Categories > Original > Romance
My Lovely Yuriko
0 ReviewsKazuki Fujiwara, a famous singer in the band, Rising Sun. He's gotta make a new hit, but it's easier said than done in his monotonous life. What he needs is inspiration.
Chapter One-Kazuki
Fujiwara Kazuki was as lucky a guy his age could ever get; he was a twenty-two year old Japanese rock star, the lead guitarist and one of the lead vocals for the ever famous Rising Sun. Young Kazuki was blessed with good looks and great intellect, phenomenal talent in music as well as modeling. To put it simply, Fujiwara Kazuki excelled in nearly everything he did. He could make a crowd of girls swoon with one simple smile or just a nod of acknowledgement, and even the men idolized him while some held personal jealousy about his flawless being. What else could be said about him but that he was perfect in every way? He had money, fame, good friends and a supportive family, a good education. . . what more could he ask for? He had everything he wanted and needed.
Well, perhaps that wasn't true.
Yes, money was always a good thing to have, but distant relatives were always trying to contact him for a "loan". Fame was great at first, getting respect from more people than ever before, but soon it got out of hand. The usual places he often visited before reaching idol status was now impossible to go to without crazed girls squealing and begging for a marriage. His good friends were the members of his band, and you would think that they of all people would understand his problems, but that wasn't the case. To bring up the subject of quitting the celebrity life was avoided so as not to create a conflict and ruin friendships by disappointing each other. His family would also never understand the emotional crisis he was going through. They would never be able to comprehend the way he felt as if something was missing, a big chunk of his heart empty and hollow. You are rich and have everything, so what else could you possibly want, they'd say. Yes, he was content, but he wanted to be truly happy. He wanted to fill up that missing portion of himself, so he could smile from his heart and know that he too was happy, that he too, like everyone else, was alive. The only problem was Kazuki himself couldn't even fathom what it was that his heart so achingly desired. He spent countless days and nights pondering over the curious feeling yet nothing reasonable ever popped up. For the one of the brightest person his age and even older, he was absolutely naive about his own wants. He was certainly ignorant about the thing all living creatures needed sooner or later, the one thing that was beyond common sense and more of a natural instinct. It's something we all like to call. . . .
Kazuki woke up with a startled swelling inside his stomache. He sat up abruptly, gasping once only to find himself safely under the covers of his bed. He let out a relieved sigh, trying to remember what dream it was that uneased him so, but the only trace of such a dream was the light film of sweat that enveloped his thin and pale body. Hunching over a drawn leg and gripping the roots of his bangs, he looked out the window with an unidentified longing, staring at the white sky illuminated by the sun. Daybreak. . . . What will this day bring, he thought emotionlessly, tilting his head to the side. Without another moment to ponder over the daily subject, he flung his blankets to the side and got up, stretching as he did so. He made his way to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. He looked exactly the same as yesterday save for the white t-shirt that hung loosely on his shoulders. His first thought was what if he didn't look that way, if he was less than average looking? Would his fans still idolize him and love him more than the other members of Rising Sun? He shook the thought out of his head, somewhat ashamed of himself for saying that he was higher ranked than his friends although they contributed the same amount of effort to the band. After brushing his teeth thoroughly and showering, thus changing into a new outfit, he opened the door and walked into his little sister, Momoko. She looked up at him quietly, her mouth slighlty open in her inquisitive ways.
Momoko was only five years old, and she spoke very little even to Kazuki whom she was closest to. She was wearing a light pink dress with a small brown pouch hanging across her chest where a pearl pendant laid, a gift from Kazuki on her last birthday. A pink ribbon was tied as a band over her wavy brown hair, her dark eyes peeking from beneath the ends of her bangs. She silently tugged at her brother's shirt gently, her face hinting at what she was hoping for. He knew at once what it was and smiled, putting a hand on her head.
"What is it, Momo?" he asked, teasing her. "Why are you up so early today? Is Momo going out on an expedition all alone? She looks ready to leave any minute now."
Momoko shook her head furiously, a small frown on her face, confusion etched in her brow. Kazuki laughed lightly.
"Ah, that's right. I promised you I would spend the day with you, right? After all, you can't wander around all alone. There could be monsters or bad people who would want to kidnap you and gobble you up!"
Momoko smiled happily, this time nodding and clapping her hands together. He took her hand and pocketed his wallet and keys, descending the grand staircase slowly for Momoko to keep up. Once he reached the last step, the head maid had appeared immediately to his side. She bowed down, her bob cut hair falling forward. The daily action was followed by six more maids and the head butler and his own recruits.
