~Falling Hard~
~HEY GUYS! Long time no see. After a short Hiatus on all stories I am back, and what better way to reappear than with an extra chapter on my best and most loved story! This chapter is dedicated to all my wonderful backers who kept me in good faith with writing!
Special Dedication: Riahsparks : Who requested a chapter to help her get out of a writers block. That stuff sucks I know.
Song: Hajimari No Hi~ Rock Musical Bleach: Live Bankai Show: 003
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach, however I own several DVDs of it. I also do not own any of the characters used in this, nor any songs or lyrics. The only thing I claim rights to is the fictionalized fantasy that is 'Falling Hard.'
Extra Chapter: Life Goes On
'Music is a total constant.'
Toshiro's POV
I pushed my silver bangs from my eyes as I walked up to Momo's door and knocked. I was picking her up before one of my concerts. I even had a special treat for her. It was our two year anniversary since we started dating. I loved her so much it hurt to be away from her for any amount of time. Since we had started dating, I had landed a record deal with some big wig label company called 'Seireitei Music.' Momo had enrolled in the local college and was still taking acting classes. Let me tell you, that girl can act her butt off. Yeah, life was great, and it was about to get better.
I was shaken from my inner reflections when Momo opened the door. 'Kami she's gorgeous,' I thought while a slow smile crept onto my lips. She was dressed in a short, silvery dress with a white sash tied around the middle. In her dark hair were sparkly butterfly clips place to keep her bangs from her face. On her wrist, the aqua ribbon I gave her on her birthday three years ago. (A/N: There was a two year time skip, in case you hadn't noticed yet.)
"How do I look?" She asked me biting her lip and blushing.
"Beautiful." I said shaking my head and holding out my hand to her. She blushed more and looked down. "Ready to go?" I asked her.
"Yeah," she said smiling at me. She stuck her head back inside her house for a second. "Dad I'm leaving! See you later tonight." She called.
"Bye , I'll take good care of her." I added sticking my head in the door above hers. Momo's father came into view and shook his head while rolling his eyes.
"You two go have fun and good luck at the concert." He said waving us away.
"Will do sir," I said as we descended the steps and I helped Momo into the car. I had long ago dropped my old stage name and just accepted the "no privacy" fact of my life. We waved at him as I backed out of the driveway and soon we were on our way to Osaka.
"What is you set list for the night Shiro-chan?" Momo asked me as I turned onto the road that held the theater I would be singing in.
I turned and smirked at her. "It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you now would it?" I laughed. "You'll just have to wait and find out like everybody else." Surprisingly enough, the media had yet to find out whom I was dating. I actually had Rangiku to thank for that, well…maybe not. I was still not talking to her for her last comment she gave to the media.
"Miss Matsumoto, could you give us a hint as to who Mr. Hitsugaya is dating?" A reporter asked Rangiku one day. The group (Toshiro, Momo, Rangiku, and Gin) had all gone to the beach and they had been swarmed by media.
"He isn't dating anybody that I know of." Rangiku said waving her hand away, dismissing the question.
"We've had unidentified sources tell us that he had a girlfriend." The reporter said, not giving up. He turned to Momo next. "Is it you miss?" he asked.
"No," Momo said shaking her head. She looked around thinking of a way out. "I'm his sister." She blurted out the first thing that came to mind. Toshiro dead panned and mentally face palmed the ground beneath his feet several times.
"But you look nothing alike." The reporter said.
"Adopted," Rangiku, Gin, and Momo said at the same thing.
"Besides," Rangiku giggled linking her arm through Toshiro's. "He wouldn't have a girlfriend."
"Why not?" The reporter asked.
"Because he's gay silly!" The red-head laughed.
"MATSUMOTO!" Toshiro screamed.
'That's why we have such a strong visceral connection to it, you know?'
I clenched the steering wheel tighter as I thought about it. It had taken Alwyn three weeks to clean up those rumors and secure a fake name for Momo. I sighed and shook my head.
"Thinking about Rangiku again?" Momo asked hiding a giggle behind a cough.
"How did you know?" I asked as I parked behind the theater, security guards already walking towards us to escort us inside the theater.
"The look on your face," Momo laughed, unbuckling as I exited the car and walked around to her side.
"Yeah well, it was a terrorizing moment for me okay?" I said helping her out of the car. "Besides, what a shame it would be for you if I were gay." I winked at her and smiled softly as she linked her fingers through mine.
"Mr. Hitsugaya, Miss Hinamori, right this way please." A security guard said walking up to them. I nodded quickly and Momo and I followed him into the back of the theater. A dull roar could be heard from the front of the building. It would be full packed tonight.
