Leave it up to Fate: Chapter Twenty-three

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Ana took a deep breath and the balmy night air filled her lungs. She sat down on a wooden bench and felt the silence of the night envelop her. She sighed, it was a relief to escape the smoky rooms and the pulsating electronic beat of the party.

“Thanks for coming with me,” Ana told Hide as he sat down beside her, “It was all getting to be a bit too much for me.”

They had gone through a discreet side exit, some dimly lit shop fronts, a row of cars, a couple of vending machines, a narrow strip of road, before they emerged into the small, tree-lined square Hide had told her about. Lampposts and benches lined its perimeter, it provided a fitting respite from the chaos they had emerged from.

As they sat in silence, Ana glanced around. The park was deserted. And although the corner to which Hide had guided her was darker than most, she didn’t mind — the last thing she wanted was for someone to see her in distress. It was certainly humid out here, she thought. She lifted her face up and saw that dark clouds had hid the moon. She belatedly remembered that the weather report had predicted rain later in the evening.

Ana sadly wondered what Ken was doing, and an image of him dancing with that girl flashed in her mind. He had certainly been enjoying himself, she thought. What the hell does he see in that little slut? Ana mentally shook her head, she thought she knew Ken, but it turned out that she didn't know him at all. All of a sudden, Ana wasn’t sad anymore. She was fuming mad. How dare he, she thought, how dare he put me through this. This wasn’t part of our arrangement at all. And how dare he make me feel this way. This was supposed to be a clear-cut arrangement, and she mentally berated herself for thinking that there was a chance that it could develop into much more.

Ana shook her head. She thought she had been living a fairy tale, Kaye was right, fairy tales only happened in books and anyone who thought otherwise was a fool. Everything had been just a dream.

But what a dream it had been, Ana thought and smiled wryly.

She shook herself out of her musing and turned to her companion. She was disconcerted to see that he was watching her intently. “Nan de,” she asked nervously, “What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?” She started in surprise when Hide drew nearer.

“You’re really pretty, Ana-san,” he said and brushed a lock off her face.

“Ano, Hide-san,” Ana edged back as she breathed in the alcohol fumes that emanated from her companion, “I think we should get back to the party, people might be looking for us. Ne, ikimashou ka?”

Hide leaned in even further. “It was really bad of Ken-san not to pay you proper attention.”

Ana was alarmed when she felt the armrest of the bench at her back. She jumped up and decided to head back to the party, but to her dismay, Hide caught hold of her wrist and backed her into one of the lampposts. “Hide, you’ve had too much to drink…” she said, remembering Yoshi’s half joking warning about his band mate turning amorous only after a few drops of alcohol.

Ana’s panic escalated when Hide pressed his body to hers. “I think I really like you, Ana-san,” he said, “and I’m a much better kisser than Ken-san.”

“I … uh … I’ll take your word for it,” Ana stammered out, a part of her brain thinking that she wouldn't have any basis for comparison anyway. Ken had never kissed her.

“Sou ne,” Hide assented, “demo, let me prove it to you.”

“No, I … chotto matte,” Ana got out as Hide moved in.

It all happened so quickly. Ana had turned her face away and braced herself to bring her knee forcibly up Hide’s groin, just as Kaye had taught her and Tessa. Her knee was halfway there, when he suddenly gone. Ana blinked and looked up to see Ken, his legs braced apart and hands fisted, towering over Hide’s prone form. Hide was sprawled on the stone pavement, apparently knocked out cold.

Ken raised furious eyes to hers and she inwardly quailed. Oh man, she thought, this was so not happening. It was just her luck. What else could go wrong?

The first few drops of rain fell as Ken started towards her. Ana looked left and right, trying to find a quick escape. He was in front of her in a flash, pinning her to the same lamppost Hide had. Frantically, Ana wondered if she should try to knee Ken. He seemed to have read her thoughts and said quietly, “I wouldn’t try that if I were you.”

Ana decided to go on the offensive, “What are you doing here?” she cried, “Have you been spying on me?”

Ken looked at her incredulously, “Spying on you? Baka! I just saved you!”

“Saved me?” Ana cried, “Did I ask you to save me?”

“Are you saying that you asked him to kiss you?”

“So what if I did?”

Ken goggled at her in disbelief, he shouted, “Why the hell would you do that?!”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Ana shouted back, “Maybe because I got tired of waiting for you to kiss me!”

They both froze.

Oh shit, Ana thought, what the hell did I just say?

Wow, Ken thought, did she just say what I think she said?

Ken stepped closer, and Ana squinted up at him as his wide shoulders blocked out the light from the lamp above. The rain was coming down harder and they were both almost drenched.

“You were waiting for me to kiss you?” he asked, his voice much softer than it had been.

“Well, not exactly,” she hedged, looking down, “its not exactly that I was waiting for you to kiss me per se, its just that …”

But the rest of her sentence was cut off as Ken tipped her chin up and bent his head. Ana felt her eyes close of their own volition.

Ken cradled Ana’s face in his hand. His heart was beating faster than usual as he considered her upturned face. This was just like a scene out of one of his movies, but then, Ana was just so different from all the other women that he had kissed before. She was strong, honest, and courageous, but she was also very vulnerable and fragile. She was special. And so he kissed her the way he thought she would want him to — a gentle kiss, his lips softly tasting her own.

He smiled and lifted his head as he ended the kiss.

She opened one eye and then the other, and looked at him strangely.

“Is that it?”

Of all the things he expected her to say, it was definitely not this. In answer, he raised a brow at her.

“Don’t get me wrong,” she said quickly, sounding a bit perplexed, “it was a very nice kiss, it’s just that…”

“Hai?” Ken could not believe this conversation!

She shook her head, she couldn't believe she was actually saying this, “Well, I don’t know, I guess I was expecting fireworks — or at least something more...” She took a deep breath, “Don't get me wrong, it was a very nice kiss,” she said, trying to placate him. Only it seemed the sort of kiss that was choreographed, she thought, the kind that you saw at the end of a scene in a j-dorama, not the kind borne out of spontaneous passion. But then, she thought sadly, maybe she wasn’t the type of woman who inspired passionate embraces.

