Summary: My name's Taniyama Mai, I'm twenty-three years old, and at the moment I'm in the dumps... so to speak. The only way I could get out of this was by becoming the world's most hottest band's manager, and to tell you the truth it was a harder job then it looked with monk bassists and twin devils, silent watchers and creepy boys. Oh what did I get myself into!
Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt, just the idea of this plot.
Author's Rant: This is my first Ghost Hunt fan fiction. I hope it comes out ok. It doesn't really have anything to do with ghost hunting. It's actually a band story. The idea came from reading a story on Reborn! and I thought 'Wow. I should totally make one for Ghost Hunt and instead of The Guardians I should call it ESP!' Just as a fair warning don't read if you don't know about Naru's little secrets, because they are associated with this story, some more then others.
Warning: Story is un'betaed!
ESP
Never thought of it!
As I waited outside the coffee shop for my two best friends, Michiru and Keiko, I couldn't help but sigh for the umpteenth time that day, the only thought processing through my brain was that I needed a job. My friends, one again like every other day, asked me if I wanted something to eat. Or they would ask me if I needed money to help restock my refrigerator. Or if I needed money to help pay the rent for my two-roomed apartment, which I was thinking of down grading to one-room because I could hardly pay the rent each turn in day, but don't tell them that! If they knew they would team up and pay half - NO! two thirds of my rent. That's the last thing I wanted.
Oh! How rude of me. My name's Taniyama Mai, I'm twenty-three years old, and at the moment I'm in the dumps... so to speak. I was laid off my job once again because there's all ways someone more capable of doing the job. Not saying that I'm incapable or anything, there's just someone with that extra skill that I just don't grasp. I guess you could say that I've been through enough jobs to have the ability to achieve any job I wanted.
So back to the problem at hand. I was laid off my job once again because I was replaced by someone else. So I needed another job, and I was determine to actually keep this job for once. I just knew that the next job I would get would be a keeper. I could just feel it deep down inside the core of my being and soul and-
"ESP!!" I covered my ears. Apparently Michiru and Keiko had finished getting there snacks. Looking to the left at the Electric Stop I walked over and stared at one of the screens, an amused look on my face as my friends crowded around another one. That group, ESP, was covering all the TV screens as an announcement was made from a lady:
One of the hottest bands from Japan is coming here. Yep! Yoooouuu guessed it! ESP is coming here to play a live concert for all there fans on the tenth. The announcement was made a few days ago... but get this! From a secret source I learned that the ESP is hosting there concert here in hopes of looking for a new, capable manager. That's riiiiiiight ladies and gentlemen. The ESP is looking for a new potential manager and it can be any of you! All you have to do is go buy the tickets - which are at a ridiculously low price of 1069 yen - see the concert and afterwards, if you're twenty-one and over, can go and apply for there job with an immediate interview! Now we've all heard of the band Hot Spot and...
Looking away from the screen I saw dreamy looks on my friend's faces. "I can't believe it!" Michiru exclaimed happily. "We can finally go see them. Ahhh! I can't wait to see Gene!" ESP was one of the hottest bands in Japan... even in America and in Europe. Eugene Davis was the lead singer in the band. His nickname was Gene and he was a year older then me. His twin brother gave him that name... and what is ironic is that he's in the band too! His name is Oliver Davis, one of the guitarists and the lead back-up singer, and his nickname was Noll... or Naru in Japanese, whatever that was supposed to stand for.
"I can't wait to see Bou-san!" Keiko breathed. Takigawa Houshou was the lead guitarist in the group. People call him Bou-san here in Japan because apparently he has a monk's background. From what I heard the quiet life of a monk was just that, to quiet. So he join the group because secretly he was practicing his guitar skills when his father wasn't looking, and Gene saw his talent during there high school life and asked him to join. If I remembered correctly Bou-san is two years older then Gene and Naru.
