Rolling her eyes, Ichinose Miki let out a bitter laugh and raised her hand to touch her cheek lightly. She was not surprised to find it wet, even though she had no recall of crying. The tears have a mind of their own whenever she tried to suppress anything close to her heart.

I hope Miyū remembers to wear a mask when she goes out.

“Why should I? I have nothing to hide, unlike you!” Shida Miyū’s words earlier this morning still echoes within her mind.

Yes, why should she? Sweet, kind, thoughtful Miyū is so different from me.

Too different that it hurts too much to remember how close they used to be when they were younger. They used to be inseparable before she became that famous Ichinose Miki.

How did she and when did she turned from being their pride to the source of their pain?

Funny how an agreement from a 6 years old girl to her mother’s simple ‘yatte minai’ was what started her on this road of no return. Her own stubbornness and pride had bound her to her promise so tightly that she could barely breathe.

It is almost amusing to realize that her pride matters more to her than her much valued sense of honesty. She could have threw in the towel anytime, her okaa-san had once say that she is free to choose whatever she wants, because they have only wanted her to be happy.

But she won’t. She hates giving-up. Especially now that she realized acting is her one calling card in life.

“What else would I have aside from acting?” that little voice in her mind haunted her most.

It stings watching her family sitting down together, spending hours discussing Shida Miyū’s future. They have never needed to do so for her, ironically, she used to be the one who they would most concerned about, purposely relating her name to future.

"Why did you choose that name for me okaa-san?"

"Because I love you very much and wishes for you to have the brightest future possible! I have high hopes for you my dear!"

Mirai no Kibō...Hope for the Future.... A wonderful name with heavy expectations... Most fitting of her now....

With a small sigh, Ichinose Miki smiled to her reflection in the mirror, only to find herself receiving her own trademark warm smile.

She is happy she supposed. Ichinose Miki is most grateful and happy to act, not that she is pleased with the achievements, but merely because she truly enjoys acting.

Appreciative but never truly taking to heart whatever awards she has received, her family has done their best to protect her by reminding her that she is still an average girl-next-door, just someone that most are familiar with.

But just as she fights to maintain that little sense of normalcy in her life, she finds herself struggling to live with the expectations of people, her management company, the media and general public.

It is almost insulting to realize that for one who so used to being bluntly honest with her family and friends, is now lying to everyone and her favorite acting has grown to become a weapon to use as her mask of self-defense.

“Gomenasai, otosan, okasan and Miyū-chan,” Ichinose Miki whispered to herself.

 “Yo! Ichigo-chan!” A familiar voice broke into her thoughts, causing Ichinose Miki to jump a little at the sudden interruption.

“Ichinose! Baka no Miki!” comes her automatized reply before she even registered in her mind who the speaker was.

Smirking proudly, Kamiki Ryūnosuke looked at Ichinose Miki, and asked innocently, “why are you scolding yourself, my kawaii kōhai-chan?”

“Kamiki Ryūnosuke!” She turned to face the intruder and glowered at him, unknowingly catching the attention of three boys who were about to enter Ichinose Miki’s dressing room.

It’s them!

Kamiki Ryūnosuke and Ichinose Miki!

… …

“Maa maa, kōhai-chan, shouldn’t you be calling me Senpai instead?” Kamiki Ryūnosuke smiled teasingly at her and patted her head lightly, internally snickering at her tininess. 

Kōhai-chan? Nakajima Yūto mouthed at his friends questionably while Chinen Yūri looked thoughtful.

Yamada Ryōsuke however, was silent as he watched how Kamiki Ryūnosuke and Ichinose Miki interacted with each other. 

They are friends, Yamada Ryōsuke realized suddenly with a sense of envy and a small twinge of jealousy.

“Don’t you dare laugh!” Ichinose Miki warned, attempting to appear threateningly to Kamiki Ryūnosuke, but when she barely reached his chin, it was difficult for any of them to take her threat seriously.

That’s it, until she stomped on his foot and the look of pain crossed Kamiki Ryūnosuke’s face.

“ITAI!!” Kamiki Ryūnosuke almost screamed earning him silent snickers from the boys; he has forgotten how vicious his little Kōhai can be at times like these.

“Ne, you are scary and violent, Ichigo-chan! So different from the characters you play on screen.” Kamiki Ryūnosuke shook his head sadly and bent down to examine his toes, his little Kōhai could have played the female version of Hercules if she wishes to, so strong and violent.

“Not like you’re what you portray on screen too, Miki,” Ichinose Miki frowned at his words and scolded her oldest friend, “if you were half as smart as your characters on screen, you would have known that teasing me about my height is a tattoo after so many years!” 

“When will you stop calling me Miki?” Kamiki Ryūnosuke winced at the mention of her childhood nickname for him, “we are no longer six years old and you are perfectly capable of pronouncing my name! Can’t you just call me Ryūnosuke like everyone else? It’s also confusing to have to share the same name as you…”

“You’re destined to be Miki when you appeared before me at Central Group wearing that Mickey Mouse cap while introducing yourself.” Ichinose Miki shot back with a smile, remembering how they first met as children actors and actresses at the Japan Central Group.

