Chapter 13
It was the last day they were together. Neither Gakupo nor Kaito were sure whether the other wanted to continue seeing each other outside of the studio, and neither wanted to ask. It seemed like some unspoken rule, a taboo, for two male idols who were supposedly rivals to meet. Though the fans would surely squeal with delight, they weren't sure it would be a wise move in their careers. So neither of them spoke up.
"This is one of my favorite songs," Kaito said softly as they opened their books to practice.
"Really?" Gakupo asked politely, not raising his eyes. The atmosphere was very awkward.
"Yeah..."
"Well, I suppose we should get started?" Gakupo suggested.
"Yeah."
"I'll begin." Gakupo cleared his throat and then sang, "It seems my eyelids have yet to open."
Kaito took his cue. "They're growing drowsy in my sockets."
"I tried calling out the truth that is here," sang Gakupo.
"As I tried to mix the desire."
They sang together, "I show you a hybrid me, / Acting spoiled for a dynamic love. / As much as I have a romantic dream, / I'll blend it and drown it with your voice.
"I show you a hybrid me, / I show you a hybrid me. / Look at a hybrid me." They sang the la-la vocals perfectly.
They glanced quickly at one another, knowing fully well that the other was ready to record. Once more Kaito moved to do so, perhaps a little more slowly than usual. Gakupo forced his eyes to stay on the words, though he knew them by heart. The longer he stared at Kaito, the greater his desire grew. That could be bad.
Kaito returned to his microphone, and Gakupo started the music with a click of his button. They sang. Then they listened. Deemed the recording perfect. Same routine, as always. And still, neither left when they were through.
"I was thinking," Kaito said suddenly.
Gakupo looked up at him. Kaito was leaning back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling with his head tilting back, exposing his neck. Gakupo gulped back the desire to attack him. "Yes?" he asked instead.
"Should we include a bonus track?"
"Eh?" Gakupo frowned, wondering if he had understood him. The managers were coming by in the afternoon to pick up the songs and transfer them to a demo CD. They would submit that the record company, who would review it and then publish it, mass producing copies for the public. "Bonus track?"
Red bloomed across Kaito's cheeks, but he pressed the matter forward. "We could include an extra song, one that no one has heard before. A specially written one."
"Um, I see," Gakupo said, though he didn't. "And what song would it be?"
"One that only we have heard," Kaito said seriously. "Because we would write it together." It sounded almost like a question.
Gakupo suddenly understood. "Yes, that sounds nice."
A small smile graced Kaito's lips.
"We'll have to push the pickup date to tomorrow," Gakupo said. "We can write the song today, since there is time, and then run it through tomorrow before we record."
"But what will we tell the managers?" Kaito asked.
"We'll tell them that we just couldn't get it done today," Gakupo shrugged. "We'll say that I didn't feel well. That'll work on Gumi."
"I see," Kaito said. "Then we'll do that."
Gakupo looked at the clock. It was only two in the afternoon. "Do you have anything in mind for the song?"
Kaito's cheeks reddened again. "I think I do..."
"Then let's go for it." Gakupo sat up and grabbed a pen and paper from the table in front of him, and Kaito pulled out his phone to text their managers. "Let's surprise everyone."
A/N: Song is HYBRID.
One last chapter! ^-^b Thanks so much for all your support so far, it means a lot!