Chapter 1: Part 1: "Don't worry, Miss Yaoyorozu"
Summary:
Momo swears if her bodyguard says 'don't worry' again, she'll lose her mind..
Chapter Text
Posted on: 20/02/17
Part 1: "Don't worry, Miss Yaoyorozu"
“Is something wrong, Miss Yaoyorozu?”
Japan’s famous Top Model and Actress Momo Yaoyorozu flinches and averts her eyes low just as the question is addressed to her. She has been staring at the reflection of her mysterious, new bodyguard through the mirror in front of her as her make up artist works on painting her face with various sorts of vanity products. The visible hilt of a sword strapped around his suited-form paired with his overall vigilant persona makes her shiver. She thought she was being discreet but seems like this man is as sharp as her parents had claimed him to be just an hour ago when they barged into her home and dumped him on her.
‘This is Shouto Todoroki. Your new guard. He’ll follow you everywhere.’ Her dad had introduced.
‘Make sure to reward him everyday for his services.’ Her mom had added with a tight smile.
Although she can’t outright admit it, her parents' words had sounded like they were comparing him to a dog— a dog that is supposed to obey all orders of their master or else they won’t get awarded any treats. Aside from being rude, she found their behavior odd. But her staring at his reflection wasn’t very polite either. She looks up again, her onyx pools meeting his heterochromatic pair of grey and blue irises from beneath his strange shade of red and white bangs falling over his forehead. Honestly, her agency has hired temporary security teams for her public schedules whenever they deemed necessary but she’s never had a personal bodyguard in her life. So she doesn’t quite understand the point of having one now.
“Um..” She tugs at the frill of her coral ruffle top and stretches her short, black godet skirt to her knees. Its hard for her to speak with him gazing directly into her eyes but she still reveals her concern, “You should sit down. There’s plenty of chairs here.”
He places a hand over a large patch of scarred skin running along from the left side of his hairline down to the mid of his cheek and looks impassively at her. “Don’t worry, Miss Yaoyorozu. My legs won’t tire out by merely standing. I’m well-trained.”
Well-trained in what? She wonders but mumbles a simple ‘okay’, unsure if she should somehow try to continue the conversation or not. In the end, she chooses to stay silent instead of disturbing her make-up artist anymore.
Momo walks out of her agency’s building alongside her manager Mina Ashido, a bubbly, young woman dressed in a peach tunic and grey plaid pants. Her crew as well as the new bodyguard follow right behind.
Today is her last promotional interview with a Talk Show Host for her upcoming film ‘Creati’. It’s a sci-fi, action movie about a young woman who has the superpower of creation and she plays the lead heroine herself. She isn’t as excited as she’s nervous about it because this is her first time acting on a script that contains no male lead. If the movie flops, it’ll be the end for her but if it becomes a hit, she’ll gain more exposure and be able to justify her profession to her parents proudly.
“It’ll be alright. Cheer up!” Mina yells, her natural pinkish skin glowing in the sunlight. “Also, you get to be free for the rest of the day!”
She giggles at the last part. “You’re saying that just because you want to get away from work.”
“Obviously!” Mina punches her arm lightly and pouts. “But I also want you to have a break after working your ass off on this project.”
The two continue their conversation on random topics as they walk towards the vehicles and take their usual backseats in Momo's personal car whilst the rest of her crew head to a big SUV. The instant her chauffeur Mashirao Ojiro, an average blond young man wearing a sky-blue dress shirt and black slacks, presses down the pedal of the accelerator, the door to the passenger seat clicks open. The three occupants glance out, their eyes widening in unison as they watch Todoroki sit on the vacant passengers seat.
“What do you think you’re doing? Yao–Ms. Yaoyorozu doesn’t like seeing strangers in her car.” Ojiro says rather bluntly but the dual haired man takes no offence.
“I’m her bodyguard. Its my job to be at her side 24 X 7.” He says matter-of-factly and narrows his eyes slightly at the blond. “Besides, I’ve been told to take orders from no one but her.” He informs, shifting his slightly annoyed eyes onto her at the back.
His confident aura or the pointed gaze, Momo has no idea which one it is but she finds herself frozen in spot next to a frowning Mina. She wants to respond. Scratch that. She actually wants to question him more about his position and authority. Is he allowed to talk like this to his coworkers? Is he really free to do as he pleases until she tells him otherwise? Has he been given this much freedom by her parents? She wants to learn all the finer details about his job yet her lips barely quiver.
Todoroki seems to notice her timidness and speaks again, “Don’t worry, Miss Yaoyorozu. I won’t do anything against your word. You just need to say it.”
Say what exactly? ‘Get out’ because she prefers to take car drives only in the company of her manager? That’d be absolutely snobbish and she doesn’t want to make a bad impression on him since he’s only trying to do his work. Better to have amiable relations with her bodyguard, right? “I-Its alright, Ojiro.” She finally manages to mutter, her eyes locking with her driver’s in a silent plea to relax. “You can sit with us, Todoroki-san.”
Although she never looks at him, she knows that the said guy has turned back, his gaze no longer fixated on her. She sighs hearing the engine roar to life and leans back into the seat. Her eyes wander all over from the dark-tinted window beside her to her manager gushing about something happily to her chauffeur’s stiff shoulders to the rear-view mirror in which a pair of heterochromatic eyes capture her black pools yet again. She immediately whips her head towards her lap and fiddles with her fingers, impatiently waiting to arrive at their destination and get done with the interview quickly.
“Thank you for joining us today. I’m Itsuka Kendo.” The host, a pretty woman with her orange hair tied to one side brings her hand out.
Momo accepts the handshake and smiles. “It’s a pleasure, Kendo-san.”
“Ohh please, call me Itsuka.” The woman smiles right back and turns to face the live camera as they settle on the couch. The place has been setup like the living room of an average home to provide a comfortable vibe to the guests on the show. “Everyone please give a round of applause for the rising star, Miss Momo Yaoyorozu.”
The audience gathered in the hall cheers indicating that its made-up of mostly her fans and a few usual critiques. Regardless, she bows her head respectfully and smiles at all of them.
The interview passes away in a good atmosphere, fortunately the questions only being about her upcoming movie and her career. She takes her time answering each one, trying to be precise so as to avoid her words from being twisted by controversial media. In her 1 year as an actress she has witnessed all sorts of false narratives about her spread via hateful netizens and traffic-hungry news labels.
“Lastly, please say a few words to your fans.” Kendo asks, gesturing towards the lively audience.
Momo smiles politely again. “I just want to say that..thank you to those who always support me and believe in me despite the rumors associated with my family. Thank you for treating me as an individual instead of judging me based on my parents' wealth.”
The young host begins clapping, causing the small hall to break into applauds. Momo stands up and bows towards both the audience and the interviewer. “Thank you for such a professional interview.”
“Thank you for accepting our invitation. We hope to have you again sometime in the future.” Kendo shakes her hand again and whispers. “I’ll make sure to attend today’s grand opening.”
Momo’s eyes widen briefly upon hearing that piece of information from the orange-haired woman. How she had completely forgotten about the premiere of her very first big project is embarrassing. Nonetheless, she puts on another smile when Kendo stares suspiciously at her and scurries away from the set.
.
.
Walking up to her car after such public events is the most difficult task every time. No matter how civil her fans act, its always when she leaves that they crowd around the exits, blocking her path. Even with the security being high, they somehow manage to mob her.
She can see Ojiro standing right next to her sedan, waving at her. Due to the constant push-and-pull, her grip on her manager’s palm loosens, separating them but she keeps moving only to be suddenly shoved back by an extremely eager fan. The guy breaks past the barrier of security guards at the venue and literally jumps at her, yelling something about his undying love (bordering on obsession) for her. Momo closes her eyes and raises her arms in defence. Surprisingly, no crashing contact occurs between her and the fan. Instead she feels a strong arm wind around her shoulders and pull her back. Her face collides with something hard and she tilts it up to find her aloof bodyguard glaring ahead. She realises that he is holding her close to his chest and turns around to take in the scene. The rabid fan’s lips motion before he runs off but she can’t hear a word for she is too busy being shocked about the sensation of the icy fingers on her upper arm. Why does he feel so cold?
Todoroki releases her from his grip and then gestures with his palm for her to keep going. But when she makes no effort to move, he takes the hint that his previous action may have been the cause of such reaction from her and explains himself. “Don’t worry, Miss Yaoyorozu. I assure you,” He lowers his head apologetically, “my intention was your safety, nothing inappropriate at all.”
“It’s alright.” She blushes lightly.
“You can’t go in there, man.”
Momo watches Ojiro state the words firmly to her bodyguard, who snaps his eyes towards her, willing her to say otherwise. His dedication for his job is admirable but her driver is right on this one. She can’t let Todoroki enter the Women’s Trial Area simply because he is supposed to guard her.
“Yes Todoroki-san, you can’t.” She says, as confidently as she can under his tenacious gaze.
His mouth twitches, a retort right at the tip of his tongue. However Mina cuts him off before he can even try. “Listen Hotshot, we understand that you won’t do anything perverted. But your presence alone will make other women uncomfortable.” She crosses her arms, not a bit intimidated by him. “Also, this store comes under the Yaoyorozu Corporation. So no need to be on edge here.”
With that she stomps off towards the trial area, dragging Momo along.
.
.
For the next 30 minutes or so, Mina helps Momo select the perfect outfit for the premiere of ‘Creati’ later on in the evening. She tries on a bunch of the most expensive party wears as suggested by one of the female employees assisting them but for some reason, Mina isn’t satisfied. She seems near to losing her patience as she tugs at the ends of her curly, pink-dyed hair. According to her manager, Momo is to make an eye-catching entry for the event. She has to adorn something that will make not just men but women gawk at her too.
“Its no use! How will you stun the photographers and media?” The usually cheerful girl groans, slumping down on a cushioned-stool.
“How about we ignore the price tags and go for something we like?” Momo asks, patting her manager’s shoulder and then requests an employee to show their chic collection.
