Chapter Twelve
Turning Leaves
The air bit with chilled teeth. Leaves turned a startling orange and yellow. A sweet scent of pine wafted on the crisp breeze. Soft piano music drifted from one of the dormitory music rooms. Haruka played with eyes closed, nimble fingers dancing along the ivory keys. The song built to a climax, and she ended with a loud, heavy note.
"Wow!" Saki clapped from her seat on the windowsill. "You're amazing, Haruka-chan!"
"Eh?" Haruka blushed. She stared bashfully at the piano keys. "N-Not really…"
"No, I mean it," Saki enforced, sliding from the sill. She clenched her hands into small fists. "I'm seriously pumped! I'm gonna go write those lyrics now, okay?"
"Mm. Okay." Haruka nodded and smiled. "Good luck, Sak-chan!" Saki ran off with one last goodbye, flying out of the room.
A small sigh escaped Haruka's lips. She settled her hands over the keys. For some reason, everyone had been acting so distant lately. With a troubled heart, she resumed playing.
…
Saki ran down the practice hall with an eager grin. Listening to Haruka play had inspired her. A cascade of ideas whirred around in her head. "Saki-chan!" a voice greeted. Saki skidded to a halt and swung on her heels.
Natsuki walked over to her, a folder under his arm. A pleasant smile tweaked his lips. Saki stiffened, then let out a small breath. 'It's Natsuki-san,' she reminded herself. 'He doesn't even know what happened.'
"Natsuki-san," Saki greeted warmly. "What's up?"
"Eh…" Natsuki showed her the folder. "Practicing a commercial jingle. Where're you off to in such a hurry?"
Saki pumped a determined fist in the air. "Today's the day I'm gonna write those lyrics!" she announced.
"Oh!" Natsuki stared at her with mild surprise. "That's great, Saki-chan! Do you need any help?"
"Help?" Saki echoed. She hesitated. For just a moment, she thought she saw a dark flash cross Natsuki's eyes. A pang jolted through her heart as she remembered the story of the woman who'd hurt him. "No," she said with a short shake of her head. "Ah, that is, thank you. But I think this is... something I need to do on my own. You know?"
Natsuki looked at her curiously. "I can see this is important to you, Saki-chan," he said, his eyes softening down at her.
Saki blushed and quickly averted her gaze to her feet. "Um…" She fidgeted with her fingers. "Good luck with your commercial!" She turned and ran down the hall.
Natsuki watched her vanished around the corner of the hall. He blinked in confusion. "Um… Goodbye?" he said to the empty corridor.
"Chef Monster," came a voice from behind him.
"Eh?" Natsuki turned around, pointing a finger at himself. He glanced about. There was no one else around. "Me? Am I Chef Monster?"
Rin stood in the hallway with slanted hips. She narrowed her eyes, walking forward and peering up at him sharply. "Just what are you doing?" she demanded.
"What I'm doing?" Natsuki tilted his head. "Sorry, Ri-chan. I'm not sure I understand..." Green eyes flickered past Rin, lighting up. "Ah! Syo-chaaan!" He waved an arm out.
Syo paused mid step, hands jammed in his pockets. "Natsuki?" He looked over warily, hunched over. Upon seeing Rin, he straightened up, wondering just what she was up to now.
"I mean," Rin said firmly, irked at being ignored, "what are you doing talking to Saki?"
"Is there something wrong with talking to Saki-chan?" Natsuki blinked in confusion. "Are you feeling okay, Ri-chan? You're not making much sense."
Rin stumbled back, flabbergasted. "Am I feeling okay!? You've got some nerve-!"
"Oy!" Syo ran over in a panic, yanking her back by the elbow. "What's wrong with you?" he demanded in an angry hush.
"What's wrong with me?!" Rin threw a hand out towards an innocently blinking Natsuki. "What's wrong with him?!"
"Is something wrong with me?" Natsuki asked curiously.
Syo looked wildly between the two. Suddenly, he grabbed Rin and speedily dragged her down the hall before she could react. Natsuki looked after them. "Hmm..." He smiled. "They seem to be getting along." With an approving nod, he turned to his notes and made his way for the practice room.
"What the hell, Coward Bean Sprout!" Rin snapped, slapping her hand free.
