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FIC: Unmasked, Part 6 of 25 of 25
Title: Unmasked, Part 6 of 25
Rating: NC-17 overall
Fandom: Haru wo Daiteita (Embracing Love)
Pairing: Kikuchi/Onozuka
Characters: Kikuchi, Onozuka, Asano, Yoshizumi
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Word count: ~5,265
Sequel to: Unexpected Opportunities, Comeback (Part 1 and Part 2), Forgiveness, Firsts, First Date (Part 1 and Part 2), Going Steady (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6), Audition (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Cookout (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Press Conference (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Sanctuary, The Prince vs. the Groupie (Part 1, Part 2), Family Visit: Tokyo (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5), Gigolo (Part 1, Part 2), Yoshizumi's Night Out (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Family Visit: Okinawa (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5), and Interlude. The series also includes two side-stories that are outside of the main timeline: Valentine's Day Surprise and Strictly Business.
Summary: Onozuka's father gives an interview to the media, and Onozuka also faces the press in order to defuse the scandal.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
***
Fujimoto showed up during the lunch break at the studio's cafeteria, where Onozuka, Asami, Kikuchi, Yoshizumi, Kitamura, and Mizutani had just sat down together at a table. Onozuka waved at his manager, who came over and pulled up a seat next to him.
"I've scheduled the press conference for five this afternoon at the studio," Fujimoto announced. He nodded politely at Kitamura and added, "With the director's permission, of course."
"Onozuka-kun will be done shooting by then, so that's fine with me, since you said I'm not required to attend the conference myself," Kitamura said with a wry smile. He dutifully gave interviews to promote his films, but disliked the promotional side of the business, and particularly despised the media frenzies manufactured by the trashier tabloids--like this one, although Onozuka's family problems weren't quite as scandalous as sexual infidelities or drug arrests or the time some drunken pop star had been caught frolicking naked in a public park.
Not that it was any comfort to Onozuka at the moment.
"All right," Onozuka told his manager, obediently if not enthusiastically. "I've been preparing a statement."
"Have you talked to your family?" Fujimoto asked.
"Um...well, sort of," Onozuka hedged. When Fujimoto gave him a stern look, Onozuka admitted, "I didn't speak to my parents directly, but I talked to Takumi-san, my father's apprentice and designated successor. He said that my dad was pretty upset, more because of the stuff they dredged up about my mother's past than about me being exposed as the prodigal son." Although he was no doubt upset about that, too.
"Then maybe you'd better watch this before the press conference," Fujimoto said. He hesitated, glancing at the other occupants of the table, obviously wondering if it would be better to conduct their business somewhere more private, then shrugged and apparently decided that it didn't matter. He pulled his laptop out of his briefcase and began playing a video, saying, "This aired on TV earlier this morning, and it's already starting to make the rounds on the internet."
"This is Yamaguchi Miki in Kanazawa, reporting for Entertainment News!" a perky young female reporter shouted, having to raise her voice to be heard above the crowd of other reporters who were standing outside the main branch of the Nakata confectionery and either summing up the story of Onozuka's "scandal," or clamoring for Onozuka's father to come out and make a statement.
"I'm here at the main branch of the Nakata chain of wagashi shops, an old and respected confectionery which has been in existence since the Meiji era. The current head of the Nakata family, Nakata Kouhei, has won numerous awards for creating sweets that are works of art as well as being positively delicious."
The scene cut away from the reporter to show some stills of Nakata products: delicate sugar flowers like the ones Kikuchi had bought for his mother; manju hand-molded into whimsical shapes like peaches and bunnies (which caused Onozuka to wince at the memories that brought to mind); and the spun sugar feathers that were based on the Nakata family crest and were made only once a year, on the anniversary of the founding of the main store. Premium quality sugar was melted down into a golden syrup that could be spun out into thin, fragile threads and carefully formed into the shape of a feather--a process that was very laborious, tedious, and difficult, which was why they made only a limited quantity once every year, even though they were extremely popular and always sold out within a few hours. Onozuka himself had never created a feather that his father had deemed worthy of selling, despite years of practice--although Takumi was probably perfect at it by now, Onozuka thought to himself sourly.
