Three Is a Crowd - Mao, Mizushima Hiro & Junno [frozen]

my first fan-fic. i love mizushima hiro and you could so his gorgeousness inspired me to write a fic. reviews/criticism/comments appreciated ;D

Disclaimer: This is a fiction. Fiction is purely a written imagination of a person, in this case, me.

Chapter 1

Class is boo-ring. Luckily he’s not going to endure it for that long; Mizushima Hiro shuddered while musing to himself. Another 10 minutes, and then he’ll be out of here, well at least for today. As for the rest of his study… like it or not… Meiji University is going to be his second home for another year.

After a chorus of “thank you” his lecturer made his way out of the lecture hall. Hiro let a breath of relief. Finally…

“Attention class! Anybody who’s interested in joining the committee for welcoming the freshies next week do give your name to me before…” Hiro half listened to his classmate’s announcement as his mind is already switching off to anything related to this university.

“Sugoii. Next week is the orientation; are you thinking of what I’m thinking?” out of nowhere his best friend Akanishi Jin jumped in front of him.

Hiro made a face. “I don’t think I wanna know what’s on your twisted, dirty mind.”

“Aww, come on. Don’t pretend to be a saint. I know you know damn wel—”

“Jin. Move over. I’m. Not. Interested.”

“OK, OK. No need to get upset. I’m cool.” Jin lifted both of his arms. “I’m doing it without you.”

“Whatever. Now excuse me cause I want to go home.”

“Moody jerk.” He heard that but didn’t care one bit. They’re too close with each other to be offended with mere words. Hiro checked his Tag Heuer watch. No wonder he was so hungry he felt like he could eat Jin alive just now! It’s almost 3 p.m. and he hasn’t had his lunch yet.

“Yosh! Let’s go eat!”

****************************************************************************

“Good afternoon oba-san.” Hiro smiled at the forty-something lady who owned the small eating place around the block.

“Oh, Hiro-kun. Come and sit. I haven’t seen you around lately, ne. Must be busy with school, huh?”

“Nothing much. School is school, and guess what… studying starve me.” He grinned. “May I have some rice, nikujaga and some mushroom tempura?”

“Right. In a minute, dear.”

Hiro smiled at himself. He’d always like eating in this place. The food’s superb and it’s cheap. Good to once in a while to be able to taste the scrumptious Japanese home-made delicacies. It’s not something that he always eat at home since his family’s chef won’t serve the Mizushimas anything but the fancy-looking cuisine with fancy garnishing.

“Mom! I swear this will be the last time I’m offering myself to buy the groceries for you.” a girl’s whining behind the brown paper bag full with foodstuff. She walked unsteadily since obviously the paper bag was too heavy for her. Hiro frowned, contemplating whether he should help her or not…

He decided to help the girl out. Standing up, he walked towards her, but somehow the girl stumbled upon something and lost her control and…

Thump!!!

“Itai!” she squealed. The paper bag that she’s been holding on to her dear life has fallen apart together with the stuff in it. “Oh. Sorry, sir. I didn’t see you there. Are you OK?”

For a moment, Hiro was struck dumb. Inches from him, there is a vision of a girl with long black hair, huge pair of eyes and a kissable pout. Their eyes met and locked, but she was the first to look away. Probably she had seen something scary and inappropriate in his eyes, he thought.

“It’s fine. Don’t mind me.” Hiro flashed a smile. “Let me help you with it.” He started picking up all the things and put them back together in the bag.

“No, no. it’s fine I can do it myself. You should just sit –”

“Good Lord. Inoue Mao, what have you done, you clumsy girl?” Mrs. Inoue put her hands on her hips. “Gomen ne, Hiro-kun. This is my daughter Mao. She’s staying with me from now on.”

“Oh. Nice meeting you, Mao. I’m Mizushima Hiro, a regular customer here.”

“Inoue Mao. Nice meeting you too.” the girl smile, bringing a complete180 turnover of her earlier persona. “I’m Mrs. Inoue bad mannered daughter.” She suppressed a laughter and suddenly Hiro had a sudden desire to laugh with her.

“Enough chit-chatting already, young lady. Now go and put all of these in the kitchen.” Mrs. Inoue commanded her daughter with a slight motherly glare.

