We are so ridiculous

[restardom.livejournal.com]

[ idols are supposed to be smiling, inspirational people. They're not supposed to be sitting in their dressing room, sifting listlessly through a script, head lowered and eyes dark.

She'd known. She'd known, the first time he'd run off with her hand in his, that the smartest thing was to enjoy that one day out with him and get back to work. She shouldn't have asked to see more of him. She shouldn't have let herself get swept away, knowing the agency didn't approve of the influence of one special effects artist. They'd banned him from the building, threatening worse if he persisted.

And it was back to dreary days. Not that Kohei hadn't occasionally made his way in, regardless, but it was getting riskier, the schedules were getting more packed, and Rise was getting more and more worried. ]

How'd it get like this...?

Comments

[workisplay.livejournal.com]

[ There's a light knock on the door, and an elderly voice proclaiming that he's just there to empty the wastebasket. Not going to take more than a minute ]

[restardom.livejournal.com]

I thought they did that at night...

[ oh well, she's carefully placing the script down and heading over to open the door. ]

[workisplay.livejournal.com]

[ The look on her face is enough to get him to break character, just for a second. He frowns. ]

... Oh Rise.

[restardom.livejournal.com]

... Huh?

[workisplay.livejournal.com]

[ Oh, whoops! He snaps back into his kindly old janitor routine ] About that wastebasket?

[restardom.livejournal.com]

[ eying him a little strangely, but she also seems a little too worn out to give it much thought, reaching under the vanity and pulling out the wastebasket. ] Sorry... here it is.

[workisplay.livejournal.com]

[ The second she's away from the door to get the trashcan, he's inside the room, closing and locking the door behind him.

... Here's hoping that doesn't freak her out! ]

[restardom.livejournal.com]

[ no, it's fine, she's only going to THROW THE TRASHCAN AT HIS HEAD. ]

What do you think you're doing?

[workisplay.livejournal.com]

[ Now he breaks character fully, backing away with his hands held up to show he means no harm ]

Easy Rise! Don't brain me with that thing!

[restardom.livejournal.com]

Wh-- [ and she recognizes that voice, eyes widening, voice a little louder than it needs to be. ]

Kohei?!

[workisplay.livejournal.com]

[ He lunges forward, clamping a hand over her mouth ] Sssh! Are you trying to get me thrown out?

[restardom.livejournal.com]

[ whatever she's trying to say is muffled, but it's pretty obvious she wants to know what the hell he's doing there. She has to resort to suspicious staring. ]

[workisplay.livejournal.com]

[ The look on his face softens, and he gives a sheepish grin. Very slowly, he pulls his hand away. ] I had to come see you again.

[workisplay.livejournal.com]

[ He's got to be the biggest idiot ever. All this time, and he never saw what was right in front of him. It took Mone and Takumi of all people to make him realize that Rise had feeling for him.

And he had feelings for her.

Their last parting hadn't been a good one- he couldn't figure out at the time why she'd been so upset, but now he knew, and he had to set things right. Consequences be damned.

So here he is, bursting into her manager's office after practically having to fight his way past security. ]

Rise!

[restardom.livejournal.com]

[ Rise and her manager are in the middle of what looks to be a terse discussion, but he may catch the tail end of the man's last words, "-- leave next Tuesday" before both of them turn to stare at him. Inoue with surprise and no small amount of dismay, and Rise with equal surprise and some amount of chagrin. ]

Kohei, what--

[workisplay.livejournal.com]

[ Leave? Leave? Did he seriously just hear that word? God, he really was an idiot.

He moves across the room in a few quick steps- he'll shove her manager aside if he has to- and scoops her into his arms ]

I'm so sorry.

[restardom.livejournal.com]

[ Rise's face heats up instantly, even as she flails to try and regain some kind of balance that isn't being in his arms-- which means, yes, it's a failed attempt. She quiets for a second, though, hearing that apology but still so flustered that she's not sure how to feel right now. ]

H-hey, put me down!

[workisplay.livejournal.com]

[ He does put her down, but doesn't totally let go ]

I had this realization, and it took me forever to figure it out, but I had to come see you as soon as possible. I had to apologize.

[restardom.livejournal.com]

It's not like I haven't heard boob talk before...

[workisplay.livejournal.com]

... That's not what I meant.

[restardom.livejournal.com]

[ she's silent this time, staring at him warily.

While her manager's making indignant sputters and calling for security. ]

[workisplay.livejournal.com]

[ He notices that. It's clear he's overstayed his welcome. He takes Rise's hands in his, discreetly giving her a little note with a time and place to meet him later if "she doesn't hate him after all this".

He leans in, and whispers: ] I mean I love you.

[ With that, he backs away, salutes, aaaand jumps out the window. ]

[restardom.livejournal.com]

[ and there goes the rest of Rise's thought process and her heart, flying out the window after him.

You know, after the initial panic of OH GOD DID HE JUST JUMP--

yeah, expect that meeting place to have a person there. ]

[workisplay.livejournal.com]

[ It's a nice private place, well away from the eyes of paparazzi and managers alike

Kohei is there, waiting and looking for all the world like he didn't jump out of a window a few hours ago ]

... I almost thought you wouldn't show up.

[restardom.livejournal.com]

You kind of threw yourself out a window, why wouldn't I come?