A3! Igawa - Tumblr Posts

Getting there (Tenma centric)

Igawa is not Tenma’s father.

And yet, he ends up caring about him like one -he’s a bit awkward about it though.

OR three times Igawa is there for Tenma, and one time Tenma steps up for him.

Anyone that sets a foot inside the acting world in Japan knows what type of power comes from the Sumeragi’s agencies. Premium status. Fame. Validation. One of the best of the current generation according to the media. Their buildings and workers emanate class, authority, and it wasn’t easy to manage a job there- which is why many people agreed one could be called lucky just to be considered.

Igawa adjusts the collar of his suit. Ignores the prominent beating of his heart. Pushes his glasses up his nose. Repeats it all over. He is conscious how much sweat he is producing with only empty chairs staring back at him, and wonders if it would be possible to ask for a cup of water without crying.

How in the world he had managed to get so far was still out of his comprehension. A blur. After the first shock, a few more interviews and some phone calls, today was the day he would sign the final contract to become Sumeragi Tenma’s personal manager and guardian, the agreement outlining the specifying terms of a two-year commitment and providing an option for renewal.

That is if managed to leave the room without having a panic attack.

He stirs in his seat, taking for the sixth time a look at his watch, anxiety rising. Seven past ten. They hadn’t guide him into the wrong room, had they? As a test? Oh god, he really hopes not.

Just when the young man is contemplating the idea of discretely checking the number of the room the door swings right open behind him, barely giving him time to swallow his scream. Two figures enter while he scrambles to get up and bow, drying his sweaty hands on the back of his pants.

“Igawa, I presume.”

“Y-yes, sir! I- it’s a pleasure!”

The man in front of him nods, taking his hand in a strong grip. “Thank you for waiting longer than necessary. I was needed to sign some documents before coming here and they took longer than expected.” His face is stoic and his voice profound while they shake hands.

“Oh, no! Not a problem!”

There was something about the Sumeragi Eiji that instilled respect even from afar. But having the real deal in front of you? Downright terrifying. His acting had been leading the masses for many years. One wrong move and you could be done soon enough, to which Igawa imagined extended to his son.

His son.

It’s right there when Igawa takes his first good look at Sumeragi Tenma.

At the ripe old age of ten, Tenma is of course shorter than him. He seems to feel his gaze, because not even a heartbeat later the boy lifts his head up to meet Igawa’s -piercing, captivating purple eyes focused in a way the young man had never seen before in a kid.

"Tenma, this is the man your mother and I informed you about. He’ll be your manager and act as your guardian while we are abroad for the time being."

The young boy nods, half of his face twisted up as he keeps staring at Igawa thoughtfully. He wasn’t the son of two the current biggest celebrities in the country for nothing. "Nice to meet you, Igawa-san. I will be in your care."

His voice is childlike, although there is a slight effort being put on a low-pitched tone. The clear attempt to sound more mature, maybe trying to imitate his father’s powerful voice, somehow eases Igawa’s nerves -at least a bit, the kid seemed to be looking for any fault in him. In any case, Igawa nods and bows as quickly and politely as possible. "L-likewise! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you too, Tenma-kun." he holds his hand out awkwardly towards him, and they shake hands. “I’ll be in your care from now on.”

.

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It doesn’t take Igawa long to learn the young actor exudes an aura that inherently draw others, just like the rumours said. His rising fame is an ongoing talk in the media -never seen another child actor behave more like an adult, treating every co-worker with the seriousness and respect they all displayed.

“He really is perfect!”

“Eiji-san must be proud.”

“Could we have some words from the upcoming young star of this movie?”

Of course, Igawa also comes to notice certain walls. Given his status and young age, Tenma was many times unaware that not everyone shared his privilege, which left many of his remarks about others seem cruel and hurtful. It was difficult, to try to explain the difference between honestly and bluntness.

Still, Tenma was a good kid with a dream he was determined to reach. Seeing how Tenma pushed forward to improve, hanging on to any advice or criticism he received from veteran actors or directors with a spiteful passion, practicing his movements or voice projection for hours after his personal instructors had left -all that effort made Igawa want to support him the best he could.

