Be Careful What You Wish For (PUBLISHED)

(13) - After Effects

Ana feared a press barrage on the way to work on Monday, but thankfully, the Tokyo train system was such that it allowed space for people to ignore each other, even though they were squeezed face-to-face into relatively small quarters. Ana suspected that if Ken donned shades and got on the train, no one would be the wiser, especially in the mornings, when people were packed like sardines. Luckily, she was able to snag a seat after a couple of stations. She got comfortable in her seat, but gave a start when she saw her own face smiling back at her in black and white on a tabloid that the man opposite her was reading. She almost chuckled; the glamorous girl on the paper bore no similarity to the simply clad and bespectacled woman who was squished along with the rest of humanity on this train.

On the whole, the press gave Ana and Ken’s relationship a favorable review in the papers. They published photographs of them being interviewed and of them dancing together. One paper even published one of Ana and Yoshi dancing and hinted that since Ana seemed to get along so well with Ken’s friends, maybe this relationship had been going on for some time.

The press will believe anything, Ana thought wryly as she fiddled with her card key and pushed the doors to the institute open. When she got into the office, she found Tanaka and Nakano poring over a couple of tabloids.

“Sugoi!” Nakano trilled, pointing to the full color picture emblazoned on the cover of one tabloid, “Ana-san is now a star!”

“You look very beautiful Ana-san!” Tanaka earnestly exclaimed.

“Thanks girls,” Ana smiled.

“Ne, did he kiss you?” Nakano asked.

“Dame! You shouldn’t ask things like that,” Tanaka hushed her.

“I was just curious,” Nakano mused, “I wonder if he kisses as well as he does onscreen.”

“Well, sorry to disappoint you Nakano, but kissing wasn’t part of the agenda last night.”

Nakano sighed, a bit disappointed. Nakano and Tanaka began to bombard Ana with questions about the event. They were as bad as Kaye and Tessa's interrogation two nights ago; only more polite. Their conversation was interrupted a giant bouquet of flowers was delivered to Ana’s desk. Bemused, Ana signed for the flowers and opened the card that came with it. She giggled as she read the note Ken had scrawled.

She suddenly froze when Dan came into her office bearing two mugs of coffee. He offered one to Ana, “Monday-morning commotions are becoming a bit too regular in this office,” he mock-complained, “What’s it all about this time?”

“Sato-sensei, look at this!” Nakano said, shoving one of the papers at him.

He stared at it, then his gaze shot to Ana, “Is this you Ana? Isn’t this the guy…,”

As Ana stood rooted to the spot, Nakano visibly rolled her eyes and said, “Sensei, that is Nakamura Ken. He and Ana-san are going out, see?” she pointed out the caption that read: Nakamura Ken with girlfriend Ana

Ana snatched the tabloid, put it on her desk, and turned to Nakano and Tanaka, “Ne, would you mind starting the preparations on the samples we’ll be working on today?” she asked politely.

“Hai, hai,” Tanaka said as she visibly dragged Nakano out of the office and into the lab.

Dan walked over to Ana’s desk and picked up another of the discarded tabloids that lay on Ana’s white lab coat. He opened it and studied the full-color photograph on the front page. Ana was wearing a red dress and was looking up at Nakamura who had an arm draped around her shoulders. They looked happy and glamorous. His gaze then shifted to the enormous arrangement of red roses on Ana’s desk, “Is that from Nakamura?” he asked.