"Oh Kuraaaaaaaaaaaaama!" Yusuke bellowed amusedly into the Science Lab, which had been transformed into a make-shift dressing room for the guys. "You'll be late for your cue!"
Kurama glanced up from across the room as he pulled on the last piece of his tuxedo, the black swallow-tail jacket. "Yusuke, please. This is the SCHOOL play. You must remember- to everyone else here I am Shuuichi."
Yusuke shrugged, laughing. "Well, SHUUICHI, you're about to miss your own solo."
Kurama gasped and snatched up his top hat, running out the door and down the hallway, Yusuke's uproarious laughter in his ears.
Toshiko sighed as she watched Hiroko finish her solo "Summertime." Next was the ensemble singing "Every Time I Feel The Spirit." Toshiko had wanted so badly to be in the ensemble... She lowered her head, her blue eyes filling with tears. Why didn't she get to sing with them? Well... She was afraid. She was horribly shy. If anyone walked toward her to talk to her, she would turn away; if anyone smiled at her, she would ignore them; if anyone tried to be her friend, she would avoid them at all costs. So, naturally, she didn't sing loud enough for anyone to hear. She was let into Chorus on the grounds that she had a beautiful voice, not that she could sing with beautiful volume. She was really having trouble with that.
She looked up as the ensemble sang, smiling a little at the perfect harmony. She examined the faces of the ones she knew... Nezumi with her deep, white wine colored eyes, deep tan, and long black hair pulled up in a half-bun; Evie with her hypnotic golden eyes, creamy skin, and striking red hair falling loosely about her shoulders; Roga with her shoulder-length brown hair, browned skin, and bright, dancing blue eyes; and Ren, Roga's twin. Needless to say, Toshiko didn't know any of the guys. She was frightened enough of girls, but GUYS- she hid from them no matter how kind or gorgeous they were. But she did know who they were. She knew a few of the guys in high school chorus. She knew Jacob, Kei, Ryuu and Shuuichi. Jacob was shy and mysterious. He had silky shoulder-length black hair and dark eyes, and was very pale. His paleness only made him look handsome, instead of sickly. Kei was cute and flirty, a half-Italian. He was a Mama's boy, too. Beautiful blue eyes and light- almost white- blonde hair. He was very tan in spite of his fair hair and eyes, and very attractive. Ryuu was a friendly person. Funny, but always at the right times. He had light brown hair and light brown skin, and puppy-like brown eyes. He was adorable. And then there's Shuuichi... Beautiful long red hair, fair skin, and bright green eyes. He was very gentle and kind. He always smiled at her, though she merely blushed and hastily looked away.
He was singing a solo right now. The rest of the ensemble was humming. Toshiko allowed herself a smile while she listened. What a pure, beautiful voice! She closed her eyes and listened very carefully to every tone, every pitch and fluctuation.
Then it was over. All too soon. Applause erupted across the room, Toshiko joining in reluctantly after a moment. She stood, gathering her skirt up so she wouldn't trip as she walked down the bleachers. She went out the door and to her spot in the hallway next to the door where everyone would come in. She plastered a fake smile on her face as she walked on-stage, glancing out at the crowd. The director motioned for "energy" and everyone began to converse among themselves. Toshiko turned to her right, where Evie was standing.
Evie laughed quietly. "Shuuichi has a beautiful voice, doesn't he?" she murmured in that soft, whispery voice she had.
Toshiko smiled. "Yes. He has a very lovely voice."
"I bet, if you asked him, he'd help with your quietness."
"What? Oh, but I couldn't possibly...!" Toshiko squeaked, her face growing hot.
The girl on the risers slightly below them turned around to talk to them. "What's this about Shuu-chan?" Nezumi asked, her bright eyes sparkling but serious.
Evie grinned. "Toshi's gonna ask Shuuichi to be her voice tutor."
Toshiko blushed even more. "Who said I was going to?"
"You're going to." the girls said in unison.
Toshiko glared at them, flustered. "How am I supposed to do that? I couldn't!"
"Don't be shy." said the girl next to Nezumi, Ren. "Shuuichi-chan is very kind. He'd love to help you, you know." She smiled.
"B-But---"
"Do it! Do it!" said Roga and Ren together.
Toshiko sighed in defeat. "What if he says no?"
"He won't say no." replied Evie.
The director signaled for them to begin their song, and the girls immediately halted in their conversation and did so. "Dixie" was easy for Toshiko to sing. She had practiced far more than was necessary due to the fact that it had been stuck in her head for a maddeningly long time... The play finished all too quickly from there, and Toshiko's friends were waiting for her to get finished with her dressing into normal clothes. She pulled on a pair of dark denim shorts and a green T-shirt with a red rose right in the center, then headed for the door, peeking out to see if she could sneak away before her friends could find her.
WHUMP.
Toshiko squeaked as she found herself on the ground, face down, with a small body on her back. "Toshi-kun!" a high-pitched voice piped. Toshiko sighed longsufferingly. Nezumi's little sister, Izumi... The little girl hopped off the blonde and helped her up as best she could. "Toshi-kun, Toshi-kun, onee-chan's a-lookin for ya!"
Toshiko stood and brushed the dirt off herself. "Izzy-chan, you can't tell onee-chan where Toshi-kun is, okay? It's a secret, cos we're playing hide-and-seek." she said, placing a finger to her lips and winking.
Izumi giggled. "Okee, Toshi-kun. I no telling!" she said in an cute, exaggerated whisper.
"Why don't you make up a place, and tell her I'm there so I can escape?" Toshiko asked, bending down to Izumi's level, her voice serious but playful at the same time.
