CHAPTER VI ~I'LL SHOUT OUT TO THE ORION ~
"Eh? You're going somewhere, Takahashi?" asked Otoya to Erika. The group (namely, Otoya, Masato, Haruka, Tomochika) was currently in the cafeteria when Erika came to them dressed so fashionably. She was dressed in a long sleeved white dress shirt topped with a cropped black denim pullover with a pair of faded navy blue ankle cut denim and a pair of low-top sky blue sneakers. She had her long hair into a low pony tail, a black laced choker necklace around her neck and a black handbag slung on her elbow.
She happily nodded her head and answered him with a bright smile. "Yeah. This is the day when HAYATO-sama will release his song." "Oh right. She can't stop talking about it since yesterday," stated Haruka with an amused smile to which Erika blushed in embarrassment and scratched her head awkwardly. Suddenly, Tomochika stood beside her with a worried look. "If only I don't have many assignments, I would have come along…," she said and Erika looked confused. "Huh? What do y-," she was cut off by by Otoya asking worriedly. "Are you sure you'll be all right on your own, Takahashi?" Erika turned to him with slightly narrowed eyebrows. "Wait.. Are you implying that-," Again, she was cut off by another voice this time it was Masato, who had his eyes closed while sipping his tea.
"As long as you don't get lost." With that said, Erika's eye twitched slightly in annoyance and glared at them accusingly all the while putting her balled fists on her hips. "Huh?! What came to your mind that I would get lost? Besides, I-." Another cut of her speech when suddenly Ren spoke from behind her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Then, I can come with you, My Lady." "Ren-san, I don't need an escort, you know," she sighed exasperated but she was ignored. "Until later, you can call it a date," the copper-blond flirt continued with a flirty smirk, not noticing Erika's sagged form.
Masato furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm more worried about that." Then Ren and Masato had a small glaring contest until Erika snapped. "Stop it, guys! I'm all right on my own. Besides, I lived in the city for my whole life. It's going to be a walk in the park. So, don't worry, OK?" Then she sent a reassuring smile to all of them, said goodbye to them then proceeded to jog away towards the exit of the cafeteria. Erika was busy humming HAYATO's song when she bumped at Tokiya who just rounded a corner. She caught herself but her bag fell on her arm, causing the items inside to clatter onto the floor.
"Tokiya-san! I didn't see you… there," she trailed off as she happened to look at the stoic male's bandaged ankle when she looked down. While Erika was staring down at the floor –or so he thought-, Tokiya picked up a CD and held it in his hand and stared at it. Erika noticed the CD and quickly grabbed it from him and decided to pick up the scattered items. "Are you going to the concert?" Tokiya had asked, even though he already knew, making her stop picking the items and continued then stood up with a bright smile. "Yeah." Then it changed to a thoughtful look.
"Aren't you going to your.. brother's concert?" she asked, emphasizing the 'brother' part, to which Tokiya had ignored and continued to walk down the opposite way. Suddenly, he stopped and said something that made her twitch in annoyance. "Make sure you don't get lost." Just like that, he walked away without turning back, leaving Erika with a red flush not from embarrassment but from annoyance. "MOU, WHAT MADE EVERYONE THINK LIKE THAT?!"
…..
Erika leisurely took her time around the city since it was still early. Through busy streets and crowded sidewalks, she rode her way towards the music shop a few blocks away from the intersection near the bookstore she frequently visited when she was young. As she entered the shop, she was greeted by the kind shopkeeper then proceeded to buy some composition supplies and a new violin. She paid for the items and walked out of the shop. Before she climbed onto her bike, she slung her violin case on her shoulder and the plastic bag on her bike handle then rode towards the park.
As the park drew nearer, she noticed a familiar figure sitting on one of the benches there. "Huh? What is Natsuki-san doing here?" she wondered then smiled. "Might as well greet him." She stopped at the bench's right side to place her bike then she stopped in front of Natsuki who, she had noticed, had no glasses on. Erika wondered about it but dismissed it. "Hello, Natsuki-san! What are you doing here?" she asked him but never heard any answer from him; instead, Natsuki kept on writing something on the score sheet with a very serious expression.
Slightly pouting, she leaned forward to look over the sheets. "What are you composing?" she asked but was sneered at. "Move it. You're creating a shadow." Blinking down, she indeed saw her shadow looming over the paper, so she stepped back a bit, jerking her head upward. "Oh, sorry. But really, I was just greeting y—" "Take a hike. I'm composing." He once again ignored her without looking at her.
