"What do we do? Call an ambulance?" one staff member asked.
"Are you crazy?! That's going to draw unwanted attention if anyone finds out that we had an ambulance come here!" Another piped up.
"Well we can't just leave her like that! She's unconscious!"
"I called Takada-san already!" Yukiko shouted over them, "He should be here soon….I couldn't find Minami's phone and her file is locked in Takada-san's computer so I don't know who her contacts are or where she lives. He'll know what to do."
Makoto burst in moments later to Minami on the floor, still unconscious. The staff members were gathered around, anxiously biting their nails and fidgeting with their hands as others were fanning and shaking her. One woman was even at her desk crying.
Makoto's eyes widened as he saw her and he rushed over to her side.
"WHAT HAPPENED?!" He yelled angrily as he checked her pulse.
Yukiko and the other staff members explained to him the events that had just occurred.
He pressed his ear to her chest and placed two of his fingers under her nostrils.
"She seems to be breathing fine now and her heart rate is starting to slow down now."
The office was filled with a mixture of sighs of relief and silent cheers. Thank goodness they wouldn't have to call an ambulance or rush her to the hospital.
"How long has she been out?" Makoto started unbuttoning the top three buttons of her dress as he looked through the crowd of faces searching for an answer.
"It's been about 15 minutes already…." Yukiko answered with concern.
Makoto slid his arms under Minami's knees and back and hoisted her up.
"Give me her bag, I'll take her home."
"Won't that look bad if you're caught with her like that?" One of the staff members nervously pointed out.
"I've remained faceless in this industry for years. Who is going to snap a picture of a man and a woman coming out of a building? Say they do take a photo. What will they do with it? It will be irrelevant. I'm going to take her home and make sure she's okay."
Yukiko lifted Minami's bag and put it in Makoto's hand, "I couldn't find her phone…"
"I'll tell her that we'll communicate through email until she gets a phone then. While I'm gone, look into hiring security for the front door to make sure no more lunatics barge in like what happened today."
Yukiko nodded and immediately got to work searching for security personnel.
Once Makoto and Minami departed the office was a clatter with gossip.
"Wow! I can't believe Minami has a stalker!"
"That was so scary, do you think she'll be okay?!"
"I'm glad we're hiring security, I hope they can come soon. I didn't realize anyone could just barge in here…."
"Minami must be really popular if she has a stalker that's willing to come in and fight staff to get to her like that….."
"I'd be scared to come back to work if I were her! I hope Takada-san will give her some time off until a security guard is in place."
★ ★ ★
Minami furrowed her eyebrows as she began to come to. Sharp pains attacked her skull like knives. Her body felt like a cement block while at the same time weightless. Nausea overcame her as she took a slow, deep breath.
"Nnnggh…."
Makoto stood up from her desk chair and walked over, his arms crossed.
She slowly opened her eyes and squinted as she tried to make out the blurry figure. Her eyes widened as she realized who it was.
"Takada-s-san?!" She sat up quickly, grabbing hold of her head as a pounding sensation enveloped it, "Ah…"
"Are you okay?" He said calmly. Buried deep somewhere in those words, was a hint of concern. Minami was surprised he wasn't screaming at her. Suddenly, he felt like the old Makoto that she new before.
She nodded slowly, "Mhmm. Just had a panic attack. I'll be fine."
"We're hiring security so you don't have to worry about coming in to the office. That won't happen again."
She nodded again and laid back down in her bed, "Thank you…for everything. I'm really tired now, I want to just rest. Is it okay if I take the day off?"
"Yes. Take the rest of the day to recover. I want to talk to you about a few things while I'm here though."
Uh-oh. Did he somehow find out who Naoto was?
She stared at him nervously, "Um. Sure. Go ahead."
"Firstly. We couldn't find your phone anywhere, so until you get a new one make sure you check your emails. I'll communicate with you through there from now on."
"Oh, I see. It's in the office somewhere, I had it in the lounge area. I'll look for it tomorrow."
Makoto rubbed his chin in thought before continuing, "How bad do you want to debut Minami?"
"I want it more than anything!" She went to sit up again but he gently pushed her back down.
"You don't need to get up," he pulled the desk chair over to her bedside and sat down, "How bad do you want this?"
"I'd do anything! I have to become a singer, no matter what. I don't think there's anything else for me out there. If it's not this, then I have no reason to continue on."
Her voice was full of passion and desperation. It was similar to that of a person lost in a desert who was begging for water. Begging for life.
He smiled and nodded. This sort of dedication is what he liked to hear. None of his other artists had it…that IT factor. He knew he was right in hiring Minami in the first place, he knew she'd become a star. She was like a magnet, even to him.
"Anything?" He asked. He had to be 100% sure of her dedication and that she wasn't just saying that as many tended to do.
"Anything!" She nodded firmly.
He brushed a strand of her hair off her face, "You'd really do anything?"
She nodded firmly again, "Anything!"
Makoto stared deeply into her eyes. There was a purity in them that shined brighter than any gem in this world, brighter than any star, than the moon, than the sun. He felt himself being drawn into her and leaned in towards her lips.
Her eyes widened and she pulled her blanket up and over her face.
What was he doing?! Her breath picked up along with her heart rate as the difficulty of breathing grabbed hold of her once again.
Hyperventilation stepped in as she felt her airways constrict just like they had done before.
Why was he being like that? She didn't want a man like him. He was so confusing, switching between being nice and friendly to yelling at her and acting like she was so beneath him. She would've done anything to debut but not HIM!
Makoto chuckled, "So you don't want it bad enough. Alright, I've gotten my answer. I'll see you at work tomorrow." He stood up and shoved the desk chair back to it's original place.
As soon as he left her bedroom, she jumped up and ran to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She listened at the door as she clutched her chest, waiting for him to leave completely.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Minami jumped. Someone was banging on her front door.
With her ear pressed against the bathroom door, she heard the door open.
"LET ME- Who are you?! What are you doing in my girlfriend's apartment?!"
It was Naoto's voice. Naoto and Makoto had come face to face and Naoto had just announced that Minami was his girlfriend.
Minami covered her mouth and ran to the toilet, throwing up into the bowl as another panic attack began to run its course.
"Girlfriend? I don't think the woman living here HAS a boyfriend. I think you're mistaken." Makoto said as he exited the building, shutting the door behind him.
"Minami? Minami is MY girlfriend and we've been dating for a long time! How dare you!" Naoto clenched his fists and jaw as he stared Makoto up and down.
"Minami has no boyfriend. I suppose I should greet you. I'm the CEO of SUN MEDIA. You two are over now, so you should leave here and never come back." Makoto wasn't much taller than Naoto, and yet it felt as though he towered over him. His confidence practically enveloped Naoto's entire being.
Naoto scoffed, "So she'll sleep with anyone but me huh? So you came over to mess around with her. Does she get extra money now? Better promotion? I bet her single will sell out instantly and hit #1 on all of the music charts. Isn't that right?"
Makoto clenched his fist and punched Naoto in the cheek. "If you don't want to be sued for defamation and slander, I would suggest you leave here right now."
Naoto rubbed his cheek and held his hands up, "Fine. You're both crazy. You deserve each other."