Syo whirled on her, gnashing his teeth. "That's my line! I told you. Natsuki doesn't know about Satsuki!" he said harshly.
Rin huffed and crossed her arms. "How irresponsible."
"What?" Syo seethed.
"I'm just looking out for Saki..." Rin suddenly jabbed him in the chest. "You're an enabler!"
Syo recoiled, blue eyes widening. He absently rubbed at the slightly aching spot she'd jabbed. "How'd you figure that?" he challenged, though he felt a twinge of uneasiness squirm around in his gut.
"You clearly understand how dangerous this... Satsuki phenomenon is. Yet what are you doing about it?" Rin demanded.
"That's..." Syo scowled, eyes sliding off the side.
Rin lifted her chin. "Hmph. Exactly what I thought."
"Look. It's complicated, okay!" Syo exclaimed.
"Is it?" Rin shot back. "How? That guy shows alarming signs of multiple personality disorder. He's a threat to everyone he's around, especially Saki, and he needs help." She leaned forward. "Professional help."
Syo stepped back, eyes large. "The hell're you saying?" he asked lowly.
"I'm saying," Rin spoke mockingly slow, "that he's dangerous to be around. And what's worse, he doesn't even know it! Don't you get it? Something's wrong with him." Syo twitched at that, eyes flashing. "My advice? Get someone who knows what they're doing to examine that head of his," Rin said, waving a hand out.
"Your advice?" Syo echoed. He clenched his hands into fists. "That's it? I don't give a damn about whatever you've gotta say."
"Wanna say that again?" Rin scoffed.
"You haven't known Natsuki as long as I have... You're not his friend, you don't care about him. You don't give a damn about anyone." Syo's hands began to shake. He was loosing his grip.
Rin narrowed her eyes. "Don't test me, Sprout," she warned. "I'm doing this because I care."
"Bullshit! You're just pissed about messing up so bad you're taking it out on Natsuki!" Syo clamored, throwing out his arm and pointing a finger in her face. Rin pulled back, teeth grit. "You wanna know why the Prez said what he did? Because you really don't give a crap about anyone but yourself!"
"How dare-" Syo quickly took a step forward, causing Rin to hitch and pull back, glaring cross-eyed at the finger poised before her face.
"You want proof? Look at ICE FIRE! It's all you singing the songs; you just stick Saki and Arata in the back!" Syo lowered his arm and cast a cold glare. Rin recoiled as if struck, opening her mouth, then tightly clamping it shut. "You're the worst. Don't talk about Natsuki again," Syo said, voice shaking with anger. Keeping his poise as calm as possible, he roughly turned and marched off, stomping down the hall.
Rin stared after him, nails digging past the leather of her sleeves and carving fine crescents into her skin. "The worst, huh?" she muttered, then bit deep into her lower lip.
...
The next day, Ringo summoned both idol groups and Haruka to the lounge. They sat uneasily across from one another, some calm, others casting sharp glares. Syo and Rin wouldn't even look at each other, whereas usually they were the ones glaring. "Alright, listen up, everyone!" Ringo called. "At the end of the month, we'll be hosting an event!"
"Really? What kind of event?" Otoya asked, looking up thoughtfully.
"It's October," Tokiya sighed exasperatedly. "What do you think?"
"Oh? Seems you figured it out!" Ringo smiled and clapped his hands under his chin. "In a few weeks, you'll be hosting a Halloween party!"
"Ehhh!?" Saki, Haruka, Otoya, and Natsuki erupted in excitement. Syo locked up, turning pale.
"A Halloween party?" Haruka echoed curiously. "Ah! Ringo-sensei, will there be a performance?"
"Mm!" Ringo nodded once. "That's right! Though..." he trailed off, glancing between the two groups. "Only ICE FIRE will perform!"
A silence grew between them.
"Ehhh!?" the shocked clamor once again spread throughout the group. Ren's was the only smiling face. He looked out the window with a knowing gaze. Tokiya frowned, peering at the equally baffled ICE FIRE. When Saki met his gaze, she quickly looked away, uncomfortable.
"Is there some reason?" Masato asked calmly.
"Hmm..." Ringo set his hands on his hips. "The President wasn't clear. But it seems you're not to perform no matter what."
