Chapter 8

The room plunged into darkness eliciting excited screams from the crowd. Music began to flow from the speakers. Then a spotlight turned on, revealing a lone figure on the left center of the stage.

"Search for your love."

Another spotlight was turn on as the tune repeated. This time it lit up the right center area and unveiled another figure. Finally, a third spotlight was focused on center stage where the last young man stood, singing the four words once more. They were the three lights.

The audience's cries grew louder and I joined them in mouthing the song's lyrics.

"Kima wa itsu mo kagayai te da

egao hitotsu chiisana hoshi

taisetsu ni shite ta yo (eyen no starlight.)***"

I sighed contently, leaning back against the wall. This was so much fun! Mamoru had even turned out to be pretty good company even if you considered the fact that he obviously hadn't taken a liking to this style of music.

The song finished with a fade effect as the lights died down. The second it was done, applause thundered through the hall

"Domou arigatou, minna!" The dark-haired lead singer announced into the microphone. "Have a good night."

"We love you Tokyo!" All three shouted together before exiting the stage.

I simply stared at the black abyss the trio had disappeared into until Mamoru tugged on my jean jacket.

"Are you just going to stand there or do you still actually want to meet them?"

I smirked. "I don't think there's any need to answer that question."

- - -

"Are you sure we were supposed to turn left?"

"No."

"What do you mean no?"

"I guessed."

"Didn't you listen to what the ticket guy said?"

I shook my head solemnly. "I was concentrating on the concert back then. What about you."

"Nope, I thought you would."

"Well this sure does leave us in a pickle."

"A mighty big pickle," Mamoru added as we walked around the floor in circles. "Hey, maybe we can try asking that guy." He suggested, motioning towards a middle-aged man strolling down the hall.

I immediately ran up to the man. "Excuse me, sir."

"May I help you with something?"

"Actually, yes. See, my friend and I are having some trouble finding the three Lights' dressing room and we were wondering if you could help us."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not supposed to just give out information like that. There will be a formal signing tomorrow if you would like to meet the group. All you need for admission is your concert ticket."

"They're expecting us today, sir," Mamoru informed him. He held out our cards. "We have backstage passes."

The stranger checked them with a careful eye and gave a single nod showing that he was satisfied. "Just keep walking down this hall. Take the last left and then the first right. It's the second door on the right. The door's unlabeled, but don't let it discourage you. Ganbatte."

"Thank you, sir," I said politely prior to parting.

Once we had rounded the first corner, I slapped Mamoru lightly on the back. "That was good one. 'They're expecting us.' I almost believed you myself."

"I sure hope you did, because they are."

"Wow." I couldn't think of anything else to say.

We remained in a comfortable silence until we reached the door the man had directed us to. Mamoru raised his hand, but hesitated a knock. He turned to me as if asking for permission.

I smoothed out my beige skirt and black tank top. Then I sent Mamoru a thumbs up sign. His knuckles hit the door three times before falling back to his sides.

Faint murmurs were heard from the other side followed by rustling. Anxiously I swayed from foot to foot, balancing the sides of my black knee- high boots.

After a minute had passed the door was opened a crack and a dark-haired head popped out. "Hello?" asked the young man whom I instantly recognized as Kou Seiya, the lead vocal of the Three Lights.

"Konnichi wa!" I replied.

Seiya gave me a smile, but his confusion was apparent. Then he noticed Mamoru and it seemed as though a light had just been switched on. "Ah, Chiba-san, it's good to finally meet you, and you must be the birthday girl. Usagi, am I right?"

"Hai, it's good to meet you too, Kou-san."

Seiya released the door allowing it to fully swing open. "Come on in. It's a little messy; I hope you don't mind. By the way, that's a really pretty outfit you're wearing, Usagi-san."

I blushed profusely and replied with a quiet "thank you."

"Seiya, stop hitting on the poor girl," a brown-haired man said, stepping forward. "Can't you see you're making her uncomfortable," Seiya pointed out. "I was just complementing her."

