[+][L-N+][P-UL] ~ SHOUNEN POP - 少年ＰＯＰ ~

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

Akihiko laughed softly, "Yuuji-kun would be happy to take you to a game if you asked him to, Ko-kun. Actually... I bet he'd be very interested to know you're playing soccer. He used to play it too as a boy. Shou-san or myself taking you might be out of the question though... seeing how we're famous. We'd want you to enjoy the game, not be bothered by our fans." releasing Ko, the musician tilted his head to the side slightly, thinking.
How was he going to explain this?!
"Well... um... Ko-kun, you know how in a soccer game there are two teams playing against one another? Well... even though Shou-san is good friends with Ruki and friends with myself, he plays for a different team than Ruki and I do. In fact, Yuuji-kun and I, along with another friend of ours, owns the team that I make music for, that I play for. Shou-san plays, makes music for, another team. He can't make music for my team because it's just not allowed. Not unless he left the team he's on to join ours. One day, Ruki will own the team that Crystal-san," the young tiger indicated the woman at the door. "owns... and then Ruki won't be playing for my team anymore, even though we're both very close friends. You can't play for three teams at once, Ko-kun... and when you get on one of those teams you put your name on what's called a contract. It tells you how long you have to play for that time, so you can't switch teams unless there's a very important reason to. Does that make sense?"  

[Kaikoloren]

"You think he would?" asked Ko curiously as he let go of Akihiko, "Oh? He played soccer as a kid? That's neat! Maybe he can come play with me at Uncle Shou's house. Uncle Naoko got me a ball too! Mm...Uncle Shou is famous but sometimes he puts disguises on so he can take me places. He tries really hard but I bet going to see a game without a mask on my face would be easier." He moved back over and sat down at the keyboard again.

Scratching his neck he tried to grasp Akihiko's explanation. "So...Uncle Shou works for Team Smash....and you, Lucky-san, Yuuji-san work for....umm.. Team Ohayou? And Crystal-san works for Team...."

"MeKA...." Crystal helped the boy out deciding that before she left to check on her nephew she should at least make sure Akihiko didn't get the boy even more confused.

"MeKA. So I can't play for 3 teams....oh...so it's like soccer where you only play for one team at a time. And not like school clubs where you can be in more than one. Oh....I see. So... I could play for any of the 3 teams?? Like I could pick one?"

At this point, Crystal stepped out because she knew that Akihiko would definitely want his nephew on Team Ohayou. And if Yuuji was smart, he'd make sure that Shou agreed to that as well. She didn't know what sort of guardianship Shou had but she knew very well that courts in Japan were far different from courts in America in regards to children. If Shou just happened to sign Ko to SMASH then it probably would be very difficult to get the child out of it. Especially with Izo's connections.

Crystal walked over and checked on Ruki, tucking him in and kissing his forehead. She loved her nephew very much and wished that he and his father could reconcile but that was another can of worms that was almost best left untouched. There was a lot more to Ruki's father than Rukuro and she ever would explain to Ruki.

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

"Yes, just like that." Walking back over, Akihiko sat down on the stool he had used to play guitar on moments ago. "But you have to look at what's being offered to you to play for one of those teams. For example... money or perks like getting to decide what you play. But there are also other reasons to choose... you need to look at who runs the team... who will be your coach if you sign... and can you get along with other members on that team. Let's see... okay take me for example. I could have signed elsewhere but my grandfather ran this team at the time. That was a big incentive for me. Now if I had signed with SMASH instead, what I wanted to play... how I wanted to present my music, might have been stifled because Matsumoto Izo, who runs SMASH, likes to be very controlling of his players... his stars... musicians. I was able to do what I wanted here... so that helped to make up my mind." Narcissus folded his arms over his chest, thinking about his words. "Look at it this way too, Ko-kun. Say there were two Shou-san's, completely the same in every way. One of Shou-san's offered you a 100 yen coin. The other offered you a brand new keyboard. Which would you take?"

