Chapter Text
“I’m leaving.”
Although these words are spoken softly, they feel as jarring as a hundred-decibel guitar screech. Kazuya’s stomach drops at the news, but he maintains a neutral expression. This was bound to happen eventually; Chris-senpai’s father is a world-famous singer and songwriter from America, so naturally Chris would find his way to the states to start his own career. Animal also isn't particularly fond of the fact that his son is the lead singer and guitarist for some random underground cover band in Tokyo, so he must've jumped at the opportunity to get Chris solid footing in the real industry. Kazuya honestly finds it nothing short of a miracle that they were able to last for almost six whole years. Untitled merely started as four classmates who had a lot of free time and a love for the same kind of music. However, the only reason that they were able to come together and grow their talents was because of Chris. As the oldest and the most experienced with the music industry, he guided the rest of the band and shaped them into true performers. As their popularity grew, they reached out to a reliable friend to manage their social media, advertising, and venue bookings. Chris remained patient and encouraged everyone to continue their lives outside of the band as well. Kazuya, their keyboardist Shirasu, and their manager Nabe all go to college. Their drummer Kuramochi took on an apprenticeship right out of high school and now co-owns a successful tattoo shop. In fact, the basement of said shop is where they meet for practice, and where they are currently gathered.
Kazuya had hoped to learn more from his senpai in the short time he has left before taking over the operations of Miyuki Steel , but it looks like that's not going to happen now.
"Bullshit," Kuramochi hisses, effectively pulling Kazuya out of his downward-spiralling thoughts. "There's no way you'd leave us hanging like this. Where's the punchline, Chris-san?"
"You know I was never one for jokes," Chris responds flatly. He sighs, running a hand through his carefully-styled hair. Kazuya could see how tense Chris is, distressed by the band's lukewarm response to his sudden announcement. "My manager wants me to fly out to Manhattan as soon as possible to begin negotiating the terms of my record label."
Kuramochi stretches his arms behind his head and squints at his senpai, but he can't help but smile. "You should've just led with the fact that you got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to start a career in America. I would've been a lot less pissed."
Chris shrugs, looking a bit sheepish. "Sorry."
"That is amazing news, senpai! We're happy for you," Nabe chimes in with a soft smile. Shirasu nods in agreement, clapping Chris encouragingly on the shoulder.
Kazuya stays silent.
"Oi Miyuki, looks like it's finally your time to step up as the lead," Kuramochi crows. "You won't be able to get away with lip-syncing anymore."
"Not happening," he retorts. Kazuya refuses to step into Chris's role. One, because he really, really doesn't like the idea of his voice being the main focus of their work. He much prefers his bass skills to be what shine the most onstage. He is also not very confident in his English, which is an integral part of their performances. Untitled covers English and Japanese rock, metal, and punk songs. What makes them really unique, however, is the fact that they play with the lyrics, intertwining translations into the opposite language unexpectedly. This technique is so fluid because Chris is bilingual, and Kazuya sure as hell can't pull that off, if his grades from his English courses are any indication. "Besides, if we're actually going to continue performing, we'll need someone on guitar. They can sing."
Kazuya could hear Kuramochi mutter "asshole" not-so-subtly under his breath, which makes him smile with smug accomplishment. "Thanks for the compliment, Mochi-kun. I strive for assholery in everything I do~"
Immune to their antics, Chris merely clears his throat to refocus the room's attention on him. "I do have someone in mind who I think is a good fit for the band. I will give the details to Nabe, so he can arrange a day for you all to meet." Chris directs his gaze to Kazuya, his eyes glinting. "I don't think you'll be disappointed."
Truly a pessimist at heart, Kazuya bitterly thinks that his senpai is sorely mistaken. How can anyone take Chris' place? He has been an inspiration to Kazuya for years, and the thought of some stranger taking his spot on the stage makes Kazuya feel hollow. Kazuya has always enjoyed being able to lead the band from behind the scenes, guiding the music and their playlists for performances. Chris always supervised and added his own suggestions, while being the grounding force that kept everyone working well together. Now Kazuya is going to have to do both of these things, because there's no way that some stranger can take over as the leader of a close-knit group like this. He's not sure if he can ever be as charismatic as Chris.
