Author's Note:
I changed the name Usagi and Jin's hometown from Meguro to Niseko. I was under the impression that Meguro was a small coastal town where Blast began, but upon further research Meguro is actually a neighborhood in Tokyo! Whoops!
I also included some original lyrics in this chapter, they'll be noted like so:
~"lyrics lyrics lyrics"~
Anyway, please R&R! I think this Chapter will give you guys a better idea of where I'm heading with this story.
Usagi finished applying her last coat of mascara and stepped out of her minuscule bathroom into her only slightly larger bedroom. Outdated wallpaper peeled slightly in the corners, revealing the faded white plaster beneath. The room clung to its musty smell, despite constantly burning candles and incense to cover the persistent odor. Still, Usagi smiled, it was hers. Her only regret was that Jin couldn't fit all of their furniture in his hatchback car on the night they'd decided to escape Niseko for good. The hand-me-down mattress occupying the corner space was distinctly less comfortable than the one back in her old hometown. She briefly wondered if her mom had searched for her at all. She doubted it. The bruises her step father had given her had faded, but some scars remained. But that's all in the past now.
She grabbed her faux leather jacket, even with Jin's new job at a host club neither of them could afford real ones, and headed into the common room.
"Jin-chan, I'm off to work." She called out over the loud sounds of his guitar. He'd been tirelessly working on the music for a couple songs. His improvement was remarkable - she could almost feel the lyrics form on her tongue whenever she listened to him practice. She knew they wouldn't be able to perform until they found a bassist and a drummer, but the flyers she'd posted around town had to attract someone eventually right?
Maybe I shouldn't have made the flyers so… frank. She reflected on the bold "THOSE WHO SUCK NEED NOT APPLY" footer she'd added after Jin handed her fifty printed copies.
It usually took her ten minutes on foot to get to the sleazy bar she'd been serving drinks at but today she dragged her walk out. She felt the need to take time to enjoy the sunshine and leisurely smoke her Black Stone cigarette. Eleven months ago, on the night she'd fled from her old life back in Niseko, she'd stopped in to the convenience store by her parent's house and noticed them for sale. As silly as the notion remained, the brand reminded her of Blast's concert with Jin and meeting that tall stranger. Her mind had been plagued with thoughts of him and his identity ever since, but she'd had no idea how to go about finding him. Somehow, the cigarettes seemed to soothe her uncertainties.
I'm seeing Blast in two weeks at Kabukicho in Tokyo , maybe he followed them here? Still, she had her reservations. Shortly after that concert, Ren had abandoned Blast to become a guitarist for the super popular band Trapnest. If Ren was his connection to the Black Stones, then what reason would he have to attend Black Stones' first concert in Tokyo?
She sighed, realizing she'd arrived at the entrance. A flickering neon sign read Forgotten Crown in cursive letters.
"Another day, another dollar," she breathed, in a half-assed attempt at optimism. She opened the door and was hit with the rank stench of piss, alcohol, and cigar smoke. Her boss, Motoki, stood behind the bar absentmindedly polishing the dull counters. Though a little rough around the edges, Usagi knew that this place was Motoki's everything. His late father had gifted him the place and he seemed determined to turn a profit despite it's crumbling walls.
"Hey Usagi." He greeted her with a warm smile. He had unkempt, sandy hair and both of his muscled arms were completely covered with ink. His appearance made him look much more intimidating than he actually was. Usagi knew that if she wasn't completely uninterested in starting a relationship, she'd be incredibly attracted to him.
Singing is my only lover. She reminder herself as she gave a casual wave in return.
"Should be a busy night tonight, there's a Venom concert at the venue down the street."
"Who?" Usagi gibed, eliciting a laugh from Motoki. A bad taste formed in her mouth. It was impossible not to know of the all girl punk band that was gaining rapid popularity in all of Tokyo at the moment. Usagi couldn't help but feel bitter at the girls' for their easy success. The worst part was that even though Usagi outwardly resented them, she couldn't deny that their music was catchy. Jin, always the good sport, bought their album the day it dropped. Despite her own insecurities about her voice, she firmly believed that Jin's guitar playing was far superior to Venom's guitar player Rei.
~"Whoa ohhh, don't act so high and mighty."~
She glared over at a smug looking Motoki who stood by the jukebox, waiting for her reaction.
~"Compared to you, I'm fucking Aphrodite."~
She just gave him an exaggerated thumbs up and shouted over the music, "Oh my god! It's my favorite band!"
The buzz about Venom continued all night as the Forgotten Crown filled in with anxious fans stopping in for a pre-concert drink. She sassed and flirted with the skeezy male fans that an all girl band inevitably drew, hoping for lots of tips. She was saving all her extra cash for a new stage microphone.
Immediately after the show started, there was a lull, allowing her to become lost in her own thoughts. She came to Tokyo to chase her dream of becoming a singer, but the road had been tough. She'd been practicing at karaoke and at home every day since the Blast concert and she knew she'd improved. Jin told her that she had unlimited potential. She naively hoped that she wouldn't have to stoop to shamelessly flirting for tips to get there. Most days she felt like she was just capitalizing on her appearance… but Jin probably had it even worse.
Jin sighed and unbuttoned the top button of his crisp white dress shirt.
"Jadeite! You've been selected again! One of your regulars." He heard from down the hall. Jin winced. He had several regulars, none of them were reason to rejoice, but he managed to force a smile. This was his job.