"Ooh, so pretty!" Asami exclaimed. "I want to try some of those!" Then she glanced over at Onozuka and apologized sheepishly, "Sorry, Onozuka-kun."
"Not at all," Onozuka replied graciously. "Even though I selfishly pursued an acting career instead of taking over the business, I take pride in our sweets, and I'm always happy to hear that people enjoy them."
Fujimoto gave him an approving nod and murmured, "That's the right note to take; be sure to say that at the press conference, too."
Meanwhile, in the video, the camera cut back to the reporter as she exclaimed, "It looks like Master Kouhei is finally coming out to make a statement!"
Onozuka found himself holding his breath as his father emerged from the shop to face the reporters, even though he knew that the show was pre-recorded. The Master of the confectionery was dressed in a kimono and carried himself with his usual air of stern dignity, calmly ignoring the incoherent din of the reporters shouting questions all at once. He almost looked, Onozuka thought, like a samurai lord facing down a crowd of peasant rioters.
Kouhei held up a hand, and gradually, the shouting died down into silence, and the reporters shuffled around uneasily, looking confused and slightly cowed. "Impressive," Yoshizumi said, raising an eyebrow.
"You have no idea," Onozuka muttered, having been the direct recipient of that intimidating stare more times than he could count, and somehow it never got any easier to face it.
Yoshizumi smiled slightly and said, "Too bad that your dad isn't an actor--we could have used him in some of my dramas!"
"He does look like a lord from the old days, doesn't he?" Asami giggled.
Once Kouhei had the reporters' attention, he spoke in a coolly polite but very firm voice that brooked no argument or negotiation. "You are inconveniencing my workers and my customers. I will answer your questions--one at a time--if you will agree to disperse and allow us to conduct our business unhindered afterwards."
The reporters hesitated, then murmured reluctant assent. Yamaguchi cautiously raised her hand, like a schoolgirl asking permission to speak in class, and Kouhei nodded at her, with the air of a ruler deigning to grant a boon to one of his subjects.
Kikuchi's eyes darted from the computer screen to Onozuka, as if drawing a comparison, but Onozuka shot a glare at him, and Kikuchi chose to remain silent, although it was very unlike him to be intimidated by anything Onozuka said or did. Yoshizumi, on the other hand, had no such compunctions, and cheerfully said, "Ah, I'm beginning to understand where you got your princeliness from, Onozuka-kun!" Kikuchi barked out a startled laugh, but quickly covered it up with a cough when Onozuka glared at him again.
"Is it true that you disowned Onozuka-san for becoming an actor instead of taking over the family business?" Yamaguchi asked hesitantly.
"That is nonsense," Kouhei replied briskly. "Yuu is, and alway has been, a member of this family."
"So...you're not angry at him for pursuing an acting career?" Yamaguchi persisted. "Wasn't he your designated heir?"
Kouhei hesitated for just a second, then replied smoothly, "I won't deny that it came as something of a shock when he decided not to take over the business. However, Yuu is an adult, and has the right to make his own choices regarding his career."
"Are you saying that you do approve of him becoming an actor, then?" another reporter asked skeptically.
"It is not the career that I would have chosen for him," Kouhei conceded coolly. "However, as long as Yuu has the conviction to stand by his decisions and take responsibility for them, I will not object to the path that he has chosen for himself."
The reporters looked confused, not quite sure whether to take that as a "yes" or a "no." A third reporter ventured, "Your son is a rising star in the entertainment industry--he's starred in two hit TV dramas and is currently working on his first major motion picture. Are you proud of his success?"
