âż Haruka Nanami, 17. Composer for the idol group STâRISH. [Indie semi-selective RP Blog for Haruka Nanami of Uta no Prince-sama. Set in any timeline + verse. PLEASE READ RULES FIRST.]
He didnât leave the room for long, but when he returned @hoshinocomposer was standing near the sofa, his music sheet her hand. Not at all bothered by her curiosity or his lack of secrecy, he beamed a smile and approached the adorable redhead. Surprisingly, he didnât attempt to launch himself at her.Â
âShinomiya-san!â Haruka greeted, all smiles. Â Seeing the tall viola player positively glowing with energy brightened up her day. Â It was after a minute of the happy atmosphere that she realized she had picked up his music sheet. Â She had been doing it lately, touching STARISHâs things without asking. Â Not that they didnât mind, they certainly welcomed her to do so. Â It felt like this allowance had broken another barrier between her and them, and through it they had grown closer.
âSorry if you didnât want me looking at this, Shinomiya-san.â Haruka apologized.  Even if they were comfortable with each other at this point, she still felt the need to apologize (after all, old habits die hard).  âIt seems to be coming along well!âÂ
  Upon recognizing his composerâs not-so-gentle voice, the idol to come to an immediate stop, just as when he was on his way out too. He hadnât expected anyone, particularly her, to speak to him in such a way, to act concerned about his  behavior.  Invited who? Oh. His dearest composer was completely misunderstandingâ
  He had to admit, his last evening was memorable, but in all the wrong ways. The woman squealed, unable to stop gushing about finally being taken on a date and while heâd grown to hear these dreams of their magical night out, her overall presentation, decorum and repugnant perfume rubbed him in an unfavorable way. The worst part of it all was Ren had no opportunity to speak in the one sided conversation, and he was feeling more social than usual. What a stroke of misfortune.
  However, despite how the evening went, he pulled through and the night ended like most. As far as he knew, he gave no promises or spoke ill or anyone, and there was no meeting in regards any scandal this morning⌠how this all got back to Haruka was beyond him.
  A delayed response might have indicated guilt, but pursed lips and his gaze said otherwise.
         âMy lady, you must be mistaken. Iâm not sure who misinformed you about the other night, but that is not at all how it went.â Clarifying the accusation was priority - seeing Haruka look at him with those eyes, if things were really a scandal he wouldnât be able to endure disappointing her, out of all people.
âJinguji-san, I hear you took out a lady last week. Â And because you did not feel like you were enjoying the date or that you could not hold a conversation with her, you told her you didnât want to talk to her.â Â Harukaâs eyes met his, and she did not look away. Â She was being serious, because out of all the crazy things she heard, this had to be one of the crazier ones out of the bunch.
âI donât know if itâs true or not, which is why Iâm concerned. Â Because Jinguji-san, thatâs not like you. Â You have generally treated women better than that.â Â Harukaâs expression turned downward, concern written all over her face. Â âWas she really that terrible?â
âJinguji-san, if you didnât want to talk to her, you shouldnât even have invited her in the first place...â Haruka was slightly irritated with the heir. Â âWhatâs gotten into you? Â This isnât like you.â She was concerned, because usually Ren had no problem chatting it up with girls.
If âpicking a fightâ is synonymous to 'reiterating ground rulesâ of course âYou are more than welcome to take time off your schedule, clean after yourself and your pets, and then complainâ
âUntil that happens, you are not allowed to smudge your filth on my furnitureâ
O-kay, this is not what she was expecting to happen when she came over to visit.
âS-Should I go while you sort things out?? Â Yeah, maybe I should go...â Â Cue inching off the couch for a planned retreat to the door in record speed.
She fingered the ribbon that closed the paper bag in front of her, lips pursed anxiously. Â How should she give it to him? Â Just walk up and give it to him? Â Shove it in his arms and run away so he wouldnât see her red face? Â How?
(And how could she let him know without saying it outright? Â That was going to be hard.)
