ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴡᴇʟᴠᴇ

୨⎯ Eyes Reflect The Deepest Wounds ⎯୧

A strike of a chord puts the crowd's mind at ease. A beat of a drum echoes in the room raising one's heartbeat. Voice delivers a message to touch someone which results in communication, but what does a person do if communication is thrown out of the window?

Hajime comes up to me with his bass and darts me a glare. "Oi, Rindou. Has the room frozen you from the cold? You haven't moved a muscle since you sat on that chair. Are you gonna play with us or not?"

I snap out of it and shift my eyes towards him. "What? Yeah, that's why I came here today."

He sneers at me and blabbers his mouth all he wants, "Then move your goddamn arms and hit a beat! We're all here wondering what you have been up to only to find out you have been recruited to become an actor in some kind of movie??"

Pressing his weighted hands on top of my shoulders, Hajime shouts at me, "What went in your head? Hey, could you please tell me?! Hey!"

Honestly, I would like to ask myself that exact question. Did I just accept the offer just because? No, I'm not that impulsive. It's because...

"There are other important matters to deal with right now, Koko." A certain someone chimes in. He is sitting so carefree by the corner of the sofa of our private studio. If I remember correctly, his name is Inui? Apparently, he is buddies with Hajime here. Well, who would have thought he has actual friends all along.

Hajime releases me from his grip and sits down beside his friend. Why did he invite a friend over again? Oh, I think he mentioned something about having company and not being alone together with me. I think it's some bullshit he's got.

"The next show is around three weeks from now. Are you gonna actually play for the band this time, Rindou? If not, at least give us a heads up, man! It's so hard to play with a missing member." Hajime grunts.

As I sigh with exhaustion, I rest the drum sticks on the floor and face him in a serious manner. "I'm fine with just being a temporary member. You can always replace me whenever you like. I'm pretty sure I told you that before."

Hajime raises an eyebrow and refutes my statement, "And I'm certain we have talked about this before too. You even said you will take this band seriously from now on. And that 'from now on' was six months ago. I mean for a month you did but you just disappeared after that. Care to explain? Because I just can't comprehend your character, Rindou."

Am I really at fault here? Probably. I can't just straight up tell him I have been drinking and sleeping around for the past five months. He'll just... Ugh, who cares. I joined this rock band on a whim anyway.

"I like music but maybe it's best for me to just stick to listening and not playing it. Good luck on the show and send my regards to the vocalist guy." I then get up from the chair and grab my coat hanging on the sofa.

"What?!" He jumps from the sofa and is about to chase after me. "Wait, you can't possibly-"

I have already exited the room for me to hear what he has to say. Hajime never gets tired of bickering with people, huh? Like I don't even remember a time where we were on the same page. Weird, that reminds me of someone I know...

Hajime grumbles to himself as Seishu stays behind him, "He's an asshole and will always be. It's just in his nature to not properly communicate with someone, huh! Damn Haitani. Does he think he owns the world to mess with other people's precious time?"

A day went by and I still remember the kiss I had with Y/n. It is for a commercial so it's nothing really to dwell on. Honestly, I am amazed by how actors just brush off a kiss here and there. How do they do that all for the sake of a film?

I am back at the studio, of course, together with my partner and her manager and a whole production team on her back. They would honestly look like Y/n's bodyguard if I imagine them wearing suits and black sunglasses. Damn, I can't stop staring at her as she enters the double doors.

Oh, but that guy is with her again. I swear I felt like she was single and ready to mingle. Not a taken pretty lady who is not head over feels for me. Who even is that white haired guy? An actual actor? Or just like a...friend? If so, why were they- No, I don't want to replay that in my head again. It's disgusting.

Every time I see the two of them together, Y/n is always smiling and clinging to him like a slime but when she is with me, Y/n is just always so grumpy and looks like she wants to beat me up until my face swells.

"God, am I jealous?" I utter to myself with my hand somewhat covering my mouth.

"Did you say something?" Y/n glares at me with her body sideways from mine. I snap back to the real world and say a dumb excuse, "I was just complimenting your red dress. The color really suits you. You know, you make my heart pound."

