GENERATION OF MUSIC
Song 4; Kise
Thousands of cherry trees dissolve into the night. You will sing and I will dance.
This is a banquet inside a steel jail cell, so shoot randomly and ceaselessly with your ray gun.
Kise softly hummed the lyrics of the song emitting from his MP3 Player. His blond bangs were combed neatly to the right, some strands falling down. A pair of dark gold eyes glanced at the mirror. Kise was wearing a black dress shirt with matching slacks and a yellow tie. He rolled up the sleeves to his elbow. And then, a black hat with a yellow checkered pattern and black shoes as the finishing touches. But he put off the hat because he still had five minutes of break time from his part-time job as a model.
"Kise-kun! Please come here," his photographer called. She put her hands to her hips, sighing tiredly. "Kise-kun. Put on your hat and stop playing the MP3. We're doing the photo shoot right now."
Carol J. Margarette ─ a 24 year old woman from the UK. Blonde hair down to her waist, a bit wavy. Her sea blue eyes gave an impression of 'soothing and calm', definitely different from her personality. She was strict, and wouldn't give up until the end. If she accomplished something that she was proud of, she would usually cheer in joy and be in a cheerful mood. She was usually called Margaret.
"Yes, yes, Margaret-san." Kise put on his hat, tipping it. "I'm ready."
Margaret huffed, "You better be. I don't have any time for your childish doings."
The blonde model rolled his eyes and chuckled softly. He grinned at her. "Okay, let's shoot already."
Kise put his left hand in his pocket and leaned back from the camera a bit. He tipped his hat with his right and his eyes looked bright at the shadow effects.
Snap!
Snap!
Kise then changed positions, with his lips curled up, one eye closed, and a finger to his lips.
Snap!
"Lean on the wall, with you gazing at the camera ─ look intimidating─ hands folded. Take off your hat," Margaret instructed, taking a few more shots.
"Now relax and smile your most sincere smile," she finished.
Kise did as he was told and smiled…his model smile.
And his model smile was not a sincere one.
"Kise-kun! That's good. You may rest." Margaret smiled. Of course, she didn't notice that.
Kuroko sipped his milkshake while reading the latest magazine. "Oh, there's Kise-kun." He gazed at the picture of his fellow bandmate and couldn't help but furrow his eyebrows. 'This..."
A vibration from his cellphone interrupted him from seeing more, He picked it up and saw the text message:
From: Aida Riko
Subject: Reunion
Kuroko-kun, are you free? You already know that yesterday they came back for a reunion, right? Now those fools are here at my apartment. Can you come to too? We'll be waiting! :D
Kuroko texted back with an 'okay'. After that 'live concert' at the mall, they had met with Seirin…
"Eh? You… You guys were the Seirin band?" Kise blurted out. "You too, Kuroko-kun?"
Kuroko nodded. "Yes. I was a member of Seirin."
"But we quit though!" Kiyoshi laughed. "Things happened and we decided to stop and work on something else."
Izuki chuckled. "Since we haven't met for a long time, we wanted a reunion."
Koganei chirped, "And a reunion it is! Didn't expect to see you here though! We were about to go to your house, Kuroko!"
Seirin continued to talk with each other, irritating a red head. Akashi raised an eyebrow. "Tetsuya. Mind explaining things?" he asked.
This time, it was Kuroko's turn to raise an eyebrow. "What do you mean, Akashi-kun? I already told you that these people are my former bandmates, Seirin. "
Akashi furrowed his eyebrows. "What I meant is that you said that things happened. And Seirin was famous until it broke up. What happened?"
Some of Seirin blinked at him and shivered, most of them looked at him with cold eyes. "...Please do respect our privacy…Akashi was it?" Izuki twitched.
Mitobe nodded, agreeing with Izuki.
Akashi clicked his tongue. "Whatever."
Murasakibara looked down on them, eating his usual snack. "Mm...I'm hungry."
Looking at the giant with tired eyes, the Generation of Miracles decided to eat lunch and left Seirin.
Kuroko shrugged his shoulders. He took his bag and left for the reunion site.
Kise frowned in frustration as he listened to the song they had sung with Kuroko for the fifth time. He was still wondering, what made it so different from before?
His heart had felt light when he sung, was almost as if he had nothing to be afraid of. "Weird," Kise mumbled to himself.
