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

[Ryuu Minamoto]

Ryuukaze




~( Lonely ) Mayotta nara~
~( Try again ) Nando datte~
~Yarinaosu koto dekiru kara~

Ryu hadn't expected that little comment from Naoko, about playing with your feet. Of course, Ryu hadn't really taken it into account, being a violinist, but it did make a great deal of sense. Pedals. So he had been wrong, but still, would be better to have a broken foot than an injured hand as a pianist.
"Ok ok...so you do use your feet. Your hands are still more important." he chuckled.
Settling into the back of the sedan, Tsubaki in the front seat beside the driver, Ryu opened up the box of snacks and took out a bottle of water, opening it and sipping it slowly.
"I know you're fine." the violinist responded coolly, as if it were a given. Naoko asking for cigarettes, though...well, he hadn't taken that into account, really. Ryu didn't often smoke, but on occasion he did partake. Flipping open a side compartment in the back of the car, the star revealed a small selection of cigarettes. There were Djarum Black clove cigarettes, Pink Dreams fine tobacco cigarettes, and Lush menthol cigarettes.
Pulling out a leather-bound lighter, he tossed it to Naoko.
"Take your pick."

~( I’m here )~ Soba ni iru wa~
~( Believe me ) Osorenai de~
~Shinjiau koto....~
~FOR YOU~

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

Catching the lighter in his uninjured hand, as the other had a bag of ice on top of it, Naoko nodded. "Thanks..." he replied before looking over the selection.
NOT really his picks for a good cigarette... but then again...
Reaching forward, he took the Lush menthol pack and tapped one cigarette out. He needed something that wasn't overpoweringly strong, and he hadn't smoked a menthol in a while...

Sitting back and closing his eyes after that first drag, the blond let out a sigh of absolute exhaustion.
"Did you bring your violin?" Naoko asked absently, eyes still closed for the moment. "No doubt Shou-san will require a demonstration... damn..." cursing, amber eyes opened. "I don't have any music or lyrics on hand to show him..." he glanced to Ryu. "You wouldn't have anything I could borrow? Pen and paper-wise, I mean? Might help if I at least jot SOMETHING down before we get there..."

Things were normal.
Right?
This conversation was normal... no teasing, no decisions, no hidden meanings to any words.
Just... normal.

And normal, was what Naoko needed right now more than anything.

 

[Ryuu Minamoto]

Ryuukaze




~( Lonely ) Mayotta nara~
~( Try again ) Nando datte~
~Yarinaosu koto dekiru kara~

"Violin's in the trunk." he answered simply, pulling out a clove cigarette and lighting it. It was oddly relaxing, puffing on the sweet, strong smoke. "Playing won't be a problem. Matter of fact, I really, really look forward to it."
It felt as if it hand been an eternity since he played. His fingers were absolutely itching to hold a bow now. It would help him let some of his pent up frustrations and residual emotions out as well.
"Yeah, got paper, right here. Figured we'd need it." he passed Naoko the leather notebook that he had been using to write in when his voice had...gone on vacation. Luckily, he had thought of sheet music being something that could be needed, so he had scooped up the notebook on the way out.
"Eat something. You need energy to stay focused." Ryu sat a bottle of water, granola bar, and banana on a flip-down tray on the back of the seat in front of Naoko.
"Not exactly gourmet fare, but it's healthy."
It felt a bit...odd. Ryu wanted to lean over and kiss Naoko, cuddle up to him, brush his hair back...something other than talking of work and food. He had to learn impulse control, though. Things needed to be business and friendship right now. If he were ever going to have a chance at being a proper lover to Naoko, he would have to learn to be a proper friend first.

