more of a filler chapter, i feel. more humor next time.
Chapter II
"O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?"
"What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?"
"Th' exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine."
Tsuchiura Ryoutarou sighed as, out of the corner of his eye, he watched Kaji move towards Hino. He immediately regretted that he agreed to watch the rehearsals along with Hihara-senpai, Fuyuumi, Yunoki-senpai and Shimizu. Seeing Kaho—ahem—Hino—acting all lovey-dovey with Kaji the transfer student was kind of difficult—it made him think of the 'kissing' picture in the school article—and he briefly paused to imagine what it would be like if he acted opposite Hino instead.
He shook his head.
He wasn't supposed to daydream like a grade-schooler.
They were all supposed to inspect and plan where to place the chairs, music stands and instruments for the play. No one had been able to convince Tsukimori to come. Not that Ryou wanted him to, of course.
"It is my soul that calls upon my name.
How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night,
Like softest music to attending ears."
"What the hell," he muttered. So agreeing to join the stage play via the ensemble really was a bad idea.
"Okay, cut!"
Amou Nami appeared from behind the side curtains and strode to the direction of the actors.
"Hey, Kaho, you're too stiff. Try to relax a bit more. You're supposed to be lovers here, y'know, and stop stuttering. It ruins the romantic mood. Argh—Kaho—"
"There, there," soothed Kaji. "Hino-san is doing fine; she'll do better next time. Give her some credit, Amou-san."
"Uh, uh-huh," she replied resignedly. "Polish your lines, then."
"Yes, thank you."
"Teacher Kanazawa!" called an unfamiliar voice from below the stage, and Ryou squinted to take a good look. It was a pale, thin, bespectacled, scarf-covered person who, from his very false falsetto voice to his awkward stance, Ryou guessed was a homosexual. "How very nice of you to come. Oh, and you've brought your students with you!"
He watched Hino flip her head to their direction and then she blushed furiously at the sight of her fellow former concours participants. She took half a step backwards, and Kaji reached out to steady her.
"Ah—Mirai-sensei—I thought by this time you're already done with your practices."
"Oh, time flies—but if you would let us rehearse just another scene—"
"Uh, go ahead," replied Kanazawa-sensei, "My students can wait."
Like hell.
"Kanayan," inquired Hihara-senpai as the director talked to Kaji and Hino, "Kanayan, do they—Romeo and Juliet—I mean—are they going to kiss?"
"Lots," the teacher replied indifferently, "And if you've watched the 1968 and 1996 movie versions, they even got bed scenes."
Hihara-senpai fainted.
"Alright," called the director loudly, "We'll start on Romeo and Juliet's scene, Act 1, Scene 5, and go!"
Kaji moved forward and took Hino's hand.
"If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."
"Tch."
"G-good pilgrim," stuttered Hino, "Y-you do wrong your hand t-too much,
W-which mannerly devotion shows in this,
For s-saints have hands t-that—"
"For Kami's sake!" cried the director shrilly, "Why are you mutilating the script, child?"
"I—I'm sorry, Mirai-sensei—"
"Alright, alright! We've been practicing for three hours, anyway. We'll have another go with the romantic scenes tomorrow. Hino, are you alright? You look like you're gong to faint. Kaji, please memorize your lines with Mercutio, although we're yet to find the one to play the part—Amou, I wonder whether you've found a student who—"
Romantic scenes?
Tch.
---
Hino Kahoko trembled slightly as she took a seat on the dressing room. The rehearsals had been tiring enough, but the sight of her fellow concours participants seated on the front row made her feel doubly tired and exhausted. And embarrassed, to top it all off.
"Hino-san? Are you alright?"
She smiled weakly as Kaji-kun took the seat beside her. He is the best partner anyone could ever hope to have—always smiling, patient and understanding—but still; it didn't stop her from wishing she were somewhere else instead. Like...like the practice room.
"I'm sorry, Kaji-kun," she apologized, "I don't know how to act, I can't even get my lines right—"
"Shush, no worries. I'll be with you. You don't have to worry much, alright?"
"I can't help it," she wailed. "I am so pathetic."
In a blink of an eye, he was kneeling in front of her. Kahoko blinked as his hands cradled her face.
"You need to be comfortable with me, Hino-san, for this play to work out."
"Eh, but—"
"This must be hard for you, and I'm sorry for forcing you to go through all this, but Hino-san, I want you to know…that when I'm with you…I am…I am happy."