 

[Kaikoloren]

"Soo....some teams offer better deals? And some teams haven't as good of coaches. Ok I understand that." Sports was a much easier way to explain the music industry to the small boy. Sports were pretty easy because everyone did that at school to some degree and everyone knew some schools teams were better than others.

"So your grandfather gave you a good deal. Mm...but wouldn't I get a good deal at SMASH because Uncle Shou is there?? Does M....Matsu..Matsumoto-san control Uncle Shou?" frowned Ko as he asked that question. Not liking that idea at all. "If he does, Why doesn't Uncle Shou work for your team?? And would he even let me work for your team?" The boy was a little confused because Shou did seem to do mostly what he wanted however, the boy didn't see that it was because Shou was pulling in very high figures for SMASH.

"Mm...there are two, but I'd want the keyboard for sure!" Ko said with several nods of his head. Sai would be the one to give him 100 yen...and Shou probably would give him a keyboard. So he could relate to the concept. "I want a keyboard now. Yours is so much fun! Is Team Ohayou a better team for me?? You think?? Could I play what I wanted? Maybe I should make my own TEAM! Team Ko. And have Uncle Shou, Uncle Naoko, You, Lucky-san and everyone be on my team." The young boy was still quite a bit of ID. He couldn't make the wise choices yet still being a child. He knew the things he wanted but the details of contracts and company politics were still way beyond him Although, some things triggered a more knowledgeable wary response when it related to doctors and other dark things...

"I think it would be good to be on a team and be a star like you and Uncle Shou."  

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

"Ah well... Shou-san makes Smash a lot of money so Matsumoto-san gives him more leway to do as he wants." Akihiko answered, trying to figure out how best to answer without making it sound like he wanted the boy for Ohayou right then and there. "I personally do not like Matsumoto-san... neither does Shou-san. I have tried to get him to work for my team for a while now but we haven't gotten the time to discuss it properly. If you wanted to play for my team, Shou-san wouldn't decline. In fact, he would probably be happy about it."
Of course the fact that the boy said there "are" two Shou's didn't escape the young tiger's notice. But he'd leave that alone for now. Standing once more, he indicated that Ko should follow him.
"Come with me. Want to learn how to make a grilled cheese sandwich?" Akihiko asked with a smile, leading the way from the bedroom again.
After all, by the time the child helped him with this, it'd be about time for lunch anyway.
""I want nothing more than for you to be part of my team, Ko-kun." Narcissus spoke as they walked. "But you have to talk it over with Shou-san. I think you will be far happier and safer with Ohayou than SMASH... and maybe we can help fix things that have gone wrong for you before. But if you want to play music any way you want, I'll let you do that at Ohayou." he smiled softly, thinking about maybe bribing the boy...
After all, he could buy Ko a room full of musical instruments.
"Ohayou would be best, yes. But we all want you to be happy above anything else, Ko-kun."

 

[Kaikoloren]

"So...I'd have to make a lot of money...Oh...Do you think my music will make a lot of money one day?" Ko slipped off his chair and started to pick up all the music sheets he had written upon and crisscrossed them into neat piles. He really was a tidy mite compared to some kids. He was taught pretty good to clean up after himself. "So you and Matsumoto-san aren't friends. Was he mean to you? I think I saw him when Uncle Shou took me to SMASH to see all his fans. His fans are neat! They wear bright colors and do crazy things." That was one way to describe Shou's fanatical fans.

"So you think Uncle Shou would be ok with it. Then maybe I should ask him." Ko said as he put the last pile of papers into a pile. "OH...I do! Grilled Cheese is yummy!" He grabbed up his pile of papers and his ipad then followed after Akihiko.