She glanced up at him, “Seriously, it was alright,” she said reassuringly, as if she thought his feelings might be hurt.

Ken almost smiled as he watched the play of emotions upon Ana’s expressive face. Just when he thought he had her figured out, she surprised him. His Ana was definitely one of a kind. He decided to throw all caution to the wind and kiss her the way he really wanted to.

He stepped closer and assured her, “Mada owattenai yo, I was just getting started,” he said as he gathered her to him.

Ana saw something primitive in his eyes only a second before she felt his arms close around her. She tried to jerk back, but suddenly his mouth was on hers, hot and persuasive, coaxing her to respond. His tongue lapped insistently at her closed lips, forcing them to open and accommodate him, when she did, he groaned and plunged his tongue into her mouth, tasting her as he had always wanted to.

And she thought she had wanted fireworks, Ana vaguely reflected. She was amazed that she didn't go up in flames on the spot. Ken’s kiss was more than just fireworks — it was thunder and lighting, elemental in its effect on her, and yet … and yet there was something tender in his embrace, as if he really cared for her. However, her ability to think was slowly stripped away as jolt after jolt of excitement rushed through her veins as Ken continued to kiss her. Until, unable to control herself, she put her arms up around his neck and shyly started kissing him back.

Ken’s response was immediate, he gathered her more tightly to him. She tasted sweet, he thought, fruity — like she had just had one of those cocktails. He knew that this wasn’t the time or place, but she was just so sweet, her mouth so intoxicating, that he just couldn't help himself. A tiny warning signal at the edge of his brain was telling him that things were spiraling out of control and that he was getting more involved than he had originally planned, but still his arms snaked more tightly around her, pressing her to him, as if trying to absorb her. In response, Ana’s body turned soft and pliant in his arms. Ken groaned low in his throat, this definitely wasn’t what he had planned, he thought as he nuzzled her neck and gently caressed the side of her breast.

Ana thought she would have melted into a puddle at Ken’s feet if he had not been holding her up. Nothing could have prepared her for such an assault on her senses. She felt as if she were floating on a sea of sensation, unable to string together a coherent thought, totally lost to the moment. A tiny moan escaped her lips as Ken began to nuzzle lower on her neck.

It was that tiny sound that broke the sensual spell.

Ken dragged his mouth from hers with supreme effort, disconcerted to discover for the first time that he had let all his defenses down, and that he was panting like some untried boy. What the hell just happened? In all his relationships, however provocative his consorts had been, he had never ever lost control. He glanced down at Ana, who also seemed incapable of speech, her breathing as labored as his own. What was it about this woman that robbed him of all ability to think rationally?

“Ana, we need to talk,” he said. As she continued to stare up at him, he took hold of her hand and began to lead her towards his car.

“Wait,” she protested, “what about Hide?”

Irritated, Ken glanced at the man sprawled a few yards from them, “What about him?”

“Well, we can’t just leave him there.”

Well, we’re definitely not taking him with us, he thought. “He’s a big boy, he’ll wake up in a few minutes,” he told Ana. Privately, he thought that it wouldn't be the first time this had happened to Hide. He exerted pressure on her hand and she started walking with him.

They were nearing his car when Ana froze in her tracks. Ken turned back to look at her.

“What about her?” she asked in a small voice.

“Her?” Ken said in bewilderment.

“You know who I’m talking about,” she told him, “Your little dance partner.”

We’re not taking her with us either, Ken thought. He studied Ana, her brow was furrowed and her eyes were shooting daggers at him. Was she jealous? He smiled as he realized that the thought appealed to him.

Ana frowned at him, “What are you smiling about?”

“You,” he said and planted a quick kiss on her lips. He was pleased that he had managed to render her speechless once again, and took the opportunity to shepherd her into his car.

Ken got into the driver’s seat and revved up the engine. As he backed out of his parking space, she asked him, “Where are we going?”

He glanced at her, her eyes boring into hers, “I’m taking you home. We have much to talk about.”

“You’re going in the wrong direction,” she said after a few minutes.

“No. I am going in the right direction.”

“But my apartment is over there,” she gestured towards the rear end of the car, where he had missed a turn.

“I wasn’t going to take you there,” he said, “I’m taking you to my home. It’s much closer.”

“But …”

“No arguments on this Ana,” he cut her off, “I’m wet and tired and so are you, I’m not in any state to argue with you.”

“But what will people think?” she asked worriedly, biting on her lip.

He smiled, “I don’t think the paparazzi is out on a night like this, do you?”

Ana started to smile back when she suddenly sneezed loudly. Ken’s dark eyes bore through hers, “We’d best get you out of those clothes quick.”

In spite of being drenched through, his words made her flush. Then she mentally shook her head, Boba, nothing is going to happen. As if.

...

Read Chapter 24!

Character profile: Kaye

Hi guys! As I've done with Ana and Ken, here's Kaye's character profile. She's actually one of my fave characters in the series. Hope you like her too ;-)

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Name: Katrina Maghari

Nickname: Kaye, Kat

Birthday: 22 November 1980

Age: 29

Zodiac sign: Scorpio

Color: Blue (but secretly likes pink)

Eyes and Hair: Brown eyes; Long, wavy, black hair

Height: 168 cm

Body type: full-figured; think: coke bottle with oomph (although she has to exercise a lot to keep in shape)

Food: lots of meat and veggies; steak with pinakbet, qwek-qwek, potato chips, adobo and ginisang munggo, dies for danggit, chocolate ice cream, alcohol (is that even a food group?)

Occupation: Manager at a Japanese executive headhunting firm

Interests: Badminton, running, shopping, clubbing, cooking up a storm at home, going out with people

Dislikes: brats like Marga, bossy and domineering people (people a bit like herself actually), cheats and swindlers

Family: Family based in Manila; the eldest of 5 siblings; Dad (Jose) used to be a construction worker, but now runs his own small hardware store, Mom (Lina) is a housewife, brothers Jose Jr. and Kris are IT engineers, sister Jessie is a college sophomore, and youngest Celeste is in highschool.

Inspiration behind Kaye’s character:

Kaye's a regular "Tetsu no onna" or iron lady.