"I'm afraid that I don't go to the movies very often, or watch much TV," Kouhei replied politely, then added, "aside from the occasional samurai drama." That got a chuckle out of the reporters--and Yoshizumi. "However, I'm glad that Yuu seems to be doing well for himself."
It must nearly have killed him to say that with a straight face, Onozuka thought bitterly. It was ironic that his father looked down on his acting career with such contempt, since he was turning out to be a surprisingly good actor himself.
"So there's no family feud?" Yamaguchi asked, sounding a little disappointed. "You haven't forbidden him to return home?"
"Yuu is welcome to come home anytime he chooses," Kouhei replied in a smooth, level voice, and Onozuka was the only one who seemed to catch the veiled barb in his words. Because it all came down to his choices: his choice to become an actor; his choice to abandon his family and his responsibilities; his choice not to return home and face his father's censure. Every bland, polite response that Kouhei gave to the reporters sounded like an accusation to Onozuka's ears.
Well, maybe Kikuchi had picked up on it, because he glanced over at Onozuka with a concerned look on his face. Onozuka pretended not to notice, not just because he was still giving his lover the cold shoulder, but because it made him feel vulnerable and exposed to know that Kikuchi could see past his princely facade.
"I've heard that he hasn't set foot in Kanazawa for years," another reporter accused, but Kouhei seemed unfazed by the attack.
"That is not true," Kouhei replied calmly. "His work keeps him busy, so he isn't able to return home very often, but he was in Kanazawa for a short visit a few months back...not long before he got that movie role, I believe."
Onozuka couldn't help looking startled by his father's words; he hadn't been aware that his father knew about his visit, but either Takumi or Shiori must have confessed the truth at some point. Fujimoto gave him a suspicious look, and Onozuka quickly smoothed his features back into their princely mask. In spite of himself, he felt a grudging respect for his father and the way that he'd managed to twist the truth around to suit his purposes.
Which was exactly what he'd done himself on numerous occasions, Onozuka suddenly realized, and he was reminded of his grandmother's frequent complaints of "You and your father are more alike than you'd care to admit." He fought back a scowl and tried to brush aside those thoughts. All right, so his father could be a sneaky bastard when it suited him, but other than that, they were nothing alike. Nakata Kouhei placed duty and tradition above all else, while Onozuka was a free spirit--irresponsible and selfish as well, perhaps, but he saw no point in trying to live up to a standard that he knew he could never meet. Even if he had remained at home to take over the business like a good little heir, he would still have disappointed his father when he couldn't marry and produce more Nakata heirs. Well, he supposed that he could have married some suitable girl and had affairs with men on the side, but that hardly seemed fair to his hapless hypothetical bride. He had spent enough years living a lie that he had no desire to force that fate on someone else.
"So what will happen to the business?" a reporter was asking. "Who will take it over, if not Onozuka-san?"
"Takumi-kun?" Kouhei called out, looking back over his shoulder into the shop. "Will someone bring Takumi-kun out here?" He turned back to face the reporters and said, "I have a very capable young apprentice named Miura Takumi. He and my daughter Shiori will take over the business when the time comes. Ah, here he is."
Takumi stepped forward to stand by the Master's side, trying to keep his composure, although all the cameras and reporters obviously made him a little uneasy. Kouhei patted his shoulder reassuringly and said, "He's been training under me since he was fourteen, and he's a very fine confectioner who puts his heart and soul into his work."
"The Master is very kind," Takumi said modestly, still looking a little nervous under all the scrutiny.
"If Miura-san is to be your successor, does that mean he will marry your daughter and take on the Nakata name?" Yamaguchi asked eagerly, clearly spotting another potential story.
"Well, Shiori is still young, but we have been discussing an engagement," Kouhei said, smiling at his apprentice fondly. "I would certainly be happy to welcome a fine young man like Takumi as my son-in-law."
