Part 2
10am, Audition Room, Just Right Inc…
They were all waiting in the waiting area with a few other candidates. Tamaki, the twins and Hani-senpai wished them luck. They weren't allowed in the waiting area so Tamaki told them to just have fun. Well, easy for him to say. He wasn't in their shoes.
Haruhi was pacing back and forth. She couldn't sleep the whole night fretting about today. She glanced at Kyoya who was seated next to Mori-senpai. He looked composed as ice. Mori looked withdrawn and his eyes were closed as if he was sleeping. Then a girl ran to her team. They all looked at her burst into tears of frustration. Obviously, she'd failed. Her team consoled her. They were axed because they lacked harmony. Haruhi gulped, if they lacked harmony, then she was worse off. She was tone deaf!
A lady in a white jumpsuit appeared looking at those in the waiting area, "Fujioka-kun, Morinozuka-kun, and Ootori-kun, Audition Room 6."
"I'm here," she said appearing before the lady like magic. "I'm Fujioka, yep. That's me."
Kyoya and Mori were behind Haruhi. "I'm Ootori," said Kyoya and he looked at Mori, then back at the lady, "This is Morinozuka-san." Mori just nodded.
"Please follow me, quickly." She ushered them like a mother hen to room number 6. She knocked and entered, "They're here."
The room was dark. The three of them stood awkwardly on stage. Then a spotlight was on them. They blinked at the bright light. Another spotlight was on at about ten paces from them.
"We'll announce the results after you three have performed your acts. Warning, we'll not applaud any of you nor will we make any sort of noise during your performances. We'll start with Fujioka-kun, please step on that spotlight. You may choose to sing or dance."
Haruhi narrowed her eyes. She was finding it difficult to adjust to the bright light. She breathed in deeply and exhaled through her mouth. "I'll sing."
Kyoya and Mori looked uncomfortable at her decision. But, Mori said unexpectedly, "Haruhi, you're The Natural Type. You can do anything naturally." He smiled, "You can do it. You surely can get the crowd going without you even knowing it. We all know it as a fact!"
Kyoya looked at Mori in surprise. It was true that she could get the fangirls entertained without much hassle. It was also one of many rare moments when they were privileged to hear Mori speak. Haruhi's eyes widened as if a spirit possessed her. She nodded in understanding. She swallowed her fear and closed her eyes. She stood and slowly raised her left foot then stomped it on the floor for attention.
She raised the right and stomped it on the highlighted wooded platform. She opened her eyes and started to sing the national anthem with patriotic spirit and passion. Her voice resounded in the room like a wave of fire burning their souls with the intensity of her sincere monotonous voice. The effect of the intense passion brought tears in her eyes as she belted the national anthem.
She raised a fist to the air which gave the final note to the anthem with a salute to an imaginary sun. Kyoya and Mori stared at her in awe. Even if it was monotonous, it was honest and passionate. It would move anyone. It was not off tune, nor out of rhythm. It was well-balanced. She had done well. She bowed and quickly stepped at the second spotlight with Kyoya and Mori.
"Morinozuka-kun, please step into the first spotlight. Choose between singing, or dancing."
Mori stepped into the spotlight. His face impassive, only his eyes spoke his fiery enthusiasm to complete this task as Tamaki would want them to do and at the same time have fun. "Is it a possibility for me to play an instrument?"
"Yes, you may."
He nodded in appreciation. He took out a bamboo flute from inside his jacket pocket. He sat on the floor Indian styled. He let his eyes rove the darkness in front of him. It was to acknowledge the invisible panel. Then he closed his eyes, put the end of the flute below his lower lip, his fingers gently poised on the bamboo flute. He began to play a soft romantic ala-Bakumatsu tragic piece.
It was spine-tingling, tugging your heart strings with emotions of sadness and loss. He lowered the flute and opened his eyes. They were clear as he recited a few haikus in a surprisingly melodious baritone. Haruhi gaped at Mori's rendition of a Japanese classic haiku. He read it in the old way like the samurai of old. It gave her goosebumps just hearing him recite the haiku but not in a scary way. He ended the last haiku with a sad smile.
He lifted the flute to his lower lip to play the last notes of the Bakumatsu piece on unrequited love. The eerie sound from the flute floated in the air for sometime before it disappeared, lending an atmosphere of everlasting yearning for a love lost. Kyoya was enthralled with his performance. He'd bet five hundred yen that the panel were as enthralled as both he and Haruhi.
Mori had played an instrument and rendered a poetry so successfully giving it a lyrical twang that it could be considered as singing. Mori bowed gently and gracefully stood up. He walked towards Kyoya and Haruhi. He nodded, his face was expressionless but his eyes showed his true emotions. He was happy. However, when he faced them he gave a small shy smile. Kyoya and Haruhi proudly smiled back at him. They were just as happy for him.
