Months, many months later.
Okay, not really, just two months and 3 weeks, but that's close to three months counting another week, but that week doesn't cound since they weren't on that week.
Actually it was Wednesday, therefore it would be 2 months, 2 weeks, and 4 days. But other than that, Natsuki's life was swell. It was late December, and almost Christmas, which was the Day after Cobalt Blues first gig.
They practiced endlessly, so hard, that Natsuki had regained the skills she once had a year ago, but alas, she was getting behind in her studies, but Shizuru was glad to help her there.
However, the day of the Gig could have changed Natsuki's lifestyle, how she thought about people, especially Shizuru.
--
"Hello Folks, today's gig is a new young band, Cobalt Blues starring Natsuki Kuga, Kiana Kuga, Kazuko Masashi, and Ryu Shimatara, funded in by our very own Ms. Fujino!"
The audience whistled and clapped as they waited in line for the day, I mean, after seeing the pictures, most of the girls wanted Ryu and Kazuko, and sometimes Kiana and Natsuki, and most of the guys wanted Natsuki and Kiana, and a few after Kazuko, but Kenju made the fanboys back off.
Natsuki, Kiana, Kazuko, and Ryu were rehearsing in the back room, they started in an hour and thirty. "Okay, so did everyone get a free ticket in?"
Kiana smiled. "I made sure Anzu, Pris, Shin, Kara, Grace, Ayame, Hisa, and Ayuki got in. Trent was following Anzu again…bah, I would've kicked his ass after he told me off…."
Ryu sighed. "As much as I agree with you, I still don't get why you hate him so much…"
Kiana blushed, "N-none of your reason Ryu!!"
Kazuko grinned. "Oohohoho, I see, someone is getting on MY side of the train…"
Natsuki raised an eyebrow. "You're on a train? I don't see anything goin' choo choo…." Everyone stared at Natsuki, before erupting in laughter. "Oh, between Kenju and Kazuko, things are SURE to be goin' Chuga, Chuga, Choo Choo!" Kiana laughed, pulling the invisible lever you'd see in any of those old cartoons you'd use to get up at 6 am in the morning to watch, but then would yell at your parents every Saturday you miss them.
Ryu shuddered, "That was a bit too far Kiana, I'm …flabbergasted…"
"And yet, the disturbing part of this conversation is the fact that flabbergast is a word, I mean, in Microsoft Word, it doesn't have that annoying ass red squiggly line under it like every other word…like MY name for instance," Kiana fumed on.
Kazuko laughed. "Oh wow…anyways, I think its time to practice, we've fooled around eno- oh Hey Anzu."
Kiana, Natsuki, and Ryu turned around to see a smiling Anzu. "Hey, good luck bro, Kazuko, Natsuki, and you too Kiana…" Anzu took out a camera and flashed it.
"Totally a Kodak moment…your first gig."
Kiana let out a bright smile. "Ohmegoshh, I remember those commercials. Sometimes they mean a lot too me…"
Natsuki looked at her sister. "Why?" It was a simple question, it could have been rhetorical. But no, Natsuki had to ask the three letter word. It wasn't like anything bad was going to happen.
"Its cause in pictures…it freezes times and puts it in a frame. Like, sometimes during precious moments like these, you can remember your feelings, strong or weak, whether its for your friends, or someone you…like…"
Kiana blushed, and got up from her seat to get a drink, during the same time as Ryu, and they bumped into each other. Kiana grew into a tomato head like Natsuki would, but at contact with Ryu.
"A-ah…sorry…"
Ryu grinned, setting her back into place. "That's okay, so what would you like, a Coke, or some Juice."
Natsuki, Kazuko, and Anzu watched the interaction between the two.
Idiot, why'd I say that, and then make my self look like a fool! Baka, me, I, Kiana Kuga admit I am a big idiot.
…
So Kiana likes Ryu, huh…
--
Approximately an hour and 30 minutes later. (hehehe)
--
Shizuru sat anxiously in the squished café arcade, a hangout for most of the highschoolers. Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and her heart raced as the members of Cobalt Blue walked onto the stage.
Shizuru blushed, Natsuki was absolutely stunning. She had let Shizuru do her make up earlier, 'cause Shizuru kept whining, but as beautiful as she looked, Shizuru may have regretted it. All around her were squeals for her…ahem…Natsuki.
But indeed, Natsuki was stunning, she was wearing black skinny jeans that had a few rips, and a white dress shirt that had a few buttons open showing off a white shirt underneath that had blue stripes across and said Cobalt Blues. Around her neck was a loose tie, and her hair was tied up in one of those smexy-arse messy buns. Her emerald eyes seemed to scan the crowd, until she locked eyes with Shiuru, and gave her a soft smile that melted Shizuru's heart.
"Natsuki…" Shizuru whispered.
The two had a moment, where everything seemed to slow down, until Kiana jumped out looking almost the same as Natsuki but wearing blue denim shorts with rips, a pair of checkered Vans, and a black dress shirt opened all the way with a white tang top. Kazuko and Ryu were merely in jeans and shirts, but together, they did look like a band.
"Sup Everyone, good evening, blah blah, all that stuff. Anyways, We're Cobalt Blue, and since is the first time you've seen us perform, I'll introduce us. I, the lead vocals, also guitarist, am Kiana Kuga. The Lead Guitarist, is Natsuki Kuga, my younger sister. Our drummer here is Kazuko Masashi, and our Bassist is Ryu Shimatara. We formed this band not long ago, so we've only got one of our own songs down, but I hope you enjoy some of our cover songs. Well, please enjoy!"
