Author's Notes
- Yo! Chapter 9's here and it's time to finally rock out to the music of K-On! It's back to Satoshi to finish up the story for the last two chapters and let's hope he and Ui can blow everyone's minds! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and as always, don't forget to leave a review of what you think!
Touched By An Angel!
Chapter 9 – It's Showtime!
"This is the first time in my life I've ever been happy, not completely happy, but happier than I've ever been." – Latoya Jackson
"U-Ui…" I muttered her name as she stood in-front of a heated Mio-senpai. The bassist looked at me and her face was flushed with the anger at Ui's true identity. She clenched her fists and stared deep into my eyes.
"Mio-senpai, I…" Ui's defiant voice changed back into her timid, shy one. I looked at Ui as she gulped and sweat began rolling down her face. I raised an eyebrow at her and she looked back at me with a frightened face.
"Really, Ui?" I asked her. She slowly nodded as she took a few steps back and I soon found her by my side. Mio-senpai approached the two of us and folded her arms.
"Satoshi-kun…" she said my name. I tensed up and looked at Mio-senpai as she glared at me. I nervously chuckled and waved to her while Mugi-senpai and Azusa watched with curious looks, "I can only take so many lies, Satoshi-kun…"
"Mio-senpai… I can explain…" I said as I looked down, avoiding Mio-senpai's eyes, "You see… Ui has been dressing up as Yui-senpai… just like how I've been impersonating my sister…"
"Is… is Yui sick too?" Mio-senpai asked. I turned to Ui for the answer and the brunette nodded. Mio-senpai sighed and rubbed her temples.
"Are you… alright, Mio-senpai?" I asked the bassist. She groaned and looked at me. I could see the fire in her eyes as she gritted her teeth.
"No, Satoshi! I'm not!" Mio-senpai yelled in a low voice as fumes erupted from her. She looked at me for a second and blinked, deeply exhaling as she calmed herself down, "My best friend lied to me… and this wasn't just some white lie, this is serious!"
"Mio-senpai… I…" I reached out for Mio-senpai and she took a few steps back.
"Ritsu sent you here to make us look like fools, didn't she?"! Mio-senpai dramatically asked, "She just thinks this is some joke! Yui's probably in on it too…"
I felt anger flow through my body at the sudden accusing of my sister. Mio-senpai should know better than that. Sure, my sister goofs around a lot, but she wouldn't do something that drastic. She wouldn't put the Club she restarted and the band she and her friends formed to shame. It wasn't her. Same thing with Yui-senpai, both of them care about Houkago Tea Time too much to even harm it the slightest bit.
"My sister didn't want the performance to be canceled," I said, "Why do you think I'm here? I'm positive Yui-senpai felt the same, so that's why Ui's here. Both of us are here today so we can help Houkago Tea Time, not to make you guys look like fools."
"Right…" Ui agreed with me in a hesitating voice. I turned towards her and raised an eyebrow at the ponytailed girl. She looked at me and puffed her cheeks as everyone stared at her, "M-my sister doesn't know I'm here!" she blurted out, causing everyone to gasp. Azusa raised an eyebrow and walked towards Ui, causing the latter to gulp.
"What do you mean, Ui?" Azusa asked her, "Yui-senpai's sick, right?" Ui nodded, "So that means she decided to send you to impersonate her, since you two look so much alike, right?"
"Not exactly…" Ui's voice lowered, "I… I chose to go here… onee-chan knew that today was the day of the school festival, b-but… she just laid in bed and slept…"
"So Yui-senpai doesn't care about the performance?" Azusa asked.
"No! No! I'm sure onee-chan does care! It's just…"
"Yui-senpai knew, Ui! She knew! But she was too lazy to get out of bed and do something!" Azusa said, "Tell me, Ui… if you didn't do what you did today, we would've been without Yui-senpai. What would happen then?"
"You would take over for Hirasawa-san," Kurisu-senpai butted in. Azusa turned to him with puffed cheeks and he stared at her, "Maybe sing a little too."
"That's not helping, senpai!" Azusa said with her puffy cheeks, "Besides, Yui-senpai doesn't care about us!"
"I would object, Azusa," I looked over to Manabe-senpai as she spoke, "Yui is pretty forgetful. You can't blame her, that's just how she is. Since I've known her the longest, besides Ui, I can vouch for her. Yui will forget about just anything, really."
"It does seem like something Yui-chan would do…" Mugi-senpai agreed in her soft voice.
"Onee-chan is sick too… from what I could tell, Ritsu-senpai was the reason why onee-chan caught the flu," Ui said. That was when all eyes turned towards me. I gulped and staggered back.
"W-why are you looking at me… ?" I asked the group as they continued staring at me, "It's not my fault my sister got Yui-senpai sick… is it?"
"Now that I think about it," Mugi-senpai spoke up, "Yui-chan fell asleep next to Ricchan when we visited. I believe Ricchan and Yui-chan were so close to one another… that they were breathing into each other's faces. So close to each other…" I watched as a blush formed on Mugi-senpai's face and she entered a daydream. The rest of us watched the blonde as she stared off into the distance. Somebody cleared their throat.