He passed a few coworkers in the hall on his way to the lounge but neither party bothered to exchange pleasantries. Despite what playfulness they shared on the floor, these men were here to make money and be selected by wealthy women. It made for stiff competition and few friendships. Jin had only joined the hosts staff of Eternity about six months ago, but his boyish good looks and happy go lucky attitude had boosted him to the top of the ranks.
The lobby was lavish, with a bar surrounding three fourths of the room and a small stage on the back wall. Love seats were scattered throughout and the room was always ringing with the drunken laughter of middle aged women looking to relieve themselves of their loneliness for a night. At Eternity you didn't sell your bodies, just your company.
And your soul, Jin thought as he approached his client.
"Haruna-san." He grinned sheepishly, "A pleasure to see you again."
"Jadeite, I just couldn't stay away." She pulled him down into the cushion with her and he could smell on her breath that she'd already been served a whiskey sour.
Across the room on the stage, two long haired gentlemen were setting up instruments to provide the clients of Eternity with some light Jazz music.
As Haruna rattled on about her husband and children - that she always bashfully pointed out were older than Jin - Jin slyly checked out the new musicians. The usual band was composed of four boring suits in their late thirties, but these two couldn't be much older than Jin.
At Haruna's first pause, Jin suavely dismissed himself in order to get her another drink - drink commissions were after all, how he made his money. As he broke away from the red haired woman, he made his way to the stage first.
"Hey! I'm Jin, are you guys the new jazz band?"
Both men stopped to look at him curiously, obviously shocked that a host was addressing them. The older of the two had shoulder length white blonde hair and spoke first.
"No, we're just filling in for the night as a favor." His tone was as icy as his eyes. Jin immediately felt uncomfortable, but the younger dark haired counterpart gave him a reassuring look and extended a large hand.
"I'm Naro, and this is my brother Keito. He's not as cold hearted as he seems, I promise."
Jin smiled. "I'm Jin, but all hosts have to choose an alias so people around here call me Jadeite. For my eyes." He added with a laugh. Usagi had helped him choose the nickname and he was actually pretty proud of it. It suited him. They even joked that it could be his rockstar alias as well…. if we ever find band members.
An idea struck him and the wide grin that followed was completely genuine. "Hey, do you guys ever play for fun? My best friend and I are in the process of forming a punk band and are looking for a drummer and bassist."
The concert had ended and Usagi was busier than she'd been in weeks. "Two lemon drop shots! A Kirin Light! Three Jack and Cokes!" She slid the drinks down the bar with practiced expertise. Sweat had caused her bangs to stick to her forehead but the overflowing tip jar that sat on the bar told her she still looked decent enough.
"I'll have a scotch. No rocks." A woman's deep voice called to her from across the bar.
"Scotch, huh?" Usagi said, reaching for the bottle. "Not the typical drink of a lady." Even sitting in a barstool, Usagi could tell this woman was abnormally tall.
Maybe she's into women and I'll get myself another nice tip.
"Well I'm not really a typical woman." She met Usagi's gaze. She had soft green eyes that seemed extra swollen, exposing her pain. Her medium length chocolate hair was pulled into a high ponytail. She looked strangely familiar…
"Guess not then." Usagi slid her the glass of scotch, resisting the urge to ask her the questions she wanted to know. Where have I seen you before? Why do you look so distraught?
Usagi lingered around the familiar woman and eventually found herself neglecting the rest of the bar in order to converse with her. Despite a rough exterior, the muscular woman was incredibly warm. She listened intently while Usagi uncharacteristically poured her heart out. Usagi told her about her dreams of singing, Jin, running away from home, even her handsome stranger.
"So you sat right next to him for half an hour and never asked his name?"
"I know. I still can't believe I was so dense."
"I can." The woman mused, her green eyes dancing. "We've been talking for double that time and you still haven't asked for mine either."
"Well, well, if it isn't Makoto." A disheveled man slurred, stumbling towards the barstool where she sat.
"Makoto?!" Usagi's mouth dropped open. "From Venom?!"
Makoto eyed the man warily. "I'm not in the mood for overly fond fans." The jukebox album rotated, and another Venom single boomed.
~"You burn so bright, destroying everything in your way"~
"Aw, come on sweetie." The man placed a rough hand on Makoto's thigh. "After a few more drinks you might change your tune."
~"It's like your love made me a maniac, maniac"~
Usagi simply stood, dumbfounded. Makoto, the drummer from Venom. I never asked. The scene played out faster than Usagi could process it. Makoto growled another warning that the drunken fan ignored, persisting. Quicker than lightning, Makoto's fist was barreling into the man's gut. He flew backwards, colliding with an empty barstool and drawing the attention of the entire bar. Unfortunately, he wasn't alone and his equally inebriated friends were quick to run to his aid. Makoto was fiercely outnumbered but never stopped fighting, limbs flailing.
~"Without you here my heart will only continue to decay"~
Usagi could only watch in paralyzed fear as two of the gruff men finally landed blows: one to her chest, one to her forest green eye. At the sight of Makoto's blood, Usagi jolted to her senses.
She spun on her heel and sprinted towards Motoki's office.
"Motoki, come quick! Bar fight!" Her voice was strained, tears forming in her eyes.
~"I just want you back, my aphrodisiac!"~
He was there in seconds, his tattooed arms wrapped around Makoto and carried her, still kicking at her pursuers, towards the exit. Though bruised and bloodied, Makoto caught Usagi's gaze and gave her a forceful smile and managed to wink with her non blackened eye.
"Keep singing Usagi."