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babee-angel

mikiramen

shachenta

yhuraddictionx3

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CHAPTER 09

It's the second day of recording. It's morning and I decided to prepare my own breakfast. I decided to open my unit's kitchen-dining window and get a skyscraper's air.

I placed a flower vase that Tsubasa has given me last night in the middle of my dinning table. As I turn my back, a crashing sound filled my ears and I turned to see the vase that Tsubasa has given me on the floor and on top of it was an unmoving sparrow.

"WHAT THE!" I quickly grabbed the sparrow. It was bleeding. Its wing was in a very weird shape. I looked at the eyes and it was still blinking. Good, it's still alive.

I quickly ran outside. I banged on Anna, Nonoko and Nobara's door but there was no answer.

"HELP!" I screamed through their doors. Then I heard the creaking sound of an opening door. I turned around and it was Ruka.

"RUKA! Help!" I told him as I ran towards him. "There's an injured bird that crash-landed on my apartment!" I exclaimed as I showed him a trembling sparrow on my hands.

"Get in." He hurriedly told me as he opened his door wider for me. The first thing I noticed was that there was a rabbit lying on the floor. "Hey, watch out for my rabbits. You can sit wherever." He told me as he entered the bathroom only to comeback with a first aid kit.

"So how did he exactly land on your unit?" he asked me.

"I don't know. I just left my window open the CRASH! And I turned only to find a broken vase and an injured sparrow." I explained.

He was silently tending the wounds of the bird. "Shouldn't we get him to the vet?" I asked nervously.

"We'll give him a first aid first, then vet." He said.

"Oh." I said as I examined his very concentrated face. His eyes were really tantalizing. I took a deep breath and I inhaled the scent of fresh laundry. It must be Ruka. I shook my thoughts and looked at what he's doing. He seems to know how to tend animals.

"It looks like you really know what you're doing." I told him with a smile.

"I wanted to be a vet." He said and then he looked at me with a shocked expression.

"What?" I asked him nervously.

"Don't tell that to anyone." He said with a grim expression on his face.

"Okay. But why not?"

"Its just that, I never wanted this life. I- I wanted to be a vet. But Natsume wanted to- Nevermind." He said as he returned to aiding the sparrow.

"Natsume wanted what?" I pried.

"Let's get him to the vet." Ruka said as he stood up. I took the gesture as a sign that he doesn't want to talk about it.

"Hey Ruka! Can I bring your rabbit?" I said as I noticed the rabbit that was lying on my foot. I carried it with me.

"Fine." He said.

I followed Ruka who was carrying the sparrow in his hand gently.

"How are we going to the vet?" I asked him anxiously. I haven't explored New York yet and I don't know the zig zags and all those.

"My ride." He replied casually.

Ruka hopped off as soon as the elevator doors opened to reveal the ground floor. We walked towards the basement parking. I trailed Ruka until we stopped by gold Saab 9-3 convertible.

"Uhhh, is this the ride?" I asked.

"Yes." He said as he opened the passenger door.

****

"WOOOOOOOW!"

We were riding around New York. It's vintage structure gives of a feeling of elegance. I cannot help but be amazed. And even if Ruka has been scolding me since I decided to stand up from my seat and sit on the head rest of the seat.

"HELLO NEW YORK CITY!" I screamed at the people who were standing rooted on the ground, probably checking out Ruka's ride. Probably because I'm a girl with a bunny sitting over my head.

"SAKURA! I said take care of Bunny and not put her on danger!" Ruka said, panic written all over his face.

"Sorry!" I said as I place Bunny on my lap.

"And will you please sit?" He commanded.

"Sorry!" I said as I took my seat and fastened my seat belt back with a giggle. "It's just that I haven't even explored New York since I've arrived." I said with a laugh. "Well, just once." I told him though I doubted if he was listening. "I just saw the route towards Times Square but it was night time." I smiled at the memory "The neon lights of the city and the noisy crowd waiting outside for Digitally Manipulated, what a memory!" I squealed at his face.

"Yeah, this life is pretty amazing isn't it?" he said with a grin that looks like he was suppressing.

"Uh Ruka, may I ask you something?" I said as I leaned towards him, hugging Bunny.

"What?" He said keeping his eyes on the road.

"Why did you stop your smile?" I asked seriously.

"When?"

"Just now." I replied as I played with Bunny on my lap.

"What made you say that?" he said furiously.

"Well, its just that, just now, I saw your lips curve up for a sec then the next looks like a crooked straight face. Like you were straining yourself to smile." I said sadly. "Why?"