"Ootori-kun, you're up next. Please step into the spotlight in front of you. You may choose to dance or sing or both."
Kyoya recalled Tamaki's challenge to make the cons into pros. One of the cons was that he hated the limelight. Second, he hated presentations. "Fun, huh?" He mumbled under his breath as he walked into the bright spotlight. He put a hand over his eyes, "I'll be dancing a 'butai.' You may select any music and I shall dance a 'butai' according to it."
"As you wish," The stage was lit and they could make out about ten or fifteen persons observing them. "The other two please take your seats at your right. Are you ready, Ootori-kun?"
Haruhi was startled at this new revelation about Kyoya. No wonder he could dance well. Better in fact than most of the other guys. He had gracefully tackled her away for a Waltz leaving Tamaki crying in protest of deviousness and his swift footworks. A 'Butai,' she thought, was actually a contemporary dance for those who were ballet dancers or an performance artistes and wanted to switch from classic ballet or whatever classic dance they were into to modern contemporary dancing. Did that mean Kyoya was a ballet dancer? It was possible.
"Yes," Kyoya replied as he did a brief warm up then stopped to stand and watch an imaginary horizon.
His body in tune with the surrounding and waiting for the start of the first melody. When the music began, he let the music flow into his body, and streaming into his veins. She looked at Mori who had his eyes glued at Kyoya's movements. He was lithe and poised in his physical conduct. It made for the fluid interaction with body and music as they fused into one. She felt her jaw drop in awe of his graceful yet manly actions to the recital. He made use every part of the stage as he did a triple lutz and landed beautifully.
He then pirouetted with his arms paralleling with his shoulders and bringing the arms closer to the body. Every momentum made was sheer hard work, determination, and of course, beauty in the art. In the final arc of the music was a crescendo, he leaped and did a split in mid-air. He landed perfectly on both feet then dropped to his knees as the music died abruptly. His head directed heavenward, his chest out and arms opened wide. She didn't know much about dancing but he gave a solid, eye opening performance that was as rare as his wide and proud smile of Mori's performance.
Looking at him bowing gracefully at the invisible panelists, she knew that like she and Mori, he'd done his best and was in fact having fun despite the awkward nervousness they felt earlier. She'd bet the audition panelists would be swooning if they were ladies reviewing his riveting performance. He approached them, and Mori nodded his head in approval, while Haruhi gave him the V sign. He sighed, gave them a half smile of relieve and sat next to them in huff.
Haruhi couldn't well rub her hands together in anxious anticipation while waiting for their results, it was a girlie action. It would be disastrous for her and her team. She tapped her foot instead. Mori didn't do anything. He was like Rock of Gibraltar or something equally gigantic, solid and indestructible. Kyoya stood up, while cracking his knuckles then leaned against the solid wooden panel next to him then sliding his hands in his pant's pockets.
"Okay," said the same voice, "Thank you for the interesting performances. Now, please come forward." The spotlights off, the room was illuminated.
They went nearer to face the panelists. They could see the faces of the talent panelists. There were five of them. The president was amongst the five. The voice introduced the panelists. The first was Ariko Saiga, a seiyu famous for her 'shounen' voice. The second was Taichi Nagano, the eccentric producer for JR Inc. The third was Sho Kokubun, an up and coming dorama actor and avid kabuki fan. The fourth was Reiko Kiritani, the energetic MV director for JR Inc. The fifth was Moriko Goro, the president was the last and deciding judge.
The voice announced, "Let's hear the panelists' verdict on them."
"Fujioka-kun, you've a voice suited for voicing 'shounens' in animes. It's kinda husky but in a mild sort of way. When you sang the national anthem it had an inspiring feel to it. It made me think of 'Ganbatte Imasshoi.' Ariko Saiga informed them, "You get a 9."
"But he was like the Statue of Liberty of NYC, except cuter," complained Taichi Nagano. "Come to think of it, he sounds like Chiinen of Hey! Say! JUMP! Anyways, I liked Mori-kun's Bakumatsu haikus better." He praised Mori. "He brought it out to real-life! You get a 10." He looked at Haruhi, "You did well with that attention grabbing stomping. You get a 9."
"What's wrong with you?" Reiko Kiritani scolded him. "It's the national anthem Fujioka's rendering with all his heart and soul and with a dash of panache at the end of the song. I loved the saluting to the imaginary sun," She looked at Haruhi who only nodded. "Good show, a 9." Then looking at Mori and Kyoya, "Mori, I loved the Bakumatsu tragic smile. I really felt like crying. The deep timbres of your voice transported me to that era. It was as if you and I lived in that time period. You get a 10."
"I totally agree," Ariko interjected, "Very touching. It was like an arrow through your heart. I was breathless in rhapsody and sad for the unrequited love of the Bakumatsu hero of the haikus. You get a 10."
