23

Her voice broke my heart.

            “You’re a mangaka, its good. You sung well, its better, but using a popular guy like Jun Omori is worst!” said Ms Okui towards my face. Each word tore me into pieces.”If you want to be successful, use your own ability, stop counting on others!”

Maybe that was an advice, but for me it wasn’t. It was another destructive criticism. I thought I already free myself from this, but once again, it hunted me.

“Please, don’t say that!” I wished to say, but I didn’t have any courage. Once again, I failed to please my mother.

My tears were starting to fall when she walked away. Watching her from behind was another failure. Once again, my mother left me.

*

“Miho!” called Jun. He immediately went near me. “What happened?” he asked seeing my teary eyes. “Hey Miho, what’s wrong?” Jun started to worry but I remained quiet. “Miho!” he shouted grabbing my shoulders.

“Leave me alone!” I shouted back.

Jun was shocked; he didn’t expect to hear that from me.

Kouji arrived and saw us.

“What’s the matter with you?” Jun wondered.

I faced him as I wiped my tears, “I want to be successful without you” I uttered. “I want to prove myself without your help!” I continued.

No matter how I wiped my tears, it continued falling.

“I don’t understand, what are you talking about?” Jun questioned.

I knew I became strange, but this was my only way to satisfy myself, I wanted to please my mother and if leaving Jun was the only way, I guessed I should do it.

“Miho!” once again, Jun called my name. His voice was so tender; it made me feel how much he loved me.

“Jun…” I answered.

“Tell me what happened, I want to know what happened!” He insisted.

Suddenly I was crying again. I hugged Jun and wept on his chest.

Jun got a hint-that somebody told me to leave him. The last time I acted this way was when Miss Eun Hye talked to me. “Who’s that person?” he asked.

I looked at him. I didn’t want to tell who the person was, but his eyes were convincing.

“Miss Okui” I answered.

Kouji sighed as he clearly heard it.

“Let’s go!” said Jun grabbing my hand.

“Where are we going?” I asked, but Jun didn’t respond.

 As we walked holding hands, some reporters spotted us. Of course, they followed taking photos.

Some raised questions.

“Who is she?”

“What is your relation with her?”

Jun stopped and faced them.

“This girl…” he said giving a glance to me. “She’s my fiancée!”

Jun’s declaration became hit news on TV.

Shortly, his family as well as Sho and his manager saw it from the news.

*

Jun and I stayed on the roof top of the TV station.

“Why are we here?” I asked since it was getting dark.

“I want to show you the brightest star” said Jun looking at the sky.

“Brightest star?” I asked back.

Jun narrated a story without looking at me “There was a story about star guardians. The role of these guardians was to nurture the stars till they became bright, but it wasn’t easy since asteroids were always falling, spaceships were always passing, most of the guardians gave up in protecting the stars. Only one person remained. He conquered all the trials and succeeded to make his star the brightest.”

I smiled; I didn’t expect Jun to believe that fiction. I saw him as a serious guy who was matured in everything. It was my first time seeing his childish side.

*

“He really did it!” said Kouji’s mom right after he watched the news about Jun’s confession.

That moment she was with Kouji.

“Mama, can you explain it to me” said Kouji.

Her confused mother turned to him “Explain what?”

“The words that you told to Mi-chan!”

“To Jun’s girlfriend?”

“Yes, to her. I know you did.”

Kouji’s mom grinned. “Well, I just told her how good she is, using Jun to be successful”

“You’re worst!” Kouji raised his voice.

“Hey, how there you to talk to me like that?” Kouji’s mom reacted.

“You shouldn’t say that to her!” Kouji insisted. “You didn’t know her so you don’t have any right!”

“I can’t be wrong; I know that kind of girl. She’s a user!”

Kouji smirked. “Right! Of course you know it, you’re a user too!”

SLAP!

Kouji received a slap form her mother.

“You don’t have the right to say that to me!” her mom said, turned red because of anger.

“Why not?” Kouji replied. “What’s wrong in telling the truth?”