'Good, just how I want it.' I thought with a slight smirk. Once backstage, I kissed Momo on the cheek and shoved her lightly to the stage. "Go get a seat and say hi to Alwyn on your way, I think she's on stage bossing the band around." I said laughing; indeed I heard my manager's voice yelling at the band members.
"Good luck, Shiro-chan." Momo said walking away. I smiled at her retreating back and grabbed the mic on of the stage hands handed me.
"Might want to hurry, Alwyn is in a tizzy." The man told me with a slight grimace.
"Isn't she always?" I asked laughing, but Alwyn mad is a very scary thing, so I hurried up putting the mic on. "Hey Alwy—" I shut my mouth and stood there quietly when my manager whirled around and glared at me.
"Ten minutes." She said calmly. Usually people would think, 'Oh, she's calm its okay.' No. Alwyn, clam, means the world was probably about three seconds from imploding.
"Ten minutes?" I asked not comprehending.
"They open the doors in ten minute Toshiro." Alwyn said taking a deep breath. "You have TEN MINUTES TO GET SET UP AND READY." She suddenly screamed. I saw Momo's eyes widen from where she was standing in the front.
I quickly scrambled for the rest of the band and told them the first song we were doing. For my purposes, I had kept tonight's set list to myself; luckily they were all songs they knew already. Five minutes to door opening, Alwyn ushered us backstage. I winked at Momo and mouthed 'I love you,' before heading backstage.
Have you ever had the thrill of sitting backstage as the theater or auditorium or wherever you are performing? It's exhilarating listening to people's voices and knowing that they are there for you. (A/N: It honestly is. I'm a three year theater veteran and a Bander.) I smiled and waited patiently for Alwyn's signal to go on stage. I couldn't have missed it that's for sure. She stood on the other side of the stage and frantically waved her arms above her head. I face palmed and collected myself before nodding to the band members. Together we walked on stage.
"Keep it calm and keep it together." Alwyn's voice said in our ear pieces. I nodded and waved at the crowd. The ensuing screams could be heard through our earpieces. My drummer, Ichigo Kurosaki, (Yeah, Karin's older brother, but still a good friend of mine), flinched a bit before recollecting himself, I turned to the others and nodded.
The keyboard player, Kira Izuru, started playing, quickly joined by the lead guitarist and bass players, Renji Abarai and Gin respectively.
To my heart enclosed in coldness
You gave your days
A warmth like the spring breeze
Eye without malice and a simple kindness
Being alone for too long
Made me unable to laugh
You took me along
Laughed and other things
Your smile lit up the bleak future.
Ichigo started banging on the drums and then Renji started singing.
To my world covered in dirt
You gave your days
The laughter of friends
A close bond, a hope for living
I joined in for the chorus, and girls started screaming loudly. I spied Momo in the front row smiling at me brightly.
I wonder if tomorrow has good things in store
Tiding over countless sleepless nights
I wonder if tomorrow has good things in store
Counting the warmth in those starting days
Renji faded out again and I sang the last two lines alone.
I wonder if tomorrow has good things in store
Time cannot be turned back
I waited for the screams to die down a bit before waving and thanking the crowd. "How'd you like that opening song?" I asked. Crazy fan girls started screaming again and waving their hands around like crazy. I saw Momo duck as to not be hit by the girl next to her. I chuckled. "I'll take that as a good review then." I turned to the guys and nodded, Ichigo rolled his eyes.
"You never told us what was next." He mouthed. Of course I didn't. I grimaced, when I'd gone to tell them Alwyn had freaked out and silenced us for the rest pf the waiting period.
"Anything, just play anything." I mouthed back frantically. Renji started playing the opening chords of 'Two is Better than One," and I got a brilliant idea. I rolled my hand over signaling him to play it over until I was read to go on. I dashed backstage and asked for an extra mic. A very confused Alwyn handed over.
"What are you doing Toshiro?" She asked suspiciously. I winked and ran back on stage. "Hitsugaya!" I heard her hiss behind me. I walked over to where Momo was standing by the stage and she spied the mic in my hand. She started shaking her head furiously. I nodded and grabbed her hand.
"Just this once," I whispered handing her the mic. I drug her to the middle of the stage with me and saw some very mean looks thrown at her from some girls in the front. I gave thumbs up to Renji and he nodded, replaying the opening chord one more time.
I remember what you wore on the first day
You came into my life and I thought
'Hey, you know this could be something'
Cause every thing you do and words you say
You know that it takes my breath away
And now I'm left with nothing
I nodded at Momo and we both started singing.