"Kise-kun." Margaret snapped him from his thoughts. "That's enough shots for today. Thank you for your hard work."
Kise nodded and grinned. "Sure!"
"And..." she continued. "Actually, for next week's shoot we need a girl and the last model got busy at the last minute. Could you..?"
"Sure. For next week, right? I'll try finding someone!" He laughed. "Bye, Margaretcchi!"
"I told you not to call me that!"
"Kuroko..." Kagami stared at the man. His eyes glared at him. "Put... That... Damn... Creature... Away!"
Said person being glared at blinked, chuckling. "Kagami-kun, don't be like that. Look at him, no?"
Aida nodded, a smile on her face. "Yes! It's really cute!"
Hyuuga peered at him. "Kagami, your name means 'tiger' right?"
"But you're such a scaredy cat towards dogs." Koganei sweatdropped.
Kiyoshi laughed, "I guess it can't be helped, right? Every person has their own fears!"
Kagami growled. "Shut up!" He pointed. "Go away, you dog!"
"Taiga. At least, be nice to it. It's still a living being," Himuro calmed him down. "But is it really alright that I go with you guys? This is Seirin's reunion after all. I wasn't a part of Seirin."
Aida grinned at the male, patting his back. She told him cheerfully, "Himuro-kun, you're still one of us!" Himuro looked at her with surprise, before cracking a smile. Aida continued, "Besides..." She gazed at Kagami. "Who can take care of him besides you? You've know him the longest."
"Take care? That sounds like a mother and child..." Himuro sweat dropped.
"Eh, you have...motherly instincts, I guess?"
"I'm not that comfortable being told that..." he concluded. "I'm male."
"Well...it's just a feeling, okay? Don't take it too seriously, Himuro-kun!" She giggled.
As Hyuuga continued to stare at Aida for reasons, Kuroko said, "Everyone, let's go. We've arrived at Kintoki Restaurant already. I'm hungry." He opened the door.
They nodded and felt their stomachs grumbling. "Let's hurry and order," was their agreement.
"Mwore pwease" Kagami ordered between bites. As usual, he was eating like a pig. Everyone looked at him as if he was crazy. Kagami raised an eyebrow and gulped the food down. "What?"
Izuki shook his head. "Nah, nothing. It's been a while since I last saw you eat like that, anyway."
"Kagami-kun is a pig after all," Kuroko said truthfully.
Kagami snapped at him, "Shut up, Kuroko!"
Aida took a bite again, still smiling. Hyuuga, who had been staring at her the whole time, twitched and slammed the table. "What's," he breathed. "The matter with you, Riko?!"
She blinked at him, tilting her head. "What do you mean, Hyuuga-kun?"
"You've been smiling the whole time! You look like you're really happy! And when you're like this, there's something up your sleeve..."
She smirked. "Why, Hyuuga-kun..." At her expression, Hyuuga gulped. "You're correct!"
"I got an invitation! To a party~ where the once but still popular band will be reunited!"
...
"Excuse me?" Kuroko asked. "A party?"
Aida nodded eagerly, "Yes! And I heard that one of the Generation of Miracles ─ the one we saw yesterday ─ will be singing there! We can sing too of course! As Seirin!"
They frowned. "I thought that we'd never sing again…since that incident." Looking at Kuroko, they cast a sad look that said sorry. Kuroko looked away, taking a bite of his meal.
"Kuroko?" Koganei asked.
"I'm not blaming you all for it. It's the past. I was at fault as well, for hating it once." Kuroko sighed. "...Truthfully, I miss singing with you all."
Kagami grinned. "Then it's settled! Let's go there."
Aida rolled her eyes. "That was my intention from the start, idiot."
Everyone laughed except for Kuroko, who suddenly excused himself for some business, to their protests but they let him off anyway.
"Eh? What do you mean by that, Akashicchi?" Kise blinked at his phone, raising his voice. "Go to a party? But─"
"Everyone is busy. You're the only one who I can count on," Akashi explained. His voice sounded restrained when he said "the only one who I can count on". "I'll give you the details via text. The party is tomorrow, so be prepared."
