Chapter 17 Music
After everything was set for the day, Eriol accompanied Sakura. They headed to grab something to eat before Sakura had to go to the skating rink for her practice that day. As they waited for their orders, Eriol said, "Don't you get tired of all the things you've been doing?"
Sakura laughed and replied, "I should be asking you that. Comparing my activities to yours, I think yours is more tiring because of all the rehearsals, endorsements and all those stuff on top of school work. Mine is more recreational, while yours…is a job."
Eriol smiled and said, "Well, on the contrary, I view it as more recreational thing than work. I love music and I love how it feels to get to share it with other people." Sakura smiled.
"Yeah that sounds more like you." She commented. "But you know, I just have to say this, I hope you don't mind Eriol." She added.
Eriol smiled at her. "I think that you're such an amazing person who's very talented and down-to-earth considering the success you've already earned. It's rare to meet people like that."
Eriol smiled as he took a sip of his drink. As he set the glass down, he then looked at her. He then proceeded on to say, "Coming from you, Sakura, I'm deeply honored to hear that. I never really thought of it that way but thank you."
Sakura giggled a little as she was fiddling with the straw of her drink. She never, in her wildest dreams, thought that she would be friends with a pop star like Eriol a.k.a Shinzo. It was a refreshing experience but at the same time a natural thing that it seemed that they had known each other for such a long time. She felt really comfortable around him, like she could hang loose and be herself.
"I'm just curious, I really hope you don't mind if I bring this up, it's just been bothering me for sometime. I guess this whole pop idol friend thing is just a new thing to me. It's not every day I get to meet a super star as yourself." Sakura said as she leaned forward on the table and adjusted herself in her seat.
"Sure no problem. It's not everyday that a very important student officer asks me things. I don't get to meet people like that often as well." Eriol replied as he smiled at her. Sakura couldn't help but laugh a little.
"How did you start? I mean, music has just become like a part of you. What inspires you to play? What inspires you to write?" Sakura asked.
Eriol smiled again and leaned back on his seat. He then looked at her. He then answered, "My mom really loves music. She told me that as a baby as would put me to sleep either by playing the piano or singing to me. As I grew up, she would sing me to sleep until I was about six or seven when she started to get sick. One day, she just couldn't sing anymore."
"Oh Eriol. I'm sorry. If it's too personal, let's not talk about it." Sakura suddenly said, knowing how it feels to have lost a mother.
But he smiled at her. He then said, "No, it's not problem. It's the truth and I don't mind sharing it with a friend."
"Well if you are sure…" Eriol smiled again.
"My mother was a concert pianist back in England. She met my father back when they were in college taking up Bachelor of Music together."
"So music really does run in your blood." Sakura commented.
It made Eriol smile and more reflective. It was the first time he was talking about things so personal with another person, a girl for that matter. It was a new thing for him. He hadn't even realized that Sakura had already commanded that much trust from him that it was a new, refreshing experience to him.
"Anyway, they fell in love and they started a life together in England. They had me while they continued on with their careers, mother being a concert pianist and father a composer and producer. It was such a perfect life for all of us. But when I was six going on to seven, mother developed this illness in her throat. Her vocal cords were slowly becoming paralyzed and soon she started to have great difficulty in speaking. We consulted a lot of doctors and a lot of tests were done. Then it was found out that a lymph near her vocal cords was becoming enlarged. A biopsy was taken and it was found out that she had cancer." Eriol explained.
Sakura was silent. She could tell that it was really a painful memory for Eriol. She wanted to stop him but he had already made his choice in telling her. She could feel for him.
"Mother tried to get chemo and all but no matter what was done, it was already that much advanced. So she was taken from us in just a few months time. I was just a small kid then. I didn't quite understand what it all meant. Father told me that mother wasn't going to come home anymore. She had to go somewhere that we couldn't go to for a long time. So after that, father decided to move back here in Japan so start over. There were just so much memories back at England, although we come back every year to visit mother's grave and mother's parents."
