CHAPTER 45: THE THINGS THAT SHO NEVER THOUGHT

The weather was becoming less chilly since spring started to come in just few weeks. All Arashi members were busy working on their new PV in the studio.  Jun and Sho was reading books, while Nino played with Nintendo DS. At the same time, Aiba and Ohno looked at monitor on their unedited performance.  

“Manager san...how long it was going to take for this PV?” Nino asked when their manager passing by them. Jun looked up from his book, and his eyes too, fixed on the man.

“We got other two parts from the PV that we had not been recorded. So, we might finish it in other two hours.” Nino just nodded showing he understood about. Then, his eyes shifted to Sho, who was sitting across him. Since the incident two months ago, the man became much more quiet than before. Though, he was no longer looking tired and skinny than before, but it seemed it was difficult for him to forget about the woman.

“It looks like we are going to be here longer than we thought,” Jun mumbled softly while looking back at his back. Nino just nodded softly. After a while, Aiba and Ohno came sat together with them.

“You guys sure took a long time to check on your dances.” Nino complained while glaring at them.

“He did it sloppily...” Ohno said blandly, while showing to Aiba.

“Gomen....gomen...you know I’m kinda bad when memorize the steps. By the way, have you see Minami san?” Aiba asked them with a question. But what he got was just puzzled faces among them.

“Which Minami? “ Jun asked him. His eyes never left the book.

“Remember, when did for our PV, One love. Minami san was the assistant director that time. Remember?” Aiba trying to make they remembered. Jun put his book, while he tried to think carefully. His face scrunched a little, trying to think more.

“ Ummm.....the woman who has a pretty short hair that time? With a manly and rough look? You mean that Minami san?” Jun said to Aiba.

“Yes!! That one! She is around you know! You guys are going to shock seeing her! At first, I don’t recognise her first. But then, it is her.”  His words never stopped as he told s. Nino was still thinking about the person and could not get the person, while Sho was still with his book.

“Really? Which one? I could not easily remember her.” Nino said while leaning on his chair.

“ I don’t know that you are that forgetful, Ninomiya san.” That moment, Nino shot up from his chair, and all their heads turned toward the voice direction. Even Sho, stopped reading and looked up. But, as if he saw dejavu, he was stunned to see the owner of the voice. His eyes never left the woman.

“Minami san! Come, sit here!” Aiba stood up and offered his seat. Minami just smiled and walked toward the seat and said thank you to Aiba.  Nino gawked seeing her.

“Oh my...you changed so much.” Nino said while he still could not close his mouth. The woman who sat comfortably on the chair, just giggled softly.

“It’s been long time we had not meet, since the last PV. I thought everyone said you quit your job recently. Is that the main reason you quit?” Jun asked while his eyes directed toward her large tummy. Minami looked at the direction and nodded softly.

“Seriously, I could not recognise you first. What happen?” Nino asked her. His eyes were full of interest.

“Well, I just get married last month. That’s the latest news.” She said it while smiling.

 Sho looked at the woman who used to be their assistant director for one of their PV. Indeed, he admitted that woman looked much different from last time look. There were some changes in her appearance. Now, she looked much more feminine with her maternal dress, and looks glowing. Maki’s face started to appear in his vision. Sho bit his lips, thinking about the woman. Painful feeling started to seep back into his heart.

“How many months already?” Aiba asked delightedly at the pregnant woman. Minami her baby bump softly and smiled.

“ It is nearly nine months. The due is another three weeks. By the way, I thought some of you said that you are going to get married. I heard the rumours.” Minami asked them.

“ Ohhh....that one is....” Before Aiba could finish his words, Nino stepped on his feet really hard, making he winced in a pain. Looking at the situation, Jun tried to distract the topic to something else. He understood why Nino did that. He thought it was best to not talk about Sho’s gossip at that moment. Especially, when it related to Horikita Maki.

“Ahhh....Minami san. I thought you said that you are not going to get married last two years. Then, now you are already married, and even soon to become a mother. Seriously, did we miss some stories here.” The woman just laughed softly.

“I guess it must be a fate after all. Few months after I worked on your PV, I met with my husband. Well, we just friend, and not more than that. But, maybe we did not realise that our feeling till last year. Actually, for us to come into marriage, was a very difficult decision. However, because of this baby, we managed to pull through the storms and be together.” All Arashi’s members became silence. Then, Aiba broke the silence once again.

“ Is it difficult? I mean all the marriage and your baby?” Everyone looked at the pregnant woman intently.

“Ummm....extremely difficult. Because the pregnancy is not in our plan. Plus, it happened drastically. At first, it was hectic. My life was in mess, plus our relationship was kind of not stable that time. Seriously, it was the most difficult thing I ever felt in my life. It took two months for us to settle it down one by one. We had to sit and discussed about it all together. Then, we managed to solve our problems and find our mutual understanding. So, my advice for all of you, think carefully when you decided to get marry,” she said while smiling. Her eyes locked with Sho, who remained silence.

“Ahh....I don’t know it was that difficult,” Nino said nonchalantly, while leaning against the chair back.

“Gee....you sound like you want to get married anytime right now,” Jun said while looking at him. Nino snorted, ignoring him.

“Ano saa....” Ohno called Minami who smiled at her brightly.

“Yes, Ohno san.” Ohno’s eyes shifted between her belly and her face.

“ Is it boy or girl?”

“A boy,” she said while smiling widely. The motherly feature appeared when she said it. Something came once again on Sho’s mind. That time too, when he met Maki, the woman also had the same feature.

“Really?” Minami just nodded her head. The boys clapped their hands.

“ Congratul