AUTHOR'S NOTE: Amaya: Yay! Apparently I'm awesome! How come I never knew this before...
Shiro: I'm not awesome? *puppy face*
Amaya: Of course you are! It's just not in writing!
Shiro: Okay. By the way, to address our last review, we're both real! At least I think so...You're not an active imagination baby are you?
Amaya: Uhhhh, nope! But yea seriously, this is a collaborative fanfic. By the way, there is a song in this chapter. I know the tune, but you don't, and probably never will, sorry. If it comes down to it, just read it like its a free-verse poem or something.
Shiro: Have fun reading!
Chapter 4
Masato sat alone in one of Saotome's many music rooms, absentmindedly stroking the keys of the piano. He was pulled from his thoughts as he heard the door creak open. Looking up, he saw that Nanami Haruka had entered the room, one of the best composers in the A Class.
"Oh, Hijirikawa-san!" she exclaimed. "Forgive me for intruding, I didn't know you'd be here."
"It's alright," he responded stoically, turning his attention back to the piano.
Haruka took a cautious step closer out of curiosity. "Are you working on a song?" she asked.
"Yes, I am," he said as he stroked the keys affectionately. "It's for someone who is often distant from me, but at the same time very close to my heart."
"Can I hear it?"
Masato looked up again to see her hopeful smile. "It's not finished yet...but I don't see why not."
His fingers danced across the keys, filling the room with his song's beautiful melody.
The halls outside were mostly empty, save for one white-haired shy girl. Shiro brought herself to a halt as the melody leaked out from the music room. She crept up to the still slightly-open music room door and peered in. Her heart nearly leapt into her throat when she saw Masato playing the piano. When he started to sing, her body froze but her heart melted. Shiro imagined herself sitting side by side with Masato, leaning on his shoulder affectionately as he played and sang. For her.
She pushed the door open another couple inches, the sweet song drawing her in. But she stopped dead as she caught sight of the pink-haired girl that stood to the side of the piano, smiling warmly as Masato played. Shiro stumbled backward into the other end of the hall, backing into the wall and sliding down as if her despair was dragging her to hell. (a/n Amaya: Wow, that's intense as fuck. Shiro: Exactly! That's my love for him, and KIIIILL NANAMI! Amaya: Riiight.) In a rush of sorrow-fueled energy, Shiro jumped to her feet and sprinted down the hall as tears rolled from her eyes.
When she reached the classroom, Amaya was already there waiting for her. "You're unusually late," Amaya commented. But she quickly noticed the despair that weighed on her friend's shoulders. Her voice became softer and full of concern. "What's the matter?"
Shiro's special cat ears flattened against her scalp and her tail fluffed up in anger. Her eyes were so full of tumultuous rage that Amaya took a cautious step back. "Nothing," she growled demonically.
The girls took their seats in the back as always, Amaya wisely not responding. Shiro jerked her notebook from her bag and began shredding the pages.
Masato entered the classroom, his eyes expectantly falling on Shiro. A very worrisome expression overcame his usually calm face. But then his face hardened as he looked accusingly to Amaya.
The purple-haired girl held up her hands in surrender. "Seriously?!"
"Eh?" Shiro looked up at her abruptly distressed friend, ears cocked confusedly. She followed Amaya's stare and immediately her ears drooped in misery, tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She dropped her gaze to her desk and constricted her fingers around the torn papers.
"Is something wrong here?"
Amaya was startled by the sudden voice above them. "Ringo-sensei!" she exclaimed. When did he get here?
"The lyrics," Shiro murmured bitterly. "They mean nothing anymore!" She threw her demolished notebook to the floor and stomped upon it before hiding her face in her arms.
Ringo-sensei's eyes widened in surprise. Artists were often angry with themselves for imperfect work, he knew this to be true. But this outburst had more behind it than just bad lyrics. The cross-dresser leaned over and placed a comforting hand on Shiro's shoulder. "It's alright, Shiro-chan," he assured.
Shiro's ears twitched slightly in annoyance at the unwanted honorific.
