Chapter 4

A week had passed since the start of the contest and so far around 500 entries had been submitted to them. Some of them were good and some were bad, but so far none of them had that defining factor that impressed all of the guys. The voices had a sound that tried to mimic whatever artist created the song submitted. It was generic, it was boring, and it wasn't what they wanted. Even if the submitter had an amazing voice.

Ren had just passed song 100 as he walked through the streets of Japan. He frowned as he listened to one song. He had never once in his life discouraged anybody from doing anything, but he really wanted that person to stop singing. They were flat when they were supposed to be sharp and tried to hit the one high note that made the song famous. Unfortunately they didn't.

Tired of listening to that song he turned to another song, becoming annoyed with that one as well. After two and half minutes of pure torture, Ren just cut his iPod off. He sighed as he ran a hand through his golden locks, looking up at the sky. It was clear as the sun beamed down on them, warming his skin. He couldn't help but wonder if the other guys had as tough of a time with the songs they chose as he did. Maybe they found someone with a nice voice.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Ren waited for the light to change. He was going to head to a small jazz bistro that a friend of his owned. What he listened to just made him extremely hungry somehow. The signal to walk lit up and he walked with the crowd down the street for another block until he saw a small crowd gathered on the corner.

A gentle voice accompanied by soft guitar music emanated from the center of the crowd. It piqued his interest. Ghosting around the crowd, he peeked over their shoulders and heads to see a young woman leaning against the corner. She held a large guitar in her hands as long slender fingers strummed out beautiful chords. The young woman had an exotic look to her. Black curls framed a heart shaped face as the sun made her brown ski radiate.

Her eyes were closed as she sung heartfelt lyrics, alluring the crowd to throw any spare change, even some bills, into the open guitar case. Ren closed his eyes as he let the lyrics proclaiming unrequited love ring through his ears and soul. This woman, whoever she was, deserved to have some kind of deal. Maybe she had sent in a song.

If she did, it would have been a lovely and refreshing change. At risk of sounding like a man from out of one of the many Shoujo manga that Haruka would read, he had to know that woman's name.

Once she finished singing, the crowd applauded her and threw even more money in the case before dispersing and heading on about their merry ways. Ren was the only one who remained. He stood as he watched the girl put the money she had earned into a small coin purse and wallet. After clearing it out, she laid the guitar back into its bed and strapped the case on her shoulder. "Excuse me, miss," Ren started.

"Uchida, Uchida Ami," a voice as sweet as it was when singing answered him. The brown skinned woman turned around, looking at him with surprising blue eyes as she smiled. "Can I help you, mister-?"

"Jinguuji Ren," Ren smiled in amusement as he watched her eyes widen.

"O-Oh my God…you are him!" she exclaimed with a delighted squeal. Ren chuckled quietly as he ran a hand through his hair again.

"Hai, I am. Listen, I couldn't help but hear your voice, Uchida-san." Ren smiled down at her. Her eyes seemed to light up even more at the statement.

"Th-Thank you so much, Jinguuji-san!" she squealed. The woman named Ami looked up at him, a large grin plastered on her full lips. They stood in silence for a moment, only the sounds of the bustling streets behind them were heard…

Then a low gurgle broke through the silence. Ami's face heated up as she quickly folded her small hands over her stomach. Ren just laughed. Whether it was supposed to be funny or not, he just laughed. She was a refreshing change of pace from the other women that his line of work caused him to meet.

"How about I take you to lunch, Aoi-me?" he offered after clearing his throat.

"Lunch…m-me?" she was surprised, still on a high from just talking to one of the most famous singers in Japan.

Ren nodded as he pulled out a large bill. "It's my treat Aoi-me." His smile, his smile that made so many women swoon, had the same effect on her.

She giggled sheepishly as she nodded, her blush deepening when her stomach growled at them again. "S-Sure, Jinguuji-sama."

Ami couldn't believe it. She was actually having lunch with Jinguuji Ren from STARISH. It was a dream that had come true for her. At every sentence that left his lips, she found herself listening to carefully, as if it was going to be the last thing she would ever hear in her life. On more than one occasion she found herself staring at his lips. Brought out of her daze by a soft chuckle, Ami looked up at the star in front of her.

"I-I'm sorry, wh-what did you say?" Ami asked, her face heating in embarrassment. She didn't even hear what he was talking about.

"I was going to ask you if you were going to enter the contest, Aoi-me," he repeated as he took a sip of his drink.

She gave another embarrassed nod along with a smile. "Hai, I just need to find a song," she admitted. She looked up at him to see another smile on his face. Did he usually smile so much?

"I'm sure you will find a great song. With a voice like yours, you can make any song your own." Ren looked down at her, delighted at the sudden sparkle her eyes held.

"Arigatou," she smiled, nervously brushing a stray curl behind her ear as she looked in her cup. She blushed as a silence passed over them again. She didn't know what to say. No. She did know what to say, but she didn't know if he was going to take it the wrong way. She wanted to know what drew him to her. His personality, as they portrayed him on the gossip shows on T.V, was that of a playboy who only dated a certain type of woman.

She certainly wasn't his type.

After a few moments of silence, Ren cleared his throat, sensing that the little songbird was growing nervous. He honestly didn't mind sitting in the quiet as long as it was with her. Her refreshing, turn of pace, personality was what he needed. Plus, it gave him a reason to shirk away from his abilities.

"I was wondering something, Aoi-me,"

"I was raised by my father, who was Japanese, after he brought me here from my mother's home in America."

"I…wasn't going to ask that."

"…Oh," her blush deepened. She felt like a total fool. She had been asked that so many times, it had become an automatic response. "I'm sorry; I've just gotten so used to that being a first question,"

"I understand Aoi-me. It must have been hard growing up different from your classmates,"

Ami nodded, watching her fingers as they wrapped around the tea cup. "It was," Harder than he could've imagined. He was lucky; he wasn't treated as an outcast for most of his life by people he wanted to be his friends. It sucked being part of two worlds, but living in one.

Ren opened his mouth to speak before his phone started to ring. Damn, he thought as he pulled out his phone. Seeing that that caller was none other than Haruka, he answered it smoothly. "Yes, little lamb?" he asked. He looked over at Ami when he saw her raise an arched eyebrow.

"Jinguuji-san, are you almost finished with your lunch?" Haruka asked. "We need to finish recording."

Ren nodded as he started to shift through his pockets. "Hai, I'm just finishing up something sweet now," he replied, giving Ami a gentle wink. He chuckled when he saw her blush and diverted her gaze back down to the cup. "I'll be there in a few minutes, little lamb."

"Oh, alright, Jinguuji-san."

He turned to Ami when she hung up. "It seems my work needs me Aoi-me," Ren smiled as he pulled out his wallet. Pulling out a bill he slipped it on the table and placed his cup on top of it. "I'm sorry that this has to be cut short."

Ami shook her head with a smile, her face still flushed from his previous comment. "I understand Jinguuji-san." She looked up to see him holding out a small card white card decorated with music notes circling a large red rose.

"Call me whenever you need something," Ren smiled as she accepted the card. "Until then, ja mata ne, Aoi-me."

He left the restaurant and Ami sighed, feeling her insides completely turn to gush as he heart pounded uncontrollably. That really did happen, didn't it?