Wish for a Smile: Chapter one

Wish for a smile

CHAPTER ONE
“Our First Rival”

Ryuhi: Why did I agree to be in a band? I made a promise 7 years ago to grow up and be a successful guy with a great life and a… loving wife. I don’t care about any of those. How come I never noticed how selfish we both were. I bet now he’s living ‘my dream’. I wish I could just live the rest of my life as a normal guy who isn’t famous, or rich. Everyone seems to care about that sort of thing. Why? How can people care about anything so much? Which goes back to my original question. Why did I agree to be in a band? I don’t even care about being famous or rich, and now every girl down the block wants to talk to me. I don’t even want to look at them. I wish I can rewind time and be normal.

The school bells rang.

Kodachi, Airi and Kinome were on their way to school. They’re all seniors in Taishoku High, which is right next to Tokyo U., where Ryuhi and Tame go to school. Since the three girls are seniors, they don’t have a 1st period class, but they go to school the same time just because they can.

“Kinome, when does your store open?” Airi asked.

“In about 2 weeks. I still have to find some people to work there while I’m at school.” Kinome answered.

“Don’t trust Sosuke enough?” Kodachi laughed.

“Are you kidding? He would stay for not even an hour and then totally ditch the store and go downstairs and do something else!” Kinome said.

“Haha, calm down!” Kodachi smiled.

“Kinome, I’d be glad to help you on the weekends!” Airi offered with a smile.

“Yeah me too!” Kodachi added.

“Can Ryuhi work, too!?” Airi asked.

“Airi, I don’t think he’d want to work on weekends.” Kodachi said.

“Yeah, he always disappears on weekends!” Airi said, “Like last Saturday at the party, he got there sooo late!” Airi whined.

“Airi…it wasn’t that late.” Kodachi said.

“Yes, he usually disappears the whole weekend.” Kinome thought, “Kodachi, does he ever tell you where he goes?” Kinome asked.

“Uh, No. He just says he’ll be back Sunday, and he always does so I don’t worry.” Kodachi said.

“What if one time, he gets lost and never can come back!?” Airi freaked out.

“No… I think he’s too smart for that.” Kinome smiled.

“Yes, he goes to Tokyo U! Ahhh, he’s so smart!” Airi grinned widely and giggled.

“Hey we’re almost at school. We still have about 40 minutes. Do you guys want to get some breakfast?” Kinome asked.

“Yes!!” The girls began to run past their school and towards a little bagel shop.

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Ryuhi was sitting in class, leaning against his chair. He was right next to the window, and when he looked out, he saw the girls run into the bagel shop. Airi was the last one to enter. She stopped and looked towards Ryuhi’s direction. After a moment, she ran into the bagel shop.

“Mr.Kusanagi! Pay attention!!” Ryuhi’s teacher yelled. She was one of those ladies who look mean, but when you meet them, they’re nice…only students who behave, which doesn’t include Ryuhi.

Ryuhi turned his glance back to the front of the room.

“Class, for the rest of the period, pick someone to go over the notes. Don’t forget you’re having a big test tomorrow.” The teacher announced.

A whole group of girls ran to Ryuhi’s desk. “Hey, do you want to work with me?” “Work with me” “Ryuhi, pick me!” They all were shouting out nonsense.

Ryuhi stood up, and walked over to Tame’s desk, since they were in the same class. He sat down and they began to talk over notes.

“Aw…. They always hang out…” The girls said.

“The girls always pick that guy… just because he’s in a band…” the guys raged with jealousy of Ryuhi.

“He doesn’t even to seem to care that they all love him. Bastard.” One jealous guy said.

“Don’t say anything, unless you know him.” A girl behind them said.

They turned and saw a girl with mid-length fiery red hair.

“who are you?” A guy asked, “I’ve never seen you here before.”

“I’m just deciding if I should apply to this school, and I don’t think my name matters to you, punk.” She said and stood up, and left the class.

------

Kodachi, Airi, and Kinome opened the door to the school and walked down to their class, which they’re all in the same second period class, math.

When the class began, the teacher wasn’t there yet. This was everyone’s rare opportunity to talk in Mr. Kanagi’s math class.

“Ahem, so how about Reth? They’re having another concert in a few weeks, right?” Kodachi asked, trying to start up the conversation.

“Isn’t this one going to be bigger?” Kinome asked.

“Yes! Bigger stage for Ryuhi!!” Airi cheered.

“Reth? They became popular as soon as Masaki started to become a singer! Masaki is so much hotter than Ryuhi!” A girl in the class said.

“Take that back!!!!” Airi yelled, with fire in her eyes.

The teacher, Mr. Kanagi, walked in. “Miss Kamui, no yelling in my class. You will stay after school today,” He said.