But Ringo-sensei carried on. "Working as an idol and a composer at once can be difficult, I imagine. But you can't give up so easily. And you can't get so angry with yourself. Alright?" he punctuated his last remark with one of his trademark winks.
Shiro nodded reluctantly, ears still twitching in agitation.
Then as always, the usual bounciness of Ringo-sensei's personality return an instant later. "Now, Amaya!"
"I swear, I didn't do this to her!" Amaya blurted defensively. For once.
Ringo-sensei chuckled lightheartedly. "No, it's not about that. Though I am glad to hear that," he clarified. "Remember how I said I was going to enhance everyone's idol appeal?"
Amaya nodded cautiously, as she glanced quickly at Shiro's cat ears. Crap, not me too! "Uh-huh," she responded nervously.
"Well, I found the perfect way to enhance yours!" he reported joyfully. Ringo-sensei presented Amaya with a deep indigo colored fedora with purple flowers embroidered into the white band that encircled above the brim.
Amaya gasped in sheer delight as she took the hat from Ringo-sensei's hands, her eyes sparkling joyfully as she put it on her head. "I love it!" she nearly squealed. Amaya threw her arms around her teacher in appreciation. "Thank you, Ringo-sensei!"
"WHAT?!" Shiro screeched in fury. SHE GETS A FLIPPIN AWESOME HAT THAT SUITS HER PERFECTLY, AND WE'RE STUCK WITH THESE STUPID CAT EARS THAT TELLS EVERYONE HOW WE FEEL AND MAKES US LOOK LIKE A STUFFED ANIMAL?! Her inner self screamed in unrelenting rage.
Seeming blown back by the sheer loudness of her friend's voice, Amaya again held up her arms in surrender. "I'm...sorry, Shiro-san?" she offered cautiously.
Shiro's glare pierced through her a few moments longer before she fell back into her chair in defeat. "Whatever," she sighed as her head clunked down on her desk.
"You enjoy that now, Amaya-chan!" Ringo-sensei said cheerfully as he walked back to the front, clapping to catch the rest of the class's attention.
Too overjoyed to be bothered by the honorific, Amaya simply replied, "I will!" She settled calmly into her seat as Ringo-sensei began the afternoon lesson. But she could not withhold wriggling happily as she touched the brim of her hat. Syo-kun would love this! She thought dreamily.
~~~~~~~~~~A few days later, during lunch~~~~~~~~~~
Amaya's lunch had gone untouched for the last several minutes. She was staring at Shiro, waiting for her to say something. Anything, for that matter. She had hardly spoken at all in days. "Okay," Amaya said, at last breaking the silence between them. "I know you're quiet, but I haven't heard you talk any louder than a whisper in days. And I know it can't just be about the ears and the hat."
"It's partly that," Shiro admitted. "But it's mostly something else."
Amaya's concerned mounted. She had seen Shiro spiral into depression before, and it never got any easier to watch despite how rocky their friendship often was.
Shiro felt something plop down atop her head, enveloping and hiding her cat ears. "Huh?" She looked up to see that Amaya was no longer wearing her hat, but smiling encouragingly. Expectantly, she reached up and felt the brim of Amaya's hat on her head. "I feel like a Mafia boss with a tail!" she exclaimed with a slight chipper tone.
"That's more like it," Amaya said kindly. "Now tell me what else is bothering you."
A dark, glum cloud seemed to pass over Shiro's features. "I think...I'm gonna give up."
"Give up?" Amaya exclaimed in alarm. "On what?! Being an idol?!" She grasped her friends shoulder in desperation. "You can't do this to me! ...I mean us! ...I mean yourself!"
"What? No!" Shiro pushed her eccentric friend back into her seat. "I mean I'm giving up on talking to Hijirikawa-san."
"Oh," Amaya breathed awkwardly. "But why?"
"...He likes Nanami-san."
"What?!"
"A few days ago, I heard him singing to her," she specified glumly.
So that's what that shredding was about, Amaya thought. I knew it had something to do with Prince Charming! "Well...that doesn't mean-"
"It was a love song," Shiro interrupted.
"Oh." Amaya paused for a moment, attempting to come up with some comforting words. She perked up suddenly and offered, "If it makes you feel any better, I haven't figured out what to say to Syo-kun either!"
"It doesn't," Shiro deadpanned.
Crap. Amaya slumped in defeat as another silence fell over them. Speaking of the five-foot-two-devil, Amaya spotted Syo across the lunch room. Customarily, he sat next to Natsuki who was clearly insisting that Syo try one of his um...cupcakes(?) as Syo protested with all his might. It looks like a little cup of ash, Amaya thought. She knew it was wrong of her, but she couldn't help but giggle as Syo continued fighting off Natsuki's persistence. He's cute no matter what he does. But he's especially so when he's angry, she thought as her face warmed with delight. He's Syo cute. She turned back to Shiro, staring longingly at her hat, suddenly feeling naked without it. "Um, can I have that back now?" she asked hesitantly.
Shiro gave her friend an exasperated smirk. Nonetheless, she handed the hat back over to Amaya. "Sure."
Amaya grinned as she set her hat back in its rightful place atop her head. It's sort of the closest I can get to him for the time being... Her stomach growled impatiently, catching her attention. "Oh, I forgot I was hungry," she said smiling awkwardly as she grabbed her fork.
"Wow," Shiro snorted in disbelief.
"Well excuse me for worrying about you!" Amaya silenced herself with a mouthful of mashed potatoes an instant later.
"You're excused."
The two of them ate quietly for a few passing minutes, thoughts racing as always.
But then...
"Little Mouse," a familiar velvety voice said. "Why are you masquerading as a cat?"
"Ima doing what now?" Shiro asked in befuddlement.
Masato, who had watched Jinguji approach the two girls, set his tea cup down (not wanting to destroy another one) and readied himself to spring from his seat just as he had a few days ago.
"They would be much better suited for my Kitten," he said coolly, directing his gaze at Amaya now.
Amaya clutched the brim of her hat protectively. "Don't even think about it!"
"Don't get me wrong, my lady," Ren said smoothly. "Your hat is lovely, but its shadow hides your beautiful eyes."
"I already hear that from my mother regarding my glasses, I don't need to hear something similar from you," Amaya warned, a vein ticking in her forehead. "Besides, why are you here again? Didn't you learn your lesson the last few times."
"Oh, but you see," Ren began, "you ladies have taught me that with love comes pain. And I am willing to accept that."
"Uh-huh," Amaya mumbled. "If you're into that kinda thing."
A symbolic lightbulb suddenly flashed in Shiro's mind. Her tail flicked mischievously as she replied, "I know I am."
Amaya nearly choked on her food at her friend's seductive tone. A tone she had never expected to hear in a million years!
Masato's clenched fists went limp at his sides, feeling as though his chest were sinking in.
Ren's eyes widened in shock, though his surprise was fleeting. "Really now?" he questioned suggestively. "I would have never guessed."
"There's a lot you don't know about me, sweetheart," Shiro replied slyly.
Sweetheart...sweetheart... The poison word echoed in Masato's mind.
Her disturbance building as she watched Ren and Shiro exchange innuendos, Amaya glanced aside to the crestfallen Masato a few seats down. That poor blue-haired bastard, she thought with half-honest sympathy.
"I not only have talents with my fingers," Shiro purred. "I also have a very talented tongue."
Amaya's face screwed up in abhorrence. Shiro, I hope you mean your singing because... Ew!
Abruptly, Masato stood from his seat made a hasty exit from the lunch room, his hair hiding his distraught face.
"Is that so?" Ren said as he leaned in even closer. "Why don't you prove it with a kiss?"
Conveniently, the bell stopped their lips from touching.
Shiro pulled back and twirled out of her seat. "That's the bell, darling. See you later," she said flirtatiously as she briefly brushed her fingers against Ren's chest.
"It's a promise, Little Mouse," Ren approved with a wink.
Shiro responded with a wink of her own and sashayed out of the lunch room, a very confused and disgusted Amaya in tow.
The purple-haired girl remained stone-faced and silent even as they walked back into class and took their seats. They sat quietly for perhaps another half minute as if they were waiting for the lesson to begin. But she at last exploded. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Amaya shrieked.