~( I’m here )~ Soba ni iru wa~
~( Believe me ) Osorenai de~
~Shinjiau koto....~
~FOR YOU~

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

It was as if the moment that Naoko got the pen and leather notebook... his mind came alive.
Ryu had never seen him create music before... and for a moment, he did nothing.
Amber eyes closed... food and drink forgotten...
His left hand poised itself in the air, the right griping the pen... and then those fingers began to play a piano that wasn't even there.
The pen became a virtual blur of motion as he wrote out each note of the treble clef. At first, they were all single notes... some whole notes, some half notes, and some quarter notes. After writing the entire treble section, Naoko literally switched hands with the pen... and began to play the same invisible piano with his right hand... and write with his left. This time, he penned the bass clef, also giving it whole and half and quarter notes only.
Once this was accomplished, the pianist stared at sheet after sheet and made minor adjustments... turning some notes into eighths or sixteenths... adding a flourish there, a rest here... and even dotting a few notes for an extra hold. Some notes on the bass clef, he changed or marked out, creating chords instead.
All the while, he held his cigarette between his lips... even after the smoke had put itself out... it remained there until the pianist was finished completely.

By the time Naoko closed the book and looked over at Ryu, the blond was smiling softly. "NOW... I'll eat a banana." he spoke, picking up the fruit and peeling it before taking a quick bite. "Working on an empty stomach motivates me to write faster." Oumori joked.
"Why waste time on gourmet food?" NAKO replied before taking a sip of water. "It just leaves you hungry ten minutes later."

NOW... Naoko had a beautiful piece of music to present to his new band mate... or tour mate rather.
And to think... it'd only taken about an hour and a few dozen run-throughs in his head...

(((OOC: Naoko just wrote "Blue" which is a piano solo written by Gackt. BUT for the purpose of this RP, and because I can't write piano music (though I bet I would write something for the flute if I REALLY tried)... it's a NAKO original piece.)))  

[Ryuu Minamoto]

Ryuukaze




~( Lonely ) Mayotta nara~
~( Try again ) Nando datte~
~Yarinaosu koto dekiru kara~

It was spectacular, to say the least.
The look on Naoko's face, the way he moved as he made the music in his mind and transcribed it onto the paper...so amazingly wonderful.
Ryu had never found Naoko more attractive than in the long moments of him creating his music.
Truly, Ryu wished it would never end, that Naoko would just go on, writing this piece forever. The violinist could have watched just that until the end of time. To see Naoko actually play, Ryu thought it would certainly be too beautiful to behold. How on earth did they allow this angel to play music on stage? Surely they must make him perform behind a screen. Ryu knew this wasn't true, of course, as he had seen photos proving otherwise, but as he sat there marveling at Naoko simply composing his music, his red eyes wide, taking in every motion the blond made, and his clove cigarette nothing more than a filter with a tip of ash hanging from his lip, he couldn't imagine things being otherwise.
Naoko finally finished the composition and looked to Ryu, smiling that perfect smile that melted Ryu's heart.
"H...hai..." he stuttered, still staring at the pianist as if he had just witnessed an angel descending from the heavens.
Then Naoko picked up the fruit and peeled it, taking a bite.
Looking away, Ryu couldn't fight the blush that rose to his cheeks.
"I just had to bring bananas, didn't I..." he cursed his own poor judgment to himself. Ryuukaze couldn't help it...he was dirty minded, and Naoko holding the banana in those long fingers, putting it in his mouth like that...right after such an entrancing display of his talent...it gave the violinist thoughts that even he was ashamed to be having right now.

~( I’m here )~ Soba ni iru wa~
~( Believe me ) Osorenai de~
~Shinjiau koto....~
~FOR YOU~

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

"Na... Nani?" the blond asked, tilting his head slightly. "I'm just..."
Then, it hit him.
Sighing, Naoko raised his right hand... and promptly slapped the back of Ryu's head. Not hard, but enough to try and jar the violinist from his 'thoughts'.
"Oi, I'm just eating breakfast, baka. Mind out of the gutter, ne?" Naoko asked, raising one eyebrow at his akuma's suddenly dirty mind.

Quickly, the pianist finished his banana then chugged down about half the water bottle. Afterward, he gave a contented sigh.
To the passer by... to the person who didn't know Naoko DEEPLY... he seemed perfectly fine.
But the blond had learned how to wear his mask perfectly... and as long as Ryu didn't get all touchy-feely with him... or try and make him choose on relationship details... then he doubted his mask would slip from its precarious perch.