I turned towards Mio-senpai and she opened her mouth, "What Mugi's trying to say is, Yui did get sick from Ritsu, but that was Yui's fault. But let's get back on track, after everything that's happened, I don't believe that Satoshi-kun and Ui-chan should be allowed to play in our performance."
"Then what of the performance, Mio-senpai?" I asked her as I clenched my fists.
"We'll do what we were supposed to do in the first place – cancel it," she said to me, "How can we go up to the stage and say that we're Houkago Tea Time, when almost half of our members aren't even here!"
"They solved that problem by dressing up as their sisters," Kurisu-senpai said, "All they had to do was hide it from you guys, but you just had to be detectives and catch them. This would've been all over and nobody would've been hurt."
"You're not helping, idiot!" Mio-senpai said to him. Kurisu-senpai nervously chuckled and rubbed the back of his head as Mio-senpai turned back to me.
"I don't see why you won't let us perform with you, Mio-senpai," I said.
"We're just here to help…" Ui muttered.
"No! This will be a decision between the three of us!" Mio-senpai said as she pulled Azusa and Mugi-senpai away to a corner, where they huddled for the second time today. I looked at Sawako-sensei and pouted.
"Please, sensei… help us," I begged as I interlocked my fingers together and shook my fists, "I don't want my sister's dreams to be crushed. If we don't perform today, I don't know if Houkago Tea Time will make it past this point."
"What's that supposed to mean, Satoshi-kun?" Sawako-sensei asked me as she walked up to me and Ui.
"We're on a mission, Yamanaka-sensei," I said to her, "The mission to make sure that Houkago Tea Time reaches Budokan."
"I know that, but how will cancelling one small school performance affect HTT?" she asked, "HTT can still make it to Budokan, I have faith in them."
"Because, sensei…" I sighed, "We have a plan. First it's the school festival, where Houkago Tea Time will be noticed locally. Then we move up to Natsu Fest. To reach that point, we need to pass the school festival first."
"Your plan… it confuses me, but it sounds like it's well thought out," she said. I looked at Ui and she smiled to me. Returning the smile, I turned back towards Sawako-sensei, "Still, Satoshi-kun. I did ask you if there were any other secrets to tell me. You decided to lie and keep Ui-chan here hidden from us."
"I can explain, sensei… I…" my voice trailed away as I felt Sawako-sensei's hand on my shoulder, a grin upon her face.
"Just like your sister," she said, the grin still plastered onto her face, "You two really are siblings. And here I thought you were just another troublemaker. Well, you are, but in a good way. Ricchan would be proud of you."
"Our job here isn't finished yet," I said as I motioned towards the huddle of the rest of Houkago Tea Time, "My sister can't be proud of me just yet, not unless Mio-senpai allows us to play with them."
Sawako-sensei sighed and pushed her glasses up, stealing glances at the huddle of girls before turning back to me.
"You really owe me this time, Satoshi-kun," Sawako-sensei said as she departed, walking over to Mio-senpai, Azusa, and Mugi-senpai. She joined in on the huddle and I turned towards Ui.
"So, Ui, why'd you have to reveal yourself to everyone?" I asked the brunette.
"I just… didn't feel right with it," she said to me, "Sure, I would've made it through the performance as my sister, but they would have found out either way. It seemed pointless if I just stayed dressed up as onee-chan, so I decided to tell the truth."
"There's more to that, isn't there?"
Ui nodded and spoke, "I'm not onee-chan, Satoshi-kun. This is Houkago Tea Time, this is her band – well, their band. But, if anything went wrong, I wouldn't want onee-chan to be blamed for when this was my idea."
"That is so nice of you, Ui," I said to her. I suddenly felt my heart skip a beat and the sudden desire to spend more time with Ui, "S-so, uh… after this… do you want to hang – ?"
"Houkago Tea Time, you're set up for practice!" a voice called to us and I watched as one of the crew members approached us. I found her to be nobody other than Akane Satō, once a mentor to me at the Osaka High Literature Club and a frenemy of Kurisu-senpai. She looked at Kurisu-senpai and the two of them exchanged nods.
I frowned as I was about to ask Ui if she wanted to hang out after all of this… damn. Don't worry, Satoshi, we'll get another chance later on.
"What were you going to ask me, Satoshi-kun?" Ui asked. I watched as Satō-senpai walked up to Kurisu-senpai and the two began engaging in a conversation, with Manabe-senpai joining in. I noticed all three of them had a red and yellow ribbon tied around their left arms which had 'Council Official' in Japanese lettering written on them. I turned back to Ui and flashed her a fake smile.
"It's nothing…" I said to her as I waved it off, "We can save it for later."
