The building was nicer looking than I anticipated.
Most talent agencies let their exterior become a bit dusty and worn but this tall black building with purple-tinted windows was kept in good condition, which could only reflect on it's standards. As it towered over me. I froze up.
A small hand was placed on my back, it radiated warmth as it nudged me forward. I turned around.
"Aren't you going in?" Amara tilted her head at me.
Today big golden checkmarks dangled from her ears.
The shirt she was wearing today had the picture of an American actor, Shy Lebouff posing his signature pose.
The three words were printed on it. "Just do it!"
No caps today.
"You were coming?"
With folded arms, she nodded.
"I'll be waiting for you, out here."
"But, it's kinda hot out..."
"I'm going to wait here." She repeated herself firmly.
"O-okay." There was no use arguing with her when she was making such an adamant expression.
Amara would be waiting out here for me.
Oddly enough this newfound pressure calmed me.
As I headed towards the entrance I turned around only to see her still there staring at me with folded arms.
I mimicked Shy Lebouff's pose.
She nodded in approval and gave a thumbs up.
Why did I feel so warm? Why did I feel so terrible? Knowing that that small lady was out there waiting for me in the heat gave me strength but it also made me impatient.
When I entered the building, the lobby was empty.
I texted Amara that there was a lobby but she didn't respond.
"Are you here for the audition?" The receptionist questioned me as soon as I walked in.
"Yes!"
"What's your name?"
"It's Fukuda Kagami."
"Here's your number then, if you go straight down the hall to the left and around the corner, you'll arrive. Best of luck to you, Fukuda Kagami-san."
"Thank you..." Maybe I'm overthinking it but the way she looked at me just now was weird. Did it go from nice to condescending?
Following her instructions, I walked down the halls which were mostly bare, but as I approached the designated room I could hear music.
I knocked on the door, then entered.
The room was packed with people.
People took turns on a small stage going up to practice on the far left.
No one else played during this time it seemed like only the groups whose numbers were about to be called were permitted to practice during that time.
It's much better than having everyone playing at once, drowning each other out.
"Name?" A man walked over to me.
"Fukuda Kagami."
He checked his clipboard and nodded.
"Number?"
"43."
He looked to the others, "42? Where are you?"
A hand raised up in the crowd.
The man scribbled something down and jerked his thumb in their direction.
"Sit next to them."
"Okay."
I walked over.
I thought I was imagining it but I felt a couple of gazes on me.
I sat down next to the person with the number 42. He seemed to be in a mood. An older kid who was tall with bleached blonde hair and ear piercings.
There was a puddle and a can of coco cola lying on the floor in front of him, his pants also seemed wet. He was wiping down his guitar with napkins and muttering something about an ill-mannered brat, so I assumed something must've happened.
"Are you okay?" I asked him.
He looked in my direction with narrowed eyes.
Scary! I swallowed.
"Napkins." He said, his gaze was intense.
I blinked, my mind went blank for some reason.
"Napkins?"
He nodded. It took me a moment to realize he was asking me.
I recall my mom ambushing me at the door stuffing wipes and tissue into a pocket in my guitar case on my way out as she peppered kisses across my face.
"Well I have wipes...and some tissues...but I don't know which one."
The second I pulled them out the punk rocker's eyes sparkled.
He was so excited he exclaimed in English. "Thank you!"
"Ah, are you American?" I switched to English.
"Ah, no. I lived there for a while, it still comes out every now and then out of habit but seriously thanks, man." He used the wipes on his clothes pants and the tissues for his guitar.
I mourned for his misfortune. Getting your guitar splashed on an important day would seriously damage my morale. "Sorry, I didn't bring any lighter fluid with me."
"It's all good. Ken's the name. What's yours?" He introduced himself by first name.
"Ah, Kagami." Naturally, I followed suit.
"Alright, Kagami-san. I hope you stay put, after your audition, I'll be sure to pay you back for this favor earlier."
The double doors beside me opened. And a group walked out.
"Numbers 23, 24, 25 pass and 26...fail."
"Hmm?"
Everyone turned to look.
"Ah, man that sucks. I heard them practice earlier, they were pretty good."
I turned to look but I could only see one guy looking down as people stood in front of me.
"What's with the mood? Three of them passed didn't they?" The person in front of me muttered.
"If one member of the band fails an audition, the whole group might as well have failed. It's equivalent to the band breaking up after all. Assuming they decide to give up the audition."
Ken-san's eyes twinkled with spite. "Still, I think I'll take it as indirect karma."
