Day 5: Karaoke
This chapter would be more realistic if I knew more Japanese songs. As it is, for the purposes of this Extremely Serious Story, we will have to deal with my limited repertoire of English language oldies, late 90s pop songs, and the Love Actually soundtrack. I do not own any of these songs.
The legal drinking age in Japan is 20.
Chapter 5: Spotlight
Mimi loved karaoke bars. When her older college friends came to visit her and Koushiro to celebrate their upcoming graduation, she insisted that they all go out singing. Jyou was not a particularly talented singer, but he liked seeing his friends have fun, especially Mimi.
But Jyou lost his temper when he found out that Taichi had asked Koushiro to make fake IDs for everyone under the age of twenty, and Koushiro had complied.
"You can't do this! This is breaking the law!" Jyou shouted as Koushiro handed the cards to Taichi, and Taichi distributed them to his friends.
"Come on, Jyou." Taichi grinned. "You're the only one here old enough to drink legally. Be fair to the rest of us."
"I am being fair! I am applying the law fairly to all of you!" Jyou hissed. "You are all being very irresponsible!"
"We promise to drink responsibly," Sora insisted.
"You should be setting a better example, Sora!" Jyou grouched and crossed his arms stubbornly.
"Jyou…" Yamato put his hands on Jyou's shoulders. "Be cool, Jyou. For once in your life, be cool."
"Are you serious?" Jyou pouted.
"It's my party!" Mimi whined.
Jyou relented.
The six oldest Chosen Ones all ordered drinks and signed up to sing.
"You go first, Koushiro!" Mimi pushed the boy forward, knowing he would avoid participating the entire night unless she did something about it. And Mimi felt strongly that Koushiro should participate for his own party.
Koushiro sighed. "What should I sing?"
"Sing a graduation song! Something sweet and sentimental!" Mimi smiled at her classmate and wrote down a song for him.
Koushiro shrugged and got in line for the stage. He might as well get it over with.
The others sat down and started chatting. Jyou slid into the seat next to Mimi. Taichi called for a toast to friendship, and Mimi clinked her cup to Jyou's first.
Meanwhile, Koushiro reached the stage and squinted at the lyrics of the song Mimi had chosen for him: "Graduation (Friends Forever)."
It's not subtle, Koushiro observed, and he started singing a few beats late. His voice was high, clear, and very quiet. Mimi cheered him on.
"As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
Come whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever…"
Mimi wiped her eyes, already getting emotional.
"Will we still remember everything we learned in school?
Still be trying to break every single rule
Will little brainy Bobby be the stockbroker man?
Can Heather find a job that won't interfere with her tan?"
Koushiro frowned at the lyrics and lost his place again. "This song is stereotyping us!" he called out to Mimi.
"KEEP SINGING!" Mimi ordered.
"La la la la…" Koushiro counted the lala's dutifully, without much melody.
Koushiro sneaked off the stage when he got tired of repeating the final chorus, as if nobody would notice, and returned to his table. Taichi gave the boy his drink and he took a big swig.
"Koushiro, I don't think you were singing from the heart," Mimi pointed out.
Koushiro blinked. "I'm only here for the free food." He took a bite of the pizza Jyou had bought for the group.
The others laughed at how blunt Mimi and Koushiro were.
"Also, I can't sing that particular song from the heart when I'm not really leaving," Koushiro stated logically. "I'm going to the same college as Taichi and Sora. I'll be able to visit my parents every week."
"You know, you could be going somewhere more prestigious," Jyou said, a hint of jealousy in his voice. "Didn't you get into M.I.T. in the United States?"
"I did," Koushiro blushed and nodded. He didn't detect Jyou's jealousy. "But I don't want to go to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States. I want to stay here. I like it here."
"We like you being here," Sora said kindly.
"Absolutely! What would we do without you?" Taichi joined in.
Mimi looked uncomfortable. Jyou noticed her troubled expression and touched her hand under the table. She clutched his fingers gratefully.
