Don't forget to review, please. :) I'd like some feedback, and I'm curious where you think this is heading.
K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What the heck, Kyoya?!" We were barely behind the curtain when Miss Mooreson spun on me.
"Tamaki and I wanted to surprise you." I let my old shadow king smile take its time-honored place. Oh, she's freaking out.
"Tamaki?"
"It sounded like a good idea. He said that this piece sounds better with cello," said Tamaki throwing his hands in the air dramatically.
"The audience is calling back to stage," yelled the stage manager.
Miss Mooreson lead us back out, we bowed, and then began solo bows. To my surprise, I garnered more applause than Tamaki. They clapped so much for me, I felt obligated to bow three times. Of course, Miss Mooreson's collection of claps threatened to bring the house down. A call for an encore. Interesting. Let's see what she does. She turned to Tamaki and mouthed something. To which he nodded and returned to the bench. She lead me back to my seat and started digging in the back of the music folder I had "found" in her office. I maintained a blank face as she searched for what she wanted.
"Monoke-Hime." That is a surprisingly good choice for this audience. She looked at me with a small smile of triumph, which I returned with an amused one, and then took her spot.
J~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tamaki started playing the ethereal intro and Kyoya provided the grounding chords beneath. I knew that our first performance was great, but this song confirmed it to me: we were a great group. The best group I'd ever been in, in fact. As Kyoya took the melody and I vocalized above him and Tamaki, I knew we were going down in Ouran history tonight. So, it starts. Huh..ha. At the end of the song, I sang the last few words, and we allowed ourselves to fade the last chord into oblivion. I allowed a single tear to drop from my eye. The only word I could think was "magic."
Again, the audience paused before applauding. This time I gestured to Tamaki and let him bow first. Then I acknowledged Kyoya, who bowed. And, finally, they gestured to me. I looked at my compatriots as I righted my posture, and we took a final bow together. I waited three seconds while Tamaki grabbed his and Kyoya's music, and then we walked off stage.
K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When the audience again maintained silence after the performance, I knew that my plan would succeed. This is going to work. We bowed alone and then together before walking away. None of us looked back.
"We aren't going back on stage," she said firmly.
"Why not? If they keep applauding, they need to be acknowledged," was Tamaki's reply.
"They aren't stopping unless we go back out. If we do, it'll cement you in their minds, Miss Mooreson. Your Ouran career will be fixed in stone." Oh, yeah. This is going to work. In fact, I may be able to get the plan in full swing in less than a month. I adjusted my glasses.
"Oh, very well," she huffed. We traipsed back out, bowed from the center as one, and then left again. As soon as we were off stage, the house lights went up and intermission began.
I put my cello away while Tamaki watched. Miss Mooreson started to walk off.
"Miss Mooreson, where are you going?" I could tell Tamaki was worried. We had talked about Sato's possible plans.
"To get some water, Tamaki. Would either of you like some?"
"Yes, please," we chorused.
As we watched her walk away, Tamaki's voice turned serious. "Do you think she'll be alright?"
"I think that if Sato is desperate enough to try something so soon, he'll be sorely disappointed tonight." At least, I hope so.
J~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I headed for the water cooler on the other side of stage only to be cornered by a certain piano player. "What a marvelous performance, Judy-chan," Yoshi drawled in what I assume was supposed to be a seductive tone.
"Didn't you say something similar this afternoon? I need to get going."
"What's your hurry. You don't have another number tonight, and I'm all done. Let's go do something to celebrate." He rubbed the back of his hand on my upper arm. I bristled and splashed one of the conical cups of water in his face.
"I will not tolerate anyone touching me without my permission. Do you understand? Now, move!" Sato backed off slightly, and I refilled the cup. As soon as the last cup was full, I stalked off.
K~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Here you are," she said cheerily and handed us our waters. I noted how quickly she downed hers, like she was trying to wash away a bad moment.
"What took so long," Tamaki asked in his most charmingly petulant tone.
"Oh, nothing, Tamaki. Just trying not to spill, spilling anyway, and having to refill the cups." She was teasing, but I was sure that Sato had tried something. Fool.
"You boys hungry?"
"Are you," I enquired.
"I'm always hungry after a good sing, and that was definitely a good sing. Who wants McDonald's?"
"McDonald's!" I had never eaten at that place. I hate fast food.
"I'll drive," she said rolling her eyes. "Come on." I don't know why we followed her like obedient dogs.