Today was Valentines Day. Â The day of romance in where girls professed their love to their crushes and gave chocolates and gifts to the ones they loved. Â Haruka had already seen two of her fellow friends go out with smiles on their faces, ready to spend a day with their significant other (and potentially fix things up in one case). Â And so she was left here, left to ponder how exactly she was going to give this to her object of affections.
She didnât even know to begin with, and it was forbidden. Â A wave of nervousness swelled within her. Â How was she going to do this?
Inside was a symbol of importance to him, a character he had full attachment to. Â It was a continuation of a gift she had made before for him, and now she was simply completing it. Â It would have been simple if not for the fact that lately, said person had messed up her emotions on Christmas Eve. Â The mistletoe event had made the two end up under said mistletoe and sparks flew - literally. Â There was even a standing ovation - which only made it worse as she had fainted on him - fainted!!
And now she was confused.  She saw him in a different way, a âbutterflies-in-your-stomachâ kind of way.  She wanted to always see him, be near him and by his side.  It was a whole different attraction than when she was drawn to his star potential. And it scared her, scared her because she knew it wasnât right but at the same time excited her - because it made her heart swell with joy and cheeks flush red and overall feel different. Â
She was in love. Â For all of the things that could happen, she was in love. Â She was in love with Otoya and she had a feeling he was too, after their recent cuddling session and she wanted to know, she wanted it to be true, oh sheâ!!
She wanted him. Â She wanted Otoya. Â She wanted him to be hers, and her to be his. Â There was no going around it, no amount of rationalizing that could defeat this truth. Â She was in love.
Haruka was startled out of her thoughts with a knock on the door and she leaped up, making a futile effort to hide the bag sitting on her desk.
Bright crimson eyes focused above, staring at the name plated in neat, golden kanji just like he had been for the past ten minutes. He was here, at Valentineâs Day, completely ignoring the girls-exclusive holiday and instead preparing for what would probably be the most painful, slow half hour of his life up to date.
(It wouldnât last less than that.
Itâd take him probably a quarter of the time to say his piece, but⌠Nanami. Sweet, gentle Nanami would take up the rest of the time trying to word the inevitable carefully, reassuring him they were still be friends, even if she didnât feel the same.
Or maybe, a little treacherous part of his mind whispered, she likes you back.
He didnât burn the thought away, but neither did Otoya want to acknowledge it. What ifâs were nice, great even, after all he had been evading this, had been living on a daydream for the past three or so years. Time sure flies huh?
And that, he reminded himself, is why Iâm doing this.)
Three years had gone by, from way back on the academy, up to last December, he had gone three years avoiding the issue. Sure, at first it was a crush- he always knew he liked Nanami, and all of that fondness only kept growing as he knew more about her, tried to support her the best he couldâ
         (And boy, hadnât things taken a complete turn-around? First assignment he helped her, and suddenly she was the one keeping everyone together. As a friend, he couldnât be more proud)Â
âsuddenly somewhere along the way, through highs and lows that small bundle of sunny stomach flip-flops became part of something bigger. Until one day, instead of being anxious, he felt calm. Just like STARISH was his family, Haruka felt like home andâŚ
âOtoya! Ahahaha...â Haruka smiled and laughed shakily. Â Yes, but Iâm not really working...more like Iâm agonizing over you. Â You fill up my thoughts every second, so itâs your fault, Otoya. Â âI donât think thatâll be necessary. Â Iâve had quite a bit of sweets and the girls made sure I ate my fill today.â Â Yes, they had made her eat a lot today purely because they knew. They knew she was going to do this and they had poured their support in the food they had made her. Â As they left for their own engagements there were reassuring arm squeezes and hugs. Â For that moment they had given her strength but now that he was here in front of her... she didnât know if she could have the strength anymore. Â I still wouldnât mind if it were you dragging me to eat... Â She blushed as the thought of Otoya feeding her quickly flitted through her mind. Â Stop, Haruka.
âUm...â Haruka quietly muttered after about a minute, about to ask Otoya what he came for until he beat her to the punch. Â And a punch it was, to hear her name and then two words that could only mean something bad for her heart.
