The Concert: Winter and Spring

~ ~ ~

Hi guys...thank you all for the reviews...I'm so happy! 70! Keep it up! OK, I'm sort of procrastinating and not studying at all so I'm going to thank you all individually really briefly...thank u Risa, Momiji, Sakura, Gie, Azn chibisweetpea, Helen, Alexandra-Kyoko, and Kurisutaru...u guys are so great!!

Anyways, since I wrote the first concert pretty, well, bad hehe...I'm going to TRY to make it up to you guys (note the word TRY, don't kill me if it turns out really boring) and make this concert super long...so long it'll continue past one chapter!! A sort-of song fic for a few chapters...bear with me ^_^ And oh yeah, for some reason, italics and bolds don't show up so all the song lyrics will be noted by ~ ~ ~ lines, kk? BTW, my songs are more like poems so don't criticize me if they really can't really be sang out loud...please forgive me ^_^

Continue reviewing!!

~Maeven~

At the backstage of Crystal Hall, Jyuuni (and family) prepared to go on stage in fifteen minutes. Yuki adjusted his white shirt and ran a hand through his hair; Ayame had actually managed to streak the boy's hair with silver, making his hair even more luminous. (How, you ask? Let's just say, Yuki was really sleepy this morning.)

Haru was standing nearby, pulling on a long silver coat over his black shirt. Ayame had color-coordinated the band again, this time matching Yuki and Haru with similar colors. As for the other two members...

"What the hell?!" Kyou threw open the door of the dressing room. He was in a deep forest green turtleneck with dark blue jeans; the emerald color set off his startling red eyes magnificently...too bad his eyes were boiling with rage. "A turtleneck?! I look like a freaking sissy...why can't that feminine nezumi wear this?" Shigure cheerfully guided Tohru between the boys. "And why the hell green? I look like an elf!"

Ayame pouted, "But you look so cute!"

"I don't want to look cute!!"

Momiji bounded out in a light green suit with a matching hat tilted jauntily on his head. He ran a circle around Tohru and twirled around, posing. "Ne, how about me? Do I look cute?" She beamed and nodded. "Yay!!"

Ayame smiled. "See, he appreciates my skills!!"

Kyou groaned, running his hand over his face. "Oh god, I'm going to look like the little brat." Images of a hyperactive Kyou in Momiji-size began floating over in his head and he turned green, matching his turtleneck quite nicely.

Shigure beamed. "I think you look great! You guys totally match the song I wrote for you guys: Winter and Spring! So cool!!" Kyou threw him a lethal glare. Shigure quickly turned to Tohru. "Don't you think so, Tohru-kun??"

She smiled happily. "Kyou-kun, you really do look very handsome today. Green really matches your eyes. They're so beautiful!" She leaned up close to examine Kyou's eyes. "They're so red and hypnotizing! Just like strawberries and cherries and..."

The startled boy turned rosy red at the close proximity of the girl; his eyes were no longer the only things that were "just like rubies and cherries and...". He blinked and turned his head away, avoiding her gaze. He cleared his throat huskily and gruffly retorted, "Like strawberries and cherries? Great, soon you'll be telling me I look like a big watermelon."

The girl let out a delighted laugh and he flushed even more. "Kyou-kun, you're so funny. When you go out and sing today, I bet everybody would love you!"

He flashed a glance at her as if to confirm she wasn't joking and then eased into an embarrassed grin. "Yea, whatever."

Yuki stared at them coldly and then turned his back, staring at himself in the mirror. His lavender eyes swirled with indescribable emotions and he leaned his forehead against the cool surface, studying his own eyes. Suddenly, someone tapped him from behind and he turned his head.

Tohru stood there shyly, shuffling her feet. "Um...I wanted to tell Yuki- kun that he also looks really really nice today...um, like...like cream and vanilla ice cream and fluffy white clouds and..."

He arched an eyebrow, "I look like a cotton ball?"

She blinked. "Oh! I didn't mean it like that...I-I-I meant that you look very - very heavenly and angelic today. Yuki-kun - Yuki-kun looks like a - a prince."

He softened into a gentle smile. "Thank you, Honda-san...but believe me, I'm hardly angelic...well, ja ne." He winked and walked past her, brushing her arm with his. Her eyes widened and she shivered involuntarily.

* * *

The boys trudged down the hall to meet their fans. Shigure bounced along after them. "I'm so happy! So very happy! My own songs, my own words, my own masterpieces will be performed by my beloved family!!"

Kyou snorted and with a flick of his wrist, brushed a strand of his orange hair away from his forehead. "I don't even get what the song's about...all mumble jumble to me."