"I told you that's not necessary," Kazuki sighed. Every morning, he would say so, and every morning they would continue the pointless habit. It got on his nerves that he was being treated with so much respect when they were older than him. The sight of them bowing to him made him uncomfortable and embarrassed, the thoughts of firing them on the spot dwelling on his mind. However, Kazuki could never do that. They were only doing their jobs, so he tried to make up for it by giving them as much free time as possible. It didn't matter to him if they worked or not; there wasn't really anything that required much attention or was something he couldn't do himself. The only reason he had them in the first place was because his mother wouldn't take no for an answer and insisted on having servants. He lived in the mansion with his mother and younger sisters while his older brother was studying abroad, and his father worked in Okinawa. His mother frequently made trips to out of the city, so she was rarely ever seen at home, and his other sister made herself scarce. Whenever Kazuki tired of the "wealthy family scene", he would leave for his real home on the other side of Tokyo. All his possessions were there, and the ones at the mansion were only whatever he needed like clothing and a bed. Because of this, the duties of the housekeepers were usually dealt with the other family members. To put it bluntly, the maids and butlers were there for his family and not him. Then, there were the security guards his career came with. . . .
"Kazuki-sama." A bald Caucasian man appeared in the spot where the servants were previously standing. He wore dark sunglasses, a small gold hoop in the lobe of his left ear. He was dressed in a black suit, the very sight of the man in the dark blazer enough to make Kazuki break out in a sweat. It was nearly summer after all.
"Aspen,"Kazuki said slowly, taking in the image of his personal guard's formal attire. "You can take the day off. I'll be fine."
"No can do, Boss. It's my job to stay close and keep a good eye on you. I can't risk leaving you alone. Besides, Ryuki's already off the job for the day."
"I'm human too, Aspen, and all humans need privacy once in a while."
"Yeah, and you have your privacy while you're asleep, changing, showering. . . . It's not enough?"
"Give me a break. You following me every second of my social life doesn't exactly make a guy feel the freedom he deserves. It actually kind of creeps me out now that I think about it. I'm just going to take Momoko out to the park or something. I'll call you if anything comes up."
Here, the dutiful man sighed, letting out a hint of his stress over his boss's personal yearning for a somewhat normal life, the life a man his age would ordinarily lead: attending a college, working at a store, hanging out in public without too much hassle, and a nice girlfriend to top it off. Instead, Kazuki had chosen to walk the path of stardom, unknowing that the celebrious life wasn't as fun as it sounded. In fact, complete freedom seemed almost a fairy tale now, especially since his face was slapped on every other wall and window poster. Aspen couldn't possibly grasp the agitation his employer was in, but he did have sympathy to spare for the idol. At first, working for Kazuki was a little discerning, considering that he was going to be entrusted with a celebrity's life. He was extremely careful to stay on his good side, ready to do his bidding whatever the case. Aspen expected outbursts and anger, unsatisfaction with the bodyguard's service. After all, it was his first time being hired to protect someone of the kind of status, so he didn't know what to expect. However, Kazuki wasn't at all like the rich, spoiled young adults that was constantly on the news for doing something wrong or the real-life series that portrayed the typical life of a famous person. Rather, he showed more respect than the average teenagers, calm and collected and nearly always quiet. He would speak, yes, but ever so softly. Music was a different area though. He would cut loose, strumming the strings expertly and rapidly on his guitar with long, elegant fingers, swaying and moving to the sound, and his lips would form words to lyrics he had written himself, the loud vocals enough to overpower the cluster of the instruments. If you had met Kazuki briefly from a mere chance like bumping into him, not knowing his identity and later met him as the rockstar he was, you would never believe two were actually one despite the physical similarity. His calm demeanor often did catch people offguard. It's not to say that he looked like a rough, loud and proud party animal that led people to believe he was loudmouthed and initiative (he looked like quite the shy guy, honestly); it was the superficial being the whole world heard of, leading to false rumors spread by infatuated females. Knowing all this, Aspen soon grew comfortable around his objective, perhaps becoming more of a friend than hired duty. He knew when to cut him some slack and when to push the buttons with Kazuki, and today, it just seemed like it was best to let Kazuki wander without his "external life" to drag him down to a pit of isolation.
"Alright," Aspen confirmed, checking his watch. "You just keep that promise; you'll call me if you need me."