Which makes the time he failed to enter his planned middle school such a big deal.

They had just renewed Igawa’s contract a few weeks prior, meaning he had been able to feel once again an incredible mix of confusion, appreciation, nerves, and horror at the same time. The amount of press recognition Tenma had gotten over the years was more than many had expected. Not his parents, apparently. They kept sending him emails with offers and used their connections daily, which made passing the entrance exam for middle school a much bigger issue than the ordinary person.

“Tenma-kun! Tenma-kun can you hear me…!”

Igawa would have never expended the young boy to run away from the school grounds like that. Maybe- maybe he hadn’t made himself clear. Tenma was supposed to wait for him inside the car as he signed some documents and yet once he entered the vehicle and found a lack of orange head, it only takes him less than two minutes for his anxiety to spike through the sky.

Oh my god.

They had just renewed his contract and he had already lost his actor.

"Tenma-kun! Tenma-kun!!"

Igawa calls out of breath as he looks around desperately, gaining looks from others passers-by. For the first time, he doesn’t think he is being the centre of attention or rather, he doesn’t even notice. Worst of all, he has no idea whatsoever where the twelve-year-old genius child actor, who captivates masses way beyond his regular piers, could probably have gone.

And the thought makes Igawa want to vomit.

It’s only fifteen minutes later, just when Igawa is on the verge of having a break down and decides to call the police, when he catches a glimpse of familiar orange hair. Tenma is sitting on a bench, looking exhausted and a little worse for wear. His shoulders are hunched but jaw set as he met Igawa’s.

“Tenma-kun!”

The young boy starts to rise as the man runs into his direction, all his strength fading away. Igawa can’t even manage to pretend to be angry, just confused. “I-I’ve been looking for you for…! Why did you suddenly leave like that?!”

“What do you mean?” Tenma frowns. “I left a message in the car saying I was going back home alone. Didn’t think you would come look for me.”

“T-the car…? But- you- I didn’t think you-” Igawa doesn’t know how to explain this without damaging his confidence. “Tenma-kun this is… the opposite., um, way. I’m afraid…”

They stare at each other, and seconds later the young boy’s cheeks redden, sitting back on the bench, evading looking at his eyes. "I-I know that! I just had more stuff to think about so I decided to walk around some more!”

He looks to the ground ashamed, gritting his teeth while Igawa finds himself still regaining air.

“What did my parents say."

“Uh?”

“It wasn’t a difficult question, Igawa.” Tenma spits. He regrets the tone as soon as the words come out of his mouth, because Igawa indeed looks worried -although he always does in the youngster mind- but he’s too proud to take them back. “Whatever, the press will cover it soon and they’ll know.”

And then it finally drowns on Igawa. The press.

Working the media industry is dangerous. No matter how long you have been at the top, one can always count on something happening, even the smallest thing, to rise and flop your career. Young Tenma knows. And Igawa knows too.

That’s why he looks a little more than desperate.

“Forget it, let’s go home.”

Because Tenma has never been the best student – and he knows that, despite feinting otherwise, he does. He is always painfully aware when his professors let him go with a free pass, the thought ‘you didn’t earn this’ nagging at the back of his mind each time he moved up a year only because of his parent’s influence.

Next time he won’t even have that. Pathetic.

"But-" Igawa tries to interrupt but Tenma’s jaw tightens, and his eyes narrow, casting his ashen face in shadow.

“Who cares about working hard!” He declares out loud, turning his hands into fists. “Everyone is right. Everyone should be angry and disappointed with me. You are too, right Igawa? I saw it the moment we looked at the results. All I have is because of my parents and their connections. If I can’t even get in a stupid school like that one everyone will-”

“TENMA-KUN!”

The unexpected shout -for both of them really, Igawa doesn’t remember ever rising his voice in front of him for anything- cuts his speech off. Once the shock ends, Tenma reverts back to the expression he had come in wearing, like a man ready to be condemned. Igawa anxiety rises up again.

