(Y/n)'s POV
Tsumugi smiled as I entered the venue, quietly watching Nagi and Riku act out their scene. Their acting had gotten better since the last time I was present for their shoot, and it wasn't a lie to say that Director Izuki had helped with their improvement.
"Hey you," he said.
"Are you asking for me, sir?"
"Yeah, take this to the bin outside," he ordered while holding out a used coffee cup with pieces of ripped packaging stuffed inside.
"Eh? But-"
"Come on, are you deaf? I can't wait all day."
"I'm not a cleaner nor your personal assistant."
His eyes slid from Nagi and Riku to shoot me a menacing glare that could cut through anything in sight. He raised his arm, ready to slap me as I held firm, preparing for the quick yet tingling pain.
The click of a camera filled the silence. Several more clicks followed the initial one. Director Izuki whisked his head around to see Iori with his phone out and a threatening frown on his face.
Iori grabbed the director's arm and came to stand in front of me. I didn't dare breathe for this was beyond my comprehension. It would've been better if he had left me to my own devices. This'd just cause unnecessary misunderstandings...
"I've taken numerous pictures of you 'assaulting' our assistant manager. I wonder what'll happen if this gets released to the media," Iori exclaimed.
"Are you threatening me? Do you even have any idea how you got so popular? It's because I, Director Izuki, offered-"
"Yes, no need to state the obvious, sir. You do realise that you spent the money on this project, don't you? If this scandal does get out, what will happen to all that effort? I trust that you won't make this into an even bigger issue."
"Why are you talking back to me? I'm your elder-"
"Age has nothing to do with this. Stop changing the subject. If anything, (L/n)-san's a brilliant employee. Again, her age and status are irrelevant."
"Hey hey, why don't we all just calm down? Let's just leave it there," Nagi exclaimed whilst stepping in between the two.
"Please consider my words, Director. If it'll make you feel better, I'll take your rubbish with her."
Iori grabbed my hand, crushing the coffee cup in his other hand as we made our way outside. His grip had grown tighter as we hurried to the back of the building. I winced as he turned around to look at me.
"Ah, sorry."
He immediately let go and dumped the cup in the bin. I froze, unsure of how to behave around him. His eyes moved up to meet mine, searching for a crack...a reveal of the truth within my heart.
Iori's POV
"...I was mad."
She stayed silent to let me continue.
"I had acted before I even knew what I was doing. I..."
"*smiles* Well, thank you," she replied softly.
"(L/n)-san-"
"Ne, you call Naomi by her first name. Why is it so hard to call me by mine?" she teased.
Because I'm scared. I'm scared that I won't be able to hold back. I watched her, from the shine in her eyes to the shape of her lips. Without thinking, I had closed the distance between us and held her face in my hands.
I needed her. I wanted her so badly... I leaned in despite my mind screaming at me not to. Following one's heart...wasn't such a bad idea after all. Her lips inched closer and closer.
She suddenly held a finger to my lips, our noses touching slightly as a painfully sad smile adorned her face. I gingerly grabbed her hand, folding my fingers around hers.
"That's no fair, Iori. You can't just tease me like that," she murmured, her voice slightly shaken and wavering.
"...so? You fell for it, didn't you?"
"Jerk!"
This, I could do. I could joke around for the sake of maintaining a fragile friendship. A light chuckle escaped my mouth as she pushed me away, making a point to head back inside.
"(L/n)-san-"
"Don't apologise to me now. Let's just stay like this, okay?"
She entered through the glass door, leaving me standing here alone. I clenched a fist and gritted my teeth. I needed to get a grip! This was real, not some fantasy world in a game where I could start over.
I took a deep breath before following after her. A small yell caught in her throat as a figure ran full speed into her and spun her around in a lively hug. My eyes almost bulged from their sockets as both Momo and Yuki greeted her.
"Oi, if you come here like this, people'll see!" (Y/n) exclaimed.
"Don't worry, Yuki and I are pretending to be undercover cops!" Momo replied cheekily.
"Sure, sure."
"That's mean! I'm not exactly lying. We're filming a live variety show episode right now. It's our break now but I thought it'd be a good idea to have IDOLiSH7 appear in it. So how about it?"
"I'd love to say yes but I'll have to ask the president for permission. But in the meantime, Iori can show you to where everyone else is."
Yuki walked over and apologised for the trouble. I shook my head and gestured for them to follow me. The two said goodbye to (Y/n) before moving to my side.
Their auras were overwhelming...just like (Y/n)'s. Their carefree attitudes toward conversing with others of a different status only casted their statures in a particular light. It was warm...warmth coming from a star. I could never even begin to hope to become one. After all, if they were stars, then I was simply the darkness helping them to shine.
"You guys are filming that new drama series, right? I watched the first few episodes. It's super interesting," Momo said.
"Thank you."
"I'm a fan. Keep up the good work."
"Whoa, did he just say he was a fan?" Riku asked as he stood in the doorway.
"I'm not hallucinating, am I?" added Sogo as he rubbed his eyes.
"Yo! Momo and Yuki have come to visit," Momo exclaimed.
YOU ARE READING
Charismatic Lie (Iori x reader)
Fanfiction(L/n) (Y/n) is Trigger's assistant manager, and Gaku's younger sister. She has many clashes with her father due to their incompatible personalities, where their anger leads to the both of them thinking they despise each other. She later becomes IDO...