The woman returns with numerous clothing catalogues and they begin looking through them together. They choose a few less flashy dresses and an employee ushers her to one of the trial rooms.
The moment Momo clicks the door locked, she hears Mina’s voice. “Wait. I think I saw a camera in there.”
“Ah, not at all Miss. Why would we have cameras in our trial rooms.” The woman who had accompanied her tries to shake the matter away. But Momo knows Mina is never wrong when it comes to things like these and as expected, she finds a tiny black device attached in one corner of the ceiling so most people may overlook it.
Momo unlocks the latch and pushes the door open but is unable to. Someone on the other end is applying equal force to keep her from escaping. Frustrated, she bangs a fist and yells loudly. “Open this!”
“What are you doi-mmmphh!!” she recognizes Mina’s voice, followed by the noises of things being thrown around and the pinkette screaming angrily. “Let go!”
“Mina!” Momo shouts in fear, trying to push the door harder. “Hey let her go! Help!”
As if on cue, she hears the sound of wood shattering. Mina’s voice can no longer be heard over the terrified screeching of the other women. And within minutes, the whole place goes silent. Three audible knocks sound at her door and instinctively, she steps backward, her form sticking as close to the mirror opposite of the door as possible.
“Miss Yaoyorozu?” the deep, almost bored tone relaxes her anxious nerves and she closes her eyes, sighing in relief. “Are you alright in there?”
The door’s hinges pop loose as its kicked open and sure enough, she meets the uninterested gaze of her bodyguard. His eyes flicker over her form once and then he turns around and starts walking, as if expecting her to follow, which she does without a beat. She doesn’t want to stay in this place any longer.
Outside, she discovers the store’s owner waiting with his head hanging low in shame whilst those female employees can be seen held in a corner by the local cops in the vicinity, the woman who had accompanied her being one of those supposed miscreants.
“Apparently, they knew about your location and snuck in to get a few shots of your body.” Mina explains, joining her.
Momo flusters like a school girl. She has suffered this same situation in the past but every time she hears about it, she feels uncomfortable. She knows how majority of the film industry and netizens see her. Many want her to show off because according to them, she’s been blessed with curves in all the right places. But since she doesn’t want to, such sleazy fanatics try every once in a while to get her pictures.
From the corner of her eyes, she sees the hilt of Todoroki’s sword which is no longer at his back but clutched tightly between his fingers by its scabbard. She bites her lip in concern. She knows how dangerous these people are and ofcourse she understands its his duty to subdue any such threats yet, she can’t help herself from hoping he didn’t actually hurt them. And again, somehow Todoroki detects her eyeing the weapon. She is the one who acted in a movie about super powers yet he truly seems to have one. Like a sixth sense or something.
“Don’t worry, Miss Yaoyorozu.” He asserts. “I only unsheathe it when necessary.”
When necessary? What level of peril is necessary for him to use the bladed weapon? Moreover what kind of bodyguard even carries a sword? Shouldn’t he own a gun like everyone usually does?
Well whatever. She can ponder on that later. She still doesn’t have an apparel for tonight. “What about my dress?” Momo mumbles softly.
Todoroki scans the store and picks up an article of red clothing from a heap lying unceremoniously on a stool. He carelessly folds the piece and tosses it to Momo. “Buy this.”
She can sense the disapproval radiating from Mina but ignores her completely because honestly, she doesn’t have the enthusiasm to try on clothes anymore. Right now, she just wants to get out of here.
Turns out, the outfit that Todoroki had picked for her is pretty decent. It’s an elegant red dress with a black lace neckline and reaches mid of her thighs. Her stylist completed the look with matching red lipstick, black heels and let her long, ebony hair down.
“Alright!” Mina bends forward from the back seat of their car towards the passenger seat where Todoroki is seated and practically screams in his ear. “I forgive you! Since the dress looks good on Yaomomo.”
The guy visibly jolts and presses a palm to his abused ear but that’s about all the reaction he gives. So he’s human afterall. But before Momo can comment on it, Ojiro beats her to it.
“Calm down, Mina!” The blond chauffeur yells back at her, rotating the steering wheel to the left and switches gears as he lowers the vehicle’s speed. “I’m trying to park.”
“We’re already there!?” This time Momo’s tone gets louder in nervousness.
“Now, now Yaomomo. I know it’s a first for us but lets put on our game faces.” Mina pats her shoulder and adds in a lower tone, “They’ll be watching.”
Immediately, Momo shakes her head and masks her anxiousness behind a perfectly crafted fake smile. Yes, its her first time working on such a large budget project but that doesn’t mean she should let herself be intimidated by gossip-loving media. She can do this! She absolutely can not make any mistake for the next few hours because they will be watching.
She slaps both of her cheeks, unlocks the door, steps out onto the red carpet and waves a hand at the lively crowd as the camera flashes go off, clicking picture after picture of her from every possible angle. At her right, Mina twirls in the lemon yellow cocktail dress she’s donning and links an arm with her. Together, they walk along the way to the entrance, being stopped every few steps to answer the reporters from a variety of entertainment news outlets.
However, most of the attention unexpectedly shifts to Todoroki, who’s tailing them from a respectable distance. The hoard of fans as well as reporters whisper about his strangely attractive looks and the sharp blade at his back.
“Who is that fine youngman?”
“Wait! Is he an unrevealed cast member?”
“He must be a celeb! With those features, I refuse to believe he’s not!”
“No, he can also be just a boyfriend.”
“Yaoyorozu-san is not the type to have a boyfriend.”
A brave reporter approaches Todoroki and asks him straight up about his relationship with her. Momo tries to cover the slight flush on her face by fake coughs.
The young man stares directly into the huge camera focused on him, a silent warning glint in his mismatched orbs and answers coolly. “None of your damned business.”
And with that, they proceed towards the entrance and finally get inside the building, a plethora of famous individuals greeting them. Momo responds to as many as she can, all the while searching for a secluded spot where no one will disturb her. Obviously she’s a celebrity as well but she has no interest in exchanging empty pleasantries with anyone in the industry.
Her manager, who had promised to stay with her throughout the night is already out of sight. She awkwardly shuffles around, her feet coming to halt when someone places a hand on her shoulder. Craning her neck, she finds a dark green haired beauty dressed in a sheer, forest green gown, her intimates scarcely concealed by the intricate scaly patterns in the outfit.
“Setsuna Tokage” the young woman introduces herself with a toothy grin.
Momo dubiously stares at the unknown woman and her unusually long lower lashes, rummaging through her memories to recall if she has ever met this person in her life.
“Wow, no reply? I guess that’s how the big shots are.” Tokage mocks, making Momo bite her lips in embarrassment. Where are her manners? Regardless if she knows this woman or not, she must return her introduction.
“P-pardon–”
“It’s alright.” Tokage waves a hand dismissively. “Well, I hope we can see each-other some time in the future in a place with less people analysing our conversation.”
The woman sashays off to another group, leaving Momo’s mind in a mix of confusion and self-berating. She’s a hundred percent positive that her manager would’ve known this lady but Mina isn’t with her. To top it off, she forgot her cellphone at home today of all days so she can’t even check the time. Well she wouldn’t be in such a mess if she wasn’t abandoned in the first place!
In a last desperate attempt, she squints her eyes and whips her head in every direction, praying to the almighty to help her seek out her pink friend. On the contrary, in this sea of unfamiliar important faces, she chances upon a pair of dusky grey and deep aqua irises staring at her. She wills herself to not jump in shock, takes a deep breath and looks back at him. Her new bodyguard, whom she had completely forgotten about, is standing on the other side of the hall, body against a pillar, hands tucked in his pockets, senses alert as ever. An unsuspected smile stretches on her lips at the thought that he’s been watching her all this time from a distance. Normally she doesn’t like being stared at but she’s thankful. If he hadn’t shown up at the store today, who knows what would’ve happened to her by now. She raises a hand slightly to wave at him but in that very instant, his pupils dilate briefly. He rips open the buttons on his tuxedo, discards it and begins running towards her.
Confusion flits across her black irises as a deafening banging sound echoes through the walls. A small, round object whirrs into her vision and she shuts her eyes tight. Luckily, Todoroki is swift enough to wrap his arms around her, both of them toppling to the floor.
Momo slowly opens her eyelids to find herself safely shielded by Todoroki’s larger frame as the whole place erupts into panicky screams of the guests.
“I hope you’re not injured.” He says, turning them over so she is on top of him.
“Yes I am..” She gulps when her eyes perceive a wet, crimson patch on his stark white shirt. And it is then that her mind concludes the complete happening. He’s been struck by a bullet! Yes! A gunshot had rung noisily just a moment ago— a gunshot that was supposed to harm her. Her body’s temperature decreases in terror. “To-Todoroki-san, you-you’re bleeding.”
The young man cranes his head lower to look confoundedly at the deep red staining the left side of his waist as if only just now taking note of it. “Its fine.” He says, shifting her off of himself and sits up. An almost imperceptible groan escapes his lips, which he tries to mask by clearing his throat and gets back on his feet. His eyes investigate the area amidst the chaos of people rushing out, right hand reaching for the hilt of his sword to be prepared whilst the left clutches onto the splotch on his shirt.
“No Todoroki-san, you’re losing so much blood–”
“Don’t worry, Miss Yaoyorozu.” He grits his teeth to endure the pain. “My life’s purpose is to protect yours.”
She freezes, her eyes widening in disbelief. Why? Why is he being so serious about his job? And how can he even say 'don’t worry' at a time like this!? He hasn’t relaxed a bit since morning because of her. He took the bullet for her! And now he’s treating his own life with so much insignificance because of her? How can he be so irrational!? He’s behaving just as his parents had stated of him— an obedient dog. And she doesn’t like it. Okay, he’s meant to be her protector but he’s done that. He has proved how qualified he is and he’s presented his exceptional skills. For now he needs to focus on himself. His wound should be their priority.
“Okay, I’ll patrol the building just in case that shooter is still hiding in here.” Todoroki declares thickly then continues to instruct her. “And you run straight towards the exit, find your car and drive home.”
