Me: Okay, here we go! I'm jumping to the fifteenth, and for good reason! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! I know I'm going to… *snicker*
Mitsuhisa: This cannot be good.
Kazumi: Sigh, I hope my name isn't forgotten again.
Me: Oops. That's right, in chapter two… Sorry! I do not own Morenatsu! I'm sorry, Mrs. Aotsuki!
Kazumi: It's fine, I'm just playing!
Me and Mitsuhisa: -_-'
August 15
Second Direction
I can't believe how late it is in the summer already. I know I don't have to go back to school, but I will need to leave for America in only a little over two weeks. So much has happened that I can't recall most of it, though.
I've actually gone and stayed the night with some of the others, all with their own interesting families. Kounosuke and his brother both mauled me till midnight, so I will probably not stay with him again anytime soon. Shin's butler got very defensive when I tripped on a loose floor board and fell on top of the violet cat. I still have a bruise on my neck from it.
I spent the days with at least one member of the crew, mostly talking about upcoming events. I've learned that the group will be going camping starting tomorrow, and will be returning on the eighteenth, a trip that Hiroyuki and Torahiko insisted I join. Also, on the nineteenth, Torahiko will be turning eighteen, so I have to remember to tell him happy birthday, and probably get a present of some kind for him. The twenty-second, however, is the day I am most excited for. It will be a festival about the harvest farmers have made, the Bon Festival, and I am jittery at the idea of seeing fireworks. Hiroyuki suggested I wear the yukata I bought from Kazumi-san to the festival.
But right now, I'm hiking in the same exact outfit I arrived in Minasoto wearing to a shrine on the north western edge of town. The reason for this is Kouya. No, I don't mean he asked me out, otherwise I would probably be so embarrassed, I would be unconscious. He asked me to come because he was bringing Musikus here to practice.
Already, the notes of a song can be heard from the steps, and I only increase my pace. Jumping two steps at a time, I reach the shrine in thirty seconds. The band is practicing, alright, and they seem to be enjoying themselves, even as the current song ends. Yuuki turns around with a large smile, saying something that has the other members all nodding excitedly. It is this exact moment when Keisuke takes notice of my presence at the top of the steps.
"Yo, Lee! What are you doing here?" His voice bellows across the empty courtyard, reverberating my eardrums.
"That hurts," I mutter, rubbing my ringing ears to help with annoying sound go away. "Kouya invited me to come listen in on the practice." Keisuke smirks, turning his attention to the husky with the guitar. His face is beat red, and his fur is on end, so I can tell he never brought this up to the others.
"Wanted to show a famous person what we can do, huh, Kouya? That's a bit sneaky, but I understand." Keisuke bursts into laughter, and Yuuki sighs. Jun is acting like nothing is going on, tuning his bass guitar slightly and testing the sound occasionally.
"That's probably not what is going on," the green feathered canary states, looking to Kouya for approval. "You just invited him since he's visiting, right?"
"Well, yeah," Kouya states, still blushing. His ears are slightly drooped, and I can't help but think of Shun's puppy dog face when he is like this. It takes all my willpower not to start laughing.
"That's settled then." The vocalist turns so he facing forward, and me. "Sorry, Lee, but we've already almost finished. We've still got one song left to practice, so you can stick around for it if you want."
"Fine by me," I say with a small grin, moving to a low wall and sitting down on the stones. A nice breeze is blowing from below, placing a nice calming effect to the area.
The group readies itself for the final song, and Kouya starts off with a low tune. Jun adds a depth to it in seconds, and Yuuki's voice begins to ring out, the Japanese lyrics floating through the air. My mind translates in seconds, and I can tell already this is going to be interesting.
After the first verse, the beat picks up a little, and Keisuke begins a slight drumming. The keyboard Yuuki has beside him gives the song an accent all its own, one that I find very nice. The lyrics return full force, and it isn't just Yuuki singing, now; each of the other members has added his voice into the mix.
I can't help but shut my eyes as I listen to the song. The music alone has me wanting to join in, but I feel like doing so would be an awful embarrassment, and would throw off the entire song. So, I just listen, almost picturing how a crowd would be acting during the performance.
