Prologue

                TOKYO, JAPAN

They all cheered as he strutted out into their line of vision and took a seat in a comfortable, red-velvet easy chair.

From the audience, many girls jumped up and down and screamed his name, waving posters with his face on them.

The reporter smiled into the camera and announced, “Here we are once again. We thank everyone who has tuned in to listen to our show. Today, we are privileged to interview the famous Kamenashi-san!” More screams from the fans. She turned her smile on him.

“Kamenashi-san, you are an amazing idol. You have it all: the looks, the money, the acting, singing and dancing abilities. What made you want to enter the entertainment business?”

He smiled flashing a set of brilliant, white teeth.

 “Well, someone once told me that idols have an amazing responsibility to people and themselves. They give people hope and they can make people laugh, and cry, and sway them to feel so many emotions. This person told me that idols have big impacts on people and should work hard to share their talents with the world and make people happy. It really touched my heart,” here he put a hand over his heart and a few girls that weren’t leaning on their seats hanging onto his every word, called out in admiration.

 “That’s so true!” the reporter nodded still smiling, “Idols all throughout Japan work hard every day striving to touch their audience and fans. Kamenashi-san, you also work extremely hard. Many of your co-workers and even your manager say that sometimes you overwork yourself! Is this true?”

 He laughed shaking his beautiful head slightly in amusement, making many girls sigh rapturously. “When you are doing something you love and you are also doing it for so many others whom you care about, like your fans, there is no such thing as overworking,” he stated flashing his fans a smile. It was greeted by more squeals.

“That is very inspirational,” the reporter nodded admiringly. Privately, she was also having trouble thinking coherently with this beautiful man sitting so close. He was just too nice, too good, too sensitive; in short, he was the perfect man!

“One last question if it’s not too much trouble,” she said a little breathlessly. He nodded at her to continue.

“Many of your fans all around the world want to know if you have someone special. Someone that you care about?” Time seemed to stop as everyone held a collective breath.

 He didn’t hesitate, “I do,” he said seriously.

Many murmurs and outbursts greeted his response. The reporter also looked shocked, but she recomposed her features quickly and spoke again, “Really? You must really care about her to admit it to the whole world right now, with such a serious expression.”

“I do,” he said again, “No one can ever take her place. She is everything in the world to me.”

More squealing emanated from the fans at this declaration of love.  “Will you tell us who your special someone is?” pressed the reporter earnestly.

He shook his head regretfully, “I am sorry, but I cannot disclose that information at this time.”

 He pressed his lips together stubbornly which only made him look even more gorgeous as his eyes flashed with the passion of the zealous love he spoke of.

“Well, then will you at least tell us why you like her?” the reporter asked.

 “She gave me the hope to live my life to the fullest.” he replied, “She gave me courage to live and to see the world in a whole new light. It was for her that I became what I am today. I want to become someone who can protect her (sighs full of longing from his fans). I will work hard to become someone who can grab her and keep her forever. No one will be able to take her away from me. She is the one person I will never let go. Because when you find someone who you love with all your heart, you can never let them go.”

The fans went ballistic. Kamenashi-san had actually said love! In front of the whole world, he had confessed his undying love, in a passionate and bold manner. Oh what any of the girls wouldn’t have done to have him say that about them! The gorgeous, pop star Kamenashi-san who worked for Johnny’s Entertainment had been voted as the most desired boyfriend before. He was one of the most famous celebrities of all of Japan! The girl who he loved was really a very lucky girl indeed…

...

                The show ended a little later and Kame sauntered back off the stage the cheers and obsessive cries of his fans ringing in his ears. He sighed heavily and ruffled his hair as he got a ride back to Johnny’s Entertainment. There was lots of traffic and so he settled back comfortably and pulled out his cellphone.

                Flipping it open, he dialed, and in a few moments of ringing, someone else picked up on the other end.

                “Hey boss!” the voice said enthusiastically.

                “Is everything in place?” Kame asked quietly so he wouldn’t be overheard by the taxi driver.

                “Yep boss! The last bit of information has been collected. We are now ready to execute the plan. Just give us the go ahead sir.”

                “I want what I told you about by tomorrow night. Don’t you dare disappoint me, or you will be sorry that you were even born!”

                The man on the other end gulped audibly and replied quickly, “Yes boss. We will do it exactly as you planned.”

                Kame smiled and nodded even though the other man couldn’t see him. “And there will be no damage done! Do you understand? If you dare to lay a finger-”

                “Don’t worry, boss. I know. All of our lives are on the line. All of us here care too much for our skins to jeopardize ourselves in any way.”
                I know. Kame thought with a cold smile before he said, “That’s why I know I can count on you. Remember, that the key to the Johnny’s building will be left in the bushes nearby. You know where my dressing room is, unload there. No one will be there that late at night. I will come in early the next day and take care of the rest.”

                “Understood,” said the voice, “We’ll get started right away. Bye!”

                Kame snapped his phone shut and glanced at the taxi driver who was apparently concentrating too hard on the road and not crashing. He gave himself a self-satisfied smile. The taxi finally stopped outside of Johnny’s building and he climbed out.

                “Soon,” he crooned softly to himself, “Soon everything will be perfect again. It’s taken this long and I finally have the means to achieve what I have dreamed and planned for for years now.”

                Just then, his manager came out of the building and rushed at him grabbing him by the arm.

                “Ah! You’re here, Kamenashi-kun! Come on, you have a photo shoot in ten minutes! Then you have another appearance at that dance show and then tomorrow you will appear with Yamaa-kun from NewS to talk about your upcoming single you are going to release together!”

                Kame mentally sighed. So much more work! But with a smile that would make any girl swoon, it would all be worth it! Everything would be done by tomorrow night!

The man hung up his phone. There was no question about it. The boss was definitely crazy, but there was no way he would ever admit it. He valued his life too much. He had been in this business for a while, and he had been wise enough to reassure the boss about their dependence on him. He wasn’t stupid, he’d spoken the truth, but somehow, he didn’t understand why the boss would want this.

“He’s famous enough,” he muttered to himself, “He can have anything or anyone he wants.”

Yes, anyone he wants…as he raised his binoculars in the small neighborhood in which he was scouting out. There was the girl. She had just come home from school. She would go inside and work on her homework for an hour or two, eat dinner, and then go out on her evening jog. As always. He and the boys had staked out her schedule to a T and tonight was the night they would act.

He grimaced slightly as a twinge of guilt took root in him. This girl was innocent. She hadn’t done anything wrong. He gave a little sigh of pity for the girl the boss cared for. In just a few hours her life would be torn apart.

No! Giving himself a mental shake, he ground the guilt into powder and let it blow out of him. He had done far worse things in his life. But he had always done it. Why? Because his life was just too important… there was no guilt, only work to be done.