Written: 26.o3.o8
My Funny Valentine
E P I L O G U E – SORA
- X -
It was then that I was reminded why I loved him. His eyes were closed as he leant against his chair, rocking it back and forth as his fingers ran the tricky notes of that old electric guitar of his. I had never wanted to fall for a musician. I always believed they were hopeless dreamers that had no realistic interpretation of life, but he…well he was different.
It's quite amusing when you see one of the most wellknown musicians enter your workplace with a hideous disguise and believing that he was undiscoverable. When I first talked to him, I thought he wanted to get in my pants…but to my surprise all he kept talking on about was Alejandro's magnificent playing. Perhaps that was the first sign that I had fallen head over heels for him. I'm not quite so sure myself.
Whenever he performed on a large stage or just to me, he'd drift into his own little world without even knowing it. I always pick it up when his fingers start playing unconsciously and the small notes added here and there, not staying true to the real music – but making it even more spectacular. His brow would be focused, face taut and glistening in absolute concentration. He didn't concentrate too hard because if he did, he would loose the essence and meaning of the song. He was portraying the lyrics so well that I could feel my heart beat increasing in anticipation. Yes, I loved him. There was no denying that. Our marriage hasn't been completely perfect (name any marriage that hasn't…if there has I'd consider getting counselling), but we make it through each and every day.
He's sweet when it comes to the making-up bit. Even if it was a bad sign, I secretly and ridiculously enjoyed these quarrels. Sometimes it would be my fault for our fights, but I'd just be too stubborn to admit it. Nevertheless, after every argument there was a single rose lying on my dresser as a white flag or as a sign asking for forgiveness. It always makes me laugh because it was Yamato's own personal way to let me know that our dispute was over and he was just teasing me because we both knew that my favourite flower was never a rose.
You know? I even kept that fake engraved wedding ring. It turned out to be my official wedding ring in the end. Yamato persisted and said he'd buy me real gold because he felt embarrassed for giving me a cheap thing, but personally I didn't care. Yolei always gushes how sweet we are. She thinks highly of us not following the general public with spending thousands on diamond wedding rings and saying stuff amongst the lines of how we symbolised true love and didn't give a rat's ass about the typical values. I agree, but I depict it in a kinder way than Yolei's 'rat's ass' wording.
It's amazing how the years go by so quickly. It's already our fifth wedding anniversary now. Mimi offered to baby-sit our daughter tonight (and 'Taidye' – as she calls him - was pretty keen with the idea in trying to set her up with their son). Yamato and I figured it would be okay to settle for a small dinner at the place where we met. Once we arrived to the old tavern, he was immediately pulled onto the stage by Alejandro. And now I'm here, watching him perform like one of his crazy fan girls he used to have.
One thing that I've never told Yamato…it was I who had once plastered my walls with his band – not my 'said' friend. At that time we had met, I was well over their band because I become so critical to the genre…but still those high school years pretty much haunt me. I can't believe I even listened to that trash.
It's been so long time since I've seen him last play. It feels refreshing seeing him back in his environment. After his debut, he had gained the number one album for about three months. But after that, he had plummeted down and there was no news since. I guess that's how it is like with music industry. It's so darn unstable. Plus, jazz wasn't the 'in' genre at the moment. It lost its market terribly to rnb, hip hop, house and his old forte – rock. Although, as surprised I was with his collapse in identity…he seemed to take it fine. He always said he preferred singing to a person that understood his lyrics rather than a crowd who sang along without understanding the meaning whatsoever. Plus, when he resigned I had just given birth to our daughter – Saiko. I never pictured it, but he became the 'stay-at-home-father' while I was the woman who easily put bread on the table. He firmly disagreed with getting a babysitter because he wanted to have a good father-daughter relationship in the future. I don't know why he even has to worry, I already know he's a good father.
So yes, it was a good thing to see him back in his natural environment. With the cigarette smoke and rays of light shining through on the stage, he's standing out again. He now was singing in that deep husky voice of his as Alejandro accompanied him by his side, fast fingers keeping up to the vivace beat. A few seconds later the song was over and the jazz bar was radiating with the sound of clapping.
I asked for a drink from the new young bartender. She had short black hair and the same slim body I used to have when I was her age. I was once like her. I ended up retiring from the jazz bar because I couldn't keep with running a world-wide designer label, a husband and a daughter. I think I have to specify the 'husband' category a bit more because Yamato had struggled and needed my full support after Akira's death a couple of years ago. Thankfully, he pulled through…we have to in this world we live in. There's a time to dwell, but there's also a time to move on no matter how difficult the road ahead really is and face what we have to face.
"Your man's still good," Alejandro commented as he went behind the bar and forwarded the drink to me from the new bartender girl.
"He should be…or I wouldn't have married him," I fired back.
"Whoa there," my old friend laughed, Suzanne had come next to her partner. "Hold your horses, dear." I was glad that Alejandro and her were finally together. Ever since I had been hired as a part-time worker at the jazz bar I had noticed the sparks of chemistry between the two. Suzanne tilted her head on a side as her eyes studied the stage. "Looks like they want him to play again."
Her observation was correct when I spotted numerous people screaming for him to stay on stage. Amongst the crowd I latched on a few of the faces. From one glance at them I recognised that they were Yutaka and Yamato's cousin – Catherine. "ENCORE! ENCORE!" Catherine cried out energetically. His model cousin had stayed in Japan after announcing that she was seeing Yutaka. I had never expected the two to become a couple – especially since I had considered a scowl to permanently be glued onto the ex-drummer's face. Even a hardcore rock bad-ass drummer could fall in love. This was the proof of it.
