I'm back! :D
Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom of the Opera, or Sekaiichi Hatsukoi.
The next day was much less hectic for the members of Emerald: Ritsu showed up on time, well slept; Kisa had come to the conclusion coffee was the only way he could get through the his day without snapping at his authors (or anyone else, for that matter); there were no surprise appearances from Chiaki Yoshino; and Ritsu had been able to avoid The Phantom of theOpera for the past nineteen hours, the clock just claiming three from his nap in the office last night at eight. The only worrying moments were their conversations with authors, having to explain to them time and time again the approaching party.
Ritsu slammed the phone back down on its receiver, hand shaking in both anger and fear. Counting to ten, he took deep breaths to himself calm himself down, turning when he heard Kisa give an exasperated sigh.
"Sheesh!" he exclaimed, sitting his own phone down, "Senbo-sensei just doesn't understand, Ricchan! She has way too much on her plate. She hasn't even finished drawing, and she wants to do a BL side story! Can you believe that, Ricchan?"
Ritsu smiled, giving a shrug, attempting to appear as if he knew exactly what BL was. "At least she's enthusiastic about work, Kisa-san."
Kisa blinked chocolate eyes in thought, crossing his legs on his chair and leaning back, folding his arms over his chest, "I suppose." he said, chair squeaking at the familiar position its owner took every work day of his life. After a moment, Kisa rocked forward, opening an email from an author.
"Hey, Ricchan. I talked to Yukina last night, he wants to come to the party."
Ritsu hesitated, glancing over from his computer to the noirette beside him. "... Oh? Did you tell him about Chiaki...?"
Kisa's head shook, not looking up. "No, not yet. I think I'll just take this one step at a time, Ricchan."
"Ahh. Good idea, Kisa-san." Ritsu had to think this was more for the sake of overwhelming Kisa than Yukina.
"- Oh, by the way, Ricchan. I started Phantom of the Operalast night, while Yukina was cooking."
Ritsu blanched at the mention of that book, turning from his computer to see Kisa had done the same, brown eyes twinkling once they'd met green orbs, "Oh, you did, Kisa-san?"
Kisa nodded, "Yeah, Ricchan. I had a really weird dream last night, though!"
Ritsu deadpanned, knocking a cup of pencils as he turned his whole entire body to face the older man, "... You what, Kisa-san?"
Kisa hesitated, "... Is something wrong, Ricchan?..."
Ritsu blinked, swiveling back round in his chair swallowing back his outburst, "I... nothing, Kisa-san. I've just... been having strange dreams, too."
Kisa hesitated, eyes going wide and mouth agape, "Really, Ricchan?! You should of told me! That's amazing!"
Ritsu blinked, hands going to his keyboard, "I-I'm sure it's just a coincidence, Kisa-san."
Ritsu saw Kisa shake his head out of the corner of his eye, black locks sent flying, "But we're both having dreams after reading that book! Don't you think that's weird, Ricchan-"
"Hey! Noob, Kisa! Shouldn't you two be working?!"
Ritsu flinched, eyes flicking to his laptop while Kisa's flashed excitedly to Takano's.
"Takano! Listen to this! Ricchan and I are both having dreams about that book- Phantom of the Opera!"
Ritsu wheeled on the man beside him, "I never even said that's what they were about, Kisa-san!"
Kisa only laughed, "Well, yeah, but it was after reading that book, so that's normal, right, Ricchan?"
"Your having dreams about that book?"
At his editor-in-chief's voice, Ritsu turned, green eyes meeting hazel for a moment before Ritsu turned away with an embarrassing nod.
"... That's what you two are talking about when you could be working?"
Green and hazel eyes clashed once again, though this time the green was defensive, prepared to protect.
Kisa pouted, "But Takano, it's so weird, don't you think?"
Takano settled with ignoring Kisa, perhaps thinking that Kisa would get the hint.
Of course, however, he didn't. Or maybe he did, and just didn't care.
"Come on, Takano, you made us read the book, you have to care!"
Takano's eyes glanced up from the fax he was reading, "I didn't make you do anything, you could of just ignored me and be unprepared in the end," he said, eyes going back to the fax, "and I don't have to do anything."
Kisa's pout returned, "But, Takanooooo-"
"Get back to work, Kisa."
Street lights had already been flicked on for several hour's time when the Emerald department left for home, and the two men had barely made it on the last train, doors sliding close when they slipped into the deserted metal.
