(Chapter 8: I'm Going to Love You For the Rest of My Life)
Kira loved her job, though it was only to bring tall, colorful drinks to their clients. She loved watching the dancers dancing to the sweet melodies. She loved the various singers that sang alluring songs. She loved the way the room dimmed when a particularly romantic song comes up and the couples rest their chins upon each other. She loves everything about her job.
Except just one thing.
"Rukawa, what are you doing here? Again?!" She whispered angrily as she set the tall glass in front of him.
"I'm watching the couples dance." He replied silkily and sipped his drink demurely. Kira refused the urge to slam the circular serving tray down on his head. He's been at Mitsuya's Tokyo for the past four weeks. He never talks to her, he never calls her over, he never dances, he only sits and watches her secretly in his dark corner table as he sips his drink.
"You can't follow me every night!" She hissed.
"I'm not. I'm here to have a drink and lounge." He replied reasonably. She stomped her feet annoyingly. The contoured heels of her x-strap clicked against the slick floor suggestively.
"I have to." Rukawa looked up at her piercingly. "Haven't you noticed? Ever since you started working here, the number of customers have increased by at least fifty-percent."
"They have not!" She shot back hotly, crossing her arms. He ignored her sulks and nodded toward a table on the other side of the room.
"And them. They're from our school. Another group of troublemakers."
"So what?!" Before Rukawa could explain the dangers to a young working woman at a dance club, even though it's a respectable one, a man interrupted by rushing up to the two, gasping for breath. That's when the trouble started.
"Kira! Rukiko Kira!"
"Mr. Ketsui! Are you alright?" Turning to Rukawa, she softly explained that this was the manager.
"S-Something has happened, Kira! One…one of our singers cannot sing today and the next band wouldn't arrive until eight-thirty. We are trying to find a fill-in, but we can't wait very long with no music for the dancer to dance to." He gasped. "I need you to go up there, and do something about it. No, no, to be more specific, I need you to go up there and sing a number."
"What? Me!?"
"Yes. Sing a song, any song. Today's theme is slow dancing mix with the Blues. Sing a slow song. A romantic song. Any song!" He threw up his hands and pleaded. "If you can cover for five minutes or more, maybe somebody else could fill in by then."
"I-I have nothing to sing! I'm not a singer!" She cried. "What about the other workers? Wasn't one of them a professional singer once? And doesn't another one have his own band?"
"They won't work. Asuko called an absence from pneumonia and Hokuro only sings rock songs. I remember you're a very classic, talented girl. From your resume, didn't you have some musical talents?"
"I could play the piano for them." Kira, flustered, suggested hopefully, but Mr. Ketsui was already shaking his head.
"That won't do. Slow and Blue are modern dancing, not ballroom classical dancing. We really need you. You're a young and attractive girl, I couldn't possibly send on stage one of the older waitresses." His voice lowered to a whisper as he looked around to make sure one of the "older" waitresses didn't hear. Rukawa listened intently.
"Do you really need me that badly?" Compassionate Kira wanted to help the kind man, but she really didn't know how. She doesn't sing and doesn't know jk many songs to sing. Yet she knew she had been the favorite of the whole lounge ever since she started working and she hated to let them down when they needed her.
"Yes! We need you, dear. I do, Mr. Mitsuya does. The whole club is counting on you!"
"Alright." She sound defeated. "I'll do my best."
Pulling the pins from her hair and straightening her waitress uniform, Kira stepped onto the lighted stage. The lights blinded her and her mind was blank. The faces blurred under her as she remembered her first time on stage. It was at Rukawa's warehouse.
Rukawa…
Dear, sweet Rukawa. Though he had a tough, cold exterior, Kira knew that his heart was soft and his eyes were understanding. His surliness and carelessness only proved that he understands more and cares more. She knew he could love and was capable of being loved back. He had been her savior that day, her angel, and she would love him till the end.
Rukawa…love…
A song popped into her mind. It had been one of her childhood favorites, and now, it fitted her mood perfectly. A dreamy look came to her eyes as she cleared her throat, opened her lips and the beautiful, sweet melody emerged from her throat.
Angel in disguise,
Stories in his eyes,
Love for every true heart that it sees…
Was it just a lucky day,
That he turned to look my way,
Or was it heaven just before my very eyes…?
As the sweet strands of words come forth from her lips, her eyes were held fast into Rukawa's. His eyes never blinked as they shone softly from the audience below her. Her voice was so pretty that many dancers stopped dancing and just listened, never minding the fact that there was no music to back her up, only her soft voice filled the whole room.
Rukawa was still in his seat. He and Kira were the only two people in the dancing crowd that was motionless, silent, gazing at each other as if they had forgotten everyone else.
He showed me all new things,
The shimmer of moonbeams,
I was blind but now he's helped me see…
I was lost but now I'm found,
His happiness surrounds,
And now I find that my dreams can come true.
For a moment before she started, Kira had seemed confused to Rukawa, and awfully small and timid on the bright stage. His protective spirits had rose and he stood up, but suddenly, she seemed to brightened just a bit and fell into a sad, sweet melody.
Kira didn't know why she chose it, but her instinct seemed to have been a true one, for, as unprofessional as her voice sounded, it went into the hearts of the hearers, especially for a certain listener. She sang it better than she ever had before, for now the memory of Rukawa Kaede let it a tender touch which no art could. It did everyone good, for music is a beautiful magician that few can resist its power as they were touched by the appeal.