"Sure thing!" Ui said with a bright smile on her face. Satō-senpai and Manabe-senpai left Kurisu-senpai as they walked over to the huddle of HTT and Sawako-sensei, which had just disassembled. Sawako-sensei made her way over to Ui and I, sporting a blank face.
"How was it, sensei?" I asked as Sawako-sensei arrived.
"Please tell us that Mio-senpai is allowing us to perform," Ui said.
"Ugh…" Sawako-sensei groaned and she slouched over. I exchanged confusing looks with Ui as we watched her.
"Sensei… are you…" Ui reached her hand out for Sawako-sensei, but only to be startled when the latter shot up, looking at the two of us. She pouted and tears began rolling down her face. If it weren't in a comedic way, I would feel sorry for her.
"I need to… need to be responsible!" Sawako-sensei moped, "In exchange for letting you two replace Ui-chan and Ricchan…" Sawako-sensei wiped a tear away, "… I have to do actual work! Mio-chan is so cruel…"
"What kind of work is Mio-senpai talking about, Yamanka-sensei… ?" I folded my arms and raised an eyebrow at the spectacled woman. My imagination grew wild as I began to think about what kind of things Mio-senpai had in mind for Sawako-sensei.
"Work you won't understand, Satoshi-kun…" Sawako-sensei said. My eyes widened and I tensed up as she slouched over again, "Mio-chan… she wants me to do the Light Music Club a favor. She wants me to dig around my past and find someone who can make Houkago Tea Time… noticeable outside of the prefecture."
"So…" I felt my voice lower.
"In basic words, Satoshi-kun," Sawako-sensei said, "Mio-chan wants me to find an agent for Houkago Tea Time."
"That's great, Yamanaka-sensei!" Ui cheered. Sawako-sensei looked at the two of us with a sad expression on her face.
"You don't get it, Ui-chan…" she said in a lowered tone, "The people from my past are dangerous, manipulative jerks who'll just use the girls for their own personal gain. They won't care if any of them get hurt…"
"How does Mio-senpai know about your past, sensei?" I asked her. Sawako-sensei shot me a glare and I raised an eyebrow at her as she puffed her cheeks, "Would you mind telling me?"
"You don't need to know about my past, Satoshi-kun!" she said to me, "Anyways, I'll stall Mio-chan for as long as I can about her demands. Sadly, knowing her – she won't forget."
"Isn't that true…" I muttered, recalling my days of hanging around Mio-senpai and my sister ever since I could remember.
"It should be the decision of the band, not the decision of the bassist," she said, "That much I know about trust within a band. If I do get into contact with the agent without the rest of Houkago Tea Time's consent, I just don't know what will happen…"
"What did Mugi-senpai and Azusa-chan say about it?" Ui asked.
"They don't even know about it," Sawako-sensei said, "It was a private discussion between Mio-chan and I."
I looked over to Mio-senpai as she was engaged in a conversation with Manabe-senpai and Satō-senpai. I turned back to Sawako-sensei and spoke.
"Now here's the real question, sensei," I said, "Will Houkago Tea Time accept us as their lead guitarist and drummer for the performance?"
"Considering I just told you about making a deal with Mio-chan…" Sawako-sensei drifted off, "All three present members voted yes to have you perform with them. Congratulations, you're hereby announced as Houkago Tea Time's temporary lead guitarist and drummer."
"Thank you, Sawako-sensei!" both me and Ui yelled with happiness.
I looked at Ui, who had sparkles in her eyes and I smiled. Finally, now all we have to do is actually perform for the public. I looked over at Ritsu's drum kit and began walking towards it, with Ui happily trailing behind me.
"Satoshi-kun, wait!" I heard Sawako-sensei call my voice and felt her hand on my shoulder. I turned around and met eyes with the bespectacled teacher, "Please… tell Ricchan about this. Houkago Tea Time cannot fall victim to the agents from my past."
"Will do, sensei," I said with a smirk. She nodded to me, "Thanks again for your help. I owe you."
"I'm glad to be of assistance," she said, "Oh, and… about that… since you looked so nice in a skirt, Satoshi-kun. I was wondering if you could be my… personal model in the future."
"E-eh?" I asked with wide eyes as I felt sweat roll down my face.
"Y'know… you would be wearing clothes for me," she said in a calm voice, "Think of it as an… experiment."
"Experiment… ?"
"Just do it, Satoshi-kun!" Sawako-sensei begged, "Sure, I have the girls of Houkago Tea Time to be models instead, but they simply just won't do it!"
"Fine, sensei…" I said with a shrug, not really caring about being her personal model. It's not like she'll remember this, right?
"Kick butt out there, Satoshi-kun!" she said, "I'll be rooting for you and Ui-chan!" and with that, Sawako-sensei vanished behind the curtains. I looked at Ui and raised an eyebrow towards her as we arrived at my sister's drum kit. There, we met two of our raven-haired senpais speaking.
"What do you need me to do, Akiyama-san?" Kurisu-senpai asked as Mio-senpai stood in-front of him, her hands on her hips.