"I'll talk to Uncle Shou and see what he says. Uncle Shou may not seem like it at times but he's really smart and tries really hard. And he wants me safe and happy. He told me I will always be safe with him and Uncle Naoko. Ok. well if I can play music the way I want to, I might be good at Ohayou then. That would be really nice if Uncle Shou says ok. But I'd feel kind of bad if Uncle Shou wasn't on the same team too. But as long as he says it's ok. But if he says that Smash is better, I'd have to hear him out too." Ko said thoughtfully although he wasn't sure he wanted to work for Smash if Akihiko didn't like the man running it. He wanted to ask Shou right now if it would be OK but he didn't want to bug Shou on his important mission.

"I do want to be happy. I've been so happy now. Not afraid like I...used to be."

But as they continued to walk downstairs, he pondered an Idea for a moment as they walked, " Hey, Akihiko-niisan, can you be my Uncle too?"  

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

How do you tell a boy that the man his uncles work for was the same man who hurt him in the first place? The same man who hurt Narcissus and Izzy too? The same man who most likely murdered Hiroki's little sister? The same man who'd bedded Akihiko's own mother and sired a b*****d child who was the poster boy for all things dark, creepy, gore filled, and erotic?
"Yes, he was very mean to me." Akihiko replied with a bit of a sigh. "He's been mean to Ruki too... and to our friend Asato-kun. I... well he's been very mean to Yuuji-kun too... and to you, Ko-kun... though you may not remember. He's... he's not a very nice man. Course my grandfather wasn't a nice man either but... well... Yuuji-kun and Asato-kun and myself are in charge now. We're going to make Ohayou better than ever."
Stopping on the bottom step, Akihiko turned slightly, looking down at the boy.
Hideo...
Narcissus was the boy's true uncle...
Being asked that...
The young Koyasu smiled, "Hai. I can be your uncle too. But I do kind of like you calling me Akihiko-niisan..." he grabbed Ko up in his arms, careful of the sheets of paper and ipad. Continuing to walk, they entered the kitchen. Narcissus set Ko on the counter, taking the objects in the boy's full arms and putting them on the counter as well. Then he smiled, leaning forward and putting his forehead against Ko's own. "I'd love to be your uncle, Ko-kun. If you'll let me."

 

[Kaikoloren]

"Ewh...he sounds really bad if he's been mean to you and everyone else. I don't like bad people." Ko became quiet for a moment as he processed all that had been said, "He's been mean to me too? I don't remember ever meeting him before that one day. He didn't do anything bad then but Uncle Shou was with me the whole time." The boy was baffled by the thought but then again, he didn't remember many things. However, if he had he still wouldn't have seen Izo in any of those memories. Izo kept his hands well away from the dirt. It would be hard to pin anything on him. Even his last conversation with Aki he had kept himself from admission of any involvement.

"You will? You do! Ok I'll keep calling you that then." One arm wrapped around Akihiko's shoulders as he was carried along by the man. The other arm securely holding papers and Ipad.

In the kitchen, as their foreheads touched, Ko couldn't help but smile, "I would like that very much." The boy seemed amazingly happy that Akihiko agreed but something inside Ko told him that maybe that had always been the case. "It's always seemed like you should be my Uncle. Does that seem silly?"
 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

