[18:37 in the evening]
Ai and Akira were having dinner together.
Ai glanced at Akira, a playful spark in her eyes.
"How's the phone, Akira-sama?"
Akira, not looking up, kept a blank expression.
"It's good. Thanks."
Ai smirked, resting her elbows on the table, her chin propped above them.
"You're such a boring person, y'know that, Akira-sama?"
Akira (still not looking at her):
"That's the 5,318th time you've said that."
("You're such a boring person, Akira-sama." Encounter count: 5,318)
Ai let out a short laugh, tilting her head.
"I can't believe you've actually been counting from the very first time I said that."
A moment of silence passed between them.
Ai stood, placing her hands on the table with mock authority.
"It's been 12 years since we've sat on opposite ends of this table. It's boring. And you're not even a talkative person. Boring. Boring. Boring. Boring—"
Akira, counting:
"5,322."
He looked at his fingers.
"That's the first time you've repeated it more than once."
Ai pouted and crossed her arms.
"Boring."
Akira:
"5,323."
Ai moved to sit beside him, dragging her plate with a puffed expression.
Akira stood up, picking up his empty plate and heading to the sink.
Ai grabbed the hem of his shirt. Her voice dropped.
"You're avoiding me, aren't you?"
Akira let out a slow breath and continued walking.
Ai gripped his shirt tighter, trying to pull him back — but got dragged instead.
"Ack! A-Akira-sama! Please! Stop! Talk to me!"
Ignoring her antics, Akira calmly tied his apron and began washing the dishes.
Ai leaned closer beside his arm, asking.
"When will you be done?"
Akira:
"When you leave me alone."
Ai grinned and walked back to the table. She grabbed a chair and slid it behind him — about a meter away — then sat with her arms crossed.
"You better finish washing those dishes, you lowly servant."
(she said, deepening her voice in a mock-royal tone)
Splash!
A sudden spray of water hit her face.
Startled, Ai blinked and wiped it off. Akira shook his hands to dry them... and splashed her again.
"The water Is only hitting me... The splashes...Akira-sama!!"
Determined, Ai grabbed her apron and marched beside him to help. Huffing.
Akira (still not looking at her):
"You've Finally learned, huh?"
Seconds later, a soap bubble bounced off his cheek.
He turned his head slowly to Ai. Ai,smirking mischievously.
Akira sighed.
Ai beamed.
"What, giving up already?"
She closed her eyes proudly.
"Am I that powerful to you—"
Splash!
Akira flicked a plate with expert precision, launching water bubbles into her face.
Ai laughed, grabbing a handful of bubbles.
"Fine, I accept the duel."
15 minutes later.
Ai walks out of the bathroom – just finished washing her face and changing clothes – she dries her hair, she turns to Akira who was working on the papers once again.
"Someone seems busy~"
(Ai said with a teasing tone.)
Ai walked up closer to him, looking at the amount of paper works Akira has to do this night again. The sound of clicking in the background.
"You know, You can also rest too, Akira-sama."
Akira sighed (not glancing at her):
"These are for the rents, the rents for the rise of water bills and buying soap almost every 2 times a month."
Ai recalls her memories:
"(Ai, in the bathtub full of soap with a smile.)"
Ai grins, chuckles nervously (Guilty)
Ai clears her throat – hands on her hips.
"Well then... Uhh... If you need any help, feel free to ask me out."
Ai walks towards her room, she glances at Akira (who was still writing in his laptop) for a moment before entering her room.
Ai went into her desk – she picks up a paper – and started writing on her personal journal.
"Today has been a very very long day! Urgh– I was caught in the rain, running to near mall for shelter, my eyes were caught by some beautiful clothes. So I decided to venture inside. I met many kinds of people, there were good dancers, and even Mem-cho-chan was dancing one of my signature dances when I was still an Idol. Using the tickets I won, I brought Akira-sama a phone as a apology for not saving money. I am glad that he was not too worry about it, but was just disappointed a little... Akira and I washed the plates together and had a friendly war. ( LoL)"
Ai stops and thinks for a moment.
