Between the Lines (Chapter Six)

Title: Between the Lines (Chapter Six)
Characters: Arashi, Mia
Rating: PG
Warning(s): Language use…? ><;
Note:.
Whheee chapter six is done~
It’s Sho’s perspective. I really hope that I captured him correctly! I really hope that you enjoy~
Chapter Seven! CLICK!!

——

Sho watched Mia walk away from the table. Aiba and Nino noticed, casting a questing glance each others way. Jun watched Sho, too, tapping the table irritatedly, slumping in his chair, legs crossed over one another. “What I’m wondering,” he said, unhappiness clear in his voice. Sho turned towards him, bracing for a rampage of ‘I’m-trying-to-tell-you-what’s-right-for-the-band’ words from Jun. “Is how you could be so stupid as to make such close friends with an outsider!”

            Sho’s brow creased. Jun had taken a different direction in his tactic. “What, it’s not like you haven’t had a relationship before. Plus, Mia-chan and I are just friends.”

            “Well, what happens if you get closer? Or when she goes back to America? Will that devastate you? Ruin how you work? Or what about when she finds out you and your friends are fucking IDOLS!?” Jun slammed his hand on the table startling Sho and the other three members who looked on helplessly.

            Sho lowered his eyes. “I don’t think she’s the kind of person to care about that…” he mumbled, trying not to let his anger show. He wasn’t doing too well because his fists were clenched under the table and his temple was trobbing dangerously.

            Jun’s eyes narrowed even more. He opened his mouth, clearly ready to say something biting, sarcastic, and rude, but of all people, Ohno spoke up. “Aw leave him alone, Matsujun. He’s old enough to decide for himself. Plus, she’s pretty.” Nino stared open-mouthed at Ohno, surprised, impressed, and disappointed all at once.

            Aiba smiled widely and clapped, impressed with his Riida as well. “Nice one, Oh-chan!”

            Sho was staring at Ohno, a slight color in his cheeks. If Riida approved, then the others surely would too, right? And Ohno had noticed how pretty Mia was, too. That was a plus… Sho thought. He nodded his head towards Ohno in silent thanks.

            “So, Sho-chan. You know Mia well?” Aiba asked. Sho nodded slightly staring straight on at his smiling friend. Something seemed off with the way Aiba was reacting to Mia being in Sho’s life. “How come you never told us?”

            “I-” Sho started, ashamed, but Nino interrupted.

            “So she’s the one who’s been texting with you!” He said accusingly.

            Jun jolted straight up in his seat, the frustration that had been diminished by Ohno returning in a rush. “You gave her your number?” He whispered fiercely. Sho’s eyes widened at the other man’s bitterness. “What happens when she tells others your name? Eh? ‘I know Sakurai Sho,’ she’ll say. What then, huh? And then they’ll get your number! Of all the remarkably idiotic things you could do you choose to-”

            “Jun-chan!” Aiba said forcefully. “Leave poor Sho-chan alone. He finally found a girl he likes and she seems nice, too!” Sho licked his lips and looked at Aiba, trying hard to contain his laughter. He noticed Nino giggle a little and the tiny grin on Ohno’s face. Whenever Aiba tried to be serious, that was the reaction from everyone, but it caught Jun off guard and he sat back in his chair.

            “Thanks, Aiba-chan,” he said. Aiba smiled largely and nodded his approval to continue to Sho. “I met her at Keio,” he started, ignoring the snort from Nino followed by the ‘nerd’ comment. He continued explaining how Mia had saved him from a fan in the courtyard and how he had gotten the nickname ‘Yabu-san’ because he had jumped into a bush to escape from the fan. He told them how she had fed him and been kind, how she was nice, sweet, funny, etc. He told them how they had met at the library a couple days after their first meeting and how she most likely suspected nothing. “I guess I didn’t tell you because I knew some of you would disapprove,” he glanced at Jun who huffed.

            “Sumimasen,” a girl’s voice called. Sho’s body went cold while everyone else jumped. It was Mia coming to deliver the meals, along with two other servers. He hoped she hadn’t heard anything. “Sorry to interrupt, but your orders have arrived, sirs.” Sho held his breath as the five at the table were served. When the servers bowed and turned to leave along with Mia, Sho let out a breath.

