Chapter 2: "Recognition"

She knew that it wasn't good, but she couldn't help but feel a little smug with the way people openly stared at her. She certainly changed a lot from her time as a passionate heavy metal musician. People often described her as beautiful, elegant, gentle and kind, the last three were obviously non-existent in her character back in her high school days. After having the boy she first loved reject her after going wild as he originally wanted, it felt good that people acknowledged for the person she wanted to be. It was only with the girls when she would revert to that past persona. At least it was something she had grown comfortable with, if and only if she was with the Houkago Tea Time band and her former Death Devil band mates. Her students in Sakura High School all knew about her past in the band and even admired her for it. She still wasn't sure if that was a curse or a blessing. It was often embarrassing when she'd lapse into her Catherine persona during classes. Her co-teachers would always come at a run ready to get angry at her. They couldn't do that because her students would either be laughing their heads off or fawning over how cool she was. Other than that, the administration had been very happy with her performance over the years and when she came to them to ask a sabbatical leave to pursue a master's degree, they easily agreed.

During the lengthy spring break that followed after her last school year of teaching, she explored her choices of various universities where she could attain her chosen post-graduate degree. Educational Psychology has always been the logical choice for her and she had to admit that it was a course that never failed to pique her interest. She supposed it was fate that she ended up picking a university that was in the same city her former charges were in. The Houkago Tea Time band lived in the same apartment and went to the same private university for women, which just so happened to be on the other side of the city. Her chosen university on the other hand was on the opposite side and was co-ed. Sora International University was recently lauded for its education department and was considered one of the top international universities in the country. With some help from the Sakura High School Administration, she was able to get a recommendation and easily got in. Of course, she was still strapped financially despite receiving half-pay for a full-year sabbatical. To make ends meet, she took on tutoring high school students in her spare time and even taught basic guitar lessons to a few young and aspiring musicians. The latter was done a bit grudgingly, but she just shrugged it off since she needed to money to pay for rent and the like.

The first week of classes had been very productive for her in the academic and social aspect. She realized that classes weren't so difficult, but they still challenged her enough. As for the social aspect, she already had quite a number of admirers and a couple of others she could consider as friends. It was a little lonesome living in a different city away from many of her friends and family, but she figured that a year or two of being on her own would do her good. On the other hand, she couldn't avoid mentoring her former students as they struggled to progress with their music career. As their mentor, she did her best to encourage them and help when necessary, but there was only so much she could do. Her own stint in trying to make it big in the music industry had been short lived.

"Sawako!"

The brunette whirled around and looked for the voice who called to her. Her soft hazel eyes set behind a simple pair of glasses twinkled in amusement as a woman her age trotted up to her. "Riko, is something wrong?" She eyed her schoolmate and noticed that she was breathing heavily. "You look like you're in a hurry."

Ebony black hair styled in a simple bob bounced as the woman approached Sawako. "Sawako! I need a favor!" Riko gasped after stopping her run. "Do you happen to have your Introduction to Research Methods and Data Analysis in Psychology book right now?" The dark-haired woman swiped at her sweaty face and looked desperately up at the taller woman. "Please say yes!"

Sawako sighed and pulled out the rather heavy book from her bag. "It's a good thing that the class that requires this book was my first one today," she remarked, handing the book over to her first friend in Sora International University. "Didn't you say that you were going to buy one the last time we saw each other?"

"I did," Riko replied. "I had a load of other materials to buy and by the time I got to the psychology section, I was short by several hundred yen," she sheepishly explained. Glancing at her watch, she frowned and tucked the book in the crook of her arm. "I'll come find you after my next class and return this to you. I'll send you a message when I'm done!" She waved goodbye and briskly walked off.

Sawako watched until she could not see the retreating figure of her friend then headed off towards her next class in a more relaxed pace. It was nearly four in the afternoon when she finally ended the last class for the day. Instead of waiting for Riko, who messaged her earlier in the afternoon asking if she could return her book the following morning instead, she decided to head home to her apartment. She couldn't help but get sidetracked as she was surrounded by a number of male admirers near the campus exit.

"Sawako-san, if you're free I'd love to buy you a warm drink!"

"I'll treat you out to dinner!"

"No way! I'll treat you to dinner and give you a ride home!"

Sawako inwardly sighed as the young men fought over her. There was a limit to how much she liked the attention given to her. She made several failed attempts to tell the men that she wasn't free and was in hurry to get going, but she was always pushed out of their heated conversation. Her Catherine persona was forcing itself out, but she kept her grip on it since she was not willing to lose face in public. Sometime later, someone took notice of her trembling hands, although it wasn't any of the men.

"Sorry boys, but she and I have a previous engagement," an unfamiliar voice said close by.

Sawako wasn't one to gawk, but she had to join the men as they stared at the unknown woman. The first word that entered the teacher's mind was stunning. The woman that stood with a sense of ease and confidence before them was certainly a foreigner. Fiery and wind-tossed auburn hair topped a slightly tanned and angular face while vivid emerald green eyes gazed back at them with amusement. She was lithe and wiry in build and stood taller than all the men with her height, which was a couple of inches off from six feet. Even the way she was dressed, despite it being rather simple, drew stares from other passerby. The foreign woman wore a dark navy blue military jacket that was left unbuttoned, which exposed the simple white polo shirt underneath, fit black pants and comfortable dark gray sidewalk surfers on her feet.

"Well? I know I kept you waiting," the redhead remarked, subtly jerking her head to the campus exit.

Sawako snapped out of her thoughts and quickly wove through the entranced group of men. "Sorry, but I have to get going," she told them and hurriedly tried to keep up with the long-legged redhead. When they were a good distance away, the bespectacled brunette tapped the stranger and made her stop. "Thanks for that," she said with a grateful smile. "Ummm…"

The redhead smiled. "Terry Quinn," she supplied, sticking her hand out for a handshake.

"Yamanaka Sawako." Sawako firmly shook hands with the taller woman.

"Yamanaka… Sawako?" Terry furrowed her eyebrows in sudden thought.

"Is something wrong?"

Terry shook her head. "No, no. Your name just sounds really familiar. I've heard it recently," she explained, rubbing her chin in thought.

"That's certainly interesting," Sawako remarked. "I can't help but wonder myself where you've heard of my name." Her hazel eyes twinkled with mirth as she grinned up at the taller woman. "In any case, I would really like it if you allow me to thank you properly for rescuing me earlier."

