I arrived at the studio early even before the rest of the band had arrived. Ryota was already in the studio, playing his guitar. His back was facing the door, so he didn’t notice that I was looking in at him.
“Hello!” I chirped as I bounced into the studio. Seeing him jump, I quickly apologised, “Sorry, I should have knocked before coming in.”
“It’s ok. I just got a shock. Where’s everyone else?”
“They’re on their way here. What were you singing anyways?”
“Ahh… just the song I promised that I’d write for you guys.”
“Can I hear it?”
“It’s only got two lines so far. Here, take a look.”
Your voice has always been here with me, though I've never heard it
"I get it"; "You're lying, right?"; you're giving me the run-around
“Maybe this?” I wrote two more lines below those that he wrote.
But somehow I'm happy, so I'll surely wait for the morning
I'm expecting it to repeat today
“That’s exactly what I was thinking!” He flipped over the paper to reveal a full page of lyrics.
“Hey! I thought you said you weren’t finished!”
“I wasn’t! I was rewriting the song because I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the original lyrics.”
“I see… but they’re really meaningful though…”
“But it’s fictional. It just doesn’t reflect how I feel. I want to write something that I really feel, not something that is made up.”
“That I understand. But-”
“Sorry to interrupt your loveydovey session, but we have to practice.” Haruna suddenly appeared in the doorway.
“Aww Haru, why’d you have to spoil the moment for them?” Rina and Tomomi chorused. “They were totally having a moment.”
“I was just discussing the song he was helping us write!” I retorted indignantly.
“Ehhhh your face is turning red!” Rina laughed.
My face felt hot and I noticed Ryota’s turning red too.
“Stop making this awkward for him okay! If you scare him, he might not let us use his song and I really have to say that this song is pretty awesome!”
“Rina, Timo, please stop this. We really have to start practicing.” Haruna finally ended the embarrassing situation.
“Thanks Haru, I owe you one,” I whispered to her.
“I just wanted to get started and end early so I can go home for dinner,” She replied impassively.
Despite this cold exterior that she was putting off, I somehow could sense that she was trying to show some concern for her bandmates. Typical of Haruna, having to act all grown up around us, even though she was just 2 years older than me.
Haruna clapped her hands together. “Alright guys, let’s get going.”
Throughout practice, I shot glances at Ryota. He seemed to be visibly frustrated that he couldn’t write the lyrics that he really wanted to write. I felt for him, I could never write a song even if I wanted to. Maybe I’m just not cut out for songwriting.
===============
“Mami, are you going home for dinner?” Tomomi asked.
“No, why?”
“I’d like to have a little heart-to-heart talk with you.”
“But Timo~” I whined, knowing she was going to ask me about Ryota.
“We can have melon ice cream after dinner, my treat!”
Tomomi really knew how to persuade me. I instantly agreed.
“Eh, Just let me go tell Haru and Ryota that I won’t be taking the train with them.”
===============
“Itadakimasu!” I said in delight before scooping a large spoonful of the curry rice I ordered. “Ohh! That’s hot but so good!”
“Careful,” Tomomi said. “Now, tell me about this Ryota.”
“Ne, I don’t know much either. He’s a songwriter, he can play the guitar, he lives in Aichi too.”
“That’s convenient for you isn’t it!”
“Convenient for…?”
“For you to meet him, obviously! And by meeting him, I don’t mean to see one of his new songs. I mean to see-see him. Like you know…” She wiggled her eyebrows in a cheeky way.
“If you mean date, then it’s a no from me. We barely met and I don’t know him well enough.”
“AHA! You didn’t deny it! You DO find him attractive, just that you wouldn’t date him because you barely know him. Rina is so gonna love that I discovered this.” She danced her happy dance.
“But Timo, I didn’t say that I like him or find him attractive or anything either. Can you not?” I sighed wearily.
“Come on Mami, I’ve known you for years already. You cover it up pretty good when you’re unsure of your feelings, but I’m sure you’re gonna be asking him to marry you soon.”
“Timo~”
It’s okay. You can choose whether or not to tell me how you feel, but I won’t tell anyone about this conversation either way.”
“Thanks Timo, but I really think that he’s a good friend but I don’t think I’m all that attracted to him.”
“Alright. I’ll take your word for it. Let’s finish up and go home.”
“Hey! Don’t forget that you’re treating me melon ice cream!”
“Yes, yes. I didn’t forget. We can grab some on the way to the train station.”
YOU ARE READING
Koe
FanfictionI couldn't face crowds now that they had taken him away from me. Why did we have so little time together? Be safe, Ryota, wherever you are now. A Mami Sasazaki short Collab with @tomachi
