LOVE SHOT

Chapter 22 : If It's Meant To Be...

Next scene : On the day of the festival.

(At GZM.)

Ukiyo : (checking and preparing his camera)

Mika : (comes in) Matsubara~

Ukiyo : Hey. You're feeling better now?

Mika : Yeah. Thanks for the concern. (smiles)

Ukiyo : That's good.

Mika : (stands beside him) So... (smiles) What's the plan?

Ukiyo : (wonders) Plan? ... I'm just out to shoot for the festival.

Mika : (frowns) That's it?

Ukiyo : What else?

Mika : (frustrated) Omae wa hontou ni arienai yo, Matsubara! [I really can't believe you, Matsubara!] You're totally lame.

Ukiyo : Why is everybody telling me that suddenly.

Mika : You already have the chance in front of you and what do you do? You just miss it. *sigh... sorry to be saying this, but you know what... you're really getting into me these days... what's so hard about asking the girl you like on the fireworks festival?

Ukiyo : ... it's not like that-

Mika : (points at him) Ah! No. Don't even deny! I know it, Matsubara. I can tell. Call me a liar, but a girl's instincts is always right... and my instincts tell me, you really have a thing for Kaoru-chan.

Ukiyo : (amused)

Mika : What?

Ukiyo : ... you said way too many things.

Mika : Matsubara-san! (glares)

Ukiyo : (chuckles away) Okay. I'm not denying...

Mika : (shocked) H-hontou?

Ukiyo : But, sorry to disappoint you "Oe-san"... but I'm really just going alone.

Mika : Nande??

Ukiyo : ... Kaoru's going to the festival... but she's meeting someone else.

Mika : (more shocked) W-wha? Who??

Ukiyo : Don't ask me. (shrugs) I gotta get going. (passes by her)

Mika : A-and?! Are you just going to let her go that easy??

Ukiyo : (stops)

Mika : Come on, Matsubara...! If you really like her, you should ask her no matter what!

Ukiyo : ... it's not like I didn't.

Mika : ... so, you did?

Ukiyo : ... (thinks) I tried giving her a hint about going to the festival with me... but when I tried to ask her personally... that's when she said she was going with someone else...

Mika : (feels bad)

Ukiyo : ... so... there's nothing really much I can do about it. She's decided anyway.

Mika : Matsubara...

Ukiyo : I guess it's not meant to be after all. (chuckles) Anyway, I'm suppose to be there for work... not to go on a date. (tries to smile) Jaa. I should get going. Oh yeah... I'll be coming back here later... tell them not to lock my office. (bows and goes on his way)

(Somewhere, Kitamura overhears their conversation.)

Next scene : At Kaoru, she's passing time in the bookstore, looking for books on "how to reject someone in a nice way".