Time to get down to business! Thanks for all those who reviewed and made amazing comments… And thanks to the people that read! There's a lot I want to cover in this chapter, and I will continue with writing about the past (since it's so important) for awhile. Sorry I'm abandoning everyone in the present, but I swear I'll get back to them! Anyway, I own nothing except my plot, and my band names! Sorry this took so long… Finals, then I went to Spain for two weeks… I got back two days ago, and I was like, "Ugh, jet lag. Can't write." And today it was, "Gotta write fanfics!" Okay. RANT OVER.
Chapter 11
"Nagi," the petite girl, with the long blonde hair approached his chair, and gave him a light kiss on the lips. "How are you?"She was the epitome of beauty in a small package. She was so ladylike, so…
"Good," Nagi answered, smiling sweetly and honestly.
And suddenly, faster than Amu's eyes could follow, the little girl grabbed a fistful of his long, purple hair and began pulling it. His head jerked back, and she began screaming so loud it echoed in the large ballroom.
"NAGIHIKO! YOU SWORE TO GOD AND BACK THAT YOU WOULD CALL ME EVERY SINGLE NIGHT, AND WHEN I COME HERE, YOU'RE SITTING NEXT TO A GIRL I DON'T EVEN KNOW, AND IS SHE MY RIVAL? NAGIHIKO, YOU BETTER ANSWER ME THIS SECOND OR-
Nagi managed to spin her around, tip her like they were dancing, and kiss her. "Rima, you've got nothing to worry about. She's staying here for awhile, and she's not your rival. She's a friend." Somehow, they had already become friends.
The little girl turned red and seemed to melt in his embrace, but then smacked his hands off.
"Don't be like that," he smugly got in her face more, as a boyfriend teasing his girlfriend. "She's not even my type!"
Her stare turned cold. "What is your type?"
He wrapped his arms around her and said, "You. Rima Mashiro is my one and only type."
She softened, and hugged him back. She mumbled something in his ear, but he only laughed.
"What was that? I didn't seem to hear you."
"You know what I said, you purple freak."
Amu giggled to herself at their scene. For a second, she wished she could have a relationship like that, and then giggled for she knew she could never have something so beautiful like that. The silliness of her even suggesting it was laughable.
It was so laughable, it was pitiful.
"Oh, Rima. It's her birthday today."
"NAGIHIKO, YOU MADE ME MAKE A SCENE AT SOMEONE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY?" She began tugging at his hair again, but it didn't seem to hurt him. All he could do is laugh.
"Baby, you did that all yourself."
"Freak!"
"Clown."
"PURPLE!"
"Shorty."
She somehow jumped on his back, and began hitting him. "Nagihiko, I swear to god you better have gotten that girl a present! You can't ruin someone's party-
He just laughed.
"You guys! Get a room! You can't just flaunt your couple-dom where I can see it! I'm painfully in love here!" Kukai's voice managed to get them to stop. It was if the couple had forgotten that Amu and Kukai still existed.
"Yeah, sorry Kukai." Nagi apologized, as Rima hid behind him, slowly putting her arms around his waist.
"Hey Amu, you single?" Kukai asked, and then turned a shade of pink. "Well, not that I care, but I was asking and..."
"Yeah, I'm forever available." Amu joked.
"That would be funny if it wasn't serious! Me and you, Amu! We're in the single alliance!"
Rima rolled her eyes. "Happy Birthday, Amu."
"Thanks, Rima." Amu smiled towards her.
Suddenly, her phone rang with the funny "Bala-Bala-Bala-Bala-Balance! Bala-Bala-Bala-Balance!"
"Excuse me, I have to take this." She walked into the bathroom, and shut the door.
"Your girlfriend seems nice," Amu said. She was somewhat scared of her, though.
"She's amazing." Nagi said. "She's really the only one that can stand up to me, and I'm the only one who can give her a healthy dose of reality."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah! Rima's a pain in my butt! Every time she comes I have to buy whatever she wants, and…
"I HEARD THAT, SOUMA KUKAI!" Rima screams as she pops her head out of the bathroom. "I don't get why you're Nagi's friend, either!"
She slams the door again.
Kukai pouts. "Whatever. Can I finish my song?"
