Disclaimer: I do not own Bitter Virgin nor do I own the song used.
A/N: I've been getting into seinen manga lately…REC…Bitter Virgin…Otaku no Musume-san…never really paid attention to that until now. Ok on to chapter two. I'm not even going to mention Daisuke's friend now, or at least very little of him. It's really hard since he has no official name, and I hate making up names for existing characters.
"Hey, want to go sing Karaoke?" Kazuki asked as class ended.
The four of them went to the local karaoke bar after they changed back to their regular shoes. The karaoke bar wasn't that big since this is just a small town. In fact it's the only one in town. Daisuke never really liked Karaoke; he used to come just to hang out with girls. Kazuki on the other hand, loved it. She was the most enthusiastic one of the group. Yuzu walked ahead with Kazuki while Daisuke and Hinako hung back behind them.
They arrived at the small two story building where the karaoke bar is. It consists of a small front counter, a back area where they prepare drinks and other snacks, and ten rooms total, five on the first floor and five on top. This place isn't very busy so there's almost always a room free. The four of them walked upstairs to a free room, Kazuki ordering drinks on the wall phone inside.
"What do you guys wanna drink?" she asked.
"Oolong tea," Yuzu replied.
"Melon soda," Daisuke said.
"Same as Suwa-kun," Hinako said.
Kazuki repeated their orders into the receiver.
Their drinks had arrived soon and the four of them started ordering songs from the catalog provided to them. Kazuki was the one who ordered the most of course. Hinako just flipped through catalog absentmindedly and Daisuke took notice.
"What's wrong?" he asked, nudging her on her elbow.
"Ah, nothing." Hinako replied, shaken out of her thoughts. "Just that, this is the first time I've been to a Karaoke bar."
"Eh really?" Kazuki asked surprised.
"Come to think of it, I've never heard you hum so much as a song." Yuzu thought back.
"Then you have to sing your heart out! You'll love it," Kazuki said almost too enthusiastically. "Is there a song you like?"
"Yes, but…" Hinako said shyly. "I'm not a very good singer."
"Don't worry," Yuzu laughed. "I'm not very good either and if I remember correctly, Daisuke isn't that much better."
"Oi, is that an insult?" Daisuke asked, his eye twitching slightly.
"Just saying, remember when we were kids practicing for the school choir…" Yuzu teased.
"Ok I'll show you!" Daisuke said. "Aikawa, we'll sing a duet and prove Yuzu wrong."
"Eh? Ah okay…" Hinako said surprised.
"So what song will you two sing then?" Kazuki asked.
Daisuke thought about it for a moment, and then remembered something from a while ago. "I know…" and he picked up the keypad and thumbed in the number for the song. "Don't worry you'll know this song." Daisuke said reassuringly to Hinako.
All the songs that Kazuki and Yuzu ordered first came up first. Kazuki singing spectacularly because she comes every chance she gets. Daisuke got revenge on Yuzu whenever it was her turn to sing, making snide comments about her singing. Hinako tried to stop him. It was all in good fun until Yuzu threw her microphone at Daisuke's head. The microphone making a loud earsplitting racket as it collided with his head and then the floor.
"And that's you will sound like," Yuzu said. "But I'm sure Aikawa-san can cover for you."
Hinako giggled at Daisuke as he sat back rubbing the spot where the microphone had hit.
"I thought you were supposed to be on my side." Daisuke sighed.
"Sorry, Suwa-kun…" Hinako said as her giggles died away.
"Don't worry," Daisuke said seeing her fallen expression. "I'm not mad or anything."
"It's okay to laugh about this idiot," Yuzu told her. "When we have time, I'll tell you more embarrassing things about his childhood."
"Don't you dare…" Daisuke said.
"What girls talk about alone is none your business," Yuzu said playfully.
"Whatever you do, don't believe her Aikawa!" Daisuke panicked.
Hinako smiled.
Soon it was Daisuke and Hinako's turn to sing. When the title came on, Hinako knew why Daisuke said that. It was the song that Daisuke sang when they first met, her favorite song. He had remembered that small detail from over a year ago. Daisuke winked at her when she looked up at him, holding the microphone close.
The music began playing and they began to sing together.
Nagareru kisetsu no mannake de
In the midst of the flowing seasons
Futo hi no nagasa wo kanjimasu
I suddenly feel the length of the days
Sewashiku sugiru hibi no naka ni
Amongst the days we pass by busily
Watashi to anata de yume wo egaku
You and I sketch out our future
Daisuke stopped and let Hinako sing the next few verses.
Sangatsu no kaze ni omoi wo nosete
My feelings riding on the March winds
Sakura no tsubomi wa haru he to tsuzukimasu
The cherry blossom buds continuing on towards spring
Afuredasu hikari no tsubu ga
A ray of overflowing light
Sukoshizutsu asa wo atatamemasu
Warms my mornings little by little
Ookina akubi wo shita ato ni
After giving a large yawn
Sukoshi tereteru anata no yoko de
I'm a little shy being by your side
Arata na sekai no iriguchi ni tachi
Standing at the entrance of a new world
Daisuke joins in again.