"And you make my blood boil. Focus on the damn job, Haitani." She replies with an icy stab to my pulsating heart. I love her eyes. It always reflects something different from her words. I am not delusional or blinded by love but I can definitely see in her pupils a lonely lit lantern there waiting for me to grab it and keep it warm forever.

I smirk at her, saying, "You are enthusiastic about this project. I expected you to not like working here with me and would have a hard time adjusting. Hmm, but here you are pouring all your effort into this."

"What can I say? I have someone who supports me. Who I can actually entrust my heart to." She responds with a face as if... she's genuinely in love.

"Whatever you say." I say back to her with a bold expression before moving onto the next scene. We're just previewing how the scenes will come to play since I think some lines are impromptu. Way to give me a pat on the back as a newbie actor.

This whole thing is giving me a headache. Why am I putting myself into this? Not once in my life have I thought of partaking in a film. And to think I am actually the leading man, or whatever you call it, in this very film.

"Of course I know the answer to that, dumbass."

Y/n crosses her arms as she stares with a disturbed expression. "Hey, will you stop whispering to yourself? You're weird enough for me. Stop making it worse by talking to the air."

I look back at her and watch the perfect angle of her perfect beautiful face as the breeze blows her glistening long black hair back. Her side profile is breathtaking. I wish I could capture this lovely image but, yes, that is oddly creepy. I am deeply astonished by her beauty that I could feel my gaze melting.

Maybe I'm the one who needs her.

"Ah, Izana." I call out to him as I notice him buried on his phone. He then looks at me and I continue my sentence, "You can leave early. I am planning to stop by a convenience store before I head home."

"Are you sure you don't need my help?" He asks.

I reply nicely to Izana's kindness, "I'll be fine. I also notice that you're occupied for the rest of the day. Why don't you go and handle it?"

He fixes his bag and gives me a quick hug before heading out. "Take care, Y/n." A wave motions my hand at him with my relaxed expression showing.

Everyone in the studio has already left including him who was most likely the third person to leave the area as soon as he can. What is he up to? Honestly, I don't even wanna know. He might be out there extremely worn out from all the things we have to invest in this project. Time and effort.

By the way he's acting a while ago, I assume the fake dating plan is working quite well. I finally get to have my revenge, Haitani. Can't believe he still likes me after all these years!

...Wait, no. No. What do you mean by 'still', Y/n?! That is wrong. A misconception from your younger self all the way back in high school! Plus, he is probably toying with your heart again.

Ugh, I am relapsing again to my old self wherein I get too caught up with my own thoughts that I start to lose track of time. Enough with all this nonsense. I have to go before Mari grows impatient with me.

Arriving at the convenience store is no problem. It's a 6-minute walk from the studio I was just at and coincidentally, the sun went down by the time I entered the store. Right on the dot.

Do I have to worry about going home? I can always just take a cab or a bus but with this red halter dress on, I don't think my trust issues will be happy with accepting those options. I definitely need a ride home with someone I know.

Grabbing the items that I currently need back inside the mansion, I walk to the counter and get all the stuff paid. Now comes the conflict I'm dealing with that I put aside thirty minutes ago. I pull out my phone from my purse and scroll through my contacts. Mari is the first person I called.

"Y/n? Oh, sorry I can't pick you up right now. I found an error in the security system and I'm trying to fix it right now. You understand, right?"

Right, the only person I trust the most is unavailable because of inconveniences at the mansion. Being rich and popular at the same time is tough, I get it.

I sigh deeply and continue to scroll on my contacts. "I can't call Izana." I whisper to myself. "He is undoubtedly busy at the moment. I'm sure of it."

The next person I thought of is Seishu but, uhm, I forgot to get his new phone number. I'm ninety-nine percent certain that he changed his number. Eight years is pretty long for a person.

I grunt, ashamed of myself, "How stupid can I get?" Great, I don't have anyone else I can contact except for him. Can somebody tell me why I saved his number?

Inhaling and exhaling as the number stares at me firmly, I press his number and the phone starts ringing. "Hello?"

♥ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇᴅ...