Work Text:
Destiny is a funny thing.
People are born of all classes every minute of every day. Some are born to a loving family, some are born with a silver spoon in their mouths. Some, like Kokuyou, aren’t wanted, aren’t loved by those who should be there for you when you are growing up.
The Orphanage he grew up in had been good enough - he was fed, given clothing, a bed. He’d even met people he might even call friends. But as the years went on, through grade school and middle school, Kokuyou constantly felt like something was missing. Like something inside him was incomplete.
Then, one day while he had been walking through town, skipping school, when he came across a place he’d never seen before. ‘ Starless’ was what the glowing sign above the half hidden door said, shining like an ethereal beacon. He felt something hook in his belly button, pulling him towards the older building, but he just shrugged and began walking past when he heard music coming from within. The invisible hook connected to him pulled taut, pulling him to a stop and turning his body to face the shop. Then he felt his legs move towards the entrance to pause at the door so he could peek around the edge of the door.
Inside, it was dark all around the stage, but the stage itself? Lit up like the sun shining on snow covered grown in the middle of winter.
He could feel his jaw hit the floor in awe as he watched the group of men on stage dancing to the song with women gathered around the stage cheering them on. Their movements were perfect, fluid like water in a stream. He knew he was staring, but he couldn’t help it. He was in a trance and there was a feeling in his chest unlike anything else he’d felt before. Only one thought was in his head at that moment: “ This is what I want to do.”
For the next week, when school hours were done, Kokuyou would make his way to Starless to watch them rehearse and perform in secret. A couple times, he would even catch himself dancing along with them quietly in the back where no one would see him.
One night, one of the teams was doing a final rehearsal on stage when they started arguing - one of the team members was absent and no one had heard from him. They argued with another man who stood below, talking about how they couldn’t perform without a full team. The other man was insistent that it was possible, they just had to compensate.
“I’ve been watching you, you know.” Kokuyou jumped when a woman came to stand next to him, watching the men argue on the other side of the room. She cupped her chin with one hand, which was being held up against her opposite arm. With a sigh, she dropped both and turned to look at him, eye to eye. “Would you be interested in filling in for our missing member? You know the routine better than almost everyone.”
“Fuck no, I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Um, I’m still in middle school?” Kokuyou gave her a look that screamed ‘seriously, are you dumb?’
The woman just chuckled. “And I’m the only one who now knows that information. Before I started talking to you, I assumed you were in high school because of how tall you are. It’s rather hard to see your uniform in the foyer. I think, as long as you don’t mind not getting paid and change out of your uniform before you get here, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Not get paid?”
“Yes, our performers are paid for the work they do. However, since you are still too young, we can’t officially take you on as an employee. However, if you stick around for, what, another couple years, we could officially hire you once you are of age. I assume you’re about twelve, right?”
Kokuyou simply stared at her in surprise before looking around the hall. Work at Starless? Already, he felt drawn and in tune with the performances. There was a connection to this place he couldn’t deny. And now this mysterious woman was telling him that, when he turned fifteen, he might get hired? This was a dose of a possible future he never imagined he would have. A light shining before him that he wanted to reach out to and hold on to.
He turned back towards her to see she was holding out her hand for him to shake. He looked at her smaller hand, well manicured and smooth-skinned before meeting her gaze again. “In a year and a half, when I turn fifteen, I’ll take that job offer.”
She smiled a beautiful smile and gripped his hand with surprising strength despite her petite stature. “Great. Now, let’s get you a locker and ready to help rehearse. I’ll let my husband know the plan while you get ready.”
With a wave of her hand, one of the performers that wasn’t practicing came over. “Please get this young man situated with a locker and ready to help rehearse with the team. He’s going to be our fill-in for the time being.”
“Comeon, kid.”
Kokuyou looked from the older man back to the woman, watching her walk towards the man looking up at the stage. “Who is that woman?”
“She’s the owner’s wife, Koharu.”