Of Pine and Sakura Trees

by Lilianne

***

Part 4

This is bliss. Sheer bliss.

Shinya closed her eyes and sighed as she stroked Puppy's fur with her slim fingers. He inhaled the scent of fresh air, blowing in from the open window.

It has been two days since the three band members left for their breaks, and he is enjoying every minute of it. Not that he didn't miss his friends, it was just that he was grateful to be in solitude once in a while, not to mention being able to rest from the tiring practices and photo shoots that they were constantly having.

No studios. No paparazzi. No Die...

That last one, he must admit, got him perplexed. He was so sure that the redhead would be pestering him from day one. But no...in fact, he hadn't talked to the guitarist since they left the airport.

Well, better enjoy it while I can...

[Enjoy what? Admit it, you miss him...]

Miss who?

[Die, who else?]

Nooo....I don't think so...

Oh great, now he was having an argument with himself --- again.

[Why don't you just acknowledge what you feel and admit it to yourself once and for all? Gawd, Shinya!]

Oh, screw you.

[Oho...I wish. Don't you want Die to...]

The drummer flushed at the string of thoughts and the internal debate that he was currently having.

Now I'm making myself blush. What's wrong with me?!

[C'mon, you're bored without his constant and amusing tactics.]

I prefer to call them unnecessary and childish remarks.

[Oh no you don't!]

Course I do.

[Nope.]

Sometimes he thinks that this 'inner self' of his is not really himself at all. It was like having another person inside your brain 24/7 who kept nagging at you and contradicting everything you think. Such a pesky nuisance...and strange too...and creepy!

Maybe I need to see a shrink.

***

"Umm...so...err..."

Brilliant. Fantastic. Absolutely wonderful.

Kaoru muttered under his breath as he glanced at the stunning profile of his companion. As expected, her mother ecstatically introduced "her boy" to this nice girl she was always talking about...so much so that as soon as Kaoru put a foot into their home in Hyougo, there was the ramen owner's daughter, all prim and proper, ready to be introduced to the ever-famous Kaoru.

Take her out, she says. Have fun, she says.

The guitarist sighed. As if it was that easy chatting casually about the balderdash of everyday life with some girl whom he doesn't even know...! And now here he was, sitting on a park bench with a pretty girl gazing up at him with expectant eyes.

Just because I'm a rock star doesn't mean I'm Mr. Confidence, you know.

He tried a smile. God, it was like being in his teenage years again. He had to admit that his mother had good taste, though. Miyuki Kamiya is quite attractive, to say the least. With her long, dark hair, brown eyes, cute nose and ruby lips all blending in a heart-shaped face, she could even be called beautiful. Her slim yet firm physique made men's heads turn, he noticed.

The other seemed to have taken note of his inspection, and she cast him her most beatific smile, showing off her pearly white teeth.

"So, Kaoru-san, what do you want to do now?"

Her voice was sweet and melodious. She was perfect. Too perfect. Or so it seems.

***

Kyo shut his eyes as he started to fall. His heart was thumping wildly in his chest, screaming and holding onto thin air. He felt like his insides were rising up to his throat, cold sweat covered his petite body, pale knuckles closed tight.

A splash.

A smile.

He wanted to do it again.

Disneyland was everything the vocalist ever dreamed of. So naturally, when word got out that there was going to be a two-week break, he hurriedly scheduled this escape, secretly of course. He wouldn't want his bandmates teasing him, especially with his "kawaii" reputation. If they knew that he would go here...oh the horrors...he wouldn't even want to think about it.

He had considered going to Tokyo Disneyland. Nearer, less expensive.

Good thing he didn't. He could just imagine people around staring at the Dir En Grey vocalist screaming his lungs out like a kid who was turned loose at a candy store --- newspaper clippings, magazine articles and even photographic evidence would plague his dignity. He could never live it down.

At least here in the States, no one knows me.

Paranoid as he may be, Kyo took the precaution of not wearing his usual makeup and attire. He even tried to hide his blonde hair under a Mickey cap, lest someone actually takes a good look at him.

Then again, almost everyone here IS blonde.

He shrugged and scrambled to get out of the ride. He was immensely enjoying himself so far. He stuffed himself with so much goodies that he wouldn't doubt that he gained weight over these two days.

Well, this is America. Large sizes, big servings. What the heck...I'll sweat it off somehow.

The vocalist was so much into his thoughts that he almost didn't notice a young man trying to get a good look at his face. Almost.

He looked up, eyebrows raised, ready to tell him off. He stifled a gasp.

Hakuei?

to be continued

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