“Alright ma’am. There’s no need to fuss; I know what to do.” Mao rolled her eyes, and from behind her mother, made a nagging gesture with her hands that caught Hiro off-guard. He smiled back at her.

“Thank you Mizushima-kun. I can call you that, can I?” she tilted her head to one side, smiling coyly. “Well, hope to see you around soon. I’ve got to go now.” she saluted before walking off to the kitchen.

Hiro didn’t say a word but his eyes were following her until she disappeared into the kitchen…

Chapter 2

I wonder how he will react when he saw me… Inoue Mao took a deep calming breath. In a week, she’ll be attending Meiji University as a freshman. It’s her dream university since well, since the past 2 years anyway. It has become her dream university since her dream guy attended it the last couple of years. In her mind, she had all of it nicely plan. After finishing high school, she will move to Tokyo to stay with her mom so that she can go to Meiji University. Then she and Junno will meet again. They will become a couple (if she knows how to tell him her real feeling, that is… she’ll figure that out later) that everyone in Meiji University envy. After finishing their studies, they’ll start working and marriage might be just round the corner—

“Mao have you started packing yet?” Mrs. Inoue’s voice completely killed her thoughts of everything beautiful.

“I’m in the middle of it. Geez, you don’t have to remind me I’ll know that myself. I’m nineteen you know.” She retorted sarcastically. Mothers!

“Do you need any help? I can help you if you want?”

“Thanks, but no thanks. I think I’m doing fine. I’ll let you know if I ever needed any though.” Mao said for the sake of her mom’s. She knew that her mom is trying her hardest to make her daughter likes her. After her parents’ divorce when she was about 12, her mother packed and left the family. Mao and her younger brother remained in Osaka with their father who had been remarried the year after the divorce. Mao never hated her mother, and she showed it by her willingness to come to Tokyo to stay with her. Things are getting better between them and they’re now are closer than ever.

Mrs. Inoue thought so too. She’s glad that her daughter didn’t hold a grudge against her when she left the family. If anything, she’s thankful that Mao wants to live with her in Tokyo and further her studies here. That was more than she’ll ever hope for in life.

“Oba-san, can I have some okonomiyaki for take out?”

“Oh, Hiro-kun. Sure I’ll make you some. It’s okonomiyaki today, ne?” Mrs. Inoue smiled warmly at the younger man. Mizushima Hiro is the youngest son of Mizushima Kazuri, President of Mizuri Corporation. Though his family is extremely rich, Hiro wasn’t a snob. In fact, he’s quite nice and respectful of his elders; a trait she found lacking in most of the younger generations nowadays.

Hiro took a sip of the houjicha (common green tea made of roasted tea leaves) Mrs. Inoue served to him while waiting for his okonomiyaki to be done and was secretly hoping that Inoue Mao will again appeared in front of him. He was a bit disappointed when she’s not though and although he’d denied it to himself, the reason of his returns to Mrs. Inoue restaurant is to catch a glimpse of her pretty daughter. Luckily, he’d always been a regular to this restaurant; so the fact that he’s returning the very next day won’t strike out as that odd.

“Oba-san, can I asked you a question?” Hiro looked hesitant but he asked anyhow. “How come I never knew you had a daughter all these time?”

“I had a daughter and a son, actually. And up until recently, Mao had been living in Osaka with my ex-husband. But she will be living with me now.”

“Really? That was great!” he burst out too excitedly. “I mean, you’re no longer going to be alone and everything, right.” Fool, fool… he castigated himself. Where’s your cool, you dummy…

“Yeah, and if anything, I’m glad she’s going to be furthering her studies somewhere so close with me. Ah, Hiro-kun you’re studying in Meiji, ne?”

“I am. Why do you asked?”

“Mao’s too. I think she will be enrolling next week—”

“Eh? Mao is going to be studying in Meiji too?” Hiro’s eyes widened to its maximum extent along with his jaw dropped open. Shut your mouth, dummy… he said to himself as he realized he must be drooling like an idiot.

“I think she is. Next week is the orientation week if I’m not mistaken.”

