Chapter 6: Talented Actress
In a quiet corner of a café tucked inside bustling Tokyo, Akane Mia listened closely while absent-mindedly stirring her coffee in a porcelain cup. Her expression was blank.
“So what you’re basically saying is… you’ve been bought.”
Nozomi Sakura’s eyebrow twitched. “Did you have to put it like that? Couldn’t you choose a gentler way to phrase it?”
“What gentler way? He gave you money and expects you to be his girlfriend. How is that not being kept?”
“But he hasn’t… he hasn’t asked me to sleep with him or anything. If he ever did, I’d refuse instantly.”
Mia fell silent, sipping her warm coffee, her eyes drifting to the dark circles beneath Nozomi’s eyes.
“Hard to say. He could start small, wine you, dine you, let the money soften you up. Could you really hold your ground?”
She tapped her spoon lightly.
“And honestly, why would he pick anyone else? Maybe he’s just dazzled by your looks.”
Nozomi opened her mouth to argue but nothing came out. She couldn’t deny that Alan’s motives felt suspicious. She raked a hand through her hair and sighed.
“So what do you think I should do?”
“What can you do?” Mia shot her a flat look. “You had the nerve to rack up two million yen in debt, then kept borrowing more to patch the first loan. How exactly are you planning to pay any of it back? And now that he knows, he holds every card. What choices do you really have?”
Mia took another slow sip of her coffee.
“There is one way out: call your family, have them wire the money, pay Alan back, and cut ties with him.”
“No!” The moment Mia mentioned her family, Nozomi’s breath caught.
“My dad would kill me…”
Mia tilted her head. “Then Nozomi Sakura can march straight to jail. When she get out, she'll already be halfway to the grave. Life for a life, not a terrible trade.”
"Stop being flippant, i'm serious."
“Fine. Then you’re out of options. Just pray the guy's actually got a screw loose."
Mia paused, eyes narrowing as a sly smile tugged her lips.
“Though, maybe he’s just crazy about you. Are you sure you’ve never met him?”
“Absolutely sure.” Nozomi nodded. She’d spent all night wracking her brain, even asking old classmates, but no one had ever heard of Alan. Yesterday had really been their first meeting.
“Maybe you just forgot. Maybe he’s been secretly crushing on you for years. And if that’s true, then this isn’t a trap. You could flip the script, act like the perfect girlfriend, and slowly drain his wallet. Sounds like something right up your alley, doesn’t it?”
“Why would it suit me? Do I look heartless? I’ve never even dated anyone.”
Mia smirked. “Oh, you definitely look the part. Pretty face, and back in middle school you had a reputation for acting like a flawless goddess. Manipulating guys should be second nature.”
Nozomi’s hand curled into a fist. Mia had been poking at her all afternoon. Finally, she snapped and glared. “What’s that supposed to mean? That I seduced them? After all these years, is that really how you see me?”
“Well, how else should I see it?” Mia’s voice sharpened as an old memory struck. She slammed her cup down, coffee splashing onto her skirt.
“Godai dumped me because he was chasing you! If you hadn’t been flaunting yourself in front of us every day, do you think he would’ve left me?”
Nozomi froze, sweat gathering on her temples as guilt washed over her.
The memory resurfaced, Godai, Mia’s childhood sweetheart, had confessed to Nozomi and, to “prove” his devotion, broke up with Mia on the spot. Nozomi had been stunned, thinking he’d lost his mind, and rejected him immediately. Still, the guilt lingered.
“I’m sorry, Mia… I never meant anything by it. I turned him down right away.”
Their raised voices caught the attention of nearby customers. Mia quickly reached into her bag, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a long drag before exhaling slowly. The smoke seemed to calm her.
“Forget it. Even if it wasn’t you, he probably would’ve left me eventually… I’m just jealous, you know. You’re gorgeous, drowning in debt, your future a complete mess, and some rich idiot still shows up to rescue you.”
Nozomi said nothing. Mia leaned forward, curious again.
“So what does he look like? How old? And you seriously don’t like him at all?”
“Same age as us. Tall.” Nozomi lifted her hand above her head. “Probably about this tall. Easy on the eyes, I guess. But you know… I’m not into romance.”
“Not being into romance doesn’t mean you’re not into men. If he’s handsome, you might fall for him.”
“Can we focus? I can’t read him. If he’s rotten, I’m done for. He doesn’t act like he likes me, he must have some agenda.”
Nozomi chewed her lip, her expression tight with worry. Mia tapped ash into the tray, thinking aloud.
“I haven’t heard anything about him. He probably didn’t attend middle school in Tokyo. In a city this big, someone should know him. A guy with that much money should be at least famous.”
Then Mia looked her dead in the eyes.
“So bring him out with a group. Alone, you can’t probe him. But with friends around, casual conversation might reveal where he went to school. Track down his classmates, and you’ll learn what kind of person he is.”
“Sounds good. But what excuse? One-on-one is easy, how do I justify a whole group?”
“You’re hopeless. Tell him your friends are dying to meet the new boyfriend. Simple.”
Nozomi’s eyes brightened. “Great idea, I’ll text him now.”
Mia chuckled softly as Nozomi reached for her bag, an unreadable glint in her eyes as she took another drag of her cigarette.
But the moment Nozomi unzipped her purse, her phone buzzed.
She pulled it out, the screen light up.
Caller: Alan.
Her stomach tightened. Maybe because they’d just been talking about him.