"I am grateful for these past six years," Chris begins with a bittersweet smile, and the emptiness in Kazuya's chest threatens to completely engulf him. "Even though I'll no longer be onstage with you, I will still be supporting you."
The band says their final goodbyes, and Chris leaves shortly after to meet with his father. Throughout this time, Kazuya feels detached-- like his head is stuffed with cotton and his body is made of smoke.
"Miyuki." Kuramochi frowns, observing Kazuya with furrowed brows. "It's pointless for you to be worrying about the person Chris recommended," he reproves. Right now, Kazuya especially hates how perceptive this stupid tattoo artist is. "We just gotta believe in Chris, like we always have."
Not wanting to respond, Kazuya sets his jaw and remains silent. Because, honestly, he's not sure if he can believe in Chris for something like this. He respects his senpai enough to at least not say this aloud.
Kuramochi’s face scrunches even further, which Kazuya would laugh at were they in any other situation. "What's going through that shitty brain of yours?"
"We should just stop," Kazuya says offhandedly, maintaining eye contact with the intense drummer. "Shirasu, Nabe, and I are graduating this year. It'll be a lot harder to juggle the band and our corporate jobs." Kazuya sees the drab walls of the steel mill, where his father and many other Miyukis before him have spent their days. The prison where Kazuya, too, is doomed to waste away. Business administration is the perfect major for you, Kazuya, because then you can expand our business even more. "What's the point of dragging someone new into this if it's not going to last much longer, anyway?"
"Your attitude is pissing me off," Kuramochi warns coldly. Those words painfully remind Kazuya of a much different argument he had with Kuramochi a few years ago, which he would rather not revisit. However, Kazuya holds his ground.
"It's probably for the best that we just let the band die out," Kazuya shrugs. "It's not like this was ever something any of us besides Chris were serious about making a career out of. I wasn't planning on staying after graduation, anyway."
Then, Kazuya is floating. The skin on his throat burns, chafed by the coarse material of his shirt. Kuramochi tightens his grip on Kazuya’s collar and shakes him roughly. "How the hell could you just say these things?" Kazuya focuses on the cold glint of Kuramochi's tongue piercing as he yells. If it were anyone else in his shoes, Kazuya supposes, it would be fucking terrifying to face down this heavily-tattoed, delinquent-looking tough guy. But luckily for Kazuya, he’s been poking this bear for years, and knows that deep down Kuramochi isn’t really as scary as he seems. Kuramochi continues, his voice raising even higher. “We’ve poured our blood, sweat, and tears into the band. You of all people should get that, so why are you being such an insufferable prick?”
“I’m being realistic,” Kazuya wheezes, unflinching. “Wouldn’t you rather leave our fans with a respectable final image of us?”
He maintains Kuramochi’s glare for a heated, painfully silent moment. Then, Kuramochi loosens his grip on Kazuya’s shirt, dropping him back to the ground with a miffed snort. “You and I both know that corporate bullshit is gonna drain you. If you give up on music completely, you’re gonna end up in an early grave.”
Kazuya rubs his throat absently and keeps his lips pressed into a firm line. He really doesn’t need Kuramochi throwing this in his face, because they’re things he already knows.
“At least say something, dammit!” Kuramochi snarls, his face turning a deep red from ire. Kazuya could see the veins in his bandmate’s neck bulging, making the intricate ink designs on his skin dance. "I thought you'd finally be over this juvenile bullshit, but I guess not."
When Kuramochi balls his fists in preparation to strike, a very unimpressed Shirasu finally steps between them. “That’s enough, you two,” he says sternly. “Chris wouldn’t want us to fight like this.”
After a few painfully slow seconds, Kuramochi takes a step back and raises his hands placatingly. “Look, all I’m sayin’ is that I was able to make this work alongside my stuff at the tattoo shop.” He squints at Kazuya, his eyes steely and much too observant. “So if this is something you really want, why can’t you do the same?”
