Author's Notes: What else is there to say? Enjoy. J
Rocking Silence
Fuuko was found in the classroom on her usual seat near the window, her eyes focused on the textbook before her.
"Fuu-chan, I wanna show you something!" said a flushed schoolgirl named Sakoshita Yanagi.
Yanagi had broken into a run the moment she read the notice on the bulletin board. Upon reading what the notice had said, she thought Fuuko had to see it. Fast.
"What is it, Yanagi-chan?" Fuuko calmly replied, trying to hide the irritation growing within her. Yanagi didn't have the right to be aggravated at. It wasn't her fault that the Calculus test totally slipped Fuuko's mind.
"I'm really sorry for bothering you, Fuu-chan," Yanagi answered, a trace of guilt in her tone. "But, I really think you should see this."
Fuuko looked up from her textbook. "Can I just check it out later? I have to study for the Calculus test. It's already the next period."
A milky-white hand drifted onto her shoulder. "Please, Fuuko. I really want you to see it,"
Insistent hazel eyes met puzzled emerald ones.
"Fuuko."
She had addressed her as Fuuko. Not Fuu-chan, nor Kiri-chan.
"Fuuko."
A sigh escaped Fuuko's lips. Whatever it was, it was definitely something that Yanagi thought was serious.
"Okay, okay," The purple-haired maiden finally spoke, rising from her chair. "If it means that much to you."
Yanagi pulled her into a hearty embrace. "Oh, thank you!"
Slowly backing away from their hug, the delighted brunette gently took Fuuko's hand and lead her out of the classroom, into the hallway, and in front of the dreaded bulletin board.
Fuuko impassively skimmed through the fliers, posters, and notices tacked against the cork. What was so important to see?
"Do you see it?" Yanagi asked, her eyes twinkling with excitement.
"No, where is it?" Fuuko browsed the board again. She couldn't see anything that struck her in any way. Nothing, nada, zip.
Slightly disappointed, Yanagi tapped the piece of paper right in front of the oblivious browser. "Right here."
Fuuko read the notice.
Wanted: Female Vocalist
Auditions will be held at the school auditorium after dismissal time.
Duration is from 3-6 pm.
If you think you got what it takes, just sign up at the sheet below!
See you there!
-Mystcase
Fuuko gaped at the notice, her head tilting sideward. "Okay, what does it have to do with me?"
"Come on, don't pretend like you don't know," Yanagi answered, raising an eyebrow.
Mentally connecting the dots in her head, Fuuko's eyes widened with anxiety. "No, Yanagi. I will NOT sing."
"Why not?" Yanagi replied, a pang of sadness piercing her chest. It was worth a shot, right? It wouldn't hurt to try…
Right?
Fuuko looked down, trying to avoid her best friend's upset countenance. "I just don't feel like auditioning. Besides, why would they pick someone like me anyway? There are a lot more others who can sing better than I can,".
"Come on, Fuuko. You can do it. I know you can," Yanagi tilted her best friend's chin upward so that their eyes made contact. "This is your chance to show everyone how good you are in singing!"
"Yanagi, I don't want to show—"
"Please? It wouldn't hurt to try. Please,"
And there they were…those sad hazel puppy-dog eyes. Why do they have to be so convincing? How the hell does she make those things persuade anybody?
Damn, she's good.
Fuuko heaved a sigh. "Okay, fine. I'll join."
"What…?"
"You heard me, silly," Fuuko answered, a feeble smile crossing her lips. "I'll join,"
"You will?" Yanagi's face started to glow once more. "Thank goodness!"
"Why?" Fuuko wondered. What was she so relieved for?
Yanagi shrugged, a sheepish grin plastered on her face.
"I already signed you up,"
"You what!"
"Well, you did say that you were going to join anyway, right?" Yanagi gave an anxious chuckle. "There was just one slot left and I just couldn't let it pass. I had to put you in there. I'm sorry."
"Yanagi…" Fuuko folded her arms over her chest.
"Do you hate me?" Yanagi asked, barely above a whisper.
Silence.
"You love me that much, don't you,"
Yanagi looked away, trying to hide the blush creeping up her face. "Well, yeah. You're my best friend and I just want what's best for you,"
Fuuko leaned over to kiss Yanagi's rosy cheek. "Then I don't hate you,"
Their eyes met again. They giggled.
"Voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir! Voulez vous—"
"Okay! That's enough! Thank you!" Tokiya yelled from his seat.
"Did I get the part?" A voluptuous young woman scantily dressed in a hot pink tube top and white micro-mini shorts stood onstage, seductively twirling a strand of her hair around her index finger.
"We'll just give you a call," Tokiya replied coolly, discreetly crossing her name off the list. "Thank you,"
"I'll be waiting," She answered, winking seductively at the silver-haired beauty. Recca, Domon, and Kaoru watched her step down from the stage and walk out the door, secretly hoping that she graced them with her alluring winks too.
As soon as they were sure she was out earshot, confessions suddenly resonated throughout the large dome.
"God, did you see that rack? It was…hey, Kaoru, pass me another tissue," Recca finally spoke as he reached out for the pack of tissue in Kaoru's hand. His nose started to bleed like an open faucet the moment he saw her walk toward the stage.
Ew.
"Her butt was practically peeking out of her shorts, for God's sake," Kaoru remarked, pulling another tissue out of the pack and placing it under his nose. His bled as well.
