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"Sai! Sai! Sai! Sai!" The people lined up outside the velvet ropes screamed his name over and over, asking him to come over and sign autographs. He waved and signed at least every third autograph book and smiled and walked inside the building. It was almost time for him and his band to possibly accept their award for Best New Rock Band.
Tsutsui, Kaga and Mitani were all sitting with him when the nominees were announced: The Limp Lizards, The Misfats, Kinder & Bryant, The Hand of God, and, finally, Sai and the Holograms. Would they pass the test and win the new professional artists' award?
-----
It all began almost 6 months ago when my father died. My name is Shindou Hikaru, and I'm 20 years old. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. But, on with the story. At my father's funeral, accompanied by my good friend Touya Akira, I had the misfortune to see my father's business associate, Ogata Seiji, who gave me his assurances that he would take good care of my father's company. I'm sorry to say that I almost believed him. Now, I know better.
What business was it, you ask? A recording company called Tengen Records. At the time I lived with several of my friends and family members at Tengen House, an orphanage my parents had set up years ago. When he passed away, I took over running it. But, when you're housing that many people in an older building, things break. It had gotten to the point where we couldn't rely on the circuit breakers to work for more than an hour before shorting out. The place was badly in need of repair, and there was only one place I knew of to get the money: the same place my father had, Tengen Records.
I put on my nicest clothes and went into town to speak with Ogata. When I got to the company, though, I noticed that a lot of things had changed. There was a new receptionist, new security, and where my father's picture had hung only weeks ago at this point, Ogata stared at me instead. No one wanted to let me in to see him, but I didn't let a little thing like that get in my way. It's easy to look at something with a gasp and make everyone look away while you slip past.
Ogata was sitting in my father's chair and had his feet up on the desk as he smoked a cigarette and looked out the window. It took everything I had not to shove his feet and stomp out the cancer stick. Besides, I was here for Tengen House. "Ogata-" I started.
"Hikaru!" The surprise couldn't have been more evident. It seemed he hadn't even heard me come in. "Ah, what brings you here today?"
"I need money for Tengen House. I know my father always got it from Tengen Records, and I hoped you would continue to honor that."
Ogata laughed, then paused. I was tempted to scream at him. "You're not serious, are you?" He finally took his damn feet off the desk. "Hikaru, you know that I'd love to help, but because of all of your father's charity work, the company just isn't as stable as it should be-- will be when I start promoting the new band we've just signed. They're actually who I'm supposed to be meeting with right now. Would you like the honor?"
"Sure, Ogata," I said. I could practically feel the calcium gritting out of my teeth. Then he brought them in. The first one in the room was a brat a bit younger than me. His bright orange hair was cut in a severe style that hardly helped his lack of attractive facial features. But, he was wearing leather pants-- a must for rock artists of late, it seemed. He was followed by two other people: one boy was around my age with a shaggy haircut and firm definition of his arms that was shown off by his complete lack of sleeves; the final boy was taller, and older, though it wasn't so obvious as he actually smiled.
They lined up in front of me; the first two glaring me up and down. "Allow me to introduce the newest band to Tengen Records: The Hand of God." Ogata ran his thumbs under the lapels of his stupid white suit. "Here we have Ochi, the lead singer. This is Waya. He's our guitarist. And Isumi here? He plays whatever else needs playing." Isumi didn't seem to fit in with this bunch of misfits at all. Sadly, Ogata wasn't finished talking. "There's going to be a Battle of the Bands later on this week. The Hand of God will win, of course, and fate will take hold."
I walked out before I could say another word.
When I got home, the power was off again, but my friends led me in by the light of a lantern. "Nothing," I said to their expectant glances. Mitani shrugged. "We'll find something else. Oh, by the way, this came for you while you were gone." He handed over a small package. I nodded and took a flashlight so I could find my way back to my room, and my friends followed. I sat in front of my computer (which had been useless for weeks, it seemed) and opened the box. Inside were two earrings made from, of all things, go stones. One black and one white. My father had always loved go, as had my grandfather, so I knew them as I knew my father's handwriting on the note in the box. I did them honor and put them on in the right order: black, and then white. As I stared at my reflection in the black computer screen, I noticed a flicker to my side. I turned and was suddenly shocked. There was a spirit of a young girl! I dropped the box I'd been holding, and the girl spoke, "For your father's final gift to you, come to the back of the Go Institute. I'll be waiting." She disappeared, and I reached up to touch one of the earrings.
Kaga, Mitani and Tsutsui were just as shocked as I was. I suddenly wasn't sure if it had been a spirit or not. It had looked vaguely computerized, and oddly? Vaguely like a childhood friend who had died in a car crash.
Together, we got dressed and hopped in the old van we had around for transporting the Tengen House boys. The drive to the Go Institute was silent. The front of the Institute was unchanged from the last time I'd seen it, but the message had said to go to the back. We rounded the corner and there was the image again. It motioned for us to drive forward. I looked at the figure, then suggested to Mitani who was driving that we very slowly inch forward as the apparition was suggesting. He did as I said, and suddenly? We were going through the wall.
Inside the Institute, we could see several cordoned off areas, and there was the ghostly figure again. I hopped out of the van and ran over to it. "Who are you, and what is all of this?"