"I will always work hard to support the confectionery, in whatever capacity I can," Takumi said, smiling pleasantly, but Onozuka noticed the trapped look in his eyes. It was going to be almost impossible to break the engagement now that the Master had mentioned it publicly, though informally. He thought grimly to himself that he should have poisoned Asano after all, instead of just slipping the laxative into his coffee.
One of the reporters had clearly done his research, because he asked in an insinuating tone, "Your daughter is eighteen years old, isn't she? Isn't that a little young to be married?"
"Of course the marriage would not take place until my daughter finishes her studies at the university, which would be at least four years from now at the bare minimum," Kouhei replied, refusing to rise to the bait. "At which time she will be a legal adult and of marriageable age."
"How does your daughter feel about the idea of an arranged marriage?" the reporter persisted. "She's just a teenager, after all, and most young women aren't eager to settle down at an early age these days."
"My daughter is a very responsible young woman," Kouhei said, and Onozuka could almost hear the unspoken words unlike my son... "She wants to see the family business continue, and she's fond of Takumi-kun, who's practically been part of our family since he started working at the shop." He smiled indulgently at Takumi--a rare expression for the stern Master of the confectionery, and one that Onozuka could never recall being directed at himself, and Onozuka felt a childish little stab of jealousy even though he didn't want Takumi's position of favored heir.
"In his current film, Onozuka-san is playing the love interest of Kikuchi Katsuya, who made headlines ten years ago with his gay scandal," another reporter said, changing the subject. "Are you disturbed by the rumors that they may be carrying on an offscreen romance as well?"
"As I said, I don't pay much attention to show business," Kouhei replied coolly. "But I am sure that there are always rumors about an actor being involved with the person playing his love interest. If I spent my time worrying about tabloid rumors, I am sure I would never get any work done. Speaking of which, I must get back to my work now..."
"One last question!" a reporter hastily called out. "Your wife's real father was an American soldier, which makes him Onozuka-san's grandfather, and--"
The reporter never got to finish his question, because Kouhei interrupted in a cold voice, "Merely siring a child doesn't make one a father. My wife's 'real' father is the man who cared for her and raised her as his own, my late father-in-law, Onozuka Masao."
The glare he directed at the reporter caused him to take a step backwards, and Asami said, "I think I like your dad, Onozuka-kun."
"He's very loyal to his family," Onozuka replied in a carefully neutral voice. What he left unsaid was that his father would never forgive anyone who betrayed that loyalty--such as his wayward son, for example.
"Yes, of course, but didn't your parents object to your wife's background when you married her?" another reporter ventured, a bit more timidly under the force of the Master's glare.
"They had initial concerns, which were put to rest once they got to know her better," Kouhei replied in a cool voice. "It's a complete non-issue; my wife and my late parents got along fine. Now let me remind you that I have a business to run. I've answered your questions, so please keep your end of the bargain." He turned and walked back into the store without waiting for a reply, and Takumi followed with obvious relief.
Fujimoto stopped the video and closed the laptop, saying, "It pretty much ends there. The reporters tried to call out a few more questions, but the press conference was over as far as your father was concerned. I think he handled it very well, all things considered. Anyway, I thought you should see this, since the reporters will probably be asking you about it during your press conference."
"Thank you, Fujimoto-san," Onozuka said humbly. "I'll be sure to keep it in mind."
"Since your family seems to be handling this well, I think the whole thing will blow over once the novelty wears off," Fujimoto continued. "Maybe in another week or two--as long as you don't do anything to add fuel to the fire." He gave Onozuka a very stern look.
"Yes, Fujimoto-san," Onozuka replied meekly.
His manager kept that stern glare on him a few moments longer, then rose from his seat and said, "All right, I'll be back in time for the press conference this afternoon. Try not to get into any trouble between now and then."
"Yes, Fujimoto-san," Onozuka repeated, and his manager departed, seeming satisfied with Onozuka's compliance.
"I'm glad that your father didn't sound too upset in the interview," Asami said encouragingly. "He seems to respect your decision to become an actor."
