A LITTLE TOUCH OF ROSE - EPISODE 11

Odin’s standpoint

The board called for a meeting with us, Zodiac and Lucky Seven. Dad was sitting there with palms folded under his chin, like the glorified president and CEO he is. Meena’s mother sit on her chair as the first vice president and Darra’s father took his place as the second. Gempire was founded by my grandfather and Meena’s, but mine had more right over it and therefore making our family the original founder and CEO. Darra’s family only got to join in during a period Gempire was facing crisis, before we were born.

Our managers sat down too, all agitated on why they would call on us. It was a tradition for one of every three family to be idols. Hence, me, Meena and Darra. Yuki only joined by choice. Well, we all did.

Darra dragged a long whistle before wiggling his brows at Meena’s mom. Her face flushed pink immediately, before she started coughing embarrassedly. He had something on her. His father shook his head.

“Darra, stop teasing her over whatever you have on her,” he scolded. Darra giggled.

“Where’s Meena?”

“We already told you, she was dizzy so she had to stay back and rest. She has been stressed out over the last music video.” Hime explained.

“Alright, you’ll pass the message to her,” her mother, Lainey, said briskly, her face still flush.

“Why are we here again? I have to sleep.” Zed sighed.

“We are here to announce that a fifth season of our award winning serie has been concluded. Our scriptwriters have been called to begin writing the next script, before the final of the current season is concluded. As the main voice cast of the serie, it was only right to inform you all.” Dad announced. Cedric snorted.

“Is that why you all just sat there and gave us a dramatic silence? Like we committed a crime?” He asked churlishly. The glare Darra’s dad shot him made him sink under the table.

“The other reason is for the next Gempire Grand Event,” Lainey said, glaring at the spot Cedric was hiding. “You know all our idols must be there. We specifically want Zodiac and Lucky Seven to shoulder the show this time, not Diamonds. After last year’s scandalous event,” she glared at Alvin, “we think it is better we separate you all this year.”

Scandalous event: Alvin and Sally’s almost sex video getting out. Scandalous event: Yuki and Darra having a huge fight in public because Sora kissed him to get me jealous and it looked like he kissed back. Then he drank to a stupor so I had to drop him in my room and went to Yuki’s to talk to her about her overreacting. Sora got drunk, thought it was me sleeping in the dark and then pounced on drunk Darra who thought it was Yuki. I brought Yuki to my room and caught them right as the deed was about to be done. Darra seeing Yuki at the door and now seeing it was Sora, screamed and got away from her. Major scandalous event: Yuki lost it for the first–hundred–time and beat the living life out of Sora. Thank goodness Sora dressed up fast or the person that got it all on video would have ruined her completely. Scandalous event: Rita getting drunk and begging Isaac to sleep with her.

The agency wasn’t careful last year and a lot of shitty video and photos got out. I don’t know how the reporters got it all.

“Diamonds have been trying hard to build back their reputation, and with the pressure of the press wanting us to pick a new female lead group, it would be bad to add them up with you guys again. So this year, Lucky Sevent would be at the star front.”

“Odin,” Zed called. I looked at him. “Do you see anything wrong with the foolish announcement they just made?”

“As a matter of fact, yes,” I replied. I sat up straight and looked at my dad. “Dad, for a whole year, neither of you caved to removing Diamonds from their position so it wouldn’t look like you are abandoning them. Your strong decision helped bring them back to the top and of course, what we Zodiac have put so much energy doing to help them. If Lucky Seven suddenly shows up as the star fronter for the female groups in Gempire, it would destroy everything.”

Dad stroke his chin thoughtfully, “that’s true, I didn’t think of that. Lainey, why didn’t you think when I didn’t?”

Her eyes widened. “Me? Why is it always me? I always do the thinking. For once, you two crackheads should think with your own brains!”

“Crackhead,” dad called, referring to Darra’s dad, “why didn’t you think beforehand?” Darra’s dad rolled his eyes.

“You two are so immature,”

“Says the guy who sleeps with duck boxers,” dad scoffed. Darra’s dad… Okay, Tenzin’s eyes widened with horror.

“How could you say that in public? That is suppose to be my secret! Our secret!” The guys and I all simultaneously looked at Zed, even Cedric came out and looked at him.