"Sorry! Sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled. It’s just, you are not at fault, Tenma-kun," he explains, leaning forward as though the action would force the young boy to accept his words. “I’m not, angry or- disappointed. I was just worried.”

He blinks, his face painfully surprised. "What do you mean?" He asks, feeling dumb.

Igawa gently assured him, sitting this time next to him on the bench. He speaks again. "I- I was just worried because you didn’t look okay, and then I worried when I couldn't find you! Not because I thought you did anything wrong or failed the entrance exam, but because you could have gotten hurt, ah- even if you were going home."

"Worried?" Tenma repeats, looking even more confused. He doesn’t seem to know what to do with this information. He blinks once. Twice. "You mean- you don't think I’m stupid?" Tenma asks slowly.

Igawa’s stomach sinks. Tenma's face is ashen and he looks exhausted, little shadows dark under his eyes. He had been on a full stride of commercial the last few days with irregular working hours. It looked like nothing held him together but pure desperate, stubborn will. And even with all of that, he did the exam.

You don’t think I’m stupid-  how could a child ask an adult that?

“No!” he shakes his head, vividly scared at the mere thought. "I- Tenma-kun I never thought you were. Not even once."

“But- but I failed!” Tenma shut his mouth, face flushing from embarrassment, adverting his eyes at the memory. He can’t help the disappointment that wells in his gut as he stares at the ground.

“A-and that’s there’s nothing to be embarrassed about that! You did your best. That’s- that’s what’s important, right? Your parents know this as well.”

“Right. Because they told you that.”

He hadn’t called them, but Igawa finds himself nodding nonetheless. It’s not like he was actually lying. Because why would they mind? They were his parents. Tenma’s face contorts as a result and it occurs to him that whatever the young actor expected him to say, Igawa gave him something else entirely and the boy didn't know how to deal with that.

"Oh." He says, sounding as lost as he looked. "Well- okay, I guess.”

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Most fourteen years old have specific interests or hobbies that they enjoy; Sports, crafts, music, games, you name it. And yet, after all these years, Igawa could have a gun pointed at his head and he still wouldn’t be able to say what exactly did Sumeragi Tenma in his spare time.

It’s not weird, right? Oh please don’t let it be weird, he begs as he presses the doorbell.

Was he crossing a line he shouldn’t? Would his parents say something? What if-

"Igawa?" Tenma squints, peeking outside the apartment at the tensed manager. “What are you doing here?”

"H-hello Tenma-kun!" his voice comes out a little breathless and rushed, but does his best to smile nonetheless. “May I come in?”

The young teen gives him an odd look, but apparently decides the point wasn't worth pressing as he shrugs and turns to let him enter. As he sits again in the living room, Igawa notices the young teen has scripts all over the dinner table. “A-are these the offers I sent you yesterday? You have gone through them so quick! I’m impressed as always.”

"Right." the young teen repeats slowly, staring at Igawa like one would a madman. “…So? I thought I had no schedule this week.”

"Mhm? Oh! uh, you don’t." the teenager frowns in confusion. He then pays attention to the box the man has been carrying all this time.

“What’s that?”

“Uh?”

“Inside that box.” Tenma points with his head. “Fan letters?”

Igawa gulps down. Maybe it hadn’t been the best idea after all. He scratches his head. “W-well, um, actually I was thinking of showing you this…”

He takes up the object from inside the box, and immediately Tenma frowns puzzled.

“A bonsai? I thought they were pretty much for old people.”

Igawa tries to laugh it off, placing the tree on the table next to the scripts. Tenma steps forward, touching it with the tips of his fingers with a spec of curiosity. He had never seen an actual bonsai. “W-well, not really! But it was um, my late father’s. He enjoyed taking care of them.”

Tenma quickly retract his hand from touching the plant anymore. “Ah, sorry.”

“Oh no! It’s fine.”