“Todo–”
“Don’t worry–”
“Enough!” Momo cuts in, mildly infuriated at him. She has never done anything mean in her life till date but if he says ‘don’t worry’ one more time, she’ll ruin these perfectly parted red and white locks of his. She swears she won’t hesitate. Her conscience will not allow her to go anywhere unless he gets his wound tended to. However, in these 9 hours spent with him she’s learnt that despite his cool appearance, he’s an idiot and won’t listen to reason. So she must put out her request in a way that suits him as well.
“I can’t go out alone.” She admits, mock dread laced in her tone. “For all we know, the killer is expecting us to do exactly as you said and waiting to get me alone so this time..he can finish his task.”
The young man stares skeptically at her, passing a hand through the distinctive strands of his hair as though contemplating about all his plausible options. After a moment of thought, he agrees with a nod. “You’re right, I can’t let you go by yourself in such a precarious situation.”
Notes:
So I hope, this wasn't too long.
Momo, Todo, Mina & Ojiro will frequently appear in the upcoming chapters. Setsuna and Kendo will have occasional appearances too.
Things will make more sense with each chapter. I hope you enjoyed this one..:3
This is just a glimpse from Momo's side, the next chapter will focus on Shouto's P.o.V.
Please share your thoughts in the comments..:3
Chapter 2: Part 2: "I don't want a repeat of last year."
Summary:
Shouto struggles with his past and his personal grudges as he tries to accept his first proper job after a year..
Notes:
⚠ WARNING: Mentions of domestic abuse
I REALLY APOLOGIZE FOR UPDATING AFTER TWO MONTHS (╥﹏╥)
THERE'S NO EXCUSE, I WAS JUST STUCK WITH MY PERSONAL LIFE.
AND OFC COVID 19 SITUATION
STAY SAFE EVERYONE!Anyways, I've proofread this chapter so many times that I don't even know if it flows well.
So, I hope it is enjoyable for everyone ≥﹏≤
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Posted on: 20/05/05
Part 2: “I don’t want a repeat of last year."
With each step he can feel the painful stretch of the torn skin at the left side of his lower abdomen. He stares dejectedly at the sword in his right palm, his eyes roving up to see dainty fingers latched around his wrist, dragging him along. Bunching the shirt tighter around his wound, he continues walking behind the young woman he’s supposed to be protecting.
“We’re almost there, Todoroki-san.” Yaoyorozu informs as they exit the cinema.
The person who had fired the gun at her had no intentions of sticking around. And now that he thinks about it, the bullet wasn’t directly aimed at any of her body’s vital parts either. He wonders if it was to threaten her. But who would want to hurt a harmless young actress? Possibly a hater? No, that can’t be it. Had it been a hater they would’ve straight up jumped her on the spot but this person tried to send a message with the bullet they fired. Atleast this proves his father wasn’t joking when he appointed Shouto to this job.
“This is Momo Yaoyorozu, heir to the famous Yaoyorozu conglomerate.” His father had told, tossing a landscape size photograph of the said young woman at him. “From today onwards, you’re her personal bodyguard. Protect her even if it costs your life.”
“As you wish, father.” He had mock-soluted and stood up, folding and pocketing the picture in his jeans.
“And Shouto, ”His father had ordered sternly, “BEHAVE. I don’t want a repeat of last year.”
Shouto’s eyes narrow at the memory. Its his first day at a proper job in 6 months and he’s already proven how incapable he is. Not as if it matters but he could’ve done better. He lowers his head, angry eyes falling on Yaoyorozu's bare feet against the floor. She took off her heels a while ago and is currently carrying them in her other hand because she found it hard to walk in them. How does any woman handle those things anyway?
As soon as they reach outside, Shouto’s mood sours further at the sight of the Police Force patrolling the area. Shouldn’t they start by checking for any victims inside? Well, its not his place to dictate them on how to do their work so he simply sighs and keeps limping behind his mistress until his mismatched irises spot a mop of unruly ash-blond hair in the group. Immediately, he tries to speed-walk in his injured state in hopes of avoiding any contact with the said person. However, it seems luck is not in his favor tonight.
“Look, cops!” Yaoyorozu points in relief and begins waving in their direction.
The group of officers turn to face her, some recognizing her as the famous actress that she is and walk over.
“Are you alright Miss?”
“Are you hurt?”
“My daughter is a big fan. Do you mind signing an autograph?”
He can see regret instantly cross her features. But the very same expression settles upon his tired face as well when the ash-blond man joins them. Shouto ducks his head behind her shorter frame, wishing to all gods out there to not be seen.
“Nice to meet you in person, Miss Momo Yaoyorozu.” The blond takes her hand between his slender fingers and plants a gentle kiss at the back of her palm, causing a faint, pink glow to appear on her cheeks. “Inspector Keigo Takami.”
Shouto scoffs at the Officer's fake display of chivalry. Inspector Keigo Takami— the only man who has somehow managed to tolerate his father’s challenging personality. Although this guy in front of them may appear laid back and harmless, Shouto knows him well-enough to not be at ease around him.
“Yo! I had a hunch you’d be here.” The blond speaks, pulling down his headphones and adjusting his peculiar, orange tinted shades to now look over the actress’s shoulder.
His mistress realises she isn’t the one being talked to and looks back at him in confusion. “Do you know him, Todoroki-san?”
From behind her, Shouto flashes what he believes is his deadliest warning glare at Takami. “No, Miss Yaoyorozu.” He answers, his eyes narrowing on the teasing smirk on Inspector Takami’s face.
Yaoyorozu definitely knows that he’s lying but doesn’t question him any further, which he is thankful for. He prefers to keep things about his personal life to himself. And he definitely doesn’t want to share it with people he’s supposed to guard as his profession.
Takami on the other hand, doesn’t care about his privacy at all and goes on, “Well you see Miss–”
“There you are!”
“Yaomomo!”
Shouto recognizes the anxious voices of the manager and chauffeur to his mistress. He won’t admit it openly but he’s glad they came just in time to interrupt whatever the cop was about to unfold.
The pink haired woman tackles Yaoyorozu into a crushing hug, causing her to stumble back and bump into Shouto. He bites his lip to keep the pained groan from escaping but she realises instantly that she must have accidentally hurt his injury more.
“Todoroki-san! Oh God! Did I h..rt..”
His vision begins blurring as his body loses the last remaining shreds of its energy. He opens his mouth to speak something reassuring but his eyes roll back and he collapses, vague pairs of shuffling feet being the last thing in his line of vision before he gives into the exhaustion and stress as a result of this busy day.
The first thing that his heterochromatic eyes take note of is a blinding flash of light making him shut his eyelids again, an immediate headache emanating. He blinks several times to adjust his sight to the brightness and it is then that he takes in the plain white walls and the nauseating smell of anesthetics in the surrounding air. And his mind slowly registers the fact that he’s inside a hospital room, lying on a stretcher. He moves his numb limbs to sit up and notices an intravenous tube attached at the back of his left palm, supplying his body with the blood drained out due to the wound. His abdomen has also been patched up properly with a few stitches and it makes him sigh in relief.
“You’re finally awake.”
Shouto tilts his head in the direction of the voice and his eyes narrow again at the presence of Inspector Takami.
“What are you doing here?” He mutters out groggily.
The older man who’d been standing coolly against the opposite wall, walks up to the stretcher and smiles as if he knows something that Shouto never will. “I was worried. You are Commissioner’s son afterall.”
He scoffs, cocking his head to the side in annoyance. Like he cares whether people worry about him or not. But above all, he doesn’t want sympathy from his father’s associates. For all he knows, his dad may have deliberately set-up Takami to patrol the area around the cinema so as to see and relay his father about how badly he’s performed on the first day at his new job.
“You can just tell him what a failure I am.” He says irritably.
Takami scratches his stubbled chin and sighs in resignation. “How skeptic are you? Do you trust anyone?”
“No.” He replies without a beat because it’s the truth. He can’t bring himself to trust anyone ever since last year. “Especially not you.”
The Inspector chuckles at his bluntness and pats his shoulder. “Well believe it or not, I myself requested to patrol that area since I was worried.” He admits.
Shouto doesn’t believe a word of what this man has just told him and slides his legs down the stretcher. “I need to get back to Miss Yaoyorozu.”
“Oh so Mr. Cold is serious now?” Takami taunts.
Within seconds Shouto is standing straighter, his impaired irises glowering at the Inspector. “Are you implying I’m not sincere with this job?”
“Are you?” Takami asks solemnly. He maybe shorter than the younger man but he quirks his brow at Shouto confidently.
“When you ran to save her you must’ve thought : ‘It doesn’t really matter if I die. There’s nothing left in life anyways.’ ” He states, making the inverted quotations with his fingers.
Shouto’s eyes widen but Takami doesn’t stop. “That’s what you were thinking when you took the bullet for that actress, right? You aren’t serious at all. Actually you haven’t been serious about anything since last year. Eating unhealthy or not eating at all, napping at odd hours instead of taking proper sleep, never giving a call to your elder sister who’s extremely concerned— you’re not serious about living.”
The young Todoroki grabs the older male by his collar, the IV tube on the verge of ripping off his hand. “Shut up.”
“I will.” Takami says with a chilling calm, taking off the orange shades to stare down at him disapprovingly. “I will shut up when you stop ruining yourself.”
Shouto’s grip on the collar loosens and he lowers his angry eyes in defeat. “Whatever, just call the nurse and tell them to get this off.” He asks, pointing at the IV tube.
.
.
.
The next 30 minutes or so are spent with Takami explaining Shouto that fortunately, he wasn’t actually hit by the bullet but only grazed, causing a long gash at the side of his abdomen. Well he’s already been shot by a bullet in the past so he should’ve figured it out himself but guess his mind was too occupied by the situation to even notice. Either ways, the doctor told him he’s free to check out and the nurse handed him a clean shirt after removing the IV.