“Don’t-you-dare,” he growled. Isaac was the only confuse one. A grin plaster itself on our faces.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be roses soon,” Darra teased with a wiggle of his brows. Zed shot bullets into his head and that made us finally burst out. Alvin who loved throwing himself on the floor while laughing was already on the floor, repeatedly saying, “oh, size five, bloody size five”. Cedric on the other hand, was finding it hard to breathe.

“Stop laughing,” Tenzin snapped. He thought it was because of him. “I’m never telling you a secret again, betrayal.”

“Can we go back to me trying to lay a good idea?” Zed huffs. It took us a minute before we were compose again, though still grinning. “Remember the event for a change of fronter that you planned to cancel for their sake? Don’t cancel it. This year, Lucky Seven would have to work harder to defeat Diamonds. If they defeat them, they act as the fronter but if not, we are stuck with Diamonds.”

“That’s the only thing we can do,” Lainey said. We started discussing all we would do the following week. Including hand shaking event.

What do we even do aside from singing and dancing? We are idol voice actors. Since Gempire also produce a lot of anime series and movies, we voiced most of the anime including the present top one which is like acting our life. The serie was simply named Zodiac, after us. It was about a Idol group who got superpowers and while they chased their career and love interest, they used their star powers to save the galaxy from different invaders. It was a romance pack musical serie with lot of magic and adult rated. The serie had been going on for a while and people seem to like it along with the other one.

Then we model, but Cedric took the career more seriously than the rest of us. Alvin and Cedric are also AV idols, no surprise in that. Darra can be classify as a Net Idol too as Isaac also works as a visual idol. Zed focuses more on his songwriting, acting and work as leader, not easy for him. Most times he helps bring ideas for different of the anime series, movies, including the non animated ones. Dad also put pressure on him to assist in planning our concerts even though it’s not his job. But Gempire has a tradition of having the leader put in his or her ideas for every event and occasion his or her group partake in… Most of it.

Me, aside from what I did, I had to focus on my duty of learning how to become the next president of Gempire. Coupled up with all the work we have to handle, it wasn’t easy.

“Zed, the presidents of our collaborative agencies called, you have been ignoring their calls?” Lainey asked. Zed sighed heavily.

“Zodiac don’t just belong to Gempire, it belongs to three different Korea agencies as well. Why are you ignoring them? Do you want a breach in our contracts?”

“No, but…”

“No buts. As leader you should answer them…”

“LV wants me to take part in a ridiculous movie. I get to act like a adult baby and wear diapers because I came from a universe where my age are babies snd giants, adults. I can’t do that, never.”

“You have turned down five roles given to you already, you can’t turn this one down.” Tenzin said as a matter-of-fact.

“Why can’t they use Odin or Darra? He’s very cute.”

“Our contract with LV is for Zodiac to be signed in as one of their idol actors. Your teammates are never picky with movies…”

“Aside from voice acting, Cedric and Alvin have never acted in their life. They don’t have to deal with what they don’t like.” Zed complains.

“Zedekiah…”

“I don’t want to wear diapers or act as the guy madly in love with his stepsister who happens to be my real life ex! I can’t work with Ema and everyone knows that!”

“Because she dumped you for Tegoshi?” Dad asked harshly. “You weren’t suppose to date, it was part of your contracts but nobody seems to listen. What you two have is none of my business, not one bit. As long as you are legally signed under Gempire, you do what I say and I say you listen to your Korea commander as well. You either choose to wear diapers or you date your ex, full stop. John,” dad called Zed’s manager, “what does Soul want with him?”

“Do a Japanese version of the last album and of course, create one peculiarly K-pop.”

“And he said no?”

“I didn’t say no, I said they should give me time to finish the album. The guys and I have been working on it for weeks. They have to be patient and stop breathing down my neck.”

“I’ll talk to the president myself. What does the last one want?” Tenzin asked.

“What else than what we are signed to do? Model.” Zed said rudely. “I already told John and Takamori to call them. They will make a schedule with the industry that ask for us and get back to us.” Takamori is my manager.

