You wouldn't expect to find much in Yongen-Jaya, apart from the large batting cages that were nestled between the buildings and a coffee and curry shop called Leblanc, that up until recently, started having live music performed there every other night.
My name is Makoto Niijima, a third-year at Shujin Academy and I turned eighteen a couple of months ago. With my time at Shujin, I had made friend with Haru Okumura, a fellow third year and Ann Takamaki, a second year. We only discovered Leblanc because Haru had found it whilst looking for coffee shops. She didn't tell us why she was looking at coffee shops.
We had become somewhat of a regular at Leblanc as it seemed like the place was open 24/7 and it was during 2015 that Ann had introduced me to a band called The Phantom Thieves of Hearts. The band itself only had three people in it, the lead singer and guitarist, Joker, on drums was a blonde-hair guy called Skull and on the keyboard was a tall dark hair guy who went by the name of Fox.
They were somewhat popular, their music must have sold enough for them to live well and what interviews they did do, they never let any personal information out apart from that they all were in there twenty with Fox being the oldest, due to Skull letting it slip one televised interview.
I was surprised that I like there music so much as they manly sung more romantic songs and I am embarrassed to say that I fell for Joker faster than I would like to emit. It got even worse when Ann somehow found out.
And of course, when we headed over to Leblanc one night, my embarrassment skyrocketed when a sign outside of Leblanc sating that The Phantom Thieves of Hearts were to be playing that night.
Leblanc was a surprise in and of itself, seeing that the outside of the building looked like it couldn't hold a small band and enough to seats for nearly a hundred people. This happened sometime within March, about a month before my eighteenth birthday.
We had managed to a booth seat that had a clear shot of the small stage that The Thieves would use and I couldn't help but stare at were Jokers instruments sat and I was surprised to see more acoustic guitar than I was expecting.
It was after they had played Trouble, Marry Me, Perfect wave and Ten Years from Now, did they stop for an intermission did Ann decide to shuffle out of the booth and made her way over to the stage where The Thieves were and started to talk to them.
"What does she think she's doing?" I asked Haru as she took another bite of her third curry.
"Whatever it is, it looks like they are having a good time." She said after placing her fork down and linking her fingers together before smiling ever so sweetly.
Looking back over to Ann, I notice her and The Thieves look over this way before waving. I felt myself go several shades redder than the seats we were sitting in. I continued to watch was Skull nudge Joker several times before the other to and Ann bust out into laughter.
When Ann got back to the booth, I tried to punch her due to making me feel embarrassed in front of Joker.
After that night leading up to my birthday, and whenever The Thieves were there, it felt like each song Joker sung, was aimed at me.
When April twenty third rolled around, I was both dreading and looking forward to seeing what my friends had planned. By then, the booth that sat in more or less became ours due to us just visiting Leblanc so much.
It started when Ann walked over to the owner, Sojiro Sakura and handed over a plastic bag that must have had a cake inside.
The Phantom Thieves of Hearts showed up not too long after we did and it was only the three of them walked out on stage did my heart start to pound like crazy. Skull and Fox always wore their outfits, which consisted of a black jacket that has a metal vertebral column attached to the back, black pants and combat boots, yellow gloves, a red ascot and a skull mask for Skull and Fox wore a traditional kitsune-style half mask, a black high-collared puff-sleeved jumpsuit, white motorcycle boots, bright blue gloves and a white foxtail that was attached to his jumpsuit.
So, when Joker walked out wearing a black ankle-length tailcoat, a high-necked black waistcoat, black pants, what looked like a pair winklepickers, red gloves and his trademark black and white, birdlike domino mask, he looked ever so handsome, so much so, that I had a to fan myself down a bit. Something that both Ann and Haru notice and what made it worst was when he looked at us and waved.
I honestly thought that my heart was about to bust out of my chest… I just wished that Ann didn't make me wear a sash that said 'Happy Birthday' on it.
It didn't take long until they started to play, leading 1,000 Light Years Away, then Heaven, followed by Snowflakes. It was only when I heard the beginning of a song that I had only heard in Yakuza Kiwami 2, As Long You're Happy, did I nearly freak out, the fact that they played it nearly one to one with the game, I couldn't help but shed a couple of tears.
When he finished, Joker raised his arms up to hush the crowd. "Ladies and gentleman, please, can we have your attention." He spoke in such a smooth tone and when the crowd does, he smirks. "Thank you, now…" He takes starts to walk over to the stairs. "I've heard that it's someone's birthday today!"
At the mention of a birthday, I look at Ann. "What did you do?" She smiles and rests her head in her hands.
My eyes flick back over to Joker as the spotlight that was on him starts to follow him as he walks over to the bar. "And we all should know what to sing when there is a birthday, right?"
There was a round head nods and affirmatives as he picked a chocolate cake up off the bar with the candles already lit. When he started to move, started to sing 'Happy birthday' as slowly made his way over to us. I felt myself flush when he said my name.
When he placed the cake down, I could barely hear him at all over the other patrons and as soon as blew the candles out, everyone erupted into cheers apart from Joker, who just stared at me with that heart-pounding smirk.
When the commotion had died down, I watched Joker reach into his coat and pulled out a smallish rectangular box with an elegant looking red ribbon that was tied into a bow and sat near one side and held it out towards me.
"Happy Birthday, My Queen." He said and I swear that I could have died right then and there.
"T-t-thank y-you." I was surprised that I was able to take the gift from him and I'm pretty sure that he could see me turn even redder.
And I know for a fact that both Ann and Haru heard him call me 'His Queen.'
"Go on! Open it!" I heard them both say and taking a quick glance towards where Joker was and still stood, it was clear that even he was waiting for me to open his gift.
Sliding the ribbon off, the box slid apart with a small pull and when it did, I drop the lid and brought my hand up to cover my mouth. There, sat around a small velvet pillow was a two-tone of gold and steel watch that had rubies set around the face and the strap was made up off two helixes on either side of the face that where connected to a small thin bar.
It was breathtakingly beautiful and must have coasted a small fortune.
"It's beautiful, Joker, but I…" I look up only to see him halfway back to the stage and that some of Leblancs' staff handing out slices of cake.
"It looks like you aren't the only one who has a crush, Mako-chan." Haru said after she picked the lid of the box and looking inside.
"What you talking about?" I heard Ann say and upon looking to my right, at Haru, she had the inside of the lid facing us and sitting there, in probably the neatest writing I've seen, was a message from Joker… one Ann couldn't help but read aloud.
"The moon is beautiful, isn't it? – J" then followed by is number… I don't get it?"
I fall back into the booth and I clutch the watch to my chest. "I can die happy."
Authors Notes
I've had this idea in my head after listening to the songs that I mentioned in this story way too many times and I had fun writing this.
Here is the list of the songs that I mentioned and who they are by:
Trouble by Cage the Elephant
Marry Me, Perfect wave and Ten Years from Now, all three by Celestial Mind
1,000 Light Years Away
Heaven and Snowflakes by Sapphire (I know that they are Persona 4 songs, but I like her covers more.)
As Long You're Happy by Goro Majima (Yakuza Kiwami 2)
If you do like my work and you have an idea for a story that you want writing, then please, feel free comment/review and I'll see about writing it at some point.
Walk Tall and Be Fierce, my Friends.