"Maybe so, but you were still making her uncomfortable."

"No, I wasn't."

"Yes, you were."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Brothers, brothers!" A twenty-one year old platinum blonde shouted as he separated the two arguing men. "You're both making her uncomfortable by fighting. Now shut up." Reaching out a hand to me, he said, "I'm Kou Yaten, the keyboardist of the group, and those knuckleheads are my brothers, Taiki and Seiya."

"I know,' I vigorously shook his hand. "I'm a big fan."

"So I've heard. How'd you like the concert?"

I smiled. "It was great! The lighting effects were fabulous! My little brother would've loved it. I mean, he's not too big on your music but the way you presented everything would have made the biggest critic love the show."

"That's great. I'm glad you enjoyed it. How old is your brother?"

"He's ten, really sweet kind. This is his first year playing in the little league."

"Little league, huh?"

I nodded.

"Are you a big baseball fan?"

"You bet!"

"Cool, Seiya is too. Aren't you, Seiya?" He glanced at his motionless sibling. "Seiya? Hey, Seiya, snap out of it!"

Seiya rapidly blinked his eyes. "What?"

"I was just telling Usagi about how you're a big baseball fan."

"Oh, yeah."

Yaten stared at Seiya expectantly as a brief silence passed through the room.

"What?" The younger man asked innocently.

I ignoring his youngest brother, Yaten turned to me. "You must be tired from standing the whole time. Why don't you take a seat," he pointed at some stools situated by the mirror on the far side of the room. I'm sure Seiya can keep you company."

"Uh, sure... I guess," I replied, moving over to the stools with Seiya.

"So," he began as we slid onto the seats, "how long have you been in Tokyo?"

"Almost a month."

"Really? That pretty cool."

"Yeah." I absently entwined my fingers. "Do you live here? In Tokyo, I mean. Not in the building."

Seiya chuckled. "Hai, but we're mostly on the road, touring, now."

"Must be fun."

"It is," he agreed simply. "Do you also get the feeling that we're being set up here?"

"Definitely," I said, extremely aware of the multiple eyes upon us. "Do you think they'll be watching for long?"

"No doubt."

I laughed lightly. "So you like baseball, huh?"

Seiya's eyes lit up. "Do I ever! Live to play and play to live, or at least that's how it was before the whole singing thing happened."

"You ever regret it?"

He smiled. "Never. If I wasn't singing, I wouldn't be here with you."

- - -

"So we all put on our mismatched costumes and skipped down the street singing 'We're off to see the wizard. It was so much fun. You should have seen the face that Shiro's father made when he opened to door for a bunch of oddly-dressed girls screaming "Happy Halloween" in the middle of May."

Seiya burst out laughing, tears welling in his eyes. "You have some great friends back in Toya."

"Yeah."

"You must miss them a lot. I know what's it's like having to leave your friends behind."

I tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear. "I do, but I've got Mamo-chan here so it isn't all that bad."

"Are you and he-" Seiya paused, appearing as though he was rethinking things over.

"What?"

"Are you and he. you know."

"I'm afraid I don't."

"Is he," he said cautiously, is he your boyfriend?"

I giggled. "You have got to be kidding me."

He gave me a blank look. "Is that a no?"

"Definitely."

"Well I just though that because."

"It's okay," I assured him with a smile. "Don't sweat it."

He released a deep breath.

"Hey, Seiya," Taiki called. "We have to get going. We still have that interview in the morning and I'm guessing you're going to want some sleep before it."

Seiya nodded. "Give me five minutes." Turning back to me, he simply said, "Have coffee with me tomorrow afternoon."

I blinked in surprise. "Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I had a lot of fun talking to you today. So how about it?"

I took a moment to think about it. Kioko would surely kill me if she ever found out that I had passed up on an offer like this. Kuri and Yuki probably would too; If Kioko didn't finished me off herself that is. It's not like I had anything to lose, right? I sighed inwardly. There was something holding me back, but I couldn't tell what is was. Well I supposed there isn't a point in waiting for the uncertain.

