TRACK 9.
Piano Man – Billy Joel.
It wasn't until she wore again her recently returned scarf that she noticed one of Yato's most unnerving traits: his perfume.
She couldn't quite place her finger over what it was, because it didn't seem like something store-bought. And it simply seemed to impregnate in everything he could lay his hands on, even faintly, but consistent nevertheless. During all that night, Hiyori was practically burying her nose on the pink fabric. Something in it was intriguing, intoxicating, even dangerous, and yet it was just a simple mixture of completely common smells, once she could sort of figure it out without feeling completely dumb or with that tickling sensation of rocks in her stomach. She could smell a bit of the cigarette's tobacco plus one or two different kinds of candy and junk food, along with some sort of body soap, shampoo, and – surprisingly, fabric softener; and with all that, a little something that simply could be associated with him. An unmistakable note that had the power of standing all her hairs. When she realized what a simple smell was doing to her, she decided to go to sleep with a huff, trying to forget how hard it had been to shake Yato off herself to avoid him taking her right to her doorstep in that flashy car.
Along the day things weren't much easier. Her mother and practically all the teachers had been constantly asking if she was running a fever. Of course, her completely reddened cheeks had absolutely nothing to do with being sick. She was wearing her scarf around her neck, covering her mouth and nose.
A very light snowfall made her breath to escape in the form of white clouds through the fabric, an Hiyori happily noticed that the smell seemed to reactivate with her breath's humidity. She guarded below one of the eaves of the stores by the station's door, waiting. Looking at the crowd, she suddenly felt paralyzed when she catched a glimpse of the blue-eyed smile of Yato in the distance, walking slowly, enjoying one of the last puffs of smoke of his cigarette. Today he looked quite different. He was wearing a long coat over a pair of jeans and a different sweatshirt, with a scarf around his neck, all in dark colors.
"Did you dressed all by yourself?" she let out. For an instant, he didn't knew how to react.
"I shoulda' left you go to Kofuku's house on your own."
Remembering Yukine's little scene, her face went pale.
"No, I'm sorry! Actually you… you look fine"
"Flirting with me is really low, Hiyori, I thought you were better than this" said Yato smiling slyly, doing an awful job at hiding the slight red tint his cheeks had taken.
"Can we go?" she sighed, in the midst between annoyed and completely confused about how she felt at that moment with the sole fact of seeing him in an outfit that could be considered at least something presentable and the involuntary reaction of her face -blushing too. Yato looked at her, somewhat lost.
"Let's go, but, are you feeling OK?" he said with a worried tone "looks like you're running a fever"
Hiyori began walking hurriedly, and Yato was walking with her within short time. The cold made them walk faster without talking, and soon - "too soon", thought Hiyori, before scolding herself internally and discarding the thought as quickly as she got it, they made it to Kofuku's house.
It was in that point that the girl realized this hadn't been a great idea, probably, according to what Yukine had said about not everyone being agree with involving her. Around the kotatsu were three faces watching her with different expressions. Yukine's one was total annoyance. Kofuku showed a conciliating smile and Daikoku was avoiding looking at her at all. Hearing Yato was taking air to begin talking, Hiyori took a step forward and made a deep bow.
"I'm so sorry!"
The three people at the table answered with a surprised interjection.
"What are you talking about, Hiyorin?" asked Kofuku, getting on her feet.
"I'm so sorry to have lied to you guys… I'm actually…" the other girl took her from the arm and softly led her to sit at the Kotatsu. Her kindness filled her with courage. It was about time to clean up some of her lies.
Not very long after, finishing to tell her story on detail in front of a cup of tea, Hiyori took a deep breath. Daikoku raised his fist, effusive.
"You finding us was destiny!"
"I'm so sorry to have doubted you, Hiyorin!" cried Kofuku, pouncing over her, pulling Hiyori into a hug.
Yato and Yukine's gazes crossed during a split second, before the teenager turned his face away, raising his nose. "It's now your turn ignoring me, Yukine?" thought Yato, and smiled to himself.