"So, what are you going to play for Shou-san, hmm?" Naoko eventually asked, amber gaze focusing on the violinist once more. "Something original? Something new?"

 

[Ryuu Minamoto]

Ryuukaze




~( Lonely ) Mayotta nara~
~( Try again ) Nando datte~
~Yarinaosu koto dekiru kara~

Aw dammit...here it comes...
Naoko's hand bopped Ryu's head, just hard enough for it to slightly smart.
"Itai!" the brunette whined, reaching up and rubbing the back of his head, trying his hardest to fight the grin that wanted ever-so-badly to plaster itself across his face.
"I know, I know! I didn't mean to, just couldn't help it, ya know! I'm a healthy young man after all!" he stuck his tongue out playfully in an attempt to hide his embarrassment.
"Don't even pay any attention to me, Na-kun. See, I'm not even here." Ryu held his hands up, covering his face like one might do playing peek-a-boo with a child.
So he was being silly. Surely silly was better than overly-serious, right?

As far as music was concerned, though, Ryu already knew what he would play for Shou. He didn't need to write down music for this. It was a song that was flowing through his mind since he met Naoko, becoming richer and more vibrant the longer he was around the pianist. It was a piece that held every feeling that Ryu had felt in the last week. Love, lust, sadness, anger, fear.
The violinist looked forward to playing it, even if only for himself.
"Yeah, I've got something that'll be perfect. Something both new and original. It's gonna be bananas."
Ryu tried to keep a straight face, but then he burst out laughing at his use of the popular American slang, especially when his mind went back to the image of Naoko with the fruit in his mouth.
Yeah, he was a bad little dragon, but it felt good to laugh nevertheless.

~( I’m here )~ Soba ni iru wa~
~( Believe me ) Osorenai de~
~Shinjiau koto....~
~FOR YOU~

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

Rolling his eyes, Naoko crossed one leg over the other at the knee and sighed. "BAKA..." he said, but couldn't help the slight grin that graced his own features.

Eyes glancing out of the car however, the blond frowned. "What time is it, anyway? I mean, not that I've got a clock on my cause, you know, you probably confiscated my phone but... I really don't want to be late, Ryu-kun."

The pianist didn't notice it... but he'd actually used 'kun' when referring to his red-eyed akuma.
Something he hadn't done since their little bloody escapade that morning...

 

[Ryuu Minamoto]

Ryuukaze




~( Lonely ) Mayotta nara~
~( Try again ) Nando datte~
~Yarinaosu koto dekiru kara~

"Gomen...I know I'm stupid." Ryu smiled, still chuckling a bit.
He had expected Naoko to ask about time, however, so he had made sure to bring his best pocket watch. Slipping the sterling silver timepiece out of his pocket, he flipped it open and read the hour.
"The meeting is set to being in thirty minutes. We'll be there in ten. No worries, 'kay?" he winked.
It hadn't passed Ryu by...Naoko referring to him with "kun". Smiling to himself, Ryu was so very happy to know that Naoko didn't loathe him, that he still felt comfortable enough to use such a familiar tone with him.
"How's your hand?" the violinist asked, glancing over. He didn't want to come off as hovering, but he did care if his tenshi was hurting. The wound had looked pretty terrible, and the bandages were fairly worrisome looking as well. Ryu took off his lace gloves and handed them to Naoko.
"Wear those. No need to have people calling more attention than will already be. Better to avoid all the questioning, yes?"

~( I’m here )~ Soba ni iru wa~
~( Believe me ) Osorenai de~
~Shinjiau koto....~
~FOR YOU~

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

Carefully taking the gloves, Naoko put them on each hand, before flexing his fingers.
"It doesn't hurt... strangely..." the pianist whispered, staring down at the gloved yet injured hand. "I mean, it didn't even hurt when I did it... I was just... angry... well frustrated really... and I couldn't take it anymore. Guess the wall took it for me..." the blond blushed slightly. "Gomen... I totally cracked the bathroom wall and the tiles..."