"Natsume." He said sadly as we stopped. I looked around and saw a clinic with many animals.

"Why stop your smile for him? He's a jerk!" I scolded him gruffly.

"He's not! You don't even know him. You wouldn't understand him. He's been through hell all his life!" Ruka said as he cautiously carried the sparrow hurriedly to the vet. I sighed and followed him shortly.

"Well, there's nothing left to treat. You've done more than a first aid." I heard the vet say to Ruka when I entered.

"Seriously, why do you always bother to come here? I know you even know some things about animals that I don't! " The vet said with a laugh. "Seriously Ruka." The doctor added in a friendly manner.

"And who's this lady?" The vet said, acknowledging my presence. "Neighbor." Ruka replied curtly.

"Oh. Well, I guess she's fine now." The vet said as he handed Ruka the sparrow.

Ruka immediately left without another word and jumped on the driver's seat of his Saab. I imitated the action.

"Wow. So you can already be a vet, Ruka-pyon." I said with delight.

"What do you mean 'Ruka-pyon'?" He said angrily and turning a bit red. He turned the key to the ignition and shifted the gear.

"Well, you love animals up to the point of wanting to become a vet." I said, happy to see him reacting.

"So what's with the pyon huh?" he said keeping his eyes on the road.

"Nothing. It's just a hopping sound." I said playfully.

"I KNOW WHAT PYON IS! Why call me that?!" He said.

"Well, it's so cute." I said as I smiled.

"Don't call men cute!" he said angrily.

"Okay, but I'll still call you Ruka-pyon." I said happily as I cooed Bunny.

Somehow, there's this thing my heart is experiencing. I just don't know what it is, but I know it has something to do with this blonde boy beside me, who seems to be a good person. I smiled at the thought. Not really caring he's throwing tantrums at me.

****

When Ruka and I arrived back at the building, Hotaru was waiting for me with a very scary expression on her face.

Shoot. I forgot the recording.

"H-hi Ho-" I started but she cut me off.

"Did you forget that you have a recording at 1 PM?" she said and the atmosphere became heavy.

"Uh, you see, a thing happened-"

"I don't care what happened. This is you job now Mikan. Be professional! I even tried calling you. You're not answering." Hotaru said. Oh yeah, I didn't take my phone with me.

"It was an emergency! See there's a bird-"

"Bird? So you prioritize birds than your job?" Hotaru said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Well, it's a living thing! It needed to be ran to the vet. It was an emergency." I said defensively. "Don't you agree with me, Ruka-pyon?" I turned to him for support.

"Y-yeah."

"Anyway. You've already wasted two hours just because of a bird. Just go to the studio already." Hotaru said as she hopped in the elevator. We followed.

"Here Ruka-pyon. Thanks for making me take care of Bunny. Please take care of Birdie for me." I said as I handed him Bunny.

"S-sure." He said.

"Stupid Hotaru. So heartless. Doesn't care for animals." I mumbled. Ruka chuckled.

"I heard that." Hotaru said as she shot me with her idiot gun. "OW!"

"Hotaru!" I screamed.

****

"Wow, we've already recorded twelve tracks." Yuu said. Today is our fourth day of recording. I sat on a couch in our recording studio's booth. Then after her, I was playing Supermarket Mania in my iPhone while waiting for my turn. And I just finished recording. I still have plenty of time to kill. Damn its so boring.

"Its so boring!" I screamed, as intolerance of the boredom possessed me.

"Why don't you go out and explore New York?" Yuu suggested. "We can do all the vocals in the evening instead."

"I'd like that." I said as I headed towards the Still Fire studio where Nonoko and Nobara were killing time with Kistuneme, Koko and Mochu. There was no practice, they just like to hang around and jam there.

"I'm so bored." I said as I flopped down on their sofa. "Hey, could you guys come with me? I'm gonna explore New York." I told them.

"Sorry I just did." Nobara said shyly.

"WHAT THE! You, you didn't take me!" I said immediately standing up from the sofa.

"Well, Mochu ask-"

"So you all had a tour-around-NY date?" I said furiously as I went out of the studio and headed for the elevator lift alone.

I pressed the down button and waited for the elevator. After a couple of minutes, it opened revealing a Ruka all alone.

"RUKA-PYON!" I said as I hopped in and grabbed his wrist, pressed the ground floor button and immediately closed the elevator door.

"SAKURA! WHAT THE HELL!" He exclaimed.

"I need company." I said with a laugh. "Your band mates stole my friends!"

"What the hell! To where anyway?" He asked.