“I think we should give this person a chance,” Nabe adds quietly, mercifully freeing Kazuya from having to answer Kuramochi. “And if it doesn’t work out, we can end things before graduation.”
It is only mid-May, so this means that Kazuya has about ten months to make this person hate being in the band. Kazuya has been told from a reputable source (Kuramochi) that he is not the most pleasant person to be around, so if he's lucky this person will very quickly get sick of Kazuya and leave without any hassle.
“I guess I can do that,” Kazuya finally responds, not wanting to distress Nabe any more with these useless arguments. He kind of feels bad seeing his friend look so uncomfortable from this altercation, but Kazuya still stands by what he originally said. No matter what, he will be leaving Untitled as soon as he gets his degree. His response seems to placate everyone, but Kazuya could still feel Kuramochi’s probing stare burning his skin.
Even though they leave the tattoo shop on a much lighter note, Kazuya’s mind continues to buzz with pessimistic thoughts. He puts on his headphones and blasts The Back Horn as he makes the lonely journey back to his apartment, letting the music drown out everything else.
A few days have passed since Chris' announcement, and Kazuya still hasn't completely come to terms with the situation. He much prefers to ignore and avoid anything that unearths the unpleasant thoughts. He's on his way to class when his phone lights up with new notifications.
It's Nabe leaving a link in the band group chat to a post on Untitled 's Instagram. Kazuya dutifully clicks on the link, bringing up a set of photos from their past shows. The subtitle reads: Untitled wishes Chris the best of luck on the next step of his journey! Thank you for an amazing 6 years! #thankyouchris #untitled
In the center of the first photo, Chris holds onto his microphone, singing passionately. His eyes smolder as he looks directly into the camera, face framed by ringlets of loose dusty gold curls. Beside him, Kazuya's head is bowed in deep concentration as he strums along to Chris' lead. Behind them, Kuramochi poses dynamically at the drums, sweaty and vibrant. At this point in their set he has long lost his shirt, showcasing all of his obnoxious tattoos. To Chris' other side, Shirasu stands at his synthesizer, his silver-blond hair reflecting the colorful lights of their venue.
He remembers this stage: it was the debut for their cover of Wasteland by 10 Years, which ended up being one of Chris' favorite songs to perform. Kazuya had spent countless nights perfecting the sheet music for each band member all on his own, so for Chris to favor a song that he didn't even help write over their countless others made Kazuya’s heart swell with pride.
The other photos in the set are similar action shots from their performances throughout the years, with Chris at the center of each. When Kazuya reaches the final image, he is so shocked that he almost drops his phone.
It's a picture of them from high school-- the day of Chris' graduation, to be exact. They’re gathered outside the music club room, all clad in their navy blue gakuran except for Kuramochi, who has his slung over his shoulder. (It’s weird to see his friend without tattoos creeping up his neck and down his forearms.) This was the very clubroom that brought them all together-- that catalyzed the formation of Untitled. At this point it was still a fledgling band, only official in name for a little less than a year. But on this day, they were all so hopeful and excited for the future of their group, despite the fact that Chris was graduating. He had just told them that he got a job working as a music instructor and vocal coach, which put him in direct contact with many lucrative names in the city who wanted to learn from the prodigy child of Animal. This position ultimately helped Untitled find the connections that it needed to really take off and grow in popularity.
Now there’s going to be someone else in Chris’ place.
Kazuya frowns at this thought, closing the app. Just as he is about to put away his phone and forget that he ever saw that post, Nabe sends another text to the chat. Apparently they are meeting the not-Chris this Friday at 4PM. Great.
Although he would much rather not go through the motions at all, a small part of Kazuya also wonders what this person must be like to have Chris' approval. Are they as serious and soft spoken as Chris? Could their vocal range keep up with Untitled’s eclectic set of songs? Is their voice similar to Chris’ velvety baritone, or is it deeper or higher? Can they command the stage in a subtle, yet powerful way like Chris does? Most importantly, can they manage the English like Chris could? Chris refused to divulge any information about this person when Miyuki prodded him, instead responding to his texts with you'll see soon enough and the music will speak for itself.
