Chapter 9: Nostalgia
Disclaimer: TeniPuri by Konomi Takeshi.
~oOo~
A/N: Don't scold me again for a late update. But I'm updating, see? –hides behind a table- Summer's finally here! And vacations also, so let's get it on! By the way, I want to mention all these people, they deserve to be mentioned, they help me keep going:
Egyptian Lover, Nina Natsu, FC, .lover, XdazedXdarkX, rebeccasanfujieijilvr, disneyrulz23, FujixSaku0709, Lewnuhhkau, Izaquix078, Princessy, unchangingxp, mangastoptazmo, SuChAbAKa, Kountry101, nertz, putrisha94, hieiashke, animeandmangaaddict, Isabella192, mystice, fire19, cutepuff, Miry, Kazumi Kairi or Kairi-chan, Xanpluto, AnGeLcUtIe12, EZ gal, Magicians of the Yami, PinkInnocence17, SpEciAL KiD, anonymousilicious, darknesses-light, faeriespark, sTrawberrykIss09, stupidityisntalwaystheanswer, Blotted Out, Car2nfreak, Chatychatchat121, Chibi-Kari, Hachigatsu San Tenshi, InnocentxSorrow, Lyndine, SoreNoMiko, Sweetcake rainbow, Yumetsukihime, chengaloo, edelric13, fightergirl009, mocha-lover, mouseter, pinkfloweree, sarcasticallythoughtful, vickibla, jHeyTTernallie, ShouOn, pinkkish
Enjoy reading! A few more reminders, the next scene you will be reading is in all italics because I intended the scene to be dreamy and at the same time the original script that was done for the play, with no reference or whatsoever to the real emotions of the characters, but after that it's back to reality. Hiroshi and Sakuno's presentation, comin' up!
~oOo~
His Eyes on Hers
~oOo~
Ninth Chapter: Nostalgia
In a romantically lit, cozy bar, the night is another one to pass with the merriment of a few persons grouped at a table placed nearest to the stage and the bartender's corner. All of those few persons were holding wine glasses filled with the delicious liquor of light and dark colors, which seemed to reflect the different emotions felt by each and everyone holding their glasses.
"For Hiroshi's departure towards France, cheers!"
"Cheers!"
The glasses touched each other with a lively clink sound, and the people holding them wore in their facades a smile after gulping the liquids.
"So, you're really going to perform in France, as we predicted, Hiroshi." A guy slapped Hiroshi's back and smiled.
"And it was so soon too!" another one remarked, "So your talent made you outshine the rest here in Japan!"
Hiroshi scratched his head, "I was just given the chance and luck at the right time… It's not all about me, you know, guys?"
A woman who had one of her arms placed on one of the guy's shoulder laughed, "I'd really miss you and you handsome face in our stage, though."
"Not to mention his gentleman attitude and cool voice that will make any woman melt!"
Another round of laughter. Hiroshi raised his glass and it all sent the others in doing the same thing.
"I'll drink to that!"
"Maybe the French women will fall head over heels for you, Hiroshi!"
"Then if we were given the chance to go there, share some of your blessings, don't forget!"
Hiroshi shook his head, when he noticed the singer on the stage just finished his last number. A warm applause came from the other persons on the bar. Another person came up the stage and thanked the performer.
"And for the last performer of the night, may we welcome Ryuzaki Sakuno-san. A round of applause, please!"
Hands clapped and clapped, as the mentioned performer arranged her hair nervously on the backstage. Tomoka was on her side, giggling.
"Tomoka, please don't laugh… although it's silly that I'm feeling nervous today, I just can't help it. He's in there again, in front of the stage, nonetheless!"
Tomoka took both of Sakuno's hands and put them below. "I know. I understand your emotions perfectly. But you heard the news right? He's leaving for France, and he's celebrating his last night here in Japan at this bar..."
Sakuno wrapped one hand over the other. "I'm not going to see-"
"Maybe, but think positive! You can give him the choice to remember you or not."
Sakuno looked confusedly at Tomoka. "What do you mean by that, Tomoka?"
"Dedicate this song for him…"
Sakuno's eyes grew wider.
"With all your heart."
It seemed that the thought provided by Tomoka started to sink at for her, so she smiled.
"I'll make him remember me… Absolutely."
"That's the spirit, now go, Sakuno!" Tomoka ushered Sakuno to the stage, and left for the backstage with a wink. Sakuno murmured a soft thank you before she directly went to where the microphone stand was located.
