"We're The Band"

Chapter 19: My Girl

Break Between Junior High and High School – Onsen

Shinji lay back in the hot springs with the small towel on his forehead, eyes closed, letting the heat relax the tension from his body. It was their first day at the onsen and after the two hour train ride and crazy couple of months, he booked the roof top solitary bath for some desperately needed solitude and relaxation. The moon was bright through the open skylights, and Shinji turned off most of the lights in the area leaving only the light over by the changing area on. He could hear the gentle gurgling of the hot water trickling into the bath over the chirps of the crickets. As the heat seeped into his muscles, his eyes closed and his mind began to drift as it began to let go of the recent events.

First in the queue was the Pharitse concert. He, Asuka, and Misato had met Rei's boyfriend candidate – Hideyoshi. When they had him over for dinner, he seemed like a nice boy. He held up to Misato's probes and subsequent teasing fairly well – meaning that he blushed a lot but avoided a nose bleed. None of this was a surprise to Shinji and Asuka. Once Rei had told them who he was, they had immediately turned to their network of friends to check him out. From Toji, they found out that Hideyoshi was a defender on the soccer team, a steady guy that was respected by his teammates, relatively quiet, and utterly dependable. From Hikari, it turns out that the girl-grapevine viewed him as a nice guy, cute enough, quiet, and a good fit for Rei. All in all it seemed to be a good choice.

It was a typical concert – lots of kids, high energy dancing, flashing lights, deafening music, and general mayhem. Rei ended up imitating Asuka by sliding one arm around Hideyoshi's waist as she jumped up and down in time with the music with her hand in the air. When Shinji had glanced over, Hideyoshi had put his arm around Rei, but his face was bright red and had a nervous look on it. Shinji knew that look well and pulled his girlfriend into a slightly tighter hug.

Rei had practically flipped out when her idol, Pharitse's bassist started in on a solo. She tightened her hold on Hideyoshi into a death grip that threatened to squeeze the life out him as surely as a python's embrace. He didn't get any relief until Rei let go long enough to applaud, jump up and down, and scream her enthusiastic approval. Shinji just shook his head until he felt the warm lips of his own girlfriend on his ear, "Let her have her fun, Shinji-kun. She deserves it as much as you do."

In typical, stream-of-consciousness fashion, Shinji's mind jumped to the band's last practice. Hikari and Toji had mostly gotten back to normal. The sniping was mostly gone along with the death stares, the short leash, and other petty annoyances. Shinji was pretty confused about the transformation and surprised that Asuka was in no way surprised that her prediction came true. In the minutes leading up to band practice, Shinji had asked her about it. Asuka had merely smiled at patted his cheek, "Baka-kun, you can be completely hopeless, you know? That must be one of the things I love about you, or it would drive me insane." Her voice was a little scratchy since she was suffering from laryngitis, but to Shinji it made her voice a little husky and, to his surprise, kinda sexy.

Taking his hand and leading him to a private spot where they wouldn't be over heard, "Shinji, Hikari needed to learn that Toji likes her above everyone else. Because she didn't have the confidence that she could hold his attention, she kept him on a short leash. Girls who have self-confidence issues regarding their boyfriends always do that. I used to do it to you, but was able to grow out of it. Toji needed to grow up and realize that Hikari wasn't his mom. She is his girlfriend, and while girlfriends like to take care of their boyfriends, they don't want to be their mothers. So, Toji finally figured out that Hikari would do things for him, but that he couldn't take her for granted."

Shinji just stared at Asuka completely dumfounded about how simple the logic was and that he had been completely oblivious to it – even when it had been happening to him. "That's . . . just brilliant."

"Of course, it is. Have you forgotten who you're talking to?" teased Asuka.

"The smartest, most beautiful girl in school? Queen of all she surveys? How could I forget?"

"Glad you're finally crawling out of the dark depths of baka-ness, Baka-kun," responded Asuka before leaning in to give him a kiss.

Shinji's brain immediately made another jump to another event leading into band practice. Hikari had asked him what kind of music demanded the best harmonies so they could do one of those songs at practice to shore up their sagging tonal abilities. Shinji was more than a little surprised, but ended up with Motown as the best candidate. Hikari's eyes went a little vacant as she thought about it and then flashed with energy as she came to sudden agreement. Of course, this meant that Shinji had to immediate turn to the web to find an appropriate song for the group.

Another jump and Shinji was at band practice. The group had a karaoke track of the music, and the boys all stood at microphones with monitor speakers to sing The Temptation's "My Girl". They'd spent the better part of an hour practicing general harmony and singing sections of the song. This was the first, full run-through with feeling. But, unknown to the girls, Shinji had forwarded a video to Toji and Kensuke and the three of them had practiced some of the choreography.

I've got sunshine
On a cloudy day.
When it's cold outside,
I've got the month of May.
Well, I guess you'll say
What can make me feel this way?

My girl. (My girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl. (My girl)

It was like a bad loop of the 1950's with Toji, Kensuke, and Shinji trying to mimic the stylized choreography of the Motown groups. Hikari, Asuka, Yuki, and Rei tried in vain to hold straight faces and critically evaluate the boys' harmonies, but after the first big flourish the four of them just burst out in a giggle fit.

I've got so much honey
The bees envy me.
I've got a sweeter song
Than the birds in the trees.

Well, I guess you'll say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl. (My girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl. (My girl)

Ooooh, Hoooo.

Shinji's voice climbed the registers with a pure, clean tonal quality that surprised everyone. They'd never really heard him show this kind of range or clarity, and the Shinji magic that they thought themselves immune to was beginning to reassert itself.

Hey, hey, hey.
Hey, hey, hey.

I don't need no money,
Fortune or fame.
I've got all the riches, baby,
One man can claim.

Well, I guess you'll say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl. (My girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl. (My girl)

Talkin' bout my girl.
I've got sushine on cloudy day
With my girl.
I've even got the month of May
With my girl.

Shinji's brain did another leap and brought him back to the hot water and steam of the onsen. The tension had mostly melted away and Shinji was starting to feel almost human again when a familiar presence slipped into the water next to him. Opening his eyes with a start to immediately have to focus on Asuka's face, a part of Shinji noted that Asuka had gone traditional Japanese and had not worn a swimsuit while another part stammered, "A-Asuka? What are you doing?"

Sliding her arms around him and silencing his protests with a kiss, Asuka then softly replied, "I knew you'd be here, and I figured that you'd had long enough by yourself. Besides, I had to get away from Misato flirting with guys in the restaurant and Rei sulking because I got to bring my boyfriend and she didn't."

"Rei's sulking about not getting to bring Hideyoshi? That doesn't make any sense."

"It's supposed to make sense. It's emotion, silly."

"Heh, right."

Silence punctuated by the tinkling of dripping water engulfed the pair as they snuggled together in the warm water. The soft sounds and the isolation took them back to their private time before everyone had started returning and created a much needed refuge against the world.

Surprisingly, it was Shinji to break the silence with a barely audible whisper, "Always be with me, my love."

"Always," was Love's reply as she slid into his lap and kissed him.

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Author's Parting Shots: Sorry for the delay, I went on vacation for a couple of weeks out of the country and had exactly zero access – no computer, no trips to the hotel business center – it was fantastic.

So, we've now closed the book on the Junior High adventures of our favorite teens. I'm going to go off and think about the High School story arcs for a little while. The story is still not dead, but it may be as much as a month before the next chapter.