"I need you to move the amplifiers and the drum kit to the stage," Mio-senpai said, "We won't be needing them until the performance."
"Eh?" I asked Mio-senpai, "How else are we going to practice?"
"Didn't Sawako-sensei tell you?" Mio-senpai turned to me and Ui, "She said that you two would be able to handle the performance without practice, even against my objection."
"W-what…" I muttered.
"I could use a 'please', Akiyama-san," Kurisu-senpai said with a goofy smile. Mio-senpai stifled a giggle at him and cleared her throat.
"Kurisu-kun, please move the amplifiers and Ritsu's drum kit to the stage," Mio-senpai ordered Kurisu-senpai. The latter nodded and walked over to one of the amplifiers, picking it up and carrying it away. She turned towards me with a questioning look, "Yes, Satoshi-kun?"
"Mio-senpai, thank you for letting Ui and I play alongside Houkago Tea Time…" I exhaled, "But what do you mean we don't need to practice?"
"Sawako-sensei made a deal with me," she said, "She said you two were good enough to play in the performance without practicing. I objected, but she ensured me that you two would be able to handle it."
I turned to Ui, who had a questionable nervous look on her face, "Why would she do something like that?" I shrugged and Ui blinked in response, carefully absorbing the situation.
"To convince Mio-chan that you're as good as you say you are!" a voice said to my left. I turned and found Sawako-sensei standing next to us, a defiant look on her face as her arms were crossed.
"We already voted to let you play," Mio-senpai said, "Sawako-sensei just added that you two were good enough to play without practice."
"Sensei!" I shouted her name and turned back to face the teacher, but to my surprise, she was gone. I turned back to find Ui and Mio-senpai with wide eyes. Kurisu-senpai returned and picked up the bass drum from the drum kit. He looked at us and shrugged, carrying the bass drum away.
"We… we should get to practice…" Mio-senpai muttered, "You two can do whatever you need to do. We're live soon."
I looked at Ui as Mio-senpai left the two of us alone. I pulled my own pair of drumsticks from my hoodies pocket and Ui set down the guitar case, unzipping it and pulling Gīta out of the bag. I began tapping the sticks on the desk as Ui tuned Gīta.
Practice came and went, with it only being sound checks and the continuing discussion of how Sawako-sensei can just vanish, leaving us hanging like that. The deal Sawako-sensei made with Mio-senpai that Ui and I could pull through without needing to practice was glued to the bassist's mind.
The sounds of Houkago Tea Time practicing without a drummer and lead guitarist made the band sound incomplete. I felt sorry for them at first, but after they began to grasp the feeling of playing without either two, they played well.
While Houkago Tea Time got their practice in, I was left with Ui, clocking in some time to prepare and some time to… be with her. Ui Hirasawa… the girl I deemed to be an angel ever since I met her that fateful day a month ago. I hope I'm not too deep in the friendzone… 'cause that'd fucking suck. Just watching Ui strum on Gīta makes my heart skip a beat. The way her face shines whenever she smiles is just enough to make any guy fall for her.
I sigh as I continue tapping on the desk with my drumsticks, while I could hear Gīta speaking as Ui played him. The melody came to a sudden stop and I raised an eyebrow.
"H-hey, Ui…" I heard Azusa's voice. I whipped around and found Azusa standing in-front of Ui, a blush on her face, "I'm s-sorry… about earlier. When I was talking about Yui-senpai being a burden to you… it seemed… rude of me."
The pigtailed girl carried Mu-tan with her, which was Azusa's Fender Mustang in candy red. No wonder I haven't been hearing anything from Houkago Tea Time for a while now. It seems they were finished practicing. That could mean only one thing – it was time for the performance. Or close to it.
"Oh…" Ui said, "Don't worry, Azusa-chan. I'm sure you didn't mean to offend me or onee-chan. Everything is fine," she finished with a smile.
"I didn't mean anything about what I said…" Azusa said as she took a seat next to Ui. Ui put Gīta down and Azusa did the same with Mu-tan, "Yui-senpai is… she's really lucky to have a sister like you, Ui."
Ui jumped in surprise at Azusa's words, "Onee-chan… she deserves it! She's an amazing sister, Azusa-chan. I'm just doing what I can for her!"
"You do so much, Ui…" Azusa said, "I'm jealous of you sometimes. You have Yui-senpai to take care of and it seems she's the one that keeps you going – even through hard times."
"Y'know, Azusa-chan…" Ui said a in a low voice, "At first, I was skeptical when onee-chan first entered Sakuragaoka High School, but over time, seeing her smile made me stop worrying. There's also another reason why I was calmed."
"What would that be?" Azusa asked.
"She found the Light Music Club," Ui said with a bright smile. Azusa was taken aback and I watched as she flinched at the mentioning of the club, "But even more, Azusa-chan, she found you."
"M-me?" Azusa repeated, pointing towards herself, "W-why me?"
"Throughout onee-chan's first year, she always came home with a smile on her face as she told me about the adventures of the Light Music Club," Ui said, "But ever since this school year started, onee-chan's been only talking about you, Azusa-chan."