Yuki stared ahead coolly. "That's because you're just dumb." The neko flared and held up his fists when Momiji interrupted.

"It's about us...our family, isn't it, Shi-chan?" the little boy smiled in an unusually mature way. "Each one...somehow relates to us, right?"

Shigure smiled back just as calmly. "Momiji is so smart...I really do underestimate you sometimes."

"Well, now you learned not to!!" the blonde boy beamed, once again in his characteristic way.

Kyou yelled in confusion. "Whaddya mean they're about us? What?!"

Shigure merely grinned. "You'll see." And he pushed the boys out onto the stage.

* * *

Kyou stumbled and caught his balance. "AHHHHH!! JYUUNI!!" The crowd was ear- deafening. He angled his head to his audience and glared, the bright spotlight glinted on his coppery hair and his eyes shimmered like red rubies. Unfortunately, the light proved too dazzling and he slanted his head away, crinkling his right eye against the harsh beam.

"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! DID YOU JUST SEE THAT? KYOU WINKED AT ME! AT ME!!" a girl screamed to her friend.

"ARE YOU KIDDING?! HE WINKED AT ME!! HE'S SO HOT!! KYOU-KUN!! I LOVE YOU!!"

A huge whirlwind came flying through the throng, tossing bodies up in its wake. A tiny brunette stopped in front of them with an evil glint in her eyes. "YOU'RE BOTH DELUSIONAL!! KYOU-KUN IS MINE!! ALL MINE!!"

"JUST WHO ARE YOU, HUH?" the fan girl challenged.

"WHO AM I?! WHO AM I?! I'M SOHMA KAGURA AND I'M KYOU'S FIANCEE!! HIS CHILDHOOD SWEETHEART! HIS BELOVED!! HIS ONLY GIRLFRIEND!!"

Girls around the pig began murmuring. "I don't believe you. Kyou-kun would never go for such a bossy amazon like you! We love him all the way and no matter what you say, you'll never defer our adoration!!"

Kagura flared; the air around her dropped several degrees. "You love him? You love him? You LOVE HIM? YOU DON'T KNOW THE MEANING OF LOVE!! LITTLE GIRL, GO BACK TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!!"

"What?!" the fan girls dropped their posters and rolled up their sleeves. Kagura flipped her hair back and did the same.

"KYOU'S ALL MINE!! AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, HE WINKED AT ME!!! CAUSE IF HE DARE FLIRT WITH OTHER PEOPLE, I'LL TEAR HIM TO PIECES!! KYOU-KUN!! YOU HEAR THAT?!!"

On stage, Kyou paled and licked his lips nervously. He reached for his microphone and called, "Security, please! Oi, Yankee! Denpa! There's a fight about to break loose; just grabbed the girl with the cat backpack..."

Kagura screamed, "What?! Kyou-kun!! How could you betray me?!" She began pushing through the people to get to him.

He gulped. "OI!! YANKEE!! I'LL DOUBLE YOUR PAY!!"

The two girls appeared and pulled Kagura back by her little backpack. "Let's go. Tohru wants to talk to you too." As they ushered the girl out, Uotani tilted her head to the cat and smirked, "Remember, make sure to double our salary!!" The band stared speechlessly after the females as they finally left.

Yuki smiled weakly. "Uh, after that short...intermission... we will now proceed to the main presentation. The first song will be "Winter and Spring". Uh, enjoy." The girls cheered.

Haru struck up the beat, tapping gently. Momiji followed in with a soft melody. Yuki stepped up and strummed his guitar while Kyou came in with the main tune. The mauve haired boy leaned close to the microphone, a few streaked strands framing his face. His fringe shadowed his eyes, giving him the aura of an enigmatic prince.

~ And so I was walking one day

in the frigid icy weather

not really caring, not really seeing.

The cold is numbing but the

pain remains, tearing me inside out.

Crystal icicles surround me,

Encasing me, isolating me, killing me.

Not really caring, not really seeing.... ~

Hatori stood impassively in the back of the hall, staring at the boys on stage. He folded his arms and leaned against the wall. 'What the hell is Shigure writing? Sometimes I really pity the boys.' An outbreak of screams of the crowd pierced through his thoughts and he winced. 'Yea, I really do pity them.'

"Hatori-sensei?"

Startled, he turned around and his eyes widened imperceptibly.

"Hatori-sensei? It's really you!" Kana smiled at him cheerfully. "Wow...the world's really small, isn't it?"

Kyou stepped up to the mike, his turn to sing the next stanza. His rich deep voice resonated.

~ And then on one frosty day,

I crashed into you...

And I'm no longer cold.

Looking up, I meet your eyes

And winter begins to thaw.

Looking up, I see your smile

And winter begins to fade.