That was it! Erika was about to give him a piece of her mind when some random guy just threw food wrapper and onto Natsuki's head, making him halt in composing and sat still. Erika tsked at the guy's actions and sighed. "Wasn't he taught about throwing garbage in trash cans?"
Snap.
The sound of something snapping made Erika look beside her and later flinched at the dark aura emitting from her tall blond haired friend, his large hand shaking furiously. She slowly backed up as she saw Natsuki walking towards the two helpless and clueless guys huddling over the phone albeit slowly, which made him more… Hmm… Intimidating? She thought. Ah, yes!That's the word! Then she heard a loud thump and her blue eyes refocused on the two guys who were currently shaking in fear, their eyes wide and mouths agape, Natsuki's hand connected to the wall beside the brunette guy's head, making a rather large dent. Erika blinked then jogged towards them.
"Natsuki-san! Stop it right now!" she shouted at him but said male paid her no mind.
"Garbage is supposed to be thrown in garbage cans. What if I throw you in there in too?" Natsuki said in a deep dark voice, his dark emerald eyes glaring at the poor guy, shoving the piece of trash onto his mouth. Poor guy's trembling wildly, eyes the shape of small round plates and turning blue. "Chotto, Natsuki-s-,"
"There he is!" Erika heard a familiar voice from behind her yelling and saw a yellow blur rushing past her towards the tall blond who just so happened to turn around. The rushing figure, which turned out to be Syo, placed Natsuki's glasses in a hurry, making said guy stumble a bit. Erika watched as she saw Natsuki staring in a daze for afew seconds then turned his head towards her and Syo who was catching his breath and smiled at them as nothing had happened earlier. He even greeted them with a bright smile.
"Takahashi-san! Syo-chan! What are you two doing here?" he asked and Erika was shocked at the sudden change of behavior and could only gape at him. "No. Freakin'. Way. What just happened?" She still couldn't grasped the idea that the Natsuki she talked to earlier was the same as the one now. Then Natsuki turned to the two guys sitting by the wall, still trembling, then he stared at them, fascinated. But not because of them but the thing chained on one of the guys' backpack. The two scooted closer to the wall as Natsuki touched the chain.
"You're a fan of Piyo-chan? You see, I'm also a fan of it!" he said joyfully, lifting his shirt to reveal another one with a Piyo-chan design on the back. Erika stared at him. Is he… bipolar? She wondered herself while Syo was scratching the back of his head a bit miffed about his childhood friend.
…..
The trio had settled on a nearby café so that Syo could explain what had transpired back at the park. Syo and Erika stared at the tall blond while the subject gazed at his sundae, his hands cupping his face then smiled with bliss. "Cute!" he commented as he closed his eyes in simple happiness. Syo turned to her, whispering so that Natsuki wouldn't hear their conversation.
"Get it? Once Natsuki takes off his glasses, he becomes Satsuki, an entirely different person." Glancing back, they saw Natsuki taking a spoonful of his treat then again smiled while cupping his cheek with his free hand. "Delicious!" Then he continued, "I don't know if something had happened before we met as kids, but he had put fifty thousand people who've ticked him off in the hospital."
"Really?! He did that?!" she whisper-yelled, disbelief written in her face with the information at the same time scared. I should just avoid him when we meet again. She thought. Syo nodded. "Anyway, if you piss him off, it's all over. If Natsuki isn't brought back, all hell breaks loose."
"But, even if he's that bad of a character," she wondered as she tilted her head slightly to the side, her hair slightly swayed by he movement. "…I believe there's still some good qualities about him, right?" she asked at Syo then nodded in agreement. "You're right. He has a talent for composing and whenever he had free time, he writes songs… thus he's a so-called genius." He must be very well at composing. Maybe I could talk to him! she thought with a determined smile then it deflated, closing her eyes and holding her chin between her fingers which she pegged as a thoughtful manner. She just remembered what had transpired earlier and that made her make a very uneasy expression which made Syo look at her curiously. Or maybe not…
"Takahashi-san." By the call of her name, her head perked up, her slightly wide oceanic eyes meeting with warm emerald green ones. "Yes. What is it?" she had asked. Erika was sure she had a confused and slightly dazed expression as she looked towards Natsuki who had a gentle smile on his face, leaning against the palm of his hand.
"I always find myself thinking that you…"
"I what, Natsuki-san?" Then he closed his eyes and smiled wider.
"Remind me so much of my beloved Elizabeth!" he proclaimed.