Haruka frowned, ducking her head so her hair shadowed her face. A creeping sense of guilt washed over her. "What does that mean?" Otoya asked worriedly.
"Hmm... The President is worried we won't be able to perform as we usually do," Natsuki theorized.
"Is it because something's off with our harmony?" Cecil put in, his voice light with concern.
"What'd you mean?" Masato asked, turning to the tan boy.
"The way things are now, our voices wouldn't harmonize. At least... Muse wouldn't be with us," Cecil explained, keeping his gaze focused on the floor. Everyone looked worriedly to Haruka, who remained ducked down and quiet.
"Tch. Don't look so glum," Rin said. Her voice held her usual haughty demeanor, but the familiar smirk was absent from her face. "We'll handle it, right?" Saki and Emiko said nothing, though the first shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"If anyone shouldn't be performing, it's you," Syo muttered.
"What was that?" Rin snapped.
"Syo-chan. Don't say something so mean with such a cute face," Natsuki scolded, teasing as if to hopefully prod at everyone's unhappy spirits. Rin and Syo, however, ignored him, seething at each other from across the table.
"Alright, settle down!" Ringo, who'd been watching the exchange in fascination, interjected. "This isn't as bad as it seems! Consider it a team building exercise!" he threw in cheerfully. However, the boys merely looked glumly amongst themselves. "While ICE FIRE performs, you'll be serving food, drinks, and managing the events..."
"Events?" Syo asked carefully, pulled away from his staring contest with Rin.
"Yes! Like fortune telling and the haunted house!" Ringo said eagerly.
Syo shuddered. "H-H-Haunted house?" he chattered. "You're joking, right?"
"Don't be scared, Syo-chan!" Natsuki cooed.
"S-S-Shut up! I ain't scared!" Syo snapped.
Ringo waved his hands to once again quiet everyone down. "One more thing." He turned to address ICE FIRE. "You three will need to work hard."
Rin scowled. "What'd you mean?" she demanded.
"Is this about our performance during the September festival?" Emiko asked.
"Hm." Ringo nodded seriously. "This is your chance to redeem yourself. Rin-chan. The President hopes you've taken what he's said to heart." Rin stared evenly at Ringo, then glanced off to view the trees outside. Ringo smiled. "Of course, you'll be composing the score, Haruka-chan! You'll need to write two original pieces to fit the opposing tones of the season. Understand?"
"Huh?" Haruka lifted her head, gold eyes glazed. She swallowed and pulled herself together. "Right. I'll do my best."
"Good, good!" Ringo nodded along, looking pleased. "Don't forget! You've got the rest of the month to prepare! Work hard, everyone! Oh, and costumes are mandatory!" He laughed. When he left the room, everyone remained for awhile, lost in thought. They wordlessly parted ways, taking the time they needed to prepare themselves for the task set ahead.
...
It didn't take long for Haruka to compose a song fit for the dark and icy tone of the season. For the second song, she combined trills meant for horror scores with an upbeat and spicy sound. ICE FIRE put their heads together to match lyrics with the sounds and coordinate fitting routines.
Meanwhile, STARISH gathered at Souko Hall where the event would be taking place. Everyone but Tokiya set up the decorations. Syo and Natsuki explored the basement for tools. Syo's eyes darted nervously around the space.
"This is the perfect spot for the haunted house, right?" Natsuki asked.
Syo's brow twitched as he struggled to maintain his composure. "Whatever," he said tightly. A broom clattered to the floor. He jumped back with a yelp.
Natsuki laughed. "Hey, hey! Maybe this place really is haunted!" he said excitedly.
"D-Don't say that!" Syo snapped. "B-Besides. G-Ghosts ain't real."
Natsuki ignored him, wandering into the center of the basement and cupping the side of his mouth. "Ghost-chan!" he called. "Come out and play!"
"Ahhg! What're you doing!?" Syo grabbed and tugged his arm, eyes wild. "Don't call it! Do you want to be eaten!?"
"Hm?" Natsuki lowered his hand. "But Syo-chan... I thought ghosts weren't real?"
"Un..." Syo blanched. For some reason, he felt like he'd been caught red-handed. "A-Anyway, let's get this over with!" He marched past Natsuki, scanning the metal racks. His eyes landed upon an old ladder, its wood rotted. "Hey, what about this?"