"Okay, that's enough already!" he said, standing up, "are we gonna begin or what?" Daikoku stood up too, and they left the room. Kofuku fluttered after them, and Hiyori waited a bit to let Yukine pass. The kid slid himself in front of her and stared at her with a piercing gaze that froze her right at the door. Yukine spoke with all the poison he could gather at that instant.
"I'm watching you" he said, simply, and followed the others. Hiyori felt her gut on the ground and a cold shiver ran through her back, until she heard Kofuku calling.
"Of course this house has a basement", Hiyori thought, ironically, as soon as they opened that place's door, revealing a room adequated entirely to achieve an ideal sound quality. Every wall was covered with carpet material, there were several speakers of different sizes located strategically around the place, a lot of microphones, the drum set, and all the instrument in their stands. Everything shone in chrome and silver and Hiyori searched for a spot to sit and admire the place in awe.
Yato, on the other hand, felt his body as light as a cloud and immediately began untangling the nest of cables on the floor before connecting everything in its place. If he could ignore the sudden sweat breakdown of his hands, he could feel the trace of an old emotion bubbling inside him. He identified that feeling at the moment he took his guitar in his hands and got the strap above his head. They were surrounded by an expectant silence.
Hiyori was just there, in front of them, she could feel the tension in the air when the three guys locked a stare.
Yato closed his eyes.
Black.
No noise. No strange thoughts eating his brain alive. No obsessions. He opened his eyes and glared swiftly to the brown haired girl sitting by the door before looking at Daikoku and Yukine. The first chord resounded not just all around, but also inside her brain, inside her stomach. She closed her eyes too, momentarily, and let herself sink in the melody. It was captivating, electrifying, even whithout the deep rich voice of Viina. When she opened her eyes again, she felt the little jump her heart did to the rhythm of music. Just in front of her, without any need of bending her gaze a bit, was Yato. His focused expression in the deepest part of the song gave him a seriousness she had never before seen in him; not even in the CD's photos. The solo was approaching -Hiyori knew the songs really well, and the guy closed his eyes shut, letting his fingers caress the guitar, shifting his expression again, this time giving the impression of deep meditation, as a wandering monk in the climax of his prayer, and Hiyori felt a pinch in her heart again. Ending the solo, Yato let his eyes brush over her, and that momentary contact was enough to lit her face in red. "Why does he looks so good?", she asked herself, mortified, trying to look somewhere else, without actually wanting. Kofuku watched her leaned in one of the biggest speakers, with her chin on her hand and an obnoxious smile glistening on her lips, with the stare of those who already know it all. Hiyori looked at her, confused, trying to discover what was so funny.
"That was amazing!" claimed Hiyori, getting close to them when they stopped to take a break. "You guys sound a lot better than the record!"
"That's the idea!" informed Yato, giving a big gulp to his beer can.
"It would actually sound a lot better if we had a singer!" huffed Daikoku, staring at Yato, who opted to walk around rising the beer can on the air, "I think it is time for us to begin thinking about making auditions, you animal!"
"Why don't you ask Kofuku-san? I mean, she's always here with you and she knows the songs…"
The laughter of the girl interrupted Hiyori, "You're too funy, Hiyorin!", she said. At the same time, Daikoku sighed, smiling, and denying silently with his head. Yukine scoffed, sitting a little far from everyone, sitting atop of an amp.
"Kofuku is good with people", Daikoku explained, "but she has absolutely no musical talent whatsoever."
"I rather see how handsome Kokki looks playing the drums!" said Kofuku, merrily.
"I actually think it's better like this, if we let her sing she'd surely break a speaker or something", said Yato, placing his guitar on the stand.
"Oh, c'mon, Yatty… that only happened once!"
"And you were sober… I don't even wanna think what would've happened if you had been drunk", said Yato again, leaning against the wall.
"Then… what about Yukine-kun or Daikoku-san?" suggested Hiyori again.
"Singing? No way!" let out Yukine, blushing.
"The rhythm section is actually very important, Hiyori. It gives everything a base; it's our job not to be distracted and if we can just do our thing, that's better", pointed Daikoku, explaining patiently.
"And what about Yato?"
All of a sudden everyone kept silent. Yato straightened up.
"Ha-ha! Yes, I wonder", he answered vaguely, trying to avoid the subject.
