Shelf #020

Kuu let all his feelings sank into the whirlpool of healing, hoping somehow his heart will be mended by passing of time. As of now, he never felt like opening this up yet to all his close friends, even to Spike. He took a day off, with Martin left in-charge today at looking after the bookshop.

At Coronet Cinema in the city of Kyoto, the film 'Tsukigomori' flashed on the screen. Inside wasn't full. Right in the middle of second level, sitting on his own, was Kuu. Just watching silently, compared to his date with Julie where he was very keen watching 'Superman.' Tonight was never like that thrilling. . . There was a momentous flash of light from the screen explode, reflected in the gleam of his spectacles and right through his eyes.

On the screen, across the center of the stage sitting in front of the piano, was a character named Katsuki. The man her character fell in love with. This was a concert held during the school festival, and guests were invited to the venue outside school. This was a very peaceful and beautiful environment –– a garden –– and the audience were mostly high school students with other mature people.

Katsuki started playing the first tune on the keys, then Julie entered onstage under the beam of bright moonlight across the horizon. She looked so intent and sentimental. Her wonderful hair glowed gold and flowed down behind her back, and she looked so mature for a student dressed in formal wear and nude makeup. She wore black fitted halter mermaid dress, carved her figure like a glove, and revealed her cleavage in deep neckline. The long tail of her gown behind her flowed on the stage. After the short intro, she raised the microphone and started singing Lara Fabian's song, 'Caruso'. Her voice hit the notes so smoothly. .

"Qui dove il mare luccica. . . e dove tira forte il vento

Su una vecchia terrazza davanti al golfo di Sorriento

Un uomo abbraccia una ragazza. . dopo che aveva pianto

Poi si schiarisce la voce. . . e ricomincia il canto"

Surprisingly, Kuu understood Italian language. Julie stared straight, as if staring lovingly back at Kuu. . Her eyes sparkled as she sang the chorus. It was as if she meant those words to him. . Her hand reached out. . .

"Te voglio bene assai

Ma tanto. . ma tanto bene sai

E' una catena ormai

Che scioglie il sangue dint'e vene sai. . ."

True enough to the rowdy men's words at the restaurant –– Her live singing to this song definitely sounded so much like Lara. . .

"Cosi divento tutto piccolo anche le notti la in America

Ti volti e vedi la tua vita come la scia di un'elica"

"Te voglio bene assai

Ma tanto ma tanto bene sai

E' una catena ormai

Che scioglie il sangue dint'e vene sai"

The audience were so caught to her singing that they stared in a daze, their face fell to the cool voice of the nightingale in deep emotion. Kuu saw tears streamed down as she hit the very high notes of the bridge.

"Te voglio bene assai!

Ma tanto ma tanto bene sai!

E' una catena ormai!

Che scioglie il sangue dint'e vene sai. ."

Her eyelids fluttered open. Such love and tenderness twinkled in her eyes. .

"Dint'e vene sai . . ."

There was a complete standing ovation and Julie stood amazed at their reaction, as if she hadn't expected this coming. She turned, and even Katsuki stood applauding at her. Smiling tearfully, she blew kisses in the air, and bowed deeply.

Kuu remembered Spike had kept albums of her, most of them were her recorded live performances. Spike sometimes went and visited him at the bookshop and play her songs. Those days, Kuu never knew who the smooth singer was. He never asked Spike even once. All the songs were ballad. Most of them were orchestral and piano, like this song Caruso. Until he finally saw her sing this song. Her song, Caruso, was also played one time at his bookshop. It was only with this movie, that Kuu realized and convinced himself that the woman he had set his eyes and heart on, Julie, also had a genuine heart for singing.

Later that evening, in the living room, Kuu was looking out in the window, lost in thought in his sofa. Spike entered. He watched his friend been sitting there like that for hours. Worried, he settled on the arm of a chair across from him.

"Come on –– open up," he said. "This is me –– Spikey –– I'm in contact with some quite important spiritual vibrations. Tell me. . What's wrong?"

Kuu decided to open up a bit to him. He was the first person to have told this to.

"Well, okay. . Spike, there's this girl. . ."

"Aha! I've been getting a female vibe," Spike said. "Good. Fabulous. Speak on, dear friend."

"She's. . She's someone I just can't –– someone who. . . self-evidently can't be mine. . And it's as if I've taken love-heroin –– and now I can't even have it again. . I want it again. . I've opened Pandora's box. And there's trouble inside."

Spike nodded thoughtfully.

"Yeh. Yeh. . Tricky. . . tricky. . . I knew someone at school before, called Pandora. . Never got to see her box though. . ."

He roars with laughter. Kuu can't take this. He smiled and ran a hand through his hair. He ruffled the back of his head.

"Yeah. Thanks. Yes –– very helpful," he said.

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