The girl smiled and spread her arms. "I am AKARI, a computer designed to be the greatest audio visual entertainment synthesizer. This place is an area owned by your father, my creator, and set aside to house these items for your future. The time has come, Hikaru."
I stepped forward and shook my head. "This is... impossible. Holograms? My father?"
AKARI held out a hand and one of the areas revealed its contents: enough musical instruments to start several bands. She revealed another to be full of clothes, and a third was full of amps, synthesizers, cords and light elements. Then, she motioned for me to move back. As soon as I did, a fourth surprise was revealed from beneath the floor. "Woah-" Tsutsui said. "What a rockin' roadster!"
I smiled at AKARI, and then at my friends. "I have an idea."
AKARI didn't stop, though. "I can do more than just this, though. Your Go Stone earrings are hologram projectors. This means that if you ever need help in the form of a hologram, you need only touch an earring and call for me. I can create almost anything, including disguises, as long as it's within range of the projectors." She pointed toward me again and I suddenly heard a gasp from my friends. I asked for a mirror and AKARI showed me a hologram of one. I was suddenly taller, more elegant, and... beautiful. "My idea just got even better," I said to my friends. No, no longer just friends: band mates.
-----
A few days later, the Battle of the Bands was being held in the park on an outdoor stage. All of the other acts but The Hand of God had played. When Ochi hopped on stage, he laughed and motioned for Waya and Isumi to start playing. Ochi picked up his guitar and started singing. Just as Ochi started, Waya stepped up to the mike as well.
Ochi: Echoing out, at the ring of my cell phone.
A premonition passed through my head.
Just calm down, mi amigo.
Waya: So pitiful, I need your help.
Those guys are after me.
I might not make it, mi amigo.
Waya/Ochi: As if to tear us apart, the phone died...
Si, we have always been the two of us, as one.
Undefeated in our neighborhood, weren't we?
Si, we have long since long ago been admired in this town.
We've lived believing that.
I wonder why....
That scenery you remember, the beautiful sky on the day
we set off, embrace it...
Ochi: When I reached the dark alley, slumped over,
he was there. I didn't make it in time... I'm sorry.
Waya: I'm done for. Everything's changed. I can't
fulfill the promise we made that day, but just that you
came, I'm happy.
Waya/Ochi: I strongly held your trembling hand...
Si, in those days we, in the city we arrived at,
felt as if we could have anything.
Si, abandoning our hometown, chasing great dreams,
we lived laughing. And for a future that from here on
would never change. To go chasing after that was
our dream.
Waya/Ochi: As if to tear us apart, the phone died...
Si, we have always been the two of us, as one.
Undefeated in our neighborhood, weren't we?
Si, we have long since long ago been admired in this town.
We've lived believing that.
I wonder why....
That scenery you remember, the beautiful sky on the day
we set off, embrace it...
Just as The Hand of God finished, however, another sound system started playing a song:
The hot beats of the drum shakes within my chest
The excitement moves my heart
Only time moves on, but the days do not change
Woo
I cannot stop, I want to believe, I want to move forward
With my own strength, I wish to test myself, my life
But if I move quickly,
I will certainly overlook some things.
Baby for you, Tomorrow, the wind of the future blows
But even in this tiny moment I wish to live strongly
It's fantasy, even as a wanderer
Even in a world I haven't yet seen,
The most important thing is to stand up and always move forward believing in yourself
It's destiny no matter where you are
There is only one enfolding sky
Hey, spread your wings wide and fly
While flowing, I move forward
See myself my way, my style
While thinking this way, I devote my heart
Baby to smile, I will change the impossible to the possible
It's the same feelings I once felt in my dreams
It's fantasy, even within a tomorrow I cannot see
Before anyone else I will continue to make myself strong
It's destiny, without fear, walk outside
Then for sure your eyes will open, and your dream come true
It's fantasy, even as a wanderer
Even in a world I haven't yet seen,
The most important thing is to stand up and always move forward believing in yourself
It's destiny no matter where you are
There is only one enfolding sky
Hey, spread your wings wide and fly
Infinity world, no matter where you go, an endless road with no end
Make progress, make connections as you walk alone
Then for sure your eyes will open, and your dream come true
By the time the song was over, everyone had gravitated over to the glorified wooden box on the ground just large enough to be used as a stage by the four... men? The three playing the drums, the guitar and the keyboard were all young men, but the lead singer was beautiful. He was tall and elegant with dark blue-black hair that trailed down to the backs of his knees. And his voice! It was just low enough in register that most of the girls who had run over had decided "male" over "female" and were currently swooning.
Ochi screamed and threw his guitar at the ground. It didn't even crack, so he kicked it off the stage and scowled as the pickguard gained a scratch, but no other damage was done. He stomped off the stage, anyway, and over to Ogata. "Who is this crossdresser who's nosing in on our gig?"
Ogata held up a hand to silence the young man. "I don't know any more than you do right now. But, they're not part of our Battle of the Bands, so you'll still win. I made sure all of the other contestants were worse than you guys are on a bad day."
Adjusting his glasses on his nose, Ochi looked over his shoulder at Waya and Isumi. "Come on. We're going to have some fun." Waya jumped off the front of the stage, but Isumi took the stairs. When he caught up, he asked, "We're not going to do anything to them, are we? I mean, they're pretty good. And competition is important in the music industry."