Tenma doesn’t seem to think it’s fine. Even though they have been together for so many years, he actually knows so very little from Igawa aside from being prone to having mental breakdowns yet being strangely skillful when coordinating his hundreds of different schedules. “So… why have you carried it here then? Bonsais are supposed to be impressive but this one looks more than a little runty and small.”

“This particular bonsai...” he starts quietly. His own father told him it was going to die years ago – even his mother asked if it was even worth watering. “I brought it to my house, hoping I could nurse it back to health. And you know. It did! It’s, um, kind of a stubborn Bonsai. It fought for every one of its roots, and it managed to survive when I showed it some care and attention. I thought- maybe you would like to, um, give it a try.”

“Like a pet? You know I don’t have time to take care of it, Igawa.”

“Not like a pet! I- well. I know it’s not the best uh, gift but it helped me when I was down. N-not that I think you are sad, of course just, um, thought it would also brighten up this apartment…?”

Tenma stares at the tree, and proceeds to sight in resignation. His manager was so weird sometimes.

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.

Tenma steps out of the bathroom, towel around his shoulders as he heads towards the living room. He keeps reading the message their parents sent -another too-long note about how they hadn’t been able to come to see him due to some issues, along with a promised video call that would probably not happen given the time.  

He closes the phone and yawns, heading to the sofa to eat the bento box the cleaning lady uses to leave him for dinner. It has carrots, and while he entertains himself in separating them, a sudden feeling makes him stop and lean back on the sofa, head looking at the ceiling. His head then turns to the right, finding the bonsai Igawa had left still in the same position he had left it.

Of course it was in the same position- he lived technically alone by now. If he didn’t take care of it, no one would.

M-my late father enjoyed taking care of them.

He stands up and walks towards the small tree, staring at it for some time, analysing every inch of its form. It really wasn’t the best-looking bonsai but…

“Sorry for making fun of you.”

There’s a silence after he says that sentence outloud, and Tenma almost cringes at his own actions. Who talked to plants?

He sighs scratching the back of his head and looks away. He stares at the phone in his hand, and then back again at the little tree. The young actor traces a finger along its leaves, softening his gaze once he notices how brittle they feel.

“…You should just grow at your own pace, you know. You for once are lucky to have all the time to be the best”.

Hearing those words almost feel they were for him too.

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Two days later Igawa calls the doorbell. They have an audition and need to be there early, since they are one of the first ones to go.

He rings again. No one opens the door. There is no sound coming from inside, which sets an alarm. Beggin this is just like when he forgot to wake himself up as a child, Igawa looks into his keys, finding the copy from the apartment. “Tenma-kun?” he calls. He runs to the bedroom, and then to his room.

Usually Tenma is brazen, so it’s strange even for Igawa to see him so out of his element. The manager blinks to make sure he really is seeing the young teen on the couch, curled around a book on bonsai as if he’s fighting an inward battle. 

“How do they make them so small?” he mutters to herself, unaware that he’s even in the room. He holds a bag of soil and scissors like they might get up and start dancing.

“Tenma-kun?”

Tenma jumps and in“Wha-! Igawa, you could at least ring if you are coming inside!” he exclaims, trying to hide everything he can to no avail. His ears are red.

“Sorry! I, uh, rang?” his eyes turn to the Bonsai that’s been sitting next to the orange-head. “Did you buy all of that for-”

“D-don’t get me wrong! It’s not that I got to enjoy taking care of it, I have far too much things to do, but- it’s not really smelly and, uh, it really brightens the apartment so… yeah.”

Igawa has to force himself to bite his lip in order to not smile.

“Of course! Please let me know if you have any question. I still have some things back at home if you would like to have them!”

Tenma knows Igawa is smiling -he’s not an idiot. He can see he’s barely containing his excitement, which is embarrassing on its own. But for this time, he’s gonna ignore it.

“…Thanks.”

His manager really was weird.

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As the passing years turns out, it gets settled in Igawa’s mind that while Tenma has become and actual celebrity just like he always wished, he isn’t exactly well in the emotional department. He wonders -not for the first time- if he should say anything, but then again, who is he to meddle in his employers' family matters?