"There's really no need," Terry replied, looking a bit embarrassed.

"I really insist. It would make me feel better." She looked around and spotted a café on the next street. "How about I treat you for some coffee or tea?"

Terry thought about it for a moment then nodded her head. "I suppose I could let you treat me," she said with a small smile. She followed Sawako across the street and into the quaint café. Once they were comfortably seated at a table in the corner, they fell into easy conversation. "So you're studying at Sora International?" the American asked.

Sawako nodded as she sipped her tea. "Yes. Master's degree actually," she clarified. "Educational Psychology," she added. "How about you? I assume you're studying in the same university as well since you were in the campus."

"Not exactly," Terry replied, sipping her coffee. "I'm studying at the affiliate school of Sora International. Music Engineering and Sound Production at Sora College of Music will be my second degree."

Sawako whistled softly at that. "Wow! Second degree! That's amazing!"

Terry shook her head ruefully. "A Master's degree is equally amazing too."

"Why that course though?"

Terry drummer her long fingers against the table. "Well, it's a long story."

"I don't mind," Sawako assured her new friend, slightly leaning forward to hear her better.

Terry couldn't help but smile at how interested this Japanese woman was in her life. "I actually first attained a degree in Computer Programming. While I was still in college, I was doing some side jobs arranging music for all sorts of musicians and groups."

"So you're a musician as well?" Sawako asked, immediately intrigued.

"I was," Terry replied. "Anyway, I wasn't happy with the music scoring software available at that time so I made one to my own liking. After I graduated, I decided to set up my own software company and made it our flagship product. We're actually going on our third year now and things are going pretty well."

Sawako remained quiet as Terry collected her thoughts. She noticed that Terry had subtly avoided the topic about being a musician, but she paid it no mind. She supposed the redhead used to play leisurely before becoming busy with school and work.

"A few months ago, my business partner and I realized that it wouldn't be a bad idea to expand our product line. Sure, we've so far developed four software programs, not all of them music related, but we figured that we could add to our repertoire." Terry gently blew the hot beverage then took another sip. "Since I had a talent for arranging music, I thought that it would be a good idea to get further education in Music Production and Sound Engineering. We'd be catering to the musicians and artists in the music industry that way."

Sawako nodded her head with admiration. "You seem to have everything planned out. You're obviously a great company president."

Terry laughed. "Thanks. I'm flattered."

"What else did you do while you were still in America? Any hobbies aside from staring at your computer?" Sawako asked teasingly.

"Hobbies? Hmmm… well, before I got really involved in my company, I was an avid surfer."

"A surfer?"

"A California girl as people call it," Terry joked. "Seriously, I grew up near the coast so it was like a fish to water when it came to me learning how to surf." She ran her fingers through her auburn hair. "The tan has faded though since I spend most of my days indoors."

"Why not head to the beach while you're here? Japan certainly has good beaches."

"Maybe, but not right now. The school year just started so I'll have to wait for the next holiday or break to look for a suitable beach with the right waves." Terry glanced at her watch. "Are you doing anything after this? I know you might be in a hurry."

Sawako shook her head. "No I'm not really in a hurry although I do have to pick up something before I head home."

"What's that?"

"A guest pass," Sawako replied. "My former students are performing at a live house this Saturday and I promised to come watch them. They told me to just pick up the guest pass so that I could come earlier and avoid the crowds."

"Does this live house happen to be The Cobalt Loft?"

"Why yes!"

Terry raised her eyebrows in realization. "You're the mentor of Houkago Tea Time?"

"You've met the girls?" Sawako demanded.

Terry nodded. "I have. A college friend of mine owns that live house and got the girls as a replacement for one of their acts." She suddenly grinned. "Now I know why your name sounded familiar. Shannon mentioned that the girls were inviting their mentor and former teacher." The American gestured at Sawako's hands. "I noticed that your fingers are calloused. Am I assuming right that you play guitar?"

Sawako suddenly stiffened.

"Sorry, did I venture into a touchy topic?"

Sawako furiously shook her head. "N-No! I did play guitar. I was in a band once back in high school." She tried to stay calm, but she knew that Terry probably noticed how jittery she had suddenly become. Sooner or later, Terry was going to ask about what kind of musician she had been and she was certainly not willing to share that… yet.

A sigh escaped Terry's lips. "I won't pry," she assured her. "Just looking at you now tells me that this is an uncomfortable subject for you." She finished her drink and got to her feet. "Anyway, if it's alright with you, I'd like to accompany you to The Cobalt Loft."

Sawako followed suit and got up. "I don't mind and besides, I'm not entirely sure how to get there so it would be a great help if you came along with me."

Terry grinned. "Glad that I could be of help." She led the way while she easily made conversation with her companion. She tried to keep her occupied and entertained throughout the fifteen minute train ride and the short walk to the establishment. By the time they entered the live house, Shannon was already getting ready to open the place.

"Terry!" Shannon strode over and hugged her friend. "Did you come over to have a pre-opening drink with me?"

"I swear! Alcohol must be the only thing in that brain of yours," Terry jokingly accused, hugging her friend back. "But no, I'm in no mood to drink," she firmly told the owner. "Actually, I accompanied Sawako here to pick up her guest pass."

Shannon jumped to make the necessary introductions. "I've heard a lot about you from your former students."

"Good things I hope?" Sawako gave a shaky smile, watching as Shannon burst into laughter.

"Well, they've only told me a few things honestly like you being their teacher, club supervisor, mentor and friend. Other than that, they did say that you were in a band before, but they didn't give me many details on that. Tainaka was smirking the whole time though so I can only assume that they're hiding something… juicy." She gave Sawako an expectant look.

"I-I…" Sawako stuttered.

Terry roughly shoved Shannon who almost fell on her butt from the force. "Stop that. If she doesn't want to share then don't pry," she scolded, ignoring the fierce scowl on the blonde's face.

"Yeah and I'm sure you're saying that because you don't want to share as well!"

Before Terry and Shannon could start arguing, Sawako suddenly blurted, "I'd like to have a drink if it's okay!"

Both of the foreign women stared at Sawako who nervously transferred her weight from one heeled foot to another. "Well? What about it Terry?"

Terry let out a defeated sigh. "I suppose one drink won't hurt." They all settled down at the bar and ordered different drinks. "Don't listen to whatever this woman says about me. Most of the time, they're stretched beyond the truth," she murmured to Sawako who sat in between them.

