Love Song
Chapter Twenty One- I Must Be Dreaming
By darthelwig
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I do not own Saiyuki. This story is rated M. Slash warning!
It's been a long hard road, but the end is getting closer and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks to everyone who reviewed me. You've all been way too nice.
And thanks to GhostHelwig for getting me this far. I would probably have given up on this story a long time ago if it weren't for you. Thank you.
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Hakkai made some final adjustments to his drum set as Gojyo finished tuning Goku's guitar. They were as ready to perform as they could possibly be without their lead singer and guitarist actually present.
He didn't understand why they were even continuing with this farce. He'd tried to remain positive, but that was hard to do with the harsh reality of things staring you in the face.
They had only a few brief minutes left before Kou's band finished their set, then it would be their turn. If Sanzo and Goku weren't back by then, they would have to forfeit their chance, and so far things didn't look promising. His faith was finally failing as the countdown to their big opportunity began.
He looked over at Gojyo. His lover seemed much calmer now than he had at first. He understood why that was, even if he couldn't quiet his own frazzled nerves. They'd done everything they could do. The rest was out of their hands, and worrying about it wouldn't change a thing. All they could do now was hope Sanzo and Goku returned in time.
The song Kou was playing seemed to mock them. It was yet another song written while he had been their band mate.
Hakkai remembered playing it with Kou and the others for the first time. They'd been impressed. It was a great song, and Kou's fingers had caressed the most amazing notes from his guitar.
That hadn't changed. The song still sounded great and Kou played it masterfully, but it also brought up memories of happy days… when Kou had been one of them and it had looked like they would take the world by storm. Nothing could have stopped them… until Kou left.
Yes, he knew he was being bitter about things, but it didn't sit well with him that Kou had gone on to perform in this competition without them while they were scrambling around still trying to make things work. It seemed unfair, like fate was toying with them for its own amusement, and he hated being forced to play someone else's game.
The last notes of the song faded away, becoming lost in the din as the crowd showed their appreciation for Kou's music.
"Give them a big hand, folks- Minus Wave!" their host said over the PA system, rousing the crowd even further. "And if you'll turn to Stage Three, you'll see our final contestants today- Shangri-La!"
The crowd was turning- shifting- focusing all their attention on Hakkai and Gojyo.
"Holy shit," he heard Gojyo exclaim, his lover's gaze focused somewhere to their left. Hakkai turned his head in that direction, pulling his gaze away from the audience, and he saw Sanzo and Goku running up to the stage. They looked sweaty and winded, but they were coming.
Then they were there- onstage- Sanzo giving Hakkai the cue to begin. Even in his shock, Hakkai responded to that signal, and he began to beat out the throbbing rhythm of their first song.
A smile appeared on his face as he realized they weren't out of the running yet, and adrenaline began pumping through his veins, feeding energy into his body. He felt renewed- reenergized and invigorated.
Gojyo began to play as well, as Goku grabbed his guitar and pulled the strap over his head. The boy's fingers found the strings and he began to play… and they were the sweetest notes Hakkai had ever heard.
Then Sanzo grabbed the microphone and they were complete again.
….
Kou was about to head offstage when Hakkai began to play.
He nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound. He hadn't expected to hear any music from them. What the hell did they think they were doing? How could they perform with half of their band missing? It was impossible!
He swung back around, looking across the crowd to the stage they were on, and as he did he heard the first notes of a guitar join the bass line. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he saw the kid onstage. How the hell had they found him? How had they known where to look? How had they known it was him?
He stood there in shock and disbelief, feeling the wheels of fate turning against him and crushing him between the gears of his destiny.
Then Sanzo stepped up to the microphone and Kou's knees went weak with fear as his former lead singer's voice swept over him. Sanzo was breathless and angry, both details lending his voice an added edge as he sang.
They were amazing, and Kou knew it. As he listened to them play, he became more and more aware of how tremendous they were. They played off each other like they'd known each other forever, and he knew he could never match that quality of their music. The strength of Minus Wave came from having him at its head. Their strength lay in their ability as a team- the way their styles complimented each other.
He was suddenly sure that he would lose. He would lose and he would never find his mother. Despair began to creep into his heart, blotting the memory of what had been a spectacular performance.
"Kou, come on!" Doku said, motioning to him to come off the stage, and Kou met his friend's gaze with hollow, aching eyes. Doku's smile faded away as he saw the look on his friend's face, but Kou brushed past him before he could ask what was wrong.