So for now, he does his best from where he can help.

Please be there, please be there, please for heaven’s sake be still there.

Among the immense crowd at the entrance of the school, Igawa stops the car and rolls down the window. There are groups of people’s and families walking out, and he’s about to gie up when he’s finally noticed by who’s he’s been looking for. Motioning the car, he waits until the back door opens and hears the muffled sound of something dropping. Tenma holds his middle school graduation diploma on his hands. He is half slumped over the car seat; legs stretched as he stares blankly at nothing in particular.

“…I thought today was your day off.” He comments flatly.

“A-ah, that! It’s just, uh, Yamada-san suddenly got some urgent matters to attend to and I was already in the area so it was decided.” Igawa looks over the car’s mirror. “So, uh, how… was the ceremony? Did you take photos?”

"It was okay." Tenma responds dully. "Aren’t you going to start the car?"

Igawa stares again at the teen, worry churning in his gut. After all the school Tenma had missed -not his fault or on purpose, Igawa never blamed him for that- the preteen knew how important keeping his attendance up was and he desperately didn't want to be held back. He worked hard to catch up, trying to get to know other students that one day could be called friends. He just wanted some normalcy, to keep whatever regularity in his life he could.

That unfortunately, wasn’t always the case.

After arriving at the apartment, Igawa glances at the clock and bites his lip. He closes the door as gently as he can while watching the young actor walk down to the hall.

Igawa tries to understand the situation. He really does. With a heavy heart, he picks up his cell phone remembering the call, barely an hour ago.

We won’t be able to make it back home today. Congratulate Tenma for us.

“They sent sushi.”

There’s no emotion in the teen’s voice coming from the kitchen. The lights in the living room are still off, the only light coming into the luxurious flat from the opened blinds left by the cleaner that very morning.

"Tenma-kun," Igawa calls, seeing him leave the backpack to the side, blank face as he stared at the feast in front of him. He clears his throat. “Tenma-kun your parents… they couldn’t make it in time, it seems.”

“Mhm.”

No comments. Not a resemblance of surprise in his purple eyes as they eye the beautifully presented food.

“They, um- they told me they were truly sorry and they wish you spent a…” he felt dirty saying it outloud. “…wonderful day! I- I can confirm they’ll see you as soon as their own schedules frees them on the-”

“It’s fine, Igawa. See what you can do about the food, I’m gonna go change.” Tenma informs dismissing the matter. He walks away towards his room, still clinging to the diploma like a lifeline, his knuckles almost white. He closes the door and proceeds to seat on the floor, curling up. His eyes are squeezed tightly shut.

He is fine, he tells himself. He just needs to calm down and change his uniform. He knows Igawa and he will most likely come to get him if he doesn’t come out soon. There was no way he would make a fuss over it -he was not going to make his own manager worry. Impotence arises when he feels tears gathering in his eyes.

What is he, five?

“T-Tenma-kun?”

A few knocks come from outside the door, and his eyes snap open when he hears his name being called, panic practically oozing out of them.

"One second!" his breathing is erratic, coming out in strangled gasps as he leans over slightly, bracing his hands on his knees tighter. "Just- give me a second!"

Great acting. That was such a blatant lie the soon-to-be summer troupe member didn't know if he wanted to laugh or cry. He also knew Igawa hadn’t believed him. He wasn’t an actor’s agent for nothing -no matter how much of a nervous wreck and worrywart he was.

"…You know what, you can leave, Igawa." he croaks, his voice shattered. “You didn’t even had to come get me and now I’m acting like a child.”

"P-please! You have nothing to be sorry for!" Igawa exclaims. Tenma can’t see his face, yet he can picture it perfectly. He scoffs.

“I’m not that stupid you know. I expected something like this.” He tries to regain control of his voice, but it still sounds heartbreakingly shattered.

Embarrasing.

It wasn’t the first time they hadn’t come to see him. Nor the second one. Not even the fifth one.