"Did something happen?" I ask him.
"Well that bitch over there poured cola all over my guitar," Ken said eyeing the group. I couldn't see all of them but the tallest member was bald.
"Are you sure it wasn't an accident?" I asked. To think someone would do something so spiteful like that was unsettling.
"No, everyone saw her do it." The person in front of me confirmed this and many others listening in on the conversation nodded.
"Crazy bitch, she was the one who should have failed." Someone else said.
Another said. "The person who failed was the one that had her apologize too, he seemed like a decent guy."
"As if an apology will make up for deliberate sabotage." Ken sighed. "God is too nice to the wicked sometimes. But... indirect Karma always delivers, perhaps it's a sign he should distance himself from toxic bandmates-"
"Shut up!" The voice of a female silenced the whispers.
Ken was the only one unfazed, he stood up.
"Or what? You're going to throw cola on all of our instruments? I dare you to try that again BITCH!"
"What did you just call me?"
His voice became derpy as he whined. "If she barks like a bitch, and trods like a bitch, SHE'S A BITCH!" The ferocity with which he roared the latter and the hateful look in his eyes made me flinch.
I licked my lips.
"You...BASTARD!" The girl growled and lunged only to get pulled back by her bandmates. It was an unnerving scene, the sheer hate embedded in her eyes too.
"Why don't you take a look at your surroundings? This isn't your backyard. Seriously you're like a rabid dog on a leash. Girls like you should be checked into the hospital. You're a danger to society."
"H-hey, isn't that a bit..." I said though sadly I was beginning to see the dog comparison.
"You weren't here to see her in action, she did it while smiling. Smiling!" Ken turned to me to explain, pointing to the corners of his lips.
I had no words. What a terrifying person...
"Let's go Akemi-chan." I heard her bandmate suggest.
Akemi? Akemi... why does that name sound familiar?
"Don't think I won't be suing you, bitch!" He called after her.
The air in the room was entirely against them. Going after a musician's instrument was almost equivalent to them injuring their hands. Unthinkable and almost unforgivable.
Once the group was left, the room quieted down.
I got to learn the name of the person in front of me. Osai Reitaka.
He seemed like an experienced musician but a lone lion. The bands he joined always ended up breaking up.
"Number 35."
Me and Kenichi were getting tired of listening to him talk when his number was called. Four numbers were typically called at once.
The room became empty and emptier.
Soon it was Ken's turn, he saluted me with two fingers on his way out. I went upstage to practice a couple of strums, my back facing the remains of people.
"Number 43, 44, 45, and 46."
It was my turn now. I exhaled as I gathered my stuff and walked over.
The double doors, opened into a small studio, with a small panel of judges seated at a table.
"Number 43?" A woman with silver-dyed hair and blue eyes took one look at me and frowned.
"You fail."
"Huh?" The other numbers that walked in seemed just as surprised as me. For a brief second, time stopped. Did I fail? But I just got here! I could see myself leaving the building here seeing Amara's disappointed expression. That day at school, her twinkling brown eyes that dimmed into a soulless void. "You failed? Oh..." My very reality was on the verge of shattering into pieces. No. No. Amara wouldn't say that. *Even if by some chance those lovely people turn out to be dipshits and reject you Kagami, we can always turn to whotube!* But was that just her way of comforting me? "...have completely no sense of style for a rock artist. Your hairstyle and guitar are the only things that truly embody the spirit of rock. Let's hope your performance isn't as lacking." I heard only half of what she had said. My heart that had frozen and dropped slowly floated up to relief and irritation. "Stop intimidating the contestant, Ms. Yumena." A bald man wearing shades spoke calmly, he look
It felt like I was dreaming. Today was the day, nothing could stop me not even mom who saw me off at the door. "Are you wearing that?" I heard her say but it didn't register. "Congratulations on making it in, Kagami-kun!" That Sunday on my way to the company, I ran into our neighbor, Mrs. Amamiya, Amara's mother. That snapped me out of it. She was a tall lady with a waist like a wasp, she had fat and curves in all the right places; her legs were thick but slender, whenever she wore a slit dress one couldn't help admiring them, her arms were slim, and her bust... whatever manner she styled her hair in it was always a burnt orange color that emphasized her honey brown eyes that were accentuated even further by her cat-like eyeliner. (A goddess... or a celebrity?) What usually happens when someone first meets her is they end up gawking, not listening to a thing she says, they'll just nod. I'd like to think I'm past that phase now. I smiled instead. "Thank you!" "Are you on your w
A welcoming ceremony was held in the company's concert hall.New Trainees pooled inside. There was only a handful of us, which was surprising. I didn't think many would be given the golden pass, you know... From the way, it looks there are enough people to tell me five bands or more (+)were accepted.Eh? Where's Kenichi-san? Ehhh, did he not make it in? I wonder if he wasn't able to perform so well... We never found each other in the end after the audition, so maybe he didn't pass?However, once the lights dimmed and I fixed my attention on stage, I saw him there.As the drummer started off with the drum, eh?! Wait a second it's Satoshi-san!With Renjiro on bass, Kenichi on guitar, and a woman I didn't recognize was also playing the keyboard, she seemed young... was she an auditioner like Kenichi-san as well?Lorraine was standing in front of the mike.