"Actually, Hiyorin", explained Kofuku, "Yatty-chan sings pretty good."
"He's a freakin' useless bum in everything else", said Daikoku, crossing his arms, "but respecting music, it's difficult to find someone who matches him."
"I would like to hear that one day", said Hiyori, giving Yato a sweet smile that made him blush up to his ears. He faked a sudden cough attack and climbed the stairs up, getting the cigarette box out from his pocket, leaving everyone in the room surprised.
He took a drag of his cigarette, slowly, tasting the acid flavor of the smoke and the nicotine on his lips when passing his tongue over them, cursing silently about forgetting his coat inside. For some reason, Hiyori's smile had been enough to give him a bolt of unbearable energy, and he had been about to leave running.
He was trying to figure what was making him behave like that, when his coat fell over his head.
"They say idiots don't catch colds, but put this on anyway", said Hiyori, with a hint of a laughter, shifting her coat herself. She admired Yato discreetly when he put the cigarette between his lips to be able to get the arms on the coat sleeves. She was still feeling the adrenaline rush of seeing them live, up close. "Yato", she called, softly. He just looked at her, "thank you for inviting me over."
"It's not a big deal", Yato raised a hand and scratched the nape of his neck, "thank you… for coming over."
"You really have not considered to be the singer?"
The guy let an honest laugh out, and stared at the night in front of him. After another drag to his cigarette, he answered slowly, thinking each word.
"I've always thought that even when you're able to do lotsa things at the same time, if you really want to be good at something, you have to really put your heart in it," he looked at her again. He continued explaining when he noticed her furrowed brows, thinking, "yes, I'm good at guitar and I can sing. But I think about it this way: the best band needs the best guitarist, and I can't be the best guitar player and the best singer at the same time. It's either one or the other."
Hiyori was so impressed about this way of thinking that weeks after she was still pondering his words. At that time, it meant breaking with absolutely everything she thought she knew and believed.
"I think" she muttered, "I'm beginning to understand what you said about my lessons."
Seeing her mood go gloomy, Yato began to blab.
"We- but- not everything is bad! I mean, from the large selection of lessons you have, there has to be something good, I mean, you have to like one even a bit! And that's okay! I'm just saying, the only one who should decide what to do with her time is yourself. What lesson you kept?"
"I still have to cancel my music lessons, but to be honest I would rather any other thing before seeing my teacher making his 'I told you' face…"
"Just hold on right there!" Yato cut her off, "You… d'you play?"
Hiyori giggled a bit.
"It's nothing, actually. A long time ago I discovered I have absolutely no talent to anything artsy."
"…But you play." The surprised look on Yato's face weirded her out a lot. He had even turned his body and seemed to be about to shake her from her shoulders at any minute.
"Y… yeah, you could say so."
"What instrument?"
"I… piano – Yato, wh…?" she couldn't ask him what was going through his head at the time, because he was already dragging her inside, back to the rehearsal basement. Yato took off his coat, throwing it carelessly and opening a little door in one of the room's ends, almost disappearing through it. After several loud clanks, deaf thumps of something heavy being dragged and several rolls of cable being thrown away randomly out of that little storage, Yato came out again, carrying a black long case and a solid metal structure that formed an X once unfolded. The guy placed the case in the floor carefully, and Hiyori came near him slowly, as if watching a wizard about to perform a magic trick on the stage. The locks were removed, revealing a shiny electric keyboard, that Yato placed carefully on top of the base, and then walked a few times around it, muttering.
"How was this…? How…? Oh!"
He finally found the plug he was looking, and walked again several times back and forth between the keyboard and the audio console, searching for the ideal sound. When he finished, when the keys were pulsed, it let out a similar sound to that of a lone piano right at the center of a huge hall. Yato dragged close one of the mics that they used to practice second voices during the rehearsal, and placed it in front of the chair, which he put at one side of the keyboard. He then stole the little bench of the drumset and sitted behind the key instrument, placing his hands over it, skillfully.
"I actually remember very little about this", he smiled, as an apology. After a few chord practices, he indicated Hiyori to sit on the chair with a stare. She straightened her skirt, fearful. He kept speaking while exercising his fingers over the keys, playing scales on repeat. "Say, Hiyori", she stared at him, "what's your mother's favorite song?"
