Chapter 3

Mirai POV

it has been 4 days, including the weekends. Yamada and I never spoke from that day. I wanted to apologise at times when I saw him but he will always quickly move away.

"Yamada-kun... wait up."

"Chotto!"

He didn't stop, instead he sped up as usual.

I was desperate. I wanted his forgiveness. We may not be friends (well, I never dared hope for it), but I don't want him to hate me.

I grabbed his arms. The feeling is...electrifying.

He froze there but still he did not turn to look at me.

"Yamada-kun can you listen to me explain. please"

He turned around and grabbed hold of my wrist.

"Itai!"

"ah right, you also know what pain is."

Tears are welling in my eyes. He looked into my eyes and paused.

"Gomen..." I lost all words and this is all I can say.

"Go back to hating me. for all I care. anyway you were reluctant to be friends with me initially."

He flicked off my hands and walked off.

"Yamada-kun~" I cried and said to myself. at a distance, I saw Mariya joining him. although it hurts, but I hope Mariya can lighten his mood which was ruined because of me.

Yamada POV

Why must she cry! my heart feels awful to cause her tears. I didn't mean to hurt her but I feel so furious when I thought of those words she said to Mariya about me. She hates me?! damn it. and I thought we could be friends or...

"Yamada-kun"

"ah Mariya."

"what are you engrossed about? I called your name so many times"

"opps. gomen, I didn't hear it"

"it's okay" she wrapped her arms around mine and smiled brightly.

my heart did skip a beat.

"Mariya~"

"I'll found this wonderful place. lets go! it'll cheer you up"

"but~ I have a whole day of practice later"

"we haven't celebrate the end of filming, didnt we? the other day you left early. at least the male n female lead should celebrate for the successful closure right? are you gonna turn me down?"

I thought for a while...

"if you put it this way, I guess I can spare some time before my practice later... lets go!"

...

"HEH?!! water amusement park?! I thought we're just gonna have lunch."

"why? you don't like it?" she gave the puppy-dog eyes.

"no no, of course I like it... it's just that..."

"then lets go take that ride" she interrupted and dragged me to the water slide.

actually I'm really exhausted. the past few days were tedious at practice. I kept making errors because I just couldn't concentrate. my mind... it kept thinking about what Mirai said. I actually thought maybe I should take a rest after school today so I'm all geared up for the long practice. but then I can't possibly turn her down. she wanted to cheer me up. that's really nice of her.

"HEH? Chotto chotto Mariya...I didn't prepare any dry clothes." I never see that wild side of her before. I must admit, it has taken me aback. She reminds me a little of my younger sister.

"Daijoubu! We can go get it later...let's just go have some fun!" she grabbed my arms and ran towards the ride.

...........

"AHHHHHHHHHHH."

...........

"Yamada-kun, i never thought you were so timid."

"heyyy" i gave her a stare when she mocked.

"kidding" she giggled.

"Let's go the other one!!!" she dragged me to the next ride.

oh my gosh... that's even scarier than the one before.

.....

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" I grabbed Mariya's hand really tightly.

"ITAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

...

"Yamada-kun... it really hurts you know"

"gomen... honto gomenasai" I gave her an apologetic face.

"You owe me a favour" she winked.

"OH no... more rides?"

She laughed. "Yamada-kun, you are really cute!" she placed her arms over my shoulder and walk towards another direction (thank goodness, away from the rides section)

"you wait here okay"

"huh? where are you going? we can go together" she just ran off.

...

Mariya POV

Yamada has clearly been concerned about how Mirai thinks of him. it's so obvious since these days he's so distracted which is so unlike him.

i know Mirai wanted to explain to yamada-kun but she failed. like just now when yamada totally disregarded her. I know somehow that's not really what yamada wanted.

before they make up, I need to seize my opportunity!

I'll let yamada fall for me before they realise they actually have a thing for each other.

I want to get him some really delicious food and hot drinks from Starbucks.

"oh my gosh! these dresses are so pretty!!!!" I went straight into the shop.

"this, this, this and all of these. I wanna try them all" I told the salesgirl

Yamada POV

This is freezing cold. grrrrrr~ where is she?!! there's no way I can contact her since our phones are in the locker area.

and i need to have my lunch before my practice starts in an hour time.

i am panicking.

sneeze...

my teeth are chattering~

a few girls stood in front of me and started whispering to each other.

I became a little self conscious. I realised I wasn't disguised.

