Post by Robert Ashter on Aug 21, 2016 10:41:09 GMT -5
“I still cannot believe you dragged me into this,” Souma told his sister as they were driving away from their family house. “It couldn’t be helped, that guy wouldn’t have given me tickets,” Aya pointed out as she pulled said tickets from her bag. He gave them to Souma but he tossed them. His sister was the one that picked them and decided they had to go. Souma demanded an explanation for this. It was true that she was interested in the Miyazaki Academy for the Arts but it went beyond that. After all, she wanted to join their music program, not their drama one. She didn’t really care for the boy either. In truth, she was curious to know what her brother would do. For some reason, Souma got himself a fan, the kind that wanted not only to tell you how much they liked you but wanted you to acknowledge them too. She also heard Souma at the party. He said the boy fancied him. As in love? This was intriguing to say the least. She knew her brother could go for both men and women but she never heard him talk of love. She was both curious and a bit apprehensive of this. She knew however she couldn’t tell him that. He would laugh at her.
“Mom wouldn’t have let me out alone either,” she added, grumbling these words a bit. Souma meant to argue but he gave up before even starting. Their mother might have had nothing against her precious little daughter seeing a play at the prestigious Miyazaki Academy, but Aya was right, she never would have let her go alone. Some unwelcomed suitor would have been with her. She prevented that by picking him instead. “Besides, she began with her sweet yet oh so full of sarcasm tone, turning her head towards her brother with a smile and a falsely innocent batting of her eyelashes. “It’s not like you had anything more interesting to do.”
On that too, Souma did not comment. She would argue it was not interesting but he likely would have spent his evening studying, writing and, in between, drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. Instead, he was going to see a play he didn't know about, with his sister, where some random guy that kept pushing himself on him played a role in. He wondered what kind of role. Certainly the lead. With his luck, it had to be the lead. Besides, he claimed to be already famous.
Aya didn't seem to care that her brother was in his usual mood of “nothing in this world interests me”. In truth, she was a bit hurt, as she always happened to be around him. It was both so pleasant to have him back again, yet the pain he caused her when he ran away was still present, coming back every time she was with him as a reminder that he could do that again. What was she to him after all, but the nagging little sister that forced herself upon him? She had to accept their old relationship was gone. Only, she could not, and so she treasured moments like these. “Have you seen him since the ball?” she asked out of the blue. Souma knew perfectly who she was talking about. “Thank goodness no,” he replied, keeping his focus on the road. “And you, you saw that... what was his name again? That guy that looked like some cheap host.” “Daigo,” she answered, also not looking at her brother, her focus back on the tickets. She didn’t want to talk about Daigo. She still couldn’t understand him and that frustrated her. “I hope I won’t have to ever again,” she added. She tried to sound the same as her brother but she was certain she failed. She preferred to ignore it then to look his way and see if he would pick on her for that. Maybe in other circumstances they could have been friends. Scratch that, he was far too airhead for her, she just wanted to smack him. But her mother had another thing in mind. Luckily, Souma didn’t seem to know who Daigo’s family was. Or cared. She didn’t want to be reminded how far their mother could go to get her hands on someone like him.
The rest of the ride was done in relative silence, none of the sibling wishing to talk of anything in particular. Souma never enjoyed small talk, as for Aya, she didn’t want to be talked to in the same way he talked with everyone else, so she kept quiet, tuning the radio to any station playing something she vaguely liked.
Once arrived, Aya was quick to get out of the car and joined her brother. Grabbing his arm, they walked in, looking like a couple. Souma, by now, had grown used to his sister’s ways. He knew there was nothing to it, except perhaps a little revenge at the world that loved to see her the way they wanted as opposed to who she was. He humored her and let her hand over the tickets so they could enter the auditorium. He directed her towards their seat, letting her waltz in first. He pulled out his long coat and placed it on his seat before sitting down. There were still many people getting in, they could relax. He leaned towards her as she opened the program she grabbed at the entrance and looked. “There he is,” she said, pointing at a black and white picture of the smiling boy. His name was printed next to it, along with his character in the play. “Looks like he’s playing the lead,” she commented after she had a look at the story. “No surprise there,” Souma replied, already losing interest in the piece of paper. If he did not care for it however, he was a tad curious to see if that boy got the part only for his fame or if he could actually do a half-assed job at this acting thing. He claimed that he could, sent him tickets to prove it. He would be the judge of that.