The question took her unprepared. She raised her hand to her chin, thoughtful. She answered after a minute.
"No frontiers."
Yato stopped playing, and looked at her with agape mouth, totally surprised.
"Mary Black's No frontiers? – Well, that IS a surprise, are we really talking about the same person that pushes her philosophy about being an upper class lady and all that garbage down your throat?"
"…Mary Black?" said Hiyori, a little ashamed, "no, The Corrs."
Yato let out a big laughter. He was laughing a lot lately, he thought.
"Well, it's kinda the same thing, The Corrs only gave the song's popularity a boost", saying this, he tried different key combinations, muttering to himself, "A? No, D?... maybe B… no, C? There you are!"
The melody flowed from his fingers like water. It was unbelievable, Hiyori was completely overthrown with this guy's talent. How had she met him, again? His blue eyes were fixed on her.
"You surely know the lyrics… If life is a river…" Yato pointed to the mic with a stare, and Hiyori paralyzed. Was he singing? "c'mon! And your life is a boat…"
The girl approached the microphone with utter shyness, "and just like a water baby baby born to float…" Yato smiled, and urged her to continue, "And if life is a wild wind that blows way on high… And your heart is Amelia dying to fly… Heaven knows no frontiers…" Hiyori smiled singing the last phrase, "And I've seen heaven in your eyes…"
Yato retook the following verse. The atmosphere changed. Never, in all her life, Hiyori had been capable of thinking she would be able to understand so much with someone just by looking at them. Somehow, she knew what to do, when he was going to change and what did she had to do, and it didn't had nothing to do with the fact her mother had sang sung that tune to herself every time she was happy.
"Heaven knows no frontiers, and I've seen heaven in your eyes…"
She had let her mind escape, and all of a sudden the song had ended, leaving them both with a gust of frozen air between the short half a meter between them. Hiyori's face turned red, but Yato filled his chest, proud, with a huge smile. He was about to say something, when they heard movement on the stairs. Kofuku, Daikoku and Yukine had been there listening. Realizing it, Hiyori felt herself shrinking to floor level, to immediately after feel as walking between the clouds after what Yato said.
"Whaddayathink?"
"I think we are just going to need one audition", stated Daikoku.
Yukine was still showing an attitude as bad as always, but his eyes showed absolute surprise, while Kofuku gave little jumps and clapped.
"What you say, Hiyori?" Asked Yato, "D'ya know the songs?"
After a brief silence, she answered, smiling confidently: "Every word."
But it was actually quite different, once being in the midst of the dynamics she had seen from the outside. During the brief half minute of the intro of one of the most popular SHRINE's, Hiyori started to think she was actually trying to occupy Viina's spot; the one with the exceptional vocal range, the one who could threat of killing you and you would still ask for more; the voice that had been the main treat of the band during all those years. Suddenly she was feeling like a Chihuahua in a San Bernardo event meeting. The first words came out unsure, misplaced and week. Between the harmony created for all three instruments supporting her, she could hear Yato's yell, "Feel it!" The pressure was almost unbearable, and Hiyori closed her eyes, trying to place her voice in some point within the melody. It was way too easy for Yato to say, she thought, because he already had years of experience and knew what was up with all of that.
But suddenly, everything became so simple. The lyrics were about feeling desperate for a love that after trying hard, it never goes back. Hiyori had no idea of how that actually felt, but trying to fill Viina's place was stressful enough to identify the tone the lyrics should have. Yato again made use of a brief silence within the song to yell "Let it flow!" Every piece fell together into place. Again, the song ended too early for her, and that cold rush of air surrounded her again. Daikoku ended making his drums growl chaotically and laughing loudly, with joy, and Yato had again that look, as if he was in front of the biggest diamond in the world.
This time, he wasn't looking at a score.
He was looking at her.
Thank you damnationSUSHItruck, Sucker for shipping, GrumpyCat503 and everyone reading this far despite me being an awful author that takes forever to update. Thank you all the anons leaving comments and reading, I send you all my love. Happy new year!