He buttons up the shirt, leaving the top two open and fastens his shoelaces. He’s also informed that Yaoyorozu and the others are still waiting for him outside at the reception. Ideally, she should’ve left him with Takami and gone home as it’s dangerous for her.
“Hold up.”
Shouto’s palm stops at the doorknob and he awaits whatever conclusive lecture the blond man has to give.
“Today I came to check on you of my own accord.” He says, pulling Shouto back by the shoulder so they can face each-other. “But the next time, I’ll tell Commissioner Todoroki.”
Shouto frowns.
Takami puts on his shades and continues, “So lets make a deal. You start behaving like a 24 year old and I’ll stop bothering you.”
“I am.” Shouto wonders why people keep telling him this. He isn’t a child. He knows how to behave.
“Good. Cause until now you weren’t truly trying to protect her. You were trying to prove to your father that you can protect. If she dies amidst this personal battle between you and your dad, it won’t matter to you, right? She’s just another rich girl, huh?” Takami says poignantly.
“Try to look at this from her perspective too. She’s been told that you are going to protect her and she believes it. She’s relying on you to do your job so mess-ups like today won’t do.”
Shouto doesn’t like being scolded but he knows that the Inspector is right on this one. He really wasn’t taking this seriously till now so he nods his head in agreement.
Takami nods back and hands him his sword. “When we walk out this door, I want the real Shouto Todoroki as the bodyguard of that young star.”
“Yeah..”
He’s been discharged within 3 hours after being treated but that doesn’t mean the wound has stopped hurting. Honestly, it hurts really bad as he is walking down the corridors. Takami offers his shoulder for support but Shouto obviously denies.
As soon as he reaches the reception, a sketchy woman sporting a scarf and a black mask approaches him. She lowers the black sunglasses and Shouto immediately recognizes the cat-like irises of his mistress. She must’ve covered up her face so as to not attract attention from her fans at this public hospital. “Todoroki-san, feeling better now?”
‘You weren’t truly trying to protect her.’
The echoing words sting his being more than his freshly patched wound. Its embarrassing how unprofessional he was today due to his personal grudges against his father. And his client’s concern for him is just adding more salt to all this agony. The guilt makes him shrug her worry aside and he responds with a question of his own. “Why are you still here?”
“Hey now!”
The blond chauffeur takes a warning step towards him whilst the pink-tinged manager glares again. What’s wrong with him? Honestly though, he wants to ask the same question: What’s so wrong with him that these two people don’t like him? What did he say that offended both of them in an instant? Why are Mashirao Ojiro and Mina Ashido so protective of a rich woman they only work for?
“I asked a simple question. There was no point for her to stay here for her newly appointed guard dog.”
He notices the change in Yaoyorozu’s demeanor at that, her lips twitching as if to say something that she believes will be impolite of someone like her. But before she can, her manager stomps towards the young Yaoyorozu heiress and reaches for her hand. “Lets leave Yaomomo. I told you he isn’t worth your time.”
Yaoyorozu however, isn’t miffed the slightest and stops Ashido with a gesture of her palm. She then turns her head back, staring confidently at him.
“I’m still here Todoroki-san,” she speaks, her tone sharper unlike the usual soft one, “because I simply couldn’t fathom a stranger taking a bullet for another stranger, even if for a job. I was worried because a life once lost can never be regained.”
Her honest admission is followed by the two staring heatedly at each-other, his mismatched irises trying to gauge the fierceness in her onyx pools. He doesn’t understand her. Has the fact that someone tried to shoot her during a public event completely slipped her mind? He can’t believe she isn’t scared at all and was instead thinking about his well-being.
'CLAP'
'CLAP'
'CLAP'
Three successive, long drawn out claps pull them out of their staring contest and they whip their head towards the source of intrusion. There, flashing an uncomfortably sweet smile, Officer Takami is watching them, his triangular eyes fixated on Yaoyorozu.
“Wise words for someone so young.” He comments as he approaches them.
Scratching his cheek, he turns his attention towards the young actress and flashes her a genuine, apologetic smile. “Shouto here, is just tired and cranky because of his wound. Please excuse his rudeness. He hasn’t interacted with many women in his life and is still learning how to.” He says, facing Shouto next, the message bold and clear in his eyes: BEHAVE
Shouto stares between his mistress and his father’s associate for a moment before finally relaxing his shoulders.
“That’s more like a good boy.” Takami ruffles Shouto’s hair before taking his leave, followed by their group exiting the hospital as well.
The drive back to Yaoyorozu’s home is an uncomfortable one for Shouto as he can sense Ashido’s eyes burning holes in the back of his head. Even Ojiro keeps giving him admonishing side glances. So he is relieved when the car finally enters through the gates of the villa owned by the young actress.
The place looks just as grand as it had this morning when he had arrived to move in with his luggage. To be honest, its unpleasant that he’s intruding into someone’s private space. Yet at the same time he’s glad that he won’t have to see his father’s permanent dick face during breakfasts (not that his father is home much anyways).
As soon as they step out of the car, the huge double doors to the house pull open and a blonde woman appears. The pink shirt and skirt paired with a white apron signify that she’s probably a maid at this place. She immediately throws herself at Yaoyorozu, crying into the taller woman’s neck. “OMG! I was so scared Yaomomo!” And yet again, Shouto wonders why all the workers here address the actress so informally as if they’re close friends.
“Huh..who said that?” Ojiro speaks, placing his palm on the crown of his forehead and squinting his eyes as if searching for someone, “Hey Yaomomo, do you see someone?”
Unlike Shouto, the blonde girl immediately catches onto the meaning behind the words and lunges at the guy. Ojiro chuckles and hops back, trying to block her onslaught of feeble whiny punches. “Stop this!”
“Ohh so its Toru.” Ojiro says, his mouth forming an ‘O’, acting like the girl is finally visible to him. “I didn’t see you, I swear.”
“I said stop it!” The girl keeps whining to which Yaoyorozu and Ashido giggle as well.
Meanwhile Shouto stands by the car and watches from the sidelines as the group share some kind of inside joke.
Since he’s restricted from letting his wound get wet due to the probability of it leading to an infection, Shouto simply settles for washing his face. He changes into a pair of grey pajama pants and walks out the washroom of his newly appointed bedroom inside the Yaoyorozu villa. The place is too spacious for someone like him who doesn’t keep much stuff other than basic necessities.
He looks down his naked torso, the gauze around the wound tight enough to prevent any further damage.
Now all he needs is some sleep.
His cellphone buzzes in that very moment and he looks at it to see his father’s name flashing upon the screen. He slumps onto the double bed in the room, covering his eyes with the back of his hand. A long, tired sigh leaves his lips. He really doesn’t want to hear his nagging old man right now. But he knows the repercussions of ignoring this call will be worse. And so, heaving another sigh, he picks up his phone and slides across the green icon on its screen to answer.
“Took you too long to pick up. Were you possibly trying to avoid me?”
Shouto passes a hand through his dual-colored hair and tugs at it, annoyance welling his being immediately on hearing the stringent voice. “No.”
“I’ve been informed about everything that happened at the movie premiere. What do you have to say in defense of your poor performance?” The older man asks.
He clenches his free hand. “Did Takami tell you all that?”
“That is none of your concern.”
Whether it was Takami or not doesn’t really matter. But knowing that there’s an actual person employed by his own family to stalk him, is very disheartening.
“Going to a public hospital was reckless. What if someone could’ve tried to attack the young Yaoyorozu girl there as well? You must always be vigilant Shouto.”
“Yes father.”
“Its not even been an entire day yet you’ve embarrassed me.” He can feel the disappointment in his father’s tone seeping out of his cellphone. “I’ll personally talk to the Yaoyorozus about this and request an apology.”
He has no idea what he should say in such a scenario. His father never allows any room for arguments for Enji Todoroki’s words are absolute.
“And Shouto…” he knows what’s coming yet he lets the old man finish. “I do not want a repeat of last year.”
He closes his eyes, vivid screams and an array of bloody scenarios crossing his mind. “Yes father.”
When he leaves his bedroom, its already ten o’ clock at night. After that mood-butchering lecture from his father he had wanted to do nothing but sleep and forget. Yet he cannot since the blonde maid from before had politely requested he join them for dinner even though its late.
He closes his room shut and looks across the hall, the lone door at the other end leading to his mistress’s room. The distance isn’t suitable if some criminal suddenly invades the mansion or in worst case, tries to creep in through the window in her room. Well, guess its upto him to stay in shape and improve his speed so he’s always on time to prevent her from getting in any dangers.
He walks down the stairs, the smooth fabric of his blue shirt brushing lightly against the gauze around his waist.
Downstairs, his ears easily pick up loud noises from the left side of the lobby. He heads in that direction, clicking open the first door and luckily ending up at the place he had intended to— the dining hall. Its bigger than he had expected it to be, numerous sets of tables and chairs arranged systematically all around. The kitchen is at the right end of the hall and as he peers in its direction, he finds two heads poking out through the door. It’s the blonde maid from earlier and the chauffeur. They must’ve heard his footsteps approaching as they both immediately look towards him. The young woman gestures excitedly for him to come over.
Shouto leisurely walks across the hall, taking in the tasteful decorations contrasting perfectly with the European-styled furniture.
“Give us a hand.” Ojiro says, handing him a set of plates and pointing towards the nearest table.
He nods and turns around but before he can so much as take a step, the blonde maid interrupts him. She takes the plates back from Shouto and smiles at him. “No need. Yaomomo told me you were hurt.”
She swats Ojiro’s bicep lightly as she heads to the table and arranges four plates, followed by some spoons and bowls and then the pot containing the rice. For a while Shouto watches her set the table, Ojiro sweeping in occasionally to help her out. He finds the chemistry between the two sweet and relaxing. Domestic. Witnessing such normal daily life activities calms his being, reminding him of a peaceful life he used to have years ago.
“How long will this go on!?” an unknown gruff tone of voice shouts, spoiling his moment of serenity.
“I never should’ve...” Another voice speaks, most of its words being incomprehensible.