"Isumi..." Ochi rolled his eyes. "Just follow us, okay?" He shoved through the crowd until he was in front of the stage. He stepped onto it and forced the taller man to abandon the mike and step down onto the ground. "Hi! I've never met a crossdresser before. What's your name?"
Hikaru stood up taller, noting that in this form, he was taller than Ochi even while Ochi was on their stage. "You can call me Sai, and this is my band, the Holograms. There's Mitani on keyboard, Tsutsui on guitar, and Kaga on drums."
Ochi reached back and grabbed one of Kaga's drum sticks. "Did you think you were clever trying to join our friendly competition? You're not eligible."
Hikaru smiled. "Oh, but he invited me." He pointed to the back of the crowd as he touched an earring and whispered, "It's GO-time, AKARI." It was strange seeing himself off in the distance, but it certainly got Ogata's attention who started running toward the image of Hikaru. Hikaru jumped off the stage and ran toward a tree, exchanging identities as he was behind the widest part. It was a matter of a second to make a switch for the hologram. "Ogata Seiji. You're just the man I wanted to see."
"What's the meaning of this, Hikaru?"
"I wanted a band here who was actually talented, and who wouldn't win by cheating. And, as I do own 50% of the shares of this company, I have just as much right to sign a band to Tengen Records as you do."
Ogata smiled, but it was betrayed by the twitching of one of his eyebrows. "You want to make this a competition? Fine. I'll turn The Hand of God into a more popular band than Sai and the Holograms in 6 months. If Sai wins? I'll give you all of my shares in Tengen Records. But if I'm right? You'll give me all of yours."
There was a commotion near them as someone forced their way through the crowd. "Hi, guys! I'm Kurata, a movie producer. Hearing about this competition makes me want to help. I'll sweeten the deal. Whoever wins the Battle of the Bands will win a mansion I just bought for tax purposes, as well as starring roles in a movie. Agreed?"
Ogata's eyebrow twitched more as his smile widened. "Agreed."
Hikaru paused to consider his options, but one glance over at the stage he'd just performed on (and the way his friends were being harassed) made him nod. "Agreed. We'll meet tomorrow morning to draw up the contract. Just be sure your receptionist knows who I am this time." He walked off the stage; suddenly aware of the reporters taking pictures and asking questions. He neglected them and ran back toward his band.
When he got there, Ochi had put a hole in one of Kaga's drums and broken both drumsticks, and Mitani's keyboard was cracked along one side and lying on the stage. "Oh, it's you. Where'd the crossdresser go?"
Hikaru grabbed Ochi by the lapels of his shirt and shoved him off the stage. "Sai is not a crossdresser. And, I'm going to have to ask you to leave before I have to call the police for your destruction of our property."
"Our? You didn't do anything!" Ochi smoothed out his shirt, then seemed to recognize a good idea when he heard it. "Come on, Waya. You too, Isumi. It's not our fault their stuff is junk. Besides, we've got songs to write."
Looking at the damage, Hikaru shook his head. "Well, maybe Father had a good idea leaving us extras?"
Mitani picked up his keyboard. "And maybe they had a good idea with the song writing."
Hikaru looked at the boy. "What? Oh, sorry. Just- the thought of them with a good idea is disturbing."
Tsutsui laughed. "But we'll actually get something good written. They'll probably try to copy a slogan off of a shirt at Hot Topic."
But Hikaru knew it wouldn't be as easy as he was hoping. The Hand of God, and Ogata Seiji, were likely to do anything they could to get in the way.
-----
Ogata punched in numbers on the phone and sat back in the leather recliner he'd gotten just after the funeral months ago. After all, he had work to do, and didn't see the point of having a music company if he didn't get to use some of its profits to make himself comfortable. But, he also didn't see the point in buying things out of his own pocket. That's why someone had created expense accounts, after all.
Someone finally picked up on the other end of the phone and Ogata put his feet up on the desk and began to talk. "Yashiro? I've got a job for you."
"Oh? Would this be a profitable job?" Ogata could hear the interest in the man's voice.
"I'd say probably $10,000." There was no point in trying to cheat a con man like Yashiro. If everything went according to plan, it'd be money well spent.
Yashiro was silent for a moment. "You do know that my fees run higher in certain areas."
"Relax. All you need to do is break into Shindou Hikaru's house and steal some stuff, maybe break a few things. Just put some fear into him."
"For $10,000? Sure! Question though: do I get to keep what I steal?" Yashiro had always been about the money, but that was the type that was easiest to earn trust from, especially as account transfers were faster, and a hell of a lot harder to notice right off the bat than a check.
"After $10,000, I hope you won't need much else for the moment. Do a good job, though, or I'll think twice about hiring you again."
"Right, boss. Right." There was a smile in Yashiro's voice. Ogata wondered if he'd just made the man's day.
-----
I came into the house just as the lights went out again. "Great." It only took a moment for several of our foster boys to crowd around me in their efforts to pass around candles and flashlights.
Mitani was lighting a lantern. "I really hope we can get the money we need to fix this place soon. It won't be long before someone from foster care gets involved."
I ruffled my hand through one of the boys' hair. "Hopefully it won't come to that. I'll go to the bank about getting a loan tomorrow, I guess."
