Between the Lines (Chapter Four)

Title: Between the LInes (Chapter Four)
Main Characters: Mia, Sho, Kousuke, Jiro
Rating: PG (subject to change in continuing chapters)
Note:.
I finished it! Finally! I am sorry it took so long! And I’m sorry that this chapter is so boring =.=’ The next to are prone to be like this as well, so be warned!!
Chapter Five! CLICK!

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Two days later, Mia was back on Keio campus. But this time, she was in the library. Ms. Iitaka had requested a book and Mia had offered to get it from the Keio library as an excuse to go back. She was humming one of Sho’s solo songs, Hip Pop Boogie, the one Sayu had first introduced her to. She liked the lyrics and his voice. And she couldn’t get it out of her head.

            “Ah,” she mumbled, bending down. She had found the book Ms. Iitaka wanted. Her humming stopped and she pulled it out. I wonder what it’s about. She turned to leave and gasped, shocked. She was suddenly standing face to face with Sho.

            “Yabu-san!” Mia exclaimed, nearly dropping the book. Sho’s eyebrows furrowed at her loudness and he shushed her. She clamped her free hand over her mouth instantly, cheeks reddening. Had he heard her humming? He motioned to the book in her hand.

            “You like these kind of books?” he asked while she pulled her hand away from her mouth.

            “Iie. This is for Iitaka-san,” she replied, unable to keep her wide eyes off of him. It was so much better to see and hear him in person. Oh how she wanted to hear him live…

            “Ah. Sou ka. Well, it’s a good book,” he nodded and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He looked down and away, shuffling from foot to foot. What does he want? Mia wondered.

            “So… Yabu-san,” Sho’s head popped up at the mention of his nickname. Mia couldn’t help the tiny grin on her lips. “What are you doing here? Do you have classes today?”

            Sho chuckled. “I’ve actually already graduated. A couple years ago. I was looking for you,” Mia’s cheeks reddened even more and her heart sped nervously. Now she was really wondering what he wanted.

            “So you’re not a student here?”

            “No, I just come to study.”

            Before Mia could stop herself she snorted the word “Nerd” out, laughing insanely. How could anyone want to study? To her surprise, Sho laughed along with her. It took her a few minutes to calm down, gripping her stomach which hurt from laughing so incredibly hard. It was the first time she had done so in months.

            “Yeah,” he said, whipping his tearing eyes. He had been laughing hard as well. They were lucky the librarians hadn’t caught them. “I guess I sorta am. But I’ll be out of town off and on for a few months.  Do you have a cell?”

            Mia nodded slowly, finally getting the drift of why he was there to see her, but not fully comprehending it. She pulled out her phone as Sho pulled out his own AU one. They exchanged numbers and he held his phone up as it dialed her number, a sneaky grin on his face. “I’ll be keeping this for further reference,” he said as Mia answered her phone, grinning widely back at him.

            Sho flicked his phone shut and Mia closed hers slowly watching the man turn away from her. “Matta ne!” He threw the words carelessly over his back in her direction, hand saluting her.

            “Ah, matta!” Mia replied, ever so hopeful that their next meeting would be sooner than later.

           

            Mia was humming again as she bounced her way out of the library. She was in high spirits from seeing Sho again and not because her was “Sho Sakurai”, but because he was her “Yabu-san”. It elated her to know she could be friends with him easily, forgetting he was a celebrity when they were together. He had also asked her for her number and now she had his, which meant they could talk any time, even if he was away. Her mind flicked to the persisting question of where he could possibly be going. He obviously had intended not to tell her, yet she was still curious. If she wasn’t going to be able to see him, she kind of wanted to know where he would be. Even if those thoughts were selfish, she still had them. He was one of her first friends here in Japan.

            Mia thrust the door to the outside campus open enthusiastically, but faltered in her jaunty actions when she heard a dull thud come from behind it; the sound of a collision. From behind the door came words muted with mild pain, “Itei yo!”

            “Gomen!” Mia squeaked, rushing over to whomever it was she had hit. She stood uselessly by his hunched figure, not knowing what she should do. She hated hurting people. “Gomenasai! I wasn’t paying attention…” her eyes blurred with shame. Again, she had done something stupid in this spot.

            “…Mia-chan?” the figure lifted his head to reveal the bruised head of Kousuke, the other man she had met two days ago. She blushed realizing she had forgotten all about him in her thoughts of Sho.

            “Kosuke-san! I’m so sorry!” Despite the ache he must’ve had in his head, the young man smiled warmly down at Mia.

            “Don’t worry about it,” he reassured, patting her curls. “Just realize how lucky you are to have hot me and not some other punk.” Despite his words, Mia’s face remained subdued. She really did not like hurting other people. 

            “So, Mia-chan, you must’ve been really out of it to not see me standing outside the door,” Kousuke chuckled, he knew he was pretty tall. “Did something happen?” Mia couldn’t help the twitch of her lips and slight smile that appeared on them. The day had just been too good. “So, something did happen. Would it be too much to ask what?” They had moved to the side of the door, as not to get hit again, and Kousuke was leaning against the wall, looking at her as if truly interested in what she had to say.

            “Ah… it was nothing too special. It’s just… such a nice day out.”

            He didn’t seem to look much into her avoidance of the question, just continued on with more. “What are you doing here today? Have you started classes yet?”