A blush formed on Azusa's face and her eyes widened, "I-I see…"
"I have both you and the Light Music Club to thank," Ui continued, "So, thank you, Azusa-chan… for keeping my sister safe, but most of all, for keeping her happy."
"N-no problem, Ui…" Azusa said, clearly still stunned from what Ui had just told her. I cleared my throat and both of the girls turned towards me, "R-right… Mio-senpai sent me here to get you. The performance will begin in a matter of minutes. We're preparing on the stage."
"Alright!" I said as I clacked my drumsticks together. I walked towards the two and they stared at me, "Let's get this over with… before I forget what I learned…"
Ui and I followed Azusa as she led the way to the stage, where red curtains blocked the view of the audience. Although I couldn't see them, I heard the loud conversations happening on the other side of the curtains. I found Kurisu-senpai as he directed Mio-senpai to the center of the stage.
"Positions, positions!" Kurisu-senpai said as I now saw him with an earpiece in his right ear. He looked at me and pointed towards the drum kit. I made my way over and sat down as he directed Ui to her area, "Ui-chan, you'll be to the right of Akiyama-san! Positions will shift once the song is over!"
"Got it, Kurisu-senpai!" Ui said as she hopped over to the right of Mio-senpai, right in-front of Mugi-senpai and her keyboard. The blonde had a warm smile on her face as she watched us get ready. I found Mio-senpai standing in-front of me, shooting me a glare.
"Don't worry, Satoshi-kun," she said, "I'm sure you two will do fine. Just follow my lead, okay?"
"Understood, Mio-senpai," I said with a nod. She returned the nod and Kurisu-senpai ran by and up to Azusa.
"Nakano-san, position right there!" Kurisu-senpai pointed to her feet. She looked down and back up, looking at Kurisu-senpai with a sour face.
"I'm already in position, senpai…" Azusa muttered.
"One footstep over!" Kurisu-senpai said. Azusa looked down at her feet and took a step to her right. She turned back to Kurisu-senpai and the latter gave her a thumbs up, "You're all good! Houkago Tea Time, live in 2 minutes!"
With that, Kurisu-senpai left the stage. I looked over at Ui and she flashed me a nervous smile. I smiled back and stood up, making my way over to her.
"How you doing, Ui?" I asked her as I arrived. She looked down at Gīta and I saw her body slightly shaking.
"Nervous… but I think…" Ui patted Gīta, "I think I'll pull through."
"Well, remember what I said. You can do anything, just as long as you set your heart to it," I said. Ui stifled a giggle and I raised an eyebrow at her, "What's so funny?"
"You are," Ui said with a smile, "I had a blast spending the day with you, Satoshi-kun."
"The day isn't over yet," I said to her. She nodded in agreement and I felt my heart pound.
"Satoshi-kun, we're beginning," Mugi-senpai's voice called to me. I nodded to her and turned back to Ui as I suddenly felt her pull me into a hug. My face felt warm as Ui held me for a few seconds.
"We're going to be fine, Satoshi-kun…" Ui whispered to me. She soon let me go and I smiled. She returned the gesture and I rubbed the back of my head.
"H-hey, Ui…" I felt the words escape once more, "Do you want to…"
"Want to…" Ui repeated after me with a raised brow.
"Do you want to go–"
"Satoshi-kun!" a voice yelled to me. I turned and found Mio-senpai, pointing back towards the drum kit. I slightly bowed in apology and made my way back to the drum kit, taking a seat. I looked at Ui and she smiled.
"Ui!" Azusa called towards the brunette from across the stage, "Keep up with me! And if you don't feel like you can make it, leave the solo to me!" Ui nodded and a look of determination sprouted upon her face.
"Lights!" a female voice arose in from up above. I felt the heat of the spotlight rain down upon as the bright light engulfed the stage. I groaned and covered shielded my eyes away from the light, "Houkago Tea Time, you will now perform! Good luck! Raise the curtains!"
My heart pounded as I watched the red curtains rise to the air. Soon I found the crowd, cheering and applauding as they were taking pictures. The cheers suddenly died down as they noticed my presence, along with Ui's.
"H-hello, everyone!" Mio-senpai called out to the audience, "We're Houkago Tea Time… and we'll be performing for you today!" Mio-senpai's voice was shy and timid. Azusa noticed this and moved her mouth close to her microphone.
"Two of our members, Yui Hirasawa and Ritsu Tainaka, the lead guitarist and drummer of our band…" Azusa's voice sounded through the microphone, "Couldn't make it today, but we found a solution. All the way from Osaka High, Ritsu-senpai's younger brother – Satoshi Tainaka! He will be Ritsu-senpai's replacement!"
"And to replace Yui-chan," Mugi-senpai's voice filled the auditorium, "Her younger sister, Ui Hirasawa!"
