This was it. Her favorite part of the night. Sweat drenched with her bangs falling gently on her nose, Yumi took the stage alone. It was the last song of the night, and she had a solo.
Pulling her favorite acoustic guitar into her lap, she tuned it, then looked out to the crowd below her. A warm smile crept on the punk rocker's face. This was her home; these were her siblings, and she was about to reveal a song she'd been waiting to debut for ages.
"Thank you, everyone, for coming out tonight. You all are really so, so rad for sticking with us so long. So, as a gift to all of you, and of course a special someone, here's something I've written on my own. I hope you enjoy." After the crowd cheered once more, Yumi began playing the beginning chords to her surprisingly mellow song.
"Darling,
Is it just you and me happily running
our whole world?
But it's not warm inside even though that we
Wish it were
And I know it's impossible for me to
Tell you now
I want to, but
I don't know how",Peeking from the side of the stage was a curious Ami. She'd never seen Yumi with such a warm, glowing look on her face. It was even weirder to hear her sing so softly. She felt the same warmth from Yumi's words flowing from her friend's lips and finding a resting place in her own chest.
"Maybe,
It's not what it seems even though I am dreaming
Of you,
And if I knew the words to a ballad
You'd know them too
My heart wants to claim the refrain in your name
for itself
But I hold it back
For someone else",Yumi felt as though she were midwinter itself. These words, pent up feelings she's held onto for years, were finally finding an escape. They were finally free.
"And yes, love I know, that you will
Never be mine.
But I'll tell you the truth
I will wait time after time...
And I can't help but wonder..."A pause. Yumi felt the bunched up feeling in the back of her throat. Ami, oddly enough, felt it too. Suddenly a new chord was played, and Yumi's face lit up again. Ami gripped her drum sticks tightly in her hands, as the chorus of Yumi's song filled the atmosphere with sudden passion.
"Who am I in your eyes? "Oh God,
Or is your vision hazy?
Don't you know I love you,
with every part of me?
Oh, please
Tell me what can I do?
To be the one for you?"Oh my God", Ami exhaled, almost like a sigh. Kaz, who had been standing right beside her, shushed her. "I can't believe it", Ami thought. "Yumi is in love. Yumi, my Yumi, is lovesick."
I know that it's wrong like a bird with no song
But it hurts
To love her so much without showing her
Is much worse
You can damn me to hell I will take the words well
I swear
If I hold her,
I won't care!"
"Sorry, And yes, love, I know that, you'll
I know it's a lot but I throw all I've got up
Above
Because what else can happiness be if it
Isn't love
And I've never met someone who fit me
quite so well
The stairs don't go down, it's up I fell.
never be mine
But I'll tell you the truth
I will wait time after time...
And I can't help but wonder..."No pause this time. Yumi knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted the passionate climax of her diaphragm shoving her heart out her throat. She wanted the butterflies that have so bitterly attacked the lining of her stomach to fly past her lips and be seen by the world.
"Who am I in your eyes? The one for you..."
Or is your vision hazy?
Don't you know I love you,
with every part of me?
Oh, please
Tell me what can I do?
To be the one for you?
Who am I in your eyes?
Or is your vision hazy?
Can't you see I love you
with every part of me?
Oh, please
Tell me what can I do?
To be the one for you?
"Thank you everyone, and goodnight!", the two shouted in unison, and they both exited the stage, arms linked. Ami didn't say a word about how much Yumi was trembling.
Their way back to the bus was hectic; there were paparazzi left and right, asking Yumi numerous questions about the song and, of course, her sexuality. She did just come out, live, at a concert.
When they made their way back, Ami dragged Yumi to her room. As soon as the door was shut behind them, Ami hugged Yumi as hard as she could.
"Yumi, you did wonderfully! It was amazing! I've never seen you sing like that", Ami giggled as she squeezed Yumi tightly. Yumi was quiet, smiling softly to herself as she held her friend close.
"You mean, you don't care that I'm...?" Yumi took a deep breath, still not used to saying it aloud. "Ami, you don't care that I'm gay?"
"Um, of course not. Sexuality isn't a big deal. You're still the same Yumi I know and love, just gay." Ami pulled away from the embrace, resting her hands on her companion's shoulders. Yumi had the biggest, doofiest grin on her face, a mixture between joy and relief. Ami chuckled and pulled Yumi back into a tight embrace.
"Jesus Christ, Ami, you're the best...you're my favorite person." Burying her face into Ami's shoulder, she let one or two tears fall, but not enough for Ami to see.
"Yumi, look up for a moment, please." Ami draped her arms around Yumi's neck, a shy smile and a light blush on her face. Yumi studied her features carefully, and suddenly her heart felt as though she were on stage again, singing her untitled song.
"Yumi, you aren't the only one with something to confess." Ami nibbled on her lip, her blush slowly deepening. "I'm not too sure what my own sexuality is...but I do know for sure that I am terribly and undoubtedly in love with you. And I have been for a really long time, and I thought I'd never tell you, but then you sang your song but I know it may not be about me but I just wanted to tell you and-"
"Ami, shut up." Yumi chuckled, wrapping her arms tightly around her friend's waist. "I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you."
Their lips met, their bodies pressed, and they made a perfect string of chords, better than any song they had composed before.