Staff: "Okay, that's a wrap! Good work, everyone!"

Preparations for the 10th anniversary concert are steadily progressing. Now that the photo for the concert poster is over, the studio is calm and quiet.

Kagari: "Good work, guys. You all looked really cool!"

Nagito: "Thanks. Hearing a girl say that makes this all worthwhile."

Kagari: "Hey, where's Kyohei?"

Iori: "He disappeared as soon as the shoot was over."

Iori: "Maybe he went to find the little boy's room?"

Kagari: "Iori!?! Are you just saying that so I won't go after him?"

Takashi: "Kyohei left with Mr. Sasayama."

Kagari: "I wonder what's going on... but I'll go check."

Kota: "You're like the human version of Little Yamada."

(Does he mean I'm like Kyohei's pet? Don't know how I feel about that...)

____________________________________________________________

(Oh, there they are!)

Kagari: "Kyo--"

Sasayama: "So when will the lyrics be ready?"

Kyohei: "I told you. Soon."

Kagari: "!?"

(Lyrics? They're talking about the 10th anniversary song as I'm writing.)

Sasayama: "No one on Rikudoh Production's staff can do their jobs until the song is ready."

Sasayama: "I can't keep telling them that Ryo is in a slump forever."

Kyohei: "I understand that this is causing problems for you and the rest of the staff."

Kyohei: "But I want to wait a little longer. I just know she'll make something good."

(Kyohei must have stepped outside so that I didn't know what was happening.)

(He's covering for me even now.)

Sasayama: "Well, you have one more week."

Sasayama: "We cannot wait any longer than that."

Kyohei: "Understood."

I feel so guilty my stomach starts hurting. A stab of pain makes my vision blur.

Kyohei: "What are you doing there, Kagari?"

Kagari: "Oh, Kyohei! W-Where's Mr. Sasayama?"

Kyohei: "He went back to the office. Did you hear what we were saying?"

Kagari: "I-I-I'm sorry I'm taking so long..."

Kyohei: "It's my job to take care of you until we get something good. You just focus on your job."

(M-My job...)

Kyohei: "You don't have time to get depressed about it."

Kagari: "Kyohei..."

Nagito: "There he is. Kyohei, the photographer's looking for you."

Nagito: "They want to do some re-shoots"

Kyohei: "Okay. I'll be right there."

Kagari: "U-Um... thank you for everything!"

As I watch him walk back into the studio, I clench my fists.

(I'm going to make something so good, it'll blow their minds.)

*Back to my room*

It's easy enough to say that, but...

Kagari: "Ugh..."

After a few days, I still haven't gotten anywhere.

Kagari: "What's is 'sexy,' really? I keep going back to that point."

Kagari: "I'm running out of the time..."

(If I had a more concrete direction to go in, then maybe...)

(But I just have to focus on writing erotic lyrics that suit Revance.)

Kagari: "Yeah..."

________________________________________________________________

Kagari: "Wow, what a cool poster!?"

(They're veering away from their usual clean and fresh look to a grungier, sexier style?)

I hang my advance copy of the poster up on my wall. This is the first time I've ever had a boy band poster in my room.

Kagari: "With this as inspiration, I bet I can come up with lyrics perfect for Revance."

(Kyohei has cranked up his sexiness levels even more than usual for this picture...)

Kagari: "I have to work hard, too..."

Kota: "Have you started talking to the walls now?"

Kagari: "Wha! What the! Kota!?"

(Oh god I left my door are open and I forgot close the door!)

Kota: "Oh, it's our poster. So which one of us were you just staring at?"

Kagari: "I-I-I wasn't staring at anyone. I was just thinking about something important."

Kota: "..."

Kagari: "..."

Kota: "You're really bad at lying, you know."

(Ugh! He caught me...!?)

Kota: "And bad at hiding your feelings."

Kagari: "What!"

Kota: "If you want to see his face so bad, why not just drill a peephole through the wall?"

Kagari: "What in the world are you thinking-! Hey, don't you dare walk away! I'm not done to talking to you!?"

Kagari: "Grrr.."

(Kota does whatever he wants! Not like Kyohei, but he toys with me just the same.)

(Anyway, I guess he said that because Kyohei's room is next to mine...)

Kagari: "Am I really that easy to read?"