"Akashicchi, wait─"
Kise groaned, hearing the line cut. Oh Akashi, how usual for you to hang up without a "bye". What was Kise going to do now? He thought he better get home fast to prepare for tomorrow. "I'm busy too though..." he mumbled. "Oh well, it's Akashicchi after all."
And so home it was.
Why was fate being so cruel to him?
Here he was, sitting at the park beside the new member that had just joined the Generation of Miracles, Kuroko Tetsuya.
It wasn't like Kise hated him or anything, to say that fate was cruel to him. But he hadn't gotten close to Kuroko yet either. He would be talking non-stop here if he'd become fond of him.
And better yet, Kuroko had asked him to make a song using his own lyrics?
Of course Kuroko knew about the party and that Kise would be singing there. Kise guessed it was Akashi who had told him that. But now, the main thing was that...a song? Kise had to make a song only because of Kuroko?
"Just do what I say." That's what Kuroko said. What a devil. Kuroko could be scary sometimes.
But why did Kuroko insist that Kise write a song on his own?
He snapped out of his daydreaming, gaping at Kuroko. Kuroko noticed the stare, as he sighed. "Kise-kun, if you can't write the lyrics what good would it be? Are you implying that the music should play and you can only sing 'nananana'?"
Kise's face flushed beet red. "Of course not, Kuroko-kun.!"
"Then shall I help you write it?" he offered, "First, I think I should ask you. Do you play sports or anything? You can use it as inspiration."
Kise blinked dumbly. "Eh?"
Kuroko continued further, "Lesson One for a singer: lyrics are written from your heart. The base of something you like can be a theme for your song.
"Just act like I'm your teacher in singing. I have more experience than you," he said bluntly. "There. So? What do you like or have played before?"
"I guess...basketball! I played it in elementary school until middle school," Kise ranted. "Eh, but I like soccer too─"
Kuroko released a chuckle, smiling slightly. "I'm glad that there's something you like."
For a second, Kise could feel his face getting hotter and his heart beating faster. Was it from embarrassment? "Yeah…"
"Then basketball it is. Go on. Write," Kuroko said. "But then again, it will be quite hard. Well, you can write anything if you've felt it."
The evening was spent with Kuroko helping Kise write his own song. At the end, it was finished. Kise only had to write the notes after that and Kuroko believed that he could do it. "Kuroko-kun. Can I ask you for a favor?"
Kuroko raised his head. "What?"
"U-Uh...dress up as a girl?"
...
...
"I don't mean something weird! I just... Uh, my modeling agency had some trouble. They can't find a girl to model. I thought…you could…"
"I'm afraid I have to reject. Why me anyway? Kise-kun, you're quite weird. Ask Momoi-san. Now, goodbye. I'll see you tomorrow."
Kise face palmed. "What was I thinking?"'
It was time; it should be starting soon. Kise had borrowed a suit from his agency. Everyone else at the party was dressed similarly. They looked good. Some people he recognized were the popular Seirin and a few former idols that had shone before the Generation of Miracles.
"Now, a song from the famous Kise Ryouta ─ the bassist of the Generation of Miracles!" someone shouted.
Kise took that as his cue to step up. He gazed at the entire room, spotted Seirin and one of their members who was eating like a pig and someone ─ a girl ─ scolding him about be eating properly. Kuroko was sitting there, reading a book to ease his boredom.
He sweat dropped at the scene.
The drum sounded as the song began.
K-I-S-E Shalalala
Shalala recklessly perspiring
Right now is the moment I can be stronger
This vexing pass is burning up
It's because I've always been searching for an admirable guy
Oh, he'd already found one. Admirable guy? They were Akashi, Murasakibara, Aomine and Midorima. But the main one...was Aomine.
No matter what kind of hurdle it is
I will show you that I can overcome all of it
Kise's lips curved into a smile. He himself wondered. He'd smiled while singing a song. Did this mean that he enjoyed singing?
Don't say such unkind words to me, do you have to do that?
Even though we tried our best together, aren't you lonely?
Well, since I can do anything I'm popular among the girls but
Even though I'm like this I'm unexpectedly serious and determined, you know?
Unkind words. Three people: Aomine, Midorima and Akashi. Although sometimes Murasakibara mocked him as well.
Yes, Kise could be unexpectedly determined. He wanted to show that to his friends.
Even though it's not so me ─ I cry too
Ah, perhaps this is youth, is it?
