Yukari looked around the crowds in the mall. A bunch of people, dressed in colorful clothes, passed by the café and entered the videogame store on her left. A huge crowd walked into the clothing store next to her, but nobody came in the café. Yukari sat in the soft red booth, playing with her spoon. She looked at the empty ice cream cup with a stare so cold that the strawberry splotches would freeze again. Where was he?
"Excuse me, miss! Would you like anything else?" A waitress noticed Yukari had eaten her ice cream and had been staring out of the window ever since. The irritated actress checked her phone: more than half an hour had passed. Soon she would have to go home and prepare for the night shooting...
"Actually, I'll be leaving," said Yukari, hoping she didn't look too grumpy. She picked her purse, paid the bill and stood up.
Suddenly, faster than paparazzi chasing a gossip, a man stormed in the café. Sweat dripped from his face on his covered in mud tracksuit.
"Sorry I'm late!" spoke he heavily, still tired from the running. "Ellie wanted to train more because of the coming match and I lost track of the time..."
Yukari took her boyfriend by hand and dragged him outside. "Well, I have work in an hour and a half, so we have to skip the ice cream and hurry straight home." Her voice sounded colder and more starchy than usual – but if she was angry, she didn't show it in any other way. "Plus, should I be getting jealous of that girl, if you are willing to spend more time with her than with me?" Yukari gave Junpei her signature Pink Argus stare – scary enough to send chills down the spine of evil alien overlords.
"Oh no," said Junpei in an overblown manner, trying to cheer Yukari, "my secret has been busted! How did you know I'm secretly in love with a girl more muscular than Akihiko, more irritable than you and half my age?"
Even the most generous director – a rare event in Yukari's opinion – would call Junpei's faux anguished screams and clearly fake expression 'chewing the scenery'. The actress sighed. Why had she fallen in love with such a kid?
Junpei looked at her with pleading eyes that could give only the ugliest, most disgusting mug a run for its money. Yeah, how exactly had she fallen in love with such a face? Between overblown lamentation, Junpei cried quietly: "B... But, Yuka-tan, you did not say your line!"
Another sigh. At that point Yukari could swear some of the people in the street were looking at them, so she needed to end this. "Junpei Iori," she looked at him with an icy-cold stare, "will you be late ever again?"
Junpei could swear she sounded more irate than the usual for Yuka-tan but decided to keep quiet. He could always ask her later when they were home. With a quick smile, he replied with a question on his own: "Will you say the line – if you do, then I'll try to be on time. I solemnly promise," said he with a hand on his heart.
Yukari smiled. With a voice, full of pretended anger, she looked at Junpei's eyes and heavily said: "Evilness of injustice shall never overcome the goodness of justice." How could someone come up with this line, so cheesy that it straight up oozed it? And how could any director approve it?
Junpei laughed and hugged his girlfriend. It was comfortable, reminding Yukari of all things they shared together. All their happy moments, all their sad struggles...
"And Junpei," she said as they were in front of her flat, with a smile that would fit a devil, "If you ever break your promise, I'm going to melt Laevatein into a necklace and earrings."
Yukari's flat was as prim as always, not even a speck of dust in it. Junpei was not surprised at all – she was so hellbent on her schedule, putting the whole day in her hands. And it was not like he could blame her – if he had to suffer through the stress of stardom – no, unfortunately, the world would never see the great Junpei on the silver screen. While Yukari was taking a shower, Junpei looked through her accursed planner that bound his girlfriend to her work.
Junpei had to apologize for the missed date somehow. That was why Yukari made him plan the next one and she let him check her schedule, while she was in the shower. It was not like she could recite by memory her life day for day, an hour for hour, minute for minute...
'Seventeen-minute long shower' Hell, Yukari had planned even that! Junpei flipped through the pages, trying to find a free slot. The whole week was busy... The remainder of the month was taken... Did she really have so little time? No wonder she was so bitter.
Junpei returned to the current date, hoping he had missed an opening in the sea of colors and arrangements. As he turned the pages, something caught his eye. 'Hide the magazine under the bed before the date with Junpei.'