"ENCORE!" Yamato's ex-bandmate growled, toppling over the high-pitched shrilly voices. "ENCORE, YOU BASTARD!"
"He's not going to do it," I said surely. "He refuses to do that stuff. He rarely does it these days. I mean-"
I stopped speaking when she saw him from afar, pick up an acoustic set and give it a strum to see if the guitar was tuned.
"What did you just say?" the pianist mocked.
As I was about to tell Alejandro off, I perceived my husband's voice on the microphone. I inwardly groaned, already knowing what tactic he had in store. There were times he could be hell corny. On stage he wasn't afraid to stay things that he wanted to say, so he obviously was taking advantage of this moment.
"Hey guys, I don't usually do encores…but tonight's a special night," he paused. "It's my actual fifth wedding anniversary with my wife tonight!" There were cheers now. "She's sitting right over there! The fourth stool by the bar. Wave, Sora!"
I was blinded with a spotlight of light at my direction. I gingerly waved, and was grateful when the light vanished from in front of my startled eyes.
"So, I thought I'd sing a song for her tonight. If you guys don't mind, that is? Ah…I'll take the cheers as a sign to continue."
He fiddled with the guitar a bit longer until he got into a pattern, chords chiming correctly together. It was just his lone guitar and his voice…but it was still effective. Whatever he did on stage was amazing. And now that I was aware that he was singing a song dedicated to me made me smile tears.
I wanted to hit him on the head when I pieced together what song he was singing from the first sentence that evaporated through the microphone. Lady, I'm your knight in shining armor/ and I love you. You have made me what I am / and I am yours." This was one of the songs he picked from my father's country music collection and what I would constantly tease him about when I was younger. Let's just say that my father was an avid country music guru. So when he began to sing one of Kenny Roger's songs named 'Lady', I was already collapsing into giggles.
My laughter settled down as I watched him perform. Even if he was singing one of the goofiest sappy country songs just to tease me, he still was pulling it off with his typical flare and style. His acoustic version to the song made it unintentionally capturing and astonishingly brilliant. His own twist to the country sappy tune was interpreted in a captivating way I had never sought possible the cheesy song could. And it worked…
I followed along with the lyrics and before I knew it, it was slowly transiting to the end of the song.
"Go on! Get up there already," Suzanne urged, sly smirk on her lips. But I was already off my stool and heading through the crowd to be in the first row from the stage.
At that moment he opened his eyes and sang the song directly at me.
"Lady, your love's the only love I need
And beside me is where I want you to be
'Cause, my love, there's somethin' I want you to know
You're the love of my life, you're my lady."
His strumming died down but he was still sitting motionless on his chair, azure eyes staring statically at me.
"I love you," I moved my mouth silently, emphasing each word to make it understood.
"I know, Sora. I love you too," he said, unashamed, into the microphone. "Happy five years."
He knelt down on his knees so he could give me an embrace. I cried. Whenever it comes down to him, I always find myself crying – but that's a good thing. Definitely a good thing.
- X -
(FIRSTLY) And it's done! I LOVED WRITING THIS STORY! I wanted to write the Epilogue from Sora's point of view…so this is like a bonus chapter. My last full-length story has been complete on this site. It's been a great ride. There are so many of you people I have known for years, while others I have just only met. Thanks for all of your support. I really mean it. Without you guys being there to support me, I literally wouldn't have made it this far. It'll be sad straying from this fandom. Original works, here I come!
Love flipstahhz
(SECONDLY) FOR A DETAILED entry on MFV & questions you want to ask me regarding this story, simply comment meon http : / stringless-kite . livejournal . com / 9828 .html (take away the spaces and DO NOT include www in front of the URL)
(THIRDLY) THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE READ THIS STORY! ESPECIALLY TO: AnimePinkCess, Beachn, BoarderKC, BlackMage16, blue wolf luv red phoenix, blue9989, bRatty-eBonY-cArcAss17, BrownEyesAngel, calilover, Chibi Bish, crest of music, Curtis Zidane Ziraa, hasu86, ickle kat, Inconnu, Isky, Kari Kamiya Takaishi, Karush, Ka-Yu Camui, Kaze-kun, KoumiLoccness, Kuroi Black Nightingale, jerseygrl90, Jillianna, Jstar888, Lain4, little0maggie, MoogleX, Mrs.Ishida-to-you, Mrs. Radcliffe 13, My Name is R.C, Nanita, nickygirl, Night Beauty, Nik-Naks, OMFG-Roach, passer-by, Phoenixe825, p0g0Stick, Poison's Ivy, princess cythera, puasluoma, QinYn, rainingOnyourParade, raspberrycharm., Rewind Soldier, Rheebus, Sabishi Tomo, Sakura Takanouchi, sangkun, Sarina Blade, Serenity984, scorpion05, SkuAg, Smoochynose, Sonora, sora kinomoto, SpiffyCookie, Stars4mel, The Bunny Queen, theladyknight, the-lionness, TheWitchLady, Waltz Turner, Yamora Love n Friendship and Yume-dream.
(LASTLY) MY NEW STORY ON Fictionpress : It's going to be another challenge. I've already made a start on it so everything hasn't really come together yet. It's different from any other story I've written and contains the elements of action/adventure. And (of course) romance. Haha. There's a brief synopsis below...
Clutched On
Synopsis: "Always lock your doors. You never know when you could be hijacked. It happened to me. He could have hijacked any other car – but it had to be mine."
www . fictionpress . com / u / 602791 / (without the spaces)
Please check it out if you're interested ;D