The Number One Song in Heaven
"Waaah! Thank you, Lion! Thank you, thank you!"
"A-ah, it… I-it's alright…"
Lion winced, as he felt his whole body being assaulted by one hundred pounds of overly-excitable, squealing little sister.
Maybe buying Jessica those tickets had been a mistake… But, she had wanted to see that band for so long now – and Natsuhi had never been too keen on the idea of Jessica going, not by herself. Even though Jessica was eighteen now, Natsuhi didn't really trust her. Or, maybe she was just being over-protective…?
For whatever reason, Natsuhi had been more accepting of the idea when Lion volunteered escorting Jessica to one of their concerts for her birthday.
"Well, if you're with her… I know you're sensible, Lion. You'll keep in her line, won't you?"
"Of course, mother. But, I don't think you need to be so harsh on Jessica. I'm sure she's mature enough to control herself."
…Is what Lion had said, but now…
"Lion! You're the best! Sometimes, you're a boring crusty old grumpypants after all!"
"What do you mean, crusty and old? I'm only a couple of years older than you."
"Ahaha, details, details!~ Yay, Lion! I love you!~"
"Y-you do, huh…? Only after I buy you something?"
"Of course!"
"Why is the new generation so materialistic… It's depressing…"
"Hehe~ Now, you really do sound old!"
"Urgh…"
"But, it's okay! Having a bossy big brother might not be so bad after all!"
Lion sighed as Jessica continued to maul at him – completely disregarding his feelings.
Maybe Natsuhi had been right after all…
Lion didn't really understand popular music. He was fairly fond of some classical pieces, Beethoven and Bach, but that was mainly because his mother enjoyed it. He hadn't really had much exposure to any other genres of music, save listening to Jessica's rather… energetic… performances with the light music club during the culture festival.
Although Lion tried to be supportive of his sister's extra-curricular interests, he didn't really 'get' her passion for music. In fact, he didn't even know whether the noises Jessica's club made really counted as 'music'. It had none of the sweet, subtle lilt of Fur Elise, or Moonlight Sonata.
The lyrics were strange, and he often couldn't hear what Jessica was saying above the cacophony of guitar and bass and drums. It wasn't pleasant for Lion at all, and the entire experience only served to make him feel confused. Why did everybody seemed so excited by that music Jessica and her band played? Was it really that good? Was he missing out on something…?
Jessica always laughed at Lion and clapped him on the shoulder (usually using too much force) and shook her head.
"Don't worry about it. It's fine if you don't understand. I didn't think you would."
"What do you mean, 'understand'? There's nothing to understand, surely – it's just noise."
"Ehehe… Well, you know. It's about the atmosphere. The feelings! The tension! You know?"
"No."
"Ahaha, well… I didn't think you would. You're too much like mom."
"W-what do you mean by that?"
"I mean, you're stuffy and old, too~ As expected for the next head of the Ushiromiya family, ahaha~"
"I… I'm not old. And, I would prefer it if you would refrain from making such rude remarks. You're also a member of the Ushiromiya family. Mother would scold you, if she knew how wild you act away from home."
"I can talk however I want, you're my big brother, and anyway- ow…!"
It was at this point in the conversation Lion typically lost his temper, and pinched Jessica – accompanying this small outburst of carefully-controlled violence with a tight-lipped smile.
It was a smile Jessica always said made her shiver. Behind Lion's carefully composed, well-mannered demeanour, it seemed something quite frightening was lurking…
As such, Lion had never been able to learn what it was about this so-called 'popular music' that Jessica, and her peers, found so appealing. Whenever Jessica tried to explain it, it was with vague words that didn't really make any sense; didn't add to very much.
And listening to this band, Jessica's favourite band (SSVD, weren't they called?), in an uncomfortably crowded venue filled with fans even more rowdy than Jessica, wasn't helping to illuminate the young successor to the Ushiromiya family.