Kaga and Tsutsui each came up and laid a hand on one of my shoulders. Kaga spoke first. "This is hard on all of us, but at least you have Akira to help you through, right?" Tsutsui smiled. "He's upstairs in your room."
I could feel the smile on my face almost stretching my muscles to the point of discomfort. "Thanks, guys!" I grabbed a candle of my own and raced upstairs. When I opened the door to my bedroom, there was Akira. He was sitting on the bed in the darkness and playing an acoustic guitar with just his fingertips. "Hi."
He sat up quickly. "Hikaru!"
I grabbed his guitar and played a bit of my own. "How has class been, lately?"
"It would be better if it wasn't going on so that I could be here to help you. I'm pretty handy with electronics, at least. If I had the time, I'd hook up a generator here."
I wrapped my arms around his neck. "We'll figure out something."
He kissed me on the forehead, then lifted my chin and took my lips in another kiss. "You always do, you know."
"Can you stay tonight?"
He shook his head and kissed me again. "You know I'd love to, but I have class in the morning, and this place is too far from the school. I wouldn't get up, and I can't miss out on anything if I'm going to become the best producer out there."
I leaned into the warmth of his side. "I know. I just miss you."
When he kissed me again, it was almost enough to make me want to force him to stay somehow, but Akira was serious about academics, and I couldn't and wouldn't change that. I gave him one more good kiss before he left, though, to make certain he remembered to come back.
-----
Yashiro eased open the window and crawled through to drop on the living room floor. "No lights on? That's convenient." He scouted out the room for a moment, then began gathering up the silver candlesticks that were on display.
Tsutsui heard the noises from upstairs and woke up Mitani, Kaga and Hikaru. "I don't know what it is, but I don't like it."
Hikaru pulled his t-shirt down a little further over his stomach, grabbed a baseball bat from his closet, and led the way. Mitani had the oil lamp lit up again as it provided more light than anything else they had lying around at the moment.
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they saw Yashiro. "Stop! Thief!" Tsutsui yelled.
Hikaru took up the baseball bat. "Get out of here before I call the cops."
Yashiro took one look at them, then began to back up to the window again. Just before he jumped out, he dropped all but one candlestick and threw it at them as hard as he could.
Hikaru could feel panic creeping into him as he heard a crashing noise and then Mitani's scream. When he turned to look, his suspicions were confirmed. The oil lamp had been shattered, and now the oil was running out everywhere and catching fire. "Oh no!" He tried to stop it, somehow, but it had spread too far. His childhood home was about to go up in flames- "The children! Come on." He led the way upstairs and, together, they gathered the foster boys from their rooms and got them outside. By the time the fire department came, it was too late for Tengen House.
-----
When Akira drove by the next morning after his first class, he could still see the smoke pouring out of the house. He parked quickly and raced around his van to where he saw Hikaru standing. He pulled the other man close. "Is everybody okay?"
"Oh, Akira!" Hikaru threw himself into Akira's embrace. "What are we supposed to do? Where are we supposed to go?"
But there was no comfort he could give except himself. He pulled the blanket around Hikaru's shoulders a little tighter. "I'm sure you'll figure something out."
Hikaru leaned against him for a bit, then suddenly straightened up. "I have an idea." He pulled away, then came back. "Akira, can you help us?"
"What can I do?"
Hikaru smiled. "Get all of the foster boys in your van and bring them to Kurata's mansion. We'll join up with you there in a bit. We've got something to take care of first."
"Okay." Akira smiled. "Anything for you."
Hikaru got in one more hug before he ran to gather up his band.
-----
In front of Kurata's house, finally, Hikaru took several deep breaths. He'd changed into Sai at the Go Institute, and now there didn't seem to be any turning back. He rang the doorbell and waited. Kurata answered the door in his bathrobe a minute later. "What's going on here?"
Hikaru smiled. "I was hoping you might help us out. You see, these are my foster boys." He gestured to the boys on the front lawn. "There was a big fire at our place early this morning, and we need somewhere to stay."
"And you want to stay in the mansion for the contest." Kurata nodded. At that moment, Ogata drove up. "What's going on here? I heard someone saying something about the deal," he shouted.
Kurata patted Hikaru's shoulder heavily and he could almost feel the illusion of Sai's hair tickling at his own neck. "This kid is going to use the mansion for a while."
"That isn't fair! No one should be allowed to live in there until The Hand of God wins the contest!"
There was a pause as Kurata stalked over to Ogata. "Listen, until someone wins that contest, that mansion is mine. And if I say that Sai and the Holograms can live there until then, then they can." Kurata stepped inside for a moment, then came out with a key that he pressed into Hikaru's hand. "You can move in immediately." He glared over at Ogata, then went back inside.
Hikaru jumped into the air. "Yes!" He spotted Akira off to one side and ran over to him. "We have a place to stay!" He threw himself into Akira's arms, but got held back suddenly. "Excuse me, but who are you?"
Eyes wide, Hikaru took a step back. "Oh, sorry. I'm Sai. It's nice to meet you." He would have told Akira the truth if Ogata hadn't been standing so closely.
Akira took Hikaru's proffered hand and shook it. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Although, do I know you from somewhere?"
"I just recently moved to town," Hikaru said. "And then I met these guys, and we formed a band, and we got signed. It's a lot like a fairy tale or something."