Kyohei: "You are when you say what you're thinking out loud."

Kagari: "Ahh!?"

(Now why Kyohei's here!?)

Kyohei: "That's not the greeting I was expecting."

Kagari: "Sorry and you startled me. But you need to learn how to knock."

Kyohei: "That's too much trouble."

(I've come to expect it at this point, but...)

Kyohei: "How's the song coming?"

Kagari: "Uh, well... I've come up with several ideas. There's just still something missing..."

Kagari: "I'm sorry. I know I'm causing problems for everyone."

Kyohei: "Want me to help?"

Kagari: "A-Are you going to make another joke about teaching me with your body or something?"

Kagari: "Because I don't have time for that..."

As I tell him so, I feel warmth spreading over my left hand.

Kyohei: "I won't do anything like that today."

Kyohei: "I'll do whatever you want me to."

Kagari: "W-What...?"

(W-What is this? W-What is he suggesting?)

Kagari: "Think of me as your boyfriend or someone you like."

Kyohei: "Won't it be easier to come up with something if you have a concrete image in your mind?"

I've felt Kyohei's heat many times before. But this is the first time I've felt this kind, comforting warmth from him.

Kyohei: "Can you imagine it?"

Kagari: "Y-Yes..."

He keeps his hand on mine as he gazes into my eyes. Like a lover professing his love in a French film or something.

Kyohei: "Your hands are nice."

Kagari: "T-They're not especially pretty or anything."

Kyohei: "But these hands are writing lyrics for me."

Kyohei: "So I think they're very nice."

Kagari: "K-Kyohei..."

Kyohei traces the lines on my palm with his finger. He touch is gentle, as if he's feeling something very precious.

(T-The way he's touching me is too much...)

(It feels like he actually is my boyfriend.)

We're alone in my room. The faint scent of Kyohei's cologne hangs in the air. He speaks to me in a husky voice and my heart pounds in my ears.

Kyohei: "Tell me. What do you want me to do?"

Kyohei: "I'll do anything. I'm your boyfriend, after all."

(W-What do I want him to do?)

Kyohei: "Should we hold hands? Kiss? Or cuddle?"

Kagari: "W-Wait... how about go on a date?"

Kyohei: "Sure. And then we'll get to the dirty stuff."

Kagari: "W-What!?"

Kyohei: "You don't want to?"

Kagari: "U-Um... well, it's just... when you ask me so directly..."

Kyohei: "You want to do that when you like someone. You want all of them, mind and body."

Kyohei: "Don't you want to know absolutely everything about your partner?"

(Ohhhh! H-His face is so close!)

Kagari: "K-Kyohei!"

Kyohei: "!"

Kyohei pulls back slightly, as if surprised that I squeezed his hand.

Kyohei: "See, your hands are can be nice."

Kyohei: "Feeling you squeezing my hand is nice."

Kagari: "H-Huh?"

Kyohei: "You're probably better at turning a guy on than either of us thought."

(N-Now he's even closer than he was before!?)

When Kyohei speaks, I can feel his soft breath on my face. He's close enough to kiss me and plants one right on my forehead.

Kyohei: "Your face are red."

Kyohei: "If I put my hand on your chest, I bet it'd be your heart racing."

Kagari: "Ah, d-don't say that, it's embarrassing..."

Kyohei: "Liar. You don't really hate hearing that."

When he whispers in my ear it sends shivers down my spine.

(I-I can't take this anymore! I-I surrender!)

(I really am falling for him.)

Kyohei: "Well, you get the idea."

Kagari: "W-What?"

Kyohei: "Our boyfriend-girlfriend roleplay. Did that help you?"

Kagari: "Uh... w-well... yeah, I guess."

Kyohei: "We should stop here before we go too far."

All too soon, everything's back to normal. The distance between us returns to what it always was.

(I know this was all just a simulation to help me with the song.)

(He doesn't feel that way about me. I can't hope for more than this.)

Kagari: "When something you want is just out of reach, that's the hardest to bear."

Kyohei: "What?"

Kagari: "N-Nothing. I-I just mean I think I have some ideas for the lyrics now."

(I can't tell him how I feel. So I have to put this love into my lyrics.)