"I resent that!" Shannon barked as she downed her drink and immediately ordered a refill. She leaned over to get a better look at Sawako. "I'm sure you've tried asking about her past. Did you notice how good she is at turning the subject?"

Sawako hid a smile with her hand. So she was right when she thought that Terry was hiding something by changing the subject of their previous conversation. "Well I did, but I didn't really mind." She shot a smile at the redhead who grumbled. "How did you and Terry-san meet?"

"Terry is just fine. Drop the honorifics. I'm still not used to having people attach those extra words to my name."

Shannon didn't bother to hide her grin as she set out to explain how she and Terry became friends. "That bumbling business partner of hers is my cousin," she began. "It was through him that I got to know Terry and I still seriously think about how Terry allowed herself to fall into such bad company."

Terry chuckled at the joke Shannon made about Miles. "She speaks badly of him all the time, but she's mostly just joking." She asked the bartender to take away her emptied glass and thanked him when he served her water instead. "Miles has always been a smart student, but he had trouble with a few of his math-related subjects back in college." Jerking her head at Shannon, she added, "She doesn't look like it, but Shannon's pretty much a genius when it comes to math."

"I'll try to ignore that underhanded insult," Shannon drawled. "Anyway, Miles usually kept coming to me for frequent tutoring sessions and on one particular session, he dragged Terry along. That was the start of our friendship and the tutoring tag team."

Sawako sighed happily. "The three of you must be really close."

"That's certainly true," Shannon agreed immediately. "I had my own group of friends, but it was fun to hang out with Terry and her group once in a while."

"Group?" Sawako queried.

"Aside from Miles and me, there were two others in our group," Terry explained.

"The heart throbs of the campus as I called them back in the day," Shannon teased, winking at the redhead who merely furrowed her eyebrows in dismay. "What? It's true! Do you know how often random people approached me for an introduction to you guys?"

"You're going overboard again with your storytelling," Terry drawled. Focusing her attention once more on Sawako, she said, "I suppose the last part of Shannon's claim is somewhat true, but mostly the popularity and fame was due to the two other friends in our group."

"One of them just so happens to be a famous model," Shannon remarked. "All the boys chased after her and I'm sure it's still happening now. As for the other one, he had lots of fan girls who absolutely adored his buff body. He used to compete as a gymnast in the rings event before he quit early in college."

Sawako looked at Terry. "How about you? I highly doubt that you didn't have your own fans."

"She did have fans!" Shannon said plaintively. "Terry attracted a lot of attention because of her looks and her prowess on a surfboard."

"Shannon…" Terry warned wearily, not really liking the way the conversation was going.

"You should see her in a bikini! It's an absolute treat!"

Sawako held back a laugh as Terry reached over and punched Shannon on the arm. "Do the two of you really bicker this much?" she asked when the two friends stopped.

"If Shannon wasn't so tactless, we wouldn't be bickering," Terry darkly replied.

"If Terry wasn't so defensive, we wouldn't be bickering!"

Sawako held up her hands to prevent a brawl. "Okay! Okay! I get it!" She shook her head in amusement at Terry who was scowling deeply and Shannon who was sticking her tongue out. "Seriously, the two of you are an interesting pair of friends."

"Dysfunctional is better way to describe it," Terry muttered.

"With her causing the dysfunction," Shannon shot back.

"Anyway!" Sawako raised her voice. "The girls told me that you had a guest pass for this Saturday's event."

Shannon stared blankly at Sawako then shot out of her seat. "Oh yeah! They asked if they could just leave it with me for you to pick up. Wait here for a minute!" She scurried up the stairs to her office to retrieve the pass. When she got back to the first floor, both Terry and Sawako were waiting by the exit. "You're leaving already?"

"Unlike you, we've got homework and class tomorrow," Terry reminded the blonde. "You'll see us anyway this Saturday."

"You're really coming?"

"You don't want me to?"

Shannon furiously shook her head. "Of course I want you to come! I need a sober head here especially when the drinks start flowing."

"And of course you were implying that you're most likely not going to be sober on that night," Terry remarked with a smirk. "Anyway, I'll be there. I'd like to see those girls perform."

"Great! I'll see the two of you then!" Shannon waved once then headed back inside the live house.

Terry continued to shake her head as she and Sawako walked off towards the train station. "I feel like I'm her keeper," she murmured loud enough for the brunette to hear.

Sawako smiled up at the taller redhead. "I find it admirable that you continue to keep an eye on your friend despite how troublesome it gets."

"Yeah…"

"Heading home now, right?"

The programmer nodded. "By the looks of it, we're taking the same train, but getting off at different stations right?"

Sawako nodded. "Shall we catch the next train then?"

Saturday... a few minutes past eight in the evening.

Even though the main musical acts were scheduled to start at nine, The Cobalt Loft was practically full with a long queue of people hoping to get in despite the lack of invites. The first floor bar and lounge was crammed with a variety of customers who were socializing, drinking or just simply waiting for certain musical acts to start. Live music blared from one floor above, which was punctuated with the occasional roars from the vocalists and cheers from the audience.

Obviously running late due to some last minute wardrobe decisions, Sawako bypassed the long queue much to their dismay and walked up to the hulking bouncer positioned at the entrance. It took a simple flash of the guest pass for the bouncer to nod and gesture her inside. Dressed in her favorite leather jacket, a tube top, tight jeans and heels, Sawako ambled into the dimly lit live house and searched for a familiar face. She knew that her former students were probably backstage and with the crowded proximity, it would be difficult to spot Shannon or Terry. Sighing after two unsuccessful searches, the bespectacled brunette headed to a vacant seat at the bar and sat down.

"What can I get for you?"

"Asahi Z," Sawako replied, not really paying attention to the people around her. A chilled glass and her ordered bottle of beer slid into place in front of her. "Arigatou."

"Aren't you an acquaintance of Gray-san?"

"Hmmm? Oh, you mean Shannon?"

The bartender smiled as he nodded his head. "Yeah. I recognized you from the last time you visited." He stuck his hand out amiably for a handshake. "I'm Maki." He was an average-looking man in his early thirties. What made him stand out were the purple highlights he kept in his black hair.

"Sawako," she replied, taking Maki's hand and shaking it. "So you've been working with Shannon ever since she opened?"