"Good evening, everyone!" she started, the glee of a performer back in her voice, but with a hint of uneasiness. "Enjoying the night so far?"
Claps were heard again, but it was the loudest on the table of Hiroshi and company. The guy who was nearest Hiroshi whistled, then looked at the guy beside him.
"I heard this Ryuzaki's known to you…" he maliciously commented. To his surprise, Hiroshi answered boldly, but he bowed down his head.
"Yeah… A classmate during high school, we belonged to the same club, the Theater Club."
The others took interest in that. "So you did know her personally! She's beautiful, isn't she?"
Hiroshi put back the smile in his face. "She always was, not to mention-"
"Stop, we know what you're going to say next. In short, you've been in love with her during your high school days, am I not right?"
"Quite wrong with that…"
The others were surprised at this sudden revelation of feelings from the guy they knew for so long, so they never dared to crack a joke about it.
"Still…"
"I've heard that someone in the audience is flying abroad tomorrow, isn't that right?" Sakuno asked as she was peeking at Hiroshi's table. The whistles and teases came more and more frequently, until one from the groups affirmed what Sakuno was asking.
"He's off to France tomorrow, Missy!"
"But I think he's missing something in Japan, though."
Sakuno's knees shook and she tried hard to stop the shaking. "That's interesting! May I know what is he missing?"
"It's y-"
Hiroshi covered the mouths of the guys closest to him to stop the commotion. Sakuno looked at them in confusion.
"I bet he'll be missing this bar, I heard that Mr. Nakayama frequents this place a lot."
The group nodded, each one of them thinking of something that Hiroshi didn't want to think of at all.
"Well then, let me offer you a song before you fly to France, Mr. Nakayama. Any request...?"
Finally, one shouted from Hiroshi's group, "Eyes on me!"
Another round of claps, whistles and teasings came, this time much louder than the previous rounds, but Hiroshi and Sakuno didn't mind. They looked at each other contentedly and knew they were happy with the decision.
Hiroshi whispered to himself rather than the whole group as the light concentrated on Sakuno's spot, "The truth, I want to say goodbye to her tonight, so I chose this club where I know she's a frequent singer." Everyone who heard suppressed their laughs. The tune of a relaxing song started to play on air.
A very disturbing mixture of crazy heartbeats engulfed the insides of her, and she wasn't very happy about it. The spotlight finished arranging itself to be set on her alone, and she could feel all the attention of the people inside the auditorium focused on her, on her face, on her body, on her voice that still be needed to be heard. The microphone that she held on her hand wanted to get away from her because she held it so tightly one would observe that the device almost ran out of its own mechanical breath.
"Breath, Ryuzaki Sakuno."
And she did. Not just once, but several dozen times. She took deep breaths that helped relieve the anxiety, just in time when the song is about to start after its intro started humming. In those few more seconds, all the afternoon practices that her class did flashed back in her mind, and then the reminiscing went further to her meeting and working with Hiroshi and also the time when he carried her to her house, and then finally when Suzuhara-sensei appointed her to the place where she is standing now. She never thought that by that time she was already singing, as if her whole entity took pleasure in doing so that it did the singing all by herself, even without the full of her consciousness into it.
Whenever I sing my songs
On the stage, on my own
Whenever said my words
Wishing they would be heard…
"Che. That was tiring." Ryoma said as he went out of the comfort room, the huge decorations that surrounded him and his classmates now gone, to his joy. His other classmates were calling him to follow them back to the seats at the auditorium, and he replied that he'd follow them. As he made his way back, he then heard the voice of someone familiar singing on the stage. He was ushered by his inner self to get settled to his seat as soon as possible because he was unable to find comfort watching the figure from afar. At last, as he was comfortable in the haven of his seat did he found out something very weird with the singer on the stage. She looked familiar but at the same time, she didn't. The weirder thing was that she seemed as if she was talking to him, by the song, that is.
I saw you smiling at me
Was it real or just my fantasy?
He rubbed his eyes hard, like when sand gets on his eyes. I'm not that hungry for sleep, am I? He stared at the singer in disbelief for a moment that it was impossible for it to observe. Can it be..?
Sakuno finally closed her eyes, happy that as far as she was concerned, she was doing it well. And what more could be happier than the fact that the root cause of this singing of hers was actually here to witness this moment? It was for him. She looked at him again boldly, brave with the knowing that he wouldn't mind her, as usual. She thought that for him, it would only mean that she was performing, nothing more, nothing less.
