Toru
I heard shouts of laughter as I went to the studio. It was a girl's so it was probably Mel. I never thought it would be Cassiopeia. That girl just sits around all day, staring blankly into space.
"Cassieeeee," I saw Tomoya lift her up and spin her into circles. She was obviously enjoying it, since she's not telling him to stop.
So she knows how to laugh, too. She always looked so serious I thought there was something wrong with her facial expression. She looked scary when she's angry, too.
"Since when did those two become so friendly?" I asked Taka as I put down my bags.
"Hmm...Let me think. Since you stopped coming to practice," he said sarcastically.
"I told you I was visiting Osaka for a while," I said defensively.
I did went to Osaka for a few days. He didn't seem to have a problem with it before I left.
"Do you think we didn't notice that you've been avoiding her?" he said, referring to Cass.
"I don't," I lied.
"You don't talk to her," he continued.
"I do," I said.
"He does," Tomoya said, popping out of nowhere. "He told her to pass the salt when we were out eating last Friday."
Now I just felt like I want to gag him up and throw his body in the river. Might as well shut him up forever. I gave him a murderous glance. He gave me a peace sign and silently went away.
"I'm not telling you to be best friends with her, just make some effort, okay?" Taka said.
Thank goodness Taka wasn't a girl. He could have made a good nagging wife. He was stubborn enough as he is.
He patted me on the back and went to join Tomoya and Cassiopeia. Even him seemed to have gotten along well with her. I wonder if it's just me whose getting the weird vibes in here.
Since Ryota was nowhere in sight, I went to music room instead. There I found Mel playing with the keyboard. They were both small, Cass and Mel. Mel just looked a bit more mature.
"What are you doing here alone? The rest are playing outside," I said.
"I'm glad she's finally warming up to them," she said, genuinely concerned.
"Why? Doesn't she have any friends?" I asked.
"Nah. On the contrary, she's actually pretty famous in school," she said proudly.
"She doesn't look like it though," I carelessly said.
"I know right," she chuckled. "She likes to keep to herself but she can be really crazy at times."
"Like Tomoya crazy?" I asked. I don't think anyone could be worse than Tomoya.
"Like Tomoya crazy!" she affirmed.
We heard a crash from the next room and before somebody else gets hurt, I officially declared that playtime was over. I had a lot of catching up to do and I guess the guys knew that, too. They didn't argue and we practiced nonstop.
I thought of what Taka told me earlier and I did try to talk to her during breaks. But I never got the chance. It's either I couldn't fond her or she was busy doing something or I was being called in to practice again. I don't think Taka could blame me for that.
I got called by our manager in the afternoon so I had to leave for a while. I thought it was a short meeting but it was already dark when I got back. The studio was still open so I thought the guys were still around.
Classical music flowed from room as soon as I opened the door. It sounded so...heavenly. I thought I was the only person in the room when I heard a thud towards the desks.
The room was already dark and the lights were turned off. The only illumination was the light from streetposts outside that casts a gloomy shadow in the room. I'm not really afraid of ghosts because I believe there are bad guys everywhere. So I took the golf club that stood in the corner just in case.
I opened the lights and was about to swing it when I felt myself propelled into the floor. I opened my eyes and saw that it was Cass. If you're expecting a romantic scene where the girl falls on top if the guy, don't. The stupid girl had me on a headlock.
"C...Cass...ie," I barely got the words out as I tapped on her arm as hard as I could. I think I'm out of oxygen.
She seemed to have realized she's already killing me and decided to let go. I breathed in a lungfull of air and coughed as I pulled myself into a sitting position.
"What the hell!?" she shouted at me. She was standing up, hands on her waist. "I nearly killed you!"
At least she knew, I thought, still gasping for air. "You should have said something," I retaliated.
"Someone was swinging a club at me and you want me to scream first? Are you stupid?" she asked, her voice rising an octave.
She's right. Shouting before attacking would have gotten her killed if I was a murderer. In which case I wasn't. Which nearly got me killed instead.
"What on earth are you doing with the lights turned off?" I asked, lifting myself on the chair.
"I think I fell asleep," she murmured, twirling her hair. I noticed she had a habit of touching her hair whenever in an awkward or embarrassing situation.
"Jeez! Why do we always hurt each other when we see one another?" I said.
The first time I saw her, I bumped on her and sent her toppling on the ground. When I came to find her, she stepped on my foot and I was limping until the next day. Now, I almost clubbed her and she almost choked me to death. I do think we're pretty even.
"Mianhe," she whispered inaudibly looking away. I didn't actually catch what she said so I pretended I didn't hear anything.
"I'll bet anyone will fall asleep with that kind of music," I said referring to the classical music still playing.
"I'll turn it off," she said, standing up to go towards the player.
"No, it's fine," I said, stopping her. "It's kinda refreshing."
We just sat in silence for a while. So she liked classical music. She was not a fan so it makes sense that she didn't recognize the day of the event. I must be the stupid one here all along.
"You must think we're just creating noise, didn't you?" I said. Most people who like classical music thinks that rock's too noisy.
"I didn't think that," she said, she didn't sound like she was lying because she's working with us. "Noise becomes music when when they've conveyed their purpose to those who are listening."
I was surprised at what she said that I turned to look at her. She was looking at me with those big brown eyes of hers. They seem so deep. Like an infinite abyss.
"So, what's the title of this piece?" I asked, looking away.
"I don't really know," she grinned. "What's important is what it makes you feel, don't you think."
I think so, too.
I think it's making me feel something. Something I didn't want to find out.
