the cleaning.

“Miho!” Jun called.

“Hm?” I responded without looking at him. I was busy cleaning the kitchen sink.

Jun took something from his pocket.

When I turned around, I saw him offering a ring. I froze, not realizing what was happening, until he spoke up.

“Marry me” he said.

“Is this a dream?” I thought, but no this was reality. I accepted the ring and his proposal. There was no thing could describe our feeling. From his moment no one will make us apart.

*

At the airport, Jun’s manager welcomed the returned of Misato Okui the CEO of TVQ TV station together with his son, Kouji Okui, one of the members of S.T.ar group.

Ninomiya Kazunari as Kouji Okui                    Yuki Saito as Misato Okui

*****

Seven more chapters to go, hope you read this fanfic till the end! Thank you