"I'm deeply infatuated- N.. No I LOVE! Yes! Yes I love Shin Asuka!" Kana Asuka's blue eyes widened as she stared at the blushing face of her pink-haired idol. Out of all the trending topics online, one name that greatly takes the junior high student's attention is that of the pink-haired singer's name.
Every time she would see her idol streaming live in the national broadcast, Kana would always make sure to keep the lights of the room turned off and the door tightly shut. She especially made it that way so that she can wholly focus on the pretty face flashing at the screen.
One should never disturb the petite brunette when she's watching Yuma Ku, the well-known pop idol of Japan, else they face dire consequences. With her eyes still glued on the television screen and the words of her idol echoing in her ears, the gears of realization suddenly started turning inside her brunette head.
"Eeeeeeeeeh?"
She let out a very loud surprised shriek, impulsively jumping off her relaxed position on the medium-sized couch situated in the middle of their darkened living room. "Nii-chan?!" Kana uttered, wonder and shock clearly painted in her face.
Without a single care that she had inadvertently disturbed the stillness she adamantly requested from the other members of the household before the start of the show; she shouted in disbelief once again, "REALLLYY?!!"
Shin's younger sister dashed through the room and recklessly tried to open the door- with her face set in those standard comically flabbergasted expression. She left the television open-which was currently showing a shampoo commercial- and the lights still turned off, dashing through the stairways like a hurricane freed to havoc.
When she got upstairs, she immediately zeroed on her beloved brother's room and rapped on the jade-colored door. She repeatedly called out for his name, frantically urging him to open up. "Shin-nii! Why didn't you inform me?!" Was her recurring phrase, her eyes still wide as saucers and face set in that same unbidden awe.
Some minutes later, (which had seemed like an eternity to the girl) the door was forcibly widely opened. The tall figure of her brother soon followed after, "Kana?"
The blond-haired expression's was one that is full of confusion. His tone wary and blue eyes darting on his sister's figure, Shin Asuka stepped on the side to let his frantic sister enter the bedroom. "What are you yapping around, Kana? Haven't you specifically told us to be quiet at all cost?" He scratched the back of his neck disconcerted at obvious signs of his younger sister's usual weird antics.
The shorter girl wasn't able to form a response as she stayed muted entering inside, the incredulity still fresh in her features. "Y-you", she started saying, stuttering while doing so, pointing an accusing forefinger towards the other.
Shin discreetly shrugged, quite used with the girl's changing moods and left her to form a coherent statement. He went to the black mono-block chair and sat on it, turning back to his opened textbook on the table. Arranging the still playing head phone on his neck, he looked back at her and raised an eyebrow in silent inquiry.
"Weren't you gonna watch that interview with Yama or something?" He stated waiting for the outburst that would expectantly soon follow after. He wasn't disappointed. As if awakening from a dazed spell, Kana Asuka gave a hard shake of her head and stared at her brother. "Nii-chan! Why didn't you tell me that you're dating Yuma Ku?!" She asked in a bratty voice, placing both of her hands on her waist trying on an intimidating position.
The only response she got from the other person occupying the room was a blank stare.
"Yuma Ku, 'nii! Yuma! That pretty famous cute idol that I was talking about for ages! Jeez! Why didn't you tell me you were involved with her?" She repeated emphasizing her words with her hands and an occasional stomping of her right foot. She inched closer to Shin, replicating his earlier action by arching an eyebrow, daring him to reply and deny her words.
"I don't know what you're talking about Kana, and I'm definitely not dating someone right now," he replied simply.
Silence permeated the area and junior high student tried all she can to win the stare down between her and her brother. When her sibling's face did not change, still set in that serious uncaring look, she let out a sigh. "Well, you are telling the truth. I'm sure of that 'nii, but Yuma was just interviewed on Japan TV live moments ago and she told the public that she was in love with someone..." she trailed her words off dramatically, hoping that her brother would take her lead like the usual.
Knowing how her sister's mind works, Shin sighed inwardly and asked the question she had been obviously waiting for. "Who was it?" He deadpanned, gazing at a point past his sister's head just to show he's interested. He had been thoroughly absorbed in his work before she came in demanding answers to an issue he had no single clue of. He knew full well that if he wanted to get things done before midnight, he needed to succumb to his sister's wishes and let her steam it all out. He needed wait until she grow tired of disturbing him and leave him alone to his activities.
"...Shin Asuka 'nii! Shin Asuka! Guess who had that name?" She stopped for a while, placing a finger on her temple to adopt a wondering expression before adding, "Well, you! You, my dear oh-so-updated brother!" She exclaimed shrilly stressing on his name.
This time, Shin visibly sighed and rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I'm not the only person with the name Shin Asuka in whole Japan, Kana." Was his succinct reply and he was about to add more, wanting to say that he didn't know someone by the name of Yama Ku but another voice popped up in the conversation.
"Didn't you told me that the international star, Yuma Ku is studying in your School, Shin?" It was the siblings' mother, Suzuki Asuka. Both of their heads instinctively turned to the newcomer on the door. She was currently wearing a rather frilly yellow apron over her orange dress and is wiping her hands on a wet cloth, stains of red and brown can be spotted on her pale motherly face.
"Didn't you told me you had a celebrity for a classmate?" She continued softly. Smiling at both of them when she was finally done with the cloth and keeping it inside the pockets of her apron.