“If I didn’t marry the owner of TVQ, you’re not in S.T.ar, you won’t experience all of these!”

“This isn’t my dream, it’s yours!” said Kouji “Don’t forget that my only reason for doing this is my sister!”

“Stop with your lies!” her mother yelled. “I already told you about her, but you didn’t say anything. Like me, you’re also afraid to find her, right?”

Kouji paused, When her mother told about her sister, he chose to do nothing. Her mother might be worst for abandoning her child, and also he himself for neglecting her sister, for the sake of money and for the sake of fame.

Back to the roof top, I already saw the brightest star.

“It’s beautiful!” I exclaimed.

 “How about the lucky star, can you see it?”

“Lucky star?” I asked starting to find it. “Where is it?”

Jun smiled. “The same as the brightest star, it became luckiest because there is someone who didn’t leave him”

I froze, and then turned to Jun. What did he mean? Is he the Lucky star?

As our eyes met, our lips started to touch.

*

 “Kouji?” When I returned home, I saw him crying.

 Jun was still in the car talking with Sho in the phone so I was the only one who saw him.

Kouji wiped his tears quickly.

“Are you okay?” I asked getting near him.

He nodded, controlling his tears, suddenly he cried again.

That was my first time seeing Kouji like that. I didn’t have any reason why he was crying, but I wanted to help. I want to do something to comfort him. I decided to hug him, and then Kouji cried on me.

“It’s okay, there’s no wrong in crying” I said smoothing his back.

“Nee-chan…”

I froze. Did Kouji really call me nee-chan?

“I left nee-chan” said Kouji.

That was the time I realized he was really my brother. As I did, tears started to spring from my eyes.

“You don’t have to be worried. I know, your sister would understand, I’m sure about it!”

“Kazu-chan!” I called when I was five years old. When mama was not at home, I was the one who took care of him.

As I called Kazu he would turn to me and smiled. “Nee-chan, daisuki!”

That was the memory flashed to me as I hugged Kouji. Finally, I found my brother.

“Miho!” Jun arrived.

Kouji broke form the hug immediately. “We’re talking about my sister, that’s all” he said defensively.

Jun didn’t respond.

“Jun, are you aware about Kouji’s big sister?” I asked since I noticed his sudden silence. It would be bad if he thinks wrong about me and Kouji. I can tell him the truth, but not now, I wasn’t prepared.

“Not really” said Jun getting inside directly. “I just take a shower” he said.

“Ah, me too!” said Kouji raising his hand.

I left alone as they headed to their rooms.

*

I was sitting on the sofa while reading manga when Sho arrived.

“Where are they?” he asked.

 “In their rooms, taking shower” I answered.

Sho joined me in the sofa. “I saw you in the news” he begun.

I smiled.

“And in the singing contest too” he continued “You did great!”

“Arigatou!” I answered.

Aside from Ushio, Sho was the other one who greeted me, not to mention the text messages I received form Mama and Min ho.

 “I didn’t plan to join the contest, It was an accident, but I‘ll pursue it, as a support for my brother.”

“That’s good” Sho replied.

“By the way Sho, do you know Kouji’s sister?”

“Misa?”

“No, not her”

“Ah, his missing sister”

“So you know her.”

“Not exactly” said Sho “Actually it became a rumor before, that Ms. Okui abandoned a daughter. Kouji didn’t admit anything to the press, but didn’t deny it to us. He planned to look for her, but he always lost the courage. I guess Ms. Okui too”

“Is the so…”

“But the other day, Kouji went to Hiroshima, to look for her sister.”

“R-really?” I couldn’t believe what I heard; Kouji had the desire to see me.

 “Unfortunately, he failed to see her since he can’t remember his sister’s name.” Sho narrated.

“He was too young when they were separated, so it’s natural”

“You’re right, but how did you know that?’ asked Sho turning to me.

I lower my face.

“Hey, Miho?” Sho got a hint.

****

Song: LUCKY STAR