Warm Snow (Part 2)
That’s the second part of chapter 4, and Haruka and the rest of the team are doing karaoke *laughs*.
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They all gathered in the living room. Yaten was wrapped in a dark blanket and still looked a little bit sleepy. Little Hotaru was awake and laughed as her mother gently tickled her. Elza had raided Usagi’s big fridge and a bucket with vanilla ice cream was enthroned on the living room table that could hardly hold all their snacks; the chocolate and a bowl with sliced apples, as well as some pop corn and a package of nuts. Haruka, who didn’t want to sing karaoke at all and feared to make a complete fool of herself, busied herself with preparing their servings of ice. Yes, she couldn’t cook, but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t take care of their ice cream, at least she didn’t have to use a microwave or even an oven to do so. However, her fears were groundless, at least right now, because the Three Lights looked at each other, grinned and rose like one person to walk over to the TV set. They switched it on and put a DVD into the player.
“That’s Minako-chan’s karaoke collection.” Explained Michiru who saw Haruka studying the big spindle with mixed feelings. Even if there would have been enough ice cream to serve an army with, Haruka was obviously bound to sing. The great range of songs made sure that they would find a song which she had to know, even if it was fifty years old or Spanish, for that matter. Minako’s humble collection looked like the girl had collected all songs that existed on this planet.
Is there any song which I won’t find there?
Haruka didn’t know how true her thoughts were.
“Okay, are you ready, guys?” asked Sejya and took the microphone in his hands. There were four of them and obviously there were songs for one till four persons on Minako’s DVDs. There were pictures on the screen and a relieved Haruka saw that there was the option of fading in subtitles. At least she wouldn’t have to stammer, because she didn’t know the lyric or couldn’t remember it correctly.
Still, that couldn’t cover her terrible voice. The others didn’t know what they let themselves in for. Actually, neither did the blonde.
However, all doubts vanished from her minds as the Three Lights posed and started to sing. It was a song Haruka had heard often during the past weeks. She almost knew it by heart, now, although she had never heard it sung in that way before.
“Search for your love...
Search for your love...”
You could see that the brothers’ hearts were in their singings, however, their voices obviously were not. Hadn’t Haruka seen them perform on stage before, she would have never thought that these three men were the most popular and most successful boy group in Japan. Because the Three Lights were doing a great afford in singing their most famous song as wrongly as possible, having a lot of fun by doing so.
”Kimi wa itsumo kagayaiteta
Egao hitotsu chiisa na hoshi
Taisetsu ni shiteta yo (eien no Starlight)
Ano hi boku wa mamorenakute
Kuyashi namida koraeta dake
Itami ga nokoru yo (wasurenai Sweet heart)”
Sejya sounded like he had a cold and Tahiki and Yaten immediately missed their entries. The lead singer even started to mumble and only because Haruka had heard the song before did she know what the song was about.
The Three Lights smirked into their microphones and Elza giggled while she helped herself to a bowl with ice cream. She put some nuts and some apple slices on top of it and sat back on the couch, right next to her partner. Michiru also had to giggle, but not so much about the Three Lights performance for she had seen them singing so badly before, but more about Haruka’s completely stunned face. As if the blonde couldn’t believe her ears.
”Search for your love, sora no suishou
Search for your love, nakanaide kure
Search for your love, hontou wa
Dakishimetai no sa”
The song faded out and the three brothers even had the guts to bow!
What?
Haruka blinked, but didn’t react as Yaten took the next bowl from her and sat into an armchair the blonde had organised when Setsuna decided to take over the couch. Neither Haruka nor his brothers minded to sit on the ground, but Yaten wasn’t supposed to get ill again.
What the hell was that?
“That was great.” Said Yaten with great conviction.
“Yeah, perfect.” Agreed Sejya.
That was awful!
“If you sing a song like that thousands of times on the stage, you need to make fun of it sometimes in order to be able to sing it seriously again during the next concert.” Smiled Tahiki who saw Haruka’s stunned expression and took one of the ice cream filled bowls, as well, handling another one to his smaller brother.
“Well…” Haruka raised her eyebrows, because his explanation sounded logical. However, the experience had been a spooky one and she preferred not to see and especially hear it again, at least not unprepared.
“Let’s get the next one.” Exclaimed Elza excitedly and grabbed the remote control. Haruka, upon seeing that the Three Lights were all eating their ice creams and therefore wouldn’t sing the next song, too, busied herself with the rest of the bowls and the ice cream. She knew that she had to sing this afternoon, but she tried to postpone the unavoidable as long as possible. She knew that this was a stupid tactic, but it was the only one that came to her mind so quickly.
There were more pictures on the screen and although the first song had been a specially selected one, the next songs to follow would be at random order. The first one was a rap song, but Elza was too fast and it quickly disappeared.
“Hey, that’s unfair, love. We’ve decided to take whatever song the screen shows us.”
“But rap?”
“Even rap.”
“Okay.” Elza hung her head in defeat as the three brothers nodded and Michiru didn’t come to her aid, either. But she was lucky and the next song wasn’t a rap song. Elza and Setsuna exchanged a glance and grinned widely.
“That’s your song, darling.” Said Setsuna determinedly and pointed at Michiru who opened her mouth to protest, but was interrupted by two young women who got to their feet. Gently, Setsuna handled little Hotaru over to Haruka, who decided to take care of the remaining ice cream after the next song.
“First you celebrities, then it’s our turn, okay?”
“Okay.” Michiru sighed, but an excited smile graced her lips. Differently from Haruka she obviously enjoyed the karaoke and couldn’t wait to sing her first song. “So why did you get up, girls?”
“We’re your background vocals.”
Elza smirked and swung her micro like a lasso.
“Be my guest.” Michiru indicated a brief bow, then she smoothed her kimono and took her own microphone. She looked as professional as the Three Lights only minutes before, being used to a stage and to an audience, even if it was normally much larger. Haruka only hoped that her performance wouldn’t be as crazy as the brothers’ one only minutes before.
The music started and unconsciously, Michiru tapped with her right foot to the music. She, too, didn’t look at the screen. Obviously, she knew the lyric by heart. Probably, it was one of her favourite songs.
“Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the gods?
Where’s the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?”
Michiru’s voice was clear and strong. Her first choice was her violin, no doubt, but she would have been able to sing with the Three Lights if she’d ever wanted to. Her voice wasn’t as trained as the brothers’ voices, but she had learned to use it well. It didn’t break in the height nor did it shake.
“Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night I toss and turn and dream of what I need”
At that point, the background vocals were brought into action. Elza seemed to enjoy it very much, whereas Setsuna seemed to simply go along. The red haired woman danced to the music, ignoring how her lover rolled her eyes, ever so secretly rocking with her. Michiru’s smile widened, but didn’t let the two clowns behind her influence her performance.
“I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night
He’s gotta be strong
And he’s gotta be fast
And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light
He’s gotta be sure
And it’s gotta be soon
And he’s gotta be larger than life”
Michiru’s show was really good, Haruka had to admit. It looked like the young woman was really longing for a hero to save her, from whatever seemed to trouble her.
“Somewhere after midnight
In my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There’s someone reaching back for me”
Michiru enjoyed the song far more than she had done when she had sung it for the first time five years ago. It had been on a new DVD Minako was able to obtain, from wherever she always got her music from. Then, the Senshi of the Sea had actually to stop right at that line, because her voice cracked. For years she had hoped to find her partner, to finally be able to get her own hero and to not longer be so damn alone. Yes, she had been holding out to a hero, but her hero had turned around and left her. Suddenly, there had been no one reaching back for her, no one who was sure, soon and larger than life.
“Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat
It’s gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet”
It’s said that time is a great healer. Michiru wasn’t sure that she was completely healed, but she knew that she didn’t need a superman any longer, at least not that treacherous superman who had hurt her more than anyone else in her life.
“Up Where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I would swear that there’s someone somewhere
Watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach
Like a fire in my blood”
Maybe it really was time to move on. To forget what had happened five years ago and to hold out for another hero. For a real hero who wouldn’t let her down.
A hero who truly loves me…
She didn’t have to be strong or fast or fresh from the fight, as Michiru was singing right now. She didn’t even have to be a Sailor Senshi and to fight with them. The sea beauty was willing to protect her hero from Sailor Galactica if necessary.
“I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night
He’s gotta be strong
And he’s gotta be fast
And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light
He’s gotta be sure
And it’s gotta be soon
And he’s gotta be larger than life
I need a hero!”
Her hero simply had to be there for her, to understand her and to not let her down. That was all she was asking for, hoping that it wasn’t too much.
“That was great, Oneechan.” Yaten whistled through his fingers in his mouth, almost knocking over the bowl in his lap. It was a close catch, but he didn’t spoil his yukata nor Sejya’s red jacket which he was still wearing, although he was also wrapped in Usagi’s dark blanket.
“Maybe we should reconsider our decision and let you sing instead.”
“No, surely not.” Michiru bowed and her deep blue eyes sparkled as she grinned at Tahiki. “But thanks for the offer, anyway.”
“You’re most welcome.”
The three woman put down the micro and Elza was already shuffling through the rest of the DVD. Unwillingly, Haruka gave Hotaru back to her mother and tried to hide behind the ice cream bucket. She wasn’t ready to sing yet. Maybe she would never be, even though she didn’t want to be a spoilsport. But her voice sounded not in the least as beautiful as Michiru’s. She didn’t want to torture the others.
Tahiki, who saw the blonde’s inner tumult, felt slightly quilty for dragging her into their crazy team. He set down his own ice cream as he saw the next music title.
“May I?” he asked to Elza, noticing Haruka’s immense relief.
“Of course, but no Mickey Mouse voice to that one, alright?”
“Never.” Tahiki looked at her in mock shock, before he took a chair from the kitchen and put it next to the TV set. Then he sat down on it and took the micro in his right hand.
“Don’t make it too melodramatic.” Teased Sejya and helped himself to a chocolate bar. “I don’t have that many handkies.”
Tahiki only rolled his eyes and concentrated on the song as Elza pushed the start button.
“It's late in the evening; she's wondering what clothes to wear.
She puts on her make-up and brushes her long blond hair.
And then she asks me, "Do I look all right?"
And I say, "Yes, you look wonderful tonight."
His voice was low and slightly harsh, showing that he was indeed an adult whereas his brothers could have been mistaken as teenagers. He, too, knew the lyrics by heart and closed his eyes while singing with all his heart. His performance couldn’t have been more different from the mock show of their most popular song.
“We go to a party and everyone turns to see
This beautiful lady that's walking around with me.
And then she asks me, "Do you feel all right?"
And I say, "Yes, I feel wonderful tonight."
Although Elza didn’t smoke, she nonetheless produced a lighter from her kimono and held it into the air, rocking it from left to right in the song’s tender rhythm.
“I feel wonderful because I see
The love light in your eyes.
And the wonder of it all
Is that you just don't realize how much I love you.”
It was a simple love song, but it was the most beautiful love song Tahiki knew. There had been a time when he had even debated for them to sing it on the stage, but since Sejya was their lead singer and Tahiki didn’t want to sing solos, he finally decided against it. Even if they would have got the artist’s permission to sing that song, Sejya would have never been able to express its true meaning, the feelings behind each line.
Feelings Tahiki understood all too well.
“It's time to go home now and I've got an aching head,
So I give her the car keys and she helps me to bed.
And then I tell her, as I turn out the light,”
It was indeed a simple love song about a simple love between a proud husband and his wonderful wife. About a simple life Tahiki wanted so badly to have with Kakyuu; his princess who had disappeared five years ago and who they couldn’t find, no matter how hard they searched for her.
I miss you so much, Kaki-chan…
All Tahiki wanted to do was to tell her how much he loved her and how wonderful she was. To take her in his arms again and to never let go, ever. And to hold the promise they had given each other all those years before.
“I say, "My darling, you were wonderful tonight.
Oh my darling, you were wonderful tonight."
The song ended and Elza burnt her fingers on the hot lighter as she knocked appreciatively on the table in front of her. Tahiki took a deep breath, then he bowed before his audience and went back to his ice cream, although he didn’t finish his dessert, only holding the bowl tightly in his suddenly icy hands.
“I wonder why you don’t sing any solos.” Asked him Yaten and smirked meaningfully at Sejya, who actually started to growl, before he got to his feet and grabbed the micro, much to Haruka’s relief. It seemed that she was again saved. At least for the next five minutes.
“I’ll show you why I’m the Three Light’s lead singer.” He pushed the chair aside and looked expectantly at the screen. Evidently, he would sing whatever Minako’s DVD suggested, and he would show them just how good he was. After all, his reputation was at stake, or so he thought.
Yaten only grinned happily and held his empty bowl to Haruka to receive a second helping. He loved to watch his older brother sing, which was one of the few reasons why he still held on to their crazy mission. Even though he had sung “Search for your love” so often to last a lifetime, he never tired of hearing Sejya sing. He had a really good voice and made a really good show. Yes, he cearly was their playboy and he knew too well that he looked damn good and which effect he had on their female fans.
“So she said what's the problem, baby
What's the problem I don't know
Well maybe I'm in love (love)”
Neither Yaten nor Tahiki bothered to stand up. They echoed the word love from their seats near the glass table. Yaten even had his spoon still in his mouth and it was obvious that they had heard that song before, as well. Surprised, Haruka looked around and saw Elza and Michiru silently singing along, rocking to the song’s rhythm.
“Think about it every time
I think about it
Can't stop thinking 'bout it”
Sejya sung with a lot of enthusiasm and a cheeky twinkle in his blue eyes that would have melted his female fans’ hearts.
“How much longer will it take to cure this
Just to cure it cause I can't ignore it if it's love (love)
Makes me wanna turn around and face me but I don't know nothing 'bout love”
The song was a funny one and his audience smirked, smiled, or in Elza’s case, even giggled silently. However, for Sejya it wasn’t really that funny at all. Accidentally in love… it sounded strange, unreal, but at the same time he knew that it could happen. You could fall in love without really wanting to, by accident. As he knew that there wasn’t a cure, at least he hadn’t found one yet, and he had searched for a long time. The same time it was impossible for him to ignore it. I had tried that, too, but slowly he had to see that it was absurd. You couldn’t ignore your own feelings, no matter how much they hurt. Right now he tried to find out the consequences and how to live with them, if that was even possible.
“Come on, come on
Turn a little faster
Come on, come on
The world will follow after
Come on, come on
Cause everybody's after love”
Strange enough, he had never been after love, even though he behaved like a playboy on stage and during their interviews. For their fans, he was the big playboy, every teenage girl’s dream and probably every mother-in-law’s nightmare. In reality, however, he struggled to survive, and he didn’t only mean Sailor Galactica’s battles.
“Come on, Come on
Move a little closer
Come on, Come on
I want to hear you whisper
Come on, Come on
Settle down inside my love
We're accidentally in love
Accidentally in love”
Accidentaly in love.