He didn't really, of course, but that was something a little too personal for Onozuka to share with Asami, as much as he liked her. So he just smiled politely and replied, "Yes, I'm relieved." Kikuchi gave him another concerned look, but Onozuka ignored it and smiled a little more brightly.
***
Later that afternoon, Onozuka held his own press conference in one of the studio's conference rooms. He and his manager sat at a table facing Fujimoto's hand-picked panel of both print and TV reporters, and it was a much more low-key affair than the ambush his father had faced this morning. Since it was meant to be a "friendly" sort of press conference, there was no shouting or clamoring, and the reporters each politely took turns to ask questions, then waited for Onozuka's responses without interrupting.
"Just to confirm, Onozuka-san, your real name is actually Nakata Yuu, and you are the eldest son of the family that runs the Nakata chain of confectioneries?"
"The eldest and only son," Onozuka confirmed, bowing his head slightly. "Although I do have a younger sister."
"Why keep it a secret?" another reporter asked.
"It wasn't my intention to mislead the public," Onozuka replied earnestly. "I just wanted to protect my family's privacy. Being an actor is a very public profession, and it's almost inevitable in this business that gossip or scandal will arise--whether real or invented. I wanted to spare my family from being subjected to the type of media circus that was inflicted on them today. Obviously I failed, and I must apologize to them for that." He paused to bow, as deeply as the table would allow, and then continued, "The Nakata confectionery is a very old and respected business, and I didn't want to tarnish its name."
"I wouldn't say that it's been tarnished, Onozuka-san," a female reporter said sympathetically. "I think it's just shocked people to find out that your family was already famous on their own. Were they angry when you first told them that you wanted to become an actor?"
"Well, naturally they were a little upset at first, since it was expected that I would work in the confectionery with my father," Onozuka said, with a deliberate air of sheepish charm. "However, in spite of the way that I disappointed them, they never tried to force me to come back home. They allowed me to follow my own path, for which I am extremely grateful."
He bowed again, and one of the other reporters asked, "So are they proud of your success now? Have they watched your TV shows?"
Onozuka smiled and replied humbly, "To be honest, I don't really discuss my work with them, and I know that my father doesn't watch much TV. They just think of me as Yuu, their son..." Their wayward son, Onozuka silently added before finishing, "...not Onozuka Yuu the actor. It's enough for me that they allowed me to selfishly follow my dream--I feel like it would be ungrateful of me to ask for anything more."
The seasoned reporters actually looked a little impressed by his humility, and one of them asked, "Do you feel guilty about not taking over the business?"
"Of course I feel badly about letting my family down," Onozuka said, still in that humble voice. "It wasn't an easy decision, but in the end, I decided to pursue my dream of becoming an actor because I knew that I would never be able to devote myself wholeheartedly to the confectionery the way that it deserves."
"What do you mean?" the reporter asked.
"It's not just good ingredients that make good wagashi," Onozuka said earnestly. "Truly great wagashi must be made with 'heart.' While my technical skills are decent, I couldn't put my whole heart into my work at the confectionery because acting was always my first and truest love. Perhaps I'm just making excuses for myself, but I didn't think that I would be able to make wagashi that could live up to the Nakata name."
"Have you met your father's successor, Miura Takumi?" the first reporter asked. "Do you think that he'll be able to live up to the Nakata name?"
"Yes, and absolutely," Onozuka replied, smiling warmly. "Takumi-san started working for my father when I was about twelve, and he's been like part of the family ever since then. He was like an older brother to me when I was growing up." He laughed gently and added, "He still scolds me in a big-brotherly fashion when I get out of line."
The reporters chuckled, and one of women smiled and said, "I can't imagine that you need scolding very often, Onozuka-san!"