A loud cheer erupted as they awaited the ear-blasting music to traumatize their ears and let their souls move freely as they rocked to the music.
After playing their first two cover songs, Kiana brushed sweat of her forehead, as she finally announced their first song they've been working endlessly on.
"It's not perfected, no not at all, but this is our song: Imperfectness."
Kazuko tapped a silent beat, as Natsuki took a deep breath before letting her fingers fly off on the fret board, her pick hitting the strings of the guitar at sixteenth notes, creating an awed audience as they watched Natsuki rock on.
Kiana counted, and finally begun to sing.
"Oh its 3am deep in the dark morning,
Fuck you aren't there
and I'm still thinkin' bout you.
Oh, I open my eyes, the sun won't rise,
I can't let it shine…"
Crescendo, forte, Natsuki had gotten everything down. As much as she wanted to smirk in satisfactory, she didn't, or she'd lose concentration and screw up. But she did take a peak at Shizuru, who was staring back at her. Natsuki shut her eyes fast, as she just had told her self, she did NOT want to lose concentration, because she easily could lose herself in Shizuru's eyes…wait, what?
Natsuki was about to smack herself, but luckily, it was her turn to be silent in the song, therefore she didn't mess up at the thought. Gah, what was I thinking! Such a thing…ack, I'll kill myself afterwards. Kiana'll murder me if I screw up now….
Natsuki played her part again, waiting for the first verse of the chorus to play; she had loved that part.
One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. Natsuki silently counted the measures in her head, and released her fingers in another tornado as the chorus started.
"So take one more step,
don't forget that camera,
don't forget that music,
And take another step closer to me,
Yeah,
'Cause I'd swim the ocean for you
Cross the deserts for you
Get blisters and cuts, all for you,
Cause yeah' you know I'm always lookin back at you…
You and your imperfect flaws..."
Natsuki let the words pour through her soul, which was one thing she loved about Kiana's song. Kiana didn't just make it for one person, she wrote for everyone who was in love, and oh, could Natsuki relate to it.
Again!?
Natsuki gritted her teeth, but the music and lyrics soothed her muscles to relax.
"You hold the key to my heart,
Let me in to yours,
Don't lock me out,
There's no point in hiding it,
No, not anymore,
I want you,
I need you,
Three fuckin' words,
I love you…
you and your imperfect flaws..."
Natsuki let out a breath, and opened her eyes. As if her ears weren't deaf by the amp behind her blasting all the notes that she had played, but now the café had erupted into cheers, whistles, and screams.
Blushing, Kiana had ran up to her and hugged her, pulled her, Ryu, and Kazuko to the front, and they all bowed. At the same time, she looked at Ayuki, Hisa, Shin, Shizuru, Anzu, Kenju, Ayame, Grace, and Kara to meet us out in the back, and we slowly watched them exit.
After talking with them and answering a few questions our gig was over and we exit out the back.
--
It was silent, the group went to go Karaoke and partied, but everyone soon left, leaving Ryu, Anzu, Kiana, Natsuki, and Shizuru to clean and pay.
Natsuki and Shizuru were in charge of all the cups, and after picking it all up, they had to put it in bags and bring it out.
The two walked slowly in the hall, observing each other in silence, until one would soon break the silence.
"So-"
"Ano-"
The two looked down embarrassed, until Shizuru gathered the courage to speak up. "Natsuki…that was really amazing. And you looked really beautiful out there…"
Natsuki blushed. "Really? The most I heard today was sexy…but…beautiful sounds much better…"
The two blushed.
"So…did you like our songs?"
"Yea, Kiana-san sings quite beautifully, but I would have preferred you to sing, Natsuki…"
"Ah, Shizuru, you know I sing worse than shit. And shit can't sing. So I can't sing for shit."
Shizuru laughed at Natsuki's sarcasm. "Your shittin' me…" she said in a joking accent.
"I shit you not dear one."
Both stopped in the hallway before bursting out in laughter. After putting the garbage away, Shizuru took a deep breath, with a blush on her face and finally said, "Stop."
Natsuki, who was close to the wall, suddenly turned her body the same time Shizuru had turned her head, and leaned in for a kiss, but the two foreheads clashed and Shizuru fell back with a red mark "Ittai…"
Natsuki rubbed her head too, but immediately jumped down to Shizuru. "Ah, gomen, Shizuru! That was so my fault, I, I, i…"
Natsuki stopped when Shizuru giggled, and Natsuki held up Shizuru. "Mou, you laugh at stupid things."
"Its cause your stupid."
"I am kinda stupid…"
The two stayed quiet, until Shizuru leaned foreword and kissed Natsuki lightly on the lips. The two blushed wildly.
"T-that..s…a…p-present! For doing such an awesome job!"
Natsuki blushed, her heart beating as sweat began to drench her. Oh my god, she kissed me! But…she said it was for a present…it doesn't mean she likes me…does it? Gah, Shizuru, look where your leading me too! Gahh, she's older, let her make the first move…
But she just did…
Natsuki closed her eyes, as the two continued to walk, but grabbed Shizuru's hand and held it, and whispered, "Thank you…"
They approached their door in silence, until it slammed open, and walked out an Anzu pulling out a grinning Trent.
Kiana looked horrified.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TBC.
Hey, they never asked each other out yet…