Double ew.
"Her voice didn't sound so bad though," Domon commented as he sniffed some blood back up his nose.
Triple ew.
"Are you deaf or were your libidos giving you some alternate hearing aid?" Tokiya asked, slightly irritated. "The keys were all over the place!"
Having listened to seventy-five girls with no singing potential whatsoever, he felt as if his head was being pounded repeatedly by a sledge hammer.
Guess the Tylenol was of no effect at all.
"Are you sure this is going to be okay?" Fuuko asked worriedly. She was the next and last one for the day and so far, nobody has bagged the part. How high were their standards anyway?
"You'll be great, trust me," Yanagi answered calmly. "Just relax and do your best,"
Fuuko heaved a sigh.
How was she ever going to pull it off?
"ANYWHERE YOU GO, LET ME GO TOOOOO…THAT'S ALL I AAASSK OFFFF—"
"Okay! Okay! You can stop now!" Recca shouted, trying to defeat the bloodcurdling voice filling the room. For a small, lanky young woman, she sure had a loud screechy voice that could almost break glass.
No, really. It was earsplitting.
"Is it over?" Kaoru asked, slowly removing his palms from his ears. Silence could never be so genuine. He looked to his side to find Domon snoring with his forehead against the table. How can he sleep through something like that?
"Someone…Tylenol…please," Tokiya mumbled as he massaged his temples. Somebody should have been saying by now how noble he was for withstanding hours of pain through means of sheer vocal torture. "How much more do we have to suffer?"
"Just one more girl to go," Recca answered, stretching his arms heavenward. "Wow, I can't believe we've been through a hundred and fifty girls." He picked up his clipboard and called out the last name on the list. "Kirisawa Fuuko! Please come up on the stage!"
Yanagi sat on one of the front seats in the auditorium, eagerly waiting for Fuuko to emerge from backstage.
None.
"Kirisawa Fuuko! Please come up on the stage!" Recca repeated.
Where was she?
Yanagi's heart began to race. Did she back out and run?
"That's it. I'm leaving," Tokiya spoke, pushing his chair back. "This was a total waste of time."
"Wait!"
Recca, Kaoru and Tokiya spun their heads towards the voice.
Embarrassed for her sudden outburst, Yanagi turned scarlet. "Fuuko is already backstage. If you just wait for a moment, I'll go get her right now,"
"I'm sorry," Tokiya replied. "But I don't think—"
"No, it's okay. You can go get her," Recca interjected, raising a hand to silence his irritated band mate. "We'll give you a minute,"
Yanagi bowed in gratitude. "Thank you,"
And with that, she broke into a run, hoping to talk some sense into Fuuko.
"What do you think you're doing?" Tokiya hissed. "Do you find pleasure in torturing yourself?"
Recca's eyes glazed over the place where Yanagi recently stood. "Did you see her eyes? They were so…Wow,"
Tokiya continued to glare at the stunned bozo as he raised an eyebrow. So…Wow?
Well, that explains a lot.
Yanagi found Fuuko hiding behind the curtains of the stage, her emerald eyes staring blankly on the wooden floor.
"Fuu-chan, are you alright?"
"I'm sorry, Yanagi-chan. I can't do this," Fuuko answered faintly. "Forgive me,"
"What are you talking about?" Yanagi replied, lifting Fuuko's chin so that their eyes met. "You can do it,"
"She's not coming out," Kaoru presumed as he restlessly shifted in his seat.
"I guess so," Recca spoke disappointedly.
With that said, Tokiya stood from his seat and picked up his bag off the floor. If there was nothing else to say or do, then what the hell did he have to stay in there for? He slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way out the door. It would be better to just leave rather than to beat the crap out of Recca. They still had a jamming session the next day.
Recca bent down to pick up his backpack. "We should leave, too."
"Recca…" Kaoru said as he glued his eyes to the stage. "Look,"
"Kirisawa Fuuko," the purple-haired maiden uttered, filling the auditorium with the sound of her voice. "I'm sorry I took so long. Can I still audition?"
"Well…" Recca started, resting his elbows on the table. "Because you took so long, one of our band mates finally lost it and left." He looked intently at the young woman on the stage. She seemed really upset.
"Ah, to hell with him," he continued, a smile gracing his lips. "Go ahead, start."
Fuuko took a deep breath. It was now or never.
"When you walk away,
You don't hear me say,
Please,
Oh baby, don't go,"
Her heart began to palpitate slower, relaxing to the feel of the song. She closed her as eyes as she felt the words flow freely from her mouth. The world started to vanish; it was only her and her voice.
"Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight,
It's hard to let it go."
Recca couldn't help but stare. His jaw dropped as he heard Fuuko's voice resonate through the walls of the auditorium.
She was perfect.
"Hold me,
Whatever life beyond this morning,
Is a little later on.
Regardless of warning,
The future doesn't scare me at all.
Nothing's like before."
Tokiya stood behind the doorway, intently paying attention to the celestial voice resounding in the hall. As soon as he heard her sing the first few lines of the song, he stopped dead on his tracks and hid himself out of sight. He listened critically to every note she sang, the consistency of the tempo she tried to retain, and the careful belting she made when necessary.
"Hold me,
Whatever life beyond this morning,
Is a little later on.
Regardless of warning,
The future doesn't scare me at all.
Nothing's like before."
He smiled. They finally found her.