The voices are those he doesn’t know of yet he can easily comprehend that one belongs to a male whilst the other is a female’s. His eyes land on Ojiro and Toru’s and it is clearly written on their faces that they want him to pretend he heard nothing.
“…embarrassing!!..” “..father I…”
He isn’t one to spy on other’s conversations but the voices are loud enough that he realizes they must be coming from the vicinity. His eyes widen in remembrance of the memory of his arrival here. So the loud noises he had heard earlier weren’t his new coworkers but actually these unknown people in the room right next to the dining hall.
Well whatever. This isn’t the first time he’s heard people arguing.
“Please listen..” “There’s nothing…”
“…very downgrading.”
A series of unintelligible sentences keep ringing throughout the hall and amidst the presumed argument, Shouto’s ears perk up as he instantly identifies one of the voices to be that of his mistress’s. Even though he has been with her for less than 24 hours, he’s spent this day in her company long enough to notice her soft, eloquent way of speaking. That, and her voice is the only one that still sounds civil unlike the other two who are yelling their throats out.
“..atleast you should-”
“Enough!”
Toru jerks nervously at the echo of the harsh tone of voice. Ojiro wraps an arm around her shoulders and pats to help elevate her shock but she barely takes note of the comforting act. Her eyes twinkle hopefully at Shouto and she mumbles. “You’re her bodyguard, right? Stop them.”
It’s a simple request. One which requires him to do nothing harmful yet Ojiro immediately disagrees. “Come on, Toru! That’s just Mr. & Mrs. Yaoyorozu.”
So its the Yaoyorozus; just as he had presumed. This makes sense. It’s a natural outcome for most parents to get mad if something bad befalls their child. He feels that the young Yaoyorozu is even lucky to be getting reprimanded because atleast her parents care.
“But they’re yelling at her for no reason!” Toru retorts “Its not as if Yaomomo wanted someone to..to hurt her life.”
Now Shouto isn’t one to intrude onto other’s family matters and he would’ve nicely listened to Ojiro on this matter but the maid is right. Scolding their child is one thing but these two seem like they won’t stop shouting anytime soon. He notices how the voice of his mistress keeps lowering as that of her parents' keeps rising.
Unfortunately, he stopped playing hero long ago because the last time he did, something horrible happened.
‘I do not want a repeat of last year.’ His father’s words reverberate through his mind.
Still, he promised Takami he’ll do this right. He can’t let her take the entire blame when she had to wait at the hospital for him! For the guy who got injured when he’s supposed to be the one protecting her.
He puffs out a breath calmly and retraces his steps out of the hall.
Its not surprising that the three of them don’t even see him slip in through the door. The room they are currently in appears to be an extra one that’s left empty. Yet they’ve completely failed at being discrete not because of the thin walls but because they’re being too loud at half past eleven at night.
He silently eavesdrops on their argument since they have yet to detect his presence. The young Yaoyorozu girl is standing with her shoulders slumped and head bowed down, making her long tresses obscure whatever expression she has on her face. She is being chided for arriving home late and for not answering her phone calls, both of which he should be held responsible.
And so he intervenes..
“Its my fault.” He states plainly, stepping closer to the three, making them stop and acknowledge him in shock.
“Todoroki-san..” Momo Yaoyorozu says his name anxiously, her face still veiled behind her hair as if she’s hiding it on purpose.
He barely responds with a nod as he is immediately addressed by Mr. Yaoyorozu, a tall man in his fifties with greyish-black hair. “So the dog is here!”
“How dare you show your face after the commissioner so diligently asked forgiveness in your stead!?” Mrs. Yaoyorozu, an equally tall woman with short, black-dyed locks hisses.
Shouto learns that their daughter has definitely got the height and beautiful features from her parents but he’s glad she didn’t take up an ounce of their crass attitude.
“All I’m saying is, it wasn’t Miss Yaoyorozu’s fault that someone attacked her.” He tries to appease them.
“Well that wouldn’t have happened had she never picked up such disreputable things as a profession.” Mrs. Yaoyorozu spews out with disgust, her husband grunting in agreement.
“Mother please not in front of–”
“Shut up!” Mr. Yaoyorozu sneers at his daughter.
“Hey, I took the bullet for her so its on me.” Shouto reasons, gradually getting closer to the Head of the Yaoyorozu Conglomerate.
“Well if you keep jumping at bullets you’ll die faster than you can safeguard her.” The older man snorts haughtily.
Shouto sighs. At this moment, he just wants to have a peaceful meal and get some shut eye. But this elder couple is not ready to listen a word against their personal opinions. Its as if they want to keep throwing snide remarks at their own offspring for being who she is. He motions his lips to counter their words again but his mistress beats him to it.
“Stop.” She says resolutely, stepping ahead to stand shoulder to shoulder with him and face her father. Lifting a hand, she pushes her locks behind her ear, her face finally coming into view. And Shouto’s eyes widen as he gapes at the obvious redness of the right side of her cheek. His mouth goes dry as he stares rudely at the swelling patch of skin. Is this what she had been clouding from his view all this time? Is this really what he thinks it is? Did this happen to her cheek because she was slapped? Did they do it to her? One of these people who call themselves her parents? Are these the kind of people who brought her up? He regrets claiming her to be lucky just minutes ago because he had thought her parents care. Sickening!
He had honestly come in to put an end to their pointless discussion by explaining the details of what actually went down at the cinema. He wasn’t expecting to discover something so horrible about the Yaoyorozu Family. Come to think of it, his father never properly described his job. All he was given was a photograph and brief information about the young actress and ordered to protect her. And if protecting her it is, then what should he do in this situation? Should he report her parents to the cops? But then, his father is the Police Commissioner and will definitely find out. And when he finds out, it’ll be bad. Wait! Before that, what will happen to his job if he reports the Yaoyorozus? They are the ones who hired him so reporting them doesn’t seem right. Also, they look like people who will hold a grudge till their deaths.
He passes a hand through his hair, conflicted with all the options laid out in his mind.
“It was my fault.” Yaoyorozu’s lips tremble as she speaks. “I forgot my cellphone at home and I chose to stay at the hospital. I was very irresponsible.”
Shouto Todoroki stares at her incredulously. Is this how it always goes down in their family? Does she always succumb to her parents' anger and take the blame upon herself? Seriously where’s the young woman who confidently matched his stare at the hospital?
“Now that’s my good girl.” Mr. Yaoyorozu smirks, reaching out his palm to stroke his daughters cheek.
Shouto knows what he’s about to do is something he shouldn’t yet he sharply slaps Mr. Yaoyorozu’s hand away before it can even touch his mistress. “That’s enough talking. She’s barely had anything since morning. She needs to eat and rest.”
Mr. Yaoyorozu glares at him. “Why can’t you be like a good dog and stand silently by your master?”
Shouto chuckles darkly then. “Dogs, huh?” He slowly steps in between his mistress and her parents. “You know there are two types of dogs: those that bark but never bite and those that never bark but devour ruthlessly.”
“And I’m certainly not the barking type.” His irises glower in warning.
Mr. Yaoyorozu takes a step back, fear evident in his dark orbs. Yes, he likes this look better on the man. If you’ve done something wrong, you must live with the constant terror of being punished. Now if only he had his blade on him, he’d have rectified them of their sins.
“Fine then. We hope you’ll reflect upon your actions.” A very tense Mrs. Yaoyorozu grabs her husband by the arm and scurries out.
Shouto doesn’t even notice that he’s bawling fists until his mistress tugs at his shirt slightly. He shakes his head and looks at her only to find hints of distrust and trepidation swirling in her cat-like eyes. “Its alright, Todoroki-san. You..you didn’t have to threaten them.” She says, her lips trembling just as much as her dainty fingers on his sleeve.
And it is then that he realizes, he was almost on the brink of losing it again, just like last year..
Notes:
• Yes, Shouto does have some anger issues here.
• I apologize for the mention of abusive behavior from Yaomomo's parents. Even i don't like it but I swear this is a good story o(╥﹏╥)o
• The scene where Ojiro acts as if he didn't see Toru is just a kinda joking reference to the canon Toru who is invisible. (By the way, i hope my version of Toru is acceptable)
Please don't hesitate from commenting your views and let me know what you think.
And stay safe ♥
Chapter 3: Part 2.1: Morning Jogs and Mulling
Summary:
The events after Mr. and Mrs. Yaoyorozu left.
Ojiro has a hunch that the Yaoyorozus are onto something. He decides to have a fresh start with Shouto and discuss..
Notes:
This is an Extra Chapter unlike the Main Chapters.
Extra Chapters will be shorter and from the supporting characters' PoVs. These will have moments which I believe will look better from other characters perspective instead of Shouto or Momo.
And these will sometimes show events which happen in the background or not around Shouto and Momo's view.
They’ll be a continuation of the Main Chapters before them.
Hope this is not too confusing..
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Posted on: 20/05/09
Part 2.1: Morning Jogs & Mulling
Mashirao Ojiro sits patiently on the couch of the living room as Toru sobs into his shoulder. The events of last night are finally having an aftereffect on her and in moments like these she has no one else to rely on but breakdown in his arms.
As soon as Mr. & Mrs. Yaoyorozu had stomped out of the villa yesterday, both Yaomomo and the new bodyguard guy retired to their respective bedrooms. And thus, their late night dinner was spoilt.
Such happenings aren’t uncommon here and being already used to this, Toru left a tray of food outside Yaomomo’s room.
Its 7 am right now and the tray isn’t by the door anymore, which means that some time in the middle of the night Yaomomo must’ve taken it in. Not only that, she must’ve come downstairs when everyone was fast asleep and snuck in more unhealthy snacks. On particularly sad days like these, she eats a lot and prefers no company at all.
Mashirao sighs, stroking circle patterns into Toru’s back as she shakes with every sob, her tears soaking through his T-shirt. They were hired at the same time and somehow, they ended up becoming each-other’s comfort zone. Now neither of them like seeing the other in pain.