"She's your dog, am I right?" she asked and Natsuki nodded. "Hai. When we're together, I feel like I'm basking in the sun," he stated. Erika chuckled at his statement. "My family also thought that. They always tell me that whenever I smile or play, they feel like they always bathe in gentle sunshine," she reminisced shortly about the memory of young self playing with her brother and their parents watching from the side with joyful smiles. Back to a soft smile, Natsuki held his cup of tea towards his lips as he spoke. "Takahashi-san, you really… get me."
After that, the steam from his cup fogged up his glasses before he could take a sip. "Huh?" he began to take off his glasses when Syo panicked and stood up from his seat abruptly. "D-don't take your glasses off, Natsuki! I-I'll cool it for you!" he quickly told the tall blond and blew off the steam, the fog disappearing and clearing Natsuki's line of vision. "You're so nice to me, Syo-chan," he stated. But then, Natsuki was beginning to sneeze and Syo stopped blowing when he noticed this. And then, he sneezed, making his glasses fall off his nose and onto the table.
"This is bad!" Erika panicked, standing from her seat. Then here he is. Satsuki! "You two…" Satsuki started with a scary dark tone which made Erika and Syo shiver in fear and looked at them with an equally dark look. "…are annoying." He stood up slowly and continued. "Unlike Natsuki, I'm not soft hearted. Don't you dare whisper… right in front of me!" His fist collided with a tree beside him, making it topple over the other tables, freaking everyone nearby. Thankfully, no one had gotten hurt but as Erika shifted her eyes back to Satsuki, she slightly glared at him despite her slightly trembling form as she reprimanded him.
"Oi! Satsuki! You don't have to lose your temper so easily! You could've hurt somebody!" This only made his glare darker and the girl flinched. Ooh. Nice going, Erika. You just got yourself a funeral. Her conscience talked to her. Shut up, conscience! "If you've gotten my message, girl, you better get the hell outta my…" Satsuki hadn't finished his threat since Syo successfully placed Natsuki's glasses back. "Huh? What the…?!" Natsuki wondered. Natsuki noticed Erika's stiff form and asked if she's all right. This snapped Erika back to Earth as she answered back with a surprisingly calm voice and a stiff smile. "I'm fine, Natsuki-san. Nothing to worry about. Right, Syo?"
Natsuki looked at Syo with same confused look he gave her as Syo stood up rigidly. "Huh?! O-oh yeah, we're fine!" he said with slight tremor in his voice then began to laugh nervously and Erika giggled at Syo's attempt to say he's fine. Natsuki just looked at them, more confused than ever.
…..
Grey clouds clustered the once clear blue sky as Erika and, by coincidence, Natsuki and Syo reached the amusement park named 'Carnival World' where HAYATO's concert will be held. She had parked her bicycle by the bicycle parking, her violin case slung on her shoulder. "So, Natsuki-san, you're here because of.." the orange-haired girl trailed off as she looked at Natsuki who still had that cheeky smile on his face and a Piyo-chan hat with blue round glasses sitting on his mop of blond hair and the latter nodded. "Yes! We're here to watch the Piyo-chan show after the concert. Syo-chan said he wanted to watch it," he said happily holding out a flyer of the said show which is supposed to be held after the concert. Then Erika turned to Syo, a half-smile forming on her lips with a teasing glint on her eyes, leaning a little bit towards the shorter one's direction with her right foot balancing her body when she leaned.
"But, I can't believe that even the manly Syo watches this kind of show." Of course, Syo didn't noticed the teasing glint in Erika's eyes and she laughed at Syo's fiercely blushing cheeks who in turn glared at her and snapped.
"I don't! Besides, I'm only here to watch over you! You're dangerous to be alone out in the streets!" he shouted the first sentence at the laughing orange-haired girl then the next ones towards his childhood friend, seeming amused at the shorter blond's reaction, pointing an accusing finger at the tall blond. "You don't have to be shy about it, Syo-chan," Natsuki coaxed with a feigning innocent closed eye smile and a vein popped behind his head in annoyance and anger. "I"M NOT BEING SHY!" he yelled in his irritated voice.
OK, ok, you're so much cuter when you're bashful."
"LISTEN WHEN SOMEONE'S TALKING!"
After Erika willed herself to stop laughing at the two blonds' friendlybanter, the trio finally went towards the small stage propped inside the park located at the small square-like area. Many fan girls of HAYATO were already present, creating a big crowd in front of the stage, loud chattering filling the small area. A large hologram-like screen flashed some of HAYATO's smiling pictures, making the girls be more excited than they already were.