Maki shook his head. "I'm her third bartender although I came in about four months after she first opened. Gray-san was quite pissed at her first two bartenders. The first one kept giving free drinks away to all sorts of women who flirted with him and the second one was stealing all sorts of beverages from our inventory."

"You're not a troublemaker then?" Sawako asked in a teasing voice.

Maki laughed. "I couldn't be in any case. Gray-san pretty much scared the shit out of me during the job interview. Besides, I needed the job badly and I wasn't about to jeopardize the opportunity." He excused himself briefly to refill the drinks of the other customers seated at the bar then returned to Sawako. "I heard that you're the mentor of the cutesy girl band performing later."

Sawako sighed. She wasn't sure yet how she felt that people were connecting her to a cutesy and girly band. She was certainly proud of them in any case. "Are they here?"

Maki jerked his head upwards at the ceiling. "They're waiting around in the third floor office. Gray-san let them stay in there instead of the room reserved for the acts. We're fully booked today so there wasn't enough space for them in there so they were relocated. I don't think they mind the cramped and messy office of Gray-san since they have privacy."

Sawako shrugged her shoulders and took a gulp of her beer. "Knowing them, they're thinking that they're getting some special treatment and taking advantage of it." Her beer was already gone and Maki was already in the process of getting her another bottle. "Just one more for now," she told the older man. "I don't want to get wasted before the girls perform."

Maki chuckled in reply and left Sawako to nurse her second bottle of beer.

"It's her alright! Sawako-sensei!"

The former guitarist twisted in her seat to see the person who called out her name. She smiled and waved at three young women making their way towards her. "Ui-chan, Nodoka-chan and Jun-chan!" she greeted happily. "I'm glad that you could make it! Yui and the others would be very happy to see all of you!" College had certainly played a part in the obvious maturity in the three women before her. Nodoka looked even more respectable than she did back in high school and looked prettier having grown her hair out a bit. Ui was the spitting image of her older sister that night since she wore her hair down. Jun's trademark bushy hair was noticeably tamer while she had also filled out her body some, which lessened her boyishness.

"We wouldn't miss it for the world!" Ui exclaimed excitedly, her eyes roving the interior of the live house. "Have you seen them yet, Sawako-sensei?"

The long-haired brunette shook her head. "I haven't yet."

"They should be performing soon anyway," Nodoka pointed out after glancing at her watch. "Should we head upstairs already?"

Sawako instantly gulped down the rest of her drink and laid a few bills on the bar for Maki to retrieve. "I'll come along. They'll be angry with me if I'm not there when they start." She thanked Maki first then slipped off the stool. "Shall we head upstairs then?" She followed the younger women through the crowd and up to the second floor where it was even more crowded. Apparently, the place was packed due to the news that an all-girl group was going to perform. She supposed Shannon had did some pretty good marketing.

"Woah! There are so many people!" Jun exclaimed. They weaved through the audience and found places in front of the stage. Already, the tech team was preparing the stage for the next band to perform. "I don't recall them playing for such a big crowd in their past gigs."

Ui nodded eagerly. "It's great exposure for them!"

Sawako stood with them for a few minutes making small talk until she glimpsed a familiar head of tussled auburn hair standing at the far side of the room. "I'll be right back," she told the three girls then weaved her way towards the end of the room. She was met with a warm smile as the redheaded woman kept her position of leaning against the wall. "Hello Terry."

"Hello to you too, Sawako," Terry greeted back, her emerald green eyes locking with those hazel colored ones. "I was wondering if you were here already." She moved aside a bit to allow Sawako to lean against the wall next to her. She shrugged her shoulders and languidly crossed her arms over her chest. "This place is simply packed. I couldn't find a place to sit and I'm not exactly willing to exchange elbows with the audience to get a good place near the stage."

Sawako chuckled at how honest her friend was. "I'll probably have to exchange elbows with the audience later on," she teased, hazel eyes twinkling with mischief. "Have you been here long?" she asked.

"Hmmm… Maybe two hours now. Shannon begged me to come earlier so I did just that." Terry sighed and brushed away stray strands of her auburn hair that fell over her face. She was dressed simply for that night in a wrinkled white polo shirt that was halfway unbuttoned with the sleeves carelessly rolled up to her elbows, a green sleeveless shirt underneath that complimented her eyes, a pair of black skinny jeans and different pair of sidewalk surfers. "You look nice," she remarked after looking Sawako over.

Blushing from the compliment, Sawako replied, "Thanks. You look nice too." Suddenly, the lights came on and brightened the stage. "Will you excuse me? I've got to get back to the front. The girls will throw a fit if they don't see me there supporting them."

Terry chuckled and waved her off. "We can talk later."

Sawako bowed her head in thanks to the foreign woman and headed towards the stage. Once she took her place between Ui and Nodoka, she had to suppress a moan as her former students trooped onto the stage in their high school uniform. Instead of the usual ribbon tied at their collars, they mixed it up a bit by wearing varying neck ties. She should have known that they would wear their old uniforms. She would have brought a suitcase full of costumes and forced them to wear something else. Then again, they would have probably refused. Mio in particular would vehemently refuse to wear anything she'd bring for her specifically. The young woman was still too shy.

"Houkago!" Ui shouted, prompting the audience to applaud and let out a variety of hoots and catcalls.

"Looking good Azusa-chan!" Jun unabashedly called out as Azusa checked her Mustang.

Nodoka simply applauded for her former classmates and said to Sawako, "Mio looks like she's about to faint."

Sawako grinned and silently agreed. The bassist was pale and gripping her bass guitar a bit too hard. "Yui is oblivious of course," she pointed out, shaking her head in amusement as the lead guitarist happily acknowledged her friends.

Yui then approached the microphone and flashed a big smile at their audience. "Good evening!" she greeted. "We're Houkago Tea Time and we'll be performing a few songs for you tonight!" She waited as the audience cheered for them. Like they decided earlier with Shannon, they would be playing a total of four songs; two that would be sung by Yui and the others sung by a reluctant Mio. "Before we play our first song, we'd like to introduce ourselves!" She flashed another grin at the audience. "I'm Yui!"

"Azusa," the rhythm guitarist followed.

"Mugi!" the pianist cheerfully said into her microphone.

"I'm Ritsu!"

"M-Mio," the bassist murmured, reddening when a number of girls at the center of the audience squealed at the sound of her voice. She immediately knew that her fan club was represented in that event.

"Alright! Our first song is called Watashi no Koi wa Hotch Kiss!"