Before I know it, the song is over, ending with a last note from Kouya and Keisuke. I look to them, standing up from my spot on the wall.
"What did you think," Keisuke laughs, both hands on his hips. He still has the drumsticks in them, clenched so tightly I half expect them to shatter.
"It was, pretty amazing," I admit, attempting not to blush. My ears feel warm, so I know the blood is gathering there instead of at my cheeks. "When you all sang that second verse together, the song had a whole new depth to it. What was that song called?"
Kouya speaks up, swinging his guitar onto his back. "I called it 'Second Direction of the Wind'."
Wait a second. If I just heard that right, Kouya named the song. That must mean… I have difficulty hiding my shock, but I manage it somehow.
"I think the name fits the lyrics. They were a little sad, but in the way when someone remembers a happy time in their life." Kouya smiles, nodding, and Yuuki crosses his arms, taking a chance to scratch the base of his beak.
"Well, I think we should all get back home to get solo practice in and rest a little."
"Yeah, you're right," Keisuke sighs, looking up. A rough estimate of the time based on the sun's position makes it about five in the afternoon. The horseman turns to Kouya and me, standing about a meter apart. "You know, you should come to more of our practices, Lee. I think Kouya might like that."
"D-Don't say that, Keisuke! Like I said before, I only invited him because he is visiting for the summer!"
"Sure, Kouya, and I'm president of a gaming company. Get real! You obviously like him! You're tail wags up a storm when you talk about him!"
I can't hide my blush any longer, but I do stifle both a laugh and smile by covering my mouth with both hands. Kouya glares menacingly at the drummer, luckily paying no mind to me right now.
"I'll see you guys around," Yuuki states, trying to clear the tension as he and Jun head for the steps with their respective instruments and materials. Keisuke stands a little straighter, his smirk looming over Kouya, and also me when he turns slightly.
"Well, you love birds better get home soon! You both need rest!" He goes and grabs his drum kit, but his words are sinking in only just now.
"You bastard, we are not love birds!" Kouya growls storming off for the steps, but I remain frozen.
Keisuke said Kouya is really happy when he talks about me, and called us love birds. Both times, the husky tried to deny the statements. Were this a movie, that would just be proof of the statement, but real life doesn't go this way. I shake my head quickly to clear my thoughts, turning to leave. A large hand catches my shoulder, and I shift my head slightly to Keisuke.
"Mind helping carry some of this to my truck," the horseman asks with a grin, most of the set in his arms.
"I-I guess I can." I take hold of a few smaller pieces, falling into step just behind the larger male. Walking is rather awkward with my arms full, but I manage to keep my balance. Of course, the thoughts I had minutes ago return quickly in the silence, and I just have the strange need to find answers. "Hey, uh, Keisuke. About what you said, about Kouya. Was that true?"
"Well, yeah," he says, not looking back. "When it comes to what I see, I don't lie or even bend the truth. His tail really wags when he talks about you normally. I think he actually makes a conscious effort to try and stop it sometimes, since the speed varies."
"And, what about the love birds thing?" His sudden laugh causes me to fall backwards, crying out in slight pain as I land hard on a concrete step, still holding the drum kit pieces.
"Nothing against you, but I like teasing that guy about stuff. I'm not actually sure if he really does like you, but he definitely gets very happy. I couldn't resist the temptation."
"Oh," is all I can say once I stand. It is a bit of a relief, since that means the horse hasn't seen my own reactions around Kouya. But still, I feel like something in me just got twisted in a way that leaves an emptiness I don't know how to fill.
We make it to his rust red pick up in about twenty minutes, and once everything is in the bed, I climb in the front seat, while he claims the driver seat. Starting up the engine, he pulls away, driving in the direction of the inn. Once there, he drops me off, and gives me one last grin.
"If you ever need anything, come find me. I don't mind helping out a friend." With that, he speeds off in a fashion similar to Tatsuki, and I am left sighing outside the inn.
Me: I bet something is going to happen soon if Keisuke said that!
Kazumi: Of course. You're the writer.
Me: I let the story write itself!
Mitsuhisa: That would explain quite a bit. Just, don't let this become a disturbing piece.
Me: I have no control over my fingers when it comes to writing, so I promise nothing.