Then there was Yasuhara Osamu, a year older then Gene and Naru, who filled in as the drummer of the band. The last member is Lin Koujo, the only member without a Japanese background. There truly isn't much known about him other then the fact that he plays the bass guitar and keyboard for the band and is the oldest member at twenty-seven.
Sighing I said, "You guys don't even know where the concert is being hosted at." That burst there bubble. Keiko blew out some flustered air before she replied, "That's why there is that wonderful source called the internet, Mai-chan! So we are going to be able to go there." I was about to bite back that I didn't want to see that band - apparently I'm one of the few insane people who doesn't like them - but Michiru cut me off. "You're coming Mai for one reason. There hiring for a new manager, so you have to come to apply for the job. And don't try to sneak out of it Mai. Managers get paid money, and you need the money Mai." Keiko nodded her head viciously in reply. "But I don't really know anything about them!" I whined. "That's why there is that wonderful source called the internet, Mai!"
ESPESPESPMaiESPESPESP
Sighing I collapsed onto my bed in complete exhaustion. After that horrible unlucky run in with that television news cast I was forced back to Keiko's house as she and Michiru looked up on the computer where the concert was to be at and where to purchase the tickets.
Apparently the concert was going to be held at some local dance place called P.K. I've never been there before though I heard it was a pretty big place. I mean of course it had to be a big place considering that it had to house about a million crazy fans. The tickets were on sale at any ticket place we could fine, so that's exactly what we did which was going around town to all the local ticket purchasing areas. We found out that practically all of them were sold out of the tickets. I mean it's already been almost two weeks from the first announcement, and since there so popular all the girls had raided the stands for the tickets... at least that was one story from one guy who I felt very sympathetic towards considering the girls were animals when trying to get said tickets.
We finally found three tickets to purchase down town... way down town. After getting said tickets I found out that we only had enough money to pay for two via bus back to up town and home. Of course being the caring person I am I let my two friends take the money without even processing of how I'm going to get home. I only realized my dilemma after I walked one third of the way on tired, cramping feet.
When I did finally get home, at nine o'clock at night, I checked my phone messages first as I slipped into my old couch. Keiko had called to remind me to look up some information on the band that I would be interviewing for, telling me that it was bad interviewing credit if I had no idea who the band was working for and the members themselves. I think I knew the members pretty well considering that Keiko and Michiru don't stop talking about them.
So of course until about eleven thirty I was on my laptop looking up information about the company they were working for. I didn't even notice the time really until I went to make a snack. Of course I turned off my computer, quickly ate my snack, and took a shower. So here I am now, running through the information I picked up today off the computer about the company as I slowly drifted off into a deep sleep.
MaiMaiMaiESPMaiMaiMai
Two days later I was dragged by Keiko to the mall to buy some clothes to wear to the concert that were also appropriate to wear to the interview. I liked shopping and all, I mean what girl doesn't, though I really didn't like shopping for interview clothes.
"I just don't see why I can't wear something from my closet, Keiko-chan!" We were going through some clothes at a popular shopped at place. The clothes were really expensive as well. I don't see how I'm supposed to pay for this!
"Oh stop it Mai-chan! You need something new. Everything in your closet is old and worn. That won't look good for a first impression. You have to look like you at least came from a decent classed place! Not from the dumps Mai." Well that could definitely give a girl some team spirit. Oh who was I kidding. I was an orphan since ten. I had to make it on my own since I was sixteen. I could hardly afford anything fancy. I mean I had no parents to help me purchase anything fancy. Not that I care or anything because I don't. I'm grateful for what I have and I'm never going to complain about it either, because in reality I have nothing to complain about.
Keiko started to pile up clothes upon clothes into my waiting - reluctant mine you because I was still wondering how I was going to pay for these- hands and I was quickly shoved into a dressing room.
"Don't worry Mai-chan! You're going to make such an excellent impression you're sure to be hired!"