"Hm?" Natsuki wandered over. He inspected the ladder closely. "It's perfect!" he decided, picking it up from the wall.
"Are you sure?" Syo asked warily, scratching his jaw. "It looks like it was dumped here."
Natsuki thought about it, the ladder hoisted over his shoulder. "Nope, it's fine!" Without another word, he carried it back to the main hall.
...
Otoya climbed the rickety old ladder to hang up paper bats and ghost-shaped lights from the ceiling. The other boys quietly worked to themselves. Masato blatantly moved to another task when Ren carried a round table to the dining area. "Hmm..." Ren sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You should've forgiven me by now, Masayan."
Masato glanced back, casting him a glare before marching off. He passed Otoya, who reached up as high as he could to affix a pumpkin lantern to the ceiling. The weak support of the ladder shook. "Almost... got it..." Otoya tightly grit his teeth and pushed up, successfully securing the lamp. "Aha!" He let out a grin of victory.
Wood cracked. Otoya felt the steady weight vanish from his feet. "...Eh?" He barely had time to look down at the broken ladder before he went crashing to the floor. Only, the floor was soft and groaned in complaint.
"Ittoki!" Tokiya ran over as the dust settled. The others gathered around the scene of the accident.
"Ow, ow, ow..." Otoya winced, rubbing his back. He blinked his eyes open, seeing everyone staring down. "Ah. I'm okay!" he assured.
Tokiya breathed out in relief. "Moron..."
"Oy! I knew that ladder was no good!" Syo complained to an apologetic Natsuki.
"...Get off..." a voice gruffed.
"Eh?" Otoya looked down where he was sitting. "Masa? What're you doing on the floor?"
Masa lay on his stomach, face turned to the side as he glared up at the red head. "What am I doing on the floor?" he echoed irritably. "You fell, didn't you?"
"Eh! I fell on you?!" Otoya quickly scrambled off and leapt to his feet. "S-Sorry!"
Cecil meandered over, popping up between Natsuki and Syo. "Hey! Were you guys playing leap frog without me?"
"They weren't playing leap frog," Syo corrected irritably.
"Oh?" Cecil glanced down at them curiously. "I see. They're not very good at it, are they?"
"That's because they weren't playing!" Syo snapped, temper rising as he whirled on the taller boy.
"It's fine," Masato grumbled and pushed himself to his feet. "I'm more concerned about the decorations." He stared pointedly at the splintered latter. During the fall, a number of the decorations had been crushed and ruined.
"No way..." Otoya looked dejectedly at the wreckage.
"It can't be helped. We'll have to make replacements," Tokiya said. "Ittoki. Hang up what's left while the rest of us work on replacements."
Otoya pulled up straight and saluted. "Um..." He deflated, motioning the ladder. "Do we have another?"
"Should we check, Syo-chan?" Natsuki asked.
"No way in hell. There's nothing down there," Syo said defiantly. He tightly pursed his lips and refused to make eye contact.
"No worries!" Cecil said happily. He appeared behind Otoya, ducking down and grabbing his legs.
"H-Hey! What're you doing?" Otoya cried as he was lifted into the air, balanced on Cecil's shoulders. "Waah!"
"We have a human ladder!" Cecil announced. He ran in a circle to demonstrate its effectiveness, grinning and laughing like a little kid.
"Y-You guys!" Otoya waved his arms out, swaying wildly back and forth in an attempt to keep balance. Syo and Natsuki laughed at the sight of his suffering. Even Masato cracked a smile, seeing it as poetic justice. "Waah! S-Stop it! I'm gonna fall again! Tokiyaaa! Help!" Otoya wailed.
Tokiya sighed and kneaded his brows. "I'll leave you to it," he decided, heading for the banquet area. Natsuki and Syo followed along, wishing Otoya good luck.
"W-Wait!" Otoya reached out for his retreating back. "Don't abandon me! Tokiyaaa!"
...
Somehow, the decorations were completed. Their moods considerably lightened, the boys chatted and joked as they designed and worked on the haunted house. Because this was a more complicating event, Shining had sent professionals in to build props and assist with setting up. Actors were hired to play the parts of ghosts and monsters to scare guests.