"At any rate, he looks just like Tokiya-kun, doesn't he?"
"You're right, Natsuki-san…" But I believe he really IS HAYATO. She trailed off with lightly creased eyebrows.
"Naturally, they're identical twins!" he reasoned out then closed his eyes, groaning in frustration.
"If only this was Hyuuga-sensei's concert…" he complained.
"Syo-chan… watching a pro at work is also another and important way of studying," Natsuki said to the shorter blond to which the latter scoffed at. Then a loud "Oha-Yahoo!" was ringing throughout the place, signaling that the concert will start any minute, and the fans kept on screaming his name. "Thank you for coming to… my concert tonight!" he yelled from the speakers as confetti spewed out from the stage ceiling just as the spotlight showed a shadowed figure of Erika's idol leaping out of nowhere. Despite of her suspicions of HAYATO's true identity, she can't help but smile widely with awe as she saw him performing in front of her eyes. While HAYATO was singing his new song, Erika noticed something from the way he sang it. Her smile deflated into a thin line, her oceanic eyes looking at her idol in curiosity and Syo and Natsuki noticed that Erika wasn't enjoying this as they thought she would. Her circle of friends always knew of her admiration at the said idol but they wondered what was wrong with her. They saw her body die down with the excitement she felt before, replaced by an almost passive one.
"What's wrong, Takahashi?" Syo asked her "That's strange. He sure has a beautiful voice, but…," she muttered in a low voice, making the two blonds look at her. "There's something missing from his song," she concluded. Something… missing? Natsuki wondered as he looked back at the stage just in time when HAYATO started to spin around at the end of the chorus. Unbeknownst to those watching him except for Erika, a flicker of pain shot across the idol's face when he felt a sharp jolt from his injured ankle, making him drop his microphone towards the side of the stage.
Erika gasped lightly as she saw the commotion happening in front of her, ignoring the constant yelling of the fans for their idol to continue on singing. Erika saw HAYATO's wide eyes and slightly gaping mouth, looking at the microphone lying by his side a few meters away from him. She somehow could feel his aura dissipating into something akin to a lost child standing in the middle of nowhere. Too engrossed on the scene, Erika and Syo never noticed Natsuki who was shoved by the many girls pushing forward, causing for his glasses to fall on the ground. Due to her sharp hearing, she heard a soft clink of metal dropping off the ground and looked at the same time when one of the girls stepped on it, cracking the glasses in half. The skies started to rumble and after a few moments, it finally gave in, then followed by a thunderstorm.
Lightning striked from above, targeting the stage lights, causing it to fall hard on the ground. People ran away from the place as it crashed down, frantically searching for shelter from the pouring rain.
"This is not good. Natsuki-san!" she shouted at Natsuki who already had his head bowed down, ripping the Piyo-chan hat off his head. In his rage, Satsuki screamed as lightning and thunder clashed above. Syo turned his head fast towards Erika's voice and shouted at the tall blond. "Satsuki!" Satsuki strode towards the front of the stage and shouted HAYATO's name. The idol turned his attention towards the raging blond and when he did, Satsuki asked, or better yet, demanded. "Why do you such insincere songs?!" He continued running to the stage. Syo went to catch him but failed since he was out of his reach. "Damn it! Takahashi, where's his glasses?!" he yelled at her.
Satsuki jumped on the barricade and fought off the security guards who charged at him without even breaking a sweat. He jumped up the stage, rainwater dripping from his body down to the dry stage floor. "You're in the spotlight, but you hide your true feelings in the dark shadows. It pisses me off," he told HAYATO, his once warm emerald eyes drowning in dark rage. HAYATO let out a surprised reaction from his comment and Satsuki continued. "I'm the darker side of Shinomiya Natsuki, but… I don't lie to myself. Listen to my song." HAYATO nodded in agreement and turned towards the band. "Let him," he said to them.
Rumbling sounds of drums and bass guitar rang loudly in the air giving off an intense sensation to those who could hear it and Satsuki began to sing.
Zaratsuita Shadow minds kurui sonna hodo
(Roughened shadow minds are driven to madness)
Who am I? michibiite yami no tsuki yo
(Who am I? Leading to the dark moon)
Erika picked up the shattered glasses and stared at it, her eyebrows forming into a line of concentration. "Takahashi!" Syo shouted from a few meters ahead of her in agitation. Erika ignored him and she ran up to the stage. "Oi, Takahashi! Where're ya going?!" "I'm going to distract him! His glasses are broken so find another pair!" She yelled back, ignoring Syo's shouts of panic as she continued on running to the stage. This better work. It must be!