This was rejection.  It was coming.  He had said, âIâm sorryâ.  Harukaâs mind reeled back in shock and she unconsciously gripped the desk behind her tightly, biting her lip in anticipation of the rejection to come and to keep back the tears.  She had mistaken it.  All of that - all of those moments, that kiss, what they shared a few days earlier - was nothing.  She felt like a fool, they could be nothing more but--
âHuh?â a gasp slowly left her lips as her eyes widened in shock as his eyes softened and a smile came to his face. Â What? Â Why was he smiling? Â Did this bring him joy? Â No, he was saying more. Â There was more. Â Harukaâs spirits lifted again. Â So the line before was just a precursor. Â She allowed herself to hope again. Â He was not done. Â She was being foolish, assuming before he had even begun. Â She would hear him out to the end, and then allow herself to cry or rejoice once she had heard it all. Â It could not be rejection until he said goodbye.
No. Â Nothing will end until it is the end.
âNot...friendship?â Â Haruka noticed Otoya moving towards her, and she pressed further into her desk. Â She couldnât move, couldnât speak coherently. Â She couldnât believe what she was hearing. Â Was he saying what she thought he was saying? Â Haruka continued to let her hopes rise as she listened to him speak. Â
âOtoya...â Â Harukaâs cheeks burned, she couldnât believe what she was hearing. Â This was not rejection, but a love confession. Â Her heart began to beat faster; the butterflies flew frantically. Â He was telling her, without saying it outright. Â Haruka let go of the desk behind her, arms moving in front of her to lay across her lap as he came closer. Â He didnât want to hide. Â She didnât want to hide. Â âI donât want to hide either...â
As he came to a stop in front of her, he began to articulate his wants, his face turning scarlet. Â Harukaâs face turned a pretty red as well, probably as red as the gift bag behind her. Â The possibilities he said were so loving, so endearing and desirable that he was breaking her down. Â His breath was on her face and their foreheads were touching and she was becoming soft, as soft as putty. Â If he didnât stop she was sure sheâd explode in happiness. Â Knowing this was what he felt was the most elating thing in the universe at this moment, even more than when they got their debut, even more than when they won the UtaPri award against HEAVENS.
Otoya finished, staring at her pleadingly for an answer, ANY answer...her hands came to rest upon his chest, gripping his shirt. Â Her face was still stained with a blush, she knew it. Â And right now, she wasnât sure what to say. Â She wanted to say something, anything. Â Anything but what she was forbidden to say.
What should she do...?
She took a deep breath and began. Â âI donât either. Â I donât want this to stop. Â I donât want to let go, I want to be with you all the time. Â I want to be by your side. I want the same thing as you, I want you to be happy...â Â She took a deep breath of air, needing it. Â Her hands came up to cup his face in her hands lovingly, gently.
âI feel the same.â she whispered, and she leaned in, ready to respond in full, when--
âMitsuki, have you found it?â
âNo, I think Hope has it.â
âHow are we supposed to clean up that mess in the kitchen? Â You and Akki are a mess as well.â
âTokiya, donât ask. Â Just donât. Â Want some chocolate? Â Itâs leftover from that batch I made for Naoto. Â Sugar-free, too!â
âHmmm...maybe. Â Later. Â Whereâs Nanami-san and Otoya, I swear, we need those two..â
Haruka froze. Â It was Mitsuki and Tokiya. Â If they came in right now, it would be a disaster and embarrassing for all parties involved. Â In a wave of panic, Haruka quickly removed herself from Otoya and grabbed his hand, dragging him into the closet and quietly closing the door. Â She pressed her ear against the door, listening to the two outside to see if they were gone.
âI donât know. Â I heard they were in the garden. If not, they may have gone out. Â Shall we check?â
âYes, letâs.â Â And their footsteps faded away.
