Aww man. =( I think this is the first time I've been late. I kept having visions of the previous songs running through my head instead of stuff for this chapter. *pouts* I…also might have gotten distracted watching "Top Chef." (9_9) Well, this was the last chapter I needed to complete the requirements for the holiday challenge, so I guess as long as it got out in time, the rest is just gravy. It's about White Day; I've got a couple of cages; lights all over the place; if you include the risers, stairs are pretty prevalent too; the main genre is romance; now we finally have the big twist; and all of it happened before April 1st. Not half bad for a little over 2 weeks of work. =)
Westlife's "Queen of My Heart": youtube…com/watch?v=6c64kUiqknY
Choreography video (song starts at 1:16): youtube…com/watch?v=7NQiAqBYYuM
As Azuma settled into the car after the meeting, a small chuckle escaped. Amou-san was certainly gutsy, pulling something like that. She had gotten what she wanted of course. The contracts were signed and practices started up again next week. He couldn't say he minded terribly. In their own way, the practices had been a steady stream of entertainment. With all the different personalities rubbing up against each other in the confined space, how could they not? But he had to admit it was a little amusing to actually be blackmailed this time.
Yes, that's right; he had actually not been blackmailed for the previous concert.
A few days before the fateful meeting, he had received a very polite handwritten note requesting his presence in Room 506 of the General Studies' Wing at 3:30 on the specified date. According to the letter, she wished to speak to him about something related to the newspaper.
He smirked. It had been related to the paper all right. Just not in the way he had expected. She had been crafty, and he had to admire craftiness in a person even if the result was somewhat inconvenient.
He was certain Hihara's blackmail had been about Kahoko. He wasn't sure what dirt she had on the others, but it seemed likely that Tsuchiura-kun's was tied to being humiliated somehow with photographs, much like this time. Amou-san had always been a bit careful about just what kind of abuse she dished on him. After all, she had to make the concert more appealing than being disgraced by himself he supposed. If she wanted someone to do something truly embarrassing, she'd leave it to Hihara who would do anything to keep his secret (that really wasn't a secret to most of the populace) safe. For Tsukimori-kun, he guessed it would somehow affect his music. All he did was practice, what else could she threaten? Shimizu-kun was a black box to him, but he supposed it must also revolve around music and practice. The boy saw the world through a music-tinted lens and was generally unfazed. It must've been quite something to shake up his sleepy little world.
His pulled his thoughts away from the others. He could have just walked away, he supposed, but it was just too fun to play along. It was a grand game. On one hand, the others believed him to be just like them, blackmailed and coerced into doing this concert against his will. And on the other, not actually being blackmailed gave him power over Amou-san. She likely thought he was going along with it because of something silly like wanting to be nice or because he thought it would boost his popularity. "Not that I need help in that area, thank you." But they both knew with all the girls in the school who adored him, it wouldn't be hard for them to conveniently decide themselves to harass her until she set him free from his contract. All it would take was a well-placed word or two.
His smile became a bit mischievous. Imagine the horror on his grandmother's face if she knew exactly why he had been so busy at school. Rebelling outright wasn't worth the trouble, but a secret that flirted on the edges of propriety…that had just enough flair of illicit excitement to pique the interest of his teenage heart. He may have to act like a well bred, forty-year-old man all the time, but deep down, he was still eighteen with very real teenage angst and wants. His eyes went pensive as he reflected on a certain flame-haired violinist. She was particularly good at making him realize this. Ever since he had met her, he had noticed himself taking more risks. And it was irksome.
He had accepted his life. It was a rather boring way to live, he supposed, walking the path that had been chosen for him, never being allowed to do anything that could remotely besmirch the family name, but he had more-or-less stopped caring long ago. Life's more painless if you don't think about the unfair things too hard.
But then she walked through the door, and he started wanting to live. He wanted to be eighteen. He wanted someone to know that he was more than his façade, that he wasn't perfect. He wanted those guileless, trusting eyes of hers to only look at him. But when you want and when you wish, you become vulnerable. And this willingness to be weak was something he considered to be an unforgivable character flaw.
He arched his eyebrow when he saw the physical manifestation of his thoughts. Signaling the driver to stop, he hopped out and steered the stuttering, protesting girl into the car and whisked her away.
He'd work on that character flaw some other time. Right now, he wanted to play with his favorite time killer.
~ (^o^) ~
When the lights returned, Azuma stood confidently in the center of the stage close to the front with the other four in a line on the top riser. For him, a white, expensively tailored Italian suit with an untucked, pale orange dress shirt and deep red skinny tie was the order of the day. He was a man who wore luxury and privilege well with his toned, slim build that was made for designer suits. Elegant, timelessly classic, and subtly powerful, few were they who could resist the allure of the great Azuma Yunoki.