Pain is the only thing he dislikes about working here. It’s like a series of chain-reactions, people’s emotions serving as its links. Even though one never intends to, their pain ends up hurting the others in their surroundings as well. And he wonders if he should just give up this job, grab Toru and run away with her. Seeing her cry because she believes she’s partly responsible for someone else’s pain unsettles him. But then again, both he and Toru care too much about Yaomomo to leave her by herself with this tough life.
“Hey listen–”
The padding of a pair of footsteps in their direction makes him stop and he turns to find a head of red and white peek in through the door. Mashirao palms his face in annoyance. Ofcourse it’s the new guy— Shouto Todoroki! He can tolerate the man not listening to a word he says but intruding on other’s private moments is too much. Instinctively he pulls Toru closer into his chest to hide her tear-stricken face as best as he can.
“What do you want?” He asks curtly.
The dual-haired man scratches his head, his tired eyes genuinely confused about his whereabouts. “I was just..I can’t find the kitchen.” He admits in a barely audible tone as if he’s ashamed.
Mashirao quirks a brow in surprise. Why is he embarrassed? Anyone can get lost in this big house and besides, he’s still new here so it may take him some time to figure out the whole place.
“Last night it was easier because..there was a lot of noise from people yelling.” He adds, reminding them of Mr. and Mrs. Yaoyorozu’s deeds.
Toru, who seemed to have quietened a bit, sobs again at the reminder of last night.
The bodyguard’s eyes widen in instantly. “Is she alright?”
Before Mashirao can respond, she stands up abruptly and wipes her face with the back of her palm. “Thanks for always being here for me.” She whispers as she hugs him once then turns to face the young man at the threshold.
“Thanks..for speaking up for Yaomomo.” She says to him with a bow.
The man simply nods, his expression turning into a solemn one.
“Oh! By the way, I never properly introduced myself.” Toru approaches him with a smile and brings her hand out. “I’m Toru Hagakure. The Head cleaning maid here.”
Todoroki stares at her as if he wasn’t expecting such a warm welcome from a woman who was weeping just seconds ago. He hesitantly accepts her hand and shakes it. “Shouto Todoroki.”
Mashirao blinks at the surprisingly normal exchange and ponders if he was a bit too mean to this guy. If he can shake a hand with Toru so nicely then maybe he’s not so bad afterall. And he doesn’t seem like a quitter so guess its better to just make peace with him.
“Hey newbie,” He calls, getting up from the couch and stretching his limbs, “lets go out for a jog. You and me.”
Todoroki appears shocked at the offer coming from him and nods his head rather suspiciously. “Okay, but what about Miss Yaoyorozu?”
“Come on, I’m sure you don’t need to guard her unless its an official schedule.” Mashirao says, although himself doubtful about the thought.
Todoroki doesn’t look much convinced either but agrees with another nod.
“Excellent!” Toru claps in excitement, her previously sullen mood completely gone. “I know the perfect thing to cheer up Yaomomo.”
She turns to face him and smiles. “Mashi-kun, since you two are going out, you can fetch it on your way back.”
A metaphorical bulb lights up in his head as he realizes what she’s talking about. “Alright. We’ll get it.”
The moment they’re outside the villa and at a safe distance from it, he stops jogging. Todoroki goes a few steps ahead but then stops to give him a confused quirk of his brow.
The Yaoyorozus are strong not just financially but their influence is huge. They can turn the tides in their favor by mere click of their fingers. So before Todoroki does something too rash, he needs to be warned.
“Listen man..” Mashirao begins, combing a hand through his blond hair, “thanks for what you did yesterday. But be careful. The Yao–”
“You knew it.” Todoroki states sharply.
“What?” he asks.
“Don’t act oblivious. You knew about how they treat her yet you never tried to stop them.” He says, his stare accusatory. “Why would you let her suffer like that?”
A sensation of guilt pokes his heart and Mashirao lowers his head. “It’s not like you’re the first person to stand up for her..”
“What does that mean?” Todoroki waits for him to explain.
“Well..there were many before you. A maid, a gardener and many others. And each one of them were kicked out.” He reveals.
“I’m not afraid of being kicked–”
Mashirao stops him with a shake of his head. “Its not that simple, man. Those people..they weren’t just kicked out of the villa but also Yaomomo's life. They were all forbid to see her ever again..”
Todoroki’s eyes narrow at this.
“And not only that, they all were paid hefty amounts to keep their mouths shut about Mr. and Mrs. Yaoyorozu’s abusive behavior.” Mashirao adds angrily.
But then his eyes widen as another conjecture dawns on his mind. He gives Todoroki a once over, pondering about the chances of his assumptions being plausible.
Todoroki looks around before covering the scar on his left eye with a hand. “What is it?”
Mashirao's eyes quirk in amusement. Wait is this guy for real? Is he really self-conscious about his appearance? Well if that’s the case, the scar is the last of things he should worry about. That weird two-toned head is what’ll make people do a double-take at him. Still, there’s nothing concerning about his looks so Mashirao just smiles at him.
“Its just a hunch. Lets go!”
They jog for about a mile till they reach the actual busy streets of the city since the villa is situated on the outskirts of the city for privacy reasons. Mashirao shifts towards the sidewalk to continue jogging and Todoroki follows after.
As soon as Todoroki is level with him, he speaks. “Earlier when I told you I had a hunch..its was this..um..” He wipes the perspiration on his forehead and continues,
“Others who spoke like that to the Yaoyorozus were immediately stripped off their jobs and thrown out. But you..”
He stops his legs and huffs, resting his palms on his knees. “You must be important since they didn’t do the same to you. They must need you.”
Todoroki stares at him, too stunned for words. “What are you alluding?”
He shrugs. “I’m not sure. It’s just..I’m actually baffled that you’re still here this morning, chilling out with me unlike those others.”
Seriously, its shocking that the unusual guy who carries a sword instead of a gun hasn’t received a single warning for boldly talking back to the Yaoyorozus. Not to mention, they’ve been acting more cautious since the beginning of this year. Something definitely is going on but Mashirao has no idea how to probe into their odd behavior or where to even start from.
“How about you go through your appointment documents again and see if you find something peculiar about your job?” He suggests.
Todoroki nods, himself considering the possibility of this being something bigger than it appears to be.
The curious gaze on Todoroki’s face at sighting the small structure with a hut-styled top is even more amusing than him being subconscious. He’s not as scary as he exhibits himself to be. He’s actually kind of child-like? Seeing as how he looked back at every stray animal on the street, he definitely has an adorable side somewhere in the corner of his being. The more time they spend together, the more Mashirao seems to like this man.
“This will cheer her up?” Todoroki asks doubtfully.
Mashirao pats his shoulder as he walks towards the entrance of the place, knowing his accompanist will follow. “Trust me, she’ll love this.”
Notes:
Chapter 3 will be from Momo's P.o.V. and we'll find out what Ojiro and Todoroki fetched to cheer her up. If you have guessed it already, do mention :3
Take care ♥
Chapter 4: Part 3: Her Dissonant Life
Summary:
Momo tries her best to cope with her lifestyle and keep her mental issues at bay. Her day brightens with a surprise gift but unfortunately ends with another awful surprise..
Notes:
⚠ WARNING!
Mentions of abuse and eating disorder.
Yet again, I failed to update last month (i thought this will be a monthly thing). I have no excuse except for Life.
Also, I'm thankful for every comment that people leave on this story and silent readers who only leave Kudos. I'm also thankful for everyone who gave this a chance and is still reading this chapter.
HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY!
♪ ♬ ヾ(´︶`♡)ﾉ ♬ ♪
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Posted on: 20/07/19
Part 3: Her Dissonant Life
Momo’s spiritless eyes stare at the dull white ceiling of her room, her arms and legs stretched lax across her large bed. She is cold but she doesn’t bother picking up the comforter which is partly draped over her right leg and partly falling down. Her long hair is in a similar predicament, cascading down the edge of the mattress, pooling around the mahogany floor.
Is this what being broken feels like? To be alive yet devoid of vitality.
Her ears sense faint noises coming from downstairs and she wonders if the other workers are here. Is it morning already? She turns her head towards the floor-length window in her room and finds that the crimson curtains covering it are alight with the glow of sun's rays. She cranes her neck the other way and the clock on the wall reads 11 am. Well, its morning.
She slowly sits up and takes a long breath. Then gets off the bed and begins collecting the numerous packs of chips, cookies and other snacks littered around. She bunches them tightly together and discards them into the trashcan by the door to her room. She can ask the maids to clear-out the trash later on.
Next, she heads towards her wardrobe and picks out the first outfit she lays her hand on along with a pair of clean undergarments and walks into her washroom. She sets her clothes in a rack on the small shelf inside and kneels down before the toilet seat. There, taking another long breath, she constricts her tummy and tries lurching out the unhealthy heaps of food she has been gobbling down since 3 am.
After hurling out to her heart’s content for minutes, she presses the flush and walks towards the sink. She splashes water a few times on her face and stares at her reflection. What happened to the girl who used to be genuinely happy and optimistic about life? She smiles a bittersweet smile at herself. Well atleast the slap mark on her cheek has faded. It wouldn’t be noticeable unless someone takes close-up shots of her face or tries to look at her from merely an inch of space. She’s lucky her father wasn’t too mad at her or else it’d have been more than just a slap. Nevertheless, a little makeup will cover up everything.
Sighing, she looks at the bathtub. A long soak should be cleansing enough..
When she finally leaves the bathtub and changes into the random clothes she had picked earlier— a peach spaghetti top paired with a baby blue plazo, she applies the right amount of concealer to hide the slightly reddish skin of her cheek. Hopefully, it’ll be gone within two days. Her hand reaches for a hair-tie on her nightstand but she puts it around her wrist and let’s her hair stay free. She can tie it up later if she feels the need.
The following few minutes are spent with her trying to look for her cellphone due to which she ends up searching under her pillows and even the comforter that had dropped completely on the floor. She carelessly folds it twice into a lump and tosses it back onto the bed, her eyes at last discovering the phone on the nightstand. It had been there all along yet somehow she had missed it even when she was picking up the hair-tie.