"Thanks."
Momoko held her brother's hand tightly, swinging their arms as they strolled down the sidewalks, soon to reach their destination for a small bite to eat at a nearby cafe. The cafe was called Sweetie Cakes and was located right across the street from a large park. After the quick breakfast, it was already planned that the two siblings would head off for that particular area, to walk and perhaps snag an ice cream vendor on their way. Kazuki neared the corner of the street, catching the sign above the doors and tugging on Momoko's arm. He looked down at her and smiled.
"I hope you have a big appetite because this cafe is known to have some good treats."
Momoko returned the smile, following Kazuki's lead as she let go of his hand. He opened the door, a bell ringing, announcing the arrival of a possible customer as he held the door ajar for her to walk through. Kazuki headed for the bar beside the display of food, lifting up Momoko and setting her down on a stool. He questioned her order, Momoko placing a finger to her drawn lips, looking thoughtful while humming. She swung her feet absentmindedly, the way all children do, until she finally shrugged, palms upturned.
"May I suggest pumpkin pancakes for the little cutie and a cup of milk?"
Kazuki looked up, startled by the sudden break of silence. A teenage girl was leaning on the counter, a pad and pen in hands as she smiled at Momoko and Kazuki. Momoko blinked uncertainly as Kazuki found his voice.
"If it's any good, it's a go."
"Wanna sample? I usually make the food instead of taking people's orders."
"I'll just take your word for it."
"Mm-kay." She jotted the order down on her paper, speaking as she did so. "And you, Sir?"
"You think you could offer some more input?"
"Hmmm. . . .Well, everything here is pretty much drool-worthy, and I'm not saying that because I work here, but I'll say that for you. . . a pumpkin muffin and coffee?"
"Pumpkin again? Is that the signature ingredient here? That sounds fine. We'll have the order for here."
"Alrighty! It all comes out to $7.00. You can pay at the front after your meal if you want. If you need anything else, just call for me. Name's Lily."
The waitress smiled and bounded away to the griddle where a young man was already working. Kazuki watched as the girl scolded him, perhaps having made a mistake. The man flinched, but all she did was shake her head, hands on her hips. She took the spatula from him and began to cook the food herself, moving agiley. The man held plates to her as she filled it, another employee taking those to the customers until finally, she took two plates herself. She walked over to the waiting brother and sister, setting down everything rather quickly. To his surprise, nothing had fallen from its place, the contents looking perfectly made and served. Momoko's plate was filled with other items he didn't order. There were scrambled eggs, bacons, and sausages. She pulled out a pink box with a thin golden ribbon.
"You gotta eat more than pancakes. After all, you're a growing girl. And this here is for later on. When you need a snack, just open it. No extra charge. Enjoy your meal!"
Kazuki opened the door, a slight breeze pushing past him as he exited the cafe after Momoko. She was holding the box to her abdomen tightly, turning her head back to beckon for her older brother. He smiled at her and reached for her hand, touseling her hair as they crossed the corner of the street into the park. The tall trees provided shade here and there, benches placed in the area where an exhausted and hot runner could rest beside a fountain and underneath the eaves of the trees. There were several mothers with their children and teenagers and young adults loitering around, a place where neither Kazuki nor Momoko would fit in. Kazuki would hardly be given the chance to make a casual relationship with average people, and Momoko didn't have the joys of having a real mother to help her grow. Besides that, they were both shy to the core. There was only so much Kazuki could teach her. When she got older, she would have to rely on the maids of the mansion to answer her female curiosity and concerns. That bothered Kazuki deeply. He felt disturbed that she didn't have a female relative she could rely on and seek a role model in; everyone else was too busy with their own lives to pay her any mind. All he could do was watch and intervene when he needed to, but for now, she just needed to enjoy the life of a kid.
It was almost noon, and Kazuki was ready to go home for lunch at the mansion. Momoko was sitting on a bench beneath a tree and struggling at the knot on her box. Kazuki turned and smiled, reaching for the box. He untied it and handed it to Momoko who in turn pried the lid open, revealing several light pink and white mochi, rice pounded so that it was sticky and made into a kind of bread. Momoko picked one up, half of it embraced by her palm, and bit into it. She chewed it slowly and swallowed. After having deemed it worthy of her tastebuds, she took another big bite, looking at her piece with curious eyes. Kazuki sat beside her and peered into the box.
"Can big brother have one, Momoko?"