"Meh?" Shiro looked up casually despite Amaya's urgency.
"That! Back there! In the lunch room! That was...UGH!" Amaya gripped Shiro's wrist and shook it vigorously. "You touched him for God's sake!"
"You're right," Shiro murmured as all the slyness melted from her features. "OH GOD, WHAT HAVE I DONE?! GIVE ME THE BATTERY ACID!"
"It's those ears!" Amaya cried, crossing her arms into an X. "They're evil!"
Quickly, Shiro reached up to remove the ears, but immediately she felt Ringo-sensei's warning glower from across the room. She lowered her hands reluctantly as she cried comically. You don't understand, they're Satan!
As loud as the two girls were, Masato had heard none of it. Why? He thought. Why did it have to be him?
~~~~~~~~~~In the Saotome courtyard~~~~~~~~~~
"Another crazy day passed, and still I haven't come up with anything," Amaya sighed.
"I suppose I don't have to bother with coming up with anything now," Shiro said somberly as she squirted continuous streams of anti-bacterial spray all over her arm.
"Oh come on, don't say that," Amaya responded empathetically. "There has to be some kind of hope."
"Name. One," Shiro challenged.
"Uh...umm...give me a minute! Uhh..."
"I thought so."
"Oh wait!" The mental image of Masato from earlier today flashed in Amaya's mind. "He looked very upset in the lunch room when you started flirting with Ren. He even walked out."
"Why would he be upset about that? He probably misses his old tea cup or something...Besides, he likes Haru-"
"Hijirikawa-san is an amazing song writer, Tomo-chan," Haruka explained to the tall red-headed girl walking next to her as they passed the other two girls by. "He let me hear a song he's been working on for someone special, so he says."
"Aww, how sweet!" Tomo-chan exclaimed.
Something clicked in Shiro's mind upon hearing those words. But any joy she would have felt was dashed by guilt. "I'm a terrible person," she whimpered, slumping down in shame.
"Uhhh...see? I...told you there was hope," Amaya said haltingly.
Coincidentally, Shiro happened to lock eyes with Masato from a distance upon looking up. Masato turned away immediately, as if looking in her eyes was too painful.
Shiro looked back at Amaya, comical tears flowing down her face. "Whyyyyyy?"
"Ehehe...," Amaya sweatdropped nervously.
Before she could think of what to say, three peculiar clicks echoed out over the entire campus. "Uhh...hello? Can everyone hear me?"
"Ren?" Amaya gasped in astonishment.
"Him...," Shiro growled. Her voice escalated in volume with each word as she shouted, "I hate him SO MUCH RIGHT NOW!" She jumped around in all directions, fire burning in her eyes and her fists balled up tight. "WHERE THE HELL IS HE?! I'LL KILL HIM! HE'LL NEVER HAVE CHILDREN WHEN I'M THROUGH WITH HIM!"
Amaya held Shiro back from wherever the hell she planned to go as Ren continued to talk over the intercom. Something about a song... "Calm down, Shiro!" Amaya warned frantically.
But then...
"It's... show time!"
Lively saxophone music began to play over the speakers, followed by Ren's sinfully sensual singing.
The girls froze in place, looking up in amazement as the music flowed through them.
"He's good," Amaya breathed absently.
"Yea...," Shiro agreed. But then her anger returned. "Wait...I'm still mad at him!"
Amaya, who still held Shiro, sucked in a breath at a sudden brilliant thought. She dropped Shiro to the ground and whispered, "That's it." This time it was her voice that grew, her realization quickening her heart. "That's it! I've got it! I know what I can do now!"
Shiro shook her head in annoyance and helped herself to her feet. "What are you talking abou-," but then it clicked. She knew exactly what Amaya was thinking. And for once, it was a brilliant thought.
They stayed rooted to where they stood, slowly and silently formulating their plans. When Ren's song at last ended, Shiro and Amaya's eyes locked, each filled with excitement. "We have to get back to the dorm!" they yelled simultaneously before breaking into a run.
Before they could make it back to the girl's dorm, they passed by the main building to see Ren walking out with a proud smirk on his face.