"I told father that I wanted to continue with piano lessons just like mother had been teaching me. At first father didn't want to allow it. But when he heard me starting to play on my own, he took it upon himself to teach me. He taught me how to play, listen, sing and even compose. He said that I had a gift, just like mother's. So since then he was really been supportive. He kept on telling me that music is not something you think about but rather you feel passionately about. I guess I took it from there. A few years ago, Father started to let me join into small gigs and well some of his co-workers like what they heard and told him that he should allow me to start my own career. He was reluctant but eventually gave way. Together, we started to work. He helped produce some of my music but would really rather let me have a free hand in it. So now he's my manager and producer aside from being my dad. Some people ask me if it's hard but I tell them that it's hard to work if you look at it that way but he's my father and even if we don't see eye to eye most of the time, he still respects me as a son and as an artist. At home, it's purely family business no work discussions. But when it comes to work, it's very professional." Eriol explained.
Sakura then smiled. "It must be a fine line you two walk in. I mean, music is a family affair and music is your work. But I must say that it's a great tandem you two have built. He sure is very supportive of you."
Eriol smiled and nodded. "At home, he never really fails to tell me how proud he is of me and how proud mother is. I know fathers aren't that vocal with emotional stuff but my dad is. Maybe it's because ever since my mom died he had to stand as the father and mother to me."
"I know what you mean. That goes the same with me. My mother died a long time ago too. Since then, my dad had been raising my brother and me alone. He was the one who taught us how to cook, clean, sew, household stuff and more. Well 'nii-chan and 'tou-chan always told me that mother wasn't really good at sewing or doing other household chores aside from cooking and cleaning. But yeah I know what you mean." Sakura answered.
Eriol was a little surprised. He hadn't known that Sakura had also lost her mother. It somehow brought them closer together. They knew what each other felt since they both lost a parent and were raised by their fathers. "Just like you, my mom got sick and just couldn't get any better. I don't know what she had because I still can't find it in my heart to ask 'tou-chan. Even if he smiles a lot, I know he misses 'ka-chan so much. I don't want him to you know relive the pain. I haven't asked 'nii-chan too. I just don't know how to ask it. I was four when mother died so I don't remember much about her."
"All I know is that mother taught 'nii-chan how to play the piano and that she was a model when she was my age. She was loved by her family. She was a little clumsy but had a pure heart. She was very beautiful and kind. Sometimes I could swear that I could feel her next to me. My brother would say that she is when I get sick and stuff. I guess you can say that even if I miss her, she would just smile down from heaven and make me feel better. I'm not sure if that was the one that finally convinced 'nii-chan to teach me how to play the piano." Sakura said.
Eriol listened to her quite amused. Yes. They were just the same. It was like being in a club where you knew that you belonged somewhere. Though it was a club that they didn't want to grow. It was a morbid thought to say things like that.
"I guess we now know why we play." Eriol commented.
"But you didn't quite answer my question yet." Sakura said.
Eriol looked at her inquiringly. "You know…how do you come up with the songs? I mean, your words are well in a way very impressive." Sakura said.
Eriol couldn't help but laugh. "I wouldn't put it that way, Sakura." He said as he continued to laugh a little bit.
Sakura started to laugh a little too. "Well I just write what I feel. It's not like I have a relationship to draw inspiration from but it's just…well…you just have to write and think about it after you've put it down on paper. When you think that you can at least be proud of what you've written, then you start putting a tune on it." Eriol said.
"Easier said than done. I don't think I can ever do something like that. I'll leave all that to you." Eriol started laughing as Sakura started to laugh along with him.
"So the whole Shinzo Mizuhara persona…how did you come up with that name?" Sakura then asked.
"Well actually it was my dad's idea. He said that it was going to make things easier because at home I would be simply Hiiragizawa Eriol, his son and at work, Shinzo Mizuhara, the music artist. Either way, I like the idea too. It felt like I can be these two very different persons, a music artist that the country will somewhat know and a normal teenager outside the studio."
Sakura smiled at him. "I can understand that." She replied. Eriol smiled at her in response. Their food then arrived.
After eating their meal, they quickly headed to the skating rink for Sakura's practice. She was actually embarrassed a little to have him there. She knew that she still needed a lot of practice and well it was really going to be a little nerve-racking knowing that he was there to watch her. But she knew that it wasn't really that big of a deal. She had asked for his help after all.
It was fair enough to show him what he was getting into. At least he would have a better idea on what she was talking about. After warming up a bit, Sakura's coach arrived and told her to get ready to practice her short program.