I wish I weren’t.
Sejya held the micro tighter in his hand and glanced at the screen, which confirmed that the song was really almost over. Maybe they should consider to take it into their programme. At least here he knew what he was singing about, which he couldn’t say about “Search for your love” or their other songs Tahiki had written in order to search for their princess.
To search for his love.
While Sejya’s love would never know his feelings.
“Love ...I'm in love”
“That’s why I’m your lead singer.” He crossed his arms before his chest and looked provocatively at his younger brother. Yaten only continued to suck his spoon, clearly unimpressed.
“Anyone can do that.” Decleared the young man and leaned against the armrest lazily.
“Prove it!”
“’course.” Yaten grinned challengingly and produced a crumbled paper from his Yukata’s belts. With slight regret, he put his bowl down on the table, knowing that the ice would melt during the next couple of minutes. Haruka, who had held her breath while Sejya’s song ended, exhaled it in a relieved way, again feeling like she had barely escaped razor’s edge.
“Children.” Was all Tahiki commented as Sejya let himself fall into the armchair. Yaten dragged the chair back to the TV set and set down on it. Backwards. Holding the micro in his right hand like a professional and looking at the crumbled sheet of paper in his left hand. Obviously, he needed the lyrics, but wasn’t willing to read them from the screen. Haruka raised her head and looked at the TV for a moment. Now it showed pictures of a full moon and a snowy winter’s night.
She frowned as she understood that Elza hadn’t shuffled through the DVD this time, but had picked a certain song for the youngest member of the Three Lights. Otherwise, Yaten wouldn’t have been able to hold the right lyrics long before the song was chosen.
What?
She recognized the song immediately. While she hadn’t known either Michiru’s nor Tahiki’s or Sejya’s song, she would have identified this song anywhere. Three bars were enough to surprise and utterly confuse her, because she wouldn’t have expected the Three Lights to even know this song. Probably Michiru knew it, after all, her violin suggested a classical musical education. No, the blonde would have never expected Yaten to sing it.
But the young man did.
“Tonto el que no entienda.
Cuenta una leyenda
Que una hembra gitana
Conjuró a la luna
Hasta el amanecer.
Llorando pedía
Al llegar el día
Desposar un calé.”
He even sang it in its original language. Spanish wasn’t Yaten’s native language, but Haruka couldn’t hear any accent. He pronounced the words as if it was the most natural thing to do.
Incredible…
"Tendrás a tu hombre,
Piel morena,"
Desde el cielo
Habló la luna llena.
"Pero a cambio quiero
El hijo primero
Que le engendres a él.
Que quien su hijo inmola
Para no estar sola
Poco le iba a querer."
However, what astonished her the most wasn’t his ability to sing fluently in a language that couldn’t have been more different from his mother tongue, but the way he did this. His voice was high and clear. He hardly glanced at the sheet in front of him, but concentrated completely on the difficult melody, the complex rhythm. This song was demanding, much more demanding than their normal songs, but he managed to sing it without missing a note or a beat. His high voice never wavered, never broke, never shook.
An angel’s voice.
A small smile appeared on Yaten’s face and his pale cheeks were slightly redden. He put all his feelings into the song, as if he really understood its meaning, not only the Japanese translation behind the words.
“Luna quieres ser madre
Y no encuentras querer
Que te haga mujer.
Dime, luna de plata,
Qué pretendes hacer
Con un niño de piel.
A-ha-ha, a-ha-ha,
Hijo de la luna.”
Hijo de la luna.
Moon’s son.
At first, Yaten liked this song because of the tender melody. Ami had been listening to the song while she did her homework. The young singer, who sat downstairs with Rei and Makoto to help them prepare dinner on Usagi’s 18th birthday, heard it and asked Ami if he could get a copy. She didn’t even provide him with the original CD with a nice cover of a full moon, but also gave him the Japanese translation. That was just the way Ami was, because she didn’t want him to listen to words he couldn’t understand.
Moon’s son.
Oh, how he understood them.
“De padre canela
Nació un niño
Blanco como el lomo
De un armiño,
Con los ojos grises
En vez de aceituna --
Niño albino de luna.
"¡Maldita su estampa!
Este hijo es de un payo
Y yo no me lo callo."
Niño albino de luna.
Moon's albino child.
He had been such a moon’s son, born twenty years ago on a desert planet in a galaxy far away from the Milky Way. He had been born from a cinnamon-skinned father and a beautiful mother. He, too, had been hated for what he was. All his childhood. Until he met the Kous who became his family. Until he met Sejya and Tahiki who became his older brothers.
A bastard child.
As a small boy, he never understood those words, only knew that they were mean and that they hurt him. Tahiki had been very upset when his blood relatives used this word and Sejya even threated to bite them, which showed that the lead singer had always been hot-tempered, but also loyal. He had been one of the first persons in his life who defended him, who actually wanted him in his life, even if it meant to take care of a little brother who wasn’t as wild and as cheeky as he had expected him to be.
Yaten quickly glanced at Sejya. The lead singer gently moved to the music, but his ice cream had all his attention.
Sometimes I’ve been a real burden.
But neither Tahiki nor Sejya ever let him down. Certainly this was one of the reasons why he still sticked to this crazy quest, even after five long, infertile years of searching for Kakyuu. And it surely was the reason why he always fogave Sejya for his outbursts, for their arguments and the lead singer’s rash spoken words. He knew that his older brothers were simply concerned about their princess and their regular fights were thoughtless and surely meaningless. However, Yaten felt again the desire to turn back time, to be eight again and be welcomed in Lady Kou’s warm embrace, the first in his young life.
“A-ha-ha, a-ha-ha,
Hijo de la luna.”
Hijo de la luna.
Moon’s son.
It was Sailor Moon who taught him that it was not wrong to be different, to be a Sailor Senshi. She, who literally was the Moon’s child, felt that he was unlike his brothers, yet that there was still a strong bond between them. Sailor Moon was a lot like their princess. Kakyuu always knew everything, even secrets you had never told anyone. Maybe this ability made a true princess and queen; and Sailor Moon truly had it. She was understanding, kind and took them into her team without asking any questions; probably, because she didn’t need them answered for she already knew everything about them. Or so it seemed.
It was enough for Yaten to trust her, although Sejya only saw her as a beautiful girl to flirt with shamelessly, not caring that she was married happily to her Mamoru, and Tahiki still doubted her, as he was sceptical of everyone expect his brothers. It was a strange world, after all, and a dangerous one, as well, with Sailor Galactica as a constant looming shadow over their heads, just like the sword of Damocles.
If someone’s able to rescue us, it’s Sailor Moon.
Sometimes, Yaten wanted to take Usagi with them on a tour, even though the young woman couldn’t sing at all. He was sure that they would have a higher chance finding Kakyuu with Usagi’s help than singing the same songs repeatedly.
Hijo de la luna.
Moon’s son.
But he would do whatever Tahiki asked him to, even if it meant to sing the same songs for another five years, in vain. As he would follow Sejya anywhere, even to the final battle against Sailor Galactica. They took him in. Him, the moon’s son, who no one wanted, no one loved. They became his family and he owed them his life.
Still, he was very egoistic and knew it. He wanted to turn around and run away. To take his brothers with him and to leave it to Sailor Moon and her team alone to defeat Sailor Galactica. Maybe he would just do that once they’d find Kakyuu. Take his brothers’ hands and run. Run as fast as he could. To hide somewhere. Because he wouldn’t survive seeing one of them being harmed. Seeing Sejya die…
Hijo de la luna.