The soft strumming of an acoustic guitar drags Kazuya out of his mind. It’s not unusual for people to hang out on campus, since the outdoor grounds are well-kept and peaceful. Plenty of people take advantage of the outdoor space to play music, whether from their phones or their own instruments. Soon enough, he sees the source of the music: a cheerful guy framed by the soft rays of the sun. His cheeks are pink from singing, and his ocher eyes twinkle with enthusiasm. He plays lefty guitar with such dexterity and confidence that even Kazuya can't help but admire it.
the light that guided me was you
so I ran along
and before I knew it we crossed paths
hey look, right now the light shines here~
At that moment, the guitar player looks up and makes eye contact with Kazuya, who freezes upon being noticed. Before the guy starts the chorus, he flashes Kazuya a lopsided grin. Not wanting to be associated with anything this cheesy, Kazuya rolls his eyes and continues walking. He’s actually seen this guy around pretty often; he always plays random songs from shoujo anime, which draws a large and annoying crowd of enthusiastic fangirls who don’t move out of the way, even when they’re blocking the entrance to the building that you have class in, and you only have sixty seconds left to get to your seat before your professor chews you out in front of everyone again --
--though it’s not like Kazuya really cares for marketing and business analytics that much, anyway.
The next few days go by in a blur of assignments and mind-numbing lectures. By the time Friday arrives, Kazuya has completely forgotten about the scheduled meeting with their potential bandmate. That is, until Kuramochi barges into Kazuya's apartment, violently wakes him up from a very nice nap, and all but drags him and to the tattoo shop. (Kazuya now deeply regrets giving Kuramochi a spare key.)
By the time Kazuya begrudgingly sets up his equipment under Kuramochi's unimpressed glare, Nabe walks in with a quiet "pardon the intrusion." Trailing behind him is the mysterious person that will be replacing Chris.
Nabe tucks his recording equipment under his arm and gestures for the person to follow him into the center of the studio. "Everyone, meet Sawamura Eijun."
The last person that Kazuya ever expected to enter this sacred space sets down his guitar case and bows in front of the group. "This Sawamura Eijun will do his best to live up to the very high expectations set by the venerable Chris-senpai!"
This is too much ! Loud laughter bubbles from Kazuya's throat before anyone can say anything to this guy. He cackles until he doubles over, mirthful tears pooling in the corners of his eyes.
"What the fuck is your problem, Miyuki?" Kuramochi hisses as he delivers an unnecessarily rough kick to Kazuya's backside.
Kazuya wipes his eyes and tries to recollect himself, but he almost ends up in another laughing fit when he sees Sawamura Eijun's disgruntled face. "So Chris recommended a guy who sings bubblegum shoujo anime songs to play in a rock band?"
"You know him?" Shirasu asks, looking carefully between Kazuya and Kuramochi. Maybe if Kazuya gets Kuramochi to become really violent, Sawamura will immediately leave for fear of his life and Kazuya could forget any of this ever happened.
"I don't know him personally," Kazuya responds with a shrug. "I've just seen this guy playing on campus enough to know that he's not a good fit for the band."
"You shouldn't judge me so quickly, you tanuki bastard!" the shoujo anime guy seethes, jabbing a finger into Kazuya's chest. He got awfully close quite fast. "I've been working with Chris-senpai for a long time, and he's told me that my vocal range is quite versatile!"
"Did he now? By the way you're yelling right now, I'm surprised you haven't injured your vocal chords beyond repair."
Kazuya knows this is going to strike a nerve, but the words fall out of his mouth before he could stop them. Chris had sustained a vocal chord injury a few years ago, which almost cost him both his own and Untitled's future. Ever since then, they haven't been able to cover songs that required more intense vocal parts. In his periphery, Kazuya could see Kuramochi and Nabe stiffen.