Ritsu glanced around the train, attempting to suppress the thought of how creepy the train looked with only several people on it, though had to figure he liked this better - not standing, not being pressed against the other occupants.
Taking a seat, he gave an aggregated sigh when Takano sat down beside him. There was a whole train, y'know.
"Are you and Kisa really having the same dream?"
Ritsu hesitated, blinking away his glare and looking down to his bag, where the little book was placed."Well," he began, "I don't think we're having the dream, just the same general idea."
Takano gave a grunt in reply, and Ritsu sighed, glad this apparent conversation appeared to be at a end. Leaning his head against his seat, he attempted to scoot over, away from his editor-in-chief without being caught.
Music rose from the stage in preparation for the main event, the brunette girl parting ways from the men.
Kaoru turned, blinking eyes at her, "Madame, where are you going?"
She looked back, "Oh, don't worry about it, gentlemen. I'm going to sit in Box Five."
Kaoru caught Ryuichiro's hand, causing him to pause in his steps as well. "Are you sure that's wise, Vicomtesse?"
"Kaoru, there aren't any seats left."
Ryuichiro's grip tightened on his companion's hand, bothered by An's overly friendly use of Kaoru's name, beginning to pull him along without a second glance back at the girl.
Kisa peeked out from behind the curtain, listening to the serenading voices of the opening act, eyes looking over to Yukina and his band. His actions were precise, baton moving elegantly through the air, swaying beautifully; almost as beautiful as the man conducting. He allowed his eyes to rake over the audience, grimacing - a full house, and Yokozawa was singing, in stead of lovely Ricchan. Chocolate orbs continued moving through the crowd, up to the chandelier, the glimmering lights bringing a slight ease of relief over him, before, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted movement in the Phantom's box. Going rigid, he glanced over, eyes widening when he spotted the Victomesse de Chagny taking a seat, in - in his box! Kisa turned on his heel, about to rush off to find and report this to Hatori, though was caught by a security member of the opera house - one he recognized at Kanade Mino - and turned back around to assume his position aside the canopied bed Yokozawa sat upon. Glancing back, he gave a sigh and waved Mino away as the curtain rose.
His eyes met Yukina's for only a brief moment, before glancing over to his fellow opera members. Yokozawa leaned his elbow against the bed, blue eyes twinkling in the spotlight of the stage; Ritsu stood off to the side, the hood to his cloak draped over his locks of brown hair, almost covering the petite dress he wore - Serafimo disguised as a maid; two others stood besides the Confidate, the tall blonde girl who'd blocked Kisa's stumble a night or two ago, he couldn't remember.
As the canopy to the bed closed, the blonde girl's voice was heard.
"They say that this youth has set my Lady's heart aflame!"
"His Lordship would die of shock!"
"His Lordship's a laughing stock!"
"Should he suspect her, God protect her!"
"Shame, shame, shame! This faithless lady's bound for Hades! Shame! Shame! Shame!"
The drapes of the bed were pulled apart, revealing Ritsu and Yokozawa - Serafimo and the Countess - locked together atop the bed. Even to band seemed shocked at the play, the music falling to a ritardando along with the lights.
"Nothing like the old operas." Ryuichiro remarked from their box, squeezing Kaoru's hand, his smile faltering when he received no response from his lover.
"Or the scenery, our old singers, our old audience..."
Kaoru however kept his eyes trained down on the play, giving Ryuichiro the same cold shoulder he'd been giving him since his decision to give Yokozawa the starring role.
"Come on, Asahina, every seat is sold! This is hardly a 'disaster beyond all imagination'!"
Even with his loving gestures and comforting words, Kaoru's chocolate eyes stared down at the bed onstage, only being pulled away from the booming voice up above.
"Did I not instruct that Box Five was to be kept empty?"
Kisa stumbled, tripping backwards on the hem of his skirt and landing with a painful sounding thud on his bottom - Yukina rushed forward, dropping his baton, though was held back by the front row clarinetists and flutists from jumping onstage.
"He's here: the Phantom of the Opera..."
Mumbling erupted from among the crowd: Ritsu tumbled from the bed, eyes looking side to side.
"It's him... I knew it... It's him...!"
Yokozawa's eyes glared down at Ritsu - though behind that anger, Ritsu caught a glimpse of fear. "Your part is silent, toad!"
"Did you say a toad, monsieur? Hm, maybe you are the toad here..."
