Ethan grew accustomed to not having her around. Every day, he would open the door in the hope that she's been waiting there to hug him, but all that was waiting there was darkness. Everything was just the way he left it. He came in and switched on the lights. He thought of calling her and apologising.

"Hello?"

"Vivian, please come home. I'm sorry. I won't shout at you anymore" He felt sad as he looked outside of the balcony.
"Okay, I'll be right there," She hung up. Then, he turned back and looked at the mess the house was.
"I should probably clean up"

When Vivian entered the house, she was surprised to see what a mess it was.
"Okay, how is the place so dirty?" She asked as she stood in the living room. It was dirtier than before.
"I tried cleaning and it backfired" He told her. Vivian laughed "Okay, you don't have to do that. We have a housekeeper for that"

"But she only comes in the morning"
"Wait-- You managed to create this mess in one night?!" She was shocked.
"Correction, one hour"
"Oh my God! You're like a monster of mess!" She exclaimed. He leaned towards her and whispered in her ear "I am one"
"Yeah I know--"

"In bed too"

She blushed and moved away. "You pervert," She covered his mouth "Well, I can't seem to remember properly but I think you started it. I was pure before that night you claimed that I am into rough se--"
"I was drugged!"
"Yeah, and you can't lie when you're drugged"
"Let's clean the place!" She shouted and he laughed "Okay, let's clean it"

They started talking again after that. Even if she couldn't come, they would call every night. She would put her phone on speaker and talk to him while practising her steps. This went on for one week. Sejok noticed it. One day, her manager, Hans came in "We need your phone" He said.
"Okay? But why?"

"Because sir believes it's distracting you," Hans said.
"It isn't. I'm practising--"
"Vivian. You are to comply with everything." Vivian looked at her phone. He brought his hands forward and Vivian handed her phone to him.

He went to Sejok's and gave it to him. Sejok took the phone "What now, sir?" Hans asked. "I won't let a rising star fall because of this thing," He threw the phone out of the window. It went into the fancy pond surrounding the building.

Ethan called that night but it seemed as if it had been switched off. Vivian knew that it would worry him so she went to meet him personally.
"They have taken away my phone. We can't call anymore" She said.
"You're joking, right?" Ethan said.
"I wish I were"
"Well then tell them you don't want to! I'm your husband goddammit! Fight a bit for us!"

"Why don't you understand! I can't fight... back." She realized that this was exactly what Ethan said when she first presented the idea of her joining the show business. He smirked "See. You are not free anymore. This is the freedom you wanted?"

She had no answer to that. None of them would speak and slowly five minutes passed by "I'm sleeping. Figure out this problem by yourself. You created it, not me " He went to bed. She sat on the table for a long time thinking by herself-- By the morning, she had written another song.

The next day, she bought another phone and decided to keep it a secret from the company. Only Ethan had her number. She was hiding things which were a freedom to every other normal person and Ethan seemed to hate it. He knew she was struggling to keep up but maybe this was the best way to teach her a lesson.

Her phone was mostly left unattended and it became difficult to reach her. She would meet him once a while, rest of the time, the housekeeper would cook.

"Vivian, I want to talk to you about something," Sejok said as she was leaving for the day.
"What is it, sir?" She asked
"I've been here for pretty long. I've seen stars rise, becoming cocky, arrogant, having scandals, not thinking about their reputation and sinking far beneath, even deeper from where they came from where everyone hates them. I don't want you to end up the same way."

"I won't sir,"
"Then, you must listen to me. I'm more experienced than you. You'll divert from your goal before knowing but I know how to keep you on track."
"I don't get you, sir."

"Vivian, it's just an advice. Stay away from that man. He will be your downfall. I have a vision. Believe me" Vivian turned her back towards him "I'll think about it" She walked away. Sejok looked at her for a while.

"Hans" He called out.
"Yes, sir." Hans seemed to understand what Sejok wanted to say.