"It was me, Mom!" Kana piped up, edging closer to her mother before telling, "See, I told you! It's you after all, Shin!"
Said Shin just shook his head dismissively and faced Suzuki, "Kana, its definitely not me. Mom, that person wasn't called Yama Kyu, I remember Mr. Taka calling her Ashiyama or something of the like. Besides I never had a conversation with the girl, Ashiyama had been mostly absent during classes anyway." He then turned to his sister afterwards, "I told you, it's not me, Ok? Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to finish my homework." He ended and gestured to the open books all over his room.
"Very well, dear," Mrs. Asuka finally asserted ushering her still skeptical daughter out the door. "Dinner will be ready at fifteen minutes, Shin".
-====- The next day -====-
Shin had been minding his own business as he walked around the courtyard on the way through his favorite tree, far from the students' views. He had rather been early this morning. Since after completing his assignments last night, he had immediately went to sleep.
Not really caring to socialize, he walked straight ahead with both of the earphones tucked in his ears, a loud music blasting out of it. If he would have listened closely, the blond-haired boy would have known that he is the trending topic all over the high school. With the varying degrees of blatant and discreet gazes thrown at his back, the student body was currently whispering gossips around him.
"He's Shin Asuka right?"
"Isn't he part of the chemistry club?"
"I thought he was part of the drama club?"
"Are you an idiot? He's from the basketball team! Look at that build!" Another shrieked, hitting a book on his companion's head.
"He is the Asuka Shin! I know him! He's from class 1! He helped me throw out the trash one time before. Such a cutie..."
"But didn't he had fifteen girlfriends that he broke up with on a single day last year?"
"I thought it was twenty? Most of them from different all-girls school in Akihabara?"
Not hearing any of this, Shin just continued on his way, totally unknowing of the brewing gossips behind his back. Though a lot of people wanted to approach and talk to him. Itching to confirm the rumors all over, very few had the actual guts to do so.
He had the reputation of being either the total nice guy or the apathetic asocial person at the whole school. Most of the student body go to him for some advice and comfort but ever since last year, where he had bluntly stated he wouldn't be their dear Aunt Sally any longer, others did not dare disturb him again.
It is undeniable that Shin is famous with his above average looks and uncommon personality. But his seriousness and absolute detachment to any societal issues, urges and turns hopeful fangirls to just admire and look at him from a place... so far far away.
Last night, when almost half of the Japanese student population turned to watch the interview of phenomenal Yuma Ku, many had been literally shocked to stone when they heard their pink-haired idol's announcement.
I'm deeply infatuated- N.. No I LOVE! Yes! Yes I love Shin Asuka!" She had said and most of them had to check out their ears if they had been mistaken with what they have heard. After all it was undoubtedly unlikely for the young star to be infatuated with a guy like him.
"Shin!" A loud voice rang through out the courtyard. "Shin, you bastard, stop walking!" The tone had been forceful, belonging to a red-haired boy, one of the very few people that would daringly disturb the boy away from his timely nap, as he ran towards the blond-haired's retreating back.
"Shin!" He repeated and he sped up, dashing to the said boy and tapping him on the back as he neared him. Shin looked at his friend and took off the earphone, setting his player into mute. "What are you shouting for like a madman, Kyo?" He moved to put his player on his bag and stared expectantly at the boy.
"I-is it true?" Kyo breathlessly asked, the strains of running round the campus to look all over for him can be clearly detected in his voice. "Is it true that Yuma Ku confessed to you on live TV?"
"Huh?"
"Shin, don't lie! You've been every body's talk ever since last night! Now tell me, is it true? Our dear idol who was rumored to be studying here for as long as we have- confessed her interest to the unworthy you?" He repeated, shaking Shin as if doing so would provide him the answers.
"This again?" Shin sighed, putting a hand over his friend to cease the incessant shaking, "It's not me, Kyo, how many times do I have to say that? I don't even know who is this Yama Ku." He shoved off the hand on his shoulder and resumed walking to his initial destination.
"YUMA KU! Look Shin!" Kyo wasn't done as he thrust the most recent newspaper in front of Shin's uncaring face. "Look at that! Isn't that how's your name is written in Hiragana? Now you can't deny it!"
Shin stared at the newspaper, calmly opening it and reading the caption under a largely printed hiragana of "Shin Asuka" on the first page. He stared at it, directly looking at Kyo before shoving the said newspaper on his friend's face without warning. "Are you an idiot? I maybe the only Shin Asuka here in school but I'm not the only one with that name in Japan."
"B-b-but!" the red-haired student objected, "wasn't there a rumor that the one and only Yuma Ku is studying here?! Then that must mean that you're the only Shin Asuka who's closest to her!" Shin let out another sigh,
"You know Kyo, even if we had a bet over it right now, I'm quite sure I'd win, three-fold without sweat. That Shin Asuka isn't me."
-====- "-__-" -====-
"What...the hell?"
Shin got off his bike and stared at the quite atrocious sight in front of him.
The school gates was flooded with media and banners of different sizes and shapes with: "Yuma Ku, forget about that Stupid Shin, MARRY ME instead!", "YUMA KU, SINGLE FOREVER!!!!111" and "ANTI-SHIN ASUKA!" were littered all over the place.