Ritsu raised her drumsticks in the air and clapped them together to start of the beat. "One, two, three, four!" They all flawlessly entered with their instruments. Almost immediately, the audience was pleasantly surprised with the skill and good sound the band produced. Yui easily worked the crowd up with her energetic personality and midway through the song, the audience was bobbing their heads along with the music and raising their hands in the air. In between songs, Yui and her friends made small talk with the audience who seemed to be quite taken by them.

Thirty minutes later, the band was wrapping up their last song with their trademark Fuwa Fuwa Time. They received a rousing cheer from their audience and several were actually chanting for them to do an encore, which they could not do since Shannon was running a tight schedule. Yui and the other members gave their thanks and bade them goodbye before heading off the stage. While Nodoka, Ui and Jun went in search for a vacant table or couch, Sawako headed back to where she left Terry. As she approached, she noticed that Terry had that same serious look on her face, which she had throughout most of the performance. She couldn't figure out what the redhead was thinking about the whole time. "Hey," she greeted after taking up her spot by the American's side.

The seriousness was broken with a smile. "Hey."

"How'd you find their performance? It was your first time to hear them right?"

Terry nodded her head and pressed her fingers against her jaw. "They're good. Have they played in a lot of gigs before this?"

Sawako shook her head. "They've played in other gigs, but they were mostly small scale and were few to begin with. They played regularly at major events back when they were in high school, but that's about it. College has kept them busy."

"I can only guess that they practice a lot to create such great sound." Terry raised her eyebrows when Sawako just laughed at what she just said. "What? Why are you laughing?"

"Well the truth is that they usually just practice when they have a gig coming up. If there aren't any lined up, they usually try to practice once a week though practice is usually an ordeal for them. Some of the girls get really distracted." Sawako hid a smile as she specifically thought of how Yui, Ritsu and sometimes Mugi aggravated Mio and Azusa whenever they tried to make the most of a practice session.

Terry looked genuinely surprised. "They must have really good chemistry then," she hypothesized.

"What were you doing a while ago?"

"Huh?"

"You looked like you were thinking of something throughout the performance. I kept looking over and you'd always look deep in thought."

Terry smiled sheepishly. "Oh. I didn't realize that you were watching me." She rubbed the back of her head and started to explain herself. "Well, I was… listening."

"Listening?" Sawako repeated, uncertain.

"Well, yeah. I guess it's better to say that I was trying to make sense of their music. I wasn't just listening with my ears." She pointed at her ears for emphasis. "I was listening with my whole body I guess and I could tell that their music is good from doing that."

"How so?" Sawako was intrigued.

Terry furrowed her eyebrows in thought. "It's hard to explain," she began then shrugged her shoulders. "There's this thrum I feel in my body… a good thrum and vibration I guess whenever I hear good music."

"What does it feel like if it's bad?"

Terry paused to think about it. "Well, the worst that's happened is that my teeth ache." She laughed at that admission. "Usually that happens when certain bands believe that roaring and shouting their way through a song is a wonderful thing to do."

Sawako covered a smile with her hand. "I know what you mean."

"Yo! I finally found the both of you!" Shannon strode over albeit in slightly drunk swagger. She hugged Terry first then surprised Sawako when she hugged her too. "I got the girls and their friends two of the couches to sit on. We could join them." She took the lead and headed off towards two corner couches where the familiar group of young women sat and talked.

"Sorry," Terry quietly told Sawako. "She gets a bit touchy feely when she's been drinking."

Sawako shook her head at the apology. "It's alright. I wasn't bothered by it at all."

Yui was the first to notice their arrival. She jumped to her feet and waved her arms in the air. "Sawa-chan! Did you enjoy the show?" she asked, watching as Terry let Sawako and Shannon find a place to sit on before sitting down herself.

Sawako beamed at them. "You were all great!"

"It's been a while since I last heard live music that good," Terry added, grinning when Mio started blushing while Yui and Ritsu whooped and enthusiastically hugged each other. "There's no shortage of professional bands who sound wonderful on CD, but once they get on stage it's a different story. You girls though just sound really good. It was a good listen for me." She leaned back against the couch and frowned when one of the waiters brought over a tray of cocktails and shots. "Shannon, you're going to be working until the wee hours of morning," she scolded to no avail as the spiky haired woman distributed the cocktails for the younger girls and placed shots in front of herself, Terry and Sawako.

"There's a thirty minute lull before the activities begin again," Shannon informed the group and eagerly downed her first shot of tequila. She smiled at Azusa who was frowning at the cocktail placed before her. "Don't worry, no one knows that you're still a few months underage," she assured the underage girls. "One drink won't be any trouble."

"You always say that," Terry pointed out in exasperation, feeling a calming hand on her arm. She saw that Sawako was slightly shaking her head at her. She glared at Shannon for a few more seconds before relenting. "You're taking full responsibility."

"You're going to be responsible too!" Shannon cheerfully replied and held another shot glass in the air. "A toast first!" She waited for everyone else to grab their drinks and raise them in the air. "Kampai!" she shouted and grinned as everyone else sipped their drinks happily, while Terry reluctantly downed her shot. "Since all of you are, I'd like to get the business done and over with." She leaned over and happily looked at the band. "I've decided that I'd like for you to be a weekly act here in The Cobalt Loft."

Azusa was so startled by the news that she almost dropped her drink. "W-What? Are you serious?"

"W-Weekly?" Mio stuttered, shocked beyond belief.

Shannon nodded her head. "I can tell just by that performance alone that you'll be attracting a lot of customers. I know you girls need the exposure. It might be a good thing for you to start practicing more and thinking about producing a demo CD. You could sell them and other stuff like band shirts too. Don't worry, I won't be expecting a cut from your sales if you do decide to do it."

"Alright!" Ritsu pumped her glass into the air, ignoring the cries of her nearest friends when some of her drink splashed them. "We're making progress!"

Yui bounced in her seat. "A CD! We have to start recording!"

"Practice first!" Azusa chided her senpai. "We need lots of it before we even start to think about recording."

"I can work on the memorabilia!" Mugi exclaimed excitedly. "Sawa-chan would probably want to handle the shirts though," she thoughtfully added with a smile towards their mentor. "It's great that we're going to be playing regular gigs now though."