But he had worked so hard this last year.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, Igawa thinks he might be sick.

Because Tenma was already fifteen. A young actor still rising who worked day and night, whose fame didn’t staring in multitude of  adverts. But for heaven’s sake he was also only fifteen too, sitting in the middle of his cluttered bedroom trying to understand why his parents couldn’t spend one day with him on the day he wasn't working on a movie or practicing for a casting call.

"You know Tenma-kun, You don't always have to be strong. Nobody will think any less of you." The manager mutters.

Tenma barely looks up. The dying sunlight from the lone window in his room cast his face half in shadow, half in warm glow, eyes half masked in tears that had yet to drop.

"You- Tenma-kun you are without a doubt…the strongest person I've ever had the privilege of knowing." He repeats, and feels the teen moving. Not that he can be sure, so he continues talking.

“Do you, um, mind if I stay? If you want, of course!” he hopes he doesn’t sound as awkwardly as he feels. “I, um, can put some plates and eat a bit. S-seems a waste of food, right?”

Tenma doesn’t make a sound, but that wasn't a no, so he stayed.

“Congratulations on your graduation, Tenma-kun.”

 Again, he doesn’t respond, but Igawa hadn't really expected him to.

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.

Tenma stares at the flyer left on his bed. “Igawa,” he calls as he picks it up and reads the address. “Do I have anything planned after the fitting custom today?”

“Let me double check! Let’s see… it seems that would be the last thing programmed. Were you thinking about doing anything?”

“I want you to drop me in one place. Don’t say anything to my parents.”

.

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.

"Do you realize the shame you've cause us? What this offer meant for your career?!"

“Dad, if you only-“

“I DON’T WANT TO HEAR EXCUSES!” with a punch on the table, Tenma’s jaw tightens and scowls.

They have been in the Sumeragi’s household for less than ten minutes and Igawa feel he can’t barely breath already. He knew that it was just—just discipline, and Igawa was merely a spectator. A horrified one at that.

Still, he can’t leave the teen to confront this obstacle alone.

"U-um, Eiji…san? Sir?” Igawa weakly intervenes next to Tenma, raising his hand. The tension in the air felt physical and his mouth dry. “M-maybe you should hear him out?"

Sumeragi breaks focus on his son and stares Igawa down, his face unreadably menacing.

"You…” Eiji’s voice is deeper than he remembers, intimidating him more than enough as he gets up from the sofa and points at him. “Lying to us for months... Making us believe whatever you wanted… and for what? What did you gain from this?"

Even though Tenma-kun might have inherited his talent and aptitude from you, he never wanted to depend on that alone. He wishes to push himself with his own strength. He thinks. But that is no appropriate answer, because again, their dynamics have always remained business-like. So he stays silent.

Sumeragi however, doesn’t.

“Tell me who are YOU, of all people- to decide what is best for my son?!" his voice is a raw shriek by now, and before Igawa can process anything, he is grabbed and yanked from the sofa onto the floor.

“DAD!” Tenma gets up as a reflex, wide-eyed at the view. Horrified at the change into violence. “Are you- out of your mind?! It’s me! It’s me who told him to lie to you two!”

Igawa hears both of them arguing in the distance, his arm hurts, and wishes the situation hadn’t turned like this. Oh, how he wished there was something after all the years he’s been Tenma’s manager and guardian he had had the courage to do.

He looks up toward the concerned teenager. Now instead of shiny purple eyes, he sees himself reflected in a sea of fear and anxiousness. “Tell him, Igawa! Please!” Tenma keeps begging him.

He shuts the option down. At this point that would only make things worse, he knows it would make it worse. Igawa stands up.

Who are YOU, of all people- to decide what is best for my son?!

Of course, he knew he wasn’t his father. Nor his family, or friend. But it didn’t matter. It really doesn’t.

“Above all, sir, I’m Tenma-kun’s manager. I work to help him reach his dreams.”

