Work Text:
“Eichi-san! I finished checking all the equipment in projection room B!” Ken reported to his work supervisor, Eichi.
“Thanks, Ken-kun!” Eichi appreciated it as he marked the duties off his checklist. “That about wraps up our tasks here. I have everything else covered, so you can take a break.”
“Okay!” Ken understood. He was about to head to the break room, but then Eichi stopped him for a moment.
“Oh, wait Ken-kun! Why don’t you head to the main hall where the piano concert is being hosted?” Eichi suggested as he checked his watch. “You might be able to catch the last performance if you hurry!”
“Got it!” Ken hurried down the hall.
Ken quietly slipped inside the main planetarium hall where a live piano concert was being hosted underneath a starry projection show. He spotted his boss and the planetarium’s owner Shu standing under the spotlight by the grand piano taking a final bow as the audience applauded with excitement.
“Aw, maybe I was too late,” Ken whispered to himself and was about to step back out in the hall to see if Eichi needed help managing the equipment, but then Shu took the microphone and made an announcement.
“Thank you everyone for coming to the planetarium’s first ever piano concert, Starry Sky Medley,” Shun expressed. “Before we bid you all sweet dreams under the glittering stars, I’d like to conclude this concert with one last performance by another special guest.”
“Ohh~!” Ken clapped with the rest of the audience at the surprise.
“Fujimura Mamoru-san,” Shu welcomed someone to the spotlight.
Ken saw a tall man with reddish brown hair that had a slight purple hue under the spotlight walk nervously over to the piano. He was dressed in a simple white button shirt and black vest with a black tie and gray pants.
Fujimura took a deep breath as he positioned his fingers over the black and white keys.
The spotlight dimmed to a low light as stars and constellations were projected around the dome-shaped room. When the opening melody started playing, Ken’s attention was drawn in.
The song sounded delicate, yet powerful. Ken felt as if he wasn’t standing in the planetarium watching a concert; it was more like he was actually traveling under the stars.
A wide, endless starry sky above grassy fields with tall mountains in the distance calling for an adventure. A narrow, wavy path through forests and across the ocean to worlds beyond the horizon.
Ken was so surprised by the melody of the song, he almost didn’t realize when the song concluded and everyone was already giving a standing ovation. Ken clapped as hard as he could, his heart still feeling the excitement from the song.
Fujimura stood up and took a shaky bow. He was about to step out of the spotlight, but then Shu handed him the microphone and whispered something in Fujimura’s ear. Fujimura nodded before he held the mic close and spoke to the audience.
“Ehh…thank you so much for listening! Once again, I’m Fujimura Mamoru. It’s an honor to be invited to this wonderful planetarium, not to mention being given the opportunity to play an original song I wrote in front of so many people under the pretty stars. T-Thank you so much!!” Fujimura gave a short speech and bowed. The audience clapped even louder.
After the concert ended and all the public guests left for the evening, the planetarium staff hosted a wrap-up party for all the invited musicians from the piano concert. Ken looked around searching for a particular musician. He saw Shu talking with two boys, one with short silver hair and the other with shoulder length dark teal hair, who also had performed songs during the concert according to Eichi.
Ken finally spotted Fujimura standing alone at a corner table looking up at the ceiling. The starry projections were left on for the party for a relaxing atmosphere.
“Do you like the stars, Fujimura-san?” Ken opened up to Fujimura.
Fujimura blinked and noticed Ken smiling at him. “Ah! Yes! Even though I know they’re only projections, it really is amazing to see them inside the planetarium, mister…um..?”
Ken smiled and held out his hand, “Yaegashi Kensuke! I work here at the planetarium as one of Eichi-san’s assistants!”
“Ah! Pleased to meet you, Yaegashi-san!” Fujimura shook Ken’s hand nervously and excitedly.
“Ken is fine!” Ken said. “We’re all like family here, so I’m not used to being called by my family name haha.”
“I see! Ah, you can call me Mamoru! I’m not used to formalities either,” Mamoru mentioned.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mamoru!” Ken felt happy to meet a new friend. “Your piano song was really amazing! I was blown away!”
“Thank you so much, I’m very happy to hear you enjoyed it, Ken-kun!” Mamoru was delighted. “It was my first time performing in front of so many people, haha.”
“You mentioned you wrote the song yourself? Where did you learn how to make an incredible song?” Ken asked curiously.
“Oh, I’m self taught,” Mamoru answered much to Ken’s surprise. “The song I played was something I came up with a few days ago. I happened to see the advertisement that the planetarium was looking for musicians, so I submitted a recording to Shu-san. I was so surprised when I received an invitation after sending it!”
“You taught yourself how to make that song? That’s even more amazing!” Ken admired Mamoru’s skill. “I really liked it! I felt like I was transported to another world under the night sky!”
Mamoru laughed. “I’m glad to hear that from someone who listened to my song. I tried to imagine going on an adventure under the stars to another world when I wrote it,” Mamoru described his thinking.
“The melody is really something! If you released it on a CD, it would be popular for sure!” Ken complimented.
“A CD?! No, no, I don’t think I could sell it very well. I’m not a famous musician or anything,” Mamoru denied. “I was a simple salaryman before.”
“A salaryman?” Ken wasn’t expecting that.