“That’s good. Is there anything else we need to… Yes, Lucky Seven collaboration with the Russian artist. How have that been going?” Dad referred the question to Hime’s manager. He adjusted himself on the chair.

“His manager called earlier today, Olezka collapsed and Viktor wants it to remain a secret to the press. The doctor said it’s a small operable brain tumor. The operation is schedule for tomorrow, but he’ll be in bed for a while.”

Dad nodded. “Keep me posted and send a quiet gift to Olezka,”

Twenty minutes later, the meeting was concluded and Zed was asked to voice the character of a movie. It would be too much for him so I suggested to take his place so he would focus on the pack of work in front of him. We had Gempire Grand Event, our tour to the US for our new album ‘Voice go Foreign’, and many more he has to think of. Including helping the songwriters to come up with the K-pop album.

I was walking out of the boardroom when my phone rang. I immediately brought it out from my pocket and answered it.

“Sergeant Odin!”

“Yuki, little sister, it’s nice to hear from you. Why haven’t you been replying or answering my calls and messages? Are you mad at me?”

“Of course not, why would I be? I’ve been busy. Onii-san, my scenes are almost done so I’ll be back in Japan soon.”

“Why the rush?”

“The director’s wife is due for parturition, so he wants to wrap it up quick and be there for her. Plus, I want to come home, I miss everyone.” There’s something else.

“Yuki, what’s wrong?” I asked worriedly. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, why would I not be?”

“Imouto, won’t you tell onii-san what’s wrong with you? Do you want me to have a heart attack again? I can already feel my heart ripping a…” I wasn’t expecting her to just burst into tears like that. “Nani?”

“It’s Darra, he loves someone else now. He won’t stop talking about her, he won’t stop saying she is beautiful. Onii-san, I’m afraid she will completely take his love before I return. Sora almost broke us apart and since then, Darra honey, doesn’t respond to me well, he doesn’t love me anymore…”

“Yuki, you haven’t been around for almost a year now. You have been acting in this movie to the other because the last time you were around, you went in search of Sora and tried to push her over her balcony. You know dad is sending you out of Japan to separate you two…”

“She tried to sleep with my boyfriend!”

“She thought it was me,” I reminded her.

“She tried to sleep with my boyfriend!” She screamed again. “And seduce my favourite brother!”

“I’m your only brother,” I chuckled.

“And my favourite brother,” she growled, warning me to stop correcting her. “What am I suppose to do if this new one is prettier? I can’t compete for Darra’s heart!”

“Yet you went totally crazy and tried to murder my ex because she made a mistake and almost rip your best friend’s eyes out because she eyed your boyfriend the wrong way,” I wanted to add. But I was smart enough to keep my mouth shut. Yuki might be a sweetheart, but when she gets mad, she’s a utterly different person. When I say different, I mean Texas Chainsaw Massacre crazy.

“Who is the new girl?”

“Some chick named Rosita? Who is she? Is she beautiful?” I rolled my eyes and walked closer to Darra who was laughing at annoyed Cedric.

“Darra,” he looked at me, “do you like Rosita?” He tilt his head with a confuse smile. “Do you like her?”

“Nii-san, you want me to love Zedekiah’s wife?” Cedric started laughing.

“Even I can’t dare like that girl. Rosita might be cute, but she is way too much for me to handle. Anybody who can stand in front of Zed and call him a dick with no fear is way pass my capacity.”

“Who wants to hug lightning? Certainly not me.” Darra laughed. I chuckled as they laughed.

“Gosh! Did you see the way she knocked Fueki out? That was hot.” Alvin laughed.

“And she hit Zed hard,” Cedric laughed.

“I don’t think his ego has ever been bruised before. Meena even told me what she did to Sora, I wish I was there,” I said, recollecting how Meena shrieked it to me.

“Wait, what did she do?” Cedric asked curiously. “Did she smack her ugly face?”

“Nope, just made the girl tremble with fear.”

“That’s impossible, only Yuki can do that.” Darra said incredulously.

Cedric snorted. “Do you really think Rosita, the lightning that charges Zedekiah’s thunder, isn’t capable of scaring the shit out of Sora?” They looked at each other. Isaac shrugged and spoke for the first time.