He sat himself down at the counter before me and plopped down his head face first.I greeted him. "Hello to you too."A muffled "Hi" escaped him."How can I help you, sir?"He grunted."Then that'll be the bacon cheese fries, mango smoothie, and fish burger."He grunted. He rummaged through his jacket before fishing out his wallet and sliding it across the counter. I rang him up and let him be to prepare his smoothie and fries."The best pick me up is food." I placed his meal on a tray before him."Yes..."He seemed to have his headphones in. Seeing him hunched over the desk like that, I was tempted to stroke his head which at the moment seemed like a puppy.I didn't realize I was actually doing it, until his hand moved to reach for the smoothie and I retracted my hand quickly. It felt as if my hand was on fire.
"Hello!" I greeted the others who were already waiting for me inside the studio with a big smile. Though my mind was somewhat distracted by Amara's reaction earlier. Was that weird of me? "The heck do we all have to gather here again for?! I haven't even eaten!" Akemi-san had complaints about my random summoning. "Well, don't you think we should get started as soon as possible?" I politely smiled. "Oh," Being the gentleman that he is, Hagihara-san, the bald drummer came to help me carry in my items. I found it somehow intriguing how the person in the band with the most intimidating appearance turned out to be the most well-mannered and easy to get along with. Agawa-san the foreigner-looking bassist must've smelled the food because he suddenly ejected himself from the sofa to the studio's center table. "So you're not as empty-headed as you seem, you brought food for us?"
Needless to say, we didn't get much work done due to the awkward tension. We ended up calling it a day after eating.On my walk home, I heard footsteps only for Amara to appear in front of me and seize my face with both her hands."What happened to your face?!"I forgot, around this time her shift ends."We should walk home together," I spoke as she squished my cheeks.But this only annoyed her. "Ka.Ga.Mi!""I just got into a small spat..." It was a habit to scratch my cheek, but there were cuts there so I ended up wincing.Amara pursed her lips at me, something flickering in her eyes."Who was it?""It's fine!""Like hell it is?! Who scratched your face?!""Ah, Fukuda-san..." Kenichi-san unexpectedly overheard us and walked over. I wanted to greet him and ask about him
The end result was that Banshee's official debut was pushed back. Within that time I'd be composing songs for a group that had already debuted. Hysterical Kitten's Entertainment 1st group and only all-girl band, Helens. I listened to their music but there wasn't anything particularly wowing about it. I heard before that the girls don't write their own songs or lyrics, it's normal for most bands to at least do one or the other or both. Once again, I couldn't help but feel as if a bomb had been dumped on me. I think the higher-ups have really overestimated my abilities. But then again, a composer/songwriter was a composer/ songwriter, maybe I was being tested? I didn't walk with Amara due to a difference in our schedules so my walk to the studio the following afternoon felt completely surreal until I got hit in the face by the main entrance door. "Ah!" I stumbled back holding my forehead. "Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!" A brunette with a side ponytail quickly bowed. She was like a
Its a small world. The faces of the girls I saw this morning were two among three more faces I didn't recognize. Their manager Kanna-san, a tall young woman with reddish-brown hair introduced me with a big bright smile but the girls reactions were fairly gloomy. Why? I mean I get I'm just a rookie but we're going to be making music, and that's something super fun! "So what do you think?" Kanna asked me. "Huh?" "You listened to the original song I sent you right?" she asked me. I slowly nodded. "Uh...yeah, but is it alright before we start I'd like to get to know everyone first. And if it's not too much, I'd like to hear more about them and their hobbies and interests as well." "Huh?" Girl#2 seemed annoyed. Kanna-san politely smiled but her eye