You'd always be there in the corner
Of this tiny, little bar…
It was Hiroshi's turn to be blessed with the sparkle of the spotlight, as the light that that was bestowed on Sakuno dimmed for a while to give full emphasis on the chocolate-brown haired guy. Some of the girls in the audience squealed when he sang his lines as he was still seated in his place from a while ago.
My last night here for you
Same old songs, just once more
My last night here with you?
Maybe yes, maybe no
As he sang, his two feet took him nearer and nearer to where Sakuno was standing at the stage. Sakuno looked at him in surprise, as she noticed the guy went up to a meter away from her, serenading her with the rest of the songs she was singing.
I kind of liked it your way
How you shyly placed your eyes on me
Sakuno looked away, blushing crimson red. Two sets of eyebrows rose from two persons from the audience. Hiroshi looked away as well, but for a moment only, and then he was back to look at her.
Did you ever know
That I had mine on you?
And he was back to looking away from her again. Sakuno peered at him, then stole back her glance.
Darling, so there you are
Hiroshi mimicked what she did, but he was doing it with a confident smirk.
With that look on your face
And as if getting tired with the hide-and-seek game they were playing, the two faced each other and sang their hearts out in unison, uncaring for everyone who had either open jaws or blushing cheeks while watching them.
As if you're never hurt
As if you're never down
Shall I be the one for you
Who pinches you softly but sure?
If frown is shown then
I will know that you are no dreamer
Then, that was it, one of the most embarrassing scenes that they have practiced and now was about to play. She hugged the microphone to her chest while suppressing the uneasiness in her stomach. Slowly but surely, she walked closer, and closer, and closer to Hiroshi.
So let me come to you
Close as I want to be
Close enough for me
To feel your heart beating fast
He was shocked as well by the new and refreshing confidence Sakuno showed to him, but Hiroshi was an actor. A young yet talented actor for his age.
And stay there as I whisper
How I love your peaceful eyes on me
Did you ever know
That I had mine on you?
There were now more squeals and screeches coming from the audience that Sakuno was getting distracted by the noise,
Darling, so share with me
Your love if you have enough
Your tears if you're holding back
Or pain if that's what it is
Especially when she remembered him again when she sang those lines. She searched the crowd and found his face yet again.
How can I let you know
I'm more than the dress and the voice?
Just reach me out then
You will know that you're not dreaming
Ryoma woke up from his dream. Here it was again, the strong smell of nostalgia passing through every fiber of his body. And it was sweet, relaxing, comforting, and removing the tired feeling that enveloped him when he was in the party. But at the same time, he woke up. He saw her. He saw her dressed in the white gown like when he saw earlier. She was on the stage, and she was singing for everyone. She was singing for everyone, with him. Something alarmed him. The relaxing feeling faded just like as soon as it came when she saw how the two people on the stage were so close. And as the song went on, the lyrics fancied by melodies of two voices,
Darling, so there you are
With that look on your face
As if you're never hurt
As if you're never down
Shall I be the one for you,
Who pinches you softly but sure?
If frown is shown then I will know
That you are no dreamer
Each word spoken by her that he saw was directed to her partner stung him like tiny needles. She was smiling, her eyes were shining, just as like he remembered those facial expression of hers when they were in junior high school were directed only to him and his victories in tennis matches. He felt two hands form fists.
The song was about to end, only the remaining soft tunes of instruments were left. And that was it that happened in a flash. Just as the lights were dimming for the ending, and Sakuno was walking towards Hiroshi who was in front of her, the strap of her high-heeled sandal snapped. As far as the history of Sakuno was concerned, clumsiness eventually prevailed. Her knight in shining armor was surprised as well but caught her in those strong arms of his, but their faces were not thought of by the two as it happened, especially their lips.
The manager of the lights was surprised by Sakuno's fall. Concerned but in a really wrong way he did, he switched all the lights on inside the auditorium. Most of the audience's eyes hurt, but some, an example is tennis prince Echizen Ryoma, were lucky enough to see the two performers on the stage experience their first kiss.
~oOo~
A/N: I'll keep it until here, because this chapter is one of the most detailed ones I've ever written, and I'm quite proud of it. Comments? Violent reactions? Spoilers you want to ask? Nah! I'm sorry, you have to give me a review first! -Demanding raven-eyed-lass, give me a hard thwack!- Also, Eyes on Me is composed byHaga Keita-san, so clearly it's not mine. Oh well, until the next time I update, see ya!