“Mm! I used to work in an office in town. Ah–but it recently went out of business, so I was pretty troubled, haha,” Mamoru laughed, though it didn’t sound like a good situation at all.
“So where do you work now?” Ken asked.
“I…don’t have an actual job at the moment,” Mamoru confessed, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
“Oh! I’m sorry, it was rude of me to ask!” Ken immediately apologized.
“No! Don’t worry, Ken-kun! I know it sounds bad, but I still try to look on the positive side of things!” Mamoru said. “I’ve made some money performing songs in cafes or outdoor parks!”
Ken wanted to learn more about Mamoru, but then the staff announced the party would be ending soon so they could close the planetarium for the night.
“Where do you live? We should hang out again! I’d love to hear more about you and your songs!” Ken said, but then he noticed that Mamoru’s expression looked downcast.
“I don’t have a place to stay actually, haha,” Mamoru told Ken. “I kind of, um, wander from place to place I guess.”
“Oh…hmm, then how about you come stay at my place?” Ken offered. “You could be my roommate!”
“Ehhh? Roommate?! But–I don’t have a lot of money right now, or a proper job for that matter,” Mamoru confessed.
“That’s fine! I can still afford the rent with my job here, plus it will be fun to have another guy around my age around,” Ken assured.
“Ken-kun, may I ask how old you are?” Mamoru wondered.
“23.”
Mamoru choked on his drink.
“I’m 26,” Mamoru stated.
Ken blinked and was surprised. “You’re older than me?! I’m sorry, Mamoru-san!” Ken bowed in apology.
“No, no, no! There’s no need to apologize or speak so formally to me, Ken-kun!” Mamoru got flustered.
“Haha, you’re pretty easy going, I really like that!” Ken commented. “So how about it? We can work out all the details later.”
“Well, if you don’t mind someone like me staying with you…”
“No problem! I told you, I want to hear more of your songs!” Ken insisted.
“Okay! Then, I’ll be happy to accept your offer, Ken-kun!” Mamoru decided.
After Ken finished up his remaining job duties and bid goodnight to Shu and Eichi, he met up with Mamoru at the front entrance of the planetarium.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Mamoru!” Ken said.
“No worries!” Mamoru smiled.
“Is that all of your stuff?” Ken asked. He noticed Mamoru only had two bags, and one of them looked like an instrument.
“Yes! My clothes are in this bag, and this is my companion, my keyboard!” Mamoru confirmed.
“What about the rest of your belongings?” Ken tilted his head confused.
“I don’t have anything else, haha,” Mamoru said.
“Huh?”
“Oh, don’t worry! I still have my ID in my wallet!” Mamoru added.
“So in summary, all you own is your clothes and your keyboard?” Ken questioned.
“Yes!”
“You really are unlucky,” Ken felt bad for Mamoru.
Ken decided since it was late, they will go out shopping for things tomorrow. Ken showed Mamoru how to get to his apartment from the planetarium.
“Sorry it’s a bit messy in here, didn’t expect to bring home company,” Ken apologized in advance as he welcomed Mamoru inside. “Feel free to set your bag and keyboard down anywhere!”
“Don’t worry! This feels like a nice home!” Mamoru complimented as he put down his bag and keyboard and looked around.
It was a one bedroom apartment with a small kitchen, a living space, a bathroom, a bedroom, and a small balcony since Ken lived on the third floor. The living space had a sofa large enough to fit two people, a low coffee table, a TV with a game console, a small bookshelf with a mix of magazines and manga, and a large orange bean bag chair.
“I’ll lend you some pajamas tonight,” Ken said. “I hope you don’t mind that they're orange colored, and they might be a tad small.”
“I appreciate your kindness, Ken-kun!” Mamoru expressed.
After Ken handed Mamoru his spare pajamas, Ken realized something he was missing. “Ah, I don’t have an extra futon. You can sleep in my bed tonight,” Ken offered.
“Eh?! No, no, no! I don’t want to intrude in your space! I’ll be more than happy to sleep on the sofa!” Mamoru claimed.
“I’m used to sleeping on the sofa when my friends sleep over, it’s cool!” Ken mentioned.
“But–” Mamoru felt bad, but Ken was already guiding him to his bedroom.
“We’re roommates now, Mamoru! No need to hold back!” Ken encouraged Mamoru.
“O-Okay.”
“Sweet dreams, Mamoru~!” Ken bid goodnight.
“Good night, Ken-kun!” Mamoru said.
As soon as Mamoru laid down in Ken’s bed after changing into the orange pajamas, his body instantly felt relief and comfort. It had been a long time since Mamoru was able to sleep peacefully in a comfortable bed.
“Ken-kun is really kind,” Mamoru appreciated before his sleepy eyes closed and Mamoru drifted off to sleep.
In the living room, Ken had already settled down comfortably enough to sleep on the sofa, but he was still wide awake looking at his phone. He asked Eichi to send him the recordings of the piano concert. Of course he wanted to see the recordings to watch the song performances he missed, but that was the latter reason. The main reason was that Ken wanted to watch and listen to Mamoru’s performance again.
Ken smiled as he listened closely to the melody and rhythm of the song and watched the video on repeat until he fell asleep and dreamed of a starry world.