While the band members and their friends chattered excitedly about the news and their future plans, Terry watched on in amusement. Their happiness was catching and she couldn't help but feel happy as well. Perhaps the alcohol was helping her along, but she was genuinely feeling good about the situation. Shannon was particularly happy at the prospect of a new act that could bring in some hefty profit. She and Sawako were talking about their classes when Shannon suddenly disappeared and reappeared on the stage a few moments later.

"I hope everyone is enjoying themselves!" Shannon announced as she playfully bowed to her very happy clientele. "How about some applause for Houkago Tea Time?" She clapped along with the audience. "You could catch them again next week! They'll be a regular act from now on in this live house!" She grabbed the microphone off its stand and stood aside as the tech team prepared the stage. "We have a change in schedule for this night. I know that open mic is usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but we've got a number of people requesting for it to happen." She grinned as the members of the audience began to egg their friends to take to the stage. "Anyone who wants to have a go with the band just has to come up on stage and tell them what they want to sing. Any volunteers then?" She helped a young lady up to the stage and had the band help her out in choosing a song she could sing.

"Shannon-san! Why don't you sing for us?" Someone shouted from within the audience.

"Sorry guys! It's a rule that the owner can't steal the show!" Shannon then headed back to the couch and sat down. "Phew! Good thing I'm usually able to escape that."

Mugi leaned over to have a better look at the owner. "Why don't you want to sing? I'm sure that you have a splendid voice!"

Terry bit back a laugh, which Shannon noticed. "She isn't as good a singer as you think," she informed the younger women in their group. "She would probably send all the customers running out of here if she even tried to sing." She laughed and evaded all the slaps and punches Shannon aimed at her. "She can't even sing a nursery rhyme well enough," she joked.

Shannon was getting drunker by the minute and the alcohol in her system wasn't exactly helping as she dealt with a teasing friend. Strangely enough, the spiky-haired woman stopped retaliating and simply left them.

"Maybe you went a little bit too far?" Yui asked, looking a bit worried.

"She looked angry," Ritsu observed.

Terry merely shook her head. "Nah, she may be a little annoyed, but I doubt she's angry. We've bickered about worse things than this." She thanked Sawako who pushed a glass of orange juice towards her. "No more alcohol for me. I'd like to get home safe." She and the girls laughed. They watched a few more customers sing with the band on stage then settled down comfortably as they besieged Terry with questions about her life in America. While Sawako simply smiled, the college students were all tickled when they found out that the auburn-haired woman before them was a computer programmer who also liked to surf. The smiles kept going as they also found out that Terry was thoroughly enjoying her stay in Japan particularly the food and the culture.

"So Terry-san, aren't you homesick? Do you keep in touch with your family while-" Mugi couldn't finish her sentence as a familiar and drunken voice shouted into the microphone.

"Hello again everyone!" Shannon boisterously greeted the crowd once more. "Before we let the next band perform, we could perhaps have another open mic performance! Now, if we all show our appreciation, we could get a certain friend of mine to come up on stage and give us a little show." She threw a wicked grin over at Terry and the rest of the group. "Let's hear it for Terry Quinn!"

"No way!" Terry muttered darkly under her breath as the audience began to cheer and chant her name.

"Come on now! Don't be shy!" Shannon called.

"I'll pass," Terry loudly replied much to the dismay of her friend and the audience.

"Hmmm… playing hard to get huh?" Shannon tapped her finger against the microphone and showed an evil grin. "Alright then!" she decided suddenly. "Either Terry will sing us a song or I'll hand out her cellphone number to any of the interested young men in the house!"

Terry's emerald green eyes widened. "You wouldn't!" she mouthed to Shannon who merely stuck her tongue out at her. Her friend was obviously getting her revenge.

"Ohhh! It looks like many of you would prefer Terry's number!" Shannon giddily announced, pulling out her cellphone. "Well, that's okay then! So Terry's number is-"

"Alright!" Terry roared as she got to her feet and strode up to the stage. "Just one song, alright?" she growled at her very happy friend. She tried to ignore all the admiring looks she was getting from the audience.

Shannon gave her thumbs-up. "So will you sing with the band and what song?"

Terry shook her head and pointed at a Yamaha FG series acoustic guitar on its stand. "I'll go acoustic. It's simpler," she explained to Shannon and the audience who kept cheering as Terry borrowed the said guitar and dragged a stool over to sit on. She strummed the guitar a few times as one of the tech team arranged a microphone close to the sound hole and another one for her to sing in. "This is a one-time performance," she informed the audience.

"Any requests though?" Shannon asked, covering one ear as the audience raucously called out song names. "Well, that's predicament!" she remarked. "Since we've been having mostly upbeat songs, how about we go with a slow one? A romantic song?" She grinned at the scowling redhead. "What about it Terry? How about playing us one of your favorite romantic songs?"

Terry scowled even harder though it softened when she saw the encouraging looks she was getting from Sawako, the Houkago Tea Time members and their friends. "Would you mind if I sang one in English?" she asked the audience who immediately agreed. Positioning her fingers along the designated frets, she plucked the opening riff as a sound test. "I'm not sure if any of you are familiar with this one, but it's always been a song I've kept close to my heart." She plucked out the same mellow opening riff.

Yui elbowed Mio as Terry continued the intro. "Do you know what song it is?"

Mio shook her head. "It sounds familiar, but I'm not too sure."

"Sawa-chan looks like she knows it!" Ritsu exclaimed, eying their mentor who had a mix of surprise and pleasure on her face. "Sa…wa…chan!" The drummer waved a hand in front of their former teacher's face. "Hello! Are you in there?"

"Hmmm?" Sawako blinked. "Oh sorry, I was just surprised by her choice of song. I'm more surprised with her skill on the guitar. I had the notion that she hasn't played in a long time, but she doesn't seem rusty at all."

Mugi thoughtfully tapped her chin. "So do you know the song she's playing?"

Before Sawako could answer that question, she was taken aback by the deep, melodious and somewhat husky voice produced by Terry. She knew just by the sound of her voice that Terry probably never made much use of her singing voice, but it was… astounding… beautiful and so raw. She could also guess that Terry probably didn't acknowledge the talent as well.