She shook her head, eyes glued to the pink mochi she was consuming. Kazuki shrugged and reached around her shoulder, grabbing one. It was perfectly round, lightly powdered with sticky rice flour. He tore off a piece, a faint sweetness spreading into his mouth. The sticky warmth of the mochi felt good in his mouth and on his teeth as he chewed and swallowed the soft morsel. He took another one and patted Momoko's back to head on home.
It was now three hours after noon, and Kazuki was in his own house away from bustling maids and nosy guards. He had to get to work. They had a deadline to produce more music and send it in to their manager in one week, five months having already past. He carried his guitar, a pen, and a notebook out onto his bedroom balcony and sat in an armchair, resting his instrument against his knee, strap across his chest. He chewed on the end of his pen, thinking of something to write about. Life? Love? Hope? Failures? Cliches? There were so many subjects, but he could think of none that was motivating for him to write. He sighed and began strumming one of Rising Sun's hit songs, Tomorrow I'll Love. Soon, his voice joined the buzz from his guitar.
"Memories in the form of a snowglobe:
If only my future could be so easily defined.
If my love was here and real,
I think I'll believe in forging a destiny
With these untainted hands of mine,
Hands that have never lifted a finger.
If my love was someone like you,
The song I play will have a meaning.
You would be the pendulum
That captivates me, mesmerizing.
Make me believe that
Tomorrow I'll love.
I'm a cold man of independence:
Love is not welcome in this vessel,
But if you were the one that sees my flaws,
I'm certain I'll believe in hope
With this insincere heart of mine,
A heart that wants to be reborn.
If life was someone like you,
The words I write will have a meaning.
You would be the shooting star
That I believe in, wishing.
Give me belief that
Tomorrow I'll love."
"You are one sad little man."
Kazuki flinched and looked up, nearly dropping his guitar. His friends stood in the doorway, Ikura Yoshiki being the speaker. Yoshiki's golden contacts pierced into Kazuki's violet eyes, his pierced lip spread in a broad smile. He was the second guitarist of the band. Beside him was blonde-haired Rukiya who had more of a leader vibe than Kazuki did although Kazuki was the lead singer. Naturally, the role as a band's representative usually lay within the vocalist, but Rukiya was the one who usually let his motor-mouth run.
Kazuki stood up and had a sheepish smile on his face, eyes darting to the floor. He tossed the pillow at Yoshiki but missed, hitting the drummer, Kusagi Nanami.
"Nice aiming," Nanami mumbled, dropping it back onto the couch and fixing his platinum blonde hair.
"Sorry." Kazuki let out a light laugh as he headed inside and out into the kitchen. His friends followed him as he browsed his fridge. "Want anything to drink or eat?"
Rukiya peered inside beside Kazuki, a redefined eyebrow raised in disbelief. The fridge was empty except for a few cans of soda and old take-out he recognized from three weeks ago when they had gotten together after a trip to Blast Your Beat Industries, the company they were signed under.
"Yeah, right," he replied dryly as Kazuki shut the door. "You come up with anything yet? We need just one more song, Kazu. We just need you to write another hit song considering the music is pretty much perfected. We're all out of ideas on lyrics."
"I don't know. I've been pretty blank lately."
"It's cool," Suzuki Yoshiki sighed, the bassist. "There's still a week left before it's due."
"Yeah, just watch a whole bunch of romance movies and listen to love songs to get the flow back!"
"I'm not gonna copy off of someone else's work, Rukiya."
"You do it all the time, Kazuki!" Rukiya exasperated. "You steal ideas from other people's lives, so why not just--"
"That's completely different."
"How so?"
"It's not stealing," Nanami stated. "You're just phrasing it badly."
"Right, right," Rukiya laughed. "It's inspiration."
"Just shut up," Rukiya said. "Stop pestering the people who actually work around here."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Look, why don't we just go out tonight? Relax and have some fun! Maybe you'll hit off with a nice girl and find some inspiration later on in the night."
"Look at his face, Rukiya. I think you're grossing him out."
"No, I'm just ashamed to be in the same company as someone as vulgar as Rukiya," Kazuki replied.
Hanazawa Yuki, the pianist and violinist as well as the editor, walked in and leaned on the counter.
"Well, why don't we just go to that new club that opened up two weeks ago?" Yuki offered. "Zai Zai, it was called. I heard it got five stars and Younha told me it was pretty low-maintenance."
"He won't go for it," Rukiya sneered.