Akihiko felt the anxiety rising inside of him, this strange mix of excitement and nervousness that turned his stomach into a knot. Above from the usual stage fright that he considered a good thing, there was something else that made him anxious as he peeked through the side of the stage. People were getting in and he was trying to locate one person in particular: Takeshi Hideaki or rather Souma-kun. Would he come? Aki sort of forced things on him with the play and everything when they met at the Halloween party a few days back. He didn’t seem interested in going but he eventually folded, mostly thanks to his sister who wanted to go. Aki couldn’t say he was all that happy to have Souma come here with someone else but he reminded himself that Aya was nothing but the man’s sister. Then again, why should he care? All he wanted was to show him he was talented and not just one of those pretty idols who didn’t know how to express feelings, or whatever way Souma said it to him. He could not recall the exact words, only the burn it left him with and the desire to show him he could not only act but would make an awesome job at portraying any of Souma’s characters someday.
He couldn’t see him. He was not all that surprised though. Souma did not particularly stand out. He was not super tall or super short. He was not so heavy you had to make room for him. He did not have a strange sense of fashion and his hair was not dyed in some weird color. As for his sister, she too may not be one to stand out much. She may be a model, he did recognize her, but there seemed to be quite a difference between her model self and who she really was. For all he knew, they could be there already and he didn’t notice. He was not even sure where exactly their seats were. He sent them tickets but that was all he knew. If that was not enough to stress him a little, others behind him kept pushing him as they too tried to locate someone in the crowd.
Aki heard the director telling them to gather around. The play would not start just yet but Aki, and many others, were not completely done with the makeup and costume. Not to add that the director wanted to give some last minute advices. With regret, he turned his back at the stage and moved to the back to finish prepping up. If only he could have seen him. That would have turned this knot into... he was not quite sure what it would have turned into but he knew he would have felt a rush of adrenaline and an even bigger need to perform. If only he had a way to know whether he was there or not. But he didn't even have the man's phone number!
As that thought hit him, he was left shocked. That was not the right way to think. He was not going to be good because Souma was there. He’d be great no matter what! He was meant for the stage and if he should push harder, it was in order to give the best performance possible and not because someone he knew was in the room. Did he even know Souma? The man kept saying he did not. He was cold, blunt and, frankly, pretty irritating. Still, Akihiko wanted to show him he was better than what he thought, that he knew what love truly was and that he could portray it. But that did not mean he would do a better job tonight than he normally did. He would do the same good job he always did and thus that would really prove him he was a talented actor. Otherwise, he was certain he would say this was just a fluke.
This resolution in mind, Akihiko was more determined than ever to show his worth, not just to that arrogant prick but to everyone in the room who came here today to watch the play. Even the director pointed out to him, as he finished his makeup, that he looked more determined than ever. “I won’t hold anything in,” Akihiko replied to that, nodding his head to give more impact to his words.
The director announced they would begin in two minutes. It caused quite a commotion amongst the actors who kept moving around to do the finishing touches to their makeup or to check they got everything before running towards the sides of the stage where they would enter on their mark. Aki followed along with them all. He actually liked this feeling right now, this excitement mixed with a bit of fear. It was good fear, the kind that forced you to push through and give all you've got. Tonight, he would definitely show what he was made of. The lights were already dimmed in the auditorium. He took a deep breath as people applauded and the play began. This was it, his moment. Who cared if Souma was there or not? He had a room full of people to entertain. He was made for this, he just knew it. The determination showed once again in his gaze as he made his way on the stage...
As the lights went out, announcing the beginning of the show, Aya sunk in her seat and laid her head against her brother’s shoulder. Souma didn’t make a move to get her off of him. Instead, he sat straight, his cold gaze turned towards the stage. Aya said he was playing the lead. Without ever seeing that play before, he assumed the lead would be amongst the first to show up. If not, he was certain he could recognize him, if not by his look, definitely by his voice. He suffered it enough for it to be now printed in his memory. He was waiting to see what this guy was made of. He claimed he was no little kid who couldn’t play love, that he had the talent to portray one of his characters. He doubted that, but he also didn't he also didn’t think as highly of his characters than he did. His focus entirely on the stage, the way his sister chose to sit to be comfortable was really the last thing he cared about.