She taps a finger on the small circular finger print scanner at its back to unlock it but realises its battery is empty. Sighing, she plugs it to the charger and steps out of her room.
As she closes the door and turns, she is greeted by a hollow quietness. All the worker maids must’ve already finished their daily chores and left as its already 12 noon. The only people that should be still around are those that reside with her in this villa. She places a finger on her chin in deduction. Let’s see! The chef never comes out of his room unless she personally requests him to cook and the gardener is too enamored by plants to isolate them, which means she must still be tending to some random shrubs in these hot afternoon hours. That leaves the gate guard, who must be standing by the gate like usual as well as Ojiro & Toru, who must be lounging in the living room. The only person she can’t make a guess about is her newly appointed bodyguard. She has no knowledge of his likes, dislikes or preferences of any sorts so its impossible to tell where he can be. And this means, its highly probable that she can bump into him. But since the events of last night, she doesn’t want to face him for a while. He had clearly seen the slap mark and her powerlessness in front of her parents which is extremely shameful. Her image is completely ruined in his eyes.
She crouches and walks slowly till she reaches the stairway’s railing and takes peek. And unfortunately, there she finds the man she had just been thinking of avoiding. His slate and aqua duo of irises stare right at her, as if he’d been waiting all this time for her to step out. Immediately she falls back, landing embarrassingly on her butt and scoots backward. She needs to get back to her room before he–
“Miss Yaoyorozu” he calls, climbing two stairs at a time using his long legs.
She’s not ready yet. She needs more time to face him after how she just ran off to her room last night without uttering a single word of gratitude for his intervening. Frantically, she stands up and–
“Miss Yaoyorozu”, he calls again, only this time he’s done climbing the last stair. “Are you feeling better?”
“Are you a demon?” she responds reflexively, wondering why in the world was he standing downstairs! Was he actually waiting for her to look down so he can creepily look up?
He quirks a brow but understands in an instant. “No, I have sharp senses.” He answers, leaning cross-legged over the railing, his elbows coming to rest atop. He tilts his head in thought and adds, “I was just loitering around and happened to glance up the same moment you peeked down.”
“I wasn’t peeking.” She says defensively even though she was.
He stares pointedly at her, his eyes conveying that he wasn’t making fun of her but being completely honest. That, and he gives off the impression that he never really makes fun of people or has fun for that matter.
She contemplates on whether she should run off to her room again or actually talk it over. But considering she’s embarrassed herself enough, there’s no reason to evade a conversation.
She gulps anxiously before speaking. “I think we should talk.”
Momo takes off her slippers and lets her feet brush through the grass bed as she closes her eyes and walks over it. She may look like a weirdo to him but she can’t help it. If they’re going to discuss the happenings from yesterday, then she’d rather do it in a place she feels at ease. So it was either this or the Reading Room. But since she wants to have a breath of the fresh air, the garden is the better choice.
“Todoroki-san..” she begins. Her eyes are still closed but she can sense his watchful gaze.
She’ll keep it short. She appreciates his interference in her argument with her parents. She really does. But he needs to keep himself out of trouble if he wishes to work here any longer and earn the big sum for which he’s even ready to take a bullet.
“You didn’t have to threaten them.” She says calmly when on the inside she can undeniably remember his aura from last night. He looked deathly scary when he threatened them and she is convinced he was even ready to take their lives had she not jolted him out of whatever “personality switch” kind of thing he was under.
She hears him scoff and opens her eyes. Does he find this funny?
He shakes his head and looks at her with disappointment reflecting in his mismatched eyes. “You’re not supposed to defend them.”
Her eyelids narrow in annoyance. He shouldn’t be responding with clever comebacks. Does he have no common sense at all? “Todoroki-san, if you keep this attitude any longer, you’ll never receive a paycheck from my parents.”
He quirks a single brow, stepping on the grass. “You believe I did it for the pay?”
Her shoulders sag and she puffs out a breath in defeat. He is too blunt and intense to allow a word against him. To top it off, being subjected to his unflinching gaze is making it even harder for her to speak. So she transitions to questioning his motives instead. “If not for money, then for what reason did you shield me?”
She notices an immediate change in his countenance and his face lowers as if in..shame? He cocks his head to the side and answers, “That–”
“Pardon me, good Sir”
Both of them turn their heads in unison to look at the third person who’s come in to disturb their discussion. A young woman with forest green, shoulder length, wavy hair and eyes a darker shade of green appears. As she had expected, Momo’s passionate gardener was indeed taking care of the plants.
The woman flashes Todoroki a pointed look. “Can you please be kind enough to not step on the grass with your slippers on?”
The guy immediately steps back onto the stone pavement and bows his head apologetically. When he straightens up, he glances at Momo, as if telepathically asking her about the identity of this strange person.
Momo smiles sheepishly and turns to the woman. “Shiozaki-san, please excuse him this one time. He’s new here.”
The statement makes the woman’s expression do a complete turn and it is now her bowing her head at him. “Forgive me, good Sir. I hadn’t known. How rude of me to be so ignorant of my newly appointed co-workers. I didn’t even properly welcome you.”
Todoroki can only scratch his cheek and nod at her. “Its fine.”
Momo doesn’t blame him. When she was going through the list of applicants that had sent in their résumés for the job of gardener, Ibara Shiozaki had not just been the most qualified but also showed a sort of emotional attachment to nature in general. And since then, this dedicated woman has been here, giving every plant in this large garden the love they deserve.
Momo walks back and puts on her slippers. She goes to stand between the two currently awkwardly staring coworkers and introduces them to one another.
Shiozaki formally greets Todoroki and welcomes him to the villa. She then bows to Momo. “Young Miss, I apologize for performing so awfully. As a fellow resident, I should’ve known about Todoroki-san.”
Momo simply waves it off. Shiozaki is the only person in this villa (well aside from Todoroki ofcourse) who still addresses her so formally. She has insisted repeatedly that the woman call her with either her first name or Yaomomo just like the others here. They both may have status differences but they are the same age-wise so Shiozaki is allowed to be more free with her. She likes it better if the people working here treat her as their celebrity friend instead of the heir to a famous conglomerate. Afterall, these people are much more like family to her than her actual kin.
Thinking about kin reminds her she’d been talking to Todoroki prior to Shiozaki’s intrusion. She reverts her eyes towards the man to ask again about why he jumped in front of a bullet but more new voices interrupt her.
“Heyyy!!! Yaomomo!” An excitedly waving Toru is running towards them, Ojiro in tow. There’s a familiar box in the short maid’s grip and Momo’s eyes slowly widen as she recognizes the thing the moment Toru stops before her.
“Toru is that..is it..” she herself is too excited to finish her query and awaits Toru to confirm her guess.
“Yep it is! Your favorite Gold Tips Imperial.” The blond maid answers happily.
Ojiro stands next to Todoroki, proudly telling him, “Told you she’d love it.”
Her bodyguard is slightly surprised at God knows what but he nods in approval.
She looks between the three of them. “Wait, don’t tell me you guys got it for me.”
Ojiro smiles at her. “Honestly it was Toru’s idea. Todoroki and I just went to grab it from that small café nearby.”
She has always wanted to ignore the fact that the people living under this roof knew about her relationship with her parents. They’ve known ever since her agency signed her up as their rookie actress two years ago and she started living at this villa. They always chose to keep mum about the matter because she indicated so. In the beginning, she used to lock herself up in her room, signifying that she didn’t want anyone around because she felt horrible having a family that treats her like this. And the bitter feeling of these workers just neglecting her pain for so long, for not even trying to go against her parents is difficult to let go of. But its understandable that these people were scared of being kicked-out.
But now..
She glances at her bodyguard. This man is really interesting. Not only did he stand up for her but also protected her. Maybe it was him who acted as an incentive for others to be bold as well. A myriad of thoughts are revolving in her mind but above all, the fact that these people never put her in the same box as her parents is touching. Tears well her eyes as she looks at the red box full of tea leaves. This gesture maybe their first and small but it is enough to give her the impression that they truly care to even notice the things she enjoys.
She pulls her chauffeur and maid into a tight group hug. “You guys are so nice.”
The two seem to be genuinely shocked by the sudden show of affection but return the hug. When they finally pull back, she smiles at her bodyguard. Her hands twitch but she wills them to stay at her sides.
“Todoroki-san, thank you as well.”
He barely nods in response but its fine for her. With Ojiro and Toru, she didn’t even hesitate to hug but the same action with Todoroki seems a bit too forward. And she doesn’t want to leave a bad impression since the start. So for now, her gratitude should suffice.
On this lazy afternoon, its not just the Yaoyorozu villa that feels livelier but its young owner’s mood has lightened as well. Momo smiles as she pulls out two different pans from the cabinet above her. At her side, Toru is using the microwave to re-heat the breakfast that had been cooked earlier.
Momo fills a pan with water enough for five people all the while aware of her bodyguard’s steady gaze on her. They haven’t been together long but his stare is too strong to go unnoticed. She’s sure Toru can feel it too. Nevertheless she turns around to go and grab some milk from the refrigerator. And its then that she sees the innocently glum look on his face. He’s standing by the threshold of the kitchen like he believes he’s out of place here.
“Todoroki-san,” without even a thought she calls him, “would you like to help me?”
The young man's stern shoulders deflate as if relieved that he’s finally got something to do. Does he feel anxious when he has nothing to do? Does he not have an engaging hobby for such times? Well, he can’t always be shielding her from crowds or taking bullets so he better have one. Or atleast eagerly participate in these house chores with other workers.
There’s a sunroom in the garden and Shiozaki proposed to clean it up so they can enjoy their food and tea whilst relaxing there. Ojiro volunteered to lend a hand in the task. And with Toru and her busy here in the kitchen, he’s obviously left with nothing to do. Ofcourse she could’ve sent him off to help in the sunroom but he shouldn’t be straining himself too much with that wound on his torso. So instead, she’ll let him help her so he can feel more at ease in this new living environment.
