Chapter 8: The Ex-Girlfriend
How long does it take to change a person?
To Alan, the question was as meaningless as asking, “How long does it take to grow up?”
Nozomi Sakura was like an eaglet raised among chicks after a string of accidents.
Born to soar, yet day after day she followed a mother hen, dragging her wings through the dust, until she forgot the gift etched into her very bones.
She didn’t need to be changed.
She only needed direction.
Nozomi Sakura.
Akari Hojo.
Nino Kitagawa.
Each of them carried something rare. All Alan had to do was give a single push, like a tide shifting beneath the surface, and their light would rise on its own.
Of course, the work was a little tricky.
First, he would guide Nozomi Sakura onto a branch ten meters above the ground. Let her see how vast the world truly was. Let her breathe it in. Once she began to yearn, one gentle nudge would be enough for her wings to spread.
He only needed to ensure that nothing else took root.
An eaglet that grew attached might dive halfway, only to circle back and perch on his shoulder forever. Ask her why, and she would answer with perfect sincerity:
“I just want to stay by your side and look after you. Forever.”
…Not that he expected that problem with Nozomi Sakura.
Please, God.
Don’t let it come to that.
---
“Could you put those in the back seat, please?”
“Certainly.”
After directing the attendant to stow the shopping bags, Alan and Nozomi climbed back into the car.
Alas, a chance to sit.
The soft leather welcomed her hips. The interior was still warm from the drive, and Nozomi felt the tension finally drain from her body. She rubbed her aching calves, rolled the stiffness out of her neck.
Glancing sideways, she saw Alan behind the wheel, no trace of fatigue, posture unnaturally straight.
Is this guy made of steel?
She liked shopping. Back in middle school, she’d spent countless weekends roaming malls with Akane Mia and the others, but it had never been this exhausting. She remembered her friends’ complaints vividly.
“If you ask a boyfriend to go shopping with you, it’s like issuing a death threat.”
“But suggest a hotel and suddenly they turn feral.”
“He never spent money either. Just kept saying he didn’t see the point of shopping.”
“That jerk had endless energy for games and for… well… other things.”
None of those rules seemed to apply to Alan.
Is he even human?
She studied his profile quietly. In the mall, Alan had always kept an exaggerated distance. His gaze never crawled over her skin like ants. Faced with someone undeniably beautiful, he remained perfectly composed.
Maybe he truly lacked desire.
…Unless he was simply very good at hiding it.
Her thoughts drifted as she unconsciously straightened her back, mirroring his posture, sitting prim and proper.
“If you’re tired, recline for a bit. Don’t push yourself.”
Alan glanced over.
“Oh, no, I’m fine. I’m not that tired…” Nozomi blinked, offering a meek smile. “I’m actually having fun today, so it doesn’t feel too bad—”
She was still speaking when Alan leaned across.
Her words died instantly. Panic flickered through her eyes, fingers tightening in her lap.
What is he doing?
Logically, he wouldn’t pounce, but he was close enough now for her to catch his scent, clean and faintly cool. Her body locked up.
Click.
The seat tilted back forty-five degrees, easing her into a reclining position.
“Rest,” Alan said calmly as he settled back and buckled his seatbelt.
“There won’t be time for a nap after lunch. We’re going straight to the salon to fix your hair. Consider the ride a siesta.”
“Thank you…” Nozomi whispered, fastening her belt, nibbling her lip. A faint blush crossed her cheeks.
“Alan… you’re kind.”
Alan’s hand froze on the gearshift.
He turned and stared at her delicate features.
“What?”
His gaze prickled against her skin. She looked away, suddenly feeling guilty.
“You seem to have forgotten how you acted when we first met.”
“….”
Nozomi’s smile stiffened.
“My treatment of you won’t change whether you’re gentle or nasty,” Alan continued evenly. “So don’t force yourself.”
“….”
Being caught in the act was unpleasant, especially by someone she barely knew.
Her toes curled inside her sneakers. She wanted to disappear into the seat cushions.
This jerk. Couldn’t he phrase it more gently?
Still, she maintained an awkward smile.
“It was a misunderstanding… I’m not usually that bad-tempered.”
“Is that so?”
“You have talent in acting,” Alan said calmly. “But it’s still unrefined. You can’t accurately gauge your own performance yet.”
Then he added something she didn’t fully grasp.
“Liking someone doesn’t happen that quickly, especially since I’m not the type you’d fall for. And we’ll be spending a long time together, Nozomi. Are you planning to act every minute?”
“….”
Her smile vanished.
Her expression flattened, complicated for a brief second before going blank. She slumped slightly and lay back in silence.
Straight men. So dull.
Still, the car was incredibly comfortable.
What kind of family did he come from, anyway? A car while still a student, spending money like water. Rich kids were usually unbearable, raised on cash without learning basic social skills.
Since Alan had laid everything bare, there was no need to waste effort anymore. She’d planned to offer some emotional value in exchange for the money.
Apparently, that wasn’t required.
Fine by her. It made things easier.
She abandoned the act, gaze drifting to the ceiling, ready for real rest.
Then something pale pink drifted into view.
Blinking, she arched her back and leaned closer.
“…Do you really have a girlfriend?”
Alan was driving when Nozomi suddenly dropped that question.
“Hm?”
They were stopped at a red light. Alan glanced over.
Nozomi was tracing a small circle on the car’s ceiling with her finger, as if marking territory. She snapped a photo with her phone and held it beneath her nose.