"aren't you Yamada Ryosuke?"

"er, no. I get that alot but I'm not him" a blatant lie of course.

"oh my gosh! you are!"

they started screaming.

I grabbed my bag and dashed away from them!

"yamadaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"

geez, stop chasing me! I ran into the guys toilet and only left when the coast is clear.

I walked back... tired... cold...

she's not back?! but I have to go.

my tummy growled.

"goodness, I haven't ate too."

I have no choice. I'll pass a message to Mariya through the locker room caretaker.

"excuse me sir."

"Yes?"

"later if the other owner of locker 328 comes, please tell her I left already"

"yes, sir."

"and I trust that you do not divulge our identity"

"I won't. that's my promise to you, our honorary customer"

"thank you"

...

Mariya POV

"thank you. this would be 50,000 yen."

I paid and left the store with bags of clothes.

"oh goodness! I spent 2hours in the store?!"

I rushed to the place I left Yamada and he's no where to be seen.

"the locker room!!"

I dashed to the locker room only to be disappointed when the locker room attendant told me he has left.

"ah. I'm such an idiot. why can't I say no to shopping and now I let him go"

I drag myself back home, hating myself for what could have been an awesome day out with my yamada!

...

Mirai POV

"Mirai~ you need to have your dinner."

"I said I'm not hungry."

"look, dad and I are really worried for you. is it about that boy again?"

I covered myself under the blanket, not wanting to listen further.

my mum shook her head in dismay and left the room.

my mind, my heart are all yearning for Yamada's forgiveness. I rather the times when we never interact with each other, than now when he dreads interacting with me.

zzzz

ringggggg~ ringggggg~

"heh?! when did I fall asleep. ah crap, it's morning already"

my phone...

"ah Itai!" I fell off the bed while trying to reach out to my phone.

"Moshi Moshi"

"Mirai?"

"hai. who are you?"

"I'm Chinen."

"heh? Chinen-kun? why did you call?"

"were you with Yamachan yesterday?"

"no? well, I barely spoke to him at the school gate..."

"oh. I thought he went out with you. then it's fine, sorry for disturbing your sleep"

" but but maybe Mariya was with him"

"Alright" I hear him sigh.

"what's wrong Chinen?"

"erm... Mirai... I dunno how to put it but I am worried for yamada. we ended practice about 2am today and when I called Yamada just now, no one picked up. not his home phone, not his hand phone as well."

"maybe he overslept?"

"in this sense, you don't know Yamada well. He's not the kind who oversleeps on the day of a performance. he's more serious about work than any of us. this is why I wanted to know what happened yesterday"

"sorry. remind me what is it with yesterday that has caused him not to pick up his call today?"

"yesterday, he came late for practice. he's drenched though it wasn't raining. he kept sneezing throughout the practice and he looks rather pale. but given his attitude, he refuses to rest so he went on the practice looking very restless. it's only about 12 midnight that Yabu-kun finally convinced him to go home."

what happened? why is he drenched? I guess that's what Chinen wanted to find out as well.

"oh my gosh. maybe something happened at home?"

"I really hope not. anyway Mirai... I am thinking if you could do me a favor"

"anything I can help?"

"help me check out on Yamada"

"huh? how? I can't do that"

"you can. definitely. I'll send you his address. delete it once you memorise the address. he needs to get here by 3pm which is 5hours from now. our manager agreed his rehearsal is cancelled so just make sure he reach Johnny's at 3pm latest. I need to go continue my practice Mirai. bye and thank you again"

"Chinen! Chinen!" he has disengaged the call.

Ahhhhhhh initiate Mirai number 1 crisis!

Yamada hates me... and now I am tasked by his best friend to get him to his concert on time?! it has got to be a joke!

...

ding dong ding dong.

the door bell rang forever, but no one came to get it.

I took my phone out and dialed Chinen to announce my failure.

but Chinen never picked up my call... he must be at rehearsal.

geez, what's yuto's number when I need it!

forget it... he's not home and there's no point I stand here panicking by myself.

I was about to walk off when...

the door opened slowly revealing the once charming guy who is now as pale as paper, and he's soaked in sweat.

"Yamada-kun?"

"Mi~rai-chan, why are you here~?" it feels like he took a lot of energy to speak the sentence.

"who told~ you my~ address~"

"YAMADA-KUN!!" he collapsed and luckily I caught him just in time.

our skins were in contact and i can feel that something is not right. not only is he soaking wet in cold sweat, his body temperature seems over the roof.