Kaye’s character is inspired by the dozens of students whom I’ve met in Tokyo, who are all working hard to better their (and their family’s) circumstances. Most of the people who come to Japan for Masters or Phds end up going back home to work at universities, but some choose to stay and enter the Japanese workforce (especially students in the vocational and technical high school programs). These are the people who, aside from spending hours studying, have taken the time to learn the language and customs of their host country and are equipped to adapt to working in it.

Kaye is the same. Her family isn’t as wealthy as Ana’s or Jon’s but she’s got loads of ambition. She believes that people get what they work for and thus dislikes lazy people or those who complain about their lot without doing anything. Kaye loves bullying people into doing what she thinks is right, but dislikes being dictated to.

She has a very cynical nature, and tries very hard to squash down her innate romanticism. Unlike Ana, who has led a rather chaste existence in Tokyo, Kaye is a player. She loves dating and meeting new people. However, she has very high standards and gets disappointed when the men she dates don’t live up to them. She also dislikes dishonesty and cheating in relationships, and is quite unforgiving when she finds out that someone is such.

What I like most about Kaye’s character is that she’s got a lot of heart (although she works hard to maintain a bato-bato image). Typically Scorpio, she’s intensely loyal and protective towards her friends and she’ll scratch the eyes out of anyone who crosses them. She also spends part of her time volunteering for a thousand and one causes and trying to get the local Filipino community organized. She forever complains about people and politics, but her inner idealism makes her strive to continue to search and fight for a better world ~ just as although she doesn't care to believe in fairy tales, she secretly hopes that Piolo Pascual will one day ride by on his white horse and carry her away.

Leave it up to Fate: Chapter Twenty-two

New to The Japayuki Chronicles?

Start with Chapter 1!

“What is it with those two?” Jon asked as he, Kaye, and Yoshi observed Ken and Ana from the other side of the room.

“Sou ne, they’ve been acting strange all evening,” Yoshi mused.

“Ana was quiet on the way to the Budokan a while ago,” Kaye commented, “she seemed deep in thought.”

“I wondered about that,” Jon nodded, “she was in such high spirits when we were at the house.”

“Yeah,” Yoshi seconded, “She seemed alright when I saw her backstage before the concert.”

“She went to see Ken before the concert began right?” Jon asked Kaye.

“Well, that’s what Marga said,” Kaye muttered and in unison, the three of them looked to where Marga was laughing in the midst of a group of young men. Tessa was a few feet beside her, talking to a few young men from Johnny’s Jimusho, who Yoshi had introduced them to. They both looked like they were having the time of their life.

“Ah,” Yoshi chuckled, “To be young and without a care in the world.”

“Who’s the hanger-on?” Jon asked, indicating the woman who was sidling up to Ken.

“Wasn’t she one of the performers a while ago?” Kaye asked.

“If you call that screeching a performance,” Jon muttered, remembering how he had visibly cringed when the girl’s group had come on stage.

“That’s Ai Otani, she’s the lead singer of the group Saga,” Yoshi told Kaye. Then he turned to Jon and said mockingly, “You don’t really think that when men watch her perform, they actually listen to her music.”

Jon gave Yoshi a speaking look, remembering the barely-there costumes, “How fortunate for me then.”

The three of them turned back to look at Ana and Ken. Gone was the connection that they had observed in the previous weeks. They both acted stiffly towards each other and although they smiled, it didn’t seem to reach their eyes. They spoke to each other in over-polite stilted sentences. They stood apart, separated by a seemingly invisible wall. And when the crowd jolted them and they happened to bump together, they jumped apart as if they had been electrocuted.

What the hell is going on, they wondered.

+++

It was excruciating. Ana didn't know how much more she was expected to take.

For the past hour, she had had to stand next to Ken while another woman was draped over him. The sly, sidelong glances Ai had been giving her were almost too much. But she wouldn't back down. No way, sir. She would prove that she could stick to the rules of the game, even if Ken didn’t seem to mind.

But Ken did mind. He wanted to bodily hurl Ai from his side, but aside from causing a scene, the gesture wouldn’t help fix things up with Ana.

“Na Ken, you’re so lucky,” Hide said as he came up beside them, “to be surrounded by two gorgeous women.” Ken smiled crookedly in response, not really in the mood to humor Hide, whom he liked least among Yoshi’s friends. Ignoring Ken’s lack of response, Hide addressed Ana, “Hey Ana-san, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?” he invited with a low bow.

Ken was about to tell Hide to go to hell when Ana laughed and held out her hand, “Sure, I’d love to,” she said as Ken gritted his teeth. Belatedly, she turned to him, “Ken? Is it alright if…”

“Sure. Go, I’m sure I can keep myself occupied while you’re away,” Ken answered as he draped an arm around Ai. He hated himself for the flash of pain he momentarily glimpsed on Ana’s face. But she recovered quickly, smiled at him and then turned to Hide.

Beside him, Ai was suggesting that they dance too. He was about to snap at her when he realized that it sounded like a good idea. Two could play at this game, he thought. However, he quickly regretted his decision when he realized that Ai’s idea of dancing was akin to making a spectacle of herself. She dragged him up to the raised dais and proceeded to gyrate beside him. He scowled at her, but she didn’t seem to notice; she was loving the all attention that they were getting. He glanced over at Ana, who was dancing with Hide. Their eyes met briefly, but she quickly turned away.

+++

“Daijoubu?” Hide asked, “Are you alright, Ana-san?”

Ana shook herself out of her stupor and turned to look at her dance partner. He smiled at her and said, “You looked like you were miles away. Or,” he glanced at Ken and Ai on the raised dais, “at least the other side of the room.”

Ana grimaced, was she that transparent? So much for playing it cool. She put her hand up to her temples, she had a raging headache all of a sudden. “I think the noise and the smoke may all be too much for me,” she said smiling ruefully at Hide, “I think I’ll step out for some fresh air.”

“Allow me to escort you, there’s a small park just near here,” he said as he took her elbow. He paused to down a glass from a tray that a waiter proffered before leading Ana out the side door.

+++

“Whoa, I sure am having a good time!” Yoshi, Jon, and Kaye turned at the sound of Marga’s voice.