"That's charming," Akira said. "Especially as you look like something out of a fairy tale. The question is, though, are you a fairy prince, or are you a fairy princess?"
Hikaru blushed. "I'm male if that's what you're asking."
"I only asked because you seemed too beautiful to be a mere man."
Suddenly, Hikaru took a step away. "I had heard you were seeing Hikaru."
"Well, yes," Akira said as he approached Hikaru and put his hand on the other man's back. "But, there's something about you... I won't get out of school until I'm 21, though, so I'm trying to keep my options open until then."
"Keep your options open?" Hikaru pulled back his hand and slapped Akira. "You can stop considering me an option any second now, then." He stalked off and grabbed the Holograms. They had moving in to get done.
-----
Hikaru stretched his arms above his head and yawned. "Well, I think that's it."
Tsutsui leaned forward. "Our first single."
Kaga crossed his legs and leaned back further in his own chair. "But are we going to be able to afford to get it pressed?"
Hikaru nodded. "Through Tengen Music, yes. I brought a lawyer in when I went to talk to Ogata. We came to the agreement that in order for it to be fair, we had to have equal access to the accounts for recording and pressing, or it wouldn't be fair."
Mitani lay down with his head in Kaga's lap. "We should get to bed, soon. Kurata invited us to that party for tomorrow, after all." He turned a bit more. "And I don't know about you, but I need my beauty sleep."
Hikaru laughed and threw a pencil at Mitani's back. "Then you should have gone to bed three days ago."
-----
I was nervous. Kurata was sending a limo for us that would arrive any moment. I was dressed, and so were the Holograms, but were we ready for this? This was a party meant for rubbing elbows with the biggest stars of the entertainment world. Did we even have a change of fitting in? I heard a horn sound out front. Well, it was time.
The ride wasn't terribly long. By the time we reached the banquet hall where the party was being held, my stomach was still churning and Tsutsui looked more pale than the moon in the sky. "It'll be okay, guys," I said. I hoped I sounded more sincere than I felt.
We were led in by our chauffeur. I was able to count more people that I knew from television than I had fingers and toes, and we hadn't made it through the entrance hall yet!
I spotted Kurata in the next room and we made our way toward him. He was speaking to a woman I couldn't see at first. "Ah, Sai! Here at last. I was just talking about you to-"
"Icchan, right?" Who doesn't know the biggest entertainment reporter in the galaxy who only shows the best new videos?
She smiled. "Right. Kurata's been telling me all about you, and I've got to say, I'm excited. Do you guys have a video yet?"
I shook my head. "No. We're kind of on a budget."
She raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'll just have to introduce you to someone, then." She turned around, looked about briefly, then whistled. "Hey, Touya! Come here! You, too, Kuwabara." She turned back to Hikaru and the Holograms. "They're a little older, so give 'em just a minute."
Touya Meijin showed up first. "Yes, Ichikawa?"
Ichikawa grinned, but waited a moment for an even older man to join their group. "These guys are Sai and the Holograms. They're the ones Kurata talked about who are in the contest with Ogata's group. They need a super-hot video for me to play on my show. They don't have a lot of money, but if Kurata thinks they're good, you know they are. Think you can help them?"
Touya Meijin bowed to them, then shook Hikaru's hand. "As long as you don't mind me sitting in to watch the video-making process with my son, I'd be honored."
"Your son?"
Looking around, Touya smiled. "Akira!" Hikaru's eyes went wide as Akira joined them. "Yes, Father?"
I smiled back. Even if it was obvious now that I hardly knew a thing about him, and hardly meant a thing, he'd still been my friend for years. "Hello."
Akira's eyes widened as he saw me. "Sai."
Touya Meijin put a hand on Akira's shoulder. "You know each other?"
I nodded. "We met a few days ago."
Grabbing my hand, Akira kissed the back of it. "He's the fairy prince I told you that I met."
"All the more reason for me to lend my support. And you, Kuwabara, will you be helping to make their video?"
The old man smiled and patted, of all things, my butt! "Certainly. Perhaps we should meet tomorrow for lunch to discuss things... just the two of us?"
It didn't even take a glance at my band to know I'd rather try to drown myself than be alone with him. "I'm sorry, Kuwabara, but my band will have to be there, too. We make our decisions together."
He shrugged. "Then we'll just have to make a spectacular video for Icchan, won't we?"
I nodded and turned my attention back to Kurata and Ichikawa. "Thank you, everyone. We certainly hope to make this worth your while."
-----
After a while at the party, Hikaru excused himself to step outside. The warm lights and close-pressed bodies were making him dizzy. The cool night air was already helping to calm him.
"Once upon a time," he heard behind him and looked to see Akira walking toward him. The other man crossed his arms and rested them on the railing next to where Hikaru was standing. "Once upon a time, there lived a fairy prince whose singing made men better because of it, and made women worse, for they could not stand the intensity."
"You haven't even heard me sing," Hikaru said and turned his back on Akira.
"That's where you're wrong, my prince." Akira cleared his throat and hummed the opening measures of the song they'd played at the Battle of the Bands. "They played it on the news. I went down to the station and got a copy."
Hikaru turned back around. "Are you obsessed with me or something?"
"No." Akira stood up straight. "I'm merely interested."
"And... Hikaru?"
Akira turned his head and looked up at the moon. "I suppose I'm interested there, as well."