“But it’s Monday and Ryuhi leaves early out of school on Monday!” Airi dropped her head on the desk.

“What’s Masaki?” Kodachi whispered to Kinome.

“I got a whole bunch of info on him, and he used to make music for a Korean band, but now he went off to compose and sing his own music.” Kinome whispered back.

“Miss Midori! Miss Kaneko! You two are going to be joining Miss Kamui.” The teacher yelled.

They both dropped their heads on their desk and sighed.

-------

After the bell rang, Ryuhi walked out of his last class of the day and decided to stop by Kinome’s place. No one was there, but he saw the basement light on. That could only mean one thing. Sosuke was there. Ryuhi walked back outside and saw Airi run up to him and leaped into his arms, squeezing the breath out of him.

“Ryuhi!! These girls at my school said Masaki was better than you! It’s not true!” She yelled.

“…I don’t care. What’s Masaki?” Ryuhi asked.

Airi let go of Ryuhi. “He’s this new singer guy that wants to be better than Reth! You won’t let that happen right?!” Airi asked, shaking his shoulders.

“Sure. No one named Masaki will be better than me.” Ryuhi said saying that just to get Airi to leave him alone.

“Haha, isn’t that such a girly name?” Airi smiled stupidly. She grabbed Ryuhi’s hand and dragged him inside Kinome’s house. They went downstairs and saw Sosuke reading something.

“hey guys! Come here!” Sosuke said looking serious. “I found this in one of Kinome’s shipments.”

“Masaki?!” Airi freaked out. “He’s popping up more than he’s supposed to! This guy is what my school is comparing Reth to! They were saying that Masaki is better than Ryuhi!!”

Can’t argue there … “Yeah, well he’s having a concert so I want to see how good he is, but we can’t let him know it’s us” Sosuke said.

“Don’t count me in.” Ryuhi said ready to leave.

“What?!” Sosuke stood up and asked. “don’t you want to know your competition?” he asked.

“No, not really. I don’t care about some guy named Masaki. We both just began so it doesn’t matter to me right now. Also, if we see him, that’d make everyone panic and we’ll try too hard to be better. Music isn’t a competition. So count me out, got it?” Ryuhi explained.

“You’re so smart, Ryuhi!” Airi smiled. Hearts floated around her head as she stared at him.

“Whatever. Just leave. I’ll go talk to the other then. I’m sure they’ll go with me.” Sosuke said.

“Everything’s a competition to you.” Airi said looking at Sosuke.

“not you too?!? Please Airi, you have to!” Sosuke began to plead.

Ryuhi would have laughed at the sight of him pleading if he wasn’t in the presence of his two worst compatibles. His ‘lover/stalker’ and his most hated person alive.

“Ryuhi, let’s go pick up Kinome and Kodachi. They had to stay after school.” Airi said.

They began to walk out the door. Sosuke glared and picked up his phone getting ready to call everyone.

On their way to pick up Kinome and Kodachi, Airi explained the whole story of why they had to stay after school.

“You skipped detention?” Ryuhi asked.

“Well I had to warn you!!” Airi said.

“I never thought you would be someone who skipped detentions, let alone even have any.” Ryuhi said.

Airi heard amusement in his voice, although his face didn’t show it.

“Ryuhi… are you going to laugh?” Airi smiled.

“Look, their coming.” Ryuhi quickly changed the subject.

Airi looked ahead and saw Kodachi and Kinome running up to Ryuhi and Airi.

“Airi! You’re in bigger trouble now!” they yelled, mostly just joking around.

“Aw Ryuhi save me!!” She said hiding behind Ryuhi.

“I’m not afraid to go through Ryuhi to get to you!!” Kodachi yelled waving her backpack over her head..

Airi ran off the opposite direction, and the other two girls ran past Ryuhi to chase down Airi.

Ryuhi stood there for a second, watching them all run away and he just decided to go home and talk to Akito, who him and Kodachi live with.

-----

Ryuhi unlocked the door and walked in, but no one was home. He went to the kitchen looked around for food, but absolutely nothing was there. Ryuhi had a sour look then closed the door. He turned the TV and noticed there was a message on the answering machine. He pressed the button to play.

{1 new message} Hello, Ryuhi, how are you? I hope you decide to see my concert. I’m looking forward to seeing you, as well. Traitor. {4:34 PM.} {No new messages}

Ryuhi looked confused and listened to the message a couple of times to try and recognize the voice and why the man called him a traitor. The door opened and quickly, he deleted the message.

“Hi Ryuhi. You’re home early.” Kodachi said, putting her bag down and taking off her shoes.

“Yeah I got bored. I think I’m going to go to bed. Night” Ryuhi said and walked to his room.

Kodachi looked at him curiously but she ignored it, because Ryuhi is weird in general.