More mumbling from the crowd: Kaoru stood in his box, though was quickly pulled back down by Ryuichiro.
Yokozawa's eyes flitted to the band - Yukina was pushed back to his stand, a blonde flute player passing him his baton to pick up from the scene.
"Serafimo, away with this pretense! You cannot speak, but kiss me in my-"
Opening his mouth, a croak came out in stead of his assigned high note. A confused hand flew up to his lips, the band spouting on their instruments in shock, clarinets squeaking and trumpets blaring.
A laugh was heard from above, a mere chuckle at first, than rose to hysteria.
Yokozawa attempted to regain himself, hand clenching into a fist as he lowered it to his lap.
"Poor fool, he makes me laugh! Ahahah-"the opera's Wild Horse's laughter was broken by more and more croaks. From above, however, the laughter grew, the great chandelier shaking, its light blinking.
"Look!"the voice mocked, "He is singing to brink down the whole chandelier!"
Blue eyes looked up to the box occupied by the house's managers; tears collected in the corners, ones the noirette could not blink away. At that, Kaoru could take it no longer, ripping his hand away from Ryuichiro's and jumping up.
"It's not possible..." Yokozawa's eyes glanced down to the bed, hand flying up to his mouth as if to hold back another croak, "I... I can't go on..."
Kirishima ripped away from Mino's hold, running onstage, clutching onto Yokozawa's available hand, "Yoko, Yoko, I'm here, it's alright... Come here..."
Kaoru rushed onstage, Ryuichiro following closely behind, attempting to call him back. Kirishima's arm wrapped round the sobbing Yokozawa, leading him offstage - a hand was clamped over his mouth, in both an attempt to settle his croaks and sobs when they disappeared behind the curtain, Mino walking with them, pulling a chair out for the Wild Horse to sit when he seemingly couldn't take much more, collapsing against Kirishima.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Kaoru began, eyes glancing up to An in Box Five, "The performance will pick back up soon, the role of the Countess to be played by Sir Onodera Ritsu!"
Ryuichiro stumbled forward, "Ladies and gentlemen, in the meantime, we shall be giving you Act Three of tonight's opera."
Eyes darted down to the conductor, who seemed almost too in awe to move. "Yukina! The ballet, now!"
Mino moved onstage to help with the clearing - with that done, music began playing once again, Yukina's baton notably shaking in his hands. From above, a shadow moved among the rafters - catching it, Kisa once again stumbled over his dress, falling to the floor; another dancer tripped over him, than another and another, a pained yelp sounding from the noirette's mouth.
Dropping his baton, Yukina climbed over his band, not even bothering to apologize when he knocked a trombone from someone's arms or when he shoved a too-slow percussionist out of his way; this time, clarinet nor flute could hold him back and he pulled himself onto the stage with no shame, running forward and pulling Kisa to his chest.
A sickening thud sounded from the rafters above, a clacking of necklaces following, the shadow of a body falling across the stage, tied to a noose.
And before Ritsu could stop himself, he stumbled offstage, "An-chan! An-chan!"
Green eyes bolted open, heartbeat pounding in his ears as he attempted to regain his breath. Sensing eyes on him, Onodera Ritsu glanced up, leaning away from his editor-in-chief.
"Why are you so close to me-"
"You were humming in your sleep."
Ritsu blinked his eyes in shock, thinking that over. Humming. He'd been hummingin his sleep.
And, at that, Ritsu had only one thought on his mind.
Screw this Phantom crap.
Ritsu however didn't voice his annoyance, looking away in embaressment. These dreams had to stop - he'd not only hummed in his sleep, no, but someone had died! First Yuu - he hadn't even known the poor boy, had only met him once with Chiaki at his side - and who was next? Kirishima? Ritsu thought to himself - does Yokozawa die? He wasn't sure, but he knew one thing - there was no way he'd ever be able to look at the sales department worker the same way if he killed him off in his dream.
At that, Ritsu silently made an agreement with himself that these Phantom of the Operadreams had to come to an end.
Erotica, there so cuuttteeeee-
Yokozawa and Ricchan! I ship that... in a weird sort of way.
And just
Maybe if I keep talking you guys won't realize I killed Yuu.
I didn't describe it because NO, that's just-
Let's just move on to reviews.
nekocandy4life: Woot, friends! :D And yes, it's Chiaki. :3
SaySaeri: I agree with you, I feel bad when one gets left all alone. And I don't mind, I don't think it was that dragged on. xD
Review? :D