Ahem.
She cleared her throat, steadied herself, and answered.
“Hello? Alan?”
“Yeah, it’s me. Where are you?”
The blunt question made Nozomi stiffen, like she was being interrogated.
Instead of answering, she countered, “What’s up?”
“Nothing strange about a boyfriend asking where his girlfriend is at night, right?”
“I’m at a café, talking with… a friend.” She hesitated, then added on impulse, “The new café, Fore.”
“Alright. Get home early and rest. Tomorrow, 9:30 a.m. I’ll be waiting at the school gate.”
“…”
At the school gate?
Nozomi blinked, ready to refuse — but Akane Mia’s stiletto heel pressed hard onto her foot.
“Ow!”
Her eyes widened. Mia mouthed silently:
Say yes.
When Nozomi didn’t respond, Alan continued, “I know you’re free tomorrow. Got anything else going on?”
Thinking fast, Nozomi improvised. “Um… some of my friends heard I’ve been dating someone and want to meet you. Any chance you’d come along sometime…?”
Alan fell silent. He hadn’t expected a girl who flaunted everything to openly admit she was in a relationship. Unexpected, but not bad.
It would save him trouble later. He didn’t mind meeting her circle. He’d met countless types since childhood, prodigies, leaders, eccentrics. Boyish awkwardness was long gone; his nerves were steel.
“Pick a time and place. This weekend works, no school.” He paused, then repeated his main point. “Don’t forget our date tomorrow.”
“Okay… um…” Nozomi lowered her lashes, knees pressed together, staring at the table.
“What is it?”
“I mean… would you mind meeting them? They’re harmless, but they can get rowdy. If you’d rather not, we can drop it…”
Alan was surprised again. Playing hard to get? Putting on an act? Yesterday she’d been bossy, now she sounded demure. He couldn’t read her, and he didn’t intend to try. After last time he'd sworn off investing feelings, time and effort were enough.
“I’m not that mysterious. Meeting them might help keep rivals away.”
“Oh.”
His casual claim of ownership sent a strange ripple through her chest. She still hadn’t wrapped her head around being in a relationship. They’d met once, no sweet moments, no romantic whirlwind, nothing like the movies.
The conversation dulled to a halt.
Alan asked if she needed anything else, got a soft “no,” and hung up.
The dial tone hummed.
Nozomi stared at her darkened screen.
Across from her, Mia stubbed out her cigarette and smirked. “Classic Nozomi, the push and pull. And you’ve never even dated anyone before.”
Nozomi shook her head and tucked her phone away. “It just feels… unfair to him.”
She’d never had a boyfriend before, while her friends swapped partners like seasonal outfits. Whenever someone got a new guy, they’d drag him to group meetups, teasing, grilling, hazing. And judging from yesterday's first impression, Alan wasn't the easygoing type; he'd been downright blunt... If things turned ugly, nobody would know how to back out.
Mia stared at her like she’d grown another head. “You need a doctor.”
When Nozomi flushed and muttered her worries, Mia waved a hand. “Tell your friends beforehand. Ask them to behave.”
“Mm.” Nozomi nodded. That sounded reasonable.
“So, ready for your date tomorrow?”
“How ready can i be?” Nozomi muttered, twisting her fingers. “Maybe just lunch or something. He won’t try anything… right?”
Her very first date, with a boyfriend she’d met once. Ridiculous and very absurd.
“Piece of advice.”
“What?”
“Don’t lie to him.” Mia wiped her lips, checked the time, then stood, her shadow falling over Nozomi.
“Fool an idiot all you want. But with a guy you can’t read, honesty is your only safety bet.”
“Oh, and you’re paying.”
With that, Mia headed for the exit.
“Hey! Where are you going?”
"Work. No one's offering to keep me yet."
Nozomi opened her mouth, then closed it again, watching Mia leave. She lowered her gaze to her coffee, a small, smug smile curling on her lips.
Being kept didn’t sound so bad after all.
---
Saturday, 7:00 a.m.
Nozomi woke with the sunrise, earlier than she had all year. Wanting to look her best, she’d gone to bed before ten. Her dark circles were barely visible; a bit of concealer erased them completely.
After a shower and careful makeup, she tore through her closet, finally settling on an outfit she held up in the mirror. She practiced smiles, poses, even rehearsed lines for Alan.
She still felt nervous, but she had a plan: if he was going to take the lead, she’d play the perfect girlfriend. Shame she’d ruined her first impression…
Every time she remembered snapping at him on the rooftop, she winced.
If only she’d left an impression of a perfect lady…
Still, anyone would’ve acted that way under those circumstances, right?
Surely he didn’t think much of it.
Please let him not think much of it.
There was no cure for regret, so she comforted herself with that thought.
After a full day to cool off, she’d made up her mind. As long as Alan wasn’t some deranged creep with sinister intentions, she absolutely wouldn’t let him slip away.
The memory of Akane Mia’s jealous stare last night — and the envy in her voice — filled Nozomi with a warm satisfaction.
As for love, she could nurture it later. She’d leap first and figure the rest out along the way.
And of course, she hadn’t forgotten the dating guide’s advice:
To win a man completely, stay calm and clear-headed.
Don’t give nothing, but don’t give everything either.
Especially not your body.
That, she knew, was what Alan would want most.
With her own private rules set in stone, Nozomi Sakura flashed a flawless, confident smile at her reflection, as if victory in this sudden romance was already in her grasp.