Nagi and Amu looked at each other and smiled. "Go ahead, Kukai."
"It's pretty good, though. I want to hear the rest of it!" Amu said.
"See, Nagi? She respects talent. I am talented." Kukai annunciated the word and Nagi rolled his eyes.
"I never said you weren't. But this song is better than the others."
Kukai didn't seem to hear, but he turned on the machine again, and slung the guitar into his hands again- for he had never taken it off.
The music starts again, and after cymbal beats and a bass scale he sings, "So I said I'm a snowball runnin'" there were two claps, and he continued.
"Runnin' down into the spring that's coming" Kukai's foot was tapping, and he was getting back into the song. There was a pause, "All this love" Love was emphasized the tiniest bit, but he kept going.
There were two drum beats, "Meltin' under blue skies, meltin' out" he closed his eyes and seemed to feel, and Amu and Nagi felt themselves feeling too.
"Sunlight shimmerin' love" He smiled, but his eyes were still closed. "Sunlight" was emphasized, and the verse was echoed in the tape and somewhat made it stronger.
After two or three chords on the guitar, he opened his eyes and looked out into the distance, "Well baby I surrender to the"
"Strawberry ice cream" The three words were emphasized, and while the bass played, Kukai played the guitar and without using any words, managed to annunciate the phrase with the music.
"Never ever will this love," Love again was annunciated, he was shaking his head.
"Well I didn't mean to do it," Here, he shrugged, as if he really didn't mean to fall in love.
"But there's no escaping your love, Ah-aa!"He was grooving now, completely into it, looking through us, and looking for the girl he was singing to.
"These lines of lightning mean we're never alone," At first it seemed random that such a verse existed in the song and that "never" had been annunciated. But Kukai seemed to be trying to tell this girl that she wasn't alone, that she had him. The drums annunciated this verse, and went out of their one-two-one beat. "Never alone," it was said again, separated from the song, and yet intertwined. "No, No!"The second "no" was a note higher than the first, but before anyone had any time to think, the song moved on.
"Come on, come on," the guitar annunciated these words, "move a little closer" He seemed to be dancing, moving his torso, to one side- as if telling her it was okay to be close.
"Come on, come on," the guitar again annunciated these words, "I wanna hear you whisper" Here, "wanna" seemed to be stretched out a bit, and he winked.
"Come on, come on," the guitar annunciated the repeated chorus, "settle down inside my…" his eyes were closed again, probably imagining that he was singing the song to her, and not to his friends.
"Love," Kukai sang, and he did again in the recording, giving the word strength.
"Ah-aa!" He strummed his guitar hard.
"Come on, come on," the guitar spoke the lyrics, "jump a little higher!" In these lyrics, "jump" had been annunciated, and the whole phrase had been a higher note than usual. But he jumped as high as he could go; looking now, out in the distance. He seemed to be paying no mind to Amu or Nagi.
"Come on, Come on" the words were rushed this time so they could probably go with the next few words. "If you feel a little lighter" The word "lighter" was stretched out the tiniest bit.
"Come on, Come on," the words were back at their original speed, with the guitar and the drums chiming in. "You were once upon a time in…" the phrase was the tiniest bit slower, but they gave in to the word, "Love," which was stretched out and which the music emphasized.
With one drum beat, it introduced the next thought, "We're accidentally in love," the verse seemed to be spoken instead of sung, on a seemingly sadder note. The drum beat slowed, and the guitar strummed different chords, complimenting the words.
A piano chimed in, "Accidentally in love,"
"Accidentally in love," The word "love" this time was stretched out. The piano gave the song a sadder tone as he repeated the words, and continued on. It seemed as if the word "accidentally" had a different meaning here, as if it were more of a sad, one-sided love.
"Accidentally in love." Here, it was more of a statement than a verse, and he closed his eyes again, feeling the sadness of the song. The piano was still playing, making it even sadder.
"Accidentally in love," Again, "love" was stretched out, as if it were introducing something.
"Accidentally in love!" The piano stopped, and Kukai cheered up, and sang it with the usual gusto. The guitar went back to the chords that it had started with: and the drums did the same. It was like Kukai was saying, "Enough with this sad shit. Let's be happy! Love is great!"