            “You think she heard?” He asked, but no one responded. The whole Mia ordeal had been forgotten as soon as their meals had been smelt. Sho decided to do as the others and dug into the food. “Mecha umai!” he exclaimed right as the first bite entered his mouth.

 

            As they were leaving, Mia showed them out, smiling brightly. Sho let everyone pass before him so could talk to Mia without them interrupting. He eyed the waiter who stood next to her. He looked at her like she was something to be cherished. Sho didn’t like that look from him.

            “Mia-chan,” Sho said, waving her over his way.

            “Ouh! Yabu-san! Did you enjoy your meal?” She walked over to him, curls bouncing.

            “Yes, it was very delicious,” he replied, smiling down at her small frame. He was just noticing how good the waitress uniform of the restaurant looked on her.

            “Ahhh. I’m glad. Was this your first time eating here?”

            “No, I’ve been here a couple times before. My ma… I mean, Jiro-san is a good friend of mine.” He bit his lip at his near slip-of-the-tongue and hoped she hadn’t noticed.  

            “That makes sense! But… didn’t it cost a lot of money to eat here? I know I could never have enough money to pay to rent out this place.” She frowned, and eyebrow raised in question towards him. Sho couldn’t help but chuckle at her expression.

            “Yes… but I just wanted to say sorry for my friends. They were very rude today and I apologize for them.” Mia flushed and looked at the ground, shuffling her feet. Sho held back his accomplished smile. He had strayed from the main topic having a feeling that Mia was the type of person to get flustered by an apology.

            “Iie… no…” She was so flustered her Japanese had switched to English. “No… I wasn’t…” Sho cocked his head trying to understand her words. “Ah! I-I mean… They weren’t rude. It’s ok.” She had switched back to Japanese then and her cheeks were pinker than Sho had ever seen them. The color looked good on her.

            “C-cute!” Sho mumbled before bursting out in peals of laughter. His eyes closed with the force of it and he bent forward, clutching his stomach. It was one of the most entertaining things he had seen in a while. He didn’t calm down until a car beeped its horn, beckoning him. Mia was smiling up at him, obviously trying hard not to laugh as he had. “You should go, Yabu-san. I think your friends are waiting for you.”

            “Un, I know. Good luck with work, Mia-chan. See you later.”

            “Mata ne, Yabu-san!” Mia shouted after him as he ran to the car that waited for him at the curb. He slid into the open door and turned to look out his window and watch Mia walk back into the restaurant. She was talking with the waiter Sho had noticed before and was very pink-cheeked and smiling. Sho felt that he didn’t like that waiter all so much.

            Sho sighed and turned away and fumbled with his seat belt. “So, Sho-chan.” Sho jumped, releasing the seat strap in surprise at Aiba’s voice. He hadn’t noticed him in the seat beside him.

            “Oi, Aiba! You startled me!” He reached to whack Aiba on the head, but the other man ducked out of the way. Sho jerked his hand back as if he had touched something hot. The seriousness and off-ness was back in Aiba’s actions and face. His voice, too.

            Aiba smiled then, proving to Sho that there in fact was something off. The smile was way too forced and had a slight fall to the edges; a frowning smile. Sho’s expression changed from one of rejection to one of soft compassion for his friend. He wondered what was wrong. “Sorry Sho-chan. I was just wondering if you really liked Mia-chan.”

            Sho sucked in a breath and looked away from his younger friend. “I think she’s nice,” he offered. Truthfully, he didn’t know whether he liked her or not… as in more than a friend. But he didn’t need to be thinking about that. Not with Arashi’s TV shows to film, concerts to do and practice, phototshoots to attend, and everything else.

            “Ok Sho-chan,” Aiba said, voice quiet. Now he was actually showing that he was upset.  “Just be cautious, ok? What Matsujun said, even though it was harsh, some of it was true.” He smiled weakly and turned away.

            Sho patted the other man’s thigh comfortingly. “Don’t worry, Aiba. She’s a good person and I’m careful. Nothing bad will happen.”