“Igawa…” Tenma trembles and Sumeragi barks a laugh. “His manager, you say… his dreams, you say.” he steps closer, and grabs him by the collar of his shirt. “We believed you understood how important Tenma’s future was. That you cared. We thought you knew the amount of work we do is to provide him with everything he might need to have a successful life! All I ever asked in return, Igawa, is for a little respect from MY employee.”

Igawa knows Tenma has never looked happier than where is now. His place is in Mankai, and so he will stand by what he said.

“Look me in the eye when I’m talking to you!”

Sumeragi raises his hand, and Igawa closes his eyes, ready for the impact.

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“Bear it a little bit more… that’s it.” Izumi smiles as she sees the summer actor flinch one last time at the contact the cotton does on his swollen cheek. It’s late at night, so there’s no one in the living room besides them an Igawa. “Did your father hit you because you joined our theatre as you please?”

Tenma feels Igawa tense.

“No, it’s because I refused a movie offer without asking him.” Tenma lies without missing a beat. “I’ve already apologized for it though. And I’ve told him this play is an important step in my career as an actor.”

“Because you don’t have any experience in theatre-?”

“I- um…” Igawa interrupts. Both of them turn to him. “I think Tenma-kun is in good hands. So… I will be leaving now.”

“Oh! Sure, Igawa-san. Thank you for everything.”

He bows to Izumi and heads outside. As he is about to open the car door, a figure comes running out of the dorm. Igawa barely looks at Tenma -he does and is sure will break, the memory flashing through his eyes like a nightmare already.

“You should rest. It’s. It’s been a hectic day and you have school tomorrow.”

“Igawa I-”

"It's fine. We talked plenty with your father. He apologized and so did I, for both of our actions." Igawa mutters faintly. “should never do something so-“

Tenma rolls his eyes, like he does everytime he thought Igawa was exaggerating. “I told you, it’s not that big of a deal. In a few days no one will-“

“It is a big deal, Tenma-kun!” he turns to him, shuddering with the effort of holding back tears. Another thing Tenma used to roll his eyes to. “You were hurt! You can't. You are- precious! You shouldn’t just- do such things without thinking!”

“Well I would do it again!” Tenma shouts back, and Igawa’s stomach flips. “Because it wasn’t your fault. It never was! Because I made you lie and worry all this time for my own selfishness and because I’m sorry!” the waver in his voice makes it all too real. Igawa had never seen the teen like that. “I… I’m sorry, Igawa.” he tries again, voice cracking this time. The summer leader frowns frustrated, not knowing what else to do. “I’m sorry.”

Igawa can't listen to him apologize anymore. He can't see the young teen on the verge of tears. The same boy who at eleven ran to him when he got the main lead in his first drama, the very same little boy who hid in the bathroom of his own apartment for hours until Igawa came and killed the cockroach. All of them make the cluster of emotions already begin to disappear, pulling out like the tide. "Tenma-kun please, no. No, stop. You can't- you can't be sorry for helping me. That's not fair." 

“W-well you can’t either!”

Tenma doesn't say anything after that for a long moment, and neither does Igawa. 

"I just, I got so mad because you weren’t saying anything. Because I had ruined everything. I know it's, it's not been fair for you. It's. It's not. I don't know. I'm sorry." 

Tenma feels pathetic. What kind of explanation was that supposed to be? He notices Igawa steps forward, his hand finding its way to Tenma’s hair, threading fingers through it. He is slow about it and oh so gentle.

"Wha- Igawa?"

He looks up, bewildered at Igawa’s gaze. It’s a gaze that he’s seen more and more, as years passed by. 

A softness reserved solely for him. 

Coming from anyone else, it would make him feel uncomfortable. Like pity, leaving him feeling strange and sticky. But on Igawa’s face, Tenma sees the melting-brown-eyes look for what it is. 

Love. 

"Tenma-kun, I’m proud to be your manager. I’ll always be." the man says. His voice comes out clean, just like he always did the few Tenma found himself nervous before an audition. "You are an incredible actor and an even better person. I already know you have what it takes, now you just need to show it to your father. To everyone else. I... I’ll be right behind."