Kizuita koto wa hitori janaitte koto
I notice that now I am not alone
Hinako stops to let Daisuke sing alone this time.
Hitomi wo tojireba anata ga
If I close my eyes, you are there
Mabuta no ura ni iru koto de
Under my eyelids
Dore hodo tsuyoku nareta deshou
How strong you have become
Anata ni totte watashi mou sou de aritai
As for you and me, I want us to be together
Sunabokori hakobu tsumuji kaze
The whirlwind carried a cloud of dust
Sentaku mono ni karamarimasu ga
Entwines with laundry that needs to be done
Hirumae no sora no shiroi tsuki wa
The white moon just before the afternoon sky
Nan daka kirei de mitoremashita
Somehow fascinated me with how pretty it was
Umaku wa ikanu koto mo aru keredo
Things don't always go well
Ten wo aogeba sore sae chiisakute
But when I look up at the sky, all of that seems small
Hinako joins again.
Aoi sora wa rinto sunde
The blue sky is sharp and clear
Hitsuji kumo wa shizuka ni yureru
The fluffy clouds quietly roll by
Hanasaku wo matsu yorokobi wo
The joy of waiting for flowers to bloom
Wakachiaeru no de areba sore wa shiawase
If we can share that happiness, I'll be happy
Kono saki mo tonari de sotto hohoende
In the future just keep smiling by my side
Hitomi wo tojireba anata ga
If I close my eyes, you are there
Mabuta no ura ni iru koto de
Under my eyelids
Dore hodo tsuyoku nareta deshou
How strong you've become
Anata ni totte watashi mo sou de aritai
As for you and me, I want us to be together
La~lalala lalalalala~ la~lalala lalalalala~la~lalala lalala la~
The song ended and breathed out. Yuzu and Kazuki clapped and cheered in amazement. Daisuke and Hinako looked at each other and smiled. That was the first time they did that. When they were singing, they felt like they were the only two in the room.
Hinako opened up a little more after that and sang another song by herself this time. Soon it was time to leave and so they grabbed their stuff and left, paying the bill at the front. They split up and Daisuke walked Hinako home. It was dark and after that one incident, he has never let Hinako walk home by herself in the dark again. They talked about random things here and there, each forgetting about all the mention of college today. When they arrived, Daisuke even walked her up to her front door. Hinako thought it was a bit over protective but she doesn't mind right now.
"Today was fun," Hinako said.
"Yeah," Daisuke said. "So about this weekend…"
"Pick me up at 12 noon Saturday," Hinako finished for him.
"Huh," Daisuke said surprised, "Oh right, of course!"
"Good night then," Hinako said.
"Night…" Daisuke said.
They both stood there for a moment, looking at each other. Daisuke started leaning in closer and Hinako seemed to have gotten the signal and leaned forward as well. They closed their eyes and their lips met. They kissed without stopping, neither wanting to be the one to pull away. Suddenly they heard the ring of a cell phone and broke apart.
"Ah sorry," Daisuke said taking his cell phone out his pocket. "It's my mom, she probably wants me home." And flipped it open.
Hinako watched him talk on the phone.
"Yeah, my mom needs me home right now," Daisuke said. "Sorry."
"No it's fine," Hinako smiled.
Daisuke leaned again to give her a peck on her lips and walked away, looking back occasionally. Hinako watched until he was out of sight before opening the door to her small apartment. Today was more enjoyable then she had expected to be. She hummed the song she sang with Daisuke as she picked up the stack of letters and ads from the floor that came through the mail slot and threw her bag on her bed.
She sorted through her mail at the small table, ads; bills, more ads…then a letter caught her attention. Unlike the bills, the address and name was hand written. There doesn't seem to be a return address. She opened the letter cautiously and a paper slipped out. As she read the letter, all the happiness from earlier today drained out, replaced by fright and sadness.
"How did he find out where I am…" Hinako whimpered.
A/N: Sangatsu Kokonoka – Remioromen (title of the song translates as March 9th) fits really well with this story as well, after I read the lyrics. Song originally composed for "1 liter of Tears" J-drama. Watch that as well if you want because it's so sad…*tears* yes I'm a guy who sheds tears over sad dramas, anime, and manga.
Melon soda = best soda in the world. And I know that's probably not the song he was singing in the manga but they never said what it was so I'm taking some liberties. And the song is not for space fillers, I really do think all the lyrics fit this story quite well.
And Hinako has a stalker? El gasp! It's not really much a cliffhanger, maybe it's because I'm the writer but I think it's pretty easy to guess who the letter is from.