But there was nothing he could do. Not the weak, always sickly son of the moon. All he could do was to have faith in Sailor Moon and to hope against hope that his brothers would never leave him. Just like his own parents had abandoned him twelves years ago…
“Y en las noches
Que haya luna llena
Será porque el niño
Esté de buenas.
Y si el niño llora
Menguará la luna
Para hacerle una cuna.
Y si el niño llora
Menguará la luna
Para hacerle una cuna.”
The song ended and he blushed as Haruka actually started to applaud. Normally, they didn’t applaud when they sang karaoke, because they sang to have fun and not to show off. It wasn’t a competition for them, but only a game, especially since Setsuna and Elza truly had no chance against the Three Lights and Michiru with her musical education.
They showed their appreciation in any other way, like whistling, cheering, knocking on the table or stomping on the floor, but they never applauded like they would normally do in a concert, no matter if pop or classical music was played.
“That was bloody brilliant!”
Haruka’s green eyes sparkled and he smiled sheepishly, not knowing what to say. Instead, he giggled as he saw Elza’s evil grin.
“Guess it’s your turn, now.”
She pointed with her right forefinger at the blonde and there was no way the young woman could hide or pretend that she wasn’t there. Unfortunately, the ice bucket was also empty, so there was nothing for her to do to appear too busy to sing. Haruka, who had just looked at him like he was the eightth worldwonder, paled slightly and he felt suddenly sorry for her. Obviously, she couldn’t sing or at least thought so. During the last thirty minutes she had tried every red herring to distract them and now she was trapped by Elza. Yaten knew too well that you couldn’t escape Elza, or Setsuna, for that matter.
“I don’t want to torture you.” Mumbled the blonde and peered at the apple slices, clearly thinking what she could do with them to point out that she had another task to do than to waste her precious time in singing stupid songs.
“You won’t.” Elza clapped in her hands and already browsed through the songs, hopefully trying to find a nice one with an easy going melody.
“Come, let’s sing together.”
Yaten took pity on Haruka. He rose from the chair and picked up another microphone to hold it out to her. He literally offered her to sing the song, no matter what Elza chose, while all she had to do was stand next to him and at least try to read the lines from the screen and hum not all too wrongly and not all too loudly.
Haruka’s dark green eyes quickly glanced at him and then at the door and then back at him. The blonde sighed and, seeing that there was no chance of escape, came to her feet.
“That’s the spirit, girl.” Cheered Setsuna while rocking the cradle in which little Hotaru was now fast asleep, obviously used to her mothers’ behaviour and their loud voices singing songs she didn’t understand, yet. But she knew that she was surrounded by a loving family and that the noise meant that they were still there, took care of her, loved her. Therefore, she could dream happily, not feeling at all disturbed by their karaoke.
“You won’t have to worry with Yaten as your partner.” Assured Michiru and helped herself to another slice of apple, chewing it with an expecting smile on her face.
“No… no… definitely not! No… yes! That’s the song!”
Haruka didn’t want to know which songs Elza didn’t want her to sing, although she also didn’t want to know the one that was about to begin. It didn’t help her much that Yaten stood right beside her. She wasn’t a great singer, she knew that. Even though her mother had always sung lullabys with her, the blonde had no illusion that she only endured them, because she loved her daughter and not because Haruka’s voice was so sweet. The blonde wasn’t unmusical, on the contrary, but she had never been a singer.
Yaten held the micro closer to his mouth and smiled encouragingly at the blonde who in his eyes only wanted to have a job and to see Japan. Now she had to give in to her fate.
“Hope will never come
It’ll keep on living in tomorrow
And the last thing you need is to
Become addicted to your sorrow”
Haruka’s eyes grew wide as she recognized the song. It was the first contemporary piece of music she really knew, aside from the Three Lights’ song, which she also hadn’t known a mere month ago. No, she had heard the soft guitar play before, as she knew the lyrics, by heart. Nevertheless, she stared at the screen, believing neither her eyes nor her ears. Yaten started to sing in a sure voice, following the beams on the mirror in a perfect pattern. Haruka’s astonished humming destroyed his efforts, but the young singer didn’t seem to mind.
“I caught the last train to Chicago
I’d be there by the morning
Smoking cigarettes
A suitcase full of faith
An unwritten story”
The blonde’s hand started slightly to tremble and she grabbed the micro tighter between her cold fingers.
Bill gave me that CD.
Originally, he had bought it for his daughter who had already gotten it from a friend. So he gave it to Haruka, hoping to make her happy or at least to ease her pain, not knowing that it would cause her even more, especially this last song. For it expressed her feelings at that time, voiced the thoughts she couldn’t say herself, at least not aloud.
Bill gave it to me two months before…
Haruka missed three words while Yaten sang self-confidently, smiling friendly at her, mistaking her pale face for her nervosity to sing in front of the others. Her voice was soft and unsure, but she didn’t sing as bad as he had expected her to. Well, the blonde only had to sing one song. After that Elza would be satisfied and the others could take over the micros, Michiru and his brothers who were keener on singing karaoke.
Haruka missed some more words, but her humming stayed strangely in tune.
Akito-chan loved that CD.
That’s why the blonde hated it and threw it away. And now she was standing in front of grinning faces. In front of strange people who employed her and, even more, claimed to be her friends. Who invited her to okonomiyaki in Kyoto and ate picnic under blooming cherry trees in a friend’s garden somewhere in Tokyo.
“And all the lights burning bright
In the Midwest tonight
They burn for you
Well, what could I do
I walked around all night
Thinking of you”
It was sheer madness.
Again she was asking herself what she was doing here. Why she was holding a micro in her hand. Why her belly was filled with delicious food and cool ice cream. Why she agreed in the first place to take the job offered by Kou Tahiki.
To take care of them.
As she had taken care of him, her little Akito-chan.
Probably, it was fate and she couldn’t do anything against it. Maybe, even if she walked away right now, there would be someone else waiting around the next corner who needed her help. Who needed to be looked after.
Who would look after her.
She didn’t know. She didn’t have the strength any longer to care. To ask herself if she was going mad to stand opposite a young man with silver hair and light green eyes. A boy who looked so much like him…
Haruka raised her head and gasped, completely forgetting the song, although Yaten carried on, unsweringly.
“And it’s a long road
Leave you tired at the end of the day
And every mile we travel
Home
It seems so far away”
Next to the young singer Haruka saw a beautiful young woman. She was wearing a long red dress that matched perfectly her reddish hair that almost touched her hips. Her blue eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she looked at Yaten, appearently only seeing him. She sat next to the young man on the now unoccupied chair and tapped her foot so softly to the music’s rhythm that Haruka couldn’t hear it clearly.
So, that’s it.
The blonde, completely ignoring the song and the pain in her heart, rubbed her eyes, but the image before her didn’t change.
Now I’m really mental.
Haruka was used to her family appearing in her dreams, even if it wasn’t night and she not asleep. It became normal for her to see him dancing around, laughing, whenever Michiru played her new song on her violin, putting all her feelings in the soft melody and at the same time pulling Haruka from a never ending nightmare, even if it was only for three minutes and a half.
My brain’s finally snapped.
She was accustomed to see her dead family, but it frightened her that she suddenly saw a total stranger sitting next to the young singer. Why was she imagining a girl she had never seen before? Well, the red haired woman was at least beautiful, but still it made no sense.