"Sure," Kazuki answered, ignoring Rukiya. "I'll go if it's not much hassle there."
"Alright, then I'll call to make a reservation for a table in the back."
Fujiwara Kazuki was as lucky a guy his age could ever get; he was a twenty-two year old Japanese rock star, the lead guitarist and one of the lead vocals for the ever famous Rising Sun. Young Kazuki was blessed with good looks and great intellect, phenomenal talent in music as well as modeling. To put it simply, Fujiwara Kazuki excelled in nearly everything he did. He could make a crowd of girls swoon with one simple smile or just a nod of acknowledgement, and even the men idolized him while some held personal jealousy about his flawless being. What else could be said about him but that he was perfect in every way? He had money, fame, good friends and a supportive family, a good education. . . what more could he ask for? He had everything he wanted and needed.
Well, perhaps that wasn't true.
Yes, money was always a good thing to have, but distant relatives were always trying to contact him for a "loan". Fame was great at first, getting respect from more people than ever before, but soon it got out of hand. The usual places he often visited before reaching idol status was now impossible to go to without crazed girls squealing and begging for a marriage. His good friends were the members of his band, and you would think that they of all people would understand his problems, but that wasn't the case. To bring up the subject of quitting the celebrity life was avoided so as not to create a conflict and ruin friendships by disappointing each other. His family would also never understand the emotional crisis he was going through. They would never be able to comprehend the way he felt as if something was missing, a big chunk of his heart empty and hollow. You are rich and have everything, so what else could you possibly want, they'd say. Yes, he was content, but he wanted to be truly happy. He wanted to fill up that missing portion of himself, so he could smile from his heart and know that he too was happy, that he too, like everyone else, was alive. The only problem was Kazuki himself couldn't even fathom what it was that his heart so achingly desired. He spent countless days and nights pondering over the curious feeling yet nothing reasonable ever popped up. For the one of the brightest person his age and even older, he was absolutely naive about his own wants. He was certainly ignorant about the thing all living creatures needed sooner or later, the one thing that was beyond common sense and more of a natural instinct. It's something we all like to call. . . .
Kazuki woke up with a startled swelling inside his stomache. He sat up abruptly, gasping once only to find himself safely under the covers of his bed. He let out a relieved sigh, trying to remember what dream it was that uneased him so, but the only trace of such a dream was the light film of sweat that enveloped his thin and pale body. Hunching over a drawn leg and gripping the roots of his bangs, he looked out the window with an unidentified longing, staring at the white sky illuminated by the sun. Daybreak. . . . What will this day bring, he thought emotionlessly, tilting his head to the side. Without another moment to ponder over the daily subject, he flung his blankets to the side and got up, stretching as he did so. He made his way to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. He looked exactly the same as yesterday save for the white t-shirt that hung loosely on his shoulders. His first thought was what if he didn't look that way, if he was less than average looking? Would his fans still idolize him and love him more than the other members of Rising Sun? He shook the thought out of his head, somewhat ashamed of himself for saying that he was higher ranked than his friends although they contributed the same amount of effort to the band. After brushing his teeth thoroughly and showering, thus changing into a new outfit, he opened the door and walked into his little sister, Momoko. She looked up at him quietly, her mouth slighlty open in her inquisitive ways.
Momoko was only five years old, and she spoke very little even to Kazuki whom she was closest to. She was wearing a light pink dress with a small brown pouch hanging across her chest where a pearl pendant laid, a gift from Kazuki on her last birthday. A pink ribbon was tied as a band over her wavy brown hair, her dark eyes peeking from beneath the ends of her bangs. She silently tugged at her brother's shirt gently, her face hinting at what she was hoping for. He knew at once what it was and smiled, putting a hand on her head.
"What is it, Momo?" he asked, teasing her. "Why are you up so early today? Is Momo going out on an expedition all alone? She looks ready to leave any minute now."
Momoko shook her head furiously, a small frown on her face, confusion etched in her brow. Kazuki laughed lightly.
"Ah, that's right. I promised you I would spend the day with you, right? After all, you can't wander around all alone. There could be monsters or bad people who would want to kidnap you and gobble you up!"
Momoko smiled happily, this time nodding and clapping her hands together. He took her hand and pocketed his wallet and keys, descending the grand staircase slowly for Momoko to keep up. Once he reached the last step, the head maid had appeared immediately to his side. She bowed down, her bob cut hair falling forward. The daily action was followed by six more maids and the head butler and his own recruits.