"Chris-senpai taught me how to take care of my voice very well," Sawamura counters, pinning Kazuya with a serious gaze. "Music is important to me, so let me prove to you that I belong on the stage."
Nabe finishes setting up his recording equipment at the front of the room, clearing his throat to gather everyone's attention. "Sawamura-kun is well known on Instagram for his covers of all kinds of songs. He is not only versatile with his vocal range, but also plays a variety of instruments and has experience singing in different languages."
"No shit," Kuramochi responds, looking equal parts impressed and pissed at Sawamura. Kazuya isn't as surprised; the annoying crowds this guy attracts on campus now make a lot more sense.
"Wahaha! My fans come from all over the world, so I'm always trying to connect with them through their language. I actually found Chris-senpai because I wanted a voice coach I could speak English with," Sawamura reveals with a slight blush. "Our dads knew each other a long time ago, so they introduced us."
"Sawamura-kun's established online following could help Untitled reach a bigger audience, as well as make the transition in the band much smoother for our fans," Nabe adds helpfully. "I've shared our most popular songs with him, so we can record a few demos and see how he meshes with everyone."
With a feral grin, Kuramochi grabs his drumsticks and plops onto his stool. "What're we waiting for then? Let's see what this punk's made of, kyaha!"
"What song should we start with?" Shirasu asks, and everyone in the room defers to Kazuya-- including Sawamura, who is suddenly much more pensive.
"Knights of Cydonia," he says without hesitation. Kazuya knows it might seem cruel for him to choose such a difficult song to start with, but he needs to ascertain that Sawamura is serious. A small part of his mind also tells him that if the guy flops, then it's another easy out to end the band like Kazuya wanted to all along.
Kazuya can hear Kuramochi mutter "fuckin' asshole" from behind him, but he is much more focused on Sawamura, who is now setting up his electric guitar. Kazuya observes the way the rich golden yellows of the guitar reflect the fluorescent lights, making it glow almost like a star would. When Sawamura finally slings the instrument over his shoulder, he looks expectantly at Kazuya.
Kazuya smirks. “That thing is called a guitar, Bakamura. If you pluck the strings, it makes noise,” he goads.
A few loose chords ring through the room, deliberate and slow. “Oh, you mean like this, bass-sama?” Sawamura asks through clenched teeth, clearly annoyed by Kazuya's jab. When Kazuya looks down, he sees that Sawamura is holding his guitar pick in such a way that his middle finger is protruding out.
This guy…!
“That’s a weird way to hold a guitar pick,” Kazuya chuckles, taking care to hide his surprise. “I’m still not convinced you know what you’re doing. Maybe this will help you.” He begins to complement Sawamura’s random chords with his bass, maintaining eye contact with a shit-eating grin. They continue this dance, harmonizing their disjointed chords and exchanging dirty looks until the loud clack clack clack of drumsticks brings them both to attention.
"Your heads are gonna become my new drum set in two seconds if we don't fuckin’ start already," Kuramochi bellows. Sawamura’s eyes widen at the threat, and Kazuya watches him inhale sharply. Then, something changes in Sawamura’s demeanor. He squares his shoulders and adjusts his guitar strap before shooting an intense look at Kazuya. The striking gleam in Sawamura’s eyes sends an electric shock down Kazuya’s spine. Without further hesitation, Sawamura strums the opening notes to Knights of Cydonia and hums into the microphone, his tone low and sultry. Kazuya almost doesn’t start playing on time, he is so shocked. But he quickly falls into stride with Sawamura, matching his pace perfectly. He lets himself get lost in the rhythm, welcoming the familiar comfort of drumbeats and guitar riffs. Feeling cheeky, Kazuya makes a few ad-libs, pushing Sawamura to match his rhythm.
Despite playing left-handed, Sawamura plays with dexterity, effortlessly executing the difficult intro to the song, along with Kazuya's twists.