            “I was here to pick up a book, actually. Which I’ve already gotten.” She held up her bag, which she had slid the book into after meeting with Sho. “Later on, I’m planning to look for a job…” as soon as she said the random words, she came to the conclusion that she would. She hadn’t been planning on it before, but it was a good idea, and an excuse to get a look around more of Japan.

            “A job? Really?” Mia nodded slightly, wondering why Kousuke sounded so excited. “Would you be willing to wait five minutes for me? I know the perfect place for you to work and they’re in need of a new employee.” Mia’s face brightened. How lucky she was to have met Kousuke!

            “You don’t have classes today?” She asked, though the brightness refused to leave her features.

            He shook his head enthusiastically. “I just have to drop this off,” he explained, holding up a miniature package that Mia hadn’t noticed before. “Then I can help you out.” The two smiled widely at each other, Mia’s smile bright and hopeful, his warm and caring. His expression sent a confusing thrill down her spine.

            “Thank you so much!” She exclaimed, giddily. She never knew getting around could be so easy!

            “It’s really no problem. I’ll be right back.”

 

            Mia ogled at the building Kousuke had led her to. Technically, it was a restaurant, but the architecture was simply amazing. The brick colors were so subtle, yet the restaurant exuded a shining aura. “You want me to work here?” She asked, dumbfounded. There was no way she would look right in a place as beautiful as this one. She felt like she would not fit at all.

            Kousuke shrugged and pushed through the clear glass doors of the brick restaurant. Mia looked up before entering. It was called “Kirei na Yozora”. She sighed at the beautiful and fitting name. “Isn’t it a night restaurant?” She asked.

            Kousuke shook his head. “We open for lunch and dinner. We need another waitress, so that’s what I think you will be able to do. You wait here while I go get the boss.” Mia nodded and took her time staring at the inside of the restaurant. It was even more beautiful then the outside appearance. The lights were dimmed and she remembered reading once in an article that low lighting makes the food taste better. Her eyes flicked from table to table, immersed of how beautiful a piece of furniture could look. They were a solid black, the legs of the table giving off the image that they could break any second with the fluidity of them. The chairs as well. Mia would be afraid to sit on them. And despite their fragile looks, they seemed actually inviting and comfortable.

            The floor was something to stare at as well. A beautiful cobblestone and it compelled Mia to look to the ceiling. She gasped at the sight of it. Stars were twinkling on a black, midnight sky. She couldn’t pull her eyes away from it. She looked around for the moon and saw a shining, white, round orb in the center of the place. It lit up the center of the room, illuminating one of the larger tables. Mia wondered faintly who would sit there and how much it would cost.

            And Kousuke wanted her to work amidst all this beauty. She didn’t even feel like she belonged standing in the place, let alone working in it. She could never imagine eating in it either, or how much it would cost her to do so.

            Mia shifted her bag to the other shoulder and looked down at the cobblestones. She was wondering how long Kousuke would be gone when she heard him calling her name. She looked up haltingly and was rewarded with one of his shining smiles. Behind him was an older man. He was much shorter than Kousuke was, but had a kind face. He wore a prim waiter’s outfit that Mia expected to be the outfit for the restaurant. She stood up straight as they were nearing her.

            “Mia-chan! Guess what?” Mia looked beyond him to the older man again, who smiled warmly back at the disheveled girl. “You got the job!!” He said excitedly. Mia looked to Kousuke for a second, her face perplexed.

            “So you’re Mia-chan, ka?” came a soft, warm voice. Mia turned, once again to the older man, surprised by his voice. It was much different than the impression of his looks. She nodded haltingly, slightly nervous. “Kousuke-san here has told me a lot about you just now. Nothing bad, mind you.” He smiled, eyes squinting in the action. “I have decided to let you take on the job of part-time waitressing, if you would accept.”

            “H-hai!” Mia exclaimed, low on breath. She needed this job. She bowed deeply to the boss who’s name she did not yet know. “I gratefully accept!”

           The older man chuckled and stepped forward to lift Mia’s head up. “Such a warm-hearted girl, no? I am Maeda Jiro, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mia-chan.”

            “Ah! Yo-yorishiku! I am… Brown Mia,” she blushed at the sound of her last name again. How wrong did it sound in the place of a Japanese one.

            “I look forward to working with you in the future. Come, let’s go discuss the days you will be working and your pay.” Her newly found boss led Mia to the back and she followed nervously, a bouncing Kousuke close behind.

 

Papa,

            I have found a job! Today, my new friend Kousuke brought me over to a beautiful restaurant with the name of “Kirei na Yozora”, or, in English, “Beautiful Night Sky”. The place is much too beautiful for me to be working there, and I am afraid I may not fit in with the other employees, but it is a well paying job and I have been offered it. Who am I to turn it down?

            I also found out, not too many days ago, that Yabu-san, the young man who had jumped into the bush on my first day visiting Keio University is actually Sho Sakurai. A very famous idol in Japan. And today, he asked me for my phone number. And Papa, I am still a young woman. To get a phone number from such a wonderful and famous man is almost too much for me! To think he actually wanted my number as well, to think that… is almost too much. It makes me giddy with pleasure.

            Oh, Papa, I feel I have grown so much and you have not been here to see it. Japan is a wonderfully beautiful place with amazingly kind people living in it. I am one lucky girl to be able to come here, and on a scholarship. I am really grateful that I have come here in the way I have and met the people who are now surrounding me. I am anxious to see how life here will progress.

            5-10-08 Mia~