The auburn-haired woman looked at home holding a guitar in her hands and her voice had already done its work by entrancing the audience. Many of the customers including Sawako and the Houkago Tea Time members literally felt shivers as Terry crooned into the microphone. The redhead seemed oblivious to the reactions she was causing. She just continued to sing the song:

And even though the moment passed me by
I still can't turn away
Cause all the dreams you never thought you'd lose
Got tossed along the way
And letters that you never meant to send
Get lost or thrown away

And now we're grown up orphans
That never knew their names
We don't belong to no one
That's a shame
But if you could hide beside me
Maybe for a while
And I won't tell no one your name

And I won't tell 'em your name

Scars are souvenirs you never lose
The past is never far
Did you lose yourself somewhere out there
Did you get to be a star
And don't it make you sad to know that life
Is more than who we are

You grew up way too fast
And now there's nothing to believe
And reruns all become our history
A tired song keeps playing on a tired radio
And I won't tell no one your name
And I won't tell 'em your name

Terry went on to play the lengthy instrumental riff that led to the last verse of the song. As her fingers flew across the frets, she couldn't help but feel a hint of nostalgia wash over her. It wasn't so long ago that she felt so calm and free whenever she was playing music. Her emerald green eyes roved across the audience as she went into singing the last few lines of the famous song.

I think about you all the time
But I don't need the same
It's lonely where you are come back down
And I won't tell 'em your name…

For a few seconds, everything was so quiet, the only sounds you could hear was the sound of ice clinking against glasses. Then instantaneously the audience raised their hands in the air and gave Terry a hearty applause and rousing cheer. Terry smiled uncomfortably as she thanked the audience then returned to her seat. As soon as she sat down, she was once again besieged with compliments and questions. By the time Shannon returned to them, Terry was very flustered and turning red in embarrassment.

"Okay! Calm down everyone! I think Terry needs a break!" the owner announced for the benefit of her friend. She patted Terry's shoulder and took over in answering the so far unanswered questions.

"What was that song you sang?" Yui demanded, looking admiringly at the older woman.

Sawako was the one who answered instead. "Name by the Goo Goo Dolls."

"Ohhhh…." The college students all chorused upon hearing the popular alternative rock band. Even Yui who was the least knowledgeable about foreign bands had heard of them.

"What has me wondering is why you are so good with playing the guitar," Sawako wondered aloud, eying the redhead who was trying to avoid their gazes.

"It's just a hobby," Terry muttered.

"I don't believe that," Azusa finally spoke up, garnering the full attention of her friends. "I thought that you looked familiar and it was only when I saw you holding and playing a guitar that I realized who you were." The petite rhythm guitarist raised her eyebrows at Terry. "Although if my memory serves me correctly, it's usually a bass guitar in your hands," she added.

Sawako and the rest of the college students gaped at Azusa then at Shannon and Terry. It was Shannon who finally sighed and put her hands up in defeat. "I told you that someone would eventually recognize you. It doesn't matter that you've been disbanded for over four years now," she told the still silent redhead.

"Disbanded?" Mio queried, still clueless at who Terry really was.

"So she's part of a band?" Ritsu followed up with a question of her own.

"Not just any band," Azusa replied, looking expectantly at Terry. She then looked at Mio and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm quite sure that I saw their CD in your collection Mio-senpai. I figured that you would be a fan of the famous Flame Bassist."

Mio's jaw dropped at the nickname. "Y-You're the Flame Bassist?" she stuttered, pointing a shaking finger at the scowling Terry. She suddenly got to her feet and seemed like she was just about ready to pass out. "Oh my God! You're that Terry Quinn from Crimson Skies!" she shouted much too loudly.

Sawako immediately grabbed hold of Mio and had her sit down once more. "Not too loud, Mio-chan! I don't think Terry really wants people to know that she's famous."

"Was famous," Terry corrected, finally speaking. She shook her head ruefully at Shannon. "I guess I was wrong, Shannon. It didn't take long for someone to recognize me." She pressed her fingers against her forehead and released a long breath. "So there you have it. I am the Terry Quinn of Crimson Skies."

Yui gazed pointedly at Terry as if she was trying to get an answer just by looking. "What's Crimson Skies?" Mio and Azusa groaned simultaneously.

"You can't expect everyone to know," Sawako defended the lead guitarist. "Honestly, I haven't really been keeping up with the foreign music acts at all so I myself don't recall if I've heard of the band."

Azusa took over the explanation. "Crimson Skies was a popular college band that quickly rose up the ranks. They were classified as an alternative rock band, but could easily shift into pop rock, blues and jazz. In other words, they were quite versatile and good at fusing various genres of music. What made them famous were their rock related compositions. They were quickly signed by a big record label and produced two chart-hitting albums, which were quite popular in America and Europe."

Shannon nodded her head in agreement. "You're pretty knowledgeable about their background."

Azusa blushed. "Well, my parents were actually fans of theirs and I did my research."

"So what happened? Why did they disband?" Ritsu asked.

"Well, from what I know, the members of the band had no intention of dropping out of college and their work as a band certainly affected their academics. I think there were also some personal issues, but the main reason they disbanded was so that they could get back to their studies."

Shannon shook her head ruefully. "Well, that's part of the truth," she informed the group.

"There's more?" Sawako looked surprised.

Shannon looked at Terry for permission and when she got it, she explained, "Well, you were right that the band got sidetracked because of their band career. Their academics certainly suffered. If I'm not mistaken, all of you failed a number of subjects right?"

"Justine failed all her subjects that one semester," Terry remembered.

"While most up and coming bands would jump at the chance to make it big in the music industry, Terry and her friends all prioritized their education. Their group was rather realistic. They knew that a career in music isn't exactly long term so they wanted to make sure they had a stable career and future first." Shannon paused for a moment to drink. "So that's what happened. The record label didn't release them, but made it look like that they were going on an extended hiatus. Truthfully though, the band wasn't sure if they were going to pick up their instruments again after finishing college and setting up their own careers." She paused and looked hesitant.

Terry nodded her head to give her consent. "You might as well say it. Besides, what's done is done. It's all in the past." Her green eyes seemed to darken upon saying that.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Shannon hesitated for another moment then continued. "Well, there were also personal issues as Azusa-chan mentioned. There's always been a dark side to the music scene after all. All that touring and the money they earned made them a bit careless."

"Drugs?" Sawako guessed, knowing that it was probably the most logical answer.

Shannon nodded and sipped her drink to wet her drying mouth. "I'm not exactly sure of the extent though."

"Ecstasy, cocaine and heroin," Terry dictated dispassionately. "Add the frequent alcohol binging and all the one-night stands and you got the perfect recipe for disaster."

"Were you involved in that latter one though?" Shannon asked. "Miles said that you always warded off the groupies who frequently hit on you."