Onozuka grinned impishly in response, then said, "But seriously, I have no doubt at all that Takumi-san will be a very capable successor. He's hard-working and dedicated, and pours his heart and soul into his work. Again, it doesn't excuse my selfishness, but I felt a little better about leaving home to become an actor because I knew that my father would have Takumi-san to rely on."
"You sound as though you still care very much about the family business, Onozuka-san."
"Oh, I do," Onozuka said, projecting an air of sincerity that would probably have fooled anyone except his family and closest friends. "I know how hard my father and my grandfather, and his father before him worked to keep the business going, and I don't want to see it die out. I take pride in our sweets, and I always smile when I see someone eating Nakata wagashi." He laughed and added, "In fact, it surprised me to find out that Kikuchi-san is a regular customer of our Tokyo stores. And of course I'm sure that he was just as surprised to find out that my family owns those stores!"
The reporters' eyes lit up at the mention of Kikuchi. They had unofficially promised Fujimoto to deal with Onozuka more gently than the tabloids, but since he had brought up the subject first, that made it fair game. It was a deliberate move on Onozuka's part, of course. First, it was a barb secretly aimed at Kikuchi, to remind him that Onozuka had not forgotten or forgiven his deception, and second, if the tabloids were going to speculate about his alleged romance with Kikuchi anyway, it was better for him to control the information that the public received.
"Can you tell us the exact nature of your relationship with Kikuchi-san?" one of the reporters asked eagerly. "The two of you were seen out on a date when you were filming in Okinawa."
"Oh, it wasn't a date!" Onozuka laughed, looking amused at the thought. "This is my first motion picture, and Kikuchi-san has been very kind and patient with me, giving me guidance and advice. So I wanted to thank him by taking him out to lunch and showing him around town, that's all."
"That's all?" the reporter asked, sounding disappointed. Some of the others looked a bit skeptical.
"That's all," Onozuka replied, smiling innocently. "Although in hindsight, I should have foreseen that it would start a lot of rumors, so the fault is mine."
"So you're denying that there's a real life romance between you and Kikuchi Katsuya?" one of the skeptical reporters persisted. "The lunch date wasn't the only thing that caused the rumors--many people have observed that the two of you seem to have a certain chemistry together, even when you're off the set."
Fujimoto frowned at the reporter, but Onozuka just laughed good-naturedly and said, "I'll take that as a compliment! It must mean that we're doing our job as actors, if people believe that we're in love for real. And of course I do admire Kikuchi-san as an actor--he was one of my heroes when I was growing up."
The reporter looked as though he was going to pursue the issue further, but then he glanced at Fujimoto, shrugged slightly, and allowed the subject to drop. The give-and-take relationship between the reporters and the agency wasn't completely unbreakable, of course, but Onozuka knew that they weren't going to jeopardize it for anything less than a big scoop. The reporter probably figured that Onozuka was unlikely to admit to an affair with Kikuchi, at least in a formal press conference, so there was no point in antagonizing Fujimoto over it.
"Let's get back to the matter of succession," another reporter suggested. "How do you feel about the proposed marriage between Miura-san and your sister?"
"Well, I think that the decision is up to my sister, and I'll support her in whatever she decides," Onozuka replied. "She's still going to school, so there's plenty of time for both her and Takumi-san to think things over. If they do decide to get married, then of course I'll support them and wish for their happiness. Either way, I believe that Takumi-san will be a fine successor."
"Your mother's background has been brought up in the press," another reporter said, earning another glare from Fujimoto. "Your father made it clear that the Onozuka family is her true family, both legally and emotionally, but..." She paused to choose her words with care. "Have you ever met your biological grandfather, and if not, do you think you would like to meet him someday?"
"No to both questions," Onozuka said politely but firmly. "I always felt very loved by the man I consider to be my real grandfather, my mother's adoptive father. I certainly never felt anything lacking in my life, that I would feel the need to seek out the kind of man who would abandon his lover and child."
