Note: Standard disclaimer applies. I do not own the songs inputted in this story either as it belongs to its rightful owner.
"Mom, what should I do?" I questioned with a slight whine in my tone as I stared at the business card. It had only been a couple of hours since my encounter with Miyazawa-san, but a part of me already wanted to accept the offer and change my life.
'Perhaps, if I kept myself busy… I wouldn't think about that,' my rational side concluded. I looked at to see a small smile on my mother's face, to which I tilted my head a bit in confusion.
"Do what makes you happy, Jirou," she finally responded with a smile as she wiped her hands on her apron, and continued, "But understand that running away isn't going to solve your problem. If you think that taking this offer will make you stronger to face that problem, then you already know the answer to your dilemma,"
"What are you talking about, mom? I don't have...any problems," I responded, nearly stumbling over the last two words.
Nevertheless, my mom just gave me a sympathetic smile and responded, "I won't ask you what happened, but I just know that whatever problem you are facing now... you are clearly affected by it. If becoming an idol is your solution, then I'll completely support you,"
"Go find your happiness, son," my dad stated as he walked into the room, overhearing the conversation.
I let out a wide smile in response, and ran over to hug both my parents before I went to call Miyazawa-san to tell him the news. "Thanks mom, thanks dad!" I called out as I ran upstairs to my room.
I gave a once-glance over at the card as I took out my cell phone to dial the listed number. My hand shook in both excitement and nervousness while I waited for the call, and when a voice answered, I nearly dropped the phone.
"Miyazawa-san?" I inquired in above whisper, and gulped down my nervousness when the said person confirmed his identity. "About your offer earlier… is it still available?" I asked anxiously as I walked over to the window, and stared at the rainfalls.
I finally let out a smile at his answer, and gripped my phone tighter as I said, "Then…I'll take it. Thank you for putting me back together, and changing my life,"
"Don't thank me just yet, boy. This road will be hard, but if it's you… I know you'll make it to the top, and I'm not just saying that," he stated with a chuckle.
We exchanged some information about each other, specifically about me… such as my name, my date of birth, and so forth. Half an hour later, I finally hung up the phone, and slid down the wall with a small smile on my face.
"Starting today… I'll change, and you'll see," I promised to the rustling wind.
As per usual, I woke up early in the morning, and sat up feeling a bit dazed. Within those couple of seconds, reality slapped me in the face.
'Kei-chan… no, Atobe cheated on me,' that was my first thought as I clenched onto my blanket in a tight grip. 'I'm going to become an idol,' was my second thought as I let out a sigh.
"Jirou! Miyazawa-san is here to take you to the salon!" my mother shouted from the bottom of the stairs.
"I'll be there in a couple of minutes!" I responded as I got up and stretched for a few seconds before I headed to the bathroom.
'Oh yeah… I'm going to change my image,' I remembered as I washed my face. I grabbed my toothbrush, and toothpaste as another thought entered my mind, 'New image, and new attitude, but same name…?'
Once I freshened up, I let out a smirk at my mirror image before I left the bathroom. I quickly changed into my school uniform, grabbed my book bag, and ran down the stairs.
"Sorry for the wait," I immediately stated as I entered to the dining room where I heard various chatters, and greeted, "Good morning, everyone,"
"Aniki, is it true? You're going to become an idol?" my younger sister suddenly questioned with me with twinkles in her eyes.
"Yes," I responded as I sat down at the title, and quickly ate my breakfast.
Miyazawa-san put down his utensils as he faced my parents, and said, "I hope you won't mind that we'll be changing his image,"
"It's his choice, actually," my mom replied as she glanced at him, and then at me. "Just don't go extreme," that was all she said.
Even though my heart still felt numb, I could not help but chuckle and smirk at my mirror image. Despite the fact that it was not a total makeover, I like my new look… my curly blonde hair was straightened, I was given a temporary double eyelid via some contraptions, an earring on my right ear, and some accessories.
I loosened my tie a bit, and unbuttoned a couple of the top buttons, so that my skull necklace was showing. I let out a cold smile when Miyazawa-san parked his car in front of Hyoutei, and glanced at me expectantly.