"Accidentally in love," It was a pattern: "love" was again annunciated.
"Accidentally in love!" It was a happier note, an almost bittersweet sort of thing.
"Accidentally in love," His love was again stretched out, and it seemed to be introducing something.
"Accidentally…." He led the audience on, and was already back to grooving to the song.
"I'm in love!" He sang, and he echoed in the recording, "I'm in love!" It wasn't a statement, it was an anthem. The guitar was raging.
"I'm in love!" He sang again, seeming to chant the phrase. "I'm in love!" went the recording right after he seemed to chant it.
"I'm in love!" He repeated for the third time, and it echoed, "I'm in love!" It was as if he was finally coming to terms of what love was: sad, bittersweet, happy.
"Accidentally!" It was more of saying he didn't mean to fall in love, he just did.
"I'm in love!" He repeated again, announcing his state of mind, and it echoed in the recording, "I'm in love!"
For the fifth time, "I'm in love!" He seemed to be chanting the magic words, latching so much of his feelings on that phrase. All the insecurities, all the bittersweet and happy moments that came when he thought about his day in bed, every time his head hit the pillow… How he dreamed of her and this working out. "I'm in love!" the recording repeated.
"I'm in love!" This time, everyone wanted to sing along. The anthem was so easy, something everyone had either dreamed or experienced… It was easy to relate to all the feelings, to everything Kukai seemed to be going through. "I'm in love!"
"Accidentally," This time, it seemed to be leading to something else, another road of love.
"Come on, come on!" The guitar annunciated the phrase. "Spin a little tighter!" Here, "spin" was stretched out a bit, and at the end of the word, it was sung on a higher note.
"Come on, come on!" The words were rushed again- it was like Kukai was asking her to dance, fast, so he wouldn't say something he regretted or something stupid. "And the world's a little brighter!" As if he was spinning her already, and looking at her glow, her blonde hair…
"Come on, come on!" The guitar and the music were annunciating his impatience. "Just get yourself inside my," Here the words were spoken instead of sung, and there was a pause, making Amu and Nagi lean forward and listen to what Kukai was saying.
"Love," The "o" was a higher note, and both he and the recording were singing in sync. It was as if asking for her answer to his confession.
"I'm in love." It was a statement that seemed to be said and sung at the same time, and with the last strum of the guitar, the song was over.
It jolted Kukai out of his feelings, and he nervously ran his fingers through his hair. Had they liked it? Was it good? Did he convey what he wanted to?
At first, Nagi and Amu were both shocked- they had been so immersed in Kukai and what he wsy saying that nothing else had mattered.
It was refreshing, in a sort of way.
Amu was the one that clapped first, and then Nagi; it became a storm of support for Kukai, and a smile light his face.
"Not bad, Souma." Rima had a smile on her face, and Kukai took it as acceptance of him. He bowed, and said, "Thank you! Thank you, Tokyo! I'll be here all week!"
For the heck of it, Amu gave a load cheer. After everything she had been through, the song was an anthem for her new friend, and she wanted to support him.
Nagi at first gave her a strange look, raising his eyebrow slightly. And then, Rima elbowed him in the stomach, and suddenly, they were all cheering for Kukai… Supporting him.
Accepting his feelings.
Kukai had never felt better in his life. He had finally shown a part of himself he had kept under wraps for a long time. He wasn't just a skater and soccer boy- he was a loving guy.
He was a singer.
And he had rocked.
He smiled harder than he had in his life. And his friends had liked that part of him.
He was elated. The only thing that would make this night better would be seeing Utau- but that was impossible. She didn't know he worked and lived here.
But, he was Kukai. He had written a love song. He could do a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g.
"Hey guys, I got a great idea!"
-x-
"Why are we standing in front of a closed café, in the middle of the night, during a cold, rainy night?" Rima seemed to be annoyed, but she was just curious.
"Kukai, isn't this where Utau works- Kukai?"Nagi turned to his best friend, who seemed to be wallowing and hitting the glass, as if he willed it to open.
"I forgot they closed early on Sundays!" He screamed, holding his head.
"Kukai, if it makes you feel better, you can always see her tomorrow." Amu put her hand on his shoulder, and smiled.