Taichi looked over Mimi's head and saw that it was his turn. He ruffled Yamato's hair before he ran to the stage and laughed as he heard Yamato growl behind him. Then he jumped on the platform like a rock star, grabbed the microphone stand and leaned over.
Taichi didn't need to be drunk to be a complete ham.
"Darlin' you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go?"
Yamato grumbled, took a very long drink, and ordered another one. Sora patted his hair back down and he didn't object.
"I want to go to America," Mimi blurted.
"Is that what you decided?" Sora asked.
"This indecision's buggin' me
If you don't want me, set me free"
"Yyyeeesss," Mimi said slowly.
"Come on and let me know
Should I cool it or should I blow?"
"So you'll be returning to New York City in the fall?" Sora beamed. "That's so exciting, Mimi! That's what you wanted! I'm so happy for you."
"Thanks!" Mimi smiled back at her dear friend. She avoided Jyou's eyes.
"A toast for Mimi!" Sora raised her glass and the boys followed suit. Jyou clinked his cup against the others' and Mimi still didn't look at him.
"I'll miss you a lot," Sora said, maintaining her smile. She had expected Mimi to make this decision, but it still hurt.
"Me too," Koushiro said shyly.
"If I go there will be trouble
And if I stay there will be double
So you gotta let me know
Should I stay or should I go!"
Taichi finished the song out of tune, but with a ton of charisma, and bowed to the audience's half-hearted cheers.
"You know I'll miss all of you too!" Mimi's smile faded. She couldn't keep it up. She sniffled and took another sip, looking down at the table. She felt Jyou wrap his arm around her bare shoulders.
Taichi skipped back to the table and tapped his friends' heads until he stopped at Sora and ruffled her red hair. "Duck, duck, goose! It's your turn."
Sora smacked Taichi's hand off of her hair and walked to the stage. She was a tiny bit tipsy—enough to make her let loose. She sat down on the stage and sang in a tragic voice.
"Oooh oooh, ooooh yeah, mmmm..."
"What did I miss?" Taichi asked.
"Mimi is going to America," Yamato answered.
"Oh!" Taichi noticed that the girl looked emotional, and spoke in a gentler voice. "I think that's great! That's what you wanted, right?"
"Love can be a many splendored thing
Can't deny the joy it brings
A dozen roses, diamond rings
Dreams for sale and fairy tales"
Mimi laughed at Sora's melodramatic rendition of the Kelly Clarkson song. "Yes! It is!"
"I think it's great too," Jyou said, and squeezed her shoulder. "You're always talking about how much you loved New York City. You have a lot of friends there."
Mimi finally met Jyou's eyes and smiled gratefully.
"The trouble with love is
It can tear you up inside
Make your heart believe a lie
It's stronger than your pride"
"You're really good at making friends," Koushiro agreed. "You won't ever be lonely. Not you."
"Thanks Koushiro." Mimi's heart swelled at everyone's votes of confidence.
"This sad story always ends the same
Me standin' in the pourin' rain
It seems no matter what I do
It tears my heart in two"
Taichi nudged Yamato's shoulder. "Oy, what did you do to my best friend's poor heart?"
"Nothiiinggg," Yamato drawled, taking another long drink. "Sora is simply being dramatic."
Sora finished her song and there was a smattering of applause. But Mimi whooped loudly for her, which made Sora smile as she made her way back to the table. Yamato stood up and pulled out her chair for her, as if to prove that he was still a gentleman. Sora sat down and gave him the thumbs up.
"Good luck! Not that you need it," Sora said to him.
"Break a leg!" Taichi offered.
Yamato was just drunk enough that he forgot you were supposed to wish performers broken legs, and he scowled at Taichi. Then he strutted to the stage and grabbed the microphone in both hands. He gently swayed to the sweet harp melody and started crooning.