Sawamura’s energy is bewitching ; Kazuya doesn't even realize that he's harmonizing into the microphone before he's already sung a few lines. He almost never sings with the group, instead letting Shirasu do all of the work to complement the lead vocal. The only thing going through his mind is how he wants to challenge Sawamura--how he wants to give everything that he has. They maintain eye contact, eyes blazing, as they speak through their powerful strumming.
no one’s going to take me alive
time has come to make things right
you and I must fight for our rights
you and I must fight to survive
Methodically, Sawamura begins to increase the tempo of his guitar, challenging Kazuya to follow. Kuramochi punctuates the rapid pace change with staccato drumming. It feels like all of the air has left Kazuya's lungs, like his heart is going to burst out of his chest from anticipation.
Then, Sawamura and Kazuya fall into an explosive duet. It feels like he's soaring, like his entire body is ablaze from the electricity surging between them. It isn't until Sawamura strums the last note that Kazuya realizes just how much he didn't want the performance to end. He wipes the sweat from his brow and tries to gather his racing thoughts in the following silence.
Sawamura smiles at Kazuya, breathless but vibrant. His eyes search Kazuya's, seeking some sort of feedback. Kazuya can't help but smile back, but quickly reigns in his enthusiasm.
"That was quite the impressive performance," a familiar voice hums. Kazuya turns to find Kominato Ryousuke, the other owner of the tattoo shop, leaning casually on the wall beside his partner's drum set. It's not uncommon for Ryou to mysteriously appear in the studio mid-practice, especially if business upstairs is slow. Even though his eyes are hidden behind thick lashes, Kazuya can feel Ryou's appraising stare. "You even managed to get Miyuki-kun to sing," he notes with a sharp grin.
Kazuya only shrugs noncommittally in response, because frankly he is a bit too scared of Ryou-san to be a complete asshole to him. He'd rather not have his deepest darkest secrets weaponized against him.
"Onii-san!" Sawamura squawks with a pleased grin. He blushes profusely from Ryou's praise. How the hell is someone like Sawamura familiar enough with Kominato Ryousuke to call him brother?! "Thank you very much for acknowledging my music."
"You were very good, Sawamura-kun. You blended well with the rest of the group and flawlessly executed a difficult song," Nabe adds with a small nod. Sawamura's cheeks flush even more from the praise, and he cackles heartily. "I told you so!"
"Oi, don't inflate his ego too much, Nabe-chan," Kuramochi warns, but his tone is more light-hearted than cold. "If it means we get to do more Disturbed and Outrage covers with this loudmouth, then I'm all for keeping him."
"I agree," Shirasu says firmly, looking at Kazuya expectantly to follow up. He now regrets causing that argument with Kuramochi solely because it seems to have made everyone even more critical of him. (That, and he didn't even get his way. As a minor control freak, Kazuya is really not happy about that.)
Kazuya sighs, trying his best to look indifferent. "I suppose he's proven himself." He then dares to make eye contact with Sawamura, who looks at Kazuya with that same blazing wonder in his eyes. "Welcome to the band," Kazuya says with a smirk, before averting his gaze. He really isn't ready to admit that he actually enjoyed playing with Sawamura. That he wants the band to continue.
"I am in your care," Sawamura yells, bowing with his guitar. When he returns to an upright position, Sawamura then points a finger accusingly at Kazuya once again. "And don't think I will forget so soon that we go to the same school, Miyuki Kazuya! You should play with me sometime in the commons!"
"Not happening," Kazuya fires back. He'd rather die before catering to that crowd of people. He managed to get by these past three years barely recognized on campus, despite Untitled's popularity with the college-aged demographic. That was mostly thanks to Chris' powerful stage presence and Kuramochi's obnoxious everything commanding all of the attention. Kazuya intends to keep his musical identity low-key, especially since his days in the band will be coming to an end soon.
"I'll make you change your mind, you stingy tanuki," Sawamura promises, eyes narrowed.
"Alright then, let's play a few more demo songs and get some dinner," Kuramochi interjects. "I'm fuckin' starving."
