9.
Takeru let his head lean on the cold window of the airplane, he tried to comprehend the events of the last few days, but it seemed all too surreal. He wished he could have been
able to visit Paris on better circumstances, seen his grandparents and been full of smiles. To be there for vacation, and been able to see the sights, instead of using it to run away.
4 days earlier…
Takeru walked to school Monday morning ready for an easy week of school, he didn't have any exams or projects due in the near future and since basketball season was over he
could relax after school and didn't have to worry about dealing with Daisuke until about 6:00pm because he had soccer practice. He also didn't have any boyfriend responsibilities
since Hikari was off in New York. He could skate by this week with no worries what so ever. He liked the feeling of strolling along the street with nothing to do; he decided to stop
into the café on the way to school.
"Hey Takeru," He heard as he walked in, Taichi was eating some sort of sweet bread, and downing a coffee.
"Hey Tai, what's up?"
"Trying to get Mimi to actually go to school on time, she works too much."
"I'm coming, I'm coming" said Mimi as she came out from behind the counter and grabbed her bag "lets go Tai" and she was out the door with Taichi in tow.
Takeru smiled, ordered and sat down, he didn't have to be in first period today, the teacher was out on sick leave and the substitute only played videos and didn't even take
attendance. He would enjoy his breakfast and stroll into second period; he grimaced at the thought of math though.
"People are going to think you're a delinquent, sitting in coffee shops while you should be in class" a voice from behind said. Takeru looked around to see his brother.
"What about you bro?" He replied.
"I am graduating in 2 months and I have straight A's, and I am touring this summer and probably pursuing music instead of studies after that anyways, easy streak for me." Yamato
was always the lucky one.
"Don't let it go to your head or anything" Takeru smirked
"Don't be a smartass kiddo" Yamato casually shot back as he ordered his drink, and Takeru noticed that Yamato wasn't even in his school uniform.
"Are you going to school at all today?"
"No and neither are you."
"I'm not?"
"Nope, you're coming with me to the studio"
"Why?"
"Because I found that tape in your room." The tape Yamato referred to was a small demo Takeru was working on, nothing big just an acoustic guitar and a computer microphone.
Takeru was mortified; Yamato listened to it, and wanted to take him down town to play it for the executives that distributed the Teenage Wolves?
"What? I can't play it for some stranger; I can't believe you listened to it!"
"Hmm?" Yamato wasn't even paying attention, Takeru was about to explode. "What? Oh they don't know who Hikari is and what the big deal if I listened to it? By the way it's
really dumb to use people's names in songs, you'll get yourself sued."
"I never planned on playing it for anyone!"
"Well its good, and you can sing, always could, so were leaving after I drink my coffee and were playing it at the studio and they are going to sign you and give you recording time,
oh and change the name in the lyrics." Takeru couldn't believe his brother, was he insane? They were going to give him, some nobody kid a deal, yeah right.
"I don't want to play it for anyone"
"Too bad kiddo, I'm not letting my little bro's talents go to waste, get up you need to change before we go down town anyway so we'll head back to the apartment."
So Takeru found himself on the subway, tape in one hand, guitar in the other, and his entire world was about to change. He looked over to his bother, leaning back eyes closed,
humming the tune to one of the songs Takeru wrote. He tried to think of another name to put in the one song, it didn't matter to the rhyme scheme, and actually the song had nothing
really to do with her at all, he just needed a girls name at the time so he threw hers in.
The office was very impressive; Takeru sat in a waiting room chair looking around while Yamato made small talk with the secretary. The walls were plastered with gold and
platinum albums of the bands they produced. There was even a framed magazine cover with his brother on it, some American magazine he never heard of before. He never knew
his brother was getting big; didn't he just play at the festival? Why play a high school festival when you were on magazines in America? Takeru exchanged glances with Yamato and
motioned to the magazine, Yamato gave him a look of we'll talk about it later.
The executive wasn't exactly what Takeru pictured; he was a tall blonde man in jeans and flip-flops. He had a smile and cool demeanor, Takeru was picturing some lean, dark
looking man in a million dollar suit. James was his name, an American talent agent from the main branch in New York.
"Well Takeru, your brother says you're the second coming of Conner Oberst, would you like to play me some stuff?" Takeru didn't know who this Conner guy was but played the
disk anyway, James kept his eyes closed and hummed along while bobbing his head. Then just before the last song began to play Takeru pressed stop.
"Why did you stop it?" Questioned James.
"The last one has some personal lyrics that I changed a little so I'll just play it now." Came Takeru's reply, Yamato smirked and snorted.
"Well okay, go ahead." Taker readied his guitar on his lap. He had never played in front of anyone, he began to sweat. He closed his eyes and began to strum the chords; slowly he
picked up the pace and began to sing.
It's been a week since I've heard your voice,
A week since I've seen your face,
It's been a week since you broke my heart,
The pieces lay on my living room floor,
And for some reason I can't seem to pick them up,
And I won't admit it out loud,
But there is nothing more I want right now,
Than you…
And you've left me alone,
Me alone with my thoughts,
My thoughts that scream,
That scream of why…
So I guess I'll be by myself for a while,
The moon will keep its eye on me,
The days are too bright for my eyes so I sleep them away,
So now for I week I have slept on the couch,
Afraid to sleep on the bed,
But I want nothing more than sleep there now, I want smell your scent,
Because there is nothing more that I want right now,
Than you…
And you've left me alone,
Me alone with my thoughts,
My thoughts that scream,
That scream of why…
So, I imagine that you are here next to me,
I wish you did not go, or that I never loved you at all,
Guessing what it would have been like it I never kissed you that first night,
And baby I wish it were so,
I wish I never asked you out, that I never called you at all,
The reason would be, that I guess, I wish, I suppose,
Suppose I never let you break my heart…