Shalala recklessly hanging on I'm still improving too
It's endlessly fun! They are serious that's why it's more interesting
I'll play you! I'll knock the wits out of you
Even though I look stylish, it's okay even if I have to be unrefined
I can't be halfhearted, there's no meaning to it if I don't win.
It didn't matter if he didn't win. Winning was everything.
These days I feel that I can completely grasp the next me
My hunches are right on, you know. Look forward to it!
I work hard to the extent it can be terrifying
Aa, this what they called evolving ability – this ain't the highlight yet
Shalala recklessly perspiring
Right now is the moment I can be stronger
This vexing pass is burning up
It's because I've always been searching for an admirable guy
No matter what kind of hurdle it is
I will show you that I can overcome all of it.
He repeated the first part again. The song was nearly finished.
Shalala recklessly hanging on I'm still improving too
It's endlessly fun! They are serious that's why it's more interesting
I'll play you! I'll knock the wits out of you
I'll show you that I'll instantly overcome the huge hurdle now
K-I-S-E Shalalala!
His heart felt light. And Kise smiled his brightest smile ever at the audience.
Kuroko secretly hid a smile; he had succeeded. Changing the Generation of Miracles one by one, he could surely do it.
"That was great." Kuroko voiced his thoughts to Kise who was walking beside him. He smiled. "It was different from before. I'm glad."
Kise grinned. "I feel that singing is fun!"
"Glad to hear that."
Silence overtook them. Kise thought about the song. He'd made it himself. It felt great, expressing your feelings through a song. Singing was fun. Why hadn't he realized back then? He'd only started singing for fun and he was taken into the Generation of Miracles because of his talent. Glancing at Kuroko, Kise sighed. It was all because of this guy. He was really grateful ─ admirable guy huh? "Kurokocchi," he suddenly said.
Kuroko looked at Kise in confusion.
Kise smiled back. "Kurokocchi!"
Kuroko arched an eyebrow, and shrugged it off. After all, Kise was weird, so it was no wonder he added weird nicknames. Kuroko decided to brush it off.
Kise made a note.
He corrected his previous thought; admirable guys were no longer only those four.
There were five. With Kurokocchi!
A few days after that. Pretty much as an Omake
"Kurokocchi! Can I have your number pleaassee?" Kise pleaded. His crocodile tears failed to make the boy sympathize him.
Kuroko sighed. He guessed that Kise would continue trying to persuade him. "Alright." So he handed Kise his phone.
After Kuroko was done, Kuroko edited something, which didn't go unnoticed by the model.
"What are you doing─ Kurokocchi! Why am I a puppy here?!"
"Because you look like one."
"How cruel!"
"I did this with the others as well, see?"
It was true. Akashi: scissors. Aomine: hentai book. Midorima: a carrot. Murasakibara: snacks. Momoi: a peach.
Kise sweat dropped.
A/N: So sorry for the late update :/ This chapter was done one week ago, but I was sick.. so.. and I'm still sick if you're wondering. MAANN I'M BACKK! Two weeks more and I can write freely~ Thank you for all of your support, guys! And don't forget to thank Airway Static for beta-ing :)
Btw, are you guys interested in Kuroko dressing up as a girl for work? I mean, Kise did ask him. I can use it for a total humor chapter/anything! If you're wondering why did Kise ask that, it's because he remembered that Margaret asked him that. Well, Kuroko looks really feminine and cute for me /shot. I can use it for a PV~
Oh! Please check out my new story; Losing. I'm writing the next chapter when I'm done with exams. AA- National exams. Gotta past it to go to middle school :) Yeah, I'm elementary. I'm thinking to write an Akashi x OC story but.. I suck at it :/ It's just that I heard that he has 2 personalities; cruel and kind. MUAHAHA -Don't mind my ramblings.
Oh yeah, yes, I reversed it. Seirin met Kuroko first than the GoM~
OH YEAH I FORGOT! I MADE A POLL! ABOUT THIS STORY TOO! PLEASE VOTE IT! IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE STORYYYY!
I honestly can't do much to thank you guys. You've been a great supporter, I mean, my dream is finally fulfilled! having more than 100 favorites/followers XD
Okay, I'm done here. Sorry for such long A/N. Ciao!