When I close my eyes. The touch of his hand. Beautiful eyes gazing into mine. Sweet words whispered in my ear. The air surrounding Kyohei. I remember it all. This is the night I finally finish the song.

_________________________________________________________________

Kagari: "Okay everyone, the meeting is about to start!"

Iori: "You're a lot cheerier than you were just yesterday."

Kota: "It's creeping me out."

Kagari: "Oh shush Kota or you won't go to the meeting!?"

(God! They're as mean as ever!)

Nagito: "Did something nice happen to you?"

Kagari: "You'll have to wait until after today's shoot before I tell you!"

Takashi: "Is it really good enough to wait for?"

Kyohei: "I don't know what it is you want to tell us, but I look forward to hearing it."

Kagari: "Good!"

(I can't wait to see their faces when I tell them I've finished the song.)

(But I wonder what Kyohei will say...)

Staff: "Revance, it's time for you re-shoot meeting."

Staff: "And we'd also like to speak with Ms. Otonashi."

Kagari: "Sure then!"

I cheerfully leave the dressing room with the band members. I can't imagine anything but clear skies ahead.

_____________________________________________________________

Akari: "Finally finished."

(My talk with the staff took longer than I expected.)

I open the dressing room and I frozen. For some reason, Shinya is inside.

Shinya: "Oh, you're finally here, Kagari."

Kagari: "Shinya! What the hell are you doing in my bag!?"

Kagari: "Have you been looking through my notebook!?"

Even when I shout at him, Shinya doesn't drop his easygoing manner.

Shinya: "This is the song for Revance's 10th anniversary, right?"

Kagari: "Give it back!?"

Shinya: "No. And I want to give it another read."

(Shinya seems different than usual somehow...!?)

Shinya: "This is good. My intuition as a producer about you was spot-on."

Shinya: "I can tell by reading this. You couldn't write it without someone specific in mind."

Kagari: "!?"

Shinya: "It's so sweet it's pathetic."

Kagari: "Just give it back right now!?"

Shinya: "But you must realize that he only wants you as a songwriter."

Kagari: "I don't care or that's fine by me!?"

(Of course I know as he doesn't like me. But just having him near is enough.)

Shinya: "You really won't consider turning to me?"

Kagari: "Excuse me?"

Shinya looks down sadly. But when he eventually raises his head, he looks like a different person.

Shinya: "Like I told you before, I won't give up."

(God... There's a frightening look in his eyes.)

Shinya: "Give this song to me, Kagari."

Kagari: "No! And I can't do that!?"

Shinya: "You can, because you don't have a choice."

Shinya: "If you don't give it to me, I'll tell the world that you are Ryo's ghostwriter."

Kagari: "DON'T EVEN DARE!?!"

I glare at him.

(I can't believe as he gonna to tell them!?)

Kagari: "You're terrible!? You can't be serious!?"

Shinya: "Hate me if you must, but nice guys never leave a mark on the world."

Kagari: "What!"

Shinya: "I know you'll never think of me in the same way you do Kyohei."

Shinya: "But if I'm just gonna end up rejected as another nice guy, I'd rather you hate me."

(H-He doesn't even care if I tell him as he's cruel!)

After a silent pause, Shinya sets my notebook on the table.

Shinya: "I'll give this back to you."

Kagari: "Tch..."

Shinya: "But don't get the wrong idea. This is not a request or a suggestion. It is a demand."

Shinya: "The moment you refuse me, I will spill the beans. No telling Kyohei about this either."

Shinya: "If the public found out, who knows what would happen to Revance?"

Kagari: "Don't even think about it!?"

Unable to hold back any longer as I glare at him.

(I-If he lets the secret out... Revance will be...)

(Everything Kyohei's been working so long and hard for will be destroyed!?)

Kagari: "Shinya! Why are you doing something so cruel!?"

Shinya: "I'm sorry, but I can't stand losing."

Shinya: "If I can't have you as a woman or as a songwriter, then I'll take what I want another way."

Shinya slowly runs his hand through his hair and turns to go.

Shinya: "You've got until to decide. But I think we both know what your answer will be."

Kagari: "Grr..."

Shinya: "I do hope you'll make the right decision."

Shinya walks out of the dressing room, leaving me standing there as I get mad. The door closes behind him with a cold click.

-End of Chapter 9-

To be continued...