Kokochi ii Dark wind mabushikute Shining sky
(The pleasant feeling of the dark wind and the dazzling shining sky)
Soredemo asahi he to kogareru
(And yet, I yearn for the sunrise)
Kage to hikari ore to omae chikadzuiteiku
(The shadow and light, you and I, are getting closer)
RIARU to FUEIKU ga towareteru
(Inquiring what's real and fake)
Black? White? Naze ka? Naze ka? Kodou ga
(Black? White? Why is it? Why is it? My heartbeat)
"Rashikuiro yo" to SHAUTO shite utau yo
(Shouts and sings to choose "a color that suits you!")
Tsuyoku moete iru yozora no ORION annafuuni
(That way, the Orion will burn fiercely in the night sky)
HAATO no honnou no omomoku mama ikireba ii
(With the flames of your heart, it is the way it should be and how you shall live)
Zenaku to gotaku narabe nayami tsukuseba ii sa
(Good and evil and tedious talk should be devoted to your problems)
Gemini Syndrome
Erika tiptoed as quietly as she could behind Satsuki as he dragged out the last notes of the song. When she was just about a few more inches from him, Satsuki turned around and she stilled as his dark eyes bore into her ocean ones. What Satsuki did next was unexpected, leaving her open for Satsuki's assault. Her hand holding the cracked lenses was brought up above her head by the wrist, pulling Erika's body closer towards him, his other arm coiled around her slender waist loosely. She stared at him wide eyed as Satsuki pulled a dark smirk, looking down on her. "Let's do something fun," he said to her. Erika glared at him. I could've punched that smirk off this guy's face to the next century if only this wasn't Natsuki's body. But I can distract him from Syo. She thought as a smirk slowly appeared on her pink lips and Satsuki looked at her amazed at the girl's guts.
"What's this? Aren't you scared?" he asked. "Because you're still the same Natsuki-san, only with a dark side. And knowing him, he will never pull something that will hurt or bring harm to anyone and I believe you know that, right?" she finished, mentally patting herself on the back and her smirk widened when she saw Satsuki's eyes widened. Before any of them could say more, Syo suddenly appeared behind Satsuki and put NAtsuki's Piyo-chan hat, deep enough that he could wear the glasses attached on it. "Huh? Takahashi-san?" Erika just smiled at him innocently as she greeted him. "Hello, Natsuki-san." Syo let out a deep sigh of relief and Natsuki turned to him . "And Syo-chan! What are you doing here?" For a moment, Syo stared at him then his expression changed into an annoyed one to his oblivious friend and angrily said, "Let's go!"
"Why?"
"Just move now!"
Before she could follow them, she checked her violin and sighed in relief when it turned out all right then placed it back on her shoulder. Without knowing, she tripped on a stray cord at the backstage and was about to fall on the hard floor if not for the strong and warm arms catching her upper body. She looked beside her and saw it was HAYATO. She blushed at the close proximity and stuttered her thanks, quickly standing a good few meters away from him. Her eyes then strayed on the bandaged ankle and looked up slowly to meet her idol's seemingly familiar indigo eyes. Now that was proof enough of her suspicions about her schoolmate. "You're… Tokiya-san, aren't you?" HAYATO looked taken aback at the question and that only strengthen Erika's suspicion about him. She was about to say some things but Syo called out to her.
"Takahashi, what are you doing?! Let's go!"
"OK!" she shouted back at him. Her gaze lingered for a little longer on HAYATO's, sending him an unspoken question, which made the said male looked shocked and left him in a daze-like state. Why do you keep your true identity a secret?. Then she broke her gaze from him and jogged back to the duo. The rain had stopped for a while and Erika went to get her bicycle and rode off after saying some things about still running an errand for her friend and said goodbye to the two. Natsuki stared at Erika's back for while, thinking deeply on what she said back at the café.
"My family also thought that. They always tell me that whenever I smile or play, they feel like they always bathe in gentle sunshine." He didn't know whether he just imagined a sad, almost grieving undertone of her sweet voice when she mentioned her family or not, but Natsuki was sure he didn't want to hear that tone coming from that sweet, cheerful girl again. Only one thought crosses his mind….
"I will keep on bringing happiness to you, that can exceed even the bright Orion."