October flew by, and the day of the Halloween Party soon arrived. As the guests entered the hall, Haruka was surprised to see how many of them were male. Typically, a STARISH performance was predominately female. ICE FIRE had a much more diverse fanbase, many of which had an extreme fashion sense, wearing dark clothes, piercings, and grungy styles. As Haruka's eyes wandered over the crowd, she lost track of who was in costume and who wasn't.
"Nanami!" a familiar voice called.
"Eh?" Haruka looked around until she caught sight of Otoya pushing through the crowd and waving an arm over his head. "Ittoki-kun!" She made her way over to him. When they met, Otoya grinned and adjusted his cap. His costume for the party was a police uniform. It looked rather odd, as his boyish and excited expression was anything but professional.
"Eh?" Otoya blinked, looking her over. "Nanami. Where's your costume?" he asked.
"My costume?" Haruka echoed. "W-Well, I... don't have one."
"What?" Otoya frowned. "You have to have a costume!"
"R-Really?" Haruka asked uncertainly, glancing up at him.
"Yeah! It's Halloween!" Otoya insisted. "Come on! Let's go find one backstage, okay?"
"Ah... Okay," Haruka said in defeat.
They worked their way through the crowd, Otoya calling out, "Excuse me!" once and awhile. Occasionally, he would check back to make sure Haruka was still following along. The crowd was thick... He reached for her hand and grabbed it. Haruka looked up at him questioningly. "So you don't get lost," Otoya explained, blushing lightly.
"A-Ah. Thank you," Haruka stammered.
'Why's she thanking me?' Otoya thought in a daze. 'I'm the one who gets to hold her hand!'
To his dismay, the moment didn't last long. When they arrived backstage, he had no choice but to release her hand. ICE FIRE was already in costume, dressed like witches, preparing for their performance. Rin was the one who spotted them. "Eh? Sunny and Composer Girl? What're you two doing here?" she asked.
"Haruka-chan!" Saki said happily, bouncing over. Her face shone brightly with excitement, no doubt eager for their performance. "Have you come to wish me luck?"
"Ah, not exactly..." Haruka said. She offered a smile. "But I know you'll do well, Saki-chan!" Saki grinned in response.
"We came to look for a costume for Nanami," Otoya explained.
"Oh?" Rin set a finger to her chin and looked Haruka over. She suddenly grabbed her wrist. "Why didn't you say so? Come with me, Composer Girl!"
"A-Ah! Okay!" Haruka said as she was pulled off into the dressing room.
Otoya held a hand up as she was taken away. "Uhm... Good luck, Nanami!" he called after her. Saki peered up at him carefully. "Eh... Yes?" Otoya asked upon noticing her. Saki grinned and poked his ribs, causing him to jump. "W-What was that for!?" Otoya whined.
"Hee... Someone's got a cruuush!" Saki teased.
"W-What!?" Otoya turned beet red. "I do not!" he protested.
...
Rin rifled through the stage costumes on the rack. Because they were Halloween themed, it didn't take long to find something. She pulled out a showy cat costume and dangled the hangar before Haruka. "How 'bout this?" she asked.
"Eh!?" Haruka's eyes widened before the revealing costume. "No! I couldn't possibly wear that!" she protested.
Rin laughed, clutching her side. "You're right! Can you imagine how those boys would react?" she asked.
"That's not..." Haruka blushed and averted her eyes.
Rin's laugh faded to a chuckle, though she returned the costume to the rack. "We'll find something more modest," she promised. "Hmm..." She rifled through the hangars, then paused on a playful pirate costume. "Say, Composer Girl..."
"Yes?" Haruka asked, stepping closer so she could hear.
Rin hesitated, staring at the hand rested atop the iron bar. "Do you think... I manage ICE FIRE right?" she asked quietly.
"Um..." Haruka stared at Rin worriedly. "How so?" she asked.
"Sometimes, I wonder if... Ah, nevermind." Rin quickly shook her head. "Forget about it, alright?"
Haruka frowned. "Nakamura-san, if you're having doubts, you don't need to face them alone," she said. Rin raised her head, staring at Haruka with parted lips. Haruka offered an encouraging smile. "Because you have Saki-chan and Arata-san with you, right?" she asked.