Rukawa was in a stupor as each word that emerged from Kira's throat went straight into his heart. His mind couldn't believe what she was saying, but his heart believed every word.
Cause I'm gonna love you,
For the rest of my life.
I'm holding you safe here,
In this heart of mine.
I can't live without you,
Cause my soul would die.
You know I'm telling the truth,
I'll spend the rest of my life,
Loving you…
"Rest of my life…Loving you…" Kira closed her eyes as her lips whispered. Her first meeting with Rukawa came into mind. Remembering every moment of it. Her expecting eyes, her impatience, her pleasant shock, the surge of love that had came with the first glance he gave her. She remembered every minute of it. And his first words, his first sweet ghost of a smile, which was as gentle as it had ever been and have been ever since, was her first assurance she had found the right man.
It didn't start this way
It happened just one day
You smiled at me and I saw you, differently.
Now I would tremble just to be
A part of you as we
Begin a life that's sure to never end.
Very few pairs of eyes were dry now, for though the lyrics were simple and common, the sensuous emotions that came with the voice was not often heard. The pure, innocent quality sweetly opened Rukawa's eyes, his mind, as well as his heart.
As of that moment, Rukawa realized that his stony heart had been stirring ever since he met Kira. But unused to the feeling, he had ignored it. The pain had been too great when he loved. Everyone he loved and cared for had left him. Left him alone and helpless as a child. The betrayal and hurt gradually grew to his present cold, distant, rude exterior.
Even though the love drama happened almost ever since he was but a child, the pain and hurt had never left him. It has been shut up in his heart all these years, unforgotten and unhealed. Now as he heard the heartfelt, touching melody, he realized that his heart had became alive again, as if freshly awoken from a long sleep.
Kira made it alive.
The more Rukawa listened, the more he felt his heart going with the young woman standing on stage in front of him.
Kira was singing but her own eyes were misty and two teardrops were slowly making their way down her face. But she had a light in her eyes. A light that had never been there. This bright, sparkling light that made her even more beautiful than ever.
Cause I'm gonna love you, for the rest of my life.
I'm holding you safe here, in this heart of mine.
I can't live without you, 'cause my soul would die.
You know I'm telling the truth,
I'll spend the rest of my life loving you…
Kira held the last note, and at last when it faded, a thunderous applause startled her, for she had been singing from her heart for her heart, and not for compliments. She gave a hasty bow and hurried down the stairs, her modesty not used to such flattery. In the crowd, she searched for the one person she did want praise from. But he was nowhere to be found.
She found his table and saw that his bill had been paid, and he had even left a little "tip" for her. A pair of sugar pink roses that she had no idea where he had obtained it. But before she had time to make much of it, Mr. Ketsui ran up to her and had planted two kisses on either side of her cheek before she knew it.
"My dear girl!" He exclaimed, his eyes dancing merrily. "You have done it! You have outdone yourself splendidly! It was brilliant, masterful, remarkable, extraordinary, magical!" He almost shouted, his face as red as a tomato.
"Thank you, Mr. Ketsui, but—"
"We could no longer keep you as a waitress. I have already expressed my ideas to Mr. Mitsuya and he agreed with most gratitude. Of course, you'll be paid exceptionally as well as—"
"Please, Mr. Ketsui." Kira finally interrupted helplessly. "Have you seen Rukawa?" The wiry manager blinked.
"The young gentlemen that was sitting here?"
"Yes. He's my friend." She felt compelled to explain.
"Well, he paid his bills and the last I saw of him, he was heading out the door with the group of young men that had been sitting across the room. A menacing group that looked like. Most likely there'd be trouble."
"What do you want?" Rukawa's eyes were wary as they took in everything and everyone around him. His muscles were tense, ready to spring any minute if necessary.
"Nothing." The leader jeered, lighting a cigarette in the dark. The dark shape of a dragon tattoo peered from under the collar of his shirt. The only sound in the isolated alley was the sound of soft, warm rain falling. The leader tossed the match into the gutter, and looked up at Rukawa. His eyes were colder than ice, sharper than blades, and as dangerous as death.
"We saw the way you looked at us in the club, and we don't like it." He said, giving a sneer toward Rukawa's direction. The other boys started shifting in a cat-like movement, surrounding Rukawa, as if stalking their prey.
"You're Rukawa Kaede, aren't you? Second year, plays a good hand of basketball?"
"Yes." The basketball player's eyes narrowed until they were only slits.
"When you looked at us in the club, you looked like you had something you wanted to tell us. Why don't you tell us that now?"
"Stay away from Rukiko Kira." Rukawa accented his words, punctuating them with the danger only a boy could while protecting the girl he cared for. "I've seen the way you and your boys look at her and I'm telling you: Stay far away from her." The leader gave an ugly smirk, proving his first thoughts correct.
"Huh." As soon as the short sound was uttered, Rukawa saw the finger of the leader flick, and before he knew it, four giant shadows were rushing toward him in all different directions.
Having no time to retaliate with the rain and wet ground, Rukawa found himself lying against the cold ground, his temples throbbing from the collision with unseen brassknuckles. Vaguely aware of people holding him down, Rukawa shook his head, trying his clear the fog that was beginning to build up. A flash of silver was seen as lightening gave a second of light and the basketball player held his breath.
Then blades came into play.