He knew it was not his job to sneak through Yukari's stuff. They both had their secrets – hell, the whole team still kept secrets from each other – but with the edge of his eye, Junpei looked at the clock. Yukari should be in the shower for three more minutes... No, no, no! Junpei felt bad enough looking through Yukari's planner even with her permission – he could not go and look at something she chose to keep a secret.
For a moment, Junpei turned to the bed. The edge of a paper taunted him from the darkness. Still two minutes – more than enough for a quick glance...
"No," he spoke to himself, "this is not my job." How would Yukari react if she knew about one of his secrets? Well, she would probably hire Naoto to track Junpei for a few days and find it (not that the Detective Prince would agree – it was too easy of a mystery for her taste). Then it should be right to check one of Yukari's secrets, right?
"No," Junpei spoke again, now more determined, "I won't pry into Yuka-tan's secrets."
"You have read it in the planner, then." The bathroom door opened and Yukari exited, wearing only her towel. At high school, Junpei probably would have been knocked out from the nosebleed (not like high-school Junpei could have even seen Yukari in a towel). But now, their bodies only reminded the two lovers of their past – and not the nice part. They had tried sleeping together once or twice, but the scars stopped them. 'If I had defeated that Shadow on time...' 'If I healed the wound on time...' Whenever they were naked, they saw only the mistakes of their past.
"Go on, see it," said Yukari as she was changing. "I know there's no stopping you once you get a bad idea, Stupei."
Junpei blinked. Since when did Yukari give up so easily. He pulled the magazine towards himself slowly, praying it would not explode like the Hanged Man's shadows. So far, nothing. With sweat dropping off his face, Junpei looked at the cover.
'Actress Yukari Takeba admits cheating on her boyfriend with a co-star Arata Hamasaki!"
"Really, Yuka-tan? You got nervous over that? I mean, is it even cheating if the three of us know?" Junpei could barely hold his laughter back.
Yukari went to him and pulled the magazine out of his hands, looking more horrifying than the Hermit shadow. "Well, I'm sorry my problems are so funny, Junpei." Her voice hit Junpei worse than an affinity attack.
"I mean," Junpei spoke, trying to understand, "why do you even have to call it cheating? He knows about me; I know about him and neither of us has a problem with the other." Junpei's mind stopped for a moment, as he realized the possible cause.
"It's me, right?" Junpei's voice was weak and afraid. He knew that their relationship could end that way, but it was too soon, way too soon. He had hoped they would have more proper dates first, maybe even sleeping together once... "You have finally realized how bad of a boyfriend I am. I know I'm late for most of our dates, I know we are bickering sometimes, I know I'm just holding an incredible actress back..."
"Stop!" shouted Yukari, taking Junpei's hand. "It's not your fault –some paparazzi caught me and Arata and the PR department told us to spin the story like this! If I am dating two men at once, it would destroy my image, said they. Can you believe – it is better to lie that I'm cheating on you! Remember when Rise took a rest from the show-biz and I couldn't understand how someone could need rest from that lifestyle? Now I see – my whole life is planned to the second, my love life needs to be approved – I feel like yet another character!"
Yukari hugged Junpei tightly, tears falling off her face. "I wish I could throw this life away! I wish I could run like Rise to some backwaters town and never come back! But if I give up now, then will anyone step up to try and change things?" She stopped for a moment to breathe. "Junpei, you don't have to be a part of my fight. You are holding me back? More like the opposite – do you know how much rumors will start just because of that tabloid? This is your chance to back off – we still could meet in secret, away from the gossip."
"Yuka-tan, do you even know me at all? When has a little gossip stopped this man?" Junpei looked at Yukari's eyes, trying to calm her down. "We are together – even if you move to Inaba, even if you choose to spend your life away from civilization, I will come with you! I love you, Pinkie."
"Junpei," Yukari spoke quietly, still holding his hand, "thanks for making me remember what I loved in you."
They kissed quickly – after that Yukari had to hurry to the studio.