"I told you that's not necessary," Kazuki sighed. Every morning, he would say so, and every morning they would continue the pointless habit. It got on his nerves that he was being treated with so much respect when they were older than him. The sight of them bowing to him made him uncomfortable and embarrassed, the thoughts of firing them on the spot dwelling on his mind. However, Kazuki could never do that. They were only doing their jobs, so he tried to make up for it by giving them as much free time as possible. It didn't matter to him if they worked or not; there wasn't really anything that required much attention or was something he couldn't do himself. The only reason he had them in the first place was because his mother wouldn't take no for an answer and insisted on having servants. He lived in the mansion with his mother and younger sisters while his older brother was studying abroad, and his father worked in Okinawa. His mother frequently made trips to out of the city, so she was rarely ever seen at home, and his other sister made herself scarce. Whenever Kazuki tired of the "wealthy family scene", he would leave for his real home on the other side of Tokyo. All his possessions were there, and the ones at the mansion were only whatever he needed like clothing and a bed. Because of this, the duties of the housekeepers were usually dealt with the other family members. To put it bluntly, the maids and butlers were there for his family and not him. Then, there were the security guards his career came with. . . .
"Kazuki-sama." A bald Caucasian man appeared in the spot where the servants were previously standing. He wore dark sunglasses, a small gold hoop in the lobe of his left ear. He was dressed in a black suit, the very sight of the man in the dark blazer enough to make Kazuki break out in a sweat. It was nearly summer after all.
"Aspen,"Kazuki said slowly, taking in the image of his personal guard's formal attire. "You can take the day off. I'll be fine."
"No can do, Boss. It's my job to stay close and keep a good eye on you. I can't risk leaving you alone. Besides, Ryuki's already off the job for the day."
"I'm human too, Aspen, and all humans need privacy once in a while."
"Yeah, and you have your privacy while you're asleep, changing, showering. . . . It's not enough?"
"Give me a break. You following me every second of my social life doesn't exactly make a guy feel the freedom he deserves. It actually kind of creeps me out now that I think about it. I'm just going to take Momoko out to the park or something. I'll call you if anything comes up."
Here, the dutiful man sighed, letting out a hint of his stress over his boss's personal yearning for a somewhat normal life, the life a man his age would ordinarily lead: attending a college, working at a store, hanging out in public without too much hassle, and a nice girlfriend to top it off. Instead, Kazuki had chosen to walk the path of stardom, unknowing that the celebrious life wasn't as fun as it sounded. In fact, complete freedom seemed almost a fairy tale now, especially since his face was slapped on every other wall and window poster. Aspen couldn't possibly grasp the agitation his employer was in, but he did have sympathy to spare for the idol. At first, working for Kazuki was a little discerning, considering that he was going to be entrusted with a celebrity's life. He was extremely careful to stay on his good side, ready to do his bidding whatever the case. Aspen expected outbursts and anger, unsatisfaction with the bodyguard's service. After all, it was his first time being hired to protect someone of the kind of status, so he didn't know what to expect. However, Kazuki wasn't at all like the rich, spoiled young adults that was constantly on the news for doing something wrong or the real-life series that portrayed the typical life of a famous person. Rather, he showed more respect than the average teenagers, calm and collected and nearly always quiet. He would speak, yes, but ever so softly. Music was a different area though. He would cut loose, strumming the strings expertly and rapidly on his guitar with long, elegant fingers, swaying and moving to the sound, and his lips would form words to lyrics he had written himself, the loud vocals enough to overpower the cluster of the instruments. If you had met Kazuki briefly from a mere chance like bumping into him, not knowing his identity and later met him as the rockstar he was, you would never believe two were actually one despite the physical similarity. His calm demeanor often did catch people offguard. It's not to say that he looked like a rough, loud and proud party animal that led people to believe he was loudmouthed and initiative (he looked like quite the shy guy, honestly); it was the superficial being the whole world heard of, leading to false rumors spread by infatuated females. Knowing all this, Aspen soon grew comfortable around his objective, perhaps becoming more of a friend than hired duty. He knew when to cut him some slack and when to push the buttons with Kazuki, and today, it just seemed like it was best to let Kazuki wander without his "external life" to drag him down to a pit of isolation.
"Alright," Aspen confirmed, checking his watch. "You just keep that promise; you'll call me if you need me."
"Thanks."