Yoshi grinned as he spied Kaye roll her eyes behind Marga’s back. He hailed a passing waiter and snagged drinks for all of them. “Careful with this stuff,” he warned as Marga guzzled hers down, “it’s pretty strong.”

Kaye, who wasn’t a novice at drinking, humphed after sampling a sip, “It’s strong --- by Japanese standards,” she qualified.

Yoshi held his hands up, “I admit that given the amount of alcohol we put away, Japanese people don’t have a strong stomach for alcohol,” he smiled as he nursed his glass, “I’m not so bad, but my bandmate Hide turns into a kissing monster after a few glasses. Once, when we were on tour, he even kissed us all.” He made a face as Jon and Kaye laughed.

“Oh, sempai Ana better watch out then,” Marga tittered.

“What do you mean?” Jon asked her.

“Well, it’s just that I saw Hide downing a couple of these,” she gestured to the cocktail glass she held, “before he went out with Ana.”

“Went out where?” Yoshi frowned. Marga pointed out the door the couple had exited. Yoshi briefly exchanged looks with Jon, “I’ll go get Ken,” he called over his shoulder, “just to be sure.”

...

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Trying to squeeze a few words in ...

Hi guys! Thanks so much for visiting my online novel-blog! So sorry I haven't been able to update in ages. The reason for my silence is the little bundle of joy I delivered into the world a month ago ;-) Having a baby is wonderful, but it can be really, really tiring! So I do hope you'll bear with me as I try (figuratively) to pick my pen up again and write.

Thanks for all your comments, I always love reading what you have to say ;-) Don't worry, Ken and Ana will come back soon!

Hugs!

Leave it up to Fate: Chapter Twenty-one

New to The Japayuki Chronicles?

Start with Chapter 1!

Ana sat in the van in silence as her companions discussed the concert they were attending. Takashi informed them that the event was usually held at Tokyo Dome, but they managed to snag a slot at the Budokan so they changed venues this year. Tessa and Jon were noisily perusing the list of performers, while Kaye and Takashi launched into a discussion of the Japanese entertainment industry.

When the got to the Budokan, Takashi helped them out of the van and led them into the hall, “Your other guests are already here,” he told her.

Ana nodded, thinking of Nakano and Tanaka and how excited they must be.

Takashi continued, “As you know, Ken will join you after the program because he has to take care of hosting duties,” when Ana nodded, he gestured to a row of seats in front, “Most of the companions of the performers are seated with the VIPs in the first few rows, but Ken thought you’d be more comfortable with your friends,” he said, indicating a few rows behind the VIP seats.

“Arigato,” Ana smiled her appreciation. She looked around, most of the seats of the Budokan were already filled and there was an excited buzz going through the air.

Built in 1964, the Nippon Budokan is an arena in central Tokyo that was originally built as a venue for the Tokyo Olympics. Although this arena had been built with Japanese martial arts in mind, it has since served as a stage for a host of performers ranging from the Beatles to Beyonce. In fact, for most foreigners in Tokyo, the Budokan is synonymous with large-scale rock concerts.

The stage was positioned to one side of the vast arena. It was large, semi-circular and had several catwalks projecting from it. The longest one was down the center aisle and helped define the VIP areas. Several rows of seats were positioned in front of it. The stage itself was a maze of stairs and platforms that went up, down, and nowhere. The area behind the stage, which Ana assumed led to the dressing rooms, was completely covered in black canvas. From the flat, middle area, seats surrounded the stage in two tiers.

As they approached, Nakano and Tanaka jumped up from their seats to greet them. Ken had also graciously invited them to the party afterwards so they were dressed up nicely. As Takashi excused himself, Ana introduced her friends to her lab assistants.

“Ana-san, I think you’re supposed to sit over here,” Tanaka said indicating a chair nearest the aisle.

Nakano nodded, “Yes, your friend wanted to sit there, but an usher told her that the seat was for you.”

Ana looked at Nakano, puzzled, “What friend are you…”

“Hey guys, what took you so long? We were here ages ago.”

Ana had hardly finished her question when the unmistakable sing-songy voice made the hairs at the back of Kaye’s neck rise. The four of them turned in unison. Sure enough, Marga was walking down the aisle towards them. Jon, Tessa, and Kaye gaped at her.

“Marga!” Tessa managed to gasp out, “What are you doing here?”

“I was invited,” Marga told them as she air kissed them in turn.

“Invited by who?” Kaye couldn’t help asking.

Marga laughed, “Why, Ken of course,” oblivious to their astounded countenances, she continued, “When I had a class with him last week I mentioned that Tessa told me about the event tonight.”

Kaye and Jon looked at Tessa accusingly as Marga went on, “And of course, I knew it was only an oversight on his part not to have given me a ticket since sempai Ana and I are such good friends. So he sent me a ticket and here I am.”

She turned to beam at them, “Isn’t this great, we’re all here together!”

Ana almost giggled as she saw the expressions on her friends’ faces. Tessa managed a weak smile and Kaye and Jon both grimaced. There was a mad scramble for seats as both Jon and Kaye were loath to be seated near Marga. Finally, Tessa ended up seating next to Marga and Ana. Jon and Kaye sat at the end of the row, skillfully using Nakano and Tanaka as a buffer.

“This is so much fun sempai,” Marga chortled as she sat in the seat next to Ana, “I’m so amazed at how orderly everything is,” she turned to Tessa, “It’s so different from Manila, no? Whenever we watch concerts there, everything is so unruly. We usually get prime tickets, but people in the bleachers are so annoying. They always try to get into our section, you know?”

Tessa nodded abstractedly as she scanned the audience, “Oh look, isn’t that the guy from the drama they show on Thursday nights?” she asked Nakano.

Nakano’s answer was drowned out by Marga’s voice, “Oh but here, its great that we got prime seats! This is where all the stars are,” she said as she primped her hairdo.

Ana glanced over at Kaye and Jon and saw them roll their eyes in unison. Ana almost burst out laughing; she wondered how long those two would last in Marga’s company. She started in surprise as an usher tapped her on her shoulder. “Hai? Nan desu ka?” she asked.

“Ano, Ana-san desu ne?” the usher asked, verifying Ana’s identity.

When Ana answered in the affirmative, the usher handed her a backstage pass and told her that he had been asked to accompany her there. Bemused, Ana told her friends where she was going, then stood up and followed the usher.