Haruka took a step backwards as if to try to have a better look at the screen, although she had abandoned the song long ago. But the appearance didn’t change, didn’t disappear. Moreover, two tears ran over skin as white as porcelain while Yaten continued to sing, not at once hesitating, although he quickly glanced in her direction. But he was clearly not seeing her. Instead, he seemed to look right through her, appearently eyeing Sejya’s ice cream, wondering if there was enough in the small bowl that was worth stealing and enduring his older brother’s wrath afterwards.
“Hope will never come
It’ll keep on living on tomorrow
And all the sad things you’ve done
They don’t always need to haunt you”
The red haired woman sobbed flatly and Haruka wondered if she was truly the only one in this room who could see and almost hear her sorrow. Elza’s distant giggle told her that no one else could see her.
Of course not, because she’s a product of your sick mind!
Haruka gasped as the stranger raised her head and looked directly at her. Blue eyes grew wide as the young woman realized that the blonde could see her. She rose from the chair, which should have tumbled over from her sudden movement, but stayed still and silent next to Yaten who sang the last two lines.
What?
The red haired woman reached out for Haruka, despair and faint traces of hope mingling in her beautiful face. Then she was gone. From one moment to the other, just as the song ended. As Yaten’s voice died away.
“He took the last train
He took the last train home”
What?
Haruka lowered the micro and turned around, ignoring Elza’s cheers, but the red haired woman was nowhere to be seen; she had left without a trace.
“That was a good beginning.” Grinned Elza and already switched through Minako’s DVDs again, searching for another song. “Stay a little longer with us crazy bunch and you’ll start to love karaoke.”
Crazy?
You think you are crazy?
You have no chance against me, believe me!
Haruka nodded only and sat down again, feeling strangely numb and completely irritated. She didn’t know what to answer as Michiru asked her something that made no sense whatsoever. Helplessly, she nodded again and held a moment later a glass with cherry juice, probably from the trees outside in the garden, in her slightly shaking hands. She hardly noticed that the Star Lights took over the micros and their small stage again, singing another love song, but this time staying in tune. All the while she glanced around, but the vision or whatever the young woman had been, didn’t appear again.
“If you go away, girl
You're taking my heart with you
If you go away girl
You'll be breaking my heart in two
If you only stay girl
I promise you the world
So please don't ever go away”
dbdbdb
Two hours later found Haruka sitting on the blanket in the garden, leaning against the cherry tree and looking through the blossoms at the orange coloured sky. It had been a wonderful day and a fantastic sunset followed. The others were still inside, singing and laughing, but she needed a break. Although Elza didn’t force her again to sing another song, Haruka couldn’t shake off the spooky feeling the appearance had left in her mind. She thought that some fresh air might help. Therefore, she went outside, promising Michiru that she would soon return, putting on a brave face.
Why?
This was the Cherry Blossom Festival, the very one she had wanted him to see so badly. Why didn’t she see him, sitting backwards on the chair as he had always done? Haruka had seen a piano upstairs when she went to the toilette. Why wasn’t he in that room, playing on the keyboard with the little strength all the medications and operations left him? Why wasn’t he here with her, dancing in the warm snow as he would have called it?
Haruka knew that she was crazy, at least to a certain point. Her sanity simply had no chance to survive all those years without a knack. But it had never been as bad as today. Instead of her family, she saw a stranger. A young woman she had never met before. It would make some kind of sense, in a twisted way, if she’d have been a doctor or a nurse, maybe even a fan of her father. But this young woman was a complete stranger, she was sure of that, because she would have never forgotten such red hair for it was rare in both her home countries. It hab been even brighter, more intensive than Elza’s. No, she was pretty sure that she had seen the young woman for the first time in her life. A crying woman who looked at Yaten with so much love. Who reached for the blonde for… what? Help?
I’m mental.
Haruka lifted her sunglasses into her hair and rubbed her suddenly very tired eyes. She felt a headache coming and didn’t know how to put on a smiling face for the rest of the evening when she was exhausted and sad inside.
Completely mental.
“You could get some wine or some sake if you want.”
The blonde jerked her head upwards as she heard the low voice. She blinked and saw Sejya standing next to her, leaning against the tree’s trunk. He pointed at the glass of cherry juice she held in her hands, before he lit the cigarette between his lips and drew a deep breath, exhaling the smoke slowly.
“There’s enough in the kitchen, although neither Usagi-san nor Mamoru-san hardly ever drink. Guess Makoto-san needs them for her cooking.”
“No, thanks.” Determinedly, Haruka shook her head. The cherry juice was surely self-made and tasted delicious. She also didn’t dare to touch alcohol, never again. Once in her life, she had been completely sloshed, at that day when she came home and had to realize that he was truly gone. She went into a bar and drank anything they offered in the vain attempt to forget her shitty life and what had happened during the last years. She didn’t succeed. Of course, during the night she forgot a lot of things: Her address, her credit card’s PIN and finally her name. But she didn’t forget all the shit that was going on. She still couldn’t remember what happened after the bar closed. She must have stumbled outside, somehow, into an impenetrable night. When she woke up again she had been in a hospital she knew too well, only that this time she was the patient, being treated of alcoholic poisoning. Bill had been clearly upset.
“They only have another half hour before we want to go the park to see the fireworks.” There was a big firework planned at a near public festival. Since it would be dark by then and because you had a better view at the park, they had decided to go there, hoping that no one would recognize them in the darkness, surrounded by other people in kimonos and yukatas, eating rice balls and candy floss. “Maybe three or four more songs.”
Haruka nodded, not knowing if the lead singer wanted to comfort her or himself. He had clearly enjoyed the afternoon, but obviously by now he had enough. Singing was his job, after all, and even if he could sing some other songs here and sing their own ones completely wrong, two hours were clearly enough, even for this game.
“It was funny. I just can’t sing.”
“Hm…” Sejya took another puff and the cigarette glimmed red in the upcoming dusk. He had rolled up his shirt’s sleeves and opened the first two buttons. Yaten was still wearing his red jacket over his yukata and it didn’t look like the lead singer would demand it back any time soon. The air was cool, because it was only spring and the air got colder as soon as the sun disappeared. Still, the young man didn’t seem to freeze.
“They love to stand on a stage, but I guess, you need some crazy hobbies to compensate for all the stress.” Sejya shrugged and threw the cigarette away, only to lit another one. For a long time, he smoked in silence. Haruka didn’t interrupt him and looked up to the sky instead, which slowly turned from a bright orange into a deep red and a dark violet. It struck her how beautiful it looked and how much her Akito-chan would have enjoyed to watch it, while playing with warm snow in his small hands…
“Guess Tahiki didn’t tell you all of that when he employed you, ne?”
Haruka slightly turned her head, but she could only see the red fag glimmering in the quickly falling darkness.
“I know why Tahiki gave you this special job.”
“Uh.” The blonde didn’t know what else to say, so she simply listened to Sejya’s breathing, again staring at the sky, waiting patiently for the first stars to appear.
“To have an eye on Michiru-san.”
Well, mostly to have an eye on you and your brother.
But again Haruka preferred not to answer.
“I can understand that. We’re brothers and the Three Lights, but during our tours she’s mostly alone, unless Setsuna-san visits her. But she isn’t always around, especially since she’s got Hime-chan. You should have an eye on Michiru-san, because she trusts you more than she would trust any bodyguard. Niichan chose you, because she sees more than a crew member in you; she sees a friend in you, Haruka-san.”
A friend…
In someone who’s as mad as a hatter.
Great.
Haruka raised one eyebrow, but didn’t look away from the sky. A cool breeze ran through the garden. The trees above rushed and unconsciously she wrapped her arms around her chest. The gesture was to keep her warm, but at the same time it looked protective.
