Bronze: True Heart 1
by K.Huntsman
Shibuya Productions Recording Studios, Tokyo, Japan
Katsumi Shibuya listened with approval as his friend sang the final notes of the song into the studio mike. This song was his pick for the hit off of Kouji's newest album, a sad romantic song about chasing a love as elusive as the wind. Kouji wouldn't much care, of course, whether the album was successful or not... but it gave Shibuya pleasure to know that he was helping, however indirectly, in making something so beautiful. It made him happy, when he thought about it, that he was doing what his sister had wanted him to.
He watched as Kouji removed his earphones and exited the recording booth. He fingered the sheaf of papers, the offer he held, nervously. He wasn't sure of how to present this idea to the singer, even if he privately thought it would be a worthwhile venture. Kouji could be so tempermental and stubborn about some things. Hmh. Childish.
Kouji's hazel eyes focused on him as Shibuya walked beside him down the hall. "I received an interesting offer the other day," he said lightly, trying to make it seem casual. "I was wondering if you might be interested in teaming up with another vocalist for a special album?"
"No," Kouji answered, not even pausing in his stride down the hall.
Shibuya sighed. "Not even if it's Arin Hanano?"
That did pause Kouji Nanjou, and Katsumi congratulated himself for reading him correctly. "Arin Hanano?" Kouji asked curiously. "The American?"
Katsumi nodded. "The same," he replied. "I got an offer from his agents. It seems his manager likes your music--she's got a very good ear, from what I've heard--and thinks your voices would complement one another."
Kouji was silent in thought for a minute, then asked, "And Hanano?"
Katsumi shrugged. "Dunno," he replied. "I got the feeling that his manager was going to sneak up on him with the idea the way I had to do with you."
Kouji considered. He worked alone as a vocalist... but the idea of working with Arin Hanano definitely had appeal. The resonances of that tenor's voice would mesh well with his own. And Hanano's style, while a lot more pop/rock than his own, was intriguing... the lyrics hard to follow, the music seductive and pulsing more often than not.
Well, it was likely nothing would come of it. But in case it did.... "Fine," he told Shibuya. "Let me know what happens."
He walked down the hall alone, ignoring the smile he could feel beaming down on his back from his manager. He wanted to get home; Izumi would be there.
Akaiko Records Recording Studios, Los Angeles, California
Molly Akaiko frowned at her cousin as the singer stepped out of the recording booth. "You shouldn't sing if you're this tired," she criticized.
The tenor shrugged. "It gets the haunted effect you want on the song, Molly," was the reply. "If you don't mind, I want to go home now; I'm tired."
"Sure. The car's waiting for you. In the meantime, though, I just got the reply from Nanjou-san's people."
"Oh?" The red-haired singer showed a little interest at that. "Let me guess; it's a refusal."
"Actually...." Molly skipped in front of Arin. "He said 'yes.' The project's a go. Daddy wants you to head to Japan next week; I get to go with you. He and legal are trying to arrange a series of joint concerts for the two of you. Maybe just Japan; Nanjou's never toured out-country. Maybe a series world-wide though. We'll see."
Arin blinked tiredly at her cousin, trying to get the sentences around, through, or over the block of fog that seemed to have settled in her brain. She knew Molly was talking business; it just wasn't penetrating. "This means I have to re-learn Japanese in a week?" she asked, settling on the thing that seemed to stick out as most relevant at the moment. "K'so."
"Hey, I'm gonna be with you, and I haven't exactly let my Japanese go, Arin!" Molly replied, brown-blonde hair clouding around her head. "I'll double as translator until you remember how to speak as a Japanese boy."
"'Toni coming too, I take it?"
"Your bodyguard's like an American Express; don't leave home without one!" Molly quipped cheerfully. Arin concentrated on not falling asleep, on putting one foot in front of the other. All she could think of that being a boy in her homeland was going to be a worse pain than being one in America. But, still, for her career....
"Talk to me about this in the evening," she muttered as they reached the curb and Molly opened the door of her car. 'Toni was in the front seat, waiting. Arin collapsed across the back seat and fell asleep in three heartbeats. Molly could afford to be cheerful at three in the afternoon, she thought; her cousin wasn't an insomniac like she was.
Nanjou/Izumi residence, Tokyo, Japan
Izumi set the last dish of food on the table just as Kouji walked in. "Nice timing," he complimented Kouji, taking off the apron he'd worn while cooking. "What, no Shibuya?"
Kouji shrugged off his coat and hung it up. "He's busy with a new offer, I think. Do you know who Arin Hanano is?"
Izumi considered as he poured tea for the two of them. "No," he finally answered. "Who?"
Kouji smiled and sat down across from him. "Hanano is an American singer who was born in Japan. His music is very popular in America, Europe, and he has quite a following here in Japan too. An offer's been made by the recording company he's with to have the two of us work together on an album."
"You sound like this is a good thing?" Izumi questioned, watching as Kouji held his hands together and murmured a thanks for the food. "I thought you liked being a soloist."
"You haven't heard Hanano's music," Kouji replied, raising his bowl of miso soup to his lips. "I'll play some for you after dinner. Alternatively, you can ask Serika-chan. How was your day, Izumi?" He took a sip.
"Not too bad. I got through that algebra test okay, I think." Izumi helped himself to some of his own food. "Practice was great."
"That's good." Kouji's smile reached and warmed his eyes and voice both and Izumi drew back a little inwardly, trying not to let it show.
/Push it away, deal with it later, and hope "later" never comes./
/Not even for Kouji./
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