Momoko held her brother's hand tightly, swinging their arms as they strolled down the sidewalks, soon to reach their destination for a small bite to eat at a nearby cafe. The cafe was called Sweetie Cakes and was located right across the street from a large park. After the quick breakfast, it was already planned that the two siblings would head off for that particular area, to walk and perhaps snag an ice cream vendor on their way. Kazuki neared the corner of the street, catching the sign above the doors and tugging on Momoko's arm. He looked down at her and smiled.
"I hope you have a big appetite because this cafe is known to have some good treats."
Momoko returned the smile, following Kazuki's lead as she let go of his hand. He opened the door, a bell ringing, announcing the arrival of a possible customer as he held the door ajar for her to walk through. Kazuki headed for the bar beside the display of food, lifting up Momoko and setting her down on a stool. He questioned her order, Momoko placing a finger to her drawn lips, looking thoughtful while humming. She swung her feet absentmindedly, the way all children do, until she finally shrugged, palms upturned.
"May I suggest pumpkin pancakes for the little cutie and a cup of milk?"
Kazuki looked up, startled by the sudden break of silence. A teenage girl was leaning on the counter, a pad and pen in hands as she smiled at Momoko and Kazuki. Momoko blinked uncertainly as Kazuki found his voice.
"If it's any good, it's a go."
"Wanna sample? I usually make the food instead of taking people's orders."
"I'll just take your word for it."
"Mm-kay." She jotted the order down on her paper, speaking as she did so. "And you, Sir?"
"You think you could offer some more input?"
"Hmmm. . . .Well, everything here is pretty much drool-worthy, and I'm not saying that because I work here, but I'll say that for you. . . a pumpkin muffin and coffee?"
"Pumpkin again? Is that the signature ingredient here? That sounds fine. We'll have the order for here."
"Alrighty! It all comes out to $7.00. You can pay at the front after your meal if you want. If you need anything else, just call for me. Name's Lily."
The waitress smiled and bounded away to the griddle where a young man was already working. Kazuki watched as the girl scolded him, perhaps having made a mistake. The man flinched, but all she did was shake her head, hands on her hips. She took the spatula from him and began to cook the food herself, moving agiley. The man held plates to her as she filled it, another employee taking those to the customers until finally, she took two plates herself. She walked over to the waiting brother and sister, setting down everything rather quickly. To his surprise, nothing had fallen from its place, the contents looking perfectly made and served. Momoko's plate was filled with other items he didn't order. There were scrambled eggs, bacons, and sausages. She pulled out a pink box with a thin golden ribbon.
"You gotta eat more than pancakes. After all, you're a growing girl. And this here is for later on. When you need a snack, just open it. No extra charge. Enjoy your meal!"
Kazuki opened the door, a slight breeze pushing past him as he exited the cafe after Momoko. She was holding the box to her abdomen tightly, turning her head back to beckon for her older brother. He smiled at her and reached for her hand, touseling her hair as they crossed the corner of the street into the park. The tall trees provided shade here and there, benches placed in the area where an exhausted and hot runner could rest beside a fountain and underneath the eaves of the trees. There were several mothers with their children and teenagers and young adults loitering around, a place where neither Kazuki nor Momoko would fit in. Kazuki would hardly be given the chance to make a casual relationship with average people, and Momoko didn't have the joys of having a real mother to help her grow. Besides that, they were both shy to the core. There was only so much Kazuki could teach her. When she got older, she would have to rely on the maids of the mansion to answer her female curiosity and concerns. That bothered Kazuki deeply. He felt disturbed that she didn't have a female relative she could rely on and seek a role model in; everyone else was too busy with their own lives to pay her any mind. All he could do was watch and intervene when he needed to, but for now, she just needed to enjoy the life of a kid.
It was almost noon, and Kazuki was ready to go home for lunch at the mansion. Momoko was sitting on a bench beneath a tree and struggling at the knot on her box. Kazuki turned and smiled, reaching for the box. He untied it and handed it to Momoko who in turn pried the lid open, revealing several light pink and white mochi, rice pounded so that it was sticky and made into a kind of bread. Momoko picked one up, half of it embraced by her palm, and bit into it. She chewed it slowly and swallowed. After having deemed it worthy of her tastebuds, she took another big bite, looking at her piece with curious eyes. Kazuki sat beside her and peered into the box.
"Can big brother have one, Momoko?"