Looking up, I feel your hug

And winter is gone... ~

Kana grinned, "Say, it's kind of funny bumping into you here! Are you also a fan of Jyuuni? Huh...hard to imagine the famous stoic doctor listening to these songs!" She tucked a strand of brown hair behind her right ear, a painfully familiar gesture.

Hatori smiled back softly. "Actually, they're my cousins. I'm their co- manager."

The woman's eyes widened. "Suigoi!! You guys are related?! Then, that means I'm a distant relation of them too...oh wow!!" Her eyes shined with stars and he hid a smile.

All four members of Jyuuni joined in to croon the chorus. Momiji's light happy voice integrated with Haru's own dark lilting one, backing up the two lead singers.

~ Spring arrived joyfully,

caressing me with life

and for the first time

I see the flowers,

I see the sun

But more importantly,

I see you...~

Kana's eyes crinkled up in that familiar way when she smiled. Immediately, Hatori felt relieved of stress and he felt a twinge of happiness. "Hatori- sensei, how have you been? I really hope you haven't been stressing yourself out too much...it's bad for your health...oops! Guess I shouldn't be giving such advice to a doctor like you! Hehe..."

Hatori softened and he grinned at her easy, bright nature. "It's been too long..." He didn't realize he had voiced his thoughts and instantaneously, he felt awkward.

Kana blinked and beamed, "Yea, it really has been too long...haven't seen you for months...I'm so sorry for not visiting - " She halted when an arm slinked around her waist and she looked up into the face of a tall handsome man. Hatori immediately stiffened and he stared at the stranger.

"Oh, you're here! Um, Hatori-sensei, please allow me to introduce my husband, Tezuya," she smiled.

~ Yet no matter how

ice melts into spring

and how winter always fades...

spring will also in its turn

go away, abandoning me in its wake.

Flowers will wilt, leaves will fall

Water will freeze and spring will die

Winter once again...

returns to me...~

Tezuya gave Hatori a smile after coolly assessing the man who was talking to his wife.

"Kana's talked about you before, about how she worked for you and how brilliant you were. She really admired you," Tezuya tightened his arm around Kana.

The doctor returned to his aloof nature and nodded slightly. "I'm glad Kana respected me that much...I also admired her too."

The woman blinked in surprise and giggled. "Stop teasing, Hatori-sensei! Me? Admire me? For what? Making coffee?"

Hatori smiled but his heart twisted inside. 'For giving me a breath of spring. For giving me a taste of true happiness. For being you...and loving me.'

~ Was it smart to break free

of my enclosure to see the world?

Was it practical to forget my

isolation and see you?

Was it sensible to throw away

my past, my cage, my destiny

to love you for a few moments?

But then again, love is never

reasonable and

neither you nor I can fight it...

I will never have regrets.....

will you? ~

"Honey, let's go. You're the one who wanted to see Jyuuni...don't miss the whole concert by standing here," Tezuya smiled tenderly at his wife.

Kana nodded and turned to Hatori. "Hatori-sensei, please excuse us! I'll be sure to visit you sometime soon but until then...take care of yourself...good-bye." She smiled cheerfully.

Hatori nodded. "Good-bye...Kana. Take care." The couple walked away arm in arm and the doctor leaned back against the wall, his bangs concealing his eyes.

Ayame popped up and bent in front of the man. "Ne, Hatori! Let's go!!"

He raised his eyes and looked at the snake clad in a huge pink dress. He sighed and covered his eyes. "I don't know you. Leave me alone!"

"Tori-san!! You're so mean!! Come on, I'm going to help you!"

"What?" Hatori sighed insufferably.

"I can't let Kana and her pretty boy husband hurt you like that! We'll show them!! I'm going to pretend to be your girlfriend and they'll see that you're all happy and not alone wallowing in misery as you're doing now!"

"Gee, thanks," Hatori retorted dryly. "But I think I'll pass."

"Nani?! What?! I'm a great catch! Look at me!!" Ayame twirled in his dress and pulled out a lacey fan. He covered his face and lowered his eyes demurely, speaking in a high falsetto voice that grated on Hatori's nerves. "My name is Ayame-chan. I'm Hatori's, hehe, girlfriend! Oh dear! This is so embarrassing! Demo, Hatori-kun is really great! Handsome, smart, caring, strong, responsible, tall, dark-haired, mysterious, likes long walks on beaches and sunsets...HAHAHAHAHA - EH?! TORI-SAN?! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!"

"Away from you," the doctor marched away.

~ I will never have any regrets...

These few moments of love

will last me a lifetime of happiness.

Winter numbs my body but

my heart still holds memories

of spring with you...~