“Michiru-san deserves a good friend, but I won’t let you disappoint her. She’s been hurt badly once and you won’t let her down.” Sejya took another deep breath and the third cigarette crackled loudly in the night’s darkness. The others seemed to have closed the terrace’s door for their voices were suddenly mumbled, far away. “If you do, you’ll regret it.”
Sejya’s words were meant to sound menacing, but Haruka suddenly had to suppress the urge to laugh out loud. No matter how hard the tried, the lead singer might be a playboy, but he was definitely not the godfather.
However, his concern for their violinist and only female member did him credit.
“Do you always do this?”
“What?”
“Threatening other people?”
Sejya’s only response was embarrassed silence. Haruka shook her head and sighed silently. No, she had never wanted to hurt anybody, even though she had caused him so much pain during all those years. Again and again.
“Did you also threaten Setsuna-san?”
“No.” Sejya coughed, but it didn’t seem the smoke that made him gasp for breath. “Actually, she treatened us since she’s Michiru-san’s oldest friend.”
Now, Haruka had to laugh.
I’m as mad as a hatter.
Guess we’ll get along perfectly.
“I mean it, Haruka-san!” Now, Sejya’s voice sounded sulking and irritated.
“I know.” She answered. “And I respect it.”
Sejya wanted to say something more, but was interrupted as the terrace’s door was opened noisily.
“Are you coming? The fireworks are about to start.”
“Hai.”
Sejya stubbed out the remainings of his cigarettes and went back to the house. Haruka took a last glance at the night sky and saw the first sky sparkling there. Then she followed the lead singer.
dbdbdb
There were a lot of people in the park. Some of them sat on blankets, clearly waiting for the fireworks to begin, empty bento boxes on their laps. Others were walking on the narrow paths which were enclosed by little shops selling sweets, snacks and traditional Japanese delicacies. Chinese lanterns illuminated the white covered trees and little children ran around laughing, holding colourful balloons in their hands. Many people wore traditional clothes, but there were some who didn’t feel comfortable in a kimono or a yukata, therefore, neither Sejya nor Haruka stood out.
After five tense minutes it was clear that no one would recognize them for it was too dark and too crowded in the park. Noticably, they relaxed and enjoyed the public festival. Although they had already aten a lot, they discovered that there was still enough space in their tummies for candied fruits. Little Hotaru, who rested safely on her mother’s chest, wrapped into a soft scarf and two gentle arms, blinked interested in the noisy world around. She was full and warm and therefore allowed her mother to eat a candied banana.
“They’ll play music to accompany the fireworks.” Explained Tahiki and pointed at the loudspeaker hanging at various trees around them.
“You’re so intelligent, Tahiki-san.”
“Arigatou, Setsuna-san. The newspaper is quite informative.” Tahiki’s voice was equally mocking. “You should read it one of these days.”
“Maybe, but it’s always so funny to read all those articles about you guys in the rainbow press.”
Obviously, neither of them considered those papers to be real newspapers.
“Let’s just hope that none of their reporters are here.”
“Hai.” Agreed Setsuna wholeheartedly, although she thought that some of the stories the journalists made up were actually quite funny.
The growd grew thicker and soon it was hard for them to move freely. Setsuna feared for Hotaru’s safety and so they searched for a spot on the meadow to be able to watch the fireworks without someone stepping on their toes.
It was then that Sejya noticed that their youngest member, aside from Setsuna’s baby, was missing. He resisted the urge to howl in frustration, but wherever he looked, he only saw Japanese people in their traditional outfits and laughing children, hunting each other and their balloons. Yaten was nowhere to be seen.
“Our chibi’s gone.” He told Tahiki whose head jerked up in surprise. However, his desperate look around was as infertile as Sejya’s.
“He’s probably got lost in this mass.” The oldest member of the Three Lights already gathered up his yukata, but Sejya held him back.
“Why don’t you stay with the girls while I search for him? He’s still wearing my red jacket, therefore he can’t be that hard to spot.” Suggested Sejya and pointed at his trousers, indicating that he would be quicker than Tahiki in his traditional Japanese costume. Tahiki saw his point and nodded.
“Okay.”
“I’ll be right back and if not, then we’ll meet again at Usagi-san’s house.”
“Toutou-chan?”
“Hai?”
“Please, don’t start another row.”
Sejya raised both hands, showing his palms in a calming gesture. Then he turned around and fought his way through the people, always trying not to draw any attention. But most of them were already staring at the sky, anyway, so there was little danger that any of them would recognize him as a member of the famous Three Lights. The older people in traditional costumes wouldn’t have known either his name nor his music and the teenagers were too occupied in the fireworks that were about to begin. Soft, classic music filled the air and Sejya could hear the first explosions above and Ohs and Ahs around him. The world was illuminated by different colours rivaling the sun: Red, blue and green. However, Sejya didn’t stop nor did he raise his face to the sky. Instead, he continued his search, hoping that he would find Yaten in time, because he knew that there would be no chance once the fireworks were over and everyone tried to get something to eat from the shops or simply to go home. Then the now immobile standing growd would start to move and it would be impossible to find Yaten, and Sejya wasn’t sure if the young man would return to Usagi’s house or if he himself would search for them between all those people. That could take them hours in which it would get colder and Sejya didn’t want Yaten to catch another cold.
It had been such a great day; he didn’t want it to end in a fight or even worse, in tears.
Shimatta!
Something caught Sejya’s desperate searching eye as a silver light exploded brightly in the dark night sky above. Something or better, someone. A young man who was wearing a red jacket over his yukata.
Yes!
Relieved, Sejya released the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding, and headed over to the figure who stood next to a huge cherry tree, looking very lonely. The lead singer was sure that Yaten couldn’t see much from the fireworks from where he was standing, but since the tree was on a small hill, the younger singer certainly tried to catch sight of them, which was a senseless venture since no one of them wore flashy colours to notice them.
“There you are, little one.”
Yaten hadn’t seen him coming for he winced violently as Sejya suddenly stood beside him. A golden rocket exploded, spread wide branches over the night sky. For a moment it looked like a huge tree and smaller fireworks, all in pink, appeared between those branches. The gigantic cherry tree stood in blossom and many people started to clap enthusiastically.
In the golden light Sejya could see Yaten’s eyes grew wide. He held his candied apple in his left hand and it was still in its plastic bag, untouched.
“I got lost.” Stated the young man the obvious and looked unsure at his brother, certainly expecting another outburst or at least a cynical comment for he could not yell at him publicly. “One moment you were beside me and then you were gone.”
“There’re a lot of people here.” Sejya shrugged his shoulders. He wasn’t really angry with his little brother. The crowd was thick and it could have happened to anyone of them. However, typically, it had happened to Yaten, as always.
“Let’s…” Sejya wanted to say that they should get back to Tahiki and the others, but as he looked back he couldn’t make out the way he had come. The people had moved with the fireworks and there was no way to be sure where the others were. “Let’s go somewhere where we can see the fireworks.” He said instead, knowing that they would meet each other at Usagi’s house later on.
“Okay.” Yaten’s voice was very soft, almost drowned out by the loud explosions. Sejya went down the hill and when he turned he saw that Yaten had already fallen behind. Obviously, it was harder for him in his traditional costume to move as quickly as his older brother and to find gaps between the groups of people to fit through without ruining his yukata.
“Hey, I don’t want to lose you again, little one.” Sejya fought his way back to his little brother and simply took his free hand to guide him through the mass of people until they reached a spot with not so many onlookers but from where they had a good view of the fireworks still drawing wonderful pictures in the sky.