The applause sounded once more and I could hear a few girls in the audience call my name. Excitement flowed through me and determination took over as the crowd continued to cheer. This is the moment, the moment of my first ever performance will stay with me for as long as I'll remember.
"To start off our performance, here's Fude Pen ~Ball Pen~!" Mio-senpai said, her voice now filled with confidence. She turned towards me and nodded to signal off the song. I held my arms to the sky and shouted.
"1, 2, 3!" I tapped my drumsticks together. I began beating on my drums as everyone suddenly started playing. I watched as Ui and Azusa led the song, with Mio-senpai trailing along on her bass. Mio-senpai moved her mouth towards the microphone and opened her mouth.
Fude Pen ~Ball Pen~
"I can feel my brush pen,
Shakin' in my hand again,
As I try to write to you a greeting card…"
"With a fiery passion,
And overflowing action,
"My feelings will burst like a shining star…"
…
"I see your smilin' face, it's all I see, now
Listen and I'll show you all I can be,"
"I gotta take this chance, it could be my last,
Gonna tell you how I feel!"
…
"All this love that I feel, I know that it's real, I even wrote it down for you
To hope that one day you'll see, maybe you and me, our love will become reality,"
"I will show you my dreams, filled with love so it seems, the words are locked in my heart,
I believe in you, brush pen, you've made it this far, my brush pen"
"I'm being quite serious."
…
"I can feel my brush pen,
Overdoing it again"
"There's so much pressure in me, can't you see?"
"My words are on a mission,
With a fiery tension"
"Normal print is so boring to me."
…
"When we get so close, I stop breathin'
What is this feeling deep inside of me?"
"All that I have to say, promise me you will
Take care of me each and every day!"
…
"Watch my words, see them shine, the handwriting is mine, but I can't describe my heart
And the love that I have for you, I don't know what to do, I know that my feelings are true!"
"All these black running lines, they continue to shine, it all stops when they run dry,"
"I'm done with you, brush pen, I apologize, ballpoint pen,
but it's time for you to rest."
"I'm being quite serious."
…
The guitar solo came and the spotlight shined towards Azusa as she began playing. I stole a glance towards Ui and found her to be playing as well. I could hear Gīta as he was attempting to catch up to Azusa's Mu-tan. As soon as I noticed, I began pounding my drums to a point where Ui could catch up. Azusa must've caught on as she did the same. Ui finally joined in to the instrumental and it felt as if all of our hearts were entangled within the song.
As soon as the instrumental came, it was gone and I found Mio-senpai leaning back into the microphone, taking a gasp of air with her as she finished off the song.
…
"I see your smilin' face, it's all I see, now
Listen and I'll show you all I can be,"
"I gotta take this chance, it could be my last,
Gonna tell you how I feel!"
…
"All this love that I feel, I know that it's real, I even wrote it down for you
To hope that one day you'll see, maybe you and me, our love will become reality,"
"I will show you my dreams, filled with love so it seems, the words are locked in my heart,
I believe in you, brush pen, you've made it this far, my brush pen"
"I'm being quite serious."
Fude Pen ~Ball Pen~ came to a finish and all that was left was the everlasting cheering from the audience, which accompanied us during the duration of the song. I panted as I cheered for not just myself, but for Ui and Houkago Tea Time. Members of the audience stood up and screamed.
"We did it!" I laughed as I raised my hands in the air. I turned my attention towards Ui and found her wiping the sweat from her brow. She noticed my staring and waved towards me, "Ui! We did it!"
"We did it, Satoshi-kun!" Ui yelled to me as she cheered. I diverted my attention towards the other tired, breathless members of Houkago Tea Time and they all had smiles glued to their faces as they listened to the crowd.
"Houkago Tea Time! Houkago Tea Time! Houkago Tea Time!" the audience cheered loudly. I looked through the faces of the audience and found Kurisu-senpai in the front row, alongside Satō-senpai, Taki-senpai, and two other girls I didn't know, but their blue ribbons proved they were second-years. Jun and Manabe-senpai were behind them and all of them were clapping, just like the rest of the audience.
"That's my boy!" I heard Kurisu-senpai's shout. I watched as Satō-senpai slapped the back of his head. I chuckled and I found Mio-senpai turning to me. She flashed me a smile and nodded.
"Please cheer for our special guests – Ui Hirasawa and Satoshi Tainaka!" Mio-senpai said.
"We wouldn't be performing today if it wasn't for them!" Mugi-senpai added from behind her keyboard. I set my drumsticks into my left hand and waved to the audience with my right. Ui waved to the audience and the cheers rose.
"They tried their hardest to prepare for this performance!" Azusa finished off, "It's been a pleasure playing alongside these two! But the performance isn't over yet! We still have one more song!"
"But before we begin, we'll introduce to you our band members and special guests!" Mio-senpai said, "My name is Mio Akiyama, and I'm the bassist of Houkago Tea Time!"
My eyes widened as I witnessed a section of the audience hold up signs, all with Mio-senpai's face on them and cheered the bassist's name. Mio-senpai blushed and she took a step back away from the microphone, clearly flustered from the attention.