"I told you that frappucinos shouldn't be substituted for actual meals, Youichi," Ryou simpers. "If you starve you have no one to blame but yourself." He then chops Kuramochi on the back of the head before gracefully making his way to the door. "Have fun now," Ryou says with a vague smile, and Kazuya can't help but feel victimized in this particular moment as well.
Now with Sawamura officially playing as Untitled's lead guitar and vocalist, the group goes through a few more of their most popular songs. When they finally finish, Nabe keeps Sawamura to work out things for their social media page. Kuramochi orders food to be delivered to the shop for everyone, but Kazuya opts to leave instead. When he is finally walking back to his apartment, Kazuya finds himself quietly humming Knights of Cydonia.
When Kazuya wakes up the next day, he almost has himself convinced that yesterday's meeting was just an elaborate dream. However, when he receives an email from Nabe with the recordings from yesterday, Kazuya can no longer avoid the truth:
Sawamura Eijun has taken Chris' place in Untitled .
Kazuya tries to go about his day without thinking about the MP4 files that await him in his inbox. He goes for a run, cooks a nice lunch, watches a baseball game on TV, and even makes an attempt to study. He finally gives up when he's halfway through a powerpoint on some sort of marketing theory that has way too many components to ever be practical. He closes off the powerpoint in frustration, revealing his almost-forgotten inbox. The email that Kazuya has been trying to avoid all day once again stares at him on his laptop screen. With his lips pressed into a tight line, Kazuya dares to open the files that Nabe sent him.
He sees Sawamura Eijun flipping him off as he slowly strums his guitar. Kazuya observes his own shit-eating grin as he strums along to the random chords. Then, Kazuya watches as his expression changes to one of awe when the opening notes of Knights of Cydonia reverberate through the room. His eyes follow the curve of Sawamura's lips over the microphone, the bob of his throat as he hums, the confidence in the way his fingers fly across the fretboard.
Sawamura's eyes practically glow when they look into the camera, and Kazuya can feel his breath catch in his throat. Sawamura's eyes burn like embers, his voice sultry and sanguine. Even just watching the performance from his computer screen, Kazuya finds himself back in that moment, completely ensnared by Sawamura's presence.
When the song ends, Kazuya can't help but gape in awe. He still can't believe that this is the same guy who plucks along to unbearably cheesy shoujo anime songs on his college campus. Curious, Kazuya decides to pull up Sawamura's Instagram page, which Nabe had also included in the email.
ACEJUN's profile is innocent and bubbly, with a predictably excessive use of caps lock, emojis, and exclamation points. Kazuya clicks on the most recent post, which is a video of Sawamura playing the ukelele. The caption excitedly explains that this was a HIGHLY REQUESTED SONG!!!!!
Sawamura begins to hum sweetly to a familiar, uplifting tune. He strums softly on his ukelele, which is covered with a variety of cute stickers.
somewhere over the rainbow
skies are blue
and the dreams that you dare to dream
really do come true
His voice is powerful yet soft, perfectly capturing the emotion of the song. Kazuya catches a small hint of that same burning intensity in Sawamura's eyes, which draws him in once again. He watches the song to the end, and blames his apartment's finicky air-conditioning for the goosebumps appearing on his skin.
All the while, Kazuya's phone has been vibrating incessantly. When the video ends, Kazuya groans. Is Mochi spamming the group chat with cat pictures again? More often than not, Kazuya regrets letting that asshole convince him that getting a smartphone was a good idea. He finally locates the torture device, which was buried underneath a pile of papers. Kazuya sighs and opens up the band group chat, which has way too many notifications. Apparently Sawamura has been added to the chat, which resulted in an immediate meme war between him and Kuramochi. Kazuya scrolls up for what feels like an eternity, finally finding the message that Nabe tagged everyone in.
[Nabe-chan] Hello everyone. I have Sawamura-kun's official announcement and interview ready. I will post it to our page tomorrow.
Kazuya sighs with resignation and sets his phone down. He looks at his laptop screen once more, where Sawamura Eijun is frozen holding his ukelele with a soft smile.
These next ten months are going to be a lot different than he had originally anticipated.