The next day, Hans informed Vivian about her schedule for the next two weeks.
"You have to travel these two weeks for making the music videos,"
"When will I sleep?" Vivian asked as they sat in the van while he drove.
"You can sleep in the van during the travel. I'll make the arrangements."

"Okay, Mr Hans. But Ethan--"
"You've got objections? You do know we are doing all this for you"
"Yes, I'm grateful."
"Then you should show it,"
"I will" She bowed.

Vivian's visiting days reduced to hours. Ethan wouldn't ask her what she had been doing, the internet was doing that job well enough posting regular updates about this new trainee. Ethan would ask her to stay the night, but she would find some excuse to leave.

There was an air of silence in that once lively house all of a sudden. The music that played while they danced that "bona fide" waltz became unheard. She slowly disappeared from his world and he turned his company to alcohol. He began returning back to who he was before they met and Kurosava noticed it.

It was at that moment, Kurosava was sure that his plans were working just the way he had thought. Ethan was an easy target now that Vivian was away. A few months more, and he'd die if he continued drinking like a madman which he was.

"The second show of the season! Girls! Line up!" The general manager shouted as he ran on the ramp. The models stood on the platform, chatting with each other. Maya ran towards Ethan and hugged him from behind.

She blew into his ear and he moved away "Don't do that, you animal!" He shouted and she started giggling "Well, you're the one whose shouting. I wonder who the animal is."
"Well, because you don't listen"
"Well, because I'm busy staring"
"Listen, go and practice"

"I'm perfect. Practice is for people who can't remain consistent. So, they need to practice to make sure that they are"

"Consistent..." He looked at the floor. She moved towards him "Prez, did you drink last night?"

"What?"
"No, it's just-- Your eyes look kinda puffy so I thought you are drunk. I look like that when I drink the night before and come to work without a shower" Maya looked into his eyes. He stared at her, remembering Vivian.

"MAYA!" The manager shouted and she quickly pressed her tongue between her teeth "Oops~ I popped a haemorrhoids!"
Ethan began laughing and she began laughing as she looked at him "Maya," He smiled gently "I'm fine. Now go,"

"If you say so, prez," She ran towards the ramp in her royal red lingerie.
Ethan decided to leave for home after that and as soon as he opened the door, he found Vivian waiting for him. That was unexpected but there she was-- ready to give him false hope again. She hugged him and he pressed his hands on her waist. They had seen each other after two weeks.

'I had almost forgotten this warmth. Vivian, how are you? Did you miss me? Have you been eating well?'

"My debut launches tomorrow," She said "I made a ton of songs. I got the first CD for you, Ethan!" She shoved the CD on his face "See!"

He smiled "It seems good" He took the CD and kept it aside "Vivian, will you stay the night?"
"Sure," She said with a smile. That evening was cloudy and cold like all evenings during that season but the house was not quiet like always. Ethan and Vivian danced slowly in the lamp's dim light as the music recorder played a waltz piece.

"Wow! You've gotten better" He smiled.
"I can dance with heels"
"Yeah, I can no longer hold you when you fall, what a waste."

Vivian blushed and looked at the floor "I want to tell you so many things that I don't know where to start-- But words can wait till next time" Ethan said. Vivian looked into his eyes.

"I mean... You're barely here nowadays" Ethan said "I missed you"

"I missed you too,"
"Then, come back. This way, none of us has to miss each other"
She stopped dancing and looked at him "Ethan, don't bring this up again"

"Okay..."

Fate stood beside Lucus on the Tokyo Tower. "In other words, she will go against you and you will be indifferent," She said as Lucus looked at Vivian's Antabulam.
"Sometimes, it's the smallest decisions that can change your life forever"

"So, who is right? Vivian? Ethan?" Fate asked.
"We can't decide that..." Lucus replied "Ethan isn't all wrong, Vivian isn't all right"

- To be continued

Fate
My Heart Hates Me