“This seat must be reserved for her, right?”
Alan followed her gaze.
A heart-shaped sticker sat on the dashboard. It read:
Alan’s first car. May we always be together.
“….”
Beep!
The light turned green. A car behind them honked. Alan released the brake and looked forward, saying nothing.
Seeing his silence, Nozomi put her phone away.
After a moment, she asked quietly, curiosity winning out.
“So… you two broke up?”
“We did.”
“Oh.”
She nodded, privately relieved she didn’t have to play the role of a homewrecker. She didn’t doubt him, Alan’s personality alone was enough to drive most people away.
Still… he had money.
What kind of woman would leave him?
Reclined in the passenger seat, her thoughts raced. Competitive instinct stirred.
What did his ex look like? Prettier than me? Probably not.
At the third red light, she caved.
“What does your ex look like? Can I see?”
She emphasized the word ex.
Not staking a claim, just curiosity.
“In the glove compartment. There’s a photo.”
“Okay.”
She kept her face neutral, though inside she was already cursing him again.
Still keeping her photo? Typical jerk.
She opened the compartment, and froze.
No photo.
Just a stack of promotional posters.
The girl on them was impossibly beautiful. And painfully familiar.
Nozomi raised an eyebrow, suppressing a laugh.
“You’re telling me Akari Hojo was your girlfriend?”
“Yeeep.”
Alan kept his eyes on the road, expression flat.
Nozomi took a deep breath, swallowing the word delusional before it could escape.
There was no point asking why they’d broken up.
A super-popular idol. Debuted in middle school. Swept the Kansai Young Singer Award a year later. A voice like heaven, a face rivaling Nozomi’s own, backed by a top-tier songwriting team, every release a hit.
Nozomi herself had been moved to tears watching Akari Hojo sing on television.
And this guy claimed he’d dated her?
As Nozomi stared silently at the dashboard, Alan spoke.
“You’re a fan of Akari Hojo?”
She blinked, offered a brittle smile.
“I followed her since her debut. I own all her songs. I like every one of them.”
Thanks to the fat check he’d given her, she kept the snark inside.
Yeah, right. Song goddess Hojo dating you?
She expected at least a flicker of embarrassment. Instead Alan said something bizarre.
“You’ve seen her perform on TV. How did she look to you on stage?”
“Huh? How did she look to me?”
“Exactly, how did she look?"
“…Stunning,” Nozomi said after a moment’s thought. “Radiant. Not a trace of stage fright. A complete professional.”
A flicker of nostalgia crossed Alan’s face, the hint of a smile he didn’t quite allow.
Never?
Akari Hojo’s first performance hadn’t been on television. It was at a school festival, she’d been so nervous she’d sweat until the microphone short-circuited. He’d swapped it out, then held her backstage while she trembled.
Even prodigies could be scared.
He glanced at Nozomi, seeing the shadow of that old Akari in her, and spoke gently.
“You could do it too, you know. If you wanted to. You could stand on that same stage and blind the entire world.”
Nozomi’s expression went blank.
Her heart skipped.
…What?
Why would he suddenly drop a cheesy line like that…?
"……"
Moron…
---
7:00 p.m.
Nozomi leaned into the corner of the elevator, arms full of shopping bags, eyes glazed. When the doors opened on the seventh floor, she shuffled out like a zombie, keyed in the code, and kicked the bags inside.
She kicked off her shoes, didn’t bother with slippers, and padded barefoot across the living room straight to her bedroom.
Thump.
She collapsed onto the mattress.
Every sore muscle sighed in relief.
She was halfway to sleep.
How could a date be this exhausting?
Forget sweet romance, this had been brutal.
It didn’t feel like a date at all. More like hauling bricks at a construction site all day.
Arms. Back. Waist. Thighs. Knees. Ankles.
Even her toes hurt.
Meanwhile, Alan had looked as fresh as ever.
Is he made of iron?
Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt.
Her bag—abandoned on the floor—started vibrating.
Nozomi stared blankly at the carpet.
Then she stretched one arm out, hooked the strap, and dragged it closer. She pulled out her phone.
Akane Mia’s name blinked on the screen.
She answered.
“Hello?”
No reply.
“Hello, Nozomi?”
“…Mmm… Yeah. I hear you.”
Silence.
Mia hesitated, hearing the lifeless tone.
“What’s wrong? Don’t tell me your period synced with mine.”
“No… I’m just wiped.”
Talking face-down was awkward and painful on her ribs. She twisted into a shape that vaguely resembled comfort.
Mia gasped.
“Wait, don’t tell me you actually gave it to him?”
“Ugh, get your mind out of the gutter…”
Nozomi closed her eyes.
“I waited, like… six hours straight today.”
“…Did you two run a marathon or something?”
“Close enough.”
“We hit the mall, had lunch, went straight to a hair salon, then a movie, and ended with a fashion show full of models.”
“Wow. That’s a lot, but not that insane.”
“Mia.”
“Yeah?”
“Remember fitness tests? You couldn’t outrun me. I was on the gymnastics team. If I’m dead on my feet, how do you think you’d feel?”
Mia had no answer.
Nozomi stared at the ceiling, replaying the day’s bizarre moments.
“There’s something off about him. Really off.”
“He keeps asking if I want to be famous. If I want to be an actress. If I want everyone to look at me.”
“He also said Akari Hojo was his girlfriend. Like… that’s nonsense.”
“And yet… aside from that last bit…”
She hesitated.
“…I kind of admit I’m tempted.”