Haruka sighed in relief, then realized what she had done. Â She had pulled Otoya in her closet! Â Her face burning, she turned, only to be face to face with him again. Â It was like they were magnets, and the attraction was stronger than ever. Â Almost automatically, they were back in the same position as they were earlier, just in a different location. Â And with that, Haruka brought her hands up again. Â Caressing his cheek for a second before lowering to grip his shirt and jacket, she brought her lips close to his, uttering one last sentence before she closed the gap and poured all her feelings, all her love for him into it. Â She wanted him to feel this, feel her heart.
She fingered the ribbon that closed the paper bag in front of her, lips pursed anxiously. Â How should she give it to him? Â Just walk up and give it to him? Â Shove it in his arms and run away so he wouldnât see her red face? Â How?
(And how could she let him know without saying it outright? Â That was going to be hard.)
Today was Valentines Day. Â The day of romance in where girls professed their love to their crushes and gave chocolates and gifts to the ones they loved. Â Haruka had already seen two of her fellow friends go out with smiles on their faces, ready to spend a day with their significant other (and potentially fix things up in one case). Â And so she was left here, left to ponder how exactly she was going to give this to her object of affections.
She didnât even know to begin with, and it was forbidden. Â A wave of nervousness swelled within her. Â How was she going to do this?
Inside was a symbol of importance to him, a character he had full attachment to. Â It was a continuation of a gift she had made before for him, and now she was simply completing it. Â It would have been simple if not for the fact that lately, said person had messed up her emotions on Christmas Eve. Â The mistletoe event had made the two end up under said mistletoe and sparks flew - literally. Â There was even a standing ovation - which only made it worse as she had fainted on him - fainted!!
And now she was confused.  She saw him in a different way, a âbutterflies-in-your-stomachâ kind of way.  She wanted to always see him, be near him and by his side.  It was a whole different attraction than when she was drawn to his star potential. And it scared her, scared her because she knew it wasnât right but at the same time excited her - because it made her heart swell with joy and cheeks flush red and overall feel different. Â
She was in love. Â For all of the things that could happen, she was in love. Â She was in love with Otoya and she had a feeling he was too, after their recent cuddling session and she wanted to know, she wanted it to be true, oh she--!!
She wanted him. Â She wanted Otoya. Â She wanted him to be hers, and her to be his. Â There was no going around it, no amount of rationalizing that could defeat this truth. Â She was in love.
Haruka was startled out of her thoughts with a knock on the door and she leaped up, making a futile effort to hide the bag sitting on her desk.
So the snail proceeds on his odyssey along her arm, climbing each time a little higher, taking a little step that went long ways at the end. The red mop did not give up his languid pace, staying strong and persistent on pestering his poor companion.
Soon enough, with his face still full of tiny cotton balls as proof of the long journey. Now level with her shoulder, one drowsy Otoya used that resting space for his head âItâs⌠Not really thatâ in replacement of a shrug (which would, god forbid, mean moving and possibly face-planting again), there was a disinterested noise at the back of his throat.
He didnât want to say Iâm lazy either.
âWhat are you up to, Haruka?â Then again, she would probably figure it out by the lethargic attitude, if nothing else.
Haruka watched in bemusement as the red-head clung to her, laying his head upon her shoulder and letting out a groan. Â She could sense, by the way that he was acting, that he was actually probably tired and not bored and that he probably didnât want to do anything but lie there on her shoulder for awhile.Â
âAh. Â Otoya-kun is probably tired so to get my attention youâre saying the opposite.â Haruka quipped, an amused smile cracking on the side of her mouth.
Actually, she found herself not minding how Otoya was acting right now. Â His warmth was soothing and she needed a break herself.
Shifting a bit closer to Otoya so that he had full access to her shoulder as a pillow, she sighed, humming softly. Â Her hand reached up to brush the residue from the couch off of his face gently. Â âI was working, until you came around. Â I decided to take a break.â
And like the persistent leech he sometimes tends to be, the red slug crawls over her side at incredibly slow speed. Head bumping to her side, one eye cracks open.
âHarukaaaaaâ he continues to crawl a bit more, sheâs partially sustaining his awkward, half-propped up position.