The play went by. Souma found nothing truly original to it. It was better than your average school play, being performed by people who wanted to make a living out of it, but it was the kind of intrigue you could see the end coming after the first act. Then again, it was no original play made for this show only so it shouldn’t be surprising that it felt familiar despite the fact he’d never seen it before. It was a drama, that much was clear. But the story was not what he truly cared about. Even the other actors he paid a limited attention to. He was analyzing the boy. He gave him tickets, forced him to be here after crying out that he’d show him what love looked like. He was waiting to see.
Then came the love scene everyone was looking for. The leading man would finally confess his love to the leading woman. Even Aya squirmed on her seat, straightening herself to pay closer attention to it. He turned his eyes towards her for a second. He never would have thought she’d be fascinated by what would just be a guy taking a hundred words to say what he really only needed three to express: I love you. Akihiko was on stage, of course. His character was not turned towards her. She broke his heart by talking of another guy. The moment of the confession was coming. Only two people showed signs of surprise at his words: Souma and the leading female character on stage with him. It had to be expected, Akihiko went outside of the script. Oh, he still delivered a confession fitting the scene but Souma knew where he picked this one from: his own book. That little punk just ripped ‘The Weight of the Past’! The girl didn’t seem sure what to do. Luckily for her, she wouldn’t look like a complete idiot, as she was meant to be surprised of his outburst. Souma’s eyes narrowed as he stared at Akihiko. “The little punk dared,” he muttered under his breath. Aya, the only one who caught what he said, turned her head to look at her brother. A small smirk had formed on his lips. This boy may just prove himself to be more interesting than he first imagined.
Akihiko eventually went back to the script and the girl could pick up from there. He held her hands and kissed them but all Souma thought was how he literally just confessed his love to a whole other person in front of a room full of people. He did not take the time to think about it. He never would bother. He couldn’t believe this guy was crazy enough to say something like that to him. He must be a masochist. Oh well. If pushing him away didn’t work, Souma started to wonder if giving in would not do the job. Akihiko earned it at least.
After this scene, Souma ceased paying too much attention to the play. He had done his show, Souma doubted he’d pull this one another time. Even when the main female character died with Akihiko crying over her dead body, wishing he had died in her stead, it seemed not to affect him. Aya didn’t cry either. That is, not at first. Then he caught the move of her hand as she brought it to brush away the tears. He said nothing about it. He didn’t have tissues however, he couldn’t help her out, so he did nothing either. Anyway, he was only thinking about what he would say to that idiot when he’ll see him after this. He was not sure he liked the public confession but it deserved an answer.
Akihiko was in the back. His heart had yet stopped pounding since the curtain fall. He could still hear the people’s applauses in his ears and it was as though it made his heart beat to the same rhythm. That feeling, being in the middle with all the other members of the cast, facing the crowd and bowing to them in recognition, that was very exhilarating. It gave him a boost of energy. At the same time, it was so surreal. And he could not stop wondering whether Souma had been there, had seen him. Did he hear his monologue? Did he like it? Did he really just do that on stage, or even been on this stage for the past two and so hours? Despite knowing the answer, despite the costume he was taking off and the makeup he was washing away, he couldn’t help but wonder if he did not simply dream about it all.
The angry stage director helped him understand this had all been very real. Apparently, changing the script was unacceptable. “It felt right at the moment,” he justified. The other actors loved it though and thought it worked perfectly with the scene, but the director left complaining about those actors who got one leading role and thought they were better than the rest. The others wondered where the words came from however, completely ignoring the ranting director to focus on Akihiko. In truth, Aki had no idea why he dared do that, he realised what he was doing as they came up and afraid to freeze up completely should he stopped, he kept going. He tried to excuse it by saying he forgot his lines. This made him sound even better as the others thought he improvised the lines. He didn’t admit they came from a book. He didn’t think it would minimize the effect, it was still great to remember a complete monologue from a book that came out about ten days ago.