"Then, do me a favor," Hikaru said.
"Anything, my prince." Akira bowed and smiled.
"Be in our music video."
"What?" Akira held onto the railing. "Why?"
Hikaru smiled. "Because I've just had an idea." He walked back inside to find his band. It was getting late, after all.
-----
Ogata crumpled up the piece of paper he'd just read for the dozenth time. "They've got Kuwabara directing their video."
Ochi laughed. "So? We can get him, too."
"You don't understand, Kuwabara is a picky old fool. He won't direct for just anyone."
"So pay him more than they are."
Ogata tilted his neck to the left and massaged his right shoulder. "Only, I don't know how much they're paying him because they're not using the company's money."
Waya laughed. "All the more for us to use, then."
Ogata rubbed his shoulder harder. "If only. Since they're not using the company's money, neither can we. It's part of the contract."
Ochi rolled his eyes and stood up. "Fine. I'll just talk to my grandfather. I'm sure he'll give me money."
Isumi leaned forward quietly. "But, it'll takes hundreds of thousands of dollars to make a music video."
"Yeah? And?" Ochi grabbed his leather jacket from the table and slid it on. "We're rich."
Waya's eyes gleamed. "I knew I liked you, Ochi." He stood up. "Are you coming, Isumi?"
Isumi grabbed his own jacket. "I guess."
Ogata bit at his thumbnail. He was beginning to have doubts about these brats. They weren't worth losing Tengen Records over. As soon as the door had closed behind them, he picked up the phone and dialed a number he was getting too familiar with. "Yashiro? It's Ogata. I've got another proposition for you, and this time? I don't want anything going wrong."
-----
I pulled at the sleeves of my onmyouji outfit. When they were straightened to my liking, I began to work on making the stupid little hat comfortable. Why had I come up with this idea? Why had I brought it up to Kuwabara? And why did I think that being in the video as myself with Akira for a bit of boy's love was going to be a good idea?
I shoved the little hat a bit more and took a deep breath. It would be okay. Somehow. This way, at least, I would get to spend some time with my boyfriend. I'd spent time with him as Sai several times lately, but not as Hikaru. It was strange to have him like both of us, and to be jealous of myself.
Only a few minutes later, I left the dressing room and walked toward the stage. It was time for production to begin.
-----
"Grandfather!" Ochi called out and shoved past the people standing around the man's desk.
The man looked up from his desk. "Yes, Ochi?"
"Can I have some money to make a music video? We're trying to get it on the air soon so we can become really popular and sell our albums. You do want me to start making my own money, right, Grandfather?"
He nodded and dug out his wallet before handing a platinum credit card to Ochi. "That's wonderful, Ochi, but I've got to get back to work now. Spend what you need to."
Ochi was pushed out of the way by the people needing the man's attention for business. Holding up the credit card, Ochi showed it to Waya and Isumi. "We're good to go, now."
-----
"Just like that!" Kuwabara kept filming as Hikaru and Akira stood side by side, but facing different directions. "We'll add in the special effects later with you summoning Sai as your shikigami." He looked around. "Where is Sai, anyway?"
Tsutsui rushed forward. "Oh, he'll be here later. He's resting in the dressing room right now, I think."
When Kuwabara called an end to the scene, Akira came over to Hikaru and put an arm around his shoulders. "This was a good idea."
"Are you upset that you're missing class for this?"
Akira grinned. "You know, I managed to talk my teacher into letting me turn my homework in later on today, and to give me extra credit for doing this. It was something about a temporary internship in a musical field, I think?"
"So, it was a lie."
The arm was pulled away. "It wasn't a lie. I hate lying. You know that. This was simply using information to my benefit."
"Deception, then." Hikaru pulled off his hat. "We've got a costume change now, you know. The schoolboy outfits." He walked off toward the dressing rooms again.
-----
Ogata screamed and slammed the phone down. "What do you mean he's not available?" He took a deep breath. "It's okay. We'll win. I'll own this whole company, and I won't have to worry about Shindou Hikaru anymore." He pounded a fist on his desk. "But why can't I get Kuwabara?"
Ochi entered the room. "Did I just hear you say that you can't get him?"
"That's right, Ochi. He's filming with Sai and the Holograms right now, and he refuses to be disturbed."
"We'll just get him afterward, then." Ochi sat down on the sofa and examined his fingernails. Waya and Isumi followed him.
"The problem with that, though, is that if we don't get your video to Icchan before they get their's in, then it won't be much of a competition."
Isumi cleared his throat. "We could get someone else, you know."
Ogata took a deep breath and held it for a moment. "Okay, that's it. I'll direct your video."
"You?" Ochi laughed. "What do you know about it?"
"If an old man like that can do it, so can I!" Ogata kicked the phone as he put his feet up. "We'll make it a video about go."
"Oh?" Waya slid forward. Ochi and Isumi weren't far behind. "Tell us more."
-----
Akira slid off his jacket and let it fall to the bed, then undid the buttons on Hikaru's jacket and moved them off, as well. He kissed the other boy's forehead, then pulled him close and ran a hand through Hikaru's hair. As Hikaru's eyes slid shut, Akira glared at the camera.
Kuwabara called out, "Cut!" He checked something on the clipboard he'd been carrying around. "I think that's all the scenes we need you for, guys. Where is Sai? His scenes are next?"