He led her through a series of cordoned-off areas and through a maze of makeshift hallways before they came upon a door, which had a card with Ken’s name printed on it. The usher then took his leave and Ana thanked him. A warm feeling flooded her senses as she realized Ken had not entirely forgotten about her.

“Ken?” Ana called as she stepped into the room. She heard a rustle from behind the screen at the far end of the room. She smiled in expectation and was shocked when a woman stepped out from behind.

She was fully made up, her short black hair was perfectly teased, and her generous décolletage, visible from the open vee of the short robe she was wearing, was amply dusted with gold dust. She looked Ana over and asked insolently who she was, “Dare?”

“Gomenasai,” Ana apologized, “I thought this was Ken Nakamura’s dressing room…”

“So it is,” Ai shot back, “who are you and what are you doing here?” Ai raised a brow and crossed her arms. She knew perfectly well who this woman was; she had been the one who had sent for her after all. Under her heavy lashes, Ai inspected the gaijin. She wasn’t bad looking, she was pretty in a wholesome kind of way, but she certainly wasn’t of Ai’s caliber in any case.

Ana visibly tried to control her mounting anger, who was this woman and what the hell was she doing in Ken’s dressing room? And how dare Ken call her in here when he was obviously entertaining someone else!

Ai almost smiled when she saw that the gaijin was getting worked up, “Dressing rooms are off-limits to fans you know,” she said as she sat down on one of the chairs, “Security deals harshly with stalkers these days.”

“I’m a friend of Ken’s,” Ana managed to say, “He actually asked me to come here.”

“Ah sou?” Ai asked disbelievingly, “Ken never mentioned anything about us having any visitors.”

Us. Us?!

Ana suddenly saw red. Was this Ken’s way of telling her he wanted out of their agreement? Was this woman the girl whom he had been seeing this past week? How dare he treat her this way!

“Would you like to take a seat while you wait for him?” Ai invited, smiling as she turned to check the contents of the mini fridge, “I think we have some tea in here…”

“No thank you,” Ana managed to say, “I have to go now,” and she marched out the door to Ai’s satisfaction.

Goodbye gaijin, she thought.

+++

For what seemed like ages, Ana walked aimlessly down a series of clinical white corridors, before she finally stopped to lean against a wall. Takashi had told her that Ken would start to see people soon, but this was all too abrupt for her. Perhaps this wake-up call was best, Ana thought.

“A-na-chan!”

Ana looked up and goggled at Yoshi who was walking towards her. He was outfitted in an amazing red and white tux made of some shiny material. He even had a ginormous feathered corsage affixed to one shoulder.

He smiled as he reached her, “Wakatta, wakatta, I know it's a bit too much, but it looks good onstage,” he said defensively as he held his hands up. As Ana grinned, he sighed, “The only consolation is that I’m not the only one wearing this costume,” he said, gesturing to the group behind him.

Ana gaped at the assemblage. It was all a bit hard to take in—five grown men in shiny, sequined red and black tuxes strutting as if their getup was normal.

“Oi Yoshi, who’s your friend?” A tall curly-haired man asked.

“Ah sou ka,” Yoshi said as he turned to Ana, “You’ve never met Freeway, have you?”

Ana shook her head. She belatedly realized that Yoshi was one of the members of Freeway, one of the famous all-male singing groups that were very popular in Japan.

Yoshi smiled as he turned to his friends, “Ne minna, this is Ana,” he said. Ana bowed slightly, and Yoshi proceeded to introduce his mates. There was Tachi, Tatsu Akigawa, a tall blonde who was the leader of the group; Maki Sakamichi, who had shoulder-length hair and carefully sculpted brows; Youichi Semakawa, who, with a boyish grin told Ana to call him You-chan; and Hide, Hideaki Matsuyama, who sported a perm and had his shirt open to reveal lightly oiled pectorals.

“Ah sou, you’re the mysterious gaijin who has captured Ken-chan’s heart,” Tachi said with a smile.

“We’ve been asking Yoshi to introduce us to you, but he’s been a bit reluctant to do so,” Hide said as he stepped closer to Ana, “Now we know why.”

“Hide,” Yoshi cautioned, “Don’t scare Ana off.”

“Hide can come on pretty strong, but he’s harmless,” You-chan informed Ana, “He’s only dangerous when he’s had a couple of beers.”

Ana smiled at him, “Wow, that’s comforting.”

“Consider that a warning,” Maki told her, “Hide turns into a kissing monster when he’s drunk.”

Taki sighed, “He’ll kiss anyone.”

“Even us,” You-chan confided and Ana burst out laughing.

+++

Ken walked back to his dressing room in frustration, a note clutched in his hand. “Meet me at the rehearsal room on the second floor,” the note said, “We have something important to discuss.” The note had been signed in Ana’s name. And so he had went and waited for almost an hour for her. He worriedly thought that perhaps she had been held up somewhere. He had been unable to reach her on her phone, but Takashi had assured him that he had delivered Ana and her friends safely to their seats.

He was rounding a corner when he heard her laughing. She stood leaning against a wall, laughing with Yoshi and his band mates. So this is what held her up, Ken thought. So this is why he had been waiting for her in vain for the better part of an hour.

“Ah, Ken-chan has come to pick his princess up,” You-chan quipped as he spied Ken at the end of the corridor.

Ana stiffened and turned to look; sure enough, Ken was approaching them and he didn’t look happy.

“Ne Ken,” Tachi said, “We’ve been getting to know Ana-san.”

“So I see,” Ken said icily, pinning Ana with his stare. She stared back defiantly at him. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but Ana and I have something to discuss.”

“C’mon guys, back to the dressing room, we have to practice that last move,” Yoshi said, recognizing the note of steel in Ken’s voice. He gave Ana an apologetic grin and herded his band mates away.

“It was nice meeting you Ana,” Maki said as they walked away.

“You’ll be at the party later, won’t you?” Hide asked Ana. At her nod of assent, he smiled and gave a jaunty wave, “See you there!”

Ken waited until the last of the men had rounded the corner, then he turned to Ana, “You seem to forget yourself,” he said, grasping her arm and dragging her towards his dressing room.