"Yamada!" I touched his face, but there was no response. he continued to lie in my arms, with his head leaning on my shoulders with no notable response.

I really hope I didn't hurt him. I didn't have the strength to fully carry him to his bed so I had to resort to dragging... I can't possibly let him continue lying on the ground, so that's the only possible way I could think of.

regardless of how I dragged him, he remained unconscious. when I finally lay him on his bed, I took a good look at him.

he really looks bad. i trace my finger from his forehead to his nose and then, to his lips. my fingers stayed on his lips.

"yamada-kun. what's wrong. is it me that cause your frowning?"

there was no reply. not at all.

it's 4 hours till 3pm... how is he going to be well enough to perform on stage. I still can't reach Chinen.

"39 degree Celsius... goodness, you're running a fever!!! I'll see if i can find any medicines in your house. Gomenasai, I don't mean to search your kitchen" I stood up and was about to leave the room.

"Mirai~" yamada uttered with a very soft voice. I wasn't entirely sure it was my name he said. it must be Mariya, he's calling for.

"you're looking for Mariya? I'll call her for you"

his warm hand grabbed mine.

"Mirai ~" he mouthed. a drop of tear rolled down from his eyes.

my ears must be playing tricks. it must be me who hopes so much that he's calling for me that I'm becoming delusional.

"Yamada-kun, I have to get your medicine. I'll be back in a giffy and I'll give Mariya a call too. I know you don't wanna see me, but let me just do what I need to do first okays.... and I'll be out of your sight... please rest." I gently release myself from his grip.

hmm... not this.. not this too. after some digging and searching, I finally found... PARACETAMOL ! that'll kill his fever.

"Yamada! I found it." I dashed into the room only to find him crouch in bed like a ball, as if he's freezing.

"yamada~" I saw his face in a frown, his eyes tightly shut, and tears and sweat all fight to occupy a space on his face.

I wiped his hair off his face and tried to hold him up so he can swallow the medicine.

I lay his head on my shoulder.

I fed him the medicine and water. he appears to have difficulty swallowing it down and not once did he open his eyes or stop frowning. he's still shivering, at the same time burning.

"yamada, you need to change your top... or you'll not get well"

he did not respond.

his top is wet with his cold sweat.

ahhh this wouldn't do.

I opened his wardrobe and grabbed a piece of t-shirt.

"here, yamada-kun. change into this. it'll be more comfortable"

again, he did not respond.

my thoughts, my heart are all confused. what should I do...

"yamada-kun, Gomenasai. I have to do this... it's for your good."

I ran my hands on his face and I traced it down to his neck. my heart was pounding fast and loud.

slowly, my hand was on his first button. I ed it... one by one i ed his shirt. I can see his well-build chest and his six packs.

my face is burning from embarrassment. luckily he is unconscious or it'll be difficult to proceed.

I wrapped his body on my arms and gently fit the shirt over him.

"yamada-kun. you've to get well."

I continued to wrap him in my arms, unwilling to let go of him

"I'm really sorry for saying those things about you. I didn't mean it. I don't hate you. I actually love you. sincerely"

I shut my eyes and buried my face in his hair.

...

Yamada POV

"Itai Itai!" my body is aching. I realised I'm changed into a fresh top and was lying on my bed.

"Ryosuke!"

"Mariya-chan? why are you here?"

"I heard you're sick so I came"

"you took care of me?"

"hai" she smiled and held me up. the touch seemed different... I swore I thought it was someone else. the voice talking to me...the confession... it's from Mariya?

"but why?"

"I'm so worried about you, Ryosuke. I love you." this line sounded so familiar... I heard it when I was semi-conscious. it's really Mariya.

"Mariya~" she planted a kiss on my lips and silent me. the feeling was good, but nothing more, nothing less as compared to the kiss we had in our drama.

"oh goodness! it's 2.30pm!" I interrupted the kiss.

"I have a performance and I need to meet the rest by 3pm" I pushed her away and quickly freshen up.

"but Ryosuke, you're still sick"

"I can't disappoint my group and my fans."

I noticed she looked disappointed.

"Mariya, thanks for everything today. I feel great thanks to you!" I gave her the brightest smile I could give.

She seems more relieved. but still, I felt bad.

"Mariya, if you don't mind, could you care for me until I reached the venue?"

"can I?"

"of course. your boyfriend is sick, shouldn't you care for him?" I pouted.