"It doesn't seem silly at all." Akihiko replied with a smile, poking the tip of Ko's nose with one finger gently. Pulling back, that smile remained. "After all, we're a lot alike, aren't we? Both pianists... I'm going to teach you to sing... we're both very very handsome. Both total heartbreakers, remember?" he winked before snapping his fingers. "I know! Your first singing lesson is this, Ko-kun. I know you understand pitch so... what I want you to do is practice matching your voice's pitch... to each note you play on the piano. Work with Middle C first then go up an octave. That will help you learn to recognize where your voice needs to be when reading the notes of a song. Make sense?" he helped the boy down off the cabinet, not wanting him to fall. "You're young so that means you can sing higher. As you get older your voice will drop some and then you'll have to work even harder to hit the high notes. But if I can do it... I'm betting you can too." Narcissus figured this would make sense. After all, a voice was an instrument in the key of C, just like a piano.
As the young tiger began to pull items from the fridge, like cheese and butter, he asked Ko to get the bread out of the bread box on the counter.
"Matsumoto-san doesn't have to directly touch someone to hurt them, Ko-kun." he tried to warn the boy. "He has money and power... he can pay people to hurt someone. He's a very very bad man. Ruki and I were in the hospital after something one of hire hired men did. When you see Matsumoto-san... just... just promise me Shou-san will be there with you. He can protect anyone because he makes SMASH more money than anyone. To be honest, he may make more money than I do and I've been in the business longer than he has." the slight frown on Akihiko's face turned to a very small smile. "We want you happy. We want you as part of the family, Ko-kun. We want you to grow up and play beautiful music and surpass all of us. Every country in the world will hear the music you make one day. But even if you decided to give it all up... we wouldn't change our minds. Not Shou-san or Oumori-san or Yuuji-kun. Not Ruki or myself or any of our friends and family. We'd still be proud of you and want you happy. Because... happiness isn't measured in wealth or impressing someone else. It's about you, Ko-kun. It's about what you want. What you love. Your dreams." taking the bread, Narcissus began pulling out slices and putting them on a plate. "Happiness is being selfish a lot of the time. But as long as you're not hurting someone else, then it's perfectly fine." that small smile grew and Akihiko pointed at the boy. "No being the bad guy on Kamen Rider, got it? Long as you're not a bad person, you've nothing to worry about and you won't be alone. Got it?"

 

[Kaikoloren]

The boy giggled when his nose was poked. "Yes, we are both pianist...and TOTAL heartbreakers. Right! And after I learn to sing I'll be more like you!" He grinned broadly with a look on his face that spoke of mischief. Ko did have many qualities that probably were similar to Akihiko as a small boy. If he had a brother or sister, he probably be into a lot more trouble than he was on his own.

"My first lesson?" Suddenly the boy became very attentive and pulled out the note taker on his ipad as he listened. Soon he was typing in all of Akihiko's instructions. "Uh Huh...it makes sense." he said as Akihiko lifted him off the cabinet.

"So I have to practice every day so my voice doesn't drop when I get older? Why would my voice drop when I get older??" Ah a new question that Ko certainly didn't understand. Growing up meant a lot of changes that kids never noticed until they had already started happening.

"I'll try! If I can sing good then I can make songs like you eventually?" asked Ko as he ran over and pulled the bread out of the box and brought it back to Akihiko. He listened to the information about Izo and frowned. "I promise but Uncle Shou wouldn't leave me with anyone he didn't trust. If he doesn't trust that man he won't leave me alone with him." But then he smiled, "You must make more money. Look how big this house is." he laughed and said. "I am part of your family now. You're my uncle. So everything is good. And I am really happy."

He peered at the cheese and the butter and licked his lips. He was hungry now that he saw the food. Ko's tummy growled with anticipation. "I don't think I could change my mind about playing music. I hear notes all the time. Even right now. Sometimes it hard to think if I don't do something with the notes. Playing the keyboard makes my head feel less full of notes for awhile."

"But...I'm happy playing because people smile when they hear my songs. And I get to be like you and Uncle Shou. That make's me happy too. There are other people like me." Of course, that wasn't quite true. Shou and Akihiko didn't have a waterfall of notes playing in their heads all the time. However, he didn't know that.

"I don't want to hurt anyone. Can you be selfish and happy at the same time? Oh...I don't think I could be bad like him. I think one of you might spank me if I was that bad. I don't think I'd like that." Ko answered wanting a small slice of cheese to snack on. "Can I have a piece of cheese??

