Full Moon wo Sagashite 2

Chapter 5: "Takuto's and Mitsuki's Perspective!"

Grrr, thought Takuto to himself as he glared angrily at the ceiling above his bed, why do I keep thinking about that stupid girl.  What was wrong with her, anyway?! Just grabbing  me like that...

Frustrated though he seemed to be, Takuto still felt the warmth of Mitsuki's hug.  Mitsuki... Full Moon, why did those names seem so nearly familiar to him? 

Try as he might, Takuto could find no answers in his room or the ceiling.

As thinking about it was getting him nowhere, Takuto turned his mind to other pertinent issues, and eventually decided to begin looking for means to support himself in this city.  The funds from his time as a singer were nearly depleted, it had been quite a relief and surprise to have recovered them at all.  And he knew nobody here.

Takuto began questioning his decision to have come to the city in the first place.  And another thing tugged at his mind not at all gently... what had happened in the two years since he had left??  Perhaps he had met this little girl, and Wakaoji... now there was a name he could sink his teeth into.  So this girl was somehow connected to that pianist.  Takuto wondered for a bit what had happened to Wakaoji after Route L broke up, and the thought crossed his mind that perhaps he could find out while in the city, though he was not certain that he really wanted to know...

Shaking his head, Takuto got up out of his bed and walked down the thin staircase past the flower shop, waving to the owner as he left.  It seemed that night had fallen some time ago, and though Takuto searched the sky, dark clouds blocked star and moonlight that he somehow knew would have comforted him.  Without any direction, Takuto began walking off down one of the nearest streets, eventually ending up outside of a nearby nightclub.

As he was still only 16, and looked it, Takuto was stopped at the entrance by a rather large doorman, "Excuse me, kiddo, we don't allow..." the big man suddenly paused, "wait a minute, aren't you Takuto Kira?  Oh, man, I used to love Route L, you're him, aren't you?"

Takuto's surprise was only heightened by the sound of one of his band's songs emanating from inside, though the voice was female, and the rhythm had a strange sloping beat to it. 

"That was Wakamatsu Madoka's Eternal Snow, now... get ready for... Full Moon!" shouted the DJ, emphasizing Full Moon as the large crowd's cheering became intense enough to drown out his final words. 

Sure enough, Takuto could tell that this was Route L's song, sung beautifully by this Full Moon. 

That name again! he thought to himself in a daze, not noticing as one of the bulldog's coworkers reached the DJ's station. 

As the song came to a close, Takuto began to feel uneasy when suddenly the bulldog man grabbed him by the arm and said, "Come on!" and proceeded to lead him to the large tables at which sat the DJ, who was pacifying the audience with his soothing voice, "...back five years ago," he droned on, "Originally sung by Route L, and... oh wow! It really is him!  Hey, everyone, looks like we have a special guest here tonight, it seems my friend Nisson has just brought to the stage, none other, than the LEAD SINGER from Route L, everyone give a huge round of applause for Takuto Kira!!!"

Takuto suddenly found himself gazing at a mass of hands banging together, fists waving in the air, and calls and cheers louder than any he remembered during his time singing. 

"Sing for us!!!" shouted more than a few people in the crowd, and soon the cheer became like a chant as the voices rose together bantering and chattering, saying, "Takuto! Takuto! Takuto!"

Every fiber of Takuto's being longed to pick up the microphone and fulfill their request.  The DJ even began playing his version, Route L's version, of Eternal Snow, in the background, but Takuto vividly remembered his last attempt at song, and his grisly hacking in front of Mitsuki earlier in the day. 

Mitsuki, he thought.  Full Moon means Mitsuki, doesn't it......?

He accepted the microphone, but only bowed and said in a sad voice, "I honestly wish I could sing for you tonight, but I can't.  I'm truly sorry!" he finished, tears welling up inside him and threatening to break his composure. 

Takuto ran through the crowd as the people turned to one another and wondered aloud in hushed tones.  Some began calling his name again, some sadly, some saying farewell, others with hints of anger.  Reaching the door, the bulldog stopped him before he could run outside, "Aww, man, I didn't mean to put you on the spot, I'm sorry." 

"It's just that... I can no longer sing," replied Takuto, a sad edge strongly tinting his voice, "it hurts too much."

"I always wondered what happened to you.  You know, the piano player lives pretty close to here, I hear, though he's some sort of doctor or manager or something, now.  Rumor was that he was backing Full Moon.  Maybe you two could form a band, or something, because man, you guys were just awesome.  Heh, maybe Full Moon could even be in it, now that would be something!"

"Full Moon, huh," Takuto said thoughtfully, suddenly becoming aware of the large number of eyes turned towards their conversation, "sorry I couldn't..." he said, and turned and left hurriedly through the door and back towards his apartment.

Weeks passed, and Takuto began helping at the florist shop where he lived, earning rent and a small bit extra which he began putting towards his guitar.  Perhaps I can play this instead, someday, he hoped to himself.

Mitsuki's classes continued, lessons a mix of dullness and excitement as her body continued to heal itself.  She frequently visited Wakaoji-sensei, who now seemed more involved with Ooshige-san, as the two always seemed to be talking when Mitsuki inquired.

"Oh, Ooshige is doing very well, she has a new talent that she's promoting who may just become the biggest sensation since Full Moon!  Not that anyone could ever sing like you, though," Wakaoji smiled as he said this, though Mitsuki could only smile for a moment as the memories filled her mind, and her aching desire loomed further and further away.  Several times she had returned to the small strip of beach near her house, and none of those times had she encountered Takuto again.