MaiMaiMai?GeneGeneGene
Looking around in awe I was temporarily blinded by the flashing lights that danced across the floor. This place was huge, no enormous! At the east of the place was a little bar where teens and adults were sitting at, drinking down there daily douse of highness. To the west and all the way to the left up against the north wall sat some speakers, the northeast exactly the same and separated from the bar by some warning tap. In-between both speaker areas and taking up the rest of the north was a giant stage, having one of those metal separators that kept the fans away from the stage at a reasonable distance. Guess who that stage belongs to. Only one guess! What made this place even more amazing is that even with all those things it could still fit the million of fan girls (and boys).
Up on the ceiling was some funky design. You could start out seeing a moon, then you would see a man wearing a hat, then some cat, a boy riding a scooter, a dog, a bird on a boat in the sea... and well you could continue spinning round in circles and tilting your head at different angles just to see a million different pictures. It was actually quite fun, though you would look like a total idiot.
A whole bunch of screams met my ears as I was dragged up toward the front by Keiko and Michiru who were jumping up and down as the main lights went out and the stage lights came on. Out onto the stage came, by my guess, Eugene Davis, as he took to the center of the stage and grabbed the microphone. "Hello!" he spoke into the microphone, a million screams echoing into my ears as all the girls screamed at his voice. "It's so nice to see so many of our lovely fans supporting us tonight..." More screams, a bit more of Gene's intro speech then the stage lights went out, as a creepy organ sound reached my ears, like some sort of haunted house theme.
The lights slowly came back on as this solo went on, showing that all the band members were already seated on the stage. Then went a short drum entrance followed by the lyrics accompanied with the guitars:
"Take a look at my life, all black
Take a look at my clothes, all black
Like Johnny Cash, all black
Like the Rolling Stones wanna paint it black
Like The night that we met, all black
Like The color of your dress, all black
Like The seats in my Cadillac
I used to see red now it's just all black."
"I love you Gene!!" I heard Keiko scream next to my ear.
"As long as I could remember I dreamed in black and white
As I grew up and the sun went down I never felt more alright
My mother she used to tell me...Son you better get to church
It's a dark dark world and there's evil out there and you know it's only getting worse
Never been much for weddings or anniversaries but I go to a funeral if I'm invited any day of the week
Some people say that I sound strange some say that I'm not right
But I find beauty in this world every single night."
Then the entrance lyrics came back into play. I guess those were the main words. As those went on again I took the time to notice the players. Gene was singing into the microphone, which was in his right hand, his other hand gripped onto the top of the microphone stand as he swung around it and used it like a prop. His twin was toward the right of the drums, singing the back up into his microphone, drumming the strings to his guitar. His face was pretty stiff I noticed. Then Bou-san was dancing around him playing the lead guitar part with a genuine smile on his face. At least he looked like he enjoyed doing what he did.
"I sat down at her table at the end of the night
She was having black coffee and a cigarette, she wasn't wearing white
She said, people tell me that I'm strange they say that I'm not right
She said the only time I feel alive is in the dead of night
I think I found the one for me."
The main part of the song went by again and I took that chance to look at the last two members of ESP. Yasuhara was back on the drums pounding away at his part, his head bobbing to his beat, eyes happily sparkling. Then there was Lin, playing the bass part with the keyboard straight in front of him. His face was emotionless, though you could see the slight movement of his head going up and down to the beat of the song.
"I remember feeling so alive
The night I looked into her eyes"
That part went into a slow trance, and it drew me in. My eyes locked with Gene's and I couldn't help the blush that spread across my face. It felt like he was singing those words to me, personally. Then the main beat came back and I was snapped out of it, the blush on my face increasing in temperature as I looked away. That was stupid. Why would he sing to me?