“That just looked like a big dolphin, didn’t it?” whispered Yaten excitedly next to him.
“Hai.”
Sejya finally turned his full attention to the dark sky and the roses now blooming in a bright red. Suddenly, he had to think of Tuxedo Kamen and the roses he always threw instead of lightening, water, fire or even pink hearts at his enemies, simple, but very effective weapons. Maybe they could really help them to defeat Sailor Galactica one day. To be able to find Kakyuu. To be able to go home. To return to their castle and live a life they had to leave behind during that fateful night.
To try again to be a big brother.
Sejya knew that fireworks weren’t shooting stars, no matter how much the silver and golden waterfalls looked like thousands of them. Nevertheless, the lead singer made his wish.
He didn’t notice that he was still holding Yaten’s hand, nor did he see the small smile on the younger man’s face.
dbdbdb
“Why doesn’t Yaten sing a solo?”
Haruka had seen several concerts with Yaten over the last weeks since Kyoto, but the youngest member always sat behind his piano or sang together with his brothers. Another rainbow exploded in the sky, illuminated Tahiki’s tired face for a moment.
“He doesn’t want to, Haruka-san.”
“But he has such a fantastic voice.” The blonde shook her head. “He sang Mecano’s Hijo de la Luna without preparation and believe me, no opera star would have sang it any better, not even Montserrat Caballe.”
“You know this song?” Now, Michiru’s musical curiousity was awakened. Quickly, she glanced from the burning dragon to the blonde beside her and back again at the fireworks. She slipped a little bit closer to be able to better follow the conversation in spite of the explosions above.
“It’s the only song I knew all afternoon.” Haruka gave a soft laught and crossed her arms before her chest. “My mother loved the opera and often took me to concerts, that’s why I know it.”
“Still he doesn’t want to sing any solo at all. I’ve talked to him, but he says he’s fine with his piano and our songs where we sing together.” Tahiki shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he had given up long ago.
“It’s a waste of talent.”
“I know. He’s the only one who actually had an artistic education when we were young, but he still doesn’t want to.” The oldest brother sighed deeply. “I don’t want to force him.”
“No, then he wouldn’t sing at all.” Agreed Michiru and edged even closer to Haruka, although she was perfectly able to understand the words spoken. The kimono’s long sleeves covered her arms completely, still she shivered at the night’s cold. It was spring, but it would take at least another two months until she could walk around in a dress until midnight without freezing. She wondered how Haruka felt for the young woman didn’t wear any jacket at all over her black t-shirt. There were goosepimples on Haruka’s forearms, but the blonde didn’t react to the fresh breeze, didn’t indicate in any way that she, too, felt uncomfortable.
“Are you cold?”
Haruka startled as Michiru didn’t wait for her answer, but simply pulled her arms around the blonde, covering her naked arms with her sleeves, all the time looking up to the coloured sky as if it were the most normal thing to do.
“That’s good about kimonos; they have so much cloth.” The young violinst smiled. “Maybe I should never marry.”
“Why’s that?” Tahiki’s question proved that he, indeed, came from another planet. Or simply that he was a man, knowing nothing about women’s stuff.
“Because a woman is expected to do all the housework in her husband’s household, her kimono’s sleeves will be shorter for her to be able to work without ruining it. That’s why wedding kimonos’ sleeves almost touch the ground, because it’s the bride’s last opportunity to wear them that long.” Explained Michiru patiently, knowing that Tahiki, different from Sejya and even Yaten, would listen and remember that information later on.
“That’s a stupid reason and you don’t have to follow it, darling. I won’t change my kimonos once I’m married to my Elza-chan.” Said Setsuna with a very serious voice, although a stunned Haruka could hear her silent giggle.
“If that’s a proposal, Sets, then I didn’t hear it.” Elza pressed her hands against her slim hips and raised one eyebrow in provocation. “I want you to propose to me in a small, cosy restaurant during a candle light dinner, giving me one of your mother’s or your grandmother’s heirlooms and telling me how much you love me.”
“I love you very much, Elza-chan.”
Elza only rolled her eyes at Setsuna’s cheeky grin.
“I’ll send you the description per email and then you can try again, okay?” Nevertheless, Elza bent over to her girlfriend and the mother of her child and kissed her tenderly. “Love you, too, baka.”
Now Setsuna beamed and they kissed again. Michiru laughed softly as Hotaru, who had woken up during the fireworks and watched them with her big baby eyes, grabbed some strands of Setsuna’s hair, obviously seeking attention which she immediately received. Haruka only shook her head slightly as she watched the two women drooling over their child.
There are pictures with Mommy and Daddy holding me this way.
She gulped and couldn’t suppress a shiver running through her body.
Holding him this way.
“So you are cold.” Michiru’s embrace tightened, but in a gentle way. “Maybe you should wear a kimono the next time, as well.” The young violinist didn’t mention that she also enjoyed the warm body next to her. She leaned her head against the blonde’s right shoulder and gazed up at the fireworks, sighing in admiration of the huge cherry tree evolving in the air, as well as in contentment.
He would have enjoyed these fireworks.
Haruka felt the slender arms around her body and looked down at the young violinist. Michiru was smiling and she could see the red roses’ reflections in those deep eyes. Her face was slightly flushed and unconsciously, she squeezed the blonde a little bit as another big rocket exploded in the night sky.
Suddenly, Haruka realized that she enjoyed the fireworks, as she had enjoyed the day of the Cherry Blossom Festival, even though she had to sing. The sadness she had felt only hours ago when he had heard the old song seemed like a lifetime ago, like a bad nightmare she had been able to wake from, just like the one she had experienced during their nap in the garden. Again it was Michiru’s warmth that comforted her in a strange and yet so familiar way. Haruka had the odd notion that all she had to do to escape her monsters was to stretch her arms and to embrace the younger woman. She was sure that she wouldn’t only find comfort and understanding in those soft arms, but also forgiveness. Forgiveness for the deeds she had done in order to save him, or at least in order to give him a chance of survival.
Michiru didn’t know her. She hadn’t been there when she betrayed the people who had put their faith in her five years ago. She hadn’t acknowledged her taking over her parent’s heritage. She hadn’t seen her signing all the consents to all those damn operations that brought him so much fucking pain but couldn’t rescue him in the end.
No, Michiru didn’t know all her sins and with a sudden Haruka wished to confess them to her. Not to hear that it wasn’t her fault or that everything was gonna be alright, because she knew that she was to blame and that nothing would ever be alright again. But she wanted to be given an absolution, to be told that she had, at least, tried everything. That she didn’t let him down, because his survival hadn’t been within her power.
She’s a nice auntie.
Haruka lowered her head and saw him running over the drew wet grass with a strength he hadn’t possessed when he had been alive. He was holding a candied apple in his right hand and was waving at her with his left one. Two white bloosoms were tangled in his fair hair and his light green eyes sparkled happily.
She’s as beautiful as Mommy, isn’t she, Haru-chan?
“That’s wonderful.” Whispered Michiru and brought her back. Haruka raised her head to look at the silver and golden waterfall falling from heaven to the rhythm of the soft music, knowing that he would be gone the next time she’d glance down.
“Hai.” She answered in a soft agreement.
dbdbdb
“You’re up so early?”
Setsuna didn’t even bother to stifle her wide yawn as she made her way through Usagi’s living room over to the kitchen to get her first coffee and maybe then to wake up, at least up to a degree where she would be responsive to the rest of the world aka Elza and her little daughter. Usagi had called late last evening and told them that Mamoru and she decided to visit her parents to tell them the good news and to stay there over the night, but that they were free to stay as long as they liked. Gratefully, they had accepted her kind offer, because sometimes it was nice not to sleep in a hotel bed, no matter how luxurious it was.