"Ren!" Amaya exclaimed, her and Shiro nearly crashing into him.
"Hmm?" The tall womanizer looked upon them, smiling seductively.
But before he could begin his usual flirting, Amaya blurted happily, "You just gave me the best idea ever!" She threw her arms around him and squeezed tight. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
As Amaya's luck would have it, or lack thereof, she suddenly noticed that Syo had been standing nearby. He was not looking her way, at least not anymore. But she knew that he had seen everything, considering that he looked as though his world had come crashing down around him. Amaya face drained off all color, suddenly feeling like beating herself into oblivion with a baseball bat. But...but...but...
Ren tenderly stroked Amaya's chin with his finger, tilting her mortified gaze to him. "You're welcome, my Kitten," he replied enticingly.
Nauseated, Amaya pushed away from him and sprinted with all her might. She bashed her fist against her head repeatedly, screaming all the way, "DAMNIT! AMAYA, YOU IDIOT!"
Without paying any further attention to Ren or anyone else in the vicinity, Shiro ran after her friend. She found Amaya leaning one hand and facing against the dorm wall, her other hand covering her face in remorse. "Every. Time," she whimpered. "Every time, I manage to make things worse!" She gritted her teeth hard and clenched her fist, feeling a rush of determination. "But not for long! I know what I must do now!" She grabbed Shiro by the arm and hauled her into the building. "Come on, Shiro! We have work to do! And men to woo!"
"You're rhyming again, Amaya," Shiro whined as she was drug along the hall.
"I know!" Amaya agreed, that determined edge still in her voice. And still she did not lose it as she added, "And it was stupid! But so is love!"
For the next few days, from that point on, the girls seldom looked up from their notebooks. Diligently writing, erasing and composing. In the mornings and evenings they would spend their time in silence apart from tuning their respectful instruments and singing a few lines. Otherwise, they didn't speak to one another, or anyone else for that matter. Even during class or lunch, they would quietly hum a tune or two and jot down some lyrics or music notes.
Throughout nearly every classroom, whispers about the two girls could be heard. Everyone seemed in a state of shock that neither of them had caused a scene in so long, as they normally did.
"What's with them?"
"They really seem to be working hard."
"I don't trust those two."
"They won't even look up."
"What are they writing anyway?"
"What could they possibly be doing?"
"Do they have some kind of plan?"
"Those two are so weird."
Shiro and Amaya were so engrossed in their work that they did not even seem to notice two particularly interested spectators. And unknowingly very rightfully interested at that.
~~~~~~~~~~At the end of the 7th day~~~~~~~~~~
"Yes! It's finished!" Amaya shouted in triumph, taking a twirling leap from her bed in celebration. It had been so long since she had stood up that she fell hard on the floor. But hardly noticing any pain, she immediately sprang up to her feet. "Shiro!" she called to her friend, grinning widely. "Will you please listen to it and tell me if-"
"I'm concentrating! Shut up!" the still working Shiro barked. "...Give me your glasses!" Not even waiting for Amaya's consent, she yanked them off her face and put them on.
Amaya frowned as she reached for her guitar, and sheet music. "Fine, I'll practice out here" she muttered as he went out to the balcony. Her hands already began to tremble nervously as she looked over the passionate lyrics. Maybe this is too much, she thought. But then she shook her head stubbornly. No, if anything it's not enough. And I can't quit now. She adjusted her hat, curled her fingers around the brass strings and began to play.
~~~~~~~~~~The next morning in class~~~~~~~~~~
Shiro continued scribbling in her notebook, still not looking up and becoming increasingly frustrated, alternating between scribbling and erasing.
Amaya was nowhere to be seen.
"Shiro-chan?"
Upon hearing her name, Shiro accidentally wrote her own name in her lyrics. "That...doesn't...GO THERE!" She threw her pencil aside and sobbed comically into her notebook.
Ringo-sensei sighed, not quite surprised anymore. He remained patient and went on as if nothing odd had happened. "Shiro-chan, have you seen Amaya-chan this morning?"
"No, I haven't seen her all week," Shiro replied surprisingly honestly.
"Then where..."