“Have you made tea before?” She asks him as she pulls out a carton of milk from the fridge.
He gives the question thought before answering. “I did.”
“Good! That means you know how to do this.” She says, turning on a stove and placing the pan of water over it.
“I don’t-I don’t remember.” He replies immediately, a distant sort of sadness evident in his eyes. Or maybe its just her reading too much into his face.
“No problem. I can teach you again.” She assures him then turns towards the counter.
“There are different ways to do this.” She begins explaining, filling the other pan with some milk and putting it on the other stove. When she turns back, she finds him standing attentively by the counter. “Most of us here like our tea without milk except Shiozaki-san. So, I boil water and milk in different pans. How about you?”
He scratches his cheek. “I’ve..never had it with milk.”
She smiles at him. “That’s alright! You can try it now if you want.” She grabs the tea box from the counter and opens it. Inside is a metal case which she pulls out, then opens its lid. Fine, golden brown tea leaves fill the case to the brim and a small spoon lays in its the center. She picks it up and drops two spoonful of the leaves into the pot of boiling water.
Toru, who seems to be done with her work, places the food and plates on a trolley and wheels it out of the kitchen towards the garden.
Taking that as her cue, Momo looks at the two pans whose respective contents are already boiling and bubbling up. She sets both stoves to medium heat and ponders on which of her pretty tea sets should she pull out for this occasion. After giving it a bit thought, she looks at the cupboards, her eyes focused at the top. She reaches for the one at the left but then thinks about pulling out her blue porcelain set from the bottom shelf.
And just as she motions her arm back, it happens. His hand barely brushes along her palm and he pulls open the top cupboard.
“Let me.” He mutters calmly, his torso in contact with her back as he hovers over her and pulls out the only box inside. She is too stunned to give any reactions and simply stands frozen in spot.
As he places it on the counter, he notices the abrupt change in her pallor and only then takes note of their proximity. Immediately he steps back, his hands slightly raised in apology. “I’m sorry. I thought you wanted to pull it out and I just wanted to help.”
“Its okay.” She says in a small voice, trying to divert her mind towards her precious tea set as she pulls it out from the box. “Lets join the others quickly.”
The sunroom’s tranquil effects are instant. Memories of her happy childhood spent here with her grandparents start arising in her mind and she smiles as she enters through the glass doors, Todoroki right in tow. The whole room is covered in herbs and exotic trees with a single wooden table & chair set at the center. Others have already arranged the food and greet them upon their arrival. Momo places the tray of tea set down on the table and lets her bodyguard help lay out the saucers and tea cups. She pours everyone ample amount from the tea pot and adds milk from the small jug to Shiozaki’s cup. Everyone adds sugar to their own preferences and they all take their first sip in synch.
Momo looks expectantly at Todoroki who nods sort of shyly. “Its good.”
She smiles satisfactorily and turns to the others. “Todoroki-san said that he doesn’t have a favorite tea.”
The table bursts into a serious discussion about tea flavors and other beverages all so as to help their new companion figure out his preferred tastes. In the end Toru decides to hold weekend tea parties, making different teas every Saturday.
“So..if not tea, atleast do you have a favourite dish?” Ojiro asks expectantly as he watches the dual haired man quietly sipping away.
When he notices everyone attentively staring at him, the young bodyguard cowers slightly in diffidence. Yet again he scratches his cheek, (an act she’s noticed him do when he feels awkward) his eyes never leaving the sight of his empty cup. “So-Cold Soba”
His response is followed by their ‘Ohs’ and 'Ahs'.
“Then, how about we make it for dinner tonight?” Momo asks, picking-up a cookie.
She watches his expression switch from mildly excited to dubious and from that to profound contemplation. After a moment, he mutters, “If its alrig-”
“Ofcourse its alright!” She smiles, “You’re a part of us now.”
He stares at her a second longer before nodding like a docile puppy. She thinks he’s adorable.
When they head back inside hours later, everyone lounges around the living room except for Toru, who goes upstairs to sweep clean Momo’s room. However, no sooner that she leaves, she comes rushing back and hands Momo her cellphone.
“It was already ringing when I unlocked your room.” She informs.
Momo takes it from her palm. The call disconnects at that very moment. Curiously she swipes downwards from the top of her screen to check the notifications bar and notes numerous missed calls— 3 from that journalist Itsuka Kendo, 2 from an unknown number, 16 from her manager and several others from her parents. She chooses to call up her manager first.
“Oh thank goodness you called back!” comes the chirpy voice of the female on the other end of the line.
At her breathless tone of words, Momo’s brows narrow and she feels queasiness stir up in her belly. She clutches her top tightly around her stomach as she asks, “Mina, is something wrong?”
“Channel 9, 13, 65! Check now! I need to arrange a few things for you. I’ll call later.” That said, the call ends.
Momo bites her lip, her shaky palm retrieving the remote from next to Ojiro on the couch. Everyone gives her a worried glance.
“Yaomomo what-”
She doesn’t answer. She’s too nervous to speak, going through the various numbers to reach channel 9. It’s a news channel and as the screen pops-up, she reads the large words written in bold letters over a red background: BREAKING NEWS!
Her face pales considerably as she notices a picture of herself from her debut photoshoot right above the tagline. The remote drops, as does everyone’s gazes from her terrified face towards the plasma TV.
“Well-known Model and Rookie Actress Momo Yaoyorozu was targeted at a promotional event for her upcoming movie Creati.” The news host speaks. “The young lady was attending the premiere of her new film along with the rest of the cast and crew at a famous movie hall we aren’t allowed to reveal. Prior to the premiere, a short meet and greet sort of banquet was held, wherein an unknown criminal snuck past the tight security and from amidst the crowd of big names, this seemingly unnoticeable man/woman fired a bullet at the actress. Fortunately, her fans have nothing to worry about as this CCTV footage shows us how a young man took immediate action and jumped in to save Miss Yaoyorozu. Now let us hear a few words about the incident from a few witnesses on sight.”
The screen changes to display a series of brief interrogations (probably pre-recorded) of some celebs who were present at the event the other evening.
“It happened so fast I didn’t even realize until I was dragged out to safety by my guards.” spoke a male actor who is part of the cast of Creati.
The screen blacks out and then displays the next clip. Veteran actress Uwabami begins speaking, “I was busy chatting with someone when we all heard a loud banging noise and slowly realised that something was wrong. I was scared and immediately rushed out.”
“I met her during the banquet. It happened just moments after I had left her.” Another woman pops on the screen. Her familiar dark green hair and unusually long lower lashes make Momo stare in recognition. It’s the woman who had introduced herself to Momo at the event. What was her name again? Sena something?
The screen pans back to the news host. “As you can understand from the words of these witnesses that it was a moment of fright for everyone. Fortunately there weren’t any casualties. Now let us also hear about these people’s personal opinions on the actress.”
Momo stiffens but continues to watch quietly.
“She was as reserved at the banquet as she had been on the set. She is a kind and friendly person but she doesn’t interact with people easily. And that includes even me, her coworker.” It’s the same male actor from Creati again. “What I’m trying to say is, she keeps to herself but in a good way. She doesn’t seem like the person you’d hold a grudge over. So its hard to believe that she has some crazed antis.”
“She has a lot of potential but it always seems as if something is keeping her from exploring her full potential.” Actress Uwabami reappears on the screen. “She appeared very tense as she greeted me. And when the gunshot was heard, my first thought was about her but I’m glad that someone protected her. So I’m hoping she isn’t hurt.”
“She seems conceited.” says the green haired young actress whose name Momo just can’t seem to recall. “We both debuted around the same time and are of the same age so I wanted to keep it cozy between us. But when I went up to her, she didn’t even know who I was. I feel like she thinks too highly of herself. She barely spoke to anyone and just looked around. Her attitude pissed me off so much I didn’t bother to check what happened to her when the gunshot rang. But I’m not an awful person. I do hope she is unharmed.”
As the messages end, the screen goes back to the host. “As we can see from these statements, Miss Yaoyorozu has been a hot topic of speculation not just in the Entertainment Industry but also for the general public of Japan. In fact, one of the most revisited discussion about her is her relationship with perils.” The man takes a pause to add dramatic effect as Momo feels her body’s temperature lowering in fear. Her parents will be so mad when they watch this news.
“That’s right! Despite her kind personality, the scary events surrounding her are the major cause of these conjectures. For reasons yet to be uncovered, Miss Yaoyorozu has been the only new actress who has suffered so many attacks and threats at public events.”
SHIT!
Momo’s vision starts getting bleary but the next words of the host easily reach her ears, suffocating her.
“As the young actress is still a new face in the industry and hasn’t established much to have enemies on the inside or hostile haters, many believe the cause of these successive attacks has something to do with her association to her parents' corporate affairs. Rumor has it that—”
The cellphone drops from Momo's shaking hand, the sound of it averting everyone’s gazes back on her.
In her state of panic, her already watery eyes accidentally meet Todoroki’s. He stares at her, a hint of shock clearly shown in his mismatched orbs. She turns around with a jerk for she can’t face him. She can’t face this same look of curious disbelief again and again from the people around her.
“Yaom-”
Momo doesn’t wait for Ojiro to finish. She grasps the phone from the carpeted floor and runs towards the stairs that lead to her room.
Notes:
So..
• Ibara Shiozaki from Class B is a gardener in my fic. Like most of he other characters introduced so far, she seems to fit the role so I chose her. Yes this is indeed a weird set of character dynamic so lets explore this together X3
• The thing Todoroki and Ojiro fetched in the previous chapter to cheer up Momo was indeed Golden Tips Imperial.
• The hands brushing moment didn't exist at first but then I thought, lets add awkward moments between TodoMomo since the beginning XD
• Lastly, I apologize again for Momo's mental state of mind. I assure you she'll be fine as the story progresses.
Also I apologize for ending the chapter this way yet again..
Kudos | Comment | Share
if you enjoy reading this fic..:)And make sure to take proper precautions in this time of pandemic and take care ♥
~Manika
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