So maybe it's true
That I can't live without you
And maybe two is better than one
There's so much time
To figure out the rest of our lives
And you've already got me coming undone
And I'm thinking two, is better than one.
I stepped back a bit and let Momo take the spotlight. She shot me a look, but she took a deep breath and started singing anyway.
I remember every look upon you face
The way you roll your eyes the way you taste
You make it hard for breathing
Cause when I close my eyes and drift away
I think of you and everything's okay
I'm finally now believing.
I stepped up beside her and took her hand, lacing my fingers with hers.
That maybe it's true
That I can't live without you
And maybe two is better than one
But there's so much time
To figure out the rest of our lives
But you've already got me coming undone
I'm thinking two is better than one
I remember what you wore on the first day
You came into my life and I thought
'Hey…'
Maybe it's true
That I can't live without you
And maybe two is better than one
But there's so much time
To figure out the rest of my life
But you've already got me coming undone
And I'm thinking
Oooh, I can't live without you
Cause baby, two is better than one
There's so much time
To figure out the rest of my life
But I'll figure it out when all is said and done
Two is better than one
Two, is better than one
When the song ended, I pulled Momo close to me and kissed her forehead. "I love you." I whispered softly. She blushed and smiled softly.
"I love you too." She said. "But don't ever make me do this again." She was smiling when she said it though. She pulled away from me and started walking back to where she had been standing, but I pulled her back.
"Wait," I said smiling widely. She turned back to me and turned her head to one side. "Momo, I love you so much. You know that right?"
"Toshiro, there are a lot of people around." She said lowly looking around. The theater had gone silent and everyone was watching intently. Heck, there were even video cameras out.
"I know, that's how I want it." I said. I looked off stage to see the very bright red face of Alwyn. Oh, she is mad. I grimaced, but she'd just have to live with it, this was my night. "Momo," I said softly, motioning for her to come closer. She did but was still looking at me suspiciously. I grabbed her hands and smiled, she is going to hate me.
'Because a song can take you back instantly to a moment, or a place, or even a person.'
Momo's POV
What is he doing? What does he think he's doing? This is soooooo embarrassing. I just knew my face had to be bright red. He smiled at me and dug into his pocket.
"Do you trust me?" He asked smiling all the while. I nodded cautiously. "Good," he said.
"Why?" I asked, I was so confused. Then Toshiro did something that threw me off. He got down on one knee. "Shiro-chan," I gasped. I heard a few enraged gasps from the audience behind us. I even heard one girl, or was it a guy, yell: "He's supposed to marry me!"
"Momo Hinamori, like we jut sang, I can't live without you. Will you marry me?" Toshiro asked holding out a really pretty ring. I covered my mouth with my hand and nodded, unsure of whether or not words would come out of my mouth if I opened it. He rose up and smiled widely at me while he slipped the ring on my finger. "Thank you,' he whispered, holding me close.
I smiled and felt tears fall down my face. I heard the boys giving cat calls and whistling. Toshiro pulled back and kissed my forehead, he chuckled softly as he wiped the tears from my eyes. He turned and waved at the crowd and led me off the stage. I saw his manager Alwyn walk toward us, it looked like she was bordering between killing Toshiro and crying.
"Hitsugaya, next time you pull something like that do you mind letting me know so I don't have a panic attack about my career." She said pulling us into a hug. Toshiro laughed.
"Yeah Alwyn I'll let you know." He said rolling his eyes.
"Congratulations anyways," Alwyn said waving the rest of Toshiro's band over. "Okay boys, seeing as tonight was just about as much cute as I could handle, we'll have to schedule another concert soon. Think about dates and times in your spare time. Oh and Toshiro," Alwyn said noticing us walking away. He looked up. "Make a set list and make sure they know it next time please." She smirked at me.
"Sure thing Al," Toshiro said waving as he tugged me forward. "Come on Momo, let's go home. I don't feel like getting mobbed by a bunch of fan girls tonight." He chuckled, his aqua eyes shining as he looked down at me.
"Yeah," I said softly. "Home…"
No matter what else has changed in your or the world, that one song says the same, just like that
~The End~
So what did you guys think? I hope you enjoyed my little extra chapter. I actually got a little idea after writing this, maybe for an alternate ending/ sequel fic. I'll work on it and see how it turns out. The quote about music is from Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. I will post Japanese lyrics to Hajimari No Hi as a separate fiction; it'll be under Rock Musical Bleach. Which is under musicals and plays. Anyway, Ja ne for now!
~Shimmerz~