Starless Nights

[Part II: Crescendo]

Muraki watched silently behind the thick glass of the recording room. His gaze was fixed only on one person and that was Hisoka. Certainly, it wasn't nice to be caught staring; so absorbed in it that you look like someone obsessed. Nevertheless, the stare Muraki gave was the type that Hisoka did not like, a stare that was somehow trying to pry him open.

At that moment, Hisoka could not take anymore and stopped singing, making everyone halt and give a questioning look at the lead vocalist.

"Ne, Hisoka…we were singing the best part!" Kannuki exclaimed, still wondering on why her partner suddenly stopped. Hisoka gave a reproachful look and replied, "Well, if that man would be staring his eyes out on me like he's a crazed man, I guess I wouldn't sing."

"But Hisoka, this is the final part of our rehearsal. Don't you think you should finish it?" Tatsumi suggested while looking at his keyboard and fiddling with its controls.

"Fine, fine."

"What's bothering you?" Muraki asked, following Hisoka walk briskly through a long corridor at the studios.

"What's bothering me? You should know by now that it's YOU." Hisoka said without glancing.

"So boy, what can you point to me why you hate me so much? If you give me at least three good reasons, I'll gladly step out and resign as your manager." Muraki told Hisoka gently as they both stopped walking.

Certainly, there was a reason why Hisoka did not like Muraki. Unfortunately, in their circumstances of being jumbled-up by Enma-sama, his real memories were also stolen. He had no Idea that Muraki, in his former life, was his killer—the one who defiled him.

There Hisoka stood, with his fair skin, green eyes and auburn hair without saying a single word. Not that he lost the ability to do so but because he didn't have any answers.

"I guess your silence means a 'no'. Please, boy, do not force your attitude or your evaluation will be lowered…you know what consequences there are if you receive a failing evaluation by the end of this month." Muraki adjusted his glasses and peered sternly while giving his matter-of-factly statement. After that, he smiled and bade good-bye to the younger man and left.

-

"WOW"

There was a small commotion happening at the Asakura News Agency, news division. Everybody was trying to get a glimpse at Tsuzuki's tickets that he won. Everyone seemed to be busy looking at Tsuzuki's tickets and forgot that they were already loitering the office lounge past the time for coffee break.

"I didn't know Tsuzuki had a taste for rock music," another one piped in to everyone's agreement.

Yuma, one of Tsuzuki's 'officemate' asked excitedly, "Tsuzuki-san! How did you get those?"

"Mere chance! Aww…I am in love with the café found in the third avenue! It makes me feel so lucky" Tsuzuki replied. Everybody seemed convinced all right, except for one officemate.

"Luck? That's the seventh ticket in a row that you won this month!" the surly man stated, quite unabashed by his questioning of the ticket's origin. However, the dark-haired man just gave a big smile and looked at his watch. To their (very) horror, they found that they were more than thirty minutes past the coffee break and that their boss was already breathing their necks to go back to work.

Tsuzuki just have to sigh at those tickets. Finally, he would meet the enigma's lead singer personally. It's not that he was an obsessed fan but an ordinary journalist who thought that he knew the lead singer more than just by face and interviews…

-

Hisoka stood a little nervously at the backstage. The beginning act was near its end and he would already come next. Everybody in enigma seemed anxious because they were performing next. They have been used to crowds but this was their promotion concert and so they have to give their very best.

Hisoka paced nervously though as if there was no tomorrow. Even Watari noticed this, and came to pat Hisoka's back to placate the singer.

"You okay?" everybody asked, adding to the tension they already had. The younger man seemed to be able to give out a small nod and continued pacing….again…and again…

"Enigma is next, get ready and good luck," Muraki said upon entering the backstage, pointing a finger towards the stages were thousands of people awaited them.

They came in and a loud roar came from the crowd. They all settled after Kannuki began to talk in her high-pitched voice, "Evenin' people!"

Another applaud from the crowd came. She continued after they settled down, "I'm glad everybody came…. I hope you did enjoy the first bands we had for tonight…and now let's BEGIN!"

The stadium boomed with the hoarse screams of numerous fans they had. At that moment, Tatsumi smiled and signaled the beginning of their first musical number.

The first few songs were the popular rock songs that Hisoka sung regularly at different concerts. Now, it came to a point wherein they began to sing the latest line-up of song in promotion to their new album. This time, it was only Hisoka was singing and Kannuki went back to her place at the drums.

