Authoress here.

Goodness, I'm a chapter-writing mean machine! I just finished a chapter of Yujo Chronicles, and now, in my infinite boredom (I should be practicing saxophone, but hey…) I have started up what may turn out to be the final chapter of Three Way. That all depends on how long my closing idea will take to get itself written out….ya know what I mean.

Thanks to everyone who was so enthusiastic in their reviews! I promise, this chapter will be longer…more action packed…maybe even jerk a few tears….perhaps I'll make you giggle as well…..No one KnOwS!

Thanks to the copious reviews from Silver from a Tree. I received several of them in a row just now (goodness, can you read fast!) and I thought to myself: "I should write a new chapter."

Although when this chapter gets actually finished, it will be a new day and today will be…yesterday. Ah. I'm already sleepy…..school tomorrow. (squeals excitedly) SCHOOL IS FUN!

No, I'm mentally inept. Just excited. And, the song featured in this chapter (also contributing to today's chapter title) is completely mine, inspired by (strangely enough) a Baby Ruth bar and some weird kind of English chocolate. Not even joking. I dare you all to sing it….make up your own melody, and tell me how you did! I wrote it in imitation of a Japanese song translated in English, so it doesn't flow perfectly…and even when I translated a bit in Japanese, it still looks weird. Ah well. I'm an authoress, not a lyricist.

The bolded part of the song is only the first verse in Japanese, and then it's repeated in English for your viewing purposes.

Give it a go!

Three Way Tie
Chapter Nineteen: Sing to Me of Sorrow


Gravitation

The reporter flashed his usually toothy smile at the camera, making Yuki want to turn off the television and go to bed early. He sighed. He couldn't; the brat was going to be performing, and this stupid excuse for a news channel was going to be airing it.

He sighed, chewing on the unlit cigarette between his teeth. The urge for the usual dose of nicotine gnawed at the back of his mind, and almost unconsciously Yuki brought a lighter up and lit the cigarette. He breathed in deeply, and managed to return concentration on the reporter's words. Still, a part of him wondered what a certain brown-eyed woman was doing, over half the world away.

Little did he know she was watching the reporter as well, wondering if he were doing the same. The reporter kept talking.

"-After a steady climb to the top of the charts, Bad Luck has made quite the impact on the Japanese musical industry, giving even our most seasoned artists a run for their money at a place at the top. And now, Channel 13 has the honor of presenting Bad Luck in a live performance, singing a never-before released tune. The song, "Right Now," will also be added to the album coming out later this month. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you… Bad Luck."

Two people in love with the lead vocalist leaned forewords, each on other ends of the world. Simultaneously they held their breath as the stage on the television darkened, only one stream of soft blue light illuminating the pink-haired teen standing motionless in front of the mike-stand.

Aoyou felt her heart clench at the sight of him. Yuki felt a twist of love, coupled with sorrow. The teen's entire frame looked defeated, and yet the aura of a professional artist shone out from him as if it were a glowing neon sign.

As the guitar strings were galvanized into motion by Hiro's gentle strumming, Shuichi looked up, dark, stage-make-uped eyes boring into the camera. For effect, a small tear was drawn in eyebrow pencil below one of the pure amethyst eyes. The introduction to the song was slow, mournful, and soulful. But nothing compared to the teen's voice as he opened his mouth to deliver a divine sound.

"Ikuraka, naimenteki maiseken patto, (itami)
asobitoku kikuyu meppou fa-mohaya
Gomen nasai, watashi kibun kinshou warui
Watashi konomune choudai kinshou gotta, kizuguchi kirenai shuushi watashi nandaka…"

Sorrow dripped from Shuichi's lips with enough misdirected passion to make even the hardest of hearts melt. A real tear slid down his cheek. The rest of the world assumed the passion of the music had brought this heaven-sent god to tears; only two people cried with him, realizing the true motives behind his pain.

Aoyou listened, cherishing the music as it filled her ears. Thank goodness her parents were out; she couldn't have stood them watching this, making comments only outsiders could make at an emotional time. No, it was best she was alone.

"Something in my world just snapped, (and it hurts)
Playing hide and seek won't get me very far right now
Forgive me if I feel just a little worse
I'll get through this mess, this wounding won't stop me somehow.

"I could of compared that feeling to a religious experience
But the revelation would be complete
Only if you were here now
Right now
Right now
I'm lost in a gray world and my hand is empty
I'm confused and it's not getting any better
Right now
Right now….

"I could have died thinking about you that night
When we spent the time in heaven
You were an angel oh so beautiful complete
Now some inner demon has forced you away
What could I have said have done differently
What could I have known to protect you and me
Somewhere deeper down inside myself I can feel the answer.."

Somewhere in Japan, a blonde writer let his face fall into his palms, and for the second time in six long years, he wept. Without respite, the barrage of angry, self-pitying tears made their presence known. Sobs wracked his body, and the cigarette fell to the floor, smoking gently. The fact he didn't even care only marked his anguish all the more.