"I'm Tsumugi Kotobuki, here on the keyboard!" Mugi-senpai said as she waved to the crowd, which earned her own cheering from the crowd.
"I'm the club's first-year, Azusa Nakano and I'm Houkago Tea Time's rhythm guitarist. Thank you for letting us play for you tonight!" Azusa said as she slightly bowed to the crowd. I heard a few whistles from the crowd and she fixed her posture, "Now, please welcome our guests!" the pigtailed girl gestured over to Ui.
"Hello, everybody!" Ui cheerfully said into her microphone, "I'm the younger sister of Houkago Tea Time's lead guitarist, Ui Hirasawa! I'm a first-year here and my classroom is Class 1-2, feel free to stop by and greet me anytime!"
"The reason why I'm here is because my sister was feeling too ill to be able to play today," Ui continued on, "That's the same reason on why Satoshi-kun is here as well! Both of us are here to make our sisters happy and to help Houkago Tea Time succeed as a band!"
"Houkago Tea Time is the best!" the audience shouted. Ui giggled into the microphone and pointed over to me. My eyes widened and I looked around nervously. I felt someone grab my hand found it to be nobody other than her – Ui Hirasawa. Our eyes made direct contact and her eyes sparkled under the spotlight. She handed me the microphone and I nodded my thanks.
"G-good afternoon!" I stuttered into the microphone. I was never one to project my voice to anyone, nevertheless a crowd of hyped up people, "I'm Satoshi Tainaka – younger brother of HTT's drummer, Ritsu Tainaka. I… I, um… I'm a first-year at Osaka High. It's true what Ui said! We're here to help Houkago Tea Time and we want you to do the same! Spread the word of HTT's awesome music and how rad they are! Everyone here knows they deserve it!"
I gained surprised looks from the rest of Houkago Tea Time and they all flashed soft smiles towards me. I looked up at Ui, who was still standing next to me and I could see tears forming in her eyes. She blinked them away and I turned back to the audience. I found Sawako-sensei leaning against the wall and she was nodding in an approving way. I handed the microphone back to Ui and she made her way back over to her position.
"Akiyama-san and Ui-chan!" Kurisu-senpai said as he approached the stage. The two girls he called looked down at him and raised their eyebrows, "You two need to switch positions, if Ui-chan will be singing!"
They nodded to him and Mio-senpai looked over to Ui, who shook her head up and down. Mio-senpai and Ui switched positions, with Ui now in the center of the stage and Mio-senpai to her right. Kurisu-senpai gave them a thumbs up and returned to his seat. Mugi-senpai clapped and Ui looked over to the blonde.
"Ui-chan, begin our final song!" Mugi-senpai said to Ui. The latter nodded in return and leaned in towards her mic.
"Now, we'll be performing Houkago Tea Time's first song – Fuwa Fuwa Time!" Ui cheerfully said into the microphone, "I hope you all enjoy!"
Ui began strumming on Gīta as she did before during practice. Mugi-senpai, Azusa, and Mio-senpai began clapping while Ui strummed away. Soon the audience began clapping along to the song before Mio-senpai looked at me. She nodded and I returned the gesture as I began pounding on my drums, with the rest of the band joining in as Fuwa Fuwa Time began. Ui leaned into the microphone and opened her mouth.
Fuwa Fuwa Time/Fluffy Fluffy Time
"Whenever I look at you, my heart throbs wildly
This shaky feeling is fluffy, just like a marshmallow"
"You're always so busy, you never notice me
Watching your face so passionately"
"But only in my dreams
Can we get closer and closer"
…
"Ah, God, please
Grant the two of us some Dreamy Time, when we're together
As I cuddle my stuffed bunny tonight and say goodnight…"
...
"Fuwa Fuwa time~!
Fuwa Fuwa time~!
Fuwa Fuwa time~!"
…
"Today again, your behavior makes my heart throb wildly
Just falling into that simple smile of yours, I overheat!"
"That serious face of yours made me so nervous
It even appears whenever I shut my eyes"
"Even if it's in my dreams
Just give the two of us Sweet Time!"
…
"Ah, God, please tell me why,
This painful Dream Night has hurt me too much that I like it?
I've taken out my teddy bear just in case, will I be okay tonight?"
…
The instrumental part of the song arrived and I was ready. I was ready to prove to the others that I could do it, I could be a drummer. I pounded on my drums as if there was no tomorrow. I looked up and saw the crowd on their feet, clapping and jumping to the beat I had set. Mio-senpai followed in with her bass,
"Ui! We can do this!" I yelled to her.
Ui looked back at me and smiled. This smile was not like any smile she's shown to me before. This smile was something of great meaning, a smile that somebody could call a beautiful smile and actually mean it.
"We can!" she nodded before turning back to the microphone to finish up the song.
…
"If I could just be tougher and tell him the truth
We could maybe end up together"
"Nothing would probably change
Or maybe it would turn out right"
…
"But that's the hardest thing to do!