"Chotto," Sho Kokubbun raised a hand up in protest, "Only 9 for Fujioka-kun. What about that amazing passionate feeling until he cried? Not many of us are that sensitive enough to cry when singing the national anthem. He's so patriotic. I like it very much. He gets a 10." He glanced at Mori with a big, proud smile on his face, "You make an excellent character actor! I absolutely am a fan of yours Mori-kun. If ever you decide to become an actor acting in a periodic or historical dramas or movies. You get a 10." His gaze shifted to Kyoya, "Ootori-kun, I wondered why you didn't delve into the performing arts. You've a gift for it, especially stage performances."
Kyoya shrugged, "I dislike the limelight." He was telling the truth at the same time shielding the real truth. Haruhi and Mori didn't look at him or glance at each other. They didn't want the panelists to get the real picture either.
Reiko Kiritani asked, "Is it because of your background?"
"Yes," He replied without indulging more. One word was enough.
Reiko nodded, "You're indeed talented. Your executions were near perfection. Yes, for someone not in the performing arts, you did well since you're not a beginner but an intermediate performer of the arts. You scored a 9. Loved the way you let the music flow into the very essence of your being."
"Okay, Ootori," Taichi Nagano looked at Kyoya while pointing a forefinger at the ceiling to prove a point. "You're quite technical in your 'butai' rendition. A flaw though, you need to be a little artistic. More drama inserted would've given you more points. But," Taichi Nagano smiled, "It was amazing. I give you a 9."
Ariko smiled at Kyoya, "You're very attractive," Than she looked at the others who were looking at her in surprise. She put both hands on her cheeks.
Taichi was like 'Whoa…,' and slapped his knee in glee.
Sho was wagging his forefinger at her, "What? You're giving him a 10 just because he's attractive? Then I should deserve a kiss, because I'm handsome."
Reiko laughingly said, "If she finds Ootori-kun good looking, then I confess to liking Mori-kun…"
"Ehh!" Taichi glanced at Reiko.
"Ehh… what?" Reiko's eyes challenged him.
"Not you too, Reiko-san!" Sho looked scandalized, "He's just a teenager. But, if I were a woman, I too would choose Mori-kun. He's the strong, silent type and very macho."
"Hello," Ariko held two hands up, "Excuse me," She waved, "I need to continue with my verdict on Ootori-kun. Actually, I think the three of them are attractive in their own way."
"Ariko-san! You've truly shown your true colours." Sho gasped in horror.
"What are you blabbering about, you twit?" Ariko raised a palm to her forehead and rubbed it, "Everything that comes out from your mouth sounds twisted." She groaned while smiling. "Okay, Ootori-kun, your movements were fluid. I loved the split in mid-air. It was like magic. The other thing I loved about your performance was the last act it had a climatic dramatic ending to it. It made my day. You get a 10."
"Ceh! Just because he did a split with that attractive face of his, you gave him a 10." Sho shook his head in mocking despair and frustration, "What favouritsim, unfair," Suddenly, Sho grinned like a Cheshire cat, "Ootori-kun, you put a lot of soul that heightened the drama into that last performance. It had more zest than those two stuffy old bags Reiko and Taichi put together. In any stage performance that element of soul plays an important part in bringing any character to life. You've done so in your dancing. You get a 10!"
"You've heard the verdicts from the four panelists. The deciding verdict on your performances would be announced by our esteemed president, Goro-san." The voice announced again.
The president clapped his hands and so did the others.
"A truly entertaining performance from the three of you," He nodded in appreciation, "I was amazed that Fujioka-kun has a sensitive soul. Your performance was aspiring and inspiring. Not many had the guts to sing our national anthem with such ardent intensity like you do. You're a natural as it comes from your heart as you sang it. You'd make a good booster to your team. You get a 9."
He looked at Mori and smiled, "I'm truly shocked by your performance, Mori-kun. You played the bamboo flute beautifully. You recited a few classic haikus and gave it a lyrical twang with that melodious baritone of yours. The music was soothing to the nerves and it complemented the rendition of the haikus that had that desperate sadness of a love lost. Those hearing it would feel the same pain and sad acceptance as the hero in the haikus you rendered. You made it come to life. You get a 10."
He turned to Kyoya, "Ootori-kun, your 'butai' was graceful without being impressive. You've clearly portrayed the soul of a dancer even if you're just an amateur. You've immersed yourself into that character and you're able to bring out that character according to the musical score. Most importantly, as a dancer you've touched the hearts of the audience with your performance. Every facial and body gestures you made held the audience's attention. This is also an important aspect in performing arts. You get a 10.
Lastly, he beamed as he addressed to the three of them, "Congratulations! You're qualified to the next round." He smiled at their shocked faces, "Round two starts after lunch. Good luck!"
"Haaaahhhh… ?!?!"
TO BE CONTINUED...