“Ken?” Ana quickened her pace to match his, “What do you mean?”

“We have an agreement,” he reminded her as he thrust her into his rooms, “and until we conclude that agreement, you have to restrain yourself from running into another man’s arms.”

Ana wrenched her arm away, “Nani? What are you talking about?!” she asked incredulously.

“Obviously, being with me has given you a taste for fame,” Ken said derisively turning to face her, “Isn’t Dan enough for you anymore? Do you need to add other stars to your collection?”

The slap was like a crack of thunder in the silence.

Ken raised his hand to his stinging cheek and glanced at Ana. She looked back furiously, “How dare you?” she spat, “How dare you when you’ve been carrying on with someone else under my nose.”

Ken glanced at her in confusion.

“Oh yes, I know about her,” Ana went on, “I know about the girl you’ve been spending time with for the past few weeks.”

“What girl?”

“Short hair, humongous breasts, and legs up to her armpits?” Ana she saw recognition dawn on Ken’s face, and her heart sank, “So you do know her?”

Ken nodded, “Ana,” he started, his voice softer than it had been, “It’s not what you think…”

“It’s not what I think?! Then what? Are you saying you haven’t been spending these past few weeks in her company?”

“I…I may have but…”

“But what?”

Ken remained silent.

“So it’s alright for you to take up with strange women, but for me to talk to someone is a crime?”

“Don’t talk to me like that, its not as if…”

Ana looked at him directly, “Yes, its not as if we’re really in a relationship,” she said before walking out the door.

Go to Chapter 22!

Thank you for reading!

...

Happy Merry!

Hi guys! Thanks for dropping by and reading my inanities ;-) I hope you'll continue to drop by in the coming year.

Enjoy the holidays!

Hugs,

CPSanti

Leave it up to Fate: Chapter Twenty

New to the Japayuki Chronicles?

Start with Chapter 1!

Jon’s orderly flat resembled a nuclear disaster area. Curling irons and hair dryers were scattered across the marble counter of the bathroom. His living room resembled a garage sale. His sofa was piled high with discarded clothing. Wispy pieces of lace and powder were littered on the carpet. The air was thick with the scent of perfume. Even his kitchen bore remnants of the Chinese food they had consumed earlier.

As Ana gazed at her reflection in Jon’s full-length mirror, she could hear her three friends squabbling as they fought for counter space in Jon’s bathroom. They were all getting ready for the fundraiser at the Budokan. The vehicle that Ken had sent would be arriving in a few minutes to pick them up. Although Ana said that it wasn’t necessary, Ken had insisted on it. Kaye, Tessa, and Jon were only too happy to indulge in the luxury of being chauffeured around Tokyo.

Ana smoothed her hands over the dress that she had especially selected to wear for tonight. She was wearing one of Lynne’s gifts, a layered chiffon shift in shades of blue and green. Ombre, her sister in law had called the subtle blending of shades. It had a beautifully embellished neckline and fell to asymmetrical folds to her knees. Kaye had been surprised when Ana informed her that the dress was from her sister-in-law instead of from Ken. Over the past few years, Lynne and her mom had taken to buying her designer clothes when they put in an order for themselves. So every time Ana had gone home for a holiday, she came back to Japan laden with carrier bags containing designer clothes that she never had an occasion to wear—until now, that is. Her tastes must be changing, Ana thought when she inspected the dresses last week, looking for something suitable to wear. A few months ago, she would have wrinkled her nose at such luxury, but now she reveled in it. A whole wardrobe at the back of her closet and she never even knew about it.

She donned the diamond studs that had been her grandmother’s and critically inspected her attire. Not bad. She idly wondered if Ken would approve.

It was almost two weeks since they had last seen each other. In the past week Ken had barely contacted her. She wondered if something was the matter when Yoshi, whom she bumped into a few days ago, told her that Ken had come back to Tokyo during the past weekend. At Ana’s visible surprise, he quickly backtracked and made the excuse that they had been busy with rehearsals the whole Sunday and afterwards Ken shuttled back to Shizuoka to resume taping. Yoshi went on a bit on how packed schedules were in the summer season, and that people made the most of the weather by shooting dramas for the fall and winter season.

Ana was a bit hurt at not having heard from him. She thought Yoshi might have noticed, since he seemed to want to cover up for Ken. She broke down the next day and gave in to the urge to send Ken a message, asking how he was. He answered in kind the following day, it was mostly about the event tonight. Although he had given her details and told her he had asked Takashi to arrange for transportation, his message had seemed cold and distant. When she apologized for bothering him, he called later in the day. He had sounded tired and apologetic, and Ana tried to tell herself not to read too much into a text message. But their conversation had been strained and Ana sensed he had been glad to end it when a staff member called him back to the set.

In spite of that, Ana was unexpectedly eager to see him again tonight. One part of her brain was sending out warning signals that she was getting too used to having him around, yet she was unable to tamp down the thrill of seeing him again.

The noise in the bathroom escalated when the doorbell at the foyer rang. Ana spied Takashi through the security monitor, and surveying the chaos around her, she told him that they would be down in a bit. Her friends were putting the finishing touches to their outfits, so she told them she’d go ahead.

“Konbanwa,” Ana smiled as she bowed and bade Takashi a good evening.

He returned her greeting with a low bow, “Ana-san, thank you for coming tonight,” he said, “This is truly a big help to Ken’s career.”

Ana shook her head, “Please don’t worry about it,” she assured him. Funny how going out with Ken hadn’t seemed like such a chore lately. Ana frowned as she pondered this, in the past few weeks, Ken had transformed her normally placid life into a whirlwind. Things were never boring when he was around. All her life, Ana had thought life was made up of a series of interrelated formulas and rules that one had to abide by. Ken however, constantly encouraged her to think out of the box. The constant bickering and teasing that comprised their relationship was in turns explosive and funny.

He taught her to laugh at her mistakes and not to take herself so seriously the whole time. He listened attentively to her when she talked about her day and pampered her each time that they were together. He occasionally gave her small gifts, a bouquet of flowers, a box of doughnuts, and tons of studio freebies. She knew she was close to thinking like one of his witless fans, but he certainly knew how to make her feel like a woman. She looked forward to one of his slow smiles when he saw her approach and the way that he rolled his eyes whenever she talked about Dan. In the short span of a few months, she managed to feel closer to him than she was to her own brothers. But the way she sometimes thought of Ken was far from brotherly.