"Around New York." I said with an expectant smile. "And don't think I'll let you go. I don't wanna be alone in this scary new town!" I said and the elevator made a small 'ting!' sound and we dashed off towards the bus station.

"Dammit! Sakura! I didn't bring much money with me!" Ruka exclaimed as we got off the bus.

"It's alright. We're not gonna take so long anyway."

"NYAAA!" Ruka said as we passed by an electronics store where loud music was playing. He dragged me away from it quickly.

"WHAT?" I screamed as I furiously as I struggled to make him let go of my wrist, which he didn't do, leaving me with the final option: biting his hand. As I did, I ran back to the electronics shop and there I discovered why.

It was a music video of Still Fire.

The video was black and white. They were playing in the middle of a mosh pit. People were touching them. Especially Natsume who was already drowning in a sea of people, mainly girls.

"SAA-KURAA!" Ruka pleaded.

"Quiet Ruka-pyon! I'm starting to love that band over there!" I said as I pointed to one of the many TV's that has the same film playing.

Last night we dressed to our best,

And drank 'til there was nothing left.

I walked you home, you held my hand

We fucked away the rest of the night

"Wow Ruka-pyon! Look, a boy hit your head!" I shrieked.

"I didn't notice. Sakura, please stop torturing me!" He said with a sigh.

"I'm not torturing you."

Take my hand

For this is my revenge.

This is my revenge.

For every second lost.

This is my revenge!

This is my revenge!

This is my revenge!

This is my...

This is my revenge!

This is my...

(For every second)

Sleep has stole

And sweetie, I've got to say

That I'm really not worth the time of your day.

I guess when when we left each other for the first time

We didn't think goodbye would be our new favorite line.

The end of the video was that everyone jumped on them and causing them to drown on the crowd.

"Wow. Who taught of that idea?" I said as I left the front of the electronics shop.

"It wasn't taught. They just shoot us on one of our gigs." Ruka said with a sigh.

"So that actually happened?" I asked him.

"Yes."

We walked around New York, not really entering any shops. We talked and talked and I got to know a little bit of Ruka and Still Fire.

"I think we should go back now Sakura." Ruka said as we walked around Central Park at the sunset.

"I think so too. I still need to record the vocals and all. And Hotaru said be back before the sun goes down." I said and as if on cue, my iPhone rang.

"Hello?"

"Mikan. The sun is setting down in around twenty minutes. You should be back here before it completely disappears." Hotaru immediately said and hanged the phone.

"OH NO RUKA-PYON! THE SUN IS SETTING DOWN IN TWENTY MINUTES! HOTARU WILL KILL ME!" I said as I dragged him to the taxi bay.

****

"Watch me record Ruka-pyon!" I said as our elevator went up.

"When?" he asked.

"Now." And with a ting, the elevator door opened.

"Good, you're on time." Hotaru said through the speaker as soon as I entered the recording studio.

"Yeah. Congratulate us." I said as I wore the headphone.

"I can see you brought Nogi." Hotaru's voice said over the headphone.

"Yeah. We're now friends!" I said happily through the mike.

I heard an incoherent mumbling on the background of the recording booth.

"Don't care. Anyway. You'll be starting immediately. In three. Three."

I took a deep breath.

"Two."

"One."

I am the girl you know

Can't look you in the eye

I am the girl you know

So sick I can not try

I am the one you want

Can't look you in the eye

I am the girl you know

I lie and lie and lie

I'm Miss World

Somebody kill me

Kill me pills

No one cares, my friend

My friend

I suddenly felt the urge to dance, and I did.

I'm Miss World

Watch me break and

Watch me burn

No one is listening, my friend

Yeah

And I've made my bed

I'll lie in it

I've made my bed

I'll die in it

I've made my bed

I'll lie in it

I've made my bed

I'll die in it

Kill girls watch

When I eat ether

Suck me under

Maybe forever, my friend

Yeah

I've made my bed

I'll lie in it

I've made my bed

I'll die in it

I've made my bed

I'll lie in it

I've made my bed

I'll cry in it

And I've made my bed

I'll lie in it

I've made my bed

I'll cry in it

I've made my bed

I'll die in it

I've made my bed

I'll lie in it, my friend

I am the girl you know

Can't look you in the eye...

-RUKA-

And as I look behind this glass, I felt for the first time in my whole life this feeling of not wanting to let this girl out of my sight. The girl singing her heart out on the other side of the room is really one of a kind.

I must resist. I must be happy only when Natsume is happy.


And so… I had many comments about that band thing… Was it really so unbelievable that I used to be in a band? HAHA.

Anyway.

I swear, I love the next chapter so much. So I'll update soon. Haha