She shook her head, eyes glued to the pink mochi she was consuming. Kazuki shrugged and reached around her shoulder, grabbing one. It was perfectly round, lightly powdered with sticky rice flour. He tore off a piece, a faint sweetness spreading into his mouth. The sticky warmth of the mochi felt good in his mouth and on his teeth as he chewed and swallowed the soft morsel. He took another one and patted Momoko's back to head on home.
It was now three hours after noon, and Kazuki was in his own house away from bustling maids and nosy guards. He had to get to work. They had a deadline to produce more music and send it in to their manager in one week, five months having already past. He carried his guitar, a pen, and a notebook out onto his bedroom balcony and sat in an armchair, resting his instrument against his knee, strap across his chest. He chewed on the end of his pen, thinking of something to write about. Life? Love? Hope? Failures? Cliches? There were so many subjects, but he could think of none that was motivating for him to write. He sighed and began strumming one of Rising Sun's hit songs, Tomorrow I'll Love. Soon, his voice joined the buzz from his guitar.
"Memories in the form of a snowglobe:
If only my future could be so easily defined.
If my love was here and real,
I think I'll believe in forging a destiny
With these untainted hands of mine,
Hands that have never lifted a finger.
If my love was someone like you,
The song I play will have a meaning.
You would be the pendulum
That captivates me, mesmerizing.
Make me believe that
Tomorrow I'll love.
I'm a cold man of independence:
Love is not welcome in this vessel,
But if you were the one that sees my flaws,
I'm certain I'll believe in hope
With this insincere heart of mine,
A heart that wants to be reborn.
If life was someone like you,
The words I write will have a meaning.
You would be the shooting star
That I believe in, wishing.
Give me belief that
Tomorrow I'll love."
"You are one sad little man."
Kazuki flinched and looked up, nearly dropping his guitar. His friends stood in the doorway, Ikura Yoshiki being the speaker. Yoshiki's golden contacts pierced into Kazuki's violet eyes, his pierced lip spread in a broad smile. He was the second guitarist of the band. Beside him was blonde-haired Rukiya who had more of a leader vibe than Kazuki did although Kazuki was the lead singer. Naturally, the role as a band's representative usually lay within the vocalist, but Rukiya was the one who usually let his motor-mouth run.
Kazuki stood up and had a sheepish smile on his face, eyes darting to the floor. He tossed the pillow at Yoshiki but missed, hitting the drummer, Kusagi Nanami.
"Nice aiming," Nanami mumbled, dropping it back onto the couch and fixing his platinum blonde hair.
"Sorry." Kazuki let out a light laugh as he headed inside and out into the kitchen. His friends followed him as he browsed his fridge. "Want anything to drink or eat?"
Rukiya peered inside beside Kazuki, a redefined eyebrow raised in disbelief. The fridge was empty except for a few cans of soda and old take-out he recognized from three weeks ago when they had gotten together after a trip to Blast Your Beat Industries, the company they were signed under.
"Yeah, right," he replied dryly as Kazuki shut the door. "You come up with anything yet? We need just one more song, Kazu. We just need you to write another hit song considering the music is pretty much perfected. We're all out of ideas on lyrics."
"I don't know. I've been pretty blank lately."
"It's cool," Suzuki Yoshiki sighed, the bassist. "There's still a week left before it's due."
"Yeah, just watch a whole bunch of romance movies and listen to love songs to get the flow back!"
"I'm not gonna copy off of someone else's work, Rukiya."
"You do it all the time, Kazuki!" Rukiya exasperated. "You steal ideas from other people's lives, so why not just--"
"That's completely different."
"How so?"
"It's not stealing," Nanami stated. "You're just phrasing it badly."
"Right, right," Rukiya laughed. "It's inspiration."
"Just shut up," Rukiya said. "Stop pestering the people who actually work around here."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Look, why don't we just go out tonight? Relax and have some fun! Maybe you'll hit off with a nice girl and find some inspiration later on in the night."
"Look at his face, Rukiya. I think you're grossing him out."
"No, I'm just ashamed to be in the same company as someone as vulgar as Rukiya," Kazuki replied.
Hanazawa Yuki, the pianist and violinist as well as the editor, walked in and leaned on the counter.
"Well, why don't we just go to that new club that opened up two weeks ago?" Yuki offered. "Zai Zai, it was called. I heard it got five stars and Younha told me it was pretty low-maintenance."
"He won't go for it," Rukiya sneered.
"Sure," Kazuki answered, ignoring Rukiya. "I'll go if it's not much hassle there."
"Alright, then I'll call to make a reservation for a table in the back."
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