Izumi giggled again. "Okee!" she whispered, nodding vigorously, before running off to find her sister.
Toshiko sighed and peeked out the door again. No one in sight... She exited the library, carefully closing the door behind her and-
THUMP.
Toshiko gave a little cry of surprise as she fell to the ground and mumbled several apologies to the person she had run into. How could this person have slipped by without her notice!
"Oh, that's alright." said a soft, smooth voice as a hand slipped around hers and gently helped her up. Her face went as red as the blood in the veins beneath it when she found herself staring into beautiful, bottle-green eyes. She pulled her hand away almost roughly and stood up straight. "M-Minamino-san... You're still here?" she blurted.
He smiled pleasantly. "Yes. I believe your friends are looking for you..."
That just caused her to blush more. "Uh... yeah. Actually, I'm..." She gulped. "... trying to avoid them at the moment..."
Kurama chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "Why would you do that?"
She feigned a cough. "Cause they want me to do something I'd rather not do... And they're going to try to force me."
"And what is that?" he asked, true to his curious, fox-like nature.
She went silent, watching him cautiously. Now would be the perfect time to ask him. This was the best moment she could ever hope for. This oppurtunity would, most likely, never appear again.
Kurama tilted his head to one side cutely. "I haven't talked to you much, have I? I just realized that now." He chuckled to himself. "I've spoken with almost every girl in chorus- except you."
Toshiko felt her face return to its normal temperature. "But you haven't been to any more than five or six practices all year..."
He blinked, then laughed softly. "That's true. You're observant."
"You're the director's prodigy. Everyone knows about your activities in chorus..."
"I suppose that's true as well."
She laughed a little, unable to help herself. "Yup."
Kurama stopped laughing. "I don't think I've heard you sing. All the other girls have unique voices, voices that you can tell apart quite easily."
Toshiko's eyes widened, and her laughter stopped as well, the blush returning. "Oh. Um... yeah, well... I... I don't have a voice as pretty as any of theirs, so."
He smiled. "I want to hear... your voice."
She shut her gaping mouth and closed her eyes, shaking her head vigorously.
Kurama kept his gorgeous smile. "Shy?"
She nodded just as quickly.
"You don't have to be. Sing a song for me. I won't laugh or anything."
"At least not here. I don't want Nezumi or Evie to find me!" She looked around as that thought returned. What if they saw her here, talking to Shuuichi?
Kurama sighed. "Alright. Where, then?"
"I don't know! Just not here."
He glanced around, then grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the library, closing the door and twisting the lock on the knob. "Is this a good place?" he asked gently, turning to her with a smile.
She blushed. "Minamino-san, I don't have a very pretty voice and---"
He put a finger over her lips and her face got even redder. "Don't talk. Just sing." He smiled and walked over to sit down in one of the simple wooden chairs.
Toshiko glared at the floor. "What should I sing?" she asked bluntly.
"Whatever you wish." He set his chin on his hand, his elbow supported on one knee.
She was quiet for a long time, unable to decide. She looked up at the fox in defeat. "I have no idea what you would want to hear."
He sighed. "Sing a song you like, and one that you think you can sing well."
She looked at the ground again. Her thoughts trailed all over her CD collection, and she ended up wanting to sing a Kelly Clarkson song. She had gotten that CD about two weeks ago and had listened to it non-stop for almost the whole time. She could hit most of the notes in Since U Been Gone, but she hadn't ever sang it in front of someone... Especially Shuuichi Minamino. She thought of Breakaway, but she didn't remember all the words. So she settled on a simpler song that she could relate to. She cleared her throat and looked up again at an invisible point above Kurama's head. "Seems like just yesterday- you were a part of me. I used to stand so tall: I used to be so strong. Your arms around me tight, everything it felt so right- unbreakable, like nothing could go wrong. Now I can't breathe- no, I can't sleep- I'm barely hanging on. Here I am, once again- I'm torn into pieces. Can't deny it, can't pretend- just thought you were the one. Broken up deep inside, but you won't get to see the tears I cry- behind these hazel eyes. I told you everything- opened up and let you in. You made me feel alright, for once in my life. Now all that's left of me is what I pretend to be- so together but so broken up inside. Cause I can't breathe- no, I can't sleep- I'm barely hanging on. Here I am, once again- I'm torn into pieces. Can't deny it, can't pretend- just thought you were the one. Broken up deep inside, but you won't get to see the tears I cry- behind these hazel eyes. Swallow me then spit me out. For hating you I blame myself. Just seeing you it kills me now... No, I don't cry- on the outside- anymore! Anymore..." She blinked as her voice faded. How the hell did she hit that note! How the hell did she not screw up AT ALL!
Kurama smiled and clapped softly. "You have a lovely voice, Toshiko-san."
She blinked again. First-name basis already? What demon was playing with her head! She stuttered some sort of thank you, but forgot what she said about a second later.
He stood and walked to her, taking her hand gently. He smiled and led her out of the library and out into the parking lot to her car. Did she tell him where she had parked...? She looked to him as he opened the door for her. "Bye." he said. "See you at school next week."
Toshiko looked at the ground and before she knew what she was doing, kissed his cheek softly. She then jumped into her little Neon and drove off, being extra-careful on all the turns to get off school grounds. She grabbed her CD case and pulled out Kelly Clarkson with a happy laugh. "I kissed him, I kissed him." She put the CD in and sang along to all her favorite songs, her thoughts filled with Shuuichi's red hair and emerald eyes.
Owari