“If she can face Zed when not even Yuki can when he’s angry, then yes. I don’t think I’m capable of falling in love with that girl. She’s hilarious and a powerful package.”

“And beside, I already have one mad woman, why do I need another?” Darra asked, waving his hand to dismiss the conversation. I nodded and walked pass them.

“You hear that, cry baby?” I teased.

“Darra still loves me,” she wailed, “Onii-san, arigatou,”

“Dou itashimashite,”

“But, does she really hate Sora? Does she really bully Zeddy-honey? Did she really knock Tegoshi Fuckface out?”

“Yup, she did.”

“Does Meena-chan like her?”

“They are friends.”

“Oh, I just found a new best friend!”

_______________

“Meena-chan!” I shouted as I enter the living room of their house. I came to see her, make sure she is fine. “Meena-chan, I brought you lemonade!”

Real lemonade.

Meena was obsess with the pink one… In fact, anything with lemon in it. She was yet to realise that her+lemon+nade is = to five hours of number two to go. It was cute how she loved the sour citrus fruit with her life.

As usual, she trampled into the living, almost bulldoze me out of the way just to get the polythene bag in my hand. She took it, emptied the content on the table and sniff dramatically.

“You bought me lemonade and actual lemons? Why do you love me so much?”

“Because you are my wife, I need to take care of you,” I said playfully. She giggled and start putting the lemons back in the bag. “I thought you were sick?”

“Lied, need a break.”

“Oh,”

“I made lemon cheesecake, we can eat it with this,” she shook the bottle of lemonade. I gulped with fear. My darling Meena didn’t know when to stop adding lemon to everything. She added lemons to everything: popcorn, chips, burritos, dumplings, rice, beans, potatoes, cakes, salads… Even her water had little drop of lemon. Her bathing soap was lemon, shampoo lemon, body lotion, lemon, conditioner, lemon and even her perfume and makeup had a lemony touch to it.

Babe, easy with the lemon.

“Don’t worry, I already ate a lot,” I lied, “I stop by my mom’s so she fed me.”

“Not even a bite?” She asked poutingly. How could I say no to that face?

“Okay, just a little poi…tastic food won’t

“Poitastic? You are so weird, Odin-kun, so weird.” I laughed with her as she exit the living room.

That was close!