Terry nodded. "I wasn't about to have sex with anyone," she disdainfully said. "I will admit that I was guilty of the alcohol binging and the drugs though. The other three did everything else."

The Houkago Tea Time girls and their friends all stared in shock at how frank Terry was being with them. "Those things… really happen, huh?" Yui softly remarked, grasping her hands together.

Shannon grimly smiled. "Well, it's all in the past as Terry said. She and her former band mates are all sober and clean. As you've all noticed, Terry has developed an aversion towards alcohol. She drinks once in a while, but she's never drank more than a couple of drinks ever since then."

"That's great to hear!" Mugi pointed out with a warm smile directed at Terry who returned it. "We all know that there's always been a dark side to the music scene, but we're doing everything we can to stay true to ourselves and stay out of trouble."

"Good. Stay that way," Terry said with approval. She rubbed her aching temples. "Anyway, I would appreciate it if you don't go around telling everyone who I was. I don't really care much for attention and fame these days."

"Promise girls," Sawako ordered the college students who voiced out their agreement and gave their word. She looked at her watched and saw that it was nearly two in the morning. "I think it's time for us to head home." She looked at Nodoka, Ui and Jun. "Are you girls commuting back to your homes?"

Nodoka shook her head. "Yui invited us to stay the night at their apartment. Ui and I will head back to Tokyo tomorrow afternoon."

"Same here, but I'm riding back to Osaka on the train," Jun added.

While Yui, the band and the rest of their friends went to help out in collecting their things, Sawako stayed behind with Shannon and Terry. "I just want to thank you for opening up to them. It's a good lesson for them."

Terry smiled. "Better for them to know how fucked up life in the music scene can be from someone who experienced it firsthand," she agreed. Their eyes locked with each other for a long moment before Sawako finally broke their gaze.

"I loved your performance though," Sawako suddenly blurted out.

"Thanks. I'm flattered since it's coming from you."

"Terry-san! It might not be a good idea to get friendly with Sawa-chan!" Ritsu wickedly called to them. "There are certain things you should know about her," she snickered, ignoring the fierce look Sawako was shooting at her.

"Really? It can't be as bad as what you just heard about me," Terry said undoubtedly.

"You should ask about Catherine!" Ritsu continued, ignoring the frantic and scared looks her friends were giving her.

"Catherine?" Terry exchanged strange looks with Shannon. "Who's that?"

"Sawa-chan of course!"

"Huh?"

"She's the wild, demented and rebellious half of Sawa-"

"SHUT UP YOU LITTLE MORONS! I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL ALL OF YOU AND BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU WITH THIS GUITAR!" She suddenly reverted to her 'normal' persona and looked momentarily confused at what just happened. She didn't even realize how fast she must have moved, because she had an electric guitar in her hands raised above her head ready to strike. "Eh? Oh my God! No!" she wailed, dropping to her knees to join the cowed and kneeling college students before her. "I can't believe you made me do that!"

"S-Sawa-chan," Ritsu stammered, sweat clearly streaming down her face. "T-That was scarier than usual."

Amidst the scared whimpers and humiliated wails of Sawako, they heard the clear laughter coming from Terry's mouth. Her teeth flashed against her skin as she heaved in breaths while she struggled against her laughter.

Sawako covered her face with her hands and felt herself heating up in embarrassment. She couldn't believe she lost control right in front of these two women and the remaining customers who just happened to be close enough to witness the spectacle.

"Catherine, huh?" Terry rasped out after getting some semblance of control of herself. She grinned and shook her head while Shannon went to the witnesses to cover up the spectacle. "Sawako, I haven't laughed like that in ages." She got to her feet and squatted down next to the humiliated woman. "Was Catherine your stage name and persona?"

"Yes…" Sawako softly replied.

"Why are you ashamed? I personally find it interesting." Her emerald green eyes twinkled in amusement. "Don't feel embarrassed and don't hold it against your student for coaxing it out." She helped Sawako to her feet and gently patted the shorter woman's head. "If it makes you feel better, I have a soft spot for those rare people who have that hidden wild and rebellious side to them."

Sawako sniffled, but felt better anyway. She hasn't heard anyone honestly admit that they liked her Catherine persona. Almost always, she scared them off and it put a toll on her love life. It was only when she was her gentle and elegant self that she attracted suitors. "Thanks Terry," she murmured gratefully.

"If you have some free time, I'd like to hear about it some more," Terry said, gathering the shorter woman in her arms and briefly hugging her. "That would make it a fair trade right?"

Sawako smiled brightly up at the redhead. "Yes it would. Can we exchange numbers?" She and Terry quickly gave each other their cellphone numbers then turned to the task of bidding everyone goodbye. Sawako gave one last wave to Terry and Shannon who were going to stick around a bit longer then exited the live house with her students.

"Developing a soft spot for them?" Shannon asked, taking a seat on the very empty couch.

Terry shrugged. "They're a good bunch and I haven't made many friends here since I arrived in this country."

Shannon smiled. She was glad that Terry was indeed making new friends. Changing the subject, she asked, "Do you think they suspect anything else?"

Terry shook her head. "I don't think so."

"They'll eventually find out anyway especially when they come over."

"That won't be for a while longer though," Terry replied, settling in beside her friend.

"Admit it, you're pleased that someone actually recognized you and liked the music you and the others made."

Terry grunted in reply, not willing to make that admission. Still, she silently accepted that she was a little pleased that she actually had fans who appreciated the work she did four years back.

"Sawako has become your favorite, huh?"

"What makes you say that?"

"I haven't seen you get that friendly with someone relatively new."

"She's interesting and I'm curious about her band days."

Shannon laughed. "I'm curious as well. Think Miles and the others will like her?"

"I'm sure. They'll probably end up liking the Houkago girls as well," Terry guessed. "They're a very likable group anyway." Looking at the time, Terry got to her feet. "If it's alright with you, I'm going to head home. I promised Miles that we'd have a video conference to discuss some business matters from back home."

Shannon nodded and hugged the tall redhead. "Tell that cousin of mine I said hi, okay?" She pulled away and walked Terry to the exit. "I can practically see you becoming another mentor for those girls."

"Really?"

"Face it, you've always had a knack for helping people out."

Terry looked up at the dark skies and stuffed her hands in her pockets. "Perhaps you're right. I don't mind though. I find mentoring quite soothing."