Hikaru grabbed his jacket from the bed and ran forward. "I'll get him!"
He reached the dressing rooms, then ducked in. He put a finger up to one earring. "It's GO-time, AKARI." When he looked in the mirror, he saw Sai, only in an outfit straight out of the Heian-era. "Thanks, AKARI."
Only, when he went to leave the room, the door was locked. "What?" He pulled at it again, but the door wouldn't budge. He pounded on it several times before anything happened. There was a commotion on the other side of the door and someone shouted, "Get back!" He did, and the door flew open a moment later.
Akira was standing on the other side of the door, looking somewhat shocked. "Sai? But, I saw Hikaru come in here." He looked around. "Where is he?"
Hikaru laughed. "You must have just missed him. He- He went to the bathroom!"
Pointing to the open bathroom door at the back of the dressing room, Akira asked, "And why couldn't he go in there?"
"Um- I was in there, at the time." Hikaru brushed a broken piece of the door off of his costume. "What was wrong with the door?"
Akira scratched his head. "Honestly? It looked like some kind of powerful epoxy resin. I couldn't budge the door without breaking it."
"Should we call the police?"
"Nah. It was probably just some tech guy having fun."
Hikaru pushed past Akira. "Fun, right." He took the stage and waited for Kuwabara's instructions.
-----
Ochi took off his jacket. "This had better be good, Ogata."
Ogata looked over some of the footage they'd gotten that day. "It'll be good enough. It's just the three of you playing with a giant go set and looking like rock stars, but it goes with your name."
Brushing dust off of his jacket, Ochi nodded. "Just make sure it looks good before you send it off to Icchan."
-----
Hikaru stepped in the gaps left between the foster boys as they crowded around the couch in front of the TV. Mitani, Tsutsui and Kaga were already sitting there, waiting on the giant bowl of popcorn that Hikaru was lugging around. "It's going to start any minute!"
Icchan's show had been on for a while, already, and it was nearly to the section where she showed new videos. Kurata had called them earlier on in the day to let them know that their video would play on the show.
"We have two new videos from two new bands tonight," Icchan said. Everyone quieted up and the popcorn went forgotten as Hikaru took his seat and set the bowl on the table by the couch. "Both bands are premiering with Tengen Records. And since I couldn't figure out which one to play first, I'm going to flip a coin."
With a grin, Ichikawa flipped and coin, looked at it quickly, then palmed it and put it away. "Looks like first up is the new video for "More To Go" by The Hand of God.
Don't you know
there's more to go
than laying out the pieces
Don't you know
there's more to life
than hitting the easy pitches
You gotta get the crowd
and get them movin'
let it fuel yourself
as you start to groove it-
Play it from the corners
and then the sides
so when the final attack comes
you've got plenty of eyes
to watch your back
as you cross the track
into nowhere
Ichikawa came back on the screen. "And that was More To Go by The Hand of God. It certainly was go-themed, wasn't it? But, from a band with Tengen Records, I guess we shouldn't expect any less. Now, we'll play our other premiere! Here's Sai and the Holograms with Trust You."
Why can't I put my trust in you
like you put your trust in me
why is it everytime we meet
I'm thinking will it be him or me?
Who's got the guts
to ask the questions
as they need to be asked?
Certainly not me
or else I wouldn't be
dwelling in the past.
Is there a gentle reminder for my heart
Of how things were right at the start
When we fumbled around with that first kiss
And I hardly knew to call you that or this
Can I stay with you
if I'm thinking that I
can't be something more
or can we happy if I stay the same
but just begin to try to trust you some more?
"Wow!" Ichikawa smiled hugely. "What a video! Onmyouji, boy's love, and some beautiful special effects. I tell ya, I had the chance to meet these guys earlier this week. If good things don't come to them, it'll be because they stop trying. And, you know what? They're even cuter in person!" She clasped her hands and put them on the desk in front of her. "That's it for today, folks. Tune in tomorrow for more entertainment news with me, Icchan!"
Kaga turned off the television. "That's better for us than them, right?"
Hikaru nodded, then grabbed the bowl of popcorn and took a few pieces. "We just might do this." He tossed the popcorn in his mouth and passed the bowl to Tsutsui.
-----
I grabbed another gallon of milk to make sure we had enough for the foster boys. I was about to move on to the eggs when Mitani came running up. "Hikaru, look!" He opened a magazine and showed me an article inside. There was a picture of Sai overlaid on pictures of Touya Meijin, Ogata, and Kuwabara. "It's an article about us!"
Taking the magazine from him, I read through the article quickly. It talked mostly about the mystery of Sai and the competition between them and The Hand of God. It went into who was helping each band in the battle and a discussion about each band's video. There was another page of pictures of each band, but the article was focusing mostly on Sai and the Holograms. "Are any of the other magazines saying anything, yet?"
Mitani grabbed two cartons of eggs and put them in the shopping cart. "Kaga and Tsutsui are looking right now. They're going through the papers, as well."
I nodded and started making my way toward the break aisle. We had to make this work, somehow. If I lost Tengen Records, I'd never forgive myself.