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

Akihiko pulled out a can of tomato soup from the pantry, opening the can up and pouring it into a pot on the stove. He handed the empty can to Ko and told him to fill it with water once then dump the water into pot.
"When you start noticing girls, it won't be long til your voice changes. It happens to every kid. My voice changed and I was able to hit lower notes but had to work harder to hit high ones. Training your voice is important."
A little butter in a pan... it melted slowly but surely and then Narcissus began making the grilled cheese. While the butter melted, he brought over a chair so Ko could stand on it and watch.
"This isn't my house, remember? Ojisan made a LOT of money because he ran the company. I've got money, but I'm pretty sure Shou-san's sales are higher than mine lately. That'll change though, I hope. See, Shou-san and I are rivals but friends. If I do better than him, he'll be happy but he'll want to make himself better... and if he does better than me, I'll be happy, but I'll want to make myself better in turn. It's... an interesting relationship."
Piece of bread in, piece of cheese on top, another piece of bread in. Cook... flip... cook... onto the plate. Time for a new sandwich. Itty bit of butter and the process started over again.
"Cheese? Sure." Akihiko sliced a piece for Ko, handing it to him. "Healthy snacks are good snacks. So... you hear notes all the time? Mmm... that's not quite how it works with me. I can't speak for Shou-san's process... but usually I just have an idea and write it down. It's not a constant thing and well yeah it makes thinking on anything but for a bit rather hard... but then I write it down and go on about my day. Sometimes I spend a whole day working on new songs... but it's about inspiration and feeling." another sandwich finished. Narcissus set the soup to cooking as he made another sandwich. "I'd certainly spank you if you were bad like that. But yes you can be selfish and happy. For example... it would make me very happy to have you with Ohayou... but from a business standpoint that would also be very selfish because you could make a lot of money with your talent, Ko-kun. So if you went to work for Ohayou, then I'd be happy in a selfish way. Another example would be... say there's a girl you really like, but your best friend likes her too. You fight hard to win her love and end up being her boyfriend. Well your best friend wanted to be her boyfriend too but you can't both be her boyfriend. Thus you were selfish to make yourself happy. Competition. You didn't hurt your best friend for the girl. He may be mad at you for a bit but in the end it was fair." sighing, Akihiko shook his head. "I'm not making any sense... am I?"

 

[Kaikoloren]

" Then I should never notice girls. So my voice doesn't change!" That seemed logical to the child who didn't quite understand what noticing girls meant. "But isn't it hard not to notice them? I mean they are every where. What do you have to do...stop talking to them all together? Are they a disease? Am I already infected?" He looked himself over as he turned on the water then filled up the can and shut off the water.

"I'm going to train my voice until I can keep a high note forever. And Just say NO to girls. Girls are icky anyway. They tease you a lot and call you names like shorty." Ko frowned as he returned the can to Akihiko and set it on the counter beside him.

"Then maybe your Ojisan can help you. Since he has a lot of money. Isn't that what family does? Oh..wait but he's the mean stingy Ojisan....isn't he?" Ko's shoulders slumped because obviously that idea might not work. "Oh...so that's what rivals means. I remember him saying that you were his rival before I met you. But your friends too. So it's ok. You help each other. That's a good thing." Ko commented with a confident nod. He understood that part very clearly.

Ko took the piece of cheese offered to him and started to nibble. "Thank you! Uh huh...All the time. Like right now." he closed his eyes and then hummed a few bars of what was passing through his head before he stopped and said, "It's like someone talking all the time and it gets really loud. Then I want to play. Then things get less noisy after I play awhile. But it doesn't stop."

"Inspiration and feeling?" Ko continued to nibble on the cheese realizing that Akihiko's process was completely unlike his own. "So ideas just pop in then go away after you write them. That's not like me. But Uncle Shou's process is funny. He's not like me but maybe like you. He gets ideas and suddenly he's writing like...he used my napkins at the restaurant. And wrote on his arm. He was so funny. I told him to write the song on my belly and he DID!"

As Akihiko tried to explain selfishness and happiness, Ko's eyes became vacant as if the wind had blown in one ear and out the other. His mouth pinched up as he tried to work around all those words. So...me and my friend both....like the same girl but we cannot both be friends with this girl at the same time? Why? What's wrong with her? Can't we both be her boyfriends at the same time. What's wrong with 3 people being friends? Can't I have a boyfriend and a girlfriend at the same time?" The idea of falling in love had not become a concept in the boy's head yet so the example totally went over his head. "Akihiko-niisan, you're not making any sense at all."