"Thanks for the ride," I stated calmly as I left the vehicle, and closed the door.
"Jirou, I'll come pick you up after school to go over your schedule," my boss called out, and I paused for a moment before I gave him a nod in understanding. With that said, I put on my mask before I began walking to my homeroom.
I heard various whispers as I walked down the hallway, and most of them happened to be about who I was. Did I look that different? I supposed it was to be expected, perhaps; after all, I look different. Besides, that was the look I was going for, so that Atobe regretted doing that.
I let out a deeper scowl when I realized that my thoughts referred back to him. 'I'm not going to think about him, ever,' I concluded inwardly as I opened my classroom door. The chatters instantaneously stopped, and everyone stared at me, which I promptly ignored as I walked over to my seat and sat down.
'Get use to it, Jirou. You're going to be an idol, people are going to be staring at you left and right,' I told myself as I gave everyone a sharp glare, silently telling them to resume doing whatever it was they were doing before I arrived.
"I wonder who that hottie is," I heard one of my female classmates whispered rather loudly to her friends, and when they took a sneak glance at me, they instantly squealed in excitement or something.
"He's sitting at Jirou's seat," another female stated in hushed whisper that was not so hushed. "I wonder if he's Jirou… couldn't be right? Or could it?"
Luckily, the bell rang, and my homeroom teacher walked in at that moment to spare my sanity. She glanced around the room as my classmates scrambled to his or her assigned seats. She took out her attendance sheet, and began calling our names.
"It looks like Akutagawa Jirou isn't here," she stated once she reached to my name, which was before Atobe Keigo's name.
"I'm here," I responded coldly with my arms and legs crossed. I ignored the surprised cries of nearly everyone as they immediately looked at me.
"EH!!! B-but… you're…" my homeroom teacher stuttered as she looked at me. I gave a piercing gaze towards her, and a small smirk formed at the corner of my mouth.
'From this moment onward, I won't think about you,' I thought as loud chatters instantly boomed in the classroom. From the corner of my eyes, I noticed Atobe looking at me with shocked visage, which I disregarded as I plopped my elbow on the table.
It was not long before practically the whole school knew of my new image. Hyoutei, after all, is like a gossip central. As I walked down the hallway during lunch, I noticed some female students were taking pictures of me with their cell phones. I inwardly sighed, and told myself to ignore those activities as I headed to my destination.
"I'll make you regret your actions, Atobe-san," I muttered coldly under my breath as I rounded the corner, and headed towards a music room. "This time…" I said softly while I opened the door, silently noting that there is no one except for the grand piano.
"I'll make you regret dismissing me," I stated as I closed the door behind me, and made sure to lock it. As I approached to the piano, I loosened my tie further, and sat down in front of the piano. I let out a deep sigh before I opened the piano cover, and pressed a couple of keys to test the notes.
Usually, I would be having lunch with the regulars, but I did not want to face Atobe after the event yesterday. I also did not want to nap somewhere, in fear that my thoughts would refer back to yesterday.
I closed my eyes, and concentrated on the music before me as I began playing a classical piece. The fast and slow pace that this piece required reminded me of…
'No, I can't think about that,' I shook my head as I refocused on playing, and made sure that I was hitting all the accurate pitch at an exact time.
I nearly let out a smile when it was three minutes into the piece, and silently noted that it was nearing climax of the song. It was getting faster, and faster as the second passed by; despite my fingers getting tired, I continued playing.
"A minute to go," I murmured as if to encourage myself, and let out a sigh of relief when I finished. I did not realize that I was crying until a few tears splashed on the piano keys. With a shaky breath, I slowly wiped away the tears, only to have more spilled on the keys.
"Come on, Jirou… you can do this," I told myself as I closed my eyes while I slowly inhaled and exhaled.
After a couple of minutes, I reopened my eyes, and let out a small smile when I realized that my tears stopped. As I wiped my tear-stained cheeks, I could not help but feel refreshed. "Everything begins from this point onward," I quietly stated as I stood up from my seat, just as the lunch period ended.
"I'll just have to embrace and believe in the joy within this sadness," I murmured while I walked out of the music room, and headed back to my class.