Sakura then tried to block everything out from her mind. She knew that she had to concentrate really hard because she could get really hurt if she miscalculated or was less confident in her jumps. She positioned herself at the center of the rink and prepared herself. She took a deep breath and allowed the music flow through her when it started.
As Eriol watched Sakura, he couldn't help being amazed. What Sakura had been telling him was truly an understatement. He smiled as he understood. He then knew what kind of music would really fit her personality. She was right. It wasn't just going to be one genre. Eriol thought that he would mix something up just for her. Yeah. That would bee perfect. He was going to surprise her with that. He actually was resigned to the fact that he was going to compose a song just for her. It wouldn't be that hard. It wouldn't even take long. As long as he would be keeping Sakura in his mind, then he knew what he was going to do.
Eriol continued to watch Sakura practice as ideas started to run through his mind…about the tempo…the arrangement of notes…everything. She had asked him what inspired him to write and compose. This was exactly it.
For awhile now, it had been Sakura whom had been his inspiration. He admired her a lot. She gave her very best in everything that she did that it made him want to strive even harder, to try and see how far he could still go. She amazed him with the risks she was willing to take to do what was right, what was needed and what she wanted to achieve. He had never met a girl like Sakura before. She was very inspiring in Eriol's eyes.
Composing this song for her free program in the figure skating competition would be a small token in exchange for everything she had shown him, given him and done for him. It was the least he could do for a very dear friend.
After Sakura's practice, Eriol met her by the rink side. He smiled at her as she looked up at him. He was walking towards her and she was trying her shoes. "You were great, Sakura." Eriol commented.
Sakura blushed with the comment. "Thanks but I still need a lot of practice. And well, I better get started with the music for my free program because that would be harder to practice since it's going to be a longer routine." She then got up and gathered her bag.
"Well that wouldn't be a problem anymore."
"Ok?"
Eriol smiled at her and said, "You will have your music by next Monday. I promise. I will work on it and I will give it to you as soon as I've finished it."
Sakura was surprised. "Wait…I hope I'm not asking too much…I thought we agreed that you will help me with choosing the music and-"
"Yeah, yeah but I promise it will be ok. And no it's not asking too much. Just leave everything to me. You trust me right?"
"Eriol, it's not a question of trust because you know I trust you or else I wouldn't have asked you to help in the first place. It's just…I really hope I'm not asking too much."
Eriol started laughing. He told her, "Chill, Sakura. It's ok. It will be ready by next week I promise. It will be perfect for you so don't worry about it or anything related to it. Just focus on your program, that's it. That's all you need to do."
"Well, ok…if you say so." Sakura replied reluctantly. She wasn't really sure what he was up to. She figured that probably he was going to arrange some medley or something. How could she have known that he planned on composing a song just for her? "Thanks a lot, Eriol." She said.
Eriol smiled at her and replied, "No problem. You're welcome."
As they started to walk out of there, Eriol then said, "Ok with that out of the picture, we can now worry about the music for the play. Why don't you come over to my house tomorrow? We can arrange everything there. Me and my dad have a big CD collection so we can draw inspiration on that."
Sakura smiled and replied, "Ok. You'll have to meet me somewhere though because I really don't know where you live."
Eriol laughed and replied, "You won't need to. I'll pick you up. How does 9 sound?"
"9 is perfect. As long as we're not going to be followed by cameras until we get to your house, it sounds fine to me." Sakura answered and teased.
It made Eriol laugh again. Sakura smiled at him. "Don't worry. You're safe." He said.
"You might be able to meet my dad tomorrow." Eriol suddenly commented.
"Really? Gosh…then I have to be a little bit more presentable then?" Sakura replied.
Eriol turned to her and said, "Just be yourself. My dad is just a normal guy. He would rather wear jeans than a coat and tie."
"Really? Ok then. Plain Sakura will be fine then. But I'm really nervous meeting your dad if ever. I mean he's an accomplished producer."
"Maybe so but he's really just a simple guy. Trust me. You don't have to be nervous." Eriol reassured her. Sakura smiled.
(to be continued…)
Another turn it seems hehe. Anyway, I won't comment on this chapter much. I will only thank you guys for reading and reviewing. I hope that you get to review this chapter too. Thanks.
Michiko