All his band mates were supportive of him and smiled widely towards Hisoka as he turned his head to give a glance. His performance was good and even more astounding when he began singing the final song…

Graffiti walls stare back at me

Upon this run-down hotel,

Reminding me of the lucid meeting

We had once upon a time.

Your eyes is fire

Let me drown only in your gaze,

Bring me back (back to you)

Bring me back (back to myself)

Back at last,

To the place where I once walked

I just want to feel

And return to my self...

Running past the poster-laden alleys,

Memorabilia of years of ads,

Yes dears, that what you call development

Happenin' after I left this place.

So long ago, yet it remains

Like an intoxicating bloom

Vivid like the midnight flower,

Are stashes of vignettes.

Tell me I'm crazy,

But I'll still come back

I fell in love in a weird way,

With your eyes,

And this place...

Back at last...(ohh...)

Now I'm never leaving your sight.

Tonight, Hisoka felt happy that he received a very positive response to all those who watched the promotion concert. He felt that they did the biggest breakthrough in the whole world. 

"Congratulations to us," Tatsumi ecstatically remarked to everyone. After all, their efforts wasn't wasted. They immediately ran off the second part of the backstage and celebrated their success. Even Muraki seemed to join in the festivities. He grandly offered to treat them with all the drinks of their choices.

Now, Tsuzuki, our hero is now trudging beside a happy Muraki in the corridor towards the room where Hisoka was. He was there because he got a VIP pass and an opportunity to meet the lead singer of the band (lucky boy isn't he?).

"Mr. Asato, please enter." Muraki said, and left him alone to face Hisoka.

Hisoka, in the other hand, did not seem to care. It must be one of the fans, he thought. How extraordinary….

Although he had this attitude displayed while he sat on the couch, he still looked up and found how mistaken he was. There he found as astounding as he was. The man's features were very striking. It was so striking that he felt like they have met before.

"Konnichiwa, Hisoka-san." Tsuzuki nervously greeted.

Immediately, Hisoka stood and greeted him with a good evening. However, when his bright, green eyes met with Tsuzuki's amethyst ones, his gaze did not change. It felt like he was being pulled deeper and deeper into the violet infinity. Only one thing that came into the singer's lips, "You're…beautiful."

The song Hisoka sang an hour ago suddenly came back into his head, I fell in love in a weird way, with your eyes. It struck him, yet again…why would his song match the very person he was going to meet today?

Tsuzuki blushed very red that he was indistinguishable from the red carpets below his feet. It was a very flattering remark, especially from a very popular star. He just left in awe of what he heard and couldn't say anything.

"Sit, and feel comfortable…?"

"Asato Tsuzuki-desu."

"Tsuzuki? Tsuzuki, the popular columnist in the magazines?"

"Popular…err…"

"Wow…"

A few minutes of silence past before one of them began to speak—and oddly enough, it was Tsuzuki.

"I was surprised to hear you sing an alternative song…apart from your rock melodies."

"Hai…I wanted to try something new…that's all."

"By the way, I'm also a journalist…I'm writing also about your concert…"

"Oh thanks. I'll be waiting for that."

The two talked on for hours, not minding the time. Supposedly, Tsuzuki only had and hour and a half to be with the rock idol. Fortunately, Hisoka who wanted him there…

"I'm afraid, I have to go now. You must be tired already," Tsuzuki apologetically said to Hisoka after their long talk.

"That's nothing, Tsuzuki-san…" Hisoka replied as he leaned on the door, watching Tsuzuki's retreating back. "It's been nice meeting you."

Tsuzuki stopped on his tracks and turned back again. He blurted out a question he was dying to ask for the past hours they were talking, "Why'd you say I was beautiful?"

Two big green eyes widened with shock, "I…I just thought you are beautiful…and I don't take it back…because you really are."

"…"

"…I also felt like I was drawn…I thought I knew you before…like I've known you so much before…"

Tsuzuki chuckled at this, "maybe it was a twist of fate. I'm just a common man."

"No you're not. It's one in a million who gets amethyst eyes like yours…" Hisoka said. Then he continued, "Maybe...we'd meet again."

"I hope so, Hisoka-kun…"

Hisoka stared at the ceiling of his condominium. Wow, he'd never been able to say something like that in his whole life…

As he closed his eye, a pair of vivid, violet eyes kept flashing in his head.

Why? Why did he feel like he knew Tsuzuki before?

[to be continued…]

Aki7: sorry everybody for the long update…I hope everybody at least liked this chappy XP Their fates have once again met…and it's in a sudden fashion…what will happen next? If you guys want to know what happens next, please do give me a review and I'll continue this ^_^;;;

~ja!