It was an… unusual band, comprised of two key members. Cousins, Lion thought Jessica had told him, though they didn't look all that similar.
The man on keyboard looked a few years older than Lion, maybe in his mid-twenties. He had a well-groomed mustache and light blue eyes, and looked a little bit like an antiquated old butler – kind of like Sebastian from Heidi. Either that, or a pantomime villain.
His 'shtick' seemed to be, mostly, some kind of silent comedy routine. Whilst he played the keyboard, he would often roll his eyes at the singer, or else look out, critically, towards the audience, a small smirk on a smile on his lips.
The singer, meanwhile… Well...
Unlike the unusual keyboardist, the lead singer looked exactly as Lion had imagined. He looked cocky, self-assured; looking out towards the audience with a smile. His hair was mussed up, dark brown, with a few strands of red mixed in by his bangs (but why…? Lion had no idea).
He was singing some kind of 'glam rock' song (that was the genre of music this band performed, Jessica had explained to Lion before the concert). As he sung, his voice pleasantly low and deep, her looked out towards the audience, smiling. When his narrowed eyes met Jessica's, she gave a little squeal, and clung onto Lion's arm tightly.
"Lion! He looked at me! Will looked at me!"
Lion couldn't help but roll his eyes – the motion, uncannily enough, coinciding with the keyboardist's. Maybe the keyboardist was mocking his ostentatious cousin, too?
"Are you sure? He could've been looking at anyone, Jessica."
"No, he wasn't! He was looking at me! He was definitely looking at me!"
"Well… If you say so…"
But, why did it even matter? Why did Jessica sound so excited? Lion didn't understand at all.
"He's probably a jerk. He's looking at all the girls like that."
"But when he looked at me, there was something special! There was definitely something special!"
"The guy on the keyboard is looking at the audience, too. Don't you care about that?"
"Huh? Him?"
Jessica pulled a face.
"No. That's Ron."
"Ron?"
"Ronove. But nobody cares about him. He's just there to balance out Will, you know? Because Will's so cool~"
"Cool, huh…?"
Was that stupid strand of red hair, completely and utterly pointless, 'cool'? Really?
Popular music really was a confusing thing. What was the point in music when the audience kept screaming and shouting over it, anyway? Didn't it defeat the point?
At least Jessica seemed to be happy.
"A-aah, Will… Will, can I, um… I-if it isn't too much bother… E-ehehe… Ehehe…"
Lion stood by Jessica's side in the queue. Finally, after half an hour of waiting they'd made their way to the front, to meet the members of the band. Willard and Ronove. Known to their fans as Will and Ron.
Jessica wanted Will's autograph. She'd talked about getting his autograph almost all day. And yet, now she was actually here, she'd come over all strange and shy. Her face was flushed light pink, and she awkwardly swayed from side to side, looking down at the floor; lips pursed together.
Lion sighed, running a hand through his hair. What a pain. And why was Jessica swooning so much over this 'Will' guy, anyway?
Maybe it was the hair.
Really, what was the point in that red hair?
If Lion didn't say it, it seemed likely they'd be waiting all night. Although Jessica was never, ever bashful around Lion (she had absolutely no qualms in making fun of her older brother), was unable to even form a single coherent sentence when around Will.
He was a formidable opponent, alright. Anybody who could make Ushiromiya Jessica lost for words was a powerful person. Not even Lion could manage that.
"Hey. I think my sister would like your autograph."
"A-ah, Lion…!"
"What?"
Jessica glared at Lion, lower lip jutting out.
"I wanted to ask for the autograph! I did!"
"I was just trying to help you, little sister. Does it really matter who asks?"
"Of course it matters! It's Willard frickin' Wright!"
"Don't say that, Jessica."
"What, Willard?"
"No, 'frickin''. It's unladylike."
Jessica folded her arms, glaring at Lion.
"Hmph. What a grump."
"Oh, no, it's alright. There's no need to worry, miss. Here you go."
With a winning smile, winking, Willard signed a piece of card with a flourish and handed it over to Jessica. Jessica reached over to accept it, blushing. Their fingertips touched as she took the signed card, making her squeak in surprise.
"Kyaa~ Willard~~~"
Lion tutted under his breath, arms folded.
"How ridiculous. What an annoying person…"
"Annoying? You think I'm annoying?"
Will looked at Lion, brows raised. He seemed surprised.
Lion winced. He hadn't meant to speak so loudly. Even though Lion did find this pretentious 'glam rock' star highly annoying, he hadn't wanted to be so rude as to make his feelings apparent. That kind of thing wasn't befitting of the next head of the Ushiromiya family. Passive aggression, pinches and forced smiles were.
"No, I… I do not think you are annoying, in particular. This kind of music is not to my taste, that is all."
"Pu ku ku~"
The man stood beside Will, Ronove (the one whom only had a very, very small following, compared to Will. Lion noted Ronove hadn't been asked for his signature nearly as much as Will had), laughed.
"I think that is a fair assessment. You would not know unless you had visited his apartment, but Will really is a slovenly person. I feel sorry for his fans, respecting him so much. In actuality, he's far more 'uncool'. Pu ku ku~"
"Haa… Is that so…"
Lion turned to Will, arms folded, grinning.
Will frowned, looking slightly off-guard. He rubbed his head sheepishly, looking away from Lion. That smug, self-important aura he'd been spewing whilst up on the stage had gone.
"I don't know why you look so happy to hear that… It's not a competition."
"Heh. I suppose not."
"If that's what Willard says, then… Pu ku ku…"
"I-it… It isn't…! I'm just a regular human being too, you know? Besides, looking after Diana takes up a lot of time."
"Diana?"
Lion blinked, brows raised, intrigued. A girlfriend…?
Ronove, meanwhile, laughed.
"It isn't what you're thinking, let me assure you. Diana is his cat."
"A… cat?"
"Yes. But Willard has eyes only for her~"
Without a trace of embarrassment, Will nodded his head firmly, assertively.
"That's right. She's my princess. Nobody else can compare."
"I… I see…"
Lion pondered. It seemed this 'Will' person was more interesting than Lion had initially assumed. At the very least, he was far less 'cool' than it had appeared on stage.
Somehow, this knowledge, which few of Will's fans were privy to (he was a very private person, apparently), made Lion feel faintly more fond of the man – in a somewhat superior manner. Knowing this singer, whom Jessica fawned over so much, was actually a massive, cat-obsessed slob… was just a little bit funny.
"So." Will's voice drew Lion out from his thoughts. "Do you want my autograph or not? If you don't, it's fine. That's one less thing for me to sign."
"…No, it's fine. I must be going. I don't want to hold up the line any further – that would be rude."
"I guess so."
"Mmhmm. I wonder where Jessica went, anyway…"
As Will watched the young boy walk away, and a fresh group of fans moved up in the queue to take his place, Will pondered.
What an interesting person…
After being fawned on by his fans so much, it was an interesting change, meeting somebody who treated him with that kind of derision. That kid was a little like Diana; looking at Will snootily from her comfortable nest of pillows and duvets in Will's bed – a sign that Will would be sleeping on the couch that night. What was that kid's name? Lion, didn't his sister say?
Lion, huh…
Someday, maybe, at some point… Will wondered if they would meet again. He wouldn't be entirely opposed to the idea.
Maybe he was just a masochist.
a/n: The 'band' Will and Ronove are is basically, 100% inspired by the real band, Sparks. If you watch the music video for Sparks' Number One Song in Heaven maybe you will understand why I made Ronove Ron ahaha… But Will isn't very much like Russell at all (I doubt he can sing that high…)
I can kind of imagine Will singing some of their songs, though. Maybe Sherlock Holmes, ahaha XD
I hope you liked it!
~rena