I Love Yoo, Maybe

Finale: Fault (Part 2, Alyssa)

***ALYSSA'S MEMORY CONTINUES***

Maybe Mrs. Hirahara's in town. At least I don't have to let anyone down.

I woke up to another notification. This time, it was from Mrs. Hirahara.

[I hope you had a good night's sleep! A busy girl such as yourself needs her beauty rest, after all. By the way, hope you don't mind. I had your publicist clear the day for just us girls.]

Well that's nice of her. I texted her back.

[Wow, Mrs/ ] My curser paused, waiting for me to finish my text. I don't want to sound over eager. I needed to think of how to make myself seem cool and sophisticated.

[Wo/ ] I started to delete my original message and began a new one.

[I don't mind. I've been meaning to schedule a break anyway. Is there a specific time you wanted meet with me?] I read and reread my text. 

Perfect, I thought as I pressed send.

Mrs. Hirahara immediately replied. [Excellent, dear! Why don't I pick you up at your hotel around noon?]

Lunch with THE Mrs. Hirahara? I couldn't believe it! By noon time, I made sure I was ready for her.

At noon exactly: KNOCK. KNOCK.

"Coming!"

I opened the door and Mrs. Hirahara stood on the other side, waiting to come in. "Hello dear! My, how cute you look today! I hope I'm not putting you out!"

Such a sweet lady, I thought. I tucked my hair behind my ear. "No, of course not! Did you have somewhere in mind to go?"

"The bar at the hotel would suffice. These old bones of mine get tired after too much traveling."

"Sure! That's not a problem."

We make our way down, below the lobby floor. The bar held an intimate sophisticated ambiance. This is living the dream, I thought. The maître-de seated us at the bar.

"Two martinis please," Mrs. Hirahara tells the bartender. He turns around and his eyebrows shot up to his receding hairline.

"OH! Mrs. Hirahara! Yes, yes of course. Right away."

As the bartenders made the drinks, Mrs. Hirahara turned to me. "It's been so long, Alyssa. Tell me, how goes your blossoming career? Making me proud, I hope?"

I nodded and explained all the lengths I've gone through: my breast surgery, dying my hair, selling all my "common" clothes, and only wearing the best designer clothes...even if it puts me in debt.

"Excellent!" Mrs. Hirahara beamed. I breathed a sigh of relief as she continued, "It makes an old woman happy to know her investment isn't going to waste." The bartender came back with drinks in hand. Mrs. Hirahara took hers and took a sip. "Only...it would be shame if that INCIDENT in middle got out, now. Wouldn't it? I mean what, would people say?"

I took the other drink and busied myself with a couple of sips. Putting the drink down, and with shear bravado, I replied. "O-oh? I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you mean. I was home schooled."

RELAX, Alyssa. She doesn't know – she couldn't! I mean, how could she? Just pretend it didn't happen.

Mrs. Hirahara just grinned. "Yes, except for a few months – according to your sister." She swirled her drink and casually said, "You know, Meg is rather a light weight. Just a couple of drinks in her and she became quite the chatter-box. Poor girl, she cleared her whole day only to get ditched." She turned her piercing gaze to me. "Now, I wonder why that happened? Hm?"

"I- I- I had not choice!" I exclaimed in a whisper. "I mean, I couldn't disappoint my fans, my - "

She waved off my distress. "I'm just teasing, dear! I know what it means to be famous. People always wanting so much of your time. Always needing to please the RIGHT kind of people. It's demanding. Don't worry, dear. Your sister will get over it...eventually. But she did tell me WHY you left that middle school – the only school you ever attended, right? I mean, to do what you did to that classmate of yours..." She took another sip. I did too. Putting her drink down, she took my hand in reassurance. "It'll be alright dear. I'll keep your secret. And I'll make sure Meg does too. I just need you help me with this teensy-bitsy favor."

"What...what do you need me to do?" I asked

"You know my son, Kousuke, right?"

I nodded, but kept silent. After Mrs. Hirahara finished her drink, she continued to detail her "favor."

"No matter what I do, my son will not entertain any young lady. Not even your desperate sister. But...I saw a side of him that intrigued me. He protected one of your BOYFRIEND's female friends. I think he might have feelings towards her."

Yeong-Gi has feelings for someone else?? Jealously rose within me. WHO is this girl? Is this the friend he's been texting me about?

I assumed my feelings became evident on my face, because Mrs. Hirahara just giggled and quickly amended, "Oh, not YOUR boyfriend, dearie. I was referring to my Kousuke. I think he might have feelings for this girl. But I need your help to get them...closer together."

"How do I do that?"

She patted my hand and simply said, "Come to the Kim's corporate formal, and I'll text you the rest."

"A-and what happened in middle school, what Meg told you, will stay secret?"

"Of course, dear! I give you my word."

***PRESENT DAY***

ALYSSA:

The DING of the Sunbucks door brings be back to my surroundings. I look to the entrance and see Mrs. Hirahara. As sense of déjà vu washes over me. Coming closer to my seat, she pauses just enough for me to hear, "Let's go the patio. The fresh air will feel good today." And just as quickly as she appeared, she breezes away to the outdoor patio. I wait a couple of moments, taking another swig from my Jack Daniels, and follow her. 

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: 

Thank you so much for reading and supporting this "little" fan fiction!  The whole gang and their backstories will return in "I love Yoo Maybe, Too"