Hi there, I just want to warn you, that soon there will be a major break in the story. But it wouldn't be in this chapter yet. This is still about changes Shuichi's disappearance had caused. There will be a bit of K's bad mouth.
Heavy silence fell onto Bad Luck's resting room. Everyone was staring at Ryuichi, who was for once serious. Then Sakano started to wail, "OH NONONONONONO…. This can't be happening. What will shachou say?" Then he started to run around the room, like crazy, which he probably was, after Ryuichi's declaration.
K's eyebrow twitched and he pulled his magnum out and pointed it at Ryuichi. "What did you say?" he asked the vocalist, "Surely I didn't hear, that you are refusing to sing some songs that we picked for the concert. I must be getting old and I overheard." K cocked his gun and waited for Ryuichi's answer. Damn it, not even the godly Ryuichi can be changing program only few days before the concert.
Hiro and Suguru gulped loudly and Noriko paled like the wall behind her. This was bad. Everything seemed to crash down on them. And this one stunt of Ryuichi's seemed to be the last straw for K. Well, it was honor to know Ryuichi and they will make sure to attend his funeral, because K will surely shoot him right then, right there.
"No, you heard right," Ryuichi said, "I won't sing them." The rest of the band held their breaths. It was over now. K will blow up like a bomb. Poor Ryu-chan, but he brought it upon himself. He had to stress out K to no end. K meanwhile glared, his mouth widening and revealing his teeth. He brought the gun up and pulled the trigger few times, making new holes into the ceiling.
Ryuichi pulled a folded paper out of his pocket, "Actually, I made a list of songs, I won't sing." Then the vocalist put the paper on a table, which was in the middle of the room. Hiro reached for the paper, unfolded it and read it. "Rage Beat, Blind Game Again, Spicy Marmalade," he muttered out loud, but then he stopped and frowned as he saw the rest of the list. This really had to be some joke.
"But Ryuichi-san this is about half of the songs that came out after you returned from America…" the guitarist said shocked. "What?" Noriko grabbed the list and looked at it herself. Her eyebrows knitted together, "You have to be kidding me Ryu-chan. Are you mad? Why are you doing this?" Ryuichi closed his eyes and leaned back on the chair he was sitting on. "You know why," he said calmly.
K was growling like a dog. "Damn it, no changes," he shouted, "Sakuma man up and sing the damned songs! I don't care if you sparkle or not, you fans want you to sing! If you even peep about this matter one more time, I will shoot you all." He had enough of this whole circus. This was starting to get ridiculous.
First Ryuichi was singing weirdly, then Hiro starts to make mistakes on some songs too. What comes next? Noriko playing flute? Suguru singing? Sakano… being calm? Speaking of the producent, he needs to shut up. Or finally kill himself, so it would be quiet. This was really too much for anyone. Nobody would probably blame him if he shot the whole band.
Hiro stood up and left the room. He really needed a break. This whole "you all sound a bit off" situation was really getting on his nerves. It seemed like Ryuichi's situation was contagious. On some songs Hiro's playing seemed to be off. Not off, as in out of tune, but off as not really belonging there. But they were playing it that way right from the start, so it was impossible. And it seemed the songs were exactly the opposite of what Ryuichi couldn't, or didn't want, to sing.
Hiro went out to smoke to calm his nerves. They had few days before concert, but the band had so many problems. They could only hope, that the fans won't notice the weirdness in their songs. That would be a real problem. Seguchi-san might even start to think to put them on hiatus till they sort it out.
Suddenly his cell rang. Hiro quickly pulled it out of his pocked and without even looking at the ID of the caller, he pushed the button and said in an annoyed tone: "Hi, so what did he do now?" There was a strange silence at the other end. Then the voice of girlfriend, Usami Ayaka, said, "H-how did you k-know?" Hiro blinked. "Eh?" he said confused, but then he realized, what he said, "I-I'm sorry, I don't know why I said that. It was something unconscious…"
He could hear Ayaka's relieved sigh. Hiro realized, what Ayaka's reaction was, "Hey… What did I know? Did something happen?" He could hear Ayaka's breath hitch, "N-nothing…" Hiro frowned, he didn't like when Ayaka lied. He blew out the cigarette smoke, "So what was with the strange reaction?" He waited for her answer, "T-The truth is, that I had a big fight with my father. He wants me to marry Eiri, as usually. But don't worry; it will roll over, okay?"
Hiro nodded, but then he remembered, that Ayaka can't see him, so he said, "Okay, as you say. But if you ever want to talk about anything, you know where to find me." "Yeah, thanks," Ayaka said. "So why did you call?" Hiro asked. "Oh, right, I wanted to remind you to pick me up at train station at 5 pm." Hiro smiled, "Don't worry, I didn't forget. I would never forget about you." "I love you," Ayaka whispered. "I love you too," Hiro smiled, "bye now, I have to return to my band." "Yeah bye bye," Ayaka said and the call disconnected.
Hiro was smiling as he put his cell back into the pocket. Then he threw the cigarette butt away and walked back into the NG building. As he was entering the Bad Luck's rest room, he saw a strange, yet very familiar sigh. Sakano was standing on a chair with a noose around his neck, with Suguru trying to convince him to come down. In the corner was Ryuichi sitting on the floor while chewing on the ear of his pink bunny and Noriko was trying to calm him down.
K was nowhere to be seen. But then Hiro felt something cold against the back of his neck. Hiro froze. He didn't dare to move even his eyebrow. "Where have you been?" K asked coldly. "I… went for a smoke… it's been mad house here," Hiro said in a small voice. For a few seconds nothing happened, and then the coldness disappeared. "Fine, you had your break," K hissed, "Now go to WORK!"
Hiro immediately grabbed his guitar and dashed to the sound proof room. Others quickly followed his example. Even Sakano, who has been too scared to think straight. K only smirked, "Good, now play so we can see, if you overcame that stupid illness of yours…"
There you go. Freshly out of production. Enjoy and your reviews are welcome, very welcome.