"Saki and... Emiko?" Rin said, her voice barely a whisper. She smiled, then suddenly yanked a costume from the rack. "Enough about that," she decided. "Let's focus on you..." She stepped towards Haruka, an evil glint in her eye.
Haruka pulled back, her face darkening with fear.
...
"Chihiki," Emiko said, approaching a laughing Saki and a flustered Otoya.
"Hm? Yes, Emiko-chan?" Saki asked, still smiling.
"We've made some slight adjustments to the dance arrangement. Can you bring this over to the techies?" Emiko handed Saki a folder.
Saki took the folder and offered a salute. "Roger!" She ran off, still wrapped up in an excited tizzy.
"Ah... Someone's looking forward to the performance," Otoya observed.
"This is how she usually gets," Emiko explained. She sighed. "Personally, I get butterflies..."
"Eh? Really?" Otoya looked at her with wide eyes. "Arata-chan gets nervous too?"
Emiko glanced at him, slightly raising a brow. "...Of course I do," she huffed. "Nevermind that. Tonight's your perfect opportunity."
"Eh? For what?" Otoya asked, blinking emptily.
Emiko threw him an exasperated look. "What do you think? To dance with Nanami," she said. "Did you forget?"
Otoya recoiled and averted his eyes. "No... But, everyone is still..."
"Forget about the others," Emiko said swiftly. "When it comes to what you love, you have to go for it. They wouldn't hesitate on your behalf if they were in your shoes."
Otoya pursed his lips. "I... guess not," he said glumly. He shook his head, pulling a determined expression. "Alright. I'll do it," he decided. He smiled, though it was tighter than normal. "Thanks again, Arata-chan."
Emiko returned the smile. "We had a deal," she said simply. She glanced over Otoya's costume. "Officer," she added with a small smirk.
"Eh!?" Otoya recoiled. "C-Costumes were mandatory!" he defended, face red.
"Oy! Sunny!" Rin called, appearing from the dressing room door. Otoya looked up, head tilted and pointing at himself. "I did what you wanted, so why don't you get out of here and let us get ready?" Rin tested.
"Oh... Yeah. Sorry." Otoya sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.
Smirking, Rin pulled Haruka out from the hall and pushed her forward. Haruka stumbled into the room, eyes darting and hands fidgeting at her front. Otoya gawped at her. "W-Whoa! Nanami!" he said in surprise.
Rin leaned back to admire her handiwork. Haruka, while suffering a nervous fit, had been cutely garbed in a French maid outfit, complete with a lacy apron and black stockings. "N-Nakamura-san... wouldn't take no for an answer," Haruka mumbled, face red and eyes dizzy.
"Go on! Have fun!" Rin lightly pushed Haruka's back, sending her stumbling forward once more. "As an officer of the law, it's your job to escort this young maid to safety," she teased with a grin.
"W-What?" Otoya flustered. "Err... Y-Yeah... Nanami? Shall we go?" He leaned forward a little to address her.
"Mm... Y-Yeah," Haruka agreed, offering him a shy glance. Nervously, they both left the backstage area and headed for the main hall.
Emiko watched them go. 'Good luck,' she thought. 'This is your big chance...' She turned to find Saki and the techs, but before she could leave, a hand gripped her shoulder.
"Emiko," Rin said, turning her around. "There's going to be a change of plans."
"A change of plans?" Emiko echoed with a small frown.
Rin nodded seriously and gripped her other shoulder. "Listen up, yeah? I want us to switch roles. I want you to be the lead singer tonight."
Emiko parted her lips to speak, then quickly clamped them shut. Pressed together, her lips began to tremble slightly. "N-Nakamura... I-I can't," she said lightly.
"What? Of course you can!" Rin patted her arm. "You're an amazing singer, aren't you?" She stepped back. "Go get ready! I'll speak with Saki... I'm depending on you, Emiko!" She hurried off before Emiko could stop her.
The methodical girl stood completely still, alone in the wide backstage room. Gray eyes dulled to a wrought distance, and her bare shoulders shivered freely in the heated air.
A/N: Uta no Prince-sama season three confirmed! I honestly wasn't expecting that to happen... but yeah whoohoo! :D