As time passed, it was getting more and more difficult to remind herself that this was all just make-believe. A small illogical part of her brain pondered the possibility of actually making a go of the relationship, but her more practical side quashed it down. It was impossible. It was totally out of the question. She and Ken could never be together for real.

She knew she was spending more time with him than she ought, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. It was just for another few months, she kept telling herself. Another few months, she thought sadly. And then the fairy tale would be all over.

+++

Takashi was in high spirits. The ploy they had used had paid off and Ken was now more popular than ever. The public avidly followed the developments in Ana and Ken’s relationship. This resulted in an increase in interviews, invitations to appear in shows, and offers of product endorsements. To an agent, this news was akin to manna from heaven.

He glanced at Ana and glimpsed a flicker of sadness cross her face. She must be thinking of Sato, Takashi thought. It must be hard for her, to be separated from the one she really liked. Takashi was fully aware of the arrangement between Ana and Ken and he fully approved of it. It was much more simple to keep things between them business-like. Takashi had even met Sato once when Ken had asked him to pick up Ana a couple of weeks ago. It was easy to see that the ha-fu had become interested in Ana. Going by what Ken had told him of the arrangement, he figured that Ana was probably anxious to get together with Sato. Fearing that she might be thinking of leaving them high and dry, Takashi sought to reassure her.

“Gomen ne, Ana-san. I know that this arrangement has been difficult for you,” he told her, “but please don’t worry. As soon as Ken finds someone new, we can break this off right away.”

Ana felt a cold wave envelop her as she stared at Takashi. Oblivious to her sudden pallor, he continued, “As a matter of fact I even introduced him to the new idols of our sister agency a few weeks ago. They seemed to get along pretty well. In fact, I heard that he and Yoshi spent an evening in Shinjuku with them last weekend. Who knows, he may have found the one,” Takashi chuckled at his last statement.

Before Ana could react to that however, Takashi peered around her, “Here come your friends, shall we go? Traffic can be unpredictable,” he said, as he turned to exit the lobby.

Go to Chapter 21!

Leave it up to Fate: Chapter Nineteen

New to The Japayuki Chronicles?

Start with the Overview orChapter 1

“Ja, what happened?” Yoshi asked as he sauntered into Ken’s living room. He took off his jacket, tossed it on top of the sofa, and then looked around for the remote.

“What do you mean?” Ken asked as he locked the door and tossed his keys on the dish that lay on top of the shoe cabinet. He went into the kitchen and fetched two bottles of beer from the fridge. When he came back to the living room, Yoshi had already commandeered the couch and was flipping through channels at the speed of light. Without taking his eyes from the screen, Yoshi blindly reached one hand out for the beer.

Ken almost smiled as he handed him the bottle. He watched as his friend gulped down half the bottle and belched. At times, Yoshi felt more at home at his apartment than he did. He sat down on the adjacent armchair and took a fortifying sip. Although Yoshi kept his own private apartments in Shibuya, he often hung about Ken’s place in Minato a lot. When Ken asked him why he didn’t get an apartment nearby, Yoshi said that he liked living where the action was and that Minato was for yuppies. Privately, Ken thought that Shibuya was the perfect place for his friend who was out on the streets more often than he was in his own house.

That was probably why Ken had been surprised when barely an hour ago, at a little before ten, Yoshi had rounded up the party and called it an early night, reminding everybody that they had relatively early call times for the concert rehearsal the next day. Yoshi and the girls were performing, and Ken was hosting one of the segments.

Reiko and Nana were actually sweet girls, if a bit shallow, and although they pouted a bit, they went without much fuss. Ai however had trouble retracting her claws and keeping up her angelic façade. The look she gave Yoshi as she left would have killed a lesser man. However, Yoshi had stood firm and packed them all into taxis. As soon as the girls had left however, he hopped into Ken’s car and tagged along to his apartment.

Although he hadn’t said so, Ken was glad to be free of Ai. A few more hours in her company and he would have started screaming. The sight of her red-talons caressing his arm almost sent shivers up his spine.

Lost in his thoughts, Ken was slightly surprised when Yoshi suddenly leaned over and stared fixedly at him. “Ne, it’s about Ana isn’t it? You haven’t seen her in a week and you’re having withdrawal symptoms. You should have gone to see her tonight…”

“I did.”

“So she was busy. It happens,” Yoshi tried to console his friend as he went back to surfing channels.

Ken shook his head and paused to take another swig of his beer. He grimaced as the bitter brew went down. “My evening schedule cleared up so I went over to the institute to surprise her for dinner. And what do you know, she was already eating at the cafeteria with her preppy boss.”

“Eeeee?! Maji de?!” Yoshi almost dropped the remote in surprise.

Oblivious, Ken continued, “Deshou? I know, right? We had a deal, an agreement, and now she’s screwing around on me,” he looked for confirmation in Yoshi’s shocked face.

“Jitsu wa, I was surprised about the fact that you went to surprise her,” Yoshi clarified, shaking his head, “You’re not exactly an impulsive person by nature.”

Ken grunted in response. Yoshi surveyed his friend; Ken was hunched over his seat, staring moodily at his drink. Yoshi bit back a smile; he knew exactly what was happening. He knew Ken wouldn’t appreciate the humor of the situation, but he couldn’t help himself, “They were just having dinner Ken,” Yoshi said, trying to placate his friend, “Nothing to be jealous about.”

“I’m not jealous!”

“Hai, hai,” Yoshi agreed in the tone that mothers used to humor little children with.

Ken raked his hair from his forehead, “It’s just that we haven’t seen each other at all this week, she’s been away and I’ve been busy. Then when I get a break in my schedule to see her, she’s making goo-goo eyes at another guy.”

“Whereas you would have wanted her to wait placidly and make goo-goo eyes at you when you happened to throw snippets of attention her way?” Yoshi asked, tongue-in-cheek. Deciding to stoke the fire, he lowered his voice, “It’s not as if she’s really your girlfriend you know … or is that what’s bothering you?”