"But I have to see her today~ If I don't, I'll lose all my nerve!" He was wilting, and seeming to get paler by the second.
"Hm," Amu had to think fast: she needed to salvage the situation. "Well, you and I had a deal. I'll talk to her tomorrow, okay?"
He seemed to brighten. "But you don't know Utau, and how will…
Amu simply smirked. "Oh, don't worry. Does she like competitions?"
"She loves them, why-
"Then you don't have to worry. Let's go back to the hotel, 'cause I have a song to sing."
She walked off, like a model, and she turned around to her posse. "Well, are you guys coming?"
"So cool!" Kukai shouted, as he pumped his fist in the air. Rima and Nagi exchanged a glance, and both were thinking the same thing: this person was incredibly interesting.
But just for the heck of it, they followed. Because if a show was to come, what would stop them from watching?
-X-
Ikuto hated the rain. Sure, he was accustomed to it, yet at the same time, the rain just reminded him of being alone, and cold.
Abandoned.
Even with his leather jacket and jeans sticking tightly to his muscles, he was uncomfortable in his own skin. It was something that could have easily torn right off, and was making him uneasy.
His violin was safe, but he was just wet, and that left a bad taste in his mouth. But he had walked away from yet another location, and was wandering back to the hotel.
Again. The hotel always waited for him, no matter where he went. His two best friends would always welcome him back, no matter the years that passed. In this world, they were the only ones that hadn't changed; the only people who wouldn't abandon him to other, better affairs. He inhaled, already smelling the familiar scent of his room, with one of the greatest views of Tokyo in the city. It was his oasis, where his two best friends would stay up with him late into the night and listen to his music and talk about their dreams, about the places he traveled.
No matter where he wandered, he was still as empty as that day. Nothing could make him feel better. He always immersed himself in a new experience, hiding the fact that though he was the guy most women strived to win, he couldn't give them what they wanted.
He would never be enough… So alone he wandered the alleys, playing his violin, trying to fill the void that would never be filled.
A sin that would never be erased.
He seemed to be able to play around, no strings attached. But no woman, no lovemaking, no feelings could ever make him forget what he could never forget.
So he would end up leaving them.
He couldn't have any sort of friendship with the species called woman, because they would fall for him, again and again, and just remind him how short he fell to their expectations.
"You're so cold, Ikuto. You're like the rain, striving to hold onto something: and yet every time they want to hold on to you, you slip away. You're a monster, using people like that. You complain that you fall short of my expectations, but I'm the one who falls short to yours. No one will be able to open up to you if you don't let them in."
The words made Ikuto shiver. He stuffed his hands even further into his pockets, and felt the sensation that he always felt in the rain: raw, fake, shallow, and empty. No matter what farce he put up, the rain always cleansed him, and he was about as deep as a puddle on the sidewalk. He wanted to curse it, to tell it to leave him alone, to let him be! He didn't want to be reminded about how empty he was, he already knew! He didn't need it! Every night, before he would fall asleep, he would always have fantasies about what it would be like, for just one moment… To have someone to hold unto him, to love him, to welcome him back when he came in from the rain, to laugh in the middle of the night over coffee for no reason…
He blew his midnight blue hair that was sticking to his face. Such thoughts were stupid, not to mention impossible. His emotions yearned for something his logic knew would never happen.
He was in love with a person that didn't even exist. A fantasy.
Who would ever fall in love with him? Who would be brave enough to scale his walls, to dodge the booby traps, to look into his eyes and actually see what he was trying to say… What girl would ever ignore what he was saying, and listen to what his heart was yearning for?
No one like that, no one in this world full of people would ever do that.
Wasn't it funny?
And Ikuto cried.
That's it! This is the chapter~ I told you guys that the past was important! This is why you listen to the author!
Response to AmuxIkuto foeva:
Amu was in a gang. Ran, Miki, Su, and Dia were part of it. Amu got out of it because, as I wrote in a previous chapter, they were supposed to keep the peace of the gangs, and yet they were funding an all-out gang war.
They beat her up, except for Su, who really liked Amu. Amu had a debt to her.
The identity of the man in the grey hoodie is yet to be revealed. It'll be revealed with time, I promise.
If you review, I'll respond! Get to it, y'all!