Kou headed into the crowd, quickly swallowed up by the mass of bodies, and Doku ran after him. He didn't know what was going on in Kou's head, but he could tell it wasn't good and he wanted to be there for Kou. He obviously needed support.
Kou moved through the crowd with single-minded purpose, refusing to let his guilt and fear keep him from doing what he had to do.
….
Gyokumen Koushu was furious. She turned on Ni, pale and shaking with anger, her eyes murderous.
"Idiot!" she snapped. "I thought you said they would never be able to find him!"
She was more than angry, she was afraid. They were so close to a win here! She could already feel the future she yearned for beginning to slip through her fingers, but she refused to believe that they could snatch it away from her now. It was impossible!
"I did say that, didn't I?" Ni mused, his calm reserve grating on her nerves. "It appears they're much more resourceful than I gave them credit for." He sounded impressed, and she had to bite her lip to keep from striking him.
"Do something!" she shrieked, and Ni smiled at her in vague amusement.
"What would you have me do?" he asked mildly, and she looked away, unable to give him an answer.
It was out of their hands now, and she knew it.
….
Sanzo followed the others offstage, feeling triumphant. They'd played their hearts out and it was the best show they'd ever done. Everything had come together perfectly- and the audience had responded to their efforts, growing wilder and louder with each song. If the judges hadn't been impressed by this performance, they never would be.
He wiped the sweat off his face and felt a thin arm wrap around his waist, holding him close. He looked at Goku, who was grinning up at him, his hair sticking out in every direction, and he couldn't help but smile a little in return.
"Damn, we're good," Gojyo said, laughing as he put his arm around Hakkai and kissed him breathless. Sanzo rolled his eyes at them, but he really was glad they were so happy.
"You were good," Kou said, emerging from the crowd with Doku close on his heels. There was none of the arrogance in his voice that they were used to hearing, no challenge on his face.
Hakkai started to thank Kou for the compliment when Sanzo's fist plowed into Kou's face, twisting his head around sharply and knocking him to the ground. Doku raised his own fists, ready to defend his friend, but Kou stopped him.
"No!" he said quickly, getting back to his feet and dabbing the blood from his split lip. "I deserved that," he said, looking into Sanzo's angry face with calm acceptance.
Gojyo and Hakkai looked completely confused, Doku's face mirroring theirs. Only Goku seemed to know what they were talking about, and he moved once more to Sanzo's side.
Sanzo felt Goku's arm slide around his waist again, gently restraining him, and he gazed down at the boy in surprise.
"He was your friend, right?" Goku asked.
Sanzo didn't answer, but the boy continued speaking anyway, his face pleading for the blonde to listen.
"Don't do this okay? Just forget about him, Sanzo. Everything turned out okay, didn't it?"
Sanzo stared into Goku's upturned face, seeing how serious the boy was about this. Every inch of him wanted to hurt Kou- to punish him for taking Goku away from him and for trying to cheat them out of the running. He would never have thought Kougaiji capable of something that underhanded, but apparently he'd been wrong in his judgment of Kou's character.
That upset him too- that he could've been so wrong… that he'd trusted Kou and he had betrayed them so hideously.
No, he could find no forgiveness for this in his heart. But he could let it go, at least… for Goku's sake.
He turned his gaze to Kougaiji again, his expression fixed and cold.
"Get out of here," he said, his voice dangerous and low. "Go back to your mother."
He was surprised by the depth of the sudden pain in Kou's eyes when he said those words, but the announcer was speaking again, and they all turned to listen- all else forgotten for now.
"The votes are in!" the man said over the PA system. "And it looks like we have a tie folks- between Minus Wave and Shangri-La!"
The crowd was roaring, nearly drowning out the announcer's next words.
"We'll take a twenty minute break, then we'll head into sudden death!"
Sanzo and Kougaiji looked at each other again, both of them setting their animosity aside as they realized their fight wasn't over yet. There would be one final battle before the victors were decided.
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," Kou said, his eyes sad but his face set in determination. He turned and disappeared back into the crowd, Doku following behind with only one final glance at his brother.
Sanzo watched them go, his face an expressionless mask.
"What the hell was that all about?" Gojyo asked. Hakkai looked at Sanzo as well, waiting for an answer, but Sanzo shook his head and shrugged.
"It doesn't matter anymore," he said, dismissing their curious glances. "Let's get ready. We've only got twenty minutes."
The real fight was just about to begin.