In case you forgot:
For Reference:
Ruki: Matsumoto Takenori
Uruha: Takshima Kouyou
Aoi: Shiroyama Yuu
Reita: Suzuki Akira
Kai: Uke Yukata
Chapter 2: Gifted
Natsu pushed Akira through the parking lot.
"This is gonna be so fun!" Natsu laughed.
"Ah, yeah." Akira rolled his eyes. "Remember that one 'roadtrip' we took? Takenori and Reila wouldn't stop making out and you kept throwing your shoes at me and Kouyou."
Natsu had learned enough to not wince at her name, but it hurt just the same. She only laughed as she smashed Akira into the huge SUV.
"Argh!" He yelled in pain.
"We rented it just for this." Rory said, walking up and opening the back door. "Natsu's driving first, we'll switch off when we get out of Tokyo. Which ones of you know how to drive? Besides Takenori cause I already know he can't."
Takenori grimaced. "Can, too."
"Yukata usually drives us around." Aoi patted the drummer on the shoulder.
"Ah, well, then, Yuka-san, you can drive next." Natsu smiled at him and he smiled shyly back.
God, she was never going to get used to that smile.
"I call shotgun!" Yuu said, jumping up high.
"No way." Natsu shook her head. "You will torment the hell outta me. Next on duty get's shotgun. And I don't trust Sugar Bunny behind the wheel."
"Aw..." Aoi frowned.
"You can sit in the back with Kouyou." Rory offered, sliding into the middle seat in the row of seats behind the 1st. Behind that row was another, of which she offered to the two of them.
"What about our cloths, did you ever think of that?" Kouyou grumbled as he reluctantly sat next to the hyper Aoi.
"Covered." Rory pointed to the bags in the back. "Your manager told us your sizes, and we went shopping."
"You bought us new cloths?" Akira asked.
"Yep." Rory smiled.
"Exactly where did you get all this money?" Takenori asked.
Rory and Natsu looked at each other, raising an eyebrow.
"Don't you know?" Natsu asked him.
"Know what?" Akira asked.
"Oh, my God, you don't!" Natsu's jaw dropped.
"Ever heard of Neko?" Rory grinned at Takenori.
"Neko? As in that big popstar-"
"I am not a freakin' popstar!" Rory nearly growled.
"You?" Akira's jaw dropped.
"You're Neko?" Kouyou gasped. "Wow, you...woah."
"God, you guys are stupid." Rory sighed. "My face is everywhere. Even though I tell the stupid record company, they keep putting up more and more billboards. It's horrible."
"You...are...Neko?" Takenori studdered. "But...that's my name for you."
"I know." She shrugged, half smiling. "I never thought I'd see you again. But if you just happened to see my picture somewhere, I wanted you to know I still remembered you."
Takenori's jaw clenched and he sat back in his seat, looking out the window.
"Wait, if's she's the big popstar-" Kouyou smirked at Rory's hiss. "-then what are you, Natsu-chan?"
"A lot of things." Natsu said as she reached forward and started the SUV. "Hairdresser, make-up artist, co-song writer, recording bass player, recording guitar player, recording drum player...am I missing anything Rory?"
"You sing back-up sometimes." Rory pointed out.
"Damn." Akira gawked. "How much do you get paid?"
"About as much as Neko." She laughed as she pulled around the parking lot.
"You play drums?" Yutaka asked.
"Eh, sorta." She shrugged. "I hit things until it sounds right."
He laughed.
"Akira-chan taught me how to play bass." She smiled in the rearview mirror at her friend. "And Takenori and Kouyou taught me guitar. I could already sing and play piano."
"Wow, that's cool." Yutaka said, gazing at her strangely.
She looked over and grinned at him.
"When did you learn how to play?" She asked.
Behind them, Rory was wondering what was wrong with Takenori. He seemed sad. Maybe it was her. She had never considered that maybe seeing her would bring back memories of Reila. Seeing him sure brung back memories...
She reached over and put her hand on his leg. He looked over at her and she smiled.
"What's wrong?" She whispered, just low enough for them to hear.
"Nothing." He muttered.
She narrowed her eyes, recognizing that tone. She tightened her hand on his leg, making him wince in pain.
"Ow..." He muttered, rubbing his hand on his thigh when she let go.
He looked over at her and saw her staring out the wind-sheild. She'd pulled her legs up to her chest on the seat with her arms wrapped around her calf. She looked sad, guilty and hurt.
He sighed and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to his side. She raised an eyebrow and looked up at him but he only tilted his head to where it rested on her head. She felt a wave of gentleness roll through her as she reached up and touched his hand.
Akira and Kouyou exchanged a glance.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
"I am so tired..." Natsu yawned as they drove past the last intersection of downtown Tokyo.
"Do you want me to drive?" Yukata asked her quietly.
Rory was awake with Takenori's head on her shoulder, sleeping. Akira was asleep against the window and Kouyou and Yuu were laid against each other, konked out.
"No, that's okay..." She muttered.
"You shouldn't drive if your tired, pull over." Yukata reached out and touched her forearm.
She looked down at his hand and then grinned, pulling over into a conveinence store.
Yukata was there to help her out of the car before she even opened her door. She smiled up at him before he walked over to the other side of the car with her.
"I'll drive next." Rory whispered as she slipped away from Takenori and laid his head against the window.
"You sure?" Natsu asked, not climbing into the passengers seat.
"Yeah." Rory climbed up front and sat in the passengers seat. Natsu opened the door, resisting the urge to laugh when Akira fell out of the car.
"Owwwwwwwww......." He whined.
"Shh." She jumped up past him and sat herself in the middle. "Get in, Akira-chan."
"Get in, Akira-chan." He muttered. "Crazy little..."
Yutaka shut the door behind him and climbed into the drivers seat. He saw Akira put his arm behind Natsu as she laid her head on his shoulder. The action made his jaw clench.
But he relaxed it instantly, wondering what was wrong with him.
He started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.
Comments:
A little short, but I hope you like it! Writing chappy 3 now!