He left them to head to a room and get changed. A lot of people were doing the same, they were all over the place. Without being as lively as when they got ready for the play, it was just as noisy. People laughed, called each other out, took pictures... Akihiko did not listen to them. Washing the makeup off his face, he was in his own bubble. He didn’t even listen when someone walked into the room. “I’ll admit, you did a half-assed job.” Akihiko stopped his movement. He looked at the reflection in the mirror. He recognized the voice, the sarcastic and cold tone it had, but he needed to see to be sure. Even then, he turned, just to be certain he was really there. He was. Dressed in a suit, dark vest on dark shirt with a dark coat on top and a scarf hanging from his neck, hands casually in the pockets of his pants, just as dark as the rest. You’d think it was too much dark, but the navy of the shirt worked well with the black of the suit. And it fit the man. “Souma-kun...” he whispered. He had hoped so much for Souma to have seen the play and now had the confirmation of it. Yet, somehow, knowing this didn’t only bring joy. It was nervousness that came as the strongest emotion, making him unable to speak and gulp with difficulty, staring at the man with doe eyes, in expectation. He was here. Telling him... wait, only half-assed? And what was he doing here in the first place? “You used lines from my book,” Souma added. Akihiko gulped again. Was he really mad? It was a homage, a proof he could play his characters. Wasn’t it the reason why he sent him the tickets in the first place? Yet he couldn’t bring himself to stand up and justify what he did, not to him. Instead, he looked down. Akihiko heard him sigh heavily. “It’s alright, I’ll be your lover,” Souma said.
Akihiko’s eyes widened. Wait, what? Like, what!? He looked up straight at him. The boy always claimed he was a great actor but he could not hide the shock from his traits. Souma could read it all over. He made a step in and Akihiko realised that if he heard Souma so clearly, it wasn’t because the man spoke loudly. On the contrary, his tone had been relatively low. Only, he had closed the door. And he was moving towards him. “No matter how hard I push you away, you just keep coming back. You even dared using my own words on me. If I can’t get you away by telling you to drop dead, maybe giving you what you want will.” Was it really his reason? It sucked! He didn’t want him to say he’d be his lover if it was just so he’d leave him. And why would he leave him if he finally gave him what he wanted. Wait. He wanted that? Akihiko knew he thought a lot about Souma, it was almost an obsession, but he thought it was only to show this arrogant prick to have some respect for his art. The thought escaped his mind as he realised just how close Souma now was. Last time it happened, at the party, he thought Souma would punch him and was mocked for possibly liking him, a man. The apprehension was there once gain. “So alright, I’ll be your lover,” Souma repeated. Akihiko still couldn’t move. His brain had refused to function. Did he really mean to say he was in love with Souma all along? He knew he was desperate in him admitting he was a good actor, and it was true he did chase after him a bit, but he never considered it that way. Being told it was so completely fried his brain.
Souma’s brain was functioning just fine, unlike his. The rest of his body too. He leaned forward and captured Akihiko’s lips with his. The young man flinched. He stayed there for a second that felt like an eternity before his eyes finally closed and his hand timidly held onto Souma’s scarf as he tried to grab a hold of the man. What he felt as they kissed... He didn’t know he could shiver so much yet feel like liquid fire was poured into him at the same time. Suddenly, Souma moved away. Akihiko tried to keep him near but he then heard the door opening. “Hey, the guys are going out to celebrate at the restaurant, you in?” said another actor. Souma had heard him knocking and pulled away just in time before he caught them kissing. Still, it had been so close that Akihiko felt his cheeks burning up. He wanted to go but he also didn’t want to. He looked at Souma. He wanted to be with him. Souma had turned his back on them and was writing something down. The boy seemed to realised he must have interrupted something. “Well, you know where to find us if you want to join,” he said before leaving them alone.