Somewhere in the United States, a long-haired editor hugged a familiar couch cushion to her chest, sobbing unabashedly. Droplets of moisture smeared her mascara in two black rivers down her flushed cheeks, and little teardrops stained the pillow she clutched. Her knuckles were white as she gripped it, holding on as if she would float away if she let go. She knew the song was directed at her, although Shuichi might assume she wasn't watching. All the same, the guilt was terrible.

Shuichi, unaware of his audience's reaction, resumed paying homage to music after Hiro's brief guitar solo. The emphasis of the synthesizer's drum fill brought him back up to the mike. He had written the song only a day and a half ago. The moment his marker (his favorite song-writing tool) touched the blank page of paper, inspiration had seized him and he let his anger, frustration and hurt out of the only outlet he had.

"I could of compared that feeling to a religious experience
But the revelation would be complete
Only if you were here now
Right now
Right now
I'm lost in a gray world and my hand is empty
I'm confused and it's not getting any better
Right now
Right now….

"What you wrote, hand shaking, in that note,
brought my world crushing down around me
I had to go through the motions of my life
or suffer just completely stopping altogether
I never really figured out what emotion was (until I was deprived)
Sitting pretty on my three-legged stool

Then you left, I fell over ayi-ah such a fool…"

Hiro glanced nervously up at Shuichi's back. The teen usually dressed flamboyantly for performances, and the fact that he wasn't for this one set off warning bells in Hiro's mind. Shuichi was clad in dark jeans, and a tighter black long-sleeve. Instead of leather boots, Shuichi's norm, plain black lace-up tennies adorned his feet. Aside from the usual array of fine-chained silver ornaments, the teen looked more ready to fall asleep on the couch after a movie marathon than perform on national television.

And yet, Shuichi performed with a will, giving off that special glow only Shuichi had managed to obtain. His right hand rested on the mike with a feather-light touch, and his left hand was partially raised in the air in emphasis to the music he was making.

Hiro nearly missed a chord because he was scrutinizing his friend so closely. He shook his doubts away for the time being, concentrating instead on the guitar he held.

If Sugaru noticed anything was different about the vocalist, his calm, reserved persona did not show it. His agile fingers pressed on the keyboard, manning it with an easy perfection that came only to natural musicians like he was. His personal thoughts were disallowed to interfere with his professional manner.

Offstage, K watched his youngsters through narrowed eyes, one hand resting comfortably on the worn holster holding his favorite automatic. His other hand twirled a long lock of blonde hair in an idle motion. Of course K knew this song, this performance, the young man's appearance all had to do with Shuichi's personal life; there was no question. But K also maintained his own unorthodox method of professionalism; he promised himself he wouldn't hit the teen with a barrage of uncomfortable questions until the group had finished with the performance and headed for home.

With the grace and stamina his talent produced, Shuichi set about to crooning the final phase of the song. He gripped the mike stand in both hands, needing an anchor, lest the words carry him away.

"You never let me say what was needed to be said
You left behind a man with a smashed and broken heart
In your wake a side of me became so bitter
And the other half simply gave up (and broke down)
How much more do you think I can handle?
How much more will I suffer right now?
Return to me, make both sides whole…

I could of compared that feeling to a religious experience
But the revelation would be complete
Only if you were here now
Right now
Right now
I'm lost in a gray world and my hand is empty
I'm confused and it's not getting any better
Right now
Right now…"

The stunned silence of the in-studio audience only amplified the final fading chordsShuichi's face was turned down, his eyes in shadow, covered by his bubblegum hair. Hiro had his eyes closed; savoring what he knew was a powerful and award-winning performance. Sugaru remained in his final position, not moving his fingers from the keys, even long after the sound had died.

The studio erupted with wild cheering, whistling and calls of admiration as the audience found their mobility which the passion from the song had temporarily removed. They clapped, stomped, and called for an encore, but the vocalist merely gave a smile. A smile which was distinctly world-weary, and ultimately a mask. Shuichi and Hiro waved, Sugaru gave a curt nod, and then all three trooped off the stage.

A man sat stunned in his home, the noise blaring from the expensive speakers.

A woman hiccoughed quietly as she kept her eyes trained on the screen.

The image of the vocalist was burned into their minds.

A silent call for unity lay unspoken on two pairs of lips, uncertain in lieu of the open declaration for a return from the third.

"And folks, that was a phenomenal performance by Japan's own Bad Luck, the rookie band determined to show up the rest of the music world, singing "Right Now." Thank you for watching. This is Channel 13 News, signing off."

End Chapter


Authoress here.

Hrm. I DID finish it all tonight. Not tomorrow, making today yesterday and so on and so forth.

Feh. My Internet connection dies at 11:00, so I can't post it tonight. I'll do it tomorrow, when today has become yesterday and so on and so forth.

Hoped you readers dear liked my song…I was amused by it. And I'm surprised that I managed to stretch this all over six pages without ending the story. So another chapter will (sigh) just have to happen….Golly, what a shame!

And, if you picked up on my goober (mistake) I apologize. I realize if the performance (in Japan) was on NATIONAL television, Aoyou (in America) couldn't have seen it. WELL, FACE IT. SHE GETS TO BE SPECIAL.

And I don't feel like explaining it any further than that.

Please review! (And thanks to whoever said they ate tuna for breakfast in their review…I got an excellent giggle out of that one!)

Ja!