 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

Sighing, Akihiko shrugged, "I figured it wouldn't make much sense. Okay so... mmmm selfish happiness... Take me for example. I'm always happy when I'm on stage in front of fans. It's selfish to want to be the center of someone else's attention... but I like it. Selfish happiness. A very innocent sort of selfish of course." he smiled slightly, wishing he could explain it better. "A lot of people would tell you to do things for other people, and while that's a very very good thing to do... you have to take care of yourself first. Your happiness has to come before the happiness of the world... otherwise you can't make other people's lives better."
But then he blinked, completely surprised for a second. "No wait, okay just forget girls. They're not a disease or icky or anything like that. Your body just goes through changes around that age. You can't stop it no matter what you do so don't ignore the girls."
Another sandwich finished and now the soup was beginning to boil. "My ojisan isn't around anymore but yes, he was the stingy one. He... died yesterday. That's why I'm at this house instead." blue eyes focused in on the boy and a soft smile came to Akihiko's lips. "So don't worry you about the stingy mean ojisan any more."
Silence for a few moments... another sandwich done...
"Ne, Ko-kun... do you remember when you started playing the piano? I'm just curious because you're so good at it... almost like you've been playing for years."

 

[Kaikoloren]

"Oh... so I like being the center of attention too. So...may I am selfish a little?" He was still kind of confused but it was less confusing than the girl talk. "I like helping people but...mm...helping me is a good thing too. I think I understand that."

But then he seemed rather surprised by Akihiko's comment. "Girls aren't icky? And why can't you just ignore them? They always pull your hair and call you names. And they're all taller than me. I don't really want to talk with them. But..." he paused for a moment. "The American girls I met were nice. We had fun. They weren't mean. So maybe American girls are ok. Japanese girls are icky." It was very logical to his boyish mind.

Ko stood on his tip toes to get a better look at the soup boiling but then was taken back by Akihiko's words, "He died...yesterday?" For that long stretch of silence, Ko didn't know what to say but he looked very carefully at Akihiko as if trying to figure out something.

But then Akihiko asked him a question that caught him off guard, His eyes stared out into space for a moment, "Uh....real playing like now...The first time I started to play was when..Um...I heard a piano at Uncle Shou's house." That was true. The notes started pouring down like rain after he had touched the piano and played Naoko's music. After that,everything started coming together. But before....that.... His brow furrowed and his narrowed, "I remember a piano, here...one I was told not to touch..., I remember a black piano....in...a...bad...place...one that kept the bad people away. I remember white keys on black keys...cold keys heavy sound....dark...dark....playing....must play...must....play....C...D...FF..FF A B C D EE.Eflat Eflat...DflatDflatDflatDflat..CflatCflatCflatCflat GflatGflat Cflat..." His words became notes as he stared out into space and his fingers shook over an invisible set of keys.  

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

Completely ignoring the grilled cheese sandwich he was making, Akihiko grabbing Ko's hands to still them. His blue eyes looked down, locking onto the boy's own gaze.
"Hey... it's okay. If it's the bad place then forget I asked... okay? I was just curious because you're so good at it, you know?" the musician smiled softly, hearing the sandwich start to sizzle a bit too much. "Don't think about the bad place... okay? Think... think about MY piano. You really liked it, ne?"
All other conversation had gone out the window because, in truth, this was more important. He was Hideo's babysitter after all. If he freaked the boy out, Shou would be pissed.
The sandwich was now burning, but Narcissus didn't care.
"Each piano sounds a little different, doesn't it? I mean obviously the keyboard sounds different... but I bet my piano and Shou-san's piano don't sound the same. Do they?"
Focus the boy on something he likes. Perfect strategy!