Smooth, Odin, real smooth.

~~~~~

Two hours later and she was snuggle up in my arms, under her favourite blanket which she named. She was forcing me to watch her favourite cartoon. A superhero who is literally lemon. I don’t know what company made it, but I curse the day they were born. The cartoon was stupid, ludicrous and completely pointless. But Meena loved it. Because it was lemon.

She was laughing and pointing as she ate and luckily didn’t feed me. I had to laugh sometimes so she won’t give me her ten chapter sermon on why lemons are the best. It wasn’t that hard because I was watching the only thing I rather watch. Her.

Meena’s smile always knew how to take my breath away. And her laughter… Mind-blowing. She was everything and anything I wanted in a woman. Because I built what in her image. It had always been her, and always will. Her beautiful blue eyes that always felt like she was looking deep into my soul, seeking out any form of emotion that didn’t suit me. I loved everything about her; I was crazy about her.

Her dimples, smile, blue eyes, Roman accent when she speaks English, (her father is Roman) toothy smile, the playful glint in her eyes, her laugh, voice, heart, scent… Everything drove me mad. She knew everything about me as I knew about her. Like the way she blinked her eyes when she wants to ask something she isn’t sure of. Or how she always stuff her face with donuts anytime she is hurting. How she swings her leg whenever she tells a white lie and how she clicks her tongue silently after telling a huge lie. I knew every single thing she liked, every single thing she hated, every single thing she didn’t hate but pretend to hate because I hate it.

Meena was intoxicating, brilliant, cheerful, friendly, kind, polite and generous. She always knew how to make the best out of the worse situation, just like Yuki. Although Yuki will annoy the worse situation into becoming good. Meena was my angel, inspiration, desire, wish and the ultimate goal I would never score because she is my best friend. You know that friends since we were born thing and not wanting to ruin the friendship because having her that close is enough? That’s it.

It wasn’t enough, it never is. But it was better than losing her. I dated my first girlfriend to get rid of her; it didn’t work. I dated the second because she had a crush on Zed. It didn’t work. I dated the third because she had a boyfriend. It still didn’t work. And I dated Sora because she had this cute model she met when she went to visit her father, the hot guy that was better than me in both looks and brawn. I never stood a chance.

All I wanted was her. My body was tired of seeking pleasure from others when all it wanted was within arm’s reach but yet so far. It was better not being so close to her and yet not good at all. I still wonder how she hadn’t notice how many times I touch her inappropriately because I’m trying to help her “stand up”. Or how hard I get anytime she is too close. Like that very moment.

Meena’s hand brushed on my crotch as she laughed at something ridiculous. I take a sharp intake of breath and hold it in. She laughed again and placed her hand there, not moving it. I couldn’t let her notice how hard I was getting. I needed air. I stylishly shift away from her which unfortunately grabs her attention. She turn her head to me and her beautiful blue eyes reaches my soul.

“You are doing it again, shifting away from me,” she pointed out accusingly. “And you ask me why I no longer sit close to you. Do I smell?”

“You smell like heaven,” I replied on default. She scrunch up her brows.

“Is it the lemon?”

“No, it smells nice on you. I just do that by habit.”

“You didn’t have that habit before,” she chided, “not until your other ex,” she rolled her eyes, “she told you to stay away and you learnt to. Thanks for letting her tell you what to do. Where is she now? Dating someone else while our friendship suffers.”

“She never told me to.” I answer simply.

“Then why do you always do that? Why did you learn to do that?”

Because your breasts grew bigger and it got harder to keep my hands away so I learnt to shift. And, you don’t ever pay attention to where you touch.

“I…I…I… can’t tell you,” I mentally smack my forehead. Now I definitely have to tell her. Meena smirks as she knelt up, cracking her knuckles as a promise to punch me if I don’t speak. “It’s best we…”

“We have been friends since we were inside our mothers wombs, you can’t keep secrets from me. You will tell me why you are always avoiding me or we are never talking again.” She wasn’t bluffing, I knew that from experience. I nearly died when she ignored me for five months all because I chose to spend time with my girlfriend over her.

“Meena…”

“Spill,” she commanded. Was I suppose to tell her that I was madly in love with her and want her so bad? And then ruin our friendship? I couldn’t even think of a lie because she was kneeling over me while wearing her sexy red sport bra, the one that always drives me crazy. Her chest was almost out and she didn’t seem to realise that.

“I love your breasts and want to do more than touching,” my eyes widened when the foolish words left my mouth. Hers flew wide too. I blink in shock. I didn’t expect that to… “Sorry, that wasn’t what I… Erm… I mean your chest… Sorry, your chest… I have been staying away because I have AID… What, no! That’s not what I mean? I don’t have that, I have gonorrhoea… Fuck, no! I don’t have anything like that but I hope I do… No, I don’t mean it like that! I’ve just been longing to fuck you so bad…” I clamp my hand on my mouth to stop myself. Whenever I panic, I just spill things out like a fool.

I was still talking into my palm while she stared at me with disbelief, shock, disgust… Everything! So I do the only thing I could think of. I grabbed my phones and run.

Zedekiah’s standpoint

I was tired, really exhausted. I was sleepily trying to compose a song. It wasn’t going well but I had to try. My door flew open and Odin rushes in. His dishevelled brownish gold hair covers his face but I could see his dark blue eyes wet from tears. I sat up immediately.

“Odin, what happened?”

“I fucked up, I fucked up real bad.” He said in panic.

“W…”

“I told her, I told Meena I want her and not in the pleasant way. We were watching a cartoon and she touched me, I shift and she asked then I blunted out that I like her boobs and then panic and…”

“Spilled out that you want to sleep with her and then ran away. Typical Odin Matsumoto.”

“What am I going to do?” He cried. “I’ve ruined our friendship.”

“Just calm down. She won’t be in school for a while so you can breathe and figure out what to tell her.”

“Aren’t you going to help me?” He whined. I sighed and fall back on the bed.

“I still insist you tell her how you feel.”

“I can’t, I can’t…” And he goes on to complain on why he can’t.

Love, so irritating…