Her face must have turned tomato red, for Kaji-kun smiled sweetly and tapped her face.
"Have you ever heard of the fake kiss, Hino-san?"
"F-fake kiss?"
"It is mostly used in theaters—where the lead actors seemed to kiss, but actually, they do not. I know of a technique which involves placing a thumb on another actor's face but it has to be done correctly for it to appear real."
"Eh—what about it?"
His eyes twinkled.
"Well, we have lots of kissing scenes, yes?"
"Ehhhhh!!"
Kahoko automatically pulled away in embarrassment. Unable to help herself, she covered her face with her hands. Kaji-kun chuckled heartily.
"Here, drink this," he offered after a while. "Hino-san?"
She took the bottled water and thanked him while she avoided his gaze. Kaji-kun, ever so thoughtful. It still puzzled her—what moved him to transfer to Seiso. The reason just can't be her, really; he's too perfect and she's too plain. Somehow, things just didn't make sense.
She looked up at him.
"I'm sorry, Kaji-kun."
"For what?"
"For being so plain." She sighed heavily. "I wish you've chosen a more capable partner."
"I have you, Hino-san," he replied cheerfully, "And why would I settle for anything less than the best?"
For the eleventh time that afternoon, she blushed.
"Hino-san," he said softly. "Forgive me if I sound insistent, but Mirai-sensei said that we're to rehearse the romance scenes tomorrow. And I figured—maybe you'd get less embarrassed if we go through the whole thing privately first. What do you think?"
Gah, she had totally forgotten about it. Kahoko winced—his suggestion was logical and suits her just fine, really, but still—embarrassing!
"A-ah, w-well—uh, K-kaji-kun…"
"It's alright if you refuse. You don't have to worry about me."
Rehearsals. With lots of people watching. Kahoko was sure she would faint. She would have to do it sooner or later anyway. At least Kaji-kun was thoughtful enough to consider her feelings. She ought to be thankful for it.
"It's okay, really," she gushed, "You're right—it's better if we practice in—uh—in private first."
He smiled warmly. "It would be better if we start on the dialogue for Scene 5. You'd feel less embarrassed that way. Just keep in mind that you are Juliet, and I Romeo. Internalize the character."
"H-hai. Ahem—Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake."
"Then move not while my prayer's effect I take."
Her heart thudded loudly as Kaji-kun closed the distance between their faces. He took her hand and tilted his head to one side. Kahoko, her instincts kicking in, closed her eyes.
But the kiss never came. Confused, she slowly opened her eyes and found Kaji-kun turned to the direction of the open door. Just outside was Hihara-senpai who looked flustered and shocked and surprised, all in one spin. He trembled slightly.
"H-Hihara-senpai?" asked Kahoko. "What are you doing here?" Her face turned red as the trumpet player's eyes strayed from her face to her left hand, still held by Kaji-kun.
His eyes bulged.
"Hihara-senpai?" asked Kaji-kun softly. "You have something to say?"
"I'm-sorry-I-didn't-know-you-were-here-I-mean-I-know-but-I-thought-Kaho-chan-was-alone-I'm-sorry-I'm-sorry-I-didn't-realize-I'm-sorry-I'm-sorry—"
He ran away from the dressing room.
"What was that?" she asked after a while. "Why'd he run away?"
Kaji-kun regarded their linked hands thoughtfully while Kahoko pulled at her hand subtly, at the same time afraid to offend him.
Flash.
Kahoko yanked her hand away as Nami eyed them with glinting eyes, her camera on her hands.
"Sorry to disturb your—er, private sessions," she announced playfully, "but Kaji-kun, Mirai-sensei wants you back on stage—someone auditioned for the role of Tybalt, and he needs to see how the two of you would look and sound together. Follow me?"
"Oh, of course," he replied cordially. "Hino-san, please wait for me after the rehearsals. It's getting dark—I'll walk you home."
"E-eh—"
"Ah, Kaho-chan. I'll call you. Later," pressed Nami, her voice heavy with malice.
And just then he followed the journalist out of the dressing room.
"Aren't you being too familiar?"
Kahoko jumped and she turned her head back to the door—Yunoki-senpai was framed on the doorway, his arms folded in front of his chest.
"Y-Yunoki-senpai?"
"I was merely concerned where Hihara disappeared to. Judging from the look on his face, however, he must have witnessed a rather unnerving scene."