Orientation week? What about it yesterday? Jin… “Oba-san, never mind the okonomiyaki.” He left a 1000 yen note on the table and quickly rushed out of the restaurant. This is too good to be true… he made a mental note to thank God afterwards.

Yosh!

Chapter 3

“I still can’t believe you’re here today. You never cease to amaze me.” Akanishi Jin looked at his best friend with wonderment in his eyes. “To think that you almost bite my head off for simply suggesting it…”

“Knocked it off, Jin. I’ve already heard that from you since last week; do not test my patience anymore than you already did.” Hiro said point-blank. Jin can be really annoying; sometimes he wondered how he can stand him at all. Anyway, the idea of joining the Orientation Day Committee is not a bad idea at all—no wonder Jin got really excited to do this. Although they’ve been standing half the day with fake smiles on their faces, mouthing “Welcome” and “Can I help you?” to every student and their family members, it pays off. He spotted some really cute girls, (some of them even blatantly checking him out) but the one that really matters isn’t here yet.

“What time is it now?” he asked Jin. “Isn’t the registration’s going to be over soon?”

Jin glanced at his watch. “Nah, it’s 2 more hours before next activity. According to my list, almost a hundred students are still not registered yet. These people…” Jin rolled his eyes “…needed to be taught the importance of correct time management.”

Hiro hid his smile. To hear those things came out from a person named Akanishi Jin is really laughable. He’s the last person on earth entitled to comment on something to do with time management. “Hey, I don’t know you have the list with you? Let me see it.”

“You’re so gullible, Mizushima Hiro. Why do you think I volunteered to do this in the first place, if not for this valuable piece of paper—hey!”

Hiro ignored his friend’s protest. He quickly scanned the list. Inoue Mao… Inoue Mao… yes! Student ID B030410133, Department of Literature, School of Performing Arts… still not yet registered…

“Have you finished? Geez…” Jin scoffed while he seized the list back from Hiro’s hand. “And what’s with the sudden goofy look? You’re ugly enough without having to add some kind of funny expression on your face.”

Mao will be here in any minute… Hiro grinned to himself. Inoue Mao is really going to be studying here! He and Mao will be college-mates! Maybe they could go to college together…

“Oi, baka! Enough with those stupid grins already!” Jin smashed the paper right on to Hiro’s head.

“Nande? I don’t remember scolding you for grinning stupidly before.” Hiro kicked his friend on the legs while Jin avoiding it. They were playing around like 2 children when they heard a female voice murmuring “Excuse me”…

“Mizushima-kun?”

Hiro stopped dead. She’s here at last! He wasn’t prepared to see how cute Inoue Mao is, wearing a cute baby blue top and black mini-skirt, her long hair in ponytail. “Ah, Inoue Mao-san. Long time no see. Eh, you’re studying here too?” Lame, lame… Hiro thought to himself.

Mao laughed. “Yeah, as if you didn’t know that already. Mom told me you’re a student here too. And she said she told you I’ll be studying here too.”

Great! Now she must think I’m the biggest idiot in Japan. “Oh, I forgot about that, totally. Really…” Hiro cleared his throat. “You know, since I’m busy and everything.”

“Well, well. Aren’t you going to introduce us, Mizushima-kun?” Jin raised an eyebrow while looking at his best friend, conveying the message: ‘I didn’t know you know a really cute girl and kept it to yourself’.

“Uh, gomen. I’m bad with introductions. Mao-san, this is my friend and classmate Akanishi Jin. We’re both a 3rd year Business Administration students. Jin, this is Inoue Mao. We met before in a restaurant.” Hiro replied to his friend while giving Jin one of those lay-off-don’t-even-think-about-it looks. He performed the usual introduction norms while omitting the truth about who Mao really is. Akanishi Jin needs encouragement to flirt like a hole in his head.

Mao smiled and nodded at those two guys. University is really a place to find cuties, she decided wickedly. These two is definitely at Junno’s level hands down. “So, I’ll be seeing you guys later, ne?”

“Yeah, definitely Mao-san.” Hiro responded too eagerly to his own liking. Only this girl can make him lose his cool without even trying…

“Ja ne.” Mao winked at Hiro. “You too, Akanishi-kun.”

“Kawaii…” Hiro and Jin said in unison.

“EH?”

They looked at each other.


COMMENTS