Sighing softly, NAKO shook his head. "Shou-san will probably WANT to see my hands... and I can't play piano in gloves. I tried it once and... well... off key was the least of my problems. I actually got part of the glove stuck on a key and kept hitting D for a few seconds."

The sooner they got to SMASH... the sooner Naoko could finally speak to Shou face-to-face, to meet this man who was going to probably skyrocket his own career even further... the better.
Music was the best thing for the blond to focus on right now, after all.

"How's your shoulder, by the way?" Naoko suddenly voiced, looking to his red-eyed akuma.
No, he hadn't forgotten that Ryu had used his body to break down the bathroom door...

 

[Ryuu Minamoto]

Ryuukaze




~( Lonely ) Mayotta nara~
~( Try again ) Nando datte~
~Yarinaosu koto dekiru kara~

"I'm glad it doesn't hurt. Might be a different story in a few hours though. Just keep taking medicine and icing it on occasion for a while. Don't worry about the wall, it can be fixed easily enough. I was being a pigheaded, selfish fool. It's no wonder you got upset."
Trying to brush it all off seemed the best solution right now. Ryu didn't want to think about it, nor did he want to talk about it. The feelings it brought up weren't exactly pleasant. He hated the feeling of fear that filled him every time Naoko got upset, and the pain he felt every time his lover was hurting in any way.
"Well..." he thought for a moment, "If Shou needs to see your hands, then so be it. I guess I can understand the issue with the piano and all. Gloves actually make playing violin feel better to me, but that's an entirely different beast right there. I can't even compare piano to violin. Piano is like flowing water, where violin is like a driven wind. Both very beautiful, just very...different."
Ah, of course he would begin to wax poetic when thinking of music. It certainly brought his more dramatic side to the surface.
Didn't keep him from being caught off guard by that last question though. Ryu had completely forgotten about his shoulder. He was far more concerned with making sure Naoko was alright, and that he had everything he needed.
"I...er...well, everything seems to be fine. It's moving ok, no worse than it had been from my pre-existing injuries."
True enough, he supposed, though it did ache a considerable bit more than it had that morning.

~( I’m here )~ Soba ni iru wa~
~( Believe me ) Osorenai de~
~Shinjiau koto....~
~FOR YOU~

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

Naoko smiled softly, "I'm pretty easily upset right now anyway, so it's not all your fault." he replied before nodding. "The differences in instruments is what makes them unique... just like people, really."

It was a rather simple statement... but it made the blond's point.

"Ryu-kun, just... don't get yourself hurt again, ne?" Naoko asked softly. "Shou-san's going to think we're both hopeless masochists at this rate..."

By now, the car was in familiar territory, and the pianist knew that in just a few moments, they'd finally be at the studio.

 

[Ryuu Minamoto]

Ryuukaze




~( Lonely ) Mayotta nara~
~( Try again ) Nando datte~
~Yarinaosu koto dekiru kara~

"Don't worry 'bout me. I'm gonna juuuust fine!" Ryu gave a thumbs up, his red eyes sparkling. "I don't think Shou'll think anything bad about us...just that we had a hard run of luck recently. That run is over though, and we're gonna shine and sparkle for all the people watching us play! We'll make such awesome music! And..and...and we'll have soooo much fun doing it!" Ryu began to bounce up and down in his seat, behaving like an overly-excitable child that had just been given candy.
Part of that was because Ryuukaze was truly excited to be performing again, and so soon after his accident.
The other part...was Ryu's way of covering up just how painful it really was to him that he wouldn't be able to sing again. He wouldn't let on to the fact, but having lost his singing voice was the greatest loss he had felt since his family passed away that terrible day when he was fourteen.
The car came to a stop and Ryu looked out the window at his new studio, the place he would now be calling his home as a musician.
"Seems we're here, Na-kun...and with twenty minutes to spare."

~( I’m here )~ Soba ni iru wa~
~( Believe me ) Osorenai de~
~Shinjiau koto....~
~FOR YOU~

 

[Nileregwen DoUrden]

"Early is better than late." Naoko replied, opening the car door and stepping out.
Thankfully, it seemed like most of the onlookers had departed the area and he was able to walk into the building with Ryu without incident.
"Just stick close to me. No doubt you'll get some glares for being from a rival label but... well... they can deal with me if they have a problem." the pianist smirked before winking.
He wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty to defend a friend.