"It's not what you th—"
"He'll walk you home?" he asked sourly with a saccharine smile that was chemically combined with acid, "Why, are you two together?"
"No! We were only—"
His eyes narrowed and he closed the door behind him. Kahoko gulped as he pressed the button on the center of the knob, and she backed away nervously as he slowly advanced closer to her, like a predator to his doomed prey.
"How would you explain the article that came out three days ago?"
"That's not true—actually—"
He moved with a swiftness that startled even Kahoko, and in an instant, Yunoki-senpai had her pinned to the wall.
"What say you, Kahoko?" he breathed on her ear.
"Y-Yunoki-senpai!" she cried as he pressed her against the wall, "Yunoki-senpai—"
"Hmm?"
"I swear, we weren't kissing—it was an accident—"
"Can you imagine what your punishment this time would be, Kahoko?" He traced the planes on her face, and Kahoko shuddered. "I will punish your children and grandchildren and their children and grandchildren—"
"What, you're still alive by then?!"
He laughed mirthlessly.
"I was merely emphasizing the gravity of your offense," he replied sardonically, "You are so unbelievably stupid at times, Kahoko. I wonder what I see in—"
He stopped short and then he released her. He frowned as he twirled a strand of her hair with his finger.
"This transfer student irritates me."
"Kaji-kun?"
His lips pulled down in the corners.
"But he's really nice to me."
"Really?" he asked sourly. "That complicates things."
"Eh?"
He moved closer, and then he cupped Kahoko's chin.
"No one plays with my favorite toy," he announced darkly, "or they'll have to answer to me."
"What? Favorite what? But—but—I'm not a toy—"
He pressed a finger to her lips. "Let us see," he whispered contemptuously, "You'll ride with me home, Kahoko."
"But—"
He pressed his lips to his finger, and she felt his warm breath against her cheek. Kahoko's eyes bulged at Yunoki-senpai's boldness, and he smirked at her surprised face. "Let us see," he repeated as he straightened up, walked away and opened the door like nothing happened.
"Follow me."
"Yunoki-senpai! Where are you going?"
"To challenge your Romeo into a duel. How does that sound?"
She hid behind the curtains as he stepped into the stage.
"May I have your attention, Mirai-sensei?"
"Yes, beautiful boy?"
"I would like to audition for the role of Mercutio."
Kahoko's eyes bulged. Mercutio? Like, Mercutio?! He can't be serious—
"You? Mercutio?" asked Mirai-sensei, likewise appalled. Surely Yunoki-senpai wouldn't want to play a role that gets killed off eventually?
He smiled politely. "I find the character really fascinating."
"Are you sure? Frankly, we're looking for a Cast B Romeo. If you want—"
"Mercutio's death introduces the forces and patterns of dramatic action that lead to the ultimate tragedy," he explained rather intellectually. "The role is sufficiently challenging. Besides, Romeo's character is regarded by scholars as weak."
Kaji-kun flinched slightly and Kahoko chewed on the wall of her cheek. Yaaay. He really hates the transfer student.
"Oh, very well then, let's give it a try. Amou, hand him Act 2 scripts. Kaji-kun—"
"I know the lines quite well, Mirai-sensei," interrupted Yunoki-senpai, and without another word he moved closer to Kaji-kun. "Why, is not this better than groaning for love? Now art thou sociable, now art thou Romeo, now art thou what thou art, by art as well by nature. For this driveling love is like a great natural that runs lolling up and down to hide his bauble in a hole."
"Oh, very well! Very well, indeed! If you are sure about this, young man, then you are to be Mercutio. You should practice with us every afternoon after class starting tomorrow. Would that be alright?"
He threw a short, mocking glance at Kahoko's direction.
"Yes, Mirai-sensei. Thank you for accepting me. I hope the same goes for the other actors."
"Of course," interjected Kaji-kun politely, "Welcome to the play, Yunoki-senpai."
Every afternoon spent with Yunoki-senpai.
The play is just getting started.
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Next Chapter:
"No one, and I repeat—NO ONE—walks out of my stage! How dare he throw my precious manuscripts on the floor?! What is that rude boy's name?!?"
"Er—Tsukimori Len-kun."
"Well, he's a handsome boy, and I certainly am not letting him get away with this. Very well, call for the rest of the actors, Amou. I have found our Cast B Romeo."
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