-----
"Icchan here!" She smiled and flashed a V! sign to the camera. "We have news on everyone favorite new recording artists. The Hand of God and Sai and the Holograms both released singles last week. That's the subject of their must-talked-about Battle of the Bands. Who can sell more singles? Well, it's week one, and we've got their rankings on the charts." She grinned and held up a copy of the More To Go single. "Ochi, Waya and Isumi are probably sweating in their leather right now, but here we go... More To Go is at.... number 24 on the charts! That's not bad for a brand new group. Now, how about Trust You? Sai and the boys are gonna freak... you're number 21! Congrats, boys. Now, sales aren't over in the slightest for these two groups, so give your favorite some help so that they can pick a winner in 9 more weeks."
Waya threw the remote at the TV. "They're beating us."
Isumi picked up the remote and shut off the TV himself. "We're pretty close, though. Maybe if we go do some promo work? We could do some live performances on the radio, or maybe some concerts at the local record stores with an autograph signing afterward?"
Ochi snorted. "Nah. That's too much like work. I already planned something for this. I gave Ogata some money. He's going to give it to a bunch of kids and get them to go into stores and buy our album."
"What if they use the money to buy Sai's album instead?" Isumi asked.
Ochi sat up. "That crossdresser?"
Waya threw a pillow at Isumi. "Don't go getting him flustered. The kids will do as they're told, or they'll suffer the consequences."
Isumi hugged the pillow. "Right."
-----
It had been a tough two months. When I wasn't looking after the foster boys, I was with the Holograms performing somewhere, or recording something. Everyone seemed to want a piece of our time. I hardly spent any time with Akira, either as Sai or Hikaru. But, his finals were coming up at the same time as the announcement of the winner of the Battle of the Bands. And, oddly enough, with the announcement of the new professional artist's award. We'd received our invitations in the mail only two days ago.
I wasn't sure how to feel. I wanted the award. It meant something to say that you were the best of the new guys, but it would mean more to hear that we'd sold more albums than The Hand of God in a 10-week period.
-----
Sitting with the Holograms, Hikaru held Kaga and Mitani's hands and hoped that holograms couldn't be affected by the bright stage lights. The Hand of God were sitting on the couch on the opposite side of Ichikawa's desk. She offered them all water before the segment began. Hikaru took her up on it and Ichikawa motioned for someone to bring over a cup. Drinking it down quickly, Hikaru tried to relax. But, this was it.
When the camera's started filming, Icchan perked up. "Hey, guys! Icchan here. And have we got a treat for you! Both Sai and the Holograms and The Hand of God are here for the announcement of the winner of their Battle of the Bands. It's a winner takes all match with Tengen Records on the line. First, though, I'd like to congratulate the winner's of last night's new pro award. Sai? How does it feel?"
Hikaru grinned. "I'm not sure. I've been more worried about this, actually."
Tsutsui spoke up. "We're very pleased that everyone in the committee voted for us. We can only hope that people did the same with their money for this contest."
Ichikawa held up an envelope. "I've got the name of the winners in here. It's been ten weeks, and all of the record sales have been tallied. The charts will go out tomorrow, but as these guys have been switched places between first and second for the past four weeks, it's anyone's game. Shall we see who gets Tengen Records?"
"Yes!" Hikaru covered his mouth and blushed slightly. "Please."
"Okay... Sai said so, so here goes!" Using her thumb, Ichikawa eased open the envelope and looked at the paper inside. "Well, folks, it's official. The winner of the Battle of the Bands, and the new owner of Tengen Records, is... Sai and the Holograms!"
Ochi grabbed the paper from her hands. "What? That's impossible! Did those creeps actually buy this crossdresser's album?"
Hikaru covered his face to hide the tears streaming down his cheeks. But, then his band was crowding around him and practically picking him up. "We won!" Kaga jumped up on the couch, but Tsutsui pulled him down quickly.
"It's over," Hikaru said. He hugged Mitani close. "Father's dreams are safe."
-----
Akira took another helping of pasta. "I'm glad everything worked out."
Hikaru sipped at his water. "Me, too."
"Have you given any thought to who you're going to hire to run things at Tengen Records now that it's completely yours?"
"I figured I'd do it." Hikaru took a bite of his own pasta. "I watched father do it for years. It'll be hard, but I'll manage. I've got my friends, and you... I know I won't have time for everything, but I'll make time for the important things."
"What are Sai and the Holograms up to?"
Hikaru grinned. "They start filming in a month. Kurata's been sending scripts by the office for them to look over."
"Anything good?"
"Well, there was one story about an all-female rock group, but they're not crossdressers, so, it was declined."
Akira grabbed Hikaru's hand and kissed his fingers. "Do you have any plans for tomorrow?"
Hikaru winced. "I have to get started over at Tengen Records. Since Ogata didn't want to resign, I had to demote him to maintenance. I expect he'll make a fuss, so I have to be there to watch over him."
"Couldn't you just fire him?"
Putting down his fork, Hikaru grinned again. "I could, I suppose. But, it'll be worth it to see him in overalls with a kerchief on his head."
Hikaru leaned against Akira's shoulder and looked at the sunset across the backyard of Tengen Mansion. "You could stay the night, you know."
"Oh?" Akira put an arm around Hikaru's shoulders. "Well, since this place is so close to school, I can't really say no, can I?"
"I hope not." Hikaru leaned in and kissed the other man. Their dinner was forgotten completely.