Heading forward, Naoko realized that he was really excited about meeting Shou for the first time. He'd heard so many good things about the vocalist, and knew from just seeing the man's head shot that he was the epitome of Visual Kei.
Meeting him in person though, while daunting, was actually going to be fun.
Or, at least NAKO kept telling himself. He just hoped Ryu was alright enough to make a good impression as well.

As the two walked through the building, heads definitely turned. But most were in admiration for the costumes which the two musicians were sporting.
It had been a while since Oumori had been dressed up in such a way, longer still since he actually performed on stage in a costume as well.

He was really looking forward to that.
In costume, one didn't have to be their true self... one could lose themselves in the persona, as it were, that their costume gave off.
Naoko loved that.
Because, of all the things he could be right now, he didn't want to be himself...
Luckily, the purple suit was helping bring his own inner confidence to light.
Right now he was NAKO, not Naoko. He was a pianist with a eerie talent for writing music and lyrics...
And he was about to meet the one man who he truly thought... would be able to place his name on the map.

"It should be here..." Naoko spoke, stopping in front of a set of double doors. "It's usually where Hikari ya Yami meets... so I'm guessing Shou-san will keep the same room. Least I hope he will... this place can be a maze even to me." he joked before pushing the doors open and stepping into the room.

Meanwhile...

Having finished his cigarette, Akihiko headed back into the now vacant apartment and picked up the phone. He had the physical therapist's number in hand, and was quickly setting up an appointment.

"Izzy Lucky gave me your number." the musical prodigy spoke clearly. "I'm an... acquaintance of his. Staying at his apartment right now actually, but I was in a bit of an accident and he thought it best to phone you up." Narcissus nodded to the voice on the other end of the line. "He said you're highly recommended and that you can be trusted so... Ishi-san wanted you to head over here as soon as you can."

After the brief conversation, Narcissus hung up the phone and sat down on the sofa once more.
He idly flipped on the television, but didn't really watch it. Instead, the man leaned back, eyes fixed on the ceiling as he reclined.

It sucked.
Royally sucked.
His body was hurting and there was hardly any position that was comfortable for him at the moment. To top things off, he was left alone... which, while usually dangerous, was rather boring to the young Koyasu today.

But the physical therapist would be over soon... and then he'd get the fun of explaining his 'unique' situation and the need for absolute confidentiality to whomever was sent.

After all, it would look horrible if anyone aside from Nakai, Izzy, and himself, knew he was hiding out at his manager's place.
And it'd be even worse if word of how he'd gotten his a** kicked got out...

 

[Ryuu Minamoto]

Ryuukaze




~( Lonely ) Mayotta nara~
~( Try again ) Nando datte~
~Yarinaosu koto dekiru kara~

Nodding in agreement, Ryu walked alongside Naoko, holding his head up high, his violin case in his right hand.
The building for SMASH studios was rather large, and very modern in style. Ryu had to admit, it was rather impressive, even in comparison to his old label. For a moment, he wondered if he would ever be able to perform under that label again, or if this would be the last run for Ryuukaze as an artist. He knew he would never sing again, and there weren't as many open spots for violinists as there used to be, regardless of the fact that he was indeed the very best violinist in all of Japan.
As the two musicians walked along, it was rather tempting for Ryu to hook his arm into that of the pianist in the affectionate manner he normally would have...but the violinist knew that would hardly be appropriate with the way things had been going, and especially not appropriate in this setting, so he forced himself to ignore his impulse. Fighting his impulses, he found, was more of a task than he expected.
"Never thought I'd say this, but I'm a little bit nervous..." he looked at Naoko almost shyly as they arrived at the meeting room, following his beloved into the room that held the beginning of his future.

~( I’m here )~ Soba ni iru wa~
~( Believe me ) Osorenai de~
~Shinjiau koto....~
~FOR YOU~