Take a look at my life, all black
Take a look at my clothes, all black
Like Johnny Cash, all black
Like the Rolling Stones wanna paint it black
Like The night that we met, all black
Like The color of your dress, all black
Like The seats in my Cadillac
I used to see red
I used to see red
Take a look at my life, all black
Take a look at my life, all black
Take a look at my life, all black
all black
all black
Take a look at my life, all black
Take a look at my life, all black
Take a look at my life, all black
all black
all black
all black
all black
all black"
MaiMaiMai?NaruNaruNaru
I was shaking all over as I waited for my turn to be interviewed by the band. I was about tenth in line out of fifty... no seventy people. I don't exactly remember how I got here so fast except that there was a lot of bumping and pushing with rabid screams so before I knew it I was here, tenth in line.
Of course you would think 'Why am I so nervous?' Well now I was number one in line, the other nine people already went for there interview, the ninth one inside the room right now. So I didn't really get time to think about anything. To tell the truth I was so nervous I could faint. I could hardly remember anything about the band either. Made me wonder how I was ever hired for a job. Did people take pity on me? Did I look like a pitiful person?
The door opened to the left of me and out came a smug looking number nine. Ouch. I hope that won't be me.
"Next!"
Taking a deep breath I turned and entered the room, shutting the door quietly behind and trapping myself in my sure to be doom.
The band members were sitting behind a desk, each pulled up in comfortable looking chairs. Guess where I sat. You got it! Nowhere. Sighing I walked forward and stood before them (at a reasonable distance).
"Hi," said Gene, an easy-going smile on his face. He was centered in the middle of the table.
"So what brings such a pretty lady like yourself here?" asked Bou-san, cutting off Gene from asking my name.
"My name's Taniyama Mai," I directed toward Gene, who nodded his head in appreciation, "and I came here to get a job of course." I smiled sweetly at Bou-san, which betrayed what I was truly feeling, which was a nervous wreak. I wonder if Bou-san's question was part of the questioning...
"Your age," spoke Naru, who rested on the right of his twin. He stared at me with an unnerving stare, one that almost said, 'This isn't worth my time, so stop wasting it and leave.' For some reason it ticked me off. Staring back at him evenly I smiled and replied, "Twenty-three years old."
"Have you ever participated in business work?" Giving him a blank stare I heard Gene chuckle beside his twin. "What this idiot scientist means is that do you have experiences in planning and organizing, good with math and hiring crews. You know, 'business work'." My mouth made an o-shape before I nodded my head.
"Of course. I have had been hired for countless companies that required me to file. I fine myself a very organize person in work when it calls for it and out of work. As for math, it's not exactly my favorite subject but the world calls for it so yea... I guess I can calculate shipping stuff or concert set up budgets. As for hiring crews... that would be a new experience for me." I smiled sheepishly at the end. I hope that sounded professional because to my ears it sounded at whole lot like 'blah, blah, blah', and from Naru's blank stare I had a feeling it sounded like that to him as well. Sheesh. He could at least cut a girl a break. I was here to help his band, so he could show a bit more sympathy and consideration considering that I didn't even have to be here. Oh, he already got me ticked off and heated over nothing.
Still... I hoped I wasn't making a fool out of myself.
"What do you mean you had been hired," asked Lin. I didn't even know he could talk. He striked me as the silent type. If only I knew how right I was.
"Well I've been laid off from my jobs." Well that sounded bad. Laughing nervously I waved my hands before myself. "Not that I was a slacker or anything. You can ask my previous bosses. It's just that there were people who seemed to have that extra skill that I just didn't seem to have learned. Like another language or the ability to sweet talk someone. You know?"
Gene seemed to nod his head thoughtfully. "Well then Taniyama Mai-san, it was a pleasure to speak with you. If you would please leave you're number with Chris" - I just recently noticed the tall bulky man standing in the corner shadows near the door - "we'll call you if we find you more capable of handling our band."
OverOverOverNotOverOverOver
Collapsing onto my bed I sighed in relief. Well that was easier said then done. Even though I was so nervous during the interview I thought I did a pretty good job.
Rolling over I closed my eyes as sleep seeped into my bones. I really hope that I got that job... I knew I did though. There was just this feeling there between everything else that told me I did.
As sleep crawled its way into my being I had to admit that I never felt this happy in a long time.