"Sure," I told Seiya. "Coffee sounds great."

- - -

Gotta hurry. Gotta hurry. Gotta hurry.

The words repeated over and over in my mind as I raced through the busy Tokyo streets. I was already fifteen minutes late. Fifteen! I only hoped that Seiya didn't think that I was standing him up.

"Sorry, ma'am!" I cried out when I narrowly dodged a woman in the late forties. While I sped away, I could hear her mutter a few choice words about kids and manners "these days."

I would've stopped and made sure she was okay, but I was already so late and she seemed to be perfectly fine. Why didn't I just accept that ride Mamoru had offered? I could've punched myself for being so stupid.

After rounding a corner, the designated cafe finally came into view. I dashed into it and came to an abrupt halt.

As I searched for Seiya, I forced my pants to slow down into deep breaths. I spotted him at the front counter with his back to me. I quietly walked over to him.

"Hey," I greeted, sliding onto the red leather stool next to him. "Glad you're still here. I'm really sorry I was later. I got held up at the studio."

He smiled. "No problem. Besides, you're worth the wait."

I giggled, trying to cover up the blush that was creeping onto my cheeks.

"Seiya-san, I see your friend has arrived," a waitress said from the other side of the counter. She wore a white polo shirt and a dark green pleated miniskirt, the uniform of the female employees. "Are you ready to order?"

"Hai," Seiya replied, "I'll have the usual coffee and the lady will have." He looked at me.

"A white chocolate mocha, thanks."

"Alrightly," the waitress said, slipping the pencil she had been recording with behind her ear. "I'm be right back."

"Do you come here often?"

"Yeah, it's a great place to just relax. You know what I mean?"

I nodded. "We have a placed like that in Toya. It' called Crown. One of my best friends, Motoki, works there."

The waitress returned with two steaming mugs. "Here you are; one cappuccino and a white chocolate mocha. Will there be anything else?"

Seiya glanced and me, and I shook my head. "That's it," he told her.

I thanked her before she left. Then I turned my attention to the drink in front of me and took a sip. Even though the temperature was warm, the beverage felt good as it slid down my throat. When I was satisfied, I carefully set the cup back down.

"How'd the interview go?"

"It was the same as every other one."

"Is that good or bad?"

Seiya tilted his head up at the ceiling. "I don't really know. It went fine, but seriously some of the questions they are so weird. What's even funnier is that multiple people often asked that same strange question. Seriously, how many times do people want to know whether I wear boxers or briefs or whether I use a separate shampoo and conditioner or a two-in- one."

I laughed out loud, almost to the point of falling off the stool. "I always wondered what it would be like to be interviewed, to be the one people want to know about."

"Well you won't have to wait for long."

"What do you mean?"

"Mamoru told us you were working on a movie with him; that's why you're in Tokyo. They'll want to interview you sooner or later."

"I never thought of that," I mused, cupping my hands around the beverage.

"Just remember," Seiya said, "there's going to be really nice people as well as ones that you may believe to be the embodiment of evil. But no matter what happens, don't let anything get you down."

We talked for the rest of the hour about random things, and at four o'clock Seiya offered to walk me home. I, of course, accepted.

When we reached the door to Mamoru's penthouse, a moment of awkwardness occurred. Neither of us was really sure of what to do, but I eventually settled on a hug. With that decision, all of the previous awkwardness dissipated.

"I'll see you later," Seiya said.

"Yeah. Thanks for the coffee."

"Anytime." He winked.

I knocked on the door which immediately opened. Then I bid Seiya my last farewells before slipping inside. The second the door's lock click, I gave Mamoru a giant bear hug.

He looked at me, shocked. "What was that for?"

"For introducing me to Seiya; he's a really sweet guy. Thank you, Mamo- chan."

- - -

*** English Translation:

You always shine

Your smile is like a little star

I like it so much (eternal starlight.)

~ Lyrics from Nagareboshi He