âIâmmm boredâ
Her eyes widened as she saw him crawling over the couch and she got flashbacks from the last time he did that. Â âOtoya-ku--â Â She let out a sigh she didnât know she had been holding as she watched him faceplant and bury his face her side. Â Setting down her work, Haruka tried to shift to give him room, but that was stopped when Otoya began to get up, clinging to her arm.
âYouâre...bored?â Â she stares at him. Â All of this because he was bored? Â She could feel her face burn as she tried to respond.
âRan-Chan has given us the day off.â The explanation was followed by a small smile, the adoration in the strawberry blondâs face evident. It had been quite sometime since heâd been in the composerâs company, much less see her all flustered. It brought him joy.
Ren was waiting for her to retract her hand- Â it was simply rude for a gentleman to dictate a ladyâs actions- however when she made no sudden movements, he gave it a gentle squeeze.
âDo you have any plans this afternoon, My Lady? What do you say to a nice lunch outdoors?â
âI seeâŚhow nice of Kurosaki-san.â Haruka replied, blinking.  It was a seemingly rare occasion - sometimes Ranmaru would be in a good enough mood to let his kouhais off on their own for the day.
As it had been awhile since Ren had made a move on her, she didnât recoil like she always did and when she had realized, it was too late. Â The heir had her hand and it seemed like he had no intentions of letting go anytime soon, with how he was gripping it. Â She quietly took a glance at their grasped hands and left it that way. Â It would, after all, be rude to Ren if she let go. Â He seemed to be in a good mood and she was not about to spoil that.
Besides, he was being quite the gentleman. Â How could she be upset about that?
âI just finished my work, Jinguji-san. Â I would be glad to have lunch with you.â Â She gave a small smile and a small squeeze to his hand in return.
Sheâs surprised to see him, as she last recalls that the heir in front of her had a lot of work.
âR-R-Ren-san!! Â Arenât you supposed to be working?â Â Cue a hot blush across her cheeks because no matter how many times he does it, it will always get to her.
Elbows leaning on the table, his only response o the sass was a wide grin as he sat on the stool at the other side of the counter. There was not much to say, nor was there need for small talk as she ate; honestly with the way she was looking at the food, one would think she had been starving for daysâŚ
Ever so slowly, a frown slipped on his expression at the thought; brows knitted together in worry. She wouldnât⌠Nananmi wouldnât do that, right? Already with the earlier worry of the composer overworking until dropping exhausted, the thought of her pulling an all-nighter (or several, who knows) to finish work was concerning.
Mind still wandering upon the possibility of Nanami not taking care of herself, the redhead barely heard his company talking to him. Thankfully the tone used was one of alarm, otherwise his head would still be up in the clouds ââŚHuh?â
One, two, three blinksâŚ
Processing.
âI didnâtâ?â Cue alarmed yelp âAH!â
Almost getting a whiplash from how fast he turned around, with failing arms he managed to turn the stove offâ scaling his hand on the process âOw!â Cool water would be perfect right now⌠Of course, if there wasnât the issue of a burning pan in the midst of it.
In no time to nurse his hand, with the other he grabbed the panâs handle and shoved to the sink. Minutes later, Otoya was still waving away the smoke coming from the pan even after dousing it with water. The sink was looking all to clean either.
Cough âUgh, burnt salmon smells horribleâŚâ
Haruka watched in horror as Otoya proceeded to burn himself and then fling the burning pan into the sink, to which he extinguished. Â A smell of singed fish began to waft across the kitchen. Â Haruka wrinkled her nose in disgust but then remembered Otoyaâs burnt hand.
âOtoya-kun, your hand! Â Are you alright? Â You need to put that under cold water, now!â she sprung out from her seat and rushed around the counter over to where Otoya was. Â She obviously knew he wasnât alright but it was a rhetorical question to which she followed up with by grabbing his arm and sticking the hand under the faucet. Â She turned on the cold water and sighed in relief as the water ran over the wounded hand.
âOnce weâre done here Iâll go get the first aid kit. Â I hope it isnât a bad burn...â Haruka sighed in concern, her free hand coming to rest on his extended arm as she held it under the faucet.