Akihiko breathed deeply after that. It ruined their moment and he knew kissing him again wouldn’t have the same effect. Not to add that he was aware again of the others around and he didn’t want to be interrupted one more time. He dared not say a word though. He didn’t get Souma and feared he’d say the wrong thing. Would the man prefer he came with him or would he understand the desire to celebrate with the others? “I have to take Aya home,” Souma said, breaking the silence that came between them since the kiss. He turned around and handed him the program he had been writing on. He saw numbers, than a name. He understood it was an address. “Just go there once you’re done.” Akihiko did not realise he picked up the pamphlet. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, Souma was already gone. When he realised that, he turned towards the now opened door. He felt like chasing after him but his feet refused to move. Slowly, he looked down at the program, read the address again. Oh yes, he’d go there. He was a bit scared of what would happen there but he knew he wanted to go.
Souma left Aki backstage and made his way back to his sister. Aya had waited by the exit doors patiently, her back resting against the wall in a nonchalant manner. She straightened up as she saw her brother. She tried to read his face. If she ever managed to, she was forced to see she hadn’t been able to in a while now. His face was closed to her. Yet, he had to have gone and talk to that boy, right? She wondered what they talked about. Did Souma break him like he could do with so much ease? Or did he point out the boy literally just admitted his love for him in public? With anyone else, she’d figure this would then be followed by an aggressive request to be left alone but she knew better. The whole time as she waited and thought of their conversation, she also saw the image of his brother, shirtless, kissing another guy. It had been a little while but if he did it back then, he could still do it now, no matter the girls he also put in his bed afterwards.
She wanted to ask but she dared not to. Souma also said nothing about it. He simply walked out of the academy towards his car. She chose to follow in silence. In the car, she picked up a radio station that played some music she liked. She didn’t want to head back home just yet, she wanted to enjoy this time with her brother. Aki was not there, so did this mean they weren’t a thing? No, after all, she had to ask. “So?”
It took a moment before Souma replied. “So, what?” Aya had her head turned towards him but he kept staring right in front of him as he drove. Didn’t even blink towards her for a split second. “What happened with the guy?” She knew his name but she purposefully chose not to use it. She didn’t like to think this overly joyful boy, a character trait she figured always annoyed her brother the most, could get closer to him than she was. “We’ll see,” Souma answered. That’s it? She sighed. She nearly forgot how he was a man of so little words in real life. Nothing like his literary self. She figured what he meant was that he wasn’t sure whether the two were together or not although she secretly hoped it was whether he’d kill him or not. “When?” she asked. Another long pause. “Tonight, maybe.” She had another quiet sigh. She could forget about spending more time with her brother, he expected some bedroom action tonight. She didn’t get why. Not the fact he chose a boy, it was his business, but why this guy? This ended the evening on a depressing note in her taste. She didn’t want to head back home more but she wasn’t sure she wanted to stay with him if all he’d think was whether or not he’d get an Aki in his bed tonight.
Aki found it really hard to focus. Maybe he should not have joined them to the restaurant. He couldn't celebrate with them, his mind was not into it. His brain was still in the changing room, with Souma, kissing. He should have kissed him back. What was he thinking!? Kissing a boy? But he still felt the butterflies in his stomach, Souma's warmth as they kissed, the softness of his lips...
He said he would become his lover. But he also said it was to get rid of him. What would that mean? More kisses? He wanted more kisses. His brain couldn't think straight, he was awfully confused, but he knew that one thing for certain.
He startled as another one of the actors poked him on the shoulder to get his attention. He looked at them. He didn't hear a thing they were saying. "Where that speech came from, that was awesome?" Oh, so that was what they were talking about! He blushed as all he could think was Souma telling him how bold he was to dare use his words when he knew he was in the room. "Oh, it was in a book I read. I thought it fitted," he said, stuttering. A girl praised his memory for remembering something he just read like that, which only made him blush more. If only they knew why he remembered it so well...
He looked at his phone. He said he had to bring his sister home but how long would that take? He didn't even know where they lived. He had his adress written on the program in his pocket. It was all he could think.
Once again, the others started talking and Aki didn't pay attention to it at all. It was only like a buzz in his ears. Eventually, he stood up."Sorry, I've got to go. It was fun," he told them before leaving the restaurant. He couldnt wait any longer. He was too confused and felt like only by seeing Souma again would he get some answers. He called out a taxi and gave the man Souma's address. He had no idea how long it would take but he hoped he'll be able to calm down a little during that time.