“The coffee’s over there.”
Haruka couldn’t cook, but yet she was able to push the start button on a prepared coffee machine. Since she needed little sleep, she had been up early and decided to get fresh rolls at the baker’s near the park. Out of curiousity, she had also bought the only newspaper the small shop sold. What turned out to have been a great mistake.
“You’re an angel.”
I wouldn’t say that.
Setsuna brought the coffee to her nose and inhaled soundly, before she sighed, contented with herself and the world, and pressed a quick kiss on the mug. Then she sat down at the round table that was already set and smelled happily the fresh rolls and delicious cookies. It seemed that Haruka waited patiently for them to wake up, reading the newspaper while doing so.
Although it wasn’t really a newspaper, but more a tabloid, one of those magazines she always read during her appointments with Hotaru’s paediatrician.
”You bought breakfast?”
“You wouldn’t want to eat my cooking.”
Setsuna sipped her coffee and considered the blonde’s voice, marvelling how the other woman could sound so much awake at an hour so extremely early.
“Thank god for the microwave, huh?” It was a comment from one woman who could even burn water to the other and Haruka chuckled on the remark before she frowned again at the opened paper in front of her.
“What’s so interesting?” Setsuna leaned forward and raised both eyebrows as she read the headline. Then she trew her head back and barked a loud laugh.
“Wow, this time they were really quick.” Still giggling, she stroked over the paper to see if the ink was still wet, because they didn’t have more than ten hours to write the article, to develop the pictures and to print that damn thing. Normally, it took them at least a day, but maybe because it was the bank holiday’s edition or because they had nothing better to write about, they didn’t wait. Why hesitate? It didn’t matter if the story was false and the facts unconfirmed, as long as they had a good headline and the paper sold well.
“How did they do it?”
Haruka pointed at the big picture in the middle, seeing herself gazing up to the stars while Michiru smiled next to her.
It’s again that happy smile.
Setsuna sipped slowly at her coffee and shifted her chair closer to Haruka to have a better look at the black and white picture for the tabloid couldn’t afford coloured ones.
“Special objective lenses for the night with an extreme zoom.” She explained like an expert or maybe recited something a specialist had told her earlier when she had been the one asking the same unbelieving questions.
“They think that I’m a mysterious, good-looking man.” Quoted Haruka and tore her hair slightly in exasperation.
“That they have the most modern equipment doesn’t mean that they can distinguish between a man and a woman, or see the truth, for that matter.” Stated Setsuna and rose to get herself another cup of coffee with a lot of sugar and rich crème, marvelling that this was the second best way to start the day. The best way still slept upstairs in one of the guest beds and she didn’t have the heart to wake her love. Not when it had been her turn to take care of little Hotaru who fell asleep again immediately after she was fed and her nappies changed.
“They think that I’m Michiru-san’s lover.”
Maybe that wouldn’t be so bad at all.
Setsuna leaned against the sink unit and held the warm mug between her hands, this time stifling her yawn.
“As they think that Hime-chan’s Sejya’s illegitimate son and Elza’s Yaten’s secret love.” The older woman shrugged her shoulders in indifference. “Just like Michiru and Tahiki have even been engaged at one point, but they split up, because he fell in love with another woman. Guess it had been Usagi-chan or Mina-chan he congratulated to her birthday or something like that.”
“That’s stupid.” Haruka, whose cheeks were slightly flushed, stared again at the picture showing Michiru in her kimono smiling at Haruka who she had embraced and who was gazing at the fireworks, being completely oblivious to the young violinist’s attention.
“Of course it is, but that’s the show business for you.” Setsuna drained her mug and put it next to the paper to read the amusing article being hilariously titled Kaioh Michiru’s Attractive Stranger.
“Welcome to the team, Haruka-san.”
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That’s been the second part of chapter 4, “Warm Snow”. I hope you liked it and liked my choice of songs. I thought they’d fit to the characters :). At least they did perfectly when I walked along the beach in Brighton and listened to my big collection of mp3s over and over again. Some songs simply seemed to have been made for Michiru and the others *laughs*.
Here is the original version and the translation of Hijo De La Luna. I guess you’ve all watched the fifth season, Sailor Stars, therefore I don’t think there’s much need to translate the Three Lights’ song, Nagareboshi he (Search For Your Love), to you. Disclaimers and such stuff will follow in the end of the story.
Thank you all for all your kind reviews *bows*. After a long day (and before an even longer night) they simply make me happy and smile. I try to answer as many as possible, but right now I’m really busy, but I try to answer them later on (just two more weeks of practical training and then I hopefully will have a little bit more time again).
Expect the first part of chapter 5 next Monday (it’ll be called “Whispers In The Wind”).
Hijo De La Luna
Tonto el que no entienda.
Cuenta una leyenda
Que una hembra gitana
Conjuró a la luna
Hasta el amanecer.
Llorando pedía
Al llegar el día
Desposar un calé.
"Tendrás a tu hombre,
Piel morena,"
Desde el cielo
Habló la luna llena.
"Pero a cambio quiero
El hijo primero
Que le engendres a él.
Que quien su hijo inmola
Para no estar sola
Poco le iba a querer."
Estribillo:
Luna quieres ser madre
Y no encuentras querer
Que te haga mujer.
Dime, luna de plata,
Qué pretendes hacer
Con un niño de piel.
A-ha-ha, a-ha-ha,
Hijo de la luna.
De padre canela
Nació un niño
Blanco como el lomo
De un armiño,
Con los ojos grises
En vez de aceituna --
Niño albino de luna.
"¡Maldita su estampa!
Este hijo es de un payo
Y yo no me lo callo."
Estribillo
Gitano al creerse deshonrado,
Se fue a su mujer,
Cuchillo en mano.
"¿De quién es el hijo?
Me has engañado fijo."
Y de muerte la hirió.
Luego se hizo al monte
Con el niño en brazos
Y allí le abandonó.
Estribillo
Y en las noches
Que haya luna llena
Será porque el niño
Esté de buenas.
Y si el niño llora
Menguará la luna
Para hacerle una cuna.
Y si el niño llora
Menguará la luna
Para hacerle una cuna.
Son Of The Moon
Foolish is he who doesn't understand.
A legend tells of a gipsy woman
Who pleaded with the moon until dawn.
Weeping she begged
At the break of dawn
To marry a gipsy man.
"You'll have your man, tawny skin,"
Said the full moon from the sky.
"But in return I want the first child
That you have with him.
Because she who sacrifices her child
So that she is not alone,
Isn't likely to love it very much."
Chorus:
Moon, you want to be mother,
But you cannot find a love
Who makes you a woman.
Tell me, silver moon,
What you intend to do
With a child of flesh.
A-ha-ha, a-ha-ha,
Son of the moon.
From a cinnamon-skinned father
A son was born,
White as the back of an ermine,
With grey eyes instead of olive --
Moon's albino child.
"Damn his appearance!
This is not a gipsy man's son
And I will not put up with that."
Chorus
Believing to be dishonoured,
The gipsy went to his wife,
A knife in his hand.
"Whose son is this?
You've certainly fooled me!"
And he wounded her mortally.
Then he went to the woodlands
With the child in his arms
And left it behind there.
Chorus
And the nights the moon is full
It is because the child
Is in a good mood.
And if the child cries,
The moon wanes
To make it a cradle.
And if the child cries,
The moon wanes
To make it a cradle.