“Mou…. Can’t you change it to something nicer? I won't mind if you call me kakkoii senpai” It was funny to see the most well-known teen actor Kamiki Ryūnosuke begging so miserably but what Ichinose Miki replied took everyone’s breath away.

“Ne, Miki....Why must people change? Why can’t things be the same as it was when we were younger? Why can’t you be Miki, my best friend and protector anymore? Just because we left the Central-G for Amuse and Ken-on, we are different now? Everyone around me is changing, why must everything change? Why must I change too? Can I just be myself?” Ichinose Miki asked her series of questions seriously with an intensity which stunned everyone who were listening to her.

“I never wanted to be Ichinose Miki, I just wanted to act.” She whispered so softly that Kamiki Ryūnosuke almost missed it.

But he did not and his heart cracked upon hearing her declaration.

He knew that she did not have it as easy as him when she was scouted by Ken-on, one of the largest name and demanding artiste management companies in Japan at the tender age of twelve years old. There was also a large amount of pressure on her as she was the youngest artiste in the company with many big names.

Unlike him whereas Amuse has chosen to groom him slowly, Ken-on never gave her much of a break by setting her up for roles after roles, determined to make her the youngest leading actress of their age.

Things seems to have gotten worse for her a year later when she won the overwhelming approval of media and audience and to be revealed that she was placed second for the Best Actress award just after winner Ueno Juri, for her role in 14 Sai no Ha Ha at the age of 13 years old.

They called her genius actress, but Kamiki Ryūnosuke knew better, because he was once named the genius actor of their age too.

Mirai-chan, gomenasai. I have failed as your protector.

Noticing the fade tear strains on her cheeks for the first time as he walked up to hug her, Kamiki Ryūnosuke made her a promise, “I will always be your Miki.”

“Just like how you are always be Shi-“Kamiki Ryūnosuke was about to promise her further, when he realized in alarm that they were not as alone as they have thought to be, “Shi-Shimatta!”

Staring wide eyes at them were the members of the popular boyband, Hey! Say! JUMP, Yamada Ryōsuke, Nakajima Yūto and Chinen Yūri.

“Err…” Kamiki Ryūnosuke tried to regain his composure by running his hand through his hairs, wondering how weird the two of them must have appeared to them, “it’s not what you guys are thinking. We are friends, just friends.”

Sheeh.... The companies will kill me if I have another scandal in the making.... Especially with her... Amuse and Ken-on will be on war!

“We are not friends,” Ichinose Miki countered coldly, when she turned and noticed that they have audience, she repeated her words, wording them carefully to ensure that the message is clear, “Kamiki Ryūnosuke and Ichinose Miki were never friends.”

It was the truth, Ichinose Miki mentally assured herself of the obvious lie to everyone, Kamiki Ryūnosuke and Ichinose Miki were never friends at all.

“Kamiki-kun,” Ichinose Miki took a deep breath and delivered one of her most cruel lines she was taught to say by her manager, “consider this your first and only warning. Please keep your distance; I do not appreciate becoming the female lead of your next rumor.”

“Mirai-chan” Kamiki Ryūnosuke gasped in shock as her announcement and harsh words, unknowingly surprising Chinen Yūri with his words, “you can’t be seriously?”

Where is that girl he once knew? The one standing in front of him is surely a stranger wearing her face....

Gomenasai, Miki. I will miss you.

Ichinose Miki stared ahead blindly, not acknowledging Kamiki Ryūnosuke or anyone else at all. It was probably one of the hardest roles she has ever played.

Ironically, it’s her life.

“Miki!” A lady calling out while entered the dressing room and was surprised at the crowd gathering in the room.

Ignoring the boys, she chose to focus her attention on questioning her charge, Ichinose Miki, “haven’t I told you about not letting others into the room? What is this? Can’t I be away without you getting into trouble at all?”

Nakajima Yūto, Chinen Yūri and Yamada Ryōsuke exchanged a look at the familiar speech; it seems that it is not just idols that will get this ‘can’t you stay out of trouble’ speech, it seems female actresses too also have their share of it too.

It was in that moment, Nakajima Yūto, Chinen Yūri and Yamada Ryōsuke felt that they may have found a kindred soul in the young actress.

“Hai,” Ichinose Miki grimaced uncomfortably at the tone of disappointment of her manager, Ishihara-san, “I am sorry.”

First, Miyū, then Miki and now… Ishihara-san.

It seems today all she ever achieved today is to disappoint people.

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Do you all realise what clever Chinen Yūri has uncovered?

Poor Miki, and I meant both Miki.... Hope you all will enjoy this chapter as well. Please review and let me know what you think of the story!

Thank you!