Ken glared at him, “What the hell do you mean?”

Yoshi held his hands up to placate Ken, “Ma ne, I think I’ve gotten too used to version 2.0 these past few weeks,” Yoshi said as he surfed channels.

“Version 2.0?”

Yoshi nodded, his eyes still glued to the screen, “Sou sou, Ken-chan version 1.0 scowls and grunts, he gives monosyllabic answers, freezes people with a look, and walks around with a haughty look on his face.” Yoshi paused, drank from the bottle, and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. He grinned unrepentantly at Ken, “Ken-chan version 2.0 smiles and laughs more, he’s more patient with people, and for the past few weeks, when he’s in the company of a certain someone, he walks around with a stupid grin on his face.”

Startled, Ken stared at his friend. He started to shake his head, “That was just acting,” he said in a low, scratchy voice, “I was playing up to the cameras.”

“Right,” Yoshi took another swig of beer, “and you put on a damn good performance every time. Man, when you scowl at any man who talks to her, or when you start looking impatiently around for her when she’s been gone from your side for at least five minutes, one can almost believe that you are truly head over heels in love with her.”

“I should really get acting lessons from you sometime Ken-san,” Yoshi continued as he surveyed Ken’s sudden pallor, “I have never ever seen you treat a woman like that,” Yoshi reached to put his bottle on the table, “Either you have learned some new acting tricks while you were in America or there’s something different about the situation this time around,” he clapped Ken on the shoulder, “Think about it my friend.”

+++

Ai Otani knew that her time had come. Ever since she was a child she had dreamed of stardom. She had stood in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom, imagining herself standing on a stage, dressed in luxurious clothes, being adulated by thousands. She dreamed of walking around on the arm of a rich, gorgeous, and famous man. And as she stared at her reflection in the mirror above the dresser in her room that night, she reflected that almost all her dreams had come true. All but the last one.

She had recognized her destiny when she first laid eyes on Ken Nakamura.

He was exactly the kind of man she deserved. The kind of man who would further propel her towards the stardom she had always dreamed of. She was honest enough to admit to herself that she didn’t love him. Nor did she fool herself into thinking she’d be susceptible to that crippling emotion. That was simply the reason Ken was perfect for her purposes. They were two of a kind.

The door opened and Reiko and Nana, chattering noisily, sat down on her bed. Ai scowled at them, but they took no notice of her. Sometimes Ai thought they were either really thick-skinned of plain stupid not to have noticed how much she despised them. However, Ai acknowledged that she needed them. She had dreamed of stardom, and the easiest way to fame and fortune was by forming a singing group. True, singing with Saga as a group didn’t exactly strain her vocal chords, but their group, with their cutesy techno songs and shockingly sexy ensembles, had found a solid fan base in the thousands of randy, repressed salarymen and Akihabara otaku.

“I still think that Yoshi-san is more into me,” Nana said as she flopped on the bed, her flimsy lingerie hiking up to reveal part of her back.

“Chigau,” Reiko protested, “he hugged me far longer than he hugged you.”

“Ne, ne,” Nana nudged Ai with the fluffy slipper that covered her foot, “Who do you think Yoshi-san likes more?”

“I couldn’t care less,” Ai shrugged. Frowning as she noticed a chip in one of her long, lacquered nails.

“Well, at least Ai isn’t into him,” Reiko consoled Nana as she bounced on the bed.

Nana laughed, “Yes, unlike some people, at least we know how to share,” she twisted round to look at Ai, “So how’s the campaign with Ken-san going? Have you made any progress?”

“Well, he was talking to her more than usual,” Reiko mused.

“Sou, sou,” Nana agreed, “He almost ignored her the last time they were introduced.”

“Has he broken up with the gaijin?” Reiko asked.

Ai smiled at them through the mirror, it was the kind of smile that would have sent chills down the spine of an ordinary mortal. “They might still be together, but they won’t be for long.”

Go to Chapter 20!

Typhoon Ondoy: How to help ;-)

For people in Japan, here's how to help. You can send your donations to these organizations so efforts will be pooled before they are sent to the Philippines.

MONETARY DONATIONS

1. OFW-Shien Foundation (in a tie-up with Tulong Pinoy Movers in the Philippines)

Base: St. Anselm's Church, Meguro, Tokyo

How: via METROBANK Tokyo account (no. 027 3027 2417 28) Tulong Pinoy Movers Unlimited, Inc.

2. Japan Association of Novo-Ecijanos (JANE)

How: Contact Ms. Vilma Castillo (090 6488 5368) or Ms. Chat (080 3408 2127)

3. Via the Philippine National Bank, Tokyo - Remittance Charge is FREE

OIC: Pauline Beset, PNB 03-5401-3300 or 0120-86-6382, pauline@pnbtokyo.co.jp

Accounts:

a. GMA Kapuso Foundation (PESO) 1210 0320 0017 or (DOLLAR) 1210 0320 0025

b. CARITAS Manila (DOLLAR) 1085 6660 0025

c. Philippine National Red Cross (PESO) 3623 3680 0011

4. Convenience Stores

- There will be collection boxes at convenience stores all over Japan

USED CLOTHES, RELIEF GOODS

1. OFW SHIEN COOP

Where: St. Anselm's Church, Meguro, Tokyo, after the 12 noon mass on Sundays

Contact: Natalie (080 3414 8464), Emma (080 5488 9630), Sancy (080 5088 4959), or Ate Linda (080 5510 3961)

Do: For people outside Tokyo, ask if you can send the items via Takkyubin

2. via the Fathers and brothers at the Komaba Chapel (collection will be ongoing for the month of October)

Contact: c/o Fr. Rexbert / Ate Liling

Tel. 03-3467-1871
Address. Escolapios4-5-12 Komaba Meguro-ku (エスコラピオス修道会目黒区駒場4-5-12)

* They will accept donations via Takkyubin, address the boxes to Fr. Rexbert

Let's all do our part ;-)

hiatus

hi everybody!

my apologies for the lack of posts --- i've just been swamped with work lately. anyway, i hope to resume posting chapters by the end of September or early October, so I hope you'll check back then.

have a good one!

cpsanti