The sound of the intercom tuning in suddenly interrupted everyone's thoughts.
"Uh...testing, testing 1 2 3. Is this thing on?" A loud keening followed the sound of a light tap. "Yep, it's on. ...Sorry everyone."
In the S class, one particular shorty jolted to attention as he recognized the voice. Amaya.
"If you all don't mind," Amaya went on, "I would like to share a song with all of you. Especially a certain someone in S class who inspired it."
Ren chuckled and looked snidely to Syo. "Seems like my Kitten wrote a song for me," he remarked.
Syo gnashed his teeth together and imagined tossing Ren off the roof of the school. Anger boiled plainly on the surface, but inside he felt dejected and sick. But then...
Amaya hesitated in apprehension before finally calling out, "T-this is for you, Syo-kun!"
Syo's anger morphed into an awed expression, a blush blossoming across his face. "Me?" he whispered to himself.
When his name at last stopped echoing across campus, Amaya began to strum her guitar. "I call this 'Raining Starlight'," she said softly. And then she began to sing...
Perfection is the beauty of this night standing beside you
Watching as the light of the fireflies dance within your azure eyes
Darling you are the reason my heart sings so beautifully
And as the stars fall from the heavens up above
I will reach out and catch them in my hands
So I can give them to you, the brightest star of all
Together we will chase the wind across the sky
And when we reach the long lost paradise we've been searching for
We will find a place to call our own
And then we'll toss our stars into the sky
Our hearts rising as their splendor rains upon us forever
Forever we will stay
Forever we shall dance
In the starlight
In the starlight of our love
Bright and bountiful wonders fill these vast cosmos
Wonders that would make the weakest of hearts grow strong
And melodies that play with such divinity and grace
That they would bring a valiant hero to his knees
But in spite of it all there is only one place I wish to remain
And that is right here in your arms getting lost in your gaze
Together we will chase the wind across the sky
And when we reach the long lost paradise we've been searching for
We will find a place to call our own
And then we'll toss our stars into the sky
Our hearts rising as their splendor rains upon us forever
Forever we will stay
Forever we shall dance
In the starlight
In the starlight of our love
In the starlight
In the starlight of our...
And though the moon is fading now I do not want to leave
So hold me even closer now and whisper in my ear
Forever I will stay with you
Forever I shall dance with you
In the starlight
In the starlight of our love
And because of you my darling at last I have forgiven myself
For all those years that I was less than I could be
Because of you my precious love I have nothing else to fear
I no longer lock away the passion that I used to hide
Because even on my darkest nights you are my light...
You are my light...
Forever we will stay
Forever we shall dance
Together we will remain
Right here in this moment
Dancing in the starlight
In the starlight
You are my starlight
And my...
Love
As the strings of Amaya's guitar finished humming the last note, she breathed a sigh of relief. But self-consciousness was quick to take over again. "Um, I-I-I Ihopeyoualllikedit!" she stuttered rapidly. Faster than light, she replaced her guitar in its case and darted out of the principal's office. Soon thereafter, the class A door slammed open, revealing an exhausted panting Amaya. The students were stupefied as they looked upon her, hardly believing that someone with such insanity could write a song so beautiful. Even Ringo-sensei was silent with disbelief as Amaya stumbled to her seat in the back.
Amaya's heart pounded against her ribs as if it were trying to escape her body. "I can't believe I did that," she gasped to no one in particular.
From the silence, Shiro's voice arose. "Amaya."
"Yes, Shiro?" Amaya asked in between breaths.
Shiro held up her notebook, smiling meekly but proudly. "It's finished." With that, she collapsed out of her seat and instantly fell asleep.
END AUTHOR'S NOTE: Shiro: Aaaand we make another long chapter.
Amaya: Guess it doesn't matter what fandom we write about, our chapters always progressively get longer.
Shiro: Yea, and we don't even mean to do it! We just have awesome ideas that we need to write. ...And I noms on Pocky.
Amaya: Right. Polite critiques and reviews only please, thank you. Well, until next chapter, we'll see ya! Oh, and also...Syo-kun! *heart*
Shiro: MASATO-SAMA! *more heartness*