"Wednesday morning at five o'clock as the day begins
Silently closing her bedroom door
Leaving the note that she hoped would say more
She goes downstairs to the kitchen clutching her handkerchief
Quietly turning the backdoor key
Stepping outside she is free"
Yamato's voice filled the room and got everyone's attention. A few couples stood up to dance to his waltz.
"She (We gave her most of our lives)
Is leaving (Sacrificed most of our lives)
Home (We gave her everything money could buy)
She's leaving home after living alone
For so many years (Bye bye)"
"Whoa, what did you do to my man's fragile heart?" Taichi teased Sora. Sora giggled and fanned herself.
"She (What did we do that was wrong)
Is having (We didn't know it was wrong)
Fun (Fun is the one thing that money can't buy)
Something inside that was always denied
For so many years (Bye bye)"
"You're not doing anything wrong, Mimi," Jyou whispered.
"I know," Mimi whispered back. She squeezed his hand gratefully. "Neither are you."
"She's leaving home
Bye bye"
Yamato mournfully hit the song's final high notes. When he finished, the audience burst into applause. The noisy reaction suddenly made Yamato self-conscious, and he slinked off the stage back to his table.
"You were on fire!" Jyou said to him approvingly.
"Thanks Jyou," Yamato murmured and sat back down. "Is it your turn?"
"Yes," Jyou answered, and finished his drink for courage.
When he set the cup carefully on his coaster, Mimi grabbed his face and kissed him. Jyou's heart raced faster and he felt giddy as he walked up to the stage. He cleared his throat and began his chosen song.
"If I should stay
I would only be in your way"
"Oh my God. Is Jyou doing Whitney Houston?" Yamato whispered.
"So I'll go but I know
I'll think of you every step of the way"
"Uh, yep!" Taichi answered.
"That's our Jyou!" Sora cheered.
"And Iiiiiiiiiiii-eee-iiiii... will always love you, ooh
Will always love you
Yoooouuu
My darling, you...
Mmm-mm"
He was a terrible singer. Several people in the audience groaned, and one person threw a beer can.
Mimi covered her mouth and felt tears in her eyes.
"I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of
And I wish you joy and happiness
But above all this I wish you love"
Jyou persisted. He belted his heart out. Mimi needed to know how he felt.
"And Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii... will always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you
I will always love yooouuuuu!"
Jyou's table applauded his bravery, and the rest of the bar frowned at him. He graciously returned to his seat next to Mimi.
"That was amazing!" Mimi was in awe.
Jyou chuckled. "I think love has blinded you."
"You're the blind one, not me!" Mimi hugged him. Then she strode to the stage. She picked up the microphone.
"This is an old song…" Mimi started. "But I like old-fashioned things!"
Jyou buried his face in his hand and blushed.
"Start spreading the news
I'm leaving today
I want to be a part of it
New York, New York"
A big brassy band accompanied Mimi's song. Her voice was captivating. People got up to dance again.
"I wanna wake up in a city
That doesn't sleep
And find I'm queen of the hill
Top of the heap"
"Come on, we're dancing!" Taichi ordered. He pulled Yamato and Sora to their feet.
"Dancing?" Koushiro asked, in the middle of chewing his pizza. Taichi grabbed his arm and pulled him along too.
Jyou followed them. He knew that he would look like a fool dancing, but he didn't care. He bobbed his head up and down, wiggled his hips, and shook his hands in the air.
Mimi saw her tall, clumsy boyfriend immediately. He really stood out from the crowd. She was so glad that he was hers.
"And if I can make it there
I'm gonna make it anywhere
It's up to you
New York, New York, New York!"
Mimi finished her song, and the audience roared. Amidst all the clapping and cheering people, she lost sight of Jyou. A bright spotlight shone on her, blinding her, but Mimi smiled right at it, loving every second.
…
Songs:
"Graduation (Friends Forever)" by Vitamin C
"Should I Stay or Should I Go" by the Clash
"The Trouble with Love Is" by Kelly Clarkson
"She's Leaving Home" by the Beatles
"I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston
"New York New York" by Frank Sinatra