What excuse would my excuse even be?"
"But how can it look natural if I talk about it too much!
Aaaah! No more! Just go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep!"
…
"Ah, God, please
Grant me some Miracle Time, just this once"
"And afterwards, if I can talk to him with no problems
Everything will probably go right"
…
"Fuwa Fuwa time~!
Fuwa Fuwa time~!
Fuwa Fuwa time~!"
The song ended and what seemed to be the greatest moment of my life faded away into the cheers and applause from the audience. I panted as I set down the drumsticks and stood up. I walked up to Ui, who was also panting and we embraced. I grabbed her hand and looked out to the audience. Both of us bowed to them as the applause roared louder than before.
"You two played well," Mio-senpai said as she stood next to me and Ui. I found Mugi-senpai and Azusa on each side as we all held hands. Mio-senpai grabbed my hand and we all took a bow to the audience, who were now taking pictures of us.
"I feel like we saved the day," I chuckled to the girls.
"You kinda did," Azusa said as she stood next to us.
"You have our thanks, Satoshi-kun and Ui-chan," Mugi-senpai slightly bowed. I nodded and I heard feedback over the microphone.
"Give it up for Houkago Tea Time!" a voice said. We turned around and found Manabe-senpai walking on the stage, "They did an excellent job today!"
More applause arose from the crowd and we bowed once more. I looked up and found the red curtain covering our view of the audience, but I could still hear their cheers. I turned to the other girls and felt my hands ache.
"Yay! We did it!" Ui clapped as we all looked at her.
"I have to say, I had my doubts about you guys," Azusa said as she crossed her arms over her chest. I slouched over and exhaled.
"I knew you probably would…"
"You two proved us wrong about you, Satoshi-kun, Ui-chan," Mugi-senpai said with a smile on her face, "If I were your sisters, I would be proud of you, but nevertheless, I still am."
"Thank you, Mugi-senpai," Ui and I said in unison as we bowed to the blonde. I looked at Mio-senpai and I smiled at her, causing the bassist to gasp and flinch.
"And thank you, Mio-senpai, for letting us play with Houkago Tea Time today," I said to her.
"Yes, thank you, Mio-senpai," Ui said, "I hope you'll forgive us about deceiving you earlier in the future."
"You… you guys…" Mio-senpai's voice trailed away as I yawned, feeling the ache surge through my body once more.
"I'm going to head back to the clubroom and rest for a little," I said as I stretched my arms. The girls nodded and Ui stepped up.
"Do you want me to come with you, Satoshi-kun?" Ui asked. My eyes widened and I was forced to shake my head no. As much as I would have loved to have Ui accompany to the clubroom, where we would be alone, I was too tired and I needed to rest.
"How about I'll meet up with you later, Ui?" I said to her. Her eyes lit up and she nodded, "We can walk around the campus or something like that."
"That sounds good," Ui said with a smile.
"Alright then, it's a date!" the words escaped my mouth. I tensed up and I looked at Ui to see if she noticed what I had just said, but she had no reaction, "I'll see you guys later!" I quickly said as I left the auditorium. I silently walked past the booths and made my way into the main building of the school.
As I was walking, I grabbed the blue bandana I confiscated from Kurisu-senpai earlier and wiped the sweat from my brow, feeling the handkerchief dampen. I stuffed it back into my pockets and met the stairs that led to the clubroom.
I walked up the steps to the clubroom and opened the double-doors that led inside. There, I found someone sitting at the table, facing the other way. I cleared my throat and she turned around. My brown eyes met with her amber eyes and she grinned. The grin on her face was wiped off as she rubbed her nose.
"AH-CHOO!" she sneezed. The sound echoed throughout the room and I cringed.
"Hey, sis…" I lazily waved to her as she wiped the snot away from her nose with a napkin, "I thought you were sick?"
Touched by an Angel!
Author's Notes
- Well that's it for chapter 9. I hope you all enjoyed my representation of Fuwa Fuwa Time and Fude Pen ~Boru Pen~! What'd you guys think of the lyrics? I'm positive that the lyrics for Fude Pen ~Boru Pen~ fit the song quite well, but I have no idea for Fuwa Fuwa Time. If you try singing them, Fude Pen ~Boru Pen~ would fit easier than Fuwa Fuwa Time.
- I'll be headed off to a hotel for the day tomorrow, so I'll be spending most of my time there writing and working out in their gym. But mostly writing, lol. I should be done with TBAA's finale by the end of this coming week, or the start of next week. These are just estimates, so yeah!
- There are possibilities of a sequel to Touched by an Angel!, since there are too many plotholes. The girls still need to make it to Budokan, right? Chances are highly possible for a sequel. Until I officially announce it, feel free to read my other stories as well!
- That's all I have for chapter 9's AN. I'll see you guys the next time we'll meet in the Finale of Touched by an Angel! See you all later! Have a nice day and stay awesome!