And then he's hugging Tenma, incredibly awkwardly and everything of course -because that’s just who Igawa is- but also as though his life depends on it. 

It sinks on Igawa that in the end, Tenma does mean a lot to him. That's why he choose to care about him. On purpose and despite everything, he will care about him.

He notices the Tenma takes a while until he hugs him back, equally awkwardly.

"…Sure." Is all he manages to say. Because words cannot properly encompass the emotion building in his chest right now, cannot possibly give meaning to the tears stinging his eyes.

And Igawa sighs relieved.

.

.

.

Mornings tend to get chilly at Mankai. Tenma notices this everytime he has to leave his room early, just enough to feel the wind brush across his skin. It’s not cold, but the wind is brisk. It wants to be known. 

He has a shoot in an hour, so he yawns and stretches his back in front of his room, noticing from upstairs Tasuku arriving from his morning jog and Omi and some other early bird -probably director or Guy- heading towards the kitchen to prepare for the day.

He himself heads towards the courtyard for the bonsai trees zone. His zone. Where five of them stand on intricately designed and expensive ceramic pots.

He’s there for his prized possessions, the reason why he listens to the wind talk so loudly in the morning, ignores the slight chill on his cheeks. To check their soil is rich and dark. To stare and their leaves full and green before leaving the dorm.

“Morning.”

Greeting them had become somewhat of a routine. Now if he imagines hard enough, he can see the leaves open toward him, showing their health in all their waxy green glory.

He checks if there’s anything he needs to pay extra attention to. After all these years, of course, he’s learned how to painstakingly trim branches when they have gotten too unruly. He also counts down the days until he needs to turn the soil, has mapped out the places where they get the most sunlight thanks to Tsumugi, and watches intently for when they start to protest because the rays in the form of dry soil and drooping, crack their leaves.

Yes, Tenma takes pride in seeing them grow. To be the one who is able to help them, to pay them the attention they deserve to become the majestic bonsais he raised from seedlings to saplings.

Then, there’s this bonsai, the smallest of them all- a runt on its own right. It struggles to reach its branches toward the sun, one drinks up water from Tenma’s watering can hungrily. This last bonsai is always his last stop. Always.

It’s a stubborn one. A tree that needs lots of coddling and care. A tree that no matter how many years might have passed, doesn’t grow any taller or bigger or stronger at all.

“Still looking tiny as ever today, uh.” Tenma hums, but he’s speaking softly, lifting with care a stray branch with one hand and holding gardening scissors with the other. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d even think you shrunk.” he punctuates his quip with a snip.

Because it is actually fine.

Then the entrance door opens and a pair of panicky and already known into his core steps run towards the courtyard.

“I’m so sorry I’m late, Tenma-kun! I forgot the passing cards and had to go back into the office a-and then there was a lot of traffic in the last few blocks so I had to…!”

Igawa’s voice reaches the garden, and the teen stands up. “Well, I’m going.” he mutters to his bonsais. Their brittle leaves move with the wind, a light shimmer covering the surface as if saying take care, see you soon.

“They look healthy.”

He scoffs once he reaches Igawa’s side and gives a proud look back at the garden. “Of course they do. I never do half-hassed jobs, you know that.”

The man gulps down and nods as they head back once again to the entrance. “R-Right!”

“So? What was it today.”

“Well, you have…”

And as he watches the man trying to make sense of the three identical files he carries -he really should label those- warmth floods Tenma’s chest. A smile tries to make way into his mouth and his eyes soften for a few moments. There’s admiration. Respect. Fondness.

Because Igawa was the weirdest manager Tenma had ever had in his acting career. No matter how many years they had spent together he kept apologizing, always nervous and stressed regarding his packed schedule and whatnot. Enough to make the summer leader sight in all honestly.

Other times though, Tenma couldn’t be thankful enough.

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I was so excited to post this because it’s been a WIP for years!! Igawa has always been one of my favorite background characters. He deserves recognition.

Hope you all enjoyed it! Have a wonderful day! 💕