Perhaps sensing Fujimoto's irritation, one of the reporters lobbed Onozuka an easy question: "Out of all the many kinds of sweets that the Nakata confectionery makes, what's your favorite, Onozuka-san?"
"Oh, there are so many that's it hard to choose," Onozuka laughed. "But if I had to pick just one, I suppose I'd say that I'm fond of our manju."
"To make or to eat?" the reporter asked.
"Both," Onozuka replied with a smile. "Although my candy-making skills are very rusty; I haven't practiced them in years. And even at my best, I was nowhere near the level of Takumi-san and my father." He laughed self-deprecatingly and said, "It's probably just as well that I took up acting instead."
"We should start wrapping things up now," Fujimoto said politely, but with a sense of finality.
"Then is there anything else you would like to say, Onozuka-san?" the first reporter asked.
"Yes," Onozuka replied. "First of all, I'd like to apologize to the director, cast, and crew of 'Love Reborn' for all the commotion and distraction. Fortunately, my colleagues are all consummate professionals, and didn't let it affect their work. They were all very concerned and supportive of me, and I would like to thank them for their friendship. I would also like to thank my fans for their support, and I hope they understand that I only kept my past a secret because I wanted to protect my family. Next, I'd like to apologize to my family for everything that I've put them through. I tried to protect them from the paparazzi, but I failed, and I'm very sorry." He bowed deeply again, then looked up and faced the reporters with an earnest expression on his face. "And finally, I would like to ask the media to please respect my family's privacy and direct all your questions towards me instead of them."
"And that concludes today's press conference, ladies and gentlemen," Fujimoto said firmly.
Onozuka bowed one last time and told the reporters, "Thank you very much for your time."
They bowed politely in return, and one of them said, "Thank you, Onozuka-san."
"You handled that very well," Fujimoto complimented Onozuka, albeit a bit grudgingly, once the reporters were gone. "The tabloids will try to string out the story a bit longer, of course, but I think that we managed to do a great deal of damage control today."
"Thank you, Fujimoto-san," Onozuka said meekly.
Fujimoto unbent enough to give him a small smile. "Good work, Onozuka-kun--even if this mess was partly your fault. Go home and get some rest, and try to stay out of trouble."
"Yes, Fujimoto-san." Onozuka hesitated, then thought he'd better tell his manager about his plans for the evening, in case the paparazzi saw him at Lime and made a fuss about it. He didn't think it was a big deal, but Fujimoto was still a little miffed about having been blindsided by the tabloid article.
"I'm going home now, but Katou and Miyasaka asked me to come over to Lime later tonight," Onozuka said diffidently. "It'll be low key--just the three of us hanging out and having a few drinks."
Fujimoto frowned. "I'd rather you keep a low profile. Do you really have to go out tonight?"
"No, but I hate to turn down Katou and Miya-chan when they've gone out of their way to try and cheer me up. They both have busy schedules, so I'm touched by the gesture."
"All right," Fujimoto gave in with a sigh. "But make sure it stays low key--no drunken carousing or chasing after women."
Onozuka tried very hard to keep from grinning as he replied, "I'm not sure that I can control Katou and Miyasaka's alcohol intake, but I can promise that I won't get drunk and that there will definitely be no womanizing going on."
Part 7
***
Afterword: The reference to "the time some drunken pop star had been caught frolicking naked in a public park" is based on a real life incident involving pop singer Kusanagi Tsuyoshi.
The types of wagashi that I've mentioned in the story are all real, except for the spun sugar feathers, which are my own invention. It was inspired by a documentary on wagashi that I saw on TV, where the confectioner was creating an autumn landscape made out of wagashi for a special competition. For part of the landscape, he made either a haystack or a bundle of wheat (I can't quite remember which) out of melted strands of sugar, which inspired my feather idea.
I think I mentioned in a previous afterword that the legal age of adulthood in Japan is 20, although I believe that teenagers can get married with parental consent.
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Although as you say, it's not like Onozuka will ever thank Asano! ^_^
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