"And Oh... I pray that Akira-sama would soon start enjoying his life a bit more, I am tired and starting to feel guilty that he does these things just for me. I want to repay him somehow in any ways."
Ai closes her book hiding it in a drawer, she turns to her closet – wearing her pajamas – she then closes the lights and went to bed as soon as she closes her eyes.
The next morning in a apartment in Tokyo.
Woman: Good Morning Sensei.
The woman glances at her sensei/Yoriko, laying on the floor.
"If you're going to sleep, get in bed. You'll reck your back doing that."
Yoriko wakes up.
"If I'm in bed, I conk out... But on the floor, I wake up after hours or so."
Woman 2: Do you have works for us yet?
Yoriko: Mm. For starters, I put in directions for the page 2 splash background and for 1 and 2 on page 3.
Woman 2: Thanks.
Silence
Yoriko:
"I'll be watching the sweet today drama... So when you get close to finishing, let me know."
Woman 1:
"Oh, so you're actually watchimg it the day it goes up."
She sighed.
"You don't have to force yourself to watch it sensei."
Yoriko:
"You two aren't watching?"
Woman 1:
"I only saw the first bit."
Woman 2:
"I made it to episode 2."
Yoriko sighed, disappointed
"So you two dropped out."
Woman 1:
"You run yourself ragged, Drawing the series, and then... They phoned in the drama so hard, they basically mocked it. It burns me up so bad, I can't watch it."
Yoriko laughs
"Hahaha, I knew it would be like this. The Manga's run is over, and they can't hope for a sales boost. It's nice they are adapting it at all. I'm in no position to complain."
Silence
Yoriko:
"Every manga creator whose work has been adapted for the screen says... Whatever you do, don't get your hopes up. At first, every creator fantasizes about how it will turn out and what would make them happy... But by the time it ends. They all look sad... That's what being adapted is like, except..."
Yoriko starts noticing the final episode is actually very good.
Woman 2:
"Sensei?"
Yoriko wipes her tears away.
"i just thought... I'm glad I said they could make a drama."
Back to Akira's House.
Ai wipes her tears after watching the final episode of Sweet's today.
Ai kept hitting Akira's back who was still asleep on the table.
"Akira-sama!! I told you that we should watch it together you traitor!"
Akira hoarse:
"Let me rest–"
Ai cries louder.
Kaburagi approaches Aqua. Waving
"Hello there, the last episode went over well. It's effect on the drama's profits was minor... But the goal was to create opportunities for talents like you... And I suspect we achieved that."
Aqua gave him a DNA a test paper.
"When I sent in the producers cigarette butts for analys. is, it turned out that we weren't related. In a way, it was a relief. But-"
Kaburagi interrupts
"You're with Ichigou-pro, you said?"
Silence
"You bear a vague resemblance to Ai-kun."
Aqua looks away.
"Do I?"
Kaburagi:
"Yes, I spent a lot of time looking at her face. It's unmistakable."
Aqua:
"Up...close? What was your relationship to Ai?"
Kaburagi:
"I worked with her, a fashion magazine model agent recommended Ai to me. After that, I sent helped Ai out with this and that introducing her to new clients, and so forth. She even met with boys... (Background: without her ~~~~ ~~~~)
Aqua's thought:
"Ai met up with boys before?"
Aqua then spoke:
"Those boys, do you know who she met?"
Kaburagi was confused and starts being suspicious.
"Are you a fan of hers? Gossip about the deceased interests you?"
Aqua went silent for a moment
"...yes, it does."
Kaburagi thinks for a moment.
"I don't mind telling you... But let's make a deal. Like Ai, you've got a beautiful face. If we put it to work you may garner some popularity."
Kaburagi points to Aqua.
"What would you say to a reality dating show?"
Meanwhile on Akira's house.
Akira trying to barge in into an account. But miserably failed.
"So... He's using the same technique I told him... Karou-kun (His personal nickname to Hikaru). Next time... I'll make sure I have you checkmated.