As the music gently floated through the room, he thought of the garden he had taken her to that afternoon after the meeting. "So here we stand / In our secret place." At the time, it was somewhat understandable why she hadn't realized it was a garden considering how deserted it was with the snowdrifts piled high on the flowerbeds. "Where the sound of the crowd / Is so far away." He'd still called her stupid for not realizing it though.
"You take my hand." He'd never taken anyone there before. It was his sanctuary. "And it feels like home." Keeping in the family tradition of flower arrangement, every member of the family had a plot of land somewhere they considered their own to do with and shape as they pleased both as a service to the city to increase their good name and as a way to show why Yunoki was a name synonymous with the beauty of nature. "We both understand," he smiled, "It's where we belong." Her eyes had become more reverent once he explained where exactly they were.
He thought of his impending graduation and departure to England in a couple weeks.
So how do I say
Do I say goodbye
We both have our dreams
We both wanna fly
He thought of the way she had looked at him when she told him that she hoped he would continue music. His heart involuntarily warmed. "So let's take tonight / To carry us through / The lonely times," he murmured gently.
As they harmonized together, the other four advanced toward him one step per line.
I'll always look back
As I walk away
This memory will last
For eternity
And all of our tears
Will be lost in the rain
When I find my way
Back to your arms again
But until that day
You know you are
They stopped about mid-stage as Azuma sang out amidst dreamy sighs and swooning hearts, "The queen of my heart / Queen of my heart."
The five of them moved as one as he remembered how he had pulled her under his coat when she had shivered. "So let's take tonight," touch-step, "And never let go," touch-step, "While dancing we'll kiss," step, "Like there's no tomorrow." He smiled broadly as he thought of the lovely shade of red her face had become when he moved his face in closer to tease her for not bringing a heavier coat. "As the stars sparkle down / Like a diamond ring." She had looked radiant against the snowy backdrop. "I'll treasure this moment / 'Til we meet again"
His words were heartfelt. "But no matter how far"
"No matter how far," the others echoed behind him.
"Or where you may be"
"Where you may be"
"I just close my eyes"
"Just close my eyes"
"And you're in my dreams." He would never admit it, but it was because of her he had gone to England to stop his transfer. "And there you will be / Until we meet"
They did long slides side-to-side, looking regal as princes with one arm held behind their backs. "I'll always look back," right, "As I walk away," left, "This memory will last," right, "For eternity," left. "And all of our tears / Will be lost in the rain." Their gazes pierced the dark, and hearts fluttered and leapt. "When I find my way back / To your arms again." Oh, how romantic. "But until that day / You know you are"
"The queen of my heart," Azuma belted into his mike.
The others advanced again as Azuma wove his spell on the audience, charming them into submission. The air around him seemed to sparkle as the purple prince smiled and swayed, mesmerizing and gesturing to his adoring fans.
I'll always look back
As I walk away
This memory will last
For eternity
And all of our tears
Will be lost in the rain
When I find my way back
To your arms again
They all joined him at the front and reached out to the audience. "But until that day / You know you are." They tapped their chests. "The queen of my heart"
"Oh yeah," Azuma called out, as they swayed and spread out to sing to a different section of the room. "You're the queen of my heart"
"Queen of my heart," they harmonized beneath him.
He briefly let his mask falter as he promised her, "No matter / How many years it takes."
"Queen of my heart"
"I'm coming home to you," he closed his eyes to collect himself again, "Oh yeah"
"Queen of my heart"
"Oh yes you are," he murmured with genuine tenderness and looked up with a strange look in his eyes that made hearts stop. "The queen of my heart"
Not great, but not terrible. I guess I'll just have to settle for that since this is basically my last chance to get something out before the deadline. I have no idea how to write Azuma x Kahoko romance. (x . x) Maybe I should have made him more true to himself in his thoughts? Who knows? Azuma to me seems like a teenager who's trying to act like a mature businessman but doesn't have it quite down yet. And especially with Kahoko on the scene, he's more unsure of who he is, but he hides it like everything else.
Well, was anyone surprised by his blackmail, or perhaps it would be better to say lack of blackmail? While Azuma is not perfect and thus Nami probably could have managed to get something on him if she were extremely patient and lucky, it wouldn't be worth her head to actually blackmail the Prince of Seiso Academy. XD The only reason it worked out this time is because she knows he's a good enough friend to help out the other boys, so he'll keep his mouth shut.
Next chapter is Kazuki! Yes! Finally! Sorry, he's my favorite, so I'm a little excited. (^^; ) I was really happy that people voted on this performance order. (^_^)